Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Jordan Reclaimed by Scarlett Cole Blog Tour


Jordan Steele’s life began when he was ten. When he was taken from his parents and a house that was never a home. When he met his brothers, the other lost and abandoned boys in his group home. When he learned what friendship and family and love looked like.

Now he’s made good, touring the world with the band he and his brothers formed in that crowded group home. No one but his found family really knows the man under the fame and fortune, the scars he hides behind the rockstar lifestyle. Until he sees her through the windows of the National Ballet, dancing, and suddenly the world doesn’t seem so dark.

Aleksandra Artemov ticks all the ballet boxes. Father a legendary Kirov dancer. Check. Prepping since birth for classical ballet. Check. Compulsive control over the food she eats. Check. Principal dancer at The National Ballet of Canada. Check. But what she craves is freedom.

She craves Jordan.

Everything about him should terrify her. His size, his tattoos, his edge. But he doesn’t. He stirs her very soul. Jordan has nothing but himself to offer her, and he's never been good enough for anyone. Can he figure out how to face his own demons before he loses his light for good?

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Book 1
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Kris☆☆☆☆
Having read the other series by Cole, Second Circle Tattoos, I was more than ready for the guys from the band Preload to have their own stories! First book on this spin-off series starts with Jordan, the bass player from Preload. Jordan suffered some serious abuse and neglect before he ended up in the group home where he met his fellow band mates. He has horrible abandonment issues that made the guys live all together even after they made it big. Dred, the lead singer of the group, going out on his own with his wife and kid really has Jordan’s feelings left in a whirlwind. Walking in the cold, winter, Canadian streets, Jordan passes a ballet studio and stops to watch a ballerina dancing. Aleksandra sees the interesting stranger with his tattoos and side shaved head watching her practice and she's drawn to the dark and dangerous looking man. Dancing for him becomes something she longs to do more and the two begin to seek each other out. Deciding to see where a relationship might go, the two battle their own demons and the demands of being on the road apart. Jordan has to travel for the band, Alex for the ballet, but they try to keep it together. Alex's drunken father (an injured former ballet star) turns more abusive as the story unfolds. Alex's burgeoning eating disorder, along with Jordan's insecurities, make them both interesting characters to read. They also have some pretty great chemistry and when Jordan lets loose, the pages fly by. The ending was very abrupt and felt extremely rushed, so that left me feeling a bit stilted and thrown off, but these messed up boys turned rock stars are an intriguing bunch. I'd like to get to know them all better so I'm definitely reading #2!


Mary Jo☆☆☆☆
This is a dark and emotional read with lots of triggers involving child abuse.

Jordan was a victim of child abuse so severe that it still colors his everyday life. He has OCD tendencies that he can't seem to curb. He knows that he's still dealing with issues from his childhood, he just doesn't know how to come to terms with it.

Jordan is also a member of the successful metal band, Preload. Being a member of the band also causes him problems with his incessant need to make sure his brothers, his bandmates, are safe and secure every night.

Lexi is a dancer with her own set of issues. Her mother died when she was young and her father, a Russian immigrant, pinned all his hopes and dreams on her. She's a victim of verbal and mental abuse by her father, not only as a child, but also as an adult.

The chemistry between Jordan and Lexi is real and heartfelt. Jordan is unsure how to interact with Lexi but for the first time, he's willing to try to take something he really wants.

Lexi knows that Jordan's soul is bruised and she wants to help him into the light. The only problem is that Lexi tries to hide her issues from him, not wanting to cause him to worry for her.

I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more about the boys, the brothers, that made themselves a family.


Avid Reader☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

I believe that this book had a lot packed in for the length. I love how loyal Jordan is. He has had a very tough life, but he found his forever family and has stuck close. The secondary characters – his brothers and moms were a delight to read. I think that they helped to shape Jordan and without them, Jordan's character would have lacked a depth that was key to his story. When he sees Lexi, he's can't stop watching. He sees in her, a quality that just jumps at him.

Then you have Lexi. She is trying to find her own path, all while living under the shadow of her father. Her father is both physically and verbally abusive towards her and she is not well equipped to handle it. She loves dancing, but wants to dance something other than the classics. However, she is being told, by more than just her father, that her body type is not ideal for the types of shows she wants to dance. This starts her on a dangerous path.

When things come to a head with her father, she runs to Jordan, who does extremely well to hold himself in check. Jordan knows that Lexi is struggling, but doesn't really know how to help her. Both Jordan and Lexi have to struggle through their own insecurities and doubts, but eventually, they both find their way.

I hope that the brothers get their own stories too, as they were fun to read about.


Sarah☆☆☆☆☆
Romance writing just doesn’t get any better than this. Rock star and ballerina. Two angst filled artists still struggling to reconcile with difficult pasts, Jordan and Lexi are a perfect match. I’ve loved Scarlett Cole’s writing since the first Second Circle Tattoos book and I am thrilled with this spinoff series.

Jordan was introduced to readers in Dred’s book, The Purest Hook, along with the other members of the Toronto metal band. Of all the band members who met in foster care, Jordan always seemed the most damaged, but also the most elusive and private. His story is heartbreaking, but themes of healing and redemption keep his painful history from overwhelming his and Lexi’s story. In many ways, Jordan is a musical savant and his talent is inspiring.

Lexi is the child of a Russian defector, the father who needs her to realise his own failed aspirations. Her training regime is brutal and with her father also working as her teacher, Lexi has very little control over her life.

The scene when Lexi and Jordan first meet is absolutely magical. These two are perfect complements and they are bound together by their love of music. Theirs is an angst filled emotional journey and I loved it. Both Jordan and Lexi are controlled by people and events in their pasts and understanding themselves and each other takes trust and patience. While Scarlett Cole’s characters are never simple, these two might be her most complex couple yet.

This book might stand alone, but readers really need to go back to the very first Second Circle Tattoos story, or at least Dred’s story to fully understand the history of Preload and the relationships within the band. Over the past few months, I have become such a huge Scarlett Cole fangirl and I want to share her books with everyone I meet!


Ruthie☆☆☆☆☆
Having loved Ms. Cole's Second Circle Tattoos series, I was delighted to get a chance to read this new series based on Dred's band members.

This is an absolutely beautiful story with a very considered ending. I love that it deals with the many elements that have gone to make up these two people's lives, and how the parallels are drawn. There is some great foreshadowing of what might happen, which keeps the tension up too. Jordan is a really lovely character, backed up by his band of brothers by choice, rather than birth. His story, as it is slowly revealed, is heartbreaking, and when he calls Lexi on her behaviour, so powerful. Such an amazing talent to be able to write about such difficult issues with love and care.

I love that we are given an insight into the world of a ballerina, the pressures, the contradiction of beauty and pain. Mix that with the incredible talent of Preload band member Jordan to write music, and how the connection between them works musically as well as emotionally.

Thank you Ms. Cole for another amazing read.





SCARLETT COLE is a writer of contemporary romance and a two-time RITA finalist. Her debut, The Strongest Steel, was a Best Debut Goodreads Author Finalist 2015. Born in England, Scarlett traveled the world, living in Japan and the United States before settling in Canada where she met her own personal hero – all six and a half feet of him. She now lives with her husband and children in Manchester, England.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Jordan Reclaimed (Preload #1) by Scarlett Cole to read and review for this tour.

Catch and Release by Laura Drewry


The irresistible O’Donnell brothers return in a charming novel from the bestselling author of Off the Hook (“The perfect balance of sweet, sexy, and wonderfully romantic.”—Lauren Layne).

Hope Seaver is an up-and-coming TV producer tackling the hardest gig of her career: a reality show set at the Buoys, a scenic fishing destination owned by three handsome, stubborn brothers. Liam and Finn O’Donnell are willing to tolerate her crew for the sake of the business, but Ronan would rather chew off a limb than open up on camera. Somehow Hope has to convince him of her good intentions—and stop herself from swooning every time Ronan walks into the frame.

Ronan knows that he’s the reason his brothers gave up their old lives to run the Buoys, and he needs to make it worth their while. So if this out-of-towner with the kind eyes and dazzling smile wants to give them the free publicity they desperately need, Ronan can’t say no. He just won’t let himself get burned again by a double-dealing woman. But what if Hope’s good-girl routine isn’t an act? When Ronan lets his guard down long enough to catch a glimpse of the real Hope, he likes what he sees—enough to give love another shot.


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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah☆☆☆☆☆
The third and last book in this series is my favourite. I’ve grown madly attached to the O’Donnell family and their little piece of paradise and I’m so sad to see this series end. Ronan’s story is even better than I’d hoped – the gruff and slightly miserable eldest brother meets his match in Hope, the producer of the television series about his family’s fishing resort.

After his mother and later his wife left him, Ronan is terrified of relationships. He can’t trust women and his attraction to Hope leaves him confused and unsettled. Ronan is the quiet brother. Slightly anti-social, he took his responsibilities as the eldest seriously, taking on parenting responsibilities for Finn and Liam when he was far too young. Now that his younger brothers are settled, he is back in his family home, searching for identity and direction.

Hope lost her parents when she was too young. Alone, she tries to be prepared for anything, but she isn’t prepared for the big, brooding Irish-Canadian man she needs to film. It is Hope who pushes Ronan. She challenges his aloof detachment and forces him to feel something. In turn, Ronan offers her a glimpse of family, community, and a place to belong. The relationship between these two is a wonderful slow, awkward burn. The chemistry is perfect but they are both protective of themselves and their hearts.

Running alongside Hope and Ronan’s story is the story of the O’Donnell family’s struggle to revive their family fishing resort. Their efforts are captured on film by Hope and her team. The family desperately needs the publicity, but they are a private family with secrets they want to keep for themselves. More family secrets are revealed in this story and the relationships between the O’Donnells continue to develop. I loved catching up with the two couples from the earlier books and I loved seeing the family dream realised as the resort fills up and the TV show gains viewers. Once again, British Columbia’s beautiful coastal wilderness provides a gorgeous backdrop for the story. I have loved this series and I look forward to more from this author.



Ruthie☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series – I would recommend that you read them in order, as although each one is about another brother, the timeline is continuous. I have to say that I enjoyed this one so much that I read it in one sitting – finishing at 3am! Something I did slightly regret when the alarm went off, but I wasn't prepared to stop reading.

Ronan has been the deep, dark, and mysterious brother. We have learned, in previous installments, that he was the eldest brother and the one who took the brunt of his father's anger. He also took on the mantle of adult when their mother left, and sheltered both Liam and Finn from the harshest beatings. When he did leave, he married the wrong person and spent a long time trying to make it right, before finally divorcing. Now he is back, and whilst he is delighted that his brothers are now happy, he no longer knows how that could apply to him.

Hope is coming to The Buoys to film a new series of popular Fishing TV programme. She does not expect Ronan to press all her buttons, physically and emotionally, and even less that he may feel the same way. We get to watch as the electricity between them forces them to connect. I loved her nervous habit of spouting strange facts, which make Ronan and the reader laugh and dissipate the tension.

We have learned a lot about the men's fishing and tourism business in previous books, but watching it being recorded for the series brings another dimension. Add in a new pet, a hellish TV boss, and an unexpected secret being uncovered, and this is a very engaging read.

I do hope that we get another installment, as there are lots of unanswered questions which I would love to read about soon.


Also Available in the Fishing for Trouble Series

Book 1
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For reviews & more info, check out our Off the Hook post.


Book 2
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For reviews & more info, check out our Lured In post.




USA Today bestselling author Laura Drewry started out writing poetry—unbelievably bad poetry—which hopefully will never again see the light of day. With that behind her, she now writes contemporary and historical romance novels with characters who aren’t perfect, who aren’t always nice, and who tend to be a little (or a lot) on the sarcastic side. Born and raised in British Columbia, Laura spent eight years in the Canadian north, where she learned important life lessons like how to get your bananas from the grocery store to your car without them freezing and turning black in the -40°C temperatures. She now lives back home in southwestern B.C. with her husband, three sons, a turtle, two crazy dogs, a handful of chickens, and about thirty thousand bees. She loves old tattered books, movies, music, the New York Yankees, and cheesecake. Lots of cheesecake.

Connect with Laura

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http://readloveswept.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Catch and Release (Fishing for Trouble #3) by Laura Drewry to read and review.

Pursue by Vella Munn


Vengeful dogs hunt for animal abusers, but they can’t do it alone. They need Native American Niko Fox. Will she let Darick Creech protect her?

Niko Fox’s life changes the day massive gray dogs force her to follow them into southern Oregon’s coastal wilderness. When she spots an emaciated mare and the mare’s newborn foal, she rescues the helpless animals. Someone is responsible for the horses’ condition, someone Niko promises to make pay for the crime of animal abuse.

Because of a past conflict with him, she wants nothing to do with Fish and Wildlife officer Darick Creech, but the big, compassionate man understands what the grays represent as well as she does. Darick knows she won’t stop looking for truth and justice. He vows to mend the rift between them so he can do everything possible to ensure her safety. There’s nothing personal between them, nothing to distract them from their shared goal. Or is there?

Niko’s search for answers leads her to an abused dog. As she frees the animal and places it in her vehicle for a trip to the vet, the grays watch.

Niko is special to them—and to the force that rules their behavior. They need her.

Then, as Darick and Niko expected, the grays make their first human kill.

Reader Advisory: This books contains some scenes of violence.


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Totally Bound



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah☆☆☆☆
The third book in this series offers another gritty and thought provoking look at animal cruelty and natural justice. The greys are back and this time Niko, a Native American teacher’s aide, starts to understand the Hopi origins of the vengeful dogs.

There is less mystery in this third book. The dogs’ motives and methods are clear. Instead of a murder mystery, this story questions the morality of the humans who are involved with the dogs. Niko connects with the animals and she can communicate with them. While she abhors the cruelty of the dogs’ victims, she struggles to justify their brutal, feral form of justice.

In this story, Niko works closely with Darick, a Fish and Wildlife officer. Theirs is a tentative friendship. There is a physical attraction between Niko and Darick but this doesn’t really read as a romance. I struggled to warm to either of these characters because they both seemed to be vehicles for the author’s ideas about animal cruelty, justice, and vengeance rather than fully dynamic characters.

The supernatural element of this story is stronger than in the earlier books. There are some incredibly tense and frightening scenes and some disturbing violence. This could probably be read as a standalone novel, but I would advise readers to at least start from the second book, Fangs, for more of the background of the wolves and Niko and Darick’s world.

I’ve really enjoyed this series – the concept is refreshingly original and the stories are difficult to place within a specific genre. I look forward to more from this author.


Also Available in the Feral Justice Series

Book 2
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Totally Bound

For reviews & more info, check out our Fangs post.



Vella Munn writes because the voices in her head demand it. She has had upward of 60 titles published both under her own name and several pen names. A dedicated hermit and shopping loather, she’s married with two sons and four grandchildren. She’s owned by two rescue dogs.

Connect with Vella

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https://www.totallybound.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Pursue (Feral Justice #3) by Vella Munn to read and review.

Wait for It by M. O'Keefe


In a blistering novel of raw emotion and desire, a tormented woman teaches an alpha male that money can’t fix everything... but love can.

Tiffany: After fighting for a new life, I don’t want to play the victim anymore. However, with three kids to raise, I’m getting desperate enough to make a deal with the devil. My estranged brother-in-law, Blake, says he just wants to help, but he’s been trouble since I met him. I don’t know if I can believe this kinder, gentler Blake, and there’s a friction between us that has turned into the sweetest chemistry. He could be my salvation... or my downfall.

Blake: I haven’t always had Tiffany’s best interests at heart but I’m ready to make up for my sins. Besides, I can’t help admiring her: The girl’s a genuine survivor, tough and lean, with eyes of steel. But the more I get to know Tiffany, the more I want her. Every inch of her. Which means I’m about to make a bad situation a hell of a lot worse.


Wait for It is intended for mature audiences.

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Kris☆☆☆☆
I have read books 1-3 already in this series and I’ve really enjoyed them all! This installment is about Tiffany from the trailer park. The woman with three kids and a husband that is never around. When he is, she’s wishing he wasn’t. Abusive and drunk, her husband, Phil, uses Tiffany as a punching bag and the kids as weapons to keep her down and out. She’s alone and isolated from her family and friends, no car, no money, no way out. Blake is Phil’s brother, he’s spent his entire life cleaning up after his drunken jerk of a brother. After meeting Tiffany in the trailer park and realizing she’s his brother’s hidden wife and these are his nieces and nephews, Blake does what he always does, he throws money at the problem to make it go away.

Tiffany, in a desperate situation, takes the money Blake offers her, finally getting herself out of the trailer park and away from Phil. After trying to start her new life, Phil ends up finding her again and comes back to claim what’s his. Fleeing the apartment with the slippers on her feet and her ratty sweater, Tiffany makes her way up the mountain to where Annie lives. Annie has told her she was always welcome if she ever needed help. Unfortunately, Blake is at Annie’s Christmas party that’s in full swing when Tiffany pulls up for help.

Blake cannot believe she’s shown up here; after paying her off, he expected to never see her again. He deserves her anger and when he’s a bit too callous, Tiffany punches him! Blake finds there’s more to this scared little trailer rat, she has balls of steel!

There’s some perfect character strife between Tiffany and her husband’s brother. This arrogant man, who tried to pay her off to go away. Tiffany finds she’s very attracted to Blake and he seems more vulnerable that she ever thought possible; maybe, they both need saving.

This book contains some well written heartfelt angst, hurt feelings, and miscued moments between Blake and Tiffany that make a romance story great. You know, those groan worthy times where the character misunderstands or plays their feelings off while their heart is being stomped on. Blake is written very well, and steamed up the pages when the two did come together. I did find this book a bit on the wordy side (kind of like this review) and it may just be a bit longer than the story needed.

All in all, another very solid installment of the series.


Shelby☆☆☆
The first three books in this series have been fantastic! I was sucked right into this world and the characters; add in romance, action, and hot erotica, and you have the recipe for the perfect series.

The fourth book in the Everything I Left Unsaid series was Tiffany and Blake's story. If you've read the previous books, you're familiar with Tiffany. Phil, her abusive husband and father to her three children, has left her destitute and hanging on by a thread. She's been cut-off from her own family and never accepted by his, she is doing everything she can to provide for her children while being terrorized by him.

Blake, on the other hand, has worked for every dime he's ever made and is proud of it. Proud and cocky, Blake has spent his entire life cleaning up his brother's messes. When he finds out his brother, Phil, has a wife and children. Blake does what comes natural and tried to BUY them away from his family (mother/sister).

As I said before, I like the characters in this series, but I found this book lacking. I just didn't feel the chemistry between Blake and Tiffany. Not to say I didn't like them, I can totally relate to Tiffany being a mom and trying to find herself. I just didn't feel like they (Blake and Tiffany) were acting as adults. They both never talked of their feelings, they hoped the other could guess what they wanted, which would be okay if this was a Young Adult book.

Overall, I love this series. The fourth book wasn't my favorite, but I did like watching Tiffany and Blake grow up and grow together. I had high expectations for their story and it was certainly HOT at times, but it was also frustrating and immature.


Ruthie☆☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the series and I have enjoyed them all. I highly recommend that you read them in order, as the story is ongoing, although this concentrates on another couple to books one and two, and book three. Even though it was a while since I read the series, I was quickly re-immersed in the situation and delighted to be back.

Tiffany was a very sad character in the first books, and Annie so wanted to help; she gives rise to the first meeting between Tiffany and Blake. Blake has been sorting out his brother, Phil's messes for years – but never did he expect him to have a wife and children. Even less did he think of his brother as a perpetrator of domestic violence. That first encounter does not go well, but a year later, Blake has to rethink some of his assumptions, and cannot help but want to give Tiffany some support.

As the uncomfortable chemistry between them causes them both to rethink some of their previous preconceptions – about both themselves and each other – we get to watch a most unusual romance develop. Blake, whilst seemingly in control of himself, is indeed flawed; his reaction to Tiffany forces him to think about what he will do with his anger, and how he should deal with his brother in future.

It was addictive reading, thank you Ms. O'Keefe.


Also Available in the Everything I Left Unsaid Series

Book 1
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For reviews & more info, check out our Everything I Left Unsaid post.


Book 2
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For reviews & more info, check out our The Truth About Him post.


Book 3
Buy Links

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For reviews & more info, check out our Burn Down the Night post.



M. O’Keefe can remember the exact moment her love of romance began: in seventh grade, when Mrs. Nelson handed her the worn paperback copy of The Thorn Birds. It wasn’t long before she was filling up notebooks with her own story ideas, featuring girls with glasses and talking cats. Writing as Molly O’Keefe, she has won two RITA awards and three RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband, two kids, and the largest heap of dirty laundry in North America. When she’s not writing, she’s imagining what she would say if she ever got stuck in an elevator with Bruce Springsteen.

Connect with M. O’Keefe

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http://readloveswept.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Wait for It (Everything I Left Unsaid #4) by M. O'Keefe to read and review.

Admissible Behavior by Jenna Byrnes


Take one smart, sexy lawyer with tattoos covering his body. Add a macho, handsome Texan with a liquid-gold accent and enough hang-ups to drive a lawyer to commit a crime.

When Alex West told his parents he was gay they said, “Okay. What do you want for supper?” He grew into a happy, well-adjusted man and a sharp-as-a-tack lawyer. He has it all—except someone to call his own. Meeting Kyle Harbor for the first time, lots of thoughts run through his mind. Most of them dirty. Finally, someone sexy and available, and what a catch.

Kyle Harbor grew up with a homophobic father who spent years convincing him what ‘real men’ did and didn’t do. They definitely didn’t fool around with one another, and Kyle got a summer at Bible Camp to convince him. Married for nearly twenty years, he finally decided his beautiful wife deserved better and divorced her. Now he’s looking for love in all the wrong places when he stumbles upon Alex and sparks fly. Can he battle his demons from the past, or is their relationship doomed before it even gets a chance?

Reader Advisory: This book contains references to homophobically motivated physical child abuse, some brief references to drug use, one brief reference to gang rape, and implications of a ‘gay conversion program’ in backstory.


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Pride Publishing



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie☆☆☆☆☆
Alex and Kyle made me want to scream at times, but I fell in love with them both and didn’t want their story to end. Alex knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. Kyle knows what he wants, but refuses to go after it and doesn’t think he will ever get it. Throw in some great secondary characters, an ex-wife, a daughter, and you got yourself a good story. The chemistry with Alex and Kyle is off the charts and only gets hotter. This was a great story with just a little angst, but a fast read. I can’t wait to see what the next book has in store.

Characters: Well written
Sex: Yes
Religious: No
Would I recommend to others: Yes
More than one book in the series: Yes
Genre: M/M Romance
Would I read more by this author: Yes


Ruthie☆☆☆
This is the second in the series, and whilst the cast is partly drawn from the first book, you could read this as a standalone. That said, Acceptable Behavior is a good read, so don't miss out.

I enjoyed this story – with two men at very different stages in their emotional lives, but somehow interested in giving each other a chance to reach a compromise. There is a good mix of family, career, and revelations, as well as some pretty steamy scenes. There were some little touches which I found amusing, particularly the towels.

There were some good side plots for additional characters, which hopefully mean that there will be more from this engaging group of people.

I look forward to seeing who is in the limelight next time.


Also Available in the Marked Men Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Pride Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our Acceptable Behavior post.



Jenna Byrnes could use more cabinet space and more hours in a day. She'd fill the kitchen with gadgets her husband purchases off TV and let him cook for her to his heart's content. She'd breeze through the days adding hours of sleep, and more time for writing the hot, erotic romance she loves to read.

Jenna thinks everyone deserves a happy ending, and loves to provide as many of those as possible to her gay, lesbian and hetero characters. Her favourite quote, from a pro-gay billboard, is "Be careful who you hate. It may be someone you love."

Connect with Jenna

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https://www.pride-publishing.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Admissible Behavior (Marked Men #2) by Jenna Byrnes to read and review.

Monday, February 27, 2017

Sight Unseen by Susan Mac Nicol with Nicholas Downs


Tragedy brings together a reserved but brilliant sculptor and an outgoing gallery owner, friends whose love was sidetracked—but was always meant to be deeper.

BLINDSIDED

SoCal natives, Nate and Cody have been friends since childhood. Both knew they were different—and the same. At seventeen, a stolen weekend in the Florida Keys drove their connection deeper and hotter than either could imagine. They were meant to be together. Then, for reasons only Nate knows, suddenly they weren’t.

They’re still friends. Best friends. But they’ve moved on and found other partners. The yearning remains, however, despite the long-ago secret that drove them apart, and when tragedy strikes, both men find themselves in the dark. They must grope their way back to who and what they are...which they will find in each other’s arms. Sometimes, losing one’s sight can open one’s eyes—and heart.

Note from the author (lol) This book has sexy times but not as many as my usual books. I’m telling you now in case this makes a difference to you as to whether you buy the book. I’m trying to avoid getting reviews about how crap this book was because there wasn’t that much sex and it’s supposed to be a romance #JustSaying #FairWarning

This is a relationship love story about overcoming adversity, and it’s a slow burning one…

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Boroughs Publishing



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie☆☆☆☆☆
Loved this book! You could feel the connection between Nate and Cody, not just the love but the friendship. Even if the romantic part never happened, this book shows you what true friendship is, that you are there for a person no matter what happens and to make the best of the situation. This book gave me the feels, I couldn’t put it down and when I had to actually stop reading and go to work, I couldn’t wait to get back to reading it when I was home again. This will be added to my re-read pile for sure!

Characters: Well written and easy to relate to
Sex: Oh yeah!
Religious: No
Would I recommend to others: Yes
More than one book in the series: Not sure
Genre: M/M Romance
Would I read more by this author: Yes


Sarah☆☆☆☆☆
This story had me weeping from the start. When Nate, a young sculptor loses his sight in an accident, his whole world changes. This is the story of Nate learning how to live a life he never expected.

Nate is such a brilliant character. So many members of the LGBT community find themselves without the traditional family support that most of us take for granted and Nate’s inner strength as he faces his loss of sight on his own is inspiring. I loved his talent and passion for his art, but I also loved his human frustration and his struggle to remain positive.

Cody is an equally inspiring character. He works tirelessly to support and enable his best friend. He loves Nate fiercely and the relationship between these two men is really special. I love the friendship and I love the way it turns into something more.

My only reservations about this story are with the slightly clichéd supporting characters. Nate’s boyfriend and his parents are just too awful to be believable and they detract from an otherwise honest and realistic story. I love Nate’s family of choice, and his journey towards independence and a meaningful life is very special.



Susan Mac Nicol is a self-confessed bookaholic, an avid watcher of videos of sexy pole dancing men, geek, nerd and in love with her Smartphone. This little treasure is called ‘the boyfriend’ by her long suffering husband, who says if it vibrated, there’d be no need for him. Susan hasn’t had the heart to tell him there’s an app for that…

She is never happier than when sitting in the confines of her living room/study/on a cold station platform scribbling down words and making two men fall in love. In an ideal world, Susan Mac Nicol would be Queen of England and banish all the bad people to the Never Never Lands of Wherever -Who Cares. As that’s never going to happen, she contents herself with writing her HEA stories and pretending, that just for a little while, good things happen to good people.

Sue is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK.

Connect with Susan

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Blog

Additional Links
Sight Unseen Project on Facebook  ~  Sight Unseen Project on Twitter
Nicholas Downs’ Website




Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Sight Unseen by Susan Mac Nicol with Nicholas Downs to read and review.

Inking Scars by M.A. Stacie


Love will always leave a mark, no matter how fleeting.

Tattoo artist Seth Baxter has had enough loss to last him a lifetime. Focused and driven, he channels his energy into making his store is the best in the business. The one thing he can certainly do without is the return of his ex-girlfriend.

Bexley Way is lost. She runs back to the only person who can help her. She’s willing to take Seth’s hurt as long as he’ll offer her the solace she craves. He needs her help in the store and she’s desperate for his forgiveness, as well as his personal brand of security.

Secrets are kept by both of them, even when their old, unresolved, feelings resurface. Each day spent in her presence is a step forward for Seth. Their relationship was never truly over to him. Yet Bexley keeps so much to herself. Protecting her heart. Protecting Seth.

But when Bexley is faced with the true horror of her situation, she has no choice but to reveal it all to Seth. However, the words barely leave her lips before it all takes a deadly turn, leaving behind more anguish than ever before.

Are Seth and Bexley strong enough to right a past wrong and give themselves a permanent future?

Reader Advisory: This book contains reference to drug use, violence, pregnancy loss.

Add to Goodreads


Book 1
Buy Links

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Totally Bound



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Rachael☆☆☆☆
I really enjoyed this second chance story. There was drama, hotness, a bit of angst, and a great plot. I really liked watching the secondary characters bicker too.

There are a few twists and turns that are left unexplained until the end, which kept the pages turning quickly.

This was an odd read for me in a way because normally I relate to the female in the story, but in this one I really felt for Seth and didn't really like the explanation Bexley gave for running. Seth was the character that was dealing with the pain from their past relationship and all that they'd been through, while Bexley seemed to only want to place blame where it shouldn't have been. However, I have to say that I did see her side of things, I just didn't understand why she left. She ended up making the situation so much worse by doing it so I was a little bitter toward her at points.



M.A. Stacie is never without a book or her eReader. A voracious reader, with a love of sexy, yet angst ridden novels, she loves getting lost in new worlds. Her need to write did not grip her until after her second son was born, when her previous rambles became fully fledged stories.

She describes herself as one huge contradiction and though not the most conventional of hobbies, she counts getting new tattoos as one of hers along with running, knitting and listening to loud music. However, she is yet to work out how to do them all at the same time.

M.A. Stacie lives in the UK with her husband and three sons.

Connect with M.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


https://www.totallybound.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Inking Scars (Ink and Metal #1) by M.A. Stacie to read and review.