Out in the Offense by Lane Hayes Audiobook Release Blitz

Christian Rafferty is a talented quarterback with a big secret. He’s determined to make the most of his final season on the football field, and if possible, avoid any confrontations with his conservative parents about his future. It shouldn’t be difficult; he’s become adept at keeping his public and private lives separate. However, when a math class threatens to derail his plans to graduate on time, he realizes he may need outside help.

Rory Kirkland has a reputation for being a tough guy. He’s a former wrestler and recent college graduate who needs a real job. Until he finds one, tutoring is a decent temporary gig. Luckily, his brain is his biggest asset. Rory is a genius. He credits his sport for helping him deal with angst and rumors about his sexuality when he was younger, but he doesn’t care what others think anymore. He likes his new status as an out and proud bi man; and he recognizes something of himself in Christian. But Rory didn’t count on falling for him. When an unlikely friendship collides with intense attraction, both men begin to realize that coming out on offense just might be the surest path to love.

Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
Narrator: Michael Pauley

Book 3
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~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For ebook reviews and more info, check out our stop on the Out in the Offense Blog Tour.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆☆
I’m going to veer away from my normal reviewing format to share a bit of personal information with you that I think will best explain why I’m giving Out in the Offense five stars. I’ve had a bad week. It’s probably not bad in comparison to what a lot of people deal with, but as my birthday just passed and I started the week on a high note, it seems worse than normal. Topping off the bad of my week is the fact that my debit card got flagged for fraud and I had to take time off work to go to the bank to find out why my card was declined for a purchase significantly less than the funds available in my account. While I’m thankful they caught the fraud while it was still an attempt and no money was lost, it’s still annoying that I didn’t find out what was going on until I made a special trip to the bank. Needless to say, I’m off balance and beyond distracted. Now, let’s add to that the simple fact that much like Christian, I HATED… LOATHED… DETESTED statistics in college and found it to be a complete waste of time as it had zero, nothing, nada to do with my field of study. For the cherry on top, I didn’t realize who Rory was until literally seconds before his connection to Mitch was revealed, prompting me to restart the audiobook so I could “reframe” the story with the proper references.

So I’m feeling a little bummed and frustrated with myself for being unable to lose myself in the story as I normally would. But then something magical happened and Michael Pauley’s wonderful narration and Lane Hayes’ beautiful storytelling broke through the noise in my head and the chaos in my life and I got lost in the best possible way. I found myself wanting to hug Rory for his understanding and unwavering support of Christian’s dilemma. I wanted to throttle Max for his drama and confront Sky for the stunts he pulled as he took his anger at Max out on Christian (even as I felt bad for what Sky appeared to be going through). I wanted to physically hurt someone when the locker room vandalism was discovered. And I wanted to cheer Christian on when he stood up to his father and the college administration as he took a stand for himself, refusing to apologize for who he is or silently accepting punishment for being the victim of a hate crime. Not only did Hayes and Pauley deliver another wonderful audiobook experience, but they gave me the much-needed escape from reality that had been eluding me. Well done!

On a side note, just in case the author reads this review, I have no idea if more books are planned for this series and I really hope they are because I am enjoying it so much, but if I can be so bold as to make a request: keep Jonesie as the bumbling, well-meaning ally he’s turning out to be. I did not care for him the first time I met him, but he’s grown on me and as much as I love the whole “out for you” theme in the Out in College series, Jonesie is the one character whose strength is in his personal growth as an ally and his willingness to try to learn how to be more supportive of his friends as they come out. Yes, he’s brash and often says the wrong things, but he means well and he’s growing as a character in the way we want allies to. He won’t always get it right, but his heart is in the right place. As delicious as it could be to see a character like Jonesie realize that there’s more to his sexuality than he believed, I think he’s best left in the role of ally-in-the-making. Just my two cents.

Also Available in the Out in College Series

Book 1
Audiobook Buy Links

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For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Out in the Deep Release Blitz and the Out in the Deep Audiobook Release Blitz.

Book 2
Audiobook Buy Links

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Ebook Buy Links

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For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Out in the End Zone Audiobook Release Blitz.

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and won First Prize in the 2016 and 2017 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.

Connect with Lane

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Michael Pauley has well over 50 audio book titles currently available for purchase on Audible.com. He is versed in multiple styles and genres including fiction (novels and short stories) ranging from romance to science fiction to crime dramas to thrillers; business strategy books; health and wellness books; and even an occasional children's book.

Fans of Michael's narration are welcome to follow him on social media.

If you are interested in working with Michael to produce your next audio book, you can contact him directly at voice@michaelpauley.info

Connect with Michael

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free audiobook copy of Out in the Offense (Out in College #3) by Lane Hayes, narrated by Michael Pauley to listen to and review for this tour.

Lost and Found by Lexi Blake Blog Tour

Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.

Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.

Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.

Book 2
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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

“Becca.” Owen’s voice was low. “Concentrate on me, on our conversation. You’ve done incredibly well. You’ve been able to hold it off, but this has gone on far longer than you ever should have been expected to handle it. This elevator is tight. I feel it, too, but we can hold off the anxiety together.”

She doubted very much the man in front of her was anxious. He looked solid, like the kind of man who took whatever came his way and simply dealt with it. He wouldn’t have needed two freaking years to figure out what he wanted. He would have signed his divorce papers and moved on, not hiding in his work.

It struck her forcibly that she might never have met a man like Owen Shaw. Her childhood had been fairly sheltered. She’d constantly been surrounded by intellectuals, men and women who were far more concerned with their work than anything else.

The ground beneath her shifted and the elevator dropped what felt like ten feet, but she knew in her head it was mere inches. Her heart rate tripled, and she grabbed on to the closest thing she could—him.

His arms went around her, holding her up, and she heard it. He was so tall that her head naturally rested on his chest, and she could hear his heart beating in rapid time.

He was nervous.

The phone rang and Owen cursed, reaching out to grab it. The shaft was so small, he didn’t have to let her go to grasp it.

“What the bloody hell is happening, Colin?”

She could hear his voice over the line. “Sorry. So sorry. We had to lower the shaft the tiniest bit. I should have warned you. It’s not going to fall. Just needed to reposition to get to the problem. Not long now. Another half an hour or so and I’ll have you right out of there.”

“If you do that again, do you know what I’m going to do to you, Colin?”

There was a pause over the line and she could practically hear Colin’s gulp. “Write my father a tersely worded letter of complaint?”

“No, I’m going to pull your heart out through your throat and then I’ll shove it back up your arse.”

“You sound very much like Liam Neeson in that movie.”

“Liam Neeson is Irish. I’m a Scot. I assure you what I’ll do to you will make you run into Liam Neeson’s arms and beg him to save you.” He reached back and hung up the phone with a resounding clang.

His arm went back around her. “It’s going to be all right. They’ll move faster now. So you’ve taken a sabbatical from men.”

She breathed him in, loving how he smelled. Were men supposed to smell so good?

She could feel herself relax as he held her. She’d known him for three hours. She shouldn’t let him hold her like this.

And why the fuck not? Because it wasn’t smart? Because he might think she wanted something she shouldn’t?

She was human. Why shouldn’t she want him? Because society told her that good girls didn’t make out with guys they’d just met in an elevator?

Society sucked, and she wasn’t a good girl. When her husband had tried to put his name on her work, she’d told him to fuck off and write his own paper. When he’d cheated on her, she’d walked away.

She was single.

God, was he single?

She stepped back.

“What’s wrong?” Owen asked.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

His lips curled up in the sweetest grin, as though he knew exactly why she was asking that question. “No, love. I don’t have a girlfriend and I don’t have a wife.”

He was single. She was single.

The moment lengthened between them.

He stepped back. “I’m sorry. I’m coming on way too strong.”

He wasn’t. He’d been gentlemanly, friendly. Up until the last couple of moments, he hadn’t put a hand on her or leered. She could feel his attraction. It was there in the warm way he looked at her, in the set of his shoulders, relaxed earlier and tense now that he’d touched her. He was thinking about the same thing she was.

“I’m very nervous, Owen. My logical mind knows that it’s far more likely for me to die getting hit by lightning than in an elevator, even one that’s stuck.” Unfortunately, her logical mind was slowly losing control of her dumbass lizard brain.

“Will talking help?” Owen asked. “Because I’m willing to do that. Or whatever you need to take your mind off things.”

There was a wealth of promise in those words. Dirty and sweet at the same time. They’d shared her wine, passing it back and forth between them, her lips touching the same place his had been moments before. When she’d drank after him, she’d thought about kissing him.

It had been too long. Two years was way too long to go without sex.

They had a half an hour or so. At least that’s what Colin—who might be murdered soon by Owen Shaw—said. She even thought his name was sexy.

What exactly would it hurt if she did kiss him? If she touched him and let him touch her? Hell, what would it hurt if she fucked him? They were both single, both a little needy. They had some time to kill. They’d done everything else.

“I would like to kiss you.” If he didn’t want her to, he could say no and they could find something else to do. She wasn’t going to be embarrassed because some guy didn’t want her. Some stunningly gorgeous guy. Some really funny, sexy guy. After all, she wouldn’t see him after this. She’d never seen him before. He’d told her he was moving in, but she went into work early and came home late. He was a bodyguard, so he likely worked odd hours and traveled a lot.

He was safe. She could open that door, enjoy herself, and then close it again. Owen Shaw could be her first really good memory in a long time, the start of many because it was time to get serious about finding some joy and balance in her life.

But only if he wanted some joy, too.

He moved back, placing his back against the elevator wall, the sweetest smile lighting up his face. “You have no idea how much I want you to kiss me. I’m right here, love. Do your worst.”

He was letting her make the first move. And probably the second. And the third. He was obviously a careful man. It would be easier if he took over, but he was right. This needed to be her choice, and she had to make the move.

She’d been the girl who’d told her parents at the age of five that kindergarten was boring and she wanted to move through the grades until she found something challenging. When they’d told her they wanted her to slow down and enjoy her childhood, she’d gone on strike until the teachers at her school begged her parents to let them move her up.

She was the girl who’d put it all on hold to take care of her mother, too.

She wasn’t the girl who didn’t take what she wanted, and she wanted Owen Shaw.

“It’s been a long time since I did this.” But her body was already heating up. Her body remembered. Her marriage might have sucked, but the sex had been fairly good. It had been the reason she’d married him. She’d gotten used to regular, good sex.

She’d get used to it again, just on her terms this time.

“Somehow, I think you’ll remember,” he said. “You play all you like. Stop when you want to.”

She’d been right about him. He was a careful man. “And if I don’t want to stop?”

“Then you should be happy I’m a man who believes in being prepared.”

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 stars of phenomenal reading!

This is the second book in this series, but a spin-off from the Masters & Mercenaries series. I would suggest that to really get the whole goodness, you need to read them all – and I have to say I almost envy you if that is what you do, as you will get the whole story in one go, rather than the agony of having to wait for the next one to be released! You most certainly should read the first in this series before this one. I am assuming that you have in my review.

I have to admit that as much as I wanted to read this book, being reminded of what happened to these vibrant, intelligent, alpha males is heartbreaking all over again. And possibly most of all for Owen. He was part of the team and gave them up to save his family, and in the process lost them and the trust of the team. He also suffered terribly from an allergic reaction to the evil drugs which has left him scarred physically as well having wiped his memories. He therefore knows what he did because he has been told but has no memory of it taking place. That is a situation that it is difficult to atone for, yet he tries.

And whilst 'she' is no more, the danger of her research falling into the wrong hands is all too real, and the team continues to fight to ensure that no one else suffers, and possibly the Lost Boys may get their earlier lives back. The plot is tight, and the action is fast paced, so fitting in a rather lovely, if unusual love story is a skilled thing to do. And one which should have never taken place, if it weren't for a broken lift and an unimaginably strong chemistry.

Owen has to deal with a lot of complex issues in this book and is so torn between proving his loyalty to the team, and yet wanting to be genuine with Becca. It is a challenge that really could only ever set him up to fail, but Lexi Blake gives us a view of what a wonderful relationship they could have, and the faith in her writing that it will all work out. It is fun that the geeky scientist has a very naughty side hiding under her prim and proper demeanour.

Another fabulous adventure, leading us ever nearer to a possible solution. It was also lovely to catch up with all the ongoing and newly developing relationships which will feature in the future!


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

This is the second book in this series and it didn't disappoint. I love watching the Lost Boys finding themselves, love, and figuring out the mystery that of their memories.

Owen is a teammate who knows that he made the ultimate sacrifice. He lost a lot and despite the loss, he wants to prove himself and earn back the trust of his brothers and himself. When he's given his next assignment, things don't go quite as expected. However, Owen is willing to do what it takes to ensure that this mission is successful. What Owen is not expecting is to truly develop feelings for his target.

Rebecca, or Becca as she likes to be called, is fairly quiet. She loves her job, but because of her past, she has really only been driven to find the cure for Alzheimer’s. Despite trying to have a relationship, she found that because she has always been the smartest person in the room and the youngest, she had to build up a thick skin. People wanted things from her that they weren't willing to work for themselves. While working her dream job, she finds out someone is out to get her fired, or worse, killed. What she doesn't expect is to fall for her new neighbor, Owen, or feel real feelings for her newfound friends that she is desperately trying to make.

How Becca and Owen met was pretty funny. I love that it wasn't a big thing, but that they were each looking for something, they just weren't sure what. It was difficult to watch their relationship unfold, because you knew that there were truths that had to come out and that was going to cause a lot of hurt and anger. Both characters are well developed, and you get to find out a lot about their pasts, but I wanted more of their future together. They had great chemistry too – mostly because despite Becca's brains, she loves that Owen is dominant in some areas of their relationship.

The other brothers were great in this story and I loved how Green fit in too. I can't wait for the next book and hope that we get to see more of Owen and Becca because I felt that we only touched the surface of their relationship and there is so much more to them.


Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
Lost and Found is the second book in the Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten series. I would suggest reading this series in order, as each book builds on the previous.

I will be honest here and admit that I enjoyed book one, but book two was fantastic!

The Lost Boys are a group of men who've been abducted and used for nefarious purposes. These men have no idea who they WERE, where they're from, or any important information. All they know about their pasts are bits and pieces that have come back to them, slowly and with therapy. They DO know they've been used for biological experiments by the evil Dr. Hope McDonald.

My heart goes out to Owen, he may have had the worst experience at the hand of Dr. McDonald. Not only were ALL of his memories wiped out, but he also had a terrible allergic reaction to the drugs. When he's told that he turned on his team when he tried to save his family but failed miserably, he lost his will to live.

Dr. Rebecca Walsh lives a sheltered life, by her own design. Some may call her a workaholic, and that would be appropriate as she's researching the cure to Alzheimer's. Pouring herself into work, she doesn't have the desire or time to socialize. That is, until a chance meeting with a ginger god in the awful elevator of her apartment building...

I loved everything about this story. Becca is a strong, independent woman who may be a bit naive at times but is extremely intelligent. Owen is a strong but damaged man, who finds acceptance in the most unlikely of places. Together, Becca and Owen learn to trust themselves and rely on other people. The story was fast-paced and exciting, it was complicated yet straightforward, and it was sweet yet frustrating. I love the entire team of Lost Boys, and hope every single one gets their happy ending.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This is an exciting story about a high profile researcher and the former SAS soldier assigned to investigate her past. And while Owen is instantly attracted to Becca, he is all too aware that in the past she may have used her research to help a colleague erase Owen’s memories.

I’m guessing that fans of the Masters & Mercenaries series will understand the backstory behind Owen and the other Lost Boys. As a new reader, I enjoyed the relationship between Owen and Becca. They don’t trust each other. On the surface, they don’t have much in common and neither of them can see a future for the relationship. But the chemistry between them is instant and I love the playful banter that easily becomes a friendship. And their gentle D/s sex play is hot.

While I enjoyed the relationship between Becca and Owen, I was slightly disappointed by the quality of the writing. I came to this book from the Thieves/Hunter books and after the gorgeous writing in Outcast, I guess I just expect more from Lexi Blake. This feels like another slightly bland and formulaic special forces romance. With the exception of Becca, the characters are fairly simplistic and predictable. It’s not a badly written book but it lacks the magic I’ve come to expect from Lexi Blake’s writing.

And now for my biggest frustration. This is marketed as the second book in a series – and it really isn’t. This is actually the second in a spinoff series after sixteen books in the Masters & Mercenaries series. So, book 18. I was happy to jump into book two in a series by a favourite author but I’d challenge anyone to try and make sense of book 18. At the start of the book, I was completely lost in the incredibly complicated backstory and it was well past the halfway point before I was understanding the storylines in this book. My head was spinning with casual references to characters, events, and places.

If I hadn’t signed up to review the book, I would have put it down after a few chapters. This isn’t an author issue, it’s a marketing/publishing problem. I read blurbs carefully before requesting the books I review and there is nothing in the Goodreads description to suggest that this story isn’t a standalone read.


Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
If you lost your memories, what would you do to get them back? And if you learned that you were made to do bad things, would you really want those memories?

This series is a spin-off of the Masters & Mercenaries series and these men were used by a psycho doctor with a God complex who wants to make her own army of soldiers. Now that Dr. Hope McDonald is dead, the Lost Boys want to find everyone that had anything to do with helping her and eliminate them and her research, so no one else ever has a chance to hurt anyone else.

The group is on the way to Toronto to find Dr. Rebecca (Becca) Walsh and the box Dr. McDonald sent to her. When Owen Shaw saw Becca, he was drawn to her physically and something deep inside him wants to protect her. When they meet, the sparks fly and they both are drawn together as if they were made for each other.

Dr. Becca Walsh has always been ahead of her classmates, she was more than a gifted child. And after watching her mother struggle, she dedicated her life to find a cure for brain trauma and diseases. After a failed marriage, she threw herself into her research even more. When she sees Owen and the sparks fly, she comes to realize that she has been missing some things in her life. And maybe she can find happiness and even love with Owen.

When things escalate and the team has to grab Becca, she can't believe that Owen deceived her. And she can't believe what they are telling her. When she thinks back to working with Dr. McDonald, she starts remembering weird things and can't believe she didn't realize what was really going on.

Will she be able to forgive Owen for not telling her the truth from the beginning? Can Owen trust that she is telling him the truth? Will they find the box Dr. McDonald sent to her? Will she be able to help them find a cure to get their memories back? Will they be able to move past everything and have a future together?

This story is filled with suspense, spies, espionage, murder for hire, brotherly love, and love to last forever. I love this series and so far, this is my favorite. I can't wait for the next one.

Also Available in the Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series

Formerly titled Memento Mori
Book 1
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Memento Mori Blog Tour.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

Connect with Lexi

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2, Masters & Mercenaries #18) by Lexi Blake to read and review for this tour.

Halo by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine Blog Tour

Massive world tours.
Over a hundred million albums sold.
Groupies galore.

Every day is a party for Viper and the guys of TBD, the biggest rock band in the world. But it all comes to a screeching halt when the lead singer walks out of the studio one day and never comes back.

Ear-blistering vocals. Butchered lyrics. Fame chasers. After months of lackluster auditions, Viper, the lead guitarist and resident bad boy of the group, is ready to find solace in the bottom of a bottle. Time’s running out and the pressure’s on to find a new singer, but it isn’t until an angel walks through the door that the band’s prayers are answered.

Charismatic. Talented. Magic behind the mic.
Halo is everything they’ve been looking for.

With a voice to match his stunning good looks, it isn’t long before Viper’s taking notice. But there are several reasons this is a bad idea:
1. Interpersonal relationships in the band are discouraged
2. Viper has already broken rule #1—big mistake
3. Halo is straight

Too bad Viper’s body isn’t listening to his head—at least not the one on his shoulders. But you can’t fake chemistry, not onstage and certainly not off it, and Viper and Halo? They have it in spades.

As both men try to resist the fire blazing between them, and the band is forced to reinvent themselves, it’ll be a complicated rise back to the top. But from the ashes of what was, something beautiful is born. Something better. And when the world finally sees Halo stretch his wings, they’ll discover what it’s like to fall for an angel.

Book 1
Buy Links

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~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the start of a new Ella Frank series, written with Brooke Blaine, and I am hooked already. I am a big fan of the MM rock star genre, and this is familiar enough to be an easy read, but with the Frank stamp of originality. And of course, features super-hot, intelligent, and interesting characters.

In this first installment, we learn about the TBD band which is missing a lead singer, and why, and then move on to the future for a new line up, with an annoying band manager thrown in. But when we get to know more about Halo, or Angel as Viper quickly names him, it is easy to understand the attraction and the chemistry, as well as the caution.

Once they accept the inevitable, then the music and the passion flow... oh, and you may be advised to read in private, with a cool drink to hand, or a fan! Written with great style, intensity, and deliciousness – cannot wait for the next book!


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆☆
Halo is the first book in the Fallen Angel Series.

TBD's front man, Trent, walked away from the band leaving the rest of the guys scrambling. They were auditioning men for months before Halo walked through the door. He had the look and once he opened his mouth, they knew he was the one. Everyone thought he was perfect for TBD except for Viper. Viper knew he had the voice, but the attraction Viper had for a straight Halo was going to be a problem.

Halo never thought of being with a man but something about the way Viper looked at him, the way his lips moved, drew Halo in. There are sparks flying every time the two are in the same room. Can Halo look past the flirting or is he going to give in to something he didn't know he needed? Viper is the bad boy and Halo is the angel. Can Viper make Halo his Fallen Angel?

Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank are one of my favorite writing duos. I was ecstatic they were coming out with a new series together and they did not disappoint!! The ride Blaine and Frank take you on is so sexy. It's such a slow burn I couldn't put it down. I love that it wasn't an insta-love, insta-feelings read. I can't wait to see what's next for these guys in Viper's book!!


Angie – ☆☆☆☆☆
Holy crap on a cracker. This book was HOT!!! You could feel the heat coming off the pages and it just kept getting hotter and hotter. There wasn't a lot of drama or angst, just good old fashion chemistry. Halo tries out for TBD lead singer and gets it. I hope in the next book we find out exactly why Trent left TBD; I mean I could honestly care less, just curious. Just like I am curious about what Halo's real name is. Viper is what everyone would call your typical male rock star bad boy, and boy is he bad in such a good way. Viper knows the instant he sees Halo there will be a problem and he tries to tell his friend and bandmate Killian, but they hire Halo anyway. This book isn't just about Halo and Viper, it is also about the band coming back from losing their front man. The book ends on a high note and I can't wait to see what comes next. Viper, you are one hot S.O.B. and I can't wait to see what your book holds. Highly recommend for anyone who likes rock star books and hot, slow, torturous burning chemistry.

Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite contemporary romance, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

Connect with Ella

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Brooke & Ella's Naughty Umbrella Facebook Group

Brooke Blaine is a USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary romance that ranges from comedy to suspense to erotic. The latter has scarred her conservative Southern family for life, bless their hearts.

If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find – just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for years.

Connect with Brooke

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Brooke & Ella's Naughty Umbrella Facebook Group

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Halo (Fallen Angel #1) by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine to read and review for this tour.

Mixed Signals by Cooper West

Devastatingly handsome pilot Frank Sheldon is doing his best to avoid his inheritance of money, charm, and good looks by rebuilding his life on his own terms after being discharged from the Air Force just before the repeal of DADT. When he unexpectedly meets the eccentric geek Benjamin Kaplan, sparks don’t quite fly, despite Benjamin’s obvious interest. Frank is not one to back down from a challenge, but what does any of that have to do with his sister’s campaign for governor, or the muckraking political website attacking her opponent, who just happens to be Frank’s unlamented, very closeted, ex-boyfriend? It’s hard to fall in love when all you are getting is mixed signals.

Second Edition
First Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, July 2011.

Buy Links

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Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This was an unexpected pleasure. I was expecting a classic Harlequin-style romance about a billionaire who meets an impoverished genius. I wasn’t expecting the self-aware humour, the nearly satirical social commentary, or the wonderfully developed supporting characters. The reality of this book is a genre bending, laugh out loud romp that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Frank is a poor little rich boy heading towards his forties. His father is desperate for him to grow up and make something of himself. His sister needs his LGBT connections for her political campaign. All Frank wants is to fly airplanes. I’m still not sure how the author makes Frank a likeable character but even though I spent a whole lot of time rolling my eyes at him, I really loved him. Ben is a charming eccentric who captures Frank's attention and Frank’s father’s imagination. He’s loyal and sweet and funny – and he’ll do anything to protect the people he cares about. Together, these two have way more in common than either of them first suspected and they balance each other perfectly. I loved the slow burn, low heat romance that builds between Frank and Ben.

Full of secrets, political intrigue, and fabulous characters, this book doesn’t take itself too seriously. I love Frank’s complicated, messy, and entirely unpredictable family and I love Ben’s equally messy and unpredictable brain. This was a fun and highly entertaining read.

COOPER WEST lives in Florida and wishes the weather was more like the Pacific coast, or maybe Hawaii, but currently works for the local university and is settled down for the moment where she is. She enjoys dancing, writing fanfic, and being curmudgeonly. Her cat thinks she’s not attentive enough, which is probably true. West’s goal is to make a living writing stories that people love to read.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Mixed Signals by Cooper West to read and review.

My Favorite Cowboy by Donna Grant

New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant rounds up the hottest cowboys in Texas in her latest novel of no-holds-barred passion.

Audrey Martinez is a veterinarian who has devoted her whole life to the care and protection of horses—even if doing so leaves her little time for meeting a man. Who would have thought that a strange case of criminal horseplay would lead her to falling deeply, wildly in love? If only the man who makes her heart race faster than a wild mustang would let his guard down, that is...

Caleb Harper is no ordinary cowboy. Sure, he wears his hat, boots, and jeans like a second skin, and displays an easygoing charm that comes from years of working on the ranch. But with his military background, and Army buddies at his side, he is tried-and-true Texas tough. Audrey knows she can trust a man like Caleb to help her save horses. But can Caleb trust himself to resist his attraction to Audrey—or will the sparks of their desire end up getting them burned?

Book 3
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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
I liked this book but for me, it was hard to get into. The characters of Audrey and Caleb are well written, but I didn't think the chemistry between the two was very hot.

The angst that Audrey has to face is daunting and the resolution does come as a surprise. Caleb's determination to protect Audrey is nice and it goes against the grain of what we know about him. We see him failing in love and not necessarily fighting it. Audrey, on the other hand, doesn't want to admit that she has feelings for Caleb. She has seen what the loss of her mother did to her father and she's determined to avoid that at all cost.

Overall, it was an enjoyable book.


Dawn – ☆☆☆☆
Another great book from Donna Grant. However, with this series I can't help but think the boys go looking for trouble so they can get involved, it's like they are attracted to danger.

I'm so glad that Caleb got his own book, out of all the characters I really wanted him to have a happy ending. Brice kind of annoyed me with his meddling ways in this book. I know he was doing it out of love for his brother, but it was still annoying. I liked the lead female, Audrey; she was hardworking, dedicated, and independent. Her love for the all the animals really came off the pages.

As always with this series, something dodgy is going on and the Harper boys are there to help. There were, as always, a lot of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages.

Overall, another great book in the Hearts of Texas series.

Also Available in the Heart of Texas Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Christmas Cowboy Hero post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our Cowboy, Cross My Heart post.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories. She’s written more than thirty novels spanning multiple genres of romance including the bestselling Dark King stories, Dark Craving, Night’s Awakening, and Dawn’s Desire. Her acclaimed series, Dark Warriors, feature a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her two children, a dog, and four cats in Texas.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of My Favorite Cowboy (Heart of Texas #3) by Donna Grant to read and review.