Clean Break by Erin McLellan Blog Tour

Connor’s To-Do List:
• Learn to accept my future on the family farm
• Be social, to a degree
• Make a secret bucket list
• Have a real conversation with Travis Bradford

Travis’s To-Do List:
• Get into my top law school
• Get the hell out of Elkville, Oklahoma
• Stay focused on my dreams and goals—no crushes, no distractions
• Get spanked by hot and perfectly fussy farm boy, Connor Blume

Travis and Connor do not like each other, but after being paired together in Entomology 101, their mutual hostility explodes into secret after-class hookups and unexpected feelings. With graduation looming near and their careers taking them in different directions, they’ll have to decide if a future together is worth adjusting their to-do lists and letting go of their carefully laid plans.

Warnings: explicit sex including mild kink; explicit language; instances and /or discussion of racism, homophobia, and transphobia; depiction of anxiety and OCD; consumption of alcohol; character with a deceased parent; lots of insects.
For more info about these warnings, click HERE.

Book 2
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TRAVIS

I was frozen, arms and legs heavy with desire or shock. I wasn’t sure which. I wanted Connor to keep kissing me, and I wanted him to stop right fucking now.

He must have sensed my unease because he pulled back and stared at me. My vision had adjusted to the dim light, so I could make out the muddy hazel of his eyes and the way his jaw ticked. He had faint acne scars on his cheeks that I’d never noticed, giving his face a rugged quality that was almost offset by all his adorable freckles.

“I’m sorry. I should have asked you first,” he said.

“It’s fine,” I whispered. My voice was shot.

“Can I kiss you again?”

This was the weirdest day. First, I’d discovered I was going to get a pet cockroach, and now the guy who I’d lost an entire semester pining after was asking permission to kiss me in a closet. There was a metaphor in there somewhere, but I was not in the right mind to analyze it.

I was curious. And he was sexy as all fuck. Maybe because he was so repressed and stoic? I wanted to be the one to unravel him.

“I suppose,” I said.

This time he sucked on my bottom lip, and my knees immediately went weak. He didn’t kiss like other guys. He kissed like he wasn’t totally sure of himself, and maybe it made me a jerk, but I wasn’t helping him out at all. I stood stock-still, and let him explore.

He kissed slowly around my mouth, his lips slipping against mine, almost reverently, and my head spun.

This was not a breath-stealing kiss. His tongue wasn’t stuffed so far in my mouth I couldn’t think. In fact, he hadn’t used his tongue at all. He captured my top lip, suckled lightly, then nibbled on it.

I couldn’t help it. I groaned and pulled him closer so our bodies touched. He pressed me into the door with an intensity that scared and excited me all at once. The back of my head ground into one of those plastic glowing stars.

“Shhh,” he mumbled, his mouth not leaving mine.

“Don’t shush me,” I snapped before gripping his face in both hands and biting his lip hard.

He grabbed my hands, ripped them off his cheeks, and pinned them above my head against the closet door.

We stared at each other, both breathing hard.

“I liked that,” he said. His voice was wary, as if he didn’t want to give too much away.

I wanted him to give everything away.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, and although we get to see more of Joel and Paulie’s relationship from book one, you could read this and have a really good read as a standalone.

Connor and Travis have a past… a brief, painful encounter due to a badly phrased comment by Connor. However, the attraction has not passed, and both of them are counting down the months and days to college ending and their unexpectedly seeing each other being over. Of course, that would make for a very short story… so instead, they are in a class together and due to their surnames both beginning with B, they are now partners.

I love the start to this book, and the tension which is raised every time they interact. We just know that this is going to be explosive when they finally give in – but just how they are going to overcome obstacle upon obstacle is something that is revealed in a deliciously slow and slightly tortuous fashion. I enjoyed the class they had together, and it was a very clever way of getting them to spend time together when they got a different insight into how each of them ticked. They certainly had very polarised views, but at the same time were prepared to compromise to be together – even whilst fighting the very idea!

Thank you, Erin McLellan, for a very good read.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Travis and Connor are opposites. Travis is creative and outgoing, Connor is reserved and exacting. After a false start, Travis and Connor keep ending up kissing in a school closet. Being in senior year and with them both going in different directions after graduation, Travis insists that they not be boyfriends or get emotionally involved. Travis’ mind, however, does not agree with either of their hearts.

This story starts out as a college romance which is fun, playful, and sexy and over time, becomes so much more. Through the discovery that Travis and Connor are perfectly compatible in the bedroom to cuddles and stories, the emotions build up bit by bit until they are totally overwhelming. The further into the story I got the more it pulled at my heart strings and I found myself reading on the train on my trip to work, tears in my eyes, struggling to hold back sobs.

Clean Break is fabulous love story. Sometimes new adult stories miss the mark for me, but this was spot on. It captured the fun of being young and discovering the world and love, of having everything exciting ahead of you, or in Connor’s case, the weight of others’ expectations pressing down on you, the way that every decision seems so big, and where you worry a mis-step is the end of the world. The author got this story just right and it was an absolute pleasure to read.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆
This book can be read as a standalone, however, we do see characters from the previous book in the series. Connor and Travis have that sizzling off-the-chart chemistry. The slow burn was just right, it wasn't too slow that it made you scream, hurry up already!!! The back and forth banter was great, it made me really fall in love with this two, it made the relationship seem like something you'd see in real life. We have all had a to-do list at one point and we all know that sometimes what is on list isn't always what happens and sometimes that is a-okay. Great addition to the series.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is a sexy and very angsty new adult romance. College seniors Connor and Travis know their lives will take them in very different directions after graduation, but neither is able to resist the attraction that pulls them together.

I love both the men in this story. Farm boy Connor is awkward, anxious, and he struggles with OCD. He’s also struggling with the future that has been set out for him from birth and the weight of his family responsibilities. Travis is passionate, driven, and funny. Where Connor is anxious about life after graduation, Travis can’t wait to start the next chapter in his life. The tension between Travis and Connor as they try to resist a relationship that can’t possibly have a future is wonderful. They’re an odd match but their friendship is wonderful and the sexual connection between them is crazy hot.

This is a steamy, playfully kinky read. It’s also a story about adulting and the existential angst that comes with it. The author balances the two sides to this story well. I personally preferred the lighter moments where Travis and Connor enjoy their friends, build a beautiful friendship, and explore their sexuality. I love that this book avoids BDSM clichés while allowing Travis and Connor to explore their kinks in a natural way. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to more books about the kids at Farm College.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Clean Break is the second installment in the Farm College series, and can easily be read independently as a standalone with little to no confusion. However, there is a crossover from the first novel, where the reader gets to enjoy seeing more of Joel and Paulie. This won't be confusing to new readers, but will be an added bonus for returning ones.

What I want to applaud Erin McLellan over is the balance. Opposites attract, playing to their strengths and weaknesses, and I don't just mean in relationships. I felt the author worked hard to balance all the plot points and character traits, to create a story that balanced into something believable.

I'd list this as new adult, since Connor and Travis are college seniors. Even though they are already adults, they're about to leave the protective nest of college. In a way, there are coming-of-age aspects, as they struggle with what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Connor was conflicted about the future, while Travis welcomed it with open arms. What I adore about reading a novel on the cusp of change is that we've all been there, able to understand and empathize, because change can be as thrilling as it is terrifying.

Clean Break pulled the emotions out of me, which isn't something easy to do. I 'felt' the characters to the point they resonated with me, which had me reading the novel as quickly as possible to see where it would all lead. Connor especially, because of his anxiety.

Banter and slow-burn are two of my favorite yummy plot devices, but added to that was the off-the-charts steam, as power-exchange was explored. This wasn't a large portion of the novel, but I appreciated how the author didn't muck it up, allowing it to feel natural instead of tossed in for titillation factor.

Trying to avoid spoilers... I adored Controlled Burn (the first in the series), easily passing out a rare five-star rating. Even though I was entertained by Clean Break, and fell hard for Connor and Travis, I'm not much on unnecessary drama, so that took a bit of the entertainment factor away from the story for me.

Highly recommend this series to MM Romance fans, and am definitely looking forward to more in the future.

Also Available in the Farm College Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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

For reviews & more info, check out our Controlled Burn post.

Erin McLellan is the author of several contemporary romances, all of which have characters who are complex, goodhearted, and a little quirky. She likes her stories to have a sexy spark and a happily ever after. Originally from Oklahoma, she currently lives in Alaska and spends her time dreaming up love stories set in the Great Plains. She is a lover of chocolate, college sports, antiquing, Dr Pepper, and binge-worthy TV shows. Erin is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Alaska chapter.

Connect with Erin

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Clean Break (Farm College #2) by Erin McLellan to read and review for this tour.

Controlled Burn by Erin McLellan

At eighteen, Joel Smith’s life fell to pieces. His boyfriend died in a car crash while reading a sext from him, the local newspaper outed them both in the aftermath, and his parents got a divorce. Joel did everything possible to outrun his past: he moved to Oklahoma for college, legally changed his name, and started over.

Since then, he hasn’t let anyone get close—not his classmates, not his roommate, and definitely not his hookups. The strategy has served him well for over three years. Why would he change it now?

But Joel doesn’t plan on the articles about his boyfriend’s death being used as a case study in one of his classes. And he doesn’t plan on Paulie McPherson, who is sweet and giving and fun. In Paulie, he finds a home for the first time in years.

But love isn’t simple, and lies have a tendency to get in the way. Joel must figure out if he’ll allow his grief to rule him, or if his connection with Paulie is worth letting all of his walls come tumbling down.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Riptide Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is a gritty, intense read. The emotion in this story is completely overwhelming in the best possible way. On the surface, Joel and Paulie are typical college kids. But Joel is still mourning the death of his first boyfriend and Paulie is carefully rebuilding his life away from his own family.

This is Joel’s story. When Diego died, Joel didn’t just lose his boyfriend, he lost his family and his place in his small town. When we meet him three years later, he hides his grief behind typical student life. As much as this is a romance, it is also the story of Joel learning to live with his grief as he attempts to finally move on from Diego. Joel’s story is ugly and messy and he hurts Paulie badly as he struggles against his grief.

Paulie is the opposite of Diego. Where Diego was a closeted jock, Paulie left his parents and their fundamentalist Christian world in a shower of glitter. As a friend, Paulie enters Joel’s life suddenly and makes Joel happier than he has been in a very long time. The chemistry between these two is very hot and the relationship is a wonderful mix of sweetness, passion, and angst.

The romance between Joel and Paulie is slow. I loved Paulie so much in this book and I hate the way that Joel treats him when he can’t deal with his grief. At their best, these two make each other stronger. I loved the growth in this story. Beyond the grief and the broken families is the hope and joy that can be found in the best New Adult writing as the characters embrace their potential for change and they realise the potential for a different, better future.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This book made me cry, more than once. First Joel's high school boyfriend is killed in a car accident after reading a text he sent him. Joel changed his name and moved several states away to get as far away as he could. Enter cute classmate Paulie. Oh man, Paulie had his own baggage. These two are so amazing together. They had me laughing and then crying. They both had been through so much before they met and then even after they met they each had their demons. When Paulie finds out Joel's secret you think... whew... everything will be awesome now. NOPE. There is more crap on the way and man, I cried along the way. With Joel and Paulie it was more than just sex, they had a great relationship even though Joel was holding back. Joel came through in the end and I just fell in love with him all over again. I got the feels from this book.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Controlled Burn is New Adult meets coming-of-age, a heavy dose of slow-burn romance, with an added kicker of familial angst. Intense, raw, and gritty, Controlled Burn was also surprisingly erotic.

Joel is struggling, closing everyone out, refusing to get close to them after losing his best friend in a car accident. He's an emotional zombie, dragging his baggage into the future. He's living with the constant ghost shadowing every move he makes, affecting his emotions and actions, terrified to move on, fearing he'll lose the connection to the past. Not only is he in mourning, he feels partially responsible for the accident that took his friend's life, as well as the forced coming out in the aftermath, tainting his best friend's memory while tearing his own family apart.

Slow-burn in the romance department, removing any feeling of insta-love, as Joel makes friends with his would-be suitor. It's obvious Paulie is in love with Joel when he comes on scene – sweet, patient, reliable. Paulie has his own issues, crosses to bear, which affects his interactions as well. Paulie's open to give Joel the time to open up to him without forcing the issue. He speaks his mind and heart, and puts no pressure on Joel.

Controlled Burn was a beautiful, gut-wrenching story, which I connected to on an empathetic level, subconsciously asking myself how all the characters felt in any given situation. One family is dealing with the ramifications of divorce and the aftermath of the accident, and the other is suffering under the strain of oppressive religious beliefs in a large family, drawing mental issues to the fore.

Joel and Paulie journey together in this coming-of-age tale, evolving into adults as they learn from their mistakes along the way.

I highly recommend Controlled Burn and look forward to more by this author in the future.

Erin McLellan writes contemporary romance, often set in the South or Midwest—particularly Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas—with characters that are complex, good-hearted, and sometimes a little quirky. Erin likes her stories to have a sexy spark and a happily ever after.

Erin has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Oklahoma State University and a master’s degree in library and information studies from the University of Oklahoma. She has always enjoyed writing, but becoming a librarian and meeting enthusiastic romance readers helped her find her own writing passion. Now Erin cheerfully writes romance with characters across the LGBTQIA spectrum. A former public librarian, she still enjoys being surrounded by books and readers, but Erin hopes to find her stories on the shelves as well.

Originally from Oklahoma, she currently lives in Alaska with her husband, and spends her time dreaming up love stories set in the Great Plains. She is a lover of chocolate, college sports, antiquing, Dr Pepper, and binge-worthy TV shows.

Connect with Erin

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Controlled Burn (Farm College #1) by Erin McLellan to read and review.