His Faith as He Finds It by A.M. Arthur

Can a jaded porn star with a painful past and a shy nurse who’s been burned before learn to believe in themselves and find their happily ever after?

Rick Fowler enjoys his job as rising internet porn star Adam Swift, but it’s not exactly a career he can bring up on first dates. His few attempts at dating have all been disasters, so he’s keeping his head down and working on remaining sober. When his toxic, perma-cranky Uncle Gerard—the man who took Rick in when he was fourteen—needs round-the-clock care, Rick steps up.

In-home nurse Vinson Larrazzo is always up for a challenge. He definitely finds one in the rude Gerard Fowler—and Gerard’s shockingly gorgeous nephew Rick, who is just as grumpy. And since Vinson’s first priority is always his patient, he ignores his strong—and highly unprofessional—feelings for Rick.

But their chemistry is undeniable, and a snow storm gives them get the perfect chance to explore it. Vinson has faith they can make it work, but to have a future together, Rick needs to find enough faith in himself to own his mistakes and let go of the past—even if that means confronting his uncle about an incident that put Rick on his dangerous, damaging road to addiction. And the fallout of those secrets might be more than Rick’s relationship with Vinson can bear.

Note: This 74,000 word novel is part of a the ongoing Perspectives series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Book 5
Buy Links

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~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie – ☆☆☆☆
I have read all the previous books in the series and this one was a great addition. We met Rick in a previous book and we were led to believe he was a bad guy, but in reality he wasn't and isn't. Rick has a crapton of issues in his past which he gradually tells Vinson as their relationship builds. Rick's uncle and their relationship is filled with so much hate and angst and it comes across in the story. I liked Vinson but then again, I didn't; he would say he wasn't judgmental but at times he was. This was a slow-paced love story that took time to build up trust, but I am glad Rick was redeemed and got his man.

Also Available in the Perspectives Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our The Truth as He Knows It post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our The World as He Sees It post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our The Heart as He Sees It post.

Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our Their Life as They Live It post.

.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone's throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She's been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn't been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur's work is available from Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, SMP Swerve, and Briggs-King Books.

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Connect with A.M.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of His Faith as He Finds It (Perspectives #5) by A.M. Arthur to read and review.

Their Life as They Live It by A.M. Arthur

“Happiness is not a goal… it is a by-product of a life well lived.”
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Bernard “Bear” Henson is a blessed man. He is happily married to the love of his life, he co-owns a successful business, and his grown son is desperately in love with a wonderful partner. But Bear knows all too well how precarious that happiness is, so he lives every day with love in his heart and gratitude for everything he has—especially his husband Richard Brightman. Richard has been HIV-positive for thirty years and every new day is a gift.

When Richard becomes unexpectedly ill and is rushed to the hospital, Bear braces for his beautifully constructed life to come crashing down. A hard-won life full of ups and downs, illnesses and setbacks, love and anger, and a lot of regret for how certain things went down. Certain things involving Bear’s alcoholic ex-wife Debbie and the start of Bear’s relationship with Richard. But the past can’t be changed, only remembered and studied.

As Richard fights for his life, Bear reflects on the last thirty years of their entwined lives. College days, his shotgun wedding to Debbie, his unexpected feelings for Richard, and the proudest moment of Bear’s life: the birth of his son Gabriel. Bear’s life with Richard is woven with love, heartache, regret, joy, and everything else in between. They’ve overcome every obstacle that’s come their way, and they’ll overcome this new illness, too. Period. Bear simply isn’t ready to live his life without Richard in it.

Note: This is the fourth book in my Perspectives series, and while it can be read as a standalone, readers will have a much richer concept of these characters if you’ve at least read book two, The World As He Sees It.
Warnings for spousal abuse (not between the two heroes) and cheating.

Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan – ☆☆☆☆☆
I absolutely loved getting a deeper look into Bear and Richard's journey. The story jumps from present day back to the 1980s, when he met Richard in college. The flashbacks progressively move forward in time showing what happened in the past to get them to the point they are now. It was interesting to see the past with Debbie and how their story played out. It was everything I needed it to be. It definitely was an emotional ride.

I highly recommend this read and series. Worth the read. I hope there is somehow more to this series. I need more of these guys!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This book is the fourth in the series and it deals with the story of Gabriel's dads (his story was told in book two) and spans the last thirty years. I would recommend that you read them in order, so that you understand Gabe and Tris's story, but it would read as a standalone, if you wanted to read something dealing with their particular circumstances.

We have met Bear and Richard before, as they run the gay club that has been in previous books, and as Gabriel's dads. Now we get to learn how these two men found each other and how they have 30 years of history. The story skips backwards and forwards, but it is done clearly enough and in context that it does not break the flow of the story. It makes for difficult reading in places, as Debbie is not an easy character to like, and yet she features large. Her impact on the story was difficult to believe at times, as with repeated court time, I find it difficult to believe that she would ever be given the chance to spend time alone with her son – and thus some issues would not have arisen. Obviously, the fact that story covers a long period of time, the concentration of examples of bad behaviour is hard to take.

Raising the issue of life with HIV, and the impact on family and expectations is done sympathetically and I found it believable and encouraging. There was so much in this book, that I think I will probably reread it sometime soon.

This is not an easy read, and yet it is a fulfilling book overall. Any two people who are happy to be together for so long deserve respect; these two have been through more than most to have been able to spend that time together.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆
I was really excited to read this book, I loved Bear and Richard in the other books that they have been in. This book wasn't what I was expecting. This book was kind of depressing in some ways. Poor Gabe, that kid went through some stuff. I did like seeing how Bear and Richard got together and how their relationship progressed and grew. I guess I was hoping for more, and I am not even sure what that entails, but I just felt like I wanted more, maybe more happiness than sadness because there was so much sadness? The book did end on a happy note and I can't wait to see what happens next with Bear and Richard and then Gabe and Tristan.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 emotional stars

To be honest, I've read the majority of A.M. Arthur's novels. After reading the last one (for me), I decided we needed to take a break. After seeing this novel, a continuation in a series I adored, I decided to read it, even though I was more than apprehensive. My trust in the author is tenuous at best due to over-the-top emotional extortion from layers upon layers of traumas subjected on the characters, not necessarily thoroughly explored. So, I tried to start Their Life as They Live It with an open mind devoid of a negative slant.

Bear and Richard are Gabriel's dads. A medical scare for Richard has Gabriel's biological father thinking back to how it all began in the 1980s. All the way back to rooming together in a dorm at college, where Bear and Richard met.

The story unfolds in the present, showing what's happening to Gabriel and Tristan since their book, and in the past before Gabriel was born. The story arcs nearly 30 years, from Bear's narration. The struggles with Debbie and how it affected not only Bear and Richard, but impacting Gabriel the most.

The spotlight on HIV and AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s and beyond was written with compassion, empathy, and research, and it lent a realistic bent to the storyline. The portrayal of domestic abuse was also written realistically. No matter the gender, to put your hands on anyone in violence is abuse. The layers of emotional, mental, verbal, and sexual abuse were highly accurate, as was the portrayal the strain an alcoholic puts on a family. While I do believe half of what occurred with social services and the judge was realistic for the era – beyond that was emotional extortion by the author, taking away the validity and the emotional punch. Too much, creating a numbing effect. "Here we go again... and again... and again... and yet again."

With the format this novel was written in – a nonlinear fashion – where it was scenes scattered throughout 30 years, every scene was of a negative connotation, with a few sexual in nature. So this format highlighted how much this author puts the characters through to reach that coveted happily ever after.

As I said, my trust in the author was tenuous, so I was fearful of what would happen in the present while experiencing some of the usual in the past. The amount of car accidents, broken bones, endangering the welfare of a minor, and many times CPS and the police were called in, I found it hard to believe. Even back in the 1990s and early 2000s. Yes, there are women just like Debbie – in fact, I know some. What I was confused about was later on, when Gabriel was in his mid-teens, how there were still 'accidents' (a drunk Debbie wrecking her boyfriend's car while Gabriel was in it) occurring when Debbie no longer had any parental ties to their son. The last accident, just quickly added in a retelling was beyond overkill (which is my comment on not trusting the author). If anything, this showed Bear and Richard in a poor light for allowing Gabriel any contact with his mother after he'd nearly died several times over. Yes, I'm pleased they felt the need for Gabriel to still be in contact with his mother, yet his 'life' was at risk – that is the difference. While he was a teen, clearly he wasn't of a sound mind to make such a mature decision when his life was on the line. So this erased how well Bear and Richard took care of their son. Mother or not, a toxic person who is no longer legally tied to their son, shouldn't have been allowed access. So I lost respect for both men because the author had to add another layer and another layer on a book that was bursting with tragedy.

I guess, no matter how much I enjoy the stories, I don't enjoy seeing strong characters forced to be an eternal victim by their creator (author).

I highly recommend to fans of the Perspectives series and of A.M. Arthur. Yes, I will continue to read the author, even with the issues I've stated above. I try to keep an open mind, as some of the author's books/series are on my favorite's list. Their Life as They Live It would be in the favorite category.

Also Available in the Perspectives Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our The Truth as He Knows It post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our The World as He Sees It post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our The Heart as He Sees It post.

No stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She credits an early fascination with male friendships and "bromance" (and "The Young Riders") with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Connect with A.M.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Their Life as They Live It (Perspectives #4) by A.M. Arthur to read and review.

The Heart as He Hears It by A.M. Arthur

Love can slip through the smallest crack in the door.

While most of his friends have moved on to “real” careers, Jon Buchanan is content skating through life as a part-time waiter and gay porn star. Firmly single thanks to a previous relationship disaster, he focuses his spare time on Henry, a dear friend dying of cancer.

And with Henry’s happiness paramount, Jon is on a mission to help Henry meet his recently discovered grandson.

Isaac Gregory hasn’t set foot outside for the past year. He has everything he needs delivered, and his remaining family knows better than to visit. When a complete stranger shows up claiming to be his grandfather—with a distractingly handsome younger man in tow—his carefully structured routines are shaken.

Despite his instant attraction, Jon senses Isaac is too fragile for a relationship. Yet tentative friendship grows into genuine companionship. And when Henry’s health begins to fail, they realize Fate brought them together for a reason.

Warning: Product contains a neurotic porn star with body image issues, a virgin hero with severe agoraphobia, and a fluffy ball of gray cuteness you’ll want to take home and cuddle. Also contains references to past abuse some readers might find disturbing.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain  Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
A.M. Arthur's writing style is always filled with a slow-burn romance between fully fleshed-out, developed characters, mixed with the reality of tragedy and disabilities. The Heart as He Hears It is no different.

The third book in the Perspectives series is a great addition, following in the footsteps of its predecessors. The past narrators are shown, allowing the readers to stay connected, and no doubt we've met the narrators for future books.

Jon is a complex character, who is going through a painful time as he watches his best friend, Henry, waste away from cancer. The ties that bind the series together, Jon is a porn actor battling emotional demons – an abusive, past relationship which left his confidence in the negatives, as well as helped exacerbate his anorexia. Shifting his focus onto Henry, he'd do anything to make his final days happy ones.

In walks Henry's long-lost grandson, Isaac, a young man fighting his own demons. Demons which left him deaf in one ear, and partially deaf in the other. Agoraphobic, socially inept, innocent in the ways of the world, home-schooled and highly intelligent, the comic book creator is Jon's perfect balance.

Without writing the entire plot out, The Heart as He Hears It runs the gamut of emotions. I laughed, smiled, and cried with the characters who felt so very real for me. No fear of insta-love, insta-lust, or even an over-abundance of between-the-sheets action. The novel is most certainly story-driven, but there is a true sense of intimacy between Jon and Isaac.

Sad yet endearing, throw a cuddly kitten in the mix and you've got yourself a comfort read.

Recommended to MM Contemporary Romance fans, with a depth of the darker sides of reality mixed with the warm and fuzzy. However, those who are looking for a romp need to understand while the book is highly sensual, it's not a smexy fest.

I look forward to the next in the series. Actually, I wish I had it right now. I'd gobble it right up.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆☆
OMG, I loved this book. I have loved every book in this series actually. We met Jon previously and I couldn’t wait to read his story. This book just made my heart melt and break all at the same time. With Henry and his health issues, then finding out about Isaac, oh my god! The friendship between Jon and Henry was more like family, and you felt every emotion that Jon was going through first with Henry and then with Isaac. Isaac had no clue who Henry was until he showed up on his doorstep. Isaac had a rough childhood and shut himself away and liked it that way...until he met Jon. The budding friendship between Jon and Isaac was so good. I loved how they took things slow, and how patient Jon was with Isaac. This book was sweet, heartbreaking and had so much love, I honestly didn’t want it to end. There was some drama as well, which actually fit in the story line and didn’t seem to just been thrown in for filler. I can’t wait to see whose book is next, great series.

Characters: Well written and believable
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 – ☆☆☆☆☆
I enjoyed the first two books in this series – and think this one is even better. Whilst I think that the blurb is accurate, it underplays how beautifully and patiently the love story unfolds. We also get to meet up with some of the couples previously featured.

Ms. Arthur has an ability to get into the mind of her characters and tell us the story seamlessly, even when told from different points of view. She has a sweet, yet realistic take on life, and manages to mix up the huge and significant with the detail and nuances of life. I read it in one sitting, so keen I was to know how it would all work out. Through a run of coincidences these two men meet, and in spite of their different backgrounds, they find common ground. Jon's patience and caring was consistent and believable. Isaac's voyage of discovery is delicious.

Highly recommend this to you.

Also Available in the Perspectives Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our The Truth As He Knows It post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our The World As He Sees It post.

No stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She credits an early fascination with male friendships and "bromance" (and "The Young Riders") with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Connect with A.M.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Heart as He Hears It (Perspectives #3) by A.M. Arthur to read and review.

The World As He Sees It by A.M. Arthur

Love knows no limits…but fear could keep them from seeing it.

Gabe lives a double life. As Gabriel Henson, he works multiple jobs to support his remorseless, alcoholic mother. As Tony Ryder, he does internet porn for extra cash and regular safe sex without complications.

Yet when he encounters a scared young man freaking out in a night club, he’s compelled to reach out. Ever since then, the memory of that young man has haunted him.

Tristan Lavelle lives his life thirty minutes at a time. After a traumatic brain injury three years ago, he gets through his day recording his life in spiral notebooks and sticky note reminders.

A month after Tristan’s embarrassingly public meltdown, another chance meeting with Gabe sparks a warm, emotionally fulfilling email relationship. Both men crave more, but fear of the next step stands between them.

Until Tristan gets the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial that could improve his memory—if the side effects don’t kill him. But for Tristan, the possibility of a real life with Gabe is worth any risk…

Warning: Contains two damaged but lovable heroes, secret-keeping friends with good intentions, and an abundance of inappropriate food innuendo.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
3 – 4 Stars. I'm undecided, so I went with 4 stars.

The World As He Sees It encompasses patience for me. Gabriel is the most patient person I've ever seen written, bypassing Noel from book #1 (Both with Debbie – his mother – and Tristan). Tristan has short-term memory issues from a bashing that happened 3 years prior. He has no recollection of the past three years except for things that are with repetition (he can remember a weekly visit with Noel, but not what time he has eaten every day for over 1000s of days was a bit odd to me).

Gabe and Tristan met in book 1, and meet again in the beginning of book 2, where Tristan recognizes Gabriel's eyes. It's an instant connection, yet sweet in a way that insta-lust/insta-love seems to lack. It's on a cerebral and chemical wavelength.

I enjoyed the characters so much. The story is sweet and heartfelt, but I couldn't seem to connect as I had with Noel and Shane in book 1. The pacing is much slower, seeming to drag on with scenes of a similar nature shown several times over. I understand the slow pacing is to show Tristan's growth (I won't explain why as I refuse to ruin the story. Just read the book). But I lost interest in the slow movement of the storyline.

Gabe had one thought in mind: nurture. He was very patient and nurturing with his mother, and he couldn't save her from herself, so he moved onto Tristan. He, however, was very developed. The reader understood how he felt about all things.

I loved Tristan in book one and for the most part of book 2, but he seemed to have a one-track mind that annoyed me a bit. He was lonely, so that translated simply into sex. While having short-term memory issues, he still remembered 20 years of his life. Yet his actions and reactions were rather childish, almost like a 7 year old would behave with the excitement. So I had a hard time when his actions mirrored this while he was asking for sex. I had a difficult time connecting with Tristan. I felt his memory issues were written well, but at the expense of other emotions and inner monologue he would have had. He couldn't remember an hour ago, that didn't mean he didn't feel a vast array of emotions or was without thought.

Gabe and Tristan had good chemistry on the pages. Their conversations were complex, and you could feel Gabe connecting with Tristan. But I didn't feel it the other way around. Their sexy time was hot, but instantaneous.

Overall, The World As He Sees It was a great addition to this series, and I look forward to others to come.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆☆
OH MY GOD…..so I loved Tristan in the first book, how could you not? This book made me love him even more. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to only remember 30 minutes at a time and have to write everything down to re-read later. A little of the first part of the book is an overlap of the previous book, it relives the time Gabe and Tristan met at the club. You could read this book as a stand-alone but I think you get more out of it if you read them both. You will have back story on Noel and Shane and even a little on Gabe. I love how patient Gabe is with Tristan and how he isn’t willing to give up and the fact that he is even ok with things that never progress, he likes Tristan and he will take whatever he can get. This was a beautiful love story. I loved it and had to read it all in one sitting. I can’t wait for the next book in the series and I hope we get to see more of all the previous characters in it.

Characters: Well written and believable
Sex: Oh yeah!
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


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
When I finished The Truth as He Knows It I couldn't wait to start The World As He Sees It. I had to know what was next for Tristan. I fell in love with his character in book one and really hoped for his HEA. Memory loss like Tristan's wasn't something that I have read before. The author wrote the condition and the effects of his injury very well.

There is the insta-love factor but given Tristan's condition it was understandable and somewhat believable. I loved the inclusion of Shane and Noel. I liked seeing things with Gabe and Tristan from his point of view.

I don't know if there is more to this series, but I would definitely keep reading about these characters.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the second in a series, and whilst it could be read as a standalone, it follows directly on from the first and would give a fuller story if read together. I am assuming you do know the contents of the first when writing this review.

We know about Tristan's debilitating injury from book 1. He cannot hold memories for more than half an hour; a condition which has left him living in a residential home with just one friend, Noel to rely on for company. His parents pay for his care, but do not visit him ever, having disowned him after the attack he suffered at the hands of homophobes. He is however ready to have a normal life, if he can. Gabe, who witnessed and supported Tristan after a meltdown is more than keen to get to know him better – but can it really work? We take this hopeful and rather frightening journey with them both – and it is both romantic, and hot and steamy, as they find ways to move forward and together. Noel and Shane feature large in the story, so we catch up on their romance too.

All in all a hopeful, funny, moving read, which manages to combine a hot sexy story with some really deep and intense issues.

Also Available in the Perspectives Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our The Truth As He Knows It post.

No stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She credits an early fascination with male friendships and "bromance" (and "The Young Riders") with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Connect with A.M.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The World As He Sees It (Perspectives #2) by A.M. Arthur to read and review.

The Truth as He Knows It by A.M. Arthur

Lies are the chains that keep you weighed down at rock bottom.

Officer Noel Carlson isn’t out to anyone in small-town Stratton, Pennsylvania, only to distant friends and family, so a relationship is out of the question. That doesn’t stop him from wanting one, though.

When a night-shift call brings him face to thonged butt with a hired stripper whose girl-party gig went terribly wrong, Noel takes pity on the guy and lets him go. But he can’t get the encounter out of his mind.

Shane has big-time debts to repay, especially to the brother who sacrificed nearly everything for him. His two jobs, in a deli and as a stripper, leave him no time for a social life. But a non-date of hot sex and takeout food with Noel? He can squeeze that in.

The bond they form is stronger than either expected or wanted. Especially since the step Shane’s about to take to put his brother—and his soul—back in the black isn’t quite legal. And he never calculated just how much his determination to make things right will cost him in the end.

Warning: Following on from the Cost of Repairs series, this book contains a closeted cop who’s looking for love, an indebted stripper who doesn’t believe he’s worthy, and a tasteful abundance of dirty guy sex. Also contains references to past physical abuse some readers may find disturbing.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
The Truth as He Knows It was a unique, well-written, fast-paced M/M romance that didn't rely on the usual tropes to move the story along. Jam-packed with all the darker emotions: past abuse, grief from the loss of loved ones, illness in the family, down-on-your-luck, and a stripper/porn star falling for a cop.

A.M. Arthur takes the reader on a journey, allowing you to connect with Shane a bit deeper than with Noel, and have a front-seat view into their budding relationship. The fears and hopes in their relationship feel raw and real.

The side cast of characters are just as endearing, particularly Tristan (Noel's endearing best friend who has short-term memory problems after a bashing), Jason (Shane's ill brother who is his rock and hero), and Gabe (Shane's porn co-star turned unexpected friend).

All of the conflict lies within a need for money on Shane's part, dealing with past pain on both their parts, the illness of Jason and the disability of Tristan. What I appreciated the most was that A.M. Arthur didn't sink to using miscommunication as a plot device. The couple grew closer by sharing secrets, not having the secrets brought to light by others to tear them apart. Even in the face of criminal acts, the cop was patient, respectful, caring and kind to Shane, and that is what made their relationship feel real. Noel was hurt, but he understood that not everything Shane did was about him, especially with a friendship/relationship so new. I appreciated how the author used conflict to bring them together instead of having outside forces tear them apart for the sake of angst. There was already enough angst and darkness packed into one book.

The porn scenes in the book were not used to bring unnecessary hot smexy time to the story. Many of these scenes, as well as the between the sheets action between the couple, were written off-scene, making the focus on the characters, the storyline, and the emotions it evoked. Not that the reader wasn't taken on a very hot ride.

Warning: have a fresh box of issues on hand, because The Truth as He Knows It is filled with the 'feels'.

I've already started on book 2, more than 30% into it but had to stop as I needed some sleep (pulled an all-nighter) Tristen and Gabe have very unique stories as well, and I look forward to more.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆☆
You will need tissue when reading this at times. I cried several times during this book. This book had so many things going on. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster at times. At times I wanted to reach through the book and just slap Shane upside his head; I mean seriously he was ticking me off at times with some of his crap. But I still loved him and felt every emotion right there with him and Noel, oh Noel, poor guy had a hell of a time with Shane but it was so worth it. I loved Tristan too. There were a few really emotional parts that just pulled at your heart and tore it right the hell out. I don’t want to give anything away and I know my review isn’t doing this book justice, just know that it was an amazing book and I loved it.

Characters: Well written and believable
Sex: Oh yeah!
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


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆☆
This was not at all what I expected from this book. It was such an emotional ride. The angst, the push and pull between Shane and Noel. The chemistry was up there, but it was the emotional that I loved. The pain of the past for both Noel and Shane. Secrets that were burying Shane in guilt, the after effects when all the secrets were laid on the table. I loved the side characters. Jason, Shane's brother, who would do anything for him, giving up his life for a period for Shane's. Tristan, Noel's best friend, whose life was changed forever when he was bashed for being gay.

I cried but I couldn’t put this one down. I devoured it, having to know how it ended. I can't wait to continue on with this series.

Also Available in the Perspectives Series

Book 2
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Samhain Publishing

No stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She credits an early fascination with male friendships and "bromance" (and "The Young Riders") with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Truth as He Knows It (Perspectives #1) by A.M. Arthur to read and review. Review copy purchased by blog.

Over-Exposed by Julie Jaret Blog Tour

She’s all work.

Fifteen years ago, Natalie Simmons reinvented herself with a single goal: to earn her father’s respect. The frivolous, attention-seeking college girl is now a workaholic lawyer on partnership track. 

That is, until Sam Danmore shows up. 

He’s all play.

He’s gorgeous, famous, arrogant as ever, and can still drench her panties with a look and a grin -- a fact which only reinforces how much she hates him. And wants him.

When an obsessed fan forces Sam into hiding, Natalie has to help him or risk getting caught up in the media frenzy, herself. But her unwanted, yet deepening attraction to him threatens the new life she has built... because Sam has spent the last fifteen years living up to his reputation, and Natalie is still trying to live hers down.

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Natalie's tires squealed as she sped up and down the levels, finding every last parking space was filled. She tried to call her assistant, but should’ve known better than to hope for cell reception in the garage. As she reversed the car in an anger-fueled three-point turn, she heard a thump. Shit. Checking the rearview mirror, she saw nothing -- no cars, no cement columns. Whatever. She hoped Kari was able to stall the parties on the video conference...

Suddenly, the door behind her flung open and someone jumped in, rocking the car. “Drive,” a deep voice ordered. 

“Oh my god. Just take the car.” She reached for the door handle, thankful she could run straight to her office, now, and maybe make it in time for the-- 

“I don’t want the car. I want you to drive, lady!” 

“I’m late for a conference call!” Before she could push the door open, something hard pressed against the back of her head. She stiffened and slanted a glance toward the rearview mirror, but couldn’t see him since he was directly behind her. 

“You’re gonna have to reschedule. Drive the fucking car.” 

“Okay. Okay. Where do you want to go?” Her voice shook with panic. Dad’s gonna give me that disappointed look. Can’t believe this shit. What are the frigging odds? 

“Just get me out of here.” 

Natalie drove around and around the garage toward the exit, trying now and then to see him in her mirrors. As they stopped for the automatic gate to lift she made a move to open the door, but he tapped her skull with what she presumed was a gun barrel. A reminder, like she could ever forget it was there. 

“Don’t make me use this.” 

“I’m sorry.” Her voice shook a little. She hated that. “Which way should I go?” 

“Take me to your house.” 

“I don’t have a house.” 

He made an exasperated sound. “I assume you’re not homeless. Take me wherever the hell it is you live.” 

She drove a circuitous route through the slow-moving maze of Midtown, inching the car down the one-way streets and multiple Peachtrees that confounded even native Atlantans. For fuck’s sake, there’s never a police car when you need one... 

Her phone rang, startling her. 

Her passenger barked “Don’t answer it!” a half-second too late. 

“Sorry! It’s a reflex.” She cringed, half-expecting to be pistol-whipped. 

Then Kari’s voice came over the car speakers. “Jesus Christ, Nat!” 

“Yeah, I’m having a really hard time parking--” 

“Forget it, we cancelled. Are you listening to the radio?” 

“Uh, no...” 

“All the traffic? It’s not an accident.” If she hadn’t been in a life-or-death situation, Natalie would’ve noticed her assistant’s oddly-excited tone. “They started shooting the movie, and Sam Danmore disappeared! He’s like a fugitive or something.” 

“Hang up,” Natalie’s passenger growled low from the back seat. 

It dawned on her now that his voice seemed familiar. She risked a glance over her shoulder and holy shit. Holy. Shit. Holy fucking shit. “Holy fucking shit.” 

A world-famous pair of sexy brown eyes glared, and she turned back around just in time to avoid rear-ending a city bus. 

“I know, right?” Kari’s voice gushed. “They said he raped a teenage girl in his trailer and ran off when she screamed.” 

“My god...” Natalie jerked the car to a rocking stop in a loading zone, narrowly missing a few pedestrians. 

“Again. Can you believe that?” 

“Kari, I’ve gotta call you back.” She disconnected and sat silently a moment, staring straight ahead. Her heart was pounding harder than it did when her passenger first jumped in the car. Without turning, she spoke in her coldest and most professional voice (which barely shook at all). “Is it safe to assume you have not been holding a real gun to my head?” 

She heard him sigh heavily. In her peripheral vision, she saw him hold up a strong, tan hand and fold it into a finger-gun. 

“That’s a safe assumption, yes. And for the record, I didn’t do it.” 

Of course you didn’t. Now try to sell me Braves Stadium. “In that case, would you care to explain why you’re-- uh, naked, and in my car?” Her damn voice betrayed her that time. 

“Let’s talk about that when we get to your place.” The words were steeped in his trademark sinful smile. The narcissistic ass was trying to manipulate her. 

She wasn’t going to let him. “Never mind. Please just get out.” 

The leather seat creaked as he leaned forward and his deep chuckle tickled her ear. “Did you forget I’m naked?” 

She stiffened. “No. I didn’t.” 

It was a universally-accepted fact that Sam Danmore had a gorgeous body. Natalie had once heard a talk show host joke that his standard movie contract contained a wardrobe clause specifying his refusal to wear shirts in more than three scenes. 

He didn’t budge. His hair brushed her cheek. It was soft and smelled like fresh shampoo. 

Keep facing forward. Don’t move. Don’t talk. 

And for fuck’s sake, don’t look! 

There were plenty of people Natalie disliked. Sam Danmore was the only one she could honestly say she hated. 

Yeah, silly girl? Then why has your mouth gone dry? 

To her relief he finally backed off, taking his scent with him. “Sorry, sweetheart, I’m not gonna walk around downtown Atlanta in the buff.” 

The BMW’s windows were tinted for privacy, so while many people rushed past them along the busy sidewalk, no one had given her car a second glance. 

“Well, I’m certainly not taking you to my home!” Ugh. Could she sound more prim? 

He was quiet for a moment and she felt him studying her. “In that case, I’m gonna open the door here, and get all these nice people riled up until the news crews come and we’re all over the internet. You seem like someone who’d be okay with that.” 

She reached for her phone. “I’m calling the police.” 

The smug bastard laughed at her. “Oh, so you want more media attention? I must’ve misread you.” 

Fuck! 

He was still laughing as Natalie threw the car in gear and floored the gas to force her way back into traffic.

Also Available in the Perspectives Series

Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca  ~  iTunes

Julie Jaret is an American screenwriter with one feature film produced and some others on deck. Her alter-ego needed an outlet, so here we are.

Julie lives in the southeast U.S. with her sexy and supportive husband, two funny and beautiful kids, and one big doofus of a dog. She enjoys living vicariously through her fictional characters, often to the point of distraction... (Luckily, her hubby and kids know not to expect dinner at a certain time. Or at all.)

 

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