The First Step by Shira Anthony

The first step is the hardest. After a scandal, New York political reporter Reed Barfield is lying low at the North Carolina coast, writing a story about the seafood industry. But it’s the harbor pilots on the Cape Fear River who capture his interest—men who jump across ten feet of open ocean to grab a rope ladder and guide huge container ships into port. Men like sexy but prickly Justin Vance.

After surviving an abusive childhood and a tour in the Navy, Justin isn’t fazed by his dangerous job—it’s certainly easier to face than Reed’s annoying questions. Justin isn’t out at work, and he doesn’t need Reed digging into his personal life or his past.

But Reed’s no stranger to using his considerable charm to get what he wants, and as he wears Justin down, they realize they have a lot in common—and that they like spending time together. Moving beyond that, though, will mean Justin confessing his sexuality and learning to trust Reed with his secrets—if Reed even decides to stay. Both men want a future together, but can they find the courage to take the first step?

Book 1
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Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is such an exciting romantic read. I loved learning about the harbour pilots, and I found myself completely fascinated with both Reed and Justin’s lives. Add in a hurricane and a fabulous North Carolina setting and I completely devoured this book. For me, this is the perfect mix of romance and action and I really loved the characters in this story.

Most of this story is told from Reed’s perspective and I love that he’s a bit of a hot mess, especially at the start. He’s got great reporter instincts but very little sense of self-preservation. He’s easy to love but he takes a few too many risks. In contrast, Justin works an incredibly dangerous job but everything about his life is carefully controlled. These two balance each other beautifully. I like that they’re both a bit older than the usual romantic leads and I love the slow burn, relatively low heat romance that simmers between them.

As always, Shira Anthony’s research is wonderful. I learned so much about Justin’s job and life in North Carolina. So, while the romance is a gentle slide, there is so much action in this story. I was hooked from the start and I really enjoyed the read.

SHIRA ANTHONY was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. You can hear Shira sing an aria from a live performance of Puccini’s Tosca by clicking here: “Vissid’arte”

Shira’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle. When she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. Her favorite place to write is at the Carolina coast aboard Land’s Zen, a 35’ catamaran sailboat, with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Whether contemporary romance, high fantasy shifters, or time-traveling vampires, Shira writes what she loves and never writes a story without a HEA. Her Mermen of Ea trilogy book Into the Wind was named one of the best books of 2014 by both Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words and Hearts on Fire Reviews, and was a finalist in the 2014 Goodreads M/M Romance Member’s Choice Awards. Her Blue Notes series of classical-music-themed gay romances was named one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words’ best series of 2012, and the most recent book in the series, Dissonance, was named one of the best books of 2014 by Hearts on Fire Reviews. Her book A Solitary Man, coauthored with Aisling Mancy, won a 2016 Rainbow Award Honorable Mention for Best Gay Mystery/Thriller

Connect with Shira

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The First Step (Coastal Carolina #1) by Shira Anthony to read and review.

Swann's Revenge by Shira Anthony

Can a swan make peace with his ugly duckling past?

Chubby geek Jimmy Zebulon’s heart broke the day his high school crush, Danny Parker, looked on as his teammates tormented Jimmy. Fifteen years later, Jimmy is long gone, and from his ashes has risen Graham Swann, a movie-star-handsome law firm owner. Graham thinks Jimmy and his past are long forgotten—until attorney Dan Parker shows up for his first day of work.

Getting injured playing college ball was the best thing that ever happened to Dan. It turned his future in a better direction and allowed him to emerge from the closet that trapped him.

Graham wants to believe his childhood dream can come true, but he can’t bring himself to tell Dan who he really is—and their pasts might ruin any chance for a happily ever after…

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This story has all the good feels I’ve come to expect from the Dreamspun Desires books. It’s a low angst, low heat romance that is full of emotion. In proper Harlequin tradition, Graham Swann is a perfect leading man. He’s a wealthy lawyer with a few secrets and a difficult childhood. Dan is an equally brilliant leading man. The widowed single father is a kind man who works alongside Graham.

In some ways, this is a second chance romance. As very different people, Dan and Graham knew each other as teenagers. But the kids they were and the men they’ve become are very different – even as Graham struggles to justify the two versions of Dan Parker.

This isn’t a complicated story. It’s an easy read and a perfect romantic escape. I read it on a Mexican beach and it’s pretty much the literary equivalent of a perfectly mixed rum cocktail.

SHIRA ANTHONY was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. You can hear Shira sing an aria from a live performance of Puccini’s Tosca by clicking here: “Vissi d’arte”

Shira’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle. When she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. Her favorite place to write is at the Carolina coast aboard Land’s Zen, a 35’ catamaran sailboat, with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Whether contemporary romance, high fantasy shifters, or time-traveling vampires, Shira writes what she loves and never writes a story without a HEA. Her Mermen of Ea trilogy book Into the Wind was named one of the best books of 2014 by both Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words and Hearts on Fire Reviews, and was a finalist in the 2014 Goodreads M/M Romance Member’s Choice Awards. Her Blue Notes series of classical-music-themed gay romances was named one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words’ best series of 2012, and the most recent book in the series, Dissonance, was named one of the best books of 2014 by Hearts on Fire Reviews. Her book A Solitary Man, coauthored with Aisling Mancy, won a 2016 Rainbow Award Honorable Mention for Best Gay Mystery/Thriller

Connect with Shira

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Swann's Revenge by Shira Anthony to read and review.

Finder's Keeper by Shira Anthony

The truth might ruin his dreams—or make them come true.

When Zane moves into an old gothic brownstone, he discovers the house comes equipped with a caretaker—Kit, who lives in the basement. Zane is immediately drawn to the charming and attractive Kit. But Kit is much more than he seems. He is a two-hundred-year-old half-human, half–red-fox spirit who guards a Gate between the mortal and spirit worlds—a fact Zane should recognize, but doesn’t.

Orphaned at a young age, Zane never learned he comes from a long line of mystical Keepers. Kit needs Zane’s help to protect the Gate, but how can he tell Zane of his legacy when that will crush Zane’s dreams of traveling the world? If he takes up the mantle, Zane will be bound to the Gate, unable to leave it. But when Zane realizes Kit’s true nature, and his own, he’ll have to make a choice—fight to protect Kit and the Gate, or deny his destiny and any chance of a future with Kit.

Book 1
Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This is a sweet paranormal romance. When Zane inherits a house from his uncle, he doesn’t expect to share it with a fox spirit and a demon. Zane is surprised to learn that he is to be the next keeper of a gate to the spirit world and he is even more surprised to find himself attracted to Kit, a two century old fox spirit.

Zane and Kit are both quite loosely sketched. Zane is an engineer. He and his twin sister grew up in foster care and remain close. Little bits of Kit’s life and emotions are explained to readers but I didn’t ever feel very connected to either character. This is a relatively low heat story – the sex is sweet and intimate. Kit taking on some of his fox form in bed was a bit of a turn-off for me but otherwise, these two are good together.

The ‘gates’ in this book remind me of the portals in Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments books. I’m still not sure how I felt about a whole novel based around one element of urban fantasy lore. In some ways, it keeps the story contained and manageable in a single novel. But, it also keeps the story contained. Compared to most contemporary paranormal romance, there is little action and not much world building. Kit and Zane are tethered to a house – an interesting house with a gate to the spirit world in the basement – but it’s not the most exciting UF plot.

This isn’t one of my favourite Shira Anthony books. I’ve enjoyed her writing in several different genres and while this didn’t quite work for me, I’m sure other readers will be drawn to this sweet supernatural romance.

SHIRA ANTHONY was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. You can hear Shira sing an aria from a live performance of Puccini’s Toscaby clicking here: “Vissi d’arte”

Shira’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle. When she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. Her favorite place to write is at the Carolina coast aboard Land’s Zen, a 35’ catamaran sailboat, with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Whether contemporary romance, high fantasy shifters, or time-traveling vampires, Shira writes what she loves and never writes a story without a HEA. Her Mermen of Ea trilogy book Into the Wind was named one of the best books of 2014 by both Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words and Hearts on Fire Reviews, and was a finalist in the 2014 Goodreads M/M Romance Member’s Choice Awards. Her Blue Notes series of classical-music-themed gay romances was named one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words’ best series of 2012, and the most recent book in the series, Dissonance, was named one of the best books of 2014 by Hearts on Fire Reviews. Her book A Solitary Man, coauthored with Aisling Mancy, won a 2016 Rainbow Award Honorable Mention for Best Gay Mystery/Thriller

Connect with Shira

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Finder's Keeper (Heart's Gate #1) by Shira Anthony to read and review.

Take Two by Shira Anthony

Shiver me timbers! When Professor Wesley Coolidge accepts a summer job as a historical consultant to a pirate movie being filmed in North Carolina, the last person he expects to bump into is his soon-to-be ex, movie star Sander Carson. Just like the flamboyant pirate he’s playing, Sander, aka Sam Carr, is used to getting what he wants, and he makes it clear he wants Wesley back in his life.

Sam acknowledges it’s his fault they split up. He lost Wesley when he left their life in New York City behind for a career in Hollywood. But Wesley has finally managed to put the pieces of his heart back together, and he isn’t interested in Sam and Wesley: The Sequel. Sam soon realizes that convincing Wesley to give their relationship a second chance will take much more than apologies and reminders of good times past. If he wants Wesley back, Sam will have to show Wesley that they really can sail into the sunset together—a real-life happily-ever-after that won’t end once the final credits roll.

Buy Links

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Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
I really enjoyed this book, but have to admit that the cover doesn't represent what I read very well at all. In my mind, Wesley may be a geeky academic, but he specialises in pirates (!), he runs to keep fit, and he is not immature. It is rare for me to mention a cover, but I think that you may underestimate how good the book is based on it.

This is a sweet, fun read about two men who found that life got in the way of their marriage. We are straight into the story in present day, but get a few insights into Sam and Wesley's earlier years together along the way, and just what went wrong. Sam is prepared to do anything to fix things, but Wesley needs something else, and it is a race against time for Sam to work out just what that is. I loved the side characters, such as Jeffrey and Cyrus, as they added a positive element as well as being fun. The filming elements are entertaining, especially some of the terrible lines!

If you want a book with a lovely outcome and a fun way to get there, this is just right!

SHIRA ANTHONY was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs, and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found at the Carolina coast aboard Land’s Zen, a 35’ catamaran sailboat, with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Shira writes what she loves, be it contemporary musicians, shifter mermen, or time-traveling vampires. Her Mermen of Ea trilogy book, Into the Wind, was named one of the best books of 2014 by both Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words and Hearts on Fire Reviews, and was a finalist in the 2014 Goodreads M/M Romance Member’s Choice Awards. Her Blue Notes series of classical-music-themed gay romances was named one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Word’s “Best Series of 2012,” and the most recent book in the series, Dissonance, was named one of the best books of 2014 by Hearts on Fire Reviews.

Connect with Shira

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Take Two by Shira Anthony to read and review.