A Latte of Love by Gloria Herrmann

When life hands you lemons, the right guy needs to be there to make the lemonade.

Life isn’t just handing Mackenzie lemons—more like chucking them at her. With the recent tragic death of her baby sister, her best friends both getting married and her feeling even more alone than ever, Mackenzie has had about all she can take.

Why can’t she find the right guy? Her besties, Molly and Tiffany, are determined to help her, but little do they know he may already have arrived. The man who had dashed all of Mackenzie’s dreams of the perfect happily ever after is back and this time for good. Gideon’s return flips her world upside down in more ways than she can count. Why does life have to be so darn complicated?

Afternoon lattes and Friendship Fridays with her girlfriends are all that seem to help Mackenzie survive her insane rollercoaster of single life. Once worried that she’d wind up an old maid or a crazy cat lady, Mackenzie reluctantly finds herself back on the dating scene. She juggles some new romances and one not-so-new one, discovering that there’s A Latte of Love out there.

Book 3
Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

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

I did not read the previous books, but you can tell how much these women mean. This is Mackenzie's story and she was an awesome character.

Mackenzie is struggling with finding someone she feels connected to. She is also trying very hard to feel happy for her friends, who have found their person.

While she is trying to "get back out there," as her friends call it, none other than Gideon shows up. After breaking her heart a few days before their wedding, Mackenzie is hurt, angry, and sad. Even years later, she can't help but feel something for Gideon, despite what he's done.

Mackenzie's friends... well, I loved them. They were fierce, loyal, and most of all, they were forgiving. I loved how they made Gideon work for it. They were not going to just allow him to come back and re-injure their friend again.

I think where this story falls a little short is with her dating scenes. I know that she did try to get out there, but it felt very strange – almost like high school dating scenes. Maybe that was because deep down she knew they weren't right, but I also felt there was just something not quite right.

Overall, this was a sweet story about second chances, redemption, and love. I really enjoyed it and felt that Herrmann did an amazing job at weaving through what could have been a very angst filled story without going overboard.

Gloria Herrmann is a contemporary romance author living in beautiful eastern Washington. All of her books have been set in Washington and she is proud to show readers how gorgeous her state is.

An avid reader and lover of words, becoming an author has been a dream come true for her. She still pinches herself all the time and wonders how she got so lucky.

Gloria remembers her mom giving her a paperback romance novel when she was a teenager. It was a pretty exciting book, filled with suspense, love, and an overall excellent storyline. That was it. She was hooked. Gloria began to devour these romance stories that varied over the years from sweet to sultry, consuming thousands of books and stories. Each time she finished reading a novel, the desire to write her own grew stronger. As ideas for books were born, her go to genre was contemporary romance. Why romance? She simply loves it. That’s why she writes it. What is there not to love about falling in love and finding that special person to share your life with? Who doesn’t wish for a little passion, butterflies fluttering in your stomach, and that happily ever after? In Gloria’s eyes, that’s what it’s all about.

Connect with Gloria

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of A Latte of Love (Single in Seattle #3) by Gloria Herrmann to read and review.

Rank & File by L.A. Witt

Senior Chief Will Curtis is as straitlaced as they come. While his fellow Sailors have partied their way through their enlistments, he’s had his eye on the prize — making master chief and retiring after thirty years of service.

Lieutenant Brent Jameson is a Navy brat turned Annapolis grad. He’s lived and breathed the military his whole life, and he knows he’s destined for great things — once he’s done paying his dues at the bottom of the ladder.

When their paths cross, both men know better than to give in to temptation, but that doesn’t stop them. It also doesn’t keep them from coming back for more, even though being discovered would sink their careers. Something has to give — Will can retire, Brent can resign, or they’ll both face court-martial.

But there’s also the option neither wants to acknowledge: jump ship and walk away from each other instead of ending their careers over a fledgling relationship. And they should probably decide before they fall in love.

Except — too late.

The Anchor Point novels can be enjoyed in any order — jump in wherever you'd like!

Book 4
Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 Forbidden Stars – the older enlisted man vs the younger officer.

Rank & File is the fourth installment of the Anchor Point series, but can easily be read as a standalone with absolutely no confusion. Past narrators are mentioned, but their stories aren't directly tied to this one.

Will and Brent meet under unfortunate, albeit embarrassing circumstances. Will is called out to a domestic violence situation on-base, and finds Brent in a compromising position with another man's wife. The bisexual man met the woman on a hookup app and didn't realize she was married.

A few passages of 'he must be straight' 'he's probably straight' tension as they fondly remember eye-banging each other, they both end up at the High & Tight to let off some steam, and end up doing so with each other.

The tension shifts to 'we have to stay away from one another' 'we'll be court-martial if we don't stay away from each other.'

Forbidden. Even with don't ask, don't tell repealed, officers and enlisted men cannot be found in compromising situations together, or build lives together when one is in the position of authority. What was supposed to be a one-time deal, the magnetism between the pair has them coming back for more and more and more.

With a slight age-gap, and complementary personalities, Will and Brent heated up the pages. In L.A. Witt fashion, this novel was sex-heavy, plot light, but the characters' personalities kept me engaged from start to finish, even if I skimmed a few of the later smexy scenes.

While I loved the story and how the younger Brent really came into his own (growing in the story, almost coming-of-age-esque), I needed a bit more plot or character building. The pair were hot for each other, the chemistry obvious and well written, but I needed a bit more foundation to believe in the epilogue.

This series is closer to erotica (percentage of between-the-sheets action vs plot scenes), without going in the explicit direction, than it is contemporary romance. It's the perfect, racy escape for a few hours, leaving the reader with a deep flush.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆
I have read every book in this series and tend to like them all. This book was just okay when I started it. It did get better, but I did find myself skimming several times when there were pages without dialogue. Will and Brent have off the chart chemistry and super hot sex. I wanted to learn more about them, I mean we read what each of them had been through in the past, but they didn't talk much, it was mostly sex. Don't get me wrong, I love the sex, but I wanted more dialogue. It was a good addition to the series and I do hope we get to see more of these two in later books.


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

Will and Brent are a hot couple. They both are men who like to take charge, but not unwilling to switch things up.

In the beginning, this book seemed very repetitive. There were even phrases that were used over and over again, so it was not the best beginning. However, since I had enjoyed the previous books, I kept plugging away.

This story began to get more interesting about halfway through. It moved away from just hooking up to more dialogue and meaningful relationship.

I loved how these two were able to figure out their own stuff and lean on each other when necessary. I thought it was a fairly good story, once you got past the initial chapters.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
Will and Brent meet in embarrassing circumstances on the Army base where they both work. The chemistry between them is instant but while Will is an experienced Navy police officer, he is an enlisted man and the younger Brent is an officer.

To me, the fourth book in this series feels a little bit tired and a little bit formulaic. We saw both the age gap and the officer/enlisted dilemma in the first book and those characters felt much more carefully developed. Brent and Will both feel pretty generic and unlike in previous books, we don’t really get involved with their families or their lives beyond the Navy. There are a few moving moments as Brent evaluates his career, his values, and his desires.

This is a sexy book. Compared to the others in the series, it is closer to erotica than romance. Will and Brent start with a shag in a club bathroom and progress to a series of hookups. For most of the book, any intimacy happens in the bedroom because they can’t be seen in public together. Personally, I would have preferred a little less sex and a little more story but readers who just want some hot scenes between two sexy Navy men will enjoy this.

We catch up with some characters from earlier books and we hear about others. The blurb describes this as a standalone novel, but there are frequent references to characters that readers are expected to know. I’d advise new readers to start at the beginning of this series.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the series, and whilst there would be a little more context and other couples are mentioned, it could be read as a standalone.

There is no doubt that this book is super hot – the author is the extremely talented at getting the temperature in the room to rise – and I was definitely invested in the success of the relationship long term. That said, I would have liked more of a conversation or two about the choices that they had – rather than both of them knowing what they would have to give up and why they couldn't, but really only mentioned in their heads. Given all the other things that they did share, and the risk that they both took... it seemed slightly out of character to me.

It was an entertaining read, and I hope that the next book will give us a few more glimpses of them and what their future holds.

Also Available in the Anchor Point Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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

For reviews & more info, check out our Just Drive post.

Book 2
Buy Links

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

For reviews & more info, check out our Afraid to Fly post.

Book 3
Buy Links

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

For reviews & more info, check out our Chief’s Mess post.

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn't lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don't tell Lauren. And definitely don't tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut...

Connect with L.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Rank & File (Anchor Point #4) by L.A. Witt to read and review.

Tender Mercies by Eli Easton

Eddie Graber’s dream of a sanctuary for rescued farm animals was about to come true when his partner backed out at the last minute. Now Eddie risks losing the twenty-five acre property in Lancaster County—and all the hopes he held for it—before the project even gets off the ground. He needs help, he needs money, but most importantly, he needs to rediscover the belief in a higher purpose that brought him here in the first place.

Samuel Miller worked hard to fit into his Amish community despite his club foot. But when his father learns Samuel is gay, he is whipped and shunned. With just a few hundred dollars to his name, Samuel responds to an ad for a farmhand and finds himself employed by a city guy who has strange ideas about animals, no clue how to run his small farm, and a gentle heart.

Samuel isn’t the only lost soul to serendipitously find his way to Meadow Lake Farm. There’s Fred and Ginger, two cows who’d been living in a garage, a gang of sheep, and a little black pig named Benedict who might be the key to life, love, money—and even a happily ever after for two castoffs.

Book 2
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 – ☆☆☆☆
I absolutely loved the premise for this story – a New York City vegan (with little practical knowledge of farming) buys a farm to create an animal sanctuary and ends up falling for his ex-Amish farmhand. I really wanted to love this story. Surprisingly, however, for an Eli Easton book, I found this quite difficult to get into.

I’m not sure we get enough character development at the start. Eddie doesn’t become more than a slightly cliché urban animal rights activist for much of the story and I didn’t understand his motivation or his actions half of the time. There isn’t much to make him a sympathetic character and we don’t see much of his humanity in the first half of the book. As a small town girl, his bizarre and idealistic farming decisions were irritating and I kept wondering why he didn’t ask Samuel’s advice once he knew how much experience the other man had.

I understood Samuel and I fell in love with him almost immediately. I found his struggle to come to terms with his sexuality and his grief at the loss of his family and community really moving. The author actually seems to capture the immense loss he experiences as much as she allows him to move forward and enjoy new experiences. But while Samuel is a more developed character, he is too shy and too cowed to communicate properly with Eddie for much of the story. So, Samuel keeps his extensive farming knowledge and experience to himself and Eddie makes stupid decisions that don’t help the farm at all. The lack of communication is frustrating and I kept waiting for Samuel to become a partner rather than a farm hand.

The conflict in this story lies in Eddie’s struggle to create an animal rescue and sanctuary that is self-supporting. The 2017 solutions are bloody obvious from the first pages – and while the Amish teenager knows what needs to be done, the big city editor with great connections apparently doesn’t. Eddie’s financial struggle felt like conflict for the sake of conflict and I found it frustrating. For most of the story, the farm doesn’t grow, Eddie turns away animals, and ignores the obvious solutions.

There are a few romantic scenes in this story, but the focus is more on the farm than the romance. I’m not sure Samuel ever truly feels like an equal partner but in later chapters he does start using his initiative and acting independently. I loved the animals on the farm and I really enjoyed the story once the animal sanctuary started to grow and take in more animals.

Also Available in the Men of Lancaster County Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Dreamspinner Press

For reviews & more info, check out our A Second Harvest post.

Sweet and steamy romances with lots of humor. Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, an organic farmer and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author. As an avid reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.

Connect with Eli

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Tender Mercies (Men of Lancaster County #2) by Eli Easton to read and review.

Creative Process by Jodi Payne

Best-selling thriller author Reese Kelsey knows his career isn’t conducive to romance. He doesn’t work the normal nine-to-five, and sometimes his characters take hold and demand all his attention, causing him to neglect important appointments… and lovers. Rather than go through another heartbreak, Reese contents himself with his small circle of friends—fellow gay New York City artists—and his dedicated publicist, Chad.

Until he sees Owen Mercado lugging his cello toward the subway and impulsively offers him a ride.

Owen has worked long and hard for a career in the symphony, and success comes with a demanding schedule—something Reese understands. Their desires and lifestyles are surprisingly compatible, and Reese and Owen certainly set the bedroom on fire. They’re both carrying baggage, but they fit, and it’s hard not to hope for a future that once seemed impossible.

But when Reese’s work inevitably pulls him into its dark world and refuses to let go, Owen draws a hard line, and Reese discovers he can't rely on good intentions alone. He will have to control the obsession that drove his other lovers away or risk losing Owen as well.

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 – ☆☆☆☆
This is a sweet, fun story about an unlikely relationship between a famous horror author and a symphony cellist.

I admit that I may have watched too many episodes of Castle, but I really struggled to untangle Reese Kelsey from Richard Castle in my head. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are lots of similarities between the two famous writers, but Reese is a more serious character and his story is more drama than comedy. He’s a fairly tortured artist who struggles to live with the dark characters he writes in his horror stories. I really enjoyed the discussions and thoughts about his writing process.

I think Owen is probably younger than Reese, but the cellist feels more balanced and adult than the author. I loved Owen from the start and the more I learned about his background, his friends, and his music, the more I loved him. Together, I loved the way Reese and Owen complement each other. I love their shared creativity and the way they support each other’s creative processes. Their relationship moves from hook-up to partnership at light speed, but it works because it feels natural and almost fated.

My one reservation with this novel is Reese’s relationship with his friends. His offhanded comments about straight people and ‘breeders’ feel tasteless and not at all inclusive. His friends read as generic camp queens and together they reinforce every outdated stereotype of gay men. A couple of these scenes really didn’t work for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Reese and Owen are a great couple and I loved their passions and their interactions with each other. Jodi Payne is a new author for me and I really love her writing style. I’m definitely going to be reading through some of her other stories and looking out for new ones in the future.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
This is a sweet story. Owen is a cellist who just was able to realize one of his dreams – he now plays for a symphony. He is talented and sweet, kind and gentle. He seems incredibly mature, even though we never really get his age. I really liked how he was kind and gentle, but wasn't a doormat. I also loved that he was unwilling to give up his college/conservatory friends for the "new job" that he had.

Reese is a successful thriller writer and he is easily caught up in his work. He has had a string of bad relationships and even though he knows that it's a lot of his own doing, he can't seem to figure out how to fix his own concentration and ability when it comes to juggling both a relationship and writing.

These two creative minds meld in a very romantic way. There is a little angst and a lot of chemistry.

I do wish that the friends that both of these characters had were less stereotypical. I think it would have made the characters more well rounded.

Overall, this was a great story and I enjoyed reading about them. I also am very interested in how Reese's next book goes.

JODI PAYNE spent too many years in New York and San Francisco stage managing classical plays, edgy fringe work, and the occasional musical. She therefore is overdramatic, takes herself way too seriously, and has been known to randomly break out in song. Her men are imperfect but genuine, stubborn but likeable, often kinky, and frequently their own worst enemies. They are characters you can’t help but fall in love with while they stumble along the path to their happily ever after.

For those looking to get on her good side, Jodi’s addictions include nonfat lattes, Malbec and tequila however you pour it. She’s also obsessed with Shakespeare and Broadway musicals. She can be found wearing sock monkey gloves while typing when it’s cold, and on the beach enjoying the sun and the ocean when it’s hot. When she’s not writing and/or vacuuming sand out of her laptop, Jodi mentors queer youth and will drop everything for live music.

Jodi lives near New York City with her beautiful wife, and together they are mothers of dragons (cleverly disguised as children) and slaves to an enormous polydactyl cat.

Connect with Jodi

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Jodi’s Gents FB Group

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Creative Process by Jodi Payne to read and review.

Covet by Yolande Kleinn

Jack Mason—graphic designer and unrepentant player—has never been interested in monogamy. He certainly isn’t looking for romance when he meets Professor Colin Sloan.

Newly single and not looking for anything serious, Colin is intrigued by Jack’s offer of a physical affair with no strings attached. Becoming friends wasn’t part of the plan, but as accidents go, this one’s pretty great.

Peter Mason is Jack’s identical twin. In a long-term relationship himself, Peter tells no one that he’s falling for his brother’s newest favorite, even as the secret creates tension with his girlfriend.

When Peter’s relationship falls apart, he seduces Colin, fully expecting Jack to forgive his transgression. But Jack is keeping secrets too—he hasn't told even Colin that he’s fallen in love. Suddenly the twins are feuding, and Colin is caught in the middle, blindsided by the revelation that he doesn’t want to choose between them.

Now all three must find a way to share, or they’ll tear each other apart.

Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

I don't really know how to put into words how I feel about this book. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I wanted more, but I am not sure what "more" I wanted. I just didn't feel satisfied. Colin had his cake and ate it too, he had two hot twins coming after him and he really liked them both, actually ending up loving both. The sex was hot, with Colin and both men, and all three when they were together. I just felt like something was missing. They never really all three sat down and talked things out. They did it two on two, but never the three of them and to me that just seemed off. And what was with that epilogue? That just seemed odd too. Ugh, I liked the book but didn't love it is about all I can say.


Kris – ☆☆☆
I'm not sure that I completely bought the idea of twins Jack and Peter, sharing Colin. I didn't think this could actually work in the long run. Especially since Jack met Colin and had a relationship developing with him first. Jack meets Colin and they start loosely dating. Colin is just out of a long-term relationship and Jack is looking for anything but a boyfriend, but the two agree to casual terms. Hanging out with Jack, Colin finds himself friends with Jack's twin, Peter. These two strike up an easy friendship themselves. Jack finds himself quite possessive of Colin when they're out and other men are trying to hit on Colin, so Jack has deeper feelings than he's letting on. Peter is in a straight relationship but has tended towards bi on occasion. He finds himself very attracted to his twin's "friends with benefits" Colin. Not realizing his brother actually has more than easy feelings for Colin, Peter ends up following through on his attraction to Colin after things with his girlfriend fall apart. The twins end up not speaking to each other for months at a time over this betrayal. In my opinion, I didn't think this could be overcome in a real world situation. But this isn't real world and the author puts the three men back together in a relationship that seems to work. I have to admit, the threesome certainly had the heat to keep me reading. Peter being quite dominant and bossy, Jack being at his command, as well as Colin loving the two taking control. This chemistry turned my “head shaking, non-buying this story” self into a “head nodding, yes, yes, keep reading” kind of book.

I did find the book a bit slow moving with mundane filler clogging up the actual story. Could have actually flowed better with half the pages. Not even sure Peter's girlfriend, Maureen, was a needed character at all. Three stars for decent steamy scenes.

Yolande Kleinn may be a shameless dreamer and a stubborn optimist, but she is also a proud purveyor of erotic romance. Excitable, fastidious, and a little eclectic, she spends every spare moment as far away from reality as possible.

A Minnesotan by both heart and geography, Yolande has plenty of experience weathering tough winters. Her favorite method: distracting herself with warm beverages and even warmer stories. A night spent with a good book is heaven. A morning free to write, with a hot cup of coffee close at hand, is even better.

Connect with Yolande

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Covet by Yolande Kleinn to read and review.

Last Marine Standing by RJ Scott

Former Marine Recon, Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Jackson has secrets. The things he did for his country, the things he saw, must never be spoken about. Until that is, his team is targeted.

A shift in political alliances means one particular mission undertaken by Mac and his Fire Team needs to be wiped from the history books. Starting with the team itself.

Forest Ranger, Samuel Larson wants to find the Marines who saved his life. He just wants to say thank you. What he can’t know is that he's walking into a firestorm of betrayal and murder.

When Samuel arrives at Mac's place he throws Mac's plans for hiding out of the window. Abruptly Mac has to protect a man that threatens his heart, only this time he can't be sure he will succeed in keeping Sam alive.

When the people you trusted turn on you, when you are the last one standing, should you take your secrets to the grave? Or make the murderers pay?

Book 2
Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series – and I definitely recommend reading A Reason to Stay first, because it is also a very good read and has an equally good mystery tied into the romance.

This is a really good, fast-paced, exciting, and dramatic novel, with a very hot romance thrown in for good measure. I loved how Sam (who we met in the first book) has refused to let his past define him, yet cannot quite get passed it either. His plan to thank the Marines who saved him unfortunately coincides with them facing a great danger from 'them.' And as Mac points out 'they' could be anyone – which sets up the story, and the fight to survive and resolve the situation, so that they might just have a future.

The intrigue, the restoring of relationships, the building of new ones, and the potential for more makes for compelling reading – and a rather wonderful ending.

It was great to catch up with some news from Viktor and Aiden, and to meet Deacon, who must be the centre of the soon to be released sequel, as its title is Deacon's Law. I can't wait for it to hit my Kindle!


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is an exciting read with two fantastic main characters. Mac and Sam first met when Mac’s team of Marines rescued 14-year-old Sam from kidnappers in Japan. More than a decade later, Sam’s attempts to track down his rescuers throw him into the middle of a terrifying plot to eliminate Mac and his team.

I found Mac much easier to like than Viktor in the first book. He’s a little bit more human and while he has a similar skill set, he comes across as a kind and loyal man. But it was Sam who won my heart. Having survived torture as a teenager and a difficult childhood with a powerful father, Sam pushed past his injuries and became a park ranger. I love his resilience and his strength of character.

The action in this story is fantastic. Sam and Mac work together to evade the person killing Mac’s teammates. There are powerful political forces attempting to eliminate Mac’s team and the race to expose the plot before the last teammates die is a thrilling read.

I’m really enjoying this series. I loved the action in the first book, but I was able to enjoy the romance as much as the action in this second one. I look forward to the next book!


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

This is a great second addition to this series. I really liked seeing how the relationship from the previous book has developed and it was great to see the stories intertwine.

This book has a lot going on. You start several years ago and what you witness is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Sam is young and a victim, Mac is Sam's savior. Mac is part of a team and they rescued Sam and his sister, Jo. It was a complex situation with a lot of emotions.

Several years later, Sam seeks out Mac again and tries to figure out where all of the men were who had rescued him. The relationship is organic, and while there were a lot of factors that brought Sam and Mac together, it's what they did under the circumstances that really creates their bond.

I don't want to write too much, because it would give away all of the fun bits in the story, but let's just say that Sam and Mac have to decide what's important. Can they truly outrun their own pasts and look to a future together?

I can't wait for Deacon's story and I am very much looking forward to it.

Also Available in the Heroes Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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

For reviews & more info, check out our A Reason to Stay post.

RJ Scott is the bestselling gay romance author of over 100 romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men and women who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn't with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn't like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

Connect with RJ

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads


ARC Provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Last Marine Standing (Heroes #2) by RJ Scott to read and review.

The Librarian's Rake by Z. Allora

Opposites might attract, but is acting on that attraction wise?

Librarian Tristan Cooper can’t steer clear of sexy, motorcycle-riding bad boy Phillip—the man is hot—but Phillip is bound to find quiet, bookish Tristan boring, like all Tristan’s boyfriends. Tristan yearns to explore his wild side, the part of himself he’s only allowed into his fantasies, and maybe rakish Phillip is just what he needs to feel free.

Sexperienced hairdresser Phillip is more of a believer in happy endings than happily ever afters. Experience has taught him not to hope for more—until he meets sweet, vulnerable Tristan, who seems genuinely interested in his heart. But Phillip can’t trust enough to see himself as a man Tristan might want for more than a night.

With the help of a pair of matchmaking grandfathers, Tristan and Phillip might find the courage to step beyond their comfort zones and discover what has been missing from their lives…

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

Angie – ☆☆☆
This book had potential, but didn't hit the mark for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I just didn't really feel the connection between Tristan and Phillip. I loved their grandfathers, and I would have liked to see more of them in the book because I think they could have added so much more to the story and given it some life. The book was just a little bit boring to me and I felt a little let down when I was done reading it.


Kris – ☆☆☆☆
Really good story that I completely enjoyed! It started off a tad slow with a bit of filler and inane details but picks up nicely. The characters round out and become very interesting and the story begins to fly by easily.

Tristan is a buttoned up, prim librarian. He's been told he’s boring by past lovers. He doesn't do hookups and hardly ever takes chances. Philip is just the opposite. He's the hookup king. The two meet through their grandfathers and begin a relationship with Philip teaching Tristin how to loosen up. Thing is, Tristin only wants to loosen up WITH Philip. I really enjoyed the funny banter of Philip's friends and coworkers. There was steam when the two finally paired off and there's also very tender moments. The book was all around a good, fun read.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is a fun and fluffy and sexy read. There is more than a nod to classic romance in this contemporary story but there is also a hint of cheeky self awareness that I absolutely loved.

Tristan is a buttoned up librarian who is resigned to people thinking he’s more than a bit boring. Until his grandfather sets him up with Phillip, a motorcycle riding hair stylist with a serious Grindr habit. These two are perfect opposites and I loved the way they were drawn to each other from the start.

This is a quick and easy read, but I did fall in love with both Phillip and Tristan. I love the way Phillip gets Tristan to come alive in the bedroom and I love the way Tristan gets Phillip to open up emotionally.

Beyond Tristan and Phillip, I couldn’t help but love their randy grandfathers and Phillip’s friends made me smile.

Z. Allora thinks everyone deserves a happy ending, and she makes sure they get one. Her stories are about love and romance and are tied together with erotic sex. She utilizes her time overseas and travels to bring you to places you've yet to visit. She introduces you to cultures you've yet to explore. But with every word she writes she tries to convey love is love.

Connect with Z. Allora

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Librarian's Rake by Z. Allora to read and review.