Lost in the Florist by Riley Long & Marie Cole Blog Tour

A fast-paced, sexy romance in the woods that will make Smokey Bear come running.

Jax fled his small hometown eight years ago to make it big in LA. His music career took off and he hasn't been back to see his childhood best friend Emmett—his first, unrequited love—since. No man has lived up to that first love, though Jax has certainly tried.

When he finally gets a vacation, Jax decides to put his playboy ways behind him, surprise Emmett with a visit, and finally lay his feelings on the line. But Emmett has a few surprises up his sleeve, too—including one big secret. Emmett is a virgin.

Book 1
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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

The second Jax placed his can in the cup holder, his phone started vibrating. His heart leapt a little, but when he flipped the phone over, he saw that it was just his manager, not his best friend Emmett calling to tease him with more mental imagery of the blow job he’d always dreamed of—not that Emmett knew that. Jax had kept that little fantasy very close to his chest throughout high school. Their small town wasn’t exactly the gay man’s safe haven and the jocks had a reputation for being extremely anti-queer. Jax hadn’t thought Emmett was anti-queer, but he was on the football team, and Jax knew if there was even a sniff of male on male activity that it would spread like wildfire through the school. Part of him still regretted not saying “Fuck it” and kissing his best friend when he’d had the chance. He’d come close once.

He swiped the screen to answer the phone and scooped it up. “Hey, Ron.” In his free hand, he picked up the remote for the TV and turned it on, quickly muting the volume and switching it over to the internet browser. He pinned the phone between his ear and his shoulder.

“Jax, hey. Just calling to tell you everything’s all arranged.”

“Uh, what’s that now?” Jax was already only half-listening to Ron, attempting to navigate the TV’s browser to pornpornporn.com at the same time.

“The R&R you asked for. The time off. We’ve got it all arranged. You’re going to be staying in a little cabin about a thirty minute drive outside of Camellia. The cabin is already reserved. Do you need me to send someone to stay with you? Sophia maybe?”

The double-meaning was thick in Ron’s tone, catching Jax’s full attention. “Ron, there was only one time that the paparazzi took pictures of me with her. And I told you, we didn’t actually do anything. It was all just coincidental. Uh, circumstantial. Whatever that word is. It just looked compromising. There’s no actual evidence that we hooked up because nothing happened.” He let his gaze travel across the screen, thumbnails of naked guys in all sorts of configurations, waiting for him to choose. “Besides, I’m going there to surprise my best friend, not to get laid.”

“Sure, sure, whatever you say. Listen, it’s none of my business, I’m just trying to keep you happy.” Ron cleared his throat. “The cabin is all yours in a little over a week.”

“This time off is all I need to stay happy. A couple of weeks of rest before the wolves start howling at my door again.” He spotted an image of a muscular man with short brown hair and a beard, frozen in mid-kiss with a guy with a lean, sculpted body, and clicked on it. Immediately, the video took up his full screen and started playing, the two men on a couch, wearing nothing but underwear and making out. His dick twitched and started to grow. “Listen, Ron, I gotta go. Something’s just come up and I need to take care of it. Thanks again. Bye.” He pressed the button to end the call without waiting for a confirmation from his manager and tossed the phone on the bed next to him again.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is the story of a rock star who returns to his hometown to surprise his best friend. While Jax has been travelling the world, Emmett has stayed home and taken care of his grandmother. Both men secretly hope they can one day become more than friends but they have to get past a few long held secrets first.

Katy Perry’s Hot N Cold might not be what the authors intended as a soundtrack for this rock star romance but it’s the only song that really fits. Emmett has obsessed about Jax for years, so when they finally meet in person, his mixed messages don’t make much sense. For two men who describe themselves as best friends, Jax and Emmett’s inability to communicate or trust each other is baffling. They come across as grown men with the emotional maturity of teenagers and I failed to engage with either of them.

The premise behind this story has potential. I was excited by the blurb but disappointed with the book. I feel like the book is missing character development and emotional depth. The result is loosely sketched characters and situations that I found difficult to invest in.

Riley Long is a wife and mother living a quiet life in Virginia, with her husband, son, and one goofy pit bull. She passes her evenings writing, reading, and watching bad television (or not so bad television). For fun, Riley participates in NaNoWriMo, GISH, and reads with her book club, the BAMFs. She likes things with silly acronyms. The craziest thing Riley has ever done involves whipped cream and hugs. Riley writes sweet and sexy romance, with a special place in her heart for hipsters and musicians.

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Riley’s Readers Facebook Group

Marie Cole is the author of the contemporary romance #JustFriends Series. Lost in the Florist is her very first boy/boy romance and she's super excited to be stepping into the m/m arena beside her writer bestie, Riley Long.

She is currently living in Virginia, is a self-professed Kwave addict, Karaoke Queen, and social binge drinker. When she's not writing she's taking photos of everything from her fluffy cat Dustpan to birds conversing on her porch. She loves to show them off on her Instagram account.

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Marie Cole's *SUPER* Fan Club Facebook Group

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Lost in the Florist (Blooming Hearts #1) by Riley Long & Marie Cole to read and review for this tour.

Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean

New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with the much-anticipated final book in her Bareknuckle Bastards series, featuring a scoundrel duke and the powerful woman who brings him to his knees.

Grace Condry has spent a lifetime running from her past. Betrayed as a child by her only love and raised on the streets, she now hides in plain sight as queen of London’s darkest corners. Grace has a sharp mind and a powerful right hook and has never met an enemy she could not best, until the man she once loved returns.

Single-minded and ruthless, Ewan, Duke of Marwick, has spent a decade searching for the woman he never stopped loving. A long-ago gamble may have lost her forever, but Ewan will go to any lengths to win Grace back… and make her his duchess.

Reconciliation is the last thing Grace desires. Unable to forgive the past, she vows to take her revenge. But revenge requires keeping Ewan close, and soon her enemy seems to be something else altogether—something she can’t resist, even as he threatens the world she's built, the life she's claimed… and the heart she swore he'd never steal again.

Book 3
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 Satisfying Stars

Daring and the Duke is the third (final) installment in the Bareknuckle Bastards series. I would strongly suggest the novels be read in series order to get the optimum emotional impact. While it wouldn't be too confusing for readers to read it as a standalone, it is definitely a continuation/conclusion.

Daring and the Duke was such a satisfying ending to a highly emotional set of characters. Four children born on the same night, all by-blows, but only the sons are the progeny of the duke himself, even though the daughter was born of the duchess. The daughter was given the name of a future duke, forced to pretend to be male, as the duke's sons literally duked it out to see who was best for the job once they were too old to hide away, the daughter too mature to be seen as anything but female.

This is the story of redemption. However, I felt it more a story of finding one's true worth, self-worth. From the perspective of Devil, Beast, and Grace, Ewan betrayed them for the title. From the perspective of Ewan, he sacrificed himself to the title to protect them from the abusive duke, allowing them to be used as the currency that kept him under his father's thumb, all the while they hated him for the sacrifice.

The Mad Duke, endlessly searching for Grace, then enraged to discover his brothers didn't keep their Grace safe. Hope-filled when he discovers his Grace alive and well.

Angsty and delicious. Fast-paced and exciting, action scenes leaping off the pages. Unexpected levity, witty banter, and sexual tension that could be cut with a knife. The connection between the four 'siblings' was gut-wrenching yet filled with hope for a different future than the current path they're leading.

Grace and Ewan dance. Dance under a tree canopy with moss underfoot, both as children and as adults. They dance, an intoxicating mating dance that skirts around the truth they aren't quite ready to accept.

Highly recommend to fans of historical romance and the author. I cannot wait to get my hands on the debut in the next series by Sarah MacLean.

Also Available in the Bareknuckle Bastards Series

Book 1
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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our Wicked and the Wallflower post.

Book 2
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our Brazen and the Beast post.

Sarah MacLean grew up in Rhode Island, obsessed with historical romance and bemoaning the fact that she was born far too late for her own season. Her love of all things historical helped to earn her degrees from Smith College and Harvard University before she finally set pen to paper and wrote her first book.

Sarah now lives in New York City with her husband, baby daughter, their dog, and a ridiculously large collection of romance novels. She loves to hear from readers.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Daring and the Duke (Bareknuckle Bastards #3) by Sarah MacLean to read and review.

Classified by Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank Blog Tour

Classified is the conclusion of Solo and Panther’s story and should only be read after book one, Danger Zone, and book two, Need for Speed.

They train to serve their country.
They strive to be the best.
But only a select few can be...
The Elite

* * *

MATTEO MORGAN
CALL SIGN: SOLO

Reckless, arrogant, and bold, Solo is as known in the U.S. Navy for his bad-boy reputation as he is for his skills as a fighter pilot. It’s a surprise to his peers, then, when he’s chosen to train and compete at the most prestigious naval aviation academy in the world.

MISSION RULES:
1. Kick everyone’s ass.
2. Do whatever it takes to win.
3. Do your best to distract the competition.
4. Especially when that competition is a gorgeous blue-eyed perfectionist who makes your blood run hot.

* * *

GRANT HUGHES
CALL SIGN: PANTHER

Disciplined, smart, and confident, Panther can’t afford not to play by the rules. As the son of a top Navy commander, all eyes are on him, and being anything less than number one is unacceptable.

MISSION RULES:
1. Keep it safe in the air.
2. Prove you’re more than Commander Hughes’s son.
3. No distractions. Stay focused.
4. Don’t fall for your competition—especially not the rebellious heartbreaker with lips made for sinning.

In the heat of the hot California sun, tempers flare and desires ignite as Solo and Panther try to resist their attraction while fighting to be number one.
With passion this intense, the question remains:
Who’s gonna come out on top?

Classified is the final book of The Elite series and is not a standalone. Danger Zone, book one, and Need for Speed, book two, must be read first.

Book 3
Buy Links

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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third and final installment of this series, you must read the other two books before reading this one.

Panther and Solo are back! These two have gone from enemies to friends to lovers. The banter between them is comical and the sex is explosive. These men have gone through some stuff but have come out stronger for it. I loved the ball and the Blue Angels brings back memories of seeing them as a kid. Who won the competition? You'll have to read to find out!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the final book of Solo and Panther's story – and you most definitely need to read them in order, so please do not read on if you haven't done that yet, as you will lose the surprise!

We really were left in limbo at the end of the last book... and thankfully the guys get to enjoy the Naval Ball as a couple, making sure that everyone (including Grant's illustrious father) knows the status of their "friendship." It is a bold move, but one which not only proclaims to others, but also cements their relationship more firmly. Scary times, especially for a man like Matteo who does not have any close relationships, ever.

I loved the flying elements – and the Blue Angels moments are a fun interlude to the much more frightening dog fights. The camaraderie and the banter are fun, and the outcome of their training competition is fabulously handled. Classy, fun, and a delicious ending... enjoy!


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Classified is the third book in The Elite series. It cannot be read as a standalone. You need to read the first two books in the series before this one.

Classified starts off right where Need for Speed left us. Panther makes the decision to come out and does it in a big way. Walking into the Navy ball holding hands with Solo gets them stares and mouth drops but for the most part everyone accepts that they are together. They have some backlash but nowhere near what they expected.

We get to see their relationship grow and figure out what comes next for them. They are close to the end of the Elite classes, who will win? Where will that leave them? Can they do long distance?

Everything comes to a close with this book but in the most perfect way for Grant and Mateo.

Also Available in The Elite Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Danger Zone Blog Tour.

Book 2
Buy Links

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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Need for Speed Blog Tour.

Brooke Blaine is a USA Today Bestselling Author best known for writing romantic comedy and M/M romance. Her novels lead with humor and heart, but Brooke never shies away from throwing in something extra naughty that will scandalize her conservative Southern family for life (bless their hearts).

She’s a choc-o-holic, lives for eighties bands (which means she thinks guyliner is totally underrated), believes it’s always wine o’clock, and lives with the coolest cat on the planet—her Maine Coon mix, Jackson Agador Spartacus.

Connect with Brooke

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Brooke & Ella's Naughty Umbrella Facebook Group

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

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction.

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

Connect with Ella

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Brooke & Ella's Naughty Umbrella Facebook Group

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Classified (The Elite #3) by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine to read and review for this tour.

That Summer in Maine by Brianna Wolfson

A novel about mothers and daughters, about taking chances, about exploding secrets and testing the boundaries of family.

Years ago, during a certain summer in Maine, two young women, unaware of each other, met a charismatic man at a craft fair and each had a brief affair with him. For Jane it was a chance to bury her recent pain in raw passion and redirect her life. For Susie it was a fling that gave her troubled marriage a way forward.

Now, sixteen years later, the family lives these women have made are suddenly upended when their teenage girls meet as strangers on social media. They concoct a plan to spend the summer in Maine with the man who is their biological father. Their determination puts them on a collision course with their mothers, who must finally meet and acknowledge their shared past and join forces as they risk losing their only daughters to a man they barely know.

Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Harlequin MIRA

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This is a book with a number of layers, but we get to see the story from different viewpoints – partly due to the reading/writing of never to be opened letters to the daughters and partly as the chapters swap between narrators. There is a lot of inner monologue, which I am not a huge fan of, particularly when it is expressing feelings which could have been demonstrated in other ways. But I did enjoy finding out all the nuances and reasoning that they protagonists had for their actions. Each of them believed that they were doing the thing that worked best for them. Thankfully, once they work out that happiness can be found in the simple and the honest. It can be found all around you, and sometimes being open to it, communicating clearly, and giving a hug when you want one, can work wonders.

There are some really fun bits, like the girls and Silas lying on the grass in the rain, the trip out on the boat. But there were some very discordant ones for me too – especially the beer incident, and a few times I wanted to put Eve on the naughty step! I was very curious as to how it could all work out, but I was mostly satisfied with how it ended. I think anyone in that situation might find it a salutary reminder of how lies definitely find you out, and how the grass is never greener on the other side!

Brianna Wolfson is a New York native living in San Francisco. Her narrative nonfiction has been featured on Medium, Upworthy and The Moth. She buys a lottery ticket every Friday.

Connect with Brianna

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of That Summer in Maine by Brianna Wolfson to read and review.

The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton

Jeffrey B. Burton's The Finders marks the beginning of a fast-paced new mystery series featuring a heroic golden retriever cadaver dog named Vira and her handler, Mason Reid.

Mason "Mace" Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid’s coming off a taxing year—mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past—a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is…

Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira's abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.

Book 1
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Mystery Murder Thriller

Kippy Gimm is a very good police officer. She knows how to do her job well and when she finds a puppy that should have perished, she knows that this dog is special.

Mason, aka Mace, is a great dog trainer. He has cadaver dogs and drug sniffing dogs, does obedience classes, and is just a good guy. When he meets Vira for the first time, he knows that she is going to be an amazing dog. While he had a slow run in his love life for a while, when he meets Kippy, his ability to flirt is on display and it made me laugh. He was so awkward.

There is a serial killer around Chicago, and it'll be up to Mace, Vira, and Kippy to figure out who it is. This is a fast-paced story where you are seeing it from different perspectives. I really liked that you read from different views. It helped to build suspense. I am very happy that this was as fast paced as it was, because the actual characters were somewhat flat for me. I found Officer Gimm's first name very distracting and the first time I read it, it made me laugh and go back to make sure I was reading her name correctly. Overall, this was entertaining and a quick read. I can't wait to see what Vira does next!

JEFFREY B. BURTON is the author of The Chessman and The Eulogist. He is an active member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and the Horror Writers Association and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with his family.

Connect with Jeffrey

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Finders (Mace Reid K-9 Mystery #1) by Jeffrey B. Burton to read and review.

Pieces of You by N.R. Walker

Dallas Muller has everything he never expected he’d have. He owns a successful motorbike mechanic shop in Newcastle, and he’s madly in love with his boyfriend of four years, Justin Keith.

Justin has always struggled to find where he fit in, never realising his true worth or what it means to be loved—until he met Dallas. Living and working together might be too much for some, but Dallas and Justin wouldn’t have it any other way.

When a terrible accident tears their world apart, Justin’s left with no memory of Dallas or their relationship. Trying to put the pieces back together is almost impossible when some pieces are blank and some are missing altogether. Dallas has to let Justin find his own way back to him and just hope that their love will light the way.

Book 1
Buy Links

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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
When I was reading Pieces of You and felt the emotions of the story in my whole body not just my heart. I cried so many times. Not big ugly noisy crying but quiet tears that barely stopped before they started up again. My heart broke over and over again for Dallas as he did his best to support Justin, who has woken up from an accident with no memory of the past five years – no memory of his boyfriend, Dallas.

I had no idea going in I would connect so strongly with Dallas and his struggle to support the man he loves, a man who doesn't remember him. As a happily married woman, Dallas' situation is the kind of horror I don't think I could image but the man shines. He is so strong and amazing. No matter how difficult it is, he loves Justin and supports him completely. Dallas' love for Justin always shines through and it is so beautiful.

I didn't want this story to end. I wanted more time with Justin and Dallas, we didn't get nearly enough. I hope the author doesn't make us wait too long for more. This gets five amazing, emotional stars from me.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the wonderfully tender story of two mechanics whose relationship is tested when one partner suffers a traumatic brain injury. Where most books end with a happily ever after, this one starts with Justin and Dallas’ happy partnership – just before their lives are forever changed by a horrific accident. The rest of the story follows Justin’s slow, painful recovery as he learns to live and love again.

I loved everything about this book. Justin’s accident is the kind of ‘what if?’ that haunts every happy relationship. With most of the story told from Dallas’ perspective, my heart broke for him over and over again. Dallas’ quiet, solid commitment to Justin is beautiful and pretty inspirational. I love that the story feels real. There aren’t any quick fixes or miracle cures, just a steadfast commitment to a relationship that only one partner can remember. This book made me cry. But it also made me laugh. Dallas and Justin aren’t serious people and I love the moments when Justin’s irreverent humour pushes past his fear and pain.

Despite the gritty realism, this is also a hopeful story and it doesn’t get too dark or too heavy. It’s a beautifully written book that really grapples with the human experience. It annoys me that if this was the story of a heterosexual couple it would be on ‘must read’ lists everywhere. This book deserves all the attention and respect it can get because it is such a special read.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆☆
Oh my goodness! This book pulls at the heartstrings! I kept putting the book down because my heart hurt so much for Dallas and Justin. When Dallas told Justin he'd be by his side no matter what, he meant it. This is a true love story. One that gives you the feels. One that makes you realize these things do happen and what happens when they do. I can't wait to read the next book.

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things... but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since...

Connect with N.R.

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N.R’s Readers’ Facebook Group


ARC provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Pieces of You (Missing Pieces #1) by N.R. Walker to read and review.