Binding Circumstance by Kelley Griffin
Publisher: Champagne Book Group
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense/Mystery
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Alstroemeria
So check http://aimhousepatong.com/item8040.html buy cialis out several stores to see who is charging what. Both with and without an erection you will have to take help of a doctor and ask for online order for viagra assistance. The complications cialis no rx are frustration, depression, embarrassment, disappointment and despair. With the advent of lowest priced viagra fast speed internet there is nothing to worry about. To save the life of the man she loves, she’ll have to risk her own.
Costume designer, Leslie Carroll has mastered the art of flying under the radar. She’s had to, or risk being found by the psychopath who almost killed her.
When she literally falls into Hollywood heartthrob Charlie Erickson’s dressing room on her first day of employment, their mutual attraction is instant and undeniable. Despite his star status, Charlie is a sweet southern boy at heart, and for the first time in a long time, Leslie begins to think she has a chance at happiness.
When her harrowing past catches up to her and targets Charlie, will she run to save herself, or face her monster to save the man who is her future?
Archives for June 2020
June Book of the Month Poll ~ Binding Circumstance by Kelley Griffin
A Shot of Fear by Lou Sylvre
A Shot of Fear by Lou Sylvre
Vasquez Inc.2
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery, Action/Adventure
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by AlstroemeriaJackie Vasquez knows he needs to submit to a Dom he can trust—just as much as he needs to manage his own life. He found the right Dom in Brian Harrison, and then romance beckoned them both beyond bindings and safewords. They take the first steps toward a life together in London, where Brian is pursuing his dream career at Scotland Yard, and Jackie is working toward a master’s degree. Their private hours deep in the night brim with both heat and beauty as Brian’s artful vision for bondage makes a masterwork out of Jackie, body and soul.
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But time together becomes scarce as a series of horrific gaslight crimes keeps Brian at work and out of reach for Jackie much of the time. Though Jackie is faithful, he isn’t the type to sit and wait for his lover’s attentions. His self-assured ways and his geocaching hobby lead him to a dangerous discovery—all is not as it seems at the University. Trapped in the Gaslighter’s web, he’ll need to use every trick he knows to stay calm and buy time. But will Brian unravel the knot of mystery in time to save the man he loves?
It was absolutely delightful to get tied up in the plot of this novel! Jackie and Brian are two men who enjoy BDSM in the dark of their bedroom, but who by the light of day realize they might be falling more deeply into a relationship that is FAR more tantalizing than just Dom and Sub.
Beautifully descriptive sensual scenes mixed in with a mysterious string of crimes leave the readers on the edge of their seats with anticipation! Jackie and Brian as characters are developed so nicely within the 131 pages, their personal lives growing together steadily as the crimes in the novel start to escalate. The side characters created their own interest in me as a reader, and I found myself enjoying their quirks just as much as those of the main characters.
In between the remarkably sexy scenes where we find Jackie bound intricately to pieces of furniture, Lou Sylvre also delivers some really sweet moments that ring true in Jackie and Brian’s unfurling relationship. But sweet loving was not the only thing making my heart race while reading this novel. Knowing that any moment the other shoe would drop, following along from the perspective of the criminals as their stories race forward to meet with the lovers, made putting the book down nearly impossible!
A Shot of Fear is the second novel in the Vasquez Inc. series, and I would say that although this novel could be read on its own, reading the first novel to learn a little bit more about Jackie and Brian would be an absolute pleasure. All in all, this book FLEW by and I would absolutely consider giving it another read!
The Cagulant by Jared Gullage
The Cagulant by Jared Gullage
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Action/Adventure, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeTwo restmen, servants of the gatekeeper god Lignium, are sent to confront a terrible beast, a thing of evil, a cagulant. This horrid abomination never gives back those it claims. Never.
You must not heed its cries, the siren song of desperate pleas from jagged throats. You must deny it mercy, deny it hope. You must deny even the love you have for those people lost within its darkness.
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The world building was excellent. A perfect balance was struck between straightforwardly describing what Drakken’s world was like and allowing the audience to piece together less urgent but still important clues about why he was pursuing that terrible beast and what would happen if he wasn’t successful at his mission. I honestly thought this was part of a series at first because of how many details were packed into every scene and how much extrapolation was expected of the audience for certain portions of the plot.
I shuddered at the description of what a cagulant was and why it was so dangerous for anyone who crossed its path. That passage alone more than earned this tale its rightful place in the horror genre. The more I read, the more I hoped that Drakken and his apprentice, Oscur, would follow all of the steps necessary in order to safely dispose of it. There were so many things that could go wrong during their quest, especially if either of them broke any of the rules of engagement for this sort of thing.
By far my favorite scene was the final one. The foreshadowing for it had been subtle but consistent from the beginning. While I knew it was coming, I was still eager to see exactly how it would play out and if Drakken would react to everything the way I thought he would. Finding answers to those questions was immensely satisfying. As much as I would have loved it if this were a full-length novel or the beginning of a series, it truly did wrap everything up satisfactorily by the last sentence. With that being said, I’m still going to be first in line to read a sequel if Mr. Gullage ever chooses to write one!
Anyone who loves horror or the fantasy genre should definitely give The Cagulant a try.
Binding Circumstance by Kelley Griffin
Binding Circumstance by Kelley Griffin
Publisher: Champagne Book Group
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense/Mystery
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Alstroemeria
To save the life of the man she loves, she’ll have to risk her own.
Costume designer, Leslie Carroll has mastered the art of flying under the radar. She’s had to, or risk being found by the psychopath who almost killed her.
When she literally falls into Hollywood heartthrob Charlie Erickson’s dressing room on her first day of employment, their mutual attraction is instant and undeniable. Despite his star status, Charlie is a sweet southern boy at heart, and for the first time in a long time, Leslie begins to think she has a chance at happiness.
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When her harrowing past catches up to her and targets Charlie, will she run to save herself, or face her monster to save the man who is her future?
Leslie Carroll is exactly the woman I want to be when meeting an incredibly handsome Hollywood actor. Cool as a cucumber, and utterly unimpressed with Charles Erickson’s famous persona. She can see right through to his true self, Charlie Erickson the southern gentleman. As Leslie is a woman leading her own double life, it is so easy to see why these two attract each other.
Binding Circumstance is the kind of book you cancel plans for. Any time I was forced to put the book down I hurried through my activities just so I could get back to the couch, kick my feet up, and get back into the action. The suspense is like a cliffhanger on every page of this novel, making me flip through the pages so quickly the book could have taken flight right out of my hands!
Experiencing the relationship between Charlie and Leslie had me hanging on every word. Getting a peek into their real lives made the story so heartwarming at times. The wonderful moments with Charlie and Nate, and with Leslie and Sissy give this story beautiful connections with representation of people who have loved ones with a disability or with people who have disabilities themselves.
Intermixed with the wonderfully sweet, the readers also get the shockingly suspenseful and terribly thrilling moments as Leslie’s past starts to catch up with her. The plot takes many interesting twists and turns, making it almost impossible to walk away from. Tension kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time wanting to know how it would all shake out but also never wanting the book to end!
The only small warnings I have are the references to kidnapping and rape that may be triggering to some readers. There are a few moments where actions are described, but graphic depictions were kept to a minimum and only used to forward the plot and not to be dwelled upon for longer than absolutely necessary. Unless you have specific triggers to any of the aforementioned warnings, I think this book would be completely safe and enjoyable for you to read.
I would quickly read Binding Circumstance again, having fallen in love with the characters and their stories. Kelley Griffin did an incredible job weaving together the perfect suspenseful mystery thriller with a whirlwind romance, making the plot tightly packed with action and excitement. There is absolutely no question that I will be purchasing her other works and staying up well into the night to eat up her stories!
Q&A with Theo and Jamison, the leading characters in Finding Armando by Joe Cosentino – Guest Blog and Giveaway
Long and Short Reviews welcomes Joe Cosentino who is celebrating the recent release of Finding Armando and Found at Last. Post a comment about reuniting with a lost love. The one that tickles our heartstrings the most will win any backorder book by Joe Cosentino published by Dreamspinner Press!
Theo: I could have never done it without Jamison.
Jamison: I could have never done it without Theo.
Theo: Now our lives are open books.
Jamison: And that’s how we like it!
Since the readers can’t see you, Theo describe Jamison.
Theo: Jamison’s last name, Radames, means hero. It sure fits him. Coming from a Swedish and Egyptian heritage, Jamison is twenty-eight, tall, very muscular, with crystal blue eyes, peaches and cream complexion, a strong nose, and jet-black hair.
And Jamison, how about Theo?
Jamison: Theo is twenty-six, tall, with sexy dark hair and eyes, and a hunky build. His first name means godlike, and his last name, Stratis, means good soldier. Theo is both those things. Theo cares about others deeply, yearns for fairness and justice, and loves with all his heart.
What happened after the release of Finding Giorgio, Found At Last series book 1?
Theo: Our first story, Finding Giorgio, was a novella cherished by so many people. They fell in love with Jamison, as I did.
Jamison: And with Theo, as I did.
Theo: The readers also admired how Jamison and I risked so much to reunite Nolan and Giorgio, who were separated at eighteen years old by their homophobic parents. Thankfully, our story didn’t end there.
Jamison: As the new owners of Nolan Giorgio’s Resort in the Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains, Jamison and I have a new challenge.
Theo: That’s the story of Finding Armando, Found At Last book 2.
Tell everyone the story of Finding Armando.
Theo: Jamison and I embark on a second search, this one for our friend, resort manager Asher’s lost love, Armando, separated from him years ago under the military’s old Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
Jamison: Complicating matters further, my playboy younger brother, Kendall, pays us a visit on leave from the Navy.
Theo: And a woman in need makes Jamison and me a shocking offer.
Is the second story also told through your perspective, Theo?
Jamison: I’d have it no other way.
Do you two reunite the separated lovers again and find a happily-ever-after ending for yourselves?
Both: Our lips are sealed.
Theo: But I will tell you this second At Last story, like the first one, is full of humor, adventure, drama, surprises, plot twists and turns, and of course sweet romance that will bring a tear to your eyes and warm your heart.
Jamison: Because it’s about us!
Why are the two Found At Last novellas so special?
Theo: Each of the two stories offers a current romance and a past romance that will stay with you for a long time to come.
In Finding Armando, we meet Jamison’s playboy younger brother Kendall and the resort’s conservative assistant manager Phoenix. They seem like an unlikely couple.
Jamison: And theirs is a very rocky road to romance, which makes their storyline exciting, humorous, and very sexy.
What else is special about Finding Armando?
Theo: The story’s location in the Pennsylvania Poconos mountains is gorgeous with its log cabins near stunning lakes surrounded by sun-kissed mountains. I especially like that both At Last stories also include an older gay couple, which you don’t find much in MM literature.
Jamison: And it’s a story about us!
Are your families back in Finding Armando?
Jamison: They sure are, and they are as entertaining as ever. I love Theo’s big Greek family, and readers do too!
Theo: Ditto for Jamison’s family!
Who is your favorite character in Finding Armando?
Jamison: Theo.
Theo: Jamison.
Which character is the sexiest?
Theo: Jamison.
Jamison: Theo.
Come on, guys. Which other characters do you admire?
Theo: Jamison’s younger brother Kendall is a bad boy on the brink of becoming a man. Physically he is a younger version of Jamison, however, unlike Jamison he is always on the lookout for fun and frolic. I see the potential in him, and he doesn’t disappoint.
Basically the issue of erectile dysfunction means that the person tends to face erection issues as the blood on line levitra continue reading here vessels which deliver blood to the penile and also to the deterioration act of heart or several brain arteries. These types of offer you will get from online pharmacies. find out over here cialis online online Careprost is not suitable for young age like for those who cannot cialis generic cipla seek help from any doctor. Chiropractors work within the prescription for viagra body’s natural healing abilities and view healing and good health as a whole body process. Jamison: I admire the resort manager, our friend gray fox Asher Hillel. In his younger days, Asher was taunted for being Jewish and gay. He was separated from the love of his life in the Navy during the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Yet he made a success of himself.
I’m sure you’ve been told Finding Armando would make a terrific movie. How would you cast it?
Theo: Colton Hayes should play me.
Jamison: And Ezra Miller can play me.
Theo: I can also see John Barrowman as Asher, Charlie Carver as Kendall, and Shemar Moore as Phoenix.
Jamison: Come on, TV producers, make Joe an offer!
Tell us about Joe’s other books published by Dreamspinner Press.
Theo: Joe’s In My Heart series includes An Infatuation which was loosely based on his high school years, and A Shooting Star which was loosely based on his college years.
Jamison: The Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories are about distant cousins who meet in Capri, Italy, fall in love, marry, and adopt a son.
Theo: And the Tales from Fairyland stories are Joe’s comic gay take on my favorite fairytales.
Jamison: Theo and I aren’t in any of them.
Joe also wrote the popular Nicky and Noah mystery series, Cozzi Cove series, and Jana Lane mystery series.
Theo: Yup. And Jamison and I aren’t in any of them.
How can your readers get their hands on the Finding Armando e-book and the Found At Last (Finding Giorgio & Finding Armando) paperback?
Theo: The purchase links are below.
Thank you, Theo and Jamison, for interviewing today.
Theo: Our pleasure. I hope everyone will read both Found At Last stories at last. I’m sure, like me, you will fall in love with Jamison.
Jamison: And you will fall in love with Theo.
Theo: As we bring together lost lovers from the past.
Jamison: And we love to hear from readers. So contact us through Joe at his website.
An investigative adventure in search of an elderly man’s first love brought Theo and Jamison together. Now they’re called to put their sleuthing skills to use once again and reunite Pocono resort manager Asher with his lost love, Armando. But the hunt through rural Pennsylvania won’t be easy with Jamison’s younger brother locking horns with the resort’s assistant manager and a shocking offer from the sous chef, Grace.
Theo and Jamison meet while volunteering at a nursing home and come together on an investigative adventure to reunite elderly Nolan with his first love, Giorgio. Their sleuthing skills are needed again to create a second chance at happiness for resort manager Asher and his first love, Armando. As they search for the men who got away, Theo and Jamison grow closer, and the lessons of the past could change their lives—and their future—forever.
Enjoy an Excerpt from Finding Armando
Asher appeared to be transported back in time. “I always knew I was gay. Coming from a small farming town in Pennsylvania, I never acted on it. After attending community college, I joined the Navy and remained there for eight years. It was the best time of my life until….” Sitting back, he said, “Let me start at the beginning. During boot camp, I noticed another recruit from Pennsylvania. He had piercing, tortured gray eyes like a wounded animal. The guy was always alone, never speaking to anyone. I learned his name was Armando Caro.”
The name seemed familiar to me, but I couldn’t place it.
“Armando had jet-black wavy hair and a wide, strong build. Though we never spoke, he and I stole furtive glances at each other during drills, meals, and before bed. I wondered who he was, what he was thinking, and if he liked me.” He took in a shaky breath. “A bunch of the other guys in boot camp weren’t thrilled about me being Jewish.”
I asked, “How did you know?”
“They called me Christ-killer, Jew-boy, kike.”
“That would do it.”
“One night after lights out, they dragged me from my bed into the latrine.” A look of terror filled his face. “One guy held my hands behind my back. Another pressed down on my feet. Three others pummeled my face and stomach. I’d never been so afraid in my life. I screamed, thinking my life was over and wondering what my parents would do when the Navy shipped home my dead body. Like an angel of mercy, Armando appeared and threw them off me. I had never seen anyone fight like that. As if a windmill in motion, he landed punch after punch until they fled back to their beds. When Armando and I were alone, he rested my head on his shoulder, and he asked me if I was all right. I told him, ‘I’m all right for the first time in my life.’ Then he took a clean cloth, washed the blood off my face, and ran his fingers through my hair. Finally, he held me in his strong arms and rocked me back and forth. After that night, the others left me alone.”
“Armando was a true hero,” I said.
Asher nodded. “After boot camp, I couldn’t believe my good fortune when Armando and I were stationed on the same ship in the Middle East. One night after chow, he slid a piece of paper into my pocket. It read, ‘Meet me in the storage room near the forecastle at 0200.’ When I arrived, without saying a word, Armando took off his uniform and skivvies. Then he removed my clothes, and he gently rested me on top of some old blankets. Covering me with his powerful mass, he kissed me softly and tenderly. And I started to cry.”
“Why?”
“I had never felt anything so wonderful.”
“What happened next?”
“Armando taught me how to make love. I’m not talking only about the mechanics. I mean love itself.” He rubbed his forehead. “My parents proved their love to me by working hard—my father as a salesman and my mother as a bookkeeper and homemaker. As a kid, I heard a lot about the importance of making ends meet, owning a presentable home, wearing clean clothing, and having good manners. But my folks were never affectionate to each other… or to me.”
“And Armando was different?”
“That’s an understatement. He hugged and kissed me continuously throughout our lovemaking. Afterward, he pressed my back against his strong chest, wrapped his arms around me, and whispered of his love in my ear. Armando opened a whole new world for me, but it existed solely in that storage room. I never wanted to leave it.”
“But you had to.”
Asher made eye contact with us again. “Armando and I met in our secret place whenever we could get away, going mad when we were apart and living for those precious hours together. We not only made love, we shared our hopes and dreams for the future, and our fears too. I told him about my family life and my goal to enter the business world. Armando was from a poor neighborhood, and his family was very Catholic. His father was a car mechanic. Armando was a champion boxer in high school, and he wanted to have his own gymnasium someday. I told him I’d like to manage it. We both studied and worked hard in the Navy. Like the other gay couples onboard ship, we kept that side of our lives hidden, and nobody bothered us. Eventually Armando and I were each promoted to chief petty officer.” His face hardened. “That’s when the trouble started.”
“The trouble?” I asked.
Jamison was a step ahead of me. “You were in the military during the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.”
About the Author:
Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen. He also wrote the other novels in the Nicky and Noah mystery series: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway; the Dreamspinner Press novellas: In My Heart/An Infatuation & A Shooting Star, the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories: A Home for the Holidays/The Perfect Gift/The First Noel, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland/Holiday Tales from Fairyland, Found At Last: Finding Giorgio and Finding Armando; the Cozzi Cove series (NineStar Press): Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out, Cozzi Cove: New Beginnings, Cozzi Cove: Happy Endings; and the Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll (The Wild Rose Press). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Chair of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and he is happily married. Joe was voted 2nd Place Favorite LGBT Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards, and his books have received numerous Favorite Book of the Month Awards and Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions.
Buy Found at Last at Dreamspinner Press.
Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2020
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
I hope all of these books will be fabulous reads. Only time will tell if I’m right about them being good!
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
Release Date: September 22
Why It Sounds Good: I find it hard to resist stories about booksellers in general.
The Resurrection of Fulgencio Ramirez by Rudy Ruiz
Release Date: September 22
Why It Sounds Good: This book is set in both the present and past. I enjoy getting to know characters at various stages of their lives.
Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie
Release Date: September 22
Why It Sounds Good: The main character sounds like she overcame a lot of hardship during her life.
All This Time by Rachael Lippincott and Mikki Daughtry
Release Date: September 29
Why It Sounds Good: Most romance novels don’t begin with fatal car accidents! That alone piqued my curiosity.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Release Date: October 6
Why It Sounds Good: Mrs. Schwab’s books are a must-read to me, especially when they involve curses!
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Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse
Release Date: October 13
Why It Sounds Good: I’m irresistibly drawn to the phrase “forbidden magic.”
Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston
Release Date: October 20
Why It Sounds Good: Honestly, who wouldn’t want to live in a magical kingdom that hasn’t had disease, droughts, famine, or war for centuries? It sounds wonderful to me.
Aphasia: A Novel by Mauro Javier Cárdenas
Release Date: November 3
Why It Sounds Good: Dysfunctional families can be very interesting things to read about, especially when the main character realizes their family isn’t healthy.
Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett
Release Date: November 10
Why It Sounds Good: Sometimes a gentle romance novel really hits the spot.
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
Release Date: December 1
Why It Sounds Good: The thought of meeting long-lost cousins sounds like fun to me even if the circumstances of their introductions are anything but ordinary.
The Company of Cats by Marian Babson
The Company of Cats by Marian Babson
Publisher: Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by NymphaeaA millionaire’s cat may be the key to a murder mystery in this delightful novel from an Agatha Award–winning author.
When Annabel Hinchby-Smythe accepts an offer to serve as interior decorator to computer mogul Arthur Arbuthnot, she can’t help noticing that no one in the house seems to genuinely like the tycoon—aside from his cat, Sally.
After Arthur’s sudden death—and the revelation that Sally is named sole inheritor in his will—Annabel’s new task will be finding out the truth about her client’s demise, and keeping the furry heiress safe from harm.
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I’m a sucker for a book with cats. I saw this one had a gray tabby and I knew I wanted to read it. Marian Babson is a new to me author, so I wasn’t sure what I was in for with this book. It was certainly a ride.
The writing flowed well for the most part. Every so often, it’d get clunky, but it wasn’t enough to deter me. I wanted to know what would happen next and got emotionally involved with the characters. I wanted to know what would happen to Sally (Arthur’s cat), Sylvester (the imposter being pushed as Sally) and Sassy (yet another imposter). I mean, people went hunting for cats to try say they have Sally so they get the inheritance. It was nuts. But it roped me in. I didn’t want to see the cats get hurt.
I wasn’t wild about Annabel, the gossip hunter/faux interior designer/amateur detective. She seemed to drink an awful lot during the story and a lot while she was on the job. I don’t know. It just turned me off a bit as a reader.
That said, this was a cute read and the cats were adorable. I loved Sassy and her…er… sass. She was adorable.
If you’re wanting a mystery that takes a little bit to get into, but is worth the read, then this might be the one for you.
A Week at Surfside Beach by Pierce Koslosky Jr.
A Week at Surfside Beach by Pierce Koslosky Jr.
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeThousands of families and individuals are attracted to the South Carolina coast each year, renting houses up and down the beach throughout the seasons. They bring their lives with them when they come to this magical place. In A Week at Surfside Beach, author Pierce Koslosky Jr. has crafted sixteen poignant short stories that paint a vivid portrait of the beach’s diverse, temporary inhabitants: those people attracted to a landscape both beautiful and overwhelming in its ability to force introspection and change. Set over the course of a single rental season that ends at Christmas, the book’s unrelated characters all have their stays in the blue beach house, yet each story has a distinct message at its core. Readers will follow people in every stage of life—from a six-year-old entering the imaginary world of crabs to an escapee from a retirement home—and witness their varied individual experiences. These are stories of hope and redemption, connection and detachment, and lessons taught and learned. Both original and contemplative, heartbreaking and inspirational, A Week at Surfside Beach brings together a collection of tales with seemingly ordinary, simple, and familiar details—yet underneath their calm, relatable surfaces exist the uncomfortable, extraordinary complexities of life.
A week at the beach can be far more than a simple summer getaway.
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In “June 6–June 13: The Inflatable Dragon,” an elderly man named John booked a week at the beach house in order to get away from his adult children who were trying to force him to move into a nursing home. While he was there, he met someone who needed exactly what he had to offer. They were two people who on the surface seemed to have nothing in common but who turned out to understand each other much more deeply than they would have guessed. I was pretty pleased by the process of them developing their friendship and discussing their problems.
There were some cases in which I wish the characters had stronger resolutions to their conflicts. Obviously, not everything can be solved in the few short days to a week that the audience has with each protagonist, but I do wish more had been done with three-year-old Lucy’s disappearance in “June 27–July 4: Lucy.” She was able to wander off because her parents were having an argument about something they’d fought about many times before. There was so much more room here for character development, from the parents’ stubbornness to a much deeper exploration of what happened to this little girl and why the police reacted the way that they did to the conclusion to the case.
Dan and his family watched at home in horror as a hurricane threatened to destroy the beach house they’d been visiting every summer for many years in “September 26—October 3: As Seen from a Safe Place.” Seeing them revisit old, happy memories about their previous trips there only made me more curious to see if their vacation spot would survive the storm and if their family could gather together there again. I felt invested in them and couldn’t stop hoping they’d have a happy ending.
A Week at Surfside Beach was a lovely summer read for anyone looking for something lighthearted.
Winter Boys: Troy by Sean Michael
Winter Boys: Troy by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by FernMeet the Winter boys – Todd, Tommy and Troy. Can these triplets each find their happily ever after?
Todd and Tommy have found their happily ever afters, but Troy is still single and doesn’t even mingle. He’s got his nose to the grindstone, working easily eighteen hours a day, seven days a week. He’s focused and driven and takes only rare breaks, usually to visit the family. This year the boys even have to talk him into coming to the family birthday dinner.
Dee Smyth owns a landscaping business that essentially runs itself now, which lets him do the part he loves best – the planning and actual landscaping. He’s an easy going, friendly guy. When he sees Troy across the room at a holiday business party, he’s immediately intrigued. When the company is fairly dull and the food subpar, Dee asks Troy to go have dinner with him. One thing leads to another and Dee takes Troy home.
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The two men are super compatible, Dee even being a Top to Troy’s very closeted bottom, but is Troy willing not only to trust Dee, but to make time in his business filled schedule to find out if there’s something real between them?
Troy is a confirmed workaholic and he knows he should take more time for himself but he’s just never managed to do that. He finds some incentive when he meets Dee at a Christmas party he’s networking at, but neither man was expecting to find something serious or so special together.
I really enjoyed this full length story. While Troy and Dee get intimate extremely quickly that’s not too unexpected for a heavily erotic story like this. Even though I didn’t find the near-immediate intimacy realistic I was pleased that the progression of Troy and Dee’s relationship was emotional and a lot more fulfilling. I greatly enjoyed getting to know Troy and Dee’s characters better as they learned about each other and found this really helped even out the pacing of the story as a whole and made it a lot more logical and relatable. Troy had a little bit of a hidden (even to himself, I believe) streak of submissive in him. Readers who aren’t a fan of BDSM shouldn’t be put off by this – I felt the handling of that side to the story was given a very light touch and I was pleased with this because it added an extra element to the story – and the sex in particular – but it didn’t detract from the main element of the romance and relationship building between Troy and Dee.
There’s a small but very strong cast of secondary characters – primarily surrounding Troy’s family members. Readers should be aware that one of the smaller sub-plots involves Troy’s much younger sister being in a difficult situation. While I personally found it tastefully and sensitively handled and this is a very, very small part of the story I feel some of the issues raised might be polarizing or difficult for other readers to have addressed in a steamy, erotic story.
While this is the third book in the series (Troy is the eldest of triplet boys and the previous two stories revolve around these two brothers) I easily picked this up by itself and had no problems happily following along despite not reading the other two books. I got a good kick out of Troy’s family members and felt they added some much-needed depth and dimension to the story and I was pleased with the added plot they all lent which helped keep the book from being purely about Troy and Dee and their relationship.
While very heavy on the sexual element between the two men I found myself really enjoying this story and read it very quickly. Readers who enjoy a lot of sex and passion in their stories – along with a light bit of kink and a side-dish of family shenanigans should find this a fun and interesting sexy read. I enjoyed this story and it will be going on my keeper shelf, for sure.
Interview: Marilyn Barr
Long and Short Reviews welcomes Marilyn Barr.
Unlike many authors, Marilyn did not want to be just a writer from childhood. On her kindergarten career day, she told her class she wanted to write, sing, and dance on Broadway. To prepare for her future career, she took lessons in ballet, tap, ballroom dancing, and piano.
“The playground became my stage and I would write plays for my friends to act out. At home, I choreographed routines to the records on my Fisher-Price Record player. From Strawberry Shortcake to Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty featuring the Finnish National Opera, my weekend hours were spent entertaining the audience in my head,” she said. “While my love for the theater never died, my talent for math took center stage by the time I was 10 years old. My focus switched from music to medicine. In high school, my local hospital received over 1,000 hours of volunteer time while I got to watch doctors in action. From the emergency room to the morgue, I shadowed doctors with the Explorer Scouts of Columbus Ohio. Inspired by the Kay Scarpetta novels by Patricia Cornwell, I spent many hours cleaning the morgue after autopsies so I could learn more about pathology. I chased my dream of becoming a coroner until it was time to go to medical school.”
Marilyn began her writing career in a laboratory, researching and writing scientific articles on the probability and possible connections between recovering from influenza and contracting a strep-based otitis media (middle ear infection). With degrees in molecular biology and chemical engineering (read as big nerd), she was interested in the genetic interaction between the influenza infection and ear epithelial cells. Later in her career, she became fascinated with the genetic variations between all epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and how they interact with different sized droplets of infectious material. After earning her master’s degree in particle physics (read as uber-nerd), she published many articles on droplet deposition in the body.
“My job as a scientist was very demanding and I gave up technical writing to pursue teaching,” she told me. “I loved teaching ninth-grade science and twelve grade physics. However, my son was deemed too sick for school in 2013 by his medical team and school authorities. While I could have a tutor teach him under the umbrella of ‘home instruction,’ I decided to try to teach himself. Six years later, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Her son is a savant, and Marilyn is an advocate for the autistic community. Her specific type of sensory processing disorder makes her a sensation seeker with each of the seven senses except taste/mouthfeel. To engage intellectually, she must have these senses invested in the process. Having a song for each couple playing on repeat, a candle scent assigned for each character’s point-of-view, and wearing a selected ring for each heroine are tricks she used to getting into character on a daily basis.
There are times, when she’s blocked, she will even go further and change her appearance to channel the character, like method acting.
“In writing Strawberry shifter’s book 3: Go Scorch Yourself, I struggled in generating Betty’s snappy comebacks and vile swears. In general, I do not curse and she is introduced to the series as the ‘fun aunt who says all the bad words.’ I dyed my hair black and wore goth make-up so my reflection on the computer screen was distorted into hers,” she explained. “In writing Strawberry shifter’s book 4: Bad Guy, I struggled with Orchid’s limited English-speaking abilities. I love big words, complex metaphors, and long-winded sentences which do not fit her backstory. When writing her POV, I wore fairy wings, so my reflection is much more Fae than human.”
Her books start with a dream…either the ending or the final scare through the eyes of a new character. She will often write post-it notes in the middle of the night which will later be turned into character aesthetics in the morning to brainstorm their rules.
“It is important to me that the character be consistent throughout the book in their go-to gestures, level of swearing, and favorite phrases,” she said. “After I have my rules for the characters, the next step is a living outline. A grid is laid out on plain paper and each chapter gets a box. During the first draft, the boxes are cut apart to be rearranged with new chapters placed between them as I get tuned into the characters. Bear with Me was entirely from Grant’s point-of-view in its first outline. However, that outline was cut, pasted back together, and decorated with marker five times before the first draft was completed.”
I asked, “What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?”
“In my opinion, the most important element of writing is planned characterization. Each character must have a unique voice and mannerisms that are consistent throughout the piece. By two-thirds through the piece, I should be able to identify the character without dialogue tags by their shrugs, shy smiles, long-winded sentences, or idiosyncrasies the author has assigned them.
“In the Strawberry Shifters series, Green Witch Alison uses long sentences with complex structures usually containing a plant metaphor. She met her husband in college over twelve years before the start of the novel, so I gave him the same sentence structure. I assumed they would have the same English professors who would have shaped their vernacular. However, Grant would not use plant metaphors. His thoughts are a whirlpool of responsibilities and he never ‘stops to smell the roses.’ He also swears when life doesn’t go his way, something Alison would never do.”
Marilyn is fortunate to share an adopted hometown with JR Ward. While she was editing Bear with Me, she was able to attend a presentation at their local library. In addition, she was one of the first thirty participants to RSVP, so she had the fortune of winning a ticket to the pre-lecture reception.
“She talked about having the courage to write how the story in your head instead of the story desired by the market, the publisher, or the haters,” Marilyn said. “She autographed my idea book with the advice ‘only listen to your rice crispies.’ She gave me the courage to keep the spice level of the Strawberry Shifters at the hot level of the books I like to read. One of the themes of Bear with Me is the balance of power in a marriage needs to be equal in all areas: emotional, financial, intellectual, and sexual. Grant and Alison start their journey to Kentucky as adversaries in every area. It is through the bedroom scenes the reader can track their progress toward a loving relationship based on a mutual partnership not a struggle for control. Taking the naughty scenes out or cooling them down would diminish the journey. I had to develop the courage to share them for which I credit JR Ward.”
“You’ve mentioned Bear with Me several times, and we have the blurb below. Can you tell us something about the book that’s not in the blurb?”
“Pumpkins feature on the cover and several times in the story not only because Bear with Me is set in November, but my most harrowing gardening adventure happened with pumpkins. In 2011, My husband and I turned our tiny suburban yard in Ohio into a homestead. Our goal was to live off our grown produce, so we ripped up the grass and farmed in the middle of a neighborhood. Our neighbors were thrilled.
“I didn’t plan for pumpkins, but my husband wanted them. I stuck the vines under the pine trees at the back of the yard hoping the shade would kill them. When I saw groundhogs eating the blossoms, I thought pumpkins would never grow. I buried the vines and forgot about them until November. The vines had grown up the trees and when the pumpkins became too heavy, they fell out. We had swinging pumpkins hanging from our trees and my husband claim I did it with magic.”
An exception is selling here order generic levitra cooked tomatoes as these have been shown to be effective for treating different stages of (Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis) SPMS. But of all the cases, the major case of ED problem is lacking supply of blood in male reproductive organ. cheap viagra order As such, exposure of this drug means taking advantage of a low cost drug with a electric power to let the a man perform the best viagra well his best in bed. Many times, when a man abstains from sexual activity, his wife worries that he might be having an india tadalafil affair or perhaps does not love her any longer. She’s currently working on Strawberry Shifters Book 2, Round of Applause. It is a Rapunzel retelling where she cuts society’s definition of family to find love. This steamy paranormal romance novel is a Yuletide/Christmas romance which Marilyn hopes to have released before Christmas. Fans of the series will be delighted to rescue the golden-haired woman left behind in Bear with Me and to find out what animal James shifts into when he is forced to shift.
Aurora sets out on a post-doctoral journey to find a family and community where she can be a valued contributor but instead becomes trapped in a Sluagh fortress. Now she is stuck in remote Strawberry, Kentucky where no one is who they seem. How far will Aurora have to travel to have the 1990s sitcom family she has always dreamed of having?
Stodgy James has seen it all in his nearly two hundred years as an animal shifter. He climbs the Sluagh fortress to find the beautiful Aurora who smells of cardamom, just like his late wife. Too bad Aurora is a feisty modern woman who requires more than a smell-based prophecy to fall into his arms. He must update his antiquated views on beauty and family standing in his way of finding a second chance at love.
James’s best friend Nate has been searching for the perfect mate too. Exploited during the bulk of his life as a child prodigy, Nate has dedicated himself to reclaiming his right to fun. His relationship with James is the basis of Nate’s joy including adjoining apartments, a shared office, and motorcycle rides side-by-side. Beneath the Sluagh fortress, he is the leopard landing pad for his best friend and Aurora with her donut scent (perfect for a cinnamon roll beta male). He must convince James not to step aside, but that he is the missing piece to achieve happiness for the three of them.
“Your titles are interesting. How did you come up with them?”
“The titles of the Strawberry Shifters books are puns based on what the main characters need the most to find happiness. In the case of Bear with Me, Alison needs her husband to stick around long enough to hear what she needs from him. In Round of Applause, shat could the characters need to find happiness with that title? Find out during the holiday season of 2020.”
Finally, I asked, “What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?”
“Be faithful to your bookshelf. The books you like to read have all the answers to the books you wish to write. How to twist the plot, the genre of your next work, who to query, and how to market your books are all combined on your bookshelf. The books you choose to purchase, read, and keep to read again are your template for your next project.
“In the same vein, do not try to write a book you wouldn’t read for fun just to please the market, your friends, or your family. You will read your book a thousand times between the initial story and the final print, only to take it on a tour where you read excerpts at libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops. You will be miserable if you don’t love it. The answers to all my career questions have been answered on my bookshelf. It is a much smoother ride being true to yourself.”
Blue eyes, dimples, and silky brown hair; Grant Luther has all of Alison’s weaknesses.
When he asks for one last chance to save their marriage, she agrees to relocate their family to isolated Strawberry, Kentucky in pursuit of his career dreams. Grant views Alison’s sensory issues as limitations and protects her from outside threats. When he finds his new job includes changing him into a shifter in a war against the soul-sucking Sluagh he vows to keep the changes a secret. What he doesn’t know is Alison has been hiding a magical secret of her own. One that makes her a target of the Sluagh.
Will Alison emerge from Grant’s shadow to protect her family? And can Grant learn that being different can be a strength not a weakness?
About the Author:
Marilyn Barr currently resides in the wilds of Kentucky with her husband, son, and rescue cats. When engaging with the real world, she is collecting characters, empty coffee cups, and unused homeschool curricula.
She has a diverse background containing experiences as a child prodigy turned medical school reject, biodefense microbiologist, high school science teacher, homeschool mother of a savant, and advocate for the autistic community.
She would love to hear from readers via her website.
Buy the book at Amazon.
