Charlie Adhara

Review: Pack of Lies by Charlie Adhara

02:30

Title: Pack of Lies (Monster Hunt)
Author: Charlie Adhara
Genre / Themes: Shifters /Murder mystery
Release date: 31 Aug 2022

Author's links: Website / Twitter/ Goodreads

My rating: 5 Stars

Blurb 

Werewolf meets human. Werewolf snubs human. Werewolf loves human?

Julien Doran arrived in sleepy Maudit Falls, North Carolina, with a heart full of hurt and a head full of questions. The key to his brother's mysterious last days might be found in this tiny town, and now Julien's amateur investigation is starting to unearth things the locals would rather keep buried.

Perhaps most especially the strange, magnetic manager of a deserted retreat that's nearly as odd as its staff.

Eli Smith is a lot of things: thief, werewolf, glamour-puss, liar. And now the manager of a haven for rebel pack runaways. He’s spent years cultivating a persona to disguise his origins, but for the first time ever he’s been entrusted with a real responsibility—and he plans to take that seriously.

Even if the handsome tourist who claims to be in town for some R & R is clearly on a hunt for all things paranormal. And hasn't taken his brooding gaze off Eli since he's arrived.

When an old skeleton and a fresh corpse turn a grief errand into a murder investigation, the unlikely Eli is the only person Julien can turn to. Trust is hard to come by in a town known for its monsters, but so is time…

Review 

This is the start of a spin-off series from the Big bad Wolf series which I absolutely love. I have to say this is pretty strong start and I am intrigued by the MCs and looking forward to reading more about them. I get the feelings we will be following the same couple in multiple books again (Cooper and Park have the loveliest cameo btw).

The tone and whole setting is very similar to the previous series, a sort of seamless continuation though it stands well on its own.

The story has a bit of a bit of country house intrigue but with werewolves and monsters. We have already met Eli in the previous book but we get to discover completely new sides of him. The other MC, Julien was rather intriguing as well - an older bi man with two divorces behind and a flagging movie career mourning the loss of his brother. Strong focus on complicated family relations and grief. He is anxious and lost and full of doubts and questions. I liked that he was confident in his bisexuality yet shy and flustered, with no real experience being with men. I think the dynamics in their intimacy - the exploration, the abundant communication, the power play - it was all exquisitely done.

We learned a bit about Eli's past though not much and we see the scars both he and Lucien carry. Eli doesn't show much of himself, he is outwardly confident, provocative but always wearing a mask, never opening himself to the world (and not just because he is werewolf in a world where humans are not aware of werewolves existing).

A particular aspect of the story and the relationship that I enjoyed a lot was this dance of trust and betrayal, of keeping secrets and sharing things you haven't shared with anyone else. We see two grown men being vulnerable, open, caring but also a little sacred, somewhat apprehensive, secretive because life has taught them to rely on themselves, Eli specifically.

As for the suspense plot, it was fast-paced, engaging, kept e guessing till the very end. Interesting, full-fledged side characters both good and bad ones.

The monster hunting which was at the heart of the story with some people genuinely believing in it, others using it for their own agenda, it was an on-point commentary of human/wolves in the world of the books but also on who is the monster and who is the hunter in real life. It was well done and I liked it a lot.

Overall, this is a promising start of new m/m PNR suspense series and I am excited for the upcoming books.

CW: loss of a family member, grief, violence, murders, serious injuries, anxiety

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Adriana Anders

Review: Uncharted by Adriana Anders

02:30

Title: Uncharted
Author: Adriana Anders
Date of publication: 24 Aug 2021
Genre: Romantic suspense, Alaska

Author's links:

My rating: 2.5 Stars


Blurb 

Hotshot pilot Leo Eddowes is afraid of nothing and no one. So when she's asked to evacuate a man from the wilds of Alaska, she doesn't hesitate. But with enemies in close pursuit and the weather turning sour, what should have been a simple mission quickly shifts to disaster.

And there's only one way out.

When Elias Thorne disappeared, he was America's most wanted. Now he's spent more than a decade in one of the most remote places on earth, guarding a dangerous secret. Leo's arrival, quickly followed by a team of expert hunters, leaves him no choice but to join forces with her—and run. Neither is prepared for their reluctant partnership to flare into something as wild and untamed as the frozen world around them...but as desperately cold days melt into scorchingly hot nights, Leo and Elias must learn to dig deep, trust in each other, and forge a bond as strong as the forces of nature.

Stranded together in a frozen wilderness,
There's nowhere left to run...


Review

I was bitterly disappointed with this book after absolutely loving the previous in the series. I did read Whiteout last January before the pandemic started and the deadly virus plot of the series definitely didn't affect me the way it did now, now it hit too close to home for me to enjoy the story and the romance.

It was not pleasant but I could have ignored it if the rest worked better for me. I can suspend belief regarding many things in romantic suspense but this book things too far and it felt ridiculous instead of engaging.

The heroine was sick (flu-type thing) throughout the book, on top of being injured and freezing to death for the most of it. It was stressful to read and honestly, felt superfluous, the tension was there even without it. The heroine is Black and she is an ex-military pilot but none of that is presented in much detail. From my position of an outsider, a Southeastern European white woman I expected it to be more central.

There is no romance to speak of in the first 40/50%. There was. no real character development either, just two people trying to survive in the Alaska wilderness while hunted by the bad guys.

I did like the final quarter of the book most of all - the romance was finally happening though I was not too fond of possessive, fated mates aspect in contemporaries, I can see it working here with all the adrenaline and emotions running high because of the extreme situations the MCs are in. At the same the whole danger/survival aspect was too much, we get reminded of her sickness and his injuries every couple of pages and it became boring at some point.

I liked the hero and appreciated the way he cared for the heroine. His backstory and current situation made sense though I was surprised by his abrupt change from a loner to someone who can't imagine life without the heroine. It all felt over the top to me.

There is a side plotline with Amka and the other people in town which didn't add anything to the story for me, I just found distracting.

I am intrigued by one of the villains who is morally grey but I am not sure that even his story will tempt me to continue with the series.

CW: an MC with flu-like symptoms, life-threatening injuries, violence, blood, dog in danger (survives)

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Charlie Adhara

Review: Cry Wolf by Charlie Adhara

14:00

Title: Cry Wolf (Big Bad Wolf #5)
Author: Charlie Adhara
Genre / Themes: Shifters /Murder mystery
Release date: 18 Jan 2021 

Author's links: Website / Twitter/ Goodreads

My rating: 5 Stars

Blurb

Agent Cooper Dayton never thought anything could be harder than solving murders. Until he had to plan a wedding.

After taking down an old adversary, Agent Cooper Dayton of the Bureau of Special Investigations has earned a break. Not that planning a wedding to his sexy shifter partner, Oliver Park, is necessarily stress free, but it’s better than worrying about the ominous warning, delivered months ago, that Cooper’s life is in danger.

When he’s dragged to an event by his family, Cooper braces for an awkward evening, but instead finds himself in the middle of an ugly feud between Park’s ex and a rebel pack leader. What was supposed to be a quick outing turns into a full-blown murder investigation after the pack leader ends up dead, Park’s ex goes missing, and Cooper and Park are sent a series of disturbing wedding gifts that are somehow connected to it all.

The list of potential suspects is long, and with the bodies piling up, Cooper must turn to the one person he trusts the least: the villain he’s already put behind bars once and who has nothing to lose by lying and everything to gain if Cooper is out of the picture—for good. 

Review 

This is another great installment in the series and I loved everything about it - the romantic relationship, the suspense, the new insights we got into the wolf world. 

The book covers Cooper and Park getting for their wedding which any married person will tell is stressful in itself but add a murder investigation and things really hectic. I loved how much they cared for each other and wanted to be their best and to do their best to make their partner happy. It's really relationship goals for me. At the same time both of them continue to work through the traumas of their past and this is not easy for either of them. 

The mystery plot was intricate and engaging. I liked how it brought the past, present and future together. The mystery felt overwhelming at times, like a puzzle with too many pieces but in the the end I found its resolution fitting and satisfying.

We see more of Cooper's family and it was great, both his father and his brother are shown in a new light and it all reflects on Cooper, making him re-evaluate a lot of things about himself. We also meet more werewolves and the world around Park and Cooper just grows richer and fuller. 

Overall this is well written story, great romance and suspense plot, great side characters, great HEA. That said, I am curious how the series will continue. This doesn't read like the final book but more like a set for more stories in this world inhabited by humans and werewolves, at the same time the romantic relationship feels complete to me. I am wondering if another couple might take center stage in next installments (if there will be any).

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Dal MacLean

Review: Blue on Blue by Dal Maclean

00:53


Title: Blue on Blue
Author: Dal Maclean
Genre: M/M romance, crime thriller
Release Date: 24 March 2020

Author's links:

My rating: 3.5 Stars

Blurb 

After three years working as a private investigator, newly reinstated Detective Inspector Will Foster still holds himself responsible for the death of an officer under his command. But he’s returned to the Met bent on redeeming himself and that means bringing down gangland boss Joey Clarkson.

Will’s prepared to put in long hours and make sacrifices for his work, even if it comes at a cost to his nascent romance with international model, Tom Gray. After all, Tom has a history of wandering but crime is a constant in London. And Will has committed himself to the Met.

But when a murder in a Soho walkup leads Will into the world of corruption, he finds himself forced to investigate his own friends and colleagues. Now the place he turned for redemption seems to be built upon lies and betrayal. And someone is more than willing to resort to murder to keep it that way.

Review

I was excited to read this book after I enjoyed the previous two in the series (all of the books work as standalones). I liked a lot of things in this one but also bothered by some, most notably misogyny and some bi-phobia that never got challenged on the page. I liked the murder mystery plot and the suspense, had some issues with the romance and the general portrayal of women.

The author has created a complex world of villains, both within the police  and in the criminal world. I am ok with having women as the villains, but when it's only them, things don't feel right to me. This was my feeling for most of the first half of the book but gradually we got to see that men can be monsters too and some women acted as good people, so I'd say some balance was achieved.

What still bothered me and I would describe it as casual misogyny is how random women (Tom’s agent, Pez’ business partner/colleague were all presented in a negative light). I found it completely unnecessary for the plot and would have enjoyed the story much more without it. 

As for the romance, Will and Tom’s relationship was pretty volatile, lots of insecurity on both sides which I could understand based on who they were and their lives so far. It's a kind of second-chance romance (they are making a new start after ending things with Tom cheating on Will). I felt that we didn't get to see them together enough, they were both too busy and not talking things through and letting their own insecurities undermine their relationship. Tom’s biphobia (Will is bi, his previous relationship with a woman was pretty important to the story) went unchallenged and I didn’t like that.

Also, there were examples of fatphobia which was totally redundant. June’s fate was bad as it was, there was no need for casually judging her for putting on weight. It was nothing aggressive, rather a careless comment manifesting a deeply ingrained understanding of being fat as something bad. I find this kind of fatphobia the most hurtful.

On the positive side, I loved the writing, loved the politics within the police, the whole element of keeping secrets and at the same doubting everyone - I found it engaging, I was never sure who the murderer was, who among Will’s colleagues was on the take.

The story deals with pretty heavy subject matter, not just the murder investigation but also child abuse and rape (all in the past and not graphic but still, hard to read at times).

CWs: murder, violence, abuse and rape (including child abuse and rape, in the past), fatphobia, biphobia, manipulation, gaslighting

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Charlie Adhara

Review: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing by Charlie Adhara

00:00

Title: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (Big Bad Wolf #4)
Author: Charlie Adhara
Genre / Themes: Shifters /Murder mystery
Release date: 2 March 2020 

Author's links: Website / Twitter/ Goodreads

My rating: 5 Stars

Blurb

Agent Cooper Dayton and his partner, Oliver Park, are going undercover—at a retreat for couples who need counselling. They do say the best cover story is one that’s close to the truth…

Agent Cooper Dayton is almost relieved to get a phone call from his former boss at the Bureau of Special Investigations. It means a temporary reprieve from tensions created by house hunting with Oliver Park, his partner both in work and in life. Living together in a forever home is exactly what Cooper wants. He’s just not keen on working out the details.

With a former alpha werewolf missing, Cooper and Park are loaned to the BSI to conduct the search at a secluded mountain retreat. The agents will travel to the resort undercover…as a couple in need of counseling.

The resort is picturesque, the grounds are stunning and the staff members are all suspicious as hell.

With a long list of suspects and danger lurking around every cabin, Cooper should be focusing on the case. But he’s always been anxious about the power dynamics in his relationship with Park, and participating in the couples’ activities at the retreat brings it all to the surface. A storm is brewing, though, and Cooper and Park must rush to solve the case before the weather turns. Or before any more guests—or the agents themselves—end up dead. 

Review 

This is the fourth book in the series following the same couple who have already gotten together and now we see them navigating being in a relationship, something none of the MCs has much experience with while simultaneously investigating another criminal case involving werewolves.

This story is well written and the suspense plot is very engaging. I liked how atmospheric the setting was, we get a strong sense of the place where the story is set, a picturesque mountain retreat, simultaneously isolated and lush, dangerous both for humans and werewolves,

Oliver and cooper went undercover into a couples' retreat for werewolves. and were forced by te circumstances to talk through a lot of the things between them. On top of the close quarters, they got caught in a brutal storm deep into a murder investigation. I liked seeing them opening more with each other, talking about their fears and doubts. They get the chance to learn more about teir partner but also to discover new things about themselves. 

The issues they faced in their relationship felt real to me - (self)-doubt, are you good enough for your partner, do you want to same things in the long term. And all this ad the added bonus of one of them being a werewolf in a world were werewolves existed but few humans knew about them.

Among of the strengths of the book for me was the inclusivity of the world it created - we see m/f, f/f and m/m couples. I also liked the way PTSD and anxiety were presented in the story. Most of all I liked how Oliver and Cooper's love was show as caring and protecting your partner. This resonated deeply with me.

This is shaping into a great rom suspense series and I can't wait to read the next book with more of Oliver and Cooper's adventures coming out in 2021. 

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Adriana Anders

Review: Whiteout by Adriana Anders

00:00

Title: Whiteout 
Author: Adriana Anders
Date of publication: 28 Jan 2020
Genre: Romantic suspense, Antarctica

Author's links:

My rating: 5 stars


Blurb

Angel Smith is ready to leave Antarctica for a second chance at life. But on what was meant to be her final day, the research station is attacked. Hunted and scared, she and glaciologist Ford Cooper barely make it out with their lives…only to realize that in a place this remote, there's nowhere left to run.

Isolated in the middle of a long, frozen winter with a madman at their heels, they must fight to survive in the most inhospitable—and beautiful—place on earth. But the outside world depends on what Ford and Angel know and, as their pursuers close in and their new partnership burns bright and hot, they will stop at nothing to make it out of the cold alive.

Review

Suspense is not my to-go romance subgenre but I was interested in this one being set in the Antarctica. It’s a new-to-me setting and not very common one. I have read this author before and her books have been hit or miss to me and I am very glad to say this one was definitely of the hit variety. 

I liked both the suspense plot and the romance, they were in perfect balance and none overshadowed the other. It’s a kind of sunshine / grumpy romance and I found it to be well done and relatable. Hero is a loner scientist who is hiding from himself and the world in Antarctica. Heroine is a journey of self-discovery of her own. They get stuck together and by themselves being chased by criminals amidst the cold of the winter season on Antarctica.

I liked how the romance happened between them, the strong chemistry which he tried to resist, lots of cuddling together for warmth. And I was happy to see the physical intimacy happening only after they managed to secure a real shelter from the elements and unlike often in rom suspense, they were not in imminent danger.

I liked how their relationship progressed and how their views of each the changed as they got to know the other preson better. He no longer saw her as this bubbly, caring young woman, but also as someone who is strong and determined and loyal and he was in literal awe of her. She got to see more of him too, he really opened up to her, sharing painful stories from his past and being slightly hopeful for the future. 

The setting was very atmospheric, the harshness of the elements at the pole really stood out for me. I have never been to Antarctica or a similarly cold place and after reading this story, I don' want too.

Ooverall, this is an action-packed story with engaging suspense plot (it did go a bit over board towards the end, but I can let that slide) and a solid romance. I am definitely there for more of this series.

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Charlie Adhara

Review: Thrown to the Wolves by Charlie Adhara

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Title: Thrown to the Wolves (Big Bad Wolf #3)
Author: Charlie Adhara
Genre / Themes: Shifters /Murder mystery
Release date: 01 April 2019

Author's links: Website / Twitter/ Goodreads
My rating: 4.5 Stars
Blurb

Agent Cooper Dayton is going to meet his boyfriend’s werewolf family. Unarmed. On their turf. 

And he’s bringing his cat. 

When Agent Cooper Dayton agreed to attend the funeral for Oliver Park’s grandfather, he didn’t know what he was getting into. Turns out, the deceased was the alpha of the most powerful werewolf pack on the eastern seaboard. And his death is highly suspicious. Regardless, Cooper is determined to love and support Park the way Park has been there for him. 

But Park left him woefully unprepared for the wolf pack politics and etiquette. Rival packs? A seating order at the dinner table? A mysterious figure named the Shepherd? The worst is that Park didn’t tell his family one key thing about Cooper. Cooper feels two steps behind, and reticent Park is no help. 

There are plenty of pack members eager to open up about Park and why Cooper is wrong for him. Their stories make Cooper wonder if he’s holding Park back. But there’s no time to get into it…as lethal tranquilizer darts start to fly, Cooper needs to solve the mystery of the alpha’s death and fight for the man he loves—all before someone else dies.

Review 

This is a great ending of a highly intriguing series. The three books follow the same couple, Agents Dayton and Park and here we finally meet the Parks on their own turf and learn a lot more about the world of the werewolves.

I loved both romantic arc and the further development of Cooper and Park's relationship and the suspense plot which kept me on my toes till the end. I was not very happy with Park keeping so many secrets from Cooper putting in a very difficult, potentially dangerous situation. I wished he trusted his partner and lover sooner but I also understand his reluctance to reveal his past, a past he is deeply ashamed of and regrets. 

We get the see the wolf pack with its complicated dynamics through the eyes of Cooper and just like him, I felt lost initially but I enjoying discovering the next bit and the next and next about Park's family and friends/enemies.

For the the story ends with a solid HEA while also leaving room for more cases for the agents to work on. 

Overall, i enjoyed the whole series and found it very atmospheric and intense, captivating romance with an intriguing suspense plot. I'm here for more stories set in this world if the author chooses to write them. Or for any other stories she might write.

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Annika Martin

Review: Enemies Like You by Joanna Chambers & Annika Martin

04:33

Title: Enemies Like You
Author: Annika Martin & Joanna Chambers
Date of publication: 15 May 2017
Genre: Romantic suspense, MM romance
Annika Martin: 
Joanna Chambers: 
Add on Goodreads

My rating: 3 stars

Blurb

They're dangerous men. Absolute enemies. And totally hot for each other.

Will has never met anyone like Kit. He’s arrogant. Gorgeous. Lethal. The most expensive bodyguard money can buy. 

And Will can’t seem to resist him. 

A simple command in Kit's cut-glass accent makes Will want things he’s never wanted, do things he’s never done. Their red-hot chemistry is off the charts. 

Just one problem: Will has vowed to kill the billionaire that Kit is hell-bent on protecting.

And Kit has secrets, too—his own reasons for sacrificing his soul, piece by painful piece, to keep one of the worst men on earth alive.

Review

When two favourite authors team together who could resist reading their joint book. Carolyn Crane (aka Annika Martin) has written my favourte mf romantic suspense, The Associates series, and Joanna Chamber's mm historicals are a joy to read. 

The prologue to this romance which is actually the first 8 chapters and is available for free was totally addicting and left me impatient to see what happens with these two. I admit Will read a bit amateurish as an undercover agent, though I expected to see him acting more professionally in the rest of the story. This was not the case and I ended up  sadly disappointed in this aspect of the story.

I liked Will much better as a person and in his reactions to Kit. I liked seeing him break down and rationalise his attraction to Kit, his desire to submit (which was a new thing for him and which he found surprising and a bit unnerving initially but came to accept as part of himself and eventually enjoyed it in the fullest). Kit, oh Kit was my favourite, so self-assured initially, gradually we see his troubled soul. 

The romance was the best element of this story for me, enemies-to-lovers is a favourite trope of mine and it was powerfully and convincingly done here. There is a lot of character growth and the more I saw of the inner world of these two, the more I fell in love them and rooted for their HEA. 

My main complaint with this book was the suspense plot. It felt rather weak, bordering on ridiculous at times and I hated it. It was an unpleasant surprise to be honest since I know both authors can do so much better than that. I'm not really familiar with spy/undercover work but a lot of it here felt naive, too contrived, a particular subplot with Kit's parents was definitely overdone in my opinion. I do realise that reading romantic suspense requires some suspension of belief but it felt too much for me to buy into the spy stuff.

Another thing that did not sit very well with me in this story and I feel it should be mentioned was the bit with Kit's cross-dressing. I found it interesting in the beginning but than the way it was further presented in the story felt disturbing, like it was there just for shock value and not an integral part of character. Will and Kit did have an honest conversation about it but I still feel it was a poorly done element in the story.

In short, while I liked the romantic aspect and the growth and change the characters undergo, this book did not quite work for me. There were one too many things that bothered me and I hesitate recommending it.

Purchase links:  iBooks | Kindle US | Kindle UK | kindle AU | Kobo | Google Play | Nook |

Annika Martin

Release Day Blitz for Enemies Like You by Joanna Chambers and Annika Martin

06:00

ENEMIES_BANNER
Enemies Like You by Annika Martin & Joanna Chambers is NOW LIVE! 
Covers by http://rbadesigns.com
AMJCEnemiesLikeYouCover6x9_MEDIUM
Amazon / iBooks / Nook / Kobo / Google

They're dangerous men. Absolute enemies. And totally hot for each other. Will has never met anyone like Kit. He’s arrogant. Gorgeous. Lethal. The most expensive bodyguard money can buy. And Will can’t seem to resist him. A simple command in Kit's cut-glass accent makes Will want things he’s never wanted, do things he’s never done. Their red-hot chemistry is off the charts. Just one problem: Will has vowed to kill the billionaire that Kit is hell-bent on protecting. And Kit has secrets, too—his own reasons for sacrificing his soul, piece by painful piece, to keep one of the worst men on earth alive. This is a stand-alone contemporary M/M romance.
  ENEMIES_TEASER1ENEMIES_TEASER3
DOWNLOAD ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS FOR FREE!
They're dangerous men. Absolute enemies. And totally hot for each other. Two years ago, the men in Will’s unit were killed in an ambush because they were betrayed. Now he has a chance to go after the corrupt billionaire who sold them out. One problem: the billionaire’s bodyguard. Nobody knows what he looks like; they only know him by the trail of bodies he leaves behind. Will their passion destroy them both? Kit’s a hardened assassin who’ll do what it takes to protect his boss. But when Will moves on the billionaire at an elite party, things with Will and Kit take an unexpected—sexy—twist.
Now Kit has to convince Will to walk away--from his quest for justice, and from the red-hot passion that keeps resurfacing at the most inopportune times.

BENEFITS_1

About the Authors:
Joanna Chambers always wanted to write. In between studying, finding a proper grown up job, getting married and having kids, she spent many hours staring at blank sheets of paper and chewing pens. That changed when she rediscovered her love of romance and found her muse. Joanna's muse likes red wine, coffee and won't let Joanna clean the house or watch television.
Connect with Joanna: Twitter / Website / Facebook

Annika Martin is a NYT bestselling author who enjoys writing dirty stories about dangerous criminals and hot spies. She loves helping animals and kicking snow clumps off the bottom of cars around the streets of Minneapolis, and in her spare time she writes as the RITA award-winning author Carolyn Crane.
Connect With Annika: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Newsletter

Author Interview

New and Debut: Dal MacLean

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I'm really happy to welcome Dal MacLean for the regular New and Debut spotlight. She is the author of Bitter Legacy, mm romantic suspense, which was just announced to be a Lambda Literary Awards finalist in the Mystery category! Read on to see what inspires her to write her stories and what you can expect from her in the future. There is also short excerpt from Bitter Legacy for you to enjoy. 

Meet Dal


1. Tell us about yourself and why did you decide to become a romance writer?

First of all thank you for having me! To answer the question (that sound is me sucking my teeth in a considering fashion)… I don’t think I ‘decided to become a romance writer’ so much as deciding to TRY to become a romance writer. I’m still not really sure I’ve succeeded. I’ve been fascinated to find that romance has a formula and structure that maybe I veer from slightly. Without meaning to. Not deliberately. Or anything. It’s because I don’t know any better. Honestly.

I do know that the kind of romance I love reading, has genuine, believable conflict at the heart of it, which must be overcome to win the happy ending. I think my first (and so far only) book, ‘Bitter Legacy’ was a bit of a 50/50 hybrid really of mystery and romance. Mystery, I discovered (it was my first try at that too) has its own structure that readers expect to see, and trying to wrestle both structures into one coherent, balanced story isn’t the easiest thing in the world. I loved the process though, in a masochistic kind of way.

Before this, my training and experience were in writing, but not creative writing. I hadn’t done any of that since school. I decided, on a whim, to give fanfic a go and discovered that, while I was using, in principle the same basic skills (grammar, punctuation etc) it was a totally different thing. I didn’t do much of it, but I loved the challenge and reward. I think MM is different again from fanfic. 

2. Can you share some of your favourite books and authors?

The person who first got me in to reading (and writing) M/M is still right at the top – Josh Lanyon. I bought ‘Fatal Shadows’ and was blown away because it read like a top-of–the-line mainstream mystery, but with gay leads and a turbulent, charismatic romance at its core. I thought it was incredible, and then I bought the rest of the Adrien English series and I became A Fan. A Fanyon in fact. She writes so beautifully and intelligently and she’s not afraid to make her characters genuinely flawed, and her conflict genuine and not easily resolved. I crave that in romance, and, really, in any book I read. It’s that ability to make what’s probably essentially wish fulfillment feel believable and real that gets me every time

Harper Fox, Nicole Kimberling and Ginn Hale are such superb, skilled writers they kind of knock me on my arse every so often, with sheer envy. I think we’re incredibly lucky to have them in this genre. I recently discovered and love Elin Gregory & Roan Parrish. I loved the Captive Prince series by C P Pacat – that felt like something a bit different. And because I like historicals (history was what I studied) KJ Charles. And I still want to read Alexis Hall, Rhys Ford and CS Poe because so many people have told me how good they are. But right now, if I read, I don’t write, so…

3. Who/what do you consider your writing influence/inspiration?

I don’t know, to be honest. I read and a watch mainstream mystery and detective fiction – mainly UK stuff, though I love US TV as well. But I also love historical books and TV –– medieval to Elizabethan is my favourite. And I like sci-fi and fantasy too.

I’ve always admired Agatha Christie particularly, as a mystery writer, not just because she emphasized characterization with actual flaws included, but because she was never afraid to make an unpopular decision for the good of the book. By which I mean, sometimes the culprit was a person you liked and understood. That made her work more messy, far less predictable, and far more exciting, and I think it’s one reason it’s had such longevity. I also love Hollywood film noir and Raymond Chandler etc -- laconic humour, lovely use of language and flawed larger than life characters.

In MM, possibly Josh Lanyon, because I love what she does so much. But also because I’ve never been taught to write formally (as in taking a course or anything) having an editor as skilled and insightful as Nicole Kimberling at Blind Eye Books was a real revelation. Nicole’s taught me such a lot.

4. What kind of stories can the readers expect from you (contemporary/historical/sci-fi, adult/NA/YA, etc)

I think probably contemporary and for the time being anyway, mystery, though, as I said, mystery was a genre I never tried before Bitter Legacy. I have an MM ghost story/romance, shoved down the back of the sofa, but it’s not a traditional romance structure so I’m not sure what I’ll do with it. I don’t have the nerve to try historical because I research everything so obsessively I’d spend months identifying historically accurate curtain fabric. So contemporary it is.

5. Please, introduce your latest/upcoming release.

Ah. I can’t really because I’m still writing and forming it. But at this point I can say it’s in the ‘Bitter Legacy’ universe, but not a sequel. It’s set in present day London, and the main protagonist/narrator is not a policeman. That may all change tomorrow if I panic and throw it in the bin.

In the meantime though, there’s Bitter Legacy. It’s a fairly complex police procedural/whodunnit on the one hand (set with the Metropolitan Police in London) and a focus on a challenging romantic relationship on the other. Everything is seen through the eyes of the narrator, DS James Henderson, but bear in mind that, just like all of us, Jamie sometimes gets the wrong end of the stick when it comes to interpreting other people’s behaviour. If you read it, I hope you enjoy it!

BLURB

London...

Detective Sergeant James Henderson’s remarkable gut instincts have put him on a three-year fast track to becoming an inspector. But the advancement of his career has come at a cost. Gay, posh and eager to prove himself in the Metropolitan Police, James has allowed himself few chances for romance.

When the murder of barrister Maria Curzon-Whyte lands in his lap, all that changes. His investigation leads him to a circle of irresistibly charming men. And though he knows better, James finds himself enticed into their company.

Soon his desire for photographer Ben Morgan challenges him to find a way into the other man’s lifestyle of one-night stands and carefree promiscuity. At the same time his single murder case multiplies into a cruel pattern of violence and depravity.

But as the bodies pile up and shocking secrets come to light, James finds both his tumultuous private life and coveted career threatened by a bitter legacy.

Purchase links: Amazon


AUTHOR BIO AND LINKS

Dal Maclean comes from Scotland. Her background is in journalism, and she has an undying passion for history, the more gossipy and scandalous the better. Dal has lived in Asia and worked all over the world, but home is now the UK. She dislikes the Tragic Gay trope, but loves imperfect characters and genuine emotional conflict in romantic fiction. As an author, and a reader, she believes it’s worth a bit of work to reach a happy ending. Agatha Christie, English gardens and ill-advised cocktails are three fatal weaknesses, though not usually at the same time.



EXCERPT


The door on the left at the top of the first flight of stairs appeared identical to the one on the ground floor—paneled and freshly glossed white. But though James knocked on it, ignoring the intercom-man’s instructions, and though he definitely heard voices behind it, it remained stubbornly closed. He knocked again. The door didn’t open. The man had meant what he said.

James had no real reason to feel as pissed off as he did. The man inside couldn’t know he was a detective investigating a murder. He wasn’t purposely disrespecting the police. Yet, as James lurked, frustrated, in the plush hallway, stealing irritated glances at his watch, he found himself almost deliberately pushing himself to conclusions.

The visitor in there had an appointment. And the man who’d answered had said there’d be another right after James.

So. What kind of men were most likely to have serial “appointments” at expensive residential addresses? High-end hookers.

He glowered at the pristine door, copper’s imagination running with it.

Fuck—the last thing he needed was a vice collar right now, but he couldn’t exactly ignore a high-class prostitute operating under his nose.

Or maybe—he could. He really didn’t have time for this.

He frowned fiercely, slumped against the opposite wall. Then, without warning, the door to the flat opened with a shocking blaze of light, and a man slipped out into the hall.

James, as he straightened, could hardly fail to notice the guy was flamboyantly good looking—all extravagant cheekbones and pouty lips, like a catwalk model—and to all appearances, extremely pleased with himself. As he strutted past, he gave James a quick once-over and a knowing smirk, then he trotted down the stairs and out of sight.

James stared after him. He didn’t look like the kind of man who paid for it, but, if police-work had taught him anything, it’d be that people rarely obliged by fitting their stereotypes. Whatever the guy had been there for, he’d emerged appearing very satisfied indeed. James’s suspicions solidified.

“Sorry about that, mate. Overran a bit.”

James snapped his head back to stare at the figure now standing in the open doorway of the flat, assessing him in turn.

The man was startling. Caucasian, round about James’s height, but with a more slender build and thick, dark, shoulder-length hair in silky, loose curls. He had a fine bone structure, straight black brows and large, dark eyes whose color James couldn’t determine in the dimness of the hall. If the guy fucked for money, James thought in those first moments, he could fully understand how he could afford to live in Selworth Gardens.

Suddenly James felt very aware that, while he was wearing a very nice Paul Smith suit from his old life, it needed a good pressing. And after only three hours’ sleep, he could do with the equivalent himself.

The man smiled brilliantly, which rendered him even more startlingly attractive.

James found himself fighting not to blush. It was his fatal emotional tell and he hated it—a lifetime of self-discipline, and he still colored up like an adolescent.

“Hey,” the man said. “Come in.”

Author Interview

New and Debut: Layla Reyne

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This week's New and Debut post presents Layla Reyne and it's part of the blog tour for her debut mm romantic suspense, Single Malt, which release on Feb 28. Read on for the usual author interview, plus some teasers and an excerpt from the book. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a special gift set!


Meet Layla

1. Tell us about yourself and why did you decide to become a romance author? 

Most of the “romance author” credit goes to my grandmothers. One was an English professor and the other, who kept me after school, was a Southern storyteller and soap opera addict. Every afternoon, we watched her “programs” together. As a result, I was always drawn to the romance thread in books, movies and television shows. That lead me down the road to ’Shipper Fandom—a fan who pulls hard for a certain fictional couple to develop a romantic relationship. Mulder and Scully were my first big one, to the point I started writing fanfiction, not really realizing that I was writing romance. I got diverted a bit with my other career, but fandom eventually captured my interest once more—The Vampire Diaries, Arrow, Castle, Suits, to name a few—and I started writing fanfiction again. Around the same time, a fandom friend recommended I read Kristen Ashley. From there, it was all over. I became a ravenous romance reader, began working on my own original stories, and here I am a few years later with my first published romance. Can’t seem to shake those FBI agents (or redheads) though!

2. Can you share some of your favorite books and authors? 

I read widely across romance subgenres. The only thing I don’t read much of is historical, but put a KJ Charles romance in front of me and I’ll devour it. Kristen Ashley is a favorite, especially her Colorado Mountain and ‘Burg series with their overarching mystery and town plots. Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series was probably the one I inhaled fastest. Living in the Bay Area, I especially love her reimagined San Francisco. I started reading male/male romance first in slash fanfiction years ago, then more recently after falling in love with Lord John from the Outlander series. About the same time, I saw Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban’s Cut & Run series on a list of Must-Read Romantic Suspense. I emerged from the Ty/Zane fog a week later a total fan of the genre. HelenKay Dimon’s Tough Love series is another m/m romantic suspense favorite. In contemporary m/m romance, Santino Hassell, Alexis Hall, Megan Erickson and Annabeth Albert are auto-buys for me. And finally, in SFF, Jensen & Burke’s Chaos Station series, C.S. Pacat’s Captive Prince Trilogy, and Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle series. 

3. Who/what do you consider your writing inspiration?

My romance and suspense leanings definitely draw from my television fandom background. In addition to the above-mentioned soaps, Hills Street Blues and every airplane fighter pilot movie ever were often played in our house. The other major influence is my experience living on both coasts. I was raised in North Carolina, but have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for ten-plus years now. As a result, my characters are often from one state or the other—Jamie’s from a North Carolina town not far from where I grew up and Aidan’s family, after immigrating from Ireland, settled one town over from where I live now. Some of my favorite locations and foods also inspire the same—the Tavern, Jamie and Aidan’s shared Blue Bottle coffee addiction, Jamie’s penchant for fried chicken, something almost every North Carolinian shares, and in AIW2, Aidan and Jamie travel to North Carolina for their case, the location and case borne out of my love for college basketball. I’m a UNC alum after all! Then in AIW3, some of Silicon Valley’s most notable places and themes are featured.

4. What kind of stories can the readers expect from you?

Adrenaline-fueled romance—that’s my tagline and that’s what readers are going to get. In my romantic suspense, I aim for a balance of plot and romance that keeps readers flipping pages into the wee hours. *Shares all the coffee* And in my contemporary romance, I think readers will see adrenaline, of one sort or another, fuels my characters and keeps the plot steam-rolling ahead.

5. Can you introduce your upcoming release?

Agents Irish and Whiskey is about widowed FBI agent and Irish ex-pat, Aidan Talley, falling hard for handsome, younger Cyber agent, Jameson “Whiskey” Walker, as they investigate cybercrimes and the murder of Aidan’s late husband. In Single Malt, Irish and Whiskey investigate a series of hacks at a biocontainment facility as they work to stop a potentially deadly terrorist attack. Aidan and Jamie are also trying (and failing) to stop their growing romantic attraction, a distraction they don’t need if they’re going to solve the case and save their hearts and lives in time.

Blurb

Eight months after the car crash that changed everything, FBI agent Aidan Talley is back at work. New department, new case and a new partner. Smart, athletic and handsome, Jameson Walker is twelve years his junior. Even if Aidan was ready to move on—and he's not—Jamie is off-limits. 

Jamie's lusted after Aidan for three years, and the chance to work with San Francisco's top agent directly is too good to pass up. Aidan is prickly—to put it mildly—but a growing cyber threat soon proves Jamie's skills invaluable. 

Jamie's talents paint a target on his back, and Aidan is determined to protect him. But with hack after hack threatening a high-security bio-containment facility, time is running out to thwart a deadly terrorist attack. They'll have to filter out distractions, on the case and in their partnership, to identify the real enemy, solve the case and save thousands of lives, including their own. 

Purchase links: Carina Press | Amazon | Google Play | Kobo | iTunes| B&N


Excerpt from SINGLE MALT

Aidan came to slowly. The acrid smell of smoke stung his nostrils, something wet dripped down the side of his face, and his head throbbed like someone had taken a hammer to it. Eyes closed, shattered glass tinkled all around as he lifted a hand to his temple. Massaging the point of pain, his fingers came away sticky and wet.
His aching brain was slow to catch on. One by one, it put together the pieces, and the terrible familiarity of his situation came into focus, knotting his gut and tearing at his chest.
Blood.
Broken glass.
Engine smoke and airbag fumes.
Not one but two SUVs barreling toward them.
Car accident.
Again.
Present events collided with past memories of a similar, horrible night eight months ago.
Tom clutching the dashboard with one hand and the handle above the Tesla’s passenger door with the other, bracing for impact, his face aghast in the oncoming high beams of the vehicle speeding toward them.
Gabe’s frightened black eyes meeting his own in the rearview mirror, a second before his body was thrown sideways in the back seat, the crash of his skull against the window louder in Aidan’s mind than the grinding metal and splintering glass.
Aidan’s insides tossing and turning with each flip of the car, free fall at its most terrifying. The scrape of asphalt against his arm, metal piercing skin, twisting and turning, as death pinned him in its grip.
A weak gurgling cough yanked Aidan back to the present.
Whiskey.
Eyes popping open, he squinted against the bright morning light and gasped at the pain piercing his head and radiating down his right side. Fighting the blackness encroaching on the edges of his vision, he turned his head left, searching for his partner.
His partner who’d driven the Rover with stunt-worthy precision out of the way of two oncoming SUVs, through a barrier, and down a cliff into a ravine.
The hard landing had knocked Aidan out, but he’d woken upright and in one piece, relatively. Walker, just coming to, was held back against the driver’s seat by the taut seatbelt. He had his left hand up by his hairline, and when it fell limply into his lap, his fingertips were covered in blood. The strained belt snapped, and he began to crumple forward.
“Whiskey.” Swatting the deflated airbags out of the way, Aidan reached over to hold Walker upright, pressing him back into the seat. “Stay with me.”
Groaning, Walker rotated his head, his lashes dark against colorless cheeks. Bright red blood seeped from a gash at his hairline.
Ignoring the pain in his side and the anvil in his head, Aidan unbuckled his seatbelt and stretched across the console to hold Walker’s face in his hand, giving his unshaven cheek a firm but careful pat.
“Come on, Jamie. Open those beautiful blue eyes for me.”
Walker’s forehead wrinkled and his eyelids fluttered open, the gaze beneath them hazy and unfocused. “Irish?”
Pure relief and blinding need propelled Aidan across the console. Fingers digging into Walker’s neck, he slammed their mouths together and tasted the precious life flowing from his partner’s lips. Aidan had wanted this the past three weeks, but he’d denied the attraction between them. Because they were partners. Because he was still grieving. But in the aftermath of this latest accident, too much like the one that’d stolen the last man he’d loved, Aidan needed to know the man beside him, the man he could but couldn’t love, was alive.
Walker gave a surprised jerk, then, catching on, angled his head and parted his lips, his warm breath rushing into Aidan’s mouth. Granted entrance, Walker’s slow kiss was no match for Aidan’s desperation.
For the fear that laced each swipe of his tongue.
For the longing that shook his fingers and caused him to groan.
For the darkness that grew closer with each stolen breath.
“You’ll be okay, Whiskey,” he whispered against his lips.
Relief for Walker’s safety, for his life, made Aidan’s slide into darkness smooth, not the tossing and turning of his nightmarish memories.
“Irish, hold on,” was the last thing he heard before falling forward into Walker’s big body and letting oblivion take him.

Coming May 1, 2017 - CASK STRENGTH (Agents Irish & Whiskey):


Professionally, the FBI team of Aidan "Irish" Talley and Jameson "Whiskey" Walker is as good as it gets, closing cases faster than any team at the Bureau. Personally, it’s a different story. Aidan’s feelings for Jamie scare the hell out of him: he won’t risk losing another love no matter how heart-tripping the intimacy between them. And loss is a grim reality with the terrorist Renaud still on their trail, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake.

Going undercover on a new case gets them out of town and off the killer's radar. They're assigned to investigate an identity theft ring involving a college basketball team in Jamie's home state, where Jamie's past makes him perfect for the role of coach. But returning to the court brings more than old memories.

As secrets and shocking betrayals abound, none may be more dangerous than the one Jamie’s been keeping: a secret about the death of Aidan’s husband that could blow his partner's world apart and destroy forever the fragile bonds of trust and love building between them.

Preorder now: Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play

Author Bio and Links

2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist, Layla Reyne, was raised in North Carolina but now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline fueled suspense and heart pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs. You can find her online at http://www.laylareyne.com/

Connect with Layla: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads


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Carolyn Crane

Review: Behind the Mask by Carolyn Crane

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Title: Behind the Mask (The Associates #4)
Author: Carolyn Crane
Date of publication: 19 May 2015
Genre: Romantic suspense

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Add on Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 Stars



Blurb


To save her twin sister she must switch places with her...

When her long lost sister—a prostitute—is won in a card game by a brutal drug cartel, Zelda knows what she has to do: take her place. Save her. Focus on infiltrating the shadowy group on behalf of the Associates, and try not to think about why she left the spying game years ago. She’s slept with dangerous criminals before; she can do it again. 

Hugo Martinez is one of South America’s most lethal and wanted men, a legendary mercenary living on a windswept mountain. Even at the height of the war he wasn’t in the habit of taking women captive, but the American whore has seen his face. And he and the orphan boy need a cook. He shouldn’t want this woman, but there’s something so unusual about her…

Little by little, Zelda finds herself falling for her captor…but is he the killer she’s been hunting all these years?


Review


Trigger warning for torture/interrogation

This is the fourth book in the Associate series of romantic suspense stories and I have read and enjoyed all of them though I haven't reviewed them on the blog. Most of the things that I can say about this latest installment holds true for the previous books as well.

This book, like the rest in the series, can be read as a standalone, but I think they are all worthy of your time and if you like well plotted and character driven romantic suspense, you should definitely give this series a try. 

Behind the Mask is really dark at times as both the hero and heroine have been through a lot and struggle with the daemons of their pasts. It's their shared darkness in way, coupled with their caring nature that brings them together. 

The story is told from dual POV and the insight into the minds both of Zelda and Hugo worked really well for drawing me into the story. I loved seeing so much of their thought processes and the day they changed through the story.

Zelda is an amazing heroine. She is one of the Associates, strong, independent, but hurt and carrying guilt and scars that can never be healed or forgotten. There is determination and violence about her that are to not common for romantic heroines. Yet she was not cold or heartless, an Ice Queen of sorts, but rather a very vibrant woman full of feels some of which she tried to deny and hide. 

Hugo is even darker than her, assassin, merciless on his enemies, lost in his own world of pain and regret and guilt. Yet, like Zelda, this is mostly on the surface, very deep down he is selfless, ready to sacrifice  himself for the people he loved. 

Their romance and connection was violent and rough and the few tender moments they shared stood out even more. The author pushed my boundaries in many ways - the graphic violence and torture were hard to read, the issue of redemption and second chance stood out prominently and left me thinking about it long after I finished the book

The whole botanical/farming aspect of the story was more than mere curious addition to the plot. It gave the whole story a much needed lightness, a sense of re-birth and hope for the future,

The suspense element was really strong and I found it quite intriguing. It was full plot twists and did keep me on the edge most of the time while reading. The Associates are rather an unpredictable bunch when it comes to following orders.

We see more of Dax (the head of the Associates) in this book than in the previous ones and I find myself impatient to read his story. By the looks of it, it will be even darker and more violent than Zelda's which is equally scary and exciting.

Purchase links: AmazoniBooks | Nook | Smashwords | Kobo | ARE 

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