Sunday, July 1, 2018
Sunday's Short Stack: Nobody Else's by Nell Iris
Title: Nobody Else's
Author: Nell Iris
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Date: June 30, 2018
Publisher: JMS Books
Summary:Mars enters Pisces, giving Beckett Cooper the opportunity to assert himself when it comes to a secret infatuation; his best friend’s younger brother Levi. But can Beckett trust what’s in front of him and be brave enough to take what he wants?
With Venus in Virgo, people usually become more reserved, but Levi Byrne always takes the opposite road of what’s expected of him. So, instead of pulling back, he reaches out for a man he’s been interested in for years; Beckett Cooper.
Is it the celestial bodies aligning to bring together two people destined for each other? Or is it a simple tale of boy meets boy, boy likes boy, and boy wants to kiss boy? Do Beckett and Levi even care, or are they too busy getting to know each other ... and falling in love?
Nobody Else's is a delightfully fun short novella. Can't think of a more simpler yet honest description, its just plain delightful. I just finished reading one of the saddest HEA trilogies that ever crossed my kindle so this little gem couldn't have come to me at a better time. We get to know both Levi and Beckett through alternating POVs, some don't care for that but I love getting to see inside the inner workings of both halves of the couple/would-be couple, it allows me to connect better with the characters. As for Levi & Beckett, they are both lovely as they secretly crush on the other and take that leap of faith to follow said crush. There's really not much more I can think to say other than if you are looking for something to put a smile on your face than Nobody Else's is definitely worth reading. This one may be short on pages and short on drama but it is certainly not short on romance, not short on humor, and not short on fun. Romantic comedy all the way.
RATING:
“Beckett?”
The voice made my stomach jump and the corners of my mouth turn up even though I was so tired I’d thought I’d never smile again just a moment ago.
“Levi. Hi!” Stubble covered his face and he approached me with a spring in his step and a happy grin that made my heart pitter-patter in my chest. Oh gawd, he was cuter than ever. “What are you doing here?” I asked.
He threw his arm around my neck in a quick, one-armed hug. The heat of his body penetrated my cold soul, but before I had time to hug him back, he let go of me and stepped back. I missed his warmth instantly. I wanted more. I wanted to bury my nose in the crook of his neck and just stay there until this crappy day was gone and forgotten. Feel his hands on my back and his soothing breaths in my ear.
Shit. I swallowed around a lump that appeared in my throat. I had it bad.
“I’m here to get some celebratory ice cream. I finished my project on time, so I thought I’d treat myself.”
“Great job. Congratulations!”
“Thanks!” His eyes sparkled at me. “Are you getting ice cream, too?”
“No. I was trying to figure out what to eat for dinner. I can’t decide what sounds the least disgusting,” I said and picked up two depressing looking boxes. “Lasagna or pepperoni pizza?”
Levi drew his eyebrows together and then took both from me and threw them back into the freezer. “You can’t eat crap like that. It’s no good for you.”
“I know,” I sighed. “But my fridge is empty and I’m too tired to both shop for groceries and cook.”
He looked at me then, swept his gaze from head to toe. “You look exhausted. I’m sorry I didn’t notice earlier.”
“It’s fine.”
With an unconvinced look on his face, he asked, “Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Just tired. I had a terrible day at work.”
“I know all about those.” He sucked his lower lip into his mouth, letting his eyes flick over my face, taking in what I was sure was tired lines around my eyes and a mouth trying its best to smile. “I have an idea,” he said after a few moments. “What if I make you dinner? I’d need to borrow your kitchen of course, but if you feel like a homecooked meal ... I’m your guy.”
I drew a breath and held it. Blinked. “Are you serious?” I asked in a whooshing exhale.
“I am.”
“But what about your ice cream celebration?”
“It can wait.”
His kindness coupled with my fatigue choked me up. Half a second from bursting into tears, I asked, “Why?”
“Because you look like you need someone to take care of you.”
I couldn’t help it then. A tear escaped. I turned my face away and squeezed my eyes shut. A part of me wanted to turn and run away, hide my stupid sensitivity from him and not be the guy who cries in the grocery store aisle. But another part knew he could be trusted and even if I broke down completely here, he wouldn’t make fun of me.
“Then yes. Thank you,” I choked out.
Gentle fingers plucked the shopping basket from my grip. His other hand found it’s way to my nape and caressed me for a second. It was just a brief touch, but it gave me the strength to wipe away the tear and look at him again.
“Let’s go. I know just the thing.”
The voice made my stomach jump and the corners of my mouth turn up even though I was so tired I’d thought I’d never smile again just a moment ago.
“Levi. Hi!” Stubble covered his face and he approached me with a spring in his step and a happy grin that made my heart pitter-patter in my chest. Oh gawd, he was cuter than ever. “What are you doing here?” I asked.
He threw his arm around my neck in a quick, one-armed hug. The heat of his body penetrated my cold soul, but before I had time to hug him back, he let go of me and stepped back. I missed his warmth instantly. I wanted more. I wanted to bury my nose in the crook of his neck and just stay there until this crappy day was gone and forgotten. Feel his hands on my back and his soothing breaths in my ear.
Shit. I swallowed around a lump that appeared in my throat. I had it bad.
“I’m here to get some celebratory ice cream. I finished my project on time, so I thought I’d treat myself.”
“Great job. Congratulations!”
“Thanks!” His eyes sparkled at me. “Are you getting ice cream, too?”
“No. I was trying to figure out what to eat for dinner. I can’t decide what sounds the least disgusting,” I said and picked up two depressing looking boxes. “Lasagna or pepperoni pizza?”
Levi drew his eyebrows together and then took both from me and threw them back into the freezer. “You can’t eat crap like that. It’s no good for you.”
“I know,” I sighed. “But my fridge is empty and I’m too tired to both shop for groceries and cook.”
“It’s fine.”
With an unconvinced look on his face, he asked, “Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Just tired. I had a terrible day at work.”
“I know all about those.” He sucked his lower lip into his mouth, letting his eyes flick over my face, taking in what I was sure was tired lines around my eyes and a mouth trying its best to smile. “I have an idea,” he said after a few moments. “What if I make you dinner? I’d need to borrow your kitchen of course, but if you feel like a homecooked meal ... I’m your guy.”
I drew a breath and held it. Blinked. “Are you serious?” I asked in a whooshing exhale.
“I am.”
“But what about your ice cream celebration?”
“It can wait.”
His kindness coupled with my fatigue choked me up. Half a second from bursting into tears, I asked, “Why?”
“Because you look like you need someone to take care of you.”
I couldn’t help it then. A tear escaped. I turned my face away and squeezed my eyes shut. A part of me wanted to turn and run away, hide my stupid sensitivity from him and not be the guy who cries in the grocery store aisle. But another part knew he could be trusted and even if I broke down completely here, he wouldn’t make fun of me.
“Then yes. Thank you,” I choked out.
Gentle fingers plucked the shopping basket from my grip. His other hand found it’s way to my nape and caressed me for a second. It was just a brief touch, but it gave me the strength to wipe away the tear and look at him again.
“Let’s go. I know just the thing.”
Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies room), loves music (and singing along but let’s face it, she’s not Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (Make it so). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!
Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.
Nell is a 40-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, where she spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her life long dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.
Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angsty, and wants to write diverse and different characters.
EMAIL: contact@nelliris.com
Release Tour: Batiste by Victoria Danann
Title: Batiste
Author: Victoria Danann
Series: Cajun Devils #1
Genre: Motorcycle Club Romance
Release Date: June 24, 2018
Summary:
Ça va mal. Ça va pas bien.
New York Times bestselling author, Victoria Danann, begins a HOT new MC romance series spinning off SSMC. You're gonna love it. For true!
Take a journey into the exotic culture of bayou country in Louisiana's Lafayette and Acadia parishes. Cajun beauty, Angelique Bellefeuille, has had enough of bikers and their bullshit. Being put in danger because of her father's motorcycle club makes that conclusion rock hard solid.
When she's sent to an allied club for protection from a rival club, she's reunited with her childhood friend, Just Batiste. Only he's not the cute, fun, adventurous kid she remembers. He's large, in charge, and menacing.
The last thing Batiste needs is a distraction from the new joint venture with the SSMC, but Fate has her own sense of timing and her own sense of humor as well. Angel is partly his memory of her as a little girl and partly grown woman walking around in the mind-numbing form of a curvy, blue-eyed mischief maker.
Just when he thinks he can't get more frustrated with the little troublemaker, she's kidnapped by the very people he's supposed to be protecting her from. What will he do to get her back? Anything. Distraction or not, he vows she'll be returned unharmed or he'll personally initiate Armageddon.
When Angie went back to her room Batiste hadn’t returned from whatever biker intrigue was occupying his time. She took a couple of bottled waters so she wouldn’t have to go hunting in the night.
She supposed she was fortunate to have a room with an adjoining three quarter bath. She took a shower and towel dried her hair, but left it damp because she’d sleep cooler that way. Around eleven she turned off the lights, crawled on top of the cotton sheets and lay still listening to the night sounds of the swamp. After a few minutes a light rain added its voice and she felt herself drifting off to the lullaby of crickets, cicadas, and frogs.
She was dosing when she heard the door open. The first thing her eyes focused on was the bedside clock. It was just after midnight. As she was sitting up to see who it could be entering her room uninvited , she heard… nails on the floor?
“No worry, cher. It’s me. And dogs,” Batiste said in a hushed tone.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Takin’ care of you.”
Since she’d been half asleep, her eyes were adjusted to the low light and she could see that he was spreading a sleeping bag on the floor.
“You’re not sleeping on a wood floor.”
“Looks like I am.”
“You’re taking this protection thing kind of seriously.”
She heard the rustle of nylon as he lay down on top of the sleeping bag, but he didn’t answer. There was no more to say about that.
Nothing was more serious than keeping Rou’s girl safe. He had two dogs trained by the SSMC, worth a fortune, and a nine millimeter pistol loaded and within easy reach. That, and the fact that he wasn’t likely to sleep too soundly on the hard floor, meant things were secure to the extent of his control.
As he settled in, minimizing the discomfort to the extent possible, and got still his awareness of her nearness grew like a thing that had sentience. It was frustrating knowing she was close enough to reach out and touch. It was also the best feeling in the world, knowing she was close enough to reach out and touch. If he was sappy, he might have said being with Angelique felt ‘meant to be’. But he wasn’t sappy. Not at all.
At least that’s what he told himself as he robotically stroked Belle’s fur and stared toward the ceiling. The sound of the rain was comforting. Partly because that is one of rain’s gifts and partly because villains rarely get up to mischief in the rain. Maybe, he mused, they’re like that old wicked witch in Oz and don’t like getting wet.
Author Bio:
Victoria Danann is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty romances. For the past four years in a row, Victoria's Knights of Black Swan series have won prestigious Reviewers' Choice Awards for both BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES and PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVEL OF THE YEAR. This past year three of her series and three of her novels were nominated. Two of her series took the top two places and two of her books took first and second place in the PNR Novel of the Year category.
In addition to vampire hunting knights, Victoria writes other paranormal romance, scifi, fantasy, and contemporary romance.
Victoria is co-host of the popular ROMANCE BETWEEN THE PAGES podcast.
Victoria is co-host of the popular ROMANCE BETWEEN THE PAGES podcast.
WEBSITE / NEWSLETTER / B&N
EMAIL: vdanann@gmail.com
Batiste #1
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