Padme's Library: 08/29/18

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Audio Review Tour: Changing Lines by RJ Scott & VL Locey

Title: Changing Lines

Authors: RJ Scott & VL Locey

Series: Harrisburg Railers #1

Genre: M/M Sports Romance

Narrator: Sean Crisden

ebook Release Date: July 12, 2017

Audiobook Release Date: July 25, 2018

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Summary:
Can Tennant show Jared that age is just a number, and that love is all that matters?

The Rowe Brothers are famous hockey hotshots, but as the youngest of the trio, Tennant has always had to play against his brothers’ reputations. To get out of their shadows, and against their advice, he accepts a trade to the Harrisburg Railers, where he runs into Jared Madsen. Mads is an old family friend and his brother’s one-time teammate. Mads is Tennant’s new coach. And Mads is the sexiest thing he’s ever laid eyes on.

Jared Madsen’s hockey career was cut short by a fault in his heart, but coaching keeps him close to the game. When Ten is traded to the team, his carefully organized world is thrown into chaos. Nine years his junior and his best friend’s brother, he knows Ten is strictly off-limits, but as soon as he sees Ten’s moves, on and off the ice, he knows that his heart could get him into trouble again.

What can I add to this audiobook review for Changing Lines that I hadn't said in my original read review? Nothing as far as how amazingly entertaining Scott & Locey's story is and I still love Ten and Jared just as much as I did a year ago. So I'll just say a little about the audio part and the narrator, Sean Crisden. I am a huge fan of old radio shows out of the 1930s and 40s, being able to visualize the action in my own mind as I listen has always brought me hours and hours of endless entertainment. I mention that because listening to Sean Crisden bring Ten and Jared's tale to life gives me that same wonderful feeling. Not only is his voice pleasant to listen to but he does it in a way so its more than just reading a script or book, the reader or listener is experiencing the story right along with the characters.

Original ebook Review July 2017:
I have to start off by saying that I am NOT a hockey fan. I don't dislike it but if all the hockey arenas in the world were to disappear tomorrow, I would not miss the sport. Just felt the need to make note of that fact before beginning, lol.

Tennant "Ten" Rowe is the youngest member in a hockey dynasty who finds himself on the expansion team, Harrisburg Railers. He is satisfied with his new team but his brothers feel its beneath his talent. Jared Madsen, one of the Railers' coaches due to his playing career being cut short, finds himself attracted to his best bud's little brother. Will the fear of coach/player, age factor, or family interference be enough to keep these two apart or will they defy the odds and find happiness together?

I am an only child as is my dad and my mom only has one brother so I have no direct experience with siblings as most of my friends are either the only child or one sibling as well, so I really can only guess that the sibling relationship between the Rowe brothers is typical. Whether its typical or not, their fighting and loving is believable, entertaining, and just plain fun. I don't like to touch on the plot too much as most of my followers will know but I will say that when Ten finally stood up to his older brothers, I laughed so hard and frankly I don't think I could have had a bigger smile on my face than I did at that moment.

As I said at the beginning, I am not a hockey fan so on one hand I had some reservations going in fearing that I would be subconsciously effected by my lack of interest in the sport but on the other hand I am a HUGE RJ Scott fan and although I've never read VL Locey, I have heard many good things of her writing. So I turned on my Kindle with an open mind and jumped in. I'm so glad I did because Changing Lines is wonderful!

Hockey fan or not, Changing is a lovely fun read that will leave you smiling from beginning to end. That's not to say there is no drama, because there is but the balance is perfect. I look forward to reading more tales of the Harrisburg Railers. It goes without saying how much I love RJ Scott's writing and always have my eyes open for her work but now I look forward to checking out VL Locey's backlist and future work as well.

RATING:

Saturday's Series Spotlight: Harrisburg Railers Pt 1(#1-4)

Last Defense(#5) / Goal Line(#6)

RJ Scott
RJ’s goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

RJ is the author of the over one hundred novels and discovered romance in books at a very young age. She realized that if there wasn’t romance on the page, she could create it in her head, and is a lifelong writer.

She lives and works out of her home in the beautiful English countryside, spends her spare time reading, watching films, and enjoying time with her family.

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

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the following links below.

VL Locey
V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, two dogs, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and three Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand. She can also be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and GoodReads.

RJ Scott

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE

SCOTT & LOCEY MM HOCKEY ROMANCE

B&N / INSTAGRAM / TUMBLR

GOOGLE PLAY / LIBRARY THING

AUDIBLE / FB GROUP / PINTEREST

BOOKBUB / KOBO / SMASHWORDS

iTUNES / AMAZON / GOODREADS

EMAIL: rj@rjscott.co.uk

VL Locey

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / BLOG

NEWSLETTER / FB GROUP / PINTEREST

B&N / SCOTT & LOCEY MM HOCKEY ROMANCE

KOBO / SMASHWORDS / GOOGLE PLAY

iTUNES / AMAZON / GOODREADS

Sean Crisden(Narrator)

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE

AUDIBLE / AMAZON / GOODREADS

EMAIL: crisden@seancrisden.com

Changing Lines #1

AMAZON US / AMAZON UK

AUDIBLE US / AUDIBLE UK

iTUNES AUDIO / GOODREADS TBR

Series

AMAZON US / AMAZON UK

B&N / KOBO / SMASHWORDS

iTUNES / GOODREADS TBR

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August 24 - MM Good Book Reviews

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Release Blitz: Dra’Kaedan’s Coven by Jessamyn Kingley

Title: Dra’Kaedan’s Coven

Author: Jessamyn Kingley

Series: D’Vaire #1

Genre: M/M Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy

Release Date: August 20, 2018

Cover Design: LJ Anderson of Mayhem Cover Creations

Summary:
Dra’Kaedan of Leolinnia was born with a mark of Fate proclaiming that someday he would be the Grand Warlock. Standing in his way is Carvallius of Mallent who is desperate to rule the warlocks. His granddaughter Latarian has little magic so Carvallius concocts a plan to kidnap Dra’Kaedan to steal his power. After carving spells into Dra’Kaedan’s back, he begins life anew as Latarian’s familiar whom she calls Ayden. With no memory of his past, the pair are shuffled off to a cottage while Carvallius enlists the help of a brutal elven tribe to rob Dra’Kaedan of his future title. The tactic backfires, and the Coven of Warlocks is destroyed.

Minutes after Brogan shifts into a dragon for the first time, his best friend is banished from their court. Loyal to the core, Brogan follows Aleksander through the castle gates of their old home. Fate turns Aleksander into a king and Court D’Vaire is established. Considered cursed by dragonkind the D’Vaire’s are ostracized. After six centuries of loneliness Brogan leaves his family desperate to find his mate. He has no idea Fate has intervened and sent his other half right to Aleksander’s doorstep.

As a familiar Ayden struggles between a voice inside him that insists he is something more and Latarian’s stringent set of rules. He finds himself torn as he and Brogan try to find common ground. Can the pair find love and will Dra’Kaedan find out his true destiny before it’s too late?

It’s the first book in the series so it can be read by itself but the story arc continues in the next seven books now available.

“Before you met me, did you ever try and imagine what your mate would be like?” Ayden asked.

“Sometimes. I’m shallow, so I wanted him to be good-looking. I like to laugh, so I hoped he’d have a good sense of humor. I dreamed of someone who’d love my family because my preference is to be with them. I consider myself very lucky because I got a mate who has everything on my shopping list,” Brogan replied. “How about you?”

“I honestly didn’t consider it. We were trapped so long, my only thoughts were about getting out of that cottage. I suppose if I had to make a list, the one thing I’d put on it would be to have someone taller than me. Life isn’t easy for us short people.”

“I know, I’ve seen your struggles with shelves, but I like your height. You fit just right in my arms.”

“Kind of cheesy,” Ayden decided.

“How about I love the delicious fit of your sexy, toned physique against the tall manliness of mine?”

“Too wordy.”

“Okay, last choice. Your body feels amazing against me.”

“Still has some cheese factor, but I’ll take it,” Ayden declared.

“Brat.”

“I have no regrets,” Ayden informed him.

His dragon grinned. “Somehow I’m not surprised.”

“We all have to be good at something. I’m learning to be excellent at saying whatever comes to mind.”

“You’re a good kisser,” Brogan countered. “You could spend more time doing that and less time being bratty.”

“Yeah, I’ve been trying, but my mate’s a pain in the ass and doesn’t give me much opportunity.”

“So, what you’re saying is that you wait for him to make all the moves?”

Ayden was dumbstruck. That was exactly what he’d been doing. He couldn’t believe he’d let Brogan dictate their progress until the previous night, when he’d finally demanded that the man give him more. If life was about embracing what he wanted, Ayden craved nothing more than Brogan.

Without a word, Ayden leaned forward and kissed his mate. It was no gentle peck—his tongue dueled with Brogan’s, and the dragon took control. He hauled Ayden close and massaged his back with his large paws as their mouths made love. Ayden wound his arms around Brogan’s neck as moans tumbled past his lips. Long before Ayden was ready, Brogan pulled away.

“I like it when you take charge,” Brogan told him.

“I wasn’t finished.”

“You keep kissing me like that, and I’m going to forget we’re in the living room.”

“Please, Madeline and Larissa make out in here all the time.”

Brogan’s brow furrowed in irritation. “Good for them. I don’t like sitting in here making out. My dick’s pressing against my zipper, and it fucking hurts.”

Ayden jumped off the couch. “Let’s go to my room then.”

“Taking it slow, remember that?” Brogan reminded him from where he still sat on the sofa.

“Damn it, why did we agree to something so stupid?” Ayden demanded and slapped his hands onto his hips.

Brogan narrowed his eyes in frustration as he stood. “Because you have no experience.”

“I’m over six centuries old. How long are you going to make me wait?”
“Long enough to make sure you’re ready.”

Tilting his head back, Ayden’s eyes met an angry set of navy ones, but he was an expert on what he was ready for, and he wasn’t going to tolerate anyone else making rules or guidelines for him. He’d had enough of that in his lifetime. “I think I know when I’m ready.”

“How? Huh? You’ve never been in a relationship, so how do you know?”
“I know myself, don’t I?” Ayden yelled.

“What the hell’s going on in here?” Aleksander asked as he stalked into the living room.

Ayden was lost in his anger and he didn’t think, he just acted. Lifting his finger, he aimed it in Brogan’s direction. “We’re both hard, and he won’t do a damn thing about it.”

“I’m out,” Aleksander responded as he turned on his heel and exited in the same direction he’d just come from. “I’ll be in my room if anyone needs me. You two can figure this one out on your own.”

There was a tense silence in the living room for several minutes; then Brogan bent over in half from the force of his laughter.

It made heat bloom in Ayden’s cheeks. “I can’t believe I said that to him.”

Brogan straightened, and their eyes met. “He’s heard worse. Don’t worry. Look, I know you want more, but we need to stick to the plan. This is too important to make mistakes.”

“I’m ready for more.”

“How about I’ll allow kissing and maybe a little more to be determined on a case-by-case basis,” Brogan offered as he took a step closer to Ayden and grinned.

Bridging the distance between them, Ayden walked forward until their toes bumped. “You’ll allow? It doesn’t work that way unless you want to be covered in oozing sores.”

“I think that’s more disgusting than the enormous damage you wanted to do to my ass earlier.”

“Give me one of those pecks you’re so fond of, and let’s go get a snack. We can talk about that little more you mentioned,” Ayden said as he held out his hand.

Brogan grabbed it and leaned down to touch their lips together. “We ate lunch less than thirty minutes ago.”

“Do you have a point?”

What is the biggest influence/interest that brought you to this genre?
I came to this genre as a reader first as I had grown weary of stories where either the female character was the typical damsel in distress or her badass attitude had to be explained away with a bad childhood. I wanted to see two equally strong characters pitted against one another. I found some great authors but there was always my brain rewriting things to fit how I thought they should be. I’ve always had ideas about stories and I finally buckled down and got to work.

When writing a book, what is your favorite part of the creative process (outline, plot, character names, editing, etc)?
I have a ball either seeking out a unique name or creating one from scratch. Once they have a suitable moniker, I want to get right into the plot and find out what makes them tick. Sometimes I have to reel myself back in when I’m plotting because I craft a story so complex it would take ten books just to get to the middle.

When reading a book, what genre do you find most interesting/intriguing?
I go through phases when I’m reading. Sometimes I want nothing but true crime then I’ll switch and only read mystery. It’s difficult for me to pinpoint a single genre for that reason. Whether it’s romance or fantasy, it simply depends on my mood.

If you could co-author with any author, past or present, who would you choose?
Honestly, I’ve never considered co-authoring a book with anyone. For one, I’ve read so many incredible writers whose talent I’m in awe of I would never presume to craft along with them and second I am a complete control freak.

Have you always wanted to write or did it come to you "later in life"?
As I mentioned above, characters have been with me forever. What I lacked was the motivation to get it done. That didn’t show up until I was in my late thirties so I made myself a goal of writing and publishing a book by the time I hit forty. When my first book went live I was thirty-nine so I smashed my deadline by a full year.

Author Bio:
Jessamyn Kingley lives in Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute favorite.

Jessamyn is married and working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.

She loves to engage with readers at her website and facebook.