Saturday, June 6, 2020

Saturday's Series Spotlight: Haven Hart Universe by Davidson King - Audiobook Part 2


Snow Storm #5
Summary:
The city of Haven Hart rests under the heel of Christopher Manos. He reigns over the most dangerous and deadliest citizens as the most powerful crime boss the city has seen in generations. Yet, for the last five years, the harshest edges of his nature have been tempered by the loving devotion of his husband, Snow, and the nephew Christopher adores like a son. His life is a balance of darkness and light until a birthday trip for his nephew, Simon, is interrupted by a hail of bullets and explosions, threatening to destroy it all.

Snow has found a home, a family, and the love of one of Haven Hart’s most powerful men. When Christopher and Simon are kidnapped, Snow risks everything to find his family. Utilizing specialized skills he learned on the streets and the finer points of running a city from his crime boss husband, Snow takes on roles he never dreamed he would--protector, leader, and avenger. No one threatens his family and lives. Experienced enough to know he can’t do this alone, Snow calls in every favor he is owed, risking his life promising favors in return, all to save his family and the man he loves.

The sins of the Manos crime family are escaping the dark recesses of the past and threatening the bright future of everything Snow and Christopher have built. Yet, even with the help of some unlikely and uniquely dangerous people, Snow finds himself wondering if their efforts will be enough to save the two most important people in his life. Will the loving family Snow has finally found be taken from him forever?

Triple Threat #6
Summary:
Lee, Jones, and Ginger deal with dangerous situations and mounting stress daily working for the most powerful assassin organization in the world. All of those things seem like a walk in the park compared to the friction that sparks between them. When all three are assigned to the same job, ignoring the heat from the inferno of desire becomes impossible.

Lee is a master at deciphering codes, skilled in hacking complicated systems, and never misses a target, even from over fifty miles away. His feelings for Jones and Ginger, however, may be the first code he’s unable to crack.

Jones deals in absolutes, but the road to his past is paved with bodies and regrets. Getting Lee to acknowledge the pull they both feel toward Ginger may be the hardest mission he’s ever had to face.

Ginger struggles to cope with the overwhelming guilt that accompanies this new job. Falling for these hired killers will be a risk—one that could wind up with him losing in the end or gaining everything he’s ever wanted.

As the three work together to take down a human trafficking ring—and save a desperate soul—time is of the essence. Their lives are on the line as mysteries unfold and unexpected encounters throw them off course. Will Lee, Jones, and Ginger let doubts come between them, distracting them from their mission and blocking any hope of love? Or can they face the toughest challenge of their lives and become…a triple threat?

Raven's Hart #7
Summary:
Haven Hart stands on the edge of good and evil. Having balance between the two is the only thing keeping the town from crumbling to the ground. For years, one man has been charged with maintaining that balance. Poe.

The air of mystery surrounding Poe is one of necessity. He’s the keeper of secrets and for good reason. He’s stood alone against the most ruthless men and women, always hiding behind the curtain to help his friends defeat what seeks to destroy them.

Now, after all this time, the city he loves, the people he has protected, and the secrets he’s kept hidden are in serious jeopardy. Poe will need the help of his friends to fight the ultimate battle; not just save Haven Hart but everything and everyone he holds dear to him.

When the dust settles, will betrayals be forgiven? Will the city still be standing? Will Poe’s beloved be at his side or will everything crumble? One thing is for certain, everything will be tested, and questions will finally be answered. Raven’s Hart is the final installment in the Haven Hart Series.

***IMPORTANT***
This is the 7th book in the Haven Hart Series it is NOT a standalone and all others need to be read before this one.

Snow Storm #5
Original Audiobook Listen November 2019:
What can I say about the story that I didn't already cover in my original review? Nothing! It's still just as beautiful and engaging as originally. So I think I'll just talk about the narrators, Joel Leslie and Philip Alces.  There again, what can I say that I haven't touched on in the first 4 audio versions of Haven Hart? Nothing!  They bring life not only to Snow and Christopher but to all the characters, good guys and bad guys.  Between Davidson King's visual storytelling style and Leslie & Alces narration, you can almost see the story unfold in front of you.  I should add that although there have been bits & pieces from each entry that has carried over, I found Snow Storm to be the first one that really shows everything starting to come together to form the "big picture", so definitely read/listen to Haven Hart Universe in order.

Original ebook Review April Book of the Month 2019:
Never underestimate Snow.  The mother nature kind looks light and fluffy but can be anything but, well Davidson King's Snow on the surface is light, fluffy, and a bit of pushover(at least what a certain bad guy thinks) but just like Mother Nature's white stuff, Snow Manos can be deadly.  Let's be honest, there are times when its best if we get underestimated and Snow Storm is a prime example of just that.  Never threaten the Manos family, Snow may not be the head of the family but he is the head's husband and that makes him even more of a danger to cross.

Not sure which factor I loved most: Snow being underestimated or that Christopher knows his husband so perfectly he knew exactly what to say to him on the phone to get the ball rolling?  Talk about a perfect pair and its this knowledge and chemistry that will always put Snow and Christopher on the top of my favorite Haven Hart couples.

Snow is such an amazingly creative fun, flirty, and fabulous character which in my honest opinion defines exactly what Haven Hart is all about, both the city and the series.  Don't get me wrong, Haven Hart Universe is not all rainbows and unicorns kind of rom-com happy happy.  Oh no, it is anything but because there is danger always lurking and Snow Storm is the best example of that because Snow Manos brings happiness to everyone he meets but its not all he brings to the table.  With this series entry you realize that he really is what brings everyone together, he is the cement that makes the bricks into a home, he is the Force that binds the Jedi together, and he is the love that makes the Manos and Black Organizations family(even if neither Christopher nor Black want to admit that is what they've become since meeting SnowπŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰).

Speaking of Christopher, he is just as dangerously yummy as always.  His love for his nephew, Simon, has been blatantly obvious from the very minute Simon brought Snow home with him way back in book 1, Snow Falling, and if you hadn't already noticed that Christopher has become more than just a father figure you will clearly see he(and Snow) have become dads to the growing boy.  I already mentioned how perfectly attuned Christopher is with Snow by knowing what clues to give his husband to help find them so I'll just add that they may be well established couple but their passion for each other is still off the charts that will fry your e-reader if you're not careful.

As for the secondary characters, well has there ever really been any "secondary" characters in this series?  No because they all serve a purpose whether they get their own story or not, not a single one can be labeled "page filler", each one brings a needed element to the journey.  It is always nice to see where other couples are once they've had their story begun, the author letting her readers know there is still life after they get their HEA.

Snow Storm once again showcases Davidson King's knack for storytelling, not just a writer but a true storyteller.  She creates not only characters to read and plots to unravel but a whole community to discover and experience.  If you haven't been reading Haven Hart Universe yet, I highly recommend doing so because you are certainly missing out on quite a ride.

One final note: if you are wondering if this is a series best read in order than I have to say yes.  Sure each one features a new couple, well Snow Storm revisits Snow & Christopher from book 1 but each entry does have its own central plot so I suppose technically each one is a standalone but I have to recommend reading in order.  The characters, the friendships, the favors Snow cashes in, these factors just flow better knowing each pairings' journey.  If reading 5 books seems daunting, don't worry because the time will fly by and before you know it, you'll be kicking yourself for not savoring the moments but you just get so sucked in that you can't put them down.  I should probably add that for the first time EVER, I did a re-read in less than 2 weeks after my initial read and if that doesn't express how amazing Snow Storm is then I'm not sure what does.

Triple Threat #6
Original Audiobook Listen November 2019:
I'll admit, I was curious to see how Joel Leslie & Philip Alces would narrate three main characters to keep them "real", keep them "separate" well I needn't have worried because there is never any doubts between Lee, Jones, or Ginger in Triple Threat.  Just as Davidson King uniquely defined each man, so did the narrators.  We see yet another layer of the horrors lurking in and around Haven Hart but we also see yet another layer of heart and determination to put an end to said horrors.  Again a great combination of storytelling and narration bringing the next chapter of Haven Hart Universe to life.

Original ebookReview July Book of the Month 2019:
I should start by saying M/M/M is not my go-to trope, I don't go looking for them HOWEVER, if one turns up in a series I'm reading or mysteriously finds its way onto my kindle I won't turn away from itπŸ˜‰.  Now because its not my normal trope of choice, I don't have a wide variety of experience when it comes to the accuracy to how its written, nor do I know anyone in a poly relationship to make any realistic comparison.  So because of my "lack of knowledge" I can only go by how each one is written and how it sucks me in.  Well, Triple Threat is A-FREAKIN'-MAZING!!!!

For those who think M/M/M, menage, or poly romances are just porn without plot than you are in for the shock of your life when you open up Davidson King's newest Haven Hart entry, Triple Threat.  Oh, sure there's heat, there's lust, there's sexy times that will set your kindle on fire but there is just so much more than the between-the-sheets(there's some fumbling without the sheets tooπŸ˜‰) moments.  As with the whole series, there is crime, drama, action, violence, drama, humor, mystery . . . well pretty much everything but sci-fi.  So sit down, buckle up, and enjoy the ride.

Let's take a look at the threesome, triad, throuple, or whatever label you choose to use.  Lee and Jones have been around Haven Hart more than once and called in when their expertise is needed and lets face it, Haven Hart is in dire need of their services.  I don't think anyone was surprised to see them connected in more ways than on the job but Ginger on the other hand doesn't exactly fit in on paper.  Miss King made it reasonably clear in Snow Storm that the boys weren't exactly unaffected by the younger man so it wasn't a complete surprise to find him as the third side of their trio.  As I said, on paper he doesn't seem the type to connect with them but after only a page or two you know that he is exactly what Lee and Jones were missing to make them complete.  Whether or not, they come to the same conclusion is something you have to read for yourself but I warn you once you start Triple Threat you won't want to put it down.

Now I have personally made references in my previous reviews to the Star Wars saga and you're probably wondering "you said this has everything but sci-fi so how can you connect them?"  Obviously it isn't a literal connection but the passion and draw that I always feel whenever I hear Darth Vadar's entrance music or the hiss of the lightsaber or the whoosh as the Millenium Falcon finally goes into hyperdrive pretty much equals the natural high I get when reading Davidson King.  She has this ability to not only create this amazing story with characters who are just out of reach and yet at the same time you feel like you're going to run into them pumping gas and picking up eggs at the store but the city of Haven Hart is so visual I almost feel like I'm living there.  As I've said before, there is a difference between an author and a storyteller, they are both great in their own ways but a storyteller has that extra something special connection with words, well Davidson King is a storyteller and I can't wait to see what comes next.

One last note: Although each entry(except for Snow Storm) has a new pairing at its core, Haven Hart series is definitely a series that needs to be read in order.  There is just too much ongoing plot and information that is underlying everything where each book puts just a little more of the puzzle together.  So if you haven't started this series yet be sure to begin at the beginning with Snow Falling and if you are someone who likes to wait till a series is complete because you can't abide the wait in between releases, there is only one entry left to be written but be sure you put Haven Hart at the top of your TBR list.

Raven's Hart #7
Original Audiobook Listen May 2020:
I'm going to start by saying: WOW! HOLY HANNAH BATMAN! THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE!  Now, I've used all those terms repeatedly to express my absolute and complete love for both Davidson King's art of storytelling and the Haven Hart Universe but this time I'm adding it to express my love for Joel Leslie & Philip Alces narration.  I've loved their portrayals from the beginning but in Raven's Hart, they are not only telling Poe & Phin's story but all the characters return in this amazing series conclusion(😭BOO! to the ending of this amazing series😭 but 😍YAY! to the brilliance of it's telling😍).  Personally, I'll confess I was worried how well the individual characters from past entries would be differentiated.  I need not have worried because there wasn't a single second where I wasn't sure who was who.  Talented narration, talented storytelling, what more could a person ask for? Maybe moreπŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰lol.

Original ebook Review October Book of the Month 2019:
First, I have to give myself a big hand of applauseπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ because I managed to do something I have never done before with a book that I have anticipated as much as I have with Raven's Hart: I savored the read!  That's right, you heard me, I savored the read.  Normally, my biggest tell as to whether it's a winning gem is I just have to know how it ends so I read the book as I quickly as life allows but then when I get to the final page I kick myself for not reading it slower to prolong the amazing goodness.  HOWEVER, I knew Raven's Hart was the finale to Davidson King's Haven Hart Universe so I forced myself to "linger" so I could put off that final page and the goodbye as long as possible.  So excuse me a minute while I give myself another round of applauseπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘.

Now on to Raven's Hart.  What can I say without spoilers?  Very little actually so as to the plot:  HOLY HANNAH BATMAN!!! OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!! THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE!!!!  Can you tell I liked it?  We finally learn Poe's story and what a story it is!  Poe, a man who went from yoga-in-the-park BFF to the-man-with-access-to-the-vaults to THE MAN! and he did it all with heart, a heart that beats, breaks, and bleeds.  We finally learn what keeps that heart going.  That's it, that's all the plot points you are getting from me, any more would just give too much away.  Sorry, not sorryπŸ˜‰.

Everyone returns to rally around the man who has helped them(albeit reluctantly at times).  I was going to say "the entire cast of characters returns" but I changed it to just "everyone" because to say "cast of characters" puts a spotlight on them being fictional.  And yes, I know they are fictional, Haven Hart is fictional, but Davidson King has done such an exceptionally amazing job at world building and character development that they seem so real, that you could meet them pumping gas, getting milk, returning books to the library, etc.    I've said it before and I'll say it again: Davidson King is more than an author or writer, she is a storyteller, an attention-grabbing, heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping storyteller.

If you have been reading Haven Hart from the beginning then you probably already have Raven's Hart in your sights and on your list but if you haven't now is the perfect time to start.  As I started with, Poe's story is the finale to this amazing journey so you can read from beginning to end and you really do need to read this series in order.  Yes, each entry focuses on a different couple(or throuple in Triple Threat and Snow Storm features Snow and Christopher from Snow Falling which started this amazing journey) with it's own beginning and ending but each book also holds clues to the full mysterious journey.  I really can't recommend Haven Hart Universe enough and I'll fill you in on a little secret, if they ever made this into a film series Haven Hart would be a very close second to the Star Wars Saga on my favorite films of all time list(and if you know me then you'll know how huge that is because I've been a SW fanatic since I saw the original back in 1977 when I was only 4 years old)πŸ˜‰.

One last note: I said Raven's Hart is the finale to Haven's Hart and it is but we do get to see more of Simon's story in 2020.  Who knows maybe if we are super, duper, uber nice Miss King will write a holiday novella/coda some dayπŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰. Either way, its been onehelluva ride, Davidson King and Thank You for this amazing world you gave us.

And one more thing . . . the cover designs for this whole series has been amazing.  Morningstar Ashley of Designs by Morningstar have captured the setting of Haven Hart and the ongoing stories incredibly with eye-catching awesomeness.

RATING:


Snow Storm #5
Christopher
“You settled that perfectly.” His voice was like a purr, and suddenly, I realized I was going to be very late for my meeting. “It’s like you’re some boss or something, making the hard calls.” He said the word hard with a moan and I knew if I turned around, he’d be stripping off his clothes.

“Snow…” I tried for a warning tone, but it was Snow. He couldn’t be deterred.

“You’re already going to be late.” His hands pressed against my back. “And you’re already going to be naked in a second.” He reached around my waist and began pulling my belt buckle.

“What’s a little more lateness, hmm?”

Resistance was futile, so I turned in his arms and smiled at the cheeky, adorable man I loved more than the air I breathed.

“You argue a good case, Mr. Manos, so make me later.”

He chuckled as he pushed me onto the bed, straddling me in all his flour and sugar-covered glory.

I relished in the feel of his mouth over my heated skin, his tongue gliding along my flesh like a paint brush. With my shirt open and my cock freed from the confines of my pants, I moaned as he made me later.

Triple Threat #6
With Lee and Jones busy, I popped my earbuds in, hit play on my Spotify, and drowned in the sounds of Pat Benatar. I loved the ‘80s, some of the ‘90s, but damn the ‘80s had amazing music. As with every time I listened to my music, I started swaying in my seat. I closed my eyes, let my hands tap, my feet slide, and that chorus in “We Belong”… it possessed me, and I couldn’t help myself but to sing. I sang softly as to not disturb Lee and Jones.

“What the absolute fuck!” The sound of Jones’ voice broke through. I opened my eyes and pulled my buds out. The van had stopped and now Lee was standing, staring at me, too.

“Hey,” I said meekly. “What’s up?”

“You scared the crap out of me,” Jones said, and Lee nodded in agreement.

“How?”

“One second it’s all quiet, then it’s like opera cats or something,” Lee answered, and this time Jones agreed.

“Wow, that’s harsh.” I drew my legs up to my chest, hearing the faint sounds of Tiffany singing that she thinks we’re alone now.

“Just warn us when you’re going to break out into song is all,” Lee grumbled, and then got back into the driver’s seat. I slipped the earbuds back in.

A tap on my leg had me pulling out my earbuds again.

“You listen to all ‘80s or you got some not shitty crap in there?” Jones asked, and I gripped my phone like he just shit on my dreams.

“Nothing of what I have is shit!”

Lee started to laugh as he pulled back onto the road and Jones had a huge grin. It was a change I hadn’t really seen in a while. Those two actually enjoying each other. I knew there was history there, everyone did.

If they wanted to be that way, okay. “Just for that,” I said as I put the phone on speaker and hit play. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts started singing about loving rock and roll, and because they love it so much, I sang with them.

Jones’ eyes widened and Lee once again pulled to the side of the road and turned in his seat. Seemed I was entertainment. I knew I didn’t have the best voice, but I had rendered these two dangerous men speechless. I was loving the power, the control.

Feeling daring, I inched over to Jones who looked positively terrified, and began drumming on his legs.

“Sweet Jesus,” Lee said and laughed so loudly I lost track of my words and watched him. Tears ran down his face, and he had his arms wrapped around his middle. It was a contagious laugh, and suddenly the three of us were in hysterics.

Raven's Hart #7
A light tap caught my attention, and I looked up to see Tony and Snow standing there. Snow, ever his curious self, was looking up, down, and around, absorbing it all, never to forget.

“Thank you, Tony, I’d like to speak with Snow alone, and then perhaps, if he has further questions pertaining to security and what you know, the two of you can talk later.”

“Okay, holler if you need me.” He smiled at Snow who nodded, and then left the room.

It wasn’t so much an uncomfortable silence as it was worrisome. Snow wasn’t a quiet person. He spoke up for everything he believed in, and on many occasions, gave me a good tongue lashing. To see him walking through my office and not making eye contact with me was jarring.

“Snow?” He jumped when I spoke but turned my way. “Would you like a drink?”

He chuckled, but it held very little humor. “What’s the strongest thing you’ve got?”

Ahh, so he was having trouble with all this. Understandable. I walked over to the small cart with some beverages and poured us each a Jack and ginger ale. I knew he didn’t like drinking because of his father, but he wasn’t kidding that he wanted a drink.

“Thanks,” he said as he took the drink and sipped it. “So, this is really weird.”

I couldn’t argue with that. “Did you read my note?”

He rolled his eyes at my obviously stupid question. “I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t. You have Jason Momoa over there come to my house, tell me he can’t say much but to read this thing and to follow him. You’re lucky Christopher wasn’t home, or Bill for that matter, or I wouldn’t have been able to sweet talk Donny into trusting my life choices and going with Aquaman.”


Saturday's Series Spotlight
Haven Hart
Part 1  /  Part 2  /  Part 3

Joker's Sin


Westford
🎧Monday Mysterious Mayhem🎧


Author Bio:
Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

When she's not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she'd tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you're afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.


Davidson King
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
INSTAGRAM  /  AUDIBLE  /  LINKTREE
BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS 
EMAIL: davidsonkingauthor@yahoo.com

Joel Leslie(Narrator)
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
AUDIBLE  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Philip Alces(Narrator)



Snow Storm #5

Triple Threat #6

Raven's Hart #7

Series

Friday, June 5, 2020

πŸ“˜πŸŽ₯Friday's Film AdaptationπŸŽ₯πŸ“˜: On the Other Hand, Death by Richard Stevenson


Summary:
When the giant Millpond Company finds its plans for a mega-shopping mall stymied by the refusal of an elderly lesbian couple to sell their home, the ladies are subjected to ugly vandalism and frightening death threats. The powerful director of Millpond in turn hires Don Strachey, Albany's only gay detective, to protect the ladies, find the culprits, and clear the corporate name. Strachey accepts with misgivings that deepen rapidly as kidnapping, extortion, and murder darken the lives of Albany's gay community. Fast-paced, deftly plotted, and superbly written, this is one of the best Strachey novels yet.


Trefusis was going on about a case of "Mandelstam" or "Handel-schism," which made no sense.

"Hang on a minute," I yelled into the mouthpiece. "I can't make out what you're saying."

"I'll hold, of course, Mr. Strachey."

I set the sweat-slick receiver on my desk, reached around, and whacked the top of the clanking and gurgling air conditioner with a slat from the wooden swivel chair that had collapsed back in January. The only effect was a slight shift by the machine in its rotten moorings. The 200-pound Airtemp now threatened to plummet out the window onto Central Avenue two stories below, crushing the shins of the winos who lounged in my entryway. I reached down and yanked out the plug. A distant thunk was followed by a diminishing whine, a sputtering sound, and then hot, wet silence.

"Sorry," I said into the phone again, "but I couldn't hear you over the racket my pilot was making up on the helipad. You were saying..."

"What I've got for you," Crane Trefusis went on, holding no interest in self-deprecating humor, "is a case of vandalism. Now before you tune out, Mr. Strachey, I'd like you to hear my pitch, because, believe me, this is not your usual run-of-the-mill type of vandalism. It will interest you. I don't want to go into it over the phone, so I'd appreciate your stopping by the office, if you don't mind, where I can lay it all out for you." A little pause. "Under certain conditions our fee could go as high as ten."

Ten. Ten hundred? No, Trefusis would call that a thousand. Or one.

I hedged anyway. "I've never handled a case of vandalism," I told him. "But with the scale your outfit operates on, I'd expect you to use the term to describe the firebombing of Dresden. Are you sure you wouldn't be better off using an agency with more resources than I've got? Helicopter jokes aside, Mr. Trefusis, I'm just me and a couple of friends who help me out once in a while whenever they haven't got something better to do, like reading Proust in Tagalog or sponsoring disco benefits for the Eritrean Liberation Front. You might want to shop around."

Trefusis was unfazed by either false modesty or fact. "I'm told you're a very solid type," he said, "and the word that comes back to me is that you are definitely the man for this job, Mr. Strachey. I feel strongly that this situation is ratherΓ―¿½well, special. And when you hear about it I'm confident you'll agree. Can you drop by around four? I can fit you in then."

I hesitated. I'd never met Trefusis, but I'd read a lot in the Times Union about both him and his company, and I wasn't overwhelmed with warmth for either. The origins of Millpond Plaza's capital were reported to be murky and its operating methods, under Trefusis, harsh. I was curious, though, about what made a vandalism case "special" for me, and of course there was the "ten." On the one hand this, on the other hand that.

I said, "I doubt that this is a job for me, Mr. Trefusis, but I'll drive out there and you can fill me in. I'm not promising that I'll want to handle it, though. Just so you understand that."

"That's a fair enough arrangement, Mr. Strachey. I'll look forward to seeing you at four."

Arrangement? What arrangement?

I phoned Timmy at his office and said, "It's hot."

"Say, look, I've got important business to transact for the people of the State of New York. If you want to report heat, call the weather bureau. Is this a crank call?"

"I'm cranky and this is a call, so describe it however you want. Anyway, this is a semi-official crank call. What do you know about Crane Trefusis? Anything good?"

"No."

"Bad, then."

"When the Millpond Company wants to build a shopping mall, it gets built. Cows, chickens, ducks, geese, grass, people Γ―¿½ theyΓ―¿½d all better scurry. Millpond is slick, fast, fat, and vicious. Crane Trefusis is their point man. He makes it happen. Something's holding him up on the new project Millpond's planning for west Albany, but I'd guess not for long."

"I've read all that in the papers. Any problems with the law?"

"Probably, but not with the people who enforce the law. Millpond makes friends, one way or another, in the places where friends count. Why are you asking me these easy questions?"

"Trefusis has a job for me, he says. A case of vandalism."

"To solve it or initiate it?"

"I'll find out in a couple of hours when I meet him. I doubt whether we'll find a way to do business, so it shouldn't take long. See you at the apartment around six?"

"Sure. Or six-thirty. Oh - seven, better make it seven. Yeah, seven or so."

What was this? "Or how about eight? Or nine? Or eleven-thirty-five? Aren't you going to the center to meet Fenton McWhirter? The reception's at seven. What's up?"

"Guess who's in Albany that I'm having a drink with?"

"Happy Rockefeller."

"Uhn-uhn."

"Averell Harriman?"

"Not even close." I could tell he was grinning. "It's Boyd. Boyd's in town."

So. "Oh-ho! Boyd-boy. The return of the native."

"Yep."

"He just called you up and said let's have a drink? Just like that? No intermediaries making preliminary inquiries to find out if you carried a pistol?"

"Ten years is a long time, Don. Wounds heal. He said he was a little worried that I might hang up on him. But he took a chance, and he was right. I felt nothing. It might as well have been my Uncle Fergus calling."

"Yeah, well, my regards to Aunt Nell. And to Boyd-boy, even though I've never had the pleasure. So I'll see you later Γ―¿½ where? Up the avenue?"

"No, no, I'll meet you at the center for the McWhirter thing. I mean, for chrissakes, Don, weΓ―¿½re just having a drink."

He said drink as if I had moronically failed to understand that the word really stood for bran muffin. I said, "I'm just giving you a hard time because my brain is melting like frogurt in this heat. In fact, I wish you and Boyd a moderately happy reunion. See you later, lover."

"Moderately happy sounds about right, with the emphasis on the first part. See you at the center. Watch your step with Crane Trefusis, unless you're planning on getting heavily into S and M."

"No chance. You can take the boy out of the presbytery, but you can't take the Presbyterian out of the boy.

"you'd know about that."

He laughed and hung up.

So. Boyd-boy was back. So? So nothing. Maybe. On the one hand this, on the other hand that.

Droplets of sweat dribbled off my chin onto the copy of Memoirs of Hadrian I'd been reading since midmorning. I stripped off my sodden T-shirt, used it to wipe up the lunch hour sub bun crumbs from my desk, and flung the reeking shmateh into the wastebasket.

I checked my watch. Still time for two or three more chapters of Hadrian before I stopped by the apartment for a quick shower and drove out to Trefusis's office. I opened the book and looked at a page, which contained a picture of Boyd Γ―¿½ or, more precisely, a picture of what I imagined the famously azure-eyed diving coach looked like. I refocused and he was gone. I laughed, restrainedly, then reached down and jammed the balky air conditioner's plug back into the wall socket. Something popped. A plume of smoke erupted, and the lights went out from Ontario Street to Northern Boulevard.

I drove home.


When a lesbian couple refuses to sell their home for a mega-shopping mall, Donald Strachey's attempts to protect them are complicated by extortion, kidnapping and murder.

Release Date: May 1, 2008(on Here! TV)
Release Time: 86 minutes

Cast:
Chad Allen as Donald Strachey
Sebastian Spence as Timmy Callahan
Nelson Wong as Kenny Kwon
Daryl Shuttleworth as Detective "Bub" Bailey
Margot Kidder as Dorothy Fisher
Damon Runyan as Andrew McWhirter
Lori Ann Triolo as Gina Santer
Gabrielle Rose as Edith Strong/Laura Whitaker
David Orth as Peter Garrity
Kerry James as Joey Deems
Barclay Hope as Carl Deems
William MacDonald as Jonas Baskin
Ralph Alderman as Sheriff Reg Howard
Keegan Macintosh as Derek Baskin
Sean Allen as Crane Sturgis
Lisa Bunting as School Board Member
Cali Boyle as Sturgis Receptionist






Author Bio:
Richard Stevenson is the pseudonym of Richard Lipez, the author of nine books, including the Don Strachey private eye series. The Strachey books are being filmed by here!, the first gay television network. Lipez also co-wrote Grand Scam with Peter Stein, and contributed to Crimes of the Scene: A Mystery Novel Guide for the International Traveler. He is a mystery columnist for The Washington Post and a former editorial writer at The Berkshire Eagle. His reporting, reviews and fiction have appeared in The Boston Globe, Newsday, The Progressive, The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's and many other publications. He grew up and went to college in Pennsylvania and served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia from 1962-64. Lipez lives in Becket, Massachusetts and is married to sculptor Joe Wheaton.


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Release Blitz: When I First Saw Red by Kasia Bacon

Title: When I First Saw Red
Author: Kasia Bacon
Series: Soldiers and Mercenaries #2
Genre: M/M Romance, Fantasy
Release Date: June 5, 2020

Summary:
RED:
LΓ‘zhien’s human. A common Imperial soldier. And my soulmate.How could fate get it so wrong?The demonin mecraves this bond with every shred of his being. He pushes me to accept it. This time I won’t yieldto his demands.

LÁZHIEN:
Red’s a lust demon, a whore and a stuck-upsnob.The most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. Pain in the arse. And he hates my guts.I’d be an idiot to pursue him. Yet something about him compels me to make him mine.

When I First Saw Redis a complete and standalone short novel with an HEA ending, featuring a couple of reluctant fated soulmates—a demon and a human—trying and failing to defy destiny.


A raucous ripple of laughter rang out from the wooden gallery above us, where the more pricey whores kept lodging and conducted their business. Following the source of the commotion, I looked up.

Two men and a woman had just come out of a room on the mezzanine floor. Judging by the way the joke had them all in stitches, it must’ve been top-notch.

The highborn couple, dressed in layers of greys and silvers as the latest fashion dictated, stood in contrast with the shirtless and barefoot whore. He sported only a pair of low-slung, undone breeches, offering the world a generous glimpse of his hips and groin.

I couldn’t make out their words, but I recognised that the merry gathering held a conversation in Common Elven. It didn’t surprise me. For one, it had been the language of the nobles and courtiers since the Emperor had taken the throne thirty-odd years before.

Secondly, the whore was a half-breed Elf.

A closer glance at him and my mouth went dry.

My shaft hardened as I drank in the sight of him— his lean figure, luminous skin and angular eyes. The pointy tips of his ears poked through a cascade of red hair. Not copper, ginger or auburn. Not mahogany. But blood red. Intricate tattoos on the sides of his face announced his Incubus heritage. Obsolete Imperial law still called for the marking of Tii-MatΓ’shi, even though their Magic had declined through the centuries, shrinking their power to a fraction of that possessed by their demonic forefathers.

The redhead’s companions waved their farewells and made for the stairs. He leant over the railing in a nonchalant pose, his sculptured arms folded on top of the barrier. There was a note of arrogance in the way he examined the crowd below and shamelessly displayed his ethereal beauty.

It took a moment, but eventually his gaze fell upon me. At first, he seemed to stare through me. Then he measured me up, blatant and hostile somehow, as though ascertaining my worth, leering at me in a downright insolent manner.

I couldn’t look away, turned-on and irate at the same time. Insane as it might have been, I felt the physical touch of fingers running over my body. The sensation set my flesh on fire.

Perhaps the stories told about the Tii-MatΓ’shi held a grain of truth.

Next thing I knew, his mouth set into a condescending smirk. He averted his eyes and pivoted on his heel. Before he disappeared, I observed his lush hair swish to the side and cover his shoulders and back like a fiery silk cloak.

The slam of his door felt very much like a slap to my face. I flinched.






Author Bio:
A linguist and an avid reader with a particular fondness for fantasy and paranormal genres, KASIA BACON lives in London with her husband. When not tearing her hair out over a translating project, she writes stories about the shenanigans of emotionally constipated assassins and sexy Elves. Otherwise, she can be found shaking her loins at a Zumba class, binging on anime or admiring throwing knives on Pinterest. A lover of MMA and Muay Thai, she also enjoys nature and the great outdoors. She dreams of becoming independently wealthy, leaving the city and moving into her wooden mini-manor—located in the heart of stunning forests resembling those of the Elven Country depicted in her tales.

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