Friday Reads – Shelter from the Storm

I’m continuing my Friday Reads…do I dare call it a series? Two posts almost make it a series, does it not? So, tell me what are you reading? Are you gearing up for Halloween with horror reads? Or are you curled up in an easy chair with a cup of tea reading a steamy romance? Or a cosy mystery?

It’s been a week of short reads for me, a long book seems too much of an effort at the moment, and isn’t that just sad. I’ve read about Sci-Fi flower sex, vines and all! I’ve read a little flash fiction, and a little horror, and I’ve just now started Shelter from the Strom by Mia West.

It’s a short one, I picked it mostly because of that but also because of the promised crossdressing—and there is crossdressing. I like the story so far, it’s formed as a letter, and though I don’t predict any surprises it seems like a sweet little tale.

I haven’t read anything by Mia West before, and I haven’t found this story anywhere other than on Goodreads. You’ll need to be a member of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group to read it, but if you are you’ll find it here.

Now, tell me, what are you reading?


Book Cover Selter from the StormDear Author,
I’ve never thought much about taking a wife. Eligible women are scarce here. When Ma died, it took all of our energy to keep the farm going. Pa died last year and I have help in the field but it’s not enough. A year of living alone has made me long for the sound of a voice besides my own and a warm body to help stave off the night chill. So I finally put in an ad for a mail order bride. And she’s on the next train. She seems perfect. She can cook, clean, tend a garden, and read and write. Maybe too good to be true. But I’m desperate and can’t help but hope.

Friday Reads – Aniki’s Garden

I’ve been a terrible reader lately so I thought I should start a Friday Reads thing—not very original, I know, but still.

I’m reading Aniki’s Garden by Claire Cray, or I’ve just finished it. It’s a short M/M read, tentacle erotica. I downloaded it when it came out and didn’t remember what it was about, imagine my surprise! I liked it though, and I would’ve loved to read more about these characters. This story has, apart from tentacles, a proper Japanese art historian, a yakuza cousin in a fancy suit, and a lovely garden perfect for some bondage games.

Just writing yakuza makes me think of Yakuza Pride by H.J. Brues. If you’re looking for a longer read about the yakuza, I’m recommending that one.

I haven’t read anything by Claire Cray before, but I liked her style so I’ll definitely have a look at her other books.

If you’re a member of Goodreads M/M Romance Group you can download a free copy of Aniki’s Garden here. I haven’t found it on any other retailers I’m afraid, but if you want to read it join the group, it’s free and it’s easy, and it gives you access to a whole lot of free M/M stories. Actually, I don’t think you have to be a member, I just gave you the link and I think that’s all you need…I think.


25729804Dear Author,
What intrigues me the most about this picture is the bondage. Is he a willing or unwilling victim? Just what did he do to wind up in this position? Did he upset his Dom, or did he just step on the wrong person’s toes?

 

Summer Bigger Than Others

It’s release day!!! Again. After this it’ll be quiet for a while, but for now—release day, yay! I haven’t talked much about Dazzle Me, my contribution to the Summer Bigger Than Others anthology, but it’s a story I really enjoyed writing. It’s short and light-hearted. Tom, a grumpy mechanic, who wants to surprise his boyfriend with the best anniversary ever. Things do not turn out the way Tom had planned, and he had spent months planning. Instead he finds himself on a plane to Bangkok and Tom hates flying…among other things.

¤¤¤

“You’ll never guess what happened today!” Santino was bouncing on the balls of his feet, gesturing wildly. God, he looked young when he was fluttering about like that. Right in the middle of his sentence he decided it was time to come inside. I managed to dodge his waving hands as he squeezed his way into my flat, completely unaware of the hazard his flailing was causing.

“Er…”

“Mr. Angello—” he went up on tiptoe and gave me a quick peck “—asked me to come to a meeting today.”

Mr. Angello? Half of Santino’s family worked at the same firm, so it was a bit hard to know which Mr. Angello he was talking about, but given his excitement… “Enrico?”

“Yes, Enrico.” He added some impatient flapping to make his point.

“Then why didn’t you just say—”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Tommy-boy!” My skin prickled as I pursed my lips. Tommy-boy. What grown man would ever accept being called Tommy-boy? “Enrico, my uncle—Mr. Angello—asked me to join them in the big-boy meeting room today. And guess what? You’ll never guess.” He sucked in a breath of air—apparently he did run out of oxygen every now and then. “We’re going to Thailand!”

“No.” We were not going to Thailand. I would not be going to Thailand, not now, not ever. It was out of the question.

“Please…” He flashed his hazel eyes at me, almost compelling me to give in on the spot, but no.

“No. I don’t want to go to Thailand, I’ve never wanted to go to Thailand, and I don’t think I’ll ever want to go to Thailand.”

“Why do you always have to be so grumpy?”

¤¤¤

books2read.com/DazzleMe *


books2read.com/SummerBigger *

Beaten Track authors present fourteen short summer reads filled with friendship, romance and, of course, enough heat to make your ice lolly dribble.

Summer Bigger Than Others takes you away to your own private island of diverse stories that will make your summer days sweet, sizzling and sexy.

From relaxing on a sandy beach or hiking in the great outdoors, to nights at the opera or days at the strawberry farm, an adrenaline-shooting roller coaster rush awaits.

Make this summer the best it’s ever been; make it bigger than all the others.

THE STORIES:

Aligning North – K.C. Faelan
Aloha? Oy! – Jonathan Penn
Anything or Nothing – Terry Kerr
Dazzle Me – Ofelia Gränd
Fang and Fortune – L.L. Bucknor
Finally – Amelia Mann
Home is Where the Hard is – Caraway Carter
Offline – L.M. Steel
Ribbons and Frills – Claire Davis and Al Stewart
Roller Coaster – J P Walker
The Strawberry Farm – Victoria Milne
Ultimate Summer – Alexis Woods
Waking Up in Vegas – Hunter Frost
Will…You Have Me(?) – Shayla Mist


* By clicking the Books2Read link you’ll be taken to an external page. Links to Smashwords, Kobo U.S and Amazon contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.