It’s time for another wrap-up Wednesday post. I’ve been in a reading slump or maybe calling it a slump is wrong. I haven’t felt like reading. I haven’t had the peace of mind to sit down and focus on a story. These last few days it’s changed, though. I’ve sneaked in a little reading time here and there, and it’s the most unlikely book that has yanked me out of my slump 😄 

Out of Time by Clare London  

I started reading this because it was short. Yes, that’s where I’ve been this month. I’ve actively searched for short stories because I can’t face a longer book. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I hardly ever read blurbs, and for some reason, I thought this was a sci-fi story. It’s not. It’s a paranormal little tale about two vampires.  

Is immortality a dream or a curse?

Ambrus travels in space and time, a mature and confident vampire, not looking for any permanent companion.

Then in the bloody trenches of WWI, he meets Edward, a beautiful young soldier turned vampire against his will and fighting his fate with bitter anger and resentment. Ambrus is irresistibly drawn to him but Edward rejects him at first.

What then follows is an anguished and erotic courtship throughout the century, as Ambrus seeks to help Edward find his own way to peace as an immortal, and Edward learns what real love – and a real lover – is.

https://books2read.com/Out-Of-Time-London

The Two Princes – Gimlet Media 

After Out of Time, I listened to The Two Princes which is on Spotify. I saw someone share it on Facebook a while back, and I saved it on my Spotify thinking I’d get to it at some point. I did now. It’s a scripted fantasy action adventure podcast, pretty cool. 

When Prince Rupert sets out to break the mysterious curse that’s destroying his kingdom, he’s ready to face whatever dastardly villain or vile monster stands in his way. What he isn’t prepared for are the bewildering new emotions he feels when he meets the handsome Amir, a rival prince on a quest to save his own realm. Forced to team up, the two princes soon discover that the only thing more difficult than saving their kingdoms is following their hearts.

The Two Princes stars Noah Galvin (Booksmart, Dear Evan Hansen), Ari’el Stachel (The Band’s Visit), Christine Baranski (The Good Wife, The Good Fight), Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog), Matthew Rhys (The Americans), Samira Wiley (Orange Is the New Black, The Handmaid’s Tale). The Two Princes was written by Kevin Christopher Snipes and directed by Mimi O’Donnell.

https://gimletmedia.com/shows/the-two-princes/episodes

Cards on the Table by Josh Lanyon 

Since nothing held my attention, I thought, a mystery might be in order. I stumbled upon Cards on the Table by Josh Lanyon, it’s an old one, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before. I enjoyed it, but I was still not really feeling like reading. 

Fifty years ago a glamorous Hollywood party ended in murder — the only clue a bloody Tarot card. Timothy North is trying to find out what happened that long ago summer’s night, but when a Tarot card turns up pinned to his front door, the only person Tim can turn to for help is his ex-lover, Detective Jack Brady.

Originally published in the “Partners in Crime” anthology.

https://books2read.com/CardsontheTable

Forsaken Fae: Book One (Forsaken Fae 1) by R.A. Steffan  

I have no idea why or how, but I ended up looking at Forsaken Fae by R.A. Steffan. I haven’t read anything by her before and I do my best to avoid the fae. It was the first line of the blurb that hooked me. I read: There’s an unconscious Fae drooling on Len’s couch. That’s not even the weirdest thing to happen to him this week.  

I thought why not, I can give it a try, so I did. When I’d read a little bit and realised the MC was into bondage, I cursed myself for not reading the rest of the blurb. I seldom read BDSM stories, and when I do, it’s because I haven’t read the blurb LOL. Anyway, I read on, thinking a little bondage has never hurt anyone.  

I enjoyed this far more than I ever thought I would, and now I want myself a grumpy fae. I also think I need to have more necromancers in my stories LOL 

There’s an unconscious Fae drooling on Len’s couch.
That’s not even the weirdest thing to happen to him this week.

Len’s been told that not all Fae are scheming, manipulative pricks. A moot point, since this one definitely is—he knows that much from bitter experience.

So, when his vampire ex-coworker dumps Albigard of the Unseelie on Len’s doorstep, he gives her two hours to find a better hiding place for the Fae fugitive before tossing him straight to the curb with the rest of the garbage.

He should have known better, of course. Because if there’s one thing Len’s learned since being thrown into the deep end of the seedy paranormal underworld, it’s that nothing is ever so simple.

Now he’s on the run from a cataclysmic primal force trying to tear its way into the human realm, stuck with a charismatic bastard who already knows way too much about the inside of Len’s messed-up head. The first time he met Albigard, Len punched the Fae in his too-perfect face. This time, they’ll have to learn to work together—or risk having their souls torn apart and consigned to the void, with the rest of humanity facing the same fate soon after.

The Wild Hunt has slipped its chains.
Darkness is coming for the world.

https://books2read.com/ForsakenFae

Did you know that August is the month of family fun? I didn’t either, but I had a hard time coming up with a theme for this month’s #WhatToReadWednesday post, so I googled August holidays, and there it was!  

It’s also International Pirate Month, and I so wish I’d read a lot of pirate books so I could’ve recommended some to you, but I’ve read very few. At the top of my head: 

Blind Space by Marie Sexton 

I love this one, and you might claim it’s not a real pirate since they’re in space, but I disagree. It has pirates, blindfolds, and a little lingerie kink – what else do you need for a month like August? 

Captain Tristan Kelley enjoys the luxuries of Regency service, as well as the pleasure of his Prince’s bed. It’s an easy life, if not a happy one. When the Prince decides to take a trip through the perilous Blind Space, Tristan must go with him, but somebody in the Prince’s guard is a traitor.

Blind and held prisoner, Tristan finds himself at the mercy of Valero, a pirate who bears no love for the Regency. Valero is determined to seduce Tristan, and Tristan fears his resolve won’t last. His duty is clear, but so is his desire.

As the days tick by with no word or ransom from the Regency, Tristan begins to question what loyalty means to his Prince, the Regency he’s sworn to, and to the man who holds him captive. He begins to realize that being a prisoner may actually set him free.

https://books2read.com/BlindSpace

Treasure (Greynox to the Sea) by Kim Fielding  

This is great! It’s been many years since I read it, but Kit stole a treasure and is on the run from pirates, and there are dragons and other cool stuff. It’s adorable! (and free) 

Julian Massey has always been sickly. When the young man’s parents send him to the seaside town of Urchin Cove to recuperate, he finds himself stranded in a tiny cabin with only the quirky local inhabitants for company. Then a storm blows through, and he finds an unexpected discovery washed up on the beach: an unconscious man.

After stealing a treasure, Kit Archer is taken prisoner by a ruthless pirate, Captain Booth. When a storm hits the pirate ship, Kit is able to escape, but not without serious injuries. Jules nurses him back to health, and friendship grows into desire. But Captain Booth is bound to come in search of his treasure and the man who stole it.

In a world with dragons, sprites, and wizards, it’s going to take more than a little magic for Jules and Kit to find lasting happiness together.

Grab here!

The Red King by Rosemary O’Malley 

Awesome read! I often list this as one of my absolute favourite books in all categories. It’s dark and gruesome, but what would we not do for the red king?!  

A man abused and discarded is left to rebuild himself with naught but vengeance in his heart. A youth cruelly torn from all he knew and loved is cast adrift with no hope for the future. What will happen when Fate thrusts them together?

He is known as Ruaidhri and his extraordinary strengths and stamina are said to be born of the Devil. His ferocity is matched solely by his ruthlessness. For seven years, he has sailed his ship the Taibhse with one goal in mind: to avenge the years of torment he suffered at the hands of a depraved Danish lord. He has one final plan to succeed, but he searches yet for the implement.

His family destroyed by violence and his body enslaved to a brutal master, Andrew’s future promises only misery. He is saved from this desolate fate by a pirate captain with fiery hair and an ultimatum; help him achieve his revenge and go free, or be sent to a horrific, painful death. As Andrew struggles with the choice of slave or assassin, he finds that all is not as it seems aboard the corsair’s ship.

Pain is tempered by pleasure and loss consumed by love in the flames stoked by

…The Red King.

https://books2read.com/The-Red-King

But… I didn’t mean to talk pirate books since I haven’t read many. I thought I’d talk books with kids. It’s the Family Fun month after all. Thing is that when I started scrolling through my read books, I don’t have all that many books with children. I have four of my own, and the whole reason I started reading M/M in the first place was to escape kids and expected gender roles LOL 

I have some books with children that I really like, though. 

Dear Mona Lisa… by Claire Davis and Al Stewart  

In this case, Mona Lisa is all grown up, so it isn’t a family setting as such, but I love this book, and it’s family at the very core of it, so it gets to be included! 

Tom, shy office clerk by day and drawer of foxes by night wakes up one Monday knowing the most extraordinary week of his life is about to begin. In five days time a lifelong ‘secret’ will be made gloriously public—but will it mean losing the person he loves most?

Getting married…

It seems like only yesterday Tom changed nappies and sang nursery rhymes to a laughing baby. He relishes the demands of being a daddy; especially teaching his little girl to draw and paint as she grows up.
But the years tick by and times change. Long-buried secrets must come to the surface which may test even the strongest ties.

Tom and Lawrence…

He writes a list of all the things he has to do before the weekend and sticks it in the middle of his wall. The names and goals hang like threads of a spider’s web, inevitably leading to the centre, and all to the same place.

Dear Mona Lisa…

How to explain?
Each morning he notes the colours of dawn, listens to the birds and waits for the perfect moment. In one hand rests the balance of life and a terrible responsibility, in the other a wedding ring. Difficult days and the past loom, but his friends rally round and one by one the words come to life.
Everyone waits as Tom finds the strength to open up and set free the secrets of his heart in a celebration of family, friendship and love.
A quirky story of modern life, set within the breathtaking landscape of Bradford.

https://books2read.com/DearMonaLisa

Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan  

I know I’m mentioning this book a lot, but I like it, okay? LOL 

Love will grow through the cracks you leave open.

Ranch hand Roe Davis absolutely never mixes business with pleasure—until he runs into his boss, Travis Loving, at the only gay bar within two hundred miles.

Getting involved with the ranch owner is a bad idea, but Roe’s and Travis’s bedroom kinks line up against one another like a pair of custom-cut rails. As long as they’re both clear this is sex on the side, no relationship, no interfering with the job, they could make it work.

Shut out by his family years ago, Roe survived by steadfastly refusing to settle into so much as a post office box. As his affair with Travis grows into more than just sex, Roe’s past catches up with him, threatening the thin ray of happiness he’s found, reminding him it’s well past time he went on his way.

But even a loner gets lonely, and at this point, there’s nowhere left to run. The shame and sorrow of what he’s lost will stay with Roe wherever he goes—until he’s ready to let love lead him home.

https://books2read.com/NowhereRanch

Hainted by Jordan L. Hawk  

Another one I mention a lot, but if you’re up for some spooky fun, check this out! 

The Good Guy: Haint-working runs in Dan Miller’s blood. Not everyone can help the restless dead cross over, especially when the haunting threatens the Living. But the death of his parents six years ago forced Dan to give it up in exchange for raising his brother and sister, all the while struggling to keep their rural NC farm afloat.

So when the flamboyantly goth Leif Helsvin shows up on Dan’s doorstep looking for help with an evil necromancer named Runar, Dan’s first instinct is to turn him down. With two teenagers to look after, he’s already got all the trouble he can handle. Besides, the sexy Leif is too much of a temptation, and Dan is firmly in the closet.

The Bad Boy: Pierced, tattooed Leif never has sex with the same guy twice. It keeps things simple, especially since his oath to stop Runar has him constantly drifting from one town to the next.

But this time, it looks like Leif is going to need help, in the form of the very down-to-earth Dan. Since Nice Guys are off the menu, Leif just has to keep his hands to himself for as long as it will take to stop Runar’s latest scheme. But as Leif finds himself drawn deeper into Dan’s life, he quickly realizes he’s not just in danger of breaking the rules, but breaking his heart as well.

https://books2read.com/Hainted

The Coil by L.A. Gilbert 

As a rule, I don’t read books with rent boys. The way prostitution is romanticised in romance novels turns my stomach (but to each their own) but for this, I’m willing to make an exception. 

Sandwich-maker Mattie Green has one goal: escape San Diego, move to New York, and attend art school. But to make this a reality, he needs to get his GED—not easy, since he can’t read or write. Until he can, he’s stuck working at the diner and selling himself on the side.

Mattie’s legitimate job isn’t without perks. Every day the quiet, sophisticated Simon Castle comes by to work on his latest book. Mattie wants more than to pour Simon’s coffee and make his lunch, but he’s sure Simon is out of his league—until suddenly he’s not.

Simon Castle’s life is complicated, built around his career and a son who requires a lot of time and attention. It’s not a life well-suited to the inclusion of even a part-time prostitute, so he resolves to keep his relationship with Mattie casual. However, the longer he knows Mattie, the deeper his feelings become. The idea of him with another man tortures Simon, but he can’t ask Mattie to be his alone and jeopardize Mattie’s hopes for New York—no matter how much he wants Mattie to stay.

https://books2read.com/TheCoil

Family Unit by Z.A. Maxfield 

Aw… It’s been many years since I read this, but I loved it when I read it. It’s about a man who is raising his grandson and who happens to fall in love with a retired marine. 

Once, Richard chose family obligation over romance. When new love comes knocking, will he have the courage to answer?

Richard is an artist. A liberal pacifist who is pathologically afraid of guns. Retired marine Logan is methodical and conservative. Yet the minute Logan sets eyes on Richard, his heart turns over like an old car engine and it isn’t long before his motor is revved and Richard is in the driver’s seat–even if it seems like each man is driving a different car.

Richard Hunter gave up on love to parent his grandson. The kid–Nick–has had it rough. Richard vows nothing will stop him from creating a loving and stable home. Not even a tempting, red-hot relationship with a very attractive man. However, when Richard looks into Logan’s blue eyes it’s tough to stay focused.

It’s never easy to become a family, what with a temperamental eight-year-old, disapproving outsiders, and outright extortion attempts. But when push comes to shove, both Logan and Richard are committed family men who want to make a loving home for a little boy who needs them. Together, they’re planning to form a Family Unit, and they won’t let anything stand in their way.

https://books2read.com/FamilyUnit

Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek by R. Cooper  

Every time I see this cover, I’m going aww. I love this, but I wish it had been a little more, a little longer, a little…  

Former soldier Octavio “Tavio” Reyes works as a barista, a favorite with the customers—especially Tommy O’Shaughnessy. An avowed geek, Tommy comes in daily to flirt, usually under the guise of Trekkie talk. Tavio hesitates; now that he’s out of the army, he’s not sure how out he should be, or whether to take his chances on a geek devoted to sci-fi and comic books. But when Tommy compares him to an unemotional Vulcan, Tavio finally considers dating an out-and-proud nerd. Then Tommy surprises him again and introduces him to his daughter, whom Tommy loves even more than Star Trek or Tavio. Now Tavio has a whole new decision to make: Is he ready to romance a family man?

https://books2read.com/MediumSweet

One Small Thing (One Thing 1) by Piper Vaughn and M.J. O’Shea  

I think I’ll end this list with a cute newborn baby 🙂 

Daddy just took on a whole new meaning…

Rue Murray likes guys — hot guys, younger guys, older guys, all sorts.

So why did he have a one night stand with a lady? He’s kind of impulsive. Just ask his best friend, Dusty. His impulsivity can get him into trouble — trouble like an oopsie baby on the way that Rue is about zero percent ready for.

Rue is overwhelmed, but he won’t give Alice up. What he needs is a nanny, and he’s running out of options. He’s on the verge of a breakdown when he remembers his reclusive neighbor, Erik. Erik is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and he likes babies even less. But cash is cash and with his royalties circling the drain… he needs it.

He’s Rue’s saving grace.

Rue and Erik are as different as two people can be, and Alice is the unlikeliest of babies, but sometimes about a million wrongs can mix together to make something that feels very, very right.

https://books2read.com/One-Small-Thing