Blog Tour-Review: WICKED NEED by Sawyer Bennett (Wicked Horse #3)

Wicked Need

(The Wicked Horse Series Book #3)

Sawyer Bennett

Release Date: April 19, 2016

Synopsis

Rand Bishop’s dreams of Olympic gold were shattered years ago but he’s left that all behind, settling into a new career and lifestyle that would make any man jealous. While he may not be competitively racing down the ski slopes anymore, he’s just as happy getting his rocks off as a Fantasy Maker for The Silo.

He’s good at what he does.
Damn good.

But while life couldn’t be better for Rand, it seems to be falling apart for Catherine Lyons Vaughn, the dark haired, brown-eyed beauty that has captivated an entire sex club.

Having spent years degrading herself on her husband’s whim and now left destitute after his death, Catherine has hit rock bottom. With nothing but her body to peddle, Catherine is merely trying to figure out how to survive in a harsh, cruel world. Lucky for her, Rand has taken her under his tattooed wing, and he’s determined to give her a safe life where she can be the woman she was always meant to be.

Now all Catherine has to do is believe she deserves the chance.

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Carra's Review

One thing's for sure-you can always count on this series to leave you hot and bothered while also giving you a story that packs a creative punch.

Catherine, or Cat as she prefers to go by, was trapped in a pretty bad arrangement with her husband, and when he dies things go from disturbing to pitiful.  I have to admit, I wasn't too enamored with Cat's character.  While yes, her situation before getting married wasn't good, it was better than what it was after the marriage.  Money and material possessions are not worth what she went through, and I just can't agree with the choices she made...and there is always a choice.  Rand is the kind of guy who wants to help people, he's protective and caring...along with being so far past hot and sexy it should be a crime.  His protective nature comes roaring to the forefront when he learns of Cat's predicament.

The story moves along smoothly and quickly, but without it feeling rushed.  The writing is excellent as I've come to expect from this author, and the story was engaging.  Don't even get me started on the scene with Rand, Logan and Cat (to be totally honest I'd have been fine with Rand and Logan ending up together instead, the chemistry between the two of them actually sizzled even more than that between Rand and Cat).

I liked how the other main characters from the first two books of the series rally around Cat and are so supportive of both her and Rand--they clearly treat each other like family, and I really enjoyed seeing them in this story.  Especially Bridger.  Oh, how we all want Bridger and are clamoring for his story, right?

Because of the hard time I had with Cat's character's choices, I had a difficult time deciding on my star rating for this story. My final rating is 3.5 stars, with most of that rating coming from Rand's character, Bridger, Callie, and Sloan...well, basically everyone outside of Cat.  And Rand and Logan?  Yeah, that definitely contributed positively to the rating.  Recommended for 18+ only due to adult language and explicit sexual content-M/F, M/M and M/M/F.

About the Author

Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.

A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

Sawyer likes her Bloody Mary’s strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.

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Pre-Order & Giveaway: PERSONAL ENTANGLEMENT by Silvia Violet (Thorne and Dash #2)

Title: Personal Entanglement

Series: Thorne and Dash, Book 2

Author: Silvia Violet

Genre:  M/M Contemporary Romance

Release Date:  April 30, 2016

Several months ago Thorne hired Riley as an escort. They fell hard for each other and ultimately made their relationship personal rather than professional. Every moment they spend in bed is pure bliss, but good sex can’t solve all their problems as they struggle to make things work between them. Thorne convinces Riley to move in with him, but their differences in age and income weigh more heavily on Riley once they share a home.

If that weren’t enough, culinary school is turning out to be a disappointment for Riley rather than a dream come true, and he’s considering the daunting prospect of starting his own business. Thorne wants to swoop in and fix everything, but Riley keeps refusing Thorne’s money or advice, feeling like he’s losing control over his own life.

Thorne and Riley will have to rely on their love for each other to help them find the balance between independence and entanglement.

Silvia Violet writes fun, sexy stories that will leave you smiling and satisfied. She has a thing for characters who are in need of comfort and enjoys helping them surrender to love even when they doubt it exists. Silvia's stories include sizzling contemporaries, paranormals, and historicals. When she needs a break from listening to the voices in her head, she spends time baking, taking long walks, and curling up with her favorite books. Read excerpts from Silvia’s stories at http://silviaviolet.com and keep up with her latest ventures by signing up for her newsletter: http://silviaviolet.com/newsletter.

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Book Review & Excerpt: IMPERFECT HARMONY by Jay Northcote

Title: Imperfect Harmony

Author: Jay Northcote

Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance Standalone

Published: April 15, 2016
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Imperfect harmony can still be beautiful…

John Fletcher, a former musician, is stuck in limbo after losing his long-term partner two years ago. He’s shut himself off from everything that reminds him of what he’s lost. When his neighbour persuades him to join the local community choir, John rediscovers his love of music and finds a reason to start living again.

Rhys Callington, the talented and charismatic choir leader, captures John’s attention from the first moment they meet. He appears to be the polar opposite of John: young, vibrant, and full of life. But Rhys has darkness in his own past that is holding him back from following his dreams.

Despite the nineteen-year age gap, the two men grow close and a fragile relationship blossoms. Ghosts of the past and insecurities about the future threaten their newfound happiness. If they’re going to harmonise in life and love as they do in their music, they’ll need to start following the same score.

"Imperfect Harmony is a delightful story about grieving, healing, and second chances. HIGHLY RECOMMEND." -Gay Book Reviews 

"I loved Imperfect Harmony, from the first page, to the ever so sweet last page of the epilogue. I believe in second chances." -My Fiction Nook

"A touching tale about second chances and being brave enough to embrace them. And through it all flows a love of music and songs so vivid it made my heart sing." -The Way She Reads

Luckily there were still some parking spaces outside the church hall where Maggie’s choir met. John made sure they arrived a little early so Maggie wouldn’t have to walk too far. She was managing well on one crutch, but she still tired easily. After he parked, he got out and hurried around to help her out of the passenger door.

“Thanks, love,” she said, patting him on the arm. “I can manage now.”

A vicious gust of wind whipped a strand of hair into her face. It was dark, still sleeting, and probably slippery underfoot. There was no way John was going to leave until she was safely indoors. “I’ll just see you inside. Let me take your bag.”

Maggie let him have it without argument, and he popped it over his arm. He hovered close to Maggie as she made her way slowly to the double doors. He held one open for her and was hit by a blast of warm air. Then he accompanied her inside as she crutched along the corridor towards an open door. Yellow light flooded out, and the sound of a tenor voice singing “I Can See Clearly Now” raised the hairs on the back of John’s neck with its pure, clear beauty.

“I thought you said the emphasis was on fun rather than perfection?” he said quietly. “He’s got quite a voice.”

“That’ll be Rhys, our choir leader,” Maggie said with a smile. “Come and meet him, even if you’re not staying.”

Maggie paused when she reached the doorway and put a finger to her lips. They listened and waited for Rhys to finish singing. John peered over Maggie’s shoulder, hoping for a glimpse of the man the voice belonged to. Rhys, John presumed, was alone in the room. With his back to the door, he stood at a table pushed to the edge of the room, shuffling through some papers as he sang. All John could see of him was that he was small and slight, and quite young, based on the cut of his clothes. A hood covered his hair.
When he finished, Maggie started clapping.

Rhys wheeled around. “Oh my God! You made me jump.” He pushed his hood down and his face lit up as he beamed. “Maggie. How are you?”

John’s eyes widened as he took in Rhys’s front view as he approached Maggie and gave her a careful hug. His hair, which was shaved at the back and sides, was long on top and dyed peacock blue. His eyebrow was pierced, his arms were covered with tattoos, and the front of his T-shirt was emblazoned with a glittery equals sign in rainbow colours. All in all, he was at least twenty years younger than John had expected and completely unlike how John would have imagined a choir leader to look. In this dingy church hall in their small market town, Rhys looked like a bird of paradise that had accidentally ended up in a cage full of sparrows.

Now, normally I'm not one who seeks out romances with a big age gap between the main characters, but when it is done well-like it is here in Imperfect Harmony-I find they can be really enjoyable.  What really make the story here for me is two main characters who both went through the loss of their partners who help each other heal while discovering love again.

Both Rhys and John bring a lot of emotion to the table, and that's what really drew me in when I started reading this story.  And once I started, I really did not want to put the book down.  John gives us experience and maturity, but also reluctance to open himself up again.  Rhys brings us raw pain, but also brings a lot of hope and optimism, which is especially evident once he realizes the feelings he is having for John.

The way the author uses both Rhys and John's love of music to bring them together is rather lovely, largely due to the powerful effect music has on both of them.  Once the two of them come together, the chemistry between them is obvious and results in some pretty steamy encounters.

Imperfect Harmony is a story I see myself reading again and again, and it was a very solid 4-star read for me.  I'd highly recommend it to all M/M romance fans 18+ (for M/M sexual content).  As for me, I'll be starting on the author's backlist now, as I'm shocked that I haven't read anything by Jay Northcote previously (shame on me!).  I see a lot of enjoyable reading in my future!

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats. 

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

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