Monday, July 31, 2017

New Release-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: ONE PLUS ONE by P.A. Friday


One Plus One
Series: Maths, Book Two
Author: P.A. Friday
Publisher:  NineStar Press
Release Date: 7/31/17
Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 40400
Genre: Contemporary, gay, bi, age gap, friends to lovers, grief, slow burn

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Synopsis

James Cape has been in love with his mother’s best friend Laurie since James was sixteen and Laurie an inaccessible twenty-six. When he’s turned down flat by the older man just after his nineteenth birthday, James’s best friend Al encourages him to forget Laurie and find someone else. And James tries, he really does. But can he cope with his feelings for Laurie, his best friend’s home-life problems, and the deteriorating health of his father, all at the same time? And will Laurie ever notice the young man who’s right in front of him?

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Excerpt

One Plus One
P.A. Friday © 2017
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One

James Cape was fourteen years old when he realised he was gay, fifteen when he came out to his best friend, and sixteen when he realised how he’d recognised he was gay in the first place. He’d thought he’d ‘just known’ until his mother’s friend Laurie came over one day with his new boyfriend, Kieran—the first boyfriend he’d ever bothered bringing round—and James had felt his heart explode with jealousy and rage. Kieran couldn’t have Laurie. Laurie belonged with him.

The longed-for relationship wasn’t—quite—as inappropriate as it might have sounded. Laurie was his mother’s friend, yes, but he wasn’t his mother’s age. Gillie, James’s mum, was thirty-nine; Laurie, twenty-six. They’d met online when James was about nine and had made friends over the next year, despite the age gap. When Gillie had discovered that Laurie was a student at the university she herself taught at, she’d invited him over, and he’d become a regular visitor. To start with, James hadn’t been much interested—the gap between ten years old and twenty was a big one, and James had been more interested in playing with Al, his best friend both then and now. Between them, the pair had teased and hassled and joked around with Laurie, treating him as something between a friend and an older brother; but as the years had passed, James’s feelings towards Laurie had changed. He just hadn’t realised quite how much they had changed until Laurie turned up with Kieran by his side.

It wasn’t as if Laurie had never had boyfriends in the past. He had. But he’d never brought them over to James’s house before, and that made all the difference. When Laurie had been at James’s house, he hadn’t belonged to anyone else. He’d been theirs. With Kieran there, the dynamic was different—spoilt. Al, also over for the weekend—as usual—cocked a knowing eyebrow at James’s moodiness and dragged him out for a long walk.

“You don’t like the boyfriend,” Al said when they were in the woods and miles from anywhere. Trust Al to get straight to the point.

James shrugged. “Bit of a wanker, that’s all. Laurie could do better.”

“Mm.” Al didn’t sound convinced. “D’you remember telling me that you weren’t interested in Laura Fielding because Mary MacDonald had bigger tits?”

“What?” James looked at his best mate in bewilderment. “That was nearly two years ago. Why are you bringing that up again?”

“You weren’t interested in Laura Fielding because she was a girl, and you weren’t interested in girls,” Al said bluntly. “By the way, I’m still pissed off it took you nearly a year to tell me you were gay. You can’t have thought I’d give a toss.”

“You’re still the only person who knows,” James pointed out.

James and Al’s school was not the sort of place where it was safe to be ‘out’. James had no intention of telling anyone else about his sexuality until he’d left. Telling Al was different—Al was Al. And he was quite right; James knew he could tell Al anything and Al wouldn’t care. You could say what you liked about Al—and most people did—but he was intensely loyal. To James, at any rate. When it came to relationships, it was a different matter. Unlike James, Al liked girls and had a steady stream of girlfriends, but none of them lasted longer than a month before he got itchy. Usually it was considerably shorter.

“They get so clingy,” Al had complained. “They want stuff.”

“That’s called dating,” James had told him unsympathetically.

He was amazed anyone still agreed to go out with Al, but there was something about his best friend. He had a strange sort of manic charm, and his very unpredictability seemed to draw people in. However, that was a different matter. Why Al had gone back to harping about old news, James couldn’t imagine.

“Thing is,” Al said, scuffing the last of the autumn leaves with his shoe—the woods didn’t seem to have cottoned on to the fact that it was March, “it didn’t have anything to do with Mary MacDonald.”

“Al, you’ve lost me.”

Al—so very like James to look at in some ways: dark-haired, regular features, similar body shape, albeit several inches shorter—looked seriously at his friend.

“It’s not Kieran you don’t like,” he said. “It’s Laurie having a boyfriend.”

“He’s had boyfriends before,” James said defensively.

“Ah. Hasn’t brought them home, though, has he? Different thing altogether.”

James shrugged petulantly. “I just think Kieran’s an idiot, that’s all.”

Al knew when to stop—usually. “Whatever you say, mate. Just…don’t piss Laurie off by being too rude to his guy, you know? Probably a bad plan.”

Which, as James admitted and worked by, was a sensible idea. But when Laurie turned up a fortnight later alone, James couldn’t help his heart lifting.

“No Kieran?” he asked, hoping Laurie would say that they’d broken up.

Laurie gave him a lazy smile. “No, not this time. I wanted you lot to myself. Any objections?”

“Nope.”

The weather was nice, and they were all sitting out in the garden, drinking beer. James and Al—who spent considerably more weekends at James’s house than at his own, to the point that Gillie and Terry, James’s dad, had assigned the spare bedroom as belonging to him—had been told that one was their limit, to Al’s laughing protest. James had his guitar out and was strumming it from time to time. He had a passion for music and already knew that he wanted to study it at university; it was just a case of getting through GCSEs (now only a few months away) and A levels first. Al was more interested in drama and films, which gave him something in common with Laurie, who was currently working on a PhD in Film Studies, focusing on bringing books to life as films, with particular emphasis on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The trilogy was special in another way—Gillie and Laurie had met via an online discussion board about the films and had found they got on well, moving from there to talking about everything under the sun. “And some things not under it,” Gillie usually added at this point, as science fiction and astrophysics had also been discussed. James joked that his mum was a science geek on the quiet.

“Just surprised you could bear to be parted from him,” Al added cheekily.

Laurie took a gulp of beer and shook his head sadly at Al. “We’re twenty-six, not sixteen, Al. We can manage to be parted for an entire afternoon without dying of angst. You might be like that, but we’re not.”

James snorted. “Al? Seriously? God knows why he has girlfriends because he seems to spend all his time hiding from them once he’s dating them.”

“An interesting approach.”

“I like snogging them and suchlike,” Al said cheerfully. “It’s just the rest of it which is a bother. Is it like that with you, Laurie, then? You’ve only got your bloke for the snogging? And the suchlike,” he added thoughtfully.

James tried not to blush at the thought of Laurie doing ‘the suchlike’ with Kieran. It seemed Laurie was having a similar problem as he choked back a laugh.

“I can’t say I object to that side of things, but no, there’s a little more to it than that, thanks.”

“Al, are you teasing Laurie again?” Gillie called from where she was chatting animatedly with James’s dad. Terry was having a good day today; the wheelchair was at the side of the garden, and he was managing to potter round to check on his vegetables with just the aid of a stick. James was pleased—his dad had had too few good days recently. Multiple Sclerosis was a bugger. “I’ll have to get you a muzzle.”

“Just showing a friendly interest,” Al said, blinking would-be innocent green eyes at his friend’s mother, who unfortunately for him knew quite how much to trust that particular look.

“That’s what they’re calling it nowadays, is it?” Laurie riposted, and James and Gillie both laughed. Laurie smiled at James. “So, what are you up to, James? Apart from studying for GCSEs, that is.”

James rolled his eyes dramatically, though he was secretly pleased that Laurie cared enough to ask. “Nothing, really. Study, study, study.”

“Liar,” Al said mildly. “You spend all your time with that guitar. I reckon I’m losing my place as your best mate to that thing.” He looked across at Laurie. “I think he goes to bed with it, you know. A love affair like no other.”

“Oh, shut it, you,” James said, taking one hand off the precious guitar to give his friend a shove. “Anyway, I’m working on my composition, so it’s not like it’s not work.”

“The best sort of work is work you actually enjoy,” Laurie commented. “Al’s clearly just jealous. But you’re still loving the guitar as much as ever then.”

“God, yeah,” James said fervently. “It’s like… I dunno. It feels right, somehow—do you know what I mean? When I’m playing, it’s like my fingers know what they should be doing. Bit like Dad and the garden, I guess. He just seems to know what to plant where and what to do to make things grow, and I’m hopeless. But my teacher shows me things on the guitar, and it makes sense.” He flushed, embarrassed. Trying to explain how he felt about his instrument made him self-conscious. Al hadn’t laughed at him, as he’d feared, when he’d said a bit about it to him—but then Al was his best mate. Laurie was…well, something different. And if Laurie laughed or teased, James didn’t think he’d cope.

“That’s brilliant,” Laurie said, though, his expression genuinely delighted. “It sounds like you’ve found what’s right for you, and there’s nothing like that feeling. Trust me, I know.”

Al ruffled James’s hair. “See, it turns out you’re not a weirdo. You’re talented. Bastard,” he added, laughing.

James was grateful for Al’s interjection. It stopped the conversation getting too heavy. Talking with Laurie like this, after realising just how he felt about him…it was almost too much, in some ways.

“I wish,” he said instead. “Just obsessed.”

“Obsession got me a long way,” Laurie assured him, looking around the garden with an expression of affection on his face. “My obsession with Lord of the Rings, for example, found me my best friend—and her family,” he added, smiling at James, “and now my PhD. Don’t knock obsession.”

“I’ll bear it in mind,” James said, smiling back. “Speaking of which, how’s the thesis going?”

Laurie sighed. “Well, it’s going. I just had my last chapter ripped to shreds by my supervisor, but that’s pretty much always the way. Apparently, this time, I’ve put in too many examples. Last chapter, it wasn’t enough.”

“Still searching for the pleased psychic?” James teased.

It was a long-time joke between them: at twelve, hearing the phrase “happy medium” for the first time, James had been merely bewildered, his mind quite seriously running on the idea of the paranormal. Laurie had patiently explained and had the courtesy not even to crack a smile as he did so, though they’d all laughed about it since—and the alternative term had become a standing gag.

Laurie laughed. “Apparently so. The annoying thing is my supervisor is always right. I went away and looked back through what I’d written, and every third line was an example. But still. On the plus side, I’ve had an article accepted by a journal this week.”

“Really?” Gillie, who had wandered back to the table whilst James and Laurie chatted, settled herself comfortably in a chair and leaned across. “Which one? That’s fabulous!”

Gillie was an academic herself, lecturing in English Literature, with a special interest in fantasy and science fiction, hence the shared love of the Lord of the Rings in both book and film version. The conversation got a bit technical for a while; James tuned out as phrases such as ‘peer reviewed’ and ‘on the e-library catalogue’ got thrown about. He concentrated instead on his guitar. He was writing a piece for his GCSE composition, and there were a few bars he wasn’t happy about.

Once he settled down to music, he was lost to the world and barely noticed as Al wandered off, only registering when Al shouted, “Oh, hey, there’s a bird stuck in the netting here.”

“What?” demanded Terry, fired to interest as James put down his guitar to look over towards where Al was standing. “Are they after my brassicas again? I knew I was right to put those nets up.”

“Its wing’s all caught up, poor thing,” Al said, trying to get closer to it and making the bird flap more wildly.

“Serve it right,” said Terry firmly. Easy-going about most things, James’s dad was undeniably overprotective when it came to his vegetables.

Laurie got to his feet and cast a laughing glance at Terry. “Probably so, but we can’t just leave it there. Here, Al, move back a bit. I’ll have a go.”

“You?” Al looked at him doubtfully. “Aren’t you a bit…big?”

Laurie stood a couple of inches over six feet and was broad-shouldered with it. Compared to Al, who was a skinny five foot six and impatiently hoping for a growth spurt which showed no sign of coming, he was definitely sizeable. And, James thought wistfully, bloody gorgeous, with his muscular physique and lazy, lopsided smile.

“Oh ye of little faith,” Laurie said genially.

James watched as Laurie went carefully and quietly over to the bird, murmuring to it in an undertone. It still flapped and tried to escape, but not as manically as it had done for Al. Laurie caught it up in big gentle hands, stilling its movements with ease with one hand as he untangled the netting with the other one. It was less than a minute until he had freed the bird, which looked dazed and scurried into the undergrowth, leaving a couple of fawn-coloured feathers behind it.

“Collared dove,” Terry said. “They’re the worst. Still, I suppose you’re right. Couldn’t have left the little bugger there. Thanks, Laurie.”

Gillie went over and gave Laurie a kiss. “My hero,” she said. “Well done.”

Laurie turned to Al. “Too big?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Al threw his arms up in a dramatic display of defeat. “I admit it. I was wrong. Apparently not too big at all. Having enormous hands is a great thing for rescuing small fragile creatures. Who’d have thought?”

Only James said nothing. He hated the way it had made him feel, watching Laurie concentrate so carefully on the bird. All fluttery inside, like a girl or something. Wondering what it might feel like if Laurie put those hands against him. He blinked and looked away, back at his guitar, back at anything else, and the moment passed. It didn’t help him get over his crush on Laurie, though—anything but.

Still, in retrospect, that had been the best afternoon of the entire year when it came to Laurie. Most of the other occasions on which he visited, he did indeed bring Kieran. James reluctantly had to admit to himself that there was nothing intrinsically wrong with the other man except the sin that he was Laurie’s boyfriend, and James was insanely jealous.

Carra's Review

One Plus One takes the brother’s best friend trope to somewhere different…like, to mother’s best friend instead.  And no, that’s not as odd as it might sound.  Yes, there’s an age gap, but it’s only ten years and James’ mother was young when she had him so don’t let the age differences throw you off.  What you will find though is a lot of frustration and pining, enough to fill at least three-quarters of the book…so if you’re a fan of extremely slow burn, unresolved sexual and other tension, then this book will be just what you’re looking for.

To fall for someone and just KNOW they’re the one, but then never have that feeling returned…and then get turned down not just once, but twice at different times of your life by that same someone…poor James, I just felt so bad for him.  He’s a sweet guy, not one for a one-night stand and just cannot change how he feels no matter who he tries to date or how much time passes.  Laurie just does not show any interest at all, seeming to only see James like a little brother.

I LOVED James’ best friend Al.  He’s supportive of James, and not just in a “I’m here for you” way.  While fulfilling a physical need for them both, Al is a shoulder to lean on for James throughout James’ pursuit of Laurie.

I’ll admit, the length of time that James’ unrequited love for Laurie goes on was a bit frustrating to me as a reader.  I was half expecting that everything for them would never come to pass, and that there might be a surprise instead with Al.  But that did keep me on my toes, particularly near the end of the story.

This is the second book of the series, and could easily be read as a standalone…though after reading the blurb for the first book, I’m definitely going back to read that one since Al is involved.  As for One Plus One, this story is getting 4 stars from me…and I’d recommend it fans of M/M romance who like the so-and-so’s best friend and best friends with benefits themes.  This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content (very HOT content indeed!).  

Meet the Author

P.A. Friday fails dismally to write one sort of thing and, when not writing erotica and erotic romance of all sexualities, may be found writing articles on the Regency period, pagan poetry, or science fiction. She loves wine and red peppers, and loathes coffee and mushrooms.

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New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: A DEMON SCHEME by Lauren Marie


A DEMON SCHEME
The Haller Lake series, book 1

by Lauren Marie

Pre-Order & Excerpt: HOLD 'EM by Jacquie Biggar


HOLD 'EM

A GAMBLING HEARTS NOVEL
by Jacquie Biggar

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: SAY YES by J.R. Gray


Say Yes 
by J.R. Gray

Publisher: Self
Release Date (Ebook & Print): July 24, 2017
Length (word count): 35K words, 126 pages
Subgenre: Contemporary M/M BDSM

Note: Say Yes was originally published in an alternative form by Omni Lit Publishing on December 1, 2015.


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Blurb

James failed. 
He tried to be what they wanted. 
He tried to deny it. 
He tried to be a good Catholic boy…but it’s become too much. 
He craves pain, submission. 
He’s denied himself far too long, and it’s eating him alive.

Charles thrives off the exchange of power. He knows the world revolves around control. It’s given and taken like currency, in business and in pleasure. He won’t get attached, though, or so he tells himself, until James turns his world upside down. He’s defiant and snarky, but Charles can taste the submission on him.

Charles holds the key to his salvation but James has to Say Yes.

What are other authors saying about Say Yes? 

Author Kerry Heavens says: “Yes - to the delicious slow burn which goes head to head with an intense urgency. Yes - to James' soft vulnerability that meets its match in Charles' steely determination. Yes - to the forbidden vs the shameless. Yes - to more...I'm saying YES!”


Excerpt

He took another few breaths then walked back toward the changing rooms. “Let me know if there is anything else you need.” James was proud of how even his voice sounded. He would get Charles out of here and then go home to gay porn and cold showers. He had three more years at least, and he had to find a few ounces of self-control to make it through. 
“I could use some help.” 
“Sure.” James put a smile on his face and came around the corner again to find Charles leaning back against the mirrors with the dress shirt he wore unbuttoned, showing off his cut chest. James followed it down to where Charles gripped himself through his slacks. 
“Want to help?”
James swallowed hard. 



Carra's Review

I love a story where the push and pull between the main characters is center stage, and Say Yes was exactly right for this.  James and Charles played so well off of each other, and I thought their interactions were a bit fun and a bit naughty; they captured my attention from their first meeting and didn’t let go.  James was a bit bratty without overdoing it, and Charles handles him perfectly…they truly complemented each other.

Interwoven with the naughty is the conflict James feels thanks to his upbringing—an upbringing with which he became disillusioned and can’t believe in anymore, yet still nags at him in the back of his mind.  This along with the development of his and Charles’ relationship allows for a full story even though it’s not a long one, though I would have liked to have found out more about Charles’ character to see where he came from and how he got where he was.  

James and Charles together physically were hot and sexy, though the BDSM aspect was actually lighter than what I expected…just enough to get a taste without overtaking the intimate scenes.

The only other character that has more than a minor appearance is James’ mother.  Yeah, I didn’t care for that woman at all—she’s one of those characters where I want to just give her a VERY big piece of my mind, and I was glad to see how how James’ attitude with her changed as his relationship with Charles progressed.


I’m giving Say Yes a solid 4 stars, and my only lament is that it’s not a longer book…I think there’s plenty to work with to be able to extend this into an even more full story—I’d be really happy with more of James and Charles!  This story is meant for readers 18+ only for adult language and sexual content.


Author Bio:

When not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it's half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.





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New Release & Giveaway: AN IMPOSSIBLE WORLD by S.P. Cervantes



An Impossible World
Author: S.P. Cervantes
Genre: Contemporary Dystopian Romance
Release Date: July 26, 2017



What would happen if terrorism spread and hate took over? What would the world become?

Isabella (Belle) Grey trained her entire adult life to protect those around her––training that would prove invaluable in her quest to make a new life. Forced to live in an impossible world, terror was not only outside the walls of her protected community but also raged behind the walls of her very own home.

No longer willing to put up with her husband’s drunken abuse, Belle made the desperate decision to run away from the safety of her community and escaped alone into the broken world beyond.

Chased by death as bombs exploded in the distance, her next decision could not only save her life but could potentially bring light back into her darkened soul.

When faced with the impossible, Belle found strength in an unsuspecting stranger who set her path in a new direction––one she never considered.

Fear. Love. Revenge. Strength ... all come together in this epic tale of fate and survival.













S.P Cervantes is a young adult and adult contemporary romance author, who after writing short stories in middle school, followed that dream until taking the plunge, penning her popular Romance/Fantasy series Secrets of Shadow Hill. This was the turning point in her career. Followed up by her contemporary romance stand alone series, A Broken Fairy Tale, and the stand alone romance, The Wife, S.P. has earned the praise of readers and received excellent reviews as well as reaching Kindle’s paid Best Seller list for her Broken Fairy Tale anthology. 

S.P. Cervantes graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from California

State University Fullerton, and has a Master’s Degree in Education. She lives in Orange County, California with her husband and three children, where she is a teacher. She enjoys spending time with her family, writing, reading, and running, but is always thinking of an idea for her next novel.






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Saturday, July 29, 2017

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: UNSCRIPTED LOVE by Aimee Nicole Walker

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UNSCRIPTED LOVE
Road to Blissville Series, Book 1
AIMEE NICOLE WALKER
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 07.11.17

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PHOTOGRAPHER: Wander Aguiar
COVER ARTIST: Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art

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BLURB

Kyle Vaughn had three goals in life: become a vet, find the man of his dreams, and start a family. He easily checked off the first item on the list when he took over his grandfather’s veterinary practice. Too bad he wasn’t as lucky in love.

Chaz Hamilton took a leap of faith when he decided to pursue a career in writing, but one best seller didn’t mean he could quit his day job. All work and no play threatened to make Chaz a very dull man when the only romantic action he saw was in the pages of his manuscript. Too bad he couldn’t write his own happily every after.

Circumstances pushed the two men together, and one magical kiss beneath fireworks and stars changed everything. Kyle knew his luck had finally turned around and Chaz found a man far better than any book boyfriend ever written. There was just one problem. Chaz has kept a secret from Kyle that could ruin their chance at a beautiful life together.

Kyle and Chaz learn that the best-laid plans often go awry, the heart has a mind of its own, and the greatest love is unscripted.

The books in the Road to Blissville series can be read either as standalone books or as part of the series. This book contains sexually explicit material and is intended for mature adults 18 and older.

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EXCERPT

Dr. Vaughn!” A familiar female voice exclaimed. “Oh my goodness! You’re the answer to my prayers.”

I spun around and faced Jenny Davis who operated the Carter County Animal Shelter. “That’s what he said,” I replied, jerking my thumb in Chaz’s direction without thinking my actions through. Chaz gasped, Josh threw his head back and laughed in delight, and I’m pretty sure that Andy growled. I chanced a peek at Chaz’s and caught him staring at me with a dumbfounded expression on his face. How much more obvious did I need to be that I wanted to see where things could go between us?

“Is this a bad time?” she asked nervously. “I’d like to ask a favor of you.” My staff and I volunteered ten to fifteen hours a week treating the dogs and cats at her shelter. The last time I was there, she mentioned that she needed to raise money for the shelter. I figured that she wanted to discuss a fundraiser with me.

“Not at all, Jenny. Josh will be delayed a few minutes, so I have time now.”

“Well, it’s a big favor,” she said hesitantly. “Remember how I mentioned a fundraiser to you?”

“Sure and I’ll help out however I can,” I told her.

“I’m so glad you feel that way because you play a big part in what I have in mind.” She clapped her hands and bounced on her feet. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner,” she said to herself.

“How big?” I asked, narrowing my eyes as an uneasy feeling came over me.

That feeling only increased when she broke eye contact and looked down at her feet. “We’d like to do a calendar with the animals at the shelter. One of my staff is an amateur photographer and is willing to donate the time to take and edit the photos.”

“So you’re looking for donations to cover the cost of producing the calendars? I’ll gladly help out with that,” I told her. Jenny didn’t meet my offer with as much enthusiasm as I expected.

“Not exactly the kind of help I was looking for from you,” she said.

“No? How else can I be of service to you?” I asked, clearly confused. I provided free veterinarian services and offered to…

“She wants you to pose for the calendar,” Chaz said, interrupting my thoughts.

I looked over at him and rolled my eyes. “No, she doesn’t.”

“Oh, I think that’s exactly what she’s working her courage up to ask,” Chaz told me. “Isn’t that right, Jenny?”

I looked at Jenny, expecting her to brush off his idea, but all I saw was a hopeful gleam in her green eyes. “Me?” I asked in disbelief.

“Why not you?” Jenny asked, seemingly emboldened when I didn’t refuse the idea outright. “You’re gorgeous, built like a brick house, and adore animals. Who else would I ask?”

“I don’t know, Jenny,” I said hesitantly. “I’m not very photogenic.”

“Stop being so modest,” Jenny told me. “You’re exactly what we need. I can see it now…” Her voice trailed off while she envisioned something in her mind. “Shirtless poses with a kitty, cowboy hat and boots while standing beside a horse…”

“I’d be wearing more than just a pair of boots and a hat, right?” I asked, needing clarification before the conversation went any further.

“Dr. Vaughn!” Jenny’s said in shock. “Why, I’d never suggest such a thing.” Then she covered her mouth with both hands and giggled nervously. “Oh my,” she answered, fanning herself. “That’s not at what I meant at all. Dear me, I meant my offer as a compliment, Dr. Vaughn. I thought your love for animals combined with your hunky looks would make a great fundraiser.”

“It would probably sell a lot of calendars,” Chaz said, chiming in.

I looked over at him and caught him staring at me speculatively. “But would you buy a calendar?” I asked.

“Duh,” Chaz said, then added, “it’s for charity.”


Carra's Review

After reading Unscripted Love, I'm sitting here wondering why I haven't read this author before, because it seems that I've been truly missing out on some great stories.  For the record, that means I have not read the Curl Up and Dye series, so I had no background on any of the characters except what was imparted in this book.  That said, I had no problem following along with the story even without that background...so yes, this can be read as a standalone (but you can be darn sure I'll be going back to read the other series!).

I thought this story was sweet and funny, and I had a smile on my face most of the time while I was reading it.  I loved the characters, and Kyle and Chaz fit together really well with great chemistry between them.  I got a kick out of Chaz and the way he'd just blurt things out.  And I normally don't pick favorites in a couple, but Kyle...he just captured my heart right away.

Unscripted Love was a really good story, and my initial impression is a strong 4 stars.  After I go back and read the Curl Up and Dye series, I'm definitely revisiting this one for a re-read!



Aimee Logo

I am a wife and mother to three kids, three dogs, and a cat. When I’m not dreaming up stories, I like to lose myself in a good book, cook or bake. I'm a girly tomboy
who paints her fingernails while watching sports and yelling at the referees.

I will always choose the book over the movie. I believe in happily-ever-after. Love inspires everything that I do. Music keeps me sane.




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