Today's free ebook: Cut & Run by Urban & Roux

To celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd AllRomance ebooks is showcasing some great series books by offering the first in 21 series for free.

Each day from April 1 - April 21, there will be a new free eBook. And today's series pick is the Cut & Run series by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban from Dreamspinner Press.

This is really a fabulous action packed m/m series that I highly recommend. You'll love these alpha heroes! So go grab your free copy of Cut & Run today, if you don't already have one. Here's the link and some information:

A series of murders in New York City has stymied the police and FBI alike, and they suspect the culprit is a single killer sending an indecipherable message. But when the two federal agents assigned to the investigation are taken out, the FBI takes a more personal interest in the case.

Special Agent Ty Grady is pulled out of undercover work after his case blows up in his face. He's cocky, abrasive, and indisputably the best at what he does. But when he's paired with Special Agent Zane Garrett, it's hate at first sight. Garrett is the perfect image of an agent: serious, sober, and focused, which makes their partnership a classic cliché: total opposites, good cop-bad cop, the odd couple. They both know immediately that their partnership will pose more of an obstacle than the lack of evidence left by the murderer.

Practically before their special assignment starts, the murderer strikes again – this time at them. Now on the run, trying to track down a man who has focused on killing his pursuers, Grady and Garrett will have to figure out how to work together before they become two more notches in the murderer's knife.

Happy Gay Friday & A Free Story, Werewolves, A Song and Dropbox

I wonder what these cookies are up to and where else that lipstick will end up, don’t you? ;)

Today I’ve finally signed up for Dropbox, and thanks to a referral from Chris she and I got some extra free space besides the 2 GB you already get for free. Dropbox is basically a place to store your digital files safely on a secure server, which makes it possible to access your files from every computer or device you possess, even when it’s not your own (which can come in handy on vacation as well). I was getting tired from emailing my files back and forth between my iPad, PC, laptop and phone, so I think this is a good solution for me. There are apps for the devices too and I’ve tried it all out this afternoon and it’s working. Yay!
It’s especially handy to assemble all my cookies in one place, and it also works well for my music - no matter what happens, I can always access my favorite songs, like this classic one for example:



On a more bookish note: at the moment I’m trying to catch up with JL Langley’s With or Without series. I’ve read With Love a little while ago. According to Goodreads this is the first book in the series, but it’s not really connected to the other books. I’ve also read the second book, Without Reservation and now I’m in the middle of the third book, With Caution. Recently the fourth book was released, With Abandon, which will be one of my next reads. All these books are werewolf shifter stories with a very strong element of mating, aka instant love. And I’m loving it so far! Wow, these guys are unbelievably sexy! And additionally the books have a good plot aside from the romance arc.

A different type of sexy: Sloan Parker has a new short story available on her website: The Break In! And the best thing about it is that it’s for free! Just go here to download it (in several formats). I’ve read it during my lunch break yesterday and it completely lifted my mood. It’s a hot, surprising and touching story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Have a Happy Friday everyone!

Happy Gay Friday & Free Reads and other Randomness

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Make sure you enter the giveaway to win one of Keta Diablo’s Gay Fiction Books before July 28th!
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TGIF! Cookie time! :)

And TG my vacay is only a few days away! :) Next Wednesday will be my last work day, if everything goes well, and I can say adieu to the office for 4 and a half weeks!
* I’m dreaming about Thursday - I think I stay in bed for the best part of the day, with my ereader of course. Let’s see if I can pull myself out of this annoying reading slump.
* And then on Friday I’m meeting blog buddy Leontine in Utrecht! Squeee!! I’m so looking forward to that! Can you imagine how much we’ll have to talk about? We planned on doing some book and ereader shopping too, in between the talking *grin*.
* On Saturday hubs and I have this family event to attend. My complete family gets together at my aunt and uncle’s house for a BBQ and lots of cocktails until the wee hours of morning.
* Sunday we’ll start packing our car for our vacation!
* Monday we’ll depart, by car, to France! Yay! We’re heading towards Bretagne, a province at the West Coast, but might as well end up in the south of France (or Spain, or Italy, lol) depending on the weather. We haven’t booked anything so we’re free to stay and go wherever we like! Doesn’t that sound like heaven?

But don’t worry, you won’t miss me! These awesome galls will keep my blog alive and kicking while I’m away:
~Leontine from Leontine’s Book Realm
~Kris from Kris ’n’ Good Books
~Pattepoilue (aka Caroline) from One Book Away From Heaven
~Tam from Tam’s Reads
~Bronwyn Green from Bronwyn’s Blog
~Cecile from All I Want and More
~KC from Smokinhotbooks

And during that period, from August 2 until 20, I’ll run a contest in which you can win various prices by just leaving comments on the guest posts. Easy peasy, right?

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Have you ever been to Lulu.com? I’ve downloaded a few free books from that site last week.

The first was Broken by Alyssa Turner which can be found here.
The author asked me to check this novella out and wrote this: “Thanks for checking it out, and I hope you enjoy it! Broken is a short erotic romance that breaks the mold somewhat. I am hoping to bring something new to the genre with my writings.”
That made me curious enough to want to read it. :) Maybe it piqued your curiosity too?

And then there was this series I heard Leontine talking about and which is also dowloadable for free at Lulu.com. It’s called Special Forces and written by Marquesate & Vashtan.
The first book, Soldiers, can be found here.
The second book, Mercenaries, part 1 here and part 2 here.
And the third book, Veterans, here.

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And last but not least a few random pics that made me smile or laugh...

Because this was how I often felt this week ;)

Have a Happy Friday!

Mondays Hot Couple & Sexy Smutty Scene

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Today’s sexy scene is from the short story More Than Just a Good Book by Sloan Parker which is a scorching hot read that you can download for free at her website.

It’s a very, very hot and beautifully written story. I think the next scene shows that perfectly. And did I mention that it’s free! ;) Enjoy!


“
Mark met him at the elevators ten minutes later. Scott’s skin tingled as the man drew near. He clutched his backpack in front of him, hoping it helped to hide his erection from the world but disappointed it would hide it from Mark, hide how crazy with desire he was. Surprising. He was never so bold.
Mark stepped close, ignoring the safe distance most gay guys kept to out in public. “You ready?” The smell of Mark overwhelmed Scott again. The aroma could be bottled and sold as an aphrodisiac; it was heady and erotic and damn irresistible. Unable to stop himself, Scott leaned in. “Ready.”
“Come on, then.” Mark grabbed his arm, tugged him into the elevator, and hit the seventh floor button before anyone else could slip in with them.
The man’s hand on Scott’s arm wasn’t a painful grip, but it was strong and restraining, Mark’s palm hot even through the shirtsleeve. The grip suggested a power Scott longed to know. He wanted to grab the man’s hand and shove it down his pants. He was never that bold. He loved what this man did to him, loved how desperate and ravenous he grew being close to Mark.
Once the doors closed, Mark faced him, pressing close. The force of the man’s weight crowded Scott against the carpeted elevator wall. Mark seized Scott’s waist. “I’m going to kiss you.”
“Please.”
Mark growled a low sound. “I like a man who knows how to beg.”
Scott could beg. It was one of the reasons most guys didn’t like him. They said it made him sound needy and clingy and inexperienced. But Mark liked it. “Please, kiss me.”
Mark plastered his entire body against Scott. The pressure of groin against groin, chest to chest, almost had Scott rocking and going off like a kid getting his first hand job. He clutched at Mark’s arms, breathing deep, hoping like hell he could keep from shooting in his pants once their lips met.
Mark paused, their mouths so close, the man’s breath heated Scott’s lips. “You have the best mouth,” Mark said. “I want to taste those lips.”
Scott whimpered. He couldn’t stop it from spilling out. It was an uncontrolled as breathing.
“I like that sound, Scott.” Mark leaned forward and brought their mouths together, a brush of warm lips.
Mark slid his tongue across Scott’s lower lip, tasting, teasing. The kiss was soft and slow and not like any Scott had ever known. It consumed him. He wanted more of Mark, needed more of his tongue, his lips, his hands. He twisted his fingers in Mark’s shirt sleeves and tugged.
Mark shoved his body against Scott and smashed their mouths together, turning the kiss urgent. Mark drove his tongue deeper. His hands landed on Scott’s ass and dug in, grinding their groins together.
The sting of those fingers, the sharp jab of the nails as they buried in his ass, had Scott’s balls drawing up. He was close. He whimpered again, the sound muffling as it filled Mark’s mouth.
A chime sounded above their heads.
Mark jerked away, keeping the grip of his right hand on Scott’s ass for a moment more. The doors slid open. Mark removed his hand and strode out of the elevator.
Scott leaned against the wall, his breath hitching. He closed his eyes and focused on getting air into his lungs.
As the fog in his mind cleared, he opened his eyes. Mark stood outside the elevator next to a set of glass doors. The man smiled at him.
Scott pushed away from the wall, hoping like hell he could keep from tripping. He had to get back to touching Mark, had to know what else Mark could do to him, what else the man could give him. Like a needle in a compass, pointing to true north, he made his way to the man in no time.
”

Sloan Parker’s weblog and website and Twitter account

Download More Than Just A Good Book for free here

Backblurb More Than Just A Good Book:
Scott is a big geek and Mark is a little controlling between the sheets. During one afternoon at the university library, they’ll find they are the perfect match. And they'll prove some things are even more enjoyable than a good book.

Happy Gay Friday

I’m always so happy when it’s Friday again (who isn’t?). It not only means a few days without work related pressure but also (for me) the possibility to look at my collection of boyz kissing boyz and pick one to put up at my blog :) And today I’m picking one with my friend Chris in mind, because she needs a little cheering up! She does that for me a lot too, if it were only for her fun blog, go visit her if you haven’t before. She also has the cutest kittens: Chaos and Mayhem, who do the cutest things of which she takes the cutest pics!

I’m also happy that it’s Friday because I finally may have some time and the right mindset to write a few reviews this weekend. I still want to write one about Sloan Parker’s More (the M/M/M romance I raved about before) and another one about the ARC I finished this week of Michelle Hauf’s My Vampire Husband (a paranormal M/F which was pretty good).

Another book that I finished this week and is worth to write a review about is a paranormal M/M romance by Ally Blue: Oleander House. This book had me on the edge of my seat during the complete second half. It has thriller elements as well as a sweet gay for you romance. It's the first in a series and I really need to read the second book now. :) I have to know how this group of people is doing after what they experienced in Oleander House, especially the fragile love couple Sam and Bo. This promises to be a wonderful paranormal M/M series for me to discover yet. Of course I immediately bought the second and third book, What Hides Inside and Twilight! I have no self control ;)


And then there are a few M/M shorts I read last weekend that were all three very enjoyable.

The first was Only Yours by J.R. Patrick, a Dreamspinners Nap-Size story. It’s about Dre and Nate and starts with Dre asking his boyfriend Nate to move in, and Nate leaving in the night without a word. Dre is hurt and learns only six months later why Nate left, and so do we. It’s a well written short story that packs quite some emotions and action in the limited amount of pages. I really enjoyed reading this! I rate it with 3.5 stars.

The second one was Dangerous Distraction by Mia Watts that I received from Mia herself and which she also offered for giveaway when she was here at my place for an interview. You can also find a sexy excerpt from it here. This story is about two hot cops that meet in a bar when an afterhours dare challenges Detective David Rook to kiss ATF Agent Nate Giamanti. Rook didn’t expect to kiss the sexiest pair of lips he's seen in a long time. He didn't expect it would shake his closeted lifestyle to the core. Short after that Nate is working with him on a case and Rook can't avoid his forbidden desires. Nate and David are very likeable characters, good-looking and sexy, but I wished we could have been given a little bit more background information. It would've made their attraction even better. Now their romance developed a bit too fast imo. But this still was a fun read with great scenes when the guys were together! If only this short story would've been twice as long! Nevertheless I enjoyed Dangerous Distraction a lot! I rate it with 3.75 stars.

The third short story was Two Steps Up by Sean Kennedy. Although short, this was a really cute story about a first gay kiss. The main characters, Russ and Brian, are two 17 year old skate boarders and one of them is trying to find the courage to come out as being gay and to join a young gays group. It’s not a full blown romance, there’s only one meeting, but their story is sweet and endearing. I give it 3.5 stars.

Last but not least
Remember today’s book at All Romance eBooks is a gay romance! It’s Love Means No Shame by Andrew Grey. Once you add it to your cart it’s free. Here’s the link.

I hope you all have a happy Friday!

Free M/M ebook alert: Dancing in the Dark by Jenna Byrnes

Just a quick post to let you know that over at All Romance you can download - this weekend only - the ebook Dancing in the Dark by Jenna Byrnes for free: look here>>
It is book one in the Streets of Fire series. The sale lasts through midnight Sunday, Jan. 31.



Detective Nick D'Amato has always been content with his lack-of-commitment love life. For a gay cop in the don't ask-don't tell N.Y.P.D., free and easy always seemed the least complicated route.

William, the new man in his life, has Nick rethinking his priorities. Will's perspective on life and love is different than anything Nick has ever encountered, making him that much more desirable.

The two men are compatible in every way except one, and it's a huge divider. Both are stubborn, neither willing to compromise, until a serial slasher enters their lives. A growing stack of dead bodies has the police running in circles, sending Nick and Will into a nightmare that could change their lives forever.

Happy Gay Friday, M/M Challenge & two M/M freebies

Besides the Ava Gray novel Skin Game, I'm currently reading two short M/M stories that are freebies. I learned about them from Kris and Chris. The stories are 'Congratulations Lucky Winner' by L.B. Gregg and 'Four Gold Rings' by T.A. Chase, featuring the guys from the Love of Sports series. You can find them here and here. Go grab them yourselfs...

This week I also learned about the M/M Romance Challenge 2010, hosted by I Heart Paperbacks. I might wanna join this one too, next to the Erotic Romance Challenge 2010 I already joined. But I'm still thinking about it...

Review The Player by Rhonda Nelson

Get a free download of this ebook at the website of Mills & Boon (the British equivalent of Harlequin) here >>>

Wednesday night I finished The Player, by another of my favorite authors: Rhonda Nelson. Especially her two Men Out of Uniform series are very hot. This novel is the first one in the first series (the second one is The Specialist and the third The Maverick, published in September and October 2006) which is about the three friends Jamie Flanagan, Brain Payne and Guy McCann. All are former Rangers who wanted out of the service after losing their friend Danny on a mission. They all process their loss and guilt in their own way. Jamie, the hero of The Player deals with it by darting from one woman to another. But their former colonel, who helped the three friends to get out of the military fast, is now calling in a promised favour. And this will change everyting for Jamie, he finds the love of his life, no matter how much he rejects the idea of a HEA (and of course the same happens to his two buddies when the colonel asks them for their favours in the next two books - which I both really liked! 5 stars!).
For Jamie the love of his life turns out to be the colonel's granddaughter, Audrey. She's a lovely woman with a very big heart who can feel the pain of other people, and who runs a camp for stressed men and women to help them destress. She can feel Jamie's pain and wants to help him to deal with Danny's horrible death. I really liked how the two of them did tune in to one another. They were physically very aware of each other, although they mentally tried to keep their distances. The Danny story also added a really good emotional layer, which makes this novel very intense. The same went for The Specialist and even more for The Maverick, by the way.
The only minor thing about The Player is that the couple doesn't have sex before page 180, or so. Of course there's a lot of anticipation, which was very well written about, but still, I wouldn't have minded if they had their hot love scenes a little bit earlier in the story. It was still a very sexy read and a perfect romance about a very, very likeable couple. So 4,5 stars for this one!

Back Blurb: There's nothing like a man in uniform...or out of it! Especially when he's as hot as former Ranger Jamie Flanagan. After their last assignment went horribly wrong, he and his buddies needed to get out of the military for good. There was only one catch - that he and his pals promise their commanding officer one favour. Any favour. Now tall, dark and sexy Jamie is a top security specialist...and the ultimate ladies' man. So he's more than a little surprised when he learns the colonel has set him up to protect his grand-daughter. Who would trust a player like Jamie with a gorgeous woman like Audrey? Then he learns his "mission" is to seduce her away from another man...