Why? In honor of my novel The Frost or The Bite where the main character must choose between ice and earth magic. We’re deciding which element is better for ourselves.
In case you forgot, here’s the score after round one:
Ice: 0 Earth: 1
When comparing the elements, a natural step is to wonder which one is stronger.
I did briefly approach this as if it were a real topic of research and try to answer this question intellectually. I found an encyclopedia to look up powers and everything. (I should never approach things intellectually. Never goes well.)
My research went off course pretty fast. I found myself just clicking on the fun sounding ones instead. Which brings us to the next category in this contest.
Not which is stronger but which has the better most useless power. I tried to find two of the most nonsense powers, one in earth, one in ice, and let’s look at which has the most ridiculous one. (I had fun with this and I hope you do too, but if not, we’re looking at who has the hottest characters next time.)
Ice’s Most Useless Power: Ice Cream Mimicry
Ice cream mimicry is defined as ‘transforming into or having a physical body made of ice cream.’ The power is mostly used by characters who look like or are ice cream cones, like a character on theAmazing World of Gumball or certain Pokemon like Vanillish.
(There are over a dozen characters with this power, but those are the two examples I was even remotely familiar with.)
My favorite way to think of this power is by someone pretending to be ice cream. Why? No clue! Maybe they want to know what it’s like to be a bowl of rocky road. Or maybe when trying to hide from a lactose intolerant person and so being ice cream makes you safe from them.
There’s just something so sweet and innocent about pretending to be ice cream. No pun intended. It’s useless in a fight but undeniably awesome, in a useless way.
And this is less sweet, but I found it hilarious that under limitations in the encyclopedia it says ‘user may simply be eaten.’
Earth’s Most Useless Power: Earth Swimming
Okay, I picked powers that sound ridiculous, but earth swimming is actually pretty useful. It gives the user the ability to swim through the ground and earth like it was water. Since the real world isn’t Minecraft, going deep into the ground just by doing the backstroke must be pretty useful.
So earth swimming has uses, except in the way I’m imagining it. Earth swimming makes me think of somebody swimming in a big pile of dirt, which someone with this ability could also do.
I’m picturing a person being like, “I’m not going to the pool today. I’m just gonna do laps around the sandbox in the backyard.” And the power to swim in a sandbox is undeniably lame.
The only known user I was vaguely familiar with from the list is a white defender like this from Hollow Knight.
The Winner
Calling it earth swimming makes it sound lame and silly as hell. More useful, yes, but come on, ice cream mimicry! Gotta give the win to ice cream mimicry.
This brings the total for our ice vs. earth competition to… a tie!
Ice: 1 Earth: 1
Next time, we’ll get into the real stuff. Like who has the hotter men. No, sexier. Because ice characters aren’t hot because they’re cold.
Since this is an M/M romance blog, all characters will be of the M variety.
Let me fill you in on this particular (not-so-random) question. I began contemplating whether ice or earth was the better element when… (drumroll please) a character in my M/M romance novel The Frost or the Bite began wondering the very same thing.
Yep, did not have to strain myself to come up with this question.
The quick context is that my protagonist Jack needs an element’s protection to wield magic and he’s torn between earth magic and ice magic. Jack will come to his own conclusions in the novel, and those conclusions will also tie into a potential relationship with a sexy wolf shifter, but I figure we can conduct some ‘research’ of our own and answer this ‘age-old’ question once and for all.
‘Objectively’ speaking, which is better? Ice or earth? Ice magic or earth magic? Okay, how I phrased it is technically more than one question. Oops. (By objectively, I use that in the sense that this will be totally subjective)
We can’t select a winner by testing out the magic for ourselves, because our world doesn’t have real magic. (If magic is real, then I seriously demand to be let in on this secret right now.)
We do have seasons and those seasons correspond to the elements in question pretty well, so let’s look there to see whether earth or ice gets the first point. Earth represents fall, and ice represents winter.
Fall vs. Winter
Fall is the season of leaves changing colors, cozy sweaters, and people calling other people basic for liking pumpkin spiced everything. Fall is my jam and also happens to be when my birthday is. Not only do I love sweater weather, the song Sweater Weather is also awesome, so bonus points.
(And while hairless cats are kinda creepy, the cat in this picture is also wearing a sweater like his human buddy so bonus points there too)
What about winter? Winter has gift exchanging holidays and good food but it comes at a steep price. Frozen wastelands and snowy nightmares. I know some people do like the cold and snow. I’m really not those people. Any kind of icy surface makes my balance terrible. And since I moved to North Carolina, it’s less freezing in the winter than the Midwest where I’m from. So now I have even less tolerance for the cold.
The Winner
I’d definitely say fall is better than winter. I can’t say I’m very in tune with nature or am a very earthy kind of person, but I have always wanted to be more of a nature loving hippie. That makes fall the winner of this round. I wasn’t lying about how totally (not) objective this would be.
Of course, my preferences may be totally different than your own. So what’s your favorite season? And if you were a witch, wizard, or non-gendered caster, would you rather have ice magic or earth magic? Let me know!
After the end of the first round, Earth gets one point.
That brings the score to Earth: 1 Ice: 0
Next time, we will look at which element is stronger… sort of. (I did briefly try to research common types of earth and ice magic that show up in fiction, to determine which one is strongest. But then I decided to have more fun it and so our next test of which is better is… along those same lines of which is stronger, but in a much sillier way.)
Jack’s Choice
When it comes to Jack Blanchard, he doesn’t need to look at the seasons to compare ice and earth. He has real magic. Magic that allows him to create a block of ice or let flowers bloom.
But he’s having trouble choosing the element that’s right for him. Jack needs to decide between ice or earth or he risks not having magic at all. This is when a certain werewolf stumbles into his garden and helps him discover what and who he truly desires.
What does he choose? You can grab your copy of the novel here and find out. And yes, it’s available in Kindle Unlimited.
Starting pitcher Luke has a lot on his mind lately now that the formerly straight athlete has found himself in a relationship with another guy, and really enjoying that relationship. A lot of people are wondering what this means for Luke. Is he gay or straight? Are there other options? Fortunately, he can take his mind off all that during a baseball game. Until, like a good boyfriend, his boyfriend shows up to cheer him on.
This scene is from One Little Lie, where a clueless jock learns the world is more than just gay or straight in this coming of age love story about secret relationships, friendship, and bisexuality.
~
Luke
I LOVE BASEBALL. ESPECIALLY DURING GAME TIME. Worried thoughts about my personal life weren’t important when playing ball. On the mound with all eyes on me, I felt great. People watched me because I excelled at this, not because of who I was dating.
The game started and I was in the zone. My whole focus was on the game.
Until Ryan. My stupidly distracting boyfriend.
As a likable athlete, I had few embarrassing moments until Ryan walked into my life. Still, what was lacking in quantity was now made up in quality.
Due to the nice day, Ryan wore a tank top and shorts. He looked innocent enough, plus so freaking tall. Grab a ruler and check if I lied, there were miles and miles of his long legs on display. So much skin, how were his legs so shapely and toned? Running, he claimed, even though I’d only seen him run his mouth.
Ryan sat on the bleachers, not being embarrassing for once. I embarrassed myself, unable to keep my gaze away. Dammit! I ogled my boyfriend instead of pitching. He saw me looking and waved. I waved back before remembering I should pay attention to the game. The runner at first advanced to second and I heard distant yelling from my coach.
Shit. Taking a moment, I refocused my attention. Time to strike this batter out. I lined up the pitch, got ready, and…
My eyes drifted back to Ryan.
–Grab the book here as part of the One Crazy Love Story box set, which features the first four books in the One More Thing series of contemporary YA novels.
Here are the first two chapters from my new M/M paranormal romance,The Werewolf’s Heart. The full book comes out on May 9th!
Can a werewolf protect the man who holds his heart without giving into forbidden desire? Aaron Honeywell can’t wait to renovate his new house and transform it into his oasis, but his home isn’t the only thing in disrepair. His lackluster and stalled love life could use a little attention. And just when he hits it off with his devastatingly sexy neighbor, a fox shifter attacks and reveals the hidden supernatural dangers lurking outside their cozy street.
Going undercover in the suburbs sounds like the assignment from hell for supernatural detective Merritt Slate. Then he meets his cute neighbor and suddenly his all work and no play lifestyle seems lacking. But the dangerous forces capable of kidnapping werewolves certainly aren’t playing, and he won’t let an innocent person get caught in the crossfire. Protecting Aaron is more important than his feelings, no matter what his wolf thinks.
As the human and his protector grow closer, they start to realize the same thing. A house is only as valuable as the people in it. But when the case hits too close to home and threatens everything, will Aaron and Merritt be strong enough to stand up to those determined to tear them apart?
~
Aaron
WHAT MAKES A HOUSE a home?
I was about to find out as the newest resident and homeowner on Crescent Street in the growing city of Ashvale, North Carolina. The deed listed Aaron Honeywell, yours truly, as the owner of a two-story ranch style property.
Honeywell, I’m home.
The trunk of my Honda Civic slammed closed with a satisfying clunk as I balanced the last box on one hip. I surveyed the suburban middle-class homes in shades of faded wheat and ecru—also known as beige and white—with well-mowed lawns and identical mailboxes by the driveways. My house might be a tad smaller than the rest, but it was still mine.
This moment? A big damn deal. I soaked in all the glory as the pleasant afternoon sun washed across my arms and I gazed upon my new territory, every blade of grass and modest square inch.
Moving in felt pretty good.
But catching the eye of my sexy new neighbor? That felt even better.
His dark sable hair—so gorgeous it deserved the pretentious home designer name for brown—moved with the breeze, a strand falling over his face and ratcheting his sexiness up another few impossible degrees. Mr. So-Hot-It-Defies-All-Logic, we hadn’t been formally introduced, wore a sweater the color of sculptor’s clay (grey), perfect for a stroll around the neighborhood on a mild spring day.
I was half tempted to drop my box on the driveway and see if he’d be interested in starting a neighborhood fitness group that I’d never attend solely for the opportunity to chat with him. He nodded to me and I waved—oops, this box definitely required both hands. I started tipping forward with the weight and hastily saved it and myself from wiping out, hopefully without looking too silly.
Any potential humiliation was forgotten when I walked towards the front door and felt his eyes taking a gander at myass. Somebody sure was and I doubted elderly Mr. Martin next door was the culprit.
Sexy neighbor guy was still way out of my league, but I was theoretically a respectable catch. I had a stable job, my own house at 27, and cooked a mean lobster ravioli. Sure, my culinary skills max out at five meals, but I cooked those five recipes well. And I wasn’t hideous either. Petite in both stature and figure, I had wavy auburn hair and a thin frame with a round face and light hazel eyes.
A sea full of possibilities and other ‘P’ words greeted me inside when looking around the living room of my new kingdom. Along with lots of boxes. Ugh, time to unpack.
The doorbell saved me.
Did the hot guy stop over to say hello?
No, another neighbor greeted me. A young woman with long midnight (black) hair, my first visitor! She told me her name was Kara and proudly thrust her gifted bottle of wine into my arms.
“It’s perfect, how did you know?” I asked with a mischievous grin.
“One look at you and I saw weeknights bingeing trashy vampire dramas and sipping red wine were in our future.”
“Sounds fantastic,” I laughed.
“Great, because I frequently need to escape my place…” She winced. “No matter how many times I remind myself that staying at home through college saves money, it’s still…”
“Living with your parents?”
“Bingo.”
While I left my mother’s house as soon as I turned 18, I still remembered the days of nightmare roommates and happily offered her sanctuary. “Feel free to drink and binge watch in my home anytime, as long as you accept that this house loves Damon and Stefan Salvatore equally.”
“Yes. Stefan has the hero hair, but Damon is just so annoyingly sexy.”
I smiled. “We’re gonna get along just fine.”
When sticking the wine in the fridge, I considered buying a wine rack. I enjoyed a good rosé after a long day at work managing a customer service center for a high-end electronics brand. My kitchen décor was nonexistent, so I should fix that too. A woeful amount of shopping was still needed to really finish decorating the interior since I only lived in apartments before.
Even when living in a few houses with Mom during my childhood none of them felt like a home, all lacking that special ingredient to make them comfortable and warm.
Owning my own place was so exciting because this was my first real home ever. Or it would be one day, but there was one thing missing.
My romantic prospects left a gaping hole in my otherwise promising future. What would really make my new house feel like a home was the right man to share it with.
~
Aaron
One ‘P’ word kept rattling around in my head. No, not penis. Yes, I needed a man, but… potential. That was the ‘P’ word, potential. My home was a flat, square property with two small stories, a grey roof, and dingy cream paint in the back, but potential meant that the funky smell in the attic and peeling linoleum in the downstairs bathroom weren’t problems. My fixer upper was full of exciting projects.
So even after a long night of unpacking, I was in remarkably high spirits the next day.
“Oh, hello,” I said as I opened the front door.
Another new friend arrived. Not a neighbor though. A bird.
The bird released a soft chirp, and I halted in the doorframe to avoid stepping on it. I waited for it to shoo, but it stayed parked there where a welcome mat should be on the square slab of raised concrete that passed for my front porch.
“Shoo?” I tried. The bird refused my request.
Note to self: add welcome mat and flowers for porch to shopping list.
The small brown creature had a pointed beak that almost dared me to challenge him when he puffed up his feathers and stared me down. A sparrow maybe? Something common and usually unintrusive. His tiny beady eyes were focused and slightly unnerving.
“Can I help you with something?” I demanded, refusing to be unnerved by the tiny winged menace.
“Just saying hi.” Holy deep voice, Batman.
Yes, the caped crusader had a deep baritone, but this guy could give him competition. The sexy voice was, naturally, attached to the sexy neighbor, who had walked up the path to my door.
His shadow fell over the bird, whose wings flapped once in protest before he flew away, leaving me alone on my front porch with… oh my god, he’s even hotter up close.
The man’s dark hair looked naturally tousled, though his beard was carefully trimmed and maintained. He was so tall with a square jaw, strong build, and lightly sun-kissed skin. And his whiskey-colored eyes were positively striking.
“Is this a bad time?” He stepped back like he’d leave.
“Stay!” I half yelled. Oops. Did I already ruin the fleeting hope the sexiest neighbor I’ve ever had will look at me twice? “Sorry, I wasn’t talking to you before.”
He looked around, confirming we were the only ones standing on my front porch.
“There was… a bird.” My face flushed. Yeah, I definitely blew it already. There went the opportunity to blow other more fun things. “He was watching me.”
The man’s left eyebrow rose. Just the left and not the right. Impressive. I’d never been able to do that. “Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?”
“Huh?”
“Birdwatching.”
“Well, I was watching him too.” Stop saying stupid shit! “We were having a staring contest?”
Oh look, it got even stupider.
“Hey, whatever you do in your free time is your own business.” An almost smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, so the gentle teasing didn’t offend me. Only I offended me for acting ridiculous in the first place.
“I do totally normal things in my free time,” I promised. Normal people probably didn’t feel the need to specify that they were normal.
Making the executive decision to gloss over all my weird behavior, I pasted a bright smile on my face and extended a hand. “I’m Aaron Honeywell.”
“Hey. Merritt Jones.”
We shook hands. His grip, just like the rest of him, was firm and strong.
“Nice to meet you,” I said. “I promise I’m not a crazy person.” Another one of those things you shouldn’t have to spell out.
He smiled kindly. “I don’t think you are.”
“Really?” That made one of us. “I wouldn’t judge you if you did.”
“You’re cute.” His eyes widened like he didn’t realize he was going to say that, but I was very happy he did. “Uh, I figured you might need a break from unpacking. I remember how hectic moving is.”
“Oh, are you new to the neighborhood too?” I asked and he nodded.
Sweet, another thing we had in common. Along with living on this street, (probably) being not-straight, and (in my dreams) being into each other.
“What brings you to North Carolina?” I asked, deciding he wasn’t a native because he lacked even a slight Southern drawl. “I’m not from the South either originally, but I went to college in Durham and fell in love with the area.”
“Actually, I’m from Louisiana, but I’ve moved around so much that the accent only comes out after a few drinks.” I wanted to hear that. “My work brought me to Raleigh first, then here.”
“How’s the job going?” I asked to be polite and because I likely had an interest in everything he did. Even eating cereal or clipping his toenails.
“It keeps me busy,” he answered neutrally, though his gaze seemed loaded for some reason. “But my work isn’t very interesting.”
“Really?” My eyes trailed down the kind of incredible physique that typically belonged to movie stars and professional athletes. “Your job must be engaging enough since you look so—” I coughed to avoid gushing about his fine as hell body and embarrassing myself further. “…in shape.”
“There are lots of ways to stay in shape.” A stray shaft of sunlight fell over my face and half blinded me, but I thought I saw a spark of amusement in his eyes as he continued. “For all you know I sit behind a desk all day and hit the gym at night.”
“No way.” I sized him up with over-exaggerated obviousness, squinting and tilting my head as the picture came together. “You’d be bored staring at a computer screen all day. My guess is you work outdoors or with your hands, but your job must have excitement too. You love action.”
“Alright, fine.” He shot me a quick grin that would have made my heart stop if it lasted any longer. “Lucky guess.”
“My first impressions of people are usually correct.” I had to look away, towards a teenager mowing grass two lawns over, as it hit me how forward you love action sounded.
“Well, I don’t know much about reading people.” His keen attention felt palpable, and I wondered whether that was true. “But observing others is probably easier without distractions.” He leaned back, raising his arms in a casual stretch, and my view wavered for a split second before giving up on watching his powerful arms, and instead zeroing in on the skin revealed at his navel from his shirt riding up… uh, what?
When I registered his words, I flushed and found myself unable to look directly at his knowing smirk.
This guessing game suddenly became too real. Some light flirting was definitely going on, but sizing him up hadn’t actually revealed much as my new neighbor was hard to read. Was he just being friendly or really interested? Truthfully, my skills at reading people were better with second impressions, but ‘second impressions’ wasn’t a real expression.
“Y-yeah, I’m distracted.” I cast my eyes about the street and landed on a neighbor’s lawn. “Mrs. Gregory’s begonias are just so colorful,” I rambled. “Aren’t they nice? Especially since she hasn’t grown them before.”
“You just moved here and you’ve already chatted with your neighbors and remember their names?” Okay, her ten-minute spiel about her garden wasn’t exactly fascinating since I knew nothing about flowers, but she was so sweet and—”That’s impressive. In my head she’s the lady with the ugly robe and yappy dog.”
“So does that mean you don’t welcome all your new neighbors to the block?” That meant I was special.
He stilled for a moment, then chuckled under his breath. “Hey, I’m just being neighborly. And I’ve tried all the nearby take-out restaurants if you need recommendations.”
“Are there any good Thai places nearby?”
Merritt provided a few options, then added, “It’s not Thai, but Joseph’s on 5th Street is the best restaurant hands down. Great Italian food and they even have an outdoor patio so you could enjoy dinner and a show.”
“Huh?”
He smirked. “Watching the birds while you eat.”
Oh, for the love of– “I don’t always watch birds!”
“Either way, the atmosphere really adds to the experience. Better to dine in there instead of ordering takeout.”
“Um, are you asking me out?” I blurted out because that sorta sounded like an invitation.
He looked surprised, seemingly reviewing everything he just said internally to see where my wires got crossed. Oh god. Innocent flirting and actual attraction were two different things, and I totally messed up and confused the two.
“Nope, you were just giving me suggestions,” I realized. “One new homeowner to another, right. I gotta get going.” I quickly backed up—
“You’re already home.”
—not quickly enough.
“Yes, I’m home and there’s so much, uh…” I trailed off, gesturing vaguely behind me.
“Unpacking,” he supplied.
“Yep, gotta do that!” And get inside and die in peace.
“Hey, it’s alright.” His smile, though a tad amused, mostly seemed kind. “For the record, you’ll know when I ask you out.” Time slowed, my gaze zeroing in on his eyes and the promise in them. “I have a feeling you’ll find out soon enough.”
Whoa, from attraction to embarrassment and a whole roller coaster of emotions, I struggled to process where we landed. Then a brilliant smile lit my face, one I couldn’t hide or wipe away as it hit me: Merritt was attracted to me too.
We said our goodbyes, and I floated along in a daze for the rest of the day. About half the stuff I unpacked might have been put in the wrong place. Oh well.
Everything was lining up just right. My world was full of potential, and things were off to a promising start with my sexy neighb—Merritt. Plus, some shelving for the bedroom arrived. First delivery to my new home! I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
AROUSAL FILLED THE DAMN BLOCK whenever the new neighbor saw me.
Humans unknowingly clouding the air with pungent feelings typically irritated me, and every tiny feeling pours off Aaron in waves, creating some of the strongest scents ever broadcasted in my direction… somehow his aroma doesn’t bother my wolf. All arousal carries a spicy tang, yet his was layered with sweet undernotes like cookies hot from the oven. I wondered what his regular scent smelled like and if it was as enticing.
The lust lingered persistently in my nose even when traveling over a mile to where Tom Parker and Jenny French live. Lived. Before they disappeared a month ago without a goodbye or forwarding address.
“House is clean,” I reported to Agent Frost over the phone. Shiny hardwood floors and lemon scented cleaner surrounded me, the place otherwise empty.
“Figures.” His voice sounded neutral, though I heard the repetitive clicking of a ballpoint pen and knew he felt the same frustration as me.
A few investigators were sent earlier and found nothing interesting, but I still had to check the place out for myself. An average suburban neighborhood rested outside the living room window. Compact cars, pine trees, and not enough hidden vantage points for safely watching two wolves. Nothing strange stood out.
“Tom and Jenny were leasing this place for another four months.” I ran down the list of what we knew. “When they stopped paying rent on the first, the landlord checked in and they were gone.”
“Right.” Frost continued, “They left the majority of their things but took a car and enough essential items to make the police doubt foul play. Credit cards showed charges heading north for rooms at cheap motels without surveillance. They appear to be a young couple that decided to head for greener pastures on a whim. Nothing directly points to them being missing.”
“Not from a human perspective.”
We knew a few things the humans didn’t.
Tom and Jenny weren’t just a nice young couple but a nice young couple of werewolves. Both lived away from pack land but were in good standing with their respective packs. Wolves rarely cut and ran. It looked bad on them and their families to desert the pack, not to mention the emotional toll of abandoning loved ones and an alpha.
Wolves didn’t flee, not without a damn good reason. Or because they weren’t given a choice.
“My case is almost over,” Frost said. “Should I head up faster and—”
“—Help with my dead end?” I filled in, holding back a laugh. “Not necessary.”
“Right…”
The investigation started so late that we were already at a huge disadvantage. Between garnering no attention through human channels and the closest supernatural law enforcement branch being over three hours away, the case was already on the verge of going cold when we received it.
Tom and Jenny attracted attention partly because they were wolves number five and six to disappear from a four-county area in the past six months. All just vanished. Aside from living away from pack lands, the only other commonality between all the missing persons was their ability to sprout fur and claws.
“A second set of eyes may reveal more details,” Frost volunteered.
“Paperwork that bad?” I guessed.
“I’ve faced rampaging minotaurs the size of small buildings and three-headed hydras from dark dimensions. I fear nothing… and I have nightmares about this paperwork.”
“Sorry I can’t help you.” I needed some help myself.
This assignment was full of challenges. Like me going undercover as a suburban homeowner, posing as an ‘average’ lone werewolf among humans. I had little in common with average people. My interests included grisly murders, supernatural victims or suspects, and bringing killers to justice.
Now? I needed to blend in. Live a normal life. Whatever the hell that meant.
Ugh, I was looking at days, maybe weeks or more, full of… Being friendly. Polite chitchat at mailboxes. Socializing. Maybe going on a few dates. What regular people did. Even when they were werewolves, according to my annoying younger siblings.
It all sounded kinda like torture. Then I met him.
Aaron Honeywell—seriously with that last name?—was tempting. Too tempting, unlike the seven middle age divorced women who saw me walking and asked about starting a neighborhood fitness club. Aaron, however, he flustered so… adorably. His round cheeks flushed all rosy and warm as he bit his lip and sneaked glances at me under his eyelashes.
Me and my wolf were typically the epitome of ‘dog with a bone’ once we were on the hunt. Yet my wolf was eager to take a break and learn more about the interesting human who smelled like warm sugar when excited.
Maybe my family was right about me needing a vacation after all.
I had some time to kill anyway. We weren’t expecting action on the case anytime soon. The goal now involved blending in and recon. At least I wouldn’t be bored waiting for the case to heat up.
Maybe this assignment wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Aaron is an eager young homeowner who wants to make his first home perfect in The Werewolf’s Heart. But he’s missing one vital ingredient. Here’s a quote from the novel to celebrate the book’s release on May 9.
This was my first real home ever. Or it would be one day, but there was one thing missing.
Taking stock of my finances when preparing to invest in a home and piling up my possessions put things into perspective and allowed me to evaluate my life. While largely on the right track, the romance department left a gaping hole in my otherwise promising future.
What would really make my new house feel like a home was the right man to share it with.
When a werewolf’s heart belongs to a man in danger, how far will a supernatural detective go to save the one he loves?
Aaron Honeywell has almost everything he needs to turn his new house into a home, except for the right man to share it with. His sexy new neighbor Meritt seems like just the guy until he saves Aaron from a handsy stranger with glowing eyes, revealing that he’s more than man—he’s a werewolf.
Meritt Slate has worked some challenging cases before, but this is a whole other level of difficulty. The detective is stuck undercover in suburbia to lure out whoever is abducting werewolves. And his alluring neighbor is quite the distraction. Fighting his desires and doing his job has never been a problem before, but it’s possible he’s finally found someone worth settling down for.
But the dangers lurking outside their cozy street are getting closer to home. Kidnapping shifters is just the beginning of a sinister magical plot that may require Aaron’s help to succeed… whether he’s willing to provide it or not. Can the werewolf protect his heart or will evil forces shatter it forever?
About: A witch in a small town runs a psychic parlor. He wants to stay under the radar, which means he shouldn’t fall for the sexy investigator who seems intent on getting his help or seducing him. Hint: it’s both. There may also be zombies.
(Fun fact: ‘psychic’ is a world I’m physically incapable of spelling right. Along with ‘physics.’ I think the two words existing in the same language is what trips me up. I always get confused about what order the ‘y’ and ‘s’ go in and all hell breaks loose when adding the ‘h’ in there somewhere.)
Witchin’ Warlockis a fun, fast read with a little heat. The trouble with shorts like this is if it’s halfway decent, people want more. And I thought it was really cute and interesting. So I would have loved spending more time in this world, and it feels very fast paced because it’s over before you know it.
If you like M/M paranormal romance and novellas, there’s no reason you won’t love this one. Otherwise I’d call it worth checking out for anyone who has Kindle Unlimited. Though it is only .99 cents if you want to buy.
Caspian comes from a long line of witches. Brock is third generation F.B.I. They shouldn’t fit but they do.
A year ago, Caspian moved to a small town in Ohio. He hoped the lack of competition in the area would be good for his psychic business, Futures Untold. The last thing he expected was a sexy F.B.I. agent to show up and treat him like a missing person’s bloodhound. Even though Caspian keeps doing favors for Special Agent Brock Wray, his distrust of authority runs deep. After all, they used to drown witches in this area back in the day, and Caspian has no desire to end up on Brock’s missing persons’ list.
Officially, no one knows how Brock keeps solving so many huge cases. Caspian is Brock’s secret weapon. The man knows things no one should. That’s not why Brock keeps showing up and making excuses to see Caspian. Caspian fascinates Brock. Not only does Brock’s inner detective need to know how Caspian knows so much, but Caspian is also smoking hot. He is the single most gorgeous man to step foot in their tiny town in ages. Brock isn’t dumb. He has to take Caspian off the market as quickly as possible and he’ll use any excuse to get close enough to do it.
When Brock takes Caspian along for the ride on a case, things will get weird. Let’s hope Caspian isn’t forced to show why he’s the most witchin warlock around or Brock might run for the hills.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. An angel and a regular human walk into an antique and curiosities store that the human owns and bicker over the ownership of a possibly possessed box. Oh, you haven’t heard this before?
Yeah, the premise of Galen feels fresh and intriguing, a unique spin for those looking for new takes on familiar paranormal romance stories.
Rating: 5 out of 5 possibly cursed rings (yikes!)
More than Demon but less than Angel
Angelic beauties who have heavenly origins fight against the forces of hell even though some think they should be damned too. When one of the fiercest warriors meets a hard to forget human, his strength and willpower are put to the ultimate test. Can an immortal angel love a human without it ending in tragedy?
Galen and his brothers are cursed because their fathers were Lucifer’s generals. They were taken early and trained to fight for heaven, though aren’t allowed in heaven. (Which is some BS if you ask me, but celestial leaders do not care what I think.) The brothers are the embodiment of deadly sins. Galen is wrath. Sometimes rage overcomes him and he loses self completely, he almost had to be put down because of it.
After learning the hard way, Galen has sworn to never love a human again. They all grow old and die while he doesn’t, so it’s too painful. Though there may be a way to ensure a bond with the right human doesn’t end in despair, though it involves a big sacrifice…
Fluffier than angel wings
Okay, there’s some angst over the nature of relationships between immortal beings/humans with short lifespans. And Galen has some anger issues. Plus, all the danger, secrets, and intrigue you might expect from matters of heaven and hell.
Yet somehow this novel is incredibly sweet, gooey and adorable. Sweeter than it has any right to be considering one part of the main couple is the embodiment of wrath and fighting his feelings every step of the way. Not that I’m complaining about any of this. Does it sound like I’m complaining? A little maybe. Let the record show: not complaining. It’s not the love story I was expecting, but the sweet human and his unshakeable connection with Galen balanced out the darker parts and it was very easy to get absorbed in this world.
While the romance at the core of the story is very sweet with lots of smut, there’s also a lot of action and adventure. Traveling to hell, epic sword fights, a lesson in demon cooking, all very exciting stuff.
A wild ride
The story is engaging also because of the vivid details the author uses. Osborn really makes everything come to life and the scene plays itself out in front of you.
Blame my ADHD brain, but I do get confused between the brothers. There are seven of them! Just make extra note of who is who at the beginning. Fortunately, they’ll probably become more familiar if you read the whole series.
Simon just wants to run his antique shop in peace. But then he finds a small mysterious box that’s (probably) haunted, and his shop is broken into by the hottest man he’s ever seen who then steals said creepy box. Now demons are after him and his only hope is to trust the tall, muscled, combat-boot-wearing thief who claims to be the son of a fallen angel.
Galen is charged with protecting humanity from dark forces. Cursed with Wrath, he’s hot-tempered and spends his days fighting demons and trying not to kill his six brothers when they irritate him. His number one rule? Never fall in love. But then he meets Simon, a clumsy human who asks way too many questions and is—unfortunately—a total demon-magnet, and he starts breaking his own rules.
What’s inside the box, and why do the demons want it so badly? One thing is for sure… Simon can kiss his peaceful, ordinary life goodbye.
Book 1 in the Sons of the Fallen series. A low-angst urban fantasy MM romance featuring a grumpy half-angel and the human he swears he doesn’t like (he’s lying), seven warriors representing the deadly sins, a seaside mansion where they all live, banter, a snarky demon, and a HEA.
When a teen’s attempts to come out of the closet are influenced by a vengeful witch’s hex, bisexual erasure takes on a whole new meaning in Invisi-bi-lity.
Vella is a new way for authors to post stories on Amazon, and it works in episodic format. An author I follow had this plan, probably much more thought out than my own, to have five stories published by the new year. Pretty ambitious, considering they possibly wanted the novels to be complete too. For some reason I thought I could do the same thing, so I guess I’ll look on the bright side and praise my confidence.
I have three works currently on Vella and one soon to be published. Of these four, two are finished. So I actually didn’t do too bad and am going to give myself an A for effort. I tried and I tell myself that’s the important part.
Here is a scene from the beginning of the book. The main character John has some trouble pinning down his sexuality because a certain boy always gets in the way.
~
Figuring out my sexuality is difficult enough without Cody O’Keefe screwing everything up.
The high school halls are filled with attractive people. From the cute girl with amazing legs in my English class to the washboard abs of the football quarterback. Then Cody smiles at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and I only see him.
Intelligent, funny, and gorgeous, Cody O’Keefe has it all. My favorite thing about him? When people talk, he listens. He makes people feel important. It’s basically a superpower in a boring city where nothing ever happens like Buffalo, New York… though his warm brown eyes are also nice.
Cody’s gay. And he always knew. Back in kindergarten, he told his parents he’d rather marry me than Ella Hopkins and no amount of her sharing Rice Krispy treats would change that. Girls? Not gonna happen.
Me? I’ve sometimes been pretty sure I may not be straight. Occasionally. Much less definitive.
Sometimes I think I’m not bisexual, I’m just a little in love with my best friend. Or am I bi but only fixating on the nearest and best queer guy and not really in love with him? These questions swirl in my brain constantly these days. How do I gain clarity? The answers won’t just slap me in the face with the truth.
“Ah!”
Tuning back into the world around me, I stand on the sidewalk, staring incredulously at the guy who just slapped me in the face.
“Sorry, did I hit too hard?” Cody pats my cheek this time, an affectionate sort of slap. “My bad, but you were pretty far away.”
About a head taller, he stands there with an easy smile, all up in my business without the slightest hesitation. Comfortable in our friendship and totally unaware of the thirsty thoughts in my brain.
Cody O’Keefe has amazingly soft chocolate-brown hair that gets mussed if you so much as look at it wrong. With peach skin and the most enticing slightly chubby cheeks, his beautifully open face is nearly as expressive as the song lyrics, affirmations, and notes he always writes on his arms in black or blue pen.
What you always wanted for Christmas, One Little Lie is on sale. Or maybe what you didn’t know you always wanted for Christmas. Yeah, that works. And because in my mind it’s appropriate, I picked part of the book to share where they talk about glitter because glitter is a vital part of Christmas. Not as celebrated as Santa but totally there in every shiny present and tacky decoration.
The book is about Luke, a popular athlete at his small town high school who just did the unthinkable by falling for another guy. His journey to figure out his sexuality will test everything he knows about his relationships and himself. In this scene, Luke and friends are going out to a gay bar and he’s trying not to freak out.
I wrote this book so long ago I barely remember writing it, but I do know this part was really fun. Luke and his boyfriend were both panicking for different reasons, and there is glitter, moody drunk girls, snark, and cuteness, which is apparently everything I adore.
~
Glitter!
Luke
As Ryan’s really good at being a spaz, I should leave that to him. Me? I’m awesome. I had to remember that. So what if I was going to a gay bar for the first time and couldn’t even get drunk? Without alcohol to help, I was a terrible dancer.
Did I belong at a gay bar? As a couple, yeah, I guess. But me? No idea. What if everyone looked at me and knew I didn’t belong? What if they didn’t? Did that mean I did belong?
I went simple with my clothes, a red shirt that hugged my muscles and tight jeans. Ryan… did the opposite. He looked good, a little ridiculous with all the glitter, but also like himself. Also super gay.
“What do you think?” Ryan asked coyly while preening, batting his eyes in a way he thought was flirtatious but was actually excessive.
Dragging my eyes away from their current focus, I managed to reply nonchalantly. “Are you sure that’s the most obnoxious glitter you could find? Because I can barely even see it when I close my eyes.”
-This is from One Little Lie, the second sweet and snarky M/M romance in the One More Thing series of contemporary YA novels. Grab this gay romance for 99 cents right now! The deal lasts from the 26th-31, for those in the US and UK.
If you miss the sale, you can still get a great deal! Grab the book here as part of the One Crazy Love StoryBoxset, which features the first four books in the One More Thing Series.
I’m a little early for New Year’s resolutions, and I also don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but I guess I’m trying to be more flexible by reading Dead Over Heels. I usually hate straying from series reading order, though since the books in the Blackhaven Manor series are connected yet about different characters I made an exception. This was the perfect time to read too since it takes place over the winter holidays.
Quick Summary: A troubled loner finds a fresh start in a magical town. Meeting his fated mate helps, but running into an unexpected ghost does not. Oh yeah, he sees dead people.
My thoughts: What a great winter/holiday novel about fated mates who suddenly find themselves living together during the Christmas season. The book is full of sweet romance, domestic ups and downs, and just a touch of heat.
Fictional Rating System: 4.5 tiny cat sweaters out of 5
Fritz, called this for many technical malfunctions in real life, is a sweet, clumsy guy who is used to annoying people and occasionally hurting himself with his klutzy mishaps. Adding in medium abilities only makes matters worse. Even though supernatural beings are known, he thinks he’s just a regular guy who happens to see ghosts and never stays in one place too long because people will ask questions or he’ll overstay his welcome.
Until he arrives at Blackhaven manor. He’s looking for a job, and they instead send him to the sheriff’s office. Said sheriff rightly assumes this is a set up because the manor literally hires everybody, they even have a job which is basically Official Opener and Closer of Curtains. This isn’t at all related to the plot, but it’s a detail I remember when writing this, and I still find it amusing.
Vander is the sheriff, who indeed hires Fritz. It would be kind of rude to not give his fated mate a job. But before they can get to know each other better, Fritz accidentally touches some evidence and gets saddled with a ghost. A nasty one. Vander doesn’t know what’s happening, but realizes he needs to tread carefully to make his mate comfortable and get him to open up. So what follows is Vander low-key wooing his mate while Fritz tries to handle his uninvited ghostly house-guest.
Sweeter Than Sugar Cookies
While most shifters are apparently not huge fans of sweets, this book is filled with sugary goodness as the pair live together and fall in love. All while dealing with enthusiastic family members, a touch of demonic possession (or close enough), and hilariously feisty animals.
Honorable character mentions go to the hellbeast/nice kitty they babysit and the formidable goose who battles a werewolf and wins.
Honestly this wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. It’s an enjoyable book I didn’t really fall in love with, but I still recommend because of excellent writing and such fun, silly scenes that are sure to be memorable. I think there are lots of people who would love this novel when looking for seasonal reads, romantic comedies, and sweet love stories with relatively low angst.
Book Quote
Dead Over Heels by Arden Steele
It’s been twelve years since the Awakening. Otherlings are out of the paranormal closet. The whole world knows that creatures like vampires, werewolves, and witches exist. So, seeing dead people barely even rates on the freaky scale. Right?
Wrong.
Fritz Tolliver figures he must have done something terrible in a previous life to be afflicted with such a curse. In fact, every bad thing that has ever happened to him can be traced back to his unwanted ability. So, when a stupidly hot werewolf who’s way out of his league claims to be his mate, he should be thrilled. And he probably would have been if he hadn’t gone and gotten himself haunted by a nasty spirit on the same day.
When a human male strolls into the station asking for a job—and promptly spills an entire Americano on him—Sheriff Vander Hale has a feeling it’s going to be a bad day. Then, the door opens, the wind shifts, and suddenly, his whole world changes. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his mate, no battle he wouldn’t wage, even if his enemy is technically already dead. Unfortunately, there’s just one problem with his plan.
He’d go to hell and back for Fritz, but how is he supposed to fight something he can’t see?
Okay, I picked powers that sound ridiculous, but earth swimming is actually pretty useful. It gives the user the ability to swim through the ground and earth like it was water. Since the real world isn’t Minecraft, going deep into the ground just by doing the backstroke must be pretty useful. 
Gay Paranormal Romance 