Book Tour for Cowboy Heat Anthology (GIVEAWAY)

Who doesn't love a group of sexy and rugged cowboys.....  Today I'm bringing you a whole bunch of them all in one anthology, Cowboy Heat edited by Delilah Devlin.  Keep reading to get a taste of these stories and hear from one of the authors, Cheyenne Blue, as she discusses the rush of polo in all it's forms.  Make sure to leave a comment on this post for the chance to win a $10 Amazon GC and fill out the form below for the chance to win a slew of other great gifts too!

When I lived in the UK, I once attended a polo match.  It was in Sussex, at the very swanky mansion of a well-known media mogul.  For an afternoon, I mingled with the super rich, let my sandals sink into manicured lawn while I sipped French champagne, and watched the grooms, riders, and polo ponies perform.  Polo is definitely a sport for the rich.  Expensive and highly trained ponies – two or three for each rider – and a whole fleet of staff.  Visible money, more money than I’m likely to see in a lifetime.  

The match itself was fascinating.  It was incredible to see the horsemanship close up and admire those ponies—those shiny, pampered ponies, with their speed and sense of the game—do their stuff.

The Australian sport of polocrosse is a world away from the manicured lawns of Sussex.  The game is a fast and furious blend of polo and lacrosse, using a net instead of a mallet.  The players are bush people. If you can sit a horse you can have a crack at it, but the best players are as skilled as any professional polo player.  Most of the horses are stock horses, but they are skilful and speedy, and love what they do.  Polocrosse is played on dusty arenas in the middle of nowhere and there isn’t a champagne flute in sight.

Polocrosse is the inspiration behind my story “Cowboy Downtime” in Cowboy Heat.  Traditional cowboy downtime usually involves the three Fs: flirting, fighting, fucking.  So when Jack challenges Mel to a bet, you just know which of those three Fs the winner will choose.

***Comment on this post and one random commenter will win a $10 gift card from Amazon.  DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDY!

WEBSITE:  http://www.cheyenneblue.com

TWITTER:  @Iamcheyenneblue

GOODREADS:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3338016.Cheyenne_Blue

Broad Shoulders, Well-Worn Jeans and a Lean-Hipped Swagger

He may ride off into the sunset, but the cowboy in our heart never goes out of style. Even when coated with dust from riding alongside a herd of cattle or up to his knees in mud taming a wild stallion, this stud still generates plenty of Cowboy Heat.

USA Today bestselling author Delilah Devlin takes you back to the ranch with stories of rugged romantics, rough riders, and rope wranglers sure to satisfy your desire for a real man. In “Shall We Dance?,” by Myla Jackson, a waltz teacher learns about rhythm from her rancher student at the Flying M. The rodeo champion in Megan Mitcham’s “Coming Home” discovers that true love might be waiting at the end of the trail. A high school reunion at the honky tonk finds a city girl back in the strong arms of her cowboy crush in Cat Johnson’s “Unfinished Business.” Saddle up!

Mrs. Morgan and the Marshal by Emma Jay
A dalliance with the sexy town marshal makes a woman rancher question which she wants most, her independence or him.....

Emma Jay has been writing longer than she’d care to admit, using her endless string of celebrity crushes as inspiration for her heroes. Married twenty-six years, Emma  believes writing romance is like falling in love, over and over again. Creating characters and love stories is an addiction she has no intention of breaking.

Remember by Mia Hopkins

A jilted bride saddles up with the blazing-hot cowboy stripper hired for her cancelled bachelorette party.....

Mia Hopkins is a Los Angeles–based writer of romance and erotic fiction. Her work has appeared in Clean Sheets and will be featured in the forthcoming Circlet Press anthology Under Cover of Darkness. She was born in the year of the horse, which may explain her special fondness for cowboys.

Cowboy Downtime by Cheyenne Blue
Passion ignites at a polocrosse game in the Australian outback—she plays attack, he plays defense, and their sexy wager decides the winner.....

Cheyenne Blue’s erotica has appeared in over seventy anthologies, including: Best Women’s Erotica,CowboyLust, Best Lesbian Romance, Lesbian Lust and Frenzy: 60 Stories of Sudden Sex. She lives and writes by the beach in Queensland, Australia.

Coming Home by Megan Mitcham
A busted-up rodeo champion finds the squirt he tormented in youth transformed into a fiery woman challenging him to become the man she deserves.....

Megan Mitcham was a true Southern bell until she discovered the delicious world of erotic romance. Now she pens racy romances to please a reader’s heart, mind and body.

Her Captured Cowboy by Layla Chase
A lonely woman, ostracized by Colorado townspeople after years in Indian captivity, takes what she needs from a wandering cowboy.....

Layla Chase, on a dare from a close friend, challenged herself to explore the steamier side of romance and discovered all sorts of characters whose stories needed sharing. She writes contemporary and historical stories from her mountain home in California that she shares with her longtime husband and two dogs.

Back Stage Pass by Cynthia D’Alba

A sexy night with a hired escort, who looks exactly like a woman’s favorite country singer, leaves her with a back stage pass and a lot of burning questions.....

Cynthia D’Alba started writing on a challenge from her husband and discovered having imaginary sex with lots of hunky men was fun. Her first book, Texas Two Step, was released in 2012 and became a publisher best seller.

Unfinished Business by Cat Johnson

A class reunion gives one woman a second chance with a sultry cowboy from her past.....

Cat Johnson is a self-proclaimed promo ho known for her creative marketing and research. She’s sponsored bull-riding rodeo cowboys, owns a collection of cowboy boots and camouflage shoes for book signings and a number of her consultants wear combat or cowboy boots for a living.

At the Mercy of the Cowboy by Amber Lin
A new farmhand finds rough living and an even rougher cowboy to soothe away her pain.....

Amber Lin writes erotic romance with damaged souls and deep emotion. RT Book Reviews called her debut novel “truly extraordinary.” Her latest book, a small-town romance, released in late 2013.

Cowboy Adonis by Michael Bracken

When a naked cowboy rises from a stock pond, a nature photographer’s assignment gets personal

Michael Bracken, writer of fiction, nonfiction and advertising copy, is the author of almost nine hundred short stories, several of which have appeared in Cleis Press anthologies.

Denim and Lace by Robie Madison
One woman in a pair of rhinestone heels plus two sexy cowboys equals a highly combustible combination.....

Robie Madison pursues her own adventures traveling around the world. When she’s at home, she writes about men and women who aren’t afraid to take risks for love. When she’s not traveling or writing, she can often be found teaching writing courses online.

One Track Cowboy by Delilah Devlin

After tracking two lost hikers, a park ranger and a local rancher lose themselves to a wild passion.....

Delilah Devlin is a USA Today bestselling author of erotica and erotic romance. She has published over a hundred thirty erotic stories in multiple genres and lengths, and is published by Atria/Strebor, Avon, Berkley, Black Lace, Cleis Press, Ellora’s Cave, Harlequin Spice, HarperCollins: Mischief, Kensington, Montlake, Running Press, and Samhain Publishing. In May 2014, she adds Grand Central to her list of publishers when Her Only Desire releases!

Skin Deep by Randi Alexander
A pretty city girl and a scarred country cowboy discover love waits when you’re ready to look beneath the surface.....

Randi Alexander is a USA Today Bestselling Author and an adventurous spirit with a naughty imagination. Prepare yourself to be rode hard and put up satisfied on the sexier side of happily ever-after!

Drop Two Tears in a Bucket by Shoshanna Evers

Alone on her Montana cattle ranch after her husband divorces her, a woman finds satisfaction in the arms of the one cowboy she can’t resist.....

Shoshanna Evers is a critically acclaimed, best-selling romance author. She is published with Simon & Schuster/Gallery, Ellora’s Cave, and Penguin/Berkley Heat (Agony/Ecstasy), and her work is in several Cleis Press anthologies (including Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and 2013). She lives in Los Angeles with her family and two big dogs.

A Cowboy for Delilah by Sabrina York
The last thing this independent, high-powered lawyer wants is a cowboy in her life, but one steamy kiss from a sexy rancher burns her resolve to a crisp.....

Sabrina York, Her Royal Hotness, writes naked erotic fiction for fans who like it hot, hard and balls-to-the-wall, and erotic romance and fantasy for readers who prefer a slow burn to passion. Sabrina loves writing hot, humorous stories in multiple genres for smart and sexy readers.

Shall We Dance? by Myla Jackson

When a lonely woman gives private dance lessons to a shy, sexy cowboy, she stumbles on passion worth fighting for.....

Myla Jackson spent twenty years livin’ and lovin’ in South Texas, ranching horses, cattle, goats, ostriches and emus. A former IT professional, Myla happily writes full time, penning adventures that keep her readers begging for more. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling, snow-skiing, boating or riding her ATV, while concocting new stories.

BUY LINKS:  Amazon  |  BN  |  Books-A-Million  |  Indiebound  |  The Book Depository

**********GIVEAWAY**********

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Book Tour for The Heart Knows What the Heart Wants by Lori L. Clark (Review & GIVEAWAY)

I've become a big fan of the NA genre over the last few months and am always on the lookout for new-to-me authors writing these gritty and emotionally intense romances.  Today I'm excited to introduce you to The Heart Knows What the Heart Wants by Lori L. Clark which puts readers through the wringer on the way to an uplifting conclusion.  Make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $10 Amazon GC and 1 of 2 e-copies of this book too!

Estelle "Star" Falconé, a thirty-year-old tattooed bartender, was once a free-spirited dreamer who dabbled in astrology for fun and secretly dreamed of becoming a rock-star some day.
Twenty-one-year-old Shane Harper was once the star of his high school basketball team. With a full ride scholarship, his dream was to play college basketball and study planetary science. When a tragic car accident permanently sidelines his basketball career, college is out of the question.

Sparks fly when their two worlds collide.
Can a relationship survive between a thirty-year-old starry-eyed woman who's on the run from an extremely dangerous man, and a twenty-one-year-old science guy who's hell-bent on protecting her at all cost?

EXCERPT:

"What did you dream about becoming when you grew up?" he asked as he studied her face intently. "You know, like a ballerina, or nurse, or something?"
Without hesitation she replied, "A singer."
"You're a good singer?"
She snorted, "Oh God no. I can't carry a tune...which is probably why I never became a famous rock star. What about you, what did you want to be?" she asked. Besides hot.
All traces of happy drained from his face and he sighed. "A rocket scientist." Star's eyes widened. His flippant answer wasn't a joke -- his face was void of humor. "Actually, I was supposed to go to college to study planetary science."
"What happened? Why didn't you go?" she asked.
He stared silently for a few seconds. "Skip. Besides, it's my turn. You aren't allowed to ask two in a row."
She picked up her pen and added that question to the bottom of the list. "Okay, next," she told him.
"How many tattoos do you have?" he asked.
"Two," she said. She pushed up her shirt sleeve and pointed to the blue planet on the back of her hand. "You've seen Neptune."
"Okay, look. This doesn't count as one of my questions. But I'm dying here. What's the other tattoo, and where is it?" he asked leaning forward, resting his elbows on the table.
"It's over my heart and it's just a saying," she said, patting her chest with her right hand.
"What saying?"
She bit her lip and replied, "The heart knows what the heart wants."
"Beautiful." He spoke the word so softly, she wasn't sure he'd said it at all. He pushed back his chair and stood. He rubbed the back of his neck. She fascinated him and he couldn't get enough of her. "I've got to go home and clean my apartment. I've got company coming over later, and I don't want her to think I'm a complete slob."
Star felt as though she'd taken a sucker punch to the stomach. "Oh. Well yeah. You wouldn't want her to think that," she said. She hoped the disappointment she felt over him having some other female in his apartment didn't show on her face.
He reached out, cupped her cheek with his hand, and brushed the pad of his thumb across her skin. "What time should I expect you?" he asked.
Pleased with his response, she raised her eyes to meet his, and smiled. "Six?"
He nodded. "Six it is." He smiled and dropped his hand to his side before turning to leave.

ADD TO GOODREADS here.

BUY AT AMAZON here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

As a child the future seems full of possibilities, but as we grow up things happen that derail those dreams.  For Star and Shane those things were tragic and life-altering and left both emotional and physical scars behind.  It's this mutual pain that brings them together while their age difference (and her fear of opening up) have her fighting their obvious attraction.  With her past getting closer to her everyday it's Shane and her newfound circle of friends that will stand beside her and help her acheive the new dreams Shane's love and support has fostered in her.

Star never knew her father and her mother cared more about men than her daughter.  Looking for love in all the wrong places led her to Derek who abused her mentally and physically.  He took away her self-esteem, her trust in others, and turned her into a scared mouse who hated herself for being unable to leave.  Realizing that it was only a matter of time before he kills her has her running for her life and into a small town where she finds an unexpected sense of family and a young man who truly understands her and gives her back everything Derek beat out of her.  Slowly Star regains her self-esteem, becomes more outspoken and vocal, and starts dreaming of the future instead of just existing.  I admired this new Star and applauded her picking herself up and dusting herself off.  Though the age difference between her and Shane bothered her, she needed him to heal and I'm glad she finally allowed herself the happiness of being with him.

Shane once had dreams too, as the star basketball player with a scholarship that was going to get him out of his small town.  But one bad decision resulted in a car accident that killed his girlfriend and his future because of a permanently damaged knee.  Between that and his mother's death life felt as if it stopped and to find anything worth feeling led him to drugs, drinking, and sex.  He's put all that behind him though the emotional pain still haunts him at night.  He hides his pain well though behind an infectious grin, a charming nature, and being boyishly sexy.  I absolutely adored him and his interactions with Star!  He could sense her trepidation and bonded with her as a friend first before letting her know he wanted more.  All their scenes oozed sexual tension as evidenced by the witty dialogue and playful sexual innuendoes and these interactions put a smile on my face.  Shane is exactly what Star needed and he needed her as well to get him out of his rut and make something of himself to be the kind of man she deserved.

This was a hard story to read early on as Derek's abuse was vividly depicted with each blow being felt by us readers.  Knowing Derek wasn't going to give up on Star kept me on edge and added a layer of foreboding to the story as his rage escalated.  Star's evolution from meek to strong-willed though was richly rewarding and cheer-inducing.  Shane was utterly charming and he won me over even more by being open with his feelings and is still in my dreams as he represents the quintessential hero in my mind.  Throw in a delightful cast of secondary characters who help Star resurrect her dreams and you have a powerful and ultimately heartwarming story.  Though the ending felt a bit rushed with Derek's comeuppance not as rewarding as I'd hoped, I still found myself clapping at the end for all the possibilities laid out for Shane and Star.  This was my first book by Ms. Clark but won't be my last as she crafted a compelling story highlighting what draws me to the NA genre and I highly recommend it!

My rating for this is an A-

*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Lori L. Clark was born in Iowa, where she spent the first forty-six years of her life. In 2007, she loaded up a moving van and relocated to Missouri, where she currently resides. Lori's only child is a very spoiled Min Pin named Barkley. When not writing, she reads and runs. She completed her first half marathon at the age of fifty.
In 2009, after participating in NANOWRIMO, she began to take seriously the voices in her head. Two New Adult contemporary romance novels, Different Roads, and I Breathe You, were published in 2013, and showed early success. The Heart Knows What the Heart Wants is set to release in March 2014, and has her venturing into the realms of Romantic Suspense.
Lori is a member of Savvy Authors, the St. Louis Writers Guild, and Romance Writers of America.

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/LoriLClarkAuthor?ref=hl
TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/clarklori
PERSONAL BLOG:  http://www.lorilclark.com
BOOK REVIEW BLOG:  http://www.shereadsnewadult.com
GOODREADS:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6093884.Lori_L_Clark
PINTEREST:  http://www.pinterest.com/clarklori/
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE:  http://www.amazon.com/Lori-L.-Clark/e/B0085953FA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

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Book Tour for Fractured by Mickie B. Ashling (Review & GIVEAWAY)

Thank you for inviting me to share an excerpt from my latest release Fractured.  As an avid reader, I've come across every sort of character imaginable: firemen, vampires, shape-shifters, doctors, polo players, cops, teachers, you name it, I've seen it.  The one thing I rarely find are stories featuring dentists.  Let’s face it, almost everyone agrees on one thing—dentists rank up there with morticians and tax collectors.  Most people associate them with pain and financial ruin, when they’re only trying to make things better, not worse. Imagine what your life would be like without teeth.  Pretty grim if you ask me.  Nowadays, you can get replacements with a lot less pain and trauma than in years past.  But enough with the PSA.  What I’m trying to say is we need dentists as much as we need our cops, firemen, and teachers.  Let’s take them out of the Dark Ages and try to see them in a better light. The majority of them are pretty cool, and some are even drool worthy.  What are the odds of falling in love at first sight in a dental chair?  Stranger things have happened, and they're usually happening in my world.  
Like the previous novels in this series, Fractured is set in a San Francisco dental clinic.  Characters from Impacted and Bonds of Love make guest appearances but Fractured can be read as a stand-alone.  My latest dentist is Lance Roberts, new to the Bay Area and hoping to find the perfect sub to complete his Dominant nature.  Roque Celdran is a struggling Mexican-American who's just suffered some facial trauma due to an unfortunate encounter at a BDSM club.  Neither man expects to find romance in this incongruous setting, but they do.  Here's the official blurb and a short excerpt.......

Roque “Ro” Celdran dreams of a better life, far away from the hand-to-mouth existence of his migrant worker family. He moves to San Francisco to study Landscape Design but finds himself short of cash.  Tony, Ro’s identical twin, comes up with a plan to help Ro make ends meet.  The BDSM club Tony frequents is looking for gay men to act as submissives to the Dommes-in-training.  Ro reluctantly takes the job and falls headfirst into a world he neither understands nor desires.  

Lance Roberts is the new doctor at the dental practice started by Scott Gregory and Robin Kennedy.  On the surface, he seems to have it all: the Mensa IQ, blond and blue-eyed good looks, and the determination to make it in his competitive field.  Underneath lies a frustrated Dom in search of the perfect sub who can handle his obsessive behavior and debilitating need for control.
When Ro ends up in Lance’s dental chair, the last thing either one expects is a physical and mental connection.  Ro’s attraction to “White Bread” never pans out, and Lance’s weakness for Latinos always leads to a dead end. Could this time be different?  What happens between the two alphas leads to a lot of soul-searching and some surprising conclusions.

EXCERPT:

Dr. Roberts walked in before Ro turned on the music, and he removed one earbud so he could hear the doctor talk. He exuded the same confidence that had set Roque at ease when they’d first met, and this morning he was a welcome sight. An easy smile creased Lance’s face as he greeted him. The light-blue gown made of some papery fabric made him look like one of the surgeons on his grandmother’s favorite telenovela.Dr. Roberts epitomized everything Roque ever dreamed of in a man, although he was just as unattainable as the proverbial stars he longed to reach. He could only imagine Tony’s caustic remarks about his attraction for “white bread.” Was it the blond hair and blue eyes that yanked his chain, or was it everything else the man symbolized? Now wasn’t the time to psychoanalyze his feelings for the good doctor. There would be more time in the future to figure out what, if anything, was drawing him toward the guy. Hell, he probably had a wife and two kids waiting at home.
“How are you holding up?” Lance asked, drawing on the latex gloves. “The swelling appears to have gone down somewhat. How’s the pain?”

Roque nodded. “It’s manageable.”

Lance sat down and rolled a little closer. “Have you ever had a shot in your mouth?”

“No, sir.”
“It’ll sting for a second, but the minute the anesthetic gets into your bloodstream you won’t feel a thing. Your face will feel different, but it’s an illusion. The tissue won’t grow even if you think it’s expanding. Your nose might go numb as well, so don’t freak out. Our nerves are an intricate network, like the roots of a tree. They branch out in all directions and hitting a spot in your mouth could affect parts of your face temporarily. This is nothing unusual, and I don’t want you to worry.”

“Okay.”

“What you will feel is some pressure when I’m extracting the root tips that are still buried underneath the gum. Do you want me to talk you through the process, or would you rather I keep my mouth shut?”

“I’d rather not know what you’re doing if that’s okay.”

“Suits me fine,” Lance commented. “Some patients like a running commentary, and others believe in the old adage that ignorance is bliss.”

“That,” Roque concurred. “The less I know the better.”

“If you want me to stop, for whatever reason, raise your hand. Don’t jerk or push me away. I may end up drilling your tongue or cheek if that happens.”
“Shit,” Roque murmured.

“Don’t worry, buddy. It’s never happened on my watch, but there’s always a first time.”

“I’d rather not be your first.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Do you have the false teeth ready?”

“Sure do,” Lance said, looking exceedingly pleased with his efforts. “It took a couple of tries, but I’m very happy with the end result. Here, let me show you,” he said, reaching for a small plastic box. He withdrew the temporary bridge and showed it to Roque. “What do you think?”

“Looks like teeth to me.”

“It’ll look even better once it’s in your mouth. Now, remember. This is made of acrylic, so don’t try and crack walnuts or even bite into an apple or a burger. You have to cut your food or you’ll end up with problems I may not be able to fix.”

“What if it breaks and you’re not around?”

“It’s unlikely to happen so long as you’re careful.”

“I’ll be good.”

Lance smiled. “Did you take your antibiotic this morning?”

“Yes.”

“Have you had any breakfast?”

“I was too nervous to eat.”

“You’re not going to be able to eat anything for several hours.”

“Don’t usually have time for breakfast, Doc.”

“Alright,” Lance said. “There is one last thing.”

“What?”

“Your heart might start to race when I give you the shot. There’s epinephrine in the solution, and it’s been known to turn a steady heartbeat into a livelier conga line.”

“I’m a good dancer,” Roque quipped. “Bring it on, Doc.”

Lance looked at Susie and nodded. “Let’s get going.”

Roque put the earbud back in place and turned on the iPod. He put it on shuffle mode and closed his eyes, bracing for the shot. It did sting for a few seconds, but then it faded away, and soon he didn’t feel much of anything. There was a moment of panic when his heart began to race, but he remembered what the doc had said about the stimulant, and he took a deep breath to ride out the jumpy feeling. It passed in a few minutes, and he slowly began to relax.

Since he’d never sat in a dental chair before, he had no basis for comparison, but he could tell that the doc had a very light touch. He was so gentle that Ro almost fell asleep a couple of times. Who knew this could be so relaxing? Susie was no slouch either. She handled the steady exchange of instruments with a confidence born of years of practice. Neither partner in this intricate healing dance ever paused or pondered the next move. There was a reassuring synchronicity to their movements. Before he realized it, they were done. Susie wiped his mouth with a water-soaked piece of gauze to remove any blood and dabbed his lips with some Vaseline to help the dryness.

Lance pulled out one of Ro’s earbuds and passed over a hand mirror. “Tell me what you think.”

Ro brought up the mirror and stared at his face. He was still black and blue from the original beating and a little swollen around the mouth, but when he smiled, he saw perfect-looking teeth.

His eyes filled with grateful tears, and he whispered, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Lance said in the same soft tone. “Everything went as expected. I wasn’t able to place the implants, but I cleaned out the area and did some bone grafting to prepare the site. We’ll place the implants in a couple of months. In the meantime, you’re no worse for wear. You’ll be just fine.”

Fractured is now available in paperback or e-book format here:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_76

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

From start to finish Ms. Ashling has crafted a compelling read bringing together two men from vastly different backgrounds, each with his own pile of emotional baggage, to make for a rocky road to HEA.  As characters from past books make appearances, and play a role in the HEA, I found myself enjoying seeing what's become of them and the sense of family this brings to the story as brotherly love is a main theme in this story.  Throw in numerous steamy encounters with BDSM-lite intensity and readers are rewarded with a well-rounded story with an intensely emotional romance full of thought-provoking social issues.

Roque has had a tight bond with his twin brother Tony since the day of their birth working side by side through the years putting up with (and protecting) him in his increasingly harmful twin-reversals.  Tony's getting more and more out of control ever since becoming involved in BDSM and his latest act to gain his own Dominatrix resulted in major facial damage for Ro.  It's just one more act that has Ro hating his ethnicity as he's always felt like a lower class citizen.  His first love sold him out for being Mexican and the numerous stereotypes hurled at him have him trying to rise above that by working non-stop and going to college.  Those feelings still rear their ugly head during inopportune moments and force him and his new love Lance to deal with them head on.  

Lance has always appeared to have it easy with his smarts and family wealth, but it's led to more pressures that culminate in occasionally crippling OCD and having to hide his sexuality from those in his social circle.  Instead he had relationships mostly with those that worked for his family as he could be in control and free of judgements which fueled his need to be a Dom.  Those relationships fizzled quickly as they left him unchallenged and the inequality led to boredom.  Ro excites him though and is full of contradictions that have Lance giving up some of the power which puts them on more equal footing allowing for a satisfying HEA.

Issues of ethnicity are dealt with realistically and sensitively making for some thought-provoking moments.  Lance's OCD is handled in a believable and accepting way that made it apparent that these two are made for each other as Ro was caring and supportive during his panic attacks.  Their relationship was full of give and take with many moments where they leaned on each other with no judgements between them.  The romance between them was at times sweet, always sexy, but always in jeopardy because of Tony's machinations.  He was my least favorite part of the book and I could never be as forgiving as Ro was over all his misdeeds.  Barring that I found this an entertaining stand-alone read that nicely balanced all aspects of this imperfect pair's lives and recommend it to those wanting a well-written and seductive m/m read with a bit of telenovela added in to ramp up the suspense.

My rating for this is a B+

*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Mickie B. Ashling is the alter-ego of a multifaceted woman raised by a single mother who preferred reading over other forms of entertainment. She found a kindred spirit in her oldest child and encouraged her with a steady supply of dog-eared paperbacks. Romance was the preferred genre, and historical romances topped her favorites list.

By the time Mickie discovered her own talent for writing, real life had intruded, and the business of earning a living and raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing and the inevitable emptying nest, dreams were resurrected, and the storyteller was reborn.

She stumbled into the world of men who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and intolerant world. Her award-winning novels have been called "gut wrenching, daring, and thought provoking." She admits to being an angst queen and making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.

 Mickie loves to travel and has lived in the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East but currently resides in a suburb outside Chicago.

You can contact Mickie at mickie.ashling@gmail.com or leave a comment on her website at http://mickieashling.com or her blog http://mickiebashling.blogspot.com.

**********GIVEAWAY**********

MICKIE IS AWARDING A PRINT OR E-COPY (WINNER'S CHOICE) OF FRACTURED TO ONE RANDOMLY CHOSEN COMMENTER!

-To be entered, LEAVE A COMMENT STATING WHAT YOU ENJOY ABOUT M/M BOOKS, along with your email addy (no email=no entry).

-Winner will be chosen using random.org

-Giveaway IS OPEN TO ALL and ends at 11:59 PM CST on 4/5!