Tag Archives: Kim Dare

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity, plus 2010 Reading Year in Review

33 Comments

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Best of 2010

Cool

Huh

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update

I read 864 books in 2010, compared to 811 books in 2009. I had six dnf (did not finish) books, which I have not listed. I tagged 858 of the books I read as m/m, 826 as ebooks, 350 as shorts, and 24 as rereads. You can find my reviewettes of these these books in my LibraryThing (in the “Review” or “Comments” field, depending). Please note that not all of my books are in GoodReads, although I’m trying to be better about adding them!

One Real Thing by Anah Crow & Dianne Fox. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about two guys who were best friends in college. One got married and started a career and followed a path of things he felt he should do. The other slowly spiraled down and out of control. This book was, at times, not an easy read. It left me feeling gutted more than once. But it’s so very worth reading to find out for yourself if either of them can be saved…
All She Wrote (Holmes & Moriarity, Book 2) by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense/mystery continuing the story of Kit Holmes and J.X. Moriarity, mystery writers (although not coauthors), as Kit flies across the country to play amateur sleuth for a writer friend who thinks someone is trying to kill her.
Primal Red (Bellingham Mysteries, Book 1) by Nicole Kimberling. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about an investigative reporter for a free weekly paper who hears screaming, then sees a woman die in the arms of an artist that he’d very much like to date…
Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Bellingham Mysteries, Book 2) by Nicole Kimberling. Good m/m romantic suspense continuing the story of the investigative report and the artist – this time, they’re camping in the snow and participating in a New Year’s Eve snow sculpture event when they discover a dead body.
Black Cat Ink (Bellingham Mysteries, Book 3) by Nicole Kimberling. Good m/m romantic suspense in which our artist and investigative reporter search for a stolen penis statue and acquire a black kitten.
Appearing Nightly (The First Real Thing, Book 2) by Cat Grant. Very good m/m romance about a singer/drag queen/bar co-owner who’s fascinated by the cute, skittish guy who recently started working at the bar. You really need to read The First Real Thing before you read this book!
The Stroke of Twelve by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about an aimless young man who wakes up after a night at the bar to find he has a piece of paper with an address and a time written on it and only the vague memory of a handsome older man handing it to him. Curious, he turns up at the address on time… and his life is changed in a way he never expected.
A Change of Tune by J.M. Cartwright. ebook. Good m/m romance about a successful (and deeply closeted, even from himself) rock musician who leaves his band and moves to an out-of-the-way town in West Virginia, where he meets a very pushy sheriff…
Offside Pass (Blue Line Hockey, Book 1) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good m/m romance about a newbie sports reporter trying to figure out the dark secret in the past of three brawling hockey brothers, one of whom he finds very attractive.
It’s Smoking in the Locker Room by Stephani Hecht. free ebook short. Smoking (heh) short m/m romance about a college student whose secret high school crush (and former captain of the high school hockey team) emails him and asks to meet in their old high school locker room.
Burnt Orange: Sooner or Later by Dallas Coleman. ebook short. Good short m/m romance, told in a series of key scenes, that follows two guys who become friends in grade school, despite one being a Sooner and the other being a Longhorn and neither realizing the other is gay… I got sniffly once or twice during this one.
Sagittarius: Mr. November (Boys of the Zodiac, Book 9) by Pepper Espinoza. ebook. I read it because I love the song “Mr. November” by the National, but it’s actually a good (if rather heavy on the dreary football details) m/m romance about an older quarterback who’s been traded to a new team under mysterious circumstances.
Pulling Away (Book 1) by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Reread. Good short m/m romance about a guy who’s isolated himself since his parents died two years earlier, only really talking to a friend he met online.
The First by Rachel West. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about two guys in college who broke up because one caught the other kissing someone else while very drunk at a party.

“Hey, Stella!!!!” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: The Stroke of Twelve by Kim Dare [CONTEST CLOSED]

53 Comments

Congrats to arzu, who won Making His List by Devon Rhodes!

Many thanks to Kim Dare for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming kinky m/m romance, The Stroke of Twelve (Perfect Timing, Book 6), for a lucky commenter to win! The Stroke of Twelve will be released by Total-E-Bound on January 3, 2011.

On the stroke of twelve Devon belongs to him for one hour. One hour that will change the course of his life forever.

Free of responsibility and provided with an independent income, Devon Ashford floats through life thinking only of where the next party might be. When a note orders Devon to present himself at Templeton, Crawford & Associates at noon on Wednesday, he’s curious enough and bored enough to follow the order.

He doesn’t know what to expect when he arrives, but it’s not to be told that on the stroke of twelve, he’ll belong to the stern man on the other side of the desk for exactly one hour. He doesn’t expect anyone to command him to strip for an inspection. Nor does he expect to follow the orders of a stranger. He certainly doesn’t imagine he could like doing that enough to go back for more.

Whatever he expects, Devon’s about to discover that what happens at the stroke of twelve could change the course of his life forever.

Please note that the books in this series are associated by theme and it is not necessary to read them in order.

Kim’s Other Books

About Kim

Kim Dare is a twenty-seven year old full-time writer from Wales (UK). First published in December 2008, Kim has since released over thirty BDSM erotic romances.

While the stories range over male/male, male/female and all kinds of menage relationships and have included vampires, time travellers, shape-shifters and fairytale re-tellings, they all have three things in common – kink, love and a happy ending.

You can visit Kim at her website and her blog.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Thursday, December 30.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Just… can’t… quite… reach… itchy… spot…” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Friday is linkity day! Well, except for the next two weeks, when Thursday will be linkity day.

29 Comments

I never heard back from the first winner, so congrats to Juli-Anna, who’s the new winner of A Shifter Christmas (The Lost Shifters, Book 8 ) by Stephani Hecht!

Congrats to Jase, who won Knight’s Fall (Boys in Blue) by Mia Watts! Knight’s Fall will be released December 20 by Total-E-Bound.

Congrats to Tracey D, who won His Christmas Present by Rachel Randall! His Christmas Present will also be released by Total-E-Bound on December 20.

Contests

Bookity

  • Do not watch the video for Blank: A Novel if you are especially sensitive to violence against books.

Ebookity

Snowity

  • We had a lot of snow and then it got cold. If you missed my photo of what my street looked like after the snow stopped, it’s at the end of this week’s Misadventures post.

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Gift Ideas

Holiday

Cool

  • I’d never heard of the archer fish before. (Thanks, Jase!)
  • If you’re planning to get cremated, a ghost urn would be pretty cool.

Huh

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
The Match Before Christmas by Eden Winters. ebook. Excellent m/m holiday romance about a contractor who joins an online GLBT dating site several months before Christmas, with the hope that he’ll meet someone and not be alone (well, besides his two black kitties) on Christmas. Anyone who’s ever done the online dating thing will be able to relate to the numerous and discouraging encounters he has before almost giving up on his plan… And my kitties are in the dedication! 🙂
Trust Me If You Dare (Romano & Albright, Book 2) by LB Gregg. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense continuing the madcap and lusty adventures of caterer Ceaser (who really does need someone to keep him out of trouble, possibly by wrapping him in cotton wool and locking him up) and his boyfriend, PI Dan (who would so like to take that job on). *commences waiting for Book 3*
Cameron’s Pride (Thrown to the Lions, Book 4) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky paranormal m/m romance about a lion shifter without a pride, working as a stripper, and about the rich jerk determined to make that lion his for any amount of money.
Red Lights and Silver Bells (EMS Heat, Book 6) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Very good holiday m/m romance about how important facing emotional demons is to moving on with life.
I’ll Run Away for the Holidays by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Sweet holiday m/m romance about a guy whose best friend guilts him into driving from Florida to her home in Michigan for the holidays… and then he finds out that her younger brother, who made a slobbery (and rebuffed) pass at him several years before, will be joining them for the drive.
Making His List by Devon Rhodes. ebook. Excellent m/m holiday romance about a guy who always keeps the men he dates at arm’s length, and having his young niece and unreliable sister move in with him just give him more excuses to do so. I might’ve gotten sniffly while reading this one. *ahem*
The Reason for the Season by Chrissy Munder. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about a college student in the UP, trying to get to his sister’s house in Flint for Christmas, who gets a ride from the rideshare board into “snowpocalypse.” I especially enjoyed this story since I was reading it during what the local news stations dubbed “snowmaggedon.”
The Next Twenty by Margaret Mills. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about a straight guy in his 50s, who discovers that a good friend, freshly retired from the military, is gay and has been attracted to him for years.
Enchanted Grounds by Michelle Moore. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m holiday romance about a guy who finds a mysterious coffee shop and starts to visit it daily, at the same time that he starts having realistic dreams about sleeping and snuggling with a man he’s never met…
The Wild Side by Janey Chapel. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a college student who agrees to help out a friend by waiting tables over Valentine’s Day weekend. He’s never been interested in seeing the same guy twice… is that about to change?
Vintage Toys for Lucky Boys by G.R. Richards. ebook short. Ok short m/m holiday romance about a guy who brings some old toys into an antiques shop to be appraised… and things proceed a bit too quickly for me to believe. The insight into being transgendered was the best part of the book.
White Out by Heidi Champa. ebook. Ok short m/m romance about a researcher, escaping a broken heart and swearing not to fall in love again, who takes a six-month research position in Antarctica to get away from memories of his ex. (Still haven’t figured out the title, as it didn’t seem to relate to anything in the book other than Antarctica being cold and snowy.)

*sigh* “I knew it was too good to last…” -Chaos

“Hi, big kitty! You looked lone… ooooh, shiny!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity limps along, even after another crazy week here!

36 Comments

Congrats to Sidney, who won Chasing Alex by Em Woods and A Special Christmas by J.P. Bowie! Both books will be released by Total-E-Bound on December 13 as part of the Yule Be Mine collection.

Congrats to Monica, who won Trusted Bond (Change of Heart, Book 2) by Mary Calmes! Trusted Bond is now available from Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to Mellanie, who won Red Lights and Silver Bells (EMS Heat, Book 6) by Stephani Hecht!

Here’s hoping I catch up on Google Reader and commenting soonishly…

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Do, Learn, Think, Make

Gift Ideas

Holiday

Cool

Eeek!

Huh

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Rescue Me by Scarlet Blackwell. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about a rich, angry, nasty homophobic guy who nearly dies in a car crash. When he’s eventually able to go home, he needs home nursing care and finds himself uncomfortably attracted to his male nurse. I’ll warn you that I suspect some people are probably going to hate this as much as I loved it – there’s a lot of angst, a lot of being stuck and not making any progress, a lot of lashing out at others because of how he feels about himself. And it all manages to feel more real to me than a lot of GFY tends to.
Foxe Tail (Skyler Fox Mysteries, Book 1) by Haley Walsh. ebook. Good m/m mystery about a young high school English teacher who stumbles across a dead body in the alley outside of a club. Be aware that this is first book in a trilogy and lots of things are left open at the end.
War Games by Kim Dare. free ebook short. Good kinky free short m/m romance about a geek with a crush on the forceful security guard at work. When they’re out doing a war games team building exercise, things get interesting.
Mistletoe & Submission by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky holiday m/m romance about a guy who joined a bdsm club as a dom, but finds that his feelings for his extremely dominant friend confuse the issue for him. But since his friend seems to think so poorly of all submissives, it’s a moot point, right?
Eight Nights by Keira Andrews. ebook. Very good holiday m/m romance about a college student who ends up spending Hanukkah with his annoying dorm mate’s family after said dorm mate’s mother realized he didn’t have anywhere else to go for the holidays. How is it that his dorm mate’s brother isn’t annoying at all?
Daybreak (Eight Nights, Book 2) by Keira Andrews. ebook. Very good holiday m/m romance about the college student and the dorm mate’s brother, starting seven or eight months after the first book. A lot more angst in this one – I even got a little sniffly.
All I Want for Christmas by Linda Reilly. ebook short. Ok short parnormal m/m holiday romance about a med student, in denial about being gay, who’s visiting friends in New York City for the holidays. The paranormal aspect of the story took my completely by surprise, but I guess it makes the insta-love more acceptable…
Ice Around the Edges by Mary Calmes. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a guy who’s in the hospital recuperating from being shot and is very surprised when the ex who dumped him out of the blue ten years ago shows up at his bedside.
Better with Sprinkles by Chrissy Munder. ebook short. Advent Calendar. Good short m/m holiday romance about a biochemistry major in study panic whose roommate finagles him into baking 20 dozen cookies for a charity event. Includes family sugar cookie recipe at the end! 🙂
Mariah the Christmas Moose by Andrew Grey. ebook short. Cute short m/m holiday story about a teacher, newly arrived in Alaska, who calls the police about a monster (er, moose) in his back yard and meets a very interesting police officer as a result.
All Snug by B.G. Thomas. ebook short. Good short m/m holiday romance about two guys who both show up at an antique store, trying to buy the same bed for their boyfriends. They come up with a multipart contest to see who should be able to buy the bed. It was, unfortunately, completely predictable.
GI Joe Holiday by Amberly Smith. ebook. Good m/m holiday romance about a guy in Navy SEAL training who gets picked to pose for a statue that will be displayed on a military base. Because of DADT, he can’t let on that he’s gay, but he finds himself very attracted to the sculptor. This had a strange, sort of paranormal twist to it that really took me by surprise.
The Hanukkah Surprise by Rebecca Lynne Fullan. ebook short. Good short m/m holiday romance about a couple, one of whom hates Hanukkah and the other of whom hates surprises, heading off on a Hanukkah surprise.
By the Chimney with Dare by Leigh Ellwood. ebook short. Ok short m/m holiday romance about a limousine driver who chauffeurs a very sexy Santa to a party…
Fun with Dick by G.A. Hauser. free ebook short. Meh short m/m holiday story about an established couple getting busy with the assistance of whipped cream, hot fudge, and more.

“I will never surrender, big kitty!!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Cameron’s Pride by Kim Dare [CONTEST CLOSED]

78 Comments

Congrats to Linda C, who won her choice from one of Devon Rhodes’s recent ebook releases!

Many thanks to Kim Dare for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming kinky paranormal m/m romance, Cameron’s Pride (Thrown to the Lions #4), for a lucky commenter to win! Cameron’s Pride will be released by Resplendence Publishing on December 8.

Franklin knows the way the game is played. It’s the man with the money who calls the shots, and Franklin has plenty of money. When he sees a beautiful lion shifter called Caramel dancing on the stage at his favourite club, he doesn’t hesitate to reach for his wallet. And, when Caramel disappears before he can even open negotiations, he’s quick to pay a fortune in order to be thrown to the only pride of werelions in the area.

Cameron’s been living without a pride for years, doing whatever it takes to survive. Dancing in clubs, and doing whatever the guys who throw money at him want him to do in the alleyways behind those clubs, hasn’t given him the best opinion of human men. All he knows for sure is that the rich ones are the worst.

The pride are determined to track down the lone lion that’s living in their territory and bring him safely under their care, but is it too late for Cameron to find a sense of pride – and if he does, will he be too proud to let a wealthy man like Franklin into his life?

Excerpt (scroll down)

Kim’s Other Books

About Kim

Kim Dare is a twenty-seven year old full-time writer from Wales (UK). First published in December 2008, Kim has since released over thirty BDSM erotic romances.

While the stories range over male/male, male/female and all kinds of menage relationships and have included vampires, time travellers, shape-shifters and fairytale re-tellings, they all have three things in common – kink, love and a happy ending.

You can visit Kim at her website and her blog.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Tuesday, December 7.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“The big kitty makes an ok pillow, even if he is a crabbypants.” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Mistletoe and Submission by Kim Dare [CONTEST CLOSED]

58 Comments

Congrats to Tracy, who won Tooth and Nail (Warder, Book 2) by Mary Calmes! Tooth and Nail is the sequel to His Hearth and is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Monica J, who won Handcuffs & Trouble (Rawlings Men, Book 4) by Kim Dare! Handcuffs & Trouble is now available from Resplendence Publishing.

Many thanks to Kim Dare for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming kinky holiday m/m romance, Mistletoe and Submission, for a lucky commenter to win! Mistletoe and Submission will be released by Total-E-Bound on December 6.

“Stand under the mistletoe until midnight, naked, bound and blindfolded. Submit to any dominant who wants a piece of you.”

At the junior doms regular poker night, anything can, and frequently does, happen. Add in crackers that contain dares instead of jokes and two men’s lives might never be the same again.

When Carl applied to join the best leather club in the city, he had no doubt about his preference for dominance. It was only when he set eyes on Sloan that he began to wonder if submission might be far more fun than he originally thought.

With no time for club politics and little interest in rising through the ranks, ever since experienced dom Sloan moved to the city and joined the club, he’s been quite content to bide his time among the junior dominants and keep a brotherly eye on a young man who is obviously out of his depth amongst his more sadistic contemporaries.

One man has to do the dare. The only question now, is which man will it be, and are either of the friends ready for the way their relationship might change after a night of Mistletoe and Submission?

Excerpt (scroll down)

Kim’s Other Books

About Kim

Kim Dare is a twenty-seven year old full-time writer from Wales (UK). First published in December 2008, Kim has since released over thirty BDSM erotic romances.

While the stories range over male/male, male/female and all kinds of menage relationships and have included vampires, time travellers, shape-shifters and fairytale re-tellings, they all have three things in common – kink, love and a happy ending.

You can visit Kim at her website and her blog.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Friday, December 3.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Legs? What are you nattering on about now, Mom?” -Chaos

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Bountiful linkity abounds

38 Comments

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes on Wednesday! 🙂

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

  • It’s now possible to autograph ebooks! As someone who would prefer to only procure ebooks, I’ve had to continue buying paper books when it’s something I’d like signed – so I hope the technology is adopted.

Learn, Make, Think, Do

Linkity Peeps

Thanksgiving

Pottermania

Gift Ideas

Cool

Huh

LOL

  • Kitties in sweaters… but no photos of the injuries the owners sustained because of said sweaters.

Teh Cute

Reading Update
His for the Holidays by L.B. Gregg, Harper Fox, Z.A. Maxfield, & Josh Lanyon. ebook advance review copy. Excellent collection of four m/m holiday romances. From LB Gregg’s trademark madcap romp to Harper Fox’s angst-filled tale of a detective inspector possibly beyond redemption, each story shines. Highly recommended and very satisfying read.
Kindling Fire with Snow by Kate McMurray. ebook. Very good short m/m romance about two guys, who’d been each others first boyfriends in high school, who run into each other at a bar during a blizzard and have the chance to reconnect.
Handcuffs and Trouble (Rawlings Men, Book 4) by Kim Dare. ebook. Good kinky m/m romance about a rookie constable who thinks he must be getting hazed or something when he ends up in a dangerous dive bar with no idea who he’s supposed to find. Good thing he’s found first. 🙂
A Realistic Romance by Andi Anderson. ebook. Good m/m romance about a closeted rock star who agrees under duress to be on a reality tv show to help bolster his faltering career, but is alarmed to discover that the guy he’ll be sharing a small cabin with is very cute and very out. A little bit more editing attention would really have helped this book a lot.
Friday Night Jamie by Bren Christopher. ebook. Good m/m romance (that turns into romantic suspense along the way) about an accountant from a rough background who works diligently during the week, then goes out to pick up a different guy every Friday night.
A Tempting Distraction (Lost Shifters, Book 7) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about Owen, a tiger shifter who was rescued in the previous book and is trying to adjust to life in the Coalition, where he’s not trusted because of his criminal past.
Pride and Joey by Devon Rhodes. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a gay lion shifter, hiding his nature from his pride and its homophobic alpha, when he runs across a tranqed cougar shifter. Hopefully Devon will write a bit more in this world!
Once Upon a Dragon by Jambrea Jo Jones. free ebook short. Cute free short m/m fairy tale reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty, with dragon shifters thrown in to make things more interesting.
Twenty Years Until Yes by Cindy Rosenthal. ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a long-term couple that takes place in three parts (1984, 1994, and 2004), following changing attitudes about gay couples.
The Hitch-Hiker (The Tomcat Line, Book 1) by Stevie Woods. ebook. Ok m/m romantic suspense about an archeologist who’s made a huge discovery and is now on the run from his jealous colleagues looking to claim the glory for themselves. When he hitches a ride with a handsome trucker, neither of them has any idea what’s ahead of them.
The Lost Temple (The Tomcat Line, Book 2) by Stevie Woods. ebook. Ok m/m romantic suspense continuing the adventures of our trucker and our archeologist/professor. Think gay Indiana Jones, plus bonus stalker. 🙂
Halfway by K.I.L. Kenny. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a college student who’s in the process of pledging the same frat his dad had been in. He falls for a crossdressing townie, but his status in the frat causes problems. Be prepared for an abrupt HFN (I guess) ending and a bit of a plot hole.
Use Your Illusion by Jade Falconer. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a college student with a crush on a straight jock who doesn’t know he exists. (Wait, what are the odds of reading two books about college students and crossdressing in the same week?)
The Rosebud by M. Raiya. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who can heal with touch… but at a personal cost that’s kept him on the road for years.
Going Home by C.B. Conwy. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who’s been staying at home in the States while his boyfriend works throughout the world, providing medical aid. But now the distance thing isn’t working so well anymore…
The Pavilion by Tracy Rowan. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Good m/m romance about a British doctor who shuts down emotionally and moves to the US after his lover dies.
The Boyfriend Line by Avery Zeno. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who’s just learned that he might have cancer, but isn’t sure he should discuss it with his “friend with benefits” since it might be crossing “the boyfriend line.”
Take It Slow by Taylor Lochland. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Good short m/m romance about an injured runner who finds himself very attracted to the orthopedic specialist.
Have Hope by Emily Moreton. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Decent short m/m story about a double agent whose current mission does not go at all as planned. Be aware that this has no HEA or even HFN.
Ask the Fire by Dennis Paddie. ebook. I think this was spy thriller with delusions of literary grandeur… Trying to read it hurt my brain – I made it through the Prologue and a chunk of the first chapter, but I just couldn’t wade through the byzantine language and plot any more. DNF.

“Remember, Mayhem, if we don’t make eye contact with Mom, we can’t actually be in trouble for being on the table.” -Chaos

“Lalalalalala, I can’t see you, Mom!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Handcuffs & Trouble by Kim Dare [CONTEST CLOSED]

46 Comments

Congrats to Lucia, who won A Tempting Distraction (The Lost Shifters, Book 7) by Stephani Hecht! A Tempting Distraction is now available from eXtasy Books.

Many thanks to Kim Dare for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming kinky m/m romance, Handcuffs & Trouble (Rawlings Men, Book 4), for a lucky commenter to win! Handcuffs & Trouble will be released by Resplendence Publishing on November 24 17.

As the newest constable in the station, Trent Rawlings isn’t entirely surprised to find himself being hazed by the other cops. Determined not to make any more of a fool of himself than is absolutely necessary, he’s merely biding his time and going through the motions until he gets to the punch line. It has to be a hazing. If it’s not, he’s in real trouble.

Kieran Osmond doesn’t know what the hell the little fool thinks he’s doing, stumbling into the middle of an undercover operation. All Kieran knows is that he has to rescue the younger man before he gets them both killed. Luckily for them both, Trent seems to be good at obeying orders and following a more dominant man’s lead. He may even be too good at it for Kieran’s peace of mind.

Maybe Trent isn’t the only man who’s in trouble.

Excerpt (scroll down)

Kim’s Other Books

About Kim

Kim Dare is a twenty-seven year old full-time writer from Wales (UK). First published in December 2008, Kim has since released over thirty BDSM erotic romances.

While the stories range over male/male, male/female and all kinds of menage relationships and have included vampires, time travellers, shape-shifters and fairytale re-tellings, they all have three things in common – kink, love and a happy ending.

You can visit Kim at her website and her blog.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Tuesday, November 23.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Gluten Free, Randonymity, Reading, Reviewettes, See the Sights

Some incoherent thoughts from vacation, plus my out-of-control Reading Update

36 Comments

So the best thing about being the last person reporting in on a vacation trip is that so much has already been written about it by others. 🙂 Please note that some of the links below will have NSFW components!

For some reason we took our group photo after Tracy left – from the left, me, Jen, Tam, and Kris:

And here’s Tracy at Yaoi-Con, with some yaoi clutched in her hand and a mysterious pink-haired person sitting next to her:

Does anyone know what the heck this gelatinous blob, found amongst the washed up seaweed on the beach at Carmel, could be?

Look at the tasty gf beer in a frosted glass I had at Allegro Gourmet Pizza in Carmel! (Alas, no photos exist of the delicious gf bacon cheeseburger pizza I devoured there.) (And yes, that is CarrieK‘s arm across the table – I had the chance to hang out with her for a few days, too. I think we knitted together for maybe 20 seconds or so.)

Check out the yummy gf veggie panini and gf red velvet cupcake I ate at Cafe Mariposa!

Meeting blog friends is always wonderful. I would go on vacation with them again, should I ever have the chance.

The best part about Yaoi-Con was meeting all the authors! I’m pretty sure I’ll miss someone, so please forgive me in advance. I met Clare London, Felicitas Ivey, Marie Sexton, Lynn Flewelling, Andrew Grey, Mary Calmes, Amy Lane, TC Blue, ZA Maxfield, Belinda McBride, EM Lynley, Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, Nicole Kimberling, Rowan McBride, and… *mind goes blank*

The chocolate-covered macaroons from Hot Cookie were the best I’ve ever had… and they’re even available in less graphic shapes than the video might suggest. 🙂

San Francisco is really, really hilly. You can’t properly appreciate that until you’ve been on a death march with Kris or Tracy.

It’s hard to resist the HRC Store – such a great cause, amazing staff, and cool stuff.

I barely get motion sick at all on electric buses. Damn diesel fumes on regular buses!

NaNoBloMo may kill me, compulsive commenter that I am. Alas, NaNoBloMo peeps, I’m not going to be able to comment on all your posts, no matter how much I’d like to. In part, that’s because work is going to get progressively more crazy throughout the month.

My beloved car experienced brain death while I was on vacation. It is currently awaiting a brain transplant. Please think happy healthy car thoughts for me, ‘k? Also, why the heck would you put a woman who begged for a junker loaner into a 2011 BMW?! *takes deep breaths*

Reading Update
Bedtime Story for a Stolen Child by Anna Mayle. ebook. Excellent m/m dark fantasy about a man, stolen by the Fae when he was a child, who returns to the human world to confront the Changeling who took his place. Recommended.
The Trap by Indigo Wren. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two college roommates, best friends, who planned to start a technology company together… until one of them basically flees into the night without a word. And that’s all I’m going to say about it, because part of what really drew me into this story was having events unfold for me, without really knowing what was going to happen.
Blacque/Bleu by Belinda McBride. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a deeply closeted werewolf (because there supposedly aren’t any gay werewolves) who gets involved with a vampire… and then his pack responsibilities become more pressing.
The Strength of a Gamma (Pack Discipline, Book 2) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky paranormal m/m romance about two gamma wolves who are best friends with deeper feelings for each other, but one of them doesn’t believe that he’s good enough to be the other’s mate.
Almost Heaven by Kimberly Gardner. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s training for the priesthood and teaching at a parochial high school until his reaction to the much older brother of one of his students has him doubting his chosen path. I had a small niggle about this one, which could’ve been handled with one sentence about how the Ryan situation was resolved. 🙂
Trust Me by Jeff Erno. ebook. This m/m romance was a very mixed read for me. I really liked the base story, about two boys, one extremely religious, growing up in the 80s and trying to come to terms with their attraction to other boys. But I kept feeling as if I were being drawn into the story, only to be shoved out again, perhaps because there was too much telling and not enough showing? Additionally, the story had these odd, very meta-feeling lecturey interludes that did not work for me at all.
Manfred’s Curse by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Cute short paranormal m/m romance about a guy getting freaked out by the weird storm he’s weathering alone, with only his black cat Manfred to keep him company…
Eat Me by Mia Watts. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a man who was cursed 400 years ago to live as domestic lynx belonging to a family of witches. All that remains of the family is a single male descendant, who doesn’t seem to have any curse-breaking magic… I wish this story had been just a bit longer, because the ending happened way too fast.
Oliver and Angus (Shifting Perspectives, Book 1) by Nerine Petros. ebook short. Short paranormal m/m romance with lots of potential that wasn’t quite realized, primarily because too much story was crammed into too few pages, giving the story a very choppy feel. Hopefully the next story about the dingo shifters who’ve sought asylum in a wolf shifter-controlled town in the Australian Outback will be longer, or at least have more transitions and exposition.
Unbound (Bonded II) by Jay Lygon. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of Viking vampire and romance novelist, Brandr, and his vampiric go-go boy housemates. Read the other books first, because in this one, questions are answered and it will make more sense if you know the questions before you get the answers. 🙂
Faerie Bound by Jenna Castille. ebook. Good kinky paranormal m/m romance about an Alpha wolf shifter and pack leader who’s been hiding his need to be mastered because other shifters would think him weak and challenge him. How will he balance his needs and those of his pack as he seeks his mate? I’m pretty sure there are additional books planned, based on where part of the storyline was left at the HFN end of the book.
The Horror in Dunwich Hall by Johnny Murdoc. ebook short. Good steamy short Lovecraftian m/m story. I absolutely love the first two lines: “There was a naked jock on my bed and a thing with tentacles coming out of my toilet. One of these things did not belong, and if you tell me that it was the naked jock, you shouldn’t be reading this story.” You can read it for free online.
I Take Thee by Zoe Nichols. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a guy, addicted to E and pot, whose boyfriend has just returned from treatment and is dedicated to staying clean.
Chainbreaker by Kate Roman. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a San Francisco bike messenger and his boyfriend.
Someplace in This World, edited by Lee Benoit. ebook collection. Good m/m romance collection about finding the place (or person) where you belong and feel safe and happy.
What You Can’t Live Without by Eden Winters. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Sweet m/m romance about a rich doctor who can’t understand why the doctor he desires has chosen to return home to El Salvador to help his family, rather than staying to become rich in the US.
Where a Hand Is Always Needed by Kara Larson. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Good short m/m story about a teenager visiting family in the Outback, trying to sort out whether he’s gay.
Marked by Sean Michael. ebook. Ok paranormal m/m romance about two werewolves who are mates, but who have been separated for ten years, living half lives, because one can’t shift and was cast out from the pack. If the word “mate” had been used half as many times, it would still have been excessive. Unpleasant as this cover image is, it’s an actual, unmodified stock photo. Ewww!
A Real Boy by J.L. Merrow. free ebook short. Enjoyable (and free) twisted m/m retelling of Pinnochio, with a few other stray fairy tales thrown in around the edges.
Pricks and Pragmatism by J.L. Merrow. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s almost done with his university degree. He has no money, so he’s been staying with various guys, basically exchanging sex for food and lodging. But what’s up with the nerdy engineer he’s just moved in with, who doesn’t seem interested in him in that way?
Corruption by Jack Greene. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about a straight guy who finds himself unaccountably drawn to a woman dancing in the club Corruption… even after he realizes the woman is actually a twinky boy.
My Girl by Stormy Glenn. ebook. Why do I torture myself so?!? Meh m/m romance about a guy hiding as a woman in witness protection. The weird references to GA Hauser and her books were annoying (rather like a GA Hauser commercial) and the plot holes were classic Stormy Glenn.
Needing Harte (1-800-DOM-help, Book 1) by Marilu Mann. ebook. So-so kinky m/m romance about a closeted cop who’s intensely attracted to a submissive stripper during an investigation and is subsequently given the 1-800-DOM-help number to help him learn about bdsm. This would’ve been much better without the insta-love and an odd bit of woo-woo related to the 800 number.
At Piper’s Point by Ethan Day. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a guy who finally returns to the island where he spent his childhood summers with his unorthodox grandmother. He’s planning to quietly spread her ashes and set her house in order before he leaves in the fall, but things don’t quite go as he’d hoped. I would’ve enjoyed this book more if it had been a bit shorter and more focused.
Blood Heat (Dangerous Ground, Book 3) by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Good romantic suspense in which our agents try to bring in a suspected terrorist and everything that can go wrong does.
River of Need (Tennessee Cops, Book 4) by Shayla Kersten. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a cop who bails out his ex, who’s been picked up for prostitution. I wanted a bit more from this story – a bit more length, a bit more depth.

…..zzzzzzzz….. -Mayhem

Apparently May’s plan to stake out my suitcase and prevent me from leaving again was more exhausting than she anticipated…

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Strength of a Gamma (Pack Discipline, Book 2) by Kim Dare [CONTEST CLOSED]

60 Comments

Congrats to Lynn Baker, who won Branded by Clare London! (I did not hear back from Angela Reeves within 48 hours – sorry, Angela…)

Many thanks to Kim Dare for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming kinky paranormal m/m romance, Strength of a Gamma (Pack Discipline, Book 2), for a lucky commenter to win! Strength of a Gamma will be released by Total-E-Bound on November 8.

Gamma wolf Steffan may have been in love with his best friend for years, but he knows that’s not enough. Francis deserves a more dominant mate, and Steffan intends to make sure he gets one.

Steffan has been best friends with Francis ever since the younger wolf joined the pack after his own parents died. He’s been in love with him for just as long. But when a new beta joins their pack, he knows it’s time to step aside and let Francis form a bond with a more dominant wolf.

Francis has no idea why Steffan’s been acting so strangely since the new wolves joined their pack. When he discovers the truth, he starts to question things he’d never thought to doubt before. What if he has no interest in a dominant mate? What if he could find the perfect partner far closer to home?

Everything is about to change for Francis and Steffan. The only question is: are the gammas strong enough to cope?

Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series

Excerpt (scroll down)

Kim’s Other Books

About Kim

Kim Dare is a twenty-seven year old full-time writer from Wales (UK). First published in December 2008, Kim has since released over thirty BDSM erotic romances.

While the stories range over male/male, male/female and all kinds of menage relationships and have included vampires, time travellers, shape-shifters and fairytale re-tellings, they all have three things in common – kink, love and a happy ending.

You can visit Kim at her website and her blog.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Friday, November 5.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Mom, you need to come home now. ” -Chaos