The Perfect Tree by JP Barnaby

Master Ethan has decided that his boy Jayden should have a nice traditional Christmas for the first time in their relationship. What would Christmas be without the perfect tree?

Hey m/m romance lovers!  J.P. Barnaby is feeling generous and wants to giveaway some novellas!!  Up for offer: Twelve eBook copies of her recent release The Perfect Tree! Since she’s letting me give away twelve copies, I thought I’d do the giveaway a little different this time.  I’ll giveaway six copies here on the blog and six copies on twitter.  So, you have two ways to enter.  Simply leave a comment here for a chance to win.  Then, follow me on twitter and tweet the following:

Win The Perfect Tree by @JPBarnaby on Fiction Vixen’s blog!  http://bit.ly/fUmE5v @FictionVxn

Just copy and paste.

I will choose winners on Monday.  Good luck!!

Blinded By Our Eyes by Clare London  eBook Publisher: Carina Press Available: June 22nd 2010 Genre: GLBT Romantic Suspense

London art dealer Charles Garrett has devoted his life to appreciating and acquiring beauty, both in art and in his companions. His fashionable life is rocked to the core when he discovers the body of a young artist, Paolo Valero, in a pool of blood in his gallery.  As Paolo’s mentor, Charles is haunted by the horror of his violent death. Seeking closure, he investigates Paolo’s past and soon discovers a tangled web of motives and potential suspects, some closer to home than he ever imagined. He’s drawn to Antony Walker, an aggressive, handsome sculptor with unsavory ties to Paolo. Charles is unsettled by Antony’s forceful nature but irresistibly attracted to his passion and his art. When the evidence points toward Antony’s guilt, Charles is thrown into emotional turmoil. Has he lost his heart to a killer?

Reviewed by: Samantha 

When Charles Garrett walks into his art gallery one night and finds a grizzly scene full of blood, a dead body, and a sobbing ex-lover, his world gets turned upside down. Charles then sets about trying to put together the puzzle pieces behind the murder of his friend and talented artist Paolo while he helps Paolo’s brother (and Charles ex-lover) deal with his grief. But nothing is making sense to Charles as he slowly starts to discover Paolo’s secrets. And one of Paolo’s secrets lead Charles straight to the fierce and fiery Antony. But can Charles trust that Antony is telling him the truth and how should Charles handle his instant attraction to Antony when Antony may well be a suspect?

The one thing I can say about Blinded By Our Eyes is that Clare London really got the mystery part right in this book. It was suspenseful and when the truth was revealed I was quite surprised. In fact my mouth was definitely hanging open for a period of time while I continued to read. However it did take a while to get to some romance. The romance definitely does not take center stage in the story. Once it got there, it was fairly hot but it definitely left me wanting more. What I struggled with a little while reading this is the way the story is told. It is written in first person and often it felt like Charles was actually reciting the story to me. I didn’t really feel like I was on the journey with him while he sought to solve the mystery behind Paolo’s death. It felt more like I was sitting in a coffee shop with him and he was telling me a story that had happened to him. I haven’t read anything else by London and perhaps this is her writing style, but it took a little getting used to at first.  I also felt the reveal of the big mystery seemed a bit rushed. After Charles spent so much time on his own seeking out the truth or thinking about why Paolo would have been killed, when the truth was revealed, it really wasn’t through Paolo’s self-discovery. This felt a bit strange to me considering the overarching theme of the book.

Overall the plot of the book had me mildly satisfied even though I could have used a few more sexy scenes to also keep the heat going along with the mystery.

 

Other reviews on GoodReads

Author’s Website

Purchase Links: Amazon || Carina Press

Abandoned by J.P. Barnaby e-Book Publisher: TBD Available: TBD Genre: GLBT, Young Adult Source: Author

Reviewed by: Sophia (FV) 

Abandoned is the second book in the Little Boy Lost series by J.P. Barnaby.  This is a series you definitely need to read in order. 

Brian is a gay teen, living  in a very conservative southern town.  Life has become extremely difficult for him since the rumors of his sexuality are running rampant through the community.  Not only does he have to deal with the hostility at school and in the town, he is also dealing with a broken heart.  He and his best friend Jamie are in love.  But after Jamie’s family found out their relationship had gone far beyond friendship, they promptly packed the family up and moved to California leaving Brian hurt, and confused and no way to contact Jamie.  But Brian is not taking this forced separation sitting down.  In nine months he will graduate high school and turn eighteen.  He intends to find Jamie no matter what it takes.  Nine months seems like an eternity for Brian, and in that time he will face some hardships that will push him nearly beyond his limits. 

J.P. Barnaby pulls no punches and brings forth the harsh reality of life as a gay teen growing up and falling in love in a community where homosexuality is not tolerated.  In Abandoned, Brian faces an extreme level of bullying both physical and emotional,  not only from his peers but from his community as a whole.  But with the loving support of his adoptive parents and a trusted mentor, he is determined to put his life back together after a vicious physical attack and work his way through the emotional pain of being shunned. 

Abandoned is a little different from Enlightened, the first book in this series.  Enlightened was focused on romance, discovery and love for Brian and Jamie.  But in Abandoned, things have gone very wrong for them and J.P. Barnaby takes her readers on a heartbreaking journey with Brian.  I was touched by Brian’s determination and strength in the face of adversity and by his resilience.  Although this series as a whole is a romance, Abandoned was a little short in that area.  The story focused mostly on Brian’s hardships and I missed the romantic elements we got in the first book and I also missed Jamie’s presence within the story.  However I was left eagerly anticipating Jamie and Brian’s reunion at some point in the future.  Being young and in love they have much to overcome and I look forward to reading more of their journey as this series progresses. 

 

Book in this series:

• Enlightened
• Abandoned

Author’s Website

Fair Game by Josh Lanyon e-Book  Publisher: Carina Press Available: Aug 02, 2010 Genre: Romantic Suspense Source: NetGalley

A crippling knee injury forced Elliot Mills to trade in his FBI badge for dusty chalkboards and bored college students. Now a history professor at Puget Sound university, the former agent has put his old life behind him-but it seems his old life isn’t finished with him.

A young man has gone missing from campus-and as a favor to a family friend, Elliot agrees to do a little sniffing around. His investigations bring him face-to-face with his former lover, Tucker Lance, the special agent handling the case.

Things ended badly with Tucker, and neither man is ready to back down on the fight that drove them apart. But they have to figure out a way to move beyond their past and work together as more men go missing and Elliot becomes the target in a killer’s obsessive game…

Reviewed by:  Samantha 

Elliot Mills is a former FBI agent who is now a college professor after a terrible knee injury while on duty took him away from the job that he loved. The injury also took him away from his lover and FBI agent Tucker Lance. Their affair might have been a brief one, but it was a passionate one that appears to have ended badly. When boys start going missing on campus, Elliot can’t help himself with being drawn into the cases at the request of his father and the campus president. Little did Elliot know when he agreed to help that it would force him into close contact with Tucker.

In Fair Game, I believe Josh Lanyon does exactly what he does best – provides an interesting and fast paced mystery with well-rounded character development for all the major players and then still manages to throw in the heat and emotion amongst Elliot and Tucker that always give the reader a little hope things will work out for the two of them without the their relationship casting a shadow over the mystery plot. The pain and loneliness Elliot feels from the loss of his beloved job, his lover, and the way he has had to come to grips with a debilitating injury just oozes right off the pages. The mystery surrounding the missing boys is not one that the reader immediately figures out what is going on – it unfolds slowly but is still kept interesting. And best of all, each character has their own uniqueness and own voice which keeps the story fresh.

What I really liked about this book aside from the well written mystery that kept the pages turning is the way you see the communication between Elliot and Tucker start to blossom. It was clear that so much had been unsaid in the time since Elliot’s injury that when the two men slowly start to open up to each other and not be afraid to communicate it’s a beautiful thing. If you have not read a Josh Lanyon book before, I think Fair Game would be a great way to start. It is a stand alone book (I would love another!), fast paced, and I think gives a good example of what one should expect from a Lanyon book.

Favorite Quote:

"It was dark."

"I’d know you in the dark, Tucker."

Tucker’s eyes flashed up to meet Elliot’s. He said curtly, "Yeah, I’d know you too."

 

Other reviews on GoodReads

Author’s Website

Purchase Links: Amazon || Carina Press

Earlier today I posted my review of K.T. Grant’s debut novel Lovestruck. She has been kind enough to stop by for a chat as well as offer a copy of Lovestruck to one lucky reader.  Please welcome K.T. to FVBR.

Tell me about K.T. Grant, author of GLBT romantic fiction.

KT: I’m a very mysterious person who lives in her writing cave with her faithful cat Kiko and pet sheep Mho. But those who have done enough research and have exposed the woman behind the name know I write stories that I consider to be "out of the box" romances. I’m also a self-proclaimed eccentric redhead who also has a blog where I post about books and the awesome WTFckery around us both on the internet and in the real world.

Why did you choose to write ‘out of the box’ romance as opposed to mainstream?

KT: I like to challenge myself in my writing and see what I can come up with in regards to my characters and settings. Sometimes it’s better to shake things up a bit and see where it goes, even though the public at large may be on the fence about reading it.

In Lovestruck there is a line that says:

A man admitting to be gay seemed to be more acceptable than a woman coming out and announcing she was a lesbian.

Do you believe that’s true? What are your thoughts?

KT: Keep in my mind this is my personal opinion, but it seems to me that there’s more of an acceptance in regards to gay men versus women who are lesbians. More often than not, if a man says he’s gay, there isn’t much surprise or shock, but when a woman comes out and says she’s gay, there is more discussion and conversation about the woman’s sexual preference, and perhaps more teasing about it. An example is with my character of Barbara, the CEO of her family’s hotel corporation and one of the main protagonists in Lovestruck. She’s surrounded by the good old boys club and finds it hard to belong in that group. Even though she’s paving her way in the business world, she constantly wonders if she has to put aside her femininity and sexuality to be respected in the business world.  I’ve worked in a male dominated industry for almost a decade, and from my point of view, it seems with a man, even with his sexual preference, that he would be more accepted and respected than say a woman in authority who is a lesbian.

What challenges have you faced in getting your work published that you think are specific to the erotic GLBT romance genre?

KT: I haven’t found many challenges since I submitted to e-publishers who are actively looking for more GLBT titles. There’s a great need for Lesbian Romance out there and I was pleasantly surprised that not one, but two e-publishers wanted Lovestruck. I really don’t understand why GLBT romance is automatically considered erotic. Just like straight romance, there are different levels of sensuality, and I believe the same rules apply with GLBT romance.

What advice would you offer to other up and coming writers who are trying to get their work published in this specific niche?

KT: Trying to publish for a niche market means you may have a smaller audience, so don’t expect the same type of sales like those books that are considered more mainstream. Make sure to do you research and please, don’t follow a trend. If you have an idea for a story, write it, and see where it goes.

You are also a well-known blogger and reviewer with a reputation for not holding back on your opinion on books, and the industry in general. Now that you are on the other side of the ‘review fence’ have your views changed at all regarding critical reviews?

KT: If you are talking about critical reviews about my books, not at all. Since I’ve been on both sides, I know how to handle criticism as well as being aware of dishing it out. Going from a reader to a reviewer and a finally an author can really change the way you read. But as long as you act professional and only discuss an author’s work and not the person writing it, then there should be no concern. The best reviews are those who bring up points and opinions they noticed in a book that maybe the author didn’t even consider while they were writing the story.

Where do you hope to be in five years career-wise?

KT: My dream is to walk into a bookstore and see my books on the shelves or find them in most on-line stores. Knowing that people are reading my work and enjoying it, and want more would mean the world for me. I would also love to be able to write full time. And if I can make a gazillion dollars, doing it, I would be very happy.

Would you like to tell us about your other recently published works?

        

KT: The same week Lovestruck was released, an anthology I’m in from Ravenous Romance called Once Upon a Threesome also came out. My straight contemporary romance, For the Love of Mollie was released on August 9th from Decadent Publishing, and then the next day on August 10th, my Lesbian Pirate Romance called The Princess’s Bride was released from Ravenous Romance. As you can see, I’ve had a very busy summer!

 

 

And finally, Mho is used to being King and getting lots of attention. How is he handling your recent success? Any jealously…acting out?

KT: Mho is still good old perverted Mho. He has become needier, as in, I don’t have much time to cuddle with him and help him flirt with the ladies. He really wants me to write a demon shift-changing sheep romance where the hero is torn between a female demon shift-changing sheep and a female human. He talks my ear off about us co-writing a book together. Anyone want a fluffy, friendly sheep as a pet? Get in touch with me and we’ll talk. Ouch! *glares are Mho who butted his head against her leg*

 

 

Thank you for stopping by today KT, it was fun chatting with you. 

KT has generously offered to giveaway one e-book copy of Lovestruck to one lucky commenter.  Leave a comment here and answer the following question:

How often do you try something different and read ‘outside the box’?  

Giveaway is open until August 20, winner announced soon after.  Please remember the prize being offered is an e-book.

A little more about K.T. Grant:

KT Grant is a self-proclaimed eccentric redhead who not only loves to read a wide variety of romances, but also loves writing it. Under her alter-ego, she is a well known book reviewer and blogger who doesn’t shy away from voicing her opinion. A proud native of New Jersey, KT is multi-published and known for writing "out of the box" romances. KT has been quoted in such publications as the Romance Writers Associations’ Romance Writers Report and Night Owl Reviews. She has also been mentioned in the Guardian.UK, Publisher’s Weekly’s Beyond the Book and at Bookseller.com. You can visit her at http://ktgrant.com/ and at her personal blog at http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/