Sarina Bowen's World of True North Cover Reveal

 Hey everyone! I'm super excited to share not 1, not 2 but 3 cover reveals this morning! These are the first 3 titles in Sarina Bowen's World of True North: Vinos and Veritas series. 

The Vinos and Veritas series is an LGBT+ series and has some of my favorite authors in its line up. I already have these 3 pre-ordered and can't wait for the rest to come out as well this year. The first 3 authors for this series are: Annabeth Albert, Garrett Leigh, and Eden Finley.  I could ramble forever about how excited I am and how much I love these authors in particular but we're here to see some covers. So let's get on with it. 

FEATHERBED BY ANNABETH ALBERT

Release Date: March 15, 2021

Pre-Order here: https://geni.us/AmazonFeatherbed

Add to Goodreads here: https://bit.ly/3mKWKXJ 

Share this page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/vino-and-veritas/  

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

Blurb: 

When a bookworm on borrowed time meets a younger, free-spirited chicken farmer, sparks and feathers fly…

Harrison Phillip Fletcher, III isn’t supposed to be here. Not in Burlington, Vermont, not running Vino & Veritas, a quaint inclusive bookstore and wine bar, and definitely not still alive, at forty-two. Also not supposed to be here? An unexpected delivery of chickens.

Finn Barnes knows chickens. The burly organic farmer knows all about rare breed poultry, but dealing with a hot, older bookseller is an entirely different matter. City slicker types like Harrison never end up staying in Vermont for the long-term.

They should steer clear of each other. But the flare of attraction is mutual. And somehow amid book discussions and farm tours, they discover plenty in common. Now they’re stealing kisses in Finn’s barn, sneaking out like teens, and burning up the sheets.

What starts as a fling brings very real feelings for two lonely souls, but a future together seems as unlikely as chickens in a bookstore. Feathers may be flying, but learning to trust takes time neither may have. Can they take a leap of faith together before it’s too late?

Featherbed is a stand-alone novel in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North. This opposites-attract, age-gap romance features a low-angst, fluffy—and feathery—romp as a fish out of water discovers the home he never thought he’d find.

HEARTSCAPE BY GARRETT LEIGH

Release Date: March 22, 2021

Pre-Order here: https://geni.us/AmazonHeartscape 

Add to Goodreads here: https://bit.ly/3roFo6y 

Share this page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/vino-and-veritas/  

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

Blurb:

From award-winning author Garrett Leigh comes a gorgeous new romance in the True North world! Think: great food, burly men and good times. Beards are optional but encouraged.

I’m not the obvious choice to run Burlington’s coolest wine bar—quiet, brooding, clueless about tannin content, and always one wrong turn away from another downward spiral.

But no one seems to mind that I'm a wreck. Besides me. I just focus on getting through each shift until the night a beautiful stranger appears, looking as lost and damaged as I feel.

When a mutual friend calls in a favor, the sexy newcomer winds up crashing on my couch. I don't know if it's his melodic Cornish accent, or his ocean blue eyes, or the rock-hard body with the mysterious scars, but I get the feeling whatever happened to him runs far deeper than those wounds. 

Having Jax in my home makes my chest warm. Makes me shiver. Makes me want more. But I've got a pile of baggage and I don't want to be a burden on anyone let alone a man who seems to have enough demons of his own. 

Our chemistry is off the charts. His arms feel like home. The last thing I want is to screw this up. Is it wrong to hope we can heal each other? Or will one of us die trying?

HEARTSCAPE is a heartfelt MM friends-to-lovers romance in the True North world, with a brooding bartender, a rugged outdoorsman, sweet angst and lots of Shipley cider. Triggers: contains mentions of depression, suicidal ideation and PTSD recovery.

HEADSTRONG BY EDEN FINLEY

Release Date: March 22, 2021

Pre-Order here: https://geni.us/AmazonHeadstrong 

Add to Goodreads here: https://bit.ly/34H76l7 

Share this page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/vino-and-veritas/  

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

Blurb:

A straight guy gives gay hookup tips to a virgin. What could go wrong? 

When I first met Whit, I couldn’t get away from him fast enough. He’s a hockey player, and I hate everything to do with the sport that broke my heart.

But I can’t help feeling sorry for the guy. He’s newly out and desperate to meet someone, but his eagerness seems to scare potential hook-ups away.

Agreeing to be his wingman should’ve been simple. Watching him flirt with other guys made things complicated.

Whit challenges me in every aspect of my life, from my hatred of hockey to the new questions I’m asking myself. Like why a straight man suddenly can’t stop thinking about kissing another guy.

I think the answer lies somewhere on Whit’s lips...

So now that all 3 of these awesome covers have been revealed, which one is your favorite? For me it might just be Featherbed because of that little chick on his arm. The blurbs for all 3 are fantastic as well and I can't wait for their release dates to add them to my collection. 

Book Review - On Solid Ground - Melissa Collins

Title: On Solid Ground
Author: Melissa Collins
Publisher: M.Collins
Release Date: January 13, 2015
Genre: Adult, Romance, LGBT
Format: Kindle
Rating: 5/5 
Amazon

When Jacob “Dax” Daxton returns home from war, he has to fight a new battle – the one to find his place in the world. The man who normally has a clear path to victory surrounded by brothers in combat is suddenly lost and alone. After meeting Beckett Ridge, a bearded tattoo artist, Dax’s journey begins winding down an unexpected path.

Still reeling from events that shook his foundation, Beck has never been part of anything meaningful. Now faced with responsibilities foreign and daunting, Dax’s broken spirit mends Beck in ways he never even knew he was destroyed.

As both struggle to find balance, they are healed by the comfort they find in one other. On the other side of chaos, they hope to find themselves On Solid Ground.

Thoughts: 

Holy wow! This book totally blew me out of the water so to speak. Both Dax and Beck are complex men and both have had pasts that hit me hard, especially when we see them in the present day and how they are. Dax having been in the army and is now back home, he suffers from PTSD and this was portrayed pretty well. Beck on the other hand has a lot of his own problems, including a sister in rehab and a niece who is under his watch. The chemistry between these two men is also some of the best I've encountered while reading. They just seem to mesh together so well and their relationship is one in which is completely believable and doesn't hurt that they seem to actually care deeply for one another despite everything going on in their lives.

The entirety of the plot was just as amazing as these two men are. The insight from both of them and their back stories was wonderfully written and gave so much and made me feel so much more for them and the struggles they were facing. All the way through the ending it kept me going from page to page and by the time that I finished the book I was crying.

There are messages hidden within this entire book and some very important messages they are. Everything about this novel was powerful and explosive and I didn't think a romance novel could do something like this. I may have picked this book on a whim and I am so glad that I did. This book has left an ever lasting impression on me and I won't forget about it anytime soon. May have just become one of my favorite romance novels of all time. I will definitely be reading some more of Melissa's works as soon as I can.

A Perfect Love!

So y'all I'm super excited to announce the first of my new features that I will be unveiling here at The Guy's Side. This one is called A Perfect Love! Now for those of you who are wondering what on Earth this could be about, well I'll tell ya. Its about all those books who's couples aren't the "norm" and by that I mean any definition of the word queer, interracial, a large age difference, really anything that isn't the norm like I said. Here you'll find those books and those authors who write these books and couples.

So without further ado my very first showcased author and series (that's right, you're getting both this time!) is...Annabeth Albert and her Portland Heat Series! Keep on reading for an interview with Annabeth and a giveaway for one of her Portland Heat novels!*M/M romance novels mature content*

Portland Heat is a series of short novels that take almost no time to read but for as short as they are, they manage to pack a punch! Each one of the currently released novels was just as good as the next and had me wanting more. What made this series be my debut option for this segment? Well its a M/M romance series and the couples more than fit this feature. I don't know which couple is my favorite.

 
The Book: Served Hot (Portland Heat #1)
The Couple: Robby & David
Why: What makes these two have that factor; well Robby is half-Asian and you guessed it these two are gay. That isn't what makes their relationship perfect though. What I believe made this work so well is that these two have been attracted to each other and Robby is one of the most patient men, I've ever read about when it comes to waiting for David. They have a love that despite the ghosts of David's past; it ultimately brings them closer.

The Book: Baked Fresh (Portland Heat #2)

The Couple: Vic and Robin
Why: Alright I love these two and what they brought to the table, so to speak. With a 10 year age difference between these boys and the rocky past each man has on his shoulders, it's hard to see a relationship actually blooming. What is beautiful about this relationship is that it was originally intended to not end up as a full blown relationship. When it did I was happy because they are a balancing act for each other, Vic as a rock that Robin needs and Robin as the confidence that Vic is need of with all of his changes over the last few years. They comfort each other and are there through the good times and the hard times and that's what love is about, being there for your partner when you need to be and sticking it out because in the end love is worth it.

                                                   

The Book: Delivered Fast (Portland Heat #3)
The Couple: Lance and Chris
Why: Age difference is a huge thing here, with Lance at 22 and Chris clocks in at 35, and Chris isn't fond of the idea. He's also a gruff kind of man but he does mean well. This starts out as a relationship as a friends with benefits kind of deal, with nothing more supposed to happen but love has a mind of its own. As the novel progresses all Chris wants is for Lance to be happy and he doesn't think its possible for Lance to be happy with him because of their ages. Eventually he begins to see that age is just a number and love is what really matters in this case. Same with Lance he wanted to change his plans for love but realizes that he shouldn't have to because they have one of the strongest loves around.

Interview: 

1) Who was the hardest character to write about? 
In the Portland Heat series, each was difficult in their own way. Robin's painful backstory was challenging to my emotions for sure, but the black moment between Chris and Lance was also a scene that gutted me. 

2) Why did you choose to write M/M romance?
I didn't really set out to write M/M as a conscious decision. I had been reading a lot of m/m and then I got the idea for a book I HAD to write and it happened to star two guys. That book became TREBLE MAKER and from there my muse kept bringing me more and more LGBT stories. I think that I truly believe that love is love and that you have to write the book of your heart no matter who or what the subject matter. When you write what you love, it shows. And when you open your heart, you learn truths about yourself you never thought possible. 

3) What do you do about negative receptions about your books and decision to write them? 
I ignore them. I'm writing for the readers who love the books and for myself--I'm writing the books of my heart, the books my soul demands I write. I can't let the negative energy in. 

4) Favorite book and what are you currently reading? 
I just finished Leta Blake's TRAINING COMPLEX--it's the perfect follow-up to TRAINING SEASON. I have way too many favorites to list them all! But Marie Sexton's PROMISES was my first m/m book and the one I re-read the most. 

5) Can you tell us a little about what you're currently working on? 
I just finished Brady's book, KNIT TIGHT, about a barista and a male knitter who triumph over difficult family situations to find lasting happiness. Right now, I'm writing Perfect Harmony book 3 about a Country Singer and a male gogo dancer and it's so much fun. 

6) Where did you find the inspiration to write the Portland Heat books? 
Robby and David came to after I saw a prompt on the GRNW conference thread in 2013 asking for shorts involving common Northwest themes. The story then grew from a tiny short to a whole series involving everything I love about my region. 

7) Which of the couples so far is your favorite? I have to say I can't choose.  
 Whichever couple I'm currently writing is always the favorite. With Portland Heat, I love different characters for different reasons. Vic's struggle with his weight is near to my heart, while Chris and his cranky demeanor and heart of gold were incredibly fun to write, and Robby and David came along at a point when I really needed them in my life. I just finished Brady's book, and he too rapidly became a favorite. 

8) Has social media helped with the promotion of your books?  
I love connecting with my readers. It totally makes my day when someone reaches out and says they enjoyed the books! 

Giveaway: Annabeth was also amazing enough to do a giveaway for one of her Portland Heat novels!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway