Pitch: By Will Parkinson.

Before I start, I think I’m supposed to say I received an advance copy in exchange for this review. Okay, legal disclosure over.

Now a couple disclaimers – I don’t review a lot of books, mostly because there is an art to doing them, and especially in doing them well, so If I don’t do the book justice, my apologies to Will. I don’t ‘rate’ books with stars or smiles, or kisses or hearts. I just give my opinions. Last, I don’t read a lot of YA – it’s not usually my cuppa – so again, I might not ‘know’ all the trends.

Pitch had it’s initial appeal to me because I love baseball. But my love of baseball doesn’t mean I want to read a book chock full of games, analysis and situations. Will Parkinson does a great job of delving into the sports/jock culture, yet keeping it on the fringe. Jackson Kern is a baseball player, and a good one. He’s also the hot jock. But we don’t get bogged down in baseball games, and situations and innings. We see the game, see the player and we move on. Nicely done. It gives the character some depth, but doesn’t bore the reader.

So without all the baseball ‘stuff’ what’s an author to do? How about let the reader ‘meet’ the characters and see their lives. And that is what Will does. We see the ‘boys’ in all their elements. This isn’t a one dimension, sports only, jock loves nerd story. Continue reading Pitch: By Will Parkinson.

PITCH: By Will Parkinson – Book Blog Tour

Today I have the privilege of being allowed to host part of Will Parkinson’s PITCH blog tour. Will has brought a few things to share in addition to his giveaway. First there is a prequel of sorts. Will shares a short story that introduces us to one of the main characters, Jackson Kern. The story takes place before the event in PITCH.

Next you’ll get to read an interview with Jackson. This gives us a bit more insight into the person who captives Taylor Andrew’s every waking – and some sleeping – moment.

Then there is an excerpt from the book. This is a nice introduction to the book itself.

Oh yes, there is a giveaway. Read on to the end and you’ll find a link. It’s easy to enter, so don’t forget to do that after you’ve read all that WIll has sent along.

Finally, I wrote a review for the book. you can find it on my site under reviews or you can click the link:

Review of Pitch: By Will Parkinson

Continue reading PITCH: By Will Parkinson – Book Blog Tour

New Releases: Monday August 5, 2013

All authors face the same daunting task – how to get their book noticed. In an effort to help some of my fellow authors, every Monday I’m going to post some of the numerous new books that have been released. For the most part these will be M/M Fiction with a heavy bias on Romance. That will probably evolve over time, but for now that’s were it is.

I’ve not read everything that is listed, though I’ve probably read or will read many. Which means inclusion on the list isn’t an endorsement or suggestion. You should read the blurbs provided to see if you’re interested. I’ll post reviews to books I recommend under the ‘Books I Reviewed’ tab. This is just a partial list of what’s new for visitors of my site to check out. That said if you end up reading something listed here and want to comment – please do. I reserve the right, however, to delete nasty or personal comments.

If you’re an author and want to include a new release, email me your blurb, cover image, buy links and any personal links you want included. No excerpts, interviews, giveaways etc. Those are welcome, but can be discussed separately.

The Race Is On: By Lily Velden

Hollywood heartthrob Jaxon Moncrieff and Liam Lassiter are finally on the same page: committed and in it for the long haul. Now they just have to prepare for the inevitable fallout when they reveal their relationship. Between Jaxon’s career and Liam’s need to prepare for a life in the limelight, they decide to wait until filming of Jaxon’s latest project has wrapped.

Unbeknownst to them, the relentless paparazzi photographer Rafael Cacciatore, aka the Hunter, notices a change in Jaxon and is determined to be the first to break the story of who has captured Jaxon Moncrieff’s heart. In the meantime, Liam and Jaxon have enough on their plate working out the not-so-little issue of how and when Jaxon will come out to his family. The paparazzi aren’t even on their radar. The race to out Jaxon is on, and Liam and Jaxon don’t even know it. Continue reading New Releases: Monday August 5, 2013