Release Day Review: Something's Brewing at Joe's by SJD Peterson #Review #Giveaway

Author: SJD Peterson
Book: Something's Brewing at Joe's
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Publication date: June 30, 2017
Length: 200 pages

Reviewed by Morningstar

Synopsis

The promise of a dream job lures Murphy to Tampa, but he arrives to the rude awakening that the offer is on hold. Now he’s got two choices: slink back to Michigan with his tail between his legs or stay and look for work. Things perk up when he goes into a coffee shop and learns the owner is looking for someone to renovate the apartment above it. He happily takes the job, only later realizing he’s met Joe Sterling, Kaffeinate’s proprietor, before… when they hooked up at a club Murphy’s first night in Tampa.

Murphy and Joe are both proud, passionate, and outspoken. Neither is looking for a relationship, though they can’t deny they go together as well as coffee and doughnuts, in spite of their tempers. But that’s before Joe learns Murphy will be working for the corporation he believes is harming local businesses and the environment—and if Murphy will be supporting it, Joe will want nothing to do with him, dooming any possibility of an unexpected happy ending.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Review

I struggled a lot in this book to like Murphy, to connect with him in a way that would get me to care enough that he got his happy ending. He was snappy and short with people. Yes always apologizing but what’s the point of saying “I'm Sorry” just to repeat the same behavior again?

I’m the type of reader that struggles to finish a story if I truly cannot stand a character which I do have to say rarely ever happens. Often I don’t connect with them but out and out not like them hardly ever happens. It happened here which made reading this book frustrating.

The other part that was particularly annoying was the sex. There was a lot of it, too much to call this a story with plot and characterization. I love sex in my books. Prefer it, really. But it has to have meaning and help further the plot. Here it does tell you what their relationship is, a hook up basically.  But the author didn’t give the words or time in the story to fall in love with the characters falling in love. Which also turns into that moment when you can’t feel their
connection, their love for each other.

And a big pet peeve...no communication. I get it in some rare cases, but here it made me think if they kept their toy in their pants they could've talked more. Lack of communication seems like a cop out for characters. The struggle should feel more believable, and it’s the author's job to sell it. I wasn’t sold.

The writing was good as it is in all SJD’s books and if you want a hot and heavy, light read this one could be for you. 

Giveaway

ENter the July Review Giveaway!

Up for grabs is the RainBOW Down To Me Fun Swag Pack!

Pillow, T-shirt, suspenders, and bow tie!

Contest ends July 31st!

Thanks

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Release Day & Promotional Post:My Anti -Boyfriend by DJ Jamison #Excerpt #Giveaway

Author: DJ Jamison
Book: My Anti-Boyfriend
Series: My Anti-Series #2
Self Published
Publication date: June 30, 2017
Length: 58 pages


Synopsis

Brad has everyone fooled. He's the casual, sexy friend. The fun-time guy who sleeps around. Except not really. There's one man who holds his heart: his best friend -- with benefits -- Riley. Too bad Riley has no interest in a relationship, and as far as Brad can tell, never will. But once Brad acknowledges his feelings for Riley, he can't continue to ignore them. He pulls back, trying to find a way to shut down his hurting heart so he can remain Riley's friend.

Riley has everything he needs: a decent job, plenty of hookups, and his wingman Brad, who also makes for great fun in the sack. He's happily oblivious, until Brad starts avoiding him. Riley is baffled when Brad starts skipping regular nights at the gay club, fails to return calls and otherwise ignores him. He can't imagine what he's done wrong, and when he finally corners Brad and learns the truth, he's scared to death one more person is going to abandon him. He misses Brad like crazy -- both the friend and the lover -- but he's never even considered a relationship.

Now Brad and Riley have a choice to make: friends or lovers. Riley's days of having his cake and eating it too are over. Then again, maybe Brad is tasty enough to keep a man satisfied.

Purchase on Amazon

Guest Post

My Anti-Boyfriend is part of a series that was never planned.

The first in My Anti-Series, My Anti-Valentine, was written on a whim. A plot bunny hit me just before I saw a group giveaway for Valentine’s Day, and the stars aligned. I wrote My Anti-Valentine mostly for me, rather than my fans. It’s the story of a jaded graysexual who’d given up on love after a couple of bad experiences with boyfriends. I’d just discovered asexuality -- and learned that it was more of a spectrum than an absolute -- but I hadn’t seen a story that fit someone who was closer to the middle of the spectrum at that point.

Still, I didn’t plan a series. I wrote a short little novella that I enjoyed, and as it turned out, my readers liked it too.

Then I moved on to my other books in my ongoing series. I released Bedside Manner, then Urgent Care. I still had no plans to create a series.

But life got crazy. I moved into a new house, my routine was disrupted, and I struggled to write. I’m still struggling with it, to be honest. And while I dealt with writer’s block, feeling directionless, I decided to “play.” That’s how you knock down that wall, right? Just get creative and don’t worry about what comes of it.

Why not write a follow up to My Anti-Valentine, I thought? If it doesn’t work out, no one has to know. And just like that, Brad’s voice started piping up in my ear. He’s fun and colorful and unlike most of the characters I’ve written to date. He and Riley are best friends, wingmen and occasional fuck buddies. In many ways, their love story is quite the opposite of the couple in My Anti-Valentine.

I hope you enjoy the series that wasn’t meant to be. My Anti-Boyfriend was tons of fun to write, and I like to think it’ll be fun to read, as well.

Excerpt

Brad rolled over in bed, hand slipping across cool bedsheets. That contact — and what it meant — jolted through him. Some recess in his brain woke him with the realization: Riley was long gone. Another fuck and run.

It’s fine. This is what we do, he reminded himself. It’s not like Kevin at all.

Kevin was the reason Brad played the field. After his first serious boyfriend broke his heart by fucking around behind his back, he’d made a vow that his cock would come before his heart. Obviously, men couldn’t be trusted. The assholes. So, why should he be any different? As long as he got a few orgasms a week, he was good.

Great, actually.

Besides, he and Riley weren’t boyfriends, and they weren’t lovers. They’d both given up on that nonsense years ago.

For Brad, it was because of the douchebag formerly known as Kevin. For Riley, it had something to do with too many people in his life leaving him. His parents died when he was young, and then his bigoted aunt disowned him when he came out as a teenager. The dude had serious abandonment issues, but he preferred to believe he enjoyed playing the field. And Brad let him, because it wasn’t like he didn’t have his own baggage. He understood not wanting to delve too deeply into your own psyche.

After all, Brad was no stranger to fooling himself. He wore the disguise of “cockslut” and “fun-time guy” instead of masked crusader, but it worked most of the time. Sometimes it even worked so well, he forgot the truth himself.

But this was not one of those times. Mind still muzzy with sleep, he didn’t get his shields up fast enough. A stray thought flitted through his mind.

Why can’t I be good enough for more than a fuck?

Author Bio

DJ Jamison is the author of the m/m romance series Ashe Sentinel Connections and the spin-off series Hearts and Health. DJ grew up in the Midwest and worked in newsrooms for more than 10 years, which came in handy when she began writing stories centered on a series of love connections between small-town Kansas newspaper staffers, their sources and their readers. It was the perfect entrance into the world of fiction, and she has since branched out into ERs and health clinics to tell the stories of characters who are flawed but loveable. DJ is married with two sons and three glow-in-the-dark fish.

DJ Jamison

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DjJamison

Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/djandcompany

Twitter: @dj_jamison_

Website: www.ReadingDj.com

Newsletter:  www.tinyurl.com/djandcompany

Giveaway

I’ll give out five copies of the first novella, My Anti-Valentine. To enter, comment with one of your favorite m/m reads that you feel expanded your horizons in some way and why.

Contest will end on July  7th

Good luck.