New Release Review: Romancing the Rough Diamond by Clare London #Review #Giveaway

Title: Romancing the Rough Diamond
Dreamspun Desires
Author: Clare London
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publication Date: September 17, 2019
Length: 244 pages

Reviewed by Truus


Synopsis

Trust is the most precious jewel of all.

When Mayfair jewelers Starsmith Stones wins the commission for a gay royal wedding, CEO Joel Sterling is recommended to the brilliant young designer Matt Barth—only to discover Matt’s the man with whom he shared an anonymous and passionate kiss on the celebration night.

Disenchanted with the commercial jewelry industry, Matt nowadays prefers muddy archaeological digs to designing. Openly resentful of Starsmith’s hostile takeover of his family’s firm, he is horrified at the realization he’ll be working with the man who engineered that deal—but the opportunity to create something fabulous and unique for the royal couple is too tempting to refuse.

Working as a team reignites the spark between Joel and Matt. But when betrayal from within Starsmith threatens both the project and Joel’s confidence, will they have built enough trust to keep their newfound love as precious as the royal jewels?

Purchase Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Review

Joel and Matt

An English Royal Wedding is in progress, a gay wedding, Starsmith Stones is the company to provide jewelry for the grooms. A big honor, Joel, CEO of Starsmith Stones, worked hard to get this commission. After getting the positive phone-call he needed a drink to celebrate , luckily there is someone to join him.

Matt hates Starsmith Stones and the CEO Joel, who undermined his father’s company. But he can’t refuse the offer to join the team as a co-designer for the Royal jewelry.

Matt is passionate about everything he does; he also can be grumpy. Joel is more restrained, as head of the project, he watches his people work and create.

They are far from friendly with each other. But further in the project, they can’t deny there is more between them, everything changes when they get more intimate with each other.

They work as a team together, secretly on the Royal design. Everything goes well until it seems someone is leaking secrets. And someone wants to sabotage Starsmith Stones.

Joel wonders who wants to undermine Starsmith, until a little voice in his head is talking.

Trust is the big word, it’s all about trust. Talking about trust, we get a tip of Joel’s past and oh boy, that was something!

What a delicious story this was, every aspect was very enjoyable. The jewelry business, the ground digging Matt did, the project, family matters, the members of the team, all enjoyable. The content about designing for the Royal family was to a certain extent acceptable, for my pleasure maybe a bit odd. I did enjoy it and it was fun anyway! The whole scenery was quite original.

The process of designing was entertaining, I loved the details. The story had a well thought out and entertaining plot. Both men, with their characteristics, were fun and passionate. To watch them fight, laugh and see them rise and bloom in their relationship was top, and all their sexy moments, was just very appealing! Overall a well developed, steady and engagingly written, enjoyable story!

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Random Review: Zest by Clare London #Review #Giveaway

Title: Zest 
Series: The Accidental Baker #2
Author: Clare London 
Self Published
Publication Date: August 17, 2019
Length: 134 pages 

Reviewed by Michael

Synopsis

Donnie’s new romance with silver fox veterinarian Will looks like a real recipe for love. But first he has to deal with the problems of his job, his friends’ demands, and worries about Will’s privileged background. To say nothing of Donnie’s thwarted dreams of a catering career—and baking something that doesn’t come out a disaster.

Will is fascinated and entranced by Donnie. A mature, professional businessman, he’s far less confident in romance—and in the bedroom. Yet his eagerness to look after Donnie and show him a better life are misguided, and have a disastrous effect of their own.

Donnie is everyone’s friend. He’ll help anyone out. But who’s there to help him when he needs it?


Read about Donnie and Will's first meeting in The Accidental Baker - and the other couples whose stories will follow in this series.

Purchase Links 

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Review

You’ve gotta kind of feel for guys like Donnie.  His entire life seems to revolve around what he can do for others.  Whether it be helping his siblings, helping his friend Maise’s uncles halfway house, or his crappy job.  No one seems to be there for him.

Will is new in town, having just opened a vet clinic in the same building that Donnie lives in.  Think of the building as a strip mall with apartments on the second floor.  Will is trying to start a new life, far away from the demands of his overbearing family as well as a past he just can’t forget.

Will and Donnie actually met in “The Accidental Baker”, the book that precedes this one.  While it isn’t necessary to read that one, doing so would be a fun introduction to this world.

There were a couple of instances in which I wanted to reach into my Kindle and slap Will.  Not because he’s a poorly written character, but because of some of the things he does to make Donnie feel insignificant.  Mind you, he’s not mean, just thoughtless.

“Zest” is very much about Donnie finally learning that he is allowed to “do for himself”, that he doesn’t always have to put everyone’s needs before his own. 

Giveaway

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Book Blitz: The Accidental Baker by Clare London #Review #Giveaway

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link - Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 16,000 words approx.

Blurb

Donnie Watson's baking disasters are legendary, but this Easter, his mismatched chocolate eggs bring accidental but astonishing results to four downhearted gay men. The chocolate sweets spill onto the pavement of a small parade of local shops—and go on a matchmaking tour like no other! From a bankrupt and betrayed baker, to a homeless but hopeful man, to a conceited bar owner in need of a reality check, and finally to the hapless but caring Donnie himself. 

 
After all, Love means you can have chocolate too!

Review

In Chaos Theory, there’s something called “The Butterfly Effect”. Plainly stated, it says that the flap of a butterflies wings half a world away can have a dramatic effect on weather patterns here in the states.  There’s something similar happening in this book, only it’s not a butterfly that causes the change, but rather a chocolate accident. 

While on the surface, this may seem like odd premise for a book, particularly a short one.  But it’s really not.  It’s a study in how one seemingly innocuous event can change the lives of eight people.

The cast of characters is as varied as the types of candy made with chocolate.  From seemingly inept Donnie, the baker whose chocolates cause the changes, to Jez the homeless man, to grumpy Henry.  Each one has their own backstory, surprisingly told to great affect within the space of one chapter.  In fact, each character’s story is told in a single chapter, but there’s never a sense of being short changed by the brief length of each tale.

Each one feels like it’s the beginning of a beautiful love story that could easily be followed up in future stories.

And if they do, I’ll gladly read them

 

Clare London took her pen name from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fueled family home, she juggles her writing with her other day job as an accountant.

She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with award-winning novels and short stories published both online and in print. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic, and sexy characters.

All the details and free fiction are available at her website. Visit her today and say hello!

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