Arts

Title: Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace!

Author: Claire Davis & Al Stewart

Genre: New Adult, M/M Romance

Length: 118 pages (~30k words)

Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing

Publication Date: May 26, 2016

First love – coming of age – family – acceptance

When Charlie was eight years old, his mum bought him a microscope for his birthday. Since then, he’s known how he wants to spend his life. There have been trials, and challenges, but now – finally – the day is here for him to start college with his lifelong friend Anthony Pace.

Anthony is a red-haired force of nature. He writes poetry about their enemies and eagerly participates in all Charlie’s science experiments without understanding a word. Every morning, he waits at the end of their street so they can get the bus together.

But things are changing.

Families are important, and complex. Charlie’s mum hasn’t been well, and his relationship with Anthony begins to shine like a different star in the sky.

Can everything come together in this explosion of physics and chemicals that Charlie calls life? Will Anthony Pace ever share his poems with the world, and can the Chihuahua, Princess Arabella, ever learn to stop licking

***

WARNING: includes moderately explicit scenes of intimacy between consenting young adult males.

This book was so good I’m almost at a loss where to start. Everything about it hit on exactly what I love in a book: likable characters it’s easy to get attached to, well-written prose, a full range of emotions, and social issues from the inside. It’s absolutely pitch-perfect from the opening line to the last.

I have a strong preference for stories told in a single point of view, and I loved Charlie as a narrator. We only get as much as he wants to show us, yet piece by piece he lets us into his world. There isn’t much I can say on that front without spoiling a lot of details. This is one case where it’s vital to allow Charlie’s story to unfold at his speed because it’s what helps us understand him as a person.

Because of people in my own life, I recognized some things right away, both about Charlie and his situation. What drew me in was this feeling as though he was building trust with me as a reader. He’s so absolutely wonderful in every way. I was delighted watching everything fall into place for him in his changing relationship with Anthony. Although they’re both eighteen, they often come across as a bit younger, but there are a number of very good reasons for this. I think we’ve gotten the impression from other books in the genre that all eighteen-year-old young men are paragons of maturity, and I honestly felt these two were a much, much more realistic view of that age. The two of them together are so sweet it almost hurts.

This is a really fast read, easy to finish just about in a single sitting. But that by no means makes it lacking in depth and intelligence. It’s simply a well-told story with many layers. The ending left me in tears, even though it’s not exactly sad. I’ll be unpacking my thoughts and feelings for a while; it’s one book sure to stick with me.

For magnificent storytelling, easy-to-love characters, and buckets of charm, this gets 10/10 fountain pens (and a HUGE thank you to the authors for allowing me the privilege of reviewing).

Heat Rating: 3/5 ink wells (some explicit sensuality)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shut-Your-Face-Anthony-Pace-ebook/dp/B01FPMY5RQ/

Claire Davis: Claire lives in the beautiful UK. She works full time and reads whenever she gets a spare five minutes.

Al Stewart: I am originally from an enormous housing estate in the south of England. Early influences include male ballet dancers or anyone in tights, Robin Hood, and all my sister’s boyfriends. I’ve written poetry from a young age but fairly recently moved on to books about ordinary people. I’m crippling awful at talking about myself but I can draw a horse.

When the only way to be together is to stay apart.

Michael and Jamie have one rule to follow in their new life as touring musicians: DON’T. Don’t share rooms. Don’t collaborate on the songs. Don’t even look at each other withoutpermission from the powers that be.

But the music is suffering. The chemistry that made the band is gone, together with their happiness. It all seems hopeless, until they get an idea: what they need is an innocent front. In short, a beard. Sapphire offers to help, and while they get a little more than they bargained for,the price they pay seems worth it.

But when Michael has an accident, they have to hire a temporary bassist. The new guy may be a virtuoso on his instrument, but he also has plans above his station. Little by little, Michael’s place both in the band and by Jamie’s side is taken over by other people. The question becomes, how much is he willing to sacrifice to stay in the closet?

This is the second part of the Pax Cymrica series, and I found it every bit as good as the first. Second books sometimes suffer from not knowing where to go next, but there is none of that difficulty to be found here. The writing is smooth throughout, and the story feels just right as the next phase.

At times this was really hard to read. Michael has such a high degree of insecurity and almost painful self-loathing. The fact that he and Jamie aren’t even supposed to be together, let alone be open about it, contributes greatly to Michael’s state of mind. For some readers, this might feel like a bit much, but I appreciated the author’s skill at writing such raw agony. The only way I can think to describe it is that it’s emotionally erotic.

I loved the side characters in this one. It was fun to hate “O’Devil” (and I love Jamie’s nickname for him). I developed significantly more respect for Patrick than I had in the first book and just how much he did for them behind the scenes. Zoltan regularly made me want to punch him, and [spoiler: highlight to read] I almost cheered when Michael finally got in a good one. I had mixed feelings about Sapphire because I loved what she tried to do, and it’s devastating the way she failed. I see why Jamie couldn’t muster more sympathy for her, which makes the whole thing that much more human.

It felt to me like there’s less sex in this one than the last, but I can’t say for certain. It doesn’t really matter; what’s there is just the right amount and quality for the path the story takes. Michael and Jamie are really good together. Not just because they’re sexy but because the depth of their love and friendship makes everything that much sweeter between them.

All in all, this is an excellent follow-up to book one. I was given the first two in exchange for honest reviews, but I liked them so much I immediately bought the whole set as soon as I finished the second one. I’m hooked, and I can’t wait to see where these two go.

For outstanding writing, achingly real emotions, and a story that’s held me captive, this gets 10/10 fountain pens.

“What? Why?”

Their eyes met. Michael’s were infinitely sad. Then they dropped momentarily, took in the small expanse of bare skin that was visible beneath the folds of Jamie’s sheet. Jamie’s breath caught in his throat. Of course Michael didn’t want to share his bed if he wasn’t dressed. It was too risky. “I’ll find something to wear,” he mumbled. Then he blushed, remembering that not only was he completely naked, he was still not cleaned up after his sordid little session earlier. He had begun to doze off with his own fluids still clinging to his skin. Now he felt the rough patches flaking beneath the covers and his eyes almost filled in shame. He really was a lost cause.

But he didn’t have time to wallow in self-pity now. Michael needed him to be normal. To be a best friend, no matter how badly he wanted to be something more. “You’re not sleeping on the floor,” he heard himself say as he rummaged around in his luggage for a pair of clean boxers. “If anything, I am.”

Michael sighed. “No. Look, you’ve got a chair, I’ll be okay.”

Jamie straightened up, boxers in hand, and stared at Michael. “What happened?” he demanded.

“Hmm?” Michael looked away.

“To make you sound like that? I mean, you haven’t minded sharing my bed before.” He caught himself too late. Seeing the red creep up Michael’s cheeks, he scrambled to retract. “I mean, not like…I mean, you know…We’re just going to sleep.” He tried for a joking tone and failed miserably. “Don’t worry, I’ll cover up.”

He was just making it worse. He knew it with every passing word. Michael was looking mortified, and as their eyes locked, a trembling silence filled the room.

“I…didn’t…” Jamie tried to break it, but his tongue seemed not to be connected to his brain anymore. Michael whirled around and made for the door, and before Jamie had time to react, he was gone.

Ingela Bohm lives in an old cinema, tucked away in a northern Swedish forest where she can wander around all day long and dictate her books. She used to dream of being an actor until an actual actor asked, “Do you really need to do it?” That’s when she realized that the only thing she really needed to do was to write. She has since pretended to be a dietician, a teacher, a receptionist and a cook, but only to conceal her real identity.

Her first imaginary friend was called Grabolina and lived in her closet. Nowadays she has too many imaginary friends to count, but at least some of them are out of the closet. Her men may not be conventionally handsome, but they can charm your pants off, and that’s all that matters.

Ingela’s more useless talents include reading tarot cards, killing pot plants and drawing scandalous pictures that no one gets to see. She can’t walk in heels and she’s stopped trying, but she has cycled 12 000 miles in the UK and knows which campsites to avoid if you don’t like spiders. If you see her on the train you will wonder what age she is.

To get updates on Ingela Bohm’s work, please sign up for her newsletter or connect at her

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Title: Misinformation

Author: Keelan Ellis

Genre: M/M romance, bisexual

Length: ~70k words

Ethan Daniels, host of a popular conservative cable news program, has never thought of his bisexuality as a problem, though he has never acted on his attraction to men. Since his divorce, that desire has become more acute. When he meets Charlie Woods, his daughter’s first grade teacher, they have an instant spark, but Ethan hesitates to act. His contract is up for renewal, there are already rumors swirling about him because of a brief encounter from his past, and the last thing his employers want is for one of their stars to come out publicly.

Charlie avoids romantic entanglements because he prefers living on his own terms. He keeps love and sex completely separate, never seeing anyone more than a few times. Hooking up with a closeted celebrity like Ethan seems safe from emotional involvement, even if they have to keep their fledgling relationship secret.

The last thing they expect is to fall in love, but their strong mutual attraction moves them both to make changes neither of them thought they wanted or needed.

This is a romance somewhere between lighthearted and deep. While there’s plenty of humor and fun, there are also some serious issues highlighted. It’s a nice balance, making this a good read.

I have to admit, it took me a while to get into it. I started off feeling somewhat annoyed with Ethan’s behavior, which seemed really immature and out of left field just because he found his daughter’s teacher attractive. I also strongly disliked Charlie’s friend Janice. The way she spoke about her students was hateful, and I actually do not know any teachers (out of the many, many educators in my life, including former coworkers) who refer to their students as a**holes, b*tches, or little sh*ts. That was uncalled for and gross, and it was utterly unnecessary to the plot. Mercifully, Janice isn’t in the rest of the story much.

Once I was past that, the story picked up, and I began to enjoy it a lot. One thing I appreciated was that although there were a few jabs at Ethan’s bisexuality, they were minimal and corrected right away. There wasn’t a lot of drawn-out biphobia, and there weren’t pages and pages of Charlie’s insecurity about dating a closeted, inexperienced bisexual guy. He had his own issues, but they were not from those things in particular, which was refreshing. I don’t mind reading about the very real things bi people deal with, but sometimes it’s just nice to have a story not focused on them.

The plot moved along really well until near the end. The first 90% of the book is about Ethan and Charlie falling for each other and Ethan coming out in his conservative job. It takes place over about two months. The last 10% takes place over nearly two years. I found that pacing…odd. It made the end feel like it both dragged on too long and glossed over everything too fast. It simply didn’t fit with the rest, and I wish the story had either wrapped up sooner or ended with a “we don’t know what’s next, but we’ll make it” kind of thing.

Overall, I enjoyed it and thought it was well-written. Other than Janice, I loved every one of the side characters. The story would absolutely have been lacking without the various interesting people in Ethan and Charlie’s lives. I loved Deirdre, in part because I was afraid she might end up being in the “horrible ex wife” category but was pleasantly surprised at how great she was and how much respect Ethan had for her (and she for him).

For a fantastic cast, a sweet and steamy romance, and a fabulous bisexual character, this gets 8/10 fountain pens.

Dreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7840

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Misinformation-Keelan-Ellis-ebook/dp/B01G7IMUP6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1465735586&sr=8-2&keywords=keelan+ellis

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-misinformation-2046072-149.html

Keelan Ellis is an east coast girl for life, a progressive, a lover of music and musicians, a mother of two very challenging girls, a loyal though sometimes thoughtless friend, a slacker, a dreamer and a bad influence. She likes true crime podcasts, great television and expensive craft cocktails made by hipsters in silly vests.

Also by Keelan Ellis:

Novels:

I’ll Still Be There (Unfinished Business Book #1)

Anywhere You Go (Unfinished Business Book#2)

Short Stories:

Can’t Stand the Heat

Mug Shots

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellisauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13923273.Keelan_Ellis

Blog: http://keelanellis.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KeelanEllisAuth

Today I’m welcoming Keelan Ellis to chat about writing, life, and their current project. Welcome! Let’s talk a little about Misinformation.

What inspired you to write this story?

I’ve always been interested in the experiences of public figures when they choose to come out. I’m a person who hates to have attention drawn to myself, so to do something so publicly that’s going to attract scrutiny and judgment seems so scary to me. The idea of doing it in an environment that is openly hostile is obviously even worse.

AM says: I agree! I can’t even imagine what that must be like for celebrities who choose to do it.

Is there a character you feel especially connected to? Why?

Ethan has a lot of me in him. His relationship with his ex-wife—the desire to give control of your life over to someone else, and then the resentment of that person once they take it—is a dynamic I have personal experience with. He had a lot of growing up to do, and he needed to do some of it on his own, even though it was a painful process.

AM says: Interesting. I remember being surprised when Ethan revealed that dynamic, but it made perfect sense.

What was the hardest part of writing this?

I had a hard time writing the right wing talk parts. I do pay a lot of attention to politics, and I hear some of the things that are said by conservative pundits, but I find it so uncomfortable trying to put myself in that mindset. I always have a problem when I have to write about a character who seems to me to be acting in a way that seems illogical.

AM says: Oh, wow. Now that’s one place where I have a lot of experience, but I can see why it would be awkward to try to get into that mindset.

Are there any types of scene you find hard to write (action, love, death, etc.)?

I have a difficult time with action scenes, for sure. They always end up feeling mechanical to me, rather than visceral and exciting. That’s not something I have to write very often, but when I do, I struggle with it.

AM says: I can definitely relate.

What do you do when you feel stuck (writer’s block)?

I take a break. I don’t know what else to do. It seems to happen every time I have a release approaching, and it freaks me out every time. I always think it’s never going to end and I have no more books in me, but so far it’s clicked back in. I think that when I’m thinking about a new release, writing posts for blog tours and all that stuff, it puts me very much in the head space of the book that’s coming out. There’s not much room for new stuff at that point.

AM says: I think that’s pretty common and understandable!

How do you handle a story that doesn’t go as you planned?

I go with the flow, because if the story is telling me something I feel like I should listen. It’s important to double check that I still have an end game in mind when that happens.

AM says: Definitely sounds like you’re able to flex with it.

Word Sprints!

1. What’s your favorite book? Jane Eyre. I love it so much.
2. What’s your favorite ice cream? There’s an ice cream place near me that makes black raspberry ice cream with these little raspberry chocolate truffle cups. It’s incredible.
3. What genre (other than your own) do you like to read? I love mysteries. I grew up on them because my dad always had stacks of them lying around everywhere. I love Tana French and Laura Lippman especially, and they are auto-buys for me.
4. As a kid, were you a Goody-Goody or a Wild Child? I was somewhat wild, but in a very non-confrontational way. I constantly did whatever I wanted, but tried pretty hard not to get caught. I didn’t like getting in trouble, but of course I did. I used to get detention on the regular and was suspended once for smoking in our school’s publication room. I went to a progressive Catholic school that gave us a lot of self-guided time, which I naturally abused. I didn’t have a lot of respect for other people’s rules that I thought were pointless. Of course, now that I have a teen and a tween of my own, I’m getting my karmic payback and more. It’s terrifying.
5. What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation. It’s really the only one I’d want. Flying seems scary and cold. Invisibility sounds awful because who wants to hear what people say about them when they’re not around? Mind-reading? A nightmare. But if I could go see my brother in Austin or my friend in Pittsburgh in the blink of an eye, I’d be the happiest girl alive.

Thanks for chatting, and I look forward to reading more in the future!