Review: Keeping 13 - Book #2 Boys of Tommen Series - Chloe Walsh - November 2018 I don't know about you, but I find chunky books very intimidating especially seeing as I love to be a one-sitting reader, this is why I keep them for bus rides to Auckland or as holiday reads as I know I can then give them my full attention. Book #2 of the Boys of Tommen Series is a chunky book at just over 800 pages and so I chose this book for my bus ride on Wednesday last week to Auckland as I was going up to see Vengaboys in concert. I enjoyed the first book and I have to admit for a chunky read, the book does move at quite a swift pace. This book picks up from the first where at the end we read that Shannon is being beaten by her Dad once again, this time he has gone too far and Shannon ends up almost dead.  Her mother snaps as the police get involved due to Johnny doing something about things. Now Shannon's Dad has gone on the run, her older brother Darren is back and Joey is neither here nor...

Review: Binding 13 - Book #1 Boys of Tommen Series - Chloe Walsh -July 2018 During this past week, I had a bus trip up to Auckland and so I decided since I had the bus ride, I would tackle Binding 13 which is a nice chunky read at 801 pages. As I got reading it though, I was surprised at how fast the book flowed and it reminded me of a book that I read over 10 years ago - Reasons to Breathe Series by Rebecca Donovan. The main female character Shannon reminded me of Rebecca Donovan's character Emma as they had similar upbringings and lives and both went through abusive situations. Shannon has been bullied her whole life and now finally has the chance to attend Tommen Academy, a private school. It looks like her life is finally looking up on the school front as she finally has friends and is fitting in with the popular crowd which is the Rugby team stars Johnny, Gibsie, and Pierce. Gibsie is her best friend Claire's bestie and Pierce is the on/off-again boyfriend of her friend L...

Playing for Keeps Jax Calder (Sporting Secrets, #3) Publication date: July 6th 2022 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Sports Falling for your former best friend? Never a good idea. Ethan Lewis is the joker of his rugby team, the guy who’s always up for a good time. The only thing that can wipe the smile from his face is any mention of his former best friend, Luke. He has no idea why Luke has actively avoided him for the past five years. Okay, so he broke the bro-code by hooking up with Luke’s sister, but the result was his son—and he wouldn’t change that for the world. So when he hears Luke’s signed a contract to play for his team, Ethan decides he’s going to do everything he can to get his best friend back. Luke has returned to New Zealand from playing rugby overseas, determined to achieve his lifelong dream and make the national team. And he’s not about to let Ethan’s presence distract him. So what if one of his new teammates is the person who shredded his hear...

Ruby Island Stephanie Ruth Publication date: November 12th 2021 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance First impressions are hard to shake… Big-headed ex-rugby star, Daniel Dante, refuses to believe a word celebrated ceramicist Kanako Janssen says, though why her new landlord’s opinion bothers her so much is anyones’s guess. She has enough to worry about, with her soon to be ex-husband refusing to sign divorce papers, Daniel’s dog appearing regularly to freak her out, and an exhibition date looming. Kanako is everything Daniel isn’t, and nothing he’s used to. Trust doesn’t come easily to a player who’s been burnt so publicly before, but if he can’t learn to lean on this fresh-faced, quirky artist, he could well lose her altogether. Like the swallows, Kanako’s only in Otago for the season. But willing or not, the self-proclaimed introvert is being slowly absorbed into small town life on the lake, and she’s in grave danger of falling in love with it. RUBY ISLAND is the second ...

Playing it Safe Amy Andrews (Sydney Smoke Rugby, #7) Published by: Entangled: Brazen Publication date: September 6th 2021 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports Donovan Bane loves playing rugby for the Sydney Smoke. And if that means he has to keep his sexuality a secret, that’s a sacrifice he’s prepared to make. At least until after he retires, anyway. He doesn’t want to be the first pro rugby player in Australia to officially come out while still playing. The team doesn’t need the media shit storm and he’d rather be known for his footy skills. Which means no dating, no relationships, no sex. Nothing but playing ball. Until one man suddenly changes everything… Beckett Stanton is out and proud—and not looking for a guy who isn’t. Been there, done that, complete disaster. Unfortunately, on the first day of his new job working for the Sydney Smoke, he locks eyes with Donovan Bane and he’s a goner. Big, gruff, and athletic isn’t usually Beck’s type, but for some reason th...

Playing it Safe Amy Andrews Published by: Entangled: Brazen Publication date: TBA Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports When an intense attraction develops between Donovan, a professional rugby player who believes he can only embrace his true self once his professional sports career is over, and Beckett, who is out and proud and not looking for a guy who isn’t, sparks fly. But what will happen when their tryst is exposed? Add to Goodreads Author Bio: Amy is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling, double RITA nominated, Aussie author who has written seventy plus contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets. Her books bring all the feels from sass, quirk and laughter to emotional grit and panty-melting heat. At sixteen she met a guy she knew she was going to marry and several years later she did. They have two grown kids who have flown the coop for distant shores which enables their travel fetish. She loves good books and great booze al...

Crossing the Touchline Jay Hogan (Auckland Med. #2) Publication date: December 30th 2020 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Sports What if you’ve worked your whole life for a dream, to play rugby for the most successful sports team on the planet, the New Zealand All Blacks? What if that dream is so close you can smell it? What if you meet someone? What if you fall in love? What if your dream will cost the man who’s stolen your heart? And what if the dream changes? Reuben Taylor has a choice to make. Cameron Wano is that choice. Goodreads / $2.99 on Apple / All Retailers — Currently on sale for only $2.99 on Apple ! Author Bio: I am a New Zealand author writing in m/m romance, and romantic suspense. I have traveled extensively and lived in the US, Canada, France, Australia and South Korea. In a past life I have been an Intensive Care Nurse, Counselor, and a Nursing Lecturer. I'm a cat aficionado especially of Maine Coons, and an avid dog l...

My Life in Shambles by Karina Halle Release Date: April 11, 2019 My Life in Shambles, a full-length contemporary standalone romance by Karina Halle. When Valerie Stephens made the resolution to say yes to new adventures, she never thought she’d end up in the tiny town of Shambles, fake engaged to one of Ireland’s top rugby players. But there’s a first time for everything. They say bad things happen in threes. After my boyfriend broke off our engagement, and I lost my apartment, and was laid off from my job, I can more than attest to that. They also say life happens when you say yes to new adventures. So when my two sisters invited me to ring in the new year in Ireland, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and go for it. I was going to let “saying yes” be my new resolution. Little did I know I’d spend New Year’s Eve having a hot and dirty one-night stand with Padraig McCarthy, one hell of a sexy Irishman. I also didn’t know that the brooding and intense sex...

Author:   Dahlia Donovan Title:  Haka Ever After Series: The Sin Bin, Book 7 Genre:  Gay Romance Release Date:  July 28, 2018 Publisher:   Hot Tree Publishing Cover Designer:  Claire Smith  Available now!  Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2sNRUiz All other links:  books2read.com/haka You are cordially invited to the Sin Bin wedding of the year—kilts required, undergarments optional. Taine Afoa has faced opponents on the rugby pitch without an ounce of fear.  He hopes to find the same courage when asking the love of his life to marry him. First, though, he has to ask Freddie’s fathers for their blessing. If Taine survives, popping the question should be a breeze. Freddie Whittle knows Taine has something up his sleeve. A yes forms on his lips before the question is even asked. But can they survive the madness of friends and family, all wanting to help plan their wedding? As their May-December r...