Sunday, February 28, 2016

Shifting Gears by Riley Hart - Blog Tour with Review and Giveaway

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Shifting Gears
A Crossroads Novel
Book 2
M/M Romance
Riley Hart

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Cover Designer: X Potion Designs 
Cover Photo: Stock Photo
Release Date: February 10, 2016

Shifting Gears Full Cover

BLURB

Rod Nelson is used to being someone’s good time, and that’s fine with him. Spending his days at his adult toy store, Rods-N-Ends, he never knows who he’ll meet. The second Landon Harrison walks in, he has Rod’s full attention. It seems as if Landon wants him too, so why won't the man jump in the sack with him already?

Landon never thought he’d return home to the town where memories lurk around every corner. He has to admit, Rod makes the adjustment a lot easier. He keeps Landon laughing. Despite the fierce attraction between them, he’s not willing to risk his newfound friendship to get laid. Neither man wants something serious, but the more they're together, the harder it is to keep their hands to themselves, until eventually they stop trying. But flings between friends are never simple, and as they attempt to shift gears, diving into their first relationship, they’re slammed with setbacks. If they want to truly move forward, before they hit the open road together, they’re going to have to let go of a past that could make them crash and burn.

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EXCERPT

Landon pulled softly on his arm again, and Rod got the hint. He kneeled between Landon’s legs, with his knees on the floor. “You’re determined,” Landon told him.
Yes, yes he was. At least when it came to this. “Is that a bad thing?”
Landon smiled. “Hell no. You’ve had my dick hard since the first time I saw you. Easy Ride comes in the mail too, ya know?”
“Aww, so you came to see me?”
“Shut up so I can kiss you.” The look in Landon’s eyes turned dark, hungry, urgent, and he pulled Rod closer, covering Rod’s mouth with his own. His tongue went straight for Rod’s lips, demanding entrance, and Rod gave it easily. He tasted like a mixture of coffee and mint, like maybe he’d had a drink right after brushing his teeth.
Rod slid his hands up Landon’s thighs until he got to the bulge at the apex of them and rubbed his hand over it, feeling the large bump beneath his jeans.
Landon growled into his mouth, making it vibrate through him.
He leaned back, grabbed the bottom of Rod’s shirt and pulled it over his head. “I’m so damned hungry for you. This won’t be slow. It’ll be fast and hard.”
“Were you under the impression that I wanted it slow?”
Grinning, Landon reached around and swatted Rod’s ass. “Let’s go to the room.”
“Why move when we can do it right here?” He didn’t want to give Landon the chance to change his mind. Rod reached under the couch and grabbed a bottle of lube, before pulling a condom from his wallet and tossing both to the couch.
“You keep lube under your couch?”
“I live alone. I can jack off wherever I want. Are we going to talk or do this?” But really, he liked talking to Landon, and if what Landon said was true, he liked talking to Rod as well.
“Fuck now, words later.”
Hell yes. Definitely what he wanted to hear. Rod stood up to take off his jeans. As he worked the button, Landon traced a path across his stomach with his tongue. He nipped at the skin next to Rod’s belly button, just enough to sting before he sucked the skin into his mouth again.
“Oh fuck.” Rod’s bones melted; his knees went weak.
“Get out of those pants before I rip them off of you. Want your ass.”
Rod looked down at him and nodded, letting Landon know he was good to go. Finally, his goddamned fingers started to work and he got his pants unbuttoned and unzipped. Blood rushed through his ears. His cock ached as he pulled down his jeans.
Landon leaned in. “Jesus, you’re leaking like crazy. Look at that fucking wet spot. I want your taste on my tongue again.” And then he nuzzled his face between Rod’s legs, his mouth against the growing spot of pre-come in Rod’s underwear.
“Damn, I’m going to fucking kill you if you make me come too soon.” Even as he spoke, Rod had his hand in Landon’s hair, pushing his face closer to his aching cock.
Landon smacked his ass again, before pulling back. “Get them off.”
There was a slight tingle in Rod’s cheek from the smacks. “You’re naughty, aren’t you?” The thought just made his balls even more heavy and tight.
“For some reason, I doubt I have anything on your level of naughtiness.”
Rod shrugged. “It gives you something to strive for. You can practice on me if you want.”
 “I’ll consider it, now get your ass out of your underwear and on my dick.”

Rod’s cock pulsed behind the tightening fabric. “Don’t have to tell me twice.”


Shifting Gears is the second book in Riley Hart's Crossroads series. It could be read as a standalone but for the full effect I'd suggest reading them in order. 

Let me say that I have a bit of an addiction to characters that are flawed and more realistic than characters that are all hearts and flowers. Don't get me wrong the later has it's place, but for me I just prefer characters that don't have everything so easy. Love and relationships of any kind are messy, angsty, and can be at turns fantastic and also the pit of despair. Shifting Gears has two very realistic characters with flaws and issues that make both of them stubborn about love and needing someone in their lives. 

Rod presents himself as fun, light-hearted, with no cares in the world. Landon has moved back home feeling guilty for leaving his sister to be the only one there for his mom. While he gets along with his family, it's hard for him to be back home. Then Landon meets Rod one night while he's shopping for lube in Rod's sex toy store. I'd say that the rest is history after that but in this case it's not because both characters have issues. Both men have the same cause to their issues, emotional damage from their fathers that hasn't ever healed. 

Rod and Landon start a friendship over a span of time but their seriously attracted to the other. Landon is being stubborn and sticking to his no sex with friends rule and Rod uses joking around and redirecting conversations to hide his issues. Over time both let things overwhelm them and it drives a wedge between them that they must fix or they'll lose each other. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Rod's humorous banter and the friendship between he and Landon. I loved seeing Bryce and Nick again, too. What kept me sucked into the story though was watching Landon and Rod grow closer and attempt to push their issues aside. And okay..seriously the sex between them was off the charts, smoking HOT! I did feel that they really needed lessons in communication on more than one instance and that's where the story felt a touch rough for me.

The story itself was well paced, with a solid storyline, and good, strong characters. Was the storyline wildly original, no. However, there is enough well written dialogue, backstory, and characterization that the story just works for these two characters. And that's where the author excels at what she does, her characters are flawed and their ultimately human. They make mistakes, they apologize, and then they make more mistakes and apologize again. It shows growth in both the characters and their relationship, so the story never stagnates and gets old or boring. 

I'll be honest and that this author is an autobuy for me because her characters never let me down. I'd definitely recommend Shifting Gears for fans of the author, but also those that read Felice Stevens, Kade Boehme, and Christina Lee. 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s a hopeless romantic, a lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together.

She loves reading, flawed characters, and hanging out with her husband and children, who she adores. She and her family live in Southern California, soaking up the sunshine, while also missing seasons. Not a day goes by that she isn’t thankful she gets to wake up and do what she loves.

Life is good. Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn.
 
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Twitter: @RileyHart5
 
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