Never Hollowed By The Stare

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Never Hollowed By The Stare
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  • Home
  • NAVIGATION
    • MANGA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • SOUNDTRACK
    • QUOTE
    • TRAILER
  • MISC
    • MUSIC MONDAY
    • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
    • FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56
    • FLICKer FADE SUNDAY
    • RELEASE BLITZ & GIVEAWAYS
    • COVER REVEAL
    • TAGS
    • POSTS
    • Reviews A-Z
  • About + Ratings
  • Policy + Contact

Archives

  • March 2021 (4)
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  • Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Dawn’s Light by Shannon Blair (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 24, 2021 / No Comments
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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Let Your Heart Be Light by J.R. Lawrie (Giveaway)

    December 13, 2019

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Canopy by Liz Faraim (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 26, 2020

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Havesskadi by Ava Kelly (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 25, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: Crossed Hearts by J.R. Gray (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 20, 2021 / No Comments
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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Like Father, Like Son by Quin Perin (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 21, 2020

    SERIES STUFF: The Finished Ones

    April 25, 2020

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Glove Save And A Beauty by K.R. Collins (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    November 23, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE TOUR: Schooling The Jock by Eli Easton & Tara Lain (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 19, 2021 / 2 Comments
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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: That Distant Dream by Laurel Beckley (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 15, 2020

    COVER REVEAL: The Wolf and the Sparrow by Isabelle Adler

    November 8, 2019

    FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56: I Woke Up With A Vampire Licking My Face. Ask Me How.

    March 19, 2020
  • book,  Uncategorized

    SERIES REVIEW: The Elite by Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

    February 12, 2021 / 1 Comment
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    The Elite: Danger Zone – Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

    The Elite: Need For Speed – Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

    The Elite: Classified – Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

    They train to serve their country.
    They strive to be the best.
    But only a select few can be …
    The Elite

    * * *

    MATTEO MORGAN
    CALL SIGN: SOLO


    Reckless, arrogant, and bold, Solo is as known in the U.S. Navy for his bad-boy reputation as he is for his skills as a fighter pilot. It’s a surprise to his peers, then, when he’s chosen to train and compete at the most prestigious naval aviation academy in the world.

    MISSION RULES:
    1. Kick everyone’s ass.
    2. Do whatever it takes to win.
    3. Do your best to distract the competition.
    4. Especially when that competition is a gorgeous blue-eyed perfectionist who makes your blood run hot.

    * * *

    GRANT HUGHES
    CALL SIGN: PANTHER


    Disciplined, smart, and confident, Panther can’t afford not to play by the rules. As the son of a top Navy commander, all eyes are on him, and being anything less than number one is unacceptable.

    MISSION RULES:
    1. Keep it safe in the air.
    2. Prove you’re more than Commander Hughes’s son.
    3. No distractions. Stay focused.
    4. Don’t fall for your competition—especially not the rebellious heartbreaker with lips made for sinning.

    In the heat of the hot California sun, tempers flare and desires ignite as Solo and Panther try to resist their attraction while fighting to be number one.
    With passion this intense, the question remains:
    Who’s gonna come out on top?


    I was in grade school the last time I watched Top Gun so I never realized how gay it was until I saw the gifs. So gay that even if I couldn’t stand Tom Cruise, I had to ship Maverick and Iceman.

    When this series flew in my radar, halle-fucking-luyah!

    The Elite are the best of the best fighter pilots gunning for the number 1 spot. They compete for several grueling weeks. Top of the leaderboard are the reckless daredevil Matteo Morgan aka Solo, and by-the-book golden boy Grant Hughes aka Panther.

    To their fellow pilots, these two very different men were bitter rivals. Unbeknownst to all, Solo was doing his damnedest to get into Panther’s pants.

    Solo locked on to Panther the moment the other man walked into a bar right before their training began. Both were unaware of who the other was. The attraction was mutual but the closeted Panther turned him down. And continued to turn him down as their training progressed. Solo couldn’t be deterred.

    This is the part where Solo was annoying. I almost dropped the book because Panther had said no several times. Even if somebody was obviously interested, it’s still not cool to harass them when they already said no. I even expected him to get punched through his teeth. But the thing with Solo, he could be the most annoying bastard ever existed, you’ll still feel drawn to him (as Panther no doubt felt). And he was funny.

    Panther, on the other hand, exudes a tall, dark, commanding presence much like his namesake. He’s keeping cool under pressure but a certain relentless, out and proud pilot is making him to break all the rules.

    Panther and Solo, they are fire and kerosene. It’s like the authors took those palpable USTs from the movie and ignited them, bringing to life all those subtexts Hollywood was too cowardly to show explicitly. The tension continued to be intense from start to finish, fueled by the combustible energy between the MCs.

    There are three books in the series. It’s really one long story story chopped into cliffhangers. This style is a hit or miss in my experience. There’s the issue of lack of substance for the installments. Happily, each book in The Elite held solid weight, chronicling the evolution of Panther and Solo’s relationship and highlighting several conflicts and milestones.

    The Elite might primarily be romance but it definitely didn’t slack off on the action. It gave us all the breathtaking jet plane maneuvers, all the cocky attitudes, the smack talk, the constant one-up-manship, the homoerotic volleyball games, the sun, the beach, the adrenaline in land and air. Everything we loved about the movie but way, way better because these fighter pilots ride each other’s tail.

    This Top-Gun homage is a dream come true. Thank you Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank for making it happened.

    Rating:
    4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step away

    Soundtrack: Dangerous Animals
    Artist: Arctic Monkeys
    Album: Humbug

    Soundtrack: High Speed
    Artist: Coldplay
    Album: Parachutes

    Soundtrack: Cool With You
    Artist: Hers
    Album: Songs of Hers


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get your copy of The Elite. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    You can also use my Bookshop affiliate links to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.

    DANGER ZONE | NEED FOR SPEED | CLASSIFIED

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    LAST YEAR I WAS READING…(February 24, 2021)

    February 24, 2021

    BLOG TOUR: Clean Up On Aisle Mine by Patricia Logan (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    July 25, 2020

    COVER REVEAL: Of Fire & Bone by Natalina Reis

    January 11, 2021
  • Uncategorized

    COVER REVEAL: Dead Sea by Mia Kerick (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 10, 2021 / 2 Comments
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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: A Husband for Santa by Doreen Heron (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 23, 2019

    BLOG TOUR: Socially Orcward by Lisa Henry & Sarah Honey (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 26, 2021

    BLOG TOUR: Lookin’ For Mr. Right: A Contemporary MM Anthology (Excerpt)

    January 27, 2021
  • Uncategorized

    BLOG TOUR: Dark Flame by Kat Silver (Excerpt & Giveaway + Q&A with Author)

    February 6, 2021 / No Comments
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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Rocking the Boat by C. Koehler (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 30, 2020

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Kelpie Blue by Mell Eight (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 28, 2020

    BLOG TOUR: Far Away by Bryan T. Clark (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 1, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    COVER REVEAL: Run This Town Series by Avril Ashton (Excerpt)

    January 25, 2021 / 2 Comments
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    COVER REVEAL: Ex-Daredevil by Zoe Lee (Giveaway)

    November 11, 2020

    BOOK BLAST: Public Enemy, Undercover Lover by Amanda Meuwissen (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    June 17, 2020

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Venetian Valentine by Kristian Parker (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 11, 2021
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: Blood Winter by S.J. Coles (Excerpt)

    January 6, 2021 / No Comments
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    BOOK TOUR: Shadow Ops by Sarah Luddington (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    July 11, 2020

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Out in Spring by Lane Hayes (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 12, 2020

    BOOK BLITZ: Hunter by A.M. Salinger (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    June 26, 2020
  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Hitman Vs Hitman by Cari Z & L.A. Witt

    January 5, 2021 / 2 Comments
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    Hitman Vs Hitman – Cari Z & L.A. Witt

    Ricardo Torralba and August Morrison don’t agree on much besides the fact that they hate each other. According to Ricardo, August is a spoiled brat who really needs to knock off the sass once in a while. August insists that Ricardo needs a sense of humor, a good lay, or a well-placed bullet. Maybe all three.

    Fortunately, the assassin’s profession is a solitary one, and they can go about their lives without getting in each other’s way.

    Usually.

    When a contracted hit turns out to be a setup for both of them, they narrowly escape with their lives. Now, even if they don’t like it (spoiler: they don’t), August and Ricardo have to work together if they want a shot at survival.

    In between firefights and questionable interrogation methods as they hunt down their would-be killer, the cranky assassins discover that under all that mutual loathing is a spark of chemistry they can’t ignore. They want to ignore it, they probably should ignore it, but August can’t help flirting to annoy Ricardo, and Ricardo can think of at least one way to shut him up for a while.

    But they need to focus, damn it, and figure out who’s gunning for them and why.

    Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

    Hitman vs Hitman is a standalone gay romantic suspense featuring two men who’d rather chew glass than fall for each other, a whole lot of inappropriate comments, and some buttons that will need resewing.


    L.A. Witt and Cari Z had wowed me with their awesomely co-written series, Bad Behavior. Their latest book, Hitman Vs Hitman is a fun, explosive romp oozing with USTs between two hired guns who were contracted to take on an assignment that was set up to get them both killed.

    Hitmen all over the world are ranked in a website called Rate My Hit. It’s where clients post reviews worded as satirical comments.

    The #1 hitman according to the website is Ricardo Torralba. He’s a born planner who has a trunk full of props and costumes that lets him slip through security. He’s of Spanish descent but he can change his accent when undercover. He’s a grumpy, taciturn fellow with a drawer filled with burner phones.

    And #2 on the chart is August Morrison, an unlikely person for such occupation. He is publicly known as the son of a billionaire. His mansion is built like Bruce Wayne’s. He loves clothes. Wears designer suits to his assignments. And jeeesus, when is he going to shut up?!

    This book moved fast, much like the way Ricardo and August were constantly on the run from whoever had them in their crosshairs. They paused long enough to come up with a plan to turn things around. Along the way, their combustible combination finally combusted and they discovered, that despite their very obvious differences, they’re really good together in more ways than they expected.

    The chemistry is off the charts! The sexual tension adding piquancy to the already strained interactions of two men on edge. I love the way these two threw off fireworks while constantly bickering. And that they took time before jumping each other’s bones.

    I do think the way their backstories were presented could have been stronger. While we get a good picture of Ricardo’s and August’s personalities, I felt their pasts could have been explored further. We learn more about August and his quirks. Also him with his famous billionaire face, going about his secret missions sans disguise and not recognized is stretching it.

    Majority of the book is spent uncovering the identity of the person who set them up. The mystery wasn’t hardcore mindboggling and you can kind of expect who the bad guy was. Still, it was an intriguing enough plotline.

    We get an HFN that left some things open in case the authors decide to give us a sequel. I wish they would because that conclusion certainly felt like the start of events that will shake up the charts. I liked that Ricardo and August did not retire as is usually the case when assassins are given their happy endings.

    Overall, Hitman Vs Hitman is light, humorous, suspenseful with OTT stunts and a lot of ridiculousness, mostly from August. It might not be a bullseye but it still hit its target.

    Rating:
    3.5 Stars – that place between like and love

    Soundtrack: Bullet
    Artist: Riot Child
    Album: Made For Another Time


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get your copy of Hitman Vs Hitman. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    KINDLE
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    RELEASE BLITZ: Tradimento by Leigh Kenzie (Excerpt & Giveaway)

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    SERIES STUFF: The Finished Ones

    April 25, 2020

    99c BOOK BLAST: Power Plays & Straight A’s by Eden Finley & Saxon James (Excerpt)

    January 28, 2021
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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Love, Logan by Tilly Keyes (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 24, 2020 / No Comments
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    COVER REVEAL: Right As Raine by Lucy Lennox (Excerpt & Giveaway)

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    December 15, 2020

    FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56: There’s A Name For This

    August 20, 2020
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Hi there! I'm neverhollowed. I read too much MM romance and play music too loud. My blog combines my passion for books and indie music. I write book and manga reviews, create bookish playlists and share LGBT-related movies. Welcome to my blog! Hope you enjoy your visit.

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Never Hollowed By The Stare
neverhollowedNever Hollowed By The Stare@neverhollowed·
22h

#CocoPpaPlay #cocoppa

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neverhollowedNever Hollowed By The Stare@neverhollowed·
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February Playlist

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/73XOMSsERE0B5bwJP5278L #NowPlaying

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neverhollowedNever Hollowed By The Stare@neverhollowed·
23h

“Into his fateful heap of days the soul of man is cast.”

SERIES BLOG TOUR: More Heat Than The Sun by John Wiltshire ~ Book 8: His Fateful Heap of Days OUT NOW ~ (Excerpt)

https://getbook.at/HisFatefulHeapOfDays

https://neverhollowed.com/2021/02/28/series-blog-tour-more-heat-than-the-sun-by-john-wiltshire-book-8-his-fateful-heap-of-days-out-now-excerpt/

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