Hi Everyone!

This last month has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. Having spent yet another month in isolation at home has not been a barrel of laughs. I miss the simple things: catching up with friends and family in person, having a coffee at my favourite cafe and, most of all, grocery shopping that doesn’t resemble Lord of the Flies!

On the upside, all this time at home has allowed me to be more productive. I finally finished writing ‘Hearts Unfrozen’ and I’m in the process of editing and polishing it for release in June. And, of course, I’ve been catching up on my ever-expanding ‘to read’ list.

Here are some highlights from this month’s reading pile. Let me know in the comments what you have been reading – I love book recommendations!

“Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts” by Charlie Cochet

This fun little novella is my first foray into the works of Charlie Cochet, but it certainly won’t be my last! I’m currently slowly working my way through Cochet’s THIRDS series.

Julian “Quinn” Quintero, a gruff, tough Miami SWAT officer, has been injured on the job, and all he’s looking for is a little peace and quiet to recover—difficult to achieve with his large Cuban family. An adventure in picking up his prescriptions puts him in the path of his geeky, brownie-baking neighbor, Spencer Morgan.

Spencer sweeps into Quinn’s life like a tropical storm of sunshine and rainbows. Not surprisingly, it’s chaos at first sight. Quinn’s in need of a little tender loving care, and Spencer decides he’s just the man for the job. Their very different lives might clash, but they might also find some common ground—and maybe more.

Sweet, funny, relatable and with a hint of drama – this one is perfect for a rainy afternoon. A pleasant diversion I can see myself revisiting in the future. Recommended.

“Heat Under Fire” by Andrew Grey

This is Book 4 of the “By Fire” series, but can be read as a stand-alone title. Andrew Grey once again demonstrates his unique ability to create bold, realistic characters that the reader will easily latch onto and care about.

Justin Briggs can shout out directions all day on his job as a traffic cop, but put him in front of a hot guy, specifically firefighter Rock Sparks, and he clams up.

Rock finds Justin confusing. While saving a busload of children hanging off the edge of a highway overpass, the cute rookie is cool and confident. But when Rock tries to chat him up, he stutters and chokes. Frustrated, Rock teases Justin, and boy, is his temper hot.

Though Rock and Justin share a steamy kiss, Justin keeps his distance, still tongue-tied. Then, when Justin is injured on the job, Rock takes him to the hospital, and some of the barriers start to crumble. But getting his enigmatic boyfriend to open up brings up more questions about Justin’s past.

This could have been a typical paint-by-numbers romance, but as the story progresses and Justin’s layers are carefully stripped away piece by piece, you end up with something much more complex, dark and thoughtful. A wonderfully crafted story and highly recommended.

“The Hitman’s Guide To Making Friends and Finding Love” by Alice Winters

Equal parts action, buddy comedy and slow burning romance, this first book in “The Hitman’s Guide” series is funny, engaging and sweet. Can’t wait to read the next book!

What happens when a snarky hitman and a by-the-book PI cross paths? Absolute chaos!

Hitman Leland has grown used to a life of isolation. In his line of work, you can’t really make long term connections. But when he spots Private Investigator Jackson in a slightly embarrassing mishap, the killer for hire becomes strangely drawn to him.

The last thing Jackson expects is to start receiving love notes from a notorious hitman. He certainly doesn’t expect to be inviting the man to move in with him! Can these two men find common ground long enough to team up and find a dangerous criminal, or will they both end up dead before they can admit their true feelings for each other?

Jackson is the no-nonsense straight shooter to Leland’s snarky free spirit. The dialogue between these two characters is hilarious, and the story is instantly engaging. I’m really enjoying Alice Winters’ work, and if you haven’t checked out her back catalogue, I strongly recommend you do. Highly recommended!

Well, that’s it from me for this month. I hope you have a great month filled with good books and good health. Stay safe and stay home.

Lots of Love

Alex Leslie

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