Friday Book Blogger Special: Walking on Broken Paths

         

Genre:

Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Childhood friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, damaged hero, opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine

Heat Rating:  3 flames      

Length: 53 000 words / 210 pages

Buy Link:

https://amzn.to/4m5izRq

Publication Date:

July 22, 2025

Book Blurb:

Desperate to escape the pain of his brother’s death, Jesse Melnik ran—but he couldn’t outrun the grief, no matter how much distance he put between himself and his past. Now, after fifteen years of trying, he’s finally ready to face his hometown of Charlottetown again.

He expects the memories of his brother to hover in every corner of his family’s sailboat and whisper in every sea-tinged breeze.

What he doesn’t expect is Parker Willis, the best friend he left behind without a word the day he fled.

And he certainly doesn’t expect old feelings to resurface.

Parker’s been stuck in a rut since his father died three months ago. Every day is the same: try to keep his father’s dinner cruise business afloat so he can chip away at Dad’s debts, all while working a job that leaves him more frustrated than satisfied.

Then Parker’s routine shatters in the best way possible: Jesse Melnik returns to Prince Edward Island for the summer, all six feet three inches of gorgeous hockey player.

Now, that’s different.

Jesse kickstarts Parker’s heart.

Parker makes Jesse feel again.

And although both men are a little bit damaged from struggling down the broken path of loss, maybe—just maybe—if they can lean on each other, they’ll learn to move forward at last.

Content warnings: themes of grief, discussions of a parent’s death from cancer, descriptions/discussions of a sibling’s death by suicide.

The First Line/Book Beginnings

https://www.rosecityreader.com/

https://readingismysuperpower.org/

He should’ve called.

That was Jesse Melnik’s first thought as he pulled into the driveway of his childhood home on Prince Edward Island.

The Friday 56

http://www.fredasvoice.com/

Early July in Toronto was hot, but it hadn’t hit the level of gross mugginess that would surely come within the next couple of weeks.

About the Author

Amy’s lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.

An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter.

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop

1st - What book are you currently reading? What made you choose this title to read? 

(submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

I am writing a (late) review for this book. However, I selected it because I enjoy m/m sports romance, and also because I resonated with the fact that the protagonists had both experienced loss of a family member. I became a sixty-year-old orphan this year when my mother passed away in February. My father has been gone since November 28, 2010. 

Follow our Start page to keep up with the latest from the Naughty Netherworld Press crew.

https://naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

If you don’t already have an Audible subscription, click the link below to get started with your 30-day free trial and grab yourself some late summer listens. You’re welcome.

https://amzn.to/4bIRSgg

 

Friday Book Blogger Special: Navigating Grief Workbook

      

Genre:

Grief, Nonfiction, Psychology, Self-Help

Buy Link:

https://amzn.to/3DgTBNs

Publication Date:

April 11, 2023

Ebook Price:

$7.98

Paperback Price

$8.98

Book Blurb:

Move through grief while holding space for the feelings that accompany loss.  

Grief can feel destabilizing and overwhelming. This grief workbook gives you evidence-based exercises to help with processing grief and loss of any kind. Reflecting on and responding to the prompts and exercises will facilitate greater self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-confidence as you navigate healing after loss.  

Information on grief and grieving— Deepen your understanding of grief and prepare yourself to interact with it in healthy ways.  

Tools for moving through grief—Case studies help normalize your experience, affirmations raise your spirits, guided journal prompts get you started on sorting through your inner world, and activities promote healing.  

Expert guidance—Advice from a licensed clinical psychologist empowers you with knowledge and validation. If you are seeking additional books about grief and loss, this workbook can be used with its companion, Navigating Grief: A Guided Journal.  

Begin grief recovery with the Navigating Grief Workbook. 

The First Line/Book Beginnings

https://www.rosecityreader.com/

https://readingismysuperpower.org/

Despite the perception that grief should be a brief period of sadness after a loss, it rarely ever is.

The Friday 56

http://www.fredasvoice.com/

Sadness, like grief, fluctuates in intensity, with peaks and valleys throughout the day.

About the Author

ANNA DARBONNE, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, mother, and entrepreneur. She focuses on complementary healing interventions that empower clients to transform challenging experiences into growth opportunities, and live with greater ease and purpose. She is also the founder and owner of Bamboo Center for Grief, Growth, and Well-Being, a brick-and-mortar and virtual mental health clinic. There, she and other high-caliber clinicians provide holistic and integrative wellness and performance enhancement services for adults seeking to navigate grief, deepen fulfillment, create or perform beyond their best, and elevate overall well-being. 

Book Blogger Hop

https://www.coffeeaddictedwriter.com/p/blog-page.html

28th - 6th - How much time does blogging take out of your life weekly? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

It depends. Some weeks, I just do promo posts for book tours, which doesn't take much more than an hour. Other times I add blog hop posts. I try to update my Substack a couple of times a month. Creating a Substack post can take an hour on its own. Creating this post took about a half hour. 

I picked up the above workbook to help guide me through my own recent loss. 

My mother passed away on the morning of February 23 at 85 years old. She was in end-stage colon cancer and experiencing cognitive decline. It was time for her to go, but I am now a 60-year-old orphan. 

While I always loved my mother, our relationship was difficult at times. Thankfully, it was good during the last five years, and I have those memories. Still, I certainly have things to work through.

Follow our Start page to keep up with the latest from the Naughty Netherworld Press crew.

https://naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

Free use image from Pixabay

Saint Patrick's Day is nearly upon us! What better time to read about some folks who are saints and some who definitely ain't?

If you don’t already have an Audible subscription, click the link below to get started with your 30-day free trial. You’re welcome.

https://amzn.to/4bIRSgg

 

Friday Book Blogger Hop: Down the Rabbit Hole

     

Genre:

Memoir, Nonfiction

Buy Link:

https://amzn.to/4jL9XhX

Publication Date:

June 23, 2015

Ebook Price:

$16.99

Paperback Price

$13.72

Hardcover Price

$22.56

Book Blurb:

The real, untold, and unvarnished story of life inside the legendary Playboy Mansion—and the man who holds the key—from the woman who was Hef’s #1 girlfriend and star of The Girls Next Door.

A spontaneous decision at age twenty-one transformed small-town Oregon girl Holly Sue Cullen into Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner’s #1 girlfriend. But like Alice in Wonderland after she plunged down the rabbit hole, what seemed like a fairytale life inside the Playboy Mansion—including A-list celebrity parties and her own #1-rated television show—quickly devolved into an oppressive routine of strict rules, manipulation, and battles with ambitious, backstabbing bunnies. Losing her identity, her sense of self-worth, and her hope for the future, Holly found herself sitting alone in a bathtub contemplating suicide.

But instead of ending her life, Holly chose to take charge of it.

In this shockingly candid and surprisingly moving memoir, this thoughtful and introspective woman opens up about life inside the Mansion, the drugs, the sex and the infamous parties, as well as what her relationships with her Girls Next Door co-stars, Bridget and Kendra were really like. Holly talks candidly about a subsequent abusive relationship, her own successful television series, and the hard work of healing, including her turn on Dancing with the Stars. A cautionary tale and a celebration of personal empowerment, Down the Rabbit Hole reminds us of the importance of fighting for our dreams—and finding the life we deserve.

The First Line/Book Beginnings

https://www.rosecityreader.com/

https://readingismysuperpower.org/

"Don't you miss the mansion?" squealed a round-faced, wholesome-looking 20-something girl in a high-pitched voice.

"Um," I started, unsure of how to answer her polietely. "No...?" I said, offering her a halfhearted smile.

The Friday 56

http://www.fredasvoice.com/

After more than four years together at the mansion, our little blond army was disbanding. 

About the Author

Holly Madison spent five seasons on the #1 rated E! hit reality show The Girls Next Door before landing the leading role in the Las Vegas Strip's smash hit, Peepshow. She also starred in two seasons of her own hit E! series Holly’s World. Madison divides her time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles with her husband and daughter.

Book Blogger Hop

https://www.coffeeaddictedwriter.com/p/blog-page.html

7th - 13th - Do you prefer to read series one book after another, or can you read other books in between? (submitted by Idea-ist @ Get Lost in Literature)

I'm rarely able to read an entire series, one book after another, regardless of my preferences.

Follow our Start page to keep up with the latest from the Naughty Netherworld Press crew.

https://naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

Free use image from Open Clipart Vectors

The month of chocolate and romance is upon us. Why not celebrate with an audiobook or several?

If you don’t already have an Audible subscription, click the link below to get started with your 30-day free trial. You’re welcome.

https://amzn.to/4bIRSgg

 

Friday Book Blogger Hop Special: Thunder Road

    

Genre:

MM Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Psychic romance, Historical/Steampunk

Buy Link:

https://amzn.to/4jAFUJJ

Publication Date:

December 16, 2024

Ebook Price:

$4.99

Paperback Price

$14.99

Book Blurb:

Simon and Vic are home from their honeymoon, just in time for a brand new case!

Mysterious missing person reports, a cursed motorcycle club, and an ancient entity add up to trouble. A bad bargain to stop a long-ago gang war requires a yearly sacrifice from a tightly-knit group of riders, and even their coven of witches hasn’t been able to stop the deaths.

Then the granddaughter of a former lighthouse keeper comes to Simon for help. When the lighthouses were automated, they lost their live-in guardians, who worked protective spells to shield the coast from killer storms and a murderous creature. Those protections are fading, and an old evil has gained power, growing stronger with every life it claims.

Can Simon and Vic end the deaths and disappearances, or have they finally found a foe too powerful to stop?

Thunder Road is an action-packed MM paranormal romance chock full of old magic, protective guardians, found family, an ancient monster, brave motorcyclists, helpful ghosts, loyal friends, psychic visions, hurt/comfort, supernatural suspense, and an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.

The First Line/Book Beginnings

https://www.rosecityreader.com/

https://readingismysuperpower.org/

"You look lost.” Simon glanced up as he unpacked from their honeymoon. Vic stood in the bedroom doorway of their blue bungalow.

The Friday 56

http://www.fredasvoice.com/

“What made the club bosses think someone had gone missing as opposed to just taking off on their own?” Ross leaned forward, intrigued.

About the Author

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic and urban fantasy, with less romance, more explosions.

All of the modern-day Morgan Brice and Gail Z. Martin series crossover, so characters from one series appear in cameos and on page in important secondary roles in books from other series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the more you read the more the expanded universe of friendships and connections becomes clear. 

Morgan and Gail believe that paranormal elements make any story even better, and her worlds are full of ghosts, psychics, shifters, creatures, vampires, monster hunters, and magic. 

She's also a huge fan of the TV show Supernatural. (Chibi art by Kamidiox)

Book Blogger Hop

https://www.coffeeaddictedwriter.com/p/blog-page.html

31st - 6th - Have you ever asked yourself, "Why did I buy this book?" (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

Yep. This was back in the early 2000s. It amazed me that anyone would publish the story in its current form. I went through it and started editing it. I wish I'd had the self-confidence to try and become an editor at that point. I might have spared myself the back problems I currently have thanks to decades spent working in physically punitive jobs.

Fortunately, I didn't buy either Twilight or 50 Shades of Nope. I quickly DNFed both of those and returned them to their owners of questionable taste.

Look for Ornery Owl's review of today's featured book soon, probably on Monday.

Follow our Start page to keep up with the latest from the Naughty Netherworld Press crew.

https://naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

Free use image from Open Clipart Vectors

The month of chocolate and romance is upon us. Why not celebrate with an audiobook or several?

If you don’t already have an Audible subscription, click the link below to get started with your 30-day free trial. You’re welcome.

https://amzn.to/4bIRSgg

 

Friday Book Blogger Hop Special: Best Man

  

Genre:

Contemporary Romance, Gay Romance, Holiday Romance, M/M Romance, Romantic Comedy, Steamy Romance

Buy Link:

https://amzn.to/4iq9IrK

Publication Date:

December 6, 2024

Ebook Price:

$3.99

Book Blurb:

Taking chances is what Alexander lives for – especially when it comes to love.

Alexander’s a man of uncommonly happy disposition. His luck always holds true, and he takes chances with cheerful abandon. When he sees a Christmas Eve wedding running amok and a hot best man in need of help before Bridezilla goes boom, it’s second nature for him to step in and lend a hand -- especially with regard to the delectable best man, Noah. He’ll offer that one anything he needs -- a hand, a mouth, an… ahem.

And why not? The way Alexander sees it, he’s having fun and earning good karma -- and he might just already be falling in love.

Praise for Best Man

"This is a quick, fun read that left me smiling. If you need something to cheer you up, are looking for a hot read without any angst whatsoever and like quickies, you should try this short book."

-- Serena, QMO Books

The First Line/Book Beginnings

https://www.rosecityreader.com/

https://readingismysuperpower.org/

“Really, darling. You have the most extraordinary ideas.”

The Friday 56

http://www.fredasvoice.com/

“Holy…” Alexander pressed his mouth to the side of Noah’s neck, tasting the crispness of peppermint and sweetness of white chocolate.

About the Author

Willa Okati (AKA Will) is made of many things: imagination, coffee, stray cat hairs, daydreams, more coffee, kitchen experimentation, a passion for winter weather, a little more coffee, a whole lot of flowering plants and a lifelong love of storytelling. Will's definitely one of the quiet ones you have to watch out for, though he -- not she anymore -- is a lot less quiet these days.

Book Blogger Hop

https://www.coffeeaddictedwriter.com/p/blog-page.html

6th-12th - Can you recommend a book that catches the spirit of year-end thoughts or generates a sense of nostalgia in you? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

If you like it hot and want to keep things cheerful, just buy the featured book and don't read the rest of this.

When I was a child and even into my teen years, my father read A Christmas Carol and A Child's Christmas In Wales to the family.

On the night of November 27, 2010, I read A Child's Christmas In Wales to my father, who was in Collier Hospice Center in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. He passed in the early morning hours of November 28. I can never read A Child's Christmas In Wales aloud again because my voice becomes unsteady and my eyes fill with tears. 

Look for Ornery Owl's review of today's featured book on December 9.

Follow our Start page to keep up with the latest from the Naughty Netherworld Press crew.

https://naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

Listen to an old or new Christmas favorite with an audiobook!

If you don’t already have an Audible subscription, click the link below to get started with your 30-day free trial. You’re welcome.

https://amzn.to/4bIRSgg