Monday 15 September 2014

The Replacement Guitarist series by Lori Toland: Blog Tour | Excerpts| Reviews | Giveaway


Synopsis
Released: August 30, 2013
Blaze Shinozuka has two goals: get a job as a guitarist and lose his virginity. At an audition for a famous pop star, he draws the attention of celebrity manager Jason Stockton—and their instant attraction sends his world careening off its axis just as he is thrust into the gritty world of rock 'n' roll. 

Straight-laced music manager Jason Stockton is always professional and never dips his pen in the company ink. But there is something about Blaze that leaves him wanting what he shouldn't. The guitarist’s exotic beauty and compelling innocence is a temptation Jason can’t resist. 

After one lie in the national media pushes them apart, Blaze must decide whether he will trust Jason, a man he shouldn’t touch, let alone love. The cutthroat, jealous world of rock 'n' roll, has chewed up and spit out the toughest musicians, and Blaze vows he will be the last man standing, even after the music stops.



Synopsis

Released: November 14, 2013
Jason Stockton and Blaze Shinozuka are looking forward to escaping their hectic rock and roll lifestyle for a relaxing holiday. Their plan seems promising, and the passion between them burns hotter than ever as they keep each other warm despite the icy temperatures. 

When a surprise Stockton family get-together threatens to reveal what Jason would rather keep hidden, their budding relationship is put to the test and an impromptu trip to Hawaii makes the differences between them more obvious than ever. 

Thanks to two chaotic family holidays and a lot of painful secrets, Christmas could end up being more than their new found love can endure.

And *NEW* The Journey Onward… 

Getting back from paradise and being alone is exactly what Jason and Blaze need to build their relationship and break down the barriers between them but nothing is ever that simple. Being in LA means back to work for Jason and Blaze gets a sample of what life will be like as Jason’s partner. 

Can loving each other be enough to keep them together? Blaze is finding out how much work goes into keeping a relationship alive and in their darkest hour, they will have to stand united as partners to weather a storm that could devastate their future.



Synopsis
Released: May 5, 2014
When Blaze got his dream job, he never imagined within a year he would be fired. After a botched performance with Cassie, he’s kicked off the tour — and so is his boyfriend Jason — but Blaze is determined to live his dream again and he may have found the perfect band to do it with. 

He will stop at nothing to be back on stage, though the costs of stardom may bring an end to his romance with Jason. Can Blaze have it all? Or will Blaze have to leave his first love behind to follow his destiny?


Foxy Rating = Four Stars
(first published May 2014)

*copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

This is the third book in the Replacement Guitarist series following the relationship of Blaze and Jason. I was hoping that this would be the final book but there is a fourth one to come later this year, so yes there is a WTF ending for now and no HEA yet. Oh and what a shocker of an ending which didn’t even leave me with a HFN, because I wasn’t happy for now, I want to know what the eff is going to happen, NOW.

For those who have not read the first two books – The Replacement Guitarist and Home for the Holidays – please ensure you read them first.

It has certainly been a journey and finally we get rid of the awful Cassie….oh hang on… nope, the biatch is back to cause trouble again between the gorgeous duo. At the end of the last book, Cassie had sacked both Jason and Blaze, so the next stage of their story finds them moving on with Jason finding out new avenues for Blaze to continue with his talent as a rock guitarist. This in itself brings forth some uncomfortable interlude, especially in Texas. But finally a breakthrough is made when Jason helps and up and coming band who now need a replacement guitarist. That would be Blaze then.

However throughout all this Blaze is just worried this new stage of his career could take him away from Jason, which causes him to doubt his talent and the path he was yearning for. Thank goodness Jason helps to steer Blaze back on course.

Blaze is the younger of the pairing and often rants his mouth off before his brain is engaged but I just find that more endearing. I like though how he has grown in his confidence and this new bossiness he has over Jason. In deflection of this Jason can sometimes over think things and be over cautious instead of just going with the flow. Blaze is comfortable in his own skin and with his sexuality. As such he wants the World to know Jason is his and for them both to come out seeing as both their families were so supportive when they did with them. Jason on the other hand is not so sure and is conscious of the damage this can have on Blaze’s new found fame with the band. This was the main part that caused the friction between the pair and lead to some serious cases of self-doubt and jealousies.

Jason frustrated me at times but then on the other hand I totally got why he did what he felt he had to, especially in relation to Cassie. Being the better person he went along with his conscious but not realising how this would appear to Blaze.
In some ways I didn’t get the conflict with them ‘coming out’ as I’m sure Jason had said in the past to the press about his ‘relationship for the last year’ to the journalists at the beginning. I maybe need to go back and re-read that part. 

However, it was still a battle to understand the reasoning at times with Jason.
However I still love the storyline and to see how it progresses with each book. There were some areas where it didn’t flow as nicely as in the previous books and I felt it jumped from one thing to another with no link in between.

I was definitely recommend this series if you love your m/m romance set amongst the music industry and with some seriously hot and smoking loving going on! I give this a four star rating and a ‘hurry up’ for book four shout out!



Synopsis


*NEW* RELEASE - September 2, 2014
Blaze Shinozuka is a bonafide rockstar with his band, Razor's Edge. After his romance with music manager Jason Stockton crashed and burned, Blaze is free to live and love. It's been a wild and heady year that's been blissfully drama free until the one man he's been avoiding comes careening back in to wreak havoc on his heart once again.

Jason Stockton has become the superstar he never wanted to be. When his music reality show becomes an overnight success, he's thrust into the limelight against his will. He's coping with intrusions into his private life but then a chance encounter sends him right into the arms of the man he loved...and lost.

Their time apart has changed them, except the passion between them burns brighter than ever. With the media hounding them in the midst of multiple scandals, they find they can only depend on one person — each other. Will they learn to trust that their love is enough to see them through it all? Or will this be their final dance before calling it quits, this time for good?

Foxy Rating = Four Stars
(first published August 2014)

*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

This is the fourth book in The Replacement Guitarist series and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend to new reader to read the series in order to get the full experience that is Blaze and Jason. Book three left me with a pet lip stuck out and a wobbling chin, trying to hold back my tears because my men were apart, so to finally get this book to see if they can overcome all the odds was a definite must read.

Encore takes place about a year after the ‘break up’ and the pair have battled constantly to avoid each other at all costs. Blaze is now riding high with Razor’s Edge and at the peak of their fame glory. On the other hand so is Jason – now the head honcho on a second chance talent show for the acts of yesteryear. Jason never expected to be in the limelight, he always left that to his family, he was quite happy to be in the background and that was part of the reason of his break up with Blaze (besides Cassie, grr) in that he wanted to remain private and not ‘come out’ to the World with his and Blaze’s relationship.

I am loving the new confident and bulked out Blaze, he sounded absolutely divine. I loved the first stand off when the pair met up again backstage. Straight away I could see they still held the spark for each other! It was explosive to read their next interaction at the hotel, oh yes these men could not keep their hands off each other. However, again Jason, the ever cautious one, being the elder of the two just had to throw a spanner in the works instead of just letting things take off in the normal pace of a re-established love. I did think there was one too many make ups and break ups for the story, my poor heart couldn’t take it.

It was lovely to see the family members again and their support of Jason and Blaze. I was also surprised at the other side we see of Jason in this book, it just made we want to hug and protect him. I absolutely LOVED the ending though and that my guys came to ENGLAND (why didn’t nobody tell me – I would have rushed to the hotel to meet up and shared my spam fritters with them haha.)

At first the inclusion of Derek into the story was a bit of a downer for me and I couldn’t see the benefit of having him back in the picture. However Jason needed that closure and to stop him being trapped emotionally to things of the past. One thing I did not agree was the comment ‘take care of him for me’ I’d have replied that he didn’t have a caring right anymore! Yeah can you tell Derek was not in my good books? It did highlight though how things have changed in the last fifteen years, how things have progressed!

Overall I have loved this series and these men. From the first story I took them to my heart and there they remained, right up until the last page. It’s kind of sad to leave them, but I won’t tell you how they end up, that is in the pleasure for the new reader to find out. Bliss!



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Excerpt
Excerpt: 

“Hey bro.” 
Blaze turned around and grinned at Tommy, the lead singer of their band. “Hey man,” he said and gave him a one arm hug.

“I’ve gotta talk to you real quick.” 
“Blaze.” 
Suddenly there were a dozen people on stage with them as they moved the set around. Zack’s drums were already set up on the stage and Blaze’s guitar rested in the stand from the tour. Blaze turned back to Tommy. “We’ll talk later, yeah?”

Tommy shook his head. “It’s important. You’re gonna freak the fuck out.” 
Blaze frowned as he dug in his pocket for his guitar pick. “What’s wrong?” 
An announcement that rang out drowned his answer and Tommy threw up his hands in exasperation. After the introduction ended, he yelled, “Really? We’re trying to have a conv—” Tommy froze midsentence and looked over Blaze’s shoulder. 
When he turned, he saw the one person he hoped never to see again in his life. In a town as small as Hollywood, he knew that wasn’t realistic but he had hoped they would be able to continue keeping their distance from each other. 
As he looked up into Jason Stockton’s narrowed dark brown eyes, his heart pounded. The sliver of trepidation was drowned in the instantaneous desire that surged within him. Even though Jason had nearly destroyed him, Blaze still wanted him. 
Jason Stockton had been his first real relationship and they had been head-over-heels in love until one stupid moment when they threw it all away. Though their fight had seemed important at the time, it had been stupid. Blaze knew that now.

Their disagreement over Cassie had been fueled by lack of sleep; their argument had spiraled out of control until they called it quits. Their very public break-up left Blaze’s heart shattered. Somehow over the past year, he had managed to avoid Jason and Blaze would have given anything to continue that winning streak.

He glared at Jason. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Sexy Excerpt: 

“Shouldn’t you be out with your band mates?” Jason asked as he unfolded his menu. 
Blaze didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pressed his full lips together into a thin line as Jason remembered kissing him while tasting his sweet, hot tongue. He bit back a groan just as Blaze answered. “They weren’t going anywhere I liked.” 
“So are you sitting over here sulking for not getting your way?” The barb flew out so naturally, Jason didn’t even have time to think about it and instantly regretted his words. 
Blaze recoiled for a moment but then held up his beer. “Does it look like I’m sulking?”

“Actually, it does. I figured you’d be out fucking the first available hole by now.”

Blaze’s mouth dropped open. “Sounds like you’re bitter that you can’t get a piece of me.”

“No. Just reminiscing. I knew you when you were a one hit wonder,” Jason said.

“I knew you back when you were being truthful about your sexuality.” Blaze threw out a barb of his own just to see if Jason would lose his cool. 
Jason narrowed his eyes. “Well, flaunting it in everyone’s face only works well for you.” 
The bright red spots on Blaze’s cheeks reminded Jason of when they used to make love, though now they were dark crimson from anger. Jason’s cock didn’t recognize the difference as it lengthened and pressed against his zipper.

As their waiter came toward them, Jason adjusted himself discreetly and moved in his chair to hide his erection. He stopped to take Jason’s order, which blocked him from seeing Blaze for a moment but when he left, those unforgettable aqua eyes were full of fire again.
Teaser










MeetTheAuthor
CEO by day, erotic romance writer by night, Lori Toland lives in Orlando where the summers are hot but the romance between her characters is even hotter. Writing since the tender age of 13, Lori somehow finds time to play video games and watch movies while taking care of her beloved cats and a husband who will forever be her hero.
    



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