Boston Boys: "Erica Pike knows how to break a reader’s heart..."

It was a wonderful surprise to see the Boston Boys series reviewed on Prism Book Alliance. It received 4.5 stars and the review was for the series as a whole as well as each individual book. Here's a little quote:

"This series has a theme for everyone, characters you just want to hug and protect from the world, and age appropriate dialogue and prose. Each story in the series can stand alone, but as with most series, you get a richer experience if you read them together.

Throughout the series, we watch the power of friendship help heal heartbreak, protect fragile hearts, and guide friends to love."

Thank you Brandilyn ^.^

By the way, Prism Books is having a fantastic contest throughout 2015. This is what they say on their site: "One random commenter will win a $25 gift certificate each month in 2015." That's for the site as a whole - not just this review.

Black Hurricane: Marvelously Entertaining, Emotional and Heart-Tugging.

Black Hurricane has been reviewed by The Romance Reviews. It received 5 stars and a wonderful review. Here's a snippet: 

"...just having Jazz telling the story is powerful and Erica Pike manages so effortlessly to do the wonderful character building of all the other players in the story. Dean of course is someone we get to know really well, then Eric, Alex, Cal-Al, Benji and many others are so wonderfully drawn and each have their own personality to add to this marvelously entertaining, emotional and heart-tugging story."

Thank you, Susan Mac Nicol at The Romance Reviews :)

Black Hurricane: "Beautiful character driven story."

Black Hurricane received 4.5 peas from Mrs. Condit & Friends Read Books along with a stunning review :) Here are snippets:

"When I read the blurb for Black Hurricane, I thought, “Oh great! Another rocker-dun-me-wrong book!” Boy, was I wrong! Erica Pike has taken that old plot bunny and blown it clear out of the water!!"

"This is a beautiful character driven story, with a smooth plot flow. Erica has given us characters that are vivid, three dimensional, and that are anything but your stereotypical rock star or jilted lover. Even the secondary characters are solid, with all the unique quirks that make us individuals."

Thank you, Pattycakes ^.^

Little Stalker and Welcome, Brother Reviewed

Little Stalker and Welcome, Brother have been reviewed by The Romance Reviews :) Both received four stars and great reviews. Here are snippets:

Welcome, Brother:

"Kyler and Hunter were very cute together. I loved reading about their blossoming relationship that, really, wasn't sexual at all in the beginning. They were truly just friends who enjoyed each other's company before any romance began."

"LITTLE STALKER is a very emotional read. This series has been so light and fun that I didn't expect to get teary-eyed, but I did. Some things came out about Grayson that were terribly sad, and since he's so darn loveable, it made it all the more heartbreaking to read about."

Thank you, Breann at The Romance Reviews :)

Black Hurricane in Print! (Discounted Price)

Woohoo! Black Hurricane is now available in print ^.^ The normal price is 14.99, but it's available for $11.06 on Amazon. I have no idea how long that will last, but if you intend to buy it and won't be at GRL to buy it from me for $10 (I'm bringing 10 copies to sell), now's the time!

While I'm posting, M/M Good Book Reviews gave Black Hurricane 4 stars along with a great review. Here's a snippet:

"This is a really enjoyable story where forgiveness isn't instant and rebuilding a relationship takes time. Both characters open their souls to the other, they reexamine their old relationship from both sides, and although it isn't easy, they begin to repair what had been shattered. The story has quite a bit of angst, some really hot moments, and some self-reflection. 

I recommend this to those who love fixing mistakes, rediscovering love through forgiveness, anger and love, hot sex, and finally, an ending that is filled with love."

Thank you Pixie at M/M Good Book Reviews :)

Black Hurricane: 4.5 Stars from Because Two Men Are Better Than One!

Black Hurricane received 4.5 stars from Because Two Men Are Better Than One! along with a wonderful review. Here's a snippet:

"The story is full of mistrust, miscommunication and well deserved doubts. I loved the rock band setting with the performances, groupies and the media. I adored Jazz’s protective and supportive friends and I really liked the bikies at the bar where Jazz worked. And the sex! The sex in this book is fabulous and steamy. The scene where Jazz and Dean make out against the back wall of the stage is so hot and they only hump against each other!"

Thank you, NicStar at Because Two Men Are Better Than One! ^.^

Updates: Reviews, Interviews, Appearances and Giveaway

What a busy week! I should have posted some of these sooner, but I've been a very busy girl. I've got two reviews to share, two interviews, a blog appearance, and a giveaway!

Reviews:

Black Hurricane received 4 stars from 3 Chicks After Dark (or: "RATING: BAD ASS KNEE HIGH BOOTS WITH SILVER BUCKLES"). The review is my favorite so far as the reviewer also talks about the other books and seems to understand my boys very well. Here's a snippet:

"I have to say I was fractured! Crushed! I had to pull out the tissues! My heart bled for both Jazz and Dean. Erica Pike portrayed all the emotions so strongly it left me feeling hollowed out and shattered. Yeah, she’s that good!

It’s not an Erica Pike book unless we experience the full gamut of emotions so after all the angst, happiness, and heartbreak we do feel so much love at the end and that makes the whole ride worth every word, every minute spent in Jazz and Dean’s world."

Thank you, Kristy at 3 Chicks After Dark - Email me next time and I'll send you a review copy ^.^

***

The Walls Have Ears also received a nice review from The Romance Reviews, 4 stars. Here's a snippet:

"Then there was the third character. The Wall. The scenes with that wall in between were insanely hot and it was all the more erotic as these boys were caught mid-action. I thought it wasn't going to get much better than that but, oh, was I wrong."

Thank you, Breann at The Romance Reviews ^.^

Interviews/Blog Appearances:

First I had a blog appearance on Ellie Potts' blog to showcase Black Hurricane (hey, that cover needs to be seen!). Then I did an interview with RJ Scott, showcasing the College Fun and Gays covers, talking about global warming and favorite position in my books I've always wanted to try. 

Lastly, I was interviewed by the amazing Lucy at Hearts on Fire Reviews. This is my favorite interview by far as it was tailored to me and my books, so if you want more info on the Boston Boys and a little peek into what's up ahead, this is the interview to read.

Giveaway:

Along with my Hearts on Fire Reviews interview, I'm doing a giveaway. If you comment on the blog entry (on their site), you might win a copy of Black Hurricane :) This giveaway ends on September 9th.

That it, for now ^.^

Black Hurricane: 4.5 Hearts from Hears On Fire

Yet again, Hearts on Fire Reviews was the first to review a new release of mine. They gave it 4.5 hearts and I absolutely loved reading the review!

Snippets:

"... This turns out to be none other than the lead singer of Black Hurricane, Dean McQueen.  In a meeting he is sad puppy-eyed into attending by Eric for Glitter Guy magazine, Jazz comes face to face with his nemesis from the past.  A nemesis who doesn’t even recognize him. He puts the moves on Jazz, not realizing he already knows the man. ..."

"As the book continues you begin to feel for Dean as well.  Yes, he was an ass to Jazz when they were younger but he had issues going as well. When they actually talk about the sex when they were younger it was a little heart breaking to see the difference of perspective.   Dean is showering Jazz with gifts that have relevance to their past and being respectful of him while they are rehearsing. ..."

Thank you, Lucy, at Hearts on Fire Reviews ^.^ To read the whole review, please visit their site.

Absolutely Eric: Unusual Choices in the Romance Genre

Absolutely Eric received 4 stars from Rarely Dusty Books:

"Now that I've given off enough warnings, let's talk about the awesomeness that is this story. There's the fact that I couldn't put the book down even if I'd wanted to. It kept me up until 4 in the morning on a school/work night. The tension is omnipotent and you just want to know when they, meaning Eric and Alex, will get things worked out already.

...

I admire Pike for these not so usual choices in the romance genre. It definitely brings a new dimension to the emotional spectrum of my romance reading. My poor heart.

It's surely Pike's skill to write compelling and solid romances that is to blame for tugging at my heartstrings so hard and keeping me up half of the night. Her engaging characters and clever use of humor don't hurt the enjoyment either."

Thank you, Janna at Rarely Dusty Books :)

The Armchair Reader: Cold Hands Receives 5 Stars

Cold Hands received 5 stars from Cole Riann at The Armchair Reader. Again, the review is very carefully composed and Cole put a lot of thought into it. I love such reviews ^.^

Snippet:

"The real difference between the first story and the second isn’t the point of view, but in the focus of their relationship. If you look at these stories together as one, then this story is the payoff. The first was the setup, the background and the premise — the meetings in the dark with Casper’s “secret admirer” and the subsequent reveal of his real identity — but, Cold Hands is the meat and bones of their relationship. This story carries on to peel back the layers and find out if these guys have a solid base to build any relationship upon and how they go about doing that." To read the rest, please visit The Armchair Reader.

Welcome, Brother: “Witty romantic short with bite”

Imagine how happy I was when I finally managed to get online at the summer house and saw a new review. Welcome, Brother received 5 stars from Rainbow Book Reviews! The review is a pleasure to read, so well composed. Here's a snippet:

"Carefully woven into the romantic college–orientated short, are a mystery to be solved, a charismatic supporting character, and a devious plot that casts a degree of realism to this elegantly phrased tale. Seen through Kyler’s eyes and his very real fears, the story begins in a slightly whimsical manner, so the sharp turn into darkness surprised me in all the right ways; much praise for the author’s ability to pack the very real punch into a story of this length. The romance between the two men was a bit unusual, and while both Hunter and Kyler were nicely fleshed out, for me the real strength of the story were the events surrounding the mystery."

Link

Welcome, Brother: Want it?

I'm joining two announcements under one post.

Welcome, Brother receive its first blog review from Hearts on Fire Reviews - a site that has reviewed all of the College Fun and Gays books - and it received a smashing 4.25 hearts!

Here's an excerpt of their review:

"The book may have a lighter feel at times, due to Kyler, but it also deals with some very heavy issues and some terrible happenings.  Aaron?  I wanted to cry.  Liu?  I wanted to cry more.  

The story may have bittersweet aspects but it isn’t a sad one.  Yes, there’s homophobia and violence on the parts of some, but there’s also hope and love, both romantic and friend types.  Much more important, yes."

I'd also like to say that I met one of their reviewers at GayRomLit last year. I'd spoken to her in emails and talked about how it feels weird to me to say that I have "fans" (because I'm just me), so I always say "people who like to read my books" instead. 

Well, this reviewer presented me with homemade pin that says: People Who Like to Read Erica Pike Girl in the cutest pink letters. I don't think she knows just how much that flattered me. I think I was too stunned to say anything but "Wow, thank you". I hope I get to meet her in Atlanta this year (seek me out if you'll be there, please!).

Okay, second piece of info: Emily had a birthday this month (congrats!) and it just happened to be my birthday month as well. To celebrate, I'm giving away a copy of Welcome, Brother on her blog. Just stop by and leave a comment and your email address (on her site, not here, though you're always welcome to comment here ^.^)

'Why Straight Women Love Gay Romance' Reviewed at Lambda

Geoffrey Knight's book Why Straight Women Love Gay Romance was reviewed at Lambda Literary. What has that got to do with me? Well, I was one of the 32 interviewed for the content of that book and I  want that book to succeed (which it already has!). I also met Geoff at GRL (his room was next to mine) and found him to be a true gem. Funny, outgoing and nice. Anyway, it's a very interesting review that focuses on some of the issues discussed in the book. I'm even quoted!

A Life Without You: 4.25 Stars from Rarely Dusty Books

I don't share every single book blogger review here on my blog, even though I link them all to the book pages. However, I wanted to share this one from Rarely Dusty Books. I used to visit Goodreads every day to check for reviews, but over the past few months I only go at the end of the month to look (checked the November reviews just now, for example). Well, this review really caught me off guard and I think I must have looked a bit comical as I read it.

Rarely Dusty Books - 4.25 stars: Jaw-Dropping Review.

Little Stalker: 4 Stars on Hearts on Fire Reviews

Wow, I didn't expect to get a review so fast. I sent out a few requests this morning and one's already up! Hearts on Fire Reviews gave Little Stalker 4 stars along with their excellent review. It's always exciting to see how the first reactions are. 

A True Gem: Hot Hands

For those wondering about the winner of the Indulge Blog Hop, I'll be drawing, contacting and announcing tomorrow. I'm in the middle of moving houses and I can barely keep my eyes open. However! My eyes did pop open for a second when I was reading through my email. I'm a subscriber to the Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews newsletter and saw that they had a review on Hot Hands. What's more is that the reviewer marked it five stars and gave it a "A True Gem" stamp! That's a first for one of my books ^.^ 

Here's a quick quote: 

 "A shockingly entertaining read. This has to be one of the best short stories I have ever read." 

And here's the badge ^.^

Absolutely Eric Reviewed by Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

I hardly ever share reviews of my books on this blog, mainly because I don't want to come off as if I'm bragging (for the good reviews). Instead I just quietly add the links to the book pages (in the tab under the big naked-guy-book-ends picture at the top of this blog) and maybe share them on my Facebook fan page. However, this blog is supposed to be about my ramblings and book news/updates, so I figure that while I don't want to make a new post for every single review, I could pick out a snippet from one and link the rest below. I'll be posting these for each book over the next few days. 

Here's the latest review on Absolutely Eric, rated 4 stars by Gennie Gee at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews . I swear I must have looked like a cartoon character as I read it (eyes growing larger and larger with each paragraph). Looks like she really understood where I was going with this book.

Here's a snippet:

"Absolutely Eric is the second of Erica Pike’s Boston Boys series. Eric was an integral part of the first book, A Life Without You, and I couldn’t wait for his story and for Eric to meet his match. This is a book that I both love and hate. There were times my skin crawled and just wanted to look away, but couldn’t because I cared too much about Eric and his wellbeing. In some ways it was like watching a crash, you know what’s coming and that it’s going to be awful, but you just can’t look away."

Here are other reviews for Absolutely Eric:

Dark Divas Reviews (4.5)

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews (4)

Booked Up Reviews (4)

Jessewave (4)

Manic Readers (4)

Randy's Book Bag Reviews

Pants Off Reviews (4)

The Romance Reviews (4)

Hearts on Fire Reviews (3.5)

Joyfully Jay (3)

Here's the blurb:

Eric Wesley is short and snazzy, hot and happy. Or thats what he thought. After three years of living on the wild side hes tired of being a playboy and wants to find love.

Eric, however, has never been in love before and doesnt see that the guy whos been gazing at him all summer might be Mr. Right. Alexander Centauri isnt only style-less and clumsy, but also terribly awkward. After a miserable date, Eric plants Alex on another guys lap and goes after Mr. Wrong who looks so right.

When Eric realizes his mistake, it might be too late.

Hot Hands Purchase Links

Hot Hands has been out for about a week and things are doing well :) I was very excited to see a four star review on Goodreads, and then a five star review (!)...that wasn't written by me. Super exciting for a new author, fresh out of her packaging ^.^

I wanted to list the Hot Hands purchase sites in one blog post, so I won't spam my own blog. No one likes spam, though these promo posts are beginning to feel a little spammy. I need to get my butt in gear and post other things here too!

No Boundaries Press (publisher)

All Romance e-Books

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Bookstrand

I'm told there will be more :)

Just one more thing. I'm not dissuading anyone from buying from Amazon.com, but many international countries are charged extra $2.50 per e-book and sometimes even more (for me in Iceland, my short story costs $5.34 - which is just ridiculous). If international buyers want to avoid these costs but still get a Kindle version, buying from someone like All Romance e-books, Bookstrand, or from the publisher's store is a good option. Most sales sites have Kindle compatible formats for download (.mobi and .prc). The only difference is that you'll have to download the book (one click), and then manually transfer it to your Kindle (drag and drop into the "documents" folder on the Kindle). It's easy and less expensive. You're not doing the author harm by buying the book for less in this instance - we don't see a dime from that extra cost.