Monday, December 21, 2015

some 5 star reviews on Amazon

JOCK 2 gets a few 4 1/2 & 5 star reviews. (Maybe more to come.)

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I read the first JOCK series book earlier this year and loved it, so when I saw the second book was out, I bought it without hesitation. As with My Roommate's a Jock (book 1), Wade Kelly continues giving us a wonderful, character-driven story. We even get to visit with Ellis and Cole (in all his funny science t-shirted glory) in a supportive role.

I won't re-hash the blurb, which is spot-on, or give away spoilers, but I will say that I think this book is more about healing and self-discovery or even self-recovery, as opposed to a coming-of-age story. Chris and Alonzo are diametric opposites and yet so perfect for each other. As another reviewer mentioned, this is not an insta-love story. Yes, there is attraction but Chris and Alonzo have to work for it, but the progression is natural and these guys have great chemistry. Chris' joie de vivre and confidence helps coax out Alonzo's true self, with a little help from some gummy bears.

Kelly's writing continues to be clean and as error-free as you can get in today's publishing. The characters are solid and well-defined; no cardboard cutout people here. I will warn that, as mentioned in the book blurb, Chris's father has a weird cheerleader hang-up. While I find it strange—and towards the end a bit creepy and irritating—you kind of have to take it with a grain of salt...or a handful of gummy bears. I challenge you to read this book and NOT be dying for a bag by the end!

Highly recommend. You can read it as a stand-alone, but if you haven't read Ellis and Cole's story, you should check it out. When/if book three comes out, it'll be another instant buy.


Format: Kindle Edition
(Originally Reviewed for Love Bytes Same Sex Book Reviews. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars)

I finished reading Wade Kelly’s newest Jock installment last night, and I’ve got to say…I quite enjoyed it, as usual for a Wade Kelly book.

The characters in this one had some flaws which made their story more interesting in some ways, and maybe one which touched me in an irritating way. I’ll share both as I go along, rather than just pointing out either side. Chris is this perfect son, sexy soccer player that all the cheerleaders have chased for years. But he hasn’t been caught by any of them, because he isn’t at all interested in females, or cheerleaders. His Dad is completely insistent that Chris find a big boobed blond cheerleader to carry on the family tradition, because ALL the men in the Jackson family marry cheerleaders and have for something like 4 generations!

Then one day Chris notices a guy dressed all in black, including a black trench coat, sitting in the stands watching one of their soccer team practices. Did I mention it is late summer in Maryland? Black trench coat? Chris is instantly intrigued. When he sees the guy in the cafeteria the next day, and starts a conversation, he realizes that the cheerleader thing might be completely off the table after gazing into the deep brown eyes of the guy, Alonzo.

Alonzo Martin has just received a scholarship to attend the school, but he is from Podunk, Nebraska, and has never seen the world beyond his small homophobic town. And he has some heavy baggage tying him to his past. Is he ready to date? When the sexy soccer player comes over and introduces himself…could he be interested?

I really liked the characters. Alonzo has been broken by events that happened back in Nebraska.


Format: Kindle Edition
Chris Jackson and Alonzo Martin couldn’t be more opposite; they come from completely different backgrounds. Chris was raised by very loving, hands on parents and his family is still pretty close, even if his father is a little mental. While Alonzo comes from a broken home in a small town where being convicted of murder would be more acceptable than being gay. These two give new meaning to the term ‘opposites attract’.

Chris is intrigued and infatuated from the start; Alonzo however, takes a while to warm up to the jock with the open, kind personality and a slew of friends. Alonzo’s past makes him wary of not only trusting people, but caring about anyone as well. Slowly but surely, one layer at a time, Chris works his way into Alonzo’s world, and eventually his heart. But an innocent mistake sends Alonzo into a tailspin, bringing back painful memories of the past.

I liked that Chris and Alonzo shared this instant connection, but it wasn’t an insta-love type story. Chris has this infectious personality and it’s hard for people not to like him, but Alonzo is hiding under years of pain and sorrow, so if they had instantly fallen into each other, the story would have suffered. Chris had to show Alonzo that he cared, and not just with words. He basically courted his man, showered him with affection and proved to Alonzo he could be trusted. Still, when you have the type of darkness in your past that Alonzo has, it isn’t easily washed away.

Chris wasn’t without his shortcomings though. He was overly critical and harsh at times of his friends, and boy does he have a jealous streak five states long! But I think that was a byproduct of his upbringing. As I said, his father is a bit mental. Speaking of… I didn’t translate the whole cheerleader thing the way I’ve seen some other reviews discuss it. I think what Kelly was doing with that aspect of the story is translating one person’s ridiculous viewpoint into the story. Chris’s parents didn’t give a rats backside he was gay, but his boyfriend isn’t a cheerleader. I read this as a way to show people how ridiculous it looks to others when they hold onto archaic beliefs, like blind, unwarranted hatred of homosexuality. But that is just my take on this part of the story.

Jock 2 is a coming of age story I think, a story about loving who you are and being the person you want to be, not the person everyone else thinks you should be. It was passionate, emotional and I was engrossed from start to finish. I also loved that Kelly gave Ellis and Cole an integral part in the story; I do love when the ones that started the series get to stay involved. I’m very excited to see whose story Kelly decides to tell next. I’m hoping for Doug, but we shall see.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *




Friday, December 18, 2015

Blog Tour for JOCK 2

Hello, my wonderful people. Did you know I was giving away stuff?

 YUP!

As a thank you for hopping with me to the different blogs on my tour, I have several giveaways. Leave a comment on this blog for a chance to win an Amazon gift certificate. I am going to take all the names from all the comments from all the blog stops and put them in a drawing. I have 8 stops including this one. The more comments you make then higher your chances of winning. I will have 3 winners of a $10 Amazon gift certificate, and for those who comment on ALL 8 STOPS, I will enter each of them into a grand prize drawing good for:

1 An eBook from my backlist of your choice,
2 A $10 Amazon gift certificate,
3 A Wade Kelly Spoon in the colors of your choice , and

4 One autographed paperback copy of the novel of their choice (Includes all the books in my back list, as well as JOCK 2 AND Bankers’ Hours coming up in March)

Note: I am willing to mail things to other countries so don’t let that stop you!

So far I've been on:


And today I'm over at Love Bytes Reviews talking about my STRIVE to IMPROVE! :) Everyone needs to improve, right?

I hope you can stop by one or more of these posts and leave a comment to be entered to win. I pick the winners next week after the tour ends :)

Thank you in advance for helping make JOCK 2 a best seller! TODAY (Dec 18th) JOCK 2 is #12 on Dreamspinners Best Seller List, and #35 on Amazon's top Gay Fiction.


Currently, on GOODREADS (a place authors shouldn't go sometimes) JOCK 2 has these ratings:

 5 stars (8)  |  4 stars (22)  |  3 stars (7)  |  2 stars (2)  |  1 star (0)


I do hope you will give this novel a try. I do my best to write believable characters, which means they often have flaws. Real people HAVE flaws, right/ No one is perfect.

Cheers,

Wade






Saturday, December 12, 2015

Where Have I Been??

I just realized with all the blog posts I’ve been writing that I haven’t updated my ACTUAL BLOG! There are probably some of you who ONLY see what I post here and have no clue as to where I’ve gone and what I’ve been doing.

I’ve been BLOG HOPPING for my JOCK 2 tour!


I started with the cover reveal at GGR. Click here: GGR – cover reveal

Then on Monday, December 7th I officially started the blog hop tour to talk about my new novel: No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys

I was over at Rainbow Gold Reviews talking about  Writing What I know: Emotion! In that post, I let readers know about a giveaway and I’ll fill you in here too.

As a thank you I have several giveaways. Leave a comment on this blog for a chance to win an Amazon gift certificate. I am going to take all the names from all the comments from all the blog stops and put them in a drawing. I have 8 stops including this one. The more comments you make then higher your chances of winning. I will have 3 winners of a $10 Amazon gift certificate, and for those who comment on ALL 8 STOPS, I will enter each of them into a grand prize drawing good for:

1)  An eBook from my backlist of your choice,
2)  A $10 Amazon gift certificate,
3)  A Wade Kelly Spoon in the colors of your choice J, and
4)  One autographed paperback copy of the novel of their choice (Includes all the books in my backlist, as well as JOCK 2 AND Bankers’ Hours coming up in March)

Note: I am willing to mail things to other countries so don’t let that stop you!

These comments must be made on THOSE blog hop posts to enter. I’m telling you about them here so those who don’t normally read about my happenings elsewhere you’ll be able to hop over the other posts and comment to win.

On Monday the 14th, RELEASE DAY, I’ll be over on Jeff Adams’ blog. Jeff Adams – Finding a Muse

As soon as I have links to the other posts, I’ll write another post here on MY blog to point you where you need to go. I am talking about writing on these blog hop posts, so there is no need to worry about spoilers.

Love and hugs to you all. 

No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys Comes out on MONDAY, Dec 14th!





Remember, If you haven’t read JOCK 1.5, it is up for FREE on All Romance eBooks.
Or, you are welcome to email ME and I’ll send you a copy. writerwadekelly@gmail.com

JOCK 2 contains different characters than JOCK 1 and can be read on its own, but for the best experience it is better to read JOCK 1, and JOCK 1.5 before reading JOCK 2.


Blurb:
What is a sexy soccer stud supposed to do when “following family tradition” falls 180 degrees opposite his closeted ideal?

From birth, Chris Jackson has been schooled on how to land a cheerleader. After all, his father married one, and his father’s father before him. Heck, even his older brother married a stereotypical cheerleader the summer before Chris went off to college. For two years, Chris dodges invasive questions about relationships by blaming his lack of female companionship on grueling practices and heavy coarse loads. But his lack of interest in girls should’ve given his family a clue. It isn’t until Chris mentions meeting a boy that his father’s synapses short-circuit.

Alonzo Martin is anything but a buxom blond. From his black hair, combat boots, and trench coat to his nail polish and guyliner, the mysterious introvert isn’t easily persuaded to date. Alonzo’s insecurities keep Chris at arm’s length, but Alonzo’s painful past might meet its match in the charismatic jock’s winning smile and sense of humor.

When opposites attract, only cheerleaders and gummy bears can help overcome fear and family tradition.



FYI, I will be attending the 8th annual Rainbow Book Fair in New York on April 9th. I will have paperback copies of all my books. I hope to see you there!