Two For Tea Book Review

8/15/2019

Two For Tea

An (Off-the-Rails) Ice Era Chronicle

C.M.Moore

Blurb

She’s hunted by the government. They’re banished for brawling. Can three hearts in exile beat as one?

Ice Era, Year 45. Teagan wishes she still had the strength to break free of her chains. After her little sister disappears and her gang of outlaws betrays her, she endures superpower-draining torture before her date of execution. But when a twist of fate transports her from her jail cell to the care of twin outcasts, she’ll stop at nothing to escape their safe haven. Even if it means breaking her own heart.

Duke and Baron never learned to put aside their differences… or their fists. Banished to fight out the rest of their lives in a remote outpost, the twins’ world is turned upside-down when a feisty young woman with a price on her head arrives at their doorstep. For the first time, the brothers finally agree on something: they’ll do anything to win her love. Even if it means they have to share.

Will the trio ever find their happy ending or will old rivalries and deadly enemies deal their love a fatal blow?

Two for Tea is the third Off-the-Rails companion book to the Ice Era Chronicles dystopian romance series. If you like dark apocalyptic settings, gripping action, and complex romantic relationships, then you’ll love C. M. Moore's thrilling novel.

Inside Scoop

This is an "off-the-rails" story which means this novel veers off the main story line to connect with minor characters Duke and Baron, who we saw in 2:05 a.m. and Raiden Out the Storm.

Here's the low down I give everyone (if you don't already know):

If you look at C.M.Moore's books in chronological order, They look like this so far as of 2019:

1:05 A.M.
Griding My Gears
2:05 A.M.
Raiden Out the Storm
Two for Tea

That's five books and some look like they don't belong in the Ice Era Chronicles if you go by book covers. But here's the thing...

If the thought of menage, same sex relationships and other out of the normal types of love stories like that spook you─stay with the numbers:
1:05 A.M.
2:05 A.M.
3:05 A.M.
4:05 A.M.
5:05 A.M.
etc. You get the point.

Going with the main books means you won't miss a lot from a plot point of view. New characters will be introduced and you'll be able to pick up right along with the rest of the crowd.

But if you are interested in following all the characters and believe love is love no matter the sex, or if you're into menage of all types, or think relationships are what they are, or if these things don't bother you, then read both the numbers and the "Off-the-Rails" Ice Era Chronicles. Basically, you would read them all in order of book number.

1:05 A.M. (book 1)
Grinding My Gears (book 1.5)
2:05 A.M. (book 2)
Raiden out the Storm (book 2.15)
Two for Tea (book 2.5)

If this still doesn't make sense, send Connor & Monica an email. They can explain!

My Review

These were simple characters dealing with complex matters. Baron and Duke are both typical males dealing with a screwed up situation. There are few women like Tea and found her to be a pinnacle of patience with these two numskulls. Yet, I can't blame those dorks for being dork men.

Here are some reviews I found really fitting:

★★★★ Full of great one-liners and LOL moments...
Two for Tea is another entertaining installment in this series by C.M. Moore.

I went into this story assuming I didn't like Teagan because of the character impression I had of her in the previous book, (bad girl, member of The Originals) however, she's had to endure some horrible things at the hands of the HSPC and her character growth in this release was perfect. And then there's Baron and Duke...seriously, could these twins be any hotter? They are witty without trying too hard and they are the epitome of siblings! The three of them together, priceless...there are so many laugh-out-loud moments.

If you're not reading this series, you are missing out on some seriously entertaining reading. Hurry and catch up, there's so much more to come and you won't be disappointed.

★★★★ What happens when the ONE for you...is actually TWO
I originally received an ARC of this book but I liked it so much I immediately had to buy it.

I've read most of the other stories in this world C.M. Moore has created and I think they're fantastic. Fantasy, post-apocalyptic, romance, sometimes action and death, it covers a lot of genres.

Tea has been beaten down by the world they live in. Duke and Baron have had their own hard knocks but at least they have each other. And when Tea shows up, literally on their doorstep, they all have someone new to hold onto. It just takes a little time for them to realize it.

I can't wait for what comes next.

★★★★ A perfect match of messed up characters
The controversial interpersonal interactions kept my head in this book until the early hours of the morning. This story simply couldn't happen to anyone else. Each characters flaws, and backstories weave the story and their lives together. The inner turmoil they overcome connects the human condition to this futuristic world. The balance of good and drama in their lives keeps the story moving without the action-pact pace in the other Ice Era Chronicles. It was great to catch all the cameos from characters in his other works. I really appreciate the un-Disney like ending, so much more fitting to the series.

★★★★ New to me author
This is the first story I have read by this author but it won't be the last. The story has an interesting take on the dystopian world that I found very enjoyable. I loved the complexity of the characters and the relationship between Tea, Duke, and Baron.

★★★★ Another great book in the series.
As with the other books in C. M. Moore's series, Ice Era Chronicle's, this one does not let you down. It's a speed read for sure.

★★★★ A love story with a twist.
I really liked Two for Tea. This Author does a great job exploring different types of relationships. They keep you on your toes until the very end wondering what will happen to Tea. It’s a love story with a twist and that’s what keeps it interesting and makes you not want to put it down.

I Would Recommend This to Fans of:

Steampunk

Apocalyptic Dystopian

Sci-Fy

End-of-the-World Fiction

Ice Worlds

Menage

Three-some Love

m/f/m

Kink with Brothers
(okay this one sounds bad but there's no incest, really)

HEA

Standalone

Teaser

Excerpt of Two for Tea An (Off-the-Rails) Ice Era Chronicle
© C.M.Moore 2018

Chapter 3

Tea thought death would be more… comfortable.

The throbbing ache in her ass brought her to consciousness. Was this Hell? She’d left a woman on the tracks to die. Plus, she’d failed her sister, and her grandma called her the spawn of Satan. She could totally be in Hell. Hell was supposed to be fire and brimstone. Goosebumps rose on her skin. Her guess, not eternal damnation. Her grandma would be disappointed. The old bat was probably waiting for her in the seventh ring.

Tea pried her eyes open. Flickering lights flashed above her. She wasn’t dead. Take that, God. Her vision blurred, and she blinked over and over. Her eyeballs felt like the inside of a sandbox. Grimy blurred holes came into view. She was in an animal cage with patterned holes the size of a pencil drilled into the top. Light winked through the tiny voids. The cage shuddered. She was moving. Pressing her body close to the side, she peeked out one of the small gaps. Damn it, if only the holes were a little bigger. Finally, the world came into view.

A water base hallway zipped past her line of sight. The rumble of wheels on cement clattered against unforgiving stone.

Paintings hung from the walls. Birds, trees, rivers all in warm greens and cool blues. Whatever water base this was, it didn’t matter. The only important item here was, could she escape? The idea of bolting flickered in Tea’s brain. She leaned away from the side of the crate.

Adorned only in white underwear and a matching stretchy cotton top equivalent of a lightweight bra, how far could she go? She would freeze to death before she reached a door. Escape was a big if. Her hands were free, but she still didn’t have her strength. No matter. Tea was still a dumb animal. Fitting she was in a cage.

Rubbing the scar on her neck, Tea considered Mother’s commands. They never helped. Besides, she was on her own. She would do whatever it took to not return to her captivity within the H.S.P.C. If that meant fighting, fine. If it meant running, fine. Whichever. Just because no one ordered her around didn’t mean she was a complete dummy.

Tea scowled at her surroundings. Bring it on. Tea was a survivor. For the first time, she had no one else calling the shots. She could do this. She had to do this.

The cart stopped, and the inertia settled. A knock echoed in the quiet hall. Tea held her breath and wished for a way to be free. Wishing never got her anywhere. Praying wasn’t worth her time. As a child, she’d learned never to want what she couldn’t have.

“Yes?”

“Delivery.”

“Is it bedframes?”

The next words were muffled. Tea heard other mumbles and then the cart began to roll. Once more, she pressed her body against the plastic side.

Her eyes focused on the shambles of a water base apartment. The half-destroyed rectangular room was painted in tan and green. Broken and splintered bookshelves overflowed with a mix of books, wires, and tools. Batteries and strange gadgets littered the torn carpet around the fractured shelves. A hole was punched in the wall.

The box jarred, and she rolled on her back. Tea adjusted herself to line up with a new hole. This gap was cleaner than the last spot.

After her eyes went back to the ruined couch in front of the wrecked bookcase, she tipped her head as she swiped at a cobweb tickling her cheek. Near the exit, a man with brown skin much like hers leaned on the cracked door frame. He held a clipboard and a file. His dark eyes appeared uninterested as he ran his fingers through the short black curls sticking up on his head. A blue unlit glass pipe dangled from his lips.

“I need you to sign.” The man with the black hair waved the clipboard. The pipe made a clack against his teeth.

“What is it?” a deep voice rumbled.

Tea heard the other voice, but she couldn’t see who spoke. Movement caught her eye. Beyond the couch and the bookshelf was a cracked marble counter that opened into an L-shaped kitchen. She angled again. The mystery speaker finally came into view.

The man who came around the counter was a tall blond with massive hulking muscles. His shirt clung to his body like an overzealous girlfriend. When Tea saw him, her heart sank to her stomach. The blond strolled with flowing grace that didn’t seem to fit his beefy form. As he came toward the messenger, he tugged on the bottom of his torn gray shirt over his pale-peach skin. His vibrant light blue eyes flipped from her container to the nametag clipped to the courier’s shirt. Tea noted the word “Essie” was poorly handwritten.

“Here’s the file. There’s the package. Sign.”

“I want to read that before I make a decision.” The huge sexy blond reached for the paperwork. Golden locks fell in his eyes. He pushed the strands back into place with the back of his hand. Even with gifted strength, Tea wasn’t sure she could scrap with a guy that big. Weak as she was, her brain didn’t offer her a lot of alternatives for a daring escape.

“Name?” The messenger looked down at his clipboard.

“Duke.” The blond flipped a red ball in his hand. Tea realized he played with a yo-yo. Harvesters had those. The toy dropped through his fingers and popped back up on its string. The blond tossed the plaything down two more times while he waited.

“I’ve the name Duke Baron.” The messenger handed Duke the file. “Sign here.”

“I’m Duke. Baron’s my younger brother.”

“Younger by one minute. That doesn’t count, bro.” A second man entered the room. He chewed on a brown hunk of meat as he strolled. Tea had a sense of déjà vu. The man walked with the same casual grace. Every one of his muscles rippled under his crumpled gray shirt. He had the same hair and eyes. Twins. Absolutely identical. Tea blinked a couple of times just to be sure. Yes, even the same sexiness hung around this new addition to the room. Tea might want to run away, but hot was hot.

“It counts,” the older twin said. “Probably.”

“Says who?” The other twin came to a halt next to his brother and then punched him in the arm. The strike was the type of hit that would’ve brought down a smaller man. Ouch. These two would crush her. Her heart pounded.

“Says me.” They bickered then punched each other again. Knock it off. They would have bruises tomorrow.

Side by side, Tea could now see a few differences. Baron’s hair was a darker yellow. His locks had deep gold streaks. Duke’s eyes danced with more of an ocean blue. Other than these small variances, they appeared to be the same in every way, right down to the fact that they both wore gray shirts and khaki pants.

“I’m Baron.” Baron frowned at the man in the doorway. “What’s in the old box?”

Tea sized them up. Looking for weaknessess, she considered what she could use as a weapon. Luna’s words played in her head: forgiveness, love, peace. What was Tea supposed to do? She was on her own, but damn it, she didn’t have a clue.

“Where’s Joe?” Duke said more to the name tag. His huge hands flipped through the papers in the file, but he didn’t appear to be reading.

“Yeah, where’s Joe?” Baron stared at the clipboard over the messenger’s shoulder. “Wait, I did order this.”

“No me gustan favores,” the runner muttered and the pipe in his mouth clacked again. “I don’t know where Joe is.” He sighed. “Can you sign? I have to go.” He handed the clipboard to Baron and then lit his pipe. A curl of smoke floated in the air.

Tea bit her lip and cringed. She prayed that they weren’t talking about Snow-Everyone-Joe. What was the chance that they referred to the same agent who had captured her?

“We’re not signing.” Duke glared at Baron and then at Essie. “We like to deal with Joe.”

“I’ll sign.” Baron waved the clipboard back and forth through the growing smoke cloud. “I ordered this.” The messenger handed him a ballpoint.

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Author Bio

C.M. Moore was raised with a combination of military and Catholic values. He didn’t do a lot of writing as a kid. He did, however, master the art of sarcastic guilt trips.

After grumbling and whining his way through the “hardest” part of his life (high school), he joined the Army. The grumbling and whining stopped immediately. Uncle Sam was not accepting of those antics, and instead, the military nurtured his core values and solidified the sarcastic traits. He also had to write reports, which were not allowed to be sarcastic.

Connor served his country on three separate tours. His first tour was like a six-month spring break in England. Easy duties requiring minor brain synopsis; his kind of work. His following tour to Iraq tested his metal, and proved to his wife, who had previously served overseas, that he could survive it too. His third and final tour to Afghanistan rocked his world. In Afghanistan, Connor was tasked to a Route Clearance Platoon, where he cleared routes of roadside bombs. The job was pure boredom interjected with moments of sheer terror. Connor is attributed with five finds, and nine strikes to his vehicle over a one year period. He finished his tour and came home with several new medals upon his chest. A Purple Heart being one of them.

Connor has several injuries which limit his mobility and his career options. He has a Traumatic Brain Injury and other physical issues. He now volunteers with veteran organizations and helps with a small bookstore his wife and he built. After Connor had returned to civilian life, he took a few writing courses which inspired him to put pen to paper. He’s not sure why that metaphor is still in use when everything is done on the computer. Connor believes it should be, give your fingers hours of cramped exhaustion.

Years of watching his wife devour romances caused him to want to write a book she would want to read. With the support of family and friends, Connor began writing his first book with his wife, Monica. There were many, many copies that ended up under his bed until now.

The final draft of his romance 1:05 a.m. follows an assassin trying to get out of the game, and a base security officer who is looking for the same peace of mind. This book is a sexy love story in a world covered in ice and snow. His home in Minnesota gives him plenty of inspiration.

When Connor can step away from his finger exercise on the keyboard. He is a stay at home husband and father. He helps his two daughters with their homework (yet he distinctly remembers graduating from homework) and aids his wife with their bookstore. He also enjoys hunting and fishing near his home in central Minnesota, and his hobbies are building projects and growing a white trashy beard.

If you wish to contact him, he loves to talk to his fans. Send him a message at [email protected].

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