Release Blitz for Nobody Else’s by Nell Iris (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 
Length: 20,000 words approx.
 
Publisher: JMS Books
 
Blurb



Mars enters Pisces, giving Beckett Cooper the opportunity to assert himself when it comes to a secret infatuation; his best friend’s younger brother Levi. But can Beckett trust what’s in front of him and be brave enough to take what he wants?


With Venus in Virgo, people usually become more reserved, but Levi Byrne always takes the opposite road of what’s expected of him. So, instead of pulling back, he reaches out for a man he’s been interested in for years; Beckett Cooper.


Is it the celestial bodies aligning to bring together two people destined for each other? Or is it a simple tale of boy meets boy, boy likes boy, and boy wants to kiss boy? Do Beckett and Levi even care, or are they too busy getting to know each other … and falling in love?

 
Excerpt
 
“Beckett?”


The voice made my stomach jump and the corners of my mouth turn up even though I was so tired I’d thought I’d never smile again just a moment ago.


“Levi. Hi!” Stubble covered his face and he approached me with a spring in his step and a happy grin that made my heart pitter-patter in my chest. Oh gawd, he was cuter than ever. “What are you doing here?” I asked.


He threw his arm around my neck in a quick, one-armed hug. The heat of his body penetrated my cold soul, but before I had time to hug him back, he let go of me and stepped back. I missed his warmth instantly. I wanted more. I wanted to bury my nose in the crook of his neck and just stay there until this crappy day was gone and forgotten. Feel his hands on my back and his soothing breaths in my ear.


Shit. I swallowed around a lump that appeared in my throat. I had it bad.


“I’m here to get some celebratory ice cream. I finished my project on time, so I thought I’d treat myself.”


“Great job. Congratulations!”


“Thanks!” His eyes sparkled at me. “Are you getting ice cream, too?”


“No. I was trying to figure out what to eat for dinner. I can’t decide what sounds the least disgusting,” I said and picked up two depressing looking boxes. “Lasagna or pepperoni pizza?”


Levi drew his eyebrows together and then took both from me and threw them back into the freezer. “You can’t eat crap like that. It’s no good for you.”


“I know,” I sighed. “But my fridge is empty and I’m too tired to both shop for groceries and cook.”


He looked at me then, swept his gaze from head to toe. “You look exhausted. I’m sorry I didn’t notice earlier.”


“It’s fine.”


With an unconvinced look on his face, he asked, “Are you all right?”


“Yeah. Just tired. I had a terrible day at work.”


“I know all about those.” He sucked his lower lip into his mouth, letting his eyes flick over my face, taking in what I was sure was tired lines around my eyes and a mouth trying its best to smile. “I have an idea,” he said after a few moments. “What if I make you dinner? I’d need to borrow your kitchen of course, but if you feel like a homecooked meal … I’m your guy.”


I drew a breath and held it. Blinked. “Are you serious?” I asked in a whooshing exhale.


“I am.”


“But what about your ice cream celebration?”


“It can wait.”


His kindness coupled with my fatigue choked me up. Half a second from bursting into tears, I asked, “Why?”


“Because you look like you need someone to take care of you.”


I couldn’t help it then. A tear escaped. I turned my face away and squeezed my eyes shut. A part of me wanted to turn and run away, hide my stupid sensitivity from him and not be the guy who cries in the grocery store aisle. But another part knew he could be trusted and even if I broke down completely here, he wouldn’t make fun of me.


“Then yes. Thank you,” I choked out.


Gentle fingers plucked the shopping basket from my grip. His other hand found it’s way to my nape and caressed me for a second. It was just a brief touch, but it gave me the strength to wipe away the tear and look at him again.


“Let’s go. I know just the thing.”

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies’ room), loves music (and singing along but, let’s face it, she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (“Make it so”). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!


Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.


Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.


Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.


Email contact@nelliris.com
Web www.nelliris.com
Twitter @nellirisauthor
Facebook page www.facebook.com/nellirisauthor
Facebook profile www.facebook.com/nell.iris.12
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/nelliris
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nell_iris/
QueeRomance Ink https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/nell-iris/

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Hello July. More On Romance Don’ts For You. This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Hello July.

More On Romance Don’ts For Readers

Welcome to July! The month that means the halfway point of summer, the week of the beginnings of many celebrations for Americans in the States and abroad as we celebrate our Independence Day on the 4th with fireworks and parades. and just a flood of people heading out for summer vacations (beach, mountains, tourist destinations) or good old staycations.

It’s also a time for tons of summer reading which is why I’m still talking about those  Romance Don’ts or at least one of the reasons.  I don’t know if you all caught Kate Sherwood’s blog last week here but she was talking about an early story of her’s where she had her mc’s cheat and the readers wrote in disgusted with her.  And she felt she had broken an unwritten bond with them. The title of her guest blog?  The Romance Taboo by Kate Sherwood.  You can find it here.   I was totally intrigued although not surprised.  Its something I’ve heard over and over myself.

Another reason I’m still inquiring?  That would be the Boystown series written by Marshall Thornton.  Several novels in this series have either won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Mystery  or been a finalist.  And deservedly so.  But I wonder how many have started these stories and ended up with a DNF.  And the reason being that the main character,  PI Nick Nowak, rarely turns away from a hookup (underage the only exception), despite being in a relationship.  Yes, its the 80’s and gay sex/monogamy was admittedly looked at differently then.  But, and let me know if I’m wrong here, I get the feeling that context doesn’t come much into play when the  element is cheating with regards to the main character or couple.  it’s simply “no, not in my story”.

Which is a damn shame because these books and this series is simply brilliant.  I’ll be reviewing more of them this week. And  I’d like to know what I can possibly say to change readers minds.  For me this subject hasn’t been an issue.  Life is messy and its always been about how the author has handled the subject (as with any other element in their story).  But this is an emotional issue in RL and it carries over into our reading.  Can it ever be separated?  Not sure.  I hope you all will continue to chime in here.  I will be handing  out gift certificates next week.

And yes, I’ve been reading and loving everyone’s comments.  Here is what some of you have had to say on the subject:

On Readers Romance Don’ts:

H.B.

I think it depends on how the characters are portrayed. I can sometimes stand cheating characters but it has to be under certain circumstances (abuse, loveless marriage where spouse is cheating already, open relationship where both characters know and is okay with it). I really don’t like politically or religiously driven stories. Regarding sex scenes I like them enough just to spice up the read but not overtake the entire book. One every chapter is too excessive in my opinion I think maybe for a full length story I would like just maybe 2 to 4 sex scenes. Of course no sex scenes and more intimacy scenes are okay too. I think the one thing a book can’t come back from is if it kills off an important character (I’m going to exclude Andrea Speed’s Infected series from this even tho I didn’t complete the series I have plans to go back and read it after I heal from the lost of Paris). I once read a book where a main character in the earlier series was killed off in the sequel that featured new main characters. Luckily the series only had two books and there were no plans for more because I was completely turned off from it and resented that I had wasted time reading it.

Chris Tharrington

I can tolerate cheating if it advances the storyline while leading to the MCs having an HEA. Regarding sex scenes, I don’t need one every chapter. The first sex scene is the most important, because that sets the foundation for future exploration, especially if one character is primarily a top or bottom. The only things that turn me off in a book are domestic abuse, child abuse, rape, and mpreg storylines.

ashleyomelia

I agree. I hate it when they kill off the pets! [my pet peeve] I just finished reading a short story this morning where a cat got thrown of a building. I was so mad!
As for romance, I’m not sure. I do a lot of ghostwriting, and my clients are often very specific that they don’t want the main characters to have sexual involvement with anyone else. Must be a big rule!

Ami 

In terms of cheating. it depends on my mood — I mean, I’ve read when cheating happened, and I was okay with it as long as there’s SIGNIFICANT GROVELING happened in the book.

My romance No No are mostly about tropes… I don’t read Mpreg, I don’t read M/F/M or F/F/M. for example, rather than something in the plot.

I will have to tell you all I didn’t even mention last week one of my biggest bugaboos.  A  romance book where one of the MC was intensely involved with his own excrement. I believe that was my very first DNF story and it was years ago.  And yes, I found my limit on kink in that novel as well.  Another romance don’t for me.  So let’s hear from you all.  More on this cheating element and any other Romance Don’ts!

Lucky readers will be chosen next week to receive gift cards.  Now on this our week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, July 1:

  • RELEASE BLITZ – Leaning into Forever by Lane Hayes
  • Hello July. More On Romance Don’ts For You.
  • This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, July 2:

  • Release Blitz for Nobody Else’s by Nell Iris
  • Release Blitz Badlands by Morgan Brice
  • Release Day Blitz Magic or Die (Inner Demons #1) by JP Jackson
  • A Lucy Review: Nobody Else’s by Nell Iris
  • An Alisa Review: Challenge (Kinky in the City #2) by Quinn Ward
  • A Jeri Review: Wash Out (Anchor Point #7) by LA Witt
  • A MelanieM Review:  A Time For Secrets (Boystown #4) by Marshall Thornton

Tuesday. July 3:

  • BLOG TOUR TIGHT QUARTERS by Annabeth Albert
  • DSP Promo Rhett Heath
  • Release Blitz  Play it by Ear by KM Neuhold
  • A VVivacious Release Day Review:  Stranger in a Foreign Land by Michael Murphy
  • A MelanieM Review: Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform #6) by Annabeth Albert
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: From a Jack to a King by Scotty Cade
  • A Caryn Review: Finn (Endangered Fae #1) by Angel Martinez

Wednesday, July 4 (Happy Independence Day!) 🇺🇸

  • AUDIOBOOK TOUR – WITH A KICK Collection #1 by CLARE LONDON
  • Review Tour for  Rainbow Place (Rainbow Place #1) by Jay Northcote
  • REVIEW TOUR for Daniel (The Third Legacy) by RJ Scott
  • A Barb the  Zany Old Lady Review:  Daniel (The Third Legacy) by RJ Scott
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Rainbow Place (Rainbow Place #1) by Jay Northcote
  • An Alisa Audiobook Review: Treasure for Treasure (Being(s) in Love #7) by R. Cooper and Dominic Carlos (Narrator)
  • A Lucy Review: Play It By Ear by KM Neuhold

Thursday, July 5:

  • In the Spotlight Tour and Giveaway:  Cinderella Boy by Kristina Meister
  • BLOG TOUR fo My Crunchy Life by Mia Kerick
  • DSP Dreamspun Promo Michael Murphy on Stranger in a Foreign Land
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Armistice (The Amberlough Dossier #2) by Lara Elena Donnelly
  • A Lucy Audiobook Review: Bromantically Yours by K.C. Wells and Narrator: Daniel Henning
  • An Alisa Review:  That’s My Ethan by Tarian PS
  • A MelanieM Review: Murder Book (Boystown 5) by Marshall Thornton

Friday, July 6:

  • Cover Reveal for Curl Around My Heart by Londra Laine l
  • Review Tour and Giveaway for Stag and the Ash (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #5) by Sam Burns
  • Review Tour for Spark (North Star #1) by Posy Roberts
  • Blog Tour for  Magic or Die (Inner Demons, Book One) by JP Jackson
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Stag and The Ash (Rowan Harbor Cycle #5) by Sam Burns
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Knitting a Broken Heart Back Together by Ari McKay
  • A Stella Review: Spark (North Star #1) by Posy Roberts

Saturday, July 7:

  • BLITZ – Leaning Into the Look by Lane Hayes
  • Release Blitz for  Knitting a Broken Heart Back Together by Ari McKay
  • A MelanieM Review: From the Ashes (Boystown #6) by Marshall Thornton

 

 

 

 

New Release Blitz for Leaning into Forever (Leaning Into Stories #7) by Lane Hayes (excerpt and giveaway)

Title:  Leaning Into Forever

Series: Leaning Into Stories, #7

Author: Lane Hayes

Publisher: Lane Hayes

Release Date: June 29

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 75K

Genre: Romance, Comfort, Healing , Heartbreak, New Beginnings, Contemporary Romance

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Synopsis

Geordie de la Rosa is a legend among wine lovers in Napa Valley. His ultra-fabulous style paired with a penchant for leading impromptu sing-a-longs has made him a star attraction at Conrad Winery. Co-owning a well-respected winery was never Geordie’s aspiration but he likes the niche he’s made for himself. He won’t deny that his job and his friends have helped ease his heartache and grief after the death of his longtime partner.

Levi Yeager excels at the art of reinventing himself. He’s been a minor league baseball player, a college coach and now a restaurant owner. The problem is he doesn’t know a thing about the food business. And when his chef quits unexpectedly, he’s afraid his new venture is doomed. But Levi isn’t a quitter. It may be the only thing he has in common with the beautiful, sassy man from the neighboring winery who agrees to help get his new business up and running. Neither man counts on their fast friendship or the wild attraction they feel for each other. However, they know they won’t stand a chance until they let go of the past and lean into forever.

Excerpt

“My game is coming back. If I keep talking and you keep listening, you’ll eventually warm up to me. Where was I?”

“The psychology of alliterations,” I deadpanned.

“Right. Your tone is imperial, you use alliterations like a poet and you dress like a diva. You’re pleasant to strangers but you hold them at bay. You’re kind but controlled. Most likely you were an elite member of a royal family in a former life.”

“You’re probably right,” I said, amused in spite of myself. “Since you have me figured me, let me see if I can do the same.”

“Be my guest.” Levi made a sweeping motion with his left arm before resting it on his steering wheel. The casual gesture was ripe with potent masculinity. And I hated that I noticed.

I tore my gaze from his stubble jaw and cleared my throat. “You’re a newly out sports enthusiast at a crossroad.”

“Sports enthusiast at a crossroads,” he repeated with a laugh. “I guess that’s better than has-been athlete looking for a new gig.”

“As you said, I do have a way with words and I’m a firm believer it’s crucial to accentuate the positives.” I set my hand over his without thinking then pulled back when a familiar spark of awareness skittered along my spine.

Levi smirked. “You’re weird. I like you.”

“Thanks. I like you too. Platonically of course,” I added.

“Of course. What exactly is my crossroad?”

“I’m not sure. Perhaps you quit your job to try a new venture with this lover who dumped you and now you’re heading to LA to woo him back—”

“Not a chance,” he snapped.

I raised a brow at his vehemence. “Or…you’re going on a fact-finding mission to salvage what you can of your original idea and determine what comes next.”

Levi nodded. “Closer.”

“Have you thought about selling the diner?”

“Yes. But I’m not going to.”

“Why not?”

“I have nothing to lose. And you know what? It’s kinda liberating. No net required ’cause I’m already free falling. Have you ever felt that way before, Geord?”

Every fucking day.

Silence fell like a blanket between us. Soft and warm and safe.  I didn’t want to break the quiet but I couldn’t allow myself to be pulled under either.

I licked my lips and whispered, “Yes.”

Suddenly, I couldn’t move and I couldn’t look away. Maybe I was a sucker for ruggedly handsome men who weren’t ashamed to reveal their vulnerable sides. I admired that he made free-falling sound like an adventure. I’d been doing it for nearly four years and my outlook was nothing like Levi’s. I worked my ass off to make sure no one knew how tired and raw and afraid I felt every damn day. I clung to the best parts of my past like a lifeline, hoping my ghosts would ease the inevitable ‘splat on the concrete’ nosedive I had coming my way.

Levi’s story was certainly different, but I recognized something in him I knew too well. A desperate spirit that wasn’t quite ready to give up. I’d like to think that sense of acknowledgment was why I leaned across the console, closed my eyes and pressed my lips against his.

Purchase at Amazon

Meet the Author

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and won first prize in the 2016 and 2017 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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Release Blitz + Giveaway for A Dance For Two by Colette Davison

 

Title: A Dance For Two
Author: Colette Davison
Cover Artist: Colette Davison
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre(s): MM, Contemporary Gay Ficton
Length: Approx: 60,000 Words
Warning: Contains Explicit Language and sex scenes between stepbrothers
Blurb
Adam and Luc used to be close. At least they were before Luc distanced himself from Adam at fourteen, then eventually left home. Adam never got over the sting of betrayal, or the loss of his one-time best friend.

When Luc is invited back home to help get his parents’ failing dance school back on track, Adam isn’t sure he can cope with having his stepbrother back in his life. Especially when he discovers Luc’s decade old secret.

Luc left home because he was sure no one would understand that he had fallen in love with his stepbrother.

Convinced that the years of distance he has put between them will have erased his desire, Luc doesn’t hesitate to return home to help the business that means everything to his parents. Confronted by Adam once more, Luc’s past feelings re-awaken. But will revealing his true feelings to Adam heal the rift between them, or drive them even further apart?

 

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About The Author

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairy tale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

 

 

 

 

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Enter for a change to win either 1 x $10 Amazon Gift Card or 1 e-copy off Colette’s backlist

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New Book Release Tour for Love’s Magic Love’s Magic (Revolutionary Heart #) by Janice Jarrell (excerpt and giveaway)

BOOK BLAST

Book Title:  Love’s Magic (Revolutionary Heart Series #)

Author: Janice Jarrell

Publisher:  Self-Published

Genre/s:  Contemporary gay romance

Length: 82 406 words/196 pages

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Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

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Amazon UK  

Blurb

Professor Nate Reese rushes to protect a female student and is severely injured at the hands of her assailant. Traumatized by the attack, Nate sets his feet on a no-holds-barred path of activism designed to force university officials into addressing the issue of on-campus assault. At the same time, terrified of losing his hard-won status at the university, his partner, David Gardener, a veteran of 12 years as a very popular Professor, is reluctant to support Nate’s militant efforts. Seemingly abandoned by his partner, Nate sees David’s aversion to his activism as indifference to the trauma he suffered. Day by day they watch as their relationship disintegrates, while still struggling to resolve the disruptive issues engulfing the school they love.

In the meantime, Irishman Colin Campbell, handsome and charismatic Sergeant for the campus police force, fights his own on-going war against campus assault. But behind his obsessive desire to gain justice for victims lies a devastating secret which could forever destroy his fiercely independent facade and expose his deepest fear. Ultimately, it is Colin’s powerful connection to a steady, dark-eyed Title IX consultant which threatens to tear down his defenses and shatter the barriers protecting his heart.

Cocky and irresistible, the dynamic police officer was everything Joshua Abrams had ever longed for in a man, but Colin simply didn’t ‘do’ relationships. Unless Joshua would settle for a one-night stand, or a very short-term liaison, there was no room for him in Colin’s life. Yet even knowing this, he couldn’t keep himself from falling hopelessly in love with his ‘magic man’. Despite the passion between them, he knew his quiet, reclusive nature could never hope to entice the vibrant, freedom-loving Irishman, so eventually he begins to back slowly away.

Eventually, a disagreement over an oddly disturbing case causes Colin’s hot Irish temper to erupt and their relationship is irrevocably shattered. Heartbroken, and convinced that Colin is gone forever, Joshua flees Charlottesville without a word, leaving Colin adrift and inconsolable.

But Joshua Abrams hadn’t merely stepped over the indelible line Colin had drawn between his heart and the dangers of real love, he had burned through it like hot lava. Finally forced to acknowledge his love for Joshua and his desperate need to have the quiet, Jewish man by his side, Colin must now face the dark and long-suppressed memories which are irrevocably linked to his love for the handsome consultant. Without even a forwarding address to guide him, he vows to find Joshua and bring him home. Colin’s struggle to conquer his pride and fear in order to find the love of his life and achieve their happily ever after will touch your heart.

Four lives in turmoil fighting for the relationships they cherish, and at the heart of the struggle, a great university struggles to survive its most harrowing challenge.

Excerpt

Colin nodded, shaking his head as if trying to clear it. His fists loosened and he relaxed against Joshua’s body soaking in the solid strength of his presence. “That day I blew up at you,” he began after a moment. He lifted his head and met Joshua’s eyes. “Jesus, Josh, I thought I was losing my mind! I totally lost it.”

“Don’t,” Joshua said. “Don’t. I understand now, Colin. Don’t. You don’t have to do this in one conversation. The O’Malley girl…,”

“ls a dead ringer for my sister, Kathleen,” Colin finished, then shook his head again. “Hell, even my mother saw it.” His head fell forward and he once again rested his forehead against Joshua’s shoulder.

“There’s a lot more,” he said, his voice still shaky. “A shit-load of stuff I should probably be telling a shrink… how I couldn’t cry at her funeral or ever since then, how I got revenge against the bastard who raped her by catching guys who’d done the same to other girls…,” he exhaled a sigh that seemed to come from the soles of his feet then glanced up at Joshua again. “And on and on and on…” He shuddered.

Joshua laughed softly. “You may not realize it,” he murmured, “but you are telling this stuff to a shrink.”

Colin exhaled a quiet laugh then released Joshua and leaned back. He scrubbed both hands through his hair and gazed quietly toward the lake. “I came here to explain what happened the day we quarreled and why it happened. But that’s not the most important reason I’m here.” He met Joshua’s eyes. “I came here to ask you to forgive me and come back to Virginia with me.”

Joshua met his gaze. “It had to have been hard,” he said softly. “Coming here like this. Telling me all this. Took a lot of courage.”

Colin snorted a cynical laugh. “Courage,” he said scornfully. “I’ve been lurking in my apartment like a coward for months.”

“How many people have heard the story you just told me?” Joshua asked.

“No one.”

“Then shut-up. When I say it took courage I know what the fuck I’m talking about. Don’t ever call yourself a coward again.”

Colin glanced at him and smiled.

“This is what I do for a living, remember?”

Colin nodded. “Point taken. Now tell me you’re coming back to Virginia with me.”

Joshua sighed, his full lips pressed into a thin line. “Colin…” he frowning as if in pain. “Jesus, Colin.”

“You don’t believe in him,” Colin observed with a half-smile.”

Joshua shot him a look. “Fact is, we do, but that’s not the point. Colin, I’ve got a job. I’ve made peace with my family… actually grown close to them. I’ve started to feel happy here. I don’t know if I…”

“When does the job start?”

“Next week,” Joshua told him.

“Screw the job. Tell them you changed your mind. You have to come back with me.”

Joshua stared at him, his mouth half-open. “Colin, wait. Wait. Just let me…” He leaned back, shaking his head. “This is all happening too fast.”

“No, it’s not. It didn’t happen nearly fast enough!”

“Colin, you can’t be sure. You can’t mean…,”

“I do mean it, Josh! And I AM sure!”

“So I can come back to Virginia and be your fuck buddy?” Joshua asked then shook his head and pulled away, his hands dropping to his sides. “We’ve talked about this. I can’t do it, Colin. Not with you. I just ca-“

“No!” Colin interrupted. He re-captured Joshua’s hands in his. “No, Josh! That’s not what I want!” He stared down at their joined hands for a count of three, as if gathering courage then inhaled deeply and spoke: “There are no fuck buddies. When you left Virginia any desire other men went with you. I just want you, Josh. Only you. No one else. Just you.” He shook his head and looked at Joshua, quirking his brow comically.

“Well, that’s a pretty stunning admission for Charlottesville’s champion stud-muffin.”

Colin huffed a quick ironic laugh.

Joshua pulled his hands from Colin’s grip and captured the handsome Irish face between his palms. “Listen to me,” he said, staring into Colin’s eyes. “You’ve never wanted an exclusive relationship. Not with me. Not with anyone. Why is it different now?” His hands dropped to his sides. “Why?”

Colin sighed again and gave Joshua a rueful smile. “Hang on a second, OK?” After a moment he drew in another deep breath and recaptured Joshua’s hands in his own. “I -” he began, then glanced up at Joshua and swallowed hard. “It’s different now because I love you, Josh.” His eyes widened. “Holy crap.”

They both gave a short burst of laughter at the surprise in Colin’s voice, then sat in silence, hands clasped while the lowering sun cast evening shadows over their shelter amid the driftwood. Finally, Colin lifted Joshua’s hand to his lips and kissed it.

“That’s about it, buddy. That’s my full confession. I’m sure there’s stuff I’ve left out, but if you come home with me I’ll hire you as my full time shrink and you can get the rest of it out of me a little at a time.” He collapsed forward into Joshua’s arms and moaned. “Oh, Christ, Josh, I’m so fucking tired.”

Joshua stroked his back nuzzling against his hair. “I don’t doubt it.”

“Is this what you call a breakthrough?” Colin asked, his voice muffled against Joshua’s down jacket.

“More like a break down,” Joshua replied, smiling, his hand still moving in slow circles on Colin’s back.

Colin lifted his head and looked into Joshua’s dark eyes. “Tell me you’ll come home with me,” he said. “Please.” He lifted his hand and twirled one of Joshua’s curls slowly, sensuously, around his index finger. “Please,” he repeated in a hoarse whisper. “I need you, Josh. Nothing’s right in my life without you.”

He felt Joshua’s presence in that moment as a still pool, a quiet and serene place of healing and love beyond any condition or expectation. And the truth of his words echoed through every fiber of his being. “Josh,” he whispered, “I love you. Please come home.”

About the Author

My name is Jan Jarrell. I am a 76-year-old retired grandmother who lives in Seattle, WA. I have been a writer of slash fan fiction for almost twenty years under the name Rakshi. I have written both RPS fiction and FPS and my list of works stands at three hundred and thirty-seven, including stories as short as drabbles (stories of 100 words) and a series which was 119,012 words long. You can find my works on Archive of our Own and on LiveJournal under the username Rakshi.

I began writing original character fiction about a year ago and I love it more than words can say. This creative outlet has made my retirement years the best ones of my life. I tend to fall in love with my characters and always want to give them the happy ever after that I just know they deserve. 

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Release Blitz and Giveaway – Stag and the Ash (Rowan Harbor Cycle #4) by Sam Burns

 

 
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 45,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Melanie Farlow @ Clause & Effect
 
The Rowan Harbor Cycle Series
 
Book #1 – Blackbird in the Reeds – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #2 – Wolf and the Holly – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #3 – Fox and Birch – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #4 – Hawk In The Rowan – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb
 

Jesse Hunter is finally trying to be an adult, but it still feels like an act. His place on the town council is a sham. He’s rarely called on to do anything. His boyfriend is grieving the loss of his mother, and while everyone seems to think he’s doing a great job caring for Sean, Jesse feels like he’s more of a distraction than a real help.


March is shaping up to be a bad month. First, random chance leads him to the realization that the town’s recent trouble is his fault. Then new werewolves come into town, and it turns out they’re also Jesse’s responsibility. He feels like he may be at his breaking point, and he doesn’t want to drag his friends and loved ones down with him. But how will he handle it alone?

 
Author Bio
 

Sam wrote her first fantasy epic with her best friend when she was ten. Like almost any epic fiction written by a ten year old, it was awful. She likes to think she’s improved since then, if only because she has better handwriting now.


If she’s not writing, she’s almost certainly either reading or lost down a Wikipedia rabbit hole while pretending to research for a novel.


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Release Blitz and Giveaway for Day Of Wrath (Taking Shield #5) by Anna Butler

 

 
Length: 106,470 words
 
Taking Shield Series



Gyrfalcon (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK
Heart Scarab (Book #2) Amazon US | Amazon UK
Makepeace (Book #3) Amazon US | Amazon UK
The Chains of Their Sins (Book #4) Amazon US | Amazon UK


Blurb


In less than a week, Bennet will finally return to the Shield Regiment, leaving behind the Gyrfalcon, his father, his friends… and Flynn. Promotion to Shield Major and being given command of a battle group despite the political fallout from Makepeace the year before is everything he thought he wanted. Everything he’s worked towards for the last three years. Except for leaving Flynn. He really doesn’t want to leave Flynn.


There’s time for one last flight together. A routine mission. Nothing too taxing, just savouring every moment with the best wingman, the best friend, he’s ever had. That’s the plan.


Bennet should know better than to trust to routine because what waits for them out there will change their lives forever.

Anna Butler was a communications specialist for many years, working in various UK government departments on everything from marketing employment schemes to organizing conferences for 10,000 civil servants to running an internal TV service. These days, though, she is writing full time. She recently moved out of the ethnic and cultural melting pot of East London to the rather slower environs of a quiet village tucked deep in the Nottinghamshire countryside, where she lives with her husband and the Deputy Editor, aka Molly the cockerpoo.


Website and Blog
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The Butler’s Pantry (Facebook Group)
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Release Blitz and Giveaway for Believe (Skins #3) by Garrett Leigh

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 55,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Black Jazz Design
 
Skins Series
 
Dream (Book #1) – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Whisper (Book #2) – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb

Flight paramedic Rhys Foster is hooked on adrenaline. By day it’s blood and guts, by night it’s the thrill of the club. With a different face in his bed most nights, he doesn’t have time to be lonely…right?


Entertainer Jevon Campbell is a play therapist like no other—dancer, magician, acrobat, he brings it all to his global mission to help children in need laugh again. He’s on a rare home visit when he encounters enigmatic Rhys in a London bar.


Their connection is instant, but Rhys fast realises Jevon’s easy confidence doesn’t stretch as far as the bedroom. He has no idea how mesmerising he is—how beautiful—and Rhys resolves to show him.


They grow closer, but time isn’t on their side. Rhys seems unable to articulate how he feels, and with Jevon’s imminent departure from the UK hanging over them, their separate commitments could tear them apart forever.


As the days slip by, Rhys must learn to believe he’s worth the happiness Jevon is offering.

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.


Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.


When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.


Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock sitemoonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.


Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

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Kate Sherwood on Cheating, Romance and her new release All That Glitters (guest blog and giveaway)

All That Glitters by Kate Sherwood

Dreamspinners Press

Cover Art: Adrian Nicholas

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Kate Sherwood here talking about All That Glitters, one of our favorite recent contemporary romances. Welcome, Kate.

The Romance Taboo by Kate Sherwood

I think I’ve gotten a bit spoiled writing m/m romance. I’ve gotten used to the greater freedom, the way readers are more open to different characterization. I’ve written drug-addicted prostitutes, asexual street kids and neurotic drama queens as romantic heroes in m/m – think I could get away with that in m/f? Probably not!

But I think I got a little cocky. (Cocky! Wow, what a useful word) I forgot that while m/m is more open than m/f, there are still some rules, and a few years ago I broke one of them in Chasing the Dragon. One of my characters cheated on the other.

It made sense to me, in terms of the character (drug-addicted prostitutes aren’t known for their good judgment or their sexual reserve) and the plot (the characters got together way too fast and I needed to show that their infatuation hadn’t solved all their problems). It was a good writing decision, in non-genre terms.

But I heard from quite a few romance readers who were really disappointed. Disgusted, even.

And I believe in the contract between authors and readers—I believe that authors have a responsibility to their readers and should work hard to meet expectations. But, but…

I also like pushing boundaries.

So after the last outing, the idea of cheating stayed with me. Is it ever acceptable for a romance novel to include cheating between the romantic leads?

Maybe if it was really long ago? And they broke up over it, for sure. And the one who was cheated on is still mad about it, but they were just kids at the time and the other character is so, so sorry… can it work for readers?

I sure hope so, because that’s the idea behind my new novel from Dreamspinner, All That Glitters. I’ve written a character who killed the other hero’s brother and I managed to get those two together without significant reader complaints (Mark of Cain). Surely I can help them work through some ancient history, no matter how painful it was?

I gave it a try. I hope it works for you guys!

About All That Glitters

No matter what he tells himself, wealthy NYC architect Liam has never been able to forget his first love, Ben. But as he approaches midlife and realizes something is missing, can he forgive himself for the worst mistake he ever made—the one that left a hole no amount of career success can fill? Or will fear keep him from the full life he really wants?

Liam and Ben were childhood sweethearts, then college boyfriends. But when Liam cheated on Ben, Ben forced himself to cut ties and move on. He’s still living in the small town where they grew up, teaching, but it’s not the life he imagined for himself as a younger man. Still, when Liam returns, he can’t risk his heart again. He certainly can’t allow himself to love Liam again after fighting so hard to get over him.

Neither man wants to let go of the past and face their apprehension at starting over. They don’t want to fall in love a second time—but sometimes love happens whether it’s wanted or not.

About the Author

Kate Sherwood started writing about the same time she got back on a horse after almost twenty years away from riding. She’d like to think she was too young for it to be a midlife crisis, but apparently she was ready for some changes!

Kate grew up near Toronto, Ontario (Canada) and went to school in Montreal, then Vancouver. But for the last decade or so she’s been a country girl. Sure, she misses some of the conveniences of the city, but living close to nature makes up for those lacks. She’s living in Ontario’s “cottage country”–other people save up their time and come to spend their vacations in her neighborhood, but she gets to live there all year round!

Since her first book was published in 2010, she’s kept herself busy with novels, novellas, and short stories in almost all the sub-genres of m/m romance. Contemporary, suspense, scifi or fantasy–the settings are just the backdrop for her characters to answer the important questions. How much can they share, and what do they need to keep? Can they bring themselves to trust someone, after being disappointed so many times? Are they brave enough to take a chance on love?

Kate’s books balance drama with humor, angst with optimism. They feature strong, damaged men who fight themselves harder than they fight anyone else. And, wherever possible, there are animals: horses, dogs, cats ferrets, squirrels… sometimes it’s easier to bond with a non-human, and most of Kate’s men need all the help they can get.

When she’s not writing as Kate Sherwood (m/m romance), there’s always Cate Cameron (m/f romance, YA romance) and Catherine Dale (everything else). There are so many stories just waiting to be discovered!

Social Media Links:

booklives.com (website and blog)

https://twitter.com/kate_sherwood

https://www.facebook.com/kate.sherwood.79

Kate Sherwood has brought a wonderful giveaway today.  She is offering one prize as the e-book copy of the current release, plus as a second prize one e-book copy from her Dreamspinner backlist to two lucky readers. The first reader chosen will get their choice of prizes, the second reader chosen will get the remaining prize.    Please leave your email address along with a comment for Kate.

Review Tour and Giveaway – That’s My Ethan by Tarian PS

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 361 pages
 
Blurb



This is our story, mine and Ethan’s.
It is our story about two gay men, (well, one gay and one bi), beating the false pretenses that gay men can’t know love at first sight, let alone stay together, happily ever after. They are all wrong.


I’m not a gay married man, I’m a happily married gay man.


And I am going to prove it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


They met in college. Damir was a player in every sense of the word and proud of it– Ethan wanted nothing to do with the game; yet neither would deny the attraction they shared was too potent to resist. So what are two young men to do when the lines are too irresistible not to cross? A safeword.


It was a lifestyle structure that gave them the means to grow together, even as they struggled to understand it along the way. But what never wavered was who they’d set their goals to be with. Sometimes you just know. The challenge is making it possible.



June 18 – Bayou Book Junkie
June 19 – Cupcakes & Bookshelves, MM Midnight Cafe
June 20 – MM Good Book Reviews
June 25 – The Novel Approach, Archaeolibrarian
June 26 – Love Bytes
June 27 – Reading In Sarah’s Corner, Sarandipity, Love Unchained Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
June 28 – Joyfully Jay
June 29 – Mirrgold, Katie’s Book Corner, Tangents & Tissues



All About Tarian

(well, some of him)

As a long-haired, rock n roller and outdoorsy kind of guy, Tarian is proof there is life after a lifetime of being dead to themselves. Now, he lives, treating every day like an adventure and always with a smirk on his face.

He revels proudly to live outside the box and never canoes the main stream. Even when writing, he figures there’s plenty of extraordinary talented authors out there already taking care of that waterway. So, he enjoys venturing off, creating stories in places so few go… getting ensnared in scenarios that don’t conform to the comfort zones of familiarity. It’s what makes writing a pleasure for him.

When asked, why do you write, he responds, “I wrote a story I’ve always wanted to read. In the end, oh the places we will go.”

 
“Suddenly you’re ripped into being Alive. And Life is Pain, and Life is Suffering, and Life is Horror, but by god you’re alive and it is oh so Spectacular.”
 

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