Category: Book Tours and Contests

It’s Here! The Release Blitz and Giveaway for Coast To Coast (Arizona Raptors #1) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Length: 57,412 words 
 
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
 
Blurb
 

When opposites attract, it’s not just the team that’s in for a shake-up.


When a stipulation in his father’s will throws Mark back into a family that disowned him, he has only two things on his mind; buying his way out of contractual obligations and running in the opposite direction as fast as he can. When neither option pans out, he finds he is now a one third owner of the struggling Arizona Raptors hockey team, and that is just about the worst thing he could have happened to him. Not only does he hate hockey, but the Raptors are a bottom-of-the-league team, rife with jealousies and anger in a locker room that only knows self-pity. How is he supposed to help turn things around when the only way to start fixing things is to form an alliance with the estranged siblings he’d run from fifteen years earlier?


Then there’s Rowen Carmichael, a stubborn, opinionated, irritating man with superiority issues and questionable taste in music. Butting heads with Rowen, who he’d never even wanted to hire in the first place, is one thing, but there is no way in hell that he will allow the growing attraction to the new coach become anything more. Until with everything on the line, he has to make decisions that will change his life forever.


After years of collegiate coaching, Rowen is given an offer that he simply can’t refuse, although perhaps he should. When he’s presented with the chance to take one of the worst teams in the league and mold them into a future cup contender, the challenge is just too alluring to pass up. He leaves his beloved Ontario behind and moves west to the arid city of Tucson where he is faced with a broken team, shoddy management, and players overflowing with resentment and bigotry.


Never in his twenty years of hockey has he ever seen such a raging dumpster fire of an organization. Yet there’s something about this team and this city that compels him to roll up his sleeves and start dismantling. He has his eye on a new associate coach that’s bound to makes waves, and several key players who should be sent packing. Now all he has to do is convince the new owners of the team that his choices are for the best. If only Mark Westman-Reid, one of three siblings who now own the Raptors, wasn’t so damned rock-headed, so damned snooty, and so damned appealing his job might be a bit easier.

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.


RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.


The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.


She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:

USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.


V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.


When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

 

It’s Almost the Chilling Time as October Arrives. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

It’s Almost the Chilling Time as October Arrives

Hard to believe but October begins this week, sailing in on the wings of honking geese and the quizzical head turns of praying mantises still looming large in my somewhat overgrown garden. Pumpkins have appeared in the farmers markets and grocery stores alike as have the Halloween costume and candy aisles now full of all things scary or politically pertinent.

That also heralds the release of seasonal LGBT horror stories, often short or on the novelette size, looking to ride the wave of holiday horror.  I always look forward to whatever new authors or old appear at this time.  This is how I found the quite marvelous MD Neu who  I have continued to track through the writer’s many releases at NineStar Press.   Fingers crossed I’m that lucky again.

Or maybe it’s time to reconnect with some old horror or supernatural favorites.    Or favorite writers with some new supernatural stories.  Katey Hawthorne has a new supernatural thriller romance out A Thousand Lifetimes, which i will be reviewing later. Vampires in love.  Oh yes!  And TJ Klune and his great wolfpack?  His latest Heartsong, as well as the new ebooks and paperback versions at Amazon (the rights are finally his and you  can buy those versions at Amazon only knowing he will get the money) for Wolfsong and Ravensong.  What perfect timing!  Join the pack!

Next week I’m hauling out our October recommendations and updating them.  Plus looking at our new October releases we are enjoying.

Until then.  Happy October.  Hope the weather is agreeing with you wherever you are.  Happy reading, and happy listening.

Now to our week ahead.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, September 29:

  • Don’t Miss Out on the Blog Post for Into The Deep by Amara Lynn (exclusive excerpt and giveaway)
  • It’s Almost the Chilling Time as October Arrives. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, September 30:

  • Cover Reveal “Dog Tagged” by James Brock
  • Release Blitz for Coast To Coast (Arizona Raptors #1) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey
  • “Pure Dumb Luck” Dahlia Donovan Tour
  • An Alisa Review Clueless Cabot by André D. Michaels
  • A MelanieM Review: “Pure Dumb Luck” by Dahlia Donovan
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Kel’s Keeper by KC Wells

Tuesday, October 1:🎃🎃

  • Review Tour – Clare London – Romancing The Rough Diamond
  • Release Blitz Rules to Break by Susan Hawke
  • Release Blitz – Amalgamated by Becca Seymour
  • Blog Tour for Love on the Hudson by KD Fisher
  • A Stella review: Things Happen That Way (Mann of My Dreams #2) by Tinnean
  • A Lila review I Was A Gay Teenage Zombie by Alison Cybe
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review THE KING’S DRAGON (Fire and Valor #1) by W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns

Wednesday, October 2:

  • Release Blitz – V.L. Locey – Life According To Liam
  • Release Blitz – Beyond the Surface by Colette Davison
  • Blog Tour “I’ve Got This” by Louisa Masters
  • An Alisa Review: Wolf, Wy by A.F. Henley
  • A Stella Review :Beyond the Surface by Colette Davison
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: I’ve Got This (Joy Universe #1) by Louisa Masters

Thursday, October 3:

  • TOUR The Musician and the Monster by Jenya Keefe
  • Release Blitz Under Pressure by Lauren Ashley
  • Blog Tour Raven’s Hart by Davidson King
  • AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR -The Rising (Badlands #2) by Morgan Brice, Kale Williams (Narrator)
  • A Free Dreamer Review The Musician and the Monster by Jenya Keefe
  • A MelanieM Audio Review:The Rising (Badlands #2) by Morgan Brice, Kale Williams (Narrator)

Friday, October 4:

  • Heart2Heart Anthology, Vol. 3 Tour
  • Book Blast – Daddy Bear : The Complete Series by B.J. Smyth
  • Blog Tour Ride the Whirlwind by Jackie North
  • An Alisa Review: Daddy Bear : The Complete Series by B.J. Smyth
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Space Train by David Bridger
  • A MelanieM Review: Land of Enchantment by Jodi Payne and BA Tortuga

Saturday, October 5:

  • Release Blitz Signal – Ruby Moone – Loving Daniel (MC Securities #3)
  • Release Blitz – Liv Rancourt – Lost and Found
  • A MelanieM Review:Heart2Heart Anthology, Vol. 3
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: American Love Story (Dreamers #3) by Adriana Herrera

Don’t Miss Out on the Blog Post for Into The Deep by Amara Lynn (exclusive excerpt and giveaway)

 

Exclusive ExcerptWhen he was ready to give up, Lamark finally got a small spark, the beginnings of a fire.

“Yes!”

Yuvie jolted from his nap.

Lamark cupped the little flame and blew gently on it to kindle it, then lowered it into the sticks and brush.

Yuvie leaned closer to the flame, staring at it in awe. Of course, he’d never seen fire, Lamark presumed.

“Careful,” he said, waving his hand between the flames and Yuvie’s nose. “It’s hot.”

“It’s hot?” Yuvie repeated and pointed to the fire.

“Aye, I mean—no.” Lamark fumbled for words. He extended his finger towards the fire. “Fire.”

“Fiiire?”

“Aye.” Lamark nodded.

“Fire!” Yuvie reached out his hand and Lamark had to dive to snatch it back from the flames.

“No, it’ll hurt you.” Lamark made a hissing sound to symbolize pain. “Ouch. Hurt.” He hoped Yuvie would understand and not try to touch it again.

“Ouuuch. Hurt! Fire!”

Yuvie still seemed fascinated, likely at both the words and the flames. At the same time, they both seemed to realize just how close their faces were, and that Lamark was still clasping Yuvie’s hand.

Yuvie jumped, and Lamark skittered back to the opposite side of the fire automatically. His heart thumped wildly against his chest at the sudden proximity, and at the thought of scaring off Yuvie. He looked to Yuvie, at his wide-eyed stare and heaving chest, and feared the merman might disappear back into the deep.

“Please don’t go,” Lamark said. Yuvie was tense, as if he’d jump into the water at any moment.

Thankfully after a moment, he seemed to relax and offered Lamark a gentle smile. His golden hair was illuminated by the setting sun on the horizon, and now it was Lamark’s turn to be rapt.

Lamark shook himself out of it and returned his attention to the fire. He skewered the fish on sticks sharpened on a rock, then held them over the flames. Yuvie watched with keen interest as the fish cooked, even trying to touch them a few times, despite Lamark’s multiple discouragements from doing so.

Once the fish was browned and crisp on the outside, Lamark broke the stick into three kabobs and held one out to Yuvie. “Here, now you can touch it.”

Lamark bit into his and gave a moan of satisfaction. After all the time spent getting a fire going, he was famished, and the fish tasted heavenly. Dirt probably would’ve tasted like fine cuisine, as hungry as he’d been. Slaving over sticks and stones to cook the fish had been worth it.

He looked over at Yuvie, laughing when he saw how quickly the merman was gobbling up his fish.

That must mean he liked it. For Yuvie, biting into a raw fish was probably considered normal, and this was likely his first time experiencing a cooked fish.

After Lamark had finished his fish, he had to split the third one with Yuvie, since he stared at it with pleading, ravenous eyes. Yuvie scarfed his half just as quickly as the first fish, then started reaching for Lamark’s half.

“H-Hey!” Lamark laughed and batted him away playfully.

Once they were finished, Lamark stared across the fire at Yuvie. He couldn’t help it. Yuvie was too intriguing not to gawk at. His skin was lean, tanned, and littered with scars, from shoulders to hips, probably from his life deep under the sea fighting with sharks and swordfish, or hunting grey whales, or whatever it was merfolk did. Around his neck were a few necklaces made of shells and coral, vibrant hues of pink and purple and sea green unlike anything Lamark had ever seen. Several shells were woven into his hair. There were small green keyhole limpets, bright orange and pink scallop shells, and tiny golden conches and cockles that almost blended in with the color of Yuvie’s hair.

Lamark was most enraptured by Yuvie’s eyes, which seemed to be ever changing shades of blue, ranging from light to dark. Would Yuvie let him move closer again without flinching? His body leaned forward of its own accord, his hand outstretched, closing in on Yuvie’s cheek. Yuvie showed no sign of retreating, smiling warmly at Lamark at looking back at him.

Lamark leaned in just a little more…

Suddenly the sand shifted, and he went flopping down on his belly. “Ouch,” Lamark groaned. Then the heat of the fire hit him. “Ack!” He flopped about, rolling and patting his shirt to extinguish the flame.

A splash of water hit him, and the flames sizzled out. Lamark sat up, panting and heart pounding. He’d somehow ended up right next to Yuvie in his rolling about.

Yuvie laughed at him and poked his wet, slightly singed shirt. “Afeuy,” he said softly.


A sudden wave crashed into them, knocking Lamark off balance. When the water receded, Yuvie was lying on top of him, nose to nose. Lamark’s face burned at the proximity. Yuvie tilted his head, and his lips, which were surprisingly soft and slick, brushed against Lamark’s.In an instant the kiss was over, Yuvie jumping off of him and splashing into the water, into the ocean, into the unknown, leaving Lamark blushing, bewildered, and mystified by what had just happened.

Lamark moved his fire out of range of the rising tides, adding sticks to increase the size and keep him warm through the night.As he lay by the fire, watching the rise and fall of the waves, he wondered if Yuvie would return in the morning.Lamark had a feeling he would, if that parting kiss was anything to go by.
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Length: 45,000 words approx.
 
Blurb
 

Luck has never been on Lamark’s side.


After his father’s untimely death, the new captain casts Lamark off the ship, leaving him in a dinghy in the middle of the ocean. Lamark is sure his life is over.


In a stroke of luck, Lamark encounters a merman, who saves him from drowning and brings him to a deserted island. Lamark quickly learns that on this mysterious island, not everything is as it seems, and danger lurks in every nook. This island may very well be the death of him.


Adventure, romance, and maybe some swashbuckling await Lamark, so long as he’s not too lily-livered to venture into the deep…


Into the Deep is a 45k pirate fantasy adventure novel with a heavy helping of slapstick comedy and a sweet, steamy m/m romance.

 

Amara Lynn has always been a quiet daydreamer. Coming up with characters and worlds since childhood, Amara eventually found an outlet in writing. Amara loves anything to do with pirates, villains and superheroes, and angels and demons.



Amara is addicted to music and gets the most inspiration from moving songs and lyrics. When not writing, Amara usually reads, listens to podcasts, watches anime, plays a video game here and there (but mostly collects them), and takes way too many cat pictures.


Amara is non-binary/enby and queer and uses they/them pronouns.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

 

Love Contemporary Stories? Check Out the Review Tour and Giveaway for Hot Potato (A Seacroft Novel #3) by Allison Temple

 

 
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow With Kindle Unlimited
 
Length: 80,000 words approx.



Cover Design: Cate Ashwood Designs

 
Seacroft Series
 

Book #1 – Top Shelf – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Cold Pressed – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

 
Blurb
 

As Seacroft’s resident weirdo, Avery proudly flies a lot of freak flags. It’s a constant battle to be taken seriously when everything, from his red hair to his sexuality, makes him stand out in this small town.


Small towns are also a terrible place to keep secrets, and Lincoln has a bunch of them. But his demons aren’t going to hold him back from his dream job at the Seacroft Fire Department. His life is finally coming together, until the red-haired twink with the big smile and fast mouth calls in an emergency.


Pining for the hot firefighter is Avery’s newest flag, even if he agrees to be “just friends.” For Linc, every minute with Avery is a temptation. He needs to let go of his fear and admit the truth. Linc doesn’t want to be Avery’s friend; he wants to be his everything. But just as Linc is ready to risk it all, Avery gets an unexpected offer to spread his colorful wings and fly away.


Hot Potato is an 80k slow burn friends-to-lovers contemporary MM romance. It features a fast-talking accountant who’s cooler than he thinks, the closeted firefighter who loves him more than he should, and a great big happy-sigh HEA.

Check out Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review here. We just loved it and recommend it to all lovers of contemporary romance!

Allison Temple has been a writer since the second grade, when she wrote a short story about a girl and her horse. Her grandmother typed it out for her and said she’s never seen so many quotation marks from a seven-year-old before. Allison took that as a challenge and has gone on to try to break her previous record in all her subsequent works.


Allison lives in Toronto with her very patient husband and the world’s neediest cat. She splits her free time between writing, community theater stage management, and traveling anywhere that has good wine. Tragically, this leaves no time to clean her house.


Newsletter (get two free shorts right now): https://allisontemplebooks.com/newsletter
Facebook Reader group: https://facebook.com/groups/allisonsalist
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07B7P5591
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/allison-temple
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17490635.Allison_Temple
Twitter: https://twitter.com/allitemplebooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisontemplebooks/

 
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

 

Don’t Miss Out on a Great Story! Check Out the Blog Tour for Dine With Me by Layla Reyne (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 

 

Layla Reyne’s DINE WITH ME is a contemporary m/m romance following a dying chef on a last tour of his favorite meals, and the travel companion who must convince him he’s more than his taste buds and that the cost of love is worth living for.

Title: Dine With Me

Release Date (e-book and audio): September 16, 2019

Blurb:

Life never tasted so good.

Miller Sykes’s meteoric rise to award-winning chef is the stuff of culinary dreams, but it’s all crashing down around him. He’s been given a diagnosis that could cost him something even more precious than his life: his sense of taste. Rather than risk the very thing that defines him, Miller embarks on a last tour of his favorite meals while he still can.

But there’s a catch: he needs a financial backer to make it happen, and he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s sick.

Dr. Clancy Rhodes has two weeks to come to terms with putting aside oncology to work at his father’s thriving plastic surgery practice. When the opportunity to travel with a Michelin-starred chef presents itself, the foodie in him can’t believe it. It doesn’t hurt that Miller’s rugged good looks are exactly Clancy’s cuppa joe.

As Clancy and Miller travel from coast to coast and indulge in everything from dive bars to the most decadent of culinary experiences, they’re suddenly sharing a lot more than delicious meals. Sparks fly as they bond over their love of flavors and the pressures of great expectations. But when Miller’s health takes a turn for the worse, Clancy must convince him he’s more—so much more—than just his taste buds. And that together, they can win a battle that once seemed hopeless.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

Links:

AMZ: https://amzn.to/2CNDzbA

Universal: https://books2read.com/DineWithMe

 

About Layla Reyne:

RITA Finalist Layla Reyne is the author of the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Changing Lanes series. A Carolina Tar Heel who now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home, Layla enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Kiss of Death and Rainbow Romance Writers chapters. Layla is a 2019 RWA® RITA® Finalist in Contemporary Romance (Mid-Length) and 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense.

Connect with Layla:

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/laylaslushes/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/laylareyne

IG: https://www.instagram.com/laylareyne/

Newsletter: https://www.laylareyne.com/signup

AMZ: https://www.amazon.com/author/LaylaReyne

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/layla-reyne

Giveaway: Signed limited edition paperback + swag (equivalent value for international)

Code: Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/88d45f03103/

 

Exclusive Q&A with Layla Reyne, Blog Tour:

  • Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?

LR: It’s not just Miller and Clancy in this story. There’s a supporting cast of characters—family, of the blood and found sort—that I absolutely adored writing. And they support, first and foremost. No one here is trying to foil or divert our main characters, and I love that about this story. They are there to support Miller and Clancy, as best and as full-of-heart as they can.

  • Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

LR: Every place Miller and Clancy visited is a place I’ve dined or based on a place I dined. (Sadly, a few of my favorites had closed!) Each place in this book is as special to me, for my own reasons, as it is for Miller and Clancy. For instance, one of the stops is The French Laundry, which is where my husband and I got married, so it holds a special place in my heart too.

  • Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

LR: Ohmigod, they both do. This story has been rattling around in my head since 2015. It was on the initial list of project ideas I gave my agent. There’s a lot of me in both Clancy and Miller (more so Clancy, my husband more so Miller), but it’s really a love letter to all the amazing dining experiences I’ve been so lucky to have in my life.

  • What is the significance of the title?

LR: It starts as the opening line of the advertisement Miller posts for the tour. It also ends the book in a way that still makes me happy sigh.

  • What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

LR: This is a standalone, so there won’t be a sequel. Though keep your eyes peeled for a special project involving one of the secondary characters.

  • If you had to describe character Miller Sykes in three words, what would those three words be?

LR: Loyal, Self-Sacrificing, Stubborn

  • If you had to describe character Miller Sykes in three words, what would those three words be?

LR: Earnest, Honest, Risk-taker

  • If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?

LR: Oh, this is easy (since the book has been in my head for YEARS). I’ve always had Clive Standen as my fancast for Miller and Grant Gustin as my fancast for Clancy.

  • Was the writing process different and what challenges did you face writing contemporary romance versus romantic suspense?

LR: I couldn’t just throw a car chase or explosion in when I needed to pick up the pace! But seriously, I really did have to dig deep to center this one more on emotions, more on the journey of these two men, individually and potentially together in the future. That’s what’s driving the story, versus my usual twisty plot.

Exclusive Excerpt 1:

By the time they were on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, all of Clancy’s thoughts and words were fighting to get out. He watched through the windshield as Miller stood by the ferry’s rail, a lone figure seemingly oblivious to the blowing snow flurries as he stared straight ahead.

To the island where they would be stuck together for the weekend.

Fuck. Clancy had to say something or else this was going to be the most awkward Christmas Eve weekend ever.

He tossed his empty coffee cup aside, grabbed his scarf from the back seat, wrapped it around his neck, zipped up his hoodie, and buttoned his coat over everything. Bundled, as well as an LA boy could be, he shoved open the car door, took one step out, and had to cling to the door to avoid wiping out. Steadying himself, he carefully made his way to the rail where Miller stood. And just as carefully, he approached the conversation, starting with something easy. “Thank you for the coffee and beignets this morning.”

“I promised you,” Miller answered flatly, not giving him a glance.

Careful and easy took a flying leap off the side of the boat. “Do you still want to be here?” The next second, Clancy registered how that question could be taken, beyond just this trip, and he wanted to jump over the rail himself. “On this trip,” he clarified. “Because if you’re just here because you promised, we can call it off. You can keep the money—”

“It’s not about the money.”

“Fine, but Miller…” He leaned a hip and hand against the rail, trying to get Miller to look his way, to no avail. “If this trip is making you miserable, if you don’t want to be around me, if you—”

Miller’s hand over his silenced the rest of Clancy’s words. “I want to continue, and I don’t want to do it alone.”

“But do you want to do it with me?”

Miller finally gave Clancy his eyes, and they were red-rimmed and bloodshot. Clancy sucked in a sharp breath, fearing the worst.

“Yes,” Miller said softly.

Clancy didn’t hide his huge exhale, and Miller’s answering smile was worth it. The world steadied below Clancy’s feet even as the boat rocked over the waves. He drew his hand back and shoved both of them into his coat pockets. “Where are we going, then? On Martha’s Vineyard?”

Miller glanced back out over the water, toward the island that was growing nearer. “The first place I chef’ed.”

“I thought that was in New York, with Greg.”

He shook his head, a strange mix of pain and longing streaking across his face. “When Sloan and I left home, we came here first. A friend of Ma’s ran a B and B in Edgartown. It was the summer season and she needed the extra help. She rented us a dingy little basement apartment for cheap, Sloan cleaned and helped manage the inn, and I was the on-site handyman and landscaper. But I still needed to get out and make some extra cash.”

“So you found a restaurant to work in?”

“The kitchens in New York and San Francisco might have refined my skills, but Oscar M’Raihi gave them to me.”

“I can’t wait to meet him.”

Love a Story with Broken Men in Love? Check out the Review Tour for Not Another Statistic (Yuri Sorenson Mysteries #1) by JM Dabney

ReviewTour-Not-Another-Statistic-Banner

Not Another Statistic

Yuri Sorenson Mysteries

J.M. Dabney

Genre – MM/Gay Fiction/Romance, Mystery/Suspense

Release Date: 09.24.19

NotAnotherStatistic-Final-QRI

Cover Image – FuriousFotog (Golden Czermak)

Cover Model – Kevin R. Davis

Cover Art – J.M. Dabney

Blurb

Former Federal Agent Yuri Sorenson had left the bureau behind to become a private investigator. His ex-partner came to him asking for a favor, not knowing who else to trust. Yuri had always had a way of keeping his emotional distance from the people he protected, yet that changed the day Clarkson hesitantly limped into his life.

What happens when love is confused with pain? That’s the exact question Josh Clarkson had asked himself for years. He’d grown up in an overburdened foster care system, and from what he knew of love, he couldn’t expect anything but to be something tolerated. Was he meant to be more than a plaything or a piece of scenery? H could hope.

Two men who know nothing but being broken find that patience and acceptance are harder than losing hope. Is the leap of faith worth the reward of letting someone else in? Maybe they’ll find the strength to find out before the danger of Josh’s past tries to tear them apart.

Universal Link – https://books2read.com/u/bw2vV0

NotAStatistic-Teaser-What-IfNotAStatistic-Teaser-ExpectationNotAStatistic-Teaser-Reward

Excerpt

I awakened from the best dreams I’d ever had. One of the few times I hadn’t come to with a scream and then I froze as I found myself draped over Yuri. My thighs on either side of his hips and I tried to slip to the side without being noticed only to squeak as a very strong, large hand squeezed my ass to keep me in place. This was so not good. I bit my lip and tried again only to be stopped by a deep growl that rumbled the chest under me.

All I remembered last night was falling asleep as far on the other side of the bed as I could get. I’d never really shared a bed with someone before. Usually when the man I was with went to sleep, I left or found a couch or a portion of the floor to curl up on. At Vernon’s I had my own tiny room which he locked me in every night.

This was the first time I’d ever cuddled with a man and I wasn’t sure it was a welcomed act. I needed to get away before he woke up. His opinion was important and I didn’t want him to think that I’d done this on purpose. I planted my hands beside his ribs, and then lifted onto my toes.

I was able to get an inch between our bodies before my hips were slammed back down onto a very impressive bulge.

“Shit.” I whispered and started the attempt again.

“Baby boy, what do you think you’re doing?”

His gruff question had me lifting my gaze to his and realized he was very much awake. “How long have you been awake?”

“Maybe an hour or so.”

“Sorry, I didn’t realize—” My apology ended when I noticed the corner of his mouth pulled into a smirk. It made the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes deeper.

“Sleeping you didn’t seem to mind rubbing on me.”

I surged to a seated position and stared down at him. “I was sleeping. I could’ve done anything.” His smile got wider. “What else did I do?”

“Nothing, but we have shit to do today so get on up.”

He smacked my ass and rolled out from under me, dumping me onto the bed. I hurriedly crawled off and followed him. I was too shocked by the grin and the suddenly playful attitude to protest the swat.

“What did I do,” I demanded.

“You get pretty affectionate, now, are you going to watch me piss and demand to know every grope you didn’t get to enjoy?”

JM logo

J.M. Dabney is a multi-genre author who writes Body Positive/Diverse Romance and Fiction. They live with a constant diverse cast of characters in their head. No matter their size, shape, race, etc. J.M. lives for one purpose alone, and that’s to make sure they do them justice and give them the happily ever after they deserve. J.M. is dysfunction at its finest and they makes sure their characters are a beautiful kaleidoscope of crazy. There is nothing more they want from telling their stories than to show that no matter the package the characters come in or the damage their pasts have done, that love is love. That normal is never normal and sometimes the so-called broken can still be amazing.

The author is Gender Nonconforming are uses the preferred pronouns They/Them.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/J.M.DabneyAuthor/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/jmdabney_author

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/authorjmdabney/?hl=en

Reader Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/585182991553194

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/J.M.-Dabney/e/B006QZIFLE

Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-m-dabney

MichelleSlagan---VibrantPromotionsLogo---FiveStarDesigns---150ppi

Don’t Miss Out on the Special Review Tour and Giveaway for The Secrets We Keep by Rick R Reed (Excerpt)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Length: 195 pages
 
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
 
Cover Design: Reese Dante
 
Blurb
 

Jasper Warren is a happy-go-lucky young man in spite of the tragedy that’s marred his life. He’s on a road to nowhere with his roommate, Lacy, whom he adores, and a dead-end retail job in Chicago.


And then everything changes in a single night. Though Jasper doesn’t know it, his road is going somewhere after all. This time when tragedy strikes, it brings with it Lacy’s older, wealthy, sexy uncle Rob. Despite the heart-wrenching circumstances, an immediate connection forms between the two men.


But the secrets between them test their attraction. Will their revelations destroy the bloom of new love… or encourage it to grow?

Excerpt
 

It’s always exciting for me, both as a writer and as a reader, when the two main lovers in a book first meet. In THE SECRETS WE KEEP, that first meeting is at a funeral home wake, for someone both men loved deeply (and for whom many of the secrets in the book are kept).

***



When he stepped out of the bathroom, someone was waiting for him. An older man.


Jasper tried to thread his way around the guy. “Did you want to go in?” Jasper gestured toward the open bathroom.


“No. I was waiting for you.” The guy eyed him. He was probably a good twenty years older than Jasper, but as inappropriate as it was at a time like this, Jasper couldn’t help noticing how sexy he was. Trim, a little on the short side, it was obvious, even in his impeccably tailored black suit, he was in very good, and very powerful, shape. Jasper was certain those weren’t shoulder pads testing the seams at the tops of his arms.


He had kind eyes. And they were the most amazing shade of pale gray. Jasper had seen a husky once with eyes like that; he couldn’t say he’d ever seen anything like it on a human being. Those eyes were mesmerizing, arresting, and chilling, framed in long, black lashes.


His hair was silver, shorn close on the sides with a bit more on top, spiked with some gel.


He wore a fashionable five-o’clock shadow that Jasper couldn’t deny he wanted to feel—either with his fingers or against his own smooth cheeks.


“For me?” Jasper smiled. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?”


He simply smiled enigmatically. “Probably not. But I bet I know you. You’re Jasper, Heather’s roommate, right?”


“Yeah. And you are?”


“I’m Robert. Robert Burroughs.” He extended his hand.


Jasper gripped the warm hand, slightly soft and a little damp. He didn’t take his eyes off Robert the whole time, and the “whole time” was much longer than the duration of a handshake for most guys. It sent a shiver through Jasper.


“Burroughs?” Jasper had a terrifying thought. What if this is her dad? Good Lord, I’m flirting with Lacy’s dad! At her funeral! The very thought caused beads of sweat to pop out on Jasper’s forehead. He held in a giddy burst of laughter. “Are you, um, related to Lacy? Er, Heather?”


Please don’t say you’re her father.


“I’m her uncle Rob. Did she never mention me?”


Jasper wracked his brain. One thing neither of them did much of was talk about their respective families. They liked to believe they were each other’s family now, “chosen family” was the term they used. The idea, the memory of this, brought a lump to Jasper’s throat, bringing home for real that his best friend was gone. “I’m not sure.”


“It’s okay if she didn’t. I hadn’t seen her in quite some time. My schedule doesn’t afford me much opportunity to see family, as much as I might want to.” He smiled, and Jasper noticed the sadness around his eyes despite it. Robert went on softly, “I wish I’d had one more chance to talk to her, to tell her how I loved her. I’m afraid she didn’t know.”


Jasper nodded. “Me too. If I could just talk to her one more time, maybe we wouldn’t be here.”


Robert cocked his head. “No?”


Jasper didn’t want to disabuse him of the notion that Lacy had not killed herself, if that was what he was choosing to believe. So he simply said, “Who knows?”


“Heather used to write sometimes, a long time ago. She’d shoot me a text, you know, a birthday emoji or a holiday one. We were close when she was a kid. I used to take her places with me whenever I could. Her parents never really got her, you know?”


“Oh, I know.”


“They were always trying to change her. Like, she was left-handed naturally, and they worked and worked and worked on getting her to use her right. They tried to get her to hang out with what they deemed the popular girls. They bought her American Girl dolls when all she wanted was a set of paints and a good book, preferably horror. I could stand here all day and tell you how little my brother and sister-in-law knew their girl. But I won’t.


“I just wish I’d stayed in better touch with her. Once my career took off, back when she was just becoming a teenybopper, I kind of got preoccupied and we lost touch.” He paused and Jasper noticed the tears standing in his incredible eyes. Unexpectedly, he laughed. “When she was a little girl, and I mean like three or four, she would sigh and say, ‘Woe is me.’ What little girl says that?”


“Lacy. It so figures.”


“You call her Lacy. Why?”


“That’s how she referred to herself. She was even thinking of legally changing her name. She hated Heather.”


Robert nodded. “I get that. I never thought of her as a Heather. I’m glad she found something else.” He glanced over his shoulder into the viewing room. “I wish they’d respected that.”


I do too. Jasper felt, suddenly, even sadder. For his own loss, sure, but more for Lacy’s loss. The rest of her life. She could have done so much. She could have been happy. He just knew it.


He placed his hand on Robert’s shoulder. “Look, I intended to stay longer, but I need to get out of here. This place is too oppressive. And it honestly feels like someone else is being waked, not the girl I know. So I’m gonna book. But it was nice to talk to you.”


Robert nodded. “Will you be at the funeral tomorrow morning?”


The funeral was set for one of Rogers Park’s Catholic churches. Then they’d fly the body back to California for burial in the family plot.


It was all wrong. All not what Lacy would have chosen.


Jasper shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. This isn’t her. I think I’ll just remember her as I knew her.”


Jasper turned away, feeling on the verge of tears. He didn’t want to cry in front of Lacy’s uncle—or anyone else gathered at the funeral home, for that matter.


As he reached the door, Robert’s voice stopped him.


“Jasper?”


He turned.


“Would you mind if I came with you? I need to get out of here too.”

 

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 5 star Review here.  We highly recommend it.

 

Real Men. True Love.


Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” You can find him at www.rickrreed.com or www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA with his beloved husband and their fierce Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix.


FIND RICK ONLINE



Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rickrreed
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RickReedWRITER
Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/
Website: www.rickrreed.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rick-r-reed
Email: rickrreedbooks@gmail.com

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

 

A MelanieM Review :Arctic Heat (Frozen Hearts #3) by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

A lasting connection needs more than simply surviving a winter together—they’ll have to outsmart danger, let down their defenses and open their hearts.

Owen Han has a fresh lease on life—he’s kicked cancer’s ass and is roaring through his bucket list. The former investment banker hopes to find his next challenge in Alaska, volunteering alongside park rangers and fulfilling his childhood dreams of snowy winters and rustic life. Of course, those dreams did tend to feature big strapping mountain men in vivid detail…

Ranger Quilleran Ramsey would like to be anywhere other than dealing with newbie volunteers. And really, the only thing he needs less than a green volunteer “partner” is the flirty attentions of a buff city boy who doesn’t look ready to last a week, let alone an Alaskan winter. They’re all wrong for each other, even if Quill’s traitorous body enjoys the flirting more than it should.

As the weeks pass, the two snowbound men give in to temptation. But can their seasonal romance last until spring? For them to have a future together, each will have to trust the other…while hoping that the harsh elements and omnipresent dangers don’t destroy what happiness they’ve found in the moment.

As it turns out with Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts series, third time really is the charm.  With Arctic Heat all the elements come together in this third installment of her series that’s set in Alaska to provide the reader with a remarkable heartwarming romance to remember.  It is my clear favorite to date with characters I immediately connected with, situations I understood and related to, and a rich, layered dynamic between the main characters that was so interesting, vulnerable and amazing that you couldn’t stop reading.

Plus there was all that starkly gorgeous landscape they were living in.

And while the men’s pasts stood like shadows around them, it was the fascinating give and take between the men in the present, their chemistry that kept you bound to them and the story. The fluctuating differences in dominance in their  relationships in and outside the bedroom, in Owen’s dominance in bed and Quill’s outside on the snow, both yin and yang in different elements of each other lives.  Just so perfect, watching as they maneuvered and figured it out for each other.

The dialogues and conversations felt authentic to the men and the dynamic happening between them.  The scenes often moving, the action when it happens hairraising.

What a story!  And did I say there is a dog too?

How I loved that ending.  And this story.  As I said it’s my favorite novel of this series to date.  I highly recommend Frozen Hearts and most definitely Arctic Heat. The last with a passion!

Cover art by Carina Press art department is lovely and works for the characters and storyline.

Sales Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Y3KUk9

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Arctic-Heat-Audiobook/1488206864

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arctic-heat-annabeth-albert/1129779475?ean=9781488053610#/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/arctic-heat-4

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Annabeth_Albert_Arctic_Heat?id=8o6QDwAAQBAJ

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/arctic-heat/id1458215728

Book Details:

ebook
Published September 23rd 2019 by Carina Press
ISBN 1488053618 (ISBN13: 9781488053610)
Edition Language English
Series Frozen Hearts #3

 

New Release Tour for Arctic Heat (Frozen Hearts #3) by Annabeth Albert (excerpt and giveaway)

ARCTIC HEAT by Annabeth Albert

Series: Frozen Hearts #3

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: Sept. 23 (ebook/audio), Oct 1 (print)

Length (Print & Ebook): 89,000 words

Subgenre: m/m contemporary romance/ action adventure m/m romance, interracial romance

Warnings: None.

All buy links or pre-order links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Y3KUk9

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Arctic-Heat-Audiobook/1488206864

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arctic-heat-annabeth-albert/1129779475?ean=9781488053610#/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/arctic-heat-4

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Annabeth_Albert_Arctic_Heat?id=8o6QDwAAQBAJ

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/arctic-heat/id1458215728

Good reads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44662238-arctic-heat

Praise for ARCTIC HEAT:

“Annabeth Albert’s delightful characters and thoughtful emotional touch give a lovely spin to opposites attract when they’re forced together in a cabin in the woods. We root for these guys–lone wolf Quilleran is a true foil for Owen, who is enthusiastically embracing his new lease on life.” -Bestselling Author, Amy Lane

“I really enjoyed the story. It was a fun read and believe it or not, I have been to the Hatcher Pass area of Alaska. The story was fun, sexy and passionate enough to melt an Alaskan snow field.” -Bestselling Author, Andew Grey

“I eagerly await every new Annabeth Albert release and ARCTIC HEAT did not disappoint. Sexy and snowbound with a touch of danger – do not miss this one!” -Bestselling Author, HelenKay Dimon

“Arctic Heat by Annabeth Albert … Owen and Quill are so wow…witnessing their friendship build is tangible and engaging …Albert’s ability to have characters connect without needing sex is astounding and speaks to this author talent!” -Denise, Shh Mom’s Reading Book Blog

Book synopsis:

A lasting connection needs more than simply surviving a winter together—they’ll have to outsmart danger, let down their defenses and open their hearts.

Owen Han has a fresh lease on life—he’s kicked cancer’s ass and is roaring through his bucket list. The former investment banker hopes to find his next challenge in Alaska, volunteering alongside park rangers and fulfilling his childhood dreams of snowy winters and rustic life. Of course, those dreams did tend to feature big strapping mountain men in vivid detail…

Ranger Quilleran Ramsey would like to be anywhere other than dealing with newbie volunteers. And really, the only thing he needs less than a green volunteer “partner” is the flirty attentions of a buff city boy who doesn’t look ready to last a week, let alone an Alaskan winter. They’re all wrong for each other, even if Quill’s traitorous body enjoys the flirting more than it should.

As the weeks pass, the two snowbound men give in to temptation. But can their seasonal romance last until spring? For them to have a future together, each will have to trust the other…while hoping that the harsh elements and omnipresent dangers don’t destroy what happiness they’ve found in the moment.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

This book is approximately 89,000 words

Excerpt :

“Tea for everyone. Then a hot shower and lots of blankets,” Owen declared as they entered the building, bossy streak making a blessed reappearance right when Quill really needed to not be the one thinking. If Owen had a plan, so much the better because Quill wasn’t good for much besides stripping off his gear, stowing his piece, stomping upstairs, and flopping into a kitchen chair. Owen draped one of the blankets from the couch around his shoulders before doing the same for himself, wearing it like a cape as he made tea. “Bourbon in yours? I found a bottle in the cabinet the other week.”

“Yeah.” Quill didn’t often imbibe, but he needed the burn of the liquor even more than any warmth-giving properties. The bourbon was there exactly for nights like this one where Quill had done his best and it still hadn’t been enough. Fucking universe and its random acts of cruelty.

After adding a healthy glug of liquor to each of their mugs, Owen shoved a cup at Quill. He also put a plate of cookies from the batch that got baked on the table. “Here you go. Eat something so the alcohol doesn’t hit too hard.”

“Feels like I should be the one taking care of you,” Quill admitted after he’d had a few sips of tea, let the warmth and burn work past the tightness in his throat and chest.

“We can take care of each other,” Owen countered, pulling his chair close to Quill’s. “That’s what we’re here for, right?”

A few hours ago, Quill would have argued that being alone was the best way to cope with something like this—find a way to push through and on to the next day either with the aid of some strong drink or just a restless night spent replaying the events until sleep did its thing, softened the edges of the awfulness. But when Owen grabbed his hand, squeezed, and looked at him with such compassion in his eyes, Quill couldn’t find it in himself to pull away.

“Yeah,” he said, even as he knew that he shouldn’t let himself come to need Owen like this, to lean on him. He and Hattie had always tended to retreat to their own corners after a hard shift, and he prided himself on being a strong man. Sure, accidents like this affected him as they would anyone, but he’d always tried to handle those emotions on his own. Harsh memories of his father’s comments about men who showed their feelings didn’t help any, but lately all those memories, all the family drama, seemed more distant. Less sharp.

And funny how without that mantle of a painful past, his present seemed somehow more hopeful, old wounds and past fears no match for Owen. In fact, they’d been on the verge of another disagreement when Owen had dropped everything to come help. And now here he was, taking care of Quill yet again. Owen simply didn’t seem to have it in him to hold a grudge too long. Quill would be a fool to pull away now, even if he knew the next night like this, the inevitable one after Owen left, would hurt that much more. But that moment, all he wanted to do was hold Owen close, take every comfort he offered from Christmas lights to hot toddies to underdone gingerbread to that strong hand of his, holding on when Quill needed it most.

 

Blog Tour Exclusive Q&A:

Q: Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

AA: Both characters, Quill and Owen, are special to me for different reasons. Quill, my grumpy park ranger, is special to me because he’s a more mature hero, but he’s also unaware of the extent of his own loneliness. Giving Quill the HEA he deserves was immensely satisfying. Owen, my optimistic new volunteer assigned to Quill, is special because he represents a character that I’ve wanted to do for a long time—one who survived a major medical scare and now has a second lease on life and is determined to make the most of each day.

Q: What was the inspiration for the story?

AA: My amazing critique partner and best friend, Wendy Qualls, came to me with the idea of how in remote areas, park rangers are often snowed in together for months at a time. I loved the idea immediately, and we started brainstorming. I brought in a lot of my favorite tropes—opposites attract, age gap, close proximity, building friendship, adventure, working together, and more as the plot started to take shape for me. Then later, I came up with the idea of making it series set in Alaska, and worked that plot bunny into the series. Book Three seemed to fit best for this one, so that’s where it landed, but initially it was the first plot bunny, and everything else sprang from that one.

Q: What is the key theme and/or message in the book?

AA: Love finds us where we least expect it, but most need it. Neither Owen nor Quill expects to find the love of their lives when they’re snowed in together for an Alaskan winter, but love has a way of finding people when they need it most and of healing old wounds and giving fresh courage. I really wanted to show how love can provide the best fresh start of all, even when we stay in the same place we’ve always been or when we venture thousands of miles out of our comfort zone—love finds those who need it most.

Q: What is the significance of the title?

AA: ARCTIC HEAT is actually the coldest book in the series—tons and tons of snow and snowed in fun. The heat totally comes from the chemistry between the main characters!

Q: If you had to describe the main characters in three words, what would those three words be?

AA: As the story opens, Quill is grumpy, lonely, and loyal. He’s grumpy about being assigned a new volunteer, lonely from long hours alone and with his BFF now assigned elsewhere, and he’s loyal to his job. Meanwhile, Owen is optimistic, fun, and adventure seeking. He’s an optimist who survived a health scare and now is seeking fun and adventure in Alaska.

Meet Annabeth Albert:

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series include the #FrozenHearts, #OutOfUniform, #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat, #RainbowCove and #PerfectHarmony series.

To find out what she’s working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: annabethalbert.com or connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.

Connect with Annabeth:

Website: http://annabethalbert.com/

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/Nb9yv

Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annabethsangels/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6477494.Annabeth_Albert

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Annabeth-Albert/e/B00LYFFAZK

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnabethAlbert

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbert

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabeth_albert/

Giveaway

Giveaway: 1 winner will receive paperback copies of ARCTIC SUN, ARCTIC WILD, and ARCTIC HEAT + a Swag Pack! Open Internationally, must be 18 to win.

Code:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/88d45f03104/

Don’t MIss Out on the Release Blitz and Giveaway for Of Autumn Leaves and New Beginnings by Nell Iris

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books | Universal Link
 
Length: 17,809 words
 
Publisher: JMS Books
 
Blurb
 

Sometimes love finds you even when you’re not looking for it.


At 47, Oren Walker isn’t looking for love. When he knocks on Pete Higgins’ door, all he wants is to thank him for helping his mom after she broke her femur. He never expected that one look at the man would make his knees weak and heart flutter.


Pete is happy—albeit a bit lonely—after divorcing his wife of 20 years and isn’t looking to replace her. But when Oren shows up, all grateful and handsome and in that fancy suit, the longing for the deep connection of a relationship flares up inside him.


As the leaves turn yellow, Oren and Pete spend a lot of time in honest conversations. Their attraction grows. Will the two men recognize the promise of new beginnings, and take the chance to find the happiness they both deserve?

 
Excerpt



It’s been nearly three weeks since Mom’s accident — and the leaves are more yellow than green but the heat still refuses to let go — when my phone rings just as I’m on my way back to my office after a long, infuriating meeting. I don’t recognize the number but accept the call. “Oren Walker.”


“Oren. Hi. It’s Pete. Pete Higgins. Your mom’s next-door neighbor.”


“Oh, hey!” I would be lying if I said I haven’t thought about him these last few weeks. In the shower, before bed, while having my morning coffee. He’s hot enough to set fire to my pants, but that’s only part of the appeal. Mom hasn’t stopped talking about him since her accident; about how gentle he was when he helped her. How considerate and thoughtful and nice he was when she was hurt and scared, and in the days that have followed.


Of course, I noticed all his good sides myself, those few minutes we spent together, and he hasn’t been far from my thoughts whenever I’ve had a free moment.


“I’m sorry to disturb you at work,” Pete says.


“No problem. I just got out of a meeting with some very upset people and could use a friendly voice right now.” I close my office door behind me and throw myself onto my chair. “What can I do for you, Pete?”


“Nothing urgent. I just needed to tell you something.”


“Shoot.” I lean back and close my eyes, rubbing my temples with my thumb and index finger, trying to fend off the threatening headache.


“I just wanted to let you know that I interfered with your mom earlier. She was on her way to the grocery store. On foot, with her crutches, and I managed to catch her when she hobbled past my house.”


I groan. “Oh my God, her stubbornness is unprecedented.”


“Yeah, I hear you, man. I had to sweet talk her forever before I managed to convince her to go back home. The thing that persuaded her was when I lied and told her I was on my way to the store myself so I could pick up whatever it was she needed.”


“I don’t understand. I bought everything on her list the day before yesterday.”


“Nuh-uh. You forgot the chocolate chips. She couldn’t bake cookies for the church bake sale on Sunday. It was a class one disaster and I’m surprised she didn’t call 911.”


I groan again. “I can’t believe her,” I grumble. “I’ve told her, again and again, to call me whenever she needs anything. I bring my phone everywhere. To bed. To meetings. To the fucking bathroom when I take a shit, so I won’t miss her call.”


My rant is interrupted by a boisterous laughter.


“Gaah, I’m sorry. That was way more information than you needed.” My face heats and I slap myself on the forehead. Good job, Oren. Way to seem like a crazed lunatic in front of the nice man!


“Nah, it’s fine.”


“No, I’m sorry. That was highly inappropriate. Mom would be so ashamed of me. It’s no excuse, but I’ve had a long day.”


“I figured.”


I rub my temples harder. “I just don’t understand why she won’t call me.”


“Listen. She’s fiercely proud of you and all the hard work you’ve done to get where you are. She told me she doesn’t want to be a bother.”


“She’s not.”


“I know that. I told her. But she insists that you are busy and stressed and don’t need more on your plate right now,” he says.


“But she’s my mom.”


“Yeah. But take it from me, as a parent. When you’ve spent the biggest part of your life loving and protecting your kids, you can’t just turn it off. It’s instinct. We want to be the strong, invincible protector we’ve always been and it’s hard to accept that the situation might be reversed.”


“Oh.” That makes a lot of sense; I’ve never thought about it like that. “Thanks. That was a lot more helpful than you probably realize.”


He laughs. “Yay! Who woulda thought? Me doling out parenting advice!”


“You’re better than you give yourself credit for.”

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/

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions