Blog Tour for Love on the Hudson by KD Fisher (excerpt and giveaway)

Love on the Hudson by KD Fisher

Release Date: September 30, 2019

Subgenre: Contemporary LGBTQ+ romance (m/m)

Order here:

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Hudson-KD-Fisher–ebook/dp/B07Y8QKRF1/ref=sr_1_3keywords=kd+fisher&qid=1569490513&s=books&sr=1-3

Ninestar:

https://ninestarpress.com/product/love-on-the-hudson/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47508320-love-on-the-hudson

Synopsis for Love on the Hudson:

At historian David Webster left his childhood home of Saugerties, New York ten years ago and hasn’t looked back. Intelligent, successful, and proud of his sexuality, David has built a comfortable, if lonely, life in Chicago. But when he learns his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he decides to leave his prestigious museum job and move home to care for his dad. Until now David has never questioned his devotion to academic and professional success. Suddenly he’s forced to confront and reevaluate his desires, chief among them, his former best friend Nick.

Nick Patras has spent his entire life trying to be the perfect Greek son. From devoting himself to football, to forgoing an athletic scholarship to work at his family’s diner, to denying his sexuality and getting married to his high school sweetheart, Nick got used to putting his family’s dreams ahead of his own. The facade shattered, however, when Nick divorced his wife and left the family business to follow his dream of starting an organic farm. Finally content with the life he’s built for himself, Nick is still haunted by the mistake that ended his friendship with David a decade earlier.

When David and Nick reunite their old feelings are undeniable, but can David trust Nick with his heart a second time around? As David embarks on a new career as an artist, he must decide whether or not Nick fits into this composition.

Teasers:

“Can you give me another chance?” The naked hope in Nick’s face sends a jolt of warmth right through my heart. “I know I don’t deserve it but I want to at least be your friend again. And if you’d be willing, I want to be with you for real.”

Excerpt :

Five hours later I find myself behind the wheel of a white rental sedan barreling up I-87 in the direction of Saugerties, a perfectly nice town I’d hoped never to see again. The sky is the same mottled gray as it was back in Chicago, the snow along the highway the same dirt-tinged pewter. The passing cars are spattered with white salt stains. I drive in silence, every radio station bothering me with shrill commercials or horrendous blends of the 80s, 90s, and today.

My mind falls into a chaotic tailspin. I want to call Marc and see how the meeting went. I want to call Jimmy again and see if there is any update on my dad’s condition. The doctors are worried his vision was compromised but needed to run another test. I want to call Anna to hear her soothing voice and ask the one question that absolutely shouldn’t be on my mind right now. Has she seen Nick recently? Again, his gray eyes and those dark lashes flit across my mind and I grip the wheel harder. I need to focus. Plus I won’t even see him. He moved across town when he got married. He doesn’t live in the house across the street anymore.

Author Bio:

KD Fisher is a queer New England-based writer of authentic, heartfelt LGBTQ+ narratives. KD grew up all over the United States, bouncing from North Carolina to Hawaiʻi to Illinois, and finally settling in Maine where she spends far too much time at the beach.

When KD isn’t writing, she can usually be found hiking with her overly enthusiastic dog, obsessing over plants, or cooking elaborate meals. She loves classic country, perfectly ripe tomatoes, and falling asleep in the sun.

Author links:

Website: https://www.kdfisherromance.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kdfisher_author

Newsletter: https://squarespace.us18.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=f5e2b33c3ff839fc7ef512330&id=e20f3c6133

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18177834.KD_Fisher

Giveaway:

Win one of 3 packages of a signed physical copy + postcard of LOVE ON THE HUDSON by KD Fisher!

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Adore a Friends to Lover Romance? Check Out the Release Blitz for Amalgamated by Becca Seymour (excerpt and giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Amalgamated

Author: Becca Seymour

Publisher: Rainbow Tree Publishing

Cover Artist: Soxsational Cover Art

Release Date: September 28, 2019

Genre/s: Small-Town M/M Romance

Trope/s: Friends to lovers, May to December,

Themes: Forgiveness

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 18 000 words/70 pages approx.

It is a standalone story.

Add on Goodreads

Realigned (Coming Home #1) – FREE READ

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

iTunes | Kobo | Nook

Escape with Leo and Zak in outback Australia as they discover it sometimes takes time, distance, and interfering family to amalgamate.

Blurb

After five years of living in the UK, it’s time for Leo to return home to his dad’s stud farm in outback Australia. He has no idea what to expect when he arrives. He didn’t exactly leave with balloons and banners.

Nope. His farewell involved destruction and his own heart split in two.

He knows seeing the man who’s always held his heart, Zak, is going to be awkward. The older farm manager made his feelings pretty damn clear when Leo hightailed it out of there.

Leo quickly figures out life is going to get complicated and a whole heap more exciting as his trip home becomes so much more.

Amalgamated is a fun and steamy M/M short story in Becca Seymour’s Coming Home series. Stand-alone romances complete with heat, wit, and happily ever afters.

Excerpt

“Promise you won’t be mad.”

Groaning, I shook my head. Any request starting that way was going to result in me being pissed off. “What did you do?”

This time her glance my way had me tensing. Concern flickered in her eyes. When she focused on the road ahead, she blew out her cheeks, her lips pursed. “We’re heading to mine.”

“Okay?” I dragged out the word. I’d figured that out since we weren’t heading towards Dad and Michelle’s.

“Dad kinda got excited about you coming home.”

My stomach dipped. I just knew where she was heading with this. Slamming my eyes shut, I waited for her next words.

They came out in a rush. “Sohekindainvitedaheapofpeopleover. But…” She gasped for breath. “…it’s not technically a party, as there aren’t banners or balloons.”

My eyes sprang open, and I stared at her wide-eyed.

She glanced at me, a mix of horror and amusement on her face. “You owe me big for talking him out of that.”

“Yet you couldn’t have talked him into a small family meal?”

She shrugged. “I did try, but, Leo.” She paused, emotion swirling in her eyes, and I swallowed. This was just one of the reasons I’d stayed away. Guilt still clawed at me whenever I gave it life. “Dad was so excited you were coming home. You know he still doesn’t understand why you left. If it had just been heading to the city, that would have been a struggle, but you travelled to the other side of the world.”

My gut clenched. I still felt shit for leaving my dad, but I had my own life to live, and taking over my dad’s stud farm wasn’t what I wanted. Plus there was the major screw-up with how I destroyed any semblance of a friendship with Zak.

“There’s more.”

I flashed Jen a resigned look.

“Dad obviously invited Zak.”

My heart seized, and my gut churned. This could not be happening. While I’d anticipated seeing him, I wasn’t prepared for it to be the first night I got home. In hindsight, this was ridiculously naïve of me, considering his place was only a hundred metres or so away from the main house on the property.

“I know, I know, but best to get the whole awkwardness out of the way, right?” She reached out and gave my hand a small squeeze. After I’d run out on Zak the night I’d left, it had taken just a handful of calls from Jen for her to recognize something was wrong and for me to spill my guts. We remained close, even with the distance of the past five years, and without her in my corner, life certainly would have been trickier.

“Yeah, I suppose.” There was something to be said for ripping the Band-Aid off, but my gut clenched in anticipation.

About the Author

Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

Author Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter: @beccaseymour_

Giveaway

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Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

Don’t Miss Out on the Release Blitz with Excerpt for Rules to Break (Davey’s Rules #2) by Susan Hawke

Rules to Break

Davey’s Rules Series Book 2

Susan Hawke

M/M Romance, Daddy/boy

Release Date: 09.26.19

Rules to Break ebook

Blurb

Davey’s Rule #91: Daddy never loses faith in his boy.

Bryan Miller is satisfied with his uncomplicated life. He’s a discipline Daddy who’s not in the market for any kind of permanent relationship. And why should he be? Like the waves he surfs in the small beach town he calls home, there’s always another body available to warm his bed when he tires of the current flavor of the week.

Preston Wallace is a snotty rich brat with enough attitude to keep all the Daddies from giving him a chance. He gets it… people are jealous of him for being rich, hot, and fit. It would take a strong Daddy to take him in hand.

A casual conversation on the night of Preston’s twenty-fifth birthday ties these two stubborn men together in a bet right out of the musical My Fair Lady. Can Daddy Bryan turn the obnoxious brat into a dateable boy within a ninety-day timeframe?

Strap in for a roller-coaster of emotions as Bryan takes firm control of a brat who might just need to know someone cares enough to try.

This is the second book in this series about not-so-perfect Daddies, adorable “boys,” and one sassy brat with an insane list of rules. Grab your fan and tissues because this series comes with both a high heat advisory and all the squishy feels you’d want from a Susan Hawke book. Possible trigger for the death a background character.

Universal Link: mybook.to/RulestoBreak

rtb-1 rtb-3 rtb-2

Excerpt

When Davey looked like he was feeling sorry for me as he passed my drink over with an overly nice smile, it was all I could do not to grab the glass and throw it at him. Or toss its contents all over the Daddies. Either way, it would be equally satisfactory. Instead, I forced myself to take a polite sip and pretend their words were just bouncing off me. “Excuse me, I’m sitting right here. I find it funny that you’re talking about me like I’m the bitchiest bitch ever to bitch while you’re sitting there rudely discussing me.”

Bryan made a humming sound, completely ignoring me as he turned to Marcus. “I don’t know, I think it could be done if the right person were to take on the challenge.”

Marcus’s eyes bugged out. “Do you really think so? You’re a better man than me, because I don’t think it’s possible.”

I turned to Raphael. “You see me, right? I haven’t gone invisible? I’m literally sitting right here, aren’t I?”

The look of pity disappeared from Davey’s eyes when he started snickering. “Maybe if you weren’t such a little jerk, people would acknowledge your existence. Just saying.” I stuck my tongue out at Davey, then blushed when I noticed Bryan giving me a measuring glance.

I sat up a little straighter when he leaned out to the side and craned his head while he gave me a slow up-and-down. A few seconds later, he sat back up and turned to Marcus. “I don’t know, man. I might have to kick the tires, but I think this old junker could be rehabilitated.”

“Excuse you, who are you calling old? Puh-lease. You’re the one that’s old. What are you, pushing forty? Twenty-five is hardly old.”

Raphael frowned at me. “Aging yourself, boy? You and I both know how old you are.”

I rolled my eyes then immediately blushed all over again when I realized that everybody was looking at me. Raphael winked and popped a finger gun at the champagne glass. “Calm down, cutie. I know damn well it’s your birthday. Why do you think I told Davey to pour you a glass of the good stuff? Hold on, I forgot something.” He bent over and fussed with something under the bar before coming back up with a party hat. He set the paper cone on top of my head and fastened the elastic string under my chin like I was seven years old.

It’s stupid how good that silly act made me feel.

Raphael was humming the birthday song as he motioned to Davey. “When this glass is empty, top it off. Keep it flowing, it isn’t every day that a guy turns a quarter of a century.” Davey smiled a little more kindly at me and murmured “Happy birthday” before turning to greet a customer that had walked up.

Nobody else acknowledged the exchange and the Daddies went back to their conversation. Andrew must’ve been feeling brave, because he looked around Bryan to give me a once-over himself before turning back to their conversation. “So let me see if I have this right. You think that you have what it takes to turn him into a decent boy? What kind of timeframe are we looking at here? I mean, look at him. He’s not hard on the eyes. It’s the ears that get hurt when he starts with that mouth.”

“Hey, be nice.” Raphael immediately came to my defense. “It’s the boy’s birthday. It’s one thing to joke around, but you guys are straddling the border of bullying. Take it down a notch.”

Marcus snorted. “What, are we supposed to forgive his rudeness the rest of the year because it’s his birthday?”

Andrew really must have thought he was hot shit with the other Daddies sitting there, because he tested my resolve to not tell the truth of the bathroom story. “And can we all just take a moment to remember how he ran off with my clothes a few months ago?”

Nope, I definitely wasn’t touching that one. Not on my birthday. Nope. Not today, Satan. Let’s just say that Andrew was a man I wouldn’t touch with a stray dog’s dick—I wasn’t into animal cruelty. Asshat.

I tapped Bryan’s arm. “Go ahead, answer Marcus’s question. I’m curious. If you’re such a fabulous makeover artist and I’m nothing but a rusty junkyard heap of crap, how long would it take you to turn me into a rehabilitated boy that any Daddy would want on his arm?”

Bryan glanced at me with a cocky smirk. “Please. I could turn you into a decent boy within three months. Ninety days with me and I’d wager that any Daddy in this place would be proud to have you as his boy, Preston.”

Marcus snorted so hard he sprayed whiskey through his nose. “Impossible. It couldn’t be done. Especially not in that short of a timeframe.”

“If I say I can do it, then you can take my word for it that it’s possible.” Bryan motioned for a refill on his beer, tossing me a wink in the process.

Marcus drummed his fingers on the counter, looking me over with a thoughtful frown. He shifted his eyes to Bryan and began slowly nodding. “You know what? Okay. Prove it. I dare you. Put your money where your mouth is, Bryan. I’m willing to bet you can’t make this brat into a decent boy within ninety days.”

Bryan leaned back on the barstool, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned his head from left to right to look at first me, then Marcus. “Name your terms, Marcus. I’ve never backed away from a bet.”

I started getting irritated as the old musical My Fair Lady suddenly played through my head, and I slammed my palm down on the bar. “What? Hell, no! If you think you’re going to do some sort of Eliza Doolittle action with me, then you’ve got another think coming.”

Davey cracked up and grabbed a broom. He started dancing behind the bar, pretending the broom was his partner as he sang “I Could Have Danced All Night.” That is, he did until Raph took the broom and held his hand out instead. Davey took it and let Raphael swirl him around the bar area while he lifted his knees higher and attempted a tango as he switched songs.
As an avid reader and big romance fan myself, I love sharing the stories of the different people who live in my imagination. My stories are filled with humor, a few tears, and the underlying message to not give up hope, even in the darkest of times, because life can change on a dime when you least expect it. This theme comes from a lifetime of lessons learned on my own hard journey through the pains of poverty, the loss of more loved ones than I’d care to count, and the struggles of living through chronic illnesses. Life can be hard, but it can also be good! Through it all I’ve found that love, laughter, and family can make all the difference, and that’s what I try to bring to every tale I tell.

I’m a happily married mom with one snarky teenage boy, and three grown “kids of my heart.” I’m more widely known for my mpreg writings as Susi Hawke; this new name is a departure from that. Whether written by Susan or Susi, the books are filled with that all-important love, laughter, and family I mentioned; the only difference is that this name has no male pregnancy. I look forward to sharing my stories with you, and to bringing more romance and laughter into this world that needs it so very badly.

Amazon Author: https://amzn.to/2Hdgwvl

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

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Review Tour and Giveaway for Romancing The Rough Diamond (Romancing the #4 ) by Clare London

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Length: 244 pages

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Design: Alexandria Corza

Blurb

Romancing The…

Trust is the most precious jewel of all.

When Mayfair jewelers Starsmith Stones wins the commission for a gay royal wedding, CEO Joel Sterling is recommended to the brilliant young designer Matt Barth—only to discover Matt’s the man with whom he shared an anonymous and passionate kiss on the celebration night.

Disenchanted with the commercial jewelry industry, Matt nowadays prefers muddy archaeological digs to designing. Openly resentful of Starsmith’s hostile takeover of his family’s firm, he is horrified at the realization he’ll be working with the man who engineered that deal—but the opportunity to create something fabulous and unique for the royal couple is too tempting to refuse.

Working as a team reignites the spark between Joel and Matt. But when betrayal from within Starsmith threatens both the project and Joel’s confidence, will they have built enough trust to keep their newfound love as precious as the royal jewels?

Clare London took her pen name from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fueled family home, she juggles her writing with her other day job as an accountant.

She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with award-winning novels and short stories published both online and in print. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic, and sexy characters.

All the details and free fiction are available at her website. Visit her today and say hello!

Website | Facebook | Mailing List | Twitter | BookBub

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A MelanieM Review: T.A.D.: The Angel of Death by M.D. Neu

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Tad bounces around in time and watches mankind grow and change. He loves humanity and helping when he can. However, his job isn’t conducive to helping people—he’s an Angel of Death.

Doug is a fun-loving drama queen. He’s an amazing drag queen and hairstylist with big dreams, but despite his witty exterior, he has a dark history and is prone to self-destruction.

When Tad pushes the boundaries of his duties too far, his wings are stripped away from him, and he is sent to New York City to live as a human. Lost and alone he ends up meeting Doug, and they start a friendship that shapes them both and may last a lifetime. But nothing is simple when you’re dealing with a former Angel of Death and a Drag Queen. Could these two cause the fabric of our world to collapse or will they manage to keep the future as it should?

I readily admit I struggled with this review for T.A.D.: The Angel of Death by M.D. Neu. It is at times incredibly moving and at others very narratively dry and drawn out. It can swing from the haunting and angst to the huh and almost boring. It can be lyrical and yes, downright mundane. So how to meld the two?

It’s hard because I hold this writer in high esteem. His other works, like The Calling or The Reunion are amazing examples of writing and high flights of literacy. I see moments of those here, especially in that Prologue.

For those of you out there for whom 9/11, even the words, is still that enormous traumatic tragedy that wounds you still, leaves you in tears. Well, that Prologue will be hard to read. It was for me. That is the sort of writing I expect from this author.

But it’s not sustained as the point of view switches from the Angel of Death (one of many) to Doug, a hairdresser and Drag Queen. For some reason, Doug is the character that removes the life from the story rather than sparks it. It really should be the other way around. Doug should have the pizazz, the zing, and heft as it were to carry this story. And in my opinion, Doug just doesn’t. At least not until the end. At the end? Everything suddenly came together with a twist and I was bawling my eyes out.

But for about one third or more of the story something was missing. The very life that TAD found so special, so precious, so worth sacrificing for. And I couldn’t help by feel that the author did;t telegraph that in his characters or storyline. He came close in certain scenes. But never enough of them strung together. The novel felt “talked to”, or drawn out when it should have felt lively.

There is no romance between the main characters here. It’s not that sort of story. Doug does find love, a romantic love. And love does abide. It’s just of another kind.

And that ending? Well, yes, as I said, many, many tissues and a twist I didn’t see coming. So well worth it. If only I hadn’t had to “walk : a long, sometimes long trail to get there.

I love drag queens, I love terrific endings, and the writing of this author. But all together in this story. I’m still puzzling that one out. I;ll leave it up to you.

Cover art: Natasha Snow. What a great cover. Full of elements pertaining to the storyline and visually captivating.

Sales Links

NineStar Press | Goodreads

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: September 23rd 2019 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781951057398
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL https://ninestarpress.com/product/tad/

Need A New Story? Check our the Tour for T.A.D.: The Angel of Death by M.D. Neu (excerpt) a MM paranormal/alternate universe novel!

M.D Neu has a new MM paranormal/alternate universe book out: T.A.D – The Angel of Death.

Tad loves bouncing around in time and watching mankind grow and change. He loves humanity and helping when he can. However, his job isn’t conducive to helping people. He’s an Angel of Death.

Doug is fun loving and a drama queen. Despite his witty exterior, he has a dark history and is prone to self-destruction. He’s also an amazing drag queen and hairstylist with big dreams.

When Tad pushes the boundaries of his duties too far, his angel wings are stripped away from him, and he is sent to New York City to live as a human. Lost and alone he ends up meeting Doug, and the two start a friendship that will shape them both and last a lifetime. But nothing is simple when you’re dealing with a former Angel of Death and a Drag Queen. Could these two cause the fabric of our world to collapse or will they manage to keep the future as it should?

NineStar Press | Goodreads

Giveaway

Giveaway:

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Excerpt

Doug glanced up at the big void where the buildings once stood.

How could anyone do that? All those people, and for what? Thank God, no one I know was there. Thank goodness, Garret’s train was running late. Even from across the river, seeing the buildings fall, one minute there, the next not, awful. Not knowing if Garret was alive or dead. The not knowing was awful, and it seemed to last forever. Then getting his call when the phones were back up. It was a relief. Still, the not knowing? Horrible. How do survivors do it?

Doug shuddered. He had to look away before he started to cry again. That day. The world wasn’t the same. How could it be? Would it ever be the same again? He swiped at his eyes, keeping the tears he was trying to hold back from dropping. He caught his reflection in one of the storefront windows and fussed with his blond spiky hair.

One year.

The months right after the attack had been hell for everyone. People from all over the world sent support and offered help. But New York was moving on, as it should. They already had seven different architects offering new designs to fill the empty skyline. Mayor Giuliani was doing everything he could for the city, and there was even talk of him running for president.

Doug checked his flip phone and picked up his pace. He was running late. He shouldn’t have spent the night at Tim’s, but leaving such a sexy guy was no easy task. Not to mention they might have partied too much.

I doubt that is even possible. You can never party too much.

There was a large group of mourners, and he had to step to the side to let them pass. He took a deep cleansing breath, pushing all thoughts from his mind, and started walking again. He rushed past the families and friends heading to Ground Zero. Now he had to hustle to make it to work. He’d gotten lucky no one he was familiar with was killed. Still, every time he thought about the attack and looked up at the twin lights filling the night sky, he wanted to cry.

Monsters.

Why President Bush didn’t blow up the whole of the Middle East after the attack, Doug would never understand. Instead, the president sent troops to Afghanistan, searching for Osama bin Laden and taking out Al-Qaeda.

Just as long as they find and kill the monsters who did this to us.

Doug couldn’t help but stop again and glance up to where the twin towers once stood. He quickly wiped at his eyes. “I need to get out of here.” He moved over to the brick façade and leaned against the wall as more people passed him, heading to the memorial ceremony.

“So much suffering and for what?” Doug mumbled. He started walking again, taking a deep breath and trying to avoid the crowds. A woman in a dark jacket passed him and bumped his shoulder, causing him to step closer to an alley. She didn’t bother saying anything; however, Doug thought she said something about his size. He caught his reflection again. He hated how everything made him feel so fat. Nothing he wore looked right on him. Even the baggy pants still made him look fat and messy. He would need to start at the gym if he wanted to continue dating Tim and keep up with his partying. He frowned.

At least I have good hair.

He played with the spikes of his hair.

“It’s my fault,” a gruff voice whispered from behind him.

Doug startled and turned around, but no one was there. He glanced over to the dumpster.

Sitting there, a raggedy black man, with kinky hair in desperate need of a cut and wash, stared at him. The man had the most beautiful green eyes Doug had ever seen. The rich tones of his skin really made his eyes pop, quite possibly the unkempt man’s best feature. The man was in shambles, and tears streamed down his dirty cheeks.

The anniversary affects everyone.

“I did this,” the man groaned through his sobs. “And now I’m being punished.”

Doug wasn’t sure what to do or say. Should he walk away and get to the salon? Leave what appeared to be the crazy homeless guy alone? Could he do that now that they made eye contact? Could he do that today of all days? The man needed help. The man needed a shower and clean clothes. Perhaps, if he talked to him, that would be enough…well, the talk and ten bucks.

That’s what Shannon would do. Talk to him and give him money. Shannon was such a kind soul, and I need to be more like him, more like he was. To honor him. Just like my drag name. Maybe Miss Enshannon needs to be more. I need to be more.

Doug’s heart ached at the memories of Shannon and how wonderful he was. When he picked his drag name there was no doubt on what it would be, but to honor someone you loved had to be more than using their name.

“It’s not your fault.” He knelt close to the man, still keeping his distance just in case. “It was the work of terrorists. They killed all those people, not you.”

“I should have stopped them. I should have done more,” the dirty man moaned.

“Oh, baby, no one could have done more,” Doug offered. Some people thought the government knew about the attack beforehand and the president allowed it to happen. Doug didn’t buy it. Why anyone listened to these people was beyond him, but they did. He just wished they would shut up and crawl back under the rocks they came from. They weren’t helping anyone, and in the long run, their remarks and comments only hurt people more.

“Now, I’m being punished. They sent me here and took my wings,” the man whispered.

Was this guy a pilot? Oh, that would be awful. I bet he was supposed to fly one of the planes, and he couldn’t take it. Survivor’s guilt.

Author Bio

M.D. Neu is a queer Fiction Writer with a love for writing and travel. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley (San Jose, California) and growing up around technology, he’s always been fascinated with what could be. Specifically drawn to Science Fiction and Paranormal television and novels, M.D. Neu was inspired by the great Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Stephen King, Alice Walker, Alfred Hitchcock, Harvey Fierstein, Anne Rice, and Kim Stanley Robinson. An odd combination, but one that has influenced his writing.

Growing up in an accepting family as a gay man he always wondered why there were never stories reflecting who he was. Constantly surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, M.D. Neu decided he wanted to change that. So, he took to writing, wanting to tell good stories that reflected our diverse world.

When M.D. Neu isn’t writing, he works for a non-profit and travels with his biggest supporter and his harshest critic, Eric his husband of twenty plus years.

Author Website: http://www.mdneu.com

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/mdneuauthor/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/Writer_MDNeu

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormdneu/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17206592.M_D_Neu

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/m-d-neu/

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Kel’s Keeper by KC Wells

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I enjoyed this story of twenty-four-year-old Kel Taylor, home from school for semester break when tragedy strikes his family, and he’s left without his parents. His next-door neighbor, Luc Bryant, steps in to help him, and Kel virtually moves in with the silver fox as he becomes dependent on the older man. Luc is forty-OKseven, runs a software development business from home, and has a crush on Kel ever since Kel reached maturity. Luc is a caretaker, a loving, giving person so it’s no hardship at all for him to help Kel, and when they each learn the other is gay and they are attracted to each other, their relationship becomes more.

And here’s where I had my first negative reaction: I was a bit put off by how quickly they went from zero to full-on penetrative sex. Kel was raised by a preacher father and very zealously religious family, including his grandfather who is a missionary. He’s still a virgin, even though he knows he’s gay. I would have liked to see his intimacy with Luc develop slowly, with a little frottage, blow jobs, hand jobs, kissing, and more before they have anal sex. But in one night they went all the way. Granted, the scene was hot. After all, this is KC Wells. Still…

During the rest of the time that summer their relationship continues to grow. Luc stresses the importance of truth and full disclosure; he reinforces Kel’s behavior with assigned tasks; they go out to eat and out to Kel’s first gay club, Luc explaining and answering all Kel’s questions. But they both realize they love the other and yet neither admits it out loud. And not only that, they both perpetuate the idea that Kel will go back to school and possibly move away. Then there’s the daddy issue. Luc wants his boy to be his forever, with all that encompasses. He wants to take care of Kel, guide him, discipline him, etc. And he wants to be Kel’s Daddy. But daddies are barely mentioned in the early chapters of the story. Yes, Kel learns what they are, mostly by watching porn videos, but I had hoped Luc would explain that his own dream is to have a boy who can freely call him Daddy and let him be his Daddy in every way. And that’s where the story fell short for me. I wanted it. Luc wanted it. Kel wanted it. But nothing happened until the end of the story. So although my impression was this story was about Daddy kink, it really wasn’t, not to me.

That being said, it is still a lovely romance and great story, with lots of hurt-comfort, recovery from grief, coming out, growing up, and falling in love. I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy age gap romance.

The cover, designed by Meredith Russell, features an older man gazing down at a young man sporting a chest tattoo. Both men exactly match the descriptions of the MCs in this story.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 240 pages
Published September 1st 2019
ASINB07WDYTJF1
Edition Language English

An Alisa Review: Clueless Cabot by André D. Michaels

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Young gay professional Cabot MacCrae has been in love with his sexy best friend, Lloyd, since high school. They’re in perfect sync on almost everything. The only problem is that Lloyd is straight.

Cabot resigned himself long ago to pining hopelessly. Then Lloyd, a roofer, takes a bad fall and injures his collarbone. When he needs some TLC, there’s no question that Cabot will be the one to nurse his friend back to health. But Lloyd’s scantily clad presence in Cabot’s house brings out Cabot’s old longings.

But when Lloyd’s well-meaning mother and aunt fix Cabot up with a blind date, Lloyd reacts like a jealous boyfriend. Lloyd’s reaction makes Cabot wonder if those longings are as unrequited as he’s always assumed. What if Lloyd has been pining for him all these years? Has Cabot just been clueless all along?

This was a nice story though I hated that they continued to make it out that Cabot was clueless about what was going through Lloyd’s head while Lloyd wasn’t able to vocalize his own desires either. I liked that Cabot and Lloyd have stayed such great friends since they were in school.

I liked both of these guys and even though we say everything through Cabot’s eyes I could see people trying to hint to him about Lloyd and Lloyd’s joking around but I understood his viewpoint of not wanting to possibly screw up their friendship. I don’t know if Lloyd thought his joking and kinda flirting would work but I get why it didn’t. I did hate that Lloyd’s mom put him in such a bad situation trying to get him fixed up with someone that was essentially a jerk.

The only reason I went with 3 stars instead of 4 is that I hated that they tried to make out that it was all because Cabot wasn’t paying attention was why him and Lloyd weren’t together.

I really like the cover art by Natasha Snow and the pie that is so important in the story.

Sales Links: Nine Star Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 25,900 words

Published: September 16, 2019 by Nine Star Press

ISBN: 978-1-951057-38-1

Edition Language: English

A MelanieM Review: Pure Dumb Luck by Dahlia Donovan

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

When two small-town country dudes win the lottery, they finally find the courage to speak their truth.

An unexpected adventure follows.

Linwood “Woody” Robinson has a routine. He works for his baby brother in construction, buys three lottery tickets every week, and lusts after his best friend from high school. He’s done the same thing for twenty years.

Eddison “Eddie” Howard owns the only gas station in their small South Carolina town, sells lottery tickets, and lusts after his best friend from afar. They joke around but never speak their truth. He knows they’re cowards but can’t seem to find the courage to bridge the gulf between them.

And then they win eighty million dollars.

Life changes.

They go from never talking about their feelings to facing the world together.

Can anything pull them apart?

Pure Dumb Luck by Dahlia Donovan is a sweet, contemporary romance from one of my favorite authors. A story on the shorter side, it goes quickly, especially as the two men have been in love with each other since they were teenagers, although they never really acted on it. So you have a, more or less, established relationship that moves into a next stage during a series of trips around the world. It’s cute, full of romance, not much angst (a tiny bit) and a nice cast of secondary characters.

Things I especially enjoyed was the fact that this was an older couple, the men having known each other for years. But that same element also made me wish for more of their past history, perhaps scenes or a more solid foundation for their relationship to spring into a full born deep love that’s seen here. They apparently have loved each other for 20 years yet it takes a win and a kiss for all that to come pouring out?

I wanted to know more about them. Instead I actually got too much of a travelogue. Too much hiking or whatever they were doing when all I wanted was more of their dynamics or interaction. Dahlia Donovan is excellent at layered characters and interesting relationships and I was looking forward to a couple who had delayed theirs 20 years. Instead I got a tour.

Yes, parts of this story was undoubtedly endearing and some scenes were sweet. But I still wanted more depth. Or perhaps a balance between travel and relationship that felt was missing.

I did enjoy it and the reading went quickly as I said. It was a nice, sweet story. And I always love seeing a older couple get their HEA.

Cover art: Well at least one half of the couple looks like they could be the right age. Cute and eye catching.

Book Details:

ebook, 129 pages
Published September 28th 2019 by Hot Tree Publishing
ISBN139781925853841

Love a Contemporary Romance? Check Out the Tour for “Pure Dumb Luck” by Dahlia Donovan (excerpt and giveaway)

Dahlia Donovan has a new contemporary MM romance out: Pure Dumb Luck.

When two small-town country dudes win the lottery, they finally find the courage to speak their truth.

An unexpected adventure follows.

And then they win eighty million dollars.

Life changes.

They go from never talking about their feelings to facing the world together.

Can anything pull them apart?

Giveaway

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Excerpt

“Go inside. Buy your lottery tickets. Shoot the shit—all calm and natural-like.” Woody gripped the steering wheel of his pickup truck tightly, trying to talk himself into getting out of it. A familiar pep talk. Familiar and oft repeated. “You’ve known Eddie since elementary school. You’ve been staring at his ass since he played quarterback to your running back in junior high. No point in getting all fucking weird around him now.”

Patting the bobblehead football player on his dashboard for good luck, Woody reluctantly slipped out of his truck. He slammed the door and plastered a grin on his face. Lottery tickets wouldn’t buy themselves.

And Eddie had already seen his truck. If he ran away now, he’d never hear the end of it. The temptation to get back into his vehicle was strong.

C’mon.

This is not even close to the hardest part of your day.

Except it had definitely become the most difficult daily event. Woody had never considered himself a coward, yet every single morning, he walked into the gas station to see his best friend, the person he’d been in love with for years, and said nothing beyond small talk.

He never told the truth of the ache in his heart growing too painful to ignore. He couldn’t. What if Eddie rejected him?

“Your usual?”

Woody grinned at Eddie, who ran thefamily-ownedgas station in their little country town nestled in the middle of a national forest in the southern Appalachian Mountains. “You know me. Boring as shit. I’m consistent, at least.”

“One large coffee, one pack of powdered donuts, and three lottery tickets. Two for you, one for me.” Eddie rolled his dark brown eyes and held out a large hand for the card Woody held out to him. “You never change, dude. You’ve been doing this for twenty years—since high school. I know Coach said you were full of dumb luck, but I don’t think he meant with the Mega Millions.”

“Have a little faith, Eddie.” He grabbed both his breakfast and the lottery tickets, winking at his oldest friend, who hadn’t changed much in the thirty years since they’d known each other. Still as fucking hot as the day I first saw him in the shower at the gym. His warm brown skin had glistened under the shower. Maybe stop thinking about Eddie naked in the middle of the gas station. “We still on for fishing this weekend?”

“Unless you get lucky with your numbers. If you do, we’ll go fishing on a yacht instead of your granddaddy’s rickety old boat.” He tapped a finger against the ticket stub in Woody’s hand. “Go on. Get your ass out of here. You’re ruining the atmosphere. Plus, I like watching you leave.”

For the past twenty years, they’d danced around each other. Woody had given up on anything happening between them outside of harmless flirting. Maybe it was too clichéd—two former jocks who fell in love on the football field finally getting their chance in their late thirties.

It sounded like a cheesy movie plot.

The only way I’m getting lucky at this point is with the lottery tickets.

And I’m all out of luck with that as well.

Author Bio

Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.

Author Website: https://dahliadonovan.com/

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