Category: Contemporary fiction

A Lucy Review: The Pet Stylist and the Playboy (The Hedonist #2) by Rebecca James

Rating: 3 Stars out of 5

Told in alternating first person point of view this is the story of Swish, a man who has a traumatic past who has been staying with the Hedonist bike club for the past two years.  He shares a room with Dante, the biker who found him in a restroom and saved him. The fact that Swish is in love with Dante is incidental because Dante is a huge player and sleeps with everyone, male or female, usually where Swish knows what is happening.  Swish is starting to feel like a freeloader and needs to change.  He is developing a pet grooming following and he also works with Gus, an elderly man who runs an animal sanctuary.  It isn’t just a shelter because these men love and care for the animals they take in. “His generosity was one of the reasons I wanted to take him up on his offer for me to move into the shelter.  He was pretty old and didn’t have any help.”  Swish is a gentle, giving person.

Dante is another story.  I have to say, he was pretty disappointing all the way through.  He found Swish and saved him, yes, but he is really dismissive of Swish’s feelings for a lot of it.  I just couldn’t understand the whole family thing either.  Dante’s family is very wealthy and he is expected to work for his father’s companies when he turns thirty.  This is something he absolutely does not want to do.  His parents, especially his mother, don’t even seem to like him and he is a constant disappointment to them yet he is willing to hurt himself and people he cares about to try to win some kind of approval from them.

Swish moving out causes some angst for Dante and he gets a job working for Gus, fixing up the sanctuary, and starts to realize how little he actually knows about Swish and how little effort he’s ever put into getting to know him. 

“How come you never told me you real name’s Isaac?”

“Did you think it was Swish? You never asked.”

“I hadn’t and I didn’t know why.”

This is not, however, enough to make Dante actually do right by Swish and it was so frustrating.  I wanted Swish to find someone else – Hugh would have been awesome! He doesn’t bother to say goodbye to Swish the day Swish moves out and then is surprised when Swish is hurt by that.  “Dante had left without saying goodbye? Tears pricked my eyes and I wrapped my arms around my middle, reminding myself I was used to being thrown away.  But somehow it hurt way more coming from Dante.”

Dante starts to find out things about Isaac that he never bothered to before.  Like why Isaac was in that restroom.  What he wears under his clothes. “Hell, lately it feels like I never knew you at all.”  Well, he didn’t really.  “Swish frowned.  “You’ve never tried to get to know me.” 

“I didn’t want to admit to myself I’d been so dismissive of him, or that he might have been reluctant to ask me about myself.”  That is how things were, though. It got worse for me when Dante starts to date Felicity, a high society woman that his parents chose for him and yet continues to see Swish and sleep with him.  I wanted to cheer when Gus confronts Dante on it because Swish needed someone who’d care enough to want the best for him.  Gus, just loved him.  Swish has Ax as well, another member of the Hedonists who is a good friend and tries to shake some sense into Dante.  Who doesn’t listen of course.  Honestly, this book was a four star read for Gus, Axel, Caleb and Isaac, and a one star for Dante so I averaged it.  He just didn’t redeem himself for me at all. There was a feel of too little, too late, and I couldn’t help wondering if Dante hadn’t had the revelation about his parents what would have happened.

The supporting characters were great, even Felicity who I was prepared to hate.  I am seriously hoping that the next story will be Axel and Caleb.  Blaze needs one as well so we know what is up with him.  While this isn’t a book I would read again, I would definitely continue the series to see what happens.

Cover art by Reese Dante shows Swish and Dante.   While the image of Swish, long brown hair, cross earring and pretty face, is very close to how I thought he would be from the book, Dante is not, other than the long blonde hair. There is a leather jacket but he looks a little young and too soft to be Dante for me.

Sales Links:

AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2KDP9w0

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/2ucScQz

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 274 pages
Published July 7th 2018
Original TitleThe Pet Stylist and the Playboy (The Hendonist, #2)
ASINB07F5PZV6D
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Hedonist #2

Release Blitz for A Dangerous Dance (Haven Hart # 3) by Davidson King (excerpt and giveaway)

A Dangerous Dance RDB Banner

A Dangerous Dance

Haven Hart Series, Book 3

Davidson King

Publication Date: July 17th

M/M, Romance, Suspense, Drama

 

A-Dangerous-Dance---EBook-Cover-Only 

 

Cover Design: Morningstar Ashley @ Designs by Morningstar

Synopsis

Finally working for a man he can trust has given Bill a new purpose. His boss, Christopher Manos, commands respect and absolute loyalty, and Bill has proven himself worthy of a seat at Christopher’s table. Becoming best friends with Christopher’s husband, Snow, has further proven his allegiance and cements a place for him in the Manos family. When Snow’s life is in danger, Christopher places his full trust in Bill to destroy anything and anyone that poses a threat to his husband. But hunting and wiping out the enemy for the safety of everyone Bill cares about means partnering with the one person he has vowed to never see again.

Mace wears a mask of vain cockiness and uses his model good looks to his full advantage. Known to many as Without a Trace Mace, he’s a deadly assassin well known for wiping out whole families and getting away without a trace. With a dangerous past and an unknown future, Mace uses his veil of conceit to keep others at a distance, rarely trusting anyone. When his boss, Black–the one man he trusts above all others—gives him his next assignment, he learns his newest partner is none other than Bill, the man he’d do anything to avoid.

With the safety of the Manos family on the line at the hands of a brilliant maniac, Bill and Mace begrudgingly put their differences aside to ensure Snow, and his loved ones, are protected from harm.  With their lives in grave danger and the clock ticking towards zero hour, they navigate deathly perilous situations and uncertain outcomes, hoping they survive long enough to keep the Manos family safe.

Bill and Mace’s traitorous hearts draw them closer together no matter how hard they fight the inevitable. With the lives of their loved ones hanging in the balance, they find themselves in the middle of a dangerous dance. But when the music stops, will they both be left standing?

Amazon Exclusive/KU

Length: 57,400 words

Good Reads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40663791-a-dangerous-dance

A Dangerous Dance Teaser 2

A Dangerous Dance Teaser 3

Excerpt

The night before, I left Mace sleeping on the couch. I’d never admit it to him, but I ended up foregoing the end of The Fifth Element in favor of watching him sleep. He was a gorgeous man. Too beautiful for a mere mortal, almost.

I remembered when we were staking out a place we thought Lee was in last year, Mace was so bored, he ended up watching cat videos. He had laughed like he was afraid of being caught. It was then I began wondering why he’d felt that way. Of course, it had only taken him opening his mouth to remind me why I didn’t give a shit.

People like Mace fucked men like Snow. Ethereal, stunning, pristine men. Men that when they rubbed up against you made you shine brighter. I fucked whoever showed me even a little interest. I wasn’t picky.

When I had worked for Roy, I never fucked the underage boys like he did. Never raped anyone like he did. I slipped into gay clubs, fucked a stranger in a bathroom, and rushed back before anyone knew I was gone. Sex for me was never a beautiful thing. It was a necessary thing. Something I did so my balls wouldn’t explode.

“We leave in ten,” Mace shouted through my bedroom door, where I was getting dressed to blend into Wet and Wild Night at Joker’s Sin. I didn’t have clubbing clothes, so I opted for a white t-shirt, black jeans, and my boots. It was getting colder outside and often a flurry would pop up out of nowhere, so I was glad I had my leather jacket.

When I stepped out of the bedroom, Mace was leaning against the wall, scrolling through his phone. Most likely a message from Black. I was able to take a moment to appreciate the physicality of the man. Long legs that would wrap nicely around my waist. The white shirt was so sheer, I could see the shadows of lean muscles I wouldn’t mind painting with my come. His dark, layered hair was longer than I’d ever seen it and my fingers twitched with the need to grip it as I thrust into his tight…

“Why are you staring at me? Do I have a stain or something?” He frantically began looking over every inch of fabric. I decided to put him out of his misery.

“Nothing’s wrong. I was just wondering if I was underdressed. I don’t want to stick out, I need to fit in.”

Mace took me in. His gaze was both welcomed and dangerous. Lust danced in his eyes and I suddenly wondered how this even happened. I hated this man, everything he stood for, and his better than thou attitude. Why was I suddenly wondering what he tasted like?

Had I not seen the want in his gaze, I wouldn’t have believed he’d find someone like me appealing at all.

“You look good.”His voice was rough and when he turned away, I felt the loss like ice water thrust over me. “Jones is driving us. He’ll watch the entrance. Zagan is unpredictable, so we need all the eyes we can get.”

Davidson King Logo

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

When she’s not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17286464.Davidson_King

Twitter: @DavidsonKing11 https://twitter.com/DavidsonKing11

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MCMD5r

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

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/DavidsonKingAuthor/

Facebook Group: King’s Court: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DavidsonKingsCourt/

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Vibrant Promotions Logo

Release Blitz – Nothing Serious by Jay Northcote

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 40,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
Blurb
 

What happens when “nothing serious” turns into something more complicated?


Mark O’Brien is finally being honest with himself. His relationship with Rachel is over and he’s moving out of the home they’ve shared for six years. They get along, but he can’t fix a relationship when the person he’s with is the wrong gender.


Jamie Robertson, one of the removal men, is huge and ridiculously gorgeous, and Mark is smitten at first sight. When a cardboard box splits, revealing items of a personal nature that Mark never wanted anybody to see, he’s mortified. But it sparks the start of a beautiful friendship with benefits.


As Jamie initiates Mark into the joys of gay sex, the two men get increasingly close and “nothing serious” turns into something rather important to both of them. But communication isn’t their strong point. Will either man ever find the courage to be honest about his feelings?


Please note that although this edition has been re-edited for publication, there is no new or additional content.


Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are also available as audiobooks.

Website: https://jaynorthcote.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jay_Northcote
Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotewriter
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotefiction
Facebook author group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jaysplayground
Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/JN-readers
Jay’s books: http://author.to/JayNorthcote

Audiobook Tour for Unscripted Love (Road to Blissville #1) by Aimee Nicole Walker (excerpt)

 Unscripted Love Audio Tour Banner

UNSCRIPTED LOVE

Road to Blissville Series, Book 1

AIMEE NICOLE WALKER

M/M ROMANCE

AUDIO RELEASE: 05.29.18

 

Unscripted Love Audio Cover 

PHOTOGRAPHER: Wander Aguiar

COVER ARTIST:  Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art

Narrator: Joel Leslie

Listening Length: 8 hours and 49 minutes

UL Full Cover 

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2uzVnkV

AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2tzosN1 

BLURB 

Kyle Vaughn had three goals in life: become a vet, find the man of his dreams, and start a family. He easily checked off the first item on the list when he took over his grandfather’s veterinary practice. Too bad he wasn’t as lucky in love.

Chaz Hamilton took a leap of faith when he decided to pursue a career in writing, but one best seller didn’t mean he could quit his day job. All work and no play threatened to make Chaz a very dull man when the only romantic action he saw was in the pages of his manuscript. Too bad he couldn’t write his own happily every after.

Circumstances pushed the two men together, and one magical kiss beneath fireworks and stars changed everything. Kyle knew his luck had finally turned around and Chaz found a man far better than any book boyfriend ever written. There was just one problem. Chaz has kept a secret from Kyle that could ruin their chance at a beautiful life together.

Kyle and Chaz learn that the best-laid plans often go awry, the heart has a mind of its own, and the greatest love is unscripted.

The books in the Road to Blissville series can be read either as standalone books or as part of the series. This book contains sexually explicit material and is intended for mature adults 18 and older.

UL Teaser 4

UL teaser 5

UL Teaser 6

EXCERPT

“What’s wrong with Harry?” Dr. Vaughn aka Dr. Dimples, Dr. Do Me, and Dr. D asked me. Harry? No, I manscape to within an inch of my life. No wild bush with hairy man berries here! Dr. Vaughn narrowed his eyes and leaned toward me a little bit. I leaned back in surprise causing him to chuckle. “Stay still a second,” he said, “you have something in the corner of your eye.”

Dr. Vaughn cupped the left side of my face in his big, strong hand and gently worked something loose from my right eye. Hand to God I thought I was going to faint right then and there. I prayed hard that the trembling I felt was internal because I was nowhere close to being in the guy’s league. I saw the kind of man he dated, and I didn’t measure up—probably in more ways than one. In fact, I’d just seen him flirting with his ex-boyfriend in the damn lobby. I couldn’t blame him for wanting to climb the hunky detective, but I had a feeling that ship had long sailed. Detective Wyatt had his eyes set on my best friend Josh, who tried really hard to hide his mutual attraction to the man.

“There,” Dr. Vaughn said. He held his finger up to show me the eyelash he’d worked free from the corner of my eye. “Aren’t you supposed to make a wish and blow on it?”

Do me, Dr. Dimples. Do me, Dr. Dimples “Are we still talking about the eyelash?” I asked. I felt my face flame red with embarrassment when I realized what I’d said. Dr. Vaughn’s eyes widened as if maybe he imagined my lips wrapped around his cock, but that was probably wishful thinking on my part.

“Uhhh,” the normally unflappable man said.

For the life of me, I don’t know what made me do it. Perhaps it was his blown pupils or the racing pulse at his neck, but I wrapped my hand around his wrist and lowered my lips until they hovered over his finger with the eyelash. I kept my eyes locked on his while I gently blew on his finger. Dr. Vaughn swallowed hard then broke eye contact long enough to look down at his finger. A wide smile had bloomed across his face before he said, “Looks like you need to blow a little harder.”

Sure enough, my eyelash dangled from the tip of his finger. That little bastard was clinging to the sexy vet’s fingers for dear life. Dr. Vaughn cocked his eyebrow as if he dared me to do it again and I surely couldn’t back down after the stunt I pulled.

Aimee Logo

I am a wife and mother to three kids, three dogs, and a cat. When I’m not dreaming up stories, I like to lose myself in a good book, cook or bake. I’m a girly tomboy

who paints her fingernails while watching sports and yelling at the referees.

I will always choose the book over the movie. I believe in happily-ever-after. Love inspires everything that I do. Music keeps me sane.

FACEBOOK

AMAZON

TWITTER

BLOG

Joel Leslie/Narrator

Joel Leslie is a UK transplant, growing up with American parents in a British commonwealth.  A classically trained actor with an MFA in theatre from USC, he is often cast for his unique ability to deliver native, authentic combinations of American and British sounds.  His great range and ability to bring characters to life with honesty, wit and versatility delights producers and listeners alike.

He is proud to have a strong following with m/m listeners and an ongoing relationship with some of the finest writers in the genre.  He loves that every day he gets to share these beautiful, inspirational and empowering GLBT characters with the world.

His authors have praised him as “a narrator among narrators, a man whose ability to create different characters rests on the power of his voice and his impeccable delivery,” and a “true delight…” “his professionalism, good humor, and charm make him a dream to work with,” “Anyone else would only be second best”.

Joel has consistent access to his home studio for all production needs.  When not in the booth he spends his time chasing after two loquacious wiener dogs.

http://www.joelleslienarration.com/

Vibrant Promotions Logo

Book Blast for Drive Shaft by Geoffrey Knight (excerpt and giveaway)

 

DRIVE SHAFT

GEOFFREY KNIGHT

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 06.11.18

 

AMAZON US:  https://amzn.to/2Jmj9H6

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/2JlvjQH

BLURB

Jensen Rivers wasn’t looking for trouble. As the new kid on the block at Clyde’s Body Shop, all Jensen wanted was a job, a place where he could put his head down and ass up.

But Dean ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson plans on getting more than just Jensen’s hands dirty. Reckless and arrogant, drenched in sweat and dripping with a masculinity that cannot be tamed, Hutch is determined to claim victory over his new work colleague – both physically and sexually.

Will Jensen risk everything to find the love trapped behind Hutch’s fearless façade? Will Hutch bury the secret tragedy of his past before he throws away his last chance at a future? Will the dangers that confront them both be enough to tear them apart… or bring them together forever?

** This novel combines two sequential novellas previously published separately, titled Drive Shaft and Drive Shaft: Between a Rock and a Hard Place.

 

EXCERPT

Jensen’s chest was smooth and brown, his back broad and wet with perspiration by the time he’d removed the Maverick’s radiator and replaced it with the new one. His blond hair had turned to mud-honey with sweat while he took down the leaning tower of tires and built a new, sturdier tower out back. Every now and then Hutch would roll out from under the car he was working on and pretend to look for a different tool, just to steal a glance at Jensen as he lugged the tires with his bare hands, sometimes three or four at a time, his biceps shining, veins straining.

When Jensen didn’t return after the last trip out back, Hutch got suspicious.

Outside, Jensen’s wide glistening shoulders drank up the hot sun. His right shoulder caught a bright flash of sunlight as he flung the last tire on top of the solid stack he’d made. He wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm and left a murky streak, then something else in the yard caught his eye.

Over by the side of the auto shop, sitting on a second driveway behind an old pick-up truck, was a car.

Correction, it was a car concealed beneath a snug-fitting tailor-made car cover.

Jensen’s curiosity got the better of him and he wandered over. He squatted by one of the front tires, only able to see the bottom half of its gleaming black surface and sparkling alloys. Jensen smiled approvingly without even knowing it and murmured to himself, “Michelin Pilot Sport 2. Nice.”

The Michelin instantly gave him a pretty damn good idea what was under the cover and he couldn’t wait to see the rest.

He unfastened the clips on the front driver’s side and began to unveil the beauty beneath, getting the briefest glimpse of royal blue before—

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Jensen let go of the cover. It parachuted back down over the hood of the car as he spun about to see Hutch glaring at him, coveralls still hitched low, leaving plenty of room for his scuffed hands to grip his hips, fingers hooked on his deep-etched obliques. And that tuft of pubic hair was still visible, just, where his coveralls hung loose and open.

Jensen felt light-headed, maybe it was the heat, but right now he wanted to reach inside those coveralls and lift out whatever was hiding underneath just about as much as he wanted to lift that car cover.

“I was…I couldn’t help myself…I was just kinda curious about what’s…under there.” He didn’t realise he was still looking at Hutch’s crotch.

Hutch followed his gaze down and couldn’t help but smirk. “Are you talking about my car or my cock?”

“The car!” Jensen snapped his gaze straight back up to Hutch, then suddenly realized he couldn’t look the grinning, gorgeous mechanic in the eye and spun about to once again gaze distractedly at the covered car next to him. He blurted nervously, “If I ain’t wrong it’s a fourth generation Dodge Viper coupe. 6-speed transmission. Triple first-gear synchronizers and doubles for the higher gears. Zero to a hundred miles in 7.8 seconds. Clocked at speeds faster than the Corvette Z06 and the Porsche 911 Turbo with a record of 202 miles per hour.”

Hutch raised one eyebrow, somewhat impressed by the kid’s knowledge, then corrected him. “7.6. She does zero to a hundred in 7.6 seconds. I’ve timed it myself.”

“Can I see it?”

“No.”

Hutch crouched down, took the corner of the car cover in his hands and began fastening the clips. The coveralls sat even lower from behind, sliding down to reveal the top of his round hard ass cheeks and the slit of his crack. Jensen watched a trickle of sweat run down Hutch’s spine and glisten in his ass crack.

“Please can I see?” he pressed.

Hutch stood and stepped close to face the blond Texan.

Jensen could feel the heat coming off Hutch’s warm skin, smell the sweat from his chest and armpits. It was sweet. Intoxicating. Jensen felt light-headed again and shuffled his feet a little wider to steady himself. He took a deep breath.

Suddenly Hutch jabbed his finger into the dead center of Jensen’s chest and held it there, buried in the valley that ran down between the Texan’s pectoral muscles. “You want me to show you what I got? Then bring it. Tonight, you and me shut up shop, then it’s you and your little Vespa versus me and the Viper.”

“It ain’t a Vespa.”

“Whatever.” Hutch slid his finger slowly down Jensen’s pecs, zigzagging from one to the other.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Geoffrey Knight is the author of more than 30 gay fiction novels, novellas and short stories, ranging in genre from gay adventure, gay romance, gay suspense and gay comedies. He is the recipient of two Rainbow Awards including Best Mystery Winner and Best Overall Gay Fiction Runner-up. His work has been featured in several anthologies including Best Gay Erotica 2013, and he appeared as Guest of Honor at the inaugural Rainbow Con in Florida, 2014.

Geoffrey has worked in advertising, politics and journalism, but nothing is as fun as telling stories. He lives with his partner, their baby daughter, two dogs and two cats in a rambling old house in North Queensland, Australia, where the paint is fraying and life is good.

Amazon Author Page

Twitter

Facebook

GIVEAWAY

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