Release Blitz – EXPOSURE by Aly Hayden (excerpt and giveaway)

exposureebooksmall

Title: Exposure

Author: Aly Hayden

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Aria from Resplendent Media

Genres: Contemporary M/M Romance

Length: 61,000 words/150 pages approx.

 It is the first book in the Drawn Together series.

Each book follows a different couple, so there’s a HEA and no cliffhanger.

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Blurb

Sam Hayward’s parents think he has a boyfriend. And he does… in his dreams. But when they insist Sam bring his partner to the annual Labor Day family reunion, his options are to either admit it was all a lie or find a stand-in in a hurry. The trouble is that his lies have all been based on one very real man.

Ben Matheny has been hurt before. When he’s bribed into playing a part by his friends, he fleshes out Sam’s dreams, but it’s like flying too close to the sun. He’s always had a crush on Sam, and now they’re going to the Hamptons to spend a week pretending they’re lovers, everything is getting harder.

When Ben uncovers another lie Sam has told – that Ben is every bit as rich as Sam is – things begin to unravel. If Sam isn’t happy with who Ben is, Ben can’t stick around to get burned again.

With their hearts on the line, the two must fight for their dreams as the pressure mounts. It would be so easy to admit that it was all a sham, but some dreams are worth the risk.

EXPOSURE BLURB

Excerpt

“Guess we have the hot tub all to ourselves,” Ben said with a smile.

He didn’t know whether he meant the words to be flirtatious or not. It was one thing to flirt when there were other people present. That was just what he did, how he interacted with people. Deliberately flirting with Sam was different. Dangerous.

“Guess we do.”

Sam’s voice was lower than usual. Almost seductive. There was no one around that would make Sam feel like he had to play the part of the boyfriend, which meant only one thing: Sam was actually into him. The signs were all there, if Ben was reading them correctly—the way Sam had taken to holding his hand, the morning wood after cuddling all night long, the look Sam had given him when he’d seen Ben in the shorts. And then there was that thing he had started to say right before they had gotten on the boat.

Much as Ben wanted to believe that Sam might have feelings for him too, there was still a part of him that wasn’t sure. There was certainly one way for him to find out, though. The hot tub was big enough for about six people, so naturally they had taken corners along the same wall. Slowly, Ben moved closer and closer to Sam, until they were sitting side by side. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves, and let his leg brush against Sam’s.

“What are you doing?” Sam’s voice was low and husky, and when Ben looked up, he found Sam’s pupils so large that only a sliver of hazel showed around the edges.

He swallowed hard. “Getting closer to you.”

His heart beat so fast that his chest ached as he waited for Sam to do something. Say something. Have any reaction at all. It had been so easy when it was just flirting, but this…this was terrifying.

Seconds passed, though, and Sam didn’t move away. Instead, he leaned back against the side of the hot tub and slid his hand into Ben’s, underneath the water.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said softly.

Encouraged by the reaction, Ben shifted down a bit and let his head rest on Sam’s shoulder. “Me too.” They sat in silence for a few seconds. Ben didn’t want to ruin the moment, but he knew that if he didn’t say anything, he would regret it. “Before, when we were about to get on the boat. What were you going to say?”

“I um…” Sam scratched at the back of his neck. “I was going to say, what if—”

“Sammy, Benny!”

Ben whipped around to see Karrigan. Someone had escaped from nap time. He fought to suppress a groan. Looked like this conversation would have to wait.

Buy Links

Amazon US link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075L266KH

Amazon UK link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075L266KH

Goodreads Link

Meet the Author

Aly Hayden has loved writing ever since she learned to pick up a pencil. As a child, she used to write short stories, then progressed to novels of various genres, none of which were ever published – for good reason. She started writing fanfiction in 2011, publishing on Archive of Our Own. After finding M/M romance in 2012, she fell in love and made it her mission to write one of her own one day. When Aly isn’t writing, she can be found playing with her lovable Yorkie and watching old reruns of House Hunters.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website

Facebook Author Page

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Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway: WIN ONE OF THREE e-copies of Exposure

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Blitz Schedule

EXPOSURE SCHEDULE 2

SEPTEMBER 14

Millsy Loves Books 

The Way She Reads

Tangents and Tissues 

Geekymama’s Reviews 

SEPTEMBER 15

Books Laid Bare Boys 

The Reading Addict 

Reviews by Crystal 

SEPTEMBER 16

Diverse Reader 

Bayou Book Junkie 

Top 2 Bottom Reviews and More 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 

Making it Happen 

My Fiction Nook 

Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author 

Megan’s Media Melange 

A Book Lover’s Dream Book Blog

SEPTEMBER 19

Drops of Ink  

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

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A MelanieM Release Day Review: Finding Mr. Wright (Leaning N #2) by BA Tortuga

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including weddings. And misunderstandings.

Colorado wedding planner Mason O’Reilly lands a major contract: a two-hundred-guest wedding at the Leanin’ N Ranch, where his friends Ford and Stoney are working to provide a safe space for GLBT events. The Wright/Preston ceremony is a destination wedding, and as the grooms are from Texas, everything is done over the phone and email. There’s no way that could lead to trouble, right?

Oops.

Oil tycoon Noah Wright isn’t happy about the impending disaster, but he admires Mason’s quick thinking and grace under pressure. And that’s not all he likes about the out-and-proud wedding planner. Even though Mason’s interested in Noah, his Mr. Right can’t possibly be a rancher from Dallas.

Can he?

Finding Mr. Wright, the second story in the Leaning N series by BA Tortuga, involves wedding planner Mason O’Reilly, a secondary character from Commitment Ranch.   I had wanted Mason to get his HEA and here he does.  Though it takes a while.

All the wonderful characters from the original story are here, Stoney, Ford, their kid and the various ranch hands including their chef (who needs his own story).  They form a wonderful foundation along with the Leaning N ranch for  Mason and Noah Wright to meet, clash and learn to love.  Of course, there are Texans, lots of mad Texans, transplanted to Colorado with a side trip south for good measure.  I have to admit, that was the part that threw me here for a little while.

Normally I love the Texas influence in BA Tortuga’s stories but when it went upscale (how I love me BA Tortuga’s redneck cowboy lovers) as it did with Wright’s family, especially with Noah’s mother who I sort of despised, part of the heart went out of this story and it went cold.  I understood that we needed to see where Noah was coming from and how much he had to work through.  Totally worked.  Still think his mama owes Mason a huge apology.

It took at trip back into the snow, up into the mountains of Colorado to find the warmth and heart of this series, for Noah to realize where his future was, as well as the fire and romance that pours out of this series.  The Leaning N Ranch and all the come out of there are special.  BA Tortuga creates these  little villages of people that form unique families, ones you never get tired of reading about.  All sort of quirky and wonderful.  There are lesbian partners, chefs with a past who make up incredible concoctions, tattooed hulks who show up and never leave only to become indispensable in the kitchen,  and of course Stoney and Ford and their kid.  Now there’s  Mason and Noah.

Can’t wait to see who’s next.  Yes, I love this series.  Yes, I recommend it.  Pick up the first one and head to this one next.  I’m already eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Cover Artist: Bree Archer.  I like the cover but wish it was just a little more detailed.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:ebook, 1st edition, 226 pages
Expected publication: September 15th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781635338744
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series: Leaning N

 

A Lila Review: Life Is Not A Musical (Woodstock Love #1) by Vicktor Alexander

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

 

When Nathaniel “Than” Kelly is told to uncover and report on the secrets in widowed billionaire, viral sensation, single dad, Dominic Montgomery’s closet on why he’s so hell bent in giving his daughter the world, he doesn’t expect to lose his heart in the process; but it may be too late to earn forgiveness of a man who has already experienced loss and betrayal.

Widowed, billionaire father, Dominic Montgomery would do anything to make his daughter, Vienna, smile. Whether it’s taking her to see Taylor Swift in concert every time she’s close to Woodstock to dressing up in a tutu and dancing in her ballet recital to singing Disney songs anywhere… anytime. He’s doing everything he can to be the perfect father. Even if that means pretending he’s in a Disney movie, the handsome prince in search of his princess. There’s just one problem.

Dominic’s bisexuality. It’s a secret he was planning to take to his grave, but his wife discovered it and it caused her death. But when word gets out about his “Musical Day” and undercover reporter Than Kelly arrives, Dominic falls… HARD. But, can he put aside his guilt to find his own happily-ever-after with the man who may just be his fairytale come true, or will he allow it to rule him forever?

 

Life Is Not a Musical didn’t live up to my expectations. I’m a big Vicktor Alexander fan but it was hard for me to get into this story. It has interesting characters and a nice premise, but overall, it was too much when put together.

 

The relationship between Than and Dominic adds the most to the story. It’s easy to see Dominic’s guilt and Than’s regret. I enjoyed Than’s interactions with Vienna, but Dominic’s were a bit too over-the-top.

 

The author did create the framework for a Disney-like musical story. All the events and the preparations fill the bill and it’s executed well. Also, Dominic’s bisexuality is an important component and it’s very well-written. As well as the acceptance and explanations for other sexualities and identities

If you are looking for a soap opera-like story, this might be your story.

 

The cover by Jared Rackler shows Than and Dominic during Musical Day. It does show an important scene, but the composition is a bit awkward.

 

Sale Links: MLRAmazon | Nook

 

ebook, 263 pages
Published: August 11, 2017, by MLR Press
ISBN: 9781370735761
Edition Language: English

Lina Langley On the Inspiration Behind Her Characters and her release Welcome to Crash (DSP Publications Promo Tour)

Welcome to Crash by Lina Langley
DSP Publications
The cover artist is Anna Sikorska
Available for purchase at DSP Publications

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Lina Langley here today on her Welcome to Crash tour.  Welcome, Lina.

✒︎

Sam Riordan is a minor but important figure in Welcome To Crash. Part of the reason for that is the frame of reference that he provides for Damien as a character. When Damien gets a job at Crash, he’s ridiculously excited. It’s the equivalent of getting a job at Andy Warhol’s studio. Of course, Sam Riordan is supposed to be long dead, and everyone around Damien acting as if he was still alive and simply around is completely dismissed by Damien. It’s just something that artsy people that he doesn’t get would do. And Damien is, in effect, right. That is absolutely the kind of stunt that Sam Riordan would pull off, if he wanted to. Damien isn’t wrong in thinking that. Sam Riordan is more than just a painter, he’s an artist (and an artiste), hugely influential in Damien’s worlds in ways that don’t simply influence the story, but rather the entire cultural framework that encompasses it.

Sam Riordan is an amalgamation of various artists who were hugely influential, mostly in the twentieth century. He’s heavily based on both David Bowie and Salvador Dali.

The thing about these artists is that not one of them was perfect as people, but they were both hugely influential in their mediums. In Welcome to Crash, Sam’s presence is seen as something of a myth. Even when people speak about him, even in the studio, they do so in hushed tones. Long after Riordan is supposed to be dead, his presence lingers–John has a job at his studio, Damien thinks he’s extremely lucky to have landed it, and Levi is writing a book about it.

Sam Riordan’s relationships closely resemble those of Salvador Dali’s. He’s married, to someone who he considers the love of his life, but unlike Dali, he’s openly bisexual. While Salvador Dali denied that he had any homosexual inclinations, it was rumoured until the end of his life that he had a passionate love affair with Garcia Lorca. Federico Garcia Lorca was a legendary Spanish playwright and he was openly in love with Dali. While Dali denied claims that the two were involved romantically, many of his peers contend this. Whether or not the playwright and the artist were involved, Dali and his wife were deeply in love and they had a long, fulfilling marriage. Their relationship, first as artist and muse, and then as artist and wife, was complex and often complicated, but they were madly in love. The relationship with Sam Riordan’s wife, while only briefly touched on in the book, is extremely similar to the one that Dali had with his wife. When it’s looked back within an academic and historical framework, Sam Riordan’s relationship with his wife is matter-of-fact, just another facet of a modern art genius who dared to break the norms of what society dictated a marriage between a man and a woman had to be at the time. Unlike John, however, Sam Riordan is not a punk in the slightest. His convictions are a lot more whimsical and he’s only anti-establishment when it serves a purpose. He is who he is, and he’s proud and unapologetic, but he’s also shy and prefer to communicate through his art.

Which brings me to the second artist that Riordan was based on: David Bowie.

David Bowie’s influence on modern pop music cannot be understated. He told the world that he was gay, then as bisexual, in the 70s, and he pushed performance boundaries with androgynous make-up, dresses and other concepts which weren’t as accepted at the time. He was firmly part of gay culture while he was at the top of the charts in the 70s, releasing songs like “John, I’m only dancing”. Bowie’s sexuality was thoroughly questioned at the time and he spoke publicly about it through the years, often changing what he said. Bowie pushed hard against the boundaries of gender representation and what gender was. Some academics argue that it was done carelessly, in ways that only hurt the queer community (especially the gay community, which at one point, believed they had found an ally in the huge rock star and just as quickly lost it), but the influence of David Bowie’s androgyny and cross dressing in more mainstream pop culture remains far reaching to this day.

His sexuality–or the public persona surrounding his sexuality–wasn’t what influenced Sam Riordan’s character the most. David Bowie’s personas weren’t designed only to push boundaries, they were there because he was famously shy. David Jones could never perform in front of an audience, but Ziggy Stardust was the kind of star that would announce he was quitting to a packed stadium at the very height of his career. This is the kind of artist Sam is, famously shy and willing to adapt as long as he gets to push boundaries.

Sam is a background character through the story, but his existence is complex and he plays an important role, both for Damien’s story and in the context of his cultural framework. That’s the reason that Damien thinks, well, if anyone is alive even though they’re supposed not to be, of course it’s Sam Riordan.

Blurb

At first, Damien feels lucky to land a job at an influential art studio, but it soon becomes obvious that something’s not right. His gorgeous boss, John, is interested, and he’d be the perfect man for Damien—if Damien wasn’t already in a relationship. It isn’t long before Damien is at the center of a love triangle, forced to choose between hot, punk John and his secret affair with his professor, Levi. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, because something impossible is happening to Damien—and it’s having a drastic effect on his health as well as his perception of reality.
Each time Damien goes to work, things grow more bizarre, starting with Sam—an artist who has been dead for years and now somehow… isn’t. Damien’s unusual circumstances also free him from the restrictions of monogamy—or so he thinks. Levi, who cannot believe Damien’s claims, fears for his sanity. John also has strong doubts when Damien reveals knowledge of a catastrophic event looming in John’s future. Whether the men he loves believe his wild claims or not, neither can deny Damien is languishing, and if they cannot save him, he’ll be lost. More importantly, they must convince Damien to save himself.

About the Author

Lina Langley is a first-generation immigrant. She currently lives in sunny Florida and spends her time slashing hot strangers while getting coffee.
Her past is haunted by spies, thieves, tyrants, and murderers. A resident of the world, she’s lived on three different continents. She first saw a radiator when she was twenty-two years old, and one time she followed a cat instead of going to a house party.
She likes to read, watch TV, and play video games when she’s not developing them. The rest of her free time is spent recreating her own characters in The Sims and hoping that people don’t look at the back end of her games.

A MelanieM Review: Cinnamon Eyes by Nell Iris

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Cory’s had a rough year struggling with severe depression. He’s desperate to rebuild his shattered life and break away from his demanding family. When his therapist encourages him to do something for himself, he knows exactly what he needs. I want to see Asher again. The best friend Corey ever had who, at fifteen, held Cory’s heart in his hands without knowing it.

Asher’s had a troubled relationship with his father since he came out. Now that Pops is sick, he’s fighting for his right to help or even find out about his father’s health. Then there’s the complication of an ex-boyfriend unwilling to let go.

When Cory and Asher meet again after sixteen years, Cory’s feelings are as strong as ever. But does Asher feel the same?

Cinnamon Eyes by Nell Iris is a sweet, heartwarming romance that I totally enjoyed.  Nell Iris is an author I wasn’t really familiar with but I fell in love with her characters and the manner in which she pulled me into their lives and romance.

Both Cory and Asher are men damaged after parting after young kids, a separation neither has recovered from, even after all these years apart.  For Cory, it’s been the crushing pressure and emotional abuse of his cold family that crushed him and sent him into therapy. It’s also found Cory running back to the small town where he left his heart and childhood friend years ago.

Told from alternating points of view, we get an intimate window into what it feel’s like to have an anxiety attack and have depression be a large factor in your life.  The author does a believable, sympathetic handling of Cory’s issues and let’s us connect with him easily from the moment we meet him.  We want Cory to have his HEA and get the shivers when he meets up with Asher once more.

Sixteen years later and I still would have recognized him anywhere. The hair was as unruly as ever, and just as rock ‘n’ roll as his voice. The jawline so sharp he could probably cut glass with it. And the nose was still a little too big for his face.

I couldn’t see his green eyes from here, but I remembered them vividly. The pale color of a leaf newly broken out of its bud in spring, was such a stark contrast to his black eyelashes and olive complexion and had always hypnotized me with their beauty.

When he started singing, his voice pulled me out of my initial shock.

Two best friends
Like no one had ever seen before
Always together
happy and troublesome and wild
Sharing scraped knees
and high flying dreams
Carefree as the clouds in the sky
The boy with laughing cinnamon eyes
And I

The scene goes on and yes, the tears are rolling down my face and I’m so in love with these men and I don’t even know the whole story yet.

Of course life hasn’t been easy for Asher either.  His character is just as layered, just as hurt, injured by people close to him and events he had no control over.  Yet, he’s still in love with the one that left all those years ago.

But even with a reunion, nothing is easy.  Watching Asher and Cory come back together, like melody and lyrics that flow effortlessly along, is a story that I just sunk into.  I forgot about everything but their relationship, and hoping they could make it work.  The author’s writing is smooth, her storytelling is wildly romantic while still being real, and the ending is everything you will want it to be.

Cover art is perfect for the story and characters.  I just loved it.

Buy Links: JMS Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book Details:

ebook
Published August 12th 2017 by JMS Books
ISBN139781634864404

A Caryn Review: Midlife Crisis by Audra North

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I’m so happy to have discovered her.  The book was everything I hoped it would be, and then some.

There is something so special about finding love when you’re older – whether you’ve lost a partner, or never had one, it always, to me anyway, feels like getting more than you thought you could expect.  I think when we’re young, there is a part of us that feels life owes us true love, but by the time we hit middle age, we realize life doesn’t really work that way, and finding it then is a true gift.  Which is why I love these older men!

Cam McGhee is 54 years old, and has left his home town of Bitter, Texas, for basically the first time in his life.  Bitter is an all-black farming town that’s existed for generations.  The community has learned to survive the Southern racism surrounding it by being self-sufficient, trusting and relying on each other, which has always meant behaving within a certain set of unspoken rules.  Following those rules kept them safe, and if it restricted the denizen’s freedom a little bit, well, it was worth it.  Cam grew up in this town of very conservative ideals, and though he knew he was gay from the time he was a young teenager, he also knew that he couldn’t ever admit it and still be accepted.  He started dating LaVerne in high school as a cover, but with small town expectations being what they were, he ended up marrying her, having two children, and staying with her faithfully until she died.  He left his successful feed and grain business in Bitter in his son’s hands, and moved to Austin, Texas, for 6 months, where he hoped to finally experience life as a gay man, at least temporarily, before he buried it all again and moved back to Bitter.

Cam met Dave Montoya at a coffee shop.  Cam had no idea how to approach a man, and his shyness was almost crippling, but Dave made things easy for him.  Dave is a successful, independent man from Connecticut who found his home in Austin, and who has lived his entire life as an out gay man.  Dave had his own reasons for not wanting to jump into casual hookups, and so moving slowly with Cam was natural and easy.  Almost without realizing it was happening, and certainly not intending for it to happen, they fell in love.  Which would have been wonderful, but Cam’s stay in Austin had an expiration date.

The story is told with alternating scenes from Cam’s present in Austin, and flashbacks to his life in Bitter.  I know flashbacks get a bad rap, but in this case, they were the perfect vehicle to show the stark differences between who Cam was, and who he wanted to be, and why he struggled so hard to reconcile these parts of himself.  As Cam and Dave meet and start dating, the story flashed back to Cam and LaVerne’s meeting, and Cam’s conscious decision to use LaVerne as a beard.  When Cam kissed Dave for the first time, he inevitably compared his physical response – as amazing as he’d always hoped kissing a man would be – to his sexual life with LaVerne.  As he started falling in love with Dave, Cam thought of the love he had for LaVerne – platonic, but strong despite the continual guilt he felt for not loving her the way a man should love his wife.  Cam was faithful, generous, and had a strong sense of responsibility and duty – attributes which kept him in Bitter for over 50 years, and when he saw the opportunity to have a different type of life with Dave, he still struggled with the choice:  could he stay in Austin with the man he loved, and life the life he’d always wanted, when doing so meant abandoning his friends and family in Bitter?

Another aspect of the book that I really appreciated was that racism was not front and center.  While it certainly made Bitter into the community it was (and what an interesting choice of name for the town!), once Cam came to Austin, he was just another man, not primarily a man of color.  There was a lot more homophobia mentioned than racism, but again, Dave’s friends and family showed Cam that homophobia wasn’t ubiquitous, and a full life as an out gay man was indeed possible.

Very highly recommended!

Cover art by LC Chase is perfect for the book

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 205 pages
Published August 28th 2017 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626496453

A Stella Recent Release Review: Be My Best Man by Con Riley

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Con Riley is one of my favourite authors, since she wrote After Ben, one of the first MM books I read and one of the few books I won’t ever forget. The joy when I saw she had a new release coming out soon was enormous. Let me tell you the author delivered another deep, strong, full of feelings and well written story. Go buy Be My Best Man now and you won’t be disappointed.
Apart from the plot, which in this particular time it’s fitting and sadly very real, what actually conquered me it’s how packed with emotions and love the story is. Especially when not even two characters are blood related, just another proven fact that often blood means nothing.
Starting from the love between Vanya and Kaspar, the first Russian, the second Estonian. The need of protection Kaspar feels for Vanya is so strong he is working as much as he can to support his best friend who can’t work. The same love Jason and Andrew share, both in their forties, they grew up as foster brothers with an beautiful woman as mother.
 And then there’s the love every character has for the person it fell for. The author showed me all these feelings, between the MCs and the second characters, which I adored as much as the MCs. And this is another element that brought the story to be a success to me. The whole cast is amazingly well done. I was able to learn quite a lot about all of the characters and I have to say, maybe it’s the first time I make a request like this, but I wouldn’t mind at all to have a couple of MF books on the het couples. That’s the prove how much I liked Be My Best Man by Con Riley. Highly recommended.

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design.  Love the cover design and the model is striking.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book Details:
ebook, 316 pages
Published September 7th 2017 by Figment Ink
Original TitleBe My Best Man
Edition Language English

A Jeri Recent Release Review: Living Out Loud by Nyrae Dawn & Christina Lee

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

After being raised in a super religious family and town, Ben finally strikes out on his own in San Francisco. Even though he is finally free to be himself, the conditioning he received to “turn him straight” makes it so that he cannot really be free. After garnering the courage to reach out to his childhood friend, Xavier, they meet up. Ben is in awe of how Xavier is his authentic self, unafraid of what anyone thinks of him. So he hatches a plan…..
So, wow. This book is a co-written work between Christina Lee and Nyrae Dawn. Nyrae Dawn is the young adult author name of Riley Hart. So being a half written Nyrae work, I did not expect it to be as hot as it was. HOT.
I pretty much adored Xavier. People who don’t care what anyone else thinks about them, living however they want, I just think is amazing. And even though he lived that way, he still was afraid of falling in love. If anyone should have been open to love, it was Xavier. But he is open to sex.
Ben was cute. His shyness, not only with Xavier, but in life, is a bit heartbreaking but also understandable with his upbringing.
Xavier and Ben together were swoony. They really challenged each other. Xavier challenging Ben to grow sexually and Ben challenging Xavier to grow emotionally. Throughout the book you can see why they were so easily best friends as children. They just come together so easily in all ways. They constantly lift each other up, make each other laugh and are just generally comfortable with each other. And they seem more comfortable with themselves when they are together.
Friends to lovers, second chances, a quirky older woman (another fave of mine. because I may or may not be a quirky 40 something woman), two authors I adore. Recipe for a delicious book.
Cover Design by X-Potion Designs. I seriously wanted to lick the cover.
Sales Links:  Amazon
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 250 pages
Published September 6th 2017 by Christina Lee and Nyrae Dawn
ASINB075FRXF2Z

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Maybe This Time by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating 4 stars out of 5

This was a delightful story!  As thirty-year-old Ryan is moving into his new apartment building on his birthday, he’s very pleased to see the tall, gorgeous silver-haired man who comes jogging up the road and heads into his building.  Though he at first thought he was an older guy in great shape, when he gets a closer look, it’s easy to see the man is not much older than he is, even though prematurely gray. 

Matt Thomas doesn’t stop to acknowledge his hot new neighbor but he gets a good look, nonetheless.  At thirty-eight, he keeps in top physical condition so it’s easy to pull new guys into his bed whenever he’s horny.  Never one to spend more than one night with a guy, his best friend and hair stylist, Sam, will testify that Matt is firmly committed to two things: leaving his hair silver and never having a relationship. Never more than one night—that’s Matt’s motto. 

So when he finds himself lusting after Ryan one night, he justifies his thoughts about having a one-nighter with a neighbor by thinking that maybe they can be friends.  Ryan agrees and then next thing he knows, Matt wants to be friends with benefits because one night is not enough, after all.   Okay, Ryan can do that, although as his best friend, Josh, reminds him he hasn’t been successful at this in the past. 

The two go along as friends with benefits, while jogging together, eating meals afterward, and becoming friends, until one day when Matt’s dad is hurt and Ryan goes with him to the hospital. He realizes afterward that Ryan means more to him than simple friendship but now he’s afraid to admit it and is afraid that maybe this time he’s willing but Ryan might not be. 

There’s more to the story than this surface summary of the romance, but on the whole, it’s a basically a sweet and simple love story, filled with some very heated moments as well as some tender times between the two engaging MCs. 

If you’re looking for a light read that will make you feel good, by all means, consider this one. 

~~~

The cover by Natasha Snow features a photo of a very handsome and smiling thirtysomething man wearing jeans and a T-shirt and running his fingers through his hair.  It’s very attractive but I would have liked it much better if the man had lighter, more silver-toned hair, as it was one of Matt’s strongest features and frequently mentioned in the story. 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 246 pages
Published August 30th 2017
ASINB0755P7B55

In Our Contemporary Spotlight: Perfect 10 (Going for the Gold) by Sean Michael (guest blog and exclusive excerpt)

Perfect 10 (Going for the Gold) by Sean Michael
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Cover photograph by Michael Murphy ; Cover Art by Bree Archer
Release Date Sep 6, 2017

Buy link: Dreamspinner Press |  AmazonBarnes & NobleKobo 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Sean Michael here today on his Perfect 10 (Going for the Gold) tour. Welcome, Sean.

✒︎

 

Thank you, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words, for hosting me today.

I do have to admit that while I love writing characters who excel in sports, it is not a place where I do that well. Part of it is that I am not in the least graceful, so I am quite likely to trip over my own feet while attempting something sporty.

I guess that’s part of the fascination with athletes because they can do something that I can’t. Yes, it takes hard work and dedication, but it also takes the ability to perform the moves, and the more innate talent you have, the better off you’re going to be.

I’m not bitter about not being athletic – I love my job. Being a writer is who I am, down to the bone. But I wouldn’t mind a little more grace 😉 

In Perfect 10, Chris has talent out the wazzoo, along with a determination to make it to the top of the gymnastic world. Brian is determined to help him get there. I hope you enjoy the exclusive excerpt below wherein Chris and Brian are just starting that journey together.

Sean Michael

smut fixes everything

Blurb:

Despite a life-threatening injury sustained in a vaulting accident, top gymnast Christopher Allen is determined to get back to his former perfect condition and compete again. Brian Rainings is a coach in need of someone to believe in, and he takes Chris on, admiring the spirit and determination that drives Chris to succeed. And admiring the sturdy, muscled body Chris maintains.

Admiration soon leads to something much hotter as they train together. From their scorching first kiss, Brian and Chris’s chemistry is obvious, but they have a long road ahead to get Chris back into shape. Months of hard work lead to success, with Chris gaining strength every day and finally finding the elusive sponsor he needs for financial support. Secrets, hidden dangers, and family troubles plague them, though, and they have to face the fact that Chris might never compete again and score that perfect ten.

First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2006.

Exclusive Excerpt:

“So if I remember correctly from my last year of competition, the rings were your best event.”

“Yeah. I took a silver at Nationals once.” Rings and parallel bars. He hated the fucking vault.

Of course, it hated him too.

“Have you been back on the vault yet?” It was almost as if Brian had read his mind.

“No. They won’t let me on it.” Not after the fall. Not after slipping and landing and hearing that dull crack and someone screaming and…. Chris forced himself to breathe, to ease up on the gas. “We’re almost there.”

“Hmm….” Brian was quiet a moment and then asked, “Do you want to get back on it?”

“Yes.” No. No, he didn’t, but he wanted to compete more than the fucking thing scared him.

“Good. You need to get back to it soon too. The longer you stay away from it, the harder it’s going to be.” Brian watched Chris as he pulled up at the gym parking lot and stopped the car. “I mean, all you have to do to start off with is sit on it. But the longer you wait, the harder it’s going to be.”

“Yeah. I know.” Chris killed the engine, grabbed his bag. Steve was standing at the door, the big man frowning and looking at his watch. Must have a date with Irena. “There’s Steven Jackson. He’ll let us in.”

“Cool.” Brian got out and followed him. “He looks familiar. He do coaching at the junior level?”

“He used to. He’s building the university team now. He’s a bit of a bear, but the kids like him. Steve? This is Brian. Brian, Steve.”

Brian held out his hand and they shook, Steve tilting his head.

“Brian Rainings? Where have you been hiding yourself the last few years?”

Brian grinned. “Coaching. I just couldn’t leave the life entirely when I retired.”

Steve laughed. “I hear that.” The man was shooting speculative looks between Chris and Brian, working out what they were doing here together.

“I’ll lock up, Steve.”

“Now, Chris….”

Oh, for Chrissake. “I promise not to break anything, and I promise not to get hurt.”

“He’s got someone spotting him, Steve. We’ll be fine. It was nice to see you again.” Brian nodded once at Steve and then went in. “Come on, Chris.”

Chris sort of blinked. Well. Okay.

Okay.

That was… unexpected.

“I’ll lock up,” Chris repeated.

Steve looked rather surprised, but he shrugged. “Okay. Make sure you do. And if you get hurt, it’s on your coach.” Checking his watch, Steve shouldered his bag. “I’ve got to be somewhere.”

“Tell Irena I said hi.”

His coach. The words didn’t hurt as bad as he’d thought they might.

Chris locked the door behind Steve and headed down the hall to get changed.

Brian was waiting in the locker room, looking at home on one of the benches. “That the kind of reception you’ve been getting since the injury?”

“Yeah.” Chris stripped off his shirt, pulled out an old singlet. It didn’t fit as well as it used to, but with the shorts, the bagginess didn’t show. Of course, Brian’d be able to see that his jeans weren’t skintight. Hell, they sort of… collapsed off him as he undid the fly.

“I can see why you’ve been frustrated, if they’re barely even letting you in the door.” Brian looked around and grinned wryly. “Man, I didn’t think it would be weird being here as a coach instead of a gymnast, but it is. It feels like I should be changing with you and going out there, chalking up, doing some routines….”

“I’d offer you something to wear, but I only brought one.” Chris got everything straightened and put where it belonged and all, then pulled his shorts on.

“Nah, I’m good. Besides, this is your show, right?”

About the Author

Best-selling author Sean Michael is a maple leaf–loving Canadian who spends hours hiding out in used book stores. With far more ideas than time, Sean keeps several documents open at all times. From romance to fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, Sean is limited only by the need for sleep—and the periodic Beaver Tail.

Sean fantasizes about one day retiring on a secluded island populated entirely by horseshoe crabs after inventing a brain-to-computer dictation system. Until then, Sean will continue to write the old-fashioned way.

Sean Michael on the web:

WEBSITE: http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com

BLOG: http://seanmichaelwrites.blogspot.ca

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites/

TWITTER: seanmichael09