Between the Secrets, an all-new MM romance by S. Ferguson is available now!! (excerpt)

Between the Secrets by S. Ferguson

Release Date: March 16^th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Between the Secrets, an all-new MM romance by S. Ferguson is available now!!

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Sometimes the past won’t let you escape no matter how much your future wants you to.

Jake James lives in the shadows of his shame. The guilt for what he’s done, for what was done to him, has left him hollow and haunted.

Greg Bissen just wants Jake to let him in, having accepted who he is a long time ago, he is desperate to break through Jake’s defenses.

When danger and an agonizing loss threatens to tear them apart, will Jake let the burdens of his past crush him?

Or can love really conquer all, even if it’s hiding in between the secrets?

Excerpt:

I hear a clatter, pulling me out of my own head, as Jake tries to yank the dusty cloth off the stove. That’s enough of that shit. I don’t know if the stove is still connected to the gas and I don’t feel like dying in a giant fireball tonight.

Marching up to Jake, I grab his shoulders and try to steer him toward the back door, but he isn’t having it. Spinning around, he puts us chest to chest. I swallow the sudden lump in my throat. Does he know? Of course he doesn’t.

The tension between us has been rising to a boiling point. Our chemistry is so much deeper than just friendship. Jake’s walls come down when he drinks, but I have never dared to hope for a moment like this.

“There isn’t any food,”Jake pouts, his baby face making him look like an adorable child—a child I want to smack and kiss, in no particular order. I’m tired too and ready to go home. But I know Jake won’t drop his hunt for food. We’ve been down this road before.

I sigh in defeat. “I’ll take you to Waffle House,”I whisper. I’ll push aside my tiredness for Jake. I would do almost anything for him. This moment feels intimate, being in the dark alone with him in my arms. It’s pretty much every dream I’ve ever had come true.

“Greg…”Jake’s voice trails off. I can just barely see in the dim light, but it looks like his eyes are focused on my lips.

“Fuck, don’t look at me like that.”It’s only a half-hearted protest. More of me wants this than not. And that’s the problem.

Jake doesn’t speak. He just leans forward and then, after a brief hesitation, pushes his lips to mine.

My entire body stiffens, afraid to move. God I hope this isn’t some drunken mistake on his part. My hands lock into their position resting on his shoulders. I’m so nervous I’ll spook him. I know his history, probably better than most. I don’t know if he realizes what he’s doing. I know I’m a bastard for not pushing him away, and despite all these thoughts, about ninety percent of the blood in my body is rushing south.

Jake ignores the fact that I’ve frozen on my feet. Slanting his head, his tongue teases my bottom lip, asking me to open up.

And I do. Oh my God, I do.

He wraps his arms around the back of my neck, pulling us even closer. I can feel I’m not the only one aroused by this, his erection pushing against mine through our dress pants. He moans when he feels my hard-on pushing back, and that’s all I need to thaw. I move my left hand up to the back of his head and take control of the kiss. I don’t even think about it; I lower my right hand to rub him through his pants. Despite the material between us, I can feel how hard he is. I feel the heat coming off of him. He moans long and low into my mouth, thrusting himself into my hand.

I curse as I manage to undo his button and fly with one hand, mentally high-fiving myself for the coordination, and reach past the layers of fabric to grip him. He’s just as big as I thought he would be. Smooth skin over something hard enough to hammer nails. I run my hand from his base to tip. I had already known from plenty of times in the men’s room together that he was uncut, but feeling it like this makes me want to do so many dangerous things to him. I wonder how he would feel about me nibbling on…

A sudden crash scares the shit out of us. I rip my mouth from Jake’s and we both turn our heads to our left at the same time.

Ron is standing in the doorway. Despite the shitty lighting, I can see his heaving chest. His eyes are wide and he’s holding his gun.

This is not good. This is so not fucking good.

BTS-AN

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2lK53n3

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/gRPHZU

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/ScHUCe

About the Author:

Ferguson is a military wife and mother of three. She loves to find beauty in the flawed and broken.

Connect with the Author:

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

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lxxDtr

Twitter: @SarahFergWrites

Email: sfergusonwrites@gmail.com

www.sfergusonwrites.com

Stay up to date with S. Ferguson by signing up for her newsletter today:

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Tara Lain is Talking Fav Stories and her latest release ‘Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns (Cowboys Don’t Series, #2) by Tara Lain (guest post)

Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns (Cowboys Don’t Series, #2) by Tara Lain
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Also available at Dreamspinner Press in paperback and at iBooks

✒︎

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Tara Lain here today talking about her new release Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns (Cowboys Don’t Series, #2) . Welcome, Tara!

✒︎

My Favorite Tara Lain Books by Tara Lain

Hi everyone. Waves Tara here and I’m happy to be here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words to share the impending release of my new romance Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns, which comes out March 22^nd. Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns is a fave story of mine and that prompts people to ask me which of my other books are my personal favorites. This, of course, is a totally unfair question since it’s like saying which kid is your favorite. Also, my opinion on this subject changes regularly based on my mood, but I’ll give it an arbitrary try – today only. LOL.

No particular order –

Knight of Ocean Avenue – this is my most popular book and it’s spawned my most popular series. I think Billy and Shaz are among my best heroes. I love them.
Tackling the Tight End – this story features my first native hero and deal with the tradition of the two spirit. I adored the research I did into this subject and found it a revelation.
Genetic Attraction (not currently on the market) – I have to love this book. It was my first published novel, is the only book I’ve written in which the central character is female. It also introduces one of my favorite heroes of all time – Roan Black, who also appears in a number of other early Tara Lain books.
Lord of a Thousand Steps – I actually love the whole series but have a special affection for my sassy Ian Carney and his giant cat and Braden Lord and his kids. This story also takes place partly on Thousand Steps Beach in Laguna where my husband proposed to me, so what’s not to like?
Driven Snow – I know more people probably love Beauty, Inc. among my Pennymaker Tales and I love it too, but there’s just something about my brilliant chess geek, Snow Reynaldi, that simply steals my heart.
Wolf in Gucci Loafers – This book features another of my flamboyant beautiful boys, Lindsey Vanessen, and he constantly charms me. The book has a touch of Zorro or The Scarlet Pimpernel and a very dangerous, very effeminate hero.
Death Dancer — This was my first true murder mystery and it was both challenging and fun to write. I really enjoyed dropping clues – but not too many!
And now Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns – I hope you’ll enjoy this story of a young bull rider who hides out as a ranch hand and harbors a secret passion for femme guys who top.

Here’s an excerpt just to give you a nibble—

Excerpt: Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns by Tara Lain

Blurb:

Cowboy Danny Boone—a name he made up one drunken night and has regretted ever since—harbors a big past and yearns for a small future. A short, bright career as a champion bull rider almost ended in his death when his homophobic father discovered Danny was gay. Now Danny longs for a plot of land he can build a ranch house on and enough money to make up for some of the education he missed.

Danny also hides a preference for beautiful femmes who like to top—a combo rarer than a unicorn. Then onto the guest ranch where Danny works drives San Francisco decorator Laurie Belmont, a young man so gorgeous he makes horses gasp, and so ballsy he almost kills Danny’s attacker.

Laurie’s trying to find his way out from under the thumb of a domineering mother, helpless father, and rich, privileged boyfriend.

But no matter the attraction, their lives are worlds apart, and cowboys don’t ride unicorns.

_____________________________________

Excerpt:

They all shot the breeze for a few minutes. Weirdly, the banter with a bunch of bull riders should have relaxed him, but he kept getting antsier. When two of the men started arm wrestling, Maury leaned over. “You feelin’ okay to ride, Danny?”

“Yeah. Doc gave me a clean bill.”

“You sure? Maybe another week off would be good.”

Danny mustered a grin. “Getting’ rid of the competition?”

“No.” He snorted. “Well, yeah, but I don’t think you should ride when you’re hurt.”

“I’m okay. Really.” He stared at his hands.

Lots of noise coming from the arena now, cheering and yelling. Maury nodded. “You’ll be up soon.”

Lorenzo asked, “What bull did you draw, Danny?”

Danny released a slow exhale. “Scorpion.”

“No way. Who has bad enough luck to draw Scorpion twice in a month?”

“That would be me.”

Maury mumbled, “Shit.”

Danny nodded. “Yeah. Bull—shit.”

Okay, here goes. He stood and grabbed his gear.

Maury gripped his arm. “I really think you oughta reconsider—”

Danny heard an intake of breath from Lorenzo, who sat on Maury’s right. Danny glanced at the man’s face. He stared past Danny looking like he’d seen—what? In fact, all the guys were staring

Danny followed their line of sight. Holy shit.

There stood Laurie between Danny and the bull chutes. Black shiny boots, skin-tight black jeans tucked in, a black turtleneck jersey, and the pink mane hanging on his shoulders. Shining in the middle of his chest was the unicorn charm. Half angel, half dominatrix.

Danny glanced at the men around the table, who’d all turned to stone. Clearly no man in the arena had ever seen anything quite like Laurie. Hell, who had?

“Uh, hi, Laurie. For a guy who hates rodeos, you sure show up at a lot of them. How’d you get here?”

“Drove.”

“No, I mean why’d you come here?”

“You wouldn’t return my fucking calls.”

“I didn’t think there was anything to say.” He flicked his eyes toward the cowboys who all stared like this was their own soap opera.

Laurie held out a slip of paper. Danny stepped forward and took it. A cashier’s check for eighteen thousand dollars.

“Your dad sold the business?”

“It’s in progress.”

A young cowboy rushed up. “Danny. You need to get in the chute.”

Laurie said, “No!”

The guy looked at him like he was crazy. “Come on, Danny.”

Laurie put his hands on his hips. “Danny Boone, you’re not getting on that fucking bull. You’re not healed. It’s too dangerous. You don’t need the money anymore.”

Somebody said, “Who the hell is this guy?”

A voice whispered, “Looks like a fag to me.”

Maury’s voice came from behind him. “Shut the fuck up if you want to keep on living!” Then he said, “Listen to him, Danny. You need to pay attention to the people who care about you.”

Laurie glanced at Maury and nodded, then looked back at Danny.

Danny just swallowed. Cared about him? Maybe. But it didn’t change shit. He cleared his throat. “Why didn’t you just mail the money?”

“Because I called the ranch and heard about this fucking suicide mission, and I wasn’t going to let you do it without a fight.

The young cowboy pulled on Danny’s arm. “Come on.”

Laurie stared, narrow-eyed.

Danny yanked his arm back. “So you drove here just to stop me?”

“Yes. And to give you the money so you’d know you don’t have to be crazy.”

He gritted his teeth. “I don’t want Grove’s fucking money.”

Laurie scowled. “How do you figure this is his money?”

“Community property.” He spit the words out.

The crease between Laurie’s brows deepened. “I’m not marrying Grove.”

“Since when?”

“Since ever. If you hadn’t run off like an adolescent martyr, you’d have heard me turn him down.”

“Danny! You gotta come now.” The kid looked frantically over his shoulder.

Danny stared at that beautiful face. The L word. L—for Laurie.

___________________________________________________________

About the Author

Website: http://www.taralain.com

Blog: http://www.taralain.com/blog

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4541791.Tara_Lain

Twitter: http://twitter.com/taralain

FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/taralain

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 36. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

In the Contemporary Spotlight: Growing Pains by Cass Lennox (giveaway)

Growing Pains (Toronto Connections #3) by Cass Lennox
Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here at Riptide Publishing

About Growing Pains

Gigi Rosenberg is living his best life: performances in the big city, side gigs at a dance company, a successful drag act, and the boy of his childhood dreams who now adores him. Even if the boyfriend part isn’t the sparkly ride of passion he expected it to be, life is sweet. So when his sister’s wedding calls him back to his hometown, he sees an opportunity to show the hicks from his past how wrong they were about him. Only, his boyfriend isn’t quite on board.

Brock Stubbs left their hometown and his parents behind for a reason, and the prospect of facing them again is terrifying. He swore he’d never go back, but Gigi has made it clear refusal isn’t an option, and Brock will do nearly anything for him. There’s just one deal-breaker of a problem: Brock promised Gigi he was out to everyone, including his parents. He lied.

It’s magical to run into the sunset together, but staying the course takes work. For Gigi and Brock, going home feels like the finale of a long, disappointing year. Sometimes love isn’t all you need.

Available from Riptide Publishing. http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/growing-pains

About Toronto Connections

The winters might be cold, but hearts are warm in Toronto. Canada’s largest city is home to a big lake, a big tower, and a big queer community. People here are trying to get by like everyone else: pay the bills, deal with life in the city, and maybe find some happiness along the way with someone who’s sweeter than maple candy and more constant than a Canadian’s love for Timmie’s coffee.

For some, falling in love is a real challenge. For others, falling is the easy part—it’s the happy ever after that proves a little more difficult. But in the end, love is worth every complication, misunderstanding, and occasional swear word.

This title is part of the Toronto Connections universe.

About Cass Lennox

Cass Lennox is a permanent expat who has lived in more countries than she cares to admit to and suffers from a chronic case of wanderlust as a result. She started writing stories at the tender age of eleven, but would be the first to say that the early years are best left forgotten and unread. A great believer in happy endings, she arrived at queer romance via fantasy, science fiction, literary fiction, and manga, and she can’t believe it took her that long. Her specialties are diverse characters, gooey happy ever afters, and brownies. She’s currently sequestered in a valley in southeast England.

Connect with Cass:

Blog: casslennox.wordpress.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Cass-Lennox-1704635609768647/
Twitter: twitter.com/CassLennox

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Growing Pains, one lucky winner will receive $15 in Riptide Publishing credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on March 25, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Cover Reveal for By The Numbers (Sanctuary #10) by RJ Scott

Release Date: April 25

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Blurb

Sometimes the only way to stay alive is to shoot first.

Brandon Hoselton was running scared. With his family threatened he felt he had nowhere left to go and even considered ending his life to keep them safe. Until Sanctuary, in the shape of the enigmatic Daniel Karnes, gives him a reason to stay alive and offers the possibility of a future free from fear.

Daniel is new to Sanctuary, tasked with watching Brandon, a brilliant geek with a wicked sense of humor. Falling in love with the man is way too easy, now he just has to make sure they can stay together.

The only way of taking down Varga is to cut off his money, and the two men become part of an intricate take-down involving millions of dollars in uncut diamonds.

But Brandon knows too much, Daniel has secrets he can never share, and their new love is at stake. When the villain has murder in mind, sometimes, the only way to stay alive is to be the first to shoot.

Sanctuary Series

Ghost (Book #9) Amazon US | Amazon UK

Author Bio

RJ Scott is the bestselling romance author of over 100 romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men and women who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

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

mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk
www.rjscott.co.uk/
www.facebook.com/author.rjscott?ref=ts&amp;fref=ts
www.goodreads.com/author/show/3432558.R_J_Scott
twitter.com/Rjscott_author
www.librarything.com/author/scottrj

Giveaway

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An Ali Review: An Arresting Ride (Survivors Find Love #2) by Lissa Kasey

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Graham Church began career as a police officer with a case so gruesome it sent many officers into early retirement. That day he helped save the lives of children and began a long crusade of protecting the residents of Friday Harbor from the worst of humanity. But brutal car accidents and the discovery of a dog fighting ring have taken their toll on Graham. Returning to an over-crowded apartment where his room is a closet, and working sixteen-hour shifts, have left him emotionally exhausted and in need of a quiet place to call home.

Jason Wullcot is a horse breeder and a mystery to the island he lives on, but is in need of a roommate for human contact. His therapist recommends Graham Church, who also happens to have a “white knight” syndrome. When Graham discovers his new roommate was one of the children he helped save twelve-years prior, Graham’s need to protect and save kicks into high gear. Only Jason has no interest in being saved. In fact, Graham realizes that Jason may not be the one in need of saving at all, but maybe, just maybe they can fill the broken pieces of each other.

I went into this book with a bit of trepidation. I’m getting tired of the “damaged” MC who gets “fixed” by the love of a good man/woman. I liked the first book in the series though and the blurb sounded good so I gave it a try. I’m so glad I did. It didn’t at all head down the road I thought it was going to. In fact, in made me stop and think about my preconceived ideas about people. I think I opened my mind some just as Graham’s character did.

The writing was really good and the story engaged me right from the beginning. I liked both of the MC’s (although it took me a bit longer to warm up to Jason) and I thought the side characters really added to the plot. If you’ve read book one you will see that Charlie and Bastian play an important role in this story. That being said, this book works fine as a stand alone. The romance was a lovely slow burn and I felt like it was really realistic. The heat factor is there but not until later in the book.

I’ve read a few books by this author and have enjoyed them all but this has jumped to the top of my list. It is definitely my favorite work by her. This is a book I would certainly recommend.

Cover: I like this cover a lot. Artistically I think it is lovely and catches your eye. It also reflects the plot and characters really well.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 234 pages
Published March 1st 2017 by Self-Published
ASINB01NBY8PNW
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSurvivors Find Love #2

A Lila Audiobook Review: The Virgin Manny (The Mannies #1) by Amy Lane and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Growing up and falling in love…

Sometimes family is a blessing and a curse. When Tino Robbins is roped into helping his sister deliver premade dinners when he should be studying for finals, he’s pretty sure it’s the latter! But one delivery might change everything.

Channing Lowell’s charmed life changes when his sister dies and leaves him her seven-year-old son. He’s committed to doing what’s best for Sammy… but he’s going to need a lot of help. When Tino lands on his porch, Channing is determined to recruit him to Team Sammy.

Tino plans to make his education count—even if that means avoiding a relationship—but as he falls harder and harder for his boss, he starts to wonder: Does he have to leave his newly forged family behind in order live his promising tomorrow?

The Virgin Manny is a cute, trope filled love story. I really liked the way Tino and Channing met and how their relationship grew from there. This is a slow-burn story that can be considered May-December even when the age gap was only ten years.

As any other Dreamspun book, this story has very over-the-top events and reactions from the characters. It’s a feel-good tale even when the events that brought the MCs together were nothing to be happy about. Everyone is content with the new little family and there’s minimal to no angst.

There’s a bit of mystery added which gives the book a soap opera feel. I don’t think it was necessary, but it added to the story’s charm. The last part was too slow, but as a whole, the story works great.

John Solo, as always, did a nice job bringing all the characters to life. I enjoyed the different cadence between Tino and Channing and appreciated how well the female voices were integrated.

The cover by Bree Archer shows the main idea behind the story, but it’s a bit generic and stereotypical.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: John Solo
Length: 6 hours 14 minutes
Published: February 14, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B06WLJTZW4
Edition Language: English

Series: The Mannies
Book #1: The Virgin Manny

Release Day Blitz: From Top to Bottom by Kevin Klehr (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: From Top to Bottom

Author: Kevin Klehr

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: March 20

Heat Level: 5 – Erotica

Pairing: Male/Male Menage

Length: 15100

Genre: Erotica, NineStar Press, LGBT, gay, erotica, cisgender, contemporary, explicit, bears, menage, open relationship, orgy

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Can a dedicated top really learn to bottom? Tony wants to find out but he’s scared another die-hard top will just plow through him, instead of taking it nice and slow on a newbie.

Enter Butch, a bear who’ll try anything, and Ford, a guy whose curiosity is tempting him to cheat on his boyfriend. Like Tony, both are dedicated tops wanting to try something new, and on this journey of physical self discovery, all will find that being open means more than taking it doggie-style.

Excerpt

From Top to Bottom
Author © 2017
All Rights Reserved

On my various profiles, I wrote:

Top curious about being a bottom, wants to meet likeminded tops.

I thought I was straightforward enough, yet so many timewasters were happy to give but not receive. One loser argued that I ought to get my head examined. He said that it didn’t matter if the other top wanted to bottom, just as long as I got what I wanted.

I stressed that this would be a shared experience. Two or more tops learning from each other, discussing the intricate pleasures we would discover as a group.

Then he said we’d end up writing folk songs about exploring our inner regions and singing around a campfire. I thought to myself, yeah, maybe that’s exactly the direction I wanted to take. Was I getting soft, or was I just growing up? Perhaps there already was a group for closet-bottoms I could join.

But the truth was I wanted like-minded tops simply because we’d go easier on each other. We wouldn’t just ram it up there like a vandal bashing down the door. We wouldn’t be power-bottoms. We would ease in gradually; the runway lit for a relaxed landing before the passengers would embark.

Only two other tops sounded like they were on my wavelength. A bear called Butch and a secretive guy named Ford. So I set the date. The second Tuesday in June was the only night Ford could make it, and I knew better than to ask why.

I dusted and vacuumed frantically, as if I was expecting Prince Charming to knock on my door, take me in his arms, and deflower me. I lit candles to set the mood, and rolled out an old sheet on the lounge room floor. I didn’t want to bonk in the bedroom. I wanted space for us to explore, like they did in three-way porn flicks.

My front door buzzer sounded. I let in my first visitor.

“You brought cake,” I said. I tried not to let the look of horror show on my face.

“For afterward,” Butch replied. “I baked it myself. Is there room in the fridge?”

Hadn’t this guy heard of the definition of “eternity”? The time between when you cum and they leave. Who ever heard of cake after sex?

“It’s red velvet,” he said. He crouched in front of my fridge, rearranging its contents. “Do you know the weird shit that goes in this cake? Vinegar. And cocoa and vanilla.”

“Do you always bake before sex?”

“For special occasions, yes.”

“I hardly know you.”

“But you’re about to know me a hell of a lot better.”

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

Meet the Author

Kevin lives with his long-term partner, Warren, in their humble apartment (affectionately named Sabrina), in Australia’s own ‘Emerald City,’ Sydney.

From an early age, Kevin had a passion for writing, jotting down stories and plays until it came time to confront puberty. After dealing with pimple creams and facial hair, Kevin didn’t pick up a pen again until he was in his thirties. His handwritten manuscript was being committed to paper when his work commitments changed, giving him no time to write. Concerned, his partner, Warren, secretly passed the notebook to a friend who in turn came back and demanded Kevin finish his story. It wasn’t long before Kevin’s active imagination was let loose again.

His first novel spawned a secondary character named Guy, an insecure gay angel, but many readers argue that he is the star of the Actors and Angels book series. Guy’s popularity surprised the author.

So with his fictional guardian angel guiding him, Kevin hopes to bring more whimsical tales of love, life and friendship to his readers.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Vimeo

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In the YA Spotlight: A Boy Worth Knowing by Jennifer Cosgrove (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: A Boy Worth Knowing

Author: Jennifer Cosgrove

Publisher: NineStar Press – SunFire Imprint

Release Date: March 20

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 62200

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, NineStar Press, LGBT, gay, bisexual, romance, young adult, contemporary, paranormal, coming of age, ghosts, family drama, high school, bullying

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Ghosts can’t seem to keep their opinions to themselves.

Seventeen-year-old Nate Shaw should know; he’s been talking to them since he was twelve. But they aren’t the only ones making his high school years a living hell. All Nate wants is to keep his secret and keep his head down until he can graduate. That is, until the new boy, James Powell, takes a seat next to him in homeroom. James not only notices him, he manages to work his way into Nate’s life. But James has issues of his own.

Between dead grandmothers and living aunts, Nate has to navigate the fact that he’s falling in love with his only friend, all while getting advice from the most unusual places.

Ghosts, bullies, first love: it’s a lot to deal with when you’re just trying to survive senior year.

Excerpt

A Boy Worth Knowing
Jennifer Cosgrove © 2017
All Rights Reserved

I loved autumn mornings.

The October air was just cold enough to set my lungs on fire, my breath visible in clouds of condensation, forcing all of the crap clogging up my head into the recycle bin. Bonus, I could pretend I was a dragon. Nothing could touch me; my morning run made everything go away, lost in miles at a time. Down an isolated country road.

Everything changed when I was twelve, and not for the better. That was when I started running. Five years of road I’d put behind me. My mom worried about me the first time I took off alone. Well, when she used to worry about me. I wished she was more worried about the reason I was running instead of the fact I was doing it down an empty road.

I turned the corner about a mile after leaving home, and that was when I saw him. Samuel was always lurking among the sunken headstones. Most people had no clue there used to be a cemetery out there. Looking closely, some of the stones that made up the foundation of the chapel could still be seen. No one else ever paid that much attention to it. Samuel glared at me as I got closer. He was a surly one.

My life was like the horror movies I loved. I talked to the dead. Well, technically dead. They were really spirits, or whatever. Whatever was left behind when people died. And they talked to me, for some reason. There was nothing like sitting in math class and having a ghost whisper in my ear while trying to take notes.

It happened all the damn time. I didn’t know how to handle it at first. And no one wanted to hang out with the crazy kid in the back of the room, muttering away to himself. I got used to it. Really. And the lack of a social life helped me get all of my homework done on time; all of the teachers loved me. That was good. Talking to ghosts wasn’t all bad.

I waved at Samuel as I ran by the cemetery. He shook a fist at me in return. Samuel wasn’t evil or anything, just grumpy. Couldn’t blame him, though. I looked him up one time and found out he’d died in the late eighteen hundreds. The cause of death on record was a heart attack. But Samuel told me his brother-in-law had poisoned him because he wouldn’t sell him his prize mule. I had no clue what was so special about that mule, but his brother-in-law evidently thought it was worth killing him over. I’d have been pretty surly myself.

Past the forgotten cemetery, a few miles to the McGregor farm, and then I’d swing around for home. Yes, I said McGregor farm. Small-town life— I couldn’t have made this stuff up if I’d tried.

There was another house just past the farm where I had to watch out for their beast of a dog. Dogs weren’t huge fans of mine. My Nana had a theory they could sense a bit of whatever it was that let us chat with those who’d “passed on.” I had no idea how that was even possible, but cats loved me, so yay.

Speaking of which, Aunt Susan’s overly fluffy cat waited by our mailbox. Arthur did that every time I went out for a run. He would sit there and then fall in behind to follow up the driveway until we got to the house. Then, it was a shady spot on the porch in the summer or, if it was cold like that day, into the house in front of the fireplace. I loved predictability.

The house used to be my grandmother’s. It was a standard farmhouse, old and creaky just like dozens more all around us, and it could have stood a little paint. But we called it home, and we liked it. It became Aunt Susan’s home. It had been left to her after Nana died, since my mom already owned one. It was a little out of the way and a long drive to the hospital where my aunt worked. But it was paid for, and that meant a lot.

I had to be quiet going in because Aunt Susan was not a morning person, and the floor squeaked just inside the back door. I was very much a morning person, and I followed the same routine each school or work day. Flipping on the coffee maker, I headed to my room to get ready for school. I got the shower running, since it took a while to heat up in an old farmhouse, and took a sniff to make sure a shower was actually necessary. Oh, yeah. I was gross.

Purchase

NineStar Press – SunFire Imprint | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

Meet the Author

Jennifer has always been a voracious reader and a well-established geek from an early age. She loves comics, movies, and anything that tells a compelling story.

When not writing, she likes knitting, dissecting/arguing about movies with her husband, and enjoying the general chaos that comes with having kids.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail

Tour Schedule

3/20 – My Fiction Nook

3/20 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

3/20 – Just Love

3/21 – Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

3/21 – Diverse Reader

3/21 – Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

3/22 – V’s Reads

3/22 – Molly Lolly

3/22 – MM Good Book Reviews

3/23 – Liz’s Reading Life

3/23 – Stories That Make You Smile

3/23 – Dog-Eared Daydreams

3/24 – Bayou Book Junkie

3/24 – Boy Meets Boy Reviews

3/24 – Love Bytes Reviews

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Wild, Unpredictable March and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Wild, Unpredictable March – Wild Tales of Love

Love provokes all sorts of emotions in us all and authors then write about them. And of course, we love to read about them. I’ve been talking about unpredictable couples, when one of the pairs turns out to be something totally unexpected ~ shifters, alien, what have you. We paused that for St. Patrick’s Day and irishmen. But let’s pick it up again and expand the category. What about those stories where one of the pair is unpredictable? What is unpredictable to you? Is it the best friend? The frenemy? That first love that reappears after 20 years? Or a true SciFy or Fantasy couple? Again shifters, fae, magicians, and aliens etc come into play.

Do you all find that to be true? Or is it when you fall in love with the friend that has always known you so well, been there for you, been your rock, a quiet love? What sorts of love do you find irresistible to read about in stories? I wonder if the types of couples makes any difference when it comes to love. I’m reviewing three books this week, one a contemporary love story by Amy Lane where the couple finds love at an older age and two with established fantasy and supernatural couples. For all three love feels very much the same for all three pairs no matter the circumstances.

Wild, Unpredictable Love Giveaway!

Does love make us different? Should it vary wildly from person to person, species to species? Or is love so deeply essential and elemental that is transcends all boundaries? What’s unpredictable to you? In couples and in romance. Let me know what you think and your favorite books that make your point! The random reader chosen will receive a $10 gift certificate from Dreamspinner Press. Giveaway ends March 29th at midnight.

Lucky In Love – A St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway! The Winner is Fehu. Stella will be in contact with you about your certificate.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, March 19:

Wild, Unpredictable March – Wild Tales of Love
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, March 20:

DSP GUEST POST Cy Blanca on A Teacher and a Poet
Blog Tour A Boy Worth Knowing by Jennifer Cosgrove
Release Day Blitz From Top to Bottom by Kevin Klehr
A Lila Audiobook Review: The Virgin Manny (The Mannies #1) by Amy Lane and John Solo (Narrator)
A VVivacious Review: A Boy Worth Knowing by Jennifer Cosgrove
An Ali Review: An Arresting Ride (Survivors Find Love #2) by Lissa Kasey

Tuesday, March 21:

Cover Reveal – By The Numbers – RJ Scott
DSP GUEST POST Tara Lain on Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns
BLOG TOUR Between the Secrets by S. Ferguson
RIPTIDE TOUR Growing Pains by Cass Lennox (giveaway)
An Ali Review: A Matter of Duty by JC Long
An Alisa Review: My Best Man by Linn Edwards

Wednesday, March 22:

No Regrets by Nicky James Tour
An Alisa Review: The Cookie Said Red by J.D. Walker
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: An Invitation by Jay Northcote
A Lila Release Day Review: Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns (Cowboys Don’t #2) by Tara Lain

Thursday, March 23:

Review Tour & Giveaway – The Case Of The Guilty Ghost (End Street Book #6)
HARMONY INK PRESS BLOG TOUR Russell J. Sanders on All You Need is Love
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Leaning Into the Fall (Leaning Into #2) by Lane Hayes
A MelanieM Review: The Case Of The Guilty Ghost (End Street Book #6) by Amber Kell and RJ Scott

Friday, March 24:

Release Day Blitz She Belongs to Them Both by Sedonia Guillone
DSP PUBLICATIONS BLOG TOUR Don Travis on The Bisti Business
A MelanieM Release Day Review: Bonfires by Amy Lane
An Ali Review: Here For Us by AM Arthur

Saturday, March 25:

A MelanieM Review: Twilight by Megan Derr

Love Contemporary Romance? Check Out Lane Hayes’ Leaning Into the Fall Blog Tour and Giveaway

Title: Leaning Into the Fall

Series: Leaning Into Stories, #2

Author: Lane Hayes

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: March 10

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: Approximately 77K words

Genre: Romance, Erotica, Bisexual, humor, San Francisco, May to December romance

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Synopsis

Nick Jorgensen is a quirky genius. He’s made a fortune in the competitive high tech field with his quick mind and attention to detail. He believes in hard work and trusting his gut. And he believes in karma. It’s the only thing that makes sense. People are difficult, but numbers never lie. In the disastrous wake of a broken engagement to an investor’s daughter, Nick is more certain than ever he isn’t relationship material.

Wes Conrad owns a thriving winery in Napa Valley. The relaxed atmosphere is a welcome departure from his former career as a high-rolling businessman. Wes’s laid-back nature is laced with a fierceness that appeals to Nick. In spite of his best intention to steer clear of complications, Nick can’t fight his growing attraction to the sexy older man who seems to understand him. Even the broken parts he doesn’t get himself. However, when Wes’s past collides with Nick’s present, both men will have to have to decide if they’re ready to lean into the ultimate fall.

Excerpt

Leaning Into the Fall by Lane Hayes- Exclusive Excerpt

There was a feral edge to Wes’s intense gaze that made my stomach drop. I didn’t get him. He hadn’t been pleased to see me when I showed up at the winery a second time looking like I’d bathed in a vat of Pinot, but he’d invited me into his house and given me dry clothes anyway. Now he was staring me down, daring me to say or do something stupid so he’d have an excuse to toss my ass back out again.

He moved toward the built-in bar and chose a bottle of red wine from a glass shelf then uncorked the bottle and poured a trace amount of the burgundy liquid into a wineglass. He swirled it expertly so that no portion of the glass was untouched.

“Why do you do that? Is that a necessary wine thing or is it for show?”

Wes glanced up with a frown. “Weren’t you going to change?”

The not-so-subtle dismissal was laced with challenge. Maybe he didn’t like to be questioned. Or maybe he remembered he didn’t actually like me and that it might be best to downgrade the hospitality before I got any crazy ideas about us being new buddies. I wasn’t prone to overanalyze any interpersonal interaction. My instincts were socially iffy anyway.

I kept my eyes locked on his and stepped away from the fire. Then I yanked my sweater over my head and began the arduous chore of unbuttoning my oxford shirt, one tiny button at a time.

“Yes,” I answered with a smile, slipping my ruined shirt over my shoulders.

I opened my mouth to say who knows what, but I lost my train of thought when Wes moved toward me, carrying the bottle and two wineglasses. He set everything on the coffee table, picked up the navy T-shirt and handed it to me.

“Are you gonna help me get dressed?”

My voice sounded lower than normal. I was going for mildly flirtatious and ended up sounding inappropriate. It wasn’t the sort of thing that bothered me usually, but there was something vaguely intimidating about this guy.

“If you need assistance, I’m happy to lend a hand,” he countered with a wry grin.

My blush was instantaneous. I felt exposed and maybe even a little childish, but still turned on. My dick swelled in my khakis and though he wasn’t looking at my crotch, I had a strong feeling he knew where my dirty mind had gone. His intense expression didn’t help. He didn’t blink. Or smile. He simply held my gaze until I grabbed the shirt from him and yanked it over my head like a petulant teenager.

Wes chuckled softly and then bent to pour the wine. I rested my fingers on my belt and studied his profile. The silver highlights at his temple glinted in the firelight. The contrast of color gave him an appealing distinguished look. I didn’t care how old he was. Wes Conrad was hot. And gay.

Not that I was interested, of course. It was just an observation.

Purchase

Lane Hayes Website

Meet the Author

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