Cowboy Up with BA Tortuga’s ‘Refired’ Keep Me In Mind Tour and Giveaway (excerpt and giveaway)

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Refired (The Recovery Series #1) by BA Tortuga
Release Date: January 18, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Blurb

When Kris Cerny walks back into Two Spirits, the art gallery he owns with Josh McPhee, all he wants is a clean break. Austin’s booming real estate market means the building he bought years ago is worth a fortune, and with the sale, he and Josh can finally go their separate ways. They won’t be reconciling, right? Josh may be sober now, but an addict is always going to be an addict, and Kris can’t take that chance again.

Josh isn’t willing to sell. Not yet. He’s discovered a new artist in Santa Fe he knows will put Two Spirits in the black, and if he can just make a success of the gallery, maybe he can earn Kris’s respect, if not recapture his love. He needs Kris to give him time for one more buying trip, one more gallery show. Josh wants nothing more than a final chance to make things right. Kris agrees to let Josh have this last ditch effort on one condition– he wants to go along for the ride. On the way Josh hopes they’ll find the next big thing in the art world as well as peace, forgiveness, and a love he thought was lost forever.

 

Pages or Words: 65,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Western/Cowboy

Excerpt

Josh sat there in the office that had been his for seven years, two months, and three days, looking at the cowboy who he’d thought, once upon a time, was going to be his one and only, feeling a little like he was drunk.

He rolled the five-year-sober token between his fingers, letting it settle him. Not drunk. Not even a bit.

“What? What did you say to me?” He left off the you sorry son of a bitch part.

“We got a buyer for the gallery.” Kris stared at him, calm as could be, one hip settled on the edge of his desk.

“The gallery isn’t for sale.” He owned half, dammit. Still.

Kris nodded easily. “Frankly they just want the building. Quite an offer. I don’t see how we can pass it up.”

“The gallery isn’t for sale.” He was fairly sure the words were succinct enough for Mr. Business.

“The neighborhood has changed, Josh. It’s not a boho, arty area anymore. It’s all high-priced condos and tapas bars.” Kris’s expression softened just slightly. “I think it’s time to let it go.”

This wasn’t about the gallery. This was about them. Him and Kris.

“No.”

“Josh, please at least look at the offer.” Kris stood, straightening his fancy cattleman’s. God, he looked like a stuffed suit. Kris looked better in beat-up Wranglers.

“I’m not interested.” Josh felt like sitting down and pounding the floor with his fist. This wasn’t right. None of it. He knew he was a fuckup. Had been a fuckup. But he was working his shit out.

The gallery was back to breaking even, if not making a profit. Josh thought he deserved a chance to get some good new artists in for a show.

“Then are you going to buy me out?” Kris asked.

Fuck. Kris knew he couldn’t do that. The business finances were an open book. Josh wasn’t even taking a salary for another three years to pay back Kris’s initial investment.

“I don’t have to. We’re equal partners. All I have to do is say no.”

Kris frowned, dark brows drawing together over his bright green eyes. “Dammit, Josh, how long are you going to pretend this is going to work?”

He touched the coin again. Five years. Five years sober. Five years proving he could be trusted. Five years and it wasn’t enough.

“This gallery is my life.” Simple as that. He had no friends anymore, no one. He came to work and went to meetings. He hadn’t gone out to dinner with Kris since…. Christ. Christmas? Maybe? Had they even done Christmas?

“Then what do you want me to do? The building is really the only asset.”

“I’m going on a buying trip. Santa Fe area. Why are we even talking about this?” Why are you even here? Go find another project.

Kris was, like, the king of finance now or something. He had investments all over, could probably walk away from the gallery without even taking a money hit.

“Buying? With what? Your good looks?”

Buy the book: 

Dreamspinner Press eBook  & paperback | Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

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Meet the Author

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing porn sites in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife (still amazing to say that), Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has gone to the high desert mountains and fallen in love. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery ménages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.

Where to find the author:

 


BannerTemplate Tour Dates & Stops:

19-Jan

The Novel Approach, My Fiction Nook, Book Lovers 4Ever, Nautical Star Books, Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Gay Book Reviews

21-Jan

MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Emotion in Motion, KathyMac Reviews

26-Jan

Velvet Panic, Havan Fellows, Bonkers About Books, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Decadent Delights

28-Jan

Open Skye Book Reviews, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Kiki’s Kinky Picks, A.M. Leibowitz

2-Feb

Louise Lyons, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Love Bytes, Bayou Book Junkie

4-Feb

Chris McHart, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Unquietly Me

9-Feb

Caraway Carter, QUEERcentric Books, Joyfully Jay

11-Feb

Happily Ever Chapter, Molly Lolly, Nic Starr, Book Reviews and More by Kathy

16-Feb

Cathy Brockman Romances, Gay Media Reviews, Full Moon Dreaming, Prism Book Alliance

18-Feb

V’s Reads, Iyana Jenna, Parker Williams , Lee Brazil

23-Feb

The Hat Party, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Alpha Book Club, BFD Book Blog

25-Feb

Rebecca Cohen Writes, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Making It Happen, Charley Descoteaux, Nephy Hart

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: PDF of the The Terms of Release and Articles of Release.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

 

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WillPride

Cover reveal for ‘6 Days to get Lucky’ by LE Franks (excerpt and giveaway)

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6 Days to Get Lucky ( A Nick Valentine Story #2) by LE Franks
Release Date: March 2, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Wilde City Press
Cover Artist: Wilde City Press

Blurb

Mixologist Nick Valentine never thought love was in the cards, but after a scorching Valentine’s Day kiss from bouncer Davis “FatBoy” Newman, he’s beginning to think it’s possible. After four weeks of dry spell, Nick’s losing patience—it’s time FatBoy stop acting the gentleman and just throw him over the bar or Nick may just change his mind.

All FatBoy wants is a shot at winning Nick’s heart. As long as meddling bosses, an Irish hurling team and a bar riot don’t ruin his chances forever, he might just get lucky and take the man of his dreams, home.

 

Pages or Words: 72,000 words
Series should be read in order for maximum enjoyment
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

Reaching across the empty bed next to me, I rode out the last waves of my dream alone. I could still feel his phantom kiss on my lips and the sensation of a hand stroking along my thigh.

The rest of it was just a blur of emotions and sticky residue on my sheets—though I could guess at it without much effort. FatBoy Newman had been a specter haunting me at work so it was no great leap to assume he’d shouldered his way into my dreams as well.

In fact, he was at the root of my problem: I’d been having a hell of a dry spell.

Four weeks of near misses had done nothing but stoke my bad mood and turn my balls a lovely shade of indigo that matched my jeans…

Four weeks of dashed hopes…

Four weeks since the most romantic kiss of my life…

Four weeks of nothing.

Fuck the South and its mythology of the Southern Gentleman—if FatBoy Newman didn’t stop treating me like a delicate flower and throw me up against a wall soon, I was going to explode.

It was six days until St. Patrick’s Day, and FatBoy had until then to make his move, or I was moving on.

Buy the book: Wilde City Press

 

BannerTemplateMeet the Author

LE Franks lives in the SF Bay area and writes M/M Romance in a unique mix of humor and drama with enough suspense to produce fast paced stories filled with emotion and passion and featuring characters that are quirky and complicated and sometimes a little bit dark. LE Franks is a best selling author and finalist for 2013 & 2014 Rainbow Awards. Her books are available through her publishers at MLR Press, Dreamspinner Press and Wilde City Press and Pride Publishing and online bookstores.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, Making It Happen, Open Skye Book Reviews, , Full Moon Dreaming,

Molly Lolly, Happily Ever Chapter, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, The Hat Party, A.M. Leibowitz, Outrageous Heroes, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Alpha Book Club, EE Montgomery, MM Good Book Reviews, Havan Fellows, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, V’s Reads, Inked Rainbow Reads

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a  Rafflecopter Prize: 6 Days to Valentine e-book & $5 amazon gift card for three total winners.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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A MelanieM Review: When Adam Fell (Foothills Pride #4) by Pat Henshaw

Rating: 3.75 (rounded up to 4) stars out of 5

When Adam FellWhen his lover Jason’s drug addiction spiraled out of control, TV celebrity chef and cookbook author Adam de Leon walked away from him. Adam also abandoned his renowned restaurant in San Francisco to start a small bistro in the Sierra Foothills.

Five years later Adam is battling the conservative leaders of Stone Acres, California, to open a new restaurant in historic Old Town when Jason turns up on his doorstep—a recovered Jason, now going by the name David and claiming he’s overcome his addictions. What’s more, he begs Adam to take him back and says he’s ready for their happily ever after.

Adam has enough on his plate with problems plaguing the opening of his restaurant. And now he’s having a hard time deciding which to follow—his head or his heart.

Another in the wonderful Foothills Pride series, When Adam Fell brings us the broken love affair of celebrity chief  Adam de Leon and his lover Jason, two men together since childhood who allowed the past and fame to destroy their love and relationship.  Now its five years later and Adam has removed his restaurant and home to the foothills, and closed down his heart.  Then Jason reappears asking for a second chance.

Pat, Pat, Pat.  You only give us 92 pages when this story cries out for double that!  These are such complicated, wounded men and you have given them a wonderfully layered past, one you  could  pick at from so many angles.  I loved that.  The “beautiful boy” stuff? Great!  I could have sunk myself into chapters alone with their past history and relationship.  But that was not to  be.  Sigh.

The Jason that reappears has remade himself down to a new name.  Its a shakeup for Adam and the reader who now have to adjust their perspective on this man.  To Pat Henshaw’s credit as a writer, we do.  She makes the case that Adam has never lost the feelings he had for Jason and is now rebuilding them in a new, healthier way.  And this time Adam has a strong support system (Stone, Fredi and the rest of his friends) to help him make the transition.

As much as I loved this story (and make no mistake, I do), I felt that some parts were still missing for me, more of their past perhaps, more of Jason, I’m not sure, but there’s a hole here somewhere.  Its too short for the scope of the story and the men involved.    And that restaurant, the new one?  Loved that.  I hope we see more of it and the new people they are hiring to work there  So many great possibilities for new stories on the horizon.

I love this series and each couple that has come about.  The Foothills Pride series is rich with wonderful stories, believable people and moving romance.  When Adam Fell is the fourth, grab them all up!  I highly recommend them all.

Cover art by AngstyG is perfect for the story, characters and place.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 92 pages
Expected publication: February 24th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634769709
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series Foothills Pride

Its Back to Foothills Pride with When Adam Fell by Pat Henshaw (excerpt and giveaway)

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When Adam Fell by Pat Henshaw
Release Date: February 24, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: AngstyG

 

Blurb

When his lover Jason’s drug addiction spiraled out of control, TV celebrity chef and cookbook author Adam de Leon walked away from him. Adam also abandoned his renowned restaurant in San Francisco to start a small bistro in the Sierra Foothills.

Five years later Adam is battling the conservative leaders of Stone Acres, California, to open a new restaurant in historic Old Town when Jason turns up on his doorstep—a recovered Jason, now going by the name David and claiming he’s overcome his addictions. What’s more, he begs Adam to take him back and says he’s ready for their happily ever after.

Adam has enough on his plate with problems plaguing the opening of his restaurant. And now he’s having a hard time deciding which to follow—his head or his heart.

 

Pages or Words: 29,800 words
Categories: Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

I watched Jason rise from the stoop.

He looked good. His golden hair sparkled in the day’s first light. A happy smile tinged with nervousness spread across his lips. He was wearing a silver-gray Bogner jacket, some sort of expensive pants, and sturdy boots. Hanging from his shirt collar, his sunglasses looked like those high-priced titanium ones. All in all, the guy standing in front of me could easily have fit into the young, hip app crowd now flooding the valley. Too much money and no idea where to spend it. He looked like a guy who’d eat at the Bistro and then fucking strut up to me after dinner, put a wad of Franklins in my pocket, and whisper, “Quit this job and come cook for me.”

Nothing tempted me, especially not the hundred-dollar bills I’d thought were Monopoly money the first time I’d seen them. Nothing had moved me like this, seeing Jason rise straight up in front of me like a fucking miracle.

Standing there in my scuffed clogs, beat-up jeans, and ratty Stanford Cardinal T-shirt, I felt underdressed for this particular dream. Shouldn’t I at least be wearing my chef’s regalia, toque and all? Shouldn’t I have a Henckel in one hand and a Wüsthof in the other? Or maybe clutching a shield made of my cooking classics, which I’d written with an angry, tormented mind but a clear eye to royalties?

“Cat got your tongue?” the vision asked.

“Fucking A, man. Is it really you, Jason?”

“Sorta. Who else would come knocking at your door looking like me?” He flung his arms out like he wanted me to hug him or some shit.

I backed away and kept my hands to myself, though my dick perked up immediately. Did Jason have a twin or a younger brother, somebody who resembled him? I didn’t think so. All I’d thought for five years was nobody—and I mean nobody—could ever have come back from where my Jason had buried himself. At least I never thought so.

There’ve been moments in my life when I was sure I was losing my mind. When I knew whatever tenuous grasp on reality I thought I had was really smoke up my ass. This moment smacked of those. As the legendary John Fogerty sang and the great Yogi Berra is supposed to have said, it was like déjà vu all over again. Only not.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked. Suspicion tasted bitter on my tongue.

Slowly his arms came down, and he gave me a pained but understanding look.

“Yeah, well, it was too much to hope we’d just kiss and make up.” His husky croak had once made me roll over and do anything he asked, but not now. “Can I come in? It’s a little chilly out here.”

I wasn’t cold, but then I’m tall and stout, a real cliché chef image. Fuck, I guess somebody’s got to be the cliché, right? It’s how clichés are born.

I shrugged at his question, swiped at the sweat rolling from my forehead, and moved aside. “Kitchen’s downstairs.” I gestured to the steps.

He walked past me, letting his hand trail over my groin. Once I would have nearly come at the gesture. Now I ignored my dick because my mind was numb and had been for years. He might think he could reawaken my love and lust, but I was pretty fucking sure that ship had sailed and gotten lost at sea.

Buy the book:

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon |Amazon UK  | Barnes& Noble

Meet the author

Pat Henshaw, author of the Foothills Pride Stories, was born and raised in Nebraska where she promptly left the cold and snow after college, living at various times in Texas, Colorado, Northern Virginia, and Northern California. Pat enjoys travel, having visited Mexico, Canada, Europe, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Egypt, and Europe, including a cruise down the Danube.

Now retired, Pat has spent her life surrounded by words: Teaching English composition at the junior college level; writing book reviews for newspapers, magazines, and websites; helping students find information as a librarian; and promoting PBS television programs.

Her triumphs are raising two incredible daughters who daily amaze her with their power and compassion. Fortunately, her incredibly supportive husband keeps her grounded in reality when she threatens to drift away while writing fiction.

Where to find the author:


Tour Dates & Stops:

FEBRUARY 24, 2016 – RELEASE DAY BLAST

Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Divine Magazine, The Hat Party, Happily Ever Chapter. BFD Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, KathyMac Reviews, Velvet Panic, Unquietly Me, 3 Chicks After Dark, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Tasty Wordgasms, My Fiction Nook, Making It Happen, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews, Kirsty Loves Books

 

VIRTUAL TOUR: FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 9

25-Feb: Velvet Panic, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

26-Feb: BFD Book Blog, Book Lovers 4Ever

29-Feb: Jessie G. Books, Kirsty Loves Books, Hearts on Fire

1-Mar: Inked Rainbow Reads, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

2-Mar: MM Good Book Reviews, Open Skye Book Reviews, KathyMac Reviews

3-Mar: V’s Reads, Divine Magazine, Love Bytes

4-Mar: Making It Happen, Unquietly Me

7-Mar: Havan Fellows, Happily Ever Chapter

8-Mar: The Novel Approach, A.M. Leibowitz

9-Mar: Bayou Book Junkie, Alpha Book Club, Rainbow Gold Reviews

 

Giveaway

Enter to win a Win one of THREE $10 Starbucks gift cards.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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A Jeri Review: The Law of Attraction By Jay Northcote

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

The Law of AttractionWhen a professional relationship turns personal, it’s impossible to resist the law of attraction.

Alec Rowland is a high-flying lawyer in a London firm whose career is his life. He doesn’t have time for relationships and his sexuality is a closely guarded secret. After picking up a cute guy on a Friday night, Alec’s world is rocked to its foundations when his one night stand shows up in the office on Monday morning—as the new temp on his team.

Ed Piper is desperate to prove himself in his new job. The last thing he needs is to be distracted by a crush on his boss. It’s hard to ignore the attraction he feels, even though Alec’s a difficult bastard to work for.

Both men strive to maintain a professional relationship, but tempers fray, passions ignite, and soon they’re both falling hard and fast. If they’re ever going to find a way to be together, Alec needs to be honest about who he really is because Ed won’t go back in the closet for anyone.
This was my first book by Jay Northcote and it won’t be my last! (For the record- 3 ½ stars means I really liked it!)

Alec is a closeted lawyer at a very successful law firm. His goal to become partner is becoming a reality- but he feels like he has to stay in the closet for it. His best friend acts as his arm candy/ girlfriend at various events to keep questions at bay. But sometimes his needs are too much.

Ed is out and proud and ready to start his new job. A night on the town leads to a seriously hot encounter with a stranger. Until he finds out the stranger is his new boss. They agree to be platonic work colleagues but you know the saying, the best laid plans….

The chemistry between Alec and Ed is off the charts hot. Alec turns into a jerk to try to deny the attraction to Ed, and honestly the way Ed just kind of accepted that but then also fell into his arms at the same time put me off a bit. But Ed’s strength to NOT go back into the closet. That made me want to cheer.

Watching Alec come to terms with who he is and accepting himself was a page turner. Even though he was a jerk, you knew why and you were cheering for him to own his truth. And Ed- standing up for himself- for HIS truth- was awesome. I just wanted to high five him!

Definitely give this book a read. Although there is the closet/no closet thing, the angst level is fairly low and the hotness level is very high.

The cover art with the smirking guy is such a perfect representation of Alec!

Sales Links:   Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 173 pages
Published February 5th 2016 by Jaybird Press
ASINB01B6NSXD0
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Stella Review: Second to None (The Breakfast Club #3) by Felice Stevens

RATING  3 out of 5 stars

Second to NoneNightclub owner Marcus Feldman never met a man he didn’t love, at least for the night. Although his best friends have all found love, Marcus shuns their advice to commit to one man and settle down. His past has taught him monogamy and marriage is for fools, and Marcus is anything but a fool.

Tyler Reiss’s dream of dancing professionally is unexpectedly cut short and replaced by a different kind of love. He trades in his ballet slippers for go go boots, and spends his nights dancing at the hottest gay club in the city. Flirting with the customers for tips is easy, but resisting the dark and sexy Marcus is becoming harder to do with each passing day.

Unforeseen circumstances bring Marcus and Tyler closer and though they give in to their mutual passion, both still struggle to guard their hearts. When crises threaten, Tyler and Marcus find their strength in each other rather than falling apart. Tyler must choose to either run, or stay and fight for the life he wants, while Marcus realizes that love doesn’t mean losing himself and opens his heart, making him a better man in the end.

I loved The Breakfast Club series by Felice Stevens but this third installment, Second to None, disappointed me. I’m not saying it’s a bad book because it isn’t, and in fact I gave it three stars. The plot worked well, the development of the relationship between Marcus and Tyler was good. Maybe I was so eager to read Marcus’ story, my expectations were too high, I don’t know. I simply didn’t like it as well as the other books in the series.

I read this book and even though it is ( or better, it could have been) emotional and bring tears to my eyes, I felt nothing. I surprisingly struggled a lot to connect with the characters and I was detached through the whole story.

Probably my biggest problem with Second to None was it didn’t felt real. Especially in the character of little Lily. I was disconcerted about what happened around the girl and how the MCs acted with her. I have read a lot of book with children in them because I’m a sucker for these kind of stories, but in this case in my opinion she wasn’t well defined for a child of four years. I get the feeling they weren’t very considerate of her. And at the end what I got was a shallow portrait and lacking in a lot of background about Tyler’s past (just to make an example, but I honestly was dubious about few little details during the whole book).

Yes I’m very disappointed, Second to None is not what I was hoping to read, Felice is a great author, I am used to her great stories and I am astonished she didn’t surprised me with something amazing.

The cover art by Reese Dante is the only thing that worked to me. Well done, in line with the whole series’ covers and in perfect Reese style.

Sales Links:   ARe | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 248 pages
Published January 28th 2016 by Felice Stevens
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Breakfast Club #3

Series The Breakfast Club with links to Stella’s reviews:

In the Spotlight: Charley Descoteaux ‘Torque’ (character interview, excerpt and giveaway)

Torque300

Torque by Charley Descoteaux
Release Date: February 23, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Cover Artist: Kanaxa

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Charley Descoteaux author of Torque! Hi Charley, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about your current book.

**********

Torque is a Romance featuring a bisexual man, a man on the ace spectrum, and a trans woman with no plans to transition surgically. Most of it takes place in a working wrecking yard, so no glitz or glamor, but a lot of angst. Thank you for inviting me to visit, I’m thrilled to be here! Instead of hogging the spotlight, I’m turning it over to Mick, the main character of my novella, Torque.

  • What do you find attractive in a man?

Mick: Confidence. I like that in women too. 😉

  • The first thing that went through your head when you saw Scotty Bell.

Mick: How much trouble I was in. Same with Mercy. Both of them turned my crank in ways I never expected and didn’t think I’d be able to resist.

  • Do you think you’ll insist the author visits you again?

Mick: I don’t know. It was hard enough making it through the one story, not sure I’m up for being tortured like that again. I already have more than I ever thought to want, so I’ll probably let her move on and drag another poor sucker through the mud and the grease instead of calling attention to myself again.

  • Before you met Scotty, what was your ideal man?

Mick: Before I met Scotty I didn’t think there was such a thing as an ideal man. I also thought it didn’t matter—I’d never have a man anyway, so what good would it do to think about what kind I wanted?

  • You’re going out for dinner. What’s your favorite food?

Mick: One I didn’t cook! Ask Scotty, I can’t cook for shit, even with instructions right on the box. Seriously, though, I love Mexican food and could live on burritos. And pizza.

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Blurb

Sometimes letting things get complicated is the best way to figure it all out.

Mick Randall is on the run, from the biker culture he grew up in and his impossible vision of love. Alaska should be far enough to escape his old life—until he rolls into a wrecking yard and gets lost in a pair of pale, bottle-green eyes.

Scotty Bell has spent years learning to channel his fiery temper into the heat of a welding torch. His sexual heat has always been slower to ignite, but one look at Mick rouses confusion alongside desire. In all his life, he’s only been attracted to one other person—his best friend, Mercy Taylor.

Mick lands a temporary job at the yard, and finds an uneasy crash pad at Scotty’s place…where the ragged ends of his emotions get tangled up in Scotty and Mercy’s relationship.

But when Mick hears a Harley engine from his past bearing down on him, his first instinct is to go back to the half-life he’d been living. Lest his secrets destroy the only two people who’ve ever made him feel whole.

Warning: Contains references to abuse, subversive ideas about sexual identity and gender expression, and a free-range bisexual on a mission.

 

Pages or Words: 47,337 words
Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction, Ménage/Poly, Romance, *Trans, Asexual, LGBTQ+ Fiction

Excerpt

Copyright © 2016 Charley Descoteaux
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

Mick slept on the couch for two weeks before Scott let him get dinner. Mick brought a pizza, hot wings and a six-pack. When he offered Scott a beer, Mick thought for a second he was about to get decked.

“No thanks, I don’t drink. But you go ahead.”

Mick put five bottles in the fridge and popped the top on the sixth. The long pull of rich beer felt like cool water after he’d been walking for weeks in the desert.

“Never?”

“Nope. I got enough of that before I was even born, I don’t need any more.”

It only took half a beer for Mick to get past the uncomfortable feeling he should’ve asked Scott to tell him more, or that he should’ve switched to Mountain Dew. Scott rented an On Demand movie, something forgettable with vampires, and they sat in their places on the couch and divided their attention between the movie and the pizza for the next two hours. Tom camped out in his usual spot between their thighs, graciously accepting all the chicken and pepperoni tributes offered to him.

After the movie was over they watched another one on HBO, but didn’t pay much attention to it. Mick had a nice buzz going and was happy to sit back and listen to Scott talk about his project—the VW Microbus he was converting into a flatbed. A warm, fuzzy feeling Mick almost didn’t recognize as happiness set up camp in his gut, and life was good.

He thought, more than once or twice, that Scott leaned toward him in a way that was a little more than friendly, but it had to be the beer.

Too bad.

Mick jerked in surprise when he realized he’d started to lean toward Scott. He had no right to be “more than friendly” to Scott. None at all.

Scott reached out to grasp his shoulder. “You okay, Mick?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Are you ready for bed?” Scott kneaded his shoulder, sending a current through his body.

“The movie isn’t over.”

“It’s not very good. If you don’t want to finish it, that’s okay with me.” Scott smiled and sat back against the couch, releasing Mick’s shoulder.

He couldn’t help himself, he leaned forward. Only a little bit. He didn’t want to lose Scott’s touch. In that moment, he couldn’t think of anything more important than Scott touching him, not even self-preservation.

Mick Randall wasn’t a stranger to self-medicating with alcohol but before he found Bell’s he hadn’t had a lot of money to spare, and lately he hadn’t had the time. Together, those circumstances had turned him into a lightweight. That had to be the explanation for why he saw a come-on in every glance and heard innuendo where surely Scott didn’t mean any. He’d have to be a lightweight to want so badly to respond to Scott’s touch with an embrace.

Maybe I should quit drinking.

Mick wasn’t capable of walking in a straight line by the time he hit the can, but it didn’t matter. Four beers was plenty and he’d take the other two out of Scott’s fridge the next day and remember not to bring more. If he wanted a drink, he wouldn’t have to drive far. When he left the bathroom his thoughts centered on that warm, happy feeling, and what he could get up to the next day. Before he knew what was happening, Scott had him backed against the wall, both hands spread across his chest.

All that fuzzy warm happiness disappeared, replaced by a tiny shiver of panic mixed with a side of relief. The relief tangled with a mix of “fucking finally” and “what the fuck” that made Mick dizzy. Or maybe that’s just the beer.

“Scott. Maybe I should sleep somewhere else tonight.”

“Yeah. Like in my bed with me.”

“I was thinking like my car, or a motel.”

Scott frowned and pushed him back against the wall harder, caressing his chest and shoulders as he did. The contrast of the unyielding wall against his shoulder blades and the man in front of him spun Mick’s head around once. “You don’t feel anything like Mercy. I knew you wouldn’t.”

“Don’t you think Mercy would—”

“She wouldn’t care. I’m not the only one she fools around with.” Scott leaned against him, chest to chest, close enough to kiss.

“Let me go.” Mick took hold of Scott’s shoulders and tried to push him back, but Scott was stronger than he looked.

“No. I don’t want to.”

“What am I supposed to do now?” Mick couldn’t see a clear path to the door. Panic reared up in the back of his mind—he had no game plan for this, no idea what his part should be.

“You can let me blow you. Or you can blow me. I don’t care who goes first. You want me, don’t you?”

Mick tried to speak but couldn’t. He couldn’t get a decent breath either, not with Scott’s hands on him. He nodded and tried to pull himself together.

“Haven’t you ever hooked up before?”

“Yeah.” Liar.

“Well, so have I. I’m not a little kid. You don’t have to—”

“I know you’re not.” Mick squeezed Scott’s shoulders, anxious to learn how his skin felt over those hard muscles, how those muscles looked when he moved. “I know.”

“So why—”

“I’ve hooked up before.”

“So why not with me?”

“Because it’s different with you. I mean, it would be— I can’t…”

“You think I’m an idiot? Too dumb to know what to—”

“No! No. That has nothing to do—” Mick saw something in Scott’s eyes that made the rest of that sentence turn to dust in his throat. He swallowed hard and was about to—no idea what he was about to do, but he couldn’t stand there forever—when he saw something else that stopped him. “You’re shaking.”

“Yeah.” Scott’s voice had a hard edge so when he surged forward, his erection pressing against Mick’s thigh, it was unexpected.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m trying to keep from punching you in the face.”

“Why do you want to punch me in the face?”

“Because you’re pushing me away. I thought you liked me.”

“I do like you. But—”

“Don’t say it’s not right. I’m dumb but I’m not—”

“I didn’t say you were dumb. You’re not dumb.” Mick could barely speak past his desire, so his last few words came out as breathless as he felt. He’d started panting and the sound filled the short hallway. “Please don’t punch me in the face.”

Scott frowned, but fear and pain was mixed up with the anger and desire showing in his light bottle-green eyes. Mick felt it all right along with him.

“Maybe I should go.”

When Scott didn’t respond Mick slid against the wall, sideways. In just a few steps, Mick wasn’t supporting all of Scott’s weight anymore, didn’t feel his tense muscles or his heat. Mick gingerly pushed off from the wall and walked backward, toward the living room.

“You don’t have to.”

“I think I do.” Mick sat on the sofa to pull on his boots and Scott dropped onto the cushion beside him. Mick straightened, one boot on and one off, and Scott grabbed him and kissed him.

Buy the book: Samhain | Amazon US | All Romance eBooks

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Meet the Author

Charley Descoteaux misspent a large chunk of her youth on the back of a Harley, meeting people and having adventures that sometimes pop up in her fiction. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during a drought, and found her true home in the soggy Pacific Northwest. Charley has survived earthquakes, tornadoes and floods, but couldn’t make it through one day without stories.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

23-Feb

Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Book Lovers 4Ever, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Posy Roberts

1-Mar

The Novel Approach, Velvet Panic, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Hearts on Fire

8-Mar

Louise Lyons, Foxylutely Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, the Twins: Talon ps & Princess so, Inked Rainbow Reads

15-Mar

Full Moon Dreaming, Elin Gregory, Alpha Book Club, Bayou Book Junkie

22-Mar

Butterfly-O-Meter, Kirsty Loves Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Unquietly Me

29-Mar

Jessie G. Books, QUEERcentric Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Love Bytes

5-Apr

Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Divine Magazine, Prism Book Alliance, Molly Lolly

12-Apr

Nephy Hart, Happily Ever Chapter, MM Good Book Reviews

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $20 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A VVivacious Review: Einstein’s Peep Show by Josephine Myles

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars                                  ★★★★★
 
Einstein's Peep ShowNathan is a gay cam model which basically means he does solo sex acts for money to pay for his education. But when his highest tipper wants a private show with Nathan aka Einstein blowing another human being, Nathan is in a bit of a fix.
 
Rory is Nathan’s next door neighbour and when Nathan propositions him, he agrees because, who can turn down a blow job. But before he knows it things get out of control and turns out he might be in a real danger of losing his heart if only, Nathan would return his feelings…
 
This is the most charming romance I have ever read. These two were just so cute they had me going aww… and between that and the humour, I had a big smile slapped on my face for the entirety of the book and that is truly saying something because Rory had me giggling by the end of the first paragraph and the smile on my face never dimmed from there on out.
 
Nathan is this adorable geek who takes everything literally, so he can be a bit dense at times and a little too sensitive at the others. But he has had his heart squashed in a previous relationship and doesn’t want to suffer from another hormonal imbalance (if you are unfamiliar by the term, you might refer to it by the name of ‘love’).
 
Rory is this adorable (yes he is adorable too, you can get why this book is so charmingly funny and cute and romantic!!) guy who made me smile throughout this book, with his actions and words. He is such a nice guy, I loved the way he was open to talking and how he was always smiling and also how he was always trying to get Nathan out of his shell, and trying to make him really enjoy life.
 
Nathan and Rory together were oh so cute and just fit so well. And this really geeky quote from the book sums them up pretty well –
 
“Rory’s legs and arms were wrapped tight around him, pulling him inside, like the two of them were no longer separate integers. Like they’d been added together to make the most perfect prime number. Indivisible by anything but themselves.”
 
This book is perfect in length; it is a complete story and covers all the bases. What I loved was how this story imparts the true essence of Nathan and Rory just through their words and actions; I mean I loved how the plot had them in these adorable yet sexy situations and how they were trying to navigate this quagmire of a situation with their hearts intact, but failed… quite horribly.
 
If I could put a big arrow with the words READ THIS next to this book, I would. It’s short, it’s sweet, it will make you fall in love with the characters, it will make you laugh and in the end will still be a very satisfying read. Josephine Myles has hit a home run with this one.
 
Cover Art by Lou Harper. I think the cover is really cute (I am falling abysmally short of adjectives with this book), even though Nathan probably might not smile so much, but then he totally would if Rory was making him smile. I think the cover about covers up the content of this book.

Sales Links:   Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 90 pages
Expected publication: February 23rd 2016
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Edition LanguageEnglish

A Lila Review: Country Soul by Remmy Duchene

Rate: 3 out of 5 stars

Country Soul right imageWhen Jackson Rawlings comes out of the closet, he loses everything: from his record label to the self-confidence he needs to perform on stage. Jackson feels as if the world is out to get him. Broken and afraid, he escapes to Hallesford and the ranch he calls home. All he wants is to live out the rest of his life peacefully and out of the spotlight.

But the fates just love interfering in his life.

Marques Lopez is the owner of Phoenix Records, and not only does he hate what happened to Jackson, he feels Jackson Rawlings has plenty more to contribute to the music industry. He ventures into small-town USA to find the singer and when he does, Jackson is a mere fragment of the man he used to be. To make matters worse, Marques’s body and heart step in to present him with a choice between business and pleasure—unless he could have his cake and eat it too…. Jackson Rawling’s farewell concert is in progress when the story starts. We get to experience his inner tumult and his battle to keep a positive outlook when giving his last press conference. He knows his career is over since the moment he came out and his record label dropped him. The fans and his crew, on the other hand, still faithful to Jackson and his music.

 After all the goodbyes, Jackson travels with his best friend, Chad, back to their hometown of Hallesford. And from there on, he nurses his broken heart, alone in his ranch. At this point, we get to meet Marques and learn about his family and his plans to save Jackson’s career. When he gets to the ranch, he finds Jackson struggling with his new life circumstances.

 Together, they brought back Jackson’s career and established a relationship that moves further than work colleagues. The book ends with an epilogue sealing their HEA.

Country Soul is a hard book to rate. The story starts slow but interesting enough to keep reading. The book is well-written, and the characters are tridimensional and engaging. Unfortunately, I never got a real read for the MCs’ ages, features, or how they got to that point in their lives.

 Their first meeting was explosive and sexy. We get to see their initial chemistry and the lust between them. Then, everything fizzles off until the story is halfway through. Their relationship is more than UST, is just distracting. Everything gets narrow down to their time together in the ranch with only essential details of the events unfolding.

 By the time the story hits the sixty percent mark, we finally get them together for several heartbeats before a separation happens. The problem here is that we missed the development of their relationship. In a handful of pages, they went from 0 to 100 in the love scale. Their initial lust and UST changes into a love worth writing poems for. The thing is, I wanted to be part of that story, and this book just skipped it.

 The beginning works, the middle is murky, and the ending is beautiful. Everything together makes a nice enough book, full of potential to be a great story. It just needed a little push to be what it deserved.

Garrett Leigh created a cover that shows the main characters and reads like a country music book. It’s nice and general, just like the story.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

 ebook, 120 pages
Published: February 17, 2016 (2nd Edition), by Dreamspinner Press (1st Ed. published by Silver Publishing, 2011)
ISBN: 978-1-63476-992-1
Edition Language: English

What Happens When Friends Shift to Lovers? Check out Shifting Gears by Riley Hart (excerpt and giveaway)

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Shifting Gears

A Crossroads Novel

Book 2

M/M Romance

Riley Hart

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Cover Designer: X Potion Designs
Cover Photo:
Stock Photo

Release Date: February 10, 2016

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1W3baPC

Shifting Gears Full Cover

BLURB

Rod Nelson is used to being someone’s good time, and that’s fine with him. Spending his days at his adult toy store, Rods-N-Ends, he never knows who he’ll meet. The second Landon Harrison walks in, he has Rod’s full attention. It seems as if Landon wants him too, so why won’t the man jump in the sack with him already?

Landon never thought he’d return home to the town where memories lurk around every corner. He has to admit, Rod makes the adjustment a lot easier. He keeps Landon laughing. Despite the fierce attraction between them, he’s not willing to risk his newfound friendship to get laid.

Neither man wants something serious, but the more they’re together, the harder it is to keep their hands to themselves, until eventually they stop trying.

But flings between friends are never simple, and as they attempt to shift gears, diving into their first relationship, they’re slammed with setbacks. If they want to truly move forward, before they hit the open road together, they’re going to have to let go of a past that could make them crash and burn.

BUY LINKS

Amazon US:http://goo.gl/RiRaHk

Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/iWolwS

Amazon CA: http://goo.gl/ZAoAUO

Amazon AU: http://goo.gl/lZxgPd

ibooks: https://goo.gl/3F4c3v

Kobo: https://goo.gl/skmMhC

B&N: http://goo.gl/04dyN9

TEASERS

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EXCERPT

Landon pulled softly on his arm again, and Rod got the hint. He kneeled between Landon’s legs, with his knees on the floor. “You’re determined,” Landon told him.

Yes, yes he was. At least when it came to this. “Is that a bad thing?”

Landon smiled. “Hell no. You’ve had my dick hard since the first time I saw you. Easy Ride comes in the mail too, ya know?”

“Aww, so you came to see me?”

“Shut up so I can kiss you.” The look in Landon’s eyes turned dark, hungry, urgent, and he pulled Rod closer, covering Rod’s mouth with his own. His tongue went straight for Rod’s lips, demanding entrance, and Rod gave it easily. He tasted like a mixture of coffee and mint, like maybe he’d had a drink right after brushing his teeth.

Rod slid his hands up Landon’s thighs until he got to the bulge at the apex of them and rubbed his hand over it, feeling the large bump beneath his jeans.

Landon growled into his mouth, making it vibrate through him.

He leaned back, grabbed the bottom of Rod’s shirt and pulled it over his head. “I’m so damned hungry for you. This won’t be slow. It’ll be fast and hard.”

“Were you under the impression that I wanted it slow?”

Grinning, Landon reached around and swatted Rod’s ass. “Let’s go to the room.”

“Why move when we can do it right here?” He didn’t want to give Landon the chance to change his mind. Rod reached under the couch and grabbed a bottle of lube, before pulling a condom from his wallet and tossing both to the couch.

“You keep lube under your couch?”

“I live alone. I can jack off wherever I want. Are we going to talk or do this?” But really, he liked talking to Landon, and if what Landon said was true, he liked talking to Rod as well.

“Fuck now, words later.”

Hell yes. Definitely what he wanted to hear. Rod stood up to take off his jeans. As he worked the button, Landon traced a path across his stomach with his tongue. He nipped at the skin next to Rod’s belly button, just enough to sting before he sucked the skin into his mouth again.

“Oh fuck.” Rod’s bones melted; his knees went weak.

“Get out of those pants before I rip them off of you. Want your ass.”

Rod looked down at him and nodded, letting Landon know he was good to go. Finally, his goddamned fingers started to work and he got his pants unbuttoned and unzipped. Blood rushed through his ears. His cock ached as he pulled down his jeans.

Landon leaned in. “Jesus, you’re leaking like crazy. Look at that fucking wet spot. I want your taste on my tongue again.” And then he nuzzled his face between Rod’s legs, his mouth against the growing spot of pre-come in Rod’s underwear.

“Damn, I’m going to fucking kill you if you make me come too soon.” Even as he spoke, Rod had his hand in Landon’s hair, pushing his face closer to his aching cock.

Landon smacked his ass again, before pulling back. “Get them off.”

There was a slight tingle in Rod’s cheek from the smacks. “You’re naughty, aren’t you?” The thought just made his balls even more heavy and tight.

“For some reason, I doubt I have anything on your level of naughtiness.”

Rod shrugged. “It gives you something to strive for. You can practice on me if you want.”

“I’ll consider it, now get your ass out of your underwear and on my dick.”

Rod’s cock pulsed behind the tightening fabric. “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s a hopeless romantic, a lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together.

She loves reading, flawed characters, and hanging out with her husband and children, who she adores. She and her family live in Southern California, soaking up the sunshine, while also missing seasons. Not a day goes by that she isn’t thankful she gets to wake up and do what she loves.

Life is good. Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rileyhartwrites/?ref=hl

Website: http://www.rileyhartwrites.com/p/home.html?zx=48696725e5833865

Blog: http://www.rileyhartwrites.com/index.html

Twitter: @RileyHart5

 

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