Category: Contemporary fiction

Its Release Day for Second to None (The Breakfast Club #3) by Felice Stevens (excerpt and contest

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Second to None

The Breakfast Club, Book 3

Felice Stevens

M/M Romance

Second to None

Cover Designer: Reese Dante

Cover Photo: Stock Photo

Release Date: January 28, 2016

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1K7uhSq

Buy Links

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Vp6UK4 |Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NyzbI5 | Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1OWTwcf

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1PBF13e | ARe: http://bit.ly/1nPOp6U | KOBO: http://bit.ly/1nNIQGd

BLURB:

Nightclub 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.

 

TEASERS

STNTeasFinal

 

EXCERPT

“Marcus?”

His eyelids fluttered open to the sight of a hospital room instead of his bedroom. His neck hurt and his legs were contorted in a pretzel-like position. He untangled himself from the chair he’d fallen asleep in after they moved Tyler to a room last night around three a.m., and walked over to the hospital bed where Tyler lay wide-awake.

Tyler stared up at him, confusion apparent in his furrowed brow, but Marcus noticed his bright, pain-free eyes.

“Hey, how’re you feeling?”

“Like someone punched my guts in.” He licked his lips. “Is there any water? I’m really thirsty.”

Marcus took the plastic cup from the swing table next to the bed and poured Tyler a small glass. “Let me raise the bed for you so you don’t spill it.” Tyler nodded and Marcus pressed the button and watched the head of the bed raise up a few inches before stopping. “Here. Drink it slow.”

Tyler gave him a searching look but said nothing and drank his water. His head fell back on the pillow, and he closed his eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

“That’s not very nice. How about: ‘Thanks Marcus for staying the night. I appreciate it.’”

He grinned at Tyler who rolled his eyes. “Thanks Marcus for staying the night. I appreciate it.” He sighed. “But why are you here? And what time is it anyway?”

Marcus consulted his watch. “It’s seven a.m. The doctor said last night when they brought you into the room here that if you didn’t show any signs of a concussion, they’d spring you out sometime this morning.”

“Okay. But that doesn’t answer my question about what you’re doing here.”

“I stayed to make sure you were okay, plus I’m taking you home when you’re discharged.”

“I can call a cab.” Tyler winced as he sat up. “I’m fine, and it doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as it did yesterday.” His fingers touched his side. “They have me taped up pretty well.”

“Let me see.” Before Tyler responded, Marcus placed his hand over Tyler’s rib cage and felt the bulky bandage through the thin fabric of the hospital gown. He slid his hand around Tyler’s waist.

“Marcus, stop,” Tyler warned.

“Stop what?” He might be far from innocent, but he could play the part.

“Oh, am I interrupting?” A nurse walked in with a tray and a thermometer. “I’m sorry, but I have to give him his meds and take his BP and temperature.”

“I hope you’re taking it rectally. I was always told it gave the most accurate reading. Is that true?” He stepped away from the bed and winked at the nurse, who broke out in laughter.

“Marcus, shut up,” said Tyler, not even trying to hide the exasperation in his voice.

“Oh Marcus, you’re silly.” She bit her lips to stop her amusement. “Don’t worry, Mr. Reiss. Your boyfriend is right, but we take it by the eardrum method. It’s very accurate as well.” She busied herself, unaware of Tyler’s glare. “Just relax now.”

After finishing, she pulled away the blood pressure machine and smiled. “Very good. All your vitals are excellent. How’s your head?”

“Hard as a rock,” Marcus spoke before Tyler could answer.

“Oh, you’re a kidder.” She patted him on his arm. “I think it’s sweet the way you stayed here all night to make sure everything was okay. And now you get to take him home and baby him.”

Watching Tyler grow angrier by the minute was a better show than anything he’d ever watched on television. “I’m looking forward to it. I may have to borrow a nurse outfit.”

The nurse’s laughter followed her out the door, but Tyler was having none of it. Seeing the hostility in his blue-gray eyes, Marcus girded himself.

“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not going home with you.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that her interest in romance novels was renewed.

But somewhere along the way, her reading shifted to stories of men falling in love. Once she picked up her first gay romance, she became so enamored of the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion there was no turning back.

Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. Although she practices law, she daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be some angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter:https://twitter.com/FeliceStevens1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/felicestevens/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8432880.Felice_Stevens

Instagram: https://instagram.com/FeliceStevens

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/felicestevensauthor?ref=hl

Newsletter: http://felicestevens.us8.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=d43061d90bf2256eb322ed69f&id=586ac8fa57

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Take a Walk on the Sinful Side with Jambrea Jo Jones’ ‘Vegas Sin City’ (character interview, excerpt and giveaway)

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Vegas Sin Blog Tour

Jambrea Jo Jones

Hi everyone, Jambrea Jo Jones here! Today I’ll be introducing you all to another character from my new release, Vegas Sin. This time we’re interviewing Owen.

“Owen, it’s only fair that I interview you as well. I talked to Harrison about a birthday memory. I think, for you, I’d just like your happiest memory.” I put my hands in my lap and waited for him to respond.

Owen fidgeted in his seat, but seemed game for the question.

“I can do that. I mean, I’m generally a happy guy. Or I try to be. It could be said I’m happiest when I’m messing with my partner, but that isn’t the best moment I had.”

“No?”

“It’s fun, but it’s only a brief moment of happy. No. There are other things.”

“Like what?”

“Didn’t you write the story?” Owen gave me one of those ‘duh’ looks.

“Well—I know of a couple, but figured since, you know, this is an interview of sorts I’d let you talk about it.”

“See? Fun times messing with people.” Owen winked.

“Get on with your memory.” I couldn’t hold back a grin.

“Yes, ma’am.”

There was a pause.

“Now, would be nice.”

“Hold on.” Owen held up a hand. “Okay. I think most would expect me to say Harrison is my happiest, but he is in the now and future. For a memory, I’d have to go with the night my niece was born.”

“Were you there?”

“Well, yeah, but not in the room. My sister needed a ride to the hospital. I did the brother thing and made sure she got there. We were lucky she didn’t have it the car!”

“I stayed outside in the waiting room until they called me back. I mean—babies aren’t the best to look at when they’re that fresh, but that little munchkin stole my heart that day. That little life was one I would protect with everything I am. She’s grown into a cute kid. I think she kind of looks like her uncle.” Owen winked. “The thing is, I haven’t been there for her as much as I’ve wanted to. I have work and she’s been off with my sister. That kid has grown up before she needed to, so now I’m trying to make up for that. Show her it’s okay to be a kid and she doesn’t have to protect her mom. I’ll be there for both of them.”

“And Harrison?”

“Oh, she stole his heart from the first meeting. She’ll do that to you. My niece is one special kid.”

“So when it’s time for her to date…”

“You’re kidding, right? Not. Happening.”

“I hate to tell you this, Owen, but it is so going to happen, but I’m sure you’ll be there for any heartbreak. Just remember the ice cream.”

“You just stop. Right now. First you have her dating, now she’s getting a broken heart? Where’s my gun?”

I laughed.

“Keep laughing it up there, Ms. Jones. Come talk to me when your son is dating.”

That stopped me and I glared at Owen.

“I think we’re done here. Harrison, come get your man.”

Now it was Owen laughing as he met Harrison at the door.”

“Got ya!”

I watched them walk away, thinking of what other fun things I could put them through.

About Jambrea Jo Jones:

Jambrea wanted to be the youngest romance author published, but life impeded the dreams. She put her writing aside and went to college briefly, then enlisted in the Air Force. After serving in the military, she returned home to Indiana to start her family. A few years later, she discovered yahoo groups and book reviews. There was no turning back. She was bit by the writing bug.

She enjoys spending time with her son when not writing and loves to receive reader feedback. She’s addicted to the internet so feel free to email her anytime.

Vegas Sin

Vegas Sin (Totally Five Star)
by Jambrea Jo Jones
(Sales link above)

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Vegas Sin blurb

Sex, weddings and gambling hold a back seat to kidnapping and murder in the city of sin…

Owen Carpenter sets aside one night each month to relax at the Totally Five Star, but a case has just landed on his desk that has those nights disappearing for the foreseeable future. Someone is kidnapping women in Las Vegas and Owen needs to stop them before the women end up dead.

Harrison Boone is head of security at the Totally Five Star. He notices a man who comes in once a month and he wants to know more about him. When Owen introduces himself, there’s an instant attraction between Harrison and Owen, but they are interrupted by a kidnapping—at his hotel. After Harrison leaves the military, the hotel becomes his life, so Harrison will do anything to keep the hotel out of the news and protect its reputation.

Can Owen and Harrison find love in Sin City, or will the case of the disappearing women crush what might be the best bet the men have ever placed?

Pairing: MM
Book Length: Novel
Genre: Erotic Romance, Gay, Contemporary, Crime and Mystery, Thrillers and Suspense

Vegas Sin Excerpt

Now he needed coffee—stat. He hated the slop they had in the office, but it was better than nothing. He’d forgotten to set his coffeemaker up to brew last night. Of course, he’d been dealing with a sobbing sister and a too-serious niece. He hoped that nothing big had been tossed on his desk, but he wasn’t sure he’d get that lucky. It had been a busy week—not that he should be surprised—since it was Vegas, after all. The lights and gambling attracted all kinds. It kept him busy most days. Owen had just wrapped up a case late yesterday. A domestic violence situation where the boyfriend had killed the girlfriend. It was pretty open and shut, but he’d still had to cross his T’s and dot his I’s so the guy didn’t get off on a technicality.

At least he wasn’t set to testify anytime soon. He hated going to court. He’d rather be solving cases. Some of the other guys looked at it like a day off, but not him. All those people staring at him while he did his best not to fidget in the seat.

His partner was out on leave so that left him picking up the slack. They had a few cases open that he’d have to take a look at and see what else he could do, as long as something new didn’t take priority.

The coffeepot was almost empty. There probably wasn’t even enough for a cup. It seemed the guys did that shit all the time. Owen poured the little bit into his cup. At least it would give him a jolt while he waited for a fresh batch to brew. He didn’t even think about how long the pot had been setting there. The others would pass it up in a heartbeat and wait until someone else made it, then they would all jump on it like vultures. Shit. He really should have brewed some at home.

Maybe he would swing by a Starbucks later. He hated to spend the extra money, but he couldn’t live without the nectar of the gods. The sludge in his cup wasn’t going to cut it. After one sip, he dumped it out. Nothing was going to save that coffee. Leaving the pot brewing, he made his way to his desk. It was pretty quiet. The shift change meeting wouldn’t happen for about an hour, so he had time to go through the files from yesterday.

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Pride Publishing January Blog Tour Competition:

Enter Pride Publishing’s monthly competition for your chance to win a free eBook of your choice! (Not including boxsets or anthologies.)  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Enter here: http://www.pride-publishing.com/blog-tour-competition-january

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A BJ Audiobook Review: Daylight Again (Hell or High Water #3) by S.E. Jakes and Adam North (Narrator)

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Daylight Again audiobookBefore Prophet Drews can have a future, he must first put his past to rest.

Prophet Drews is a man on the edge, and he’s pulling Tom Boudreaux, his partner on the job and in real life, right over with him. When his old CO calls in a favor, Prophet asks Tom to join the off-the-grid rescue. But the mission raises all of Prophet’s old ghosts: CIA assassins, the terrorist Sadiq, and most importantly, John—traitor, former teammate, and Prophet’s first love.

To help bury those ghosts for good, Prophet and Tom gather the members of Prophet’s former SEAL team . . . and a spook named Cillian who’s been tailing Prophet for years. In the process, Prophet is forced to face his team’s shifting loyalties, ghosts who refuse to stay dead, and scariest of all, his own limitations.

With everyone’s lives in danger, Prophet and Tom must unravel a tangled knot of secrets, including their own. Prophet must decide how much to reveal to Tom, while Tom must decide how far he’s willing to go to help Prophet lay his ghosts to rest.

With books one and two of this audio series, I’d already read prior to listening. This one I had not, and since it’s very complex with a ton of characters, I was worried I’d be a bit lost. I needn’t have worried. The narrator did an excellent job of keeping me in touch with all the characters and his voice was easy to listen to.

This book picks up about four months after the end of the prior book, and it does finally provide a few of the moments I’d been waiting for between Tom and Prophet, and they lived up to my expectations in traditional Tom/Prophet style. Whereas book two explored Tom more, this one we get to see more inside of Prophet. I loved seeing a bit of a softer side to Prophet. Yes, in this book we see Tom and Prophet’s relationship solidified but not with flowers and sweetness. The times when they weren’t having sex showed how the act helped them both to deal with their emotions. Enjoyed BDSM elements that came into play in this one.

Having read the first book of the Dirty Deeds series and waiting impatiently for book  two for a while, I was pleased to see some bits of the relationship between Mal and Cillian come out in this story. It was also enjoyable to see more of Remy from book two and to finally see a few of the baddies get their due. Alas many more wait in the wings, including the ever-mysterious John.

As I’ve come to expect from this series, this book is packed with hot sex, action, ass kicking, fighting, interrogating, and even jumping out of airplanes. And the plot moved along very nicely in this one with quite a few of the questions about Prophet’s past with John being revealed, while still leaving much open and ending on a cliffhanger that will have me loading book 3.5 onto my iPhone tomorrow.

A few things I saw as inconsistencies kept me from giving it a higher star rating, such as in one of the final scene, Prophet’s wrists are tied behind his back and jerked viciously enough that he states he knows he’ll need them in casts again, but in the next chapter a few weeks later, they are not in casts and no mention that they had been. And the twist at the end didn’t sit “right” to me given what we know of all these men’s skills. Perhaps that will change as I read the next book, which I am eager to do, but I know that one is just a short and the knowledge that the final book in this series is unavailable at this time and quite a bit overdue makes me sad.

The cover by L.C. Chase fits those for the previous books in the series but isn’t as sexy as those prior.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon


Book Details:  

6 hrs 57 mins

Audible Audio, 7 pages
Published December 16th 2015 by Audible Studios (first published May 2nd 2014)
ASINB016WPY4R6
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHell or High Water #3, Extreme Escapes, Ltd.

A BJ Review: Tracefinder: Contact (Tracefinder #1) by Kaje Harper

Rating:  4.75 stars out of 5

TracefinderWhat could an undercover cop and a drug lord’s pet psychic have in common?

Brian Kerr has spent years hiding behind a facade of mental slowness. His brother and sister got all three of them off the streets and into a cushy life, under the protection of a dangerous criminal. But to keep that safety, Brian has to use his Finding talent to track down the boss’s enemies. Although he pretends not to know what he’s really doing, each Find takes its toll, and he’s trapped in a life he hates, losing touch with his true self.

Nick Rugo’s job is to protect and serve the people of Minneapolis as an undercover cop. He isn’t closeted, but he isn’t out at work, and there’s a wild, angry side to him that he’s managed to keep hidden until now. When he’s assigned to bring Brian’s boss to justice, he intends to use anything and anyone it takes to do that.

Nick initially sees Brian as a pawn to be played in his case, but he keeps getting glimpses of a different man behind the slow, simpleminded mask. As the two men get to know each other, it becomes clear they share secrets, some of which might get them both killed.

A very usual contemporary with a paranormal twist and flawed characters of an entirely different type than I’m used to reading. This one set itself apart from most that I’ve read and stuck in my head (in a good way). Each and every character is interesting, multi-layered, and well-drawn, the pacing moved well, and there were even well-handled animal characters which is always a plus for me. This story unfolds slowly but it didn’t take long to discover that for those like me who love broken boys, this series promises to be a find indeed.

Not high on the heat meter and even the romance element is on the milder side, but that seems fitting given the characters in this story. Nick Rugo and Brian Kerr are worlds apart in many ways, but they share difficult childhoods that have left them trying hold themselves together by whatever means they can. Nick often deals by lashing out in physical violence such as bar fights, while Brian deals by hiding within himself behind the persona of a simpleton called Bry. But is Bry real or did Brian create him as a cover? Even Brian himself seems confused on that point.

The author rather leaves us guessing as to what exactly is wrong with Brian aside from severe dyslexia. How much of who he is (or pretends to be?) is the result of a defense mechanism he began in childhood? How slow/special needs is he really? That’s not immediately clear. Hell, it’s not even totally clear by the end. And I actually loved that. It kept me thinking and guessing and trying to piece things out.

In the end, I decided that regardless of how slow Brian might be, one thing is for sure, he’s far from stupid. His intelligence shines though to me in many ways. Devising an intricate ruse/cover (or even playing into it) and keeping it up over the long haul wouldn’t have been easy. I loved how sometimes Brian’s true intelligence would slip out in the things he said, and how adept he was at covering them up with quick thinking and acting. Also Brian certainly seemed to have a handle on good/bad and right/wrong–he continuously makes insightful and succinct judgments about those around him and his insights into the motivations of others showed a high degree of intuitiveness.

I applaud the author for tackling this rather different type of romance. At first I had a hard time seeing how these two could forge a relationship that would believably complement each other without being woefully uneven, without one being more of a caregiver. By the end of the book, the author had me believably seeing how these two men complemented each other, how each had needs that the other met, and that they were if not equal, at least moving towards it. I felt the sexy bits were skillfully handled and fitting for this couple.

Brian’s siblings, Lori and Damon, are also nuanced characters with complicated motivations that make them far from black/white, bad/good. I’m glad this will be a series because I there are so many questions still in my mind, so many things I’d love to explore and learn about all of them.

When I read a story, connecting to the characters is probably one of the most important things for me. I definitely got that here. I liked Nick, found Brian fascinating, and adored badass Damon. I hope there’ll be more of him in the book two.

The cover is eye-catching and hot. Love everything about it, the layout, the model, the black and white with just a flash of color, it’s perfect.

Sales Links:   Goodreads |  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here
Book Details: 518 pages
Published January 9th, 2016 by Kaje Harper

A Mika Review: Rustic Melody (Rustic #1) by Nic Starr

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Rustic MelodyAdam Chambers has never seen eye-to-eye with his father and is reluctant to take over the family’s property-development company. To clear his head and work out what he wants to do with the rest of his life, Adam leaves his responsibilities in the city and heads out to see the country.

He isn’t much closer to deciding what to do with his life when he arrives at one of Australia’s largest events, the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and meets Joey Callaway.

Since Joey’s father’s tragic death left Joey the family’s debt-ridden pub, Joey has struggled, desperate to turn the business around and give his mum the life she deserves. A break away from the pressures of running the pub is just what he needs, and a hook-up with Adam is the perfect way to forget about his troubles.

The one-night stand might just be an opening act. If Adam and Joey can follow the music in their hearts, perhaps they can heal each other and create a melody that will last a lifetime.

This was my first novel by Nic Starr, and it was okay for me. The writing was okay, and the story was just okay for me. It was kind of flat, and one noted. I did like the characters a lot, but I felt like the story was very predictable. Joey was such a sweet and innocent character. He had a lot of stuff on his shoulders. I did like how he stepped up for his family, and family was a big thing to him. To be 21 years old he was extremely unselfish. Not once did he feel like “whoa is me”. He wasn’t bitter, or resentful for having his life surrounded by his family needs.

I liked Adam as well, but Adam was stuck in fear caused by his father. I get wanting to have your family be proud of him and whereas Joey was unselfish, I felt like Adam doesn’t really know what he wants. I feel like his idea that he comes up with was Joey’s. He brought it up, honestly it feel like Adam is stuck in his life. It’s not a bad thing he’s 23 years old, he has a while to try to figure out his life. I do think they were sweet together, but I didn’t really feel any passion. Again, I just read through, no ups and downs for me. Emotionally it was flat. I would have to see more emotions and passion, or declarations from the characters. I think it was okay for a first in a series.

Cover Art by Book Cover by Design: This was a nice cover. The couple met by Adam playing so I appreciate the music as is.

Sales Links:

BUY IT ON

:: Amazon US :: Amazon UK :: Amazon AU ::

:: All Romance eBooks :: Kobo :: iTunes :: Barnes and Noble ::

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 174 pages
Expected publication: January 26th 2016
Original TitleRustic Melody
ASINB01A7ONMXU
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesRustic #1

In the Spotlight: Nic Starr’s Rustic Melody (guest blog and giveaway)

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Nic Starr’s first book in her RUSTIC series titled RUSTIC MELODY is OUT today and she is here with us to tell you some more about it!

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Rustic Melody E-Book CoverTitle: Rustic Melody

Series: Rustic – Book One

Author: Nic Starr

Cover Artist: Kellie Dennis at Book Cover By Design

Length: 174 Pages

Release Date: January 26, 2016

Genre: M/M Romance, Gay Romance, Contemporary, Australian

Blurb: Follow the music in your heart

Adam Chambers has never seen eye-to-eye with his father and is reluctant to take over the family’s property-development company.  To clear his head and work out what he wants to do with the rest of his life, Adam leaves his responsibilities in the city and heads out to see the country.

He isn’t much closer to deciding what to do with his life when he arrives at one of Australia’s largest events, the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and meets Joey Callaway.

Since Joey’s father’s tragic death left Joey the family’s debt-ridden pub, Joey has struggled, desperate to turn the business around and give his mum the life she deserves. A break away from the pressures of running the pub is just what he needs, and a hook-up with Adam is the perfect way to forget about his troubles.

The one-night stand might just be an opening act. If Adam and Joey can follow the music in their hearts, perhaps they can heal each other and create a melody that will last a lifetime.

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EXCERPT

THRASHING MOTORBIKES through dry and dusty paddocks was dirty work. They returned to the hotel, exhausted but happy, hot and filthy.

Dust lined Joey’s nostrils and his mouth was parched despite the beer they’d enjoyed before heading home. Joey wanted nothing more than water—a big drink of the cold stuff and the refreshing spray of the shower. After a brief stop to quench their thirst from the kitchen tap, Joey followed Adam into his room, peeling his clothes off as he went. Adam did the same, tugging the black T-shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor. Adam’s jeans and boxer briefs soon followed.

“I should take you riding more often.” Joey slapped Adam’s naked arse when he bent to pull off his socks. “It’s a good excuse to get you naked in the middle of the afternoon.”

“Hey!” Adam protested and swung around to face him. “Oh!” Adam’s eyes widened as he took in Joey’s nakedness, and Joey felt his dick thicken under Adam’s gaze. Adam cleared his throat. “You don’t need an excuse. Anytime you want me naked, you just need to ask.”

“Promise?” Joey laughed.

“You bet.” Adam’s eyes darkened and he stepped closer to Joey, reached out, and placed his palm over Joey’s heart.

Joey was sure Adam would be able to feel the thump, thump.

Adam’s voice lowered. He leaned forward and spoke softly against Joey’s ear. “I swear you can have me naked any time you want.”

BUY IT ON

:: Amazon US :: Amazon UK :: Amazon AU ::

:: All Romance eBooks :: Kobo :: iTunes :: Barnes and Noble ::

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~ SERIES NOTES ~

Rustic Melody
Book #1
Release date 26th January 2016

Rustic Memory
Book #2
Release date 26th February 2016

Rustic Moment
Book #3
Expected release date 25th March 2016

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nic Starr - AVI - Red - Single StarNic Starr lives in Australia where she tries to squeeze as much into her busy life as possible. Balancing the demands of a corporate career with raising a family and writing can be challenging but she wouldn’t give it up for the world.

Always a reader, the lure of m/m romance was strong and she devoured hundreds of wonderful m/m romance books before eventually realising she had some stories of her own that needed to be told!

When not writing or reading, she loves to spend time with her family-an understanding husband and two beautiful daughters, and is often found indulging in her love of cooking and planning her dream home in the country.

You can find Nic on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. She’d love it if you stopped by to say hi.

:: Website & Blog :: Amazon Author Page :: Facebook :: Facebook Page ::

:: Facebook Group :: Twitter :: Pinterest :: Goodreads ::

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Winner’s Prize: $20 All Romance eBooks Gift Card
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Happy Australia Day! Celebrate with Christian Baines’ ‘Puppet Boy’ and his take on Australian Antiheroes (guest post and giveaway)

PuppetBoy

Puppet Boy by Christian Baines
Published by Bold Strokes Books
Goodreads Link

Sales Links: Amazon US

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Christian Baines back again to talk about his new release, Puppet Boy and writing Australian antihero characters.  Welcome, Christian, and happy Australia Day!

Australian Antiheroes by Christian Baines

Scheming bastards need love too. 

Thanks so much for having me back on the blog, Melanie. Always a great pleasure to be here and touch base with your readers! Before I start though, Puppet Boy’s main character, Eric, has a special Australia Day message he’d like to share with you all:

Happy Australia Day!

There. I said it. Now don’t tell me I never join in with things. Even a day that celebrates a nation so insecure it clings desperately to its forebears. A day that tries to ignore that this is a nation built on theft, colonisation, and slaughter. Oh, I know you foreigners think it’s cute. That Australia is awesome and sunny all the time, and that Aussies are all ridiculously sexy, and super nice. That we’re always surfing or drinking, when we’re not busy popping out baby Hugh Jackmans and Chris Hemsworths. That we treat all races equally and all love LGBT people and that every day in Sydney is Mardi Gras. That ours is a land of beauty, freedom, and equal opportunity at all.

I mean, sure. If that’s what the picture tells you to believe, then keep right on thinking it. Go on. Admire us. We did get our shit sorted on the whole gun thing, after all.

So let’s all say it again. Happy Australia Day! Enjoy your beach. Enjoy your barbecue. Enjoy that ‘authentic Aussie’ $8 meat pie ($12 if it’s kangaroo) you’re scarfing down at the Williamsburg organic market while trying to shield yourself from freezing New York winds. Try not to think of the blood of Indigenous nations as you smother it in tomato sau—pardon me. Ketchup. And enjoy your holiday.

Eric     

PS: That delicious Aussie flat white you’re drinking was invented in New Zealand.

Cheery, isn’t he?

Writing misanthropic characters isn’t easy. It isn’t that popular anymore either, particularly in gay fiction. The inherent optimism required in the romance genre makes it almost impossible, and in gay and MM fiction, romance is particularly dominant right now, sometimes to the point of giving readers false expectations when they pick up a non-romance book. There’s a pressure to be ‘gay positive.’ To show a world for LGBTs where everything ‘gets better’ despite the odds, depicting characters who deserve their HEA. Don’t be ambiguous. Don’t be bittersweet. Things that many people accept as a normal part of real life, yet won’t accept within the fantasy of a novel.

That’s a troubling idea for me. When we start to talk about characters in terms of what they deserve, we are inherently passing judgement on them, and this invariably limits the character.

When The Beast Without came out, a lot of readers remarked on the main character, Reylan’s cattiness, his apparent selfishness and arrogance, and other anti-social traits. Not to mention his rather dubious Blood Shade/vampire morality. For readers and critics who ‘got’ the book, this wasn’t a turn-off. It was simply there, part of what defined the character and gave him personality. Yet, Reylan also has a fiercely paternal streak, including a soft spot for lost kids/young supernaturals in trouble. Many of his friends, his servant, Brett, and his lover, are either former protégés, or lost souls he’s rescued. Reylan may pack an acid tongue, but ultimately, though he won’t admit it, he has a strong moral compass where the greater good is concerned. In the follow-up, The Orchard of Flesh, coming later this year, we get to see even more of that.

Then, there’s Eric.

I’m not going to tell anyone what to think of Eric. He’s a young man with a goal, an outspoken mind, and a social conscience, but also a decidedly skewed moral centre. He loves his girlfriend Mary, and has an obvious thing for young Middle Eastern men, to the point of keeping one tied up in his absent mother’s home theatre room. He’s caustic and cynical, but won’t spit venom at everyone he meets, and he seems to have no trouble making friends. There’s also the whole high-class rent boy thing – or maybe, as one character points out, he’s just worked out that sucking the right cock gets him taken to the opera.

A character like that doesn’t tend to fit the traditional romance archetypes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t write one, or that he can’t be likeable, or that he doesn’t feel the need for love. Eric is in some ways Daria from the namesake MTV cartoon, by way of Frank Underwood from House of Cards. He calls out his world’s wrongs as he sees them, but he’s also not afraid to manipulate the hell out of those around him to get his way. Yet when you look closely at Daria and Frank, you see their vulnerabilities, and their need for human connection, even when it’s shrouded by misanthropy or arguably sociopathic behaviour.

Characters like this work when you can find the human in the monster, whether that monster is a Blood Shade/vampire, or just a young man with a goal and an enduring distrust of humanity. My favourite parts of Puppet Boy aren’t about the prisoner in Eric’s basement, or his escorting exploits, or his jerk of a music teacher. They’re the scenes where he connects with Julien, the transfer student who catches his eye. Where they talk about their inspirations and dreams for the future. Where Julien falls asleep on Eric’s chest. The scenes where we catch a glimpse of Eric’s vulnerability. Those are the scenes where I kind of fall in love with Eric and want to see him come out on top, even when his attitude annoys me. Even when his morals seem way off base.

Even when he’s making fun of my meat pie and flat white.

Happy (for what it’s worth) Australia Day!

About Puppet Boy

A school in turmoil over its senior play, a sly career as a teenage gigolo, an unpredictable girlfriend with damage of her own, and a dangerous housebreaker tied up downstairs. Any of these would make a great plot for budding filmmaker Eric’s first movie.PuppetBoy

Unfortunately, they’re his real life.

When Julien, a handsome wannabe actor, transfers to Eric’s class, he’s a distraction, a rival, and one complication too many. Yet Eric can’t stop thinking about him. Helped by Eric’s girlfriend, Mary, they embark on a project that dangerously crosses the line between filmmaking and reality. As the boys become close, Eric soon wants to cross other lines entirely. Does Julien feel the same way, or is Eric being used on the gleefully twisted path to fame?

Genre:  gay fiction, contemporary, romance, LGBTQIA fiction

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, Paperback available, 314 pages
Published November 16th 2015 by Bold Strokes Books
ASINB01784KP2I
Edition LanguageEnglish,settingSydney (Australia)

Christian Baines’ new novel, Puppet Boy is now available from Bold Strokes Books or on Amazon.

He will be signing copies at The Bookshop Darlinghurst in Sydney on January 30 at 11.30am, and reading at Hares and Hyenas in Melbourne on February 1 at 7.30pm.

About the Author

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Christian Baines

Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Christian Baines has since lived in Brisbane, Sydney, and Toronto, earning an MA in creative writing at University of Technology, Sydney along the way. His musings on travel, theatre, and gay life have appeared in numerous publications in both Australia and Canada.

Dual passions for travel and mythology have sent him across the world in search of dark and entertaining stories. His first novel, The Beast Without, was released in 2013, followed by an erotic short story, The Prince and the Practitioner.

His second novel, Puppet Boy was released in late 2015.

Find Christian on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

  Giveaway

Enter to win a ebook copy of Puppet Boy by Christian Baines.  Must be 18 years of age or older.  Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter.

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A MelanieM Review: The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter

Rating: 5 stars out of 5    ★★★★★

Cover - The Music of the SpheresAn athlete and introvert from a family touched by loss, Ryan Mattson splits his life between reading and spending time with his dad and precocious younger sister. With the wounds of Ryan’s past almost healed, high school is simple, and so is everything else.

But that changes when he’s paired with Adam for a class project. Adam, the guy with birthmarks like flecks of mud and compost-brown eyes that hide behind dorky glasses. Grudgingly, the two young men work together, and as they do, an unlikely friendship is formed.

With the passing college years, their bond deepens and grows. Even Ryan’s sister and dad take a liking to Adam, and the family – always missing a voice – seems to gain another. But just as Ryan is forced to confront what Adam really means to him, his family is dragged toward crisis. And beneath the silent snows and starlit sky of a Minnesota winter, their friendship will be tested more than ever before.

I discovered Chase Potter through his wonderful debut novel, The Race for Second.  Two more stories followed, each even better than its predecessor, but now he’s written The Music of the Spheres, a novel so moving and heartwarming that I found it impossible to put down.

Its a tale of two young men, told from the perspective of Ryan Mattson, whose world was shattered when his mother died.  Rebuilding after that trauma made his small family stronger and more bonded but a little insular. So when a school assignment brings him into contact with Adam Haskamp, Ryan’s reactions aren’t exactly social. Then again neither are Adam’s.  Its not a particularly good first beginning but slowly, like a tentative dance, the two young men start to discover things about each other that they connect with.  How I loved this way to bring them together.  Potter made it feel so natural, you could feel it when the friendship kicks end and the vulnerabilities start to reveal themselves through the conversations and the descriptions of the body language and clothes.

Those characters are going to dig themselves so deep into your heart, starting with Ryan who doesn’t see himself as the special, caring person he is.  Ryan can be a little, no a lot, naive about things. Like those who just don’t pick up on clues while everyone else around them has not only gathered all the clues but solved the mystery and moved on to something else. I know people like that so I could see Ryan so clearly.  Adam too is painted so beautifully in words and descriptions that I could never get enough of him, every scene just cried out for more of his presence as his personality is so strong and yet so painfully vulnerable.  And together?  They have a friendship and romance everyone will want to see work and become something wonderful.

There’s Ryan’s father and brilliant sister and their own interactions with Ryan and Adam, at the start and as the relationship progresses.  Trust me, there is so much to love here.  You will find yourself quickly connected to these characters and their lives, your emotions riding along with theirs.  Yes, have that box of tissues handy, you will need it at times.

I’m not going into too much detail here, so much of this story should be savored, from the small revelations to the large painful realities everyone must go through.  It all feels so authentic that at times I thought my Kindle would bleed with the  pain and angst.  There are sections that some might feel a little slow but there are times in Ryan’s life when its introspection not action that he needs, so the pace feels right to me.

There is one nagging element, the tale of the disappearing blind dog.  He’s there and then, he’s gone.  I did talk to the author about this and was satisfied.  Unfortunately, I can’t say more at this time.  Hopefully that will change in the future and I will be able to update this review.  But it wasn’t enough to take away from the rating.

Need a story to lose yourself in?  Love a friends to lovers romance?  I haven’t even mentioned the magical inspiration behind the title, that might bring you to tears. It did me as did the story behind the cover.  The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter has it all, deep friendship, family, self knowledge and enduring love.  Please don’t pass this one up,  I highly  recommend it to all.

 

Cover Artist: Chase Potter.  That is Chase and his husband, then fiance’, in that photograph on their engagement trip.  It makes that cover and its part in this book even more magical.

Sales Link:  Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 239 pages
Published January 21st 2016 by Chase Potter Books
ASINB01AXJ6YO8
Edition LanguageEnglish

Need A New Romance to Love? Check out Chase Potter’s The Music of the Spheres (guest post and giveaway)

Cover - The Music of the Spheres

The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter
Publisher and Cover Artist: Chase Potter
Release Date January 21, 2016

Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is so happy to have Chase Potter here to day to talk about his latest novel, The Music of the Spheres.  Welcome, Chase, please tell us a little about the inspiration behind the story and that gorgeous cover.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter

Never before have I written a book quite like The Music of Spheres. Even the writing process itself was unique for me. At the beginning of November, I had just released my third book, and I wasn’t remotely interested in starting another project.

Then the inspiration came. A post about two guys graduating college who had shared a close friendship for years. A friendship defined by an innocent physical intimacy and a captivating sense of shared affection. A friendship that ran deep, touching each of their lives in a hundred different ways and eventually bringing the original poster to ask, “Are we… boyfriends?”

I was hooked. I built an outline over the next two days, and then I began to write. With my husband out of state, I had nothing but time. And just three weeks later, I was done. It took forty cups of coffee, five bubble baths, and a dozen beers spread across several tough scenes, but barely after I’d started, the manuscript was done and it felt like something amazing.

It’s no big secret that I like metaphors, and I put a lot in this story too. The title has its own special place in the book, and the covers features me and my husband as the silhouetted figures, courtesy of our engagement pictures (which incidentally were taken years ago by the young woman to whom the book is dedicated and who was the basis for one of the main characters.)

From the beginning, creating The Music of the Spheres was really a wonderful experience. The story had a certain symmetry and cohesion that not only made it painless to create but also let me fall in love with it. I laughed and I cried, and the emotions stuck with me longer after I’d finished writing. That’s the kind of story I love to write, and I’m excited to share it with readers.

About The Music of the Spheres

Cover - The Music of the SpheresAn athlete and introvert from a family touched by loss, Ryan Mattson splits his life between reading and spending time with his dad and precocious younger sister. With the wounds of Ryan’s past almost healed, high school is simple, and so is everything else.

But that changes when he’s paired with Adam for a class project. Adam, the guy with birthmarks like flecks of mud and compost-brown eyes that hide behind dorky glasses. Grudgingly, the two young men work together, and as they do, an unlikely friendship is formed.

With the passing college years, their bond deepens and grows. Even Ryan’s sister and dad take a liking to Adam, and the family – always missing a voice – seems to gain another. But just as Ryan is forced to confront what Adam really means to him, his family is dragged toward crisis. And beneath the silent snows and starlit sky of a Minnesota winter, their friendship will be tested more than ever before.

Contemporary, friends to lovers, gay fiction, romance, coming out.

Kindle Edition, paperback (coming Jan 25), 239 pages
Published January 21st 2016 by Chase Potter Books
 authorphoto Chase Potter

 About the Author

 Chase Potter lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with his husband Mitchell and their dog Alex. The Music of the Spheres is his fourth novel. Raised in rural Minnesota, Chase has also lived in Germany and Austria. The experiences growing up in a small town and his struggles to adapt to foreign culture and language have served as inspiration in his writing.

Giveaway

For the Rafflecopter giveaway, five copies of The Music of the Spheres. Copies will be in the form of a gifted Amazon Kindle copy.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

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