Blog Tour – Why I… series by Colette Davison (excerpt and giveaway)

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Why I Left You, Why I Need You, Why I Trust You

(available individually or in an omnibus edition)

Author: Colette Davison

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre/s: gay contemporary romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames      

Length:  Why I Left you: 296 pages; Why I Need You: 320 pages; Why I Trust You: 300 pages.

They are a loosely linked series, but can all be read as standalones.

Add on Goodreads 

Blurb

Why I Left You

Jamie is struggling with university, money and depression. The last thing he needs is for Brett—the guy who left him four years ago—to walk back into his life. Yet it could be just what he needs.

Ever since Jamie left him, Brett has been running away from commitment. But when he meets Jamie again, he’s forced to re-examine every aspect of his life.

Brett and Jamie are drawn back together by an undeniable spark, but unless they can come to terms with the past, their relationship won’t survive the present.

Why I Need You

Following the death of their parents, Fin put his life on hold to raise his little sister. He’s convinced her well-being is all that matters, even if it’s at the expense of his own. A chance meeting with Noah opens his eyes to the possibility of happiness. A happiness that could shatter the moment Noah discovers Fin has an eight-year-old in tow.

Noah has been living a lie for years. When he gets publicly outed, he gets kicked out of his parents’ home and business. Although he’s angry at being disowned, Noah knows it means he’s finally free to love whomever he wants. But in order to have a fulfilling and lasting relationship, Noah has to get past his repressed upbringing and inhibitions, before Fin walks out of his life.

In order to stay together, Fin and Noah have to be brave enough to be honest with themselves and each other.

Why I Trust You

Martin is the larger than life funny guy, the one who’s quick to soothe other’s pain, whilst hiding his own. He wants nothing more than to find ‘the one’, but his love life consists of a string of break-ups. He’s close to giving up on love, until he meets Ryan online, the artist whose work speaks to his soul. There are just two problems: Ryan already has a boyfriend and he lives in California, which is one hell of a long way from England.

Working with Martin to develop a game is supposed to be purely business; a way for Ryan to earn the money to leave his abusive boyfriend. Except, he finds himself falling for the enigmatic Englishman. Wondering what kind of spark there might be if they were in the same country is one thing, escaping his boyfriend is another.

Wounded by their past relationships, Martin and Ryan have to learn to trust each other in order to have a chance at building a future together.

**These stories contain mature language and scenes, including descriptions of sex, depression and domestic abuse**

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Why I Left You

Why I Need You

Why I Trust You

Why I… Omnibus

Excerpts

Why I Left You

“You’d get drunk faster on spirits,” Brett said, wandering up to him.

Jamie glowered at him and then fixed his gaze on the dance floor. “Thanks for the tip, but I’m good.” He sipped more slowly at the new pint.

Brett didn’t move. “I didn’t think you were into guys anymore.” The question sounded casual, but his body was full of tension as he leaned against the wall beside Jamie.

“What the fuck would you know about it?” Jamie tipped his head back against the wall, closed his eyes and breathed in and out. Just Breathe. “Sorry. I don’t want to fight with you, not tonight.” He pushed his hair back and took a good-sized gulp of his beer. “I just want to hang out and relax. If you’re not gonna help me do that, would you please get lost?”

Brett’s eyes widened. “Help you? How would I be able to help you?”

Jamie shook his head. “Forget it.”

Except he couldn’t get the thought of kissing Brett out of his head, which was totally fucked up. He decided it was the drink talking, stirring up long-forgotten feelings. He glanced at Brett and knew instantly he shouldn’t have done. Brett’s blue eyes seemed more intense under the ultraviolet lighting, almost supernaturally so. They bored into him, trying to understand what he’d just said. And damn if that gaze didn’t make his legs weak and his stomach flip over, the way it always had done when they were younger.

He knocked back the rest of his beer and then put the plastic cup down on the floor beside his feet. He straightened up too fast and swayed. Brett reached out and grabbed him by the shoulders to steady him.

“On second thoughts, I guess you’re already well on the way to being plastered,” Brett said.

Before he had time to regret even thinking about it, Jamie did something stupid. He stepped in to Brett and kissed him.

Why I Need You

“I’m staying at a friend’s house for now,” Noah said, trying to inject lightness into his voice. “Martin. He’s cool. You should meet him sometime.”

“Just a friend?” Fin asked, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Was that curiosity playing across his face?

“Yes,” Noah said. “We went there once, in high school, but we’re really not into each other. What about you? Have you got a boyfriend?” It was a stupid question, really. They wouldn’t be out together if either of them was involved with someone else.

“No.”

“Really?” Noah acted surprised. “I can’t believe someone as cute as you is available.”

Fin let out a short laugh. “I’d have thought you’d have been snapped up quickly, too.”

Noah ran his finger around the rim of his pint glass. “I’ve been keeping a low profile. I had to keep up appearances for my parents and all that. Now, I’m free. What’s your excuse?” He was sure he saw panic flit through Fin’s eyes. They certainly darkened for a couple of seconds, his irises becoming almost indistinguishable from his pupils.

“I’ve been too busy, I guess. Too much work and study.”

“You know what they say,” Noah said. “All work and no play makes Fin a dull boy.”

“I’m dull, am I?”

“Not from what I’ve seen. Yet. But you’re in danger of it,” Noah said in a knowing tone. “You should definitely get out more.”

“Oh, yeah?” Fin asked, his voice lower than it had been moments before. He leaned towards Noah, resting both elbows on the table. “And who would I do that with?”

Noah leaned towards him as though there were some sort of invisible tug coming from Fin. He could tell by the way Fin’s eyelids were a little heavy and the lazy curve of his lips that he’d welcome a kiss in that moment. Noah found he wanted to. He wanted to feel the texture of Fin’s lips against his own, wanted to taste him. His hands became clammy. It felt like the few people in the bar were all staring at them. It didn’t matter whether it was true or not; he could already feel the blood pounding in his head. His stomach lurched at the thought of prying eyes watching what should have been an intimate moment. So, instead of doing what he knew they both wanted, he leaned back.

“I’m sure you can find someone,” he said in what was supposed to have come out as a cocky, laid-back tone but actually sounded really dumb.

Why I Trust You

As Martin spoke, Ryan drew as quickly as he could. He wasn’t aiming for anything of beauty, just the gist contained in a series of incredibly rough sketches. It was impossible not to get caught up in Martin’s vision. The childlike excitement in Martin’s voice encouraged Ryan to smile as he drew, visually realising the story that was beginning to unfold in Martin’s rambling and often chaotically organised sentences.

“And that’s it,” Martin said. “I talked too fast, didn’t I? You should have stopped me.”

The truth was, Ryan had loved listening to Martin’s deep, smooth voice. He’d loved being able to switch off from everything else to focus on nothing but Martin’s words and the sketchpad and pencil. He used his phone to snap a few photos of his rough sketches and emailed them straight to Martin.

“I sent you a present,” he said. “And, no, you didn’t talk too fast.”

“Got it,” Martin said. “Holy shit. You drew these while I was talking?”

“Yeah, they’re kind of rough.”

They were more impressions than clear drawings. Bold lines used to create the suggestion of vast detail. But despite that, Ryan was confident that the content of each sketch was clear.

“I’ll obviously need to translate all these ideas into digital format and pick a style that’ll work across platforms without pixelating on larger devices or looking too visually cluttered on smaller screens. I’ll work on some solid graphics ideas over the next few days.”

“These are amazing,” Martin breathed. “I just… wow.”

Ryan felt a warmth surge through his chest. It felt so good to be really, truly appreciated by someone. The fact that it was a guy he’d never met and who lived several thousand miles away only made it hit home how truly miserable he’d become. But that awareness didn’t stop the guilt from seeping into every fibre of his being. He was sneaking around behind Zane’s back, talking to another guy. A guy whose voice he liked. A guy who made him feel appreciated. If Zane found out, he’d flip out and accuse Ryan of cheating. He gripped his pencil tightly, to the point of almost snapping it in half.

“I’d better go,” he said, his voice suddenly weary. “I’ve got work in a few hours, so I’d better get some sleep.” Not that he was convinced he would be able to sleep, as his thoughts were so mixed up about the way Martin made him feel.

“Yeah. Sorry I kept you up.”

“No problem. It’s been fun.” It really had been. That was the thought Ryan wanted to take away with him, rather than the guilt, but he knew the guilt would win.

About the Author

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She lives in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children, a crazy dog and a lazy cat.

Author Links

Blog/Website

Facebook Page

Facebook Group

Twitter 

Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6f12da1572/?

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

A Free Dreamer Review: In the Name of Magic by Chris Bedell

Rating: 1 star out of 5

Non-magical people are being demonized and falsely blamed for Magnifico’s economic problems after Queen Vivian’s bloody rise to power. But politics very quickly becomes more than abstract views to argue when secret police wolves are deployed throughout the country to kill those born without magical abilities.

Seventeen-year-old Maximillian’s best friend Katherine is one such nonmagical person. In a bid to keep her safe, Maximillian turns to the queen’s estranged younger brother, a man thought to be dead until recently.

Prince Stefan is nineteen years old and has been in hiding from his family for years. He has no desire to resurface in the political world, but Maximillian must convince him that the country needs him before it is too late.

Ninestar Press has a lot of brilliant LGBT+ Fantasy books, so I was really excited about “In the Name of Magic”. Sadly, it was a huge let-down.

The only interesting thing in the entire book was the idea that it was non-magical people being persecuted by magicals. Usually, it’s the other way round. But I still don’t know why the non-magicals were so hated. It takes only a few months till they’re held in concentration camps and killed quite openly. But why??? The whole story about the hatred of non-magicals essentially read like a badly written historical novel about WW2, with “Jews” swapped for “people without magic”. It doesn’t help that I really don’t like books about WW2.

Since this was obviously inspired by WW2, some pretty horrible things happened. But the characters were all extremely blasé about it. I mean, Katherine finds the bodies of her gruesomely murdered parents. Her reaction? “Oh dear.” A few pages later, she’s busy thinking about whether or not to dump her boyfriend. Seriously?

Maximillian was horrible. He keeps insisting how he’s a good son and always obedient and so on. All the while, he’s lying to his parents, sneaking around, drinking alcohol, and some other pretty horrible stuff, and he never ever has to face the consequences of his actions.

Stefan was just a poor little rich kid. We are told he had a horrible childhood and decided to run away from home. And the most horrible thing we learn is that his sister got more presents than he did. Oh, woe me.

There is zero world-building. All we learn about magic is that it exists. It’s sort of implied that it’s hereditary, I guess, but that’s it. How does it work? Do you need somebody to teach you? Do you learn this stuff at school? The magic seemed to have no influence on the world itself. Not that we learn all that much about that either. Big chunks of the plot just didn’t make sense. If you can teleport, why do you need cars?

And oh my gosh, the writing style. It was just so weird. “He elevated his eyebrows.” “He beamed his eyes.” Really? This was practically screaming for an editor. After a while, I just skipped paragraphs and only read the dialogue, which was tolerable.

When I told a friend about this book, she said, “So, essentially, the very first idea the author had for this book had potential, but the whole rest was just plain bad?” And that’s a pretty adequate summary. I suppose the ending (which I thought made no sense) calls for a sequel. But not with me, thank you very much.

The cover by Natasha Snow is a bit generic and doesn’t really fit the story. It looks more like a post-apocalyptic setting.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 185 pages
Published October 22nd 2018 by NineStar Press
ISBN 139781949909005
Edition Language English

A MelanieM Review: Life In Union (Summit City #3) by Ethan Day

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Over the past eight months, aspiring author Boone Daniels has seen his entire life turned upside down and inside out. Having survived a recent auto-accident and an impromptu proposal of marriage from his one-night-stand-turned-boyfriend, Wade Walker, Boone has finally moved to Summit City to begin a whole new chapter.

Having adapted to several big life-changes within a relatively short window of time, Boone has embraced the idea of spending the rest of his ‘forever’ with the man he loves. However, he quickly recognizes that it takes more than finding true love and relocating to make a house feel like a home.

As Boone and Wade merge their separate lives into a life in union, they’ll struggle to strike a balance between ‘the me’ and ‘the we’. With patience and perseverance, they’ll eventually say their I Do’s and get that happily-ever-after…after all.

Well, in the long awaited third book in the Summit City series by Ethan Day, Boone and Wade are back in Life in Union and it’s every adjective I could throw from my Oxford English at and more!  It’s  gut wrenchingly hilarious,  so totally spew worthy in sections that they need to come with their own warmings!   There is some head-scratching  perplexing actions, yes, some sniffling and close to outright bawling scenes of sappiness…because, hey…wedding.

And that means all the wedding prep where someone turns into a total Groomzilla….not saying whom…mind you…that would be spoilery. But if you know your Boone and Wade, chances are you’re already nodding knowingly.

Diving back into this book is like being invited to visit family and friends you haven’t seen for a while.  People may have enlarged their own families, you can’t quite remember all the kids names, and oh hey there Uncle mumble mumble mumble…but one hug, one (or a ton) of outright snarky,  outrageous remarks accompanied by a oversized glass of wine shoved into your hand and you remember exactly why you love these people and why you feel like you’re at home.

Summit City and all its inhabitants has felt like home since Sno Ho (first published, and my first reading in 2010).  I laughed until I cried and laughed some more.  None of that book was repeatable. That’s where city boy Boone Daniels comes to ski  village Summit City and meets Wade Walker, golden boy, Olympic medalist, and town hero. To this day, it’s one of my favorite stories.  Bran muffins have never been the same.  Then came Life in Fusion. It was a transitional story as much as Boone and Wade were a couple in transition themselves.  More serious, it had an element that shook up all the readers and fans of this couple.  But no matter the story, Ethan Day’s memorable characters stayed true to themselves, trying to adjust to a new relationship and the combining of two households.  That’s the stage we find them at here.

I love, love, Ethan Day’s ear and talent for dialog.  Each character’s personality flows out so quickly and revealingly from their mouths.  It can be Jackie (how I love Jackie and the corn kids) or Gabe or anyone actually here, one or two words, a sentence and bam!  We know who’s speaking.  A precise portrait has been created out of a conversation, a sparkling bit of snark!    Even words mumbled or mouthed round bits of stolen Halloween candy become priceless howlers between two friends on a Halloween night.  Loved that scene.

People all around Wade and Boone are at various stages in their lives and relationships, some are being launched, some being revealed, others off on new paths…this story is a swirl of love, family, friends, and celebrations of all sorts.

The characterizations are wonderful.  Real, over the top as only some people can be, fallible, fragile, loving, and oh , so sexy, especially when it comes to Boone and Wade who can’t keep their hands and whatever off each other.

Especially the whatever.

I loved this story with a passion.  I love this couple with that same passion too.  Ditto Jackie and her corn kids.  Hubby too.  In fact all of Summit City.  I may not want to live there but I certainly would want to visit often.

For those new to this series, you really need to read the first two stories.  I don’t consider this a standalone novel.  It rests firmly and beautifully on the foundation built by Sno Ho and Life In Fusion so please read those first before coming to read Life In Union.  I think I’m going to go start all over again with my journey with these two.  My heart could do with more love and laughter at the moment and this series has it in abundance.

Love contemporary romance with a rush of snark, laughter, and downright raunchy wonderful sex?  Well, this is the series, couple, and novel for you.

Cover art: Reese Dante.  Love this cover and it’s consistent with branding the series.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 257 pages
Published October 1st 2018 by Self Published
ASINB07HXT185L
Edition Language English
Series Summit City #3

Sno Ho

Life in Fusion

A Summit City Christmas

Life In Union

An Alisa Release Day Review: Fangs for the Memories ( A Dead and Breakfast #2) by Julia Talbot

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

One wolf lost his memory, but they’ll both lose their hearts.

 

Bitten werewolf Tom owes the folks at the Dead and Breakfast big for saving his life. So when they ask for help with a rogue wolf on the premises, he’s happy to do his part….

 

Though he isn’t quite prepared for what he’ll find.

 

Werewolf Nathan lost everything to a sadistic kidnapper—his freedom, his memories, and maybe even his ability to be human. But as soon as he meets Tom, he knows he might be able to reclaim his life. And even a turned wolf like Tom feels the mating call. The trouble is, Tom isn’t the only one who wants Nathan, and they’ll need help from all their supernatural friends at the D & B to defeat a powerful enemy and keep their love—and themselves—alive.

 

This was another cute story in this series.  Tom doesn’t think he will ever have a mate and is even more surprised when he finds him at the D and B.  Nathan is struggling to survive and find how he can trust, he feels a pull to Tom and the safety he provides.

 

There are many more at the D and B now, which gives the hope of more stories to come.  Once Nathan regains himself he is the bouncy one in this relationship, with the help of Ed, but I think it also helps Tom to unwind and let go a bit too.

 

We get to see the story from both characters’ points of view and it helps to understand them both.  Though we don’t see as much into Nathan’s past probably because it would be painful for him we find out what has happened which made me so happy that he has found love and a new family.  Tom will carry everything on his shoulders if he can and I love that his friends won’t let him do that.  I continue to love how the characters give into their animal’s basic instincts so much, it is so entertaining.

 

Cover art by Aaron Anderson is great and I love how it goes with the series.

 

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 222 pages

Published: November 6, 2018 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-835-5

Edition Language: English

Series: A Dead and Breakfast #2, Dreamsun Beyond

A Chaos Moondrawn Release Day Review: Bad Habit (Bad in Baltimore #6) by K.A. Mitchell

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Scott and Liam have a history. It’s hard not to love them both right away and want to protect them as children in foster care. The author only spends enough time here to establish the relationship and how heartbreaking it is when they’re separated. When they find each other again as adults, they are together two years until it all falls apart. Six years later, they are throw together at work. The love is still there, but not the trust. In the end, the only thing that fixes that is time. It works a heck of a lot better as a hurdle than most of the manufactured crises a lot of authors seem to throw into a story as a plot device. This series does specialize in dysfunctional men meeting their match.

All ten characters from previous books show up, but this can be read as a standalone with no problem if you want to dive in. I know a lot of books say that, but honestly it’s been such a long time since I read the first four that I don’t remember the characters and I skipped the fifth one (I bought it, I just haven’t had time to read it before this review was due.) Jamie, is the only one that is pertinent. On the one hand, that made reading it really easy. On the other hand, it would have had a bit more depth if they were all more integral to the story than just being the gay adopted insta-family they become. I feel like fans of the series will just be excited to see their favorites included, even if for a few brief scenes. It turns out Jamie busted Scott when he was 17, but they eventually bonded over cars and have been friends for years. It seems strange then that Scott’s never met Jamie’s boyfriend or other friends until now.

Besides being a medic, Liam is in a band that plays at the bar Scott ends up working at. Liam has a boyfriend, Dion, who is steady, supportive, and understanding–the death knell for sure. Guess what happens. As time goes on in the story, the truth of why Liam left Scott and joined the military is obvious. Some of Liam’s time in the military: his guilt, loss, and nightmares are touched on. Although we get Liam’s POV a few times, it’s Scott’s POV for the most part, so it’s easy to empathize with him, but Liam really comes off as having handled everything quite badly. In fact, Scott is a better person than me because no way would I forgive so quickly, if at all. The hot sex happens quickly and continues throughout the story. The real plot actually comes from them learning to be with each other as adults, not just immature kids, whilst still navigating old patterns of behavior. Liam is living with his mother and her new family after his injury in the Army. He is still learning to deal with his relationship with her after his childhood. Scott still has anger and self esteem issues. There isn’t really a lot of angst, it’s more: fear of rejection, fear of hope. Sometimes you have to decide what you want, go after it even if it makes you vulnerable, and fight for it without letting others interfere. They worked out what they wanted for their future as children. Now, it’s time to work out what their new future as adults will look like. The author made me want them to be together and work things out.

The cover artist is Kanaxa and matches the rest of the covers in this series. It shows the cityscape (Baltimore) and an eye catching Scott.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 1st edition, 230 pages
Expected publication: November 6th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781635337471
Edition Language English
Series Bad in Baltimore #6
Bad Attitude

Release Blitz for Seeking Solace (The Walker Boys #3) by Ari McKay (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 
Length: 55,188 words
 
Cover Design: Alexandria Corza
 
 
Walker Boys Series
 
Book #1 – Striking Sparks – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #2 – Breaking Bonds – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb
 

All hands on deck for a shipboard romance—with a secret.


Like his cousins, Devin Walker aspires to be a chef, but he wants to indulge his wanderlust while feeding his customers, and working a cruise ship seems like the solution. Since he can’t find an opening in the kitchen, he’s happy to start out in a position behind the bar.


While onboard Poseidon’s Pearl, Devin is assigned to shepherd a visiting executive. Paul Bailey is quiet and unassuming, and a car accident that cost him his leg also shattered his confidence. He doesn’t think he’s attractive to other men anymore, and Devin is eager to show him just how wrong he is. Paul has a surprising secret that might sink their passionate affair before it even leaves port.

 
Excerpt
 
PAUL MERCER stood in front of the full-length mirror mounted on the closet door and checked his tailor-made navy suit for lint or wrinkles before he left his cabin, which was more like a small hotel room than he’d expected. But Triton Cruises prided itself on being one of the more upscale cruise lines, and Poseidon’s Pearl was one of their top ships.


The suite was luxurious enough that Paul could have spent the entire trip inside, maybe reading on the private deck, which was big enough for two lounge chairs with a small table between them. But Paul wasn’t on vacation.


He’d been sent by his father, who was the CEO of Triton Cruises, to assess the ship and its crew and to report on whether the crew was adhering to company standards. To do so, he was posing as Paul Bailey, a new executive with the company who needed to learn about the cruise line. He was using his mother’s maiden name to help avoid anyone making a connection between him and the company’s founding family.


He glanced down at his pants, which were loose enough to hide the fact that he wore a prosthetic on his left leg below the knee. He’d covered the prosthetic foot with a shoe, and looking down at his dress shoes made him feel almost normal again. He had a slight limp, especially at the end of the day when he was tired, but most people were tactful enough not to ask about it, if they even noticed.


The other reason Paul had been sent was because he’d never been on a Triton cruise before. Hell, he’d never been on any cruise before. The cruise line was strictly eighteen-plus so Paul was never allowed to go with his parents when they took their annual trip while he was growing up. Then he’d gone away to college, and after graduation he went straight into grad school for his MBA. After that, he’d started working his way up the ladder at Triton and hadn’t taken much time off except for a few long weekends here and there. Then the accident happened. So the trip was a way for him to experience a Triton cruise from their guests’ perspective. It was also the last trip Paul would take anywhere in a while. Andrew Mercer was ready to retire, and he had put Paul on a fast track to taking over after Paul finished rehab and was cleared to return to work.


Focusing on his reflection, Paul smoothed his hand over his dark brown hair, which was cut short and neatly styled, its natural wave tamed with product. It was too early to go to the dining room, so Paul decided to visit the bar for a while instead.


While most cruise lines these days seemed intent on going the megaship route—huge vessels that could accommodate almost seven thousand passengers—Triton catered to a different clientele. Ships like Poseidon’s Pearl and her sisters carried a maximum of nine hundred passengers, with a crew of nearly six hundred, and every stateroom on the ship boasted a private balcony. The decor in the common areas was just as posh as it was in Paul’s cabin. As he left his cabin on Deck 7, it was only a short walk to the Seafarer’s Lounge.


He heard soft piano music—live, not recorded—as he entered the two-story lounge, which was set in the fore of the ship. It had glass windows from floor to ceiling on three sides that offered a magnificent, panoramic view of the Gulf of Mexico and the serenely blue sky above. The room was large, with stairways on the port and starboard sides giving access to the second level. Small clusters of loveseats and chairs were set around low tables, allowing for intimate groups to engage in conversation, while the rear of the room was lined in bookcases housing the ship’s library, which was large enough to cater to almost any taste. The plush carpet underfoot was patterned in tones of deep blue and gold, which set off the cream of the upholstery.


In the center of the room was a semicircular bar topped with polished mahogany, surrounded by comfortable high seats. As with everywhere else on the ship, the trademark of the line—a three-pronged triton—was subtly worked into the decor, such as the patterns of tile fronting the bar and the fabric covering the seats. There were no more than twenty or so people in the bar, broken into groupings around the room. Everyone was well-dressed, and conversations were muted, giving the room a relaxed and welcoming feeling.


As Paul approached the bar, he caught sight of the bartender, who was tall with broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist emphasized by his tailored uniform vest. He had high cheekbones, a square jawline that looked sharp enough to cut paper, and skin with a rich copper glow that seemed to result from a combination of genetics and sunshine. His dark, thickly lashed eyes were crinkled at the corners as he flashed a dazzlingly white smile and handed an olive-garnished martini to his customer. His midnight-black hair was pulled back from his face and hung in a thick braid that reached all the way to his waist.


As soon as the bartender had scanned the customer’s cruise card and returned it, he turned to Paul, who had claimed a seat at the end of the bar, and Paul got the full effect of his smile. “Good afternoon, sir. I’m Devin. How can I make your day even better?”


The intense charisma behind that smile made Paul almost believe Devin meant the greeting for him alone, but he sternly reminded himself that the ship employees were supposed to say such things to all the customers.


“I’d like a glass of Malbec, please,” he said.


“Excellent choice,” Devin replied. He retrieved a bottle from the wine rack, and after uncorking the wine, he placed a crystal wineglass on the bar, then held an aerator over it as he poured a stream of the rich, dark wine from the bottle through it, making a bit of a show of the process. Then he set the bottle and aerator aside, placed a gilt-edged paper napkin in front of Paul, and served the glass of wine.


“Thanks.” Paul picked up the glass and took a sip, and he was pleased by the quality of the wine.


After cleaning up and recorking the bottle, Devin returned to Paul, favoring him with another smile. “How do you like it? Triton prides itself on the quality of the wines it serves, even the ones they use in the kitchen.”


Good to know, Paul thought, making a mental note for his report. “It’s good, thanks.”


Devin glanced around the nearly empty lounge, but he must not have seen anything that needed his attention, since his gaze returned to Paul. He tilted his head to one side, looking at Paul with a slightly puzzled expression. “If I may ask, sir, have you cruised with us before? You look familiar.”


Paul smiled as blandly as possible and shook his head. Full-sized portraits of Andrew Mercer and Abraham Mercer—Paul’s grandfather and the founder of Triton Cruises—hung in the atrium, so Paul wasn’t surprised one of the employees had picked up on the family resemblance.


“No, this is my first cruise,” he said, assuaging the slight pang he felt over deceiving the crew with the fact he was telling Devin the truth.


“All right, then. I’m very good with faces, and I’m sure I would have remembered you.” Devin grinned. “Especially since you’re almost as tall as I am.”


“Almost?” Paul raised one eyebrow. “I’d say we’re about even.”


“I’m six-foot-five,” Devin said. “In the lower areas of the ship, I have to be careful not to smack my head on the conduits.”


“Then we are in fact even,” Paul said. “I was in high demand for basketball teams all through school.”


Devin chuckled. “If that Charleston accent hadn’t already told me you weren’t from Texas, the basketball comment would have. I was in demand too, but as a wide receiver.”


“I’ve heard rumors that football is the state religion of Texas, but I’ve never played it myself,” Paul said, taking a sip of his wine. “I was on the varsity basketball team in high school, and I played intramural in college.”


“Nice,” Devin said. “I played in high school, then was offered a scholarship to Texas A&M, but football was never more than a hobby. I wanted to go to culinary school, and they don’t have football teams.” He lowered his voice. “Although we often played badminton with food that didn’t turn out very well. It’s amazing how much overdone chicken Kiev resembles a hockey puck.”


Paul chuckled. “How did you go from culinary school to tending bar on a cruise ship? Have you worked here long?”


“Six months, and it was a matter of opportunity,” Devin said. “My best friend and I took a cruise after… well, after I went through a bad breakup, and it was just what I needed. I fell in love with the ship, and the sea, and the travel. I’d never even been out of Texas before, and the travel bug bit me hard. I did some research, and Triton is far and away the best cruise line to work for. They have people lining up for jobs, and it took me almost two years to get my foot in the door, and then it was because I’d also trained in bartending. Of course I hope to work in the kitchen someday, but when they offered me a position I jumped on it, and I haven’t regretted it for a second.” Devin’s smile was rueful. “I hope I haven’t bored you to death.”


“Not at all.” Paul thought it was helpful for the staff to be friendly, especially on longer cruises like this one. It would promote the family atmosphere that Triton Cruises wanted to cultivate. “I don’t want to monopolize your time, though.”


Devin glanced around the nearly empty lounge. “It’ll be slow in here until after dinner,” he said. “The action right now is up by the pool. But once the sun goes down, everyone will come into the Seafarer to socialize and listen to the cruise director’s talk about our ports of call.”


“I should probably come back for that,” Paul said. “I don’t know much about the ports we’re visiting, and I don’t want to wander off without a plan.”


“There are some great shore excursions,” Devin said, his brown eyes shining with interest. “They have some for people who like to be physically active, like diving trips and hiking tours, and some for people who prefer to relax on the beach and play in the waves. They also have activities for people who want to experience the culture of the various islands. And if you’d prefer to be on your own, they’ll have maps to help you out.”


“Sounds like I shouldn’t have any problem finding something fun to do.”


“I’m sure you’ll have a great time,” Devin said. “If I may make a suggestion, there’s something you can do tonight. Just before midnight, go up on Deck 9. They have an open area to do outdoor yoga. The captain always turns off all the extra lights on the ship for several minutes, and we’ll be well away from land by then. You’ll be able to see more stars than you ever thought the sky could hold. It’s beautiful and humbling at the same time.”


“If I’m still awake, I’ll check it out.” Paul glanced at his watch, then slid off the bar stool, taking his wineglass with him. “I should probably head to the dining room.”


“Be prepared for a real treat,” Devin said. “I recommend the beef Wellington, and the triple chocolate torte with Chambord for dessert. Although you won’t go wrong with any of the selections. The food on the Pearl is fantastic.”


“You had me at triple chocolate,” Paul said, lifting his glass to Devin. Then he headed out of the lounge. He wanted to get there in time to take a few notes about what he had observed so far before dinner, but if the rest of the ship had the same kind of staff and atmosphere as the lounge, his assessment would be a glowing one.

Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who have been writing together for over a decade. Their collaborations encompass a wide variety of romance genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, and action/adventure. Their work includes the Blood Bathory series of paranormal novels, the Herc’s Mercs series, as well as two historical Westerns: Heart of Stone and Finding Forgiveness. When not writing, they can often be found scheming over costume designs or binge watching TV shows together.


Arionrhod is a systems engineer by day who is eagerly looking forward to (hopefully) becoming a full time writer in the not-too-distant future. Now that she is an empty-nester, she has turned her attentions to finding the perfect piece of land to build a fortress in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, and baking (and eating) far too many cakes.


McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.


Facebook
Twitter
Website

Giveaway

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

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

 

Cover Reveal for Unfamiliar Waters by Andrew Grey

Title: Unfamiliar Waters

Author: Andrew Grey

Release Date: January 8, 2019

Category: Contemporary

Pages: 200

Cover Artist: Kanaxa

 Buy Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook and  Paperback
Blurb:
With the pressures of the job bearing down on him, police officer Garrett Wreckley needs a vacation—in fact, he isn’t given a choice in the matter. Since the water has always soothed Garrett’s soul, he heads to the Caribbean, hoping some time alone sailing on the open water will help him pull himself together.
But even though he’s taking a break from law enforcement, Garrett can’t get rid of his cop’s instinct so easily.
He meets Nigel, a young man as innocent as he is beautiful, who grew up sheltered from the world, exploring the beaches and tropical forests with only the company of his aunt, his brother, and the wildlife and sea creatures he befriended.
As sweet, passionate love blooms, their time in paradise feels too good to be true… and Garrett’s gut and training tell him that might be the case. As he investigates, he quickly realizes everything is not as it seems. Will his snooping destroy not only their romance, but everything Nigel believes about his life?
About the Author
Andrew Grey is the author of more than one hundred works of Contemporary Gay Romantic fiction. After twenty-seven years in corporate America, he has now settled down in Central Pennsylvania with his husband, Dominic, and his laptop. An interesting ménage. Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He is a recipient of the RWA Centennial Award, has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and now writes full-time. Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing). He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

In the Spotlight Tour and Giveaway: Surreal Estate by Jesi Lea Ryan

Surreal Estate by Jesi Lea Ryan
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art:  Lou Harper

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

 

 

About Surreal Estate

Sasha Michaels is a psychic with an affinity for houses. And he’s homeless. Go figure. After months of sleeping rough, he stumbles upon an abandoned house, and the lonely place beckons him inside. He’s finally safe . . . until someone comes blundering in to his hideaway.

House-flipper Nick Cooper lost everything in the recession. Desperate to revive his business, he turns to a loan shark to fund his comeback project: flipping an abandoned house full of potential. But it turns out the house has an unexpected occupant.

Nick and Sasha make a deal: Sasha can stay in exchange for helping with the renovation. To both of their surprise, the closer they get to the loan shark’s due date, the stronger their feelings for each other grow. Problem is, Nick isn’t the only one with feelings for Sasha, and now the house doesn’t want to let Sasha go.

Now available from Riptide Publishing!

 

About Jesi Lea Ryan

USA Today bestselling author Jesi Lea Ryan grew up in the Mississippi River town of Dubuque, Iowa. She holds Bachelor’s degrees in creative writing and literature and a Master’s in business administration, along with an assortment of Associate’s degrees, certificates and designations, none of which have anything to do with writing books about psychics.

Jesi considers herself a well-rounded nerd. She loves studying British history, exploring foreign cities on Google Earth, watching TED talks, listening to true crime podcasts, floating in her pool, and reading or listening to books — approximately two hundred books a year in many different genres. The side effect of all this is that she’s the ideal person to have on your trivia team, or what a former co-worker called “a dump truck of knowledge.

Her biggest vice is procrastination. #TheStruggleIsReal

Jesi spent most of her adult life in Madison, Wisconsin, but now lives in Maricopa, Arizona, with her spouse and two exceptionally naughty kitties. Summers may be brutal, but at least she doesn’t have to shovel the heat off her driveway.

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Surreal Estate, one lucky person will win a $20 Riptide gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 10, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

 

One hard-nosed military police officer.

One overly enthusiastic elf.

One poorly timed snowstorm.

Is it a recipe for disaster? Or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for holiday romance?

Teddy MacNally loves Christmas and everything that goes along with it. When he plays an elf for his charity’s events, he never expects to be paired with a Scrooge masquerading as Santa Claus. His new mission: make the holiday-hating soldier believe he was born to say ho-ho-ho.

Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa, but he’s army to his blood. When his CO asks an unusual favor, Nick of course obliges. The elf to his Kris Kringle? Tempting. Too tempting—Nick’s only in town for another month, and Teddy’s too young, too cheerful and too nice for a one-night stand.

The slow, sexy make-out sessions while Teddy and Nick are alone and snowbound, though, feel like anything but a quick hookup. As a stress-free holiday fling turns into Christmas all year round, Teddy can’t imagine his life without Nick. And Nick’s days on the base may be coming to a close, but he doesn’t plan on leaving anything, or anyone, behind.

Ahhhhh….the holiday spirit is in the air! I’m getting the hankering to set a fire, toast some chestnuts, grab a hot toddy, and look out the window for the first sprinkling of snowflakes! Never mind that our leaves just started turning colors and the tricker or treaters barely had the door slammed on them. Nope, feeling all  holiday and Christmassy here.  Why?  Because Annabeth Albert’s story, Better Not Pout, has left me feeling that way!  That’s why!

Next I’ll be hearing jingle bells up on the roof.  Laughing.

With this marvelous, heartwarming story, characters guaranteed to make you laugh, make you love and yearn for family, and everything that the holidays can bring up in your heart and memories, the author has jump started my Christmas and holiday season.

Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki?  A hard case that comes under the spell of Teddy the man with a  huge heart in elf h gear and a town that seems full of people all named MacNally.    I was under this town’s and Teddy’s spell myself, that’s how real Albert makes them all.

It’s a slow burn relationship for Nic but he’s the only one.  For Teddy and the reader the slide into love is quick and permanent.  I could have stayed with this couple and town for the longest of times.  Definitely past New Year’s.

It’s the writing that’s so well done.  We feel like we know all these people.  The ones in trouble and needing Teddy’s assistance, all the many family members, all the situations that Teddy and Nic find themselves in, the snow, the tentative path towards a relationship, and finally, the love.

Yes, this is an excellent story for the holidays.  Or anytime of the year.

Grab it up, a warm blanket or two, get all snuggly and prepared to be transported into the snow, and the town where Christmas and love is alive and well and waiting for two men so very much in need of it.

And yes, I highly recommend this story.

Cover art is not credited but it’s adorable and a great representation of the characters. Love it.

Sales Links:   Carina PressBarnes & Noble (mmp)  | Barnes & Noble (ebook)   |   Amazon 

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 288 pages
Expected publication: November 12th 2018 by Carina Press
Original TitleBetter Not Pout
ASINB07DCT4BQB
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Lucy Review: Bump by Matthew J. Metzger

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

David’s pregnant.

He’s always wanted to have children, and being a stepfather for the past two years has been a great adventure. There’d even been a plan to start looking into adoption and turn their family of three into four.

But now there’s a bump, and David doesn’t know what to do. He’s spent years escaping the grip of his own body and burying the past—but there’s no way he can hide from his history if he lets the bump get any bigger. It’s not just his baby; it’s also his breakdown.

He doesn’t know if he can do this.

Books dealing with this subject matter fascinate me because I can’t begin to imagine the strength it takes to go through with what it’s going to do to your body and your mind, yet it’s something you’ve always wanted. That’s the dilemma David is in right now.  He and his partner, Ryan, were in a car accident and his HRT was reduced due to liver issues.  Reduced too much, apparently, because what happened was pregnancy.  David is a veterinarian, an educated, established man and this rocks his being to the core.

This was interesting to me because I remember reading of Thomas Beatie, a transgender man who carried three children with his now ex-wife.  The media made it seem so happy and carefree and at the time I wondered how true that could be.  Here, it is far from simple.  David first can’t even decide whether to keep the baby, knowing what it may to do his core self having to now be seen, again, as female.  I did appreciate that David didn’t just make the decision without consulting Ryan, even though Ryan himself puts David before anything.  When David makes but can’t keep an appointment for an abortion, it’s a rough time ahead.

There were times during this story things weren’t explained until later.  Such as, I didn’t realize for a while that Ryan is in a wheelchair and you don’t find out until much later why.  Not a huge deal but it did have me going back a couple times to see if I missed something.  His status as well, sort of popped out of nowhere and surprised me.

David and Ryan are a solid couple and thankfully they talk to each other.  When David needs space to deal, Ryan gives it without getting his feelings hurt.  David knows he’s being unreasonable sometimes, “I’ll make it up to you.”  I just really liked them together. Add in that Ava, at age five, actually acts like a five-year-old and this family seemed real.  Alas, Ryan’s brother, Jay, and his mother, Aggie, also seemed too real and disgusting.  All I can say is, go pregnant David!  We do get Ryan’s mom, who makes up for Ryan’s lack of family sense.  The reason for naming the baby Sam was a little heartbreaking.  “He’d died because he hurt, not because he’d hurt other people.”  David’s feelings on both Ben and Sam, also so real.

What this story focuses on is what having this baby that they so want is doing to David.  Especially since for years he’s not had to come out as trans.  He has been just a man and that will inevitably change.  “Because ultimately, David wasn’t a trans man. He was a man.  Nothing else. No qualifier.”  The dysphoria David suffers comes through loud and clear.  When he hears Sam’s heartbeat, it’s not a happy thing for him.  “He’d never known he could hear his own dysphoria.”  It’s never ending. “He’d been so horrified by his own baby moving that he’d thrown up.”   The fact that he’s also dealing with snide comments, stares and the massive waste of space that is Ryan’s brother and mother, well, I’m glad Ryan is who he is. “Knights riding in on white wheelchairs to save the day.”   Glad that David has friends such as Vicky who knew him before and support him always.  That Ava and Ryan’s ex are there for support as well. That the midwife, Nadia, is what medical professionals should be.

From his awkward boss to Ava’s ignorant teacher to sitting in a waiting room full of women, it’s just an emotional slap over and over.  We read his struggle and feel his fear that after all this, he’s going to end up with a baby he doesn’t love.  This is something I appreciated because not everyone gives birth and has that “hallelujah” moment, this child is perfection.  Sometimes those hormones have to settle before you can feel it and that’s a normal thing.

This was such an interesting read with a hopeful, happy ending.  Definitely would recommend it.

Cover art: Natasha Snow.

Sales Links:  NineStar PressAmazon

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: November 5th 2018 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781949909104
Edition LanguageEnglish