Blog Tour Time for Love by Lynn Michaels (excerpt and giveaway)

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TIME FOR LOVE

LYNN MICHAELS

M/M ROMANCE

175 pages

RELEASE DATE: 08.20.18

Time for Love Cover

 

 

COVER DESIGN: JAY AHEER/ Simply Defined Art

 

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2wbO1Wd

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Other stores: https://www.books2read.com/u/4NGg0G

 

BLURB

Surf and sand, beach and bar-tending, and practicing Taoism are the important things in Jeremy Ringer’s life. Until a death in the family sends him across the state, and he realizes that it’s not enough. By trusting the wrong people, he is pushed toward sexy police specialist, Oliver Mendosa.

Ollie Mendosa is only interested in one thing, the new police app he’s developing. That is until he meets a victim of crime, surfer-boy, Jeremy Ringer. When his protective nature is brought out in full force, he can’t resist the temptation of a summer fling.

Is it possible for these two men, from such different worlds, to overcome their differences and fears in order to find the love they both desire?

 character card Dano

 

EXCERPT

Ollie couldn’t stop thinking about their witness, Jeremy. The guy was too cute and entirely too laid back. “What do you think about Jeremy’s case?” he asked Walker as they walked into the precinct.

“Never going to find his car. You shouldn’t have given him false hope.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t help it.” He stuffed his phone in his pocket.

Walker stopped and looked at him, grabbing his shoulder. “What? You do like the guy? I mean like-like?”

“He’s cute.” Ollie shrugged. He wanted to play like he was calm and laid back like Jeremy, but he wasn’t. Not at all. The old saying about butterflies in the stomach seemed more like a fact than a literary description.

“I was teasing, but… Seriously, ask him out.”

Ollie huffed. “You know I can’t. At least not until we close his part of this bullshit.”

“Nah. You’re just here for the data. You’re not a detective. Ask him out.”

Ollie shook his head. He wasn’t entirely sure if he wanted dating Jeremy to be a conflict of interest or not. He hadn’t dated anyone. Not in a long time. Not really, not ever. What was he doing, anyway? “He lives too far away. I’ll be back in New York in a month. Easy.”

“That’s an excuse. If you like him. Go out with him. Hell, maybe getting laid would do you good.”

Ollie snorted. “That’s for sure.” He knew exactly how long it had been since he’d gotten any. Hookups he could do, and in New York, they’d been frequent enough. Plus, he had Corey Bishop. A good friend and in for a good fuck if they were both unattached and needing release. It was nice to have a friend he could count on, have sex with occasionally, but wouldn’t ever ask or expect more than that from them. In Jacksonville? None. Nada. Nothing. La negative. Not even Corey, since he was back in New York.

Walker bumped into his side. “Go for it.”

Ollie watched him walk away. He bit at his lip. He did want to see Jeremy again. Wanted to see those sapphire eyes, wide open, as he came apart. Wanted to hear that sweet voice, not humming or singing, but calling out. Maybe calling Ollie’s name. “Maybe I will.” Maybe they could be a fun hookup while he was in Jacksonville. At least until Jeremy went back home. Even if it was a conflict of interest, hell, Ollie never gave a damn about what anyone else said, anyway. He made his own rules.

Lynn Michaels Loogo

Lynn Michaels lives and writes in Tampa, Florida where the sun is hot and the Sangria is cold. When she’s not writing she’s kayaking, hanging with her husband, or reading by the pool. Lynn writes Male/Male romance because she believes everyone deserves a happy ending and the dynamics of male characters can be intriguing, vulnerable, and exciting. She has both contemporary and paranormal titles and has been writing since 2014. Her stories don’t follow any set guidelines or ideas, but come from her heart and contain love in many forms.

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

Website: https://rubiconwriting.com/lynn-michaels/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sljasble

Amazon Author: https://amzn.to/2MBZkkG

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A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Quarterback’s Crush by John R. Petrie

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Dylan Porter needs a Hail Mary….

Because it’ll take a miracle for him to pass English and trig so he can stay on the football team, get a scholarship, and go away to college—where the distance from his friends and family will give him the confidence to finally tell them he’s gay. But flunking his classes will put a stop to all of his dreams.

Luckily there’s Tommy Peterson to help him. In Dylan’s eyes, Tommy’s perfect. Short, smart, and sexy, he checks every one of Dylan’s boxes, so it’s no surprise when Dylan falls head over heels. Too bad Tommy doesn’t seem to feel the same, and a pining Dylan accidentally outs himself to the team. Now Dylan has to deal with the fallout of his coming out to the team, his dad, and his coach while trying to score the ultimate touchdown—the love of Tommy Peterson.

It took me almost no time to fall totally under the spell of this endearing story and its amazing characters.  And it’s all due to the unique voice and personality of the main character, Dylan Porter.  You see, it’s his perspective that we see the story from and he’s an astonishing person!

As crafted by John R. Petrie in The Quarterback’s Crush, Dylan Porter is that amazingly elusive animal….a layered human being with the ability to surprise you over and over, not just the length of the story, but even several pages.  He’s not “peggable”.  What comes out of his mouth frustrates him,  makes him angry, or cry, but for the reader?  It makes you want to hug him, cheer him on,  support him, and in every respect do what’s necessary, because, damnit, this author has made us quickly believe in him.

The Quarterback’s Crush is a coming out tale from Harmony Ink Press but  its also so much more.  It deals with the stresses of senior life in high school (oh the joy and horror), the college entrance tests, prom, bullying, cliques, and more.  Normally those are topics we expect to get from a “nerds” pov,  and we do here.  But it’s also from a popular high school football player’s and his team.  They will surprise and delight you as well.  They certainly did me.

Tommy Peterson is the other side of the romantic equation (a sentence I think he would respond to).  He is as well put together as Dylan and a great match.  Did I wish to know more about Tommy’s story?  Yes, but honestly, this isn’t his story, It’s Dylan’s, and while I loved Tommy and wished for more, I wouldn’t to the detriment of Dylan’s voice.  So maybe a prequel with Tommy?

In fact, all the other characters here, Riley, Dylan’s best friend and the other  football players, Coach, father, have a certain stability and strength to them which only made this story more real and the relationships better defined.

The only thing that keeps this from a 5 star rating is that epilogue.  It was cute but I would rather have had more stories than something so full of teasers and questions.  Sort of a let down for me.  It could have ended without it and been a 5 star story in my opinion.

The Quarterback’s Crush is John R. Petrie‘s first published romance which amazes me.  It’s heartwarmingly wonderful, it’s characters endearing, and it’s storyline captivating.  I recommend it highly to all.

Cover Artist: Adrian Nicholas.  I like the cover, although all the models seem more like college age than high school but the composition and characters are spot on.

Sales Links

Amazon (Kindle/Paper format) |  Dreamspinner Press  |  Harmony Ink Press  |  Barnes & Noble: 

 

 

Book Details:

ebook, 167 pages
Expected publication: September 4th 2018 by Harmony Ink Press
ISBN139781640803909
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Jeri Release Day Review: Love and Payne (A THIRDS Universe Novel) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Austen Payne, THIRDS Squadron Specialist Agent (SSA) for Destructive Delta and TIN operative, has seen the worst the world has to offer, faced lethal killers, and helped bring down dangerous organizations. But nothing terrifies him more than falling in love. After years of undercover work, Austen is a master at defending himself and protecting his heart… until he meets Osmond Zachary.

THIRDS Defense Agent Osmond Zachary has a huge, doting family, yet something is missing in his life. After meeting grumpy, foul-mouthed, jittery cheetah Therian Austen Payne, Zach knows exactly what that something—or someone—is. Unfortunately Austen seems determined to avoid Zach at all costs.

When Zach foils an assassination attempt, he ends up in the killer’s crosshairs, and Austen is Zach’s best chance at staying alive. Zach hopes the crisis will bring them closer, but Austen has every intention of walking away as soon as the danger is over.

Happily ever after isn’t for guys like Austen, but Zach is determined to show him it can be.

I am a tried and true THIRDS Nerd. Adore Dex and Sloane. I’m pretty sure Dex is my spirit animal. But it was time to move on. So this book is part of the “THIRDS Universe” but it isn’t centered around Destructive Delta.
If none of that made sense, go straight to amazon and read book 1. You’ll be hooked.
But I digress. We know Austen well. He started crushing on Sloan hard, but Sloan let him down easy. But Austen was always there- on the fringes like the spy he is.
And Zach we met almost immediately way back in book 1 when Dex had the audacity to take the last bag of cheesy doodles from the vending machine. ahh memories…..
Zach and Austen have always kind of tip toed around each other. Austen refusing to admit that he was crushing hard on Zach. And Zach wearing his heart on his sleeve but not wanting to spook Austen.
So when they are thrown together with basically no escape, Austen has no defense against the charms of Zach and his entire family.
And what an enormous family! My goodness. Another world that Ms Cochet has built for us. I look forward to getting to know them.
So yes, the THIRDS universe can and will happily survive without Dex and Sloan at the center. There is still tons of action, lots of sexy times and some really sweet, swoony romance.
I absolutely look forward to more of this offshoot. Although, I have a feeling that Dex and Sloan will be making an appearance in the near future.
Cover art: L.C. Chase.  Perfect for the character and branding the series.
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 202 pages
Expected publication: September 4th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB07G76RPMT
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series THIRDS:

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Two of a Kind by BA Tortuga

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Working on a full house.

Once upon a time, Trey Williamson and Ap McIntosh had quite the whirlwind romance—but that was before family tragedy left them the guardians of five kids. Their lives have changed quite a bit over the last six years, but Ap is still on the rodeo circuit, doing what he does best in an attempt to feed all those extra mouths.

That leaves Trey back on the ranch, isolated and overworked as the kids’ sole caregiver. Something has to give, and when Ap comes home, they’re reminded how hot they burned once upon a time. But is it a love that can withstand wrangling over time, money, and the future? They have to decide what kind of family they want to be… and whether what they share can stand the test of time.

Cowboys with kids, and dancing around the L word together.  It’s a winning combination in Two of a Kind by BA Tortuga, a new release from the Dreamspun Desires line from Dreamspinner Press.

My fondness for a BA Tortuga cowboy knows no bounds and luckily for me, her stories contain two, with the occasional threesome.  For the sweetness of romance and love is always tempered by the realities of life in her novels.  Perfection is a fairy tale and something told to the kids at bedtime, if that.  No, these men, all her men, are grounded in the gritty, raw, and often painful existence of men trying to scrape by, doing the best they can to financially stay afloat, keep their families together,  and not fall asleep at the barn while mucking out stalls.  You feel their exhaustion, their wry humor, and their utter love for the kids in their care and community.

What does that all really mean?  It means these men, these kids, and town breath a vitality and believability that lets you take them to heart.  You get the decisions these men made, even how they’ve lived all these years with a minimum of communication, and yet, they are still able to rely, believe in each other.  The author has long since made us connect with them that there’s no second guessing any decisions only hoping as they struggle for a way around the current problems.

The drama is shocking and painful,  and yes, very realistic.  Things happen that quick.

The family dynamics work so beautifully for me, as much as the romance.  Probably because they are on the same level of importance.  They are all one family, although it make time a little time for the glue to harden.  Everything about this story works for me. Excerpt the length of course.

I hate coming to an end of a BA Tortuga tale.  Adios hurts when you’ve come to love everyone so.  As I do here.

Want a romance that gives you not just a couple but an entire family and perhaps even a town to love?  Full of joy, drama, laughter, and so much love it just spills over the pages?

Then grab up Two of a Kind by BA Tortuga.  I absolutely recommend it.

Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza.  Adore that cover, perfection with a teddybear.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:ebook, 224 pages
Expected publication: September 4th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640807259
Edition LanguageEnglish

 

Release Day Blitz Calling Calling Calling Me by Natasha Washington (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 

Calling Calling Calling Me by Natasha Washington

Publisher: Natasha Washington

Release Date: September 4, 2018

Book Synopsis: Patrick Mahoney has one goal in mind: get out of his native Fresno and find freedom in the rainbow and glitter-painted streets of San Francisco. As a college freshman, he’s sure he’ll finally have the chance to be himself, away from the judgmental eyes of his conservative hometown.

Josh Dirda’s never wanted to be tied down before, preferring the emotional ease of the one night stand. But when Patrick moves into the apartment that Josh shares with three friends, Josh is caught up in Patrick’s sly wit and quietly creative spirit. As Patrick’s self-appointed tour guide, Josh can be Patrick’s introduction to the city he loves. But after a drunken Halloween hook-up crosses lines, Patrick and Josh must reckon with their true feelings—and decide whether they can let go of the ghosts that haunt them.

Subgenre: Contemporary Queer Romance/New Adult

Tropes/Themes: college romance, first time, fish out of water

Direct Link: https://www.natashawashington.com/books/

 

Teaser 1:

The floor of the club was vibrating.

Patrick felt off balance, which made no sense at all since he’d only had one shot of Alexis’s devil tequila. Not that he was an expert on what tequila did to a person, or in particular to him—he was really more of a stay-home-on-the-weekends-and-build-models-or-read-comics guy, and Oh God, what the hell was he doing here.

“Hello, Gorgeous,” Alexis said, suddenly very close and speaking into his ear, her fingers grasping at his arm. “You really are gorgeous, Gorgeous.”

“You’re drunk,” Patrick said, “and I’m gay, or did you miss that part of the earlier conversation?”

“I miss nothing, Fresno,” Alexis said. “But seriously, those blue eyes and those cheekbones! Unfair.”

Patrick wished she would stop calling him Fresno. It was a reminder of all the reasons he didn’t belong here in this nightclub of shiny people glittering in their tight dresses and tighter pants and heels and boots, hair perfectly ruffled or slicked back, laughing into their martini glasses and leaving lipstick prints around the rim, on cocktail napkins, or at the corner of someone else’s mouth.

“Don’t think so much,” Alexis said, and dug her fingernails into his upper arm.

He breathed in through his nose and watched Josh talk to a girl by the bar, already looking sloppy loose from the shots they’d done back at the apartment. His hair was a curly mess and his smile was white bright, a beacon in this dark, fluttering room of strangers.

Patrick had no idea why he thought Josh was anything but a stranger. Josh definitely didn’t know Patrick.

But God, Patrick wanted to know him.

“Shot?” Alexis asked, holding out a tiny glass filled with sharp-smelling liquid.

Maybe this was what Alexis meant by not thinking so much. He took the shot and swallowed it all at once, feeling it burn its acidic trail down his throat.

Three shots later and Patrick was pretty sure he should have said no.

It wasn’t that the world was spinning, which it was. It was that everything felt blurry and out of control and scary-beautiful, and Patrick couldn’t help thinking: I am in San Francisco now, I’m here, I can do—be—have whoever I want.

Right now, he definitely wanted to be the boy or the girl dancing with Josh. He had one of each draped over him, and yeah, Mike wasn’t kidding about Josh being a player. Josh was all opportunity right now, all openness and soft shoulders and free movement. He wasn’t a good dancer, exactly, but he was still gorgeous, and God, Patrick was so screwed. He was going to live with Josh now. How could he—what was he supposed to do? Stare and pray? What should he pray for? That Josh didn’t notice or that he did?

About Natasha Washington

Natasha Washington lives in Philadelphia, where she writes queer love stories in both YA (as Sonia Belasco) and romance. She has spent much of her professional life working with young people as a mentor, tutor, or therapist. When not writing, she is likely cooking, taking long, meandering walks, or listening to dance music or 90s hip-hop.

Connect with Natasha: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway: Enter to win one of two e-copies of New Adult Romance release, Calling Calling Calling Me.

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Box Set Book Blast – Lyon Road Vets Complete Series by Sue Brown (excerpt and giveaway)

BOX SET BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Lyon Road Vets (Complete Series) (Box Set)

Author: Sue Brown

Publisher: One Hat Press

Cover Artist: Meredith Russell

Genre/s: M/M Romance

Length:  123 403 words/576 print pages

Release Date: September 1, 2018

Overall Heat Rating for the series 🔥🔥🔥

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Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link 

Amazon US  

Amazon UK 

 

Box Set Blurb

Peter and Evan, Will and Lawrence, Jesse and Dan, friends and neighbours with one thing in common; the love of their dogs.

As Peter mourns the loss of Harry, Evan brings a lively puppy into their lives, who takes over their home and hearts. Will’s young beagle, Bob, hasn’t met a trainer he can’t break. Is Lawrence the exception? Dan walks away from Jesse after too many broken promises. Will Jesse’s puppy, Norman, manage to bring them back together?

Hairy Harry’s Car Seat #1

Peter Mitchell walked away with from his marriage with two things: a suitcase and Hairy Harry, the family pet.
When Harry becomes ill, Peter is faced with one of the hardest decisions he’s ever had to make… saying goodbye to his best friend.
Evan Wells is the locum vet who attends to Harry and Peter is surprised at how quickly they become friends. Peter finds himself looking forward to Evan’s nightly phone calls and the meals they share together. He knows Evan is gay but it doesn’t bother him until Evan confesses his attraction to him. Peter has to admit to himself that he’s not as adverse to the possibility as he thought he would be, and that does bother him.

Excerpt – Hairy Harry’s Car Seat

Just before eight o’clock, Evan walked in with two bags from the local Chinese takeaway.

Peter eyed them with amusement. “Two bags? How many people are we expecting?”

“Ha ha. I can take whatever is left over for dinner tomorrow as you’re not feeding me.”

“You could always cook for yourself,” Peter pointed out drily.

After two weeks Evan had a small stock of recipes to try at home.

“What would be the fun in that when there’s a perfectly good Chinese in the fridge? Is one of those for me?” Evan held his hand out for one of the beers Peter clutched to his chest.

“No, I’m going to drink both and leave you to go thirsty.”

“I’ll take your chilli beef,” Evan threatened.

“Mmmm, nice cold beer.”

Peter pretended to drink from one of the bottles, although the cap was still on. The next thing he knew he was pinned against the fridge, still holding the bottles above his head, and staring up into fierce charcoal-dark eyes.

“I—” Peter stopped, his mouth dry. Evan’s body pressed into every inch of him.

“I want my beer,” Evan growled.

Every nerve in Peter was tingling. He couldn’t help his reaction to feel of Evan forcing him against the fridge door. And the growl. Jesus. The growl washot. Peter’s heart pounded, knowing he was hard, and he felt an answering hardness against his belly. He wanted to push against Evan’s arousal, to relieve the ache.

“Take me… one,” Peter said.

Evan stepped away from him so quickly Peter almost dropped the beer bottles. “I… Fuck, I’m sorry, Pete.”

Peter thrust a bottle at him. “Here.”

Evan fumbled with the bottle opener, the lid flicking onto the floor. Peter watched as he virtually downed the contents in one go.

“Better?” At some point Peter was going to be able to manage more than one word sentences.

“Yeah.” Evan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “No. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t,” Peter said automatically.

“No?”

“No. Well, more shocked. I’m not used to being manhandled.”

“You’re more used to doing the manhandling?”

“Not really,” Peter said sadly.

Evan nodded. “I understand.”

He probably didn’t but that was okay. Peter wasn’t sure he understood himself. All he knew was that Evan’s manoeuvre had left him breathless, and he wasn’t sure why.

Bob, the Destroyer of Leads #2

Bob, a beagle with a very bad attitude. He eats through every lead purchased by his despairing owner, Will Duffy. One moment he is walking to heel, the next he is a free dog, triumphantly tearing down the road with Will chasing after him.

It’s a great game for Bob until the day he breaks through lead number ten and is hit by Lawrence Taylor’s car as he runs across the road, leaving Bob unconscious and his back leg broken. Will has to ask Lawrence for a lift to the vets, and endure the man’s scolding all the way there. Even worse, Will discovers Lawrence is a dog trainer!

Bob ends up in a cast and is forced to wear the cone of shame. Of course, Lawrence thinks all Bob and Will need are dog training classes, except Bob hasn’t met a trainer yet he couldn’t break. Is Lawrence man enough for the job?

Excerpt – Bob, the Destroyer of Leads

“Will, wait up.”

Will looked over his shoulder to see Lawrence jogging towards him. “Hi, what are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you, obviously. I thought you got out at five.”

Will bridled at Lawrence’s snappish tone. “I don’t see what it’s got to do with you when I leave work.”

Lawrence took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I snapped. When you didn’t come out I was worried I’d missed you.”

Knowing that it was partly his fault for being rude, Will nodded. “Text me next time and I’ll leave earlier.”

“Sure, come on.” Lawrence led the way back to his car. “I finished my client early and thought you’d appreciate the lift.”

“I thought you ran dog training classes,” Will said as he strapped on his seat belt.

“I do, but I take on private clients too. Some dogs don’t react well in a group situation.”

“Do you make a good living from training dogs?”

Lawrence nodded. “Good enough. I don’t need a lot to get by.”

“And you want to train Bob?”

“If I say yes, will that start another argument?” Lawrence asked cautiously.

Will snorted. “Three days ago I’d have said yes, but after watching Bob run out into the road, I think I need your help.”

“Good. I’m really pleased to hear you say that.”

“Of course, Bob will eat you alive.”

Lawrence snorted. “What did you say? You’d never met a trainer that Bob couldn’t break?”

“He has that reputation,” Will said. “He’s been banned from three dog training classes, and the other two suggested Bob might be happier somewhere else.”

“He seems quite placid and friendly at the moment.”

“I don’t think he’s got over the anaesthetic. He is never this quiet.” Will missed ‘his’ Bob. This quiet dog wasn’t the same.

Hazel Takes Over #3

After the death of his beloved dog, Harry, Peter Mitchell refuses to consider getting a new dog. Besides which, Peter has his hands full with his partner, Dr Evan Wells. The vet is surprisingly sensitive about Peter’s feelings and doesn’t nag Peter about getting a pet. Of course, not nagging and not doing anything about it are two different things, at least in Evan’s mind.

When Peter is presented with a small red bundle of fur to hold, he realises the devious vet planned their new arrival and worse, she’s already got a name. Peter may not have a choice about their dog, but he’s going to put his foot down over her name. He should know better.

Excerpt – Hazel Takes Over

Peter awoke, overheated, stifled, and trapped on both sides. Evan was wrapped around him as usual; the man was a human teddy bear. This time he’d managed to pin Peter to the bed so he couldn’t move at all. Peter stayed where he was, not bothering to open his eyes as he dozed contently until the call of nature became too great. Half-heartedly and still with his eyes closed, Peter wriggled to free himself, and received a grumble in both ears.

He frowned. Evan was his superman but even he couldn’t manage stereo conversation. Neither did he have a wet nose. Peter cracked open one eye, to find as he expected Evan was spooned up behind him, still whuffing gently as he slept. Bright eyes and a huge smile greeted him instead.

“How did you get here, trouble?” he asked, stroking Hazel’s back.

“Hmmm? Haven’t had time to get into trouble yet,” Evan muttered.

“Not you. Ms Hazel here. You gave in, huh?”

“Huh?” Evan leaned over him. “Hazel, how did you get here?”

Peter tilted his head to look Evan. He had to give the man credit for being a good actor. He looked genuinely surprised to see Hazel lying on the bed. “I wonder,” he said drily. “It’s amazing how she managed to open the kitchen door, climb the stairs and get on the bed.”

Stormin’ Norman #4

Dan had been Jesse’s partner for many years, and always there for Jesse on his return from difficult assignments. However, after breaking his promise not to leave again, Jesse learns to his cost that Dan can be pushed too far. When he returns home, broken in body and spirit, Jesse finds his house empty and Dan in the arms of someone else.
To fill his life, Jesse decides to get a dog. His friends and neighbours take him to choose a puppy. What he doesn’t expect is for Norman to choose him. As Jesse takes on a new job, with Norman’s assistance, he realises that Dan isn’t far away, and he still loves him. Dan has moved on with his life. Can Jesse do the same?

Excerpt – Stormin’ Norman

The barman gossiped about the recent gas explosion in the pub down the road Jesse listened with half his attention, keeping an eye on the dark-haired bloke in the corner.

The man didn’t disappoint. As soon as Jesse had his beer, he came over and sat on the bar stool next to Jesse. To give him credit, he didn’t piss about.

“Hi, I’m Dan.”

Jesse assessed him carefully. He was older than he’d appeared in the shadows—early forties maybe, the start of lines around his eyes and a sprinkle of grey at his temples. Not Jesse’s type. Jesse was in his mid-thirties. He usually went for men younger than him, searching for uncomplicated hook-ups and nothing more.

“Hi.” Jesse didn’t say any more, hoping his off-hand tone would tell the guy he was wasting his time.

Dan ordered another beer and turned back to him. “I haven’t seen you in here before.”

“I’ve been away.”

“Do you want a beer, a chat, and then see what happens?”

His approach caught Jesse’s attention. Normally blokes started off with “Do you wanna fuck me?” Nine times out of ten Jesse said no.

“I’m not the marrying kind,” Jesse said.

Dan blinked. “I asked you for a beer, not a ring.”

Jesse shrugged. “You’re older than me. I thought I’d get that off the table.”

“Thanks,” Dan said drily. “So all older men are desperate for a ring and kids. I’ll remember that next time I ask for a hook-up. I’ll only go for the younger twinks.” He got up and smiled sadly at Jesse. “Sometimes a beer is just a beer.”

Dan walked back to where he’d been sitting.

“He’s a nice guy,” the barman said.

Jesse frowned. “What?”

“Dan. He’s decent and he’s not looking for anything from you.”

“You overheard that?”

Sean nodded as he wiped the bar down. “He’s a great bloke. A little shy. He comes in here most days for lunch. It would have taken a lot of courage for him to talk to you. You could have just said no.”

About the Author

Cranky middle-aged author with an addiction for coffee, and a passion for romancing two guys. I love my dogs, I love my kids, and I love coffee; in which order very much depends on the time of day.

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In the Spotlight Tour and Giveaway: Love at First Hate (Porthkennack #11) by J.L. Merrow

Love at First Hate (Porthkennack #11) by J.L. Merrow
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art: Garrett Leigh

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host JL Merrow here today on tour for her amazing latest story in the Porthkennack series from RIptide Publishing, Love at First Hate.  Welcome, J.L.

 

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Hi, I’m JL Merrow, and I’m delighted to be here today as part of the blog tour to celebrate the release of Love at First Hate, the second of my contemporary MM romances in Riptide’s multi-author Porthkennack series.

Love at First Hate features a romance between a newcomer to Porthkennack and a character whom readers of my first two Porthkennack books, Wake Up Call  and One Under, will have already met: Bran Roscarrock. As you might imagine, Bran, who is an antagonist in the first two books, is on something of a redemption arc. But we’ll also get to see where he’s been coming from, and why he’s acted as he has.

 

About Love at First Hate

First impressions can doom second chances.

Bran Roscarrock has been living in the closet all his life. As heir to an expansive family legacy in the town of Porthkennack, old-fashioned ideals of respectability and duty were drummed into him since childhood, and he’s never dared to live—or love—openly.

Sam Ferreira, an old friend of Bran’s brother, Jory, is a disgraced academic desperate to leave his dead-end job. When Jory asks him to take over as curator of a planned exhibition on Edward of Woodstock, the fourteenth-century Black Prince, Sam leaps at the chance to do what he loves and make a fresh start.

But Bran’s funding the exhibition, and though sparks fly between the two men, they’re not all happy ones. Bran idolises Prince Edward as a hero, while Sam’s determined to present a balanced picture. With neither of them prepared to give ground, a hundred years of war seems all too possible. And if Bran finds out about Sam’s past, his future may not be bright, and their budding romance may be lost to history.

About Porthkennack

Welcome to Porthkennack, a charming Cornish seaside town with a long and sometimes sinister history.

Legend says King Arthur’s Black Knight built the fort on the headland here, and it’s a certainty that the town was founded on the proceeds of smuggling, piracy on the high seas, and the deliberate wrecking of cargo ships on the rocky shore.

Nowadays it draws in the tourists with sunshine and surfing, but locals know that the ghosts of its Gothic past are never far below the surface.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by five award-winning, best-selling British LGBTQ romance authors. Follow Porthkennack and its inhabitants through the centuries and through the full rainbow spectrum.

The Porthkennack novels are standalone stories; release order and era are:


About JL Merrow

JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea.  She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again.

She writes (mostly) contemporary gay romance and mysteries, and is frequently accused of humour.  Two of her novels have won Rainbow Awards for Romantic Comedy (Slam!, 2013 and Spun!, 2017) and several of her books have been EPIC Awards finalists, including Muscling Through, Relief Valve (the Plumber’s Mate Mysteries) and To Love a Traitor.

JL Merrow is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Crime Writers Association, International Thriller Writers, Verulam Writers and the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.

Connect with JL:

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Love at First Hate, JL is giving away a $10 Amazon credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 8, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

An Alisa Release Day Review: Somebody to Die For (Requiem Inc. #3) by Kris T. Bethke

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Dying is easy. New love is terrifying.

Avery Wagner quit ghostwalking when he lost his beloved anchor to cancer. Now teaching others who have the ability, he’s beginning to live again—but he’s not looking for another lover, not now, maybe not ever.

But then he meets Jameson… younger, talented, dedicated, almost perfect, even though his mouth sometimes opens ahead of his brain. And Jameson wants Avery desperately, though he’ll settle for friendship if he can’t have more.

When an emergency demands they work together in the field, Avery discovers just how perfect Jameson is. But he had a perfect love once before, and he’s scared to even consider that he might have a chance at another. Can he trust Jameson with his newly healing heart?

This has been a great series and the author continues to deliver.  We met Avery in the first book when he helped Blake and Derek and we get to see him work through the loss of his bonded a few years before.  Jameson is still in training but looks forward to having a ghostwalker to take care of.

Avery hasn’t ghostwalked in years but he does when there is trouble and it puts Jameson in even closer proximity than their developing friendship has.  Jameson will do anything to take care of Avery and has the understanding he needs.

We get to see Avery and Jameson meet and boy do they get off on the wrong foot but Jameson wonderfully shows Avery he isn’t quite the jerk he came off as.  Avery is so fragile in some ways but finds the strength to go after what he wants and needs.  There are times he seems to jump ahead when he isn’t quite ready yet and I felt it just hurt Jameson when that happened.  Jameson is about the most understanding person alive that it didn’t seem reasonable.  I really liked the story but it seemed Avery and Jameson were on are far ends of the scale for their personalities.  I look forward to more books in this universe and hope that Tyler is the focus of the next book.

The cover art by Aaron Anderson is great and it’s similar in style to the others in the series and also gives a wonderful visual of Avery.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 218 pages

Published: September 4, 2018 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-537-8

Edition Language: English

Series: Requiem Inc. #3, Dreamspun Beyond

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Love at First Hate (Porthkennack #11) by J.L. Merrow

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Another visit to Porthkennack on the Cornwall coast in England, this time guided by the inimitable style of JL Merrow, who not only lends British authenticity to the tale, but who has a wonderful, understated sense of humor that creates multiple moments of quiet laughter throughout the story. Number eleven in this series that’s written by various British authors, this is one of three that focus on the Roscarrock family—founding members of the community, complete with the snobbery that goes with the bragging rights.

Bran is the patriarch, a man in his thirties, of diminutive stature, who’s lived in the closet all his adult life. His father drilled responsibility and the ideals of duty to their legacy into him since childhood, and though he is a twin, his sister knew it would be Bran who took over the estate when their father passed on. Now he’s got a reputation the community of being tight-fisted, uncaring, and uninterested in the working man. He’s creating an exhibition—a tribute to Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince—and he’s doing it to bring attention to the town, but he’s also doing it to pay homage to his hero, and he’s a bit prejudiced in that regard.

Sam Ferreira holds a doctoral degree and has curator experience and is the first person Bran’s brother Jory (One Under) thinks of when Bran is attacked and hospitalized and needs someone to take over the exhibition. Sam jumps at the chance, after assuring that Jory knows about the disgrace he suffered at his university post which resulted in him being fired. He’s doing a great job with the exhibit and is removing that slight prejudice that seems to make the Black Prince look like a hero, when Bran is released from the hospital and finds out what Sam is up to. And then the sparks fly.

A great enemies-to-lovers story, this truly was first hate before the two decided to compromise and get to know one another. After that, the sparks were flying for a different reason, and it looked like Bran might finally decide that the closet is too small to live in. Of course, that’s when he finds out what happened at Sam’s previous job and creates such a ruckus about it that Sam flees both the job and their budding relationship.

JL Merrow wrote the first book in this series, Wake Up Call, and though I know this is not the last, this is certainly one of the best. The whole series is terrific, but these tales of the Roscarrock family have been among my favorites. Now I’m hoping we’ll get one about the illegitimate son of the family, Devon Thompson, the boy that Bran’s twin, Bea, gave birth to and who was turned away, rejected and dejected, when he found out who is mother is. That would be top of my must-buy list. In any event, in a roundabout way, I’m trying to say that I highly recommend this series, and most definitely this story. Yes, it can be read as a standalone but I think that at least reading One Under would make this more meaningful.

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The cover art by Garrett Leigh features two men, who resemble the descriptions of Bran and Sam, set against a dark gray stormy background which represents the Cornwall coast setting of the series.

Sales:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 325 pages
Expected publication: September 3rd 2018 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626498327
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Porthkennack #11

Connected stories by JL Merrow in this series:

Wake Up Call

One Under

Love at First Hate

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Rubble and the Wreckage (A Gabriel Church Tale #1) by Rodd Clark

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Christian Maxwell, a writer with a background in psychology, is caught up in the idea of his bestseller and already attracted, repelled, and a little excited by his subject. Gabriel Church, a killer, figures he might as well make money on his story rather than someone else, or that’s what we’re told. They both share a dark sense of humor and some methodical and obsessive traits. Gabe, of course, is thrilled with his own tale, having the attention of Christian, as well as being able to establish some sort of authority over him. Christian has put himself in a precarious legal position since Gabe hasn’t been caught yet. His obsession with news stories of murders lead him to Gabe. While someone with his research abilities and way of seeing patterns might have been a great asset to law enforcement, his loner style, lack of good judgement, and ethical flexiblity really wouldn’t be.

Here are some things that bothered me. We are basically told the author’s view of the characters, an apology (an explanation or defense), to understand how the story turns out the way it does. “We all weave the patterns of our lives by our actions, and possibly by the desires we maintain to be with others similar to ourselves.” While I find the statement profound, I feel like this should have been a preface, or even a postscript and we shouldn’t still be in this phase in chapter two. The POV (point of view), switches around all over the place. That quote is in first person plural. The author then goes back to dual third person, limited (one character’s view of another) and omniscient (a god view type of third person with facts not in evidence, or knowledge only the author would have.) This is a stylistic choice that is not my preference, but it left me feeling detached from either character, which in the case of a serial killer might be a very good thing. There were actually several typos–missing or repeated words–at regular intervals in the version I received. The story is sometimes hard to follow because it teeters between calling the killer Gabe and Church, but usually uses the writers first name. The story is at times contradictory, like how Gabe can’t see or remember a face because the white light is so bright (the man kills because of a victim’s white aura, like it is a calling from God), yet later we are told he remembers every face and will never forget.

As you would expect, the story wanders through different time periods as the killer talks about kills and his childhood based on his own agenda and the questions he is asked. He also amuses himself by drawing Christian in and using his sexuality against him. The way they dance around the issue of sex is very odd, but then everything about their interactions is odd. Gabe says he is heterosexual, while we witness Christian’s epiphany that he is gay, but that didn’t quite work for me. It seemed more like they both need a certain type of circumstance for the act to have any meaning, and this is it. I do not like the idea that meeting Christian can save or heal Gabe. There can be no redemption for this man and, no I don’t care about his crappy childhood. We are privy to his rapid changes in mood and understand he is unstable. We know he has killed at least 40 people.

No one in this book is likeable. There is no one to root for. I’m not even sure why this needed to be fiction. I can find plenty of true crime novels if I want. It is really important that after listening to details of murders all night, and having sex, they are now sightseeing and giving us a history lesson on the surrounding Seattle area? There is also a murder described from the victim’s point of view for no reason I can find. All of the sudden out of nowhere, Christian is being called Boy, feeling submissive, and Gabe calls himself Daddy. Is this a joke? “You look horny, baby. You want a ride on this love rocket”?

I am actually rather speechless. I can’t recommend this. I actually don’t care about what happens to these characters. This also needs editing. I think, at chapter fourteen, I am going to DNF.

I quite liked the cover art by Natasha Snow. It shows Gabriel on a lonely path heading towards the light, reminiscent of how he chooses his victims. The cathedral window overlay shows hints at his broken, chaotic mind and his view that he is on a mission.
Sales Links:  NineStar Press  |  Amazon
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 2nd edition, 361 pages
Published April 30th 2018 by NineStar Press (first published January 30th 2015)
Original TitleRubble and the Wreckage
ASINB07CJZVXNS
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesA Gabriel Church Tale #1