Release Blitz – Summit by Louise Lyons (excerpt and giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Summit

Author: Louise Lyons

Publisher: Louise Lyons

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer, Simply Defined Art

Genre/s: MM romance, adventure

Length: 62000 words

Release Date: September 1, 2018

It is a standalone story.

Buy Links

Blurb

When out of condition divorced lorry driver, Ash Tomlinson, makes the spur of the moment decision to climb Kilimanjaro, he doesn’t consider how much it will change his life. There’s the training, the equipment to buy, the fear of altitude sickness, and of failure. And there’s Sean, a man who makes Ash question what he really wants for his future.

Sean Briggs is a school sports teacher and wishful mountain leader, longing for the chance to lead people on mountain hikes, but never having taken the plunge to do the training course. While he thinks about it, he decides to undertake the trip of a lifetime on Kilimanjaro.

The two men meet on a training weekend in Wales, and afterwards Ash goes home and tries to forget about Sean, but finds it impossible.

When the pair strike out for the summit of the highest mountain in Africa, their physical and mental strength is tested, and their growing feelings for each other help them push through the toughest moments of the trek.

Excerpt

We applied extra sun cream and insect repellent, put on wide-brimmed hats, shouldered our backpacks, and prepared our hiking poles. This was it. The first leg of the very long trek to the top of the mountain. My heart thrummed with excitement and a glance at Sean’s beaming smile and bright eyes told me he felt as I did.

The lead Tanzanian guide set off slowly along a dusty path through the jungle and we followed in single file, with more guides and Phil and Mark mingling with us. Cameras and phones made repeated appearances during the four-hour trek to the camp, as we marvelled at the huge trees, mosses, and plants, and the monkeys and birds high up in the branches over our heads. Phil reminded us several times to drink regularly and I got into the habit of sucking water from the tube connected to the water bladder in my backpack every few minutes.

There were a couple of short breaks along the trail, during which we ate snacks, drank additional water, and peed again and again. Ladies’ and men’s “toilets” were clumps of bushes on opposite sides of the trail, which resulted in much giggling and squealing from the ladies as they came upon unsavoury deposits from the previous trekkers.

The path wound its way upwards, not too steeply, through humid shade provided by the tangle of trees. Their roots burst through the dirt underfoot and we constantly alternated between staring at the ground to avoid tripping and gazing around in wonder at the surroundings. The afternoon raced by and I barely realised three hours had passed, when the trail opened out into a vast clearing.

A cluster of green tents awaited us, with two tall narrow toilet tents off to one side and a large orange mess tent for our meals.

“Your bags will be in your tents waiting for you,” Phil reminded us.

“How do we find which is ours?” Sally asked.

“They’ll have tags on that match the tags we put on our bags last night,” Sean told her. “Ours is twin something.”

“They’re all twin something, except Gerald’s because he’s on his own.” I laughed. “Ours is four.”

“Oh, yeah.” Sean rolled his eyes and went looking for a tent with a plastic tag on it that read “twin four.” A moment later he unzipped the flap of a tent and disappeared inside. I followed, slipping my backpack from my shoulders as I reached it.

Sean sat in the entrance, unlacing his boots. Our two holdalls sat in the middle of the tent and a sleeping mat lay on each side. Sean placed his boots in one corner and shuffled backwards out of the way. “Which side do you want?”

“I don’t mind.” I took his place and removed my boots. Sean moved to the far side of the tent and placed his backpack in the middle between the two holdalls. We took a few minutes to organise things, unpacking our additional sleeping mats to put on top of the thin ones provided, spread sleeping bags on top of them, and found comfortable running shoes to wear for dinner. We changed out of our hiking trousers into warm jogging bottoms and pulled on fleeces over our base layers. Phil had warned that the temperature would plummet as soon as the sun set, and the sun dropped like a stone at exactly twenty past six.

“I knew I’d get you in a tent one day.” Sean grinned.

“Better than Wales. At least it’s dry.”

“For now. We might get rain or snow higher up. And it’ll be freezing.”

I lowered my voice to a whisper. “We can shift these bags over to one side and keep each other warm.”

Read an exclusive excerpt here

About the Author

Louise Lyons comes from a family of writers. Her mother has a number of poems published in poetry anthologies, her aunt wrote poems for the church, and her grandmother sparked her inspiration with tales of fantasy.

Louise first ventured into writing short stories at the grand old age of eight, mostly about little girls and ponies. She branched into romance in her teens, and MM romance a few years later, but none of her work saw the light of day until she discovered FanFiction in her late twenties. Posting stories based on some of her favourite movies, provoked a surprisingly positive response from readers. This gave Louise the confidence to submit some of her work to publishers, and made her take her writing “hobby” more seriously.

Louise lives in the UK, about an hour north of London, with a mad dog called Casper, and a collection of tropical fish and tarantulas. She works in the insurance industry by day, and spends every spare minute writing. She loves to run long-distance and some of her best writing inspiration comes to her when her feet are pounding the open road. She often races home afterward, and grabs pen and paper to make notes.

Louise has always been a bit of a tomboy, and one of her other great loves is cars and motorcycles. Her car and bike are her pride and job, and she loves to exhibit the car at shows, and take off for long days out on the bike, with no one for company but herself.

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Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win one of 3 ebooks from Louise’s backlist.

Choose from: Conflicted, Beautiful Thunder, Cervena, Regeneration, Finding Beck, Favorite Toy, On The Outside, The Short Stories Collection.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6f12da1560/

RELEASE BLITZ SCHEDULE

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Release Blitz – Safe Place (Rainbow Place #2) by Jay Northcote

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Length: 48,000 words approx.

Rainbow Place Series

Book #1 – Rainbow Place – Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Where do you go when your home is no longer a safe place?

Alex is about to turn eighteen and is firmly in the closet. He’s been biding his time, waiting to escape to uni, and finally come out away from the oppressive influence of his homophobic father. When he flunks his exams, he’s stuck in the small town of Porthladock—and what’s worse is that he’s working for his dad. The only thing that makes it bearable is Cam.

Cam’s comfortable with his bisexuality, but he doesn’t broadcast it. Young, free, and single, his social life revolves around playing rugby and hanging out with his mates. He’s attracted to Alex, but with the six-year age gap, Cam’s wary of getting involved. Plus, he thinks Alex needs a friend more than he needs a lover, and as their friendship grows, Cam decides he’s not willing to risk ruining it for casual sex.

When Alex’s dad finds out about his sexuality, Alex is suddenly both jobless and homeless. He finds work at Rainbow Place, the local LGBT-friendly café and Cam lets Alex stay in his flat for a while. But Alex would rather be sleeping in Cam’s bed than on his sofa. With them both living under one roof, their feelings for each other grow stronger, and the sexual tension is hard to ignore. Will giving in to it ruin their friendship and complicate things for Alex even more?

Although this book is part of a linked series, it has a satisfying happy ending, and can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

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An Ali Audiobook Review: Changing Lines (Harrisburg Railers #1) by RJ Scott and VL Locey/Sean Crisden (Narrator)

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Rowe Brothers are famous hockey hotshots, but as the youngest of the trio, Tennant has always had to play against his brothers’ reputations. To get out of their shadows, and against their advice, he accepts a trade to the Harrisburg Railers, where he runs into Jared Madsen. Mads is an old family friend and his brother’s one-time teammate. Mads is Tennant’s new coach. And Mads is the sexiest thing he’s ever laid eyes on.

Jared Madsen’s hockey career was cut short by a fault in his heart, but coaching keeps him close to the game. When Ten is traded to the team, his carefully organized world is thrown into chaos. Nine years his junior and his best friend’s brother, he knows Ten is strictly off-limits, but as soon as he sees Ten’s moves, on and off the ice, he knows that his heart could get him into trouble again.

Can Tennant show Jared that age is just a number, and that love is all that matters?

I’m a big hockey fan so I try to read all the hockey romances out there. This series is one that has been on my to be read list for awhile now so I was happy to have the chance to review the audiobook. It was kind of a mixed bag for me. There were some things I really liked about this and some that I didn’t.

I can’t believe I believe I’m going to say these words but “There was way too much hockey in this book”. There is an enormous amount of game and practice time in this book and lot’s and lot’s of plays and strategies talk. I felt like this aspect overshadowed the relationship. There is very little on page relationship development. The majority of them getting close to each other takes place off page. We see them having sex, them with their families and mostly them playing or practicing.

I’m not sure why the authors chose to have the majority of the relationship development off page. There were some other relationship dynamics that were excellent. Really well written. Ten’s coming out scene with his parents and later a scene between him and his mother were beautiful. There was also a scene between Jared and his son that was very emotional. I felt so much more between Jared and Ten and their family than I did between the two of them as lovers. There was a lot of telling and very little showing between the two of them.

Another thing that bothered me a lot was the fact that Jared was Ten’s coach and it was never really presented as an issue. Jared mentions it at the beginning but this thread is never followed up on. They talked about Ten coming out and how it would effect him being a professional sports player but no one seemed to bat an eye that he was having sex with his coach. I think it’s a huge deal and should have been presented at such.

My last issue was that it ends on a cliffhanger of sorts. The guys are together and happy but a giant part of the plot is left hanging. I felt a bit annoyed that after all the talk of Ten coming out we don’t see any of it. It seems from the set up of book two that it might be shown some there but I am not sure.

The audio was narrated by Sean Crisden and I thought it was fine. I liked his voice but he spoke very quickly and I wasn’t always sure who was talking. I had to slow the narration down from how I normally listen. Once I did that it worked better for me.

Overall I thought it was a solid start to the series. I appreciated the authors’ love of hockey that clearly comes through in this book. While I had some issues I will probably try book two at some point.

Cover by Meredith Russell: I like the cover. The models on the cover really fit the description of the main characters well.

Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio, Unabridged, 6 pages
Published July 25th 2018 by Love Lane Books Limited (first published July 12th 2017)
Original TitleChanging Lines
ASINB07FTRYXFF
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHarrisburg Railers #1 settingHarrisburg, Pennsylvania (United States)
Pennsylvania (United States)

Julie Lynn Hayes on Writing, Influences and her new release ‘No Way Out’ (author interview)

No Way Out by Julie Lynn Hayes

Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art: Christine Coffee

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Julie Lynn Hayes here today talking about writing, influences, and her new release No Way Out. Welcome, Julie.

♦︎

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Julie Lynn Hayes

How much of yourself goes into a character?

I think it depends on the character, some of them are more me than others. And some are nothing like me at all. With some characters, it’s more like playing a part than being myself.

Do you feel there’s a tight line between Mary Sue or should I say Gary Stu and using your own experiences to play a character?

I don’t believe Mary Sues/Gary Stus are based on a person’s experiences as much as on what the author wishes were there experiences. I believe those types of characters typify an impossible perfect ideal which is utterly realistic and has a tendency to get on the reader’s nerves, at least in my experience. They know everything, can do everything, and never fail. Plus they have no redeeming qualities that would make you love them. So, just ugh.

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your own worlds and cultures?

I wouldn’t say research plays a role. I write whatever genre calls to me at any given time. However, I do have to admit I love research, being a history major, so that is never a problem. Although I do have to look up things that are not historical as well, just to make sure I have my facts straight. For example, a particular geography or botany or food. I love creating worlds as well and building them from scratch.

Has your choice of childhood or teenage reading genres carried into your own choices for writing?

No, because when I was a teenager, there was no m/m romance like there is now, and if there had been, without the Internet, there would have been no way to find it.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

I prefer HEA to HFN, I have to admit. An HFN feels incomplete, like my characters are settling instead of finding true happiness. But sometimes it happens, especially in a series. However I do try to rectify that in the next book. I don’t do HFN very often.

Do you read romances, as a teenager and as an adult?

I started reading teen-age level romances when I was still in grade school and loved them. I read romances throughout my teen years, and when I was older, I was introduced to the “bodice ripper” romances. I don’t read romances as much any more, usually m/m, but I do enjoy a good Regency.

What’s next for you as an author?

I still write fanfiction from time to time, and lately I’ve been playing in the world of Hamilton. I’d like to write some stories about a young Burr and Hamilton, because I love history, and do something with that. I also have a number of WIPs to work on, as well as more books in my Rose and Thorne series.

Who do you think is your major influence as a writer? Now and growing up?

As a writer, I think my major influences have been William Faulkner and PG Wodehouse. As a result, I’m wordy and have a dry sense of humor lol Growing up, I read a lot of the classics, so maybe my influences would be Emily Bronte and Jane Austen.

If you write contemporary romance, is there such a thing as making a main character too “real”? Do you think you can bring too many faults into a character that eventually it becomes too flawed to become a love interest?

To say someone is so flawed that they cannot be considered a love interest is to say they aren’t worthy of being loved. I would never say that. Besides, we all know people, whether friends or relatives or people we see on TV, who are with partners that makes us shake our heads and ask what they see in that person? Love works in mysterious ways.

With so much going on in the world today, do you write to explain? To get away? To move past? To widen our knowledge? Why do you write?

I think my love of writing grew from my love of reading. I started reading when I was two. Even now, I read constantly, whether it’s a book, or my computer screen, the back of a box of cereal or billboards on the highway. My head is populated with characters, some I haven’t met you. I like to look around me and observe, or sometimes I’m inspired by something I hear, whether a bit of conversation or a song lyric. My mind asks what if, and I begin to imagine a story where none existed. I enjoy exploring these characters and their lives, I enjoy putting just the right words together, even if I have to polish the same scene over and over to get it right. I love words and stories, and there are a million of them out there, if not more. I can’t imagine not writing.

Blurb

Wyatt Findley is an up-and-coming artist, attending a prestigious art institute in St. Louis. His mentor, Lukas Callahan, has snagged a sweet house-sitting job for him in a gorgeous home in a well-to-do part of town. Wyatt notices two men who live just across the street. They make an odd couple, since there must be a good twenty years difference between them. And yet there is something about the younger man that calls to Wyatt

Shylor Lind has been living with Randy Grant for fifteen years, ever since Grant hired Shy’s mother as his live-in housekeeper. But five years ago, their relationship changed when Shy’s mother sold him to Grant and took the money and ran. Since then, Randy has been training Shy in how to be his submissive, dominating him in every way. There is nothing Shy can do about the situation, and he has nowhere to go, no one to turn to.

And then Wyatt enters his life… and nothing will ever be the same, as Wyatt engages in a battle for Shy’s very soul.

The author is donating 10% of the royalties from this book to No Kid Hungry. Visit nokidhungry.org for more information about this organization.

Buy link

Dreamspinner https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/no-way-out-by-julie-lynn-hayes-9831-b

About the Author

Julie Lynn Hayes lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah, who is a grad student at the University of Illinois. She first began to write over fifty years ago, and doesn’t see that stopping anytime soon. She likes to write in different genres, to stretch herself in order to see what is possible. When someone tells her something can’t be done, she feels compelled to do it. Much of her writing is in the m/m romance category.

When she isn’t writing, or working at her day job with a third party elevator inspection company, she enjoys crafts, such as cross stitch and crochet, and watching her favorite programs. Her favorite chef is Geoffrey Zakarian, and her favorite historical character is Aaron Burr—she is obsessed with all things Hamilton! Never say never is her motto!

Blog Tour for He is Mine by Mel Gough (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: He is Mine

Author: Mel Gough

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh, Black Jazz Design

Genre/s: M/M psychological romance (with M/F elements)

Release Date: September 7, 2018

Buy links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Universal Amazon Buy Link

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Mel Gough here today talking about writing, romance and their new release He is Mine. Welcome, Mel.

~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Mel Gough ~

Why did you choose to write GLBTQ romance? Why not another genre?

I started out in fanfiction. After a period of writing bad Fantasy stories in my teens, that was my first foray into fiction writing. A lot of fanfiction is M/M romance, where you take two male characters from the canon of a show or movie (or book, anime, game etc.) and pair them up. It’s a great playground to learn the craft, and I really enjoyed writing those stories. I like reading about vulnerable characters, and people taking care of each other, and it was a new way of looking at some really tough guys and making them more real. I wrote some fanfic that had female characters, too, but I felt more drawn to the M/M pairings. My guys are often bisexual, I think that’s one of the main things in my writing that bleeds over from real life.

Do you write any other genre?

I love reading a wide variety of genres, including (these days) hard SciFi, horror and crime/mystery. I don’t think I could write space opera-style SciFi because I’m not terribly good at world-building and feel intimidated by those who do it so well (Ursula LeGuin is one of my all-time favourites). But I have plans to expand into crime/mystery in one of my next projects, and I have a very strong plot bunny for a dystopian story. Both of these still have a M/M romance focus, though. The great thing about stories involving relationships is that you can fit that in with other themes.

Describe a scene in your writing that has made you laugh or cry?

I don’t want to give too much away, but there’s one scene in He is Mine where Brad experiences a very personal loss, and that scene was really hard to write. I tried to conjure up the saddest memories I have to get a feeling for how he feels in that scene. It still makes me tear up when I read it now.

Give the readers a brief summary of your latest book or WIP.

I’m here today to promote He is Mine, so I’ll talk about that. It’s my first full-length novel that I’m self-publishing, and it comes out as ebook on Amazon (it’s in Kindle Unlimited) and paperback from all the major retailers, on September 7.

He is Mine is the story of three people who find themselves in a slightly different ménage – Vivienne Aubert is a successful Hollywood actress who is married to an up-and-coming director. While shooting a movie in Las Vegas, she sets her eyes on one of her co-stars, Damien Thomas.

In New York, NYPD detective Brad Moretti is struggling with heartache over a recent breakup. When Damien returns home to New York after filming the movie, he and Brad cross paths. A bit of bad luck brings them together again, and they hit it off.

When Vivienne, who has pursued Damien to New York, finds out about Brad and Damien she’s less than thrilled, and sets out to win Damien for herself, becoming more and more divorced from reality in the process. There’s a definite fatal attraction, bunny boiler vibe to the story, and it was a terrific experience to write a character like her.

What genre does it fall in?

It’s definitely M/M romance, but with a lot of dark twists. It’s suspenseful, with a strong emphasis on psychological themes. All three main characters are quite flawed, but it’s not just black and while. Viv is a very strong antagonist, but this is also very much her story and she has a definite journey throughout the book – it’s just not a very wholesome path she travels.

Tell us a little bit about your writing style.

I started out as a pantser, but as I learned more about writing I’ve also learned how to make plotting work for me. I realized that I did a lot of plotting in my head anyway, just never very structured. Now I sit down and make an overview of the entire book before I start writing. I like to use index cards because you can move them around and easily replace any that don’t work.

He is Mine actually mostly happened without those aides, but for the book I’m editing right now I did a lot of plotting and research. When I look at the cards now, I can see the outline that’s the backbone of the book, but most of the details have changed in the writing process. I think the secret is to find a way to plan without getting too rigid and stifling the creative process.

What was the last book you read? What did you like about it?

I have to make a plug here for a writer I recently discovered and love more than I can put into words. His name is Marshall Thornton and he writes mostly mysteries with gay main characters. I love a good mystery, and I have an especially persistent weakness for gay investigators and law enforcement officers (Josh Lanyon is one of my other faves). Marshall has a knack to write absolutely realistic and believable characters, fantastically realistic sex scenes and gritty settings that just come at you from the page. His Boystown series, set in Chicago in the early Eighties, is by far the best thing I’ve read this year! I can’t wait for the next installment!

Blurb

For you, it was just a fling. For me, so much more…

NYPD detective Brad Moretti’s life is in tatters. A relationship destroyed by his boyfriend’s bipolar disorder has left him feeling guilty, inadequate and emotionally scarred.

Vivienne Aubert seems to have it all – a Hollywood career, supermodel looks, and a director husband about to make it big. And yet, a one-night-stand with rising superstar Damien Thomas makes Viv wonder if she hasn’t settled for second-best. Used to getting her way, she embarks on a ruthless quest to make Damien hers.

Unaware of Viv’s fatal attraction, Damien returns to New York, where a chance encounter with Brad sparks a prompt and rapidly growing affinity between the two men – which Viv is determined to terminate.

Can Brad head off her delusional desires before she destroys his newfound happiness, or will he fail to protect yet another lover?

Excerpt

Chapter 1 is on Mel Gough’s website

or read it here:

Chapter 1

Brad stretches and rubs his eyes. He squints up at the ceiling; the first rays of morning light just start to creep along the plaster above his head. He sighs. This is his weekend off; his next shift isn’t until Monday. But he’s an early riser by design more than by desire. As if the day can’t start without you, Aiden used to mock him.

Aiden. Like every morning these last two weeks, Brad stretches his arm across the mattress, finding the sheets cold and undisturbed. He can see the empty pillow from the corner of his eye without moving his head. An equally empty spot in his heart aches in response.

Nothing has changed in the last eight hours. It still hurts. That fact established, Brad rolls out of bed. As he pads into the bathroom, he thinks about his very short To Do list for the day. A couple of phone calls to return, gym, then lunch. He promised to meet Maria, his friend since his high school days in Baltimore, at their favorite sushi place. While he pees, Brad contemplates whether to cancel that date. But he’s made excuses to Maria for two weeks; unless he meets her soon of his own free will she’ll send a search party. Going to Hibino will be less painful than another week of ignoring her texts and calls.

Brad steps over to the sink to brush his teeth. He hates to drink coffee before his mouth is clean, so he always makes time for two rounds with the electric toothbrush. Aiden used to roll his eyes at what he considers a waste of toothpaste.

As he moves the oscillating bristles from one side to the other, Brad studies his face in the mirror. His spirits plummet. Even after a good night’s sleep there are dark circles under his chronic fatigue-dulled brown eyes, and his skin is sallow. Ever since Aiden walked out on him, each good night’s sleep is followed by two or three with hardly any. And it’s no use kidding himself. The last few weeks, he feels much older than thirty-seven, and the lack of sleep shows.

Not that his face would ever have won a beauty contest. His jaw is too square, and his brows are too full. Combined with the crooked nose, broken in a bar brawl during his first year on the beat in Baltimore and never properly set, he looks like the worst cliché of an Italian gangster. On better days, he tries to cultivate the image of sophisticated athlete, but lately that doesn’t even convince him.

Grimacing at his reflection, Brad spits out the toothpaste and rinses his mouth. With wet hands, he brushes over his short dark hair to flatten it into a semblance of order. On his way back into the bedroom he grimaces again.

What he sees hanging over the bed is another reminder of Aiden, the biggest and most obnoxious of them all. The huge canvas was a sore spot between them from the moment Aiden bought it from his friend three years ago. “Kyle’s the next Jackson Pollock,” he’d enthused, his eyes bright with what Brad hadn’t yet clocked as maniacal exuberance. “In five years, this will be worth a fortune!”

All Brad has ever seen there on his wall is ten feet by five feet of blotches and untidy scrawls. He just doesn’t get it. As he leaves the bedroom and descends the stairs, he makes up his mind. That wannabe Picasso needs to go.

Over coffee, Brad’s mood improves. Out of the kitchen window it looks to be a brilliant, warm day, much nicer than they have any right to expect in mid-March. Sipping his strong, black coffee, Brad decides he will meet Maria. She’s his closest friend, and she deserves to hear his sorry tale, as much as he can bring himself to share. She’s a good listener, even if she has a way of twisting his arm into revealing much more than he intends.

He also decides not to skip breakfast, which has become another bad habit. If he doesn’t eat something now he’ll be ravenous and irritable long before lunchtime. His mood swings are bad enough.

After a bowl of fruit, cereal, and yogurt, Brad gets dressed in his workout clothes. The gym is a five-minute walk from his brownstone on Garfield Place he’d never be able to afford on his salary. When his batty Aunt Hedda died six years ago, Brad inherited her house and a small life insurance settlement, enough to foot the renovations and ensure he’ll get a more comfortable retirement than a career with the NYPD can provide.

After a strenuous workout at the gym, he would usually exchange a few words with the other regulars in the locker room while getting dressed, but ever since Aiden left, words don’t come so easily. And Brad needs to conserve the ones he does have for Maria, who won’t let him off the hook until she has as much detail about the breakup as possible.

Back home, Brad sends a few texts to friends who have left frantic and worried messages these last two weeks, apologizing and promising to call soon. He returns a call to his dentist, who wants to reschedule an appointment, puts in a load of laundry, and straightens up a bit before acknowledging that he’s all out of excuses for putting off one more call. Standing in the kitchen, he dials Aiden’s number from memory.

Brad expects the call to go to voicemail, but to his surprise Aiden picks up on the fourth ring.

“Brad.” Even on the one word, Brad can hear the coldness.

A flustered silence follows. Brad hasn’t prepared for anything other than leaving a brief voicemail message. He casts around for some niceties. “Hey, uh… hi, Aiden. You okay?”

“Since when do you care?”

“’Course I do…” Brad’s legs feel shaky. He hadn’t expected Aiden to be so hostile. He pushes himself away from the kitchen counter and goes into the living room, where he drops onto the sofa.

“What do you want?” Aiden asks. The man Brad met five years ago, who could easily fill their whole day with chitchat, is gone. Brad should’ve realized it, but it still hurts. And he deserves Aiden’s hatred.

“I, err…” Brad clears his throat. “That painting in the bedroom… I was wondering…”

“You want to be rid of it.” Aiden knows him well. Brad can hear his breathing get heavy and fast, and his heart aches. He’s hurt Aiden yet again.

Maybe he can take it back. But before Brad can backpedal, Aiden speaks again. “No problem. You home tonight?”

“Yeah.” The thought of seeing Aiden gives Brad a knot of dread in the pit of his stomach.

“I’ll have someone pick it up then. Six okay?”

Aiden’s voice is emotionless. Brad’s stomach drops. Aiden won’t come himself. He can’t decide if that’s worse than seeing him.

Being excluded from Aiden’s hurt is new, and it stings. They know each other’s emotional life intimately, and Aiden’s refusal to show his anger and pain shakes Brad. It hits home: There’s really no way back.

“Sure…”

“Was there something else?” Aiden sounds impatient. He wants this conversation to end. Brad rubs his face.

“No, I… no, there wasn’t.”

“Good.” Aiden’s relief is palpable.

“Bye,” Brad says, but the line is dead before he gets the word out. He drops the phone into his lap. What did he expect? Aiden never wants to see him again, and Brad can’t blame him. But it hurts. Unbidden, the last words he said to Aiden’s face return for him to dwell on once again. You destroyed us, and I don’t have the energy to put us back together again. Not anymore.

He rubs his face and gives himself a shake. Then he looks around the room. It’s not just the painting; Aiden is still everywhere in the house. The green wall paint, the strange, antique-shop floor lamps, the sofa cushions — all were chosen by Aiden and paid for by Brad. He’ll have to at least get rid of the lamps and the cushions.

With a sigh, Brad gets up to change for his lunch date. Maybe Maria will agree to help him redecorate the house.

About the Author

Mel was born in Germany, where she spent the first twenty-six years of her life (with a one-year stint in Los Angeles). She has always been fascinated by cultures and human interaction, and got a Masters in Social Anthropology. After finishing university she moved to London, where she has now lived for ten years.

If you were to ask her parents what Mel enjoyed the most since the age of six, they would undoubtedly say “Reading!” She would take fifteen books on a three-week beach holiday, and then read all her mom’s books once she’d devoured her own midway through week two.

Back home in her mom’s attic there’s a box full of journals with stories Mel wrote when she was in her early teens. None of the stories are finished, or any good. She has told herself bedtime stories as far back as she can remember.

In her day job, Mel works as PA and office manager. No other city is quite like London, and Mel loves her city. The hustle and bustle still amaze and thrill her even after all these years. When not reading, writing or going to the theater, Mel spends her time with her long-time boyfriend, discussing science or poking fun at each other.

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Book Blitz and Giveaway – Patchwork Paradise by Indra Vaughn

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Cover Design: Dar Albert

Length: 205 pages

Blurb

Oliver and Samuel’s relationship is fairy-tale perfect. They share a gorgeous house in Antwerp, go out with their friends every weekend, and count down the days to their dream wedding. But their happy ending is shattered one late night, and just like that, Ollie is left bereft and alone.

The months that follow are long and dark, but slowly Ollie emerges from his grief. He even braves the waters of online dating, though deep down he doesn’t believe he can find that connection again. He doesn’t think to look for love right in front of him: his bisexual friend Thomas, the gentle giant with a kind heart and sad eyes who’s wanted him all along.

When Thomas suddenly discovers he has a son who needs him, he’s ill prepared. Ollie opens up his house—Sam’s house—and lets them in. Ollie doesn’t know what scares him more: the responsibility of caring for a baby, or the way Thomas is steadily winning his heart. It will take all the courage he has to discover whether or not fairy tales can happen for real.

Author Bio

After living in Michigan, USA for seven wonderful years, Indra Vaughn returned back to her Belgian roots. There she will continue to consume herbal tea, do yoga wherever the mat fits, and devour books while single parenting a little boy and working as a nurse.

Amazon Profile | Goodreads

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A Lucy Review: Boyfriend Or Bust by Claire Castle

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Fake boyfriend? A favorite trope of mine and I devour those stories like candy. There is nothing I like more than having two guys realize the pretense has led to something real. That is the basis behind Boyfriend or Bust. Told in alternating first person point of view, we have Carson, a nice guy with a nasty ex, who gets an invite to said ex’s wedding. A wedding to the boss who was banging Hugo while he was with Carson. Rude, right? Carson thinks so too and when he calls Hugo the Horrible to tell him off for the invite he instead makes up a boyfriend, conveniently seeing a bottle of Samuel & Sons hand soap and inventing Samuel who will accompany him as a plus-one. Hugo doesn’t believe it, but whatever.

When Nate’s best friend, Sloan, finds out about it she is all for shoving it in Hugo’s face. “Sloan hated him from the beginning, I knew that much.” So she brings up using her brother, auspiciously named Sam, a man that Nate has crushed on. Nate has “…admired her brother from afar for years” but was also caught referring to Sam as “…an airhead gym rat…”, as Sam is a personal trainer. Nate claims it was only a joke, but I didn’t understand how that would be funny at all. Sam has also crushed on Nate over the years as well. Sam agrees.

This is where I started to question the story. First off, the wedding is in Greece. Nate is paying for the two weeks there. That is a lot of money to spend just to show up an ex-boyfriend that you realize is a complete jerk. Second, while Sam claims to have agreed to this crazy idea because he loves his sister, “How could I say no to my little sister? I would do anything for her.” Yet later in the book he talks about how he and Sloan aren’t close. There was some family trauma and it tore everyone apart. “I love her as a sister, but it’ll never be the same, you know?” So it was surprising then that he would take two weeks from work to accompany Carson, someone he barely knows and heard smack-talking him, to be a fake boyfriend at an ex’s wedding. Especially when they are supposed to be getting to know each other in the two months before the wedding, yet when Sam tries, Nate blows him off. It was odd. It makes Sam really think, “We can hang out. I know you don’t like me much, but if you want me in this with you, I will help you show this jerkwad what he missed out on.”

They do, however, start to get to know each other better and realize that they might just be good for each other. It actually turns to insta-love fairly quickly, considering it’s two months from the time they first talk to the wedding trip itself. Here was another thing that got me. I was already thinking that the two-week trip to Greece was a going pretty far to tick off an ex, but once they are there Hugo is so over the top rude, condescending and nasty that I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why they would attend the wedding. Carson already got to let Hugo know he’s put the cheating man behind him, so why not just enjoy the vacation. Hugo’s reaction, “The fake tone of his voice was hard to miss. “what’s he paying you then? Do you work for 1-900-MEN-4HIRE? Even Sam asks, “On second thought, do we really have to attend the wedding?” Honestly, I felt like it was a manipulation to get some bad behavior (well, more bad behavior) on the part of Hugo into the story. Bad behavior that honestly didn’t make sense in the context it was placed. Holding up your wedding for that reason? “…he’s the type to use it against you, if you don’t show.” Does Hugo work with Carson? Otherwise, they don’t speak so who cares.

Carson and Sam do have a lot of sex over the course of the months. There is dialogue that was very off-putting during some of this. Sometimes too sappy, sometimes it was like they were mechanical. “When you are about to come inside me, pump once, and we’ll come together.” The writing overall was a little simplistic and sometimes awkward. Finally, Carson at one point says, “I want you to know, I never judged you for being a personal trainer.” Why on earth would you even think to judge someone for that? Sam’s response, “I know, Carson. That’s one of the things I love about you. You’ve always taken me as I am. You’re genuine and nonjudgmental.” What? Personal training is a stable, healthy career.

It is unfortunate that this book didn’t really work for me. There were too many things that made me question or roll my eyes. It had a lot of potential but I don’t think it lived up to it all. I would try this author again and see if maybe next time I’d like the story more.

The cover art, a handsome man set against a background of the sea, is pretty and fits in well with the theme of the book.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 231 pages
Published August 11th 2018
ASINB07GCVQQH5
Edition Language English

An Alisa Review: Meik & Sebastian (Obsessed #2) by Quin Perin

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Ever since the first sexual encounter with Sebastian, Meik has felt off-kilter.

He can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t work without thinking about the musician and so, Meik decides to settle into an arrangement with him. There is no love. There is no romance. Sebastian gets a warm place to sleep, and Meik gets to keep his boy toy.

The perfect bargain.

But when Sebastian’s presence triggers memories of his first and only love, Meik unravels under the reminiscences that carved him into the man he is today. Will Meik be able to hold himself together or will his carefully crafted badass image fall apart?

This is the second book of the Gay Erotic Romance “Obsessed” which features explicit adult m/m content as well as romantic elements. The book ends on a cliffhanger.

This story delves deeper into Meik’s subconscious and gives us a little background on him. I am enjoying the way the authors are presenting the stories and it’s written in a way that I don’t necessarily have to like the characters to like the book. I’m not usually good with cliffhangers but I’m trusting they will get the next segment out quickly.

Meik is still an ass in this story but we get the chance to see he wasn’t always that way and we see a slight crack in his walls when Sebastian is sick. I find myself being impatient for the next story so that I can see what happened to make him the way he is now. We see Sebastian but other than fighting back with Meik on being tested he is just there for Meik’s enjoyment.

The cover art by Vanessa Rödiger is nice and typical of serials matches the other stories.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 100 pages

Expected Publication: September 1, 2018

Edition Language: English

Series: Obsessed #2

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Something About Us (Saint and Lucky #2) by Riley Hart

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

I had the pleasure of reading this immediately after completing Something About You, book one in the series. Both books were terrific, and this one seamlessly built on the foundation Lucky and Saint began in book one.

Lucky leaves his family and small hometown for the first time in his life as he accompanies Saint back to his world in LA. Fascinated, frightened, and frustrated all come to mind when I think of Lucky’s first weeks with Saint. The traffic is overwhelming and dangerous, and he’s unemployed and feeling down because not only is he not contributing financially, he knows he’ll never earn enough to be Saint’s equal. Speaking of that—Saint has friends and acquaintances, a job, and an important role in society as a supporter of AIDS research and other charitable organizations in the LA area, and the few times Lucky is included, he’s most definitely an outsider.

Though he finally obtains a job in construction, he continues to feel “less than” and Saint inadvertently feeds into that by not including Lucky in his after-work get-togethers and by avoiding taking Lucky to his usual West Hollywood haunts. And on Lucky’s end, he commits a relationship no-no by not telling his boss and coworkers that he’s bisexual and living with a man.

But in the house? In their little love bubble? The two are solid. Or so it seems. Each is holding back a bit, Saint out of habit, Lucky out of fear of the unknown. It takes a crisis for them to finally take a break and work on themselves so they can be healthier together.

I loved the way the author worked to build this relationship from the ground up, knocking down the bad bricks, so to speak, and starting again each time to cement a solid relationship. Yes, I know that’s a terrible pun, but it fits. But most of all, I loved the way Lucky allowed his softer, more feminine side to not only come out but to come out with no fear. Starting with a discussion of wearing feminine underwear in book one, Lucky owns it in book two, and ultimately is solidly okay with his desire to be feminine in some ways on some days.

After a lot of work individually and together, the two eventually manage to merge their lives completely, and the story ends on a solid HEA. I highly recommend this series to all who love an MM romance, interracial couples, genderfluid characters, and a crossover visit from other characters. I nearly forgot to mention Lucky stopped at a restaurant in Virginia to see Nick (Crossroads). He and Saint first stopped there in book one when they discovered the restaurant on their way to DC and met the owner, Nick, and his partner, Bryce. I loved both vignettes as they were seamlessly woven into this series. This is a story I can most highly recommend but if you can pick up book one first? All the better. Though this can be a standalone, it really needs book one to complete your enjoyment of the characters.

And the cover? Designed by X-Potion Designs, it’s a black-and-white shot of two hot men in an obviously sexual position.Perfect for this story, and most definitely attention-grabbing.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 198 pages
Published August 12th 2018 by Riley Hart
ASINB07GDQ3K11
Series Saint and Lucky :

Something About You

Something About Us

Don Travis on his characters, the series and new release ‘The Lovely Pines (A BJ Vinson Mystery #4)’ (author guest blog)

Category: M/M Contemporary Fiction

Release Blitz – Summit by Louise Lyons (excerpt and giveaway)

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Release Blitz – Safe Place (Rainbow Place #2) by Jay Northcote

An Ali Audiobook Review: Changing Lines (Harrisburg Railers #1) by RJ Scott and VL Locey/Sean Crisden (Narrator)

Julie Lynn Hayes on Writing, Influences and her new release ‘No Way Out’ (author interview)

No Way Out by Julie Lynn Hayes

Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art: Christine Coffee

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Blog Tour for He is Mine by Mel Gough (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

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~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Mel Gough ~

Book Blitz and Giveaway – Patchwork Paradise by Indra Vaughn

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A Lucy Review: Boyfriend Or Bust by Claire Castle

An Alisa Review: Meik & Sebastian (Obsessed #2) by Quin Perin

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Something About Us (Saint and Lucky #2) by Riley Hart

Don Travis on his characters, the series and new release ‘The Lovely Pines (A BJ Vinson Mystery #4)’ (author guest blog)

The Lovely Pines (A BJ Vinson Mystery #4) by Don Travis

DSP Publications
Cover Art: Maria Fanning

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No Way Out by Julie Lynn Hayes

Dreamspinner Press Cover Art: Christine Coffee

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~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Mel Gough ~

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The Lovely Pines (A BJ Vinson Mystery #4) by Don Travis

DSP Publications Cover Art: Maria Fanning

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Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art: Christine Coffee

DSP Publications
Cover Art: Maria Fanning