Category: M/M Contemporary Fiction

Its Release Day for EARTHQUAKES – A NEW AMSTERDAM STORY by Kelly Wrye at Loose Id (guest post and giveaway)

Earthquakes

Earthquakes (New Amsterdam #4) by Kelly Wyre

Published by Loose id LLC

Sales Links:  Goodreads | Loose Id |

Hi there! I’m so excited to be here today on Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words to talk about my new novel, Earthquakes: A New Amsterdam Story. It’s the next installment in the New Amsterdam series, and it involves guns and ballet, two of my favorite things.

To celebrate the release, I’m doing a blog tour, and no tour is complete without prizes, amirite? I’m giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, a lovely necklace with a quote from Sinatra’s, Strangers in the Night – “Love was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away” – and a free ebook copy of the book!

How to enter? That’s easy… See the Rafflecopter Info below for all the ways to win!

Winner will be selected at random after the contest closes on the 18th of March.

Meanwhile, I think I’d like to chat a bit about the characters in this world. It’s quite the web they weave. See?

CHECK OUT THE MASSIVE VERSION OF THE CHARACTER WEB RIGHT ‘CHERE.

I know that thing makes MY eyes cross, so let’s break it down.New Amsterdam Character Web

Today? We’re going to talk about Chance Baar

Chance. Dear Chance.

So Chance is a bit of an ass. He’s sort of a likeable ass, but an ass, nonetheless.

He looks like a cross between Charlie Hunnam and Simon Baker. More Charlie than Simon. Rough, blond, brash, loud and with a smile that reminds one of sharks and wolves, Chance is a force to be reckoned with and is impossible to ignore. He makes sure of that.

Chance Baar is the heir to the Baarton fortune. They’re a chain of superstores that sell everything from widgets to sprockets. You might have seen a store like that…

Chance was one of the Academy boys. Lucian, Chance, Shea, and Jin all went to the same school for the children of the 1/10 of the 1%. With the exception of Lucian, who is less, ah, discriminate with who he sleeps with, they’re all gay. So they stuck together in ways that only the elite, paranoid, and gay can manage.

All of these kids went to Green Dojo for their After School Extra-curriculars. Martial arts was “in” the way pottery class or knitting or sailing or whatever might be “in” at the moment for those of us with serious disposable income. Something to put your kids into to make them play nice with each other.

That’s how they all met Clark, whose best friend, Galen Fang, runs the dojo.

You’ll see I’m spending more time talking about connections than Chance, himself, and that’s because despite his in-your-face attitude, he’s actually a hyper-paranoid recluse. He lives in a drafty old mansion that once belonged to his favorite uncle, now deceased. Inside that drafty old mansion, he occupies a series of rooms with what we’re going to call “heavy security.”


He makes Lucian and Clark seem positively laid back when it comes to personal protection.

He does trust Lucian and Clark and Tim, the other three owners of Clubs Bliss and Break. And he loves to lend his hand in “decorating” the clubs in a sort of horror-movie-kink motif, but at the end of the day, even Chance’s friends are unsure of things in Chance’s life.

For example, nobody is sure who the hell Ryuu is, how he met Chance, or why Chance is with Ryuu all the time. They seem in love in a wonderfully dysfunctional way, and Chance clearly trusts Ryuu with the keys to his heart and kingdom.

Ryuu is just as tight-lipped as Chance, however, so in the end, I guess we’ll have to wait and see what develops.

Chance is seen in Winter’s Knight and Earthquakes, along with Ryuu, of course. He’s a Dom. And a sadist. And very proud of being both.

As always, if you happen to have questions for this character, please feel free to ask ‘em in the comments! Follow the BLOG TOUR to learn more about the characters of New Amsterdam.

And to win prizes.Earthquakes Prize Pack

‘Cause PRIZES, y’all. They rock.

Thanks for reading!

Xxoo

Kelly

Want to Know More?

Check out the World of New Amsterdam

Peruse the Free Reads

See the Fan Art & Cool Stuff

And definitely catch up with Ellis and Bryn in Earthquakes, the latest installment of the New Amsterdam series. Need a taste? How ‘bout an excerpt?

PS – It’s better to read it with the SOUNDTRACK.

EARTHQUAKES: A New Amsterdam Story

Ellis had been close to martial artists when they were training. He’d sparred with Clark. He’d seen Kris and Daniel and all his friends shoot at the range. There was an economy of motion that the athletically and lethally inclined all shared. Ellis admired it, strived for it, and knew he’d never get there. He was a workhorse, not a prince of motion.

And as he watched Bryn begin to move – not merely stretch or contort but move – Ellis thought of churches and gods and houses of worship.

Bryn’s feet bent in ways Ellis had never seen. Bryn could balance perfectly on one foot or even a single toe. When Bryn shed his pants after a moment or two and took the first few steps in only a pair of snug briefs, Ellis wasn’t hit with a wave of arousal. He was struck dumb with awe. Every line of Bryn was defined. Even the lift of one arm and the point of his fingers were deliberate and beautiful. Ellis stood completely still and held his breath. He was in the presence of some sort of everyday magic and calling attention to himself might break the spell.

The concentration on Bryn’s face was unlike anything Ellis had ever witnessed. He didn’t exist for Bryn. Nothing did except the music, the motion, and whatever spirit had come alive in Bryn to make Bryn…shine. There was no other word for it. The light played through the windows and infused Bryn with incandescence.

And when Bryn started to dance, really dance, he outshone the sun. A turn here, a pointed foot there, a twist and a glide and… God, Ellis didn’t know what Bryn was doing. But he felt it. The music was hopeful and yet haunting, and Bryn’s dance tugged at every ache both old and new in Ellis’s body. Bryn’s face portrayed almost no emotion, but with every dart of his hand, every slice of his leg through the air, with every crumble, fall, and rise, Ellis was struck over and over.

I will try, said Bryn’s reach toward God and Heaven and all things on high.

Though I know I will fail, said the drop of Bryn’s arm.

I will carry on, said the sweep of his leg.

But I’ll lose, said an arch of his back.

I will fight, said a twisting leap.

I will fall, said the thuds of Bryn’s feet on the floor.

I want to love, said the open reach of Bryn’s fingers.

Please, said Bryn’s clutched fist.

Bryn’s expanse of chest, his shut eyes, and his rise onto his curled toes snapped something in Ellis, and as the music faded, Ellis couldn’t take it anymore. He shut off the music, strode to Bryn, and caught Bryn up in his arms. Bryn was sweaty and warm and breathing hard. Ellis couldn’t stop kissing him. Bryn melted against Ellis, resting heavily against him. Ellis ran a hand through Bryn’s hair.

“I see you,” Ellis whispered. “I see you.”

~*~

EarthquakesEarthquakes: A New Amsterdam Story

Ellis Parker is a lucky man: he escaped his persecuting family, survived his tour of duty, and met Maxwell Clark in the city of New Amsterdam. Clark showed Ellis more than the ropes: Clark helped Ellis figure out who he is – a gay submissive with a massive fixation on a beautiful, mysterious ballet dancer named Bryn Rothe. Ellis knows a Good Man when he sees one, and he wants nothing more than to score a first date with Bryn.

Little does Ellis know that Bryn has a violent past that is crawling out of shallow graves to haunt him. Even his hectic schedule and beloved stage aren’t enough to distract him. It’s impossible for Bryn to figure out how he feels about Ellis with his demons between them, but when Ellis saves Bryn not once but twice, Bryn is forced to admit that there’s something about Ellis that Bryn might not merely want but need.

Together, they journey to the scene of Bryn’s original crime – Charles Towne, South Carolina. There they will dig up secrets that might explain Bryn’s tortured life but might also be his – and Ellis’s – undoing.

Own a Piece of the City – Get your copy of Earthquakes: A New Amsterdam Story, Today!


Connect with Kelly!

❧ Website ❧ Blog  ❧ Twitter ❧ Facebook ❧ Fan Page ❧ Google Plus
❧ Tumblr – NSFW! ❧ Pinterest ❧ Amazon Author Page ❧ Goodreads

Contest Fine Print:

This giveaway will run throughout the blog tour, and finish at midnight on March 18. Winner must be of legal age, and legally able to accept the prizes as awarded. By entering this giveaway, you are confirming your eligibility. Void where prohibited by law. Entries will be collected by Rafflecopter on each tour stop and via my blog post. No purchase necessary to win. Odds of winning are determined solely by the number of eligible entries. Winner must respond within seventy-two hours of the congratulatory email and post. Posts will be made on my social media platforms. Winner may or may not be announced on the blog sites, in accordance with that site’s preference. It is the responsibility of the winner to watch for the announcement. A new winner will be redrawn otherwise. Shipping costs will be to the expense of Kelly Wyre, and can be shipped worldwide, where legally permitted. This contest is not sponsored by Blogger, Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, Tumblr, or any of the sites wherewith the giveaway has been posted. By entering this giveaway you agree to hold Kelly Wyre and designates harmless should something go awry with either contest or the prizes awarded.

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Giveaway

Enter to win. Must be 18 years of age or older.

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Love Gets a Shakeup with ‘6 Days to get Lucky’ by LE Franks (guest interview, excerpt and giveaway

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

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

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing LE Franks author of 6 Days to Get Lucky. Hi LE thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

  • Tell us something no one else knows about your characters.

Davis “FatBoy” Newman was never supposed to ‘get the guy’. It really was his cousin Cameron in the first book – 6 Days to Get Valentine. He was only supposed to be the bouncer who set us his cousin. Apparently FatBoy had other ideas and the rest is history.

  • Have you ever written something that made you cry?

I have. Mostly I’ll just get a bit emotional during some dialog when it usually strikes.

  • Have you ever co-written with someone before?

I have. Sara York has been kind enough to share her talents in that arena on several occasions. (She’s pretty awesome, by the way).

  • What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

Time management. This year I’m keeping my obligations a little looser to allow for more fun and less stress while writing.

  • Name your four most important food groups.

I’m a lacto-vegetarian so you can probably guess. But during the dark of the night, when I’m writing to a deadline all healthy choices go out the window. So here are the four most important food groups while writing, arrayed in a semi circle around my laptop:

A) COFFEEEEEEEEEE
B) Diet Dr. Pepper

C) Hot Tamales/Mike & Ikes

D) Crunchy/Salty – [Kettle Brand Jalapeno Potato Chips / Cheetos/

Blurb

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

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

 

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

Excerpt

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

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

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

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

Four weeks of dashed hopes…

Four weeks since the most romantic kiss of my life…

Four weeks of nothing.

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

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

Buy the book:

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Wilde City Press

 

 

 

Meet the Author

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

Where to find the author:

 

 


BannerTemplate Tour Dates & Stops:

7-Mar: My Fiction Nook, Book Lovers 4Ever, BFD Book Blog, Happily Ever Chapter

8-Mar: Bayou Book Junkie, Alpha Book Club, MM Good Book Reviews, Love Bytes

9-Mar:: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, V’s Reads, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Jessie G. Books, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Open Skye Book Reviews

10-Mar: A.M. Leibowitz, Divine Magazine, Molly Lolly

11-Mar: Full Moon Dreaming, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Havan Fellows, Inked Rainbow Reads

 Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 6 Days to Valentine e-book & $5 Wilde City gift card for three total winner.

 

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A Stella Review :Lucky In Loveland (Welcome to Loveland #1) by K-lee Klein

RATING  3,5 out of 5 stars

Lucky In LovelandLoveland, Colorado is a special place all year around, a community of creativity and art, with scenic views and majestic mountains. But the town really shines once a year, on Valentine’s Day.

Lucky Roberts has lived in Loveland his whole life. He has good friends, strong family support, and is all about keeping his community fun and alive. The only thing Lucky has been “unlucky” with is love. But rather than avoiding February fourteenth in his hometown, he throws himself into helping others deliver their messages of love.

Enter Jack Canon. Jack moved to Loveland for a fresh start, in both his personal and professional lives. After a tough year, he’s finally hoping to just blend in, maybe carve a little niche for himself that his parents would have been proud of. What he didn’t expect was a pseudo-lumberjack with a killer body and shy smile to turn his world upside down – and he sure didn’t expect to like it so much.

When Lucky meets Jack, he feels like a thirteen year-old with his first crush. He’s clumsy, stammering, and the first greeting out of his mouth is a less than articulate, “Wow!” Words like adorable and manbun suddenly become part of his vocabulary as he discovers a deep, hidden need to romance the hell out of Jack.

And what better way to do that than during the most romantic season in the City of Love?

As I already said in my reaview of Textual Attraction (https://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords.com/2016/01/04/a-stella-review-textual-attraction-by-k-lee-klein/), I’m a huge fan of K-lee Klein. Her writing style is great and always exactly what I like to read.

Lucky in Loveland is her first self published story and the beginning of a new series called Welcome to Loveland and in my opinion she did well. I think the perfect adjective to describe it is adorable. It’s exactly the feeling I got through  all the reading.

The story starts with Lucky volunteering in the local kindergarten school where the handful little Daniel goes and most of all where the new-in-town Jack has begun teaching. He just moved to Loveland after the death of his parents.

The characters are cute and sweet together in their dates, the teasings, the stuttering, the blushing. Sweet but not childish. And the setting was unexpected, Loveland, the little town where the Valentine’s day is high celebrated. The atmosphere was magical and it carried me there with the MCs.

I honestly am looking forward to the second book to come out. If you’re looking for a light story with no drama and angst, quick and humorous, Lucky in Loveland is your book. Give it a try!

The cover designed by Karrie Jax is a winner. I particular like the colors and the style. Well done.

Sales Links:  Smashwords | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 120 pages
Published February 11th 2016 by K-lee Klein Books
Original TitleLucky In Loveland
ASINB01BPQJ2G0
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesWelcome to Loveland #1

Enter the World of Hurri Cosmos’ ‘Then Sawyer Happened’ (excerpt and giveaway)

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 Then Sawyer Happened by Hurri Cosmo
 Release Date: March 8, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dark Hollows Press
Cover Artist: Eden Connors

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Hurri Cosmo here today to share something about her new novel, Then Sawyer Happened.  Welcome, Hurri.

Hurri1

Let’s visit Riven Creek Ranch!

The main ranch house was first built in 1809 but has since been totally rebuilt, expanded and updated. It now boasts six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a large commercial kitchen, a beautiful patio, and meticulously maintained gardens. It has been under the Riven family name for generations.Hurri2

The first meeting between Sawyer and Trace takes place in the very pristine Riven Creek Ranch kitchen. Trace is familiar with the kitchen itself but was never made to do chores in it. Cooking and cleaning were not his thing. However, Sawyer is all about making his ranch hands as comfortable and happy as possible and that means big breakfasts and healthy lunches. Since it’s the only kitchen in the main ranch house, Sawyer Hurri3definitely frowned on the fact Trace accidentally tried to burn it down.

The main barn is a masterpiece of perfection. Sawyer is meticulous when it comes to preserving the Hurri4immaculate interior and exterior so the horses have the best possible living quarters in order to foal.

Sawyer’s manager’s cabin is also under the wing of perfect upkeep. Even though Sawyer finds himself really only sleeping here, it still reflects Sawyer’s dedication to detail and his Hurri6management style of the ranch. He is not about to allow there to be any flaws in things easily managed.Hurri5

Blurb

Trace is nursing a broken heart. He lost his job, his boyfriend of two years was cheating on him, and his apartment building burned right to the ground with all his worldly possessions. It was time for Trace to get out of Minnesota.

So Trace heads for Texas and Riven Creek Ranch, the horse farm his aunt Lois owns. But hours before he arrives, Lois is in a terrible car accident that nearly takes her life, and Trace finds himself in charge of the ranch kitchen. Sounds simple enough and it’s the least he can do for his recuperating aunt.

Then Sawyer happens.

Sawyer is his aunt’s big, beautiful, muscle bound, incredibly sexy straight ranch manager. Someone who has no clue Trace is gay. And meeting the big man should have been okay, except it was in the middle of his aunt’s kitchen at five in the morning and Trace was nearly naked. Embarrassing? Yep. But the very next day Trace proceeded to ramp up his embarrassment by quantum leaps when he nearly sets his aunt’s house on fire and the brooding Sawyer has to come to the rescue.

Seems like Trace’s “luck” followed him.

Not to mention that Aunt Lois’s “accident” was actually attempted murder. And now, they just might want Trace dead, too.

Can Trace figure out who’s behind the attempts on his aunt’s life AND keep Sawyer from finding out he’s hot for the cowboy?

He probably can’t. But he’s going to try.

Pages or Words: 60,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Crime Fiction, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Western/Cowboy

Excerpt:

“Sawyer! Damn. You scared me.” Trace fell back against the freezer suddenly feeling light headed. He took in the big body blocking any escape he had and his cock twitched as if it liked the idea there was no way out. “I didn’t hear you… behind me.”

“I saw your car in the driveway. How’s Lois?”

Trace shook his head in an attempt to clear it. “She’s awake and very alert… but…” But someone wants her dead. Who? Someone on this ranch? Could it be Sawyer? I trust him with my life… That’s what she said.

“But what?”

Trace looked up into hard cold eyes. The question was genuine. He cared about the condition of his aunt. But what condition did he care her to be in? “Nothing… just… well… I guess you’re going to have to know… I mean…” Damn, he had to stop acting like a horny teenager in front of this man. “Let me… I’m going to make coffee…”

“It’s made. The big insulated urn on the counter is full. Just made it about a half hour ago so it’s fine.”

“Oh. Good. Let’s sit down. I need to sit down.” Trace took a few steps forward which brought him right in front of the cowboy. He expected Sawyer to move, to back up, but he didn’t. Then Trace did the unthinkable. His body reacted on its own as he put his hand on the big man’s chest and pushed. There would have been no way on God’s green earth he would have been able to physically move the cowboy without his express permission, not to mention help. But Trace’s brain seemed to totally malfunction in this man’s presence.

And, as expected, being pushed in any direction was never going to work for Sawyer. Sawyer grabbed his wrist, twisted it tight behind Trace, which brought Trace up solid, against Sawyer’s hard body, chest to chest. Being several inches taller, Sawyer glared down into Trace’s shocked face, a smoldering look in his eyes. Trace could feel Sawyer’s hot breath on his face, sense the man’s tense muscles from his pecs down through his thighs…

Buy the book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CKN49S8</a>

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/620302</a>

abstract design with a girl grunge text

Meet the Author

Hurri Cosmo lives in Minnesota where she holds tight to the idea that there, where it’s cold a good part of the year, she won’t age as fast. Yep, she avoids the truth as much as she avoids mirrors. But one of the reasons she loves writing is reality doesn’t always offer up a “happily ever after” and being able to take control of that is a powerful lure. Being a happy ending junkie, writing just makes them easier to find. Oh, she doesn’t mind “real life” and she does try to at least keep it in mind when she writes her stories, but she truly loves creating a wonderful couple, knowing they will fall in love and have their HEA. Every – single – time. And, of course, that is exactly the reason she loves reading this genre, too. Give her a glass of red wine, some dark chocolate, and her computer, whether she is reading or writing, and she will entertain herself for hours. The fact she actually gets paid to do it is Snickers bars on the frosting on the cake.

Where to find the author:

Other books by Hurri Cosmo:

Until You

I Believe Now

How West Was Won

The Superior Jewel

Ice Dragon Tales (contains the first two books in the series, The Servant Prince and The Servant King)

The One

Forgetting Yesterday

Saving Jack

Talasar’s Elixir (Book one in the Dragon for Hire series)

Amber Moon (Part of the Intoxicating Fantasies series)

Chase and Capture

Baby, Think it Over

the Door Keeper

Ladders

A Place to Belong

The Neighbors – A Vampire Story

Mates, Inc

Hyden’s Law (A free download!)

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Tour Dates & Stops:

8-Mar

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Alpha Book Club

9-Mar

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Bonkers About Books, Book Lovers 4Ever

10-Mar

Jessie G. Books, Love Bytes

11-Mar

Happily Ever Chapter, Molly Lolly

14-Mar

My Fiction Nook, Divine Magazine, Making It Happen

15-Mar

A.M. Leibowitz, Havan Fellows, Rednecks and Romance, BFD Book Blog

16-Mar

V’s Reads, Butterfly-O-Meter, Attention Is Arbitrary

17-Mar

Bayou Book Junkie, Open Skye Book Reviews

18-Mar

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

21-Mar

Full Moon Dreaming, MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Outrageous Heroes

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win.  Must be 18 years of age or older.

 

 

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Its a Cocktail of Love with Dirty Martini 2: The Screwdriver by G.R. George (Renee George) (giveaway)

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Dirty Martini 2: The Screwdriver (The Other Team #8)
Author Name: G.R. George/Renee George
 Release Date: March 7, 2016

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/Renee_George
Publisher: Book Boutique
Cover Artist: Renee George

 

Blurb

Marty Lincoln and Chris Lawson are only happy when they’re in each other’s arms. Unfortunately, their relationship remains long-distance as Marty completes his final months in the Army. Chris has a new and challenging job that keeps him busy, but he yearns every day for Marty. Marty suffers from PTSD and needs Chris as his anchor. Time apart feeds the doubts each man harbors as they deal with their tragic pasts and try to hold on to the love blooming between them. Will fear make them give up before they even get started? Or will love find a way?

 

Pages or Words: 76 pages, 19,000 words
This book should be read after Dirty Martini, but it is suggested that the series be read in order as character recur throughout.
 Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

Mid-August…

Marty pulled up into the parking lot of Chris’s apartment complex in his mid-sized rental car. The evening heat and humidity clung to his skin. He and Chris had talked at least three times a week since that first phone call a month earlier, but he’d really wanted to see the man again. They’d decided to meet up on Chris’s first weekend off since becoming day manager at the bar. Marty had the jitters. What if they didn’t have the same chemistry? The same spark? All their intimacies since June had been via phone.

Chris had suggested video chat, but Marty had been too much of a chicken. Living in the military made a man paranoid about privacy. He pulled his tee shirt at the collar to let in some air, mustering his courage. The heat exacerbated the oily scent of the recently tarred parking lot. He smiled, remembering the choice words Chris had about the tar sticking to his tires. The outside steps leading to the second floor were concrete. Marty gripped the metal railing. His leg ached as he walked the flight to apartment 3B.

He bit his upper lip, running his fingers through his hair, as he stood at the door. His stomach ached with a misery born of anticipation and fear. His impulse was to bang down the door, but instead, he simply knocked. Twice.

The door opened. Chris smiled. “You made it.” Chris wore a kiwi-green tee shirt that brightened the green in his hazel eyes and a pair of low-slung jeans that hugged his narrow hips. His chestnut hair was neatly combed, and his narrow, angular face was clean shaven.

“You look nice,” Marty said.

Chris stepped back inside his apartment. “Come in. You’ve had a long trip. The bathroom is the door across the way.” There were two doors off the living room. Chris pointed the nearest one. “If you need to use it.”

“I’m fine,” Marty said. The living room and kitchen were combined in the small apartment. Chris had a blue couch, a coffee table, a recliner, and a small flat screen on a stand across the room from the couch in the living room. The kitchen had a three-by-three wooden table, four chairs, a fridge, dishwasher, sink, stove, and limited counter and cabinet space. The place wouldn’t win any decorating awards, but it was clean.

“Do you want to sit down?” Chris asked.

“Sure.” Marty felt let down by Chris’s mild reaction. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but this congenial greeting hadn’t been it. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” Chris said. “Can I get you a drink? Beer? Wine?”

“Sure. I’ll take whatever beer you have.” He watched Chris open the fridge and heard the telltale clinking of bottles.

Chris brought two beers into the living room. The bottles hissed as he popped the tops with an opener. He sat on the couch next to Marty. “Here you go.”

The cold bottle sweated against his hot, clammy hands. He swigged the beer, glad to have a reason not to talk for a moment. They’d talked so much on the phone over the past month that he’d assumed they’d never run out of things to say.

“So,” Chris said. “Long drive, huh?”

Wow, this conversation really was going nowhere. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Chris said. “Yes, of course. Why? Is everything okay with you?”

“Sure.” Marty scratched at the small hole near the knee of his jeans. “Good.” Why was this so goddamn hard? He turned to Chris and waited for Chris to meet his gaze.

They both laughed nervously.

“Maybe you should kiss me,” Marty said.

Buy the book: Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA

Meet the Author

G.R. George is the pen name for USA Today Bestselling author Renee George’s GLBT urban fantasy, paranormal romance, erotic romance, contemporary romance, and romantic comedy books that highlight varying themes including ménage, gay and bisexual relationships. A published author since 2005, she has written and published over 30 books in the past decade. Accolades include: EcataRomance Award for Best Paranormal Erotic Romance and Best Gay Erotic Romance and a Literary Nymph Blush Award for Best Paranormal Romance.

Where to find the author:


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, BFD Book Blog, Gay Media Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter,

Inked Rainbow Reads, Bayou Book Junkie, For the Love of Bookends, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words,

The Hat Party, A.M. Leibowitz, MM Good Book Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews,

Full Moon Dreaming, V’s Reads, Alpha Book Club, Open Skye Book Reviews, Attention Is Arbitrary,

Up All Night, Read All Day, The Jena Wade, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Charley Descoteaux,

Mikky’s World of Books, Outrageous Heroes, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews

Dirty Martini

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Enter the World of Ally Blue with The Secret of Hunter’s Bog (giveaway)

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The Secret of Hunter’s Bog by Ally Blue
Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover art by Kanaxa

Read an Excerpt/Buy Link

Hi y’all! I’m Ally Blue. Welcome to my blog tour for my newest book, The Secret of Hunter’s Bog. Thank you for stopping by. Be sure to comment on this post, or any of the posts on the tour, for a chance to win a full set of my Mojo Mysteries series—Demon Dog, A Ghost Most Elusive, and Myth Adventures—in the winner’s choice of electronic format. Read on and enjoy!

About The Secret of Hunter’s Bog

For Koichi McNab, the shop he and his twin sister Kimmy are opening in Hunter’s Bog Mall is a fresh start after their old one burned down. A way to move on. Especially when he meets the hunky owner of the luxury camping goods store next door. Koichi’s never been an outdoorsy guy, but Will Hood just might change his mind.

Will came to Southern Alabama to establish his own life away from his big, intrusive family—and in hopes of finding Anthony, the lover who vanished two years ago. But meeting Koichi throws everything off-kilter. Anthony was a long time ago. Koichi’s right here, smart and funny and cute, and Will wants him.

As Koichi and Will become friends, then lovers, Will’s past and Koichi’s present tangle into a dangerous knot that brings them face-to-face with secrets, theft, treachery . . . maybe even murder. With their lives on the line, their only way to safety is together.

About Ally Blue

Ally Blue is acknowledged by the world at large (or at least by her heroes, who tend to suffer a lot) as the Popess of Gay Angst.

She has a great big suggestively-shaped hat and rides in a bullet-proof Plexiglas bubble in Christmas parades. Her harem of manwhores does double duty as bodyguards and inspirational entertainment. Her favorite band is Radiohead, her favorite color is lime green and her favorite way to waste a perfectly good Saturday is to watch all three extended version LOTR movies in a row.

Her ultimate dream is to one day ditch the evil day job and support the family on manlove alone. She is not a hippie or a brain surgeon, no matter what her kids’ friends say.

Connect with Ally:

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Giveaway

Leave a comment for a chance to win a full set of Ally’s Mojo Mysteries series—Demon Dog, A Ghost Most Elusive, and Myth Adventures—in the winner’s choice of electronic format. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on March 12, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

A BJ Review: The Mermaid Murders (The Art of Murder #1) by Josh Lanyon

Rating:  4.75 stars out of 5

The Mermaid MurdersSpecial Agent Jason West is seconded from the FBI Art Crime Team to temporarily partner with disgraced, legendary “manhunter” Sam Kennedy when it appears that Kennedy’s most famous case, the capture and conviction of a serial killer known as The Huntsman, may actually have been a disastrous failure.

For The Huntsman is still out there…and the killing has begun again.

Lanyon’s writing was a excellent as ever, dragging me into plot, relationship and setting in no time flat. The mystery in this one was outstanding, and kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. The chemistry between the two guys also grabbed me by the throat early on. The snappy pace of the mystery and the slower pace of the attraction worked perfectly together and kept me completely enthralled.

Some of the things I enjoyed about this story included the vividly drawn small town setting and its population of characters. The super creepy Rexford ghost town. The spooky mystery woven with elements of not-quite paranormal, with psychos of various types side by side with everyday normal, not evil folks who just make mistakes. The whole atmosphere of the book was so rich and palpable that it gave me that delightfully creepy, unsettled feeling that a few of my favorite movies do. And then there’s not-all-that-handsome, but big, strong, forceful, smart, legend Sam Kennedy who starts out seeming like a total asshat but slowly reveals an absolutely irresistible vulnerable side beneath the gruff exterior. Yum with a cherry on top! Jason is a perfect match for him, very distinct, struggling with his recent past, described as a “pretty boy,” but tough in his own right.

While I adored the events at the end, it had me groaning and turning the page in hopes that it wasn’t really the end. Not a fade to black, not right then! I wanted more. And no more for over a year according to the afterward notation–*heavy sigh* Darn. Josh Lanyon has a bunch of series going right now and, unlike many m/m writers who keep going when they’re on a roll, she keep starting more new one to tantalize us with rather than finishing up the existing ones.

I do love the little tie ins we find in many of them. This one is a bit related to Winter Kill, well, actually according to the afterward, book two will cover that timeframe. I am eager to read on. But hate yet another long wait ahead… hence, the lack of a perfect five stars.

Although I like the guy’s eyes, the cover isn’t a particular favorite since to me it doesn’t convey much of anything about the story.

Sales Links:  ARe | Amazon 

Book Details:

book
Published February 29th 2016 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781937909826
Series The Art of Murder #1