Category: M/M Paranormal Fiction

Release Day Blitz for – Blood Bathory: Like The Night (The Guardians of Gaia #1) by Ari McKay

 

Universal Buy Link
 
Cover Design: Lou Harper
 
Length: 123,737 words
 
Blurb
 

Evan St. John, a young fashion photographer running from the pain caused by the death of his younger sister, is thrilled when he is offered a job with House of Nadasdy, a leading fashion house in Paris. What he doesn’t know is that Elizabeth Nadasdy, the elegant and powerful owner, is a centuries-old vampire with a penchant for collecting beautiful people. To Evan’s horror, he is turned into one of her “children.”


Unable to bear what he has become, Evan flees to New York and to his best friend, police officer Will Trask. For years, Evan has nursed an unrequited love for Will, but he also knows Will is the one person who might be able to help him. As Evan and Will try to deal with Evan’s condition, they are drawn into the world of the theriomorphs: shape-shifters who are guardians of life and the sworn enemies of vampires. Caught in an ancient war between two powerful supernatural forces, Evan and Will find they must choose sides – because if they are to have any chance of a future together, they must destroy Elizabeth Nadasdy before she destroys them.

 

Excerpt
 

Will had always been protective of those he cared about, and Evan was no exception, especially since Evan’s attractive face, slender build and “out and proud” attitude had occasionally made him a target on campus. It had been that way since their freshman year, and it was no different now. It was ridiculous, perhaps, and no doubt part of that White Knight thing Evan had always teased him about, but Will couldn’t help it; it was just the way he was.


“You might as well ‘fess up now, because I’m going to get the story out of you one way or another. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you if I can do anything about it. We stick together, right?” Will’s tone grew serious. “I mean it, Evan. You know you can count on me. You’re my best friend.” It was still true, even though they hadn’t been face-to-face in years. No one had ever taken Evan’s place in his life; no one ever could.


“Even if I tell you I’ve been working for a vampire?” Evan asked softly. “I don’t mean that figuratively, either. I mean literally. She’s a monster. She’s killed her own models. She turns people into monsters like her.”


For a long moment, Will couldn’t do anything but stare at his friend, wondering if this was a joke and he was somehow missing the punch line. Evan’s blue eyes were haunted but guileless; the man was a lousy liar, at least when it came to Will, and there was too much pain in Evan’s gaze for it to be some elaborate trick. Whatever was really going on, Evan, at least, believed what he was saying, and that was the most horrifying part of it. Whatever had happened to Evan in the last few months had damaged him in a way that Will was afraid he wasn’t going to be able to fix.


It was painful to face the fact that his best friend had apparently suffered some sort of mental breakdown, and Will cursed himself for not having tried harder to get in contact when Evan’s communications had grown infrequent. Obviously Evan had been going through something terrible, and Will knew that he had to do whatever he could to get Evan the help he needed. Which meant making sure that Evan remained here for now, until Will could figure out how to get him to a doctor.


“Let me make sure I understand what you’re saying,” he replied, keeping his voice quiet and reassuring. “Elizabeth Nadasdy, the famous fashion designer, is a vampire who kills people. That makes sense, I suppose. Or at least it explains why the models all look as though they weigh five pounds.” His attempt at humor sounded hollow, but it was the best he could do at the moment. “And she’s after you?”


Evan leaned back away from Will. “You don’t believe me. You think I’m crazy.”


Will hated to see that look on Evan’s face, the question of sanity aside. “Evan, it’s not that I don’t want to believe you, all right? But you know how it sounds, don’t you?” He knew his tone was pleading. “Vampires don’t exist. I can tell you believe it, though, and that makes it hard, because I know you’d never lie to me. But how can I believe it? How can you believe it?” He reached out and touched Evan’s arm in mute appeal. “How?”


Evan met Will’s gaze, his expression steady and calm, no trace of madness lurking in his gaze. “I don’t just believe it. I know it. I know it because I’m one, too.”

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


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


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


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RELEASE BLITZ for Omega Shadow (Pine Creek Lake #3) by Quinn Michaels (excerpt)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Omega Shadow (Pine Creek Lake #3)

Author: Quinn Michaels

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Quinn Michaels

Genre/s:  M/M Mpreg Romance, Mystery & Adventure

Length: 43,600 words

It is the third story in the series but stands alone.

Buy Links:

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BWMZXT9/

Blurb

One is accused. One is betrayed. One is a killer.

Midwife-apprentice, Kyle’s sheltered world is shattered when a patient’s alpha mate flies into a murderous rage and attacks him. Kyle is rescued by a handsome alpha visitor, but as attraction blazes between the two men, and they fall into each other’s dreams, what starts as lust becomes something impossible. Kyle is a beta. He can’t be an alpha’s true mate. And yet, what else explains their connection?

Visiting Pine Creek Lake alpha, Shadow isn’t looking for his true mate when he stumbles across a beta being attacked in the middle of the night. But when a simple rescue reveals a chain of possible murders, Shadow must learn the truth about the man in his dreams before it’s too late. Something is driving alphas in the Blackcreek pack to rage and die young. Is Kyle as ignorant as he pretends, or is he hiding a dangerous secret?

As Kyle and Shadow work together to discover the truth, both men are forced to question their deepest assumptions about themselves and each other. Are they fated mates? Is Kyle living a lie? And when the killer is revealed, will Kyle have the courage to face the truth before Shadow suffers the same death as the others?

Find out in Omega Shadow, Book 3 of the Pine Creek Lake Den series, an action-packed Mpreg romance mystery with a happily ever after to melt your heart.

Fast paced. Sexy. No Cliffhanger.

If you love Mpreg Omega werewolf romance with life-or-death action, knotting, babies, and hawtness, start reading Omega Shadow, Book 3 of the Pine Creek Lake Den series, today!

Buy Link 

Goodreads  

Excerpt from Chapter 1

Kyle and Ron hugged, and awkward sideways embrace taking into account Ron’s pregnant belly. Though Kyle was a beta, he was only a couple of inches taller than Ron, and no matter how hard Kyle worked out he never really managed to bulk up. It was frustrating, just one more way that Kyle didn’t quite fit in.

As always when Kyle made house calls, with or without Artie, he carried a leather satchel with the basic emergency supplies: clean bandages, sterilizing wipes, blood sugar equipment, clamps, suture, and medicines.

Kyle slung the bag back over his shoulder and with a final goodbye to his pregnant patient, headed down the hallway and outside. It was a cold night, and clear, the sky above a velvet tapestry with pinprick stars broken only by the sliver of the crescent moon. At almost midnight, the chill spring air put a layer of frost on the ground. It crunched beneath Kyle’s boots as he walked towards the main path that ran through the center of the Blackcreek settlement.

“You!”

Kyle whirled towards the voice, clutching the handle of his bag. Chaz stepped off of the main path and stalked towards Kyle, weaving a little like he was drunk. But as he got closer, Kyle didn’t smell booze on him.

“Are you okay, Chaz?” Kyle asked. Chaz a little over thirty-years-old with thinning hair and a paunch. He was big, even for an alpha, and though he tended towards fat, it was draped over a thick slab of muscle.

Chaz shouted, “What were you doing with my mate? Fucking him?”

“I was checking on the twins. Your babies.”

“Likely story.”

Kyle took a step back. Chaz was between him and the main path, but Kyle could run for the space between the two houses at his right. Still, it would be better to talk his way out. The last thing he wanted was to send this furious alpha to Ron like this. “Ron’s having those pains again. He spoke with Artie. It’s Kyle, remember, Artie’s grandson?” Even if Chaz didn’t smell like booze, he had taken something. His hands were shaking, and in the faint moonlight, a faint sheen of sweat glimmered on his forehead.

“Artie’s a bitch. She keeps giving Ron ideas.”

Ron needed ideas, and a shotgun to enforce them if Kyle had anything to say about it, but an argument wouldn’t do either of them any good right now. Kyle was grateful to be a beta. Omegas had it a lot harder. Artie reminded him of this almost every day. Kyle held his hands open in front of him. Luckily he was small. Nonthreatening. “The twins are looking very good. And Ron is doing well. He was worried they might be coming early, but when I palpated – –.”

“You had your hands on him.” Chaz bared his teeth.

Something was wrong. Chaz was usually a dick, but his irrational anger at Kyle for performing a basic examination was over-the-top. He closed the distance between them while Kyle was trying to explain, and like a striking snake, Chaz grabbed at Kyle’s throat.

Kyle jumped back.

Chaz’s beefy hand was shifting, the tips of his fingers tapering into claws. He swayed on his feet.” The twins. My twins.” His forearms sprouted fur in odd patches. “The twins are mine. Ron is mine. Mine!”

“Of course, they’re yours. Maybe we should sit down on the steps for a while. Did one of the other alphas… Give you something?”

“If you’re not fucking him, then you need to fuck off.”

Kyle wanted to run, but with how Chaz was acting, he didn’t trust the alpha alone with his mate. “How about I come in with you?” Kyle suggested. “I can make up a tea. It’ll cool you off.” With the amount of sweating that Chaz was doing, he had to be hot. Maybe he had gotten in to some of the human opioids in town. Usually they didn’t affect shifters like this though. Leave it to Chaz to be the exception.

Chaz scratched his cheek, and the tip of his claw dug in, drawing blood. “Ow!” He let out a string of curses.

“It’s your hand. I think there might be something going on with your shifting,” Kyle said as calmly as he could. Like he was talking to a child. He got along well with children and babies. Unfortunately, the tone of voice didn’t work as well on tripping werewolves. Chaz, with another burst of inhuman speed, grabbed Kyle by the shoulders and squeezed. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Kyle’s voice shook with something between fear and rage. How did Ron stand this? Chaz and Ron had been arranged to mate eight months ago, well before Jeff had died and Devon, his son, had left to avenge him and returned not with the eyeteeth of his enemy but with a mate from the other pack.

Now Devon wanted to change how things were done in Blackcreek, and seeing Chaz now, Kyle’s support for this new way of doing things only grew.

Chaz towered over Kyle. His jaw elongated, and when he growled, it was a wolf growl.

Kyle planted his feet and with bent knees shoved the midwife bag into Chaz stomach with all of his strength. It wasn’t enough. Chaz growled again, and his clawed hands pierced the thick leather of Kyle’s jacket to push through his shirt and into his skin.

“Hey!” Someone shouted from behind him.

Kyle didn’t recognize the voice, but the distraction was enough to loosen Chaz’s grip.

“Get help,” Kyle shouted. Chaz’s face and body was shifting back and forth between human and wolf. Kyle had never seen anything like this. “Get Dr. Havisham!”

Chaz lifted Kyle like he weighed nothing.

“Put him down,” the stranger said. His voice was closer, though Kyle hadn’t heard him move.

“Pine Creek Lake,” Chaz said, and spat. The glob of spittle barely missed Kyle’s cheek as it passed over his shoulder.

Pine Creek Lake? It must have been one of the visitors. Kyle had only seen them from afar, having been pushed to the back of the crowd when Devon had returned with his mate. The visitors were focused on alpha and omega relations. Kyle, as a beta, hadn’t had much reason to concern himself with them, and though he’d been curious, he’d been too busy with his own duties to go out of his way to talk to them.

What was this werewolf Pine Creek Lake werewolf doing here in the middle of the night?

“Please, put me down,” Kyle said to Chaz.

“Fine,” Chaz said, and threw him, hard, at the wall of the neighboring cabin. The only saving grace was that whatever Chaz taken, it affected his balance. He stumbled, and Kyle landed short, skidding across the hard dirt.

Kyle lay on the ground trying to catch his breath. His arm hurt, but he could wiggle his fingers so it wasn’t broken. The stranger, a tall, wide shouldered man with hair like ink tied at the base of his neck, dark clothes, and dusky skin, moved quickly and silently to place himself between Chaz and Kyle.

The stranger was unmistakably an alpha, though he was leaner than Chaz. Kyle knew he should get up and run to get help, but even as he regained his breath, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the stranger. The alpha. His scent, a mix of damp pine needles and sweat, filled Kyle’s nose.

Bizarrely, Kyle felt aroused. Maybe Chaz hadn’t taken something. Maybe there was some kind of pollen or poison in the air?  Kyle’s skin flushed. It was like one of the hot flashes that Artie had suffered with when Kyle was a child. Beta women and omegas got them to when they reached the end of their fertile years. Maybe Kyle was having an allergic reaction? Whatever was going on, it was getting worse. Sweat trickled slick between Kyle’s ass cheeks, his cock hardened, and he had the strangest urge to rub himself against the new alpha and mark ownership.

Chaz lashed out again, his arm a blur as he swung, claws bared, at the stranger. Chaz shouted an incoherent mix of curses and growls. The stranger ducked, his movement so efficient it didn’t seem so much like speed and more a casual lowering of his head, and then with another precise and powerful burst, he slammed his fist into Chaz’s chest.

Chaz dropped like a stone.

Kyle expected Chaz to try and get back up on his feet, but he was still. Kyle couldn’t even see him breathing. The stranger knelt beside Chaz’s body and after a few seconds, pressed his fingers to the pulse point on Chaz’s neck.

Kyle got himself to his feet, and straightening out the strap on his bag, walked hesitantly towards his rescuer.

“Are you okay?” Kyle asked. His mouth felt dry, and a sudden urge to touch the alpha washed over him.

The stranger looked up. His eyes were a perfect shade of amber. As they met Kyle’s gaze, the alphas pupils expanded and Kyle smelled desire. Then he blinked, and quickly turned his head back towards Chaz.

“Do you know CPR?”

“Why?” Kyle squinted down at Chaz. He wasn’t moving.

“I don’t think he’s breathing.”

He wasn’t.

“What’s going on?” Ron waddled out onto the porch. “Is that – – Chaz!”

About the Author 

Pennsylvania native, Quinn Michaels is a fan of fantasy, werewolves and M/M mpreg romance! She strives to write  action-packed adventures of romance, self-discovery and second chances, all served up with a hefty helping of sweet, sexy Omegas and hot, determined Alphas who will do anything to cherish, love, and protect their mates. She also enjoys the sexy times!

Sign up for Quinn’s mailing list and get updates at quinnmichaelsauthor.com

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A Caryn Review: Tested in Fire (Art Medium #2) by EJ Russell

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is book two in the Art Medium series.  In book one, The Artist’s Touch, Stefan Cobbe was possessed by the ghost Giacomo “Jeremiah” Arcoletti, but Luke Morganstern was able to rescue him, though Luke was seriously injured in the process.  In this installment, they’ve moved to Sarasota, Florida, where Luke’s art investigation company is based, and Stefan found a studio and is back to painting.  Life seems good.

Although the two men are committed to each other, Stefan is still struggling with the debt he incurred years ago by allowing himself to be completely dependent upon a boyfriend, and this time around, he wants to be able to stand on his own.  Luke just wants Stefan to be by his side, and doesn’t understand why Stefan won’t move in with him.  They can’t seem to get past this impasse, and and things only get worse when Luke is unexpectedly detained in Italy following up on a commission.  When he comes home, they have a fight, and then…

At first I wondered how these two men could be so unlucky as to run across the supernatural – and the evil side of it at that – twice in such quick succession, especially when they are now on the opposite side of the country.  Well, turns out it is more than just bad luck, and I will leave that comment as a teaser for you to learn about when you read the book!  Once again, spirits from the past are interfering in Stefan’s and Luke’s lives, and once again they have to rely on their connection with each other, and their love, in order to make it through alive.

I thought this was a wonderful continuation of the series, because the depth of Luke and Stefan’s love for each other was seriously challenged, and they truly rose to face it.  There was no hesitation in their defense of each other, and this time Stefan was the one to come to the rescue.  A good thing for both of them to realize how strong Stefan truly is, and how able to stand on his own, but unfortunately quite a blow to Luke who is left confused and ashamed by what has happened to him.

I am assuming that there will be at least a third book in the series at some point in the future (and hopefully more, I really love this couple!), but I think there will be a bit of a hiatus while things in the publishing world shake out.  However it happens, I will be eagerly looking forward to it!

Cover art by L.C. Chase is even better than the first book.  I like Luke’s (Giacomo’s?) expression as he holds the mask…

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing

Book Details:

ebook, 192 pages
Published April 2nd 2018 by Riptide Publishing (first published March 31st 2018)
Original TitleTested in Fire
ISBN 1626497575 (ISBN13: 9781626497573)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesArt Medium #2

New Release Blitz: Midnight Twist by Rian Durant (excerpt and giveaway)

Title:  Midnight Twist

Author: Rian Durant

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: April 2, 2018U

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 19700

Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, fantasy, humor, demons

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Jaydon can’t afford to lose a bet he’s made, so when the sweet as sin Eluin offers him The Contract, it may be exactly what he needs. Or is it? Things get a little twisted with the cheeky demon being around.

The number of demons in Jaydon’s apartment grows, with Eluin’s big brother Eluel and his wayward lover Sam showing up. The couple is at a breaking point in their own on/off relationship and this time getting back together seems as probable as hell freezing over.

Excerpt

Midnight Twist
Rian Durant © 2018
All Rights Reserved

It all started with an espresso machine, even though I’d seen him drinking espresso only once in all the time we knew each other. Then he complained for three days that he hadn’t tasted such swill in his whole life. The fact that I’d made it for him with all my love didn’t cause him to show an ounce of tact.

I felt in my gut it was a tremendous mistake to enter the mall, but even if I’d tried to avoid it, I doubt he would’ve taken my opinion into account. He would’ve thrown a temper tantrum of magnificent proportions, which wasn’t a pretty sight. I’d been a witness and a victim of such antics once, only it was in front of a restaurant, which I hadn’t dared come close to ever since.

The glowing look in his eyes while we passed by the shop windows made my heart sink, because I couldn’t afford most of the things he stared at, especially with the plans we had for the rest of the week. My lovely boyfriend possessed a seductive appearance and a good heart, but his perceptions were terribly distorted due to eighteen years of systematic spoiling at the hands of his parents. He used to reassure me this wasn’t going to come between us since he was madly in love with me, but he couldn’t be further from the truth. After the ironic remarks I had been subjected to in the past few weeks, I knew I wasn’t going to get away with it.

I didn’t want to lose him, but it was clear that if I didn’t overcome my financial issues, his love for me would vanish into thin air together with his rebellious spirit, and he’d settle with any of the “appropriate partners” his parents tried to match him with. Once, one of his father’s business tycoon friends with his three hot lovers landed in front of my door and pounced on me, obviously not familiar with the appearance of his intended chosen one. I led a fierce battle using all means possible, which ended up being the shoehorn lying next to the shoes at the front door, in order to preserve my honor. Things deteriorated when Lyte came out of the bathroom in his short, sexy bathrobe to check why I was wreaking such havoc. We had to barricade the door and listen to a serenade for more than an hour before the police came to take them away.

I turned to Lyte with a smile, intending to remind him of that time the tycoon came calling, but when I caught his hand, he didn’t react at all. He had already seen it. He gazed at the window with an oblivious smile, and then raised his finger and pointed at it. A second later he issued a brief statement with a determination I’d rarely heard in the voice of another human being.

“I want it!”

At first, I couldn’t understand what the item in question was, wavering between a weird CD player, a hat rack, or Darth Vader’s helmet. But when the price tag next to it caught my attention, I shivered.

“You want an espresso machine? What do you need it for, sweetheart?”

“It will look great in the kitchen, don’t you think? The color scheme is the same, and besides, it’s so fancy with all these buttons!” He clapped. “You are going to buy it for me, love, won’t you?”

“But you don’t even drink coffee, sweetie.”

“It doesn’t matter. I can make tea in it. I mean, I’m sure it has such a function.”

I was positive it had a TV-watching function at least, judging by the price, which caused me severe trauma. I tried to sound as gentle and as reasonable as I could.

“We can’t buy it now, dear.”

His amazing blue eyes shot a quick malicious look at me, and he pouted. “So it wasn’t enough for you to turn me into a housewife, was it? Now you refuse to buy me this little sweet espresso machine. Did I understand you correctly?”

I didn’t know why he was always harping on it, given that there wasn’t an ounce of truth in his accusation, unless lying on the sofa with the remote control all day long was termed housekeeping these days. If it wasn’t for me, we would’ve both been dead by now because of the weird things he tried to cook a few times right after he’d moved in with me. I hardly let him do anything around the house, as I preferred to leave him enough free time to study. Week in, week out, he’d go to class to sit for some exams. There was a time when I suspected he was taking them in another way, not fit for a mixed audience, but he finally succeeded in persuading me in the opposite by quoting the declaration of human rights by heart.

I looked at him with regret and repeated to myself he wasn’t guilty in the least. His parents had driven him to this state of mind. I tried to hug him, which, naturally, I was denied.

“Are you really going to be mad at me over some stupid espresso machine?”

“It is not stupid!” he snapped. “You are stupid.”

I laughed, hoping he was joking like he sometimes did, but this time it was different. I suppose this was the proverbial last drop, so when we got home, he locked himself in his room without giving any explanation. After about an hour, he came out dragging his big red suitcase behind him.

“Eh? Sweetie pie…”

He hissed in my face like a kitten deprived of its food, with an expression showing me that if I breathed a word, anything I said would be used against me as he stomped past me, out the front door, slamming it behind him. Apparently, he’d realized there were two alternatives to obtaining his beloved espresso machine. One was to go back to his family, and after an enlightening reprimand on how he shouldn’t choose penniless partners like me, they would give it to him as a present. The other was to use his infinite charm and extort some other idiot with enough money into buying it for him.

I could get a credit card and buy the accursed gadget, but his leaving was a mixed blessing. I might’ve gotten him back, but next week he could decide he couldn’t live without some other splendid invention of modern science, and I couldn’t count on giving in and buying him every single thing he set his heart on.

Part of me wanted him back, but another part insisted that walking away was the best thing he’d ever done for me. We’d had great moments together, especially in the beginning, but to be honest, I’d wondered whether it wasn’t better we called it a day. Exhausted by all the thoughts swarming inside my head, I went to bed. The most difficult part was sleeping alone under the cold sheets after having someone to cuddle with for such a long time.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author

Rian is one of those who are both blessed and cursed by the insatiable desire to write. Short stories, sometimes longer stories and yeah, primarily M/M (you can insert more Ms if you like) romance stories.

Always having a plot in mind sometimes proves being hard when having a day time job but Rian manages them both for the time being, assisted by the
priceless support of her soul mate, large amounts of coffee and pure obstinacy.

What makes Rian smile is a sunny day, a beautiful flower, a piece of chocolate, a nice song, a good book and anything that could be the reason for that spark in the eyes, accompanied by the exclamation: “Oh my, I just saw something!”

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 

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New Release Tour and Giveaway: Tested in Fire (Art Medium #2) by EJ Russell

Tested in Fire (Art Medium #2) by E.J. Russell

Riptide Publishing
Cover Art: L.C. Chase

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

 

About Tested in Fire

 

Six months ago, Stefan Cobbe was at rock bottom: grief-stricken, guilt ridden, debt laden, artistically blocked, and living on charity in an isolated mountain cabin. But after reconciling with his first love, Luke, and moving to Sarasota with him, Stefan is preparing for his first major show. Yes, he still has debts, and no, Luke doesn’t understand Stefan’s desire for independence. But compared to last year? No contest.

 

Luke Morganstern ought to be happy. After all, his art-investigation business has recovered and he’s got his boyfriend back. But Stefan stubbornly refuses to move in with him or accept Luke’s financial help, and it’s really starting to bug him. Who knew that the biggest test of their relationship wouldn’t be time or distance, but his own insecurities? After Luke’s next job—a trip to Italy to retrieve a mysterious artifact—he plans to convince Stefan that it’s time to totally commit.

 

But when Luke returns, he changes, and Stefan begins to suspect that the person in Luke’s skin isn’t Luke at all. He can hardly go to the police and claim his lover is the victim of a supernatural hijacking though. He needs alternative help to find Luke and get him back, because he refuses to let anyone—or anything—come between them again.

About the Art Medium Series

 

Artists use all manner of materials to express their vision, to interpret the world around them, to affect the hearts and minds of their audience.

 

But what if the artist himself were the medium? And what if artistic inspiration weren’t the only force at work?

 

If painter Stefan Cobbe and art investigator Luke Morganstern don’t answer those questions fast, they stand to lose their reputations, their relationship—and their lives.

About E.J. Russell

 

E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business-intelligence consultant. After her twin sons left for college and she no longer spent half her waking hours ferrying them to dance class, she returned to her childhood love of writing fiction. Now she wonders why she ever thought an empty nest meant leisure.

 

E.J. lives in rural Oregon with her curmudgeonly husband, the only man on the planet who cares less about sports than she does. She enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

 

Connect with E.J.:

 

Website: ejrussell.com

Blog: ejrussell.com/bloggery/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/E.J.Russell.author

Twitter: twitter.com/ej_russell

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ejrussell/

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of both books in the Art Medium series, E.J. is giving away a $25 Amazon credit and an ebook copy of both titles in the Legend Tripping series! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Contest closes at midnight, Eastern time, on April 7, 2017 and is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to leave your contact info!

A Caryn Review: The Moth and Moon by Glenn Quigley

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This book is a little different than anything I’ve read before, and though it took me a while to warm up to it – the beginning was certainly slow – I can only say that I was really pleased by the time I got to the end.  Once I became invested in it, I couldn’t wait for the next plot twist and revelation.  It is definitely not predictable!

The setting is the village of Blashy Cove, the only settlement on the island of Merryapple, off the Cornish coast, in 1780.  Blashy Cove is nothing like the islands and villages around it, including its tolerance for same sex relationships, which are viewed as absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.  There is no cathedral, church, or even chapel from the Christianization of the British Isles, and even the old religions are no longer followed; the “people believed in themselves”.  Like all small villages, everyone knows everyone else’s business, but for the most part it is a friendly place to live.  Its economy is primarily related to fishing, but it has the usual village accoutrements of shops, bakeries, smithies, and its most iconic building is the Moth and Moon tavern.  The Moth and Moon is a vaguely steampunk, somewhat ramshackle building that was built hundreds of years ago when the village was founded, and continuously added on to until it became a huge five-story behemoth full of forgotten rooms and corners, that dominates the village.  It is also the heart and soul of Blashy Cove.

Robin Shipp is a middle aged fisherman whose ancestors have been sailors for at least 4 generations.  He’s an enormous man, a little slow, but kind-hearted.  He watches out for everyone in the village, but the other villagers have always viewed him with a little suspicion, because his father disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and was possibly even a murderer.  Robin tries not to let their distrust get to him, and goes about his business unselfishly.

When a hurricane approaches the island, with only a half day’s warning as storm clouds appear on the horizon, Robin is the first one to notice, and is the first man to start gathering the villagers into the Moth and Moon, which is far and away the safest place to shelter.  Because it is just his way, he puts everyone’s safety before his own as he brings them into the tavern.  Most of the villagers arrive just before the storm hits, hunker down inside the Moth and Moon, and as they anxiously wait for the storm to pass, it becomes apparent that there are many secrets in the village, and the pressure of the storm and fear of death cause people to rethink a lot of what they have assumed is truth.

To this point, there is really nothing in the way of romance at all going on.  We know that Robin had been in a relationship with the toymaker, Duncan Hunger, and that it ended badly, but no details were given.  Edwin Farriner is the baker, and it also became apparent that he is holding a torch for Robin, who is oblivious.  Things come to a head when the three men ride out the last half of the storm in the lighthouse, and are forced to confront truths about themselves and each other.

There is a lot of description, and a lot of world building that in the beginning truly seemed to be a little random, and a little too much.  It is what made the beginning of the book so slow for me.  The action basically mirrors the storm itself, with tension developing in the Moth and Moon as well as in the lighthouse as the storm wreaked havoc in the village, although the majority of the revelations about the secrets of the town and its people comes in the aftermath of the hurricane.  It wasn’t until this point that I felt a real emotional connection to the characters, but the way they reacted to the dramatic revelations of past events was very compelling.  If the rest of the book had been as interesting, I would certainly have rated it higher, but the slow start meant that if I was not reading it for review, I might well have DNF’ed it.  I’m glad I stuck it out though, the ending is pure sweetness.

Cover art by Nathasha Snow is just a little mysterious, which fits with the atmosphere of the book.

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Book Details:

book, 172 pages
Published March 19th 2018 by Ninestar Press
Original TitleThe Moth and Moon
ISBN139781948608060
Edition LanguageEnglish