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New Release Blitz for To Save His Prince by Hurri Cosmo (exclusive excerpt and giveaway)

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M/M Romance / MPreg
Date Published: September 21, 2018
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Emory is a humble kitchen servant intent on working hard so he can continue to earn his daily crust of bread. It is a thankless, back-breaking job, but it is exactly where Emory wants to be. In the magnificent West Quay castle. Because that is where the incredibly handsome, extremely talented Crown Prince Riffyn lives. The beautiful, kind, and attentive man stole Emory’s heart years before when he rescued him and his mother from a band of thieves. Now Emory’s only wish is to be close, so he can simply admire and serve the man.
 
But a great evil walks the halls of the castle, and Emory stumbles on a heinous plot to not only kill the prince but a possible plan to overthrow the Kingdom. A wicked scheme that includes the use of magic. Of course, being a lowly servant, no one believes Emory when he tries to raise the alarm, including the prince, who has been commanded to choose a bride now, or one will be chosen for him. Even as Emory’s heart breaks for his prince, he has to find a way to save him. But how, when no one, not even the king, the prince’s own father, can be trusted?

Excerpt 

Emory was surprised when he opened his eyes next. The room was bathed in bright sunlight. Sucking in a breath for sleeping so late into the day, he shot out of the bed and headed for the door he shared with the prince’s chambers. He grabbed the handle and pushed just enough to see what he could be facing upon entering the prince’s room.

Riffyn was up and sitting at his desk, a tray of what must be breakfast sat beside him. Emory could smell the coffee from where he stood, and he longed for just a taste. But then other fragrances assaulted him. There was bacon and fresh bread, possibly something cinnamon, all sitting on that tray.

“Thank you, Duncan,” the prince said.

Duncan?

Emory had totally missed the servant who had brought the tray in. Duncan moved around the prince, his attention on the man’s torso, which was bare and breathtaking. Evidently, Riffyn had only just woke as well. He sat, shuffling papers, as if searching for one in particular. Emory couldn’t help but stare at the prince. Oh, how he wanted to touch him, suck on those dark nipples.

“Let me pour your coffee, Your Highness,” Duncan breathed from behind the prince, far too close to the prince’s ear. But Riffyn gave no reaction at all. He seemed to be intent on the paper he now held in his hand.

Duncan poured the coffee and handed the mug to Riffyn. “Your Highness?”

“Ahh. Yes. Thank you.” Riffyn took the mug and sipped the steaming liquid as he gazed up at Duncan, who had come around the front again. “You have done well, Duncan.” The prince seemed to coo and then smiled at Duncan, who beamed back. Emory’s heart squeezed tight with jealousy, wishing it was him who the prince gave that smile. So much so, he wanted to cry. But then Emory must have made some sort of noise because the prince glanced over at him standing hiding in the doorway.

“Emory! You’re finally awake. Come out. Breakfast is served. There is plenty for the both of us.”

Emory stepped out from the doorway. He could do nothing else when the prince commanded him. But he did not relish the fact that Duncan startled at the sound of his name and swung around, eyes as big as the plates he had brought in.

“Emory? What are you doing in the prince’s chambers?”

His tone was accusatory, one of authority, gruff and hateful. In all other instances, Emory would have shrunk at its harshness, knowing he had to have committed a heinous crime. But that was not the case here. He had done nothing wrong. Still, his heart jumped painfully, and he did stop immediately, his stomach protesting, probably believing it was going to be starved of food again for possibly days as was the usual punishment. But then Emory’s gaze met Riffyn’s and he instantly calmed.

“Duncan,” the prince challenged quietly from behind him. “Do you believe I need to explain myself to you when I have a guest in my chambers? Is that your place?”

Duncan scowled at Emory before he turned back to Riffyn. “No, my prince. I apologize for my rudeness. Forgive me, Your Highness.” To Duncan’s credit, he did appear to be apologetic. He waited, hands behind his back, and Emory could tell his gaze was on the floor in front of him even though he was turned away from him. Riffyn glanced up to Emory, smiled, and winked, before he answered Duncan.

“You are forgiven. But it will never happen again, correct?”

“No, Your Highness. Never.”

“Good. You are excused.” Once again, Riffyn glanced toward Emory. “Come, Emory. Sit. I will pour you some coffee.” Riffyn picked up the decanter and poured the contents into an empty bowl. “I apologize I did not have two mugs brought up, but I think you should be able to manage.”

Emory hurried to the desk and took the offered bowl, wanting to remind the prince he was not supposed to be serving him, but due to the fact Duncan had yet to actually leave the room, he chose not to say anything. He hazarded a glance at Duncan and the daggers the man was shooting with his eyes made Emory shiver.

“Are you still chilled from last night? You should have brought a blanket with you.” Riffyn rose and walked to his own messy bed, grabbed the top cover, and pulled it off. It was then that Emory realized he had forgotten about his own state of dress, which was only a borrowed nightshirt, clearly too large for him. It was thankfully rather long, but his legs were still very bare, and he couldn’t even fathom how it must appear to Duncan. Riffyn walked to Emory, swept the blanket around his shoulders, and guided him, with his arm around him, to sit in the chair in front of his desk. “As you can see, we have your amazing fresh sweet rolls. You might actually be tired of them, being you work in the kitchen, but they are my favorite.”

“I’ve… never had them, Your Highness.”

“What? Are you serious? Oh yes. The incomparable Master Merrill. I will see to him today. In the meantime, I dare to say, Emory, you are in for a treat.”

Emory had his back to Duncan now, so he couldn’t see him, but he could feel the loathing pouring off him. Then, gratefully, the doors clicked shut, which told him Duncan had finally left and most likely gone running to tell the kitchen master about Emory’s horrible impropriety of being half naked in the crown prince’s chambers. It would be all over the castle before the next sunrise.

About the Author

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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.
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Blog Tour for With a Twist (The Speakeasy #1) by K. Evan Coles and Brigham Vaughn (excerpt and giveaway)

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With a Twist

The Speakeasy Series

K. Evan Coles & Brigham Vaughn

Contemporary M/M Romance

Book Length (word count): 95,822

RELEASE DATE: 09.25.18

WithaTwist_9781786516848_ebook_1500x2400

BLURB 

Nursing a broken heart, Will Martin throws himself into teaching classes at NYU and writing. An invite from his ex-boyfriend to an uptown speakeasy called Under surprises Will by beginning to heal his bruised spirit, and he finds himself enjoying both the drinks and the company.

Soon after, Will is shaken by news that his father, Republican New York State Senator Bill Martin, has been diagnosed with cancer. Will and his father have been estranged since Will’s coming out, but he reluctantly returns to the family’s home in Garden City, Long Island, to support his family as Bill recovers from surgery.

Senator David Mori is a colleague and mentee of Bill Martin’s. Bill’s conservative views sometimes conflict with David’s more moderate politics and his status as both mixed race and openly gay, but each respects and likes each other, and the men have built a friendship.

Sparks fly when Will and David meet, though Will’s liberal views lead to clashes with David. Will is looking for a no-strings-attached fling and David is leery of getting involved with his mentor’s son, so they keep their affair a secret, in spite of their deepening feelings.

As Senator Martin’s health worsens, Will elects to remain in Garden City where he finds solace with David and continued trips to Under to seek the support of his friends. After David finally admits his feelings have grown beyond a casual sexual encounter, both men must decide how to bridge the divide to create a future together.

Reader Advisory: This book contains expressions of homophobia and racism by multiple secondary characters, references to disownment, and descriptions of terminal illness and death of secondary characters.

Pride Publishing: https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/with-a-twist

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EXCERPT

“Senator Mori, please, come in.”

Greta sounded very pleased as she welcomed David into the house. Will stifled a sigh and set his tablet on the side table in the sunroom. The man was handsome, but, with the exception of LGBTQ issues, he frequently voted like a typical moderate Republican robot. Will hadn’t worked out exactly how he’d been roped into having dinner with his father’s colleague, but, unfortunately, he couldn’t back out now.

Actually, Will mused, I know exactly how I was roped into this. Agnes Martin had said they were having a small dinner and insinuated it would be rude of him not to join them. By the time Will realized his mother had invited David, he couldn’t refuse. Even if Will had had been able to, he owed David an apology. He had been rude to David the first time they’d met.

Will had also googled him and been relieved to learn David wasn’t ultra-conservative but he still couldn’t wrap his head around a gay man aligning himself with a political party actively trying to damage their community. If Will was being honest, David’s relationship with Will’s father bothered him more. He was envious and resentful of the closeness they had. And hurt. Why did his father appear so much more accepting of David’s sexuality than Will’s? The rejection stung bitterly and made Will want to lash out and make David feel as terrible as he did.

But no matter how he felt, it didn’t excuse his behavior. He stood and headed for the foyer.

Will caught a glimpse of David, who stood talking with Greta. If only the man weren’t so infuriatingly good-looking. Will couldn’t think of the last time he’d found a man so attractive, even Riley.

To Will’s surprise, David wasn’t alone. A medium-sized black and white dog with fawn- colored stripes on its legs and a tail that curled up onto its back stood by David’s side. He held the leash loosely in one hand.

“Hello, David.” Will stuck out a hand for him to shake. David’s expression was friendly and his hands were large and strong around Will’s long, narrow fingers.

“Nice to see you, Will.”

“You as well.” Ignoring how good David’s skin felt against his, Will dropped his hand.

Greta patted his arm. “I’m going to go help your mother get food on the table.”

“Thanks, Greta. I’ll walk David back to the patio in a moment.” After Greta disappeared down the hallway, Will turned his attention to the animal sitting calmly at David’s feet.

“I see you brought a date,” Will said with a small smile. He was such a sucker for dogs. Not to mention hot men with dogs. He crouched and held out a hand. “Hello there, gorgeous.”

“Her name’s Mabel.”

She sniffed him delicately before pushing her snout into his hand in greeting. He laughed and looked up at David as he scratched Mabel behind the ears. David stared down at them with an expression both perplexed and amused.

“She’s beautiful,” Will murmured. “Husky mix?”

David nodded. “Husky and Shiba-Inu mix. Or so said the guy I got her from. She’s mixed like me.”

Will blinked at him and David laughed softly. “Sorry. I’m Japanese on my father’s side, and a whole range of European countries on my mom’s. My brother-in-law is always on me about the jokes my sister and I make about being mixed race. The jokes make him uncomfortable.”

“Your candor took me by surprise.” Will cleared his throat. “How old is Mabel?”

“Two—no, two and a half. I’ve had her since she was a pup.”

Mabel let out a whine and licked Will’s forearm as if pointing out he’d stopped petting her. Will chuckled and resumed.

“Do you have any pets, Will?”

He shook his head and gave Mabel a final pat before he stood. “I live in Manhattan and my building doesn’t allow it.”

David nodded. “I think she’s enjoying the move from Queens to Long Island. She seems to like the beaches and canals quite a bit.”

“When did you move from Queens?”

“A few years ago. On your father’s recommendation, actually.”

“Hmm.” Will made a noncommittal noise. He wasn’t sure what to make of the relationship his father and David had. David’s race wasn’t an issue. Neither of his parents had ever shown themselves to be racially intolerant, although Will had a vivid memory from high school of arguing with his parents about why using the term ‘Oriental’ was really, really inappropriate. At worst, they were occasionally clueless, but even then, they’d listened to his argument and made an effort to change.

Sexuality was a different story, however. How could Bill be vehemently against his own son’s sexual orientation but have no problem working side-by-side with a gay man? And inviting him to his house for meals? Will bristled, but he forced himself to tamp down the irritation. That reminded him, he still needed to apologize to David.

Will cleared his throat. “Uh, before we head back to the patio, I wanted to say I’m sorry about the way I behaved when you were here earlier this week. My temper got the better of me, and I hope you can forgive me.”

“Of course. No hard feelings.” David gave him a warm, open smile.

“Thank you.”

Will’s mother appeared before he could say anything else. “What on earth are you two still doing in the foyer? Let David in, Will.”

“I was getting to know his dog, Mabel,” Will said, feeling slightly abashed. Apparently, all of his manners did go out of the window when he encountered David.

Agnes regarded the dog with a soft sound of delight. “Oh, she is lovely. Even prettier than the pictures you sent me. I am so glad you asked to bring her. You probably felt like you needed a guard dog to fend off the cats. I am so embarrassed Fluffers used your shoe as a litter box.”

A laugh escaped Will before he could stop it. “That old thing is still alive? I haven’t seen him around outside and I assumed he’d died.”

Agnes frowned at him. “Fluffers is very much alive. Just getting a bit senile these days. Thankfully, David was very gracious about it.”

David chuckled. “One should always expect the unexpected when it comes to pets and kids.”

“You are correct.” Agnes smiled at him. “Now, I want both of you to come back to the patio. Appetizers are on the table.”

kevancoles_shortshot

K. Evan Coles is a mother and tech pirate by day and a writer by night. She is a dreamer who, with a little hard work and a lot of good coffee, coaxes words out of her head and onto paper.

K. lives in the northeast United States, where she complains bitterly about the winters, but truly loves the region and its diverse, tenacious and deceptively compassionate people. You’ll usually find K. nerding out over books, movies and television with friends and family. She’s especially proud to be raising her son as part of a new generation of unabashed geeks.

K.’s books explore LGBTQ+ romance in contemporary settings.

Blog — http://kevancoles.tumblr.com/

Twitter — https://twitter.com/K_Evan_Coles

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/ColesKEvan

Facebook Author Page — https://www.facebook.com/kevancolesauthor/

Pinterest — https://www.pinterest.com/kevancoles/

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/k.evan.coles

Goodreads — https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16711208.K_Evan_Coles

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Brigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga.  She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.

Her books range from short stories to novellas. They explore gay, lesbian, and polyamorous romance in contemporary settings.

Email:  brighamvaughn@gmail.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/brigham.vaughn

Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Brigham-Vaughn/448104198635015

Facebook Fan Group (Brigham’s Book Nerds): https://www.facebook.com/groups/brighamsbooknerds/

G+:  plus.google.com/+BrighamVaughn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brighamvaughn/

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Calm – https://amzn.to/2zp6PE8

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BLOG TOUR for Thrall by Avon Gale and Roan Parrish (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Thrall by Avon Gale and Roan Parrish

Publisher: Philtre Press

Release Date (Print & Ebook): September 27th, 2018

Subgenre: Mystery

Order here:

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Synopsis:

Dating Sucks & Love Bites

Happy couple Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra have begun to garner national attention for their quirky New Orleans true-crime podcast, Shadowcast. When Lucy’s brother Harker disappears while researching the popular new dating app Thrall, they’re thrown into a real-life mystery. Aided by their social media expert, Arthur, and Harker’s professor, Van Helsing, they follow the trail, hoping to find Harker before it’s too late.

When their investigation crosses the path of a possible serial killer, the line between fantasy and reality begins to blur. And as they race against the app’s countdown clock, so does the line between friendship and love. What starts as a flirtatious rivalry between computer-savvy Arthur and techno-averse Van Helsing becomes much more, and Mina and Lucy’s relationship is tested in the fires of social media.

As they get down to the wire, the group discovers that nothing on their screens is as it seems—including their enemy.

A modern retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Mina Murray’s Journal

I can’t believe we finished a whole season of Shadowcast. Lucy and I have sure come pretty far from lurking in the occult book store on Magazine and trawling LiveJournal looking for everything on true crime we could find. Ha, take that, everyone who thought I was a total morbid creep! Well, okay, I am morbid but not a creep. Besides, what does it mean to be morbid except to be fascinated by the things that are kept hidden and are excised from “polite” conversation. The guarantee of death is the singular thing every human shares—how odd that it should be the thing we’re glared at for mentioning.

Things with Luce have been great lately. I think in some ways the podcast has given her a thing to focus all her excess energy on, and that focus has brought us closer together. There are still moments when I see my life as it would have been if I’d never confessed my feelings for her. It horrifies me to imagine that life. I’ll never let myself forget that I was scared and shaking with the threat of losing my best friend, but that if I hadn’t taken a risk, I would still be trapped in that purgatory of longing that made every moment I spent with Lucy a bittersweet agony.

I’ve been thinking of asking L if she’s ready to move in together yet. I’ve been wary of being the one to broach all new levels of our relationship, but knowing Lucy if I wait for her to do it then one day she’ll rush up and grab me and say we should move to a castle in the south of France or the mountains of Romania. Which…wouldn’t be the worst thing…

About the Authors:

Avon Gale

Avon Gale was once the mayor on Foursquare of Jazzercise and Lollicup, which should tell you all you need to know about her as a person. She likes road trips, rock concerts, drinking Kentucky bourbon, JRPGs and yelling at hockey. She’s a displaced southerner living in a liberal midwestern college town, and she never gets tired of people and their stories — either real or the ones she makes up in her head.

Avon is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary Agency.

Connect with Avon: Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Instagram | Website

Roan Parrish

Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia, where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.

When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.

Connect with Roan: Parrish or Perish FB Group | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub | Newsletter

Enter the giveaway: win 1 of 3 e-copies of any back catalog book by Avon Gale or Roan Parrish!

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A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Surviving the Apocalypse by Tinnean

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Lyncoln has had a night job working maintenance at Laurel Hill Mall for the past ten years. The James family owns the mall and Adam James, IV, is in charge of renovation. After a disaster, they are staying in the fallout shelter in the basement of the mall theater. I have liked this author’s work before and the plot sounded post apocalyptic so I was very excited. Who knew, maybe there would be zombies? Aliens?! Sadly, this is not that.

This still could have been a great deal of fun. This short story is a full of tropes: blue collar/wealthy, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, and emergency situations. Pretty quickly I thought I had the plot device sussed, but when it went into dual POV, I thought I must be wrong. I shrugged and thought now that we have our two MCs on lockdown together, there would be sexy times. There was a hint of that, but most of the sex took place off page. So, what was the point? I’m not sure.

I don’t want to spoil the plot twist for anyone so this is hard to critique. I will say this is a plot twist that I feel is overused. I will also say the epilogue then takes it to the next level of fantasy. Even if this was meant to have been a fantasy fulfillment short story that would have been fine, but I still would have wanted more than what was here, not in length, but in substance.

The cover design is by Written Ink Designs and shows a great photo of urban decay, which fits the subject of this type of story.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC | Amazon
Book Details:
Kindle Edition
Published August 25th 2018 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07G71N362

A Lucy Review: From the Ashes by C.M. Valencourt

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Sometimes stories with a dead character seem manipulative, that it is used to twist your emotions and I hate that so I really went back and forth about offering to review this book.  Now that I’ve experienced it, I’m not sure I will be able to do to justice to how I felt about it.  Two former best friends, Hunter and Derek, who were torn apart by one simple kiss have now had to reunite at their friend Justin’s funeral.  Justin has a request as his final wish.  Derek, Hunter, his girlfriend of three years, Paige, and his closest friend and fellow cancer patient, Jaimie, are to go on what should have been a group road trip and spread his ashes. Hunter especially is really not on board with this idea but he will do it for Justin.

The problem is four years before Derek reacted truly badly to the kiss with Hunter and destroyed the friendship of all three, with Justin the innocent victim.  He didn’t even tell Justin what had happened, just ghosted both him and Hunter.  For his part (because he is also not blameless when it comes to Justin), Hunter couldn’t handle the memories that Justin conjured about the three of them so he also left Justin behind.  Derek was the first person Hunter came out to and his terrible reaction really affected Hunter.  Justin tried for a while to keep them together but finally he backed off, even though these were his best friends.  He was a smart man and he sort of understood what happened but he missed his friends.

Justin has left specific instructions on where he wants the group to go to do this. He left them enough money to do it right and he took into account each person when he made this trip, even planning down to ice-breaker questions for the car.   Jaimie never knew the pre-cancer Justin; Derek and Hunter never knew the sick Justin; Paige knew both but not the way he was with Derek and Hunter.  They all have to fill in the blanks for each other as they follow the instructions in his letters.   Paige has possession of the letters “But we don’t know what we will be doing on the trip.  I didn’t peek inside the envelopes.

The trip is dictated by Justin through the letters he leaves to the group.  START HERE is the first and you start to get to know Justin.  “When I get better, we’ll all go on the trip together, because I’m pretty confident in my ability to make it pretty epic.  We’ll read this letter and take a shot every time I get too sappy.”  So much hope.  He’s chosen these four friends because they had the biggest impact on his life and he wants this trip to be fun. Because you know, the funeral was yesterday and “Of course, it was the funeral with the most tears the parlor has ever seen, and they needed wet floor signs and everything.”  Justin, even while struggling is funny. So off to Cedar Point they go, to throw ashes off the Millennium Force as their first stop. 

Derek, “treating anything even slightly homoerotic like it was an airborne pathogen” sometimes really annoyed me.  I had a hard time liking him at times because of it. The awkwardness between Derek and Hunter as they are jammed in the back seat together is painful.  Justin had asked that Derek, a film director student, document the trip via camera and so at least he has something to distract himself from thinking about the pain he caused. Hunter, surprisingly, forgives him pretty easily for the four years of ghosting and they do what Justin wanted, falling back into friendship.  In Chicago they hit up Boystown to eat at the Chicago Diner and as a vegan Chicagoan, this was a great scene for me.  I love that place! I was so there with Jaimie (the veg) “I’m never settling for a sh**ty side salad or some soggy fries ever again.”   There is a time the trip focuses on Paige and Justin’s final gift to her and I just wanted to hug her for the loss of her first love who loved her so much. They share memories of Justin, get to know each other and experience life for Justin as they drive to the places he wanted them to see.

The road trip is bittersweet and the letters from Justin to each one of them priceless.  I loved Paige and Jaimie and Hunter.  Luckily, I ended up liking Derek, though it took a while.  Hunter, who is going to be a social worker and help people.  Paige, who lost her love and still sees good in life.  Jaimie, who didn’t expect to survive cancer and even get to have a life.  And Derek, who for really the first time is facing something hard.  They all loved the same friend, who wanted them to be friends.   Hunter’s sister, Julia, is another great character.  Their policy of asking if the other just needs to vent or really wants advice was awesome. 

There are so many times that you see the extent of Derek.  He doesn’t like beer yet drinks it because “I feel like I belong if I have a beer.”  He is so clueless sometimes as to how he hurts people, especially Hunter. He’s living with the guilt that he didn’t reach out to Justin or even respond when Justin kept trying.  He wanted to tell them he was sick.  “And it’s my fault he didn’t.’  Derek folded the letter slowly.”  The letter that talks about that had me bawling for this young man with the big heart. “Stuff got really bad yesterday…I almost finally did it.  But then I couldn’t and it had time to settle, and I don’t think I have the courage anymore.  I love you guys, but I don’t think I could bear it if you changed your numbers, or didn’t remember my voice, or worst case scenario, I told you what was going on and it didn’t change things.” 

The friendship between Derek and Hunter returns, with some added bonuses, but Derek is just not able to be honest and as you get to understand his parents, things become clearer.  His shame in the shower was so sad but then his plan for staying with Hunter made me want to slap him. “He was desperate, desperate to put Hunter second…”  Seriously, he doesn’t get it.  But you want him to figure it out.

I was thinking maybe 4 stars for this book but Justin, who has died before the book starts, is worth five stars.   What to even say about this caring, funny, loving man who tried so hard to mend the friendship of Derek and Hunter and even when he couldn’t, forgave them and still loved them. The young man who wrote his own obituary? “Sorry, mom.”   Justin was so positive, so in love with life, adventurous and happy.  “He insisted we go to a club two weeks before he passed.  I had to hold him up, but he wanted to dance.”  He was just heartbreaking and I cried so hard for the loss of him. “Living like nothing hurt and everything was possible.”  If I’m being honest, I cried through the writing of this review as well. 

This is the first book by C.M. Valencourt and they blew me away. The book is sad, yes, but it’s hopeful as well.  I want them all to find happiness and keep the memory of an adventurous young man alive in the way they live their lives.  “Little do they know, I have a fantastic attitude.  I’ve never been discouraged in my whole life.” 

Cover art lovely and perfect.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 196 pages
Expected publication: October 9th 2018
ASINB07HMC46W7

Cover Reveal for Buckle Up, G-Force and Jump Start (Collection Commitment Collection Box Set )by Karen Botha

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: Buckle Up, G-Force and Jump Start Collection

Author: Karen Botha

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Jarmilla Takac

Genre/s: Contemporary gay romance

Release Date: October 18, 2018

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Blurb

On the road of life, passion is what drives us, but love makes us stay the course.

Elliott Judd is a superstar race car driver and hotter than hell. Men and women fall at his feet and he enjoys the easy pickings.

Kyle Beaumont, a straight mechanic with a body to die for, joins the racing team of his dreams with his mind fixed on the job.

But as the racing seasons come and go, these men realize they might be racing to the same trophy, each other. With their physical and emotional exploits driven to new depths. they face devastating disruptions when the past crashes into them. Are their feelings for each other enough to keep them on the right track?

Find how passion and lust turn to love, and whether these driven men focus on happiness in the journey or the destination in this hot, sexy three-book series.

Download your copy of Commitment Collection 1 – 3 now.

Buckle-Up #1

Passion, lust and desire are the fuel that drives us. So, buckle up for the ride of your life.

Elliott Judd is a superstar race car driver and hotter than hell. Men and women fall at his feet and he enjoys the easy pickings. No one has tamed this wild stallion, but is he ready to settle down for the right person?

Kyle Beaumont, a straight mechanic with a body to die for joins the racing team of his dreams, and with his mind fixed on the job, he doesn’t realise that he is Elliott’s next trophy of choice.

As the racing season and the fight to be the world number one starts, so too does Elliott’s game of seduction.

Will Elliott crash and burn, or will Kyle succumb to this gorgeous man’s onslaught?

Buckle Up is the first book in a gay romance series by Karen Botha and a story of unlikely love.

G-Force #2

Love breeds intensity.
Intensity breeds passion.

Recovered from a life-threatening accident, Kyle Beaumont is a powerhouse who is eager to show Elliott Judd just how far he can push his hotter than ever physique. Their physical and emotional exploits are driven to a depth neither has ever experienced with anyone else.

As a racing driver superstar, Elliott loves handling power, and he’s geared up for taking everything Kyle throws his way. In fact, he craves it. But, when the past smashes into their lives, is the couple prepared to handle possibly devastating disruptions?

Set in a world of fast cars, intense love, and a burning desire to win at all costs, this is a love story brimming with unbridled lust. Join Elliott and Kyle as they race their demons to the finish line in hopes of taking home the ultimate prize-their undying love.

Jump Start #3

Falling in love is easy.
Making it work, well, that’s where the fun begins.

Falling in love with Kyle Beaumont helped Elliott Judd find a romantic piece of himself he didn’t know existed. The two men take the next step in their relationship when Kyle moves into Elliott’s place, but despite the passion he feels for his talented mechanic and lover, the scorching hot race car driver suddenly feels out of place in his own home.

Kyle adores Elliott, and thinks of him as the love of his life he didn’t see coming. But calling a mansion home and fitting into Elliott’s space is more of a culture shock than he’d anticipated.Join Kyle and Elliott as they adjust to sharing their lives with one another, both in and out of the spotlight. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll wonder if these two will ever get it right.

Excerpt

His forehead is almost touching mine, our mouths millimeters from meeting. I want to pull away before I lose myself, but whatever my mind is saying my body is doing its own thing. My breath is fast and light, my head swimming with unspoken possibilities.

And yet I’m still unprepared. When his mouth covers my lips, it’s firm, not an innocent tease, but with his lips tight and unwavering, demanding my response. He’s shaved, but still his chin bristles against mine. And he’s taller than a woman. I don’t have to stoop, and his hair, although long for a man, doesn’t tangle in my mouth.

He presses his tongue into the seam of my lips and as they meet, an almighty crescendo cascades down from my head as the pent up tension of the last twenty-four hours releases into the pit of my stomach. It somersaults, my emotions bouncing, my breath catching, mingling with his.

My senses tingle and I don’t even realize I’ve placed my hands on his hips. His muscles ripple as he presses deeper against my body, matching my form on every level. Drunk with desire, my only need is to touch his taut muscles under the formality of his uniform so my hands creep around his back, pulling him into me. The pressure of his heart beats into my own chest. God, he’s rock solid. Everywhere.

About the Author

Karen Botha  was born in Lincolnshire England where her father was in the royal air force. As a young girl she always had a passion for reading and writing. Working most of her adult life in digital marketing didn’t leave her much time to pursue her passion for stories. at the age of 36 She retrained for a reflexologist and started working for herself. This helped her free up more than enough time to enjoy a  re-found  passion  for writing.

Her first novel was inspired by true life experiences and tales from clients. But don’t believe everything you read.

She enjoys traveling rugby and motor sport, this gives her inspiration and ideas for her books.

The first in the new LGBT series is a mm romance novel about a racing car driver and his mechanic.

She currently lives in London with her husband and rescue dog called Shadow.

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A Stella Review: The Thousand Smiles of Nicholas Goring (Butterfly Hunter #3) by Julie Bozza

RATING 4,5 out of 5 stars

Dave and Nicholas, married for seven years now, are happily settled together – but as an Australian prime minister once observed, “Life wasn’t meant to be easy.” An unexpected threat to their beloved waterhole forces Dave to try asserting his unofficial custodianship of the Dreamtime site, and a visit from Nicholas’s nephew Robin doesn’t help as he brings his own surprises. And there’s always the question of Nicholas’s health hanging over their heads …

I have to say I’m very sorry to see the end of the Butterfly Hunter series, I can ‘t have enough of these characters. I would like to read a whole book/series about Robin, or another one on Simon, or Charlie, I would even read a het novel about Denise and Vittorio love. Not just them, all the persons I met during the amazing adventure reading this series was, caught my interest, they made me curious to know so much more and honestly I think it’s something it happened to me very few times.

The Thousand Smiles of Nicholas Goring (I love the title) was perfect conclusion for a series that truly filled my heart with so much love and hope, I was smiling thousand smiles too. In this last installment things became a little complicated for my beloved couple, starting with the arrival in Australia of Nicholas’s nephew, Robin, then the aneurysm that hit Nicholas  and ending with the desperate try at saving the waterhole and the new butterflies. With all these occurrences, the book is fast paced, filled with secondary characters to discover and love. I shared with them so many laughs and a couple of tears when Nicholas was fighting for his life. What more pulls at my heart was the magic I felt through all the book (and series), the deep love that runs deep for the husband, for ex lovers, for the family and friends, and deeper for the land. The huge respect for their region moved me, especially considering how we are treating  and destroying the Earth right now.

Julie Bozza has confirmed to be one of my favorite authors, her writing so poetical, lyrical and mystical is unforgettable, I can’t wait for her to release new stories.

The cover art by Gayna Murphy of Mubu Design is lovely, I like the colours and the style a lot.

SALE LINKS   Amazon |   https://books2read.com/u/3J8gJE

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, second

Published September 15th 2018 by LIBRAtiger (first published November 1st 2014)

ISBN 1925869024 (ISBN13: 9781925869026)

Edition Language English

Butterfly Hunter series #3