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An Alisa Review: Broken Bastard (Broken #1) by A.L. Simpson

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

Present Day

 

My name is Tyler Maxwell Alexander. I’m twenty-eight years old. A few months ago, I had it all. An executive job in a prestigious investment firm owned by my father. Ha! Yeah, right – father. I’ll explain about that later. I lived in a waterfront apartment overlooking the harbor and drove a Mercedes convertible.

 

Then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone. All of it. Everything, except the clothes on my back. I was broken. A bastard. Did I mention, I’m gay? No? Oh well, I have now.

 

This is the story of how my fairytale life turned to shit in the blink of an eye…..

 

This was a story that kept my attention and there was always something going on.  Tyler finds out that he isn’t really his father’s son and to top it all off he is accused of stealing from his family and is sent to jail.  There he meets Bailey who is to help him transition to prison life, but becomes much more quickly.

 

Both of these characters are sweet maybe just a bit to perfect for my tastes.  Tyler goes through so much in a short amount of time, but comes out of it just as quickly if I followed the timeline correctly.  Bailey meets Tyler at the very end of his sentence and has to leave him behind.  I had trouble connecting with the characters even though I could feel their pain and worry everything just seemed to come together to easy once the hard stuff was mostly done.  While I have some issues with it I still greatly enjoyed the story and even look forward to the second story in the series and I don’t often read stories with female MCs.  I do however want to point out there were quite a few editing errors (jelly instead of jello and a lot of missing quotations).

 

The cover art is nice and catches your eye.

 

Sales Link: Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 176 pages

Published: February 26, 2017 by A.L. Simpson

Edition Language: English

Series: Broken #1

Book Blitz: Broken Bastard by A.L. Simpson (excerpt and giveaway)

Broken Bastard by A.L. Simpson (Blitz Banner)

Title: Broken Bastard

Series: Broken Series, Book 1

Author: A.L. Simpson

Publisher: A.L. Simpson

Cover Artist: A.L. Simpson

Release Date: February 26, 2017

Romance Genre(s): Contemporary, M/M

Pages: 176

View on Goodreads

About the Book

Blurb

BrokenBastard

Present Day

My name is Tyler Maxwell Alexander. I’m twenty-eight years old. A few months ago, I had it all. An executive job in a prestigious investment firm owned by my father. Ha! Yeah, right – father. I’ll explain about that later. I lived in a waterfront apartment overlooking the harbor and drove a Mercedes convertible.

Then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone. All of it. Everything, except the clothes on my back. I was broken. A bastard. Did I mention, I’m gay? No? Oh well, I have now.

This is the story of how my fairytale life turned to shit in the blink of an eye…..

Excerpt

Joshua Alexander barges into my office, no polite knock at the door, no excuse me, how’s your day? He glares at the files strewn on my desk before training his angry gaze onto me. “Pope file, now.”

I rummage through the pile, locate the Pope investment file, and thrust it in my father’s direction. He snatches it from me and turns to leave.

“They won’t stay. We can’t offer them the return the Phillips can. He said he would leave half with me but that’s it.”

Dad swings around and pins me with narrowed eyes. “Thinking like that will get you fucking nowhere in this business. Half is not good enough. Samuel won’t take no for an answer, he’ll demand they keep it all with us.” He storms from my office and I can’t resist giving him the bird behind his back. Yeah, real mature I know.

Samuel is my brother, three years younger than my twenty-six years and mom and dad’s golden child. Literally. While I have hair as black as coal and pale gray eyes, my brother is surfie blonde with clear ice blue eyes. The image of my father. I’m tall at six feet seven inches, he is average at five feet eleven inches. My body is hard with washboard abs I work hard to keep. Samuels is soft with a little too much fat around the middle. In looks we are poles apart. In temperament, we are planets apart.

I’m easy going, slow to anger. A loner and a little on the shy side. Samuel is a mean motherfucker like our dad and has a deadly short fuse. Fuck, his temper could blow you into outer space. Brothers we might be, friends, we are not. Hell, we don’t even like each other, can’t even stand to be in the same room together most of the time.

We all work downtown at Alexander’s Investment Corporation. It was my grandfather’s business, handed down to my father. One day, being the eldest son, it will be mine.

When I finally take control, if there is a business left to take control of, changes will be made. We miss out on, and are losing, accounts because of dad’s and Samuel’s greed. Our commission is one of the highest in the city. As I said – greed. The only thing keeping most accounts with us, and the business afloat, is loyalty to my father. God only knows why! We also have a high success rate in recommendations. Or should I say, I have a high success rate. Not to blow my own trumpet but, Dad and Samuel are shit when it comes to selecting successful investments. They don’t study the market and make snap decisions which usually backfire. Big time.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA

About A.L. Simpson

Author Bio

I’m an Australian and live in Queensland. I have always loved to write and have a vivid and overactive imagination. In my spare time, when I’m not writing, I love to walk, read and shop.

I believe no mountain is too hard to climb, no river is too wide to span and no journey is too difficult to complete. I follow my dreams and I urge and encourage others to do the same. With a positive attitude, the impossible can become possible.

Connect with A.L.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Giveaway

Three lucky winners will receive an e-copy of Broken Bastard, the latest contemporary m/m romance by A.L. Simpson. To be in with a chance, simply enter via the Rafflecopter below. The contest closes at midnight EST on April 15 and is open to entrants worldwide.

Good luck!

Enter here.

Tour Stops

April 2

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April 3

Behind Closed Doors
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Stories that Make You Smile
Books All Things Paranormal and Romance

April 4

My Fiction Nook
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April 5

The Bookworm Lodge
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents
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April 6

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A MelanieM Release Day Review: Micah Johnson Goes West (Get Out #2) by Sean Kennedy

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Sequel to The Ongoing Reformation of Micah Johnson

On the outside, Micah Johnson seems to have everything. He is proving his worth on the field during his rookie year with his new professional football team, the Fremantle Dockers, but his personal life is a mess. Homesick, three thousand kilometres away from his family and friends on the other side of Australia, Micah isn’t coping. He’s using casual sex, alcohol, and drugs as crutches since he doesn’t feel comfortable approaching his foster family with his problems, and he’s left with nowhere to turn. It isn’t until he experiences a health scare and a friend is rocked by a personal tragedy that Micah realises he does have the strength to succeed at a new life in the West—but he has to learn to ask for help.

Sean Kennedy is a must go author for me.  He become one on the strength of his wonderful series Tigers and Devils. Its from that series that the complicated and sometimes self-destructive Micah Johnson sprang.  He was a compelling character in Tigers on the Run (Tigers and Devils #3) so it was amazing (and overjoyed Kennedy’s readers when he brought him back in the Get Out series.

What can I say?  Use every cliche you want but this series and character just keep getting better and better!  Micah Johnson’s propensity for trouble begins early in Tigers and Devils and stays with him all through the first two stories in Get Out.  But these things that steer him towards a predilection for self-destructive habits are ones I think  most people will recognize.  The ability to believe you can handle things yourself…until they blow up, closing yourself off from people who want to help you until its too late…and you’re a teenager to boot.   When he finally realizes he needs help?  Well, you are almost weeping for joy for him and those that love and support him.  Those are just the first couple of books you meet him in.

Then comes Micah Johnson Goes West (Get Out #2).  Micah’s world gets upended…again.  In a totally believable way.  The football draft!  And Micah gets all his worst fears and the best thing to ever happen to him all in one.

Sean Kennedy’s writing is just amazing.  I get lost in Micah’s story immediately.  Lost in his turmoil of emotions and the whirlwind of feelings whipping all around him.  Plus the author never loses sight of what’s happening to Micah’s all important support…his family, friends, and mentors, which include Dec and Simon from Tigers and Devils (yes, a wonderful series overflow occurs).

We also travel from Melbourne to Perth, a shock to the  system as well, in location and perhaps even in mentality.  Smaller, hot, isolated, the relocation to Perth is a shock to Micah’s system in every sense of the word.  Kennedy, however, supplied Micah with an incredible host family and mentor, a troubled younger brother Dane  to the host football player (an important part of this story) and a greater secondary cast to draw on for the next stories. The Mitchell household (Micah’s football foster family as it were) provides a wealth of storylines and  emotional support for everyone here.  Trust you, you will end up falling deeply in love with them as well. And don’t get me started on the Dockers organization and team! Loved them!

See?  One thing just leads to one more element but Kennedy ties them all together so perfectly, so naturally that the relationships, the work that it takes, the missed steps and yes, the forgiveness…well, it all seems right and very real.  And it made me want to get a jersey with Micah Johnson’s name and number on it!

Can you read it as a standalone?  I suppose so.  But read as part of this series and as even part of Tigers and Devils, you put the characters and their situations in context.  Its then becomes this incredible rich tapestry of lives, sports and cities that stays seated deep within your heart and continues to grow in scope with each story the author writes.  I need more of this series and as soon as possible.  So I hope Sean Kennedy is listening.

Oh and yes, I highly recommend this book, the previous book and Tigers and Devils.  So yes to the author too!

Cover art by Catt Ford is simple enough for Micah, the character. Would have loved some element of the Dockers there.

Sales Links  Harmony Ink Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 186 pages
Published April 4th 2017 by Harmony Ink Press
ISBN 1635333644 (ISBN13: 9781635333640)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series Get Out 

  • The Ongoing Reformation of Micah Johnson (Get Out #1)
  • Micah Johnson Goes West (Get Out, #2)

RIPTIDE TOUR and Giveaway: Home Fires (Common Law #4) by Kate Sherwood

Home Fires (Common Law #4)
by Kate Sherwood
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by Natasha Snow

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here at Riptide Publishing

About Home Fires

Trouble comes to Mosely, Montana, from the outside world. When the residents of Mosely are left on their own, they can make things work. Sure, there’s always been a militia operating up in the hills, but they were small-scale—just survivalists doing their thing—until organizers came in from out of state. Now Jericho Crewe and the rest of the sheriff’s department are facing down a heavily armed band of fanatics, and the feds are busy elsewhere.

The odds are hopeless, but Jericho swore an oath to serve and protect the citizens of Mosely. He won’t walk away from that, even if Wade Granger’s begging him to run away somewhere and finally be together the way they always should have been.

But this time, it’s Jericho who refuses to leave Mosely, even if staying kills him.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. 

About the Common Law series

Jericho Crewe escaped from Mosely, Montana, when he was seventeen and built a new life for himself, first as a Marine, then as an LA police officer. Fifteen years later, he’s back, and everything is just as confusing as it was before he left.

Especially Wade Granger. Wade’s still a rebel, still a criminal, and still dangerously fascinating. As Jericho digs deeper into the town’s underbelly, he has to decide whether Wade’s the worst the town has to offer, or the only part of Mosely worth saving.

Get all four books from Riptide Publishing! Common Law series

About Kate Sherwood

Kate Sherwood started writing about the same time she got back on a horse after almost twenty years away from riding. She’d like to think she was too young for it to be a midlife crisis, but apparently she was ready for some changes!

Kate grew up near Toronto, Ontario (Canada) and went to school in Montreal, then Vancouver. But for the last decade or so she’s been a country girl. Sure, she misses some of the conveniences of the city, but living close to nature makes up for those lacks. She’s living in Ontario’s “cottage country”–other people save up their time and come to spend their vacations in her neighborhood, but she gets to live there all year round!

Since her first book was published in 2010, she’s kept herself busy with novels, novellas, and short stories in almost all the sub-genres of m/m romance. Contemporary, suspense, scifi or fantasy–the settings are just the backdrop for her characters to answer the important questions. How much can they share, and what do they need to keep? Can they bring themselves to trust someone, after being disappointed so many times? Are they brave enough to take a chance on love?

Kate’s books balance drama with humor, angst with optimism. They feature strong, damaged men who fight themselves harder than they fight anyone else. And, wherever possible, there are animals: horses, dogs, cats ferrets, squirrels… sometimes it’s easier to bond with a non-human, and most of Kate’s men need all the help they can get.

After five years of writing, Kate is still learning, still stretching herself, and still enjoying what she does. She’s looking forward to sharing a lot more stories in the future.

Twitter: @kate_sherwood 

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of all four books in the Common Law series, we’re giving away one four-tour-wide GRAND PRIZE of $100 in Riptide credit! Enter at each stop on each tour (once they go live) to maximize your chances to win! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 8, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the Home Fires tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Release Blitz for Who I am When I’m with You by Tamryn Eradani (excerpt and giveaway)

Title:  Who I Am When I’m With You

Series: Daniel & Ryan, Book 3

Author: Tamryn Eradani

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: April 3

Heat Level: 5 – Erotica

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 13300

Genre: Erotica, BDSM, Businessmen, Friends to Lovers, gay, LGBT

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Daniel and Ryan have fallen into a routine, carefully keeping work and play separate. In the office, they’re co-workers, people who sometimes meet in the break room, but in the bedroom they’re different. Daniel likes being someone different. He likes being Ryan’s Daniel for a little bit every night.

Excerpt

Who I Am When I’m With You
Tamryn Eradani © 2017
All Rights Reserved

“Hey,” Ryan says, easily sidestepping Daniel. He doesn’t even spill his coffee. The full mug must be why he’s out of his office, and Daniel gets caught staring at it. He wishes a desire for caffeine was the only thing that could pull him from his office.

He adjusts his tie, loosening it just so he can tighten it again, and it’s when he looks back up that he sees Ryan’s lips moving. “Sorry,” Daniel says. “Can you say that again?”

Ryan puts a hand to the small of Daniel’s back and ushers him toward the break room. “I said you looked like you needed a cup of coffee.”

“I need a lot more than that,” Daniel says but he lets himself be led into the break room anyway.

He doesn’t, however, let Ryan pour him a cup of coffee. He settles for a mug of extra-hot water. He’s got a personal stash of tea in his office—non-caffeinated and much better quality than any of the beverages in this room.

Ryan eyes the mug of hot water with a critical eye. “That’s less than coffee.”

“I’ve got tea in my office.”

“Of course,” Ryan says. He leans against the counter, like he’s planning on staying here a while. “You want to talk about what’s going on?”

“Nothing major,” Daniel says. “Just got called down to HR to frighten some of the juniors.”

“Margot wasn’t up to doing it herself?” Ryan asks. “She was pretty terrifying the one time I met her, and I was just doing entry paperwork.”

Daniel shrugs. His watch tells him he now has twelve minutes before his next call. It should be enough time to make some tea and even get to drink some of it. “I’ve got to go. We still on for tonight?”

He fights the urge to look around, to make sure they’re alone in the break room even as he chastises himself for bringing up their…arrangement at work. He’s the one that wanted to keep their work selves and kink selves separate. Even though they’ve started to blur those lines—talking about their days, texting each other outside of a scene—he’s not sure he’s ready for a complete melding.

Of course, he might be overthinking again. He has a tendency to do that.

“I am,” Ryan says. “Want me to swing by at the end of the day? See where you’re at?”

Daniel’s watch tells him he has under ten minutes now. “Okay,” he says, because he can’t stay and talk about this. He shouldn’t have even brought it up. He needs to be focused. He needs—

“Go,” Ryan says. “Whatever you keep checking your watch for, you’re going to be great. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Thank you,” Daniel says. “Got a client call.” He picks up his cup of hot water. “If my door is closed—”

“Don’t come in,” Ryan says with a smile. “I know.”

“Actually, I was going to say you can,” Daniel says, and it’s his turn to smile, because Ryan looks shocked. “If I’m on the phone, obviously don’t start making a lot of noise, but you can come in.”

“Alright,” Ryan says. “And if Tracy comes after me?”

Daniel grins. “I’m sure you can hold your own. She’s not so tough. Unless she’s just got her nails done. Then watch out. She basically gets herself claws.”

He walks out, treasuring the frozen expression on Ryan’s face.

Purchase

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

Meet the Author

Tamryn studied English and Creative Writing in school but has been writing since she could first hold a pencil. Recently, she’s turned her focus towards writing erotica. She enjoys writing stories where sex comes first, then feelings, because doing things out of order can be fun.

Tamryn has spent the past few months writing the Daniel and Ryan series with a lovely view of mountains out her window, and she’s now searching for a new mountain range to serve as her backdrop as she begins her next project.

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Release Blitz and Giveaway: An Unexpected Shot by Caitlin Ricci and A.J. Marcus

Title:  An Unexpected Shot

Author: Caitlin Ricci, A.J. Marcus

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: April 3

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 14700

Genre: Romance, LGBT, gay, bisexual, law enforcement

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Darius has just retired as a police officer and opened his PI business. He expects to help people and continue the exciting life he had while on the force, but most of his cases center around cheating spouses. That is until a young boy comes into his office one afternoon.

Parker insists that his parents are missing, and not believing him, Darius calls the people on the boy’s phone to find one who is willing to pick him up. Rick, a family friend, comes to get him. As a thank you for watching over Parker, Rick invites Darius to his house for dinner. Their connection is instant, but their romantic night together becomes complicated when men break into Rick’s house and start shooting.

Excerpt

An Unexpected Shot
Caitlin Ricci and A.J. Marcus © 2017
All Rights Reserved

I adjusted the sign on my glass office door one more time before stepping through and into the small space. Darius Ware, Private Investigator. That was me. At fifty-two, and a recently retired cop, I had been too bored sitting at home watching the Food Network not to go back to work. Don’t get me wrong, I loved to cook,  when I had the time, but I also loved to work. And retirement had hurt in a way I hadn’t expected.

I’d never been good with downtime. Even the thought of it made my skin crawl with the need to do something. On the force, I’d been the one taking point and tackling suspects. I’d probably drawn more fire than anyone else in the department. I’d also taken down more people than anyone else. A desk job wasn’t for me, and so sitting at home on my couch had been akin to torture. I wanted to be busy and active. There was no one that I was close  to, no one that I could pass the days away with. I had thought about traveling some after I’d retired, but with no one willing to go with me, I hadn’t wanted to travel alone. I wanted to see places and experience things, but not by myself.

In an effort to save my sanity, I’d gone out and found a small office space in an upscale complex off the financial district. A lawyer occupied the office to one side of me and an accountant to the other. They were quiet men about my age. I’d thought maybe drinks with the guys would be in order at some point, but they’d both snubbed me. I was pretty sure it had to do with the fact I was a PI, and therefore in their eyes, likely below them. It didn’t bother me too much; neither one of them was really the sort of guy I was into, and I had better things  to do than just hang out with them.

The thing I loved was being back on the job…in a fashion. It may have been a far cry from my old life as a cop but it was enjoyable. I made my own hours. My desk wasn’t covered in manila envelopes from cases I was looking into, and my coffee machine actually worked. I’d even splurged on one of those ones that made single cups of coffee in a ton of different flavors with the little packs. Until I had clients, I figured I’d enjoy the bit of indulgence. I was ready for anything and looking forward to it, too.

*****

Two months into being a PI, my view of the job had changed dramatically. I’d anticipated looking for missing children. Instead I was investigating cheating spouses, and the news was never good. The money was decent, but I hated charging those crying, raging people money after they’d just found out the person they loved was screwing their neighbor, best friend, or ex. Most often, it was the best friend. I’d grown really distrustful of people after seeing what they were willing to do to the people they were supposed to care about. I’d seen some of that as a cop, but now that I was dealing with it up close and personal, it was harder to ignore.

So when a  boy, who couldn’t have been older than twelve, came right into my office and sat himself down in the chair across from my desk, I was intrigued.

“You lost?” I asked. That was the only explanation of why a kid would be in my office.

He shook his head, and his bright-red hair went flying. “Parker Emmanuel Williamson.” He held out his hand for me to shake it, which I did. “I need you to find my parents for me.”

He had my interest, but I also didn’t work for kids. I wanted that one glamorous case where I found a missing kid and got back into the hero spotlight I missed so much since I retired, but actually getting hired by someone Parker’s age wasn’t something I was interested in.

“Y our family know you’re out of school?” It was noon on a Thursday the week before Halloween. This kid should have been in school.

He shrugged. “I left. Can you find my parents or not? You’re a private investigator, aren’t you?”

I probably could find them, or at least try to, if I was willing to work for this kid. Which I wasn’t. All kids being a no-go aside, this one seemed worse than most. He had a cocky attitude that turned me off. “How old are you anyway?” I asked. He didn’t look much over eight.

“Twelve.”

That surprised me. “You’re small for your age.”

He rolled his eyes. Maybe he was used to hearing that.

“Take out your phone,” I told him. “And unlock it too.”

The kid actually did as he was told and placed it into my outstretched hand. “Are you going to look for clues on it?”

“No. I’m going to call someone to come pick you up.”

Purchase

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

Meet the Authors

Caitlin Ricci

Caitlin was fortunate growing up to be surrounded by family and teachers that encouraged her love of reading. She has always been a voracious reader, and that love of the written word easily morphed into a passion for writing. She comes from a military family, and the men and women of the armed forces are close to her heart. She also enjoys gardening and horseback riding in the Colorado Rockies where she calls home with her wonderful husband and their two dogs. Her belief that there is no one true path to happily ever after runs deeply through all of her stories.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

A.J. Marcus

A.J. has been writing to pass the time since high school. The stories he wrote helped him deal with life. A few years ago, he started sharing those stories with friends who enjoyed them and he has started sending his works out into the world to share with other people. He lives in the mountains with his extremely supportive husband. They have a lot of critters, including dogs, cats, birds, horses, and rabbits. When not writing, A.J. spends a lot of time hiking, trail riding, or just driving in the mountains. Nature provides a lot of inspiration for his work and keeps him writing. He is also an avid photographer and falconer. Don’t get him started talking about his birds, because he won’t stop for a while.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Release Blitz for Lillian Francis’ Renaissance (excerpt and giveaway)

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2osfjWz

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2nNiuWc

Village Love Series
Resonance (Village Love) – Currently FREE! Smashwords | Payhip
Resistance (Village Love #1) – On Sale for 99c/99p Amazon US | Amazon UK | Payhip

Cover: Garrett Leigh

Length: 72,000 words

Blurb

Smudge really needs to get laid, if only to stop himself wondering about the softness of Raleigh’s curls and why he keeps running away.

After his tumultuous teenage years, Smudge has settled into his quiet life in the sleepy English village of Slopy Bottom. He’s his own boss with the time and space to indulge his artistic creativity. And he has friends. He’s happy. Satisfied. Lonely. And the pool of potential soulmates is almost non-existent. His friends, Rick and Mal, flush with their own happy romance, keep trying to set him up with the most incompatible men, and he’s never finding true love on Grindr. Hell, he’s not even going to manage a hook up based on the kinky messages he’s been getting recently. He’ll just have to slake his desire to find his own HEA in the pages of bosom-heaving romance novels.

Raleigh is the darling of Slopy Bottom’s blue rinse brigade: church organist, mobile librarian, and apparently wedded to his trademark cardigans. He seems to be the polar opposite of the artistic Smudge, whose brightly coloured mohawk and piercings should be a red flag to Raleigh. Yet he’s yearning for company too. It’s just that Raleigh has less expectation and definitely less courage to chase after it, for reasons that he keeps very close to his chest. Reasons that don’t stop him from being drawn irresistibly to Smudge.

Smudge is sure that the way Raleigh runs from him whenever he sees him is cruelly deliberate. A reflection on his bad boy looks and his disdain for Raleigh’s precious church. So why can’t he stop thinking about the softness of Raleigh’s curls and his delicate body? Then Raleigh offers an olive branch of sugar and caffeine, Smudge’s favourite combination, starting them on a road to an awkward truce. And when they are conned into working together on a community project at the local hospital, the proximity ignites a spark that can’t be ignored. But navigating the murky waters that could take their relationship beyond tentative friendship all depends on whether Raleigh can release his secret fears – and whether Smudge is the man to share and allay them.

 



April 6 – Books Laid Bare Boys, Love Bytes, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
April 8 – Dog-Eared Daydreams
April 12 – Hearts on Fire Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Sarandipity, Nerdy Dirty & Flirty, MM Good Book Reviews

Excerpt

“No, no, no! Don’t you dare. Not again.” Smudge tightened his grip on the books in his hand and hastened his pace.

Surely, he wouldn’t? But Smudge knew the exact moment Raleigh clocked him. The way his head shifted between all points of his escape. To Smudge. The door of the mobile library bus. The pull-down steps, currently occupied by Mrs Danridge, one of the frailer members of the Slopy Bottom community. She was Smudge’s only hope that he would make it to the village green car park where the bus was parked.

With the length of the main road of Slopy Bottom stretching before him like a scene out of Alice in Wonderland or the Wizard of Oz, Smudge broke into a jog. The plastic covers of the library books slipped in his sweaty clutches and he slowed to tighten his grasp. He should have put the bloody things in a bag. The last thing he wanted was his choice of reading matter to be scattered across the tarmac of Bridge Street.

Satisfied he wasn’t going to lose his latest round of catnip reads, he raised his gaze and refocused on his target. Mrs Danridge had reached the bottom of the stairs—with a helping hand from Raleigh no doubt.

Talk of the devil. That tousled-haired alleged angel of the village looked straight at Smudge, his gaze dropping to the hand that held the books Smudge needed to return, and then leapt back up the steps.

Smudge paused long enough to take a breath and shout, “Don’t you dare leave, Raleigh Fortier.” Then he put on a new burst of speed even as the steps disappeared from view.

The engine of the old bus roared to life and by the time he’d covered the last four hundred metres, the mobile library had disappeared in a shower of gravel leaving nothing but a cloud of dust.

“Don’t expect me to pay late charges on these,” Smudge shouted after the bus. “I should report your skinny arse. You four-eyed, curly-mopped, fuckwad.” He kicked a larger stone in the direction the bus had disappeared and watched it skitter across the now empty car park.

He turned toward the sound of disapproving tsking and shrugged apologetically at Mrs Danridge. “The library was supposed to be here for another hour.” He attempted to explain his irate behaviour to the pensioner. It sounded lame.

“I’m sure Raleigh had his reasons for closing early.”

Yeah, he hates me. And the feeling is more than mutual.

“He’s a good boy and a cherished and loved member of this village. I’m sure he’ll waive the charges if you explain.” She smiled, but it was tight lipped and nothing like the sunshine that she would have bestowed on Raleigh. Gauges, tats, and a purple faux hawk with green streaks would do that. Or maybe she believed the rumour that he was growing marijuana in the workshop behind his print shop. “And I don’t know who you think you plan to report him to. The mobile library is a local service and has always been run by the church. Certainly in my lifetime. I suppose you could speak to the vicar, but as Raleigh is his organist and you barely set foot in church…” She seemed to remember her Christian sentiments, but she still pursed her lips as though sucking on a lemon. “I can vouch you were here at the right time, I suppose.”

Don’t put yourself out, lady. Putting those feelings into words wouldn’t help his cause. Neither would reporting Raleigh, because, as she rightly pointed out, curly-headed organist versus multi-coloured faux-hawked atheist, the odds were stacked against him.

“I guess so.” It wasn’t just about the money, though. He’d hoped to pick up the next book in the series he’d been reading. He’d requested the book as soon as he knew the release date and it was a popular enough series that Raleigh couldn’t refuse to purchase the book for the library. Not that he’d ever turned down one of Smudge’s requests. Apparently if the people of Slopy Bottom and the surrounding villages wanted to read a book, Raleigh did his damndest to get it for them. “Thank you. I’m sure you’re right and Raleigh had his reasons.”

The words stuck in his throat but he could hardly protest that Raleigh was the spawn of the devil and that this wasn’t the first time he’d driven off and left Smudge standing in the street like a fool. Nobody would believe him. Not of Raleigh.

“I’m heading to the church to discuss the flower arrangements for Sunday’s service. I could take your books and leave them at the vicarage with a note, if you can’t get here at the weekend or on Tuesday,” Mrs Danridge offered, already working the zip open on her shopping trolley.

Tuesday. The day Raleigh did story time on the green with the preschoolers if the weather was nice. The long-range forecast predicted traditional August sunshine for the next fortnight and he’d probably be doing something with the older kids as well since the schools were breaking up this week for the summer.

“No. That’s fine. I’ll catch him Tuesday.” By the sodding neck if Raleigh tried to pull that stunt again. Except he couldn’t strangle the local librarian, not with an audience of under-fives hanging on Raleigh’s every word. “Thank you for the kind offer, though.”

Not that he’d take it up in a month of Sundays. Heaven forbid the village busybodies should get a look at his reading matter. The thought was barely formed when he felt plastic slip from his grip. He flailed for the escaping paperback, and ended up just juggling the remaining five in his hands, as the sixth landed on the ground with a thwack and a spray of dust. A swarthy Arab Prince, bare-chested and bronzed, manhandled a veiled maiden in a desert backdrop. Sins of the Seven Veils. Could have been worse. The latest in the Highland Wolfman series was still in his increasingly sweaty clutches. Well, not the latest; the latest was somewhere on that bloody bus. His cheeks burning, Smudge scooped up the book from the dirt and pivoted away from Mrs Danridge with mumbled words of farewell.

Coffee or back to the print shop? He’d told Pete, his apprentice, he’d be about an hour—he liked a leisurely flick through the titles. Even when he picked his six books, he stayed, studying the artwork on the lurid covers. The library soothed him—even with Raleigh’s presence—and he didn’t want Pete to think he’d hurried back because he didn’t trust the lad.

Across the road, the dual scents of caffeine and sweet baked goods emanated from Latte Nights and Earl E Mornings assaulting his senses and making his mouth water. Maybe Adam had made brownies.

Coffee it was then.

  
About the Series 

Renaissance is book 2 in my series, Village Love. Village Love is set in the fictional Sussex village of Slopy Bottom. I’ll let Rick (from Resistance) tell you how Slopy Bottom got its name.

“It’s one p, Slopy Bottom. The village has been there centuries. Local historians think it started life as Slope Bottom since the oldest houses are on the low slope at the bottom of a hill. The rest of the village spread out into the valley as the years went by but the name stuck. At one point the village was all but owned by a French lord, which could account for the mispronunciation, and it appears to have been Slopy Bottom ever since.”

Who’s this Rick you mention? I notice he’s in the blurb for book two, as well. 

Rick is the village gardener/handyman. His story of how he struggles to fit his sexuality and his London-born Pakistani boyfriend in to his life in his sleepy village home is told in Resistance (Village Love #1). Rick and Mal’s meet-cute is told in a short story, Resonance. As Resonance doesn’t take place in the village it has been assigned as Village Love 0.5.

Do I need to read the other books in the series to read this one? 

No. Each book deals with a separate couple. However, in such as small village people bump into each other all the time. So yes, characters will appear that the reader is introduced to in the previous books.

Will there be more books in the series?

Definitely. I’m gearing up to start work on Book 3, Trevor’s tale. I have very brief story lines, if they work out, for at least a Book 4, and maybe a Book 5. If you read a particular character that you like drop me a line and let me know, I’ve undoubtedly got a plan to pair him with someone!


About the Author

Lillian Francis is a self-confessed geek who likes nothing more than settling down with a comic or a good book, except maybe writing. Given a notepad, pen, her Kindle, and an infinite supply of chocolate Hob Nobs and she can lose herself for weeks. Romance was never her reading matter of choice, so it came as a great surprise to all concerned, including herself, to discover a romance was exactly what she’d written, and not the rollicking spy adventure or cosy murder mystery she always assumed she’d write.

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