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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Hexmaker (Hexworld #2 ) by Jordan L. Hawk

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

hexmakerMalachi is a fox shifter who finds himself in a world of trouble when the robbery he’s committing turns into a murder.  He’s not the murderer, just the thief who happens to get caught when he stops to check on the bleeding man he finds in the library. Unfortunately, he found the real thief in the act—a red-headed thief who gets away, leaving red-headed Malachi to take the heat for the crime. 

Just down the street, leaving his parent’s mansion on “Millionaire Row,” is Owen Yates, the forensic hexmaker we met in Hexbreaker.  Owen spots the police vehicle outside the nearby mansion and goes to investigate. By the end of the story, readers will realize this is the best thing that ever happened to him, as he not only finds the pieces of the valuable object the thief was after—an object with ancient Greek hex symbols on it, he also finds the man who is his familiar—Malachi. 

As Malachi and Owen start out slowly, while all around them, outside forces are trying to decide Mal’s fate and the real murderer is now trying to murder Mal, the story gets interesting and complex. Owen is in his last week with the MWP, Metropolitan Witch Police, because he’s getting married Thanksgiving weekend, a marriage he neither desires, nor appreciates. He’s marrying to appease his wealthy family who want to shore up their place in society with funds from the wealthy heiress he’s betrothed to.

However, as the week progresses, leaving the MWP and getting married sound more like a death sentence as he and Mal, now bonded as a witch and familiar, dread facing the future and the loss of the chance of a happy outcome they both desire and deserve.

I really enjoy this story. This author has such a vivid imagination and appreciation of the history of the 19th to 20th turn of the century period. Weaving historical facts and fantasy into a complex story, while bringing alive another “fated-partners” love story, one with a few D/s elements this time, is pure creative genius. As the saying goes, the joy is in the journey, and in this case, Owen’s and Mal’s journey to love and to finding their true places in life brings nothing but joy to readers. I highly recommend this to all lovers of MM romance.

Cover art by the author is perfect for the story and characters.  Its eye catching and draws you in.

Sales Links

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | ARe | Smashwords | iBooks | Nook

Book Details:

ebook, 270 pages
Published October 14th 2016 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781941230213
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHexworld #2

Release Tour: Tempting Tristan(Harborside Nights #3) by Melissa Foster (excerpt and giveaway)

Tempting Tristan (A Sexy Standalone M/M Romance)
Series: Harborside Nights
Author: Melissa Foster
Release Date: October 19, 2016
Tempting Tristan is a stand-alone M/M romance featuring two sexy, hot alphas.
Fresh off the heels of yet another bad relationship, Tristan Brewer is taking a break from men to try and figure out where he keeps going wrong. He knows his biggest fault–he leads with his heart, not his head–and that’s never going to change. But after several introspective weeks, he’s beginning to get a handle on things. That is, until badass heartthrob Alex Wells walks into his bar…
Alex has spent eight years in the Army, months in a hospital bed, and far too long hiding his sexual identity. He’s guilt-ridden, damaged, pissed off, and up for a Silver Star–for the incident that nearly cost him his life, and kept him from his grandmother’s funeral. But all he wants to do is forget his stint with the institution that allows but doesn’t necessarily accept, and live the life he’s always dreamed of.

The chemistry between Tristan and Alex ignites from the moment they meet, and the more time they spend together the hotter the flames become. But the closer Tristan gets, the more Alex’s walls go up, and when the two walk onto a military base, Tristan finds out Alex’s physical scars aren’t the ones that run the deepest.
***
HARBORSIDE NIGHTS is a sexy, hot, and evocatively real series of stand-alone romances that follows a group of friends who have known one another for years as “summer” friends, and now come together after college to build their lives. They’re tough, edgy, and accepting–most of the time. This series is written in the same loving, raw, and emotional voice readers have come to love by New York Times & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Foster with LGBT themes.

 

“Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!” New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely


“With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!” New York Times Bestseller J. Kenner

We step forward at the same time, and he presses his rough hand to my cheek. “I don’t know what kind of pussies you went out with before, but I wanted to fucking claim you in there.”

He slides a hand around my waist, tugging our bodies together. I feel every hard inch of him, and he’s got me so hot I’m sure we’re going to combust.
“I’ve spent almost nine years hiding who I am, and I’m not willing to do it anymore,” he says through clenched teeth. “Not here, where I came to start over. Where I came to live on my terms without the goddamn military hanging over my head.”
“I have no interest in hiding,” I assure him.
“You’re sure? Because I really want to kiss you right now, and I don’t care who sees us.”
I respond by pulling his mouth to mine, my break from men long forgotten. We stumble backward, crashing into the railing, fighting for dominance as we did yesterday morning. The passion between us has a life of its own. My hands claw over his ass, up his back. I want to strip him down and take all of him. I want to discover why he’s so rough and learn what about those shadows that are lurking behind his gorgeous eyes. Instead I take, and give, and take more of the angry kisses. When we finally tear our mouths apart, my body’s still reeling, and we both curse under our breaths.
“Okay?” he pants out.
I nod, knowing if I open my mouth, I want to fuck you, is going to come out.

“Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer.”


Tristan shrugs. “Have at it.”

“Why were you taking a break? I get that your ex was a prick, but is there more to it?”
He looks down the street, across the street, and then his hand cruises through his hair as it has so often that I’ve already come to expect it when he’s nervous.

“Ian was a prick, but the rest is going to make me sound like a pussy,” he admits.

“I’ve only known you a day, and I already know nothing can make you sound like a pussy.”

He meets my gaze, and his jaw tightens. He lifts his chin and I recognize the struggle between feeling proud and worrying about looking weak. I fight that battle on a daily basis.
“I give away my heart too easily, and I end up getting hurt.”
His eyes never leave mine, and that trust, that confidence, is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“I was right. Nothing can make you sound like a pussy.” I slide my hand to the hard ridge of his jaw and lean in closer. “I’ve never given my heart away. That makes you braver than me.”
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.
Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.
Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on Facebook or her personal website.

Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.

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A MelanieM Review: Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 

witchycover200Just in time for Halloween! Two novelettes about men with magic—and the occasional demon.

“Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”
Griff has a bad habit of getting talked into black magic he shouldn’t be using—but this time it’s even worse. His ex is bent on revenge in the form of a mini zombie apocalypse, and the only person who can help Griff is a hottie white magic practitioner named Blythe. The catch: one of Griff’s spells gone wrong left Blythe with a haunted apartment a year ago, and Blythe isn’t over it.

Still, Blythe agrees to work with Griff. As they unravel the ugly blood, sex, and death magic, they also discover surprising things about each other. Hopefully, it’s enough for the ultimate trust they’ll need to defeat a lot of zombies and a crazed witch, or their town will end up covered in corpses.

“Præsidium”
Six years ago, Thackeray agreed to let a demon haunt him in exchange for help hunting other demons. It’s a lonely life, but worth it to be the best demon hunter possible — to save families from the kind of evil that ruined his own childhood.

This Hallowe’en, Thackeray’s dealing with an upstart coven. A powerful, pretty witch named Matt defects to help Thackeray stop their scheme to invite god-knows-what from the other side.

Demons are much easier to fight than the urges Matt’s flirting inspires. But Thackeray can’t hook up with a demon watching over his shoulder… can he?

[“Præsidium” is a reprint]

October is certainly the perfect time to release stories supernatural in nature and about witchy boys in particular.  Katey Hawthorne’s Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights gives us two such couples for your supernatural reading pleasure.

The first story,”Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”, is the tale that raised up some issues for me.  I loved the idea of a mini zombie apocalypse…who wouldn’t?  Katey Hawthorne does her absolutely spooktacular best when describing the rising of the zombies and the manner in which they were then dispatched.  I could see that so clearly.

Actually, Hawthorne had me pretty much most of the story, including Blythe and the ex with zombie domination on the brain.  All fantastic!  But there’s just one thing that got me…that was the character of Griff.  I just couldn’t connect to someone who I thought was just too dumb, no matter how pretty everyone seemed to think he was. That character flaw stopped me cold. Half the time I thought Blythe (who I adored) should toss old Griff off and find someone far less troublesome. Not a good thought in a romance.  However, other readers may find Griff naive rather than idiotic, so I’ll leave the choice up to you.  The rest of the story is marvelous.

“Præsidium”, now here’s a neat story to sink your teeth into.  A demon hunter who’s made a bargain with a demon prince.  What a conundrum, what a disaster its made of Thackeray’s love life.  Its a real twist on the demon hunter tales.  My  only real argument here?  That Hawthorne has delivered three wonderful characters that cries out for a much larger novel.  We learn just enough about Thackeray, Seir the demon prince and, the new pretty witch Matt to pique our interest in all three and their probable future together.  The story cuts off just as its all getting interesting.  One case solved with the  potential for a bright and wild future ahead.  I thought this story made the book.  At least it did for me.

Love witchy boys and stories of the supernatural?  Are you a fan of Katey Hawthorne?  Its October.  All Hallows’ Eve is coming.  Combine with two with Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne.

Cover art works beautifully as a lead in to a collection of supernatural/paranormal stories about witchy boys.

Sales Links

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Book Details:

ebook, Goodread link
Expected publication: October 18th 2016
Edition LanguageEnglish

A VVivacious Review: Gryffon Hall by Alexis Duran

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5
 
gryffon-hallWryler Glimmerveen is forced into an unsuspecting alliance with Lord Aeric Rouchet who is well feared for being a monster.
 
Aeric Rouchet is the Lord of Gryffon Hall, a sprawling castle at the edge of the Black Forest, a forest well known for the monsters it spawns.
 
As Wryler makes his journey to the Black Forest he can’t be anything but anxious about the things that await him at
Gryffon Castle but he has no clue as to the mysteries waiting to unfold.
 
This was an utterly delicious read. It was an amazing retelling of “The Beauty and the Beast” and I loved the author’s perspective on this particular fairy tale.
 
Wryler Glimmerveen was the perfect Beauty with a little bit of fae in him. What I loved about Wryler was that neither was he the stalwart hero nor the damsel of distress of fairy tales. He was just perfect, anxious to the point of no return but ready to stand his ground even against his beast of a husband.
 
Aeric Rouchet was an amazing Beast and proud of it. He was like a yummy hero just out of a historical romance and my God was he hot or what?
 
I loved Aeric and Wryler they had the perfect dynamic from the beginning and their chemistry was sizzling hot. They really had that going for them.
 
Personally I loved how this book spins the tale of ‘The Beauty and the Beast’. Here’s a Beauty ready to forge his own path and a Beast proud of his beastly ways, so wait… where is the wrench in the works well as you will know if you have read and seen a lot of faith tales, where there is a fairy tale there is a certain deal maker waiting to profit.
 
I loved how this book is written. It is well paced and all the elements are well established and play out really well as a whole. Overall this book was awesome, amazing and brilliant!
 
Cover Art by April Martinez. I didn’t like the cover as much as I loved the story. Personally the men on the cover in no way fit the Wryler and Aeric in my head.
Sales Links
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Book Details:
ebook, 150 pages
Published August 30th 2016 by Loose ID
ISBN139781682521885

Love It When Romance and Magic Combine? Check out Katey Hawthorne’s WITCHY BOYS (excerpt and giveaway)

witchycover200

Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne
Release Date: October 1

 

Witchy Boys: Release Day!

Thanks so much for having me back to STaRW, Melanie and friends. Today is release day for my latest, an anthology—or maybe just a dual novella!—of two stories known collectively as WITCHY BOYS. It’s that time of year when full moons are even more beautiful (and powerful?) and the air becomes deliciously thin (… or is that the Veil?). Perfect time for some witchy stories to warm us up, right?

The first story, “Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”, is all about a young witch called Griffin trying to make up for his past mistakes. He’s dabbled in several kinds of “black magic”, partly because he’s notoriously suggestible, partly because he has that deadly combination of no fear and intense curiosity. Unfortunately it’s that first quality, the suggestibility, that gets him into trouble, since he has a bad habit of hooking up with less-than-savory lovers. His ex, Cathy, used him to perform a powerful spell last year… and by the time Griff realized her real intention, they were already broken up and it was too late. Her mini zombie apocalypse is about to happen.

Fortunately, there’s a hottie named Blythe who has a lot of white magic who might be able to help. Unfortunately, Griff’s black magic has backfired on Blythe in the past, too, so… maybe not?

I know, I know, evil ex-girlfriend thing is done and over. I guess I could’ve made her an ex-boyfriend, but you know what? I love angry witches. I’d be angry too.

The second story is a reprint, “Præsidium”. Thackeray, my demon hunter hero, is a taciturn kind of guy. He’s haunted by a demon called Seir—consensually haunted, even—who helps him hunt down other demons, which is a pretty lonely way to exist. Demons aren’t known for their great company, after all. He gets a tip off about a small town coven biting off more than they can chew this Halloween and heads to intercept. An ex-member of said coven, Matt, is willing to help him.

The problem is: Matt’s fine as hell. And Seir’s super creepy about sex. The coven doesn’t end up being the most complicated problem, but the attraction between Thackeray and Matt… oh yeah, that’s trouble.


So if you’re looking for something to warm you up on a chilly, dark autumn evening, here’s your ticket! And don’t forget to drop a comment and enter the giveaway, while you’re here ❤

Witchy Boys Blog Tour

October 17-31

October 17 – A.J. Llwellyn

October 18 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

October 19 – The Novel Approach

October 20 – MM Good Book Reviews

October 21 – Love Bytes

October 24 – P.G. Forte

October 25 – Joyfully Jay

October 26 – Prism Book Alliance

October 27 – Roxanne D. Howard

October 28 – Diverse Reader

October 28 – Gay Guy Reading (and Friends)

October 31 – Jenna Rose

WITCHY BOYS: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights

witchycover200Author: Katey Hawthorne

Publisher: Indie

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

Word Count: 20,000

Blurb

Just in time for Halloween! Two novelettes about men with magic—and the occasional demon.

“Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”

Griff has a bad habit of getting talked into black magic he shouldn’t be using—but this time it’s even worse. His ex is bent on revenge in the form of a mini zombie apocalypse, and the only person who can help Griff is a hottie white magic practitioner named Blythe. The catch: one of Griff’s spells gone wrong left Blythe with a haunted apartment a year ago, and Blythe isn’t over it.

Still, Blythe agrees to work with Griff. As they unravel the ugly blood, sex, and death magic, they also discover surprising things about each other. Hopefully, it’s enough for the ultimate trust they’ll need to defeat a lot of zombies and a crazed witch, or their town will end up covered in corpses.

“Præsidium”

Six years ago, Thackeray agreed to let a demon haunt him in exchange for help hunting other demons. It’s a lonely life, but worth it to be the best demon hunter possible — to save families from the kind of evil that ruined his own childhood.

This Hallowe’en, Thackeray’s dealing with an upstart coven. A powerful, pretty witch named Matt defects to help Thackeray stop their scheme to invite god-knows-what from the other side.

Demons are much easier to fight than the urges Matt’s flirting inspires. But Thackeray can’t hook up with a demon watching over his shoulder… can he?

Buy Links

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Author Bio

Katey Hawthorne is an avid reader and writer of superpowered and paranormal romance, even though the only degree she holds is in the history of art. (Or, possibly, because the only degree she holds is in the history of art.) Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with her family, two cats, and one very large puppy. In her spare time she enjoys travel, comic books, B-movies, loud music, video games, Epiphones, and Bushmills. Her favorite causes include animal rescue and bisexual representation in media. She is an unashamed fangirl and collects nerdy tattoos like she’s trying to prove it.

Find Katey at…

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Blog Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love Wins in ‘Touchdown (Game Day Book 1)‘ by T.S. McKinney Tour (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: Touchdown
Series: Game Day Series Book 1
Author: TS McKinney
Publisher – Dark Hollows Press
Genre: M/M Romance
Published: September 7, 2016
Alexander Bryant has lived his entire life making everyone else happy. After meeting Lincoln, will he have the courage to finally do what makes him happy?
Alexander – I like to consider myself a rebel – an ass-kicker that takes what he wants regardless of what others think. I make my own path and flip off the people who don’t agree. I laugh in the face of conflict. Nobody tells me what to do.
In reality, everything about me is a lie – past, present, and future. The Bryant family name requires certain things and all my decisions are based on those requirements. I like football, but the family name demands I love it. I want to be an artist, but the family name demands I be a lawyer. The family demands I fall in love with a nice girl, but I’m falling for, well, the opposite of nice AND girl. I’m a coward and a liar.
Lincoln – I like to imagine myself a loner – a cold heartless bastard that takes what he wants. I lived the biggest part of my life with parents that were ashamed of me for more reasons that one could begin to count, so I trust no one. I have a low tolerance for bullshit and hate liars. So why did I go and fall in love with the biggest liar of them all?

“Sexy, charming, hot and delightful book!” – Amazon Review 
“Touchdown is funny, naughty and delightful” – Amazon Review 
“Super sexy and sassy!!” – MM Book Escape

 

 

Alexander

I lay there, or at least I think I’m lying down on some sort of soft surface. Soft and cozy. Smells nice. Yeah, it feels like a mattress, but it also feels like I’m floating on a fluffy cloud. I can hear things, some soft music playing, but it sounds like everything is so far away. I’m toasty warm. Even in my sluggish mind I know I’ve never felt this relaxed in my entire life. I can’t explain it – other than I never want the feeling to go away.

I should probably open my eyes and try to at least wake up, but it feels so damned good that I keep them clenched tightly together. There’s a nagging twitch in the back of my mind, telling me something isn’t quite right and I should be concerned, very concerned, but I don’t want to listen. I try to shut out my mind and focus only on what my body is saying.

I want to relax and enjoy whatever the hell this is. I don’t use drugs, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to start if this is the result of pill popping. Did I drink too much? Nope; if I had, I’d be feeling more like a rattlesnake being poked instead of a cuddly slug cocooned someplace…that smelled so damned nice. What the hell was that scent? I liked it. I’m pretty sure if I was able, it would turn me on. For the first time in my life, I feel like I might not have the energy to even get it up…and it feels so good that I don’t even care.

What had I been doing? Where was I? What had happened and how could I make it happen again?

“Alexander.” A husky voice invaded my state of peace and relaxation.

I peeked an eye open and immediately wished I hadn’t. Fuck. Fuck. Double fuck. What the double fuck? I tried to scramble away from the man looming over me but my limbs felt like fucking jelly that had been left out in the sun. My arms wouldn’t work. My fucking legs wouldn’t work. The only thing that was fucking working was the voice inside my head screaming for me to run for my fucking life. Well, shit. I’m naked. Yep, naked and apparently I’m in another man’s bed. I don’t belong in the beds of other men. Nope, not me. Especially not the bed of Lincoln Montgomery, spanker of bare asses.

“Calm down, Alexander,” Lincoln said in that deep, sexier than sexy voice. “You’re going to feel weak after our scene. It’s natural so don’t be alarmed. Don’t move,” he ordered as he turned away to reach for something. Before I could even consider trying to at least slide across the bed and belly crawl for the window so I could jump to my death, he was back around and offering me a bottle of water. No way was I drinking that shit. I’m sure it’s drugged; just like whatever I drank last night had to have been drugged. That’s why I was feeling so weak. And fucking wonderful.

Oh, shit. The scene! I had actually let another man spank me with a crop. In front of a crowd. Practically naked. I’m pretty sure I begged for it. I eyed the window again, calculating if I could make it before Lincoln grabbed me and hauled me back to his bed. Sure, I’d die naked and humiliate my parents and grandparents, but that would have to be their fucking problem. For the first time in my life, they would just have to deal with me breaking the rules. Technically, I suppose, I wasn’t breaking them. Mother just always said to have clean underwear on in case you are in an accident. I suppose in her mind no underwear would surely beat dirty underwear.

“Stop acting like a child, Alexander. We’re on the tenth floor. You would splatter,” Lincoln scolded. “Now drink your water. After an especially intense scene, you need plenty of rest and fluids. You’ve gotten the rest, so let’s drink our water, shall we?”

Apparently he could read my mind. Perfect.

“I don’t want your water, Lincoln. You’re probably just trying to drug me again,” I spat. Hell, I knew he hadn’t drugged me, but it sounded a hell of a lot better than I was stone-cold sober when I stripped in front of strangers and let a grown-ass man spank me. Oh wait, I’m also naked in his comfy bed. We probably fucked, too.

It gets better and better.

I wiggle a bit to see if I’m sore in places I shouldn’t be sore. Yep, I sure the fuck am. Of course that could very well be from the spanking I received, but, then again, it could be from something much worse. Shit, did I let this man fuck me? Double shit, why does the thought of that not piss me off like it should?

“Are you implying I’ve drugged you, Alexander?” Lincoln asked as he opened the bottle of water. I opened my mouth to tell him I damned straight thought he drugged me, but before I could get it out, he had scooped up my head and forced the bottle against my lips. “Drink,” he ordered.

So I drank it.

“Very good,” he praised and I glowed like a fucking moron. Why the hell would I care if he was happy or not? I should be feeling the opposite. Actually, I should probably punch him the face – if only my damned arms didn’t feel like a ton of lead. Since an angry glare was the only weapon I possessed at the moment, I glared. And glared. And glared.

He laughed – the motherfucker.

“You’ve got a pretty pout, Alexander. I’m sure you use it to get your way on most occasions, but it won’t work with me so put it away. Don’t waste your time and mine.”

His voice sounded like a growl. A very sexy, very arousing growl. Something inside of me wanted to purr. I settled for, “Fuck off, Lincoln.”

“Do you remember what happened earlier?” He pulled a chair right up against the bed and leaned closer to me than I felt comfortable with. No, scratch that. He leaned closer than I wanted to feel comfortable with. As it turns out, what I think I want and what my body wants might be two different things, as in on opposite ends of the chart. My head is screaming “no” but my body is dying to get closer to him. As my nostrils flare, I realize the scent that has been driving me crazy with lust is none other than Lincoln Montgomery. Could it get any worse?
“I’m straight,” I blurted out, trying to convince myself more than Lincoln. “Not gay.” Yeah, clarify it like he didn’t have a clue what straight meant. I’m a fucking idiot.

He smiled. It was one of those indulgent smiles that parents give children when they say or do something ridiculous. “Yes, thank you for telling me, Alexander. Again.”

Oh yeah, I had already told him that. Shit.

“Don’t worry. Straight men end up on the other end of my crop and then naked in my bed all the time.” Another indulgent smile. “It happens alllll the time.” He mocked.

“Did we?” I asked. I had to know. Shit, I didn’t want to know.

“Did we what?” Lincoln asked with a smirk. He knew damned well what I wanted to know. “Did we fuck?” I hissed, furious he made me say it and even more furious at the blush creeping across my body.

Lincoln remained perfectly quiet and I knew the delay was only meant to make me suffer as long as humanly possible. His eyes, a deep midnight blue, twinkled with merriment at my expense. I wasn’t sure of a hell of a lot of things at the moment, but I was one hundred percent certain that if Lincoln had fucked me, I enjoyed it. There was an aura of arrogance that he wore like a second skin – not the stupid kind of arrogance, but the kind that one got from being told how incredibly awesome they were. At fucking. He was probably awesome at fucking.

Finally, he said, “Trust me, Alexander; you would know it if I’d fucked you.” He leaned closer to me. “Every inch of you, inside and out, would know you’d been properly fucked.” His hot breath tickled my cheek as he spoke the words…the words that tickled me somewhere else. Fuck. How horrifying would it be if my cock got hard right about now? Pretty fucking horrifying.

“Plus, you’re straight, remember?”
T.S. McKinney lives in East Tennessee with her high school sweetheart/husband and all the countless dogs she picks up from deserted country roads. Her professional career has been in business but her heart has always belonged to the fantasy world found in books.
Creating wicked worlds where one can meet the perfect hero – and then do anything to him that you want – has been a hobby that has brought her plenty of hours of fun and naughty entertainment.
When not working, reading, or writing, she loves to spend time with my family and forcing them (because they don’t really have another choice) to allow me to redecorate their houses…and listen to my naughty…sometimes sadistic stories.

A Jeri Release Day Review: Guyliner by j. leigh bailey

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

guylinerBoth sweet and sad, this YA coming of age story was a delight to read.

Connor is the classic all American boy. Baseball star, straight A student, beautiful girlfriend. All of those gave him the nickname Goldenboy- which he secretly hates. Behind closed doors he is the oldest of 5, his very existence making his parents marry young and his father to give up on his dreams. So he works hard to get a scholarship and leave the small town with little opportunity.

Graham is new in school. Moving there ostensibly for the soccer team, but in reality it was to escape the town where his boyfriend didn’t stick up for him after being gay bashed by his boyfriend’s brothers. After a year of recovery, he is ready to move on.

Graham knows who he is. He is out and proud- wearing tshirts that blatantly express the fact that he is gay and wearing eyeliner to school everyday. When Connor defends Graham- again- against the school bullies, they are accused of fighting by the baseball coach and are given the punishment of cleaning out the equipment shed every Saturday until it is done. While there, they get to know each other and look forward to their Saturdays.

Connor is fighting his attraction to Graham, and Graham won’t be a dirty little secret again.

I loved how Graham stood up for himself and what he was willing to be and do. But he also did it with general empathy toward Connor- a boy scared to not only come out of the closet, but scared to admit to even himself that he is gay. Graham is willing to be just friends with Connor, because something is better than nothing.

I also really enjoyed that Golden boy Connor is from such a blue collar family. Usually the sports star comes from a well to do family with all of the support in the world. But watching him babysit his siblings, share a room with his brothers, cook dinner for his family- all while doing his best in school and baseball are so representative of real life.

Graham was so strong. I fully expect a character like that to be broken- to hide from the world, put up walls, etc. But he didn’t. He was who he was and he wasn’t apologizing for it, even when he was getting bullied.

Connor and Graham together were just so sweet. I love a great YA book that expresses the feelings of the characters so well. There was no falling back on sex to move the story along.

Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza.  Love this cover.  It is, in every way, eye-catching!

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Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages
Published October 17th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634777263 (ISBN13: 9781634777261)
Edition LanguageEnglish