Tag: first in a series

Love Some Hurt/Comfort with Your Romance? Check out Valor (Vigilance #1) by K. Laché (excerpt and giveaway)

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Author: K. Laché

Title:  Valor

Series Title and Number: Vigilance 1

Publisher:  Torquere Press

Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Release Date:  7/6/16

Heat Level: 3

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 90K

Genre:Erotic Romance, Gay Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Drama

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Valor Cover

Synopsis

It takes valor to support and love those who need it the most and never expected to receive it.

For Rivet Scalzo, returning to his childhood home after a decade was not on his list of places to go while recuperating. After nearly being blown up on a mission, Rivet is forced to deal with his PTSD and sudden deafness without help from Vigilance, the secret governmental agency he works for. He resigned himself to a lonely recovery, but, perhaps by chance, he met Blare Chaplynn, a model whose caring nature helps ease the horror of Rivet’s home life. As they grow closer, Rivet is burdened by the secrets he can’t share with the one man he grows to love.

If Blare knew a mild concussion was all he needed to meet the man of his dreams, he would have gladly accepted it long ago. He knew there was something special about Rivet when he first saw him at the park, but never guessed this man of mystery would be hiding so many secrets. Blare is forced to confront the fact that Rivet may never tell him everything, but is trust the reason Rivet is so close-lipped or is it something more?

Excerpt

“I told him it was a bad idea to start you so young.” She turned away from him and muttered under breath, “It’ll only cause more problems for us when he gets older, I said.”

Rivet slammed his hand down on the counter and snarled, “What problems, June, huh? What problems have I caused?” He pointed his finger at her and said through his teeth, “I have done nothing save for following the orders I’ve been given. I was told to come to this shit town and stay with my shit family until they deem me fit enough to return.” He opened his arms wide. “And here I am. So I want you to tell me what problems I’ve been causing, June.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits, and her lips pressed into a thin line. “Remember just who you’re talking to, Rookie. A buster like you needs to have respect for his superiors.”

“You were making rookie mistakes, June. They forced you to retire.”

Lightning fast, she swung her hand out to smack him across the face. He was faster. His hand tightened around her slim wrist, stopping it inches from his face. He roughly shoved her hand away and tsked. “You were always slower than me.” He turned his back on her and walked through the door to the back room marked Employees Only.

The back room was full of buckets of flowers, scraps of ribbon, and other odds and ends left over from arrangements. He paused in the room, looking for the door he knew led to the basement. He saw the door to the industrial-sized refrigerator and continued roaming the room. He skillfully weaved around vases of carnations, roses, and other flowers he didn’t know the names of. A soft smile sprung to his lips when he spotted a pot of daisies sitting happily on the counter. Gentle fingers caressed the stark-white petals before dropping away. Rivet eyed the bright yellow disk florets nestled in pure white petals. The glossy green leaves completed the innocent picture. He shook his head, battling against the memories pushing from the back of his mind.

Continuing to the door, he pushed it open and gently shut it behind him. He flicked on the light switch and descended the stairs. The basement was bare save for miscellaneous ladders and stepping stools. He walked to the nearest wall and placed a hand on it at chest height. He closed his eyes and slowly walked the perimeter of the basement, fingers trailing along the cool bricks. A few paces later, he paused and opened his eyes. He ran a finger down the left side of the brick. There was a faint click and he placed his fingers on the faux concrete face and slid them toward the right, revealing a keypad in the hollow. He reached his hand in and pressed a nine-digit code into the keypad before turning his hand palm-up and pressing his hand flat against the top of the hollowed brick. A soft blue glow pulsated before something clicked open behind him. He glanced back to see a trapdoor had opened under the stairs, a sliver of light appeared through the crack between the door and the floor. Rivet grabbed a nearby rag and wiped the fingerprint scanner and the keypad before sliding the panel shut and running his finger up the left side, locking the faux brick.

He stepped over to the trapdoor, feet making no noise as they gracefully moved around furniture. Rivet reached down and lifted the door. The hinges squeaked in protest, and he let it rest open so he could climb into the opening, dropping his bag to the tile first. He secured the door and jumped the rest of the way to the floor. The room was brightly lit by the fluorescent lights in the flooring shining off the dark walls. The subbasement was split into two sections. To one side was a dark armoire built into the wall. The doors were shut and locked; a fingerprint scanner and keypad were just to the side of it. The other section was an enclosed area that took up most of the floor, also secured by a scanner and keypad.

Rivet walked over to the armoire and typed his nine-digit code into the keypad with the knuckle of his finger. The light to the scanner flickered on. He placed his hand flat and watched the beam of light move up and down his hand. The doors of the armoire clicked and opened. There was a small flat-screen monitor on each door and one monitor settled in the middle. A small metal stool raised from the floor. Rivet sat, dropping his bag by his feet, and pulled the keyboard from under the monitor. He held down the Escape key while typing a four-character password. All three monitors flickered to life showing a plain command box with Passcode at the top and the cursor blinking below it. His fingers easily typed in a twelve-digit code.

When the computer loaded, a new message window popped up. He clicked the mouse to view it and quickly read the message:

Contact me when you get this.
—Commander D.

Rivet sighed and clicked on the contact’s name. It brought up a live video feed of a man sitting in a nondescript office, bookshelf behind him.

“Agent Scalzo,” the man’s voice was commanding and firm.

Rivet was used to the no-nonsense voice and gave him a nod. “Commander.”

“Have you settled?”

He paused a moment before answering. “Sir, civilian life and I do not agree.”

“You need to make it work.”

Rivet shook his head. “All due respect, sir, couldn’t I have been stationed elsewhere? I have told you about my family. I could have been anybody, anywhere else.”

“You are on leave and need to be who you really are, not another persona. The Council and I believed this was the best option.”

Rivet snorted bitterly and fought not to glare at his superior.

Commander Donovan narrowed his eyes. “What was that, Agent?”

He clenched his teeth. “Nothing, sir.”

He watched the commander pause a moment. “You are to pick up a package at the post office. The clerk will ask you how you are doing and tell whomever it is that you’re glad to be away from the rain in London. The package contains a secure laptop and cell phone, understood?”

“Affirmative, sir.”

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Torquere Press

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Meet the Author

A third grade writing project started it. It was the key that unleashed a passion to create and tell fantastical stories. K. Laché felt as if she were made to tread the path of authorial conquest and never once looked back. She entered a world where anything could be created. She was hooked.

She has fan fiction to blame (or thank, depending on how you look at it) for introducing her into the world of slash fiction. What’s better than one hot guy in a book? Two hot guys in a book! After an epiphany in college, K. Laché decided to try her hand at getting published. For years she struggled but never gave up. Now she debuts with her first published work, Valor—the first, but sure to be not her last

K. Laché can be found here:

https://www.klachewrites.com

https://www.facebook.com/K.LacheWrites

https://www.facebook.com/KLWrites

Giveaway

Rafflecopter Prize: One winner will be selected to win an eBook copy of Valor.

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A Lila Review: Elemental Love (Warlocks #1) by L.M. Somerton

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

Elemental LoveAn untrained warlock is a dangerous man to love.

On his twenty-first birthday, Evrain Brookes discovers he is an elemental warlock. The spell suppressing his talent lifts and he has to get used to a whole new existence. The protection that kept him safe during his childhood is gone, his skills are wild and uncontrolled and there are those that seek to use him for their own gain.

Evrain’s grandmother is a witch, his godfather another warlock. Between them they do their best to keep Evrain on the right path. He learns that in order to gain control of his formidable powers he will need to ‘channel’ through a life partner, a process that only happens with consent and through love. But how will he ever find a man prepared to put up with a Dominant warlock for a boyfriend?

Dominic Castine has no idea that Evrain’s grandmother sees him as a prospective partner for Evrain. He tends her garden and she teaches him about herbs–a trade off they both enjoy. He is drawn to Evrain’s charismatic presence but doesn’t understand why he wants to drop to his knees and submit to him.

When Agatha is murdered, Evrain and Dominic are thrown together as she manipulates them from beyond the grave. Dominic becomes the pawn in a terrifying game between warlocks whose powers he barely comprehends.

In the end, lives will depend on his courage, his willingness to grant Evrain control and the power of love.

Elemental Love is a complex story with several plot lines fighting to be the focal point. The prologue is a nice addition, but unnecessary since the events in it are discussed in its entirety later on. The beginning of the story, on the other hand, did an excellent job establishing Evrain’s personality and his relationship with his family, especially his grandmother and his godfather.

The mystery, the romance, and the elemental abilities are the main topics in the story, but instead of working cohesively, they clashed, resting relevance from each other. Perhaps and extended version would have taken care of all the small bits trying to be solved at the same time.

Personally, I wanted more time for Evrain and Dominic to be together, in-page. I like Evrain most of the time, but when he was with Dominic, the D/s relationship made him looked like a different character. Almost as if he flipped a switched every time Dominic was involved. The BDSM elements took away from their day-to-day life. Maybe we needed to see more of Evrain growing into his powers before he had to use them to defeat his opponent.

One thing I definitely enjoyed was the characterization of everyone involved. Every character in the story had a purpose and was multi-dimensional. Even characters that were only present for a small amount of time, like Evrain parents, made an impression. All the settings, smells, and foods were crafted to play a role and add to the plot. The secondary relationships were also important and interesting. Gregory and Coryn were my favorite pair.

Overall, an interesting start to the series. I’m looking forward to knowing more about this world in the next installment.

The cover goes perfectly with the story. It has several elements showed in different scenes and depicted Dominic well.

Sale Links: Pride | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 165 pages
Published: March 29, 2016, by Pride Publishing
ISBN: 9781786513953
Edition Language: English

Series: Warlocks
Book #1: Elemental Love

A Paul B Review: Wooing the Lighthouse Keeper (Tales of the Briny Nyx) by Charlie Richards

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Wooing the LIghthouse KeeperCharlie Richards has begun a new paranormal series.  This time, her focus is on briny nix, or mermen.  The first book is Wooing the Lighthouse Keeper.

Wayne Thorpe has enjoyed being a high school teacher.  He is shocked when he is accused of inappropriate behavior with an ex-lover.  While the allegations are being looked into by the school board, Wayne decides to get away from the controversy.  He decides to fill in for a friend’s father who happens to be a lighthouse keeper, who is attending his daughter’s wedding.   

Zarek Rudiman is about to celebrate his birthday.  With this birthday, he can petition the nix court to change how relations with the human world are dealt with.  However, someone does not want this to happen.  The royal guard has come to arrest Zarek for treason to the crown, even though he is a distant relative of the king.  With the help of his valet, Zarek narrowly avoids arrest at the house but he is followed by the guards.  Through the help of a friend in the guard, Zarek escapes through a cave.  As he escapes though, one of the guards strikes his tail with a trident, severely injuring him.  As he swims out the other side, he must avoid the sharks that will sense blood in the water.  Exhausted, Zarek finally washes ashore beneath a steep cliff.

Wayne and a friend have just finished dinner one night when they notice a naked man below on the beach, obviously injured.  Wayne feels an instant attraction to this man, who is bleeding from both legs.  When the man wakes up, Zarek recognizes that Wayne is his Adelfi Psychi, his soul mate.  However, Wayne is not buying his story of how he landed up naked on the beach.  Zarek must convince Wayne that not only is he not in danger but also not to call the police.  Zarek is worried about undercover nixes who serve as spies in the human world, reporting to the court on the current condition of the human world.  Will Zarek be able to convince Wayne that mermen exist and that he is Zarek’s mate?

I feel that this new series is off to a good start.  Unlike the author’s other paranormal series, which featured scientists as the primary antagonist, this series starts off with internal turmoil within the briny nix.  It will be interesting to see how Zarek is able to return to the world of the nix.  Meanwhile, he bides his time with Wayne on shore.  Tran and Easton’s unintended initiation to the world of the nix set up future mating for this series.  This sets up what looks like another enjoyable series from Ms. Richards.

The cover art by Angela Waters shows a shirtless Zarek coming out of the surf with a lighthouse in the background.  It is a perfect cover for this book.

Sales Links:  eXtasy Books | Amazon

Book Details

EBook, 76 pages

Edition Language:  English

Published:  May 15, 2016 by eXtasy Books

ISBN:  978-1-4874-0709-4

Series:  Tales of the Briny Nix

Wooing the Lighthouse Keeper (Tales of the Briny Nix #1)

Love Finds a Way in ‘Come What May (All Saints #1)’ by A.M. Arthur (author interview,excerpt and giveaway)

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Come What May (All Saints #1) by A.M. Arthur
 Release Date: May 23, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Carina Press
Cover Artist: Carina Press

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is lucky to be interviewing A.M. Arthur, author of Come What May. Hi A.M., thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hello! I’m an m/m romance author, who mostly writes contemporary but occasionally delves into paranormal. I live in Hicksville, USA with two rambunctious cats and a large collection of horror film DVDs.

My newest release, Come What May, is the first in a new NA romance series with Carina Press. Jonas Ashcroft is suspended from college after a fraternity prank goes wrong, and he’s stuck working in his aunt’s thrift store—his very first job ever. Tate Dawson runs an LGBT homeless shelter nearby, and when their paths cross, sparks fly. So do insults, misunderstandings, and smexy times.

• What’s the easiest thing about writing?

For me, one of the easiest things about writing is developing my characters and creating their biographies. Since plot is informed by character, I always get to know my heroes ahead of time. I write out their personal histories, their family members (if they have any), and any major events that have affected their lives. Knowing these things helps me know where these characters are personally and emotionally when the story starts.

• Name one author (living or dead) you’d like to write with?

Oh gosh, there are so many fellow m/m romance authors I adore and respect so much. But the first person who comes to mind is K.A. Mitchell. She was the first m/m romance author I read many years before I attempted to write in the genre, and she remains one of my favorite authors. Her Florida books are top favorites.

• Tell us about your cover and how it came about.

I have to give kudos the amazing art folks at Carina for my cover. During development, they mentioned that they wanted to get away from the split-screen style used in my previous series’ and I was cool with that. I have to admit, I was flabbergasted by how perfect the cover is. The embracing couple is Jonas and Tate. Even the tiny detail like the glasses Tate is holding! They really nailed this cover.

• Is this book part of a series? Do you have ideas that could make it into a series? If it is a series, tell us a little about it.

Yes, Come What May is the first in a new series called All Saints. The name comes from both the thrift store where Jonas works, and the homeless shelter that Tate helps run. It’s a New Adult series, featuring characters in their early to mid-twenties, who are at emotional crossroads in their lives. The second book in the series, Say It Right, features Tate’s best friend Marc.

• Word association. Tell us the first thing that comes to mind when you read these words.

Ketchup – Mustard
Flakes – Frosted
Elastic – Band
Timer – Cooking
Google – Something

Blurb

Jonas needs Tate. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Or at least, he doesn’t want to admit it. Because there is no way Jonas Ashcroft is gay. He’s a straight, carefree frat boy player, just like any good son of a conservative state senator. If only his struggle to convince everyone—especially himself—didn’t leave him so miserable. No matter how many girls or bottles he drowns himself in, Jonas can neither escape nor accept who he is.

Enter Tate. He’s smart, confident, and instantly sees right through Jonas’s surly exterior. Sure, he’s done things in life he’s not proud of, but he knows who he is and what he wants. And what he wants is Jonas. As their easy friendship intensifies into something more, Tate introduces Jonas to a life he’s never known. One filled with acceptance and sex and a love that terrifies and excites them both.

But some inner demons refuse to be shaken off so easily. When Jonas’s old life barges in, he faces a shattering choice, one that could destroy everything he and Tate have fought so hard for. Sometimes love just isn’t enough—and sometimes it’s exactly what you need.

 

Pages or Words: 70,000 words, 320 pages (print edition)
 Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

Excerpt

“It’s small,” Jonas said.

“Better than a cardboard box or foster care.” The sharpness in Tate’s voice echoed in his frown.

Jonas had never known anyone before who’d been in foster care, and saying so would probably make him the biggest douche on the planet. It also took the edge off some of his irritation over the total mindfuck that was Tate Dawson. “It’s way better than both of those things. You worked hard for this place, Tate. I haven’t worked hard for anything in my life.”

“I disagree.”

He blinked. “You do?”

“Yes, I do. I think you work very, very hard to convince yourself and the world that you’re something you’re not. I think you work very, very hard to be perfect when no one is, and the only thing anyone should ever do is just be her or himself. Be true to you, not to what others want from you.”

Jonas’s throat squeezed tight. “I can’t.”

Tate took a step closer, bringing a gentle waft of sweat and something sweet. “Why not?”

He saw the barest reflection of himself in Tate’s glasses and he didn’t like it. He stepped back. Tate snagged his wrist and held him there. The touch sent awareness buzzing across his skin, down his spine and straight to his balls. H needed to pull away before this got out of control.

And then his rebel brain decided it was a good idea to glance at Tate’s pink lips. Lips that Tate, the asshole, licked with slow swipes of his tongue.

Jonas yanked away his hand away so hard Tate stumbled. “I’m not gay, so you can get that ‘fuck the frat boy’ fantasy out of your head right now.”

Instead of being cowed, Tate planted both hands on his hips and said, “Who are you trying to convince? Because it’s just you and me in this room, and I’m not the one who brought up your sexuality. You did.”

Damn him. “Why won’t you leave me alone?”

Tate’s gaze drifted over his face as he sought for words. “Because every time we’re together I can tell you’re struggling with something. You put up this lone wolf front to keep people at arm’s length so you don’t have to work so hard to pretend, but it’s exhausting you. Jonas, you can be yourself with me. Whoever that is.”

“I can’t.” Talking was getting harder around the lump in his throat. His heart was kicking too fast and his chest ached.

“Look me in the eye.” Tate closed the three strides between them, then curled a warm hand around the back of Jonas’s neck. “Look me in the eye and say you don’t want to kiss me right now.”

Buy the book: Amazon | Nook

 

Meet the Author

A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, and SMP Swerve.

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

23-May: The Novel Approach, Gay Media Reviews, Gay Book Reviews, Man2ManTastic, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Mikky’s World of Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

24-May: Oh My Shelves, MM Good Book Reviews, Attention Is Arbitrary, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

25-May: Unquietly Me, Havan Fellows, Prism Book Alliance

26-May: Love Bytes, Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Sassygirl Books

27-May: Hearts on Fire, 3 Chicks After Dark, Multitasking Mommas

30-May: Happily Ever Chapter, Books A to Z, Joyfully Jay

31-May: Dawn’s Reading Nook, Jessie G. Books, Book Lovers 4Ever

1-Jun: My Fiction Nook, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Making It Happen

2-Jun: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Full Moon Dreaming

3-Jun: V’s Reads, As The Pages Turn

6-Jun: Outrageous Heroes, BFD Book Blog

7-Jun: Cathy Brockman Romances, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy

8-Jun: Three Books Over The Rainbow, Bayou Book Junkie

9-Jun: Kirsty Loves Books, Divine Magazine

10-Jun: Alpha Book Club, Molly Lolly

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Giveaway

Enter to win a $25 e-gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice).  Must be 18 years of age or older.
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A Lila Review: Prince of Seas (Three Brothers Fair #1) by Emily Carrington

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Princes of SeasPrince Hans is the youngest in a set of Kelpie triplets. Their future bound by a prophecy that sees his middle brother, Tian, betrothed to Prince Felimid. As the three brothers talk about their imminent future, Hans only thinks about Prince Felimid.

By chance, Hans had the opportunity to spend some time in private with the Prince he wanted for himself. The attraction seems to be mutual and after they part ways, Hans searches, desperately, for a way to be the chosen one.

Through a series of deceptions, lies, and cover-ups, Hans gets the chance to be with Felimid, but there’s a price to pay for what they found. With the help of his brothers, Hans has the opportunity to prove Felimid how good they could be together, prophecy or not on their side.

Prince of Seas is a short and sweet tale of magic and hope. It’s well written and filled with many characters. There are interesting ideas and the start of a world-build, but not a coherent flow. The story lacks rhythm and felt as if missing chunks of time.

The overall concept of the three brothers and the prophecy was too much for such a short story. The amount of time going over this aspect, took away from the romance between Hans and Felimid.

Also, the reasons why Felimid needed a kelpie and who else was involved were more of an afterthought, added to extend the story. As the start of a series, it gives enough information to get the reader interested in the next one, but not enough to enjoy this installment fully.

It was a good story, just short of being great.

The cover by Fiona Jayde has beautiful colors than bring a fairytale-like sense to it. But the rest seems to depict a contemporary story, not a fantasy.

Sale Links: Loose Id | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 81 pages
Published: January 26, 2016, by Loose Id
ISBN: 9781682520666
Edition Language: English

Series:  Three Brothers Fair
Book #1: Prince of Seas