Category Archives: New releases
New release review
A neglected resort, a lost chance at love, and one last chance to renew forever.
Frankie and Tommy once dreamed of traveling the world together. But when seventeen-year-old Frank kissed Tom, their plans ended with a punch to the jaw and Frank leaving town without looking back. Thirty years later, Frank's successful career as a journalist is interrupted by his uncle's death and the question of his inheritance—the family resort where his childhood dreams were built. When he returns to the Pocono Mountains, however, he finds a dilapidated lodge and Tommy, the boy he never forgot.
Tom's been keeping the resort together with spit and glue while caring for Frank's uncle, Robert—a man he considered father, mentor, and friend—and his aged mother, who he refuses to leave behind. Now Robert is gone, taking Tom's job with him. And Frank is on the doorstep, wanting to know why Tom is still there and why the old lodge is falling apart.
But before they can rebuild the resort, they'll have to rebuild their friendship. Only then can they renew the forever they planned all those years ago.
This is the first series I've read by this author but it definitely won't be my last. This isn't a romance story as I would expect but a story of love that survives over the years despite the hurdles Frank & Tommy create and the distance they put between themselves. It's not fluffy, grand gestures but real life I love you with a few obstacles thrown in Frank & Tommy's path, including two stubborn men & one who lets his pride get in the way. I love the way the resort – a little unloved & in need of repair – mirrors the rebuilding of their relationship Their story was heartbreaking in places for 'what could have been' and the years the spent apart. A great read, a great series. I can't wait for the next book to be released.
Available at Amazon US | Amazon UK
This entry was posted in New releases, Reviews and tagged #bookreview, #fourstarreview, #gayromance, #LGBTreads, #LGBTromance, #mmcontempromance, #new release review, #newrelease on November 13, 2018 by Beth.
We're excited to welcome BLMorticia on the blog today! BLMorticia is here to tell us a bit more about their new release Push.
Push Music in Motion Book One from Dreampsinner Press
Malakei Oakley, aka rapper M. Prophet, is at the top of his game—but deep in the closet. Handsome, wealthy, and successful as the head of 315East Entertainment, Malakei should be on cloud nine. Despite his awards and a Midas touch that has every musician clamoring to work with him, something is missing.
Seth "Reaper" Davies is ready for stardom. His band High Stakes plays to small, packed houses all over Birmingham and London but has yet to get their big break. But Seth isn't giving up on his dream—no matter what it takes.
A viral video prompts a message from a person he doesn't expect—the talented M. Prophet. Their musical styles are worlds apart, and Seth has no desire to change his style to sell records. But his curiosity—and his attraction to Malakei—wins out.
Malakei can't get Seth out of his mind. He also can't come out without ruining his reputation. No matter how much he wants the sexy singer, his only option is to push Seth away. But he's about to find out Seth isn't one to give up on what he wants—and he might be just what Malakei needs.
Seth and Malakei meet for the first time
Malakei had gotten a text from Lena that she'd be coming in with High Stakes and family soon. He could barely hold in his excitement about seeing Seth Davies up close.Dang.
"Focus, M." Malakei mentally checked himself and stood up when he heard the door open. He had to keep this as business because he wasn't sure what to expect. However, Malakei had a hard time, knowing the fine guitarist was only feet away from his grasp.
"Malakei? We're here."
Malakei took another deep breath, then stood up. Making his way toward them, he glanced at everyone who appeared to be starstruck.
"Hello there. High Stakes and family, I presume. It's so good to meet you."
Lena cleared her throat. "Um, Malakei, from the left is Morty, the bassist, his girlfriend, Gina. Gio, and his mother, Theresa, and Seth along with his mother, Ethel."
All of them said hi, and Malakei made sure he started with Morty, before greeting Seth and his mother. He kissed all the ladies' hands and shook the band members' hands as a gentlemanly display. The women blushed, apparently in awe.
Though Malakei didn't spend that much time holding Seth's hand, the feel of it wasn't lost on him. As expected, it was rough, calloused, prickly around the tips from playing his guitar without a pick or even tape. He was a hard rocker through and through, not concerned with protecting the skin. Seth exuded rock and roll because in the minds of people like him, hard music meant sacrifice.
Other than the texture of Seth's palms, Malakei couldn't help but notice the outfit. Seth wore black jeans again and this time a classic Metallica T-shirt. Both hugged his lanky body like a glove, and as with most metal musicians he'd known of, they didn't care for heavy coats. Seth wore a small leather jacket full of buttons on both lapels. Yes, he looked every bit of the part of the quintessential metalhead.
"Gods, you are even more handsome in person." Ethel smiled at him.
"Um, thank you." He chuckled. "And you, young lady have a very talented son. Along with his friends, I think we could help them be something special." Malakei tried keeping his tone even. Out the corner of his eye, he could see Seth was actually at a loss for words.
"Um, yeah, Malakei," Seth said. He held out his hand again and bowed his head slightly. "Thanks again for this opportunity. I'm totally gobsmacked you've asked us to play for you."
Malakei accepted it again and gripped it firmly. "No, it is my honor. Can we offer you all something to drink? Coffee, tea, water, or soda?"
"Water for me, thank you." Ethel spoke up first.
"Same with me," Gina said, as did Gio's mother.
"I'll take soda," Morty said.
"Me too," added Gio.
Seth grinned at Malakei again. "Do you mind if I be different and ask for coffee? I'm a little drained and need to wake up."
Malakei wished to follow that up with a snide remark, but he kept it to himself. "Of course. Lena, please grab refreshments while I show the ladies and gentlemen around the studio."
Lena smiled at Malakei and walked out.
Push features Malakei the infamous rapper who grew up in the hood of Detroit and falls in love with Seth – a struggling British heavy metal artist. Malakei is deeply closeted, he barely drinks, & doesn't do drugs. Yet, he falls completely and irrevocably for Seth. Malakei ends up changing his life for the partying rocker that drinks excessively, smokes, and basically is everything Malakei isn't. It's definitely a story of complete opposites attract. But the way the two get together is done well. And in the bedroom, these men burn up the sheets!
Of course, the pair struggle due to Malakei producing Seth's music, and how they think the world will react if anyone discovers the truth that they are together.
This story contains so much more than just romance. It deals with struggling friends, homophobia, someone targeting them, and of course the fear of coming out.
Push is a well-written story that is entertaining, romantic and a whole lot of hot and steamy.
About BLMorticia
BLMorticia entertains her readers with hot and smexy sex, humor, and lots of swear words. She attempts to incorporate metal music or the military in most of her works. Nothin' sexier than metalheads or military servicemen and women!
Website – https://blmorticia.wordpress.com/
Metalrotica – https://metalrotica.wordpress.com/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4436911.B_L_Morticia
Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/BLMorticia/
Facebook Profile – https://www.facebook.com/bl.morticia.16
Twitter – https://twitter.com/BLMorticia
Follow on BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/bl-morticia
Ebook – https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/push-by-blmorticia-9916-b
Paperback – https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/push-by-blmorticia-9917-b
Universal Link – https://www.books2read.com/links/ubl/4jDpzv
Add to Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42181634-push
This entry was posted in New releases, Reviews and tagged #bookreview, #gayromance, #LGBTreads, #LGBTromance, #mmcontemporaryromance, #newrelease, #newreleasereview on November 10, 2018 by Beth.
New release & review
We're excited to welcome Annabeth Albert on the blog today! Annabeth has brought a giveaway, but more importantly is here to tell us a bit more about their new release Better Not Pout!
Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert
One hard-nosed military police officer.
One overly enthusiastic elf.
One poorly timed snowstorm.
Is it a recipe for disaster? Or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for holiday romance?
Teddy MacNally loves Christmas and everything that goes along with it. When he plays an elf for his charity's events, he never expects to be paired with a Scrooge masquerading as Santa Claus. His new mission: make the holiday-hating soldier believe he was born to say ho-ho-ho.
Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn't do Santa, but he's army to his blood. When his CO asks an unusual favor, Nick of course obliges. The elf to his Kris Kringle? Tempting. Too tempting—Nick's only in town for another month, and Teddy's too young, too cheerful and too nice for a one-night stand.
The slow, sexy make-out sessions while Teddy and Nick are alone and snowbound, though, feel like anything but a quick hookup. As a stress-free holiday fling turns into Christmas all year round, Teddy can't imagine his life without Nick. And Nick's days on the base may be coming to a close, but he doesn't plan on leaving anything, or anyone, behind.
Annabeth Albert says that, "BETTER NOT POUT is a male/male holiday romance featuring endearing characters with a fun, flirty plot that will remind readers of their favorite holiday rom-coms."
Subgenre:Contemporary Romance, Male/Male Romance, Holiday Romance, Military Romance
It was entirely possible that standing in Teddy's office in his drawers was less humiliating than trying to squash himself onto the couch. He narrowly avoided rolling to the floor, but ended up in a sneezing fit because up close and personal, the couch smelled like a combo of woodsmoke and fabric cleaner of some kind. And his neck and thighs were both cramping, but he tried to not groan aloud.
"Yeah. You look totally comfy." Teddy shook his head at Nick as he finished putting the game away and banking the fire. "Come on. Bed. I'll even turn on the electric bed warmer for you."
"We can share," Nick said decisively. He'd slept next to men on planes and in various mission situations. Surely he could survive the temptation that was Teddy in a warm bed.
"Excellent." Teddy's eyes went dark and hot.
"To sleep," Nick clarified.
"Darn. Can't blame a guy for hoping?" Teddy gave him a smile over his shoulder as he led the way up to a cozy sleeping loft. A large, high sleigh bed that still looked too small for both of them dominated the room, piled high with colorful quilts. Teddy clambered onto the bed, crawling across it, muttering something about finding a controller but Nick was too transfixed on his bouncing ass to pay much attention to his words. It was surprisingly round and high and rather bitable and…
"See something you want?" Teddy glanced over his shoulder.
Busted. And he must have not been able to wipe the want off his expression fast enough because Teddy crawled back across the bed to kneel in front of where Nick stood, looking like some angelic offering. An offering Nick wasn't sure he could turn down a second time.
"How about…" Teddy pitched his voice low and seductive, almost a whisper. "I get it, I'm not your type, but maybe I could turn off the lights and you could… I dunno…pretend? Just for tonight?"
"Never said you weren't my type," Nick said, voice like sandpaper. True, he'd been thinking just that an hour earlier, but Teddy not being his usual didn't mean that Nick didn't see his appeal or that the chemistry wasn't there. And fuck, it would be so much easier if the chemistry between them didn't crackle like the downstairs fire. His hand was apparently done taking orders from his brain that evening and reached out to stroke Teddy's smooth jaw. "Just that it was a bad idea."
"It's an excellent idea." Teddy stretched like a cat under Nick's touch, eyes drifting shut, like he was every bit as hungry for Nick's touch as he was to give it. And Nick gave up the fight with a groan. This was a terrible idea for all sorts of good, logical reasons, and things were likely to get awkward, but hell if he could bring himself to stop touching Teddy. He buried his hand in those golden curls, which were far softer than they looked.
And Teddy knew he'd won, closed the remaining distance between them and looped his arms around Nick's neck. "Now do I get to tell you what I want?"
This time Nick laughed, long and low. "Yeah. You do."
"Goody." Teddy beamed at him. "But it's probably gonna be easier to show you…"
With that, Teddy leaned in, slow enough that Nick could have stopped him if he'd been so inclined. Which he wasn't. No, he'd made up his mind to have this thing. He'd deal with the consequences—and there would be consequences—like an adult, but for tonight, he was going to let himself have Teddy.
My first holiday read of the year and it was filled with festive magic and sparkle. It had everything you could wish for: a reluctant Santa, a cheerful elf, snow, a big family celebration and lots and lots of food. Reading this book was like snuggling up under a blanket in front of the fire – all the feels and heart warming.
This author really does the grumpy military man with a soft heart so well – Nick the reluctant Santa who can't help being drawn to Teddy. And Teddy is the perfect foil for Nick with his big heart and his love of grumpy men.
I loved, loved, loved this book. If you only read one holiday story this year make it Better Not Pout!
About Annabeth Albert
Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she's not adding to her keeper shelf, she's a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series include the #OutOfUniform, #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat, #RainbowCove and #PerfectHarmony series.
To find out what she's working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: annabethalbert.comor connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth's Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.
Connect with Annabeth Albert
Website: http://annabethalbert.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6477494.Annabeth_Albert
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annabethalbert?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbertauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabeth_albert/
Newsletter:http://eepurl.com/Nb9yv
Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annabethsangels/
Win 1 of 2 e-copies of any OUT OF UNIFORM series book or a finished Paperback copy of BETTER NOT POUT!
Enter the giveaway here!
Order at
Carina Press:
https://www.carinapress.com/shop/books/9781488038686_better-not-pout.html
Barnes & Noble (mmp): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/better-not-pout-annabeth-albert/1128809456?ean=9781335924841
Barnes & Noble (ebook): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/better-not-pout-annabeth-albert/1128809456?ean=9781488038686
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Better-Not-Pout-Annabeth-Albert-ebook/dp/B07DCT4BQB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535554732&sr=8-1&keywords=better+not+pout+by+annabeth+albert&dpID=51UflJbbq3L&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
This entry was posted in New releases, Reviews and tagged #blogtour, #gayromance, #giveaway, #holidayromance, #LGBTreads, #LGBTromance, #militaryromance, #mmcontempromance, #mmromance, #new release review, #newrelease on November 8, 2018 by Beth.
October new releases & winner
October was a great month for new releases & some amazing covers to go with them! Here's just some of the ones we featured. Got a favourite among them or one that you think should have been included? Let us know in the comments.
And of course the end of the month means it's giveaway time! All email subscribers are automatically entered for the chance to win an ebook of our featured new releases during the previous month. See the full selection of books available & this month's winner here!
Happy Reading x
This entry was posted in New releases and tagged #gayromance, #LGBTreads, #LGBTromance, #mmcontempromance, #mmparanormalromances, #mmromance, #newrelease, #stepbrothers on November 3, 2018 by Beth.
Halloween Short Story Giveaway
Happy Halloween! No tricks, only treats from some of your favorite MM authors. Enjoy this variety of short stories to scare and entertain you.
Featuring amazing authors such as Annabeth Albert, Lucy Lennox, E.J. Russell, Pandora Pine, DJ Jamison, Beth Bolden & more!!
Simply download the Prolific Works (formerly Instafreebie) app and have access to these stories whenever you need a quick romance break. It's a great chance to try a new author with no risk, and you can even have the stories emailed to you to read on your Kindle.
Please consider signing up for each author's mailing list as a way of thanking them, getting future free stories, and their new release announcements too!
Claim your freebies here!
This entry was posted in New releases and tagged #bookdeals, #freebook, #gaybookdeals, #gayromance, #giveaway, #LGBTreads, #LGBTromance, #mmcontempromance, #mmparanormalromances, #mmromance, #newrelease on October 31, 2018 by Beth.
"He'll steal your heart and then your car."
Get revved up for book one in the new fast-paced contemporary m/m romance series from author Kat Cassidy.
Peter Bauer is a hard-living car thief with more skeletons in his closet than four-figure suits. Nikos Petrakis is a career mechanic who's found himself on the wrong side of the law because of a secret of his own. Brought together by circumstance and a '65 Shelby Cobra, they'll have to navigate L.A.'s seedy underbelly in the sweet with heat world of Hot Wire.
A gritty slow burn of a romance. Peter, the kind-hearted car thief, stole my heart from the start. "…Daniels Jr. had leaned in close and whispered something to her that had reduced her to tears. And that had been it; Peter had made a vow to himself right then to steal the car." And that vow kicks off a whole lot of trouble for Peter who hasn't had an easy life mainly due to his father. And Nik, ahh my heart ached for him.
The story is an unusual one in the way it is told with interludes between some of the chapters. The main story is told from Peter's POV but the interludes are mainly from the women's POV that are featured in the story and provide the backstory for the characters and help explain their actions in the present story.
A darkish tale with a view of the seedy underbelly of LA that ultimately ends happily and leaves the story nicely set up for the next book to continue. A great debut story and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
Purchase at Amazon US | Amazon UK
This entry was posted in New releases, Reviews and tagged #gayromance, #LGBTreads, #LGBTromance, #mmcontempromance, #mmromance, #new release review, #newrelease on October 27, 2018 by Beth.
New release & giveaway
We're excited to welcome Edie Danford on the blog today! Edie has brought a giveaway, but more importantly is here to tell us a bit more about their new release One Step Back!
When you fall for a guy who's about to become your stepbrother—do you listen to
your heart and risk everything? Or listen to your head…and take one step back?
In high school I had a hundred reasons to steer clear of my soon-to-be-
stepbrother, Joe Beneventi. He was a hothead, and I was reserved. His life was football,
mine was academics. He wanted to be out and proud, and I desperately needed to keep
my orientation secret.
But when we fell in love, my heart took the wheel, and I took every risk to be with
Joe. Then one horrible night our secrets shattered. Joe disappeared—wrecking our
families and breaking my heart.
Eleven years later, I landed a challenging job at a premier PR firm. And the hotshot
publicist who's been assigned to my first big account? Yep. It's Joe.
Fate truly hates me because now Joe and I have three days to hole up in a
Chicago hotel room and nail down a deal that could make or break our careers. He
keeps distracting me, but I'm too jaded to fall for sexy smiles, bedroom eyes, and his
impossible-to-ignore body. Except…
I like being close to him again. A little too much. Working together 24/7 is showing
me sides of Joe I've never seen before.
And when we touch, being together seems like the only step worth taking.
I take a deep breath. Gotta prepare myself for being up-close and personal with the force of nature that is Joseph Vincent Beneventi.
"Hey, Joe," I say, my voice cracking. Not how I'd wanted to sound.
His sexy mouth curves, and I get hit with the full impact of his attention-sucking energy. It zaps across the entryway. Through the guesthouse and the five-acre yard. All of Chicagoland. The state of Illinois, the entire Midwest…
Yeah, you get the picture. Joe has <em>it</em>. Chemical hoodoo-voodoo oozes from his pores and makes you forget whatever it is you're doing, whatever happened to be on your mind. And all you can do is stand there and stare at him. And listen to the ridiculous shit that comes out of his gorgeous mouth.
I've had to cope with this Joe-phenomenon for three years now, as long as his mom and my dad have been dating. Weekends and vacations together at first, and then mostly full time as of last year, after Kim and Bernie got engaged and bought this monstrosity of a property together.
Wedding-planning and "a home where we can be a family" was supposed to bring us stability. Wishful thinking, because things between my dad and Joe's mom—between all of us, really—seem rockier than ever.
"Hey, you." Joe leans against the door jamb, killer smile flashing.
He's a big, glossy beast, and he lights up the night that I've tried to darken. I look away from his shining eyes, but his jacked chest and abs, his maybe-too-tight board shorts, his legs, his feet, aren't any easier to ignore.
"Why didn't you tell me you'd be home tonight?" he asks. His deep voice has a slight throb, like he's actually hurt. "You didn't answer my message. Any of my messages. I get why you didn't want to show for my amazingly fucking boring graduation, but… I was hoping to hear about your plans. For the summer."
He reaches up to brush damp hair from his face, the movement popping every muscle from shoulder to wrist. Matty actually sighs from behind me. I try not to notice how the longer hair and the scruff on his chin make Joe look hotter than his usual smoking hellfire.
He spent his senior year at a therapeutic high school here in the Chicago area and the place didn't demand buzz-cuts the way the military school did. The longer black waves do amazing things for his cheekbones, his squared-off chin, his sin-dark eyes.
I'm supposed to be saying something. So I open my mouth and a lame excuse comes out. "I wasn't sure about flight times. Until the last minute. Storms in New York."
He nods, head tilting as he scrutinizes my features. He wants to believe me even though it's obvious I'm lying. The sky had been clear when I'd jetted away from LaGuardia, my freshman year of college complete.
I'd been avoiding all contact with Joe since Christmas break. I'd figured he'd understand why I didn't respond to any of his messages today. Or at least take the hint. <em>Hey, Joey, after I don't answer your two-hundredth-and-seventieth voicemail, maybe that means I don't want to communicate with you. </em>But Joe is thick in more ways than one.
His dark eyes get warmer as they take me in, the dimple in his right cheek popping. His thumb traces the sand-dollar tattoo under his left nipple, a move I'm sure he's making unconsciously. I do the same thing sometimes. I have a matching tattoo; we'd gotten them in Mexico during Christmas vacation two years ago. The 'rents had been very confused when both of us suddenly wore rash guards 24/7 for the rest of the break. Joe had come up with a BS-but-brilliant excuse about stingray sightings and the angle of the sun and the chemicals in sunscreen lotion killing off coral reefs.
And, okay. I'm not being fair. Joe isn't thick. He's probably smarter than me. He just doesn't know how to rein in a lot of the bad shit that constantly roams his head. I've actually tried to help him figure out some stuff, given him some pointers about how to focus and prioritize—
There's a crashing noise from the pool area. More shit breaking.
"Fuck," he mutters, looking over his shoulder.
"You better get back there. Broken glass. Blood. Nastiness. It's all gonna happen."
He sighs—a shudder wracking his six-five frame. "Should've never invited anyone over." His smile is crooked. "Your fault. I wouldn't have had to get up to shenanigans with Bran and Troy if I'd known you'd be here tonight."
And, there it is.
The reason why he always, <em>always </em>manages to piss me off. I'm not responsible for him. Not responsible for his feelings, for his actions. I refuse to be.
"Not my fault," I say, my voice cracking again, damn it. I take a step backward, my hand pulling the door closed.
"Asher, come on. You know I didn't mean it like that—"
I shut the door in his face. Then I pull the blinds closed, blocking out his beauty, blocking out his hurt expression. Maturity can go fuck itself, because literally closing off Joe from my senses will be the only way I can survive the summer.
"Wow," Matty says.
"Yeah," I agree.
It's probably a few hours later when something jolts me awake. It's Joe looming over me. I must've passed out after Matty left. I'm sprawled on the big chaise in the guesthouse's living room, Joe standing so close his knees are touching the cushion's edge.
There's only one light on, a yellow glow coming from the glass-fronted cabinet that displays Joe's shell collection. It creates weird, streaky shadows across his super-defined chest and abs.
His shorts are dry now, not as tight on his thighs or his package, but I can see he's erect, a righteous bulge that's impossible to miss. And, when I look up into his face, my gaze snags on his parted lips, his heavy-lidded eyes .
The house is quiet. No more party outside. When Joe inhales suddenly, I can feel the sharpness of his breath in my own lungs.
I sit, swinging my legs to the side of the chaise, planting my feet on either side of his. He takes my face in his hands. His fingers are warm, familiar, his touch so tender it makes me want to cry.
And, God, when our gazes connect, and I immediately fall into that dark brown and gold I dream about, tears clog my throat, for real.
"Ash," he whispers, his voice so hoarse I can barely hear it. The pad of his thumb passes over my lower lip. I lick away the taste of him and he sighs. "Damn, I missed you."
I nod. I can't speak. It hurts.
Purchase at Amazon
Edie lives in Vermont with her husband, two sons, and random creatures that might or might not be pets. She loves libraries (where she's found play, work, and love since she was a kid), long walks (unless ice is involved), lewd language (in the right context), luscious romance (of any variety), and alliteration.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail
Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card – a Rafflecopter giveaway
This entry was posted in New releases and tagged #blogtour, #coworkers, #enemiestolovers, #gayromance, #giveaway, #LGBTromance, #mmcontempromance, #mmromance, #newrelease, #stepbrothers on October 25, 2018 by Beth.
Title: The Journalist and the Dancer
Author: Liam Livings
Publisher: NineStar Press, LLC
Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 49700{
Genre: Contemporary, Ibiza, contemporary, family drama, romance
Christopher, a quiet, reserved, British journalist, reviews restaurants and night clubs in Ibiza. After a painful breakup and nervous breakdown in the UK, he aims to live a more spiritual possession-free life on the Mediterranean island.
Lucas flees an abusive ex in Madrid to live his dream of dancing in Ibiza's large prestigious night clubs.
They meet at a night club and both feel an instant attraction which soon develops into an emotional connection neither of them feels ready for.
Sharing their painful pasts with each other brings them closer together, though neither of them planned on being in a proper relationship. But when a family crisis pulls Lucas back to Madrid and a painful encounter with his abusive ex, Christopher deals with painful experiences of his own.
The Journalist and the Dancer
Liam Livings © 2018
"What are you drinking?" the barman asked. He wore a low v-neck sleeveless T-shirt and looked far too skimpily dressed for what was purporting to be another straight bar.
"Gin and tonic. Large." Christopher winked—it was always worth a try wherever he was, and Ibiza's bars were very mixed anyway. Straights and gays shared most drinking establishments happily. A relationship of equals, was that too much to want?
He checked the invite, scanning down for anything unusual. Among the rubbish about it being the new place to be seen on the island and where all the it people hung out, whoever they were—Christopher had lived on Ibiza for a year or so and had yet to meet these so-called it people—were pictures of men and women laughing and drinking together, so probably aiming for the straight crowd.
"Excuse me. We've run out of soda water. Can I get you something else?" The barman shook the hose contraption and shrugged.
"Surprise me." Because nothing else here is surprising. The red walls were covered in likenesses of the island's shape, with large white skulls painted on either end, and the dark corners of the club were filled with silver chairs and tables. The latest Eurotrash track boomed from the stage on the far side of the room. Christopher stifled a yawn. Somehow, this wasn't quite what he'd imagined looking for a less materialistic life would be like.
But he still had to eat.
The barman slid a tall, multicoloured cocktail adorned with a blue umbrella and red cherry along the bar. "Surprise!"
Christopher took a sip and was pleasantly shocked that he enjoyed the bitter sweetness. "When is the actual opening happening?"
"Eight, eight thirty." The barman talked enthusiastically about the cannons, which were going to spurt white foam over the revellers on the dance floor.
"Foam cannons? Really?" I think the year 2000 called and it wants its nightclub back. Christopher rolled his eyes behind the tall cocktail glass.
"It's not a club here without one—apparently." The barman shrugged and his biceps rippled in the light. "Mind you, have you seen the cages hanging above the dance floor?"
The barman pointed through an archway to the source of the pulsing noise that passed as music here.
Bit tacky. How can I say it's a bit tacky without actually saying it's a bit tacky? How about fanciful? Or maybe enthusiastic? Christopher pondered the right words for a few moments.
The barman left to serve another customer, tiny white shorts about two sizes too small encased his tight arse cheeks—definitely a good seven or an eight—wiggling as he walked.
Christopher contemplated what a waste that arse was on a straight man, then pulled a white wafer-thin laptop from his bag and began writing his Ibiza Discovered review for yet another nightclub opening. If I ask the barman a few more questions, that, and a few words about the ambiance—always deathly dull at these things—I'll be done and home to chill out with the TV and Sally within the hour. Maybe that's why I'm still single. Or maybe it's because I don't think I'll ever find a man who's equal to me…
"The VIP area is ready when you are." A slight man in a black suit with sweat on his brow appeared at Christopher's shoulder.
With a sinking feeling that his leaving within the hour plan was looking less likely now, he followed the man to an area with a red velvet rope and clipboard-checking woman who flicked her long brown hair more often than she checked the guest list.
Christopher gave his name, waited as the woman checked it and was then shown to a table with other people talking and toasting with champagne.
People. And they're talking. They're going to want to talk to me and want to know who I…Damn!
"Who are you reviewing for?" a man at the table asked.
"Ibiza Discovered." Different people asking the same questions, probably going to suggest the same bloody drinking game as the evening progressed. Being this standoffish was definitely not improving his chances of finding a date any time soon, he realised.
After introductions around the table—a few local papers, a website mag, and a clubbing scene mag—Christopher gritted his teeth as the first man suggested they play a drinking game, based on how many times the manager said certain words in his welcome address.
He checked his watch. With no sign of the manager announcing the formal opening, and already half an hour late, his quiet evening plans were gradually disappearing, drink by drink.
One of the journalists was talking about the last club opening he'd been to, something about a fire alarm and how they'd all ended up in the… Christopher's attention drifted from the man's story to a gentlemen who skipped and floated across the dance floor. Nothing too unusual so far, but the fact that he was wearing only a pair of tight gold trunks with glitter over his athletic hairless chest made Christopher sit up, his shorts tighten, and his stomach flutter.
The man shouted, "Me cago en tu puta madre!" and turned to face Christopher, staring for what seemed like a minute, smiling and not breaking eye contact.
Christopher couldn't take his eyes off this exotic passionate creature, staring so intensely and deeply it felt as if he were staring into his soul. He knew that no man dressing like that would take himself too seriously. He felt sure that a man like that would humour his partner, was comfortable with himself fully without censoring, wouldn't mock every decision of other people like… Christopher stopped that particular avenue of memories.
Then, as suddenly as he'd arrived, the man shook his head, clapped twice, and ran through a door to the side of the stage.
That arse in those trunks was at least a nine, possibly a ten. Who is he? What's the English equivalent to that sweary Spanish phrase? Where is he going? And why aren't I talking to him instead of this group of idiots?
NineStar Press, LLC | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble
Liam Livings lives where east London ends and becomes Essex. He shares his house with his boyfriend and cat. He enjoys baking, cooking, classic cars and socializing with friends. He has a sweet tooth for food and entertainment: loving to escape from real life with a romantic book; enjoying a good cry at a sad, funny and camp film; and listening to musical cheesy pop from the eighties to now. He tirelessly watches an awful lot of Gilmore Girls in the name of writing 'research'.
Published since 2013 by a variety of British and American presses, his gay romance and gay fiction focuses on friendships, British humour, romance with plenty of sparkle. He's a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and the Chartered Institute of Marketing. With a masters in creative writing from Kingston University, he teaches writing workshops with his partner in sarcasm and humour, Virginia Heath as http://www.realpeoplewritebooks.com and has also ghost written a client's 5 Star reviewed autobiography.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
This entry was posted in New releases and tagged #gayromance, #giveaway, #LGBTreads, #LGBTromance, #mmcontempromance, #newrelease, #releaseblitz on October 2, 2018 by Beth.
We're excited to welcome Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott on the blog today! They have brought a giveaway, but more importantly are here to tell us a bit more about their new release Sadistic Sherlock!
Title: Sadistic Sherlock
Series: Ward Security Series #4
Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
Publisher: Drake and Elliott Publishing, LLC
Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex
Length: 64k
Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense
Ten years ago, Dominic Walsh faked his own death. With no true identity, it wasn't hard. But if he'd stayed, he would have been drawn further into a life he'd never chosen. He has friends and family at Ward Security now and has managed to escape his dark past. There is only one thing he truly wants.
Abraham Stephens.
When Dom was first tasked with watching over his friend's father, he didn't expect to fall so hard for the gorgeous silver fox. But Abe is interested in friendship only. He's at a point in his life where he wants something permanent, not a romp with the sexy redhead who happens to be the same age as his son.
But Abe finds himself drawn deeper into Dom's life when cryptic messages start appearing—ones that frighten the skilled security specialist. The more Dom tries to hide what's happening, the more Abe wants to help him.
And maybe, just maybe, he'll find a way to trust the strength of the bond Dom understood from the start.
Dom insisted on helping him clean the kitchen, and it took all Abe's concentration to not attack the guy. He wanted to lift him up on the counter and—
"That's it," Dom announced. "I can't handle the way you keep looking at me." He threw the dishtowel he'd been using and backed Abe into a wall this time. He braced both hands on either side of shoulders and stared hard at him. "We're doing this at a slow pace. I mean it."
"Stop being so fucking bossy and come here." Abe grabbed him and yanked him in for another kiss that rocked his world. The man kissed like he wanted to devour Abe, like he could pull air from Abe's lungs to survive on that alone. He had a naughty tongue normally—Abe never knew what was going to come out of his mouth—but it was also playful and so damn sensual when he slid it into Abe's mouth. He wanted that tongue all over his body.
They kissed until his lips became sensitive, to where every rasp of Dom's lips sent nerves tingling like he was being zapped with tiny bursts of electricity.
Dom pulled back and he kept going until his back hit the island. "Take off your shirt."
Abe didn't even hesitate. He was too far gone to worry about his forty-nine-year-old body at this point. If Dom didn't like him as he was, if he didn't want to do this again, then Abe would take this one shot to see him, to touch him, and he'd love it. He stepped back and pulled off his Henley and stood there, letting Dom look. "Yours too."
"In a minute," Dom breathed as he leaned back against the island and leisurely ran that hot gaze over Abe.
It took all his control to stand still, because he wanted to maul Dom. There wasn't another word to describe what he wanted to do. Grab him, throw him against the wall or on the couch and just…take him apart. Feel all that searing skin against his. Rub his cock against that taut body…
Dom grinned in that oh-so-wicked fashion of his and crooked a finger. "Come here."
But Abe had a better idea. He grabbed him and pressed him back into the wall. Dom didn't wait for him to take the final step close before his hands were on Abe's chest and his fingers were combing through his chest hair. He ran one palm down Abe's belly, which didn't have the bumps and ridges of muscle that Dom's had. But he couldn't discount the complete desire he saw in those green eyes and the very hard dick showing in his jeans.
Abe slowly reached out and ran one finger down that hard ridge, and the back of Dom's head thunked on the wall. "If I come in my pants, no comments about the age thing. I'm thirty-two damn years old and you have me so hot, I'm about to be humiliated for life."
"Oh yeah?" He popped the top button and unzipped Dom's jeans. He didn't push them down—just left them open. "Spiderman? Really?"
"I didn't think you'd be seeing my boxers tonight, or I would have worn the Batman ones. They're way hotter." Dom smirked.
Who are Drake & Elliott?
Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | eMail Tumblr |Unbreakable Readers
This entry was posted in New releases and tagged #blogtour, #gayromance, #giveaway, #LGBTreads, #LGBTromance, #mmromance, #mmromanticsuspense, #newrelease on September 28, 2018 by Beth.
We're excited to welcome Avon Gale & Roan Parrish on the blog today! They have brought a giveaway, but more importantly are here to tell us a bit more about their new release Thrall!
Thrall by Avon Gale and Roan Parrish
Publisher:Philtre Press
Release Date (Print & Ebook): September 27th, 2018
Subgenre:Mystery
Dating Sucks & Love Bites
Happy couple Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra have begun to garner national attention for their quirky New Orleans true-crime podcast, Shadowcast. When Lucy's brother Harker disappears while researching the popular new dating app Thrall, they're thrown into a real-life mystery. Aided by their social media expert, Arthur, and Harker's professor, Van Helsing, they follow the trail, hoping to find Harker before it's too late.
When their investigation crosses the path of a possible serial killer, the line between fantasy and reality begins to blur. And as they race against the app's countdown clock, so does the line between friendship and love. What starts as a flirtatious rivalry between computer-savvy Arthur and techno-averse Van Helsing becomes much more, and Mina and Lucy's relationship is tested in the fires of social media.
As they get down to the wire, the group discovers that nothing on their screens is as it seems—including their enemy.
A modern retelling of Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Mina Murray's Journal
I can't believe we finished a whole season of Shadowcast. Lucy and I have sure come pretty far from lurking in the occult book store on Magazine and trawling LiveJournal looking for everything on true crime we could find. Ha, take that, everyone who thought I was a total morbid creep! Well, okay, I am morbid but not a creep. Besides, what does it mean to be morbid except to be fascinated by the things that are kept hidden and are excised from "polite" conversation. The guarantee of death is the singular thing every human shares—how odd that it should be the thing we're glared at for mentioning.
Things with Luce have been great lately. I think in some ways the podcast has given her a thing to focus all her excess energy on, and that focus has brought us closer together. There are still moments when I see my life as it would have been if I'd never confessed my feelings for her. It horrifies me to imagine that life. I'll never let myself forget that I was scared and shaking with the threat of losing my best friend, but that if I hadn't taken a risk, I would still be trapped in that purgatory of longing that made every moment I spent with Lucy a bittersweet agony.
I've been thinking of asking L if she's ready to move in together yet. I've been wary of being the one to broach all new levels of our relationship, but knowing Lucy if I wait for her to do it then one day she'll rush up and grab me and say we should move to a castle in the south of France or the mountains of Romania. Which…wouldn't be the worst thing…
Amazon:https://amzn.to/2NNhs8v
All other vendors: https://www.books2read.com/u/bazLN6
Avon Gale was once the mayor on Foursquare of Jazzercise and Lollicup, which should tell you all you need to know about her as a person. She likes road trips, rock concerts, drinking Kentucky bourbon, JRPGs and yelling at hockey. She's a displaced southerner living in a liberal midwestern college town, and she never gets tired of people and their stories — either real or the ones she makes up in her head.
Avon is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary Agency.
Connect with Avon: Twitter| Facebook| Newsletter| Instagram| Website
Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia, where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.
When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends' hair, meandering through whatever city she's in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.
Connect with Roan: Parrish or Perish FB Group| Twitter| Instagram| BookBub| Newsletter
Win 1 of 3 e-copies of any back catalog book by Avon Gale or Roan Parrish!
This entry was posted in New releases and tagged #blogtour, #giveaway, #LGBTromance, #newrelease on September 27, 2018 by Beth.