Giveaways

Very Undead Romances–MY ZOMBIE FIANCE and MY ZOMBIE CAT

Hi there! Today I’m helping to spread the word on two new books coming soon from T. Strange. I liked MY ZOMBIE BOYFRIEND, a novel I reviewed for Joyfully Jay and thought I’d recommend it, here. It’s quirky and sweet, the story of a Canadian medical student–who happens to be a necromancer–and how he resurrected Kit, a murdered man, and they fell in love. On July 13th, the sequel MY ZOMBIE FIANCE and the companion novella MY ZOMBIE CAT get released. They sound like fun!

My Zombie Fiancé (The Undead Canadian, #2)About MY ZOMBIE FIANCE:
Edward Grey is no stranger to the undead; since raising his cat as a zombie when he was a child, he and his mentor Mariel have explored and developed his power as a necromancer. Despite everything he’s learned, as a necromancer and a medical student, he’s never encountered a ghost.

While Mariel is unreachable in Haiti on mysterious business, a ghost wakes Edward in the middle of the night, claiming to be his grandfather. When the ghost offers to teach him about this different form of undeath, Edward has little choice but to trust the spirit.

After receiving a phone call from a young girl claiming her father is possessed, Edward and his Undead Canadian fiancé, Kit, must travel to an acreage in Kingston…Ontario.

The haunting proves far more complicated than Edward could ever have guessed, and he finds himself pitted against an ancient evil determined to engulf everyone on the farm.

Edward’s love and connection to Kit will be tested, and his necromancy stretched to his limits as he has to find—and destroy—a twisted spirit more powerful than anything he’s ever encountered.

A little taste…

“Edward, answer the phone.” In our hurry to undress so we could ‘get Kit to sleep’, my phone had ended up on Kit’s side of the bed. He passed it to me, narrowly avoiding smacking me in the face with it. Miraculously, it was still ringing.

“’lo?” I managed.

“Is this Edward?”

It was a little girl’s voice, I thought. I didn’t know many little girls, so I made my best guess.

“Tia? It’s the middle of the night; I can’t come over to play right now. Isn’t it way past your bedtime? Go to bed. Bed is nice.” I closed my eyes, almost dropping the phone when my hand relaxed.

My neighbor two houses down has a very precocious four-year-old niece. She likes to play actual doctor with me—nothing creepy! I’ve taught her a few basic stitches for fixing her toys and dolls, though I suspect she may damage them on purpose so she can practice with me. Whoops. I also let her use my stethoscope and a few other safe, child-friendly pieces of medical equipment. I’ve heard her tell her aunt she wants to go to uncle Edward’s house, so I also suspect at least part of the reason she visits her aunt is to see me.

“Who’s Tia? This is Sarah. Mariel said that I should call you if it happened again. It happened again.” There was an expectant pause.

I don’t know anyone named Sarah, never mind a young girl. “Mariel told you to…? In case what happened again?”

“My daddy’s possessed,” she said, very calmly and matter-of-factly.

I felt goosebumps prickle along my arms at the word. I knew precisely as much about demonic possession as anyone who’d watched The Exorcist, and I had no idea what had, well…possessed…Mariel to refer this girl to me for help. “What exactly did Mariel say?”

The girl, Sarah, sighed deeply. She probably thought I was pretty slow, and at the moment I couldn’t blame her. “She said, call Edward, he’ll know what to do.” She sounded impatient, but not frightened. Maybe her father was possessed by something more benign than a demon.

Mariel had told her I could help, so I would do my best. Even though it was 3 AM and I knew nothing about possession. “What’s your daddy possessed by?” Not words I ever thought would come out of my mouth.

“Mister Jenkins.”

Mister Jenkins. That didn’t sound very frightening. “And what does Mister Jenkins do while he’s possessing your father?” Had she named the…spirit? It sounded like something a child might come up with.

“Not very much. He makes breakfast.” She lowered her voice. “Mister Jenkins is a better cook than daddy.”

Not much of a haunting, if movies were anything to go by. I envisioned a comedy, sort of like Three Men and a Baby, but with a ghost. Besides the one apparently caught on tape when they’d filmed that movie, come to think of it. “Does he…scare you?”

She laughed, high-pitched and genuine. “No, silly! I like Mister Jenkins, but Mariel says it’s bad for daddy if he stays too long.”

This was one of the strangest conversations I’d ever had, and I’ve lived with Kit for more than a year. And I’d dated Bone. It was even stranger than my recent conversation with my grandfather. “Where do you live, Sarah?” If there was a way to do an exorcism-by-telephone, I didn’t know it. Not that I knew any kind of exorcism, but hopefully I had enough time to find a solution before Mister Jenkins…burned toast or something. Maybe I could come up with something if I was physically present.

“Kingston.”

I had to go to Jamaica? If Mariel was in Haiti, she was much closer. I didn’t know why she didn’t just pop over and take care of Mister Jenkins.

Kit would love a tropical vacation—I wondered if his fair skin would tan or burn, or if his undeath made him immune? I wondered if he would be upset about it, one way or the other.

I was less than thrilled by the thought of the tropics. I don’t like heat, or the diseases that tend to accompany it.

“It’s in Ontario,” Sarah said, sounding very pleased with herself.

Oh. Kingston, Ontario. That was a relief, even if it was black fly season.

Great, now I’d have that song stuck in my head for days.

“Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Can you tell me your address?” I would have to fly—driving would take several days, even if Kit and I switched and we drove continuously.

“No, but Mister Jenkins can.”

Her voice was replaced by a man’s, gentle and with a hint of a British accent. Part of his directions were, “Past Kingston Family Funworld”, which definitely sounded like a place to avoid. He apologized that he couldn’t meet me at the airport because he was bound to the house.

That was a good excuse. I wished I could use it.

My grandfather hadn’t been bound to a particular place, but he had reminded me over and over that he wasn’t a typical ghost. I wondered if most ghosts had a limited range, or if Mister Jenkins was unusual in that regard.

I told him I’d call when we landed, and he hung up.

I turned on my bedside lamp. “Kit, sweetie?” I poked him, gently.

“Mmm…”

“I have to go to Kingston.” It was a good thing I had a few weeks off from school. Hopefully I would get time to study during this trip. Study medicine, that is, not necromancy.

That got Kit’s attention. He gave a happy shriek and grabbed my hand. “Oh my God, no way! I’d love to go to Jamaica!”

“Kingston, Ontario.”

“Oh. Ew.”

“Why ew? Have you ever been there?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then why—never mind. Do you still want to come with me?”

“Who calls you at three in the morning and tells you to go to Kingston, Ontario?”

“Sarah.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry! I’m still half asleep. This little girl, Sarah…Mariel told her to call me if her father got possessed again.”

“Mariel’s father? Is that why she left?”

“Sarah’s father.”

“Possessed again? Like, this is a regular occurrence?”

“Apparently. I have to book a flight.” I hunted beneath the bed for my laptop.

Kit had found his phone and was furiously typing on it. “Oooooh, Florence and the Machine is playing there! We can totally go!”

“Sure. Of course.” I found a flight that left early the next morning—in a few hours, really—and bought our tickets. “I don’t know if it’s worth going back to sleep; I’ll make us some coffee.” Not that coffee did much for Kit, except make him ill if he drank too much. Or, for some reason, if he used non-dairy creamer. It seemed to be some sort of…zombie kryptonite. I’d like to tell you I didn’t give some to Boo to see how he’d react, but I would be lying. The results: not pretty.

“What about the cats?”

Of course, the cats couldn’t come with us. While Winston could happily stay at the pet spa while we were gone, Boo could…not, and if we had someone taking care of one cat, it made sense for Winston to just stay at home. I felt a pang at the thought of being away from Boo for any length of time. “My parents can take care of them.” They wouldn’t be pleased—they’d actually thrown a “Boo is out of the house” party when I’d moved out, but they’d also get to spend time with Winston, and that was always a treat.

“I guess I’ll start packing. For both of us.”

He was welcome to do so.

In the meantime, it was definitely time to call Mariel. I wasn’t sure what time it was in Haiti, but I could definitely use her advice. For several panicked minutes I was worried that I’d lost the piece of paper she’d written the number on, when I remembered that she’d put it directly into my phone. I let it ring, over and over, but no one answered so I eventually gave up. Well, if Sarah had been able to get ahold of Mariel, she wouldn’t have needed to call me. Though she probably didn’t have Mariel’s number in Haiti…I’d just have to deal with the situation on my own for now, and call Mariel again when I had the chance.

Oh! Edward’s in trouble again.

Interested? You can find MY ZOMBIE FIANCE on Goodreads and Torquere Press.

****GIVEAWAY***

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a copy of MY ZOMBIE FIANCE.

My Zombie Cat (The Undead Canadian, #2.5)About MY ZOMBIE CAT:
Edward Grey has hardly spent a night away from his cat, Boo, since before he was in preschool. Not even death could separate them, as Edward resurrected Boo as a zombie when he was five. Now, Boo has gone missing, and the cat isn’t in any of his usual haunts.

A tasty tidbit!

Kit was at work, and I was —miraculously—caught up on my coursework. I was full of restless energy after spending the previous day sitting on the couch watching TV with Kit, so I decided to give Boo a bath. He doesn’t groom himself very often, and when he does, he usually just makes his fur worse. He was definitely getting a little…ripe.

Unfortunately, Kit came home from work partway through the bath, and I don’t even want to imagine what he thought was happening when he walked in and heard Boo’s unearthly howls and me pleading with him—loudly, to be heard over him—to hold still so I could rinse him off and it would all be over.

I heard Kit shout for Winston, so he could be heard over Boo’s yowling, and then he burst into the master bathroom, holding a purring, contented bundle of blue-grey fur.

Boo and I were frozen in an epic tableau of wet, reeking cat and equally wet—and, probably, reeking—medical student.

Kit paused in the doorway, then started laughing. “Oh. God, I thought something was really wrong. You shouldn’t scare me like that.”

“You could help,” I grumbled, as Boo got his head free of my hand, which he proceeded to bite. Hard. And not let go of.

Kit looked at the…less than clear, decidedly murky…water and shook his head. “Ew. I don’t think so. Doesn’t that hurt?”

“Yes, of course it hurts! Being undead doesn’t turn his teeth into…candy corn!” With a sadly practiced motion, as Boo bites me on a regular basis, I wedged my free thumb into the corner of the cat’s mouth and pried his jaws apart. My hand was white where he’d bitten me, and then each depression slowly filled with blood.

“You’re not going to turn into a zombie, are you?” He’d gotten a little more relaxed about the ‘Z’ word, though last week he left his browser open to a site called the Zombie Rights Campaign. I wasn’t sure if it was a joke, or something he’d made himself. I try not to snoop on his computer.

I also hadn’t asked him about it. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

“Kit, if I turned into a zombie every time Boo bit me, I’d be…”

“It only takes one time, Edward.”

These guys! The subtle humor always charms me.

Interested? You can find MY ZOMBIE CAT on Goodreads and Torquere Press. It comes as a freebie when you buy MY ZOMBIE FIANCE.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a copy of MY ZOMBIE CAT.

About the Author:
T. Strange didn’t want to learn how to read, but literacy prevailed and she hasn’t stopped reading—or writing—since. She’s been published with Torquere Press since 2013, and she writes M/M romance in multiple genres, including paranormal and BDSM. T.’s other interests include cross stitching, gardening, watching terrible horror movies, playing video games, and finding injured pigeons to rescue. Originally from White Rock, BC, she lives on the Canadian prairies, where she shares her home with her wife, cats, guinea pigs and other creatures of all shapes and sizes. She’s very easy to bribe with free food and drinks—especially wine.

Catch up with Ms. Strange on her blog, Facebook, twitter Tumblr and Pinterest.

IndiGo

Learning to Love Again WHAT REMAINS-A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a fantastic contemporary M/M romance from Garret Leigh. WHAT REMAINS is a bittersweet story of loss and recovery–and it kept me up all night. There’s also a link to the tour-wide giveaway below.

What RemainsAbout the book:
Web designer Jodi Peters is a solitary creature. Lunch twice a week with his ex-girlfriend-turned-BFF and the occasional messy venture to a dodgy gay bar is all the company he needs, right?

Then one night he stumbles across newly divorced firefighter Rupert O’Neil. Rupert is lost and lonely, but just about the sweetest bloke Jodi has ever known. Add in the heady current between them, and Jodi can’t help falling hard in love. He offers Rupert a home within the walls of his cosy Tottenham flat—a sanctuary to nurture their own brand of family—and for four blissful years, life is never sweeter.

Until a cruel twist of fate snatches it all away. A moment of distraction leaves Jodi fighting for a life he can’t remember and shatters Rupert’s heart. Jodi doesn’t know him—or want to. With little left of the man he adores, Rupert must cling to what remains of his shaky faith and pray that Jodi can learn to love him again.

My Review:
Jodi is a solitary bisexual man, living in Tottingham, London. He’s a web designer and doesn’t go out much but one Boxing Day he meets Rupert, a fireman who’s also a bouncer at a club near his home. Rupert’s concerned about Jodi’s state–he’s a bit high–and walks him home. They share coffee and conversation. Rupert awkwardly confesses that he’s gay–newly out and never been with a man–and they share a kiss. It’s electric. But, it’s also too soon for more. Rupert wants to call Jodi, waits a few weeks, and they meet again. It’s all so new and frightening, but Jodi makes it seem so cool, that Rupert falls hard. So does Jodi. They move in within months and Jodi’s just as smitten with Rupert’s young daughter as he is with his sexy fireman.

Nearly five years pass in this idyllic domestic bliss. Then one day, Jodi’s hit by a vehicle while crossing the street, and he’s in a coma. When he wakes, months later, he doesn’t recognize Rupert. Worse yet, Jodi doesn’t remember any of their time together, and wants his ex-girlfriend, Sophie, back. He thinks.

This one was a true emotional roller coaster. I’ve read a few injury/amnesia books and they are always so compelling. The medical advice is often to “wait and see” what memories the patient will recover on his or her own–without too much prompting. It’s a frightening experience to be unable to recall what one did yesterday, a week ago, but to lose years of memories, relationships, experiences is often debilitating. When Jodi wakes up and doesn’t know Rupert, he freaks out–dead scared of the stranger in his hospital room. The physicians agree that Rupert should be patient, be a steady support, but not tell him all about their history. Rupert’s shattered, yet he agrees to assume a position as Jodi’s “flatmate” because he can’t bear to walk away from the man he loves. Also, he’s afraid telling Jodi will cause Jodi to reject him outright, and he’d rather be his friend than have no contact.

So, this is a hurt/comfort story in the extreme. I liked the flashbacks which allowed me to watch Rupert and Jodi fall in love the first time. There is so much tenderness! Most of the book takes place after the accident, and Jodi’s recovery is a mess, not just mentally. He’s got physical problems, and terrible headaches, and is mostly unable to care for himself for months. Rupert’s job as a fireman takes him away for long hours, and Jodi’s ex, Sophie spends lots of time as his carer. Jodi can’t understand why they didn’t work out, and he’s confused by his unwanted attraction to Rupert. Rupert’s daughter, who’s looked at Jodi as a step-father for years now, is being kept away–because Rupert can’t explain why Jodi doesn’t know her. That said, meeting her in an unexpected way brings Jodi back to his earlier self. He starts to recognize that Rupert isn’t his friend–that they had shared a life together, and he mourns his missing memories all the more.

I felt that the medical issues Jodi faced were realistic. Many of the symptoms and effects could hold for brain injury sufferers or those with dementia, to some degree. That helplessness and fury were so potent, while Jodi himself felt impotent. Little by little life realigns, however, and Jodi isn’t willing to accept a half-life any longer. Memories may be gone forever, but new ones can be made, and he wants these to be bigger and better than those he’d lost–and also, with Rupert by his side. So, expect a lot of hurt, a lot of comfort, some sweet lovin’ and some sassy quips on the way to an HEA. I seriously read this book in one sleep-deprived night, unable to set it down.

Interested? You can find WHAT REMAINS on Goodreads, Riptide Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

****GIVEAWAY****

Comment (with your contact info) on any of the tour posts (alas, not mine, just thought I’d share!!) for WHAT REMAINS to enter to win $25 in credit at Riptide Publishing. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 9, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Garrett Leigh is a British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Black Jazz Press. Her protagonists will always always be tortured, crippled, broken, and deeply flawed. Throw in a tale of enduring true love, some stubbly facial hair, and a bunch of tattoos, and you’ve got yourself a Garrett special.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible. That, and dreaming up new ways to torture her characters. Garrett believes in happy endings; she just likes to make her boys work for it.

Garrett also works as a freelance cover artist for various publishing houses and independent authors under the pseudonym G.D. Leigh. For cover art info, please visit blackjazzpress.com. Otherwise you can find her on her website, twitter or Facebook.

Love Shifting Through LANDSCAPES–Guest Post and Giveaway!

tourbutton_landscapesHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a sexy paranormal romance novella from KD Grace. LANDSCAPES features both M/F and M/M pairings, as well as a vampire, a succubus, and a landscaper who can’t fathom what’s happening.

Catch an excerpt and a $30 GC giveaway, below.

Landscapes200About the book:

Alonso Darlington has a disturbing method of keeping landscaper, Reese Chambers, both safe from and oblivious to his dangerous lust for the man. But Reese isn’t easy to keep secrets from, and Alonso wants way more than to admire the man from afar. Can he risk a real relationship without risking Reese’s life?

Some thoughts from the author:

Involving myself in the Story — Fan-Ficcing on Alonso Darlington

It’s such a pleasure to be at V’s Reads on Day 3 of my Landscapes blog tour and giveaway. Thanks so much for hosting me, Veronica!

Some of your lovely readers may already know that Alonso Darlington is one of those characters that doesn’t go away just because the story’s finished. That’s a part of what I love about him and, considering some of the sexy thoughts, ideas and even novel ideas he and his entourage have inspired, I have the sneaking suspicion he’s been sending his succubus, Talia Zephora, to me at night when I least expect it.

He wasn’t overly happy with me when I shared his private life with the whole world in the Brit Boys: On Boys Book Bundle last year, and he made sure I knew his displeasure. But what Alonso didn’t take into account is that I have a very big mouth and my laptop is always primed and ready. So while he tried to intimidate me by inviting me to his Lakeland home and threatening me, he should have known it wouldn’t work. The first thing I did was write all about my Strange Encounter with Alonso Darlington and post it on my blog in three parts. Here are links to Part 2 and Part 3.

Well, he’s even less happy with me now that I’ve released the story, Landscapes, as a stand-alone novella. I’ve already gotten a couple of less-than-cordial phone calls from him. It’s not that I’m not scared of him – of course I am! I mean he’s a vampire and a powerful one at that. But I can’t NOT tell his story … his stories. They’re just too damn good to keep quiet about. So keep your fingers crossed for me. So far I haven’t developed a taste for blood nor have I burst into flame while walking in sunlight – not that we’ve had that much to walk in here in England so far this summer.

Yes, I know, I need to get a life, right? My point is that Alonso Darlington kept getting into my head long after I’d written THE END at the bottom of Landscapes. I’m not entirely sure if that’s just because he’s a great character, as are all of the other characters in Landscapes, or if there’s way more story than I’m ready to leave behind. I suppose if I’m honest, I also just kind of like having a minor role in the story. Gak! The thought has occurred to me that I’m writing my own fan fiction. Maybe I should seek professional help.

Every writer knows that the more time we spend with our characters in their world, the more the lines blur between what’s real and what’s fiction. Landscapes was my first foray into vampire stories – something I thought I’d never do, something I didn’t think I could do. I hadn’t counted on being both intrigued and intimidated by a character who is as dangerous as Alonso while at the same time incredibly civilized, hopelessly romantic and outrageously sexy. I hadn’t counted on how Alonso would react to my sharing the intimate details of his life, and I found that I really wanted to interact with him, even if he was angry at me.

Those written encounters brought with them a whole new realm of storytelling for me. I found myself fascinated with the role that the writer plays in the story she creates. I couldn’t keep from wondering what would happen if there was a real interface between character and writer. I’ve even done a little experimenting with bringing myself, as K D Grace, into a story with Toys for Boys as well as writing a series of travel stories collectively called Jet-Lagged and Lusting in which the storyteller and the one experiencing the story might or might not be the same person and might or might not be me.

For those of you who have followed my online serial, In The Flesh, which will be coming out this autumn in book format, you know the magical role the scribe plays in shaping a story, even shaping reality, and those of us who do write know that beyond the learned trade we all practice as novelists and storytellers, there’s some serious magic that takes place beneath the surface.

Typically the writer is supposed to keep out of the story she tells – she’s just the scribe taking down the details as they unfold, but I wonder if maybe we’re missing a whole new realm of storytelling by not including ourselves in those stories from time to time. On some unconscious level, we’re there anyway, so what happens when we take the next step and actually take a more interactive role? Speaking from my own experience, feeling Alonso’s displeasure is one thing that happens, but I have a feeling that could be just the beginning.

Wow! great insights on the writing process, KD!

A delicious taste…. (lol, pun intended!!)

Reese wondered if he were dreaming again. If he was, the dream hurt like a sonovabitch. Alonso was there and so was Talia. ‘You have to do something one way or another,’ Talia said, ‘or all that blood will be wasted.’

“Get out.’ Alonso’s voice was a low growl, and Reese vaguely recalled hearing that sound before and being frightened.

‘Someone’s got to be practical,’ she said.

Be practical about what, Reese wondered.

And then he was alone with Alonso, and for some reason he couldn’t remember, he was afraid.

He was in a bed. He didn’t know where. He hurt, and it was hard to breathe.

‘I’m going to help you now, Reese.’ He returned his attention to Alonso who now sat on the edge of the bed. He might have made some feeble attempt to get away, or maybe he imagined it. The man shrugged out of his shirt, then slid onto the bed next to him. Talia’s question came back to him. What was Alonso going to do with all the blood? Reese’s blood? It had to be a dream. Reese watched as, with his fingernail, Alonso made a tiny cut above his left nipple and the blood welled up jewel bright in the muted lighting.

‘At first this will be uncomfortable, but only for a few seconds, and then it’ll be good. You’ll see.’ Alonso placed his hand at the base of Reese’s skull and pulled him close. When he realized what was about to happen, Reese tried to push away, tried to turn his face, but he was too weak. Alonso easily forced his head down so that his mouth settled on the upwelling of blood.

For a horrifying moment, Reese’ stomach rebelled and he battled his own gag reflex, battled to breathe against the tight press of Alonso’s flesh to his face, forcing him to open his mouth in order to inhale. The first taste of blood burned like acid against his tongue, then thickened and warmed as the welling up became a steady flow, the taste of metal and salt giving way to the taste of dark, full-bodied wine and honey with the bite of bitter citrus. Reese’s throat muscles contracted once, then twice then he began to lick and suck at the wound as though he were starving, and Alonso sighed as though he felt the relief of it.

‘There, that’s not so bad is it?’ The cup of his hand at the back of Reese’s head shifted slightly as Alonso moved until he cradled Reese like a nursing child. At some point Reese’s arms went around the man’s thick chest, hands fisted against his back to pull him closer as he suckled. At some point he stopped feeling pain and he felt euphoric. At some point his cock got hard and Alonso chuckled softly at the shifting and squirming of Reese’s hips. ‘It has that effect. My blood does.’

My Review:

I really enjoyed this paranormal romance novella. While there is both M/F and M/M pairing, it’s clear that the romance is between Alonso and Reese.

Alonso is a vampire. I probably shouldn’t say that straight-out, but I will, because he’s a good vamp. Decent. Taking blood where he needs and leaving his donors euphoric and sexually satisfied. He’s been lonely a long time. Accompanied by his succubus friend, Talia, he encounters Reese while scoping out his decrepit estate in Cumbria, England. Alonso senses attraction, but also intrigue, regarding Reese, a quiet man, and professional landscaper. Talia’s assistance is necessary to make the first connection–Alonso is too hungry to take his pleasure with a human, and Talia’s sexual powers compliment Alonso’s semi-omniscience.

Reese is hired to re-design the gardens at Alonso’s ancestral home, and it is there that he begins to seduce Reese. I liked how Alonso was careful and conscientious. I also liked that Reese made up his own mind. What  seemed to be a dream job brought unforeseen–unimaginable, really–consequences. As much as Alonso wanted Reese, he never pushed, only suggested. That said, he suggested a whole lot of fantastic sexytimes.

The resolution comes when Reese realizes who Alonso is, and makes a choice to be with him, which was delicious. It’s not the on,y choice and puts Reese in the power position, and I liked that for a human v. vampire story. I wished we had just a bit more of their love story–and sexytimes-because it seemed that some of the naughty bits may have been dreamscapes–at least on Reese’s end. That was not so awesome, especially for Reese. That said it’s an interesting spin on the vampire romance and I liked the original plot and setting.

Interested? You can find LANDSCAPES on Goodreads and via the Author’s website.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $30 GC from Amazon.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Voted ETO Best Erotic Author of 2014, K D Grace believes Freud was right. In the end, it really IS all about sex, well sex and love. And nobody’s happier about that than she is, otherwise, what would she write about?

When she’s not writing, K D is veg gardening. When she’s not gardening, she’s walking. She walks her stories, and she’s serious about it. She and her husband have walked Coast to Coast across England, along with several other long-distance routes. For her, inspiration is directly proportionate to how quickly she wears out a pair of walking boots. She also enjoys martial arts, reading, watching the birds and anything that gets her outdoors.

K D has erotica published with SourceBooks, Xcite Books, Harper Collins Mischief Books, Mammoth, Cleis Press, Black Lace, Erotic Review, Ravenous Romance, Sweetmeats Press and others.

K D’s critically acclaimed erotic romance novels include, The Initiation of Ms Holly, Fulfilling the Contract, The Pet Shop. Her paranormal erotic novel, Body Temperature and Rising, the first book of her Lakeland Witches trilogy, was listed as honorable mention on Violet Blue’s Top 12 Sex Books for 2011. Books two and three, Riding the Ether, and Elemental Fire, are now also available.

K D Grace also writes hot romance as Grace Marshall. An Executive Decision, Identity Crisis, The Exhibition are all available.

Find KD online on her websites: KD GRAGE and GRACE MARSHALL, hanging with the Brit Babes, on Facebook, twitter and Pinterest.

Sex & Punishment–HARD TO SERVE-Review and Giveaway!

Hard To Serve - Tour banner
Hi there! I’m sharing a review for the first book in a new erotic series from Laura Kaye. You know I’ve really enjoyed her HARD INK books, and I was excited to hear that she’s spinning into a new BDSM series, involving the Masters who run Club Blasphemy. HARD TO SERVE is the first of many stories to come, and boy is it HAWT.

Catch an excerpt below and be sure to enter to win Amazon gift cards, too!

11_1001_2016_Laura Kaye_300dpiAbout the book:
To protect and serve is all Detective Kyler Vance ever wanted to do, so when Internal Affairs investigates him as part of the new police commissioner’s bid to oust corruption, everything is on the line. Which makes meeting a smart, gorgeous submissive at an exclusive play club the perfect distraction…

The director of the city’s hottest art gallery, Mia Breslin’s career is golden. Now if only she could find a man to dominate her nights and set her body—and her heart—on fire. When a scorching scene with a hard-bodied, brooding Dom at Blasphemy promises just that, Mia is lured to serve Kyler again and again.

As their relationship burns hotter, Kyler runs into Mia at work and learns that he’s been dominating the daughter of the hard-ass boss who has it in for him. Now Kyler must choose between life-long duty and forbidden desire before Mia finds another who’s not so hard to serve.

A tasty teaser…

Kyler had tried to stay away from Mia. When he’d seen her across the club, he’d walked away and stayed away. Despite the fact that her dress made him want to unwrap her, that the updo of her lovely brown hair bared that beautiful throat, that his body was making demands of him that his brain didn’t want to answer.

And then she’d made it worse. First, by walking away from the Dom who was clearly interested in her. Second, by waiting at the bar—for him—Kyler had no doubt that’s what she’d been doing. And third by not only giving up on Kyler, but finding a possible replacement in Master Quinton.

And when Quinton had taken her hand—had touched what Kyler’s body screamed was his—Kyler hadn’t been able to stay away anymore.

And now, here they were. Kyler in a dark mood. And Mia seemingly all the more turned on for it. It was almost like she knew what he needed her to be, or do, to ease him. And that felt like a really fucking dangerous thing.

That danger didn’t have him walking out of the room though, did it?

No, instead, he was tying her to the cot-style bed in the basement-themed room. She was kneeling with her legs spread wide, which allowed Kyler to secure her hands and ankles behind her using rope tied to the iron. She could only lean so far forward before the rope would catch her. He tied another rope around her waist, with loops around each of her upper thighs, and attached that one to the almost equally high footboard—this rope would not only keep her from leaning back, but it would keep her from being able to sag down onto her calves. The two sets of ropes largely immobilized her so that she had to take whatever he did. After he arranged everything else he needed, he turned to her.

“What are your safewords?” he asked. She gave him the right answers. “And if you’re gagged?”

Mia shook her head three times while humming, “Mmm, mmm, mmm.”

“Very good, Mia. Are there any words or names you don’t like to be called while role-playing?”

“No, Sir,” she said, her voice so aroused that he could’ve thrown her down and skipped all the build up.

But she deserved better than that. He nailed her with a long look, giving her—and himself—one last chance. But they were doing this. “Scene.” Grabbing the medical scissors and a strap, he approached her, his persona shifting to fit the dark role he had in mind. “Well, what do we have here?”

My Review:
This book was 4.5 Stars, for me, and the great start to a very sexy new series.

Kyler Vance is a Master Dom at Club Blasphemy, an exclusive BDSM club in Baltimore that he owns with 11 other friends/Doms. He’s also a full-time police detective that’s recovering from a gunshot wound, and is under investigation as a person of interest in a corruption scandal throughout the police department. He’s innocent, but part of his story has been carefully written by the CIA, as part of a larger case in the Hard Ink novel series. (It’s not critical to have read those for this book to make sense…)

Mia Breslin is an art gallery curator, and artist in her own right, newly working in Baltimore. She’s excited to be near her beloved father, the police commissioner. She’s also jazzed to check out Club Blasphemy, now that her temp membership has been awarded. On her first night she meets Master Kyler–and they hit it off. Mia most desires a man who will want her to serve, and be a dedicated Master, but Kyler makes it clear that he’s not looking for a permanent partner–life in the police force isn’t conducive to a marriage. That’s what he learned when his grandparents, and parents divorced, anyway; both his father and grandfather were cops.

Over the time Mia has, Kyler wants her more and more. He captures her time there–and lets her leave when her temp membership is up…much to the frustration of Mia and Kyler’s Master friends/partners. Boy does Kyler get an earful.

It looks like things might turn up, but then Kyler learns Mia’s father is his boss, and that’s another crisis. I think the only thing that Kyler can do to fix this is absolutely drastic. And, wow, does he manage to wow his dedicated, dejected, frustrated sub. Mia’s such a sweet gal, and I’m glad that Kyler FINALLY treated her the way she deserved. In their scenes, he’s a great Dom, it’s just what happens outside of that realm that is hugely disappointing, again and again, until he gets it right. I also liked the realistic portrayal of dangerous kinks; Mia loves breath play, which can be VERY DANGEROUS, and some of the Doms she meets are unwilling to even consider it. Due to his training, Kyler is better able to handle this desire, and it helps Kyler and Mia bond in the short time they know each other.

The book is short and sexy and sweet and sexy. Did I mention it was sexy? It’s pretty straight-up erotica, and I found it a satisfying read. I’m looking forward to more in this series, that’s for sure.

Interested? You can find HARD TO SERVE on Goodreads and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win one of five Amazon gift cards.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Introducing…BLASPHEMY – the club first introduced in Hard to Serve

From the ruins of an abandoned church comes Baltimore’s hottest and most exclusive BDSM club. Twelve Masters. Infinite fantasies. Welcome to Blasphemy…

Bound to Submit is coming September 13, 2016. Pre-order on Amazon, iTunes, and Kobo.

Laura Kaye - author picAbout the Author:
Laura Kaye is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink and upcoming Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Catch up with Laura on her website, Facebook, Twitter, or her newsletter.

InkSlinger-Blogger-New

Reaping Love in A SECOND HARVEST–Review and Giveaway!

A Second Harvest Blog Tour Banner BannerHi there! I’m so excited to share a review and giveaway for a new contemporary M/M romance from Eli Easton. I’ve loved her books, including HOW TO HOWL AT THE MOON, HOW TO WALK LIKE A MAN, and HOW TO WISH UPON A STAR, so I couldn’t wait to read A SECOND HARVEST, a tumultuous, yet delicious, pairing of opposites.

Catch my review, an excerpt and get in on the $25 GC or book giveaway below!

SecondHarvest[A]FSAbout the book:
David Fisher has lived by the rules all his life. Born to a Mennonite family, he obeyed his father and took over the family farm, married, and had two children. Now with his kids both in college and his wife deceased, he runs his farm alone and without joy, counting off the days of a life half lived.

Christie Landon, graphic designer, Manhattanite, and fierce gay party boy, needs a change. Now thirty, he figures it’s time to grow up and think about his future. When his best friend overdoses, Christie resolves to take a break from the city. He heads to a small house in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to rest, recoup, and reflect.

But life in the country is boring, despite glimpses of the hunky silver fox next door. When Christie’s creativity latches on to cooking, he decides to approach his widower neighbor with a plan to share meals and grocery expenses. David agrees, and soon the odd couple find they really enjoy spending time together.

Christie challenges the boundaries of David’s closed world and brings out feelings he buried long ago. If he can break free of the past, he might find a second chance at happiness.

How about a little taste?

It was Saturday and the idea of doing more cleaning held little appeal. What else did he have to do with himself? Nothing. The temptation to go into Lancaster or Harrisburg was there, to seek out a gay bar, or even get on Grindr. Gay men had to exist out here. But… that wasn’t why he moved here. He came here to get away from all that for a little while.

His mind made up, he went to the grocery store in town with a long list. It was a big-chain grocery store, and he was pleased to find nearly everything he needed. The October day was bright with crisp leaves and a blue sky. When he got back home with his sacks of goodies, it was still early afternoon. He opened the windows in the kitchen—struggling against the one over the sink that stuck—turned up the music on his iPhone, and started dancing around, organizing his supplies and digging out pots and pans.

He made the curried carrot ginger soup, a lovely dish with fresh peas, green onion, and radishes, some savory cheese-and-herb swirled biscuits, and a basic herb-roasted chicken. He truly did love to cook, though the past few years, it never seemed worth the effort. There were so many great takeout places in the East Village. Plus Kyle was such a picky eater. He basically ate pizza and stripped-down salads, and that was it.

It occurred to Christie while he was prepping this meal that it was going to be a beautiful repast, and it was a shame he didn’t have anyone to share it with. He could freeze some of it, but it wouldn’t be the same. He thought of David next door, living alone, and of his TV dinner. Would that be weird? That would be weird, right?

Pushing it from his mind, Christie spent the rest of the afternoon jamming to tunes in the kitchen and working his way through the recipes, having fun and dancing in his stocking feet.

When everything was ready, Christie decided the meal deserved some pomp and circumstance. His aunt had a drawer of tablecloths, but they were not quite his style. He used a white linen towel for a place mat and put each dish on the table in the best china dishes he could find. He used a red cut glass for his water and lit a candle in an old silver candlestick he found in the cupboard.

He looked at the table and chewed his lip. Everything looked beautiful. It smelled amazing too. He sucked some chicken juice from his thumb—yum. It almost seemed like a waste to eat it. He wished someone were here to share the meal with him. Anyone, really. The idea he’d avoided thinking about while cooking poked its head out again.

Well. He’d never been exactly shy. If he was going to do this, he had to do it quickly. The food was getting cold.

With a nervous shake of his head, Christie decided. He cut the roast chicken in half and put it on a large plate with a little bit of everything else, covered it with aluminum foil, and ran out the back door.

He hadn’t been to the Fisher’s farm before, and it turned out to be a longer trip down the gravel lane than he anticipated, maybe a quarter mile. He kept up a jog, worried about the food getting ruined. Between that and his nerves, he had a fine sheen of sweat when he got there.

David’s farm was beautiful. The white barn Christie had seen from a distance was huge and picturesque. It made Christie’s fingers itch to draw it. The farmhouse was fieldstone with black shutters. Electric candles in the windows gave it a cozy Colonial air and made Christie realize how dark it was getting outside. Why hadn’t he grabbed his coat? It was fucking freezing. He was an idiot—a shivering idiot at the moment.

Determined to drop off his gift without further delay, he marched to the back door and firmly knocked.

Enthusiastic barking commenced. More than one dog—two or three. Christie felt a little nervous. He liked dogs, but these farm dogs might be territorial. And he was holding a plate of chicken. He might as well have bathed in bacon grease.

A deep voice silenced the dogs and the door opened. David’s face looked stern and worn for a moment, but when he recognized Christie, a smile softened it. “Oh, hi.”

“Hi. Sorry to bother you, but I spent the day cooking, and I made all this food. No way can I eat it all, so I thought I’d bring you a plate. You know, to make up for causing you to burn your dinner the other day, fixing my smoke detector and all.” God, he was overdoing it! Shut up, Christie.

“Oh.” David looked surprised. He glanced at the foil-covered plate in Christie’s hand. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I was bored.” Christie’s shrug turned into a shiver. He held out the plate. His mouth was dry. He was starting to wish he hadn’t done this.

There was a reserve about David, a way he kept himself at arm’s length. Christie sensed that when David stopped by his house, but he put it down to the fact they were strangers. The vibe was stronger here, on David’s turf. Christie felt like an intruder standing at the back door. David was looking at the plate with an unreadable expression. Please just take it.

Then the wind shifted and a delicious aroma billowed up. David’s face grew curious. “Roast chicken?”

“Yeah. It was from a Thanksgiving magazine. I made some sides too.”

Suddenly David moved. “Heck, you must be freezing. Come inside.”

“Thanks. I can’t stay. I just wanted to drop this off.” But Christie was stepping inside as he spoke, welcoming any relief from the cold air.

“River. Tonga. Sit.” David shut the door. The dogs sat obediently. One was a golden retriever and the other a large furry black mix of some kind.

“Tonga?” Christie asked.

“It’s an island,” David said with an adorably bashful duck of his head. He took the plate from Christie and raised the foil, looked at it, and smelled. “This looks really good. You made this?”

“Sure. I just followed the recipes.” But David’s words made Christie feel infinitely better about bringing it by. “Well. I’ll leave you to eat it before it gets cold. I have mine back at the house.”

“Thanks. It beats the heck out of frozen food.” David sounded sincere. He put the plate on the counter. “Hang on.” He opened up an accordion door in the hall, revealing an overstuffed closet with a collection of coats, hats, and shoes. He selected a black woolen pea coat with large buttons and pulled it out. “You’re going to freeze to death.”

“It was stupid not to wear my coat. I didn’t realize it was so far over here.”

David got an amused smile, but he wasn’t looking directly into Christie’s eyes, so he still seemed uncomfortable. Instead of handing Christie the coat, though, he held it open and moved behind Christie.

Christie blinked. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had helped him into a coat. He held back his arms and let David slip the coat onto him. It fit in the shoulders okay, but it was big around the waist and hips. David turned Christie in a matter-of-fact way and started doing up the buttons.

Christie’s eyes widened, and he swallowed hard. What the hell? Did David think he was a child? But there was something titillating about being taken care of, or maybe it was David’s proximity, his handsome face focused on his task, his rough hands so close to Christie’s body.

Yes, it was definitely the proximity. Wow, David was a good-looking man. Who knew rugged could be so hot? And to think of all the money Christie had spent on grooming!

There were only five buttons, and when David finished the last of them, just below Christie’s chin, he looked up and saw Christie’s face. He suddenly blushed, his nose and cheeks going red. He dropped his hands and took a step back. “Sorry. That was… sorry.”

“I didn’t mind.” Oh God, Christie’s voice had dropped in register and sounded rumbly to his own ears. That was a smexy voice! What the hell was he doing? “Um… thanks for the jacket, David. I’ll bring it back later.”

“No hurry.” David was avoiding his gaze again.

Christie yanked the door open, escaped the house with a silly little wave, and walked fast back to his aunt’s place.

Once inside he found his own food was only tepidly warm, but still flavorful and delicious. The herb glaze on the chicken was to die for, and it went beautifully with the floury-cheesy biscuits and the curried soup. He hoped David liked it too.

He kept the coat on while he ate, snuggling into the fabric and holding the collar close under his chin. It smelled of earth and hay, a slight trace of motor oil, and the smell of a working man—piney, sweaty, and altogether appealing.

He remained in the coat all through dinner. But only because he was cold.

My Review:
David is a Mennonite farmer in rural Pennsylvania. He’s 41, a widower, and lonely. His two children are at college and he works long hours in solitude. His daughter wants him to remarry. His minister wants him to remarry. Women from his church want him to remarry–and David refuses. He’d rather be alone than yoked into another marriage he doesn’t want.

Christie is a svelte out-gay man living and loving in Manhattan. He’s thirty and jaded, unhappy with the same old party scene, but this all changes when his roommate and bestie, Kyle, nearly dies of an overdose. They vow to live life to the fullest, and while Kyle marries a man who’d long chased him, Christie decides to take six months to clear out the house his aunt left to him. There isn’t much to do in Pennsylvania Amish Country, and Christie’s excess energy soon finds an outlet in gourmet cooking. Kinda a pain cooking for one, though, and his silver fox of a neighbor is single. He strikes a bargain–they split the cost of groceries, and David can stop existing on TV dinners.

Soon, David and Christie are sharing more than dinner. They converse, they jog, they work David’s farm, a bit, together. Christie is falling deep into like, and David’s thrilled to be the center of someone’s attention for the first time in his life. He loves how Christie seeks out recipes from far off lands, places David has studied via National Geographic and always longed to visit–but never could. Their camaraderie is not unnoticed, and David’s theology-student son, in particular, is deeply troubled.

David had never suspected Christie was gay, and Christie never mentioned it–mostly because he was afraid to lose David’s friendship. It’s a big kerfuffle when David learns, but it’s not the end. Nope, it’s a new beginning.

I really loved the quiet and slow-burning romance here. It’s really tender, and lovely. Christie isn’t vamping for a man, he’s building a friendship with a man he never intends to have relations with, only to learn that David’s not averse. David has walked paths laid out by others his whole life, and he finds himself very unhappy. Should he continue to suffer in silence to appease people–his elderly mother and children–who are barely part of his life? It’s not a hard choice to make, on the surface, but can David trust that beautiful, talented Christie truly wants a middle-aged farmer hick, like himself? Outing himself would separate him from his entire Mennonite community, and could easily spell financial ruin, but in the end, David’s just not willing to live a life without love, and die early and unhappily like his father.

There are some really harrowing moments, and emergency services are necessary more than once. I was nearly beside myself with concern, and was glad that those scenarios turned out positively. I thought the small cast of supporting characters was all rendered very solidly on the page. I think I might have liked a bit more background on the Mennonite experience. David’s nearly estranged from his faith at the time we meet him, so it’s not so hard for him to pull farther away. I honestly didn’t learn much about Mennonites, and that was a shame, for me.

That said, I love the story, and I adored both David and Christie. That they found love together was kismet.

Interested? You can find A SECOND HARVEST on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press (eBook or Paperback), Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 GC (Int’l) and signed paperbacks of HOW TO HOWL AT THE MOON, and HOW TO WALK LIKE A MAN (US, Canada only).
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Eli EastonAbout the Author:
Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a game designer, an organic farmer, an avid hiker, and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author.

As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.

Catch up with Eli on her website, Facebook, and twitter.
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Finding the Truth: A KING AND A PAWN–Excerpt and Giveaway!

BannerTemplate(27)Hi there! Today I”m sharing an excerpt and giveaway for a M/M fantasy romance from Liv Olteano. A KING AND A PAWN is a tale of intrigue set in a Fae realm with a mythical cast. Oh, and a love story! It’s the third book in a series, and likely best enjoyed in order.

Catch the excerpt below and be sure to enter the two-book giveaway, too!

AKingAndAPawn-PreviewAbout the book:

Bert Cooper’s life used to be great, until his sister turned out to be a traitor. Now Bert feels the whole pack looks on him with doubt and suspicion. To prove his loyalty, he volunteers to be the first ambassador at Fey Court, gathering information to finally solve the Leader Murders and punish those plotting against the Council and community. At least, that was the plan….

When Bert meets Sir William Matthew Sims, Court Interrogator, and one hell of a sexy man, life becomes a balancing act. And when the Fey King is assassinated, things become really messy.

Pack politics, fey politics, treason, suspicions of treason…. Bert has to choose between being ruled by his fears or standing up for what—and who—he believes in. And it might just break his heart.

How about a little taste?

“Would you take me in as a trophy, Bert?” he asked, smiling oddly, a sort of indulgent look in his eyes.

I wasn’t going to outsmart him, that was for sure. Luckily I didn’t think I had to.

“I wouldn’t be taking you in at all. You and your kids would simply accompany me. I’m sure you can find something of value to offer me so I’ll be willing to go that way. And then you’d find something of value to offer Weiss and the Council to give you guys, say, political asylum?”

“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”

I shrugged. “I’m sure you did. I don’t think you’re a fool, Will. I’m sure you’re not, in fact. So I’m giving you the courtesy of not treating you as one. A courtesy I hope you’ll give me too.”

“Implying that I have not so far?” he asked, stepping toward me again.

My pulse spiked. “I wasn’t implying that at all.”

We were face-to-face, a step apart at most. My mind stuttered over the few stray thoughts I managed to recognize. It was unusual someone’s presence would affect me this much, this soon. Was he that special? Was our chemistry that special? Or was he using some sort of spell on me? I didn’t think that was beneath him. Magic wasn’t beneath any magic-wielding fey, just like changing into a wolf wasn’t beneath me as werewolf. It was a natural part of who we were. I just wasn’t that used to his natural part, and the very idea made me smile.

“What could I offer you that you’d like to have?” he asked as his breath touched my face with every word he uttered.

“Oh, I could think of several things,” I replied.

He leaned toward me. His lips brushed against mine now when he spoke. “I could think of several things I’d like to offer you as well.”

I gulped. Shit, I couldn’t think with my dick. Not now at least. I so wanted to. It would be so easy to whisper it sweetly: “Fuck my brains out and I’ll be on your side.” But I wasn’t here for shits and giggles, so I couldn’t. There was no reason I couldn’t hope I’d get a fuck out of the situation somewhere down the line. The more time we spent together, the better chance of that happening. That was pretty solid motivation to spin things in a way that would benefit us all in the end. There. I wasn’t doing this for my selfish fuck-greedy self but for the greater good. I was a fucking humanitarian, feyitarian, whateveritarian.

“I’ll only ask for one small thing for myself,” I whispered softly.

He brushed his lips against mine. The touch sent little fiery thrills down my nerve endings, from the skin of my lips right to the pulsing muscle of my heart. I felt his breath hitch at the contact, and the idea it might affect him almost as much as it was affecting me sent a shiver down my spine. We could have been faking it, both of us. This was a negotiation of sorts, and now was the time to bring on our top game. But I felt it in my gut that this connection was real, that it wasn’t bullshit for either one of us. I just knew it in the pit of my stomach. I wondered if he knew it too, as clearly as I did right in that instant.

His scent didn’t assault my senses since he’d been hanging out in my personal space for a while now. My senses were bathed in his scent already. But I could feel the pounding of his heart as I deepened the kiss; I could feel his muscles clench and unwind with sensual tension while my body sang with it. Fuck me sideways, I wanted him right now. I wanted him so bad it almost gutted me. The feel of him languidly moving his tongue against mine made my blood turn into liquid fire, scalding my insides and bringing up my body temperature to heights I didn’t think I’d felt before after just kissing. Everything in my body screamed, This. This is it. This is what you’ve been waiting for, for so fucking long!

“What do you want?” he asked after he pulled back, his forehead leaning against mine.

Fuck, fuck it, fuck! “I want all the information you can get from the Archives on a certain topic.”

Interested? You can find A KING AND A PAWN on Goodreads, Amazon (US & UK), Barnes & Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes, Kobo and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win the first two books in the Leader Murders series.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Liv Olteano is a voracious reader, music lover, and coffee addict extraordinaire. And occasional geek. Okay, more than occasional.

She believes stories are the best kind of magic there is. And life would be horrible without magic. Her hobbies include losing herself in the minds and souls of characters, giving up countless nights of sleep to get to know said characters, and trying to introduce them to the world. Sometimes they appreciate her efforts. The process would probably go quicker if they’d bring her a cup of coffee now and then when stopping by. Characters—what can you do, right?

Liv has a penchant for quirky stories and is a reverent lover of diversity. She can be found loitering around the Internet at odd hours and being generally awkward and goofy at all times.

Catch up with Liv on her website, blog, Facebook and twitter or sign up for her Newsletter.
pride

Learning How PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT–Review and Giveaway

Housemates
Hi there! I’m so excited to share a review and giveaway for a new contemporary M/M New Adult romance from Jay Northcote. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT is the third book in her Housemates series, and can be enjoyed as a standalone. Though, to be honest, I’m sure you’ll enjoy HELPING HAND and LIKE A LOVER, too.

Check out the tasty tidbit, and get in on the giveaway, below.

Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates, #3)About the book:
Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.
Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to-do list, but what starts as a perfect no-strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

How about a little taste?

Dev reached across the table and took the teaspoon out of Ewan’s hand, then tangled their fingers together and squeezed. The sympathetic touch eased the ache in Ewan’s chest. He let his gaze slide up to meet Dev’s and saw understanding there. He gave Dev a tentative smile.

“Well, look who it is!” A loud, mocking voice from behind Ewan made Dev start and drop Ewan’s hand as though it were on fire.

Ewan turned to see a group of three blokes, all with matching mocking grins on their faces as they looked at him and Dev.

“Hey, Devreem.” The same voice as before, belonging to a skinny guy with brown hair, a scruffy half-arsed attempt at a beard, and mean eyes. “You finally found someone with a real dick to fuck, then? Look out, mate,” he addressed Ewan. “This one’s into some weird shit.”

Ewan pushed his chair back with a screech and squared up to him. “What’s your fucking problem?”

Beardy Guy’s attitude shifted immediately to unease. Ewan was taller, bigger, and angrier than he was, and he suddenly looked as though he realised he was picking on the wrong guy. “I… uh….”

Ewan continued in a menacing tone. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t give a shit because you’re not worth my time. But you and your friends are interrupting us, so why don’t you fuck off before I break your nose.”

Ewan had barely been in a fight in his life, but he’d played rugby at school and was pretty sure he could handle this twat. Beardy Guy’s two sidekicks were already backing off, so it didn’t look like he was going to get much support from them.

“It’s okay, Ewan. Just drop it.” Dev was standing behind him now, and he put a hand on the tense muscles of Ewan’s shoulder.

Ewan looked around and realised that all eyes in the café were on the unfolding drama.

“Yeah, you should piss off like he says,” called a girl from a couple of tables over, glaring at Beardy Guy. “Take your homophobic bullshit elsewhere.” A few murmurs of assent and the arsehole flushed, taking on the look of a hunted animal.

“Whatever. It was just supposed to be a bit of a joke.”

“Well, nobody’s laughing, Matt.” Dev said sharply. “I see your idea of what’s funny hasn’t developed since last term.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Beardy Guy—Matt—was done. “Come on, guys, let’s hit the bar. We don’t want to hang out here anyway.” He glared at Ewan again. “Losers.”

Ewan remained standing with Dev beside him until the three had gone. Then he let out a long breath and turned to Dev. “What the fuck was that about? You know him?”

Dev sighed, his face tense and unhappy. “Long story.”

My Review
This is the third book in the Housemates series and can be enjoyed on its own–though I HIGHLY recommend the previous two books, as well.

Dev is a nerdy, gay virgin away at uni and hating his life in the dorms–mostly due to some seriously homophobic hallmates. He’s a physics major and ultra capable with to-do lists, computing, and maths (it’s Plymouth, England, folks. “Maths” it is…) but not so competent at people, or relationships. After a disastrous event he confides in a workmate, IT supervisor Reuben from LIKE A LOVER, who helps him let a room in his boyfriend Josh’s old house. There he meets Jez and Mac, from HELPING HAND, and Dev finally feels settled.

Ewan lives next-door to Dev and they meet by chance on the sidewalk. And then, again, when Ewan opens a package that was misdelivered. A box that contains a rather nice sex toy. Ewan’s only a little ashamed at the awkwardness–he’s a bit turned on to determine that the doe-eyed boy next door bats for his team. And, well, his attraction turns to alarm when he finds Dev’s “shy virgin seeks experience” profile on Grindr.

To save Dev from (literally) getting reamed by the creepers, Ewan proposes a partnership; he helps Dev safely gain sexual experience and Dev helps him not fail statistics.

Break out the lists and the lube.

OMG. Such a fun and soul-affirming read. These guys are so tender and kind, really eager to help the other learn. And still, funny and compassionate. I just loved it from the beginning to the end, except that it ended and I wanted to keep on going…so that part was bollocks. Bollocks aside, and there are plenty of those on the page, their arrangement spans several weeks and involves not just their Friday night “study” sessions, but also some coffee/milkshake dates, and widens to include mid-week cooking lessons for Dev–which double as foreplay.

Lookit, the whole series rocks. I’m a goner for these helper-to-lover plots, and Practice Makes Perfect is a bit like Helping Hand, but with a definite Like A Lover quid pro quo. I loved the cameos from the other books’ characters and how all of these people interacted naturally. It was so fun to have the typical housemates squabbles and also the knowing looks–because Dev and Ewan collect A LOT of knowing looks from their amused (and not so amused) housemates.

I got the book, I read the book–shoving aside other planned reading–because I’m just that excited about this author’s work.

Looking forward to reading and reviewing Housemates #74, the good lord willing.

Interested? You can find PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT on Goodreads, and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****
Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $10 gift card.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

You can find Jay on her website, Twitter, Facebook Author Page, and Amazon.

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Happy Book Birthday to HARD TO SERVE–Excerpt & Giveaway!

Hard To Serve - RDL banner
Hi there! I’m sharing the love for a new erotic series from Laura Kaye. You know I’ve really enjoyed her HARD INK books, and I was excited to hear that she’s spinning into a new BDSM series, involving the Masters who run Club Blasphemy. HARD TO SERVE is the first of many stories to come, and boy is it HAWT.

Catch an excerpt below and be sure to enter to win Amazon gift cards, too!

11_1001_2016_Laura Kaye_300dpiAbout the book:
To protect and serve is all Detective Kyler Vance ever wanted to do, so when Internal Affairs investigates him as part of the new police commissioner’s bid to oust corruption, everything is on the line. Which makes meeting a smart, gorgeous submissive at an exclusive play club the perfect distraction…

The director of the city’s hottest art gallery, Mia Breslin’s career is golden. Now if only she could find a man to dominate her nights and set her body—and her heart—on fire. When a scorching scene with a hard-bodied, brooding Dom at Blasphemy promises just that, Mia is lured to serve Kyler again and again.

As their relationship burns hotter, Kyler runs into Mia at work and learns that he’s been dominating the daughter of the hard-ass boss who has it in for him. Now Kyler must choose between life-long duty and forbidden desire before Mia finds another who’s not so hard to serve.

A tasty teaser…

Mia found herself alone with a kinda pissed-off looking Master Kyler. He wore angry well. As in, the harshness of the set of his jaw and the tight press of his lips and the narrow cut of his eyes—they were all hot, especially coming from a Dom. But she didn’t understand it.

“Um. Hello, Sir,” she finally said when he didn’t say anything.

“Mia,” he said, his gaze raking over her. “You look absolutely stunning tonight.” His voice was like gravel, rough and strained.

“Thank you. Are you okay, Sir?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I don’t…I don’t know.”

“Do you want to sit and talk?” Mia asked, concern for him flooding her.

Suddenly, Kyler pinned her to the cool wall. He braced his hands on either side of her head, and he was erect against her belly. She wanted to drop into a crouch and take him into her mouth. “Do you want vulgar honesty or watered-down politeness?” he asked.

The promise of those words made her core clench with need. “Vulgar honesty.”

He nailed her with a blue-eyed stare. “I don’t want to sit and talk. I want to fuck. Hard. I want to be aggressive. Maybe I even want to be a little mean.”

Mia’s heart was suddenly a runaway train in her chest. Because, sign her up! She let out a shaky breath. “That sounds…like someone’s going to have a good night,” she managed.

Kyler dropped his head to her shoulder on a groan. He knocked his forehead against the bone there once, twice.

“Did I say the wrong thing?” she asked. Because he was totally confusing her.

“That’s the thing, Mia. I don’t know.” He lifted his gaze to hers again.

“How can I help?” she asked.

For a moment, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, and when he opened them, it was like he’d centered himself and made some kind of resolution. “Are you game for what I just described?” He fingered the chunky silver-and-gold choker she wore around her neck.

Heat swept over her, her body already answering, already preparing. “Yes, Sir. I am.”

He gave a tight nod and backed up a step. “Let me show you the room I have in mind.” Taking her hand, he led her down the long hallway that shot off the side of the nave. She wasn’t sure if this was still part of the church building or something else, but she didn’t have long to wonder before Kyler stopped at a door and keyed in a code.

Lights came on as the door opened, and Kyler guided her inside with his hand at the small of her back.

Just the room’s theme turned Mia on. Concrete floor. Cinder-block walls with peeling paint. Light thrown from bare light bulbs surrounded by little cages. An iron cot bed with only a white fitted sheet. Rusted metal cabinet at the side that undoubtedly held a variety of toys and supplies. It looked like a basement or a warehouse—a place where a woman in a beautiful cocktail dress had no business being. A role started taking shape in her mind.

“Do you see where my head is tonight, Mia?” Master Kyler asked, his body almost rigid with tension.

God, she was going to enjoy helping him work out whatever had him so wound up. “Yes, Sir.”

Some thoughts from author Laura Kaye…

So many readers asked for more stories in my bestselling Hard Ink series, and I’m so excited to be able to give you just that in my new, super sexy HARD TO SERVE!

HARD TO SERVE is an edgy stand-alone love story about a Baltimore police detective whose red-hot BDSM relationship with a new submissive seems like the perfect distraction from a trumped-up investigation against him until he learns that the woman is his boss’s daughter. Talk about sparks flying! I had so much fun writing this book, and I can’t wait for everyone to read it!

And if you enjoy it, you might like to check out the whole Hard Ink series, now complete! Happy reading!

Interested? You can find HARD TO SERVE on Goodreads and Amazon.

Join the Hard to Serve FB Party on June 28! (5-8pm CDT)

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win one of five Amazon gift cards.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Laura Kaye - author picAbout Laura Kaye:
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink and upcoming Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Catch up with Laura on her website, Facebook, Twitter, or her newsletter.

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DANIEL & ERIK’S SUPER FAB ULTIMATE WEDDING CHECKLIST–Excerpt & Giveaway!

BannerTemplate(26)Hi there! I’m so excited to highlight a new contemporary M/M romance from K.E. Belledonne. DANIEL & ERIK’S SUPER FAB ULTIMATE WEDDING CHECKLIST is sure to charm.

Be sure to drop down and check out the excerpt and get in on the giveaway for a $25 Interlude Press gift card, or one of 5 first prizes of an e-copy of Daniel & Erik’s Super Fab Ultimate Wedding Checklist!.

Checklist 1600px (Smashwords, Amazon)About the book:
When Daniel gets caught up in the demands of a cheeky wedding planning app, his fiancé Erik grows frustrated with his preoccupation with adhering to heterosexual traditions. Will Daniel’s groomzilla ways give them the wedding of their dreams, or ultimately lead to their relationship’s demise?

How about a little taste?

“I think Aurora is disappointed in me.”

“What?” Erik rubbed at his eye. It wasn’t even early morning, judging by the weak light coming through the blinds from the streetlights. “Who?”

“Aurora. The wedding planning app.” Daniel lay on his back, wide awake and staring up at the ceiling.

“The wedding planning app is not a sentient being. It has no feelings or opinions.”

“I feel like she’s judging me. I’m sorry if I woke you up.”

“Oh my god, go to sleep.”

“I can’t. I’m never going to sleep ever again.” Daniel tugged the blanket higher up his chest, folding his arms over it and exhaling heavily.

“You’re being dramatic.”

“I’ve got too many things buzzing in my head. There’s too many things I’m going to forget to do.”

“I thought that’s why you had that damn app, so you don’t have to remember anything; it’s all right there saved on your tablet.”

“Yes, but I have to remember to put everything in it.″ Daniel rolled over. ″She doesn’t just know everything—”

“A: She is not a she. It is an it. B: What are we doing tomorrow?”

“Oh my god, what is the point of sharing the app calendar if you’re never going to look at it?” Daniel wailed.

“I look at it. It’s just crammed so full of everything that I have no idea what’s going on when.”

Daniel blew out his breath. ”Look, I know you don’t like the calendar. We’ve been over that, but I don’t know how else to keep track of all of these appointments and deadlines.”

“I told you, we could color-code them, or something,” Erik rolled to his side and punched at his pillow.

“Aurora doesn’t give you that option.”

“Well, it should.”

“I agree, but there’s nothing I can do about that.” Daniel bunched his pillow up under his head. “Tomorrow, we have four appointments to meet with caterers: two in the morning, two in the afternoon.”

“Why so many in one day?”

“It’s the only day we both have available this week, and I am not going to make any decisions about the food at our reception without you there to discuss it.”

“Seriously, you could just make a choice, and I’ll live with it.” Erik rolled over.

“I don’t want you to just ‘live with it,’ Erik.″ Daniel tried to keep his voice neutral, but failed. ″This is our wedding. I don’t want you to just ‘live with it.’”

“Why are you getting so worked up about it?”

“We only get one chance at this. Everything needs to be perfect.”

“You’re going to drive us both crazy, you know that, right?” Erik tugged the blankets back up over his shoulder.

“Well, then, we’ll both be crazy.” Daniel squinted up at the ceiling. He was so tired of making these decisions. Why were there so many options? Why were there so many decisions? The planning was getting on Erik’s nerves; he was getting on Erik’s nerves. Erik was getting on his nerves. They were both just a pile of irritated nerves because the to-do list didn’t seem to be getting any smaller.

Daniel’s phone chimed with another notification from Aurora.

New Private Message from: MommyMargie.

His mother probably had another ludicrous suggestion for the reception, or a passive-aggressive reminder of the hymn that she and his father had had played at their wedding, that their grandparents had had played at their wedding and that she expected to hear at his wedding. Or maybe his parents had decided to paint the living room green. Who knew?

Oh, wow! These guys!

Some thoughts from Ms. Belledonne…

Is there a character in your books that you can’t stand? And what makes them someone you don’t like?

Honestly, I don’t write characters that I don’t genuinely like in one way or another. The antagonist in this story is a Swedish woman named Annika, and she’s not an awful person – she’s just more abrupt with her opinions than Daniel (and his friends) are used to, and she doesn’t really care if you agree with her or not. She’s difficult for the Americans to get to know and to appreciate, but she’s not a “bad guy”.

I love Annika just as much as I love all the other characters.

Is there message in your novel that you hope readers grasp?

One theme that I hope come through, but that I tried not to beat my readers over the head with was that of identity – how much do we let other people influence what we, ourselves, define as our own identity, and whom do we allow, or choose, to do so. Daniel thinks that he’s been forging his own path and identity, but it becomes clear that he has been doing many things that he feels are “expected” of him, even as he thinks he’s been rebelling the conventions he grew up with.

Interested? You can find DANIEL & ERIK’S SUPER FAB ULTIMATE WEDDING CHECKLIST on Goodreads, Interlude Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, AllRomance, and Indiebound.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this a Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win a $25 Interlude Press gift card, or one of 5 first prizes of an e-copy of Daniel & Erik’s Super Fab Ultimate Wedding Checklist!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:

K.E. Belledonne is a writer, editor and translator. A native New Englander, Kat spends her spare time listening to Glenn Miller records, reading history books and cheering on her beloved Red Sox. Her first novel, Right Here Waiting, was published by Interlude Press in 2015.

Catch up to Ms. Belledonne on her blog, Facebook, twitter and Pinterest.
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Hitting a Dinger: FAST-PITCH LOVE–Excerpt and Giveaway

Fast-Pitch Love blitz bannerHi there! I’m helping spread the word on a contemporary YA sports romance from Clay Cormany. FAST-PITCH LOVE sounds like a fun read, with a boy who wants to catch the eye of a girl–by coaching her sister’s softball team.

Catch the “hot” excerpt below and be sure to enter to win one of 3 Amazon gift cards.

FastPitchLove coverAbout the book:

What does a high school boy do if he thinks the girl of his dreams will be an assistant for the softball team his mother coaches? Easy! He volunteers to be an assistant, too. That’s what Jace Waldron does in Fast-Pitch Love. It might be his only chance to make a move on Stephanie Thornapple while her boyfriend is away.

But Jace’s plans go awry, and soon he faces the double challenge of coaching a team of mischievous preteen girls and learning there is more to romance than physical attraction.

Praise:
“The book has some unexpected twists and turns as the likeable but somewhat hapless Jace grows into a young man who takes responsibility for his life and his choices. Softball aficionados will have a particular affinity for this book because its game descriptions are extensive and detailed. Those who don’t know softball will come to like and admire the young protagonist.” Gretchen Hirsch, author and book doctor

“I enjoyed this young adult novel by Clay Cormany. The story told from a guy’s perspective made it especially interesting. I think a lot of young women would enjoy seeing romance from a guy’s point of view. I also liked that the novel was innocent without gratuitous sex or swear words.” Paulita Kincer, author of The Summer of France and Trail Mix

“Like the spin on a fastball, Fast-Pitch Love puts a new spin on the age old boy meets girl phenomenon. And what a wonderful spin it is. Clay Cormany weaves together the twin themes of teenage infatuation and a girls’ softball team. Along the way he does a wonderful job of mixing the excitement of youth sports with the impending showdown between two suitors of the same pretty girl.” The Dane

“Fast-Pitch Love is an unusual coming-of-age story since it’s told from the guy’s point of view. The characters are likeable and believable; the action well paced. You don’t need to be a softball player, or even an athlete, to thoroughly enjoy Fast-Pitch Love.” Louise

How about a little taste?

Jace ran behind the backstop where his mitt rested on the ground. After putting it on, he had the strange feeling that something soft and gooey was on his fingers. What could it be and how did it get there? No time to think about it. He trotted out next to Lauren as Sylvia prepared to hit the next ball. It went toward Angela in right field, but Jace didn’t see her catch it, because his eyes were riveted on his glove. Something was happening inside of it, something bad. The gooey feeling was still there, but now there was also a feeling of heat that grew more intense by the second. The next ball off Sylvia’s bat went toward center field, but Jace didn’t see that one caught either. He was too busy tearing at his glove, flinging it away, and clawing at his hand, which felt as if it were on fire. He stumbled to his knees.

“Arrrrrgh,” he bellowed, as he rubbed his hand back and forth on the grass, trying to remove the slimy substance.

“What’s the matter, Jace?” Martha cried out. “Why are you –”

“Success!” shouted Heather.

“Sweet revenge!” echoed Dana.

“What do you mean?” said Sylvia, as the two girls jumped up and down with glee. “What did you do to him?”

“Nothing much,” said Heather with a grin. “Just put some capsaicin cream in his glove when he wasn’t looking.”

“Why?” asked Martha, who seemed more curious than upset.

“For nearly killing us with that ball he hit last week, that’s what for,” answered Dana.

“Yeah, we figured we’d teach him a lesson,” said Heather.

“But that was an accident, girls,” said Martha. “What you did was deliberate.”

“He won’t die,” said Heather, pointing at Jace, who continued to rub his hand on the grass. A small circle of girls assembled around him, faces glowing with smirks and hands restraining laughter.

Oh, boy. Those girls are diabolical!! I sure how Jace can handle it.

Interested? You can find FAST-PITCH LOVE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo and Smashwords.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this a Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win .
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:

Before writing Fast-Pitch Love, Clay Cormany spent over 20 years as a writer and editor for Ohio’s State Board of Education. His creative work has appeared in numerous central Ohio publications, including the Columbus Dispatch and Spring Street, Columbus State Community College’s literary magazine. He has also edited numerous books, including a three-volume biography of Christopher Columbus and A Death Prolonged by Dr. Jeff Gordon, which received coverage in the New York Times and on PBS. Fast-Pitch Love reflects the two years Cormany spent interacting with softball players and coaches both in practice and competition. He contributes the earnings from sale of the book to girls softball programs in central Ohio and elsewhere.

Catch up with Clay on his website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

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