adult contemporary

Coming Soon: HECTOR AND STEELE–Excerpt and Giveaway!

BannerTemplate(25)Hi there! Today I’m excited to share a new contemporary M/M police romance from AC Katt. HECTOR AND STEELE is the second book in the New Mexico series, but can be enjoyed on its own.It actually releases tomorrow, so feel free to preorder away!

Catch the excerpt and enter the giveaway below!

Hector and Steele-HighResAbout the book:
Growing up with drug-dealing, addict parents hasn’t been easy for Matteo and Felipe. When their father finds out Matteo is gay, he ejects him from the house and into the arms of county sheriff Hector Gomez, who decides to foster him.

Unfortunately, Matteo is forced to leave his younger brother to the not-so-tender mercies of their parents. But, during a DEA/FBI raid on their parents’ home, Felipe is turned over to the Children, Youth and Families Department, and Hector decides to foster Felipe, as well.

Fostering two boys is full of challenges. But, Hector and his roommate FBI agent Steele Adams, love them. And in the process, discover their love for one another. The new family is fine…until the parents get out on bail.

How about a little taste?

Hector Gomez answered what he thought to be a domestic violence call. The neighbor who called it in sounded hysterical. As the Sheriff of Sandoval County, he took too many calls for domestic abuse. They usually involved alcohol or drugs but something in his cop’s gut told him this was different. He pulled into the driveway, got out of his Explorer, and saw a wild, glassy-eyed man standing on the rock-strewn lawn, waving a gun, and beating a ten-year-old kid about his body. The man wasn’t drunk, he was high. He had the kid on the ground, kicking him in the ribs, groin, and legs with steel-toed boots. The gun waved threateningly in the child’s face, which the kid tried to protect with waif-thin arms.

The man and the youngster appeared to be of Hispanic origin. The boy had rolled up in a ball in the front of the house, clothed in nothing but holey blue jeans and a thin T-shirt. Although only mid-November, New Mexico was experiencing an early cold snap due to the enormous El Nino build-up in the Pacific. He jumped from his Explorer and quickly shouted at the man to step away.

“I’m going to kill you, you little faggot.” He pulled the trigger as the boy tried to roll away. He fired the gun a second time, barely missing the boy.

Gomez’s backup, Deputy Edwards, fired a warning shot. The man turned to Edwards and pointed the gun. Hector shot the weapon out of his hand. The man fell next to the boy and spit in the kid’s face. After Edwards helped him separate the man from the boy, Hector instructed him to call a bus and the Children, Youth, and Families Department

“Take him to UNM Sandoval. After the medics are through with him, book him and hold him for arraignment on attempted murder, child abuse, child endangerment, resisting arrest, and anything else you can think of to throw at him.”

While waiting for the second bus so the EMTs could take the kid to the hospital, he got a blanket from his trunk and draped it around the boy whose chest heaved with sobs.

“What’s your name, son?” Hector knelt and put his arm around the boy’s shoulders.

“Matteo. Matteo Pena.”

A woman at the storm door shouted obscenities in Spanish, prominently featuring the word maricón, a derogatory term for gay.

Suddenly, a small boy of about five came barreling out of the house and threw himself onto the older boy. “What did he do to you? Are you okay? You can’t leave. You can’t leave me alone with them.” He sobbed as he held on tight to his brother.

“I demand that you let me take my younger son back into the house. Felipe, come.” She grabbed the kicking and screaming child, gave him a casual slap, and dragged him back through the door.

“Matteo, Matteo, please. You can’t leave me here.”

The brother, clearly fearful and still sobbing, raised his face to Hector. “What do I do? She’ll take this out on Felipe, and he isn’t strong enough to handle her or him.”

Hector put his arm around the kid’s shoulder again. “Your father, such as he is, will be in the county lockup, at least for the night. We can figure things out in the morning. I won’t let him hurt your brother.”

“But she will. She isn’t as strong as him, but she’ll use the belt to hurt Felipe for coming out of the house.” The boy’s chest heaved as tears ran down his cheeks unchecked. “Why was I so stupid? Now Felipe is going to get punished, and it’s my fault. They weren’t supposed to be home.”

The kid turned his head toward the little boy still crying at the door. “Felipe, don’t get into trouble. I’ll come get you. I won’t leave you alone for long.”Hector Gomez answered what he thought to be a domestic violence call. The neighbor who called it in sounded hysterical. As the Sheriff of Sandoval County, he took too many calls for domestic abuse. They usually involved alcohol or drugs but something in his cop’s gut told him this was different. He pulled into the driveway, got out of his Explorer, and saw a wild, glassy-eyed man standing on the rock-strewn lawn, waving a gun, and beating a ten-year-old kid about his body. The man wasn’t drunk, he was high. He had the kid on the ground, kicking him in the ribs, groin, and legs with steel-toed boots. The gun waved threateningly in the child’s face, which the kid tried to protect with waif-thin arms.

The man and the youngster appeared to be of Hispanic origin. The boy had rolled up in a ball in the front of the house, clothed in nothing but holey blue jeans and a thin T-shirt. Although only mid-November, New Mexico was experiencing an early cold snap due to the enormous El Nino build-up in the Pacific. He jumped from his Explorer and quickly shouted at the man to step away.

“I’m going to kill you, you little faggot.” He pulled the trigger as the boy tried to roll away. He fired the gun a second time, barely missing the boy.

Gomez’s backup, Deputy Edwards, fired a warning shot. The man turned to Edwards and pointed the gun. Hector shot the weapon out of his hand. The man fell next to the boy and spit in the kid’s face. After Edwards helped him separate the man from the boy, Hector instructed him to call a bus and the Children, Youth, and Families Department

“Take him to UNM Sandoval. After the medics are through with him, book him and hold him for arraignment on attempted murder, child abuse, child endangerment, resisting arrest, and anything else you can think of to throw at him.”

While waiting for the second bus so the EMTs could take the kid to the hospital, he got a blanket from his trunk and draped it around the boy whose chest heaved with sobs.

“What’s your name, son?” Hector knelt and put his arm around the boy’s shoulders.

“Matteo. Matteo Pena.”

A woman at the storm door shouted obscenities in Spanish, prominently featuring the word maricón, a derogatory term for gay.

Suddenly, a small boy of about five came barreling out of the house and threw himself onto the older boy. “What did he do to you? Are you okay? You can’t leave. You can’t leave me alone with them.” He sobbed as he held on tight to his brother.

“I demand that you let me take my younger son back into the house. Felipe, come.” She grabbed the kicking and screaming child, gave him a casual slap, and dragged him back through the door.

“Matteo, Matteo, please. You can’t leave me here.”

The brother, clearly fearful and still sobbing, raised his face to Hector. “What do I do? She’ll take this out on Felipe, and he isn’t strong enough to handle her or him.”

Hector put his arm around the kid’s shoulder again. “Your father, such as he is, will be in the county lockup, at least for the night. We can figure things out in the morning. I won’t let him hurt your brother.”

“But she will. She isn’t as strong as him, but she’ll use the belt to hurt Felipe for coming out of the house.” The boy’s chest heaved as tears ran down his cheeks unchecked. “Why was I so stupid? Now Felipe is going to get punished, and it’s my fault. They weren’t supposed to be home.”

The kid turned his head toward the little boy still crying at the door. “Felipe, don’t get into trouble. I’ll come get you. I won’t leave you alone for long.”

Wow. This one sounds intense.

Interested? You can find HECTOR AND STEELE on Goodreads, Decadent Publishing, Amazon, AllRomance, and Smashwords.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win both books in the New Mexico series.

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
AC Katt was born in New York City’s Greenwich Village. She remembers sitting at the fountain in Washington Square Park listening to folk music while they passed the hat. At nine, her parents dragged her to New Jersey where she grew up, married and raised four children and became a voracious reader of romantic fiction. At one time she owned over two thousand novels, until she and her husband took themselves and the cat to New Mexico for their health and its great beauty.

Now, most of AC’s books are electronic (although she still keeps six bookcases of hardcovers), so she never has to give away another book. AC is a late bloomer, however, she claims to have found her niche writing LGBT romance.

She hangs out on line on her website, blog, Pinterest, Facebook and twitter. To get snippets of new releases and Works in Progress subscribe to AC Katt’s Kattery by sending an e-mail to mlhansel@gmail.com.

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Finding Love Could SET ME FREE–Excerpt and Giveaway!

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Hi there! Today I’m helping to spread the word on a new contemporary M/M romance from Kitty Stephens. SET ME FREE is a

Be sure to drop below and enter the giveaway for a $25 GC or one of FIVE ebooks of SET ME FREE.
Set Me Free 1600px FRONT (Smashwords, Amazon)
About the book:
When an affluent college-bound boy falls for a young artist, he must choose between the life that’s been mapped out for him and the chance at true love.

How about a little taste?

They found a secluded spot to sit off the main drag and scarfed down pieces of pizza and people-watched. Aaron had been full of nerves earlier, but Lucky put him at ease. He had that way about him.

“I’ve got a few minutes left,” Lucky said when they finished their food.

They got up, sipping at their drinks as they made their way through the crowd back toward Lucky’s booth. It was now or never. He had to ask, had to get the words out, or miss his shot.

“Can I ask you something?” Lucky spoke up before Aaron could. Maybe Lucky would… Aaron held his breath, nodding. “It might sound weird.”

“Sure,” Aaron replied, his heart beating a little faster. He had no idea what was coming now; what could Lucky possibly want from him? A kiss?

“Can you take your picture for me?”

Aaron blinked at him. Lucky tilted his head off to one side and Aaron turned his head the same direction. His gaze landed on a photo booth, realization sinking in. His mouth fell open, unsure what to say. It was a little weird because they barely knew each other, but also flattering.

“I’d really like to draw you again.” Lucky seemed slightly embarrassed. “I mean, I could take pictures on my phone if that’s better for you, but that seemed creepier somehow.”

Aaron couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped at Lucky’s words, even as the idea of Lucky drawing him again and again left him breathless. “Um,” he managed to get out, glancing around at the crowd. A familiar blonde head caught his eye and he nearly choked.

Was Lyn at the carnival? Wasn’t she supposed to be with their mothers?

Aaron pulled Lucky by the hand into the photo booth and slid the curtain shut.

Lucky slid money into the slot as they sat down. His breath caught as Lucky’s hands touched his face gently. “Like this,” Lucky whispered, turning his head to the side. The camera flashed. Lucky’s fingers turned his head to the front, pulling away just in time for the camera to go off again. Once again, Lucky’s fingers turned his head to the side, only now he was facing Lucky, staring deeply into his eyes.

Aaron tried not to hyperventilate as he held Lucky’s gaze. The camera flashed for the last time but neither of them moved.

“Go out with me?” Aaron suddenly blurted out. He had to do something or he might do something even more insane, like kiss Lucky. Aaron so wasn’t ready for that yet. Lucky’s eyes widened and he smiled.

“Sure,” Lucky drawled after a moment. “When?”

It sounds sooooo sweet! 😀

I have some great insights from Kitty, too…
My name Kitty Stephens. I currently reside in Ohio, with my husband, my son, and our three guinea pigs. I’ve been an avid reader since I was very young and started writing when I was around nine or ten. Once I had internet access, I became active in fan communities and started posting my work on various fan sites. Set Me Free is my first book.

What’s the easiest thing about writing?
Creating an outline/planning out the story. The planning stages are always the easiest.

Name one author (living or dead) you’d like to write with?
Wow, maybe Chris Colfer? He’s one of my favorite actors/authors and his books are great. I think we could write something amazing.

Tell us about your cover and how it came about.
The cover of Set Me Free is of Aaron and Lucky sitting on a bench on the beach, looking out on the carnival and the ocean. We knew when we talked about the cover we wanted to involve the carnival, since it’s at the forefront of the story. We also wanted to include the ocean and the bench from the pier. The back cover also includes some art supplies, a reference to Lucky’s artwork.

Is this book part of a series? Do you have ideas that could make it into a series? If it is a series, tell us a little about it.
It is not! I considered trying to develop it that way very early on in the writing process, but I passed that idea over almost immediately. This story works better as a standalone novel.

Interested? You can find SET ME FREE on Goodreads, Interlude Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Smashwords, IndieBound, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 Interlude Press Gift Card or one of FIVE E-copies of ‘Set Me Free’ by Kitty Stephens!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Kitty Stephens’ writing aspirations date back to her childhood, when she and her brother would make up stories about characters in their favorite books. She eventually started writing stories in online fan communities, and majored in English at Ohio State University. She lives in Ohio with her husband and son. Set Me Free is her first novel.

You can catch up with Kitty on her Tumblr Facebook, and Twitter.

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Heart and Soul: DAMNED IF YOU DO-A Review

Hi there! Today I want to share a review for a sweet supernatural M/M romance from Marie Sexton. You know I adored WINTER ORANGES, so I had to go back for another of her tales. DAMNED IF YOU DO is a story of a devil (or demon, whatevs) in danger of being demoted if he doesn’t harvest some souls. And, man it’s a problem when he falls for the guy whose soul he’s determined to collect.

Damned If You DoAbout the book:
The path to temptation is paved with a hellish amount of paperwork.
Soul acquisition is a drag, but if Abaddon doesn’t catch up on his quota, he could be demoted to scooping poop for the Hounds of Hell. With a deadline hanging over him, he heads for the Bible Belt, looking for the perfect combination of sweetness and challenge.

Seth is a blind musician, part of a traveling tent revival. He’s cute, mystically talented, and quotes the Bible at every turn. His soul is pure enough to fill Abaddon’s quota for months to come, and Abaddon is determined to claim it.

The problem? There’s the revival foreman who watches Abaddon’s every move. Then there’s the mystery of Seth’s many unusual talents. Lastly, there’s Abaddon himself. He’s beginning to like Seth a bit too much. Maybe Seth deserves something better than damnation.

But Hell’s agenda isn’t negotiable, and time is running out. If Abaddon doesn’t play his cards right, he could condemn both of them to the worst fate of all—an eternity apart.

Warning: Contains a Bible-quoting twink and an irreverent devil who’ll do anything to avoid going “back to the office”. Also, snakes. Lots and lots of snakes.

My Review:
Abaddon’s a mid-level devil who’s required to collect a certain quota of souls, but not all souls are equal. Like, corrupting one pure soul is worth more than a dozen athletes dying to Go Pro…for example. Abaddon really dislikes soul harvesting. He avoids it, at all cost, but he’s gotten a warning due to his lack of productivity and is due to be demoted if he doesn’t get one soul in the next month.

So, Abaddon searches high-and-low for a sterling soul, one that will push his quota far back. He locates one such soul, a shining beacon of a man, in Seth. Seth is the blind virtuoso who plays for a tent revival group which travels the southeastern US. He’s also more than just a man–as Abaddon soon learns.

Seth is 21, innocent, sweet and complete catnip for Abaddon. His soul-hunger is off the charts whenever he’s near Seth. Seth was an orphan, dropped at the doorstep of the revival, and adopted by the late revival master. He gets along with his surrogate family, and truly believes in the word of The Lord, but he wants a true love, and he’s both a virgin and gay. It’s interesting and cool that the revivalists are totally unaffected by that. The more time Abaddon spends in Seth’s presence, the more he begins to realize that Seth is mystical in a way that’s nearly unheard of. I don’t want to give too much away, but expect trials with snakes and faith healing that works.

In the meantime, Abaddon is plotting his harvest of Seth’s soul, and he’s also really wrecked over it. How can he condemn such a good man to an eternity in Hell? There are surely things Abaddon can trade Seth to make his human life more bearable, but will Seth accept them, knowing these gifts come from a Devil’s hand? As atonement, Abaddon plans to pull every string he can to ensure that he and Seth will be able to connect in Hell, and spend their eternity together. It’s still cold comfort for Abaddon…

It’s a quick read and an interesting story. I do love me a conflicted devil, and Abaddon is really a fun character to enjoy. The scenes in Hell are amusing and made me chuckle many a time. The unfolding romance was tender and touching, and I swooned for Seth just as hard as Abaddon did. I hadn’t quite predicted the full path of this book, which charmed me, as a reader. I loved the positive portrayal of the revivalists, and the stalwart and battle-ready chaperone that Seth and Abaddon had to avoid whenever they wanted some alone-time. There’s a heady build up of sexual tension, and a sweet love that’s on the page.

Interested? You can find DAMNED IF YOU DO on Goodreads, Samhain Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Marie SextonAbout the Author:
Marie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.

Visit Marie’s website, follow her on twitter, friend her on Facebook, or join her for Coffee and Porn in the Morning.

Thanks for popping in my friends, and keep reading!

Getting the Scoop on UNDERCOVER BOYFRIEND–Guest Post and Giveaway!

Undercover Boyfriend Blog Tour BannerHi there! I’m so excited to partner with a fab author, Jacob Z. Flores, in support of a contemporary M/M romance! UNDERCOVER BOYFRIEND sounds like a great read and it’s coming out next week!

Be sure to check out the awesome note from Jacob, and be sure to enter to win one of 10 eBooks from his backlist or a $50 GC!

perf4.250x7.000.inddAbout the book:
Two men, one lie, and a whole bunch of trouble.

Marty Valdez is in serious trouble. His sister’s wedding is around the corner, and everyone expects to meet Marty’s super-successful underwear model boyfriend—whom Marty invented. Now Marty has to produce a half-naked hottie or suffer the worst humiliation of his life.

FBI agent Luke Myers is in serious trouble. He’s been working undercover to take down a dangerous drug cartel, but his cover’s blown and he needs to disappear. Luckily, a geeky yet intriguing comic book artist gives him the perfect opportunity. Luke just has to pretend to be his boyfriend, and pretending is what he does best. But between Marty’s mother and his ex, Luke might’ve bitten off more than he can chew, and Marty’s knack for finding trouble might ruin more than just his sister’s wedding.

How about a little taste?

“Who is this?” his mother asked. Her tone was as friendly as a snarling pit bull. She opened the door and placed her hands on her ample hips, awaiting her answer.

“This is Tim, Mom,” Marty answered. “You said you wanted to meet him.”

“No,” she said, waving her finger at him as she did whenever she corrected him. “I said I wanted to see a picture.”

He sighed. “Well, I thought this would be better.”

From the grimace on her face, he could tell she wasn’t quite sure. “Well, he is handsome,” she admitted. “But I doubt he’s better than a lawyer.”

“Mom! He’s standing right here.”

“I know,” she said gesturing to Tim. “I have eyes. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell me he was coming when we spoke on the phone earlier?”

“Surprise!” Marty said with a hand flourish.

His mother’s only reply was a blank stare.

“Hola, Señora Valdez,” Tim said. He held out his palm in a show of respect, and she eyed it with a surprised smile. She was impressed yet remained guarded. “Muchísimo gusto.”

When he told her that he was thrilled to meet her, her stony façade faltered and a tiny smile crept across her red lips. She briefly placed her hand in Tim’s before she stepped back to let them in.

“You didn’t tell me he could speak Spanish,” his mother said after she closed the door.

Marty hadn’t expected that either. Based on Tim’s fair skin, blue eyes, and blond hair, he figured Tim was your average white boy who only spoke English. He’d clearly been wrong.

“I guess it just never came up,” he finally answered.

She eyed him before turning her gaze back to Tim. “¿Por qué tú hablas tan buen español?”

“Mom!” Marty exclaimed. Although he wasn’t entirely surprised, he was mortified that his mother was questioning why Tim spoke such good Spanish.

“Para el trabajo,” Tim replied.

“For work?” she asked. “I wasn’t aware that bilingualism was a requirement to have pictures taken in your underwear.”

Marty buried his face in his hands. If he died right now, he’d be okay with that. His mother was doing her best to be difficult. He wouldn’t blame Tim if he bolted for the front door and ran away screaming. Hell, if he did, Marty might go with him.

Instead of stumbling or acting offended, Tim laughed. “It’s not. But we have photo shoots all over the world and clients in many other countries. I find it’s a good idea to be able to converse with customers in their native language. It helps them remember who you are.”

His mother clearly wasn’t expecting that answer. She’d been trying to make Tim stumble, but she was the one caught off guard. She’d always been a proponent of bilingual education, and she often spoke in Spanish to the fifth-graders she taught. It aggravated her that most Americans could only speak English, and it was best not to get her started on Latinos who couldn’t speak Spanish.

“Come,” she said as she started for the kitchen. “You must be hungry. I’ll make you something to eat.”

Marty stood in shock as his mother disappeared into the kitchen. She only cooked for family or people she liked. How the hell had Tim managed to slay the dragon after a two-minute conversation?

Tim leaned in and whispered in Marty’s ear. “I told you I had it covered.”

Marty glanced up and nodded into Tim’s smiling face. He’d already forgotten what Tim had said. All he’d been able to focus on was the intoxicating aroma of sweat and Old Spice that hovered around Tim and the feel of Tim’s warm breath fanning across his neck.

Tim grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. “Come on,” he said. “I smell homemade tortillas.”

Ah! Who doesn’t love an interfering mama, amiright? I SOOOOO look forward to reading this one!

I’m delighted to invite Jacob to chat with us about his fave Pretend Relationship movies…and I totally agree with these choices!! #Kinship

Top 3 Pretend Relationship Movies

Hi, everyone! I’m Jacob Z. Flores, and I’m so glad to be here at V’s Reads. This is my first time here, and I’ve had a great time exploring this site. I want to thank my host for allowing me to come here today to promote my upcoming June 15 release Undercover Boyfriend, the first book in my One Fine Day series.

Some of you may already know this, but for those of you who don’t, this collection of books centers on the theme of marriage. For each book, readers will meet a new set of characters who will face a different set of complications, and in each book, I will be putting my own spin on some of the classic marriage/relationship tropes we have all grown to love.

In Undercover Boyfriend, I take on one of my favorite romance tropes—the pretend relationship. In honor of that, I decided to share with you today my top 3 favorite movies featuring the Pretend Relationship trope.

#3—Can’t Buy Me Love

I can’t tell you how much I loved this movie. I’ve loved it ever since first seeing it as a kid in the 80s. Why did I love it so much? Well, besides having a crush on Patrick Dempsey (who is even yummier today!!!!), I enjoyed this movie because I could identify with Dempsey’s character, Ronald Miller. I remember being that goofy high school kid, wondering what life on the other side of the popular fence was like, and Ronnie actually got to live it. Of course, he had to blackmail popular head cheerleader Cindy Mancini to be his girlfriend. Naturally, the spoiled rich girl agreed, and of course, the popularity got to Ronnie’s head, but in the end, love prevails. The road they had to travel to get there, however, was filled with sweet and hilarious moments.

I still laugh out loud when Ronnie busts out in the African Anteater Ritual and his new popular friends think it’s a rad new dance move!

#2—Easy A

Okay, so this movie might be stretching the “pretend relationship” trope a bit, but the movie does revolve around a pretend sexual relationship that never happened. High school senior Olive Penderghast (played by the lovely Emma Stone) lies to her best friend about losing her virginity to a college guy to get out of spending the weekend with her best friend’s hippie/nudist parents. Unfortunately, one of Olive’s Bible-thumping classmates overhears the lie and quickly spreads it around the school. Olive doesn’t do herself any favors when she plays up the lie by pretending to have sex with a classmate, who is tormented by the guys at his school for being gay. As the lies escalate, Olive’s world spins out of control, and the only one who seems unaffected by the gossip is Olive’s longtime crush Woodchuck Todd, who looks much better in the Blue Devil uniform!

1—Pretty Woman

Okay, I’m sure no one was surprised by that revelation. To me, this movie is the epitome of this trope. Edward Lewis (Richard Gere’s character) needed a girlfriend to attend social events with him, so he hires prostitute Vivian (Julia Roberts) to stand in. What follows is a love story of two characters, who never would have met had it not been for fate and a lie, falling helplessly in love with each other.

Pretty sure I know what I’m going to be streaming this weekend!! Thanks, Jacob, for stopping in and I wish you the best of luck on your new book series.

Interested? You can find UNDERCOVER BOYFRIEND on Goodreads,
Dreamspinner Press (Ebook, or paperback), Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and GooglePlay. It comes out June 15th, but pre-orders are up now.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a backlist book from Mr. Flores (ten winners!) or a $50 GC (1 winner!)
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Jacob Flores - Author PicAbout the Author:

Jacob Z. Flores lives a double life. During the day, he is a respected college English professor and mid-level administrator. At night and during his summer vacation, he loosens the tie and tosses aside the trendy sports coat to write man on man fiction, where the hard ass assessor of freshmen level composition turns his attention to the firm posteriors and other rigid appendages of the characters in his fictional world.

Summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, provide Jacob with inspiration for his fiction. The abundance of barely clothed man flesh and daily debauchery stimulates his personal muse.

When he isn’t stroking the keyboard, Jacob spends time with his daughter. They both represent a bright blue blip in an otherwise predominantly red swath in south Texas.

Catch up to Jacob on his website, Facebook, twitter, Goodreads, and Tumblr.

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Delving Deep Into BDSM 24/7–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new BDSM drama/romance in the Subs Clubs series by J.A. Rock. 24/7 is the fourth book in this series and relates the healing and heartache of Gould, a man plagued by regret over the loss of his friend, and ex-lover, Hal–still, three years later. I really loved MANTIES WITH A TWIST, so I was eager to read this one.

24/7 (The Subs Club, #4)About the book:
We started the Subs Club to make the kink community safer for subs. Except now the others are so busy chasing their happy endings, it’s like they’ve forgotten what Bill did to Hal and the fact that he got away with it. They used to think I was betraying Hal’s memory by hooking up with the owners of the club where he died. Now they don’t seem to care about any of it anymore.

Maybe I am sometimes angry with GK and Kel for giving Bill a second chance, but they’ve been mentoring me for a year now, and whatever else they’ve done, they make me feel incredibly safe. So I want to try something: I want to offer them my complete submission, 24/7. To serve the people who forgave Bill. That’s the way I want to hurt.

Except I’m starting to care about them in a way I never meant to—and I think they feel the same way. But after Hal, I don’t know if I want to be in love again. Because what I really need, more than anything, is to see Bill brought to justice. Even if I have to do it myself. Even if it means losing GK and Kel.

—Gould

My Review:
This is the fourth book in a series, but I think it can still be enjoyed on its own. It is an adult book that features a M/F/M-ish type of relationship…it’s honestly hard to classify for reasons below.

4.5 stars.

Gould is a 28 year old Jewish man who knows he’s a submissive. He’s been in the BDSM scene for years now, and is one of the founding members of the Subs Club, a collection of four childhood friends who all practice BDSM, and are all male and all subs. It formed three years ago when Gould’s ex, Hal, also a sub, died by strangulation in a scene at a club owned by Kel and Greg–who are married. Kel is Greg’s Dom, and she’s a task master. Gould never forgave himself for breaking up with Hal, who was–admittedly–too into drugs and floundering. Hal and Gould had been tight; Hal was Gould’s first ever Dom, and Gould felt responsible for Hal dying–to a degree. He’s really still torqued off that the Dom who left Hal restrained in seclusion, Bill, got off on the second-degree murder charges while Gould pretty much struggles with his grief–almost daily.

At the beginning of the book Gould has been “playing with” Kel and Greg for several months. They are a heterosexual couple, but Kel enjoys having male playmates for Greg, and while Gred is her submissive, he is dominant to Gould. They have lots of kinky sexytimes, but the Gould really favors humiliation and loves being chastised. While roiling in his shamed subspace he’s able to commune with Hal’s spirit, and Hal’s inner voice is always putting him down, so that adds more shame for Gould to immerse himself in. He’s all about the shame.

I liked the way their relationship worked, in that Kel and Greg both embraced Gould, for the most part. Greg isn’t gay, and he isn’t bisexual, but he finds something very attractive in Gould, and is willing to share more and more of Kel with him. Gould’s always kept his feelings buried, but he knows he needs more from Kel, as a Dom, and he finally works up the nerve to ask if they can explore a M/s (Master/slave) dynamic. Kel trained as a Master, but never stuck with it due to the negative backlash she faced as a female. Gould’s request is a big temptation for her, and she and Greg decide to try this with Gould–for a week. Greg likes being submissive, but he doesn’t feel compelled to a 24/7 power exchange, like Gould craves. There are upsides, but Gould’s secrets regarding his depression over Hal and still-simmering rage at Bill complicate matters. Also, he knows that Kel and Greg have forgiven Bill–and have worked to rehabilitate him since Hal’s death–and that’s a big betrayal for Gould’s trust.

I’m not going to delve much deeper into the plot, but I liked the dynamic here. I felt Gould’s pain, his obsessive depression, and how sinking into sub-space really helped him to forget it for a time. Kel and Greg are fantastic partners to each other, and to Gould. Gould needs a lot of TLC, even if he won’t admit it, and Kel’s not a big fan of punishment. Plus, her brand of punishment is less about pain and more about humiliation, which works for Gould. Greg is staunchly het, but he’s also clearly attracted to Gould, which is nice. I’ve read a good big of BDSM, and this book is really less erotic and more intellectual. It’s all about the mind games, and tripping Gould out of his generally negative headspace. If you are looking for a gushing romance, this is not your book. (The only gushing that happens is rather gross, and completely humiliating to Gould, which satisfies his needs.) There is a quiet romance, of sorts, here; mainly it’s Gould asking for the love and attention he needs and both Kel and Greg stepping up to the plate. That was completely satisfying, even if it didn’t come with all heavy breathing and juicy moments. There is a lot of emotion to be had, which is why I even classify it as a “romance” of sorts…

As the series follows each of the four Subs Club members finding their forever Dom, I suppose this one marks the end. There is a significant sense of closure for the subs, as they all have mainly healed from the loss of Hal, and found happiness with their permanent partners, even Gould who gets the love, support and therapy he truly needs. This book was definitely darker than MANTIES WITH A TWIST, but it made sense that Hal’s bereaved ex, Gould, would have more trouble moving on. I loved the interaction with all the boys: Gould, Dave, Miles and Kamen. They are so loving and sweet to each other, in a purely platonic way.

Interested? You can find 24/7 on Goodreads, Riptide Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
J.A. Rock is the author of queer romance and suspense novels, including BY HIS RULES, TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME, and, with Lisa Henry, THE GOOD BOY and WHEN ALL THE WORLD SLEEPS. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama and a BA in theater from Case Western Reserve University. J.A. also writes queer fiction and essays under the name Jill Smith. Raised in Ohio and West Virginia, she now lives in Chicago with her dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

You can catch up with her online on her website, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

It’s Love…COME WHAT MAY–Review and Giveaway!

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary New Adult M/M romance from AM Arthur. COME WHAT MAY is a journey for one young man whose life seemed perfect…from the outside looking in. It’s got so many beautiful feels!!!

Check out the excerpt, my review and enter to win in the giveaway below!

ComeWhatMay_finalAbout the book:
Jonas needs Tate. He just doesn’t know it yet.

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

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

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

A little taste!

“It’s small,” Jonas said.

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

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

“I disagree.”

He blinked. “You do?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Review:

Jonas is a closeted junior in college sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Delaware to keep him out of the spotlight after he’s expelled from school in a frat-hazing-stunt-gone-wrong. Jonas has had a hard time living up to the perfect ideals of his strict, conservative parents, and suffers from a possible learning disability his folks won’t accept.

Living with his aunt and uncle is a totally new world. Financially, they don’t have much, but they share with real joy. They take care of their own, and more: they have tenants above their garage, Tate and his two younger sisters.

Tate is a 23 y/o out gay man who’s not ashamed at his years of tricking to keep his family fed. Tate and his sisters were orphaned when he was just 16, and he fought hard to win their custody–not before they were both in bad spots in foster care. Tate strives to always put them first, especially his youngest sister Marnie who was assaulted and still suffers PTSD.

Tate is immediately attracted to Jonas, who’s a right godly male specimen. Jonas is afraid of the feelings that Tate stirs, but can’t help being awed by Tate’s sheer awesomeness. Did I mention Tate runs (with his good friends) a homeless shelter for LGBT teens who’ve been kicked out by their parents? Yeah, Tate’s the stand-up man Jonas would love to be. And that admiration allows Jonas to finally drop his facade. He’s known he was gay for some time, but lives in fear of his parents cutting him off.

Of course, being in Delaware with his loving and open extended family–and Tate–allows Jonas to cut loose in a way he never could in college. And, Jonas pretty much loves it. Expect a lot of real hard times, though, because Daddy Dearest is one for the Internet Shame Awards.

I seriously fell into this book. It was such a heart-tugger, and really allowed these two young guys to explore a solid first relationship–one that was definitely heading into “forever” territory in the HEA ending. Jonas gets the help he needs to be a fully functional adult, one not beholden to his father’s homophobic and controlling whims. Tate learns that he has to let go of his guilt surrounding the years he couldn’t keep Addyson and Marnie protected, and build a new and brighter future for them, and himself, with Jonas.

There are some awesome secondary characters, and I’m sure we’ll be lucky enough to experience their love stories going forward. I really ache for Marc and hope he finds a forever man.

The whole “gay teen homeless shelter” background was fantastic, and wonderfully rendered. It was clear exactly how razor-thin the operating budgets of these (unfortunately!!) necessary centers are, and I loved how Jonas did his very best to make Tate’s place more financially solvent. I can only hope that a reconciliation for Jonas and his parents is on the horizon, and that a hefty donation from them will keep the doors open and the kids fed.

Interested? You can find COME WHAT MAY on Goodreads, Carina Press, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 gc to Amazon or Barnes & Noble–winner’s choice!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

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

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

Catch up with Ms. Arthur on her website, Facebook, twitter, and Tumblr.

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Working Out the Kinks–BETA TEST–Review & Giveaway!

Beta Test Blog Tour BannerHi there! I’m so excited to share a review for a fantastic new contemporary M/M romance from Annabeth Albert. I absolutely loved STATUS UPDATE, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on BETA TEST. Though it’s the second book in the #Gaymers series, it’s fully enjoyable on its own. I just love me some interracial romance, and this one has both heart and hearth–meaning serious amounts of family drama.

Catch a First Kiss excerpt and enter to win a $20 GC in the giveaway below!

Beta Test by Annabeth AlbertAbout the book:
Player vs. Player. Fight!
Brilliant graphic designer Ravi Tandel is ahead of the game—he’s just been asked to present a top secret project at a huge conference in Seattle. All systems are go…until he learns his buttoned-up office nemesis is coming along for the ride.

Tristan Jones isn’t really the gamer type, but he knows the back end of the video game business inside out. Together, he and Ravi will give an awesome presentation. If they survive the cross-country trip first.

Tossed together in close quarters, Ravi’s shocked to see Tristan’s sexy, softer side emerge from such a conservative shell. He’s less shocked to learn his handsome colleague’s prominent family would never support an out-and-proud son. But Ravi didn’t struggle through his own coming out to hide who he is now. To be together, Tristan will have to push past his fear and ultimately decide: Does he want a future with Ravi? Or is it game over before they’ve even begun?

How about a little taste?

Knock. Knock. A knock came from the connecting door, startling Ravi into hopping off the bed.

“Tristan?” he called before unlocking the door.

“Yeah,” came the muffled reply.

“What’s up?” As he opened the door, he realized that he didn’t even have a shirt on. After his shower, he’d pulled on a pair of Star Wars lounge pants that Avani had given him on his last birthday. He wasn’t a modest guy, but this was a bit…exposed for a late-night encounter.

“Um. Not much.” Tristan stood there in ridiculous blue plaid pajamas and bare feet, hair still damp and sticking up at weird angles. The overall effect should have been one of Tristan escaping from whatever retirement compound Elmer called home, but instead Ravi found it endearing.

You’re so screwed, man.

“Not much?” Ravi raised an eyebrow. “But you knocked?”

“Um. Yeah.” Tristan scratched his neck and shuffled one foot. “My room stinks.”

“Your room stinks?” Ravi had to stop himself from laughing. As far as pretexts went, that was pretty darn lame, high-school-campout-worthy stuff.

“It really does.” Tristan gestured, and Ravi followed him in and took a deep sniff. Yeah, the room did smell pretty funky.

“O-kay.” Ravi drew the word out. “Why don’t you call the front desk? This is a pretty big place, and it’s the middle of the week. I’m sure they can find you a different room.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you.” Tristan did the shuffle thing with his foot again. “Never mind.”

“Tris.” Ravi grabbed Tristan’s shoulders when he tried to turn away, forced him to look at him. “What’s really up?”

“Nothing. I was thinking we could watch a movie in your room, but you’re right, I should call for a new room.”

“That’s what you want? To hang out with me?” Ravi took a step forward, not dropping his hands from Tristan’s shoulders. He could feel his warmth even through the soft blue cotton. Their bodies were mere inches apart now. Tristan’s gaze went straight to Ravi’s mouth before he licked his own lips.

Oh fuck. Killing me, Tris, you really are.

“I’ve got a movie on,” Ravi said softly, making no move toward his room or to step away from Tristan. There were a thousand reasons why he needed to step away, get Tristan to call for a new room, and stop the energy arcing between them, yet he couldn’t seem to find the one that would get his feet to move.

“Yeah.” Tristan’s exhale ghosted across Ravi’s face. His eyes continued to look as though they had a tractor beam on Ravi’s mouth. “That’s good.”

“I’ve got no clue what the movie is.” Ravi laughed shakily.

“That’s okay.” Tristan moved, subtly leaning forward before retreating a millimeter, like he wasn’t quite sure how to close the gap between them.

Ravi knew, but there were a whole host of reasons why he should retreat and lock the door behind him, put a hotel’s worth of distance between himself and temptation. But he didn’t move back, instead doing what Tristan was shuffling toward and closed the distance between them, claiming Tristan’s mouth like he’d been obsessing about for two days now.

Okay, okay, perhaps a bit longer than that, if he were honest with himself. Tristan was fussy and prissy and so not Ravi’s type, except he was cute and endearing and eager to please and…

Oh fuck it. They were so doing this thing.

Ravi’s lips slid softly over Tristan’s, hands coming up to cup Tristan’s face. His skin was smooth and slightly slippery, as if he’d shaved earlier. Tristan gave a little sigh as their lips collided, a happy noise that went straight to Ravi’s dick. Tristan tasted like a minty memory from Ravi’s teen years, a simple, classic taste that totally fit with the rest of Tristan’s persona.

And the way they fit together felt like a different kind of memory—like they’d done this before and yet never before in the same instant. Brand-new and achingly familiar. And far, far too sweet for Ravi’s blood.

My Review:
This is the second book in a series that’s fully enjoyable on its own.

Tristan is the son of a very conservative judge and lawyer, and survived the loss of his adored elder brother to a drunk driving accident nearly a decade before. He came out years ago, but his parents have asked him to keep his sexuality on the super-down-low so as not to interfere with his mother’s keen political aspirations. So, while he’s “out” he’s mostly closeted. It’s a total frustration when he’s hired at a completely gay-friendly videogaming company–because he’s super jealous of all his co-workers who live out-and-proud. Ravi, in particular, rubs Tristan all the wrong ways because he’s absolutely stunning, and far too flamboyant to be deemed acceptable partner material in his parents’ circle.

Ravi is an out-gay Indian man whose mother and grandmother have vociferously denounced his homosexuality and continually seek to link him with women. He’s been invited home for his younger sister’s wedding and has been delaying accepting the invite because he cannot bear the pressure and scrutiny. He loves his job as a graphic designer, even if he believes his task-master–Tristan–is a shrill homophobe. It’s even more frustrating that he finds Tristan attractive, as Ravi will never get into another workplace romance; not after his previous debacle…

Working on the latest top secret project for roll-out at ComicCon Seattle, Tristan is more and more aggravated by Ravi’s inability to meet deadlines. They get into a fight, in the middle of a company party, and both end up leaving the party early–so neither of them consume the tainted food that sends all the higher-ups to the hospital. And that means Ravi and Tristan are the only two people on the ComicCon project who are able to drive the display up to Seattle.

Two men in a truck. That’s the name of a local moving company here, and boy howdy do Ravi and Tristan move. They spend hours in traffic and share, and overshare, and break down (literally, regarding the truck) and come together (literally, regarding the sex). It becomes a case of: “what happens on the way to Seattle stays…” scenario, and it’s transcendent for both men. Tristan is truly out, and rather proud, not just of the experience of being with a free-spirit like Ravi, he’s also darned proud of his hard work and the accolades the company’s booth is receiving. Ravi’s aware that everything with Tristan is too much to contain within the confines of several days and nights, and they decide to go into stealth mode back in California. Oh, but it’s not easy…

I loved how these guys were so up-front about their troubles and pain, how they deal with the pressures of family. Tristan is ashamed to even mention his mother, knowing that her brand of politics will likely turn off any of the new friendships he’s building–and might cost him Ravi. And, yet, when he does confide he finds some level of security. Tristan has always carried the burden of his brother’s death, and Ravi has carried the burden of his family’s shame, but each man is able to reach beyond that, as they build a more secure relationship. Even as Ravi continues to maintain this is a FWB-situation, he’s more and more captivated by Tristan, and spends all his off times at Tristan’s house. I liked how Tristan used his new-found strength, security with both Ravi and his job, to stand up against his parents and their strong-arm tactics. And I liked how Ravi, with the love and support of Tristan, was able to push back against the issues in his own family, and build better, and stronger, relationships with his siblings. The whole book is a feels-generator, with two guys who want love finding it when they least anticipate, and growing into their adulthood in new and unexpected ways.

Interested? You can find BETA TEST on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo.

Be sure to check out the first book in this series, STATUS UPDATE, and I look forward to telling you all about CONNECTION ERROR due out this fall.

Gaymer Series Collage

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $20 gift card!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Annabeth Albert avatarAbout the Author:
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. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children. Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Find Annabeth online on her website, Goodreads, twitter and Facebook.
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Looking Past What’s STAINED–Review & Giveaway!

BannerTemplate-22Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review and excerpt for a new contemporary M/M romance from Chris T. Kat. STAINED is a deeper look into love, one that passes beyond the superficial, that’s for sure.

StainedORIG-final-01About the book:
Blair Clark has reached his breaking point. Forced to leave one job because of sexual harassment, he’s having difficulty finding another. Since no one believes what happened, Blair’s left with a stain on his employment record that he can’t get rid of. He’s had to move back home with his mother. As if that’s not bad enough, he realizes his crush, Travis, is simply using him. His romantic life looks as hopeless as his job search.

Jack Ross is sure he’ll never find anyone who’ll love him for who he is. All anyone sees is the port-wine stain on his left cheek—not the man behind it. Even his mother thinks he should get rid of it. But the procedure is difficult and painful.

When Blair applies for a secretarial position with Jack’s firm, both men learn that beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder. It’ll take a lot of trust to chase away their insecurities, but if they take a chance on one another, love will find a way.

How about a little taste?

“Can’t I?” I gazed into Travis’s brown eyes, the same eyes I dreamed about at night. In those dreams they were filled with love, but when I looked now, I only saw cruelty, arrogance, and something more, something darker I didn’t want to think about.

“No.” Travis snatched my chin, held it tightly between his big fingers and forced me to keep perfectly still. “No, you can’t. Choose a manly job and they’ll stop. Keep flaunting your sexuality and that’s what they’ll do.”

“Flaunting my sexuality? What’s that got to do with my job?”

“You’re a secretary, for fuck’s sake. It’s a woman’s job. Now stop adding fuel to the fire and cowboy up.” Travis’s voice remained low but it held an angry edge to it, one I recognized well.

I dropped my gaze, and a moment later Travis let go of my chin. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I winced when another guy asked, “Having trouble keeping the fairy in line?”

“Are you kidding?” Travis replied, puffing up his chest.

Enough was enough. I bolted up, ready to leave, when a big hand clamped on my arm. I tugged, but the grip tightened. Anxiety blossomed into fear, especially when the table dropped into sudden silence.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Travis hissed.

My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, making it impossible for me to answer. What the hell was wrong with me? Why had I pursued Travis for so many months? Just because of his looks? Sure, he was hot, and exactly how I liked my men—big, fair-haired, and brown-eyed. But there was no love lost between us. Travis would never come out as gay, even though he liked to fool around with me whenever it was convenient for him.

“Blair, sit your ass down again, you’re attracting attention.”

When Travis pulled at my arm with more force, I planted my feet. I didn’t anticipate Travis letting go all of a sudden, leaving me to stumble backward. I crashed into someone behind me, taking us both to the ground.

Rolling to my knees and away from whomever I’d thrown, I apologized, “I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”

Heat flooded my cheeks as embarrassment swept over me. Holding out a hand for the guy I’d tripped, I recoiled when the man sat up, revealing his face. A gasp tumbled over my lips and I stared openmouthed. The skin of the man’s left side was stained in red, giving him a slightly scary appearance, as if he’d been badly burnt.

“I’m fine,” the man said, his brows creasing in a frown. Obviously he’d seen my reaction and wasn’t too thrilled about it.

I couldn’t help but stare even more. The man’s dark blue eyes bore right into me, daring me to say anything. The stained skin drew my attention, no matter how hard I tried to look elsewhere. It looked so painful, a large blotch of red that started below the man’s eye, covered his whole cheek, and tapered out at his jawline.

“It’s not contagious, if that’s what you’re afraid of,” the man said in an icy tone. He rose in one fluid motion, holding out his hand for me to… to what? Help me up? Why would he do that?

I eyed the outstretched hand, hating myself for the fear coursing through me. Just when I was about to take the man up on the offer, two big hands grabbed my waist and hoisted me to my feet.

My Review:

Blair Clark is a professional secretary who’s had a bad break. He was sexually harassed at his last job and let go when his complaint was deemed “without merit.” He’s since had to move home with his kind, and disabled, mother, and he’s feeling rather low. His “friend” Travis is a real piece of work, borderline abusive and truly a vicious closet-case.

Blair has an interview for a job with a man he’d accidentally bumped the night before, Jack Ross. Jack has a large port-wine stain (a blotchy red birthmark) that covers a large portion of his cheek. Like the run-in the night before, Blair nearly fumbles this opportunity, but Jack likes his forthrightness and experience, despite his last job’s poor reference; he hires Blair.

Working together seems to go well, Blair and Jack develop a strong professional rapport nearly immediately, and there is a mutual attraction budding. For me, I’d have liked a little more build-up of this romance. Blair has been burned before, and I’d expect him to hold off on getting physical with Jack. Likewise, the insertion of Travis into this mix was a little too much too soon. he’s not happy being brushed off, though he was never a true partner to Blair. The giant crisis came nearly from outer space. I didn’t get the rationale behind Travis’ motivation at all. I do suppose some folks are really simply vindictive jackwads, but it all happened so quickly I struggled to accept the act, and Blair’s response. I think a little more foreshadowing would have made this seem both likely and inevitable.

Blair was never not-attracted to Jack, and his constant build-up of Jack’s self-esteem is really very tender. Jack is good man, one that works heard for himself and those he cares for. To be so shattered over a birthmark, even one that draws over-the-top commentary from all and sundry, must be a hard way to live a life. I kind of wanted to knock Jack’s mother in the teeth, but I hope she recognizes her folly before there is no chance for redemption. That said, it’s a sweet, short read that is guaranteed to expand the idea that beauty is far more than skin deep, and that living right is the best way to survive emotional and professional set-backs.

Interested? You can find STAINED on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win one of three copies of books from Chris’ backlist!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.

Catch up to Chris online on her blog, Goodreads, Amazon and twitter
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Cover Reveal and Excerpt for A SECOND HARVEST by Eli Easton

A Second Harvest Cover Reveal Blitz BannerHi there! I’m so excited to share a first look at 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’m excited to read A SECOND HARVEST, which sounds like an unexpected love story for two mature men who thought their time had passed. I’ll share a review for the book in July once it releases, but in the meantime…

Check out this evocative cover!
SecondHarvest[A]FS
About 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?

Chapter 1

David sat against the rough wooden boards of the cow stall and watched Gertrude die. She opened her big brown eyes once toward the end and gazed at him for a long moment. In the glow of the lantern light, her lashes cast deep shadows so David couldn’t see what emotion might be in those eyes. Was she grateful he was sitting up with her? Did she know it was time to go? Was she relieved to finally be leaving this farm where she’d spent her entire long life?

But she was just a cow. Probably she thought none of those things. When she closed her eyes again, it was for the last time. An hour later she stopped breathing, and she was gone.

It felt like an era passed with her, silently and stealthily. David was there when Gertrude was born. She was the first cow that was his, designated as such while still in the womb, a birthday present from his parents. He raised her and showed her at the Harrisburg farm fair when he was in eleventh grade. She was a beautiful brown jersey with classic lines, and she won a third-place ribbon that day. David was proud enough to burst. For years afterward Gertrude was a reliable, strong milking cow.

A farmer didn’t get sentimental about animals. That was plain stupid. But David was not able to kill Gertrude when her milk production fell off. She’d half performed for another decade until he eventually retired her to pasture. If anyone asked, he told them it was good to have a mature cow around to show the rebellious younger ones what was what, teach them the routine. And Gertrude was a leader by personality. She knew how to put other cows and heifers in their places. But the truth was, David just couldn’t bear to load her in the truck and take her to the slaughterhouse.

She was a part of his boyhood, and it was right she was dead now. God knew the boy in him was a far distant memory.

He turned off the lights in the barn and walked back to the house. It was foolishness to have stayed up with her. The day’s work had to be done whether or not he had a good night’s rest. He was too old for this.

The light in the kitchen was on as he approached the house. He checked his watch. It was just past 5:00 a.m. Amy must be up.

For the past two years, Amy had come home from college for the summer to work as a nursing intern at the Lancaster hospital and to help him run a CSA program on the farm. It was Amy who did all the customer work. She made up the flyers, packed the boxes of produce, and met with the customers every week when they came to pick up their shares. She was good at that sort of thing. He wished he could pay her more, but like every other operation on the farm, the profit from the CSA was a very faint line of green. David honestly didn’t know how most farmers made it. His grandfather had paid off the farm, but still, between property taxes, upkeep and maintenance, animal feed, and everything else, he made just enough to get by. As his dad used to say, the gravy was thin.

He opened the sliding glass door and saw Amy in her bathrobe pulling some fresh eggs from the fridge.

“Hey, Dad.” She yawned. “What are you doing out at the barn so early?”

“Gertrude passed.”

“Aw! That’s a shame.” Amy didn’t sound too broken up about it. Then again Amy learned young not to get attached to the animals.

He grabbed a glass from the cupboard, went to the fridge, and poured himself some orange juice. But when he went to lift it to his mouth, he was surprised to discover a hard, thick lump in his throat. He put the glass back on the counter and breathed. Ridiculous. He hadn’t gotten particularly choked up, even when Susan died. But then she was sick for a few years. Her death was a blessing in the end.

“Things live. Things die. That’s the way of it.” His voice was gruff, but the lump eased. He drank his juice.

When he put the glass down, Amy was watching him with a frown. “You sound so cynical. I worry about you, Dad. You should take Mrs. Robeson up on her offer for dinner. I think she really likes you.”

“I’m not interested in Mrs. Robeson.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “You should give her a chance. Mom’s been gone two years now. She wouldn’t want you to be alone forever. And Mrs. Robeson taught both Joe and me in Sunday school. She’s a very nice lady.”

David gave Amy a warning look. “I don’t care to discuss my love life, thank you. Are you gonna cook those eggs, or are you waiting for them to hatch?”

Amy snorted a laugh, but she opened a cupboard and brought out a skillet. “Slave driver! I just worry about you. I hate that you’re all alone here when I go back to school. Joe hardly ever comes home.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I know! That’s the problem. You’re turning into a crusty old hermit. Next time I see you, you’ll have a beard down to your belly button. I know you live on TV dinners, hotdogs, and chips. It’s not healthy. You should get remarried. I know Pastor Mitchell thinks so.”

“Pastor Mitchell wants to get some of his old maids and widows married off so he doesn’t have to handhold them so much. I’m not interested.”

David was half teasing, but Amy still gasped. “Dad! That’s a terrible thing so say!”

David waggled his eyebrows, unrepentant, and exited the kitchen.

He went upstairs and took a shower. The sleepless night hit him along with the hot water, and he knew it would be a long day. Why had he felt compelled to sit up with Gertrude? She probably hadn’t even known he was there. But at the thought of her, another wave of sadness hit him. An image ran through his mind—one of falling leaves and the boy he’d been playing in them, laughing. He had no idea where that came from or why.

Out of the shower, he used a hand to wipe off the fogged mirror. He looked at himself critically to see if he could get away with not shaving this morning. His reflection surprised him briefly, as it always did. He felt so old. He always expected to see white hair and a sagging face when he looked in the mirror. But there were only a few strands of gray at the temples of his dark-brown hair and in his close-cropped beard. His face was not young, but it wasn’t sagging yet either. He’d lost a good thirty pounds since Susan died, so he actually looked younger.

Fine. He might not look old, but he sure felt it. And he suddenly understood why he sat up with Gertrude. He wanted to watch her as she escaped the farm at last, as she simply left her body and went away, gone where no one could prevent her going and no one could follow.

One day David would leave too, maybe just that way. He’d shut his eyes and vanish, leaving a shell behind. But dear Lord, he was only forty-one this past May. Even if he died when his dad did, at age fifty-eight, he had years to wait yet.

Just to… wait.

Oh, man! This one is gonna get me in the feels, I just know it!

Interested? You can find A SECOND HARVEST on Goodreads, and pre-order it in advance of its July 1st release on Dreamspinner Press (eBook or Paperback).

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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Turning the Corner FIRST AND FIRST–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a contemporary M/M romance from Santino Hassell. FIRST AND FIRST is a sweet and sexy story about finding yourself and being true, even if it’s not convenient.

First and First (Five Boroughs, #3)About the book:
Caleb Stone was raised on the Upper East Side, where wealth and lineage reigns, and “alternative lifestyles” are hidden. It took him years to come out to his family, but he’s still stuck in the stranglehold of their expectations. Caleb knows he has to build his confidence and shake things up, but he doesn’t know how… until Oliver Buckley enters the picture.

Oli is everything Caleb isn’t—risk-taking, provocative, and fiercely independent. Disowned by his family, Oli has made his own way in the world and is beholden to no one. After a chance encounter on New Year’s Eve, Caleb is smitten.

As Caleb sheds the insecurities that have held him back for years, he makes bold steps toward changing his career and escaping years of sexual repression. But for Caleb to take full control of his life, he has to be brave enough to confront his feelings and trust Oli with his heart.

My Review:
This is the third book in a series, but fully enjoyable on its own. There are recurrent characters who make appearances, some quite heavily, but this is Caleb’s love story, so it’s mostly about him.

Caleb is 37 years old and a trust fund “kid.” He’s got an MBA and really enjoys helping get start-ups off the ground, but has never really felt connected with the culture of the companies he’s assisted as CFO. Perhaps that’s why he’s always been “expendable” to them once they are off and running. Just as he was expendable to his previous lover, David. Caleb feels a bit lost, and totally awkward. He didn’t come out until his was 30 and is a bit repressed when it comes to his lovers. Until New Year’s Eve when he gets absolutely plastered and leaves the big party with Oliver.

Oli was raised with wealth, like Caleb. He knows the manipulations and touchy situations of affluence in a way David didn’t. His family cast him out at eighteen, however, when they discovered he was gay and he’s had to make his own way in life. Like many of his “friends,” Oli is a man Caleb met through David. Caleb and Oli have a rockin’ night that Caleb doesn’t remember. At first. *shakes head* that was the WORST morning after, maybe…ever.

Oli and Caleb strike up a buddy-ship of sorts. Oli likes to go to exclusive sex-club parties and he needs a “plus one,” and Oli thinks it’ll help Caleb mellow out about sex. Caleb agrees, because he does feel too uptight, and knows it was a problem between himself and David. Not that he’s hoping to get David back; he knows that ship has exploded, and the wreckage hit the bottom of the ocean. Still, the exposure to that alternate lifestyle is freeing, in a way. It even reunites Caleb with his half-brother Aiden, a man he had little knowledge of until recently. Aiden was the result of an affair, and he’s a dirty little secret–and treated so. Aiden grew up poor and is married to a man, but lives closeted, in the hope that his father’s bare-minimal attempts to aid his career will result in a better lifestyle.

Being near Oli and Aiden gets Caleb’s wheels turning. He wants to open his own company, making an app that he’ll have an ownership stake in, and not simply get cut out to the loop if it gets successful. Aiden knows marketing and programming, Oli is a computer programmer, and Caleb’s a financial wunderkind, so he thinks the idea is a slam-dunk. It’s not, but they refine it and build on it, and make it what they want–and it marks a turning point both for Caleb and Oli.

Oli is all about casual sex, something he’s very forthright about, but he’s having second thoughts with Caleb. Caleb really doesn’t want anyone other than Oli, and he has to find the strength to make his feelings clear. I think their love story is one that felt real and tangible on the page. It’s not perfect, and it’s easy to see how titillating the parties would be, to a young and single man–or even married couples who like a little variety, like Aiden and his husband. It’s a very sex positive book, with so many interesting and sexy elements.

I liked how Aiden, Caleb and Oli worked together to make this new venture succeed. Caleb wanted to fund  the enterprise, but they wouldn’t allow that–which forced Caleb out of his comfort zone in a professional way, and that was also a point of growth for him. It was also cool to see the inside story of Caleb and Aiden and their father–and how the mangled relationships still held a bit of affection. I also really liked that Caleb and Aiden–and their sister, too–began building a real relationship that was outside of all the family drama.

For a book that includes so much public sex, group sex, and plain out filthy talk, it’s surprisingly tender. All of these experiences are filtered through Caleb’s wary eyes and insecure mind-set. I was so happy that Oli finally stopped being a stubborn guy and really allowed what was building between them to progress. He’s clearly been crushed by the rejection of his family, and finding solace and love from Caleb is a balm for his bruised heart and battered ego.

Interested? You can find FIRST AND FIRST on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance.

About the Author:
Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into an unlikely romance author.

Santino writes queer romance that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.

You can find Santino online on his website, Facebook, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!