M/M Romance

Fierce Times NEGOTIATING LOVE–Exclusive excerpt, Review and Giveaway!

NL--BannerTemplateHi there! Today I’m featuring an EXCLUSIVE excerpt and review of Morticia Knight’s newest release, NEGOTIATING LOVE. It’s a sensual and sexy M/M BDSM romance, book five in the Sin City Uniforms series. You’ll remember that I really liked HELD HOSTAGE. Well, we see a bit of Brett and Cole in this one, too, but only as cameos. Steve had been a convenient partner for Cole for years, and this book tells us how they each found worthy partners.

Scroll down and check out the excerpt, my review and enter the giveaway!

Neg-LoveAbout the book:
Can the kinky billionaire owner of Dark Fantasy Resort Casino capture the heart of a muscled SWAT officer with a secret fetish?
SWAT Team Hostage Negotiator, Steve, wonders why he can’t stay away from the spoiled rich Allistair, owner of Dark Fantasy Resort Casino. They have mutual kinks – ones Steve can’t find with other lovers—but there’s something else about the emotionally detached, beautiful man that calls to him.

Billionaire Allistair stays alone in his luxury penthouse apartment at the top of Dark Fantasy, terrified of the real world and of opening himself up to genuine emotions. He takes lover after lover, all of them allowing him to do whatever he wants to their bodies, in the hopes that they can scam something from him.

One night is all he ever shares with a plaything—he knows they only want the money and luxury he can offer them and nothing more. But the down to earth Steve is different. They share the same kinks and are explosive when together. But could the muscled law officer ever want more than the lust-filled encounters that have become such an addiction?

As they grow closer, they discover they also have to find a balance between Steve’s everyday world and Allistair’s entitled world before they can truly find an ever after. They also have to make sure Allistair stays safe. Filthy rich playboys are too tempting to those who seek the ultimate payday—and who aren’t afraid of hurting someone to get it.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of BDSM and fetishism.

How about a little taste?

He wasn’t sure how long he was out, but when he was finally aware of himself again, he was unbound, lying on his side on the blanket with Allistair curled around him. He’d been covered with yet another blanket and he was warm. Safe.

“Are you back with me?”

“Yeah.” He had to clear the gravel from his throat. “Shit. Did I pass out?”

The heat from Allistair’s breath fanned over his skin as he chuckled. “Maybe. I was able to untie you then manipulate you without any resistance.” Allistair rubbed his lips back and forth across his shoulder. “So exquisite in your trust. Your surrender to me.”

Steve twisted in Allistair’s embrace until they were facing each other, wincing from his sore muscles.

Allistair ran a finger along his lips then frowned. “Stay still. I need to get you some water.”

Being pampered by Allistair Richmond had never seemed as if it would be a remote possibility when he’d entered Club Seduction a couple of nights before. Another thought hit him. Despite his belief that it would be impossible, Allistair had wrenched one of the most mind-shattering orgasms of his life from him by using the fake phallus. His lover was a magician or a sorcerer.

Or a vampire.

He laughed almost hysterically, his emotions all over the map.

Allistair helped him to sit up a bit. “That’s a good release. Here, take a sip.”

He was offered a cold bottle of water, one of the ones they’d brought in the backpack with the blue ice. It was difficult not to chug it once he got it to his lips. He hadn’t realized how dehydrated he really was.

Once he’d finished about half the bottle, Allistair encouraged him to lie back down then rose to his feet, still only wearing his silk boxers. His arousal was obvious and Steve felt guilty for not reciprocating. He reached for him, not just to pleasure him, but because he craved their closeness.

He snuck in. Got me.

My Review:

Allistair Richmond is a trust fund brat who made good. he took his money and built an empire of companies, including the  Dark Fantasy resort and casino in Las Vegas. He’s had a solitary life, with parents who were mostly absentee and an elder brother, Quentin, who is more psycho than…well, psycho. Due to threats from unnamed persons, as well as Quentin, Allistair is mostly holed up in his penthouse suite. He has no problem finding one-nighters, but he’s definitely down for a repeat performance with sexy bottom and police negotiator Officer Steve Ashwood.

Steve’s a regular guy, an army veteran and a proud wearer of women’s lingerie. *swoon* Honestly, didn’t know that manties would be a thing for me, but yeah. The genuine affection both Steve and Allistair have for women’s lingerie was yummy. Steve likes to be dominated. Hard. He’s super stressed in his role as a negotiator and craves punishment and rough love to clear his head when things go wrong. We had a few hints of Steve in HELD HOSTAGE, because he’s Cole’s long-time friend and frequent no-strings sexual partner. It was Steve who called an end to their hook-ups because what Allistair wants is anything but casual. Steve thinks that Allistair is the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.

There some interplay between Steve and Allistair, clashing over finances and the like. Steve is a proud man, and never wants to feel as if he is “bought”–he doesn’t like gifts, cash or anything of the sort, and Allistair isn’t used to dealing with people on an emotional level. All his previous partners have been after his money; Steve’s a refreshing change. I liked how they worked this out, and spent a good bit of time setting boundaries. There is little conflict between them, most of the suspense comes from the specter of Quentin, and his vague threats to extort more money from his more successful younger brother.

Expect some hostage scenes, and some quiet mornings, and some HOT lovin. Mmmmm. I always ask that the excerpts I receive for the blog are PG-13, and well, this one was a challenge. There’s a lot of sexytimes, LOL! That said, there’s a nice story, too, and it was great to see Brett and Cole again. While this is part of a series, it’s probably fine to read it as a standalone. It’s a super quick read, and sure to be enjoyed by folks who like it kinky.

Interested? You can find NEGOTIATING LOVE on Goodreads, Pride Publishing, Amazon (US and UK).

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a signed paperback and a goodie bag!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Morticia KnightAbout the Author:
Author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men forever after. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little heart’s desire. Even though she’s been crafting her naughty tales for more years than she’d like to share – her adventures as a published author began in 2011.

Once upon a time she was the lead singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She currently resides on the northern Oregon coast and when she’s not fantasizing about hot men she takes walks along the ocean and annoys the local Karaoke bar patrons.

You can find Morticia online on her website, Goodreads, Totally Bound, Amazon, Twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading (and commenting!) my friends! Pride-Promotions

Out today! BAD MOON RISING-Excerpt and Giveaway

BMR-BannerTemplate
Hi there! Celebrating the re-release of DC Juris’ BAD MOON RISING a contemporary M/M romance, plus zombies… I’ve loved some “zombie” romance in the past so I thought this one sounded fun.

Check out the excerpt below and enter the giveaway for a free copy of the book.

badmoonrising1400About the book:
Bryce never expected to find himself smack in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and he certainly never expected to meet the man of his dreams along the way. But there’s more than zombies in the way of his happily ever after.

Richard comes with baggage, in the form of his on again, off again bipolar lover Cole, who is off his meds and descending into his own mental hell at an alarming rate. Will the three men be able to work out their romantic feelings? Oh yeah…and then there’s that little issue of the zombies…

How about a little taste?

“Stay down!”

“What’s going on?” I whispered.

“Looters,” Cole revealed. “They’re going up and down the street, searching cars.”

Well, at least they wouldn’t steal it, since we had the keys, and the chances of them sticking around to do any real damage to it seemed pretty slim, too. All we had to do was wait it out, and they’d go away.

Dolly stood and paced to the door, walking back and forth in front of it like she was on guard duty.

On the street, yelling broke out, and gunshots echoed in the night.

Richard cursed.

Our visitors had apparently been discovered. Shouts of run and look out descended into just inarticulate screaming and then the unthinkable: Dolly started barking.

Cole lunged for her, but the damage had already been done. The people outside started banging on our door, pleading to be let in.

“What do we do?” I looked to Richard, who was shaking his head.

“Nothing.”

“But if we don’t let them in, they’ll be infected,” I argued. Those were people outside — we had to help them. What if the roles were reversed? What if that had been me outside?

“And if we do let them in, we’ll be infected.” He reached for one of our backpacks and started shoving things inside. “We can’t stay here. Cole, shut that damned mutt up!”

“I’m trying!” Cole struggled with Dolly, trying to get her calmed down and quiet.

Richard threw a bag at me, hitting me square in the chest and bringing me back to reality. “Pack light. We’ll be walking.”

“The car–”

“Is compromised. We’ll never get near it. Hurry up. Cole!”

Cole scrambled back to us, dragging Dolly behind him.

Outside the shouting and banging intensified. Someone must’ve gotten smart, because a brick came careening through an exposed part of the door glass near the top. It sailed through the air, barely missing Richard’s head.

“Time to go!” Richard shoved Cole toward the back door. “Bryce, help me with the boards!”

I grabbed up a discarded hammer and handed it over to him while I fished in my bag for the crowbar I’d brought. We struggled with the boards, hacking and pulling. Richard’s face turned red with his exertion, and the warmth of my own efforts spread out from my arm muscles, making my chest tight and painful.

“Hurry up, guys!” Cole shouted.

I glanced back at the front door. The newcomers — two beefy men and a scraggly haired woman — had managed to get several of the boards free and were shouting at us. Behind them, I could see the horde moving closer. The woman let out a scream and disappeared from sight. The men didn’t even look back for her — they just kept on coming.

“Bryce!” Richard had gotten enough of the boards cleared for us to get through. I jumped out after him as he pulled Cole through. We ran along the back alley, Cole carrying a still-barking Dolly.

“Shut her up! She’s going to give us away!” Richard smacked at Dolly’s muzzle as he ran.

That seemed to stifle her for a few minutes, and we made it down the alley and through two more without chase. At last Richard stopped, heaving for air, and leaned against the wall of a building. I didn’t want to stop. My nerves on fire with adrenaline and fear, I ran past him.

“Bryce!”

I ignored him. Fight or flight had kicked in. I wasn’t much to look at size-wise — I had no hope of fighting off a crowd of hungry zombies, so flight it was. I had to get away from there. Like a rat in a maze, I kept running through alleys and streets I didn’t know and couldn’t really see, until I stepped square into a hole and stumbled. I put my arms out and tried to catch myself, but only succeeded in falling on my wrist, wrenching it back against my arm. I couldn’t keep from crying out, but even the momentary pain didn’t stop me.

I surged to my feet again, but I must’ve injured my left ankle in the fall as well, because it wouldn’t support my weight and I fell back down. Undaunted, I crawled for my life. Footsteps grew nearer and nearer. They’d catch me, but I’d be damned if they’d catch me easily.

“Bryce! Stop!”

I rolled over under the power of someone else. At any other time, I probably would’ve registered that the person was Richard. But right then, I didn’t recognize him. He knew my name, kept yelling it over and over — that much I realized — but it made no difference to me. I fought him as hard as I could, and at last, he simply pinned my wrists and collapsed on top of me.

He stopped yelling, instead resorted to just whispering my name in my ear again and again in a monotonous tone that finally managed to bore into my brain and made me stop struggling.

Richard pulled back and looked down at me. “I’m getting up, okay?”

I nodded. Still feeling skittish though, I tried experimentally to wrest one of my wrists out of his grip.

“Easy,” he cooed. “You’re not in danger.”

“Not yet,” Cole chimed in from behind him.

“You’re not helping,” Richard snapped at him.

Ooh! Sounds awesome!

Interested? You can find BAD MOON RISING on Torquere Books.

****Giveaway****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win an ebook of BAD MOON RISING.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Romance author, sci-fi fan club Captain, cosplayer, reigning Queen of Monkeyland, and random menace. Yep, we’re talking about DC Juris. She’s a cupcake making, football watching, rubber duck collecting, drag show loving, full of fabulous with a Capital F kinda gal. She’s also an Ordained Minister and an amateur photographer. She lives in Upstate NY with her husband, three dogs, and three cats. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her favorite chair watching “Star Trek” and “Supernatural” repeats on Netflix, or surfing the web for porn. Er… research. Surfing the web for research. She may speak softly but she lives and loves loudly. Just ask the neighbors. ::wink::

You can find JC online on her blog, Facebook and twitter.

pride

IF I WERE FIRE–Excerpt and Giveaway

IIWF-BannerHi there! Just spreading the word about a newly released historical M/M romance novella from Heloise West. IF I WERE FIRE is the story of a broke Italian noble and the thief he saves.

Check out the excerpt and make sure to enter to win one of three copies of IF YOU WERE FIRE!

IfIWereFireFSAbout the book:
In 18th century Siena, Count Salvesto Masello has returned home to find the family villa and his father’s estate steeped deeply in debt. In order to save it, he has been selling off valuable family heirlooms, but he is running out of silverware. Somewhere in the villa his deceased father had hidden the art treasures that will pay the debt, but Salvesto can’t find them anywhere.

Amadeo Neruccio has been on the run from the vicious pimp, thief, and pawnbroker Guelfetto, but his toughs finally catch him and bring him to the cellar where Count Masello is selling off his silver. When the count learns what fate Guelfetto has in store for Amadeo, he intervenes and trades the last of his mother’s dowry for the young man’s freedom.

Salvesto had left home over ten years ago to live the life of adventure he craved. He had also hoped to leave his broken heart behind. When he rescues young Amadeo, he did not expect to find love again, or that his adventures had yet to end.

How about a little taste?
Everyone knew everyone’s business in the small hilly honeycomb town of Siena. The house the Masello had once occupied for short periods during the year belonged to a rich merchant now. The eldest Masello had died in a hunting accident in the countryside, and his father, it was said, died of grief a year later. This event had brought the new conte home to the villa with the leaky roof, the broken-backed barn, and massive debt. Yet perhaps Conte Masello was not as bad off as they said, for he had paid Amadeo’s debt to Guelfetto.

Likely Amadeo was wrong about that, too, as the conte had traded for his freedom with silver dishes and spoons. Amadeo swallowed hard but could not dislodge the lump in his throat, a combination of gratitude and resentment. Life in a Florentine bathhouse and sexual slavery to the traditional enemies of Siena was no life at all. He shuddered. He had meant it about throwing himself on the tender mercy of the river.

What kind of master was the new Conte Masello? He glanced at the man beside him and found warm hazel eyes gazing down at him. His new master’s hair was as brown as chestnuts and touched with gray strands. Whatever he’d been doing while the family fortunes dwindled—soldiering, sailing, perhaps even tramping about in the New World—had made him a man with a face weathered by the sun and muscles that strained the seams of his fine clothes. He was broad-shouldered and a forearm’s length taller than Amadeo, who felt like a willow tree beside such an oak.

“We have another stop to make,” the conte whispered. “Finish your prayers.”

The hard press of the conte’s velvet-clad shoulder and the intimacy of his warm breath on Amadeo’s neck sent a small shock through him, and his cock stirred restlessly in response.

Oh no, you don’t. You are not to ruin this chance for me either. Pardon me, dear Saint Catherine. I pledge to you I will stay away from the gaming tables and this man’s bed.

Interested? You can find IF I WERE FIRE on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win one of three ebooks of IF I WERE FIRE.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Heloise West, when not hunched over the keyboard plotting love and mayhem, dreams about moving to a villa in Tuscany. She loves history, mysteries, and romance of all flavors. She travels and gardens with her partner of 10 years, and their home overflows with books, cats, art, and red wine.

You can find Heloise online on her blog, Facebook, twitter, Tumblr, Goodreads, Dreamspinner, and Pinterest.

pride

Love in a WINTER WONDERLAND–Review & Giveaway!

WW blog tour_bannerHi there! Sharing some love for another M/M romance from Heidi Cullinan. It’s not hard, really, because I’ve adored so many of her books. She’s featured autistic and depressed men, CARRY THE OCEAN, illiterate and sexy librarian men, SLEIGH RIDE, rich and poor men, LONELY HEARTS, and cast-off men, NOWHERE RANCH, so I never read the same character twice.

WINTER WONDERLAND, featuring a young femmy top and a burly insecure older man, is fun and sentimental. And it was magical!

Go on and read the excerpt, my review, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway for the Minnesota Christmas books and swag. You know you want to!

Winter Wonderland (Minnesota Christmas, #3)About the book:
Finding Mr. Right can be a snow lot of fun.
Paul Jansen was the only one of his friends who wanted a relationship. Naturally, he’s the last single man standing. No gay man within a fifty-mile radius wants more than casual sex.

No one, that is, except too-young, too-twinky Kyle Parks, who sends him suggestive texts and leaves X-rated snow sculptures on his front porch.

Kyle is tired of being the town’s resident Peter Pan. He’s twenty-five, not ten, and despite his effeminate appearance, he’s nothing but the boss in bed. He’s loved Paul since forever, and this Christmas, since they’re both working on the Winter Wonderland festival, he might finally get his chance for a holiday romance.

But Paul comes with baggage. His ultra-conservative family wants him paired up with a woman, not a man with Logan’s rainbow connection. When their anti-LGBT crusade spills beyond managing Paul’s love life and threatens the holiday festival, Kyle and Paul must fight for everyone’s happily ever after, including their own.

Warning: Contains erotic snow art, toppy twinks, and super-sweet holiday moments. Best savored with a mug of hot chocolate with a dash of spice.

How about a little taste?

A ten-foot-tall snow penis towered over Paul Jansen’s front steps. Again.

He perched on the edge of his sofa, sipping his coffee as he kept the curtain pulled back with his foot so he could assess today’s phallic offering. It was pretty good. It had a bulging vein down the front, but it wasn’t as defined as usual. Big balls, but they’d clearly been joined to the shaft in a hurry. The glans had a nice contour—the snow artist usually took the most time there.

He’d give it a B+. Putting his mug aside, Paul tightened his robe before stepping into his boots. Opening the front door, he squinted into the sleet and wind. Saluted the penis. Snapped a photo for posterity.

Then he took aim with his right foot, braced himself against the doorframe and kicked the sculpture into pieces before reaching inside for his shovel so he could deal with the balls.

This was the third snow penis he’d dismantled of the season—the very early snow season, as the first squall had come through in late September. After the October tenth storm, they’d had snow cover ever since. The snow penises had started shortly after the blizzard. The first time had him laughing, and he’d left it up for a few hours. But it upset his neighbor on the other side of the duplex. It also made it tricky to get out the front door. So after taking a picture, he’d kicked it down and told his friend Arthur once he got to work, “Very funny, but stop upsetting Mrs. Michealson.”

Arthur had only blinked at him. “What’s funny?” So Paul showed him the picture on his phone, and Arthur laughed. “That’s pretty good! But how’d you do it? The snow is way too fine to pack.”

“I didn’t. You think I’d put a penis on my own front steps?”

Arthur shrugged as if to say, Why not? He squinted at the photo. “Seriously, this is a work of art. It’s almost a sculpture.”

“Well, it’s gone now.” Paul frowned. “I thought for sure you’d put it there.”

“Nope, sorry.” Arthur passed Paul his phone. “Let’s get to work on this bookshelf.”

Paul had put the snow penis out of his head and focused on his job. Logan Design and Repair had only been open for eight months, and while they weren’t about to go bankrupt, they worked like dogs to break even. Paul had gotten his electrician’s license over the summer, and Arthur was working on plumbing. They didn’t do anything big, but they could fuss with a water heater, a fritzing stove, a garbage disposal. Right now they were assembling custom bookshelves for the new pastor’s study at the Lutheran church.

Paul did the books, which often kept him at the shop late. When that happened, dinner usually appeared, delivered by Frankie, Paul’s other best friend’s fiancé. Sometimes it was stew or something homemade, sometimes it was a hot beef sandwich from the café. Sometimes he got hauled off to Arthur’s house to have dinner with the whole gang: Frankie and Marcus, Gabriel and Arthur. Hauled off was the only way they got him there, because Paul hated being the fifth wheel.

Though he was equally tired of being alone.

The day the first snow penis showed up they’d tried to get Paul to come to dinner once they were done ribbing him about his secret admirer, but Paul refused to go, opting to eat his dinner from home at the shop as he caught up on some paperwork.

Shortly after he settled in, his mother called.

“Paul. I’m glad I caught you.” The clipped, irritated tone made it clear glad was a figure of speech and nothing more. “I heard about the incident on your porch. I hope you told Arthur it was in poor taste and I won’t have to hear about this happening again.”

Arthur’s name dripped with disdain as it came out of her mouth. “Actually, I have no idea who did it.”

His mother clucked her tongue. “What a scandal. Have you told the police?”

About a snow penis? Paul entertained himself for a minute with the idea of trying to file that report. “It’s only a prank, I’m sure. Probably won’t happen again.”

“I certainly hope not.” She paused, her tone promising she was about to segue into the real reason she’d called. “I wanted to know if you were coming to church this Sunday.”

Oh, hell. Whenever Mary Jansen told her son she wanted to know if he was going to church, it was code for I have someone I want you to meet. And this someone would not, under any circumstances, be male.

Paul fumbled for a lie. “I’m due to go hunting with the guys this weekend.”

“You’ve hardly been to service lately. What will Pastor think?”

“I went a few weeks ago, but I promise I’ll go again soon.”

“Let me know when, and I’ll have your favorites for dinner after.”

His favorites and an eligible young lady. “I will,” Paul said. This was also a lie.

She’d ended their call shortly after that, but the exchange put Paul off finishing his supper and distracted him enough he mostly stared, frowning at the totals on the computer screen until it was just past midnight. Giving up, he headed home.

A new penis blocked his front door.

The second one had been something else. Not quite as tall, but it curved carefully to the right, and it had all the veins detailed like it was going to be used for an anatomy lesson. This one was uncircumcised, and the balls had hair—dried grass fused into the snow.

He took a picture of this one too, sending it to Marcus, Gabriel and Arthur as a group text. Fess up. Which one of you is the artist?

He had his money on Frankie, since he was the stylist, but either they were all practiced liars, or it wasn’t any of them. They all replied laughing, insisting it wasn’t them, dying to know who it actually was.

Paul had no idea.

My Review:
This is the third book in a series. It can be read as a standalone, but I think it’s best enjoyed after reading the series.

4.5 stars for this contemporary M/M romance, from this sentimental old fool.

Paul is the one of the Three Bears, a self-styled collection of older gay men that grew up in tiny Logan, Minnesota. He, of all of them, wanted a steady, loving partner. And, his two best friends, Marcus and Arthur, each found their significant others in the two past years. At Christmastime.

Paul is a sentimental old fool, really. Now 38 y/o he has always yearned for love, given unselfishly and completely, to him. He wants a storybook love, a Hallmark love–the kind he never felt growing up in his cold-hearted ungrateful family. He and Arthur were a thing for a long time–but Arthur never wanted to be exclusive with Paul, constantly brought others to their bed, and Paul wasn’t able to satisfy Arthur’s need for Domination. It was mortifying to Paul, after a while, so he moved out. They are still good friends.

Kyle Parks is 25 but thin, small and effeminate. He’s had a crush on Paul for the bulk of his life. To a young, gay, bullied kid, Paul and his buddies were the epitome of strength and virility. Kyle has a tenderness that is staggering. His twin sister, Linda Kay, is an adorable and interesting character. She has Down’s Syndrome but is a fireplug nonetheless, and has Kyle wrapped about her fingers. She’s a big part of the reason he still lives at home–their relationship is so excellent. He’s a doting brother and eager to satisfy Linda Kay’s whims. To me, Kyle is a sentimental young fool.

SNOW-PENIS

I don’t advocate making a snow penis, but they surely add a bit of dimension to the landscape!

To the meet-cute: Kyle’s been trying to catch Paul’s eye with filthy Grindr posts, but what really hooks him is the giant snow penises (peni??) that Kyle erects on Paul’s porch once, or three, times. Yep, that got his attention, right quick–especially as his mother and sister keep calling to deride him for being a spectacle, embarrassing the family and wondering when he’s going to come to his senses and find a woman to marry. Yeah.

Paul’s horrified that this babe (think swaddling babe not uber-hot babe) has a thing for him. He’s not even sure Kyle’s LEGAL at first, but Arthur’s mom, Corrina, works her meddling magic once again. If she could get her Dom son a proper mate, she could surely help Kyle win Paul’s heart. Corrina’s known Paul most of his life, and knows what turns his world: this quest for love.

I died as Kyle sat through one after the next of horrible Christmas romance movies, trying to get what Paul saw in them. And, when they are paired to help put together Logan’s Winter Festival it’s a blessing, and a curse. Paul’s so skittish, and he’s been terrified of public opinion for most of his life. His friends aren’t terribly supportive either. Arthur, in particular, deserved a nut punch. I was so glad that Kyle was such a strong man. I’ve heard readers complain that they can’t buy a femme top, but Kyle was fantastic–even as a toppy bottom. He pushed all the right buttons for Paul, except when he didn’t listen to Corrina. It totally made Paul run–as she knew it would. Kyle was persistent, however, and I think that turned Paul’s crank a bit, because persistence shows interest, and interest is a facet of the love Paul craves.

WW_take_a_riskThey have a bit of communication problems, but the biggest impasse is Paul’s inability to love himself, and accept that people may actually genuinely love him, particularly Kyle. The differences between Paul’s family and Kyle’s family was never so starkly etched as on Thanksgiving. The sympathy factor was high, I’ll admit. I liked the added friction of an older man from the Twin Cities making no secret of his attraction for Paul, and also the appearance of Paul’s ridiculous family at a crucial and tumultuous moment. I so liked being witness to Kyle integration into Paul’s friendships, and Corrina Anderson is a crafty old gal.

Expect hot and dirty sexytimes and cold and awesome snowtime fun. Expect a lot of sentimentality and South Pacific and an ending that blows away Hallmark for sensitivity and sap. #Loved.

Interested? You can find WINTER WONDERLAND on Goodreads, Samhain Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. It comes out tomorrow, but go on an one-click it so you’re ready to read ASAP! I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

PS–the first book in this series, LET IT SNOW, is a super bargain at $.99! I snapped it right up!

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter Link to enter to win paperback copies of all three Minnesota Christmas books (Let It Snow, Sleigh Ride, and Winter Wonderland) and a Logan-themed mug
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Heidi CullinanAbout the Author:
Heidi Cullinan has always loved a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. She enjoys writing across many genres but loves above all to write happy, romantic endings for LGBT characters because there just aren’t enough of those stories out there. When Heidi isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, knitting, listening to music, and watching television with her husband and teenaged daughter. Heidi is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights and is proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality. Find out more about Heidi, including her social networks, at her website, Twitter, and Facebook.

Intrigue in WILL AND PATRICK: MEET THE FAMILY-Excerpt & Review

Meet The Family Banner
Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review of the second episode of Leta Blake and Alice Griffith’s M/M rom-com serial, WILL & Patrick. In MEET THE FAMILY, keeping up appearances of being a happily married couple gets much more difficult, and possibly dangerous.

Be sure to check out my review of episode one, WAKE UP MARRIED, and scroll down to enter the book giveaway!

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00075]About the book:
Meeting the family is challenging for every new couple. But for Will and Patrick, the awkward family moments only grow more hilarious—and painful—when they must hide the truth of their predicament from the people they care about most.

Throw in the sexual tension flaring between them, uncomfortable run ins with Will’s all-too-recent ex-boyfriend, an overprotective mobster father, and a mafia spy tailing them around Healing, South Dakota, and you’ve got a recipe for madcap laughs and surprisingly heartwarming feels.

Follow Will & Patrick as they cope with the fallout from their Vegas wedding in this second installment of the romantic-comedy serial, Wake Up Married, by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

How about a little taste?

Keying open the door to their hotel room, Will tries to fake some cheer. “Honey, I’m home! And I brought dinner!” He stops and grips the bags more firmly as his cock rushes with a sudden influx of blood.

“Just put it over there.” Patrick’s ass is in the air, his hands flat on the floor, and he’s wearing nothing but his black boxer-brief underwear. “I’ll eat it when I’m done.”

Will stares as Patrick swivels, his body moving fluidly and his legs flexing in strong, limber movements.

“What are you doing?”

“This is downward dog. And this—” Patrick moves down with careful, slow strength. “Is plank position.” The muscles in his arms, back, and thighs are like bundles of wires, and Will’s mouth goes dry, remembering clearly how they felt under his hands.

“Looks hard.”

Patrick doesn’t answer. Will turns to put the food on the table, because if he keeps watching, something else is going to be hard too.

He clears his throat, glancing over his shoulder at the flexing muscles in Patrick’s back. “When we met, I wouldn’t have pegged you as a yoga kind of guy.”

Patrick grunts. He’s in a position now that Will can’t even imagine twisting himself into.

“I mean, you don’t seem like an ‘om’ type.”

“Yoga, and meditation for that matter, are legitimate, effective, and scientifically proven means to an end: physical health and reduction of mental stress. In other words, it helps keep me sane.” Patrick moves into an upright position, sweeps his arms over his head, and brings them back to a prayerful place at his chest. “Sanity is something you could stand to try. And none of that spiritual mumbo jumbo has anything to do with it.”

“So says the guy who believes in astrology.”

“Sure, be a Libra about it.”

Will feels heat in his cheeks. “The yoga doesn’t seem to hurt as far as keeping the rest of you in shape either.”

Patrick’s lips turn up into a smirk.

Will clears his throat, turning to the bags of food. He keeps his back to Patrick as he unpacks the takeout packages onto the small dining table. “So, do you want the gyros or the mac ‘n’ joes, because I can go either way.”

Patrick’s breath is tingly in Will’s ear and his body heat warm along Will’s back. “I go both ways too. It’s your call.” He reaches around and plucks up one of the Styrofoam boxes without looking inside.

Will swallows and gestures at the box still on the table. “This will be fine.”

He doesn’t know for sure which it is, but it will be fine, so long as his dick stops acting like a traitor and his mind stops supplying him with images of Patrick bent over, taking Will’s fingers into his tight, hot—God!

He shakes himself.

“Mmm, gyros,” Patrick murmurs from his perch on the bed. “So good.”

Will’s eyes flutter closed as he sits at the table and spreads a napkin over his crotch. No matter how good Patrick looks almost naked, they aren’t doing that again. It would be wrong. Because Will loves Ryan.

Who are you trying to convince?

He sighs and begins to eat. Mac ‘n’ joe is always tasty. Though at the moment it seems hard to choke down.

My Review:
Will and Patrick have been back to Will’s hometown of Healing, South Dakota for a couple days, and Will has more ‘splainin’ to do. He’s enlisted the help of his grandmother, Eleanora, to help get them out of this marriage, and had his first confrontation with his new ex, Ryan, and neither was pretty–but now he needs to introduce Patrick to his mother. Oy vay!

Nobody in town likes Patrick, and that’s not just because his quicky marriage to a very wealthy, and emotionally vulnerable, Will is highly suspicious. No, Patrick is also a jackass. He has zero social graces and is often deliberately obnoxious and obtuse. I really am struggling to like him, at this point. I get that he’s a great doctor, but I do not have to like him–at all–because of it.There are some hints at why Patrick is such a prickly character, but they haven’t (yet) excused his callousness.

Patrick relishes this bubble of insufferability he creates around himself. His only redeeming quality, for me, is that he’s good to Will, in a way. Will has a lot of insecurity, and a deeply ingrained sense of worthlessness and failure. It’s been fostered by many different characters slighting him over the years, and Patrick doesn’t accept any of that BS. He finds Will attractive, and says so. He builds him up, and that’s really great considering what a shit Ryan is. I think if they were standing in front of me, I’d punch Ryan in the junk and slap Patrick, twice. (Ryan is a horror of a man, to me, and I’m well glad that Will is rid of him. Patrick is a whole lotta “tough love” sans the “love” bit, and I can *almost* see that he’s going to be a great partner to Will…eventually.)

Will is warming up to his partnership with Patrick, and feeling more attracted than overwhelmed. He’s still soft on Ryan, which is a shame really because that dude is as emotionally abusive as they come. Though I’m starting to see Will turn the page on his love for Ryan and I HOPE HOPE HOPE that there’s some romance coming for him and Patrick. SOON! Right now we have a developing sexual tension and it’s getting serious, but there are no sexytimes. Memories of past sexytimes. Innuendo and a couple kisses, too, but that’s not enough to balance out the snarky banter, for me. I want to see Will and Patrick fall in love. God! I hope that isn’t the title of the last installment in this series.

Expect a douchey ex, a malevolent mafia tail, a lot of people hating Patrick and Will getting his heart stomped on. Oh, and meals. Lots and lots of eating. Mangia!

Interested? You can find WILL & PATRICK MEET THE FAMILY on Goodreads, and Amazon (US and UK).  As this is a serial, you’re going to want to read Episode One, WAKE UP MARRIED first.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Raffle copter below for your chance to win one of two copies of MEET THE FAMILY!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Authors:
Leta Blake
Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

You can find out more on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Alice Griffiths
A long-time reader of romance novels, Alice Griffiths finally took the plunge into writing, teaming up with best-selling author Leta Blake for the ‘Woke up Married’ serialized comedy. A lover of tropes, Alice enjoys mining old ideas and putting a fresh, funny spin on them. Formerly working in the newspaper industry, Alice is now an art curator. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

You can find out more about her by following her on Twitter and Facebook.

Love: FOUND AT THE LIBRARY–A Review

Hi there! Today I”m sharing a sweet contemporary M/M romance from Christi Snow. FOUND AT THE LIBRARY is a sexy and sweet story about growing past ones misconceptions and being true to your passion. It features a best-selling author and a man who “destroys” his books.

Found At the Library (Found, #1)About the book:
His entire life, Tommy Garrett has dealt with self-doubts. He thought he’d conquered the majority of them until a chance meeting with an author brought his illiteracy to the forefront…again. Growing up with un-diagnosed dyslexia has left Tommy barely able to read, but books are his Nirvana. Now he spends his life creating art dedicated to the love of those “untouchable” items.

Robert McIntyre, Mac, is a best-selling, highly celebrated author. But his point of view has become a little bit too narrow…until Tommy opens his eyes. That chance meeting has changed everything about his world. He has no idea how to find the beautiful man he met, and offended, at the library book sale. But when he does, Tommy’s life is in crisis-mode. It’s the holidays and Mac can’t just standby when Tommy needs help, whether Tommy wants it or not.

Two artistic men. One shared passion for books.

Life is hard, and sometimes when conflict arises you have to write your own plot twist to pull yourself out of the fray.

My Review:
Robert “Mac” MacIntyre is a best-selling sci-fi writer who helps out at Denver’s library rummage sale, well, because he loves books. He loves writing them, reading them, selling them, smelling them. He’s called in to assist a man move the several boxes of hardcovers he purchased out to his car. Mac’s attracted to Tommy, and wants to put some moves on him, but they have an immediate problem. When Mac comments how he’ll surely have a great time reading them, Tommy tells him he doesn’t read at all, he turns the books into art. The horror!

Mac is dumbfounded and furious, but he can’t get the intriguing man out of his head. Their brief encounter becomes a bit obsessive, for both men. Mac begins writing a book that’s completely outside his genre (Male/Male romance!!) Meanwhile, Tommy takes a Rob MacIntyre book and transforms it into a centerpiece of his gallery showing. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

Mac’s unhappy to be entering his ex’s (Stig’s) art gallery a couple months later, only to find the new showing his agent dragged him to is of Tommy’s book art. He’s captivated and vexed to learn that the piece made from his own book is not for sale. He can’t find the artist anywhere, and hasn’t learned that Tommy is the artist, but he needs to buy his piece, and he cons his way into getting Tommy’s info. Their second meeting is even more revealing than their first…

This is a well-told love story. Tommy is a mystery that Mac is desperate to unravel. He becomes an unacknowledged hero to Tommy, making it possible for Tommy to provide important medical care to his brother and also to keep his business running, all at Mac’s great expense. There are some consequences to Mac’s (dubious) knightly behavior, in that he’s overstepped and needs to be brushed back, and that seemed reasonable, and also the reconnection seemed reasonable. I think the second separation was a bit abrupt, and without the same logic.

There are some nice sexytimes, and real emotion here. The book-within-a-book thing is a trope I can occasionally appreciate, and the vignettes were not so long to be terribly distracting. I liked the reasoning behind Tommy’s art, and I liked that Mac adored it, once he understood. I did find that some of the language felt stilted to me, and I was stunned to learn this is an American author, as the formal diction, at times, was akin to Queen’s English. I also wondered about the “Federal pension” business, and the weird “State Hospital” scenario, because, again, these seemed to be something outside of American experience. (I do know that there are state-run facilities for the criminally insane, but this is not the place a suicidal patient would be sent, even if he was completely broke, nor would a physician at one of these places attempt to cover-up a patient assault. That’s grounds for dismissal and license suspension, so it troubled me…)

That said, I did like the book, and found it entertaining. I wanted Mac and Tommy to get together, for real, and I appreciated their HEA. Also, there was great character set-up for the sequel which will feature two secondary characters finding a match. So, something to look forward to reading!

Interested? You can find FOUND AT THE LIBRARY on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Christi SnowAbout the Author:

As an avid reader my entire life, I’ve always dreamed of writing books that brought to others the kind of joy I feel when I read. But…I never did anything about it besides jot down a few ideas and sparse scenes.

When I turned 41, I decided it was time to go after my dream and started writing. Within four months, I’d written over 150,000 words and haven’t stopped since. I’ve found my passion by writing about sexy, alpha heroes and smart, tough heroines falling in love and finding their passion. I’m truly living the dream and loving every minute of it.

My tagline is…

Passion and adventure on the road to Happily Ever After. I have to admit, I am loving this adventure!

You can find Christi on line on her website, Goodreads and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Getting All The BEHR FACTS–Review & Giveaway

BF-BannerTemplate
Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a newly released contemporary M/M romance from Pat Henshaw. BEHR FACTS, is the third book in her Foothill Pride series. This is an odd couple match-up between a burly, overworked construction company owner and the svelte forensic accountant who helps him discover the fraud in his company.

Check out the author fun fact, my review, and enter to win one of three Starbucks gift cards below!

BehrFacts-PreviewAbout the book:
Big, burly CEO Abe Behr is dismayed to discover someone—possibly a family member—is stealing from Behr Construction, which primarily employs Behr relatives. Abe takes the unprecedented step of hiring an outsider, likeable CPA Jeff Mason, to go over the books and help find the culprit. They are drawn to each other as they talk to workers, including Abe’s two younger brothers and their shifty cousin.

Since he has sacrificed romance all his life to build the business, Abe’s surprised by his feelings for the handsome Jeff. He’s even more shocked when they are confronted by bigotry in the Sierra Nevada foothills community, which is being inundated by gays moving from the San Francisco area. As he and Jeff get closer, Abe must come to grips with coming out to a family and community that aren’t very tolerant. Fortunately, being the head Behr helps him find his footing and grab onto love when it bites him.

Here’s a fun fact from author Pat Henshaw:

Six foot six Behr Construction CEO Abe Behr hires CPA Jeff Mason to help balance the books and find the employee who’s ripping off the company. What big, burly Abe finds is happy, golden Jeff can not only settle the books, but can be the honey Abe needs in his life. Behr Facts, like the previous Foothills Pride stories, is loosely based on a fairytale—this time Goldilocks!

My review:
This is the third book in a series that can be fully enjoyed as a standalone.

I will preface this review with a couple misconceptions that I brought with me when I opened the book:

1. I thought it would be sexy. It is a contemporary M/M romance, featuring an out-gay man and an asexual man. This is a romance, but do not expect any sex. Any.

2. I thought it would be a paranormal/shifter story. I mean, Abe Behr (pronounced “Bear”) is a six and half foot tall, grizzly of a man, who is gruff and loves to spend time in his isolated cabin, fishing. He’s inordinately drawn to sweets. Like, he could (and does) eat a whole three-course dessert meal. Abe is a bear, but he is NOT the bear shifter I thought I’d find. (More’s the pity, alas). Disclaimer: My review isn’t based on the the lack of shifterness, however. I’m totally cool with non-paranormal stories.

Okay, so what happens is this: Abe’s been running his family’s construction company since the ripe age of 16 when his no-account, alcoholic dad died of liver disease. He is now 32 y/o, a steadfast family man, very concerned about his two remaining younger brothers, Ben and Connor who work in the company, along with any of a number of uncles, cousins and in-laws. Behr Construction is a profitable company, but the books aren’t lining up with the kind of profit that should exist. Abe hires Jeff Mason, a young, svelte accountant with great recommendations to go over his finances.

Aside: Jeff Mason’s father and Abe’s father did not like each other, and Abe’s father had a particular hate for all the Masons.

Bringing a “Mason” into the Behr lair is tantamount to mutiny, for some of the Behrs, but Jeff does a great, and somewhat convoluted, espionage job with Abe at his side to learn who is scamming the company. It seems that the fraud is a team effort and the worst of the bunch are weeded out.

Being in close proximity with Jeff awakens new feelings within Abe. He’s never had an attraction before, and he’s frustrated to find he’s very much attracted to Jeff. Add to that, their cloistered area of California has a firebrand of a minister that’s rallying the townsfolk against the Gays, who are moving into this area due to skyrocketing prices in San Fran. (Clearly The Gays don’t like Oakland…)

So, Abe is beginning to notice all the anti-gay sentiment and it angers him. He pushes back, hard, against his vendors and sub-contractors who are flying their bigot flag. It’s a rough deal, because he’s trying to come to terms with his own sexuality, and people he’s known his whole life are newly homophobic.

I’m going to say that I’d have liked this story a lot more if there had been a little less frenetic pacing. Abe spends a good bit of time pondering his three issues: dwindling company profits, same-sex attraction, and homophobic townsfolk. The crescendo for these issues came too fast, however. I had little time to savor the results of all the tension. Also, no sex. Abe has a wild night, his first I’m led to believe, and I got nothing. #HugelyDisappointed I love me a virgin hero, and Abe had all the makings of this, based on his asexual history. Like a teen boy busting his first nut, it was all over too quickly to suit me.

I am sure this will appeal to readers who like low-steam romances. Abe is an admirable hero, and Jeff is a doll. There’s a good lesson in there about family and loyalty and being the very best person to do a tough job, too. The characters are interesting and I wanted more of their soft side on the page.

Interested? You can find BEHR FACTS on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Amazon UK, Kobo, and All Romance Ebooks.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Pat Henshaw, author of the Foothills Pride Stories, was born and raised in Nebraska and promptly left the cold and snow after college, living at various times in Texas, Colorado, Northern Virginia, and Northern California. Pat enjoys travel, having visited Mexico, Canada, Europe, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Egypt, and Europe, including a cruise down the Danube.

Now retired, Pat has spent her life surrounded by words: Teaching English composition at the junior college level; writing book reviews for newspapers, magazines, and websites; helping students find information as a librarian; and promoting PBS television programs.
Her triumphs are raising two incredible daughters who daily amaze her with their power and compassion. Fortunately, her supportive husband keeps her grounded in reality when she threatens to drift away while writing fiction.

You can find Pat online on her website, Facebook, twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Goodreads.
pride

Coming soon! SECOND CHANCES-Review and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for SECOND CHANCES, the first part of a contemporary M/M serial romance from Rain Carrington. This is an erotic series with a definite slant to become a menage. I’ve enjoyed the first installment, and look forward to the next. You can have a free copy of this one, just for commenting below. (I get to give away 5 copies!)


About the book:
Having everything he needed and wanted in his life for the first time, Brian Lauder was perfectly happy. He had a career that he loved, a home, friends and a submissive that he adored. One he thought he’d held at a big enough distance from to protect his heart. That was all before Morgan stepped back into his house and his life.

Morgan Cherik was everything a man could want. Beautiful, driven and eager to kneel for his Master, but he’d left without a word two years before to follow his dream, leaving Brian to pick up the pieces of a shattered heart.

Now he was back and Brian was torn between wanting to feel that love he’d never been able to shake for Morgan, or punish him and let him go. Then there was Pez, the young college student who had helped him heal. How could Brian let him go?

As Morgan begins to make amends, Brian knows that he cannot get over the other man who’d left his life for Brian’s happiness. Will the memory of Pez come between them, or bring them closer together?

A note from Author Rain Carrington:
This book is part of a serial, the following installments coming out every four to six weeks. They are part of a larger collection I lovingly call the Denver Diaries. Each serial in the Denver Diaries will focus on a new couple or triple, and will play out over the next year or so. I hope you enjoy this first book!

Coming November 4th, Second Chances, Book One. Starting at the introductory price of .99 cents, this deal and the beginning to this series can’t be missed!

My Review:
Brian is a clinical psychologist working in a women’s prison. He’s tasked with helping the inmates find the root cause of their problems and helping them grow past their fears. It’s a stressful job and he relishes unwinding with some spicy BDSM scenes with his regular partner, Pez, a graduate student who moonlights as rentboy. Pez and Brian have been getting together twice a week for two years, and their relationship is really one that is more loving than a john and his hooker. In truth, they each have feelings for the other, but are afraid to reveal this. Brian, because his heart has been broken before, and Pez, because being in love with Brian means he’ll have to give up his lucrative escort business.

Morgan, the stylish underwear model that broke Brian’s heart returns from his two year absence, begging for a second chance. Brian doesn’t want to give it to him, but Pez thinks he needs to–to see if their spark exists. If it doesn’t Pez is willing and able to take a permanent place in Brian’s life. Brian reluctantly allows Morgan to move back in, as long as he submits to Brian’s Dom games. Meanwhile, Pez nurses his broken heart by taking riskier jobs than ever before. As Brian and Morgan grow closer, Brian recognizes his love for Pez and Morgan is equal, and he needs to let Pez know–if he can track him down.

This is a bittersweet read when considering Pez, but I think the story arc allows for Pez to found and redeemed, by Brian and Morgan. This book is really the base of a continuing story, and while it ends satisfactorily, it’s clear that there’s tons of heat and steam in the offing. I liked the interactions between Brian and Pez and also Brian and Morgan. Brian’s a very thoughtful protagonist and is a creative Dom. He breaks Morgan’s defenses into rubble, and this allows for Morgan to be less selfish and more accepting of Brian’s needs, even if that includes Pez. It’s an interesting and often sexy story.

Interested? Youc an NOW find SECOND CHANCES on Amazon!

About the Author:
Hi I’m Rain and I write contemporary M/M romance some with a BDSM slant. My book Honky Tonk, is the first I am publishing but not the first I’ve written. I have a whole library full that are about to be rewritten and revamped a bit and published as well. Please enjoy my books and let me know what you think!

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

Thanks for popping in, and don’t forget to tell me if you’d like a FREE copy of SECOND CHANCES in the comments!

Happy Book Birthday to LEVELED! Excerpt and Giveaway

Leveled - RDL Banner
Hi there! Today I’m sharing the word about LEVELED a new novella from Jay Crownover. This book marks the beginning of a new Saints of Denver contemporary M/M romance series and is sure to please all Jay’s fans.

Check out the meet-cute scene below, and make sure to enter the giveaway to win a $25 GC and an advanced reader copy of BUILT, the first novel in the Saints of Denver series.

LeveledREVISEDAbout the book:
We all need a hero…let the Saints of Denver begin.
Orlando Frederick knows what it is to be leveled by pain. Instead of focusing on his own, he’s made it his mission to help others: sports stars, wounded war vets, survivors of all kinds. But when Dom, a rugged, damaged, sinfully attractive cop makes his way into Lando’s physical therapy practice, he might be the biggest challenge yet. Lando loved one stubborn man before and barely survived the fallout. He’s not sure if he can do it again.

Dominic Voss is a protector. The police badge he wears is not only his job, it’s his identity, so when he’s sidelined because of an injury, the only thing he cares about is getting back on the force. He expects Lando to mend his body, he just doesn’t realize the trainer will also have him working towards a hell of a lot more. As attraction simmers and flares, Dom sees that Lando needs repair of his own…if only the man will let him close enough to mend what’s broken.

How about a little taste?

He reached out and shut the medical file in front of him and leaned back in his chair. His eyebrows arched up, and he laced his fingers together and put his index fingers under his chin.

“What exactly are you after, Mr. Voss?” His voice was smooth and modulated. I was a disaster, a bundle of nerves and anxiety, and this dude was acting like we were talking about the weather, not my entire life and everything I had ever worked my ass off for.

Defiantly I spread my legs apart and slumped back in the chair across from him, making it a point to affect a posture that was as casual as his was professional. I had on a faded DPD T-shirt and a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee, and both were a little baggy since I’d lost some of my bulk being laid up in the hospital after the accident. If the guy across from me was a cherry-red Ferrari, then I was a rusted-out and battered John Deere tractor in comparison.

“I want my life back, Mr. Frederick. I want to be able to move the way I used to. I want to pass the department physical so I can go back on patrol. I want to be able to walk without needing a crutch or a cane. I want to be the way I was before I got hurt.” I was asking for the impossible and I knew it. “And please call me Dom.”

He dipped his chin down a little, and the edge of his mouth tilted up in a slight grin. Damn the man was good-looking. I blew out a breath and lifted up my hands to run them over the top of my shorn hair. I was hanging on to my sanity by a thread and my unexpected reaction to the guy that I was hanging every hope I had left on wasn’t helping matters.

“All right, Dom. You can call me Lando. That’s what my friends call me.”

I felt one of my eyebrows shoot up. “Are we going to be friends?”  

Leveled Teaser4This one looks like it’s going to be fun!

Interested? You can find LEVELED on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and Harper Collins.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $25 GC and an advanced reader copy of BUILT the first novel in the Saints of Denver series.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Jay CrownoverAbout the author:
Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men and The Point series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

You can find Jay online on her website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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Happy Book Birthday to SAFETY IN NUMBERS (aka SIN!)

SIN- BannerTemplateHi there! Today I’m so excited to welcome a great contemporary M/M romanca into the world. SAFETY IN NUMBERS is the fifth book in Jessie G’s Sizzling Miami series, and it’s definitely got bang for the buck. Two couples, two love stories. Twice the feels! I just loved FOR A REASON, and can’t wait to get back to these boys!

Make sure to drop down and enter the giveaway.

SIN CoversAbout the book:

“Bros stick together no matter what.”

When Chris and Liam made that promise, they had no idea how important it would become or how it would be tested in the most brutal way. Nine years later, their bond cemented in blood, that relationship is all they have to hold on to.

“No matter what happens, this friendship will be the one constant we can count on.”

When Billy and Owen made that promise, they knew exactly how dangerous the world could be. They survived prison by protecting each other and they survived freedom by holding that promise sacred. Now they want more than just to survive and they want it from the brothers whose bond is as strong as their own.

“We are stronger together than we’ll ever be apart.”

When Owen reaches his breaking point, Chris jumps at the chance to make things right for all of them. With the future in their grasp, will they realize their strength is in their numbers and finally become the family they crave?

Author’s Note: This is NOT a foursome, but the story of two couples that needed to be told together.

How about a little taste?

That silence hid a lot from their friends, but Liam knew Chris was plagued with memories far worse than his. That’s why they decided not to celebrate alone this year. Billy and Owen were expected any minute and it was the first time they invited anyone to join them. The anniversary was bittersweet for them and they chose to celebrate it because becoming brothers meant that much to them. “Do you think they’ll find it stupid?”

Chris just shrugged as if it was no skin off his back what they thought and Liam knew that was just bravado. Fact was, they both very much cared what the two men thought. “Liar.”

His brother sighed and dropped his head back. As if shit wasn’t fucked up enough, they fell for two bastards just as fucked up as they were. “I know you’re worried about Owen. The business with Colin is growing out of their control and I’m not sure why he thinks it’s a good thing. Is he trying to prove something? And the middle of the night phone calls from the FTR? He’s looking more and more fragile every day.”

Liam knew he wasn’t stating anything new. What he didn’t know was what Chris intended to do about it. Lately, when it came to Owen, Chris conveyed zero intent and seemed to be waiting for Owen to read him as effortlessly as Liam did. Their brother bond had been forged through blood and he was afraid Chris’s expectations of Owen were unreasonable. “Do you see his face every time he thinks he’s failed to understand you? The weight of it is crushing.”

Instead of regret, all Liam saw was anger in Chris. It wasn’t a common emotion for Chris and Liam could name every time he saw it. The fact that Chris knew what he was capable of if provoked had made him extremely conscious of that emotion and he often went to great lengths to contain it.

Owen was the very definition of insecure. Just the type to inspire Chris’s protective instincts, which Liam knew for a fact Owen did. Hell, he inspired Liam’s protective instincts. Owen was stubborn though and he often distanced himself, keeping things bottled up until they manifested elsewhere. Like in panic attacks that felt like heart attacks, which he also tried to hide. Liam nearly lost it when they found out that Billy was keeping Owen’s secret.

Chris nodded slowly, as if he completely followed Liam’s train of thought and waited for him to connect the dots. And just like that, Liam understood. “You’re pissed because he doesn’t come to you when the panic sets in. That he hides it from you and they hide it from us.”

It made total sense, but he had to wonder if they were expecting too much. After all, they couldn’t call what was going on with either man a relationship. No, they were four fucked up bastards trying to come together in some romanticwhat? Not a foursome, eww…he loved Chris, but yeah, that just wasn’t happening. And Owen wasn’t his type any more than Billy was Chris’s type. But—always with the fucking buts, right?—what was happening was very definitely happening to the four of them, and Liam now had to wonder if that was the problem, because trying to come together was definitely not the same as being together.

Chris shook his head and shifted in his seat. No, he was right. It wasn’t just their brother bond that made it impossible to move forward as two separate couples. Billy and Owen had formed their own unique friendship in prison and were no more likely to move forward without the other one either. “Just once, couldn’t we have done something the easy way?”

The fire door banged open and Liam turned to see Billy and Owen, arms full of brightly wrapped packages, struggling to pull a huge cluster of balloons through the door. It was a shocking contrast to their dark thoughts and so uncharacteristically sweet of both men. Billy caught their surprised stare and yelled, “Is this where the party’s at?”

“It is now.” It might seem silly, but it was exactly what they needed and exactly who they needed it from. Maybe they hadn’t been expecting too much at all. Liam rose to give them a hand and glanced down to see the look of longing in Chris’s eyes and thought maybe it was time they all expected more.

I cannot wait to read this one! Look for my review next week… In the meantime you can find SAFETY IN NUMBERS on Amazon, AllRomance and Kobo.

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About the author:
Like many readers, the dream of being a writer has been with me a long time. After three decades of trying, I’d begun to doubt. Thanks to social media, I followed my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of wisdom as I pounded out half-formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two repetitive themes emerged: to be a great writer you must read a lot and your butt must be in the chair every day like it’s a job. The more you write, the easier it will be to write and the better you will be at writing. I took that advice to heart and write every day. With six published books to date, three series in the works and a full schedule of releases planned for the next two years, it’s been amazing to have made this dream my reality.

I am a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics and happily ever after. I’m a lover of strong secondary characters and series filled with families, biological or chosen. All are themes you’ll find throughout my books.

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