M/M Romance

Serial Marriage: WILL & PATRICK-Review, Book Blast And Giveaway

Wake Up Married Banner
Hi there! Sharing a review in the book blast for a new serial from Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths. WILL & PATRICK is a rom-com romp, and sure to be spicy. Each book will come out every three weeks or so, until all six episodes are published. I’ve already read the first one, WAKE UP MARRIED and I’m eager to read more.

Check out the excerpt and be sure to enter the giveaway for your copy!

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00075]About the Book:
Join the wild ride in this vibrant and fun first installment of the new romantic comedy serial by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

After a drunken night of hot sex in Vegas, strangers Will Patterson and Dr. Patrick McCloud wake up married. A quickie divorce is the most obvious way out—unless you’re the heir of a staunchly Catholic mafia boss with a draconian position on the sanctity of marriage.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Will and Patrick don’t like it, or each other, but they have to make the best of it until they can find another way out of their marriage. To ensure the trust fund Will’s charitable foundation relies on isn’t revoked by his mobster grandfather, he and Patrick travel to Will’s hometown of Healing, South Dakota, posing as a newlywed couple in the throes of true love at first sight.

Complicating their scheme are Will’s unresolved feelings for his all-too-recent ex-boyfriend Ryan, and Patrick’s desire to get back to the only thing that really matters to him in life: neurosurgery. Will they fool everyone? Or will the mafia get wind that their marriage is a fake? Throw their simmering attraction into the mix and all bets are off!

Episode 1 of 6 in the Wake Up Married Serial.

How about a little taste?

Patrick sits down beside Will and rubs his hands together in anticipation. “So, what did Granny say? Can she free me from the shackles of our loveless union?”

Will puts his head in his hands. “It’s not going to be as easy as I hoped initially. It might take some time.”

“We knew that. How much time? A week? Two?”

“Maybe a month?”

“What?” Patrick’s voice is loud.

“Maybe more than a month? Possibly up to a year?”

Patrick’s eyes grow dark with anger. “Don’t tell me the all-powerful Eleanora Molinaro you were going on about so enthusiastically when you were convincing me of this half-baked scheme can’t make a little inadvertent marriage disappear.”

“Could you hold it down?” Will whispers. “Or do you want someone to hear?”

“Oooh, right, the Molinaro spies. Might have the place bugged. Guess I shouldn’t yell then? I’m not your toy, Will. I want a divorce and I want one now,” Patrick hollers.

Will glares at him. He raises his own voice, saying, “Don’t be so dramatic, baby!”

He stares Patrick down, daring him to say something else. “You know I love you more than life!”

Patrick looks daggers at him. “Who do you think you’re fooling, Will? The bellhops? The maids?” He wipes a hand across his face and rises. “You know, no. I can’t believe I’ve let your paranoia and insanity drag me across the country into this hornet’s nest of absurdity and—”

Patrick rants on, but Will’s not paying attention anymore, because Patrick’s tossing his new clothes onto the bed, and getting out his suitcases.

“Wait,” Will says, putting his hands on Patrick’s arms. “Wait, don’t.”

Patrick throws a shirt into the bag and sighs. “What do you want from me? I gave your plan a chance, but there is no way in hell I’m going to hang around this town for a year. Not when I could be at the Mayo Clinic or Cedars-Sinai or Vandy. Not when I can be honing my skills and expanding my practice. I am not small-town material, Will. I’m the big-time. I have absolutely no desire to play your loving spouse indefinitely and if
your grandmother can’t get us out of this mess? Well, I sure as hell can.”

“Look,” Will says. “I know you can. I just need you…no, no, stop that. You’re not going anywhere.” Will pushes Patrick, trying to move him away from the bags.

Patrick lurches toward him, gripping his forearms and shoving him back with surprising strength. “I’ve been pushed around enough in my life, Will. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to take care of this my way.”

Will breathes in hard. Terror and attraction jolts through him at once. He swallows and backs away from Patrick, his hands shaking, and his throat dry. Blood rushes in his ears.

Patrick picks up his bag and heads for the door. Will tries to block Patrick from getting it open.

“Really? It’s come to this? Holding me against my will?”

Will pushes the barely open door shut with a hard slam. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Patrick. This is just our first lover’s spat. That’s all. The first of many to come in our long, wonderfully happy marriage.”

Patrick stares at him like he’s kind of impressed by this level of insanity. “Good God, you’re drinking your own Kool-Aid.”

“Yeah, well, it’s a very, very expensive drink.”

“You think you’re so clever don’t you?”

Will shrugs. “I think I don’t know what else to do.”

My Review:
This is the beginning of a serial M/M romantic comedy, but this episode is, uh, not romantic. At all.

Will Patterson is a diabetic and a recovering alcoholic with a lousy (new) ex. He’s also the eldest son of Tony Molinari, incarcerated head of a mobster family. Will’s been raised outside of that syndicate realm in tiny Healing, South Dakota, with his mother, step-siblings and paternal Nonna but he’s in possession of the Molinari trust as the eldest grandchild. He’s using the millions of blood money to fund Good Works, a charitable foundation that provides free and discounted medical care all over the world. He’s just financed the expansion of the Healing Hospital, and is at a medical conference in Las Vegas to recruit neurologists and Neurosurgeons to the hospital when he gets a call from Ryan, his on-again/off-again boyfriend of the past 6 years. Ryan lets Will know, via telephone, that they are through. For good.

We learn all of this when Will wakes up from a killer bender, naked, in a strange hotel room, and married to a man he doesn’t remember. As it all comes back into focus, Will is horrified by his actions. He’d been sober a number of years, and he adores Ryan, and he stands to lose all the monies in the Molinari trust if he divorces the now-surly and soon to be unemployed Dr. Patrick McCloud.

Patrick is a sexy, demanding Neurosurgeon. He’s the epitome of a prima donna surgeon and his ego and big mouth make him zero friends. While freaking out over his newly-married state he supremely pisses off his chief of staff, and is summarily dismissed.

Will convinces Patrick to visit Healing, and help him sort out the possibility of getting the trust amended to allow for a divorce without all the money being given back to the mob.

This predicament is rife with issues, and Will and Patrick are angry with themselves and each other for a good deal of the book. I liked Will, as he’s easily likable. Patrick’s a prickly one. I’m reserving my thoughts on him for the moment, on account of they aren’t especially flattering, and I suspect he’s going to have an epiphany in the very near future. He does show elements of compassion, especially when helping manage Will’s diabetes.

Throughout I was holding out hope for some actual tenderness to pop up between Will and Patrick, but it’s too soon, I think. This episode was truly only the first 36 hours in the aftermath of waking in their debacle. They are both hungover and freaked the heck out. There are some clear elements of Molinari menace in the background, and it’s likely that this will become more prominent in the next episode. Also, I think Patrick’s cockiness is going to get soundly trimmed soon–likely due to having fewer career options than he suspects.

I’m intrigued to read on, and hoping there will be some romantic elements in the near future.

Interested? You can find WILL & PATRICK WAKE UP MARRIED on Goodreads, Amazon, and Amazon UK.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link for your chance to win one of two copies of WILL & PATRICK Episode one.
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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.

Coming Soon! BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE PACIFIC BLUE Author Interview and Giveaway

Hi all! Today I’m letting a fave author, Charlie Cochet, pop in and tell us all about her newest release, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE PACIFIC BLUE. I’ve always go my eye out for a new story and this one sounds yummy. As does the thought of pumpkin dishes!

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a $10 GC to one of three ebooksellers.

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

BDPB Blog Tour Banner CCochet

Hello all! Welcome to the next stop on the blog tour celebrating the release of Between the Devil and the Pacific Blue! I’m very excited to be sharing this short novella filled with romance, humor, sexy-times, mystery, and a dash of horror.

Since Between the Devil and the Pacific Blue releases on Halloween–October 31st, I thought it would be fun to chat about Halloween traditions, so throughout our mini tour we’ll be talking about everything from candy and Trick-or-treating to horror movies.

I might not go Trick-or-treating anymore, but I still look forward to Halloween. The closer we get to this holiday and the fall, the closer we get to some of our favorite seasonal treats. Whether it’s for a bake sale, party, or just an indulgent treat, there are scores of yummy recipes for everything from Halloween themed cupcakes to candy corn cheesecake. Pinterest is a fantastic place to find hundreds of amazing recipes. Here’s one board with dozens of tasty recipes including candy apples, bewitching parfaits, spooky cupcakes, and everything in between.

Aside all the Halloween treats, we also have all things pumpkin. This year I’ll be trying out a few pumpkin recipes found on this Pinterest board here. I have friends who go absolutely crazy over pumpkin recipes, so I figured it was time to give it a try. Coming from a Hispanic family, pumpkin was usually found in soup, so I was never compelled to use it in recipes. Apple was usually my go to filling for baked goods. Looking at these pumpkin recipes, I have a feeling that might be changing very soon.

Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe you’d like to share? How about a favorite fall recipe? What’s your favorite fall treat?

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BOOK DETAILS

Genre: M/M Other Paranormal
Length: Novella
Published: October 31st, 2015
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh
Ebook ISBN-13: 9781634766296

BDPB About

For the last six months, Detective James Ralston has worked the nightshift as security for the Pacific Blue Hotel, and every night at 2 a.m. his rounds lead him to the radio room where the handsome and mysterious Franklin Fairchild sits listening to waltzes as old as the hotel itself. James is drawn to Franklin, but Franklin is a man at the end of his rope, and James has no intention of getting caught up in whatever trouble Franklin is in. A heated encounter late one night sends James down a disturbing path and has him questioning everything around him, including his very sanity.

READ CHAPTER ONE HERE.

BDPB Goodreads

RELEASED OCTOBER 31ST

 

BDPB Links

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon Kindle | All Romance eBooks | Barnes & Noble

BDPB About the Author

Charlie_Cochet_by_madison_parker150Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From adventurous agents and sexy shifters, to society gentlemen and hardboiled detectives, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

Website | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram | Charlie’s Newsletter

BDPB Giveaway

Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the $10 GC giveaway at the winner’s choice of ebooksellers.

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BDPB Tour Schedule

Oct 24th – Love Bytes Reviews | Oct 29th – V’s Reads | Oct 30th – Joyfully Jay | Oct 31st – The Novel Approach

Happy Book Birthday: BEHR FACTS-Excerpt and Giveaway!

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Hi there! Today I’m wishing a Happy Book Birthday to BEHR FACTS, a contemporary M/M Romance novella from Pat Henshaw. 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 excerpt 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.

How about a little taste?

“You ever come up the bank to sit under my tree? Looks like a much more comfortable place to fish. Not as rocky at any rate.” Jeff took a drink of his beer as I again scrambled to keep up. “My dad called it the Fishing Tree. He seemed to think fish congregated off the shore there.”

We sat in silence. It was my turn to talk. I’m pretty good in business situations. Not so much in social ones. At social events, mostly I hold up walls. Shake hands. Grunt a lot. Let others carry the conversational load.

Lorraine set our meals in front of us. The full burger with everything for him. The grilled mountain trout and steamed vegetables for me.

“You do a lot of fishing?” I managed after a long silence.

“Not really.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh. “My dad said fishing couldn’t be taught. He said it was something intuitive. I never had any idea what I was doing. So I never saw any use in fishing. I never saw any fish either.”

Again, silence as I processed and caught up. “It’s not rocket science. You figure out what kind of fish you want. Where it lives. Lure it to you. Then catch it.”

He looked skeptical and almost self-conscious. “It can’t be so easy,” he said with a little laugh.

“Why not?”

“What about the different rods, lures, tackle, stuff?” He looked so serious, as if I were missing the point. As if I didn’t understand. He was right. I didn’t.

“Look. You can catch fish with your bare hands. If you want to. The extra stuff is just extra stuff.”

“If you say so.” He shook his head, a smile still on his lips. “Have you ever caught a fish with your bare hands?”

I lifted my hands and looked down at the mess that were my paws. Calluses, nicks, cuts, punctures, blunt fingers, the bandage now off the one with the splinter. These were the hands of a man who’d framed houses as a tall, rangy preteen and had lived in construction ever since. Could I catch a fish with my bare hands?

“Yeah. All it takes is absolute stillness and patience.” I sighed. “Not a whole lot of people have both together. Somebody once told me it’s all about Zen.” Somebody else said the only reason I could do it was because I was too stupid to know it was impossible.

“Zen.” His tone said he was surprised I knew such a word.

“You know, like the Eastern religion,” I answered. “Though why we still call it Eastern is beyond me. It’s really Far West, not Far East to us.” I was grumbling and rambling. Avoiding for some reason.

He rattled me. Nobody ever rattled me. I’m Abe Behr, the big Behr.

He was studying me as intently as I was him. He appeared too beautiful, too perfect, too unscarred. I just hoped his accountant skills were as perfect as he looked.

“What kind of fish you want to catch?” I asked. Staring at him wasted our time.

He pointed his fork to my plate. “How about that? It’s good, right?”

“Trout,” I agreed. “Lots of different kinds of trout.”

He looked like he’d never eaten any in his life.

“This is trout from our lake. Have a bite.”

He’d finished his burger but didn’t make a move on my fish. His expression was split between wanting to dig in and reluctance to do so.

“Just taste it,” I growled. “It won’t bite.”

His eyes snapped up to meet mine. His puzzled stare asked if the stupid bear had deliberately made a joke or not. Then he gave a happy, hearty laugh, and his fork raided my fish.

“So? What do you think?” I asked after he swallowed.

“I think you made a great joke,” he said with twinkling eyes. “And the trout is delicious. Is this why you threw your catch back? Did you know you’d get it cooked perfectly here at the cafe?”

“Naw. I was stalking the pie. Fish was a bonus.”

“They have good pie here?”

“Wait and see.”

I really liked this one! Look for my review in a week or so…in the meantime:

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

Cover Reveal: DRIVEN SNOW by Tara Lain

Driven Snow Cover Reveal Blitz for BLOGHi there! I’m sharing a cover for Tara Lain’s DRIVEN SNOW, a contemporary re-telling of Snow White, with a gay twist. This one sounds fun! You know I enjoyed SINDERS AND ASH, so I wonder how this twisted fairy tale will pan out…

In the meantime, check out this pretty, pretty cover, and tell me Snow isn’t hot!
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About the book:
Young Snowden “Snow” Reynaldi is brilliant, beautiful, and alone. Though he’s shy, weird, and tolerated by the NorCal University students because he’s a renowned whiz at chess and helps put the school on the map, that doesn’t keep him from dreaming of the object of his desires, Riley Prince, championship quarterback.

When Riley needs a physics tutor, Snow jumps at the chance, and their relationship heats up—but Riley has to come out of the jock closet to get anywhere. Meanwhile, Snow’s one true friend and mentor, Professor Kingsley, marries a woman who secretly wants the chess tournament glory and money for herself. Soon after, the professor collapses and Snow finds himself underwater—literally. In a car!

Seven frat brothers from Grimm College rescue Snow just in time for his life to get even worse, and Snow discovers the one relationship he always wanted slipping away. With evil looming at every turn, Snow must survive if only to prove he’s the fairest of them all and regain the trust of his handsome prince.

How about a little taste?

Snow nodded. “Now, this is pretty basic, but we can get a lot more sophisticated.” He scratched out a slightly more complex set of calculations, and Riley seemed absorbed.

“Man, this is so dope.”

“Glad you like it.”

“Wish Jenkins could make physics so interesting.”

“You have to create the excitement for yourself. See the potential.”

Riley looked up. “You make it exciting.” He smiled slowly. “You make everything exciting.”

“M-me?” Snow’s brain froze.

“Yeah. Why do you think I come see you play all the time? It’s like plugging into the solar system and catching the stars in my hand.”

“S-stars are gas.”

“The planets, then. I’ve wanted to tell you this for a while. I think you’re—”

The sound of a key in the lock brought both their heads up.

Nooooooo.

Like some cosmic joke, the apartment door opened and beautiful, perky, perfect Courtney Taylor walked in. “Oh, hi. Are you two still studying? Oh my gosh, Snow, you must be magic or something. No one could ever get him to study physics before. I told him, ‘You have to do it, baby. The team can’t do without you. Find a way to learn this shit.’ And what do you know? He found you. Amazing.” She walked over, pushed Riley’s head back, kissed him on the lips, and plopped down in his lap. “Did you learn a lot, baby?”

Her knee bumped Snow’s thigh, and he leaped up like he’d been shot. “Oh gosh, look at the time. Better get back to work myself. Have to study for the tournament and all.” Sweet God, he had to get out of there.

Riley stood Courtney on her feet and stepped over beside Snow. “When can you help me again? I’ve only got two weeks. I made so much progress today. I know you’re busy, and I hate to ask, but could you please—”

“Yes, of course. Just text me, okay?” He ripped out the pages they’d been working on, shoved the notebooks into his backpack, and headed for the door. He seemed to be running from everyone these days. “Bye. Bye, uh, Courtney.”

Outside the door, he clambered down the steep staircase and stopped at the bottom just to breathe.

What were you thinking, you idiot? That somehow his girlfriend had magically transformed into a teapot?

He started to tell me something. He said he’s wanted to tell me for a long time.

What are you dreaming? That he suddenly quit being straight and is attracted to a wimpy little queen like you? Spare me.

Okay. Okay.

The door to Eudora’s apartment flew open, and a hand emerged, holding a glass. “Hey, cutie. Have some water.”

Like it was perfectly normal to accept water while standing in hallways, he grasped the glass and drank the liquid down. Amazing how much better he felt.

She took the empty glass. “Lessons for the day. Don’t sell yourself short. And don’t believe everything you see. Got it?”

“I… I guess so.”

“Good.” She patted his cheek, and then the door closed behind her. If a caterpillar suddenly appeared saying “Who are you?”, he wouldn’t be even slightly surprised.

Interested? DRIVEN SNOW releases November 25th. You can find out more on Goodreads, and preorder it now on DreamSpinner Press (eBook, Paperback)

About the Author:
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft.

She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at:

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The Right Recipe in TASTING NOTES–Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a new contemporary M/M Romance from Cate Ashwood. TASTING NOTES is an odd couple match between a Marine veteran and a billionaire workaholic. It’s got fire AND heat! (wink, wink)

Don’t forget to scroll down and enter the giveaway for an ebook copy of TASTING NOTES.

TastingNotesFSAbout the book:
West, a venture capitalist, has paid for his wealth and success with long hours at the office and no personal life to speak of. Meetings, conference calls, and paperwork dominate his waking hours and have kept him from honoring the promise he made to his late grandfather years before.

After leaving the Marines, Rush returns to his hometown and settled in as a Christmas Tree farmer. His life is quiet and simple, and he likes it that way. When West arrives in town and buys Rush’s parent’s vineyard on a whim, that simple life is turned upside down. The animosity between them is palpable, but Rush shelves his preconceived notions in order to protect his parents’ legacy. He agrees to help West learn how to run the vineyard, and Rush soon realizes that love doesn’t necessarily come in the package he expected.

How about a little taste?

The drive over felt the same as it always did. Rush thought his truck probably could have found its way anywhere in town, but the trip to Lennox Hill was one he’d made at least a few thousand times. It was weird to think the property no longer belonged to his family. Enough of his sweat had soaked into the soil that a part of him lived in that land.

He parked his truck in the same place as always and opened the door, calling to Casper to jump out before closing the door behind him. The door to the main structure was closed and locked. Rush peered through the windows of the wine room as he walked past, but the lights were off and the space was abandoned. Rush and Casper followed the pathway toward the house. Casper sat down as Rush knocked, waiting patiently for an answer. When none came, he knocked again with a little more force. West’s car was parked in the driveway, so unless he had decided to walk somewhere, he should be here.

A moment later, the door swung open and West stood there, naked from the waist up, his hair disheveled and his cheeks pink.

“What the fuck?” he asked.

Rush saw red, which was a blessing because it kept him from seeing the way West’s body looked beneath his clothes. The guy was sleeping, and it was nearly noon. He’d owned the vineyard for less than a week, and he was already slacking off.

“Can I come in? I want to talk to you.”

West stepped to the side to let Rush enter. He looked around. Everything was the same as he remembered it. The house was warm and comfortable, begging you to come in and stay a while. Rush had always loved this house. He peered into the living room, noting the two empty wine bottles on the coffee table.

“Is that a fucking wolf?” West demanded, breaking Rush out of his train of thought.

“What? No. That’s Casper. My dog.”

With a subtle nod from Rush, Casper sat next to his master, his eyes glued to West, but quiet.

West narrowed his eyes. “Why are you here?”

“I came to offer my help. You said you needed help, and my mom told me you didn’t know a fucking thing about running this place, so I figured I’d bail you out.”

“Why?” West looked awfully mistrustful. Rush couldn’t blame him. He didn’t trust West either.

“Because they’re my family, and you’re the dickhead who bought the place they poured their hearts and souls into. I’m not going to let you run it into the ground because you have some romantic fucking idea about being all sophisticated and worldly, owning your own vineyard. Not going to happen.”

“Look, what is your fucking problem with me?” West asked, crowding Rush’s space. “You’ve been nothing but a complete bastard to me since the moment you laid eyes on me. I haven’t done shit to you, and you’re giving me a rough time for no goddamn reason.”

Casper growled, but Rush calmed him with a gentle pat to the head. “Sue me if I don’t like spoiled little rich kids. You blow into town in your tricked-out sports car and think you can do whatever you want here because you have a shit ton of money. You take what you want without any regard for the people around you.”

“You don’t know a thing about me, but you think you’ve got my number. Well, you can go fuck yourself. You saw my car, and you made a snap decision about me. You didn’t bother talking to me or getting to know me at all before you rushed to judgment. Maybe you should give me the benefit of the doubt before you tell me who I am.”

“I don’t need to. I know exactly who you are. I’ve met guys like you. You’re arrogant, spoiled, and selfish. You put on a good front, pretending to be this philanthropic nice guy, but when it comes down to it, you’ll choose your money over everything else.”

“Oh, for fuck sakes. You storm in here, waking me up and screaming at me. In case you missed the memo, this is my home now. You’re on my property. What gives you the right to show up and give me shit about something you know nothing about?”

“Your name may be on the deed, but that’s as far as it goes, asshole. Lennox Hill is in my blood, and the last thing I want is for you to completely destroy it out of sheer ignorance.”

“Well, then there’s something we agree on. It’s why I came to your house in the first place, in case you need reminding about that. I don’t want this place to fail any more than you do, so how about you get your head out of your ass, stop being such a fucking prick, and help me?”

Rush stared at him, not saying a word. He hadn’t anticipated the conversation taking this turn. Hell, he hadn’t anticipated this conversation period. There was something there, behind West’s eyes, a kind of rawness Rush hadn’t expected. He stepped forward, his eyes locked on West’s. He felt drawn to him like a compass to north, locking onto that flicker of something unnamable.

He was not in control of his body. He pulled a quick intake of breath as the space between them evaporated. He was close enough that he could feel the crackle of electricity between them, as tangible as if West was statically charged.

“Fine, I’ll help,” Rush said, knowing West could feel his breath as he spoke.

“But this doesn’t mean I like you,” Rush growled.

“Understood,” West replied. “I don’t like you either.”

“As long as we’re clear.”

My Review:
Joseph “West” Weston has no remaining family. He’s a workaholic, chairman of his own venture capitalist firm in Chicago and burned out. Five years ago his beloved grandfather died, and West is still hanging onto the ashes, instead of committing them to the sea as he promised he would. Deciding that his rut is getting too deep to see out of, he gathers his few casual clothes, the urn and the keys to his Ferrari and heads west for Eureka, California. He free-wheels it out to the coast, but three hours from his destination West stops for gas and food in picturesque Canyon Creek, CA. There he experiences a pang of nostalgia for the quiet towns he and his grandfather had visited when he was a newly-orphaned boy. Seeing a vineyard, he’s struck with a memory of the quiet vineyard location of his parent’s wedding–one of his many trips with Gramps. Impetuously, he buys it.

Rush loves his hometown of Canyon Creek. It’s the only place his mind settles after surviving the horrors of being a Marine helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. He runs a Christmas tree farm on the outskirts of town, and is deeply unsettled when his parents up and sell their vineyard to an outsider. Rush never wanted to work the vineyard, but he doesn’t want the vintages of his family name to become compromised. Still, he’s not at all friendly to the flashy new owner. Nope. Rush hates “Richie Rich’s” and he’s sure West is a trust fund brat. He’s wrong, but it takes him some time to accept that, and even apologize for his rude behavior.

See, Rush isn’t his real name–but he was given that nickname as a result of his impetuous habit of “rushing in” and making snap judgements. So, West needs Rush’s help and Rush is a prickly peach of a man. Rush does agree to help, and they develop a detente. And, well, there’s a rush to physicality, which seemed impetuous–but was apparently in character with these two. Neither one has good impulse control.

While West continues on his break, he and Rush develop a strong bond. All this time the vineyard work is getting done, but West is ignoring his business back at home. I liked how the relationship developed in this part of the book. It felt very genuine, if idyllic. I fully anticipated West having a business breakdown, as did Rush and West. It happens and the necessary separation is a problem. Unfortunately, this is the weakest part of the book for me, as there was little discussion of longing or betrayal or abandonment, which all occur but are only briefly described. I wanted to have that ache, that need, really explored, but it was not. That said, there was a delicious grand gesture on Rush’s part, and then and even bigger one, which was not well-foreshadowed, on West’s.

Again, the initial sex scene was abrupt; it wasn’t my fave, though I did enjoy the close relationship that developed. Rush definitely rushes to judgement, and it sometimes causes problems. He’s not impressed with West’s money, in general, and that is a source of trouble, especially when West goes gift shopping. I liked how they make big in-roads in communication, though these skills seemed to evaporate once West returns to Chicago.
Expect some serious HEA, and some serious lovin’.

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

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win an e-copy of TASTING NOTES.
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About the Author:
Cate Ashwood wrote her very first story in a hot-pink binder when she was in the second grade and found her passion for writing. Her first successful foray into romance writing came five years later when she wrote her best friend, who was experiencing a case of unrequited love, her own happily ever after.

Cate’s life has taken a number of different and adventurous roads. She now lives a stone’s throw from the ocean, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband, her little boy, and their two cats. Her life is filled with family and friends, travel, and, of course, books.

You can catch up with Cate online on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
pride

They Are HOPELESSLY DEVOTED–Review & Giveaway

devoted-fb copyHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for RJ Jones’ contemporary novella HOPELESSLY DEVOTED. It’s the sequel to THE ONE THAT I WANT and a cute Grease-based love tale that really touches all the heartstrings.

Be sure to drop down and enter the gift card giveaway.
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About the book:
One year on from Paul’s proposal, Jason is living a life he never dreamed of. As he fusses with his tie and readies to walk down the aisle, he reminisces about the previous twelve months. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the happy couple in the lead up to their wedding, with obstacles big and small thrown in their way.

Marrying one of New York’s most eligible bachelors has Jason’s stomach in knots. Expectations of their society wedding are high, but out of love for Paul, Jason goes along with the grand plans because he understands Paul’s family has a reputation to maintain. But Paul has a surprise up his sleeve that just may see Jason getting the wedding of his dreams.

Follow Jason on his journey as he prepares to marry one of the most eligible bachelors in New York and find out just how Dave got his name.

My Review:
This is the second book in the series, and really needs to be read in order, I think.

Jason is overwhelmed with love for Paul, but there’s been some issues in the year since they started dating and got engaged. They had to get used to living together, and while Paul wanted to take care of Jason, that’s just not Jason’s style. Nope, he wanted to pay some of his way–though that’s pretty hard considering Paul’s a multi-millionaire.

Part and parcel of Jason’s life is Dave, the kitty he rescued while barely just off the streets himself. Unfortunately. Dave is a jealous cat and takes particular pleasure in soiling Paul’s expensive shoes. Also, Paul’s super romantic and doesn’t want a prenuptial agreement. This is a point of contention.

This society wedding is a huge source of stress, as Jason has few friends and family, and his parents are really horrible. There are a lot of growing pains and mutual sacrifices, which I wished were discussed more in the moment. I am not a fan of extended flashbacks revealing the story, because it cuts all the tension for me, and I would have enjoyed it more if we were along for the ride instead of being told the story. That said, the end was really fun, and demonstrated Paul’s thorough love and hopeless devotion for his bean-counting Jason.

Interested? You can find HOPELESSLY DEVOTED on Goodreads, Wayward Ink, Amazon (US, UK, DE and AU) and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win one of 2 WIP gift cards of $2.99 each.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

TOTIW_Cover_RJJones
Don’t forget to check out my review of THE ONE THAT I WANT which is all about Paul and Jason meeting and finding love on the Broadway Strip. It’s so sweet and tender. I swooned.

Interested? You can find THE ONE THAT I WANT on Wayward Ink Publishing, Amazon (US, UK, AU, and DE) and AllRomance.

About the author:
R.J. Jones started as a reader and eventually made the progression to reviewing. It wasn’t until two men popped into her thoughts, insisting on telling her their story that she started to write.

It started with one scene. A hot and dirty one in the shower…

R.J.’s initial thought was if she could write their scene then they’d shut up and allow her to concentrate on other aspects of her day. Not so. That shower scene ended up being 3000 words long and three hours of work. And still, they didn’t shut up. They told her their entire story and she didn’t sleep for days. Sometimes she couldn’t keep up with what they were telling her and she had to keep a notebook by her bed.

Whilst she was writing their story a side character decided he needed his story told too. Then other characters followed suit. You see the problem? If she ever wants to sleep again then she needs to write. R.J. is a wife and a mother to two boys. She is surrounded by males. Even her dog is a boy.

R.J. can be found online on her website, Facebook, twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

EyesOnBooks

Tentatively FINDING THEIR WAY-A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a contemporary M/M romance from AM Arthur. FINDING THEIR WAY is the second book in the Restoration series. I really enjoyed GETTING IT RIGHT and this book is a great sequel.

Finding Their Way (Restoration #2)About the book:

Thanks to an abusive father and a string of bad relationships, Riley McCage learned the hard way that people are not kind without a reason. Now, after landing a job at popular gay bar Pot O Gold, Riley is on the right track–until the night Boxer finds him drunk and drugged in the back room of an exclusive sex party.

Donald “Boxer” Boxwood wasn’t looking for anything beyond some casual kink until he peeled Riley off the floor and gave him a safe place to stay. But there’s something compelling about the guy crashing on his couch, and the two forge an instant friendship that eases into unmistakable attraction. Despite Riley’s hesitancy, Boxer knows one thing to be true: he needs Riley in his life.

Riley risked everything to run away and build a new life for himself, and his secrets aren’t something he’d ever wish upon his kind, gentle new friend. But when the past comes to call, he’ll have no choice but to put his trust in Boxer…and believe people can change enough to deserve a second chance.

My Review:
This is the second book in the Restoration series and can be read as a standalone, though I recommend reading in order.

Riley McGage has a secret–his identity is bought and paid for to keep his angry, gay-bashing alcoholic police detective of a father from ever laying hands on him again. Riley is a bartender at the Pot o Gold bar in Wilmington Delaware, and has met many a sexy man there. He’s a no-go for penetrative sex, but his current boyfriend, Brett seems okay with it. Well, until he roofies Riley at a sex party and prepares to take what Riley won’t offer. A party attendee, Boxer, sees what’s going down and doesn’t like it one bit. Used to taking in strays, Boxer, a hulking tattooed man who recognizes both Brett and Riley from the Pot O Gold (and other places) steps in at whisks Riley back to his place to sleep off the drugs.

Riley can’t believe Brett almost raped him, but he REALLY can’t believe that gentle giant Boxer is really as nice as he seems. They develop a tentative friendship, one based on mutual heartache and loneliness. Riley is grateful for Boxer’s attention, especially when he’s battered by Brett, when he needs someone to help rescue a stray, and when he needs a place to crash while his housemate’s parents arrive for an extended visit.

Boxer is an exceptional man. He’s had a hard life growing up, and his family is a shambles but he’s always willing to help a new or old friend. In his own person, Boxer likes to be topped, and subtly dominated. Having Riley in his home brings the two men close enough to develop an attraction. And then some! I think I liked Riley’s growth and exploration just as much as Boxer did.

This love story is tentative and lovely. People from the previous book end up spending time here, too. Tag, Nathan, Elliott and Detective Carey all make appearances–and it is Detective Carey who has Riley most on edge. Sure, all these guys say the man is stone cold sober and desperately looking for his runaway gay son, but what would the reality be if Riley were to break his cover?

There are really great connections here and fabulous communications between all parties. Riley may not have BELIEVED everything Boxer said straightaway, but he was never in doubt about how Boxer felt. The honesty was incredibly refreshing. The sexytimes were just yummy. I expect the next book will be Elliott’s restoration, and I sure hope he find the right man for the job!

Interested? You can find FINDING THEIR WAY on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:

No stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She credits an early fascination with male friendships and “bromance” (and “The Young Riders”) with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments. You can contact her at AM_Arthur(at)yahoo(dot)com

 

Were They BORROWING TROUBLE?–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a newly published contemporary M/M romance from Kade Boehme. BORROWING TROUBLE is a tender and thoughtful story about a divorced man who finds friendship and more with his younger co-worker.

About the book:

After an amicable divorce, Jay Hill decided to move back to his rural hometown with his teenage kids. Being on good terms with his ex-wife and in laws has made the transition into single life pretty smooth. Things were good and uncomplicated. Then Landon Petty walked into his life.

Landon didn’t expect to still be stuck in his hometown working at his dad’s sawmill at this point in his life. Being an openly gay truck driver was as awkward in practice as in description. When Jay came to take over managerial duties at his dad’s business, Landon was surprised to find a friend. When Jay turns out not to be as straight as he thought, things get complicated.

When feelings for Landon shine a light on how much Jay’s life has been actually half lived, he’s forced to decide if he’ll jump in with both feet or if he’ll let Landon slip through his fingers.

Borrowing TroubleMy Review:

4.5 Stars. I really enjoyed this contemporary M/M romance, which is also a Gay For You story.

Jay Hill is the talk of his Mississippi town. He’s newly divorced from his high school sweetheart, Bethany, and returned to his hometown to raise his two kids (16 y/o son and 12 y/o daughter) near their maternal grandparents. Jay and Bethany have an amicable divorce; she’s realizing her career dreams by going back to college in Atlanta, and he’s content to live a slower-paced life as a manager at a local lumber plant. People there don’t understand how Jay and Bethany split, however, and his in-laws aren’t pleased that the kids aren’t being raised in a church home. And, he’s tired of the churchy women he keeps getting introduced to. Scandalous!

Landon Petty has been working two jobs for his father’s lumber business, despite his degree in History and aspirations to teach. He’s so relieved that Jay is hired to take some of the load off his shoulders, but he’s not happy to find his former babysitter so god-awful attractive. Landon’s gay and out to his parents, but he’s very circumspect and quiet in his hometown. He takes himself three hours away for anonymous hook-ups, and it’s tiring.

As Jay spends more time alone, when his kids go to his in-law’s for a weekend visit, he has trouble in his empty house. So, he invites Landon out to watch a football game at a local bar. They hit it off, and it’s a fast friendship, one Jay and Landon really cherish.

Landon keeps his attraction so quiet, but it’s not long before Jay starts to see Landon in a strange (for him) new light. He enjoys their companionship, and is frightened and confused as his friendly feelings begin to turn into attraction.

What I really liked about this story is the long development of the friendship and eventual breach into sex. That worked, as both men are fairly lonesome, and had developed a steady friendship. Jay is alerted to Landon’s sexuality by a nasty busybody, and it flips a switch for him. Experimenting with gay porn opens new chambers in Jay’s brain, unlocking memories of his childhood close friendships with boys. I really thought Jay’s introspection was honest. And, I appreciated that he sought help sorting out his feelings, and was honest about it with Landon. Their candor was refreshing.

Landon was a rock, even when he wanted to crumble. He said “no pressure” regarding coming out, and he meant it. And he lived it. He thrilled to every kiss or touch, and yet he was willing to walk if Jay couldn’t handle it.

While I was angry regarding Bethany’s initial reaction to Jay and Landon, I think she redeemed herself about 90% after sleeping on it. Jay was a far stronger character in the end, than the beginning. His kids were excellently written. Seriously, I wanted to kiss Clint for being an excellent big brother and the sounding board both his parents needed.

There are some fantastic sexytimes, and a beautiful, realistic relationship between two admirable, ordinary men. Expect some editing issues regarding continuity in the plot. Those mostly get smoothed over by the second half.

Interested? You can find BORROWING TROUBLE on Goodreads, and Amazon.

About the Author:

Kade Boehme is a southern boy without the charm, but all the sass. Currently residing in New York City, he lives off of ramen noodles and too much booze. He is the epitomy of dorkdom, only watching TV when Rachel Maddow or one of his sports teams is on. Most of his free time is spent dancing, arguing politics or with his nose in a book. He is also a hardcore Britney Spears fangirl and has an addiction to glitter.

It was after writing a short story about boys who loved each other for a less than reputable adult website that he found his true calling, and hopefully a bit more class. He hopes to write about all the romance that he personally finds himself allergic to but that others can fall in love with. He maintains that life is real and the stories should be, as well.

You can catch up with Kode online on his website, twitter, and

PRICKLY BY NATURE–Cover Reveal, Excerpt and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing the fantastic cover for PRICKLY BY NATURE. As you may remember, I adored PRICKLY BUSINESS, the first book in this M/M shifter mystery romance Portland Pack series that features a fated bond between a werewolf and a hedgehog shifter.

Dylan and Avery are back, and they are still fighting, sometimes each other…

Check out the beautiful cover, and there’s an extended excerpt to whet your whistle. Plus, a book and gift card giveaway! And you can pre-order PRICKLY BY NATURE in advance of it’s Nov 16th release.
PricklyByNatureFS
About the book:
In the four months since hedgehog shifter Avery Babineaux started investigating the disappearance of a young female werewolf from the Portland Pack, he’s discovered his life’s passion. Now he’s apprenticing under established PI Corbin Reid. Avery hopes his training with Reid will help him finally bring Lacey home, but detective work isn’t without its perils, and the potential dangers strain his relationship with his new mate, Dylan.

Dylan Green would be perfectly content with his mating and his motorcycle shop if it wasn’t for his constant worry about Avery’s safety and the fact that Avery’s never home. Proud as he might be of Avery’s determination to prove his worth and fulfill his promise to Lacey’s father, Dylan can’t stand the thought of Avery being hurt. Yet what right does he have to demand Avery give up his job when it’s clear Avery’s found his true purpose? Still, Dylan wishes he could, and the appearance of a new police detective who sets his sights on Avery only adds to the tension.

Something has to give, but stubbornness runs in both their veins, and it might take a catastrophe for them to find a compromise they can live with.

How about a delicious taste?

Running naked through the woods was exactly what Dylan Green needed. Thank the weather gods they’d held back the rain for the past few days. At least the ground was drier. Although wet forest floors didn’t matter to Dylan’s wolf. He was ready to stretch all four legs. It had been too long. Even longer since he’d run with his mate.

“Can you not get this heap to move any faster?” Avery practically vibrated off the seat next to him. Good thing he’d chosen the Firebird over his bike today.

“Hey now. Phoenix is not a heap.” Dylan patted the pristine dash, brushing over the treated wood with love. After glancing at the speedometer, he said, “We’re going the speed limit.” Which, yes, he knew was an anomaly for him, but only when he was on his bike. Phoenix required more finesse.

Before he could say anything else, Avery snorted and cut him off. “Phoenix?”

Unabashed, Dylan kept his focus on the road. “Firebird. Phoenix. Phe and I have been through a lot together. She’s pa—”

“Did you just nickname the car you call Phoenix? And dear God”—Dylan grinned at Avery’s pronunciation of God. It came out more like “Gawd.” He loved how Avery’s accent took over when he was teasing or passionate or angry—“please don’t tell me you’re about to say this mash of metal, oil, and leather is part of your family, our family. I do not, nor will I ever, claim a hunk of junk as a child. You can bet your ass I won’t be wiping its behind.”

That, in fact, was exactly what Dylan was going to say, but thinking about it at the moment, he had to admit how ridiculous it sounded out loud. Though he’d never say so to Avery.

Avery continued, “And let me guess, you talk to your baby.” Dylan could practically hear the giggle Avery was working so hard to suppress. “Does Phe talk back?”

The road up to Forest Park was narrow and curvy, so turning to look at Avery would have to wait. However, he did roll his eyes and reach over to pinch Avery’s thigh. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said. “Cars don’t have verbal skills.” And, yes, he did talk to Phoenix, because until Avery came along, Phe had been the one thing in his life he’d pampered and taken care of that had never let him down. So what if he talked aimlessly to a vehicle? He’d worked hard to build her. That bond was unbreakable.

He thought of Avery, then amended himself. Almost unbreakable.

Phoenix was his baby. She had seen him through many tough times, and he had done the same for her, but there was no connection stronger than what linked Dylan and Avery. Sitting only inches away and not touching, Dylan still felt Avery like a second skin. So much so that, as he turned off the road to park near one of the forest trails, he felt Avery’s mirth in his bones. Without looking, he knew his mate would have a sparkle in his earthy hazel eyes and a smirk on the lips Dylan craved so much.

He even knew Avery would chuckle before he did, but that had more to do with knowing the man than an actual feeling.

“So what you’re saying is Phoenix doesn’t talk back when you ask how her day went?”

Dylan pulled into an available spot, turned off the engine, and opened his door. “You’re such a pain in the ass,” he replied with a wink and unfolded himself from the front seat.

“Aww”—Avery chased him from the car—“you say the nicest things.”

The brush of Avery’s palm over his ass had the ever-smoldering embers of need inside Dylan blazing to life, completely trumping the lighthearted teasing. How was it possible he wanted Avery more every day?

“You know,” Avery said in a low but conversational tone as they walked to where Lucas, Sawyer, and Kirk were parking their bikes. “I like it when you’re a pain in my ass. What do you say we blow this run and….” He trailed off, quirking his brow at the obvious.

Dylan groaned. Temptation had nothing on Avery Babineaux, and Dylan’s first instinct was to give in to the suggestion, but then he remembered why they were there in the first place.

In the months following Avery’s rescue from the warehouse and Melnyk’s entry into protective custody, Avery stayed true to his word. With help from one of Lucas’s ex-flings, Avery was currently a proud PI’s apprentice. It would still take months—many of them—for Avery to complete the hours of training needed to gain his own license, but he was well on his way. Corbin Reid, Lucas’s ex’s cousin, had taken Avery under his wing and in turn consumed most of his downtime. Dylan had only rare moments with his mate, depending on Avery’s busy work schedule—honeymoon phase or not. Visits to Wolfhound and even nightclubs with Avery were few and far between. Avery spent long hours immersing himself in the world of investigation and soaking up every little thing Reid was willing to teach. And when he wasn’t working, he was searching for Lacey.

By the time they’d broken the first link in the chain of the trafficking ring, Lacey had been missing four months. They had just crossed over into February, which made it six months, and from what they’d heard, the police were no closer to finding Lacey than Avery was. It didn’t help that Wallace, the shifter detective they’d been getting updates from, had gone silent once he transferred into the Human Trafficking Task Force.

While days turned into weeks and weeks into months, Avery hunted the dregs of every single lead he could scrounge up. Dylan watched helplessly as the effects of dead end after dead end weighed heavily on his mate. To say he felt useless was an understatement.

Then Mother Nature smiled down on them, with cloudless skies and sunshine in the middle of the wet season. It gave Dylan and Avery the opportunity for the one thing they both needed. Fun.

Dylan hadn’t enjoyed a run in weeks, and it had been longer since he’d played with Avery in the woods. A run was long overdue, and as great as a long hard fuck sounded right then, Dylan knew Avery’s hedgehog had to be aching for freedom too. Besides, having his mate naked and writhing under him was always a possibility when they got home.

Or in the car before they left the park. Dylan smiled, thankful he’d driven Phoenix, even on such a beautiful day. It was an inspired decision. He could definitely see some hot and dirty backseat action in his future.

Looking down, Dylan’s heart filled at the contented look on Avery’s face. All signs of worry and stress were vanquished for the moment. Dylan wondered, not for the first time, if they would ever have a break, ever have time to enjoy their new mating, or whether it would be a never-ending struggle, with outside forces constantly interfering.

“What?” Avery squinted, perplexed. Knowing Avery felt his concern warmed him.

Damn, Dylan didn’t think he’d ever get enough of his mate.

Avery’s nostrils flared, and Dylan knew he sensed his arousal as much as smelled it. He pulled Avery to him and brushed their lips together. As with most things between him and Avery, the kiss quickly deepened. Avery slipped his hand from Dylan’s hip to his chest and tweaked his nipple. Dylan groaned and pushed his tongue into Avery’s mouth, claiming what was already his. It was a battle of wills Dylan knew all too well as Avery’s perfectly orchestrated dance of want and desire balanced on a thin thread Dylan threatened to tear down each time. All of Avery’s taunting and flirting—it was foreplay, and Dylan could hardly wait for the fireworks. It was always worth the wait with Avery. Always.

“For the love of God, could you two get a room?” Lucas complained as he walked up. “Is it impossible to go five minutes without mauling each other?”

Dylan’s only response was a chuckle into Avery’s mouth as he pushed his fingers through Avery’s hair, holding him in place to prolong the kiss. He didn’t have to look to know Avery flipped off Lucas, mostly because he heard the laughter coming from their other friends.

When he pulled his mouth away, Dylan rested his forehead on Avery’s, breathing heavily. Christ, he loved the dazed, sated look Avery got when he was ready to drop to his knees, his cheeks flushed, and his lips swollen. All because of Dylan. Maybe Dylan should kick his own ass for not taking Avery up on his offer.

Wow! I am so looking forward to this sequel.

Interested? You can find PRICKLY BY NATURE on Goodreads and preorder it on Dreamspinner Press in advance of it’s Nov 16th release in ebook or paperback.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win an ebook of Prickly By Nature and a $10 GC to Amazon, Barnes & Noble or AllRomance (winner’s choice!)
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Authors:
Piper Vaughn wrote her first love story at eleven and never looked back. Since then, she’s known that writing in some form was exactly what she wanted to do. A reader at the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book—fantasy, young adult, romance, she loves them all (and has a two-thousand-book library to prove it!). She grew up in Chicago, in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, and loves to put faces and characters of every ethnicity in her stories, so her fictional worlds are as colorful as the real one. Above all, she believes that everyone needs a little true love in their life…even if it’s only in a book.

You can find Piper online on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Kenzie Cade was born and raised in the South where she spends her days in the sometimes stressful field of private medicine observing interesting people and committing them to memory for later use. When she isn’t reading, experimenting with recipes, or being distracted by social media, Kenzie spends time with her family, friends, and the Pomeranian/Long-haired Chihuahua mix who likes to keep her company while she writes. As a young girl, Kenzie dreamed of princesses and their white knights. As an adult (or sort of adult), she dreams of princes and their proverbial white knights, which she attributes the fellow Arkansan S.E. Hinton and her novel The Outsiders. Writing to keep the fictional voices at bay, Kenzie enjoys the journeys her characters travel to find their happy endings, and she loves the challenge of writing a great love story.

Contact Kenzie at kenziecade.author (at) gmail (dot) com. You can also find her online at her blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Ending Up BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL–Excerpt and Giveaway

BTEB-BannerHi there! Just sharing some love for a new book from M.A. Church coming out 10/30/15. BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL is the second book in the Fur, Fangs, and Felines M/M paranormal romance series.

Check out the excerpt below and make sure to get in on the book giveaway.

BehindtheEightBallFSAbout the book:
A cool morning, a yard full of birds, and a kitty on a mission. What more could a werecat want? Beta Heller Wirth has it all, except a mate—a shifter mate, that is. The last thing he wants is one of those dangerous humans who kill without remorse. Heller knows about that firsthand. So what does the goddess Bast do? She gives Heller exactly what he does not want—a human: business owner Lawson Dupre.

Lawson hasn’t a clue what just happened in his car detail shop. One minute a cute client is about to pass out, then he perks up and starts flirting. Next thing, he runs out the door like the hounds of hell are after him. Learning that Heller is a werecat doesn’t freak out Lawson. He happens to be one of those rare humans who knows paranormals exists. He even lives with one. Watch the fur fly as Heller and Lawson battle hurt feelings, misguided beliefs, and a power shift in Heller’s clowder.

How about a little taste?

Step.
Step.
Stop.

The rustling of dead leaves caught my attention, and I froze with one paw still in the air. Not moving and barely daring to breathe, I waited. My whiskers twitched as a cool October breeze disturbed the scent of decaying leaves and rich soil. The foliage trembled again as something rooted around.

I slowly lowered my paw. The disturbance wasn’t very noticeable except to my predatory gaze. The movement continued. Gradually, bit by bit, I crept forward, making sure my long fur didn’t disturb the surrounding mounds of dying leaves. It was times like these I wished my coat were short like Dolf’s. One thing was for sure—whatever was below those leaves was going to be mine shortly. All I needed was to cover a little more distance and I’d be close enough.

Step.
Step.
Crouch.

Heart thumping, I watched as the movement continued. My muscles tightened and my bottom started wiggling. Unable to wait, I sprang forward, claws extended. Leaves flew into the air as I landed on my target. Bugs scattered. Eyes narrowed, I searched for…. There! There was the little bugger. I growled at the big black beetle and trapped it with my paw.

Seconds passed. The bug wiggled under my paw, tickling me. Hunched down, I carefully lifted my paw and peeked. Dammit, can’t see. Unable to get a good look, I lifted my paw a little higher… and there it went, scuttling across the ground. Gleefully I slammed a paw down, trying to trap it. Slap. Slap. Slap. Arrgh! What’s the deal? I keep missing.

Looked like I’d found myself in a game of whack-a-mole, except with a beetle. And off we went. The bug scurried away with me hot on its trail. Every time I thought I had a paw on it, I ended up missing. Stupid critter was fast. I bounded along behind as it raced across the ground. Then it suddenly cut back and ran straight under me.

Surprised, I leaped in the air, all four paws coming off the ground. Whoa! Zigged when I should have zagged. I landed and nonchalantly licked a paw. Hope no one saw that. I had to give the bug credit. That was a smart move. The shrill cry of a mockingbird caught my attention. I lifted my head, searching for the little tattletale.

Up in a tree it sat, its warning cries echoing around the yard. I eyed the tree. Hmm, I could climb it, but the stupid bird will probably just take off. Still, might be fun. Maybe after I finished playing with the bug… and damn. The bug.

My attention returned to where it had been, my tail slashing. Great. Lost it. Stupid bird. I sat up and threw a glare over my shoulder at the bird. Standing, I turned my back to the little menace, tail held high. That’s what I think of you, buddy. I prowled around for a while, sniffing, enjoying the coolness of the morning.

In the early morning sunlight, the dew on the grass sparkled like diamonds. Maybe it was pretty, but the stuff was also cold and wet against my paws. I was glad for my fur. As I wandered back toward the house, my stomach growled. I was hungry and… I sniffed. Oh, was that a blue jay I smelled? Oh, oh, a blue jay. Yum.

The human side of me groaned, but the kitty part wanted to jump with joy. The noisy little shits were actually quite intelligent. Catching one was always a feat. Quick as I could, I hid in the bright fall foliage by the back porch. I stayed very, very still so the stupid bird three feet from me didn’t fly off in a panic.

I licked my lips, my whiskers twitching as I watched the little rascal across from me raise its head. Shit, shit, shit. What caught its attention? Come on already. It’s all fine, nothing to worry about here. No cat hanging around. Just go back to pecking around on the ground. Everything’s good. See? I’m not moving, not even breathing.

Crouched low, I waited while my breakfast relaxed and returned to looking for acorns. Other birds came and went, but I refused to get distracted. I knew the one I wanted. Inch by agonizing inch, I crept closer to my prey. My mouth watered and my heart thumped.

The chatter of the birds around me was easy and relaxed, no distress calls sounding. That’s right. Just keep on eating. Soon I’m going to be eating you. My body tensed, back legs ready to spring me into action….

And the phone in the house rang.

This one sounds so cool! Housecat shifters. Yay! It’s coming out just in time for a Halloween read… 🙂

Interested? You can find BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL on Goodreads, and pre-order it in advance of its 10/30 release on Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance.

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About the author:
M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!

When not writing, she’s exploring the latest M/M novel to hit the market, watching her beloved Steelers, or sitting glued to HGTV. That’s if she’s not on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two children.

She was a finalist in the Rainbow awards for 2013 and is a member of Romance Writers of America, Rainbow Romance Writers, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

You can catch up with Ms. Church online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Amazon and Goodreads.
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