Final Challenge Month Review and Giveaway–ONE TRICK PONY

Hi there! Challenge month is drawing to a close, and I’m excited to share the last of the weekly challenges: Judge a Book by its Cover. I chose ONE TRICK PONY, a recently released M/M cowboy romance from Eli Easton.

One Trick Pony coverAbout the book:Forgiving yourself is the first step toward finding true love.

Henry Atkins is determined to turn around his no-good, sorry life and prove to the residents of Clyde’s Corner that he’s not the town bad boy anymore. If going to church every Sunday with the Ladies Society is what it takes to polish his reputation, he’s all in. But when every secret fantasy in his head walks into the stables at Muddy River Ranch, the straight and narrow path he’s on takes a wild detour. It never felt so good to be so bad.

Micah has been one of the biggest porn stars in the world for five years, but he’s burned out. His body won’t cooperate to film even one more scene. A month’s vacation with his old friend Ben in Montana is just what his jaded heart needs. He wants rest, fresh air, and to not be recognized by a living soul. He sure as hell isn’t looking for a fling, and he wants nothing to do with Henry, the fanboy who works at Ben’s ranch.

The two men are both seeking a fresh start, an escape from the demons of their past. Fly fishing lessons on the river uncover the surprising number of things they have in common and forms a heartfelt bond that might save their weary souls. Only Micah’s past isn’t through with him yet.

This was such a sweet and fun story, with Henry rebuilding his life and reputation, while finally experiencing love from another person and with another person. And Micah, is savvy and adorable as a young porn star rethinking his life plan.

This is the FINAL WEEK to enter in the Joyfully Jay Challenge Month sweepstakes. Please take a field trip over to my post on Joyfully Jay and make a comment in order to be entered. This week there is special prize to win one of five $20 JMS store gift cards from JMS Books, commenters will also be entered to win our amazing Challenge Month Grand Prize sponsored by NineStar Press: a Kindle Paperwhite loaded with 50 NineStar Press books. Again you must comment on the Joyfully Jay post before Friday to get entered.

Interested? You can find ONE TRICK PONY on Goodreads or Amazon.

Eli EastonAbout the Author:
Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particular admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include “Blame it on the Mistletoe”, “Unwrapping Hank” and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles”. Her “Howl at the Moon” series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Catch up with Eli on her website, Facebook, and twitter.

Coming Together: HERE FOR US–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review and giveaway for a new contemporary M/M/M menage romance from A. M. Arthur. HERE FOR US is a new spin off from her Perspectives series, but can be fully enjoyed on it’s own.

Like THE WORLD AS HE SEES IT, THE TRUTH AS HE KNOWS IT, and THE HEART AS HE HEARS IT, this book features a small-time gay porn actor finding a new life and a true love–but this time he finds two!

Catch the excerpt and enter to win a $25 GC to Amaonz or Barnes & Noble in the giveaway below.

About the book:
Cris Sable doesn’t walk into popular gay bar Big Dick’s expecting to find more than a casual hookup, so he’s surprised by his instant attraction and intense chemistry with go-go dancer Jake. Jake’s sexy as hell and a firecracker in bed. The sparks between them are undeniable, and what starts as a hookup evolves into something deeper, possibly permanent—until Jake dumps Cris flat on his ass for no good reason.

Angry and confused, Cris finds comfort with his longtime friend and employer Charles “Chet” Greenwood. Cris’s emotional state stirs up Charles’s long-buried feelings for Cris. Feelings he’s denied for eight years, because Cris is his employee and therefore off limits—not to mention two decades younger than Charles. Cris admits he has feelings for Charles, too, but he’s still getting over Jake and both men agree nothing can happen between them while Charles is still Cris’s boss.

Jake Bowden knows he doesn’t have anything to offer a guy. He’s a go-go dancer with no degree and no real career aspirations. He’s also used to everyone who loves him leaving, so it makes sense to cut Cris loose before things get too serious. Cris is kind, passionate and totally deserves a guy like Charles—wealthy, owns a home, successful businessman. Jake can’t compete so why bother? They’re better off together. But when Jake has a serious personal crisis, Cris and Charles unite to pull him back together, and the three men discover it’s possible—maybe even inevitable—to fall in love with more than one person at a time.

How about a little taste?

I need to fucking get laid.
The thought followed Cris Sable through the heavy industrial door that hid the throbbing interior of Big Dick’s, the most popular gay nightclub in Harrisburg. The place was hard to find if you didn’t know where it was, or if you didn’t know the big muscle bear sitting by the entrance was a bouncer. Cris hadn’t been to the club in over a year, mostly by choice, but tonight he needed something.
Definitely a drink, although he’d have to limit himself now that he was functioning with one kidney. And, if possible, he wanted to leave with a willing ass to fuck. It had been a long dry spell.
A dry spell of his own making, but still, a guy had needs, and he wasn’t looking to get his needs met by a woman tonight. Tonight he needed dick.
He eased his way over to the bar and ordered a margarita on the rocks. Something he could work his way through slowly. The club was in full swing, bodies gyrating on the dance floor, men dry humping their way through the evening. Soon early morning. At the rear of the dance floor, six go-go dancers were on risers, each decked out in one color of the rainbow. Barely-there briefs in a solid color, sparkle body paint all over their chests and legs, and some dancers even had colorful streaks in their hair. Monday was theme night for the go-go dancers, which explained why there were so many. On the other nights of the week that Cris had visited, the club usually only had three dancers.
Cris zeroed in on the dancer in blue. He loved the color blue, and this kid was pretty fucking hot in a royal blue thong, with blue swirls across his pecs and shoulders. Something kind of tribal and arty. He spun around to shake his ass, showing off very taut blue-painted cheeks. Even from the distance, he was cute. The kind of cute Cris liked to wrangle around in bed and fuck through the mattress.
Occasionally, a hand would rise from the crowd with money in it, and the blue dancer squatted low enough for the money to be tucked away in their underwear. Very strip club-esque, but Big Dick’s had a strict policy about not touching the dancers for longer than it took to tip them.
He scanned the other dancers’ faces and froze solid at the guy at the end. Despite the yellow paint, Cris knew that nearly naked body intimately enough to see past the costume and recognize Colby. Not his real name, and Cris didn’t know what it was, but they’d filmed together at Mean Green Boys roughly two years ago. Colby was only with the company for a few months before he quit to be with his boyfriend.
Cris had been intensely jealous at the time. At twenty-eight years old, he’d failed to find and maintain a serious relationship for longer than six months. And even that relationship had imploded when she found out he did gay porn. Okay, so he shouldn’t have kept that a secret for so long. He’d been so damned happy to find someone who understood and accepted he was bisexual that he’d been scared to destroy it too soon by admitting to the porn.
But secrets never did a relationship any good, and Lily had dumped his ass hard.
He’d taken a two year hiatus from porn after that, hoping to try and rebuild his flailing love life, before returning to Mean Green. The studio owner, Chet Green, was one of his closest friends—hence the very secret reason for his single remaining kidney.
“Hello, gorgeous.” A slinky number in leather pants and a silver mesh shirt slid up to Cris at the bar. Cute, kohl-lined eyes, plump lips that promised they knew how to suck a dick.
Cris grinned. “Who, me?”
“Oh, honey, we both know you’re the sexiest thing in the club tonight.” A warm arm draped over his shoulders. “Name’s Luke.”
“Cris.”
“Hmm, I think you look more like a Vincent.”
Cris tensed. No fucking way could this random guy know who he was. There was no hint of malice in his easy grin, no sign the name was anything other than a really good guess. Cris came from an Italian family from Long Island, and the genes were pretty strong. He’d rid himself of his identifying accent years ago, though, thank Christ.
“Or Vincenzo, or Anthony,” the kid said, oblivious to Cris’s racing thoughts.
“Well, it’s Cris.” Rude, fine, but he’d lost any interest in Luke. Cristian Sable was his identity now. “See you around.”
Cris pushed away from the bar and eased his way into the crowd occupying the fringes of the dance floor. A few blatant offers came his way, but Cris turned them all down. He didn’t realize he’d inched closer to the risers and his blue dancer until the guy was less than ten feet away.
Blue had a face that was both easygoing and sharp. He was enjoying himself without totally letting his guard down. And he was hella cute. Fuckable for sure.
Bodies danced frenetically all around him, allowing Cris to stay close to the wall and shift nearer to Blue. Someone held up a bill between two fingers. Blue wiggled his hips and squatted low so the money could be tucked into his g-string. The triangle of blue material held a very promising package for a smaller guy.
Blue blew a kiss to his patron, then spun in an ass-wiggling circle. His dark gaze roamed the crowd, then paused on Cris. An unexpected thrill shot through him. Some sort of instinctive acknowledgement of the man on the stage, as if they’d been waiting to meet. Blue held eye contact; Cris drew out a long, lazy smile. Blue cocked his head, winked, and then kept dancing. Cris stayed in his spot. Every few minutes, Blue glanced his way. Right into his eyes.
Target acquired.
The dancers came and went from the risers, likely taking breaks in between sets. When Blue winked again and disappeared, Cris had half a mind to try and find him. Except he didn’t work at the club, and he had no real excuse to get backstage. Cris sipped his watered-down margarita and watched the eye candy on display. The gorgeous men, the throbbing music, and the heady scents of sweat and sex worked their magic on Cris, and he was half-hard by the time a brown-haired kid with a smear of blue under both eyes sidled up next to him.
Cris studied the familiar face, now scrubbed clean except for those two very appealing smudges. His hair maintained hints of blue glitter. He’d covered that amazing body with jeans and a white sleeveless tee, but this was Cris’s dancer. Blue.
“You off the clock?” Cris asked.
“Yup.” He grabbed Cris’s glass and finished it off with a smirk that did funny things to Cris’s balls. “Damn, I think I owe you a drink.”
He laughed. “Cris.”
“Jake.” He snagged Cris’s belt and tugged him toward the bar.
The forwardness was a huge fucking turn on, and Cris’s cock was at full mast by the time they reached the bar. An older man in a sparkly vest smiled at them.
“Two margaritas on the rocks,” Jake said. “My tab.”
“On it,” the bartender said.
Cris rested one hand on Jake’s lower back, and he was surprised by the tiny thrill that vibrated up his arm. Jake pressed into his touch, eyelids fluttering as if he’d felt something similar. Cris leaned in to whisper in his ear, “Blue is my favorite color.”
Jake looked up, big brown eyes glimmering with mischief. “Oh yeah?”
“Definitely. It looks good on you.”
“Know what else would look good on me?”
Cris saw the flirty line coming, but he played along. “What’s that?”
“You.”
He nuzzled Jake’s ear with his nose. “I agree.”
The bartender slid their drinks over. Jake gulped his, while Cris only sipped. And studied his future sex partner. A good six inches shorter than him, and slimmer all over. Dance-honed muscles. Tight jeans that did nothing to hide his erection. A very One Direction boyish hotness about him that made Cris want to fuck him senseless.
“I’d ask if you want to dance,” Jake said, “but you didn’t bust a move all night.”
“Not much of a dancer.”
“No good?”
“I’m plenty good.” Cris put a little leer into those words. “But I don’t like using dancing as foreplay. I’d rather play in private.”

My Review:
Cris has been a on-again/off-again porn star working for Chet Green of Mean Green Boys producions for eight years. He’s really loved working with Chet. Their relationship is cordial and caring, without ever being intimate–despite how attracted both men feel for the other. Chet is 48, and doesn’t want to be a letch. Cris is 28, and has a complicated family history–so much so that he’s had plastic surgery to change his appearance and changed his name before ever meeting Chet.

Cris and Chet think they have no way forward, and Cris is determined to find someone to start a life with; now that he’s accepted his bisexuality, he wants a partner. His last girlfriend left because of the porn–and that hurt bad. Cris meets Jake, a go-go dancer at a popular gay bar and they hit it off immediately, but Jake’s a troubled young man, who’s been abandoned enough to fiercely guard his heart. He makes mistakes that Cris forgives, but Jake soon recognizes that Chet is likely a better match for Cris than a 23 year old soon-to-be-homeless go-go dancer.

For Cris, he’s amazed to realize he’s got a strong connection to Chet and Jake, and he agonizes on how to reconcile this. It’s not fair to him that Chet and Jake both decide for him that he should pursue the other man–and Cris only barely forges a connection with Chet before everything explodes again, and Jake needs more TLC than Cris alone can provide. This is a menage, but it doesn’t start that way. There is a physical connection with Cris and Jake, and an emotional connection with Cris and Chet, but both Chet and Jake recognize they aren’t being fair to Cris, and they develop a rapport, as well.

The relationship building isn’t instinctive, but these guys–toward the very end–decide to see if they can tolerate being together, for each other, in ways they hadn’t considered before. It’s a bit fun and exciting sexually, for all of them, but there’s also a lot of emotional investment. I liked how that developed, and I can see there is more to come for these guys in another story. We still don’t know enough about Cris’ dark past, and these guys have only begun their journey of intimacy, so I look forward to seeing all that play out. This is a new spin-off series from previous books the author has written. There are plenty of appearances from previous characters, which is rather nice, and soothing.

Interested? You can find HERE FOR US on Goodreads and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 gc to Amazon of Barnes & Noble.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, and SMP Swerve.
When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

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

Baby Steps–THE HEART AS HE HEARS IT-Review & Giveaway!

BannerTemplate-10Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review and giveaway for a new contemporary M/M romance from A. M. Arthur. THE HEART AS HE HEARS IT is the third book in her Perspectives series, but can be fully enjoyed on it’s own. Like THE WORLD AS HE SEES IT, and THE TRUTH AS HE KNOWS IT, this book features a small-time gay porn actor finding a new life and a true love, as a sub-plot.

Catch the excerpt and enter to win a backlist book from AM Arthur in the giveaway below.

HeartAsHeHearsIt-The300About the book:
While most of his friends have moved on to “real” careers, Jon Buchanan is content skating through life as a part-time waiter and gay porn star. Firmly single thanks to a previous relationship disaster, he focuses his spare time on Henry, a dear friend dying of cancer.

And with Henry’s happiness paramount, Jon is on a mission to help Henry meet his recently discovered grandson.

Isaac Gregory hasn’t set foot outside for the past year. He has everything he needs delivered, and his remaining family knows better than to visit. When a complete stranger shows up claiming to be his grandfather—with a distractingly handsome younger man in tow—his carefully structured routines are shaken.

Despite his instant attraction, Jon senses Isaac is too fragile for a relationship. Yet tentative friendship grows into genuine companionship. And when Henry’s health begins to fail, they realize Fate brought them together for a reason.

How about a little taste?

Jon studied him, his gaze taking in…something. “May I ask you something?”
“Of course.” His chest flushed with anticipation.
“How do you feel when you’re with me?”
Isaac tried to push aside the anxiety still attempting to blur his thoughts, an old friend that wanted to be part of the conversation. Only anxiety wasn’t allowed in, not this time. He shuffled through different words, emotions and adjectives, searching for the one that best described how he felt about Jon. How Jon made him feel, despite being a near-stranger, bigger, stronger and far more experienced in pretty much everything. Jon still made him feel… “Safe,” Isaac said.
Jon’s eyebrows crept up. The corners of his mouth quirked into something not quite a smile. “Really?”
“Yes. The first time I saw you on my security feed, I noticed how beautiful you were.” His cheeks warmed.
Jon flat out grinned. “Yeah?”
“You’re kind and patient, and I feel safe because you don’t try to fix me, and you don’t act like I’m broken. My family thinks I’m broken, and I don’t want them to fix me. I just…” Something in Isaac shifted, accepting this new truth. “I need to feel safe, Jon. That’s why I hide. But you make me not want to hide.”
Jon’s eyes glittered. His expression melted into something so warm, so sweet, that it burned in Isaac’s blood in a way he didn’t understand at all. The strange sensation urged him to reach out, to initiate contact of some kind. Deep-rooted fear kept Isaac still, unable to make that first move. Unable to do anything except soak in the wonderment on Jon’s face.
“I think that’s the greatest compliment I’ve ever gotten,” Jon said. His voice was hoarse, strange. Almost difficult to hear, so Isaac paid more attention to his lips. “Is it cheesy to say your strength makes me want to be better too?”
Isaac shook his head. “I’m not strong.”
“You’re stronger than you think. You proved that by letting me and Henry in two weeks ago. You proved it again by going out to rescue a kitten. Twice, by the way. You told me you want to get better, get into the world, and that takes a fuck-ton of courage when you’ve lost as much as you have. I know it won’t be easy, but I still want to help you do that.”
“I know you do. I want that too.”

My Review:
While this is the third book in a series, it follows a new lead and a new romance, with brief appearances from a couple previous characters.

Jon is a 25 y/o man who is in a good place in his life. A recovering anorexic, he has battled back from the brink, and built some true friendships, notably Gabe, from previous books, and Henry, an older man who took Jon in when his family cast him out and helped him through his recovery. Jon prefers his regular porn shoots for no-strings sex, as his last relationship (with emotionally-abusive Rick) was completely toxic. He’s not looking for a partner, and is busy caring for Henry who has end-stage prostate cancer. When Henry learns he has a long-lost grandson, he wants to meet him, and spend whatever time he has making one last connection. Jon assists, and is struck by Isaac.

For his part, Isaac suffers PTSD from domestic violence–Henry’s unknown son was an abuser–and witnessing his mother be attacked by criminals. Though he’s 22, Isaac is agoraphobic in the extreme and hasn’t left his home willingly since his grandmother died a year ago. He’s also mostly deaf, due to his father’s battery.

Isaac is initally terrified of Henry, whose resemblance to his abusive son is traumatic, but he braves out a single meeting a little mystified by the beautiful man who accompanies Henry, Jon. Not long after, Isaac rescues a lost kitten who strayed onto his porch, and he reaches out to Jon to bring supplies. They hit it off, and begin a casual friendship mostly via online messaging, at first. Jon wants Henry’s dying wish to become true, so he continues to build a friendship with Isaac in the hope that Henry will be invited to spend more time. It doesn’t hurt that Jon feels attracted adn protective of Isaac, wanting to make his sheltered life better, too. In the meantime, Jon’s ex, Rick, returns and his ED is triggered. Jon and Isaac’s friendship becomes more than friendly, with brief forays into the physical. It was all so new, and unwelcome, for Isaac at first, given his history with abuse and violence. Ultimately, Jon and Isaac are sweet for each other, and their cooperation turns into a tentative passion, and then a tender love.

I loved the time frame, here, with very reasonable baby steps forward for both Jon and Isaac over the course of months. Jon’s job as a porn actor isn’t seedy, and his views on it change as he develops strong feelings for Isaac. For those who may be concerned about fidelity issues, there are no cross-overs; Jon is highly respectful of himself and Isaac. I really liked the open and honest communication that was present throughout. Jon is so compassionate and this really turns Isaac’s head in the best way. It was so fun, also, to have a front row seat to Isaac’s awakening, emotionally and sexually. I was captivated by his self-sheltering, and also with his management of his hearing. It was really interesting how he chose to wear his hearing aid some times, and not others, based on whether he wanted to interact, or shut out, those around him. All of his many mechanisms to keep the world safely locked outside his door, but Jon was able to sneak inside–inch-by-inch–Bear, the playful kitten, was a huge part of that process.

A lot of the book is sweet and tender, though there are some bits that are tragic, what with Henry’s progressive illness, and others that are downright creepy-scary. What are Rick’s motives? And, is he behind the mysterious visits and packages Jon’s receiving? Expect some harrowing moments while that gets sorted. I was glad that everything turned out so good, and look forward to more excellently-told stories of the Mean Green porn boys, now that we’ve gotten to know a few of them in this book.

Interested? You can find THE HEART AS HE HEARS IT on Goodreads, Samhain Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a backlist book from Ms. Arthur.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, and SMP Swerve.
When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

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

Being His FIRST–Review and Giveaway

First-Banner
Hi there! Today I’m so excited to share my review for KC Well’s newest release, FIRST, which releases tomorrow, 9/21. This is a fascinating M/M odd-couple romance between an aging porn star and a newly-out virgin college student. I really enjoyed it!

Make sure to pop down and check out the excerpt and enter the giveaway below.

FirstAbout the book:
It’s taken Tommy Newsome a while to get his head around being gay.

Growing up in a small town in Georgia, hasn’t prepared him for the more liberal life of a student at the university in Athens. Add to that the teachings of his parents and his church, and you have one shy young man who feels out of his depth. Working on his daddy’s farm hasn’t given him any chance of a social life, certainly not one like the clubs of Atlanta have on offer. Not that Tommy feels comfortable when he gets to sample it—Momma’s lectures still ring loudly inside his head.

All that changes when he goes to his first gay bar and sets eyes on Mike Scott.

When Mike’s not behind the bar at Woofs, he’s busy with his life as adult entertainer Scott Masters. Twenty years in the industry and the times, they are a-changing. Mike’s not had much luck in the relationship department, but as his mom is fond of telling him, you keep fishing in the same pond, you’re gonna reel in the same kind of fish. Maybe it’s time for a change.

And then a beautiful young man asks Mike to be his first….

How about a little taste?

“I see your stalker’s here again.”

“Huh?” Mike frowned. “What are you talking about now, Kev?” He concentrated on the drink order for Dave and his friends over in the corner.

Kevin grinned and flicked his head toward the rear of the bar. “You know exactly who I’m talking ’bout. Mr. Cutie Pie over there with the muscles. Y’know, the one who’s been sitting on that barstool every Saturday night for the last five weeks?” He arched his eyebrows. “Don’t give me that ‘butter wouldn’t melt’ act. I seen you looking.” His grin widened. “G’on, tell me I’m wrong.”

Mike wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction. “You’re wrong,” he stated emphatically.

Kevin stared. “Hell, you’re a poor liar.” Then his eyes gleamed. “In that case, you can take him his burger, tater tots, and Cherry Coke. Maybe you could even get him to say a few words beyond ‘Hey.’ ’Cause I swear that’s all I’ve ever heard out of that pretty little mouth of his.”

Mike snickered. “I think if I spoke to him, he’d piss his pants.”

Kevin guffawed and went off to the back of the bar. Inside Mike was cursing himself. He’d been careful not to glance too openly at the guy. Those queens he worked with were too damn good at spotting when one of them was taking an interest in a customer. And fuck it, he was interested in the painfully shy but so sexy young man who hadn’t said a word.

“And then there’s the fact that every time he comes in here,” Kevin continued, appearing beside him as if there hadn’t been a break in conversation, “I watch him look ’round the bar ’til he sees you.” That grin was still in place.

“Are you still going on about him?” Mike demanded. “Sure you’re not the one here who’s fixating?”

Kevin held up his hands. “I just call it like I see it. I think he’s only here to ogle you.”

“Well, he’s gonna be disappointed if he turns up in a couple week’s time, isn’t he, ’cause I won’t be here.”

Kevin’s brow furrowed. “Since when do you not work on weekends?”

“Since I’ll be in LA, that’s when.” Mike returned his grin. “Remember?”

“Oh, yeah, you’ve got a shoot. I’d clean forgotten.” He faked a sad face. “Aw, how you gonna cope without seeing that gorgeous bod?” He leered. “Then again, don’t worry your head about it. I’m sure me or Patrick can take care of him.” He waggled his eyebrows.

Mike groaned. “For fuck’s sake, just leave the kid alone, okay? He’s not hurting anyone.” Mike had seen enough to know the guy wasn’t going to be a problem. He preferred this quiet observation to the occasional gropings of fans when he made appearances at Hustlaball or Southern Decadence. The kid appeared to have good manners.

“Here’s his order.” Kevin handed him the tray containing the Angus burger, tater tots, and Cherry Coke. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted to get it from you.” That shit-eating grin just wouldn’t quit.

Mike shook his head and took the tray. He walked over to where the young guy sat, his eyes widening as Mike approached. “Here you go,” Mike said cheerfully, setting the food down in front of him.

The young guy blushed furiously. “Th-thanks.” He lowered his gaze and commenced picking at his tots.

Mike retreated to a safe distance and watched him while he ate. He liked the look of those wide shoulders, the reddish-brown hair, not too short, the barest hint of scruff on his jawline and those striking green eyes. His skin was creamy where it showed, which spoke of a lot of time spent covered up. With his coloring, that was understandable. But that body was speaking even louder to Mike’s dick, which was definitely interested, judging by the way it filled as he feasted on the delectable view before him.

His attention was forcibly drawn away when someone pinched his ass, good and hard.

“You are so busted.”

Fucking Kevin.

My Review:
4.5 Stars for this contemporary M/M romance between an aging porn superstar and a blushing virgin.

Mike Scott is 44 and a bartender at a gay sports bar in Altlanta, with a 20 year career in gay porn. He’s well known by his trade name, Scott Masters, and isn’t that keen on relationships since his last ex left. Too many guys have a problem with his porn work, it seems. Not that Mike does. It’s a job, and it’s getting to be a drag. Studios are pressuring the guys to do more bareback (unprotected) scenes and new gay-for-pay actors are more hassle than they are worth, in Mike’s opinion. He’s getting jaded, really.

Tommy is a 19 y/o gay college student trying to step out of his closet. He grew up in a tiny, God-fearing town with parents who took him to church all the time. He has never watched porn, and has no interest in it, in drinking, or in casual sex. Still, he knows his urges are homosexual, and he fears his family’s reaction. (With good reason!) His roommate, Ben, is bisexual, but hasn’t told his parents, either. Still, Ben spends his Saturday nights in the gay bars hooking up as often as possible. He hooked Tommy up with a fake ID so he could go clubbing too, but Tommy’s more into the quiet life. So he goes to Woofs, a gay sports bar—where he’s stunned by the beauty that is Mike.

Mike can’t miss the Cherry Coke drinking corn-fed farm boy who takes the last stool at his bar every Saturday night for weeks on end. He’s mighty polite, and darn quiet, but he is an eye-catcher. Mike’s fellow bartenders, Kevin and Patrick, all want a piece of Tommy, but they can see he only has eyes for Mike. And, they work a bit of magic to keep Mike from making serious mistakes–like letting Tommy walk away.

When these two finally connect, it is so sweet. Tommy has confessed that he’s a virgin, and that he’s like Mike to be his first. He has no knowledge of Mike’s porn career, and that’s probably the only reason Mike agrees. Mike’s been propositioned uncountable times by fans, and he doesn’t need that pressure. Plus, there is something so absolutely irresistible about Tommy’s freshness. He’s been so sheltered in his life–his parents controlled his TV, radio and literature choices, in the meantime shaping a quiet, conscientious and compassionate man. He is nothing like the men Mike usually chooses, and that’s also refreshing.

The biggest part of the conflict is Mike’s porn career, because Mike doesn’t want to reveal it. As he and Tommy spend more time together, Mike realizes that he doesn’t want to lose Tommy in his life, and that’s happened too often once he reveals his career. So he keeps it quiet, but it is giant, hairy problem, especially once Tommy finds out.

The way this is dealt with is really excellent, however. Love had bloomed, and Tommy’s not sure what to do now. Can he deal with it? Should he have to? Expect a lot of tears, and some well-placed advice from seasoned bartenders.

The entire book is a fantastic journey. I really dug being in these guys brains. Mike has a real “Come-to-Tommy” moment and it made all his other decisions easier. The issues of being a career porn actor were so clearly described, I thought I was on set. I’ve read a few porn star books, and the “business” end of it is less glamorous that the normals (like me) imagine. Tommy has some family issues that were devastating, and, yet, uplifting. Ben and his family are the most awesome folk–and the end is so HEA it’ll rip the tears right out of your eyes.

Or maybe that was just me.

I gotta have more of these peeps, so I’m hoping to see a Ben book, or even a Kevin + Patrick book down the pike… Just sayin’!

Interested? You can find FIRST on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, AllRomance, and Barnes & Noble. It releases tomorrow, 9/21!

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About the Author:
Born and raised in the north-west of England, K.C. WELLS always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way. K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, when the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings—writing about men in love was even hotter….

K.C. now writes full-time and is loving every minute of her new career. The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes.

And as for those men in love that she writes about? The list of stories just waiting to be written is getting longer… and longer….

You can find K. C. online on her website, Facebook and twitter.

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