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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

excerpt

Oz by Lily Morton: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review

December 1, 2018 by Denise

What happens when temporary becomes forever?

Oz Gallagher does not do relationships well. Bored and jobless after another disastrous hook up, he decides to leave London for a temporary job in the wilds of Cornwall. Surely managing a stately home on a country estate will be easier than navigating the detritus of his relationships at home. Six months there will alleviate a bit of his wanderlust and then he can come back to London as footloose and fancy-free as the day he left it.

However, when he gets there he finds a house in danger of crumbling to the ground and a man who is completely unlike anyone he’s ever met. An earl belonging to a family whose roots go back hundreds of years, Silas is the living embodiment of duty and sacrifice. Two things that Oz has never wanted. He’s also warm and funny and he draws Oz to him like a magnet.

Oz banks on the fact that they’re from two very different worlds to stop himself falling for Silas. But what will he do when he realises that these differences are actually part of the pull to one another? Will falling in love be enough to make him stop moving at last and realise that he’s finally home?

OZ

A FINDING HOME NOVEL

LILY MORTON

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 11.20.18

COVER DESIGN: Natasha Snow Designs

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

 

That night at midnight I sit at the kitchen table looking over the mass of papers and plans and sheets of paper covered with my sprawling handwriting. I lift my glasses and rub my eyes and look again. No, still there.

I look down at my current huge shadow who is sitting by my chair and watching me with mournful brown eyes. “Are you waiting for me to start screaming, Chewwy, or just bored?”I ask conversationally. He stares at me for a long second and then gives a huge yawn which shows off his massive teeth. I shrug. “Okay, just bored.”

“I didn’t know you wore glasses.”

The deep voice coming from the kitchen door makes me jump. “Shit, you startled me.” I take my black-framed glasses off, feeling slightly self-conscious at being found talking to the dog. “I took my contact lenses out.”

Silas gives me an exhausted smile. “They suit you.”

He comes into the room fully and I look at the tired slump of his shoulders. “Have you been out on a call?”

He gives a jaw-cracking yawn that almost sets me off. “Horse birth that looked like it was about to go pear shaped.”

“Bugger. Was everything okay?”

He nods and grins. “One very pretty filly called Moonshine.”

“Aw, that’s pretty.” I pause. “So, while we had dinner you’ve had your hand up a horse’s vagina.” He nods, biting his lip in an attempt not to smile, and I grin. “After the dinner we had, I have to say your evening looks like it might have been better.”

A burst of laughter comes from him and I smile as he sinks into the chair opposite me. I can’t help the warm feeling I’m getting in my chest at making him laugh. Why, oh why, does he have to be so nice and sleepy looking?

His voice breaks into my thoughts. “How bad was it?”

I shudder. “We had beef casserole.”

He grimaces. “God, I feel your pain. Last time I forced that down I was ten and I had to eat it because my father believed in serving up leftovers until they were eaten.” I stare at him and he nods. “I had it for breakfast, lunch and supper.”

“Oh my God. Did you eat it in the end?”

“Did I, fuck. I gave it to Cyclops, our old bulldog. It made him sick, though, so I spent a whole night nursing him and mopping up vomit.” He pauses. “Which was still better than eating that shit.”

I laugh. “Is that where the desire to be a vet came from?”

He stares at the wall, deep in thought. “No. I just think that animals are better than humans for the most part. They’re simple. You love them and they love you back, and no matter how you fuck up they still love you. That’s loyalty for you.” He seems to come to and gives me an embarrassed look.

I sort of stumbled on Lily Morton a while ago and devoured the Mixed Messages series. So I was thrilled to see a new release. Oz is connected to the Mixed Messages series, but it is completely unnecessary to read them first.

So while I did like this book, I didn’t love it, and there were a few things that had me stuck. The book opens with Oz finding his boyfriend/boss in bed with someone else. Who he lives with. Or had lived with for like 3 weeks. And I think it was mentioned that he had the job for all of 6 weeks. Any mention of where he lived or worked previously isn’t mentioned at all. That was just odd.

Silas is a bit….wishy washy for me. He is an heir with a title, Lord Ashcroft, and a mansion but is also a full time veterinarian. Which is totally fine. But he doesn’t seem to really be passionate about either. Nothing about him really stood out.

Moving on, the book was fun and witty like the previous, but it seems like everyone around Oz absorbed his personality traits. Oz is a force to be reckoned with, but he shouldn’t overshadow everyone else.

I did like the slight age gap and that it wasn’t a focus at all. Instead the focus was more on the difference in class and background. Oz never giving himself enough credit just because he has a pedigree. And Silas trying hard to seem like a “normal guy”.

I enjoyed the story, but I felt it was lacking a bit. It seemed that the job that Oz was originally hired for wasn’t completed on page- not for nothing, but a big reveal, congrats, we did it chapter was necessary. Stronger characters would have worked better for me. But still a cute story.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Lily writes contemporary romance novels, and specialises in hot love stories with a good dose of humour.

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.

She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else could she get to spend her time with hot, funny men!

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.

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Filed Under: Blog Tours, Book Excerpts, Book Reviews, Giveaways, New Release Book Blast, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, Release Day Review, TCO Exclusives, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 3.5 stars, author, blog tour, book, excerpt, exclusive, gay, giveaway, lgbt, Lily Morton, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance

Lost and Found by Quin Perin: RDB, Exclusive Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

November 21, 2018 by Denise

He is…

half my age,

my son’s friend,

and he calls me Daddy.

I brought him to his knees until he did the same to me.

“He was like a greedy little puppy, trying to please me. And goddamn, I needed him to need me.”

A May/December Second Chance Romance with a sprinkle of Daddy Kink. After their first encounter in “Take it All”, Lost and Found explores how Dave and Carter’s relationship took root and blossomed.

As a standalone novella, Lost and Found features explicit adult m/m content, Daddy Kink, age gap as well as romantic elements. The book ends…well, let’s see how it ends, shall we?

Book Title: Lost and Found – A May/December Gay Romance

Author: Quin Perin

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist:X Potion Designs

Genre/s: Second Chance Gay Romance

Length: 21 500 words/80 pages

It is a standalone story.

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“Please,” Carter begged, tears in his eyes. Desperate, that’s what he was. The schedules I’d given him worked most of the time. But he needed the physical contact.

I released his hair and cupped his jaw, fingers digging into his cheeks. “You crossed a line, boy. Now go sit on the couch and think about what you’ve done before I do something I’ll regret.”

There it was again, that daring glimmer in his eyes. His hands almost touched the thick bulge I sported, but he knew better. He receded, never breaking eye contact while I nodded and praised him, “Good boy.”

It took another fifteen minutes to clean up the kitchen and cool down. I felt sick thinking about what had just happened. Our kinky connection almost exposed because Carter loved to play with fire. He wasn’t an ordinary submissive. Not like the ones I’d read about online. He was cheeky as fuck. But there he sat, with his head bent and his hands resting on his thighs, waiting for me to come over.

“I am sorry, Daddy,” he whispered when I rounded the couch and stood in front of him.

“Look at me.”

Staring up at me from the couch, he worried his bottom lip, chewing the right side of it until it was raw and swollen. I hated that habit.

“Stop biting your lip,” I ordered and brushed my thumb over it. The moment we connected, Carter’s eyes slid closed, and the tension seemed to flow from him. It’s what he needed, my touch, my affection.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured when I dipped my thumb into his mouth, pulling his lower lip down.

“You gonna make it up to Daddy?” Arousal was beating rage into submission, shutting off my brain. I needed to punish him as much as he needed me to do it. He’d won.

I made him undo my jeans. Which he did with such enthusiasm, I almost forgot the way he’d behaved. Next, he pulled down my briefs, letting my pulsing erection jut free. He tried to catch it with his mouth, but first it slid over his cheek, a string of precum landing there. I’d never seen anything sexier.

I moaned at the way he worked me into his mouth. That tight and warm heat. That goddamn tongue teasing me. I placed my hands on the back of his head, helping him to take in more. I’d never had someone suck my cock like they fucking loved it. Until Carter did exactly that. He slurped and moaned, his hands at the back of my thighs pulling me in deeper. He was going wild, bobbing and pumping and making my knees shake. I freed my balls while he went at it, blinking up with those big brown eyes, glazed with lust.

“You’re doing so good,” I rasped, “make it up to Daddy.”

His nose nuzzled my pubes, and my balls drew up tight, the tension spiking to new heights, ready to burst. But I didn’t let him finish me. Instead, I yanked him off, eliciting a surprised cry when I spun him around on the couch so his body splayed out on top of it. Carter scrambled, waving his ass at me as though it were my prize. Which it was. But he had to learn he couldn’t risk what we had. Not like that.

Without even undoing his loose-hanging jeans, I tore them down his legs. Another yelp. His underwear and pants pooled around his knees. Gazing over his shoulder with his bare ass on display, I straddled him, my wet cock bouncing with the movement, hanging out of my undone jeans. Carter tried to prop up onto his elbows, but I pinned him down, one hand slamming between his shoulder blades.

“Stay, boy!” I hissed and rubbed my free hand over the globes of his perfect ass. I’d never seen an ass like that, so round and taut and just…yeah, perfect.

Then, the spanking began.

Okay…. So, if you’re looking for daddy kink and filth, this is absolutely the book for you. If you’re looking for any kind of storyline…. I’d skip it.

So, Dave has a thing for his son’s best friend Carter. Carter also has a thing for his best friend’s dad, Dave. They also have a shared kink, Daddy/boy. Now, this goes on in secret for about two years, until Carter develops feelings and wants more from Daddy Dave. Instead of having a conversation about it, they end up in an argument about it that turns into a tantrum on both of their parts  I feel like, and Carter gets his feelings hurt…. Naturally, because Dave was kind of a jerk…. But he feels bad, so he apologizes, and then they have the whole argument all over again…. Same result.

Now, my biggest problem with this is… both guys were so immature. I could see where they were both coming from, but my goodness… have a conversation without throwing  hissy fit and stop jumping to conclusions that are so ridiculous… I wondered who the daddy was supposed to be, because Dave didn’t seem like the one who was put together, and they just seemed to be playing at Daddy/son, not really living it…. Although, it’s described as living it…

I felt like I was skimming for the most part, everything is just explained, I didn’t feel like I was living or even reading it… I was just reading about it… does that make sense? If you read it, you’ll understand.

The premise was awesome, I really like the trope, but this one just didn’t work for me. Years wasted over miscommunication and immaturity, feelings were hurt over lies and assumptions… it was just too much angst in such a small story.

3 pieces of eye candy from me

 

This is Quin&Perin. We are a team of Sultry Gay Romance writers who focus on detailed, toe-curling, and realistic smut scenes with a fair share of dirty talking (Oh, boy). Unlike other authors, we write without the goal of publishing anything. Publishing is just the cherry on top of a cream-covered bubble butt.

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Filed Under: Book Excerpts, Book Reviews, Giveaways, New Release Book Blast, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, Release Day Review, TCO Reviewer: Jennifer Tagged With: 3 stars, author, blog tour, book, excerpt, gay, giveaway, lgbt, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, novella, Quin & Perin, review, romance

Broken Halos (Queen City Rogues, Book 1) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

November 19, 2018 by Denise

Oliver Knight’s past is shrouded by sorrow and tragedy, but instead of hiding from it, Ollie owns his truth and uses his experiences to uplift others. As an out and proud pastor, he provides a safe place for LGBTQ Christians to gather and worship, and as a recovering addict, he counsels those pursuing sobriety. Ollie’s life is fulfilling but also a little lonely. He may not have a hard time meeting men, but he does have a hard time getting them to stick around once they discover his vocation.

Archie White is a former drag queen who hung up his stilettos to start an HIV transition home in the memory of someone he held near and dear to his heart. All work and no play has made Archie a very dull man, but he thinks his luck is about to change when a friend introduces him to a dark-eyed stranger. That is until he learns the man is a pastor. Archie detests anything to do with religion, and for very good reasons.

Archie’s gut tells him to run, and Ollie’s heart tells him to pursue. What can a pastor and a sometimes-queen possibly have in common? A desire to find unconditional love with someone who truly sees them. What happens next is the poignant, sweet, and sexy journey for two resilient hearts. Ollie and Archie’s halos might be battered and a little tarnished, but they’re definitely not broken.

Broken Halos is a charming story with heart, heat, and humor. Warning: these characters and their quirky sidekicks may take up permanent residence in your heart, so proceed with caution. Each book in the Queen City Rogues series can be read as part of the series or as a standalone novel. This book contains sexually explicit material and colorful language intended for adults 18 and older.

BROKEN HALOS

Queen City Rogues, Book 1

AIMEE NICOLE WALKER

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 11.07.18 

PHOTOGRAPHER: Wander Aguiar

COVER ARTIST:  Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art

MODEL: Bijan

 

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

It wasn’t my first time walking into a bowling alley, but it was the first time I showed up on a league night. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what I found when I strolled through the alley looking for Ollie’s team. There was trash talking going on between the lanes, and each team wore customized shirts with their team name embroidered on the back with a logo and their first names stitched on the front. The color and style of shirts varied from bold and brash to ugly and boring.

Ollie’s team was easy to spot due to Andy’s enormous height. Their shirts were a silky black button-up with the name Broken Halos embroidered on the back in gold with a crooked halo hanging over the “o”in halo. I had no doubt Ollie came up with the team name and design. I had to admit it was adorable, but not more adorable than the pastor who filled it out so nicely. The silk shirt draped over his shoulders and caressed his pecs. The hem of it ended above the curve of his denim-covered ass. I should’ve turned around and left as soon as my mouth started watering, except Ollie turned just then and spotted me. The smile spreading across his face was equal parts welcoming and wolfish and too fucking hard to resist.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, Golden Boy,”I said in greeting. “I’m just here to offer Milo cuddles when he makes a fool of himself.”

The remark got a snort out of Ollie, an eye roll from Andy, and knee-slapping laughs out of the Frat Boys, as Milo called them. Milo himself just looked at me with disappointment for a few seconds before he crooked his finger for me to follow him. He only went far enough to get us out of earshot which wasn’t hard to do since there was more noise inside this bowling alley than the last Pride parade I attended in NYC.

“What are you doing here?”Milo asked firmly. “Don’t give me any bullshit about supporting me and my pitiful bowling because I’m most likely the best bowler in this building.”

“Milo, come now,”I said, smiling sweetly at him. “I love your confidence, but there are times it’s misplaced.”

“I guess you’ll watch and see won’t you,”he said cheekily. “Don’t fuck Ollie over, Archie. He’s missed you like fucking crazy this past month, but he’d eventually get over his attraction to you.”

This one is a little difficult for me to review. It was a good story and I liked the characters, but it was a lot of religion for me. One of the main characters is a pastor, so duh, right? Eh, not necessarily. I’ve read quite a few books with a main character being some sort of “man of the cloth” and it was fine. For me, this was a lot.

If you take the religion out of it, or a lot of the religion out of it, I would like it a lot more. But those are my own biases.

We briefly met Archie and Ollie in a previous series. Both are damaged for different reasons and both deal with it differently. Ollie is looking for the love he craves, Archie hides from the love he thinks he doesn’t deserve.

Once they get together, though, there is no denying their chemistry.

Archie is VERY anti-religion. Which, based on his background, I totally get. It’s why he initially runs from Ollie. But he also plays games with Ollie. I wouldn’t have put up with it. But, hey, that’s me. And once Archie and Ollie get together, he seems to cave on the religion thing fairly easily.

Ollie is almost TOO good. I see that he is trying to undo the wrongs of his past and he is after all, a pastor. But would a pastor really bend over a spanking bench on stage at a gay bar for a drag queen to spank him?

So like I said, a tough review for me. Because I liked the story and the characters, but there were things that just bugged me. And it was a bit too preachy for me, the avowed militant atheist.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

I am a wife and mother to three kids, three dogs, and a cat. When I’m not dreaming up stories, I like to lose myself in a good book, cook or bake. I’m a girly tomboy

who paints her fingernails while watching sports and yelling at the referees.

I will always choose the book over the movie. I believe in happily-ever-after. Love inspires everything that I do. Music keeps me sane.

 

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Filed Under: Blog Tours, Book Excerpts, Book Reviews, Giveaways, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 3.5 stars, Aimee Nicole Walker, author, blog tour, book, excerpt, gay, giveaway, lgbt, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review

Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert: Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

November 15, 2018 by Denise

One hard-nosed military police officer.

One overly enthusiastic elf.

One poorly timed snowstorm.

Is it a recipe for disaster? Or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for holiday romance?

Teddy MacNally loves Christmas and everything that goes along with it. When he plays an elf for his charity’s events, he never expects to be paired with a Scrooge masquerading as Santa Claus. His new mission: make the holiday-hating soldier believe he was born to say ho-ho-ho.

Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa, but he’s army to his blood. When his CO asks an unusual favor, Nick of course obliges. The elf to his Kris Kringle? Tempting. Too tempting—Nick’s only in town for another month, and Teddy’s too young, too cheerful and too nice for a one-night stand.

The slow, sexy make-out sessions while Teddy and Nick are alone and snowbound, though, feel like anything but a quick hookup. As a stress-free holiday fling turns into Christmas all year round, Teddy can’t imagine his life without Nick. And Nick’s days on the base may be coming to a close, but he doesn’t plan on leaving anything, or anyone, behind.

Publisher: Carina Press (Harlequin)

Release Date (Print & Ebook): Ebook: Monday November 12, 2018; Print (mmp): Tuesday November 27, 2018

Length (Print & Ebook): Ebook: 288; Print (mmp): 288

Subgenre: Contemporary Romance, Male/Male Romance, Holiday Romance, Military Romance

Amazon

Carina Press

Barnes & Noble

 

“Hey, I’m happy for the company,” Teddy reassured him. “I’d just hate having to find another backup Santa because this one froze to death for not knowing the area. But just watch, by next year, you’ll be as prepared as any native.”

Nick took a spoonful of stew and swallowed before answering. “Won’t be here next year, sorry.”

“Oh. Being moved to another base?” Teddy was hit with a brief pang, which was ridiculous. The military moved people all the time, and like Charlie said, people left. No surprise here.

“No. Retiring. Last day is December 22nd.”

“Retiring? You’re only fortyish right? Isn’t that a bit young?”

“Ish.” Nick’s tone stayed bland, mouth not curving into a smile. “Forty-six. And almost thirty years of service is positively ancient in military terms. I’ve done pretty much everything an enlisted person can do—pretty rare for us to stay on after getting our twenty years of service. I’m a dinosaur at twenty-eight years in. Most of my friends left at twenty, but I was set on making sergeant major, so I stayed in.”

“So what will you do? Go back to school? Civilian law enforcement? Some new dream to chase?” Teddy leaned forward, eager to hear Nick’s big plans.

“Too old to go back to school.” Nick waved a hand dismissively. “And no dreams. All I ever wanted was to be a cop. Joined the military police because we couldn’t afford college, and I liked the idea of being in the service and still being able to be a cop. Then I set my sights on advancing. Last goal was to make sergeant major, and I did that, so no complaints.”

Teddy liked listening to Nick talk, but he was a bit disheartened by how…defeated he sounded. Like he’d battled Father Time and time had won and now he had no choice but to move on. And that was damn sad. He said he had no complaints, but Teddy could read between the lines well enough to see that Nick didn’t want to retire.

“But you can still be a cop. I bet there’s not a law enforcement agency in the country that wouldn’t be happy to have you. Hell, you could even do FBI or Secret Service—”

“Slow down, Teddy.” Nick smiled, the first one Teddy had really seen from him, this one accompanied by a subtle head shake. But Teddy could take the censure—the smile was damn worth it. Broad with both cheek and chin dimples, it took Nick from “scary giant man” to “Hollywood action star” in a single upward slant of his lips. “You sure know how to dream big. And I’ve thought about civilian law enforcement. I’ve even got the degrees they all want, but in the end, I think I’m just too old a dog to learn new tricks.”

Tis the season for Christmas stories! And for me there is no better way than with a book by one of my favorite authors.

This story deviated from her norm in that it was set in upstate NY (not the Pacific Northwest or San Diego) and it featured an Army MP (not a Navy Seal). And it was adorable.

Nick is in his last month of active duty as an Army mp before he retires. Sounds like he was pushed into retirement, but I don’t think it was ever explained why. And without giving anything away, the events surrounding the tragedy in Nick’s family was never really explained either. Small details most probably won’t notice.

Teddy runs a non-profit in his home town. A hometown that seems to be overrun by his extended family. Nick is persuaded to help Teddy and the non profit by dressing as Santa for some pictures and other events leading up to Christmas.

To say Nick and Teddy are polar opposites is putting it mildly. Nick is super grumpy, minimalistic, isn’t close to his family and doesn’t care about the holidays. And he much prefers sun and surf to snow and ice. Teddy is a do-gooder, perpetually happy, is ridiculously close to his family and adores the holidays.

I loved Teddy’s confidence. He puts himself out there with Nick and when he is turned down he doesn’t get all mopey and feeling sorry for himself. He just continues on. The way he slowly insinuated himself into Nick’s life as a friend was super cute.

And then they did get together and wow. That would melt the snow on the roof.

I appreciated that the book included Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve in the story line. It was a fairly happy, low angst book with all of the holiday and family feels.

4 Pieces of Candy

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series include the #OutOfUniform, #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat, #RainbowCove and #PerfectHarmony series.

To find out what she’s working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: annabethalbert.com or connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.

Connect with Annabeth Albert:

  • Website: http://annabethalbert.com/
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The Kinsey Scale by CJane Elliott: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

November 14, 2018 by Denise

Life is good for Eric Brown. He’s a senior theater major, an RA for a freshman dorm, and has a great circle of friends. Single since sophomore year, Eric isn’t looking for love. But then Will Butler—fellow senior, co-RA, and the cutest guy Eric’s ever seen—walks into his dorm. Will has a girlfriend he sees off campus—a minor disappointment that becomes a major problem when a housing shortage causes Will and Eric to become roommates, and Eric is forced to witness Will’s hotness day in and day out. For protection, Eric asks Jerry, his ex-boyfriend, to pretend they’re still together. Jerry warns him it’s a stupid idea, but he reluctantly agrees.

Too bad it won’t save Eric from losing his heart.

Will Butler has never believed in himself. His dysfunctional family saw to that. Although Will has loved music since childhood, he’s never seriously considered pursuing it, and the person he’s dating doesn’t encourage him. Then he and Eric Brown become roommates, and everything changes. Eric believes in Will and his talent. He’s also gorgeous and playful and fast becoming Will’s best friend. And that’s not good, because Will is hiding some big things, not only from Eric, but from himself.

Title: The Kinsey Scale
Series: Campus Connections
Author: CJane Elliott
Release Date: November 9, 2018
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 78

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Hello, all! CJane Elliott here to share my new release, The Kinsey Scale. Thank you to the Two Chicks for hosting me on The Kinsey Scale Blog Tour.

Our heroes, Eric and Will, started out seemingly opposite in interests and temperament. But when they become co-RAs for a freshman dorm and have to room together, they slowly get close – so close that Eric’s ex Jerry warns Eric that he thinks Will is falling for him. Eric, confident in his belief that Will is straight, laughs it off.

In today’s blog tour stop I’ve brought you an exclusive excerpt that takes place in early March after Jerry tells Eric of his suspicion about Will’s feelings. Eric and Will have been roommates for months by now and they’re having some deep conversations. In this one, Eric talks about how coming out made him aware of his “tribe” of like-minded weirdos. Will has a surprising response.

“Hey, roomie!”

Eric jumped. Will had snuck up behind their usual spot in the student lounge and spoken loudly right into his ear.

“Agh! Stop doing that.” Eric peered around as Will snickered and settled himself into the adjoining armchair. “Where’s your shadow?”

“Amber? I think I shook her off.” Will snuck a glance behind him. “Warn me if she comes in.”

“Allison probably took her down with a single karate chop. Cat fight over William!” Eric laughed a little too loudly. Will gave him his “are you nuts?” look.

Eric had been watching Will like a hawk ever since Jerry’s revelation. Hung up on him? Eric couldn’t see it, but it was enough to put him on edge, enough to make him even more aware of how attracted he was to Will. Still, he should cool it with the corny hetero jokes. Jerry told him he was overcompensating.

Will stretched and yawned. “Ready to go over the kids?”

Eric checked to make sure the coast was clear of Hutchinson residents. He and Will did a weekly review of each of their freshmen. It helped detect any budding issues or concerns they needed to address. “Yep. You got the list?”

“Yep.” Will pulled out a piece of paper. “Abby.”

“Hmm. I haven’t seen her around much lately. How about you?”

“She came to that get-together thingy we had a few weeks ago and seemed okay.”

Eric swatted Will’s knee. “Thingy? You mean our ‘Yay, we made it through February’ bash, emceed by the Dynamic Duo, aka us?”

Will smirked. “Yeah. That. Okay, next is Alex.”

“He’s fine.”

“Agreed. Andrew.”

“Andrew worries me.” Eric said that every week. He thought about the slight effeminate kid who was so clearly on the rainbow spectrum and yet hadn’t come out to anyone as far as Eric knew. Andrew was a loner and sometimes the target of bullying by the frat guys. Will and Eric worked hard to slap that nonsense down as soon as it erupted. They also traded off checking in with Andrew daily, dropping by his room, trying to seem casual about it.

“Yeah.” Will knit his eyebrows. “Not much we can do beyond what we’re already doing.”

“I wish he’d come out and get it over with,” Eric blurted and then bit his lip.

Will’s face got red. “Why? It could make more problems for him. Like if his family’s homophobic, they could throw him out. He’s already getting heat from the frat assholes.”

“But he’d find friends inside the queer community. God knows there’s enough of us around.”

“You’re the one who’s always saying people need to come out when they’re ready and not to push them.” Will’s voice rose, and he seemed to be getting upset, which was unusual for chill Will.

“I know, I know. It’s cool. I’d never force him. But I remember when I came out. I was around his age, and it was so liberating. It helped me find my tribe.”

“Your tribe?”

“You know—all the other weirdos and nonconformists. Queers. Artists and creative types. The fringe of society, the marginalized swath of humanity.”

Will snorted. “Very poetic. But as white males, you have to admit we’re privileged compared to, say, a black trans woman.”

“And as a straight white male you’re the most privileged of all,” Eric shot back, then regretted it when Will’s expression grew thunderous. “Sorry. Why are we even having this fight?”

Will dropped his shoulders with a wry smile. “Yeah. I don’t even know. I guess I felt left out of your tribe or something.”

“Are you kidding? You qualify on general coolness. Plus, duh… you’re a creative type, remember? Songwriter and singer. And you have to admit you’re kind of weird, which I love.”

“Aw, jeez.” Will blushed and looked pleased. “You say the nicest things.”

A swelling of emotion formed a lump in Eric’s throat. He wished… he didn’t know what he wished. Will was cool, creative, weird, and so fricking attractive, especially right that moment. “I only say the truth, roomie.” He shifted in his seat. “Hey, let’s get back to the list. I have dress rehearsal soon.”

Come on, boys, you’ve stretched this out long enough! I’m happy to say everything comes to a head soon after this conversation, and these guys will take the bumpy road to their happy ending.

The Kinsey Scale by CJane Elliott is my first read by this author. The story follows two college RA’s who become roommates when no other options are available, and eventually are glad that they have one room together. 😉 It takes some time during their senior year, but eventually they get their HFN.

I enjoyed the story, although it was a slow burn. Eric believed that Will was straight, and he himself had been out for quite a while, so going back in the closet was not an option. Will, meanwhile, wasn’t quite as forthcoming with where he fit on the Kinsey Scale, until the subject came up in a group conversation, and then things become a bit more transparent. There is a bit of heat later in the book, but for most of the book, they aren’t able to get themselves to the right place to give it a shot.

As Eric used his ex to try to push off the temptation of Will, Will was learning that he had not allowed himself to be in a situation that was beneficial to him, and was trying to move on from that previous relationship.

This was a short, sweet story that wrapped up easily with not too much angst for the characters. I’d definitely read the next book in the series.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

 

After years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJane Elliott finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane enjoys writing sexy, passionate stories that also explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.

CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming-out stories. In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her family supports her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.

CJane is the author of the award-winning Serpentine Series, New Adult contemporary novels set at the University of Virginia. Serpentine Walls was a 2014 Rainbow Awards finalist, Aidan’s Journey was a 2015 EPIC Awards finalist, and Sex, Love, and Videogames won first place in the New Adult category in the 2016 Swirl Awards and first place in Contemporary Fiction in the 2017 EPIC eBook Awards.

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http://www.cjaneelliott.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cjane.elliott

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cjaneelliott@gmail.com

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Hawaii Five Uh-Oh by Z.A. Maxfield: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

November 13, 2018 by Denise

Sarcastic cop Theo Hsu returns home to Hawai‘i after realizing he wants more from his life, and also, less. He hopes to reconnect with his past and make amends with his mother, who remarried a cool, distant man, leaving Theo unsure where he stands.

It doesn’t take him long to figure out where he wants to stand, though: right next to his childhood best friend, tattooed detective Koa Palapiti. Theo would like to upgrade their relationship, but Koa is putting out some seriously mixed signals. It’s a mystery Theo can’t let go, but just as they start to connect, kidnapping, murder, and a deadly game with international stakes get in the way. Koa wants to keep Theo out of it, and if it comes to a choice between him and Koa’s partner, Freddie Ortiz, Theo doesn’t like his chances.

But even if Koa wants to push him out of the investigation, and his life, Theo still has a few tricks up his sleeve. It’ll take all his special gifts, ingenuity, risk-taking, family ties—and even some kinky undercover work—to save the day… and the man he never should’ve let get away.

Title: Hawaii Five Uh-Oh
Series: Plummet to Soar: Book 2
Author: Z.A. Maxfield
Release Date: November 13, 2018
Category: Mystery/Suspense, Light BDSM
Pages: 196

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Hi everyone! Thanks so much for welcoming me to the Two Chicks Obsessed Blog.

My Plummet to Soar books are a series of barely related books, super loosely based around “Plummet To Soar”, a fictional self-help book written by Mackenzie Detweiler, who fell from a tourist helicopter and lived to tell the tale.

Each of the books features some person touched by reading Plummet to Soar, for good or ill, whose life has changed because they were forced to rethink what they have, and what they truly want.

Today, I thought I’d share five things you might not know about each of the main characters, starting with Theo Hsu:

  1. Theo’s father forced him to take combat martial arts and play the violin all through school. Sometimes dirty fighting got in the way of orchestra class. He liberated himself from the instrument by giving it to a homeless guy in Madison the day after he graduated from the police academy.
  2. Once, on a dare, Theo dug a cold hole and spent the night in it. His island-born ass nearly froze off but he discovered it was true–you could use ice to insulate yourself from brutal weather, as long as you did it right.
  3. As a kid, Theo and his best friend Koa used to write adventure stories together. When they were tweens, the stories got a little more intense, and some carried the flavor of Theo’s kinkier longings. What Koa doesn’t know is long after he moved, Theo kept writing. He would often take the stories and put them in envelopes, address them to Koa, but then chicken out. He burned them all in a backyard fire before he moved to Bear Lake, Wisconsin for his first job.
  4. Theo likes to have his feet rubbed, but not tickled. He can’t stand to be tickled, anywhere. Even his hair is ticklish.
  5. Once, Theo got stuck in his squad car, beneath a giant statue of Babe the Blue Ox, in a snowstorm, with Mackenzie Detweiler and his kleptomaniac lover JD in the back getting busy. FML!

And Koa!

  1. Koa’s family wasn’t wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. To get by, his mother decided she should probably get a job. Her friends begged her to make the candies she always gave as gifts available at local craft fairs and swap meets. Soon, demand far outstripped the amount she could make by herself. What Theo won’t tell you is he’s at least as good a candy maker, maybe even better, than his Auntie La-La, who took over the business when his mother died. He helps out during holidays and other brisk business seasons, and also, whenever he needs to destress.
  2. Koa enjoys all kinds of water sports—surfing, stand up paddle-boarding, and kayaking, but his favorite is paddling through big waves as part of an outrigger team. That’s when he closes his eyes and pretends he’s one of original navigators of Oceania, and there’s nothing but the sea, the stars, and his fellow teammates finding adventure together.
  3. Koa gets weekly mani-pedis because he’s a vain bastard. He sneaks outside Waikiki to a place where nobody knows who he is because he’d hear all about it from his partner Freddie and the rest of the crew in the bullpen if they caught him. He likes his toenails cut square, his hands moisturized, and his fingernails buffed to a high sheen, thanks.
  4. Koa’s family is an amalgam of the many different people who make up Oceania, but Koa is acutely aware he’s not a true native of Hawai’i. He belongs to the Islands. He believes he fits in. But there’s always a yearning inside him that will go unfulfilled. To make up for it, Koa tries a hundred percent harder to be faithful to the motto: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
  5. At Theo’s mother urging, both Koa and Theo took up cultural dance. But Theo’s dad forced him to quit early on. Koa kept at it, even after Theo left the Islands. It was hard work, and there was no real reason for him to do it without Theo, except he was good at it, it pleased his Theo’s mom and, most especially, Koa plays a long game. Dance was a carefully calculated strategy to remain close to Theo and keep involved with his family. In that way, Koa bided his time until Theo came back. And it worked, because Theo’s mom asked him to pick Theo up from the airport when he returned, making him the first person from the past Theo laid eyes on.

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of insight into the characters from Hawai’i Five Uh-oh! It’s a bit romance, a bit suspense, and a whole lot ZAM!

I hope you read Hawai’i Five Uh-oh—and don’t forget to review it on your favorite review sites! Reviews really do make a book visible to a wider audience. They help me, my publisher, and gay romance as a genre in general! Many thanks in advance!

Thanks again,

ZAM

Koa glanced his way. “Pics or it didn’t happen.”

“I never did it,” Theo admitted. “I’m saying it’s theoretically possible.”

Silence stretched out between them again. It was a long ride, and as Koa drove, Theo flew his hand out the window and marked the buildings he remembered. So much had changed. He’d changed.

When they pulled into Theo’s mother’s driveway, Koa turned to him. “I hope you don’t mind, I don’t have time to come in. Say hi to your mom.”

“Okay.” Disappointment warred with relief in Theo’s heart. Relief came out a winner. The last thing he needed was disinterested bystanders. “Pop the locks, I’ll just get my things from the back.”

He stepped down, went around, and hauled his things out. From the outside pocket of the lightest one, he pulled a signed copy of Plummet to Soar. He’d put it there to give to his mother because he’d assumed she’d pick him up. He had other gifts for her, so it didn’t matter.

“Hey, brother.” He smiled awkwardly and waved for Koa to roll down the window. “Present for you.”

“Mahalo. Really?” Surprised, he took it and gave it a quick perusal. “Hey, it’s autographed to you. You sure?”

Theo nodded. “That book changed a lot of things for me. I hope you enjoy it.”

Koa’s dark eyes—when he lifted his gaze—held some earnest question Theo couldn’t begin to answer. They widened. “I don’t suppose you ever figured out what happened at the end of that thing you were writing…?”

“You remember that shit?” He said the words like Sheesh, who remembers? As if he hadn’t just been thinking that very thing. Obviously now he understood what those ridiculous stories were, but at the time?

Looking back, Theo blushed with shame.

Koa gave his lower lip a quick nibble. Theo’s dick sat up and got ready to beg. Down, boy. “I think when last I read, our plucky heroes were in a Malay prison.” Koa glanced at him. “Sentenced for a crime they didn’t commit.”

“Tunneling their way to freedom.” Theo nodded. “One of those boys always got himself jammed up, and the other saved the day.”

“Well, you write what you know.” Koa was laughing at him.

Theo didn’t take lead and he wasn’t much of a follower. Sidekick was more his style. But in those stupid stories, he always, always saved the day. Maybe with Koa he’d wanted to try taking the lead….

Koa asked, “Wasn’t one of them about to be caned?”

“Yeah?” Theo admitted hoarsely. At the time, news stories of corporal punishment—as applied to dumb Westerners in places like Malaysia and Taiwan—had fired his imagination, for a lot of reasons. Some not so wholesome.

Koa snorted. “You dug writing that dark shit. The beatings. The extra, extra tight male bonding. Admit it.”

“Hell yeah.” Motherfucker. You went there. I cannot believe you went there the second you saw him again. “I never finished writing any of those. But there’s always time, you know?”

Koa glanced over again. This time, unmistakably, he checked Theo out. “Maybe you should.”

Holy mother. Had Koa just…?

Did he just…?

Koa’s SUV was well clear of his mother’s property before Theo had the words to respond.

 

A Plummet to Soar Story

Feckless, luckless, and charming, Mackenzie Detweiller is the author of a self-help book one reviewer calls “the most misbegotten motivational tool since Mein Kampf.” He’s maneuvered himself into a career as a life coach, but more often than not, his advice is bad. Really bad.

It’s even getting people hurt… and Mackenzie sued.

It falls to Mackenzie’s long-suffering acquisitions editor, JD Chambers, to deliver the bad news. He chooses to do so face-to-face—to see if the spark he senses between them is real when they’re together in the flesh. Unfortunately, a snowstorm, a case of nerves, a case of mistaken identity, and finally a murder get in the way of a potential enemies-to-lovers romance.

There are many, many people who have good reason to want Mackenzie dead. JD must find out which one is acting on it before it’s too late for both of them.

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Z.A. Maxfield started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized, and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories: Unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.

If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”Links:

Website: http://www.zamaxfield.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorZ.A.Maxfield
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ZAMaxfield

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zamaxfield/?hl=en
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2738500.Z_A_Maxfield

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2A01S43

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/z-a-maxfield

Giveaway: box with Hawai’ian Island-related items, valued at 25.00
Shipping: DOMESTIC ONLY

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