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Nothing Special VII: EX Meridian by A.E. Via: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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A.E. Via is back again today, and bringing her oh so alpha guys for the next installment of the Nothing Special series, EX Meridian. I love Adrienne’s stories, because they are gritty, full of heart, and all the demons that these men battle daily. Also, I have to say, she is honestly one of the most lovely people you ever would meet, if you get the chance. Check out her post, excerpt, and grab the book! Don’t forget to enter the fantastic giveaway!

Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle. 

Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machine—now imagine two of them.

Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficiently—lethally—together.

When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly.

“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”

Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”

But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that they’ve been forced to suppress for years.

Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”

No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a HEA.
Note: This is a partners-to-lovers, out-for-you, action romance.

Title:  Nothing Special VII: Ex Meridian

Series: Nothing Special

Author: A.E. Via

M/M Action Romance

Edited by: Sue Laybourn

Cover Artist – Jay Aheer

PAGE COUNT – 302

Official Release Date: February 24, 2020

Amazon

Universal Buy Link 

Hello Friends!!

I want to thank Denise so much for welcoming me back to promote another new release here on Two Chicks! My MM action/romance novel entitled – Nothing Special VII: EX Meridian – released on February 24th is already getting amazing reviews. I’m so excited to bring you the seventh installment in the award-winning, best-selling Nothing Special series.

I really can’t wait to introduce my new dark alphas into this series. I’ve had Ex and Meridian on my mind for a while but didn’t know if I was going to give them a standalone or a series. But the moment I heard God talking, I knew I had to give him the challenge. My assassins are dark and beautiful in the most nonconventional way. You don’t see their appeal immediately… you have to fall for them first.

I’m hoping that Ex and Meridian’s characters in this installment will be ones that readers can empathize with and relate to. We all have inner struggles, demons, or simply our conscience that we fight with daily. But, true to my style, these men experience inner battles to the fifth power.

I’m used to writing stories about characters that are real, men that you might actually meet in your neighborhood, in your grocery store, or your local police department. Stories that are genuine and relatable. But, then sometimes I want to just give you a balls-to-the-wall, fast and furious ride.

This book is about highly complex MCs that will take the readers through lots of twists and unexpected surprises. I haven’t written four POVs in one book in almost a year, and I must say it was a pleasurable challenge.

Be sure to follow me on social media, or sign-up for my newsletter to never miss another release.

Happy Reading!

xoxoxox

Adrienne V.

“Calm down, Cash. You don’t know if anything is—”

“You’re right! I don’t know! How the fuck could I do that, Leo?” God paced back and forth in the tight confines of the empty bathroom while he had a small conniption.

“Cashel. Stop it. You made a judgment call and you—”

“Against your judgment.” God ran his hand through his hair, looking at him apologetically. “How could I do that?”

Day couldn’t stand to see his partner like this—doubting himself to the point where it was making him frantic. And he understood why. He hadn’t wanted his husband to tell Ex and Meridian that Joseph was staying at their enforcers—Ruxs and Green’s—house until it was time to give his recorded statement. None of them trusted him staying in a safe house with some other random cops.

“Ruxs and Green were home all night… nothing happened. Hart has a couple of his men over there now and it’s all clear. You got this, okay. The kid’s gonna stay safe.”

“I just… there was something about that guy,” God said, standing with his head down and his hands braced on the sink.

Day came and stood behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Which one?”

“Ex.” God shook his head. “There was this kind of pain in his eyes. This case is personal for him.”

“So, why’d you tell him?”

“I just got a gut feeling that something is going to happen, Leo. Something bad, something we can’t defeat… and we’re gonna need them.”

Day turned his husband around so he could see him. “Look at me.”

He waited as God began to relax in his hold the longer he stared at him. Day gave him a slow smile. “That’s better.”

God bent until their foreheads touched. “We shouldn’t be in here like this.”

“It’s okay,” Day whispered. “It’s okay to take five minutes for yourself.”

God squeezed his waist and pulled him closer. He buried his face in his neck and groaned. “Sweetheart. Please tell me I didn’t just make the biggest mistake of my career.”

Day smoothed his hands over his ponytail. “You didn’t make a mistake… you may’ve just saved one of our lives. We trust you, God. I trust you.”

“C’mere,” God said roughly, then took his mouth.

Day let his husband lose himself for a couple of minutes as the kiss turned passionate.

Why do I love these books? They are like action movies in book form. I am not the biggest fan of action movies, but I can’t stop reading (and then listening) to these books.

This latest installment brings in two brand new characters. Ex and Meridian. They are partners working for the government on black ops. Trained assassins who do the dirty work you never hear about to keep the world safe. To that end, they are officially dead. For Meridian who has no family, that is fine. But for Ex, with a younger brother and mother it is harder. Especially when his brother is the innocent victim of a drive by shooting.

Enter God and Day. This is on their turf. They want justice but they are being thwarted at every turn. When Ex and Meridian think the Atlanta PD aren’t doing their jobs, they quietly interfere. Until they aren’t so quiet.

Two pairs of big ole alpha men. Hot. Two of them already a couple, the other two dancing around it. SUPER HOT. If I encountered their machismo in real life I would roll my eyes. On the page though? Damn.

There was a good story line in there as well. Drug dealers, corruption, pay offs. The ending- wow. Seeing these men as real humans who get scared. It gave me feels.

I’d love to see more of Ex and Meridian, but I doubt it. But the door was definitely left open for more of God and Day and their crew,

4 pieces of eye candy

This story was overwhelming and intense and as much as I love this series, these guys and all the guys of God and Day’s team. I actually had to put it down a couple of times to get rid of the pit in my gut. I was ON EDGE, y’all.

These guys make God, Day and their crew of rowdy boys, look like kittens compared to America’s most savage defenders. Ex and his partner Meridian are the typs of guys you only hear about in movies. Jason Bourne type guys, chemically and physically modified to be killing machines for our country. They’re the baddest of the bad, because they’re basically robots… or they should be… but when Ex’s baby brother is killed in God’s neck of the woods, the guys go rogue in order to exact vengeance on his killers.

And oooh, what a ride it is. These two have been through everything together, but being off on their own without their handler in their ear, and Ex going through the loss of one of the only few people in the world who ever meant something to him, was messing with his head. He felt it.

That opened up all kinds of feelings he didn’t know he possessed, and the biggest of that, aside from anger, guilt and pure rage at the persons responsible for his brother’s death, is his love and need for his partner, Meridian. And it wasn’t one sided, Mere would do anything for Ex, including this off the radar mission to get justice for Ex’s baby brother.

Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as getting in, getting messy and getting out… no, they’ve got dirty DA’s, dirty cops and God and Day’s crew to get around, because as we know, if anything goes on in God’s city, he knows about it and he and his guys go above and beyond to stop it. Except this time, there’s a couple of rogue Ravens they’re unsure about, though they don’t know how dangerous these guys are at first…

I wish I could tell you this whole story, I feel like I could talk about it forever.. but I won’t, because it needs to be experienced like it was for me. We see all the guys and their guys, we get the guns and explosions, but it’s more intense because these guys don’t have rules. They don’t have red tape, they don’t have anyone to answer to… not even God and Day. They don’t have to be clean and by the book. They get in, they get messy and they get out, before anyone even knows they’ve been there. It was impressive and scary and it makes you think about how real these kinds of guys are and how terrifying it would be to come face to face with one, but how badly I want to do it anyway.

What a frickin ride this one. I’m still flummoxed lol I’m impressed and I cannot wait for Fox and Bull. Every book is my new favorite, though I still have such a soft spot for Ruxs and Green, and it didn’t change after this one, especially after how big this story played a part with them… They’ll forever be my favorite, but these guys, Ex and Meridian are coming in a hot, close second. And I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing more of them in the future, too. I hope we do anyway.

Overall, an amazing read. I wouldn’t suggest skipping any book in this series, but if you do… make sure it isn’t this one. All the stars from me!

5 pieces of eye candy

A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay literature for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great, new up and coming MM authors.

A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her. Writing.

A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is well-known for her hardcore, love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.

Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com  for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48195130-bishop

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

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Saving Rafe (Lords of Discord #2) by Jocelynn Drake: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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I’m so excited for today’s guest post! She’s definitely one of my fave authors, as she creates worlds so well, and always has some sort of “boom” in them. 😉 Jocelynn Drake is here talking about Saving Rafe, and where she started when she created the Lords of Discord series. There’s also a fantastic excerpt from Saving Rafe that is super sexy. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

 

The troublemaker. The risk taker. The sexy club owner full of wicked promises.

Rafe has devoted his immortal existence to pleasure and causing mischief.

The only ones who can depend on him are his brothers. Of course, that’s very much a Varik thing.

But when the leader of the Arsenault clan specifically requests Rafe’s help in tracking down a killer, he can’t say no.

Sure, Rafe claims he’s doing it for his family. They’ve attracted too many enemies and could use a few allies.

That’s not the whole truth, though.

There’s something about Philippe Arsenault that draws Rafe in. He wants more of Philippe. The vampire leaves him longing for another second in his presence, another taste of his lips, another caress of those perfect fingers.

Yet when it’s all over, what will become of Philippe and Rafe? Because Philippe will always be an Arsenault, and Rafe will always be a Varik.

Saving Rafe is the second book in an MM paranormal romance series that has vampires, betrayal, annoying brothers, music, heartbreak, hope, sexy times, and a pair of star-crossed lovers.

Title:  Saving Rafe

Series: Lords of Discord #2

Author: Jocelynn Drake

Publisher:  Indie

Release Date: March 6, 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 105000

Genre: Romance, paranormal romance

Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Claiming Marcus (Book in the Lords of Discord series)

A Different Kind of Vampire By Jocelynn Drake

I have loved vampires forever. From Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Anne Rice’s Lestat to Kerrelyn Sparks’ cuddly, sexy vampires to Lynsay Sands’ Atlantean vampires. I love them when they are mindless, blood-sucking killing machines and I love them when they are brooding, tortured souls who just need a hug.

One of the hardest and most exciting questions when starting a new vampire series is: What kind of vampire do you want?

Mindless killer?

Tortured soul?

Just a regular guy with diet restrictions?

Are you going to follow all the old school rules of garlic, mirrors, church relics, and a stake through the heart?

Are they superhuman with great healing, speed, and mind control?

Sadly, you can’t do it all because you’re likely to end up with a mess.

When I was creating my vampires for the Dark Days series, I went with a lot of the traditional rules and myths. They were superhuman and couldn’t go into churches. They were incredibly fast and great healers. And could even do a little mind control. But they were dead during the daylight hours.

When I decided to tackle the Lords of Discord series, I thought I’d pull back on the powers just a little and make my vampires slightly more human. Oh, they are still good at healing, but it takes a little longer than blink an eye and the wound is gone.

The vampires in the Lords of Discord can eat regular food. They just don’t need to. It’s more for pleasure than sustenance.

They are also awake during the daylight hours, but their severe allergy to the sun continues.

And when it comes to powers, that’s where the fun stuff kicks in.

Each vampire ends up with a different gift, and they never quite know what they are going to end up with.

As we learned in Claiming Marcus, Marcus Varik has the ability to suck all light in a room into himself, creating a suffocating, all-encompassing darkness.

In Saving Rafe, Rafe shows off his ability to “charm” and influence others to do his bidding.

Beltran has already shown that he can speak to and control animals.

And Winter, he’s given little hints of his ability, but you’ll learn more about the youngest Varik soon.

Be sure to catch up with all the Varik brothers in Claiming Marcus and Saving Rafe — the first two books in the Lords of Discord series.

From their first meeting at The Gallery, Philippe found himself drawn to Rafe. Everything about the vampire whispered temptation. Philippe longed to pin Rafe to the nearest flat surface and make the most delicious moans rise from those lush parted lips. But more than feeding and fucking, Rafe whispered of escape and freedom. No more worry and responsibility beating him down. With Rafe, Philippe would be able to run free and laugh, enjoy the long life he’d been cursed with.

Jullien had warned him that Rafe didn’t seem to be appearing at his club as much as he had in the past, but Philippe wasn’t worried. Lola had spotted the Arsenault pair from where she was leaning against the bar. If she hadn’t called Rafe already to alert him that the clan leader was at his club, she would shortly.

No. There was no need. Rafe was already there.

The vampire was in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by a throng of men and women as they moved to the pounding beat of the music. A slender blonde pressed tightly to his front, her long arms wrapped around Rafe’s neck, while a muscular man in a shirt that looked as if it was a second skin was pressed against Rafe’s back.

Reaching behind him, Rafe grabbed a handful of the dancer’s hair and held him in place as Rafe ravaged his mouth. Even through the writhing crowd of bodies, Philippe could see the man’s left hand tighten on the vampire.

Blood shot straight to Philippe’s dick as he regarded the blatant display of sex and power. His fangs ached to slide down, but Philippe couldn’t figure out if he wanted to join the sexy threesome or if he wished to shove both humans away so he could claim Rafe for himself. Neither of them was a healthy thought or would help his clan, so he shoved away the flicker of hunger.

As if he knew what was flitting through Philippe’s brain, Rafe released his companion and looked directly at Philippe, a wicked grin growing on his glistening lips. There was the faintest glow in his sharp blue eyes. It could be blamed on the flashing lights, but Philippe recognized it for what it was. Hunger. Sharp, sexual hunger.

Philippe’s breath caught in his throat and his fucking dick gave another begging throb, urging him to cross the damn club and grab Rafe, but he kept his feet planted as if they’d been bolted to the floor.

The look passed in just a second; then Rafe was turning to both people cuddled against him. He said something to each in their ears before extricating himself and making his way across the club toward Philippe.

“Oh, he’s here already,” Jullien murmured behind him as if he’d just spotted Rafe.

Philippe gave a curt nod, not trusting himself to speak yet. He wanted to reach down and adjust himself in his slacks, but he was afraid of Rafe catching the movement as he got closer. Philippe kept his eyes on Rafe as he smiled and laughed, kissing cheeks of familiar patrons while he slowly made his way through the crowd. Halfway to Philippe, a vampire he didn’t recognize whispered in Rafe’s ear while handing him a drink. Rafe’s smile shrank a millimeter as he accepted the glass.

And those electric-blue eyes were on Philippe as he sipped his dark drink, a wicked smile playing on his lips. God, Philippe was dying to kiss that smile off his lips.

When Rafe was standing in front of him, the club owner took a deep breath as if he was scenting the air. Philippe couldn’t guess what he smelled, but he carefully schooled his face, giving away nothing but mild amusement.

“You’ve finally made your way into my little den of sin,” Rafe said with a laugh.

“I’ve heard so much about it, Mr. Varik. I thought I should see it for myself.”

Rafe’s eyes sparkled with laughter, and he leaned close so he could speak directly into Philippe’s ear. Behind him, Jullien stepped forward, bumping Philippe’s shoulder. Philippe immediately reached back, pressing a restraining hand to Jullien’s stomach. Rafe wasn’t threatening him. No, the vampire was playing with him, and there was a part of Philippe dying to play with Rafe.

“Come now, Philippe. We’re going to be forming an alliance. We’re practically family. I think you can call me Rafe.”

For a second, Philippe closed his eyes at Rafe’s rough whisper. It was like the vampire was lightly raking his nails across all Philippe’s nerve endings, sending the most decadent shiver across his flesh. There was a whiff of blood and alcohol on Rafe’s breath, enflaming Philippe’s hunger. He had only to turn his head and he’d be able to capture Rafe’s sinful mouth in a scorching kiss.

But Philippe didn’t let himself move. Didn’t flinch a single muscle as he fought his own desires to get to the heart of what Rafe was telling him.

Philippe’s eyes snapped open, and he found himself drowning in Rafe’s all-too-perceptive blue eyes. “You’re going to help me find Piper?”

Something passed over Rafe’s face for a second, but Philippe couldn’t describe it. It was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, and Rafe was smiling his wicked grin again.

“The Variks are happy to help the Arsenaults,” Rafe said, and they were back to the diplomatic comments.

Philippe couldn’t quite stop his disappointment from showing. He liked the flirty, playful Rafe more. The one who liked to fan the flames. He didn’t seem the “watch the world burn” type, but he didn’t mind lighting a few small controlled fires to shake things up.

I am obsessed.

I was so so excited to see that Rafe was next. I was so enamored with him in Marcus’ story, I just knew that he was going to be my favorite. The careless playboy who took nothing seriously and enjoyed gaining all the wrong kind of attention… I just knew that there was something there, waiting for someone to come along to let it out. I think Bel and Winter are going to give him a run for his money because I’m so excited for them, but Rafe is hands down, my favorite so far!

A little about Rafe…other than being the playboy with a penchant for sex, blood and his sarcastic nature, he was hiding this loneliness and such a deprecating sense of self. He tried to tell himself he had all that life had to offer, but he was missing something so big. He was envious of his brother and his newfound love in Ethan, even if he wasn’t honest with himself, he wanted what they had so badly, he just didn’t think it was possible for him…. And that’s where we meet Philippe.

Philippe seemed to be the polar opposite of Rafe. Leader of his clan of misfits, along with his power, he made his family up of people who needed his help. What a sweet heart he had. I could see why Rafe was so smitten. When one of his family goes missing, he goes to Rafe for help.

These two were drawn to each other from the first time they lay eyes on each other, but Philippe needed Rafe’s help and Rafe didn’t waste his time with repeats and relationships, right? But he could… with Philippe, he could… not only that, he wanted to, more than almost anything. First things first though, was finding out who was targeting Philippe’s clan and why.

This whole story kept me on the edge of my seat and it felt like the craziest action movie I could see so clearly in my head. I won’t give it all away, but some key points are….throughout this story, we so much growth within the family and get to know each of the brothers a little bit better. We meet some new players and get a sense for what’s coming. We see Rafe war himself between what’s in his heart wants and what it needs…. There were so many times when Rafe would tell himself one thing and in the same breath, say the exact opposite when it came to Philippe. He loved him so much, even from the beginning, even when he knew he shouldn’t, even when he tried not to and told himself to stop. He couldn’t. He’s a romantic at heart, really… this whole story was so romantic when you separated it from all the action and blood and war lol

I’m not usually a fan of paranormal… no, correction, not usually.. I’m just not a fan of paranormal, period… but I can’t get enough of this series. I’ve gone and fell in love with each of these brothers and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Bel and Winter and hopefully Ryder and Gideon. Maybe Gideon and Winter? That’d be cute, huh? Or Gideon and Ryder? I hope Gideon gets some happy, I hope he gets a story.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series that I’ll definitely revisit and probably often. What a great read! Don’t pass it up, especially if you love family, romance and a whole lot of blood.

5 pieces of eye candy

Vampire books can be either really good or really bad. When I read the first, Claiming Marcus, I held my breath waiting to see what I would get. It was definitely good, almost really good. This one is good. But not close to really good.

I like the plot, but it seemed so stretched out. Phillippe goes to Rafe for help with a missing clan member. Turns out that 2 clan members were already murdered before Phillippe looked for help. I get that they are a secretive, keep to themselves kind of clan, but I don’t see Phillippe as having the ego to not ask for help sooner. I get that a couple of his other clanmates don’t want him asking for help, but that should have been a big warning right there.

I really liked snarky Rafe from book 1. I feel like he lost a bit of his snark, a bit of what makes him Rafe when he fell for Phillippe. As a couple I liked them ok, but more sexual tension would have been welcome.

I do love that Aiden is back for good. The four brothers desperately needed him and his guidance. The scenes with him and the brothers together were so sweet.

We are obviously building up to a show down with the ministry, but I’m sure the next book will be more set up for that. Don’t get me wrong, I will definitely read the other books when they come out. I look forward to them in fact. Something just fell a little flat with me in this one.

3 pieces of eye candy

It started with a battered notebook. Jocelynn Drake wrote her first story when she was 12 years old. It was a retelling of Robin Hood that now included a kickass female who could keep up with all the boys and be more than just a sad little love interest. From there, she explored space, talked to dragons, and fell in love again and again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the US with her patient husband. They’ve settled near the Rockies…for now. She spends the majority of her time lost in the strong embrace of a good book.

When she’s not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can usually be found cuddling with her cat Demona, walking her dog Ace, or flinging curses at the TV while playing a video game. Outside of books, furry babies, and video games, she is completely enamored of Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

She is the author of the urban fantasy series: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. She also has a gay romantic suspense series called The Exit Strategy and has recently launched a new paranormal series called the Lords of Discord. She has also co-authored with Rinda Elliott the following series: Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, and Pineapple Grove. She can be found at www.JocelynnDrake.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail

https://jocelynndrake.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jocelynn.drake/

https://twitter.com/JocelynnDrake

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1080585.Jocelynn_Drake

jocelynn@jocelynndrake.com

 

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Tricks and Bids by Jacqueline Grey: Exclusive Author Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Today, we have something exciting for you! Jacqueline Grey is here with her new release, Tricks and Bids. And she brought not only an excerpt and giveaway, but a fantastic story about when the story was first published, her uncle, and the Christmas she won’t ever forget. We can all imagine that relative who will look at us and say “we need to talk”…Enjoy the guest post, and make sure you sign up for the giveaway!

 

When Michael Nole propositions Dillon Spade outside a BDSM club one evening, all he is looking for is a potential client and a little kink. He gets much more than he bargained for. As a prostitute, Michael enjoys sex but keeps an emotional distance between himself and the men he sleeps with. His priority is to keep himself safe, but after a night in Dillon’s bed, he finds the line between enjoyment and occupation blurring.

Dillon hasn’t taken another man home since his previous lover passed away six years ago, but there is something about Michael that calls to his inner Dominant in a way he cannot resist. His instincts want to claim the boy even as he reminds himself that he is only paying Michael for temporary company.

Their relationship may have started as a business transaction, but it’s difficult to remain professional when breaking all the rules.

Title:  Tricks and Bids

Series: Suit of Harte’s, Book One

Author: Jacqueline Grey

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: February 17, 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 20300

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, BDSM, romance, contemporary, gay, sex industry, prostitution

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I am so happy to be here.  Thank you for having me.

 

A Christmas I’ll Never Forget

When Tricks and Bids first came out in 2014 it was paramount that my mother and my uncle hear about it.  They were the biggest supporters, so how could I not tell them?  The thing is, how do you tell your dearest uncle that his precious niece has written a very kinky, very steamy romance novel?

Well, I did, and he gave me his usual reply when I ramble on about interests he doesn’t understand: “Ok.” The genre was beyond him, but he was proud of my accomplishment and happy for me which is what mattered. It wasn’t until Christmas Eve dinner of that year that I learned just how supportive my uncle was of me.

The first thing my uncle said when he arrived for dinner that night was “We need to talk.” I’m sure that when any parental figure says those words, no matter what their age, the person they’re talking to will immediately think that shit hit the fan or they’re in trouble.  Attempting to remain calm I said, “Ok, do you want to talk now?  Is everything all right?”  He reassured me that everything was fine, and we would talk later, but he followed that up with repeating “we need to talk” so the reassurance didn’t stay for long.

We sat down for dinner and everyone began eating and chatting.  During a quiet moment over the antipasto my uncle announced, “I read a book.”  Now the thing you need to know is that my uncle is not a reader.  The number of books he’s read for pleasure in his life could probably be counted on one hand.  Therefore, I was shocked, and I asked, “What book?”  Mom got it before me.  As soon as I heard her “oh” I understood what book my uncle was referring to.  All he said was “we need to talk.”

There I was sitting at the table feeling like my father had just read my diary, but I’m a big girl, and I have always been honest whenever people ask me questions. I’m a terrible liar and I’m blunt so I figure it’s easier to tell the truth than come up with something false, so I said, “whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

He said, “I don’t think I want to know.”

The main thing he was wondering was how the little niece he’d watch grow up suddenly knew about things like BDSM, wax play and gay sex.  I told him I learned most of it through books and television.

“You had to say ‘mostly’?” was his reply.

Like I said, I’m blunt and honest.

I give my uncle props for making it through my book.  For not being a reader and to read something that was way outside his comfort zone was an immense show of support.  He’s purchased the other books in the trilogy but hasn’t worked up the nerve to read them.  I told him that’s fine.  He should read Ghost House instead.  There’s no kink and the only sex is at the end.  If necessary, he could skip that part.

If you’re into reading (unlike my uncle) and you like your romance kinky then look no further.  Tricks and Bids is back on the shelves and will soon be followed by the second and third books in the Suit of Harte’s series.

“Hey. Wanna play?”

Dillon glanced up to find a young man leaning against the hood of his car. At Dillon’s pointed look, he took a step back, so he no longer touched the automobile.

“What gave you the impression I want company?”

“You obviously didn’t find what you were looking for in there” came the reply with a nod back at Harte, the BDSM club Dillon had just exited. “If you had, you wouldn’t be leaving this early.”

“And you think you’re what I want?”

The boy shrugged.

Dillon peered at him. He appeared to be in his midtwenties, fit and tight in the way Dillon remembered being before he’d hit thirty-three. He was shorter than Dillon with dark-brown hair long enough to grip: two things Dillon liked in a submissive. There was something familiar about him as well. If Dillon wasn’t mistaken, he’d seen him heading into a nearby motel a few times and never with the same “date.”

“Are you a prostitute?” Dillon asked.

The blunt question evoked an expression of surprise, but it rapidly morphed into a smooth smile. “‘Prostitute’ sounds like a job. It’s more of a hobby.”

“One you get paid for.”

“It’s a good hobby.”

Dillon cracked a smile. “How much do you charge?”

“Depends on what you want to do.”

That was reasonable enough, and if he’d been waiting outside Harte, he must know to expect kink and charge for it accordingly. “Are you clean?”

“Yes, and condoms are necessary and at your expense.”

“Expense? That sounds like a job term to me,” Dillon teased.

He considered his options. The boy was right. He hadn’t found what he was searching for in the club, and he held no illusions he ever would. Even after six years, he couldn’t help comparing every submissive he came across to the lover he’d lost. Harte called him a stubborn old goat, but the thought of building a relationship from scratch exhausted him. It was so hard to find someone whose rhythms and tastes fit with his own. Granted, the club was designed for negotiation and mutually desired play, but that was for the scenes that took place there. What about the rest of the time?

Dillon didn’t want a casual play partner. That did nothing more for him than scratch an itch that would return in no time. He wanted someone he could build a life with. He wasn’t going to find that with a prostitute, but something about the stranger brought forth yearnings Dillon hadn’t felt in years. He could take the boy home with him, indulge in what he wanted in his own territory and under his own rules. It would be a purchased illusion, but it beat going home alone and sleeping in an empty bed.

“Come on,” he said, pulling his car door open and unlocking the other side. “We’ll talk details when we get to my place.”

“Your place? Don’t you mean a hotel?”

“My place,” repeated Dillon. “I don’t do quick fucks.”

I am not totally sure if this is a first time author or not. The dedication at the front made me think so, but there are several other books with authors of the same name. So, I am going to go with first time author. Well done.

I don’t always love novellas or shorts, unless it is an established couple I know. I just feel like so much is sacrificed for a shorter story. I like to sink my teeth in while getting to know these characters. And I did.

Mike (Michael) is a prostitute. BY CHOICE. This was actually really refreshing. Some people actually choose to be a sex worker. Their reasons are their own. But for Michael, it’s because he makes good money, can choose his sex partners and hours AND he has fun.

Dillon is a Dom without a sub. And he isn’t super broody or anything. He knows what he wants and he isn’t willing to compromise with a quick scene in a club. And even though he has to pay Michael, he is getting what he wants on his turf.

Their connection is quick and intense, but not rushed. It didn’t feel like an instalove to me at all. Instalust yes. Their scenes are H.O.T.

This is obviously the start of a series and I definitely want to read more.

4 pieces of eye candy

Jacqueline Grey currently lives on an island on the east coast of the United States. She spends her time outside her day job juggling her many interests which include reading, writing and drinking tea. She loves M/M romance, usually focusing on stories that include BDSM themes to one degree or another.

Jacqueline has always been driven by characters. She loves a good plot, but it’s the characters that pull her into a story. She loves romance and believes everyone has a right to be happy. She enjoys seeing her characters find that happiness for themselves.

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Dead of Knight (Guardians of Camelot, Book 2) by Victoria Sue: Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Victoria Sue is stopping by today, to bring an exclusive excerpt from her most recent book, Dead of Knight (Guardians of Camelot, Book 2). If you haven’t checked out this series, it is a good one, combining some historical, some contemporary, some paranormal, and a whole lot of love. Check out the excerpt, and the giveaway at the end. 

A battle is coming…

…and the immortal knights aren’t ready.

Will an orphan be the key?

For fifteen hundred years Lucan has waged war with the greatest enemy the world has ever known

…and fought the ancient curse that means loving someone with all his heart and soul might be the reason they die.

Tom wasn’t supposed to be born… twice.

How, as a young child, had he even heard the monsters at all?

How, as an adult, is he caught up in a deadly battle to fight evil, but cannot get one stubborn man to even acknowledge he exists?

Time is running out, not just to unravel the secrets of Tom’s destiny, but for Tom to show Lucan that loving someone with all that they have doesn’t mean breaking their heart.

Or does it?

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“How will we know where to look?” Ali shot a worried look at Lucan. Lucan had already walked around the perimeter railings. The cemetery had shut at 4.30 p.m., but it wouldn’t be dark for another hour. They needed to find Tom, and fast. Lance pulled up, and he and Mel got out. Mel didn’t speak, just gazed at the ornate gates and dipped his hand under the collar of his jacket.

Kay looked over the huge area. “Where do we start?”

“Fan out?” Ali suggested. Lucan closed his eyes. He’d hoped for something, anything to say Tom was here, but there was nothing.

Mel brought out the pendant he wore around his neck and glanced at Lucan. “Do you feel him?”

Lucan shook his head. “But I don’t know that I would do.”

Mel scoffed, making his opinion of Lucan’s answer abundantly clear.

Kay looked around. “He would want somewhere as isolated as possible.”

“No,” Mel said slowly. “I don’t think he would. The college wasn’t isolated. I think he enjoys hiding in plain sight.”

“Are there any other places near?”

Mel tilted his head on one side, seeming to think. “He’s not here.”

Lucan growled in frustration. There was nowhere else. They could search the city if they had a few spare years maybe, but Tom barely had an hour before dusk. Tears clogged his throat, and he swallowed hard. He didn’t have time for this. He didn’t—

“Wait.” Everyone looked at Charles, a frown marring his features. “That makes no sense.”

“Nothing makes any sense,” Lucan bit out.

“No. I’ve been going over in my head all the things Gawain told me. What you know about them. The safeguards Merlin made as much as he could. But didn’t Father Joseph just say when Tom was born he heard the Ursus?”

“We assume so,” Lance agreed. “He wouldn’t know what the sound was, but he described it perfectly.”

He glanced at Gawain. “And I know humans can’t hear them even if they are standing next to them, but what if the night Tom was born caused something to go wrong?” He grimaced. “That’s the wrong word, but if great magic is generated when the Tresors are created, what if it was taken from somewhere else?”

“What do you mean?” Mel queried.

“Magic doesn’t exist in a bubble. Earth magic cannot be created without harnessing power from elsewhere.”

Gawain glanced at Mel. “Do you remember when I explained rebirth?”

Mel nodded. “That the way I use fire draws on the power of the earth.”

“And the way Merlin altered Morgan’s spell. Dark magic could only come at a heavy cost,” Lance added. “And how we will only be able to defeat it when we are joined as whole.”

Gawain chewed the inside of his cheek. “But I don’t think you’re saying that, are you?”

Charles shook his head. “Or not just, no. One of the notebooks mentions the word tentoria. It means devoid of soul, and I took it to mean how your souls were originally split, but it appears with the phrase incompleta mortem which means incomplete death and renascentia which as you know means rebirth.”

Gawain leaned forward, his face a study of concentration. “You are worried that one causes the other, and that incompleta mortem means tentoria or that bringing someone back doesn’t make them whole.”

“I have absolutely no idea what either of you mean,” Lance said with frustration.

Neither did Lucan.

“Necromancy is a forbidden art,” Gawain explained. “Morally it was always so, but the notebooks explore a deeper meaning.”

“What?” Lucan asked, running out of patience rapidly.

“That bringing back someone from the dead means they have an incomplete soul.”

Mel shuddered, and Lucan and Gawain both noticed. “I don’t mean you,” Gawain said hurriedly. “Your soul was reborn; you weren’t brought back from the dead.”

“And what has any of this got to do with Tom’s birth?” Lucan said, his voice gaining in decibels.

“Sorry.” Charles was immediately contrite. “That was my roundabout way of explaining there has to be a balance. Gawain told me about the teenager, and I have seen many things in my life to doubt any possibility, no matter how fantastic it sounds. What if he’s incomplete? What if it takes magic to generate him? But he doesn’t have enough? What if good magic can only take power from bad, the same as good and evil being two sides of the same coin? He’s been in the chapel twice. What if he’s a warning? What if he’s trying to tell us something? And Mel said about Aalardin hiding in plain sight. I just—”

Lucan stared at Lance, comprehension and horror registering on his face.

Lucan was running for his bike before Charles had finished his sentence. He heard the shouts behind him and the start of car engines. He swore under his breath because if Charles was right—and Lucan knew, absolutely knew he was—Tom had been under their noses all day.

This series….Oh, this series…I really do like this series a whole lot. It has a lot of what I look for. I love historical, and this definitely has some aspects of King Arthur’s Court in it. I love some suspense, and there is definitely plenty of that. This author really excels at suspense in my eyes, throwing out a few clues here and there, then just tossing it all on the table. And even some contemporary aspects, although they are a bit smaller in book 2, than they were in book 1.

For my tastes, I think I preferred book 1 more simply because it had more romantic elements than I felt Dead of Knight did. In book 2, it wasn’t insta-love, because they really had loved each other the entire time, age was what was holding Lucan back. It was more a breakdown of the walls that had been holding Lucan back, and a realization that they really did belong together. This book was far more, in my opinion, heavily towards the suspense side. That was fine, just not what I had expected.  There were a lot of small details in this book that the reader needed to keep track of, in order to understand why something happened, or would happen. I always enjoy a book that makes me think.

Lucan was exactly what you want for your Valentine, steadfast, loyal, and when he loved it was with everything in his heart. Meanwhile, Tom was discovering who he was, who he was to become, and dealing with a past that wouldn’t let him go. During that though, he never gave up on his love for Lucan…well, there was one tiny moment, but…you’ll see. 🙂

Seeing how everything worked out, at the end, even with Lucan and Tom’s HEA (well, really right now it can only be a HFN), I’m looking forward to how the story arc continues to play out. Kay gave us a little bit of a shock at the end of this book, so seeing where it goes will be interesting.

4 pieces of eye candy

Victoria Sue fell in love with love stories as a child when she would hide away with her mom’s library books and dream of the dashing hero coming to rescue her from math homework. She never mastered math but never stopped loving her heroes and decided to give them the happy ever afters they fight so hard for.
She loves reading and writing about gorgeous boys loving each other the best—and creating a family for them to adore. Thrilled to hear from her readers, she can be found most days lurking on Facebook where she doesn’t need factor 1000 sun-cream to hide her freckles.

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Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4) by Morgan Brice: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand? 

Cold cases, old enemies, ex-lovers, and vengeful spirits are making life dangerous for psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato.

The ghosts of Myrtle Beach are restless, trapped by love, secrets, scandals, and spells, keeping Simon busy protecting the living from the unhappy dead. Someone from Vic’s past is out to destroy him and everyone he holds dear, and the high-profile trial of the first case Simon and Vic worked together puts them in the spotlight—and put a target on their backs. As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?

Loose Ends is an urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with spooky supernatural suspense, hot sex, hurt/comfort, feisty friends, found family, ghosts galore, and dark magic. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels. Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Book Title: Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4)

Author: Morgan Brice

Cover Artist: Natania Barron

Release Date: December 30, 2019

Genre/s: Urban Fantasy, MM paranormal romance

Trope/s: Spooky supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, dark magic.

Themes: Trust, loyalty, commitment, partnership

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and

features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.

Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Length: 62 000 words/ 220 pages

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The Pros/Cons Of Established Couples By Morgan Brice

Romance seems split between series that follow an established couple, and series in which each book highlights a new couple falling in love. I love both kinds of books as a reader, and as a writer, I see pros and cons to both.

So far, all three of my urban fantasy MM paranormal romance series focus on couples in established, evolving relationships. One big reason is because the series also focus on solving mysteries/crimes as well as on the dynamics of the couple involved, so there’s more to each book than how to get the main characters to fall in love (which happens in the first of each series).

I also have been salty for years about the so-called ‘Moonlighting Effect’. A 1980s TV show had two characters who finally ended the sexual tension to get together and then the show got cancelled, and ever since, scriptwriters believe they have to keep breaking couples apart to keep us ‘interested’. I think established couples can be very interesting, especially if they are growing personally and as a couple as the story progresses. As someone who’s been married for a long time, I can attest that there is plenty of story gold in the ups and downs of figuring out how to evolve as both an individual as a couple. And I like to read about characters who share that dynamic of my own life.

At the same time, I understand the appeal of reading about a new couple in each book, to get that rush and uncertainty of discovery and falling in love. It’s lots of fun to meet the relatives and friends of the characters as they find their perfect partner, and get cameo glimpses of prior couples as the series moves on. Having a different couple in each book suits certain types of stories better than others, and I have some new series in mind that will probably follow this pattern.

Of course, while the upside to having a different couple in each book is that readers repeat that emotional rollercoaster of falling in love, the downside is that once the couple gets their happily ever after, we don’t get to have more stories about them. That’s very frustrating for me as a reader when I really connect to a character or couple. I want to know more!

Ultimately, the love story has to work for the type of overall tale being told. My hope is that you’ll fall in love with my characters as they fall in love with each other, and want to continue the ride!

“I’ve been poking around on the Buccaneer story since the place shut down,” Josh said. “My team’s visited probably a dozen times. Plus, I knew people who worked on the construction and dismantling, and who ran the rides when it was open.” He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “They won’t talk on the record, or to the police, but I’ve heard all their stories. And the rumors that got out? They’re just a fraction of how fucked up that place was.”

Simon sat back in his chair, settling his lanky body and long legs as best he could. He warmed his hands on the hot paper cup and tucked a strand of long chestnut hair behind one ear. “Tell me.”

“One of my sources was a crane operator when they were installing the Riptide Roll steel coaster,” Josh confided. “He saw one of the workmen fall from the top of the first hill when they were assembling the ride. Says the guy died on impact. The company paid to hush it up. Same thing happened when another worker was crushed to death. A load of steel pipe shifted, and he ended up underneath it.”

“Jesus.”

“That’s not all of it. The place was only open for barely two seasons, but the ride operators had stories that would curl your hair. Riders got whiplash, one girl lost a couple of fingers, and a kid died from head injuries when his ride car came loose and crashed. Not to mention the operator who got electrocuted when he had to run his ride in the rain.”

“If the owners had to cover all that up, no wonder they went bankrupt,” Simon said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe they didn’t get shut down.”

“Their rides continued to pass inspections from the state office—or maybe someone got paid off. Still, they closed suddenly before the end of their last season,” Josh said. “Whistleblowers went to the media. The situation was going to be ugly. But then it turned out to be even worse.”

Simon remembered the end of the story. Investors clamored for their money back when the park abruptly shut down, only to find out that the accounts were empty, the books had been cooked, and the profits were never real. Before it could turn into a media circus and authorities asked for serious jail time, Ellington killed himself, and Stevens skipped town.

“Any clue about who’s haunting the place?”

Josh chewed on his lip and looked at Simon. “I was hoping you’d come over with us this afternoon and help me figure that out. I’m doing my best to learn, but my skills aren’t as powerful as yours, and I don’t know how to really use them. I can sense when spirits are nearby, and I see them better than the average person, but having a conversation is beyond what I can do.”

This series is definitely out of my normal wheelhouse. I’ve read all of them, and this might be my favorite since Book 1. Because like all romance novels, we saw a lot of connection between the established couple. You can’t have a romance if you don’t have two (or more) characters connecting and finding their HFN/HEA. And Simon and Vic have been doing that all along.

This book though, I thought, gave such a strong tug on the heartstrings from an emotional standpoint. It really spent a good portion of the book (or at least when there wasn’t some villain trying to step where they shouldn’t) on showing how the relationship between Simon and Vic has developed, how they feel about each other, and, because I love my HEA, where it was headed. 🙂

It’s so rare to be able to continue to see how a couple you fell in love with handle their everyday lives, as well as when trouble rears its ugly head. And now four books plus later, we are still seeing this.

I don’t know if Morgan Brice does a lot of research or just has a bit of crazy brain, but the things she comes up with for the supernatural elements are insane (in a very good way!), and bring such a special touch to the books. As an example, there is a part in the book when one of Simon’s friends is helping to deal with a paranormal issue, and Simon brings a long list of things, some of which I recognize the names of, some could be made up, or maybe researched and added in. Either way, it adds a sense of realistic need for the items, and their usage.

Vic, well, his sweetness showed itself again. He is devoted to Simon, and has been since practically day one. All he wants to do is make sure Simon has all the happiness he desires, and Vic will do what he can to make sure that happens. So sweet!

Anyway, another winner for me. 4 pieces of eye candy

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.

On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.

Series include Witchbane, Badlands, and Treasure Trail. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!

Read a copy of my Badlands short story Restless Nights here for free

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Adam Bomb by Kilby Blades: Exclusive Author Interview, Excerpt and Release Day Review

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We love it when authors stop by TCO to talk about their latest releases (or even old releases!), and I’m very excited to have Kilby Blades stop by and talk about her latest release, Adam Bomb.  I kept putting off reading this book, not because I didn’t want to read it, but because I was a little too excited to read it, and wanted to allow myself to relax a little and take the time to enjoy it. 🙂 And the author interview that Kilby has below hits on a topic that was very prevalent in the book, the heritages of these two very different, but so compatible men. With two heritages that are just not seen often in romance novels, it was fantastic to see how they were able to integrate their worlds. Take a peek and let us know what you think!

 

Levi Cossio’s best friend Adam has always been larger than life: a smoking-hot billionaire hotelier whose charm can bend the world to his whim. When New York City stops being big enough for both of them—at least if Levi ever wants to fall out of love with Adam—he leaves it behind for a job in in San Francisco.

But when Adam pulls an Adam—upending the calm new life Levi has come to love with a plea to lend his talent to a worthy cause—Levi is helpless to resist. Adam will be the first Fortune 100 CEO to come out of the closet on a grand scale. He needs a trusted ally on his PR team. Levi is a lauded portrait photographer. And the job will only last three weeks.

Levi accepts on one hidden condition: he’ll keep his new friends away from Adam, certain that if they get a whiff, they, too, will fall under Adam’s spell. Bent on keeping his two lives separate, Levi barely makes it through the first two weeks unscathed—and then Adam drops another bomb….

Title: Adam Bomb
Author: Kilby Blades
Series: Moguls, Royals, and Rogues
Release Date: January 21, 2020
Category: Contemporary Romance, Dreamspun Desires, Bisexual, Gay
Pages: 240

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Q: So your heroes are named Levi and Adam. Can you describe them for us, physically? You know…not that we care whether they’re hot.

Kilby: (Laughs). Well they are hot and I’d date both of them, ideally at the same time. Levi’s the one on the cover of the book. He’s got hazel eyes and a cropped beard and this really silky hair that kind of falls in front of his eyes and that he’s always pushing back so he can look through the view finder of his camera (he’s a photographer). Adam is an inch or two taller, so about six-foot-two. He’s also got dark hair and he vacillates between being clean shaven and letting it go until he has a little sexy stubble, but he also has a dimple that Levi really loves. Adam’s other distinctive feature are his golden eyes.

Q: Can you say more about heritage? The two heroes in Adam Bomb have backgrounds that are seldom represented in romance. How did you come up with their characters? 

Kilby: Levi’s parents are from Argentina, but Levi himself has never been to Argentina; that circumstance—as well as South American identity—aligns to my own family ties. Adam’s parents are from Iran and his ethnicity is Persian Jewish. His family is loosely based on the family of a friend of mine. Being raised by driven, ambitious immigrant parents explains the parallels in some of their world views. But a lot of the tension between them comes from the inevitable encroachment of their class differences. Their dynamic is one I’ve personally lived. They’re dealing with some layered issues related to that.

Q: Uh-oh. Adam Bomb sounds angsty. Is it?

Kilby: There’s no high angst on the page. Actually, there are a lot of funny parts because Adam and Levi are best friends of twenty years, so they’re half-old married couple, half-bro banter and they really enjoy one another. The chemistry is really fun. Still, Levi is desperately trying to fall out of love with Adam and when he makes the unilateral decision to move to San Francisco, it forces both of them to talk about what it means for their friendship.

Q: Let me get this straight: Levi is in love with Adam so he moves away from where Adam is? How does this remotely make sense?

Kilby: (Laughs). It’s an act of self-preservation. Not only is Levi in love with Adam—Levi has been in love with Adam for ten years. He’s never going to tell Adam because he’s not willing to risk losing their amazing friendship in case things get weird. And he’s also realized he can never get over Adam if they live in the same city. Adam has been away from the U.S. for nine months because he was running the Tehran hotel. When the story starts and Adam announces he’ll be there for an extended stay, it upsets the cocoon of psychological safety Levi has built. That’s where the title comes from: Adam Bomb.

Q: So Adam Bomb means that Adam’s return is running, or, “bombing” Levi’s plan?

Kilby: Adam has a big personality and he has a tendency to disrupt. Levi has a tendency to get steamrolled by Adam. But it’s more nuanced than that—Adam isn’t a heartless, oblivious dick and Levi isn’t a shrinking violet. Like a lot of relationships, it’s complicated 🙂

Three things happened to Levi every time he saw Adam: anticipation prickled his neck, he quelled the impulse to wet his lips, and his dick got a little hard. Then there was the tunnel vision thing—the way that, when Adam walked into a room, noises dulled and periphery faded for a pregnant moment and there was no one but the two of them.

They weren’t alone, of course. Adam was never alone. Today, a gaggle of smartly dressed flight attendants flocked around him.

“Fucking Adam,” Levi muttered. Even as he shook his head, Levi’s lips curved into a smile. Adam didn’t notice him at first. But that was the way it always was—Adam busy noticing whoever’s pheromone he liked best, and bystanders busy noticing Adam.

Levi had forgotten how comical it could be. Adam had that kind of charisma. When he walked into a room, records scratched to astonished silence, and people stopped what they were doing to look. Levi had seen babies stop crying to smile at him and fierce-looking dogs leave their masters’ sides to be petted by this man. It wasn’t just Levi. Everyone was attracted to Adam.

Recollection of what a nuisance Adam’s ridiculous magic could be didn’t stop Levi’s grin from widening. The man was a golden-eyed god. He had his Iranian-born parents to thank for regal bone structure, pouty lips, and luminous, polished-bronze skin. Levi appreciated Adam’s utter perfection as a specimen of the male ideal just as much as anyone else. But unlike everyone else, Levi saw Adam for more than sex on legs. Levi knew his heart. They’d known one another since they were boys.

“Come out with us tonight.” A flight attendant in a dark pencil skirt suit smiled with suggestive lips painted in the same shade of vermilion as the ascot around her neck.

“Sorry, babe… I got plans.” Adam said it with a billion-dollar smile. She leaned in and gazed at him dreamily, as if he’d just invited her to join him in a suite at the Kerr instead of turning her down flat. Adam was the only person Levi knew who could hand someone a steaming, stinking shit burger and have the person he served it to beg him for more.

And just like that, Adam’s gaze slid right to Levi—with precision—as if he’d known where Levi stood all along. Adam kept walking, never missing a beat, disentangling both women from beneath his arms.

“Sonofabitch,” Adam said, the corner of one lip quirking into a smile and his eyes glowing soft embers as he looked at Levi; it was a frat boy thing to say, but Adam was kind of a bro. Adam threw his arms around Levi and they shared a bear of a long hug.

“I missed you, brother,” Adam murmured a second before releasing his embrace and holding Levi by the shoulders, at arm’s length. He said it with earnest intensity that got Levi every time.

I waited a bit to read this book, for several reasons. I was a little too excited to read it, because I knew it had many elements that I love, and I wanted to give myself time to chill out and read it with that mindset. But also, sometimes when you are too excited, there’s a concern that a book is bound to let you down. I shouldn’t have been concerned. The author absolutely didn’t let me down.

As this is a category romance, it had one of the classic tropes of unrequited love. And poor Levi, he had it BAD! He loves his best friend, and he’s in love with his best friend. And he’s not willing to risk his best friend in order to love him by being physically close to him. He knew he needed to keep his distance, so that he had a chance to find a life that didn’t revolve around his love for Adam. I was very impressed with what he did. He was confident, moved himself across the country, took his career to new heights, and was able to make new friends, and a new life for himself that did not include Adam.

Until Adam decided to insert himself there. And so the story begins. 🙂

Adam was definitely a force to be reckoned with. That much personality is hard to come up against and come out the other side feeling like you are not second best. Levi did a great job of doing that, and trying to keep his two lives separate was his mental way of keeping that in place. However, Adam being Adam, he did not allow that for long. 🙂

I loved that their heritages were a huge part of who they were, and ones that are rarely represented in any romance genre, much less m/m romance. However, it wasn’t everything about them, even as some of their motives were driven by their heritages.

The author broke the book into four parts (more three in my eyes, but who am I? 🙂 ) and it was definitely relevant to how the book played out. This isn’t often done, but it provided the reader with the opportunity to see how things evolved during the course of the changing of these two best friends relationships.

This easily could have been way more angsty, but by it being a category romance, I’m glad it was fairly low angst. Levi loved his best friend, just as much as he was in love with him. He never wanted to change him, just to change how they loved each other. With Adam, the type of person he was, that easily could have been a huge issue. That is a lot of personality to go up against.

Overall, I recommend it, especially if you love the trope of unrequited best friend love. That is on the mark 100%.

4 pieces of eye candy

Kilby Blades is a 40-time-award-winning author of Romance and Women’s Fiction. Her debut novel, Snapdragon, was a HOLT Medallion finalist, a two-time Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize Semi-Finalist, and an IPPY Award medalist. Kilby was honored with an RSJ Emma Award for Best Debut Author in 2018, and has been lauded by critics for “easing feminism and equality into her novels” (IndieReader) and “writing characters who complement each other like a fine wine does a good meal” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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