Blog Tour

Montana Sky by RJ Scott: Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

May 1, 2019 by Denise

When they spend time alone on a Montana mountainside will Tyler ever convince Martin that like sapphires, love is worth searching for?

Martin’s name was the very last on a kill list. The son of a murderer, he’s had no childhood; lost in a horrific holding pattern of death that turned his heart to stone. Thanks to the man who called him brave and spared his life, he no longer has to look over his shoulder, but he does have one question. Why did Justin let him live?

Tyler Colby has identified a major flaw in the seismic mapping system used to monitor earthquake activity. Sent to Crooked Tree by his employer, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, he is tasked with adding a new remote station to the network. The installation should be his entire focus, but the lure of sapphires and his attraction to a heartbroken young man called Martin is enough to make him want more.

Length: 43,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

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Book #5 – Second Chance Ranch – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

I was SOOO pumped when I heard about this one. I honestly thought this series was over after the last one..

In this one, we have Martin, who was previously known as Jamie Crane, the son of the terrorist/torturer of Justin and Adam. My heart broke for him in the little glimpses we got from him in previous books, especially Justin and Adam’s, and although I could probably guess the kind of person his father was, it didn’t hold a candle to the life that Martin had suffered at the hand of his father and his goons.

So, now that his father was dead and Martin was no longer having to hide from him, he wanted to go to Crooked Tree to ask Justin why he’d let him live. Now, if you haven’t read the others in this series, you should stop what you’re doing and go read them!! I was so insanely obsessed with Justin and Sam, but really all of their stories are amazing!

At the Crooked Tree, Justin wants to tell Martin the answer to his question, but he wants to talk to Adam first, who is away on his honeymoon…so he talks Martin into staying and helping out around the ranch. So, when seismology expert, Tyler, comes to do some research, the group, aka, Justin, sends him to work with the guy. Mostly to keep him around, I’d wager. Justin knew that Martin needed the closure, and Adam really did too. So, Martin stayed and helped, not really having a plan anyway, as to where he was going to end up or what he was going to end up doing.

I’ll admit that the earthquake stuff was interesting to learn about, but it was too much like homework for me to get sucked into it. I did skim a little bit, but I could imagine the way that Tyler had become so animated and passionate about what he was talking about. It wasn’t just a job, it was his life and it was neat to learn.

While the guys are off the range together, even though Martin is broody and hard to get to know… Tyler loved learning what he could about the man, and eventually, he’d gone and fell in love with him.

When you see Martin’s baggage and his internal turmoil, it’s easy to see why he refused so much almost the entire book, but, it somehow felt very realistic and relatable.

It made his final acceptance and letting his guard down that much more enjoyable. I just loved this story and I’m so glad to report that Martin got his HEA, even if it did take a long time to get there. I knew that he wasn’t going to be easy, but he was 100% worth it.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:

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Murder Most Lovely by Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth: Exclusive Guest Post & Excerpt Release Day Review and Giveaway

April 30, 2019 by Denise

I’m so excited today! I’ve been waiting for this post for a while. Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth are here to give everyone a little taste of Murder Most Lovely, their new release with Dreamspinner Press. I’m a cat person…like seriously a cat person (I have 5) and so having Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third hosted on here was even more of a pleasure. He’s a sassy little (well, not little, he’s fat) cat who gets himself catnapped by some dangerous peeps. But all in all I couldn’t have enjoyed this stop more, so check out the excerpt, the giveaway, and my gushing review. 🙂

A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.

Michael Fleishman is excited to meet his favorite mystery writer, Russell Withingham, at Lacetown’s Literary Fest. He is not expecting to cross paths with sexy hairdresser Jasper “Jazz” Dilworth—or become embroiled in a real-life mystery. As Lacetown’s only mortician and the county coroner, Michael is called to his first murder scene and is shocked to recognize the victim—Russell’s young lover.

Jazz only wanted to confront his ex, Russell, over his cheating. Instead, he meets the adorably awkward Michael and becomes a murder suspect. Soon Jazz is teaming up with Michael to clear his name. Along the way, they are helped and hindered by Michael’s sassy assistant, Kitty, the grumpy Sheriff Musgrave, Russell’s creepy PR rep, Norbert, and Michael’s lothario grandfather, who likes his manhattans strong and his women saucy. And of course, Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third….

Title: Murder Most Lovely
Series: Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case One
Authors: Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth
Release Date: April 30, 2019
Category: Mystery, Suspense
Pages: 239

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Meet Mr. Pickles Furryton III

If you haven’t heard yet, Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth wrote a book together. It’s a laugh out loud romantic mystery set in a fictional Lake Michigan town named Lacetown.

A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.

The MCs are sharp witted and sarcastic Jasper “Jazz” Dilworth and the outwardly shy but dirty-minded mortician Michael Fleishman. But the real scene stealer of Murder Most Lovely—Lacetown Mysteries Case One is Mr. Pickles Furryton III, Michael’s fat black-and-white kitty.

Michael carries Mr. Pickles back and forth between his house and the funeral home. Mr. Pickles has the run of the funeral home (not the basement, however, where the embalming takes place), and sometimes acts as a therapy cat for people who are grieving.

Mr. Pickles had a lot of personality, and he plays a large part in the story. At one point, the poor kitty is cat-napped and held for ransom, a twist that leaves Michael in deep anguish.

But don’t worry! No cats were harmed in the making of Murder Most Lovely!

Enjoy a special excerpt for TCO readers where Jazz meet’s Mr. Pickles for the first time when he picks Michael up for their first date. Michael is unfortunately still working on the autopsy of the gruesome murder victim discovered in Lacetown, so Jazz goes next door to the funeral parlor where Michael works to wait for him, hoping Michael hasn’t forgotten about their date.

EXCERPT:

“You can wait in this display room,” the buxom blonde told Jazz. She’d said her name was Kitty.

When Michael had texted seven was still a good time, Jazz hadn’t expected Michael to still be working next door at the funeral parlor. But he supposed the death business didn’t run on a schedule. He could understand that.

Being a hairdresser, Jazz might be scheduled to work until five but end up being at the salon until seven. Russell had always acted like Jazz was lying, probably cheating because of his unpredictable hours.

Pot calling the kettle black.

“He’s just finishing up,” Kitty went on. “You don’t mind sitting in here, do you? The offices are private.”

Jazz looked around the large room. Where some funeral homes went overboard with floral wallpapers, antique furniture in the vein of “look but don’t touch,” and watercolor landscapes, Jazz was happy to see that was not the case at Fleishman Funeral Home. Soft pastel wallpaper, tasteful comfortable furniture, and a few plants made the room feel welcoming. “It’s just a room.”

“Where the deceased are displayed,” she countered, gesturing to the front of the room where heavy drapes and two pedestals framed a space for caskets. “Makes some people uncomfortable and—” Her words were cut off by a meow.

They both looked down when a fat black-and-white cat joined them and began caressing itself on her leg.

“This is Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third,” she said. “I suppose he can keep you company while you wait. That should make it less creepy.”

Jazz tried not to frown. It was almost like she was trying to weird him out. Maybe it was a test of some sort. To see if Jazz was worthy of Michael.

If that was the case, Jazz was going to like this lady. Anyone that protective of her friends was a good person.

“Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third,” Jazz said, smiling at the cat. He knelt and held out a hand, knowing better than to pet a cat without its express permission.

“Yes, he’s Mr. Fleishman’s cat. Comes to work with him every day,” Kitty explained.

Oh my God, Michael just got more adorable every second.

A grown man who named his cat Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third was a man after Jazz’s own heart.

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” she told him. “I’m headed out for the evening. Enjoy your important meeting with Mr. Fleishman.” With a flirtatious wink that surely made all the straight boys drool, Kitty sauntered off.

And yes, those curvy hips definitely knew how to saunter.

Once alone with the cat, Jazz sat down. Mr. Pickles jumped lightly to the padded arm of the chair and paraded back and forth as Jazz stroked his soft fur. He must have been doing things correctly, because Mr. Pickles was purring like a small lawn mower. But just as that thought entered Jazz’s head, Mr. Pickles tensed, looked around, then leaped from the chair and took off.

Jazz chuckled as his fluffy white tail disappeared around the corner.

Typical cat.

Looking around the room, Jazz put his hands on his knees. There was an accordian style floor to ceiling divider tucked behind a brocade curtain, doubtless used to shrink the big room for small services, which struck Jazz as sad. Or was it sadder to leave behind so many mourners that a funeral was standing room only? As he pondered that, he wondered how long Michael would be and hoped he wasn’t so engrossed in his work that he forgot about their date.

Voices in the hallway outside the display room door caught his attention.

“…very disturbing indeed.”

That was Michael’s voice.

Jazz stood up and moved toward the main hallway, not wanting to interrupt Michael with a client or appear to be lurking. The plush carpet absorbed the sound of his footsteps.

“Who in their right mind shoves rubbers full of heroin up their poop chute?”

Flinching, Jazz was startled to hear Sheriff Musgrave .

“That, I’m afraid, is a question for you,” Michael said, his voice closer now. “I simply provide you with the evidence.”

A split-second before Jazz was about to announce his presence, Michael walked past the open doors and glanced in, doing a double take.

“Jazz!” Michael cried. “What are you doing here?”

Okay, I loved this book, so let’s just start with that. Lately, I have been enjoying more mystery/suspense books, and when I saw this, I knew it was right up my alley…then they went and added a sassy cat, and there was no way I wasn’t reading this! Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third just made me happy, made me giggle, and made some bad people mad…all the things to love about a cat! Meanwhile, I loved the MC’s, too!

Michael, a shy, somewhat insecure, but very DIRTY, mortician/county coroner was fantastic. He had the most inappropriate thoughts at the most inappropriate times, and really…who doesn’t? This time we just got to read them. 🙂 But he was also sweet, and adored Jazz from minute one, despite Jazz having a little paunch, being (cough cough) slightly older, and at first glance, very different. He loved his cat very much, and wasn’t afraid to show tears when he couldn’t find him. And even was sweet to his grandpa.

Jazz, meanwhile, had a few hang-ups going in, but never lost sight of wanting Michael. He was definitely the more outgoing of the two (being a hairdresser in town) but always made sure that Michael wasn’t excluded. He took care of Michael when he needed the extra comfort, and made sure Michael knew that he was a priority.

The story itself…the authors created a mystery here that surprised me. (The one where the murderer is caught was VERY surprising…in several ways!). It wasn’t an easy who-dun-it, and that’s always fun. But honestly, even if I had known who the murderer was…I would still have read through. It was funny, engaging, had side characters that were just as enjoyable as the MC’s, and brought some serious heat in, as well. On top of all that, one thing that you rarely see in romance novels is multiple POV’s, behind the MC’s, but we got to see multiple POV’s, which created even more richness to the story, and the mystery. It isn’t confusing at all, because those POV’s come at an appropriate time in the book.

Just a fun, wonderful story, that I would read again…or even better…I want more!!! Give me 5 more of these books!!!! PLEASE!!!!!

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and adorable cocker spaniels. She has been penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010 and served multiple as President of the Rainbow Romance Writers in 2017. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. An avid reader, she also loves gardening, cooking, music, and dancing. Often she can be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes the quiet times when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.

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Hank Edwards has been writing gay fiction for more than twenty years. He has published over thirty novels and dozens of short stories. His writing crosses many sub-genres, including romance, rom-com, contemporary, paranormal, suspense, mystery, and wacky comedy. He has written a number of series such as the suspenseful Up to Trouble, funny and spooky Critter Catchers, Old West historical horror of Venom Valley, and erotic and funny Fluffers, Inc. No matter what genre he writes, Hank likes to keep things steamy and heartfelt. He was born and still lives in a northwest suburb of the Motor City, Detroit, Michigan, where he shares a home with his partner of over 20 years and their two cats.

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Made For You by Anyta Sunday: RDB, Excerpt and Release Day Review

April 30, 2019 by Denise

Ben wants to find a new home.

Twenty-four-year-old Ben McCormick is the primary caregiver for his brother Milo after their parents’ death. A year into the job, he’s totally got the hang of it. Mostly. Sort of. Not at all?

Defeated and thoroughly chastised for his lack in parenting skills at teacher-parent night, Ben slumps away with the resolve to finally get his life sorted: be a better role model, and sell their parents’ house for a fresh start.

But first, he needs to spruce up his house to hit the market. He’s no DIY king, but Milo’s hot-as-hell woodwork teacher is…

Jack wants an old home to fix.

Thirty-nine-year-old Jack Pecker is waiting for the home of his dreams to come on the market in the summer. What better way to wait the interim months than working on a small renovation gig?

Only trouble is, the gig is for the McCormick brothers. And working in close quarters to red-haired Ben McCormick won’t be easy. Not with the attraction that simmers between them. Attraction Ben makes no effort to hide.

But Jack’s professional. Dating a parent is highly discouraged at Kresley Intermediate, and he’d never cross the lines…

Ben and Jack. Two guys searching for a home – a home that might just be where their hearts lead them.

~ – ~ – ~

Set in New Zealand, Made For You (Love & Family #2) is an MM gay romance featuring two guys at very different places in their lives – but both finding out they are looking for the same thing.

Can be read as a standalone.

Made For You by Anyta Sunday

Series: Love & Family #2

Publisher: Anyta Sunday (self-published)

Release Date (Print & Ebook): May 1^st 2019

Subgenre: Contemporary gay romance, friends-to-lovers, age gap (May-December)

Tropes: friends-to-lovers, slow burn, age gap, found family

Genre: New Adult, light-hearted contemporary gay romance

Amazon

When I return, Milo has turned around, finally facing Ben. “I don’t want you to sell the house.”

“Look, it won’t happen immediately. But it will happen.”

“It’s not fair.”

“Not got the memo yet, bucko? Life isn’t fair.”

They stare at each other. I don’t want to break their moment, but a twig snaps underfoot.

Milo spots me and his body jerks with surprise. “Mr. Woodpecker?”

I cut Ben a look, and he pauses to smirk before turning his chin toward Milo. I think he might tell him to cut that shit out.

“Mr. Woodpecker holds your Fanta ransom.”

Or not.

I’m close to putting an end to this stand-off and barking orders. If Milo were my kid, I’d have his ass in bed by now, no media for a fortnight.

Not my kid. Not my kid.

Ben reads my face and his expression shutters. “Fuck. We’re pissing off your teacher. How much will it take to get you down?”

He pulls a wallet from his back pocket.

“Fifty,” Milo hollers.

“Five.”

“Forty.”

This is not actually happening. Ben’s parenting is unorthodox at best.

“Ten.”

“Thirty-five, and not a dollar less.”

“Fifteen, and you shower before bed.”

Milo leans over the edge and reins in his shout. “Do I have to do my hair?”

Ben looks like he’s about to give into a frustrated laugh. The poor guy is damp and muddy and miserable, and Milo needs to quit it.

I catch Milo’s gaze and hold it. It might not be my place, but I have to do something for Ben. My voice is steady and commanding. “Get your butt down here, boy. Or I’ll have you cleaning the class bins all week.”

“Fine. Fifteen bucks. I’ll do my hair.” He lowers a ladder and I brace the shitty thing as he climbs down.

Ben crowds close behind me, a block of warmth at my back. He lets out a breathy ‘thank fuck’ at my nape that feels a lot like brushing up against an electric line that definitely shouldn’t be crossed.

I adored this story!

I was hoping it would be Jack, as I felt so bad for him in book one, after being introduced as Luke’s ex. I always want the good guys to get their happily ever after.
In this one, we have Jack who is a teacher at a prep-school teaching Milo, who’d lost his parents a year before and has been struggling, both with school and his home life with his brother, Ben.

Ben is doing the best he can, but it seems like everyone is always there, every time he turns around to tell him what an awful job he’s doing with his eleven-year-old brother. In my opinion, everyone in that school was snobby aside from Jack. I mean, the teacher that also had Ben in her class many moons ago, and the principal that was all but blackmailing Jack to keep him in line. I hated that. I was glad that Ben eventually put the teacher in her place… but I would’ve liked for that principal to be called out on her unprofessional and borderline illegal blackmailing BS she was on. She ruined some of the good of the story for me. I can’t lie.

Of course, having a relationship with a student’s parent, or big brother in this instance, is frowned upon, it’s in no way breaking any rules… I understood why Jack hesitated, but it was impossible to not fall for the two boys who needed him so much.

I loved the relationship Jack had with both, Ben and little brother Milo. He was incredibly sweet and patient, and let me tell you…. You need patience with both of them.

He helped Ben grieve for their parents, and assured him that he was doing right by Milo, as well as offering help when he could. And Milo just needed someone to listen. Someone to let him grieve too, and someone to tell him all the ways that his big brother was the best. That part had me wailing like a baby…
Milo was a little bit bratty, as was Jeremy in the last story… but anyone with kids, especially pre-teens, know that hey… sometimes you gotta bribe a kid to wash their hair, or eat their dinner. It doesn’t mean you failed, it means you’re picking and choosing your battles. Hats off to the young Ben…

Overall though, it was a sweet story and one I enjoyed very much.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

A bit about me: I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.

My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.

Connect with Anyta:

Author website: http://www.anytasunday.com/

Author newsletter signup: http://www.anytasunday.com/newsletter-free-e-book/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anytasundaybooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anytasunday

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BookBub: https://bookbub.com/authors/anyta-sunday

With A Kick (Collection #2) by Clare London, Narrated by Joel Leslie: Audiobook Review

April 29, 2019 by Denise

This collection includes Clare London‘s second two charming London-based novellas of the With A Kick series – Pluck and Play, and Double Scoop.

Read the enthusiastic reviews at the individual book pages!

WITH A KICK: A new and enticing ice cream franchise, with a unique blend of full flavour, mischief and romance. Patrick and Lee are struggling to make a success of their alcoholic ice cream shop in the centre of tourist London. At the same time, their business partnership may take a turn towards the personal – if either of them can find the time and nerve to go for it! Meanwhile, they cater to the wild and wonderful range of customers in the area, many of whom have their own romantic agenda. Will ice cream be the final ingredient they’re all looking for?

Each story is a self-contained romance, but will follow the history of the shop throughout.

PLUCK AND PLAY: Curtis is a cheery young entrepreneur, secretly licking his wounds after being beaten up by his ex-lover. Handsome cowboy Riley is stranded in London without money. His consolation is his music, and his fascination is Curtis. Their music brings them together, Riley’s guitar and Curtis’ poetry. But when Curtis is threatened by his ex-lover, Riley intends to be the man to help.

Ebook Link

DOUBLE SCOOP: A sudden disaster strikes the novelty ice cream shop, With A Kick, threatening the livelihood of its owner, Patrick, and also his assistant Lee. The last thing in the world Patrick wants is to hurt Lee, but deeply-held insecurities prevent him from confessing his love. And how long will Lee wait to make his own move? Hopefully the disaster brings a new opportunity for them to make a go of things.

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Book Title: With A Kick Collection #2

Author: Clare London

Publisher: Jocular Press

Narrator: Joel Leslie

Release Date: April 2, 2019

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Opposites attract, friends to lovers

Themes: Diverse romances, May/Dec, finding community

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 8 hours 58 minutes

Includes 2 standalone novellas with a connecting arc

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Listen to an excerpt on SoundCloud

Collection #1 has also been released, featuring Clare London’s first two novellas, A Twist and Two Balls and Slap and Tickle, and also the two bonus short stories Nice and Snow and Smack Happy.

Romance, London, and alcoholic ice cream – what’s not to love?

When I see Clare London pop up for anything, I am always willing to give it a go. Clare writes smart, sassy and fun characters. When you then have Joel Leslie as narrator, and especially doing English accents….there is no chance I am walking away. He is a true performer, and how he can take 8 different characters in one book, all with very different dialects, accents, and personalities, and turn them into completely different people in my eyes is always amazing to me. I’m not sure I’ve heard him do the same voice twice ever. (Well, if you don’t count that one…) 😉

Clare’s stories are often novella length, and her characters have such differing backgrounds, yet they manage to find each other in a city the size of London. There’s always an element of fun in them, and these two stories had all of that. (As an aside, I really would like With a Kick to be real, and I want to visit it very much!). These two novellas were at opposite ends of the spectrum. Pluck and Play was two men meeting by happenstance, falling in lust, and being torn apart by someone from Curtis’s past. Meanwhile, Double Scoop was friends to lovers, with Patrick unable to get out of his own way enough to love sweet Lee.

These novellas, though, were even more about true friends, and what they will do to help each other through the tough times. These friends did not allow each other to fall, they were always there to catch them, or to help them fall in love. Made for very satisfying endings, and a craving for more.

Story: 3.75 pieces of eye candy

Narration: 4 pieces of eye candy

Clare London took her pen name from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home, she juggles her writing with her other day job as an accountant.

She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with award-winning novels and short stories published both online and in print. She says she likes variety in her writing while friends say she’s just fickle, but as long as both theories spawn good fiction, she’s happy. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic, and sexy characters.

Clare currently has several novels sulking at that tricky chapter-three stage and plenty of other projects in mind… she just has to find out where she left them in that frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home.

Clare loves to hear from readers, and you can contact her on all her social media.

Join her occasional newsletter.

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Thirst For You by Jaclyn Quinn: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

April 25, 2019 by Denise

“What happens when thirst becomes an obsession that can’t be quenched?

Forty-year-old Zachariah Taylor prides himself on being the overprotective older brother of seven. He owns a successful bar, Zach’s Bar and Grill, in the quiet town of Riverside Falls and loves the life he’s built for himself. But as his siblings move on and find their forever partners in life, he’s starting to feel less and less needed—not to mention old. Suddenly, he’s finding it even harder to ignore the younger man who has pursued him for years, but the twelve years separating them is something Zach can’t seem to overlook.

Twenty-eight-year-old Drew Belford has been in love with the stubborn Zach Taylor for seven years. Sure, he was a kid when they’d first met, but what Zach is determined to ignore is the man Drew has become. Drew, however, is just as strong-minded and refuses to let Zach use their age difference as an excuse to disregard the attraction burning between them. He doesn’t need an overprotective older brother—he needs Zach.

When Drew begins to get unsettling messages from an unknown person, Zach feels helpless in a way he’s never felt before. How can he protect Drew from someone he can’t find? The thought of anyone hurting Drew unleashes years’ worth of pent-up desire Zach has had for the younger man. Is his thirst for Drew enough to protect him from the danger lurking in the shadows, or will the threat of the unknown be enough to dowse the spark of love between them—and silence Drew forever?
“
Warning – This book contains acts of violence which some readers may find disturbing.

THIRST FOR YOU

A BEYOND THE COVE NOVEL

JACLYN QUINN

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 04.10.19

COVER DESIGN: CATE ASHWOOD

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Hearing the snickers around the room, Zach stood up and headed to the front door. As he walked out onto the steps, he asked, “So…what’s up? Something happen at the bar?”

Drew’s eyes narrowed for a second in confusion before growing wide. “Oh! The shipment didn’t come today. I didn’t know if you wanted to give Joe a call or if I should.” He ran his pink tongue across his plump, bottom lip, the skin glistening in its wake. Zach was grateful for the fact that only his face could be seen by Drew as he pressed the heel of his hand down on his erection. The kid was too damn sexy for his own good. Okay, so kid was pushing it. Drew was twenty-eight; the same age as Eli. The problem was…Drew was the same damn age as Eli. Zach was twelve years older, for fuck’s sake. But he couldn’t deny how gorgeous the guy was with his dark, short hair that was always perfectly styled, his bourbon-colored eyes, and those lickable, plump lips that were meant for—

“Hello? Earth to LumberZach.”

“How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?” Zach growled.

“You know I’ll never listen. You should probably punish me.” Drew wiggled his eyebrows, and Zach could hear people in the background laugh.

Zach covered his face then ran his hand down through his beard. “Do you really have to say that shit where people can hear you?”

“No, I don’t. Your place or mine?” Drew winked, and the laughter next to him got louder. When Zach hung his head back in frustration, Drew said, “Relax. It’s just Grant and Lisa.” He shifted the camera to his right. “See?” Drew’s older brother Grant and his girlfriend Lisa waved, each with mocking grins on their faces.

“Your brother’s a pain in my ass,” Zach said to Grant as his friend continued laughing. Hell, it was Grant’s fault Drew worked at the bar to begin with. He’d only hired Drew as a favor to Grant, but in all fairness, that wasn’t why Zach kept the younger man on. Besides the fact that Drew was a hard worker and loved by the customers, Zach knew there was another—nope, don’t even go there. There’s no other reason you keep Drew around.

“You know,” Drew said, bringing Zach’s attention back to the phone screen, “you could be a pain in my ass. A delicious pain in my—”

“I’ll call Joe,” Zach replied quickly then disconnected the phone. “Jesus Christ.” Too bad he couldn’t get the guy to shut up by putting those alluring, full lips to good use.

Yes! I was so looking forward to Zach’s story!

Now I’m going to be impatiently waiting for what I hope is Mason, Grant and Sawyer’s story. I want them all together! And maybe Ryder and Avery, I”m looking forward to them too… .Can we just have all of them, right now? I didn’t want this one to end!

So, okay… in this one, we have Zach, who we know his own bar, aptly named, Zach’s. But then we get to meet and get to know Drew, who is Zach’s best friends little brother and the man that Zach has been pushing away for the last seven years since Drew made it well-known that he wanted Zach.

Something about their age gap and the fact that Drew works for Zach, and the fact that Drew is supposed to be off limits as his best friends little brother… but mostly it’s the age gap and Zach’s own fear standing in there way.

Drew is a little spitfire though. Not ashamed of what he wants or how he goes about getting it. Even if his brazenness does rub some the wrong way. I thought he was charming and sassy.

But, in all the pushing away that Zach does, it gets harder to do when Drew starts getting threats at the bar and a little later in person and they’re getting progressively worse, until they try to succeed in getting to him.

I will admit that the person that I thought it was the entire story, wasn’t the stalker/murderer. While I do think it was weird who it ended up being and kind of like, whaaaaat? I feel like it was just thrown in at last minute to have this dun dun duuuuun moment. It didn’t really make sense, but meh, it kept me guessin, so….

Overall though, I just love this series. I love all the guys, the family, the friends, though I would’ve liked to have seen what happened with Angie, she just kind of up and left and then with Silvia. I hope Drew got to keep being apart of her life, she was the best. I’m just really looking forward to who’s next, and I really hope it’s the threeway with Mason, Grant and Sawyer. Or Ryder and Avery… I don’t care which… I want them all!

If you haven’t read Haven’s Cove, you should… then come back to these ones and get more! I recommend them all!

5 pieces of eye candy from me!

I have been an artist from a very young age. From drawing cartoon characters and evolving into portraits, making jewelry, photography, and now writing. I have an amazing support system in my family and friends and couldn’t be more grateful.

I live in central New Jersey, love summers at the Jersey Shore, rock music, wine, sexy men, and laughing a lot with my amazing friends and family. Sunday dinners at my parents’ house are crazy, hysterical and you can count on a movie quote…or ten…being thrown out. Insults between siblings is how we show our love for each other!

When I’m not creating, you can find me reading books from my favorite authors. I’m a hopeless romantic, starving for passionate characters and always craving that happy ending, whether in reading or in writing my own books.

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Under His Protection by LaQuette: Exclusive Guest Post & Excerpt and Release Day Review

April 19, 2019 by Denise

TCO is very excited to have LaQuette here today, talking about her new Dreamspinner Press release, Under His Protection. In her guest post, she talks about that one moment…where you fall in love in that instant. Check it out!

They can escape their enemies, but not the desire between them.

Prosecutor Camden Warren is on the fast track to professional nirvana. With his charm, his sharp legal mind, and his father as chief judge in the highest court in NY, he can’t fail. Nothing can derail his rise to the top… until an attempt on his life forces him to accept the help of a man he walked out on five years ago.

Wounded in the line of duty, Lieutenant Elijah Stephenson wants to ride his new desk job until retirement—not take a glorified babysitting gig with more risk than it’s worth… especially not protecting the entitled lawyer who disappeared after the best sex of their lives.

The threat against Camden’s life is real, but their passion for each other might prove the greatest danger they’ve yet to face.

Title: Under His Protection
Author: LaQuette
Release Date: April 16, 2019
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 250

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Hello, I’m LaQuette, and I’m so happy to be here at Two Chicks Obsessed. Sending a huge shout-out to Denise for inviting me to chat for a bit.

As both a romance author and reader, I’m always looking at life events through a romance lens. It’s a quirky habit of mine, but it also makes it so much fun to live in my head.

When writing my latest release, Under His Protection, I was thinking of how sometimes a single experience with a certain person can have an enormous impact on our future lives. Hence, when crafting Elijah and Camden’s story, I wondered if one night with the right person could lead to forever.

Love at first sight is something we all laugh at. It’s improbable if not impossible, and no one can build a future on today’s whim.

Although I don’t know how wise it is to jump in with both feet so to speak, I do believe that all it takes is an instant for hearts to connect. Camden and Elijah are the perfect example of that. They met once, had an amazing encounter, and five years later when their paths crossed again, they still couldn’t forget that one night.

Perhaps the idea of wagering your future on a whim seems ridiculous. But, if there is magic in the world, I believe it’s love. How great would the world be if we all stopped for a second to embrace the magic of love the way romance novel characters do? It might not be realistic, but it sure is an amazing thought to have.

Check out the excerpt below to see how the sparks still fly between Camden and Elijah when they meet for the first time five years after their initial encounter.

Camden turned around at the call of his name. His gaze followed the familiar sound until he was staring into eyes he hadn’t seen for five years.

Still tall, with long locs still hanging just below his shoulders, and a trimmed goatee. Skin still the same color as smooth, tanned oak. Camden’s eyes continued to travel down a broad chest and shoulders that made his fingers itch to caress them. Arms still wide with carved muscle, and a lean waist that tapered down into a thin vee made Camden swallow to push the dry knot blocking his airway free.

He forced his eyes closed as his gaze fell on the metal belt buckle sitting at the bottom of this walking memory’s waist. If he continued his perusal, if he kept remembering the fire that burned through him with every touch and taste of his tormentor’s body parts, this encounter was liable to turn into something very different from a police matter.

“Elijah?”

Camden shook his head, uncertain why he’d said the man’s name as if it were a question. This was Elijah Stephenson. Hard, beautiful, and so sexy he made Camden’s mouth water.

“You remember my name? I’m impressed,” Elijah added.

Remember? Camden laughed at that. Who in the hell could forget a real-life walking sex dream? If big, muscular men with an imposing presence were your cup of tea, Elijah Stephenson was a person you wouldn’t soon forget.

Camden was no slouch. His bulk remained tight with a personalized fitness plan that kept his muscle shirts filled and his jeans fitted. But Elijah didn’t need a gym plan or a personal trainer. His physique and power came from things like running down criminals on the street and lifting cinder blocks or some such real-world thing Camden would never engage in. He didn’t care to get his own hands soiled, but a man who liked to play in the grit of life was always Camden’s weakness.

Camden blinked his eyes again, flipped the switch in his head that turned on his prosecutor’s facade. Hands on his waist, shoulders pushed back, and eyes narrowed at his target. Camden stepped toward Elijah, refusing to let his memories or the delicious sight Elijah made shake his fortitude.

“Why are you here, Elijah? How are you involved with my case?”

“I’m your assigned babysitter, Counselor.”

Camden caught the faint hint of amusement in Elijah’s voice, and his mood soured. To keep his calm, he dismissed Elijah with a cold glare and turned to the captain at his side. “Not a possibility. Get someone else,” he demanded.

“Mr. Warren,” Captain Searlington began. If the deep breath she’d taken just before she said his name was any sign, she wasn’t all that thrilled with Camden now.

Camden sighed and pressed his fingers firmly against his temple. If he were the man his father raised him to be, he’d be throwing his weight around right now, making demands of everyone in the room. But after how poorly Camden behaved five years ago, treating Elijah like a discarded one-off, he found it difficult to muster up his practiced asshole tendencies.

“Mr. Warren, Lieutenant Stephenson has an impressive career record. He is the best at what he does.”

Camden ran a frantic hand through his raven locks. “And what does Lieutenant Stephenson do?”

“He has a nose for sniffing out the bad guys. He’s the best tactical mind I’ve seen in our house in a long time. He also has a protective streak for simpletons who find themselves in situations they can’t get out of. And when he’s called on to protect someone who can’t defend themselves, he locks like a Pit and doesn’t let go until either he or the threat is destroyed.”

Camden’s shoulders rose with every breath he drew in through his flared nostrils. Did she call him a simpleton? Did she reprimand him without so much as raising her voice?

“So,” Captain Searlington continued, “are there other officers I can assign this case? Yes. But if you want to live through this experience, I’d suggest Lieutenant Stephenson is the man for the job.”

Not gonna lie. It was the cover that sucked me in. I mean. Did you see it? Because damn.

Camden and Elijah are a second chance love story. I guess my biggest issue was that really they had one date, one night before Camden ghosted. So ya, there was chemistry and attraction and everything. But I wish there was more than a one time thing between them to spark back up five years later.

Still, I really enjoyed this story.

Camden is prosecuting the leaders of a cult who want him dead. Because they think that will stop the trial I guess? So Elijah, a lieutenant in the police force coming back from medical leave after almost dying in a bust gone wrong is tasked with keeping him safe for a week. Elijah was hoping to sit at a desk and work cyber crimes but he can’t say no to this job and the one that got away.

The hide out in Elijah’s house outside the city thinking they will have peace and quiet. Except Elijah forgot he invited his family for a long weekend. What could have been awkward was really just kind of fun. Mom wasn’t too over bearing, Dad wasn’t too scary, brother wasn’t too annoying. It was just a family enjoying themselves and hanging out. And Camden and Elijah rediscovering each other.

There was a few things that were just far too convenient- a house Elijah bought with a shell company (plus what cop can afford a house in Westchester AND an apartment in Brooklyn?), a garage apartment at his house that is unoccupied, etc.

The chemistry between the men was undeniable. And she can write a sex scene like no one’s business. They flowed though, the scenes weren’t forced at all.

The entire book only took place over the course of a week but it wasn’t rushed at all. Elijah’s family added to the story instead of getting in the way and the ending wrap up was well done without being contrived.

Won’t be my last story by this author, that’s for sure.

3.75 pieces of eye candy

LaQuette is the 2016 Golden Apple Award Author of the year winner. She writes bold & sexy tales for diverse characters who are confident in their right to appear on the page. Represented by Latoya C. Smith of LCS Literary Agency. Visit her at LaQuette.com and LaQuette@LaQuette.com

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