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Book Excerpt

Abstract Love by Sara Dobie Bauer: Exclusive Author Interview, Excerpt, and New Release Review

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I hate Sam Shelby. So why do I want to kiss him?

Sam never expected to move back to Cleveland.
Donovan never expected to be attracted to a man.
Well, shit happens.

After high school, Sam Shelby moved to New York. Eight years later, he returns to Cleveland and lands a job at the best ad firm in town. It would be the perfect gig, if his boss weren’t such an ass.

After his wife leaves, Donovan Cooper questions everything. The arrival of a young, arrogant, gifted graphic designer at Donovan’s firm is the last straw.

Tempers flare over office gossip, and following a nasty argument and scathing kiss, Donovan flails away from heterosexuality while Sam struggles to keep his “no relationship” rule intact.

Despite ugly socks, fiery fights, and their best intentions to not fall in love, these bullheaded coworkers can’t deny their chemistry. Donovan seeks happiness while Sam seeks success, but is there room for more?

Book Title: Abstract Love

Author: Sara Dobie Bauer

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: September 4, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary MM romance

Trope/s: enemies-to-lovers, age gap, co-workers, office romance,

bisexuality, businessmen, artists, bondage, comedy

Themes: sexual awakening

Possible triggers: depression, suicidal ideations, biphobia

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length:  71 000 words

It is a standalone book.

Goodreads

Amazon US – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK – Kindle Unlimited

For new readers, tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a Halloween-obsessed extroverted introvert who loves yoga, pizza, horror movies, and my sexy rock-climber husband. I live in Cleveland, Ohio, but I’d really like to live in a Tim Burton film. I bartend to retain my sanity. I write mostly MM romance in all genres: paranormal, dark and twisted, fluffy and funny. As long as I get to work with charismatic characters who can’t keep their hands off each other, I’m happy.

What inspired you to publish your first book?

I had dreamt of being an “author” since I was a little kid, so publishing a novel was always the endgame. I’m not sure if I was inspired or just born to do this crazy writing thing.

Where did the idea for Abstract Love come from?

I first wrote a novella entitled “Abstract Love” at the behest of friend and colleague Renee Botbyl for the now out-of-print Come Play charity anthology. It was for a great cause: The Trevor Project, an organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people under 25. As someone who suffers from severe anxiety and depression, this is a cause I take personally. Initially, the novella had a beginning, middle, and end, but Renee told me to end on a cliffhanger … and write a novel about Donovan and Sam. So I did. Abstract Love is dedicated to her.

What’s so unique about this book as opposed to others you’ve written?

I’ve always infused comedic moments in my work—little bits that make you laugh in the midst of something dark or scary. But this one? This one is FUNNY. F-U-N-N-Y. I started my career writing comedy, so Abstract Love is a nice return to my roots. Also, I dunno about you, but I really need a reason to laugh right now, so comedy feels fitting in these ridiculous times.

What was your favorite thing about writing Abstract Love?

Probably writing the banter between Donovan and Sam. I love writing banter. LOVE IT. However, I also enjoyed designing Sam’s outrageous outfits. Many of his ensembles are based on the real-life clothes of actor Timothee Chalamet, so taking inspiration from Timmy and translating it into Sam was a blast.

What makes a good enemies-to-lovers book?

Tension. Seriously, the main characters need to really dislike each other at the beginning. It makes for such catharsis when they finally get together. Also, back to the banter. You gotta have good banter, that snarky give-and-take, for a strong enemies-to-lovers vibe.

How do you choose your titles?

HA! Oh, dear … I often have a lot of trouble with titles. Usually, I ask my beta readers for their suggestions. Eventually, something stands out or their suggestions inspire me and I reach my eureka moment.

What makes your books stand out from other authors in this genre?

There are so many talented MM romance authors out there, so I can hardly look down my nose and say why I stand out amidst such greatness. I do love to make my characters change. Like, a lot. Donovan in Abstract Love is an excellent example, as is Ethan from Handsome Death. I can’t tell you how they change, because that would be a spoiler, but trust me—they change. I also think my dialogue and sex scenes are a strength.

What are the three things each of your books must have?

Characters who change.

Sexual tension.

A happy ending.

What can we expect from you in the future?

A stalker Santa MM novella in December. (It’s a very dark twist on Christmas.) Then, next year, I have two additional MM romance novels scheduled: one is young adult rom-com, while the other is slow burn fated mates werewolves.

What’s one question you wish we asked in this interview?

Advice for newbie writers? Stop listening to other people; write for you. Rejection is a constant, so get over it. Enjoy the process, not the end game. Writing is your job but not your life. No matter what you do, some people will never like you.

Donovan sifted through a few hand-drawn logos on the desk and froze when he found a crudely drawn sketch of himself. Sam must have done it during a meeting at some point, capturing Donovan’s faux hawk, wide jaw, and severe expression.

Jesus, was this what other people saw when they looked at him? Did he really look so miserable?

“Make yourself at home?”

Donovan dropped the picture and stood straight at the sound of Sam’s voice.

He leaned against the doorframe, with one ankle crossed over the other.

“It’s really bullshit when people say that, you know?” Sam said. “Make yourself at home. No one actually wants their friends to take off their pants, drink all their beer, and binge The Great British Bake Off.” He paused. “What are you doing in my office?”

“I didn’t mean to snoop.”

The office door closed as he stepped inside. “Sure you did, or you wouldn’t be in here, so what’s up?”

Sam circled the desk, so Donovan circled the other way, although he noticed it was true what coworkers said: Sam did smell good—like clean laundry and cedar. “I think we started off on the wrong foot.”

Sam snort laughed and flipped through some files on his desk. “More like wrong continent, man.” When he found what he was looking for, he tapped the file’s corner against his palm. “I can handle guys like you, you know.”

Donovan shifted back on his heels. “Guys like me?”

“Hmm. Corporate assholes. All you see are dollar signs. You take no pleasure in your work. Advertising is money to you, not art, but without the artists, there wouldn’t be advertising, so…” He sucked his cheeks into his mouth, a momentary fish face.

Donovan wanted to tell him it wasn’t true. Donovan loved art.

He used to love art.

Sam continued, “I know I look like a six-foot-two Disney princess, but you’re not gonna rattle me.” To prove his point, Sam got right up in Donovan’s personal space until Donovan took a step back. Again, he was not used to dealing with someone his own height. “And I’m right about the Great Lakes ad campaign. If you’d pull your head out of your ass, maybe you’d notice.” He turned away abruptly.

“Sam.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry.” Ouch, that hurt coming out.

Sam’s rebuttal: “Prove it.”

“Excuse me?”

He rested a hand on the desk and cocked his hip out—the very picture of young attitude. “Listen to me in meetings.”

“I was listening.”

“Nope.” He shook his head and ran a hand through his unkempt, unprofessional hair. “No, you were hearing. I need you to listen. There’s a difference. And I know I’m just some fucking kid to you, but I ruled the New York City advertising scene. I know what I’m doing, Donovan, so let me do it.”

“Fine.” He’d had enough. He’d apologized, okay, so he’d done his Monica-enforced duty. He didn’t owe Sam anything else.

He didn’t run for the door, but he definitely moved with speed.

I’ll admit, I went back and forth on this book. Donovan was an a$$hole. Sam was a d!ck. Then Donovan wasn’t as much of an a$$hole, but Sam was still a d!ck. However, what you learn quickly, is these two guys are pretty messed up, and so you can forgive a little more knowing that they are products of the lives lived.

*small spoiler* First, I will say, if you are someone who is adamantly against one of the MC’s having sex with someone else on page, while reading a romance, this may not be the right book for you. Sam, who professes from the beginning that he doesn’t do relationships, but loves sex with pretty much anyone (except his best friend), spends a bit of this book sleeping with others. So, if that is a huge no-no for your reading, you may want to find something else.

However, if look past that, and see what really is happening with Sam, you might understand where he is going with all the sex with whomever. He’s been hurt, badly, and when he is hurt badly again, he either has sex with whomever is closest, or he lashes out. The dichotomy that was Sam was equally fascinating. He was confident, brash, knew his worth as both an artist, and his physical beauty. Yet, when it came to matters of someone’s heart, he could be shy and scared. All in all, though, his personality was fantastic. He didn’t care if Donovan was pissed, or if he was busy, or if he knew he was going to make Donovan pissed, he went forward with whatever he wanted to say or do. We all kind of want to be that person a little in life, right? 🙂 Also, moving back to Cleveland, basically for Joe…super sweet. It was great to see how their relationship evolved.

Donovan had his entire life upended, and then had to deal with a new snarky employee with brass balls, who knew what he was doing, and how best to get it done. He had a different kind of awakening than Sam. He needed to realize that he had basically hated everything about his life, but until circumstances made all of that clear, and gave him no choices, he didn’t want to change it. I loved how he worked so hard on his “heart”, only to have it shredded (or almost shredded) and then brought back to life again. It really was a metaphor for his entire life.

These two men changed in the book, just as the author says in her interview, really almost 180 degrees from their previous personalities, but they changed for themselves, not for each other or for their relationship. That is the kind of change they needed.

4 pieces of eye candy

Sara Dobie Bauer is a bestselling author, model, and mental health / LGBTQ advocate with a creative writing degree from Ohio University. She lives with her hottie husband and two precious pups in Northeast Ohio, although she’d really like to live in a Tim Burton film.

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On the Wings of War (Soulbound 5) by Hailey Turner: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

by

Remembering the dead will always give them life.

The coveted Morrígan’s staff is up for sale on the black market to the highest bidder, and SOA Special Agent Patrick Collins will do whatever it takes to ensure the Dominion Sect doesn’t get their hands on it. Returning the weapon to its rightful owner is another step on the long road toward clearing Patrick’s soul debt, but he won’t walk it alone. Jonothon de Vere won’t let him.

Obeying the gods means Patrick must travel to London. For Jono, it means facing a past he thought he’d left behind forever. His return to England isn’t welcome, and neither is their pack, but Jono and Patrick will face the antagonism together. Politics aside, their priority must be the mission, but the bone-chilling secret they uncover in the London god pack will have far-reaching repercussions no one can ignore.

A race against time takes Patrick and Jono from the streets of London to the bright lights of Paris, where hospitality is thin on the ground, the air is filled with whispered prayers for the missing, and the Morrígan’s staff will end up in the one place it should never have gone—a graveyard.

For beneath Paris lie the long-forgotten dead, and when they rise to walk again, the living can only hope to die.

On the Wings of War is a 109k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending. It is a direct sequel to A Vigil in the Mourning. Reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.

Title: On the Wings of War

Author: Hailey Turner

Series: Soulbound V

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: Print & ebook – September 2, 2020

Length: 109,151 words

Subgenre: LGBTQ Urban Fantasy

Warnings: None

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Jono frowned at him. “Why are you angry?”

“You shouldn’t come.”

“To London?”

“Yes.”

Jono shook his head. “I’m not letting you go off on your own. I already told you we’re doing this together.”

Patrick finally pulled away, glaring up at Jono. The anger in his scent was strong, but worry cut deeper. Jono wished he could soothe it all way. “The London god pack exiled you.”

“That doesn’t change the fact I’m going with you.”

“You coming with me is a good way to piss them off and get hurt.”

“None of us are safe anywhere. You know that. Stay, go, it doesn’t matter. Someone is always out to get us these days.”

Whether gods, hunters, mercenary magic users, or rival god packs, they had giant targets painted on their backs. If Patrick couldn’t see they were stronger and safer together, Jono would have to argue with him until he did.

“We risk losing too much if we all leave New York. Even with Emma as a secondary and proxy dire, that doesn’t fix the problem of us not being here,” Patrick said flatly.

“I risk everything I care about by letting you fight alone. We tried that with Chicago, and look how things went pear-shaped.”

The strain put on the soulbond by the distance between them had been hard, but being separated was worse. Not knowing what was happening with Patrick had been stressful. Jono didn’t regret the choices he’d made in Patrick’s absence, but he regretted the hurt it had caused the other man. Jono wasn’t willing to go through that again.

Patrick’s mouth twisted, lips going white from the pressure. Jono reached up and pressed his fingers to the seam of them.

“We’re a pack, remember?” Jono said softly. “I’m not leaving you.”

Okay, this series…it’s just, well it’s just awesome. Another great book in the series.

I love Patrick and Jono together. They just work, and the fact that Jono makes Patrick feel safe, even for a moment here or there, when he’s never had that, is fantastic. However, the side characters in this one really help to make this book shine. Wade made me laugh continually (the Jaffa cakes!), but he also had the chance to be himself, literally, to shine and it just made the book that much better. Spencer and Fatima made me laugh, and were great additions. And even Lucien, who has always been seen as an a$$hole, was still one, but also was helpful. 🙂 The women were very strong in this book, they were necessary to the plot, which was awesome. Patrick and Jono did not carry everyone, it was definitely a group effort by the New York god pack, as well, as Lucien’s Night Court crew, and Nadine, Spencer and Fatima.

The scenery, especially the final scene in Paris, was so visual. I could literally see everything happening in my head as I read it. It also had some seriously creepy moments…if you are claustrophobic, you may want to skim over a bit of that, just saying. Wowza! However, it was great fun to travel through London and Paris with everyone.

Again, Hailey Turner leaves us with poor Patrick not quite finishing his goal of getting his hands on the Morrigan’s Staff, and still wanting more. It isn’t a cliffhanger, just a HFN. There is a lot more story to tell here, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Hailey Turner is big city girl who spoils her cats rotten and has a demanding day job that she loves, but not as much as she loves writing. She’s been writing since she was a young child and enjoys reading almost as much as creating a new story.

Connect with Hailey Turner:

Newsletter:  You can keep up with Hailey’s future projects by joining her newsletter, where you can instantly download several free short stories:  http://bit.ly/HaileyTurnerNews

Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/haileyshellions/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/haileyturnerwrites/

Facebook Profile:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014824811406

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/hailey-turner

Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHaileyTurner/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/haileyturnerwriter/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16473068.Hailey_Turner

Website:  www.haileyturner.com

To celebrate the release of On the Wings of War by Hailey Turner, we are giving away three e-books to kindle email addresses from Hailey Turner’s back catalogue. Open internationally, must be 18 to enter and win.
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The Lucky Cat (Treasure Trove Antiques Book 1) by L.M. Somerton: RB, Excerpt and Release Day Review

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Book one in the Treasure Trove Antiques series

Antiques and ammunition do not mix well.

The antique trade is not known for its life or death excitement and Landry Carran is happy that he has to contend only with furniture polish, woodworm and his irascible boss. He gets all the thrills he needs at his favorite BDSM club, Scorch.

Detective Gage Roskam is hunting stolen jewels taken from a Tokyo exhibition then shipped to Seattle. Mired in a deadly race involving the Yakuza, an enigmatic Englishman and too many indecipherable clues, he doesn’t have time to indulge in Dominant fantasies.

When their worlds collide, neither Landry nor Gage expects things to get quite as complicated—or dangerous—as they do. When Landry steps into the path of some powerful, ruthless people, it’s up to Gage to protect him. Along the way they might just discover what they both need.

Book Title: The Lucky Cat

Author: L M Somerton

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Cover Artist: Louisa Maggio

Release Date:  September 1, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, thriller/suspense, light BDSM

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 60 343 words/ 241 pages

It is the first book in a new series.

Goodreads

Amazon

Pride Publishing

Sometimes there were advantages to being vertically challenged. Landry, his ass sticking out from under a seventeenth-century folding card table, paused to contemplate other occasions when his five-feet-six-inch stature had been of benefit. Not when attempting to get served at his favorite leather bar, though getting squished between all those black-clad hunks was always bearable. He snorted. Not when reaching for his preferred brand of chips at the market, which were always on the top shelf. Put there, he was sure, by the snotty assistant manager as revenge for Landry turning down his offer of a quick blow job in the staff restroom. As if. Never at family meals when he got to sit between his older twin brothers like a blond munchkin between two extras from Vikings. He reversed, wiggling his back end to avoid a willow-patterned platter balancing on a brass coal scuttle. His knees ached and he’d banged his elbow on a cast-iron fireguard, but he had rescued the battered cannonball making an escape attempt beneath teetering piles of stock.

“Well, there’s a pretty sight.”

“Hey!” Landry went for indignant rather than flattered. He tried to get up too soon and banged his head on solid, woodworm-free oak. “Fuck me!” He finally made it to open air and scrambled to his feet, rubbing his already messy hair into further disarray.

“Is that a request?”

Landry looked up…and up…into a pair of twinkling pale-blue eyes. The customer, because that was who Landry guessed the newcomer must be, was drop-dead, my-ass-is-yours gorgeous and he was grinning. Well, smirking.

“Funny man. What can I help you with, sir?” Landry gritted his teeth and remembered that Mr. Lao, his boss, would swat him like a bug if he snarked at a potential patron. Though, on this occasion, it might be worth it to mess with the man.

“Another leading question.”

Landry rolled his eyes. Black hair, blue eyes and a stubbled, chiseled chin did not equate to a free pass. “The massage parlor is three doors down, just before St. Peter’s. You can get a full-body whatever then confess all in the space of an hour.” He made an ineffective attempt to brush dust from the knees of his ripped black jeans. Blue Eyes reached into his jacket and produced a wallet, which he opened to display a Seattle PD badge and ID card.

“Gage Roskam. Is your boss around?”

Landry was more turned on than intimidated by the badge. Cop plus handcuffs equaled sexy time. Every cop he’d ever met had had a ‘don’t fuck with me’ attitude and a natural bent for control—just the type of man Landry liked to mess with. He batted his lashes. “And what makes you think I’m not the boss?”

“You’re not a sixty-eight-year-old Chinese guy by the name of Jian Lao?”

“Very observant, Officer. All that training paid off.” Landry put an extra bit of swing into his hips as he walked toward the cash desk at the rear of the shop.

“Putting your tax dollars to work, brat.”

“Hey! Aren’t you supposed to call me sir, what with you being a public servant and all?”

“In your dreams, and you should show more respect for law enforcement.”

“Gonna make me?”

“You’re lucky I’m on duty or I’d bend you over the nearest flat surface and give you the spanking you’re begging for.”

I actually really loved the story…in fact, I would love to see these two have their own ongoing series (I don’t know what book 2 looks like, other than who might be the MC’s), as they are great fun together, and I loved their personalities. Landry is a HUGE brat, and Gage can handle him in most areas, but Landry’s bratiness shines right through. I thought they were very good together, and enjoyed their snarky discussions.

Poor Landry had way more than he could handle having to take care of an antique store he knew little about, and it kept being drawn into the fray of an international ring. There is a “surprise” character who continually turns up, and I’m curious to see how he is or is not redeemed, very intriguing.

I really enjoyed this story a lot, and am looking forward to more in this series, as I really like this author’s writing style.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Lucinda lives in a small village in the English countryside, surrounded by rolling hills, cows and sheep. She started writing to fill time between jobs and is now firmly and unashamedly addicted.

She loves the English weather, especially the rain, and adores a thunderstorm. She loves good food, warm company and a crackling fire. She’s fascinated by the psychology of relationships, especially between men, and her stories contain some subtle (and some not so subtle) leanings towards BDSM.

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Nightway Chant (Coulter & Woodard Bk 3) by M.J. Calabrese: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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There was a time in Detective Eagle Woodard’s life that he would like to forget, but Eagle’s past catches up with him and it’s threatening to destroy everything and everyone he holds dear.

Dr. Adam Coulter is recovering from a cancer diagnosis and Adam and Eagle’s relationship is stronger than ever, but the continued disappearance of their son, Michael, overshadows their happiness. A new threat appears in the form of a man Detective Eagle Woodard thought dead. Sergeant Dean Kessler aka ‘The Viking’ is on a mission to destroy his old Black Ops team mate. Secrets held in silence by Eagle for over a decade come to the surface, threatening his relationship with Adam and with Eagle’s family.

Not only is The Viking after Eagle, but when Dean Kessler finds his younger brother is in Albuquerque, he becomes a target for his older brother’s revenge as well. Eagle wants to deal with Dean on his own, but the people who care for Eagle the most aren’t about to let him do this by himself.

The question is, will Eagle be able to keep the worst part of himself locked away or will he need ‘The Skinwalker’ to help him defeat ‘The Viking’?

Author’s Note: This book begins about six months after the end of Book 2 in the Coulter/Woodard series. This is the third planned book in the Coulter/Woodard series. No others are planned at this time, but who knows if the muse will strike. There are secondary characters who might need to have their stories told, but if they do, then the stories will be standalone novels.

PLEASE NOTE: This story contains some scenes of BDSM, drug abuse, and violent death. If these are triggers for you, this book may not be for you.

Book Title: Nightway Chant, Coulter & Woodard 3

Author: M.J. Calabrese

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Jessica Henshall

Release Date: September 1, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romantic Suspense

Trope/s: Murder and mayhem

Themes: Detective and Criminal Profiler

Heat Rating:  3 flames

Length: 60 000 words

This is a trilogy and should be read in order

Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“Oh, God, Eagle. I wasn’t ready. Grace told me I wasn’t ready, but I thought I was. Oh, God, Eagle! I wasn’t ready to hear those words.” A tearful Dr. Adam Jonathon Coulter-Woodard walked quickly away from the entrance of the LGBTQ Health Clinic. He had circled the desert landscaped courtyard in front of the building by the time Eagle Woodard placed his foot on the last step.

Detective Eagle Woodard stood silent, watching his husband freak out. He knew if he let Adam run off some of his nervous energy then they’d be able to talk. They’d prepared for this moment for six months… or so he thought. Adam saw his psychotherapist, Grace, twice a week, and once a month Eagle joined them for a co-session. After all the trauma his lover had suffered in his life and the revelations of the past few years, in Eagle’s opinion, his mercurial husband needed all the help he could get.

He watched as Adam flopped down on a concrete bench and he buried his shaking head in his hands. Eagle rolled his eyes at the dramatics. He’d married a diva. He’d known that from the start, but couldn’t the man, for once, be normal? Eagle sighed and turned as he heard footsteps on the walkway behind him. Rick Kessler’s face told him everything he needed to know and the large, white envelope in his hand confirmed it. It would contain test results and a referral to an outside physician. Rick made too much money for the Center’s programs. He could see the younger man trying to hold it together, but the closer he got to Eagle the more his face crumpled.

Eagle opened his arms and Rick walked into the embrace, burying his face against his partner’s shoulder as he started to cry. Eagle reached up, stroking Rick’s soft, blond hair, swaying side to side, trying to soothe him. Rick didn’t have to say the words, he knew his friend was HIV positive. The tears subsided and the younger man pulled back. “I swear, I haven’t been with that many guys in my life, but of course one of them had to be positive. Eagle…” His words failed him as he fell back into his former lover’s arms.

As Eagle held the younger man, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. It was an old warning. He hadn’t felt something this strong in a very long time. Raising his eyes, he checked the perimeter, but nothing seemed amiss. Only a lone coyote trotted across the street, turning for an instant to look at him before moving on. The feeling grew stronger and he knew they were being watched by a hostile. His time in Special Ops had helped him hone this sixth sense. Slowly, tilting his head, he glanced up at the parking garage across the street. For a fleeting instant, he thought he saw a ghost, a Ch’íindii, but then he blinked and there was nothing there. He had a sick feeling in his stomach. Something was here. Something formidable and this feeling was a harbinger, a warning to him to be very careful because death was close by.

Rick turned his head as he looked over at Adam then he snickered. “I knew he’d react like that when he got the news. He’s a fucking drama queen.” He looked up at Eagle, “And I knew you’d be a rock. You always are.” Again, he dropped his head. “My life is over, Eagle. I’ve fucked up one last time and my life is over.”

Eagle laughed, “Now who’s being a drama queen. Your doctor will get you started on meds if you need them. You’ll have a normal life span, Rick. It’s not like it used to be.”

He felt Rick’s shoulders droop a little further, “But the job…”

“You’d be surprised how many on the force are positive and a number of them aren’t gay, by the way. If you don’t tell anyone, all this information is confidential, and no one needs to know.”

Again, Rick stepped back, but this time he started to walk away. Eagle took a few hurried steps and caught up with him, grabbing his arm. Suddenly, Rick whirled around, bringing his hands up, he captured Eagle’s face between his palms and kissed him passionately. Eagle took hold of his former lover’s hands and brought them down between them as he broke the kiss. “I don’t want to be alone, Eagle, please….” Just then Eagle’s phone rang. The Detective snatched it from his pocket and was surprised to see the name of the caller on the screen. He took the call as he turned away from Rick.

“Dr. Kostas?”

“Detective Woodard, you’d better get to Presbyterian’s ER. Your son was just admitted, and his asshole boyfriend is trying to get him out of here. He’s in bad shape. Someone’s beaten him half to death. Hurry.”

Okay, I wasn’t ready for this one. I wasn’t ready for it to be over, because I liked these two men together, although they could be a total hot mess together. I wasn’t ready for some of the stuff that happened…but hey it’s been happening the previous two books, so this was nothing new. lol And I really wasn’t prepared for some of the new secrets that were revealed.

One of those secrets caused Eagle’s father to turn away from him, which was hard to read, because these two men really thought the world of each other. However, that’s real life…sometimes we have done things in our past, that people just cannot forgive or forget, at least not in the short term.

Once again, someone is after one of our two MC’s. This time, it’s Eagle, and he has a serial killer/former lover after him. Taking him down was not easy, and I have to give the author MAJOR props, because wow, it was pretty damn brilliant how it all happened. *small spoiler here* In fact, Adam had a plan that I naively didn’t even realize was happening. That man was wicked smart, and knew how to play his cards at both ends. I didn’t know until the very end. Damn.

Rick Kessler…I have a bone to pick about him a little. He’s best friends with the MC’s in this book now, having become Eagle’s partner. Rick and Adam go on spa dates, etc. And Rick realizes he can’t have Eagle, he’s fine with that. Then he kind of thinks he wants Adam, but he can’t have him, he’s fine with that. Then when they are dealing with Dean, Rick’s serial killer brother, Adam is away for his safety (and plan), and Eagle and Rick are basically living together, and Rick makes moves on Eagle again. It just wasn’t cool, and I didn’t see why that needed to even be a thing. It was basically “Adam’s away, he won’t know, let’s just have a little fun”. No, just no. You can’t be best friends, and do that.

There are still so many secrets between these guys even at the end. Some of them are revealed (yeah Michelle!), some are still not (Carlos and his “training”). I have a hard time figuring they might stay together with all those secrets, but hey, it’s fiction, so yeah for HFN! 🙂

Nice to see that we may get some follow up romances with the couples that were finding their way to each other during the book.

4 pieces of eye candy

My mother now regrets her fateful words she offered the day I came home from our small town library in Palm Springs, California (yes, I’m a Cali girl) complaining that there were no more books to read. “Then why don’t you write some.”

My father never saw his old Remington portable until I entered college and they gifted me an IBM Selectric. By then I had produced at least two dozen unpublishable novels which make me cringe when I read them today.

I found inspiration in innumerable odd jobs (from migrant work as a Date palm pollinator to the person who cleans the washing machines at the launderette to professional Dominatrix) for stories. After a stint in Rehab for Alcohol and Heroin abuse (so when I write those scenes, I know what I’m talking about), I cleaned up and have stayed that way for 29 years. (Me and Sir Elton, LOL). My gypsy lifestyle gave me a unique perspective on the different people who inhabited the Washington, Oregon, Arizona, California, and New Mexico areas where I have lived.

After 3 very bad marriages to men, I finally figured out what was wrong and fell in love with a woman when I lived in Portland, OR 23 years ago. We’ve been married since 2008 (yes it was legal in California at that time). We now live in Asheville, NC and love the people in this liberal and accepting corner of the mountains of North Carolina.

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All or None by Aurora Lee Thornton: Exclusive Author Interview and Excerpt

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In a world where everyone has a soulmate, uniquely powerful mage Royiora and reluctant assassin Kalo collide in the worst of ways.

Royiora Daralkaen, the only mage alive able to use all five kinds of magic, has a near idyllic childhood in the country of Porescalia – before war breaks out with their antagonistic neighbors, Kloria.

Kalo Porla, a naturally magic-proof individual known as a Null, is trained to be as an assassin by the authoritarian empire known as the Domain.

When Kalo and his partner assassin are sent to kill a mage and his apprentice, it starts a journey neither man was prepared to begin.

Author Name: Aurora Lee Thornton

Publisher: Self

Release Date: Friday, May 15 2020

Word Count: 87000

Cover Artist: Aurora Lee Thornton

Genres: Fantasy

Pairings: Primary: m|m, secondary: mf, ff, ffm, mm

LGBTQ+ Identities: ace, demi, bi/pan, gay, lesbian, non-binary, poly, trans woman

Keywords/Categories: enemies-to-lovers, soulmates, coming-of-age, slice-of-life, mages, assassins, queer, LGBTQ, fantasy

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Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a plantser, ha ha. I started off as more of a panster but I would keep running into the issue where I would forget where I meant to go with a story? So I started writing outlines – nothing too detailed, usually just a very basic ‘here is each major plot point’ or ‘this is what each chapter is about.’

My stories do tend to be character-driven over plot, so I leave plenty of wiggle room for change. And some stories I don’t have outlines for because I don’t know where they’re going yet – and that’s fine with me, too.

What are your favorite parts of publishing?

Getting my stories out there so other people can read them! I’ve only self-published, so it’s all very exciting to get everything together and get ready to go.

I love hearing what other people enjoyed about my story – little details, favorite characters, etc. I also love talking about my stories, though it can be hard to avoid spoilers in that case, ha ha.

What are your least favorite parts of publishing?

Again, I self-publish, so basically everything that isn’t the actual writing part – sending out review requests, planning advertising campaigns, all the other marketing aspects. Social media, copywriting, etc. It’s all just so much planning and work (and usually at least some money).

I also dislike querying, not that I know any authors that enjoy it. My latest story has an unconventional narrative structure, which made it hard to write a compelling synopsis/query letter when almost all the advice for how to do so is based on the three act structure or hero’s journey. I like meandering plots and slice of life, which don’t translate well, unfortunately.

Let’s talk to your characters for a minute – what’s it like to work for such a demanding writer?

Roy: “Demanding? Ha. Xe wasn’t even supposed to give us a story.”

Kalo: “Yeah… we were apparently ‘too interesting’.”

Roy: “Now xe has a whole series to contend with instead of one standalone. It’s kind of funny.”

Kalo: “It’s really not.”

Roy: “You’re only saying that because you’re a writer too.”

Kalo: “… true.”

Were you a voracious reader as a child?

Oh absolutely – I even got grounded from reading because I would read instead of doing my homework! (Though that was probably more the undiagnosed ADHD…

I feel lucky that I ran into some great fantasy written by women as a kid – I didn’t even realize how male-dominated the genre was until adulthood. Tamora Pierce is still a big favorite of mine.

Even though I know I’m not a woman now, it was still great to read fiction with complex heroines – I only wish I had known Kel was ace when I was a kid, then I might have found out I was sooner!

Star Trek or Star Wars? Why?

Trek, all the way. I don’t have a problem with Star Wars – I like it in its own way. But I prefer the cerebral, utopian future exploring socio-political issues – even though they don’t always get it right.

DS9 is my favorite series because it dealt with different issues than the other STs – mainly, how a utopian society interacts with a non-utopian universe. I found that kind of interplay very interesting, and it helped add a lot more nuance to the Federation and its place in the universe.

Is this our destination? Roy considered, but chose to wait to find out.

His assumption turned out to be correct, as Kalo sighed in relief when he saw it, leading the way right to the door and knocking.

A woman of Kalo’s race answered it, even with the same red skin and gray hair. She laughed and pulled his soulmate into a hug when she saw him, before pulling back and flicking his ear with something even Roy recognized as an admonishment.

The assassin replied something tiredly, walking past the woman with the slight limp he’d had for the past week or so.

Then she turned to the mage, and in perfect Porescalian said, “And you must be my brother’s soulmate. Hello, I’m Rela.”

Roy flinched in surprise, then cleared his throat and shook the proffered hand, “Yes, uh… I’m Royiora.”

“Do you shorten it?” Rela asked, ushering him inside, “I read most Porescalian men do.”

“Um, yes,” the Porescalian man replied, “I usually go by Roy.”

The horned woman nodded, half pushing him past high vaulted halls into another room, “You must be freezing – come on, let’s get you something warm to drink. I’m sure you have plenty of questions Kalo couldn’t answer.”

Roy didn’t get a word in until after Rela had taken the borrowed coat and replaced it with a surprisingly warm blanket, sitting him at a table in what appeared to be a study or classroom with the promised hot drink.

“There are warmth runes inside the stuffing,” someone said, and then a strange looking man with six arms and blue skin hung down from the ceiling. Unlike Rela and Kalo, he had purple glowing eyes, and held out one of his arms, “Hello, I’m Xia – Rela’s one of my soulmates, and this is our home.”

“Uh, hello,” the mage said, shaking as he looked up at the rest of the man’s insectoid body clinging to the ceiling, “I’m… Roy.”

“Nice to meet you, Roy,” Xia said, skittering over a bit to lower himself to the ground, “Rela and I took the trouble of learning your language some time ago, as our other two soulmates appear to be Porescalian as well.”

“And Kalo asked me to translate his soul writing when we were kids,” Rela said, sitting across from Roy, “He was so very excited to meet you, you know. Though, judging by the state of the two of you, I’m guessing it wasn’t under happy circumstances.”

“Not… exactly, no,” Roy said, feeling comfortably warm for the first time in a while. He took a sip of the drink – it was oddly nutty, but enjoyable nonetheless, “Uh… what… is Kalo?”

Rela snorted, “A bit of a pain in the ass, honestly.”

Xia laughed, and went over to the chalkboard in the room. He cleared it with a bit of arcane magic, and started drawing, “Kalo is what we call a ‘null’ – magic doesn’t affect him, and he can absorb it to fuel pseudo-magic abilities of a limited range.”

The strange insect man pulled back to reveal the celestial star, with words written underneath each point.

“Divine magic gives him self-regenerative abilities and invisibility,” Xia said, pointing to Radzmia’s crystal throne, then moved on to Pelzz’s obelisk, “Arcane provides mental acuity and teleportation,” onto Ruelop’s spring, “Physical resistance and enhanced senses,” Guulruf’s nine-pointed star, “Physical strength and shadow walking,” and finally, Forea’s whirlpool, “And physical speed and water breathing.”

“They identified him and our cousin when they were five,” Rela said, smiling, “We were all so excited – the government provided us stipends for their education and care. Us, a little provincial family of no repute.”

“So it’s an…” Roy struggled to keep up as the warmth and stillness worked on relaxing him to the point of drowsiness.

“That’s what they told us,” the woman snorted, taking a drink, ears flicking, “But when they were twelve, they went to the Institute.”

“Where they train them to be tools of the Trinity,” Xia sighed, coming back to the table.

“The… Trinity?” Roy asked.

“Our leaders, Frezians like Xia,” Rela supplied, then shook her head. She looked up at the mage, “Let me tell you about what happened to my brother.”

Aurora is a nonbinary, asexual writer with a new goal in life: to write the queerest books possible. (And yes, xe means gay, but also weird is good too.)

Xe loves dragons and fantasy, and someday hopes to complete a (soft) science fiction novel as well. Currently, xe lives with xyr two cats.

Author Website: https://www.auroraleethornton.com

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/AuroraLeeThorntonBooks

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aurora_T_Books

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auroraleethornton/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16358225.Aurora_Lee_Thornton

Author Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Eq3rOO

Send Lawyers, Guns, and Roses by Heloise West: RDB, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

When Hunter and Alex are given the vacation of a lifetime, it’s a chance for them to pay attention to romance and get out of danger’s path. The tiny Caribbean island of Saba is gorgeous, the first to have marriage equality, and the Sabans are the nicest people on earth. There’s lots of rum poolside for relaxing and a room with a mirror on the ceiling for passion. Hot Karaoke nights, cold beer, and new friends.

Orfeo and Max, and Max’s sister Talisha, confide a troubling secret. Alex and Hunter want to help. As a hurricane bears down on them, a dead body surfaces and a purple backpack loaded with stolen jewels brings Derek Boyd, a jewel thief, into their lives. He wants his ex-boyfriend Max and the stolen jewels returned before the Russian mobster, who wants his wife’s jewels back, can catch up with him and exact his revenge.

Title:  Send Lawyers, Guns, and Roses

Author: Heloise West

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: August 31, 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 76700{

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Action/adventure, Established couple, Law enforcement, revenge, crime, vacation

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Amazon

Nine Star Press

Alex

The door closed behind the last customer, and the noisy bar returned to silence, a booze-fumed, tacky-underfoot silence where the small noises Alex made seemed twice as loud. His ears rang as he picked up the broom to sweep out the crap on the floor behind the bar.

The front door opened again, and his shoulders tensed. He cursed himself for not locking it when he’d shoved out the last drunk patron, distracted by the e-mail he’d received. A rookie mistake. He groped under the bar for the bat the owner had urged him to use if he suspected he needed to.

“Excuse me,” the man in the doorway said. He’d been in the bar earlier, an Asian man along with a rather bland, nondescript white guy.

Alex looked closer, not letting go of the bat. “We’re closed. Need me to call a cab for you?”

The man appeared innocuous, but innocuous-looking people could still be trouble. The instincts Alex had honed all those months on the run had stayed with him. Director Flint’s warnings about retaliation flashed through his mind.

The guy opened his mouth to answer Alex’s question, but someone shoved him from behind before he could speak, and he stumbled. Alex grabbed the neck of the bat.

“Didja ask him? Is it him?” The pushy friend pressed himself forward a few steps, far drunker than his buddy.

“We’re. Closed.” Alex threw some menace behind the authority in his voice and revealed the bat. The Asian man flinched and grabbed at his friend, who fished in his pocket for something.

“It’s him. You. Boy Blue,” the drunk man burbled.

Alex froze, shifting gears. He tightened his grip on the bat. Anger fueled his ass up and over the bar to land a few feet in front of the drunk who pulled out a phone, aimed it in his direction, and blinded him with the flash.

“You fucker!” Alex reached out to slap the phone away—too late, because the man had thrust it back into his pocket. Alex smacked the bat against the tiles on the floor. It made a sharp, solid noise, and they both looked at him with drunken, slow-motion surprise. “Get out before I call the cops!”

“Asshole!” The first guy grabbed his friend again, shoved him out the door, and slammed it shut behind him.

Alex locked it this time and leaned against it, heart racing. When it began to slow, he took a deep breath and another, and his temper faded. He had a date tonight, and if he didn’t move his ass, he’d be late. Cranking up Dropkick Murphys to exorcise the intruders, Alex cleaned the place out in record time. Once done, he grabbed his phone and clicked on the video text. Happy Birthday! The handmade sign filled the screen. Alex smiled.

Bare feet on their unmade bed. Hunter wiggled his toes, and Alex laughed. The phone camera traveled along Hunter’s shins to his knees, all dusted with brown and copper-tinged hair, and as he bent his left knee, the sheet fell from his muscular thigh. Hey, the pointed birthday hat covered his… Hunter stretched like a big cat, and the tip of the hat rocked as he adjusted his hips. Alex swallowed hard, mesmerized as the camera swept across Hunter’s hips and flat belly, up the opposite side of his body, past an erect pink nipple, the tattoo, and the hairy armpit, along his biceps, which he flexed, then forearm to wrist and the silver bracelet around it. Alex’s heart gave a little lurch, beating faster. His boyfriend had handcuffed himself naked to the bed for his birthday.

Oh, honey. Alex groaned, grabbed his wallet and keys from the cash register, and ran for the door.

He jogged out into the warm June night, the sky clear and sparkling over Delingham as he jumped into the car. He hoped to get home without wrecking the care while Hunter’s video replayed in his head. His blood boiled for Hunter.

He drove through the quiet streets. Alex hadn’t wanted to come back to Delingham at all, but Hunter’s family had made sure the rent got paid on his apartment. At least they had a safe place to go to when Hunter recovered from Dale Markham’s accidental gunshot wound. Dale Markham, former FBI agent, rotting in jail—someplace hot, Alex hoped, good practice for when he got to hell. Nick Truman, too, but a big black hole existed where he’d once been. Maybe they had put him in Witness Protection like Nick had hoped. The case against the two men who had murdered Alex’s uncle had become a nonissue, since before they could be taken into custody, someone had killed them.

Nothing like thinking about those things to defeat his raging hard-on, so he blasted out Dropkick Murphys again to fuel up the testosterone.

“Here I come, baby,” he murmured.

Not finding a parking spot near the apartment building set him seething and grinding his teeth. His lot in life had improved, but not his temper. He dropped the keys twice on the front stairs and made it through the door before he considered alerting Hunter. Alex texted—coming up now—and smiled to think again of Hunter there, waiting, naked, and handcuffed to the bed. They’d talked about playing like this but hadn’t got around to it yet. In the video, Hunter had kept the wounded leg covered; he hated the scar, the asymmetry where they’d taken part of the muscle during surgery. Doing better after a pretty deep depression before his physical therapist motivated him on the road to getting back in shape.

Yeah, we’re doing good.

This is book 2 in the series, and finds the guys heading for some fun in the sun. This doesn’t happen until about 40% into the book, which seemed a bit odd to me. The book is almost split into two parts. The part in Delingham, MA, and then the part on the Carribean Island. And what happens in one doesn’t seem to carry over to the other in this book. It almost felt as if it could have been a novella for the first part, and a book for the second part.

Anyway, the guys are pretty much broke, but trying to make it, while learning to live together, and live with themselves. There’s some stuff that happens in Delingham that felt out of place for me, but it definitely helped to advance Alex’s continued desire to be an FBI agent. I did find myself skimming a few areas that seemed either redundant or unnecessary.

Once they get to Saba, the book slows down some. There is a lot of getting to know, and a lot of back and forth with the people on the island, trying to get to know them (in Alex’s case, again, as he had been to the island before), and the others being afraid to tell them what their issues were. Both Alex and Hunter were trying to be friends, and to help those that needed it.

Hunter’s panic attacks begin to get worse (get that boy some help!) but all in all they are trying hard to just enjoy themselves. Things happen. Thieves are revealed, a hurricane pops up and killers are found and dealt with. Mayhem is had by all. 🙂

All in all a bit of fun. I’d call it a beach read, but as you find out in this book, Saba isn’t an island with a beach.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Heloise West, when not hunched over the keyboard plotting love and mayhem, dreams about moving to a villa in Tuscany. She loves history, mysteries, and romance. She travels and gardens with her partner of fifteen years, and their home overflows with books, cats, art, and red wine.

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