Book Excerpt

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

Instagram: https://instagram.com/anytasunday

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

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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Impacted! by Mickie B. Ashling: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

April 16, 2019 by Denise

Once again, Mickie B. Ashling is stopping by to bring us some fun from her latest release (re-release) Impacted! There is a great little excerpt, along with a giveaway of a DSP gift card, so make sure you enter! Can’t wait to read this book!

On his way home from vacation, Scott Gregory, a closeted sub, hooks up with the gorgeous Red, a flamboyant Dom, for a thrilling one-off at a BDSM bar. They part ways after a satisfying scene… but meet again when Robin Kennedy—Red—arrives at his new job as a dental hygienist and discovers one of his two bosses is Scott.

Robin and Scott embark on a journey of exploration into their kinkier sides and discover they’re more than compatible—they’re a perfect match. But keeping employer/employee and Dom/sub separate at the office presents difficulties, and to make matters even more complicated, the owner of the dental practice is an acknowledged homophobe.

They fall in love, but Robin chafes at all the secrecy, refusing to live in the shadows. Scott isn’t as brave; he’s desperate to protect his job and his future. Will they be able to find some middle ground… or will their entire relationship fall apart because of fear?

First Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, August 2009.

Title: Impacted!
Series: Bay Area Professionals
Author: Mickie B. Ashling
Release Date: April 12, 2019
Category: Contemporary, BDSM
Pages: 191

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

I’d like to thank Two Chicks Obsessed for giving me the opportunity to share an exclusive excerpt of Impacted! This novel was originally published in 2009 when I was a newly minted author. It was my first foray into BDSM and I’ll admit I didn’t know much about the men and women who participate in the lifestyle. The second edition offers a gorgeous new cover designed by Kanaka along with extensive edits for a more enjoyable reading experience. This book is the first in a five-book series involving dental and medical professionals living in San Francisco. People rarely associate sexy with dentistry but I can promise you my characters are nothing like the ghoulish men who come to mind when you think of dentists. I hope you’ll give them a try.

They met downstairs at the entrance of the building, rather than leaving the office together. Something unspoken, a shared paranoia due to the nature of their workplace, acknowledged this would be for the best. They walked several blocks until they got to Grant Street and then turned left to enter the portals of Chinatown. After maneuvering several streets, Scott led Robin into a six-table hole-in-the-wall, assuring him the restaurant had some of the best Szechwan food around.

“You like spicy?” Scott asked as they sat across from each other. Space was limited, and their knees were touching under the round table.

“I like hot sauce,” Robin replied. “Does that answer your question?”

“Yes.” Scott nodded. “The Yu Shan shrimp will make your toes curl.”

Robin chuckled. “My toes usually curl when a sub starts to beg.”

Scott felt the blood rush to his cheeks. “Are you always this direct?”

“Would you prefer a lying sack of shit?”

“No,” Scott replied uneasily, “but most men would ease into this conversation.”

“Why be ambivalent when I know exactly what I want?”

Scott picked up the bottle of beer the waiter set on the table and took several gulps. He could feel Robin’s eyes on him the entire time. He wanted to iron out the pros and cons of starting anything, given their special circumstances, but his cock had a mind of its own, and his control was unraveling.

“How do you know I’m interested?”

Robin reached under the table and licked his lips when his fingers grazed the growing bulge between Scott’s legs. “I can smell your need, Dr. Gregory.”

Scott inhaled sharply.

Robin continued to stroke, and Scott found it difficult to think of anything other than his aching groin. It was embarrassing to lose control this quickly, but he couldn’t pretend he was unaffected, not when he was so obvious.

Robin leaned forward until their mouths were inches apart. “Tell me what you want, my gorgeous pain slut.”

Scott looked down and let out a shaky groan. “I want….”

“What, baby?” Robin asked gently. “How can I make it better?”

“Hurt me,” Scott whispered, almost afraid to say the words. “Dominate me.”

“I would love to,” Robin said. He shifted in his seat, and Scott almost cried out when Robin stopped stroking. With both hands back on the table, Robin pinned him with a determined look. “We need to talk first. Tell me what your limits are.”

Scott nervously ran a hand through his hair, taking deep breaths as he fought to recover. He couldn’t believe he’d caved this easily. “I don’t like to be bound.”

“You didn’t seem to have a problem with the cuffs.”

“No, it’s the heavy stuff I can’t handle. The idea of cages, straitjackets, and ball gags make me claustrophobic.”

“So you don’t like it or haven’t tried it? There’s a difference.”

“I guess I’ve never been with anyone who made me feel safe enough.”

Robin nodded. “We’ll work on it. What about pain? Do you have limits there?”

“Not really, except you can’t mark my arms. I wear short sleeves at work.”

Scott nervously fidgeted with the utensils, and Robin reached out and laid a firm hand on his. “Don’t be embarrassed.”

Scott laughed a little too quickly. “I’m really nervous, for some reason.”

“There’s no need,” Robin said, radiating confidence. “We’ve already lived through the awkward first date—which exceeded my expectations—and I can’t wait to be alone with you again, but getting these pesky questions out of the way will guarantee future success. Do you have a favorite tool?”

“I like most of them, but I prefer the cane.”

Robin whistled. “You are a little pain slut, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Shall we pick a safeword?”

“Already?” Scott asked, surprised.

“I want you something fierce,” Robin stated matter-of-factly. “I’ve had a raging hard-on since I walked into the office and saw your beautiful face.”

“God….”

“Don’t you want me?”

“More than anything.”

“Good,” Robin replied in a low voice. “I want to be sure we’re on the same page.”

“Oh yeah, same page, same book,” Scott acknowledged.

Robin squeezed Scott’s hand and turned it over. He rubbed his thumb in gentle circles on Scott’s wrist, moving gradually up his arm. Goose bumps erupted, and Scott forgot how to breathe. The gentle strokes turned rougher, and Robin snuck under the short sleeves and dug his nails into the tender skin near Scott’s armpits. Scott’s whimper wasn’t planned, but the satisfaction on Robin’s face made Scott wish they were in a private room so he could lunge at the man and kiss away the smirk.

“You’re so fucking responsive,” Robin husked.

“Robin?”

“What, baby?”

“Can we go to my place after we’re done eating?”

“Hell yeah, but you need to pick a safeword before we leave.”

“It used to be red, but obviously I’m changing it. How about blue?”

“Whatever works for you, baby.”

“Please don’t call me baby.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t like it.”

“I do, and unless this is a hard limit, I’ll call you whatever I want,”

Mickie B. Ashling is the pseudonym of a multifaceted woman who is a product of her upbringing in multiple cultures, having lived in Japan, the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East. Fluent in three languages, she’s a citizen of the world and an interesting mixture of East and West. A little bit of this and a lot of that have brought a unique touch to her literary voice she could never learn from textbooks.

By the time Mickie discovered her talent for writing, real life got in the way, and the business of raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing–and the inevitable emptying nest–dreams of becoming a published writer were resurrected and she’s never looked back.

She stumbled into the world of men who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and intolerant world. She admits to being an angst queen and making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.

Mickie currently resides in a suburb outside Chicago.

Contact Info

E-MAIL: http://mickie.ashling@gmail.com

BLOG: http://mickiebashling.blogspot.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/mickie.ashling

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MickieAshling

INSTAGRAM: @mickieashling

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004QSCN3E

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2904716.Mickie_B_Ashling

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Trusting Him (The Retreat #2) by L.M. Somerton: Blog Tour, Excerpt and Review

April 9, 2019 by Denise

Luke Redding’s military background is an asset when it comes to managing The Retreat, but it hasn’t helped him find the submissive he longs for. A secluded life in the New Forest, witnessing a stream of happy couples playing out their fantasies, doesn’t provide much opportunity to develop a relationship either. When a friend’s manipulations lead to him taking on silver-haired Skye as a trainee sub, Luke finds it hard to trust in his own ability to provide the guidance Skye needs.

Skye Ingham wants to explore his submissive nature but the noise and crowds at The Underground are overwhelming. He can’t believe his luck to be taken under Luke’s wing and offered a job at The Retreat. As Luke tests his boundaries, Skye trusts him implicitly, but how can he convince his new Dominant to have faith in himself?

Amid the bustle and excitement of a big house party at The Retreat, Luke and Skye edge their way towards a deeper understanding of each other’s needs and desires. But it will take a final leap of faith to secure their future and open a path to love.

Trusting Him (The Retreat #2) by L M Somerton from April 9 – 13.

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Trusting Him (The Retreat #2)

Author: L M Somerton

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Release Date: April 9, 2019

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M BDSM

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 59 495 words

It is a standalone story within The Retreat series.

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It wasn’t dignified, but Luke twisted around in his seat to take a look at his potential employee as he wound his way between the tables. He hadn’t formed an impression of what Skye might look like, but the reality was better than anything Luke’s imagination could have conjured. Skye was slight, delicate, maybe five feet six or seven, no more. His skin was lightly tan, a coloring that Luke guessed came from his heritage rather than the sun. He had no tattoos that Luke could see and considering that all he wore was a short leather kilt, that didn’t leave much room to hide any. The wavy hair Luke had assumed was pale blond was in fact silver-gray, though the boy’s eyelashes and brows were a much darker shade, which made Luke wonder if the silver was natural.

Skye stopped in front of the table facing Luke and Carey. He clasped his hands behind his back and ducked his head. “Gordy said you wanted to see me, Mr. Hoffman.” Skye’s voice was so soft Luke had to concentrate to catch his words.

“I did, Skye. You remember I spoke to you about a job at The Retreat in Hampshire?”

Nodding, Skye darted a quick look at Luke. Luke caught a glimpse of violet-blue eyes before Skye focused his gaze on the carpet once more.

“Well, this is Mr. Redding. He’s in charge of The Retreat. I want you to wait on us over lunchtime and show him what you can do.”

“Hello, Skye,” Luke said, keeping his voice low and trying to project reassurance. “I hear you’ve had excellent training. We have a mixture of guests staying at The Retreat, but they all have something in common. They love their food. We have a dedicated chef and customers can pick their own menus and eat as much as they want. That means a lot of serving both at table and in the guests’ rooms. Do you think you can handle that?”

Skye scuffed his bare toes into the carpet. “Yes, Sir.”

“And you understand that The Retreat caters for men who are in the BDSM lifestyle, just like here at the club?” Skye nodded and a light pink flush bloomed on his cheekbones. “Sometimes, you might be required to wear very little or nothing at all. Does that worry you?”

“No, Sir.” Skye’s response was barely audible.

Luke wanted to make eye contact with the shy young man but Skye kept his gaze lowered.

“Remove your kilt, Skye,” Carey ordered.

Luke tightened his grip on his drink. He expected Skye to bolt but instead he undid the buckle at his hip, let the leather garment drop to the floor then stepped out of it.

“Hands behind your back,” Carey instructed.

Luke glanced around the restaurant. Almost every man in the place had turned to watch. Skye stood absolutely still, clad only in the mesh thong that was issued to all the serving staff at The Underground to wear under their kilts.

“Fetch two menus, please.”

Luke watched, entranced, as Skye walked away, hips swaying. He might as well have been naked for all the coverage his underwear gave him. He had natural grace and if it weren’t for the slight tension in his shoulders, Luke might have believed he was entirely comfortable following Carey’s orders.

“You’re testing him. Why?” Luke didn’t take his eyes away from Skye as he collected two menus and returned to the table.

“Because you need to be confident that he will do as you ask, when he’d prefer to run and hide.”

“He’s attracting a lot of attention.”

“Are you surprised?”

“Not at all. He’s stunning.”

Carey’s smile turned into a smirk. “Then you can handle him from now on.”

I really do enjoy this author’s writing, and this book was no exception. One thing that the author always shows within her books is character growth and change.

Skye, at the beginning of the book, was very shy and seemed to stay away from most people, and throughout the book, although his shyness seemed to dissipate some, he became a friend to everyone at The Retreat. He was able to find himself as the sub he wanted to be, even discovering kinks that worked for him that he had no idea would be a kink for him.

Luke, who seemed to not want any sort of relationship, until his eyes landed on Skye, immediately found the man he wanted. Becoming the Dom for Skye seemed to come naturally to him.

One thing I liked is that the age difference between the two men was never a factor. Sometimes, age differences become a large part of the issues in a book like this. It was not. It was mentioned, with a couple of nods to the refractory period of youth 🙂 and then they moved on.

I’ve been enjoying this series, and am hoping to see more of the characters on my kindle very soon.

4 pieces of eye candy

LM 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.

LM is winner of the National Leather Association’s Pauline Reage Award for best novel and the 2016 and 2018 Golden Flogger Awards for best BDSM novel in the LGBT category. She has received multiple Honorable Mentions in the Rainbow Awards and won the Action and Adventure category of Divine Magazine’s Book Awards.

You can track her down online here:

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Yes, Chef by T. Neilson: Exclusive Guest Post and Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

April 2, 2019 by Denise

TCO is excited to have T. Neilson stop by today, bringing everyone a guest post, excerpt and giveaway from Dreamspinner Press’ newest release, Yes, Chef. I love the excerpt, especially the ending! Make sure to leave a comment at the end to enter the giveaway.

A savory slice of first love.

Simon’s dad died when he was young, leaving Simon to take the reins of the family restaurant business—and the responsibility for his mother and brothers. His commitment to his duty left Simon time for little else, least of all romance.

Argentinian celebrity chef Luke Ferreya has wanted Simon since their culinary-school days, but for Simon, family always came first. Now Luke’s back in Simon’s life—briefly before he returns to South America—and he’s determined to give Simon a sample of everything he’s missed out on.

Simon’s brothers are grown, and his mother is doing fine on her own, and Luke is offering a second chance for a future full of the pleasures of fine food, wine, and especially love. Without his obligations to hide behind, can Simon finally allow himself to say “Yes, Chef”?

Title: Yes, Chef
Series: Amuse Bouche: Book Two
Author: T. Neilson
Release Date: April 2, 2019
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 193

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If you can’t handle the heat…

Well, Simon never could handle the heat, which was exactly why he got out of the kitchen. He’s a much better restaurant manager than a chef. At least, that’s what he’s been telling himself. He was never really chef material. Not like his friend Luke. Luke with a natural ability with flavors, with great knife skills…. and an exceptional ass. But that was more than ten years ago, and anyway, Simon ran away to work the family restaurant at Lake Balmoral, Middle of Nowhere USA. It seemed so much easier than figuring out why Simon did what he did the last time he saw Luke.

As for Luke, he’s had about as much of the kitchen as he can stand. Burnt out after earning two Michelin stars, Luke is ready to leave the culinary world behind, and his family’s ranch in Argentina is singing a siren song. There’s just one thing he wants to do before he leaves forever, and that’s find out if an old culinary school friend could, after all this time, be something more.

Now Simon Love, a man too busy to have his own place let alone go on a date, suddenly finds himself back where he was ten years ago — head over heels with Luke. Which would be fine, if Simon wasn’t prepping for the biggest make-or-break event in the culinary calendar, and if his kitchen wasn’t in total disarray.

On the shore, Simon tried not to watch Luke dress, but he still found himself sneaking glances. He told himself not to be a creep, but he kept right on doing it.

Luke didn’t seem to notice, but then, Luke seemed to be having trouble getting his jeans on over his wet legs. They seemed to stick to his skin, and Luke wriggled and twisted to get them up his thighs and over his ass. Jesus. Simon tugged his own pants on as fast as the fabric would allow and then zipped his cock safely away. Luke left his pants undone as he pulled his shirt on. Ridged belly, black- fuzzed treasure trail, skin all damp and glistening. Simon’s cock pulsed. The lake had not been cold enough.

He pulled on his shirt and saw Luke watching him. Horrified, he glanced down at himself, but didn’t see any evidence of unplatonic interest, at least not visible. “What?” he asked.

Luke shrugged. “I think it’s important for you to know what it is you do and don’t do,” he said.

“What?”

“I mean, I think if you don’t set boundaries, you try to do everything yourself. And then you wind up like me.”

Luke touched Simon’s shoulder with a cool, damp hand, and the contact startled him. He looked at Luke, at his hand.

For an instant he imagined that hand tightening. He imagined Luke stopping him, turning him. He imagined Luke leaning toward him. God, his skin would be cool still from the water, and damp, but his mouth would be hot. He thought of how it would be to feel the thick muscles of Luke’s legs brush against his, slide along his, frame his hips.

“You are worried that you’ll burn out like me. Aren’t you?”

Simon forced his mind back from the brink. “You’re the best chef I’ve ever known,” he answered in a croak. “I should be so lucky.”

Luke’s eyes were fixed on him, dark and soft and warm as an August night. His broad brow creased under the slick of his wet black hair. He’s beautiful. How did I miss it for so long?

Luke’s grip on Simon’s arm softened just a little, and the subtle shift made the hairs on Simon’s arm and neck stand up. The contact was as electric as a rolling summer storm. He found himself holding his breath, waiting for something he couldn’t explain or express. “I should be so lucky,” Simon heard himself say again, in a whisper.

Luke’s mouth parted just a little and curved just slightly into a small, soft smile.

“Simon,” Luke said in a low, soft voice that Simon could hardly hear over the buzzing in his head. It was a rumble—a purr. I want him to kiss me. God, please let him kiss me. “It’s not lucky to burn out. It’s a disaster. I wasted my whole youth building a business I walked away from. And what good have I done in the world? Who have I helped? No one.”

Simon reached for something that would sound sensible, reasonable. “You’ve mentored so many chefs,” he managed at last.

Irritation creased Luke’s features. He shook his head. “That’s the absolute least I could do. Besides, I get their labor. It’s not altruism. It’s trade. Listen to me,” Luke said. He turned and gripped both of Simon’s arms, firmly but not hard. “There’s more to life than your kitchen. Don’t do what I did. Don’t let the work become who you are.”

It was too late. Work had poured like sand into every part of Simon’s life and filled up all the empty space inside of him until he was his own shape, but all the him had been displaced… until now.

He felt his breath coming short, as though he were about to give a talk to a banquet room full of guests. His lungs felt too small for his chest, and his heart battered against the cage of his ribs like a bird beating at a window. He knew what he wanted in a way he had never known before. Kiss me, kiss me, please kiss me.

Book one in this series, Sweet Nothings, was a book I really enjoyed. I loved the youngest brother, with the oldest brother, Simon from this book, dynamic. However, Yes, Chef, just fell flat for me.

This being a category romance, usually you do have the MCs separate for a while, before they do finally find their way to each other. In this book, the MC’s don’t even acknowledge to each other that they want the other, much less kiss, before 85% of the book has been completed.

I felt like there was a ton of “I want him, but he doesn’t want me” and “I want him but he’s leaving for Argentina”, and very little of the two men actually re-connecting. As a reader, it felt like a repeating pattern throughout 3/4 of the book.

There were definitely aspects that I really enjoyed. I’d like to see a follow up scene with these two men, to see where they are at six months down the road. I want to know more about Sam’s circumstances, as a future possibility of a story. He was intriguing to me. I also really loved the camaraderie with the Brasserie employees. They all seemed to get along so well, and cared about each other so much. A very different scene versus what Luke had left behind.

Overall, a book that had potential, but needed more character connection for this reader, but still has kept me interested in a next in the series.

3 pieces of eye candy

About the Author: T Neilson is a writer and foodie who lives on Vancouver Island where the bread, beer, and coffee scene is a thing to behold. A romance writer since 2015, and a food industry die-hard for over a decade, Neilson decided to get out of coffee tasting and get into writing for good. These days Neilson spends a lot of time chasing after a toddler, thinking about upcoming books, and working toward the perfect hand-pie crust. It’s not an easy life, but someone has to do it.

https://www.tneilson.com/

https://twitter.com/TamMacNeil

T. Neilson is giving away an ebook copy of her book Submission Guidelines (a book that features some of the side characters who appear in this book). Leave a comment on this blog post and be entered for a copy of it! Check the book out here.