New Release Review

Dearest Malachi Keogh (Dearest Milton James Book 2) by N.R. Walker: New Release Review

November 15, 2021 by Denise

Julian Pollard never believed in love at first sight. That was until he met Malachi Keogh. Well, maybe it wasn’t love at first sight, but it sure was something.

Julian had forgotten how to live, how to be happy, and Malachi changed all that. Now together for four years, Julian wants to give Malachi a Christmas he’ll never forget.

The only problem is, Christmas at a mail distribution centre is the busiest time of the year. It just might take the whole team to make it happen.

Dearest Malachi Keogh is a 13,000-word short story.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

This was the CUTEST story! Seriously, if you loved Dearest Milton James, you MUST read this.

There’s a time jump of a few years. Everyone is still working at the mail distribution center and Julian and Malachi are still very much in love. It’s Christmas time and Julian is going to propose, using Dearest Milton James letters as inspiration.

Julian being Julian has thought of everything to avoid detection until Christmas morning. The same eclectic group of coworkers all help make it happen.

This is a happy Christmas short that is funny and sweet and sexy all packed into a small package.

5 pieces of eye candy

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

For more about N.R. Walker you can find her at:

Email:

nrwalker@nrwalker.net

Mr. Jingle Bells: A Gay Christmas Romance (Home for the Holidays Book 3) by Leta Blake: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 14, 2021 by Denise

Opposites attract as frosty business partners become fake boyfriends in this Christmas gay romance!

After an emergency forces Ashton Sellers from his apartment, all he wants for Christmas is new lipgloss, zero contact from his abusive family, and a place to stay for the holidays. Cue his business partner begrudgingly taking him in.

Walker’s a fuddy-duddy with no sense of fun, but he does have a safe, warm home with four adorable dogs and delicious food on the table.

If it turns out Walker’s also a secret softy with a tender side and a hot body beneath his endless parade of golf shirts? Great, good, cool. And if Walker wants Ashton to pretend to be his boyfriend for his sister’s Christmas-themed wedding? Awesome, amazing.

Could Walker be the safe haven Ashton missed out on as a child? Could they be falling in love for real?

But when Ashton uncovers a painful mistake in Walker’s past, it hits too close to home. As the jingle bells quiet and the snow settles, will Ashton be able to forgive Walker, or will their relationship be over before it ever truly begins?

Mr. Jingle Bells is a gay Christmas story by Leta Blake featuring forced proximity, opposites attract, fake dating, office romance, steamy scenes, and a taffy-sweet happy ending. It’s set in the Home for the Holidays universe, which began with Mr. Frosty Pants, but can be read as a standalone.

Content warnings for childhood abuse, past addiction issues, PTSD episodes, and gambling

Title: Mr. Jingle Bells
Authors: Leta Blake
Series: Home for the Holidays, Book 3

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

“Walker, was this your idea?”

Walker realized that he’d let Ashton take control of the presentation, and he lifted his chin confidently. “It was. I thought of it last night, and I think we can pull it off. And even if we can’t, even if people suspect that it’s all for show and that I’m paying him to escort me, or even just pretending to be dating him like his post suggested, that’ll be fuel enough for gossip, right? Like why would I do that? People will have a lot to say either way. And none of it about you, Tom, Morgan, or the kids.”

“And Mom and Dad?”

“There should be nothing shameful in their son bringing a beautiful man to your wedding.”

Evelyn looked between him and Ashton and then down at their joined hands. Her mouth twitched up at the corner again, and she turned to Tom. “Let’s talk in private for a minute? In the hotel lobby? We’ll be right back.”

Walker thought Ashton would let go of his hand as soon as Evelyn and Tom left, but he didn’t. Instead he traced Walker’s knuckles with his thumb, saying, “I can’t believe they think I can’t do this. I mean, I could absolutely make anyone believe I’m in love with you. It wouldn’t even be hard.”

“But what about me?” Walker asked gruffly. “Maybe I’m not as great an actor.”

Ashton looked up at him, his green eyes shining in the candlelight. He searched Walker’s face and grinned. “Ah, no, just look at me like that! And everyone will believe we’re madly in love! That’s perfect, Walker. You’re a really good actor already, see?”

Walker almost gaped. He wasn’t acting right now? And he wasn’t in love? He was just…impressed by how much he’d missed about Ashton before. By focusing on all the ways Ashton was different from him, by feeling uncomfortable with Ashton’s dissimilarities instead of appreciating them, he’d almost missed out on a really cool person.

Ashton sighed happily, gazing up at him. “Man, the person you look at like that for real? They’re gonna be so lucky.” Then he released Walker’s hand and took up his drink.

Walker’s skin tingled where Ashton had been touching him, and he wanted to wrap their fingers together again. But he lifted his bourbon and sipped it instead. Weird how lines got so easily blurred when a person was lonely. He needed to keep that in mind.

Tom and Evelyn returned from the lobby, Evelyn with a grin spread across her face like Christmas-come-early, and Tom with a smirk directed at Walker that he didn’t quite know how to interpret.

“We’re in,” Evelyn said. “Right, Tom?”

Tom nodded, his eyes on Walker. “Yup. We’re good to go with this plan. Initiate Operation Fake Boyfriend.”

Ashton squirmed with excitement next to Walker. “Fantastic! Now we just need to decide on the details.”

Immediately, Ashton and Evelyn began to plot. Tom kept sneaking indecipherable looks at Walker but saying nothing. It wasn’t long before they all needed another round of drinks.

“Okay, so like how crazy can I go?” Ashton asked, leaning forward over the table toward Evelyn, hand to his chest. “I assure you I don’t ever want to take attention away from you as the bride—”

“No, please do!”

“Okay, I could wear this for example? To the wedding?” Ashton flipped his phone around and displayed a picture of himself in the most flamboyant suit Walker had ever seen. It was a sky-blue skinny tuxedo with orange and white koi fish printed all over it. Why did Ashton even own this atrocity? And why did Walker suspect that Ashton would actually look smoking hot in it?

“God, that’s perfect. Perfect,” Evelyn cooed. “Oh, Tom, just think of everyone’s faces. Your Uncle Dave will shit a brick.”

“Or maybe this one?” Ashton turned the phone around again, flipped through some of his photos, and then found what he was looking for. “Too much? Or just right?”

“Oh God, it’s great, but almost not enough.”

How could it not be enough? In the photo, Ashton wore a fitted, burgundy suit that was so tight through the legs and ass that it made Walker feel a little…well, a little aroused and tingly, and he wasn’t sure that was what he wanted to feel on his sister’s wedding day.

Nor did he think he wanted to feel that way about Ashton at all. Though it seemed to keep happening. Like the other night when he’d been unable to tear his eyes away from Ashton’s collarbones, or when he’d had to shift around as he’d massaged his feet to keep from getting hard.

“I have another more exciting option,” Ashton said. When he presented the next photo, Walker’s legs went numb and a cold sweat broke out in the small of his back. Fuck. That suit was some kind of high-fashion bondage gear combination. How had Ashton even afforded these pieces? They all looked like they were incredibly pricey. Plus, was Ashton into that? Bondage and all that went with it? Because Walker absolutely wasn’t.

Why did it matter? They were just friends! What was going on in his head?

Not gonna lie…when I saw how many pages this book was, I was a bit intimidated. Lately long books have taken me at least two weeks to read, and my expectation was that it would take me at least that or more for Mr. Jingle Bells. Nope! Three days, and it flew by. I couldn’t put this book down! I loved both these characters, the side characters, and especially the dogs. 🙂

Ashton was so unapologetically himself, and I loved that for him. He had a bad childhood, one that few people really understand the depths of, even when reading it. He worked hard to get where he was, even with little to show for it monetarily, because of his trust in the wrong person. He knew where his boundaries were, and didn’t allow others to cross into it, even if it hurt him. He was strong from the inside, and someone any of us would be proud to be friends with.

With Walker, he had his own boundaries but still managed to have a huge heart and would do almost anything for someone he cared about…or even someone he barely knew, when he took in Ashton.

There was so much going on in this book, it could have been difficult to keep everything straight, but it absolutely was not. Everything was weaved together seamlessly. Ashton’s moments of pain, one after another. Walker being there to pick up the pieces. Evelyn and Tom’s upcoming wedding. Even down to Walker’s grandfather, as a bit of a catalyst. It was so well written, that as the story wound through one portion then another, it flowed through each storyline, building upon itself.

There were a few pieces I didn’t understand. How did Ashton and Walker end up in business together if they really didn’t know each other at all, not something I could see doing. I also didn’t quite see how their idea of trolling people at Evelyn’s wedding would pay off in the end. It came together, but still wasn’t something I couldn’t quite grasp for myself. However, those were small issues, and did not take away from the story at all.

This book was not just about two men falling in love, but the redemption and changes they both needed in their lives. For themselves, and then for each other. And the sticky sweet ending will have you wondering why we can’t have Christmas books all year long. It was sigh worthy. (But also bring a few tissues to the reading of the book…you’ll need them in a few places, for sure.)

In the end, I think I loved this book even more than the previous two in this series, and that’s saying a lot, because I loved them as well. So well done, and you won’t regret a minute of sitting down, reading this, and ignoring all the other things you “should” be doing, for the thing you want to be doing. 🙂

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

If you’d like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta’s newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H

Bonus material for the Heat of Love series, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married series, Training Season series, Smoky Mountain Dreams, Mr. Frosty Pants, The River Leith, and more is available on Leta Blake’s Patreon account. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/letablake

Or you can find out more about her by following her online:

On the web: https://letablake.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letablake

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetaBlake a Rafflecopter giveaway

What If? (Lost and Found) by Barbara Elsborg: New Release Review

November 12, 2021 by Denise

When 16-year-old Crispin stumbles across Kennedy’s Emporium, he’s transported into a magical world of the impossible. Unicorns, snow globes where the snow never stops falling, bubbles that never pop, paper fireworks that explode and refill, and most magical of all—Garrett Kennedy, youngest son of the owner, who makes Crispin’s heart leap in new and exciting ways. Crispin promises he’ll never forget Garrett, but when he loses Garrett’s gift of a jewelled bee, he also loses his memories of the time he spent with him.

Eight years later, the bee is returned to Crispin, along with memories of Garrett and his amazing world. But how can any of what Crispin now recalls be possible?
And yet…

What if it wasn’t a dream?
What if Kennedy’s Emporium exists?
What if magic is real?
What if Garrett’s been waiting, wondering why Crispin never came back?

And what if Crispin takes a chance on the best thing that’s ever happened to him, assuming he can find Kennedy’s Emporium again?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Book 2 in this new magical/paranormal romance series. You don’t have to read book 1 as this stands alone.

I had just come off of reading two highly emotional, angsty reads. So I say to myself, yes this one will be good. It’ll probably make me giggle a bit like Jonty did. It’s Christmas-y, it won’t be sad. FALSE! Sigh.

Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t ALL sad and there is definitely a happily ever after but getting there led to tears. Many tears.

The book is set in modern day London, but faeries, shapeshifters, werewolves, etc are all real. But regular people don’t know they are real. A human, Crispin, stumbles across a shop he shouldn’t have been able to see but he did. And he spent 24 hours immersed with Garrett in that world. When he left, the shop disappeared, everyone thought Crispin had disappeared and he was left with no recollection of what had happened.

Crispin’s life isn’t fabulous. His family is wealthy, but his mother is very cold and his older brother tortures him, even as adults. The only family member he is close to is his father. And his father tends to hover because he had a brain tumor as a child and he is always worried that it will come back.

Through a series of events, Crispin gets his memory of those lost 24 hours back and is determined to find Garrett again. A little magic helps him find his way back.

Garrett is ready to leave the fae world behind to stay with Crispin. But Garrett believes that Crispin must have some fae in him that let him see the shop all those years ago.

While Crispin and Garrett unravel a mystery with many connected threads, they are inseparable. Love at first sight, soul mates, whatever you want to call it. It is so sweet how Garrett wants to figure out a way to be together but Crispin wants Garrett to go back to Fairyland and forget him. I won’t say why. But remember all the crying I did? Uhuh

I want to hug Crispin’s dad and smack his mother and brother. As well as Garrett’s brother. We did get to check in with characters from the first book which was fun. And at least that part made me giggle.

All of the tears were redeemed although there were quite a few twists that I didn’t expect. What started as a sob fest ended up being a feel good Christmas story. Mostly.

4 pieces of eye candy

Christmas Mountain: A Christmas Gay Romance by Garrett Leigh: RB, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 11, 2021 by Denise

The probation officer caring for his dead brother’s baby. The wounded gentle giant with the biggest softest heart.

Rami: Sweet Fen Hawthorne is my favourite thing about working in the prison. His broad shoulders and sunny grin. His twinkly flirtation. And he likes me as much as I like him. More seems inevitable until life happens.

One day I’m there, then I’m not, and second chances don’t really happen when your car breaks down halfway up a snowy mountain, do they?

Besides, I don’t remember flirting with a bearded lumbersexual, only dreaming about one.

Fen: Do dreams come true?

Christmas Mountain is my home. But it’s the one place on earth I never imagined seeing Rami Stone again, and now I’m snowed in with him. Trapped, with only a roaring fire for company, and it’s a fantasy come true. The air is thick with more than snow and the eighteen months we’ve been apart fades away.

As the snow clears, though, so does the haze. Rami says he comes with baggage.

But so do I, and I’m here for the heavy lifting.

I’m here for forever.

A Christmas MM romance from Garrett Leigh. Expect: Long lost friends-to-lovers, heart-warming found family, and the swooniest second chance at love with a healthy dose of sweet hurt/comfort. Gorging on mince pies and cinnamon-spiced doughnuts is optional, but deeply encouraged.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

So swoony!

We met Rami oh so briefly as Dante Pope’s probation officer. Turns out he has a crush on one of the prison guards and one of the prison guards has a crush on him, but life got in the way and they lost touch for about 2 years.

During that time Rami ended up being the caregiver to his nephew after his brother OD’d and the baby’s mother split. This poor guy is suddenly in charge of a toddler while trying to work and occasionally get some sleep. And then he kind of snapped. If you’re a parent, you have probably felt that way. Just completely exhausted and overwhelmed and if you start crying you might never stop. That’s real life. So in a fit of desperation he decides to go to his sister’s house. Except she lives on a mountain, it’s 2 hours away in good weather and oh, unexpected snowstorm. And then his car dies. In the snow. On a mountain road.

Don’t worry because a gorgeous hulking lumberjack rescues them. And that lumberjack is the prison guard.

Turns out their lives are entwined in a way they didn’t know. Rami decides to stay at his sister’s house with her brood for a bit to get some help, maybe relax a little and get some sleep. But Fen, the prison guard/lumberjack is part of his sister’s life so they see a lot of each other. And they flirt. Hard. Even when Fen says he doesn’t want to cross a line. He doesn’t do casual. And Rami has every intention of going back home to his life and his job.

Rami’s sister is amazing. I want to call her super mom, but her husband is just as amazing. They are fairly self reliant, they homeschool, etc. Rami didn’t think he could do it but he learns to slow down and live how they do. For now.

Fen has some demons and reasons for leaving the prison and going back to take over his father’s Christmas tree farm. And as much as he adores Rami’s sister and family, he is still pretty closed off. They all chip away at him- kids included. And especially Charlie, Rami’s nephew he is now raising.

It wasn’t just Rami and Fen falling in love that was swoony. It was Fen allowing himself to fall in love with Rami’s whole family. And letting them all love him back.

There’s a bit of drama toward the end that was unexpected. But you also know that everything is going to be ok.

Definitely worth the read if you are a fan of the author. Or even if you are new to their work. Or just want a lumberjack Christmas story. Or a single dad story. Or all of the above.

4 pieces of eye candy

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer.

Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

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Never Fade Away by EL Esch: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 9, 2021 by Denise

Until death does us part, but it’s knocking on our door…

I’d had enough. That’s how I found myself in a dingy alleyway with my revolver in my hand. I was sick and dying anyway, and there was nothing I could do about it. Nothing except maybe taking back some shred of control by going out on my own terms.

One deep breath. Two… Three… Four…

Surrounded by the darkness of my own mind, this was the only solution I could see, but before I could do something I’d regret, rock star Anno Goodkind crashed into my life and flipped it upside down.

It was supposed to be one casual hookup. No complications and definitely no feelings. No, the most logical thing to do would be to stuff my emotions down so nobody got hurt. Especially not him. But nobody told me that love didn’t give a damn about logic.

CONTENT WARNING: This story has a HEA but deals with heavy themes of illness, suicide, anxiety, and depression. Reader discretion is advised.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I opened my eyes and turned toward Anno. He’d retrieved a guitar from the SUV at some point and was now plucking the strings gently with his fingertips. It was the same one he’d been playing at the concert.

“Haven’t heard this one,” I said.

The multicolored rubber bracelets on Anno’s wrists shook as his hands moved expertly in and out of notes. He rocked his torso to the tune as he played, humming softly. The soft light of the moon traced his face as he moved, accenting his nose and jaw. Looking at him, I felt happy. He seemed so content, so in his element that he radiated a contagious aura of tranquility.

But all at once he stopped, and then he swore. The aura dissipated.

“None of it feels right lately.” He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. He offered me one, but I held up my hand in refusal. After a long drag on a cigarette, he sighed deeply on a puff of smoke.

“It sounded good to me.”

“Ha, thanks.” Another long draw on the cigarette and then he tossed it to the ground and stomped out any lingering embers.

“It was a nice riff. Comfortable, soft… sort of haunting. I dunno, I liked it. Made me feel good.”

“You really think?” He hopped back up on the hood of the SUV and turned on his side toward me.

Why did he sound so uncertain? He was a popular artist. People loved his music. Yet I could hear the quiver in his voice when he asked me if I really believed what I’d said.

“I do.” I nodded. “And I haven’t felt comfortable in a long time. But maybe that’s the booze.” I started to laugh, and then I noticed Anno leaning toward me.

His lips were inches from mine. I could smell the beer we’d been drinking on his breath. He tilted his head and our noses brushed ever so slightly.

Shakily, I slipped my hand around the back of his head. His hair felt freshly cut and prickled along my palm as I gently pushed to close the gap between us.

If you’ve read my reviews you know I love angst. I want to FEEL the emotions. Good or bad. But also, I don’t want to read about fabricated angst. Those dumb fights that the couple has so they break up for five minutes and it’s called conflict just so they can get back together. No. I want real. I want gritty. I want to cry because I am so in their world that it feels like I know them. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten that. Until this book.

Vincent is sick and dying. Although we don’t find out exactly what he has and what is killing him for quite a while. When Anno finds him, Vincent is about to take matters into his own hands. Knowing he is dying anyway, why make it drawn out? Instead Anno shows up…and basically never leaves.

Anno has his own issues. And while this could absolutely lead to some serious codependence, it doesn’t. They call each other on their crap. Vincent doesn’t care that Anno is famous. Anno doesn’t care that Vincent lives in a tiny apartment. They learn about each other, what their demons are and they don’t try to fix each other. I was waiting for that. Waiting for Anno to try to throw money at the “problem”. Wanting to send Vincent to the best doctors, second, third and fourth opinions. But he doesn’t. He respects that Vincent is a grown man who can make his own decisions about his own life.

And they are grown men. Mid- late 30’s and early 40’s. THAT was refreshing.

I almost- almost- hated knowing that this would be a happily ever after. Because, how? I looked down at the percentage left and wondered how. How was this going to wrap up and not be rushed? But the author did it. The epilogue was just the perfect ending. Realistic and not “omg a miracle!”.

So yes, I ugly cried while reading. A lot. A lot a lot. Which just shows how invested I was in these men. Not only as a couple, but individually.

Why I took 1/2 a piece of eye candy away below
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Silly things like Vincent and his bestie met in college and stayed besties. And I get it that whatever he was in college for he went into construction because he loved it. But his bff is a stylist. So…I don’t know what she was doing in college? Or what she did and then went to cosmetology school?

Yes, I am picky. That is well established. Sorry, not sorry.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m a huge gamer, a lover of books and art, and have a fascination for lizards and other small critters that borders on an obsession. Which is probably why I already own 3 and have to actively stop myself from getting more.

I began writing because I always loved the idea that words can create entire universes and characters from nothing but a blank page and an idea. Like one day you have an empty Word document and then in as little as a few minutes—boom! You just created a snarky art school graduate with purple hair whose blood may actually be 90% coffee.

I write Male/Male adult romance. My books usually focus on realistic life topics—stuff everyday people go through and struggle with. I like when we as readers can feel connected to the characters we’re reading about. When we can understand their feelings and then suddenly they become truly human.

Please consider signing up for new release information through my newsletter at my website:
https://www.eleschbooks.com

Connect with Eryn:
Website: https://www.eleschbooks.com
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/author.elesch
Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/elesch
Instagram Follow – https://www.instagram.com/e_l_esch/
Bookbub Follow – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/e-l-esch
Goodreads Follow – https://www.goodreads.com/e-l-esc
Amazon Follow – https://amazon.com/author/elesch

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Not Until Noah (Star Crossed, Book 1) by Lisa Henry: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 9, 2021 by Denise

Carter Westlake is on the brink of being Hollywood gold. Cast as the lead in a highly-anticipated sci-fi trilogy filming in Australia, he’s primed to be the next A-list action hero: all-American, hot as hell, and straight. The problem is, Carter can only check off two of those boxes. But that’s okay—his bisexuality can remain a secret until these movies are behind him.

Childhood educator Noah Jones has a plan. Work as a nanny for six months, make some extra cash, and move to the UK to teach. He doesn’t expect his new boss to be a Hollywood star. And he certainly isn’t prepared to fall for the guy.

One kiss sends them tumbling into a secret relationship, even though they both agree it can be nothing more than a fling. Carter needs to stay in the closet for the sake of his career, and Noah’s leaving. But when their feelings continue to grow into something deeper, Carter has a decision to make. Knowing that exposing his sexuality could cost him his career, would he rather carry on living a lie, or risk it all to stand tall in his truth?

Not Until Noah is the first book in the Star Crossed series, where regular guys meet famous ones, and sparks fly.

Title: Not Until Noah

Author: Lisa Henry

Series: Star Crossed, Book 1

Genre: Contemporary.

Tropes: secret relationship/manny and single dad.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Noah went into his bedroom and grabbed his bag of toiletries and the boxers and T-shirt he slept in. He bundled them all together and stepped back into the hallway, intending to head for the bathroom.

Instead, he almost stepped right into Carter Westlake.

He put up a hand to stop them colliding, his fingers sliding over the thin fabric of Carter’s soft shirt and into the dip of his sternum. His breath caught, and his face burned. He took a quick step back.

“Thanks,” Carter said. “For today. Emerson had a great time.”

“I did too,” he said, trying not to stare at the way Carter’s mouth moved. “She’s a great kid.”

“She doesn’t usually warm up to new people quickly,” Carter said. “But she loves you.”

There was something about the way Carter said it, something vulnerable in the slight hitch of his voice, that made Noah’s heart skip a beat. The moment was heavier than a compliment wrapped in a revelation about a child’s sociability should have been. Noah had no words, and the silence between them suddenly shifted and became laden with something that he was terrified to name, except he could feel it. Sudden anticipation in the air, sudden electricity. And Carter’s gaze was holding his as though it were magnetic. He almost forgot to breathe.

And then Carter was closing the distance between them again. “Noah, can I—”

“Yes,” he said, the blood roaring in his skull. It couldn’t be what he thought it was—it couldn’t be—but it also didn’t matter what it was. There was probably nothing in the world that Carter Westlake could ask him that Noah would refuse. Not in this strange moment where the rest of the universe had somehow ceased to exist.

Carter tucked a finger under Noah’s chin—Noah’s breath shuddered out of him—and leaned in to kiss him.

A million frantic thoughts sounded like klaxons in the back of Noah’s mind, all blaring the same urgent, panicked message:

Carter Westlake is kissing you!

Carter Westlake—the movie star—is kissing you!

And he had no idea what the hell he was supposed to do with that information, except maybe enjoy the kiss while it lasted.

He lifted his shaking hand and ran it through Carter’s hair, encouraging him to keep going, and shivered as Carter’s tongue slid along the soft seam of his lips. He opened his mouth, and the sensation of their tongues touching sent a thrum of molten heat through his body. He moaned into the kiss.

No, it wasn’t Carter Westlake the movie star who was kissing him; it was Carter Westlake the man. And he wasn’t sure why, but that suddenly seemed like an important distinction.

Carter drew back for a moment, and his heart seized at the loss. Carter only leaned in again, though, sucking gently on his bottom lip before releasing it and sealing their mouths together once more. Noah’s body thrummed with need. He twisted his fingers in Carter’s hair and shivered as Carter’s hands came to rest on his hips. He suddenly wanted to pull Carter closer, to bring their bodies together as tightly as he could—

His toiletry bag thumped to the floor as he released his grip on it.

The sudden noise broke the spell between them, broke the kiss.

Carter stepped away quickly. “I’m sorry. Shit, I’m sorry.”

The heat in Noah’s body transformed into burning shame.

“That was inappropriate,” Carter said. He wasn’t meeting Noah’s gaze. “I’ll…”

He gestured toward the stairs and then hurried past Noah toward them. He didn’t look back.

Noah’s hands shook. He leaned against the wall for a moment, fighting for breath. Then, his eyes stinging, he stooped and picked up his bag and his pajamas. He hurried to the bathroom, closing and locking the door.

He leaned against the vanity, his back turned to the mirror because he wasn’t sure he could look at himself right now.

And that distinction between Carter Westlake the movie star and Carter Westlake the man—the one that had seemed so significant while they’d been kissing—was a joke, wasn’t it? Because Carter Westlake was also his employer, and Noah was a fucking idiot not to have remembered that. Carter could fire him for this. Would that be better or worse than not being fired, but somehow continuing to stay here and pretend nothing had happened? He had no idea. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. And he could wave any future contracts with CTL goodbye if Karen found out he’d kissed a client.

Stupid.

Stupid stupid stupid.

He buried his face in his hands, squeezed his eyes shut, and groaned.

Stupid, but if Carter knocked on the bathroom door right now and asked if he wanted to kiss him again, Noah wasn’t sure that he’d be able to refuse him. He wasn’t sure he’d want to because nobody had ever kissed him the way that Carter had, and even knowing it was the dumbest thing in the world, he wanted more.

This is the first contemporary book by Lisa Henry that I’ve read. However, considering how much I have loved the Lords of Bucknall series, I knew I wanted to jump into this one. I wasn’t disappointed with this one.

I always love when books are set in Australia, as I loved my brief time there, so it’s always fun to revisit mentally. Not that I was able to stay in a house quite like the one Carter Westlake was renting.

With Carter on the verge of his “big break” with a trilogy of action movies, he is still firmly in the closet, until Noah becomes a nanny for the five months they are expecting to be in Australia. What I loved most about Carter was his fallibility. He was a fantastic father…but still managed to disappoint his child on a few occasions, despite his best efforts. He wanted to be out of the closet, and yet knew he couldn’t until…whenever…and acknowledged that whenever will likely never come.

Noah meanwhile was so good with Carter’s child, not just being a manny, but actually engaging with her, teaching her, showing her the world. It was a lovely relationship. And when things did not go down well between Noah and Carter, Noah deeply felt his love for Carter’s daughter, and how upset she would be. (And she was…and she let Noah know about it. Loved that!)

Side note…Noah’s brother, Dylan…he was a really good character. Written very well, and he was so supportive of Noah. I just loved Dylan.

All around a really good read, and a good start to a new series.

4 pieces of eye candy

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house with too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Lisa has been published since 2012, and was a LAMBDA finalist for her quirky, awkward coming-of-age romance Adulting 101, and a Rainbow Awards finalist for 2019’s Anhaga.

To connect with Lisa on social media, you can find her here:

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She also has a Facebook group where you’ll be kept in the loop with updates on releases, have a chance to win prizes, and probably see lots of lots of pictures of her dog and cats. You can find it here: Lisa Henry’s Hangout.

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