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I Never Knew: Riverside Town (Book 4) by Darla O’Malley: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

July 17, 2023 by Denise

.                                  .

Ryan Hayes wasn’t looking for a distraction from the one in five chance of him being the father to his lying, cheating, “not his girlfriend”, pregnant ex-girlfriend’s baby, but that was exactly what Elijah became. That was until the lines got blurred and Elijah became something to him that he never knew was possible: everything.

Elijah Anderson hid the struggles he faces every day to keep his diner afloat behind a smile, but Ryan saw through it and gave Elijah real reasons to smile. Though Elijah tried to fight it—Ryan may have a baby on the way and was also the soon to be brother-in-law to his best friend—Ryan seeing Elijah in his lingerie and showing how receptive he was to roleplay was Elijah’s undoing…he was hooked! He wanted to lose himself in the gorgeous, demisexual, and bi-curious man in ways he never had before.

Ryan saw how hard Elijah worked every day to make ends meet and how his generous behavior was being exploited. Not anymore.

Elijah saw past Ryan’s candid approach to dealing with his family and understood the love behind his words. They’ll see how considerate you are.

Just as Ryan and Elijah settle into their happy lives together, it gets rocked by a heavily pregnant woman wielding a hammer.

Author note: male/male romance, can be read as a standalone. Contains sexual acts between consenting adults, roleplay, sexy lingerie, and two men who never knew what love was until a heavy box was dropped on one of them.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Ryan

“Rye!” Zach shouted after spotting me and Elijah walking closer to them. “I found your flag!” he yelled, even though I was close enough that he didn’t have to. The smell of fruit and alcohol wafted off his breath, explaining his loud behavior.

Zach wrapped the large flag around my head like it was a towel, and I was a kid that had just been for a swim in the lake.

“Thanks, Zach,” I said as I tugged the flag off my head. I didn’t unwrap myself from the flag, though, instead placing it around my shoulders. Looking around, I saw there were a lot of people with different colored flags…I liked the colors in my flag: there was a black triangle and three stripes coming from it, the top stripe was white, and the bottom one was grey; the middle stripe was a thin strip of purple. The colors were subtle, but what I liked most was that I felt a sense of pride in the flag, similar to when I saw the Star-Spangled Banner; this flag represents…me. “Can I keep it?” I asked.

“Course you can,” Zach said, smiling brightly. The glassiness in his eyes portrayed his drunken state—I wasn’t even gone an hour! “Cammy and Taylor were telling me about all the flags, and when he said about the demi one, I was like, that’s what Ryan said earlier. So, we bought you this.” He held a corner of the flag up for me to see, still smiling from ear to ear.

“You guys bought this for me?” I asked, finally looking at my brother and my dad’s boyfriend. Neither of them heard my question. They were dancing rings around Elijah. When my boyfriend saw me looking his way, he grinned and winked at me.

Zach’s hand heavily tapping on my shoulder broke our eye contact. “What?” I asked him.

“Do you like my flag?” Zach asked, pointing to the wonky rectangle on his bare chest with a small dick in the middle. I also noted that he had his T-shirt tucked into the back of his jeans like I did.

“Is that you coming out as having a small dick?” I quipped.

“Fuck you, dickhead!” Zach shoved my shoulder but was laughing.

“Hey!” Cam shouted as he got between Zach and me. “No fighting. Let’s dance.” He took hold of my hand, raised it above his head, and began twirling himself beneath it. I wasn’t really a dancer, so I just watched him. Taylor joined the mix, and before I knew what was happening, he was behind me, holding my arms out and moving them to the music.

“I’m not a puppet,” I said over my shoulder to him. The movement had my flag falling off my shoulders and to the ground. Taylor let go of me, but Cam had already picked up my flag for me.

“Tie it ‘round your neck like a superhero,” Cam said as he tied the black corners of the triangle around my neck. The alcohol I could smell on his breath was more potent than what Zach smelt like, My little brother was pretty hammered. Not the straight-laced narc he once was.

Darla O’Malley had been writing male/male fiction and paranormal stories as a hobby for quite a few years, until encouragement from friends and family to become a self-published author had her finishing one of her many half-written novels. She’s extremely happy she heeded their advice as having others read her creations has become an exhilarating experience.

Connect with Darla:
Facebook: facebook.com/darla.omalley.96
Facebook Group, Darla’s Darlings: facebook.com/groups/darlasdarlings
Twitter: twitter.com/darla_omalley
Instagram: instagram.com/darla.omalley/
TikTok: tiktok.com/@darlaomalleyauthor
Goodreads: goodreads.com/darlaomalley
BookBub: bookbub.com/profile/darla-o-malley
Website (subscribe to newsletter here): https://darlaomalleyauthor.journoportfolio.com/

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The Sunny Side by Lily Morton: Audiobook Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

July 3, 2023 by Denise

.                               .
Jonas Durand is successful, rich, and controlled. He owns a prestigious modelling agency and has the world at his fingertips, but a turbulent childhood has taught him to be focused and never deviate from a plan.

Dean Jacobs threatens that stance. He’s one of the world’s most sought-after supermodels, but he’s also laidback and lighthearted and free in a way that Jonas has never quite managed.

Dean has always been interested in Jonas and has never made any secret of his admiration, but from the beginning, Jonas put him in a neat little box labelled, “Don’t touch,” turned the key, and never looked back.

However, the universe seems determined to thwart Jonas’s plans. Over the course of one hot summer, the two men come together, and Jonas’s well-ordered life becomes something a whole lot wilder.

Moving from the glamorous worlds of London and Paris Fashion Weeks to the sleepy South of France, Jonas finds himself liberating partridges, chasing his supermodel, and falling in love.

From bestselling author Lily Morton, comes a romantic comedy set in the fast-paced and snarky world of modelling. This is the first book in the Model Agency series.

Title: The Sunny Side
Author: Lily Morton
Narrator: Joel Leslie
Length: 11.1 hours
Series: The Model Agency, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Comedy.

Amazon – Ebook – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Audible

Goodreads

“We’ll be bringing Mister Jacobs up in a bit,” he adds.

I stare at him. “He’s not being charged, then? My lawyer is on his way.”

“No need for that.” He leans closer. “He was really brought in just to keep the peace. No one was hurt, and as the hotel doesn’t want to press charges and neither does the lady concerned, then there isn’t anything that needs to happen. We just left them in the cells to sober up.”

“What exactly happened? Mr Jacobs wasn’t very forthcoming when he rang my assistant.”

“I’m surprised he could speak. He was rather drunk when we brought him in, and he’s slept through most of his time in the cell. I wish they were always that obliging.”

“Oh, he’s always obliging,” I say grimly.

He looks behind me, and as there’s no one waiting, he unbends a little. “Apparently, he was in a hotel room for the night and went to the bathroom. When he came out, he went right rather than left and ended up naked in the hotel corridor.”

I sigh and pinch my nose. “Oh god,” I say faintly.

His mouth twitches into a half-smile. “Then he compounded his error by letting himself back into the hotel room. The only problem was that it wasn’t his hotel room, and the old couple it belonged to were rather startled to find a six-foot-four naked supermodel trying to get into bed with them.”

“That old couple?” I say, pointing to the woman who was before me in the queue. She’s holding hands with an older man who I presume is her husband. He nods and I sigh. “Fuck my life. So, then what happened? Tell me he wasn’t brawling with those two old-aged pensioners?”

He snorts. “Oh, don’t worry, sir. It wasn’t them. That was his…” He hesitates. “His partner for the evening.”

I look up, my stomach roiling. “Who?” I ask sharply.

“I’m afraid I can’t divulge names, sir.”

I wave my hand. “Don’t worry about it. I doubt he’ll ever see him again anyway.”

“Like that is it, sir?”

“You have no idea. So, what happened after that?”

“The young gentleman that Mr Jacobs was with was under the impression that Mr Jacobs had found new company for the evening and had abandoned him. So, he stormed into the room and proceeded to drag him out.”

I stare at him. “It is very late,” I say slowly. “I only got back from New York this afternoon. I have sat in more aeroplanes this week than Douglas Bader. My brain might be a little blurry, but I’m sure you said that Dean’s hook-up thought he’d left him in his bed and tried to score with an octogenarian.”

He bites his lip. “I believe that’s a fair summing up, sir. The young man dragged him into the corridor. Mr Jacobs objected strongly, and there was a bit of a scuffle.”

“Was anyone hurt? Was there property damage? I fail to see why this was a police matter.”

“Well, they were both naked, which caused a bit of a stir amongst the other guests.”

Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – Chocolate Baileys.

Connect with Lily:
Facebook | Lily’s Snark Squad Facebook Group
Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
Website | Newsletter
Amazon Page | Goodreads | BookBub

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Baxter’s Right-Hand Man by Lane Hayes: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

June 29, 2023 by Denise

.                                             .
The movie star meets his match…

Pierce

Welcome to Hollywood, baby! Perhaps you’ve heard of me. I play Baxter, the adventure-seeking, crime-fighting hero, adored by fans around the world. Nice gig, right? My job has its perks for sure—private jets, a chauffeur, and the best tables at the fanciest restaurants in town. It’s nuts!

Downside—it’s hard to know who you can trust.

But I trust Lorenzo. He’s funny, sweet, and very real.

Look, I’m not in the market for anything serious. Between my greedy brother and the old man who claims we’re related, I’m a little wary, but I could use a friend.

And a sexy distraction.

Lorenzo

What is happening here? Major movie star, Pierce Allen wants me.

Me!

I don’t get it. I’m too fabulous and he’s too famous.

No, wait. He wants something from me, like my help and maybe my body. This should be a no-brainer. However, closing the last chapter on a long-term relationship has left me feeling a little fragile, and the last thing I need is to risk another broken heart.

But I’m too intrigued to walk away. I can play the part of Pierce’s “right-hand man” and keep things light and friendly. No problem.

I’m way too smart to fall for a movie star.

I hope.

Baxter’s Right-Hand Man is a MM, bisexual romance featuring a sexy, slightly egotistical movie star and the adorable diva who brings him back to reality.

Title: Baxter’s Right-Hand Man
Authors: Lane Hayes
Length: 75k
Series: The Baxter Chronicles, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

We engaged in a playful tug-of-war that probably would have ended up in a serious lip-lock if we weren’t in public. I let go before I did something stupid, pulled my ball cap farther over my forehead, and studied the black-and-white photos of the beach.

There was one other couple at the register, two baristas, and two uber-friendly golden retrievers. No danger here at all.

I felt more relaxed than I had in weeks. And very…ordinary in the best possible ways.

We took our lattes and treats to the beach and sat on a bench overlooking the ocean.

“I could live here,” I said conversationally.

Lo grinned. “It’s a nice place. Want the pink house?”

“Fuck, no. Something small with a view and a bench like this one.” I squinted at the gray horizon, inching closer to him. “I would like this.”

Shit. I’d said too much.

My heart thundered in my chest and my cheeks heated. I wanted to blame it on the latte, but I knew that wasn’t it.

“Me too,” he whispered.

The thundering sensation peaked into an internal storm. My head pounded as if in a race to keep up with my renegade heart. And suddenly, I wanted to ask tougher questions I’d never cared enough to ask anyone, like…what else do you want?

Do you want a house, a dog? Or are you a cat guy? That could be a problem ’cause I’m mildly allergic, but we’d make it work. Would you want a bungalow like Jasper’s? I could buy one tomorrow. What about kids? I love kids, but my parents sucked and I might too.

Those were safe boyfriend questions. It wouldn’t be weird to unload everything on my mind. Lo would be into it. We could sit here all day and just daydream like any normal couple who wanted a future together.

But I couldn’t give him normal. I couldn’t give him peace or quiet or—

Just as full-scale panic seeped in and took over, Lo slipped his hand in mine and rested his head on my shoulder. “Someday,” he said softly.

I closed my eyes and squeezed his hand.

Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016, 2017, 2018-2019, 2020-2021 Rainbow Awards. She loves wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.

Connect with Lane:
My Readers’ Group, Lane’s Lovers: https://bit.ly/3aIbMYg
My Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3cICfaK
Blog: www.lane-hayes.com
Twitter: twitter.com/LaneHayes3
FB: facebook.com/LaneHayesAuthor
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3NWuz93
BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/lane-hayes
Instagram: instagram.com/lanehayes3/
Goodreads: goodreads.com/LaneHayes
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@lane_hayes

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Only You (’90s Coming of Age Book 3) by Leta Blake: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

May 25, 2023 by Denise

.                                             .

’90s Coming of Age, Book 3

Join Peter Mandel on his final steps to love in Only You, the highly-anticipated third and final book of Leta Blake’s ’90s Coming of Age series.

Despite the lingering wounds of his past relationship, Peter is ready to take a chance on finding a faithful love and embracing his true self.

Peter and Daniel explore their connection despite Daniel’s complicated home life. But when Adam resurfaces, desperate to win Peter back, Peter must confront his complicated feelings and the painful ghosts of their shared past.

Only You is a powerful and emotional conclusion to the series, and a must-read for fans of New Adult Romance and Coming-of-Age fiction.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Pictures of You (’90s Coming of Age Book 1)

You Are Not Me (’90s Coming of Age Book 2)

The phone rang just as the buzzer on the toaster oven went off. I hissed as I tugged the pizza bagel free and dropped it, steaming, on a plate. Rushing to answer the phone next, anxiety roiled inside me. What if it was Adam?

“Hey, you.”

Daniel.

The peace his voice gave me was like absolution. No matter what I’d done in the past, somehow, I’d ended up here with Daniel on the other end of the line. Everything was going to be all right. Everything was fine.

Daniel would never lie about me, about us, or about who he was and what he wanted. He’d never be like Adam. He’d always be what he’d been right from the start.

Honest.

“Hey,” I answered, a smile on my lips. “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too.”

“My mom leaves Saturday morning. For real this time. Are you still up for that party I mentioned?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Because I’ve missed my friends, but most of all, I’ve missed seeing you.”

“Daniel?”

“Yeah?”

I didn’t know what I’d been about to say. Was I going to tell him about Leslie’s letter? No. I didn’t want to burden him with that. “Nothing. I just wanted to be sure of you.” I didn’t know how else to explain that I’d wanted to confirm that we were together.

“Be sure of me,” Daniel said, pitching his voice lower. “Saturday night, I’ll show you just how sure of me you can be.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Petey, are you okay?”

I laughed. “You’re such a goofball. And, somehow, that’s just not as good as ‘Danny, are you okay?’ Doesn’t have quite the same ring.”

Daniel snorted. “No, it doesn’t.” He paused. “But yes, it’s a promise. You can be sure of me, and also…are you okay? You sound tense.”

I fingered Leslie’s letter and then wadded it up and tossed it into the trash. “I’m good. Just needed to hear your voice.”

“And I needed to hear yours, so we’re even.”

“Yeah.” I took a bite of pizza bagel. “I love that about us.”

That was as close as I’d come to telling him I loved him. Maybe one day soon.

For now, just being on the phone with him was enough.

Whew! From what I have gleaned from social media posts, some of y’all have waited 10 years for this book? Again, so glad I was able to read them one right after the other.

Book 3!

Adam is back in town and went straight to Peter. Who caved like a house of cards. But will he finally FINALLY realize that Adam is the guy who is getting it all? While everyone else barely gets crumbs?

After the ride of the first 2 books, this one is definitely more of a roller coaster at a fair instead of a roller coaster at a theme park. Some ups and downs, but not as drastic.

And let me tell you. Adam who doesn’t get what he wants is a SCARY mofo. I could picture his face at times. Just that angry, evil look meant to make someone scared. Shudder.

Daniel has his own issues, but they are with his family-his mother in fact. So poor Peter keeps dating guys with family issues. Ok, not keeps, but both guys he has dated have some serious trauma. But Daniel manifests his trauma as trying to be the good guy for everyone and not really helping himself.

Shockingly, Peter helps him see that he has to put himself first sometimes. Seems our cute, nerdy outcast Peter has done some growing up.

A lot of the book is Peter and Daniel. Which is fine. Unfortunately, Peter has to reassure Daniel a lot. I wish he didn’t have to do that. I wish Daniel trusted Peter more.

There is a side story going on with the mess that is Minty. That boy. He has some issues and trauma himself. Probably the worst of everyone. I’d like to see him get his happily ever after.

As much as I really loved these books, I feel like the ending was a little anticlimatic. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a HEA and there was drama. But a little more would have been good too.

I still completely recommend these books. Especially if you love angst. And the nostalgia is great too.

4 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

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Review, Giveaway, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, Randomness, Release Day Review, TCO Exclusives, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 4 stars, author, blog tour, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, Book Reviews, excerpt, exclusive, gay, giveaway, Giveaways, historical, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, release day review, review, romance

You Are Not Me (’90s Coming of Age Book 2) by Leta Blake: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

May 12, 2023 by Denise

.                                          .

Follow Peter into the summer following his senior year to face new beginnings, new friends, and old baggage.

After a tumultuous final year of high school, Peter Mandel needs a break. It’s the summer of 1991, and his secret relationship with his ‘best friend’ Adam Algedi is put on hold as Adam goes away to Italy for the summer. On the cusp of adulthood, Peter has a couple of months to explore who he is without Adam at his side.

Enter Daniel McPeak, a slightly older, out, responsible college guy with a posse of gay friends and an attraction for Peter. Drawn into the brave new world of the local gay club, Peter embarks on a whirlwind of experiences—good and bad—which culminate in a hotel room where he has to make the ultimate choice.

But Adam will come back eventually, and there are promises that have to be kept. As autumn draws near and college awaits, can Peter break free of the binds of twisted first love? And what exactly is Daniel’s role in his life – a brief temptation, or something more?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

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Pictures of You (’90s Coming of Age Book 1)

Only You (’90s Coming of Age Book 3)

Bobby’s gray eyes pierced me, and I swallowed nervously. I’d never been in the same room with someone who had AIDS. I hadn’t thought it would bother me, but a sudden dread swept over me, along with a strange urge to get away. But I smiled and forced my feet to move forward, sticking out my hand.

“Peter Mandel, sir.”

“That’s right. Daniel said he’d be bringing a friend.” His grip was weak and the contact short-lived.

“Peter thinks he might volunteer with ARK,” Daniel offered.

I nodded and smiled as Bobby looked me up and down, saying nothing.

Daniel headed over to the fridge to pull out fruit and vegetables. He grabbed a colander from the cabinet. “I see Kerri did the shopping. I’ll prepare a few things for you, okay?”

“Sure.” Bobby motioned at the seat across from him, and I sank into it, keeping a smile fixed on my face. He grunted. “You’re not really thinking of volunteering, are you, kid?”

“I, uh, I wasn’t sure, but—”

Bobby grimaced. “You want to watch people die? What’s wrong with you? Don’t put yourself through it.”

Daniel frowned but didn’t say anything, starting to hull strawberries and cutting them up into a bowl.

Bobby continued. “Watching men waste away, it’s not good for anyone. Least of all a young kid like you. So, I tell you what, after you leave today, never come back. Just go out dancing, have fun, kiss some boys, and take Daniel with you. Both of you are too young to be dealing with this crap.”

“Oh.” I shifted uncomfortably on my chair. “Well, that’s one way to look at it.”

I glanced at Daniel. His shoulders were tense as he cut the green off the strawberries. This wasn’t what I’d been expecting. Daniel had said Bobby was laid-back. He must be having a bad day.

I fumbled on. “I guess another way to look at it is that we’re all in this together, right? A big world family of human beings and we should take care of each other.”

Bobby shrugged, obviously not convinced. “Jeff died,” he called over his shoulder to Daniel, not taking his eyes off me. “Jeff Rosenthal. My ex. Remember me telling you about him?”

Daniel stopped working and turned to look at the back of Bobby’s head. He leaned against the counter. “I remember. I’m sorry to hear it.”

“He was sex on legs when I met him. At the end, he couldn’t have weighed a hundred pounds. Nothing but bones.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, a lump rising in my throat and a burning sensation filling my chest. I wanted to reach out and hug the man, but I was anxious about touching him. Not because of his illness, but because I just didn’t know how he’d react.

“We’re all going to die,” Bobby said gruffly, his eyes filling with tears. “All my old friends and lovers. We thought we were safe here, away from the plague in the big cities. We weren’t safe at all.” His lips trembled.

Daniel wrapped his arms around Bobby from behind, pressing his face against Bobby’s cheek, and when the man closed his eyes and tears started down his face, Daniel made hushing sounds in his ear.

“We were young like you once,” Bobby said, his voice breaking. “We didn’t know. We had no idea what was coming. If we had… I never even told Jeff I loved him. How stupid was that? Such a dumb kid back then.”

I half expected Daniel to tell Bobby that Jeff had known anyway, but he didn’t. He just hugged him and let him cry. I patted Milky Way’s head as she wriggled in her owner’s lap, unsure what was causing his distress. I tried to calm her with long strokes down her silky ears.

When Bobby calmed, he said, “Don’t end up with regrets, boys. Regrets are the worst.”

“We won’t,” Daniel promised.

“Liar.” He scoffed. “We all have to deal with regrets. Every last one of us.”

I had no idea what to say, so I just sat there as Bobby eventually dried his tears, and Daniel went back to the food.

Bobby couldn’t walk very well, so after Daniel made his meal, he helped him to the living room and into a La-Z-Boy chair. As he ate, he chatted about soap operas.

“Not much else to do with my life now but watch stories,” he said to me, like he needed to justify it. “Daniel claims he doesn’t have time to watch them, but I keep him up to date on the happenings.”

“When is Marlena going to reveal herself to Roman?” Daniel asked, sitting on the sofa next to me and taking a brush to Milky Way’s fur. She struggled but he held her firmly in his big hands until she submitted.

I reached out to stroke her ears again as he worked, and she licked my hand.

“Beats the hell outta me. I guess she likes hearing what everyone says about her since they all think she’s dead.”

“You said you saw a commercial, though, right?And it hinted that Roman would find out she wasn’t dead sometime this summer?”

“Hopefully soon,” Bobby said. “I’m real tired of waiting around for the big reveal. I’ve only got so much time left. One little infection, and boom, I’ll never get to see the look on Roman’s face when he sees she’s alive.”

“Let’s be optimistic.”

“You be optimistic—I’ll be however the hell I feel like being.”

Daniel laughed softly. “Fair enough.”

“You like soaps?” Bobby asked me, his gray eyes piercing.

“I can’t say I’ve ever watched one, sir.”

“But his mother writes romance novels,” Daniel said, grinning. “So he probably understands the appeal.”

“Does she now?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Is she any good at it?”

“I think so. I don’t read her books.”

“Why not?”

“He doesn’t need to,” Daniel said. “Peter lives in a soap opera.”

 

I flinched, sucker-punched, but Daniel put his hand on my knee and squeezed, taking away the sting.

“Does he now? Do tell.” Bobby took a small bite of his sandwich and chewed gingerly, like it hurt, keeping his eyes on my face.

Daniel lifted a brow at me.

“Uh, I don’t know.” I picked at the hem of my shirt. “My life’s not that exciting.”

Bobby’s eyes gleamed. “Son, I’m stuck in this house by myself, save for Kerri and Daniel, day in and day out. I promise I won’t be telling anyone your deep dark secrets. Have mercy and entertain a sick, dying man.”

“Bobby’s a great listener,” Daniel said.

I hesitated, glancing between them awkwardly. “It’s embarrassing. The whole situation makes me seem like an asshole.”

“Oh, now you’re just selling it,” Bobby said with a grin. It was that bright smile, the first I’d seen from him, that led me to dump my whole sordid story into Bobby’s lap—sans my excruciating and escalating crush on Daniel.

Bobby’s eyes glittered merrily the whole time I talked. He ate everything on his plate, and Daniel brought him some cantaloupe, which he also ate as he listened. This seemed to please Daniel, and I kept on talking until Bobby was through.

Daniel went in and out of the room, bringing Bobby his medication, going to clean the bathroom and change the sheets in the bedroom. After he started the laundry in the machines kept in a hall closet, he plopped on the sofa next to me just as I was explaining the upcoming situation this fall—how Adam was going to be at Oglethorpe with Leslie, and how I was going to be here.

“Well, hell if that ain’t some kinky shit right there,” Bobby said, grinning. “This boy’s a mess, Daniel. He’s great. Bring him around again because I want to know how this all comes out in the wash.”

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

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Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Giveaway, Randomness, TCO Exclusives Tagged With: author, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, excerpt, exclusive, gay, giveaway, Giveaways, historical, Leta Blake, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, romance

Free Me (Love in the Pacific Northwest Series, Book 4) by Beck Grey: RB, Exclusive Author Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway

May 1, 2023 by Denise

.                                   .

A gender-fluid cutie, a workaholic hottie, and a hookup gone right.

Blake
No romantic relationship could ever compete with my dream job. Sure, it gets lonely, but that’s what occasional hookups are for. Work-life balance? Who cares? I certainly don’t. Until chest pains bring me to my knees and land me in the emergency room.

It’s a wake-up call I can’t afford to ignore.

When my well-meaning family encourages me to make some major life changes, like hiring a meditation and physiotherapist, whatever that is, I’m worried enough to agree.

Imagine my surprise when my practitioner turns out to be the hookup I haven’t been able to forget.

Stef
What’s a fabulously vivacious genderfluid beauty to do when stress is high and Prince Charmings aren’t lined up at their door? Head to the club to recharge my sparkle on the dance floor. I have no intention of hooking up with anyone. Hookups are not my thing.

I may be sassy, but I keep it classy. Usually.

Then I see the slightly older hottie in the Tom Ford suit, and all my self-restraint goes up in a blast of glitter.
When it turns out he’s my new meditation client and my friend’s older brother, I’m sure the universe is messing with me.

Because mixing business with pleasure is a huge no-no.
So why does my heart keep shouting yes?
Free Me is a low-angst, opposites attract, worlds collide, LGBTQ romance about a genderfluid cutie, a slightly older hottie, and a hookup gone right. It contains no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.

Title: Free Me
Authors: Beck Grey
Length: 75k
Series: Love in the Pacific Northwest Series, Book 4
Genre: Contemporary, Low Angst.
Tropes: low-angst, opposites attract, worlds collide.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Book 1: Save Me: Love in the Pacific Northwest

Book 2: Embrace Me: Love in the Pacific Northwest

Book 3:  Choose Me: Love in the Pacific Northwest

Book 5: Heal Me: Love in the Pacific Northwest (Out Jan. ’24)

  • If you could sit down with one other writer, living or dead, who would you choose, and what would you ask them?

Neil Gaiman. And what wouldn’t I ask him? The guy is absolutely a wealth of information on about a billion subjects and he’s married to another fascinating person, Amanda Palmer. I’d ask him book related questions and questions about writing, and characters, but I’d also ask him about trips he’s taken and life experiences he’s had. He’s incredibly interesting and listening to interviews he’s given, his life-views are thoughtful and humane.

  • Tell us more about your forthcoming release? What’s this book about?

Free Me is the story of Stef Evans, an out and proud genderqueer physiotherapist and meditation coach, and Blake McCarthy, a workaholic book publisher. It’s a low-angst, opposites attract, worlds collide, LGBTQ romance about a genderfluid cutie, a slightly older hottie, and a hookup gone right. It contains no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.

It’s book four in my Love in the Pacific Northwest series. All of my books can be read as standalones, but most of the characters make appearances in other books. So we’ve met Stef before in their brother Jules’ book, Choose Me, and in their friend Quinn’s book, Embrace Me. But in the time between books three and four, they learned they were genderfluid.

I would like to take credit for making Stef genderfluid, but they told me that bit of information as I was writing the first chapter of Free Me. They were very insistent, so what could I do? But I love it, because having representation matters. I’m non-binary and it’s nice to put some of that representation in my books. Especially with what’s going on in the world right now with people’s civil rights.

  • What inspired you to write this particular story? What were the challenges in bringing it to life?

Representation of all kinds is what inspires me to write. My series follows a group of LGBTQ friends as they find their people and their happily ever afters. They all have their challenges—social anxiety, Deafness, long distances—but the characters never question who they are. I won’t write main characters who are questioning their sexuality or identity. There are a ton of incredibly powerful, well-written books that address these issues. I love writing situations where being part of the LGBTQ community is just another aspect of someone’s life, like having brown eyes, or being a certain height. It’s something that is, and can’t be changed. So, all of my characters will always be accepting of who they are in and out of the LGBTQ community.

Stef’s book was always going to be next in my series, and I had initially intended it to be more of an age-gap kind of focus, but neither character really seemed overly bothered by the age difference between them. It’s nine years, and while Blake considers it, he doesn’t dwell on it. And then once Stef revealed they’re gender-fluid that really became the focus of the book. So the trick was to walk the line between having this new revelation in Stef’s life be part of their new identity without making it “an issue” for them. Stef does worry it will impact Blake’s career, but Stef never questions who they are, or considers changing, or hiding it.

  • Where can readers find out more about you and your work?

I’m on FB, Discord, TikTok, Instagram, BookBub and Goodreads. All of those links can be found on my Langtry: https://linktr.ee/beck_grey

Check out my website if you’d like sneak peeks of upcoming releases and lots of other stuff! https://www.beckgrey.com/

My Newsletter signup: https://www.subscribepage.com/beckgrey

I walk out to the bedroom balcony and look down at the patio. Blake is lounging by the pool in swim trunks and sunglasses, reading a book. He looks incredibly relaxed, and it makes my heart happy. “Hey, handsome.” He glances up and his face breaks into a wide grin. Okay, yes, we’ve been together for a few months, but his smile still makes my insides all melty and warm. “You want to come in and eat, or should I bring the food out?”

“Put on a suit and come down. This is my big plan for the day.” He gestures to the pool area and waves his book.

I lean my elbows on the railing and grin down at him. “If you’re trying to seduce me, it’s working.”

“Excellent. Step one in my evil plan is complete. Now come down here. I missed you.”

“Be down in a sec!” I hurry inside, strip out of my work clothes, then lather myself in the sunscreen that smells like coconut. Blake loves the scent, and I love how he nuzzles my neck when I use it. I pull on my tiniest black and white print swim briefs, grab a beach towel from the closet and the food bags from the kitchen counter, and hurry down to the game room and out to the patio. “Should we eat at the table or on the loungers like heathens?”

Blake glances up from his book and his eyes lock on my tiny swimsuit. I do a slow spin, giving him a good view of my ass. “Like?”

He pulls his sunglasses to the end of his nose and peers over them. “That’s new.” His voice is thick with lust. Oh, yeah. Mission accomplished.

“It is! And it’s so adorable!”

Blake licks his lips. “And so tiny.”

“I had a feeling you might like it.” I skip past him to the table and deposit the bags.

Blake practically growls and grabs my hips the moment I put the bags down. “Come here.”

I laugh as he manhandles me, hauling me close and inhaling my skin. He drags his nose across my abdomen and my cock stirs, eager to join in the fun, but my stomach growls with hunger. “Mmm. I’m fully on board with whatever you’re planning here, Darling, but we should eat before the food gets cold.”

Blake bites my hip. “We can heat it up.”

My laugh quickly turns to a gasp as his tongue teases above the edge of my suit. It’s all I can do not to press his head a few inches lower. “Blake, Darling, I have souvlaki and Greek salad.”

He hums and sits back, waggling his eyebrows at me. “You know I love Greek.”

I snort at his double entendre. “As do I, my darling. So let’s eat.” I wink at him. “Then we can eat.”

His chuckle warms every part of me. He pushes to his feet with a sigh. “If we must, we must.”

“We must.” I press up on my tiptoes and pucker up.

He obliges me, but turns my expected quick press of lips into a lingering kiss that curls my toes and has me second-guessing my stance on eating first. As I’m about to give in, he lets me go and pats my backside. “C’mon. Let’s feed you so we can move on to other enjoyable things.”

Beck is a non-binary writer of sweet, sexy, LGBTQ happily ever afters. They live in the Northeastern United States with their two adorable dogs. Weekdays are spent working their day job, but nights and weekends are devoted to writing stories involving hot characters, favorite tropes, and happy endings. Any additional time includes reading, laughing with friends, drinking red wine, and playing D&D. If there’s cake involved at any point it’s a win!

Connect with Beck:
https://linktr.ee/beck_grey a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Author Guest Post, Author Interview, Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Giveaway, New Release Book Blast, Randomness, TCO Exclusives Tagged With: author, Author Interview, Beck Grey, blog tour, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, excerpt, exclusive, gay, giveaway, Giveaways, guest post, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, romance

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

We are two chicks who love books (m/m romance with an HEA) and enjoy our eye candy. http://twochickso

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy is with AE Via.

4 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
NEW RELEASE!White Ravens by AE Via (Ravens series book 3)One click it here 👇a.co/d/0h7A1nwjI'll be back later with my review! ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
Whit by Cora RoseNew release and review!Whit by Cora Rose was my first book by her and I believe her first book. And I was really impressed. It's not easy to find a first book that I don't nit pick. But I really enjoyed it and she has been quite the prolific writer since.Caleb is the same story told from Whit's point of view. (Whit was Caleb's point of view)This is a good young adult (21ish) romance, opposites attract, gay for you, rich boy/poor boy...all the tropes.It was fun to read the story from Whit's POV. How he was really feeling about Caleb, about meeting family, about dealing with his own family, etc. And to hear how dirty his mind really was since he's so buttoned up (figuratively) to the world.I loved seeing Caleb's family just immediately accept him as part of the family. Jokes, hugs and all.If you enjoyed Whit, you'll enjoy Caleb. Same story, different perspectives.Do I need all of her books to have this companion piece? Nah. But I'm glad I revisited these guys.4 Pieces of Eye Candy ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for CALEB by @coraroseauthor! Grab it in KU!#OneClickNowbooks2read.com/u/4En91AWhy you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥Touch Starved🔥Opposites Attract🔥Roommates🔥Angst🔥Found Family🔥Extrovert/IntrovertI don’t let anyone in… I can’t afford to. But he’s the first person who makes me want to try.My new roommate, Caleb, breezes into my life like unexpected sunshine lighting up the darkness. My secrets and sharp edges are built to keep people out.But when he wraps his warm body around mine—needy and trusting—something in me cracks open and unfurls.And the deeper Caleb sinks into my chest, the more I know I should push him away before he sees too much.Before it’s too late. Because in the end, I know the truth will break us both.#coverreveal #mmromance #corarose The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨EXCERPT: CALEB by @coraroseauthor releasing April 24th! #PreOrderNowbooks2read.com/u/4En91A I shake my head, even though it is. I feel like my heart is being ripped from my body. The choice I have to make. Is it even a choice? “I…I overreacted. I’m…I’ll be fine,” I tell him, clutching at his hand and turning it to kiss that rough palm. Because I have to be fine with whatever I choose. And I don’t know if I can choose a future with him. Not after everything I’ve been through. My parents owe me for what they put me through. I’ve earned it with my blood and tears. Can I give it all up? For him? Caleb’s thumbs rub over my cheeks. “Okay.” He doesn’t sound convinced. Not that I expect him to. I’m a liar in the worst way. Selfish, thoughtless. He will never forgive me once this is over. My eyes water, and Caleb’s face crumples as he pulls me into his chest and holds me. I should never have let him be my roommate. I should have let him go about his life, never knowing me. It would have been simpler, better. But I was too greedy. Wanted him too much. And now look what I’ve done. I’m set to ruin him. I need to pull away before I do more damage. I need to end this. Soon, I tell myself. Just one more day. Let me have one more day.#mmromance #corarose The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

6 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨TEASER: LICKED by @charlienwrites releasing May 12th!#PreOrderNowmybook.to/lickitoneWhy you need to #ONECLICK this book…🍦Very Nerdy Meet Cute 🍦Low Angst🍦Slow Burn🍦⁠Lingerie🍦First Times🍦Blowjobs in Beach Huts🍦Supportive & Nosy Friends🍦Sweetness & Spice🍦“Let Me Help You” 🍦MM RomanceLick It Like A Good BoyIt’s not often you meet gorgeous gothic men at wargaming tournaments. So, of course I tripped over my tongue instead of asking for his number. And despite my friends’ numerous offers to help find him online, we’re too busy opening Lick It!, our new ice cream shop, to spare time for my non-existent love life. But when Jonathan walks through the door on a sunny Friday afternoon, I can’t help but feel like it’s fate. He’s shy, sweet, and we immediately click. Jonathan doesn’t have much experience with relationships, so I’m determined to give him the attention he deserves, even if it means I’m pulled in two directions. With summer heating up and the shop getting hectic, spending time together is getting harder and harder. I don’t know how to balance the long hours and being a good boyfriend, but I know I have to figure it out. Because meeting Jonathan is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. ✨INFLUENCERS: Sign up to review this awesome release: bit.ly/lickedsignup#charlienovak #mmromance #kindleunlimited The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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