TCO Reviewer: Denise

Fran Cuthbert Ruins Christmas by Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock: Release Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

November 16, 2022 by Denise

. .

Welcome (back) to Christmas Valley. Where it’s Christmas every. F@$#ing. Day.

It’s your typical Hallmark movie plot: my big city boyfriend dumped me, so my adorable five-year-old daughters and I moved back to my hometown just in time for Christmas. I guess the magic of the holiday is going to show me what I really wanted all along, or something.

But on Hallmark, people aren’t usually mainlining their mother’s Xanax. Or stealing the last available Peachblossom Pony Pal from their hot doctor because they have to give their kids the best Christmas ever. And when they run into their high school sweetheart, they don’t usually face the gulf of lies that exists between Cass Sullivan and me.

Oh yeah, and their hometown isn’t located directly up Christmas’s butthole.

I left Christmas Valley because I couldn’t listen to one more carol or look at one more tinsel-wrapped streetlamp. But moving to Boston meant leaving Cass, and that has always been my one regret. I mean, I also regret the box of Franzia in my closet, being publicly dumped, agreeing to take tap dancing lessons with my mom, and the fact that I can’t seem to open my mouth without a little white lie popping out. But mostly Cass.

When I need someone to play Santa for my girls’ favorite Christmas tradition, Cass steps in. Suddenly, I’m falling for him like we’re seventeen again. Can we put aside two decades’ worth of baggage and give each other a second chance? Can he help me build a life in Christmas Valley? And has he really been banging our former geometry teacher?

Only Christmastime will tell. If the holidays don’t kill me first.

Fran Cuthbert Ruins Christmas is a sweet, low-heat holiday novella featuring a second chance romance, a hot mess MC who could use a steadying hand, adorable kids and dogs, and a guaranteed HEA.

Title: Fran Cuthbert Ruins Christmas
Authors: Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
Length: 45K
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday Romance.
Tropes: second chance romance

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

I ducked through the archway that led to Santa’s Grotto, and followed a tiny, curving path through a forest-themed corridor lit with splashes of colored Christmas lights until I reached the entrance to the grotto where, for some unaccountable reason, the forest theme ended and the toyshop one began. A train whistled jauntily as it rattled past on its tracks.

“Holly jolly Christmas,” an elf said, and then hesitated before showing me an iPad. The screen displayed an order form for exorbitantly priced photo packages. “Are you here for Santa photos?”

“No,” I said. There was a woman with three children lined up in front of me. She looked at me suspiciously. The kids took the opportunity to beat each other with inflatable candy canes. “I’m here to see C—Santa,” I corrected myself before I ruined Christmas for the brats in front of me. “It’s a personal matter.”

The woman looked even more suspicious. So did the elf.

I lowered my voice. “I’m a friend of Cass’s.”

“Oh!” the elf exclaimed. His voice lost at least half an octave of elfishness. “Yeah, dude, no problem. He’ll be about fifteen.”

Up at the front of the grotto, Cass sat on a glittery gold throne, a wobbly-lipped toddler on his knee. He bounced his leg a little to distract the kid, and yeah…no way should my gaze have been drawn to Santa’s thigh like that. But whatever his suit pants were made of, the fabric looked silky and thin, and I couldn’t help it if it clung to his thigh muscles when he flexed them. Hell, even the padding in his tunic wasn’t putting me off. I had enough of a dad bod these days that I was in no position to judge Santa for overindulging in gingerbread. I wasn’t a fan of the fake white beard, but it did make me wonder how he’d look if he let his stubble grow into a real one. I was not opposed.

“Adam! Adam! Adam!” the mom of the toddler trilled, trying to prevent the kid from diving over the edge of toddler uncertainty into the full-blown screaming fit we all knew was right around the corner. Life is fraught when you’re a toddler. It’s fraught when you’re thirty-six too.

Cass bounced his knee again, and the toddler reached up and caught his beard and tugged it. Crisis averted.

The elf moved in to take photos while Cass asked the kid, who was really way too small to answer a weird stranger, what he wanted for Christmas. The kid stared up at him warily, his fist still wrapped in the Santa beard, and didn’t answer. But he didn’t start screaming either, so that was a win.

Cass smiled at Adam from behind his now lopsided beard, and my heart did a dangerous loop-the-loop. Then the toddler and his mom left and were replaced by the three kids with the inflatable candy canes. The boys yelled their lists over each other to get heard, while the little girl waited her turn. When Cass finally got the boys to simmer down and asked the girl what she wanted, she took her thumb out of her mouth and said in a whisper-sweet Shirley Temple voice that I didn’t believe for a second—I’d seen her wielding her candy cane with unrestrained fury—“I want a Pony Pals sleeping bag and a Sugarpie parasol, please.”

“I will try my very hardest,” Cass promised, and the little girl beamed.

The kids and Cass posed for their photos, and then, as Cass was helping the girl off his lap, he looked over at the line and saw me waiting.

The girl made an ‘eep’ sound as he swung her a little too wide, and Cass made an ‘oops’ one as he brought her back down for a safe landing. The kids and their mom left.

“Sparkles, I’m going to take five,” Cass said.

“There’s no kids here, you don’t have to call me that,” the elf said.

“There could be kids just around the corner.”

“Whatever, Santa.”

Cass rolled his eyes at the elf and nodded toward a red door behind his throne. “Fran?”

I love how these two authors write together. They have a seamlessness to their writing that works so well. It really is quite difficult, in my opinion, to know when one is writing or the other. Their humor is spot on, and nothing is quite as it seems to the naked eye in every book. Fran Cuthbert Ruins Christmas is much the same. This one is full of humor and when you throw in a few cute children, a lot of idiotic moves and second chances, you end up with a holiday romance from these authors.

Fran moves back home with his twin daughters from Boston after his relationship falls apart. Initially, he wants his ex to come to Christmas Valley to continue a holiday tradition for the girls, despite his ex having met someone else. Soon after, you begin to see what a hot mess Fran is, in so many hilarious (and not so hilarious) ways. He drinks wine by the boxes, eats very badly, and has a very bad habit of lying when he doesn’t know how to handle something. That is the spot where it fell a little flat for me.

Fran’s lying broke his relationship with Cass up back when they were getting ready to go to college. And it seemed as if he never learned to turn that off. He lied about just about everything, which became awkward for him, and messed up a second chance with Cass-again. And Cass forgave him rather quickly, in my estimation.

Cass was a sweetheart, and despite having his heart broken by Fran more than once, he kept going back. (I loved his idea for a business! Perfect for Christmas Valley!) In the end, Fran came up with a grand gesture to show Cass how much he meant to him, and as befitting the hot mess that Fran was…it failed spectacularly.

It did seem that Fran might have learned his lesson, but dang…the man knows how to sabotage himself.

It was funny, joyful, cute children and a whole lot of mess with Fran and Liar Bob. A holiday romance with a third chance to get to their happy ending, and they did.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

About Lisa Henry:

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:

Website
Facebook
Instagram
Goodreads
Bookbub
Twitter

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.

About J.A. Rock:

J.A. Rock is the author of over twenty LGBTQ romance, suspense, and horror novels, as well as an occasional contributor to HuffPo Queer Voices. J.A.’s books have received Lambda Literary, INDIEFAB, and EPIC Award nominations, and The Subs Club received the 2016 National Leather Association-International Novel Award. 24/7 was named one of the best books of 2016 by Kirkus Reviews. J.A. lives in Chicago with an extremely judgmental dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

https://jarockauthor.com
facebook.com/ja.rock.39
twitter.com/jarockauthor

The Book Nook, our shared FB Group with Sarah Honey:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockhenryhoney

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Identity by E.M. Leya: New Release Review

November 14, 2022 by Denise

. .

When a simple DNA test triggers an alert for a kidnapping that happened nearly thirty years ago, Detective Brax Monson is sent to investigate. He questions the accuracy of the DNA testing until he meets the victim and pieces start to fall together.

Oak never dreamed that he could have been kidnapped from his real family at the age of two. Every memory he has is of a loving mother and father who raised him. But being an attorney, he knows that DNA doesn’t lie.

Working together, Oak and Brax must weave their way through the evidence, trying to piece together why Oak was taken. Neither man planned on needing the other, but as they weed through years of lies and deceit, they find that through the darkness, they are each other’s light as they pursue the truth.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

I’ll start this review by saying, I bought this book myself, it was not an ARC. And I don’t often review for the blog with ones that I purchase…not sure why, I just don’t. 🙂 But I could not let this one get away without giving it a ton of praise.

This book was just fantastic, beginning to end. The MC’s who fall in love, they just do fall in love, slowly (I loved how they really followed the ethical line there). There were no miscommunications that didn’t quite make sense, no secrets, no questioning if they wanted someone else. It was just two mature adults getting to know each other and spending time learning the little parts. However, their romance and HEA was almost a side story to the main story, the aftermath of Oak finding out he had been kidnapped as a toddler.

Oak was not abused, he was loved and cared for. He grew up knowing that, and having the best that his “parents” could provide him. He went to school, became an attorney, still talked to his “parents” quite often after they moved further away in their later years. However, in the end, he had been kidnapped by these people. Taken from a family that had loved him, true parents that searched for him for decades, siblings that missed him.

While Oak and Brax dug deep to find out what really happened and why, Oak was able to connect with his real family, learn to love them quickly, and figure out how to deal with the fallout of such a devastating event on everyone.

He handled it as an adult, but what was so fantastic, was how the author took the reader through Oak’s emotions, and how they changed as each new piece was unveiled. Initially he was torn between loving his “parents” and being angry at them for kidnapping him. He continued to transition those feelings throughout the story until the final moments. Just incredibly well written.

I know this was stand-alone, and I would love to see more of this author’s works that are similar…but I immediately went and looked to see what else E.M. Leya had to offer a reader…quite a lot! How do you pick? I definitely will want more, but where do I start? I’m taking suggestions. 🙂

Without hesitation this one is worth every single piece. 5 pieces of eye candy

Dead Serious Case #2 Mrs Delores Abernathy: (MM Paranormal Romance) (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed) by Vawn Cassidy: New Release Review and Giveaway

November 14, 2022 by Denise

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In the business of unfinished business…

It’s been over six months since a freak accident left pathologist Tristan Everett able to see ghosts, something he has yet to confess to his boyfriend. Instead, he now has a new calling, one he’s not entirely happy about… help the dead resolve their unfinished business so they can pass into the light, sounds simple right?

Wrong…

When the spirit of a sweet old lady follows him home he has no idea how to help her. When he finds out she’s been murdered by arsenic poisoning, a curiously outdated murder weapon, he once again finds himself tangled up in a murder investigation.

For Inspector Danny Hayes of New Scotland Yard, life couldn’t be better. After moving to London and meeting Tristan he’s ready to move their relationship to the next level, but something weird is going on with Tristan, he’s acting very strangely and with a killer on the loose he’s not taking any chances. He’s determined to discover whatever it is Tristan’s hiding from him.

Surrounded by a bunch of potentially murderous old ladies and aided by his sidekick, deceased drag queen and spirit guide in training, Dusty, Tristan must unravel the mystery of Mrs Delores Abernathy’s unfinished business and find the courage to share his deepest secret with the man he loves.

From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy, comes the second book in this funny and touching paranormal MM romance/dark comedy suspense series.

Title: Dead Serious Case #2 Mrs. Delores Abernathy
Authors: Vawn Cassidy
Length: 90K
Series: Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Deceased, Book 2
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense, Romance/Dark Comedy.
Tropes: ongoing paranormal romance/comedy/mystery.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Book 1: Dead Serious Case #1 Miz Dusty Le Frey: (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed)

You have to read book 1 before you read this one. Theoretically, it could stand alone, but you won’t want it to, you will want and need to go back, so just go ahead and start at the beginning.

What a treat this one was! Bringing back Tristan, Danny, and the incomparable Dusty (well, not literally in the last case…unless…). Getting to come back into this world was fun, definitely had it’s sad moments, and an HEA or two.

Honestly, in some ways this could have been the end of a duet of books. There were enough HEAs to go around. We get closure in a few things, and Dusty even gets some closure on her life. But, no way do you want this to be the end of the series. (And if you read below, you will see it isn’t. YEAH!)

Tristan and Danny are settling into their relationship, both are even thinking about the possibility of them moving in together. Tristan and Danny spend time with Tristan’s father (if you want to weep a little…wait for Danny and Tristan’s dad…oh the feels!) Meanwhile, Tristan is still concerned that Danny will think him insane if he tells him he can see ghosts.

Tristan happens to be at the care home for his father, when an elderly woman with severe dementia passes away, but he notices that she has the markings to indicate she died by arsenic poisoning, and the case of Mrs. Delores Abernathy has begun. You can’t help but root for Delores to find her closure, as she sticks to the side of Tristan or Dusty like glue.

There are a few other feel great moments and scenes that will pull at your heartstrings, even as Tristan and Danny work to find Delores’ killer.

Some action and adventure in the old folks home, and with Tristan and Dusty, of course. All in all a good romp through the world that only Crawshank could understand.

Definitely recommend this one, and eagerly anticipating book 3. Make sure you check out the amazing giveaway below, with a chance to be a character!

4 pieces of eye candy

Vawn is running a special event to help raise money for the True Colors United Charity!!!!

Details below:

The Prize

One winner will win the opportunity to be written into book 3 – Dead Series (Cold) Case #3 Mr Bruce Reyes. They can choose the profession of their character and whether they are living or deceased. They will also get a mention on the dedication page and receive a signed paperback copy plus a Dead Serious themed swag bag including Dead Serious Character trading cards, a DS tote, bookmarks, stickers, a keyring and a mug.

How to enter

Go to the fundraising page on True Colours and make a donation, it can be as much or as little as you’d like. The donation will act as your entry, so you need to make sure your name is on the donation or added to the comments section of the donation. (Anonymous donations will be ineligible simply because I have no way of contacting them if they are drawn as the winner.)

Anyone who would like to make a donation but doesn’t want to enter the competition can also do so, all they need to do is put N/E in the comments section of their donation.

The fundraiser is open until 31^st Mar 2023 at which time a winner will be selected at random from the eligible entries.

The Charity

In the United States, 4.2 million youth experience homelessness each year, with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ peers.

True Colors United is a non-profit which began in New York in 2008 co-founded by Cyndi Lauper. Through a wide array of advocacy, training & education, youth collaboration, and technical assistance programs, True Colors United implements innovative solutions to youth homelessness that focus on the unique experiences of LGBTQ young people.

Their website link – https://truecolorsunited.org

My fundraising page on True Colours – https://my.truecolorsunited.org/DeadSeriousCharacterMe

All the details are also on the events page on my website and links are on all my social media

www.vawncassidy.com/events

. .

Vawn Cassidy is the MM pen name of British author Wendy Saunders, she lives in the UK with her husband and children. She loves all things MM and is an avid reader herself.
As Vawn Cassidy she writes Paranormal/Dark Comedy/Mystery and Contemporary Romance and more recently is branching out into Historical & Supernatural MM/LGBTQ+ Fiction with her upcoming London Gothic series.
She also has an insane love of Lego and pop culture.

Connect with Vawn:
Website: www.vawncassidy.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/VawnCassidyAuthor
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/group/cassidysbayboys
Instagram: www.instagram.com/vawncassidyauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/VawnCassidy
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/vawncassidy
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/vawn-cassidy
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y9ars1

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Pier Pressure by Anyta Sunday: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 9, 2022 by Denise

. .

Plenty of fish in the sea.

But what if there is no “plenty”? What if Leon Finn is a lone fish? A lone fish in a glass bowl swimming in hopeful but ultimately lonely circles forever?

Dumped and forced to retreat to his tiny-town seaside bach, it’s time for Leon to cast some lines, and quick! Prove to everyone—(*cough*) ex, mother, other ex who he’s now accidentally living with—that he’s a catch.

Only no one is biting.

It sucks, but it’s solvable.

With his trusty sewing machine and endless stash of fabric he’ll make himself into the ultimate suitor. Stitch this right up.

But as a certain someone keeps whispering in his ear, is this the right way?

Pier Pressure is a light-hearted, cheeky M/M romance with silly seaside shenanigans culminating in happily ever after. It can be read as a standalone.

Title: Pier Pressure
Authors: Anyta Sunday
Length: 200 pages
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic comedy.
Tropes: a second chance, extravert/introvert, cheeky love interest, small town, sweet, clueless, only one bed.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

The week passes, and with it comes the news my ex will be visiting over the weekend with documents. That conversation has me screwing up the courage to face Tai and ask if dating Hercules Morse is still an option.

On the Friday afternoon, Morse and I meet at the tea rooms. On the Friday evening, I’m trudging over the dunes to the bach, alone.

Damon eyes me from the couch where he’s slung himself, squeezing the trigger of his lifeguard megaphone to the tune of something on his headphones. I’m wondering if calling his fish Fidget has anything to do with his own habits. He’s all go, Damon is. Even when he’s reading, he’s rhythmically drumming his finger over the paper edges.

I strip, slip into a pair of cosy pyjamas, and slump into my sewing seat across from him.

Damon pulls his headphones to his neck. “How did your date go?”

“Not the way I hoped.”

“What happened?”

“I panicked.”

“Like the last time?”

I drop my head onto the smooth surface of my sewing machine. “All I could think was ‘as big as a horse, as big as a horse’ and when he sat down the first thing out of my mouth was whether he liked big dicks.”

Damon roars with laughter; it briefly echoes through the megaphone.

“And then he asked me if I had one.”

Damon sets the megaphone aside. “More exciting than I thought, and I’ve been thinking about it. What did you say next?”

I bang my head multiple times. “That it wasn’t small, per se.”

Damon swings his legs off the couch, grinning.

This author says right in her bio that she is a HUGE fan of slow-burn romances, and this one completely fits the bill. There is one kiss towards the middle, but nothing else until almost the end. And that was completely okay.

Leon was a sweet guy, talented tailor, willing to do anything for almost anyone, but with regards to himself…completely clueless. He was sharing a home with Damon, his boyfriend in high school, by way of his mother, who herself was a bit of a mess. Meanwhile, Damon, the guy around town who dropped anything to help others, ran the local bingo game for seniors, and was VERY slowly rebuilding his house, just let Leon figure out himself that the man he wanted and needed was right there waiting.

Watching Leon bumble his way through dates, almost dates, trying to avoid anything resembling confrontation was hilarious. He kept trying to find himself the perfect man, by making himself into the perfect man/sailor/caterer that someone else might want. In the end, he just made a bigger mess of things. And Damon let him do his best until he figured out what he really was looking for.

This was fluffy, and funny, and made for just an enjoyable read.

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.

Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/about-anyta/

Join my Facebook group to chat all things Slow Burn Romance:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SlowBurnSundays/

You can also find me here:
www.anytasunday.com
anytasunday@gmail.com

For information about new releases and freebies, follow me on BookBub:
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Dead Serious Case #2 Mrs Delores Abernathy: (MM Paranormal Romance) (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed) by Vawn Cassidy: Release Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

November 1, 2022 by Denise

. .

In the business of unfinished business…

Wrong…

From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy, comes the second book in this funny and touching paranormal MM romance/dark comedy suspense series.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Book 1: Dead Serious Case #1 Miz Dusty Le Frey: (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed)

I glance absently across the room at all the bowed heads worshiping at the altar of Bingo Bonanza and wonder if Danny and I should just excuse ourselves and head back to my place. After all, I did make certain promises that I’m eager to make good on.

“Clean the floor… fifty-four.”

I’m just about to turn to Danny when I feel a strange, yet familiar shiver roll down my spine and I shudder hard. I could swear it was the same odd feeling I had that night at Sunrise Care Home.

I turn sharply and glance around the busy room. It’s only when my gaze falls on the double doors leading from the hall that I see a dark shadow rush past the glass. I stand abruptly, barely noticing the loud scraping noise of my chair legs across the battered hardwood floor. Ignoring everyone around me, I hustle through the maze of tables and chairs, buggies and walking frames, and push my way through the doors into the small quiet foyer.

I skid to a halt, my still-wet shoes squeaking as I freeze, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. There’s a dark black shadow hovering two feet above the ground and I can see right through it, to the door of the gents’ toilet behind it. Although it has no face, just a deep-cowled hood surrounding its head, I get the distinct impression it’s staring at me.

My mouth is dry, and my heart is trying to pound straight out of my chest.

“Tristan, wha–” I feel Dusty appear beside me. “Holy fuck! What the fucking fuck is that fucking thing?”

The door behind us bangs open and I hear Danny’s calm voice. “Tris, are you alright?” The moment he speaks the dark-shrouded apparition shoots upward and disappears through the ceiling.

“Tris,” I feel Danny’s hands cup my face and turn me toward him, “you’re all cold and clammy.”

“I uh…” I clear my throat, shaking my head slightly to try and make some sort of sense while my brain is still clearly stuck in What the fuck did I just witness? mode.

“You rushed out so quickly,” Danny says in concern. “Are you feeling okay?”

I latch onto the excuse. “Actually, I’m not feeling that well.”

“Well, your clothes are all damp.” He frowns as he looks down at me properly.

“It’s left over from getting caught in the rain earlier.” I offer him a small shaky smile.

“We should get you home.” He rubs my arms in a soothing manner. “Don’t want you to catch a chill.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, and my gaze drifts across to the patch of ceiling that thing had disappeared through

. .

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Class Act by Gianni Holmes: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

October 31, 2022 by Denise

. .

From USA Today Bestselling Author Gianni Holmes comes a new heartfelt, steamy, forbidden, teacher-student romance.

Abe Cooper is a triple threat.

He’s my best friend’s father.

He’s the football coach at my high school.

And he’s a married man

His marriage is on the rocks and he could lose his job for the way he looks at me.

I could lose my only friend in the world.

I know I should stay away instead of flirting with him.

But all the cons don’t outweigh how I feel when I’m with him.

When my home situation gets worse, Abe is there for me. But what we do under his roof when everyone’s asleep makes me feel guilty.

Now his daughter, my closest friend, knows he’s stepping outside his marriage and she’s hellbent to find out who I am.

How long can we keep us a secret and how dare we be happy together when it might hurt the ones we love?

Title: Class Act
Authors: Gianni Holmes
Length: 100K+
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary.
Tropes: Teacher-student, age gap, best friend’s father, hurt comfort, size difference.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Emery paused the television. “Abe.”

Maybe I shouldn’t have allowed him to use my first name after all. The way the syllable whispered from his lips sent a shiver down my spine.

I swallowed hard but didn’t respond.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“Talk about what?”

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard.”

I frowned. “Heard what?”

“You and your wife arguing. I’m sorry she said those awful things to you.”

My face burned, and I glanced away. “Stay out of it.”

“I’m just trying to—”

“It’s none of your business, Emery. Drop it.”

Emery lowered his legs to the floor and got to his feet, letting the remote fall from his hand to the couch. “I’m sorry. I’ll just go.” His voice was full of hurt, and my chest ached for me to do something about it. To make him smile again.

Let him go, Abe.

I jumped up and grabbed Emery’s wrist. He jerked to a stop, but he kept his head turned away from me. He tried to tug his hand out of my grip, but I held on.

“I’m leaving you alone like you wanted, Abe.”

My heart pounded in my chest. “When did I ever say that?”

Seconds ticked by in silence. I moved closer to him, placed a trembling hand on his angular hip, and turned him to face me. His chest rose and fell, like he was struggling against his emotions.

“Do you want me to stay or not?” he asked.

Dammit, why was he so damn pretty?

“Let me go, Abe.”

“Do you really want me to?” He nodded, so I dropped his hand.

Emery rubbed his wrist. “Do you care about what I want?”

My nostrils flared. “What do you want?”

“To hug you.”

Before I could move, Emery wrapped his arms around me and pressed his face to my chest.

Push him away.

I raised my arms, but as if they had a mind of their own, they embraced him, one settling at his lower back and the other at his hip. I closed my eyes and swallowed the lump in my throat. Why was he made to fit me so well if he could never be mine?

“Emery,” I said softly. “I don’t know if I’m thinking straight.”

“What do you mean?” he whispered back.

“You heard it yourself. My marriage is in shambles, and I can’t be sure if this thing is merely a reaction rather than something real.”

Emery grabbed the back of my head and pulled it down, then captured my lips with his. Stunned, I stood stock still. Emery’s mouth moved over mine, and desire unleashed in my belly. With a groan, I pressed him closer to me and gripped his hip more tightly.

I ventured out of my comfort zone to review this book. I don’t do cheating…I know a lot of people don’t like to read it. But having been through it, I know how much it absolutely sucks to be the one cheated on. But I was intrigued otherwise, so I gave it an open minded chance. (Make sure you read the afterword from the author…made me feel so much better about the fact that I don’t like to read it, since the author has been through a similar situation.)

I’m not sure if I could have picked it up if it wasn’t obvious from the blurb that Abe was having problems in his marriage. And he was having lots of problems. I couldn’t blame him for wanting a divorce (that did not make the cheating okay, of course). He struggled to hide his feelings about Emery from himself, but the fact that Emery needed as much help as he did made it impossible for Abe to turn away from him. (Side note: Emery’s father…I would have dearly loved to see him get more than he did, but he still got a little of what he deserved. The car…that po’ed me almost as much as the other stuff. What a POS!)

ANYWAY, what I loved about Emery was his self confidence in himself. Most men his age in high school would not go out for cheerleading, wearing a skirt, being out. He couldn’t really hide it, but nevertheless, he was a courageous man. In many ways, he learned that from his father, because to live under that roof and come out alive, he had to be courageous. He also wasn’t afraid to show his vulnerable side to Abe, even if he didn’t share everything he should have. His best friend, after the initial shock, ended up being very positive about their relationship. The ex-wife, not so much, but who could blame her…and she was kinder than most people would have been in that circumstance.

This really was a love story, and as gut wrenching as it was personally, it was very well written, and kept it at a slow simmer for a while before the heat exploded. That was necessary for this story to have worked. I will admit that I had to read this in spurts, because some of it was tough for me to read. But still well written, and a good story about what felt like a real life situation.

4 pieces of eye candy

Gianni Holmes is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary MM romance. She’s a former teacher of Spanish Language and Latin American literature who resides in the Caribbean. Gianni has a love for superheroes, a fear of horror movies, and an obsession with old TV sitcoms.

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