Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

The Fireman in Unit C by Kris Cook: New Release Book Blast and Giveaway

February 15, 2016 by Denise

Title: The Fireman in Unit C

Series: A Mockingbird Place Novel

Author: Kris Cook

Genre: M/M Romance Standalone

Release Date: February 15, 2016

A serial arsonist sets fire to the unit next to Jackson’s apartment—the unit the sexy fireman Eli lives in.

Things really heat up when Jackson offers Eli a place to stay until Unit C is livable again. Jackson, being OCD, requires everything in his life to be neat and orderly, but Eli’s life is chaotic and messy, especially because of the man’s ex, who keeps pushing his way back into the fireman’s life. Living with Eli turns out to be much more than he bargained for. As much as he would love to just throw caution to the wind, Jackson believes it is best to keep things between him an Eli on the friend level. Nothing more. But an unexpected kiss rocks his world and he must figure out the real reason he’s terrified of the feelings Eli is bringing out in him.

Will Jackson see that a future with Eli can help him let go of the guilt from his troubled past?

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Though starting in straight erotic romance, Kris’s total focus now is on gay romance. When asked why recently, his answer was “My muse finally came out of the closet. Isn’t it about time? I’ve been out since I was twenty-five.” A voracious reader, Kris loves many genres of fiction, but this writer’s favorite books are romances that are edgy, sexy, with rich characters and unique challenges. Kris’ influences include Anne Rice, JR Ward, Lexi Blake and Shayla Black. Last year, Kris married the love of his life Stephen.

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Exclusive Cover Reveal: Broken by Nicola Haken

February 15, 2016 by Denise

We are SUPER EXCITED to bring you the exclusive cover reveal for Nicola Haken’s new book, coming March 14th. This cover speaks so much to the heart of this book. The cover artist, the amazing Reese Dante, did an amazing job on this cover. So, page down, check out the synopsis, excerpt, teasers, and of course, the cover. There is a giveaway with this, too, so don’t forget to enter! Thank you to the awesome Nicola for everything!

When Theodore Davenport decides to switch his mundane job for a career, he walks into Holden House Publishing with enthusiasm and determination to succeed. As he settles into his new role, makes new friends, and dreams of making it to the top, everything is going to plan.

Until he meets James Holden, CEO of Holden House.

James Holden hasn’t been able to stop thinking about his encounter with the timid man he met in a club bathroom last week, and when he discovers the one haunting his dreams is an employee, he can’t seem to stop himself from pursuing him.

Just a little fun – that’s what James tells himself. He can’t afford to care for someone who can never reciprocate, not once they find out who he really is. James believes nobody deserves the burden of being attached to him. He’s a complicated man. Damaged. Difficult. Demanding.

Broken.

Is Theodore strong enough to confront James’ demons? More importantly, is James?

(M/M romance. Not suitable for readers under 18 years of age due to language and sexual content. ***Please note*** This book contains scenes of self harm, mental illness and suicidal ideation which may pose as a trigger, or be uncomfortable for some readers.)

My eyes are still closed when I wake up again. I’m in a hospital. I can smell it. What the fuck have I done this time? I tell my eyes to open but only manage a small flicker. My mouth is dry, my mind foggy, and I know instantly that I’ve been sedated. The knowledge forces a groan to trickle from my throat and within seconds I’m being poked and prodded.

“Welcome back, Mr Holden,” I hear, presumably from a doctor.

Patronising bastard.

“Can you open your eyes for me?”

I’m trying, dick. Breathing heavily through my nose, I concentrate. With each flicker they open a little wider, making me squint as the harsh, artificial light pierces my pupils. Blinking rapidly, I see four figures surrounding me, their faces a little hazy. I can make out the blue scrubs well enough to know that three of them are medical professionals, but the fourth…

Fuck.

The fourth is Theodore.

“Can you tell me your name?”

Here we go. I’m frustrated but I know the drill. If I don’t answer they’ll just keep me here longer. “James Holden.”

“Date of birth?”

“Third of April, 1984.”

“Ah, happy birthday.”

Oh, fuck off. “Is it?”

“Who’s the prime minister?”

“David Cameron.”

“And what year are we in?”

“2015.”

I almost forget Theodore is here until he takes a step towards me. “Get him out of here,” I say, too disgusted with myself to look at him.

“You’re going to need somebody to accompany you home once you’ve been assessed,” the doctor informs me.

“Assessed for what?” Theodore asks, his voice low, timid.

“I said I want him out of here!” I demand. I don’t want him to see me like this. It will be all over Holden House by Monday morning. “Get my brother. His number’s in my phone.”

“I’m sorry, sir, we didn’t find a phone on you when you were brought in.”

Shit. I hear a woman’s voice telling Theodore he needs to leave but I raise my hand. “Wait. Theodore, give me your mobile.”

I can see him clearly now but I refuse to look into his eyes. He steps as close as he needs to, leaving a generous space between us, and hands me his phone. I tap Max’s number into it and pass it back. “Call him,” I say. “And then leave.” My tone is clipped. I’m ashamed, and I want him gone.

I don’t watch as he walks out. I can’t. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at him again. Instead, I close my eyes and continue to answer more inane questions while I wait for my psyche eval.

And now for the cover reveal…

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What Lies Between Us by Felice Stevens : Release Day Blast, Excerpt and Giveaway

February 14, 2016 by Denise

What Lies Between Us

A Breakfast Club Novella

Felice Stevens

M/M Romance

Cover Designer: Reese Dante

Cover Photo: Stock Photo

Release Date: 02.14.16

Goodreads: https://goo.gl/pCgkE7

Now that he’s living with Sam Stein, Zach Cohen is finally ready to move on from his unhappy past. His days are filled with wedding preparations, yet he still finds time to make plans and decisions without consulting Sam and his mother, firmly believing he knows best.

Sam is ready to settle in for the perfect life with Zach but years of bad habits have come back to haunt him. Struggling to accept himself and his future, he chooses not to share his fears, unwilling to look weak in Zach’s eyes.

Real life gets in the way of the best intentions and when their secrets explode, the aftermath challenges the foundation of a relationship both believed unshakeable. Falling in love is the easy part, and Zach and Sam discover that only with honesty can they overcome what threatens to tear them apart.

This is a novella of approximately 25,000 words in The Breakfast Club series

WLBUTeas2

On his way home, he stopped to get himself a coffee and decided to sit for a while in the warm, pleasantly scented coffeehouse. Zach wondered if the handsome, tattooed man sitting next to him, reading On the Road by Kerouac was there simply to be in the company of strangers, or if he was interested in socializing with people who had similar interests as his own. Like the young woman giving him furtive glances over the top of her e-reader.

How would these total strangers initially meet, and how would social media play a part? Zach thought about everything he’d done today and continued to watch the woman watch the man reading. Zach feverishly began to take notes on his phone, staring off into space every once in a while only to start up again when a fresh spurt of ideas hit him. He stopped only once, and that was to plug in his phone so he wouldn’t lose battery.

Shadows draped across the room, veiling tabletops and the customers’ faces with the oncoming darkness. The man who’d initially caught his attention had long since departed as had the young woman. When Zach glanced at the time he was startled to see it was almost five p.m. He hadn’t gotten so involved in anything other than the wedding or him and Sam since they’d met. It had been almost six months since he’d had an idea for a new social media app, and this one excited him.

While he’d been in the zone and working, his mother had answered him, agreeing that the food looked good, and wishing them luck, nothing more. Perplexed over her less than excited response, Zach heeded Sam’s advice and merely answered: Thanks, and nothing further.

He backed up his notes and unplugged his phone. Zach made sure to go to the counter and leave a generous tip for the baristas; he thought it only fair since he’d hogged a table for so long.

The air seared with a sharp bite upon exiting the warm cocoon of the coffeehouse, and Zach put his head down into the wind. It always blew coldest right off the river, and he increased his stride down the block toward home when his phone rang. He waited until he turned the corner and the rush of the wind died down across his face, before pulling out his phone.

His favorite picture of Sam flying his kite, head tipped up to the sky and eyes crinkled with laughter, flashed up on the screen. Impossible to imagine they’d been together only about a year and a half.

“Hi, what’s up?”

“Are you home yet?”

“Almost. I’m down the block, why?”

“Because I finished earlier than I thought and I’m coming home and want you to be there.” That gravelly-edged voice tinged with desire sent a hot thrill shooting through Zach.

“Oh yeah? What’s the plan?”

Sam chuckled in his ear. “You’ll have to wait until I get home now, won’t you?”

Zach increased his stride against the wind and switched the phone to his other ear to dig his house keys out of his pocket as he mounted the front steps of the townhouse. “Then hurry up and get your ass home.”

Sam was still laughing as Zach hung up.

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that her interest in romance novels was renewed.

But somewhere along the way, her reading shifted to stories of men falling in love. Once she picked up her first gay romance, she became so enamored of the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion there was no turning back.

Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. Although she practices law, she daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be some angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter:https://twitter.com/FeliceStevens1

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8432880.Felice_Stevens

Instagram: https://instagram.com/FeliceStevens

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/felicestevensauthor?ref=hl

Newsletter: http://felicestevens.us8.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=d43061d90bf2256eb322ed69f&id=586ac8fa57

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The Breakfast Club Series

Beyond the Surface, Book 1

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1KhYBPY

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1S1zUpD

ARe: http://bit.ly/1PMdRUF

Betting on Forever, Book 2

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1PUfwIw

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1X3tWG7

ARe: http://bit.ly/1MykS7o

Second to None, Book 3

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1KhYFPx

The Art of Hero Worship by Mia Kerick : Release Day Book Blast

February 14, 2016 by Denise

Trembling on the floor, pressed beneath a row of seats in a dark theater, college freshman Jason Tripp listens to the terrifying sound of gunshots, as an unknown shooter moves methodically through the theater, randomly murdering men, women, and children attending a student performance of Hamlet. Junior Liam Norcross drapes his massive body on top of Jason, sheltering the younger man from the deathly hail of bullets, risking his life willingly, and maybe even eagerly.

As a result of the shared horror, an extraordinary bond forms between the two young men, which causes discomfort for family and friends, as well as for Jason and Liam, themselves. And added to the challenge of two previously “straight” men falling into a same-sex love, are the complications that arise from the abundance of secrets Liam holds with regard to a past family tragedy. The fledgling passion between the men seems bound to fade away into the darkness from which it emerged.

Jason, however, is inexplicably called to rescue his hero in return, by delving into Liam’s shady past and uncovering the mystery that compels the older man to act as the college town’s selfless savior.

The Art of Hero Worship takes the reader on a voyage from the dark and chilling chaos that accompanies a mass shooting to the thrill of an unexpected and sensual romance.

Author Name: Mia Kerick

Book Name: The Art of Hero Worship

Release Date: February 14, 2016

6 Days to Valentine by LE Franks : Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

February 12, 2016 by Denise

In Nick’s perfect world, Valentine’s Day would be struck from the calendar.

Nick’s dreams of a Happily Ever After were shredded long ago and the last thing he and his customers need is a bunch of happy loving couples rubbing it in their faces.

Bouncer Fat Boy Newman is willing to bet he knows Nick’s heart better than he does. He has just six days to change Nick’s mind about romance and the holiday and the perfect man to do it.

Too bad it’s not him.

Too bad Nick’s not going down without a fight.

Too bad he cheats.

Author Name: LE Franks

Book Name: 6 Days to Valentine

Series: Yes

Book: One

Release Date: January, 2014

Pages or Words: 24,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Wilde City Press

Cover Artist: Adrian Nicholas

I looked again at the stunned blond sprawled at my feet. From this angle, he might be considered cute, certainly the butt in his jeans was worth exploring further, but for some reason, it was his cap that caught my eye. I could see part of a logo from one of those Texas schools—the one with the horns. Reaching down, I hooked it with my finger. I held it up so I could see it clearly, though it was hard to mistake the long white horns stretching across the front of the orangey wool.

Hmm, old-style baseball cap. I peered inside and checked out the underside of the brim, looking for his name. Someone had signed it in black ink, but it was worn and smeared in places, making it barely legible. Given the fading and the stains on the sweatband, it hadn’t been new in a very long time. Certainly not when this guy was in school.

“My hat. Please.” A soft drawl and a hand moving into my line of sight distracted me. It’s possible, though unlikely, that I missed him waving up at me; I’d had quite a late night, after all. I think, instead, that my brain froze the second he pushed himself into the cobra pose and looked deep into my eyes.

I hadn’t gotten much sleep after leaving the bar in the early hours of the morning. I’d walked around the neighborhood, halfway hoping I’d get rolled by a drunk or knifed in an alley. It was a thoroughly depressing failure. I was still there, still intact, and still feeling guilty as hell, all of which pissed me off to no end. Even worse, everyone I’d seen since entering the bar had congratulated me on my win, while FatBoy was doing a spectacular job of avoiding me.

I sat still, considering the blue depths, the straight nose, the plump pink lips, the strawberry locks curling over his ears. Then FatBoy finally decided to make an appearance, jerking the man up by his pits and dangling him in front of me like a rag doll.

Surprising as the maneuver was, it did have the added benefit of shaking his limbs out so I could get a nice long look at the whole…package.

“Ever hear of picking up after yourself?” FatBoy growled his exaggerated drawl at me. I guess that answered the question of whether or not FatBoy was still mad.

“Yeah…no…” I muttered, thinking about the wrongness of the whole thing and absently fondling the cow head on the front of the hat, forgetting what I’d been asked just a moment before.

“What the hell?” the blond jerked away from our bouncer, grabbing his hat and inadvertently catching my pinky in the adjustable strap.

“Yow!” Fuck that hurt. I shoved my finger in my mouth, sucking furiously where part of the nail was now missing.

“Shit, sorry, man. You just…” The blond trailed off as he fixed his attention on the hand now shoved between my lips. You’d think he’d never seen a man suck on anything before.

I might have answered him, but I’d hopped off my stool and was now too busy brushing bar floor debris off the front of his well-formed chest. My hand slid down the front of him until fingers gripped my wrist tightly just as I was getting to the fun parts, freezing my hand in place at his waist.

“My name’s Cameron.” It was a perfectly reasonable answer to an obvious question that I hadn’t asked. He removed my hand from his body before stepping out of my personal space to sit. I wanted to follow, but in a rare show of restraint, I chose leaning against the bar two stools down.

God, I need a drink. And a bed. And a man. And a way to go back through time.

Hell—two out of four ain’t bad. Well, more likely one out of four, which sucked, and my night was going to get worse…

When Rachel came in, she was going to skin me and make rainbow boots out of my hide. The story was already making the rounds, and my act of treachery, while still hidden, was lying like a dead skunk, stinking up the air between FatBoy and me.

I was waiting for inspiration to strike, gifting me with the perfect pickup line—the dazzler that would have my tongue in Cameron’s mouth and his beautiful golden body pressed up against the wall in the supply room with enough time before I had to officially clock in for work.

Apparently not. All I was hearing from the celestial chorus was the sound of crickets. I went with the old standby and introduced myself. “I’m Nick.”

I must have been grinning like an idiot. I could feel my cheeks begin to ache, and my palms developed an unexpected dampness. Rubbing them hastily against my soft denims, I reached across to him and held out my hand.

“Call me Cam.” He smiled. Sweet Jesus, it was a beauty of a smile, and I felt my cock begin to fill. Dammit. The lunch bartender chose that moment to lean over and smirk at me.

“Soooo, Niiiiiick…who’s your friennnnd?” Christine made a decent margarita and a top-notch Bloody Mary of her own special recipe, but her gaydar was broken. Anyone could tell that this sweet angel of the south was 100% boy meat.

“Ma’am! Cameron Fielding at your service.”

I was stunned as I watched my morsel of seraphic delectability stand and doff his cap, and felt a shiver run up my spine. It seemed to be in a race with the tightening of my jeans and the galloping of my heart, and I had a sudden irrational urge to pull him closer and sniff his hair. And maybe touch it.

What the hell?

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LE Franks lives in the SF Bay area and writes M/M Romance in a unique mix of humor and drama with enough suspense to produce fast paced stories filled with emotion and passion and featuring characters that are quirky and complicated and sometimes a little bit dark. LE Franks is a best selling author and finalist for 2013 & 2014 Rainbow Awards. Her books are available through her publishers at MLR Press, Dreamspinner Press and Wilde City Press and Pride Publishing and online bookstores.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LE.Franks1

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LEFranksAuthor/

Twitter: @boxtersushi

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lefrankswriter/le-franks-books/

Tumblr: http://boxtersushi.tumblr.com

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

Tour Dates & Stops: February 12, 2016

Parker Williams, Posy Roberts, Bayou Book Junkie, TTC Books and More, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, A.M. Leibowitz, Divine Magazine, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Bonkers About Books, Alpha Book Club, Mikky’s World of Books, The Jena Wade, MM Good Book Reviews, Velvet Panic, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Sassygirl Books, Man2ManTastic, BFD Book Blog, Attention is Arbitrary, Happily Ever Chapter, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Molly Lolly, Rainbow Gold Reviews

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Darkness Threatening by Dirk Greyson: Blog Tour and Excerpt

February 12, 2016 by Denise

Fredrik is back from college and trying to stay out of his power-hungry brother’s way, until his brother takes a prisoner for his pleasure. Unable to tolerate his family’s cruelty, Fredrik overcomes his fear to help her escape back to her pack. There, he meets Christopher, and their instant attraction tells him Christopher is the one. However, since the threat of his brother remains, Fredrik is reluctant to pursue a relationship.

Christopher is still figuring out his place in the pack and has been living on his own to avoid making waves with his brother, Mikael. Now he’s met his soulmate, and he’ll do anything to take care of his love, including rejoining the pack.

With coaxing, Fredrik accepts his feelings, and Christopher’s pack gives him the home he’s never had. But Fredrick soon realizes he should keep running. His brother is on his tail and will stop at nothing to obtain the power he craves, especially when he realizes the source of the power could be Fredrik himself.

Title: Darkness Threatening

Author: Dirk Greyson

Series: Yellowstone Wolves

Genre: M/M, Paranormal Romance, Shifters

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: Feb 3 2016

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print

Book Links

Amazon
Dreamspinner Press

“Let’s go for a run. I need to hunt something,” Juneau said as Fredrik reached the door to his room and went inside. He closed the door as silently as he could and stood stock-still, trying not to breathe so he could hear them.

The front door opened and closed. Fredrik hoped they had all gone, but it was likely one of the dipshit twins had been left behind. He listened at the door and then opened it slightly, scenting for anyone in the house. He could smell fear and hear soft sobs from the room next door, but that was all. He stepped out of the room as a chair scraped on the floor. Just as he suspected. Squaring his shoulders, Fredrik walked back toward the open central room.

Dimitri sat at the table, staring off into space. “What are you up to? Juneau said I was to stay here and keep an eye on you and his present.” He grinned like an idiot. “But I was thinking that maybe you could be my present.” He stood. “A hole’s a hole, right? Besides, I bet you’d like what I got for you.”

Fredrik swallowed hard. “I don’t think so. You aren’t my type.”

“I ain’t, huh? I’m a guy and you like guys, so I figured I could see what all the fuss was about.” He stepped closer, and Fredrik took a small step back. Dimitri stomped his foot and then laughed. “I ain’t gonna soil myself with the likes of you. You can stop looking like you’re gonna jump through the roof.” He walked to the small table near the old sofa, yanked open the drawer, and pulled out a deck of cards. He began shuffling again and again, the snap and thump sounds filling the small space.

Fredrik’s throat was bone dry, so he pulled open the refrigerator door and got some water. Inge had left too, so it was only Dimitri and him. His gaze kept going to the door of Juneau’s room. There was a girl in there frightened half to death. The scent was enough to turn his stomach again. He opened the bottle, rinsed his mouth, and spat into the sink. Then he took a long drink, the liquid settling in his stomach with a hollow thud. He closed the door and opened one of the kitchen drawers. He needed a weapon, anything at hand, if he was to have a chance against Dimitri. The guy was smaller than Yuri, but Fredrik was no match for him physically. Hell, he wasn’t a physical match for anyone in his family. His father had always called him his runt pup.

“What are you up to?” Dimitri didn’t even look up from his game.

“Just getting some water. You want some?”

“Nah. Get me a beer, though,” he said and played another card. “I got eyes in the back of my head. I’ll know if you pull anything.”

Fredrik opened the refrigerator again and got a beer. As he closed the door and pulled open the drawer next to it, he had to keep himself from whooping for joy. He’d found the knives. He picked out one and then carried the beer over to Dimitri and set it on the table.

“I know what you’re doing,” Dimitri said and grabbed his hand. “I know everything, and you’re just some runt. So don’t be thinking you’re going to try anything so you can get away. If I let you leave, Juneau will have my nuts, and I want them right where they are. And the only way you’re getting out of here is if I let you leave.”

“Is that so?” Fredrik jerked away and plunged the knife into Dimitri’s neck before pushing him forward onto the table. He managed to get out of the way of the blood, but it sprayed all over the floor. “You may think I’m small, you piece of shit, but I’ve got fight in me,” he said to blank eyes as Dimitri went completely still.

Dirk is very much an outside kind of man. He loves travel and seeing new things. Dirk worked in corporate America for way too long and now spends his days writing, gardening, and taking care of the home he shares with his partner of more than two decades. He has a Master’s Degree and all the other accessories that go with a corporate job. But he is most proud of the stories he tells and the life he’s built. Dirk lives in Pennsylvania in a century old home and is blessed with an amazing circle of friends.

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