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Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert: Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

One hard-nosed military police officer.

One overly enthusiastic elf.

One poorly timed snowstorm.

Is it a recipe for disaster? Or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for holiday romance?

Teddy MacNally loves Christmas and everything that goes along with it. When he plays an elf for his charity’s events, he never expects to be paired with a Scrooge masquerading as Santa Claus. His new mission: make the holiday-hating soldier believe he was born to say ho-ho-ho.

Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa, but he’s army to his blood. When his CO asks an unusual favor, Nick of course obliges. The elf to his Kris Kringle? Tempting. Too tempting—Nick’s only in town for another month, and Teddy’s too young, too cheerful and too nice for a one-night stand.

The slow, sexy make-out sessions while Teddy and Nick are alone and snowbound, though, feel like anything but a quick hookup. As a stress-free holiday fling turns into Christmas all year round, Teddy can’t imagine his life without Nick. And Nick’s days on the base may be coming to a close, but he doesn’t plan on leaving anything, or anyone, behind.

Publisher: Carina Press (Harlequin)

Release Date (Print & Ebook): Ebook: Monday November 12, 2018; Print (mmp): Tuesday November 27, 2018

Length (Print & Ebook): Ebook: 288; Print (mmp): 288

Subgenre: Contemporary Romance, Male/Male Romance, Holiday Romance, Military Romance

Amazon

Carina Press

Barnes & Noble

 

“Hey, I’m happy for the company,” Teddy reassured him. “I’d just hate having to find another backup Santa because this one froze to death for not knowing the area. But just watch, by next year, you’ll be as prepared as any native.”

Nick took a spoonful of stew and swallowed before answering. “Won’t be here next year, sorry.”

“Oh. Being moved to another base?” Teddy was hit with a brief pang, which was ridiculous. The military moved people all the time, and like Charlie said, people left. No surprise here.

“No. Retiring. Last day is December 22nd.”

“Retiring? You’re only fortyish right? Isn’t that a bit young?”

“Ish.” Nick’s tone stayed bland, mouth not curving into a smile. “Forty-six. And almost thirty years of service is positively ancient in military terms. I’ve done pretty much everything an enlisted person can do—pretty rare for us to stay on after getting our twenty years of service. I’m a dinosaur at twenty-eight years in. Most of my friends left at twenty, but I was set on making sergeant major, so I stayed in.”

“So what will you do? Go back to school? Civilian law enforcement? Some new dream to chase?” Teddy leaned forward, eager to hear Nick’s big plans.

“Too old to go back to school.” Nick waved a hand dismissively. “And no dreams. All I ever wanted was to be a cop. Joined the military police because we couldn’t afford college, and I liked the idea of being in the service and still being able to be a cop. Then I set my sights on advancing. Last goal was to make sergeant major, and I did that, so no complaints.”

Teddy liked listening to Nick talk, but he was a bit disheartened by how…defeated he sounded. Like he’d battled Father Time and time had won and now he had no choice but to move on. And that was damn sad. He said he had no complaints, but Teddy could read between the lines well enough to see that Nick didn’t want to retire.

“But you can still be a cop. I bet there’s not a law enforcement agency in the country that wouldn’t be happy to have you. Hell, you could even do FBI or Secret Service—”

“Slow down, Teddy.” Nick smiled, the first one Teddy had really seen from him, this one accompanied by a subtle head shake. But Teddy could take the censure—the smile was damn worth it. Broad with both cheek and chin dimples, it took Nick from “scary giant man” to “Hollywood action star” in a single upward slant of his lips. “You sure know how to dream big. And I’ve thought about civilian law enforcement. I’ve even got the degrees they all want, but in the end, I think I’m just too old a dog to learn new tricks.”

Tis the season for Christmas stories! And for me there is no better way than with a book by one of my favorite authors.

This story deviated from her norm in that it was set in upstate NY (not the Pacific Northwest or San Diego) and it featured an Army MP (not a Navy Seal). And it was adorable.

Nick is in his last month of active duty as an Army mp before he retires. Sounds like he was pushed into retirement, but I don’t think it was ever explained why. And without giving anything away, the events surrounding the tragedy in Nick’s family was never really explained either. Small details most probably won’t notice.

Teddy runs a non-profit in his home town. A hometown that seems to be overrun by his extended family. Nick is persuaded to help Teddy and the non profit by dressing as Santa for some pictures and other events leading up to Christmas.

To say Nick and Teddy are polar opposites is putting it mildly. Nick is super grumpy, minimalistic, isn’t close to his family and doesn’t care about the holidays. And he much prefers sun and surf to snow and ice. Teddy is a do-gooder, perpetually happy, is ridiculously close to his family and adores the holidays.

I loved Teddy’s confidence. He puts himself out there with Nick and when he is turned down he doesn’t get all mopey and feeling sorry for himself. He just continues on. The way he slowly insinuated himself into Nick’s life as a friend was super cute.

And then they did get together and wow. That would melt the snow on the roof.

I appreciated that the book included Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve in the story line. It was a fairly happy, low angst book with all of the holiday and family feels.

4 Pieces of Candy

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series include the #OutOfUniform, #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat, #RainbowCove and #PerfectHarmony series.

To find out what she’s working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: annabethalbert.com or connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.

Connect with Annabeth Albert:


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The Husband Gambit by L.A. Witt: Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

Marry me for 1 year. Payment: $1.2 million.

Hayden Somerset is convinced the ad is a joke, but he responds anyway because, hello, $1.2 million. He’s broke, living in a tiny apartment with two roommates, and exhausted from praying his ancient car survives just one more week. His skyrocketing rent and crushing student loans aren’t helping either. At this point, there isn’t much Hayden wouldn’t do for that kind of cash.

The ad isn’t a joke. Jesse Ambrose is absolutely serious. His father, the charismatic patriarch of a powerful Hollywood dynasty, has his eye on politics, and he’s counting on California’s liberals and progressives to elect him. But Jesse knows what his father believes when cameras and voters aren’t around. As the election looms, he’ll do anything to force the man’s hand and show the public who Isaac Ambrose really is.

Anything, including marrying a stranger so his father will make good on his promise to disown Jesse if he ever takes a husband.

Now he just has to wait for his father to take the bait… and try not to accidentally fall in love with his fake husband.

Length: 95,000 words approx.

Cover Design: L.A. Witt

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

This book was so fun!

I am a big fan of LA Witt and she has never written a book like this (at least that I have read) and it was so welcome. It was filled with humor, but nothing forced, no stupid jokes. Hayden is just a funny person. And that is who he is.

Hayden is a typical struggling actor in LA. With a master’s degree in theater arts. So a well education struggling actor. He shares a 2 bedroom apartment with his 2 best friends who are also struggling, just not to be actors. The three of them together count every dime and pinch every penny just to make it every month. I really loved how the 3 guys pooled all of their resources. It wasn’t just that this one had his share of the rent and that one didn’t. So when Hayden sees a random odd ad for someone to be a husband for a year and to get paid $100k a month to do it, he had to find out more.

Jesse is a semi anonymous son of a famous producer and comes from a long line of Hollywood royalty. But now his father is flirting with running for governor. And Jesse wants to stop him. Because on the outside he seems like a liberal progressive. But really he is a racist homophobe. Jesse is willing to give up his inheritance, his monthly stipend and his family in order to out his father as the bigot he is. Step 1- get a husband.

I think what I loved a lot about this book- besides the humor- is that neither guy is a jerk in any way. They seemed to become almost instant friends and that shows. And even though there was some sexual tension, it wasn’t in your face. In fact, it seems like the two men didn’t even realize it until they kissed at their wedding.

So while this trope has been around forever and will never go away, this particular telling was my favorite. I genuinely cared about these guys, the main story line didn’t get lost between sex scenes and all of the supporting characters did what they were meant to- they supported the story.

Even with the racist, homophobic father and the threat of losing everything, it was still fairly lighthearted. And I really enjoyed it.

November 15 – Cdawgz Reads, On Top Down Under, Two Chicks Obsessed, Gay Book Reviews, Xtreme Delusions, OMG Reads, November 17 – Henna Loves Books, Open Mind For A Different View, Urban Smoothie Read, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, November 19 – Cupcakes & Bookshelves, November 21 – Love Unchained, V’s Reads, Mainely Stories, November 23 – Momma Says: to Read or Not To Read, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bonkers About Books, Engaging Secrets, MM Good Book Reviews, November 26 – Jim’s Reading Room, Making It Happen, November 28 – Megan’s Media Melange, November 30 – Mirrigold – Mutterings & Musings, Lillian Francis, Valerie Ullmer, Reading In Sarah’s Corner, Sexy Erotic Xciting, Southern Babes Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Wicked Reads

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com
E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com

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Confessions: The Princess, The Prick and The Priest by Ella Frank: New Release Review and Excerpt

by

Everyone said our love wouldn’t work.
That it was too hard, too complicated, too messy.
Oh how I enjoy proving everyone wrong.

My men are smart, sexy, sophisticated—
and most of all, crazy about me.
The only problem is trying to explain
that to my big, opinionated Italian family.

But after all we’ve been through, we deserve a
happily ever after. And if there’s one
thing I know about my guys, they always
manage to have a few surprises up their sleeves.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I’m not sure why everyone dreads their thirties.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s going to be the best decade ever ~ Robbie

 

Six Months Later…

“LOVERS, I’M HOME,” Robbie Bianchi called out to his boyfriends, as he juggled several shopping bags in one hand and kicked the front door shut behind him. He stuffed his car keys into the pocket of his shorts, and as he evened out what he was carrying, he took the stairs that led him up to the first floor of their new home.

With the same smile on his face that he’d left with that morning, Robbie headed across the hardwood floors past the dining room, and into the kitchen, where he spotted a note waiting for him: We’re upstairs, princesse. Come find us when you get home.

Robbie grinned at the messy crown drawn above the i in princesse, but then quickly did as he was told. With one hand on the steel rail, he took the stairs two at a time, and as he reached the second floor where the bedroom was located, he walked inside to find it empty except for the fish swimming around the tank that lined the wall facing their bed.

Dropping his shopping bags on the end of the mattress, Robbie headed up to the final floor, where he knew his men were waiting for him. He opened up the glass door that led to the penthouse deck, and when he stepped outside and the warm rays washed over him, Robbie took in a breath of fresh air.

Ah, he’d always loved summer. Everything about it. The sun, the smell of the freshly cut grass, and the clothes—or lack thereof—Robbie thought, as he reached for the edge of his white tank top and drew it over his head.

As he tucked it into the back of his shorts, Robbie scanned the wide deck, his eyes roaming over the wooden slat floor, the hot tub over in the corner, and the glistening water of the lap pool surrounded by the potted greenery bordering their rooftop oasis.

This space had been the final selling point with all three of them when they’d made the decision to leave the condo after what had happened there with Jimmy. It was the perfect place for Julien to relax and do his yoga, for Priest, who loved a good soak to clear his mind, and for Robbie, for whom it was all about the calm he got from finally seeing his men happy and at peace. And that was exactly how he found one of them right now. There, stretched out on one of the sun loungers, was the brand-new reason that Robbie loved summer—an almost-naked Julien Thornton.

Dressed in tight, black, barely there swim shorts that left little—okay, nothing—to the imagination, the only other thing Julien was wearing was a pair of Aviator sunglasses. His rich, olive-colored skin was glistening with water droplets as he lay sprawled out with his hands behind his head, and oh my God was he a feast for the eyes.

As Robbie walked to the end of the lounger, his eyes roamed up Julien’s toned legs to his muscular thighs, and ended at the bulge that tight material was cupping like a glove.

Oh yes, this was hands down the best part about summer now, and luckily for Robbie and Priest, tanning was a favorite pastime of their seriously sexy Frenchman.

“Bonjour, princesse.” Julien’s honey-toned voice wrapped around Robbie, informing him that he’d been caught staring. But he didn’t care—not one little bit.

“One second, please. I’m concentrating here,”Robbie said, his gaze trailing up all he could see to finally land on Julien’s face. “Now, sorry, what were you saying?”

Julien chuckled as Robbie walked alongside him. “Bonjour, princesse.”

“Oh, yes,” Robbie said, and bent down to brush a kiss across Julien’s lips. “Bonjour, Jules.”

Robbie went to straighten, but before he got too far away, Julien took hold of the back of his neck and craned up for a deeper kiss. Robbie’s lips parted, and Julien slipped his tongue inside, making Robbie’s cock jerk to attention, as he braced his hand on the back of the lounger and sank into the deliciousness that was all Julien.

*fans self*

I’m still not over the cover of this book. After the covers of the three before. I am not even one of those people who get all worked up about a cover. But DAYUM.

We’ve come to the end friends. We got Robbie’s story, Julien’s story and finally Priest’s story. Interwoven with their individual stories was the building of the relationship between the three men. What started out as ridiculously smoking hot in Robbie’s book got a little less so in each consecutive. BUT, there was also a lot of story to tell.

I will say that in book 1, Julien and Priest have this type of arrangement in their marriage because they are both dominant and while Priest is strictly a top, Julien is vers. Bringing in a third lets them both be toppy doms. And Robbie has no problem being their bottom who is on the submissive side of things. That played a big role in book 1, but less so in the next two. Finally in this book it is mentioned once. Mentioned with one sentence. Not enough for me.

There was nothing shocking in this final installment. No more skeletons in the closet, families are introduced, no drama, no angst. It was a nice, tidy wrap up to their story. I could have done with a bit of drama. A bit more of working out how the three of them work, but no.

I will say I have never read a menage book where it was so obvious how much these three men loved each other AND how equal they were with their love for each other. That should have been hard to do being that Priest and Julien were not only an established couple- they were married. But it was effortless here.

There are a couple more nit picky things (seriously, Julien almost never seems to work. Chef owners of an enormously popular and new restaurant work 80 hours a week), but, like I said, nit picky.

This is a must read if you read the first three. All four are worth it.

3.5 Pieces of Candy

.

Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite contemporary romance, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Phillips.

Connect with Ella:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ella.frank.31/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EllaFrank2012

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellafrank1/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-frank

Stay up to date with Ella by joining her mailing list:  www.bit.ly/1hEYtgn

Join Booke & Ella’s Naughty Umbrella: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheBrellas/

Website: https://www.ellafrank.com/portfolio

The Kinsey Scale by CJane Elliott: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

Life is good for Eric Brown. He’s a senior theater major, an RA for a freshman dorm, and has a great circle of friends. Single since sophomore year, Eric isn’t looking for love. But then Will Butler—fellow senior, co-RA, and the cutest guy Eric’s ever seen—walks into his dorm. Will has a girlfriend he sees off campus—a minor disappointment that becomes a major problem when a housing shortage causes Will and Eric to become roommates, and Eric is forced to witness Will’s hotness day in and day out. For protection, Eric asks Jerry, his ex-boyfriend, to pretend they’re still together. Jerry warns him it’s a stupid idea, but he reluctantly agrees.

Too bad it won’t save Eric from losing his heart.

Will Butler has never believed in himself. His dysfunctional family saw to that. Although Will has loved music since childhood, he’s never seriously considered pursuing it, and the person he’s dating doesn’t encourage him. Then he and Eric Brown become roommates, and everything changes. Eric believes in Will and his talent. He’s also gorgeous and playful and fast becoming Will’s best friend. And that’s not good, because Will is hiding some big things, not only from Eric, but from himself.

Title: The Kinsey Scale
Series: Campus Connections
Author: CJane Elliott
Release Date: November 9, 2018
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 78

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Hello, all! CJane Elliott here to share my new release, The Kinsey Scale. Thank you to the Two Chicks for hosting me on The Kinsey Scale Blog Tour.

Our heroes, Eric and Will, started out seemingly opposite in interests and temperament. But when they become co-RAs for a freshman dorm and have to room together, they slowly get close – so close that Eric’s ex Jerry warns Eric that he thinks Will is falling for him. Eric, confident in his belief that Will is straight, laughs it off.

In today’s blog tour stop I’ve brought you an exclusive excerpt that takes place in early March after Jerry tells Eric of his suspicion about Will’s feelings. Eric and Will have been roommates for months by now and they’re having some deep conversations. In this one, Eric talks about how coming out made him aware of his “tribe” of like-minded weirdos. Will has a surprising response.

“Hey, roomie!”

Eric jumped. Will had snuck up behind their usual spot in the student lounge and spoken loudly right into his ear.

“Agh! Stop doing that.” Eric peered around as Will snickered and settled himself into the adjoining armchair. “Where’s your shadow?”

“Amber? I think I shook her off.” Will snuck a glance behind him. “Warn me if she comes in.”

“Allison probably took her down with a single karate chop. Cat fight over William!” Eric laughed a little too loudly. Will gave him his “are you nuts?” look.

Eric had been watching Will like a hawk ever since Jerry’s revelation. Hung up on him? Eric couldn’t see it, but it was enough to put him on edge, enough to make him even more aware of how attracted he was to Will. Still, he should cool it with the corny hetero jokes. Jerry told him he was overcompensating.

Will stretched and yawned. “Ready to go over the kids?”

Eric checked to make sure the coast was clear of Hutchinson residents. He and Will did a weekly review of each of their freshmen. It helped detect any budding issues or concerns they needed to address. “Yep. You got the list?”

“Yep.” Will pulled out a piece of paper. “Abby.”

“Hmm. I haven’t seen her around much lately. How about you?”

“She came to that get-together thingy we had a few weeks ago and seemed okay.”

Eric swatted Will’s knee. “Thingy? You mean our ‘Yay, we made it through February’ bash, emceed by the Dynamic Duo, aka us?”

Will smirked. “Yeah. That. Okay, next is Alex.”

“He’s fine.”

“Agreed. Andrew.”

“Andrew worries me.” Eric said that every week. He thought about the slight effeminate kid who was so clearly on the rainbow spectrum and yet hadn’t come out to anyone as far as Eric knew. Andrew was a loner and sometimes the target of bullying by the frat guys. Will and Eric worked hard to slap that nonsense down as soon as it erupted. They also traded off checking in with Andrew daily, dropping by his room, trying to seem casual about it.

“Yeah.” Will knit his eyebrows. “Not much we can do beyond what we’re already doing.”

“I wish he’d come out and get it over with,” Eric blurted and then bit his lip.

Will’s face got red. “Why? It could make more problems for him. Like if his family’s homophobic, they could throw him out. He’s already getting heat from the frat assholes.”

“But he’d find friends inside the queer community. God knows there’s enough of us around.”

“You’re the one who’s always saying people need to come out when they’re ready and not to push them.” Will’s voice rose, and he seemed to be getting upset, which was unusual for chill Will.

“I know, I know. It’s cool. I’d never force him. But I remember when I came out. I was around his age, and it was so liberating. It helped me find my tribe.”

“Your tribe?”

“You know—all the other weirdos and nonconformists. Queers. Artists and creative types. The fringe of society, the marginalized swath of humanity.”

Will snorted. “Very poetic. But as white males, you have to admit we’re privileged compared to, say, a black trans woman.”

“And as a straight white male you’re the most privileged of all,” Eric shot back, then regretted it when Will’s expression grew thunderous. “Sorry. Why are we even having this fight?”

Will dropped his shoulders with a wry smile. “Yeah. I don’t even know. I guess I felt left out of your tribe or something.”

“Are you kidding? You qualify on general coolness. Plus, duh… you’re a creative type, remember? Songwriter and singer. And you have to admit you’re kind of weird, which I love.”

“Aw, jeez.” Will blushed and looked pleased. “You say the nicest things.”

A swelling of emotion formed a lump in Eric’s throat. He wished… he didn’t know what he wished. Will was cool, creative, weird, and so fricking attractive, especially right that moment. “I only say the truth, roomie.” He shifted in his seat. “Hey, let’s get back to the list. I have dress rehearsal soon.”

Come on, boys, you’ve stretched this out long enough! I’m happy to say everything comes to a head soon after this conversation, and these guys will take the bumpy road to their happy ending.

The Kinsey Scale by CJane Elliott is my first read by this author. The story follows two college RA’s who become roommates when no other options are available, and eventually are glad that they have one room together. 😉 It takes some time during their senior year, but eventually they get their HFN.

I enjoyed the story, although it was a slow burn. Eric believed that Will was straight, and he himself had been out for quite a while, so going back in the closet was not an option. Will, meanwhile, wasn’t quite as forthcoming with where he fit on the Kinsey Scale, until the subject came up in a group conversation, and then things become a bit more transparent. There is a bit of heat later in the book, but for most of the book, they aren’t able to get themselves to the right place to give it a shot.

As Eric used his ex to try to push off the temptation of Will, Will was learning that he had not allowed himself to be in a situation that was beneficial to him, and was trying to move on from that previous relationship.

This was a short, sweet story that wrapped up easily with not too much angst for the characters. I’d definitely read the next book in the series.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

 

After years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJane Elliott finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane enjoys writing sexy, passionate stories that also explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.

CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming-out stories. In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her family supports her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.

CJane is the author of the award-winning Serpentine Series, New Adult contemporary novels set at the University of Virginia. Serpentine Walls was a 2014 Rainbow Awards finalist, Aidan’s Journey was a 2015 EPIC Awards finalist, and Sex, Love, and Videogames won first place in the New Adult category in the 2016 Swirl Awards and first place in Contemporary Fiction in the 2017 EPIC eBook Awards.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | eMail | Instagram

http://www.cjaneelliott.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cjane.elliott

https://twitter.com/CJaneElliott

cjaneelliott@gmail.com

http://www.instragram.com/cjaneelliott

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Hawaii Five Uh-Oh by Z.A. Maxfield: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

by

Sarcastic cop Theo Hsu returns home to Hawai‘i after realizing he wants more from his life, and also, less. He hopes to reconnect with his past and make amends with his mother, who remarried a cool, distant man, leaving Theo unsure where he stands.

It doesn’t take him long to figure out where he wants to stand, though: right next to his childhood best friend, tattooed detective Koa Palapiti. Theo would like to upgrade their relationship, but Koa is putting out some seriously mixed signals. It’s a mystery Theo can’t let go, but just as they start to connect, kidnapping, murder, and a deadly game with international stakes get in the way. Koa wants to keep Theo out of it, and if it comes to a choice between him and Koa’s partner, Freddie Ortiz, Theo doesn’t like his chances.

But even if Koa wants to push him out of the investigation, and his life, Theo still has a few tricks up his sleeve. It’ll take all his special gifts, ingenuity, risk-taking, family ties—and even some kinky undercover work—to save the day… and the man he never should’ve let get away.

Title: Hawaii Five Uh-Oh
Series: Plummet to Soar: Book 2
Author: Z.A. Maxfield
Release Date: November 13, 2018
Category: Mystery/Suspense, Light BDSM
Pages: 196

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Hi everyone! Thanks so much for welcoming me to the Two Chicks Obsessed Blog.

My Plummet to Soar books are a series of barely related books, super loosely based around “Plummet To Soar”, a fictional self-help book written by Mackenzie Detweiler, who fell from a tourist helicopter and lived to tell the tale.

Each of the books features some person touched by reading Plummet to Soar, for good or ill, whose life has changed because they were forced to rethink what they have, and what they truly want.

Today, I thought I’d share five things you might not know about each of the main characters, starting with Theo Hsu:

  1. Theo’s father forced him to take combat martial arts and play the violin all through school. Sometimes dirty fighting got in the way of orchestra class. He liberated himself from the instrument by giving it to a homeless guy in Madison the day after he graduated from the police academy.
  2. Once, on a dare, Theo dug a cold hole and spent the night in it. His island-born ass nearly froze off but he discovered it was true–you could use ice to insulate yourself from brutal weather, as long as you did it right.
  3. As a kid, Theo and his best friend Koa used to write adventure stories together. When they were tweens, the stories got a little more intense, and some carried the flavor of Theo’s kinkier longings. What Koa doesn’t know is long after he moved, Theo kept writing. He would often take the stories and put them in envelopes, address them to Koa, but then chicken out. He burned them all in a backyard fire before he moved to Bear Lake, Wisconsin for his first job.
  4. Theo likes to have his feet rubbed, but not tickled. He can’t stand to be tickled, anywhere. Even his hair is ticklish.
  5. Once, Theo got stuck in his squad car, beneath a giant statue of Babe the Blue Ox, in a snowstorm, with Mackenzie Detweiler and his kleptomaniac lover JD in the back getting busy. FML!

And Koa!

  1. Koa’s family wasn’t wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. To get by, his mother decided she should probably get a job. Her friends begged her to make the candies she always gave as gifts available at local craft fairs and swap meets. Soon, demand far outstripped the amount she could make by herself. What Theo won’t tell you is he’s at least as good a candy maker, maybe even better, than his Auntie La-La, who took over the business when his mother died. He helps out during holidays and other brisk business seasons, and also, whenever he needs to destress.
  2. Koa enjoys all kinds of water sports—surfing, stand up paddle-boarding, and kayaking, but his favorite is paddling through big waves as part of an outrigger team. That’s when he closes his eyes and pretends he’s one of original navigators of Oceania, and there’s nothing but the sea, the stars, and his fellow teammates finding adventure together.
  3. Koa gets weekly mani-pedis because he’s a vain bastard. He sneaks outside Waikiki to a place where nobody knows who he is because he’d hear all about it from his partner Freddie and the rest of the crew in the bullpen if they caught him. He likes his toenails cut square, his hands moisturized, and his fingernails buffed to a high sheen, thanks.
  4. Koa’s family is an amalgam of the many different people who make up Oceania, but Koa is acutely aware he’s not a true native of Hawai’i. He belongs to the Islands. He believes he fits in. But there’s always a yearning inside him that will go unfulfilled. To make up for it, Koa tries a hundred percent harder to be faithful to the motto: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
  5. At Theo’s mother urging, both Koa and Theo took up cultural dance. But Theo’s dad forced him to quit early on. Koa kept at it, even after Theo left the Islands. It was hard work, and there was no real reason for him to do it without Theo, except he was good at it, it pleased his Theo’s mom and, most especially, Koa plays a long game. Dance was a carefully calculated strategy to remain close to Theo and keep involved with his family. In that way, Koa bided his time until Theo came back. And it worked, because Theo’s mom asked him to pick Theo up from the airport when he returned, making him the first person from the past Theo laid eyes on.

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of insight into the characters from Hawai’i Five Uh-oh! It’s a bit romance, a bit suspense, and a whole lot ZAM!

I hope you read Hawai’i Five Uh-oh—and don’t forget to review it on your favorite review sites! Reviews really do make a book visible to a wider audience. They help me, my publisher, and gay romance as a genre in general! Many thanks in advance!

Thanks again,

ZAM

Koa glanced his way. “Pics or it didn’t happen.”

“I never did it,” Theo admitted. “I’m saying it’s theoretically possible.”

Silence stretched out between them again. It was a long ride, and as Koa drove, Theo flew his hand out the window and marked the buildings he remembered. So much had changed. He’d changed.

When they pulled into Theo’s mother’s driveway, Koa turned to him. “I hope you don’t mind, I don’t have time to come in. Say hi to your mom.”

“Okay.” Disappointment warred with relief in Theo’s heart. Relief came out a winner. The last thing he needed was disinterested bystanders. “Pop the locks, I’ll just get my things from the back.”

He stepped down, went around, and hauled his things out. From the outside pocket of the lightest one, he pulled a signed copy of Plummet to Soar. He’d put it there to give to his mother because he’d assumed she’d pick him up. He had other gifts for her, so it didn’t matter.

“Hey, brother.” He smiled awkwardly and waved for Koa to roll down the window. “Present for you.”

“Mahalo. Really?” Surprised, he took it and gave it a quick perusal. “Hey, it’s autographed to you. You sure?”

Theo nodded. “That book changed a lot of things for me. I hope you enjoy it.”

Koa’s dark eyes—when he lifted his gaze—held some earnest question Theo couldn’t begin to answer. They widened. “I don’t suppose you ever figured out what happened at the end of that thing you were writing…?”

“You remember that shit?” He said the words like Sheesh, who remembers? As if he hadn’t just been thinking that very thing. Obviously now he understood what those ridiculous stories were, but at the time?

Looking back, Theo blushed with shame.

Koa gave his lower lip a quick nibble. Theo’s dick sat up and got ready to beg. Down, boy. “I think when last I read, our plucky heroes were in a Malay prison.” Koa glanced at him. “Sentenced for a crime they didn’t commit.”

“Tunneling their way to freedom.” Theo nodded. “One of those boys always got himself jammed up, and the other saved the day.”

“Well, you write what you know.” Koa was laughing at him.

Theo didn’t take lead and he wasn’t much of a follower. Sidekick was more his style. But in those stupid stories, he always, always saved the day. Maybe with Koa he’d wanted to try taking the lead….

Koa asked, “Wasn’t one of them about to be caned?”

“Yeah?” Theo admitted hoarsely. At the time, news stories of corporal punishment—as applied to dumb Westerners in places like Malaysia and Taiwan—had fired his imagination, for a lot of reasons. Some not so wholesome.

Koa snorted. “You dug writing that dark shit. The beatings. The extra, extra tight male bonding. Admit it.”

“Hell yeah.” Motherfucker. You went there. I cannot believe you went there the second you saw him again. “I never finished writing any of those. But there’s always time, you know?”

Koa glanced over again. This time, unmistakably, he checked Theo out. “Maybe you should.”

Holy mother. Had Koa just…?

Did he just…?

Koa’s SUV was well clear of his mother’s property before Theo had the words to respond.

 

A Plummet to Soar Story

Feckless, luckless, and charming, Mackenzie Detweiller is the author of a self-help book one reviewer calls “the most misbegotten motivational tool since Mein Kampf.” He’s maneuvered himself into a career as a life coach, but more often than not, his advice is bad. Really bad.

It’s even getting people hurt… and Mackenzie sued.

It falls to Mackenzie’s long-suffering acquisitions editor, JD Chambers, to deliver the bad news. He chooses to do so face-to-face—to see if the spark he senses between them is real when they’re together in the flesh. Unfortunately, a snowstorm, a case of nerves, a case of mistaken identity, and finally a murder get in the way of a potential enemies-to-lovers romance.

There are many, many people who have good reason to want Mackenzie dead. JD must find out which one is acting on it before it’s too late for both of them.

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Z.A. Maxfield started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized, and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories: Unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.

If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”Links:

Website: http://www.zamaxfield.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorZ.A.Maxfield
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ZAMaxfield

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zamaxfield/?hl=en
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The Spirit Key by Parker Williams: Cover Reveal

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When he was eight years old, Scott Fogel died. Paramedics revived him, but he came back changed. Ghosts and spirits tormented Scott for over a decade until, thinking he was going mad, he did the only thing he could.

He ran—leaving behind his best friend, Tim Jennesee.

Scott’s had five normal, ghost-free years in Chicago, when the spirit of Tim’s mother comes to him and begs him to go home because Tim’s in trouble and needs him.

He isn’t prepared for what he finds when he goes home—a taller and sexier Tim, but a Tim who hasn’t forgiven Scott for abandoning him… a Tim whose body is no longer his own. The ghost of a serial murderer has attached itself to Tim, and it’s whispering dark and evil things. It wants Tim to kill, and it’s becoming harder for Tim to resist. To free the man who has always meant so much to him, Scott must unravel the mystery of the destiny he shares with Tim.

Title: The Spirit Key
Series: Lock and Key: Book One
Author: Parker Williams
Release Date: January 15, 2019
Category: Paranormal; Ghosts/Spirits, Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 210
Cover Artist: Reese Dante   http://www.reesedante.com

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Parker Williams is a bestselling author of MM romance and suspense. One of his recent works was nominated for the Lambda Literary Awards, and several books have been runners-up at the Rainbow Awards.

Parker loves the written word. A chance encounter with an amazing author changed the course of his life as he began to write the stories his men were whispering to him. With the help of some amazing friends and a community of writers he’s proud to be part of, Parker continues telling stories of love, hurt, comfort, and sometimes tosses in a little angst for fun. He believes in love, but also knows that anything worth having requires work and sacrifice (and maybe a little hurt and comfort too). The course of true love never runs smooth, and he enjoys writing about it.

Parker lives in Milwaukee, WI, with his husband, Paul, and their menagerie of dogs and cats. Most days you’ll find him on Facebook, sharing stories and pictures of the zoo, or even about Paul, who is always good for a laugh.