Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

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To Light a Fire (Speak Its Name Book 1) by Kristian Parker: RB, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Frank never thought he would find love…until he met his friend’s servant.

It’s 1922 and Frank Harris has finished his exams at Cambridge. He had planned on going home to his parents’ Midlands shop until his friend Charlie Fitzwilliam issues a surprise invitation to stay at his family’s stately home.

Frank has nursed a secret attraction to Charlie since their first meeting and can’t resist a chance to spend time with him, but once there, it’s Tanner, a manservant, with whom he instantly falls in lust.

Charlie tries to force a local girl on Frank, and although Frank knows he should keep up appearances, it’s Tanner who sets a fire in him.

To Frank’s astonishment, Tanner is attracted to him too, and their mutual passion kindles, then burns strong. Only, their feelings must remain a secret—discovery would mean the ruin of them both.

But how long can love that blazes this bright be hidden?

To Light a Fire by Kristian Parker

Book 1 in the Speak Its Name series

General Release Date: 25th May 2021

Word Count: 19,038

Book Length: NOVELLA

Pages: 82

Genres: EROTIC ROMANCE, GAY, GLBTQI, HISTORICAL

Amazon

First For Romance

Goodreads

Cambridge, 1922

“Come on, Harris. Don’t be a chump. You can read your precious architecture books at my place. I don’t know why you’re bothering, anyway—we’ve done the blasted exams.”

So spoke Charlie Fitzwilliam the third…or maybe the fourth, standing there in all his glory. As usual, the rest of his gang flanked him and glared at me. It didn’t do to say no to Charlie. I had been in awe of him for four years at Cambridge.

The polar opposite to me, he could make a boy feel awkward just by entering a room. Blond, muscular and his parents owned most of one of the bigger counties just outside London. I, on the other hand, had dark hair, could have been described as a little on the skinny side and certainly didn’t come from the right side of the tracks.

“Go on, Harris,” said one of his henchmen. They followed him everywhere, doing his dirty work and hoping against hope some of that Fitzwilliam magic would rub off on them. “Charlie will be bored if you don’t.”

“Why don’t you go and entertain him then?” I said gruffly.

It had been made clear when we started at university that I would be the lackey of the group and it didn’t do to let me forget it. Charlie’s lot were Harrow boys for whom Cambridge had been a natural next step. My place had been paid for by my parents saving hard and me getting the best marks possible at school.

My parents had several shops in Leicester, the middle of England, where I’d grown up and nothing ever happened. When I’d come to Cambridge, I’d been an awkward eighteen-year-old who had no idea how to use the right cutlery or which wine went with fish. Charlie had taken me under his wing, the others had been jealous and so my runt-of-the-litter position had become firmly cemented.

Charlie had more money than he would ever know what to do with. University was just a diversion, a chance to drink heavily, romance often and generally live a crazy life. The dire state of the economy didn’t come anywhere near him, happening only to other people.

An invitation to go to his house in the country could not be refused, and I found myself tempted by some time alone with him. Besides, I couldn’t apply in earnest to architectural partnerships until I knew my marks for my degree. We had sat our final exam last week and could only wait until August, when we would graduate.

I had planned to go home and help in the shops, but I would only be taking hours from our workers who needed them more than me.

“Just think of it. You can dig around my father’s books to your heart’s content.” Charlie clapped his arm around me, causing me to blush. He knew he had his fish on the line, and a grin creased the sides of my face.

“Fine. A week, no more.”

Charlie held up his hands. “A week is all I want from you. Mummy has demanded my presence in bloody Portugal after that. I’ll be dragged around endless vineyards in search of the perfect grapes for the perfect port. Oh, well done, old man. I hate being stuck in that house on my own. It’s just so boring.”

Having made the decision, I told my parents, and they were fine with it. They wanted me to get as much out of life as possible. Me having the chance to hobnob with a load of posh people would be a talking point for my mother for the rest of the year. God help her customers. They would soon be sick of hearing it.

With a heavy heart, I packed away my books, to send them home to my parents. I would never stand in this bedroom again. I had been lucky to get a set of rooms to myself—most of the other undergraduates shared. I would miss this tiny bit of independence. It might be cliché, but I had arrived a boy and was leaving a man. Charlie and his cronies were still like boys and probably always would be.

I had never gone in for the carousing life. Charlie had a reputation for smuggling girls from the local town into our halls. More than once he had persuaded me to let him use my room for a bit of privacy. As usual he had a henchman, or two, standing guard, and I would find a corner and retreat into my books. It amazed me why Charlie and his gang bothered with me at all. I must have been so boring to them, but Charlie had somehow bonded with me. On his own, when he wasn’t being an insufferable show-off, he could be quite good fun. We were both studying architectural history together. Charlie didn’t know his Christopher Wren from his Antoni Gaudi, and we’d spent many a late night sorting out his essays. In reality, I would write them for him, but I used to live for those nights. Charlie generally sat on the window ledge smoking and chatting while I scribbled away. The public image of Charlie could be hard to get past, but when he did let a person in, a decent chap lay beneath..

This is a short novella, with a HFN type ending, which makes sense since this was an historical novella.

Since this was told from Frank’s POV, we don’t learn a lot about Tanner and his issues, but we do learn that Frank is trying to make his way without following in his father’s footsteps, but as an architect. When Frank goes home after their time in Cambridge is up, with a friend, he meets Tanner, who lights his fire in more than one way. 🙂

The struggle, as they come to know each other, is to keep it hidden. I won’t say what happens, but someone is given quite a scare. lol

This is a sweet, sexy book, that brings joy for how far the world has come, and hope for how far the world still has to go.

3 pieces of eye candy

Kristian Parker

I have written for as long as I could write. In fact, before, when I would dictate to my auntie. I love to read, and I love to create worlds and characters.

I live in the English countryside. When I’m not writing, I like to get out there and think through the next scenario I’m going to throw my characters into.

Inspiration can be found anywhere, on a train, in a restaurant or in an office. I am always in search of the next character to find love in one of my stories. In a world of apps and online dating, it is important to remember love can be found when you least expect it.

Follow Kristian on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/kparkerwriter

Enter and get a FREE romance book from the author!

Kristian Parker’s To Light a Fire Giveaway – https://upvir.al/114964/lp114964

ENTER HERE AND GET A FREE EBOOK FROM THE AUTHOR! Notice: This competition ends on 8th June 2021 at 5pm GMT. Competition hosted by Totally Entwined Group.

To Hold a Hidden Pearl (Rossingley Book 1) by Fearne: RB, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Dr Jay Sorrentino is getting married in ten days’ time to the girl of his dreams, so what the hell is he doing in a gay London club with a stupidly handsome stranger? As if calling off the wedding and alienating his friends and family isn’t enough, Jay also has to contend with starting a new job at a new hospital. So the last thing he needs is for the bloke from the club to be his prickly supervisor.

Dr Lucien Avery is a difficult colleague. He’s also the unexpected and reluctant heir to the vast Rossingley estate. Reclusive and miserable, he hates most of his colleagues, people who eat packed lunches, and supervising junior doctors. That is, until the delectable Dr Sorrentino turns up on his doorstep.

A light-hearted M/M contemporary romance, Rossingley takes place in Southern England and is centred around a fictional country house and estate by the same name. The first in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

Title:  To Hold a Hidden Pearl

Series: Rossingley, Book One

Author: Fearne Hill

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: 05/24/2021

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 73500

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, contemporary, doctors, in the closet, coming out, cross dressing, sexual tension, grieving

Amazon

NineStar Press

Goodreads

LUCIEN

I don’t do nightclubs anymore. It’s not an age thing. Sure, I’m thirty-four, but there are plenty of men and women older than me in here seemingly having a blast. It’s…it’s just that I hoped I’d never need to, I suppose. I think I had this ridiculous notion I’d be happily settled with a great job, an even better loving partner, and a comfortable home. I have the job, and I certainly have the home, not that I particularly wanted it. But the loving partner? Not so much. To be fair, though, I’m quite difficult to love.

So here I am, propping up the wall in Spangles, a club I haven’t visited in years, watching my pissed former work colleagues, Sam and Louis, make complete arses of themselves on the dance floor.

There’s a whole gang of us here. I don’t know any of the others, and I don’t really want to become better acquainted with them either, but Sam has been begging me to come up to London for months and months. He’s been a decent friend since the accident, as much as I’ve let him, and joining him for his boyfriend Louis’s thirtieth birthday is the least I can do to show my appreciation. So I’d downed a few colourful cocktails, which seem to have had no effect on my mood whatsoever, put on my glad rags, done my eyes, and now pretend to be the sexy guy I used to be before my former existence was comprehensively annihilated. And tomorrow, when it’s thankfully all over, I’ll whizz back down the M4 to Allenmouth, and having seen how absolutely spiffily I’m coping, they’ll hopefully leave me alone for a while. I deserve an Oscar for tonight’s performance, but I’m starting to flag. Another ten minutes of hugging the wall and my Campari and soda, and I’ll be on my way.

An enormously tall, Italian Stallion kind of guy gives me a blatant once-over, and my eyes skirt past him. Thanks, but no thanks. Curly black hair, eyes like pools of melted chocolate, bulging shoulder muscles, and a broad chest threatening to break out of his tight white T-shirt. As if at any minute, the T-shirt might rip open and his skin turn an ugly shade of green. As he is, with T-shirt intact, he’s what Americans refer to as a jock. Or an especially buff Danny Zuko. But I’m no simpering Pink Lady. He’s absolutely not my bag at all.

My gaze settles on a little cutie chatting to his friends near the bar. Much more like it, exactly my type of guy. Perfect tight arse in the skinniest of black jeans, and he’s demonstrating the grace of a ballet dancer as he reaches upwards onto his toes to speak into a friend’s ear. Slight of build, and floppy, dirty-blond hair with pink frosted tips. Sensing my interest, he shyly smiles at me, and I look away. We all know the rules to this game, and a few seconds later, I glance back at him. He returns the look at precisely the moment that a protective, possessive arm comes to rest across his narrow shoulders, and the ruggedly handsome owner of that arm plants an adoring kiss on his cheek. With a regretful shrug, the cute guy turns to his companion and is pulled into a loving hug. A keeper for sure, only not my keeper unfortunately. Oh well, c’est la vie.

Gloria Gaynor is belting out ‘I am what I am’ at the top of her lungs. Most definitely my cue to leave. I finish my drink and head to where I last saw Sam and Louis. With a bit of luck, they’ll be so engrossed in each other they’ll let me slip out unnoticed to find a taxi to take me home. As I begin to push through groups of sweaty clubbers, the Italian Stallion guy blocks my path. And I mean blocks—he’s broad and beefy. He’s giving me another once-over, this time anxious, through thick black lashes, and his liquid-brown eyes are strangely as skittish as a colt’s. I make to squeeze by. But his big hand reaches around, catching me unawares, settles firmly around my wrist, and I’m tugged towards a dark corner of the club. Granted, it’s an unconventional hook-up technique, but I’m pissed enough and curious enough to go with it—perhaps in the dim light, he’s mistaken me for my cousin Freddie; it wouldn’t be the first time. We both have rather striking features.

So it seems that now he’s got me here, he’s not quite sure what it is he wants. He hovers in front of me, one hand resting lightly at my hip, and I can’t tell if he’s very nervous or very drunk. I’m happy to wait; I’ve nothing better to do. Anyway, I’m mildly intrigued as I have a feeling that, like me, he doesn’t really belong. He licks his lips once—yes, definitely nervous—and it draws attention to his fine mouth, a full Cupid’s bow, now glistening wetly. The sort of generous wide mouth made for laughing. Or cock sucking. I’m focusing on those lips now because the background thump of Ms Gaynor makes audible speech nigh on impossible.

“Can I suck your cock?” he asks.

Gosh, we must be acquainted after all, as this is one of my all-time favourite questions.

Okay, so I’ve not had any sexual activity in any of its manifestations for approaching two years, and I can’t recall the last time I even bothered employing my own right hand. Months and months ago. So if there is a single man in the history of the universe in my current sexual desert who would answer his question in the negative, then I’d like to meet him and shake his hand.

I contemplate replying with a sarcastic “Yes, if you can find it, darling” because, frankly, it’s most likely shrivelled up and died somewhere. But instead, I nod coolly and find myself mouthing, Be my guest, accompanied by a faintly ridiculous sweeping gesture of my arm as if inviting him in for afternoon tea. And that mouth is quite enticing, even if it is attached to a man built like Tarzan. Beautiful skin, too, a rich natural olive.

I don’t know the extent of his lip-reading skills, but I think he gets the message. Still looks nervous as hell though. I’d go so far as to say bloody terrified. I’ve no idea why, as he’s the one leading on this, and it’s not like my cock is going to bite back. If he’s afraid we’ll be spotted and turfed out, then he need not be. This corner of Spangles might as well have a sign above it advertising Sloppy Blow Jobs Here, judging by the stickiness of the carpet and the blatant activities of the couples nearby. However, whatever internal battle he’s fighting, his desire to suck me bizarrely wins out, and he sinks to his knees rather gracefully for such a big bloke.

All fingers and thumbs, he unfastens my belt, then wrestles with the buttons on my skinny Levi’s. If we weren’t in the situation we are, and if he hadn’t made his rather forwards suggestion, I’d assume he’d never done this before because he’s certainly making a hash of undoing my trousers. But eventually, they’re open, and I give him a helping hand by lowering them slightly around my hips. I’m treated to a rather lovely whiff of good old-fashioned Fahrenheit aftershave; it’s been years since I inhaled its woody, leathery aroma. With one last anxious glance up through his thick lashes, he slides his fingers inside the slit in my boxers and unceremoniously pulls out my cock. I think it’s that endearing last look up that gets my juices flowing, a vulnerable mixture of fear and need, and thankfully, my cock is half hard and getting harder. Which is infinitely preferable to watching him endeavouring to shape his lips around something akin to a clammy slug, even if he is a total stranger.

And the blow job isn’t half bad, even for someone who I’m utterly convinced hasn’t ever done it before. There’s a bit too much toothiness at the start, and some overenthusiastic sucking that has me wincing and nearly pushing him away, but then he settles and finds a rhythm and mmm…really not bad at all. What he’s lacking in expertise, he’s more than making up for in enthusiasm.

Should I have warned him against the perils of offering blow jobs to random strangers in dodgy Soho nightclubs? Probably. I am a doctor after all; surely it falls within the bounds of my Hippocratic oath. But I don’t. Because looking down, I find myself suddenly mesmerised by the sight of that big dark head bobbing up and down on my cock, not to mention the rather lovely sensations as his raspy tongue lathes along the length. As my orgasm builds, I bury my hands in the mop of dark curls, arch my hips up, and forcefully fuck his mouth, my cock reaching right into the back of his throat, and he takes it all, bless him, he gamely takes it all.

And so for the first time in eighteen months, I’m transported out of myself to a place where Dr Lucien Avery, the reluctant sixteenth Earl of Rossingley, is reminded of what joy can feel like. To a place where he remembers what pleasure feels like, where he can smile, and his heart can briefly sing again. Because, finally, something good and pure and simple is happening, and he can believe just maybe there is a path leading out of this wretched sadness after all. And the boy who is making this all happen is some big lump of a creature, lacking in finesse, but with such soulful brown eyes and swollen red lips. A boy who even now is gazing up at me through his long lashes with such devotion to his task that my balls clench and my hips jerk, and without giving him the customary polite warning, I spurt again and again into his mouth until my legs wobble dangerously and I sink back against the damp wall.

I eventually open my eyes to find him standing in front of me once more. Well-mannered boy that he is, he’s poking my cock back inside my boxers and putting my jeans back together, acts which seem somehow more intimate and sweeter than sucking my cock. After wiping a trail of my spunk off his cheek with a sweep of his hand, he gently smiles, and it’s the smile of a fairy-tale prince. Such a charming smile that it could launch ships and incite men to fight wars; it sparks sensations in me I’d forgotten existed but want to experience again. I decide, in a moment, when I’ve collected myself—when I’ve come down from my unexpected high—I’ll suggest we go back to my place so I can return the favour. I close my eyes briefly, wanting to hold on to this blissful forgotten feeling for as long as possible.

And of course, as in all good fairy stories, when I open them again, he’s gone.

This is my second book by this author, and I’ve really enjoyed the writing. I think the descriptions of the scenery are quite well done, giving a personality of sorts to each of the locations that are used in the books.

This book had such a wide ranging dynamic for Lucien, as an anethesiologist (which it is very obvious the author has quite a bit of experience in from the medical descriptions-which I love!) who works hard, and is grumpy, due to the other dynamic of his immediate family, who he had adored being killed in a horrific accident 18 months earlier. He was androgynous without apology, and difficult to work with, also without apology. What an in-depth character that we learn about.

Jay was a little more difficult to figure out, mostly because he was still trying to figure himself out. I appreciated, though, that it wasn’t just a light switch with him. He didn’t just turn off his feelings for his ex-fiancee, and his family, and just out himself. He struggled with it. He didn’t want to hurt or disappoint anyone, yet was drawn to Luce from the minute they met. His struggle was more realistic than some you read where it just “happens”, and they come out and all is happy.

Lucien never required Jay to come out. He let him find his way to whatever was going to be best for him, with his job, with his family, with the home he shared with his ex-fiancee. Lucien was the epitome of “if you love someone set them free…”.

One of the things that didn’t work for me, of all things, was the cover model. The rest of the cover made sense with the book, but the cover model didn’t make sense, simply because he was wearing dog tags, which neither MC was from a military background. Meanwhile, Lucien wore his pearls as a clutch, as a way of feeling safe. It might have made more sense to have that. It’s obviously a small issue, and didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, but worth noting.

I also really enjoyed the peek into book 2, which is about Freddie, and his love, which hopefully we have already met. 🙂 Looking forward to it!

4 pieces of eye candy

Fearne Hill lives deep in the southern British countryside with three untamed sons, varying numbers of hens, a few tortoises, and a beautiful cocker spaniel.

When she is not overseeing her small menagerie, she enjoys writing contemporary romantic fiction. And when she is not doing either of those things, she works as an anaesthesiologist.

Author Links

Website: http://www.fearnehill.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fearne.hill.50/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/FearneHill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearnehill_author/a Rafflecopter giveaway

Snowbody Like You by Ariella Zoelle: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Getting stranded with an attractive stranger in a hotel room with only one bed is something Jude’s dreamed about forever. When he finds himself in that situation for real, can it live up to his expectations?

Jude Moore

I never expected a blizzard to turn one of my daydreams into a reality. The meet-cute gods generously bless me with the perfect costar to act out my favorite scenario about being snowed in at a hotel room with only one bed. Rigby is my ideal fantasy man brought to life: tall, adorable, with a dash of academic nerdiness thrown in to make him absolutely perfect. The best part is that he’s actually real and not just a figment of my imagination.

Is it too soon to ask if he wants his next starring role to be my boyfriend?

Rigby Pasquali

Falling in love with a charming cutie at the airport during a flight delay was not on my to-do list, but a chance encounter with Jude teaches me that the impossible is actually possible. He’s full of endless surprises like that. Once we get back home, my favorite discovery is learning that his creative imagination is as vivid as mine. That’s when things get really exciting as he makes all of my dreams come true.

Jude is made of magic and muchness, so how could I not love him with all my heart?

Snowbody Like You is the first book in the Suite Dreams series and part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features an instalove, role-playing, height difference, only one bed romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

Snowbody Like You was originally featured as a 14k short story in the Winter Wonderland giveaway. It has been expanded into a 61k full-length novel, which means there’s more of Jude and Rigby to love!

Snowbody Like You (Suite Dreams, Book 1)
By Ariella Zoelle

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Chapter 3: Jude Moore

“Remember how I said my mom and sister pray for me to find Mr. Right every time I fly?”

I didn’t blame Rigby for looking confused by my jump in conversation. “Yeah?”

“My sister’s biggest fear is I’ll be unprepared when I finally meet the love of my life.”

He couldn’t hold back a laugh. “That’s her biggest fear?”

“Well, that, and spiders,” I joked. “Lucy takes it upon herself to ensure that never happens.”

“Meaning?”

“Even though I haven’t been with a guy in five years, I have condoms and lube in my bag thanks to her. I can show you her texts about it if you don’t believe me.”

The spark of interest in his blue eyes made my prick perk up at the promise of some horizontal fun together in our near future. “After hearing your stories about Lucy, I totally believe you, but I also kind of want to see her texts.”

More than happy to indulge his curiosity, I took out my phone. I showed him Mom and Lucy’s group chat messages about keeping an eye out for my Hallmark hottie before I pulled up the private texts with just my sister.

Lucy: How could you let your condoms expire unused? What’s wrong with you?

Jude: It’s not like I need them for solo action.

Lucy: The point is using them with someone else, dumbass! I shouldn’t have to explain that to you. It really has been too long if you don’t know that.

Jude: Sorry, I’ve been too busy being single to fuck around. It takes up all my free time.

Lucy: That’s bullshit, and you know it. Please try not to waste the new box I snuck into your bag.

Jude: It’s not sneaking when you announce you’re responsible for it.

Lucy: One day you’ll thank me for making sure you’re prepared for meeting Mr. Right McDreamy.

Jude: You act like we’ll be fucking in an airplane bathroom the minute we meet

Lucy: Would you rather get back to your apartment with him and realize you can’t get laid because you don’t have condoms?

Jude: I’m about to go through security. I look forward to getting this lecture again in a few years when they expire unused.

Rigby laughed hard as he scrolled through our exchange. “Wow, and I thought I was close with my sister. I can only imagine Lucy’s reaction when she finds out you finally put them to good use.”

The confirmation that we were definitely going to fuck gave me a semi. “She’ll gloat about it for the rest of my life, but I can live with that when you’re the reason I’m getting ribbed.”

He snickered. “Did you just make a ribbed condom joke?”

“I sure did.”

Rigby came over to me and helped me stand up from my chair at the table. Our sizable height difference made me extra horny. “Remind me to thank her afterward.”

To my great delight, Rigby leaned down to kiss me. He was tentative, almost like he feared I’d reject him. There wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of that.

I tugged on his sweater to pull him closer as I kissed him back with five years of pent-up lust. Moaning against his lush lips, I was already rock-hard and ready to fuck.

His tongue teased mine, making me crave more. I laced my fingers through his hair as I resisted being swept away by our ardent passion.

When we paused for air, we were both breathless and aroused. He was the first to breathe in awe, “Wow.”

“I’d say.” I couldn’t stop grinning. “And here I was afraid it had been so long that maybe I’d forgotten how to kiss.”

His laughter filled me with indescribable levels of joy. “Oh my god, I was worried about the same thing!”

“Want to see if we remember how to get naked?”

Get ready for Book 2
Flawsome Explorations

Coming July 23

Unexpected sparks fly when a shy, straight, nerdy sweetheart meets a flirtatious, sexy, older Frenchman. Is Zio brave enough to take a chance on Armand?

Fabrizio “Zio” Revello

I embrace the philosophy that nobody is perfect by studying the art of imperfection. But then I meet Armand, forcing me to completely reevaluate my world view. From his gorgeous face, teasing sense of humor, and a French accent to die for, everything about him makes me forget one very important detail: I’ve never been attracted to a man until him. I shouldn’t let him tempt me, but the glimpse of the real Armand behind his playful flirtations makes him impossible to resist.

I’ve never been the adventurous type, but Armand makes me want to be brave and daring. Isn’t a lifetime of happiness with a person who understands me worth the risk?

Armand Bellamy

I approach Zio in search of a no-strings-attached evening of fun to kick off my business trip to Hawaii. But I get way more than I bargained for when I discover a shy, nerdy sweetheart who finds beauty in my flaws. He even accepts the hidden parts of my heart that I hide from the world. It makes me want to make him mine—not just for one night but for every night of the rest of our lives.

He says he’s straight, but when have I ever let that stop me from getting what I want?

Flawsome Explorations is the second book in the Suite Dreams series and part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features a bisexual awakening, shy/flirt, age gap, instalove, opposites attract romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

Pre-Order Link

Goodreads

So. Hmm. Well…it was…cute?

I get it, it was a bit of a riff on Hallmark Christmas movies. Strangers in an airport, snow, forced proximity, etc. Cute. But oh my.

There is literally almost zero plot to this book. It is almost ALL sex. And- there is tons of conversation DURING sex. And not even related to the sex. Like, a conversation about something not sex related WHILE THEY ARE HAVING SEX.

And, of course, insta love. Literally saying they love each other after less than 24 hours.

Jude constantly talking about how tall Rigby is and how much he loves it.

Jude’s sister and mother were a bit over the top. Ok, maybe if you have a really close relationship with your sibling you might openly talk about sex as in depth (eek, sorry) as they do. But his mom as well?

Oof, sorry. This one was a pass for me.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

Ariella Zoelle previously published as A.F. Zoelle. She adores steamy, funny, swoony romances where couples are allowed to just be happy. That means she writes low angst stories full of heat, humor, and heart. Her vast knowledge of weird, wild, and wonderful randomness colors her writing, meaning her characters have some pretty strange and entertaining interests.

There are even rumors that she’s a time management wizard who uses her magic powers to create enough free time to turn her massive horde of plot bunnies into sassy M/M romance novels. Her next feat will be turning herself into a full-time author.

For real time updates on her writing progress, please join her Facebook group for exclusive teasers or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can also sign up for her newsletter to gain access to bonus chapters, previews of upcoming books, exclusive visual guides, and more.

Connect with Ariella:
Website: https://www.ariellazoelle.com/
Newsletter: https://www.ariellazoelle.com/newsletter
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/amazingafzoelle/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/extraafzoelle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriellaZoelle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariellazoelle/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ariellazoelle
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ariella-zoelle

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Wicked Outlaw (Ward Security Book 6) by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott: RB, Excerpt, New Release Review *2

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Cole loves the city. He loves the noise, chaos, and having tacos delivered at 2 a.m.

He loves his job at Ward Security. He might look like a bodyguard, but there’s nothing better than being counted as one of the hacking tech triplets.

There is no way he will ever love horses, cows, and the great wide open of Texas.

At least, that’s what he thinks until JB Alexander rides into his life.

He can’t deny the burning attraction of JB’s easy smile and weird sense of humor.

And while they’re dodging gun shots, crazy neighbors, meddling family, and secret plots, Cole might be forced to admit that he’s found an even greater love.

Wicked Outlaw is the sixth full-length novel in the Ward Security series and is jam packed with crazy neighbors, wild gun shots, a horse named Dopey, llamas, code names, a bisexual awakening, and new beginnings.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

He was about to put on his headphones for some music when Rowe’s red head popped around the doorway. “Cole, I need you in my office.”

Cole set the headphones down and stood. He followed his boss and settled in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

Surprisingly, Rowe’s area was one of the hot spots for the entire building. His large office with the big, comfortable black leather couch tended to become a random crossroads or meeting place. All throughout the day, people popped in and out to ask Rowe questions, bring him updates, or share a joke. And Rowe welcomed every last one of them, regardless of what they did at the company.

They had meetings there often and the cool, blue paint on the walls gave the room a comforting feel. Cole might feel more at home in the tech room, but this was his second-favorite spot at Ward Security. Rowe always greeted him with a smile or a teasing comment like they were old friends.

“How’s the hand?” Rowe asked with a wicked smirk. He dropped behind his desk and relaxed in his large leather desk chair. “You cleaned that man’s clock pretty good.”

“Sore, but fine,” he replied, once again flexing his hand in his lap. “He still in police custody?”

Rowe shook his head. “No, bastard got out. They couldn’t hold him for threats. Which brings me to the problem I brought up last night. Derrick Briggs is a piece of work, with dirty hands in several deep pots, one of which is the local mob.”

Cole’s heart skipped a beat. The mob. Shit. No wonder Gidget had been so hesitant to talk about it. This was definitely worse than he’d imagined. “You think he’s going to come after me?”

“I do. I’d like to put Sven on you for the time being—”

“No,” Cole interrupted. “I don’t need a bodyguard. Look at me.” He tapped both hands on his broad chest. “I’m nearly as big as Sven. I can take care of myself.”

Rowe shook his head, not looking convinced in the least. “Not against a bullet.” He paused and added with a wry grin, “And nobody is as big as Sven.”

“A bodyguard isn’t going to help with a bullet, either.”

“Sven also has years of training. He knows what to look for, and he knows exactly how to handle an armed assailant or assailants.”

Cole glared at his boss for a moment. He didn’t think he’d ever utter these words. Never truly thought about it, but he was feeling cornered. Maybe it was time, considering the line of work he was in. “Then train me.”

Rowe leaned back in his chair, eyeing Cole closely. Cole held his breath. He loved his job behind the computer, working at Ward Security. He’d never had any interest in doing what the bodyguards did.

At last, Rowe shook his head. “Like I said, years of training. We don’t have that kind of time. But I am going to remember this moment.” He pointed at Cole, his smirk returning for a heartbeat. “However, I came up with a different idea. You, laying low for a while. Out of town.”

Cole’s eyes flared open wide. “What? No, that’s not a good idea, either.”

“It’s an excellent idea, and it’s not a suggestion. I’ve already called a friend, JB Alexander, and set everything up.”

Cole vaguely remembered meeting JB a couple of years ago. Thin guy, about six feet tall with blond hair. “Wait, isn’t he from Texas?”

Rowe nodded, the corner of his mouth turning up in a half grin. “On a ranch outside of Austin. It’s the perfect place for you to hole up while I work on getting Derrick Briggs behind bars.”

“You’re saying you want me to go to Texas.” Cole scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to get his brain to process the insanity Rowe was force-feeding him. “Isn’t this a bit of overkill?”

“I don’t think it is.” Rowe leaned forward, placing his forearms on the top of his desk. “Last night wasn’t Briggs’s first encounter with the cops. He’s managed to sneak out of assault charges and more in the past. There are rumors a few guys have disappeared because of him.”

Cole could feel the blood drain from his face to pool nauseatingly in his stomach. A kind of cold clamminess clung to his skin. This was getting worse by the second.

“Not only did you come between him and what he sees as his property, but you made him look like a chump in a very public, very high-brow place. He’s gonna want you dead in the worst way.”

“I see what you mean,” Cole replied in a low, rough voice.

“Good. Then it leaves me with two choices. One is that I put Sven on you and possibly another guy, twenty-four seven. At least until we know this guy won’t come after you.”

But that meant putting friends and coworkers directly in the line of fire to protect his ass. No, that wasn’t an option.

“I still won’t go for that.”

Rowe held up both his empty hands in front of him as if to say Cole was taking the decision out of his hands.

“But Texas?”

Ah Ward Security. A world of code names, explosions and love matches. After pairing off most of the main body guards and one of the techies- it is time for another tech guy- Cole. Although unexpectedly.

To ensure his safety, Ward Security ships Cole off to the ranch owned by Noah’s Army buddy JB. So the city boy from Cincinnati is now on a ranch in the middle of Texas. Don’t worry- there’s wifi.

Cole and JB had immediate chemistry. But Cole is straight. Interesting. And then a near death experience has Cole kissing the hell out of JB.

I loved that Cole, the straight guy, kissed JB first. AND didn’t freak out. I mean, he stepped back to figure things out but he wasn’t a jerk about it. There definitely was some awkward.

The plot of the book was a bit on the weak side. Developer wants JB and two other ranches to sell to him so that he can build a resort. Then different things keep happening on the ranch. Since JB is the holdout on selling, it isn’t too much of a leap to figure it out.

Not really a spoiler, because duh it’s a romance, but Cole does get past his “I’m straight” thing. And then he and JB have a lot of fun together. I liked that after the first kiss, Cole accepted his attraction to JB and JB didn’t really question Cole’s motives. There wasn’t the existential dread of “omg am I GAY?” or “is he just using me to experiment?”

We do get a classic Ward Security mission, complete with code names. But sadly no explosions.

This was a super easy read, fun and sexy.

4 pieces of eye candy

Oh, how I love thee let me count the ways. This is another slam dunk for Ms. Drake and Ms. Elliot.  The authors definitely have a way with words. They know how to bring you into the story so you become you obsessed with their men.

I don’t want to give too much away on this review. But what I do you wanna say is there is a lot of Passion and you feel for these characters in the spot they’re in. JB feels like he’s lost everything when he loses Noah. Then along comes Cole.

And he finally understands what he felt for Noah was not what as strong as he thought it was. There’s not as much action in this one as there usually is in Jocelyn and Rinda’s books. But it’s still keeps you on your edge of your seats.

These authors still remain in my top 5 faves.

4 pieces of eye candy

Deliverance: A Second Chance Gay Romance (Darkest Skies) by Garrett Leigh: RB, New Release Review

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Banished gangster Benito Martell is living on the edge. An explosive hook-up in a club gifts him the relief he craves, but nothing about his life is ever so simple. Complications abound, and before long, he’s falling for the only man who can save his family from eviction.

Recovering addict Mickey Larwood has worked hard to leave his past behind. He can’t look back, not even for the beautiful Benito, the last soul on earth he expected to steal his heart—a soul who’s knee-deep in the underworld Mickey has run hundreds of miles to escape.

Benito can deny it all he wants, but Mickey can smell trouble a mile off.

And Benito is trouble with a capital T. As his desperate lies unravel, so does the fledgling love that’s grown between them. If Benito wants deliverance from his old life and a future with Mickey, old ghosts need to die.

If they don’t kill him first.

Deliverance is an angsty standalone MM romance novel, with second chances, found family, friends-to-lovers, and buckets of hurt/comfort themed loveliness. Trigger warnings for addiction and childhood trauma.

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Book #1 – Redemption – Currently only 99c

Book #3 – Salvation – Pre-Order Out September 20

I really loved the first book in this series, Redemption, for a lot of reasons. So I was excited to get my hands on this one. And I really can’t wait for the third!

Dark, gritty, heartbreaking. But these two guys finding each other when they did was just perfection.

The last time we saw Benito he was working for Asa and had shot Dante. Flash forward and Benito is out of the gang, but not without a price. So while trying to go straight, he is still a bit crooked. He has a plan to come up with the money to buy his freedom, but it involved stealing from his former boss. But after the boss threatened Benito’s mother and sister, he is doing what he has to do to keep them safe.

Benito has so many layers that make him who he is. The son who wants to hate his mother but can’t, the brother who wants only the best for his sister, the former gang member who just wants out, the guy still grieving the father he lost years ago and the man who doesn’t have any idea how to be in a relationship.

That brings us to Mickey. A club hookup who wants more of Benito. But Mickey has his own demons- including also being a former gang member. And while Mickey is on the straight and narrow, his past haunts him. Which is why I think he tries so hard at his job to help as many people as he can.

Mickey and Benito together are explosive. They are sooooooo hot together. Even their first encounter they practically fight each other until they are sated. I mean, have ice water handy. Maybe a fan.

We don’t get a ton of background on Mickey. Just that he was formerly in a gang, had to leave his hometown, is a recovering addict and now has a full time job. He has some demons of his own but Benito is still the main focus of the story.

This is angsty, raw and real. I loved it.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

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

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

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

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

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

Proficiency Bonus (Roll for Love Book 3) by Charlie Novak: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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Organising yourself is harder than it looks—Lewis may be a highly proficient PA for two very successful cosplayers, but that means nothing when you’re living at your parent’s house after yet another failed relationship and trying to find some stable ground.

Jason Lu, star of Celestials, is stuck between a rock and a hard place. When the show is cancelled and his character pigeonholed into a homophobic ending, Jason must choose whether to fall in line or break ranks. But one misstep will mean bumping heads with some powerful people.

Teaming up with the very cute guy he met at Comic Con seems like a natural first step and now Lewis and Jason must choose between heartbreak and justice. As they forge ahead, they realise there are no bonuses for navigating life’s challenges, instead they’ll just have to fight for what they believe in.

But sometimes overcoming the biggest hurdles yields the best results.

Proficiency Bonus is a 79,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring plushies, Pokémon, and a fight for the perfect ending. It is book three in the Roll for Love series and can be read as a standalone.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Lewis POV 

At first, I hadn’t been sure whether Jason had meant to send me such blatantly sexy selfies, but over the past couple of weeks, I’d noticed a distinct uptick in the number of shirtless ones where his skin was glistening, and they were taken at just the right angle to show off all Jason’s best features. If they hadn’t been deliberate before, they were now.

“Thanks. You’re not bad yourself,” Jason said, and I felt my interest pique. I’d tried to be restrained, and so far I’d managed not to send any of the slightly slutty selfies I’d taken. I’d wanted to. I just hadn’t been sure whether they’d be welcome or whether that would be a step too far.

“Oh? Have you been looking at pictures of me, Mr. Lu?” I asked, unable to stop myself from grinning. I flicked over to my Instagram, wondering which ones he’d been looking at. My eyes settled over the picture of me at Pride.

“Er…” Jason stammered. “Maybe?”

“Can I ask which ones?”

“Just, you know, some of the ones on Instagram.”

“It was the Pride one, wasn’t it?” Some hot feeling swirled in my gut and my hips absent-mindedly rubbed across the bed. I bit my lip to stop myself from moaning.

What would Jason do if I moaned? Would he freak out and hang up, or would he indulge me in a little fun? Quiet fun since it was the weekend, and my mothers were downstairs. And there was no way in hell I was having phone sex where there was any chance of them hearing me.

God, I needed my own place.

“If I said yes,” Jason said quietly, “would you mind?”

“Definitely not. In fact, I have more photos I could send you… if you’re interested?”

“That, er, that would be nice.”

There was an audible amount of tension between us but neither of us seemed ready to break it. If we did, we both knew there’d be no coming back, and it felt like we weren’t quite ready for that.

“You looking forward to your Christmas break?” I asked, changing the subject and rowing us back to safer waters.

First off, I ADORE this cover. He is Jason!

If you read the first two of this triology, you know Lewis. PA to Edward who deserves a raise. This time, he gets his happily ever after.

Lewis and Jason meet in the green room at London Comic Con. Lewis thinks he looks familiar, but can’t place him and shrugs it off as being mistaken. Except Jason is one of the leads in a VERY popular show called Celestials.

Since we are in the social media age, they reconnect through instagram and develop a friendship over their shared love of Pokemon and other nerdy things. (No offense as I am a self professed nerd) So when Jason decides to go home to London during the Christmas break, he and Lewis decide to meet up.

Whirlwind romance! But not really because they really got to know each other over several months of texting and facetiming. Their chemistry in person was off the charts, even though the flirting they did online was so tame it almost wasn’t there.

Through all of this, Jason learns news about his show that he knows will upset the fans. And I don’t want to spoil anything, but it was pretty awesome to read a plot point that gets discussed fairly often in the LGBT world- burying the gays. You finally get a gay character who isn’t a stereo type, who is happy and stable, but they are always the first to get killed off.

Getting to know Lewis more was great. His whole giant blended crazy family are introduced as well. They made my head spin, but they were super fun and obviously loved each other quite a bit.

Another great thing was Lewis having ADHD. Because the author took the time to explain how ADHD affects Lewis AND how he can be so scatterbrained in his personal life, but meticulous in his work life. He is a fixer and wants to help Jason with his work issue- but he also never gets pushy or bossy. Just offers.

I really loved these two together. And I loved that there is an Asian main character. We need more of that!

There is also PLENTY of Edward and Izzy, as well as other characters from the previous books.

Super fun read that can be a stand alone, but all three books are great reads.

4 pieces of eye candy

Charlie lives in England with her husband and a dachshund named Biscuit. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that loves comes in all shapes and sizes.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Connect with Charlie:

Website: https://charlienovak.com/
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Facebook https://www.facebook.com/charlienovakauthor/
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/charlie-novak
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