Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

blog tour

Dirty Work (Book One of the Dirty Deeds series) by TA Moore: Blog Tour, Exclusive Author Guest Post with Short Story and Giveaway

by

I’m so very excited to once again have TA Moore with us giving us a little prelude to her newest book series, Dirty Deeds. She’s bringing us Chapter 3 in the short story prequel. Make sure you check out all the blog posts in the series, and enter the giveaway!

Crime Scene Cleaner [kraɪm siːnˈkliːnə] – Cleans up crime scenes…before the cops know there is one.

People always say ‘you can’t go home again’. It turns out that doesn’t count as a guarantee…especially not during a global pandemic.

After the jobs in LA started to dry up, crime scene cleaner Grade Pulaski was forced to pack up and move home. He loves his family, but the last thing he ever wanted was to face the ghosts he’d left back in Sweeny, Kentucky.

Also, the place just sucks.

He certainly isn’t going to stay any longer than necessary. The plan is to save up enough money to move back to LA and give his business a kick-start. The problem is that, as previously mentioned, Sweeny’s a hole and the locals are anything but professional.

Now a body has gone missing, Grade’s reputation is being held hostage, and people keep asking whether his Dad really did run off with 100 grand of meth in the back of Dodge. Plus, even though you shouldn’t sleep with your employers, crime lord Clay Traynor is exactly the sort of bad idea that Grade can’t resist. Tattooed, bad news, and dangerous.

…oh, yeah. Grade’s job is to clean up the crime scene before the cops know someone’s dead. That’s why he needs to sort this out before he gets a bad review on dark net Yelp.

Title: Dirty Work (Book One of the Dirty Deeds series)

Author: TA Moore

Publisher: Rogue Firebird Press

Release: March 4

Amazon

 

Thanks for letting me pop in to talk about my latest book, Dirty Work, which comes out on March 4. This is the first book in the Dirty Deeds trilogy and I had a lot of fun with it! It’s available online – https://books2read.com/Dirty-Work-Dirty-Deeds-Book-1 – and I hope you like it! I had a lot of fun writing it!

I also hope you enjoy ‘Clean Hands’ a short story prequel to the series.

Clean Hands – Chapter Three

“Do you want some jerky?” Shannon asked. They held up the vacuum packed baggie of meat and cocked their head to the side expectantly. “Original or spicy?”

“Neither,” Grade said.

“Well, I’m hungry,” Shannon said snottily. “And I’m getting the spicy.”

“Get the original,” Grade told them. “It’ll sting less when you puke it back up later.”

Shannon pulled a narked face and ripped the packaging open with their teeth. They gnawed on a long strip of it resentfully as they shuffled along behind Grade. The smacking wore on Grade’s last nerve, but he tried to ignore it as he navigated his way around the angles of the two shitty security cameras.

Back home Grade would have gone to the hunting goods store, or the gas station off the Wildcat Highway that stocked everything a hunter might have forgotten to pack for a month in the woods: MREs, ammo (you’d be surprised), and porn magazines. LA’s economy wasn’t quite so dependent on providing every convenience for someone while they shot shit in the woods.

So the local restaurant supply store it was. Lucky enough Shannon worked part-time on a couple of local food trucks, so they had a membership card to the Depot.

Grade had subbed out tarps for a couple of rolls of heavy duty black plastic bags, but he’d actually managed to get almost everything else he needed. Bone saw, pruning shears, a meat tenderizer, and now he just needed…

“Do they have cleaning supplies?” he asked.

Shannon swallowed the mouthful of chewed meat. They nodded and pointed to the far corner. “Yeah,” they said. “Over there.”

The wheel of the trolley squeaked, repetitive and annoying, as they headed that way. Grade kept his head down.

“It wasn’t our fault,” Shannon said.

“Yeah,” Grade said. “I don’t care.”

Shannon was silent for all of two seconds before they blurted out. “It wasn’t my fault.”

Grade stopped in front of the rack of cleaning supplies to look them over. He grabbed a bucket. That hadn’t been on his list, but now that he thought about it he didn’t think he’d ever seen a bucket at the house so better safe than sorry. Once that was in trolley he added two massive bottles of bleach and one of Ice Machine sanitizer, because it sounded particularly clean.

“Did you hear me?”

“Yeah,” Grade said. “I just still don’t care, and I definitely don’t want to talk about it in the middle of a store. Either shut up and live with it, or get a therapist. Leave me out of it. Got it?”

Shannon looked nonplussed. They fidgeted with the torn bag of jerky as they headed for the tills.

“Shit,” they muttered suddenly. “Are we going to look like a serial killer or something? Should we throw in, like…”

They cast around in a panic and grabbed a catering pack of toilet paper rolls off a shelf. Blunt, painted nails dug into the plastic and dimpled the paper below as they held it up expectantly for Grade.

“Then we’ll look like serial killers with the shits,” Grade said. “Put it back. It’s past one am. You think whoever caught the night shift in here cares what the hell we buy? They want to go home tonight, not deal with the cops. Let them have that.”

Shannon stared at Grade over the top of the pack. “We might be out,” they said.

“Then use your hand,” Grade snapped. “Put it back.”

He didn’t bother to wait to see if Shannon did as they were told. The back of his neck itched persistently as he got to the till and started to move everything onto the belt. The tired looking girl behind the register didn’t even bother to look as she scanned things through. Grade watched the total on the register go up with each purchase and his chest tightened uncomfortably as he did the math in his head. It wouldn’t leave him broke, but his safety margin would be down to fifty quid and sleeping in bus stations on his way back to Sweeny.

Shannon wouldn’t have it. They spent money like they were allergic to it. They probably didn’t have enough in the bank for the now empty bag of jerky that was sheepishly added to the end of the belt.

Grade didn’t even bother to ask. He just paid in cash, took his receipt, and headed to the car.

“That bone saw was 80 bucks,” Shannon said, his voice thinned to a squeak from the shock of it. “Couldn’t you have got a cheaper one?”

“Don’t skimp on your tools,” Grade said. “That’s what my mom taught me.”

“Usually that’s a dad thing to say,” Shannon said with a nervous chuckle. “You know, dad wisdom is always about cars and shit.”

“Yeah,” Grade said. “Well, mine’s dead.”

That shut Shannon up. It wouldn’t last, but Grade leaned into it while it did. He needed to focus on not thinking about what he was about to do. There was only so much disassociation could do for you, he didn’t think it was a good time to test it. They packed their haul into the back of the car in silence.

“Shit,” Shannon said abruptly as they froze in place, the only thing moving their lips and the nervous twitch at the corner of their eye. “It’s the cops.”

The police cruiser turned into the parking lot and rolled slowly along as the cops inside checked the shop fronts and alleys.

“Yeah,” Grade said. “It is.”

Shannon stank of spicy jerky and the sudden hit of sweaty, panicked adrenaline. They licked their lower lip and shifted their weight as they glanced toward the road. Grade could feel the tension as Shannon got ready to do something stupid.

“Calm down,” he said. “We’re not doing anything wrong.”

Shannon gave him a panicked, disbelieving look and leaned in close. “Are you fucking kidding?” he hissed. “There’s a dead drug dealer in the garage, and we’re going to…going to get rid of him.”

Nope. Apparently disassociation was still going strong. Grade calmly tossed the black plastic bags into the back of the car.

“Yeah, but right now we’re just putting stuff in the car,” he said. “Nothing illegal about that.”

Tour:

4th March – mmromancereviewed

7th March – Reading Reality

9th March – Two Chicks Obsessed

10th March – Boy Meets Boy

11th March – Love Bytes Reviews

TA Moore is a Northern Irish writer of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and contemporary romance novels. A childhood in a rural, seaside town fostered in her a suspicious nature, a love of mystery, and a streak of black humour a mile wide. As her grandmother always said, ‘she’d laugh at a bad thing that one’, mind you, that was the pot calling the kettle black. TA Moore studied History, Irish mythology, English at University, mostly because she has always loved a good story. She has worked as a journalist, a finance manager, and in the arts sectors before she finally gave in to a lifelong desire to write.

Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.

Website: www.tamoorewrites.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMoorewrites/

Twitter: @tamoorewrites

| Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads |a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stronger Than Hope (Chesapeake Days, #1) by Katherine McIntyre: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Reviews and Giveaways

by

One man looking to set down roots, the other looking to leave…

Fresh out of a relationship, Nate’s searching for a change—what better way is there than renovating his uncle’s old coffee shop in Chesapeake City? He has a new job, in a new town, and a new lease. And when he almost runs over his hot neighbor, Linc, who happens to be his contractor? Well, based on the explosive attraction between them, maybe he’ll find something new there too.

Linc’s been treading water ever since his wife passed away in childbirth, focusing all of his energy on raising his son, Beckett. The obvious solution? He needs to get the hell out of Chesapeake City. But when Nate charmingly fumbles his way into Linc’s life, he finds his defenses lowering for the first time in years. One date leads to another, and hell, this man makes him feel in ways he’d forgotten.

Even though Nate just finished piecing his heart back together, he falls fast. Yet Linc’s made it clear he’s a bad bet. The man hasn’t clicked with anyone since his wife, and if Nate ends up being “not enough” again, that won’t shatter just his heart—the fragile home he’s trying to build in this town will crumble too.

Title: Stronger Than Hope

Author: Katherine McIntyre

Series: Chesapeake Days, #1

Genre: Gay Romance

Release Date: March 5, 2022

Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing

Cover Designer: BookSmith Design

Amazon

iTunes

Kobo 

B&N

Goodreads

Stronger Than Passion (Chesapeake Days #2)

Linc stood, and Nate took that as his cue, rising beside him. A second later, Linc slid in front of him and glanced back. The corner of his mouth quirked in the faintest grin.

“Hop on,” he said, gesturing to his back. “I’ve got something to prove at this point.”

Nate’s mouth dried with want, even as his nerves took over. “No way, I’m not going to be responsible for wrecking your back. I need you to do the remodel on my business, remember?”

“Do it, do it,” Nico chanted behind him, like the devil incarnate.

Linc leaned forward a bit, knees bent at the ready. Goddamn, the man looked delicious, his defined arms as biteable as ever. Nate glanced over to Sarah, who offered a thumbs-up with a cheeky grin, and he rolled his eyes at her.

“Fine,” he murmured and placed his hands on Linc’s shoulders. Within seconds, the man grabbed his legs and hoisted him up. The strong grip around his thighs felt even better than he’d fantasized. Hoots and hollers sounded from the bar as he leaned in, his chest pressed against Linc’s back. The two drinks had nothing to do with the way his mind dizzied right now.

Linc began to carry him out, moving forward with steady strength he should’ve expected, given the man’s livelihood. Nate settled against him, his body lined flush against Linc’s, thighs wrapped around his hips. He dug his fingers in a little tighter as Linc hoofed down the stairs with him on his back. The bumpy way his crotch brushed against Linc’s back had his cock growing hard, something he’d be more mortified about if he didn’t have the pleasant buzz of alcohol numbing him. Nate let out a helpless laugh at the ridiculousness. He’d never expected the spontaneous move from Linc, but damn was it hot.

Hello, hot cover!

I love a good single dad story and this one didn’t disappoint.

Linc has lived in the small town of Chesapeake Bay his entire life. Married his high school sweetheart and had his whole life planned in the town where his parents lived, and his parents parents lived and he was all set to live the rest of his life with his little family forever. However, life doesn’t always work out the way we intend for it to and the loss of his wife during the birth of their son had him stuck in a familiar cycle of casual hookups when the need arose, but otherwise, he was just trying to survive being a single dad in a town where everybody knows everybody and their mama’s.
I live in one of those tows so it was all too relatable LOL

What Linc isn’t prepared for, is the new neighbor, new job that he’d just signed on to, and being completely charmed and smitten with the clumsy softy that is Nate McAlister.

Nate is new to town after an inherited coffee shop comes just in the nick of time. Still reeling from a bad breakup, Nate wasn’t at all looking for the butterflies in his stomach every time he runs into local handyman, Linc, or his adorable little boy that he knows Linc lives for.

The two kick up a quick friendship that naturally turns into a little more, though Linc is honest with about what he wants and how his very first priority will forever be his little boy.
Is that not the cutest?!
Don’t even answer, it is.

Unfortunately, moving on from a great love is hard. Finding a new normal is hard. Coming to terms with a new love is hard. Inviting that love to meet and know and love your child is hard. Figuring out your life after you already had it figured out and then refiguring it to include someone else… is hard.

And I admired Linc so much for how well he navigated it, even though, as an outside, I was like….nope, that’s not good, don’t do that…. a time or two… I knew he’d work it out in the end, and not only because Nate was so worth it and I knew that he knew that, but also because, you could feel how much he cared about Linc from the moment they met.
With every charming glint in his eye to the sexy smirks and the soft looks… even when he didn’t think he’d be able to give him more or even want more, he couldn’t help it.

I loved everything about this story, from beginning to end. I do wish we’d have gotten a smack down drag out with the old manager of the coffee shop but the satisfaction that we did get was enough LOL I’m just petty.

Overall, I adored this story and I cannot wait to see who’s next.
I reeeeally hope it’s Nico! <3

5 pieces of eye candy

What a fantastic story! The fact that Linc, after such a tragic beginning to his son’s life, was still raising his son in the town he grew up in, met and fell in love  with his wife in and still had so many memories in, was such a challenge for him. And who could blame him for wanting to leave Chesapeake? He had spent his entire life there, and felt like the only thing left for him was a new start, where no one knew him.

Meanwhile, Nate was starting a new life as well, and needed Linc’s help to get his new start moving in the right direction. He falls for Linc fairly quickly, but Linc just doesn’t think he can ever get past the great love of his life, and certainly would never have another one. Also, Nate is just super adorable! (And definitely did not like conflict, which ended up leading to some huge conflict!)

This story was not just sweet (and definitely smokin’), it really did tell the story about how someone can be lost, and still continue through each day, until something wakes them back up. Linc was a person lost, just trying to keep himself afloat for his son. Meanwhile, Nate wormed his way into both Linc and his son’s hearts, even as Linc wasn’t aware it was happening.

This book really touched me with the depth of Linc’s pain, and his working out of it, without even knowing he was doing just that. Sometimes grief is a cloud that stays with us, until the sun peaks through and gives us a glimpse of a new day. Linc needed that, and seeing his unwillingness to try that seemed appropriate for his situation. He had lost so much, and just needed that sunshine.

Also, that mean old woman…she deserved so much more than she got…but isn’t that sometimes the way of life? 🙂

I just loved the story. 4.5 pieces of eye candy

Katherine McIntyre is a feisty chick with a big attitude despite her short stature. She writes stories featuring snarky women, ragtag crews, and men with bad attitudes—and there’s an equally high chance for a passionate speech thrown into the mix. As an eternal geek and tomboy who’s always stepped to her own beat, she’s made it her mission to write stories that represent the broad spectrum of people out there, from different cultures and races to all varieties of men and women.

Want to be an active part of the ‘making of’ process? Join my FACEBOOK SQUAD

or sign up for my PATREON for exclusive freebie reads and all sorts of awesome perks!

Connect with Katherine:
Website: http://www.katherine-mcintyre.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kmcintyreauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pixierants
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6473654.Katherine_McIntyre
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Katherine-McIntyre/e/B00J8U4VNU
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/duIScb
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/katherine-mcintyre
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/authorkmcintyre

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Only for Ollie by Lisa Henry: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

by

Xander Finch is a top-ranked MotoGP rider, desperate to get back to the circuit after an injury. He’s going stir-crazy in his parents’ house in Ventura while he works on his recovery. Xander has tunnel vision when it comes to his sport—it’s all he’s ever wanted to do in life. When he hires a massage therapist to help speed up his recovery, he’s not expecting the guy to completely flip his universe on its head.

Ollie Baker is living in his car after a disastrous break-up, and jumps at the chance to earn some extra cash through massage. Xander Finch might be hot as hell, but Ollie’s not going there. He’s never going to let some rich guy screw him over again. Besides, Xander’s straight. Isn’t he?

When their friendship deepens into something more, Xander discovers that Ollie makes him feel a way that nobody ever has before, and maybe motorbikes aren’t his only passion after all. Navigating Xander’s newly discovered demisexuality isn’t the only challenge they’ll have to face if they’re going to be together, because Ollie’s been burned before. It’s hard for him to trust Xander, to believe that he’s really willing to make room in his life for Ollie as well as his racing—assuming he recovers enough to race at all.

Only for Ollie is the third book in the Star Crossed series, where regular guys meet famous ones, and sparks fly.

Only for Ollie

Star Crossed, Book 3

By Lisa Henry

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Ollie waved off Xander’s protestations and loaded the dishwasher. Then he said, bending down with his back to him, “So you’re going back to the Netherlands?”

“That’s how it works.” His chest ached. “I race, and when I’m not racing, I go back to Assen, and I train.”

That was how it had always worked. Not with all the guys, maybe, because most of them had made space for partners and kids in the gaps in their lives between track time, but Xander had only ever filled that space with more training. He was the engineers’ darling. If they needed a rider to test drive something, he was their guy because he was always at the track, always learning, always striving to be better. There were rules in place that limited the riders’ time on their race bikes, but Allard had a dirt track where their guys could practice on different bikes, and he was there as often as he could be—it was the reason he’d moved to Assen. The dirt track reminded him of the motocross tracks he’d loved so much as a kid, except there were no jumps.

Ollie stood up and turned to face him, leaning against the kitchen counter. He took his glasses off and cleaned them with the hem of his T-shirt, the movement allowing tantalizing glimpses of the pale skin above the waistband of his jeans. He put the glasses back on. “Your dad isn’t very happy about it.”

“They don’t like that it’s dangerous,” he said. He didn’t want to talk about how his dad felt about his return to racing. He wanted to know how Ollie felt about it. He wanted to know what they were to each other, or could be. “What you said earlier, about not thinking I was gay.”

Ollie froze, staring at him like a meerkat.

“I’m not,” he said. “At least…shit, I don’t know. There’s a lot of different words, you know?”

Ollie’s startled look said that no, he very much did not know what the fuck was he talking about.

“I’m demi,” he said. “That’s what fits, I think. So I’m not attracted to random people, you know?” He scrubbed a hand over his head, his face burning. “Except I didn’t figure it out until really recently because I literally had no idea what I was missing.”

Ollie’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Until?”

He winced. “I don’t want to be a creep, Ollie.”

Ollie closed the distance between them and stood on the other side of the counter to Xander. He planted his hands on the granite, his fingers splayed. The index finger of his right hand almost brushed Xander’s left. “Until?”

He lifted his gaze and lost himself for a moment in those wide, dark eyes. “Until you.”

Ollie’s intake of breath cut through the air as sharply as a knife. And then, just when Xander thought he’d ruined everything, Ollie twitched his finger so that it rested against his. “You’re not a creep, Xander.”

His eyes stung and watered. He looked down to where Ollie’s finger pressed gently against his own. Ollie had beautiful hands. “You don’t have to leave. I’ll be going soon, so it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable here for you. I—”

“Xander.” Ollie’s eyes were bright. He curled his fingers around Xander’s hand and drew it upwards. Leaned in and pressed his mouth to his knuckles, and that faint, warm brush of his lips sparked electricity inside him, sharp and brilliant and burning in a million different arcs. The blood roared in his skull as Ollie smiled and kissed his knuckles again. “Shut up. You don’t make me uncomfortable. I like you, Xander.”

And then, as though he was making sure that Xander couldn’t misinterpret that, he turned his hand over in his grasp, uncurled his fingers as carefully as if he were unwrapping a fragile treasure, and pressed another warm, smiling kiss to the fleshy part of his palm.

Xander’s heart stuttered over a few beats before it remembered how to do its job.

Another moment, and this was a big one. He would remember this one for the rest of his life because this was the precise moment when he fell head over heels for Ollie.

Catch-up on the series with Book 1:
Not Until Noah

Carter Westlake is on the brink of being Hollywood gold. Cast as the lead in a highly-anticipated sci-fi trilogy filming in Australia, he’s primed to be the next A-list action hero: all-American, hot as hell, and straight. The problem is, Carter can only check off two of those boxes. But that’s okay—his bisexuality can remain a secret until these movies are behind him.

Childhood educator Noah Jones has a plan. Work as a nanny for six months, make some extra cash, and move to the UK to teach. He doesn’t expect his new boss to be a Hollywood star. And he certainly isn’t prepared to fall for the guy.

One kiss sends them tumbling into a secret relationship, even though they both agree it can be nothing more than a fling. Carter needs to stay in the closet for the sake of his career, and Noah’s leaving. But when their feelings continue to grow into something deeper, Carter has a decision to make. Knowing that exposing his sexuality could cost him his career, would he rather carry on living a lie, or risk it all to stand tall in his truth?

Not Until Noah is the first book in the Star Crossed series, where regular guys meet famous ones, and sparks fly.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house with too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Lisa has been published since 2012, and was a LAMBDA finalist for her quirky, awkward coming-of-age romance Adulting 101, and a Rainbow Awards finalist for 2019’s Anhaga.

To connect with Lisa on social media, you can find her here:

Website
Facebook
Instagram
Goodreads
Bookbub
Twitter

She also has a Facebook group where you’ll be kept in the loop with updates on releases, have a chance to win prizes, and probably see lots of lots of pictures of her dog and cats. You can find it here: Lisa Henry’s Hangout.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Magnolia Murders (Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem, Book 1) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

by

Everything old is new again in love and murder.

Work together, live together, and play together is the name of the game for Royce Locke and Sawyer Key. But one of those things changes when Chief Mendoza taps Sawyer to lead the newly formed cold case unit. His first task: solve the Magnolia Murders that spanned three decades and suddenly stopped in 2000.

Chaos ensues when a fourth Magnolia Queen contender is murdered during a preliminary round. With the pageant’s one hundredth anniversary looming, the pressure is on to produce results. Royce and Sawyer, along with their new partners, have to team up to solve the Magnolia Murders—old and new.

As the investigation continues, a surprise visitor and an unexpected phone call force the men to face painful things from their pasts. The future Royce and Sawyer dream of is within their grasp, but first, they’ll need to uproot the seeds of discontent they’ve buried deep.

The Magnolia Murders is the first book in the Matrimony and Mayhem trilogy, the second story arc for Royce Locke and Sawyer Key. ** New readers should start with the Zero Hour trilogy before reading Matrimony and Mayhem. ** The Magnolia Murders is a continuation of Royce and Sawyer’s happily ever after as they move into the next phase of their lives—professionally and personally. Though some storylines span the trilogy, this book does not end in a cliffhanger. Heat, humor, heart, and homicide abound. You have been warned. 18+

The Magnolia Murders

Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem, Book 1

By Aimee Nicole Walker

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Tara’s right brow arched, and her mouth quirked into a smirk. “You think I’m some player, huh?”

Royce offered an easy smile before returning his attention to the traffic light. “No, I don’t, but you have a lady-killer reputation. I think still waters run deep, and there’s a lot I don’t know about you.”

Tara chuckled. “It really kept our unit on their toes, yeah? They were hiding their wives from both of us.”

Royce laughed too. “Have you met Ashcroft’s wife yet?”

“Nope,” Tara replied. “You?”

“Yeah. He introduced us once I came out,” Royce said.

The memory of kissing Sawyer in front of their unit at Joe’s still heated his blood and made him smile. They’d been there to celebrate Royce’s promotion to sergeant, and he hadn’t liked the way Diego Fuentes, who’d been a patrolman at the time, kept flirting with his man. The kiss had started out as a chest-thumping gesture but had become so much more.

Sawyer hadn’t pressured Royce to come out, but he’d existed in the shadows long enough, always living vicariously through others. Sawyer made Royce want more out of life than just existing, so that press of lips in a crowded bar had been his phoenix rising. And for three years, what they’d had together was enough. Royce had known Sawyer was ready for matrimony and babies, but he hadn’t pushed. Not even when invitations to weddings and baby showers for their friends arrived in the mail. Sawyer just patiently waited until Royce was ready.

And like the ginormous turkeys Evangeline roasted for Thanksgiving, Royce’s internal thermometer had popped, yet he continued baking in his fears of inadequacy. If he weren’t careful, he’d end up like the husk of a turkey on National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the only Christmas movie worth watching besides Die Hard and Lethal Weapon.

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.

I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me at:
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aimee-nicole-walker
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AimeeNWalker
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/aimeenicole.walker
Instagram – http://instagram.com/aimeenicolewalker
Blog – AimeeNicoleWalker.blogspot.com

Want to be the first to know about my book releases and have access to extra content? You can sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/dlhPYj

My favorite place to hang out and chat with my readers is my Facebook group. Would you like to be a member of Aimee’s Dye Hards? We’d love to have you! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AimeesDyeHards/

Connect with Aimee:
https://linktr.ee/AimeeNicoleWalker
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sapphire Sunset by C. Travis Rice: Blog Tour, Excerpt and New Release Review

by

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice writes as C. Travis Rice. Under his new pen name, Rice offers tales of passion, intrigue, and steamy romance between men. The first novel, SAPPHIRE SUNSET, transports you to a beautiful luxury resort on the sparkling Southern California coast where strong-willed heroes release the shame that blocks their heart’s desires.

Logan Murdoch is a fighter, a survivor, and a provider. When he leaves a distinguished career in the Marine Corps to work security at a luxury beachfront resort, he’s got one objective: pay his father’s mounting medical bills. That means Connor Harcourt, the irresistibly handsome scion of the wealthy family that owns Sapphire Cove, is strictly off limits, despite his sassy swagger and beautiful blue eyes. Logan’s life is all about sacrifices; Connor is privilege personified. But temptation is a beast that demands to be fed, and a furtive kiss ignites instant passion, forcing Logan to slam the brakes. Hard.

Haunted by their frustrated attraction, the two men find themselves hurled back together when a headline-making scandal threatens to ruin the resort they both love. This time, there’s no easy escape from the magnetic pull of their white hot desire. Will saving Sapphire Cove help forge the union they crave, or will it drive them apart once more?

Amazon

Apple Books

Nook

Kobo

Google Play

Goodreads

“Wow.” Logan’s voice echoed through the rocky chamber.

Here, the sounds of the ocean surf softened into something that was more like a gurgling brook. What whitecaps the cave’s mouth captured were filtered down into something frothy and inviting amidst the labyrinth of low rocks within. The basic security lights at foot level threw a soft golden light across the metal struts that secured the rock ceiling overhead.

“I used to come here all the time as a kid with my friends,” Connor said nervously. “There’re all kinds of caverns back here we used to play and hide in before my mom found out and busted us. She still has no idea they don’t go that deep. She still thinks you could get lost in here. But I’ve got an excellent sense of direction.”

“Do you?”

“Yeah, I usually know where things are headed.”

“Makes sense, I guess. Your life’s kinda laid out for you, right? You’ll probably run this place someday, right? Heir apparent and all that.”

“Oh, God. Do they still call me the prince?” Connor turned, resting his butt against the guardrail so he could focus on Logan.

“Kinda.”

“Is that a good thing? Should I be annoyed by that?”

“Better to be the prince than a peasant, I guess,” Logan said.

“Are those really the only two choices?”

Logan laughed, but there was relief in it. As if Connor’s snarky response had shined a light on possibilities he hadn’t seen before now. “I guess not.”

“Whatever. I’ll let it go.”

Silence then, save for the gurgling of the sea pushing its way past them and deeper into the cave.

Connor rested his elbows on the rail on either side of him, an attempt to look casual even though the sight of Logan leaning against the cave wall, hands in his pockets, studying Connor with a half smile made Connor feel welded in place. “All right, your turn.”

“My turn for what?” Logan asked.

“I told you mine, and my grandpa’s. What’s your magic moment?”

“Okay.” Logan straightened. “So if I remember correctly, it’s like a moment when you’re doing something you love and you feel the most satisfied by it. Is that right?”

“Exactly.” Connor was thrilled that Logan had listened so closely.

“Well, my life is kind of starting over, so I’m kind of figuring out what it is I love to do. Kickboxing’s up there, but that’s more of a fast and furious kind of thing, and the high is mostly when I’m done. Not sure there’s really a magic hour there. There was some stuff about the Marines that I loved, especially once I was a staff sergeant and I was in the zone for gunnery sergeant. But a lot of it was tough, and a lot to hold.”

“I’m sure.”

When Logan started toward him through the shadows, Connor’s breath caught. His feet felt planted to the boards, and the sides of his face got tingly and hot.

“So if I had to pick,” Logan said, “I’d pick this one.”

“Walking rounds?”

“No. I’d pick the moment when I’m finally all alone with a guy who drives me wild, and I know we’re about to kiss, but I’m not sure when. So there’s this tension in the air, and I can feel it. Everywhere.”

They were inches apart now, so close Connor had to look up at him to maintain eye contact.

“And we’re both circling, waiting for the right moment. And I’m trying to take it kinda slow because I know one little touch”—Logan gently grazed Connor’s cheek with the side of one finger—“and it might turn into a lot more than a kiss. But first, there’s a promise to be kept.”

“What promise is that?” Connor asked in a squeaky whisper.

“I believe you promised me a dance.”

“Or you promised me one.”

“Either way, seems like time.”

This is a LONG book, almost 500 pages. However, I will say that it really doesn’t feel that long when you are reading it. It actually went really quickly. I’ll also say I haven’t read anything by this author before, but of course needed to give this one a shot, considering who the author was.

I really loved this book. I loved the story. Love the characters, and even the setting was beautiful. These two MC’s were so well written, and given a really strong backstory, which helped in understanding the reasons why they did the things they did in that first period of time.

One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was how Connor and Logan had a chance, five years previous to the main portion of the book. They clearly had a love at first sight meeting, spending time together that night, kissing, before Logan remembered that his priority needed to be his job, and his father. Although it wasn’t necessarily a prologue (it was a little to long for that) that first section of the book had me crying. However, it was easy to understand how Logan felt such a need to take care of the man who loved and truly cared for him, despite the things that could have made him NOT love his son.

Connor needed a chance to grow up a bit, as well, become the man he would have liked to have been, but would never have been able to at that point in time. That piece just worked so well.

When they meet up five years later, after the initial “I hate you”, etc, they really did well trying to figure out how to make a relationship work for them.

There’s a particularly bad guy, who you end up feeling a little sorry for, and a really nasty lady, who it’s hard to feel sorry for her, but you still do a little. But of course, love and happily ever after win in the end.

My one little peeve with the book was the vocabulary. There was a lot of vocabulary used that I don’t think would have necessarily come out of a man who didn’t go to college, and spent time in the Marine Corp. But I suspended that belief, because I just loved the characters so much.

I definitely am looking forward to any future book in this series.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

C. Travis Rice is the pseudonym New York Times bestselling novelist Christopher Rice devotes to steamy tales of romance between men. Christopher has published multiple bestselling books in multiple genres and been the recipient of a Lambda Literary Award. With his mother, Anne Rice, he is an executive producer on the AMC Studios adaptations of her novels The Vampire Chronicles and The Lives of the Mayfair Witches. Together with his best friend and producing partner, New York Times bestselling novelist, Eric Shaw Quinn, he runs the production company Dinner Partners. Among other projects, they produce the podcast and video network, TDPS, which you can find at www.TheDinnerPartyShow.com.

Connect with C. Travis Rice

Website: http://www.christopherricebooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.rice.writer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisricewriter

Honeymoon Ever After by Ariella Zoelle: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

by

Rory’s never been attracted to a man before, but Kieran changes everything from the first moment they meet. Will he be able to embrace his unexpected feelings for the Hollywood celebrity?

Rory Kinsella

My new life plan is going great:

  1. Dump my awful fiancée who was in love with her best friend and not me? Done.
  2. Celebrate my newfound freedom and happiness by going on a solo “me-moon” honeymoon? Great, that should be awesome.
  3. Fall in love with a famous Hollywood action hero when I’m straight? Wait, what?!

Besides being absurdly handsome and incredibly charismatic, Kieran looks at me with his magnetic and captivating green eyes in a magical way that makes me feel like I’m the only person in the world that matters. But is that really enough to make me forget that I’m normally attracted to women?

Apparently, the answer is “Yes!” However, it’s not only his gorgeous good-looks that sway me into switching teams. No, what really makes him tempting is something much deeper than that. How can an academic nerd like me resist someone as sweet as a man who wears TARDIS pajamas and wants to shower me with all the love my ex-fiancée never gave me?

Kieran Aiello

My hide out from the paparazzi “vacation” plans:

  1. Go to Sweden to escape from a scandal? Easy, I can do that.
  2. Stay in my hotel room without leaving for any reason per my manager’s orders? Yeah, that’s not happening.
  3. Find a hot Swede to hook up with in a sauna? Definitely doable.

But things take a surprising turn when I accidentally run into Rory instead, a cute grad student who actually sees the real me that most people don’t believe is hidden under all my Hollywood muscles. He wasn’t part of my original plans, but what could be more tempting than that?

I always thought the insta-love romances I portrayed in my movies were a little hokey, but Rory turns me into a true believer. The chemistry between us is undeniable, but I want more than just a physical relationship with him. If he’s willing to take a chance by opening his heart to me, then why should I settle for anything less than a true romantic ending of a lifetime of love together?

Honeymoon Ever After is the fifth and final book in the Suite Dreams series and part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features a bi awakening, insta love, celebrity/regular guy, age gap, forced proximity, gay romance. If you love cute sweetness, sexy fun, and no angst stories that will make you laugh and swoon, you’ll enjoy this satisfying HEA without cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

Honeymoon Ever After (Suite Dreams, Book 5)

By Ariella Zoelle

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Chapter 3: Rory Kinsella

“Can we please talk about something else now before I combust into flames from how hard I’m blushing?” I asked.

Kieran laughed heartily. “Fair enough. Why don’t you tell me about what you’re hoping to do once you graduate with your PhD? That seems like a nice, safe, unsexy topic of conversation.”

It was a relief to move into the safety of academia. “My degree guarantees I’ll be teaching at university, since it’s not good for much else. But I’d love to make my own graphic novel series someday when I’m not up to my eyeballs in research for my dissertation.”

“That’s an amazing idea!” His genuine enthusiasm caught me off guard.

“Jude and I have talked about collaborating before. I can illustrate, but I’m not the best storyteller. But he’s an incredible writer, plus we work well together. I think we could make something awesome if we ever find the time to do it.”

“I’m in full support of this idea. You guys need to make that happen for real.”

I tilted my head as I studied him with curiosity. “Why? For all you know, I could be a shitty artist and he could be a terrible writer.”

“No, you’re too remarkable to be anything less than stellar. Not to mention you’re probably a perfectionist who will only accept absolute perfection.” He stated it with so much confidence that it stunned me.

“I think calling me remarkable is a bit of a stretch. I’m pretty ordinary, especially compared to people like Jude or my brothers.” They all were far more spectacular than I could ever aspire to be.

“With all due respect, I strongly disagree. There’s nothing ordinary about you.”

“That’s sweet, but once you’ve known me for more than twenty-four hours, I suspect you’ll have a very different opinion.”

“You’re right. I’ll probably think you’re even more amazing than I first gave you credit for.” He looked at me with such an earnest belief that it astounded me. “Clearly, we need to work on your self-esteem.”

“It’s easy to be confident when you’re you.” I gestured at all of his incredibleness. “But I’m me.”

My breathing hitched when he reached out and cupped my face in his hands to look deep into my eyes. “There is nobody better at being you than you are. Your kindness, your passion, and your empathy make you stand out from everyone else I have ever encountered. You can see the real me that most people don’t believe exists under these muscles. That counts for a lot in my book when the Hollywood veneer blinds everyone. But you don’t care about any of that.”

The warmth in his green eyes as he tried to convey his sincerity got me all twisted up inside, as his touch filled me with nervous butterflies. I wasn’t sure what to say to such sincere praise, but the knock on the door and someone calling out “Room service” spared me. Kieran tenderly caressed my cheekbones with his thumbs before he got up to get the food.

I drew in a shuddering breath as my heart hammered in my chest like a hummingbird’s wings on fast-forward. The experience had been too intense to process. I tried to remember how to act normal while Kieran had the bellhop put our lunches on the small table off to the side. I waited until they left to go over and join him.

Kieran handed me a bottle of chilled cider and held his up in toast once we sat down. “Here’s to exciting new friendships.”

“I’ll drink to that. Cheers.” I clinked my bottle against his before we both took a sip.

Ariella Zoelle adores steamy, funny, swoony romances where couples are allowed to just be happy. She writes low angst stories full of heat, humor, and heart. But sometimes she’s in the mood for something with a bit more angst and drama. If you are too, check out her A.F. Zoelle books.

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

Amazon Author Profile: https://amzn.to/3zzxJWg

A.F. Zoelle’s Books: https://amzn.to/3BAgypg

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway