Blog Tours

Misinformation by Keelan Ellis : Preorder Blitz, Teaser and Giveaway

June 6, 2016 by Denise

Release Date:

Pages/Word Count: 197 pages

Ethan Daniels, host of a popular conservative cable news program, has never thought of his bisexuality as a problem, even though he has never acted on his attraction to men. Since his divorce, his desire has become more acute. When he meets Charlie Woods, his daughter’s first grade teacher, they have an instant spark, but Ethan hesitates to act. His contract is up for renewal, there are already rumors swirling about him because of a brief encounter from his past, and the last thing his employers want is for one of their stars to come out publicly.

Charlie avoids romantic entanglements because he prefers living on his own terms. He keeps love and sex completely separate, never seeing anyone more than a few times. Hooking up with a closeted celebrity like Ethan seems safe from emotional involvement, even if they have to keep their fledgling relationship secret.

The last thing they expect is to fall in love, but their strong mutual attraction moves them both to make changes neither of them thought they wanted or needed.

Amazon Preorder Link

ARe Preorder Link

Dreamspinner Press Preorder Link

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Believing Blue by Nicole Colville : Blog Tour, Review, Series Review and Giveaway

May 17, 2016 by Denise

Believing Blue

Manchester Ménage Collection, Book Three

Nicole Colville

M/M Romance

Cover Designer

Kellie Dennis from Book Cover by Design www.bookcoverbydesign.co.uk/

Release Date: 04.21.16

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1MLnIM5

Believing Blue Full cover

Is there a fated path we follow, or is it simply a series of coincidental events?

Police officer Kellan Howard is rumoured to have spent too much time in sub-zero temperatures, leaving him with a block of ice for a heart and women lining up to help thaw it. Mountain climbing is his only love, leaving no time for a relationship, and although meaningless sex satisfies his physical need, it’s empty. When he attends a fatal traffic accident, he didn’t expect his entire life to change. Along with a final message, Kellan is offered something else from the dying man: the chance to fall in love. Kellan’s never considered being with a man, but when he meets Valentino, he’s instantly drawn to him.

Suffering from crippling agoraphobia, talented Italian artist Valentino has a solitary existence, only experiencing life outside the house through his partner Stuart. When their relationship comes to an abrupt end, Kellan helps ease his suffering. A deep bond binds the two men together, and the sexual tension can’t be denied, but Valentino questions if the distance between their very different lives is too much, and if they can bridge the gap by themselves.

Ballet dancer Blue has a vibrant personality which demands attention, but his humour and courageous attitude are a shield. Blue’s good at making others believe in themselves, but what he needs is someone to believe in him. He could be the bridge both men are looking for, but Blue’s never allowed anyone to get too close, and when Kellan and Valentino enter his life, he desperately tries to protect his heart and his secrets.

When all three meet, the chemistry is undeniable, but each have fears about moving forwards. Together, they learn love comes in many forms. It can’t be restrained or labelled, and it doesn’t always appear in the way you first imagined.

blue tino & kell

Kellan gritted his teeth together and stood up. “I won’t leave you like this.”

“Get the hell out!!” Valentino gripped the base of his nose, rubbing it gruffly. His eyes snapped shut, but not quickly enough.

Kellan spotted the misty glimmer in them. Whether his tears were caused through sheer frustration or sadness, it didn’t matter. Kellan couldn’t leave. He’d have to be forced from the house by an armed response team. “No!” Kellan held his shoulders firmly. “I won’t leave you.”

“God-damn it, Kellan.” Valentino’s eyes flew open, and Kellan’s hands were thrust from him with a jerk. “You’re such a pain in the arse.” He leaned forward, almost hissing his words out against Kellan’s lips. “Why don’t you just leave me alone, huh? Why do you continue to push me when I don’t want it?”

Kellan’s body brushed against Valentino’s firm flesh, and he cursed himself for responding so quickly. “Don’t lie and say you don’t want me here when I know damn well what you want.” Kellan didn’t really know for sure, but there was a heat and need between them which couldn’t be ignored anymore. Valentino needed him, and Kellan was willing to hand over whatever he could to fulfil that need.

Valentino turned those teal green eyes on Kellan’s, a soft growl spilling from his lips. “You’re a fucking tease! A tease, Kellan.”

Kellan was about to come back with a response, like how he had no idea he’d been teasing Valentino, but he was halted by two hands on either side of his head and Valentino’s mouth being forced against his. He stopped breathing, too stunned to act. Valentino had his face clasped tightly to his, those full lips hitting Kellan’s hard and fast, his tongue licking and seeking entrance inside.

A white hot shot of lust spiked through his body and every thought other than being against this writhing, sexy man disappeared. Kellan grabbed hold of Valentino’s hips, rushing him up against the wall and taking ownership of his mouth with a grunt.

Valentino bit down on his lip causing Kellan to pull back. As soon as they separated, Valentino had the upper hand and was spinning him around, holding him against the wall and spreading his thighs open with his knee, rubbing up against the hard length of Kellan’s cock. Despite knowing he could easily restrain Valentino and take control back, he didn’t want to. He wanted this from him. “You know what I want?” Valentino breathed out through their kisses. “You want to give me what I need, Kellan?”

I got a glimpse of Blue in Discovering Dalton so I knew I was in for a treat, but holy hell I didn’t expect Blue to be that funny!

During a snow storm while working for the Mountain Rescue, Kellan stumbles across a bad single car accident. The driver of the car, Stuart is trapped and badly hurt. With help from Milo and Dalton they are able to keep Stuart comfortable while waiting for emergency services to get to him. Because of the bad storm it takes the ambulance close to three hours to get to Stuart. Kellan talks to Stuart to take his mind off of his injuries, learning about the mans partner Valentino.

Unfortunately, Stuart isn’t able to survive his injuries and Kellan has to deliver the news to Valentino. Valentino is an Italian painter who battled depression and agoraphobia. When Kellan meets Valentino something calls to him, as the months go on Kellan continues to check on Valentino and the two form a fragile friendship.

Needing a change of scenery after the accident, Kellan leaves the Mountain Rescue and becomes Dalton’s new partner. While meeting Dalton and Milo for lunch Kellan accidentally bumps into Blue and a serious of unfortunate, hilarious events ensue.

With Blue and Kellan butting heads at every opportunity things start to heat up between Kellan and Valentino. Valentino saw what his illness did to Stuart and he decides he can’t do that to Kellan and breaks things off with him.

After witnessing a break in at Living Ink, Blue and Kellan start to spend more time together realizing that there first impressions may have been way off. Kellan and Blue start a tentative relationship, going slow and getting to know one another when Blue starts modeling for Valentino.

As Blue and Valentino get to know one another Valentino tells Blue about the man he let get away and Blue encourages him to reach out to him and let him know how he feels not knowing that man is Kellan. After receiving a text from Valentino, Kellan shows up to confront him about it and let him know he can’t walk away from Blue, when Blue walks out do the studio all the pieces fall into place. Can Blue and Kellan help Valentino work through his grief without losing themselves? Can Valentino overcome his fear and love again?

This books is equal parts sad and hysterically funny. Nicole Colville takes you right to the edge of so sad you just want to curl up in a ball and sob and pulls you right back to laughing your but off in minutes. I think without all the comedic touches of Blue this would have been a tough read, but the sadness was beautifully written and the comedy was funny without being tactless and insensitive. I’m sure it was difficult to write, but wow she nailed it!

5 pieces of eye candy

Wow, what a really good read. Lots of crazy different emotions throughout the whole book. The story flowed well and I never lost interest. This was my first story by this author and I wasn’t disappointed.

I have never encountered another character like Blue. He was a pretty hilarious individual and I never knew what to expect with him. He has a very sharp tongue that can cut you before you blink. He was really quick to jump to conclusions and I found myself gritting my teeth and wanting to shake him more than once. He’s so insecure and going through so much emotionally and I think that fueled his reactions a lot. He did grow on me and I adored him by the end of the story. He brought so much to the relationship. He was the absolute perfect match for Kellan and Valentino. He’s a one of a kind person, that’s for sure.

Kellan was my favorite in the trio. I loved his personality. He was such a sweet guy with a huge heart and he always put others before himself. I felt like he got the short straw in a lot of the situations though, and that hurt my heart for him.

Valentino is an Italian artist with lots of emotional and anxiety issues. Dealing with the sudden loss of Stuart, his long time partner, has debilitating effects on him. I cried for him more than once. I was so proud of him for finally facing his issues and coming out a stronger person.

All three men in this story are very different and compliment each other perfectly. Each one brought something significant to the relationship. I loved getting to
know each character inside and out and the author brought each one to life beautifully. The passion between them is scorching and the sex is off the charts hot.

Blue’s family was a trip and I caught myself laughing out loud more than once. The secondary characters brought so much life to the story. I can’t wait to check out the other books in this series and find out how the other couples came together. I will definitely read more from Nicole.

5 pieces of eye candy

MANCHESTER MENAGE COLLECTIONS

SAVING SAMUEL, BOOK 1

Saving Samuel Cover

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/22eXEvX

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1TAHbf4

I am a huge lover of m/m/m so I was excited to dive in to this series and Nicole Colville did not disappoint!

Danny, a fire fighter and Milo, a police officer have been together off and on for six years. Milo is closed off emotionally and Danny needs to hear “I love you” which Milo hasn’t done. Milo will only top and is not willing to even try bottoming for Danny which becomes a big issue in their relationship. After not hearing from Milo for two weeks while he was on holiday with his family, Danny decides they need to end the relationship for good. Danny thinks that after six years if they weren’t able to make it work they never will. Milo isn’t so sure about that and he’s not ready to call it quits because deep down he does love Danny.

During a routine fire Danny rescues what he thinks is a scared woman from a burning abandoned building. When he goes to the hospital to check on her he finds out from the nurse that she is a he named Samuel. While waiting for Samuel to wake up Milo shows up investigating the fire and tries to talk to Danny about their relationship. Danny cuts him off and demands that they only speak to each other about work and nothing personal. Milo sees the way Danny looks at Samuel and demands to know if he has feelings for him. Milo tries to explain to Danny that this is a pending investigation and that they must remain neutral, to which Danny rolls his eyes.

Once a scared Samuel wakes up he tries to run, he has to stay one step ahead of the people after him. Danny catches him running from the hospital and takes him to his house to recover and help keep him safe. One morning while Danny is at the store Milo stops by to talk to him and spooks Samuel. Milo is furious that Danny has been hiding Samuel from him.

The two come to blows and Milo decides to stay at Danny’s to help watch over Samuel and so the two can talk. As Samuel gets comfortable with Milo the three settle into a comfortable routine making Milo realize that Danny was right, there had been something missing in their relationship. As the three embark on a new relationship together, problems from Samuel’s past start to surface ripping Samuel away from Milo and Danny. Can Danny and Milo get to Samuel in time?

I really loved this story. Especially how all their different personalities meld together. Milo is very stoic and serious, not very demonstrative with his feelings while Danny is very caring and tender. Samuel is run by emotion, he’s very caring and kindhearted and enjoys taking care of his men.

The plot was well throughout and engaging. The story moved along at a steady speed never getting boring or stagnate. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

I loved how bringing Samuel into the mix gave both Milo and Danny something they had been missing which in turn allowed them to appreciate their relationship and the new relationship with Samuel. At no point did the author gloss over Milo and Danny’s issues, which was as good to see. As a trio they confronted the issues head on and dealt with them. I so loved this book and can’t wait for the series to continue.

5 pieces of eye candy for Saving Samuel

DISCOVERING DALTON, BOOK 2

Discovering Dalton Cover

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1XwK5HK

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Wk5eFq

I was really excited to dive in to this book because I enjoyed Saving Samuel so much. How is it possible that I love Dalton, Liam and Troy even more than Samuel, Danny and Milo?!?

Dalton has discovered his wife of 10 years in having an affair, with this realization comes about 30 pounds of added weight because Dalton is eating his feelings instead of confronting them. Milo steps in and takes Dalton to his gym, Aspire to help the man rebuild his confidence.

Liam, the owner of Aspire and consummate King of one night stands lives with his foster brother Troy. Liam believes he gets everything he needs but sex from his relationship with Troy, so he goes to hookups and leans on Troy for his emotional support. Troy is a tattoo artist who owns Living Ink and is always looking for the love of his life. Troy want to love and be loved, beyond ready to settle down and always devastated when Mr. Right-Now turns out to be a frog instead of Prince Charming.

Dalton can’t catch a break in his personal life. First his wife leaves him, and then his father becomes ill. When Dalton’s wife leaves he is forced to really take a look at his life and decide who he is and what will make him happy. A panic attack at Aspire has Dalton looking at Liam in a new light. As the two embark on a no strings attacked journey of self discovery Dalton realizes he may not be as straight as he has always thought and Liam realized he may be willing to be tied down to one man if that man is Dalton.

Meanwhile, Dalton’s father passes away and he realizes life is short and to stop putting everything off. Dalton decides to get a tattoo in remembrance of his father. The atmosphere is electric the minute Troy and Dalton meet. Dalton has never met anyone who has made him feel like that and Troy is almost too scared of being hurt again to even test out their connection.

Dalton thinks he may have something real with Troy so he has to talk with Liam and see what his feelings are. Liam has made it clear he is only available for something light and fun, nothing resembling permanent. After a blow up Liam and Dalton go their separate ways. Liam realizes he loves Dalton but he doesn’t think he can have that without giving up his relationship with Troy, as dependent as it may be.

One night Troy and Liam decided to meet at a bar for a drink and happen to run into Dalton. As the three of them realize what has been going on they need to decide whether or not they want to be in this together or continue on the way they are too scared to make changes. Can Dalton be the one thing that each brother has been searching for? Can Troy and Liam finally admit that they love each other in more than a brotherly way?

I love how different each of their personalities are and how well the meld together. Liam is a hot head while Troy is quiet and soft spoken and Dalton is stronger than even he thinks he is.

I really wanted to hate Dalton’s wife but I couldn’t. She really did love Dalton and want him to be happy.

I love that even when Liam is the least emotional of the three he was still able to comfort Dalton when his dad died. I love that Troy has found the love and security he was looking for with both Dalton and Liam.

The story was fast paced and entertaining. I found myself looking at my Kindle at 68% through it and was equal parts happy and sad. Happy and excited to continue on and find out what happened and sad because it was almost over. This one will definitely go on my re-read list!

5 pieces of eye candy for Discovering Dalton

Welcome to the home of bittersweet M/M romances which will leave you craving more

Nicole grew bored being a supermodel genius who worked part time for NASA, and decided to take a break from helping solve the mysteries of the universe with Stephen Hawkins to write m/m romance.

She has a loving relationship with her hubby of twenty years, and has achieved a lot in her short life considering she’s only eighteen. She has fourteen dogs of all different breeds, plus twenty cats, and when she’s not tending to their every need, and solving complex math problems, she loves to sew and can be often found knitting in the garden, which she maintains all by herself with her magical green fingers.

Finding time to make all of her own clothing and master the kitchen better than Gordon Ramsey, she’s also a vegan domestic goddess and can often be found cooking up a storm bare foot in her kitchen.

Okay, so that’s not true, especially the cooking part, though I do tend to be bare foot and I swear like Gordon does while burning my latest creation — and I still think NASA will be getting in touch. Any day now!! *crosses fingers* I could sooo do that job because I’m so obviously awesome, but until they do…

I’m a full time author of M/M Romance and Erotica, and somehow I have several bestselling books under my belt. I’ve been writing for four years, and I self publish all my work under Hidden Pleasures Publishing along with my amazing team of helpers in the form my cover designer Kellie Dennis, editor Jessica McKenna, and all of my beta readers and PA’s.

I’m a wife to my beloved hubby and mother to two young girls, and I do in fact have two cats who I adore, but no dog, as the hubby put his foot down. I live in Leeds in the North of England and I love it, despite the terrible weather.

My men are all seeking what everyone is, true love mixed with passion and their own happy-ever-after full of laughter and tears.

Facebook

www.facebook.com/The.Hidden.Series.Nicole.Colville

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Amazon

www.amazon.com/Nicole-Colville/e/B00C75T3R2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_2

Twitter

twitter.com/NikkieColville

Goodreads

www.goodreads.com/author/show/7045302.Nicole_Colville

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What About Now by Grace R. Duncan: Guest Post, Review and Giveaway

May 12, 2016 by Denise

Five years ago, everything went wrong. Braden Kirk and Rafe Jessen’s long-term relationship started unraveling. They stopped talking, fears mounted, then Braden walked in on Rafe and another man, completely misreading the situation. Without giving Rafe a chance to explain, Braden walks out. Out of their home, their relationship, and the game development company they started together in college.

After months of therapy to deal with the attempted rape Braden walked in on, Rafe begins to understand that his dominant tendencies in the bedroom aren’t a bad thing and that Braden’s submission is likely what scared his partner into silence. But Rafe isn’t ready to let go of the man he loves more than life itself. He arranges for himself and Braden to end up on the same charity cruise, knowing Braden won’t let his phobia—terror of vast, deep waters—rule him.

With a plan and twenty-eight days, Rafe is determined to get Braden back, make him see there’s nothing wrong with being submissive, and find a way to get Braden to stay with him when they get home to LA.

Welcome to the What About Now book cruise (tour)! Thanks to Two Chicks Obsessed for welcoming me today. I hope you’ll follow the entire tour. Lots of chances to win a signed paperback copy of What About Now, $10 at Dreamspinner Press or an audiobook copy of Choices!

Each cruise (tour) stop will feature an excerpt from the story related to where the characters were for that day. Check the Rafflecopter at the end of the post to enter your answer to the question related to the excerpt for the chance to win a backlist ebook for each stop.

Today stop is the eighth on our cruise and sees our couple in Moorea, Polynesia. Let’s see what the boys got up to…

Rafe looked up, realizing they’d goofed somehow and ended up on the deck on the outside of the ship. “Oops, wrong turn.” He spun on his heel and hurried back in before Braden could see where they were, but it was too late.

Rafe turned around again to see Braden standing frozen, facing the railing. Rafe knew what he was seeing: miles and miles of incredibly deep water. There were tiny islands in the distance, but they wouldn’t be enough to distract Braden. He wouldn’t even see them. All his brain would register was the water he feared.

Stepping closer to Braden, he touched a shoulder. Terror poured off Braden in waves. Tremors rolled through him, and his skin had turned ghostly under his tan. “Braden, baby,” Rafe said, tugging on him, but he wouldn’t move. “Braden?” Rafe shook Braden’s shoulder, but he didn’t react except to shake harder, his breath coming in panicked pants, eyes still fixed on the water. “Braden! Come on, turn around,” Rafe said, pulling a little harder on Braden’s arm.

When Braden still didn’t respond, Rafe considered whether to just pick him up. But then he wondered if something else might help. He figured it might cause less trouble than if he carried Braden back into the ship like a damsel in distress. That was almost guaranteed to piss Braden off—at himself—but by then, the damage would be done.

Instead, he dropped his voice and leaned in a little closer. “Boy, look at me!” He put every bit of the Dom in him into the words.

Braden’s head whipped around, and he immediately dropped his eyes to Rafe’s collar.

That was better, but his breathing was still too fast for Rafe’s liking. “Focus on me, boy. Only me. Who am I?”

“Sir,” Braden croaked.

Rafe ran his hands up and down Braden’s arms. “That’s it. Good, boy. Breathe with me,” he said, cupping Braden’s face with his palms. “Look up at me, boy, and breathe with me.”

Braden eyes snapped up to meet Rafe’s, and Rafe took a slow, deep breath, thrilled when Braden matched it. “Good, boy. Another.” It took several more before Braden’s muscles unlocked and he slumped into Rafe’s arms. “I’ve got you,” Rafe murmured, rubbing Braden’s back as Braden shook in his arms.

Another few moments passed, and finally Braden straightened. “I’m sorry, Sir,” he muttered, gaze somewhere around Rafe’s sternum.

That was interesting.He hadn’t expected Braden to stay in the sub mindset. Since their scene before Papeete, they’d talked about what they’d done, as well as Braden’s preferences, but they hadn’t played beyond him lightly dominating Braden in bed. Braden hadn’t called him “Sir” likely because he hadn’t used “boy” since that time at bingo. Rafe wasn’t sure how far to push with Braden, so he’d kept it light.

He wasn’t quite sure what to do with this. Did he keep up the D/s for a while until Braden changed things? Or did he try to get Braden out of it now?

He decided it would probably only make things harder on Braden if he made too big a deal out of it. Instead, he pulled Braden into his arms again and murmured in his ear. “I think I’d like to eat dinner in the suite tonight. Perhaps with you naked at my feet and eating from my hand.”

Braden’s breath stuttered, but he murmured, “Yes, Sir.” He hesitated briefly, eyes darting to Rafe’s face, then back down, and Rafe knew Braden was well aware of what he was saying. “Please, Sir.”

Rafe let the breath of relief out slowly. He’d talk to Braden about it later, but he didn’t need to let Braden know right then just how unsure he’d been. Braden needed strength. “Good. Let’s go, boy.” He stepped back, took Braden’s hand, and they moved toward the elevators. The slightest of tremors were still going through Braden, which Rafe tried to counter by squeezing the shaking hand gently. He kept an eye on Braden, but aside from the minor tremble, he seemed to be holding together okay.

When the elevator doors closed, Rafe turned to Braden. “What are your safewords, boy?”

“Strawberry and banana, Sir,” Braden replied, clearer than Rafe expected. He didn’t want to push Braden, who was obviously needing this now, but at the same time, he needed to make sure Braden knew he could stop it. He probably should have stopped it, himself, and talked to Braden, but he still wasn’t sure that was the best course of action. In all the times he’d helped Braden through his phobia, it had neither been this serious, nor involved D/s.

Rafe took another slow breath, pushing that aside for later. He wouldn’t harm Braden by doing this, and in the end, that was what mattered. “Very good, boy. When we get into the room, you’ll strip and put your clothes away. Then take two of the bed pillows and pile them on the floor by the table.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Thanks for reading! Remember to keep up with the whole cruise for a chance to win at each stop. And each entry will give you an opportunity to be entered to win one of the three big prizes!

I normally do not read books about second chance love. Not because I avoid them-although I will admit I have because quite often they are too angsty for me, but more because I always have a hard time figuring out why their love didn’t work out in the first place. What makes someone give up and just walk away?

But when I read the blurb on this it was very clear what caused the split (although finding out later there was more to it, of course), and I thought “Oh, a BDSM, which I love, and they are in a situation they can’t get out of” and I jumped on it. Boy, was I wrong…in a good way. 🙂

What you find as you go through the book is that what really caused their separation was lack of communication. They simply stopped talking to each other. We never really find out why Braden stopped talking, other than he had listened to his stupid friend Paul, but since they are men, often that in itself is enough to keep from communicating.

Braden, once he goes through counseling for the attempted rape, and finds that he is a Dom, he knows that he needs to not only get Braden back, but help him to realize that his is a sub. That in itself is an undertaking, since Braden really has no concept of what BDSM entails, other than the always thought of whips and chains.

Braden’s plan was actually fairly well thought out…start easy, friends, move to lovers, and then hope that since Braden is in love with him still that they will be able to find a way to move forward with what he felt would be necessary to both of them, a BDSM relationship. I enjoyed watching how he worked through each stage, realizing that things may not go as planned, and working through how to fix it from there.

Hella hot scenes, both without and with the BDSM. The author was able to realistically portray an entry into BDSM. Nothing is more frustrating than reading a BDSM book and finding that one of the two is new and the other just jumps in and “shows them what BDSM is”. No. Just no. Show people that they need to read on it, work through limits, have discussions, and consent before anything is done. (There is a scene where that somewhat crosses the line, but as they had had a previous relationship of unspoken domination, I didn’t find it uncomfortable.)

When all was said and done, I liked the flow in Rafe’s plan, and how he put it into place. I’d hoped to see a bit more progression in Braden’s communication, but since he had been stagnant in his life while they were not together, it isn’t surprising that he hadn’t. I would hope that after the defining incident towards the end that there would be help for him, just as Rafe was able to find help for himself.

After I was done, I went back and looked, because there were two characters who showed up on the cruise, helping Braden realize he needed to open his eyes, and with the relationship, I assumed it was from a previous book, and it was! So, I will be heading back and reading Beautiful Boy, and finding out how Mal and Kyle end up together. 🙂

4 pieces of eye candy

Dreamspinner Press * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * All Romance eBooks * iTunes * kobo

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What About Now Blog ~~Tour~~ Cruise

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Grace Duncan grew up with a wild imagination. She told stories from an early age – many of which got her into trouble. Eventually, she learned to channel that imagination into less troublesome areas, including fanfiction, which is what has led her to writing male/male erotica.

A gypsy in her own right, Grace has lived all over the United States. She has currently set up camp in East Texas with her husband and children – both the human and furry kind.

As one of those rare creatures who loves research, Grace can get lost for hours on the internet, reading up on any number of strange and different topics. She can also be found writing fanfiction, reading fantasy, crime, suspense, romance and other erotica or even dabbling in art.

Find Grace here:

Website ◊ Facebook ◊ Twitter ◊ Youtube ◊ Goodreads

Power Play by Avon Gale: Blog Tour, Character Interview and Giveaway

May 10, 2016 by Denise

A freak accident during the Stanley Cup Playoffs put an end to Max Ashford’s hockey career. Despite everything, Max gets back into the game he loves—only this time, behind the bench as an assistant coach of the Spartanburg Spitfires, the worst team in the entire league. But nothing prepares him for the shock when he learns the new head coach is Misha Samarin, the man who caused Max’s accident.

After spending guilt-ridden years for his part in Max’s accident, Russian native Misha Samarin has no idea what to do when he’s confronted with Max’s presence. Max’s optimism plays havoc with Misha’s equilibrium—as does the fierce attraction that springs up between them.

Not only must they navigate Misha’s remorse and a past he’s spent a lifetime to forget, but also a sleazy GM determined to use their history as a marketing hook. But when an unwelcome visitor targets the team, Misha revisits his darkest days, which might cost him and Max the beginning they’ve worked so hard to build.

Author Name: Avon Gale

Book Name: Power Play

Series: Scoring Chances

Book: Three

This book can be read as a standalone

Release Date: May 9, 2016

Pages or Words: 240 pages

Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Learning to Love by Felice Stevens : Blog Tour, 5 star Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

May 10, 2016 by Denise

LEARNING TO LOVE

by Felice Stevens

Released May 2nd, 2016

After ten years away from home, bad boy caterer Gideon Marks has a lot to prove. Getting the holiday catering job at his childhood synagogue is the first step in demonstrating to everyone he didn’t turn out to be the failure they predicted. What he doesn’t count on is Rabbi Jonah Fine, his high school nemesis and secret crush, stirring up old feelings Gideon thought long gone and secrets he’s buried deep for years.

An unexpectedly passionate encounter shocks Gideon, but he pushes Jonah away, convinced he isn’t good enough to be in a relationship and would never be accepted by Jonah’s father. But Jonah hangs tough—he won’t allow Gideon to hide or run away from life again. And when it comes to love, Gideon learns the most important lessons aren’t always taught in school.

I read a shorter version of this book as part of a holiday anthology and loved it, so I was really excited when Felice said she was going to expand on it. I don’t know how it’s possible but she managed to make this story even more beautiful.

Gideon, a dyslexic man who has fought for everything he has in life put himself thru culinary school and returns to New York with his business partner Rico to open “The Garden of Eat-In.” Gideon wants to prove to everyone from his past, including the perfect son of the Rabbi, Jonah that he has made something of himself. Gideon doesn’t count on the sparks flying when he sets eyes on Jonah again after all these years. To make matters worse, Jonah isn’t the arrogant spoiled boy he remembers from his past.

Jonah is determined that Gideon is going to give him a chance, but Gideon is used to keeping everyone at arms length. No one but his business partner knows of his disability and he plans to keep it that way. When Jonah pushes to get closer to Gideon, Gideon pulls away, often with cold, cutting remarks. Jonah quickly realizes that this is Gideon’s only defense against a cruel world he faced alone so he doesn’t give up.

Jonah and Gideon start spending more and more time together and quickly Gideon’s defenses start to crumble. After a date gone horribly wrong Gideon comes clean to Jonah about his disability, thinking that it would be the end of the relationship, but Jonah surprises him. Jonah has been waiting for Gideon for longer than he would dare admit and wasn’t about to let Gideon go for anything.

After a few mis-steps and a health scare with Jonah’s dad, Gideon has to admit to himself and Jonah how much he has come to mean to him. It will take Jonah’s persistence and undying love to convince Gideon that it’s real and that he’s in it for forever.

I love that even though Gideon felt he was weak and less than because of his disability, he never came across that way. He was a strong, confident business owner that wasn’t defined by his disability.

I loved that Jonah loved him with his whole heart regardless of the dyslexia. Seeing a young Gideon through Jonah’s eyes just showed how much and for how long he has loved Gideon.

This book made me feel so much. It’s definitely going on the permanent re-read list.

5 pieces of eye candy

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“How did you know where to find me?”

“I didn’t. But when I went to your apartment and discovered you weren’t home, I thought to myself, ‘Where would a chef be early on Saturday morning?’”

Pleased he’d thought so carefully about me, I bit my lip to keep from smiling, then muttered with my head down, “Lucky guess on your part.”

“I’d like to think so,” said Jonah, his voice as soft as the breeze. My eyes met his, the hurt from our last conversation shimmering bright in their depths, causing a throb within me of a longing I’d never known existed. “Or maybe it was fate.”

He smiled then plucked the paper bag of rugelach out of my clutches, rummaged through it until he found an apricot one, and bit off half.

“Well, if you’re that hungry, I guess you can come home with me, and I’ll make you an omelet,” I grumbled but couldn’t stop the small grin tugging at my lips. “But I planned on browsing a bit more through the market first.”

“I’d like that.” Jonah walked beside me, and we meandered past the stands piled high with colorful peppers and squash. We strolled in silence, but every few steps I’d sneak a glance at him, expecting Jonah to speak. Instead he remained irritatingly, cheerfully silent.

I sampled some hot mulled cider and licked my lips. Spending so much time with Jonah gave me new insight. I’d always thought him superior and judgmental; perhaps I had been wrong in my assessment. He captivated me with the humor in his speech, warmth in his smile, and that unmistakable flare of desire in his eyes. Goddamn it, I wanted him.

I extended the paper cup. “Do you want a sip?” Its heady cinnamon scent remained one of my most favorite things about the fall season. To my shock, instead of answering me, he bent down and kissed me on my lips, lapping at their sticky sweetness. He stepped back, but I put a restraining hand on his wrist.

“What’s going on? Why are you really here?”

The honesty in Jonah’s face took my breath away.

“Do you really have to ask, after the last time?”

My body refused to listen to the war inside my head, kindling a deep need I couldn’t understand. I took a step forward, but unlike me, Jonah didn’t retreat. He stood firm, and I stood close enough to almost touch. Close enough to smell him.

“I’m not who you want; can’t you see that?”

“You don’t have any idea what I see when I look at you, Gideon.”

I wanted to yell back at him, No, you have no idea who I am, but I couldn’t bring myself to ruin the moment. I had no clue who Jonah thought I was, but I wanted to be that man if only to be able to have him always look at me like this. Like I was special. Like I was his. The sun beat hot upon my shoulders, and I held his gaze while contentment poured over me like a warm summer rain.

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is
tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner. My character have to
work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes
love.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children. My day begins with a
lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but
daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful
stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be a little angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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A Mended Man by Jaime Reese: Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

May 3, 2016 by Denise

Title: A Mended Man

Series: The Men of Halfway House #4

Author: Jaime Reese

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 28, 2016
Photographer: wagnerLA Photography
Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Detective Aidan Calloway is rock-solid strong. He’s a man of justice—loyal to his friends, family, and job—even if it requires bending a law…or two. He shields himself behind an abrasive, fearless facade, until a phone call one night chips his armor and throws his perfectly planned, hollow life into a tailspin.

Jessie Vega is the epitome of optimism. His carefully crafted attitude of hope and positivity protects him from a past filled with too much pain. When a ghost from a dark time resurfaces and nearly breaks him, he must tap into his inner strength or risk losing everything he’s worked so hard to build.

But Jessie can’t do it alone. He must fight to break through Aidan’s ironclad defenses to reveal the heart of the man hiding beneath the tough surface and mend his damaged spirit. Only then can they truly heal and become strong enough to battle the demons that haunt them and threaten their chance to finally be together.

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***This book contains scenes and subject matter some readers may find distressing.***

———

Although part of a series, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

A Mended Man, the fourth book in The Men of Halfway House Series is a big departure from the previous books. As I was reading this book, the marriage vows kept repeating in my head “Love is patient. Love is kind.” Truer words could not have been written about Aidan and Jessie. These two showed so much patience, kindness and love for each other throughout the book that it bled through every word, heartbreaking in its intensity, but joyful in all its love.

I’ll admit, Jaime broke my heart in the prologue, making me wonder how I would be able to get through such an emotional book. I should not have doubted her talent for reaching in and healing not just her men, but her readers.

Aidan was the patient protector through part one, allowing no one to hurt Jessie as he waited for him to come back to him, knowing that he was a closed off man, but that Jessie was the only person who could make a dent in his suit of armor. His determination to see Jessie through another particularly rough time in his life was awe-inspiring. Even knowing that he couldn’t give back to Jessie what he wanted to, because of his own haunted past, he steadfastly held on, not letting Jessie’s recovery falter.

This book was more than a slow burn. You could compare this to trying to light a fire by rubbing two sticks together. It took a very long time to get Aidan to let go enough to let Jessie in. Meanwhile Jessie patiently sat back, quietly supporting and encouraging Aidan. He was never concerned about a timeframe for them to come together, only pushing a little when the moment was right, then letting that hump they climbed over be enough until the next time.

Jessie’s never ending supply of patience, and Aidan’s coming to grips with his past merely by determining it was time is what finally brought these met to a place where they could love each other. And they did, fully, accepting each other’s strengths, and when the other was at a low point, being the strength needed to keep moving forward, building what they needed to, together.

This book was long, 145K words according to the author (for reference, 50K is usually considered a full book), and there were times as I was reading it that I couldn’t help but wonder “is this scene necessary, or possibly could it be cut so that the reader doesn’t feel like they are reading for days on end?”. And yet, with every scene that I thought that, I found out later how important that scene was later, realizing that there were no unnecessary scenes. In order to fully experience and understand these two men, the relationship they slowly built together, and how they would be able to heal and mend their past so they could find their future, every scene, every moment was necessary.

Although there was so much pain revealed in this book, Jaime did an amazing job of filling in humor, so that the reader didn’t feel like a heavy weight sat on their chest until the HEA finally made its way into their lives. The humor, whether from Aidan accusing Jessie of being obsessed with balls, or Jessie finding light moments to help lift the dark spirit that enshrouded Aidan, allowed the reader to enjoy their moments together, rather than wondering if the next moment would be another crush to one of their spirits.

If the reader met these two in person, it would be hard not to realize how perfect they were for each other. Aidan, strong, protective, willing to do anything to keep those he loved safe, taking on the burden of others mistakes, in order to allow people to feel freedom themselves. Jessie, strong in his own way, quiet, but not willing to stay silent when it came to the man he loved, allowing the positivity to be the uplifting piece that Aidan needed to not just keep moving forward but to life himself to a new place.

This book will stay with me for a while, heart wrenching as some of the parts were. The all consuming love and support these men had for each other is something we all want to aspire to, and few can achieve.

And the little glimpses of my favorite character in this series, Cole, were epic. I could not have been happier to see his happy fun face. 🙂

I know this book took Jaime a long time to write and get it right. But this book was worth every second of the wait. I saw a little note at the end that said “more coming” in this series, and in a way that makes me happy, and in a way, I want this to be the end. Because how could this love story be topped? I have no doubt this author will be able to do it, as she excels at what she does in many ways. I can’t wait to see what she has ahead for all of these men.

A beautiful 5 pieces of eye candy for this one.

“A beautiful story of love making you whole again!” – Bike Book Reviews

“Heartbreakingly beautiful” – Amazon Customer Review

“As always the wait was worth it and Jaime delivers yet another stunning but very different book.” – Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

“So…where are we going?” Jessie asked, returning the items to the pantry and the refrigerator. He hadn’t expected Aidan to arrive home early, and he definitely hadn’t expected him to announce a dinner excursion, especially not after spending so much time on the couch lately, having far too much fun to want to escape the house.

“Wherever you want to go is fine. You’re always cooking and you stay in the house unless you’ve got an appointment, so I figured a break would be nice. To get out, do something…different. As long as I can pick a steak, I’m fine with any place you want to go.”

“You choose the spot. Surprise me,” Jessie said.

“Okay.”

“So where are we going?”

“Uh, I thought you said to surprise you?”

Jessie bit his lip, trying to disguise the humor at seeing Aidan squirm. He figured Aidan was probably getting a little edgy lately, always giving in and letting Jessie get his way each time. “I need to know what to wear.”

“A suit. Definitely a suit. A dark one. Either the blue one or the charcoal.”

“So it’s a date?” Jessie asked, trying to contain the flutter in his chest. He cherished their time hanging out on the couch or back porch but going out in public together? Definitely one heck of a milestone.

“Uh, okay,” Aidan said with a pinched expression.

“It’s not a date?”

Aidan rubbed the back of his neck. “If you want to do something else too, we can.”

“We don’t have to do anything else. Dinner’s fine.”

“Okay. So it’s not a date?” Aidan said, scratching his stubble.

Jessie hid a grin at Aidan’s confusion. “How about you tell me. Do you want it to be a date?”

“I want to take you out to dinner. I want you to wear a suit, because you look hot as hell in them. If that makes it a date, then cool. It’s a date. But if I have to do something else to make it a date, like a movie or…fuck if I know…a walk on the beach or something. Let me know and we’ll do that too.”

Jessie wrapped his arms around Aidan’s neck. “Where did you get that from?”

“Google.”

“I think you better leave the research to me.” Jessie chuckled.

“As long as you wear your suit.” Aidan snaked his arms around Jessie’s waist and leaned in for a quick kiss.

Jessie nuzzled Aidan’s neck. “And you need to keep your stubble. It’s hot.”

“You like soft balls and hard stubble. I think you’re confused regarding what you want.”

“I know exactly what I want. I want all of you, soft and hard and everything in between.”

Jaime Reese is the alter ego of an artist who loves the creative process of writing, just not about herself. Fiction is far more interesting. She has a weakness for broken, misunderstood heroes and feels everyone deserves a chance at love and life. An avid fan of a happy ending, she believes those endings acquired with a little difficulty are more cherished.

The Men of Halfway House
A Better Man
A Hunted Man
A Restored Man
A Mended Man…More to come…

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