Blog Tours

The Elven King’s Captive by Devon Vesper: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

February 22, 2021 by Denise

An omega elven king finds his alpha. Unfortunately, he’s human.

Casersis Ardal, the former Sun King, is a First Generation elf of over three million years. He meets his match in Dustin Juniper, a twenty-year-old human construction worker.

Dustin has been in charge of his whole life since he was sixteen. But when he meets Casersis, destiny strips all his control away. His body, his heart, his whole world change when he comes into contact with a magical amulet and starts changing species. And falling in love with an ageless elven king makes him question everything.

Casersis has been alone on earth for millennia. Having a burgeoning elf around brings feelings he isn’t comfortable with. But he can’t let Dustin go. If the humans find out Dustin isn’t human, Dustin would become a science experiment. The only option Casersis has is to keep Dustin captive. He must protect Dustin from himself as the young man fights Casersis—and fate—every step of the way.

If they want to be together, Casersis and Dustin must find a way to compromise. Once in a lifetime takes on new meaning when you live forever.

This 73,000-word non-shifter omegaverse novel is set in a world where mpreg (male pregnancy) is a fact of life, however this series does not end with a baby or pregnancy.

Title: The Elven King’s Captive

Series: Fated Elves, Book 1

Author: Devon Vesper

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

My heart pounded as I raced to Dustin’s side. I could not be too late. I would not be too late.

Dustin…

Even with all of my magic pushing me forward, I felt like I was not moving fast enough. I was running out of time. I heard a snarl, the snap of ravenous jaws. The beauty of the forest around me held no allure as I maneuvered around trees, between trunks and through the thick underbrush. Twigs and branches ripped at my hair, at my clothes, scratched my face and hands, but I did not care. Nothing mattered except getting to Dustin in time.

Voices up ahead signaled that I was close. I slowed myself down, not wanting to startle Don, knowing he had his gun with him. If I startled him when he fired, he could hurt Dustin.

Or kill him.

The wind changed direction, and I could smell my beauty’s fear mixed with Don’s. The scent of polished metal mingled, making my stomach roll. I had to make it in time. I had to.

Erastus’s feral growl grew louder. As I rounded another tree, I saw them. Dustin had fallen face-first onto the ground, the side of his face covered in dirt, moldering leaves clinging to his cheek. Erastus stood over him, his front paws in the center of my beauty’s back.

And Don had his gun drawn.

I stopped as suddenly as I had moved, right beside Don. As his finger squeezed the trigger, I shoved his hand up so the bullet went into the air.

Deafening silence fell, and all I could hear were four sets of heartbeats on the breeze, and the gentle rustle of falling leaves.

With a breath, I released Don’s hand and stepped in front of him. “Put your weapon away.”

“Sir?”

I stared Erastus down, looking him directly in his golden eyes. “Put the gun away and head back for the house. Now.”

“But, sir—”

“Do as I say, Don.”

The man sighed and I felt him back up, heard the click as he re-engaged the safety, the slither of metal against leather as he holstered his weapon. With each sound, the tension in my shoulders and back eased.

As I felt his presence recede, I backed up a step, spoke low and with a tone colder than Dustin had ever heard from me, that I had hoped he would never hear from me. “Erastus. Get off of Dustin.”

The wolf snorted and narrowed his eyes at me as if to say, “Make me.”

I’m a mother, furbaby spoiler, and a girl who can’t get enough of pretty, pretty boys. As a kid, I traveled the world, too young to appreciate the gift I was given, but now those adventures spur on stories that my brain just can’t keep up with. Well, my brain tells me it keeps up just fine, but my fingers are the slow ones. I’ll let you decide. But the boys, man. The boys I remember make my heart sizzle looking back on them. Being a kid at nude beaches, I never cared, but looking back on those memories of Sicily, WHEW! There are some really great childhood images that I wish I could have been an adult to savor.Home is some place I call “rustic”. I’m used to large cities, stores everywhere, gas stations on every corner. Here in rural Pennsylvania, it’s rustic and beautiful. And quiet. Too quiet. With all this quiet, all there is to do is write stories, and let the hot men in my head out to play. We all benefit, yes? I like this development. The only thing I dislike about this rusticness is the fact I can’t find a coffee shop that sells a proper chai latte. They make it from powder. Ew. This makes for a disgruntled Dev. Ugh. I miss my chai.

Most of all, I am a down-to-earth southern girl at heart from spending 16 years in Florida. If you chat with me, you’ll hear endearments like darlin’, sweetheart, and hon/hun/hunnie. It’s who I am, and if we chat, you’re almost instantly family, so get used to it.

Connect with Devon:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDevonVesper/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/devonsdreamersden
https://www.instagram.com/devonvesper/
https://twitter.com/DevonVesper
https://www.pinterest.com/devonvesper
https://www.amazon.com/Devon-Vesper/e/B072KBRC51
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/devon-vesper

To celebrate the release of The Elven King’s Captive, Devon is giving away a $5 Amazon Gift Card & an e-copy of The Elven King’s Captive!

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Right As Raine (Aster Valley, Book 1) by Lucy Lennox: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

February 3, 2021 by Denise

Tiller:

As the first openly gay professional football player, I can’t afford to make any mistakes, on or off the field. And the absolute biggest mistake I could make right now would be to fall for Mikey Vining, my best friend, employee and, more importantly, Coach’s baby boy. I might fantasize about Mikey at night-—every night—but actually touching him would be a serious personal foul.

And falling for him? That’s completely out of bounds.

Mikey:

I’ve learned my lesson about falling for one of my dad’s players. They’re a bunch of spoiled jocks with more muscles than brains. I’ve spent years learning to keep my eyes, and my hands, to myself. But resisting the temptation becomes nearly impossible when Tiller Raine and I end up together in a small cabin in a remote Colorado town.

Suddenly, there’s not much to do but look at each other. And talk. And hopefully, hopefully touch.

But what happens when our stay in Aster Valley is over and it’s time to return to the real world? Will Coach blow the whistle on our relationship? Or will Tiller admit there might actually be something he loves more than football after all?

Right As Raine

Aster Valley, Book 1

By Lucy Lennox

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

When we got to the check-in counter at the airport, I split off to go to the regular people’s line while Tiller headed for the first-class one. It took him a second to realize I was no longer behind him, but when he did, he hissed at me loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Get over here, you moron.”

I dutifully followed, knowing from years of experience how this was going to play out.

“I can’t fucking believe you did this again,” he snapped under his breath.

“You cuss like my dad,” I muttered. “And you know how I feel about spending your money.”

When it was our turn at the counter, Mr. NFL Superstar turned on his charm and laid down his celebrity card. “Hi…” He squinted at the woman’s name tag. “Nessa. How are you this morning?”

She blushed right on cue and fluttered her fake eyelashes. “I’m doing great, thanks! How can I help you today, Mr. Raine?”

He put his hand on top of my head and turned me to face Nessa. “My assistant here made a mistake when he booked our reservations, and I need to upgrade him to first class to sit with me, please. We have some work to do, and I don’t want to waste our time in the air.”

It was bullshit, of course. He just preferred sitting next to someone who wouldn’t pester him about his job, the team, stats, and insider information. When I was his seatmate, he had a buffer between him and the oftentimes rabid Rigger fandom. It didn’t hurt that I was so much smaller than he was and he wouldn’t have any issues fitting his giant shoulders and legs into the space between our seats. First-class seats were big, but not NFLer big.

She clicked on her keyboard and sighed, huffed, and scraped her upper lip with her bottom teeth before finally letting out an ah-ha noise. “Got it. Gimme just one… there. I’ll print these new boarding passes out for you and get your bags checked in.”

When Tiller tried handing over his credit card, she blushed again and pushed his hand away, her own hand lingering on his. I turned around so I could roll my eyes without being rude to her face. The businessman behind us in line caught my eye.

“Is that Tiller Raine?” he whispered.

I shook my head. “Bobby Simplethorn. You probably know him from that hemorrhoid commercial.”

The man looked at me in total confusion. “What?”

I sang a little jingle. “Nothing softens bottom thorns quite like Simplethorn… No? You don’t know it? Huh. Bobby here is the CEO. That miracle cream is his baby. I can introduce you if you want?”

The man winced. “Uh, no. That’s okay. Thanks, though.”

I shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

When I turned back to face the lady at the counter, I found both her and Tiller staring at me. Nessa turned to look at Tiller with a raised brow.

“No,” he said before she could ask. “The closest I’ve come to hemorrhoids is dealing with this pain in my ass.” He thumbed at me over his shoulder. “And now I’m regretting the seat change.”

In the beginning of January, a lot- and I mean A LOT- of authors were part of a big winter giveaway. Lucy Lennox was a part of it and her contribution was a short novella called Winter Waites. Set in Aster Valley, Colorado, it featured an occupational therapist and a famous musician.

Now we officially have book 1 of the Aster Valley series. Mikey, the 5th son of a college football coach who is the complete and utter opposite of his 4 burly brothers who played sports. Oh, and he is gay. Not in the closet either, which was nice to see.

Tiller is a hot shot player on Coach’s pro team the Riggers. Problem is, Tiller really doesn’t know how to fuel his body with the right foods. Oh guess what? Tiller is also gay and out. WHEE! Don’t worry- they will hide their relationship for different reasons.

Mikey is hired temporarily as Tiller’s personal cook and dietician. Temporary turns into over five years. And when I say that, I mean there was a 5 year time jump in the book. Which is kind of cool knowing that both of these guys were crushing on each other and doing everything they could to stay away from each other. AND neither knew. HA!

Until Tiller is hurt and since he can’t play, Coach sends him off to Colorado to visit his family. Coach just doesn’t know that Mikey went along.

So Tiller and Mikey alone in a cabin- ok, cabin is a BIG stretch- in the winter with no one else around…let’s just say they finally started acting on their feelings.

What follows is an introduction to the adorable former ski resort town of Aster Valley and a few of the citizens- including who we met in Winter Waites. It is easy to fall in love with the town- and Mikey does. Mikey and Tiller start facing some facts as well. Tiller doesn’t NEED Mikey any longer. Mikey isn’t following his dream- instead he stuck with what was comfortable. But the bigger question- could Mikey leave Tiller in Texas to chase his dream in Colorado?

Mikey’s family and they way they treated him just broke my heart. His mother was just the stereotypical 50’s housewife who just deferred everything to the husband. I wanted to smack her. She was so completely clueless. Ugh.

Anyway. Mikey and Tiller were awesome together. I ADORE that they basically lived together for 5 years before anything happened. There were some really fun characters we met in Aster Valley that I can’t wait to get more of. This is definitely a series I will follow. I hope it is more than 2 or 3 books.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

After enjoying creative writing as a child, Lucy didn’t write her first novel until she was over 40 years old. Her debut novel, Borrowing Blue, was published in the autumn of 2016. Lucy has an English Literature degree from Vanderbilt University, but that doesn’t hold a candle to the years and years of staying up all night reading tantalizing novels on her own. She has three children, plays tennis, and hates folding laundry. While her husband is no shmoopy romance hero, he is very good at math, cooks a mean lasagne, has gorgeous eyes, looks hot in his business clothes, and makes her laugh every single day.

Lucy hopes you enjoy sexy heroes as much as she does. Happy reading!

To celebrate Lucy’s upcoming release, we are giving away 2 e-copies of Right As Raine!

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Limits and Stakes by Jacqueline Grey: Exclusive Author Guest Post and Excerpt

December 31, 2020 by Denise

Professor Danny Stone doesn’t date students. Though the university does not forbid such relationships, he’d rather be safe than sorry, but with his sparkling blue eyes and silky blond hair, Christopher Owen is a temptation begging him to break the rules. He already bent them when he kissed Chris over winter break.

Spring break will be different. Danny’s plan is to spend the week at a BDSM club a few towns over. Playing with a sub or two who have no connection to his university will do him a world of good, and he can put Chris out of his mind.

But when the first sub that catches his eye turns out to be Christopher, Danny’s willpower is put to the ultimate test. Chris is brand new to the scene and feels safest with Danny. Will Danny be able to introduce him to the wonders of BDSM without crossing too many lines? Or will fate pull them together and show them sometimes rules are destined to be broken?

Title: Limits and Stakes

Series: Suit of Harte’s, Book Three

Author: Jacqueline Grey

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 12/21/2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 32500

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, BDSM, Gay, Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Exhibitionism, Bondage, Sensation Play, Professor/Student

Amazon

Nine Star Press

I am so happy to be here.

Today I thought I’d talk a little about memorable kisses. When working on Limits and Stakes, there was one scene that stuck in my mind. It’s not even a scene, really, it’s a memory of Chris and Daniel’s first kiss:

Reading this paragraph made me thing of some of the memorable kisses in my life. Somehow, they always seem to be first kisses. My first kiss ever (with one of the sweetest boys I’ve known), my first kiss with a girl (she was either drunk or high and it wasn’t the best, but I won’t forget it), my first kiss with my best friend in high school (she was HOT and knew how to kiss)…

I did a lot of kissing in high school. In college too, but those seem to be less memorable. After college my most memorable kiss was the one I waited seven years for. I thought he was hot since the moment I met him and whenever we’d see each other we would flirt so intensely people thought we’d started sleeping together the first day we met. After a few years he became one of my best friends, but although we were close and attracted to each other, we never crossed the line. Until one day, seven years later, we were sitting on the balcony of his hotel room at an anime convention. He was dressed in a suit with a tie (I have no idea what I was wearing). Everyone else was inside the room, and I just couldn’t get over how hot he looked. We were flirting and teasing each other, and I kept playing with his tie. Eventually I decided to give in to the attraction. We ended up making out on the balcony for a long time, and it had been totally worth the wait.

So, do you have special kisses you remember?

It was spring break, and Daniel Stone was enjoying a full week of student-free days. Dressed head-to-toe in tight black leather and itching to play, Daniel entered the Lock & Key. The club wasn’t as big as the one he’d been a member of before moving to Georgia, and membership wasn’t as exclusive, but it was well-recommended, and the staff kept an eye out for the patrons. Most of the members seemed to be well-versed in the lifestyle as well, enough to give him the confidence that, if he were to play with someone, they would at least know what they were doing or say something if they didn’t.

The club was a sufficient distance from where he worked, so he didn’t have to worry about being spotted as a familiar face outside of the scene. A BDSM club in a college town was not where a professor wanted to be found, no matter how liberal the residents claimed to be. A five-hour drive and the expense of a hotel room for the week was a worthy price for freedom.

He ordered a bottle of water and scanned the crowd for potential company. A small group of men caught his eye. Two of the three he disregarded immediately, but the third, a lean blond in the skimpiest pair of leather shorts he’d ever seen, held his attention. He was unable to tear his gaze from all that pale skin or the way the leather hugged his perfectly round bottom.

The boy was obviously new to the scene. There was uncertainty in his movements, but he was doing his best to keep up the conversation. Daniel had full confidence the young man would succeed. Anyone brave enough to go out in public in shorts like those could hold a simple conversation.

When the group moved toward the bar, Daniel finally saw the young man’s face. He froze in surprise. Of the students crowding Georgia State University campus, he now faced the one he’d wanted to avoid the most, the one he wanted to forget. Against his better judgment, he intercepted the group.

“Chris,” he said.

Chris Owen looked up at him, startled. His eyes widened in recognition, and his mouth fell open.

“Pr—” He stopped himself just in time. “Mr. Stone.”

Relief flooded through Daniel. He preferred to keep his daily life separate from the club and was glad it would remain that way.

“You know this kid?” asked one of the men. He stood too close to Chris for Daniel’s liking.

“Yes.” Daniel resisted the impulse to claim anything more. He had no right to claim anything, but his instincts wouldn’t let him back down completely. “My apologies for the interruption. I wasn’t aware Chris planned to be here today.”

The stranger scrutinized the young man, paying particular attention to his neck. “He’s not marked.”

“I’m instructing him,” Daniel said. Well, he had been. For half a semester, he’d tutored Chris in advanced calc, but that had changed after winter break. Either way, the details didn’t apply here. He clutched at straws with half-truths, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to know why Chris was there and what he had in mind. He wanted to keep the boy safe.

He wanted to keep him.

No. He’s a student. You promised him two months ago nothing would happen between the two of you, and now you’re trying to put a collar on him? Get a grip, Stone!

“Of course, he’s free to choose who he goes with,” Daniel added, attempting to pull himself out of the hole he’d been digging.

The other man looked at Chris expectantly. Chris flickered his eyes back and forth between them, seemingly lost on how to answer. Daniel put a hand on his shoulder.

“You can continue to the bar as you were, or you can take a tour of the club with me. Which do you want to do? There is no wrong choice.”

“I…” Chris’s gaze locked on Daniel’s. “I…” He swallowed. “I want to go with you.”

There was a tsk from behind Chris, but Daniel ignored it. He also did his best to ignore the sense of triumph running through him.

“Follow me,” he said and headed toward the bar.

“I thought we were going for a tour.”

“One step at a time, boy.” Daniel ordered another water, then scanned the room for somewhere to sit. When the bartender put the drink on the counter, Daniel left it for Chris to pick up and led the way toward the table he’d found. He was glad to hear the crinkle of plastic as Chris followed. The seating he’d chosen had a semblance of privacy. Daniel took the chair against the wall and gestured for Chris to take the other.

“Now, I take it this is what you meant about trying new things over spring break?” he asked.

The boy flushed red. “I… Yes. I’ve always wanted to come here and finally worked up the courage to do it.”

“You did more than that.” Daniel dropped a pointed glance in the direction of Chris’s shorts.

The color in Chris’s face deepened. “You’re not gonna tell anyone, are you?”

“I believe a person’s private life is their own business.”

“Thanks.”

Daniel took a sip of his water. After a moment, Chris did the same. Daniel caught himself staring when Chris licked his lips. He’d kissed that mouth.

The small details of that moment were forever embedded in his mind. One evening during winter break, they’d come across each other outside the math building on campus. He couldn’t recall why they’d lingered. All he remembered was huddling in his coat against the winter chill and then not caring about the weather as he became entranced by the puffs of air dancing between them as they spoke, the rosy color on Chris’s cheeks, and the sparkle in his clear blue eyes. There had been silence all around them when the conversation had hit a lull and a pull, an irresistible urge that had driven him to kiss a student. Granted, Chris was a grad student and not in any of Daniel’s classes, but Daniel had been his tutor at the time. Even if he hadn’t, Chris was still a student at the college where Daniel worked, and that wasn’t something Daniel was comfortable with. Recklessness led to trouble, and so he’d pulled away. Yet here was that face again, looking at him so openly as if the kiss had never happened and Daniel hadn’t ruined an innocent student-teacher relationship.

He mentally shook himself from his reverie. “Did you have anything in mind when you came here tonight, or was getting through the door the main goal?”

Chris’s blush deepened. “That seemed to be a big enough goal to start with.”

“Now that you’ve accomplished it, what do you plan to do next?”

Jacqueline Grey currently lives on an island on the east coast of the United States. She spends her time outside her day job juggling her many interests which include reading, writing and drinking tea. She loves M/M romance, usually focusing on stories that include BDSM themes to one degree or another.

Jacqueline has always been driven by characters. She loves a good plot, but it’s the characters that pull her into a story. She loves romance and believes everyone has a right to be happy. She enjoys seeing her characters find that happiness for themselves.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

http://jacquelinegrey.com/

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On the Run (A Whispering Key Novel) by May Archer: Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

December 16, 2020 by Denise

I was supposed to be partying with a bunch of celebrities in paradise this week, okay?

But then I made one teeny, tiny error in judgement before leaving New York, and suddenly the paparazzi expected me to give a command performance as “the other man” in their straight celebrity “outing” of the week.

Um, no, precious. So much no.

Instead, I did what any self-respecting, secret-keeping man would do in that situation: I cancelled my trip and fled New York to hide out in the last place anyone would look for me–a weird little Florida island where nothing exciting ever happened.

Or at least it didn’t… until I arrived.

Now I find myself shacked up with my fake boyfriend Beale Goodman, Whispering Key’s most adorable, most enormous, most virginal cinnamon roll—a guy who rescues feral cats, believes in soulmates, and talks about happiness like it’s free for the taking.

A guy who nearly convinces me, with every smile and kiss, that it is.

Stranger still? I find myself falling for the people on the island. Fitting in, instead of sticking out. Making, you know… friends. And for the first time ever, I think I’ve found something I want to run to, rather than from…

As long as I can keep my secrets from catching up with me.

On The Run (Whispering Key, Book 2) by May Archer

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

“I know what I want to do with you today.”

Toby, who was picking up our assorted clothes from the corner of the guest bedroom, paused to give me a flirtatious grin. “Oh, really? You ready to go again already, Goodman?”

I snorted. God, he made me happy.

“Not that.” Although, you know, these days I was always down for that. I had zero hesitation when Toby was involved. “I meant an activity where you can work on your tan.”

We’d been so busy for the last couple of days, what with trivia, and town meetings, and me taking a couple of shifts running Goodmen Outfitters’ tour boat around the island, and Toby being the unofficial social events coordinator for Whispering Key, Toby had joked the night before that he was the only person in the world who’d leave Florida paler than he’d arrived.

Meanwhile, I’d started thinking maybe I didn’t want him to leave at all.

He straightened, narrowed his eyes, and set his hands on his hips. “What kind of activity?”

“I…” Somewhere around Monday, he’d developed a line of freckles across his nose that were the cutest, most distracting thing ever. I wanted to boop them with my fingertip. I also knew better than to mention this on pain of death.

“You, what?” he demanded. “Finish the thought, Goodman.”

His scowl made me grin. “So suspicious.”

Toby went back to gathering up clothes. “Wonder why. Possibly because we’ve already re-enacted Titanic? Or because we were nearly stranded on a deserted island? Or because you fed me vegan seitan hotdogs yesterday and claimed it was an accident? Or—?”

I laughed out loud. “We absolutely were not stranded, you enjoyed the seitan before you knew what it was, and nothing has tried to murder you in hours and hours.I’m starting to think you enjoy being almost-murdered, Toby.”

“Nonsense. I do not have a murder fetish, thank you very much, and I am the perfect amount of suspicious.”

Another May Archer winner for me.

Poor Toby…talk about a bad day, which only got worse, before it got even worse. Honestly, though, he presented himself as someone who couldn’t deal with all the “icky” stuff that was dumped on him all throughout the book, but he did. He handled it all as well as a man who’d transplanted himself from Ohio because his family didn’t want anything to do with him.

Meanwhile, Beale was the sweetest 28 year old virgin you’d ever meet. All he wanted was to find what and who he was meant to be, and the soul mate that his mother taught him to wait for. He took a lot of ribbing from the people on the Key, and just let it all go, because he knew in his heart he was right to wait and let the Universe tell him what was next.

Complete opposites, but they fit like two pieces of a puzzle. I also loved how Toby, without really meaning to, ended up getting involved in the local “scene” on the Key, but was Beale’s champion.

Lots of snark, fun, and some sweet and sexy times. All the antics that’s are a fun and funny May Archer book. Mostly stand alone, although there were parts where I felt like a little more explanation could have been given for the unaware reader.

4 pieces of eye candy

May is an M/M author who lives in Boston. She spends her days raising three incredibly sarcastic children, finding inventive ways to drive her husband crazy, planning beach vacations, avoiding the gym, reading M/M romance, and occasionally writing it. She also writes MF romance as Maisy Archer.

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It’s Not You by Becca Seymour: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

December 15, 2020 by Denise

When a protective ex-cop helps his gorgeous tenant through his recovery, their complicated history is asking for trouble. Will the fear of the past repeating itself destroy any possibility of happiness?

Daredevil drifter Lawrence Crawford is hunting for a place to call home. After ten years of looking, he believes he’s found what he’s been searching for. With a job that pays the bills and a small group of friends he’s opening up to, he lets down his guard. Perhaps too much so. Finding himself in need of support, Lawrence is forced to accept help from the one man who’s been driving him to distraction for the past year. His landlord.

Former cop Billy Hilton made a mistake—admittedly there’ve been many over the years. The latest is when he lets Lawrence believe he isn’t interested in pursuing anything with him. It’s not even the age difference or the fact the guy lives in Billy’s studio apartment that’s the problem. Instead, it’s all him. When Billy offers to play nursemaid to Lawrence, his intentions may not be pure, but they’re honest. And that honesty blows their lives wide open when Lawrence’s past comes knocking on the door, demanding changes and threatening an upheaval neither man may ever recover from.

Book five in Becca Seymour’s stand-alone low-angst, feel-good LGBTQ series, True-blue. In this small town, there are busybodies, dogs who cause chaos, families who have the “best” of timing, and opportunities for good men to find their perfect match.

It’s Not You by Becca Seymour

True Blue, Book 6

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

I flicked a quick glance behind me, rewarded immediately by Lawrence’s attention on my ass, his bottom lip clamped between his teeth. Immediately I turned away, thankful as hell that that look from him was enough to prevent my self-loathing from bubbling to the surface.

Finishing up, I double-checked the tightness of the fitting, then eased back. Standing, I turned and said, “You did a great job fixing this up. Thanks.”

The smile he offered was tentative, shy, and sweet as hell. “It’s all good,” he answered with a shrug. “You want to get me the sealant and I’ll get it—”

“No, it’s cool. I’ll do it.” The slow trail my gaze made down his body was deliberate as I said, “Aren’t you off for a run?” I’d already spotted his skateboard near the front door when I’d entered. And if he wasn’t on the death trap of a board, he was off running.

Lawrence shifted a little, the pink in his cheeks returning. The color looked too good there for me to feel guilty for pushing him into a reaction. My bastard status was strong. I knew this, but I needed a reaction from the guy. Only then could I start figuring out the way to make this right.

An apology had already happened.

He’d accepted it graciously, but his hurt had remained palpable. I’d definitely apologize again, but I needed to do more.

“Yeah. Just a short one. Only going to do five miles today.”

I nodded, a little envious that five miles were so easy for him. He had youth and fitness on his side. My leg had never quite recovered, my knee especially giving me a problem. At times I felt like a crusty old fart. And with winter doing a number on me, making me ache and limp, I felt that way even more in the colder months.

“I can do this while you’re out, if that’s okay?” We stepped into the open living space, and I looked around, noticing a few chips of paint and that the place wasn’t looking its best.

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Looks like this place could do with a fresh coat of paint too,” I added, feeling bad that the place was looking a bit shabby.

“Oh.” Lawrence shrugged. “I don’t mind. It’s dry and comfortable. Plus the air conditioning works,” he said, his smile this time fuller and genuine.

“Well, that’s good at least, but I do want to get a lick of paint on the walls.” I paused, eyes roaming the place, giving my mind time to percolate on the idea that was forming. I internally grimaced at the plan… the playing of games, but spending time with the guy, giving him the chance to see I wasn’t always an asshole, was the only possible way forward.

Before I’d ruined everything, our friendship had been growing. We’d shared more than a few beers and meals together. And while I knew he had a birthmark on his right hip, which I’d lavished attention on, I didn’t know the deep stuff. I didn’t even know if he had family, as he guarded some parts of his past closely. And that was all on me.

I wanted to know the guy.

Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

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First (99 Daddies Book 1) by Casey Cox: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

December 2, 2020 by Denise

First: (adverb)
a: before another in time, space, or importance.
b: for the first time.
See also: Stirling “First-Time Daddy” Bishop.

A boy who can’t find what he wants.
A Daddy who doesn’t know what he needs.

With his big blue eyes, lean frame, and propensity for adorkable clumsiness, Mikey Harrison is a Daddy magnet…for the wrong type of Daddy. Those who mistake his desire to serve as an open invitation to mistreat him and abuse his trust.

But all of that changes when he lays his eyes on Stirling Bishop. Sure, the strong, silent (and irresistibly sexy) type ticks all of his boxes, but it’s the tenderness underlying Stirling’s strength that makes him achingly irresistible.

For Mikey, it’s insta-love.
For Stirling, it’s insta-huh?

Despite looking like he was put on this earth to be the Daddy of every boy’s dreams, the thought of dating a younger guy has never even crossed Stirling’s mind, much less the idea of being a Daddy.

But there’s no denying that Mikey awakens something deep within him—the desire to dominate, the need to care. It’s been dormant, yet bubbling under the surface within him for his entire life.

Can Mikey help Stirling find the strength he needs to be the Daddy he was meant to be…and become the Daddy of Mikey’s dreams?

FIRST
First is a Daddy/boy, May-December gay romance featuring a strong, silent, first-time Daddy, and an eager boy who can show him the way. Come along for the ride and enjoy some crazy/sexy/cool shenanigans including: impromptu foot rubs, naked butlers, a crew of sassy friends, lots of LOLs, and all the feels on the way to a heartwarming HEA.

First is the first book in the 99 Daddies series. Each book in the series will contain overlapping characters and storylines, so you may enjoy them more by reading them in order.

99 DADDIES
99 Daddies is a hilarious, entertaining, and heartwarming Daddy/boy, May-December MM romance series.

Escape to Daylesford, the (fictional) Daddy capital of America. If you love steamy and complex Daddy/boy dynamics, May-December gay romances with a twist, sweet and sassy MM age-gap romances, and chasing those guaranteed HEAs, you’ll love it here.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

He closed his eyes. I loved seeing his massive chest rise and fall with every breath in and out. We didn’t need words. There was something happening here, something between us that defied logic and sense, but it was as real as the floor I was sitting on.

Did he feel it too? What was going on inside of him? I could feel his whole body starting to loosen, to relax under my firm touch. As I looked up at him, I could see his jaw unclench and his face start to soften.

He had to be feeling this too. It couldn’t just be me, could it, imagining something that I wanted so badly? Seeing only what I wanted to see?

Oh fuck, it probably was. I always did this. I always let my imagination and my desires run away with me, pulling me toward what I hoped for and wanted, while choosing not to see what was actually right in front of me. I’d done it with Brian before, was I doing it again with Stirling now?

I sighed loudly, which made him open his eyes. He looked around as if he had just woken up and wasn’t entirely sure where he was. He was so freaking sexy I couldn’t handle it. I smiled up at him.

“What you’re doing feels so good, Mikey,” he said, looking straight at me.

Hearing him say my name for the first time made my heart do cartwheels of joy.

“Good,” I said, looking straight back. “I’m happy to keep going for as long—”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Steel’s voice cut in.

He was standing beside me. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of judgement in his voice or in the look that he gave me. And trust me, I knew a thing or two about being judged.

“We need to go, Stirling. I just saw a cake being wheeled out. Sorry.” He looked at me when he apologized.

“It’s fine,” I said, releasing Stirling’s feet gently. “You are the birthday boy, after all. You’re kind of needed for that whole cake thing.” I said as I stood up.

“Yeah, that’s usually how these things work,” he said with an apologetic smile, as Stirling started to put his socks and shoes back on. Slowly, of course.

Once he was done, he stood up in front of me. He was a good four inches taller than me, which I really liked for some reason.

“Uh, thanks,” he said. He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but then quickly snapped it shut.

“You’re…welcome.” It was all I could think of to say as Steel grabbed Stirling by his arm and the two men began to walk away from us.

Nick stood next to me as we watched them make their way across the room, rejoining their friends and turning their attention to a massive chocolate cake filled with candles, that was being brought out by two naked butlers.

“Now those are some seriously sexy Daddies.”

Nick’s words hung heavily in the air between us.

“Uh huh.”

It was all I could manage.

“So,” Nick said as he placed his hand firmly on my shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. “That whole I’m-over-men thing, then?”

I didn’t even have to turn my head. From the corner of my eye, I could see the shit-eating grin stretching across his face.

“Yeah, totally over that.” My eyes were fixed on Stirling, following his every movement. “I am one hundred percent back into men.”

Okay, so… I have a thing for hot dads. It’s no secret, not to those who know me, and especially not to those who follow my reviews. In saying that, this one, in my definition, is not a Daddy/boy book.

I mean, sure, they toss it out there every once in a while, but the lifestyle and mechanics behind such a trope. No. It was hard to keep my interest after I figured that out.

So, in the beginning, Mikey and his best friend since high school, Nick, are naked waiters… which somehow gets them into being naked furniture, which somehow morphs into being human footstools, which I didn’t like. I mean, you could ask first, couldn’t you? Don’t just take off your socks and put your clammy feet on my naked back, ew… but, it’s where Mikey meets Stirling…

Now, Stirling is fresh out of a relationship where his husband not only cheated but then took him for half of everything and still blamed him. So, he’s jaded, if only a bit.
He’s a first time ‘Daddy’, which is no surprise, and he really doesn’t know what he wants at first, though it doesn’t take him long to realize that what he wants is Mikey… and Mikey, he’s a little too much at times for me, but he’s funny and clumsy and his brain to mouth filter is a bit delayed, but he’s a loveable type. I did like the pair of them together.

Of course, it isn’t all cute and sweet and getting to know one another, there are a few bumps in the road that I would love to rant about for a while, but as I’ve recently been told that my ranting is mostly all spoilers, I’ve tried to tone it down a bit…. I will say that you will NOT like any of the exes in this book, and that’s putting it lightly. (especially from me)

Overall though, if you like a couple of cute guys who find love in each other after heartbreak, some really good friends, and some very very very very light Daddy kink… you’ll likely enjoy this one.
Especially if you’re a sucker for a good HEA.

3.5 Pieces of Eye Candy

Casey Cox is devoted to delighting readers with sassy, sweet and sometimes steamy MM gay romance tales of gorgeous, good-hearted and complex men chasing that thing we all love: a guaranteed HEA.

Casey’s writing has an escapist, wanderlust quality to it because, let’s face it, these days there are plenty of reasons to run from reality.

Casey lives on the east coast of Australia, loves the beach and is a proud paw-parent to two utterly adorable French Bulldogs named Ralphie and Lilly.

Connect with Casey:
Website: https://caseycoxbooks.com/
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BookBub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casey.cox
Email: caseycoxbooks@gmail.com
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