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Secret Admirer by DJ Jamison: RB, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

by

You deserve all the kisses you want …

Benji,

I just want you to know how amazing you are. You won’t believe me, because I’m just your brother’s best friend. But everything I feel is undeniable.

A few anonymous love tokens change everything, though. I finally have an outlet for all the things I can’t say, and with each gift and note, you smile. For me. Not your brother’s friend, but something new. Something more. Something that will change everything if we can both find the courage to believe.

All I have to do is confess who I really am:

Your Secret Admirer

Book Title:  Secret Admirer

Author: DJ Jamison

Publisher: DJ Jamison

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood

Release Date: June 25, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s:  Brother’s Best Friend, Secret Admirer

Themes: Bisexual awakening, friends to lovers themes

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length:  59 000 words

It is a standalone story.

Goodreads

Amazon US

Amazon UK 

ACE

“Is my brother a deal-breaker?” he asked.

I sucked in my bottom lip, feeling torn. I wanted him like crazy. I’d had plenty of time to feel attraction for guys, to get a bit curious and wonder… and my body was fully down to fuck, regardless of the fact I’d never been with a guy. But fucking Benji was a big deal. Jeremy expected me to protect his virtue, not throw him on the bed and ravish him.

“Ace?”

I let out an unsteady breath. “He should be. But fuck, Benji, I really like you.”

“You can never lie to me again.”

“I won’t.”

“And you’ll let me handle my brother,” he said.

I parted my lips to object, but he was full of fire — not anger this time, but something else, something more enticing — and I couldn’t find the words. He must have seen the answer in my eyes. He tilted forward, and I met him for a long overdue kiss.

He was sweet, both tentative and eager as his lips parted under mine. Despite leading our conversation, he let me take over as soon as our mouths connected. I savored the soft feel of his lips, the hitch in his breathing as my tongue met his, the small sound of surrender as the kiss deepened.

“Whoa,” he said, voice filled with wonder, when I pulled back for a breath. His green eyes were bright, his cheeks rosy with a blush. He was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

“Yeah?” I murmured, feeling a bit of my old ego restored at his reaction. “Just wait.”

I took his mouth again, and this time he met me with more confidence, pushing his tongue against mine, clutching at my shoulders.

The kiss grew wet and desperate.

I grabbed his head, holding him in place to better devour him, and he pushed his hands under my shirt, feeling up my stomach to my chest. When his fingers grazed my nipples, I shivered. When he raked his nails over my abs, I moaned and thrust my hips against his. I felt his hardness behind his zipper.

Fuck yes.

It sent a thrill through me. He wanted me, and I didn’t have to question it. He was hard, just like me. Male, just like me. It was strangely erotic, knowing he was aching in exactly the same way I was.

I pushed him onto the bed, loving the feel of him pinned under me. When we needed air, I moved my lips to the creamy skin of his neck. God, I loved his skin, so fucking pale and soft.

His fingers were tangled in my hair, holding me against him, as he thrust his hips up. I could feel his cock jabbing my stomach, and I didn’t care one fucking bit. I thought maybe I’d be weirded out, like maybe I’d need to adjust to having a guy under me instead of a girl, but it didn’t matter.

Benji felt right; he felt fucking great.

I really haven’t read anything by this author, so thought that this would be a cute one to pick up. I was right! This one definitely hits you with all the sweetness you want in a story.

Benji, a shy introverted artist who’s just trying to get through college, after his brother went off in the other direction to finish his college years, was such a sweet guy. He’d had a crush on Ace since he was little, and once they were at the same college, that crush reared itself again, making it awkward for Benji.

Meanwhile, Ace had some things to deal with himself. He finds himself just wanting to make Benji happy, despite never having had feelings for a guy…or perhaps just always having had some feelings for Benji. He was awkward himself, as he’d always thought he was straight, and had some issues with how he grew up. But in the end, he was just purely an all around nice guy, wanting to make something good happen in someone he cared about’s life.

These guys had a lot of differences, so seeing that they wanted each other based on more than their looks and their past experiences was a little tough to swallow at first. However, they did offset each other nicely as they moved along. Sweetness, light, gooey love.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

DJ Jamison is the author of more than twenty m/m romances. She writes a variety of queer characters, from gay to bisexual to asexual. DJ grew up in the Midwest in a working-class family, and those influences can be found in her writing through characters coping with real-life problems: money troubles, workplace drama, family conflicts and, of course, falling in love. DJ spent more than a decade in the newspaper industry before chasing her first dream to write fiction. She spent a lifetime reading before that and continues to avidly devour her fellow authors’ books each night. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, one snake, and a sadistic cat named Birdie.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook  |  Facebook Group  |   Twitter: @dj_jamison_ 

Instagram  |   Newsletter Sign-up  |   KoFi for bonus content

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Screens Apart by Charlie Novak: Exclusive Book Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

Simon has one secret and two problems.

The secret? An anonymous blog featuring satin and lace.

The problems? Two crushes. One on his gorgeous, charming roommate, Taylor. And another on his charismatic online admirer, Mr. Smith.

When Taylor suggests they start hooking up, Simon is more than happy to agree, even if it means putting a lid on his feelings. After all, no-strings fun is better than nothing at all, right?

Except Simon’s not sure that lid will stay shut, especially when he starts to fall in love. But with Mr Smith in the same situation, advice is in short supply.

And there’s no chance Taylor and Smith are the same person… is there?

Screens Apart is a 55,000-word comedy of errors featuring panties, pining, and two men falling in love, complete with plenty of heat and fluffy feels. Originally released as a serial, this is the full collection with a new bonus epilogue. It contains no love-triangle and no cheating.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Taylor

I looked at the row of shops, reading the neat signage and examining the window displays, until one on the end caught my eye. The frontage was dark red, with elegant white lettering that read Desires, but it was the display in the window that made me stop and stare.

In it was a beautiful array of lingerie from delicate, sweet lace, to silk, to pieces that were darker and more seductive. They were all exquisite, and all I could think about was how incredible Simon would look in each and every one of them.

My dick throbbed as my imagination ran wild. I pictured Simon spread out on my bed, wrapped in sweet, pink-and-white lace while he begged me to fuck him. Whimpering as I teased him, edging him for hours until I finally gave him what he needed.

Then the picture melted into one of Simon in sheer black panties, wet with precum, with a dark corset-style garter belt wrapped around his waist, straps stretching over his thighs, holding up silken stockings as I bent him over the bed, using him over and over until we were both spent.

I’d joked about buying cheap panties to rip off him, but I couldn’t deny I’d thought about spoiling him with beautiful lingerie as well. Simon had said good underwear was expensive, and since he’d bought his entire collection himself, I thought he deserved to feel spoilt. He was still so unsure, even when I told him how sexy he was. For once, I wanted him to feel the way I felt whenever I looked at him.

I swallowed hard, trying desperately to think unsexy thoughts as I stepped up to the door and pushed it open, hearing a little bell ringing somewhere.

I could already tell this was going to be expensive, but somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to care.

So, this new release was originally a newsletter serial that the author decided to put into an ebook format. Sometimes those can be iffy, but not in this case. The author did leave it in the original format, so the chapters are quite long. And the author threw in a little bonus content to make it even sweeter. 🙂

Simon and Taylor, what a sweet opposites attract couple. Simon is the big guy, normally seen as the dominant one in a relationship, but he was super sweet, submissive and shy, liked wearing lingerie and had himself a sweet little side gig with his sexy blog. Meanwhile, Taylor, though the smaller of the two, really enjoyed being in charge (which Simon was all about!) and found himself wanting things he had never expected to want in his roommate.

I loved that neither one of the MC’s knew about the blog in respect to the other initially. It can be difficult to get past a break in trust when that kind of information is lied about from the beginning of a relationship.

This book is steamy…really steamy…so be prepared. I loved it, because it wasn’t just hot sex on paper, but it was interspersed with honest reactions from both characters as their relationship evolved.

Give this one a go, especially if you like a little heat with your sweetness. 🙂

4 pieces of eye candy

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

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

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

Connect with Charlie:

Website: https://charlienovak.com/
Newsletter https://charlienovak.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/charlienovakauthor/
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/charlie-novak
Twitter https://twitter.com/charlienwrites
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charlienwrites/
Facebook Group, Charlie’s Angels https://www.facebook.com/groups/charlienovaksangels/

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Freedom by E. Davies: Exclusive Book Excerpt and Giveaway

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Agoraphobe Jaden has barely left the house in years. Being dragged to a gay bar by his big brother to bid on a blind date is not his idea of a good time. But then the unthinkable happens: he wins. Sure, he was just about ready to push his boundaries–but on his own time. Not with a probably-gorgeous stranger watching his every move.

Henry hasn’t been on a date in the last year–ever since he finished with lower surgery. He works as a nature guide now in the great outdoors, and his new life suits him just fine. Just one thing’s missing: a man to share it with. Jaden is sweet, accepting, yet terrified by everything about the date that isn’t Henry. But he sees something in Jaden–in his courage for showing up, and his hope and vulnerability along the way.

Back home, when he’s in Denver in between guiding trips, Henry quickly becomes a staple in Jaden’s home. With Jaden’s understanding, Henry grows confident in his own skin. And with Henry’s support, the walls of Jaden’s sheltered life open up. But every step forward seems like it comes with two steps back. Can they take a deep breath and step into the wide open future–together?

This novel is based on “Denver” — a short story from the Heart2Heart 2 anthology. It has been revised and significantly expanded. It is now a standalone gay romance novel with a happily ever after ending and no cliffhanger.

Freedom by E. Davies

F-Word Series, Book 5

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

As afternoon drew to a close, the first sign of evening creeping up on Henry and Jaden was the chill in the breeze. They’d each shrugged on extra layers as the scorching daytime heat faded.

The lamplit picnic area was perfectly serene and romantic, and nobody had interrupted them.

Watching Henry’s effortless confidence reading a map and compass to get them here on their bikes had been so hot. Jaden had always wanted the confidence to navigate, but he’d never gotten that far in his outdoor pursuits. Back in college, he’d gone on trail runs. That was as wild as it got.

But Henry did real wilderness shit. This must be nothing to him. Jaden found himself letting Henry lead the way, and he actually enjoyed it.

Their supper had been delicious—fried chicken, potato salad, a bottle of sparkling wine, all the classic picnic foods. Now Jaden and Henry were lying together, waiting for…

For what, Jaden wasn’t quite sure.

Their cabin was nearby, Henry said. They could bike to it in minutes, even at a gentle pace. For now, they were digesting supper, talking about anything and everything, and admiring the changing colors of the sky.

The breeze rustled through the trees, and being in these woods felt strangely home-like. This was freedom in a way Jaden wasn’t quite sure he was ready to handle, but had been craving for years.

“I’m so glad I did this,” he whispered.

Henry took his hand. “Me too. I wish we could stay out here and stargaze… but biking in the dark would be quite a life choice.”

“Yeah,” Jaden laughed. He didn’t want to leave the clearing just yet. He had one thing left to do first. “We’ve got a few more minutes?” he asked Henry.

Henry frowned, glancing at the fading light, but Jaden widened his eyes with his plea. Henry relented into a smile and laughed. “A few minutes,” he echoed.

“Thank you.” Jaden squeezed his hand. “I’m just… enjoying this.”

A rush of breath left Henry’s lungs, and he looked over. “Yeah?”

At the same moment, Jaden had looked at him. That brought their lips just inches apart as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

Henry was gorgeous: stubbly, gorgeous, rugged. The kind of guy who had tons of followers on Instagram. His jaw was square and handsome, and his lips were thin but very kissable. And best of all were his bright blue eyes, a shade that stood out even in the dimming light.

Jaden wanted a piece of that, more than he was willing to admit.

“Hm?” Henry prompted, but he was smiling slowly. There was wicked temptation in that smile.

Jaden gave up resisting and leaned in to press their lips together.

It was warm and comforting, slow and thick as molasses. Which was what Jaden’s mind felt like as he sank into the sweet kiss. It started as a gentle exploration, but more swelled between them quickly.

So to speak.

Since 2013, E. Davies has crafted feel-good stories of men in love–stories that are brimming with hope, found families, and realistic guys next door getting their modern fairytale endings. As for hobbies: rescuing bees, dancing badly, traipsing through meadows, and studying photos of cute guys for research totally count, right?

Connect with Ed:
www.edaviesbooks.com
facebook.com/edaviesbooks
twitter.com/edaviesauthor
instagram.com/thisboyisstrange
bookbub.com/authors/e-davies
amazon.com/author/edavies

Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate Release of Freedom, we are giving 2 lucky winners the chance to win an e-copy of Freedom, and the winner’s choice of any book from Ed’s published works!

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Hard Earned Cash (Cold Hard Cash 2) by K.L. Hiers: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

When you belong to a man like Boss Cold, you take what he gives you. Jimmy Poe has known that since he first offered himself to the feared mob boss in payment of a debt, yet over the past year he has gotten to see a very different side of Cold. A side that made Jimmy fall in love.

But their love will be put to the test when Cold is arrested. Can the bond between them endure even as the dark shadows of Cold’s past come to light and Jimmy’s life is put at risk as well?

Publisher’s Note: Hard Earned Cash is a sequel to Cold Hard Cash. It includes spankings and rough, intense sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

Book Title: Hard Earned Cash (Cold Hard Cash 2)

Author: K.L. Hiers

Publisher: Stormy Night Publications

Release Date: June 26, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, BDSM, Mafia

Trope/s: May/December, Kink, Getting Away With Murder, Fake Marriage

Themes: Revenge, Trust, Bad Guy Very Good At Being Bad

Heat Rating:  5 flames

Length: 112 000 words/ 385 pages

Amazon US – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK – Kindle Unlimited

Jimmy Poe was absolutely trembling in the back of the limousine, staring anxiously out the window up at Westchester Prison. His foot was tapping, fingers twitching, and his teeth were working at his lower lip with a carnivorous ferocity.

“Jimmy,” Boss Cold said softly, a cool hand pressing against his leg and squeezing. “Calm down.”

Eyes fluttering, Jimmy nodded frantically, but he still continued to fidget.

“Breathe for me,” Cold said more firmly, his thumb slowly stroking Jimmy’s inner thigh. He squeezed his leg again. “Now.”

Taking a few deep breaths, Jimmy’s pulse began to descend. Cold’s voice was beautiful and strong, and there was a very distinct purr that it took on when he gave orders. It worked its way directly into Jimmy’s brain, and he was powerless to resist.

Boss Cold, also known as Roderick Legrand, the mob ruler of Strassen Springs, was not a man who tolerated any amount of disobedience in any aspect of his life. From his criminal empire to the bedroom, his word was law.

It was the foundation of their relationship, and it gave Jimmy purpose and confidence, and it was a love like no other.

“I know you’re excited,” Cold said soothingly, “but you’ll put yourself in a fit if you don’t calm yourself.”

“There’s a part of me that still thinks this is all a dream,” Jimmy gushed, looking back out the window to the prison where his father had been trapped for so many years.

Today was the day David Poe was finally being freed.

He had been wrongly convicted for the murder of Jimmy’s mother nineteen years ago, and Cold had recently discovered that the killer was a traitorous member of his own gang. Justice was brutally served as the result of meticulous planning that not only granted David’s freedom, but also destroyed Cold’s enemies and left him completely untouchable.

“It’s very real,” Cold promised, patting his knee.

“Thank you,” Jimmy beamed happily. “Thank you for everything.” He leaned forward, trying to steal a kiss.

Cold caught his jaw before he could, smirking faintly as he looked over Jimmy’s lips. He hummed, pretending to consider whether or not he was going to allow it.

“Please, sir?” Jimmy pleaded playfully.

Cold growled softly at the ‘sir’, pressing a heated kiss against Jimmy’s mouth. “You wicked thing,” he snarled. “Teasing me right before I’m going to meet your father.”

“You’ll have to punish me later,” Jimmy chuckled.

“Careful,” Cold warned him, his thumb gently stroking over his chin, “or it’ll be a punishment you may not enjoy.”

Heat prickled beneath Jimmy’s collar as he asked, “Mmm, your belt?”

“Keep pushing me and you’ll find out,” Cold warned.

Jimmy knew he could only tease Cold so much before he got truly aggravated with him.

Although that did come with its own unique set of pleasures, he wanted his boyfriend in a good mood to meet his father.

“I’ll behave,” Jimmy said, smiling when Cold kissed him again. He sat back in his seat, eyes focused out the window once more for any sign of his father.

“Perhaps you should have come alone,” Cold mused.

“Why? Never met anyone’s parents before?”

“No,” was the flat reply.

“Are you nervous?” Jimmy teased, delighted by the idea.

“You really want the belt tonight, don’t you?” Cold scowled. “I do not get nervous.”

Jimmy grinned and resisted the urge to giggle. He wasn’t about to argue, gasping excitedly when he saw the gates of the prison finally open and his father step outside. “He’s here! He’s really here!”

Jerry was already opening the door of the limo, Jimmy tumbling out and breaking into a dead run to greet his father.

“Hey, slugger!” David exclaimed, dropping his bag to embrace his son. He squeezed him tight and pressed tearful kisses into his hair.

Jimmy’s own eyes were stinging with tears as he hugged his father as hard as he could. He was absolutely thrilled to be holding his father as a free man.

“My boy,” David said, his voice cracking from so much emotion. “Thank you. Thank you for never giving up on me. I love you so much, kiddo.”

“I love you, too!” Jimmy exclaimed with a big grin. “Oh, my God. You’re here. You’re really free, and, and, and my God. No more inch of glass, no more phone calls, you’re really here!”

“Damn right,” David chuckled warmly, kissing his son’s forehead and giving him one last big hug. He nodded towards the limo, teasing, “I think your boyfriend is waiting for us.”


When this came up as a book to review, I thought, why not? I generally like BDSM books, it was a new to me author, let’s give it a shot. They also sent book 1 because that really has to be read first as it is a continuing story. I read book 1. After that I wasn’t really looking forward to book 2.

Review to book 1 here

We pick up right where we left off, pretty much. This time, they are trying to pin another murder on Boss Cold, but this time they have a body and a ton of evidence. Including DNA. Don’t worry though. The mafia kingpin has it all taken care of.

Jimmy is still needy. Maury (the loan shark/family friend) is still a god awful stereotype. The goons still goon. The sister acts like this is all normal “Isn’t it great being a mafia boyfriend!?”

Like I said, Boss Cold has a plan. Part of that plan is to have a wedding. Even though he forged papers and signatures so that he and Jimmy are already married so he can’t testify against him. Because that’s normal. And he totally blows Jimmy off when he gets upset about it. Yes, he treats Jimmy really well with material things, but omg he treats him like a child.

So now add in a wedding planner, who is kind of sketchy.

Sorry, this is just as much- if not more- of a convoluted mess as the first book. You can’t even suspend belief on this one because it is all completely unbelievable.

2 pieces of eye candy

K.L. Hiers is an embalmer, restorative artist, and queer writer. Licensed in both funeral directing and funeral service, she’s been working in the death industry for nearly a decade. Her first love was always telling stories, and she has been writing for over twenty years, penning her very first book at just eight years old. Publishers generally do not accept manuscripts in Hello Kitty notebooks, however, but she never gave up.

Following the success of her first novel, Cold Hard Cash, she now enjoys writing professionally, focusing on spinning tales of sultry passion, exotic worlds, and emotional journeys. She loves attending horror movie conventions and indulging in cosplay of her favorite characters. She lives in Zebulon, NC, with her husband and their six children, three of whom have paws and one who sometimes thinks he does.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |   Facebook  |  Instagram  |   Newsletter Sign-up

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a $15 Amazon Gift Card or one of 7 ebook copies of Hard Earned Cash

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Till Death Do Us Part (Poireaut & Di Angeli, Bk 1) by Dieter Moitzi: Blog Tour with Excerpt

by

When Auntie Agathe invites Raphaël Poireaut, a young Parisian bartender, on a Nile cruise, he isn’t really thrilled. To stare at old stones together with a bunch of old codgers—why, thanks for the gift. Unsurprisingly the trip starts off badly enough. Not only does Raphaël have an unnerving confrontation with a handsome but standoffish and haughty Italian guy, but he has barely stepped on board the cruise ship when he stumbles upon a tourist… who has been stabbed to death.

The young Venetian Stefano di Angeli agrees to spend his vacation in Egypt with his best friend Grazia. He hasn’t had holidays for six years. But his first encounter with a young, angel-faced, curly-haired Frenchie brings back painful memories. Besides, what could be worse to start a Nile cruise than to discover a murder has been committed on board? Cazzo—fate seems to bear him a grudge!

While the Egyptian police led by Colonel Al-Qaïb are investigating the murder, Raphaël and Stefano find themselves swept away by the events… and by the blooming feelings that inexorably draw them closer. Will they manage to sort out the truth from the lies and find the murderer? Will they be able to resist this mutual attraction that seems to overwhelm them against their wills?

A new, funny and light adventure by the author of “The Stuffed Coffin”, the French version of which has won the French Gay Murder Mystery Award 2019.

Book Title: Till Death Do Us Part (Poireaut & Di Angeli, Book 1)

Author: Dieter Moitzi

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Dieter Moitzi

Genre/s: Cosy Murder Mystery

Trope/s: M/M romance, enemies to lovers, slow-burn, HFN, holidays

Themes: painful past, Egypt, cosy, slow romance, holidays

Heat Rating: 2 flames

Length: approx. 101 750 words/approx. 305 pages

It is a standalone book.

Goodreads

Amazon

The young guy hears my quiet steps, or he senses my gaze. He turns around.

Oh, hel-lo, man! My heart does a backwards flip. In my job I meet handsome guys aplenty. But this one is a class of his own. His face could be that of a male model, I kid you not. As if one of those unreal guys had stepped out of the glossy pages of Vogue Homme or GQ. Manly features, sensual mouth. Square chin, Roman nose, neatly trimmed designer stubble. His forehead is bare, his dense hair styled backwards and falling behind his left ear in a natural, lazy wave as if doing it spontaneously.

Alas, my immediate interest isn’t shared. On the contrary, he reacts as if suddenly facing a monster. He should be thankful the rail in his back prevents him from moving too far back and falling into the Nile.

Quite a boost for my self-esteem.

The handsome cretin pulls himself together at the last moment and scans me from head to toe. His cold gaze hovers over my naked chest, and he frowns, his eyebrows bushy but perfectly drawn. I notice that his whole body-language exudes barely concealed distance and aversion.

Despite his hostility, I murmur, “Hi”. Somewhat coolly perhaps, but still. I was raised like that. All right, I add “Asshole!” in my head, because, hello?

The young man answers with a nod. A black lock falls over his eyes, he puts it back in place. He seems to hesitate, then turns his back on me again.

Okay, asshole. Go ahead, continue your moody brooding, I don’t care. I don’t need no mens, even if they’re handsome as fuck.

HALF AN HOUR LATER, THE sun has started its race across the pristine sky for good; the heat has risen as well. The hipster slash asshole is still sulking in his corner when I sit on a shady deckchair. Our meeting was unpleasant, but he and the guy in pink belie my initial prognosis, and that’s a good start. We’re at least three on this boat to contemplate our sixties from below.

With the back of my hand, I wipe off the sweat trickling down my chest and soaking my chest hair. I realize I’m thirsty. There’s a bottle of water in the fridge in my cabin. Let’s go get it. You always need to stay hydrated, as Auntie would say. Granted, she means drinks, as in alcoholic beverages, but that doesn’t make it wrong.

The man in the pink tracksuit has apparently seen enough, too. When I get to the top of the stairs, he’s on the last step.

He’s waiting downstairs, holding the door for me.

“Thank you,” I say.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he remarks in an affable tone.

I look up in surprise. His beautifully low voice doesn’t match his puny physique and the mousey face. He makes an affected hand movement. “The landscape, I mean. The light.”

Automatically, I think, Oh. Family. “Very beautiful indeed,” I reply. “And ‘splendid things gleam in the dust’…”

Recognizing the Flaubert-quote, he laughs good-heartedly.

The swinging door closes behind us. Another door slams softly somewhere down the corridor. In the first cabin, I hear a woman say heatedly, “… I think he got it. He won’t bother you anymore, tweety.”

Tweety! Smirk. I really wouldn’t want to be pet-named tweety.

We pass other cabins; the vague noises of conversations, no more than murmurs, drifting out. I can hear showers running as well. The ship is waking up. A nice smell wafts through the corridor, a woody, leathery perfume for men that strikes me as familiar. The pink, mousey guy in front of me must have sprinkled himself with it.

A few doors before mine, the young man stops. “See you later,” he says.

“See you later,” I reply. When I pass behind him, I get a whiff a his pronounced citrus perfume, very fresh, very pungent. Oh. He’s not the source of the leathery perfume smell…

He turns the key and opens the door. “Mon chéri—are you awake?” he asks. The door closes behind him.

I was right. Mon chéri, not ma chérie. He is family. I’m not the only gay guy on this ship.

I walk to my door while rummaging in my shorts pockets. Let’s see… mobile… pencil… notepad… h-m. Where have I put my keys? Did I take them? Damn—don’t tell me I locked myself out…!

And then—

Suddenly—

A YELL. “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!”

I JUMP, turn around, gaze down the empty corridor. What was it? Who was it? Where was it? What am I supposed to do?

“MY GOD! MICHEL!”

Michel?

A bad feeling bubbles up in my guts.

 

For a longer excerpt, please visit my author page:  http://dietermoitzi.com/till-death-do-us-part

Born in the early 70s, I grew up in a little village in Austria. At the age of 18, I moved to Vienna to get my master’s degree in Political Sciences, French, and Spanish. Today, I’m living in Paris, France, with my boyfriend and work as a graphic designer.

In my spare time, I write, read, cook fancy recipes, take photos, and as often as I can, I travel (Italy, Portugal, Morocco, Egypt, the UK, and many more places). My literary tastes are eclectic, ranging from fantasy, murder mysteries, gay romances to dystopian novels, but I won’t say no to poetry or a history book either. I’m more a hoodie/jeans/sneakers kind of guy than a suit-and-tie chap.

So far, I’ve published two short-story collections as well as four poetry collections. My first murder mystery novel “The Stuffed Coffin” featuring Damien Drechsler and the dashing Greek student Nikos has been released on January 6, 2019 and is also available in German and French. The French version has won the prestigious French Gay Murder Mystery Award 2019 (Prix du roman policier – Prix du roman gay 2019). You can also find me on Rainbow Book Reviews, where I write book reviews under the pseudonym of ParisDude (for French reviews, have a look at my review site livresgay.fr).

Author Links

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Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

A Sweet Man (The Men of Halfway House) by Jaime Reese: Blog Tour and Release Day Review

by

Two men. One sweet dream of family and forever.

Gabriel “Bull” del Toro loves his fast-paced globe-trotting job, but aches for an honest relationship and the trust that comes with it. After a few too many heartbreaks, he’s nearly given up hope of finding that special someone.

Until Ben.

Born deaf, Ben is used to working twice as hard for what he wants, but risking a newfound friendship on an impossible dream is scary. After all, there’s one lesson he’s learned: everything is temporary—freedom, friends, even family.

Neither man expects the undeniable spark between them or for every moment together to fuel that connection. For the first time, a happily ever after is within reach, but they must trust that the dream of acceptance, family, and a place to call home is more than a sweet fantasy.

It can be forever.

———––

A Sweet Man is an interconnected standalone within The Men of Halfway House series. It is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and never giving up on a dream. It includes wounded hearts, an age-gap romance, and enough cake and sweetness to give you a toothache.

Title: A Sweet Man

Series: The Men of Halfway House

Author: Jaime Reese

Release: June 16, 2020

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance (can be a stand alone)

Goodreads

Amazon US

Amazon CA

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Men of Halfway House Series – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon CA

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Does it feel like it has been eleventy years since the last book? Is it just me? Well, it was Sept 2018, so coming up on 2 years. Guess what? Totally worth the wait.

Sometimes when a series of books starts to get long (this is book 7), the stories can become convoluted. This guy knows that guy who is interested in this one but his 2nd cousin dated him in high school, etc etc. And I will admit that there was one book in this series that was like that for me. I just had to disconnect in my head the connections. But this one felt more like independent characters who weren’t really connected to people from other stories. I mean, they were, but it isn’t integral.

We met Ben in a previous book. The shy, deaf guy on parole for a crime he was an unwitting accessory to. Then he gets popped again and thrown back in jail for the rest of his sentence. This guy really did nothing wrong. Except be in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people.

Once he is released, again, he has to go to a halfway house. He is embarrassed and feels like he let down Matt and Julian (who run THE halfway house) so he chooses another one. That didn’t even last 24 hours.

Back where he knows people- who know sign language- Ben is more comfortable. But trying to find a job is a challenge. Being deaf, his choices aren’t plenty. Until Aidan (the connection between books) suggests his friend’s sister’s bakery. Their grandfather was deaf, so they are fluent in ASL.

Aidan definitely had alterior motives though. Mainly his friend Bull- brother of the bakery owner. Aidan is playing matchmaker.

A tentative friendship begins that Ben doesn’t want to risk with more. Finally he has people in his life that understand him, can easily communicate with him AND don’t coddle him.

This is a slow burn but so worth it. Because of the slow burn, we really get to know each man as they get to know each other. The restrictions around Ben’s stay at the halfway house also make them take more time together. When Ben confesses one of his secrets to Bull and Bull offers to help…just swoony.

Ben grows so much as a person, gaining confidence in his job, in his friendships and his relationship with Ben. Learning to stand up for himself and not always being a people pleaser. You just want to cheer him on.

Bull also has to stand up for himself. Which he does, with Ben right by his side.

Oh, and there is some drama and police are involved and characters from other books come in to help, etc. etc. 😉

It is obvious that the author took the time to really understand life as a deaf person. Especially a deaf person who relies on reading lips and typing notes with most people. It is exhausting mentally. Even with ASL how you create personal signs for names or to say something to each other.

I really loved this book. It might be my favorite of the series, but I have a soft spot for deaf characters.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

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.

Social Media Links

Website: https://jaimereese.com

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jaime-reese

Newsletter/New Release Announcements: https://eepurl.com/MewIz

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jaimereese

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jaime_Reese

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

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5828499.Jaime_Reese