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Under the Northern Lights (Love Abroad series) by Kelsey Hodge: Release Day Review

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Luke
I had a plan. Get a job abroad and leave my boring life behind. I land a great job and an even better roommate, but when my feelings move beyond friendship, I do the only thing I can to stop repeating my past — I avoid him. Then, one night, everything changes, and I need to decide if telling the truth is worth the risk.

Dalton
Being attracted to the straight roommate is never a good idea. It only leads to pain and disappointment. But I can manage friendship, so why is Luke suddenly avoiding me? It all comes to a head under the wonder of the Northern Lights, and I have a choice — do nothing or make a move, risking my heart either way.

New to me author, but I love books set in Scandinavia so I was all in.

Quick, light, fun read. Zero angst here. The biggest angst was at the beginning when Luke decided he needed a big change in his life. What bigger change than going from England to a Norwegian island so far north it is in the artic circle for a one year job?

We are introduced to the small town in Norway and Luke’s new roommate Dalton. Sparks smolder for a while until coworkers trick them into going on a date. Definitely cute.

They quickly decided to be boyfriends and the rest is history.

Nice epilogue 2 years in the future as well…

It’s light, short, sweet, steam level low, angst non existent. I’ll call this my first beach read of the year.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Only You (’90s Coming of Age Book 3) by Leta Blake: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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’90s Coming of Age, Book 3

Join Peter Mandel on his final steps to love in Only You, the highly-anticipated third and final book of Leta Blake’s ’90s Coming of Age series.

Despite the lingering wounds of his past relationship, Peter is ready to take a chance on finding a faithful love and embracing his true self.

Peter and Daniel explore their connection despite Daniel’s complicated home life. But when Adam resurfaces, desperate to win Peter back, Peter must confront his complicated feelings and the painful ghosts of their shared past.

Only You is a powerful and emotional conclusion to the series, and a must-read for fans of New Adult Romance and Coming-of-Age fiction.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Pictures of You (’90s Coming of Age Book 1)

You Are Not Me (’90s Coming of Age Book 2)

The phone rang just as the buzzer on the toaster oven went off. I hissed as I tugged the pizza bagel free and dropped it, steaming, on a plate. Rushing to answer the phone next, anxiety roiled inside me. What if it was Adam?

“Hey, you.”

Daniel.

The peace his voice gave me was like absolution. No matter what I’d done in the past, somehow, I’d ended up here with Daniel on the other end of the line. Everything was going to be all right. Everything was fine.

Daniel would never lie about me, about us, or about who he was and what he wanted. He’d never be like Adam. He’d always be what he’d been right from the start.

Honest.

“Hey,” I answered, a smile on my lips. “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too.”

“My mom leaves Saturday morning. For real this time. Are you still up for that party I mentioned?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Because I’ve missed my friends, but most of all, I’ve missed seeing you.”

“Daniel?”

“Yeah?”

I didn’t know what I’d been about to say. Was I going to tell him about Leslie’s letter? No. I didn’t want to burden him with that. “Nothing. I just wanted to be sure of you.” I didn’t know how else to explain that I’d wanted to confirm that we were together.

“Be sure of me,” Daniel said, pitching his voice lower. “Saturday night, I’ll show you just how sure of me you can be.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Petey, are you okay?”

I laughed. “You’re such a goofball. And, somehow, that’s just not as good as ‘Danny, are you okay?’ Doesn’t have quite the same ring.”

Daniel snorted. “No, it doesn’t.” He paused. “But yes, it’s a promise. You can be sure of me, and also…are you okay? You sound tense.”

I fingered Leslie’s letter and then wadded it up and tossed it into the trash. “I’m good. Just needed to hear your voice.”

“And I needed to hear yours, so we’re even.”

“Yeah.” I took a bite of pizza bagel. “I love that about us.”

That was as close as I’d come to telling him I loved him. Maybe one day soon.

For now, just being on the phone with him was enough.

Whew! From what I have gleaned from social media posts, some of y’all have waited 10 years for this book? Again, so glad I was able to read them one right after the other.

Book 3!

Adam is back in town and went straight to Peter. Who caved like a house of cards. But will he finally FINALLY realize that Adam is the guy who is getting it all? While everyone else barely gets crumbs?

After the ride of the first 2 books, this one is definitely more of a roller coaster at a fair instead of a roller coaster at a theme park. Some ups and downs, but not as drastic.

And let me tell you. Adam who doesn’t get what he wants is a SCARY mofo. I could picture his face at times. Just that angry, evil look meant to make someone scared. Shudder.

Daniel has his own issues, but they are with his family-his mother in fact. So poor Peter keeps dating guys with family issues. Ok, not keeps, but both guys he has dated have some serious trauma. But Daniel manifests his trauma as trying to be the good guy for everyone and not really helping himself.

Shockingly, Peter helps him see that he has to put himself first sometimes. Seems our cute, nerdy outcast Peter has done some growing up.

A lot of the book is Peter and Daniel. Which is fine. Unfortunately, Peter has to reassure Daniel a lot. I wish he didn’t have to do that. I wish Daniel trusted Peter more.

There is a side story going on with the mess that is Minty. That boy. He has some issues and trauma himself. Probably the worst of everyone. I’d like to see him get his happily ever after.

As much as I really loved these books, I feel like the ending was a little anticlimatic. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a HEA and there was drama. But a little more would have been good too.

I still completely recommend these books. Especially if you love angst. And the nostalgia is great too.

4 pieces of eye candy

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

If you’d like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta’s newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H

Bonus material for the Heat of Love series, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married series, Training Season series, Smoky Mountain Dreams, Mr. Frosty Pants, The River Leith, and more is available on Leta Blake’s Patreon account. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/letablake

Or you can find out more about her by following her online:

On the web: https://letablake.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letablake

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Guys Like Him (Redemption Ridge Book One): Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Redemption Ridge, Book 1

Kieran Sullivan is broken when he arrives at Redemption Ridge. A wrongful conviction and twenty months in lockup will do that to a man. The ranch is a place for second chances and fresh starts, but for him, it’s an opportunity to discover who set him up. Get in, get answers, and get out. The plan sounds easy enough until Kieran meets an equine specialist whose sunny smile could warm the coldest heart.

Finley Ashe is a sucker for bruised spirits and sad eyes. The horse whisperer and broken-boy magnet is six months into a hiatus from love when Kieran, the king of emotionally unavailable men, gets assigned to work under his supervision. Mutual attraction is gasoline on proximity’s flame, testing Finley’s resistance in new ways.

Priorities shift, shields come down, and truths get exposed. Will the inevitable combustion redeem Kieran and Finley or consume them?

Guys Like Him is book one in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. Guys Like Him contains mature themes and is intended for adults.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Two faces came into view—one Finley knew well, the other he’d like to know better. Both men looked at him with grave concern. Their lips moved, but he couldn’t hear them over the alarm. A fire? He didn’t smell smoke. The ringing seemed closer and not as loud as it had been. Finley realized the ringing was in his ears. He locked his gaze on Cash because the other man stole his breath. Finley already had enough problems to contend with and didn’t want to add a lack of oxygen to the mix. Was he breathing? Finley inhaled deeply, testing to see if his lungs worked adequately. The ringing got quieter, but he still couldn’t make out the words Cash said. His boss looked at the stranger, and Finley couldn’t help shifting his gaze too. Christ, he was gorgeous. Black hair swept over a broad forehead. Dark brows slashed down to form a vee over eyes so dark they looked black. The man stared down at him with naked concern and something else in his gaze. The sexy stranger blinked and erected a shield of indifference, but it was too late. Finley recognized the emotion, and it called to something deep inside him like a lone coyote howling for its pack. Butterflies fluttered in Finley’s stomach, and his blood heated with excitement. But how had he ended up on his back in the barn staring at this beautiful lost boy?

A flash of memory detonated, clearing out his brain fog and reducing the ringing in his ears to a subdued hum. Lightning hadn’t struck, at least not literally. Finley had locked eyes with the sexiest man he’d ever seen, and something inside him had detonated with a whoosh. The smoldering stranger had used a flamethrower to light Finley’s dormant pilot light after a six-month relationship detox. He’d always been a little boy crazy with a habit of falling too hard and too fast and always for the wrong guy. But this was… Finley scrunched up his face as he tried to find the right word to describe his reaction, and that’s when he noticed a dull ache in the center of his forehead.

The entire encounter came flooding back in high definition. Gobsmacked by the newcomer’s beauty, Finley had stepped directly on the muck rake. The handle had flown up and cracked him a good one on the forehead, causing him to stagger back and fall onto the bags of bedding. Humiliation heated his cheeks, and he groaned.

“Finley, are you okay?” Cash’s concerned tone and worried blue eyes signaled his boss had mistaken the sound as a sign of physical distress, not mental anguish. Finley tried to sit up and clear the air, but Cash placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to keep him still. “Kieran, I need you to find Rueben Sanchez for me. He has emergency medical training and can assess Finley for a concussion.”

Finley had rattled his cage pretty well, but he was not concussed. “Not—”

Cash silenced his protest with a gentle squeeze. Finley shifted his gaze to the gorgeous man, who seemed to look right through him with those obsidian eyes. This stunning stranger might just be the most broken boy he’d encountered yet. This guy’s pain hovered over him like a rain cloud, stirring Finley’s protective and baser instincts. Oh, baby, come stand under my umbrella.  

A new series by Aimee Nicole Walker…yes, please. The sooner the better, TYVM. And I’m already in love with this series. Go figure. I’m one of this author’s biggest fans, so this is unsurprising.

This new series is aptly named Redemption Ridge, and has the man who runs it, Cash, giving men who served time a chance to get their lives back. In the first story, Kieran comes to Redemption Ridge to get revenge on the man he believes played a part in his wrongful conviction. Then Kieran and Finley meet, and Kieran begins to soften despite himself. He still wants to find the men who framed him, but he begins to understand that maybe he can find some happiness for himself as well.

Finley is such a good fit to Kieran. A huge heart, that falls for the wrong guys every time, but still continues on. This allows for a slow burn between these two. They have the opportunity to get to know each other, finding out their little quirks, to learn to trust each other. All before they fall into bed. They just begin to transition themselves into caring for the other, without their own permission. It’s particularly sweet.

The mystery is partially solved, but of course with this author, there is always an overarching mystery or suspense thread throughout the series, and this one will continue forward into Books 2 and 3.

The side characters help to round out this fantastic book. Finley’s mom is just fantastic (the “lube”…so funny), his sister who is resisting her own happy ending, and the foreman who will hopefully get his own HEA at some point. When you have great side characters, it just fills out a book so well, and this author does it better than most.

Highly recommend. 4.5 pieces of eye candy

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

I’d love to hear from you.

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

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

Connect with Aimee:
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Under the Arabian Sky (Love Abroad) by Robin Knight: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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Find Love Abroad Under the Arabian Sky…

Arthur Somersby is an expert in sand. Working as an arenologist at Oxford University, it’s Arthur’s job to gather research and data on the movement and molecular structure of sand, blending geology, chemistry and biology into one specialty science. But while Arthur’s colleagues conduct their work around the globe — from the Sahara to the Kalahari and beyond — a tragedy in Arthur’s past prevents him from wanting to leave the safety of his office.

That is until one of his colleagues goes missing, presumed dead, and Arthur is called upon to take his place in the distant Arab nation of Oman.

It is there upon the shipless oceans of sand that Arthur meets falcon veterinarian Tariq Hassan. And while the desert heat ignites an instant spark between the two men, a clash of cultures could mean their Arabian love affair is over before it’s even begun.

Can two strangers from opposite worlds overcome the Middle East’s tightly-held religious beliefs and find a way to love one another? Can a connection be made between the science of sand and the spirituality of the desert? Will Arthur’s past and centuries-old traditions keep two souls apart, or will Arthur and Tariq find their happily-ever-after… Under the Arabian Sky?

Under the Arabian Sky is a 40k-word MM romance that will transport you to the deserts of Arabia from the comfort of your favorite reading chair. It can be read as part of the Love Abroad collection or as a stand-alone romance.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Love Abroad collection (9 books)

Lost.

Despite the fact that Tariq knew exactly where he was going, lost was how I felt… but not in a bad way.

No, I felt lost in the best way possible.

After three hours of driving, the desert landscape we came across was like nothing else I’d seen before.

The road disappeared.

The dunes reached for the sun.

And the horizon seemed to run away from us, journeying as far as she could in her quest to touch the bright blue sky.

As civilisation fell away behind us and the burnt orange dunes of the Sharqiya Sands opened up before us, transporting us to a world beyond this one, I felt myself letting go of everything I was, everything I am, everything I knew. The desert unfolded before us, the dunes like the pages in a book of secrets that was forever re-writing itself.

There in Tariq’s Jeep— as I sat beside a man who seemed to be doing everything right if he wanted to capture my heart like a wounded falcon— I felt utterly, completely, wonderfully lost.

We neared the peak of a dune, and he stopped the Jeep.

He shut down the engine, then shouldered his car door open so I did the same, plucking my camera out of the daypack on the backseat and putting the strap of it over my neck.

He walked ahead of me to the crest of the dune, his kandura and ghutra billowing gently in a soft breeze.

I had to stop myself from trembling as I looked at him, this prince of the desert, in so perfect a pose I snatched up my camera and snapped half a dozen pictures of him before he had a chance to turn around and catch me out.

“Arthur! Come and see this!” he called over his shoulder.

My feet sank up to my ankles, but I managed to climb to the top of the dune… at which point the entire world fell at my feet, so much so I might as well have been standing on the top of Mount Everest, only surrounded by sand instead of snow.

“Take it in,” Tariq said. “Just take a deep breath and take it all in. This land is endless. This land is timeless. This land is alive and ever-changing. It is a shipless ocean, each dune forever shifting, forever moving like a wave carrying more grains of sand than stars in the heavens. So many men look up to find their god, their religion. Me? I look to the desert. This is where my spirit lives. This sand— and this sand alone— will guide me to where I need to go. It will always light the way and show me the man I need to be.”

He looked at me. Then, without so much as asking, he took me by the hand. “Sit with me.”

I didn’t question him. I did exactly as he asked. Together the two of us lowered ourselves and sat cross-legged on the sand. He released my hand and said, “You know the science of sand, but have you ever experienced the spirituality of sand?”

In this beautiful, breath-taking, faraway place, it felt unnecessary— almost inappropriate— to respond with words. In the golden glow of the desert, I simply shook my head.

He held up both hands and I did the same.

“Take your right hand and place it on the ground beside you, your palm upon the sand.”

I did as he said, and instantly I felt my body draw upon the warmth of the desert.

“Take your left hand and do the same on your left side. Now… close your eyes and feel the energy of the desert. The positive energy flows in through your right hand… and all the negative energy within you flows out through the left. Can you feel it passing through you? Can you feel the desert cleansing your soul?”

Perhaps it was the sun.

Perhaps it was the desert breeze gently brushing against my skin.

Perhaps it was the melodic tone of Tariq’s voice, his accent, the wisdom I so desperately wanted to hear in his words;

Whatever it was, I felt something that day.

I felt a connection.

I felt my energy become one with the earth.

I felt a pulse surging through me, a heat that rose up into the palm of my right hand and passed through my entire body before exiting back into the earth through my left hand.

At that moment, I felt what I can only describe as a sense of purification.

This is a new to me author, and I loved the premise of this series. I really enjoyed this novella! Unless this author has first hand knowledge of a lot of information that the general public doesn’t know, they did a great job researching this. I had no idea what an arenologist did, or even that it was a thing at all. And my knowledge of anything in Oman, other than it  being a desert was non-existent. However, the author presented it all in a way that made it easy to digest, and fascinating to read. If you don’t want to visit Oman after reading this novella, we need to have a chat. 🙂

Poor Arthur, still grieving and wanting to stay in his little apartment, in his leaking office, and not ever venture out again after his heartbreak. For him to be sent to a place he’d only seen on a map and had no notion what he was getting into, or even how to say “Hello” in the native language, this was very much out of his comfort zone. He bucked up though, and did his best. Meeting and spending time with Tariq really helped him to open back up and trust again. Arthur jumping in and helping when Tariq needed it the most, definitely hits you in the feels.

Tariq was such an amazing contrast, and it was lovely to read, since often you only hear the negative side of being LGBTQ+ within the bounds of the Muslim religion. He felt strongly that he could still honor and love his religion, do right by the world and the people around him, and be gay all at the same time. He was able to walk that line confidently. He cared so deeply about all those around him, and quickly drew Arthur into that circle.

Small side note, considering the impression that is often given about Muslim women, and that they are forced to be meek and defer to their husbands, she was so refreshing to read! She was sassy, clearly loved her family, no matter their faults, and was open and willing to letting an outsider such as Arthur come in and be welcomed. She was a favorite character, to be sure.

This just made me happy to read.

4 pieces of eye candy

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Robin Knight is the author of gay fiction novels, novellas, and short stories, ranging in genre from gay adventure, gay romance, gay suspense, and gay comedies.

The heroes of Robin’s books love to spend their time jumping off the page, stumbling through misadventures, and falling in love.

Robin has worked in advertising, politics, journalism, and event management, but nothing is as fun as telling stories.

Connect with Robin:
www.authorrobinknight.com
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You Are Not Me (’90s Coming of Age Book 2) by Leta Blake: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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Follow Peter into the summer following his senior year to face new beginnings, new friends, and old baggage.

After a tumultuous final year of high school, Peter Mandel needs a break. It’s the summer of 1991, and his secret relationship with his ‘best friend’ Adam Algedi is put on hold as Adam goes away to Italy for the summer. On the cusp of adulthood, Peter has a couple of months to explore who he is without Adam at his side.

Enter Daniel McPeak, a slightly older, out, responsible college guy with a posse of gay friends and an attraction for Peter. Drawn into the brave new world of the local gay club, Peter embarks on a whirlwind of experiences—good and bad—which culminate in a hotel room where he has to make the ultimate choice.

But Adam will come back eventually, and there are promises that have to be kept. As autumn draws near and college awaits, can Peter break free of the binds of twisted first love? And what exactly is Daniel’s role in his life – a brief temptation, or something more?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Pictures of You (’90s Coming of Age Book 1)

Only You (’90s Coming of Age Book 3)

Bobby’s gray eyes pierced me, and I swallowed nervously. I’d never been in the same room with someone who had AIDS. I hadn’t thought it would bother me, but a sudden dread swept over me, along with a strange urge to get away. But I smiled and forced my feet to move forward, sticking out my hand.

“Peter Mandel, sir.”

“That’s right. Daniel said he’d be bringing a friend.” His grip was weak and the contact short-lived.

“Peter thinks he might volunteer with ARK,” Daniel offered.

I nodded and smiled as Bobby looked me up and down, saying nothing.

Daniel headed over to the fridge to pull out fruit and vegetables. He grabbed a colander from the cabinet. “I see Kerri did the shopping. I’ll prepare a few things for you, okay?”

“Sure.” Bobby motioned at the seat across from him, and I sank into it, keeping a smile fixed on my face. He grunted. “You’re not really thinking of volunteering, are you, kid?”

“I, uh, I wasn’t sure, but—”

Bobby grimaced. “You want to watch people die? What’s wrong with you? Don’t put yourself through it.”

Daniel frowned but didn’t say anything, starting to hull strawberries and cutting them up into a bowl.

Bobby continued. “Watching men waste away, it’s not good for anyone. Least of all a young kid like you. So, I tell you what, after you leave today, never come back. Just go out dancing, have fun, kiss some boys, and take Daniel with you. Both of you are too young to be dealing with this crap.”

“Oh.” I shifted uncomfortably on my chair. “Well, that’s one way to look at it.”

I glanced at Daniel. His shoulders were tense as he cut the green off the strawberries. This wasn’t what I’d been expecting. Daniel had said Bobby was laid-back. He must be having a bad day.

I fumbled on. “I guess another way to look at it is that we’re all in this together, right? A big world family of human beings and we should take care of each other.”

Bobby shrugged, obviously not convinced. “Jeff died,” he called over his shoulder to Daniel, not taking his eyes off me. “Jeff Rosenthal. My ex. Remember me telling you about him?”

Daniel stopped working and turned to look at the back of Bobby’s head. He leaned against the counter. “I remember. I’m sorry to hear it.”

“He was sex on legs when I met him. At the end, he couldn’t have weighed a hundred pounds. Nothing but bones.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, a lump rising in my throat and a burning sensation filling my chest. I wanted to reach out and hug the man, but I was anxious about touching him. Not because of his illness, but because I just didn’t know how he’d react.

“We’re all going to die,” Bobby said gruffly, his eyes filling with tears. “All my old friends and lovers. We thought we were safe here, away from the plague in the big cities. We weren’t safe at all.” His lips trembled.

Daniel wrapped his arms around Bobby from behind, pressing his face against Bobby’s cheek, and when the man closed his eyes and tears started down his face, Daniel made hushing sounds in his ear.

“We were young like you once,” Bobby said, his voice breaking. “We didn’t know. We had no idea what was coming. If we had… I never even told Jeff I loved him. How stupid was that? Such a dumb kid back then.”

I half expected Daniel to tell Bobby that Jeff had known anyway, but he didn’t. He just hugged him and let him cry. I patted Milky Way’s head as she wriggled in her owner’s lap, unsure what was causing his distress. I tried to calm her with long strokes down her silky ears.

When Bobby calmed, he said, “Don’t end up with regrets, boys. Regrets are the worst.”

“We won’t,” Daniel promised.

“Liar.” He scoffed. “We all have to deal with regrets. Every last one of us.”

I had no idea what to say, so I just sat there as Bobby eventually dried his tears, and Daniel went back to the food.

Bobby couldn’t walk very well, so after Daniel made his meal, he helped him to the living room and into a La-Z-Boy chair. As he ate, he chatted about soap operas.

“Not much else to do with my life now but watch stories,” he said to me, like he needed to justify it. “Daniel claims he doesn’t have time to watch them, but I keep him up to date on the happenings.”

“When is Marlena going to reveal herself to Roman?” Daniel asked, sitting on the sofa next to me and taking a brush to Milky Way’s fur. She struggled but he held her firmly in his big hands until she submitted.

I reached out to stroke her ears again as he worked, and she licked my hand.

“Beats the hell outta me. I guess she likes hearing what everyone says about her since they all think she’s dead.”

“You said you saw a commercial, though, right?And it hinted that Roman would find out she wasn’t dead sometime this summer?”

“Hopefully soon,” Bobby said. “I’m real tired of waiting around for the big reveal. I’ve only got so much time left. One little infection, and boom, I’ll never get to see the look on Roman’s face when he sees she’s alive.”

“Let’s be optimistic.”

“You be optimistic—I’ll be however the hell I feel like being.”

Daniel laughed softly. “Fair enough.”

“You like soaps?” Bobby asked me, his gray eyes piercing.

“I can’t say I’ve ever watched one, sir.”

“But his mother writes romance novels,” Daniel said, grinning. “So he probably understands the appeal.”

“Does she now?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Is she any good at it?”

“I think so. I don’t read her books.”

“Why not?”

“He doesn’t need to,” Daniel said. “Peter lives in a soap opera.”

 

I flinched, sucker-punched, but Daniel put his hand on my knee and squeezed, taking away the sting.

“Does he now? Do tell.” Bobby took a small bite of his sandwich and chewed gingerly, like it hurt, keeping his eyes on my face.

Daniel lifted a brow at me.

“Uh, I don’t know.” I picked at the hem of my shirt. “My life’s not that exciting.”

Bobby’s eyes gleamed. “Son, I’m stuck in this house by myself, save for Kerri and Daniel, day in and day out. I promise I won’t be telling anyone your deep dark secrets. Have mercy and entertain a sick, dying man.”

“Bobby’s a great listener,” Daniel said.

I hesitated, glancing between them awkwardly. “It’s embarrassing. The whole situation makes me seem like an asshole.”

“Oh, now you’re just selling it,” Bobby said with a grin. It was that bright smile, the first I’d seen from him, that led me to dump my whole sordid story into Bobby’s lap—sans my excruciating and escalating crush on Daniel.

Bobby’s eyes glittered merrily the whole time I talked. He ate everything on his plate, and Daniel brought him some cantaloupe, which he also ate as he listened. This seemed to please Daniel, and I kept on talking until Bobby was through.

Daniel went in and out of the room, bringing Bobby his medication, going to clean the bathroom and change the sheets in the bedroom. After he started the laundry in the machines kept in a hall closet, he plopped on the sofa next to me just as I was explaining the upcoming situation this fall—how Adam was going to be at Oglethorpe with Leslie, and how I was going to be here.

“Well, hell if that ain’t some kinky shit right there,” Bobby said, grinning. “This boy’s a mess, Daniel. He’s great. Bring him around again because I want to know how this all comes out in the wash.”

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

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Bonus material for the Heat of Love series, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married series, Training Season series, Smoky Mountain Dreams, Mr. Frosty Pants, The River Leith, and more is available on Leta Blake’s Patreon account. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/letablake

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This Will Hurt by Cara Dee: Release Blitz, Excerpt and Release Day Review

by

Standalone Part I of II Angst Awakening Friends to Lovers Single Dad Slow Burn
Maybe the heart needs to break before one can put together the pieces correctly. This is Jake and Roe’s story.

I used to think leaving the Marines and moving to LA was the defining moment that changed my life. I was gonna become a documentary filmmaker and see the world through my camera. Then I met Roe Finlay.

Never in a million years could I have imagined…well, everything we went through. I sucked at expressing how I felt—which was emotionally stunted most of the time—but Roe seemed to get me. I became…dependent. Attached. Not in a sexual way or anything—I wasn’t gay. Far from it. Or bisexual like Roe, for that matter. No, this was different. I just wanted to be close to him. He made me laugh like no other. We were a fantastic team. We lived together. Worked together. He was my best friend.

He was everything. He was my defining moment.

Until he decided to commit to his f—to his girlfriend.

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Just go home, you fucking moron. You don’t belong in LA.

I made my way across campus, feeling more out of place every time I left class.

I was leaving behind a good career in the Marines for…random classes at Santa Monica College. Learn videography in twelve weeks. Study the art of documentary filmmaking in one semester. Then I thought about why I’d left the service. How sick I was of seeing death through my lens. Combat photography had been such a fucking fluke anyway. I was infantry. I was more at home on the front lines in Afghanistan than… But no. No. No, I was here because I couldn’t stand the war anymore. I didn’t wanna see another dead soldier, hear another explosion, witness another crying child surrounded by blood and debris.

I went to the coffee shop on the corner of the street where Nikki worked. She had the car, and we’d go home together once she was off her shift.

I ordered a coffee and found an empty table by one of the windows.

Sounded pretty good, though, didn’t it? Go home with my girlfriend at the end of the day… Except, it was her car, her apartment, and my savings were almost gone. By next month, I’d have to take that bartending job in West Hollywood where the tips were so good.

By then, I’d be twenty-seven.

I retrieved my pen from the inner pocket of my jacket, and I opened the notebook.

Final project. Final project, final project, final project. I needed content. I understood filming. Documenting. But coming up with my own content for a fucking college class’s final project? I was doomed.

“There you are! Fuck, I thought I lost you, man.”

I furrowed my brow and glanced toward the man’s voice—that belonged to someone I definitely didn’t know. But he was coming toward my table, and he was staring right at me.

No, wait. I recognized him. He was in my class, wasn’t he? Out here, I had developed a radar for East Coast people, and he had a New York accent. Otherwise, not much about him stood out. Average height, dark hair, fairly fit, on the lanky side, probably a bit younger than me.

He sat down in front of me, out of breath, and removed his messenger bag. “Look, I’m just gonna come out and say it. I have two hundred bucks, I’m living in my truck, and I have one network connection that I desperately wanna use. He told me to send him my final project—see if he could make some calls—but as has become painfully clear in this class, videography isn’t my thing. I understand fuck-all about goddamn HDV, SxS, and the difference between standard definition and hi-def.” He leaned forward. “Dude, y’all were talking about memory cards, and I thought we were discussing a fucking festival in Austin.”

 That…was SXSW. South by Southwest.

 “Anyway—in short, I have an idea,” he went on. “There is an artistic approach to it, but I’ll admit, it’s more of a come-hither for networks, something I think will sell. To get a foot in the door. But I need a partner, and I’ve watched you in class. You know your way around the equipment and the editing software. When the professor asks his dumb, insane questions, you actually know the answers.”

Was this how he talked to people he’d never met before? I didn’t even know his name.

I guessed if you were desperate enough and living out of your car, you cut to the chase faster.

That might very well be me in the near future.

So if he had an idea…

I extended my hand. “I’m Jake.”

He gave me a puzzled look, before he seemed to remember he’d just jumped into the conversation with no preamble. Then he flashed a dimpled grin and shook my hand.

“Roe. It’s Monroe, but everyone calls me Roe.”

This book. This book reminded me of why I love Cara Dee’s writing. Not gonna lie, the past couple in The Game series were meh. But this one. This book. Stand alone (there’s a familial connection, but none play a part), with best friends, unrequited love, repressed homophobia, bi awakening, just a little bit of everything. Oh. And it’s vanilla. With a capital V.

Roe and Jake. They are the kind of best friends that are so obviously soul mates. (FTR, to me, soul mates don’t have to be romantic or sexual partners). They met in their mid 20’s and just…connected.

They lived together, worked together, supported each other and dreamed together.

Jake has a child with a former girlfriend and I ADORE the representation of 2 people co-parenting in a healthy way without hating each other. And Jake loves being a dad. It’s so great. And Roe just rolls with it. Like, ok cool, this kid will live with us part time. And call me Uncle Roe.

They go from broke to semi-famous. From documentary film-makers to podcasters, producers and hosts.

It’s a ride for sure. And it culminates at Jake’s 30th birthday party.

AND NOW I HAVE TO WAIT FOR BOOK 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sigh. Ok. But I need it. NEED. IT.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. 

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. 

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write. 

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage