Blog Tours

Broken Halos (Queen City Rogues, Book 1) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

November 19, 2018 by Denise

Oliver Knight’s past is shrouded by sorrow and tragedy, but instead of hiding from it, Ollie owns his truth and uses his experiences to uplift others. As an out and proud pastor, he provides a safe place for LGBTQ Christians to gather and worship, and as a recovering addict, he counsels those pursuing sobriety. Ollie’s life is fulfilling but also a little lonely. He may not have a hard time meeting men, but he does have a hard time getting them to stick around once they discover his vocation.

Archie White is a former drag queen who hung up his stilettos to start an HIV transition home in the memory of someone he held near and dear to his heart. All work and no play has made Archie a very dull man, but he thinks his luck is about to change when a friend introduces him to a dark-eyed stranger. That is until he learns the man is a pastor. Archie detests anything to do with religion, and for very good reasons.

Archie’s gut tells him to run, and Ollie’s heart tells him to pursue. What can a pastor and a sometimes-queen possibly have in common? A desire to find unconditional love with someone who truly sees them. What happens next is the poignant, sweet, and sexy journey for two resilient hearts. Ollie and Archie’s halos might be battered and a little tarnished, but they’re definitely not broken.

Broken Halos is a charming story with heart, heat, and humor. Warning: these characters and their quirky sidekicks may take up permanent residence in your heart, so proceed with caution. Each book in the Queen City Rogues series can be read as part of the series or as a standalone novel. This book contains sexually explicit material and colorful language intended for adults 18 and older.

BROKEN HALOS

Queen City Rogues, Book 1

AIMEE NICOLE WALKER

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 11.07.18

PHOTOGRAPHER: Wander Aguiar

COVER ARTIST: Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art

MODEL: Bijan

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

It wasn’t my first time walking into a bowling alley, but it was the first time I showed up on a league night. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what I found when I strolled through the alley looking for Ollie’s team. There was trash talking going on between the lanes, and each team wore customized shirts with their team name embroidered on the back with a logo and their first names stitched on the front. The color and style of shirts varied from bold and brash to ugly and boring.

Ollie’s team was easy to spot due to Andy’s enormous height. Their shirts were a silky black button-up with the name Broken Halos embroidered on the back in gold with a crooked halo hanging over the “o”in halo. I had no doubt Ollie came up with the team name and design. I had to admit it was adorable, but not more adorable than the pastor who filled it out so nicely. The silk shirt draped over his shoulders and caressed his pecs. The hem of it ended above the curve of his denim-covered ass. I should’ve turned around and left as soon as my mouth started watering, except Ollie turned just then and spotted me. The smile spreading across his face was equal parts welcoming and wolfish and too fucking hard to resist.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, Golden Boy,”I said in greeting. “I’m just here to offer Milo cuddles when he makes a fool of himself.”

The remark got a snort out of Ollie, an eye roll from Andy, and knee-slapping laughs out of the Frat Boys, as Milo called them. Milo himself just looked at me with disappointment for a few seconds before he crooked his finger for me to follow him. He only went far enough to get us out of earshot which wasn’t hard to do since there was more noise inside this bowling alley than the last Pride parade I attended in NYC.

“What are you doing here?”Milo asked firmly. “Don’t give me any bullshit about supporting me and my pitiful bowling because I’m most likely the best bowler in this building.”

“Milo, come now,”I said, smiling sweetly at him. “I love your confidence, but there are times it’s misplaced.”

“I guess you’ll watch and see won’t you,”he said cheekily. “Don’t fuck Ollie over, Archie. He’s missed you like fucking crazy this past month, but he’d eventually get over his attraction to you.”

This one is a little difficult for me to review. It was a good story and I liked the characters, but it was a lot of religion for me. One of the main characters is a pastor, so duh, right? Eh, not necessarily. I’ve read quite a few books with a main character being some sort of “man of the cloth” and it was fine. For me, this was a lot.

If you take the religion out of it, or a lot of the religion out of it, I would like it a lot more. But those are my own biases.

We briefly met Archie and Ollie in a previous series. Both are damaged for different reasons and both deal with it differently. Ollie is looking for the love he craves, Archie hides from the love he thinks he doesn’t deserve.

Once they get together, though, there is no denying their chemistry.

Archie is VERY anti-religion. Which, based on his background, I totally get. It’s why he initially runs from Ollie. But he also plays games with Ollie. I wouldn’t have put up with it. But, hey, that’s me. And once Archie and Ollie get together, he seems to cave on the religion thing fairly easily.

Ollie is almost TOO good. I see that he is trying to undo the wrongs of his past and he is after all, a pastor. But would a pastor really bend over a spanking bench on stage at a gay bar for a drag queen to spank him?

So like I said, a tough review for me. Because I liked the story and the characters, but there were things that just bugged me. And it was a bit too preachy for me, the avowed militant atheist.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

I am a wife and mother to three kids, three dogs, and a cat. When I’m not dreaming up stories, I like to lose myself in a good book, cook or bake. I’m a girly tomboy

who paints her fingernails while watching sports and yelling at the referees.

I will always choose the book over the movie. I believe in happily-ever-after. Love inspires everything that I do. Music keeps me sane.

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Fair Isn’t Life by Kaje Harper: Exclusive Double Guest Post, Release Day Review and Giveaway

November 16, 2018 by Denise

I am so super excited to welcome Kaje Harper today at Two Chicks Obsessed. As soon as I saw Fair Isn’t Life was coming out, I immediately messaged Kaje and asked her to do a special guest post. Both Kaje and I live in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, where the Great Minnesota Get Together, also known as the Minnesota State Fair, is and where this book begins. The Minnesota State Fair is a huge deal in the state, and brings people from all over to eat “food on a stick”, see farm animals, and sweat in the hot sun and humidity that is a Minnesota summer. So, I had to do a “this or that” list with Kaje to see what our differences are. Check it out (and yes, all these things are things you can do/see/eat at the Minnesota State Fair), and enter the giveaway!

Luke Lafontaine survived the past year by not thinking about the father he lost, the dairy farm he couldn’t save from bankruptcy, or his way of life that vanished with the rap of an auctioneer’s hammer. Cleaning up city folks’ trash at the Minnesota State Fair is just another dead-end job. But at the Fair, surrounded by a celebration of farm life, ambitions he’d given up on and buried deep start to revive. And seeing Mason Bell in the parade—gorgeous, gay, out-of-his-league Mason—stirs other buried dreams.

Mason left his hometown for college in Minneapolis without looking back. Student life is fun, classes are great, gay guys are easy to find, but it’s all a bit superficial. He’s at the State Fair parade route with his band when he realizes a scruffy maintenance worker is Luke, his secret high school crush. Luke should be safely home working on his dad’s farm, not picking up litter. Mason wishes he hadn’t fallen out of touch. He’s an optimist, though, and it’s never too late for second chances. Now he just has to convince Luke.

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Title: Fair Isn’t Life
Author: Kaje Harper
Release Date: November 16, 2018
Category: Contemporary, States of Love (Minnesota)
Pages: 148

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Thanks for giving me time to hang out on this blog, as my new book, Fair Isn’t Life, is released. How fun that we’ve both been to the Minnesota State Fair (second largest in the nation, I’ll have you know) where my book begins. The Fair has so many good things, including more food than anyone can possibly even try once. I insisted Denise had to fill these questions out too – let’s see how our choices compare.

Pork chop on a stick or turkey legs?

KH: I have to admit I’ve never tried either one. If I did, I’d be more likely to go for the pork chop. I eat 95% vegetarian, but when I splurge it’s usually bacon-related.

DSC: I’m not a big meat person (giggle), but definitely prefer turkey legs. And I am totally down with the bacon-related items that Kaje mentioned!

Swine barn or miracle of birth center

KH: I love the Miracle of Birth Center, run by the veterinary college. It’s an important piece of Fair Isn’t Life too, as Luke confronts his dreams and future in there. Seriously— newborn calves, tiny piglets, twin lambs, and fuzzy ducklings. What’s not to love? (Although the annual biggest pig at the Fair in the Swine Barn is pretty impressive too. This year “Johnny” topped the scales at 1,040 pounds.)

DSC: Definitely the Miracle of Birth Center. I love goats! Like seriously LOOOOVVVEEEE goats, so any chance I get to see baby goats, or any goats, is my time. That being said, they are also in the Swine Barn, so I win either way.

Space needle or Giant Slide

KH: I’m a Needle fan – I love looking down from (safe) heights. My kids loved the slide better.

DSC: Although we didn’t do it this year, I definitely prefer the Giant Slide. Although the bags you sit on are itchy!

Sweet Martha’s cookies or deep fried candy bars/Oreos

KH: Cookies. Give me all the cookies. (I have nothing against candy bars – chocolate is my preferred writing fuel, but deep frying puts them over the top for me.)

DSC: Definitely Sweet Martha’s cookies. That overflowing bucket of melting cookies has you sick to your stomach. Why do they bother selling the little cone of them, I have always wondered. Does anyone actually buy that? lol

French Fries or Cheese Curds

KH: Fries, please. Better yet, Duke’s Poutine – fries with cheese curds and gravy – a taste of my Montreal roots.

DSC: Cheese Curds. Deep fried deliciousness…Kaje mentioned the Poutine…my family loves it…me? I don’t quite get it, but hey, they can have that, and I get all the cheese curds!

Ball Park (beer garden) or Wine Country

KH: I like a good wine (or even a cheap wine LOL), but never learned to appreciate beer. (My main characters Luke and Mason would say the opposite.)

DSC: This one I follow the family wherever they choose to go, neither one is a draw for me. But give me a huge cup of the lemonade? Oh yes!

Coliseum or Grandstand

KH: Coliseum. I’m crazy about horses (I worked in a riding camp for girls as a teen) and I’m not crazy about really loud music and crowds, so I’d rather watch the pretty ponies.

DSC: hahaha I chose the Coliseum, but for all the little shops that surround it. I found some awesome Christmas presents there this year, and at a great deal since it was Labor Day! 🙂

Open Sky Ride or Closed Sky Ride

KH: Open Sky Ride – I like the way it passes over the crowd but not too high and wide open, so you feel engaged with the fair below. This year, as we passed over the karaoke booth, they were playing Bohemian Rhapsody and people in the chairs were singing along with the folks on the ground to Freddie Mercury’s classic. (Fun observation – everyone from seniors to preteens knew the words. Freddie was a genius.)

In years past, the building roof that the ride goes over had lots of dropped hats and flip flops; by now, we saw it’s mostly adorned with underwear. My son and I discussed how you could get out of bras and particularly undershorts while in the chair seats, or if people brought them along to drop…

DSC: Open Sky Ride. Although that being said, this year I noticed a ton of people dropped their undergarments on the roof of one of the buildings as they went overhead. I had to wonder…did they plan ahead for that? hahaha Kaje and I mentioned the same thing! I took a picture as a memorial. Someday someone will find that in my phone and wonder WTF?

Agriculture Building or Education Building

KH: I like the Ag building. It brings the flavor of a real fair to the big urban celebration. I like looking at the prize winning vegetables and all the flowers.

DSC: Agriculture building. I love the Christmas display they get up in the middle. And the apples, and the taste testing. 🙂

West End or International Bazaar

KJ: International Bazaar – it feels hopeful to see people learning about and enjoying other cultures.

DSC: We did the West End this year, and really enjoyed it. Definitely a must again next year. But I love the International Bazaar too.

Butterfly House or Reptile House

KH: Reptiles are fascinating— I once owned a pet snake and he was a cutie. But I vote Butterfly House. I like watching the little kids in awe of having a butterfly land on their arm. There’s a tinge of sadness in the fragility that ends up in small crumpled losses in the corners (and that’s something that Mason was upset about as a kid, in a cut scene that didn’t make it into the book.) Still, the big-eyed wonder and seeing the kids try so hard to be still and gentle warms my heart.

DSC: Butterfly House. And I didn’t realize when I was reading the book the butterfly reference was more than the brief reference, so now I want to see that scene! 🙂

Midway or Kidway

KH: Other than the Sky Ride or a Ferris Wheel, I’m not much of a rides person. So this depends on who I’m with. My first time at the Fair was when my older son was just 18 months old. This summer, my younger son was 22 years old. Their tastes changed.

DSC: I normally would have said neither, but this year my brother made me go on several of the fun houses in the Midway and we had a blast! Loads of fun.

Haunted House or Fun House

KH: Fun House – not a fan of horror, or screaming. (Plus sometimes there are clowns in the haunted house.)

DSC: See previous answer! And the New York City one was awesome!!!

Ice Cream or Custard

KH: If I’m going to eat a frozen treat, let it be decadent – Custard.

DSC: I’m going to go with the milk shakes, cause those are awesome!

Minnesota Apples or Minnesota Honey

KH: Apples. The Honeycrisp is a Minnesota creation.

DSC: Honey all the way. The honey ice cream is delicious!

Fried Pickles or Corn on the Cob

KH: Corn. I never developed a taste for pickles. And the corn is soooooooo good.

DSC: Hmmmm….well since it’s on a stick, I’m going with Corn on the Cob!!!!

KH: Thanks for inviting me onboard today, and for reminding me about all the good stuff from our Fair (and now I really want Funnel Cakes…)

DSC: Thanks for playing along!

Okay, I am not sure if it’s fair (haha, get it?) for me to review this book. I mean the Minnesota State Fair, and just all the Minnesota references were out of this world. I had so much fun with this book. Although it starts at the fair, as these two men get reaquainted, there are tons of other references that made me smile, laugh, or just reminded me of all the good stuff that comes with living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. (Go Twins!) It was a great step into what a lot of people call “flyover country”, but don’t realize is a rich, diverse area with lots to see and do, including the Great Minnesota Get Together.

All that being said, I really did love this book, not just because of the location of the story, but also from a character driven aspect.

I really liked both of these characters, and what they were dealing with during this time in their lives. Luke was trying to bring himself out of a grief stricken and guilt induced depression that was crushing. He knew he needed to do something with his life, but hadn’t been able to see through the cloud of grief to decide. Having someone like Mason come back into his life at a time when he needed a guiding support, and even someone to push him a little was very realistic. It was obvious Luke had spent much of his life doing what he was told, and trying to be the good, faithful son, because his father wanted that from him. Breaking out a little was a great way for him to begin to find himself, who he wanted to be, what he wanted to do with his life, and acknowledge that he wanted Mason as his man.

Meanwhile, Mason, despite being a small femme man, knew what he wanted, and went right after it. He wanted Luke in his life, and even when Luke got caught up in all the things going on in his brain, Mason was patient but persistent. He wasn’t about to let Luke give up simply because he couldn’t believe that someone would want him. He helped Luke find his way, simply by being there for him, and giving him a helping hand as Luke tried to gain his footing. Mason may have been chatty, and gregarious, perhaps thought of by some of the baseball players in the book as over the top, but he absolutely knew when the right time was to sit back and wait, and when to push forward. I loved Mason’s attitude. He was confident, and helped Luke find his own confidence in himself and what he could do.

There was so much character development in this short novel, I was very impressed. Each movement of Luke’s, each comment, or non-comment, spoke to his personality, and the stressors in his life. So very well done. And we got an HFN, so that always makes me happy!

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I get asked about my name a lot. It’s not something exotic, though. “Kaje” is pronounced just like “cage” – it’s an old nickname. I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – forty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have Young Adult short stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)

It was my husband who finally convinced me that after all the years of writing just for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published, including Amazon bestseller The Rebuilding Year and Rainbow Award Best Mystery-Thriller Tracefinder: Contact. A complete list with links can be found on my website “Books” page at https://kajeharper.wordpress.com/books/.

I’m always pleased to have readers find me online at:

Website: https://kajeharper.wordpress.com/

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

Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4769304.Kaje_Harper

Leave a comment on this post, and win an ebook copy of one of Kaje’s backlist books.

Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert: Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

November 15, 2018 by Denise

One hard-nosed military police officer.

One overly enthusiastic elf.

One poorly timed snowstorm.

Is it a recipe for disaster? Or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for holiday romance?

Teddy MacNally loves Christmas and everything that goes along with it. When he plays an elf for his charity’s events, he never expects to be paired with a Scrooge masquerading as Santa Claus. His new mission: make the holiday-hating soldier believe he was born to say ho-ho-ho.

Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa, but he’s army to his blood. When his CO asks an unusual favor, Nick of course obliges. The elf to his Kris Kringle? Tempting. Too tempting—Nick’s only in town for another month, and Teddy’s too young, too cheerful and too nice for a one-night stand.

The slow, sexy make-out sessions while Teddy and Nick are alone and snowbound, though, feel like anything but a quick hookup. As a stress-free holiday fling turns into Christmas all year round, Teddy can’t imagine his life without Nick. And Nick’s days on the base may be coming to a close, but he doesn’t plan on leaving anything, or anyone, behind.

Publisher: Carina Press (Harlequin)

Release Date (Print & Ebook): Ebook: Monday November 12, 2018; Print (mmp): Tuesday November 27, 2018

Length (Print & Ebook): Ebook: 288; Print (mmp): 288

Subgenre: Contemporary Romance, Male/Male Romance, Holiday Romance, Military Romance

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“Hey, I’m happy for the company,” Teddy reassured him. “I’d just hate having to find another backup Santa because this one froze to death for not knowing the area. But just watch, by next year, you’ll be as prepared as any native.”

Nick took a spoonful of stew and swallowed before answering. “Won’t be here next year, sorry.”

“Oh. Being moved to another base?” Teddy was hit with a brief pang, which was ridiculous. The military moved people all the time, and like Charlie said, people left. No surprise here.

“No. Retiring. Last day is December 22nd.”

“Retiring? You’re only fortyish right? Isn’t that a bit young?”

“Ish.” Nick’s tone stayed bland, mouth not curving into a smile. “Forty-six. And almost thirty years of service is positively ancient in military terms. I’ve done pretty much everything an enlisted person can do—pretty rare for us to stay on after getting our twenty years of service. I’m a dinosaur at twenty-eight years in. Most of my friends left at twenty, but I was set on making sergeant major, so I stayed in.”

“So what will you do? Go back to school? Civilian law enforcement? Some new dream to chase?” Teddy leaned forward, eager to hear Nick’s big plans.

“Too old to go back to school.” Nick waved a hand dismissively. “And no dreams. All I ever wanted was to be a cop. Joined the military police because we couldn’t afford college, and I liked the idea of being in the service and still being able to be a cop. Then I set my sights on advancing. Last goal was to make sergeant major, and I did that, so no complaints.”

Teddy liked listening to Nick talk, but he was a bit disheartened by how…defeated he sounded. Like he’d battled Father Time and time had won and now he had no choice but to move on. And that was damn sad. He said he had no complaints, but Teddy could read between the lines well enough to see that Nick didn’t want to retire.

“But you can still be a cop. I bet there’s not a law enforcement agency in the country that wouldn’t be happy to have you. Hell, you could even do FBI or Secret Service—”

“Slow down, Teddy.” Nick smiled, the first one Teddy had really seen from him, this one accompanied by a subtle head shake. But Teddy could take the censure—the smile was damn worth it. Broad with both cheek and chin dimples, it took Nick from “scary giant man” to “Hollywood action star” in a single upward slant of his lips. “You sure know how to dream big. And I’ve thought about civilian law enforcement. I’ve even got the degrees they all want, but in the end, I think I’m just too old a dog to learn new tricks.”

Tis the season for Christmas stories! And for me there is no better way than with a book by one of my favorite authors.

This story deviated from her norm in that it was set in upstate NY (not the Pacific Northwest or San Diego) and it featured an Army MP (not a Navy Seal). And it was adorable.

Nick is in his last month of active duty as an Army mp before he retires. Sounds like he was pushed into retirement, but I don’t think it was ever explained why. And without giving anything away, the events surrounding the tragedy in Nick’s family was never really explained either. Small details most probably won’t notice.

Teddy runs a non-profit in his home town. A hometown that seems to be overrun by his extended family. Nick is persuaded to help Teddy and the non profit by dressing as Santa for some pictures and other events leading up to Christmas.

To say Nick and Teddy are polar opposites is putting it mildly. Nick is super grumpy, minimalistic, isn’t close to his family and doesn’t care about the holidays. And he much prefers sun and surf to snow and ice. Teddy is a do-gooder, perpetually happy, is ridiculously close to his family and adores the holidays.

I loved Teddy’s confidence. He puts himself out there with Nick and when he is turned down he doesn’t get all mopey and feeling sorry for himself. He just continues on. The way he slowly insinuated himself into Nick’s life as a friend was super cute.

And then they did get together and wow. That would melt the snow on the roof.

I appreciated that the book included Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve in the story line. It was a fairly happy, low angst book with all of the holiday and family feels.

4 Pieces of Candy

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series include the #OutOfUniform, #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat, #RainbowCove and #PerfectHarmony series.

To find out what she’s working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: annabethalbert.com or connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.

Connect with Annabeth Albert:

Website: http://annabethalbert.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6477494.Annabeth_Albert
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annabethalbert?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbertauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabeth_albert/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/Nb9yv
Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annabethsangels/

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The Husband Gambit by L.A. Witt: Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

November 15, 2018 by Denise

Marry me for 1 year. Payment: $1.2 million.

Hayden Somerset is convinced the ad is a joke, but he responds anyway because, hello, $1.2 million. He’s broke, living in a tiny apartment with two roommates, and exhausted from praying his ancient car survives just one more week. His skyrocketing rent and crushing student loans aren’t helping either. At this point, there isn’t much Hayden wouldn’t do for that kind of cash.

The ad isn’t a joke. Jesse Ambrose is absolutely serious. His father, the charismatic patriarch of a powerful Hollywood dynasty, has his eye on politics, and he’s counting on California’s liberals and progressives to elect him. But Jesse knows what his father believes when cameras and voters aren’t around. As the election looms, he’ll do anything to force the man’s hand and show the public who Isaac Ambrose really is.

Anything, including marrying a stranger so his father will make good on his promise to disown Jesse if he ever takes a husband.

Now he just has to wait for his father to take the bait… and try not to accidentally fall in love with his fake husband.

Length: 95,000 words approx.

Cover Design: L.A. Witt

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

This book was so fun!

I am a big fan of LA Witt and she has never written a book like this (at least that I have read) and it was so welcome. It was filled with humor, but nothing forced, no stupid jokes. Hayden is just a funny person. And that is who he is.

Hayden is a typical struggling actor in LA. With a master’s degree in theater arts. So a well education struggling actor. He shares a 2 bedroom apartment with his 2 best friends who are also struggling, just not to be actors. The three of them together count every dime and pinch every penny just to make it every month. I really loved how the 3 guys pooled all of their resources. It wasn’t just that this one had his share of the rent and that one didn’t. So when Hayden sees a random odd ad for someone to be a husband for a year and to get paid $100k a month to do it, he had to find out more.

Jesse is a semi anonymous son of a famous producer and comes from a long line of Hollywood royalty. But now his father is flirting with running for governor. And Jesse wants to stop him. Because on the outside he seems like a liberal progressive. But really he is a racist homophobe. Jesse is willing to give up his inheritance, his monthly stipend and his family in order to out his father as the bigot he is. Step 1- get a husband.

I think what I loved a lot about this book- besides the humor- is that neither guy is a jerk in any way. They seemed to become almost instant friends and that shows. And even though there was some sexual tension, it wasn’t in your face. In fact, it seems like the two men didn’t even realize it until they kissed at their wedding.

So while this trope has been around forever and will never go away, this particular telling was my favorite. I genuinely cared about these guys, the main story line didn’t get lost between sex scenes and all of the supporting characters did what they were meant to- they supported the story.

Even with the racist, homophobic father and the threat of losing everything, it was still fairly lighthearted. And I really enjoyed it.

November 15 – Cdawgz Reads, On Top Down Under, Two Chicks Obsessed, Gay Book Reviews, Xtreme Delusions, OMG Reads, November 17 – Henna Loves Books, Open Mind For A Different View, Urban Smoothie Read, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, November 19 – Cupcakes & Bookshelves, November 21 – Love Unchained, V’s Reads, Mainely Stories, November 23 – Momma Says: to Read or Not To Read, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bonkers About Books, Engaging Secrets, MM Good Book Reviews, November 26 – Jim’s Reading Room, Making It Happen, November 28 – Megan’s Media Melange, November 30 – Mirrigold – Mutterings & Musings, Lillian Francis, Valerie Ullmer, Reading In Sarah’s Corner, Sexy Erotic Xciting, Southern Babes Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Wicked Reads

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com
E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com

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Hawaii Five Uh-Oh by Z.A. Maxfield: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

November 13, 2018 by Denise

Sarcastic cop Theo Hsu returns home to Hawai‘i after realizing he wants more from his life, and also, less. He hopes to reconnect with his past and make amends with his mother, who remarried a cool, distant man, leaving Theo unsure where he stands.

It doesn’t take him long to figure out where he wants to stand, though: right next to his childhood best friend, tattooed detective Koa Palapiti. Theo would like to upgrade their relationship, but Koa is putting out some seriously mixed signals. It’s a mystery Theo can’t let go, but just as they start to connect, kidnapping, murder, and a deadly game with international stakes get in the way. Koa wants to keep Theo out of it, and if it comes to a choice between him and Koa’s partner, Freddie Ortiz, Theo doesn’t like his chances.

But even if Koa wants to push him out of the investigation, and his life, Theo still has a few tricks up his sleeve. It’ll take all his special gifts, ingenuity, risk-taking, family ties—and even some kinky undercover work—to save the day… and the man he never should’ve let get away.

Title: Hawaii Five Uh-Oh
Series: Plummet to Soar: Book 2
Author: Z.A. Maxfield
Release Date: November 13, 2018
Category: Mystery/Suspense, Light BDSM
Pages: 196

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Hi everyone! Thanks so much for welcoming me to the Two Chicks Obsessed Blog.

My Plummet to Soar books are a series of barely related books, super loosely based around “Plummet To Soar”, a fictional self-help book written by Mackenzie Detweiler, who fell from a tourist helicopter and lived to tell the tale.

Each of the books features some person touched by reading Plummet to Soar, for good or ill, whose life has changed because they were forced to rethink what they have, and what they truly want.

Today, I thought I’d share five things you might not know about each of the main characters, starting with Theo Hsu:

Theo’s father forced him to take combat martial arts and play the violin all through school. Sometimes dirty fighting got in the way of orchestra class. He liberated himself from the instrument by giving it to a homeless guy in Madison the day after he graduated from the police academy.
Once, on a dare, Theo dug a cold hole and spent the night in it. His island-born ass nearly froze off but he discovered it was true–you could use ice to insulate yourself from brutal weather, as long as you did it right.
As a kid, Theo and his best friend Koa used to write adventure stories together. When they were tweens, the stories got a little more intense, and some carried the flavor of Theo’s kinkier longings. What Koa doesn’t know is long after he moved, Theo kept writing. He would often take the stories and put them in envelopes, address them to Koa, but then chicken out. He burned them all in a backyard fire before he moved to Bear Lake, Wisconsin for his first job.
Theo likes to have his feet rubbed, but not tickled. He can’t stand to be tickled, anywhere. Even his hair is ticklish.
Once, Theo got stuck in his squad car, beneath a giant statue of Babe the Blue Ox, in a snowstorm, with Mackenzie Detweiler and his kleptomaniac lover JD in the back getting busy. FML!

And Koa!

Koa’s family wasn’t wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. To get by, his mother decided she should probably get a job. Her friends begged her to make the candies she always gave as gifts available at local craft fairs and swap meets. Soon, demand far outstripped the amount she could make by herself. What Theo won’t tell you is he’s at least as good a candy maker, maybe even better, than his Auntie La-La, who took over the business when his mother died. He helps out during holidays and other brisk business seasons, and also, whenever he needs to destress.
Koa enjoys all kinds of water sports—surfing, stand up paddle-boarding, and kayaking, but his favorite is paddling through big waves as part of an outrigger team. That’s when he closes his eyes and pretends he’s one of original navigators of Oceania, and there’s nothing but the sea, the stars, and his fellow teammates finding adventure together.
Koa gets weekly mani-pedis because he’s a vain bastard. He sneaks outside Waikiki to a place where nobody knows who he is because he’d hear all about it from his partner Freddie and the rest of the crew in the bullpen if they caught him. He likes his toenails cut square, his hands moisturized, and his fingernails buffed to a high sheen, thanks.
Koa’s family is an amalgam of the many different people who make up Oceania, but Koa is acutely aware he’s not a true native of Hawai’i. He belongs to the Islands. He believes he fits in. But there’s always a yearning inside him that will go unfulfilled. To make up for it, Koa tries a hundred percent harder to be faithful to the motto: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
At Theo’s mother urging, both Koa and Theo took up cultural dance. But Theo’s dad forced him to quit early on. Koa kept at it, even after Theo left the Islands. It was hard work, and there was no real reason for him to do it without Theo, except he was good at it, it pleased his Theo’s mom and, most especially, Koa plays a long game. Dance was a carefully calculated strategy to remain close to Theo and keep involved with his family. In that way, Koa bided his time until Theo came back. And it worked, because Theo’s mom asked him to pick Theo up from the airport when he returned, making him the first person from the past Theo laid eyes on.

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of insight into the characters from Hawai’i Five Uh-oh! It’s a bit romance, a bit suspense, and a whole lot ZAM!

I hope you read Hawai’i Five Uh-oh—and don’t forget to review it on your favorite review sites! Reviews really do make a book visible to a wider audience. They help me, my publisher, and gay romance as a genre in general! Many thanks in advance!

Thanks again,

ZAM

Koa glanced his way. “Pics or it didn’t happen.”

“I never did it,” Theo admitted. “I’m saying it’s theoretically possible.”

Silence stretched out between them again. It was a long ride, and as Koa drove, Theo flew his hand out the window and marked the buildings he remembered. So much had changed. He’d changed.

When they pulled into Theo’s mother’s driveway, Koa turned to him. “I hope you don’t mind, I don’t have time to come in. Say hi to your mom.”

“Okay.” Disappointment warred with relief in Theo’s heart. Relief came out a winner. The last thing he needed was disinterested bystanders. “Pop the locks, I’ll just get my things from the back.”

He stepped down, went around, and hauled his things out. From the outside pocket of the lightest one, he pulled a signed copy of Plummet to Soar. He’d put it there to give to his mother because he’d assumed she’d pick him up. He had other gifts for her, so it didn’t matter.

“Hey, brother.” He smiled awkwardly and waved for Koa to roll down the window. “Present for you.”

“Mahalo. Really?” Surprised, he took it and gave it a quick perusal. “Hey, it’s autographed to you. You sure?”

Theo nodded. “That book changed a lot of things for me. I hope you enjoy it.”

Koa’s dark eyes—when he lifted his gaze—held some earnest question Theo couldn’t begin to answer. They widened. “I don’t suppose you ever figured out what happened at the end of that thing you were writing…?”

“You remember that shit?” He said the words like Sheesh, who remembers? As if he hadn’t just been thinking that very thing. Obviously now he understood what those ridiculous stories were, but at the time?

Looking back, Theo blushed with shame.

Koa gave his lower lip a quick nibble. Theo’s dick sat up and got ready to beg. Down, boy. “I think when last I read, our plucky heroes were in a Malay prison.” Koa glanced at him. “Sentenced for a crime they didn’t commit.”

“Tunneling their way to freedom.” Theo nodded. “One of those boys always got himself jammed up, and the other saved the day.”

“Well, you write what you know.” Koa was laughing at him.

Theo didn’t take lead and he wasn’t much of a follower. Sidekick was more his style. But in those stupid stories, he always, always saved the day. Maybe with Koa he’d wanted to try taking the lead….

Koa asked, “Wasn’t one of them about to be caned?”

“Yeah?” Theo admitted hoarsely. At the time, news stories of corporal punishment—as applied to dumb Westerners in places like Malaysia and Taiwan—had fired his imagination, for a lot of reasons. Some not so wholesome.

Koa snorted. “You dug writing that dark shit. The beatings. The extra, extra tight male bonding. Admit it.”

“Hell yeah.” Motherfucker. You went there. I cannot believe you went there the second you saw him again. “I never finished writing any of those. But there’s always time, you know?”

Koa glanced over again. This time, unmistakably, he checked Theo out. “Maybe you should.”

Holy mother. Had Koa just…?

Did he just…?

Koa’s SUV was well clear of his mother’s property before Theo had the words to respond.

A Plummet to Soar Story

Feckless, luckless, and charming, Mackenzie Detweiller is the author of a self-help book one reviewer calls “the most misbegotten motivational tool since Mein Kampf.” He’s maneuvered himself into a career as a life coach, but more often than not, his advice is bad. Really bad.

It’s even getting people hurt… and Mackenzie sued.

It falls to Mackenzie’s long-suffering acquisitions editor, JD Chambers, to deliver the bad news. He chooses to do so face-to-face—to see if the spark he senses between them is real when they’re together in the flesh. Unfortunately, a snowstorm, a case of nerves, a case of mistaken identity, and finally a murder get in the way of a potential enemies-to-lovers romance.

There are many, many people who have good reason to want Mackenzie dead. JD must find out which one is acting on it before it’s too late for both of them.

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Z.A. Maxfield started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized, and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories: Unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.

If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”Links:

Website: http://www.zamaxfield.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorZ.A.Maxfield
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZAMaxfield

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zamaxfield/?hl=en
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2738500.Z_A_Maxfield

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2A01S43

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/z-a-maxfield

Giveaway: box with Hawai’ian Island-related items, valued at 25.00
Shipping: DOMESTIC ONLY

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Lonely Hearts, A Novella Bundle by Posy Roberts: Exclusive Guest Post with Excerpt, Blog Tour and Giveaway

November 1, 2018 by Denise

I’m so excited that Posy Roberts, who I just adore, stopped by to give a little guest post, and excerpt from her new novella bundle, Lonely Hearts. I love what Posy did with this unique idea. Taking these four fantastic novellas and tying the men together, not by place, or by family, but by a simple chat room that Marc joins. Check out what Posy has to say, along with an excerpt from the men’s chat room, and a giveaway!

Stoic men, who believe they’re happy alone, find the world turned upside down when their perfect someone stumbles across their path. In four novellas, eight men encounter unique struggles on their way to their well-deserved happily ever after.

Marc joins the Lonely Hearts chat room where men support men on their way to finding true love. He wants to believe that kind of love is possible for him, but his once-burned heart stops him from going all-in with anyone.

The chat group’s philosophy is, “Figure out how you keep screwing up your happily ever after. Once you know, you’re more likely to find the true thing.”

Skeptical as he is, Marc logs in and meets men in various degrees of getting there. At least he’s not alone. Luther truly loves his single life on the Bakken oil fields. William’s not sure he’ll ever measure up, let alone find someone he can be himself around. And Andrew still pines for a guy he hooked up with on a reenactment battlefield before he got blown up on a real one.

One by one they start dropping like flies. Flies drunk on love. And sooner than he expects, Marc’s luck starts changing thanks to these new friends.

Walk alongside these men as they find the men of their dreams and discover their happily ever afters.

101,000 Words | 396 pages | 8-9 hours to read

Stories included: Bent Arrow, Stroke of Luck, Momo, My Everything, and Love on a Battlefield.

Lonely Hearts

A Novella Bundle

Posy Roberts

M/M Romance

Release Date: 10.25.18

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Stoic Men who have Lots of Feels

I live in the land of stoic, fiercely independent men, also known as the Upper Midwest. This area of the United States was settled by Scandinavians and Germans who are known to be very staunch, serious people… at least until they’re ready to loosen up a bit. 😉 Denise lives very close to me, so she’s probably nodding as she’s reading this. Haha. (TCO:…Yes, this!!!!)

So it came as no surprise to me when I was reading through each of the four novellas in the bundle that stoicism and the belief that “I don’t need anybody” rang loud and clear. Yet, as often happens, those things you proclaim the loudest are often the exact opposite of what you desire. These men who take pride in their independence are genuinely lonely, hence the title of the bundle, Lonely Hearts.

I love writing juxtaposition: a guy like uptight, rigid William with a loose and carefree man like Nate, who makes a huge impact. Opposites attract is one of my fave tropes, after all, so much so that I married a person who is essentially the other side of my coin. Our opposites push us to be better people, even if we get exasperated along the way.

A chat room, where four of the men in the bundle interact, connects each novella in Lonely Hearts. They help each other get over whatever is holding them back from making themselves available. At the center, they’re each yearning to find someone to share their life with. The group moderator is actually Hugo from my North Star Trilogy, and after taking a year off dating and “fixing his shit,” he was ready for love when Kevin stumbled across his path seventeen years after their last kiss. His goal is to help other queer men find their true love so they can be as ridiculously happy as Hugo and Kevin are at the end of Flare. So if you’ve read North Star, you’ll get a little more of #HugoKevin4ever and see where they are today.

I loved writing the chat room scenes, and I think it’s awesome Hugo started that. Witnessing all these men interacting with characters other than their love interest, seeing them chatting with other queer men, revealed another side of them. At least to me. While I had plans to write follow-up stories to Bent Arrow and Stroke of Luck, now my brain has been working overtime on sequels to Momo, My Everything and Love on a Battlefield. Right after I get the twenty or so novels I have planned down on the page. LOL

I hope you give this novella bundle a chance. Each story will take about two hours to read, depending on your speed, so they’re great for waiting rooms, standing in line to vote, or sitting in the parking lot while waiting for kids. It’s also available in a paperback that comes in at around 400 pages, just to give you an idea of the length.

Happy reading.

Marc logged into the chat room, unsure what he was getting into, but he’d been reassured by a friend (who was friends with the moderator) that this was a good group of guys. If nothing else, he’d get to know other queer men. If he was lucky, maybe they’d help him find a way to open up his heart to fall in love again. At least that’s how the group was described to him.

5 Members in Chat Room

Marc: Hey, I’m Marc. I’m new here, and the rules said I had to introduce myself. I’m bisexual but haven’t dated much since my ex-girlfriend cheated on me. Work has been my focus, but after three years, I’m lonely. It’s as plain as that. I’m just not sure how to trust someone again.

Hugo: Hi, Marc. I’m Hugo, the moderator. If I disappear all of a sudden, it’s because I’m waiting to chauffeur kids between gymnastics and yoga.

Marc: You have kids?

Hugo: They’re Kevin’s, my boyfriend’s kids. But who knows what the future holds. Anyway, I was in the same place as you not so long ago, with a cheating cheater who cheats. I had a string of shitty boyfriends, but cheating messed me up. Bad. I swore off men for a solid year, and it eventually paid off.

Marc: How did the time off help?

Hugo: I fixed my shit. Figured out what I kept doing wrong. Worked out my patterns.

Luther: Oh no, here he goes! Haha. Love you, H! Marc, H is all about fixing shit so you’re ready for love when it stumbles in your path.

Marc: Makes sense.

Luther: If you have a path filled with potential partners, I supposed it does. H is all about twuuuu wuv cuz he has it. All I can find out here on the oil fields is a hookup. Nothing else. Can’t be out.

Marc: That sucks.

Luther: It’s not all bad. I have a lot of sex and very few awkward conversations. Few conversations at all, to be honest.

William: So, Luth, do you save all the awkward conversations for when you come in here to chat? Stop scaring Marc off.

Luther: Ha. Ha. Okay, Mr. Serious, what have you done lately to make yourself available to the hot dudes who run around on the beaches half naked?

William: I bought a guy a drink at the club last weekend. Spent most of the night with him.

Luther: Before you went home alone?

William: Well, yes, but I had to work the next day.

Luther: LOL.

Andrew: Hi, Marc. Welcome. I’m pretty new here too. New to being fully out despite knowing I liked men for years. I’m still trying to figure out how all this works. Gay clubs are about all I’m capable of yet. If I go to a club, there’s no chance I’ll hit on a straight guy, at least. I’m a vet, and my PTSD and injuries make taking that risk of hitting on the wrong guy anxiety inducing. I distrust everyone, including my own brain and injured body.

Luther: And I’m the sole closet case here.

William: Not entirely. I’m not out at work. No one there has earned the right to know that about me yet. But my family knows.

Hugo: I’ve been out for ages, but I’m still not entirely open about my drag persona. That’s still need to know.

Marc: You do drag? What’s your drag name.

Hugo: Yep. Miss Cherri Pop! 😉

Marc: Where does everyone live? Or should I not ask that?

Luther: On the dusty oil fields of North Dakota, but there are tons of men to hook-up with here. No questions asked. No demands to kiss. Just how I like it!

William: Sunny California, though right now, I’d prefer rain.

Andrew: I’m in Texas, happy to be home after four years in the army.

Hugo: Minneapolis.

Marc: Me too! Minneapolis, that is. I gotta say, it’s nice chatting with some queer men. Everyone around me assumes I’m straight. And since I haven’t dated a man in ages, it’s like all my friends forgot I’m bi. But I’d really like to date a man again. I think if I date a woman, I’m bound to . . . What’s the word? Put all my shit on her?

Hugo: Project?

Marc: Yeah. I’m gonna project my hurt on her cuz of my ex. So I’d really like to try something serious with a guy.

William: So, what are your greatest fears when thinking about falling in love?

Luther: Coming out. I know, I know. It won’t be as bad as I think it will be. But what if it is? I’ll lose everyone around me.

William: But you prefer being alone. Or so you’ve claimed, Luth.

Luther: Right. I push people away. Easier that way.

Marc: I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to trust again. And if I do, what if the guy I end up with assumes I’m cheating on him only because I’m bi?

Hugo: My Kevin is bisexual, and I never made those assumptions. We’re not all neanderthals who can’t appreciate subtlety.

Marc: True. There’s that lack of trust thing again.

William: I’m worried I’ll never measure up.

Luther: Says the man who probably has a dick the size of an eggplant.

William: . . .

William: I might. 😉

Luther: LOL. I knew it!

Hugo: If W & L weren’t thousands of miles away, I’d suggest you guys get a room and fuck to work out your sexual tension.

William: Not going to happen.

Luther: He’d probably want to marry me. 😉 I’m not settling down. I just want to fall in love. Big difference.

Andrew: I already know who I want to be in a relationship with. But I’m too boring for him.

William: You’re far from boring, Andrew.

Hugo: The only way you’ll know is if you take a chance. But get into a good headspace before that. Yes, I know, Luther, you’re sick of me saying that, but if I hadn’t fixed my shit before running into Kevin again seventeen years after our last kiss, I would’ve fucked it up that first night.

Marc: Thanks for this, guys. I’m glad I found you.

Posy Roberts started reading romance when she was young, sneaking peeks at adult books long before she should’ve. Textbooks eventually replaced the novels, and for years she existed without reading for fun. When she finally picked up a romance two decades later, it was like slipping on a soft hoodie . . . that didn’t quite fit like it used to. She wanted something more.

She wanted to read about men falling in love with each other. She wanted to explore beyond the happily ever after and see characters navigate the unpredictability of life. So Posy sat down at her keyboard to write the books she wanted to read.

Her stories have been USA Today’s “Happily Ever After” Must-Reads and Rainbow Award finalists. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her family and friends and doing anything possible to get out of grocery shopping and cooking.

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