Book Excerpts

Safe in His Heart by Renae Kaye: Exclusive Guest Post, Release Day Review and Excerpts

May 1, 2016 by Denise

Andrew and Paul learned about God and Jesus in different churches and realize their views of spirituality are worlds apart.

Andrew was raised Catholic and was told his homosexuality was a sin. For his entire life, he hid the truth. He married and had children to present a façade to the world—that of a straight man. It’s not until he has an affair with Paul, who shows him a different side of Jesus, that Andrew realizes he can be gay and still believe in God. Paul’s Jesus is one of acceptance and love, and in Paul’s church, being gay is not a problem.

For Paul and Andrew, falling in love is the easy part of their journey. They must make it through the fires of cheating, being discovered, Andrew’s wife leaving, the necessities of childcare and family life, the demands of their jobs, and working on their commitment to each other. Only then can they be safe in each other’s heart.

Title: Safe in His Heart
Series: Safe: Book Two
Author: Renae Kaye
Release Date: May 2, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 270

Safe in His Arms was my first introduction to Renae Kaye. I loved the glimpses of Paul in that book and was beyond excited that he was getting his own story. Adding to the excitement was the fact that it deals with the balance of sexuality and religion.

I will warn you, there is cheating in this book. I fully understand that it’s a hard limit for some readers, but Safe in His Heart is written in such a way that I was strangely okay with it. First of all, because there wasn’t a promise of fidelity in the marriage (read the book and you’ll understand just how they came to be married with children) and secondly, because there’s no deception. Paul knows exactly who and what Andrew is from the first time they get together. And before you feel too bad for Kristy, know that she has her own issues, which in many ways trump the physical needs Andrew sated with Paul. Really, it’s going to be okay, and I’d hate to see anyone not buy the book because of the cheating aspect.

Now, for what really matters in this book. Religion. Holy hell! I can’t remember the last time I read a book touched me when it comes to the reconciliation of sexuality and spirituality. Not only did Renae Kaye write about the guilt and negative feelings associated with Andrew being raised in a conservative Catholic family, but she showed the love and acceptance of Paul’s Anglican faith. In the middle of reading Andrew’s conversation with Paul’s priest, I had to put down my Kindle and send a verse which was referenced in the book to a family member who is going through this very struggle right now.

Safe in His Heart wasn’t just a great story for me, it was an awakening. For years, I’ve struggled with my own spirituality, due largely in part to how many “modern” Christian religions still shun people for being gay. One of the weights on my shoulders lifted through the course of this book, because I no longer feel like it’s one or the other. I know that might sound a bit deeper than a lot of reader’s want, but that feeling has more to do with how I processed the book and absolutely nothing to do with feeling beaten over the head by religion. This is not a religious book. It’s a love story where one character helps the other get through a dark time in his life in multiple ways.

Now, the question is when will we get Devon and Ash’s book? They have to have one!

5 pieces of eye candy

I was unsure about this book before I started it. The thing I was most weary of was the cheating aspect of it. However, once I got into it more the author explained the relationship between Andrew and Kristy.

Paul was a great character. He was fun and entertaining and I absolutely loved him. He has such a good heart and kept his faith and belief in Andrew the whole time.

Andrew was very well written. I was leary of him in the first couple of chapters because he seemed to come off as a player. However, the further into the story and more we get to see Andrews thoughts and feelings the more lovable he became. He was a very strong character when it was needed.

I also really liked how in the end Kristy didn’t wind up being the “bad guy.” A lot of books I’ve read make the wife of the closeted guy out to be horrible and Renae Kaye didn’t do that. Renae did a wonderful job creating a story and characters that were entertaining and I read the entire book in one sitting.

5 pieces of eye candy

The religious themes of Safe in His Heart

One of the big themes about Safe in His Heart is religion. It was a hard thing for me write, because I didn’t wish to offend anyone, and let me state that because a character has a religious belief, it is no reflection on the author’s view of the world.

Me, personally? My views of religion and homosexuality are not important. What I think is important is the representation of all types of people in our romance stories. If you’re straight, you can read M/M. If you’re a vegetarian, you can still read about a character eating a steak. If you’re an atheist, you can still read about a character who is a Catholic.

I try to pick from a range of different types of people. My characters are differing in their outlooks, their ages, their jobs, their religion, their families, their appearance… Just like we are in life.

I love reading about people who are different religions and backgrounds to me. It exposes me to their customs and explains to me a little bit more about why people act the way they do. For example, although the Australian Aboriginal people have varying beliefs through their different tribes, one of the things that is common is that it is rude to their customs to look another person in the eye. To most modern white people, it is a sign of honesty, and when they can’t look a person in the eye, they tend to judge that person as dishonest. A simple realisation on behalf of the white person that this is the Aboriginal culture, their religion, and their custom, is sometimes enough to ward off the negative feelings they get when an Aboriginal person won’t look them in the eye.

It was therefore, with openness and acceptance of all people that I welcomed two characters who are from differing, but strong religious backgrounds to my book.

Andrew is Catholic. He’s grown up in the Catholic Church and had the beliefs of his religion impressed on him from a very young age. As a young man growing into his sexual identity, he struggled to reconcile his faith with his inner feelings. This is an extremely common story. You don’t have to look far on the internet to see true stories of gay men and women who are persecuted by their families for this. Recently I saw this project: The Trevor Project, and Tom Goss’s song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJStTqPmcMY) that is about two gay boys growing up in a religious environment. We like to think that this story has a happy ending, but can we be sure?

Excerpt, Safe in His Heart

Andrew tried hard to be straight. He tried to please his father. He consciously ignored his sinful urges and married a woman like the Bible told him to. He used his seed to bring children into his marriage, and that was about the best damn thing he’d already done in his life.

His children were the only good thing about his marriage to Kristy. The day he stood in front of the altar of Kristy’s church and promised to love and honor her, he lied. He felt sick at the time because he made that vow in front of God, and knew that he would break it. But the church hadn’t fallen in like he dreaded. He looked Kristy in the eye and lied, and she looked him in the eye and lied right back.

Safe in His Heart (Safe #2) is about Andrew’s journey out of the closet. The reason he is in there has mostly to do with religion, so therefore he needs to come to grips with his faith and beliefs as he moves through that doorway. Is this book about religion? No – not at all. But it involves religion, and the character’s belief in religion. As a reader of this book you will journey with Andrew as he discusses his problems and works things out in his head.

You will also journey with Andrew as he embarks on a flaming affair with Paul, argues with his PA, is hurt by his wife leaving, struggles with raising his children, and tells his family about his homosexuality.

Someone asked me, how do I balance the romance with the religion? I don’t think it is a balance. This is a book that sits squarely in the Romance genre. If someone thinks to file it with Christian Romances, then I will have to object. This book isn’t about living life as a Christian. It’s about a man’s journey while he works out his Christianity… and has a lot of gay sex with his lover. It’s about bravery. It’s about working out who you are, not what your parents want you to be. It’s about perceptions. It’s about love.

Does this story have religious themes? Of course. Just like a book that has a professional hockey player coming out of the closet may deal with how he tells his teammates, how he is treated on the field, and how the media treat him. You can’t write a book about a hockey player without mentioning hockey. You can’t write a book about a soldier without mentioning the armed forces. Andrew’s religion – and on the flip-side, Paul’s more liberal religion – are crucial in the telling of the story.

So I hope the love and romance is plain to see, despite the secret lovers, the religious headache, and the everyday life that comes into Andrew’s world. Enjoy!

Excerpt, Safe in His Heart

And Andrew had no clue what the hell he was doing. But when he had to, he knew how to “fake it until you make it.” Hadn’t he faked being straight all those years? Hadn’t he successfully faked a marriage? Didn’t he fake knowing what to do as the CEO of Cabott’s until they allowed him to do the job, and then he forged his own path?

But the situation with Paul was completely beyond his control. His common sense told him to get out before he got caught. His logical brain told him someone was always watching. His sixth sense told him no secret was ever a really a secret. But for some reason, Andrew continued to cling to Paul. He was his daily dose of sanity.

The first time Erica told him he had to cancel his “meeting” with Paul in favor of an important business teleconference, he gritted his teeth and let it go. The second time he asked her to change it.

“No. I’m not canceling Paul. Ring Brian and find another time he can meet,” Andrew demanded.

Erica shook her head in the negative. “I’ve tried, Andrew. He’s stepping onto a plane at five our time. We need to slot him in at two, or else we’ll miss our chance.” She made a scribble on her notepad and then gave him an understanding nod. “Look, I’ll ring Paul myself and reschedule. I’m sure he can make it an evening appointment, like last Tuesday.”

Andrew dug his fingernails into his thigh. “He can’t. He’s back on night shift this week.”

“Oh.” Erica paused, and then her eyes turned sympathetic. “You need to choose, Andrew. Either Paul or Brian. Because this is our last chance with Brian before he flies home to the US.”

With an angry nod, he agreed, but told Erica he would ring Paul. Bad news should come from him. Besides… getting his PA to schedule his cheating sessions…?

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Renae Kaye is a lover and hoarder of books who thinks libraries are devilish places because they make you give the books back. She consumed her first adult romance book at the tender age of thirteen and hasn’t stopped since. After years – and thousands of stories! – of not having book characters do what she wants, she decided she would write her own novel and found the characters still didn’t do what she wanted. It hasn’t stopped her though. She believes that maybe one day the world will create a perfect couple – and it will be the most boring story ever. So until then she is stuck with quirky, snarky and imperfect characters who just want their story told.

Renae lives in Perth, Western Australia and writes in five minute snatches between the demands of two kids, a forbearing husband, too many pets, too much housework and her beloved veggie garden. She is a survivor of being the youngest in a large family and believes that laughter (and a good book) can cure anything.

How to contact Renae:

Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.au

Website: www.renaekaye.weebly.com

FB: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9

Twitter: @renaekkaye

Will & Patrick’s Happy Ending by Blake & Griffiths : Book Blitz, Review and Giveaway

April 30, 2016 by Denise

Follow Will & Patrick in this final installment of the romantic-comedy serial, Wake Up Married, by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

Sure, Will and Patrick are in love now, but they weren’t when they got married in Vegas. For Patrick, that’s no problem, but Will can’t shake his doubts that a relationship started through coercion can ever become the real deal.

Since the Molinaro crime family has reversed their position on divorce, Will and Patrick have a chance to rectify their drunken mistake. But is divorce the solution? Find out in this final installment of the much-beloved Wake up Married serial.

Episode 6 of 6 in the Wake Up Married serial.

Author: Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths

Title: Will & Patrick’s Happy Ending

Series Title and Number: Wake Up Married, Episode 6

Publisher: Leta Blake Books

Release Date: 4/15/16

Genre: Romantic Comedy, M/M Romance

Tags: gay, woke up married, rom-com, happy ending

Heat Level: 5

Pairing: M/M

Length: 127 pages

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The perfect ending to this wonderful story. I really wanted to smack Will in the last book. Seriously that guy really needs to stop listening to other people. My heart broke for Patrick in this one. I have to admit this one made me shed a few tears. I did really like the fact that the ending wasn’t rushed. Holy Hell, though I would really like to kill Ryan. If there ever was a piece of scum it was him. I would have really liked to see Will punch him out just one time. I will be sad to see this series come to an end, but I am so happy they got their happily ever after.

5 pieces of eye candy

Will leans back heavily in his desk chair and sweat pricks the back of his neck. A tight band squeezes his chest, but he manages to ask, “What do you mean we can get divorced? Did Frankie and his new bride call it quits?”

Eleanora’s throaty chuckle comes through the phone. “No, darling. They’re still madly in love for now. It’s Romeo Molinaro we have to thank for this piece of good fortune.”

Will frowns, mind scrambling through dozens of half-forgotten or never-known relatives.

“Zeno’s favorite nephew,” Eleanora prompts.

“Oh. Right.”

Zeno is the current boss of the Molinaro family, his father’s uncle, and a terrifying man.

“Unfortunate marriages are going around like the flu in this family. It seems Romeo got hitched to a fetching ragazza. Charming, beautiful, young—the usual. But, as it turns out, also a spy from the Korotayev crime family in New York.” Nonna clucks over the line. “Oh, men. Following the dictates of their little heads always leads to their downfall.”

Bright sunshine screams through the window of the room, ricocheting around and giving Will an instant headache. “If she’s a spy, why arrange a divorce? Why doesn’t Zeno just—” Will drags his finger over his throat even though Nonna can’t see him. “Off her?”

“How like your father!” Eleanora puffs her disapproval. “No, no, darling. That’s no solution. Besides, Romeo begged his father not to kill her. Apparently he’s still smitten. But don’t worry. There will be some other kind of recompense paid, I’m sure. William, the less we know about it all, the better.”

Will exhales slowly. He stands up, turns to the windows behind his desk, and adjusts the blinds, dimming the light. “Romeo’s still in love with her? But he’s going to divorce her anyway?”

“Presumably. Regardless, Zeno’s quote-unquote discovered a loophole in the Trust that smashes through the edict regarding love matches and divorces.”

“Dad knew about this the whole time he was in town, didn’t he? He was just messing with us.”

“We’ll never know for sure, darling. All I know is he told me about Romeo’s situation and Zeno’s solution this morning before his flight out. Regardless, the issue is resolved. You and your doctor are free to handle your marriage as you see fit and Good Works is safe.”

Will stomach knots hard, and he stares at the lines of light the closed blinds leave on his desk. “We could file for divorce immediately? Today?”

“You could. That is, if it’s still what you want to do.”

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Leta Blake

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.

You can find out more about her by following her online.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Alice Griffiths

A long-time reader of romance novels, Alice Griffiths finally took the plunge into writing, teaming up with best-selling author Leta Blake for the ‘Woke up Married’ serialized comedy. A lover of tropes, Alice enjoys mining old ideas and putting a fresh, funny spin on them. Formerly working in the newspaper industry, Alice is now an art curator. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

You can find out more about her by following her online.

Twitter | Facebook

Two lucky winners will win one eBook copy of any Will & Patrick episode.

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The Heart as He Hears It by A.M. Arthur : Release Day Blast, Excerpt and Giveaway

April 19, 2016 by Denise

While most of his friends have moved on to “real” careers, Jon Buchanan is content skating through life as a part-time waiter and gay porn star. Firmly single thanks to a previous relationship disaster, he focuses his spare time on Henry, a dear friend dying of cancer.

And with Henry’s happiness paramount, Jon is on a mission to help Henry meet his recently discovered grandson.

Isaac Gregory hasn’t set foot outside for the past year. He has everything he needs delivered, and his remaining family knows better than to visit. When a complete stranger shows up claiming to be his grandfather—with a distractingly handsome younger man in tow—his carefully structured routines are shaken.

Despite his instant attraction, Jon senses Isaac is too fragile for a relationship. Yet tentative friendship grows into genuine companionship. And when Henry’s health begins to fail, they realize Fate brought them together for a reason.

Author Name: A.M. Arthur

Book Name: The Heart As He Hears It

Series: Perspectives

Book: Three

Can be read as a standalone

Release Date: April 19, 2016

Pages or Words: 253 pages

Also available in audiobook format with Guy Locke as the narrator

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads Link:

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Cover Artist: Lyn Taylor

Jon studied him, his gaze taking in…something. “May I ask you something?”

“Of course.” His chest flushed with anticipation.

“How do you feel when you’re with me?”

Isaac tried to push aside the anxiety still attempting to blur his thoughts, an old friend that wanted to be part of the conversation. Only anxiety wasn’t allowed in, not this time. He shuffled through different words, emotions and adjectives, searching for the one that best described how he felt about Jon. How Jon made him feel, despite being a near-stranger, bigger, stronger and far more experienced in pretty much everything. Jon still made him feel… “Safe,” Isaac said.

Jon’s eyebrows crept up. The corners of his mouth quirked into something not quite a smile. “Really?”

“Yes. The first time I saw you on my security feed, I noticed how beautiful you were.” His cheeks warmed.

Jon flat out grinned. “Yeah?”

“You’re kind and patient, and I feel safe because you don’t try to fix me, and you don’t act like I’m broken. My family thinks I’m broken, and I don’t want them to fix me. I just…” Something in Isaac shifted, accepting this new truth. “I need to feel safe, Jon. That’s why I hide. But you make me not want to hide.”

Jon’s eyes glittered. His expression melted into something so warm, so sweet, that it burned in Isaac’s blood in a way he didn’t understand at all. The strange sensation urged him to reach out, to initiate contact of some kind. Deep-rooted fear kept Isaac still, unable to make that first move. Unable to do anything except soak in the wonderment on Jon’s face.

“I think that’s the greatest compliment I’ve ever gotten,” Jon said. His voice was hoarse, strange. Almost difficult to hear, so Isaac paid more attention to his lips. “Is it cheesy to say your strength makes me want to be better too?”

Isaac shook his head. “I’m not strong.”

“You’re stronger than you think. You proved that by letting me and Henry in two weeks ago. You proved it again by going out to rescue a kitten. Twice, by the way. You told me you want to get better, get into the world, and that takes a fuck-ton of courage when you’ve lost as much as you have. I know it won’t be easy, but I still want to help you do that.”

“I know you do. I want that too.”

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A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, and SMP Swerve.

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Where to find the author:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/A.M.Arthur.M.A

Twitter: http://twitter.com/am_arthur

Website: http://amarthur.blogspot.com/

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/am-arthur

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, Oh My Shelves, Unquietly Me, The Jena Wade, Full Moon Dreaming,

Making It Happen, Book Lovers 4Ever, BFD Book Blog, The Hat Party, Alpha Book Club, V’s Reads,

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Bayou Book Junkie, My Fiction Nook, Happily Ever Chapter,

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, A.M. Leibowitz, Outrageous Heroes,

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Nephy Hart, Boys on the Brink Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews,

Molly Lolly, Gay Media Reviews, Kirsty Loves Books, Jessie G. Books, Havan Fellows, Anna Butler Fiction,

Dawn’s Reading Nook, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Mikky’s World of Books, Inked Rainbow Reads,

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

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Imperfect Harmony by Jay Northcote : Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

April 15, 2016 by Denise

Imperfect harmony can still be beautiful…

John Fletcher, a former musician, is stuck in limbo after losing his long-term partner two years ago. He’s shut himself off from everything that reminds him of what he’s lost. When his neighbour persuades him to join the local community choir, John rediscovers his love of music and finds a reason to start living again.

Rhys Callington, the talented and charismatic choir leader, captures John’s attention from the first moment they meet. He appears to be the polar opposite of John: young, vibrant, and full of life. But Rhys has darkness in his own past that is holding him back from following his dreams.

Despite the nineteen-year age gap, the two men grow close and a fragile relationship blossoms. Ghosts of the past and insecurities about the future threaten their newfound happiness. If they’re going to harmonise in life and love as they do in their music, they’ll need to start following the same score.

Author Name: Jay Northcote

Book Name: Imperfect Harmony

Release Date: April 15, 2016

Pages or Words: 66,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Jaybird Press

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Luckily there were still some parking spaces outside the church hall where Maggie’s choir met. John made sure they arrived a little early so Maggie wouldn’t have to walk too far. She was managing well on one crutch, but she still tired easily. After he parked, he got out and hurried around to help her out of the passenger door.

“Thanks, love,” she said, patting him on the arm. “I can manage now.”

A vicious gust of wind whipped a strand of hair into her face. It was dark, still sleeting, and probably slippery underfoot. There was no way John was going to leave until she was safely indoors. “I’ll just see you inside. Let me take your bag.”

Maggie let him have it without argument, and he popped it over his arm. He hovered close to Maggie as she made her way slowly to the double doors. He held one open for her and was hit by a blast of warm air. Then he accompanied her inside as she crutched along the corridor towards an open door. Yellow light flooded out, and the sound of a tenor voice singing “I Can See Clearly Now” raised the hairs on the back of John’s neck with its pure, clear beauty.

“I thought you said the emphasis was on fun rather than perfection?” he said quietly. “He’s got quite a voice.”

“That’ll be Rhys, our choir leader,” Maggie said with a smile. “Come and meet him, even if you’re not staying.”

Maggie paused when she reached the doorway and put a finger to her lips. They listened and waited for Rhys to finish singing. John peered over Maggie’s shoulder, hoping for a glimpse of the man the voice belonged to. Rhys, John presumed, was alone in the room. With his back to the door, he stood at a table pushed to the edge of the room, shuffling through some papers as he sang. All John could see of him was that he was small and slight, and quite young, based on the cut of his clothes. A hood covered his hair.

When he finished, Maggie started clapping.

Rhys wheeled around. “Oh my God! You made me jump.” He pushed his hood down and his face lit up as he beamed. “Maggie. How are you?”

John’s eyes widened as he took in Rhys’s front view as he approached Maggie and gave her a careful hug. His hair, which was shaved at the back and sides, was long on top and dyed peacock blue. His eyebrow was pierced, his arms were covered with tattoos, and the front of his T-shirt was emblazoned with a glittery equals sign in rainbow colours. All in all, he was at least twenty years younger than John had expected and completely unlike how John would have imagined a choir leader to look. In this dingy church hall in their small market town, Rhys looked like a bird of paradise that had accidentally ended up in a cage full of sparrows.

Being a music lover and a fan of Jay Northcote, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Imperfect Harmony. Of course, the icing on the cake was that this is a May/December story, which I also love.

Unfortunately, I was left trying to figure out how I feel about the book. The pacing felt off from what I’ve gotten used to with Jay’s books. The first third of the book felt like too much detail about the music and not enough about John and Rhys. Then, they got together, but that almost felt too easy because I didn’t have a clear picture of what they’d experienced in the past and how that shaped their present. When the book ended, I was happy to see them together, but I still wished there was a clearer picture of why they were going to work.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

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Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

Where to find the author:

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, Happily Ever Chapter, BFD Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie,

Oh My Shelves, Gay Book Reviews, Man2ManTastic, Andrew Q. Gordon, QUEERcentric Books,

The Hat Party, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Unquietly Me, Bookaholic Confessions,

Full Moon Dreaming, Molly Lolly, Alpha Book Club, My Fiction Nook, Dawn’s Reading Nook,

Velvet Panic, Attention Is Arbitrary, Open Skye Book Reviews, V’s Reads, Multitasking Mommas,

Louise Lyons, Kirsty Loves Books, MM Good Book Reviews, Foxylutely Book Reviews,

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Inked Rainbow Reads, Outrageous Heroes,

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Three Books Over The Rainbow

Win a title from Jay’s backlist, just by leaving a comment here. What appeals to you about this book? 🙂

Knit Tight by Annabeth Albert : Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

April 12, 2016 by Denise

It’s no secret that Portland, Oregon, has some of best restaurants, shops, and cafés in the country. But it’s the hard-working men who serve it all up that keep us coming back for more…

One of Portland’s hottest young baristas, Brady is famous for his java-topping flair, turning a regular cup of joe into a work of art. Every Wednesday—aka “Knit Night”—hordes of women and their needles descend on the coffeehouse, and Brady’s feeling the heat. Into the fray walks a tall, dark, and distractingly handsome stranger from New York. His name is Evren, and he’s the sexy nephew of Brady’s sweetest customer, the owner of the yarn shop down the street. He’s also got a killer smile, confident air, and masculine charm that’s tying Brady’s stomach in knots. The smitten barista can’t wait to see him at the next week’s gathering. But when he tries to ask Evren out, his plans unravel faster than an unfinished edge. If Brady hopes to warm up more than Evren’s coffee, he’ll have to find a way to untangle their feelings, get out of the friend zone, and form a close-knit bond that’s bound to last a lifetime…

Author Name: Annabeth Albert

Book Name: Knit Tight

Series: #PortlandHeat

Book: Four

This, and all the books of the series, can be read as a standalone as each features a new couple.

Release Date: April 12, 2016

Pages or Words: 43,000

Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Kensington

Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde

“Why? Am I turning you on?” My hand wandered over my fly. Not stroking, just firm pressure. We’d danced past sexy talk, far out of the friend zone, now meandering into something dark and heady. I pressed hard against my aching erection as I waited to see how far Ev would let himself go.

“Perhaps. I told you some things, now you tell me. What is your favorite thing?”

“Uh. The long, slow grinding ending in oral that you just described sounds amazing and hits a lot of my buttons. For the record, I’m totally good with…mess. And I like giving oral. Love getting my throat fucked. Being pinned down while grinding or getting my throat fucked, that gets me going.”

Ev was silent a long moment. Perhaps I’d pushed him too far. “Tell me about this throat fucking. How do you like it?”

Aw yes. I’d never had phone sex, but I had a feeling we were about to head in that direction. “Where are you right now?”

“In my bed. With a closed door. Are you going to ask me what I’m wearing next?”

“Knitted underwear?” I laughed as I headed for the bathroom—the one room with a lock. My usual jerk-off method was a locked door and a longer-than-necessary shower.

“Sorry to disappoint. Pajama bottoms. I worry Hala Mira could need me in the night.”

“Hey, you don’t have to apologize to me. I share a room with a ten-year-old. I’m going to the bathroom now, though. And locking the door.”

“You require a locked door to tell me about giving head?”

“I require a locked door, a quiet house, and about three hours to show you,” I countered. “Fuck, Ev. I want you to wear me out.”

“Oh, I could. Do not doubt that, Brady. You want me to wear your throat out? Use you so much you need me to feed you some gelato after?”

“Fuck yes,” I whispered. “I’d like it if you were on the bed or in a chair and I were kneeling in front of you. Or you were standing in front of me. Me on my knees is the key thing.”

“You ever try with your head over the edge of the mattress? It happens that this bed is the perfect height for that…”

“Oh yes. Tell me more. I want to jerk off while you fuck my throat like that.”

“Ah. But I don’t want that. Perhaps we will need to find other occupation for your hands.”

Oh man. Ev knew how to turn my crank big-time. “I’m good with having my hands tied.”

I could tell from his inhalation that it worked for him, too. “How flexible are you?”

“Bendier than I look. I had to do yoga stretching exercises to rehab a skateboarding injury. Turns out I dig it.”

“Nice. Very nice. I like your mouth very, very much.”

“Like the beard? Because if you want my mouth more…exposed, I can work with that. Beard is pure Northwest laziness on my part.”

“The beard is…part of the appeal. Your mouth is very full and your beard always seems like it’s…teasing. I think I want your hair down, though, yes?”

“Go for it.” Getting into it, I pulled my hair free of the ponytail, let it flop against my shoulders. Spit gathered in my mouth like I really was about to get a go at Ev’s cock. Fuck. Just the thought had me throbbing. I unzipped to get a little more breathing room. “I want to—”

Knock. Knock. Knock. “Brady, are you in there? I don’t feel so good,” Jonas called through the door.

Fuck. I kept my curse to myself. “Just a minute, buddy,” I called.

“You need to go?” Ev said in my ear. “I understand.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

“Another time, Brady, another time.”

Even if he just meant the phone-sex version of the fantasy, part of me thrilled to his words. And I was pulling hard for the in-person

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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. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.

Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency

Where to find the author:

https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbert

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbertauthor

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Alpha Book Club, Bayou Book Junkie, Unquietly Me, My Fiction Nook, Happily Ever Chapter,

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, A.M. Leibowitz, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings,

MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Gay Media Reviews, Kirsty Loves Books, Havan Fellows,

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Talk Dirty to Me by Jessie G: Blog Tour, Exclusive Post, Review and Giveaway

April 8, 2016 by Denise

As a secret agent for the DEA, Snake’s gone deep into Devils Pride MC with the hope of bringing down the head of Miami’s lucrative drug trade and finds himself saddled with the club’s volatile and secretive SA instead. Unfortunately, after years as partners doing shit neither of them wanted to do for reasons neither of them felt comfortable sharing, Snake considers Trick his best friend. Now he’ll do anything to repair the damage his own necessary lies did to their friendship because, while Trick may have walked away from the MC, Snake needs someone he trusts to have his back.

Meanwhile, Snake’s contact at the DEA has him tied up in knots. The sexy voice and inappropriate comments have him walking around with a permanent set of blue balls. Life undercover is lonely and he lives for every phone call, but his own personal Deep Throat is skittish about committing to a date once Snake returns to headquarters. As far as Snake’s concerned, they only have one shot to build something together and he’s not willing to waste it.

Greg knows he’s not Snake’s type, or anyone’s for that matter. Former love interests called him plain, chubby, and boring. More comfortable in his tech cave than with people, he’s a grade A nerd who isn’t exactly GQ material. Normally he would never be brave enough to flirt with anyone—much less the very hot and very dangerous ginger who’d been starring in his nightly fantasies—but Snake needed something to keep him from getting lost undercover. What started out as a helping hand quickly became an integral part of their relationship—if one could call a five year phone conversation a relationship—and Greg is terrified that once Snake’s sees the wizard behind the curtain, he’ll lose the only man he’s ever loved.

Now the DEA has called Snake home to plan the next stage of the mission, leaving Greg no more places to hide. When fantasy and reality collide, will it be everything Snake hopes for or everything Greg fears? The trick will be staying alive long enough to figure out the answer.

Author Name: Jessie G. Books

Book Name: Talk Dirty to Me

Series: Devils Pride MC

Book: Two

Series must be read in order

Release Date: March 7, 2016)

Pages or Words: 78,000 words

Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Erotica, M/M Romance, Mystery, Romance (Please note: Snake’s bisexuality is only mentioned. It is not gone into.)

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/jessiegbooks

Publisher: Jessie G. Books Inc.

Cover Artist: Andrew Reyna, Dynamic Craft Studios

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First, I want to thank you for hosting my guys and always being supportive of my work. When we talked about this book, I asked you for a prompt and I’ve been mulling it over ever since. You asked me what my starting point was and I really had to go way back to find the answer.

I’ve been honest in saying that as a child, reading was a chore. I was bored, uninspired, and would do anything not to do it. Then my aunt gave me a book that was no doubt far too mature and opened up my eyes to a whole world of genres. My love of reading seemed to grow overnight. I couldn’t get enough and I wanted to try everything, and with that love came ideas of my own.

I toyed with them, filling notebooks with half-formed ideas, but never getting to the end. Fast forward thirty years, two kids, two marriages, a career, and life later, I had never realized my dream of being a published writer. It was always “when I had time” or “after the kids are grown” or “it’s just a hobby, I’m not good enough.” I told myself that last one a lot until I wrote Past Hurts. Getting to the end and loving it, imperfections and all, pushed me to actually take the chance of doing something with it. Taking the first step was all it took and, knock on wood, the muse has been very good to me now that I’ve stopped ignoring her.

I now have nine books on the market in three series and have plotted out several more (see my newest family tree). I also want to explore paranormal and even crossover between MM and MF some point. I’ve limited myself for so long by putting off what I really wanted to do and refuse to write just one type of book for however long the muse continues to inspire me.

**Check out the updated Family Tree!

“That sexy voice and those incredible brains are a potent combination.” There was a sigh and a muffled groan, reminding Greg why they were talking at close to three in the morning. “Lucky for you, my ego’s big enough to handle the challenge.”

“Your ego or your dick?” Just saying it made his mouth water and he’d give anything to see it, touch it, taste it…

“Damn, Sunshine, you gonna groan like that when I’m shoving my big ego down your throat?” The rough dirty talk was more like the Gene he knew and loved.

Yeah, as hopeless as it was, there was no other word for the feelings that ran deep and true inside him. And it was hopeless. While not conventionally handsome, Gene was everything he could ever want in a man—tall, strong, rugged, smart, and deadly—and damn him for being a ginger to boot. The type of man who had no trouble finding a willing body to fuck. The type of man who would never look twice at an out of shape, curly-haired, glasses-wearing geek. But that was his secret and as long as Gene didn’t know exactly what he looked like, he was able to hold on to the fantasy for a little while longer.

“You know I will.” He was groaning again just thinking about getting his lips anywhere near Gene’s body. “I can feel you fisting my hair, holding me still while you make me take every inch.”

“Fuck yeah, I’d grab two fistfuls and fuck that dirty mouth the way it deserves,” Gene promised. “You want that, don’t you, Sunshine? To be manhandled until your throat is raw and your lips are swollen.”

Greg fisted his own aching cock, dragging his palm from balls to tip. What he wouldn’t give for that just once. “More than anything.”

“My dirty little Valentine.” Gene’s voice was ragged and full of satisfaction. “Get your toy, dirty boy, I’m dying to pound that tight ass until you’re screaming my name.”

There was no embarrassment as he reached for the long, thick vibrating dildo he’d already prepared in anticipation of this phone call. He wanted Gene too much to allow embarrassment to stop him from experiencing whatever he could with the man. “Tell me…tell me how you want me. On my back? On my knees?”

“On your back so I can see your face,” Gene purred and Greg felt his heart skip another beat. His dirtiest fantasies had nothing on phone sex with Gene. The real thing would probably kill him.

I adore Jessie’s Stories. I always devour them and then I’m sad because it’s over. I was really looking forward to Gene and Greg’s story and she did not disappoint me one bit.

Gene was always the loner and the badass. Being undercover for the DEA didn’t really give him any other choice. With this story, I get to see a whole new side to Gene. I loved seeing him brought to his knees by the love he had for Greg. Greg always felt like he wasn’t good enough for Gene. Being a hacker/nerd for the DEA, he was a lonely man himself as well. He hasn’t had very good luck with men throughout his life. Lots of bad experiences have pretty much killed his self esteem. It was nice to see his personal growth and how far he comes in being comfortable in his own skin.

I absolutely love getting to spend time with some of our very favorite past characters. The ongoing snark and humor between all of them makes for a damn good time. This story is packed with action, passion and hilarity that made me want more and more. Definitely can’t wait for the next installment.

5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Jessie G is an author that puts so much into her books. She spends the extra effort on research, gives back to her readers, and creates real people. Her characters are always flawed in some way, whether through circumstance or environment. Yet, the flaws she creates in those characters are often what appeal most to their future partner(s).

In Talk Dirty to Me, she created a character who is confident in his skills behind his computer, while nearly without self esteem in person. Greg sees himself as overweight, frumpy, and not in the same league as the gorgeous Snake, aka, Gene. To have a character with this type of personality is rare in this genre, where tone abs and muscle bound men abound. Although he and Snake had a healthy phone relationship, when it came time to actually show himself to the man of his dreams, Greg couldn’t help but try to hide himself away, at which point Snake put his foot down, showing Greg he wanted him just as he was.

The duo, along with a big crew of assistants, worked to take down what they could of the stronghold Snake had been investigating for years. And this is where Jessie absolutely shines as an author. The layers that she puts into her books are deeper than any author I’ve read in this genre. One simple comment made four books ago, may end up having a huge impact on how an incident is dealt with in the current book. Or she may set up what appears to be an innocent situation that will turn deadly or vital to the series, without anyone noticing. It is her true strength as an author, to create a world that is truly as complex as real life, and she brings it all around in this book, as she so often does. She ties off one or two loose ends from a previous book, yet leaves breadcrumbs along the way for the next two or three books, or even a different series.

Gene and Greg worked together by opposites attracting, but also by meeting each other’s emotional needs. Where one was lacking in skills or confidence, the other was able to pick up the slack. With the building of their relationship, you also were able to see the confidence increase in Greg as a person, his self esteem projecting not only in his work, but in his personality. There is a bonus scene that you have to read AFTER you read the book (here) that helps to see where Greg has become more confident in himself as a sex partner for Gene. Check it out, but only after you’ve read Talk Dirty to Me. (It’s NSFW!)

Great job by Jessie on this. 5 pieces of eye candy for me!

Like many readers, the dream of being a writer has been with me a long time. After three decades of trying, I’d begun to doubt. Thanks to social media, I followed my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of wisdom as I pounded out half-formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two repetitive themes emerged: to be a great writer you must read a lot and your butt must be in the chair every day like it’s a job. The more you write, the easier it will be to write and the better you will be at writing. I took that advice to heart and write every day. With three series in the works and a full schedule of releases planned for the next two years, it’s been amazing to have made this dream my reality.

I am a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics, and happily ever after. I’m a lover of strong secondary characters, and series filled with families—biological or chosen. All are themes you’ll find throughout my books.

Where to find the author:

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Amazon: http://amzn.to/1P69wrd

All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Jessie+G.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jessiegbooks