Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

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Book Excerpts

Bet You (Franklin U Series, Book 4) by Neve Wilder: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Spencer

Whose brilliant idea was it to build university housing next to one of Franklin U’s most notorious party frats?

I’m a real student—the kind who actually came to college to learn, not some dumb frat bro who sees Franklin U as a four-year challenge to consume the most booze and throw out the best pick-up line.

Their all-hours lifestyle is driving me crazy. Not to mention, the jerks keep taking my assigned parking spot.

But the worst offender might be Cory Ingram. Sure, he has a smile that could melt a polar ice cap, but no way will I ever be one of his minions. I’m pretty sure I made that clear when I blew my top at him. So I have no idea why he’s suddenly everywhere around me, turning on the charm like I might actually fall for it.

Nope. Not gonna happen.

Cory

From the first day I set foot on Franklin U’s campus, everything has been golden. I have a ton of friends, endless parties to be the life of, and whoever I want in my bed on any given night. Sure, I’m a shameless party boy, but I’m not a jerk. Ask anyone. Seriously.

Even the crotchety old groundskeeper waves and smiles at me when I pass.

Then there’s Spencer Crow. I’ve never seen a guy’s face get so red over a parking spot. Even when I try to make it right, he proceeds to give me the tongue-lashing of a lifetime—which is about the moment I notice that, in addition to being irrationally irate, he’s also crazy hot.

My friends think I’ve finally met the one person I can’t seduce…

Bet you I can.

Title: Bet You
Authors: Neve Wilder
Length: 65K
Series: Franklin U Series, Book 4
Genre: Contemporary.
Tropes: opposites attract, hate to love, fratboy player/confident geek, rich/poor.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Damn, this dude is fired up. And while I hear the words coming out of his mouth, it’s the visuals that strike me. Dark brown hair swept back from his forehead in a way that catches the sunlight in threads of warm gold. His eyes are a crystalline blue and what I’d consider penetrating if they weren’t filled with so much fury that I’m convinced he’s trying to laser me to ash on the spot. And a mouth that, well, if it wasn’t currently spewing venom at me, would leave me curious about how it’d feel wrapped around my cock.

How have I not noticed this guy before?

Or have I?

Shit, have I slept with him?

Maybe that’s why he’s so pissed over a parking spot? Who the hell gets this butthurt over a parking spot without some background motivation? I mean, I’m always up-front with my hookups that I am in no way relationship material, but that doesn’t mean feelings don’t get hurt sometimes. Maybe this guy is a ghost from hookups past?

“Have I slept with you?” I blurt, interrupting him while he’s saying something again about a dumpster on Lee Street.

His jaw snaps shut, then opens again, bewilderment wrinkling his forehead. “What? Of course not,” he growls as if I’ve mortally offended him by the suggestion, which in turn kinda offends me.

Look, my body count is pretty high, but like I said, I’m always up-front with my partners, always get consent, and am dedicated to their pleasure as much as mine. I mean, Jesus, I once went down on a girl for two hours because she’d never had an orgasm from oral before, and it took us that long to figure out what combination of lips, tongue, and fingers was the winning ticket. But by god, we fucking found it. And then celebrated after with a two-hour nap before she blew me a kiss as she left. I never heard from her again, but I like to think she’s out and about these days tugging the roots of guys’ hair as they bring her to multiple orgasms.

God, he’s still going. I zero in on his mouth, the plump Cupid’s bow and the thinner lower lip—which gives him a stern look that’s really working for me. I shake my head, trying to focus on the words coming from those sexy lips.

“…not if you were the last man alive.”

Okay, so he’s gay. Or bi. I squint at him, still confused. “I’m sorry, but I need to ask again: Is this amount of aggression really warranted over a parking space?” When he purses his lips, I can’t help it—I have to fight back a grin. It’s just… he’s so fucking indignant. “Look, I’ve said I’m sorry about your space, and I’m moving the car now.”

“Which would only help me if I could time travel back to an hour ago to before you parked in the spot.”

“How about I drive you to your car?” I figure that’s a considerate offer and the best olive branch to offer that I can think of at the moment.

He blinks in surprise before his mouth pulls into another scowl. “No, thanks. I’ll walk.” He stalks past me and starts down the street.

If you’ve been reading the books as they release, you know that we had met Spencer previously. He was hoping to get into the life sciences house to live with other people with his major. His friend warns him of the frat next door. The one that is ALWAYS loud and often throws parties. He doesn’t listen.

The frat IS loud and keeps him up often. After school full time AND working at the local bar, he is over it. And finally snaps when someone parks in his assigned spot. AGAIN. When he snapped, I felt it in my soul. Been there.

Cory is the guilty party. He tries turning on his charm to no avail. He is known for his charm! But Spencer isn’t having it. So now it’s a challenge. And when the frat brothers find out, it’s also a bet.

Cory is RELENTLESS in his pursuit. But alone with that, he is actually super respectful. And Spencer is charmed, he is just trying not to be.

If you’ve read any Neve Wilder books before, you know she can write a pretty filthy (in a good way!) sex scene. Well. Let me tell you. There were scenes where these two guys weren’t even in the same house and my kindle almost caught fire.

There’s some good cat and mouse here without being creepy. Cory is funny and charming and Spencer is no match. They play off of each other really well. Cory’s charm to Spencer’s snark. But it is a slow burn until they get their hands on each other.

This was a fun read with a good plot and a nice story as well. Sexy, cute, funny AND romantic. Excellent addition to the FU world

4 pieces of eye candy

Enemies to lovers, is not a favorite trope of mine, but is always entertaining! In this one, we have Corey and Spencer… again, as we’re used to seeing in this series so far, they’re about as different as night and day, and it isn’t all sunshine and roses when they first meet… – or any time they meet, there at the beginning. Spencer is at Franklin U to get an education. He takes it seriously, or as seriously as he can living next door to a fraternity. A party-friendly fraternity, with bro’ey dudes that do nothing but keep him distracted and disrupt his life… they even steal his parking space…

Now, I wanna say that I was a little apprehensive to start this one because I hate the whole ‘bet’ thing, they always get caught and someone always gets their feelings hurt…it’s right around the same ball park as “rule number one: you can’t fall in love with me…” like, well, now we know it’s going to happen… but I’m glad I stuck with this one because I did enjoy the chemistry and the banter between these two. I didn’t think I was going to warm up to Corey, (and not because I have a weird taste or Corey’s since it’s my husband’s name) but I’m so glad that I stuck with it!

I’m really enjoying this series and though I’ve been called out recently for spoilers and telling the whole synopsis in my review, I’ll leave it here and say that if you enjoyed the rest of this series, you’ll love this one too!

4 pieces of eye candy from me!

Neve Wilder reads promiscuously, across multiple genres, but her favorite stories always contain an element of romance. Incidentally, this is also what she likes to write. Slow-burners with delicious tension? Yes. Whiplash-inducing page-turners, also yes. Down and dirty scorchers? Yes. And every flavor in between.

She believes David Bowie was the sexiest musician to ever live, and she’s always game to nerd out on anything from music to writing.

And finally, she believes that love conquers all. Except the heat index in July. Nothing can conquer that bastard.

Connect with Neve:
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A Little More Trust (Hot Property Book 1) by Pauley J Ray: RB, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Ethan Scott has everything he could possibly want: an amazing career, great friends, and more money than he’s ever dreamed of. Oh, and men. So many men. Yep, life is perfect, and he doesn’t ever see it changing.

Nate Sullivan has sworn off men. They can’t be trusted. Simple as that. After years of being lied to by the man he thought he loved, the very married man with a wife and kids, he’s promised to never give his heart away or get emotionally attached to anyone again.

Ethan thinks it’ll be a sure thing to get Nate into his bed, but when the sexy and frustrating decorator rebuffs him at every turn, he comes up with a new plan to tempt the man he can’t stop thinking about. A sex agreement. For the duration of Nate’s work contract, with no strings attached and definitely no hearts and roses or emotional fallout.

It sounds like the perfect deal. Nate gets to have the man he’s been craving since they first met before walking away, his heart intact. Ethan gets to have Nate in his bed, finally satisfying the itch he’s constantly trying to scratch. Problem is, Ethan’s still trying to extricate himself from his disastrous marriage and if there’s one thing Nate won’t touch, it’s a married man. When Nate finds out what Ethan’s been hiding, the betrayal of trust leaves him devastated.

Nate leaves, but Ethan’s determined not to let him go. Will Nate give him the chance to explain, or will he risk losing the only man he’s ever truly loved?

Title:  A Little More Trust

Series: Hot Property, Book One

Author: Pauley J Ray

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: 09/06/2022

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 84600

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, alpha males, blue-collar, businessman, home repair

Amazon – All Regions

NineStar Press

Goodreads

Ethan

Pouring the steaming coffee into my usual mug, I let the rich aroma fill my senses. God, I needed this. Taking a large gulp, I savored the strong taste as it hit my tongue, the heat burning my mouth and throat as I swallowed, I hoped like hell the caffeine would kick start my body after the late night I’d had.

I plopped myself down at the kitchen table to take the weight off my aching thigh muscles from last night’s activities when the front doorbell rang loudly in the quiet space. Who the hell was that—I glanced at the clock on the wall—at a quarter to nine on a Saturday morning?

The bell rang again so I pushed my seat back and dragged my ass up the stairs and down the first-floor hallway. Yanking the front door open to get rid of whoever had ruined my peaceful morning, I was about to give them an earful, but then I looked into his face and the words died on my lips.

The man standing on my doorstep must have been mid-twenties at the most. A few inches shorter than my own six two, he wore a blue baggy t-shirt a good couple of sizes too big, almost drowning his slim frame, and a pair of loose-fitting gray jeans and black sneakers. His angular face gave him a Scandinavian look, with a strong jaw and high cheekbones. Sandy blond hair shone golden in the morning sun, short on the sides and long on top, swept away from his forehead and held in place with some product. My fingers itched to slide through the strands to see if they were as soft as they looked and a sudden image of my hand gripping tightly in his hair as I tilted his head to lick up his neck flashed through my mind.

Despite the tempting package he presented, I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away from his lips. Pink and full, they were begging to be kissed, and I had to bite down hard on my tongue to refrain from licking my own in readiness.

Well, hello, Blondie.

“Mister Scott?” his smooth, quiet voice asked, giving me goosebumps and pulling me from the trance I’d fallen into. Lifting my gaze to the palest green eyes I’d ever seen, I nodded at his question, my mouth suddenly unable to voice a coherent response. He shifted on his feet, “I’m, err, here about the painting quote.”

Damn, was that today?

He extended his hand out in front of him, and, giving myself a mental shake to wake the hell up, I reached for his and clasped his palm, my own larger hand encasing his. A shock of electricity shot up my arm catching me by surprise. The guy obviously felt the effect too as his eyes widened and he took in a short, sharp breath.

Interesting.

“Please, call me Ethan.” I held onto his warm hand a little longer than necessary before reluctantly releasing it and giving him a friendly smile.

The guy stiffened slightly and inclined his head. “I’m Nate.”

“Nate.” I savored his name on my tongue, rolling it around. “Please, come on inside.”

I stepped aside to let him enter, unable to resist the urge to lean in slightly and inhale his scent as he passed by me. Light and citrusy with a hint of soap. As he moved into the hallway, I gave him the once over and was disappointed to see his t-shirt covered his ass, obscuring my view.

Jesus. I had to stop perving on the guy. I deliberately pushed my hands into my sweatpants pockets to try to hide my growing erection and to subtly press my fingers against the head of my cock to give me some degree of control and hopefully, relief.

It didn’t.

Nate had stopped a few feet into the hallway, glancing around, assessing his surroundings, but he didn’t say anything and waited silently for me to take the lead.

“Come on,” I offered. “I’ll give you the tour, and we can talk about what I want.”

He paused for a second but then walked past me into the hallway, my eyes once more running over the baggy t-shirt and shapeless jeans he wore. I almost cursed out loud wondering what the body hiding underneath might look like, which was weird as this guy wasn’t my type at all, so why Nate intrigued me was puzzling.

Maybe it was because he wasn’t all over me like guys usually were? I inwardly scoffed at the notion of my ego being so fragile I couldn’t handle not being wanted and had something to prove. Not surprising with my upbringing but hell, I hoped I wasn’t that shallow.

Though there was something attractive about the way his calm demeanor pulled me in. With my hectic social life and full-on work schedule, I barely had a second in which to relax, but though I’d only met the guy five minutes ago, Nate slowed everything down and being in his presence made me calmer.

Mentally shaking my head, I tried to focus on the reason why Nate was here. To give me a quote to paint my house. So, concentrating on that, I proceeded to give him the grand tour.

I’d moved into the four-story Victorian townhouse just over a month ago, so had hardly any furniture cluttering the place, which made things easier to see and for Nate to get a feel for what needed to be done. With an open and airy first floor letting the light flood in and four bedrooms spread over the upper two floors, the place was far bigger than I needed, but as soon as the realtor had shown me around, I had to have it.

Taking the stairs down to the lower floor I led him past the dining room and into the huge open plan kitchen at the rear of the house with the French doors leading onto the garden.

I’d been watching Nate carefully as I’d given my tour. He still hadn’t said much, and his lack of communication was beginning to get to me, as was my inability to get a read on him, something I was usually extremely good at. But as we progressed and each room had been revealed, he’d relaxed a bit more as his obvious delight at the house and the possibility of getting his hands on such a historic building to paint had emerged.

Which I liked. A lot.

“You have a beautiful home, Mister Scott,” he said, his gentle voice filling the quiet surrounding us.

The words were the most he’d spoken since we’d begun the tour. I was extremely pleased at his compliment but, for some reason, refrained from saying so. Instead, shoving my hands back in my pockets, I rocked back and forth on my heels. “I like it, and as I stated earlier, please, call me Ethan.”

The corner of his lips curled up in the barest hint of a smile, making my heart beat a bit faster in my chest.

Pulling out a chair, he sat down at the whitewashed kitchen table and hooked his hands underneath his legs. “So, if you let me know what you’d like, I can put a quote together for you.”

I tried to resist, but, for some reason, the quiet man in front of me made me determined to get some sort of reaction, so I lowered my voice an octave and replied, “You want to know what I like?”

My flirty question had the desired effect as a full-on blush formed on his cheeks and his mouth dropped open.

God, he’s so cute.

“F-for the house.” He fidgeted in his seat. “What you’d like for the house.”

“Ah, okay.” Moving away from the counter and pulling out my own chair, I sat down opposite him, needing to get closer to this man who predictably leaned as far away in his seat as he could. “This is where I’ll need your help.” I rested my hands on the table. “I’m not good at this type of thing.”

I wasn’t clueless at all. In fact, I was damn good at painting, as my business partners and I had built a successful construction company from our humble beginnings with house renovations. And because of our success and the crazy number of hours I worked, it left me no time to paint my own home. Hence, the need to hire someone to do it for me.

The premise behind this book was great, it drew me in, even with the warning about cheating, which is generally a big no for me. However, there were extenuating circumstances, so even though it was technically cheating, with Ethan in the middle of a divorce, it was not crossing that line in my eyes.

Nate was super shy, almost terribly so, stuttering from nervousness whenever Ethan tried to get too close. He was a very sweet guy, who just wanted to do his job, keep his head above water, and ignore the mess that his love life was after dating a man for years who was married to a woman with young kids. It definitely laid the foundation for the break of trust that comes later between Nate and Ethan.

Once Nate gave in to Ethan, it fairly quickly became a bit of insta-love. And this next sentence is one I’ve only written once or twice in a review before. There was too much sex in this book. As a general rule, I think, the sex should move the story along. There can be as many sex scenes in a BDSM book, but it would likely not feel like too much sex, because of the genre. However, this had scenes that I felt easily could have been cut from the book, and it would not have changed it at all.

I would have liked to maybe have a scene or two with Ethan’s ex, Andrew, to have a better understanding why he was so challenging when it came to signing the divorce papers. Maybe even a confrontation between Nate and Andrew. To be honest, I did expect that to happen the times that Nate was left at Ethan’s home waiting for him.

It was a bit of an abrupt ending, with a final scene that seemed to fall a bit flat for me, as it came in the last 4% of the book, followed up with a short, but sweet epilogue to follow.

Overall the writing was well done, for a first time author, and I’d like to read an additional book in this series.

3 pieces of eye candy

Pauley J Ray has been making up stories in his head for as long as he can remember, and now gets to write those stories down in his own gay romantic fiction, involving sexy, complicated, and flawed characters searching for their happily ever after.

When not writing, he loves meeting up with friends and can’t wait to get outdoors with his husband, hiking, camping and traveling to new and exciting places as often as they can.

He feels extremely lucky to be able to sit at his laptop, all day, every day, creating the heartfelt, angsty and passionate romance books he himself loves to read.

Author Links

Website: http://www.pauleyjray.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057196472957

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pauleyjray

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Mr. Romance (Franklin U Series, Book 3) by Louisa Masters: RB, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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When you’re clueless, Mr. Romance can help.

Charlie

I’m not sure how it happened, but it turns out I’ve unknowingly been dating three people.

Friends don’t spoil other friends, apparently. My trust fund means I can afford to, though, and what’s a meal here and there? Or some clothes? Or textbooks? That doesn’t mean we’re dating, right?

Others disagree. If I want to get through the rest of college knowing who my friends are, I need help from someone who knows all about dating and can tell me what not to do.

Someone like Mr. Romance.

Liam

When people look at me, romance is the last thing they think of… but I’m still the first person they call. Need a first date planned? A big romantic moment? Gotta beg for forgiveness? I’m your man. When it comes to romance, I’ve got it handled.

Not personally, though. My romantic life is… barren. All I really want is someone to snuggle with and spoil me. What I’ve got is planning dates for people who have no clue about romancing someone.

But now I’m somehow Charlie Martin’s anti-romance consultant. Charlie, who’s completely clueless yet the most accepting and friendly person I’ve ever met. Who’s giving and generous. Who’s befriended me and wants me to be happy.

I’m supposed to help him stop his friends from falling for him. The last thing I need is to fall for him myself.

Title: Mr. Romance
Authors: Louisa Masters
Length: 70K
Series: Franklin U Series, Book 3
Genre: Contemporary.
Tropes: Oblivious MC/himbo, friends with benefits, friends to lovers, opposites attract, rom-com, dating doctor/gay Hitch.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

“I really don’t understand what I’m doing here,” the guy—Charlie?—protests.

“I told you, I’m gonna introduce you to Mr. Romance. You know about Mr. Romance, right?” Ian says.

Charlie nods solemnly. “The guy people pay to plan dates for them? Everyone knows about Mr. Romance. He’s a legend.” His gaze lands on me and Matt, bounces back and forth between us, and then settles on Matt. “It’s great to meet you. I’m a big fan of your work. Well, of stories of your work.”

Matt shakes his head. “I really don’t think you are.”

I roll my eyes and get up. “My work.”

He turns his gaze to me and gives me a doubtful once-over. I know what he’s seeing: short and pale, with an untamable mop of ashy-colored hair. I’ve tried cutting it super-short. That really showed off my bone structure, which wasn’t a good thing. I used to be bony too, but thankfully gymnastics has helped me build muscle. I’m kinda ripped now.

Too bad nobody but me gets to see it.

Either way, I don’t look like everyone’s romantic ideal.

“Yours?” he asks.

“Yeah. I’m Mr. Romance. Liam Rigby.” I start to hold out my hand to shake, then make myself drop it. Nobody shakes hands in college unless they’re going for a job interview. Except me, apparently.

“Charlie Martin,” he says automatically. “Really? You’re Mr. Romance?”

Wow. Rude, much?

Ian groans. “Charlie, don’t piss him off. You need his help.”

I want to make a snarky comment and walk away, because fuck him, but I’m not dumb enough to turn down a paying job. I make a lot of money from being Mr. Romance, and I don’t even charge that much. It just turns out that a lot of guys hate planning dates. Some girls, too.

This guy, though, I’m going to charge double. Maybe even triple. He’s interrupting gym time and being a dick while he’s at it.

“Got a big date planned?” I ask, mentally flipping through my schedule. As long as it’s not for this weekend, I can probably fit him in. Unless he wants something super elaborate.

To my surprise, he shakes his head so vehemently, he almost falls over. “No. No dates. I’m not dating anyone right now, no matter what they say.”

Oh-kay.

I look at Ian. “Why is he here?”

“Because he’s a sweet, sweet moron.” Ian kicks off his sneakers and starts stretching.

“Hey!” Charlie sounds insulted, but then pouts and shakes his head. “It might be true, but words hurt, man.”

These books are definitely fun. I love the overlap of characters and stories. This is book three and while I liked it ok, it is my least favorite so far. The how and why of Charlie needing Liam’s help was…odd. It just didn’t make sense to me at all.

Ok, so Charlie is adorable. He is super friendly, loves people. But apparently people think they are dating Charlie when Charlie thinks they are just friends. If this happened once, I would totally buy it. But it apparently goes back to high school. And he had no idea.

How do all these people think they are dating Charlie when there is nothing physical going on? Ok, yes, he tends to pay for things (his family is very well off), likes to spend time with people, and is very attentive. But how can you think you are even casually dating when there is no hand holding, cuddling, kissing? So that was a bit far-fetched for me.

After I got past that, I really enjoyed Charlie and Liam slowly becoming a couple. Without them knowing it. HAHAHAHA! To be fair, there is hand holding, cuddling, kissing and more. But since they slapped a FWB label on it, they are both clueless.

They are seriously so cute together, while cluelessly pining for each other. Everyone around them can see it, but they are blind. Watching them figure it out is hilarious.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

.                               .

Louisa Masters started reading romance much earlier than her mother thought she should. While other teenagers were sneaking out of the house, Louisa was sneaking romance novels in and working out how to read them without being discovered. She’s spent most of her life feeling sorry for people who don’t read, convinced that books are the solution to every problem. As an adult, she feeds her addiction in every spare second, only occasionally tearing herself away to do things like answer the phone and pay bills.

Louisa has a long list of places first discovered in books that she wants to visit, and every so often she overcomes her loathing of jet lag and takes a trip that charges her imagination. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she whines about the weather for most of the year while secretly admitting she’ll probably never move.

Drop her a line at louisa@louisamasters.com, and join the Facebook group for daily shenanigans.
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Sapphire Spring (Sapphire Cove Book 2) by C. Travis Rice: Release Blitz, Excerpt and Release Day Review

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Under his new pen name, C. Travis Rice, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice offers tales of passion, intrigue, and steamy romance between men. The second novel, SAPPHIRE SPRING, once again transports you to a beautiful luxury resort on the sparkling Southern California coast where strong-willed heroes release the shame that blocks their heart’s desires.

Naser Kazemi has never met a problem a good spending plan couldn’t fix. But working as the chief accountant for his best friend’s resort isn’t turning out to be the dream job he’d hoped for. It doesn’t help that his fashion designer sister is planning an event that just might bring Sapphire Cove crashing down all around them. When the wild party unexpectedly reunites him with Mason Worther, the gorgeous former jock who made his high school experience a living hell, things go from bad to seductive.

The former golden boy’s adult life is a mess, and he knows it’s time to reform his hard partying ways. But for Mason, cleaning up his act means cleaning up his prior misdeeds. And he plans to start with Naser, by submitting to whatever the man demands of him to make things right. The offer ignites an all-consuming passion both men have denied for years. But can they confront their painful past without losing each other in the process?

Amazon – All Regions

Audiobook – Audible

“I won’t be here long. I’ve got to get to work.” Naser set the papers in front of Mason and gestured for him to read. Mason skimmed, recognizing the bare bones of an investment agreement. Some of the language seemed boilerplate, and some of it seemed pure Naser. Once he had the gist of it, Mason set the contract down. “I thought your sister didn’t need investors.”

Naser smiled. “Far be it from me to deny a man a chance at redemption.”

“As far as we are from Saturday morning, apparently. No offense, but this is one of the worst investment agreements I’ve ever seen, Naser. The rate of return is basically zero. And the dollar amounts and schedule are both blank.”

Naser smiled and sank into the chair he’d declined a moment before. “The investor in question knows nothing about the fashion industry and has not expressed a desire to learn. In light of that, giving the investor any sort of creative control over the business in question would be a grievous mistake for all involved. Further, the investor’s motives for investing lie far outside any concerns that could be considered…businesslike.”

“The investor is sitting right here, and he doesn’t remember making any of these statements. Also, I think it’s cute that you start sentences with further out loud and not just in emails.”

Naser raised one eyebrow. “The investor is known to have a spotty memory. And there are suggestions he has issues with reliability and consistency as well, so any proposed payment schedule should be…dramatically shortened.”

“The investor has questions,” Mason said.

Naser spread his hands in a welcoming gesture.

“Did you reconsider my offer because you got more info about the state of your sister’s business after you left my house?”

“Are you bisexual?”

Mason flinched. Naser’s stony expression said that had been his intention—and that his sister most certainly did need new investors. “How are those two questions related?”

“We’re only sitting here because for three years you and your buddies subjected me to a form of sexual harassment that’s still considered semi-acceptable in most secondary school settings.”

Mason took a deep breath. The door was still closed. And locked.

“Yes. I’m bisexual.”

Naser seemed startled by the direct answer. He nodded slowly, his tongue making a lump under his upper lip. As if this whole thing would have been easier for him if Mason had deflected or lied, and now he was having to reassess.

“So Fareena wasn’t just busting my balls. Your sister really needs money, doesn’t she?”

Naser smoothed invisible lint off the thighs of his slacks. “I knew you were bisexual,” he muttered.

“Then why did you ask?”

“I don’t know, maybe you were gay and closeted. But Fareena’s Fareena. She’s not going to waste time on a guy that doesn’t have a genuine attraction to her.”

“So I repeat, why did you—”

“Do your buddies know?” Naser was staring at him, eyes blazing with anger.

The question knocked Mason back in his chair an inch. “Tim’s been dead five years.”

Naser looked to the carpet. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to be. He was terrible to you. The Coach Harris email was all his idea.”

Naser drew a deep breath. “Thanks for letting me off the hook, I guess. How did he pass away?”

“Pills. He always said they were for a sports injury from USC, but he warmed the bench the whole time, so that story never made sense. I think he really liked pills. We’re not sure if it was deliberate or if he overshot the mark. There wasn’t a note, but his life wasn’t in a great place.”

Remembering those last few visits with Tim now that he was trying to get sober was more painful than he’d anticipated. Back then, Mason had thought he’d had his shit together, and by comparison to his old friend, who’d dropped out of college and was working odd handyman jobs for his uncle’s contracting company, it had certainly seemed that way. He and Chadwick had even talked about hauling Tim into a rehab—over beers.

Naser nodded, and a silence fell. A silence that, like everything else between them, seemed to bend the laws of time.

“And Chadwick Brody?” Naser’s voice was drawstring tight, but his gaze was steady and penetrating, full of the unspoken recognition that Chadwick had always been the worst out of the three.

“He’s still around.”

Naser was staring at him, waiting for him to say something further. Sensing, it seemed, that Mason’s answer hadn’t been complete or entirely truthful. But maybe expressing hesitation or shame around the topic of Chadwick was what Naser needed to see.

“And no, he doesn’t know that I’m bi. And yes, if you were to walk out of here right now and share this information with the world, you could really screw up my already screwed-up life. Especially with the man down the hall.”

“I’d never do that.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

For a second, Mason thought the guy might soften toward him.

“I know what it feels like to be outed before you’re ready,” Naser said. “I’d never inflict that on someone else.”

“We didn’t out you. Everything we did was wrong, but it wasn’t like we knew for sure that you were gay.”

“Yes, you did. You knew every time I looked at you. That’s why you did it.”

Was Naser admitting to having been as hot for Mason as Mason had been for him?

 

Maybe so, because Naser looked away before Mason did.

Mason picked up the contract. He did some quick math in his head, quick enough that he couldn’t think too long and hard about the consequences of what he was about to do. He wrote down a figure, followed by a schedule, then he flipped to the signature page and signed his name. Pari Kazemi, he saw, had yet to add her own.

When he handed the contract back to Naser, the guy read Mason’s additions and went stone still.

“A lump sum payment of one hundred grand on signing?” Naser sounded winded. Mason nodded. “You don’t have to buy my silence, Mason.”

“I’m not trying to buy anything. I’m trying to make this right.”

 

Naser swallowed and looked to the paper again as if he thought his eyes were deceiving him. “Okay, well, obviously nothing’s final until my sister countersigns.”

“I’ll be here if anyone has questions.”

“Proof of funds would be nice.”

“You saw the house.”

Naser stood. “It’s not your house. I did a title check.”

Mason laughed breathily. “Well, you’re good at your job. I can have proof of funds to you by the end of the week.”

“Good. I’m not saying a word to her until after then. I don’t want to get her hopes up.”

Naser turned and headed for the door. Mason figured his speed was an effort to conceal any evidence of his gratitude.

“Naser.”

He stopped, fingers resting on the knob. They both seemed frozen by knowledge that if Naser opened the door even a crack before they were done talking, he might let some of Mason’s secrets spill out into the world.

“What was the worst thing we did?” Mason asked as gently as he could.

Mason prepared himself for another verbal strike. But when Naser turned to him, head slightly bowed, he saw the man was struggling to swim through a sea of painful memories, struggling to get his arms around one without drowning, and the twist in Mason’s gut felt almost as bad as a hangover.

Sapphire Spring, the second book in the Sapphire Cove trilogy, is not nearly as long as Sapphire Sunset. The first book, while long, didn’t feel that way, and this one, a full 100 pages shorter, didn’t feel long enough to me. 🙂 I was very excited for Naser’s story! This new series, under the pseudonym of C. Travis Rice is quite a departure from Christopher Rice‘s usual books, but I am very much enjoying them. They are incredibly well written, and have characters who seem as real as your neighbors, with how richly they are written. And although it is a series, these can definitely be read as stand alones.

While this is a romance, it has a lot of layers that really hit me hard, and I had to put the book down a few times. These are not easy topics, and considering how Mason treated Naser, finding redemption is not easy. Mason has an addiction, and while hiding his true self may have caused him to do the things he did in high school, Naser still bears those scars. As I said, I did need to put the book down more than once, because some of it was just challenging for me to get through, because it broke my heart.

Naser leads a nice quiet life, surrounded by the people he loves, and a job he enjoys. But Naser has layers of scar tissue, and therefore he doesn’t trust easily. It must be earned. Seeing Mason again, naturally, brings up lots of complicated emotions, and it isn’t an easy reunion. While the chemistry is there, with Mason having regretted his actions, and always wanting to connect with Naser, there are a lot of complex issues to work through. They are not ones solved in one scene, nor should they be. The author takes you through this with an intensity of emotion through his words that really hits you right in the heart.

It is a lovely romance, filled with complex characters, and issues that cannot be solved instantly. However, so well written, it’s difficult to put down–except for the parts where your heart is torn to shreds…as is appropriate for this story. If you haven’t read the first book, please do so, as it is fantastic as well, but this one…this one might just give you that book hangover you’ve been craving.

Highly recommend.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

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C. Travis Rice is the pseudonym New York Times bestselling novelist Christopher Rice devotes to steamy tales of romance between men. Christopher has published multiple bestselling books in multiple genres and been the recipient of a Lambda Literary Award. With his mother, Anne Rice, he is an executive producer on the AMC Studios adaptations of her novels The Vampire Chronicles and The Lives of the Mayfair Witches. Together with his best friend and producing partner, New York Times bestselling novelist, Eric Shaw Quinn, he runs the production company Dinner Partners. Among other projects, they produce the podcast and video network, TDPS, which you can find at www.TheDinnerPartyShow.com.

Connect with C. Travis Rice

Website: http://www.christopherricebooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.rice.writer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisricewriter

Connect with Blue Box Press 

Website: https://theblueboxpress.com/

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Scars (Permanently Black and Blue, Book Two) by C.R. Scott: Release Blitz, Excerpt and Giveaway

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After a disastrous first kiss, Shaun is angrier than ever. He doesn’t want to be gay, and he’ll do anything to avoid talking about his emotions. Jesse, however, is intrigued with the new–secret–budding romance and he needs someone to talk to.

Against Shaun’s advice, he befriends Kyle, Shaun’s ex-best friend, and tells him a lot more than he should. When everyone at school finds out about them, Shaun quits the band to escape the embarrassment.

Depressed and struggling with his sexuality, Shaun is hesitant when his old bandmate comes up with the idea for him to front his own band. With Jesse’s encouragement Shaun figures he might as well give it a shot.

Jesse wants to support him as much as possible, but he’s got serious issues going on at home. They are talking about moving out, but Jesse still has one last secret he’s holding on to, and he wonders if Shaun is mature enough to handle it.

Title:  Scars

Series: Permanently Black and Blue, Book Two

Author: C.R. Scott

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: 08/30/2022

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 119700

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, coming of age, family drama, high school, in the closet, musicians, young adult

Amazon – All Regions

NineStar Press

Goodreads

Jesse ran as fast as his legs would carry him. He didn’t stop, because if he did, he’d think about what had just happened.

He reached the house in under a minute. The front door was open, and he slid inside, slammed the door, then pressed himself flat against it as his heart thudded in his chest.

Tyler and Allison were on the couch. They turned and looked at him in surprise.

“Jesse?” Monica called from the kitchen, and Jesse peeled himself off the door and bolted for the stairs, two at a time.

Sam was in the bedroom, lying on the bed. His head was buried in his phone, but he looked up when Jesse burst into the room.

“Shit,” Jesse muttered.

Sam glared at him.

Jesse stood in the doorway, vibrating with a nervous energy. “Can you get out of here for a while?”

Sam sneered at him. “Screw you.”

Jesse huffed. He was seconds away from a huge breakdown, and the last thing he needed was for Sam to witness it. “Leave!”

Sam looked back at his phone, a taunting smile on his lips. “No.”

Jesse marched across the room and grabbed his brother’s phone. Sam yelped in protest, but Jesse was already back at the bedroom door.

“I’ll throw it down the stairs if you aren’t out of here in ten seconds.” He started to count down.

“All right!” Sam leapt up and shot Jesse a nasty look. “I’m going, asshole.”

“Shithead,” Jesse shot back as his brother stomped into the hall. The second he left the room, Jesse slammed the door behind him.

Finally.

Alone.

Jesse had been expecting an explosive reaction, but he felt nothing.

Numb, he climbed up to his bunk and pulled the blanket over his head. Darkness enveloped him.

Shaun had kissed him.

Jesse shivered under his blankets. He didn’t know what to think.

He’d kissed girls who were more experienced than Shaun. Girls who knew how to give a guy an erection with a kiss alone, but Shaun…

Jesse brought his hand to his mouth and traced his lips with the tips of his fingers. The feel of the other boy’s lips on his had been startling. Strange, unexpected, but not bad. Shaun had kissed him so intensely, so desperately, Jesse hadn’t been able to react. It was like nothing he’d ever felt before.

Jesse had become incredibly clingy after hearing Shaun’s backstory. He wasn’t oblivious, like he’d pretended to be, he just couldn’t help himself.

What had happened to Shaun was terrifying, and Jesse wanted to touch him at every opportunity to assure himself he was here. Safe. That everything was all right. The feel of Shaun’s taller, sturdier body against Jesse’s smaller form was so reassuring. But now that they’d kissed, everything felt different. All those intimate touches, longing looks, the desire to be close, it all made sense now.

Jesse was unequivocally, painfully, stupidly, in love with a boy he’d only known for a few weeks. One who’d seen horrible things and had possibly done things just as bad.

But Jesse wanted him anyway. He needed him in a way he’d needed no one before.

Just one kiss had been enough. It had opened a chasm of feeling and emotion, and Jesse wanted it back. Desperately.

So why hadn’t he said anything? Why had he stood there after the kiss with his mouth hanging open? Why hadn’t he kissed Shaun back?

And the crying?

Jesse buried his face in his pillow. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried. He couldn’t believe how blubbery he’d been over Shaun’s wounds. That alone was the biggest indicator Jesse didn’t have normal ‘best friend’ feelings toward the other boy. Just the thought of Shaun being in pain was enough to make him cry like a baby. Jesse wished he’d stayed. If anything, he could have made sure Shaun got himself looked at.

“Stupid idiot. Cutting yourself doesn’t do any good,” he muttered.

Regardless of Shaun’s stupidity, Jesse couldn’t wait to see his friend again…or whatever he was after everything that had just happened. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say to him, but he knew he had to be near him again. He wanted to touch him and hold him close, maybe even kiss him again.

The thought brought a smile to Jesse’s lips. He traced his mouth again as he remembered the harsh way Shaun had claimed it.

Somehow, everything would work out. Jesse was determined.

“Jesse?” Brian poked his head into the bedroom. His blue eyes were wide with curiosity.

Jesse sat up. “What’s up, little man?” He hadn’t wanted company, but he found he couldn’t turn the boy away.

“Can I come up?”

Jesse nodded, and Brian’s face lit up with excitement. Jesse shrugged off the blankets and made space for the toddler as he clambered up the ladder.

Brian crawled across the bed on his hands and knees. “Is Shaun coming over?”

“Not today,” Jesse said as the toddler curled into his side. It reminded him of Shaun and all the times he’d convinced him to lie in this very bed. He’d invited Shaun to sleep with him Friday night. How had Jesse not realized how completely obsessed he was with him? The whole point in getting Shaun wasted Saturday night was so he could get close to him.

Shaun was upset Jesse hadn’t kissed him back. Didn’t he know Jesse was in love with him?

“Mommy said you were spending the night with Shaun,” Brian said. “How come you don’t have sleepovers here?”

Jesse stroked his hair. “We went to a party.”

“Why didn’t you invite me?” Brian’s bottom lip protruded. “I like parties.”

“It was a grownup party,” Jesse said with a laugh, thinking of the way he’d ended up wrapped around Shaun. That had been terribly ‘grownup.’ He’d realized right away Shaun was sporting an erection, but he’d assumed it was because he was drunk and horny. He hadn’t once thought it was because of him.

“You’re not a grownup,” Brian muttered.

Jesse continued to stroke his hair. “I’m eighteen,” he said. “I could move out and get a job if I wanted. That’s pretty adult.”

Brian grumbled under his breath, but Jesse let it slide.

“Hey. Let’s play a game or something,” he said.

Brian smiled, and Jesse ruffled his hair, his mood lifting just the tiniest bit. They climbed down from the bunk and went to select a game downstairs.

C.R. Scott is a self-taught writer with a BA in psychology. Her characters are flawed and imperfect and she loves them for it. They urge her to write their stories. She currently resides in the ever-changing climates of Ohio with her husband and two children. This is her first published book, with more to come.

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Change His Tune: A Friends to Lovers Gay Romance (Harmony of Hearts Book 3) by Ariella Zoelle: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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Ferris is straight, so why can’t he stop wishing his fake flirtations with his best friend would become real?

Tiago Álvarez

Flirting with Ferris is one of my favorite hobbies. He always playfully rejects me because he’s straight, but I don’t let that get my hopes down. That’s why I’m so shocked when he agrees to my silly idea to drive our fangirls wild by pretending there might be something more to our friendship.

But I secretly have an ulterior motive in convincing my best friend that we should share our hilarious banter with the fans. I want to make him see that we could have something real if he gave us a chance.

It’s obvious how much fun he has teasing me, so I wonder if maybe Ferris isn’t as straight as he used to be?

Ferris Valdemar

I’ve been telling Tiago no for so long that I don’t know how to tell him yes. But I really want to give in to my feelings for him that I’ve been running away from for far too long.

When he comes up with his scheme to fake flirting with each other for our fans, it gives me the opportunity I need to come clean about my not-so-straight feelings for my gay best friend.

But how do I tell Tiago that I want to be more than just friends?

Change His Tune is the third book in the Harmony of Hearts series and part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features a friends to lovers, bi awakening, fake dating, rock star, gay romance. If you love cute sweetness, sexy fun, and no angst stories that will make you laugh and swoon, you’ll enjoy this satisfying HEA without cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

Title: Change His Tune
Authors: Ariella Zoelle
Length: 65K
Series: Harmony of Hearts, Book 3
Genre: Contemporary.
Tropes: No angst, friends to lovers, bi awakening, fake dating, rock star, gay romance.
Release Date: August 19th

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Book 1: Play By Heart

Book 2: Make Music Together

Book 4 (coming 2/17/23): Music to His Ears

Something sparkly caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I looked toward the entrance and saw a woman had entered, wearing a dress that glittered like she wore the night sky and all its stars. Even from a distance, she was a stunning vision, with long, black hair that framed her face, giving her an angelic appearance.

The host led her through the restaurant to her table. She was a glorious goddess of a woman, full of beauty and grace. At one point, I gladly would have dated someone like her.

As she drew closer, I got a better look at her. She had beautifully full lips that were emphasized by her red lipstick. They were curved in a teasing smile as she made eye contact with me and gave me a flirty wink as she stopped by my table.

The world stopped spinning as I gazed deep into her brown eyes and saw my boyfriend. Somehow, the gorgeous woman that had turned the head of every straight man and quite a few women was Tiago. I couldn’t find words as I stared up in shock at “Tia,” who was more beautiful than I had ever imagined possible. It seemed I owed him an apology because he certainly didn’t come off as a goofy guy in a dress as I had expected.

Tiago took great delight in my stunned reaction. He bent down to give me a tender kiss. “Sorry I’m late, cookie,” he said in a surprisingly feminine voice before sitting across from me. As he set aside a midnight-blue holographic clutch, it made me realize he had on nails painted to match. It made his fingers look longer and more elegant than normal.

I needed to find my words, but I was too blown away by the beautiful woman in front of me being my boyfriend. I whispered, “Tia,” in awe as I stared.

He tucked a strand of long, black hair behind his ear before he picked up the menu to study it. “You should try their fiery angel hair pasta if you haven’t already,” he said in the same feminine voice that stirred my lust. How was he acting so cool about doing something so incredible?

“You’re beautiful.” I couldn’t get over how flawless he was as a woman. Clearly, I hadn’t given him enough credit. It had seemed so absurd when we had been joking about it while reading the fan fiction about him showing up to one of our dates in drag. But now that he was sitting in front of me as Tia, I couldn’t believe how incredible he looked. His shimmering eye makeup was particularly impressive.

He covered his mouth as he gave an excellent imitation of a girlish giggle. “How kind of you to notice.”

“I don’t understand. How is this possible?” I literally couldn’t process it. In what universe did Tiago turn into a hot supermodel when wearing a dress?

“See? I told you Tia would rock your world.” He looked up at me with a playful expression. “So, does your girlfriend meet with your approval?”

My eyes traveled from his face, which had all its masculine edges softened by makeup, down to the swell of breasts that helped sell the femininity of his look. “I’m the luckiest man in the entire universe.”

“Yeah, you are.” His light laughter further emphasized the flawlessness of his feminine appearance. “And just wait until you see the fun surprise I have waiting for you once we get home.”

My cock stirred in my pants with interest at the thought of taking Tia home and getting intimately acquainted. “What kind of surprise?”

“One you won’t soon forget.” He tossed his hair over his shoulder as he flashed a flirty smile. It drove my lust wild and made me eager for the rest of our night.

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Ariella Zoelle adores steamy, funny, swoony romances where couples are allowed to just be happy. She writes low angst stories full of heat, humor, and heart. But sometimes she’s in the mood for something with a bit more angst and drama. If you are too, check out her A.F. Zoelle books.

For real-time updates on her writing progress, please join her Facebook group for exclusive teasers or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can also sign up for her newsletter to gain access to bonus chapters, previews of upcoming books, exclusive visual guides, and more.

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