Book Excerpts

The Quarterback Keeper by Rheland Richmond & Emerson Beckett: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

June 27, 2022 by Denise

. .

Alex

I’m the starting quarterback for the Portland Pirates, and I have a thing for my son’s teacher. Except I didn’t know the cute blonde on the beach with the giant dog was, in fact, my kid’s teacher until two months later at Open House.

Christian took my breath away during the second week of my two-week vacation at the beach and introduced me to things I never knew could feel so good and be so right. I think he just might be the one who inspires me to tell the world that this NFL quarterback is bisexual and in love with a man.

That is until I blew the best thing to happen to me since my kids were born. All I know is I have to get him back. I had to find a way to keep him.

Christian

I never imagined I would meet the love of my life while being bowled over on the beach by the overeager Newfoundland I was dog-sitting. But that’s exactly how I ended up on my back in the sand, wrapped in his arms and pressed into the sand by the six-foot-five dark-haired Adonis on the beach. Did I mention he had two beautiful children?

Our week together was worthy of a sexy modern-day fairytale full of promises about the future until he sent me the text that broke my heart. And how was I supposed to get over him when his adorable six-year-old son was in my class?

Find out how Alex and Christian ache to overcome some daunting complications to reunite in The Quarterback Keeper, Book One of The Package Deal Series.

Title: The Quarterback Keeper
Authors: Rheland Richmond & Emerson Beckett
Series: The Package Deal, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance.
Tropes: First Time Gay; Single Dad; Bisexual Experience; Sports Romance; Football Player and the Teacher.

Amazon – Kindle Umlimited – All Regions

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Holy… fucking… shit! He was so hot in his tight black pants and purple t-shirt. I knew Alex was ripped because I had personally licked all those muscles. But that uniform did things to me that shouldn’t be happening in public.

Alex spotted us, then sent me his secret smile, just for me. It was the smile he gave me when he was about to take me apart and edge me with his tongue. I had to inconspicuously press my palm to my cock to settle it down. When that didn’t work, I had to think about first graders with runny noses and Sampson’s giant dog poop. That did the trick and deflated me like a balloon with a pinhole.

On his way to the sideline, Alex walked up to a ball boy and picked up two balls and what looked like a Sharpie marker. He turned and jogged over to the sideline, heading straight for Coop and me. I may have squealed a little, but I would never admit it out loud. Thank god there was no one around to hear us.

When Alex reached me, he tossed his head back.”I like your jersey. That’s a good number. Are you a fan?”

“Not really. He’s okay looking, but nothing special.” He knew I was lying through my teeth.

“Really? I heard he has a big cock.” He’d dropped his voice lower, but of course, Cooper heard.

“LALALALALALALA!” Cooper blurted. “I don’t want to hear that shit! Ewww…”

We both burst out laughing at Cooper’s silliness.

“But,’ Cooper said, “if you tell me number 88 is gay or bi, I’ll take that as payment for your faux pa.”

Alex around, then back to Cooper. “Sorry, Coop, I don’t think Foster shares our preferences. But I could be wrong. You can never really tell.”

“Here ya go, babe,” Alex said, handing me a signed football. The inscription read, “To Mr. St. Clair’s Class, work hard and play harder. Go Pirates- signed Alex Hayes #7.”

“And do you mind taking this one to Zach at school?” I waited while he finished writing, then took it from his hand. Our fingers touched, and sparks shot through my body. My breathing sped up, and my face began to flush.

“Careful there, teach. Someone looking at you might think you like me.”

I cleared my throat and tried to get myself back together, but my damn dick didn’t follow directions.

“They’d be wrong. I don’t like you. I love you.” I watched Alex go to mush at my words. Touché QB. You melt me, and I melt you right back.

The sound of gagging and retching beside me drew my attention away from Cooper, who feigned throwing up at my sappy words. I elbowed him in the ribs. “Shut up, fucker.”

Rheland Richmond:

For as long as she can remember Rheland’s had her nose stuck in a book, getting lost in the world of someone else’s creation (She still does). Her love for writing came from her love for reading. She could never have one without the other.

Writing has always been a hobby and a cathartic experience for her. There are many stories lost to the never to be completed or published pile but needed to be written at the time.

She’s just a girl that loved stories so much she wrote hers.

Rheland would love to hear from her readers and learn more about Y’all. So if you get a chance… please get in touch.

Connect with Rheland:
www.rhelandrichmond.com
https://www.instagram.com/rhelandrichmond/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRhelandRichmond

Emerson Beckett:

Who is Emerson Beckett? That’s a good question.

I’m a retired educator who loves all things romance and an avid reader and consumer of well-written M/M romance books.

My journey to becoming an author started with an idea I had one night while I sat reading on my sofa. That idea became an email that ultimately resulted in me editing for three wonderfully talented M/M romance authors. The third referral led to an opportunity to co-write with one of the most genuine and kindest people I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. (She’s my co-author for Quarterback Keeper.)

I’m a wife and a mother of three beautiful adults, one of which is trans and responsible for my love of this genre. All three have since left us with an empty nest that is now full of pets.

Connect with Emerson:
https://www.emersonbeckett.com/
https://www.facebook.com/author.emerson.beckett
https://www.instagram.com/author.emerson.beckett/

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A Foot in the Door (An Open Doors Novel) by Vinni George: Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review

June 20, 2022 by Denise

. .

The student…

If he wants a job when he finishes grad school, Tanner Brown needs to get a foot in the door. But when he arrives at the country’s largest statistics conference to find he has nowhere to stay, he’s not sure it’s worth it. Especially when he realizes his hot faculty crush just witnessed his embarrassment from a front row seat.

The professor…

Dr. Beckett James is happily focused on his career until one of his former students slides into his line of sight. Tanner is brilliant and engaging, and when he ends up without a room, Beckett has no choice but to offer him a place to stay for the weekend. Even if it means testing his restraint.

The problem…

When their conference fling turns into an on-campus complication, Tanner and Beckett will have to control the variables that threaten to keep them apart or risk losing their chance at a happy ending before it’s even begun.

A Foot in the Door is the third full-length novel in the Open Doors series featuring a statistics professor who makes a mean curry, a ginger-haired student with a bright future, and an offer neither can refuse.

A Foot in the Door

By Vinni George

Open Doors, Book 3

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

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The crack and hiss of an opening soda can sounded behind me, and I heard Tanner clear his throat as he poured the fizzy water into the glass. “So how did you learn to cook?”

“Oh, um, my mom. She’s Indian and a feminist and made sure both my sister and I knew our way around the kitchen. Though, honestly, I think that might have been in part because my dad is the kind of guy who can burn water, and she wanted to make sure we wouldn’t starve if she had a late class.”

Tanner’s brow creased. “What does she do?”

“English professor. Her area of interest is modernism. She’s doing a guest faculty spot at Oxford this year.”

“So is your dad a lawyer, then?”

I gave him a confused look. “No, he’s a computer engineer.”

Tanner spun his glass on the countertop between his hands. “Oh, I thought maybe since you went into academia like your mom that your sister followed in your dad’s footsteps.”

A laugh bubbled up from my chest because there was no way Tanner could have known how completely different my sister and my dad were in every sense of the word. “Nope. Trudy is her own person and a bit of an anomaly.”

“Fair enough.”

“What about you? Are you following in someone’s footsteps?”

It was Tanner’s turn to chuckle, and I leaned back against the counter to watch as his face broke into a grin. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed the cut of his jaw or the fullness of his lips, and seeing him smile was a delight.

“Not at all. My mom does medical coding for a local hospital, and my dad is a mechanic. I’m the first person in my family to go to grad school, and quite frankly, neither of my parents really understand what I’m studying or what I hope to do.”

“I feel that. Even though my mom is in academia, English is a far cry from statistics. She doesn’t get why I’d rather study numbers than words.”

Tanner laughed, and the sound echoed through the kitchen and settled in my chest. “Like modernism is so easy to understand.”

“Right? But she’s obsessed. Has been as long as I’ve been alive and probably long before that. I mean, how else does a half-Indian kid end up with the name Beckett Eliot?”

“I was going to ask,” Tanner said with another laugh.

“Eh, my sister has it worse. Gertrude Virginia.”

Tanner grimaced. “Yikes.”

I’ve really been enjoying this series. All the men are very different and in different situations. Which, side note, HUGE props to the author on the timeline of these books. It isn’t easy to write a book where you can tell that something happens to another couple in “their book”, and keeping it within the timeline. It is easier, with a series, to have one couple go through their book, then move to the next. These books all have very intertwined timelines, and I just loved it!

These two met when Tanner was in Beckett’s class previously, but didn’t connect until Tanner is stranded at a conference and Beckett saves him by giving him a place to stay. Tanner, a poor grad student, is almost done with his degree, and ready to look for a job in his chosen career, and in fact he went back to school after working for several years, so he’s an older student, setting him with some real world experience with Beckett. He can only hope to work for the company that Beckett’s friend owns.

Beckett meanwhile never missed love, couldn’t have cared less about it, but in no time flat fell hard for Tanner. This led to the conflict of teacher/student at the same school, then later while Tanner was chosen to participate in a competition that would net him a job at the company of his dreams. I won’t spoil it, but what Beckett did was pretty cr@ppy, in my estimation. There could have been about 10 other options he could have chosen, and he went for the worst option…which, of course, they needed conflict, but this was not what I had expected, and it kind of left me heartbroken, as well.

All in all, though, I found the book entertaining, and enjoyed the geekiness of these guys when it came to numbers and patterns. They really were a very good match for each other. The cover fit the description of Beckett, to a T, as well.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, Brody and Phin. There was some serious tension going on with these two during A Foot in the Door.

4 pieces of eye candy

Vinni George has been a lover of romance novels (of all shapes, sizes, and colors) since she first got her hands on one of her grandmother’s Harlequins and has never looked back. She lives in Ohio with her two favorite guys (her husband and son) and, hopefully—one day—a dog. When not writing her own stories, she can be found helping to polish other people’s novels. In her spare time, Vinni dabbles in performance art, quilting, and various culinary pursuits and enjoys traveling.

Connect with Vinni:
Website: http://vinnigeorge.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vinni-George/e/B0912X5MNL/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/vinni-george
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinni-george-3
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21344795.Vinni_George
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinnigeorgewrites

The Shepherd (The Game Series Book 6) by Cara Dee: RB, Excerpt and New Release Review

June 15, 2022 by Denise

The Game Series Book 6 Standalone High-Protocol M/s Family MMM

Get cozy and strap in for the family side of a kinkster’s life puzzle, where the kids have homework before the grown-ups can sneak in some playtime, where three men share a dream they barely dare believe in, and where you bring out the toy bag when the little ones take a nap.

I was fresh out of boot camp and somewhere in the desert when I started picturing what my life after the Marines would look like. I’d always wanted a big family and a place out in the sticks.

At forty-five, I could only scratch my head and wonder what the hell had happened. I knew I should be grateful. I had my farmhouse. Rescue dogs and chickens too. I had a rowdy bunch nieces and nephews. I had amazing friends. I’d started a kink community with some of them. But it killed me to come home to an empty house at the end of the day. It hurt that nobody seemed to be interested in anything beyond pain sessions and casual playtime. Even my best friend Sloan pulled away from me. He was struggling to make ends meet with four kids, and I had a big house. They should move in with me, dammit.

I guess it made perfect sense that after so many years of wondering, waiting, and grumbling, a single week changed it all. My “the one who got away” showed up at a kink event, and Sloan shared a drunken confession that screwed with my head.

It was time to improvise, adapt, and…start believin’ in pipe dreams.
–
The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, one thing is certain. This is not a perfect world—and maybe that’s why the happily ever after feels so good.

Series: The Game Series #6 (Standalone)
Genre: Gay Romance/BDSM Romance
Tags: #TheGameSeries #HighProtocol #MMMRomance #Masterslave #McleanHouse #SecondChancesRomance #FoundFamily #PipeDreamsCanComeTrue

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Catch up with the series here

Kingsley and Tate saw me before I pulled over to the curb, and Sloan bent over to hurl again. Then Tate said something to Sloan that made my buddy flip him off, so that had to be good. I was glad they were on friendly terms on the first night they’d ever met.

I got out of my truck as soon as I’d killed the engine, and I couldn’t stick to one of the many fucked-up emotions that simmered below the surface. Relief, wariness, a shit-ton of annoyance… Exhaustion won out. I was fucking tired.

“Hey, gorgeous.” Tate grinned at me.

That sparked some humor at least, and I smirked a little on my way to Sloan. “Hey, kid. Sorry for sending y’all on a midnight adventure.”

“Don’t be,” he replied quickly. “I’m highly invested now.”

I snorted, not surprised. He and Ivy were the gossip slingers in our community—and I meant that in a fairly affectionate way. Aside from being too nosy for their own good, they meant well and wanted what was best for their friends. They didn’t spread bullshit, just theories about people’s love lives.

Approaching Sloan, I saw he was clutching a Coke can in one hand, and he had a half-empty bottle of water next to his feet.

The beanie on the sidewalk looked like his too.

He groaned and retched once more.

I sighed and placed a hand on his back. “You realize I’m done listenin’ to you, right?”

He coughed and croaked. “What’re you talking about?”

Wasn’t it fucking obvious?

“I’m talking about you pushing people away when they wanna help you.” I could hear the impatience seeping through. I had to cool it. “I ain’t doin’ it anymore, Sloan. You’re coming home with me, and tomorrow we’re picking up the kids.”

He straightened up again, and he flicked me a drunk, guarded look before he chugged from his Coke.

I noticed he’d put some piercings back in. A handful in his ears, the barbell between his eyebrows.

He made a cute, rugged, hot drunk. Bloodshot eyes included.

He wiped his mouth and peered down at the ground. He was wearing his supposed lucky All Stars. They were green and had passed their expiration date by a few years. But it had to be pure luck he hadn’t thrown up on them.

“I can’t stay with you, Shep,” he muttered hoarsely.

Nope, we weren’t doing this.

“I beg to differ.” I extended an arm and pointed to the truck. “Let’s get you outta hea’.”

“No,” he snapped. He nearly stumbled over the water bottle as he took a few steps away from me. “I’m goin’ home. I can walk.”

That was funny. “You’re gonna walk to Ashton Heights?”

It would take a sober person at least twenty, thirty minutes. Sloan wouldn’t make it past this street before he passed out in the gutter.

He made a face and sought out the nearest street sign. “Where are we?”

“Crystal City,” Tate answered.

“Oh. Right.” Sloan looked like he was gonna be sick again.

“I’m guessing you’ve been at Carol’s,” I said. Once in a blue moon, they had dinner together with the children, and it usually ended in a fight.

“Whatever,” he mumbled, clearly not wanting to talk about it. “Just take me home.” He pressed a hand to his stomach, his face contorted in discomfort, and he picked up his beanie and walked unsteadily toward the truck. “Not goin’ to your fuckin’ whore ranch…”

Oh-ho. My eyebrows went way up there. I invited my new partner to stay with me, and now I was running a whore ranch. Damn.

With a heavy sigh, I turned to Kingsley and Tate. “You’ve done more than enough—you can head on home. I’m sorry I woke you up.” Really, I was.

“No problem at all, buddy,” Kingsley assured.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Tate stated bluntly. “We’re staying until—”

“And you know what?” Sloan interrupted forcefully and turned back around to stagger toward me. “I’m sick of you not seein’ me.” What the fuck? “You bitch about bein’ lonely, but what am I? Shit under your shoe? A seat filler until you bring home the next bottom? Hell, I could be a bottom for you.”

No, really, what in the fresh fuck.

He didn’t just say that.

I frowned. My brain slowed down when I needed it to do the goddamn opposite—but he did not fucking say that.

“What did you just say?” I managed to get out.

This installment in The Games series gives us something we don’t always see a lot of stories about. Total Power Exchange (TPE) and/or domestic servitude. Previous books dealt with other kinks with the main kink being some sort of D/s situation. Which plays out different. Master/slave, Daddy, little, Dom/sub. Etc.

Greer is a founding member at McLean House. A kind community of some 150 or so members. And while he is well known in the community as a Dom who is always there for a demo, or a private session, he hasn’t had a relationship in far too long. He had all but given up on his dreams of a family because he thought being 45 was too old to start.

We start with a flashback of Greer meeting Archie. It was fun and sweet but then ended and we go to present day. And while we do revisit their meeting and what happened, I think it would have packed more of a punch to see it played out in real time. Then we would really know WHY Greer had cut himself off from maybe having a relationship.

Greer is also in love with his best friend. But either doesn’t know it or won’t admit it. But everyone else knows. The biggest issue there is that they are both Doms. Ok, and he doesn’t want to mess up the best friend thing.

In a pretty convoluted way, Archie and Greer meet up again, make amends and almost immediately begin a trial run of a M/s TPE situation. It seemed very one sided. Which Greer actually addresses. But Archie seemed to just jump right in. Yes, he did it part time on weekends with a couple for a bit. But he literally doesn’t do anything wrong. There’s no correction, no guidance.

Greer also wants to push Archie’s limits but hasn’t yet. Book 2 is coming.

And then we also get Sloan! I’ll just let you read about what happened there. But suffice it to say 2 went to 3 and are going to become 4. Should be interesting.

I liked the story and all of the characters. I am wondering if what happened at the end of the book at McLean will be a plot point and if so how. Overall I wanted more romance, more of the TPE dynamic playing out, just…more. But again, I think I will get this in book 2.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beck (Bar 28 Book 4) by JJ Harper: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

June 13, 2022 by Denise

. .
Finally, he’s found his perfect man. Will he be able to keep him?

Beck Thompson is out and proud. He has a job he loves and friends he considers his family. Okay, he doesn’t have a boyfriend, but chances are slim he’ll find the man who’ll accept all of him, his past and his tattoos. He’s happy. Sort of.

Until he sees the perfect man…with the same woman hanging on his arm every night. Damn.

Munro Sylvester has put every aspect of his life on hold to make his business a success. And he’s done it. But he’s never been true to himself.

One look at the gorgeous, colourful man changes everything. He knows he has to make the first move, but he may risk losing everything he’s worked so hard for.

Can Beck trust his heart that Munro is the one for him? Is Munro brave enough to come out and fight for their happily ever after?

Beck has a tattooed bartender who has never had any luck with love, a hard-working gym owner who’s never said “I’m gay” out loud, instant attraction, and well-meaning, meddling friends.

It is the fourth book in the BAR 28 series, a MM contemporary series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but you’ll enjoy them best by reading them in order. This series is based in the UK.

Title: BECK
Authors: JJ Harper
Length: 75k
Series: BAR 28, Book 4
Genre: Contemporary.
Tropes: Coming out, First time gay, Instant attraction.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

At the end of the night, I walked out, messing around with Leo and Gus and their boyfriends, and stopped dead in my tracks. Hot Guy was leaning against the wall.

“You go ahead,” I said to the guys, then ambled over to him. “Hey, you okay? Waiting for someone?”

He looked nervously at my friends, but they said goodnight and walked on. “Um, yeah. You, actually. Although I don’t know why. You made it clear you don’t want anything to do with me. But you’re kind of stuck in my head.”

I smiled just a little. I liked that idea. “So you decided to wait?”

He scrubbed the back of his head and nodded. “Yeah, I decided to wait. This isn’t something I usually do, so I’m a bit out of my depth.”

“Are you talking about being with a guy or waiting for one?” This wasn’t the way I’d thought the conversation would go. I was expecting “your place or mine?”. He hesitated. Oh shit, he’s not done this before. “Look, I’m flattered that you like me, but I’m not into playing games. Maybe you should work out what you want or who you are before you do this. If you’re still interested, then come back and see me.” I turned on my heel.

“No, wait.” He grabbed my wrist, not firmly, but the shock of his touch raced up my arm and through my body. His eyes widened. He must’ve felt it too, and he let go as if he’d burnt his fingers. “Please don’t go. I haven’t ever waited for someone. I haven’t felt like this before.”

“What do you want? I mean, it’s gone three in the morning, and I’ve just worked for eight hours. If you want a coffee, then now isn’t the time.”

Then his mouth was on mine. Like with his fingers around my wrist, it wasn’t aggressive, but fuck, it was powerful. His tongue swept over my lips, and instinctively I opened for him, and I got my first taste—rich with the faint taste of the beer he’d drunk. It was heat and passion, mixed with heady desire. As he deepened the kiss, I grasped his hips and pulled him against me. His hard-on pressed heavily to mine, and he groaned. I broke off the kiss. His lips were slick with spit, swollen from the intensity, and his eyes burnt with lust.

You will normally find her in the living room—typing away—with her wayward Great Dane, Siddiqi. As a hopeless romantic, JJ dives into her stories, always falling in love with her men, making sure they get the happy-ever-after they deserve, even if they do have to work hard for it.
JJ lives in a small, very quiet, village in Lincolnshire, UK, with her husband and dog, and spends all day dreaming up stories full of really hot men.

Connect with JJ:

Website: https://www.jjharper-author.com
Author page: https://www.facebook.com/authorJJHarper
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jessjhoney
Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/ha7whyj6
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessjharper
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jj-harper
Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/jjharper
Harper’s Honeys: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HarpersHoneys/

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The Sceptic by Lily Morton: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

June 12, 2022 by Denise

As the best friend of a psychic, Will Buchanan can’t help but believe in the dead. It’s the living that he finds to be problematic. However, after a spate of betrayals, he finally has the chance of a new life within his grasp, and he’s not going to risk it for anyone or anything. Staying safe is the name of Will’s game.

Jem Dawson defines the word temporary. A talented cameraman, he’s here today and will undoubtedly be gone tomorrow chasing adventure and danger. But, while he’s in York, he’s made it clear he wants Will, and Will can’t help liking the charming daredevil.

This inconvenient attraction results in Will accompanying Jem to the site of a notorious poltergeist outbreak. A malevolent spirit has targeted a family, and now the ghost hunting team for whom Jem does camerawork are going to be locked down in the house for three days.

The house is strange and filled with sinister and violent undercurrents. One by one, the group experiences threatening incidents, and as events escalate, Will has to ask himself if he’s risking not just his heart but also his life with this impulsive gesture.

This is the first book in the Arcana Books series featuring characters from the bestselling Black and Blue series.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

“It’s the big thing at the moment. Ghost hunting groups get locked into haunted places for a few days. Apparently, it gives them a better chance of recording psychic phenomenon.”

“And you do that along with Exspiravit?”

“Fuck no. I go to a bed and breakfast nearby at night, and they film themselves. Psychic phenomenon doesn’t have a comfy bed and a tea tray. It just isn’t as crucial to me as filming wildlife would be.”

I bite my lip to stop a smile breaking free. “I can understand that because of the baby penguins.”

“You do know they’re not the only thing I film?”

“Would your attitude change if they were ghost baby penguins?”

He points his fingers at me in a gun shape. “That’s the motherlode right there.”

I laugh. “So basically, they all get their sleeping bags out, and you’re down the road eating a three-course meal.”

“Did I happen to mention that I’m an award-wining natural-world photographer?” he says in a haughty voice that’s slightly spoilt by the laughter in his eyes.

“Only a few thousand times.” He gasps and loses the battle against laughter. When he’s calmed down, I fasten him with a gaze. “So, what’s got you worried, Jem? You’ve done a few ghost hunts with this group and never seemed bothered before.”

He bites his lip. “We visited the house last week to do a run-through. It’s common practice. The group get to meet the family and then Ben interviews them while I sit back, cynically wondering what they’re getting out of it. Then I get to do a walkthrough to see what kit we need and map out the house in my head.”

“What possible kit could you want?”

“You have no idea. Heat-sensing thermal cameras, spirit boxes, motion sensors—and that’s just the immediate stuff.”

I blink. “I usually just take Blue.”

“I wish I could.”

“Why?”

His brow is furrowed, his nervous fingers pleating the serving mat on the counter in front of him. I wait him out and finally he looks up at me. “Because, unlike the other places they’ve visited, there’s actually something wrong with this house.”

“In what way?”

“I don’t know.” He shoves his chair back, looking exasperated. “I honestly don’t know, Will. It’s an ordinary thirties semi on an ordinary street. There’s no history of any violent death there at all or any record of ghostly activity until the Preston family moved in but—”

He pauses, and I stare at him. “What?”

“It felt wrong.” He leans forward, talking quickly as if he thinks I’m going to laugh at him. I’m not. “I always rely on my intuition. After all these years of working in some rather dangerous countries with unpredictable climates and animals, I have fucking good instincts. When I feel uncomfortable, I know there’s usually a reason for it. And I felt it there. When I walked through, it was sunny and warm. There’s kids’ artwork on the walls and family photos, and it’s nicely messy, but—” He spreads his hands. “I wanted out of there so badly, I could feel it in my belly. I was shaking by the time we left.”

If you read the Black and Blue series (ok, 2 books) you know Will already. Best friend of Blue Billings. Big, quiet, stoic. Takes care of what is his. A teddy bear in a grizzly bear suit.

We met Jem in the second B&B book as a cameraman working for some ghost hunters after he is hurt and can’t go on a big job he had been hired for. Still in recovery mode, he kind of shows up off and on in Will’s life. Until he is hired by another set of ghost hunters and he wants Will to be the sceptic. The guy who explains away different things instead of thinking it is ghosts. I’ll say I was a sceptic of Will being a sceptic because just be being Blue’s best friend, he has seen some things. But, who knows.

Well, based on the fact that whatever otherworldly thing is happening is showing itself to Will immediately, he isn’t much of a sceptic.

But the story of what is happening in the house is a fun read. Maybe scary for people who get scared with that kind of thing. Some pretty creepy things too. Maybe read it with the lights on if you are easily spooked. But it was creative and fun to read about, what went on.

There were 4 others who were the “ghost hunters” and while it was their ghost hunt, we were really focused on Will and Jem. They made it hard not to be.

In my no spoiler way, I kind of feel like one character made a big concession toward the end. It had to be done I’m sure, but still.

I still loved Will and Jem getting their HEA and I particularly loved Will getting HIS own happily ever after and going from homeless to where he ends up.

4 pieces of eye candy

Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – Chocolate Baileys.

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We Choose You (Choice Versus Fate, Book 1) by Katy Manz: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

June 3, 2022 by Denise

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James and Aidan didn’t need fate. They had each other.

Alpha James and Beta Aiden love each other and don’t care what fate has to say about that. Mating doesn’t need to be based on pheromones and scents. And kids? There were many ways to build a family.

When fate comes knocking years later, James does what any wolf in his situation would—he runs away. He has a mate he loves more than anything, and they’re just about to get everything they want: a family. He can’t risk losing everything because Fate decided to be a butt.

Omega Riley scented his fated mate once months earlier, and the wolf ran away. He is coming to terms with his singledom. Everything is going as well as it can, that is, until his fated mate’s children walk into his classroom.

We Choose You is book one in the sweet with knotty heat MM shifter mpreg romance series: Choice Vs. Fate. It features an alpha wolf shifter who mated his beta best friend, the omega sent by fate, true love, twins who will steal your heart, adorable babies, and a guaranteed happy ever after.

We Choose You

By Katy Manz

Choice Versus Fate, Book 1

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

The sweet aroma of coffee roused me from bed, but the sight of my mate’s bare ass in front of the coffeemaker aroused me in a completely different way. Now, I was hungry.

I slid behind him and buried my nose in the crook of his neck. My hands glided across his rounded cheeks. A decade together hadn’t quenched my hunger for this man, and I doubted several more ever could. He was ambrosia, and I wanted my feast.

“Mmmm. Someone is happy to see me this morning.” Aiden moaned as I kneaded his ass and nibbled my way down his neck to the place where our mate mark rested. Even after all these years, he was extra sensitive to my touch. One flick of a tongue over his mating mark, and we were ready to devour each other. It was a mate’s kryptonite, but neither of us ever complained about using it as such.

“I am always happy to see you, Mate,” I growled, and my hands moved from the back of his sexy body to the front. I grabbed his cock in one hand while feeling his stomach with the other. My cock was nestled nicely in the crack of his ass, waiting for the moment we were allowed entrance to his true home. “I missed you. You were gone much too long.”

The tour of his artwork was a marvelous opportunity, but it made me lonely when it took him away for so long. He felt the same, even if we didn’t discuss it often. Of course, it made the time we were home together extra special. Twelve days without my mate by my side was pure hell. I missed his voice, his face, his presence. But twelve days without him in my bed had me needing him so badly right now.

“I missed you, too, baby,” Aiden whimpered as our bodies rocked and my hands worked him over. “Want to go back to bed?”

I thought about it for a moment. With the silky sheets and languid kisses, I could take my time and worship his body as he deserved. But then I looked at the kitchen table behind me and had a better plan. The bedroom was much too far for my level of desire for this man.

“No, this will do.” I swirled us around to face the kitchen table and bent him over, taking a moment to fully appreciate the deliciousness of his backside. The bountiful cheeks and the beautiful hole would soon welcome me inside. I grabbed the lube I had brought downstairs knowing if I saw my mate this morning, there would be no time to get us to the bed. I applied a generous amount of lube as I worked him open, getting him ready for my long, thick alpha cock. As a beta, he didn’t create his own slick, so I ensured we always had enough lube. I kissed his neck and licked our mating mark. I would never grow tired of seeing it there. It filled a part of me with pride he was mine. Soon, he was ready for me to fill him, and I lined up my cock to his hole and buried myself deep within him. This man has always been my home and always will be.

This storyline definitely has potential. I like the idea of having fated mates, but instead choosing NOT to have your fated mate in your life, but the one you feel most connected to, as James and Aiden did. They were obviously very in love. Choosing a life together, when it meant they could not have their own families in their lives. Then later, finding Riley, who is James’ fated mate.

First, James avoids Riley, which is very upsetting, obviously to Riley. Then Aiden gets to know him first, and connects with him. Before they all connect and choose each other.

There were definitely holes in here for me, though. Perhaps it came back to how the length of the novella, so it didn’t give the reader a chance to connect with the MC’s themselves much before they were moving on to the the next thing in their life. It was difficult to want them to be together, when I just didn’t really know them well enough to feel they should have been together.

Definitely some sexy times, and in all sorts of naughty places. I just needed a bit more meat in the story, for my liking.

3 pieces of eye candy

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Katy Manz has always dreamed of being a romance writer. She wanted to bring the stories created in her mind to a world of readers that would fall in love with her characters as much as she has. Keep a lookout for more books in this series and future series to come.

Connect with Katy:
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