Book Excerpts

Emerett Has Never Been In Love (Love, Austen Book 1) by Anyta Sunday: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

March 31, 2021 by Denise

A man who acts before he thinks, a man who thinks before he acts, and the ensuing mishaps on the path to the ultimate love match.

~ ~ ~

Emerett “Lake” Lakewood has a healthy ego and a flair for the dramatic. After losing his best friend to marriage—completely crushing his heart—he deems it prudent to distract himself, and what better way than playing cupid?
He’s already got his eye on two young men desperately seeking romance, and he has a plan to hook them up.
Barbecues.
Photoshoots.
Reciting Shakespearean love declarations.
Lake is killing it. Love is positively pulsing in the air. Anyone could see it.
Well, anyone other than Knight, his best friend’s dad, who cautions Lake to stop meddling. To leave love to its natural course.
Lake has always valued Knight’s frankness, but this time he’s wrong. Without him, two hearts might be doomed never to find love.
Besides, what does Knight know about romance? He’s barely dated in all the seven years Lake’s known him. He’s clueless.
Though, there’s a thought. Knight has everything going for him. Sensibility. Kindness. Generosity. And for a forty-four-year-old, he’s—objectively—freaking hot.
Why is he single?

~ ~ ~

“. . . [T]here may be a hundred different ways of being in love.”
~ Jane Austen

And a hundred different ways not to recognize it.

~ ~ ~

“Emerett Has Never Been In Love” is a fun, fast-paced gay romance retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma.

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Lake tried not to look in Knight’s direction when he arrived with takeout. And, even though he’d done it a thousand times in front of Taylor, he didn’t swap his Malai Kofta for Knight’s Tandoori Chicken.

They spent the hour after dinner in Taylor and Amy’s darkened living room, looking at pictures projected onto the wall and hearing amazing stories of misadventure.

All too soon, the lights came on again. Lake felt Knight’s eyes on him.

Did Lake have to undrape himself from the couch and leave the happy couple to themselves? Was that really necessary?

On the smaller sofa, arm curled around Amy, Taylor laughed. “I know that look, Dad.” He glanced at Lake. “It’s time to leave.”

Knight said, “It is getting late, and you both . . . well.”

Was Knight blushing faintly at the thought of his son being intimate?

Lake smirked. “Probably a good idea to leave the love birds.”

Knight threw him a cautionary look.

It probably didn’t say much about the graciousness of his character that Lake was laughing inside. Laughing, and itching to make Knight squirm. “Staying longer would be encroaching—”

Knight strode over and pulled Lake to his feet with startling ease. Lake laughed. “Hey.”

“We’ll see you at the barbecue tomorrow,” Knight said pleasantly to Taylor and Amy.

“Sure thing, Dad.”

Knight ushered Lake out of the house, and Lake tossed a goodbye over his shoulder.

Outside, in the fresh early-summer breeze, Knight softly clapped the back of Lake’s head. “Really, Lake?”

“Hey, I didn’t do anything.”

Another chastising look. “That’s my son.”

“And adult, married sons don’t get intimate?”

“No—Yes. I’d just prefer not to make a thing of it. Bedroom affairs are private.”

“Bedroom affairs. I’m still shocked you didn’t call it your manhood or member. And, holy shit, now I’m wondering if you’re prudish in bed. If you’ve ever had one night stands, or if you only have sex after forging a deeper connection—and I’m gonna run home now.”

Lake started to hoof it and Knight snagged his shirt, holding him back. “Are you asking if I have sex just for the sake of it?” Lake looked at him, which took a little more courage than normal. “I prefer to know—and actually like—a guy, but occasionally release is the ultimate goal.”

What a fun read that had me smiling from the first page to the last.

A modern retelling of Emma, except, yanno, gay.

Retelling, or reimagining, of a classic is no easy feat. Not only is the author updating it to current times, but also switching from traditional male female relationships to male male relationships. And you know what? She did it really well.

The whole tone of the book was so similar to the original. The main character- in this take, Lake, has a heart of gold. He wants everyone happy. He unwittingly played matchmaker once and now his best friend is married to the woman of his dreams. So now he wants to help others find love. Even when they haven’t asked for help.

He moves himself into his best friend’s father’s house but is absolutely oblivious to the fact that this man, Knight, is all heart eyes for him. As is another character who he is trying to set up with Harry. Because Harry actually has a crush on his cousin. And then there is Josh who acts kind of sketchy and seems to flirt with Knight which makes Lake a little (a lot) jealous. And who is West???

Oh the tangled webs they weave.

There were a few things that niggled. They seemed to always be throwing a party. Lake’s back story is alluded too with some brief mentions. Maybe knowing more of those things would have made Lake’s motives more clear. We get more description of Knight’s house than of Lake’s background. But ultimately, I don’t think these things really detracted from the story as a whole.

Lighthearted, cute, fun, silly at times… put this on your tbr.

4 pieces of eye candy

I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of emotion, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.

My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.

Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/about-anyta/
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The Harder We Fall by Rebecca Raine: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

March 30, 2021 by Denise

For years, I’ve been bound by sleeplessness and sorrow.
His voice threatens to set me free.

Insomnia. It’s part of the penance I pay for my greatest mistake. But when an ill-timed doze behind the wheel of my car nearly introduces me to a pole, I know something has to change.

Sleep with Me, a locally-made meditation app, promises a cure. I don’t expect it to work. Nor do I expect to become enthralled by the voice of its creator, Sam Stephenson. His ability to coax forth my nightly surrender is unnerving. I have to meet this man and learn the secret behind his techniques, so I can evict him from my head—and still get a good night’s sleep.

In person, the quiet and reclusive Sam is his own kind of complicated. He needs my business skills as much as I need his meditation skills and we forge an unlikely partnership. But the attraction between us soon flares into passion and, as we grow closer, I start to long for more than my guilty conscience will allow.

I have no right to love, not after the damage I’ve done. How can I give Sam all he deserves, when our chance at a happy ending was ruined before we even met?

The Harder We Fall
By Rebecca Raine

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“You sound different than you do on the app.” The quiet words break the silence, bringing the spiral of thoughts in my head to a grinding halt.

My cheeks warm. I’m well aware of the wide vocal chasm between Siren Sam and my usual bumbling self. I put it down to the hour or so I spend preparing before I even begin recording a meditation for my app. Meditation takes me to another place within myself, a place where I’m grounded and peaceful. It’s quite the opposite of how I feel in my everyday life. Especially today, when I’m sitting in a public place with adrenaline spiking in my veins and Dreamy McDreamface watching me from across the table.

“Is that bad?” I ask. If he wanted to meet Siren Sam, he’ll be disappointed. It’s nothing more than a name someone else created and plonked on top of me, like an ill-fitting costume.

“No.” Tristan shakes his head. “I like your voice.” He blinks at his own words, and then it’s his face gaining colour. “I mean, both voices are nice.” That doesn’t seem to work for him either and he makes a sound of frustration. “I mean, they both have the same effect.”

My eyebrows lift and for once I don’t feel like the most awkward person in the room. “Does that mean you’ll fall asleep if I talk too much?”

“What? No. I didn’t mean—” The sentence cuts off as he rubs his hands over his face.

I can’t help but grin. Tristan Whitmore is delightful.

“Let me start again,” he says with a shadow of a smile. “I’ve gotten more sleep in ten days of using your app than I have in years. That’s why I wanted to meet you, to learn more.” He gestures towards me. “As well as provide help in return.”

My chest expands as I take a deep breath. I may not be good at much, and my weaknesses outweigh my strengths by an embarrassingly large margin, but Tristan’s words are proof I can still make a difference in the world. They fill me up in a way I don’t experience often. “I’m so glad my work has helped relieve you of your burden.”

The shadow smile, barely there though it is, snuffs out. Tristan’s face shutters and his gaze drops. He leans back in his chair, increasing the distance between us. Whatever energy connected us from the instant he walked up to the table, it’s gone now.

I have no idea what I did wrong.

Frozen in my chair, I watch Mr Nguyen bring Tristan his coffee. He thanks the older man before reaching into his backpack for a big, black notebook and a blue ballpoint pen.

“Let’s get started, shall we?” His tone is clipped now, formal. The smile he pulls onto his face is rigid and fake. “How about you tell me about your business, and we’ll see what we can do to give it a jump start.”

My hands clench tightly in my lap as I try to refrain from squirming. It turns out Tristan has two types of voice as well. I don’t find them equally appealing and they definitely don’t have the same effect on me.

“What about—” My throat closes up and I swallow before trying again. “Your sleep?”

“We can get to that later.” Opening his notebook to a fresh page, Tristan clicks the end of his pen several times in quick succession. “For now, I’d prefer to focus on you.”

But I don’t want to focus on me. That’s not what we agreed on. This is supposed to be a mutual thing; we’re supposed to be helping each other.

My gaze darts between Tristan’s face and his ready pen. He actually expects me to spill my financial guts while he gets to stay locked up tight for reasons unknown. Beneath the silent chaos of knotted fingers and twitchy limbs, my jaw clenches. That’s not going to happen.

His fake smile drops into a genuine frown at my continued silence. It’s an improvement, I’ll give him that, but it doesn’t change my mind. It took a great deal of mental effort for me to show up here today. If he can’t respond in kind, this will never work. I’ll leave empty-handed if I have to.

Granted, I’ll probably feign sickness and make a run for it before he has time to object, but the outcome will be the same. I’ll never have to see him again, so the humiliation of my exit should only haunt me for, I don’t know, a decade or so.

With a mental shrug, I look towards the cafe entrance. Who needs financial stability, anyway?

I’ll be honest. This book surprised me. Rebecca Raine was a traditional romance (male/female) writer who made the jump into gay romance. This is her third book in the genre. The first two…well, better left unsaid.

I was intrigued by the premise of this one. It wasn’t something I had read before and wanted to give it a go. I’m glad I did.

Tristan has been plagued by insomnia since a family tragedy years before. He has tried it all. A coworker suggests an app that was created by a meditation teacher his wife goes to. He finally decides to try it and is surprisingly lulled to sleep by the voice on the app.

Sam is the ultimate introvert. Except when he is leading his meditation classes. But his meditation classes aren’t quite enough to pay the bills- even with the app he has. So when Tristan has a proposal, business advice for how to fall asleep advice, Sam is wary but knows he needs to do it.

Tristan is a MESS. As his story begins to be told and you see why he is a mess…it is just heartbreaking. But even so, he is drawn to Sam. He wants to help him and take care of him. Which goes against how Tristan normally is.

But Same needs the help. His mother died leaving him alone in the world as she was his only family. He is afraid of his introvert nature becoming agoraphobia like his mother. He also needs help with his business as he has no other means of supporting himself.

Once Sam got to know Tristan and trust him, I loved how aggressive he got. Like most introverts, once he trusted Tristan, Sam’s real self came out They played well off of each other, the fit well as a couple. Watching them each open up was wonderful.

The one this that really bothered me was the lack of therapy for either of them. But especially Tristan. After what he went through, he should have been in therapy for years. As well as Sam. And it didn’t seem as though either one was avoiding it as there was never mention of it.

The resolution was well thought out and it was a very satisfying conclusion to the story.

And there was a lovely epilogue.

4 pieces of eye candy

Rebecca is a long-time lover of all things romance. Whether it’s a book, movie, or real life, she will always have more fun if there’s a love interest thrown into the mix. She lives in Queensland, Australia with her very own hero husband, two quirky kids and one big, black dog. Other than reading and writing books, her favourite things include loud music, enjoying a glass of wine on the patio, organising everything in existence, and spending too much time on the Internet.

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Finding His Boy (An MM Age Gap Daddy Romance) by K. D. Ryan: Blog Tour, Excerpt and New Release Review

March 26, 2021 by Denise

A lonely Daddy. An innocent boy. A twenty-year age gap. Whatever happens next is in Daddy’s hands.

Finding his way in life all on his own hadn’t been easy for eighteen-year-old Elliot Hedrick, but he’d managed to hold it all together so far.

Even though it was just by the skin of his teeth.

Between his warehouse job and pursuing a career as a professional ballet dancer, he’d been working sixteen-hour days and was still barely making ends meet.

He was fraying at the seams. And he was so damn lonely.

There was nobody for him to lean on, nobody to come to his rescue when things fell apart—it was all up to him to achieve his dreams.

Then suddenly Grant Weston charged into Elliot’s life, his knight in shining armor—literally and figuratively—and despite their twenty-year age gap, Grant couldn’t seem to leave the boy alone. Even though Grant knew he should.

There were too many obstacles between them—and not just their ages. Grant had secrets of his own, ghosts from his past that made him hold back from taking what he really wanted from Elliot.

And what Grant wanted was to make Elliot his boy.

To have a true partner.

But Grant was afraid to trust himself—afraid that history would repeat itself and leave him with a broken heart yet again.

Is age really just a number, or will the years between them end their relationship before it can even start?

Finding His Boy is the first book in a duet taking place in the Safe Harbor universe but can be read as a stand-alone and has an HFN ending. This book is a 90+K word slow burn, steamy romance that features a Daddy/boy relationship between two consenting adult men. No age play. Dual POV. There are explicit descriptions of sexual acts, so this book is intended for a mature audience (18+).

Trigger Warning: On-page physical assault (not between MCs), mention of sexual assault.

Book Title: Finding His Boy (An MM Age Gap Daddy Romance)

Author: K. D. Ryan

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: K. D. Ryan

Release Date: March 25, 2021

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Age Gap, Slow Burn, Daddy Kink

Themes: Self-confidence, Trust, Exploring Sexuality

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 96 000 words

It is the first book in the series – Safe Harbor #1

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Grant knew he should pull back, he should close the door—that would be the smart thing to do. He should be respectful of Elliot’s privacy.

Because if he crossed this line, there would be no going back—all of his noble rationalizing about not taking advantage of Elliot’s vulnerability would be out the window.

But fuck, the boy was incredibly gorgeous—the planes of his slim muscular body highlighted in a soft blue glow from the moon, his face a study in shadow and light. He looked so young, so vulnerable, and so ripe for the taking. Exposed, ready for Grant to sink his teeth into the pale expanse of flesh on display, to mark Elliot as his.

If Grant stepped further into the room now—and he wanted to, oh he’d never wanted anything so badly in his life, he could taste the wanting like metal on his tongue—where would that choice bring them?

Because the boy had no clue what Grant wanted to do to him.

He couldn’t know how Grant wanted to use him. To flay him wide open with word and action and touch, and pick apart the soft tender insides of him, to leave him wanting and vulnerable and his. To deliver the safety and comfort and pleasure that his boy craved and that only he—Grant—could give.

Grant’s own possession.

His boy.

Those words—his boy—they acted like a bucket of cold water—a wave of uncertainty and apprehension to temporarily subdue his lust. Was this just history repeating itself? Would Elliot realize a year down the line that Grant couldn’t give him what he wanted, and Grant would be left high and dry once again?

Could Grant risk his heart like that again? The thought of sharing that experience with someone, only for his heart to be trampled, handled carelessly, and discarded…

He should leave now, back out and pretend he’d never been here. Just leave and act like nothing had changed the next day. Leave this beautiful boy whole and innocent and let someone else break him in gently, softly, like he deserved. Someone he could grow with, change with, learn with.

Fuck, he was a coward.

But then.

But then Elliot opened his eyes. And he parted his lips. And he kept on pumping his hand up and down as he locked his eyes with Grant’s, his heated gaze burning with open desire.

Desire for Grant.

And Grant knew he couldn’t walk away.

Former high school Language Arts teacher turned professor, Grant, has to use the student gym showers if he wants to make it to his class on time after a workout…. Hoping to hurry through a quick shower, his plans are thwarted when he runs into someone dangerously close to being sexually assaulted in the showers, he never dreamed it would be two former students that he taught in high school. Elliot’s been trying to ignore the dumb jock that been creepin’ on him at the gym, but sometimes ignorance is bliss, right? Until it isn’t.

On his own since he was 16, Elliot is just doing the best he can to survive until he gains a little bit more experience on stage and can be free from the debt his father left having unexpectedly passing away when Elliot was a teenager.
I have to say, I loved Elliot. Yes, he was immature at times, but he’s 18, what do you expect? He’s also very sweet, stronger than anyone gives him credit for and his shy innocence is only half the reason Grant feels so attracted to him.

It’s a slow burn type of read, where both men go slow, even though their attraction for each other is immediate and page-scortching. Grant having been burnt by a younger man once before and Elliot just not knowing how to navigate a relationship because he’d never been in one before….but it was sweet and real and well worth the wait, especially when we get to Grants kink and how effortlessly Elliot falls into it.

I did spend half the book wondering why this assaulter seemed to get away with what he did and intended to do in the showers, but fear not… the bad guy does not get away with being a bad guy, although I do wish we’d have gotten to see those consequences!

Overall though, once I picked this book up, I did not put it down. I enjoyed watching these two navigate a new relationship and work through such normal and everyday problems, as well as some pretty heavy stuff that they worked out together. I feel like there was a few things I would’ve liked to have been resolved, like what was going on with Grants brother? Does he ever come around? What about Elliot’s dad’s lawyer stuff? Something seemed way fishy about that. Will Aerick and Kyle get a story? I’d be intrigued by that…. Will Elliot meet Grant’s family? I feel like his mom could love Elliot and give him the mom he never had…

So, okay… I wouldn’t mind another book or two about these two, or really anyone (aside from creepy shower guy, unless his is from prison and we get to see all the terrible, awful things that happen to people who do what shower guy tried to do)…

It’s a great read and if you like slow burns with dirty talking Daddy’s and shy, sweet, innocent boys… well, this one is definitely for you. I’ll be (im)patiently waiting to see who’s next!

4 pieces of eye candy

Just a dreamer fueled by coffee who’s been writing about love that comes in all forms since she got her first word processor. Passionate bibliophile and lover of science, caretaker of humans and friend to dogs.

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Gamer’s Choice by Valerie Ullmer: Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

March 25, 2021 by Denise

Neko-Ren Ellison

Love wasn’t in the cards for me.

My first relationship ended with a dramatic event, and police involvement. Needless to say, I wasn’t keen starting a new one. But a knock on the door one random night changed everything. After exchanging some witty banter through my closed oak door, safety first, I threw it open to find an exquisite bearded man, hair tied back, muscles on display… all-in-all, my fantasy come to life.

I wove elaborate dreams around the two of us within minutes, yet my illusion shattered when I learned he was straight. But the protective and intense man became a fixture in my life, and no matter how many times I tell myself he’s not available, I stubbornly hold out hope.

Graham Norris

I’m screwed.

I can’t figure out what shocked me more. The realization I’m not only attracted to a man, but to my dazzling, openly gay, younger next-door neighbor who makes every protective instinct in me flare. Or at the ripe old age of thirty-four, I’m stupidly fighting against my one chance at happiness.

Despite my grumpy and staid personality, the brilliant and funny man introduced me to his world, his family, and worked his way into my heart. The more I’m immersed in everything Neko, my desire for him only grows.

Yep, completely screwed.

Gamer’s Choice features an age gap, bisexual awakening romance between a professional let’s player and his new neighbor. It’s a standalone gay/bisexual romance with an instant connection and a ten-year age difference.

~Descriptions of domestic violence and stalking, includes abuse from an ex-partner, descriptions of an attempted assault with a weapon. Please avoid if the subject matter is triggering.~

Book Title: Gamer’s Choice

Author: Valerie Ullmer

Publisher and Cover Artist: Valerie Ullmer

Release Date: March 25, 2021

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Friends-to-lovers, Age Gap, Bisexual Awakening, Gay/Bisexual Romance, Instant Connection

Themes: Accepting oneself, moving past partner abuse

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 51 000 words

It is a standalone story.

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I don’t know why I did this to myself.

The situation was not tenable. I hunched my shoulders close to my ears, spine frozen in place and arched away from the back of my ergonomic chair, and if I tensed any more, I’m sure I would sprain something.

My gaze darted around the darkened room and I listened out for any signs of the upcoming attack, and I realized I hadn’t spoken in several minutes. I found a locker for a momentary reprieve and slipped inside.

But as I opened my mouth, hoping whatever words I spewed forth came across as witty and brilliant, the ghost girl who’d stalked me for two hours popped up in front of my hiding space with no warning, baring her teeth with a growl.

To add to my humiliation, she surged toward me with a screech. An embarrassing scream punched up from my chest and past my throat as I wretched the headphones from my ears and covered my eyes with my hands.

I listened to my heart thumping hard in my chest, worrying me for a long minute, until the rhythm decreased and my fear dissipated.

It’s not real. So not real.

By the time I opened my eyes, I caught sight of the screen as the fake blood dripped down from the top of the monitor and the words ‘Game Over’ flashed at me.

My eyes tracked up toward the camera and I said, “Well, that’s all I have time for today. Yes, I am going to pass the last few minutes off as though they never happened. I hope you enjoyed that as much as Echo will, and I’ll catch you next time. Later.”

I held up two fingers, flashing the peace sign, my signature, I stopped the recording before reaching for the stainless steel bottle I kept handy. With the last remnants of the ice-cold water swirling around, enough to sustain me and sooth my sore throat until I dragged myself downstairs for a refill and cooked myself dinner, I tilted the bottle back and swallowed.

My best friend, who was the greatest editor I’ve ever known, was waiting for my text. She’d handle everything for the upload.

It’s ready for you. Don’t laugh too hard.

Got it. I’ll laugh the right amount, thank you very much.

I shook my head and stood.

Like me, Echo started her career because of an interest in something she loved. She cut her own movie trailers, which she somehow included proper voice overs, and they were so much better than what a normal Hollywood production churned out.

When I started gaming online, she offered to edit my videos, which involved me rambling through whatever game I was playing, hoping whoever watched paid more attention to the game than my acne covered face and squeaky voice. My excuse for the awkwardness… I was sixteen.

Since then, I’ve developed into a lanky, long-limbed, acne-free, deep-voiced man who enjoys speaking to others through the internet and connecting them to a community they are proud of. I thank the deities above I moved past puberty without causing harm to myself or others.

But Echo followed my channel and realized before I did that I’d gained subscribers at a steady rate. She promoted herself to my full-time editor when we were nineteen. Although she has her own successful channel, a fashion and beauty one, I keep her busy with my upload schedule.

My stomach growled, and I shot a glance at the clock. Two hours past my normal recording time. I stretched my arms over my head, hearing the usual popping sounds in my joints from whenever I sat too long at my desk.

Done for the day, I tucked in my chair and reached over to shut off the three monitors, but as I turned to exit, I noticed my opened office door.

“Well… fuck.”

Although my house was on the corner of a cul-de-sac with a gigantic yard surrounding it, I attempted to keep my profession from bothering my neighbors. So I closed the door whenever I recorded because I’m not quiet. And when I remodeled the house a few years before, I added soundproofing to the entire top floor.

I’d chosen to buy the house because the bedrooms were on the second floor. The rooms were spacious enough my setup was away from the windows, and the bonus had been the rest of the place. Curved doorways, wooden floors throughout, the modern kitchen that included a farmhouse sink along with the dual oven gas range, and the sunroom that faced the backyard.

The three-bedroom house was enormous for only me. But my family lived close by and on the weekends, and sometimes during the week when mom and dad hounded them about homework and the possibility of their interest in either boys or girls, my parents weren’t picky, my twin sisters stayed over with me.

It wasn’t as if I had a social life they could interrupt. I’d tried years before, and it turned out to be a disaster, so I’d given up. Instead, I concentrated on my career. And when I wasn’t working, I divided my time between Echo or my family.

Tired of my depressing thoughts of being alone with no man in my bed, I headed out of the room and downstairs, wondering what I might make for dinner. After, I would indulge in a true crime YouTube marathon.

The moment I hit the last step, a knock from the front door stopped me in my tracks. At close to nine on a school night ruled out my sisters dropping in for a visit, and Echo was busy editing. Curious, I padded over to the front door.

Thinking myself stealthy in my woolen-clad feet, I stopped about a half a foot in front of solid oak and placed my hands on the smooth wood before inching forward. Through the peephole, my eye focused on a solid figure facing away from me. He was tall, so my tired brain played out a fantasy where a gorgeous man realized he could no longer live without me and was waiting outside to declare his feelings.

But what’s the likelihood of that?

Still freaked out from being immersed in a horror game and catching the damp chill of the night air from the thunderstorm earlier, I opened my mouth and forced words through my tight throat.

“You are unfamiliar to me, so before I open this door I have to ask, are you a serial killer?”

Yeah, my conversation skills rock.

The man turned toward the door, but his height prevented me from seeing any defining features. The deeper voice on the other side answered, “Um, that’s a new one. I’m not, but I don’t know if you’re going to take my word for it.”

“Shit! You make a good point. Well, let me ask you this? Are you here to use my phone because your car broke down and your mobile ‘died’?”

My dumb ass used air quotes as if he could see me. To be honest, I’m surprised I’m still alive.

The stranger huffed out a snicker. The sound did not send flutters of pleasure through me.

“Are you always this suspicious?”

My head nodded up and down before I slapped my forehead and replied, “I think that’s what an untrustworthy, immoral man would say, using reverse psychology to make me feel guilty for being unhelpful, which would make me lower my inhibitions and let you inside.”

The man had the nerve to laugh, a deep, throaty, sexy sound. He asked, “You read that in a book, right?”

“Well, I didn’t read it, per se, I heard it in an audiobook from a retired FBI agent about how following your instincts could save your life and the only reason I listened to it because both of my sisters refused. I admit, it scared the poop out of me, but if I can keep them safe, I would do it again.”

“That’s fair, I suppose. But no, I’m not here to harm you and I’m not a criminal. I heard a scream and thought it was a woman in distress, so I thought I would check.”

My hesitation forgotten in that moment, I jerked open the door and glared at the chest in front of me.

Sometimes I hated being short.

I gulped as my eyes traveled upward until I met amused gray eyes, one eyebrow arched in question.

“I knew that would do it?” The tall man who I would love to climb said.

“Shit, did I say that aloud?”

Another chuckle and I forced my eyes up again.

Valerie resides in Denver, Colorado with her husband. While she had been interested in writing a romance novel for years, it wasn’t until she wrote her first book that she really became hooked, and now she can’t stop. She has notebooks full of ideas, and she plans to write most of them in the years to come.

When she’s not writing or learning about the craft of writing, she can be found surfing the internet way too much, watching Investigation Discovery and thinking that her neighbors are up to no good, and finding new ways to get her husband to laugh.

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Coaching the Nerd Authors (Nerds Vs Jocks, Book 2) by Eli Easton & Tara Lain: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

March 22, 2021 by Denise

Super-bod meets super-brain

What happens when marshmallow-bodied supernerd Sean volunteers to be on the jocks’ flag-football team? It screws Bubba’s fraternity’s chances at the coveted flag football title, that’s what.

Bubba is drafted to be Sean’s personal trainer. He has to whip Sean into shape and make sure he doesn’t F up their team.

Sean may be a supernerd, but to Bubba he’s funny, and wise, and kinda cute. He’s also the one person on campus who doesn’t see Bubba as a big, stupid jock.

One BIG problem. Sean’s motivation for getting into shape is to lose his virginity — and Bubba isn’t happy when guys start sniffing around.

But Bubba’s straight. Isn’t he?

Can a big, dumb jock from Nowhere, Wisconsin change his whole life for a genius who just wants to get laid?

COACHING THE NERD is a total makeover, opposites attract, My Fair Lady trope, bi awakening, campus romance – that grabs your flag.

Coaching the Nerd (Nerds Vs Jocks, Book 2)

By Eli Easton & Tara Lain

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Bubba put his arm around the back of the leather couch in the student union and shifted closer to me. I froze and stared up at his face. He’d told me this alcove was his secret place at the union where nobody ever came, so I wasn’t really worried about somebody walking in on us, but I was still unaccountably nervous.

I was accustomed to being around Bubba by now, and I trusted him. I did. But being this close to him with him looking at me with that half-lidded sexy face? I was most certainly not accustomed to that.

My heart pounded in my chest like a metronome, and my belly swirled like I was on the high seas.

I was on the high seas. Of love. Or fake love. Or at least fake flirting.

We’re merely role-playing, I reminded myself. I cleared my throat and sat up straighter.

“Hey, I don’t think we’ve met,” Bubba said in a sultry voice.

I frowned. “What do you mean? We’ve been training together for four weeks.”

Bubba bit back a laugh. “Sean, I’m pretending. In this pretend game, I just saw you at a party.”

Oh, yes. How foolish of me. It was hard to think clearly when he looked at me like that. I put on a cautiously seductive expression.

Bubba blinked. “What are you doing with your face?”

“Nothing!” I shifted in my seat, and the leather couch squeaked. I settled my hands awkwardly in my lap and tried a simple smile. “Better?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“Um…a little? Just relax and act natural.”

“You’re not acting natural,” I pointed out. “You’re flirting with me. That’s unnatural in and of itself.”

Bubba rolled his eyes. He tried again. “Hey, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Bubba.”

“Hi, Bubba. I’m Sean.” I stuck out my hand for a handshake, but because we were sitting so close, I ended up poking my fingers right into his groin. He yelped and jumped back a few inches on the couch.

“Sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Bubba rubbed the crotch of his jeans for a moment and shook his head. “Probably try not to poke your prospective date in the balls.”

“God, I suck at this!” I wailed. “Disaster zone, thy name is Sean McKinney!”

Bubba laughed. “Come on. We’re just getting started. No harm, no foul. Let’s try again.” He settled back into place with his arm behind me on the couch, though perhaps a mite more warily than before. “Hey! You’re kinda cute. I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Bubba.”

This time, he leaned even closer. and I gazed into his eyes. They were just brown eyes, dark in the dim light of the little alcove. But there was something in them that was hot and sexy and probably had the unique property of being able to melt underwear. No wonder he had no difficulty getting girls. I dropped my gaze so I wouldn’t get any stupid ideas from those eyes—like hoping this wasn’t entirely role-playing. But from so close, I could see the texture of his beard, which he kept short. It was shiny and looked so appealing. I wanted to rub my cheek against it to discern the precise texture. His lips were red and full.

For a heat-stopping moment, I wondered, in a visceral way, what it would be like to kiss a mouth like that. Or that mouth specifically. Bubba’s mouth. I could picture it happening so clearly. I swallowed.

“Very good,” Bubba said softly. “Not talking works for you.” He reached up a thumb and stroked my jaw.

“You want me to not speak?” I asked doubtfully.

“If you look at the guy like that, you don’t have to say a word.” His gaze was on my lips now. The swirls in my belly exploded, and my skin got hot.

“I should say something though,” I said with a nervous titter. “Wouldn’t want him thinking I’m not paying attention. So, um…. Hi. I’m Sean. I like your beard.”

Shit. I shouldn’t have said beard. That obviously applied to Bubba and not a general guy at a party.

But Bubba went with it. “Yeah?” He took my hand and placed it on his face, then sort of rubbed his beard against it.

I got erect so fast, my head swam. Oh dear. Oh fuck. Was that supposed to happen during role-playing? I was pretty sure the answer was a resounding no.

My fingers curled around his jaw and rubbed. It was as if they had a mind of their own. “Soft,” I whispered.

He moved his large hand to my shoulder and stroked my collarbone through my T-shirt with his thumb—back and forth. Oh my God. It was different from his massage touch. Somehow that simple movement was so sensual. No one had ever touched me like that. I’d thought having the shampoo felt good. But this…this sent waves of fire through me unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. My palm moved to his throat. His pulse beat fast under my hand. I wanted to lick there.

“Mmm. I like that,” he said in that sexy rumbly voice. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Hmm?” My gaze was fixed on his mouth.

“Can I get you something from the bar? Sean?”

“Bar?” I couldn’t help it. I leaned forward. His mouth was so close. I closed my eyes. He exhaled, and his breath tickled my lips. Goosebumps erupted on my arms while heat pooled thickly in my groin.

“Sean,” he whispered, but his voice was soft and strangled and part of this lovely dream.

Then his lips pressed against mine.

A mixed review from me on this one.

This is book 2 and you should probably read book 1 to know what exactly is going on between the two fraternities. Also, the stories happen concurrently.

Anyway, from book 1 it was evident that Sean and Bubba would be the focus of book 2. Since Sean was the nerdiest of the nerds with zero muscle mass and was now playing flag football and Bubba was the physical education major… opposites attract and all of that.

I did really enjoy the following Sean and Bubba as they kind of stumbled through a tentative friendship and into a relationship. Working out together, playing flag football together and even Bubba helping Sean with a make over from drab to fab. They were just really adorable.

My biggest issue was the way Sean was portrayed. It was REALLY stereotypical. So much that he sounded like Spock in the way he spoke. Sorry, but even genius level college students are still college students. They just don’t talk like that. It was like they wrote dialogue for Sean, then went to the thesaurus to make it as “smart” as possible. It was just silly.

The big conflict involving Sean’s parents also wasn’t a surprise at all. Ho hum.

FAVORITE LINE: Even though I mostly disliked how Sea spoke, the following made me laugh out loud as I read it.

She folded her arms over her chest and gave me a smug look. “I fucked him, you know.”

“Congratulations,” I said calmly. “Lucky you, getting your shopping done before the store closed.”

3 pieces of eye candy

About Eli:

Coming from a background in computer game design, Eli has written over 35 books in m/m romance since 2013. The Mating of Michael (2014) and A Second Harvest (2016) both won The William Neale Award for Best Gay Contemporary Romance, and Eli’s books have won many awards from the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Reader’s Choice Awards. She is best known for her Christmas romances, the Howl at the Moon series of rom coms featuring dog shifters, and her Sex in Seattle series, which revolves around a sex clinic in Seattle.

Connect with Eli:
www.elieaston.com
Facebook: Eli Easton
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/164054884188096
Twitter: @elieaston

About the Author:

Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters – and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn’t believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara’s characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara’s creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Tara loves animals of all kinds (even snakes), diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers.

She has around 57 books published or scheduled for publication.

Connect with Tara:
Website: https://taralain.com/
Facebook Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255111391312743
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taralain/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taralain
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taralainauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tara-lain

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Shift Work (Night Shift, Book 1) by TA Moore: Blog Tour, Exclusive Short Story, Release Day Review and Giveaway

March 18, 2021 by Denise

You’d think the werewolves would be the worst thing about the Night Shift; you’d be wrong.

All Officer Kit Marlow wanted was a cup of coffee and some downtime before his next night shift. Instead, he got a naked man in the elevator and an unaccounted-for dead girl in the morgue. He’s going to need to deal with both before he can head for his bed.

Or anyone else’s. Although not much chance of that.

Reluctantly partnered with the acerbic security consultant Cade Deacon—last seen naked in the elevator—Marlow delves into the dead girl’s life. Between them, they uncover a new crime scene with the whiff of old corruption. A corruption that, five years ago, nearly took Marlow’s life and ended his career.

Finding out who killed the dead girl on the slab might only be the start of this investigation. Oh, and it’s the second night of the full moon. So 80% of the city, including Cade, will turn into werewolves in the middle of the case.

So, there’s that.

Title: Shift Work

Publisher: Rogue Firebird Press

Release: March 19

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Coming April 19, 2021

Split Shift: Night Shift: Book Two

First of all, thank you so much for having me! I’m thrilled to be here with my new release, Shift Work by TA Moore. It’s a novella. It’s a longish novella, but still a novella. It’s the first book in a three book series that will be coming out over the next….three months. So that’s easy! Well, for you. I’m going to have no nails left.

For the blog tour I’ve written a short story set in the Night Shift world. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Five

She was blind.

Temporarily at least. As Marlow watched, the blisters were absorbed back into the skin, and the burned tissue stitched itself into shiny scar tissue.

Home-made flamethrower probably—it was a popular self-defense for nulls that had to be out. It didn’t work well, and they’d been lucky she was young. Once someone shifted, they weren’t a person anymore, but they weren’t a dumb animal either. Werewolves were smart enough; they just didn’t think like people. Werewolves were smart enough; they just didn’t think like people or want what people wanted. Annie would forget her blistered eyes when she woke up. The wolf wouldn’t. This wouldn’t work again.

Drool splattered on the floor as Annie swung her head around and snorted at the air. Her ears twitched on top of her head, first one way and then back toward Marlow. She took a step forward, down on all fours, so the muscles bulked in her heavy shoulders, and licked the air.

Marlow didn’t try to hold his breath. It just made your heart beat faster, louder, and eventually you’d have to suck in some air. He just kept his breathing slow and steady, his heart rate calm, as he slid backward on his ass.

The stack of boxes at the end of the aisle were old-fashioned scales. $50 a pop. Marlow hoped he wasn’t going to have to pay for damages. He kicked them over on top of Annie. As the wolf reared back in surprise, he used the time the distraction had bought to scramble to his feet.

“There’s a whole city out there, Annie,” he said as he jogged backward ahead of her. “Deer. I heard they released some pigs.”

She crushed the boxes underfoot as he stalked him. Her eyes were gunked with pus, but the glaze of cataracts had faded. When he shifted direction, she turned her head to track him.

One step back.

Another.

Marlow mentally plotted his route through the department. He needed to keep her away from Beth. They might have been friends in the daylight, but the wolf wouldn’t care if she smelled blood.

Suddenly something crashed against the floor on the far side of the store. Three men, backpacks on their shoulders and kitted out in half-assed body armor, kicked over some of the shelves and stitched a spray of bullets down the aisle. The tiles splintered and shattered in divots and chunks until one of the projectiles caught Annie in the shoulder.

She threw her head back and roared in pain as the metal punched through flesh and bone. The next bullet docked her ear, the point shredded off in a spray of bloody hair, and then Annie threw herself out of the way and disappeared into the darkness.

“Idiots,” Marlow snarled. He gestured back the way he’d came—toward Beth—but hopefully, they’d more sense than to indulge a grudge now. “Get out of here.Go.”

One of them shot at him. It missed, punched into the shelves behind him, and then they ran.

Annie snarled, a low, wet sound, and then lunged out of the darkness.

Read the rest of the story on https://bit.ly/2Ojm6jQ!

This novella is set in a new world, and I had a bit of a time trying to understand what a few of the words meant initially (still not sure I understand what a null is 🙂 ) However, it is easy to catch up and figure out where things were headed.

I’m glad to see there is a second book with these MC’s, because I definitely want to know more about Kit and his past. That was piece that was revealed very slowly, in little chunks, and I want to know more!

There’s a bit of a murder mystery that sneaks into a lot of TA Moore’s books, and to give you a heads up there are definitely a few gory details that you might expect along with a murder among werewolves, but it definitely keeps you guessing.

I enjoyed the interactions between Marlow and Cade, but in many ways, I enjoyed their internal conversations with themselves almost as much. They kept trying to talk themselves out of their crush on the other, and it was such a back and forth it made me laugh.

I am looking forward to seeing how these things play out in the next book.

4 pieces of eye candy

TA Moore is a Northern Irish writer of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and contemporary romance novels. A childhood in a rural, seaside town fostered in her a suspicious nature, a love of mystery, and a streak of black humour a mile wide. As her grandmother always said, ‘she’d laugh at a bad thing that one’, mind you, that was the pot calling the kettle black. TA Moore studied History, Irish mythology, English at University, mostly because she has always loved a good story. She has worked as a journalist, a finance manager, and in the arts sectors before she finally gave in to a lifelong desire to write.

Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.

Website: www.tamoorewrites.com

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

Twitter: @tamoorewrites

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