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Deck the Hulls by Kat Cassidy: Release Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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This Christmas, he’s hiding more than his identity…

Fresh from a life tangled with the Greek mob in LA, Adam Sgouros is starting over in witness protection—but he feels unmoored in his new small-town existence. When a sudden need to dispose of a body without drawing attention arises (Not his fault! He can explain!), Adam realizes his first Christmas in the sleepy, wintery little town of Silver Shoals is shaping up to be anything but merry.

Elijah Jensen has always been an optimist, but this year, even he’s struggling to keep his head above water. A head-cold from hell and a boat that’s falling apart at the seams seem determined to sink his holiday spirit, and all he wants is to get through the season without any more complications. Complications like a musclebound ex-gangster hijacking his boat (Accidentally! He can explain!)—and taking him along for the ride.

Stranded on the water by a snowstorm, this unlikely pair must navigate through a holiday filled with danger, unexpected warmth, and enough secrets to sink them both. Can Adam’s tough exterior thaw under the force of Eli’s unyielding optimism, or will the storm—and Adam’s past—prove too much to weather?

Set course for a low heat, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity MM novella with a comedic noir twist. Featuring a relationship between a cisgender male and transgender male main character, Deck the Hulls promises a small-town holiday romance full of festive mayhem, surprising sparks, and a love that just might break through even the iciest of hearts.

CW: Brief mentions of unsupportive family and past relationships, references to addiction and enabling, light gore.

Title: Deck the Hulls
Authors: Kat Cassidy
Length: 25k
Series: Silver Shoals, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary, Small Town Holiday Romance.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Eli stumbles to the co-captain’s chair, wrapping the blanket back over his shoulders. “You’ve got to keep driving,” he says, settling in. “I can’t. Operating heavy machinery, cold medication, all that jazz.”

Adam dutifully palms the wheel. He focuses on the view outside. The world is a white blur; the boat’s bow is barely visible through the storm. It’s a deliberate choice not to look at the captain—Eli’s too close for comfort, too distracting with his tousled blonde curls catching the dim light, and Adam’s not sure he can keep his thoughts straight if he looks at him for too long.

“At least there’ll be snow for Christmas,” Eli remarks noncommittally, his gaze also fixed out the window, clearly avoiding Adam for entirely different reasons.

It’s ridiculous, but Adam finds himself irritated by how badly he’s already botched his first impression, how quickly he’s managed to screw things up here in Silver Shoals. Doesn’t matter if he’s called Alex Simmons, Adam Sgouros, or George fucking Bailey—he’s never going to belong in a place like this.

“Yeah, fucking fantastic, more snow,” Adam mutters, unable to keep the edge out of his voice. “Just what this purgatory needed.” He catches himself, glancing at Eli.

Eli raises an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “You’ve got a real gift for holiday cheer, you know that? I thought Santa was supposed to spread joy, not, like, existential dread.”

Adam sinks a little lower in his chair. “You’ve got no idea how small this town feels,” he mumbles, the words coming out before he can stop them, not sure why he’s even trying to explain. He probably shouldn’t be telling Eli anything about himself for a thousand different reasons, but he can’t help it.

Eli chuckles, low and quiet, pulling the blanket tighter. His eyes drift shut, and for a second, Adam thinks that’s the end of it. But then Eli speaks again, his voice hushed, almost like he’s talking to himself.

“You might be surprised.”

Kat Cassidy is a queer romance author. She’s a dreamer, a schemer and, above all else, a believer in true love. She lives in Canada with her family and her lovable mutt, and she likes loud guitars and strong IPAs.

Website: https://www.katcassidyauthor.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/katcassubcribers/
Instagram: katcassidyauthor
Newsletter signup: https://katcassidyauthor.squarespace.com/newsletter

https://kingsumo.com/g/3eovlkm/deck-the-hulls-release-giveaway

Black and Brown: Raven Assassins (Ravens Series Book 1) by AE Via: Release Day Review

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Grace’s composed, yet lethal disposition balances his partner Mirage’s impulsive nature, creating a duo—the second-generation Brown Ravens—with the potential for greatness.

Grace was one of the most decorated sharpshooters in the Marines. He’s fiercely committed to righting the wrongs that plague the world and protecting the innocent.
But there are too many rules and strict orders in the armed forces the Ravens don’t have.

Mirage left his world without a trace.

He has a brilliant mind and more degrees in science and medicine than one person could ever hope to obtain.
Now that the Ravens are done administering their treatments, Mirage can throw knives so fast they turn into phantom blades before he disappears in a way that leaves his enemies in chaos and confusion. And Grace can hit a target from three miles away.

When together, their form of silent communication in the field is astonishing. Grace’s subtle body movements speak their own language and his long, intense stares into Mirage’s grey eyes have created a special bond neither of them saw coming. A forbidden romance that won’t stop them from being the second-best assassins in the world.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Man, AE Via can write some morally gray characters like nobody’s business. And make us LIKE them.

I think her darkest were Ex and Meridian from, you guessed it, Ex Meridian in the Nothing Special series. Fans wanted more of these guys. And they wanted them now. We got a Valentine’s Day short. Too short. Enough to whet our appetites.

And now, finally, Black and Brown. A spin off of Ex Meridian. They are the first generation, the Blacks, part of a program that the government would deny knowledge of that shaped these two into perfect assassins through training and medicine.

And the Browns. Second generation. We get to see these guys through the whole process. Well, we see Mirage from before he joined and Grace after he caught Mirage sneaking around. This agency exploited Mirage by offering vengeance for the deaths of his parents and also a way to take out the worst evil the world has. With Grace as his partner.

I loved these two as partners. Grace who says almost nothing with words and everything with his mind. But only Mirage understands. They way they work together, with Mirage a shadow behind Grace. It’s a carefully choreographed dance between them, until someone or someones, cut in.

The Blacks are deployed to the situation and the two teams are face to face.

It’s very James Bond, but way more lethal. Who to trust, who not to trust. Who to take out, who to keep alive. And in between all of that, Mirage and Grace develop a relationship they aren’t supposed to have. Because it was trained out of them, by drugs or conditioning. And yet, they are feeling it.

So we do get sweet scenes of going out to dinner, cooking together, and of course sexy times. Which are sometimes tender. Sigh

I would have liked to hear Grace’s back story like we got with Mirage. And maybe we will. Because one thing is for sure, well adjusted men aren’t recruited to be black ops assassins.

There’s a lot of unanswered questions at the end of the book. I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger, but definitely unfinished. OF COURSE! Because the author likes to torture us! I kid, I kid. Sort of.

So yes, I definitely can’t wait for the next book.

4 pieces of eye candy

R for Rough (Camassia Cove Universe #17) by Cara Dee: Release Day Review

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Standalone • MM • Primal Play • DD/lb • Age gap • Interrogation Play • Coworkers • Camassia Cove Universe
Apply the right amount of war paint and rehearse your safewords for Griffin and Tracy’s romance. They may start out as two chefs working awkwardly together, but they share a desire that soon brings them together, forcing them to address the tension between them.

I didn’t know why Griffin hated me so much, but it was wearing me down. I walked on eggshells around him at work, and I hated that I still wanted him. I saw him in my dreams, my fantasies, and…frankly, in some nightmares too. And then I freaking saw him at a munch, and I almost lost it. Just how much did we have in common?! Was there no way for us to coexist? My friend Abel firmly believed Griffin and I belonged together, but I didn’t know what that guy was smoking.

Something had to give, though—and that made me think of what my grandpa used to tell me as a kid. I’d been too young to wield an axe, so he’d chopped wood while I had walked along the tree line to collect kindling. Then when I came across a branch I couldn’t break, he’d say, “It’s just a matter of finding the right pressure point. You can do it, Tracy.”

Maybe that could be applied to Griffin too.

It was just a matter of finding the right pressure point.

This story takes place in Cara Dee’s Camassia Cove Universe, a fictional town where all books stand on their own, unless otherwise stated, and the reader can jump in wherever they want.

Amazon – All Regions

I’ve read A LOT of Cara Dee books. Probably 90%. A lot of them have kink. But what really drew me in were the relationships. The connections, the falling in love, getting to know you stories. And lately, that is really missing from the kink books.

This can be read as a stand alone, even though it’s in the Cammisa Cove world and we even get a few guest stars from McLean House. And being that it was kind of a stand alone, I was really expecting and hoping for a relationship that beings, grows, flourishes…. but instead we got some cursory back story, very little one on one time and then another kinky game.

And I am not going to yuck someone’s yum, but this kinky game was 100% not for me. Rough play? sure. Primal play? ok. But basically beating the crap out of each other and calling it kink? Not my jam. I was actually a bit disturbed at points.

I really wanted to get to KNOW Tracey and Griffin. But I didn’t.

3 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

 

Perfect Night (Soho Knights, Book 1) by Oliver Takely: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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In the vibrant streets of London, Charlie is struggling to make ends meet. To afford his mother’s care facility, he’s taken on a risky side job that forces him to sell his body. Life is tough, but Charlie remains resilient, finding solace in the camaraderie of his four best friends.

When a chance encounter brings him face-to-face with Sebastian, a wealthy businessman from New York fifteen years his senior, their connection ignites a passion that neither can ignore. After a perfect night together, they are drawn back into each other’s lives, their chemistry undeniable.

But as they navigate their growing feelings, Charlie’s desire for independence clashes with Sebastian’s longing for someone to nurture and care for. Just as they begin to explore their connection, Charlie’s life implodes, and Sebastian’s past trauma resurfaces, threatening to tear them apart.

Can they find a way to overcome the dangers from their pasts and embrace the love that’s blossoming between them, or will their tumultuous histories destroy their chance at happiness? Perfect Night is a gripping tale of love, desire, and the high stakes of opening your heart.

Title: Perfect Night
Authors: Oliver Takely
Length: 230 pages
Series: Soho Knights, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Sebastian had fallen asleep too and stirred when Charlie moved. He pulled him closer, afraid he was going to bolt.

“I need to pee.”

“Okay, but don’t run off.”

“The toilet is two feet away. Why did you book this hotel? It’s a bit bargain basement for you.”

“Cheeky fucker.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow.

“Fair point. Go to the toilet and I’ll see what I can do about food.”

“There’s a burger place down the road.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

Charlie took a shower, but Sebastian didn’t. He didn’t want Charlie out of his sight for the time being. Not until they’d talked properly. Once they were dressed and about to leave, Charlie picked up the envelope of money and passed it to Sebastian.

“There’s no safe in this room, so you’ll need to take that with you.”

He wanted Charlie to have the money, but now wasn’t the time to get into that. He pocketed it and they left. It didn’t take them long to get to the fast-food place. Charlie suggested they eat in, or the room would stink of burgers all night. Sebastian was tempted to take them back to his suite. He hadn’t officially checked out, but he was enjoying this little bubble they were in, where they looked like a regular couple staying in a hotel and popping out for a burger. Charlie seemed more relaxed as well.

They ordered and didn’t have to wait long before they had their food. They needed to get a few things out in the open. Charlie gave Sebastian a rundown of what had happened at work. It took all of Sebastian’s strength to not go after Nathaniel Klein now. How fucking dare he treat someone like that? He wouldn’t stand for it.

“And get that look out of your eye,” said Charlie.

“What look?”

“The ‘I’m going to destroy Nathaniel Klein’ look.”

“How do you know me so well already?”

“Sebastian, will you please let me handle this?”

“Are you going to sue him, then?”

“You Americans love a lawsuit.”

“Hey.” He smiled. “Okay, I’ll let it go on one condition. Actually, two conditions.”

“It depends what they are.”

Oliver Takely is a passionate MM romance author who revels in dark, edgy stories featuring complex, flawed characters. With years of writing experience and a creative day job, Oliver Takely is also an avid reader of MM romance, consuming 300 books in 2023. His favourite trope is enemies to lovers, but is also a sucker for a feel-good Christmas romance.

Originally from the north, Oliver now resides in the south of England with his husband and their beloved fur baby, who is treated like a princess, living their own happily-ever-after straight out of a romance novel. When not writing or reading, he enjoys holidays and indulging in lots of good food, because who doesn’t love a delicious combination?

Connect with Oliver:

Website – https://olivertakely.com/
Newsletter sign up with free book – https://olivertakely.com/knights-corner

https://www.instagram.com/olivertakelyauthor/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563482888445
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Hotshot (Elmwood Stories Series, Book 5) by Lane Hayes: RB, Excerpt and Giveaway

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The rookie superstar, the desperate cowboy, and a naughty proposition…

Denny

The press calls me this year’s hotshot, the rookie who scores at will and conjures plays out of thin air. Truth is…I’m a PR nightmare. Seriously. Ask my agent.

My anxiety is off the charts. I can’t talk to the media without breaking into a cold sweat, but once I get through the season, I can regroup at home. Life is simpler in Vermont.

Well, not anymore. There’s a new cowboy in town. Literally, a cowboy. At least, Hank looks like one—he owns a horse, wears a hat, and did I mention he’s hot?

And get this…he has a proposition for me.

Hank

Proposition is a strong word. I prefer to call this a mutually beneficial arrangement. See, I could use Denny’s help with a family business venture, and though I was planning to offer cash, the jock has a sexier idea.

Not gonna lie, I’m interested.

This could be a fun distraction while I’m stuck in Elmwood. Nice enough place, however, the locals are wary of an outsider taking over the neighboring mill. Long story short…they don’t trust me. But they love their hometown hockey hero.

I get it.

I’ve never met anyone like Denny—skittish in street clothes and a feral beast with cunning instincts on the ice. He’s fascinating, sexy, smart, and—

Whoa! I’m not falling for the hotshot rookie. No way, no how, no chance…

Too late.

Hotshot is an MM bisexual, age-gap, small town romance featuring a hotshot rookie, a sexy cowboy, and a proposition that changes everything.

Title: Hotshot
Authors: Lane Hayes
Narrator: Nick J. Russo
Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
Series: Elmwood Stories Series, Book 5
Genre: Contemporary.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Audible

“Let’s get this over with. What did you want?”

“Ouch. I can’t remember the last time anyone was happy to see me,” he groused without heat. “Except Steve the contractor. He likes me okay, but he’s being paid well. Our employees do well too, but sadly, they don’t like me at all.”

“I can’t help you with that. Sorry.”

Hank sipped his beer and shrugged. “Yes, you can. I’m extorting you, remember?”

“Oh…yeah.” I chuckled.

And fuck, I didn’t want to be amused. I didn’t want to like Hank at all, but it was hard not to appreciate his self-deprecating honesty. He emanated “nice guy” vibes with the right amount of edge. No wonder drunk me had gotten flirty with him. Fortunately, sober me knew he was more than I could handle.

Which was fine since Hank wasn’t interested anyway. He wanted my alleged star power, not me.

So why was I grinning like an idiot?

Fuck, I had a bad feeling my eyes were twinkling too. I had to rein that shit in, stat.

“So…let’s make a deal,” he said, thankfully unaware of my inner detour. “I need an Elmwood buddy. My dad gave me the all-clear to make my offer sexy, so…what’ll it be?”

I bugged my eyes out. “Sexy?”

“Yeah, something interesting. If it’s money, name your price. Tell me what you want in exchange for your time.”

You.

The word tripped to the tip of my tongue. I bit it back and swallowed it, clearing my throat to be sure it was gone.

 

“I just…want to make sure that whatever I blabbed while I was wasted off my ass stays between us.”

“Yeah, but I’ll do that for free. You can trust me.”

“I don’t know you,” I retorted.

“True,” he conceded, sipping his beer. “But you don’t really have a choice. I can’t prove that I won’t sell you out. It’s a trust thing. Let’s talk about the sexy angle, ’cause I need an Elmwood buddy like yesterday.”

“I can’t believe I’m asking this, but…what does an Elmwood buddy do?”

“He shows the new guy the ropes.” Hank leaned in. “Introduce me, give me tips on who’s who and what to avoid. I suck in Elmwood and I need a champion, a liaison…a friend. That can be you.”

I huffed in amusement, feeling strangely at ease. He was charming as fuck and I was not immune. “How can you suck in Elmwood? Everyone is cool there.”

He slumped on his stool. “I don’t know, but I’m even worse in Wood Hollow. I don’t get it. People in Denver like me just fine. Even you like me.”

“No, I like your hat.” I reached for his water and winked.

 

I fucking winked.

Me.

That was me flirting. Ugh. Bad, Denny. Bad.

I felt surprisingly relaxed with him. Like I had last weekend when I’d spilled my guts and…other things. The point was, I could talk to him without feeling immediately depleted, and that alone was a minor miracle.

Hank kicked my shin playfully. “Nah, you like me. You did last weekend, anyway.”

“I was drunk, and I’m still mortified. Go easy on me.” I took a swig of water as if I were knocking back whisky.

“I’ll try, but…you shook your dick at me, then fell buck-ass naked in my bed, so c’mon.”

My eyes had to be saucer-sized. “I shook my dick at you?”

He inclined his chin and winked in a touché move that made my cock swell against my zipper.

“A week later, I’m still thinking about it,” Hank drawled.

Whoa. Was he serious?

Lane Hayes  lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesn’t mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, who’s pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write.

She’s been telling stories about sexy, funny, sometimes geeky and quirky men who find love for a dozen years now and loving every minute. In her previous life, she sat at a desk and dealt with numbers, so yes…romance is much more satisfying!

Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolate…in any order. Add a book and she’s set!

Connect with Lane:
My Readers’ Group, Lane’s Lovers: https://bit.ly/3aIbMYg
My Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3cICfaK
Blog: www.lane-hayes.com
Twitter: twitter.com/LaneHayes3
FB: facebook.com/LaneHayesAuthor
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/lanehayes
BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/lane-hayes
Instagram: instagram.com/lanehayes3/
Instagram: instagram.com/lanehayesauthor/
Goodreads: goodreads.com/LaneHayes
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@lane_hayes
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Love and Loathing in El Olvido by Sylvia San Sebastian: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Harvey and his mother have spent the past twelve years fleeing from the Lucchesi crime family that massacred their clan. But the same day his mother dies of a heart attack, he receives an anonymous letter. Someone knows who killed his family, and they want him to take revenge. They list three killers, plus Nicolas Lung Lucchesi, the heir to the Lucchesi family. He’s young and short on allies, and he’s Harvey’s ticket in.

With nothing left to lose, Harvey returns to his hometown under a fake identity. When Harvey del Rosario meets Nico Lucchesi, it seems like fate—two lonely men attracted to each other’s orbit. Harvey, the sweet and charming outsider; Nico, cool and mysterious. When Nico offers Harvey a job, Harvey digs his claws in deep. He’ll do anything to remain by Nico’s side. He’ll become his friend, his confidante, his lover—all to destroy the Lucchesi family from the inside.

KinnPorsche meets 91 Days in Love and Loathing in El Olvido, a 73k word adult contemporary mafia romance inspired by the tradition of erotic thrillers. This is the first book in the El Olvido trilogy. Harvey and Nico’s story will be continued in the sequel.

Title: Love and Loathing in El Olvido
Authors: Sylvia San Sebastian
Length: 73k
Series: El Olvido, Book 1 (There is a cliffhanger for the main characters)
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense, Mafia Romance.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

All I know is that his fingers are soothing in my hair. He scratches my scalp and I

melt into his touch, into his mouth, into his eager lips on my jaw, my throat, my

collarbone. I shudder as I think about how close his teeth are to my neck. I bare my

throat to him. I let him mark me as he likes—as his tool, as his toy, as his possession.

All the blood rushes to my dick.

I can’t even muster up any disgust at myself. Nicolas Lucchesi’s hands roam my

body and I welcome it. I need his skin on my skin. I need more than a good fuck. I need

to be inside him so completely that I’ll be living inside his ribs.

New to me author, although they only have 2 books out right now. And the sequel to this book will be 3 *taps foot impatiently*. The blurb sounded good, so why not?

This book is gritty, dark, violent, very morally gray, sexy and at times you totally forget that Harvey is playing Nico to get what he wants.

Where does this book even take place? I have no idea. Could be Mexico? Texas? Central America somewhere? The only clue is that Spanish is spoken, but a lot of the players are Italian. It’s like a dusty old Western with a modern backdrop.

There are a lot of politics at play within “The Family”. Power struggles, allegiances, even a silent power struggle with the families of Nico’s parents. That marriage was a business deal and still is. But that business deal created Nico who is half Italian and half Asian and all gay. Big strikes against him in The Family.

Harvey infiltrates The Family through Nico. He is out for vengeance now that his mother has passed. He wants to kill those responsible for killing his entire family when he was a child. He got a mysterious letter with some big hints, but one of the men hasn’t been unmasked yet.

I really loved how Harvey was portrayed. He played his role so well as Nico’s lover, but with the dichotomy of wanting to exact revenge and falling in love with Nico- even if he wouldn’t admit it.

I “GRRRRRRRR’ED!” out loud at the end of the book because I wanted the story to continue. Book 2 is too far away. It was so different than any mafia book I’ve read. I definitely enjoyed it.

4 piece of eye candy

Sylvia San Sebastian writes queer romance novels with bite. She lives on a tropical island in Southeast Asia. If you buy her books, you help feed her two cats.

Connect with Sylvia:
https://sylviasansebastian.substack.com/
https://instagram.com/sssylviawrites
https://twitter.com/sssylviawrites
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