excerpt

Bishop (A True Lovers Story) by A.E. Via: Audiobook Review

June 1, 2020 by Denise

At only 32, Bishop Stockley has lived a hard-knock life. After doing five years in a federal prison, Bishop is back at his dad’s trailer and working for his landscaping company, thrust into a legit world where he’s no longer the alpha – a world where a criminal record is the least of his disadvantages, because Bishop can’t read or write.

Bishop already had the deck stacked against him, but he wasn’t afraid of hard work to change his situation, and he did want to change. Especially after he encountered Edison Scala, a kind-spirited office manager who didn’t hesitate to come to his defense…a man that saw past Bishop’s grass-stained coveralls. A man who wasn’t intimidated by his stern features and his silence.

Bishop knew Edison was off-limits. He’d made personal vows to himself when he was released from prison, ones that he never intended to break. But, when Edison asked him about providing landscaping services at his home, there was no way he could refuse. He hadn’t expected Edison to feed him, praise him, encourage him, and look at him the way he did – as if Bishop was somebody.

Bishop: A True Lover’s Story

A.E. Via

M/M Romance

Audio Release: 03.31.20

Narrator: Tor Thom

Publisher: Tantor

Listening Length: 13 hours and 10 minutes

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Audible

“Bishop,” he breathed. “I can’t believe this. Your drawing is beautiful, but to think you thought of this from looking at that,” Edison pointed to his open patio doors. “It’s unbelievable. You are so talented.”

Edison couldn’t tell if Bishop was blushing, because his skin was too tanned and his stubble too dark. But the way his gaze darted over the drawing, then to Edison’s face was telling. Bishop wanted him to like his work, wanted him to love it. Just like he wanted Bishop to love his cooking.

“I have a couple more.” Bishop’s knee bounced underneath the table as he flipped to the next page.

Edison gasped. It was the same concept, except with different patio sets and different flower options. The lines were still as sleek and complicated as the first possibility. Then Bishop flipped another page. Just as elaborate and intricate as the others. He shook his head, smiling over at this amazing man. “How do I possibly choose?”

Bishop licked his lips and Edison felt his smile fade as he stared at Bishop’s full mouth, wondering what it’d be like to kiss him.

Okay, first, I was so excited for this!

I’m somewhat of a newb when it comes to audiobooks and I will admit that I am very picky when it comes to them because I just neeeed it to sound exactly the way it does in my head.
Don’t come for me, I already know what you’re going to say… but it’s why I can’t get into many that I’ve tried. But let me just say that I never…. Ever…have that problem with this author, her narrator or any of her stories because they’re spot on… (to me at least)

So, into the story… that honestly kept me on the edge of my seat whilst listening to it in the many places I got to sneak it into during my first full week of self-isolation. (with a houseful of children and my husband, believe me, it’s harder than you’d think!)

Edison, who we meet first, is an executive assistant at a law firm. He’s kind of the big wig of the office, though as sweet as he is and as non-confrontational, everyone just kind of walks all over him and treats him like crap. It had me sick to my stomach the way a few people treated, most especially Skylar, but we’ll get to him in a minute. Since losing his mother as an infant and his father, who was his best friend, a couple years back, he was pretty much alone in every sense of the word, save for an Aunt and Uncle. I was glad that he had them, but as Edison is an adult, he kind of left them to their lives and kept himself to himself.

He was lonely, sure, but he had a job he loved, even if the people were less than welcoming, he had hobbies that required only him, like reading and cooking and he’s just an all-around good guy. He sees the best in people, even when they don’t deserve it. When he meets Bishop outside of his office one day, he’s instantly attracted to him but as shy as he seems to be, his co-worker Skylar doesn’t help things the other times they run into each other. Skylar is jealous and selfish and petty and I knew he was going to be trouble… I kind of wish Trent would’ve scalped him or something when he had the chance, but alas, I wished for karmic street justice instead of the legal kind he eventually got… but, I won’t give too much that away. It was only just enough satisfaction, I hope to see more in the next one… but, rewind, back to Bishop.

Now, Bishop was brought up by a teenage father who didn’t know how to be one. His childhood lacked any kind of education or goals, so it wasn’t a surprise he was in and out of juvie as a child and then raised in the streets the rest of the time. When he went to prison for a crime his gang committed, he was lucky an even douchier ex kind of kept him from going away for longer after humiliating him in court. After a handful of years in prison, Bishop was finally out of prison, out of the gang and trying to forge a relationship that he never had with his dad. He and his childhood friend, ex-gang member and prison friend Trent left that life behind and were trying to be better… even if Trent needed a little firmer hand than Bishop did in the beginning.

I adored Bishop’s dad and their relationship. I understand being young parents and doing so many things wrong. I loved how he owned it and was set to be all his son needed him to be, even if Bishop pushed him away and tried to resist it at first. As a parent, better late than never, and I loved how much he loved his son and supported him and encouraged him to better himself, he was amazing. And so was Trent, who as I said was more like Bishop’s little brother and they acted like it too. I loved how loyal Trent was, always down for whatever, always having Bishops back and loving him the way a chosen family would. I adored Trent and the way he’s portrayed and I cannot wait to see him and meet Wood in the next book! Yay!

Growing up the way he did, Bishop had a lot of obstacles in his way to get where he wanted in life, but he was working on it with the help of Trent and Mike and he knew it wouldn’t be easy. When he meets Edison, he knows that he wants to be better for him too.

I love these two together, they were so opposite but in the very best ways and it comes across so genuine and real. Where Bishop was growly and big and intimidating and quiet, Edison was soft and sweet and naive in some ways, but it just made him who he is and you couldn’t help but fall in love with both of them. It wasn’t always easy though, with Bishop wanting to work a little more on bettering himself, though not being able to stay away from Edison and sweet blushing face and amazing ways he took care of Bishop by cooking for him and helping him, even unknowingly that he was worthy. I could imagine Bishop not feeling that with the way he’d grown up.

Of course, there are some bumps in the road, what with Bishop’s ex being petty in the beginning (thankfully he didn’t last long) and then Skylar, the jealous and somewhat psycho co-worker… there were some times that I wanted to grab Bishop a time or two and tell him to stop running away, but I understood it. It was realistic and raw and I felt it for them. Fortunately, Edison loved Bishop for exactly who he was, no question, no hesitation and Bishop pulled Edison out of his shell and boosted his self-confidence and self-worth. It was just beautiful to see, all of it. Aside from Ruxs and Green from the Nothing Special series, this might be my new favorite from Ms. A.

I truly cannot wait for more, I’ll be fangirling like a lunatic until I find out what happens with Trent and Wood and I’ll absolutely be one of the first in line to have it on audio as well as my kindle and a dark and gritty paperback too.

Loved it! <3

4 pieces of eye candy

A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay literature for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great, new up and coming MM authors.

A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her.

Writing.

A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is well-known for her hardcore, love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.

Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48195130-bishop

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

Ryder’s Guardian (Maiden Voyage, Book 1) by Ann Lister & TL Travis: Exclusive Excerpt and Release Day Review

May 20, 2020 by Denise

For Maiden Voyage guitarist, Ryder Hampton, life is great. He and his bandmates are embarking upon an epic European double headlining tour with their friends from Social Sinners with the band Embrace the Fear opening for them.

Since joining Maiden Voyage in his twenties, Ryder’s life has been a whirlwind of the cliched, “Sex, drugs and monumental doses of Rock ‘n Roll. And he’s loved every minute of it from the sold out shows to the revolving door of bed partners.

Max Hightower has always been a team player. Whether it was working with his team in the Marines or now with the private security company, Ventura Security. These days, his job was to have the backs of a band of musicians. One band member in particular he’d allowed to get too close and now emotions were involved.

Ryder Hampton had left his mark on Max’s closed-off heart and now Max’s job was in jeopardy. Falling for your principal wasn’t safe – nor smart. Neither was missing the mark on protecting him and now Max was guilty of both. The security detail he’d begged his boss for had turned out to be the one that could ruin him and shatter his heart too. Max couldn’t allow either option to happen.

Maiden Voyage series must be read in order as each book starts where the last one ended but is from another band members point of view:

1 – Ryder’s Guardian
2 – Derek’s Destiny
3 – Jaxson’s Nemesis
4 – Shadow’s Light

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Max

I didn’t dare glance around the plane to see who really was sleeping or who could even be hearing our conversation. The risk I was taking by just allowing his hand to be on my neck was huge, but I couldn’t help but fall. When I felt the gentle tug of his hand, I willingly fell into him. My head rolled on the back of the seat and Ryder drew himself in closer to me. Our foreheads touched first and he closed his eyes. A soft hum came from his lips right before his face slanted and our lips brushed. I arched into the contact and Ryder’s other hand latched onto my neck. His grip was firm around my throat, and as his mouth opened to take mine, I felt a rush of his warm breath bathe my face.

I let him lead this dance. I parted my lips and waited for the first subtle flick of his tongue as it reached for mine and then stroked down the side. The touch went straight to my balls and my body exploded into flames. I couldn’t keep my hands to myself another second. I quickly buried my fingers into his gorgeous hair and skimmed them across his scalp. His breath hitched when I fisted his hair around my fingers and tugged.

Ryder bit my bottom lip then and pulled it away from my teeth and I wanted to lay him out flat on his back to climb on top, but now wasn’t the time. This was just a kiss – the real kiss Ryder wanted me to experience, and nothing more. We ate at each other’s mouths for long minutes until Ryder finally pulled away panting for breath.

“That was nothing like the kiss you gave me in Memphis,” I admitted.

“Maybe you’ll remember it this time,” Ryder said and relaxed into his seat by the window.

I was a big fan of Ann Lister’s series The Rock Gods. Then it moved into Guarding the Gods and I lost interest.

This being a new series- with a co-author- I figured I was all in. I wanted to be all in. But, really, it was kind of boring.

Firstly, I just didn’t feel the chemistry between Ryder and Max. It was also mentioned at the end of chapter 1 that they had a quick and dirty one off “after a show in Memphis” but it is never mentioned again. Or it is a timeline issue. Whichever, it messed me up. I kept waiting for one of them to say something to the other about it.

And yes, technically this a new series, but there are obviously things from previous books that come up.

So much of the book is should I or shouldn’t I? I want to but I can’t. Max not wanting to lose his job as a body guard, Ryder taunting him. Then Max’s job is seriously on the line, but they continue on the down low. Really? On the down low with 3 different band members and all of their bodyguards? But don’t worry, soon enough it is all blown off. Everyone knows and there are no repercussions.

Finally, the stalker situation. Which isn’t even a situation until BAM! it is. No lead up, no suspense, nothing.

But wait! There’s more! I won’t spoiler it, but there is some eye rolling for me.

Sorry, not sorry, this is a hard pass for me. Time for a new trope.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

About Ann:

Ann Lister is a native New Englander currently living in Florida with her husband. She has pulled details from her years living in the New England area and uses many local settings and landmarks in her novels.

After graduating art school, marrying, and raising two daughters, she established her own video production company. Her nearly two decades working in video production included work within the music industry and won her a coveted Telly Award. Her ‘behind-the-scenes’ exposure to the music world and her love of rock music is the inspiration for her erotic rock star romances.

Her rock star romance, “Fall For Me”, Book One in The Rock Gods series, was a Finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Award and Book Three, Make You Mine, established her as an Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. Her stories focus on what it truly means to love; love unconditionally, love without restrictions or labels, love without fear or judgment – to just simply love.

Connect with Ann:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnListerAuthor
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/519355.Ann_Lister
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FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1673855842830676/?ref=br_rs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annlisterrockgods/

About TL:

TL Travis is the published author of a plethora of LGBTQ+ Erotica and Erotic Romance musings that have earned her a “Best Selling Author” status in the US as well as Internationally. In her spare time, when she’s not weaving erotic webs, she enjoys fishing, wine tasting and people watching. Everyone has a story to tell, what would yours be? She’s rescued 4-legged souls in need for as long as she can remember, and would like to remind you to “Adopt, not shop.” Saving that lost soul may very well save yours too.

Connect with TL:

Email: tltravis@tltravis.com
Website: https://www.tltravis.com
Facebook groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/564495144110192/
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Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/tltravis1
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVMT5I_lqTH3s0_tYofEgtA

The Deeper You Go (Heartbelt Records Book 1) by Logan Grey: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

May 7, 2020 by Denise

Travis Cherry’s record label disowned him in almost every way, shape, and form when he was outed in the media.
The thing that sucked?

He still owed them an entire album. But that didn’t meant he’d make it easy on them.
They were the reason he was there, in that nightclub—the gay nightclub— shaking his ass and making a complete fool of himself.
They were also the reason he met Bailey.
And this is their story.

Amazon

Goodreads

It seemed so fucking real, Travis groaned and shifted closer, placing one palm against the side of his head to hold him still. But then it all flipped, and Travis was staring up at Bay, and he was the one being held in place as Bay lowered his head. Travis tipped his head up and parted his lips as they kissed, their mouths slotting together in a messy, eager pairing.

Greedy for whatever happened, Travis palmed his shoulders, all his smooth, hard muscle moving like waves beneath his warm skin. Trailing his hands down his sides, Travis gripped his waist and ground up into him at the same time he ground down. Sweet friction. Their matching groans were lost in the kiss, and Travis opened his mouth more, making room to deepen the kiss. Their tongues twined, and as they gasped for air between kisses, Travis trailed his hand around to the front of Bay’s jeans to unbutton them. He teased his fingers just inside the waistband, his heart pounding as he prepared himself for whatever came next. Whatever it was, he wanted it. He wanted Bay.

Bay lifted his head and stared down at him, and they shared a glance that said a thousand words without either of them parting their lips for anything other than a breath.

Travis gripped the waistband of his jeans and shimmied them down his hips. Bay’s skin was hot to the touch as he slowly skimmed his fingers along his abs, and then lower, until he could wrap his fingers tight around his hard—

Travis jerked awake, blinking into the darkness of his room, papers rustling under him as he sat up.

“God dammit,” he cursed. Dream.

If only he could go right back to sleep and pick up where that damned dream had left off.

With a sigh, he collapsed back into the pillows and laid his arm over his face. His cock throbbed beneath his sweats, and he shuffled to adjust himself. Running a palm over his face, he grunted in annoyance.

Well, shit. Travis guessed he’d finally found his muse.

A new to me author. But I am a sucker for rock stars. I don’t know why. Maybe it goes back to my crush on John Taylor from Duran Duran. Or Jon Bon Jovi. Whatever it is, rock stars are yummy.

We start off with the cliche paparazzi pics outing the main character Travis. But since he is in contract for another album, he does everything he can to get the label to fire him. Effective. But this whole beginning part was kind of meh for me. I plodded on.

So the record label fires him, he fires his agent, he only has one real friend (who also isn’t in the business), so he plans to hide out in a small town near where he played one of his favorite shows.

Off to Pennsylvania he goes! Kind of funny because I don’t recall the book saying Pennsylvania until toward the end. Before that, the area is made out to be the frozen tundra of Montana or something. It’s referred to as “up here” and “up north” and apparently snow lasts until April or May. Ok then.

His alone time is thwarted a bit by the owner of the B&B who is playing matchmaker with her son. The son who had a serious crush on Travis when he was 16. Now he is 21 and basically living in the same house.

There’s a decent story there with Travis helping Bailey out with the music class he runs at an LGBT+ center. They obviously grow closer as two young gay men in close proximity are wont to do.

Bailey had a bit of martyr syndrome with insisting he stay in the small town to help his mother run the B&B instead of pursuing the music career he longs for. But he isn’t a jerk about it. He just kind of accepts it as his lot in life.

There is a small sub plot of an ex coming back, but that was pretty much a mess and did nothing except exposing where Travis was holed up. He pops up again at the end of the story (fodder for another book?) but again, it was pretty sloppy.

The book ends with a cliff hanger, so if that isn’t your cup of tea, you’ve been warned. If the second book lands in my lap, I will read it. But I don;t know that I will seek it out.

3 pieces of eye candy

Logan resides in Tennessee, convinced her southern twang is part of her charm. With two cats and a dog, her hands are full, and not just of treats like her pets would like to believe. As a full time author, she dedicates all of her time bringing to life different characters and developing new worlds for her readers to lose themselves in. And more often than not, she loses herself in them, which is her favorite place to be: with a cat in her lap, a snack in hand, and voices in her head.

Connect with Logan:
Newsletter Sign Up: https://mailchi.mp/4f317aa57804/logangreynewsletter
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My Whole World by Davidson King: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

May 5, 2020 by Denise

I’m so excited today to have Davidson King here to talk about her newest release, My Whole World. A “sort of” spin-off of her very popular Haven Hart series, as she explains below. She also brought along a sweet little giveaway, so make sure you enter the rafflecopter at the bottom. Leave a comment for Davidson, let her know your thoughts on her series, and her “sort of” spin-off.

Atlas Durand’s whole world is built from the spoils of his past. Joker’s Sin is the most popular gay club in all of Haven Hart. Many clubs have come and gone, none able to compete with Atlas and his enigmatic power over his patrons. He would do anything to keep it thriving and anyone who stands in his way will be met with serious regrets.

Toby St. Claire hates working at Vick’s Tricks and longs for his nights off so he can go to Joker’s Sin. Like everyone who steps foot into Atlas’s club, he’s taken by the owner himself and the magical pulse that owns him when he’s there. Joker’s Sin is Toby’s escape from his life and Atlas is his dream come true.

When Toby’s boss realizes he can use Toby to help take down Joker’s Sin and make Vick’s Tricks the club to beat in Haven Hart, it turns everything upside down. Lies, deceit, and corruption threaten to tear Atlas and Toby apart. Is their love strong enough to survive it all or will they become victims of mayhem?

My Whole World

Joker’s Sin Book One

Davidson King

M/M Romance

Release Date: 04.20.20

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Thank you so much for allowing me to be here to promote my new book My Whole World, Joker’s Sin Book One. I’m here today to ask a burning question I keep getting asked: Is Joker’s Sin a spinoff?

Obviously if you’ve read the synopsis for My Whole World you can see it takes place in Haven Hart. And you may or may not be familiar with my last series “Haven Hart” It is a seven-book flowing story arc. I get asked if it’s a spinoff and if they need to read Haven Hart series first and I want to answer these questions in this post here.

Is it a spinoff? Yes and no. LOL. Let me explain. Yes, in that it’s in the same universe so you’ll see places like the coffee shop, restaurants, or other places mentioned. But Joker’s Sin stands on it’s own, away from the Haven Hart Series.

Do I need to read Haven Hart First? No. Not even a little bit. Sure, there are Easter eggs in the stories like a place someone who read the HH series might recognize, but you can successfully read the entire Joker’s Sin series having never opened a HH book.

Why did I do this? Well, like I said before, HH was a large story arc. It spanned over seven books. Those characters, while amazing and will always be loved, had their stories told. The guys of Joker’s Sin live in a different world from those other characters. It’s their time to shine all on their own.

So, yes, it’s a spinoff but you don’t have to have read the Haven Hart books.

I couldn’t do this. I mean, I wanted Atlas to finally notice me, but not like this. There was a reason I only sat at the bar when I came here. I. Couldn’t. Dance. Not like the music intended, anyway.

“Shake it, sister,” Sparkles said to me as he took my hand and tried his hardest to get me to move.

“I can’t dance.”

Sparkles’s eyes widened. “But…” He looked around; everyone was watching Sparkles and me not dancing. “That’s what you do here.”

“Move it, boys,” DJ Edge’s voice rang out. I saw Lance and the others dancing like their lives depended on it. One took to the pole and another to the cage.

“Leave me, save yourself,” I urged Sparkles.

“I never leave a man behind.” He winked and I watched as he grabbed the chair Lance was about to sit on and dragged it over to me. “Sit.”

I did as I was told because I was terrified and everyone was watching, even Atlas. He crouched down over by Max, and they were talking.

“Let’s do this, tin man. I’ll get you oiled up.” And Sparkles straddled my lap. “Grab my ass.” I did exactly as I was told; I sat there while Sparkles danced on my lap. He was like liquid as he slid to the floor, climbed up, and wow, he was really rubbing himself on me. “Touch me,” he said. When I glided my hands along his waist, over sequins and rhinestones, I felt so alive. The crowd was cheering, and Atlas only had eyes for us.

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

When she’s not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/davidsonkingauthor

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Beautiful Beast (Those Other Books #4) by Roe Horvat: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

May 4, 2020 by Denise

Kevin used to hold himself back, trying to keep his less conventional desires to himself. With Joakim, he feels free. It’s almost as if Joakim can read Kevin’s subconscious, touching the right places at exactly the right time, and whispering the most shameless things…filthy, and oh so satisfying.

Falling for Kevin is easy. Joakim can feel it happening and he’s powerless to do anything about it. With every touch, his desire grows. Men have chased him for his money and status before, but Kevin doesn’t seem to care about any of that. Maybe this time, Joakim should let himself fall, and hope the landing will be soft.

Beautiful Beast is a light tale of lust and love, about a beautiful dancer who keeps a wild beast locked inside him, and the man who sets it free.

Book Title: Beautiful Beast

Author: Roe Horvat

Publisher: Roe Horvat

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh (Black Jazz Design)

Release Date: May 1, 2020

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Instant lust, rich & famous

Themes: Dancer & tycoon, light kink (bondage, dirty talk), sexual self-discovery

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 42 000 words

It is a standalone story.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Goodreads

Joakim recognized him immediately. Kevin’s heart-shaped, plump lips stretched in a careful smile; he was stunning. There weren’t good enough words to describe the man’s angelic face. Light blue eyes, big, round and sparkling, with long lashes. His nose was small and perfectly straight, cheekbones high and sharply cut, jawline soft and boyish, even though the thin lines on his forehead said he must be closer to thirty than twenty. Kevin had an exquisite face and an exquisite smile.

He moved like the dancer he was, drifting gracefully among the people in the crowded restaurant until he stood close to the tall table Joakim waited by. He blinked nervously, and those full lips parted. Joakim wanted to suck on them, see if they turned a darker shade of red… And he was just sitting there, gaping like a fool. Realizing his mistake, he jumped up from his seat to welcome his date properly. The chair scraped on the floor, making an awful sound over the sultry music in the restaurant. Joakim winced.

“Sorry,” he said. “Hi. Hello. Lovely to finally meet you properly.”

“Hi,” Kevin said and smiled a shy smile, which would have buckled Joakim’s knees if he hadn’t been leaning on the table with one hand.

“Hi,” he repeated dumbly. Then he had to laugh. “Sorry, I’m just…” He gestured helplessly at Kevin and shook his head. He’d spent the past few days telling himself it was nothing. Just a lark. But now the beautiful creature that had been following him in his dreams was here in the flesh, and Joakim floundered like he never had before. Could he at least stay coherent, for fuck’s sakes?

“What?” Kevin said, perplexed. He looked down, perusing his own body, probably looking for stains or an open fly.

“No! God, no. You look great. I’m just a bit stunned, that’s all. I’ll put myself back together in a minute, I promise.”

Kevin only looked more bewildered.

“Sit down,” Joakim said decisively. “Sit, and we’ll have a drink. I definitely need it.”

Kevin chuckled, still puzzled, and sat opposite Joakim at the tall round table. The chairs were as high as bar stools but more comfortable with plush armrests. Joakim couldn’t help but follow the lines of Kevin’s body with his gaze as the man settled into his chair, all long, slim limbs and graceful movements. He was dressed casually, in light beige chinos, tight over his sculpted thighs and calves, a blue button-up with a fine pink flowery print, and a silver-gray jacket. His clothes and movements had that subtle feminine flair Joakim always admired. It spoke of courage and honesty, of being comfortable with your true self. Combined with the shine of his blond, windswept hair and his milky skin, Kevin shone in the dim restaurant like a fucking supernova.

Joakim was still staring. Say something normal. Anything! Joakim only thought of telling Kevin he was the most gorgeous being he’d ever seen in his whole damned life, but he stopped himself. Other than that, nothing came. First date, dammit. You’ve done this hundreds of times. Get a grip.

Kevin was nervous now, fiddling with his sleeve, and he looked at Joakim from the corner of his eye. Joakim realized that in order to restart his brain, he needed to look away. Tearing his gaze away from Kevin was painful, but Joakim managed to steer his attention to the bar. Look, there are glasses and shakers. Bottles. Personnel. A bartender. Say something normal.

“They have cocktails, but there’s also sake. They’re known for their great sake selection. Or Japanese beer? Lager?” And now he was rambling. Jesus! After an epic dry spell, I finally meet a man I actually want to impress, and that’s when my intellect decides to take a day off? Really?

“Sake sounds great. I haven’t had sake in ages.”

“You’re in for a treat. They’re quite busy, so we might have to wait a tiny bit longer, but the food is worth it.”

“I trust you,” Kevin said with a soft smile, and Joakim’s brain scrambled again.

“Wow, I can’t even look at you,” he blurted.

Kevin’s eyes widened. He blinked, obviously at a loss as to what to say and jumping to the wrong conclusions already.

“No! Shit, sorry. Not like that. I… your face is very distracting.”

Still confused, Kevin parted his amazing mouth to speak, but Joakim intercepted him. “You are beautiful, Kevin. Gorgeous. And it’s messing with my head a little. I’ll be fine in a minute. I better stop babbling before you run away.”

“I… erm. Thank you?”

Joakim had to laugh at the sincere bewilderment of the man.

“Let’s order some sake,” Joakim said, trying to climb out of the hole he’d managed to dig himself during the first two minutes of the date.

“Yeah. I think I need a drink too,” Kevin said in a perfectly natural voice, and Joakim thanked all the gods and all the elements and Kevin for saving him from lethal embarrassment. Joakim could talk about food and sake without saying something stupid. He was almost sure he could.

Sometimes a novella or shorter story can be just about all sex with very little substance. But this novella gave us both. AND gave us some quality BDSM play- mostly bondage and some control. But it was really well done.

Kevin and Joakim were background players in the previous Other books. I honestly can’t say that I gave them much thought. But maybe that is good because I didn’t have any preconceived notions about them. Instead, I got to know them as they got to know each other.

Joakim was probably 15 years older than Kevin but really that made no difference. Instead, Joakim was honest that he wanted more than a hook up. He was willing to actually DATE someone. And Kevin, not one for hook ups either, was all for it. They took their time, taking each other on dates, while still having crazy hot sex together.

Neither guy had walls up. Or had mommy issues. Or were in the closet. They were just two regular gay men looking for love.

You absolutely do not have to read any of the previous books to read this. It is an excellent stand alone.

4 pieces of eye candy

Queer fiction author Roe Horvat was born in the post-communist wasteland of former Czechoslovakia. Equipped with a dark sense of sarcasm, Roe traveled Europe and finally settled in Sweden. He came out as transgender in 2017 and has been fabulous since. He loves Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, bad action movies, stand-up comedy, pale ale, and daiquiri. When not hiding in the studio doing graphics, he can be found trolling cafés in Gothenburg, writing, and people-watching.

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Charlie Sunshine (Close Proximity Book 2) by Lily Morton: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

April 30, 2020 by Denise

Sometimes love is a lot closer to home than you think.

Charlie Burroughs can’t keep a man. All he wants is a good relationship like the ones he sees his friends having, but none of the men he picks ever work out. Despite him trying to be the perfect boyfriend, the men are either threatened by his looks or his epilepsy or a combination of the two. It’s lucky that he has his best friend Misha to turn to. The two of them are closer than peas in a pod and fiercely loyal to each other. He can’t imagine his life without Misha in it.

Misha Lebedinsky is the complete opposite of his best friend. Being the support system for his mum and twin sisters leaves Misha with neither the time nor the inclination for a relationship. Quick and frequent hook-ups are his favourite means of communication and any other pesky emotional needs he has are met by Charlie, who he’s devoted to. He lives a life of happy compartmentalization with no intention of ever changing.

All of this changes when the two best friends move in together. Being in close proximity means that they suddenly start to see each other in a very different light. But Charlie struggles when his drive to be the perfect partner clashes with the fact that he’s in love with a man who knows every little thing about him. And even if he can get past that, can a relationship ever work with a man who’d need a dictionary to tell him what love means?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a love story about a sunny librarian who has relationship written all over him and a cynical banker who doesn’t even have it in his blurb.

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Misha comes to stand next to me and looks at his own family home, which is a mirror image of mine. He sighs, and there’s something weary in the sound. He’s always like this when a family meeting is called. Probably because he feels a lot of responsibility for his mum and the girls since his dad died. I rub his arm, feeling how tight the muscles are.

“You okay?” I ask, concerned.

He scrubs his hand down his face. “Just mentally preparing myself for what’s coming.”

“They’re teenage girls,” I say consolingly. “How bad could it be?”

He looks at me incredulously. “I’m sorry, have you met them? The trouble could be anything on a scale between staging a sit-in outside the council buildings or robbing a mail train.”

“When did they become cowboys? Surely I should have been told about these developments?”

He snorts and shakes his head. Then he bounces on his toes for a few seconds, shaking out his arms like a boxer readying himself for a fight. It looks rather odd in a man wearing a three-piece suit. He finishes and nods. “Okay, I’m ready.” I go to walk towards his front door and he grabs my arm. “Wait,” he says. I look at him enquiringly. “Have you got any alcohol on you?”

I start to laugh. “No, of course I haven’t. Because I’m a librarian and not Colin Farrell.”

“More’s the pity.”

From the moment that I discovered my first Lily Morton book, she has never let me down. Quirky, fun characters who can laugh at themselves and are just fun. Even the grumpy ones end up being fun.

Charlie is the perennially happy guy. Even after a freak accident that left him with epilepsy, he still won’t be anything but happy. In front of people. He is always that “I’m fine!” guy. But his best friend since he was 6 years old can see through it.

Misha is the opposite of Charlie. Hedge fund manager, snappy suits, fancy car, the right address. But together, they are perfect. How could they not be after 20 something years of friendship?

Charlie loses his last roommate and instead of looking for another, Misha invites him to be HIS roommate. No big deal, right? HA! HA I say! Since they each have crushes on each other but won’t do anything about it because 1. best friends and 2. they want different things. Charlie is the settle down, white picket fence with a chocolate lab kind of guy. But Misha is only about the one night stand.

Plus Charlie has a boyfriend, who works with Misha and they hate each other. And he really doesn’t treat Charlie well. The last straw was when Charlie started having a seizure and the evil boyfriend didn’t catch him before he fell. In fact, he moved away. Bastard.

Now everyone is single and tip toeing around each other’s hot selves and ignoring the giant condom shaped elephant in the room.

Of course they end up together! It is a romance with a happily ever after. But watching them discover the love they have that is beyond best friend love is wonderful. And it isn’t just Charlie who changes Misha from a one off guy to a happily in love buy. But Misha also changes Charlie. From always having a happy face on to finally asking for help when he needs it and letting people know that sometimes he isn’t great.

They were just super adorable and I LOVED Charlie’s parents- mom, step dad, father and step father. Do the math.

If you are a Lily Morton fan, don’t miss this one.

4 Pieces of Candy

Lily writes contemporary romance novels, and specialises in hot love stories with a good dose of humour.

Lily 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 bought her first Kindle.

She 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 could she get to spend her time with hot, funny men!

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.

To celebrate Lily’s new release, we are giving you the chance to win 1 of 3 copies of a book of your choice from Lily’s Backlist!
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