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Hearts of Blood (Chevalier Book #2) by Kay Doherty: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

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Omega wolf shifter, Vance, and the rest of his small pack have finally found an Alpha willing to take them on and were still trying to regain their footing when the McBane Pack attacked them. When a vampire appears in front of him, Vance realizes he’s looking into the ice-blue eyes of his mate, and the fact that his mate is something other than wolf scares him.

Sakima knew the wolf shifter was his destined companion the moment he scented him at Elysium, but claiming the gorgeous young Omega wolf is a dangerous proposition. Vance and his unconventional pack have attracted the attention of the vampire coven. As the owner of Elysium, Sakima has been asked to use the club to gather information on the powerful interspecies pack and its Alpha.

Unfortunately for Vance and Sakima, the vampire coven and the continued attacks by the McBane Pack are only a portion of their problems. Amidst concerns over Alpha Tanner’s abilities growing with Sakima’s addition to the pack, a spurned ex targets Vance in an attempt to remove him from Sakima’s life, and Elysium becomes a hot bed for interspecies mingling where anyone could be an enemy.

Title:  Hearts of Blood

Series: Chevalier, Book Two

Author: Kay Doherty

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: July 29, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 42000

Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, wolf shifters, dragon shifters, bonded mates, Elementals, businessmen, vampires, gay

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A few days ago I came across the question, “what do you do and why do you do it?” After thinking about it for a bit, I can to one conclusion. Making stuff up. That has got to be the best part of being an author. I can do whatever i want on those pages. That’s why I enjoy writing this series so much. Creating a fantastic world that doesn’t exist, giving my characters extraordinary abilities, and then writing it in such a way that makes readers think, “what if…” I like playing with reality in a way that allows me to escape it, deal with it, make sense of this insane world we live in. Writing these stories gets me out of my head, out of my rigid way of thinking, so I can escape. “What if…” can be so much fun if when you let yourself bend all the rules you can’t change in real life.

Sakima

Sakima glanced around the yard at the wolf shifters, both in human and wolf form, before settling his gaze on the one he’d come for—his destined companion. He had waited hundreds of years for this creature to arrive. The beautiful golden-brown wolf whined and took a small step back, crouched in wariness, tail tucked.

“What do you want, vampire?” the Alpha asked.

“My name is Sakima Hawke, and I want him,” Sakima answered as he took in the tawny wolf.

The wolf began to shake, making Sakima’s skin itch. This creature was his destined companion; he should never be fearful of him. Sakima squatted so he was eye level with his wolf, his gaze never straying from him, in an attempt to show through action he was not a threat. He’d known the moment the tawny-haired man had brushed against him at Elysium they were meant to be together, but the place had been packed that night and the wolf shifter had quickly melted away into the throng. Sakima had searched the club, attempting to pick the man out from the crowd, but the wolf shifter had turned out to be quite elusive. He’d lost the wolf’s scent for weeks before finding it again quite suddenly moments ago while on his way home.

It was an act of the fates Sakima had decided on a leisurely stroll rather than traveling home at hyperspeed after visiting one of his oldest friends: a human donor who was declining in health. Excitement he’d not felt in decades thrummed through his veins at the sight of the wolf now crouched before him. The sharp tang of fear wafting from him increased Sakima’s discomfort. Perhaps the wolf wasn’t aware of what they were to each other yet, though it was more likely he was simply uneducated about vampires. Sakima was well aware of the fear his kind generated. Too many rumors, myths, and misunderstandings circulated about vampires.

Many believed they were the walking dead, that anyone they fed from would become a vampire as well, but that was all fallacy. Sakima was no more dead than anyone else present, though he knew he appeared to be with his pale skin, long white hair, and ice-blue eyes. He could love, mate, and feed from his partner without changing the beautiful creature. Sakima would take great care in helping his destined understand he was no more of a threat than the Elemental, dragon, or Alpha he kept company with, each of whom had their own myths and rumors.

Desire to touch the gorgeous animal before him had Sakima extending a hand. He did so with extreme caution, so as not to frighten the wolf further, but was unsuccessful. The wolf curled into himself, becoming as small as his bulk would allow, crouching lower to the ground on shaky legs, ears flattened to his skull. Sakima lowered his hand to the grass but otherwise remained still. Instilling trust with a shifter while they were in animal form being ruled a great deal by their animal instincts was difficult. This would be far easier if the young man would shift back to human, though Sakima understood why he wouldn’t do so at this moment. When the man shifted, he would be naked, which the shifter may view as a vulnerability in his human form.

“You must know I won’t hurt you,” Sakima said softly. “We are destined companions.”

The wolf whined and turned to the pack leader. If Sakima understood wolf shifters well, there was a bond between his wolf and the Alpha that allowed them to speak telepathically. He’d never been jealous of such a thing before, but he didn’t like his fated companion being able to communicate telepathically with anyone other than him. Unfortunately, the telepathic bond was an inevitable part of being in a wolf pack. And if he wanted to claim this wolf shifter, he would have to accept the pack as a whole because there would be no removing his companion from them. Not safely. Sakima rose to his feet, his heart sinking a bit when his wolf scurried away to hide within the house. He gave no reaction outwardly, but he gave a mental sigh as he turned to face the Alpha.

“My apologies,” the Alpha said. “I asked him to go inside for a moment. He’s a bit overwhelmed.”

“Frightened, you mean,” Sakima corrected.

The Alpha wasn’t concerned with semantics. “We’ve all been through quite a lot recently, and this is a bit of a surprise. I’m sure you understand…Sakima? May I call you that?”

Sakima inclined his head in acceptance. “And you would be?”

“Tanner McBane. I’m the Alpha, and Vance is a member of my pack.”

Vance. A unique name for a uniquely beautiful wolf. Sakima scanned the “pack,” his gaze drifting from a gray wolf to a gray-and-brown wolf to a dragon to a white wolf with wild eyes to an Elemental, finally coming to rest once again on the Alpha.

“Quite the unconventional pack, if I may say.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Word has spread through the paranormal ranks of a pack of outcasts who have gained more power than is considered safe or wise. I feel I should be concerned for the welfare of my destined companion being bonded to such a pack.”

The statement was met with several growls and a strong wind that only affected Sakima, whipping his long hair in every direction. Sakima smiled. Vance was clearly cared for and protected. Tanner glanced at the dragon on his left.

“Have you ever heard of a wolf mating a vampire? Chevaliers aside.”

“No,” the dragon answered. “But I’d never before heard of a wolf mating an Elemental either. Or a dragon.”

The expression that passed between dragon and Alpha was not missed by Sakima. The name Chevalier shook him, but he pushed the memory aside—a centuries-old mistake best left to the dust of time.

“So, the rumors are true,” Sakima said.

“What rumors?” the Elemental asked.

“Of same-sex, interspecies matings taking place openly. I had hoped, given what I now know of my own destined companion, but had remained skeptical,” Sakima answered.

By way of introduction, Tanner said, “The dragon shifter is Luca. He’s my mate. The Elemental is Deacon and his mate is the white wolf, Ross. The gray wolf is Ean, and the grayish brown wolf is Theran. If you truly plan to claim Vance as your mate, you, too, will be an openly mated interspecies couple. You need to be comfortable with that if you’re going to become part of the pack.”

Sakima showed plenty of fang when he spoke. “Oh, I have every intention of claiming my fated mate, Alpha, but I said nothing of joining your pack.”

Movement at the patio doors drew Sakima’s attention. Vance in human form was as handsome as his wolf was beautiful; golden-brown hair and the lithe, toned physique all wolf shifters possessed. Those hazel eyes showed fear and hesitation, but also recognition, making Sakima believe Vance knew they were destined companions. Vance simply wasn’t accepting it, yet.

“You would risk his safety and sanity by taking him from his pack, severing his pack bond? What kind of mate would do such a thing?” Deacon asked through clenched teeth.

Sakima was surprised by the vehemence and animosity coming from the Elemental. He’d made the simple suggestion that claiming his wolf did not necessarily equate to him joining the pack. Nothing more. Though perhaps removing his destined companion was something to consider, given the volatile nature the pack exuded.

“I won’t leave my pack,” Vance said softly.

His voice was melodic to Sakima’s ears. Despite the fear and uncertainty, Vance’s words didn’t waver. They were strong and decisive, despite the fact the wolf was still hiding behind the pack. Vance had donned a pair of shorts and a tank top, leaving his toned arms, legs, and feet bared to Sakima’s perusal, and he soaked in the sight.

“I know what I’m about to suggest will be difficult for you,” Tanner said. “But I think you should leave. Perhaps stay away for a few days to give Vance time to acclimate to the idea of having a vampire for a mate.”

“Not as difficult as you might think,” Sakima said.

He’d been living a solitary life for nearly forty years, and he planned to use the time apart from Vance to prepare for the wolf to join him. He moved with vampiric speed past the pack to stand before Vance. While he was willing to leave for a short time, he wouldn’t allow his companion to put the pack between them. When he stopped, he stood face-to-face with his beautiful man. Vance yelped and jumped back, but Sakima caught him with an arm around his waist, aborting any attempt at escape. Heat immediately seeped through the cloth of his shirt, warming his skin.

“Until next time, pet.”

Sakima placed a chaste kiss on Vance’s lips so as not to cut him with his fangs. Not yet. He would draw blood from Vance only after they became lovers, and Vance demonstrated his willingness. As quickly as he had appeared before Vance, he disappeared, leaving the outcast pack and his destined mate behind. It was a temporary situation, after all. Now that he knew where his wolf companion was, he felt far more relaxed and willing to let things progress at a pace comfortable for Vance.

Kay Doherty is an omnisexual/polysexual who lives in Colorado with her poly-family, Mike, Keri, and Tigz. Her house is overrun with cats and dogs. Family is important to her so there are daily texts, frequent visits to her parents, and constant banter with her brothers. She happily suffers a severe addiction to coffee and Mexican food. She loves to read and write and can easily become consumed by it for hours, much to the dismay of Mike and Keri (Tigz is an enabler). On occasion she can be convinced to venture out into the world of the living despite being annoyed by the sun shining in her face.

Website | Twitter | Pinterest

http://www.kaydohertybooks.com/

http://www.twitter.com/kdohertyauthor

http://www.pinterest.com/kdohertyauthor

 

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World Turned Upside Down by Elyse Springer: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

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Today is National Book Lovers Day, a perfect day to check out this novella by Elyse Springer. I am reading it right now, and am loving the descriptions of Antarctica that Elyse has in her book. I’ll have a review later, but I am super excited to have Elyse here for her book release TODAY! Check out her awesome guest post. I live in the cold of the Midwest, and totally get this entire post, as our winters can get down to close to these numbers, (although not for an entire winter). And she has a fantastic giveaway for you, as well. Check it all out below!!!!

 

After three winters in Antarctica, Simon Bancroft is an old hand on the ice. The harsh weather and extreme isolation aren’t for everyone, but he enjoys the tight-knit community at McMurdo Station… and lately he’s enjoyed watching the hot new researcher, Asher Delaney, who’s recently arrived to study the aurora. But Simon’s just a janitor. Asher doesn’t even know he exists.

When Simon’s friends propose a wager, he gets a chance to introduce himself to Asher at last. But Asher defies all of Simon’s assumptions, and suddenly he finds himself reevaluating everything he thought he knew about Asher, himself, and falling in love at the bottom of the world.

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

Title: World Turned Upside Down
Author: Elyse Springer
Release Date: August 9, 2019
Category: Contemporary, World of Love
Pages: 90

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Dreamspinner Press

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Dressing for Antarctica

Antarctica is cold.

That seems like such an obvious statement, but the bitter iciness of Antarctica is something most people in the world will never even get close to experiencing. While I was at the South Pole, the average summer temperature was about -30°F, but the temperature in winter can drop to -100°F.

McMurdo, where Simon and Asher spend the winter, is a little more tolerable. Winter temps range from about -20° to -50°F… though it did hit -85°F with windchill for a couple of days when I was there!

So how on earth do people survive that? Answer: Clothing. Lots and lots of very high-tech clothing.

 

There was a running joke in Antarctica about sex—

First he took of her jacket. Then he took off her sweater. And then he seductively slid her coveralls off her shoulders and down her legs. And then he stripped off her thermal shirt, and her jeans. And then she lay before him on the bed, wearing nothing but her base layers, wool socks, and hat.

Simon huffed out a laugh, thinking about it, and propped his elbow on the table so he could rest his chin in the palm of his hand.

 

That’s the opening scene of World Turned Upside Down, and Simon is absolutely right to laugh. The number of layers residents on ‘the Ice’ have to wear is frankly ridiculous!

Based on my personal blog, here’s what I wore on August 19, 2011. The temperature was -67°F with windchill:

  • three shirts – each one is wool or silk and pretty thin, so I can remove layers while inside
  • three pairs of leggings – again, silk or wool
  • fleece sweater
  • thick wool socks
  • leg warmers (fuzzy and colorful!)
  • Carhartt overalls – these are standard issue and lined for wind protection… everyone wears them!
  • another fleece sweater
  • a jacket shell
  • “Big Red” – the standard-issue fluffy red parka that all contractors and scientists wear
  • heavy insulated boots
  • two neck gaiters – one for the bottom of my neck, and one to cover my ears/cheeks
  • base layer thin hat and a thick wool hat
  • goggles
  • wool glove liners
  • wool-lined mittens

Suffice it to say, getting dressed (or undressed!) can be an ordeal, but after a few days you get pretty good at getting the layers on (or off!) pretty quickly.

This links from a NASA scientist in Antarctica gives a pretty comprehensive overview of the standard-issue ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) gear that’s issued to every employee and researcher: https://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/archive/tiger/ecw.html

But sometimes you just don’t want to bother with all the stuff. It’s not uncommon to see people dashing between buildings in jeans and sneakers, trying to spend as little time in the cold as possible.

 

Simon gave a little shimmy in front of the mirror, turning to the side to study the way his clothes clung to his flat stomach and round ass. This was the outfit he’d worn back in the Real World when he wanted to pick up at a club; maybe it was overkill for a night out in Antarctica, but at least Simon knew that he looked good.

Once he was satisfied with his appearance, Simon grabbed his jacket, zipped it up tight, and made his way down the hallway from his dorm room. He hovered at the door leading outside, enjoying one last moment of warmth. Then, with a deep breath, he opened the door and darted outside.

Holy shit it’s cold. Negative twenty wasn’t really that bad by Antarctica standards, but wearing just jeans and a T-shirt beneath his jacket meant he could feel every bitter cold sub-zero degree. His breath pooled in front of him as he darted between buildings, careful where ice had formed, and rushed to the old wooden shack that housed the bar.

 

Yes, I absolutely did get a little bit of frostbite once because I went outside without being properly dressed.

Of course, as Simon and I both will tell you, the trade-off for bearing these unbelievably cold temps is well worth it! Check out World Turned Upside Down to learn more about Antarctica, or feel free to shoot me a message on Twitter.

Elyse is an author and world-traveler, whose unique life experiences have helped to shape the stories that she wants to tell. She writes romances with LGBTQIA+ characters and relationships, and believes that every person deserves a Happily Ever After. When she’s not staring futilely at her computer screen, Elyse spends her time adding stamps to her passport, catching up on her terrifying TBR list, and learning to be a better adult.

You can find Elyse online at:

Website: http://elspringer.com

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

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

To celebrate the release of World Turned Upside Down, I’m giving away a t-shirt from McMurdo Station, Antarctica (yes, actually purchased in Antarctica!) and an e-copy of WTUD in the format of your choice. Two additional winners will also receive an e-copy of World Turned Upside Down in the format of their choice, or an e-copy of any book from my backlist.
Contest is open to anyone worldwide over age 18. Closes 8/21 at 11:59 PM EST.

Small Town Sonata by Jamie Fessenden: Guest Post – Exclusive Excerpt

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Jamie Fessenden is here today with an exclusive excerpt from his second chance romance, Small Town Sonata. What a gorgeous cover this book has as well. This book has been on my TBR for a while, and I can’t wait to dive in this weekend. Check out the extended excerpt, let us know what you think.

Can the trusted town handyman rebuild a broken pianist’s heart?

When a freak accident ends Aiden’s career as a world-renowned classical pianist, he retreats to his New Hampshire hometown, where he finds the boy he liked growing up is even more appealing as a man.

Dean Cooper’s life as handyman to the people of Springhaven might not be glamorous, but he’s well-liked and happy. When Aiden drifts back into town, Dean is surprised to find the bond between them as strong as ever. But Aiden is distraught over the loss of his career and determined to get back on the international stage.

Seventeen years ago Dean made a sacrifice and let Aiden walk away. Now, with their romance rekindling, he knows he’ll have to make the sacrifice all over again. This time it may be more than he can bear.

Title: Small Town Sonata
Author: Jamie Fessenden
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 249

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Dean listened in absolute silence, his eyes seemingly transfixed by Aiden’s hands as they flowed across the keys, his coffee forgotten. “Brahms,” he said, after the final chord had settled. “Intermezzo in A-Major.”

Aiden quirked an eyebrow at him in surprise. “Yes. I wasn’t aware you listened to classical music.”

“Some,” Dean said, frowning down into his mug. He suddenly seemed uncomfortable. “I picked up a record of piano music when we were… whatever we were doing as teenagers… because I knew you liked it. I can’t say it beat out Springsteen, but I listened to it now and then. That was one of the tracks on the album.”

“You like it, then?”

“Uh… yeah. Why don’t you play something else?”

Aiden had the distinct feeling Dean wasn’t telling him something. Had he been insulted by Aiden not expecting him to recognize the piece? He’d never given Aiden any indication he liked classical music when they were in high school, though he’d seemed to enjoy listening to Aiden play.

Not having any idea what else to do, Aiden began playing again, this time some Chopin and Debussy. After a while, he realized he’d been monopolizing Dean’s attention for a long time, and it was getting late. His hands were aching too. So he wrapped up “Clair de lune” and said, “I suppose that’s enough.”

To Aiden’s delight, Dean nuzzled his ear, kissing him on the earlobe. “Thank you. It was wonderful.”

“Anytime.”

“You’re gonna call that orchestra in Manchester, aren’t you?”

Aiden was startled by the change in direction, and it threw him. “I, uh… I don’t know.”

“You’ve gotta do it,” Dean said, looking at him sternly. “You know you’re not gonna be happy hiding out here in the music room where nobody can hear you. You were meant to be on stage!”

Aiden knew he was right, but things weren’t that simple. The dull ache in his tendons was a harsh reminder of that. But he didn’t want to think about that—not right now. He got up from the bench, went to the filing cabinet, and opened one of the drawers. “You play clarinet?”

“Yeah. But… not all that well.” Dean sounded nervous.

Aiden found what he’d been searching for in the hanging folders and withdrew it—Mozart’s “Clarinet Concerto in A Major.” He pulled out the second movement, the adagio, and set the rest of it on top of the filing cabinet. Then he closed the drawer and went back to sit on the bench. “Do you remember when we watched Out of Africa on DVD?”

“Jesus.” Dean rolled his eyes. “I remember we both cried like babies, and I told you I’d kill you if anyone at school ever found out.”

Aiden laughed and kissed him on the cheek. “Your secret’s still safe.”

“It better be.”

“But remember when Meryl Streep and Robert Redford danced to a piece of music playing on an old Victrola?”

“Yeah. I loved that. That scene was one of the reasons I picked clarinet when I joined the school band.”

Aiden hadn’t known Dean was in the school band. But he supposed he had to have learned to play somewhere, and that was the most likely starting point. “Do you read music?” he asked, handing Dean the pages.

As Aiden played the beginning of a piano version of the orchestral part of the Concerto, Dean glanced at the music. “I can read music,” Dean said. “Are you saying you want me to learn this?”

“I’m asking you if you’d like to learn it. This is a version for just a solo clarinet and a piano. I already know the piano part.”

“Wouldn’t it be kind of a waste of your time, then?”

“Performing with you? I don’t see that as a waste. I think it would be fun.”

Dean took a long time to think about it before responding, “Okay. Sure. I’ve always wanted to learn this piece.”

“Then take it home and give it a try.”

Dean let out a puff of breath and glanced up at the clock. “I should get going.”

Aiden escorted him back through the kitchen, and they kissed at the door…. Then they made out at the door. At last Dean growled and said, “All right, this time I’m really leaving.”

Aiden looked down into his soft brown eyes. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“Count on it.”

Aiden gave him a final kiss good night and watched him head out to his truck. This idea of taking it slow wasn’t going to last long, he knew. At the rate they were going, they’d probably end up in bed together tomorrow night.

What am I doing?

It wasn’t that he didn’t like Dean. He liked him a lot. As in… a lot. But was stirring things up between them a good idea? He’d been desperate to escape Springhaven when he was a teenager. Was he really ready to give up on his career and settle down there for good? The last thing Aiden wanted to do was hurt Dean—again.

Jamie Fessenden is an author of gay fiction in many genres. Most involve romance, because he believes everyone deserves to find love, but after that anything goes: contemporary, science fiction, historical, paranormal, mystery, or whatever else strikes his fancy.

He set out to be a writer in junior high school. He published a couple short pieces in his high school’s literary magazine and had another story place in the top 100 in a national contest, but it wasn’t until he met his partner, Erich, almost twenty years later, that he began writing again in earnest. With Erich alternately inspiring and goading him, Jamie wrote several novels and published his first novella in 2010. That same year, Jamie and Erich married and purchased a house together in the wilds of New Hampshire, where there are no street lights, turkeys and deer wander through their yard, and coyotes serenade them under the stars.

Blog: https://jamiefessenden.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/349365308959423/

Heart Unbroken by Andrew Grey: Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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Car restorer Dean Milford knows how to make damaged things beautiful again. Only, after a bad breakup, he loses sight of who he is, playing the field and distracting himself with any man he comes across. But now there’s only one guy who really matters to him. And maybe with his latest restoration job—a vintage Cobra—he’ll get the chance to let him know.

Losing his sight wasn’t the worst thing to happen to Lee Studer—losing his independence was. It’s taken a while, but he’s finally found his place in the world—in a garage. Funny enough, his acute hearing allows him to pinpoint engine problems just by listening. And even better, he’s going to have a chance to help his long-time crush, Dean, rebuild his fantasy car.

As the restoration comes together, so do Lee and Dean, building a friendship that quickly turns into so much more. But before they can think about a future together, they have to deal with the past. Only that turns out to be more dangerous than either one ever dreamed….

Title: Heart Unbroken
Series: Hearts Entwined: Book 4
Author: Andrew Grey
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 192

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Lee  and Scott were done with the Cadillac. Scott was just moving the car out of the bay  when a hand touched Lee’s shoulder. Lee tensed until he smelled Dean. “You two do amazing work.”

“I hear the problems, and he sees them. I know my way around most engines, and he guides me. I wouldn’t be able to do this job without him.” Lee was well aware that Scott would be a great mechanic whether he was there or not. He was grateful that Scott worked with him, and he hoped he was helping Scott more than he was slowing him down.

“Trevor and I have come to an agreement. I’ve been restoring cars for the last decade out of my home garage, but I can’t keep my head above water. So he and I are going to partner together.”

“Down at the old Sears place? Trevor has been looking into that lately, and he always seems to be able to find the right fit for his ideas.”

“Yeah, exactly. And he said you and Scott might be interested in working with me. I do a lot of the body work—that’s my specialty—but I need experienced people to rebuild the engines and things like that. I can do it, but I’m better at other parts of the process.”

“I can talk with Brent and Scott.” Lee was excited about the possibilities. He’d heard one of the guys mention that Dean had just come across a Cobra he intended to restore. Lee’s hands itched to spend some time with that engine.

“Please do that. We’d all be working for Trevor, so things wouldn’t really be that different. But you’d have the chance to work on classic cars for a change, bringing them back from the dead.” Excitement filled Dean’s voice, and it was catching.

Lee nodded as his nose filled with the richness of Dean’s cologne , even over the garage’s exhaust fumes and grease. “Okay. I’ll think about it,” Lee said, wishing he had more questions, if only so he could get Dean to stay and talk with him a little while longer.

Where to start….

First.. love the cover!

Okay, so in this one, if you’ve read the first two in this series, you should remember
Dean, who is best friends with Trevor and Brent. He’s a bit of a player and still stuck in the bachelor life, even though his friends are both loved up and living their own lives… he seems a bit bitter about it, and to be honest, he was hit and miss with me in the other books, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like him… even at the beginning of this one, I didn’t really… but it all changed when he met Lee…

Lee works with Trevor at the garage, he’s the ears in the duo of him and Scott, who is deaf. A blind and deaf mechanic? I know… it’s hard to wrap your head around, but they seem to make it work and they’re both good at it…. Plus they have very supportive friends, whom I love.

Because Dean is a restorer of old classic cars and Trevor owns his own garage, he offers Dean a partnership of sorts to work for him but still do his own thing… which Dean appreciates because he was barely keeping his head above water financially as it was. A bonus was getting to work with Lee, who he had his eye on for a while but never did anything about because a bad breakup had him playing the field and not interested in getting hurt again, and Lee was a bit younger than him as well….which showed, a lot in my opinion.

Dean seemed kind of jerky until he caught Lee’s attention too. I liked watching them get to know one another and watching them both kind of navigate something new. Dean because he was opening himself up for something more than random hookups and Lee just getting to experience a normal type relationship with a normal guy… not that his impairment was abnormal, but it was just the way he felt. I can understand how hard it would be feel normal when everyone treated you with kid gloves…

And that brings me to the few things that I didn’t like…. There was the stereotypical overbearing mother… which I get… I’m a mother of two teenagers and sometimes I still treat them like they’re 10…. And they let me, why? Cuz I’m their mom and sometimes you just gotta humor your mom…but my goodness, Lee’s mom was too much….every conversation with her, literally every single one was him telling her that he’s not a kid… that he wants to be independent… that he cares about Dean, because yes, she was even a jerk to Dean…” what are your intentions with my son”, and “I think you need to break up with him”… like, really?? … I understand her concern, but it was too much, though she did redeem herself by the end I guess.. was still very stereotypical.

Also, things kept happening at work and when the guys went out to the club… elaborate things that you’d expect in a superhero movie with over the top villains … I knew exactly who was causing problems though I didn’t guess how they were related, I was annoyed when nobody seemed to know who was behind it all when it was so glaringly obvious.

Lastly…. Lee can smell illness? Is that a superpower? Someone walks up and asks to talk to Dean and he’s like…. Hepatitis or HIV? … I can smell it.
That whole part had me like…. Whaaaaat?

Overall though, I love this author’s stories and I love the way in which he uses impairments and real life problems with life and love. I like the complex situations and realistic views and solutions in handling things. I like the little embarrassing moments that some author’s skip over and I love the happily ever after’s that we get in this series. I was glad to see Dean get his happy and I loved the way he loved Lee.

It was a sweet read and I hope the series continues.

4 pieces of eye candy

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing)  He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

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Beautiful Trauma by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

by

Does trauma define or motivate a person? 

Homeless and rejected, Henry Sullivan arrived on the doorstep of Ryan’s Place with nothing but the clothes on his back. Life as he knew it was over. Within those walls, Henry found the encouragement and love needed to turn hopeless into hopeful. Enrolling for summer classes at his community college was the first step toward achieving the dreams he thought were lost to him. There was just one little snag: the professor standing in the front of the room taught Henry the true meaning of human sexuality.

After a crushing breakup, Professor Ezra Meyer moved to the Queen City for a fresh start where everything was new—job, home, and friends. His first challenge: prove the benefits of his biology of human sexuality course outweighed the controversy. Ezra agreed to teach the class during the summer semester at a community college associated with his university to gauge interest. There was just one little problem: Ezra had personally demonstrated the unit on Sexual Technique and Behaviors with one of his students.

Random or Fate?

It was supposed to be a harmless hookup on a night when Henry was celebrating his birthday and Ezra was trying to ease his loneliness. Fast forward six months later, the attraction blazed hotter than ever, but acting on it could have dire consequences neither man was willing to risk. Or were they? Could true love be Henry and Ezra’s ultimate reward, or were they destined to become just another sad lesson learned? 

Beautiful Trauma is a story about triumph over tragedy, embracing the unexpected, and a reminder that family is more than biology. Are you looking for a feel-good romance with witty banter, toe-curling passion, and a story that stays with you long after the final page? Look no further. Beautiful Trauma is the third book in the Queen City Rogues series but reads as a standalone book. It contains sexually explicit material and colorful language and is intended for adults 18 and over.

Beautiful Trauma 

Queen City Rogues Series, Book 3

Aimee Nicole Walker 

M/M Romance 

Release Date: 07.18.19

Cover model: Joel Leslie 

Photographer: Christopher John 

Cover artist: Jay Aheer

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Ezra lifted his head and smiled down at me. “I like the way you think.”He started to lower his head to kiss me but jerked back. “Fuck!”

“What is it? A muscle spasm?”

“Hey now,” Ezra said, sounding offended. “I’m not that old.”

“There’s no age requirement for a muscle spasm. Remember my limp earlier tonight?”

Ezra nodded to acknowledge my point. “It wasn’t a spasm; a mosquito bit me on the ass.”

He looked so outraged that a mosquito would dare take a bite of his ass. I couldn’t stop the laughter building inside me. “I-I’m sorry,”I managed to say before the dam broke and it burst from my chest. “I’d bite your ass too if I were her.”

Ezra tried not to laugh, but he joined me until he got bit a second time. “That’s it,”he said firmly, leaping to his feet. “It’s time for a bath, then you need to get some sleep.”He blew out the candles and crooked his fingers for me to follow. 

On our way to the bathroom, I watched in puzzlement as Ezra stopped by his bedside table and picked up his phone. 

“Checking your messages?” I asked. 

“Adding citronella candles to my shopping list before I forget,” he quipped. He looked at me with a raised brow. “Not a single smartass joke out of you about faulty memories at my age.”

I held up my hands in surrender. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”My lips quivered and threatened to give way to laughter yet again. 

“Get in the bathroom,”Ezra said, pointing to the doorway. 

“Yes, sir,” I said cheekily then gasped when Ezra’s hand landed soundly against my bare ass. I spun around to face him. “Spanking wasn’t in the lesson tonight.”

“Keep it up, and you’re going to get a firsthand lesson in spankings, Henry.”

The idea thrilled me to the core, and I suddenly wanted to be naughty—very, very naughty.

Check out Jennifer’s 4 pieces of eye candy review here.

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day. I’d love to hear from you 

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Ignite (Unbreakable Bonds Book 7) by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott: RDB, Excerpt, Release Day Review * 2 and Giveaway

by

Two of Noah’s Army buddies are dead.

Someone has taken shots at Noah.

And now Noah’s former lover, JB, is a target.

Noah, Rowe, and JB team up to track down a killer trying to take out all of Noah’s old Army team in hopes of covering up a dark secret.

But this trip to Washington, D.C. threatens to unravel the perfect life that Rowe and Noah have built over the past three years. JB’s arrival in their lives have Rowe and Noah wondering if they want the same thing for their happily ever after.

Rowe is sure of one thing—nobody threatens his man. And he sets out to show anyone with a hidden agenda what a bad decision that was.

Title:  Ignite

Series: Unbreakable Bonds #7

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake & Elliott Publishing LLC

Release Date: July 26, 2019

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 73,000

Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense

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Noah smiled to himself as he watched Rowe drive them home. His hands slid easily along the leather wheel. Soon those strong hands would be stroking down his body. The way the man kept looking at him during the wedding had him half-hard all evening. He knew it was the wedding—all the romance in the air.

A lingering worry had nipped at him earlier in the day that Ian’s wedding would bring back painful memories of Rowe’s own wedding, but he seemed fine and Noah couldn’t be more thankful.

So, he watched those hands. Being touched by Rowe was like nothing else in this world. The man worshiped his body with an all-in intensity that frankly awed Noah. And he knew that wouldn’t change, no matter how long they were together. He took in his dark-red hair, lit by moonlight, disheveled as usual, and his ripped shoulders and arms. The man filled out a suit well, but he couldn’t wait to peel him out of it.

“Keep staring at me like that, and I’ll be finding a secluded spot to pull over,” Rowe murmured, giving him a steamy look.

“That’d be fine with me. Did I tell you how hot you are today? You should wear suits more often.”

“Soon as we get home, I’ll show you my birthday suit.”

“That’s my favorite suit of all.” Noah grinned.

Rowe pulled to a stop at a red light and turned toward him, his green-eyed gaze hotter than the sun. “You clean up nice yourself. Come here.”

Noah leaned over to kiss him. Brakes squealed sharply. Noah jerked his lips away from Rowe’s before they could touch. A car had pulled up, perpendicular to theirs, in the middle of the intersection. A loud bang quickly followed and the ping of glass breaking. Startled, he looked at the windshield to find a small hole in it.

“Shit, get down!” Rowe grabbed him and shoved him into the seat, covering him with his body just as another shot broke through the windshield.

“Someone is fucking shooting at us!” Rowe stretched over him to reach the glove box where he kept his gun. He yanked it out but stayed down. “Are you hurt?”

Noah couldn’t believe the man covered him, but that was Rowe. “No, I’m fine. You?”

“I’m good.”

Tires squealed again and the roar of the car engine grew softer. A knock on the driver’s window had them both jerking upright. Rowe aimed the gun in that direction, ready to put two in whoever was stupid enough to be standing there. Noah rose, ready to jump out of their truck and attack.

The woman outside screamed and ducked away from the window. “I was just making sure you were all right!” she yelled, and Rowe immediately lowered his gun. “The person shooting drove off, but I got a good look at the car. I’m beside you at the stoplight. The driver just pulled right into the intersection and someone shot out of the front passenger window. Is everyone okay? I called 9-1-1.”

Noah looked out the windshield to find the first hole directly in front of him. He turned and found a matching bullet hole in the seat. It would have pierced his heart. Whoever shot at them had one hell of an aim. Or at least, they would have if Noah hadn’t leaned over to kiss Rowe at that moment. <em>Holy fuck</em>, <em>that was close!</em>

His stomach was in knots as he met his boyfriend’s gaze. “What the hell?”

Rowe rolled down his window, apologizing to the woman for scaring her. “What kind of car was it?”

“A black Volkswagen hatchback.”

“Did you see anyone in the car? Could you tell if either person was a man or woman?”

“The passenger looked like a man. I’m sorry, I didn’t get a good look at the person’s face.”

Sirens sounded in the distance, getting steadily closer. Rowe put his gun back into the glovebox and they both got out of the truck to look at the damage. Two police cars arrived with a roar of engines. The first cop opened his door and stood with his gun at the ready.

“The shooter drove away,” the woman yelled. She was certainly helpful and brave to have gotten out of her car at all. Her red Honda was still parked at the light beside them with several more cars stalled there as well. None of those people had gotten out of their vehicles, but now they did as the police gathered.

Rowe and Noah answered questions but because they’d ducked, they had less to offer by way of explanation than the woman who’d witnessed the whole thing.

“Was more than likely a drive-by,” one of the cops said as he made a few notes in his little notepad. “We’ve had a few of them recently. I’m glad nobody was hurt this time. The others weren’t so lucky.”

But Noah had a feeling it wasn’t some random drive-by.

Fun, sexy, exciting. Yes, yes, yes. Definitely those things. Explosions, gun fights, chases. Those as well. What else would you expect of these guys? The couple of focus in this book are Rowe and Noah. We also meet JB, Noah’s former teammate and lover from when they were in the Rangers. Seems someone is taking out ex military who might have witnessed an ambush years ago in Afghanistan. Two are already dead, Noah and JB are next.

Underlying all of this excitement are Noah and Rowe contemplating their future together. Most importantly, marriage and children.

There isn’t a lot of the original guys in this story, but several do make appearances- the core four and their significant others. But they don’t take a big part of the story at all- definitely supporting players.

Ok, here is my wet blanket. A couple of things really took me out of the story. The first is that Noah and Rowe are the victims of a drive by shooting on the way home from Ian’s wedding. Not only is everything seemingly just taken care of at the scene by the cops, there is no further questioning, no ballistics done on the bullet in their car and they were free to go home, in bullet riddled car, very quickly. Like, meh, no big deal.

Even though these guys are trying to figure out who and why people are trying to kill them, they make time for sex. Lengthy sex. Ok, that’s fine. But you really have sex toys packed?

I won’t tell you the third thing because while it isn’t really a spoiler, it does happen at the end. But it is a minor part of the story that is never finished.

So I am so used to looking over explosions, tons of dead people, destroyed property, because fiction. Because it’s fun. And exciting. And good reading. But yea, those couple things bugged me. I’M SORRY!

It is still a good book. Like I said, fun, exciting, sexy, explosions, etc. Definitely read it if you have been reading all of these books. Because it is worth it. It’s like an action blockbuster where the female hero wears heels all of the time. Like, who cares? but it bugs me.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

I was so excited to see this one pop up because Rowe and Noah have been my favorite! (Don’t tell the others, I think I’m attracted to their crazy!)

So, in the beginning, we see Ian and Hollis getting married through the eyes of Rowe. I loved seeing everyone there for them, seeing as Hollis had to battle the brood for a while before they saw how much he loved Ian, and how Ian needed someone exactly like Hollis to claim him. And if anyone deserved a HEA, it was Ian….loved it….

As we know though, weddings does things to folks and it had both men thinking about where they saw their relationship going. They know they love each other… they know it’s forever and I was a little bummed to know how they felt about marriage and kids and stuff, but only because I’m a sap and I want the whole hog for all of them. There is no denying their love for each other though. On the way home from the wedding, they run into some trouble that the police try and brush off, but both men with their skillset feel that it’s way more than local law enforcement is treating it as.

When an old friend/brother-in-arms/past lover calls and confirms that not only are a couple of teammates dead, but he’s being targeted and fears that Noah will be too… binging him back home with them, they want to get to the bottom of whoever is out to hurt them before they have a chance to come back and finish the job!
JB, I thought was going to be trouble (he’s the old friend/brother-in-arms/ex-lover… I didn’t think Iw as going to like him because I’m so incredibly obsessed with Noah and Rowe and I didn’t want anyone coming in and making them doubt anything or trying to come in between them. I wasn’t a fan…

However, Rowe got his possessive and crazy jealous self and Noah assured him that he had nothing to worry about and JB was actually really charming, incredibly likable and fit in great with the guys and their craziness. I do hope he pops back up in future books because it was obvious that he still had feelings for Noah and unrequited love sucks! I want him to find his happy, he deserves it too.

Now, I won’t get into the who’s and the why’s of who and why Noah and his ex-team is being targeted because it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was flipping through electronic pages and I don’t want to ruin that for y’all. I do feel like I need a mood stabilizer after it though… and it’s crazy how this duo can paint such vivid pictures of all the hilarity and chaos and have me gripping my kindle with clammy nervous hands until all is right in the world again. This one was no different.

If you’ve read any of the others in this series or the ones they’ve spun off from, you should be no stranger to the heart palpitations, the love, the broody, charming, gorgeous, possessive, hilarious family they write about. What starts out sweet, soon turns to hellfire and explosions and kidnappings and violence and murder and bad guys… but then gives us the sweetest weddings, babies, puppys, family and so so so much love that it makes every second of it worth it.

Awesome addition and I can’t wait to see who’s next!

This one gets all the stars!

5 pieces of eye candy

Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.

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