excerpt

The Case of the Voracious Vintner by Tara Lain: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

January 29, 2019 by Denise

Where Bo Marchand comes from, gay men are just confirmed bachelors who never found the right girl. But now Bo’s a successful winemaker on the central coast of California, supporting his whole damned Georgia family, and all he really wants is the beautiful, slightly mysterious Jeremy Aames.

Jeremy’s vineyard is under threat from Ernest Ottersen, the voracious winemaker who seems to know all Jeremy’s blending secrets and manages to grab all his customers. Bo tries to help Jeremy and even provides a phony alibi for Jeremy when Ottersen turns up dead in Jeremy’s tasting room. But it’s clear Jeremy isn’t who he claims, and Bo must decide if it’s worth tossing over his established life for a man who doesn’t seem to trust anyone. When Jeremy gets kidnapped, some of the conservative winemakers turn out to be kinky sex fiends, and the list of murderers keeps dwindling down to Jeremy. Bo has to choose between hopping on his white horse or climbing back in his peach-pie-lined closet.

Title: The Case of the Voracious Vintner
Series: Middlemark Mysteries: Book 2
Author: Tara Lain
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Category: Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 279

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Nook

Kobo

iTunes

BAM

Goodreads

10 Wine Facts from Tara Lain’s The Case of the Voracious Vintner

Hi. I’m Tara Lain and I’m so happy to be celebrating the release of my new mystery novel The Case of the Voracious Vintner. As its name implies, the book’s heroes are wine makers and I thought it could be fun to share some inside wine growing facts that I include in this new romantic suspense.

The book is set on the central coast of California in the lesser known California wine country in and around Paso Robles. This is a favorite area of mine and if you’re visiting California, I highly recommend this area as a stop. Like it’s more famous cousin Napa Valley, the central coast wineries are dotted along one winding road, so touring and tasting are easy.
The central coast makes all kinds of wines, but is most famous for red zinfandel. If you’ve never tried it, I suggest giving it a taste. Not as heavy as a cabernet, zinfandel is a smooth, robust wine with great flavor that could turn you into a lover of reds.
Many wineries, like those of my heroes, make most of their money not from finished wines, but from selling grapes and bulk wine to larger wine makers.
I also love the more famous wine country in Napa Valley, so I set a few scenes on a trip there. This is a fantastic area for a visit, packed with great food, beautiful scenery and, above all, amazing wine.
The winery, Hilltop, owned by my hero Jeremy Aames in the book is based on an actual winery on the central coast where they not only have delicious wines, but also the best sandwiches ever.
If you’ve read any of my books, it’s not hard to guess that my favorite alcoholic beverage is champagne, so I had to include a trip to a champagne maker in Napa.
America’s premier maker of sparkling wine (aka champagne) is Schramsberg, located in Napa Valley. They actually have miles of caves where they keep wine as I describe in the book and they riddle (turn) their bottles by hand.
Dry farming as is done by my hero Bo Marchand is an actual way of making wine, which uses almost entirely natural rainfall for irrigation and when you’re talking California, that’s not much rain. There are special techniques that encourage the growth of the vines and it also influences the taste of the wine.
The handsome waiter, RJ, who I describe in the book is also based on an actual person – a movie star gorgeous wine tasting waiter who I encountered at a winery on the central coast.
The references to the Dionysian mysteries in the book are based on Greek and Roman mystery groups that used wine and other intoxicants in their worship. Of course, poor Dionysus gets blamed for a lot, as is true in this story. LOL.

I hope you enjoy The Case of the Voracious Vintner!

Heart beating hard, Bo climbed out of the little silver-blue car and walked into the cottage-style building he knew to be a far more upscale establishment than its hippy-dippy furnishings made it appear. Jeremy was sitting on an old church pew against the entry wall when Bo walked in. Other would-be diners cast subtle glances at him—he was just that handsome—but his mane was pulled back into a strict tail at his neck, or they would have been staring openly. The smile he flashed as he stood went straight to Bo’s balls—and his cheeks with a flush of heat. Bo managed to get a word past his frozen lips. “Hello.”

“Hi.”

Their eyes met and couldn’t seem to let go. Fine with him, but they weren’t even close to alone. Bo swallowed hard and glanced around at the other customers, then back at Jeremy. “So, are they ready for us?”

“Probably. They said they were getting the table ready when I came in.”

Bo walked over to the hostess and used the dimples. “Hello, ma’am. I’m Bo Marchand. You’re preparing a table for me and my, uh, associate, Mr. Aames. Would y’all happen to be ready for us?” Flashing all the expensive dental work seemed to do the trick.

“Oh yes, sir, Mr. Marchand. We have a lovely table for you, private as you requested.” She fluttered her lashes.

He leaned in. “A very important business meeting. You understand.”

“Oh yes, sir.” She looked behind her. “Violet, please take Mr. Marchand to his table.” She grinned and said softly, “Or anywhere else he wants to go.”

Bo chuckled and waved a hand to Jeremy to follow as Violet led them to a booth toward the back of the restaurant. They slid in on either side of the table.

Violet smiled. “Do you know what you’d like to drink?”

Jeremy asked, “May we see the wine list, please?”

“Of course.” She stepped to a nearby serving table and grabbed a menu. “Here you go.” She glanced down. “Can I ask how tall you are?”

Bo grinned. “Just a tiny tad over six feet four, ma’am.”

She giggled. “I’ll be back in just a moment.”

Jeremy chuckled. “You do package the charm there, darlin’.”

Bo’s cheeks heated.

Jeremy leaned across the table and angled the wine list so Bo could see. He said, “They have a few of my blends and most of your vintages.”

Violet reappeared.

Bo said, “I’ll have a glass of the Marchand zin.”

“Excellent choice, sir.” A grin tugged at her lips. She probably remembered his name. She glanced at Jeremy. “You, sir?”

“I’ll have the same.”

“No Hill Top?” Bo asked.

“Nah, I like the good stuff.”

Violet walked away as Bo laughed. But then they were alone. Choose something to talk about. “Uh, so have you thought any more about how we can work together?”

A waiter walked up with two balloon glasses of red and placed them on the table. “Enjoy.”

Jeremy nodded. “Oh, we will.” As the waiter returned to the kitchen, Jeremy held up his glass. “To us.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Uh, to our partnership.” His nostrils flared. “I mean, to defeating Ottersen.”

Bo’s pulse fluttered in his throat. “To all of those.”

They drank and Jeremy closed his eyes, revealing long, thick lashes several tones darker than his dirty-blond hair. “Oh man, you do give good zin, my friend.”

“I’m so glad you like it.”

“I do. So much.”

The words were simple, but they made Bo shiver, and he sloshed a mouthful of wine between his lips, spattering some on the white tablecloth.

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

Author Links:

Website: http://taralain.com/

Blog: http://www.taralain.com/blog

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taralain

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/taralain

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tara-lain

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2Wt40LJ

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4541791.Tara_Lain

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/taralain/

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255111391312743/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Inside Out (Road to Blissville #6) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review * 2 and Giveaway

January 28, 2019 by Denise

Romeo Bradly and Julius Shepherd moved to Blissville for the same reason: a fresh start. Romeo was looking for a school district where he could make a real impact in the lives of students and faculty, and Julius was eager to teach one of his passions to the best and brightest at a school with a nationally ranked science program. But the sleepy little town offered them much more than they’d bargained for—quirky people, unlikely friendships, and an all-consuming attraction that turns them inside out.

When unexpected circumstances threaten to cancel the school play, Romeo’s theater background and Julius’s musical expertise make them the perfect pair to save the day. Working together so closely makes it harder for the men to ignore their growing feelings. After all, the heart knows what it wants and doesn’t care about age gaps, race, or a professional conflict of interest. Romeo and Julius will learn that they have far more in common than they realize, and their differences will make them stronger if they give love a chance.

Their commitment to each other and the play will be tested when outside forces target them as a couple and exert pressure to cancel the production. Romeo and Julius vow to prove their love can thwart any challenge and will burn strong well beyond the curtain call.

Inside Out is a whimsical, May/December romance featuring a man learning to love again and a man falling in love for the first time. It is the sixth book in the Road to Blissville series and can be read as a standalone book or part of the series. This book contains sexually explicit material and is intended for adults 18 and older.

INSIDE OUT

A ROAD TO BLISSVILLE NOVEL

AIMEE NICOLE WALKER

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 01.14.19

COVER ARTIST: Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

It was nearly impossible to keep from checking the clock after receiving the text from Rome that he was on his way back to Blissville. I tried watching the football games on TV, but I couldn’t tell you the score or even who was playing. I also kept my ears tuned for the sound of his car pulling up outside.

The apartment I rented was above a garage and could only be accessed by walking through it, which might make many feel like they were trespassing. Wren did keep a classic car in the garage below and a ton of tools, so I was always cautious to keep the door locked. When I finally heard Rome’s car pull into the driveway and stop beside my car, I jogged down the steps and opened the outside door.

“Hey,” I said when he and Dolly reached me.

“Hey yourself,” he said warmly. I could see how badly he wanted to kiss me, so I stepped closer and met him halfway. I didn’t want there to be any hesitation between us unless we were in a place where PDA wouldn’t be appreciated.

“I wasn’t sure if I should kiss you in open view of Dare and Wren’s house,” he said, staring at my lips. “They might not be watching.” I moved until my lips were just a breath away. If he wanted me, he would need to come and get me. “Then again, they could have the binoculars out.”

So, I’ve read several books in this series, but not in order. Though I do remember a couple of the guys from previous reads, it didn’t take anything away from the story, having not read them all or in order. In saying that… this one was incredibly sweet.

Julius and Romeo got hired on the same day. Romeo as the superintendent at the high school, and Julius, a hot science teacher… Hello, hot guys that are good with kids… hot dads and the like, are kind of my kryptonite. So, while these two try to keep their distance from one another, since Romeo is sort of Julius’ boss, in a way…. Neither of them could deny their attraction.

Romeo was a bit more forward than Julius, having already had a great love in his life and knowing what he wants now that he’d found someone he believes taking a chance on… it’s all just so sweet. Too sweet at times and maybe a bit cheesy, especially in dialogue, but, I think it just goes with the flow of the story. It’s supposed to be romantic and lovely, and it was.

I really enjoyed them together as a couple, and I adored their supportive families. There wasn’t anyone (well, one person for only a second) that nay-sayed their relationship, or was anything other than supportive. They had accepting parents and siblings and extended families and I loved that. I loved that the school board was behind them…

Of course, while working on a play that was written by a few students, there were a few bigoted people who try to cause trouble… but there are always going to be people who try to make everyone as miserable as them, and I’m happy with the way it was handled in such a realistic way. I don’t know why I’m continually surprised by the love overshadowing the hate, but I love it every time. I hope that when my gay teenage son goes into high school next year, in my tiny little homophobic town, that there are educators like Julius and Romeo who fight to teach acceptance and allow kids to be themselves.

Overall, it was a very sweet story and I really hope Officer Joey will have a story… he intrigued me!

4 stars from me on this one!

What a fun, sweet, low angst love story.

The Road to Blissville is a continuation of the Curl Up and Dye series and can be read as a complete stand alone. There’s mention of the salon “Curl Up and Dye”, but I don’t think any of the characters make an appearance.

And I know it might be cheesey, but I love the name play of Romeo and Julius. I think it’s cute af.

Anyway. both men are new to Blissville. One taking on the position of school superintendent and the other as a teacher. Because of that work connection, Julius thinks he should stay far away. But Romeo is not to be swayed.

As resistant as Julius was at first, he caved kind of easily. I would have liked to see Romeo romance him more. But ultimately, that was but a blip in this romantic story.

And it was a super fun story to read with way more than just their romance. There is a plot line involving the high school kids, the play they want to stage and a few town bigots. Julius’ family plays a minor role, both his mother (I love the conversations they have!) and his brother. Romeo’s family is also featured- with his hilarious Aunt Astrid. None of those offshoots from the main story seemed forced or like filler. They enhanced the story and gave us more insight into the men that they are.

I really loved Romeo and Julius together. And they were definitely the kind of teacher and school admin I wish I had.

4 pieces of eye candy

I am a wife and mother to three kids, three dogs, and a cat. When I’m not dreaming up stories, I like to lose myself in a good book, cook or bake. I’m a girly tomboy who paints her fingernails while watching sports and yelling at the referees. I will always choose the book over the movie. I believe in happily-ever-after. Love inspires everything that I do. Music keeps me sane.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A World Apart by Mel Gough: Exclusive Guest Post, Blog Tour and Release Day Review

January 25, 2019 by Denise

Ben’s life appears perfect. He has a career to shine in and a beautiful family. But his marriage has broken down, and being a small-town cop is turning into a dead-end job.

Hot-headed troublemaker Donnie is used to being side-eyed by the fuzz. Getting dragged into the station for a crime he didn’t commit is no big surprise – but a cop who gives a damn sure is.

Ben has no clue how much a second encounter with the secretive redneck will shake up his life. Donnie’s sullen vulnerability arouses a passion Ben hasn’t felt for a long time. Soon, nothing matters but helping Donnie fight his demons. Can they carve a new life together out of the ashes?

Book Title: A World Apart (Loving Again Series, Book 1)

Author: Mel Gough

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Black Jazz Design

Genre/s: Contemporary romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 51 000 words/197 pages

Release Date: January 25, 2019

The first book in a series of three, but can be read as standalone.

Add on Goodreads

Amazon US

Amazon UK

First scene from A World Apart from second character’s POV (Donnie)

“What have we got, Lou?”

The voice is calm and quiet, and Donnie glances up. A cop he hasn’t seen before stands by the desk. He’s shorter than the other one, and not so muscled. His hair is blond, and kind of long for a policeman. He has one eyebrow raised as he waits for the clerk to answer.

Donnie stops his nervous shifting. His arms, bound behind him, prickle with tension. What’s happening? He bites his lip and sinks back into his misery. Why are these people not leaving him alone?

“How was court, brother?”

That’s the asshole cop who dragged him in. Donnie’s head jerks up. He balls his hands to fists, shifts on the narrow bench, away from the desk as far as he can. His neck prickles where the cop’s fingers gripped him hard when he shoved Donnie into the back of the patrol car. Donnie eyes the cop. He towers over the new guy, and his biceps ripple under the rolled-up sleeves. His dark eyes are like steel.

“You missed all the excitement,” he says to his blond colleague. “Saunders here knows some pretty colorful language, and he was none too happy to accompany us, neither.”

“Hence the handcuffs?” the second cop asks. His voice is flat, and he’s regarding his colleague from narrowed eyes. The first cop smirks.

“Wasn’t me that hit that kid,” Donnie mumbles. He can’t help himself. This is so unfair. “Told y’all I wasn’t in town.”

“And I told you this,” the first cop says. “We got witnesses placing you at the scene, smart-ass. It’s your word against theirs. Who’re we gonna believe, some deadbeat, or the boy’s mother?”

Donnie feels sick. The guy will do anything in his power to pin this on him. He wishes he could explain himself properly, but as always, when he needs them the most, Donnie can’t find the right words. And now they got him here. Nobody will give a shit. Nobody ever has. They’ll lock him up, and throw away the key.

Donnie sits up on the bench. With as much emphasis as he can he says, “It wasn’t me! Why’re you not listening?”

The other cop’s gaze is on him. In his rage and fear, it takes Donnie a moment to realize how kind and sad the man’s green eyes are. He steps in front of the big brute, shielding Donnie. “Why don’t you and I take Mr. Saunders through to the interrogation room for a statement?” he says to the first cop.

The brute nods, looking sour. When his colleague turns his back, he lunges for Donnie and grabs his arm. He’s lightning fast and takes Donnie by surprise. The cop’s fingers grip his arm so hard, Donnie suppresses a cry of pain. The other cop steps close again. “If you dislocate his shoulder there’ll be an awful lot of paperwork to fill in for both of us, brother.”

The first cop’s eyes bore into Donnie. Finally, he gives a grunt and lets go. Donnie’s arm throbs, his heart is racing. He has to screw up all his willpower not to flinch when the second cop says, “Would you come this way, please?” His voice is very calm. Instinctively, Donnie knows that this one means him no harm. He gets up stiffly from the bench.

He and the second cop are of equal height. He still regards Donnie with his calm, green eyes, and Donnie again thinks that the man looks sad.

He turns and walks down the hallway. A door on the right stands open. “In there,” the kind cop says. Donnie enters the room. When he turns, the brute is right there. Donnie backs away. “Turn around,” the cop says. Donnie doesn’t move.

“Sir, the sergeant will move the handcuffs to the front so you can sit down more comfortably,” the nice one says. Donnie narrows his eyes, regards him. He decides that he can believe it, so he turns around, and the brute unlocks one of the cuffs. Donnie turns again, and the cop yanks his arms roughly to lock the cuffs again. They’re too tight, but Donnie doesn’t say anything.

“Sit.” The brute indicates the metal table and chairs.

Donnie faces the one-way mirror, and quickly looks away. Floyd will be pissed when he hears about this. The two cops sit down opposite, chair legs scraping over concrete. Donnie is getting a headache. Just great.

There’s silence. Donnie looks up, into the kind cop’s expectant eyes. “Do you mind if we record this conversation?” the officer asks.

Donnie’s heart sinks. “You’re arresting me?” Floyd would tell him not to say anything at all.

“No, we’re not.” The kind cop’s voice is gentle and patient. “But having a record of what we talk about will aid your cause.”

Can he refuse to answer the cops’ questions? Will they let him go if he does? Donnie doesn’t dare risk it. He doesn’t want the big one to get angry again. His hands shake with the adrenaline and he clasps them tightly in his lap. He shrugs.

“Sir.” The nice cop again. “Please state for the protocol: Do you mind if we record this conversation?” Donnie frowns. Why does the man look upset? He feels in his gut that this cop doesn’t want to trick him, or harm him in any way.

“Go ahead,” he murmurs.

The big cop presses a small button on a panel, and the other one says, “Statement protocol, September twenty-second, eleven forty-five a.m. Officers present: Sergeant Ben Griers and Sergeant Jason Browne.” He nods at Donnie. “Please state your full name for the record, sir.”

“Donnie Saunders.” He’s surprised to see Griers giving him a small smile. Donnie keeps his eyes on him. It’s a damn sight nicer than looking at Browne glowering. And it keeps him calm.

Griers says, “Officer Browne will now ask you a few questions.”

Browne looks sour. “All right,” he says. “Mr. Saunders, your pickup truck was seen driving away after hitting Dennis Mallory on his bike while he was riding home after school yesterday afternoon at about three thirty p.m.”

“I told y’all three times now, it wasn’t me.” Donnie is getting so tired of this. His heart beats fast again. “Why is it that you can’t hear me?”

Officer Griers interrupts, “Let’s rephrase the question: Sir, where were you yesterday at three thirty p.m.?”

Now what? It’s bad that they don’t want to believe him. But it would be worse if they knew the truth. But it’s Donnie’s only choice, he can see that well enough. He swallows, then mumbles, “Was in Atlanta. Had an appointment at the DFCS.”

“I need to know who you were there to see,” Griers says. “A phone call to the person you had the appointment with will clear you.”

Donnie feels exhausted. What does it matter if the cop finds out? He can’t arrest him for it. At least then they’ll let him go. With any luck, he’ll never see Griers again, and what the cop thinks of him doesn’t matter. Though his gut clenches with shame as he imagines Griers looking at him with disgust when he finds out the truth. Donnie takes a deep breath. “Stacy Miller.”

“Thank you.” Griers looks at his partner with narrowed eyes, then gets up. “Jason, stay with Mr. Saunders. I’m going to call Ms. Miller.”

Donnie doesn’t want to be left alone with the other one. He shifts in his chair, away from the cop, and doesn’t look at him. He’s sure Browne is still glaring. He can feel the man’s fury.

For a few minutes they sit in silence. Donnie’s heart races like mad. He tries not to think about what Officer Griers is currently discussing with the woman from the DFCS’s Medicaid team, but it’s no use. Why does it even matter to him? He feels sick with shame.

“You’re lucky it’s not me making that call,” Browne says after the long silence. It makes Donnie jump and glance up. He wonders if the tape is still running. He’s about to answer back angrily, but at that moment the door opens.

“Mr. Saunders, your alibi for yesterday afternoon was confirmed by Ms. Miller,” Officer Griers says. “You’re free to leave.”

And that’s all he says. Donnie can’t believe it. The cop actually came through on his word. After a moment of shocked relief, he raises his hands without looking at Browne. “You gonna let me keep them as a souvenir?”

As soon as Browne has unshackled his wrists, Donnie is on his feet. He’s trying not to run as he makes for the door. He wants nothing but to leave this place. But he forces himself to stop when he reaches Griers. “Thanks,” he says without looking the cop in the eye. Then he hurries down the corridor.

Rubbing his wrists, Donnie pushes through the station entry, blinking in the sunlight. He stops and takes a deep, shaky breath.

What a fucking week he’s having. Floyd will be pissed. But as Donnie gets into his truck he feels grateful to Officer Griers. It’s not often that anyone in authority is kind to a Saunders.

All the way back home Donnie wonders why the officer looked so sad. He wishes he could do something to return the favor and make Griers feel better.

Mmmkay, so, this is the first I’ve read of this author, and the blurb had me intrigued. I’ve got a thing for cops and dads, so this one seemed right up my alley, right?

Let’s discus…. Ben is a cop who made his career his life, much to the dismay of his wife, who got tired of seemingly being a single parent. I mean, she might as well have been, right? We don’t learn of his wife and kid right away, they aren’t even mentioned until well after he meets Donnie at the station after being arrested for something he didn’t do. His partner, Jason, was a real jerk and treated him terribly before even knowing if he committed the crime or not. He didn’t, but instead of apologizing, like a normal person or being a good cop, he just keeps on with the sneering and bad attitude. I didn’t like him, even after he apologized at the end. I hope the next book isn’t about him, because I won’t be bothered with him.

Also, the book is supposed to be set in Georgia, which, I could tell some of the dialogue was thrown in to sound southern, but most of the time, it just didn’t work for me. There was also some English words thrown in for good measure….What the heck is a switchboard? Do we have those over here? What year is it? I’ve never in my life called anyplace at all, ever and gotten a switchboard. And here in the south, we drink sweet tea… it’s like our water… we don’t do “cuppa’s”

Okay, so aside from that, I liked Donnie. I’m not sure how he lived, only volunteering at an AA center, working with the children… I mean, how did he buy food? Gas for his truck? Basic necessities? His brother? Who you will also not like, treats him like dirt and beats up on him. Luckily he leaves midway through the story and when he comes back….he’s gone again. Which was just fine with me…

There’s an insta-love thing kind of happening here, the guys meet at a meeting and Ben gets really interested and involved in Donnie’s life. Donnie carries a lot of baggage and I always enjoy a good hurt/comfort story, and this one definitely had that. There are many obstacles for these two; illness, divorce, other family, death of a family member, a job that Ben seems to never go to, a best friend that’s a jerk and not very best friend like…. It was a lot. But through it all, Ben was there for Donnie. He never wavered, he was great, and I liked that for Donnie.

One thing I really hated, were those nurses at the hospital… calling Donnie names and blatantly not helping him.. did they get fired? In trouble? Arrested? I mean…. Seriously? I need justice for crap like that. You can’t just not mention them again. That made me sick. I’m petty, I need repercussions when someone is bigoted, negligent and just plain nasty. Just thought I’d note that because it bugged me the whole book.

Overall though, it was a gritty, real kind of story. Life isn’t always easy, there are sicknesses and disease, crazy family, abuse, and then supportive families and good kids, people willing to help… all the good bad and ugly. I was glad to see that eventually, things worked out for these two…

3 pieces of eye candy from me

Mel was born in Germany, where she spent the first twenty-six years of her life (with a one-year stint in Los Angeles). She has always been fascinated by cultures and human interaction, and got a Masters in Social Anthropology. After finishing university she moved to London, where she has now lived for ten years.

If you were to ask her parents what Mel enjoyed the most since the age of six, they would undoubtedly say “Reading!” She would take fifteen books on a three-week beach holiday, and then read all her mom’s books once she’d devoured her own midway through week two.

Back home in her mom’s attic there’s a box full of journals with stories Mel wrote when she was in her early teens. None of the stories are finished, or any good. She has told herself bedtime stories as far back as she can remember.

In her day job, Mel works as PA and office manager. No other city is quite like London, and Mel loves her city. The hustle and bustle still amaze and thrill her even after all these years. When not reading, writing or going to the theater, Mel spends her time with her long-time boyfriend, discussing science or poking fun at each other.

Author Links

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE FOR A WORLD APART

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Perfect Match by AG Meiers: Blog Tour and Exclusive Excerpt

January 18, 2019 by Denise

Secrets can derail even the most powerful attraction.

Logger Sven Larson has never found a man worth publicly coming out of the closet for. But his family has other plans. As a thirtieth birthday gift, his mother hires the online dating service Perfect Match to find Sven the love of his life. To say Sven isn’t thrilled is an understatement, but it’s too late to cancel, and Jayden Calver arrives.

Perfect Match’s success rate is unsurpassed, but they don’t come by it honestly: if a client can’t be matched, the agency uses a stand-in to fulfil their guarantee and protect their profit.

Tough luck has left Jayden in debt, and playing Perfect Match’s deceptive game is his only option. So he travels — sparkling toenails and all — to a remote camp deep in the mountains to meet Sven Larson and pretend to be his perfect match for a few days.

Sparks fly on first contact. But as the two men get closer, Sven grows more and more suspicious of Jayden, and Jayden struggles with guilt over his deceit. They both want a future together, but first they must find the courage to be honest with themselves and each other.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

“So, they offered you a job?” Jayden interrupted Sven’s thoughts as they settled down to eat. Before Sven could answer, Jayden took a bite of pasta, closed his eyes, and let out a delighted moan. “Mmm, so good. Wow! Orla is a fantastic cook.” After his little display of pleasure, he waved his fork around, gesturing for Sven to answer his question.

“Yes.” Sven adjusted himself under the table. Did City Boy have any idea how much he affected him? Desperate for a distraction, he started to talk.

“I worked in a logging camp a few seasons, so I know what it’s about. And I’ve also written a few articles about safety on the job, but I’ve never done a project like this. It’d be different. There’d be a team of writers and editors. There needs to be a real plan. Terminology needs to be consistent, so you need glossaries and style guides. There are also tools now that will allow you to recycle content in different output formats . . .” Sven looked up. Jayden had stopped eating and sat with a smirk on his face. Okay, yes, it really is a great job offer. No question. Sven’s ears heated as he stuffed a huge piece of pasta in his wayward mouth. They ate in silence for a while.

Finally, Jayden offered his opinion. “So, on the pro side we have good pay, fixed job with benefits, and what sounds like a cool new challenge. Why are you not jumping on it? There must be more than shirts and ties under cons.”

“It’s a temporary contract. Three years. And the whole project is headquartered in Vancouver. Long-term I don’t want to be in the city. And it’s just not my thing. I want to be able to see the mountains when I step out of my home. Not traffic jams.” Sven got up to get the water. “Refill?” he asked waving the bottle in Jayden’s direction.

“Yeah, please.”

Without being prompted, Sven gave Jayden another piece of lasagna.

Jayden tilted his head to the side as if he was contemplating Sven’s words. “So, you want to settle down somewhere permanently, and this job would delay you by three years, right? I get that. That’s definitely a valid reason.”

Jayden had connected the dots pretty quickly, while Sven’s family hadn’t picked up on his real concerns at all. Sven was tired of moving, tired of starting new, finding a new place to live, new friends. Sometimes it felt like being in foster care all over again. With Duncan’s death, he had lost a fixed point in his life, and it made him yearn for something more permanent than yet another temporary home.

For a while they simply focused on devouring their food, but then Sven added, “Also, I don’t want to leave Orla alone right now. Vancouver is hours away. I couldn’t come home every weekend.”

At his words, Jayden grew silent. For a few minutes, he picked at his pasta without eating much. What could Sven have said that put him off? Maybe it was just the fact that Sven wasn’t too keen on living in Vancouver. Jayden was clearly a city kid through and through.

“Eat up!” Sven grumbled. “You can use a little extra.”

Jayden ignored him and pushed his plate back. “My mom hated that I stopped school when she got sick. Absolutely hated it. She never had the opportunity to go to college because she got pregnant with me. So she was really, really excited for me when I started. She worked hard for it all her life. To give me the chance, you know?” Jayden’s voice sounded a little hoarse. “When the first test results came in and we still had hope, she tried to get me to go back, but after a while it was clear that this would be our last time together, so she stopped sending me away. Toward the end, I had to promise her every day that I wouldn’t give up on finishing my degree.”

Surprised by the sudden personal admissions, Sven wondered where Jayden was going with this. So far, he wasn’t quite clear what Jayden’s story had to do with his own dilemma, but he stayed quiet, giving Jayden a chance to continue.

“Marketing was my mom’s dream. If she hadn’t gotten pregnant with me, that’s what she would have chosen. And she would have been awesome at it, but me . . .” He let out a helpless snort. “I’m not creative. Not one bit, but I never told her. Back then, I thought it was the right thing to do, but every time I promised her to go back and finish my degree, I hurt inside. They were the last days with my mom, and there was this huge lie between us. I . . .” Jayden’s voice broke. He reached out for his water glass, but pulled back his shaking hand, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.

He was beautiful. Vibrating with raw, honest emotions. So beautiful and so fucking brave. Being this exposed, most men Sven knew would run at this moment. Remember something they’d forgotten in the lodge. Excuse themselves to the bathroom. At least make a stupid joke. Not Jayden. With grief, regret, and sadness written all over his face, he wasn’t hiding anything.

“All I want to say, really, is don’t put this on Orla. It’s not fair. Makes sense now that she is trying to push you into this so hard. She loves you. She doesn’t want to be the reason you miss out on a great opportunity.”

Sven said the first thing that came to his mind. “So you think staying here with my mother, who lost my dad only a few months ago, is wrong?” Shit. When had he gotten so defensive that he couldn’t have a normal conversation anymore?

Jayden quickly stood up and took his half-eaten plate to the sink. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I overstepped. My fault. You should have told me to mind my own business.”

“Listen, I hear you. I understand what you’re saying. Truth is, I never had a job offer like this before. To work as a full-time writer. I never thought of it as a job. Maybe I’m just . . . out of my comfort zone.” Yeah, that sounded better than plain scared. “And with my dad gone, Orla’s alone. It’s a difficult decision.”

“I think anyone who ever had to pull their life back together after losing someone they love understands that.”

Jayden turned away from him. His body was ridged and his breath uneven. Without much thinking, Sven stood and put his hands on Jayden’s shoulders, feeling the tension in his muscles. He hated to see anybody in pain, and Jayden had lost the only person in the world who had truly cared about him. Now, he had nobody.

After a few tense seconds, Jayden let out a whispered sigh and leaned back. Sven slowly wrapped his arms around Jayden, whose body went limp as he melted into the embrace. Sven couldn’t help the ridiculous thought that Jayden fit perfectly into his arms. Madness! Jayden’s head was tucked under his chin, and Jayden’s soft hair tickled his jaw. In the end, it was Jayden who eventually stepped away to wash the dishes. Sven hadn’t wanted to let go of him.

This book was a different feel for me. Two very different men, from very different places, brought together by a mom who just wants her son to be happy.

I did enjoy that despite everything Jayden was willing to give it all a shot. And how Sven made some changes just so he could find his own life.

There’s a bit of homophobia in it, but dealt with very well.

Enjoyed it.

3 pieces of eye candy

Eighteen years ago, AG Meiers came to the US for adventure and stayed for love. Currently, she lives in New England with her husband and two awesome kids—balancing work, friends and family, and writing.

When she has some free time, her favorite thing to do is travel and visit new places. Her past trips have already brought her to a variety of countries on four continents. She never passes up an opportunity to experience different cultures, diverse people and amazing locations.

Even though she has been dreaming up stories all her life, she has only recently started to write them down and share them with the world. As a writer she loves to put her characters through a lot of challenges, conflict and heartbreak, before she allows them to find their happy-ever-after.

Connect with AG Meiers:

The Spirit Key by Parker Williams: Exclusive Guest Post, Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

January 15, 2019 by Denise

TCO is super excited to have Parker Williams here talking about his new book The Spirit Key, a book that is outside of his “normal genre”. That being said, I don’t know if I would even agree that Parker has a “normal genre”. He has written all over the map within lgbt books, as well as hitting some of more difficult and challenging points. I’m excited to read this one, even though it might be out of my “normal genre” of reading. It’ll be interesting to see where he takes this one. So, check out his guest post on writing outside that genre, the “grab you and keep you” excerpt, and the great giveaway as well! Thanks for stopping by Parker!

When he was eight years old, Scott Fogel died. Paramedics revived him, but he came back changed. Ghosts and spirits tormented Scott for over a decade until, thinking he was going mad, he did the only thing he could.

He ran—leaving behind his best friend, Tim Jennesee.

Scott’s had five normal, ghost-free years in Chicago, when the spirit of Tim’s mother comes to him and begs him to go home because Tim’s in trouble and needs him.

He isn’t prepared for what he finds when he goes home—a taller and sexier Tim, but a Tim who hasn’t forgiven Scott for abandoning him… a Tim whose body is no longer his own. The ghost of a serial murderer has attached itself to Tim, and it’s whispering dark and evil things. It wants Tim to kill, and it’s becoming harder for Tim to resist. To free the man who has always meant so much to him, Scott must unravel the mystery of the destiny he shares with Tim.

Book Length: 74,439 words

Book Categories: Ghosts/spirits/paranormal

Author Name: Parker Williams

Book Name: The Spirit Key

Part of a series? If yes, can this book be read as a standalone? This is book one of Lock and Key.

Release Date: January 15, 2019

Goodreads

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Stepping outside of your usual genre

I know a lot of people hate it when an author does something they haven’t done before. They’ve got expectations of what a book will be when they hear an author is writing something, and then they get nervous that it won’t be as good or might be too different. But the thing is, as authors, we need to step outside the lines once in a while so that we can take our writing in a different direction.

I’ve done paranormal before, but they were books about shifters (my favorite type of stories). Then one night I had a dream about a ghost story. It was pretty vivid, and when I woke in the morning, I remembered most of the details and sat down to write it. That’s where Spirit Key came from.

In my not-overly-long career, I’ve done suspense (Haven’s Creed and Haven’s War), shifters (Protector of the Alpha and Scent of the Heart (and a quick thank you to Mary Phillips Wallace for that title!), BDSM (four of the Collars & Cuffs books, plus the three of Secrets with K.C. Wells). Each time, people wondered if a book would be as good as a romance. I’m not sure if they agree, but I think they turned out pretty well.

No one wants to get in a rut, and sometimes an author will have an idea that rides them hard, and has to be put to paper. The three books of the Links in the Chain series are kind of like that. This is my first solo attempt at doing a romance series. Lincoln was first, and then came Galen (Lincoln’s brother), and finally will be two characters you’ve yet to meet, but are related in a way. (True story: When I decided to write Stained Hearts, one of the character decided he was related to someone in Lincoln’s story, so my two books became three. Silly characters never follow the script.)

Anyway, back to the point of this post. Stepping outside your usual genre helps, I think, keep authors from getting into a rut. That is, if they want to try something different. Some people are perfectly happy—and totally skilled—at doing strictly romance. More power to them. Me? I get a story idea, and I’m going where the wind takes me.

I hope that people who come along for the ride are satisfied with my efforts. The Spirit Key will be, I hope, the first in a series. I’ve started the second book, and already killed a few people. As LM Somerton said, “Evil author.”

Thank you so much for having me and also for hosting my tour! 🙂

Parker Williams

SUMMER, 2002

WHAT MEMORY stands out most in your mind from when you were a kid? For many of my friends, it was getting a good grade on a test they were sure they’d fail, making a catch during a football game, or finding out the person they were crushing on liked them back. For others, it was more physical, like their first kiss or having sex for the first time.

For me, the one that topped that list was in the summer of 2002. The memory? Me dying. Well, almost dying. I mean, technically, I was dead for twenty-seven minutes, at least according to the paramedics and doctors.

See, I had gone down to the quarry with my brother and some of his friends. I was eight at the time, and to be invited to go along with the “big kids” was a heady thing.

Okay, fine. My mom told them they had to take me, but they weren’t supposed to let me know.

That’s not the point of the story, however. Still, between us, when your brother tells you that Mom said he had to take you and that you ruined his day by dying? That kind of sticks with you.

Anyway. The whole week had been hotter than hell—upper nineties, heat index topping a hundred, with no breeze at all. What made it worse was the humidity. Everyone complained their clothes stuck to them, and we all would have given anything for a bit of cool air. Those were the days you wanted to do nothing more than stretch out in front of the air conditioner and fantasize about being in the arctic.

Of course, those are also the times that drive Mom mad, like when we’re there, whining about how hot it is, and my brother announces he’s going swimming with his friends, and she tells him to take me along to the quarry with him.

Fine. I’m a little hostile over that memory, but in my defense, I died, so I think I have a right to be a tad grumpy.

Moving on….

There were a few old trees that stretched out over a pit of water. In the seventies, the place had been used to mine rocks that were crushed to use in gardens and the like. When the company that owned it shut down, it left a huge hole in the ground. Over time, it filled with water, which attracted kids from all over, wanting to swim. That was our destination for the day.

By the time we got there, all of our T-shirts had soaked with sweat. I distinctly remember looking at Cole Turner and seeing wisps of dark hair on his chest and wondering to myself what it would look like once he took his shirt off. I wasn’t sure why that thought flitted through my head, but it was gone just as quickly, because I saw Tim Jennesee sitting on a rock, taking off his shoes.

“Tim!”

He turned and smiled at me, waving like a freak. I took off running. Tim had been my best friend forever—which at the time was probably a few months, but in my eight-year-old mind, that qualified as a really long time—and seeing him there was a surprise. Normally he preferred to stay inside and play on the computer, indulging in game worlds like the Sims. Later he graduated to MMORPGs like EverQuest, with the promise that one day he would be creating them instead of playing someone else’s.

I got to where he sat and took my spot at his side. He nudged me with his shoulder. “I didn’t know you were going to be here!”

“Ryan asked me to come along.” See? I thought my brother was all cool and stuff. Shows how much I knew.

“Really? My mom said I had to get out of the house. I figured I’d come swimming for a while. I tried to call, but—”

“We were already on our way here.”

I hadn’t thought to call him, and I felt bad… for about three seconds. I was with Tim and the day had gotten a thousand times better. His dark hair shone in the sun, and his brown eyes sparkled. Being with him was enough to make me smile, and having him there with me made the day perfect.

Okay, here’s where things go to shit, so you’ll have to indulge me a bit. I don’t often discuss my death with people, because they ask all kinds of inane questions, and I’m so over that shit.

There was a big tree that stretched out over the watery pit. Someone had climbed it, tied off a rope, then knotted it at the other end. See, the idea was to grab hold, push off, and soar out into the nothingness, then arc high in the sky before letting go and plunging into the water, sinking, then rising once again until you broke the surface, then rushed to have another turn.

Doesn’t that sound idyllic? Like a Norman Rockwell painting or something?

Yeah, you’d think that.

It was my turn. I’d hedged about it all day, because I hated the idea of being so high in the air and falling. Ryan openly mocked me, and his friends teased me to no end. When Tim got up and announced he was going to do it, well, that raised the bar right there. How could my best friend do it, while I was too chicken?

Wrapping his hands around the rope, Tim ran and leaped off the edge, soaring into the air with a loud cry. Then, as he reached the apex of the arc, he let go. For a moment everything stopped, as he rose a little higher, then hung in the air before he dropped like a stone, laughing all the way.

When he broke the surface of the water a few seconds later, my heart started beating again.

“So, nerdy Tim can do it, but little Scotty is too much of a baby.”

It’s funny how you don’t remember how much of an ass your brother was when you were a kid, isn’t it?

“I’m not a baby!”

“Then prove it, chicken.”

“Fine!”

I stormed over to the rope and took hold of it. I glanced down into the murky pit, and my heart stuttered once more.

“Come on, Scott. It’s fun!”

Tim came jogging over, water sluicing down his chest, his hair matted to his forehead. Weirdly, that stray thought about Cole? Yeah, so over it. Now it was Tim that I was staring at.

“Okay.”

I was going to make Tim proud of me. I didn’t understand why, but thinking of him running over and hugging me, telling me how great I’d done? It became the only thought in my head at the moment.

I turned back and set myself, ready to do it. One quick glance at Tim, who nodded at me, and I rushed to the edge, jumped, and flew.

It was amazing. One second gravity has been conquered, and you’re flying up, up, up. Then you remember that everyone is gravity’s bitch, and you’re jerked back down. I hit the water, flush with pride over having done it.

When I flapped my arms to go back to the surface, though, that was when shit got real.

I couldn’t move my foot. Something had wrapped around it and held me below the surface. In my mind, a shark had grabbed me and was dragging me down. I struggled, trying to swim up, and my lungs burned.

You have to know, at this time, my mind had refused to believe I was going to die. It kept screaming for me to fight, to do whatever the hell I had to in order to get back to the surface. And I fought as hard as I could. Only….

At one point, I thought I’d gotten free, and my struggles to swim back to the surface intensified. I pushed hard against the water, trying to get up, back into the sun, but then I knew I was still stuck, and I had no more breath in my lungs.

I remember opening my mouth to scream for Tim to help me, but the murky water rushed in, and I choked, which led to more water being drawn into my body. Everything sort of went hazy and then shifted to black.

I’d died.

Parker Williams began to write as a teen, but never showed his work to anyone. As he grew older, he drifted away from writing, but his love of the written word moved him to reading. A chance encounter with an author changed the course of his life as she encouraged him to never give up on a dream. With the help of some amazing friends, he rediscovered the joy of writing, thanks to a community of writers who have become his family.

Parker firmly believes in love, but is also of the opinion that anything worth having requires work and sacrifice (plus a little hurt and angst, too). The course of love is never a smooth one, and happily-ever-after always has a price tag.

Website: www.parkerwilliamsauthor.com

Twitter: @ParkerWAuthor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/parker.williams.75641

Email: parker@parkerwilliamsauthor.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Is It Over Yet? by L.A. Witt: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Release Day Review * 2 and Giveaway

January 8, 2019 by Denise

Rhys Powell and Derek Scott are divorcing. Mistakes have been made, lines have been crossed, and there’s no going back. Both men are exhausted and ready to move on.

But their daughter is getting married soon. In the name of not putting a damper on her wedding, Derek and Rhys agree to keep the divorce on the down-low and show up as the happy couple everyone still believes they are.

And between a roller coaster of a road trip and the love and joy surrounding the wedding… Derek and Rhys just might remember why they fell for each other in the first place.

Are they only kidding themselves? Or can a rekindled spark really light the way to forgiveness?

Length: 60,000 words

Cover Design: Lori Witt

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK

Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Chapter 1

Rhys

The suburban Chicago house I’d lived in for the past six years came into view, and my stomach knotted tighter. It was the same feeling I’d had on my way to a job I’d hated a lifetime ago, when pulling up to the building made me groan out loud at the prospect of another shift in that godforsaken place. Didn’t seem right to feel that way coming home, but there it was, same as it had been for the past two months.

By the time I pulled into the garage beside the familiar red Corolla, my jaw ached from clenching my teeth. Probably because that’s what I’d been doing every night this week at the same time. Ugh. If I didn’t move out of this place soon, my dental bills were going to be astronomical. That was a good enough reason to step things up, wasn’t it? So I didn’t grind my teeth to dust?

As if I didn’t already have a laundry list of reasons why I needed to get out of here.

With an ache in my jaw and a sour feeling in my throat, I collected my coffee cup, lunch bag, and briefcase, and got out of the car. On the way inside, I couldn’t help limping a little, which added to my festering annoyance. It wasn’t unusual for my leg to be sore by the end of the day, especially after I’d been coaching basketball, but it wasn’t doing much for my shitty mood. I couldn’t think of much that would, though. Nothing short of substances that would get me fired. Or maybe finding a note on the counter that said I moved out. There wasn’t a plant on this earth that would get me higher than reading those three sweet little words.

But unless my soon-to-be ex-husband had won the lottery since this morning, he was just as stuck here as I was.

At the door, I paused for a deep breath to steel myself, then went inside. The kitchen and living room were empty. Derek’s car was here, so it was a safe bet he was home, but he was somewhere else in the house. Good enough for me. If I was lucky, he’d stay that way long enough for me to wind down.

I went through my usual motions—cleaning out my lunch bag, rinsing the Tupperware dishes, checking the cats’ food and water, perusing the mail. For years this routine had soothed me. Helped me shift from work to home so I could relax. Not so much these days.

Our long-haired calico, Lucy, hopped upon the counter and chirped at me, and I managed to crack a smile as I scratched her back the way she loved. She arched under my hand and purred. I chuckled, and I didn’t even mind that she was kicking the mail everywhere as she strutted back and forth on the counter.

“Hey, sweetheart. You miss me?”

More purring.

I kept scratching and petting her for a moment, trying not to think about the future. Or the fact that Derek and I still hadn’t come to a custody agreement about the cats. They were littermates, and though they could fight almost as loudly as we could, they were inseparable. There was no “you take Lucy and I’ll take Chico.” When this was all over and we finally went our separate ways, someone was taking both cats, and someone would be living without them.

I scooped Lucy into my arms, and I hugged her tight, which just made her purr louder and my conscience burn hotter. Guilt had been a constant friend for the past couple of months, and every time I thought about either losing my cats or taking them away from Derek, I wanted to cry. As if I hadn’t done enough of that recently.

I’m so sorry, guys. I buried my face in Lucy’s plush fur. I fucked everything up.

The click of a door at the opposite end of the house made my spine stiffen. Lucy tensed too. By the time Derek was halfway up the hall, she’d stopped purring. As he cleared the corner into the living room, she wriggled in my arms, and I sighed as I set her back down on the counter. She jumped to the floor and trotted out of the room, probably to the office where Chico was likely watching birds.

I watched her go, fresh guilt gnawing at me. Things had really gone to shit when even the cats didn’t want to be in the same room with the two of us.

Without the cat to hold my attention anymore, I turned to see where Derek was headed so I could make my own escape. I still needed to change clothes anyway, not to mention take off my prosthetic and sit for a while to give my joints a rest. If he was going to hang out in the living room, then I could go into my bedroom or join the cats in the office.

But Derek wasn’t heading into the living room. He was coming into the kitchen. And from the way his gaze was fixed on me, he wanted to talk about something.

I swallowed. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Do you have a few minutes?”

I struggled to hold his gaze. He didn’t seem like he was looking for a fight. There was some tension in his features, but it didn’t read as hostility or anger.

I shifted my weight, wincing at the vicious ache in my hip. “Yeah. Do you mind if we sit, though?”

“Sure. Yeah. Living room?”

“Okay.” I followed him out of the kitchen, and we sat on opposite ends of the sofa. As soon as I was seated, I leaned down, rolled up my pant leg, and disconnected my prosthetic. Derek didn’t speak while I removed it; for all our inability to coexist lately, he was still in the habit of giving me a minute to get situated, particularly when I needed to kick off the prosthetic after a long day on my feet.

I leaned the prosthetic against the end table and sat back, releasing a relieved sigh. Everything ached, especially my hips, knees, and right ankle, and taking some weight off them felt so good. I might’ve even relaxed if not for Derek waiting a cushion away to have a conversation. Ugh. God. What now?

Schooling my expression, I twisted toward him. I stole a second just to look at him. There would come a time in the very near future when all I had left of him was pictures, and even with the constant tension hanging between us, it hurt to imagine not seeing him anymore. Seeing him like this hurt too. The dark eyes that had tongue-tied me on day one were cold now. Beside his eyes and mouth were lines that deepened whenever he smiled or laughed, and they were barely visible now. The near-black hair I’d run my fingers through millions of times, the soft lips I’d tasted more times than I could count, that spot on his neck where a single kiss could make him shudder all over—it was all out of my reach now.

Maybe it was time to take my sister up on the offer to come stay with her. I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could handle.

Forcing back my emotions, I tried to sound casual. “All right. What’s up?”

He mirrored me, pulling his knee up onto the cushion and drumming his fingers on his inseam. “Um.” He stared down at his hand. “So, I talked to Vanessa this morning.”

My gut clenched. Instantly my mind was filled with a million worst case scenarios. I’d expected him to have something on his mind about us, not about our daughter, and panic shot through me. Had something happened? Was she hurt? Sick? “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah. Everything’s fine.” He made a calm down gesture. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Okay. Good.” I exhaled, my heartbeat coming back down. It wasn’t unusual for her to call him, but the whole “we need to talk” thing had me on edge. “So…” I raised my eyebrows. Oh God, had he told her? Did he finally tell her we were divorcing? He’d been dancing around that for two months.

Derek cleared his throat, and to my surprise, he smiled, though he still seemed guarded. “She’s, um… She’s getting married.”

I blinked. “She is?”

He nodded. “Corbin proposed last night.”

“Oh. Wow.” I actually laughed because I was so relieved that instead of something horrible, he was breaking the news that Vanessa was engaged. “That’s great!”

“Yeah. It is.” He met my gaze, but then he broke eye contact, and his smile faltered.

How could a conversation be this much of a roller coaster after thirty seconds? Oh, right, because it was us and we were a disaster. A disaster our daughter still didn’t know about.

Derek took a deep breath and sat up a little. “Here’s the thing—they want to get married sooner than later. Corbin is going to be transferring within the next year, and he’ll probably deploy at some point. So they want to get all their ducks in a row quickly.”

I nodded. “Makes sense. How soon is soon?”

“They’re thinking February.”

I whistled. “Really not letting the grass grow, are they?”

He laughed quietly. “No. But it’s still three months away. It isn’t like they’re eloping next week.”

“True.” And why was this line of conversation making me apprehensive? Like it was going somewhere I really didn’t want it to go? I was thrilled for our daughter and her husband-to-be, but something about this discussion with Derek…didn’t feel right. After nine years together, I knew him, I knew his tells, and I knew there was more to this than just telling me Vanessa was getting married.

Chewing his lip, Derek dropped his gaze and watched his fingers drumming on his knee again. There was definitely something on his mind. Something he needed to say, but either couldn’t figure out how to or couldn’t quite work up the nerve.

“Derek?” I nudged. “What am I missing here? You’re happy about this, right?”

“Yeah. Of course. I’m… There’s just…” He closed his eyes. Finally, he met mine again. “Vanessa still doesn’t know about, um, us.”

I winced. In the two months since we’d decided to split up, we’d debated more than once when and how we should tell her. The holidays were almost upon us, so that hadn’t seemed like the right time, and we’d agreed to keep a lid on it until after the New Year. She couldn’t make it out for Thanksgiving, and she was spending Christmas with her mom, so it wasn’t as if we’d have to play happy husbands right in front of her. Just keep up the illusion on social media and on the phone. Easy. Except for the part where it meant we’d had to keep it quiet from almost everyone else so no one accidentally let it slip on Facebook. And we were still stuck living together anyway because neither of us could afford to move out yet, so the whole fucking world thought everything was quiet on the home front. The closest we’d come to letting it slip was when a friend noticed our wedding portrait wasn’t on the mantle anymore. Derek had quickly said the frame had broken, and the subject had dropped. For now.

“Right,” I said. “So what does that have to do with her getting—” I tensed, then inclined my head. “Derek, please tell me you’re not going where I think you’re going.”

He looked at me plaintively. “It’s her wedding, Rhys. The next couple of months are going to be stressful as hell for her, and I’d rather all that stress be about planning her wedding. Not worrying about her dads splitting up.”

Closing my eyes, I pushed out a long breath through my nose. We’d been married for seven years, and even though our happier days seemed like a lifetime ago, I remembered the stressful months leading up to the wedding like it was yesterday. The thought of my parents dropping a bomb like that in the middle of all that chaos? Of trying to enjoy my damn wedding while I worried myself sick about making them be in the same room? Okay, yeah, I got what he was driving at. But…fuck.

Honestly… just punch me in the face, it’ll hurt less.

I love, love, love stories like this one, that are so real and honest and hard !! People mess up and make mistakes, who can’t relate to that?

So, we come in to this one, with an already established relationship, Rhys and
Derek are married and have been for near on a decade. But during a rough patch, after a few too many drinks, one of them ends up going home with another man. I know cheating stories are a deal breaker for some… and for someone like myself, who’s ex-husband cheated and got someone else pregnant… it hurt, reading about it. (Though, there is no on-page cheating)… The anger and bitterness that Derek felt… the need for revenge and just so much hurt….

And I loved seeing Rhys guilt and the ownership of the mistake. He never once tried to blame it on anything other than his mess up. He never tried to make excuses, he never tried to justify the mistake, because as much as it killed Derek, it was killing Rhys too.

So, planning to get divorced… they decide to wait until after their daughter’s wedding to drop the news, plus, anyone who’s been divorced, knows that it’s not just easy as 1, 2, 3. It takes planning and money and it completely flips your life upside down.

There’s one little snibbit that I loved so hard, when Derek says, “Who knew this would be the hardest part about breaking up? Not just the hurt and betrayal, not just the upheaval of our peaceful life, but realizing that small things were gone.”
And it’s true… little things that you maybe took for granted while you were busy living life. Like watching tv together, or a book series you both loved and hadn’t finished. You have to mourn those things, losing them… it’s hard… and it was so perfectly written in this.

So, okay….enough of my psychoanalyzing…back to the story…. The guys had planned to wait to tell their daughter about their separation until after her wedding, but until then, and during the wedding, they wanted to put on the front that they were still together and happy. Not ideal, but I got it.

Over a 4 day long road trip and remembering all the reasons they loved each other in the first place, maybe the anger and hurt and resentment could be worked through. At times it feels like it can’t, and we go back and forth with Derek and how he feels, and then Rhys, I just wanted to hug him through the whole thing, but I loved how it ended. LOVED IT!! Could ya tell?

I could go on and on about this for days, I feel like… but I’ll spare you so you can actually read the story yourself… But, if you love second chance romances with real life hardships and mistakes.. you’ll love this one. You’ll cry over the love, the hurt, the anger, the guilt, and then the forgiveness, the relief and then the love again. I loved this book, SO MUCH! I absolutely recommend it.

5 well deserved pieces of eye candy from me!

FAVORITE LINE: “Who knew this would be the hardest part about breaking up? Not just the hurt and betrayal, not just the upheaval of our peaceful life, but realizing that small things were gone.”

I’ll read almost anything by LA Witt, so I was excited to see this new release as it was something different. A married couple on their way to divorce, but faking it for the sake of their daughter’s wedding. And I enjoyed it mostly. It certainly wasn’t amazing, but entirely readable with a decent story.

Derek and Rhys are broken up but still living together. Mostly for financial reasons but also because it never seems to be the right time to tell their daughter. So when she announces that she is getting married, they figure they should wait until after the wedding. But first they have to get through the wedding.

The tension between the two was very real. It didn’t come out right away why they were splitting up, but suffice it to say that one man was incredibly mad and the other was incredibly broken. But they have a 4 day each way road trip and a wedding to get through. They mutually agree to leave their problems behind for the trip and try to not only not kill each other, but maybe enjoy themselves.

Being that I live in a sort of similar situation in real life, I am going to tell you that a lot of what was going on with them was spot on. If you’re just basically nice to the other person will they assume that means you are wanting to get back together? Are they reading more into it? How can you be nice when you are so mad? But how can you ignore your past which was mostly happy?

So ya, spot on.

A lot of the back story was slow to come by and lacked a bit of punch for me. When and how they met, their daughter, their daughter’s mother, even the fact that Rhys wore a prosthetic leg and the story behind it felt like it was added to the story because it should be in there. But it also didn’t add anything to the story.

There was a bit of repetition with their daughter that got old and it wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly for me. I appreciated the epilogue, but again, it felt a bit like they were saying the same things over and over again.

Not her best, but worth the read for the feelings portrayed and the different story line.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com

E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com

Twitter: @GallagherWitt

Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway