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Kicking it with the Best Man (Out and Kickin’ Book 1) by Riley Long: Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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I’ve been out and proud for years, happily living my truth. Never did I imagine I would be asked to step back into the closet.

Until that night at the club.

After one too many cocktails, I ended up in a bathroom stall enjoying a hot and steamy tryst with a super sexy guy named Nate. We exchanged numbers and indulged in some spicy sexting.

But when I asked him to meet up again, he ghosted me.

I tried distracting myself by acting as a friend’s plus one to a wedding. Who do I see standing next to the groom, looking like a snack? Nate. He claims no one knows he’s gay and asks me to be discreet. Still, my years of hiding are behind me. Can I help him find the strength to come out to his family and friends? Or will his reservations be too big an obstacle to overcome?

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I’d tried, I swear to God I had tried. I’d tried to tear my eyes away from Theo the entire time I was standing behind my brother, listening to him vow to love his new wife for the rest of his life. I’d tried to ignore the throb in my groin and the deep ache in my chest as I watched Theo shift in his seat and steal glances at me while Marcus and Christa swore to support each other forever, even while my traitorous gaze kept darting to him. I’d even tried to pretend that Sadie Stewart hadn’t brought Nate to the wedding at all, despite the fact that he was standing at the open bar ordering a drink when I’d finished my portion of the second photo shoot of the day and started toward the reception tent. God help me, I really had tried.

Instead, I’d caught a look at Theo as he passed the bartender an empty glass and accepted a full one. I’d watched as he’d followed Sadie to their table and even went so far as going to the bar to order my own drink. When I’d gotten there, I’d caught a whiff of what must have been Theo’s aftershave because it smelled exactly like he had that night, the night we’d met in Ember. The night I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forget, seared in my memory forever.

My stomach had twisted and turned, caught between longing and panic when I caught the scent of him, and I hadn’t been able to stop myself from storming over to his table and demanding that we have a talk.

That’s when Sadie had popped up from her table, assuming I meant to talk to her. “Of course. Is everything okay?”

I blinked twice at her. “No. I mean, yes everything’s okay. Sorry, I meant Theo.” I gestured with my beer bottle at him.

This seemed like a nice quick read in a cute series. I haven’t read this author’s works before, but the covers to this series were cute, so had to. 🙂

The book is fairly low angst, with one of the MCs being fully out of the closet, and the other having had a pretty shi!tty father being in the closet. They hook up in a bar, some sexting later, then  radio silence by Nate. Some angst ridden days by Nate, until he could find his way out of the closet.

Theo’s friends, who I am guessing will be featured in upcoming books in the series were all great. They harassed and teased each other like good friends.

It was a quick read, with little angst, and a happily together couple at the end, with some seriously sexy times. 😉

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Riley Long is an author of gay romances novels spanning many genres from contemporary to paranormal. They live a quiet life in Virginia, with their husband, son, and two very silly pit bulls.

They spend their evenings writing, reading, and watching bad television (or not so bad television).

For fun, Riley participates in NaNoWriMo, GISH, and reads with her book club, the BAMFs.

They like things with silly acronyms.

Riley can tell you two different stories about getting covered in dairy products for a hug.

Connect with Riley:
https://www.facebook.com/WriterRileyLong
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1097122257097073
https://www.instagram.com/writerrileylong/
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This Will Hurt II (Book 2 of 2: This Will Hurt) by Cara Dee: Excerpt and Release Day Review

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Part II of II | Angst | Awakening | Friends to Lovers | Family | Slow Burn
Buckle up. Hearts broken and wings clipped, Roe and Jake have mountains to climb, walls to tear down, and countless private moments to bring them even closer in this final part of their journey.

I’d gotten what I’d asked for, right? The ground beneath me had finally settled. I had the wife. I had the kid—my beautiful baby boy. Work was great. I was traveling the globe with my best friend, and together we were Roe Finlay and Jake Denver. Inseparable.

 That was the f— That was the problem. We were inseparable. Even though he would never be the man I’d once wished he could be, I couldn’t freaking cope going a day without seeing him. When we were together, all was well in the world. I could breathe easier.

 Then I found his damn journal from…therapy. That was right. My best friend, who defined “man of few words,” was in therapy. The ground started shaking again. I got desperate. I swam in denial. I…almost lost him on the job when he saved my life.

 Nothing was settled anymore.

This Will Hurt II by Cara Dee

Series: This Will Hurt II of II

Genre: MM Contemporary Romance

Release Day: Friday, June 2nd, 2023

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What the fuck did you wear to a country concert?

 I grabbed a pair of jeans and boxer briefs from the closet, then walked back into the bedroom and picked up my phone from my nightstand. I sent Jake a message.

 I’m fresh out of chaps and cowboy hats. What should I wear, hoss?

 While I waited for his response, I removed the towel around my hips and put on the boxers and jeans.

 “Dada, I’m-wa no baff!”

 I glanced over at the door as my boy ran in, with Sandra hot on his tail.

 I grinned faintly and swooped him up. “Look out, we got a runner ova’ hea’.” I peppered his face with smooches, and he giggled up a storm. “You can’t escape bath time, baby boy. But you know what comes after, don’t you? Mommy’s gonna read you a story.”

 “Nooo,” he complained.

 “Yeees, I mimicked.

 Sandra sighed and smiled ruefully. “Let’s go, sweetie. We’ll get extra bubbles and everything.”

 “Hear that? We love those bubbles.” I handed over the clinging monkey to her and pressed a kiss to the side of his head.

 “I don’t wannaaa,” he whined.

 Sandra carried him out, only to stop in the doorway and turn back to me. “You sure you don’t wanna cancel?”

 Positive—and I wasn’t fighting with her about it again.

 “I won’t be late,” was all I said.

 The teasing glint in her eyes faded, and she walked out.

 I released a breath.

 My phone dinged on the nightstand, and I walked over and read Jake’s text.

 I’ll tell you you’re pretty no matter what you wear, sugar.

 I laughed silently and shook my head.

 Helpful.

 Whatever. I returned to the closet and dug out a long-sleeved tee that made my biceps look good. We were going to an outdoor place up in Griffith Park, so it was bound to get chilly. But I liked that it wasn’t a huge concert. Only some five thousand people. It beat going to the Staples Center.

 Jake picked me up downstairs fifteen minutes later, and the most country thing about him continued to be his truck. It made no sense to drive a truck in LA. But he loved it, and I really had no room to argue choices of vehicles. I was still a laughingstock after buying a sports car before Casper was born. Worst deal ever. I’d probably lost twenty grand when I’d traded it in for a family-friendly SUV.

 “Hey, pretty.” Jake pulled out from the curb. “I see you found clothes.”

 “No thanks to you.” I smiled and buckled my seat belt. “Will I see a lot of chaps tonight?”

 “If I drop you off in West Hollywood instead, I’m sure there’s a club for you.”

 I laughed. Funny.

 “Oh, this is a good one.” He cranked up the volume on the stereo. “He’ll probably play this tonight.”

 I side-eyed him, more interested in studying Jake than hearing a song. There was something inherently sexy about how he drove. He made life look easy when he was on the road. One arm along the edge of the window, the sleeves of his open flannel shirt rolled up—some serious forearm porn going on—two fingers gripping the wheel loosely at the bottom. He tapped his foot to the rocky beat, and his lips moved subtly to the singer’s voice.

 Ratty USMC ball cap on the dash. Since he always wore it backward, he took it off when a headrest was in the way.

 Fitting lyrics, about holding on to things you believed in.

 Of course, it being a country rock song, the topic was the singer’s truck.

 “It’s the miles that make a man.”

 How many miles till I fell out of love with him?

 “I’d be nothing without you, so I’m holding on.”

 Surprisingly, a line not about the truck.

 “I’m not the openin’ act,” he chuckled. “Quit starin’.”

 That was the fucking problem, wasn’t it? He was the headliner.

Oh man I couldn’t wait for this book. Book 1 didn’t end really on a cliff hanger. But it was a bit of an omg moment And, of course, their story wasn’t over.

We left off with Roe married. After sleeping with Jake in Las Vegas. But they were both drunk so there was a lot of justifying going on in their minds.

In this book, we watch as both families grow. Jake and Nikki have another baby. Roe finds out he is going to be the father of twins. (and his wife didn’t tell him before announcing it on Insta?!?!?) They have hired more people for Two Condor Chicks and their podcast, documentaries and series are all hugely popular.

It’s pretty unspoken that they don’t talk about Vegas and they haven’t repeated Vegas. Until they do. Roe is a mess. His wife has severe postpartum depression and he is trying to do it all. Something has to give. And it’s how he feels for Jake.

Yes, he cheats on his wife. But we all know he belongs with Jake so it is super easy to forgive him. And they actually talk about their relationship and what will happen in the future. You can’t help but cheer for them.

Jake still has a TON of internalized homophobia to work through. It’s just heartbreaking the damage his parents did to him. So when they start telling people, Jake is fine telling those closest to him. But now that they are semi-famous, he has a hard time thinking about telling the world.

PS- almost no one is surprised 😉

This 2 book series was the epitome of love overcoming all else. These guys were the best of friends. Their kids all acted like siblings. Their lives are so nearly perfect. The final piece was them becoming an actual couple.

The kids are integrated SO well into the story. They are never forgotten yet they never take over the story either.

Everyone had a role, no one was there as filler. There were subtle cameos of several characters from other Cara Dee books, which is always fun. And again, they fit. They weren’t gratuitous cameos to please readers.

A 10 plus year epic from the first time they meet up to them blending their families and living happily ever after.

Read these books. Seriously. And they are totally vanilla if kink isn’t your jam.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. 

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. 

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write. 

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage

 

Asking For A Friend by JJ Harper: Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Lando writes about romance for a living yet shuns it in his life.

After too many failed relationships, Lando Hardwick has enough. No more dates for him. His taste in men is abysmal. He always falls for the ones who are only looking for fun.

Hesketh Trent has stopped searching for a boyfriend. They only see him as a walking cash machine, only care what he can buy them. What has happened to romance, love?

Getting soaked by scolding coffee is the worst way to start the day, but hell’s bells, the man is divine. Even though the man ticks all his boxes, no way is Lando giving him his phone number. He’ll be like all the rest: one hot night and he kicks him out the door.

But Hesketh doesn’t give up so easily. The cute redhead with no brain-to-mouth filter intrigues him as no man has ever done.

A cat and mouse chase is on, with Lando as the mouse. Once Lando is caught, they can’t stay away from one another.

Until Hesketh makes a mistake.

Thank god for mutual friends who won’t give up on them and push them together when they’re both too stubborn to take the next step.

Asking For a Friend is a stand-alone MM novel with a group of sassy men, a larger-than-life ginger cat called Flanaghan, a stubborn writer, and a man who can plan events but not his own life.

Title: Asking For A Friend
Authors: JJ Harper
Length: 56k
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary.
Tropes: slow burn, sweet vs stubborn.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Lando licks the wine from his lip and sets his glass down on the counter. His eyes dart to my groin and darken. Then his mouth hits mine, and our bodies line up. He’s as turned on as I am.

But what to do about it? It’s not how I wanted the evening to start, but it’s how I want it to end. It looks like Lando is on the same page as me. Reluctantly I break the kiss and pull back a little.

“You make me feel things I don’t know what to do with,” he says breathlessly. He rests his hands on my chest, pressing his fingertips into my shirt.

“What does that mean?” I keep my hands on his waist, wanting him to feel me. To connect with me.

“I’ve stayed away from relationships. You know that. But you, you make me want it, a relationship with you.”

I grin, making sure my dimples pop. He groans and lays his head on my chest. “Dammit, Hesketh.”

“Would it make you feel better if I tell you I want to be with you? As your boyfriend, in a relationship. Exclusively.”

As he lifts his head, his eyes are sparkling, glittering with unspoken emotion. “I think I’d like that very much.”

“Good.” I kiss his forehead. “Now sit there and pretend you’re not watching my arse as I get dinner ready.”

“I can do that.” He’s so quiet I look over my shoulder at him. He’s chewing at the edge of his thumb. A nervous habit I’ve seen him do before. I wink, and he smiles, so I turn back to the food. “Your hand twitches when you want to hold mine but don’t know if you should. You talk about Ellis and his family more than you do your own. You always peel the edges of your coffee cup when you’ve finished. You’re honest and kind. And I trust you.”

My knife clatters on the chopping board. I swivel around and take the few steps to Lando. When I cup his face in my hands, he parts his lips and sighs. Our mouths collide, and I slip my tongue inside, tasting the wine as well as him. I can’t get enough of him. He tastes divine. We dip in and out of each other’s mouths. Lando’s hands have found their way under my shirt and creep up my back. Mine are tangled in his hair.

When we break apart, Lando slicks his puffy bottom lip. “Maybe we should go and fuck. I don’t think we’re going to get dinner anytime soon.”

I’ve read a couple of books from this author, and this one sounded like a fun one. I was hoping for a light hearted read, but that wasn’t exactly what I got.

Lando and Hesketh really need a class in communication. They took miscommunication to a whole new level in this book. They “dated” for a couple of months before they went on their first date, but all those lunches seemed to just allow them to learn surface things about each other. So, when the big things happened neither knew what was going on with the other and a huge wall leapt up between them that neither stubborn person was willing to breach.

Probably my biggest issue with this book was the “breakup”. It just seemed improbable to me (small spoiler here) that Hesketh would go an entire weekend with his long lost brother and fiance, and never once think about Lando and the fact that he just didn’t show up for something they had been planning for quite a while. Yes, he put his phone on silent, but how, if you love someone do you just completely forget their existence for an entire weekend? The idea of forgiving him for that was just unbelievable to me. I did understand one of them chasing the other for a while, then when they were getting back together, the other one chasing him down. But I just didn’t understand completely forgetting about your lover for three full days.

The other issue I had was Hesketh’s temper. He seemed to blow up at the smallest things. Every person is different, as are their tempers, but it was really hard to like someone who threw a tantrum over a holiday they didn’t know about (this seemed to be an unnecessary scene to me), or because someone was working and so involved in work that they missed the start of lunch.

The side characters were all fantastic, for sure. And Lando wore his heart on his sleeve, even as he told his parents to F off, he was kinder than most would have been.

This one just didn’t work well for me.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

You will normally find her in the living room—typing away—with her wayward puppy, Siddiqi. As a hopeless romantic, JJ dives into her stories, always falling in love with her men, making sure they get the happy-ever-after they deserve, even if they do have to work hard for it.
JJ lives in a small, very quiet, village in Lincolnshire, UK, with her husband and dog, and spends all day dreaming up stories full of really hot men

Connect with JJ:
Find out more: http://jjharperauthor.ctcin.bio
Author page: https://www.facebook.com/authorJJHarper
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jessjhoney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessjharper
Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/ha7whyj6
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jj-harper
Check out my website: https://www.jjharper-author.com
Sign up to my newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3u7qLYc

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Only You (’90s Coming of Age Book 3) by Leta Blake: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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’90s Coming of Age, Book 3

Join Peter Mandel on his final steps to love in Only You, the highly-anticipated third and final book of Leta Blake’s ’90s Coming of Age series.

Despite the lingering wounds of his past relationship, Peter is ready to take a chance on finding a faithful love and embracing his true self.

Peter and Daniel explore their connection despite Daniel’s complicated home life. But when Adam resurfaces, desperate to win Peter back, Peter must confront his complicated feelings and the painful ghosts of their shared past.

Only You is a powerful and emotional conclusion to the series, and a must-read for fans of New Adult Romance and Coming-of-Age fiction.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Pictures of You (’90s Coming of Age Book 1)

You Are Not Me (’90s Coming of Age Book 2)

The phone rang just as the buzzer on the toaster oven went off. I hissed as I tugged the pizza bagel free and dropped it, steaming, on a plate. Rushing to answer the phone next, anxiety roiled inside me. What if it was Adam?

“Hey, you.”

Daniel.

The peace his voice gave me was like absolution. No matter what I’d done in the past, somehow, I’d ended up here with Daniel on the other end of the line. Everything was going to be all right. Everything was fine.

Daniel would never lie about me, about us, or about who he was and what he wanted. He’d never be like Adam. He’d always be what he’d been right from the start.

Honest.

“Hey,” I answered, a smile on my lips. “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too.”

“My mom leaves Saturday morning. For real this time. Are you still up for that party I mentioned?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Because I’ve missed my friends, but most of all, I’ve missed seeing you.”

“Daniel?”

“Yeah?”

I didn’t know what I’d been about to say. Was I going to tell him about Leslie’s letter? No. I didn’t want to burden him with that. “Nothing. I just wanted to be sure of you.” I didn’t know how else to explain that I’d wanted to confirm that we were together.

“Be sure of me,” Daniel said, pitching his voice lower. “Saturday night, I’ll show you just how sure of me you can be.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Petey, are you okay?”

I laughed. “You’re such a goofball. And, somehow, that’s just not as good as ‘Danny, are you okay?’ Doesn’t have quite the same ring.”

Daniel snorted. “No, it doesn’t.” He paused. “But yes, it’s a promise. You can be sure of me, and also…are you okay? You sound tense.”

I fingered Leslie’s letter and then wadded it up and tossed it into the trash. “I’m good. Just needed to hear your voice.”

“And I needed to hear yours, so we’re even.”

“Yeah.” I took a bite of pizza bagel. “I love that about us.”

That was as close as I’d come to telling him I loved him. Maybe one day soon.

For now, just being on the phone with him was enough.

Whew! From what I have gleaned from social media posts, some of y’all have waited 10 years for this book? Again, so glad I was able to read them one right after the other.

Book 3!

Adam is back in town and went straight to Peter. Who caved like a house of cards. But will he finally FINALLY realize that Adam is the guy who is getting it all? While everyone else barely gets crumbs?

After the ride of the first 2 books, this one is definitely more of a roller coaster at a fair instead of a roller coaster at a theme park. Some ups and downs, but not as drastic.

And let me tell you. Adam who doesn’t get what he wants is a SCARY mofo. I could picture his face at times. Just that angry, evil look meant to make someone scared. Shudder.

Daniel has his own issues, but they are with his family-his mother in fact. So poor Peter keeps dating guys with family issues. Ok, not keeps, but both guys he has dated have some serious trauma. But Daniel manifests his trauma as trying to be the good guy for everyone and not really helping himself.

Shockingly, Peter helps him see that he has to put himself first sometimes. Seems our cute, nerdy outcast Peter has done some growing up.

A lot of the book is Peter and Daniel. Which is fine. Unfortunately, Peter has to reassure Daniel a lot. I wish he didn’t have to do that. I wish Daniel trusted Peter more.

There is a side story going on with the mess that is Minty. That boy. He has some issues and trauma himself. Probably the worst of everyone. I’d like to see him get his happily ever after.

As much as I really loved these books, I feel like the ending was a little anticlimatic. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a HEA and there was drama. But a little more would have been good too.

I still completely recommend these books. Especially if you love angst. And the nostalgia is great too.

4 pieces of eye candy

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

If you’d like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta’s newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H

Bonus material for the Heat of Love series, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married series, Training Season series, Smoky Mountain Dreams, Mr. Frosty Pants, The River Leith, and more is available on Leta Blake’s Patreon account. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/letablake

Or you can find out more about her by following her online:

On the web: https://letablake.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letablake

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetaBlake a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guys Like Him (Redemption Ridge Book One): Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Redemption Ridge, Book 1

Kieran Sullivan is broken when he arrives at Redemption Ridge. A wrongful conviction and twenty months in lockup will do that to a man. The ranch is a place for second chances and fresh starts, but for him, it’s an opportunity to discover who set him up. Get in, get answers, and get out. The plan sounds easy enough until Kieran meets an equine specialist whose sunny smile could warm the coldest heart.

Finley Ashe is a sucker for bruised spirits and sad eyes. The horse whisperer and broken-boy magnet is six months into a hiatus from love when Kieran, the king of emotionally unavailable men, gets assigned to work under his supervision. Mutual attraction is gasoline on proximity’s flame, testing Finley’s resistance in new ways.

Priorities shift, shields come down, and truths get exposed. Will the inevitable combustion redeem Kieran and Finley or consume them?

Guys Like Him is book one in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. Guys Like Him contains mature themes and is intended for adults.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

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Two faces came into view—one Finley knew well, the other he’d like to know better. Both men looked at him with grave concern. Their lips moved, but he couldn’t hear them over the alarm. A fire? He didn’t smell smoke. The ringing seemed closer and not as loud as it had been. Finley realized the ringing was in his ears. He locked his gaze on Cash because the other man stole his breath. Finley already had enough problems to contend with and didn’t want to add a lack of oxygen to the mix. Was he breathing? Finley inhaled deeply, testing to see if his lungs worked adequately. The ringing got quieter, but he still couldn’t make out the words Cash said. His boss looked at the stranger, and Finley couldn’t help shifting his gaze too. Christ, he was gorgeous. Black hair swept over a broad forehead. Dark brows slashed down to form a vee over eyes so dark they looked black. The man stared down at him with naked concern and something else in his gaze. The sexy stranger blinked and erected a shield of indifference, but it was too late. Finley recognized the emotion, and it called to something deep inside him like a lone coyote howling for its pack. Butterflies fluttered in Finley’s stomach, and his blood heated with excitement. But how had he ended up on his back in the barn staring at this beautiful lost boy?

A flash of memory detonated, clearing out his brain fog and reducing the ringing in his ears to a subdued hum. Lightning hadn’t struck, at least not literally. Finley had locked eyes with the sexiest man he’d ever seen, and something inside him had detonated with a whoosh. The smoldering stranger had used a flamethrower to light Finley’s dormant pilot light after a six-month relationship detox. He’d always been a little boy crazy with a habit of falling too hard and too fast and always for the wrong guy. But this was… Finley scrunched up his face as he tried to find the right word to describe his reaction, and that’s when he noticed a dull ache in the center of his forehead.

The entire encounter came flooding back in high definition. Gobsmacked by the newcomer’s beauty, Finley had stepped directly on the muck rake. The handle had flown up and cracked him a good one on the forehead, causing him to stagger back and fall onto the bags of bedding. Humiliation heated his cheeks, and he groaned.

“Finley, are you okay?” Cash’s concerned tone and worried blue eyes signaled his boss had mistaken the sound as a sign of physical distress, not mental anguish. Finley tried to sit up and clear the air, but Cash placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to keep him still. “Kieran, I need you to find Rueben Sanchez for me. He has emergency medical training and can assess Finley for a concussion.”

Finley had rattled his cage pretty well, but he was not concussed. “Not—”

Cash silenced his protest with a gentle squeeze. Finley shifted his gaze to the gorgeous man, who seemed to look right through him with those obsidian eyes. This stunning stranger might just be the most broken boy he’d encountered yet. This guy’s pain hovered over him like a rain cloud, stirring Finley’s protective and baser instincts. Oh, baby, come stand under my umbrella.  

A new series by Aimee Nicole Walker…yes, please. The sooner the better, TYVM. And I’m already in love with this series. Go figure. I’m one of this author’s biggest fans, so this is unsurprising.

This new series is aptly named Redemption Ridge, and has the man who runs it, Cash, giving men who served time a chance to get their lives back. In the first story, Kieran comes to Redemption Ridge to get revenge on the man he believes played a part in his wrongful conviction. Then Kieran and Finley meet, and Kieran begins to soften despite himself. He still wants to find the men who framed him, but he begins to understand that maybe he can find some happiness for himself as well.

Finley is such a good fit to Kieran. A huge heart, that falls for the wrong guys every time, but still continues on. This allows for a slow burn between these two. They have the opportunity to get to know each other, finding out their little quirks, to learn to trust each other. All before they fall into bed. They just begin to transition themselves into caring for the other, without their own permission. It’s particularly sweet.

The mystery is partially solved, but of course with this author, there is always an overarching mystery or suspense thread throughout the series, and this one will continue forward into Books 2 and 3.

The side characters help to round out this fantastic book. Finley’s mom is just fantastic (the “lube”…so funny), his sister who is resisting her own happy ending, and the foreman who will hopefully get his own HEA at some point. When you have great side characters, it just fills out a book so well, and this author does it better than most.

Highly recommend. 4.5 pieces of eye candy

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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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Ruler of the Waves : Love At Lake Clyde, Book 3 by Aidan Ainslie: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Tyler: All I ever wanted was to be a good doctor and serve the community I had grown up in. And I wanted a loving husband to share my dream of a house with a picket fence, two children and a dog. Was that so much to ask of life? Why was it so difficult to find that man?

Rickie: All I ever wanted was the freedom to sail the oceans, taste salt on my lips and feel sea spray on my face. So when Tyler Matthews offers me the chance of a week’s sailing at Nantucket, I agree to go with him. The only snag – we have to convince his snooty friends that we are boyfriends. How difficult can that be? Tyler is a good friend, I know him. Surely we can pull this off.
The only danger I did not foresee was that all my dreams could be derailed if my heart became entangled with the cute doctor Tyler Matthews who is rooted to the soil like a giant sequoia.

Can love find a way to bridge the ocean-sized chasm between two men who do not appear to be destined for each other?

Read the latest book in the Love at Lake Clyde series. A delicious fake boyfriend romance with many unexpected twists and turns.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Rickie

We boarded the plane and luxuriated in the space and comfort of first class. Free champagne even before take-off. Man, I could get used to this. We settled in. That is, I put in my earbuds and chose music on my phone while Tyler sterilized the area around his seat with a sanitary wipe. Then he took out the emergency safety card from the seat pocket and studied it. I think it was the first time in my life I’d seen someone actually read one of those cards. He leaned toward me and pointed at the exit signs three rows in front of us. It was on the tip of my tongue to say, Yes Tyler, I can read. I’m pretty good with four-letter words. But I didn’t say anything. He was so earnest and so damn cute and innocent. I guess that’s what happened if you grew up without two older brothers who mocked you mercilessly if ever you did something remotely dumb.

Just before take-off, I was about to put my jacket in the overhead bin when the stewardess – a gorgeous brunette with a ready smile – reached for it and said, “You wouldn’t want that to get creased, sir. Let me hang it up for you.” Her colleague, a handsome dark-haired guy with a neatly clipped beard, was busy serving champagne. He turned and said to me, “I love your shirt. I’ll come by later so you can tell me where I can get one of those.”

I was wearing one of the T-shirts that Mandy, our local tattoo artist, had designed for the Master of the Wild challenge. It featured two stallions on their hind legs with their necks entwined. I’d never been able to figure out whether they were fighting or embracing each other. Mandy was coy about it, saying everyone was free to interpret the intricate, tattoo-like design as they pleased. The slogan under the stallions read, Go Wild in Clydesdale.

 Tyler was bemused and whispered, “How do you do it? You must have special pheromones that intoxicate everyone who comes near you.”

“Is it working on you?” I quipped.

He punched me on the shoulder and rolled his eyes again, “You’re obnoxious when you’re grouchy and you’re even more insufferable when you’re in a good mood.”

I was beginning to enjoy his eyerolls almost as much as his smiles.

First time author for me. And probably the last.

I didn’t read the previous books, but you don’t need to. It works as a stand alone.

After reading for a bit I had to go and look up the author. Who says they live in Northern California. But so much of the language used was British. And formal. And not even close to how Californians would talk. And I don’t mean surfer slang at all. I mean, a lot more casual. You aren’t going to hear “Fancy something to eat?” from a local.

Honestly, the characters were just either unlikable or wet rags. Rickie has a chip on his shoulder because he is on probation for a crime he didn’t commit. (BTW, no way was someone getting probation for that), his brother and boss was nasty to him, Tyler is a limp noodle who everyone walks all over and his friends are awful.

The plot mostly worked, but still. A bit much and a bit coincidental. I know it’s fiction. I still want it to be a little believable. There was just no connection between characters for me. The realest connection was between Tyler and his dad.

This is one of those cases where it could have been so much better with a good beta read or 4. A good editor, etc.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

Aiden Ainslie lives in the Diablo foothills, east of San Francisco. He grew up in various small towns and loves to draw on that small-town feel for his romances: the sense of community but also the petty grievances, intrigue and rivalries. “An author has to draw on personal experience to create authentic stories.”

According to Aiden, setting and mood are critical parts of a romantic story, hence he is always taking pictures of romantic settings to be used in future novels. Check them out on his website www.aidenainslie.com

When Aiden is not writing or listening to audiobooks, he likes to cycle and hike. During those solitary pursuits, he dreams up the characters and plots for his MM Romance novels. He also enjoys zipping around town on his motor scooter, drinking coffee at the local coffee shops, and watching people to get inspiration for his writing.

Connect with Aiden:
https://aidenainslie.com/
https://www.facebook.com/aiden.ainslie
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