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Notes from Home by Dirk Greyson: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour and New Release Review

December 10, 2019 by Denise

While deployed on a covert mercenary assignment, Johnny doesn’t have much in the way of holiday cheer. But the mysterious notes from Dex that somehow appear in his bunk—reminding him of the gifts, cookies, celebrations, and most of all, love, waiting for him back in Wisconsin—help him get through the long, hot days. Will they be enough to keep his spirits up when the rest of his unit goes home to their families and he’s left alone?

Title: Notes From Home

Author: Dirk Greyson

Series: Stand Alone

Genre: M/M, Contemporary, Holiday Romance

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: Dec 1 2019

Edition/Formats: eBook & Print

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

I set the letter aside and closed my eyes, thinking I could almost reach out and touch him. Dex seemed so close for a moment, but he wasn’t here, and I was spending another holiday away from the people I knew, just like I had for the last eight years. Outside, it was hot enough to fry eggs on the vehicle hoods, and yet for a few seconds, the bracing cold and covering of white back home had carried me away.

I stood up, put the letter back in the envelope, and set it next to the other three on the board just above my bed, the carefully crafted construction-paper snowman joining a Christmas tree, an ornament, and a Santa. I stilled, looking at all four of them, and sighed for just a second. Then the door to our quarters opened and thunked closed, popping the bubble of imagination and longing. I turned away from the letters and gathered my things before heading toward the bathroom and a much-needed shower. I stepped out of my cubicle, and Henry Cavit waved from the far side, stopping me.

This was a very short little story, but it was so heartwarming. It didn’t need to have a lot of background to really get the feel of the story.

Dex made mystery happen for Johnny who never really had a chance to have a happy holiday at home. So, Dex made it as happy as he could away from home. I won’t give away much, but I will say, the puppy on the cover does come into play 😉 and there is a happy ending. 🙂

4 pieces of eye candy for this short but sweet holiday story

Dirk is very much an outside kind of man. He loves travel and seeing new things. Dirk worked in corporate America for way too long and now spends his days writing, gardening, and taking care of the home he shares with his partner of more than two decades. He has a Master’s Degree and all the other accessories that go with a corporate job. But he is most proud of the stories he tells and the life he’s built. Dirk lives in Pennsylvania in a century old home and is blessed with an amazing circle of friends.

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We Still Live by Sara Dobie Bauer: Blog Tour with Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt

December 10, 2019 by Denise

Today we have the author of We Still Live, a book so relevant to today’s society. We asked Sara Dobie Bauer to tell us a little about Writing Realistic Characters with Mental Illness, and she has a very personal take on the situation. Take a peek, and then read the excerpt. You will want to grab this book!

To escape the past, accept it.

Running from a scandal that ruined his life, Isaac Twain accepts a teaching position at Hambden University where, three months prior, Professor John Conlon stopped a campus nightmare by stepping in front of an active shooter.

When John and Isaac become faculty advisors for the school’s literary magazine, their professional relationship evolves. Despite the strict code of conduct forbidding faculty fraternization, they delve into a secret affair—until Simon arrives.

Isaac’s violent ex threatens not only their careers, but also John’s life. His PTSD triggered, John must come to terms with that bloody day on College Green while Isaac must accept the heartbreak his secrets have wrought.

***WE STILL LIVE is a standalone M/M friends-to-lovers romance featuring detailed adult content, graphic violence, hurt/comfort, and mental illness.***

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: We Still Live

Author: Sara Dobie Bauer

Publisher: NineStar Press

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: December 9, 2019

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Friends to lovers, hurt/comfort

Themes: Coming out, depression, anxiety, PTSD/post-traumatic stress, mental illness

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 62 000 words

It is a standalone book.

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Writing Realistic Characters with Mental Illness By Sara Dobie Bauer

My new novel We Still Live deals with some heavy stuff. Not only are the characters haunted by a college shooting, but they also must now survive the ramifications of that shooting—most notably, their destroyed mental health.

At the forefront of the story is romantic interest John Conlon, the hero professor who stepped in front of an active shooter. John is passionate and kind and gorgeous (of course), loved by his students and friends alike. However, since the shooting, John is different. He now suffers from depression, extreme anxiety, PTSD, and night terrors.

Who could blame him? He saw students and friends murdered. He felt their blood on his hands, and he survived—but has yet to heal. Newly hired professor Isaac Twain falls for John, considering it’s difficult to not be charmed by this charismatic, beautiful man who seems so strong when he’s absolutely shattered inside.

So where did John come from? How did I develop this complicated character whose mental illness is as much a part of him as his fabulous hair?

I admit, I did some research. I read up on college shootings (which is not fun, let me tell you). I live in a small Ohio town that was shaken by a high school shooting a few years before I moved there. I’ve watched the news and seen the horrors of Paris, Atlanta, insert yet another tragedy here. But the honest to God truth?

John’s mental illness is realistic because I live it every day.

I’m thirty-seven now, but I’ve been suffering from depression and nightmares since puberty. The anxiety and PTSD showed up due to a high pressure hell job that threw my life off-balance. I’m now medicated to deal with all these issues. I revisit therapy when things get really bad. I stopped watching the news, and a lot of that had to do with the myriad shootings that seem to occur daily.

I wrote We Still Live for selfish reasons. It is an exorcism. I took all my fear, pain, and rage and channeled it into John and the other survivors of the fictional Hambden University shooting. Writer, heal thyself, within the safe cocoon of your imagination.

You’ve heard the adage, “Write what you know.” I don’t agree with that in most cases, but I agree with that statement here. Writing fiction has always been a comfort to me. It’s an escape from reality when reality becomes too hard. It’s a hell of a lot healthier than drinking and drugs.

Maybe you suffer from mental illness, too. Maybe there’s an issue that scares you or gets your heart pumping. Maybe you start writing. Iadmit, penning We Still Live wasn’t easy. Putting John and Isaac through the wringer wasn’t fun, and I had days when I would type through my tears. But I kept going, because their story is important to me and hopefully will be to other people, too.

How did I write a realistic character with mental illness? I looked inside myself. What ghouls are in your closet begging to be set free? You never know who you might help by being open about your issues. You might help some troubled reader out there realize they aren’t alone. Like John, you might even save a life.

Close as they were to the foyer, Isaac was the first to notice the front door opening. A student walked inside. The kid dragged a heavy-looking suitcase behind him. Dressed as he was in a slim-fitting button-down, Isaac immediately assumed preppy, although that assumption altered and changed when taking into account the tight black jeans, Converse sneakers, and shaggy hair the color of caramel and chocolate—a mass of waves and curls that fell down the back of his neck but not quite to his shoulders.

The kid pushed his hair out of the way and looked up, eyes finding Isaac and flashing a moment of panicked nonrecognition before seeing Tommy.

“Um.” Isaac pointed toward the new arrival.

Tommy turned and shouted, “John! My man!”

Not a student, then.

Tommy wrapped John in a hug that actually lifted his feet off the ground. Isaac imagined it wouldn’t be difficult. The new guy might have been average height, but he was gangly, skin and bones.

Tommy ruffled his hair. “Have you lost weight?”

John grumbled and scratched his face with his middle finger. “What are you freeloaders doing in my house?” His voice was surprisingly resonant for someone Isaac considered “pretty.” At John’s pronouncement, crows of approval rang from every direction.

“Come meet Isaac,” Tommy said.

John wiped his palms on his jeans before reaching out to shake, and Isaac’s large hand dwarfed his.

“Isaac Twain is the newest addition to our special corner of Hambden hell. Isaac, this is John Conlon.”

John brushed more hair out of his face. “Nice to—”

“John Conlon?”

John and Tommy froze.

Isaac jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “The books on the shelf. Those are yours?”

John’s face, immobile in what looked like dread a moment before, melted into relief, tinged with a bit of blush. “Oh, yeah. You’ve read?”

“No, but I should. You’ve published a lot of books. You must be good.”

John’s nose wrinkled, and he looked away.

Tommy shook him by the shoulders. “John is an amazing writer. He had a story published in The New Yorker when he was, like, five. Are you working on anything right now?”

John glanced at the bookshelf. “Not lately.”

“You need a drink,” Tommy said.

John’s eyes widened on a big breath. “God, yes, I do.”

“Nice to meet you,” Isaac said, but John just nodded quickly, smile thin, before allowing himself to be herded farther into the house toward the sound of quiet laughter and clinking bottles.

Isaac felt it then—an outsider’s emptiness. He became a nervous-looking coat rack in the corner, a terrified tree waiting for the ax. As the party doubled in auditory volume, he bemoaned his spilled wine. Was it okay for him to leave? It wasn’t like he was supposed to make a speech. He was only there because he figured it was the easiest way to meet everyone before the first official faculty meeting, but he’d been standing around too long. He wanted to run.

Out of curiosity, he reopened John’s book from earlier and read the front flap. It was a coming-of-age story about a gay kid in the Midwest. He flipped to the back, and a picture of John stared back at him. He’d assumed the guy was tired when they first met, but no; apparently, John had perpetual bedroom eyes, and his hair was always an artful mess. He skimmed…creative writing professor at Hambden University…gay rights activist…Converse-wearer and “old-people music” enthusiast.

All arrows pointed to John’s probable sexual preference for men. A spark of interest flickered but quickly went out. True, John Conlon was what most people would consider beautiful, but he wasn’t Isaac’s type. John was the kind of man butch guys fought over in gay clubs, but he was too small for Isaac, too fragile-looking, girly. After all he’d been through, the last thing Isaac wanted was someone feminine.

A thin figure ducked into the library and literally hid against the doorframe. He took a long drink of something brown and leaned his head back. “It’s not good when you want to hide in your own house.”

“Library is the best place for it,” Isaac said.

John kicked away from the wall. “Tommy mentioned you just moved here? I’ve been in Lothos forever, so if you need anything…” He examined Isaac from his brown boat shoes to the top of his blond head. John’s large eyes, dark green, seemed bottomless—drowning pools of intellect and soul—only slightly overshadowed by his thick eyebrows.

Sara Dobie Bauer is a bestselling author, model, and mental health / LGBTQ advocate with a creative writing degree from Ohio University. She lives with her hottie husband and two precious pups in Northeast Ohio, although she’d really like to live in a Tim Burton film. She is author of the paranormal rom-com Bite Somebody series and Escape Trilogy.

Photo credit: Bill Thornhill

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The Captain & the Best Man by Eleanor Harkstead & Catherine Curzon (Captivating Captains Book 4): Exclusive Guest Post, New Release Review

December 4, 2019 by Denise

When Josh meets handsome airline pilot Captain Guy Collingwood on a sun-kissed island, he finds out what flying first class really means!

When Josh leaves the rainy shore of England for the sun-drenched tropical island of St Sebastian, his biggest worry is remembering his best man’s speech. But a chance meeting with handsome airline pilot Captain Guy Collingwood leads to a hot and raunchy holiday romance.

Guy’s everything Josh is looking for in his ideal man. Mature, dashing and confident, he’s also single and more than happy to show Josh the pleasures of St Sebastian. Yet Guy’s unruffled demeanor hides a past regret. Is the wedding of Josh’s best friend about to reopen a painful chapter that has never fully closed?

As a fearsome tropical storm threatens the island paradise and a broken family threatens Josh and Guy’s happiness, the stakes have never been higher. Can St Sebastian work its magic to heal past wounds and will Josh and Guy’s holiday fling take flight?

General Release Date: 3rd December 2019

Genre:

CONTEMPORARY
EROTIC ROMANCE
GAY
GLBTQ

Amazon

Pride Publishing-Print

The pros and cons of co-writing

We’ve been writing together for nearly three years and in that time we’ve been writing our Captivating Captains m/m romances, as well as the de Chastelaine Chronicles paranormal romances. Our latest Captivating Captains novel, The Captain and the Best Man, is out on 3^rd December. Readers and other writers are often curious about how we do it, so here’s an insight into what we get up to!

Pros

Different co-writing authors approach co-writing differently. Some write alternate chapters to accommodate different points-of-view, others divide up the work so one writes plot and the other writes the narrative, and others have one writer produce the first draft while the second comes in and adds embellishments. Because we write in the same document (thank you, Google Docs!) we divide up characters and write together that way. One of the pros to this approach is that our dialogue really does sound like different characters talking because in reality, it really is the voices of two different people! And bear in mind, writing together isn’t at all unusual in the world of television, but it is when it comes to fiction.
Brainstorming ideas works really well when writing as a team because you can bounce ideas of each other and can look at suggestions from different angles. I might put forward an idea and Catherine will go, “I like that. And what about…?” And it’s those “and what about” questions that help to develop and shape the plot and the characters.
We have two people’s experiences to inspire our stories. For instance, there’s a woman I see on the way to work each morning who puts her make-up on on the bus, and I sent Catherine a message from the bus saying “She’s like the heroine of a romcom. Imagine if a man – who turns out to be the hero – sits next to her and she manages to tip blusher into his lap!” And Catherine replied, saying,“Yes! And what if she’s going to a job interview, and she walks into the room and it’s the man from the bus on the interview panel!” The ideas kept on coming and like rolling a snowball across the garden that eventually grows big enough to turn into a snowman, we came up with a novel.
We share out the jobs. So while the writing is shared down the middle anyway, there’s other tasks that writers have to do, such as going through edits from the editor, talking to the publisher about cover art, doing promo, etc. This way, we share the load.
It’s fun! The best way to explain what co-writing is like – at least, the way we do it – is that it’s like when you were little and your friend came round after school to play with Sindy dolls or Sylvanians. Writing can be a lonely process so it’s good to write with someone else. Also, it’s frustrating when a story comes to a stop as you’re writing, so when this happens, we at least have each other to talk about in order to find a solution. And commiserate if we realise we need to either do major unpicking or abandon ship. Luckily we have a lot of ideas knocking about, so if something does prove unworkable, we have other projects we can move onto. And eventually, one of us will have an idea that’ll fix the stalled project and bring it back to life.

Cons

Compromise is essential. Imagine if, when I suggested the “woman doing her make-up on the bus” idea, Catherine had said, “I’m not seeing it. What about a woman who eats toast and drinks tea on the bus for breakfast instead?” Then we’d have to have a chat about what’s more compelling, what’s more realistic, and in a romcom, what’s funniest. It can be difficult if you’re wedded to an idea, but the point of thrashing the ideas out is to make sure the stories are as good as can be. You might have to compromise on a detail, but if it means the story works better overall, then that’s the main thing. Authors writing solo will have experienced something similar when their editor returns a manuscript querying what the characters are up to! So at least we will have spotted anomalies or things that might work better with a tweak before our editor reads the story.
It’s the old chestnut that crops up in job interviews when you get a question about teamwork, but really, communication is incredibly important when co-writing. And sometimes communicating ideas can be difficult – we live about two and half hours apart so can’t meet up very often and we rely on communicating online which isn’t always easy. Messenger is okay most of the time, but there’s some things you just can’t discuss that way so we use Skype.
Leading on from communication – you can’t see inside someone else’s head so you need to be clear about how you’re seeing the world you’re creating. Sometimes this is resolved easily by sending each other photos of what we see – this is the character’s house, and he looks a bit like this guy, and he wears these shoes and drives this car. Sometimes you might need to check – so when they walk out of that door you see them in a corridor? I thought they were in another room! But obviously for consistency you’ve got to see the same room layout!
Plot required! I’ve put this under cons because there’s certain stories where a plot is essential, like when you’ve got a mystery for your characters to unravel (although some authors write stories with a mystery element without one!). And if you don’t want to go the whole hog with a tightly laid out, chapter-by-chapter plot, you need at least a roadmap or an outline of ideas when co-writing so you both know where you’re going. If you think of it as a convoy, it’s sensible that you both know where the destination is and what the main routes are on the way there so everyone knows the route to drive. But saying that, as important as the plot is, it can feel quite tyrannous! I don’t think either of us are natural “pantsers” ie writers who plunge into a story without knowing where it’s going and with no plot in mind, but still, a plot can feel like a yoke sometimes, so we try even to avoid referring to the “plotting document” and call it “the ideas page” instead!
We’re different people. It’s a con in that it would be much easier if we were exactly the same and agreed all the time with the same ideas, the same perception of the characters and their world, etc. But then again, if we were the same, then there would be no point in co-writing. Being two different people means we bring different, although sometimes similar, things to the table. And that’s why co-writing works.

Oh my gosh, I enjoyed this book so much! It was fun and flirty. It had just the right dash of island fun, great characters and some definite sexiness.

These characters started as a holiday romance, for sure, with even a few bumblings to begin with…the soaked napkin was awesome to me. I felt Josh’s disappointment, and then his joy when he was given a second chance. The two MC’s were a great match, with Guy teaching Josh a little about being adventurous, and Josh willing to jump head-first into the fun.

I’m not sure if the island of St. Sebastian is real (and I refuse to look it up, because I don’t want to be disappointed), but I definitely want to head there for a little fun in the sun, and basking in the glow of all the characters.

4 pieces of eye candy

Links:

https://curzonharkstead.co.uk

Universal Amazon links:

https://mybook.to/captainbestman

https://mybook.to/captivatingcaptains

https://curzonharkstead.co.uk/newsletter

Silent Sin by E.J. Russell: Exclusive Cover Reveal

November 20, 2019 by Denise

E.J. Russell is here today with an exclusive cover reveal to her upcoming gay historical romance, Silent Sin. It looks like it has some mystery and suspense wrapped up in, it my favorite kind of historical! Check out the lovely cover below by L.C. Chase.

When tailor Marvin Gottschalk abandoned New York City for the brash boomtown of silent-film-era Hollywood, he never imagined he’d end up on screen as Martin Brentwood, one of the fledgling film industry’s most popular actors. Five years later a cynical Martin despairs of finding anything genuine in a town where truth is defined by studio politics and publicity. Then he meets Robbie Goodman.

Robbie fled Idaho after a run-in with the law. A chance encounter leads him to the film studio where he lands a job as a chauffeur. But one look at Martin and he’s convinced he’s likely to run afoul of those same laws—laws that brand his desires indecent, deviant… sinful.

Martin and Robbie embark on a cautious relationship, cocooned in Hollywood’s clandestine gay fraternity, careful to hide from the studio boss, a rival actor, and the press on the lookout for a juicy story. But when a prominent director is murdered, Hollywood becomes the focus of a morality-based witch hunt, and the studio is willing to sacrifice even the greatest careers to avoid additional scandal.

Title: Silent Sin

Author: E.J. Russell

Release Date: March 3, 2020

Category: Gay, Historical Romance

Pages: 268

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase http://www.lcchase.com

eBook

Paperback

E.J. Russell—certified geek, mother of three, recovering actor—holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business intelligence consultant (as one does). She’s recently abandoned data wrangling, however, and spends her days wrestling words.
E.J. is a multi-Rainbow Award winner, and her book, The Druid Next Door, was a 2018 RITA® finalist.
E.J. is married to Curmudgeonly Husband, a man who cares even less about sports than she does. Luckily, CH loves to cook, or all three of their children (Lovely Daughter and Darling Sons A and B) would have survived on nothing but Cheerios, beef jerky, and satsuma mandarins (the extent of E.J.’s culinary skill set).
E.J. lives in rural Oregon, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.
Newsletter: ejrussell.com/newsletter
Website: ejrussell.com
Facebook reader group (Reality Optional): www.facebook.com/groups/reality.optional
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/e.russell.author
Twitter: @ej_russell

BLAZE: A Superhero Romance (Heartthrob Heroes Book 1) by Christa Tomlinson: New Release Review and Giveaway

November 11, 2019 by Denise

Fighting villains is easy. Falling in love is hard.

Blaze. St. Louis’s elusive superhero. In the dark of night, he wages war against the city’s criminal masterminds. Once the sun rises, he’s Jordan Wells, quiet custom body shop owner. Jordan has accepted that it’s his destiny to walk alone in the shadows… until the night he meets Daniel. The sweet, untrained submissive seeks a Dom, and Jordan would love to take on the role.

Jordan dreams of dominating the young man, of finding respite from his harsh life as a lone vigilante by losing himself in Danny’s softness. Unfortunately, past trauma has taught the superhero that letting others into his world leads to tragedy. Jordan knows he should let Danny go, but he can’t seem to tear himself away from the submissive’s gentle smiles and soft kisses. Can Jordan risk a relationship with Danny when his life as Blaze is rife with danger?

BLAZE is Book One in a steamy D/s superhero romance series. It has dramatic rescues, hot D/s sex, and evil villains. If you love shipping your favorite superheroes you’ll want to give the Heartthrob Heroes series a try!

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

SO FUN!!!!!

I am a total Marvel girl. But I grew up watching Superman (the Christopher Reeves years) with my father. They are just so fun to watch. And now- fun to read.

Much like in the movies, Superheroes are known to exist. But their identities are still secret. And in this story, Danny is mugged while walking to a BDSM club for the first time. But he is rescued by Blaze- a known superhero in St Louis.

Blaze is immediately attracted to Danny and facilitates them meeting “by chance” at a more exclusive BDSM club where Danny suddenly got a year long membership for free. And so Jordan (aka Blaze) takes Danny under his proverbial wing to teach him the ropes of a D/s relationship.

Even though sparks fly between them (heh heh- you’ll see), Jordan holds himself back. Partially because the old “I don’t deserve love” but also because of the whole secret superhero thing.

There’s D/s’ing and superheroing and falling for each other. But also danger in two forms. Beyond all of that are two guys who are kind of normal with each other. Even though they met with the D/s dynamic, Danny is no simpering princess waiting to be rescued or looking for Jordan to take care of him. And as alpha as Jordan is in both of his personas, he never tries to control Danny.

I also LOVED that both main characters are men of color. LOVED IT

The D/s element petered out a bit. It started strong with Jordan giving Danny lessons. But it seems that they got to a certain point and that was kind of it. Jordan never really pushed Danny further. I definitely would have liked seeing more of that.

Overall, a really fun, exciting and sexy read. Can’t wait for the next book.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

Christa Tomlinson is giving away an ebook copy of BLAZE to 3 people who comment on this post. If you have BLAZE already, anything from her backlist. Check out that amazing cover!

Claiming Marcus (Lords of Discord Book 1) by Jocelynn Drake: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Reviews and Giveaway

November 4, 2019 by Denise

Vampires slaughtered my family.

No one believed me until I met some new friends, who promised to help me get justice.

But nothing prepared me for Marcus Varik.

Tall, dark, and mind-numbingly sexy.

But he’s also shy, protective, and adorably eccentric.

Oh God, I should have never agreed to betray him.

Hopefully, it’s not too late to fix my mistake before I lose more people I love.

Claiming Marcus is the first book in an MM paranormal romance series that has vampires, betrayal, annoying brothers, music, heartbreak, hope, sexy times, and a raven named Ozzie.

Title: Claiming Marcus

Series: Lords of Discord #1

Author: Jocelynn Drake

Publisher: Indie

Release Date: 10/31/2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 100,000

Genre: Romance, paranormal romance

Add to Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

The Playlist for CLAIMING MARCUS

Like many authors, I prefer to write to music. Sometimes I will create a specific playlist that I’m listening to and sometimes I will to specific albums over and over again to keep me in a specific mindset.

When I was working on Shiver, book 1 of the Unbreakable Bonds series, most of my writing was done to the Counting Crows’ album “August and Everything After.” After I finished that book, I really haven’t listened to that album much.

I’ve written at least three books to video game scores created by Jesper Kyd. I particularly love the score for Assassin’s Creed II. I still use it a lot to this day. There were also a couple of books that were written to the score for Constantine. That’s some good, creepy music.

For Claiming Marcus, book 1 of the Lords of Discord, I bounced around a lot. This is my first time writing vampires in more than five years so it was interesting trying to find the right mood music and mindset to match the book.

For Marcus, I found myself drifting to Beethoven a lot. He’s got some great, moody pieces that can be melancholy or excited or angry. I could easily see Marcus coming back to Beethoven over and over again to pull some of the angst and venom from his soul.

After he became a vampire, Marcus had more to worry about than just his mother and brothers. He had to deal with being a new creature in a new society. He had to deal with other vampires, which seemed to naturally bring me to Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor from the Nine Inch Nails.

When it came to the human Ethan, I found myself drifting in a totally different direction. Ethan has a great love of Tori Amos. An accomplished pianist, Tori offers some great songs that match Ethan’s moods. The hardest part was picking just the right ones that matched him. Naturally, his love of a pianist made Ethan a natural admirer of Marcus.

And then, of course, I needed a few more songs that spoke to the love they were trying to nurture in the midst of the chaos.

If you would like to listen to the playlist that I’ve pulled together for CLAIMING MARCUS, you can find it here on Spotify.

Ethan wanted to feel panic and fear when he stared at Marcus. There really was no doubt in his mind that Marcus and his brothers were vampires. A sane person would have taken his brother to a hospital. Ethan hadn’t seen the actual wounds, but just the amount of blood he cleaned up meant that Bel had been seriously injured. No one could heal from that without medical assistance.

And yet, just an hour later, Bel’s color was starting to improve. He was resting on the couch, his breathing falling in a steady rhythm.

Looking at the aristocratic creature seated on the piano bench, streaked with his brother’s blood, Ethan couldn’t see anything but a man exhausted and hurting in ways that he couldn’t fully understand. He trusted Marcus to not harm him. He’d already gone out of his way to protect him from Meryl and Cain.

Ethan wanted to take care of Marcus. It was clear that he was the family protector. He was the one who made the hard decisions and directed the others in order to get things done and keep them safe. But who was there to take care of Marcus?

Taking Marcus’s bloody hand in his, Ethan pulled him to his feet and led him out of the music room. He paused in the hallway. The third floor held four rooms with locked doors. One of them was Marcus’s private bedroom, but he didn’t know which one.

“Here,” Marcus said, pointing to a pair of double doors farther down the hall.

Ethan nodded and led the way, pulling the keys Marcus had given him out of his pocket. He unlocked the doors and pushed them open. There was only one small lamp on the nightstand burning, but it was enough to illuminate the large room with an enormous four-poster bed and a long bureau made of a dark wood. The walls were a dark blue with white trim. The carpet under their feet was so thick it was almost like walking on a cloud.

“Thank you, Ethan,” Marcus murmured. He squeezed Ethan’s hand before releasing it. “You can sleep in the green room if you’re too tired to return home. And you don’t have to come in to work tomorrow…or rather today. You need your rest.”

Ethan turned and smirked up at Marcus. “Work, huh? I thought I was fired.”

Marcus gave him a tired little smile. “I don’t think I technically fired you. Just threatened to do it.”

Taking a step closer, Ethan slowly reached up and touch the top button on his stained shirt. “Well, I think I’m technically here as a friend, because if your employee did this…” Ethan paused and slipped the first button through the hole. “We’d have to deal with a whole lot of HR shit, and we don’t want to do that.”

Marcus swallowed hard, staring at Ethan. He licked his lips as his breathing picked up, but he didn’t say anything to stop Ethan. Yeah, Marcus was attracted to him. Ethan thought he’d picked up a few little tells over the past couple of weeks, but Marcus was overall very careful. The guy was stuck so far in the closet, there was little hope of him ever seeing daylight.

But this wasn’t about Marcus exploring his sexuality. There was still the issue of him being a vampire and holding knowledge of his mother’s killer. This was about Ethan seeing that Marcus got some well-deserved rest.

Still moving slowly, Ethan lowered his hands and unbuttoned the next three buttons before Marcus finally moved, capturing both of his hands in his.

“Ethan?”

“It’s okay,” he said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’m just helping you. I’m going to turn on the shower and get the water to warm up. Do you want me to help you finish getting undressed?”

Marcus’s mouth dropped open and sort of soundlessly bobbed for a second like he couldn’t get the words out.

Ethan chuckled. He was so damn attracted to this man, to this vulnerable side that he was sure his brothers didn’t get to see. Ethan pulled his hands free and resumed unbuttoning his shirt. He pulled the shirt free of Marcus’s pants to get the last couple of buttons. Hours ago, Marcus had rolled his sleeves up his forearms so that all Ethan had to do was run his palms up Marcus’s strong chest, reveling in the feel of hard muscle. A low groan rumbled in Marcus’s throat and that sound sent blood rushing to Ethan’s cock. Fuck, that was an amazing sound. He smoothed his hands across Marcus’s shoulders, pushing the shirt down his arms and to the floor.

“Ethan…I…”

“Shhh,” Ethan murmured. “Nothing is going to happen. You’re safe.” He leaned up on the tips of his toes and pressed a light kiss to Marcus’s throat. Strong hands immediately clamped down on his hips, holding him in place. Fingers dug into his ass and Ethan nearly moaned. He’d die to feel those hands all over his body. Just the thought had his cock stiffening.

“Not sure if the promise of nothing has me relieved or disappointed,” Marcus admitted in a shaky voice. He looked down and Ethan could feel the slight tremor creeping through Marcus’s muscles. “I’ve…I’ve never—”

“I know,” Ethan interrupted. “That’s why nothing is going to happen.” Well, one of the reasons, at least. “You need someone to take care of you tonight. Shower and then bed. Once you’re tucked in, I’m going to head home, but I’ll return later today.”

Sadness crept into Marcus’s blue eyes, but there was also relief there. He nodded and released Ethan.

“Finish getting undressed, my sexy friend,” Ethan said and sauntered toward the open door across from the bed. He was guessing it was a private bathroom.

He flicked a switch and sucked in a harsh breath as buttery light cascaded over warm marbled and gold fixtures. The bathroom was almost as big as his old apartment. There was a large garden tub that could easily fit three full-grown men, a double sink vanity with a long mirror, and a shower stall that had enough space and heads to cover the same three men who just climbed out of the tub.

There was muffled thump on the floor and Ethan guessed that Marcus had dropped a shoe. “Are you so touchy-feely with all your friends?”

Ethan laughed as he walked over to the shower. “Would you be jealous if I was?”

“Yes,” Marcus hissed, and that single word wrapped in a possessive tone warmed Ethan like nothing else could. He’d had more than a few sexual partners in his life, but no one he’d call a boyfriend and no one who ever felt possessive. He was just a warm body, a tight hole, a great mouth to fuck.

But with Marcus, he felt like more.

Opening the door, Ethan turned the handle, starting the shower. He stuck his hand in the spray, checking the temperature. Still cold. He started to turn to make sure that Marcus had a clean towel, but he jumped when he found Marcus standing directly behind him. The man had moved so silently and so fucking quickly. How had he not noticed him?

Because he’s a vampire.

Oh, yeah. Ethan’s brain kept conveniently forgetting that little fact.

It was even easier to forget when Marcus was standing just a couple of inches away, wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs. He was pale, but it didn’t detract from his beautiful body. Every inch of him was hard. Every. Fucking. Inch.

Wow….

So, I’m not a fan of paranormal. Not even a little bit, but, I haven’t read a story by Ms. Drake that I haven’t been so enamored with and this one was no different. I might have to take a dive into vampire romance, I fear I’ve been missin out!

So, in this one, we see Ethan as a child, when we witness his family being murdered by something he thought was only folklore and urban legends. Seeing his family torn to bits as well as his neighbors in the the apartment complex, hearing it as well as witnessing the aftermath, it’s no surprise that when we meet him again, he’s working with Legion to exterminate known vampires so he can get revenge from the killing of his family that left him all alone.

Getting a job with Marcus Valrik wasn’t easy, but he needed to find out if he was a vampire and if he or his family were the ones he needed to get even with. Turns out, he isn’t, and he’s not even sure he’s a vampire at all, though he’s pretty sure. Marcus and his brothers aren’t anything like you see in the movies and what this legion of vampire hunters expect him to be…they’re almost normal even.

I adored Marcus and even more, I loved his corky and eccentric brothers. I loved the bond they all had and their loyalty to each other and their mother. Being vampires didn’t do anything to change any of that, if anything, the 176 years they’d been vampires together had only made them closer… though they were very different from one another and it showed in the way they lived their lives.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that I loved it from beginning to end and I cannot wait to see who’s next… Hopefully Rafe, though I hope all the brothers get their own story!!!

5 well deserved pieces of eye candy from me!

SO GOOD!

Books with vampires can get really cheesy (uh, sparkly?) or really dark (thank you Anne Rice) or just really dumb (too many to name). But this was really, really well done.

Ethan, seeking revenge for the murders of his family when he was a child, gets hired by Marcus as a PA under false pretenses. Marcus needs help coordinating a move from South Carolina to Connecticut, Ethan is to provide intel to a vampire hate group.

But Ethan slowly gets to know Marcus. Who seems like a nice guy- not a vampire.

And Marcus. The oldest of four brothers- all vampires- who try to take care of their mother (also a vampire) while she teeters on the edge of sanity.

Ethan and Marcus start falling for each other- while we fall for them. Being that they grew up oh, almost 200 years apart, Ethan is out and proud but Marcus is in the closet still and scared. Ugh, my heart. Marcus is so sheltered even though he is nearly 200 years old. He just broke my heart.

Surrounding Marcus are his brothers. Definitely a recurring theme in Ms Drake’s books are the strong band of brothers- by blood or by circumstance. And you end up loving them all for different reasons.

The plot was interesting as well. Trying to figure out who the bad guys were, who killed Ethan’s family and why were ranking vampire government members being killed. It was woven together nicely, while still giving us a good romance between Marcus and Ethan.

So yep, I really loved it. I can’t wait for the next book with the next brother (who I picture as Eric Northman from True Blood). Points off from 5 POEC just because once their sexual relationship began, Marcus seemed way too experienced for someone with literally no experience.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

It started with a battered notebook. Jocelynn Drake wrote her first story when she was 12 years old. It was a retelling of Robin Hood that now included a kick-ass female who could keep up with all the boys and be more than just a sad little love interest. From there, she explored space, talked to dragons, and fell in love again and again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her patient husband. They’ve settled near the Rockies…for now. She spends the majority of her time lost in the strong embrace of a good book.

When she’s not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can usually be found cuddling with her cat Demona, walking her dog Ace, or flinging curses at the TV while playing a video game. Outside of books, furry babies, and video games, she is completely enamored of Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

She is the New York Times Bestselling author of the urban fantasy series: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. She has just completed a gay romantic suspense series called The Exit Strategy about two assassins falling in love and trying to create a life together. Her newest project returns to her vampire roots with a new MM paranormal romance series. She is also the co-author of the Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, and Pineapple Grove series with Rinda Elliott.

https://jocelynndrake.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jocelynn.drake/

https://twitter.com/JocelynnDrake

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1080585.Jocelynn_Drake

jocelynn@jocelynndrake.com

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