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Home Improvement – A Love Story by TaraLain: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Release Day Review

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Romance on Aisle Sixteen—opposites attract amid the hammers and screws of the home improvement store.

Gabe Mason became a father at seventeen, and his daughter, Ellie, is the most important thing in his life. But being the parent the courts demand means Gabe has given up most of his dreams—education, making furniture, a gay social life—to be a model dad with a steady, reliable job in a home improvement store. Life’s predictable until Jerry, a shy, eccentric guy in a hat and sunglasses, begs Gabe to oversee the renovation of his run-down mansion.

Gabe loves the house and the work, and Jerry’s pretty lovable too, but when Gabe discovers Jerry’s secret identity, he fears their passion could overturn both their lives forever.

Title: Home Improvement – A Love Story
Author: Tara Lain
Release Date: July 9, 2019
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 192

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Favorite Tropes – What are Yours?

Welcome. I’m so happy to be here to introduce my new romance, HOME IMPROVEMENT – A LOVE STORY. This is a single dad, opposites attract, secret identity story. Funny how I use those words and we all have a solid idea what they mean in a book. In literature, we call them tropes. While the literal definition of the word trope has to do with figures of speech, in novels, especially genre fiction, tropes have come to mean the familiar themes that we find in stories– especially romances – that have thrilled us since the days of the Greeks, Shakespeare, and Moliere. These are themes like “secret baby”, arranged marriage, rich boy/poor girl (or boy!), friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, boy disguised as girl or vice versa, studly cowboy, dashing sheik, and on and on. Our love for these familiar plot devices unite and connect us through shared experience.

Tropes always remind me of the famous Star Trek The Next Generation episode called Darmok, one of the most praised shows of any scifi series. (Look it up.) The premise was that there was a planet that had been unable to join the community of nations because no one could understand their language. The reason? All the words and references were based on cultural norms and common experiences that other planetary societies didn’t share. That’s how we are with tropes. If we refer to a Romeo and Juliet story, virtually anyone vaguely familiar with the play knows just what we mean. Rich girl/poor boy suggest immediate conflicts that we all know, and friends-to-lovers means something to everyone who reads or watches any kind of popular culture.

What are your favorite tropes? I only have to glance at my books to know what mine are. Opposites attract has been way at the top of my list from my earliest novels. I love the immediate conflict that arises from two people who appear to be different in most every way like a blue collar guy and a fashion stylist, an NFL football center and a drag queen, or a guy who works in a home improvement store and someone rich and famous.

I also find I love single dad stories. It took me a while to get into this trope. Most of my early books don’t have kids in them. But once I dipped in a toe – I think it might have been in my short story, Trex or Treat, I was hooked. I’ve written lots of single dads since then, in Lord of a Thousand Steps, High Balls, Cowboys Don’t Come Out, and, of course, in HOME IMPROVEMENT – A LOVE STORY.

Shakespeare and I share a love of secret identities. Shakespeare constantly dressed his woman as boys and got them in all kinds of trouble. I tend to do the opposite, of course and dress my guys as girls, but I also like stories where the identity of one of the lovers is hidden for some reason. That’s true in my new book.

I hope you love reading HOME IMPROVEMENT – A LOVE STORY and that it captures some of your favorite tropes.

When he got to the end of the aisle, he looked casually to his left. Tight against a display of light fixtures, back turned to Gabe, stood the guy in the beanie. He had long legs in baggy jeans, an equally baggy sweatshirt that still stretched across really wide shoulders, all his hair covered by the cap, and still the total strangeness didn’t obscure the view of one world-class ass inside the jeans.

Gabe cleared his throat but didn’t get too close. “Can I help you find something, sir?”

“Wha—” He half turned, and Gabe saw he’d put on sunglasses after he’d withdrawn from peering around the corner.

“Can I help you, sir?” Gabe thought he should probably walk away, but the guy had become kind of a challenge.

The customer reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a drawer handle. He muttered, “Need handles this size.”

Gabe took it. “All right, sir. If you’ll come with me, we have the drawer pulls at the end of aisle sixteen.”

The guy nodded and turned but never raised his head enough to look Gabe in the eye. Still, his high cheekbones and full lips made his face striking, even when it was pointed at his shoes.

Gabe started walking, trusting from the soft scuffling of sneakers behind him that the man was following. Those footsteps slowed when they passed the woman with the kids as she gathered the last of her screws, but he sped up again after she dragged the children toward the checkout registers. In front of the rows of drawers containing handles and knobs, Gabe pointed to the samples attached to the front of each drawer. “See any you like?”

The guy’s head barely moved, so through the glasses, Gabe couldn’t see if he even looked. He shrugged.

“Do you like modern? Traditional?”

“Modern.”

“Brushed nickel, maybe? Or are you a chrome guy?”

The slim nose wrinkled.

“So no chrome. Nickel, then.” Gabe walked to the drawers and held out the sample the guy had given him to check for size and spacing center to center. He picked a couple of modern pulls he liked and took them from the drawers, then held them out to the man.

He looked at the pulls intently, cocked his head, and then ripped off the glasses somewhat impatiently, as if someone had made him wear them.

Gabe sucked in a soft breath. The guy’s eyes were two different colors, one a deep blue and the other light green. Startling and very distinctive. Maybe it affected his eyesight or sensitivity to light and that’s why he was wearing sunglasses in ImproveMart?

The guy reached out a long-fingered hand and tapped the handle that was Gabe’s favorite—a simple wide U-shape of brushed nickel. Gabe nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good one. How many do you need?”

“Uh, eight.” His voice was soft to the point of nonexistence.

Gabe pulled the drawer out farther and began counting out the plastic packages that contained the handle and necessary screws, piling them on the shelf beside him. “Need anything else?”

The guy had put his glasses back on by the time Gabe turned to him. Darn. Those eyes are something. The man nodded his head and pointed to some simple, ball-shaped drawer pulls. “Ten.”

“Oh, I hope I have enough.” Gabe pulled open the drawer and started counting.

The dude stepped closer to watch the counting, which turned out to be a bad idea for Gabe’s autonomic responses. What is that smell? Like some mix of orange and spice. Whatever it was, Gabe’s lower regions came out for a sniff. He shifted his feet and pressed his elbows against his work vest to be sure it covered his crotch. Down boy.

He forced a smile as he scraped the last package from the drawer. “There you go. We just made ten.” Gabe looked around. The guy had no cart. Not even a carry basket. What exactly was he planning on hauling stuff in?

The man seemed to realize it at the same time as Gabe. He grabbed his lip between his teeth, looked down, took hold of the hem of his giant sweatshirt, and held the bottom out like a bag.

Gabe chuckled. “Excellent save.” The problem with the dude’s invention was it raised the shirt from his narrow hips—and what might, just might, have been a half-mast condition thrusting out the front of his jeans. Don’t need to know that—if it’s true. Hell, just what he needed. To get turned on by weird customers.

Gabe’s life consists of two things… working at the homewares store and providing the best life he can for his teenage daughter. He puts everything else on the back burner, partly because he wants her to have the best life, but also because his ex-wife, depending on the man she’s with at the moment, is just itching to take him back to court to get custody of their daughter, even though she’s almost 17 and able to make those decisions for herself…..

I first want to say that I adored this story, but the whole storyline with the ex and all the trouble she makes, is ridiculous when at the end, she just kind of gets over it when the whole story she’s been this evil, bigoted, hate-spewing woman that causes both Ellie and Gabe nothing but stress and misery. Gabe even goes so far and spends his life alone, not dating….ever, just because she’d make trouble! Then all the sudden she calls, they go running and all is forgiven??? Uhm, no.

So, Gabe is excellent at his job and he’s probably the most experienced man there, so when a clueless and shy guy comes in for help, Gabe is sent to help him out. That’s when he meets Jerry.
I adored Jerry… Painfully shy and socially awkward, I knew there was something about him that he was hiding. It’s obvious from the beginning and though it was easy to figure out, I can’t believe Gabe didn’t before he did.

I loved how slow their relationship formed and progressed. It was sweet and realistic, watching them tip toe around each other and hope that the other was feeling the same way… you could tell they had feelings for each other but neither of them would come out and say it. It was a little bit annoying that Gabe kept jumping to conclusions and ran away when things got even a little bit tricky, but they always worked it out.

I also didn’t understand Jerry’s brother…. He seemed shady and bad news, and I thought for sure that Jerry would have it out with him, but he just kind of disappeared as well. Causing trouble one second and then gone the next. I’d have liked for Jerry to have told him off and not let him have all the say in his life anymore. I’d have liked the satisfaction… but meh, I’m petty.

It was tricky, being a celebrity and trying to be a normal person with a private life, as Jerry tried to do, and it proved a bit tricky to be the little piece of normal for the celebrity that so very much needed that, but they got there in the end.

Overall though, I loved how Gabe and Jerry was with each other, and I loved each one’s relationship with Gabe’s daughter Ellie. She’s sweet and helpful and she just wanted them both to be happy. Other than the ex-wife and Jerry’s brother… I really enjoyed it!

4 pieces of eye candy

 

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

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

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

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

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I’ve Got You by Becca Seymour: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

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When a single dad and a newly outed veterinarian meet by chance, it takes red-cheeked conversations, a tentative friendship, and the willingness to put their hearts on the line to show these men they’re made for each other.

Single dad Davis Jackson is busy balancing his coffee shop and being the best dad he can be. That doesn’t mean he’s not lonely. After a fumbling encounter with a man who looks as gorgeous as he does unhappy, Davis is left wondering who the mystery man is.

All Davis knows is that he has never felt such an instant attraction to anyone before, but when he discovers the brown-eyed man’s identity, it’s clear the recently out-of-the-closet veterinarian is lost and quite possibly broken.

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“Unexpected Meeting” Exclusive Excerpt from I’ve Got You by Becca Seymour

I had no idea what the hell had just happened, but I was sure the man beside me had been about to pass out. He’d turned white and seemed on the cusp of hyperventilating.

Still gripping his arms, I shook off the wayward thought of how strong they felt under my palms, instead concentrating on helping him breathe. Slowly, his color returned, yet I held on tightly, certain my touch was keeping him grounded.

His stare, which had been pointedly fixed on my mouth as I breathed with him, dropped down. Rex was no longer leaning on him, having shifted when I’d first reached out to him. I wasn’t sure if his eyes remained open, but I felt his arms shift, turn out slightly as his hands gripped my forearms so we were holding on to each other. I squeezed gently, not knowing what he needed, but hoping the gesture would continue to help him calm.

When I’d headed out this evening, this wasn’t quite the position I’d expected to be in. Okay, hanging on to another man, or possibly a woman, wouldn’t have been a shitty way to end the evening, but being someone’s lifeline… definitely not my expectation.

His breaths started to even out, and his fingers flexed on my skin. I was quite happy to stay this way a while longer. Touching firm muscles, having his appealing scent wrap around me, was surprisingly familiar, and hell, kinda nice, despite the weird situation and the poor guy’s meltdown.

Still holding on, I dipped my head a little, leaning closer. “You good?” I kept my voice low, quiet, not wanting to break the moment or startle him.

A slight, jerky nod was my answer.

“Okay. There’s no rush.” And there really wasn’t. There was something about him, this random guy who was a sorta friend to Carter, that had made it easy to reach out and comfort him. He was attractive, sure, with short, dark brown hair that was a little messy, possibly from running his fingers through it one too many times, plus he had the prettiest eyes I’d ever seen on a man or woman. But there was something deeper there too. He seemed lost.

Alright… I was a little bit leery about coming into this one because though I wanted a Scott story, he was a really big bully in Tanner and Carter’s story, so I wasn’t sure he was going to be able to redeem himself. He did though, he really really did.

So, first things first, we met both guys in Tanner and Carter’s story… Davis, because he and his daughter Libby, is who Tanner had moved to the small town to be close to. I loved Davis and anyone who’s read any of my reviews, know that I’m an absolute sucker for a hot dad story… and this one was up close and personal with

Davis’ daughter, Libby. She wasn’t pushed aside as an afterthought, she was ample page time and all the guys from this book and the previous one was wrapped around her one-year-old little finger. I loved it.

Then, we know Scott as the jerky vet that made a lot of trouble for Carter in his story. As I mentioned, he wasn’t one to be liked in that story… he was bigoted and hateful and went out of his way to try to run Carter off or to get him fired, and I hated him for that because I HATE when people get away with being terrible people.

However, in saying that… when you read about the environment in which he grew up and the abuse he endured because of his sexuality, I didn’t blame him for being scared of it or scared to admit it. It was hard reading about, because not only do most folks have a hard time with coming out and acceptance, not only with themselves but the acceptance that other people have with them… Scott knew it wasn’t an option, not ever, and he’d been conditioned to be afraid of it. I hated it so bad for him, especially because while meeting Davis the time or two they’d run into each other, even though they were attracted to one another, Scott’s anxiety and fears had him having near on panic attacks. Luckily, Davis was sweet and patient and understanding, and even though he’d heard a lot of bad about this guy, mostly
from Tanner… he couldn’t help but be intrigued by him.

There wasn’t a whole lot of drama in this one, which I really liked. I’m not a big fan of angst… instead, we got to focus on these two getting to know each other while Scott figured out what he wanted his next move to be. Did he want to stay at the practice and work with the animals, or move on? He was taking some time to figure out what he wanted and at the same time, figure out if being out was worth it. It was, especially because Davis and Libby were so amazing and cute.

Of course, we get to see some of our favorites from the other books, and meet some new ones along the way… like Scott’s sister and her kids, that was equally as cute as Davis’ and Carter’s parents, who were so sweet and not afraid of the embarrassing scene that had me cracking up with Scott and his loose lips. I’ve totally done that before… it was amazingly bad but so funny.

The abusive dad does pop up and try to wave his bully flag around, but both Scott and his sister have both grown since meeting Davis, and it was awesome to see them stick up for themselves. More of that, please!

I dunno who will be next or if anyone will be, but I really enjoyed this one and I would absolutely be interested in reading more from these couples. Awesome addition!

4 pieces of eye candy

 

Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

Author Website: https://beccaseymour.com

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Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/beccaseymourauthor/

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Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Becca-Seymour/e/B07NYXX6JP


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Triple Threat by Davidson King: Exclusive Guest Post, Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

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Lee, Jones, and Ginger deal with dangerous situations and mounting stress daily working for the most powerful assassin organization in the world. All of those things seem like a walk in the park compared to the friction that sparks between them. When all three are assigned to the same job, ignoring the heat from the inferno of desire becomes impossible.
Lee is a master at deciphering codes, skilled in hacking complicated systems, and never misses a target, even from over fifty miles away. His feelings for Jones and Ginger, however, may be the first code he’s unable to crack.

Jones deals in absolutes, but the road to his past is paved with bodies and regrets. Getting Lee to acknowledge the pull they both feel toward Ginger may be the hardest mission he’s ever had to face.

Ginger struggles to cope with the overwhelming guilt that accompanies this new job. Falling for these hired killers will be a risk—one that could wind up with him losing in the end or gaining everything he’s ever wanted.

As the three work together to take down a human trafficking ring—and save a desperate soul—time is of the essence. Their lives are on the line as mysteries unfold and unexpected encounters throw them off course. Will Lee, Jones, and Ginger let doubts come between them, distracting them from their mission and blocking any hope of love? Or can they face the toughest challenge of their lives and become…a triple threat?

Triple Threat

Haven Heart Series, Book 6

Davidson King

Release Date: June 27th

M/M, Suspense, Romance, Action, Menage

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

 

Writing Ménage

Ménage is my most favorite trope to read, and probably not for the reasons you think. While sex is lovely it’s not on the top of my list. Because it’s my favorite, I find myself as a critical reader when it came to ménage. I have found exceptional books that tackled the dynamic perfectly. And others that were just either a big orgy or something felt like it was missing.

Triple Threat is a ménage and the first I’ve ever written.  Going into it I was nervous partially because it’s following a story arc and I was tossing in an MMM where some don’t like them, and also because I was writing the one trope, I am somewhat judgmental with.

It was important to me while pushing the story arc forward, to also bring the elements of each character out and connect them in a way that was believable and realistic. I felt I accomplished that but recognize where I find the strengths of a throuple, others may not.

The psychology of a three-person relationship is vital. I need to feel it, believe it, know it in my bones to be true. Yes, sexually— if that’s even their preference— they must work as well. But more than anything you need to say, “Yeah they were never supposed to be two, always three.”

Writing ménage was so very hard because sometimes getting my thoughts out isn’t easy but in the end,  I felt I did it justice and wrote Jones, Lee, and Ginger exactly how they were meant to be portrayed, and pushed the story along.

With Lee and Jones busy, I popped my earbuds in, hit play on my Spotify, and drowned in the sounds of Pat Benatar. I loved the ‘80s, some of the ‘90s, but damn the ‘80s had amazing music. As with every time I listened to my music, I started swaying in my seat. I closed my eyes, let my hands tap, my feet slide, and that chorus in “We Belong”… it possessed me, and I couldn’t help myself but to sing. I sang softly as to not disturb Lee and Jones.

“What the absolute fuck!” The sound of Jones’ voice broke through. I opened my eyes and pulled my buds out. The van had stopped and now Lee was standing, staring at me, too.

“Hey,” I said meekly. “What’s up?”

“You scared the crap out of me,” Jones said, and Lee nodded in agreement.

“How?”

“One second it’s all quiet, then it’s like opera cats or something,” Lee answered, and this time Jones agreed.

“Wow, that’s harsh.” I drew my legs up to my chest, hearing the faint sounds of Tiffany singing that she thinks we’re alone now.

“Just warn us when you’re going to break out into song is all,” Lee grumbled, and then got back into the driver’s seat. I slipped the earbuds back in.

A tap on my leg had me pulling out my earbuds again.

“You listen to all ‘80s or you got some not shitty crap in there?” Jones asked, and I gripped my phone like he just shit on my dreams.

“Nothing of what I have is shit!”

Lee started to laugh as he pulled back onto the road and Jones had a huge grin. It was a change I hadn’t really seen in a while. Those two actually enjoying each other. I knew there was history there, everyone did.

If they wanted to be that way, okay. “Just for that,” I said as I put the phone on speaker and hit play. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts started singing about loving rock and roll, and because they love it so much, I sang with them.

Jones’ eyes widened and Lee once again pulled to the side of the road and turned in his seat. Seemed I was entertainment. I knew I didn’t have the best voice, but I had rendered these two dangerous men speechless. I was loving the power, the control.

Feeling daring, I inched over to Jones who looked positively terrified, and began drumming on his legs.

“Sweet Jesus,” Lee said and laughed so loudly I lost track of my words and watched him. Tears ran down his face, and he had his arms wrapped around his middle. It was a contagious laugh, and suddenly the three of us were in hysterics.

Finally we get Lee and Jones! And Ginger!

I loved the entire story line of this book regarding the human trafficking. The “romance” and start of the throuple, meh. Left me wanting a bit as it definitely took a background role.

Lee and Jones have refused to work together for a while. But now they have to. King is making them partner up to take down a human trafficking ring. And when Ginger sees that one of the boys up for auction is is brother, he is all in as well.

This book definitely gave all of King’s employees a heart. Showing that they aren’t just assassins. Like I said, it was a great story with a lot of twists and turns and tons of characters and even a few other incidental storylines in there.

What I really wanted as well was a good juicy love story between the three guys. But honestly, it seemed like they just kind of fell into it. Lots of flirting and and then BAM! They were a throuple. Very little discussion, Lee and Jones are all happy again like nothing happened between them in the past. Ginger questions his role in the throuple in the beginning, but then he is also all in with very little thought.

Don’t get me wrong, I think they are great together. But they needed to be together without the human trafficking assignment looming as well. They were so busy focusing on their assignment that they really didn’t have time to focus on themselves.

Knowing this author, we will definitely see more of these three. And I hope it is them living together happily.

We also got another fairly big hint as to the entire enigma that surrounds Poe. GAH!

So yes, really good book, fair love story. But if you are a fan of these books, you have to read this one to help connect all the dots leading to the next.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

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

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

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

LinkTree to ALL links: https://linktr.ee/davidsonkingauthor

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Aftermath (Ever After book 3) by Tanya Chris: Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review

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The Ever After series concludes in Aftermath. Tragedy, redemption, love… Ever After

Once upon a time, Casey flirted with a pretty boy at a bar, and that changed everything. Recently released from jail, he’s starting to rebuild without the family who raised him to hate himself. He’s got a new job, a room at his aunt’s, and community service hours at an LGBTQIA community center. But his biggest challenge is figuring out how to live as the one thing his father and brother drilled into him he could never be: a gay man.

Once upon a time, Brooks was a confident Dom with a particular taste for bigger men. But since his run-in with a dangerous homophobe, he’s lost his touch. Big, buff guys are hot but scary, and hurting people isn’t as much fun as it used to be.

Until he meets Casey, the big guy with the problematic past. Casey’s willing to do anything, but does his submission stem from healthy kink or from an unhealthy need to be punished? And is Brooks doling out release or revenge? Two people who share a past as violent as theirs could never fall in love. Unless, somewhere in the aftermath, there’s forgiveness.

Content warning: internalized homophobia, homophobic language, and references to homophobic hate crimes that have occurred in the past

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“Casey.” Brooks waited until Casey glanced up at him. “I’m not shaming you, okay? I’m just saying there’s safer ways of getting that feeling. Assuming you liked the feeling.” He wouldn’t ask if Casey had liked it. It wasn’t his business, and besides, he could guess.

Casey still didn’t say anything, so Brooks stood up. “All right, good talk. If you ever have any questions….”

“You’ve done it?” Casey’s words stopped him just as he was about to escape from the room. Apparently they were going to talk, after all. He shut the door and leaned back against it.

“I don’t choke people. There’s really no way to do that safely. Safer, but never safe. It’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”

“But other stuff?” Casey asked his boots. They were work boots, well-worn and hideous. Huge. Which of course didn’t mean anything.

“I’ve been in the scene since I turned eighteen, so yeah, I’ve done stuff. I could point you to some resources, give you a few links.”

Casey shuffled those large boots of his across the floor. “Which one are you?” he asked with a quick upward glance, curiosity brimming in his eyes. “Are you the one who hits people or the one who gets hit?”

“That’s personal.”

“Oh.” And there went the eyes back to the floor again.

“Fine. I’m a Dom. Does it matter? I’m going to point you to the same resources either way.”

Casey opened his mouth, and Brooks suddenly knew what was about to come out of it.

“No,” he said, before Casey could ask. “Definitely not.”

“Why not?”

For a moment, Brooks was tempted. God, imagine laying into this slab of a man, putting his marks all over him. Or just getting him to kneel. It didn’t even have to be physical. The emotional high of having his enemy kneeling at his feet would carry Brooks for a month.

But, God. No. Enemy. That wasn’t at all what BDSM was about. He couldn’t go into a scene literally wanting to hurt the person subbing for him.

“You said it wasn’t safe,” Casey said, “what I did. So show me safe.”

Book 3 of a trilogy. Yes, you absolutely need to read the first two books.

A super quick recap: Book 1, brother of man accused of murdering his boyfriend and the brother’s lawyer fall in love. Even though the lawyer is a hard core sub and masochist and the other might be but fights it.

Book 2: Newly acquitted Dom/sadist and lawyer’s assistant lawyer- who isn’t a sub or masochist fall in love.

And book 3. This one centers on one of the guys, Casey, who actually was responsible for the murder (and more). Although really it was his brother. Whatever. This kid needs a smack in the head.

He wants to make amends, so when he sees one of his victims, Brooks, in a bar, he follows him home. BRILLIANT. Also, he only ever tries to make amends with this one guy.

Brooks was a dom until the gay bashing and now he is afraid. Totally understandable. So you know the best way to get over it? Get in a relationship with a baby gay/ baby sub who helped beat you up. *eye roll*

I’m sorry, I am all about redemption and I could have really rooted for Casey’s redemption. If it wasn’t with their first victim. It just made no sense to me.

The book was definitely the BDSM’est of the three books, but it was for all the wrong reasons. Casey wants to be beaten as punishment and Brooks wants to do the beating as retribution. COME ON. No dom worth his weight in floggers would do that.

I did really enjoy the other story line involving the LGBT center and the kids- especially one kid- there. I liked seeing such a positive portrayal of an LGBT center and that it wasn’t just for runaways, but also for LGBT kids who were totally accepted but wanted to hang in a safe space.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t.

3 Pieces of Eye Candy

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The Doctor’s Date by Heidi Cullinan: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Release Day Review

by

The hospital’s least eligible bachelor and its aloof administrator hate each other… so why are they pretending to date?

Dr. Owen Gagnon and HR director Erin Andreas are infamous for their hospital hallway shouting matches. So imagine the town’s surprise when Erin bids an obscene amount of money to win Owen in the hospital bachelor auction—and Owen ups the ante by insisting Erin move in with him.

Copper Point may not know what’s going on, but neither do Erin and Owen. Erin intends his gesture to let Owen know he’s interested. Owen, on the other hand, suspects ulterior motives—that Erin wants a fake relationship as a refuge from his overbearing father.

With Erin suddenly heading a messy internal investigation, Owen wants to step up and be the hero Erin’s never had. Too bad Erin would rather spend his energy trying to rescue Owen from the shadows of a past he doesn’t talk about.

This relationship may be fake, but the feelings aren’t. Still, what Erin and Owen have won’t last unless they put their respective demons to rest. To do that, they’ll have to do more than work together—they’ll have to trust they can heal each other’s hearts.

Title: The Doctor’s Date
Series: Copper Point Medical: Book Two
Author: Heidi Cullinan
Release Date: June 18, 2019
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 300

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Hi there! Thanks for having me today. I’m here to talk about my new book The Doctor’s Date, available in ebook, trade paper, and mass market from Dreamspinner Press. It’s book two in the Copper Point: Medical series, and it’s the story of Erin Andreas, no-nonsense hospital administrator, and Dr. Owen Andreas, the cantankerous anesthesiologist.

When I planned out the Copper Point: Medical series, I set up two of the books to pair a doctor with one of the hospital administrators. I knew there would be a lot of built-in conflict by doing so, especially given that I wanted to show a younger, more diverse group of doctors and administrators trying to turn a flailing hospital around despite efforts by the old guard to keep everything the “same as it had always been” without allowing any change.

I see this power struggle play out in every aspect of the town where I live, which while it boasts a population of sixty-six thousand people, fully half plus three thousand of that is made up of the local state university. We’re a big small town that likes to pretend by turns it’s more than it is and also less. I’ve lived here longer than I’ve lived anywhere in my life, and the things the school, hospital, and city planners find to fight about have yet to cease amazing me.

From listening to dinnertime stories from my husband for twenty years as he has worked in hospital pharmacy, hospitals play out this same kind of struggle internally as well. You don’t get that many people with differing goals placed into the same petri dish without growing some interesting side effects.

Owen and Erin were an absolute delight to write, not the least of which because they never ceased to snipe at one another, even when it was done with love. It’s so fun to write that kind of energy. And of course, a lot of that struggle plays out as they deal with each other at work.

I hope you enjoy The Doctor’s Date and the other books in the Copper Point: Medical series. May you have as great a time as I did exploring Erin and Owen’s adventure!

Owen had what Simon had said as well as what Erin had said ringing in his head all the rest of the day.

He was so agitated. He needed to blow off some steam.

He decided to look for Erin.

Owen moved on autopilot. He wanted a fight. He wondered if he’d get one. He wondered if he should get one. As he rode the elevator to the third floor, he fidgeted, unsure of what he was going to do or say when he arrived.

Maybe he shouldn’t go.

Probably he shouldn’t go.

When the elevator doors opened, he didn’t exit, allowing the three other passengers who had ridden with him to get off, and he remained on. Two new people got on, and the doors were starting to close to take him downstairs again when at the last second someone slipped inside—it was Erin, holding too many binders. On instinct, Owen reached for the stack.

Erin shifted and moved them farther away.

Owen glared at him.

“Would you press the first floor for me?” Erin asked.

Owen did, glancing at the stack. “You carry too much.”

Erin pursed his lips. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not. You’re clearly straining. You’re going to get a hernia.”

The two women in the back of the elevator exchanged a knowing look. Owen thought one of them hid a smile behind her hand.

The woman closest to Owen turned toward him, and before she opened her mouth, he could tell what she was going to say by the look in her eye. He froze, ready for impact.

“Dr. Gagnon, the other night, when you played the violin—”

Stepping in front of her, Erin thrust the stack of binders at Owen. “Fine. Take them, if it will stop your nagging.”

Stunned, Owen moved cautiously to accept the folders. He was more surprised when Erin’s gaze lingered on him.

That had been on purpose. Erin had cut her off so she couldn’t comment on his playing.

He’d just been rescued.

Goddamn if Owen wasn’t about to blush.

After reading book 1, I had two thoughts. 1. I need more Owen and 2. Why is Erin named Erin and not Aaron? Usually in a series, the “bad boy” or super closed off one, or whatever you want to call him is book 3. So I was super happy to get Owen’s story this time. Sorry, Jared, you have to wait for book 3.

Owen is the lone anesthesiologist at the small town hospital. He has 2 life long friends he loves fiercely. And seems to hate everyone else. But Erin fell in love with Owen when he was 13. And now that they are working together, Erin hopes to get to know Owen better, but Owen just bickers and fights with him.

It’s obvious to all of us that the bickering and fighting is straight up flirting to Owen. But poor Erin has zero game. Or social skills. So he ends up bidding a ridiculous amount on Owen at a fundraiser bachelor auction. Erin just wants a date. But Owen thinks he wants protection from his over bearing father.

It was pretty funny because Owen and Erin were actually honest and truthful with each other. They just weren’t listening. After a few missteps, Erin says he wanted a date. But Owen needs to protect Erin. Because that is what he does.

Add in a ridiculously overbearing father, more missing money from the hospital, sexual tension and nosy friends and you get a good story! There was a bit of whodunit with the embezzlement from the hospital. Which was a little anticlimactic because there was embezzlement from the hospital in book 1.

But with that story line mixed in with Erin’s parental issues and Owen’s parental issues gave us a lot of story meat to sink our teeth into.

And I just loved Owen. I knew I would. The way he takes care of Erin, without taking over his life, is just the sweetest thing. He checks in with him, never once mocking him about anything- inexperience, clumsiness, shyness, etc. He never rushed him and never pressured him. He was just swoony.

There are a few sex scenes, but nothing over the top. This is definitely more story and character driven than sex driven. Which is fine by me. I love a good sex scene, but I hate when they are filler.

Bring on book 3!

4 pieces of eye candy

Melting For You by A.M. Arthur: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, Blog Tour and New Release Review

by

After his father’s heart attack, Isaiah Morrell gave up cooking in his own high-end Atlanta restaurant to return home to Reynolds, North Carolina, in order to help his father Thomas heal and to keep an eye on his business Neighborhood Shindig. A collection of food trucks and other small businesses, Shindig is a popular destination in this college town, but Isaiah longs for the fast pace of a big-city kitchen. Until he meets Joel…

Joel Fisher has been out of commission from a serious illness for the better part of a year, but now he’s ready to reclaim his life—except his apartment has been sublet, his partner is missing, and their shared food truck is stripped of everything not attached. In short, Joel has nothing. After an uncomfortable night sleeping on the food truck floor, Isaiah and Thomas Morrell give Joel an offer he can’t refuse: a rented room in their house, as well as their help creating a new food truck concept. Joel hates accepting charity, but he’s hit rock bottom and has nowhere to go but up.

Working with seemingly uptight Isaiah is actually pretty fun, and the pair bonds over a challenge to create a unique grilled cheese sandwich. Light flirting melts into a deeper connection neither man expects, but Isaiah isn’t in Reynolds for much longer, and Joel can’t get attached to the gorgeous professional chef. As Isaiah’s feelings for Joel strengthen and grow, he entertains the idea of staying in Neighborhood Shindig for good—but Joel hasn’t asked him to…

Welcome to Neighborhood Shindig, a friendly place where you can snack on a lamb kebab while getting your hair done, pick up your favorite herbal tea blend, and then go listen to live music under the pavilion. We’re happy to have you.

Melting For You

Neighborhood Shindig Series, Book #1

A.M. Arthur

Contemporary MM Romance

Release Date: 06.13.19

Cover Designer: Sloan J Designs/https://www.facebook.com/sloanjdesigns/

 

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Hey, y’all! Thank you for having me at Two Chicks Obsessed. I’m A.M. Arthur, and I write LBGTQ+ romance across the spectrum of both sexualities and subgenres. I’m here today to celebrate the recent release of my brand-new food truck-centered series, Neighborhood Shindig. The first book in the series, Melting For You, kicks it off with Joel Fisher, a young guy with a run of bad luck, and Isaiah Morrell, the spoiled son of a locally renowned chef. Together, the pair hatch a plan to open up a gourmet grilled cheese food truck, and naturally shenanigans ensue—and the pair falls in love.

Now Neighborhood Shindig probably sounds like an odd name for a romance series, and it’s named after the main location of the books. Set in the fictional down of Reynolds, North Carolina. Shindig is a fenced-in private lot with six stationary food trucks, eight small business shops (called pods), and a big open-air pavilion in the middle with picnic tables for guests. It’s an eclectic place with no two businesses alike, and also a safe space for people to come, enjoy live music while snacking on a bowl of gourmet nachos, and maybe get your nails done while you’re at it (after the nachos, of course).

One of my favorite aspects of writing series romance is being able to use a setting as a character in and of itself. To give a location its own personality and make readers feel as if they’ve visited it simply because the characters have. Heidi Cullinan did this so well for the town of Logan in her Minnesota Christmas series, and by the end of book one (Let It Snow) I felt like I’d been to Logan myself. K.A. Mitchell made Baltimore, Maryland, come alive in her Bad in Baltimore series (book one Bad Boyfriend) by featuring locations well-known to locals, while still putting a creative spin on things. Also, the town of Zebulon leapt to life in Keira Andrews’ Amish books (starting with A Forbidden Rumspringa).

I tried to make Neighborhood Shindig as a location come alive for readers by giving it fun characters, unique food truck concepts (admittedly some more than others), as well as interesting small business pods to shop in. I hope I’ve intrigued you enough to pay your own visit to Shindig and dive into Melting For You!

What are some of your favorite book series where the location is just as important a character as the people on the page?

Joel found a parking spot near his building and got out, grateful to stretch sore, aching limbs. Long car rides were more difficult for him now, and he’d tried to stop as infrequently as possible, so eager to surprise Steve. Joel scanned the lot for Steve’s hatchback. It was midday on Tuesday, so the Shindig lot was closed—it gave not only the small business owners who rented pods, but also the owner/manager one full day off a week. Didn’t mean Steve had to be home, though.

Their unit was on the fourth floor, no elevator, and Joel hated that he was panting a bit by the time he got there. Definitely needed to start working out more, get back into shape. He was already tall and lean, but he’d lost about fifteen pounds of muscle this past year.

Excitement rolled through his belly as he put his key into their unit’s lock and turned—except it didn’t unlock. He double-checked, but yeah, right door and right key.

That’s weird.

Maybe Steve had needed to change the locks for some reason? He pushed the doorbell and waited, trying to fight back a big smile. The knob rattled and a chain slid back. The door opened about a foot and a dark-haired woman stared at him. “Can I help you?” she asked.

Joel blinked hard. “Um, does Steve Winslow live here?”

Don’t I live here?

“Not since the first of the month,” the woman replied. “He had to move suddenly, so I’m sub-leasing it through the end of the month, until my place is ready downstairs. Who are you?”

“Joel. I live here.”

“Oh, right, you’re the ex he mentioned.”

“Ex?” Ex what? He’d texted Steve yesterday about frivolous things, and Steve hadn’t said a damned thing about sub-leasing their place. A place Joel had paid this month’s rent on. “What do you mean ex?”

“He said you guys broke up, so you moved back to live with your parents in Virginia, and he’s moving…somewhere, I don’t think he said where. But your stuff is still here. He packed it up and left it in the hall closet.”

Joel did not understand what was happening right now. “We didn’t break up. We have a business together for God’s sake. I don’t understand.”

“Listen, do you want to come inside and sit? You look pale.”

“Um, yeah, thanks.”

The apartment was small, one-bedroom and only about six hundred square feet. It had come furnished, so none of the big stuff was his, and he’d taken clothing and his electronics with him to Virginia. Those personal things were in his car right now, waiting to be unpacked.

He sat on the familiar sofa, legs suddenly trembling, and tried to wrap his brain around what was happening.

The woman appeared with a bottle of water. “Here. I’m Emily, by the way.”

“Joel.” Had he already said that? “Steve never told me he moved out.”

“Oh, wow, that’s harsh. He ditched your place without telling you?”

“At least the lease isn’t up until August.” It gave him time to plan, even if it meant a strange female roommate for a few weeks. He couldn’t really afford the place on his own, and he still had no clue what was going on with the food truck.

“Um…” Emily chewed on her bottom lip. “The lease is month-to-month. It’s over in, like ten days, and I have a document with the landlord stating I’m the tenant.”

Joel gaped. “But…this is my place.”

“My place, dude, and no offense, but I do not know you, and I make it a point not to live with strange men.”

“How the hell can he change the lease without me…signing…? Fuck.” Because he dealt with college students, the building’s manager had multiple lease options. Year-long, which is what Joel always signed, but also college-term leases that lasted the length of the college’s school year, and then month-to-month options for the summer, or for temporary tenants. When Steve said he’d renewed the lease last summer while Joel was sick, Joel had assumed he’d done another full-year contract.

Joke’s on me.

“If you don’t believe me, I can get a copy of the lease,” Emily said.

“I believe you. I just don’t understand why he’d do this. Why he wouldn’t at least call and tell me he was leaving, or that if I came back I’d be homeless.”

What a great start to A.m. Arthur’s Neighborhood Shindig series! Now, to be fair, A.m. Arthur is absolutely in the top five of my favorite m/m authors, so I’ll admit to a little bit of bias, but the world that A.m. Arthur has created in the Neighborhood Shindig is absolutely endearing!

Ok.. So, Melting For You, here are your characters. First, you have Joel, a 20-something young man who is just returning to Reynolds, North Carolina after spending a year living with his parents while he was extremely ill. Then, you have Isaiah who’s come home to help care for his estranged father, who just happens to be the owner of Neighborhood Shindig. When Joel arrives in Reynolds, it quickly becomes clear that his former business partner and casual lover, has stolen from Joel, left Joel homeless, and left their jointly run food truck a barren disaster. But all hope is not lost. Enter, Isaiah and his father.

Isaiah is not quite sure where he belongs anymore. He’s managed to work his way to the top of the restaurant business in Atlanta, but now that he’s back home in Reynolds he finds himself questioning whether or not Atlanta and the restaurant he co-owns is really where his passion is best served.

In Melting for You, Isaiah and Joel become friends first, then lovers, and together they begin a journey into finding a place that feels like home. As they work together to get Joel’s food truck back up and running, they begin to learn just what it means when a place feels like home. This is a sweet and simple story of two men, a lot of grilled cheese, and a city square full of food trucks and family. Welcome, my friends, to Neighborhood Shindig… Oh, and fair warning, this book will leave you hungry, lol!

5 pieces of eye candy to A.m. Arthur’s Melting for You.

 

A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland.  She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Carina Press, SMP Swerve, and Briggs-King Books.

 

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder.  She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

 

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