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Familiar Demon by Amy Lane: Exclusive Cover Reveal

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TCO is excited to have Amy Lane stopping by today with the cover reveal of her upcoming book, Familiar Demon, book 2 in the Familiar Love series. This amazing cover was done by the fabulous Reese Dante, and the book–like all of Amy’s books–looks great! Can’t wait!

For over a century, Edward Youngblood has been the logical one in a family of temperamental magical beings. But reason has not made him immune to passion, and Edward’s passion for Mullins, the family’s demon instructor, has only grown.

Mullins was lured into hell through desperation—and a fatal mistake. He’s done his best to hang onto his soul in the twisted realm of the underworld, and serving the Youngblood family when summoned has been his only joy. Edward concocts a plan to spring Mullins by collecting a series of items to perform an ancient ritual—an idea that terrifies Mullins. He can’t bear the thought of losing Edward and his brothers to a dangerous quest.

But every item in their collection is an adventure in brotherhood and magic, and as Mullins watches from the sidelines, he becomes more and more hopeful that they will succeed. When the time comes for Mullins to join the mission, can he find enough faith and hope to redeem himself and allow himself happiness in the arms of a man who would literally go to hell and back—and beyond—to have Mullins by his side?

Title: Familiar Demon
Series: Familiar Love: Book 2
Author: Amy Lane
Release Date: February 12, 2019
Category: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 248
Cover Artist: Reese Dante http://www.reesedante.com

Dreamspinner Press eBook
Dreamspinner Press Paperback

Amy Lane lives in a crumbling crapmansion with a couple of growing children, a passel of furbabies, and a bemused spouse. She’s been nominated for a RITA, has won honorable mention for an Indiefab, and has a couple of Rainbow Awards to her name. She also has too damned much yarn, a penchant for action-adventure movies, and a need to know that somewhere in all the pain is a story of Wuv, Twu Wuv, which she continues to believe in to this day! She writes fantasy, urban fantasy, and gay romance—and if you accidentally make eye contact, she’ll bore you to tears with why those three genres go together. She’ll also tell you that sacrifices, large and small, are worth the urge to write.
Website: www.greenshill.com
Blog: www.writerslane.blogspot.com
Email: amylane@greenshill.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amy.lane.167
Twitter: @amymaclane

Fair Isn’t Life by Kaje Harper: Exclusive Double Guest Post, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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I am so super excited to welcome Kaje Harper today at Two Chicks Obsessed. As soon as I saw Fair Isn’t Life was coming out, I immediately messaged Kaje and asked her to do a special guest post. Both Kaje and I live in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, where the Great Minnesota Get Together, also known as the Minnesota State Fair, is and where this book begins. The Minnesota State Fair is a huge deal in the state, and brings people from all over to eat “food on a stick”, see farm animals, and sweat in the hot sun and humidity that is a Minnesota summer. So, I had to do a “this or that” list with Kaje to see what our differences are. Check it out (and yes, all these things are things you can do/see/eat at the Minnesota State Fair), and enter the giveaway!

 

Luke Lafontaine survived the past year by not thinking about the father he lost, the dairy farm he couldn’t save from bankruptcy, or his way of life that vanished with the rap of an auctioneer’s hammer. Cleaning up city folks’ trash at the Minnesota State Fair is just another dead-end job. But at the Fair, surrounded by a celebration of farm life, ambitions he’d given up on and buried deep start to revive. And seeing Mason Bell in the parade—gorgeous, gay, out-of-his-league Mason—stirs other buried dreams.

Mason left his hometown for college in Minneapolis without looking back. Student life is fun, classes are great, gay guys are easy to find, but it’s all a bit superficial. He’s at the State Fair parade route with his band when he realizes a scruffy maintenance worker is Luke, his secret high school crush. Luke should be safely home working on his dad’s farm, not picking up litter. Mason wishes he hadn’t fallen out of touch. He’s an optimist, though, and it’s never too late for second chances. Now he just has to convince Luke.

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Title: Fair Isn’t Life
Author: Kaje Harper
Release Date: November 16, 2018
Category: Contemporary, States of Love (Minnesota)
Pages: 148

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Thanks for giving me time to hang out on this blog, as my new book, Fair Isn’t Life, is released. How fun that we’ve both been to the Minnesota State Fair (second largest in the nation, I’ll have you know) where my book begins. The Fair has so many good things, including more food than anyone can possibly even try once.  I insisted Denise had to fill these questions out too – let’s see how our choices compare.

  1. Pork chop on a stick or turkey legs?

KH: I have to admit I’ve never tried either one. If I did, I’d be more likely to go for the pork chop. I eat 95% vegetarian, but when I splurge it’s usually bacon-related.

DSC: I’m not a big meat person (giggle), but definitely prefer turkey legs. And I am totally down with the bacon-related items that Kaje mentioned!

  1. Swine barn or miracle of birth center

KH: I love the Miracle of Birth Center, run by the veterinary college. It’s an important piece of Fair Isn’t Life too, as Luke confronts his dreams and future in there. Seriously— newborn calves, tiny piglets, twin lambs, and fuzzy ducklings. What’s not to love? (Although the annual biggest pig at the Fair in the Swine Barn is pretty impressive too. This year “Johnny” topped the scales at 1,040 pounds.)

DSC: Definitely the Miracle of Birth Center. I love goats! Like seriously LOOOOVVVEEEE goats, so any chance I get to see baby goats, or any goats, is my time. That being said, they are also in the Swine Barn, so I win either way.

  1. Space needle or Giant Slide

KH: I’m a Needle fan – I love looking down from (safe) heights. My kids loved the slide better.

DSC: Although we didn’t do it this year, I definitely prefer the Giant Slide. Although the bags you sit on are itchy!

  1. Sweet Martha’s cookies or deep fried candy bars/Oreos

KH: Cookies. Give me all the cookies. (I have nothing against candy bars – chocolate is my preferred writing fuel, but deep frying puts them over the top for me.)

DSC: Definitely Sweet Martha’s cookies. That overflowing bucket of melting cookies has you sick to your stomach. Why do they bother selling the little cone of them, I have always wondered. Does anyone actually buy that? lol

  1. French Fries or Cheese Curds

KH: Fries, please. Better yet, Duke’s Poutine – fries with cheese curds and gravy – a taste of my Montreal roots.

DSC: Cheese Curds. Deep fried deliciousness…Kaje mentioned the Poutine…my family loves it…me? I don’t quite get it, but hey, they can have that, and I get all the cheese curds!

  1. Ball Park (beer garden) or Wine Country

KH: I like a good wine (or even a cheap wine LOL), but never learned to appreciate beer. (My main characters Luke and Mason would say the opposite.)

DSC: This one I follow the family wherever they choose to go, neither one is a draw for me. But give me a huge cup of the lemonade? Oh yes!

  1. Coliseum or Grandstand

KH: Coliseum. I’m crazy about horses (I worked in a riding camp for girls as a teen) and I’m not crazy about really loud music and crowds, so I’d rather watch the pretty ponies.

DSC: hahaha I chose the Coliseum, but for all the little shops that surround it. I found some awesome Christmas presents there this year, and at a great deal since it was Labor Day! 🙂

  1. Open Sky Ride or Closed Sky Ride

KH: Open Sky Ride – I like the way it passes over the crowd but not too high and wide open, so you feel engaged with the fair below. This year, as we passed over the karaoke booth, they were playing Bohemian Rhapsody and people in the chairs were singing along with the folks on the ground to Freddie Mercury’s classic.  (Fun observation – everyone from seniors to preteens knew the words. Freddie was a genius.)

In years past, the building roof that the ride goes over had lots of dropped hats and flip flops; by now, we saw it’s mostly adorned with underwear. My son and I discussed how you could get out of bras and particularly undershorts while in the chair seats, or if people brought them along to drop…

DSC: Open Sky Ride. Although that being said, this year I noticed a ton of people dropped their undergarments on the roof of one of the buildings as they went overhead. I had to wonder…did they plan ahead for that? hahaha Kaje and I mentioned the same thing! I took a picture as a memorial. Someday someone will find that in my phone and wonder WTF?

  1. Agriculture Building or Education Building

KH: I like the Ag building. It brings the flavor of a real fair to the big urban celebration. I like looking at the prize winning vegetables and all the flowers.

DSC: Agriculture building. I love the Christmas display they get up in the middle. And the apples, and the taste testing. 🙂


  1. West End or International Bazaar

KJ: International Bazaar – it feels hopeful to see people learning about and enjoying other cultures.

DSC: We did the West End this year, and really enjoyed it. Definitely a must again next year. But I love the International Bazaar too.

  1. Butterfly House or Reptile House

KH: Reptiles are fascinating— I once owned a pet snake and he was a cutie. But I vote Butterfly House. I like watching the little kids in awe of having a butterfly land on their arm. There’s a tinge of sadness in the fragility that ends up in small crumpled losses in the corners (and that’s something that Mason was upset about as a kid, in a cut scene that didn’t make it into the book.) Still, the big-eyed wonder and seeing the kids try so hard to be still and gentle warms my heart.

DSC: Butterfly House. And I didn’t realize when I was reading the book the butterfly reference was more than the brief reference, so now I want to see that scene! 🙂

  1. Midway or Kidway

KH: Other than the Sky Ride or a Ferris Wheel, I’m not much of a rides person. So this depends on who I’m with. My first time at the Fair was when my older son was just 18 months old. This summer, my younger son was 22 years old. Their tastes changed.

DSC: I normally would have said neither, but this year my brother made me go on several of the fun houses in the Midway and we had a blast! Loads of fun.

  1. Haunted House or Fun House

KH: Fun House – not a fan of horror, or screaming. (Plus sometimes there are clowns in the haunted house.)

DSC: See previous answer! And the New York City one was awesome!!!

  1. Ice Cream or Custard

KH: If I’m going to eat a frozen treat, let it be decadent – Custard.

DSC: I’m going to go with the milk shakes, cause those are awesome!

  1. Minnesota Apples or Minnesota Honey

KH: Apples. The Honeycrisp is a Minnesota creation.

DSC: Honey all the way. The honey ice cream is delicious!

  1. Fried Pickles or Corn on the Cob

KH: Corn. I never developed a taste for pickles. And the corn is soooooooo good.

DSC: Hmmmm….well since it’s on a stick, I’m going with Corn on the Cob!!!!

KH: Thanks for inviting me onboard today, and for reminding me about all the good stuff from our Fair (and now I really want Funnel Cakes…)

DSC: Thanks for playing along!

Okay, I am not sure if it’s fair (haha, get it?) for me to review this book. I mean the Minnesota State Fair, and just all the Minnesota references were out of this world. I had so much fun with this book. Although it starts at the fair, as these two men get reaquainted, there are tons of other references that made me smile, laugh, or just reminded me of all the good stuff that comes with living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. (Go Twins!) It was a great step into what a lot of people call “flyover country”, but don’t realize is a rich, diverse area with lots to see and do, including the Great Minnesota Get Together.

All that being said, I really did love this book, not just because of the location of the story, but also from a character driven aspect.

I really liked both of these characters, and what they were dealing with during this time in their lives. Luke was trying to bring himself out of a grief stricken and guilt induced depression that was crushing. He knew he needed to do something with his life, but hadn’t been able to see through the cloud of grief to decide. Having someone like Mason come back into his life at a time when he needed a guiding support, and even someone to push him a little was very realistic. It was obvious Luke had spent much of his life doing what he was told, and trying to be the good, faithful son, because his father wanted that from him. Breaking out a little was a great way for him to begin to find himself, who he wanted to be, what he wanted to do with his life, and acknowledge that he wanted Mason as his man.

Meanwhile, Mason, despite being a small femme man, knew what he wanted, and went right after it. He wanted Luke in his life, and even when Luke got caught up in all the things going on in his brain, Mason was patient but persistent. He wasn’t about to let Luke give up simply because he couldn’t believe that someone would want him. He helped Luke find his way, simply by being there for him, and giving him a helping hand as Luke tried to gain his footing. Mason may have been chatty, and gregarious, perhaps thought of by some of the baseball players in the book as over the top, but he absolutely knew when the right time was to sit back and wait, and when to push forward. I loved Mason’s attitude. He was confident, and helped Luke find his own confidence in himself and what he could do.

There was so much character development in this short novel, I was very impressed. Each movement of Luke’s, each comment, or non-comment, spoke to his personality, and the stressors in his life. So very well done. And we got an HFN, so that always makes me happy!

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I get asked about my name a lot. It’s not something exotic, though. “Kaje” is pronounced just like “cage” – it’s an old nickname. I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – forty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have Young Adult short stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)

It was my husband who finally convinced me that after all the years of writing just for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published, including Amazon bestseller The Rebuilding Year and Rainbow Award Best Mystery-Thriller Tracefinder: Contact. A complete list with links can be found on my website “Books” page at https://kajeharper.wordpress.com/books/.

I’m always pleased to have readers find me online at:

Website: https://kajeharper.wordpress.com/

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

Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4769304.Kaje_Harper

Leave a comment on this post, and win an ebook copy of one of Kaje’s backlist books.

Rebound by Andrew Grey: Cover Reveal

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TCO is excited to have Andrew Grey here for the cover reveal of his upcoming book, Rebound. I love the look and feel of this cover. Add in professional athlete and I am totally in for this book! Check out the gorgeous cover!

Professional basketball player Bri Early needs a physical therapist after an injury, and he’s heard that Obie is the best. Bri takes an immediate liking to the out-and-proud man with the magic touch, and even though Bri isn’t openly gay himself, he’d never let anything stand in the way of something he wants.

Obie can’t deny that the sexy athlete presses all his buttons, but he’s a professional and has no intention of getting involved with a client. While they’re working together, it’s hands off, no matter how great the temptation.

But being a pro athlete isn’t easy. Bri has enemies, and one of them is making his life hell. When his house is set ablaze, Bri can no longer pretend the threatening messages he’s receiving are jokes. He needs a safe place to stay, and Obie can’t turn his back. But the two of them in the same house is a recipe for combustion that could burn them both….

Title: Rebound
Author: Andrew Grey
Release Date: February 12, 2019
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 200
Cover Artist: Kanaxa

Dreamspinner Press eBook

Dreamspinner Press Paperback

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Andrew Grey is the author of more than one hundred works of Contemporary Gay Romantic fiction. After twenty-seven years in corporate America, he has now settled down in Central Pennsylvania with his husband, Dominic, and his laptop. An interesting ménage. Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He is a recipient of the RWA Centennial Award, has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and now writes full-time.

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

Email: andrewgrey@comcast.net

Website: www.andrewgreybooks.com

Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert: Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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One hard-nosed military police officer.

One overly enthusiastic elf.

One poorly timed snowstorm.

Is it a recipe for disaster? Or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for holiday romance?

Teddy MacNally loves Christmas and everything that goes along with it. When he plays an elf for his charity’s events, he never expects to be paired with a Scrooge masquerading as Santa Claus. His new mission: make the holiday-hating soldier believe he was born to say ho-ho-ho.

Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa, but he’s army to his blood. When his CO asks an unusual favor, Nick of course obliges. The elf to his Kris Kringle? Tempting. Too tempting—Nick’s only in town for another month, and Teddy’s too young, too cheerful and too nice for a one-night stand.

The slow, sexy make-out sessions while Teddy and Nick are alone and snowbound, though, feel like anything but a quick hookup. As a stress-free holiday fling turns into Christmas all year round, Teddy can’t imagine his life without Nick. And Nick’s days on the base may be coming to a close, but he doesn’t plan on leaving anything, or anyone, behind.

Publisher: Carina Press (Harlequin)

Release Date (Print & Ebook): Ebook: Monday November 12, 2018; Print (mmp): Tuesday November 27, 2018

Length (Print & Ebook): Ebook: 288; Print (mmp): 288

Subgenre: Contemporary Romance, Male/Male Romance, Holiday Romance, Military Romance

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“Hey, I’m happy for the company,” Teddy reassured him. “I’d just hate having to find another backup Santa because this one froze to death for not knowing the area. But just watch, by next year, you’ll be as prepared as any native.”

Nick took a spoonful of stew and swallowed before answering. “Won’t be here next year, sorry.”

“Oh. Being moved to another base?” Teddy was hit with a brief pang, which was ridiculous. The military moved people all the time, and like Charlie said, people left. No surprise here.

“No. Retiring. Last day is December 22nd.”

“Retiring? You’re only fortyish right? Isn’t that a bit young?”

“Ish.” Nick’s tone stayed bland, mouth not curving into a smile. “Forty-six. And almost thirty years of service is positively ancient in military terms. I’ve done pretty much everything an enlisted person can do—pretty rare for us to stay on after getting our twenty years of service. I’m a dinosaur at twenty-eight years in. Most of my friends left at twenty, but I was set on making sergeant major, so I stayed in.”

“So what will you do? Go back to school? Civilian law enforcement? Some new dream to chase?” Teddy leaned forward, eager to hear Nick’s big plans.

“Too old to go back to school.” Nick waved a hand dismissively. “And no dreams. All I ever wanted was to be a cop. Joined the military police because we couldn’t afford college, and I liked the idea of being in the service and still being able to be a cop. Then I set my sights on advancing. Last goal was to make sergeant major, and I did that, so no complaints.”

Teddy liked listening to Nick talk, but he was a bit disheartened by how…defeated he sounded. Like he’d battled Father Time and time had won and now he had no choice but to move on. And that was damn sad. He said he had no complaints, but Teddy could read between the lines well enough to see that Nick didn’t want to retire.

“But you can still be a cop. I bet there’s not a law enforcement agency in the country that wouldn’t be happy to have you. Hell, you could even do FBI or Secret Service—”

“Slow down, Teddy.” Nick smiled, the first one Teddy had really seen from him, this one accompanied by a subtle head shake. But Teddy could take the censure—the smile was damn worth it. Broad with both cheek and chin dimples, it took Nick from “scary giant man” to “Hollywood action star” in a single upward slant of his lips. “You sure know how to dream big. And I’ve thought about civilian law enforcement. I’ve even got the degrees they all want, but in the end, I think I’m just too old a dog to learn new tricks.”

Tis the season for Christmas stories! And for me there is no better way than with a book by one of my favorite authors.

This story deviated from her norm in that it was set in upstate NY (not the Pacific Northwest or San Diego) and it featured an Army MP (not a Navy Seal). And it was adorable.

Nick is in his last month of active duty as an Army mp before he retires. Sounds like he was pushed into retirement, but I don’t think it was ever explained why. And without giving anything away, the events surrounding the tragedy in Nick’s family was never really explained either. Small details most probably won’t notice.

Teddy runs a non-profit in his home town. A hometown that seems to be overrun by his extended family. Nick is persuaded to help Teddy and the non profit by dressing as Santa for some pictures and other events leading up to Christmas.

To say Nick and Teddy are polar opposites is putting it mildly. Nick is super grumpy, minimalistic, isn’t close to his family and doesn’t care about the holidays. And he much prefers sun and surf to snow and ice. Teddy is a do-gooder, perpetually happy, is ridiculously close to his family and adores the holidays.

I loved Teddy’s confidence. He puts himself out there with Nick and when he is turned down he doesn’t get all mopey and feeling sorry for himself. He just continues on. The way he slowly insinuated himself into Nick’s life as a friend was super cute.

And then they did get together and wow. That would melt the snow on the roof.

I appreciated that the book included Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve in the story line. It was a fairly happy, low angst book with all of the holiday and family feels.

4 Pieces of Candy

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series include the #OutOfUniform, #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat, #RainbowCove and #PerfectHarmony series.

To find out what she’s working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: annabethalbert.com or connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.

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The Kinsey Scale by CJane Elliott: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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Life is good for Eric Brown. He’s a senior theater major, an RA for a freshman dorm, and has a great circle of friends. Single since sophomore year, Eric isn’t looking for love. But then Will Butler—fellow senior, co-RA, and the cutest guy Eric’s ever seen—walks into his dorm. Will has a girlfriend he sees off campus—a minor disappointment that becomes a major problem when a housing shortage causes Will and Eric to become roommates, and Eric is forced to witness Will’s hotness day in and day out. For protection, Eric asks Jerry, his ex-boyfriend, to pretend they’re still together. Jerry warns him it’s a stupid idea, but he reluctantly agrees.

Too bad it won’t save Eric from losing his heart.

Will Butler has never believed in himself. His dysfunctional family saw to that. Although Will has loved music since childhood, he’s never seriously considered pursuing it, and the person he’s dating doesn’t encourage him. Then he and Eric Brown become roommates, and everything changes. Eric believes in Will and his talent. He’s also gorgeous and playful and fast becoming Will’s best friend. And that’s not good, because Will is hiding some big things, not only from Eric, but from himself.

Title: The Kinsey Scale
Series: Campus Connections
Author: CJane Elliott
Release Date: November 9, 2018
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 78

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Hello, all! CJane Elliott here to share my new release, The Kinsey Scale. Thank you to the Two Chicks for hosting me on The Kinsey Scale Blog Tour.

Our heroes, Eric and Will, started out seemingly opposite in interests and temperament. But when they become co-RAs for a freshman dorm and have to room together, they slowly get close – so close that Eric’s ex Jerry warns Eric that he thinks Will is falling for him. Eric, confident in his belief that Will is straight, laughs it off.

In today’s blog tour stop I’ve brought you an exclusive excerpt that takes place in early March after Jerry tells Eric of his suspicion about Will’s feelings. Eric and Will have been roommates for months by now and they’re having some deep conversations. In this one, Eric talks about how coming out made him aware of his “tribe” of like-minded weirdos. Will has a surprising response.

“Hey, roomie!”

Eric jumped. Will had snuck up behind their usual spot in the student lounge and spoken loudly right into his ear.

“Agh! Stop doing that.” Eric peered around as Will snickered and settled himself into the adjoining armchair. “Where’s your shadow?”

“Amber? I think I shook her off.” Will snuck a glance behind him. “Warn me if she comes in.”

“Allison probably took her down with a single karate chop. Cat fight over William!” Eric laughed a little too loudly. Will gave him his “are you nuts?” look.

Eric had been watching Will like a hawk ever since Jerry’s revelation. Hung up on him? Eric couldn’t see it, but it was enough to put him on edge, enough to make him even more aware of how attracted he was to Will. Still, he should cool it with the corny hetero jokes. Jerry told him he was overcompensating.

Will stretched and yawned. “Ready to go over the kids?”

Eric checked to make sure the coast was clear of Hutchinson residents. He and Will did a weekly review of each of their freshmen. It helped detect any budding issues or concerns they needed to address. “Yep. You got the list?”

“Yep.” Will pulled out a piece of paper. “Abby.”

“Hmm. I haven’t seen her around much lately. How about you?”

“She came to that get-together thingy we had a few weeks ago and seemed okay.”

Eric swatted Will’s knee. “Thingy? You mean our ‘Yay, we made it through February’ bash, emceed by the Dynamic Duo, aka us?”

Will smirked. “Yeah. That. Okay, next is Alex.”

“He’s fine.”

“Agreed. Andrew.”

“Andrew worries me.” Eric said that every week. He thought about the slight effeminate kid who was so clearly on the rainbow spectrum and yet hadn’t come out to anyone as far as Eric knew. Andrew was a loner and sometimes the target of bullying by the frat guys. Will and Eric worked hard to slap that nonsense down as soon as it erupted. They also traded off checking in with Andrew daily, dropping by his room, trying to seem casual about it.

“Yeah.” Will knit his eyebrows. “Not much we can do beyond what we’re already doing.”

“I wish he’d come out and get it over with,” Eric blurted and then bit his lip.

Will’s face got red. “Why? It could make more problems for him. Like if his family’s homophobic, they could throw him out. He’s already getting heat from the frat assholes.”

“But he’d find friends inside the queer community. God knows there’s enough of us around.”

“You’re the one who’s always saying people need to come out when they’re ready and not to push them.” Will’s voice rose, and he seemed to be getting upset, which was unusual for chill Will.

“I know, I know. It’s cool. I’d never force him. But I remember when I came out. I was around his age, and it was so liberating. It helped me find my tribe.”

“Your tribe?”

“You know—all the other weirdos and nonconformists. Queers. Artists and creative types. The fringe of society, the marginalized swath of humanity.”

Will snorted. “Very poetic. But as white males, you have to admit we’re privileged compared to, say, a black trans woman.”

“And as a straight white male you’re the most privileged of all,” Eric shot back, then regretted it when Will’s expression grew thunderous. “Sorry. Why are we even having this fight?”

Will dropped his shoulders with a wry smile. “Yeah. I don’t even know. I guess I felt left out of your tribe or something.”

“Are you kidding? You qualify on general coolness. Plus, duh… you’re a creative type, remember? Songwriter and singer. And you have to admit you’re kind of weird, which I love.”

“Aw, jeez.” Will blushed and looked pleased. “You say the nicest things.”

A swelling of emotion formed a lump in Eric’s throat. He wished… he didn’t know what he wished. Will was cool, creative, weird, and so fricking attractive, especially right that moment. “I only say the truth, roomie.” He shifted in his seat. “Hey, let’s get back to the list. I have dress rehearsal soon.”

Come on, boys, you’ve stretched this out long enough! I’m happy to say everything comes to a head soon after this conversation, and these guys will take the bumpy road to their happy ending.

The Kinsey Scale by CJane Elliott is my first read by this author. The story follows two college RA’s who become roommates when no other options are available, and eventually are glad that they have one room together. 😉 It takes some time during their senior year, but eventually they get their HFN.

I enjoyed the story, although it was a slow burn. Eric believed that Will was straight, and he himself had been out for quite a while, so going back in the closet was not an option. Will, meanwhile, wasn’t quite as forthcoming with where he fit on the Kinsey Scale, until the subject came up in a group conversation, and then things become a bit more transparent. There is a bit of heat later in the book, but for most of the book, they aren’t able to get themselves to the right place to give it a shot.

As Eric used his ex to try to push off the temptation of Will, Will was learning that he had not allowed himself to be in a situation that was beneficial to him, and was trying to move on from that previous relationship.

This was a short, sweet story that wrapped up easily with not too much angst for the characters. I’d definitely read the next book in the series.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

 

After years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJane Elliott finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane enjoys writing sexy, passionate stories that also explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.

CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming-out stories. In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her family supports her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.

CJane is the author of the award-winning Serpentine Series, New Adult contemporary novels set at the University of Virginia. Serpentine Walls was a 2014 Rainbow Awards finalist, Aidan’s Journey was a 2015 EPIC Awards finalist, and Sex, Love, and Videogames won first place in the New Adult category in the 2016 Swirl Awards and first place in Contemporary Fiction in the 2017 EPIC eBook Awards.

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http://www.cjaneelliott.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cjane.elliott

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cjaneelliott@gmail.com

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Hawaii Five Uh-Oh by Z.A. Maxfield: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

by

Sarcastic cop Theo Hsu returns home to Hawai‘i after realizing he wants more from his life, and also, less. He hopes to reconnect with his past and make amends with his mother, who remarried a cool, distant man, leaving Theo unsure where he stands.

It doesn’t take him long to figure out where he wants to stand, though: right next to his childhood best friend, tattooed detective Koa Palapiti. Theo would like to upgrade their relationship, but Koa is putting out some seriously mixed signals. It’s a mystery Theo can’t let go, but just as they start to connect, kidnapping, murder, and a deadly game with international stakes get in the way. Koa wants to keep Theo out of it, and if it comes to a choice between him and Koa’s partner, Freddie Ortiz, Theo doesn’t like his chances.

But even if Koa wants to push him out of the investigation, and his life, Theo still has a few tricks up his sleeve. It’ll take all his special gifts, ingenuity, risk-taking, family ties—and even some kinky undercover work—to save the day… and the man he never should’ve let get away.

Title: Hawaii Five Uh-Oh
Series: Plummet to Soar: Book 2
Author: Z.A. Maxfield
Release Date: November 13, 2018
Category: Mystery/Suspense, Light BDSM
Pages: 196

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Hi everyone! Thanks so much for welcoming me to the Two Chicks Obsessed Blog.

My Plummet to Soar books are a series of barely related books, super loosely based around “Plummet To Soar”, a fictional self-help book written by Mackenzie Detweiler, who fell from a tourist helicopter and lived to tell the tale.

Each of the books features some person touched by reading Plummet to Soar, for good or ill, whose life has changed because they were forced to rethink what they have, and what they truly want.

Today, I thought I’d share five things you might not know about each of the main characters, starting with Theo Hsu:

  1. Theo’s father forced him to take combat martial arts and play the violin all through school. Sometimes dirty fighting got in the way of orchestra class. He liberated himself from the instrument by giving it to a homeless guy in Madison the day after he graduated from the police academy.
  2. Once, on a dare, Theo dug a cold hole and spent the night in it. His island-born ass nearly froze off but he discovered it was true–you could use ice to insulate yourself from brutal weather, as long as you did it right.
  3. As a kid, Theo and his best friend Koa used to write adventure stories together. When they were tweens, the stories got a little more intense, and some carried the flavor of Theo’s kinkier longings. What Koa doesn’t know is long after he moved, Theo kept writing. He would often take the stories and put them in envelopes, address them to Koa, but then chicken out. He burned them all in a backyard fire before he moved to Bear Lake, Wisconsin for his first job.
  4. Theo likes to have his feet rubbed, but not tickled. He can’t stand to be tickled, anywhere. Even his hair is ticklish.
  5. Once, Theo got stuck in his squad car, beneath a giant statue of Babe the Blue Ox, in a snowstorm, with Mackenzie Detweiler and his kleptomaniac lover JD in the back getting busy. FML!

And Koa!

  1. Koa’s family wasn’t wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. To get by, his mother decided she should probably get a job. Her friends begged her to make the candies she always gave as gifts available at local craft fairs and swap meets. Soon, demand far outstripped the amount she could make by herself. What Theo won’t tell you is he’s at least as good a candy maker, maybe even better, than his Auntie La-La, who took over the business when his mother died. He helps out during holidays and other brisk business seasons, and also, whenever he needs to destress.
  2. Koa enjoys all kinds of water sports—surfing, stand up paddle-boarding, and kayaking, but his favorite is paddling through big waves as part of an outrigger team. That’s when he closes his eyes and pretends he’s one of original navigators of Oceania, and there’s nothing but the sea, the stars, and his fellow teammates finding adventure together.
  3. Koa gets weekly mani-pedis because he’s a vain bastard. He sneaks outside Waikiki to a place where nobody knows who he is because he’d hear all about it from his partner Freddie and the rest of the crew in the bullpen if they caught him. He likes his toenails cut square, his hands moisturized, and his fingernails buffed to a high sheen, thanks.
  4. Koa’s family is an amalgam of the many different people who make up Oceania, but Koa is acutely aware he’s not a true native of Hawai’i. He belongs to the Islands. He believes he fits in. But there’s always a yearning inside him that will go unfulfilled. To make up for it, Koa tries a hundred percent harder to be faithful to the motto: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
  5. At Theo’s mother urging, both Koa and Theo took up cultural dance. But Theo’s dad forced him to quit early on. Koa kept at it, even after Theo left the Islands. It was hard work, and there was no real reason for him to do it without Theo, except he was good at it, it pleased his Theo’s mom and, most especially, Koa plays a long game. Dance was a carefully calculated strategy to remain close to Theo and keep involved with his family. In that way, Koa bided his time until Theo came back. And it worked, because Theo’s mom asked him to pick Theo up from the airport when he returned, making him the first person from the past Theo laid eyes on.

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of insight into the characters from Hawai’i Five Uh-oh! It’s a bit romance, a bit suspense, and a whole lot ZAM!

I hope you read Hawai’i Five Uh-oh—and don’t forget to review it on your favorite review sites! Reviews really do make a book visible to a wider audience. They help me, my publisher, and gay romance as a genre in general! Many thanks in advance!

Thanks again,

ZAM

Koa glanced his way. “Pics or it didn’t happen.”

“I never did it,” Theo admitted. “I’m saying it’s theoretically possible.”

Silence stretched out between them again. It was a long ride, and as Koa drove, Theo flew his hand out the window and marked the buildings he remembered. So much had changed. He’d changed.

When they pulled into Theo’s mother’s driveway, Koa turned to him. “I hope you don’t mind, I don’t have time to come in. Say hi to your mom.”

“Okay.” Disappointment warred with relief in Theo’s heart. Relief came out a winner. The last thing he needed was disinterested bystanders. “Pop the locks, I’ll just get my things from the back.”

He stepped down, went around, and hauled his things out. From the outside pocket of the lightest one, he pulled a signed copy of Plummet to Soar. He’d put it there to give to his mother because he’d assumed she’d pick him up. He had other gifts for her, so it didn’t matter.

“Hey, brother.” He smiled awkwardly and waved for Koa to roll down the window. “Present for you.”

“Mahalo. Really?” Surprised, he took it and gave it a quick perusal. “Hey, it’s autographed to you. You sure?”

Theo nodded. “That book changed a lot of things for me. I hope you enjoy it.”

Koa’s dark eyes—when he lifted his gaze—held some earnest question Theo couldn’t begin to answer. They widened. “I don’t suppose you ever figured out what happened at the end of that thing you were writing…?”

“You remember that shit?” He said the words like Sheesh, who remembers? As if he hadn’t just been thinking that very thing. Obviously now he understood what those ridiculous stories were, but at the time?

Looking back, Theo blushed with shame.

Koa gave his lower lip a quick nibble. Theo’s dick sat up and got ready to beg. Down, boy. “I think when last I read, our plucky heroes were in a Malay prison.” Koa glanced at him. “Sentenced for a crime they didn’t commit.”

“Tunneling their way to freedom.” Theo nodded. “One of those boys always got himself jammed up, and the other saved the day.”

“Well, you write what you know.” Koa was laughing at him.

Theo didn’t take lead and he wasn’t much of a follower. Sidekick was more his style. But in those stupid stories, he always, always saved the day. Maybe with Koa he’d wanted to try taking the lead….

Koa asked, “Wasn’t one of them about to be caned?”

“Yeah?” Theo admitted hoarsely. At the time, news stories of corporal punishment—as applied to dumb Westerners in places like Malaysia and Taiwan—had fired his imagination, for a lot of reasons. Some not so wholesome.

Koa snorted. “You dug writing that dark shit. The beatings. The extra, extra tight male bonding. Admit it.”

“Hell yeah.” Motherfucker. You went there. I cannot believe you went there the second you saw him again. “I never finished writing any of those. But there’s always time, you know?”

Koa glanced over again. This time, unmistakably, he checked Theo out. “Maybe you should.”

Holy mother. Had Koa just…?

Did he just…?

Koa’s SUV was well clear of his mother’s property before Theo had the words to respond.

 

A Plummet to Soar Story

Feckless, luckless, and charming, Mackenzie Detweiller is the author of a self-help book one reviewer calls “the most misbegotten motivational tool since Mein Kampf.” He’s maneuvered himself into a career as a life coach, but more often than not, his advice is bad. Really bad.

It’s even getting people hurt… and Mackenzie sued.

It falls to Mackenzie’s long-suffering acquisitions editor, JD Chambers, to deliver the bad news. He chooses to do so face-to-face—to see if the spark he senses between them is real when they’re together in the flesh. Unfortunately, a snowstorm, a case of nerves, a case of mistaken identity, and finally a murder get in the way of a potential enemies-to-lovers romance.

There are many, many people who have good reason to want Mackenzie dead. JD must find out which one is acting on it before it’s too late for both of them.

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Z.A. Maxfield started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized, and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories: Unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.

If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”Links:

Website: http://www.zamaxfield.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorZ.A.Maxfield
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ZAMaxfield

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zamaxfield/?hl=en
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2738500.Z_A_Maxfield

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2A01S43

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/z-a-maxfield

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