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Stained by Chris T. Kat: Release Day Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

June 1, 2016 by Denise

Blair Clark has reached his breaking point. Forced to leave one job because of sexual harassment, he’s having difficulty finding another. Since no one believes what happened, Blair’s left with a stain on his employment record that he can’t get rid of. He’s had to move back home with his mother. As if that’s not bad enough, he realizes his crush, Travis, is simply using him. His romantic life looks as hopeless as his job search.

Jack Ross is sure he’ll never find anyone who’ll love him for who he is. All anyone sees is the port-wine stain on his left cheek—not the man behind it. Even his mother thinks he should get rid of it. But the procedure is difficult and painful.

When Blair applies for a secretarial position with Jack’s firm, both men learn that beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder. It’ll take a lot of trust to chase away their insecurities, but if they take a chance on one another, love will find a way.

Author Name: Chris T. Kat

Book Name: Stained

Release Date: June 1^st, 2016

Pages or Words: 119 pages

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Bree Archer

From Chapter One

“Can’t I?” I gazed into Travis’s brown eyes, the same eyes I dreamed about at night. In those dreams they were filled with love, but when I looked now, I only saw cruelty, arrogance, and something more, something darker I didn’t want to think about.

“No.” Travis snatched my chin, held it tightly between his big fingers and forced me to keep perfectly still. “No, you can’t. Choose a manly job and they’ll stop. Keep flaunting your sexuality and that’s what they’ll do.”

“Flaunting my sexuality? What’s that got to do with my job?”

“You’re a secretary, for fuck’s sake. It’s a woman’s job. Now stop adding fuel to the fire and cowboy up.” Travis’s voice remained low but it held an angry edge to it, one I recognized well.

I dropped my gaze, and a moment later Travis let go of my chin. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I winced when another guy asked, “Having trouble keeping the fairy in line?”

“Are you kidding?” Travis replied, puffing up his chest.

Enough was enough. I bolted up, ready to leave, when a big hand clamped on my arm. I tugged, but the grip tightened. Anxiety blossomed into fear, especially when the table dropped into sudden silence.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Travis hissed.

My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, making it impossible for me to answer. What the hell was wrong with me? Why had I pursued Travis for so many months? Just because of his looks? Sure, he was hot, and exactly how I liked my men—big, fair-haired, and brown-eyed. But there was no love lost between us. Travis would never come out as gay, even though he liked to fool around with me whenever it was convenient for him.

“Blair, sit your ass down again, you’re attracting attention.”

When Travis pulled at my arm with more force, I planted my feet. I didn’t anticipate Travis letting go all of a sudden, leaving me to stumble backward. I crashed into someone behind me, taking us both to the ground.

Rolling to my knees and away from whomever I’d thrown, I apologized, “I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”

Heat flooded my cheeks as embarrassment swept over me. Holding out a hand for the guy I’d tripped, I recoiled when the man sat up, revealing his face. A gasp tumbled over my lips and I stared openmouthed. The skin of the man’s left side was stained in red, giving him a slightly scary appearance, as if he’d been badly burnt.

“I’m fine,” the man said, his brows creasing in a frown. Obviously he’d seen my reaction and wasn’t too thrilled about it.

I couldn’t help but stare even more. The man’s dark blue eyes bore right into me, daring me to say anything. The stained skin drew my attention, no matter how hard I tried to look elsewhere. It looked so painful, a large blotch of red that started below the man’s eye, covered his whole cheek, and tapered out at his jawline.

“It’s not contagious, if that’s what you’re afraid of,” the man said in an icy tone. He rose in one fluid motion, holding out his hand for me to… to what? Help me up? Why would he do that?

I eyed the outstretched hand, hating myself for the fear coursing through me. Just when I was about to take the man up on the offer, two big hands grabbed my waist and hoisted me to my feet.

Stained was my first read by Chris T. Kat. This was a novella with two things you don’t often see in books. An issue with a disfigurement on one MC’s face, along with issues of domestic violence and abuse. It made me curious to see how the author would handle both issues.

I was slightly confused at the blurb discussing the port wine stain on Jack’s face, as if he was considering having it removed. He was not. He had dealt with it in his life, and didn’t have any desire to change it. I thought how Jack handled the ongoing situation of people’s horror and thoughtlessness was so well done. He knew he wasn’t going to change it, and just allowed people to think what they would, and tried not to feel uncomfortable about it.

Blair’s ongoing lack of self-confidence, allowing himself to be used, and abused was somewhat confusing to me, as a reader. I couldn’t pinpoint why he felt that way, other than having been picked on his entire life, for his size and effeminate qualities. His family was supportive and encouraging of him, to be followed by Jack quite quickly. However, I could see with those feelings how he would have been able to be abused by Travis, who was a bully, as well as an abuser. Although I thought that the situation wrapped up just a bit too quickly and neatly, I was happy to see Travis get what he deserved.

Lastly, the writing style on this one was a bit stiff for my tastes. I felt sometimes as if an editor went through and replaced words with longer synonyms. I could see how it might be somewhat stiff with the narrator being the type of personality he was, but it still felt forced in some places.

3 pieces of eye candy

Blair is currently having a string of bad luck. He lost his job due to a sexual harassment claim, had to move back in with his mother, and his boyfriend is a controlling jerk. A wrong step at a bar has Blair coming face to face with Jack who has a port wine stained birthmark on his face. A gaping Blair doesn’t handle the situation well partly because his boyfriend is a jerk and partly because he is taken off guard.

Go figure, Blair’s last ditch effort for a job comes with an interview with Jack. After the two get over the initial awkwardness of the situation they work really well together. As the weeks go by a mutual attraction develops which Blair is much to scared to pursue because of the way the last job ended.

Blair finally realizes what a jerk his boyfriend is and decides that he needs to end things. The boyfriend doesn’t take it well, manhandling Blair and trying to blackmail him into staying. Jack rushes in to the rescue and as they say, the rest is history.

I have to say once I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what Blair’s jerk of a boyfriend was up to. Damn, I’m not really sure their has been a character I’ve hated more.

The characters were well developed and endearing, most of them. The plot was well developed and moved at a steady pace. This is definitely a book I would re-read.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

ARe

Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.

Where to find the author:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christi_kat

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKat

Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.com

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-T.-Kat/e/B008FQQH2Q

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, Alpha Book Club, Gay Media Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, V’s Reads,

Kirsty Loves Books, MM Good Book Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, The Jena Wade,

A.M. Leibowitz, Making It Happen, BFD Book Blog, The Blogger Girls, 3 Chicks After Dark, Jessie G. Books,

Man2ManTastic, Nephy Hart, Open Skye Book Reviews, Butterfly-O-Meter, Inked Rainbow Reads, Velvet Panic,

Molly Lolly, The Hat Party, Bayou Book Junkie, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Havan Fellows, Oh My Shelves,

Book Lovers 4Ever, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Outrageous Heroes

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Resurrection by S. Davidson: Release Day Review and Book Blast

June 1, 2016 by Denise

Two men with painful, complicated pasts who have shut themselves down from ever loving again. Complete opposites of one another, one raised in a strict military household, who grew up with the sole purpose of becoming a soldier and defending his country, only to have that cut short by an IED; and the other raised in the rodeo, small town and ranch life his safe haven; and their chance meeting.

How the two of them end up in some small town diner can only be credited to divine intervention. But are both men too damaged? They say God works in mysterious ways. Well, he certainly had his hands full when he chose these two for saving.

Is it too late?

TITLE: RESURRECTION
AUTHOR: S. DAVIDSON
GENRE: M/M MILITARY ROMANCE 18+
PUBLISHER: ENCOMPASS INK
COVER ARTIST: RUE VOLLEY
LENGTH: 296 PAGES
RELEASE DATE: JUNE 1, 2016

This was unlike any book I have ever read. The way the whole story was layed out was something I haven’t seen before and for me it worked perfectly. The characters were so well developed. I really enjoyed the way the author gave so much back story. It was enough to explain the life of each character without going overboard. I got to know each one so well I fell in love and cried and laughed right along with them. All of the scenes in this story were written so clearly that I felt like I was really there. I could picture everything and felt like I was seeing through the characters eyes.

For it to cover the type of subject matter that it did, the author pulls it off beautifully. Coming from a military family where my Grandfather and Uncle fought in Vietnam, WWII and Korea, this book touched a special place in my heart. She told a very believably story and it helped me to understand more about some of the things my own family members go through on a daily basis. Having grown up listening to war stories from both of them, the author paints a very accurate picture.

Going into the story and not knowing a thing about the Rodeo circuit or bull riding didn’t matter. She explained everything and I had no trouble following. It actually made me curious and want to learn more.

This story will stick with me. When I get done reading something and all I can do is sit there and stare into space while it consumes my brain definitely makes it a fantastic story in my opinion. It was heart wrenching and at times incredibly violent. Not for the faint of heart for sure but a wonderful read for me.

5 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Who is Shelly Davidson? Shelly is someone who has been writing literally her entire life (and that’s a LONG time) and has always written M/M. Her first story was back in high school and she hasn’t stopped since. Of course, Shelly never dreamed of getting published, so needless to say, she’s in heaven! Shelly loves her characters. Her writing focus is real people, flaws and all, who are hurting or damaged, but deserve a little joy in their lives. Shelly was born and raised in Arizona, but currently lives in California because that is where the money is! She is currently single, but has a grown daughter and an adorable grandson both of whom she loves dearly. While she usually stays pretty much to herself, she does have a Bachelor’s in Social Services and a diverse background that ranges from theater to health care and currently works in accounting, she swears it’s not as boring as it sounds. While this is her first publication, it is by far not the last! She plans on being around for quite some time! You’ve been warned!

https://sdavidsonauthor.org/

https://www.facebook.com/sdavidsonauthor/

https://twitter.com/sdavidsonauthor

If you want, you can write her at: sdavidsonauthor@earthlink.net

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JUNE 1 : http://bayoubookjunkie.blogspot.com

https://twochicksobsessed.com/

JUNE 2 : http://jessiegbooks.com/scatterbrain/

JUNE 3 : http://www.lovebitesandsilk.co.uk/

JUNE 4 : http://www.prismbookalliance.com

JUNE 5 : http://lushbookreviewss.blogspot.com

JUNE 6 : http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/

JUNE 7 : http://www.inkedrainbowreads.com

http://www.attentionisarbitrary.com/?zx=24fac25917b72211

JUNE 8 : http://naughtybookeden.blogspot.com.au

http://www.booksandwarpaint.com/

JUNE 9 : http://lovebytesreviews.com/

JUNE 10 : http://boymeetsboyreviews.blogspot.it/?zx=efa29018039fba5d

JUNE 11 : http://bfdbookblog.net/

JUNE 12 : http://diversereader.blogspot.com/

JUNE 13 : http://www.mmbookescape.com

JUNE 14 : http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com

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Picked Fresh by Posy Roberts: Exclusive Cover Reveal, Excerpt and Giveaway

May 31, 2016 by Denise

Is five thousand miles far enough to say I love you?

Hudson Oliva loves stability. He was a throwaway teen before finding Kaleidoscope Gardens, but has since thrived at the commune. When Jude Garrity moves in, life gets even better, but Hudson still craves more. He knows he has to be satisfied with their exclusive status being temporary and that Jude will eventually navigate his full sexual awakening with their other housemates.

Hudson has a journey of his own to make. It might only require going home to settle his grandmother’s estate, but he plans to use his time away to figure out how to temper his feelings for Jude and bury his jealousy once and for all. But when Jude joins him on his trip, Hudson falls even deeper in love, especially after Jude stands by his side when he finally confronts his mother for rejecting him.

However, it’s not all hearts and flowers while they travel. They’re over two thousand miles from home when Hudson learns a ruthless corporate farm threatens the commune they both love. In order to save their way of life, Hudson must ask his mother for help. And if he wants a chance at a stable future with Jude, he has to tell him the truth about his feelings, no matter if it ruins the harmony he’s tried so hard to preserve.

Title: Picked Fresh
Author: Posy Roberts
Series: Naked Organics #2
(Can be read as a stand along but best read as a series)
Publisher: Labyrinth Bound Press
Genre: MM Romance
Length: 83,000 words, ~250 pages
Goodreads Link

Cover Designer: Natasha Snow

excerpt

Jude moved where Hudson directed him, mouth soft now. He ended with Hudson’s nipple under his lips, tonged across it, gave playful bites and even a few harder ones. Hudson’s breath caught in his throat.
Jude looked up again and whispered, “Last night wasn’t enough to satisfy you?” He moved to kiss the other nipple, then the mark he’d left.
“Not sure I’ll ever be able to get enough of you.”
Jude stood and smirked, then popped a quick, chaste kiss to Hudson’s mouth. “As much as I’d like to put that theory to the test, I have to get to class.”
“I know. You always have to get to class.”
“Give me five minutes to deliver these eggs to the kitchen. Meet me at my car?”
“More kisses?”
“You betcha!”
Hudson nodded as Jude picked up the egg basket and walked away. It wasn’t like Hudson had time to test how much he needed of Jude to get enough. He had to do a load of laundry if he wanted clean underwear for his trip, so he pulled his T-shirt back over his head on his way to the springhouse to see who’s washday it was. Purple House was written in neat script on the chalkboard. He made a mental note and kept on walking.
In the gathering circle right outside Unity House, Hudson met up with Jude, who held out his hand the second he was within reach. Hudson took it, weaving their fingers together and allowing Jude to lead him to Jude’s tiny hybrid. There, Hudson leaned Jude against the driver’s door and gave him a few playful pecks.
“See you tonight?” Hudson asked.
“Yeah. I should be back around sunset. I’ll be there by suppertime, for sure.”
“Sleep in my bed with me?”
Jude nodded and closed his eyes in a soft way. He gave what Hudson knew was a parting hug. “Gotta go.” Jude got in the car, opened the backpack he’d left sitting on the passenger seat last night, and slipped his phone in the protected inner pocket. “Well, have a great day!”
“You too.” Hudson shut the driver’s door.
Hudson waved as Jude drove off the Kaleidoscope Gardens’ land for his busy day at Portland State. Once the car was out of sight, Hudson pressed the mark Jude had sucked right above his heart. It was sore, more from the bite than the sucking, but as Hudson peered down the neck of his shirt and studied the red mark, he smiled. He knew it would only get darker. Maybe even purple, which would be perfect, because it would be fading to yellow by the time he got home again. He couldn’t take Jude with him to Kentucky, but he could take his mark.

Jude Garrity visits the farmers market every Saturday. As an environmental engineering student, he’s curious about living off the grid and sustainable agriculture.

And one particular farmer.

Hudson Oliva has worked hard to support his commune, where queer people live without fear of harm or retribution. When Jude asks pointed questions about living there, Hudson realizes he needs to be honest about his home. Few people know what the farm is actually about, but Jude is insistent.

Jude moves to Kaleidoscope Gardens, however his sexual hang-ups make it hard to adjust. He’s an uptight virgin living among people who have sex freely and with multiple partners. When Jude finally loosens up, Hudson is flooded with emotions. Falling for Jude wasn’t part of Hudson’s life plan. But when vindictive rumors about the commune begin to spread, love might be all he has left.

Genre: Contemporary Romance, MM Romance, Gay Fiction, with a splash of MMM+
Length: Novel, 202 pages

Goodreads Link

Book Trailer

Amazon

Short story. This is not a romance but is Hudson Oliva’s backstory on how he escaped his parents and moved to the commune.

Read it here

Goodreads Link

Hudson Oliva didn’t expect the world to end with the new millennium, but his life did change forever on that New Year’s Eve. After his religious parents walk in on him with Zac in his bed, Hudson is sent to conversion therapy. The parents he returns home to after being cured aren’t the same people he’s known his entire life. They’re cold and withdrawn.

In order to survive, Hudson becomes an expert at lying while working hard to be the perfect son, yet his parents remain emotionally distant. He’s sure the pray-away-the-gay camp broke something inside him along with tearing his family apart. When his parents discover Hudson has continued seeing Zac for years, they demand he go back to the camp. Hudson has no choice but to run. Somehow he has to find a safe place, but he has to get out of Florida first.

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Posy Roberts writes about the realistic struggles of men looking for love. Whether her characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.

Posy is a Jill of all trades and master of the drill and paintbrush. She’s married to a partner who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep during her writing frenzies. Her daughter, a budding author and cinematographer, helps her come up with character names. For fun, Posy enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make regular life more interesting.

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Rockin’ the Alternative by Morticia Knight : Sale Blitz and Giveaway

May 24, 2016 by Denise

The chance of a lifetime and the touch of a rock god are offered to music journalist Bryan Gallagher on the same day. Embracing one is easy, but resisting the other is harder than he’d anticipated—especially since Bryan has never been with a man.

It could be his dream assignment. Aubrey King, the legendary god of alternative rock music, has requested to meet with journalist and writer Bryan about penning the star’s memoir. Aubrey and his dark, angsty songs are the reason Bryan was inspired to become a leading rock journalist. His obsession for his career has alienated the women in his life, but Bryan doesn’t care. What really matters to him is the music.

Aubrey King has been out of the music scene for almost ten years—ever since his alternative rock band, Falling in Stereo, broke up. Questions about his sexual preferences have always surrounded him, and now that he’s ready to make a solo comeback, he wants to tell his story, his way. He’s followed journalist Bryan Gallagher’s career for a while and believes that Bryan’s obvious passion for music mirrors his own. He loves his writing style, but is also enraptured by the boyishly handsome writer.

Brian finds pushing his fanboy nervousness aside is difficult when Aubrey finally stands before him. He’s amazed at how little Aubrey has changed—his intense gaze, his unique style and his still youthful looks epitomise the star he’s always been. But Aubrey’s vulnerability when he sings and shares the deeply personal lyrics of a new song triggers something in Bryan that he never knew was there. The need to give himself to Aubrey, to let the rock god do to him what he’s never before desired a man to do.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE

Pride Publishing | ARe

M/M Erotic Romance author Morticia Knight enjoys hot stories of men loving men forever after. They can be men in uniform, Doms and subs, rock stars or bikers – but they’re all searching for the one (or two!) who was meant only for them.

When not indulging in her passion for books, she loves the outdoors, film and music. Once upon a time she was the singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She is currently working on more installments of Sin City Uniforms and The Hampton Road Club, as well as the follow-up to Bryan and Aubrey’s story from Rockin’ the Alternative.

Author links: Website || Facebook || Twitter || Goodreads || Amazon

Rockin’ It Pinterest page

Bryan and Aubrey’s story continues in Rockin’ it Forever

Can the touch of a rock god last forever?

Music journalist Bryan Gallagher’s life has completely changed in an unexpected way. Not only has he snagged a dream assignment as the memoirist to alternative music’s rock superstar Aubrey King, but he’s also promised to give the beautiful and enigmatic musician a chance for them to forge a relationship. It’s all very overwhelming for Bryan since, up until he spent a sexually charged day and night with Aubrey, Bryan has never even dreamed of being with a man.

Aubrey is completely smitten with the boyishly handsome, young rock writer, Bryan. After their instant spark grows into something more, Aubrey is desperate to keep Bryan by his side for always. He’s promised Bryan that their love is for real, that Bryan isn’t simply one of his rock star conquests.

Their road isn’t an easy one, though. Despite their deepening bond and growing need for each other, other factors intrude. Neither Aubrey nor Bryan is ready to come out, and their relationship needs to remain a carefully guarded secret. In addition, Aubrey has to answer to the demands of his profession and Bryan has to traverse the shifting waters between his personal and business relationship with his famous lover.

Then a secret is revealed and everything in their joint world implodes. When a love is so strong that two men can barely take a breath without thinking of the other, will that be enough to bridge the loss of trust? The only way they can rock their love forever is if Aubrey can reach Bryan before it’s too late.

Amazon

This is a tour wide giveaway beginning with the Sale Blitz, running until the end of the Rockin’ It Forever Release/Review tour.

A little something different for this one, Knight will be doing 2 giveaways per week starting with the Sale Blitz, ending the week before the RR tour. That is 6 small giveaways, 2 per week over 3 weeks, and then there is the Grand Prize Rock & Roll gift basket that will be given out at the end of both tours.

Up first for the first week of giveaways for 2 lucky peeps is an exclusive coffee mug with Morticia’s official Author logo on it! Who wouldn’t want to drink their morning java with these two sexy studs?!

Also, the Twitter message will change weekly. The Rafflecopter is set up where you can share daily via Twitter, so that gets you 5 entry points daily, if you chose to share daily. And let’s not forget the change your facebook image option. Again, it will change from the Rockin’ the Alternative image to Rockin’ it Forever as the tours change out.

{To see the weekly giveaways – 2 giveaways each week for this week, next week and the week after for a total of 6 small giveaways – visit Morticia Knight’s site. There is a list of all the blogs participating in the blitz where you can visit and comment for additional entries into these giveaways, as well as a new post each week with that weeks giveaway items. You can also see the weekly giveaway images here at TTC Books and more. The winners will be chosen via rafflecopter}

Good luck everyone!

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Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me by Anna Martin: Release Day Review, Guest Post with Excerpt and Giveaway GP DSP TBR Paula, Deanna, Denise

May 20, 2016 by Denise

When you realize you want to marry your best friend at age six, life should follow a pretty predictable path, right? Maybe not.

As a kid, Evan King thought Scott Sparrow was the most amazing person he’d ever met. At seventeen, his crush runs a little deeper, and nothing seems simple anymore. Scott is more interested in football and girls than playing superheroes, and Evan’s attention is focused on getting into art school. A late-night drunken kiss is something to be forgotten, not obsessed over for the next ten years.

When life suddenly brings them back together, it doesn’t take much for the flame Evan carried for Scott nearly all his life to come roaring back, and Evan discovers that life sometimes has a strange way of coming full circle.

Title: Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me
Author: Anna Martin
Release Date: May 20, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 200

Hello! Thank you for joining me at Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy so I can talk about my new book, ‘Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me, and One Time I Kissed Him First’.

I thought today I’d tell you a little bit about how the cover art for the novel came to be, since this is always something that fascinates me about other authors’ work!

If you didn’t already know, the amazing Garrett Leigh did the design work for me. We connected to talk about cover art at the UK Meet last year, when she gave me some advice for the artwork for ‘My Prince’. Kellie Dennis (at Book Cover By Design) did that cover in the end, but the conversation with Garrett stuck in my head.

When it came to doing the art for ‘Five Times’ I knew I had to get back in touch with Garrett and Kellie—the working title for ‘My Prince’ was originally much longer, and I made the decision to change it shortly before publication partly on their advice. Now I have possibly one of the longest book titles Dreamspinner Press have ever published! I had a handful of ideas for a cover image and Garrett picked up on the one of the boys in the ocean immediately. It turned out she’d already bought, but never used, that particular stock photo.

‘Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me’ covers about twenty-five years of the two characters lives, though for some reason I’ve always thought of it in terms of a ‘summer’ book. The image of the two boys horsing around in the ocean isn’t from any particular scene in the book, but it’s exactly the sort of thing I can imagine Scott and Evan doing. Something that was really important to me as I wrote the book was ensuring that the boys’ friendship was always the focus of their relationship, that they had that strong foundation on which to build everything that comes later. I think I’ve been incredibly lucky in finding an image that encapsulates all of that—friendship, love, summer, a carefree kind of joy—and then throwing some Garrett talent at it to bring it all together into the cover art.

So, there you go! I’ve had a bit of a tumultuous history with cover art in the past, so it feels great to be able to tell such a positive story. Here’s a little excerpt from the book – I hope you enjoy it!

The fire crackled invitingly, even after all the hours it had been lit. Orange sparks spat up into the night, occasionally spilling out of the hexagon of driftwood onto the sand, and long sticks thrust out of the blaze—earlier in the night, they had held fat sausage links, then s’mores. Evan and his friends had opted to chance being caught with the contraband fire on the beach after deciding the reward outweighed the risk.

Evan inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, tipping his head back to the heady, full night sky. This was summer. This. The feeling of being warm and full, fire heat on his face, vodka in his belly burning warmth there too. The sea air, no breeze, not in Virginia in August. Sand between his toes.

Soft lips on his own.  Evan startled, and the group around him laughed. “Thought you were sleeping,” Cassie Williams told him, pushing at his shoulder so Evan lost his balance and fell back on his elbows. He joined in the laughter, even though he didn’t share their amusement.

Cassie was nice, of course. He’d known her since preschool, maybe earlier. Who knew around here. It wasn’t the first time she’d kissed him. Once, in second grade, it had been after he’d fallen and scraped his knee. For the past few weeks, Cassie had been hitting on him again, and every time he’d neatly deflected, trying to turn her attention to someone who’d maybe return it. Evan wasn’t going to.

“Not sleeping,” Evan said. His voice came out a deep rumble. Since his voice had broken, it had been like that, deeper than the other guys’, something else that made him stand out. He’d hit his growth spurt twice now, once at fourteen and again the previous year, just after his seventeenth birthday. He’d be eighteen in a few weeks, right after the start of the new school year. Evan would be the first one in this group to have his eighteenth birthday.

Two of his friends stumbled out from behind one of the high sand dunes, their hair in disarray, clothes more than a little disheveled. Evan joined in the hoots and catcalls, grateful for the distraction.

“Evan!”

That voice was familiar, and Evan dropped his head back, knowing he couldn’t ignore it.

“Evan, you fuck!”

Evan laughed and let his head roll to the side. Grinning, Scott stood in his board shorts and a long-sleeved T-shirt, hands balled on his hips.

“What?”

“We’re playing football.”

“Scott, it’s almost midnight. How the fuck do you plan on playing football?”

Scott pointed straight up at the moon. Which, admittedly, was giving off a lot of light in the clear night sky. Scott’s skin glowed, pearlescent in the moonlight. It reflected off his Irish pale skin and lit up his blue eyes like he was magical.

Evan pulled himself to his feet with a heaving sigh. He hadn’t been able to say no to Scott for a long time now.

My favorite stories are ones that span over decades. Don’t get me wrong, insta-love has its place but their is just something special about a love story that can stand the test of time.

Scott Sparrow, the terminally straight football captain and Evan King, the artistic sensitive soul have been best friends since they were seven. Evan is pretty sure he has loved Scott since the beginning, but Scott is straight. Or so he thinks. From a stolen drunken kiss at a high school party to mis-steps and miscommunications along the way Scott and Evan have to decide if taking a chance on a romantic relationship is worth the possible loss of their friendship.

A twist of fate has the two reevaluating everything they think they know, because life is too short to be wasted on what ifs and should haves.

I LOVED this story! Watching this epic love develop over time was truly beautiful. The relationship seemed so easy, even the sex scenes were fun. Full of laughter and witty banter, the true mark of friends become lovers.

Even when Evan rushed to Chicago the angst and sadness never overpowered the lighthearted feel I got from the book. It was a perfect, delicate balance.

5 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press eBook
Dreamspiner Press Paperback

ARe

Anna Martin is from a picturesque seaside village in the south- west of England and now lives in the slightly arty, slightly quirky city of Bristol. After spending most of her childhood making up stories, she studied English Literature at university before attempting to turn her hand as a professional writer.

Apart from being physically dependent on her laptop, Anna is enthusiastic about writing and producing local grassroots theater (especially at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she can be found every summer), going to visit friends in other countries, baking weird and wonderful sweets, learning to play the ukulele, and Ben & Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk.

Anna claims her entire career is due to the love, support, pre-reading, and creative ass kicking provided by her best friend Jennifer. Jennifer refuses to accept responsibility for anything Anna has written.

Social Media links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annamartinfiction
Twitter:@missannamartin or https://twitter.com/missannamartin
Website: http://www.annamartin-fiction.com/

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The Story of Love by A E Ryecart: New Book Blast, Excerpt and Giveaway

May 19, 2016 by Denise

No strings. No names. No repeats. Archie Jones and Zack Lorrimer-Grant’s ground rules have always kept them safe – until now.

Getting down and dirty with anonymous hook-ups is a game Archie and Zack have always played. It keeps life fresh and exciting and everybody’s having fun. Aren’t they?

Archie isn’t. The hook-ups stopped being fun long ago. It’s a game he wishes he’d never started and he wants to stop playing. Now. Right now.

The men keep Zack’s fear at bay. Fear that without them, Archie will realise Zack alone will never be enough to make him truly happy.

Terry Franklin isn’t a hook-up. He’s far more dangerous, and Archie is determined to do whatever it takes to keep the man out of their bed and out of their life.

Where Archie sees a threat, Zack sees a kindred spirit. Terry is the lifeline Zack never knew he needed, but this lifeline could mean the death of him and Archie…

The Story of Love is the second in the Urban Love Contemporary Gay Romance series but can be read as a stand-alone. If you love your MM romance laced with angst and high emotion and your MCs complex, multi-faceted men facing up to and overcoming challenges against all the odds, A E Ryecart’s story of Archie and Zack will leave you breathless.

Note: The Story of Love is an MM romance, not MMM.

Author Name: A E Ryecart

Book Name: The Story of Love

Series: Urban Love

Book: Two (Can be read as a standalone)

Release Date: May 19, 2016

Pages or Words: 75,500 words

Categories: Contemporary, Erotic M/M Romance, M/M Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: A E Ryecart

Cover Artist: Kari Ayasha

“Hey, sleepyhead, wake up.” Archie gave a soft tug on Zack’s hair.

Zack yawned and stretched and opened his eyes. He reached up and ran his forefinger over Archie’s lips. Archie caught it and sucked it into the warmth of his mouth.

“You can have something else of mine in your mouth, if you want,” Zack said.

Archie’s eyes narrowed, and he released Zack’s finger with a wet smack.

“In front of all these people watching a romantic sunset? Mr Lorrimer-Grant, you are nothing more than a dirty slut.”

“Which is why you love me and I love you.”

Silence wrapped around them shutting out the noise of the crowds and the traffic from the road behind. As Zack gazed up at Archie, the world stopped turning. Archie hadn’t responded, hadn’t said that he loved him back. The warm air felt dense and heavy, like a huge weight had settled on his chest as the words he needed to hear were left unsaid. His chest tightened and grew heavier. Zack tried to fill his lungs with the warm night air, but it was no good.

Amazon US

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Amazon UK

A E Ryecart writes mm romance/gay fiction. Filled with angst, high drama and emotional tension, she writes the books she likes to read. An avid people watcher, most of her writing takes place in a local café amidst the background hum of hissing coffee machines, where she can check out the other customers for character and story inspiration!

A born and bred Londoner, she may have moved to someplace more leafy but the city is still very much part of her DNA, which is why her books are set in and around present-day London providing a thrilling, metropolitan backdrop to the main action.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009361313485

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AE-Ryecart-1494626967426465/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/awritetodo

Other: www.aeryecart.com

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, Alpha Book Club, Bayou Book Junkie, Happily Ever Chapter, BFD Book Blog,

MM Good Book Reviews, Full Moon Dreaming, Ogitchida Book Blog, Unquietly Me, Molly Lolly, Velvet Panic,

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Kirsty Loves Books, 3 Chicks After Dark, V’s Reads, Outrageous Heroes, Book Lovers 4Ever, Open Skye Book Reviews, Jessie G. Books, Wake Up Your Wild Side,

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Chris McHart, Bonkers About Books, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Gay Media Reviews

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