giveaway

First (99 Daddies Book 1) by Casey Cox: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

December 2, 2020 by Denise

First: (adverb)
a: before another in time, space, or importance.
b: for the first time.
See also: Stirling “First-Time Daddy” Bishop.

A boy who can’t find what he wants.
A Daddy who doesn’t know what he needs.

With his big blue eyes, lean frame, and propensity for adorkable clumsiness, Mikey Harrison is a Daddy magnet…for the wrong type of Daddy. Those who mistake his desire to serve as an open invitation to mistreat him and abuse his trust.

But all of that changes when he lays his eyes on Stirling Bishop. Sure, the strong, silent (and irresistibly sexy) type ticks all of his boxes, but it’s the tenderness underlying Stirling’s strength that makes him achingly irresistible.

For Mikey, it’s insta-love.
For Stirling, it’s insta-huh?

Despite looking like he was put on this earth to be the Daddy of every boy’s dreams, the thought of dating a younger guy has never even crossed Stirling’s mind, much less the idea of being a Daddy.

But there’s no denying that Mikey awakens something deep within him—the desire to dominate, the need to care. It’s been dormant, yet bubbling under the surface within him for his entire life.

Can Mikey help Stirling find the strength he needs to be the Daddy he was meant to be…and become the Daddy of Mikey’s dreams?

FIRST
First is a Daddy/boy, May-December gay romance featuring a strong, silent, first-time Daddy, and an eager boy who can show him the way. Come along for the ride and enjoy some crazy/sexy/cool shenanigans including: impromptu foot rubs, naked butlers, a crew of sassy friends, lots of LOLs, and all the feels on the way to a heartwarming HEA.

First is the first book in the 99 Daddies series. Each book in the series will contain overlapping characters and storylines, so you may enjoy them more by reading them in order.

99 DADDIES
99 Daddies is a hilarious, entertaining, and heartwarming Daddy/boy, May-December MM romance series.

Escape to Daylesford, the (fictional) Daddy capital of America. If you love steamy and complex Daddy/boy dynamics, May-December gay romances with a twist, sweet and sassy MM age-gap romances, and chasing those guaranteed HEAs, you’ll love it here.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

He closed his eyes. I loved seeing his massive chest rise and fall with every breath in and out. We didn’t need words. There was something happening here, something between us that defied logic and sense, but it was as real as the floor I was sitting on.

Did he feel it too? What was going on inside of him? I could feel his whole body starting to loosen, to relax under my firm touch. As I looked up at him, I could see his jaw unclench and his face start to soften.

He had to be feeling this too. It couldn’t just be me, could it, imagining something that I wanted so badly? Seeing only what I wanted to see?

Oh fuck, it probably was. I always did this. I always let my imagination and my desires run away with me, pulling me toward what I hoped for and wanted, while choosing not to see what was actually right in front of me. I’d done it with Brian before, was I doing it again with Stirling now?

I sighed loudly, which made him open his eyes. He looked around as if he had just woken up and wasn’t entirely sure where he was. He was so freaking sexy I couldn’t handle it. I smiled up at him.

“What you’re doing feels so good, Mikey,” he said, looking straight at me.

Hearing him say my name for the first time made my heart do cartwheels of joy.

“Good,” I said, looking straight back. “I’m happy to keep going for as long—”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Steel’s voice cut in.

He was standing beside me. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of judgement in his voice or in the look that he gave me. And trust me, I knew a thing or two about being judged.

“We need to go, Stirling. I just saw a cake being wheeled out. Sorry.” He looked at me when he apologized.

“It’s fine,” I said, releasing Stirling’s feet gently. “You are the birthday boy, after all. You’re kind of needed for that whole cake thing.” I said as I stood up.

“Yeah, that’s usually how these things work,” he said with an apologetic smile, as Stirling started to put his socks and shoes back on. Slowly, of course.

Once he was done, he stood up in front of me. He was a good four inches taller than me, which I really liked for some reason.

“Uh, thanks,” he said. He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but then quickly snapped it shut.

“You’re…welcome.” It was all I could think of to say as Steel grabbed Stirling by his arm and the two men began to walk away from us.

Nick stood next to me as we watched them make their way across the room, rejoining their friends and turning their attention to a massive chocolate cake filled with candles, that was being brought out by two naked butlers.

“Now those are some seriously sexy Daddies.”

Nick’s words hung heavily in the air between us.

“Uh huh.”

It was all I could manage.

“So,” Nick said as he placed his hand firmly on my shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. “That whole I’m-over-men thing, then?”

I didn’t even have to turn my head. From the corner of my eye, I could see the shit-eating grin stretching across his face.

“Yeah, totally over that.” My eyes were fixed on Stirling, following his every movement. “I am one hundred percent back into men.”

Okay, so… I have a thing for hot dads. It’s no secret, not to those who know me, and especially not to those who follow my reviews. In saying that, this one, in my definition, is not a Daddy/boy book.

I mean, sure, they toss it out there every once in a while, but the lifestyle and mechanics behind such a trope. No. It was hard to keep my interest after I figured that out.

So, in the beginning, Mikey and his best friend since high school, Nick, are naked waiters… which somehow gets them into being naked furniture, which somehow morphs into being human footstools, which I didn’t like. I mean, you could ask first, couldn’t you? Don’t just take off your socks and put your clammy feet on my naked back, ew… but, it’s where Mikey meets Stirling…

Now, Stirling is fresh out of a relationship where his husband not only cheated but then took him for half of everything and still blamed him. So, he’s jaded, if only a bit.
He’s a first time ‘Daddy’, which is no surprise, and he really doesn’t know what he wants at first, though it doesn’t take him long to realize that what he wants is Mikey… and Mikey, he’s a little too much at times for me, but he’s funny and clumsy and his brain to mouth filter is a bit delayed, but he’s a loveable type. I did like the pair of them together.

Of course, it isn’t all cute and sweet and getting to know one another, there are a few bumps in the road that I would love to rant about for a while, but as I’ve recently been told that my ranting is mostly all spoilers, I’ve tried to tone it down a bit…. I will say that you will NOT like any of the exes in this book, and that’s putting it lightly. (especially from me)

Overall though, if you like a couple of cute guys who find love in each other after heartbreak, some really good friends, and some very very very very light Daddy kink… you’ll likely enjoy this one.
Especially if you’re a sucker for a good HEA.

3.5 Pieces of Eye Candy

Casey Cox is devoted to delighting readers with sassy, sweet and sometimes steamy MM gay romance tales of gorgeous, good-hearted and complex men chasing that thing we all love: a guaranteed HEA.

Casey’s writing has an escapist, wanderlust quality to it because, let’s face it, these days there are plenty of reasons to run from reality.

Casey lives on the east coast of Australia, loves the beach and is a proud paw-parent to two utterly adorable French Bulldogs named Ralphie and Lilly.

Connect with Casey:
Website: https://caseycoxbooks.com/
Goodreads
BookBub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casey.cox
Email: caseycoxbooks@gmail.com
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cupcakes and Christmas: A Bake Off inspired MM Christmas Romance by RJ Scott: Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 23, 2020 by Denise

The story of long nights in a wintry mountain hotel, a baking show with secrets, a snowman called Jeremy, and finding the greatest love of all.

After winning season four of ratings hit the World’s Best Baking Show, Brody Thomas had become a sought-after cake maker to the stars. Happily married, he dreamed of a bright future, but his perfect life imploded when he discovered that his husband had done nothing but lie to him. A year later, Brody is mid-divorce, and his life has been turned upside down, so being part of the WBBS charity event is excellent timing. He’s sure it will give him time away from home and space to get his head straight, only he never expected to meet the man of his dreams in a snowy Alberta.

Winning season one of WBBS gave Justin Mallory a chance to outrun the demons of a childhood lost in the foster system. He’s a social media influencer, with millions of followers, and works every hour to make money that equals security for the rest of his life. His marketing team signs him up for the WBBS Christmas charity show, but he’s convinced he’ll fall at the first hurdle. Only, after a few days in the competition, his worry isn’t that he’ll be the first to leave, it’s that he’ll lose his heart to a rival baker, Brody.

Title: Cupcakes & Christmas

Author: RJ Scott

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Length: 67,000 words approx.

Amazon

This book was sweetness, 100%. How could it not be with a title like Cupcakes & Christmas? It was like getting that cupcake with the most decadent filling, coated in icing. It could be too much sweetness, but you still have to have it all. 🙂

I don’t watch much TV, and so haven’t seen much of these baking shows, but you can tell that the author has loved every second of them, and made me want to run out and watch them myself. What I loved though was that the two MC’s clearly had a love for baking, especially as they kept watching the show even after they won their own seasons. At one point one of the MC’s mentions baking every day. (Don’t you want to live next door to him???). Having had crushes on each other during the other’s season, I thought it was fun how the author brought them together with a reunion show as the backdrop (oh, and now I really want to go to Banff!). This added a little drama, but honestly it was mostly drama free. It was about the two MC’s finding their way to each other despite their lack of communication.

I loved Brody’s family, especially his twin, and that even though they’d been through some serious challenges the previous year due to Brody’s marriage, they were all still completely behind each other (and later Justin as well). Meanwhile, Justin was just trying to figure out how to transition to a career he could be proud of, and still feel successful, with a balance in the bank.

Jeremy was the icing on the cupcake. I loved that little piece of the book. It was just awesome that that became their time together, their place to talk, to work through issues or even to be alone. We all need a Jeremy in our lives.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

RJ Scott is a USA TODAY bestselling author of over 140 romance and suspense novels. From bodyguards to hockey stars, princes to millionaires, cowboys to military heroes to every-day heroes, she believes that love is love and every man deserves a happy ending.

Find RJ here: Amazon | BookBub | Facebook – Also, Never miss a release

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Strawberry Kisses by Charlie Novak: RDB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

November 23, 2020 by Denise

Patrick’s To Do List:
1. Tell family I’m gay
2. Make giant cake for anniversary party
3. Convince Connor to be my fake boyfriend for the weekend
4. Try to keep my hands off Connor
5. Make sure Connor doesn’t find out I’ve been in love with him for the last three years

Connor’s Steps for Success:
1. Perfect pole routine for Chrome Stars
2. Continue search for perfect music
3. Survive weekend with Patrick’s family without mauling him while sharing a bed
4. Prevent feelings from exploding like a glitter bomb
5. Make sure Patrick doesn’t find out I’ve been in love with him forever

Strawberry Kisses is a 78,000 word standalone, contemporary MM romance featuring a sweet pastry chef, sassy pole dancer, a nosy but loving family, fabulous make-up, fluffy feels, and copious amounts of cake.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Patrick

Connor took my hand, leading me through the empty house towards the stairs. I followed without hesitation. When we got to the stairs, he paused, stepping onto the bottom step and looking at me over his shoulder. “Don’t worry. We won’t do anything more than you’re comfortable with. But I do want to find out what you look like when you come.” He turned and leant in close, his eyes burning with heat. “I bet you look fucking gorgeous.”

Then he turned and started walking again, leaving me speechless behind him. I nearly tripped up the stairs as I followed. My eyes never left his perfect, round ass, which swayed enticingly in front of me. I couldn’t think of anything except his last few sentences. God, I wanted this to be good for him.

I wanted to be good for him.

I wanted to kneel down in front of him and worship him from head to toe because Connor was my world and I needed him to know just how much I adored him. Even if I could never tell him, I hoped I could show him so, when all this was over, he’d never forget what had happened between us.

Connor opened the bedroom door and ushered me inside, clicking it shut behind us and sliding the lock into place. I knew nobody would come looking for us, but it was nice to know nobody was going to come barging in on the off chance we were missed. He took my hand, pulling me towards the bed. I swallowed, feeling suddenly too hot in my shirt, like my skin was on fire, and I just needed to jump into a pool to cool off.

“Take off your shirt,” Connor said. His voice was soft but firm, and my hands moved before he’d even finished speaking.

His eyes roamed over me appreciatively. Part of me felt like I should be nervous because I looked nothing like the man I thought Connor deserved, but then I remembered he wanted this. He wanted me.

Charlie lives in England with her husband and a dachshund named Biscuit. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that loves comes in all shapes and sizes.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Connect with Charlie:

Website: https://charlienovak.com/
Newsletter https://charlienovak.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/charlienovakauthor/
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/charlie-novak
Twitter https://twitter.com/charlienwrites
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charlienwrites/
Facebook Group, Charlie’s Angels https://www.facebook.com/groups/charlienovaksangels/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Surrounded by Silence by Eric Huffbind: RDB, Exclusive Author Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway

November 18, 2020 by Denise

Lonely billionaire, Samuel Barron, has finally met someone he finds himself falling for, but can he handle a romance for a gentleman whose entire world is surrounded by silence?

After public humiliation, Sam Barron has come to the realization his billions can’t buy him love or happiness. Despondent and feeling like his life is in a downward spiral, he comes to realize he needs some professional help. Despite trepidations, Sam turns to Jason Parker, a social worker who at his heart, is a rescuer. Even though Sam had been so hateful towards him in the past, Jason can’t help but think Sam deserves to suffer. Jason tells Sam straight out, “You’re a spoiled brat without a shred of humility!”

Jason has deep concerns about helping Sam, but might be willing, if Sam volunteers at a soup kitchen. Grudgingly, Sam accepts Jason’s condition, and while performing his volunteer work, meets the flirtatious Noah Wagner. Noah is close in age, attractive, and Sam likes the way he feels whenever he’s around him. Noah is the first person Sam has known who is profoundly deaf. So, how is Sam to navigate a romantic interest with a man who can’t hear a word he says?

Surrounded by Silence, a Contemporary Gay Male Romance, is a sequel to Mr. Huffbind’s debut novel, The Rescuer. However, this book can be read as a stand-alone. If you enjoy a story where the villain becomes the hero, you will love Surrounded by Silence.

Book Title: Surrounded by Silence

Author: Eric Huffbind

Cover Artist: Eric Huffbind

Release Date: October 14, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary Gay Male Romance

Trope/s: Billionaires, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Divorce, Middle Age

Themes: Learning what it means to be selfless rather than selfish.

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 71 000 words/259 pages

This is a sequel to The Rescuer, but can be read as a stand-alone.

Goodreads

Amazon US- Kindle Unlimited

Amazon CA- Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK- Kindle Unlimited

Do you use images to develop your character’s looks? As a matter of fact, I do, but not entirely. I have a vague vision in my head as to what I want based on the character’s age. Considering age, I search for photos of male models who fit the image I have in my head. Then I can use those pictures to help refine the details of the physical description based on what the cover model actually looks like.

Are your characters based on people you know? Most definitely! In both my first book, The Rescuer, and this book, Surrounded by Silence, Jason Parker, is based on me. I’m a retired RN, and I have always thought of myself as a rescuer. As Jason discovered in The Rescuer, trying to mix being a rescuer with romance often ends badly. With the man I fell in love with and married, there was definitely no rescuing required.

Do you use your experiences in your books? Absolutely! I constantly pull from real life experiences to fuel the plot of my story. It’s like the old adage they tell authors. “Write what you know.”

Do you ever get writer’s block? God yes! I feel this is the huge downside I find myself in, because I am a pantser rather than a plotter. You look at your manuscript and you see you have only written 35,000 words, yet you’re looking for 70,000 words. I need to come up with a lot more plot. This can result in a huge writer’s block, because I have no idea where I want the story to go. I have had writer’s blocks for as much as 3 weeks before I’m struck with an epiphany.

What do you think makes a good story? That’s a good question, but somewhat challenging. It’s like asking me what makes my favorite ice cream flavor peanut butter chocolate chip. I suppose two minimal requirements must be present. Firstly, the plot has to be easy to follow. I don’t want to need to constantly go back and reread passages to process what I just read. Secondly, for the big reason many readers enjoy the Romance genre, I want a ‘Happily ever after.’

What has been one of your most rewarding experiences as an author? Occasionally, I will receive an email from a new fan who has been profoundly touched in some way by my book. That is quite gratifying.

What do you do when you’re not writing? I typically work a full time job as a Travel Agent, but with the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic, I am currently on a 3-month furlough. The virus has had a devastating impact on the travel industry with sales that have fallen off a cliff.

Do you like music or silence when your write? Most definitely silence

Thank you.

Coming through the front door of their apartment, Jason called out, “Honey, I’m home. Where are you?”

Poking his head out, Christopher announced, “I’m in the kitchen making dinner.”

Strolling into the kitchen, Jason gave Christopher a kiss, and asked, “How was work today?”

“Oh, it was okay, same old same old. Not particularly exciting. How about you?”

Jason took a small step backwards and began rubbing his eyebrows. “Well, an old friend of yours came to see me today, without any forewarning, of course!”

“An old friend of mine? I can’t imagine what old friend of mine would come to see you.”

“I’m being facetious,” Jason said. “Calling this man a friend is a bit of a stretch, and he’s someone I wasn’t happy to see.”

Christopher’s eyes narrowed as he squinted. “Please, tell me it wasn’t Sam Barron?”

“I’d be happy to tell you it wasn’t Sam Barron… but I would be lying. Yes, it was Sam. Admittedly, I was floored! And as you can imagine, especially since he showed up unannounced, I was less than ecstatic to see him.”

“Dear God, almighty! What in the hell did he come to see you about?”

“As you might suspect, I was a bit miffed. Not trying to change the subject, but something smells awfully good. What’s for dinner?”

“Just a frozen entrée of lasagna. Don’t get too excited, but it’s your favorite brand. So, go on, why did Sam show up at your office?”

Jason took a seat at the small dinette table. “As hard as you might find this to believe, he came seeking my professional help. As far as I can gather, ever since all the bad press in the media hit the airways, he’s fallen into a deep depression. Perhaps, a deep depression isn’t the best choice of words. Significant emotional distress is more accurate. Complains of loneliness and being guilt-ridden.”

Christopher said sharply, “And why should you care if he’s guilt-ridden? He deserves to feel guilt-ridden!”

“You’re not going to get an argument from me. Still… I felt bad for him. It was as if he was pleading for forgiveness, and begging for my help. He says he wants to become a better person. The guy was crying. Sounded desperate.”

“Christopher responded, “It sounds like he needs a psychologist, not a social worker.”

“Exactly! That’s what I told him, but he insisted he wants me.”

“No offense, but why does he want your help?”

“You know Sam,” Jason answered. “He always wants the best. In his mind, I’m the best. In addition, I’m gay, which is especially important to him, and I get that.”

Christopher started shaking his head in utter disbelief. “Wait now! Wait just a minute here! After the way that man treated you! And treated me for that matter! He has the gall to come and ask you for help!”

“He said he was a nervous wreck coming to see me! He knew damn well I wasn’t going to be happy having him show up on my doorstep. The thing is, honey, I felt bad for him, and believe me, I hear myself saying this, and yet, I can’t believe these words are coming out of my mouth.”

Christopher crossed his arms against his chest. “Let me guess! Your inner rescuer kicked in.”

Jason nodded his agreement of his husband’s quick and accurate assessment.

Jason waved his hand in a gesture to encourage Christopher to sit down with him. He pushed the chair away from the table giving Christopher easier access to sit.

“He saw how much I helped you. So, he trusts me. That’s why he wants my help. You’re right, of course, my inner rescuer did kick in. I told him I had to speak with you, and I would only help him if you granted me permission to. I wasn’t going to do it without your consent. The guy looks pitiful. He said I could name my price! He even offered to pay me five hundred dollars an hour. Mind you, not during my regular working hours. He knows this is something that must take place outside the realm of my job. He was willing to come here, or I could go to his home. Tell me, what do you think? How do you feel about it? Would you be okay if I worked with him? Trust me, I have my own reservations, and… I can’t lie, the money does sound appealing. I’m not a licensed therapist, but what I do isn’t such a stretch from what a psychologist would do. So, I’m asking, would you be comfortable with this?”

Christopher asked, “The question you should be asking yourself is, how do you feel about it?” Although, I must admit, I know that man. If he wants you bad enough, he’ll pay you whatever price you want. Ever since you sold your condominium and decided to live in my apartment, you’ve wanted to buy a house for us. Remember the model home we saw? The one built by Kirkland Home Builders. That money could help a lot towards a down payment. It’s just so ironic! This is the same man who sent you into a panic attack, and now he comes crawling to you for help. Although, I know what you’re talking about. There’s a side of Sam Barron he doesn’t let people see. I’ll be okay with it—if you’re okay with it.”

Eric Huffbind is a man of many talents. Over the course of his lifetime, he has worked as a Registered Nurse, a Travel Agent, and an Uber driver. He characterizes himself as a hopeless romantic and is the eternal social butterfly. Among his passionate interests are history, genealogy, romance books, and travel.

Although his novels focus on the romantic relationship of two gay men, regardless of your sexual orientation, his stories are meant to rekindle the spirit and euphoria of falling in love.

Eric is a lifelong resident of Southwest Ohio. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he currently resides in West Chester, Ohio with his husband Paul and their Pomeranian, Linus.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook Profile | Facebook Author Page

Twitter | Newsletter Sign-Up | Instagram

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

The Last One to Let You Down by K.L. Hiers: RDB, Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

November 16, 2020 by Denise

Thomas Hill is a lonely embalmer who’s in some big trouble – his ex-boyfriend has been forcing him to illegally sell dangerous chemicals with no signs of stopping, and Tom doesn’t know what to do. His situation gets even more complicated when Cypress Holmes, a smoking hot local florist, walks in on Tom making a deal. Cypress agrees to keep quiet, but his silence comes at a price.

He wants Tom to do exactly as he says and to give him complete and total control over his body at all times. Tom now has no choice but to obey Cypress’s every command to stay out of jail. But when Cypress starts spanking him and tying him up, he realizes he doesn’t mind the rough treatment at all. With or without the threat of blackmail hanging over his head, he likes what Cypress does to him… and he doesn’t want it to stop.

Author’s Note: This book includes intense sexual scenes, rough spankings, and depictions of death and embalming as they relate to the funeral industry. If this material offends or may upset you, please don’t read this book.

Book Title: The Last One to Let You Down

Author: K.L. Hiers

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Covers by Jo

Release Date: November 13, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, BDSM Romance

Trope/s: Funeral Director/Florist Romance, Blackmail Leads to Love, BDSM Virgin

Themes: Personal Growth, Dealing with Death, Difficult Jobs,

Learning to Love Yourself

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 102 000 words

It is a standalone story.

Goodreads

Amazon US- Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK – Kindle Unlimited

Tom was an embalmer, and he’d been working at Crosby-Ayers Funeral Home in Mayfield, North Carolina, for over ten years. He’d done his apprenticeship there after graduating mortuary school and had stayed on once he’d gotten his license. The funeral home was busy enough to support him working solely as an embalmer, and he didn’t have to meet with families like Aaron, who was a funeral director.

Aaron had the right look for it. He was handsome, olive skinned with curly black hair and a confident smile. He could offer sympathy with ease and wore a suit well.

Tom… not so much.

He felt like a silly kid playing dress-up when he wore a suit, and they were always too tight no matter how much he tried to lose the stubborn weight he carried around his stomach and thighs. He was only wearing one today because he thought he was going to have to help out on a funeral.

They hadn’t needed him after all, which was fine by Tom. He didn’t do well with the living, and he’d been told more than once that he came off as creepy.

He was quite pale with chin length mousy brown hair, and his big blue eyes gave him an owlish appearance. He thought it made him look startled or afraid, not quite right for instilling confidence in a family that he was going to help them through their difficult time.

It also didn’t help that he was painfully shy.

Fortunately for Tom, his embalming talents usually kept him in the preparation room and away from families. His specialty was restorative art, repairing those who had suffered traumatic deaths so that their families could see them again.

The woman he had just finished was a Mrs. Jan Winslow, who had died on a Friday, and her body was not found until Monday. During that time, her beloved Pomeranian, Mister Doodles, had eaten the entire right half of her face.

“Walk me through it,” Aaron asked eagerly. “Like, tell me how you do it?”

“Well, you can’t do anything really until after you’ve embalmed them.” Tom stood up and stretched, peeling off his gloves and dropping them into the biohazard trash. “Makeup and the wax we use doesn’t stick that great to unembalmed skin. Slides right off if you’re not careful.

“The next step is cauterizing all of that exposed tissue. Embalming helps dry it out some, but you really wanna make sure it doesn’t leak so we use other chemicals, cauterants like Dryene, to help. Once the skin is good and dry, then we start filling.”

“What do you fill it with? I mean, I saw her before. There was a lot… missing.”

“You can use a bunch of different things depending on how big the wound is,” Tom replied, pulling open the prep room door and ushering Aaron out into the hallway.

It was often full of freshly delivered caskets, stretchers, and bags from the linen service, and today was no different. Tom had to carefully navigate around two caskets and a stack of towels, trying to lead Aaron back out to the offices to continue their conversation.

“Old school embalmers would use newspaper or cotton,” Tom went on, grabbing his suit jacket off the rack by the office door. “These days, they actually make compounds called ‘wound filler’ to well, fill wounds. And then—” He paused when he heard a loud slam, glancing back over his shoulder to see what it was.

At the other end of the hall were three doors. The one on the right led into the walk-in cooler, the one directly opposite the office door was an exit that led into the side parking lot, and the one on the left connected the hallway to the garage. The coaches and limos were stored there, and there was a special door in the corner for flower deliveries.

All of the doors for employees required a code to enter except for that one, and it stayed unlocked during business hours for flower deliveries. Someone could get inside the garage to drop off arrangements, but they wouldn’t be able to get into the hallway.

The hallway door to the garage had been left propped open, probably from a casket being delivered earlier, and the sound Tom had heard was the flower delivery door slamming inside the garage. As his heart began to pound in anticipation, he forgot all about Aaron.

HFG might be here.

Hot Flower Guy.

“Hey, where are you going?” Aaron protested.

“Just go to the office!” Tom called back, already halfway back down the hall. “I’ll meet you in there!”

“Okay,” Aaron replied reluctantly. “Then you’ll finish telling me about wound filler stuff?”

“Scout’s honor!” Tom slowed down as he approached the open door, putting his jacket on and trying not to appear too eager as he stepped inside the garage. He broke into a huge smile when he saw it was HFG in all of his bulging glory.

HFG was black, tall, and broad with thick shoulders and an even thicker beard framing his dark brown face, and Tom had daydreamed about running his hands all over his body. They had barely even spoken more than a few words, but Tom had a definite crush.

The funeral home hours didn’t give Tom much freedom and being on call almost every night killed any chance of an active social life. After a nasty breakup followed by a disappointing string of one night stands through dating apps, he’d committed to staying single until the funeral home hired more help.

In the meantime, he’d grown quite fond of HFG’s deliveries. He didn’t even know his name, but he’d been trying to find out for weeks. HFG was always in and out too quickly to ever strike up a conversation, and Tom wanted a name to go with that gorgeous face.

It didn’t matter that HFG was painfully out of his league—unless he happened to be into pasty white brunettes who had never grown out of their baby fat with big chins and an awkward little gap between their front teeth.

Tom had been cruelly teased about his smile since he was a little kid, no doubt the root of his introverted nature, but he was too excited about seeing HFG to care for once. As he stepped into the garage, however, his joy instantly faded.

HFG was there, but he was arguing with the assistant manager of the funeral home, Gerald Ayers.

Gerald was a prick.

No, he was the absolute king of pricks.

Lesson learned. No more by this author. Honestly, I didn’t remember the author’s name as anything I had read before. But I did. And, well… let’s just say my fondness hasn’t grown.

I wanted to like it. Slightly overweight guy who works at a funeral home, black guy who owns and runs his families floral shop. Some BDSM. A little mystery as a plot. But no.

First, the BDSM was so sloppy. I mean, they went to a “house party” were not only was there drinking, but the dungeon master was acting as a bartender. Cypress did not come off as a real Dom, more like a guy playing as a Dom.

And, honestly, I love learning new things in books. But the pages and pages and pages of procedures for embalming someone were just a little too much.

Tom is whiny and needy and it is not attractive at all. Even with Cypress making him do affirmations in the mirror everyday didn’t help. Sorry, but I laughed out loud when Tom was fighting with his ex and called himself a tiger.

I won’t continue. I think you get the gist. Oh, there really should be a suicide trigger warning as well.

2 pieces of eye candy

K.L. “Kat” Hiers is an embalmer, restorative artist, and queer writer. Licensed in both funeral directing and funeral service, she’s been working in the death industry for nearly a decade. Her first love was always telling stories, and she has been writing for over twenty years, penning her very first book at just eight years old. Publishers generally do not accept manuscripts in Hello Kitty notebooks, however, but she never gave up.

Following the success of her first novel, Cold Hard Cash, she now enjoys writing professionally, focusing on spinning tales of sultry passion, exotic worlds, and emotional journeys. She loves attending horror movie conventions and indulging in cosplay of her favorite characters. She lives in Zebulon, NC, with her husband and their children, some of whom have paws and a few that only pretend to because they think it’s cute.

Author Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

Nice Catching You: A Holiday Love Story by Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood: Blog Tour, Exclusive Author Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

November 5, 2020 by Denise

What happens when the No. 1 college hockey star in the country falls in love—with a man? Nick Johnson, a top prospect for a pro hockey team, has a secret: he’s gay. Tired of living in the closet for the sport he loves, he sees no way out.

Jacob Meyer’s string of bad boyfriends left him cynical about love. Instead, he focuses on his studies as a third-year law student. With a new job waiting for him, he’s eager to graduate and move on.

On a school-sponsored trip, Nick and Jacob meet in a most unexpected way. When Nick tells Jacob his secret, they decide to hang out, just as friends. But their attraction is too strong to ignore, and they soon begin dating.

Since Nick is a big man on campus, it doesn’t take long for people to notice his attachment to Jacob. All hell breaks loose when the relationship gets out. As the national media descends, university officials try to figure out how to solve their “problem.” Their efforts divide Nick’s team, inflame fans, and put Nick and Jacob’s futures in jeopardy. Will the men be able to survive a plot to destroy them without derailing both their careers?

Nice Catching You is an out-for-you romance featuring a lot of love, exciting hockey, and a beautiful holiday. There’s also plenty of steam and a very happy ending.

Title: Nice Catching You: A Holiday Love Story

Author: Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood

Publisher: Wainscott Press

Release Date: 10/30/2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 84,000 words

Genre: Romance, Gay Holiday Romance, Contemporary Gay Romance, Holiday Romance

Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

We Ran a Survey by Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood

Our new book, Nice Catching You: A Holiday Love Story, is a sweet romance about a Nick Johnson, a college hockey star who is gay but closeted. Since he is the top-ranked college hockey player in the country, professional hockey teams are eager to sign him to play. Nick is desperate to come out and find a genuine relationship with a man, but he doesn’t see how that can happen.

One day, Nick meets Jacob, a law student at the same university Nick attends. They connect immediately, and it doesn’t take long for word to get out about their relationship. As the media descends on their school, university officials panic, and chaos ensues. Some people claim Nick’s potential as a professional player has been destroyed, while others say his coming out has nothing to do with playing hockey. Both Nick and Jacob’s careers seem to be in jeopardy as they make their way through the developing drama.

We’re both big hockey fans, and while we were writing Nice Catching You, we got curious about how people might really feel about such a situation. We created a survey and invited thirty people we know in various ways to participate. None of them knew the survey was connected to a book we were writing.

Twenty-four people took the survey, which was set up online. The survey was not scientific, but we did our best to cover the topic. The responses were anonymous, so we have no idea who took part or what any of them said.

Here are the results from some of the questions.

1. For baseline purposes, are you LGBTQ+?
a. Yes: 7/24
b. No: 16/24
c. Prefer not to say: 1/24

2. Do you have the general impression that homophobia is a significant problem in college sports?
Yes: 18/24
No: 2/24
Not Sure: 4/24

3. Do you have the general impression that homophobia is a significant problem in professional sports?
Yes: 21/24
No: 1/24
Not Sure: 2/24

4. How many openly gay hockey players do you think currently play at the top professional level?

10 or more: 3/24
5—9: 4/24
1—4: 9/24
None: 8/24
[Authors’ note: there are, in fact, none]

5. Do you think there would be much media attention if a national collegiate sports star came out?
a. Yes: 9/24
b. No: 5/24
c. Not Sure: 10/24

6. Do you think there would be much media attention if a professional sports star came out?
a. Yes: 20/24
b. No: 1/24
c. Not Sure: 3/24

7. If a top prospect for professional sports came out, do you think he or she would possibly be putting a sports career at risk?
a. Yes: 16/24
b. No: 3/24
c. Not Sure: 5/24

8. What do you think the general public opinion would be of a top collegiate or pro sports player came out?
a. Favorable: 9/24
b. Unfavorable: 12/24
c. Not Sure: 3/24

What do the results tell us? This isn’t a professional survey, and we are not professional pollsters, so we can’t say much. Certainly, most people believe homophobia is a problem in college and pro sports and that a top prospect for a professional team could be putting their potential career at risk by coming out. A high number of those responding agree that either a nationally known college athlete or pro athlete coming out would get a lot of media attention. There is less agreement on what general public opinion would be if a player came out.

One thing is sure—the kind of plot we have in our book would be believable based on the poll results. We hope you’ll read Nice Catching You and let us know what you think about Nick and Jacob’s story.

JACOB

Sunday, December 4

I haven’t been on many buses, but I was starting to think I might die on this one. The snow began falling before we left Whiteface Mountain early in the afternoon, not unusual for one of the top ski resorts in the Northeast. We were due in Syracuse before six, and I hoped the weather didn’t delay us much. The last week of classes would start the next day, and I had work to do.

The snow was coming down hard, and by the time we reached I-87, I could see very little out the window. Many of the cars had pulled over to the side, and others were creeping along with their hazards flashing. Our bus joined the traffic and immediately began slipping all over the road.

With fifty-odd college students on the trip, there had been a lot of noise when we left the resort, but nerves had soon taken over, and people were mostly quiet now. I sat alone, three rows from the back of the bus, trying to read a case for Federal Courts. With only one more semester of law school to go, I needed to do well. A big firm in Boston offered me a job right before Thanksgiving, contingent on my maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Pulling a C in Fed Courts would bringme slightly under the requirement. Although I had high hopes for a job in DC, I couldn’t risk losing the Boston offer.

Between the bus sliding in the snow and the constant chatter from the guys in the seat behind me, I couldn’t concentrate at all. They were hockey players, and they kept up a conversation about the game, other players, cars, and whatever else dumb undergrad jocks talk about. They were the only people behind me except for their friend, who was passed out on a seat in the back.

Whoa! The rear end of the bus lurched violently into the left lane. I tried to grab something to hold onto, but I was already airborne by the time I dropped the heavy casebook. Hands grabbed my shoulders but didn’t slow my momentum. Dreading the impact with the seat across the aisle, I screwed my eyes shut and held my breath. All at once, something stopped, rather, someone stopped me, and that someone had brawny arms and a hard body. He’d caught me in midair.

“You all right?”

“What?” On my back in the man’s arms, facing the top of the bus, I couldn’t see much. I turned my head, trying to find out who had hold of me.

“Everything okay?”

I craned my neck in the other direction just as he leaned over, and it was—shit!—one of the hockey guys who’d been sitting behind me. I’d seen him over the weekend with his buddies, at least one of whom had laughed at me the whole time. Now they’d laugh even harder, and I’d be known as the skinny little runt who couldn’t even stay in his seat—the twit who had to be rescued by a real man.

Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood met in law school and were married in 2017. They live in a suburb of Washington, DC, and share their home with a big, cuddly German shepherd. Ryan and Josh enjoy travel, friends, and advocating for causes dear to their hearts. Ryan also loves to swim, and Josh likes to putter in the garden whenever he can. The romance they were so lucky to find with each other inspires their stories about love between out and proud men.

https://www.ryanandjoshth.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ryanandjoshth

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18708074.Joshua_Harwood

ryan-josh@ryanandjoshth.com

https://www.instagram.com/ryan.josh.th/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ryan-taylor

https://linktr.ee/ryan.josh

Tour Schedule

11/2	Love Bytes Reviews	http://lovebytesreviews.com/
11/3	The (Really) Naughty Corner	https://elizabethcoldwell.wordpress.com
11/4	My Fiction Nook	https://myfictionnook.com
11/5	Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy	https://twochicksobsessed.com/
11/6	Joyfully Jay	http://joyfullyjay.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway