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Too Close to the Flame by Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood: Exclusive Author Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway

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One of my favorite exclusives is Author Interviews. I just love to get to know the authors better, and what they think about the characters they’ve written. Today we have a great interview with the authors of the new release Too Close to the Flame, Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood. We get a little bit of everything in this interview. Love! 🙂 So take a look, read the excerpt and don’t forget the giveaway down below!

Can he ever learn to trust again?

Brandon Weber’s old boyfriend almost beat him to death. Brandon survived, but still bears the emotional scars. Eighteen months later, he has withdrawn into himself, convinced he’ll never be able to trust another man.

Devin Macadam, fresh out of law school, has an exciting new job. He is also on the lookout for just the right guy, someone to take care of and love.

When Devin shows up for the first day of work at his new office, he meets Brandon, a legal assistant there. Sparks fly, but Brandon is paralyzed by fear and isn’t about to give another man the power to hurt him again. Devin, never one to give up easily, doesn’t want to take no for an answer. Both men feel the magic, but can their relationship ever get past the friend zone?

Too Close to the Flame is a dark-to-light, sweet romance featuring out and proud gay men, lots of feels, steamy love scenes, and a wonderful happy ending. The book is approximately 86,000 words and has X-Ray enabled for your reading pleasure.

Trigger Warning: Too Close to the Flame contains specific memories of physical abuse.

Title:  Too Close to the Flame

Author: Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood

Publisher:  Wainscott Press

Release Date: July 31, 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 86,000 words

Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort Gay Romance, Sweet Gay Romance

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Interview with Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood on the Release of Their New Book, Too Close to the Flame

  1. Tell us about yourselves. You’re married, right?

RYAN: We are married. We met in law school and were attracted to each other right away. Soon, we started dating, and eventually got married several years later, in 2017.

JOSH: Ryan practices law, and writing is a side gig for us. We spend as much time as possible together, and have a constant companion in our big, goofy German shepherd.

  1. How did you start writing?

RYAN: Josh started reading gay romances, and after he made me read a few, I got hooked on them too.

JOSH: A lot of the books out there are really good, even inspirational. We have such a beautiful love story of our own that we wanted to share parts of it. Also, we thought we had a unique perspective from which we could portray gay male characters as authentically as possible.

RYAN: We wanted to find issues that were important to us and gently work them into our stories. For example, in What He Really Needs, we dealt a bit with immigrants’ and women’s rights in the workplace.

Josh: When we got back from our honeymoon, we started our first book, No Brief Affair. It took us a year to write, and it tells some of our own story with a lot of fiction thrown in.

  1. Do you still write a book a year?

RYAN: No, we’ve gotten faster. Our current goal is to put out three or four books a year.

JOSH: That’s a lot, considering that Ryan works fulltime, but we’re dedicated to trying.

  1. Let’s switch to the book that was just released, Too Close to the Flame. What can you tell us about it?

RYAN: Too Close to the Flame is a slow burn, hurt/comfort, sweet love story about Brandon and Devin. Brandon works as a legal assistant in a law practice, and Devin, who has just graduated from law school, goes to work there. As soon as they meet, they’re smitten with each other.

JOSH: Each tries to resist the attraction, for his own reasons. Devin soon gives in and tries to get Brandon interested in dating, but Brandon holds back. He has a secret—his old boyfriend was an abuser and almost killed him.

RYAN: Devin eventually finds out, and the two men become friends. Eventually, they become boyfriends.

JOSH: There are some hard patches as Brandon begins to recover from what he went through. Devin’s there to help him, and once Brandon lets him in, their romance blooms into something beautiful.

RYAN: There’s nothing like true love to help you recover from bad things, which is one of the points we wanted to make.

JOSH: The other thing we want to do is bring attention to the often neglected issue of domestic violence in gay relationships.

RYAN: Brandon suffered, but Devin begins to draw him out of his shell. The romance blooms and takes off. The rest of the book is about Brandon’s increasing confidence as Devin shows him unconditional love. Brandon also helps Devin by trusting him so much. The book absolutely roars into an extremely happy-ever-after ending.

  1. It sounds really good. Is it intense?

JOSH: There are only a few places early in the book where the abuse is discussed graphically. Other than that, it’s something their love overcomes.

RYAN: We put a trigger warning on the book for people with special sensitivity to the topic, but everyone else should be fine. Too Close to the Flame is a happy book—it’s just that the characters have to earn their happiness.

JOSH: We hope people will appreciate the beautiful story and celebrate everything Devin and Brandon find in each other.

  1. A few more questions. What do you guys like to do in your spare time?

RYAN & JOSH: (Laughing.) Write.

JOSH: Fulltime work and putting out three or four books a year doesn’t leave a lot of spare time.

RYAN: We enjoy hanging out a lot. Sometimes we watch movies or play games, and we love to cuddle up and read.

JOSH: I like gardening. I used to watch my grandpa do it, and as an adult I wanted to try. It’s very Zen.

RYAN: I love to swim, and I was on my high school and college swim teams. Now, I especially enjoy it when my husband joins me in one of the Speedos I buy him.

JOSH: You goofball! I do not wear Speedos, hardly ever.

RYAN: I know. You make me wait for it!

JOSH: (Poking Ryan in the ribs.) Is it worth the wait?

RYAN: (With a straight face.) I keep buying them, don’t I?

  1. Anything else you like to do?

RYAN: We love bike rides and walks. The dog loves to play, so we spend as much time doing that as we can.

JOSH: Cooking. We like to cook together, but we both love making food for each other too.

  1. All right, every interviewer has to ask a few silly questions, so here we go. Salty snacks or sweet?

RYAN: Josh prefers salty and I like sweet.

Wine or beer?

JOSH: We enjoy both, but Ryan’s a big fan of craft beers. I usually prefer a nice wine.

Tea or coffee?

RYAN: We’re definitely a split household on that issue. I love coffee and Josh is a tea man.

  1. What’s your favorite place to vacation?

RYAN: Anywhere we are. We love to travel, especially in Europe, but we have a trip to Australia on the books. We were going to go this summer, but with everything that’s happening, it wasn’t possible. We’ve rescheduled for December and hope we can go then.

JOSH: We love nice beaches. The Caribbean, Hawaii, and Spain have the best, of the places we’ve been.

RYAN: We both love the winter and it’s fun to ski and go snowmobiling.

JOSH: Ryan likes to snowboard, but I don’t do that.

RYAN: (With a hopeful smile.) Do it with me this year?

JOSH: Not on your life. I prefer having all my limbs in one piece.

  1. Thanks for being with us today. Anything else you’d like to say?

JOSH: We’d like to send out a huge thank you to everyone who reads Too Close to the Flame. You guys have a lot of books to choose from, and every time you read one of ours, we are very thankful to you.

RYAN: Let us know how you like it. Also, consider joining our Facebook group, Ryan and Josh’s Room. We’re in there every day, so it’s a good way to stay in touch. We’ll leave a link right below.

I raced into the kitchen like a madman, afraid that something was on fire. Acrid, gray smoke billowed out of the toaster, and I barely kept from yelling in frustration. Everything was going wrong this morning. My alarm hadn’t gone off, the water in the shower was cold, I cut myself shaving, and my best blue suit had come back from the dry cleaner with a stain on the lapel.

After unplugging the toaster, I used a fork to coax out the pieces of charcoal that used to be a bagel. Damn it!—it was the last one. Now I’d have to take time to scramble eggs, because there was no way I could go to my first day at a new job on an empty stomach.

Returning to the bedroom, I decided my gray suit would have to do. A white shirt and maroon Hermès tie made it look better than it was, and I wore my black cap toe oxfords. They were comfortable and looked great with the suit. Another glance in the mirror and I headed back into the kitchen, where I barely had time to cook and inhale three eggs. The drive to the office had taken about fifteen minutes when I did a practice run a few days earlier, but I wanted to leave half an hour early just in case.

The extra time turned out to be a good thing. Traffic on Massachusetts Avenue was mostly fine, but there was an accident where I was supposed to turn onto 9th Street. I sat for ten minutes waiting to make the turn. “Fuck!” I yelled about five minutes into the delay, and banged on the steering wheel for good measure. I ended the tantrum with a long blast of my horn.

My new job was a good one, and I wanted to do well. I had to be ready to do anything, as soon as I was asked to do it. Furthermore, I had to do a kickass job because I didn’t want anyone thinking I got the position because of my last name. But being the best wasn’t only measured by doing great work. Early and eager were watchwords I needed to live by.

Waiting for the intersection to clear, I thought back over the last few months. When I graduated from law school in May, I felt like I had the world by the tail—law degree, awesome boyfriend, and a job waiting at one of the hottest boutique firms in the nation’s capital. Things changed when I got home from bar exam prep class one day and heard a strange knocking noise in the bedroom. Afraid someone had broken in, I picked up a baseball bat that was leaning against the wall—I hadn’t put it away after our game the night before—and slowly crept through the apartment. When I pushed the bedroom door open, I almost threw up. My awesome boyfriend was riding one of our supposed best friends in the middle of our goddamned bed, his face screwed up in the ecstatic expression I’d thought was only for me to see. He must have heard the door creak, because he opened his eyes and smiled. “Hey, Dev. Want to join?”

Barely resisting the urge to wield my bat on both of them, I left the apartment and went to cry on my friend Jacob’s shoulder. He was a 2L, a year behind me, and was my best buddy since I helped with orientation for his class. After listening to me curse fate for a while, he pointed out that the lease to the apartment I shared with my ex–boyfriend was in my name. After a beer to soothe my nerves, he and I walked back the building where I lived. The ex-boyfriend was gone, so Jacob and I packed up his stuff and carried it out onto the front steps.

A honking horn brought me back to the present. Traffic was moving again, and I made it to the office with five minutes to spare. After introducing myself to the receptionist, I asked for Liam Macadam, my new boss. She made a quick call, but it wasn’t Liam who came around the corner thirty seconds later. An impossibly beautiful man with light blond hair and sparkling, sapphire eyes, put out a hand. “I’m Brandon Weber.”

I took his hand and —whoa!— the spark flew right up my arm. I jerked away. “Sorry. Static electricity?”

We both chuckled but he seemed frozen in place as he didn’t put his arm down. Seeing too good an opportunity to pass up, I reached for his hand again. He widened his eyes and I realized I needed to say something. “I’m Devin Macadam. Today is my first day.”

Brandon broadened his smile and nodded. “I know who you are. I’m Liam’s assistant. He’s running a little late, but he’ll be here soon.”

I gave him a flirty smile but couldn’t seem to move. After a moment, Brandon tugged his hand away. “Why don’t I show you your office and give you a tour?”

The spell was broken, and I quickly put my professional expression back on. “That sounds good. This is a nice place.”

“We like it. It’s an old warehouse, and you should have seen it when Liam and Michael—the first two partners—rented it. The building was a disaster and needed to be completely renovated. I can’t believe it’s the same place.”

A small cleft in Brandon’s chin caught my eye, and it was a few beats too long before I answered. “Yeah, it’s nice.” Oh God, get a grip. He’s a guy, that’s all.

Brandon put a hand on my elbow and guided us down the hallway. I noticed that he moved with an unusual, stiff gait. Three doors in, on the right, he held out his hand. “Here we are.”

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. In addition, Ryan loves to swim, and Josh likes to pretend he has a green thumb every chance he gets. Both men love writing, and the romance they were so lucky to find with each other inspires their stories about love between out and proud men. You can contact them through their website at www.ryanandjoshth.com.

Facebook | Twitter | eMail | Instagram | Amazon

https://www.facebook.com/ryanandjoshth

https://twitter.com/RyanTaylorandJ1

ryan-josh@ryanandjoshth.com

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

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07L3D9PZ1

Ryan and Josh’s Room

https://www.facebook.com/groups/rjthroom/

Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood’s Website

https://www.ryanandjoshth.com/

 

Tour Schedule

8/3       Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy             https://twochicksobsessed.com/

8/4       Bayou Book Junkie             https://bayoubookjunkie.wordpress.com

8/5       Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews             http://wickedfaeriesreviews.blogspot.com/

8/6       Love Bytes Reviews             http://lovebytesreviews.com/

8/7       Boy Meets Boy Reviews             http://boymeetsboyreviews.blogspot.com


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The Harp and the Sea by Lou Sylvre & Anne Barwell: RDB, Release Day Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

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In 1605, Robbie Elliot—a Reiver and musician from the Scottish borders—nearly went to the gallows. The Witch of the Hermitage saved him with a ruse, but weeks later, she cursed him to an ethereal existence in the sea. He has seven chances to come alive, come ashore, and find true love. For over a century, Robbie’s been lost to that magic; six times love has failed. When he washes ashore on the Isle of Skye in 1745, he’s arrived at his last chance at love, his last chance at life.

Highland warrior Ian MacDonald came to Skye for loyalty and rebellion. He’s lost once at love, and stands as an outsider in his own clan. When Ian’s uncle and laird sends him to lonely Skye to hide and protect treasure meant for Bonnie Prince Charlie’s coffers, he resigns himself to a solitary life—his only companion the eternal sea. Lonely doldrums transform into romance and mystery when the tide brings beautiful Robbie Elliot and his broken harp ashore.

A curse dogs them, enemies hunt them, and war looms over their lives. Robbie and Ian will fight with love, will, and the sword. But without the help of magic and ancient gods, will it be enough to win them a future together?

Title:  The Harp and the Sea

Author: Lou Sylvre and Anne Barwell

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: July 27, 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 84200

Genre: Historical Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, historical fiction, fantasy, fated love, Scottish Isles, Jacobite revolt

NineStar Press

Amazon

Goodreads

1605 the Scottish Border Marches

Robert Ker of Cessford, Lord Roxburgh wielded nearly autonomous power at the turn of the 17th century as Warden of the Scottish Middle March. Often called the Debatable Lands, the Border Marches had rough and fluid application of law. A violent nature and loyalty to kin and ally were all the tools Cessford needed to enforce his judgements. His position made him a powerful man, and though he owed allegiance to Scott of Buccleuch, he marched mostly to his own drummer.

But in the year of Our Lord 1603, King James VI of Scotland became also James I of England, and set about unifying the two countries into Great Britain. His “pacification” of the Border Marches in truth meant abolishing the office of Warden, renaming all the Marches the Middle Shires, and killing enough Borderers to make the rest bend the knee. Having lost autonomy, Ker wormed and weaselled his way into the king’s courts at Whitehall and Edinburgh and commenced warring on the people of the March without mercy as a way to impress the monarch.

*

On a rain-soaked day in autumn, 1605, the rough men who served Ker of Cessford and King James Stuart shoved Robbie Elliot into a damp prison cell beneath Hermitage—a stark and haunted castle located almost dead centre in the Middle March, a place Robbie had once called home. When he heard the heavy oaken door thunk shut behind him, rattling the rusty iron chains and window bars, he fell to his knees in the filthy straw that lay scattered over the stone floor. He and a half-dozen others had been force-marched sixteen miles from Hawick, bound, handled rough, and prodded with sticks. Now Robbie tried in vain to find a few square inches of his body that didn’t cry out in pain.

“There’s water, Robbie.” The weak, high-pitched male voice came from the darkest corner of the cell, and it gave Robbie a start for he’d thought himself alone. “In the barrel there,” the man continued. “It’s clean enough.”

Robbie’s legs obeyed him after only a brief argument, and he stood and walked to the barrel. Dust and chaff floated on the top, but when he dipped the single iron ladle and brought the water to his lips, it had no foul smell. “I’ve had far worse,” Robbie said, and then drank.

When he’d slaked his thirst enough, he turned to his cellmate, who’d stepped out of the shadows. “How’d you come to be here, Keithen?”

“Same as you, I’d wager. I’d heard the warden’s men were on the march, and I meant to hide at my old da’s holding, east of Kelso. But I was caught no more than ten miles from Hermitage castle and strung along with five others—including your stepbrother Jem. We’d thought we’d go no further than the gallows on the hill, but they brought us here.”

“Jem? He’s here?”

“Alas, Robbie, he was a lucky one, for he’ll never see these cells. He fell on the trail, and the warden’s man kicked his head a mite hard. Snapped his neck.”

Robbie piled up some straw and sat, slumping back against the wall, his own head pounding as if he’d been the one kicked. Keithen, who tended to prattle on most of the time, stayed blessedly silent until Robbie spoke up a few minutes later. “Yes, probably lucky to die then, quick like that. Do you ken why they brought us here? What they’re planning for us?”

A sudden rattle of heavy keys beyond the door interrupted the prisoners’ conversation, and a single, crusted pot was pushed inside, its contents warm enough to steam in the perpetual cold of the below-ground keep.

Keithen said, “Porridge, or what passes for it,” and then got up and lumbered stiffly to fetch the pot.

Robbie realised all at once that his insides had gone so hollow he’d be happy to fill them with a brick if it was all he had, and he wasted no time. Given no utensils, the two men scooped the thick, sticky oatmeal with their hands, minding neither the slight burn nor extra flavour of the dirt and blood on their own skin. By the time they finished, Robbie had forgotten his last question entirely until Keithen answered it.

“I heard a couple English talking yesterday—their voices come down clearly through the shaft, just there.” He pointed at a corner of the ceiling, a black, empty rectangle amid the grey stone. “They said we’ll be marched to Carlisle, and wicked James himself, the king, travels there too. They’ll hang us all at once—for his entertainment.”

Robbie said nothing for a long while, his mind focused instead on whether he could find a way to die sooner rather than give the king his satisfaction. He could think of nothing short of refusing water or smashing his head against the stones, and he knew he wouldn’t do either. Although small in stature, he’d proven himself brave in battle when he was no more than fourteen, and he’d borne his wounds as well as any man. But courage has its limits, he thought, and the pain of drying to dust from the inside out or smashing my own skull is beyond mine.

At last he said, “Well, Keithen, some comfort. At least we’ll die among our own, and not alone.”

The Scottish borders, Bonnie Prince Charlie, a Jacobite rebellion, and a witch’s curse…

I am awed by the amount of detail and research that has gone into this book. Two men, one a highlander ready to fight for Scotland and to see their own King back on his throne, one a simpler man in the wrong place at the wrong time and about to get hung.

Enter the witch and fast forward a hundred and fifty years later. Robbie might be saved from the hangman’s noose but he will always be permanently cursed by the witch until he can be freed by the one person–Ian–that falls in love with him. Ian rescues Robbie the first time when he is sent on a mission to take treasure to fund the Scottish uprising.

Ian’s responsibilities constantly war with the growing feelings he has for Robbie, and not only the danger as they flee from the soldiers intent to stop Ian and the rebellion, but the magical curse that threatens so many times to take Robbie from him forever.

The language and the setting were amazing. My only wish, maybe, that their quest would have been a little less protracted midway, and I became guilty of skipping a few pages.

Fantasy lovers, history buffs, and possibly fans of Outlander (Jamie that is not Claire) should check this out.

4 pieces of eye candy

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with a cat with “tortitude” who is convinced that the house is run to suit her; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date, it appears as though Kaylee may be winning.

In 2008, Anne completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth. She also hosts and reviews for other authors, and writes monthly blog posts for Love Bytes. She is the co-founder of the New Zealand Rainbow Romance writers, and a member of RWNZ.

Anne’s books have received honorable mentions five times, reached the finals four times—one of which was for best gay book—and been a runner up in the Rainbow Awards. She has also been nominated twice in the Goodreads M/M Romance Reader’s Choice Awards—once for Best Fantasy and once for Best Historical.

~

Lou Sylvre loves romance with all its ups and downs, and likes to conjure it into books. The sweethearts on her pages are men who end up loving each other—and usually saving each other from unspeakable danger. It’s all pretty crazy and very, very sexy. As if you’d want to know more, she’ll happily tell you that she is a proudly bisexual woman—a mother, grandmother, lover of languages, and cat-herder—of mixed cultural heritage. She works closely with lead cat and writing assistant, the (male) Queen of Budapest, Boudreau St. Clair. She lives in the rainy part of the Pacific Northwest, and hearing from a reader unfailingly brightens the dreary weather. Find her through her links listed here, or drop her a line at lou.sylvre@gmail.com.

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It’s A Steal by Arden O’Keefe: RDB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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Edric Wilcher has realized growing up that there are simply two things in this world he can never imagine his life without—music and coffee. This is the reason why he chooses the life of a famous rock star—at least, famous in his own small town, and then, goes ahead and opens up Rockstar’s Hideout Café. Every morning he serves his regulars and has a nice, long chat with them before they go back to their daily routine. His charms work wonders on them. Thanks to the good genes bestowed upon him, he doesn’t look half bad. So, it strikes him as odd that this new customer who walks in that morning carrying a heap of books doesn’t seem to even spare him a second glance.

“Coffee” is what he orders and Ed goes out of his way to make him feel special. But the redheaded nerd—okay, a cute nerd, probably cutest he’s seen in his life—just leaves with his books, leaving even the muffin-on-the-house completely untouched. The mystery surrounding this guy gets the best of Ed and when he finds a book left behind by this customer, he can’t help follow the trail to see him just one more time. Even if it is to get a name.

Dean Harrett has somehow misplaced the one thing that was supposed to help him out of his current problems—and that thing is not a cheesy, romance novel. What matters to him the most is what he’s kept in the book—the perfect plan that can make or break his future. And that book has gone now. Only if he can remember where he’s last seen that book…

Of course! The café, where that annoying barista just wouldn’t leave him alone so he had to leave.

But now Dean has to get back there and look for himself before anyone can lay their hands on it. He doesn’t even want to think about the worst-case scenario of someone finding out what he is up to. But this only means he will have to face the annoying, but handsome barista again. Ugh!

It’s A Steal by Arden O’Keefe

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

For no reason whatsoever, his thoughts jumped back to the library’s reading room, where he’d sat with Edric earlier that day. Thinking about the guy, gave him a distinct courage. He knew he had that annoyingly happy smile on his lips again.

Dean bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. He rested his head back as imagination filled his mind again. What if he could have shared a kiss—or maybe something more—hidden away from all the peering eyes, somewhere in the maze of bookshelves? His teeth dug deeper into the soft flesh of Ed’s lips, nibbling on it till they’d become swollen. He could easily fantasize how tender it would be. A tender brush of his tongue on those fuller lips would send shivers through his whole body.

“Edric,” he whispered his name, as he sank into his bed. His hands automatically finding the length of his erect cock.

He liked that name so much—the way it simply rolled off his tongue. It sounded like desire.

“Tell me what you want me to do, baby,” he’d ask him, raising his eyes to look at him. His pupils would be dilated—irises would shine with lust. He’d recognize the fire in them, the hunger for more.

And yet, Ed would wait for him to tell him what he wanted.

Dean swallowed hard.

Ed’s gaze in his fantasy world felt like a physical touch that would plant shivers wherever it landed. “Do you want me, Dean?” He would ask again, and a moan would escape Dean’s throat, giving away his excitement before he could even say anything.

Of course, Dean wanted him, he’d wanted that hunk ever since he’d laid eyes on him in that library. He wanted his hard body against his skinny form, his forehead resting against his, their nostrils flaring with desire, and breathing heavily.

“I want to be yours, Edric,” he whispered into an empty apartment, as he came all over again.

Dean kept his eyes closed, letting his head indulge in that sweet illusion for a little while longer. He wasn’t sure if his fantasy involving Edric Wilcher would ever come true, but in the meantime, he’d let the imaginary version in his head satisfy his urges.

Tonight, he was going to bid goodnight to Dean the shy-and-scared guy, and resurrect the daring hacker within him, that he’d buried way back in the past, and maybe then—if everything went well—he’d be able to stay and give a chance to whatever there could be between him and Edric.

His face blushed. Even whispering his name made his back arch with pleasure now. How was he going to survive the casual meetup they’d planned for the next day?

Arden O’Keefe has several passions and reading is one of them. It is through reading the works of several loved authors that O’Keefe was inspired to craft out some personal creations. The muse never stops to motivate and that’s how the story of Edric and Dean just developed by itself. This is where O’Keefe begins the journey hoping that it doesn’t end anytime soon.

Connect with Arden:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arden.okeefe.50
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorardenokeefe/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArdenKeefe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okeefe_arden/
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVaKPdfdi1QCQMVpdWMs1oQ

 

To celebrate Arden’s debut release they have organized a MASSIVE giveaway!
Head over to Facebook to enter for you chance to win:

https://www.facebook.com/authorardenokeefe/posts/127174749062744

💥💥𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄💥💥

𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗖𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 $𝟮𝟬𝟬 and some amazing goodies are up for grabs!!!

An enormous, gigantic THANK YOU everyone who has pre-ordered IT’S A STEAL! This is a way of me showing how much I appreciate it. By following THREE easy steps (refer below), you stand a chance to win one of over TEN prizes!!! I call this giveaway MASSIVE for a reason … read on 😉

Pre-order Link: getbook.at/itsasteal

Here’s what you’re competing for –
❣️ A grand prize winner who’ll receive $50 Amazon Gift Card (Chosen on September 1st, 2020)
❣️ 5 lucky winners who’ll have a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card (Chosen every Sunday in the month of AUGUST)
❣️ 2 lucky winners who’ll be chosen at random any time during the contest to receive $10 Amazon Gift Card
❣️ 1 lucky winner will be chosen at random at the end of the contest to receive a $5 Amazon Gift Card
❣️ 1 lucky winner will also be picked on September 1st to receive a pack of amazing goodies!

Enter the contest in THREE easy steps over on Facebook –
Step 1: Like Arden’s Facebook Page. (Please note you will also be invited to my Facebook Group “The A-OK Squad”)
Step 2: Fill out this Google Form: https://forms.gle/cYuEqk5GK7GGzQgv5
Step 3: Come back and tag AT LEAST 10 friends in your comment on the Facebook post HERE.

And that’s it!

Good luck everyone… let the contest begin!

Hardwood (Four Bears Construction Book 3) by K.M. Neuhold: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release and Giveaway

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I’ve spent forty-four years of my life telling the world I’m a carpet man. Is it too late to admit to myself and everyone else that deep down I’m really all about the Hardwood?

It took me over thirty-five years to admit to myself that I’m gay, another seven to find the courage to say it out loud to anyone else, and exactly thirty seconds to develop a massive crush on my daughter’s music teacher. It’s really not my fault, have you even seen those cute bowties he wears? 

After everything it’s taken to get here, am I going to work up the nerve to come out to my ex-wife and my best friends? Am I ready to shake up my comfortable, simple life and take a chance on Watson? Or am I going to throw a wrench in my own chance for happily ever after?

***Hardwood is a steamy, seriously so much delicious tension, single-dad, gay awakening, low angst story, which happens to be the third in the Four Bears Construction Series. It CAN be read as a stand-alone. There are NO shifters in this series, only the OTHER kind of bears. 

Hardwood

Four Bears Construction Series, Book Three

K.M. Neuhold

Release Date: 07.01.20

M/M Contemporary Romance

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

It must be nice to be handy. My kitchen sink has had a small drip for a year that I’ve pretty much just ignored because I don’t know what else to do with it,” he confesses.

“I can take a quick look next time I come over. I’m no plumber, but it’s probably something basic. You might just need a good caulking.”

“Tell me about it,” he agrees. “Oh caulking. Yeah, totally, that.” 

I quirk an eyebrow at him and laugh when his face goes red. “If anyone’s mind should be in the gutter, shouldn’t it be mine?”

“There’s plenty of room down here for all of us,” he assures me. 

I show him to the living room, realizing once we sit down that I left my laptop out and open when I left the house earlier. 

“Oh shit.” I close it quickly so he can’t see what I was looking at.

“Porn?” he guesses. “Don’t be shy, if you found something good, you really should share it with your friends.”

“It wasn’t porn. Although, that goes both ways, feel free to send me any interesting porn links you find.”

“Honey, I’m not sure you want to open that floodgate. But if you’re feeling brave, I’m sure I could fill up your inbox with links,” Watson says, grinning wickedly. My cock perks up at the image of him enjoying himself with some porn. Without my permission, my eyes dart to the crotch of his pants. 

He laughs again, letting me know I’m totally busted. “And you’re claiming I’m the one with my mind in the gutter.” He tsks and shakes his head. “So, if it wasn’t porn, what’s so secret on your laptop?”

“It’s nothing,” I lie.

“Come on, we’re best friends, you said so yourself.” 

“I was setting up a dating profile,” I confess. “I didn’t finish it though. It’s probably a bad idea.”

“Let me see.” he insists, waving at me to open the laptop back up. 

“It’s bad,” I warn, opening it up and logging on. I pass him the computer and sit back to wait as he reads my half-finished profile.

There’s a half smile on his lips as his eyes are glued to the screen. I watch as different emotions pass over his features as he reads— amusement, tenderness, a cringe or two. 

“This isn’t horrible,” he says. 

“It’s not great,” I hedge. 

“No, it’s not,” Watson agrees. “It’s fixable though, if you’re serious about posting it.”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “I started it on a whim this morning while I was sitting here thinking about my friend’s wedding coming up in six months and how much I’d love to have a date to take.”

“You want my honest opinion?” he asks.

“Please,” I say emphatically, sitting forward with my elbows on my knees, ready to hear whatever truth he’s about to lay on me.

“These sites are great for hookups, but not so much for finding the kind of guy you’ll want to take to a friend’s wedding.”

I sigh. “I kind of figured as much.” Leaning back, I pull my hat off and toss it onto the coffee table, dragging my fingers through my hair. “Where do I go to find the kind of guy I’d want to take to a wedding then?”

Watson snorts a laugh. “Babe, if I knew that, I wouldn’t be forty and living alone with a hedgehog.”

 

Author K.M.Neuhold is a complete romance junkie, a total sap in every way. She started her journey as an author in new adult, MF romance, but after a chance reading of an MM book she was completely hooked on everything about lovely- and sometimes damaged- men finding their Happily Ever After together. She has a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well. And she fully admits that her OCD tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory will likely always lead to every book having a spin-off or series. When she’s not writing she’s a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero…just kidding, she’s likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her husky while her amazing husband brings her coffee.

 linktr.ee/KMNeuhold

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Prancing of a Papillon (Fuzzy Love Book 2) by Tara Lain: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Opposites attracting, billionaires getting kidnapped, a Papillon who’s smarter than you are, and near-death at a dog show….

Jericho Jones is giving up on social life. What social life? Six-foot-five and packed with muscles he barely earned, Jericho looks like an alpha top, when he’s actually a gentle bottom who teaches first grade and lives with his hypochondriac mother. When Jericho’s friends, Finn and Em, suggest he accompany Finn to a dog show as the handler for their Papillon, Batshit, he decides, while he might be the world’s least likely Papillon prancer, he’d be grateful for a new experience and a few days away from Mama.

Jericho’s prepared to take dog handling seriously, but he’s not prepared for the pure lust he feels for wealthy dog owner, Brees Apollonia, a guy totally out of Jericho’s league. But Brees’s family issues make Jericho’s look tame – his father wants to marry him to the daughter of a prospective business partner. When Brees starts being followed by unknown guys, he thinks his father’s trying to scare him and uses it as an excuse to be “protected” by big, hunky Jericho. But pretend gets way out of control, and suddenly the only thing between Brees and possible death is a smart dog with big ears, three intrepid women, and gentle wimp, Jericho Jones.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

As the elevator rose, Brees’s finger slid under Jericho’s crotch and tickled his balls through the fabric of his pants. Oh shit, I could come right here. He wanted it to stop. He never wanted it to stop. Dear God, in minutes, Brees Apollonia’s cock would be in his ass. In his life, he’d never wanted anything so much.

The elevator door opened and two people got off.

They closed and opened again in agonizing, throbbing seconds on eleven. Jericho burst out the door like he was shot from a cannon, and Brees was right behind him. They ran to the stairwell, stepped inside, and before he could take a step, Brees grabbed Jericho’s arm, turned him, and dragged Jericho’s head down.

Oh. My. God.

Somehow, in all that, he’d kind of forgotten that he and Brees had never kissed except for that brief peck in the grooming tent. They kissed now.

Brees’s mouth was so hot and so soft. Those two things went together like melted chocolate with butter cream frosting, but Brees was not playing pattycake. He pushed Jericho against the wall and ground out, “Bend your knees.”

Jericho did, and instantly, Brees was on him, their erections grinding together as their mouths devoured each other. They rutted so hard, Jericho knew his suit would be toast. Small sacrifice. But Brees growled, “Bed. Want bed so I can reach you better.”

All Jericho could manage was a head nod, and Brees turned and took off up the stairs. Jericho sucked in breath and ran after him. They made it one full floor, which was two flights of stairs, and started toward the thirteenth floor when Brees held out an arm and stopped Jericho. He put a finger to his lips.

Jericho stopped, gasping from a combination of strain and lust, but finally quieted his breath enough to hear it—soft music and voices coming from above. Music?

Brees was standing one stair up so Jericho could lean into his ear. He spoke super softly. “It has to be the same guys as last night. But seriously, they’re listening to music while they wait for you to show up?”

Brees turned his head. “If they don’t get the fuck out of there, I may play them the Funeral March, just so I can get you in a bed.” He slid his lips a few inches and captured Jericho’s mouth again, his tongue sliding deep.

A fun little caper…

We met Jericho in book 1, although this book totally works as a stand alone. He is the classic teddy bear. Big and tough looking, but really he is far from it. He is a first grade teacher who lives with his mother. Two strikes against him when looking for a boyfriend. With school out for summer, he takes his friends up on the offer to show their dog, Batshit (book 1) in dog shows. Eh, why not, right?

Enter Brees, filthy rich, owns papillon dogs because he loves them and has a professional handler show them. He really is kind of a down to earth guy and is intrigued by Jericho. If only his father hadn’t been insisting he marry a woman for business purposes. And to produce the all important heir.

Brees and Jericho hatch a plan to act like boyfriends so that word gets around that he really is gay and getting married to a woman would look ridiculous. But then there are men following Brees, other random men hitting on Jericho, stairwell plan whispering, etc.

Without giving the whole plot away, Brees ends up in some trouble, Jericho and Batshit discover the trouble, they enlist more help and now we have amateur sleuths working together. With a bunch of show worthy papillons as sidekicks.

It was fun and silly. Brees and Jericho together were hot, but also adorable. I love that Brees- this rich, hot guy who could seemingly have anyone- just adores Jericho for who he is.

This is a good beach read with some silly things (please, authors, “buns” is in no way a sexy way to describe a man’s ass), some hot things and some cute dogs.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters – and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn’t believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara’s characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara’s creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Likely a Gryffindor or maybe a Ravensclaw but possessed of Parseltongue, Tara loves animals of all kinds, diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her reader

Connect with Tara:
Website: https://taralain.com/
Facebook Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255111391312743
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taralain/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taralain
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taralainauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tara-lain

To celebrate the release of Prancing of a Papillon, Tara is giving away a $10 Amazon Voucher.

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway HERE

Barely Regal (Rosavia Royals Book 5) by E. Davies: Exclusive Author Interview, Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

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A bratty boy prince needs: a firm but fair Daddy.

Prince Renford is a royal brat. Nineteen and last in line for the throne, Wren hates his made-up job: Commander of Roses. Good thing his long-time valet has a firm hand—if only Wren could tempt him to break all palace protocol and use it.

Thom Pierce is sixteen years older. Old enough to know he should ignore his prince’s less-than-subtle flirtation. He’s been burned by a higher-ranked boy before. His job and reputation are at stake if the palace catches a scandal unfolding under their noses.

Wren needs the part of Thom that he’s kept locked away for years. If the young prince wants to be taken as seriously as his older brothers, he has to grow up fast. Thom’s rules could help Wren become the man Thom knows he can be in time for the Royal Ball… or they could attract the very attention that forces them apart forever.

Welcome to the tiny European country of Rosavia, where roses ramble over alpine slopes and princes fall for the men of their dreams. Every Rosavia Royals book happens simultaneously, so books can be read on their own, or in any order… but keep an eye out for familiar faces around the palace!

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

How did you become a part of this project/world?

Funny story, actually! The covers came first—they started out as premade covers from our wonderful cover designer, AngstyG. The time zones happened to work out perfectly: I was on vacation and Helen (HJ Welch) was awake late, so we saw them straight away. Helen said, “We HAVE to do an MM royalty shared universe!” and that was it!

We’d already learned how to build a shared world while working together to run Men of Hidden Creek (I herd the cats and set up and Helen cheerleads). So we quickly set about recruiting our shared beta reader, editor, etc, and reaching out to authors as we started collaboratively building the world of Rosavia. This time, we’ve really focused on getting all the authors to beta-read for each other as we wrote so that we could nail as many crossovers as possible. And I’ve also been the main series organizer post-draft-completion, so I feel like I’ve been living in Rosavia since late February! It’s very weird but incredibly exciting to finally share it with the rest of the world.

Where did your story’s inspiration come from?

The title of Barely Regal came to me first; I knew I wanted to write the story of the youngest prince, and as a youngest child myself, I knew that he was going to be a feisty little rebel who hadn’t yet learned the importance of his own duties. Muddy little Renford (or Wren, for short) came to life in a flash. I also knew from the very start that I wanted to write his valet, Thom Pierce, experiencing a conflict of interest between his palace duties and the pull he feels to fulfil Wren’s needs.

Also, on the cover, Wren has mud streaked across his neck. I decided that he’s learning to garden, and that the roses in Rosavia represent each family. Each royal family member has their own rose created for them at birth, so when they marry, another rose is created by crossing the couple’s varieties. Of course, when you’re marrying someone you were never expected to end up with, this creates complications…

How did you create your Prince?

Once I realized that Wren had to be the youngest prince, his bratty, flirtatious nature was obvious. And every brat needs a Daddy! The obvious man for the job was Thom, the quiet valet who has guided and steered him for the last decade. These two just came to life at the same moment, because they’re so made-for-each-other.

I really wanted to tell the story of Wren growing into his duties. Through the course of the story, Wren starts off feeling like he’s not taken seriously. I think last-born kids can relate to that feeling of being babied for too long, and it’s not helped by his own bratty nature! But luckily someone’s there to see what’s immaturity and what’s Wren’s need for a strong guiding hand. Over the story, Wren comes to realize that he’s actually playing an important role in telling the royal family’s story, and his unique talents matter.

Five books by five authors about five different brothers who are part of a monarchy in the fictional country of Rosavia. You’ll see this is book 5, but all 5 books occur simultaneously, culminating with the Royal Ball that is celebrating 500th birthday of the country. So they can be read in any order because they are all happily ever afters and those HEAs are revealed at the end of each book. So book 1 reveals the that yes, prince 5 did in fact end up with his valet.

I’ve read three of the books so far, and this one remains my favorite. I think partly because the characters get into a specific type of relationship, congruent with their romantic relationship, and I think it was well done without being too serious. And really, Wren is just kind of funny. He is 19 and acts 19. Which I think is awesome, even with the monarchy. He is kind of awkward trying to flirt and be sexy with his valet who is not only 16 years older than him, but has also been his valet for a long time. He has seen Wren from a child at his worse to a burgeoning man. And while he tries to stay away, he just can’t.

Add in some crazy cats, blueberry lube, a serious rose garden and very accepting parents, this was a fun book to read. I suspended all belief for this sweet, romantic, sexy fairy tale of a series. You should too.

4 pieces of eye candy

Book 1: Up for Heir By Stella Starling

A playboy heir needs a man to marry, right now.

After spending half his life dodging his duty to the crown, the rebel heir to the Rosavian throne has been told in no uncertain terms that it’s time to settle down. Crown Prince Leopold has one month and a vetted list of suitable princesses, and he will announce his engagement during Rosavia’s Royal Ball. But Leo’s got his own ideas about what really suits him…

Royal Librarian Edvin Blom is good at not attracting attention. Shy and self-conscious of his stutter, he’s used to being overlooked and more than happy to stay in the background. At least, until the crown prince with a wild reputation shows up at the library’s new opening and decides to flirt with Edvin’s sister…

Edvin isn’t at all what Leo thought he wanted, but turns out to be everything he can’t stay away from. Edvin’s been burned by falling for someone out of his league before, though. And believing that Leo has really fallen for him? While Edvin’s drowning in his own doubts and insecurities, that might prove impossible… unless love gives them both a reason to come up for air.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads | BookBub

 

Book 2: Reign or Shine By HJ Welch

A secret prince needs a lost tourist to save.

Prince Cassander is on vacation from his overdeveloped sense of duty. While hiding out as simply ‘Cas’ in the Rosavian capital, he rescues a gorgeous, distressed American tourist. Matty has no idea that Cas is second in line to the throne. And with only two weeks together to explore the sparks between them, he doesn’t need to ever find out.

New Yorker Matty Doyle is a fish out of water, taking care of his niece and mending his broken heart. When Cas rescues him, the handsome stranger coaxes Matty out of his shell and he throws caution to the wind. Nobody knows him here. Would it hurt to live a little for once?

But a prince can’t stay secret in his own country for long. Cas would give anything to protect Matty from reality, but how can this fantasy together continue when they belong in different worlds?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads | BookBub

 

Book 3: Throne Together By Zoe Dawn

A pining prince needs: a second chance at love.

Prince Julius has only ever wanted one man. Raised alongside Prince Dante of Thedes, the two were inseparable until their unspoken mutual attraction ignited into a single passionate encounter. Convinced that it ruined their friendship, Julius retreated to his duties in Rosavia, where he daydreams of another chance to win Dante’s heart.

After four years apart, fate brings Prince Julius back to Thedes. He offers Dante a coveted invitation: return to the Rosavian palace for ten days, and be his plus-one to the Royal Ball of the century. Before long, they realize one night of passion wasn’t enough, and they can’t imagine losing each other again.

As the clock ticks down to the ball, Julius catches wind of Dante’s family meddling, and he must decide if their feelings are real or if they’ve both been played. Were they always meant for each other, or is it all an illusion that will melt away at midnight?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads | BookBub

 

Book 4: In His Court by Max Rowan

A spy prince needs a man who sees through his disguise.

Prince Benedict is not what he seems. His image as a lazy playboy is carefully constructed to hide the truth. Trained since childhood to become Rosavia’s top spy, he spends his life in disguise—and danger—to protect his country. Nobody sees the loneliness in his heart.

Felix Wright is a genius with four degrees, no real-world experience, and a top-secret job… and he’s never even been kissed. A lifetime of being alienated for his most valuable assets has left him reluctant to trust the charming prince who thrusts him into fieldwork for the very first time.

When the Crown Jewels are stolen two weeks before the royal ball, it’s their job to save the country’s reputation. Benedict helps Felix believe in himself, while Felix slowly coaxes the real prince out of hiding. But can they find the jewels and rescue the most priceless treasures of all: each other?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads | BookBub

 

Rosavia Royals Out Now!

Come join the fun on the Royals Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RosaviaRoyals/
Add them to Goodreads!
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E. Davies grew up moving constantly, which taught him what people have in common, the ways relationships are formed, and the dangers of “miscellaneous” boxes. As a young gay author, Ed prefers to tell feel-good stories that are brimming with hope.

He writes full-time, goes on long nature walks, tries to fill his passport, drinks piña coladas on the beach, flees from cute guys, coos over fuzzy animals (especially bees), and is liable to tilt his head and click his tongue if you don’t use your turn signal.

E. Davies Links:

Website | Newsletter
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Group
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | BookBub

Stella Starling Links:
Website | Newsletter
Facebook | Facebook Group
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | BookBub

HJ Welch/Helen Juliet Links:
Website | Newsletter
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Group
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | BookBub

Zoe Dawn Links:
Website | Newsletter
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | BookBub

Max Rowan (formerly Max Hawthorn) Links:
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | BookBub