Giveaways

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

May 31, 2016 by Denise

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

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

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

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

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

Cover Designer: Natasha Snow

excerpt

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

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

And one particular farmer.

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

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

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

Goodreads Link

Book Trailer

Amazon

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

Read it here

Goodreads Link

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

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

Sign up for my newsletter

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

May 20, 2016 by Denise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Evan!”

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

“Evan, you fuck!”

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

“What?”

“We’re playing football.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press eBook
Dreamspiner Press Paperback

ARe

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

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

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

Social Media links

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

May 19, 2016 by Denise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Author Name: A E Ryecart

Book Name: The Story of Love

Series: Urban Love

Book: Two (Can be read as a standalone)

Release Date: May 19, 2016

Pages or Words: 75,500 words

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

Goodreads Link

Publisher: A E Ryecart

Cover Artist: Kari Ayasha

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon US

ARe

Amazon UK

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

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

Where to find the author:

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/awritetodo

Other: www.aeryecart.com

Tour Dates & Stops:

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

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

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

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Cattle Baron’s Bogus Boyfriend by Nicki Bennett : Release Day Review, Exclusive Guest Post and Giveaway

May 18, 2016 by Denise

It might be a sham to his boss, but it’s all too real to him.

Administrative assistant Jonah Hollis has nurtured a hopeless crush on his boss, millionaire cattle rancher Lincoln Courtwright, ever since he started working for him. But hope is kindled when Linc and beautiful rodeo star Melissa Cutler break up just weeks before the biggest event of the Dallas social season, the Cattle Baron’s Ball, and Linc asks Jonah to accompany him in her place.

Is it all a ploy to make Melissa jealous? Can Jonah fit into Linc’s world? It takes some encouragement from his roommates and his best friend, Caylee, for Jonah to agree. Before long, Jonah dares to believe Linc might just feel something for him… until interfering family and a series of misunderstandings threaten his fragile dream of happiness.

Title: The Cattle Baron’s Bogus Boyfriend
Author: Nicki Bennett
Release Date: May 15, 2016
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 216

The Dreamspun Desires series is full of sweet, a little sexy, and a little angsty books that hit you in the feels. The Cattle Baron’s Bogus Boyfriend is no exception to this rule. It has what so many of the old Harlequin romances had, a sweet virgin, and a strong sexy cowboy who means business.

There were a few misses in this book, chances at showing growth in the characters, and that did pull the overall rating down somewhat.

What I did enjoy though was that although there was the “evil step-mother”, there were glimpses into her caring loving nature. This was the same with all the characters. Even with the stress and anxiety that they had created amongst themselves, they showed that they cared about the people around them, often with the small things, such as Jonah ordering lunch for Linc, or Linc going out of his way to make sure that Jonah was safe and healthy, even when their misunderstandings drew them apart.

The HEA that these two fought for had a winding road through Caylee, but I honestly loved how they found that happy ending. It seemed so true to how I would have expected Jonah to react to something like that.

3.75 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

ARe

Secondary Characters

Part of the fun of writing for me is creating secondary characters to help tell the story. The Cattle Baron’s Bogus Boyfriend is told from the point of view of Jonah Hollis, who has a secret crush on his boss, millionaire cattle rancher Lincoln Courtwright. Or a not-so-secret crush, at least to Jonah’s friends in Dallas. Secondary characters, in the form of his roommate Wes and their neighbors Aidan and Sammy, help to reveal information about Jonah without relying on long paragraphs of internal monologue or data dumps of backstory.

The person who knows Jonah best is his childhood friend Caylee Lynch, but Caylee is still back in their hometown of Oktaha, Oklahoma. Though she has an important role to play, we don’t meet her except in references from Jonah until almost halfway into the story. In the meantime, we get to know Jonah through his interactions with Linc at the office and with Wes, Sammy, and Aidan at home.

Jonah’s socializing with his friends shows us that though he’s lived in Dallas for over eighteen months, there’s still more than a bit of the farm boy left in him. Though he’s not the type to draw attention to himself, and he prefers to avoid conflict, he also isn’t a pushover and doesn’t hesitate to put his foot down when he has to. But Wes is a good enough friend that he won’t let Jonah get away with fooling himself about the depth of his feelings for Linc, even when he doesn’t want to admit them to himself.

In creating these characters, I gave them each their own personality and backstory, even if only a part of this makes its way into the novel. Wes is a foodie with aspirations to become a chef. He has a wicked sense of humor, a taste for witty T-shirts, and mixes a mean cocktail. He’s a devoted friend who seems happy to be single, but a part of him hopes for the same kind of relationship Jonah does. Aidan and Sammy are a committed couple but also a study in opposites. Sammy is a willowy, creative—sometimes flamboyant—vegetarian, while Aidan is a more practical, meat-and-potatoes-type guy who has to bring Sammy back down to earth at times. Not all of this may be explicitly revealed in the story, but defining them in my mind made them real people for me and informed their dialogue and actions in a more natural way.

Ideally, a well-crafted secondary character should leave the reader feeling they know him but also want to learn more about him (or her). Maybe that’s why spin-off stories are so popular!

“Are you just getting off work?” Wes asked. The bar was small enough that he could mix the drink order and still talk with Jonah. “What did that slave driver of a boss of yours have you doing this late?”

“Mr. Courtwright isn’t a slave driver!” Jonah was quick to protest. “He didn’t ask me to work late, and when he got out of his meeting, he told me I shouldn’t have stayed.” It’s not like he had anything more important to do, Jonah thought, except for the two nights a week he attended the business class he was taking at El Centro community college.

Wes walked the drink he’d been making to the other end of the bar and started mixing another before answering. “So why did you stay, then? I know you’ve got the hots for him, but if he was in a meeting, you didn’t even get to spend the time with him.”

Jonah flushed, but before he could issue a denial, Wes wagged a finger at him.

“And don’t try to tell me you don’t have the hots for him. I’ve spent too many nights listening to ‘Mr. Courtwright said this’ and ‘Mr. Courtwright did that.’ I like the guy I work for too, but I don’t talk about him constantly.”

“It doesn’t matter how hot he is,” Jonah muttered. “He’s straight. I stayed late to order gifts for his girlfriend to make up for him missing dinner with her because he was working late.”

“You need to forget about him and come out with Aidan and Sammy and me tomorrow night instead,” Wes declared, setting the drink he’d been mixing in front of Jonah. “Try that and tell me what you think.”

“You know I’m not much of a drinker,” Jonah said. “I don’t really like the taste of alcohol.”

“That’s why you’re the perfect taste-tester,” Wes replied. “If you like it, I know I’ve got a winner.”

Jonah picked up the glass of icy liquid and sniffed it. He could smell citrus and a hint of something else, though he couldn’t tell what it was. “What’s in it?”

“I’ve been experimenting with making some vodka infusions. That one’s basil with lime juice and a bit of grapefruit juice, topped off with sparkling water. What do you think?”

Jonah took a small sip and then a larger one. “I like it. It’s tart and refreshing, especially on a hot night like this.”

“Great! If Mr. Stefanotis likes it, maybe he’ll put it on the menu.” Wes grinned. “It’s not working in the kitchen, but it’s a start.”

Jonah grinned back. Wes Paterson didn’t look like anyone’s idea of a traditional chef. His spiked hair was currently dyed a deep blue, though he changed its color every month or so—Jonah didn’t think he’d seen its natural color in the year and a half they’d lived together. He was wearing a colorful flowered shirt that didn’t hide the tattoos on his arms, and both ears and an eyebrow sported piercings. Despite his appearance, he was the best cook Jonah knew, even better than his mother, which was saying something. He was also the kindest person Jonah knew, except maybe for his best friend, Caylee, back in Oktaha. Not many people would take a total stranger under his wing the way Wes had when Jonah first arrived in Dallas.

“So what’s good for dinner tonight?” Jonah asked, turning to look at the blackboard near the front door that was the restaurant’s only menu. While a few offerings, like the three-pepper mac and cheese and the fried chicken, were mainstays, the rest of the menu depended on what produce was fresh and what Manny, the head cook, felt like making that day.

“Aidan raved about the brisket tacos, and Sammy had the mushroom quinoa risotto.” Aidan Jacobs and Samuel Tanner lived in the townhouse that made up the other half of the building he and Wes shared, though the four of them were in and out of each other’s space so much they might as well have all been living together.

“Are they here? I didn’t see them at a table when I came in.”

“They went to do some shopping, but they said they’d be back before closing time.”

Jonah decided on the fried green tomato BLT on whole-grain toast from Lembas Bakery, a local shop owned by a lesbian couple who made amazing breads and pastries. He was just finishing up the last of the homemade potato chips that came with the sandwich when Aidan and Sammy arrived, carrying bags from Urban Vintage, a clothing store down the street.

“Jonah!” Sammy said loudly. “Tell me you did not come here straight from work. You’re giving gay men a bad name, dressed like that.”

“What’s wrong with the way I’m dressed?” Jonah asked. He didn’t think his khakis and pale blue dress shirt looked bad, though maybe they’d gotten a little wrinkled between the long day and the heat.

“Have we taught you nothing, child?” Sammy waved a hand to indicate his and Aidan’s attire. Jonah thought the rich purple V-neck Sammy wore contrasted beautifully with his dark skin, while Aidan’s green-and-white paisley accented his pale complexion and red hair, even though neither of them were shirts he’d be comfortable wearing. “It’s too late to take you shopping now, but I’m coming to look through your closet before we go clubbing tomorrow night. If we can’t find anything fit to be seen with you in, you can borrow something from one of us.”

“I wouldn’t fit in anything of yours,” Jonah pointed out. He certainly wasn’t heavy, but Sammy was half a head taller and at least twenty pounds lighter than he was, while Aidan was built like the construction worker he was.

“Sure you would,” Aidan said. “They just wouldn’t hang on you the way most of your shirts do. You’ve got a good build. You ought to show it off.”

Tight-fitting shirts weren’t very practical for working on a farm, but if Jonah said that, he knew they’d just remind him he didn’t live on a farm anymore. And he didn’t have to dress to hide the fact that he was gay anymore either. But that didn’t make him any more eager to wear clinging shirts and skintight jeans to attract attention in the clubs Sammy and Aidan wanted to take him to. “Maybe I’ll just skip tomorrow night.”

“Absolutely not!” Wes interjected. “You deserve a night out after working late today. And besides, the best way to get over your crush on your boss—your straight boss, as you pointed out to me yourself—is to find someone who is interested in you.”

Growing up in Chicago, Nicki Bennett spent every Saturday at the central library, losing herself in the world of books. A voracious reader, she eventually found it difficult to find enough of the kind of stories she liked to read and decided to start writing them herself.

Visit Nicki at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011754789784&fref=ts

E-mail: nickibennett1@gmail.com

Nicki has generously offered to giveaway an e-book copy of The Cattle Baron’s Bogus Boyfriend or any of my backlist titles to one randomly selected comment to this post. So, tell us what you like best about cowboy stories.

Believing Blue by Nicole Colville : Blog Tour, Review, Series Review and Giveaway

May 17, 2016 by Denise

Believing Blue

Manchester Ménage Collection, Book Three

Nicole Colville

M/M Romance

Cover Designer

Kellie Dennis from Book Cover by Design www.bookcoverbydesign.co.uk/

Release Date: 04.21.16

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1sutnxs

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1MLnIM5

Believing Blue Full cover

Is there a fated path we follow, or is it simply a series of coincidental events?

Police officer Kellan Howard is rumoured to have spent too much time in sub-zero temperatures, leaving him with a block of ice for a heart and women lining up to help thaw it. Mountain climbing is his only love, leaving no time for a relationship, and although meaningless sex satisfies his physical need, it’s empty. When he attends a fatal traffic accident, he didn’t expect his entire life to change. Along with a final message, Kellan is offered something else from the dying man: the chance to fall in love. Kellan’s never considered being with a man, but when he meets Valentino, he’s instantly drawn to him.

Suffering from crippling agoraphobia, talented Italian artist Valentino has a solitary existence, only experiencing life outside the house through his partner Stuart. When their relationship comes to an abrupt end, Kellan helps ease his suffering. A deep bond binds the two men together, and the sexual tension can’t be denied, but Valentino questions if the distance between their very different lives is too much, and if they can bridge the gap by themselves.

Ballet dancer Blue has a vibrant personality which demands attention, but his humour and courageous attitude are a shield. Blue’s good at making others believe in themselves, but what he needs is someone to believe in him. He could be the bridge both men are looking for, but Blue’s never allowed anyone to get too close, and when Kellan and Valentino enter his life, he desperately tries to protect his heart and his secrets.

When all three meet, the chemistry is undeniable, but each have fears about moving forwards. Together, they learn love comes in many forms. It can’t be restrained or labelled, and it doesn’t always appear in the way you first imagined.

blue tino & kell

Kellan gritted his teeth together and stood up. “I won’t leave you like this.”

“Get the hell out!!” Valentino gripped the base of his nose, rubbing it gruffly. His eyes snapped shut, but not quickly enough.

Kellan spotted the misty glimmer in them. Whether his tears were caused through sheer frustration or sadness, it didn’t matter. Kellan couldn’t leave. He’d have to be forced from the house by an armed response team. “No!” Kellan held his shoulders firmly. “I won’t leave you.”

“God-damn it, Kellan.” Valentino’s eyes flew open, and Kellan’s hands were thrust from him with a jerk. “You’re such a pain in the arse.” He leaned forward, almost hissing his words out against Kellan’s lips. “Why don’t you just leave me alone, huh? Why do you continue to push me when I don’t want it?”

Kellan’s body brushed against Valentino’s firm flesh, and he cursed himself for responding so quickly. “Don’t lie and say you don’t want me here when I know damn well what you want.” Kellan didn’t really know for sure, but there was a heat and need between them which couldn’t be ignored anymore. Valentino needed him, and Kellan was willing to hand over whatever he could to fulfil that need.

Valentino turned those teal green eyes on Kellan’s, a soft growl spilling from his lips. “You’re a fucking tease! A tease, Kellan.”

Kellan was about to come back with a response, like how he had no idea he’d been teasing Valentino, but he was halted by two hands on either side of his head and Valentino’s mouth being forced against his. He stopped breathing, too stunned to act. Valentino had his face clasped tightly to his, those full lips hitting Kellan’s hard and fast, his tongue licking and seeking entrance inside.

A white hot shot of lust spiked through his body and every thought other than being against this writhing, sexy man disappeared. Kellan grabbed hold of Valentino’s hips, rushing him up against the wall and taking ownership of his mouth with a grunt.

Valentino bit down on his lip causing Kellan to pull back. As soon as they separated, Valentino had the upper hand and was spinning him around, holding him against the wall and spreading his thighs open with his knee, rubbing up against the hard length of Kellan’s cock. Despite knowing he could easily restrain Valentino and take control back, he didn’t want to. He wanted this from him. “You know what I want?” Valentino breathed out through their kisses. “You want to give me what I need, Kellan?”

I got a glimpse of Blue in Discovering Dalton so I knew I was in for a treat, but holy hell I didn’t expect Blue to be that funny!

During a snow storm while working for the Mountain Rescue, Kellan stumbles across a bad single car accident. The driver of the car, Stuart is trapped and badly hurt. With help from Milo and Dalton they are able to keep Stuart comfortable while waiting for emergency services to get to him. Because of the bad storm it takes the ambulance close to three hours to get to Stuart. Kellan talks to Stuart to take his mind off of his injuries, learning about the mans partner Valentino.

Unfortunately, Stuart isn’t able to survive his injuries and Kellan has to deliver the news to Valentino. Valentino is an Italian painter who battled depression and agoraphobia. When Kellan meets Valentino something calls to him, as the months go on Kellan continues to check on Valentino and the two form a fragile friendship.

Needing a change of scenery after the accident, Kellan leaves the Mountain Rescue and becomes Dalton’s new partner. While meeting Dalton and Milo for lunch Kellan accidentally bumps into Blue and a serious of unfortunate, hilarious events ensue.

With Blue and Kellan butting heads at every opportunity things start to heat up between Kellan and Valentino. Valentino saw what his illness did to Stuart and he decides he can’t do that to Kellan and breaks things off with him.

After witnessing a break in at Living Ink, Blue and Kellan start to spend more time together realizing that there first impressions may have been way off. Kellan and Blue start a tentative relationship, going slow and getting to know one another when Blue starts modeling for Valentino.

As Blue and Valentino get to know one another Valentino tells Blue about the man he let get away and Blue encourages him to reach out to him and let him know how he feels not knowing that man is Kellan. After receiving a text from Valentino, Kellan shows up to confront him about it and let him know he can’t walk away from Blue, when Blue walks out do the studio all the pieces fall into place. Can Blue and Kellan help Valentino work through his grief without losing themselves? Can Valentino overcome his fear and love again?

This books is equal parts sad and hysterically funny. Nicole Colville takes you right to the edge of so sad you just want to curl up in a ball and sob and pulls you right back to laughing your but off in minutes. I think without all the comedic touches of Blue this would have been a tough read, but the sadness was beautifully written and the comedy was funny without being tactless and insensitive. I’m sure it was difficult to write, but wow she nailed it!

5 pieces of eye candy

Wow, what a really good read. Lots of crazy different emotions throughout the whole book. The story flowed well and I never lost interest. This was my first story by this author and I wasn’t disappointed.

I have never encountered another character like Blue. He was a pretty hilarious individual and I never knew what to expect with him. He has a very sharp tongue that can cut you before you blink. He was really quick to jump to conclusions and I found myself gritting my teeth and wanting to shake him more than once. He’s so insecure and going through so much emotionally and I think that fueled his reactions a lot. He did grow on me and I adored him by the end of the story. He brought so much to the relationship. He was the absolute perfect match for Kellan and Valentino. He’s a one of a kind person, that’s for sure.

Kellan was my favorite in the trio. I loved his personality. He was such a sweet guy with a huge heart and he always put others before himself. I felt like he got the short straw in a lot of the situations though, and that hurt my heart for him.

Valentino is an Italian artist with lots of emotional and anxiety issues. Dealing with the sudden loss of Stuart, his long time partner, has debilitating effects on him. I cried for him more than once. I was so proud of him for finally facing his issues and coming out a stronger person.

All three men in this story are very different and compliment each other perfectly. Each one brought something significant to the relationship. I loved getting to
know each character inside and out and the author brought each one to life beautifully. The passion between them is scorching and the sex is off the charts hot.

Blue’s family was a trip and I caught myself laughing out loud more than once. The secondary characters brought so much life to the story. I can’t wait to check out the other books in this series and find out how the other couples came together. I will definitely read more from Nicole.

5 pieces of eye candy

MANCHESTER MENAGE COLLECTIONS

SAVING SAMUEL, BOOK 1

Saving Samuel Cover

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/22eXEvX

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1TAHbf4

I am a huge lover of m/m/m so I was excited to dive in to this series and Nicole Colville did not disappoint!

Danny, a fire fighter and Milo, a police officer have been together off and on for six years. Milo is closed off emotionally and Danny needs to hear “I love you” which Milo hasn’t done. Milo will only top and is not willing to even try bottoming for Danny which becomes a big issue in their relationship. After not hearing from Milo for two weeks while he was on holiday with his family, Danny decides they need to end the relationship for good. Danny thinks that after six years if they weren’t able to make it work they never will. Milo isn’t so sure about that and he’s not ready to call it quits because deep down he does love Danny.

During a routine fire Danny rescues what he thinks is a scared woman from a burning abandoned building. When he goes to the hospital to check on her he finds out from the nurse that she is a he named Samuel. While waiting for Samuel to wake up Milo shows up investigating the fire and tries to talk to Danny about their relationship. Danny cuts him off and demands that they only speak to each other about work and nothing personal. Milo sees the way Danny looks at Samuel and demands to know if he has feelings for him. Milo tries to explain to Danny that this is a pending investigation and that they must remain neutral, to which Danny rolls his eyes.

Once a scared Samuel wakes up he tries to run, he has to stay one step ahead of the people after him. Danny catches him running from the hospital and takes him to his house to recover and help keep him safe. One morning while Danny is at the store Milo stops by to talk to him and spooks Samuel. Milo is furious that Danny has been hiding Samuel from him.

The two come to blows and Milo decides to stay at Danny’s to help watch over Samuel and so the two can talk. As Samuel gets comfortable with Milo the three settle into a comfortable routine making Milo realize that Danny was right, there had been something missing in their relationship. As the three embark on a new relationship together, problems from Samuel’s past start to surface ripping Samuel away from Milo and Danny. Can Danny and Milo get to Samuel in time?

I really loved this story. Especially how all their different personalities meld together. Milo is very stoic and serious, not very demonstrative with his feelings while Danny is very caring and tender. Samuel is run by emotion, he’s very caring and kindhearted and enjoys taking care of his men.

The plot was well throughout and engaging. The story moved along at a steady speed never getting boring or stagnate. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

I loved how bringing Samuel into the mix gave both Milo and Danny something they had been missing which in turn allowed them to appreciate their relationship and the new relationship with Samuel. At no point did the author gloss over Milo and Danny’s issues, which was as good to see. As a trio they confronted the issues head on and dealt with them. I so loved this book and can’t wait for the series to continue.

5 pieces of eye candy for Saving Samuel

DISCOVERING DALTON, BOOK 2

Discovering Dalton Cover

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1XwK5HK

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Wk5eFq

I was really excited to dive in to this book because I enjoyed Saving Samuel so much. How is it possible that I love Dalton, Liam and Troy even more than Samuel, Danny and Milo?!?

Dalton has discovered his wife of 10 years in having an affair, with this realization comes about 30 pounds of added weight because Dalton is eating his feelings instead of confronting them. Milo steps in and takes Dalton to his gym, Aspire to help the man rebuild his confidence.

Liam, the owner of Aspire and consummate King of one night stands lives with his foster brother Troy. Liam believes he gets everything he needs but sex from his relationship with Troy, so he goes to hookups and leans on Troy for his emotional support. Troy is a tattoo artist who owns Living Ink and is always looking for the love of his life. Troy want to love and be loved, beyond ready to settle down and always devastated when Mr. Right-Now turns out to be a frog instead of Prince Charming.

Dalton can’t catch a break in his personal life. First his wife leaves him, and then his father becomes ill. When Dalton’s wife leaves he is forced to really take a look at his life and decide who he is and what will make him happy. A panic attack at Aspire has Dalton looking at Liam in a new light. As the two embark on a no strings attacked journey of self discovery Dalton realizes he may not be as straight as he has always thought and Liam realized he may be willing to be tied down to one man if that man is Dalton.

Meanwhile, Dalton’s father passes away and he realizes life is short and to stop putting everything off. Dalton decides to get a tattoo in remembrance of his father. The atmosphere is electric the minute Troy and Dalton meet. Dalton has never met anyone who has made him feel like that and Troy is almost too scared of being hurt again to even test out their connection.

Dalton thinks he may have something real with Troy so he has to talk with Liam and see what his feelings are. Liam has made it clear he is only available for something light and fun, nothing resembling permanent. After a blow up Liam and Dalton go their separate ways. Liam realizes he loves Dalton but he doesn’t think he can have that without giving up his relationship with Troy, as dependent as it may be.

One night Troy and Liam decided to meet at a bar for a drink and happen to run into Dalton. As the three of them realize what has been going on they need to decide whether or not they want to be in this together or continue on the way they are too scared to make changes. Can Dalton be the one thing that each brother has been searching for? Can Troy and Liam finally admit that they love each other in more than a brotherly way?

I love how different each of their personalities are and how well the meld together. Liam is a hot head while Troy is quiet and soft spoken and Dalton is stronger than even he thinks he is.

I really wanted to hate Dalton’s wife but I couldn’t. She really did love Dalton and want him to be happy.

I love that even when Liam is the least emotional of the three he was still able to comfort Dalton when his dad died. I love that Troy has found the love and security he was looking for with both Dalton and Liam.

The story was fast paced and entertaining. I found myself looking at my Kindle at 68% through it and was equal parts happy and sad. Happy and excited to continue on and find out what happened and sad because it was almost over. This one will definitely go on my re-read list!

5 pieces of eye candy for Discovering Dalton

Welcome to the home of bittersweet M/M romances which will leave you craving more

Nicole grew bored being a supermodel genius who worked part time for NASA, and decided to take a break from helping solve the mysteries of the universe with Stephen Hawkins to write m/m romance.

She has a loving relationship with her hubby of twenty years, and has achieved a lot in her short life considering she’s only eighteen. She has fourteen dogs of all different breeds, plus twenty cats, and when she’s not tending to their every need, and solving complex math problems, she loves to sew and can be often found knitting in the garden, which she maintains all by herself with her magical green fingers.

Finding time to make all of her own clothing and master the kitchen better than Gordon Ramsey, she’s also a vegan domestic goddess and can often be found cooking up a storm bare foot in her kitchen.

Okay, so that’s not true, especially the cooking part, though I do tend to be bare foot and I swear like Gordon does while burning my latest creation — and I still think NASA will be getting in touch. Any day now!! *crosses fingers* I could sooo do that job because I’m so obviously awesome, but until they do…

I’m a full time author of M/M Romance and Erotica, and somehow I have several bestselling books under my belt. I’ve been writing for four years, and I self publish all my work under Hidden Pleasures Publishing along with my amazing team of helpers in the form my cover designer Kellie Dennis, editor Jessica McKenna, and all of my beta readers and PA’s.

I’m a wife to my beloved hubby and mother to two young girls, and I do in fact have two cats who I adore, but no dog, as the hubby put his foot down. I live in Leeds in the North of England and I love it, despite the terrible weather.

My men are all seeking what everyone is, true love mixed with passion and their own happy-ever-after full of laughter and tears.

Facebook

www.facebook.com/The.Hidden.Series.Nicole.Colville

www.facebook.com/nicole.colville.the.hidden.series

Amazon

www.amazon.com/Nicole-Colville/e/B00C75T3R2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_2

Twitter

twitter.com/NikkieColville

Goodreads

www.goodreads.com/author/show/7045302.Nicole_Colville

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Power Play by Avon Gale: Blog Tour, Character Interview and Giveaway

May 10, 2016 by Denise

A freak accident during the Stanley Cup Playoffs put an end to Max Ashford’s hockey career. Despite everything, Max gets back into the game he loves—only this time, behind the bench as an assistant coach of the Spartanburg Spitfires, the worst team in the entire league. But nothing prepares him for the shock when he learns the new head coach is Misha Samarin, the man who caused Max’s accident.

After spending guilt-ridden years for his part in Max’s accident, Russian native Misha Samarin has no idea what to do when he’s confronted with Max’s presence. Max’s optimism plays havoc with Misha’s equilibrium—as does the fierce attraction that springs up between them.

Not only must they navigate Misha’s remorse and a past he’s spent a lifetime to forget, but also a sleazy GM determined to use their history as a marketing hook. But when an unwelcome visitor targets the team, Misha revisits his darkest days, which might cost him and Max the beginning they’ve worked so hard to build.

Author Name: Avon Gale

Book Name: Power Play

Series: Scoring Chances

Book: Three

This book can be read as a standalone

Release Date: May 9, 2016

Pages or Words: 240 pages

Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson