Giveaways

Gemini Keeps Capricorn (Signs of Love Book 3) by Anyta Sunday: Cover Reveal, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

July 19, 2023 by Denise

. .

Gemini Keeps Capricorn. Keeps him sexually frustrated.

Wesley Hidaka—outgoing, impulsive Gemini—needs a fake fiancé to prove to his old high school principal that he’s all grown up and can totally keep his truant brother in line.

Lloyd Alexander Reynolds—solid, serious, Capricorn—is Wesley’s RA, and the perfect guy for the role. Who better to have at Wesley’s outrageously flirtatious side than grumpy Lloyd?

This’ll be an adventure.

A really sexy adventure.

Uh oh, why doesn’t this fake fiancé gig feel so fake?

Flirty Gemini will need a pragmatic Capricorn to figure things out.

“Gemini Keeps Capricorn” is a banter-filled, fake fiancé, slow burn MM romance with a heart-thumping HEA. This New Adult, college, friends-to-lovers novel is the third book in the Signs of Love series.

Signs Of Love Series Special Cover Reveal & Giveaway:
Gemini Keeps Capricorn (Signs of Love, Book 3)
By Anyta Sunday

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It was approaching midnight by the time he padded over Lloyd’s lawn. He cursed under his breath when he remembered he’d left his phone in MacDonald’s car.

Remembering that Lloyd had mentioned the view from his desk overlooking the street, Wesley hunted for bits of gravel and tossed them against Lloyd’s upstairs window.

It clinked and clattered, and he grinned.

He’d always wanted to do this.

Someone cleared their throat, and Wesley jerked toward Lloyd, shuffling across the grass in slippers and a robe.

Lloyd pointed to the window next to the one Wesley had been pelting. “That’s my room. Mom kindly asks that you move a few feet to your right, or better yet, come inside.”

Wesley cupped his mouth and called out, “Sorry, Cathy!”

“See you in the morning, Wesley!” came a wall-filtered reply.

Wesley headed for the front door.

“How does she know I’m staying over?”

“It’s midnight. You’re play-acting Romeo on my front lawn. She’s a smart woman.”

Lloyd shut the door behind them, and after removing his shoes and jacket, Wesley followed him upstairs.

“Love the look, by the way,” Wesley whispered, tugging Lloyd’s robe belt. “It’s like a flash-forward into the future. You’re the grumpy old codger who loves telling off kids for making too much noise—oh wait.”

Wesley eyed Lloyd up and down by the dim light of the hall. “Maybe it isn’t a flash-forward.”

“You’re right. I won’t be like this in sixty years.”

“What will you be like?” “Grumpier.” Lloyd flicked a light on and gestured Wesley inside his surprisingly cluttered childhood room. Shelves lined an entire wall stuffed with books, board games, and more than one Rubik’s cube. Then there was the bed.

“A twin, Lloyd? We’ll sure be cozy tonight.” Without looking away from him, Lloyd pulled out a rollaway mattress from under the bed using his foot.

“Top or bottom?”

“I’m happy with either,” he said with a leer, “but I’d prefer to bottom.”

Lloyd shut his eyes. “Boy, oh boy.”

Wesley smirked and peeled off his clothes until he was down to his boxers and undershirt.

Avoiding eye contact, Lloyd grabbed him a blanket, then unrobed to a similar state of undress and flicked off the light. “I assume you didn’t come here to sleep.”

“Not quite the proposition I imagined from you, Lloyd.”

A pillow smacked Wesley in the face. He laughed as he settled onto the rollaway and stuffed Lloyd’s pillow under his head.

Glow-in-the-dark stars covered the ceiling, possibly arranged in constellations. “Guess I’m not the only one obsessed with stars.”

Lloyd rolled onto his side and peered down at Wesley. “Why are you here at midnight?”

“Hoping you might sleep-divulge your date of birth?”

“Wesley.”“I told my mom I’m quitting college once I get my undergrad.”

“Because of our conversation?”

“It didn’t come out of thin air.”

“How did you feel when you said it?”

“Guilty, then relieved. Now nervous.” Wesley bit his lip. “As my RA, do you think I’m doing the right thing?”

At the mention of RA, Lloyd folded back an inch. “Let’s arrange a date and work through some options for you.”

“I’m not good at making decisions. I’m inconsistent and terribly indecisive.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“I’m pretty screwbally.”

“Yet I like you all the same.”

Stay tuned for a new reveal every day!

The rest of the series is revealing soon!

Check out the series here:
Universal Link

A bit about me: I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.
My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.

Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/about-anyta/

Join my Facebook group to chat all things Slow Burn Romance:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SlowBurnSundays/

You can also find me here:
www.anytasunday.com
anytasunday@gmail.com

For information about new releases and freebies, follow me on BookBub:
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I Never Knew: Riverside Town (Book 4) by Darla O’Malley: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

July 17, 2023 by Denise

. .

Ryan Hayes wasn’t looking for a distraction from the one in five chance of him being the father to his lying, cheating, “not his girlfriend”, pregnant ex-girlfriend’s baby, but that was exactly what Elijah became. That was until the lines got blurred and Elijah became something to him that he never knew was possible: everything.

Elijah Anderson hid the struggles he faces every day to keep his diner afloat behind a smile, but Ryan saw through it and gave Elijah real reasons to smile. Though Elijah tried to fight it—Ryan may have a baby on the way and was also the soon to be brother-in-law to his best friend—Ryan seeing Elijah in his lingerie and showing how receptive he was to roleplay was Elijah’s undoing…he was hooked! He wanted to lose himself in the gorgeous, demisexual, and bi-curious man in ways he never had before.

Ryan saw how hard Elijah worked every day to make ends meet and how his generous behavior was being exploited. Not anymore.

Elijah saw past Ryan’s candid approach to dealing with his family and understood the love behind his words. They’ll see how considerate you are.

Just as Ryan and Elijah settle into their happy lives together, it gets rocked by a heavily pregnant woman wielding a hammer.

Author note: male/male romance, can be read as a standalone. Contains sexual acts between consenting adults, roleplay, sexy lingerie, and two men who never knew what love was until a heavy box was dropped on one of them.

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Ryan

“Rye!” Zach shouted after spotting me and Elijah walking closer to them. “I found your flag!” he yelled, even though I was close enough that he didn’t have to. The smell of fruit and alcohol wafted off his breath, explaining his loud behavior.

Zach wrapped the large flag around my head like it was a towel, and I was a kid that had just been for a swim in the lake.

“Thanks, Zach,” I said as I tugged the flag off my head. I didn’t unwrap myself from the flag, though, instead placing it around my shoulders. Looking around, I saw there were a lot of people with different colored flags…I liked the colors in my flag: there was a black triangle and three stripes coming from it, the top stripe was white, and the bottom one was grey; the middle stripe was a thin strip of purple. The colors were subtle, but what I liked most was that I felt a sense of pride in the flag, similar to when I saw the Star-Spangled Banner; this flag represents…me. “Can I keep it?” I asked.

“Course you can,” Zach said, smiling brightly. The glassiness in his eyes portrayed his drunken state—I wasn’t even gone an hour! “Cammy and Taylor were telling me about all the flags, and when he said about the demi one, I was like, that’s what Ryan said earlier. So, we bought you this.” He held a corner of the flag up for me to see, still smiling from ear to ear.

“You guys bought this for me?” I asked, finally looking at my brother and my dad’s boyfriend. Neither of them heard my question. They were dancing rings around Elijah. When my boyfriend saw me looking his way, he grinned and winked at me.

Zach’s hand heavily tapping on my shoulder broke our eye contact. “What?” I asked him.

“Do you like my flag?” Zach asked, pointing to the wonky rectangle on his bare chest with a small dick in the middle. I also noted that he had his T-shirt tucked into the back of his jeans like I did.

“Is that you coming out as having a small dick?” I quipped.

“Fuck you, dickhead!” Zach shoved my shoulder but was laughing.

“Hey!” Cam shouted as he got between Zach and me. “No fighting. Let’s dance.” He took hold of my hand, raised it above his head, and began twirling himself beneath it. I wasn’t really a dancer, so I just watched him. Taylor joined the mix, and before I knew what was happening, he was behind me, holding my arms out and moving them to the music.

“I’m not a puppet,” I said over my shoulder to him. The movement had my flag falling off my shoulders and to the ground. Taylor let go of me, but Cam had already picked up my flag for me.

“Tie it ‘round your neck like a superhero,” Cam said as he tied the black corners of the triangle around my neck. The alcohol I could smell on his breath was more potent than what Zach smelt like, My little brother was pretty hammered. Not the straight-laced narc he once was.

Darla O’Malley had been writing male/male fiction and paranormal stories as a hobby for quite a few years, until encouragement from friends and family to become a self-published author had her finishing one of her many half-written novels. She’s extremely happy she heeded their advice as having others read her creations has become an exhilarating experience.

Connect with Darla:
Facebook: facebook.com/darla.omalley.96
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Head Over Feels: A Bent Oak, Texas Novel by Bix Barrow: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

July 10, 2023 by Denise

. .

Well, this puts the “ex” in “explosive”…

Felix: What would happen if everyone you’d ever dated got together and plotted against you?

For me, it’s glitter bombs. Lots and lots of glitter bombs.

Okay, maybe I deserved the first one or two. Or three. But when things become less glitter and more grenade, I’m forced into hiding with the smokin’ hot older client I just had a sizzling one-night stand with.

Malcolm’s gruff exterior hides a marshmallow center (who else would hire a pet massage therapist for their elderly cat?) — but until the bomber is behind bars, neither of us are safe.

And no one would risk their life for a disaster like me…right?

Malcolm: I wasn’t under any illusions the night I ended up in Felix’s bed. He’s just my type — smart, funny, and adorable with just the right amount of meat on his bones.

But a guy like that deserves more than a grouchy forty-something ex-FBI agent with a broken body and a screwed-up brain. So, I knew we were only ever in this for one night.

Except now with his dating history blowing up in his face, Felix is turning to me for help.

And I’m pretty sure my feelings can’t be defused.

Head Over Feels is a low-angst MM contemporary romance. Come for the grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity (but there are two beds, sorry), hurt/comfort, and found family. Stay for the 1985 Buick Riviera convertible, dreams coming true, personal growth, game nights, and an online date gone very, very, wrong. HEA guaranteed!

Head Over Feels is part of the Bent Oak, Texas series. It can be read as a standalone but will be more enjoyable if you’ve read Heart Me Up first. Characters from Holding On to a Hero have significant roles as well, in case you want the complete backstory.

Title: Head Over Feels

Author Name: Bix Barrow

Series Title: Bent Oak, Texas

Release Date: Friday, June 23 2023

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Holding On to a Hero

Heart Me Up

(from Felix’s POV)

“So,” Jaime remarked as he forked up some of his osso buco, “Tell me your professional aspirations. Surely you aren’t planning on working in a call center forever.”

The way he phrased the comment rubbed me a little the wrong way, but I brushed the concern aside. He’d brought up something I was excited to share with him.

“I’m actually planning to go into business for myself,” I told him. He gazed at me with rapt attention while he sipped his wine. It was heady, let me tell you, to have someone that good-looking focused on me.

“I recently got my certification to be a pet massage therapist.”

Jaime went still, his wine glass midair. “I’m sorry, a what?”

“A pet massage therapist,” I repeated enthusiastically. “Animals get arthritis or other mobility issues, same as humans. Massage can help them walk more easily and reduce pain. I completed a certification course and in a few months I’ll be doing pet massage full time.”

While I’d expounded on my favorite topic, Jaime had slowly lowered his wine glass to the table. I’d been so energized by what I was saying, I’d finished speaking before I noticed his expression was… not encouraging.

Jaime’s eyebrows—which I now noticed had been waxed—scrunched together. “This is a career you are set on?”

Hadn’t I just said that? “Yes. I’d originally planned to be a Veterinary Technician, but I did some shadowing in a vet’s office and, well… it wasn’t for me. Doc Pinkerton, the vet there, suggested I try pet massage therapy instead. I love it.”

Jaime frowned and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Felix. It didn’t occur to me to ask about this when we were chatting online. I’ve enjoyed our dinner very much up to now.”

My mouth dropped open. He. Was. Not. And yet, he was. “But I cannot date someone with such an…” He waved a hand as if searching for the right word. “Unambitious career. I’d be the laughingstock of my friends and business associates.”

I sat there, staring in shock. I could feel the blood draining from my face. Jaime would be embarrassed by my being a pet massage therapist? My dream job?

Cal’s voice rang through my head, reminding me how vulnerable my former dates had made themselves by sharing their unusual pastimes.

Jaime interrupted my awful epiphany. “I’d still be down to fuck after dinner though.”

Who the heck did this guy think he was?

I sputtered, trying to form the words to tell him to go screw himself, when Jaime glanced past me toward the restaurant’s entrance.

He froze. His eyes went wide and his face went Oh shit. “Quick,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “You are my work colleague, an architect. Just play along.”

Oh, hell to the no. On top of everything else, he was cheating? My dream career was embarrassing to a cheater?

I considered throwing my drink on him, but I didn’t have much left. In the spirit of getting something, however small, out of this debacle, I drained my wine glass. Then I set my napkin next to my plate and pushed back from the table. I’d wallow in my anger later. Right now I needed to exit, pronto.

“Sorry, Jaime, I’m not helping you. You’re an ass.”

Jaime barely had time to look confused before a harsh voice boomed out, “What the fuck is this?”

Dang it, too late.

I couldn’t avoid looking at the man stomping toward us. He was in his mid-thirties, dark-haired, tall, and rangy like a runner. And—scowly glare notwithstanding—very attractive. Huh, Jaime must be one of those rare people who didn’t have a physical type. I mean, my face was okay, but….

What the heck was I doing? It was past time to leave.

Jaime’s boyfriend—hopefully just a boyfriend; I didn’t see a ring—was followed by two other men, another tall dark-haired guy and a shorter blond guy. The boyfriend’s entire body was taut with rage, and his friends’ expressions were grim. Any of them could probably kick my ass. Crap.

Jaime put out a placating hand toward his boyfriend. “Listen, babe,” he started.

“You said you had to work late. You said you’d be ordering dinner in with your team. He is not your team.” He pointed at me but stared daggers at Jaime.

Jaime’s expression said he was pretty sure he’d be able to talk his way out of the situation. I was pretty sure he was wrong.

Felix, get out.

I stood up, pushing the chair back with my legs. “I thought he was single, I swear,” I muttered, keeping my head down. Hopefully I’d be allowed to leave without getting punched first.

I stepped away from the table to make my getaway, but in my haste I caught my shoe on a chair leg, causing me to stumble right into Jaime’s boyfriend.

“Oof! I’m so sorry!” I cried as I thudded into his chest. He didn’t look like he lifted weights or anything, but it was like I’d hit a wall; he didn’t even step back. Did I mention I’m not the skinniest guy around? The boyfriend didn’t look at me, just put his hands on my biceps and pushed me upright. I sidled away as quickly and inconspicuously as possible. Thankfully the blond guy took my elbow and pointed me toward the exit. I managed to nod my thanks and hightail it out of the restaurant.

Cole owed me so hard for this.

I yanked my phone from my pocket as I power-walked through the parking lot. Should I call or text him? Yelling would be pretty satisfying right now, I decided.

This is a new series to me, as well as a new to me author. It mentioned that it was stand-alone, but the beginning was a bit hard to follow, so I’m thinking it would be easier to read the first two books.

Malcolm and Felix are quite sweet together, and I enjoyed how the author was able to integrate the mystery and the romance to their relationship. Felix was a pet massage therapist (who knew that was a thing?) with some serious dating disasters. Meanwhile Malcom was a grump, but also very protective.

While there was a lot of action, suspense, mystery, there was also a lot of funny parts. With great secondary characters that came from the previous books. If you like grumpy/sunshine, with a side of forced proximity, then give this one a shot.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

When Bix Barrow got an idea for her first book, it ended up turning into her second — and thus the first two stories in the Bent Oak, Texas series emerged. An aspiring author for most of her life, it took a foray into the MM romance genre to spark the steamy scenes and blazing banter Bix now weaves into her novels. Accompanying her on her writing exploits are her two dogs and multitude of cats (seven at last count). An avid traveler, Bix has started to view her expeditions as interviews for her future home. Born and raised in Texas, she is eager to move somewhere with fewer politicians, hurricanes and flooding. Connect with Bix at www.bixbarrow.com

Author Website: https://www.bixbarrow.com/

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/bixbarrow

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/bixbarrow

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bixbarrow/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21740152.Bix_Barrow

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/bix-barrow/

Author Amazon: https://amzn.to/44EKaiX
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The Sunny Side by Lily Morton: Audiobook Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

July 3, 2023 by Denise

. .
Jonas Durand is successful, rich, and controlled. He owns a prestigious modelling agency and has the world at his fingertips, but a turbulent childhood has taught him to be focused and never deviate from a plan.

Dean Jacobs threatens that stance. He’s one of the world’s most sought-after supermodels, but he’s also laidback and lighthearted and free in a way that Jonas has never quite managed.

Dean has always been interested in Jonas and has never made any secret of his admiration, but from the beginning, Jonas put him in a neat little box labelled, “Don’t touch,” turned the key, and never looked back.

However, the universe seems determined to thwart Jonas’s plans. Over the course of one hot summer, the two men come together, and Jonas’s well-ordered life becomes something a whole lot wilder.

Moving from the glamorous worlds of London and Paris Fashion Weeks to the sleepy South of France, Jonas finds himself liberating partridges, chasing his supermodel, and falling in love.

From bestselling author Lily Morton, comes a romantic comedy set in the fast-paced and snarky world of modelling. This is the first book in the Model Agency series.

Title: The Sunny Side
Author: Lily Morton
Narrator: Joel Leslie
Length: 11.1 hours
Series: The Model Agency, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Comedy.

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“We’ll be bringing Mister Jacobs up in a bit,” he adds.

I stare at him. “He’s not being charged, then? My lawyer is on his way.”

“No need for that.” He leans closer. “He was really brought in just to keep the peace. No one was hurt, and as the hotel doesn’t want to press charges and neither does the lady concerned, then there isn’t anything that needs to happen. We just left them in the cells to sober up.”

“What exactly happened? Mr Jacobs wasn’t very forthcoming when he rang my assistant.”

“I’m surprised he could speak. He was rather drunk when we brought him in, and he’s slept through most of his time in the cell. I wish they were always that obliging.”

“Oh, he’s always obliging,” I say grimly.

He looks behind me, and as there’s no one waiting, he unbends a little. “Apparently, he was in a hotel room for the night and went to the bathroom. When he came out, he went right rather than left and ended up naked in the hotel corridor.”

I sigh and pinch my nose. “Oh god,” I say faintly.

His mouth twitches into a half-smile. “Then he compounded his error by letting himself back into the hotel room. The only problem was that it wasn’t his hotel room, and the old couple it belonged to were rather startled to find a six-foot-four naked supermodel trying to get into bed with them.”

“That old couple?” I say, pointing to the woman who was before me in the queue. She’s holding hands with an older man who I presume is her husband. He nods and I sigh. “Fuck my life. So, then what happened? Tell me he wasn’t brawling with those two old-aged pensioners?”

He snorts. “Oh, don’t worry, sir. It wasn’t them. That was his…” He hesitates. “His partner for the evening.”

I look up, my stomach roiling. “Who?” I ask sharply.

“I’m afraid I can’t divulge names, sir.”

I wave my hand. “Don’t worry about it. I doubt he’ll ever see him again anyway.”

“Like that is it, sir?”

“You have no idea. So, what happened after that?”

“The young gentleman that Mr Jacobs was with was under the impression that Mr Jacobs had found new company for the evening and had abandoned him. So, he stormed into the room and proceeded to drag him out.”

I stare at him. “It is very late,” I say slowly. “I only got back from New York this afternoon. I have sat in more aeroplanes this week than Douglas Bader. My brain might be a little blurry, but I’m sure you said that Dean’s hook-up thought he’d left him in his bed and tried to score with an octogenarian.”

He bites his lip. “I believe that’s a fair summing up, sir. The young man dragged him into the corridor. Mr Jacobs objected strongly, and there was a bit of a scuffle.”

“Was anyone hurt? Was there property damage? I fail to see why this was a police matter.”

“Well, they were both naked, which caused a bit of a stir amongst the other guests.”

Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – Chocolate Baileys.

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Baxter’s Right-Hand Man by Lane Hayes: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

June 29, 2023 by Denise

. .
The movie star meets his match…

Pierce

Welcome to Hollywood, baby! Perhaps you’ve heard of me. I play Baxter, the adventure-seeking, crime-fighting hero, adored by fans around the world. Nice gig, right? My job has its perks for sure—private jets, a chauffeur, and the best tables at the fanciest restaurants in town. It’s nuts!

Downside—it’s hard to know who you can trust.

But I trust Lorenzo. He’s funny, sweet, and very real.

Look, I’m not in the market for anything serious. Between my greedy brother and the old man who claims we’re related, I’m a little wary, but I could use a friend.

And a sexy distraction.

Lorenzo

What is happening here? Major movie star, Pierce Allen wants me.

Me!

I don’t get it. I’m too fabulous and he’s too famous.

No, wait. He wants something from me, like my help and maybe my body. This should be a no-brainer. However, closing the last chapter on a long-term relationship has left me feeling a little fragile, and the last thing I need is to risk another broken heart.

But I’m too intrigued to walk away. I can play the part of Pierce’s “right-hand man” and keep things light and friendly. No problem.

I’m way too smart to fall for a movie star.

I hope.

Baxter’s Right-Hand Man is a MM, bisexual romance featuring a sexy, slightly egotistical movie star and the adorable diva who brings him back to reality.

Title: Baxter’s Right-Hand Man
Authors: Lane Hayes
Length: 75k
Series: The Baxter Chronicles, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

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We engaged in a playful tug-of-war that probably would have ended up in a serious lip-lock if we weren’t in public. I let go before I did something stupid, pulled my ball cap farther over my forehead, and studied the black-and-white photos of the beach.

There was one other couple at the register, two baristas, and two uber-friendly golden retrievers. No danger here at all.

I felt more relaxed than I had in weeks. And very…ordinary in the best possible ways.

We took our lattes and treats to the beach and sat on a bench overlooking the ocean.

“I could live here,” I said conversationally.

Lo grinned. “It’s a nice place. Want the pink house?”

“Fuck, no. Something small with a view and a bench like this one.” I squinted at the gray horizon, inching closer to him. “I would like this.”

Shit. I’d said too much.

My heart thundered in my chest and my cheeks heated. I wanted to blame it on the latte, but I knew that wasn’t it.

“Me too,” he whispered.

The thundering sensation peaked into an internal storm. My head pounded as if in a race to keep up with my renegade heart. And suddenly, I wanted to ask tougher questions I’d never cared enough to ask anyone, like…what else do you want?

Do you want a house, a dog? Or are you a cat guy? That could be a problem ’cause I’m mildly allergic, but we’d make it work. Would you want a bungalow like Jasper’s? I could buy one tomorrow. What about kids? I love kids, but my parents sucked and I might too.

Those were safe boyfriend questions. It wouldn’t be weird to unload everything on my mind. Lo would be into it. We could sit here all day and just daydream like any normal couple who wanted a future together.

But I couldn’t give him normal. I couldn’t give him peace or quiet or—

Just as full-scale panic seeped in and took over, Lo slipped his hand in mine and rested his head on my shoulder. “Someday,” he said softly.

I closed my eyes and squeezed his hand.

Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016, 2017, 2018-2019, 2020-2021 Rainbow Awards. She loves wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.

Connect with Lane:
My Readers’ Group, Lane’s Lovers: https://bit.ly/3aIbMYg
My Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3cICfaK
Blog: www.lane-hayes.com
Twitter: twitter.com/LaneHayes3
FB: facebook.com/LaneHayesAuthor
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3NWuz93
BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/lane-hayes
Instagram: instagram.com/lanehayes3/
Goodreads: goodreads.com/LaneHayes
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@lane_hayes

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Kicking it with the Best Man (Out and Kickin’ Book 1) by Riley Long: Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

June 6, 2023 by Denise

. .

I’ve been out and proud for years, happily living my truth. Never did I imagine I would be asked to step back into the closet.

Until that night at the club.

After one too many cocktails, I ended up in a bathroom stall enjoying a hot and steamy tryst with a super sexy guy named Nate. We exchanged numbers and indulged in some spicy sexting.

But when I asked him to meet up again, he ghosted me.

I tried distracting myself by acting as a friend’s plus one to a wedding. Who do I see standing next to the groom, looking like a snack? Nate. He claims no one knows he’s gay and asks me to be discreet. Still, my years of hiding are behind me. Can I help him find the strength to come out to his family and friends? Or will his reservations be too big an obstacle to overcome?

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I’d tried, I swear to God I had tried. I’d tried to tear my eyes away from Theo the entire time I was standing behind my brother, listening to him vow to love his new wife for the rest of his life. I’d tried to ignore the throb in my groin and the deep ache in my chest as I watched Theo shift in his seat and steal glances at me while Marcus and Christa swore to support each other forever, even while my traitorous gaze kept darting to him. I’d even tried to pretend that Sadie Stewart hadn’t brought Nate to the wedding at all, despite the fact that he was standing at the open bar ordering a drink when I’d finished my portion of the second photo shoot of the day and started toward the reception tent. God help me, I really had tried.

Instead, I’d caught a look at Theo as he passed the bartender an empty glass and accepted a full one. I’d watched as he’d followed Sadie to their table and even went so far as going to the bar to order my own drink. When I’d gotten there, I’d caught a whiff of what must have been Theo’s aftershave because it smelled exactly like he had that night, the night we’d met in Ember. The night I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forget, seared in my memory forever.

My stomach had twisted and turned, caught between longing and panic when I caught the scent of him, and I hadn’t been able to stop myself from storming over to his table and demanding that we have a talk.

That’s when Sadie had popped up from her table, assuming I meant to talk to her. “Of course. Is everything okay?”

I blinked twice at her. “No. I mean, yes everything’s okay. Sorry, I meant Theo.” I gestured with my beer bottle at him.

This seemed like a nice quick read in a cute series. I haven’t read this author’s works before, but the covers to this series were cute, so had to. 🙂

The book is fairly low angst, with one of the MCs being fully out of the closet, and the other having had a pretty shi!tty father being in the closet. They hook up in a bar, some sexting later, then radio silence by Nate. Some angst ridden days by Nate, until he could find his way out of the closet.

Theo’s friends, who I am guessing will be featured in upcoming books in the series were all great. They harassed and teased each other like good friends.

It was a quick read, with little angst, and a happily together couple at the end, with some seriously sexy times. 😉

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Riley Long is an author of gay romances novels spanning many genres from contemporary to paranormal. They live a quiet life in Virginia, with their husband, son, and two very silly pit bulls.

They spend their evenings writing, reading, and watching bad television (or not so bad television).

For fun, Riley participates in NaNoWriMo, GISH, and reads with her book club, the BAMFs.

They like things with silly acronyms.

Riley can tell you two different stories about getting covered in dairy products for a hug.

Connect with Riley:
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Check out the series here: Universal Link

Check out the series here:
Universal Link