Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Giveaways

One-Eyed Royals (Seven of Spades #4) by Cordelia Kingsbridge: Blog Tour with Giveaway

by

Spoiler Alert! The following blurb contains spoilers for Cash Plays, book three of Seven of Spades.

Shattered by their devastating breakup, Detective Levi Abrams and PI Dominic Russo find themselves at war right when they need each other most. While Dominic is trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, Levi despairs of ever catching the Seven of Spades. The ruthless vigilante’s body count continues to climb, and it’s all Levi can do to keep up with the carnage.

When Levi’s and Dominic’s paths keep crossing in the investigation of a kidnapping ring with a taste for mutilation, it feels like history repeating itself. Thrown together by fate once again, they reluctantly join forces in their hunt for the mastermind behind the abductions.

But the Seven of Spades hates sharing the spotlight, and they have an ace in the hole: a new batch of victims with a special connection to Levi. Their murders send shockwaves through Las Vegas and change the rules of the game forever.

The Seven of Spades has upped the ante. If Levi and Dominic don’t play their cards right, they’ll end up losing everything.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

 

Thanks for checking out the blog tour for One-Eyed Royals, the fourth book in the Seven of Spades series!

We left Levi and Dominic broken up and broken-hearted. But there are new threats facing Las Vegas, and crossing paths on a case again is just their luck…

Las Vegas has never seen a serial killer like the Seven of Spades.

The self-styled vigilante is on a mission to cut down the wicked and treacherous, and Sin City has no shortage of targets for their bloody wrath. What happens in Vegas . . . ends with the Seven of Spades’s calling card on a grisly corpse.

Standing against the killer are Levi Abrams, a dedicated homicide detective locked in a constant struggle to restrain his own dark side, and bounty hunter Dominic Russo, a charming rogue with a heavy secret weighing on his shoulders.

The hunt for the Seven of Spades sends Levi and Dominic on a collision course, igniting a passionate relationship forged in conflict and sealed with blood. Together they’re stronger than the sum of their parts, but a wily, elusive serial killer isn’t the only threat that will strain their bond to the breaking point.

Ante up, because the Seven of Spades is all in. Are you?

Cordelia Kingsbridge has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh, but quickly discovered that direct practice in the field was not for her. Having written novels as a hobby throughout graduate school, she decided to turn her focus to writing as a full-time career. Now she explores her fascination with human behavior, motivation, and psychopathology through fiction. Her weaknesses include opposites-attract pairings and snarky banter.

Away from her desk, Cordelia is a fitness fanatic, and can be found strength training, cycling, and practicing Krav Maga. She lives in South Florida but spends most of her time indoors with the air conditioning on full blast!

Connect with Cordelia:

To celebrate the release of One-Eyed Royals, Cordelia is giving away a $10 Riptide gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 15, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Victoria Sue Montly Author Guest Post with Giveaway

by

Author Victoria Sue’s monthly guest post is all about her conferences this year. She has had quite a year, as you’ll see. Damon Suede’s “ass babies” made me snort laugh. Check it out, and make sure you comment for a chance to win one of her backlist books. Thank you Victoria for stopping by! 

My Conference Year

I thought I would talk about something completely different this month, and share how my love of reading and writing has led to traveling.

This year I’ve been to Daytona, Florida. Paris, France. Reno, Nevada and Denver, Colorado – whew!

Oh, and I also snuck in our Dreamspinner author weekend in Orlando – nearly forgot about that one!

Coastal Magic – What’s the expression about a picture painting a thousand words? Well, this one is the great Damon Suede and I discussing the merits of MPreg, or ass-babies as he calls them which I find very insulting as none of my guys have ever had an ass-birth.

They may have been an ass, but that’s a whole other story…

Coastal Magic started out as a paranormal con, but has expanded and is my favorite. Not least because it’s on the beach. (Or specifically has a beachside bar which is the best way to appreciate sun and sand in my opinion.)

The three-day event includes Cinema Craptastique – where you get to see Damon being -well, Damon (always a treat) Lunch With An Author (included in Registration) A Mardis Gras party and lots of panels and prizes. https://coastalmagicconvention.com/ Check it out.

Paris – Salon Livre. I have NEVER seen so many people buying so many books in all my life. Dreamspinners along with MXM and Juno (French publishers and translators of many gay romance titles) were incredibly busy (rammed is a good Brit word to describe how busy it was) In fact the Dreamspinners stall looked like locusts had been through by Sunday afternoon. This is me and Nalabela who translates many of our titles.

I’m lucky to write for such a fab publisher who puts on an author weekend every year where we get the chance to learn new cool stuff – Geoff Symon who is a Federal Forensic Investigator walked us through a real-life case and showed us how they worked out the who, the what, and the how on earth did they manage it??

We also get to meet up and connect with other authors, share experiences, and network… Okay, that’s a lie. We met in the bar. Well, we networked in a bar with a very nice exchange student waiter called Sven…

But that is definitely another story.

 

 

On to Nevada. Wanna bet what I was doing? The hotel had a casino which I think is a given there. I attended the last ever Romantic Times (Think the magazine and reviews etc.) conference.

I’m actually very lucky to be an attending author next year at the conference which will replace RT –https://www.bookloverscon.com/ in New Orleans next May and it’s going to be fabulous! Check out the authors and events and better still if you register before September the 15th you go in a draw for a free hotel night’s stay.

And last but not least Denver, Colorado. This is a conference for romance writers but includes a large public signing. It’s three days of learning about every aspect of craft imaginable and helping us get a better book to you every single time. As you can see Charlie Cochet, Mary Calmes, Jessie Potts and I were all working very hard. There might have been a bar. (You can sense a theme here, huh?”)

There are lots of cons I couldn’t get to this year. I’m bummed to be missing GRL, but neither my budget or my marriage (!) would stretch to another one. I haven’t decided where I will definitely be attending next year, but so far Coastal Magic and Book Lovers are confirmed.

Sooo… watch this space.

A standalone in the Enhanced World 

Deaf since childhood, Sebastian Armitage had a promising musical future until his dreams were shattered when he transformed at twelve years old. In a world where enhanced humans are terrorized and imprisoned, his life shrinks around him even more as he suffers the torment of his father’s experimental research to enable him to hear.

Gray Darling—struggling with the scars left by his experience in Afghanistan—agrees to provide short-term personal protection when anonymous threats escalate into assault on those closest to Seb.

As the lines between protection and attraction blur, Gray and Seb can’t ignore the intense feelings drawing them together. But secrets and betrayals might prove deadly, unless Gray is willing to risk it all. And Seb must find the strength to make his own future and sing his own song.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

Leave a comment for Victoria Sue, and you could win a backlist book of hers.

 

Patchwork Paradise by Indra Vaughn: BB, New Release Review and Giveaway

by

Oliver and Samuel’s relationship is fairy-tale perfect. They share a gorgeous house in Antwerp, go out with their friends every weekend, and count down the days to their dream wedding. But their happy ending is shattered one late night, and just like that, Ollie is left bereft and alone.

The months that follow are long and dark, but slowly Ollie emerges from his grief. He even braves the waters of online dating, though deep down he doesn’t believe he can find that connection again. He doesn’t think to look for love right in front of him: his bisexual friend Thomas, the gentle giant with a kind heart and sad eyes who’s wanted him all along.

When Thomas suddenly discovers he has a son who needs him, he’s ill prepared. Ollie opens up his house—Sam’s house—and lets them in. Ollie doesn’t know what scares him more: the responsibility of caring for a baby, or the way Thomas is steadily winning his heart. It will take all the courage he has to discover whether or not fairy tales can happen for real.

Cover Design: Dar Albert

 

Length: 205 pages

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I have no words….

I’ve been literally staring at this page for a solid five minutes trying to figure out where to begin.

First, we have Ollie, having met the love of his life at ten years old. They’d been together ever since, as friends until they were old enough to be more, and then they were. Even years later, the love they had for each other was so beautiful in a way that it was so obvious, it would never end. They didn’t just love each other, they were in love with each other. Nothing matter to either of them, the world could be falling down around them both, and as long as they had each other, they’d die happy. It felt so real. That’s why….when tragedy struck and Ollie lost Sam, I felt it so deep. It felt like I lost him too. How did you do that??

You can imagine the grief that comes with losing the other piece of you. It’s all-encompassing and folks, I ugly cried my little heart out. Body wracking sobs, I am not in the least bit exaggerating, it hit me HARD…
BUT, having the best friends, Cleo and her boyfriend Inram, and their other best friend, Thomas as well as Ollie’s mom….They rallied, they were there for Ollie and without them all, I don’t know what Ollie would’ve become, but I was so glad he had them.

Eventually, though, Ollie came out of the grief and started living again….Nothing happened quickly, it was real in that aspect too… Some days were hard…really hard, but overtime, they got easier. And with the gentle nudge from Cleo, he decided to date again… It was good to get back out there, but Ollie knew that he wasn’t ready… it was a good experience though and I was impressed with the way in which it was handled. Even if I did feel for Peter, I hope he found someone nice in this fictional world… I wouldn’t mind a story about him! <hint hint>

So, after a little more time to get used to what life would be like without Sam, Cleo let’s Ollie in on a secret… Now, in saying this… I’ll admit that I didn’t feel Thomas’s attraction for Ollie at first… it was subtle and I admired the respect he had for Sam and Ollie. My heart broke for him because I couldn’t imagine the unrequited love he had for Ollie. The way Ollie had felt about Sam, Thomas had been feeling that for Ollie… can you even imagine that? Knowing that your heart was lost to someone who had no hope of feeling the same way…. I couldn’t imagine.

BUT, the little things that Thomas did that showed Ollie how he felt…. man, I fell for him so hard. He was amazing! The best friend and everything that Ollie needed. Ollie realized it a little too late though and Thomas needed to try to get over him. He tried…. he really tried, and I was frustrated when he’d met someone else, but I feel like they both needed that.

With some time apart, both guys realized that they needed each other….Ollie needed to realize he loved Thomas in a way that had nothing to do with losing Sam, and Thomas just couldn’t stop his feelings for Ollie, even when he was somewhat happy with someone else. It just didn’t work, because his heart belonged to Ollie.
Sigh…. Seriously, I wish I could explain how I LIVED this book. I felt as if I was living it, experiencing it and it ripped me apart and then in the most beautiful way, it put me back together again…..

THEN, a bombshell…. Thomas, being bi, had a casual relationship with a friend way back that resulted in a baby. The situation was as such where the babys mom needed treatment so Thomas was in charge of the baby while she was getting better. It was tough and he was way out of his element….. but of course he had Ollie. It was time for Ollie to return the favor. They’d switched roles in a sense, because now it was Ollie who had fallen in love with Thomas, and then his little boy, Milo, but he pushed it aside to be what they needed….just as Thomas had done for him when he’d lost Sam…

I could gush about this for AGES… I really good, it was that amazing. I laughed outloud, I cried (a really ugly cry), I swooned and I fell hopelessly in love with these characters…
The only part I somewhat hated, was Sam’s parents and the awful way they treated Ollie. I understood that it helped reiterate what the house meant to Ollie, but I hate that they were so selfish and they never got the karmic justice that they deserved. But, like everything else with this story, it was real. Ollie was understanding to a point and out of respect for Sam, he kept his mouth shut and just exited their lives….at least he got the house, because not only did Sam want him to have it, but, it was home to him. I was glad about that.

All in all, I wish I could buy this book for everyone and just make them read it. If you choose to skip it, you’re really missin out! It’s one that I know will stick with me for a long time, and one I know I’ll revisit again. One of the best reads I’ve read in a while. And I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful ending…

I give it all the stars!

5 pieces of eye candy

After living in Michigan, USA for seven wonderful years, Indra Vaughn returned back to her Belgian roots. There she will continue to consume herbal tea, do yoga wherever the mat fits, and devour books while single parenting a little boy and working as a nurse.

Amazon Profile | Goodreads 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ***

Robby Riverton: Mail Order Bride by Eli Easton: Audio Book Tour, Review and Giveaway

by

Being a fugitive in the Old West shouldn’t be this much fun. The year is 1860. Robby Riverton is a rising star on the New York stage. But he witnesses a murder by a famous crime boss and is forced to go on the run – all the way to Santa Fe.

When he still can’t seem to ditch his pursuers, he disguises himself as a mail-order bride he meets on the wagon train. Caught between gangsters who want to kill him and the crazy, uncouth family of his “intended”, Robby’s only ally is a lazy sheriff who sees exactly who Robby is – and can’t resist him.

Trace Crabtree took the job as sheriff of Flat Bottom because there was never a thing going on. And then Robby Riverton showed up disguised as a woman and betrothed to Trace’s brother. If that wasn’t complicated enough, Trace finds the man as appealing as blueberry pie. He urges Robby to stay undercover until the danger has passed.

But a few weeks of having Robby-Rowena at the ranch and the Crabtree family will never be the same again.

Length: 7hrs 34 mins

Narrated by: Matthew Shaw

Cover Design: Dar Albert @ Wicked Smart Design

Audible US

Audible UK

Amazon US

Amazon UK

 

Okay, I will start this review by being completely honest. I didn’t read the ebook initially for this, despite how much I love Eli’s writing, because the cover seemed odd to me. I am definitely a cover person, it draws me, and this one, this one did not do it for me. However, when I got the chance to listen to the audiobook, I went for it, because I liked the premise of the book, and I’ve always loved historical novels.

This one has Robby seeing a murder, and traveling all the way to the Wild West to escape the men following him. Once he assumes the identity of a mail order bride who left the coach when she found “the man of her dreams”, he ends up in Flat Bottom, New Mexico. There he meets his “intended” husband’s family, and the real man of his dreams, Trace.

I ended up skimming a bit in the initial chapters, as I got the gist of what was happening and where the story was headed. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the book, and thought I might stop several chapters in. Then somehow the story ramped up and I was glued to it, wanting to see what was happening in the story. I wanted to know how two men in the mid 1800’s were able to “find each other”, as well as how Trace’s family ended up with the bruises they did (hilarious story!), and how a family like that could be redeemed. The author did it for me, without question.

I found myself laughing along with Robby’s manipulations of Trace’s father who “paid $200” for Rowena, as well as his complaints about the trappings of women’s clothing. Robby was such a refreshing character, and brought life into the Crabtree household where until then there wasn’t anything but a gray day after day. Meanwhile the killers were closing in, about to take Robby back to their boss to deal with appropriately. What a great ending to that portion of the storyline. I could see that in my head, as if it was a movie.

The narrator was new to me, and did a good job of keeping the character’s voices distinct, and adding accents where appropriate. He even kept Robby and “Rowena”‘s voices separate.

I loved how Tracy and Robby got their HEA, it was exactly how I would have envisioned Robby’s HEA. I’m not sure I had a vision of how Trace would keep himself busy, but it worked out so well, and made me laugh. 🙂

Story: 3.5 pieces of eye candy

Narration: 3 pieces of eye candy

 

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particulary admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include “Blame it on the Mistletoe”, “Unwrapping Hank” and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles”. Her “Howl at the Moon” series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

In 2018 Eli hopes to do more of the same, assuming they reschedule the apocalypse.

Her website is www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ***

Promises by Ruby Moone: Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

Captain Charles Hawkins has returned from the Napoleonic wars desperate for solitude. When the man who saved his life asks a favour, he feels honour bound to agree, but the request fills him with horror.

Sebastian Farrah knows the only useful thing he can do with his life is join Wellington’s army. He has tried everything else and failed. He agrees to his brother’s ridiculous request to spend a month in the country because it is the only way his brother will agree to purchase him a commission.

Charles and Sebastian clash but quickly form a bond that deepens into much more. However, they are running out of time. Charles begs Sebastian to stay, but Sebastian knows to do so he will be forced to reveal what it is that stopped him from succeeding in everything. The shameful secret he carries from the schoolroom.

Length: 32,000 words approx.

Publisher: JMS Books

Amazon

JMS Books

 

Another week passed, and Farrah had become an integral part of the household. He was everywhere. Working in the garden, eating with him, accompanying him when he left the house to tour around the estate, working with him with the shipping company, although he was still curiously resistant about that. Charles watched him apply himself to his evening meal with gusto. The man ate like a horse but hadn’t a spare inch on his frame. All the physical work meant that he had arrived in reasonable shape for someone who did nothing but gamble and drink, but now, now he was bursting with good health, humour, and a physique that made Charles want to weep with envy as he thought about his own skeletal frame. There was a warmth to his companionship that made getting up in a morning easier. He realised just how much he was enjoying having him in the house. As they talked, he hoped that he was helping Farrah to see that there were options open to him that didn’t involve him risking his life on the continent. To see that there were a whole host of things that he was good at. Farrah’s comment about the army being all he was good for had stayed with him and it surprised him how annoyed it made him that his family had allowed him to feel that way, and constantly surprised that Farrah seemed to believe it.

Coulson arrived with the tea tray and Charles smiled as he realised Farrah had lost that slightly frantic look he’d had on realising there was no port or brandy on his arrival. When Coulson had retreated, Charles raised his cup in a toast.

“Congratulations on another sterling week Mr Farrah.”

Farrah laughed and raised his cup in response. “Congratulations on putting up with me for another week. You deserve a medal, Captain Hawkins.”

“Nonsense. No medals required.”

Farrah tilted his head on one side and observed him. “You really are the best of men. I know I’m not easy to have around. Too loud, too … much.” He laughed again.

And there he went again. He really seemed to believe that his company would not be valued. That he would be some sort of burden. Charles was stunned when he realised that in that moment he wanted nothing more than to take him in his arms and tell him in no uncertain terms that having him in the house was no hardship, and not only that, he discovered he wanted to hunt down the people who had told him that he was a burden, or a nuisance, and hurt them. It was a disconcerting.

He had to fight to retain his composure and answer in kind. “Piffle. You’ve brightened the place up no end. Once you’d sobered up, that is.” He kept his tone light, but his heart was thumping.

“Really?”

For a big, handsome, seemingly confident man sometimes there was a hint of such wistfulness about him, and it was there full force in that softly spoken word. It was filled with such fragile hope it hurt something inside Charles.

“Really.” Charles spoke softly and something in Farrah brightened. “Now, stop fishing for compliments and tell me what the plan for tomorrow is.” He had to resume his usual brisk tone because if he didn’t, he would have … Charles’ heart stopped in his chest. Oh God. Oh God.

He wanted to kiss him.

Charles is a war veteran and while he was saved by fellow officer Edward, most of the men under him perished. Charles owes Edward a lot and feels compelled to do him a favor even though it makes him exceedingly uncomfortable: put Edward’s wastrel younger brother up for a month at his country home. Edward hopes the time spent with upstanding Charles will help straighten out his brother, Sebastian, while dissuading him from wanting to join the army.

Sebastian has spent his life not succeeding in anything he tries: school, the clergy, business. Instead he spends his time drinking, gambling and generally wasting away. But now he’s decided the thing for him is to join that army, something his brother is adamantly opposed to after losing two other brothers in the war. Sebastian agrees to spend a month with a friend of his brother and if he can go a whole 30 days without making a nuisance of himself, his father will purchase him a commission.

This was a story where the two MCs have issues that hurt my heart. Charles suffers from PTSD and survivors guilty and prefers to spend his life as a recluse. If you don’t care about people,  they can’t hurt you. Sebastian has been told his whole life what a mess he makes of everything, and we learn eventually (spoiler, though you can kind of guess this) he has dyslexia and never learned to read properly. Charles and Sebastian get off on a wrong foot initially, but they quickly form a bond and something more. I love when the MCs help the other recover from childhood and adult hurts as no other person can. I want to hug Sebastian for all the rejection he went through his whole life because no one understood that he wasn’t stupid, he needed special help learning to read. It’s so interesting to me to see historicals address what we today label PTSD and how it was thought of and dealt with in the past. My guess is not very well and it was widely misunderstood and for that Charles gets a hug from me, too.

I love historicals. This was a lovely read with secondary characters I wouldn’t mind seeing more of. I did think it was a little farfetched that one MC would be so open about his preference for other men to near strangers, but I was able to overlook it and overall, I liked it.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

 

August 25 – My Fiction Nook, Xtreme Delusions, August 27 – Two Chicks Obsessed, August 29 – Making It Happen, August 31 – Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, September 3 – Mirrigold, Sexy Erotic Xciting, Valerie Ullmer, Bayou Book Junkie, Lillian Francis

 

My name is Ruby Moone and I love books. All kinds of books. My weakness is for romance, and that can be any kind, but I am particularly fond of historical and paranormal. I decided to write gay romance after reading some fantastic books and falling in love with the genre, so am really thrilled to have my work published here. The day job takes up a lot of my time, but every other spare moment finds me writing or reading. I live in the north west of England with my husband who thinks that I live in two worlds. The real world and in the world in my head…he probably has a point!

Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/RubyMoone/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter – @RubyMooneWriter

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rubymoone/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

*** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ***

Rocking the Cowboy by Skylar M. Cates: Exclusive Guest Post and Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

Opposites who go together like country and rock ’n’ roll.

Long before he was a superstar, Remy Sean had a secret crush on Jed Riley. But Jed sees Remy as a spoiled pop rocker and an extension of his father’s control. Still, Jed is willing to let Remy hide from the press on his ranch—but only as a way to get his father out of his life and business for good.

Used to being admired and fawned over, Remy keenly feels the sting of Jed’s dismissal. Can he make Jed see him as more than a pain in the ass? Or is Jed too tangled up in his ranch to see past his old hurt?

Jed doesn’t believe someone desired by so many fans could want him, a simple cowboy. But Remy is determined to change Jed’s mind and steal his heart….

Title: Rocking the Cowboy
Author: Skylar M. Cates
Release Date: August 21, 2018
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 222

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Hello! Skylar, here. Thanks for hosting me!

I’m excited to share my thoughts on cowboys, my writing news, and a giveaway for you. I’m thrilled about the August release of Rocking the Cowboy. Who said a pop star and a cowboy can’t find HEA? Not me! I love Jed and Remy for their chemistry together as well as their generous hearts.

My writing news:

I’ll be self-publishing a Christmas book in December 2018. It’s about two neighbors who feud over a Christmas lights competition (look for it on Amazon)!

Finally, my newsletter is releasing in late August/early September with some great giveaways and exclusive content. If interested, you can sign up for it here:

http://eepurl.com/cxODzT

Jed and Remy had some swoon worthy moments in Rocking the Cowboy. Remy is a total flirt, but he is vulnerable underneath it, whereas Jed is not used to flirting (or even conversation, lol). Here is an early scene from the book. Enjoy!

He fixed Remy his dessert of grilled pineapple and melted dark chocolate, with fresh whipped cream on top.

Remy groaned. “You’re right. If there is a dessert on earth better, I sure as hell don’t know what it is. Thanks. For bringing me here….”

“Welcome.” Remy could see the curve of Jed’s lips in the firelight.

“Is this a date?” Remy teased with a wink.

Jed looked away. “This is us just getting to know each other.”

“I’m calling it a date. Fuck, I like being out here, and I like sharing this delicious concoction. Man, you could have been a chef.”

Jed shook his head. “No such thing as a bonfire chef.”

“You’d be the first, then. An original.”

“I’m just a rancher. That’s all I am.”

“Why do you keep doing that?” Remy asked.

“Doing what?”

“Dismissing yourself. I’m a simple guy. I’m a rancher. As if those things aren’t valuable, when they are. Don’t sell yourself short. You have a lot to offer the world. You made this whole night possible, and you were really kind about my songwriting thing a minute ago.”

“Anybody would do that—”

“No, they wouldn’t. People aren’t always kind. They’re assholes mostly. And I think you’re a lot more than you let on.”

Jed’s eyes met his. The soft expression suddenly made Remy uncomfortable before Jed looked away, a slight flush on his cheeks.

I want him.

God, how Remy did. He was drowning in all the want. He wanted Jed to pin him down, climb on top of him, and kiss him senseless.

Jed stood up and brushed off some dirt. “We should go back. It’s getting late.”

“Sure.” Remy couldn’t read him. Just a second ago, he had been sure that Jed was about to kiss him…. Fuck, maybe he was wrong. He was a mess these days. Was he only seeing what he wanted?

SOME THOUGHTS ON COWBOYS

These two men were a ton of fun to write, especially Jed. I love cowboys. Maybe it’s because I spent my childhood on the Jersey Shore, where cowboys were a total mystery, but I always found cowboys sexy.

In my twenties, I moved out to Arizona, and I frequented the cowboy bars. Those guys, however, were more like city wannabe-cowboys. When I created Jed in Rocking the Cowboy, I wanted my guy to truly love his land, animals, and the quiet. A loud city would never be for Jed.

Some of my favorite cowboy crushes have been from the movies or television. Here are four movies at the top of my list:

 

  1. Legends of the Fall

Besides the beautiful scenery of Brad Pitt, this film also boasted beautiful scenery of the river.  It is the saga of three brothers. My favorite part was actually Aiden Quinn’s storyline because he was so sad and unable to get the girl.

 

  1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

I loved this film so hard! A young Paul Newman and Robert Redford? Swoon! In the film, the two leads go on the run. Along the way, they share their fears and dreams. It’s a total bromance. The girl? What girl?

 

  1. Giant

If you never saw this saga about Texas oilmen, rent it. James Dean is so tortured, you want to cry for him even as he does all the wrong actions, and Rock Hudson is stunning and very alpha. My favorite scene, however, is when Rock’s character finally changes his world view and defends his grandbaby. It always makes me cry and gives me hope that we can all change and grow.

 

  1. Brokeback Mountain:

Do I really need to explain it? Heath and Jake = perfection

Who doesn’t love a good opposites attract romance? This one fits the bill nicely, with a cowboy who spends his time on his ranch, not seeing anyone else for days, and a rock star who is beloved by people young and old.

As Remy finally has to give in and allow himself to overcome the trauma he suffered while touring, he returns to a positive place from his teenage years, one that got him through a different painful period in his past. Meanwhile, Jed’s reasons for allowing Remy to stay at the ranch are convoluted to say the least, but come back to “Daddy issues”. Jed’s father abandoned his family which led to a huge hole in his life, and layers and layers of anger.

However, what I really loved about the story is it wasn’t a huge part of their romance or falling in love. Yes, Buddy is who brought them together (both times as it happens), but it just isn’t part of their day to day life on the ranch. They learn to love each other outside the trappings of the wealth and circumstance of Remy, and the strong personality and angst that Buddy brings into Jed’s life.

They were opposites who found that they wanted many of the same things in life, and discovered how to work their way to their HEA, with passion as well as compassion. Both Jed and Remy showed such compassion for others, but especially for each other. Both had to live with traumas that changed their lives, and finding what the right path for that was, wasn’t each. Yet they walked through that together.

A good solid HEA, and a low angst book. Recommended.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Skylar M. Cates loves a good romance, especially ones that are both steamy and emotionally satisfying. She is quite happy to drink coffee, curl up with a good book, and not move all day. Her best-selling novels feature strong, passionate men. Skylar loves to craft stories where realistic men are challenged with emotional situations. Skylar’s character-driven series will often feature close-knit families, animals, and loyal friendships being tested.

Skylar dreams about spending her days writing novels, walking along the beach, and listening to good live music. She also dreams of eating dessert without weight gain and robots cleaning her house. But she knows she can’t have it all… yet. Although lately the laundry room is the farthest place she has visited, Skylar still loves to chat with people from all around the globe.

 What is your favorite cowboy from a movie or from a television show? One lucky commenter will get a $15 dollar credit at Dreamspinner.