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Squared Away by Annabeth Albert: Exclusive Author Guest Post, Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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In the wake of tragedy, SEAL Mark Whitley rushed stateside to act as guardian to his sister’s three young children. But a conflicting will could give custody to someone else—someone Mark remembers as a too young, too hot, wild party boy. Even after six years, Mark can’t shake the memory of his close encounter with Isaiah James, or face up to what it says about his own sexuality.

Isaiah’s totally over the crush that made him proposition Mark all those years ago. In fact, he’s done with crushing on the wrong men altogether. For now, he’s throwing himself into proving he’s the best person to care for his cousin’s kids. But there’s no denying there’s something sexy about a big, tough military man with a baby in his arms.

As the legal details get sorted out, their long-buried attraction resurfaces, leading to intimate evenings after the kids are tucked in. A forever future is within reach for all of them, if only Mark can find the courage he needs to trust Isaiah with his secrets—and his heart.

 

When a SEAL medic inherits three young children, he must battle to keep the family together and keep his long-held feelings for the man challenging him for custody at bay.

Squared Away

Series: Out of Uniform #5

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date (Print & Ebook): April 16. Print, ebook, and audio all available.

Length (Print & Ebook): 80,000 words

Subgenre: m/m military romance

Includes: military romance, insta-family, hurt/comfort, angst, interracial, heroes-with-kids, gay romance, demisexual/gray ace hero, first time, loss, reunion, forced proximity

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Greetings! I’m so excited to be here today, talking about SQUARED AWAY, the latest book in my out of uniform series. One of the heroes, Isaiah, shows up as a minor character in AT ATTENTION as a new friend for Dylan, the AT ATTENTION hero. Isaiah intrigued me from the start and when he insisted on reappearing in WHEELS UP in a minor role for a scene, I knew he was getting a book.

He demanded Mark “Wizard” Whitley who appeared in ON POINT as a medic. Isaiah has had a crush on Mark ever since Mark’s sister married Isaiah’s beloved cousin. He really believed that they shared a special connection, but Mark gently turned him down, and now years have gone by and Isaiah’s tried to push his crush aside.

But when tragedy throws him and Mark together to raise three young children, old feelings come rising to the surface. Isaiah’s deep feelings for Mark are contrasted with his fun-loving personality. He’s great with the kids because he loves playing around, dancing, and inventing games. He’s learning skills like cooking as he goes along, and he does a really admirable job coping with the tragedy.

Isaiah is something of a hedonist—he loves long baths, massages, and finding ways to share pleasure. He’s good at taking pleasure in the small things in life too. His big ambition is to run his own landscaping business, and he takes particular pride in designing gardens for families. Something of a party boy when he was younger, Isaiah is coming to see how much of a homebody side he really has—he loves movies, dinners in, and sneaking cuddles on the couch.

His story was one of my very favorites to write, and I can’t wait for you to meet Isaiah in SQUARED AWAY! Enjoy!

 

What Annabeth Albert has to say about this book in her Out of Uniform series:

“I wanted to write a book about the nature of family and how loss and tragedy can shape family, mold it into something stronger, force growth and change. I’m enormously proud of SQUARED AWAY as a result because how I fell in love with this little family.”

“When Wizard first appeared in ON POINT as a secondary character, I was intrigued by him, but it wasn’t until I let myself get into his head that I really saw how complicated he was. I feel honored and privileged to have been able to tell his story.”

“No book gets written in a vacuum and this one is no different. I owe a huge debt on this book to my sensitivity readers who really encouraged me to dig deep.”

Mark and Isaiah…Mark’s sister married Isaiah’s cousin, and thus a crush is born.

At their wedding several years ago, Isaiah saw Mark and wanted him so bad. Unfortuntaely, Mark being a Navy SEAL, and Isaiah being so young, Mark turned him down when Isaiah propositioned him, then spent the next several years avoiding him as best he could. Then, tragedy strikes and they lose the people they had in common, and it’s so hard on both of them. Harder even because they’ve left their three kids behind, with a confusing will and neither know what to do about it, but both of them want the kids. Have I mentioned, ever how big of a sucker I am for hot guys with cute kids? I mean come on! Who doesn’t love that?!?!

Isaiah may have been a party boy and may have been flighty and irresponsible before, but with those kids…he’s fierce and protective and they all love each other so much. He would’ve went down swinging for them for sure. Unfortunately, Mark had been deployed and busy with his own life, so he didn’t have a relationship with them, but wanted to, now that he could. He couldn’t do it without Isaiah though, he was the one holding them all together.

Now, there were terms I had to look up, because I didn’t understand what gray ace was, or demisexual, there are so many different labels, I had to look them up. I wonder how many people struggle with that? Thinking that there’s something wrong with them and not knowing what…Or feeling broken somehow and not knowing that there are other people out there with the same preferences.  I loved that this story used that. I was ignorant to it before and I like learning new things, so… thanks for that!

There were times I wanted to shake Mark and wonder how in the world he didn’t know that some of the things he was doing, could and probably would hurt Isaiah, because in my opinion…Isaiah was so much more patient and understanding than I would’ve been. Not about Mark coming out, but just about everything. Mark was kind of lost, and trying to find his way with this new “relationship”, not only romantically, but as uncles who were raising 3 children and trying to the best they could with that they had. A lot fell on Isaiah, and it had to be a lot of strain on him…I admired him for keeping it together and wanting to do what was right for the babies, even when he was hurting so bad, with everything that was getting thrown at him, left and right. I was rooting for both of them, but I had such a soft spot in my heart for Isaiah.

I also loved seeing the other guys from this series, and seeing how they took Mark’s back when he needed them, even though it took him forever to let his guard down and trust them to have it. Tackling same sex marriages in the military at all is tricky business, so I love reading stories where it’s accepted and even celebrated, even if only in small ways. One of these days we’ll get to a place where it won’t be a thing we even have to differientiate. Fingers crossed.

Until then, I’ll keep reading and loving these stories, and I thought this one was an excellent addition.

4 pieces of eye candy from me!

To his surprise, Mark didn’t laugh. Instead, he looked thoughtful. “What if I asked you to?” he said softly.

“To put out?” Isaiah’s throat had never seemed drier.

“We’re sitting here. Talking. Like adults. Just a couple of guys. And I can’t quit thinking about your lips, and I don’t know why.” Mark’s voice had a sleepy, dreamlike quality to it, and Isaiah was fully prepared to wake up any second because he’d been dreaming about Mark saying shit like this for years.

“I do.” Moving slowly as to not bang heads or—more likely—spook Mark, Isaiah moved so that their faces were level, inches apart. “You want to kiss me.”

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.  The #OutOfUniform series joins her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ  romance #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat and #PerfectHarmony series. To find out what she’s working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: www.annabethalbert.com or connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter.  In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two active children.

Connect with Annabeth:

Twitter | Facebook  | Facebook Group | Newsletter | Instagram | Website

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After Hours by Emjay Haze: Exclusive Author Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

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Alex Michaels is a successful manager for a Wall-Street financial firm and lives in a beautiful hi-rise apartment overlooking Central Park. Anyone looking in from the outside would say Alex has it made, especially his working-class parents who wanted more for their only son.

Nick is working his way through graduate school with dreams of becoming a teacher so he can help kids like himself. With his parents cutting him off and leaving him with nothing but a student apartment and low self-esteem, he’s determined to make something of himself in spite of them.

Even Nick’s club friends think Alex is too good for him, but Alex keeps showing Nick how worthy he is. Alex learns a lot from Nick, too—how not to give up on his dreams.

Title:  After Hours

Series: After Hours, Book One

Author: Emjay Haze

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: April 9, 2018

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 90300

Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, Contemporary,romance,waiter,nightclub,businessman,chef

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Alex has a real knack in the kitchen, and since he’s met Nick, he’s starting to rethink his life as a corporate manager.

Cooking is a big part of this novel, as Alex makes dinner for Nick, and desserts for his neighbor.

So, I’ve decided to share a couple of his recipes. I’ve tried them myself, and let’s just say, Alex is a really good cook 😊.

 

Alex Michael’s Sriracha Pan-Seared Scallops

Have all your ingredients handy, as the scallops only take a few minutes to cook and you don’t want to overcook them or they’ll get tough.

 

Ingredients

1 Pound of sea scallops – Choose nicely shaped sea scallops and tear off the flap of side muscle if still there

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp ghee (clarified butter) If you don’t have this, regular butter is fine, just make sure it doesn’t overheat or it will burn in the pan

White Wine

Sriracha Sauce

Parsley for garnish

 

Instructions

Rinse the scallops in cold water and pat dry.

Season both sides with salt and pepper (I use Himalayan Salt and fresh ground pepper)

Heat skillet (Cast iron is best) to high with the butter and oil

When pan is hot, add the scallops one at a time. Be careful they don’t touch.  You can cook in 2 batches if necessary

Sear for 1 ½ to 2 minutes on each side – You should see a golden crust. Flip carefully

Watch them carefully as smaller scallops will cook quicker

Using tongs, place the scallops on a plate

 

Now, the fun part – deglazing the pan

Pour a generous splash of white wine to the pan drippings. Use your eye for this, it should be saucy.

Add Sriracha sauce to taste (About a ¼ to ½ tsp or so, more if you like it hotter)

Wisk the spicy mixture until all of the scallop drippings are thoroughly mixed together. Add a little more wine and sriracha if necessary, but don’t make it watery.

Remove from heat and pour over the scallops

Sprinkle fresh parsley over the top

 

That’s it! In about 10 minutes, you have perfectly seared scallops. Serve with rice and a vegetable for a meal, or over a bed of greens for an appetizer.

 

The first time Alex goes to Mrs. T’s for his “blind date” with her granddaughter, he brings stuffed mushrooms and makes the ladies swoon, till he sets them straight.

 

Alex’s Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Ingredients

24 whole mushrooms

2 scallions (green onions, minced)

¼ tsp ground thyme

¼ tsp ground oregano

¼ tsp ground marjoram

Dash of pepper

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 package (4 oz) crème cheese

½ pound lump crab meat

¼ tsp of Paprika

2 tbsp Grated Parmesan cheese

 

Directions

Cut off the tops of the mushrooms and spoon out the middle, leaving a deep cap

Mix the next 7 ingredients together and then fold in the crab meat

Fill each cap with the crab mixture

Mix the Paprika with the parmesan cheese

Sprinkle over each filled cap

Bake in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes

Serve Immediately

 

Check out my blog at https://www.mjhauthor.com/blog/ as I add more recipes from Alex Michaels and some other characters who love to cook.

 

Chapter One

“Please come to my office for a minute,” the mid-regional director bellowed, his voice deep with authority, causing Alex to redirect himself from heading to his own office. He followed the older gentleman around the corner and down the long hallway to the executive suites. He’d hoped to be there one day himself but had a long claw to go. Yes, claw. That’s how you got ahead in this place.

Alex had been a manager at the Manhattan financial advising firm for the last four years, having been promoted from sales where he’d landed out of grad school. They called it middle management for a reason. You were stuck right in the center, with twenty employees always needing your attention, and upper management wanting a little more blood. It was exhausting.

He shouldn’t really complain. His job paid the bills for a very nice Manhattan apartment three blocks from Central Park with a gorgeous view of the city. He’d become what his parents had dreamed for him, in every way. Robert and Martha Michaels lived on the outskirts of St. Louis. They both had decent jobs, but a lack of college education had kept them from the “good life,” as they called it, and they wanted more for their only son.

“Come in, Alex.” Mr. Kensington motioned for Alex to enter his spacious corner office with the big windows, which overlooked the New York skyline. It was breathtaking, and a little intimidating.

“Thank you, Mr. Kensington.”

“I think it’s time you called me Mitchell.” Mr. Kensington flashed him a wide grin. Alex wondered if his friends called him Mitch. He glanced at the distinguished gray-haired gentleman with the thousand-dollar suit. Mitchell it is.

“Thank you, M—Mitchell.”

“Have a seat, Alex.” His smile disappeared. He was all business.

Alex took a deep breath and sat in the leather-upholstered chair in front of Mr. Kensington’s mahogany desk. His boss sat behind it in an even larger chair that would have sucked Alex in if he’d tried to sit in it, yet Mr. Kensington sat ramrod straight. Alex couldn’t imagine what this was about as the seconds ticked away. Maybe he was getting fired. He gulped.

“Alex, I value your work here at the firm.”

“Thank you, sir.” A bead of sweat formed at the base of his hairline.

Mr. Kensington glared at him, knitting his eyebrows together.

“Mitchell,” Alex squeaked. That would take some getting used to.

Mr. Kensington stood up, appearing even more intimidating as Alex craned his neck to meet his gaze. “Due to business booming, we’re expanding the operation, Alex, and I’d like you to be a part of a new division.”

Alex’s eyes grew wide. Did this mean a promotion? Was he finally getting an executive position? He sat straighter, waiting for the man to make his point.

“As you know, middle manager is the most important position in this firm,” Mr. Kensington said, pacing back and forth in front of Alex. “You have responsibilities on both ends. It’s not easy finding someone who fits so well in that position, with the respect of both upper management and his employees.”

Where the heck was this heading? It didn’t sound like a promotion.

“And you are a good manager, Alex,” he continued. “Your troops like you, and they’re productive. That’s a huge accomplishment for anyone.”

“Thank you, s—Mitchell.” Alex took a deep breath, waiting for him to get to his fucking point.

Mr. Kensington came around his desk and walked behind Alex. Stopping, he placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “I am appointing you manager of the new Celebrities account division, so you will be taking some of the most important accounts this company currently has, as well as acquiring new ones. You will report to the new divisional director, Karl Morrison, from our west coast branch.”

Karl Morrison, who the fuck was that? Another middle manager getting his big promotion? Alex seethed, but kept it cool on the outside. “What does this mean for me, sir?” He tried smiling, but it came out as more of a sneer with his teeth clenched. Fortunately, Mr. Kensington was still behind him.

“A ten thousand dollar a year increase and larger staff,” Mr. Kensington said as he slithered back behind his desk. “You will manage our most prestigious division, Alex.”

As a middle manager and not an executive. He worked up a more believable smile. “Thank you, s—Mitchell.”

Mr. Kensington nodded. “You deserve it, son. Karl will arrive later this month, so you have some time to wrap up your current accounts. You will also choose staff to bring with you—oh, and please see Human Resources for your requirements for the new positions.”

So, I do the work and Mr. Karl Morrison swoops in next month and gets what should be my corner office. “I won’t let you down, sir.”

He smiled and nodded, as if to say I know you won’t. “Oh, and Barbara will order business cards with your new title.” Mitchell sat down behind his desk again.

“New title?” Did I miss something?

“Senior Manager. Congratulations, Alex.”

Alex faked a smile. “Thank you, sir.” It was still middle management. He should be ecstatic. Mr. Kensington could have passed on him completely. So, why did he feel like punching him in the face?

Mr. Kensington dismissed him by standing up and motioning to the door. Alex also stood and shook his hand, thanking him once more and attempting a more believable smile. At least it was more money, and it might be interesting work at that. He wondered if this was the success his parents intended for him when they made him quit culinary school at the end of his first year and go to a real college for a business degree. Stuck in middle management for the rest of his life. God, he sounded pathetic—and ungrateful.

Alex walked back to his windowless office and sighed as he sat down on the much smaller and less comfortable fabric chair at his plain oak desk. Would he ever get a nice chair like Mr. Kensington—err, Mitchell?

The day was almost over, and he couldn’t wait for that clock to strike five. He had nowhere to go, unfortunately, but he liked the quiet after everyone left for the day. No snotty salesman knocking on his door asking for a day off or a better commission structure. No director buzzing his phone asking where the weekly report was. He put his elbows on his desk and rubbed his fingers through his hair. He usually waited for the cleaning guy who always had a good story to tell. Maybe he should go home, or better, go out and get laid.

As if the gods had heard him, there was a rap on the door and his beautiful secretary, Belinda, peeked her head in. “Hey, boss. A few of us girls are going out tonight to a club and thought you might join us.”

Alex pictured an overcrowded dance club where horny straight guys hit on his coworkers while he sat and brooded over his gin and tonic or something that said straight-boy. “Uh, no, thanks, Belinda. You guys have a great time, though.”

“Oh, no,” she said, walking into his office. “We picked this club for you.” She shook her finger at him and winked.

“You’re going to a gay club for me?” He raised an eyebrow. He had never hidden his sexuality from his assistant.

“No, silly. We wanted to go anyway, but honestly, it’s better if we take a gay man with us.” She froze. “Yeah, that didn’t come out quite right.” She straightened her skirt and regrouped, apparently searching for her next words. “We want you to come with us. You’ll have a great time, I promise.”

Alex chuckled, shaking his head. “Might be exactly what I need. I’m in.”

“Good. You work too hard. Maybe you’ll meet a nice man—and get lucky.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

Belinda had worked for Alex ever since he moved to management. She was in her early thirties, single, and she had a lot of friends at the firm. The tall, fiery redhead had long, wavy hair and big blue eyes, and was well-endowed in all the areas that straight men found attractive. Alex thought she liked working for him mainly because he didn’t undress her with his eyes every time she walked into the room. She’d practically told him that one night as she was heading out and one of the supervisors was leaving Alex’s office. He’d given her a creepy once-over as he passed her. She’d rolled her eyes and entered Alex’s office, shutting the door behind her. Then she’d spilled her troubles.

Alex was empathetic, and she’d thanked him for treating her like a human. They’d become friends after that, but never took it outside the office. It might be fun having a night out with the girls. He didn’t want to do anything that would have them all talking about him at the watercooler the next morning, though. That shit could get around quickly. No, he’d have to keep it PG. Still, it would be nice to get out and watch cute boys on the dance floor, even if they were only dancing with his friends. He hadn’t done that since college.

Alex shut down his computer and followed Belinda into the elevator. “We’re meeting everyone in the lobby,” she explained as three women Alex recognized but barely knew barreled over to them.

“Alex, this is Hannah from accounting, Jill, Mr. Lawson’s admin, and Barb, you know.”

“Hi, Alex,” Barb said. She was Mr. Kensington’s assistant. “Congratulations on the promotion.” He had spoken with her many times, but never on a personal level.

“What?” Alex hadn’t thought of his move from manager to senior manager as a promotion. “Oh, thanks. I’m thrilled.” He hoped he sounded convincing.

“What’s this?” Belinda hadn’t heard yet, because Alex hadn’t told her. He felt like shit.

“They offered me senior manager with a new division. I found out earlier today before you walked in my office. Sorry, I should have told you.”

“That’s awesome, boss. Does that mean…?”

“You’re coming with me,” he said. “I couldn’t do my job without you, Bels.”

“Oh, thank God. I’d hate having to break in a new boss.” Her tone was flippant, but Alex knew better. She didn’t want to have someone with authority ogling her all day. He stifled a chuckle.

“Well, come on, ladies. I see you’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

He groaned as they chatted excitedly all the way to the parking garage. He hoped he wouldn’t embarrass himself. Why did he think going out with coworkers to a gay club was a good idea?

Alex drove Belinda and Barbara, while the other two followed them in Jill’s car. This way, Belinda explained, if Alex wanted to leave early, or later, then he’d have his own car and the four women could drive back to the office together. He wasn’t planning on taking anyone home tonight. Not with witnesses to discuss it at work the next day.

They pulled up to the curb outside the club. Alex got an immediate case of nerves as he stepped out of his car.

“Look at this place,” Belinda said, following him. “We’re gonna have a blast.”

Emjay Haze is a pen name for a wife, mother, and writer of gay romance. She resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, two teenagers, a new puppy, cat, gecko, and several fish. She always loved writing and fell in love with the genre seven years ago after discovering the world of fanfiction. She went back to school to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing from SNHU where she graduated in April, 2015, with a renewed desire of making her dreams of becoming a published author come true.

She has a wide and diverse work history in the fields of travel, hotel management, high-tech communications, web development, real estate, and the nonprofit health care industry where she has held positions such as travel agent, hotel concierge, web programmer, Realtor, account manager, and many, many others, giving her a varied and unique set of experiences that she draws upon in her stories and characters. Her interests include music and pop culture, and she is an advocate for the LGBT community.

Her stories delve into all types of romantic relationships, regardless of sexuality, with a focus on first times and new encounters in a lighthearted style with a goal to gain a diverse readership and broaden the minds of those who might not normally pick up an LGBTQ romance because it’s more about the person than the sexuality. She’ll take you on a roller-coaster journey, but you’ll always get a happy ending.

Author Links

Website: http://www.mjhauthor.com/emjayhaze

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/emjayhaze

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/emjayhaze

 

Blog Tour

4/12 The Novel Approach

4/13 Love Bytes

4/14 MM Midnight Cafe

4/15 Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

4/16 Two Chicks Obsessed

 

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Guns n’ Boys Series by K.A. Merikan: Exclusive Guest Post with Giveaway

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Guns n’ Boys Series Blog Tour

Book #1 He Is Poison
Book #2 He Is Mine
Book #3 Homicidal Instinct
Book #4 Swamp Blood
Book #5 Chokehold
Book #6 Bloodbath
Book #7 Gilded Agony

Midway through writing the Guns n’ Boys series, our covers have gone through a radical transformation.

When we first published book 1, we thought we found the perfect photo for it. It needed to be dark, to communicate its serious atmosphere and the violence between the characters.

But we didn’t take into account a very important issue–despite these books having so much action and blood, they are romances at the core, and that was what the cover needed to project. So no matter how much we loved the old covers for their style, by the time we got to book 5, we bit the bullet and approached our designer (Natasha Snow) for a big rework of all the covers.

We wanted them to be hot, dark and gritty. So yes, we went full man-chest 😉 When starting out in M/M romance we had big dreams of artsy covers. Kat even drew the first one herself! But as we learned about the market and gained better understanding of what makes an eye-catching cover and how it needs to communicate genre and content at first glance, we needed to change our approach. This is what we came up for the series with Natasha:

Including the latest one:

It features an attractive man, while still communicating the themes of violence, entrapment, and building intrigue.

When the time came to think about the cover for book 8, we knew we needed to keep the series branding and make it somewhat similar in style, but because “Guns n’ Boys: A Breath of Innocence” has much less violence and a sweeter relationship, this is what Natasha came up with for it:

We were delighted to have all this brightness and light after the darkness that always lurks somewhere in Domenico and Seth’s relationship. The bright background will nicely distinguish the books about Mark and Griffith while staying in the same style as the whole Guns n’ Boys series.


To begin your journey with Seth and Domenico you should start here, with Book One: He Is Poison.

— Love like butterfly knives in the stomach. —

Domenico Acerbi. The Villani Family’s best assassin. Ruthless. Vicious. With no patience for weakness.

Seth Villani. The Don’s son. Clueless. Stubborn. In dire need of someone to keep him in line.

Domenico Acerbi grew up ready to give his life for the Family. Ready to follow orders and exceed expectations. A proud man of honor.

The last thing he wants to deal with is training the Don’s son for his future role within the organization. Lazy, annoying, spoiled, and as hot as a Sicilian summer, Seth Villani is no mafia material. But a man who could never become a threat might just be what Domenico needs.

Seth Villani wants nothing to do with the mafia. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get a say when he’s pulled back into the fold. Thrown into a den of serpents otherwise known as the Villani Family, Seth has to find a way to navigate the maze of lies. But when Domenico Acerbi, the most vicious snake of them all, sinks his fangs into Seth, letting go becomes impossible.

If Seth is doomed to follow in his father’s footsteps, he might as well enjoy himself with the most intoxicating man he’s ever met. Maybe he can even fool himself into believing that Domenico isn’t a handsome sociopath who kills for a living.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:

Themes: Enemies to lovers, mafia, homophobia, assassin, organized crime, forced proximity

Genre: Dark, twisted M/M romance / crime thriller

Length: ~110,000 words

WARNING: Adult content. Sizzling hot scenes. If you are easily offended, this book is not for you.
‘Guns n’ Boys’ is a gritty story of extreme violence, offensive language, abuse, and morally ambiguous protagonists. Behind the morbid facade, there is a splash of inappropriate dark humor, and a love story that will crawl under your skin.

K.A. Merikan are a team of writers who try not to suck at adulting, with some success. Always eager to explore the murky waters of the weird and wonderful, K.A. Merikan don’t follow fixed formulas and want each of their books to be a surprise for those who choose to hop on for the ride.

K.A. Merikan have a few sweeter M/M romances as well, but they specialize in the dark, dirty, and dangerous side of M/M, full of bikers, bad boys, mafiosi, and scorching hot romance.

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Comment on the post to win, one person from each stop in the blog tour will win their choice of a backlist ebook from K.A. Merikan.  Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for your chance to win the Grand Tour Prize. (You can enter this one daily for more chances to win!)

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Once Burned L.A. Witt: Spotlight Tour with Giveaway

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​ Captain Mark Thomas’s world has been tossed on its head: A long overdue but still unexpected divorce. A promotion out of left field. Last-second orders to a ship where careers go to die. As the dust settles in his new home, he barely recognizes his life, but he sure recognizes the loneliness creeping in.

Diego Ramírez wants nothing to do with the military or its men. Not after the Navy burned him both literally and figuratively, costing him his career, his health, and ultimately his green card. Now working illegally in an Anchor Point bar, he keeps the military and its personnel at arm’s length.

But after a single moment of eye contact across the bar, Mark and Diego can’t resist each other. As a one-night stand quickly turns into more, Diego knows he’s playing with fire. Now he can stick around and let things with Mark inevitably fall apart, or he can run like hell and wonder what might have been. One way or another, Diego knows he’s about to get burned. Again.

50% of the author’s royalties from this book will be donated to charities supporting US military veterans who have been deported or are at risk of deportation.

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Welcome to Anchor Point!

Nestled on the northern coast of Oregon, this small town is home to Naval Air Station Adams. On base, you’ll find freshly minted Sailors who’ve just graduated boot camp, salty officers counting down till retirement, grounded pilots who’ve landed behind desks, and everyone in between—and they’re all looking for love. Well, not all of them, but that won’t stop love from finding them.

So pull up a barstool, grab a beer, and get ready for some sea stories as these men in uniform—or not—navigate the waters of love and life in the military.

Anchor Point stories can be enjoyed in any order. Hop in wherever you’d like!

 

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

L.A.’s backlist is available on her website, and updates (as well as random thoughts and the odd snarky comment) can be found on her blog or on Twitter (@GallagherWitt).

 

To celebrate the release of Once Burned, L.A. is giving away reader’s choice of two eBooks off of her backlist! (Excludes Once Burned.) Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 14, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Monthly Guest Post: Victoria Sue: Exclusive Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

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It is always a joy to welcome Victoria Sue to TCO. I adore this woman, and every time I see her, I give her a big hug, and maybe harass her about how she says words like “coat”. 🙂 I love this series she has put together, so check out her guest post about Charlie’s Rainbow. I have a feeling this book might need a box of tissues next to you as you read it in one sitting. So grab the preorder so you don’t forget, and its ready for you right away on April 10th!

Eventually being diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder as a child, difficult didn’t even begin to describe the nightmare of Charlie’s life. Escaping the drug-induced limbo he existed in and running from his alcoholic mother and despotic grandfather, he finally finds some peace and a home on Rainbow Key.

Noah is also running, even if he doesn’t realize it, and the guilt he feels over his brother’s suicide chases him no matter where he goes. When he meets and falls for Charlie, he finally thinks he might have the chance to make a home and a future with the adorable man, except he doesn’t realize that the secret that Charlie is hiding is the one thing that he fears the most.

And not even a chance of mending their future can heal the scars of Charlie’s past.

Preorder at Amazon

I guess when I set out to write my Rainbow Key series I was thinking cute, possibly funny, and definitely no dead people.

All the things I thought would be cool to have in my first contemporary series.

I should have known better.

No, it’s okay – no one is dead. You may wish a couple of characters are but that isn’t because they have been shot, stabbed, drowned, blown-up, or disintegrated in a cloud of zombie dust… (note to self – write that down as a plot point.)

I was only ever going to write character A falls in love with character B. True love might not run smoothly but there’s no apocalypse.

Or that was the plan.

And Joshua happened. And Daniel. And because I wanted to play about a little I ended up with an ex-rent boy with zero confidence and a heart as big as he is; plus a too-old, too-mean, too-busy, businessman who needs to get off the merry-go-round before he breaks something…possibly himself.

And they have friends. And… because the urge to mess with my readers took over a little more in the second book we have Charlie.

Charlie has tactile sensitivity. He can’t stand being touched to the point it causes him physical pain. Noah has his own problems. Actually, he gets ditched at the altar and as Charlie puts his fiancé had to be blind, because Noah is every one of Charlie’s boyfriend fantasies wrapped up together.

If he had a fantasy.

Or if he had a boyfriend.

Or if Charlie could cope with being touched.

I know, right?

Rainbow Key – held together by love, family, and sticky-tape.

Joshua’s Rainbow is out now on Amazon.  https://goo.gl/d4W1GM

Charlie’s Rainbow will be out in two weeks (April 10). (Noah’s just trying to persuade him to have their first kiss.)

For all updates, free short stories, competitions and excerpts join Victoria’s Secrets https://www.facebook.com/groups/1182647028418709/

Noah dropped his fork next to his half empty plate and peered at his phone. Seven twenty. Another ten minutes or so and Lindsey would be home from work and he could call her. He’d checked flights and had quite a few to choose from. Matt had brought him dinner an hour ago, but he’d picked at it and couldn’t summon the enthusiasm for anything.

He stood restlessly and went to the window. He was lucky enough his room overlooked the beach, and he gazed at all the empty sand.

Except it wasn’t empty.

Noah took a sharp breath as he stared at what he was seeing. Charlie—even as the sun set his blond hair was visible—stood in shorts and a T-shirt with his feet covered by the waves. Charlie took another step into the water, and all the things about his behavior seemed to coalesce. Panic. He had panicked when Noah had gotten close, to the point he hadn’t even liked shaking hands. His warning about going swimming. Charlie took another step, the waves nearly up to his knees.

He was terrified of water.

Everything he’d learned about Charlie came rushing back, and then it wasn’t Charlie he was seeing walking into the ocean, it was Jacob. His brother. The closest thing to a best friend he would ever have, and never would again.

Because he was dead. Because he had killed himself.

Noah didn’t remember wrenching his bedroom door open or clattering down the stairs. He didn’t remember racing past the pool or the sun beds or even his bare feet hitting the sand. The first time he breathed was when his hands closed around Charlie, who had turned in fear as Noah came crashing through the water towards him.

“What the actual fuck?” Noah screamed as he shook Charlie’s arm, hard.

Charlie opened his mouth, and then he was just there. In his arms. So close, he could breathe him in. His lips close enough to touch his own… and for a second they almost were. Noah groaned his surrender, nearly swallowed the tiny protest from Charlie’s throat, and gathered Charlie’s slim body close. He could smell the salt, almost taste the ocean where it touched his skin, and underneath that the taste that must have been all Charlie. Sweet, and oh so tempting. Noah wrapped his arms tighter and pressed Charlie’s slim body into his.

For a second, Jacob was safe. No… Noah shook himself and gulped air. Charlie. Charlie was safe.

“Noah?” The small question forced its way into his consciousness, and Noah blinked awareness back in. He stared into Charlie’s blue eyes.

“What are you doing?” Noah croaked the question out, not sure if he wanted to. Asking the question meant taking responsibility for whatever answer you got, and he wasn’t sure he wanted the responsibility of another human.

Not when he’d failed so spectacularly last time.

“You—let go.”

The whispered plea finally got Noah’s attention, and his grip eased.

“You’re getting wet,” Charlie commented breathlessly. Noah looked down. The waves were hitting the top of his shorts. Noah released one hand and turned, but he didn’t let go of Charlie until they were both on the sand.

He let his arm drop and slowly their eyes met. He swallowed. “Don’t do that. Whatever it is, nothing’s that bad.”

Charlie’s eyes widened, and his lips parted again as utter astonishment crossed his features at the same time as embarrassment blazed through Noah’s body. Fuck. He turned sharply and took three determined strides back to the hotel. He would pack, get Matt to take him to Sanibel. He would fucking swim if he had to.

Leave a comment about the blog post, and you could win an ebook of any backlist title from Victoria Sue.

Invitation to the Blues by Roan Parrish: RDB, Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

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Eight months ago Jude Lucen fled his partner, his career, and a hospital in Boston after a suicide attempt. Now back in Philadelphia, he feels like a complete failure. Piano has always been his passion and his only escape. Without it, he has nothing. Well, nothing except a pathetic crush on the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen.

Faron Locklear came to Philly looking for a fresh start and has thrown himself into tattooing at Small Change. He’s only met Jude a few times, but something about the red-haired man with the haunted eyes calls to him. Faron is blown away by Jude’s talent. What he isn’t expecting is the electricity he feels the first time they kiss—and the way Jude’s needs in bed speak directly to his own deepest desires.

Jude and Faron fall fast and hard, but Jude has spent a lifetime learning that he can’t be what the people he loves need. So when the opportunity arises to renew his career in Boston, he thinks he has to choose: music, or Faron? Only by taking a huge risk—and finally believing he’s worthy of love just as he is—can he have the chance for both.

The Small Change series is set in the Middle of Somewhere universe and features crossover characters from that series. Each book can be read on its own.

Content warning: This book contains explicit discussion of depression, anxiety, attempted suicide, and feelings of worthlessness.

Invitation to the Blues (Small Change #2)

Publisher: Monster Press

Release Date (Print & Ebook): March 28th, 2018

Length (Print & Ebook): About 81,000 words

Subgenre: Contemporary romance

Content warning: depression, suicide, thoughts of worthlessness, food issues

 

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“Hold this,” Faron murmured into my hair, and handed me the sketchbook. I held it so he could draw with his right hand as his left continued to explore my torso. He sketched our feet, his elegant and high-arched, and mine, bony and slender; his dark, mine pale. And all the while, his fingers sketched other shapes against my skin. He dipped into my navel and ran along my ribs, sending shivers down my spine. When he skimmed a fingertip over my nipple I gasped and tensed against him.

He traced my nipple until it was a hard peak, then squeezed it, and my hips jerked, making the sketchbook jump in my hand. Faron’s breath went rough and he nuzzled into my hair.

My heart was pounding and I knew he could feel it. I squirmed to try and take my shirt off, but I couldn’t quite get it. Faron stripped it off of me and ran sure fingers along my ribs. Then he traced the blue veins visible beneath my skin from my heart to where they disappeared under my waistband.

With my oversized shirt out of the way, the bulge of my erection in my jeans was obvious.

I drew my knee up, resting it against the back of the couch. He slid a hand up the inside of my thigh so slowly I held my breath, but he didn’t touch my hard cock and I shuddered with arousal.

“Jude,” Faron breathed, and I let the sketchbook fall between us as I went for the button on my jeans. I felt like I was made of pounding heart, flushed skin, raging need, and it felt like nothing I’d ever experienced. It didn’t even feel like sex; it felt like desire. It felt like what I knew sex was supposed to feel like but rarely had for me.

This is book 2 in the Small Change series, but being that book 1 is a traditions m/f romance, I didn’t read it. But you absolutely don’t need to read book 1 to read book 2.

I love deep, angsty, character driven stories. And this hit the mark. Jude has battled depression his whole life. Add in a controlling, nasty boyfriend and recovering from a suicide attempt- this is the juicy book I love to read.

Getting depression and anxiety right in a book can be difficult. You can tell when the author either did their research or are sufferers themselves. It comes through in the pages. You can almost feel what Jude is feeling.

Enter Faron. Now, Jude is the center of the story really- but Faron. I could so easily picture him. I loved that both of these characters were not the typical we see in books. Such a refreshing change. Back to Faron. He is a man of few words but the words he uses are powerful. He feels and loves with everything he has. He helps Jude see the man he really is. But he never controls or pushes or makes ultimatums.

Roan Parrish has a way with words. She doesn’t fall back on metaphors we see constantly or descriptions that go on and on. She is succinct, but can paint a beautiful picture.

I really loved these two. I wish the book hadn’t ended because I want more of them

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia, where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.

When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.

Connect with Roan:

website |  newsletter  | twitter | facebook | goodreads |  instagram | pinterest

 

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