Jay Northcote

12 Days of Kissmas: Jay Northcote : Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

December 15, 2016 by Denise

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TCO is so excited to bring you 12 Days of Kissmas. We have 12 of your favorite authors ahead over the coming days, bringing you beautiful pictures of men kissing that the authors have chosen themselves, along with exclusive posts, excerpts, and giveaways. The idea sprang from a conversation with an author that just turned into a “what if…”, and when I started asking a few authors, they immediately said they were in. Make sure you enter the giveaways, as there are lots of them! Thanks for stopping by, and a HUGE thank you to all the authors for their generosity, and loving spirit. Happy Holidays to everyone!

Guest Post

I’m very happy to be here today to share an excerpt from my recent release, A Family for Christmas, and offer a giveaway of an eBook copy of one of my holiday stories (see below).

This photo made me think of the two guys in A Family for Christmas, who share a kiss under the mistletoe in front of Rudy’s family. The only downside is that at that point of the story, they’re not actually boyfriends—even though Rudy wishes they were.

Affectionate young gay couple kissing together while sitting at their kitchen table in the morning

excerpt

Once the kitchen was neat, they took their drinks and went to join the others. As Zac and Rudy passed under the archway, Natalie clapped her hands. “Give him a kiss, Rudy. It’s bad luck if you don’t.”

Rudy froze. He looked up at the mistletoe, then back at his sister, who had her hands on her hips. “It’s not bad luck if you don’t kiss under mistletoe. You’re making it up.”

“Whatever. It’s tradition. Don’t be a spoilsport.”

“Yeah, come on, Rudy,” Zac said lightly. “Anyone would think you don’t want to kiss me.”

Rudy stared into Zac’s brown eyes and swallowed. He wanted to kiss him so badly, but he’d rather do it without all his siblings watching. But there was no way he could decline now. Stepping closer, he leaned in, planning on giving Zac a quick peck. But as their lips met, Zac brought his hand up and curled it around Rudy’s nape. The kiss was still chaste, but it was soft and sweet too. Zac held Rudy, keeping him there for a few endless seconds, while Rudy’s heart fluttered against his ribs like a panicked bird. When Zac let him go, Rudy was sure his cheeks were as scarlet as the ribbon around the mistletoe.

buy now

If that whet your appetite for more, you can buy A Family For Christmas at Amazon, or read it with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Universal Amazon link

afamilyforchristmas

synopsis

Zac never had a family of his own, but Rudy has enough to share.

Shy, inexperienced Rudy has a crush on Zac from the moment his new colleague walks through the door. On an office night out before Christmas, Rudy finds the courage to make a move, and they form a tentative bond. When he discovers Zac will be alone at Christmas, he invites Zac to come home with him.

Zac prefers to keep people at arm’s length. Yet when Rudy offers him a family Christmas it’s impossible to resist. With no parents of his own, Zac is pleasantly surprised to be welcomed by Rudy’s. The only drawback is that everyone assumes they’re a couple. Unwilling to disappoint Rudy’s mum and make Christmas awkward, they decide not to deny it.

It’s not a chore for Zac to pose as Rudy’s boyfriend, but the pretence makes him want things that scare him—things like a real relationship with Rudy. Zac’s suffered enough rejection in his life already and is afraid to risk his heart. If he can get over his past rejection and let Rudy inside his armour, he might get more for Christmas than he ever imagined.

giveaway

I’m giving away an eBook copy of any one of my three Christmas novella, the winner can choose which title out of: Cold Feet, What Happens at Christmas, and A Family for Christmas. Just comment on the blog post telling us what your favorite Christmas movie is.

giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

meet the author

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.

Practice Makes Perfect by Jay Northcote: Release Day Review and Excerpt

June 22, 2016 by Denise

Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.

Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to-do list, but what starts as a perfect no-strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

Title: Practice Makes Perfect

Author: Jay Northcote

Publisher: Jaybird Press (self published)

Length: 54,000 words

Genre: Contemporary gay romance

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Release Date: Wednesday 22nd June 2016

Series info: #3 in the Housemates Series but it may be read as a standalone

Sitting on his bed, Dev yawned, his full stomach making him sleepy. He stared at his phone as he contemplated calling home but decided he couldn’t face it tonight. He loved his mum, but she did tend to bang on. Once she got him on the line, she’d end up talking for ages and asking him a million questions he was too tired to answer. Instead, he sent his mum a quick text.

All moved in, everything’s good. I’m shattered now so I’m going to have an early night. I’ll call you tomorrow.

She replied within seconds as though she’d been waiting for him to call.

Okay sweetie, glad you’re settled. Sleep well xxx

He picked up his notepad and crossed off phone home. Texting counted. He also crossed off everything else on his list for today. That was Saturday done.

Dev set his notepad aside, opened his laptop, and pulled up his lists app. He liked his notepad for day-to-day organisation; it gave him a certain satisfaction to cross out the things he’d done and to get to the end of the day with all the tasks completed. But for longer-term planning, he kept his lists on his Mac, synced to his phone.

For the first time in six months, Dev could breathe again. Finally he had a safe place where he could get back on track and look to the future. He began to type.

Things To Do This Term

Make some friends

Learn to cook

Research sex stuff

Join Grindr

Get some experience

Find a boyfriend

He stared at the words on the screen and sighed. That seemed like a lot of things to aim for. But it was good to have goals, right? Jez and Mac seemed really nice, so hopefully Dev was already on his way to achieving the first objective. And that bloke Ewan… Dev’s mind conjured up the image of the flame-haired hunk who lived next door. Ewan had been friendly.

Maybe there was potential there too.

I absolutely adore the Housemates series by Jay Northcote. When I saw the announcement of Practice Makes Perfect, I seriously started bouncing around like a kid in the month of December. I wanted it. Right. Flipping. Now.

Dev is just a bit obsessed with his lists. I’m pretty sure he has a bullet point on his list to make a list, because otherwise he doesn’t get the same sense of satisfaction. There were times this obsession got a bit tiring, but it was still cute.

After seeing one of the worst ever Grindr profiles, Ewan jumps in to basically save Dev. I’m not typically a fan of this motivation, but it was cute. It worked. And I loved how Ewan helped Dev get the experience he wanted without trying to rush him into anything. Again, should’ve been awkward, but it wasn’t.

Overall, Practice Makes Perfect was a great weekend afternoon read. It wasn’t overly angsty, it wasn’t so steamy you’d blush if you read it at the pool or beach. It was just a good, fun read.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Goodreads link

meet the author

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

Imperfect Harmony by Jay Northcote : Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

April 15, 2016 by Denise

Imperfect harmony can still be beautiful…

John Fletcher, a former musician, is stuck in limbo after losing his long-term partner two years ago. He’s shut himself off from everything that reminds him of what he’s lost. When his neighbour persuades him to join the local community choir, John rediscovers his love of music and finds a reason to start living again.

Rhys Callington, the talented and charismatic choir leader, captures John’s attention from the first moment they meet. He appears to be the polar opposite of John: young, vibrant, and full of life. But Rhys has darkness in his own past that is holding him back from following his dreams.

Despite the nineteen-year age gap, the two men grow close and a fragile relationship blossoms. Ghosts of the past and insecurities about the future threaten their newfound happiness. If they’re going to harmonise in life and love as they do in their music, they’ll need to start following the same score.

Author Name: Jay Northcote

Book Name: Imperfect Harmony

Release Date: April 15, 2016

Pages or Words: 66,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Jaybird Press

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Luckily there were still some parking spaces outside the church hall where Maggie’s choir met. John made sure they arrived a little early so Maggie wouldn’t have to walk too far. She was managing well on one crutch, but she still tired easily. After he parked, he got out and hurried around to help her out of the passenger door.

“Thanks, love,” she said, patting him on the arm. “I can manage now.”

A vicious gust of wind whipped a strand of hair into her face. It was dark, still sleeting, and probably slippery underfoot. There was no way John was going to leave until she was safely indoors. “I’ll just see you inside. Let me take your bag.”

Maggie let him have it without argument, and he popped it over his arm. He hovered close to Maggie as she made her way slowly to the double doors. He held one open for her and was hit by a blast of warm air. Then he accompanied her inside as she crutched along the corridor towards an open door. Yellow light flooded out, and the sound of a tenor voice singing “I Can See Clearly Now” raised the hairs on the back of John’s neck with its pure, clear beauty.

“I thought you said the emphasis was on fun rather than perfection?” he said quietly. “He’s got quite a voice.”

“That’ll be Rhys, our choir leader,” Maggie said with a smile. “Come and meet him, even if you’re not staying.”

Maggie paused when she reached the doorway and put a finger to her lips. They listened and waited for Rhys to finish singing. John peered over Maggie’s shoulder, hoping for a glimpse of the man the voice belonged to. Rhys, John presumed, was alone in the room. With his back to the door, he stood at a table pushed to the edge of the room, shuffling through some papers as he sang. All John could see of him was that he was small and slight, and quite young, based on the cut of his clothes. A hood covered his hair.

When he finished, Maggie started clapping.

Rhys wheeled around. “Oh my God! You made me jump.” He pushed his hood down and his face lit up as he beamed. “Maggie. How are you?”

John’s eyes widened as he took in Rhys’s front view as he approached Maggie and gave her a careful hug. His hair, which was shaved at the back and sides, was long on top and dyed peacock blue. His eyebrow was pierced, his arms were covered with tattoos, and the front of his T-shirt was emblazoned with a glittery equals sign in rainbow colours. All in all, he was at least twenty years younger than John had expected and completely unlike how John would have imagined a choir leader to look. In this dingy church hall in their small market town, Rhys looked like a bird of paradise that had accidentally ended up in a cage full of sparrows.

Being a music lover and a fan of Jay Northcote, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Imperfect Harmony. Of course, the icing on the cake was that this is a May/December story, which I also love.

Unfortunately, I was left trying to figure out how I feel about the book. The pacing felt off from what I’ve gotten used to with Jay’s books. The first third of the book felt like too much detail about the music and not enough about John and Rhys. Then, they got together, but that almost felt too easy because I didn’t have a clear picture of what they’d experienced in the past and how that shaped their present. When the book ended, I was happy to see them together, but I still wished there was a clearer picture of why they were going to work.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

Where to find the author:

Tour Dates & Stops:

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

Oh My Shelves, Gay Book Reviews, Man2ManTastic, Andrew Q. Gordon, QUEERcentric Books,

The Hat Party, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Unquietly Me, Bookaholic Confessions,

Full Moon Dreaming, Molly Lolly, Alpha Book Club, My Fiction Nook, Dawn’s Reading Nook,

Velvet Panic, Attention Is Arbitrary, Open Skye Book Reviews, V’s Reads, Multitasking Mommas,

Louise Lyons, Kirsty Loves Books, MM Good Book Reviews, Foxylutely Book Reviews,

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Inked Rainbow Reads, Outrageous Heroes,

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Three Books Over The Rainbow

Win a title from Jay’s backlist, just by leaving a comment here. What appeals to you about this book? 🙂

The Law of Attraction by Jay Northcote : New Release Book Blast, Excerpt and Giveaway

February 5, 2016 by Denise

When a professional relationship turns personal, it’s impossible to resist the law of attraction.

Alec Rowland is a high-flying lawyer in a London firm whose career is his life. He doesn’t have time for relationships and his sexuality is a closely guarded secret. After picking up a cute guy on a Friday night, Alec’s world is rocked to its foundations when his one night stand shows up in the office on Monday morning—as the new temp on his team.

Ed Piper is desperate to prove himself in his new job. The last thing he needs is to be distracted by a crush on his boss. It’s hard to ignore the attraction he feels, even though Alec’s a difficult bastard to work for.

Both men strive to maintain a professional relationship, but tempers fray, passions ignite, and soon they’re both falling hard and fast. If they’re ever going to find a way to be together, Alec needs to be honest about who he really is because Ed won’t go back in the closet for anyone.

Author Name: Jay Northcote

Book Name: The Law of Attraction

Release Date: February 5, 2016

Pages or Words: 62,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Jaybird Press

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

His companion was still watching him, seemingly waiting for him to make his move. Alec felt irrationally irritated. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Even though he only did it occasionally, picking up men was easy for Alec. Buying a drink was more than he usually bothered to do for the twinks he hooked up with when he was in the mood for a warm body to fuck. Alec was well aware of his own attractiveness and used it to his advantage. A crook of a finger, a tilt of his head, or even just a look was usually enough to make them come running.

But this guy didn’t seem to know the rules of the game.

“Strong, silent type, huh?” He suddenly grinned at Alec, all neat white teeth and dimples. “You could start by telling me your name. Mine’s Ed.”

“Alec.” He handed a note to the barman as he came back with their drinks. “Keep the change.”

“Cheers, mate.” The barman winked as he pocketed the tip.

Ed’s eyebrows lifted. “Change from a twenty? You must have money to burn.”

“Something like that.” Alec let his gaze rake deliberately down Ed, examining him from the front this time. His arms were still folded over his chest and his T-shirt had ridden up enough to expose a feathered line of hair on his belly, leading down to a nice-looking package in obscenely tight skinny jeans. “I hope you bottom?”

Ed blinked and choked on his mouthful of rum and Coke. Alec suppressed the urge to grin, enjoying the fact that Ed had momentarily lost his cool.

“I’ve been known to,” Ed replied, rallying. He licked his lips.

“Good.” Alec held his gaze, noting with satisfaction that Ed’s pupils had blown wide and his lips parted as Alec looked at them. God, he had a pretty mouth. Alec lifted his glass and downed his drink. The burn of the whisky tore through him and made his nerves tingle with anticipation. He needed a good fuck; it had been too long. “Drink up, then.”

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

Where to find the author:

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Tara Lain, BFD Book Blog, Bookaholic Confessions, Andrew Q. Gordon, Kirsty Loves Books, The Hat Party, Decadent Delights, Bayou Book Junkie, Happily Ever Chapter, V’s Reads, Gay Book Reviews, KathyMac Reviews, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, Posy Roberts, Alpha Book Club, Open Skye Book Reviews, A.M. Leibowitz, Full Moon Dreaming, Making It Happen, Multitasking Mommas, My Fiction Nook, Inked Rainbow Reads, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Charley Descoteaux, Molly Lolly, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Unquietly Me, Caraway Carter, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Velvet Panic, Nautical Star Books

Jay is offering a copy of one of her backlist books to one commenter to this blog post. We will pick the winner February 12th, and will email the winner. (Can only win one book, no matter how many blogs you comment on) 🙂

What Happens At Christmas by Jay Northcote : Quick Review

December 15, 2015 by Denise

When two friends pose as boyfriends, could what happens at Christmas turn into something more?

Justin is recently and unhappily single. Christmas is coming, and he doesn’t want to face his ex alone at their office party. So Sean—Justin’s best mate and long-time secret crush—volunteers to go with him and pretend to be his new flame.

Sean has always lusted after Justin from afar, but there’s never been a good opportunity to ask him for more than friendship. Posing as Justin’s boyfriend isn’t a chore, and if Justin wants to rebound onto him, Sean’s more than willing. At the party pretence and reality blur, and a kiss on the dance floor leads to a night of passion.

In the aftermath, they both assume it was a one-time thing until fate intervenes. Stuck together in London over the holidays, they give in to temptation again. But what happens at Christmas stays at Christmas… right?

Length: 37,000 words

Amazon

What Happens at Christmas by Jay Northcote combines two of my favorite tropes: friends to lovers and holiday magic. Justin and Sean were both written beautifully. Even though this is a novella, I felt there was plenty of time given to getting to know both characters, as well as explore their feelings for one another.

It would have been so easy for this story to take a turn into a cheesy mess, but the author never went that far. It was a perfect balance between Sean and Justin trying to play their parts in front of Justin’s ex and them trying to decide whether to hide or reveal their own feelings.

Even though it would have been plausible if they had jumped right into the sack, I appreciated that there was a bit of build up to them doing the deed. It made their connection that much stronger and believable.

I’m not typically a fan of novellas because they always leave me feeling like something’s missing, but that was NOT the case this time. I feel confident that Justin and Sean are on their way to a great new life together and will stand the test of time!

This book has already been added to my holiday collection and I can’t wait until next year when I can enjoy it all over again!

5 pieces of Eye Candy

What Happens at Christmas by Jay Northcote : Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

November 19, 2015 by Denise

When two friends pose as boyfriends, could what happens at Christmas turn into something more?

Author Name: Jay Northcote

Book Name: What Happens At Christmas

Release Date: November 19, 2015

Pages or Words: 37,000 words (approximate)

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Jaybird Press

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Justin’s phone chimed with a text, interrupting Sean’s train of thought.

Justin picked up his phone to read the message. “Ugh.” He put the phone back down without typing a reply and ran his hands through his hair.

“What’s up?”

Justin sighed. “It’s our work Christmas party next weekend. I’ve already got a ticket, and nearly everyone in the office goes, but it’s for partners as well. One of my co-workers, Jess, is bugging me to come, but I can’t face it. I bet Andy’s going to bring his new boyfriend. I know he’s a shit and I shouldn’t let him get to me, but the thought of him parading around with my replacement, and me being there on my own, isn’t very appealing.”

“Is it too late to find someone to take?” Banner300x250

“No, they don’t need final numbers till Monday.”

“Well, then. Take someone else and flirt like crazy in front of him. Show him you can do better and that you’ve already moved on.”

“But I’m not ready to date. It’s only been two weeks, and I’m still at the feeling-sorry-for-myself stage.”

“I’ll go with you,” Sean offered. “I could be your date. We could pretend we’ve got together and are a couple now.”

“Yeah?” Justin looked thoughtful. “Are you sure?”

Duh. It would hardly be much of a sacrifice to flirt with Justin all night. It would actually be a relief not to have to hide the way he felt for a change.

“Sure,” Sean replied. “I think I can manage to fake that I’m arse-over-tit infatuated with you. As long as it’s only for a few hours.”

“Gee, thanks.” Justin rolled his eyes. “You really know how to make an already-wounded ego feel better. But if you’re up for it, we should totally do it. Andy was always jealous of you before you went away. He saw you as competition because we lived together and were so close. I’d love to see his face when I walk in with you on my arm. I think he’ll hate it even if he’s moved on.”

“Okay.” Sean rubbed his hands together, excited at the prospect of getting to piss off Andy. “Let’s do it! Text your friend Jess back and tell her you’re in—with a hot date.”