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Johnnie by Cardeno C. Audiobook Review, Blog Tour and Giveaway

July 28, 2015 by Denise

Johnnie: Siphon, Book 1

Written by: Cardeno C.
Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
Series: Siphon, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:07-06-15
Publisher: The Romance Authors, LLC

A Premier lion shifter, Hugh Landry dedicates his life to leading the Berk pride with strength and confidence. Hundreds of people depend on Hugh for safety, success, and happiness. And at over a century old, with more power than can be contained in one body, Hugh relies on a Siphon lion shifter to carry his excess force.

When the Siphon endangers himself and therefore the pride, Hugh must pay attention to the man who has been his silent shadow for a decade. What he learns surprises him, but what he feels astounds him even more.

Two lions, each born to serve, rely on one another to survive. After years by each other’s side, they’ll finally realize the depth of their potential, the joy in their passion, and a connection their kind has never known.

Audio Sample:

So, shifters…not normally my thing at all. But when I was asked to review this Audible version of CC’s Johnnie, I thought, why not? It’s CC, and I always love her stuff, so I can try to step outside my box and see whether I can do shifters or not. I have to say, I was more than pleasantly surprised. So much so, that I would really like to see what else this series has in store for us. Although shifters may not be my go to type of book, with CC, I knew that I had a good chance of enjoying it.

What always impresses me with books like this is the imagination it takes to come up with these ideas that in our reality don’t exist. In the case of Johnnie, Hugh is a Premier lion shifter, and his Siphon (who we later come to know as Johnnie) is always near by, holding the extra power that Hugh is not using. I would have never thought of something like that! It made absolute sense, and it gave us a glimpse into why Johnnie felt as he did, watching Hugh for all those years, never speaking, and never being spoken to. Such a lonely life.

I found myself really wanting Johnnie to find his happiness, to see whether he would be able to be seen or not, not just by Hugh, but by the rest of the pride. Hugh meanwhile struggled with being able to care for his pride, and thinking that was all he would have in life, until he SAW Johnnie.

CC always writes a hot story, and this is no exception, as you will see in the opening scene where Hugh is spreading himself around. But hotness wasn’t the only thing I enjoyed. I loved seeing Johnnie gain confidence, and being willing to say how he felt, and speak his mind. He became not just the Siphon for Hugh, but also his confidante, his friend, and his true mate. Their bond was organic, beginning with mistrust, and very little communication, but continuing to expand on that as their confidence in each other’s strengths grew. Finding love was inevitable.

Greg Tremblay, the narrator, did a great job on this book. He gave the characters’ voices life, and used his range very well to give everyone distinct sounds. It did not feel like he was reading it to me, as I can sometimes feel with audiobooks. It truly felt like I was reading the book myself, which to me is the ultimate compliment to the narrator. Hats off to you, Greg!

I hope you will take a chance on this audiobook, or even the ebook version. What a fantastic story, from one of my favorite authors! Definitely want to see what Book 2 has in store. 4.5 pieces of eye candy.

AUDIBLE / AMAZON

Random facts about Greg Tremblay

10 bits of random trivia, with Greg.

1) I actually studied acting in college, along with opera; but got a degree in

Computer Science.

2) My recording booth itself is only 3’ x 5’ x 6’ . . . so when I read MM romance, I

go INTO the closet. Ironic, no?

3) It takes between 5 and 7 hours of total production time with the finished

manuscript to create 1 hour of final audio. Fiction Audio reads at about 9800

words per hour.

4) In addition to voice acting, I have been a Whale Watching guide, a Paramedic,

and a Farrier (shoeing horses)

5) I rarely, if ever, listen to a complete book again once the production is

finished. By the time I am done, I’ve read the book to myself, read it aloud,

and listened to it for editing… and I’m on to the next story.

6) Anguish is the easiest emotion for me to portray, because a well-written

script pulls you in, and it’s a completely one-person emotion – but it’s

draining. I have cried in the booth more than a few times. Comic passages

are the trickiest, because the proper timing and reaction between characters

are essential.

7) I drink an average of 1.5 liters of water per hour, while recording. Average

recording sessions are 2-4 hours long between breaks.

8) As a kid, I lived with my family on a sailboat for a year.

9) My personal record for most distinct voices in a single book is 73

10) Coffee, Dairy and Alcohol are all bad for the voice. . . which means I have to

moderate some of life’s greatest pleasures. (not eliminate tho, I’m not crazy)

Cardeno C. – CC to friends – is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a lot of happiness and a few “awwws” into a reader’s day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno’s stories range from sweet to intense, contemporary to paranormal, long to short, but they always include strong relationships and walks into the happily-ever-after sunset.

Cardeno’s Home, Family, and Mates series have received awards from Love Romances and More Golden Roses, Rainbow Awards, the Goodreads M/M Romance Group, and various reviewers. But even more special to CC are heartfelt reactions from readers, like, “You bring joy and love and make it part of the every day.”

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Their Reason by Jessie G: Trevor Project Fundraiser, Blog Tour, Excerpt and Review

July 27, 2015 by Denise

Their Reason Book Tour Information

Author Name: Jessie G
Book Name: Their Reason
Series: Sizzling Miami, Book 4
Release Date: July 26, 2015
Pages or Words: 24,140 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Gay Romance, Gay Marriage
Publisher: Jessie G Books, Inc
Cover Artist: Andrew Reyna, Dynamic Craft Studios (http://www.dynamiccraftstudios.com)
Exclusively Available at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011PM9CLE)

Instead of a rafflecopter, I have put together a fundraiser for The Trevor Project. All you need to do is donate (at least) $2.99 and then leave a comment on the fundraiser. I’ll take the names from the comments and put them in a virtual picker, then I’ll select 2 winners to each win all four of my paperbacks signed and 2 winners to win all 4 of my ebooks. Well over $100 in prizes for a $2.99 donation.

*Paperback prizes for US residents only. Two winners will be chosen to win all four books each.*

*Ebook prizes for International residents only. Two winners will be chosen to win all four books in .mobi format only as the books are Amazon exclusive.*

Fundraiser link: http://www.classy.org/theirreasonbyjessieg

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Jon Connor and Ian Jones!

When I think about my guys and who I think marriage would mean the most to, I always think about Red. Growing up in foster care and spending his first twenty-five years just trying to survive, the concept of family is a dream he never thought would become a reality. He found a family with Bull, the Connors and our favorite guys in the garage, but marriage would really make him a Connor. Not just the piece of paper, but the vows in front of all their loved ones, the promise of forever…it’s everything Red deserves.

In this sequel novella to For A Reason, we follow Bull and Red through the wonderful and crazy adventure of planning a wedding. From setting a date to saying those two magical words to their surprise Irish honeymoon, we get to see how love has transformed everyone’s favorite couple. And stick around for the outtakes, Red and Bull’s marriage has had quite the impact on all the guys!

Authors Note: 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Trevor Project, the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

Series Note: This book is not a standalone. For A Reason is a must read so you have Bull and Red’s full back story. That said, the sequence of events in this book picks up about five months after Tricking Chase (Devils Pride MC, Book #1) and I do suggest reading them in order. After this book, the two series will move forward separately.

For a second, Bull forgot what he’d been trying to do. All he could think about was what he was going to do when they got back from the courthouse. “I’m anticipating a lot of things. Getting our marriage license today…”

“There’s a three day waiting period, remember?” Red teased.

“Marrying you in two weeks,” Bull continued, refusing to be derailed. “Having all our friends with us when we share our vows, our first kiss as husbands, our first dance as husbands…”

“I can’t dance.” The teasing smile slipped away and Red ducked his head. “I never have and there’s not enough time for me to learn and if my body doesn’t cooperate then I’ll look stupid. I’ll make you look stupid.”

“It’s cooperating just fine now, though, isn’t it?” Bull nudged his head up and pressed a kiss to his wrinkled brow. “Cause we’re dancing, Ian, right here in the bathroom.”

Red’s eyes widened in surprise. “We’re dancing?”

“Well, our bodies are swaying, our feet are moving…yeah, that’s dancing.” Watching the realization sink in and seeing Red’s smile bloom again was everything.

Red leaned in, silently begging for a kiss, before slapping him on the ass. “We have an appointment to get to, but maybe later we can try this again without clothes.”

How do I start this review off? I guess I should do that by telling you how much this book affected me. I found myself reading this on the way back from Rainbow Con, in the window seat of the airplane, next to two older women who didn’t know each other, but found a ton to chat about. Next to them was me, curled into the window, headphones on, crying as I was reading this lovely novella.

Why was I crying? I mean it wasn’t as if there was any doubt that this would be the happy ending that Bull and Red so desperately deserved. I was crying happy tears, as they worked through their plans, worked on getting themselves to a place that would remind them that THEY were the most important things to each other, and was able to see how the other couples (and non-couples) in the series were moving ahead in their relationships.

It was all happy tears, I promise! This wasn’t a long novella, but it was just right to get these two men, who love each other so much, to the place that they longed for so badly. Their connection was palpable, which is definitely one of Jessie G’s strength as a writer. She doesn’t just write situation, she writes connections, and those connections are felt throughout any story you read by this author. By adding in connections between the characters, even on levels not fully aware of by the reader, you can feel the layers underneath, and the importance to the couple (or triad) that the other person has created in their life.

This novella spoke to me as a reader, and someone who really loved Bull and Red’s story the first time I read it, but it also spoke to me as a lover of HEA’s. That is why most of us read romance novels, in any genre, for the HEA. Without it, quite often we feel unfulfilled and unsatisified with the story. That was not the case here, you knew the happy ending was there just waiting for you, along the way, the journey drew you along in that HEA. The bonus in this novella was that you were also drawn along in the other stories that Jessie G has either already written, or still has forthcoming as a story, and there you know there will be another HEA just waiting for you.

Did it give me everything I wanted? Of course not, it’s a novella, there is always more I want. That being said, I know the more is coming, and I am willing to sit back and wait for October 31st (see Family Tree below). 4.5 pieces of eye candy.

Writing has been the elusive, life-long goal that seemed to be getting further away as the years went by. It took 30+ years to achieve, but Jessie’s decided that timing is everything. The world wasn’t ready for m/m romance back then and, now that it is, the girl in the closet has finally found her writing home.

Jessie is a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics, and happily ever after. She’s a lover of strong secondary characters and series filled with families, biological or chosen. All are themes you’ll find throughout her books.

Contact Links:
Website: http://www.jessiegbooks.com
Amazon: amazon.com/author/jessieg
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jessiegbooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieGBooks
Twitter (NSFW 18+): https://twitter.com/JessieGBooks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jessiegbooks
Tumblr (NSFW 18+): http://jessiegbooks.tumblr.com
Google +: google.com/+Jessiegbooksmm
Ello: https://ello.co/jessiegbooks
TSU: https://www.tsu.co/jessiegbooks

Blog Tour Stops
July 27, 2015
multitaskingmommas Book Reviews
Two chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

July 29, 2015
Molly Lolly

July 31, 2015
Amanda C Stone

August 3, 2015
Kathy MacReviews

August 5, 2015
Divine Magazine

August 7, 2015
Prism Book Alliance

August 10, 2015
Carly’s Book Reviews

August 12, 2015
BFD Book Blog

August 14, 2015
Sassy Girl Books

August 17, 2015
3 Chicks After Dark
Vampires, Werewolves, & Fairies, Oh My

August 19, 2015
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

August 21, 2015
MM Good Book Reviews

August 24, 2015
Emotion in Motion
Gay Media Reviews

August 26, 2015
Foxylutely Books
Love Bytes

August 28, 2015
Joyfully Jay
The Novel Approach

Tempting Jordan by Andrea Dalling: Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

July 24, 2015 by Denise

Jordan Callahan is disillusioned about dating since he caught yet another boyfriend cheating. He’s tired of giving his heart to men who only want his body. At his five-year high school reunion, he meets up with old flame Rick Ferguson. Tall, dark, and bisexual, Rick has been his dream guy since sophomore year. But Rick is in the closet and has dated a string of women since high school. If he gives in to the temptation of Rick’s kisses, his lost love could be his future—or just another in a string of men to break his heart.

Rick has tried to live up to other people’s expectations. Everyone in his small home town is waiting for the former captain of the football team to settle down with a nice girl. Well, girls aren’t in the cards for him, and he’s done trying. He wants Jordan, his best friend since first grade. But a relationship with Jordan means coming out—disappointing his family and inviting ridicule from friends. His golden boy reputation will be shattered if he follows his heart to the only love he’s ever wanted.

Author Name: Andrea Dalling

Book Name: Tempting Jordan

Series: Second Chances

Book: Two (Can be read as a standalone)

Release Date: July 20, 2015

Pages or Words: 34,000 words

Categories: Bisexual, Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, New Adult

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Artesian Well Publishing

Cover Artist: Andrea Dalling

Jordan’s muscles slackened, and cold anticipation formed a lump in his stomach. Rick isn’t really jealous?

But the feral look in Rick’s eyes said he was.

The hand on his shoulder nudged him toward the ballroom. Did Rick want him? Was that why he’d agreed to come stag?

Rick’s fingers idly tapped the small of Jordan’s back as they walked. The whisper of contact was odd and possessive, and it sent Jordan’s blood surging to all the wrong places. He shouldn’t have had that second scotch. He was relaxed and horny, especially with Rick so close, when he needed to keep his wits about him. Rick would never forgive him if he let something slip about their past together in front of their high school friends.

The tapping continued, revving his nerves into high gear. His fly pressed painfully against his flesh. He turned to Rick. “Will you stop touching me?”

Rick’s easy smile fled. “Why?”

He grabbed the collar of Rick’s shirt and said in his ear, “Because, dumbass, you’re making me hard.”

Rick raised his brows and smirked. They moved forward again. The tapping slowed but didn’t stop.

Amazon

Andrea Dalling lives in the sexy Southeast, where the summers are hot and the romance hotter. During the day, she’s an award-winning technical writer, but at night, she writes steamy stories. She loves to torture her characters but eventually rewards them with a happily-ever-after. Married to her college sweetheart, she’s a progressive Christian and an advocate for LGBT rights. You can follow her on Facebook (andrea.dalling.romance) or on Twitter (@Andrea_Dalling).

Tour Dates & Stops: July 24, 2015
Parker Williams, Bike Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Havan Fellows, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Molly Lolly, Inked Rainbow Reads, Jessie G. Books, Amanda C. Stone, My Fiction Nook, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, 3 Chicks After Dark, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, MM Good Book Reviews, Christy Loves 2 Read, Velvet Panic, Nic Starr, The Hat Party, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Chris McHart, Kimi-Chan, Mikky’s World of Books

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Uncommon Valor by Rachel Ravenheart: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Giveaway

July 22, 2015 by Denise

“Lil’ Bro,

If you’re reading this, then something obviously happened and I’m not going to be around. I wanted to let you know how much I love you, and you don’t have to tear yourself up over this. I’m the one who chose to enlist, and I believe I’ve served proudly for the last few years. I know this won’t ease your mind any, but I believe I’m probably in a better place now. Please don’t be sad. I died doing what I loved, fighting for my country. I wish I could be there for you when you tell Mom and Dad about you being gay. Just know that I am with you in spirit. Look to Chase for guidance. I know he’ll be the big brother for you I can no longer be. The guys will be a great support for you, and they won’t care that you’re gay. They’re a great group of guys, and they’ll treat you just like I would. They’ll be a support system for you when Dad blows up, and you know he will. Be safe and know I will be watching out for you from the other side.

Love, Sam.”

Uncommon Valor is not just a story of a gay man, it is the fulfilling story of a young man who is on the verge of discovering his true self and he has the perfect prop to do that. He is also about to become a Dad. Will he pull through as a gay man and a Dad? Or will he fall upon the wayside and reject his newborn child, and in so doing, also reject the man of his dreams?

Author Name: Rachel Ravenheart

Book Name: Uncommon Valor

Release Date: July 22, 2015

Pages or Words: 172 pages, 48,661 words

Categories: Gay fiction, M/M Romance, Military

Publisher: Cool Dudes Publishing

Cover Artist: Louis C. Harris

Goodreads Link

Last weekend with the platoon was great.

I met a ton of new people, and the guys were really supportive when I told them. I hadn’t heard anything from my Mom, so I wasn’t sure what to think about that, but I’d decided I wasn’t going to worry too much. I was on cloud nine from having spent time with people who didn’t care I was gay and treated me like one of the guys even though I wasn’t a Marine.

That all came to a halt when I ran into Tina in the dining hall on campus during the week.

Tina uses her beauty to her advantage. She’s medium height with red hair and green eyes. Whatever she said was right and she was of the opinion that no one could outsmart her. Personally, I tried to stay away from her if I possibly could.

But, she had a crush on me.

I never got the chance to tell my brother that during a night of drunkenness I had slept with her. There was a part of me that always felt something else had been involved, but I couldn’t prove it. I didn’t even know if we did anything. All I knew was I woke up the next morning in the same bed with her and both of us were naked. It wasn’t something I was proud of, and I honestly hoped I would never see her again. Unfortunately, we were both in law school together, so I knew that wasn’t going to be an option.

I’d almost completely forgotten about the incident because it had happened at the end of the semester and I had taken the summer off. The new semester had just started, and I had been lucky enough to not see her in any of my classes or around campus.

I was shocked to see her with what I would consider a baby bump, but I didn’t want to make any assumptions. I pretended to not see her, but she saw me.

“Jason! I need to talk to you,” she said, and grasped my elbow from behind.

“What do you want, Tina?” I yanked my arm out of her grasp with a snarl.

“It’s a private matter.”

“We can talk tat my house, but that’s all that’s going to happen.” I turned and walked away, expecting her to follow me to the parking lot. As it turned out, we were parked fairly close to each other, and I motioned for her to follow me as I got into my car.

We arrived at my house and I was still trying to figure out what she wanted to talk to me about. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like it.

Inside, she headed for the lounge. “Would you like something to drink?” I asked. When I turned to face her she held her stomach in a protective manner.

“Water would be nice.”

“Have a seat and I’ll be right back.” I said, placing my bag on the floor by the door.

When I returned, she was standing in front of the bay window looking out over the park. “Here you go.” I held out a bottle of water to her as she turned around.

“Thanks, Jason. I’m sorry to put you out like this, but I needed to talk to you and I didn’t want to do it with people around.”

“What’s going on? I haven’t seen you since the end of spring semester.” I walked over and took a seat on the couch and waited to hear what she had to say.

“I went home for summer break and some surprising news came up just before I came back to school.” She came over and sat down next to me.

“Spit it out,” I said, frustrated. I just wanted her gone; something about her really irked me.

“The thing is, just before I came back I realized that I had missed my period so I went to the doctor and took a pregnancy test. I’m pregnant.”

“What’s that got to do with me?” It felt like I had been punched in the gut.

“Well, I hadn’t been with anyone for a while before you and I hooked up at the end of the semester.” She licked her lips and wrung her hands.

“We didn’t hook up. I got way too drunk and don’t remember anything until I woke up the next morning with you by my side and naked.”

“Why do you refuse to believe that what we shared was something special?” she whined. “You know you love me, you only need to admit it and we’ll be happy together as a family.”

“It wasn’t special. What do you want from me?”

“I want you to be a father to our child. I want us to be a family.” She tried to put her hand on my arm. I pulled away.

“We will never be a family. What the HELL were you thinking? Obviously you weren’t; that’s the problem.” I walked over to the bay window and glared out. “If the child is mine I’ll support it and even take custody of him or her, but we will never be together. As soon as the baby is born I’m going to fight for custody and before I commit to anything there needs to be a paternity test, until that time you are nothing more to me than a pregnant woman. Until you have further information, I think this is all we have to talk about.”

“We’d make good parents together. Why are you refusing to admit that?” she cried.

“I have no doubt that we will be good parents, but we won’t be a couple. I’m gay and will not be in a relationship with any woman. Now, if there’s nothing else, I think that it’s time for you to leave. Let me know when you set up the paternity test and I’ll be there. We’ll talk more after the test results come back.” I opened the front door and waited for her to leave. I was being mean and harsh, but I was pissed about what had happened, mostly at myself because I let myself get wasted at that party. I wished I could remember what happened that night.

She stormed past me and went out to her car mumbling under her breath. Part of me hoped I was the father, but there was a greater part of me that hoped I would have nothing more to do with her.

Rachel Ravenheart is new to the literary world, but has had the desire to write since she was in junior high school. She moved from a small town in Iowa in time to start high school in Louisiana.

Rachel lost sight of writing as she got bogged down with sports and school. Her dream of being a writer forgotten as she looked to the future to study Political Science with the hope of going to law school when she moved to Texas.

To make her way in the world she got wrapped up in the field of nursing when she got a job as a C.N.A. and soon even her dream of law school was forgotten. Strangely, thanks to an injury she was at home recuperating and was bored when she remembered her love for writing. Never thinking she would ever get published she began.

It was writers like Rob Colton, Mann Ramblings, and Alicia Nordwell that inspired her creativity. She found GayAuthors.org and after some encouragement she decided to post her first story. With the enthusiasm of readers her confidence grew and she took the step to send off her first story to be published. It was with great delight when she was offered her first contract. Hopefully, the first of many.

Where to find the author:

Facebook Author Page

Twitter: @wolfwriter1492

Other: http://rachelravenheart.weebly.com
Tour Dates & Stops: July 22, 2015

Parker Williams, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Velvet Panic, Molly Lolly, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, Havan Fellows, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Bike Book Reviews, Ogitchida Book Blog, Jessie G. Books, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Happily Ever Chapter, Multitasking Mommas, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Mikky’s World of Books, Hearts on Fire
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Resurrecting Elliot by Cate Ashwood: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Giveaway

July 21, 2015 by Denise

Nightmares and panic attacks following a horrific tragedy leave Professor Elliot Lawrence a prisoner in his own home. After months of relying on his sister as his only connection to the outside world, Elliot is desperate for a sliver of independence. But leaving the safety of his home isn’t an option, not yet, and he reaches out in the most innocuous way he can think of: grocery delivery.

Colton Kelly, retired porn star and recent college grad, is struggling at two minimum wage jobs to make ends meet. During one of his grocery deliveries, he meets Elliot. Although the attraction between them is instant, they must first traverse the long road of putting Elliot back together. When disaster strikes yet again, this time in Colt’s life, Elliot’s not sure he’s strong enough to be the man Colt needs him to be.

Author Name: Cate Ashwood

Book Name: Resurrecting Elliot

Series: Newport Boys

Book: Two (Can be read as a standalone, but you get background character on Colt in book one)

Release Date: July 20, 2015

Pages or Words: 200 pages

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

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht

TEN MINUTES. He was going to be here in ten minutes. Maybe. The website had given Elliot a window of an hour, but with ten minutes to, he was beginning to feel anxious. His heart was racing. His palms were already sweating. No one other than his sister and Dr. Mazur had crossed the threshold of his front door since it happened.

Nothing like throwing himself into the fire.

Elliot paced around the house, tidying what had already been tidied. He didn’t want this guy thinking he was a hoarder on top of being a shut-in. He double-checked that there was no clutter on his coffee table, that the newspapers his sister brought were neatly stacked and ready for the fireplace. The side tables had been dusted—twice—and the blanket on the back of the couch straightened. Pulling down the blinds on his front windows, he peered out, looking for a strange vehicle, but the street was deserted.

He walked back into the kitchen. Spotless. He wasn’t really sure how the whole delivery thing worked, if the guy just left his things at the door or if he brought them all the way into the house. Glancing at the clock again, he saw he had just enough time to fix—

There was a loud knock at the door. This was it. He hoped he wouldn’t puke on this guy’s shoes as soon as the door opened. He felt like he might. As calmly as he could, he walked to the front door and unlocked it.

Deep breaths, just keep breathing, he reminded himself before he clutched at the doorknob, turned it, and pulled his front door open.

He almost forgot to keep breathing.

The man that stood on the other side of his door, backlit by the sun, looked up and gave a crooked smile that made Elliot’s already rapidly beating heart hustle.

“Hi, are you Elliot Lawrence?” the man asked, his southern drawl warm and comforting somehow.

“Yes,” Elliot said unintelligently… and then forgot how to speak.

“I’m Colt.”

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press Ebook

Dreamspinner Press Paperback

All Romance ebooks

Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Cate Ashwood wrote her very first story in a hot-pink binder when she was in the second grade and found her passion for writing. Her first successful foray into romance writing came five years later when she wrote her best friend, who was experiencing a case of unrequited love, her own happily ever after.

Cate’s life has taken a number of different and adventurous roads. She now lives a stone’s throw from the ocean, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband, her little boy, and their two cats. Her life is filled with family and friends, travel, and, of course, books.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cate.ashwood

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Ashwood-Author/288329491267435?fref=ts

Twitter: @cateashwood

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cateashwood/

Tour Dates & Stops: July 21, 2015

Parker Williams, BFD Book Blog, Havan Fellows, Bayou Book Junkie, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Molly Lolly, My Fiction Nook, Bike Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Kimi-Chan, Happily Ever Chapter, Christy Loves 2 Read, Inked Rainbow Reads, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Reviews by Jessewave, MM Good Book Reviews, Iyana Jenna, Mikky’s World of Books, Love Bytes, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, The Hat Party, Andrew Q. Gordon, Divine Magazine

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Imposter in Zebra-Striped Briefs by C.C. Dado: Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

July 20, 2015 by Denise

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When recent college graduate Nathan Harris makes a life-changing move out from under his mother’s thumb and into his own place, he is determined to take some risks. He is tired of not being good enough, tired of allowing his fears to control him.

What he thought would be an exciting adventure ends up being one jaw-dropping mishap of embarrassment after another, leaving him with a life he doesn’t even recognize anymore.

His once boring, lonely existence has been replaced by a brownstone filled with colorful friends, a rough around the edges, tattooed bad boy best friend, and a stripper for a boyfriend who’s not even sure he’s gay.

Author Name: C.C. Dado
Book Name: Imposter in Zebra-stripes Briefs
Series: The Seattle Chronicles
Book: Two (can be read as a standalone)
Release Date: July 1, 2015
Word Count: 22,810 words
Categories: Contemporary, Humor, M/M Romance, New Adult

Ding…. He heard his phone go off again as he was grabbing an orange from the fridge. Nathan set the orange on the counter and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

Maybe I’m jumping the gun here. What are you into?

Nathan wasn’t quite sure how to answer that. He leaned back against the kitchen counter and stared at the keypad fo BannerTemplate (1) r a second before responding. Guys?

Ding…. I’m literally shaking my head at you right now….

Ding…. Josh instantly followed up his last text. I meant what turns you on about a guy. Eyes? A nice ass? I need to know what I’m working with here.

Nathan felt like the entire world could see his words as he typed his response. I think men’s feet are sexy.

Ding… Josh responded, apparently not fazed at all by Nathan’s answer. All right then, let’s start at the toes and work our way up.

Character Interview Questions

Now that you’ve gotten together, what comes next? “Meeting the family!” Nathan’s own family wasn’t a fan of him so he didn’t have high hopes for meeting David’s. (The Seattle Chronicles: Say it with Ink, you will get to see Nathan meet the family.)
What was the hardest thing for you to overcome that you didn’t expect to be an issue? “Dating a hot guy. Since I never thought a hot guy would date me in the first place.
Who or what makes you laugh out loud? “Josh. Every time.”
What is your favorite ice cream flavor? “Dairy hates me”
What movie will you watch over and over again? “Well I’m not sure if I’d watch it over and over but I definitely have to watch Poltergeist now, to see why David hates clowns.”

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Okay, I have to admit that the title of this book intrigued me to no end. I mean how could you title something “Imposter in Zebra-striped Briefs” and not want to know what the book is about. So, when I saw this blog tour, I jumped on it. Glad I did!

This was a fun story, full of little misunderstandings by poor Nathan who was trying to get out from under his mother’s thumb. His entire life he felt inferior, as if he was an embarrassment to his family, and taking the opportunity to come out (again!) by leaving that nest and venturing into life was frightening for him, and yet he jumped in with both feet.

Isn’t that what we would all want to be able to do in that situation? Be strong enough, brave enough, confident enough to do that? I’m sure Nathan would say he wasn’t any of those things, he was frightened to pieces, but that is exactly what made him such a wonderful character. You wanted him to succeed in his new quest, to find his gay side, and enjoy it, and all life had to offer. He was not willing to sit back and wait for life to come to him, he was finally willing to go out and find that life he wanted for himself.

I devoured this book in one sitting, and found myself wanting to know when the next book was coming, which I don’t often do, even with books I love. It’s a novella, so normally I move forward with them, and don’t concern myself with another story. This one, though, had me wanting to know more about Nathan, and the entire crew of guys as they move forward.

Definite 4 pieces of eye candy for the quirky character of Nathan, and his merry friends. Can’t wait for more!

About the author:

I write painfully awkward, usually embarrassing, romance because long confident gazes followed by sexy dancing never happens to me.

I am a native of the Pacific Northwest, and will probably never leave since I’m a hypochondriac sundae, with claustrophobic sprinkles, and a cherry of anxiety on top. I read and write to relax my mind and I love getting lost in someone else’s story, even if it is only for a little while.

Where to find the author:

Twitter: @C_C_Dado

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/1K3drrJ

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Dreamspinner Press

Tour Dates & Stops:

1-Jul

Hearts on Fire

Amanda C. Stone

2-Jul

The Novel Approach

3-Jul