m/m romance

GRL 2016 Blog Tour: Brandon Witt Guest Author Post

July 19, 2016 by Denise

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**Two Chicks Obsessed is excited to welcome Brandon Witt to the GRL 2016 Official Blog Tour. Read on all about his GRL experiences.**

Guest Post

GRL was the first time I met any members of my Gay Romance friends face to face. I’d been published for a couple of years and had lots of friends on Facebook of other authors and readers, but it was a very different thing knowing that I was going to actually meet them. I was scared to death. Both that they’d see that I’m just a big geek pretending to know what he’s doing when he’s writing books and that we’d have to talk to each other. (I’m one of those high functioning introverts. I can do social stuff, but I’d rather not, and when I do, it’s terrifying. I have a feeling a lot of you are like that as well. )

This will be my third GRL. I have no nerves at all. None. You have no idea how rare that is for me. Going to GRL is like a vacation, one where I’m surrounded by people I love, who make me laugh, who think I’m funny, who are okay with who I am.

All of that to say, if this is your first time, or you’ve only been once, maybe you’re like I was and are scared to death. You don’t have to be. Like anywhere else, if you look for drama and hurting feelings, you’ll find them. But, if you don’t, they won’t find you. We all come together because of the bond of loving Gay Romance novels. Within that, chances are high that we also come together with our geeky personalities, strange hobbies, and unusual senses of humor. Yeah, you get the picture. We’re just one big freak show (the Britney Spears album kind, not the American Horror kind). And, that, the freak show quality, is what I love the most—mainly, because its one of the few places I totally and completely fit. GRL Featured Author

So please don’t be too scared. Come intending to let your freak flag fly. Come willing to leave your room, meet amazing readers and authors, play cards against humanity (secret? I HATE that game, but it’s so much fun at GRL), be prepared to eat your weight every single day, get ready to laugh, gush over your favorite novels with likeminded people, and allow yourself to sigh once you’re there, knowing that you’re safe, part of a collective, special yet one of us, and have a fucking amazing time.

If you’re a new author, come see us authors who aren’t new anymore (just don’t call us old). We used to be where you are and we love that you’re one of us now.

If you’re a reader and are nervous about coming up to your favorite author (or one you’ve never heard of), rest assured, that YOU are the reason we are there, and we know that we owe it to YOU that we can call ourselves authors. You’re our heroes, because you help make our dreams come true.

Get ready. It’s going to be a wonderful week in Kansas City. And that’s something you don’t hear everyday!

synopsis

son of money Randall Morgan, youngest son of one of Seattle’s wealthiest families, rejected his family’s money to live free of their control and pursue his career as a photographer. To make ends meet, Randall does erotic photography and massage—a secret he keeps from his family so he can remain a part of his young niece’s life. But the price of that relationship is high, and Randall is slipping under his family’s thumb.

Noah Carroll is the spokesperson for the Seattle Humane Society, and the city holds a special place in his heart. When fate intervenes during a pet adoption at the humane society, Noah finds himself face to face with his first love—Randall.

While Noah and Randall are not the teenagers they once were, the flame of a first kiss long ago draws them together. Their romance is just beginning to grow, but someone is out to destroy Randall and expose all he keeps hidden.

When secrets and rumors thrust Randall into the public eye, his relationship with Noah isn’t the only thing that comes under threat.

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Dreamspinner Press

meet the author

Witt-0025 Brandon Witt’s outlook on life is greatly impacted by his first eighteen years of growing up gay in a small town in the Ozarks, as well as fifteen years as a counselor and special education teacher for students with severe emotional disabilities. Add to that his obsession with corgis and mermaids, then factor in an unhealthy love affair with cheeseburgers, and you realize that with all those issues, he’s got plenty to write about….

Website: http://www.brandonwitt.com

Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/wittauthor/

Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/brandon-witt

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wittauthor

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

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Other books by Brandon Witt:

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Angel Undone by Leta Blake: Release Day Book Blast and Excerpt

July 18, 2016 by Denise

Title: Angel Undone

Publisher: Leta Blake Books

Release Date: 7/18/2016

Genre: Gay Urban Fantasy

Tags: angel, wings, erotic content, blasphemy, urban fantasy

Heat Level: 5

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 25,000 words

Add To Goodreads

The Archangel Michael is tired. He fought wars and shoved his brother Lucifer out of heaven all before the Dark Ages rolled around. His role as protector of Israel now encompasses all of humanity, and while he performs his job perfectly, there’s little personal joy in it.

Until one night in a bar when he meets Asher.

Michael isn’t sure what it is about the vulnerable, self-deprecating Asher that calls to him, but something about the restrained depths of Asher, his gentle smiles and encyclopedic knowledge of flowers, tugs at Michael in a way that can’t be denied. Too bad romance isn’t part of his mission.

Facing an eternity of perfect submission to God’s authority, rebellion stirs in Michael. Questions of free will, angelic vocation, and the role of love and lust demand answers that just might cost Michael his place in heaven.

Angel wings aren’t easy to fold into the shape of human scapulae, but Michael is accustomed to the strain and hardly breaks a sweat. He forces the long primaries to bend into the upper wing coverts, and then, in moves like feathered origami, he tucks it all in again, before smoothing them under flawless human skin.

He glances in the modest hotel room’s bathroom mirror and pulls on the dark brown shirt that will set off his eyes, before running a hand through his blond, curly hair. The light of his angelic grace glows from his pores, too bright to escape notice, and with a small exertion of will he tamps it back.

Though human form is confining and uncomfortable, the time has long passed when dropping down in a blaze of angelic righteousness was appropriate. Now covert operations pay the dividends of souls delivered from jeopardy. Even if Michael’s skin feels too tight, and his wings are already aching, protection is his business and discomfort is a small sacrifice.

After tightening the laces on the leather, soft-soled Clarks he keeps for nights of trawling the Mercy Street bars, he kneels by the sliding glass door to the balcony and looks up at the stars. It’s a fallacy that heaven is up there somewhere. Heaven is everywhere all at once, and yet when Michael dons human skin, he finds his eyes drawn to the sky when he prays.

He rises. Time to go.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Smashwords

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

You can find out more about her by following her online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Lock and Key by Z. Allora: Release Day Review

July 15, 2016 by Denise

synopsis

Rejected. Heartbroken. Devastated.

Zack Davis wanted to serve only one man, Andrew Nikeman. He was denied because Andrew thought he was too young and because their brothers were together. So Zack crushed his submissive tendencies and focused on being the perfect Dom, giving every sub he played with something he couldn’t have.

After years of denying his submissive side, Entwined’s charity auction “Are you Dom Enough to be a sub?” gives Zack an excuse to get a little of what he’s always craved.

Andrew doesn’t know when his infatuation turned into more, but it kills him to see Zack with a constant parade of submissives. He’d refused to jeopardize his brother’s relationship or become Zack’s regret; however, Zack isn’t a kid anymore, and his brother’s relationship is unbreakable. Now Zack’s popularity and success as a Dom might ruin Andrew’s dreams of collaring him, but he can’t wait any longer to confess his feelings or he risks losing the man he loves forever.

Title: Lock and Key
Author: Z. Allora
Release Date: July 15, 2016
Category: BDSM, Contemporary
Pages: 300

deanna review

I really got into this book. I love a story told over a long period of time and this one spans years.

Zack has been in love with Drew since the moment he saw him. Drew brings out Zack’s submissive side and he longs to give himself to the older man. Drew thinks Zack is too young and since their brothers are dating he doesn’t want to rock the boat.

Zack finally gets up the courage to tell Drew what he wants and he is rejected instantly. Zack and Drew both belong to the BDSM club Entwined and Zack decides if he can’t be Drew’s sub than he will be the best Dom anyone has ever seen and help subs find what he never can.

For two years Drew watches Zack grow and mature in Entwined. The easy friendship the two had is now awkward and uncomfortable. Entwined is hosting a charity event “Are you Dom enough to Sub for a night?” Zack decides the cause is worthy and he is willing to see if anyone can offer him what he was hoping for with Drew.

When nerves get the best of him Zack decides to wear a blindfold during the charity auction. Drew decides he will win Zack no matter the cost, the two spend an explosive weekend together. Both of them try to withhold their feelings and expectations which leads to each of them misunderstanding what the weekend means to them.

Once they collectively pull their heads out of their asses they realize they were meant for each other. But just because the are now together doesn’t mean the communication needs to stop. Zack is terrified to put himself out there again after Drew’s initial rejection and Drew incorrectly assumed that Zack needs to take it slow. It will take their brothers to help keep them on the right path to happiness.

I really enjoyed this story. The BDSM books I have read recently have been all sex and very little plot, but this was the exact opposite. Don’t get me wrong, there was sex. Really hot sex, but the story was well thought out and moved along at a steady pace.

There were a ton of supporting characters and sometimes my feeble brain confused them. This book wasn’t listed as part of a series or the first in a spin of series but all the supporting characters already have their own books. You don’t have to read those stories to enjoy this one. I’m off to read about some of those other books.

4 pieces of eye candy

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The Greek Tycoon’s Green Card Groom by Kate McMurray: New Release Blast and Guest post

July 15, 2016 by Denise

synopsis

Marriage gets less convenient when love is involved.

It started simple: Ondrej Kovac marries Archie Katsaros so Ondrej can stay in the US, away from his judgmental family in eastern Europe. Archie marries Ondrej in exchange for the money to bail out his failing company. It’s a fraud neither man is convinced he can pull off.

But as Archie introduces Ondrej to New York society and Ondrej proves his skill in the office, they start to discover a connection between them. Can they overcome the rocky foundation their relationship was built on, meddling immigration agents, gossip columnists determined to out their deception, and an aggressive executive set on selling Archie’s company out from under him? Only if they can prove to each other their love is worth fighting for.

Title: The Greek Tycoon’s Green Card Groom
Author: Kate McMurray
Release Date: July 15, 2016
Category: Dreamspun Desires, Contemporary
Pages: 218

Guest Post

My high school best friend lived overseas for three years between undergrad and law school. He’d done a summer program in Europe between junior and senior year and fell in love with the city he’d lived in. When he went back for his three-year stint as an ex-pat, he fell in love with a man.

Shortly after he moved to New York for law school, we had coffee and he explained that his boyfriend was having trouble getting a visa to stay in the U.S., so they were rendezvousing in England, somewhere they could both meet without risk of deportation, every other month. My friend had gotten a job against the rules of his program, which forbid first-year law students from working because it distracted from studying, so that he could afford to fly to England a few times a semester.

That was unsustainable; my friend wound up finishing law school in London. He and his now husband set up a life there. It sounds grand and romantic, but it’s complicated by the fact that my friend had been accepted at one of the best law schools in the country, located close to his family and friends, but the love of his life was on the other side of the ocean. If the Defense of Marriage Act had not still been the law of the land, the story might have played out differently. When the U.S. Supreme Court finally did make marriage equality a reality for every American, my friend already had a life and a home in Europe.

But he was very much on my mind when the law changed. And he was on my mind when I started writing a book about a gay green card marriage.

Because that’s a thing you can have now.

It’s one of those tropes you see on TV or in books that plays out in predictable ways: two people enter into a marriage of convenience so that one of them can stay in the U.S., despite risking getting caught by Immigration. And there’s always a scene where Immigration does a home visit and nearly catches the lie.

I researched it, and it turns out that there are too many green card marriages for Immigration to actually check up on all of them, so the reality is that, although marriage fraud is illegal, a lot of people who enter into such arrangements are probably not caught. But large sums of money being exchanged do tend to catch the attention of Immigration.

Anyway, there’s some reality in those old silly tropes, and I tried to be conscious of it as I wrote. Hopefully the book is mostly just fun, though.

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Dreamspinner Press

meet the author

Kate McMurray is an award-winning romance author and an unabashed romance fan. When she’s not writing, she works as a nonfiction editor, dabbles in various crafts, and is maybe a tiny bit obsessed with baseball. She has served as President of Rainbow Romance Writers and is currently the president of the New York City chapter of RWA. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Website: http://www.katemcmurray.com

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katemcmurraywriter

Not A Game by Cardeno C : Release Day Review

July 15, 2016 by Denise

synopsis

An accidental meeting and a misunderstanding lead to a life-altering connection.

A new job, a new city, and hopefully a new life. When chubby gamer Oliver Barnaby receives a job offer from the best boutique game developer in the country, he leaves his family and his less than spectacular existence in Oklahoma without a second’s hesitation. Determined to change more than his career and his geography, Oliver implements a plan to finally land a boyfriend. Step one is improving his skills in the bedroom.

A life that looks perfect on paper, but feels empty in reality. Attractive, successful, charismatic Jaime Snow has a life other people envy. His already booming business is growing. He isn’t lacking in friends. And he has no trouble finding a date. But there’s an emptiness in Jaime’s heart and a hole in his life that only the right man can fill.

An accidental meeting, a misunderstanding, and falling in love. When Oliver and Jaime end up at the same bar at the same time, they each see something they want in the other. Going to bed together that first night is easy. Building the lifetime relationship they both desperately crave will require trust, time, and a little misunderstanding.

denise review

If you want an angst filled, nail biter of a story, Not A Game isn’t the book for you. However, if you want what I think is Cardeno C‘s specialty, a romance set in the real world, with characters that you can relate to, then this book is a great choice!

Oliver is a chubby game developer who decides to move across the country to start a new job, and a new life, and decides to press the reset button on his love life by getting lessons on loving from a male escort. In walks Jamie, and they begin a misunderstanding that Jamie is loathe to correct until he can figure out how to do it and keep Oliver in his life.

I really enjoyed getting to know Oliver, and all his quirks. Everything was a numbers game for him, down to figuring out the number of people attending a party. Logic and forthright understanding was how Oliver worked through his life. If he could quantify it, or explain it rationally, then he could understand it, and move on. However, if it made no sense, then his nerves ballooned, and he would shut down. This was so true to how many people deal with every day life situations. It was just one more reason to love the character of Oliver.

Jamie was so sweet and loving, caring for Oliver as much as he could, showing him how important he was, and how attractive he found him. He let Oliver know that his size was desirable to him, not a turn off, emphasizing it when Oliver needed it most. Jamie showed himself to be the boyfriend that Oliver needed and wanted.

I would have liked to see a bit more of a conflict, to see how these men dealt with issues that needed resolution. There were a couple things that I thought needed to be resolved, for Oliver’s comfort level to be where he needed it to be to be comfortable in his relationship with Jamie. However, a sweet read like this doesn’t necessarily need conflict to be enjoyable, and leave the reader wanting the HEA that came at the end.

And of course, we have a great setup to see what is ahead for Jack, as he ventures back into the world of dating after 8 years of a broken heart. Looking forward to that, because CC will no doubt give us what we are craving.

4 pieces of eye candy

4-pieces-of-eye-candy

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Smoke & Mirrors by Charlie Cochet : Blog Tour, Playlist, Review and Giveaway

July 14, 2016 by Denise

Hello, all! Welcome to the next stop on the Smoke & Mirrors blog tour, celebrating the release of the 7th book in the THIRDS series. For those of you familiar with the series, you know what an important part music plays in both the books, and in the characters’ lives, especially in Dex’s life.

Most often than not, I listen to music while writing. Throughout the THIRDS especially, I listen to a lot to classic rock and eighties music, as well as some modern day pop. I have a paid Pandora subscription and several favorite stations set up for writing. When I come across songs that perfectly fit either the scene I’m writing, or fit great with another scene, they tend to make the playlist for that book.

A good deal of the time, it’s about the sound of the song and the mood it evokes, followed by the lyrics. Sometimes a song might inspire a scene, or something that happens in a scene. It helps me visualize what’s happening at that moment, and comes through in the description. For example, Lay All Your Love on Me by ABBA came on, and it inspired the dance sequence in Chapter 5 of Smoke & Mirrors. It also fits nicely when the brawl breaks out. I like to have a good mix of tunes from different genres and decades. Hope you enjoy it!

Spotify Link: http://bit.ly/SMPlaylist

Smoke & Mirrors Playlist

1. Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top
2. Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones
3. What I like About You – The Romantics
4. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
5. Never Tear Us Apart – Paloma Faith
6. Lay All Your Love on Me – ABBA
7. Chains – Nick Jonas
8. Like I’m Gonna Lose You ft. John Legend – Meghan Trainor
9. Harden My Heart – Quarterflash
10. Smoke + Mirrors – Imagine Dragons
11. Unsteady – X Ambassadors
12. Home – Phillip Phillips
13. Centuries – Fall Out Boy
14. Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
15. Irresistible – Fall Out Boy

ABOUT THE BOOK

Genre: Paranormal Gay Romance
Series: THIRDS
Length: Novel
Published: July 8th, 2016
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Ebook ISBN-13: 9781634773871
Paperback ISBN-13: 9781634773874

Life for Dexter J. Daley has never been easy, but he’s always found a way to pick himself back up with a smile on his face. Taken from his home, and the arms of his boyfriend and THIRDS partner, Sloane Brodie, Dex finds himself in a situation as mysterious and lethal as the Therian interrogating him. Dex learns what he’s secretly believed all along: his parents’ death wasn’t an accident.

Discovering the whole truth about John and Gina Daley’s homicide sets off a series of events that will change Dex and Sloane’s lives forever. As buried secrets rise to the surface and new truths are revealed, Dex and Sloane’s love for each other is put to the test, with more than their relationship on the line. If traversing the waters of murder and secret government agencies wasn’t enough, something inexplicable has been happening to Dex—and nothing will ever be the same.

ADD TO GOODREADS

READ CHAPTER ONE

DREAMSPINNER PRESS EBOOK | DREAMSPINNER PRESS PAPERBACK :: AMAZON :: ARe :: BARNES & NOBLE

michelle review
OMG….THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING WITH A BIG FAT CHERRY ON TOP
Hi, my name is Michelle, and I am a THIRDS NERD ADDICT! This little series has become quiet the obsession. It took a big push from a fantastic person to start the series and I am so happy I did. I am now a complete addict! Cochet is one of the best writers I have had the privilege to read. Her THIRDS world is unique but not too farfetched that you have no idea what you just read.
Cochet left me in a massive book hang over at the end of Catch a Tiger. It was a major cliffhanger and I have been chomping at the bits to see what happened. Smoke & Mirrors picks up exactly where book 6 left off.
I was nervous to start this. Wondering what would happen to Dex? Would Sloan and Dex’s relationship change? What happens if they can’t fix what happened? OMG….What if Dex never returned? I was already getting teary-eyed and getting heart palps wondering WHAT IF.
Talk about PACKING A PUNCH from the start. I will admit the beginning is not for the faint at heart! Cochet once again put some much emotion into every scene you can’t help but feel the agony and pain that Dex is going through.
Cochet delivers another no-holds-bar book with everything we expect to see……Action, Secrets (BIG SECRETS), Surprises at every turn and hot-off-the-chart scenes with our favorite couple.
If you’re already a THIRDS NERD than you already know what kind of rollercoaster ride you are in for. If you haven’t started the series…..YOU BETTER GET TO BUYING! You will need to start at book 1 but it is soooooo worth.
I will sit here patiently in the corner waiting for the next book! I will try not to ask WHEN… WHEN…WHEN because I know it will be worth the wait.
You are the SH@T Charlie……………………….5 BIG BRIGHT PIECES OF EYE CANDY

5-pieces-eye-candy6

Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From adventurous agents and sexy shifters, to society gentlemen and hardboiled detectives, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

SERIES READING ORDER

Hell & High Water (THIRDS, Book 1)
Blood & Thunder (THIRDS Book 2)
Rack & Ruin (THIRDS, Book 3)
Rise & Fall (THIRDS, Book 4)
Against the Grain (THIRDS, Book 5)
Catch a Tiger by the Tail (THIRDS, Book 6)
Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS, Book 7)

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