m/m romance

For Want of a Christmas Miracle by Olley White : Blog Tour, Excerpt, Guest Post and Giveaway

December 10, 2015 by Denise

When one down-on-his-luck gardener and one garden centre owner meet, neither could predict the attraction they’d feel towards each other. Toby is just about turning round the business he’d inherited from his dad, and it’s all going well—until a risk he took looks like it might not pay off. Rhys’s employment at Toby’s garden centre is temporary, just to cover the Christmas sales, and frankly he’d much rather be outside gardening. And avoiding Christmas.

When an accident means Toby can’t be at work at a crucial time, it’s time for Rhys to step up to the mark. But can the Christmas Scrooge make the difference required for the man he’s starting to love?
Author: Olley White

Title: For Want of a Christmas Miracle

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: December 7, 2015

Genre: Gay, Contemporary Romance

Tags: Holiday Romance, M/M, Erotic-Romance

Pairing: M/M

Length: Novella

Such a great short holiday read!
Rhys is an out of work gardener who finds a seasonal job at a garden center. Even being around the hustle and bustle of the holidays, Rhys is having a hard time getting into the spirit of the season. Toby, the owner of the garden center has taken a huge risk in doubling his holiday Christmas tree stock, he will need a Christmas miracle to pull off the biggest gamble of his professional life.

When an accident with Toby’s Dad keeps him away from the store at a crucial time, Rhys steps in to make sure this is the garden center’s best holiday yet. Working together to make Rhys’ idea come to life sparks fly and both wonder if these new feelings will last further than the holiday season.

This was such a cute holiday read. I loved it. It’s sweet, it’s romantic without being cheesy, it’s perfect!

4 pieces of eye candy

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NineStar Press Buy Link

Toby appraised the area in front of him again. He couldn’t believe it; he honestly thought he was going to have a good couple of hours work out here before he could start shifting the Christmas trees that had been delivered earlier. He spent longer looking than it was really worth; it was only a clean shop floor after all, but all the time he spent looking at it meant he didn’t have to meet the gaze of the employee in front of him. He needed a moment to gather himself. A moment was all it took though, and his natural confidence returned.

Turning, he smiled again at Rhys, taking in the tall wiriness of the man and accepting the beat his heart skipped before he spoke.

“So, you’re our newest employee, huh?” he repeated.

“Yep. Just temporary over the holiday period.” Rhys faced him, dark eyes flitting momentarily to his before darting to stare back over the cleared space. “Well, I suppose I’d better go in and see what my next job is.”

Toby supposed Rhys should as well, but he didn’t want him to. “Have you been out here all afternoon?”

Rhys glanced at his watch and nodded. “Since tenish,” he said, and a serene look settled on his angular features.

“You’ve been stuck out here all day?” Damn. It was freezing. “I’ll have a word with your supervisor; nobody should be stuck outside all day. It’s meant to work on a rota system. It’s too cold.”

“No.” Rhys reached and grabbed Toby’s sleeve. “I mean, I don’t mind. I like it outside. I’m a gardener; I’m used to it.” Rhys’s eyes flicked to the shop and the bustle and brightness inside. Toby watched a small frown cross the man’s face.

“Nobody likes it out here at this time of year. Nobody. In the summer, I can’t get the staff to stay indoors, but this time of year, it’s the opposite problem. It’s why I end up doing a lot of it myself. I like it outside, whatever the weather.”

“God, yes, me too. Who’d want to be stuck inside when you can be out in the fresh air?”

Toby narrowed his eyes. “There’s not going to be TV crew coming to tell me I’m the butt of a practical joke, is there?”

Rhys looked at him blankly.

“Never mind. I thought I’d never find anyone who was willing to do the outdoor jobs in winter.”

“Well, I’m more than happy to. But now, I’d better go in and get my next job.” Rhys repeated, turning towards the shop. A look of mild horror crossed his face as he took in the customers looking through the plants, knick-knacks and endless boxes of Christmas decorations.

There was something about the reticent look that tugged at Toby’s heart. He found himself wanting to know all about the newest employee of Brambley Garden Centre; not a good idea, he knew that. He did, he really did.

Still, having someone who didn’t mind working out in the cold was a godsend. It meant he didn’t have to do it all by himself and that was the only reason he made his next suggestion to Rhys. At least that was what he was telling himself.

Guest Post from Olley White

Hi, Two Chicks. Thanks so much for having me on the blog today. It’s a pleasure to be here.

You asked me what it takes to write a Christmas novella. Well for me it started with Rhys. I knew Rhys pretty much inside out before I started. He was the character who came to me first. There were things I knew about him from the beginning. I knew he wasn’t the biggest fan of Christmas; I knew he wasn’t having the best time workwise; I knew he was a hard worker; and I knew he needed someone to see the real him under the slightly grumpy, antisocial exterior. It was obvious to me that he was not someone who would work your average 9 to 5 in an office. He was the start of my tale.

I admit, I’m a “pantser”; I cannot plot or plan to save my life. I started the opening scene knowing that Rhys wasn’t happy; that life was not going as he’d anticipated. From there, I just started writing. The journey took me to the garden centre and to my other main character, Toby, and then the story really took off.

My favourite part of Christmas is the tree, so I wanted to include trees. There is something incredibly evocative about the tradition of trees; they are so personal.

I also have the idyll of a perfect white Christmas (let’s blame Dickens and ignore the fact that I’ve not actually experienced a proper white Christmas), so I had to include snow. I wanted romance and family and that feel-good factor that sums up the cheesy films I devour at this time of year. And as I wrote, all these factors wove themselves into my story.

Really, it was all about Rhys and Toby and the tale they wanted me to share. I just added the glitter and metaphorical mistletoe.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and that you enjoy reading about Rhys and Toby’s Christmas miracle as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Olley White x

Olley White is the alter ego of Lori Powell. Her home is in England with her husband, children and animals. She uses the fenland where she lives as inspiration for her writing. She loves romance in stories – boy/girl, boy/boy, girl/girl…if they’re in love she loves them.

Website: http://olleywhite.blogspot.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xLori.x

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LorixGlic

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/

Email: pglicp@googlemail.com

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The Greatest Gift by Felice Stevens : Release Day Blitz and Review

December 10, 2015 by Denise

The Greatest Gift

Memories, Book 3

Felice Stevens

M/M Romance

Cover Designer: Dar Albert/Wicked Smart Designs

Cover Photo: StockPhoto

Release Date: 12.10.15

After five years, Alex Stern and Rafe Hazelton have what seems to be the perfect marriage. Alex is entering his last years of residency and Rafe’s veterinary business is busier than ever. For Rafe, all that is missing is a child, but Alex, afraid of ending up to be a man like his father, isn’t as sure. He doesn’t want to make any mistakes.

When a new patient enters the hospital, Alex is drawn to the young, desperately ill single mother, who shares her fears for the future of her young son. Rafe worries about the toll on Alex becoming emotionally invested in a patient, yet he too can’t walk away once he meets the little boy, and together they vow to help in any way possible.

Families are not always born of blood— love is a gift no one can plan for. And sometimes from the darkest of tragedies, the brightest light will shine.

This is a 25k word novella in the Memories series.

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GreatestGiftFinal

Did I need tissues? Yes, of course I did, its a Felice Stevens book after all. 🙂 But they were happy tears-mostly.

Reading this was all about revisiting with old friends, Alex and Rafe, Micah and Josh, their combined families, as well as meeting new friends, Jude and the little boy that captures the heart of the family.

What I enjoyed most was not just revisiting with them, but finding new places for these men to go in their lives. Alex was so determined to keep pushing the idea of a child aside, and yet fate, despite all of Alex’s grumblings, stepped in and took over. With his residency, and his fears, the only way to get through to him was to just have fate decide for him.

I liked that it wasn’t a quick fix, or even a quick timeframe for these men to fall in love with this little boy. Felice didn’t make this happen in three days of (book) time. There was time written in, outings that happened, and even just hanging out, and learning to love each other as a family.

So worth every second.

4 pieces of Eye Candy

“Okay, Alex. I can see Dylan likes you and Jude is a smart girl. She wouldn’t give her baby to just anyone. But let us know where you are throughout the day, please.”

“Of course.”

They said their goodbyes and Valerie gave them her car seat for Dylan. Rafe expertly buckled it into the backseat of their car and off they went to the Bronx Zoo.

Rafe steered the car up the FDR Drive toward the zoo, and Alex decided to sing a song to keep Dylan entertained. He searched his memory for a song and only one came to mind. He started to sing and Rafe glanced over at him in disbelief.

“Alex.”

“What?” He bit his lip to keep from smiling.

“That is not an appropriate song for a four year old to sing.”

Alex could see Rafe fighting to keep from bursting out in laughter.

“I couldn’t think of anything else.”

“More. Sing more, Alex.” From the backseat, Dylan continued the song. “Hundred bottles of beer on the wall…”

“I can’t believe you’ve had this child less than an hour and you’ve already taught him a drinking song.”

“Hey,” said Alex, protesting Rafe’s accusing tone. “I can’t help it if he’s a smart kid and picks things up quickly.”

“Impossible.” Rafe muttered under his breath, turning into the parking lot of the zoo and finding a spot to pull into. He killed the engine and turned to face Alex who gave him a wide-eyed stare.

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t pull that innocent look on me.” Rafe huffed. He tried to affect a stern look but Alex could see the twinkle in his eyes behind his glasses.

“It would help your outrage if you didn’t look like you were about to laugh yourself.”

“Hmmph.” Rafe turned away, but not before Alex saw his lips twitch with suppressed laughter.

“Hey,” said Alex. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

That got him a full blown smile and a kiss.

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that her interest in romance novels was renewed.

But somewhere along the way, her reading shifted to stories of men falling in love. Once she picked up her first gay romance, she became so enamored of the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion there was no turning back.

Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. Although she practices law, she daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be some angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter:https://twitter.com/FeliceStevens1

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8432880.Felice_Stevens

Instagram: https://instagram.com/FeliceStevens

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/felicestevensauthor?ref=hl

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The Family Series by Cardeno C: Blog Tour

December 10, 2015 by Denise

Strong Enough

When a casual hookup turns into the potential for love, staid Spencer realizes he wants to build a life with vibrant Emilio.

When twenty-two-year-old Emilio Sanchez sees handsome Spencer Derdinger walking by his construction site, Emilio makes it his goal to seduce the shy professor. Getting Spencer into bed isn’t difficult, but Emilio soon learns that earning the trust of a man deeply hurt will take time and patience. With a prize like brilliant, sweet Spencer on the line, Emilio decides he is strong enough to face the challenge.

Spencer is surprised when he’s approached by the gorgeous construction worker he’s admired from the safety of his office window. Acting spontaneously for the first time in his thirty-eight years, Spencer takes Emilio home. When the casual hookup turns into the potential for love, Spencer realizes that if he wants to build a life with Emilio, he’ll need to be strong enough to slay his personal demons and learn to trust again.

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Something in the Way He Needs

Controlled Asher didn’t expect to fall for free-spirited Daniel, but they’ll find what they desperately need in one another.

Police captain Asher Penaz’s staunch professionalism bleeds into his home life, down to his neatly pressed attire and spartan apartment. He enjoys being in charge and in control, so his sudden and powerful attraction to the lighthearted, free-spirited Daniel Tover throws him for a loop. In his entire life, Daniel has never gotten what he needs, so he moves to the next place, the next job, the next attempt to find something worth staying for, always landing at the top of his game, but never feeling like he belongs.

The chemistry between Asher and Daniel sizzles, but with all that fire comes the risk of getting burned. As both men struggle to learn themselves while getting to know each other, the lines of desire and control blur. If Daniel and Asher can walk through the flames together, they might find what they desperately need.

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More Than Everything

Time might not heal all wounds, but with two motivated and strong-willed men on a campaign to win him back, Charlie will get more than he ever thought possible.

As a teenager, Charlie “Chase” Rhodes meets Scott Boone and falls head over heels in love with the popular, athletic boy next door. Charlie thinks he’s living the dream when Scott says he feels the same way. But his dreams are dashed when Scott unexpectedly moves away.

Years later, Charlie meets brash and confident Adan Navarro, who claims all he wants is a round between the sheets. After eight months together, Charlie is convinced Adan returns his love. But when the opportunity comes to be open about their relationship, Adan walks away.

Time passes and life moves on, but when Charlie learns the only two men he’s ever loved are now in love with each other, his heart breaks all over again. Scott and Adan tell Charlie they want him back, but Charlie doesn’t know if he can trust two people who have hurt him so deeply. Time might not heal all wounds, but with two motivated and strong-willed men on a campaign to win him back, Charlie will get more than he ever thought possible.

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The Half of Us

If short-tempered Jason can open his heart and life to optimistic Abe, he might finally find the family he craves.

Short-tempered, arrogant heart surgeon Jason Garcia grew up wanting a close-knit family, but believes he ruined those dreams when he broke up his marriage. The benefit of divorce is having as much random sex as he wants, and it’s a benefit Jason is exploiting when he meets a sweet, shy man at a bar and convinces him to go home for a no-strings-attached night of fun.

Eight years living in Las Vegas hasn’t dimmed Abe Green’s optimism, earnestness, or desire to find the one. When a sexy man with lonely eyes propositions him, Abe decides to give himself a birthday present—one night of spontaneous fun with no thoughts of the future. But one night turns into two and then three, and Abe realizes his heart is involved.

For the first time, Abe feels safe enough with someone he respects and adores to let go of his inhibitions in the bedroom. If Jason can get past his own inhibitions and open his heart and his life to Abe, he might finally find the family he craves.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.”

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Pintrest | Google+ | Youtube

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EXCLUSIVE Cover Reveal and Excerpt: The Detective’s Pleasure by Christa Tomlinson

December 9, 2015 by Denise

Officer Ryan Bennett: He’s pursuing his dream of being promoted to Houston’s elite SWAT team with a single mindedness that won’t accept any outcome but success. But that’s not all he dreams of. Ryan wants more than a coveted position on SWAT. He wants to be owned by a strong Dominant. To give himself up to a Dom who will make him shudder with pleasure beneath a firm yet loving hand. Unfortunately, Ryan has had nothing but failure in that part of his life. Now, he’s hidden that dream away from everyone, including himself. And he refuses to let anyone close enough to see what he truly wants, and who he truly is.

Detective Sam Roberts: Cool and calm, Detective Sam Roberts is good at reading people. That’s why he sees past the hard layer of arrogance surrounding Ryan Bennett to the hurt submissive hiding beneath. He wants to help Ryan, even though the stubborn young man resists him. But Sam isn’t one to back down from a challenge. He’s determined to help Ryan embrace the soft, giving nature of his submissive side. Sam knows he can do it. What he doesn’t know is just how far they’ll both have to go in order to make that happen.

From The Detective’s Pleasure by Christa Tomlinson

Ryan opened his eyes to see Sam standing again and pulling his jeans back up.

He blinked in confusion. “Did I do something wrong?”

Sam shook his head and sat on the bed near Ryan’s head. “No, you didn’t. That felt good and I’d love to feel more of it.”

Ryan frowned in confusion again. “Then why’d you pull away?”

“Because you’re not ready for this.”

Heat rushed through him, but this time it was from anger, rather than arousal. “What the fuck, Roberts? I’m not here to play games!”

Sam gently stroked a hand up Ryan’s arm. “Neither am I.”

Ryan jerked away from his touch as much as the ropes would allow. “Then why do you keep playing them?”

“You think I’m playing games because you’re impatient and you don’t want to listen to what your dominant is telling you.”

“Damn right, I’m impatient, Roberts! I told you what I wanted!”

Ryan’s eyes widened as Sam moved with surprising speed. He climbed back on the bed to straddle Ryan’s waist, squeezing his sides with his thighs. A sharp pained cry was startled from him as Sam pinched his already abused nipples between tightly clenched fingers. He was about to demand that Sam let him go, but the other man spoke first.

“First of all I told you to stop calling me Roberts. You will call me Sam or Sir. I don’t ever want to hear my last name out of your mouth again, do you understand?”

Ryan’s face was hot with anger, his eyes burning with tears he refused to shed, but he nodded.

“Good.” Sam eased up on the pinch he had on Ryan’s nipples. “Second. You are the submissive. You don’t tell me what you want to do unless I ask. I decide what we do. And if I decide that what we need is to sit next to each other and talk, or for you to be tied up while I ask you questions, then that’s what we’ll do.” He increased the pressure again, making Ryan’s torso jerk up at the sting. “You’ll get my cock in your mouth or in your ass when I decide you’re ready for it. Not when you demand it. Is that understood?”

This time Ryan’s answer was a yes whispered through clenched teeth. Sam released his grip to rub his palms softly over the abused skin.

“I’m going to untie you and you’ll stay here with me for at least a few minutes.”

His jaw clenched hard to hold back all the curses he wanted to spew, Ryan waited silently while Sam untied the ropes. Once he was free he sat up, rubbing his wrists. “How long do I have to sit here?”

Sam smirked. “At least until your erection has gone down.”

Another flush crawled up Ryan’s neck at that comment, but he didn’t respond. Sam rejoined him on the bed. He put an arm across his shoulder and pulled him up against him. Ryan sat there stiffly, refusing to give Sam the satisfaction of relaxing against him. Sam persisted however, caressing Ryan’s arm in long, slow strokes, occasionally moving up to rub the back of his neck or slide a hand into his hair. Eventually he pressed a kiss to Ryan’s temple.

“You can go now if you’d like.”

Ryan hesitated for a moment before he moved to get off the bed. Unsure what to say, he kept his eyes fixed on the floor as he pulled on his clothes. But he could feel Sam’s eyes on him the whole time. When he was dressed, he finally looked at Sam again. He sat there on the bed, chest and feet bare, jeans still unzipped. He looked nice and relaxed, which irritated Ryan even more than he already was. He didn’t bother to keep that irritation out of his voice as he asked a question before leaving.

“Let me guess. I’m supposed to abstain from masturbation until you give me permission?”

Sam shook his head. “Nope. You can jerk off all you want. But you won’t be getting any orgasms from me until you give me what I’m looking for.”

The Sergeant on Amazon

The Sergeant: A Christmas Story on Amazon

Le Sergent (French Edition) on Amazon

Release Date: January 21, 2016

Without further ado…check out this beautiful cover created by Jay Aheer!!!!

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The Subs Club by J.A. Rock : Blog Tour and Giveaway

December 8, 2015 by Denise

Hi! I’m J.A. Rock, and right now I’m touring the internet talking about my latest release The Subs Club—Book 1 in The Subs Club series. Thanks so much to the blogs that are hosting me on this tour, and be sure to leave comments on the tour posts for a chance to win your choice of two backlist ebooks and a $10 Amazon gift card!

About The Subs Club (The Subs Club #1)

A year ago, my best friend Hal died at the hands of an incompetent “dom.” So I started the Subs Club, a private blog where submissives can review doms and call out the douche bags.

A perfect example of the kind of arrogant asshole I mean? The Disciplinarian. He has a pornstache. He loves meat, stoicism, America, and real discipline. And he thinks subs exist to serve him.

But . . . not everything about him is awful. His Davy Crockett act just seems like a cover for his fear of intimacy, and part of me wants to show him it’s okay to get close to people. And, I mean, sue me, but I have fantasized about real discipline. Not role-play, but like, Dave, you’re gonna be thirty in four years and you still work in a mall; get your ass in gear or I’ll spank it.

Not that I’d ever trust anyone with that kind of control.

I’m gonna redefine “battle of wills” for the Disciplinarian. Or I’m gonna bone him. It’s hard to say.

—Dave

About The Subs Club Universe

After the death of their friend Hal at the hands of an irresponsible dom, submissive friends Dave, Kamen, Miles, and Gould band together to form the Subs Club—an organization seeking to expose dangerous local doms. The club slowly evolves as romances blossom, loyalties are tested, and tensions mount in a community already struggling for unity in the wake of Hal’s death.

From domestic discipline to knife play to fashion paraphilia, and from family drama to new jobs to first loves, the members of the Subs Club explore life’s kinks inside and outside of the bedroom as they attempt to let go of the past and move forward.

J.A. Rock is the author of queer romance and suspense novels, including BY HIS RULES, TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME, and, with Lisa Henry, THE GOOD BOY and WHEN ALL THE WORLD SLEEPS. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama and a BA in theater from Case Western Reserve University. J.A. also writes queer fiction and essays under the name Jill Smith. Raised in Ohio and West Virginia, she now lives in Chicago with her dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

Website: www.jarockauthor.com
Blog: http://jarockauthor.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jarockauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ja.rock.39

To celebrate the release of The Subs Club, J.A. Rock is giving away two titles from her backlist and a $10 Amazon gift card! Your first comment at each stop on this tour enters you in the drawing. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 12, 2015. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Follow the tour for more opportunities to enter the giveaway! Don’t forget to leave your email or method of contact so Riptide can reach you if you win!

Status Update by Annabeth Albert : Book Blast, Excerpt and Giveaway

December 7, 2015 by Denise

Adrian Gottlieb is winning at life. He’s a successful video game designer with everything a man could ask for, including a warm comfy ride to Denver and a date for his sister’s wedding. But he finds himself in need of a total reboot when he’s left stranded at a snowy campground in Utah. Holiday plans? Epic fail.

That is until Noah Walters offers him shelter for the night and a reluctant cross-country ride. Nothing about the ultraconservative geoarchaeologist should attract Adrian, but once he discovers Noah’s hidden love for video games, the two connect on a new level. Soon, a quiet but undeniable chemistry sparks.

Something doesn’t add up, though. As the miles accumulate and time runs out, Noah must face the most difficult choice of his life. Meanwhile, Adrian must decide whether he’s ready to level up. Is their relationship status worth fighting for, or has this game ended before it’s even begun?

Book 1 of the #gaymers series

Author Name: Annabeth Albert

Book Name: Status Update

Series: #gaymers

Book: One

Release Date: December 7, 2015

Pages or Words: 64,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Carina Press

Cover Artist: Carina Press

Chapter One

Noah knew the dog was trouble as soon as he and Ulysses entered the campground’s off-leash dog area. The little guy—some sort of Chihuahua/mini-pin mix in a yellow-and-green checked coat—stood in the center of the scrubby grass, barking his fool head off. The only human in the dog area sat at the picnic table on the far side, completely absorbed in his shiny phone, oblivious to his dog strutting around like all eight pounds of him would be enough to keep potential threats out.

Ulysses gave Noah a look, like “you really expect me to ignore that?” Noah tightened his hold on the tennis ball chucker. Ulysses never did well competing with smaller dogs for his toys. He unclipped Ulysses with a stern look.

“Be good.”

Still yapping, the little dog rushed over to inspect his new enemy. Predictably, Ulysses wandered away to do his business. He was too old for these sorts of games.

Noah gave a halfhearted wave in the direction of the owner, but the guy didn’t look up from his phone. The young guy was a typical hipster tourist—thick tortoise-framed glasses, artfully messed-up dark hair, with a thick purple streak, falling over his forehead. Slim build, but his wide shoulders stretched his too-thin jacket, making the shiny fabric ripple with his motions. He wasn’t any more prepared for November in Utah than his designer dog. Still, he was a cute guy, if one was the type to notice things like that, which Noah was not.

Noah looked away, studying the sheer cliffs that surrounded the Capitol Reef National Park. Didn’t matter how much time he spent in Southern Utah, he never got tired of the view. Phone guy was missing the light shifting into one of those perfect late fall sunsets that made the early dusk worth the loss of daylight. Pink streaks mingled with gray sky to cast a rosy glow over the scrubby grass and low fence of the dog area.

Rowwwr. Ulysses flopped at Noah’s feet, a deep beseeching whine rattling out of his barrel chest. He was eighty pounds of unhappy. He’d waited patiently all afternoon while Noah worked, and now he was missing out on his ball time thanks to the teacup gatekeeper.

“Okay, but play nice.” Noah threw the ball hard with the chucker toy, going for enough distance to outstrip the tiny dog’s ability to keep up with Ulysses. Not surprisingly, the little guy was tenacious, cutting off Ulysses’s path to the ball. Ulysses gave a warning woof, and Noah broke into a run, heading after the dogs.

“Down,” he called out. Ulysses wouldn’t attack the smaller dog, but he wasn’t above a major tantrum. And despite the smaller dog acting as instigator, people would see the huge black dog and toss out the “aggressor” label. Noah preferred to exercise him late in the day—Ulysses simply didn’t enjoy playing with other dogs, and Noah wasn’t one to force his dog into uncomfortable situations.

The little dog stood over the ball, yapping up a storm while Ulysses barked and growled, ignoring Noah’s command to sit.

Finally, the owner hefted himself off the picnic bench.

“Pixel, baby, what are you doing?” the owner called in a melodic voice that didn’t inspire Noah’s confidence in the man’s ability to control his dog. “Did the big doggie scare you?”

Hah. Typical. Noah snorted. “Can you grab the ball?” He didn’t trust those little dog breeds—too quick to snap. He’d nearly been bitten trying to retrieve a ball more than once.

“Oh sure.” The guy reached under Pixel—typical cutesy name for an annoying dog—and delicately plucked the ball free, but instead of handing it to Noah, he gave it a toss, sending both dogs running.

Oh great. Noah let out a slow breath, little puffs of vapor in the crisp evening air that did nothing to defuse his tension.

“It’ll be okay.” The way-too-handsy guy patted the sleeve of Noah’s parka. “They just need to work it out. Pixel loves to play.”

Noah took a step to the side. Who did that? Touched complete strangers? But the guy kept up his friendly grin, not unlike his dog, who kept gamely chasing Ulysses. Ulysses won the race to the ball this time and hightailed it back to Noah. Not releasing his prize, he whined softly.

“Hey, boy. You got a toy?” The guy knelt to dog level and extended a hand, but instead of sniffing, Ulysses shook his head.

“Sorry. He’s not much on new people.” Neither am I. Noah’s voice sounded rough to his own ears—too many days with only Ulysses to talk to.

“It’s okay.” The guy straightened, then extended a hand to Noah. “I’m Adrian Gottlieb. You been at Capitol Reef long?”

“Couple of weeks.” He returned Adrian’s handshake, hating it when a little buzz shot up his arm. Unlike his own gloved hand, Adrian’s hand was bare, a hint of a tattoo playing peekaboo with his cuff, his grip strong and firm. And Noah had absolutely no business noticing anything more than the guy’s relentless friendliness.

Adrian smiled expectantly as he released Noah’s hand.

“Oh, I’m Noah. And that’s Ulysses,” he added, because dog people always wanted to know all about the dog. No doubt the guy was bursting to tell Pixel’s life story.

“Add-dreeee-an,” a heavily accented voice called from the gate. A beefy guy close to Noah’s age leaned on the fence, bald head gleaming in the setting sun. “I’m lonely. When are you coming back?”

“Coming,” Adrian shouted, then gave Noah a shrug with a “what can you do?” expression on his face. He grabbed Pixel and jogged across the field.

Noah nodded like he knew anything about handling demanding friends. Adrian greeted the mammoth dude with a quick peck. Okay then. Not a friend. He should have guessed, but he was a bit slow about relationship stuff. The country was changing, even way out here, but no one would dare try even that much PDA in his tiny West Texas college town. His stomach gave a weird flip—not quite discomfort, but something else he refused to name. Time to return his attention to Ulysses. He hurled the tennis ball as hard as he could.

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.

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 children.

Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency

Where to find the author:

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

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

Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnnabethAlbert

Tumblr: www.annabethalbert.tumblr.com

Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annabethsangels/

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Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, The Hat Party, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, 3 Chicks After Dark, Havan Fellows, Bayou Book Junkie, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, V’s Reads, Jessie G. Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Just Love Romance, Mikky’s World of Books, Happily Ever Chapter, Book Lovers 4Ever, The Jena Wade, Charley Descoteaux, Louise Lyons, Inked Rainbow Reads, Velvet Panic, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Michael Mandrake, It’s Raining Men