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Deadly Dorian by Jocelyn Drake and Rhinda Elliott: Exclusive Excerpt, Pre-Release Day Review and Giveaway

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**TCO is excited to have Jocelynn Drake and Rhinda Elliott stop by with a sassy, exclusive excerpt from Deadly Dorian, which comes out next week–EEK!–Make sure you check out the giveaway at the bottom of the page for a chance at an ebook copy of any of Drake and Elliott’s back releases.

Someone is trying to kill Marc Foster.

Attempted poisoning was bad enough, but when the would-be killer messes with the brakes on Marc’s precious Porsche, the art dealer admits he needs help. He just wasn’t expecting help to be quite so dark and sexy.

Royce Karras loves his job at Ward Security. He’s making up for a lifetime of bad decisions and a bloody past he’d rather forget. But Marc isn’t the spoiled rich boy he thought he’d be protecting. Sticking close to Marc as his “boyfriend” gives Royce insight into his toxic family, but it also reveals a brilliant, compassionate man who completely disarms Royce. Against his better judgment, Royce finds himself falling.

But can they find a way to make it work when Royce’s past threatens to tear their lives apart? Their future hinges on a lost Renaissance painting, six Bichon Frises, and a pornographic Robin Hood.

No worries, right?

Pre-order exclusively at Amazon

 

Just like the kitchen, the living room looked completely untouched. He’d seen model homes that looked more lived-in. A white sofa and a black chair faced a nondescript wooden table. A TV offered the only break in the white walls. There were no pictures of family or friends. No art whatsoever. There was…nothing.

An uneasy twist tightened his stomach. It didn’t look as if anyone lived in this house. There was nothing personal. No little hint into the man who was supposed to be keeping him safe, as if he’d erased all signs of his soul. Marc had watched those horrible true-crime shows that revealed images of a psychotic killer’s home to find it meticulously cleaned and organized. Royce’s home reminded him a little too much of that.

“Have you lived here long?” Marc called after Royce as he continued to follow Royce’s heavy footsteps. He paused at the foot of the stairs by the front entrance, then shrugged. Royce never told him to stay in the living room. Didn’t speak to him at all. So, he went up.

At the top of the stairs, he found three open doors. One to a bathroom and another to a spare bedroom with only a queen-sized mattress and box spring on the hardwood floor. The other room was the master bedroom, and this one had a little shred of color and personality.

The king-sized bed dominated the room with its black comforter and wooden headboard with the open slats. Perfect for gripping or tying someone to. Marc blinked and jerked his gaze away from the bed to the pair of framed pictures on the nightstand. Without thinking, he stepped farther into the room, squinting at the pictures. One looked a couple of decades old at least and was of two young boys. The other was of a handsome young man with a colorful scarf tied around his neck. It looked like a nice spring day with cherry blossoms in the background. Even from a distance, the man’s smile was incredibly sweet.

Royce stepped out of the walk-in closet with a black roller bag in hand. He glared at Marc, looking as if he were surprised to find him there. “Wait downstairs,” he barked. “I’ll be down in five minutes.”

Marc stiffened at his tone, feeling like a scolded child. Sure, this was Royce’s private domain, and the man couldn’t like having his privacy invaded, but Royce was about to touch every inch of Marc’s private life. “Of course,” Marc bit out as he turned on his heel and started to leave the room.

A low muttered curse rumbled from Royce a second later. “Wait,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Is there anything in particular I should pack?”

“Most days I’ll be at the gallery downtown. You can wear whatever you want there.” Marc partially turned to look at Royce, still expecting to be ejected from the room at any second.

“Jeans and T-shirt?”

“You can wear onesie unicorn pajamas and a tiara every day to the gallery. It certainly wouldn’t be the strangest thing I’ve seen.” Some of the tension eased from Marc’s shoulders when he saw the corner of Royce’s mouth jerk like he was fighting back a smile.

Clearing his throat, Royce tossed the roller bag on the bed and opened it. “I’ll skip the onesie this time. I’ll be carrying, and it could get in the way.”

His heart missed a beat at the mention of the fact that Royce would by carrying a gun and that danger was still haunting his steps. It was easy to forget at times when he was focused on the strange man grabbing clothes out of the top dresser drawer on the opposite side of the room.

With every one of these books, I come out thinking that it’s my new favorite.

Maybe it is for the time being, I dunno…I think I might be a little bit in love with all of them though! In this one, we have Royce…who I had been waiting for. He was beautifully tragic in a way that you just knew he had some hidden heartache in him, and boy did he.

And Marc… the art dealer who was convinced that someone in his family was trying to kill him. That’s when he met with Royce, because he needed a bodyguard.And because it was someone that had access to his home, and all aspects of his life, he needed them to be with him 24/7…And what better way to go undercover, than to pretend he’s Marc’s boyfriend.  What could possibly go wrong there??

I will admit, that this story kept me on my toes and flipping through pages like crazy. I read it half of a day because I couldn’t put it down once I’d started. Who I was convinced was behind it, wasn’t at all and really surprised me by the end. I love that it was a twist that I didn’t see coming.

I kind of felt like the two problems in the story was a bit much…like, we have this big thing with Marc and someone trying to kill him and then a huge thing pops up with Royce, making him have a big problem. It was a bit much, I’ll say again… I did like that during Royce’s problem, the guys all took his back and made him realize that they were all a family. All the guys that he worked with had his back not only on the job, but in life…Royce had felt alone for a very long time, and it was nice to see the brotherhood and connection that they all had together. They really proved themselves loyal after this one. I mean, not that they don’t already, but…especially after they helped Royce out with his situation.

With Marc, my heart kind of broke for him because he never felt good enough since he was the baby of the family, and wow, his siblings were kind of terrible, especially his sister. I never did warm up towards her.

I did love the way he and Royce were when they were together, though…It never felt like a show, or just a job, even from the beginning. They were perfect for each other and it was obvious. Of course, they both had to learn some things about themselves before we got there in the end, but of course they did.
It was just a perfect addition to an already great series, and you get to see all the hotties from previous books, so bonus there!

I honestly cannot wait for more from this series…

5 pieces of eye candy from me.

At TCO, we all love Jocelynn and Rhinda’s work, so leave a comment, and you could win and ebook copy of any of their backdated releases!

Austin by Felice Stevens: Release Day Review and Excerpt

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I can make it by myself. The only rules I follow are my own. Love? I learned that lesson the hard and painful way—it wasn’t right for me. Sure, sometimes it gets lonely, and I wish I had a man to hold. Who’d love me. Want me. Treat me with respect. Yeah, I dance in a club, but that doesn’t mean I’m easy. Or a fool. So you, sitting in the back, watching me? I know what you want. You want me. In your bed. Under you. But I say no. It doesn’t matter how many presents you give me.

I’m not falling for you. I know who you are. But you don’t know me. You don’t know Austin.

AUSTIN

MAN UP SERIES

FELICE STEVENS

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 04.05.18

COVER DESIGN: REESE DANTE

Amazon


I lifted my chin. “I’m sorry, but customers aren’t allowed in here. You have to leave.”

Ignoring my statement, he closed the door behind him and stood, his face impassive, expression hard and fierce as if hacked out of granite.

“Did he hurt you?”

The softness of his voice surprised me. It didn’t reconcile with his large, imposing presence. Forgetting my previous statement, I gazed up at him from my seat, and not wishing to be at a disadvantage, stood.

“You saw what happened?”

“I did.” A twinkle lit his startling blue eyes. “You handled it perfectly.”

“Fucking asshole. He’s lucky I didn’t kick him harder.”

“The kitten has claws, I see.”

A smile curved his stern mouth, and he looked younger and impossibly attractive. A rush of desire hit me, but I couldn’t fall prey to it or him.

“I’m not a kitten, and if you think I need a protector, you can forget it. I can take care of myself.” I’d had to all my life.

“I don’t want to be your protector.” Fire replaced the smile in his eyes. “Did you like what I sent you?” He licked his lips. “Are you wearing it?”

I should have been scared. Being alone with him here could be dangerous, even though my instinct told me he’d never hurt me. But whether to listen to my body or my heart, I hadn’t yet decided. Wordlessly, I took several steps until I stood only a few feet in front of him. I peeled back the top of my shorts, exposing the frothy lace. The sparkling crystals caught the light. He reached out with a finger, then halted in midair.

“May I?”

My dick shifted in my thin shorts, and though it was impossible not to notice my rising desire, he waited for my response.

“No.”

What a tease!!!

This super short is the start of…something. The next book will be out shortly and I can’t help but wonder. Another short like this? Longer like novella length? Full length? Whatever it is, I want it.

We meet Austin, dance teacher by day, go go dancer by night. Doing what needs to be done until he can get his big break dancing on stage.

But there is a guy who always shows up to watch him dance. And began sending him gifts. But is a mystery.

There are quite a few supporting characters that we get to know as well. Unfortunately I missed a few of this author’s books, but they seem to be from other stories.

So while I definitely want to read more- and would have continued reading had this book been longer- Austin is a bit of a mess for me. One minute proclaiming that he doesn’t need a man, the next staring wistfully at a happy couple wishing he had that. I’m sure there is more to it- and I want to see what it is.

3.5 Pieces of Candy 

 

 

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.

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Sweet Nothings by T. Neilson: Release Day Review

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Will a bitter bite from the past spoil a sweet romance?

Tristan Love, the youngest of seven brothers, is back in his hometown. He’s left the New York food scene and an abusive relationship behind him, but he holds his love of French pastries close to his heart and is determined to put his skills to use in a bakery of his own.

Returning to his childhood home means his meddlesome brother Simon will butt into his business, but before the bakery even opens its doors, Tristan’s delectable creations have the town’s mouths watering, and Jake, a cute mechanic, asks Tristan out. It all seems worthwhile….

That is, until the bakery burns down, Jake’s criminal past comes to light, and Tristan’s nasty ex rears his head where he is decidedly not wanted.

Title: Sweet Nothings
Series: Amuse Bouche: Book 1
Author: T. Neilson
Release Date: April 3, 2018
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 242

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

So, I liked the main characters- Tristan and Jake. And I liked parts of the story, but a lot of it was kind of meh to me.

Tristan is starting over in his home town with his dream. Opening a bakery. But he is also escaping a crazy ex and avoiding his mother and brothers. At least for now. Why would you not tell your mother you were home? They didn’t have a bad relationship.

Anyway. Jake is the typical blue collar working, wrongly accused of a crime he took the rap for and is now just trying to move on with his life. Sparks fly, yada, yada.

I did like the dynamic of Tristan and Jake together. Jake is a good guy (too good- see taking the rap for a crime he didn’t commit) and the little things he does for Tristan speak louder than big grand gestures. Tristan is a bit too trusting- especially after coming out of a bad relationship- but you just want to trust Jake.

Then the bad things start happening. And while it is obvious to me who is behind it all, it’s rather anticlimactic. Like, duh of course…..

The family dynamic between the brothers is interesting and I would have liked to see more of that. Maybe in subsequent books.

I’d call this a nice little escape beach read, but nothing more than that.

3 Pieces of Candy

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

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

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

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

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

Preorder at Amazon

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

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

I should have known better.

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

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

Or that was the plan.

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

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

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

If he had a fantasy.

Or if he had a boyfriend.

Or if Charlie could cope with being touched.

I know, right?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Except it wasn’t empty.

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

He was terrified of water.

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

Because he was dead. Because he had killed himself.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not when he’d failed so spectacularly last time.

“You—let go.”

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

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

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

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

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

His Truth by Riley Hart: Release Day Review and Excerpt

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They were only kids when they met for the first time. Leo Mancini was the son of a judge. Roman Cipriani the son of a criminal. So different, yet as they shared stolen kisses and secret moments, they fell in love. One day they would run away together, have the future they deserved, because no one loved Leo like Roman did, or Roman like Leo did. But before they could make their dreams come true, their future was viciously stolen and their lives changed forever.

Roman has spent the last twelve years repressing the trauma in his past, trying to pretend it didn’t exist, until even he believed his own lies.

Leo won’t let himself forget what happened because he doesn’t ever want to be that person again. He won’t become the man his father wanted him to be or the guy who gets hurt when he lets someone in.

But in that split second when their eyes meet again, everything changes. Despite Leo’s anger and Roman’s denial, the connection they shared as teens is still there, too powerful to deny. Now, when their moments don’t have to be stolen, they cling to what they’ve always craved—each other.

Roman and Leo aren’t kids anymore, though—they can’t lock themselves away from the world and pretend nothing exists but each other. A trauma like Roman suffered doesn’t just go away, but now that Roman accepts his truth, can the two of them escape their demons before they destroy Roman and Leo a second time?

HIS TRUTH

RILEY HART

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 03.29.18

Amazon

Goodreads

I have a pretty crappy memory. Which works sometimes because I can read a book twice and only get hints of “hmmm…did I read this already?”. But when I started reading this book I was only a few pages in and I knew that I HAD read this already. Several years ago, I was one of the beta readers who encouraged Riley Hart to publish this. She wasn’t ready, I get it. It was a bit heavier than her other books. But finally, it is going to be out in the world.

This story is heartbreaking. For Roman who was basically brainwashed into believing he wasn’t gay, and for Leo who refused to allow love after having his heart shattered as a teen.

Chance brought them back together. Facing Leo again means Roman has to face himself. Watching that happen is both heart warming and heart breaking. Both Leo and Roman blossomed together like they were each one half of a whole.

And while there wasn’t really romance, there was love. It was so obvious from the start how much these men still loved each other after 12 years. LETTING themselves love each other….**sigh**

Ms Hart always writes good sex scenes and this was no different. But she doesn’t rely on steamy scenes to fill pages. They actually add to the story.

Once again, I am glad that she is finally publishing this book.

4 pieces of eye candy

It was close to ten when Roman’s phone rang. His pulse kicked up, and when he saw Leo’s name on the screen, he fumbled ridiculously picking it up. It was Friday night, so he’d assumed Leo would be at work. He hadn’t expected to hear from him. “Hello?”

“Hey, Tough Guy. What are you doing?” Roman wasn’t sure why, but his pulse sped again at the old nickname. He listened but didn’t hear music or anything in the background. “You didn’t have to work tonight?” he asked.

“I’m on break. I borrowed the keys to someone’s car, so I’m sitting in it. Needed some quiet. How was work?”

“Work was work. I had too many meetings and a few unhappy clients.”

“Sounds like your day was about as good as mine.”

They were quiet for a few moments. Roman wasn’t sure what to say. There was something different about Leo right now, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. “What did you do today?” he finally asked.

“Nothing important.”

Leo’s words sounded like a lie. No, he knew they were a lie. He’d always been able to tell when Leo was having a bad day or wasn’t being truthful with him. “I don’t believe you.”

There was a soft chuckle on the other end of the line. “I never could lie to you. I went to see my parents. It was a shitty day. I don’t want to talk about it. Where are you?”

Curiosity almost made him refuse to answer Leo’s question, but somehow he knew now wasn’t the time to talk about it. That wasn’t what Leo needed. “Lying in my bed.” At ten on a Friday night. He really needed to get a life. What would Leo do after work tonight? Would he bring someone home with him? The thought made Roman’s gut churn, but it wasn’t as if he had any claim on Leo. They hadn’t discussed anything.

“Have you done what I told you to do?” Leo asked, confusing him.

“What was that?”

“Finger yourself. Get to know your body.”

Roman immediately tensed up and hated himself for it. There was nothing wrong with masturbating. He’d jerked off too many times to count. Most people did, but this was different.

“Do it for me now, Ro,” Leo said, obviously not needing Roman to answer him.

“What? No.”There was a voice in his head telling him it wasn’t a big deal. Phone sex. People did it all the time. He felt like a novice when it came to being sexual. He’d worked hard to please Amy or other women he’d been with, but he wasn’t the kind of man who had phone sex or anything like that.

“Yes. You can do it. I don’t have much time, though. Let’s see…If I can make you come before I get back to work, what do I get?”

Roman didn’t answer. The truth was, he couldn’t imagine putting a finger up his own ass while he was on the phone with Leo.

“The only way to move forward is to let go of the past.”Leo’s words burst through his thoughts. They were true, another truth Roman needed to accept.

“Are you wearing anything?” Leo asked.

“Just my underwear.”

“Take them off for me. You have such a beautiful body. I couldn’t stop looking at it the other night.”

It was clearly a distraction, but…fuck, Roman thought maybe he wanted this too. Wanted to let loose and just do the kinds of things people dating did. He didn’t want to think about things that hurt or things that were hard, and he knew Leo didn’t either.

Roman did his best to turn his brain off, took a deep breath, and pulled his underwear down his legs. He kicked out of them and then pushed the blanket down so he was completely bare in the middle of his bed. “Okay, they’re off,” Roman told him, realizing he really wanted to do this. “How should I lie?”

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s a hopeless romantic, a lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together.

She loves reading, flawed characters, and hanging out with her husband and children, who she adores. She and her family live in Southern California, soaking up the sunshine while also missing seasons. Not a day goes by that she isn’t thankful she gets to wake up and do what she loves.

Life is good. Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn.

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The Power of Love by Sydney Blackburn &, Lina Langley: Release Day Blitz, Excerpt and Giveaway

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The #1 rule of superhero training camp is you don’t talk about superhero training camp.

Or your parents.

Or their powers, which is the only thing saving Vince’s life—he’s the son of a notorious supervillain. But the secret could become a deadly deception when he falls into a super-powered entanglement with gorgeously heroic cabinmate Locke.

When their instructor disappears, Vince’s father may be to blame. Torn between loyalties, Vince’s greatest fear is that his father’s taint will corrupt him and poison his heart against Locke.

Vince might be doomed to follow in his father’s footsteps, but he hopes love can beat genetics.

Title:  The Power of Love

Author: Sydney Blackburn, Lina Langley

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: March 26, 2018

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 88300

Genre: Science Fiction, LGBT, superheroes, action, romance, science fiction

Goodreads

 

Amazon

NineStar Press

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

 

Chapter One

Vincent Silva breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his grade posted on the bulletin board. He’d already passed the entrance exams to be at Camp Hologram, but the on-site test was vital.

He didn’t recognize the names of the three other guys in Cabin One, but he never expected he would. Kids with power-gifted parents were raised to protect their identities, for everyone’s safety. He didn’t want anyone to know who his father and stepmother were. Especially his stepmother, though he hated to use that word. It went the other way as well—he used his mother’s maiden name on his application so his father and alleged stepmother wouldn’t know he was at the camp.

A sharp lack of noise brought his attention to a classroom that reminded him too much of high school—being lectured by Mister Mister, who used to be somebody. His power was mimicry—for a few hours he could have the power of any gifted person he touched. Five years ago, he’d run afoul of the villain Chameleon. Vince wasn’t sure exactly what had happened—the media reported only that somehow his stepmother had managed to defeat Mister Mister, after which he’d retired from active duty.

The resemblance to high school ended with Mister Mister, who didn’t look anything like a teacher. For a start, his gray hair, still thick and wavy, was shoulder length, and he wore an olive drab T-shirt the same color as his canvas pants. He had tattoos down his arms and over the backs of his hands. He was also more physically fit than any of Vince’s high school teachers had ever been.

“Welcome to Camp Hologram, gentlemen. You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t mastered a general control over your powers, so the focus of your training will be learning independence and teamwork. How to maximize your strengths, minimize your weaknesses. How to survive without any powers at all.

“It takes strength of will, and discipline….”

Vince tuned out the boring “why you’re all here” speech. He knew why he was there. He was born with powers and a determination to never be the kind of person his father was. Being the son of a villain didn’t mean that was his only choice.

“Weekend leave is in the city of Guilford, but don’t get too excited. There’s a volunteer element to your grades. I believe most of you have ignored the pamphlet of rules you received before arriving so let me reiterate: booze, drugs, and gambling are not permitted here at Camp Hologram. Lights out is at 10:00 p.m. Reveille is at 5:00 a.m. sharp. You are expected to make up your bunks and keep your gear in your lockers. This afternoon you’re to stow your gear and get to know your cabin mates. When you hear the klaxon, get to the mess hall or go hungry. Now grab your packs and go to your assigned cabin.”

Finally! Vince leaned down to grab his duffle, a heavy canvas bag almost as long as he was tall and stuffed with everything he owned. Whatever he did at Camp Hologram, fail or graduate qualified to be an official hero, he wasn’t going back home. Guilt made him flinch as he thought of his mother. She deserved a chance to make a life without his father screwing it up, and that meant a place with immaculate security. The kind only money could buy. Money popular heroes earned through sponsorships and licensing fees.

The first step was to ace his training.

He listened to the other guys grumble as they shuffled out, most of them with much less luggage.

“This is so lame,” someone said.

“Piece of cake,” someone else said.

Vince didn’t say anything. He followed the others out of the administration building. It was a large complex, holding the showers, the shitters, the kitchen, and the dining hall, along with the lecture room and who knew what else. Stuff the trainees didn’t need to know. Might be in the paperwork Mister Mister rightly guessed he hadn’t read.

Lina M. Langley has a postgraduate degree from Newcastle University in Creative Writing and a B.A (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing from Northumbria University.

She grew up in Colombia and currently lives in Gainesville, FL with her husband.

Author Links

Website: http://linalangley.com/

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

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

 

Sydney

Sydney Blackburn is a binary star system. Always a voracious reader, she began to write when she couldn’t find the stories she wanted to read. She likes candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach… Oh wait, wrong profile. She’s a snarky introvert and admits to having a past full of casual sex and dubious hookups, which she uses for her stories.

She likes word play and puns and science-y things. And green curry.

Her dislikes include talking on the phone, people trying to talk to her before she’s had coffee, and filling out the “about me” fields in social media.

Besides writing, she also designs book covers for poor people.

 

 

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