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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

mystery

A Friend in the Dark (An Auden & O’Callaghan Mystery Book 1) by Gregory Ashe & C.S. Poe: New Release Review *2

September 29, 2020 by Denise

Rufus O’Callaghan has eked out a living on the streets of New York City by helping the police put away criminals as a confidential informant. But when Rufus shows up for an arranged meeting and finds his handler dead, his already-uncertain life is thrown into a tailspin. Now someone is trying to kill Rufus too, and he’s determined to find out why.

After leaving the Army under less than desirable circumstances, Sam Auden has drifted from town to town, hitching rides and catching Greyhounds, until he learns that a former Army buddy, now a police detective in New York City, has died by suicide. Sam knows that’s not right, and he immediately sets out to get answers.

As Rufus and Sam work together to learn the truth of their friend’s death, they find themselves entangled in a web of lies, cover-ups, and accelerating danger. And when they witness a suspect killed in cold blood, they realize they’re running out of time.

Title: A Friend in the Dark

Book #: 1

Series: An Auden & O’Callaghan Mystery

Author(s): Gregory Ashe and C.S. Poe

Length: 70,000k (novel)

Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Genre: Amateur sleuth mystery, romance

Release: September 8, 2020

Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Okay, I don’t even know where to start!

First, if it is by C.S. Poe, I am reading it. Plus, she got me hooked on a Gregory Ashe newsletter story…so this was without question something I wanted to read. Okay, but there’s a cliffhanger!!!! Dang you, authors!!! I wanted to scream and shout, but understood why, and what it was for, so I have settled in to wait for book 2 (I will be in the corner with my blanket and my pacifier…) lol

These two authors wrote seamlessly together. They created two characters that on the surface, and deep, deep below the surface were hot messes. They both have a lot of shadows in their eyes, but somehow managed to work really well together, as they learned that they might want to do more than just sleuth together.

As they work together to find out what happened to Jake, they move all around NYC, not the glizty, glamour areas, but the underbelly, the places tourists never see, and NYC doesn’t want to show them. These are the places only locals would know about, which is why Sam needed Rufus’s help, just as much as Rufus needed Sam’s help because you have to come out of the dark sometimes to find answers.

If you are looking for a flowery, beach read, this isn’t going to be it. However, if you want some suspense, maybe a little murder and mayhem, with two men who discover that they might need each other for more than just how to navigate New York’s subway system, this might be it. And I know that I will be waiting in line for book 2, because I need to know more about how these guys navigate their way back to each other.

3.75 pieces of eye candy

Gritty NYC is the backdrop for this story. Rufus is a paid police informant. And then at a meet he finds the cop he worked with murdered. Rufus has no one. No family, no friends, and now he lost the one human who cared about him.

Sam knows Jake from their time in the military. Sam is harboring some serious demons from his years at war. But when he hears that his friend has killed himself, he summons the courage to get to NYC to look into it. Because there is no way that Jake offed himself.

Sam and Rufus discover each other trying to come up with answers themselves. They begrudgingly decide to work together.

Both of these guys are rough. They are just broken shells. Rufus is so used to being in the shadows as an informant, he has nothing and no one. You can feel his desperation even though he didn’t show it to anyone. He only knows the ugly underbelly of NYC and sees most people the same way

Sam is also a mess. Some PTSD, anxiety, tremors. He hates crowds and loud and people. But he is willing to deal with it to find out the real story of his friend. The friend who emailed him drunken secrets in the middle of the night.

Sam and Rufus, both so used to working and being alone, actually work really well together. They challenge each other, help each other and never pity each other. The clues they follow are like needles in a haystack, but they do it. One at a time.

Sam makes a move on Rufus as a one off and Rufus declines. When Rufus finally tells Sam why, it just broke me. Ugh these guys. I just wanted to mother both of them.

They make sense of the web of lies using their own smarts, Jake’s drunken emails and a sex worker in the Ramble of Central Park.

I did enjoy the book. There were times when I said to myself, “Ok, enough, move on” because sometimes the descriptions of things were so long and flowery. Like the authors were showing that they can write well. Sometimes less is more.

AND there was a cliffhanger ending. Enough that I definitely want to read book 2.

3.5 Pieces of Eye Candy

Gregory Ashe is a longtime Midwesterner. He has lived in Chicago, Bloomington (IN), and Saint Louis, his current home. When not reading and writing (which take up a lot of his time), he is an educator.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads | BookBub | Newsletter | The Gregorian Order

C.S. Poe is a Lambda Literary and two-time EPIC award finalist, and a FAPA award-winning author of gay mystery, romance, and speculative fiction.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blog | Goodreads | BookBub | Newsletter | C.S. Poe’s Curious & Mysterious

Filed Under: Book Review, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Denise, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 3.5 stars, 3.75 stars, author, book, Book Reviews, C.S. Poe, gay, Gregory Ashe, lgbt, m/m romance, mmromance, mystery, new release, review, romance, suspense

Till Death Do Us Part (Poireaut & Di Angeli, Bk 1) by Dieter Moitzi: Blog Tour with Excerpt

June 25, 2020 by Denise

When Auntie Agathe invites Raphaël Poireaut, a young Parisian bartender, on a Nile cruise, he isn’t really thrilled. To stare at old stones together with a bunch of old codgers—why, thanks for the gift. Unsurprisingly the trip starts off badly enough. Not only does Raphaël have an unnerving confrontation with a handsome but standoffish and haughty Italian guy, but he has barely stepped on board the cruise ship when he stumbles upon a tourist… who has been stabbed to death.

The young Venetian Stefano di Angeli agrees to spend his vacation in Egypt with his best friend Grazia. He hasn’t had holidays for six years. But his first encounter with a young, angel-faced, curly-haired Frenchie brings back painful memories. Besides, what could be worse to start a Nile cruise than to discover a murder has been committed on board? Cazzo—fate seems to bear him a grudge!

While the Egyptian police led by Colonel Al-Qaïb are investigating the murder, Raphaël and Stefano find themselves swept away by the events… and by the blooming feelings that inexorably draw them closer. Will they manage to sort out the truth from the lies and find the murderer? Will they be able to resist this mutual attraction that seems to overwhelm them against their wills?

A new, funny and light adventure by the author of “The Stuffed Coffin”, the French version of which has won the French Gay Murder Mystery Award 2019.

Book Title: Till Death Do Us Part (Poireaut & Di Angeli, Book 1)

Author: Dieter Moitzi

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Dieter Moitzi

Genre/s: Cosy Murder Mystery

Trope/s: M/M romance, enemies to lovers, slow-burn, HFN, holidays

Themes: painful past, Egypt, cosy, slow romance, holidays

Heat Rating: 2 flames

Length: approx. 101 750 words/approx. 305 pages

It is a standalone book.

Goodreads

Amazon

The young guy hears my quiet steps, or he senses my gaze. He turns around.

Oh, hel-lo, man! My heart does a backwards flip. In my job I meet handsome guys aplenty. But this one is a class of his own. His face could be that of a male model, I kid you not. As if one of those unreal guys had stepped out of the glossy pages of Vogue Homme or GQ. Manly features, sensual mouth. Square chin, Roman nose, neatly trimmed designer stubble. His forehead is bare, his dense hair styled backwards and falling behind his left ear in a natural, lazy wave as if doing it spontaneously.

Alas, my immediate interest isn’t shared. On the contrary, he reacts as if suddenly facing a monster. He should be thankful the rail in his back prevents him from moving too far back and falling into the Nile.

Quite a boost for my self-esteem.

The handsome cretin pulls himself together at the last moment and scans me from head to toe. His cold gaze hovers over my naked chest, and he frowns, his eyebrows bushy but perfectly drawn. I notice that his whole body-language exudes barely concealed distance and aversion.

Despite his hostility, I murmur, “Hi”. Somewhat coolly perhaps, but still. I was raised like that. All right, I add “Asshole!” in my head, because, hello?

The young man answers with a nod. A black lock falls over his eyes, he puts it back in place. He seems to hesitate, then turns his back on me again.

Okay, asshole. Go ahead, continue your moody brooding, I don’t care. I don’t need no mens, even if they’re handsome as fuck.

HALF AN HOUR LATER, THE sun has started its race across the pristine sky for good; the heat has risen as well. The hipster slash asshole is still sulking in his corner when I sit on a shady deckchair. Our meeting was unpleasant, but he and the guy in pink belie my initial prognosis, and that’s a good start. We’re at least three on this boat to contemplate our sixties from below.

With the back of my hand, I wipe off the sweat trickling down my chest and soaking my chest hair. I realize I’m thirsty. There’s a bottle of water in the fridge in my cabin. Let’s go get it. You always need to stay hydrated, as Auntie would say. Granted, she means drinks, as in alcoholic beverages, but that doesn’t make it wrong.

The man in the pink tracksuit has apparently seen enough, too. When I get to the top of the stairs, he’s on the last step.

He’s waiting downstairs, holding the door for me.

“Thank you,” I say.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he remarks in an affable tone.

I look up in surprise. His beautifully low voice doesn’t match his puny physique and the mousey face. He makes an affected hand movement. “The landscape, I mean. The light.”

Automatically, I think, Oh. Family. “Very beautiful indeed,” I reply. “And ‘splendid things gleam in the dust’…”

Recognizing the Flaubert-quote, he laughs good-heartedly.

The swinging door closes behind us. Another door slams softly somewhere down the corridor. In the first cabin, I hear a woman say heatedly, “… I think he got it. He won’t bother you anymore, tweety.”

Tweety! Smirk. I really wouldn’t want to be pet-named tweety.

We pass other cabins; the vague noises of conversations, no more than murmurs, drifting out. I can hear showers running as well. The ship is waking up. A nice smell wafts through the corridor, a woody, leathery perfume for men that strikes me as familiar. The pink, mousey guy in front of me must have sprinkled himself with it.

A few doors before mine, the young man stops. “See you later,” he says.

“See you later,” I reply. When I pass behind him, I get a whiff a his pronounced citrus perfume, very fresh, very pungent. Oh. He’s not the source of the leathery perfume smell…

He turns the key and opens the door. “Mon chéri—are you awake?” he asks. The door closes behind him.

I was right. Mon chéri, not ma chérie. He is family. I’m not the only gay guy on this ship.

I walk to my door while rummaging in my shorts pockets. Let’s see… mobile… pencil… notepad… h-m. Where have I put my keys? Did I take them? Damn—don’t tell me I locked myself out…!

And then—

Suddenly—

A YELL. “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!”

I JUMP, turn around, gaze down the empty corridor. What was it? Who was it? Where was it? What am I supposed to do?

“MY GOD! MICHEL!”

Michel?

A bad feeling bubbles up in my guts.

 

For a longer excerpt, please visit my author page:  http://dietermoitzi.com/till-death-do-us-part

Born in the early 70s, I grew up in a little village in Austria. At the age of 18, I moved to Vienna to get my master’s degree in Political Sciences, French, and Spanish. Today, I’m living in Paris, France, with my boyfriend and work as a graphic designer.

In my spare time, I write, read, cook fancy recipes, take photos, and as often as I can, I travel (Italy, Portugal, Morocco, Egypt, the UK, and many more places). My literary tastes are eclectic, ranging from fantasy, murder mysteries, gay romances to dystopian novels, but I won’t say no to poetry or a history book either. I’m more a hoodie/jeans/sneakers kind of guy than a suit-and-tie chap.

So far, I’ve published two short-story collections as well as four poetry collections. My first murder mystery novel “The Stuffed Coffin” featuring Damien Drechsler and the dashing Greek student Nikos has been released on January 6, 2019 and is also available in German and French. The French version has won the prestigious French Gay Murder Mystery Award 2019 (Prix du roman policier – Prix du roman gay 2019). You can also find me on Rainbow Book Reviews, where I write book reviews under the pseudonym of ParisDude (for French reviews, have a look at my review site livresgay.fr).

Author Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook

 

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt Tagged With: author, Blog Tours, Book Excerpts, excerpt, gay, lgbt, m/m romance, mmromance, mystery, new release, romance

Ramen Assassin by Rhys Ford: New Release Review

August 2, 2019 by Denise

When life gives Kuro Jenkins lemons, he wants to make ponzu to serve at his Los Angeles ramen shop.

Instead he’s dodging bullets and wondering how the hell he ended up back in the Black Ops lifestyle he left behind him. After rescuing former child star Trey Bishop from a pair of thugs in the middle of the night, he knows it’s time to pick up his gun again. But it seems trouble isn’t done with Trey, and Kuro can’t quite let go… of either the gun or Trey Bishop.

Trey Bishop never denied his life’s downward spiral was his own fault. After a few stints in rehab, he’s finally shaken off his Hollywood bad-boy lifestyle but not his reputation. The destruction of his acting career and his relationships goes deep, and no one trusts anything he says, including the LAPD. When two men dragging a dead body spot him on a late-night run and try to murder him, Trey is grateful for the tall, dark, and deadly ramen shop owner he lusts over—not just for rescuing him, but also for believing him.

Now caught in a web of murders and lies, Trey knows someone wants him dead, and the only one on his side is a man with deep, dark secrets. Trey hopes Kuro Jenkins will stick around to see what the future holds for them once the dust settles, but from the looks of things, neither of them may survive to find out.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

I haven’t read anything written by Rhys Ford before, but I was in the mood for something a little different than my usual. I wanted a little mystery, a little intrigue and I got that in spades.

Trey and Kuro both stumble into the alley at the wrong place and wrong time, but maybe the universe got something right, as long as they can make it out alive. The plot has a few twists and turns to keep you on your toes. The characters were so well developed that when Trey felt like there was no one in his corner, I felt that! I felt his despair and helplessness.

This was a wild and entertaining ride. The perfect book to pull me out of my reading slump.

4 pieces of eye candy

Filed Under: Book Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Deanna Tagged With: 4 stars, author, book, Book Reviews, dreamspinner press, gay, lgbt, m/m romance, mmromance, mystery, new release, review, Rhys Ford, romance, suspense

Murder Most Lovely by Hank Edwards & Deanna Wadsworth: Exclusive Cover Reveal and Excerpt

February 18, 2019 by Denise

Today we have a fun treat! Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth are here with the exclusive cover reveal and an excerpt to their upcoming mystery and romance, Murder Most Lovely. Just reading the first line of the blurb makes me want this book right now! 🙂 So check it all out and let us know what you think.

A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.

Michael Fleishman is excited to meet his favorite mystery writer, Russell Withingham, at Lacetown’s Literary Fest. He is not expecting to cross paths with sexy hairdresser Jasper “Jazz” Dilworth—or become embroiled in a real-life mystery. As Lacetown’s only mortician and the county coroner, Michael is called to his first murder scene and is shocked to recognize the victim—Russell’s young lover.

Jazz only wanted to confront his ex, Russell, over his cheating. Instead, he meets the adorably awkward Michael and becomes a murder suspect. Soon Jazz is teaming up with Michael to clear his name. Along the way, they are helped and hindered by Michael’s sassy assistant, Kitty, the grumpy Sheriff Musgrave, Russell’s creepy PR rep, Norbert, and Michael’s lothario grandfather, who likes his manhattans strong and his women saucy. And of course, Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third….

Title: Murder Most Lovely
Series: Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case One
Author: Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth
Release Date: April 30, 2019
Category: Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 239
Cover Artist: Bree Archer http://www.breearcher.com

Dreamspinner Press eBook

Dreamspinner Press Paperback

After a third glass of chardonnay, Michael seemed much more relaxed, and Jazz had a nice buzz. They dropped their cups in the trash just outside the book cover photo booth and stood side-by-side, looking at the selections. There were many different themes, from romance to science fiction to murder mystery. As they perused the options, Jazz felt Michael’s shoulder brush against his own. He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, happy to see Michael smiling as he surveyed their choices.

“What do you think?” Jazz said. “Anything catch your eye?”

“They’re all pretty great,” Michael said. “What about you? Which do you like?”

“I think the bodice ripper cover is timeless.” Jazz pointed to the sample that showed a muscular man with an unbuttoned shirt blowing back from his amazing torso, and in his arms was a beautiful woman with long hair and a Victorian dress so tight her breasts practically popped out of it.

“What? No!” Michael’s nervous laugh made Jazz laugh himself.

“Okay, fine. But I bet the costumes would be fun to get into.”

“Be that as it may, I still say no.” Michael blushed and looked back at the samples. “How about the detective novel?”

Jazz frowned at the cover with a Dick Tracy–esque man and a woman with a gun.

Before he could think of a way to say “no” and not bring up his unfortunate spousal arrangement on a first date, Michael shook his head.

“Actually, let’s do one that doesn’t remind us of everything heinous in the last twenty-four hours.” Michael pointed to a cover with two cowboys on horseback. “How about that one?”

Thrilled once more to be on the same wavelength as his date, Jazz grinned at him. “A little bit of a cowboy fetish there, Mr. Fleishman?”

Michael shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it just looks cool.”

“I’m teasing you.” Jazz bumped his shoulder against Michael’s. “Let’s do it.”

They pulled the loose-fitting costumes on over their clothes, and Jazz picked out a black hat for Michael, setting it on his head and taking a step back to look him over.

“Oh, my. Seriously sexy.”

“No, stop it.” Michael passed a white cowboy hat to him. “You’re definitely a white hat kind of cowboy.”

“Virginal?” Jazz said, batting his eyes. He did his best to look offended when Michael laughed. “You don’t think I’m a virgin?”

Michael touched the brim of his hat and nodded. “A cowboy never tells. Shall we mosey on out to the corral, pardner?”

“I’m liking this cowboy persona you just adopted,” Jazz said as he followed Michael out of the costume tent. “You might want to invest in a hat. And maybe a leather vest. And some leather chaps.”

“Hello! Welcome to Book Cover Magic!”

A black woman stood by a camera attached to a computer, her smile so big her cheeks nearly covered her eyes.

“I’m Doreen, and I’m going to be taking your picture today. From your costumes I can tell you selected the science fiction cover, right?”

Jazz exchanged a confused look with Michael, then said, “Um, no. We wanted the Old West book cover.”

Doreen winked and laughed. “Got you! Okay, let’s get the horses moved into frame and we’ll get started.”

“Horses?” Michael’s eyes were wide and his smile childlike. But when he saw that the “horses” were actually saddles on green padded sawhorses, his disappointment was evident. “Oh. They’re not real.”

“Oh, honey, I wish to all that’s holy and magical that I could afford to haul real horses around to all the small-town festivals I’m signed up for. Come on now, hop on your saddles. Go out there and rope those doggies! Woo-hoo! Ride ’em, cowboy!”

Doreen had them laughing and acting crazy as she took several photos. When she was finished, they gathered at the computer and looked through the options, laughing at their expressions. In the last picture, Doreen had captured them looking at each other and laughing, Michael with his black hat in hand and waving overhead, and Jazz holding up both of his plastic six-shooters.

“That’s the one,” Jazz and Michael said at the same time, then looked at each other and grinned. Their smiles faded a little as their gaze lingered. Jazz was overwhelmed with the sudden desire to gently take Michael’s glasses off so he could get lost in those chocolaty brown eyes.

Michael licked his lips and was the first to look away, still smiling.

Doreen smiled as she looked between them, and then she leaned in and asked in a quiet voice, “First date?”

“What?” Michael’s blush returned, redder than ever, which made Jazz want to kiss him right there in front of Doreen, her teenage assistant, and God and everyone.

“Oh, you don’t have to be scared of me, honey,” Doreen said as she clicked the mouse and typed a few things on her computer keyboard. “Love is love, that’s the only way. Now, what would you like the title of your book to be?”

“How about, Our First Date?” Jazz suggested.

Michael grinned and nodded. “I like it.”

“Me too,” Doreen said and her fingers tapped across the keyboard. “Okay, and who are the authors?”

“By Jazz and Michael,” Michael said.

“Oh, Jazz and Michael. I like that. And I’ll put a fancy ampersand in there to make it even better. Take a look at the monitor right there and tell me what you think.”

Jazz stood shoulder to shoulder with Michael as they looked at the large monitor. The picture was perfect: the two of them on horseback, with a stagecoach in the background, all done in a tintype style. The title and their names were in an Old West font that perfectly captured the feeling of it all.

“I love it,” Michael said and smiled at Jazz. “What do you think?”

“It’s perfect,” Jazz said, smiling back.

Hank Edwards has been reading books from an early age. Now that he’s an adult—or at least older than he used to be—he likes to write stories that revolve around gay characters. His writing crosses many sub-genres, including romance, rom-com, contemporary, paranormal, suspense, mystery, and wacky comedy.

When he’s not writing, Hank loves to read, go to movies, watch some TV, and because of Paul Hollywood’s influence, has recently been trying his hand at baking. He visits his mother once a week, not just for the free cookies, and enjoys spending time with close friends drinking wine and making up ridiculous things that sometimes show up in his books. Although he hates the process of travel, he does enjoy experiencing new places. His dream trip is to one day visit the country of Greece, and he is currently saving his nickels and dimes to make that a reality.

Back in the 90s, he met a man who understood and encouraged his strange, creative mind, and who made him laugh more often and more freely than anyone else. Today they are legally married and still laugh often as they live in a suburb just north of Detroit with their two cats who act as both muse and distraction to him while he writes.

Website: www.hankedwardsbooks.com
Email: hankedwardsbooks@gmail.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/hankedwardsbooks
Twitter: @hanksbooks
Instagram: hankedwardsbooks
Amazon Author Page: http://author.to/HankEdwards
Deanna Wadsworth might be a best-selling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. She has served multiple board positions for different RWA chapters, including president of the Rainbow Romance Writers in 2017.

When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. She loves music and dancing, and will often be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes quiet times in her garden when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the inner workings of their relationships has always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/deannawadsworthauthor
Twitter: @DeannaWadsworth
Website: deannawadsworth.com
Instagram: @Deannawads
Email: deanna@deannawadsworth.com
BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/deanna-wadsworth
Amazon Author Central: www.amazon.com/author/deannawadsworth

Filed Under: Cover Reveals, TCO Exclusives Tagged With: author, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, cover reveal, dreamspinner press, exclusive, gay, lgbt, m/m romance, mmromance, mystery, new release, romance

In the Pines by Laura Lascarso: Exclusive Guest Post and Excerpt

October 25, 2018 by Denise

Incredibly excited to have Laura Lascarso (whose When Everything is Blue was fantastic) with an exclusive guest post and excerpt from her new mystery book, In the Pines. I seriously can’t wait to read this one! 

 

When your high school crush is also your number one suspect, what’s a boy to do?

After the disappearance of Eastview High’s homecoming king, seventeen-year-old Charlie Schiffer must put his detective skills to work to help class heartthrob Dare Chalmers find his missing twin brother. From the gator-filled swamps of Paynes Prairie to the truck-stop strip club Café Risqué, there’s no situation too dicey for this amateur sleuth when he’s on the prowl for clues to this mystery.

Meanwhile, Dare is everything Charlie could want in a boyfriend—charismatic, handsome, polite—but as Charlie’s mother always says, the unlikeliest people can turn out to be criminals. When evidence surfaces revealing his suspects’ hidden motives, Charlie must dig deep to suss out who among them is innocent and who is guilty, even if it means betraying the man he cares for most.

Title: In the Pines
Series: Charlie Schiffer Mysteries
Author: Laura Lascarso
Release Date: October 23, 2018
Category: Mystery/Suspense, Bittersweet
Pages: 194

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

What are the key ingredients to a small-town murder mystery?

This is the question I asked myself at the outset of writing In the Pines, my newest M/M romance-slash-mystery novel. For me, I grew up reading Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew novels and watching Twin Peaks as an adolescent. I was obsessed with that show at the time it aired, and it was only in watching it as an adult that I realized how truly weird it was. (Also, my name is Laura and the murder victim’s name was Laura Palmer, which always kind of freaked me out but was also kind of cool.)

Through consuming my fair share of mysteries over the years, and trying my hand at writing one, there are a few elements that I’ve identified as key ingredients to pulling off a small-town murder mystery.

They are setting, senses, sidekick, and suspicion.

Setting is so critical to a small-town mystery, whether it be murder or something else. The author needs to know this town like the back of her hand—where the good restaurants are, who in town knows the gossip, where do the kids go to make-out. If your detective isn’t from your small town, then you’ve got to bring in a local yocal to give your story some character and flair. My story is set in Gainesville, Florida, so naturally I included a swamp, a strip club and a few raving environmentalists (my MC Charlie being one of them). These are all elements which you will most certainly find in and around Gainesville if you’re there for very long, and I tried to make them not just window dressing, but integral pieces to the plot.

Senses—all five of them must be present. One of the best things about reading mystery and suspense is the not knowing what’s just around the corner. To build suspense, the mystery writer has to really dial in on those key details—strange smells, creepy sounds, the curtain fluttering in the breeze. Every good detective is an observer at heart and the reader wants to know what our sleuth is sensing. My guy Charlie may not be the most friendly or outgoing, but he knows how to use all five of his senses to figure out what the heck is going on.

Sidekick. What’s a good mystery without one? In the case of In the Pines, Charlie has two—a sassy cheerleader named Tameka and his best friend of the canine-persuasion, Boots. The sidekick’s role can be adversarial or ally or both. In the case of Tameka, she serves as Charlie’s sounding board and has access to the gossip and rumors he does not. She also has the clarity of mind to remind Charlie when he’s letting his feelings get in the way of their investigation. Doh, Charlie!

Suspicion. Why, in mysteries, is everyone acting so shady all the time? Because people lie, in fiction and in real life. One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing In the Pines, was getting all of the characters to lie about something, even if it was small and seemingly inconsequential. Flawed characters are my favorite, and this story gave me an opportunity to give everyone a dark side.

And that’s what I’ve learned from writing about murder in a small town. I’ve included an excerpt below from In the Pines, where Charlie first meets Tameka. I wanted her to make an impression on both him and the reader. Hopefully she does. If you like it, I encourage you to check out more.

We assembled at the southernmost point of Newnans Lake, where Hawthorne Road met with 2082, just south of Kate’s Fish Camp. It was just before dawn as people shuffled out of their cars and trucks; several others biked there as well on the Hawthorne bike trail. Cups of coffee were distributed as folks mumbled greetings to each other in the violet wash of predawn. We watched the sun rise over the marsh like blood seeping from a wound and woke a flock of red-winged blackbirds that zigzagged away, chattering their complaints at the sky. If it weren’t for the somber mood, you’d almost think we’d gathered there for an early morning hike.

I thought we’d comb the swamps between 441 and I-75—the two most likely routes out of town—but Mom said this was where they’d determined the cell phone last communicated with the tower before the battery was removed or the phone died.

GPD told us we were looking for Mason’s phone; they probably didn’t want to say we were also potentially searching for a body.

Rangers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission passed out waders and snake boots for members of the search parties, but there were only enough for a fraction of the people who’d come out to help, especially since most of the upperclassmen of Eastview High were there. For those of us who didn’t have protection, FWC suggested we grab a big stick and knock the ground every couple of steps to “scare off the critters.” The word critters made it sound like soft, furry mammals, not venomous snakes or twenty-foot alligators with bone-crushing jaws. Literally half a gator’s length was its mouth.

My mother was with the operations unit, poring over aerial maps on a foldout table, so I joined the nearest group of classmates to form a search party. While we waited for supplies and further instruction from GPD, I overheard two girls talking about Mason’s disappearance.

“Bet he ran off with that stripper from Café Risqué,” one said. I recognized her as Tameka Thomas, a cheerleader from Daniela’s squad.

“Is that what the fight on Friday was about?” said the other girl. My ears perked up at the mention of a fight. According to my mom, Daniela claimed she hadn’t seen Mason since the pep rally, and she certainly didn’t mention an argument between them.

“Mmm-hmm,” Tameka continued. “Mason’s fine as hell, but you know he’s not faithful. Daniela just doesn’t know how to handle him. I’d keep that boy sat-is-fied.” Tameka made a slapping gesture and ground her hips in a motion that made my eyes go wide. The girls at my high school were more sex-crazed than the boys.

“When was the fight?” I asked the girls. They both turned my way and studied me like I was a bug and they were deciding whether to ignore me or squash me.

“Well, if it isn’t old Dick Tracy,” Tameka sneered. My SAT sting had burned a couple of the cheerleaders. They called me Dick for a while whenever they caught me in the halls. Hey, Dick. How’s it going, Dick? Screwed anyone over lately, Dick? One time a whole hive of them swarmed me outside the gymnasium. It was pretty terrifying. “Are you on the case then, Dick?” Tameka asked, hands on her hips, coppery brown eyes studying me acutely.

“If the fight really happened, it could help with the investigation,” I offered as my defense for being nosy. “I just want to help Dare find his brother.”

Tameka pursed her lips and glanced over at her friend, who only shrugged. “Well, not that it’s any of your business, but I saw them fighting outside the wrestling room after cheer practice. I didn’t hear what they were saying because I don’t put my nose where it doesn’t belong, like some people.”

I sincerely doubted that, but instead of arguing with her, I only sighed and waited for her to get in her digs.

“But, then again, a girl’s response to finding out her man’s been cheating is pretty universal, so if I had to take a guess….” Here Tameka paused for effect, curling her upper lip a little and bobbing her head. “I’d guess she was giving him the business for messing around.”

“What does that look like?” I needed more detail.

Tameka smiled at her friend. “Like this.” She stalked up to me and shoved me back by my shoulders so I stumbled a little. Then she stuck her index finger right up in my face and pointed at me accusingly. “You good-for-nothing, lying, cheating dog. You think I’m stupid? Do you think I’m stupid? I saw that text in your phone. I know you were with someone else last night. Who was she? Who the hell was she? Oh no, son, don’t you come at me now acting like you looooove me. You don’t love me. You love yourself, you selfish sonovabitch. I hope you get a disease from that ho Now, get out of my face before I beat you senseless, boy. I can’t even stand to look at you.”

She stuck her flattened palm in my face, spun on her heels, and walked back over to her friend.

“Wow,” I said, reeling from her very visceral performance. My heart was racing and my palms were sweating. “End scene. That was brilliant.” Where had I picked up that expression? Probably the drama department.

“Yeah.” She brushed her manicured nails against her shirt and blew on their tips. They were painted alternating green and white, our school colors, just like Daniela’s. I remembered the jacket Daniela was wearing during the pep rally—Mason’s letterman jacket.

“Was Daniela still wearing Mason’s jacket?” I asked Tameka.

She shook her head. “She took it off and shoved it at him, even though it was cold that day. That’s how I knew she was pissed. She loves that damn jacket.”

It was true. Now that Tameka mentioned it, I rarely saw Daniela without Mason’s jacket, even on warm days. It was like the skin from her kill—proof to all her rivals that Mason Chalmers had been claimed.

At that moment a sheriff’s deputy approached us and gave us all blue nurse’s gloves and several two-gallon Ziploc bags. “If you find anything—and I mean anything—put it in a bag, seal it, and radio in.” He glanced at the lot of us, seemed to have misgivings, and then shoved the walkie-talkie at me. “You’re the group leader,” he said.

I could tell from Tameka’s expression, she didn’t like that. “Because he’s a boy?” she asked, shoulders squared, head tilted like a parrot. I felt the need to correct her that I was a man, not a boy, but I didn’t wish to feed her ire. The deputy looked caught—he wasn’t much older than us. Likely this was his first experience with organizing a search party.

“No, it’s just because—” he started to say.

“You can be leader.” I cut him off and gave Tameka the radio. “You’ve got the biggest mouth anyway.”

Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened a little like she was about to retort. Then she smiled. “All right then, Dick. As team leader, I’m making you the gator getter. You walk ahead with that big stick of yours and scare off the critters.”

I chuckled at her impersonation of the ranger. “My name’s Charlie, by the way.”

She smirked and shoved my shoulder playfully. “Yeah, I know, but you look more like a Dick to me.”

Author Bio: Laura Lascarso wants you to stay up way past your bedtime reading her stories. She aims to inspire more questions than answers in her fiction and believes in the power of storytelling to heal and transform a society. When not writing, Laura can be found screaming “finish” on the soccer fields, rewatching Veronica Mars, and trying to convince politicians that climate change is real. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband and two kids. She loves hearing from readers, and she’d be delighted to hear from you.
Website: lauralascarso.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lascarso 
Twitter: @lauralascarso

Filed Under: Author Guest Post, TCO Exclusives Tagged With: author, blog tour, book, Book Excerpts, dreamspinner press, excerpt, exclusive, gay, guest post, mystery, new release, suspense

Hijacked Love by Ethan Stone: Quick Review

June 2, 2017 by Denise

It’s the winter of 1971 and FBI Agent Zack Pomeroy is hoping to make a name for himself when he’s assigned the case of the century—the hijacking of an airplane by D.B. Cooper. Zack’s used to hiding his sexuality but working with Duke Magruder is even more of a challenge. Not only do they do have vastly different personalities but also contrasting opinions on how to work the case. Nonetheless, Zack is able to earn Duke’s begrudging respect.

Until Duke learns Zack’s secret.

When Zack finds a lead on the case Duke not only refuses to listen, he also refuses to work with Zack any longer. Zack’s career and his assignment are at jeopardy but that doesn’t mean he’s about to give up on finding Cooper, no matter how many years it takes.

Hijacked Love is a blend of mystery and historical fiction with a bit of romance thrown in.

Amazon

Goodreads Link

The story of D.B. Cooper and his complete disappearance has always been one of those mysteries that has fascinated me. To have someone hijack a plan, and a ton of money, and just disappear with little more than a trace has always been just so interesting, so when I got the chance to read this, I grabbed it.

This isn’t really a romance, although there is a romantic element in it. And the author kept true to the real-life story, and the mystery is not solved. However, I still enjoyed it. I haven’t ever read much on the story, other than how they think he escaped, so I don’t know how many of the “facts of the case” are true to the real-life story, but it seemed real to me! The author did a great job of bringing all the information to the table in an enthralling manner. I read it beginning to end in one sitting, because I was so fascinated.

I did like that Zack had a man he’d been with for many years, and yet they still needed to come to terms with the changes in their relationship. It added an extra piece to the story, knowing that Zack had someone to come home to, and someone he didn’t want to disappoint.

A good quick read.

4 pieces of eye candy

Filed Under: Quick Reviews, Randomness, TCO Reviewer: Denise, Uncategorized Tagged With: 4 stars, author, Book Reviews, Ethan Stone, gay, gay fiction, lgbt, mystery, novella, review

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Sep 27

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Welcome to the #PreRelease #BookTour to celebrate Welcome to the #PreRelease #BookTour to celebrate the upcoming release of Off Balance by @JayHoganAuthor
 
This #MM #smalltown #romance is the first book in Jay’s new #PaintedBaySeries and will be released on September 29!
 
Join @GayRomanceReviews in celebrating #OffBalance today!
 
Featured on this #SpotlightTour with us are some great #bookstagram accounts.
Check out their posts over 25th-29th September:
@ccreadsbooks
@a_total_bookwormm
@bookaholicandkindle
@Rainbowrdrgrl
@kinziethings
@Bookfanhn
@sixfeetunderbooksblog
@two_chicks_obsessed
@bookstattoosandtea
@Maythebooksbewithyou
@Mabookyard
@valerieullmer
@bfdbookblog
@zoipappa_beatha
 
A little more about Off Balance:
When JUDAH MADDEN flees his tiny suffocating home town in New Zealand for the dream of international ballet stardom, he never intends on coming back. Not to Painted Bay. Not to his family’s struggling mussel farm. Not to his jerk of a brother. Not with his entire life plan in shreds. And certainly not into the tempting arms of MORGAN WIPENE, the older, ruggedly handsome fisheries officer who seems determined to screw with Judah’s intention to wallow in peace.

But dreams are fickle things. Shatter them and it’s hard to pick up the pieces. Hard to believe.
Hard to start again.

And the hardest thing of all? Finding the courage to trust in love and build a new dream where you least expected to find it.
 
Pre-Order here: https://amzn.to/2S45F9H
 
Enter the #Giveaway for your chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card. Follow @JayHoganAuthor & Comment on any host photo with #OffBalanceRelease Tag friends for extra entries. Each Tag is an entry! Share to stories & tag us for an extra 2 entries. Good Luck!
 
#GayRomanceReviewsTours #GayRomanceReviews #InstagramSpotlight #BookstagramSpotlight #MMRomance #Romance #JayHoganAuthor #elizaraeservices #gayromancebooks #mmromancenovel #bookish #bibliophile #tbrpile #bookstagrammer #authorsofinstagram #whatareyoureading #hurtcomfort #romcom #tbrpost

Welcome to the #PreRelease #BookTour to celebrate the upcoming release of Off Balance by @JayHoganAuthor

This #MM #smalltown #romance is the first book in Jay’s new #PaintedBaySeries and will be released on September 29!

Join @GayRomanceReviews in celebrating #OffBalance today!

Featured on this #SpotlightTour with us are some great #bookstagram accounts.
Check out their posts over 25th-29th September:
@ccreadsbooks
@a_total_bookwormm
@bookaholicandkindle
@Rainbowrdrgrl
@kinziethings
@Bookfanhn
@sixfeetunderbooksblog
@two_chicks_obsessed
@bookstattoosandtea
@Maythebooksbewithyou
@Mabookyard
@valerieullmer
@bfdbookblog
@zoipappa_beatha

A little more about Off Balance:
When JUDAH MADDEN flees his tiny suffocating home town in New Zealand for the dream of international ballet stardom, he never intends on coming back. Not to Painted Bay. Not to his family’s struggling mussel farm. Not to his jerk of a brother. Not with his entire life plan in shreds. And certainly not into the tempting arms of MORGAN WIPENE, the older, ruggedly handsome fisheries officer who seems determined to screw with Judah’s intention to wallow in peace.

But dreams are fickle things. Shatter them and it’s hard to pick up the pieces. Hard to believe.
Hard to start again.

And the hardest thing of all? Finding the courage to trust in love and build a new dream where you least expected to find it.

Pre-Order here: https://amzn.to/2S45F9H

Enter the #Giveaway for your chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card. Follow @JayHoganAuthor & Comment on any host photo with #OffBalanceRelease Tag friends for extra entries. Each Tag is an entry! Share to stories & tag us for an extra 2 entries. Good Luck!

#GayRomanceReviewsTours #GayRomanceReviews #InstagramSpotlight #BookstagramSpotlight #MMRomance #Romance #JayHoganAuthor #elizaraeservices #gayromancebooks #mmromancenovel #bookish #bibliophile #tbrpile #bookstagrammer #authorsofinstagram #whatareyoureading #hurtcomfort #romcom #tbrpost
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Sep 23

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Check out Breathless by @caradeewrites. #mmm #bdsm Check out Breathless by @caradeewrites. #mmm #bdsm #bookseries #mmromance #caradeewrites #gayromance Amazon —> https://amzn.to/3csibJI Review —> https://bit.ly/3mNEFcT

Check out Breathless by @caradeewrites. #mmm #bdsm #bookseries #mmromance #caradeewrites #gayromance Amazon —> https://amzn.to/3csibJI Review —> https://bit.ly/3mNEFcT ...

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Sep 8

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On the Wings of War (Soulbound 5) by @haileyturner On the Wings of War (Soulbound 5) by @haileyturnerwrites : #BlogTour, #BookExcerpt, #NewRelease #BookReview and #Giveaway #lgbt #gay #mmromance #paranormal #werewolves #urbanfantasy #suspense #series #4.5stars amazon—> https://amzn.to/3julgLg @anoveltakepr https://wp.me/p6h30q-4qX

On the Wings of War (Soulbound 5) by @haileyturnerwrites : #BlogTour, #BookExcerpt, #NewRelease #BookReview and #Giveaway #lgbt #gay #mmromance #paranormal #werewolves #urbanfantasy #suspense #series #4.5stars amazon—> https://amzn.to/3julgLg @anoveltakepr https://wp.me/p6h30q-4qX ...

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Apr 20

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Welcome to the #BookstagramTour to #celebrate the Welcome to the #BookstagramTour to #celebrate the release of His Accidental Daddy by @AuthorLunaDavid⁠ ⁠ This is contemporary MM romance that features first times, kink, fake husbands and an accidental Daddy, ready to care for an overwhelmed boy!⁠ ⁠ 
Join @GayRomanceReviews in celebrating #HisAccidentalDaddy today!⁠ ⁠ 
Celebrating with us are some great #bookstagram accounts. Come check out their posts over 20th-24th April:⁠ @virginialee15⁠ 
@loveQhuay⁠ 
@Sassy_silvermom⁠ 
@bookstattoosandtea⁠ 
@mirrigold⁠ 
@loveislovereview⁠ 
@bookish_notes⁠ 
@two_chicks_obsessed⁠ 
@livethroughbooksblog⁠ 
@amysromancereviews⁠ 
@Qhuay⁠ 
@jamieleezonneveld⁠ 
@zoipappa_beatha⁠ 
@realtalkbooktalk⁠ ⁠ 
More about #HisAccidentalDaddy⁠ 
With the deck stacked against him from birth, Asher Simmons lives a quiet, simple life. He talks to plants more than he does humans and prefers it that way. Though he's always felt like something is missing, understanding what that is and how to get it feels like an insurmountable task.⁠ ⁠ 
Making a living out of helping others achieve their professional dreams serves to help Thornton Hayes realize his own. He’s also a Daddy, through and through, and Thornton’s one dream of finding a boy who needs a man to take care of his every need is one he’s had no luck of fulfilling.⁠ ⁠ 
When a terrible accident brings the two men together, neither of them expect their intense connection. Has Daddy found a little he can pamper, protect, and provide for, or will Asher deny every instinct he has to regress?⁠ ⁠ 📖 https://getbook.at/HAD⁠ ⁠ 
Enter the #Giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 3 copies of His Accidental Daddy directly to your Kindle! Follow @AuthorLunaDavid & Comment on any host photo with #HisAccidentalDaddy or #HAD. Tag friends, re-post &/or add host posts to your stories for extra entries! Good Luck!⁠ ⁠Giveaway Ends 25th April. 
#GayRomanceReviewsTours #GayRomanceReviews #InstagramTour #BooksSpotlight #BookTour #IGTour #Bookstagrammer #bookblogs #BookPromo #booklove #LunaDavid #Daddy #kink #agegap #mmromance #gayromance #rainbowreads #Amazon #kindleunlimited #standalone #newrelease #outnow

Welcome to the #BookstagramTour to #celebrate the release of His Accidental Daddy by @AuthorLunaDavid⁠ ⁠ This is contemporary MM romance that features first times, kink, fake husbands and an accidental Daddy, ready to care for an overwhelmed boy!⁠ ⁠
Join @GayRomanceReviews in celebrating #HisAccidentalDaddy today!⁠ ⁠
Celebrating with us are some great #bookstagram accounts. Come check out their posts over 20th-24th April:⁠ @virginialee15⁠
@loveQhuay⁠
@Sassy_silvermom⁠
@bookstattoosandtea⁠
@mirrigold⁠
@loveislovereview⁠
@bookish_notes⁠
@two_chicks_obsessed⁠
@livethroughbooksblog⁠
@amysromancereviews⁠
@Qhuay⁠
@jamieleezonneveld⁠
@zoipappa_beatha⁠
@realtalkbooktalk⁠ ⁠
More about #HisAccidentalDaddy⁠
With the deck stacked against him from birth, Asher Simmons lives a quiet, simple life. He talks to plants more than he does humans and prefers it that way. Though he's always felt like something is missing, understanding what that is and how to get it feels like an insurmountable task.⁠ ⁠
Making a living out of helping others achieve their professional dreams serves to help Thornton Hayes realize his own. He’s also a Daddy, through and through, and Thornton’s one dream of finding a boy who needs a man to take care of his every need is one he’s had no luck of fulfilling.⁠ ⁠
When a terrible accident brings the two men together, neither of them expect their intense connection. Has Daddy found a little he can pamper, protect, and provide for, or will Asher deny every instinct he has to regress?⁠ ⁠ 📖 https://getbook.at/HAD⁠ ⁠
Enter the #Giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 3 copies of His Accidental Daddy directly to your Kindle! Follow @AuthorLunaDavid & Comment on any host photo with #HisAccidentalDaddy or #HAD. Tag friends, re-post &/or add host posts to your stories for extra entries! Good Luck!⁠ ⁠Giveaway Ends 25th April.
#GayRomanceReviewsTours #GayRomanceReviews #InstagramTour #BooksSpotlight #BookTour #IGTour #Bookstagrammer #bookblogs #BookPromo #booklove #LunaDavid #Daddy #kink #agegap #mmromance #gayromance #rainbowreads #Amazon #kindleunlimited #standalone #newrelease #outnow
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Apr 6

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Welcome to the #instagramtour for the release of A Welcome to the #instagramtour for the release of A VIGIL IN THE MOURNING by @haileyturnerwrites! 
A VIGIL IN THE MOURNING is a 102k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending. It is a direct sequel to A Crown of Iron & Silver. Reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.

Purchase here--> https://amzn.to/2UJtMwq 
The #AVigilInTheMourning Tour is hosted by:
April 4 @virginialee15
April 5 @karenboudoir
April 6 @ccreadsbooks @queerbooksunbound @rainbowsandsunshinebookblog @mirrigold @Maythebooksbewithyou @twochicksobsessed
April 7 @bethlaycockwrites @scrollmatesblog
April 8 @shedevilreads @bookish_notes
April 9 @midnightclockwork @bookstattoosandtea
April 10 @monparadisdeslivres @breathewordscarol 
To take part: like and comment on any tour photo and you are entered to win a back catalog e-copy of any book by @haileyturnerwrites! 18 to enter and win. Open Internationally. 
#instagramtour #anoveltakepr #haileyturner #soulboundseries #newrelease #pnr #paranormalromance #mmromance #urbanfantasy

Welcome to the #instagramtour for the release of A VIGIL IN THE MOURNING by @haileyturnerwrites!
A VIGIL IN THE MOURNING is a 102k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending. It is a direct sequel to A Crown of Iron & Silver. Reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.

Purchase here--> https://amzn.to/2UJtMwq
The #AVigilInTheMourning Tour is hosted by:
April 4 @virginialee15
April 5 @karenboudoir
April 6 @ccreadsbooks @queerbooksunbound @rainbowsandsunshinebookblog @mirrigold @Maythebooksbewithyou @twochicksobsessed
April 7 @bethlaycockwrites @scrollmatesblog
April 8 @shedevilreads @bookish_notes
April 9 @midnightclockwork @bookstattoosandtea
April 10 @monparadisdeslivres @breathewordscarol
To take part: like and comment on any tour photo and you are entered to win a back catalog e-copy of any book by @haileyturnerwrites! 18 to enter and win. Open Internationally.
#instagramtour #anoveltakepr #haileyturner #soulboundseries #newrelease #pnr #paranormalromance #mmromance #urbanfantasy
...

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Jan 2

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Playing a little with Canva. That being said I fin Playing a little with Canva. That being said I finished an arc of this book by @rachelreidwrites and loved it!!!! No ❤️ for hockey required. You can preorder at bit.ly/ToughGuyBook #hockeyromance #lgbt #gay #mmromance #series #book 🌈

Playing a little with Canva. That being said I finished an arc of this book by @rachelreidwrites and loved it!!!! No ❤️ for hockey required. You can preorder at bit.ly/ToughGuyBook #hockeyromance #lgbt #gay #mmromance #series #book 🌈 ...

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Dec 27

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Are you still off for the holidays? What are you r Are you still off for the holidays? What are you reading? This is the one I am reading as I finish up my holiday, Blaze by @Christa.Tomlinson It's just the right amount of #sweetness and #dirty plus... #superhero Plus, you can read it on #ku https://buff.ly/3627Akr #bdsm #gayromance #lgbt #mmromance

Are you still off for the holidays? What are you reading? This is the one I am reading as I finish up my holiday, Blaze by @Christa.Tomlinson It's just the right amount of #sweetness and #dirty plus... #superhero Plus, you can read it on #ku https://buff.ly/3627Akr #bdsm #gayromance #lgbt #mmromance ...

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Oct 7

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Blaze by @christa.tomlinson is live! So proud of C Blaze by @christa.tomlinson is live! So proud of Christa for getting this out there. Can’t wait to read it! Grab it here—> https://amzn.to/2Mjzyjc #mmromance #superheros #loveislove

Blaze by @christa.tomlinson is live! So proud of Christa for getting this out there. Can’t wait to read it! Grab it here—> https://amzn.to/2Mjzyjc #mmromance #superheros #loveislove ...

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Sep 20

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‪I’m 17% in to @cspoe Snow and Winter Book 4 a ‪I’m 17% in to @cspoe Snow and Winter Book 4 and already highlighted snarky Snow comments three times (and a great Quinn one!). Only happens in CS Poe’s books. Preorder this one!!! https://amzn.to/2LH8hI4‬

‪I’m 17% in to @cspoe Snow and Winter Book 4 and already highlighted snarky Snow comments three times (and a great Quinn one!). Only happens in CS Poe’s books. Preorder this one!!! https://amzn.to/2LH8hI4‬ ...

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Jul 18

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@allisontemplebooks & @anoveltakepr Check out Jen @allisontemplebooks & @anoveltakepr 
Check out Jennifer’s review and enter the giveaway for COLD PRESSED by Allison Temple https://wp.me/p6h30q-3K3  Pick up the book at amazon—> https://amzn.to/2JOIdZx 
No strings attached is all Oliver can offer. He's hiding a broken heart that holds him back from diving into a new relationship, but he'll go on a blind date to make his family happy. Just one date, though; he doesn't have time for love to derail his plans.

Divorced and demoted to the night shift, Nick has his own problems. He's got an ex-wife who needs him and a kid with one foot in juvie. The last thing Nick needs is to butt heads—or other body parts—with a tempting hipster who wears a sad smile on their blind date.

Their chemistry can’t be denied, though, in an argument or in bed. No strings sex is uncomplicated and that's what Nick and Oliver need. But getting into bed together is one thing. Staying out of each other’s hearts soon becomes so much more complicated than either one imagined.

Cold Pressed is an 80k contemporary MM romance. It features a smoldering bisexual single dad, a broken-hearted hipster with a thing for beet juice, and a friends-with-benefits arrangement that blooms into the HEA you've been looking for.

Enter the giveaway on Instagram by following @allisontemplebooks & comment on any tour host photo using #ColdPressedTour. There will be one winner of a paperback copy of either Top Shelf or Cold Pressed. Open Internationally #mmromance #lgbt #gay #coldpressedtour #author #bookstagram

@allisontemplebooks & @anoveltakepr
Check out Jennifer’s review and enter the giveaway for COLD PRESSED by Allison Temple https://wp.me/p6h30q-3K3 Pick up the book at amazon—> https://amzn.to/2JOIdZx
No strings attached is all Oliver can offer. He's hiding a broken heart that holds him back from diving into a new relationship, but he'll go on a blind date to make his family happy. Just one date, though; he doesn't have time for love to derail his plans.

Divorced and demoted to the night shift, Nick has his own problems. He's got an ex-wife who needs him and a kid with one foot in juvie. The last thing Nick needs is to butt heads—or other body parts—with a tempting hipster who wears a sad smile on their blind date.

Their chemistry can’t be denied, though, in an argument or in bed. No strings sex is uncomplicated and that's what Nick and Oliver need. But getting into bed together is one thing. Staying out of each other’s hearts soon becomes so much more complicated than either one imagined.

Cold Pressed is an 80k contemporary MM romance. It features a smoldering bisexual single dad, a broken-hearted hipster with a thing for beet juice, and a friends-with-benefits arrangement that blooms into the HEA you've been looking for.

Enter the giveaway on Instagram by following @allisontemplebooks & comment on any tour host photo using #ColdPressedTour. There will be one winner of a paperback copy of either Top Shelf or Cold Pressed. Open Internationally #mmromance #lgbt #gay #coldpressedtour #author #bookstagram
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Mar 31

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Don't miss out on Fracture, the continuation of Sn Don't miss out on Fracture, the continuation of Snow and Jude's story, by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott. They have a fantastic giveaway, so make sure you enter. And if you haven't read these books. Seriously! Read them! Shiver is the beginning of an amazing series. Pick up Fracture at Amazon--> https://amzn.to/2uB8TFV Enter the giveaway, and check out our reviews at--> https://bit.ly/2FD9ITP
#lgbt #gay #mmromance #ku #4stars #5stars #series #SnowandJude #unbreakablebonds

Don't miss out on Fracture, the continuation of Snow and Jude's story, by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott. They have a fantastic giveaway, so make sure you enter. And if you haven't read these books. Seriously! Read them! Shiver is the beginning of an amazing series. Pick up Fracture at Amazon--> https://amzn.to/2uB8TFV Enter the giveaway, and check out our reviews at--> https://bit.ly/2FD9ITP
#lgbt #gay #mmromance #ku #4stars #5stars #series #SnowandJude #unbreakablebonds
...

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Mar 30

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Check out this beautiful cover of #Rewind by @rowa Check out this beautiful cover of #Rewind by @rowanshawwrites Available at Amazon—> https://amzn.to/2WzCjAa Our review locates here —> https://bit.ly/2OzcMVc The day Enzo Chevalier lost his hearing, everything changed. Forced to rebuild his future and fight for his dreams, Enzo refused to let anything take him down...until the man of his life walked out on him and shattered his heart. 
Florian Beaudry had his whole life figured out. His business was flourishing and everything was settling down at last. Or so he believed...until he walked in on his girlfriend and best friend.

Still on the rebound and unable to trust another man, Enzo never expected a chance encounter with Florian. The one person he thought he would never see again. The one person he missed the most. 
Were they truly meant to get a second chance or were they doomed from the start?

REWIND is an MM romance novel set entirely in France. Though part of a series, it is a standalone story without a cliffhanger. #mmromance #lgbt #gay #booksofinstagram #review @anoveltakepr

Check out this beautiful cover of #Rewind by @rowanshawwrites Available at Amazon—> https://amzn.to/2WzCjAa Our review locates here —> https://bit.ly/2OzcMVc The day Enzo Chevalier lost his hearing, everything changed. Forced to rebuild his future and fight for his dreams, Enzo refused to let anything take him down...until the man of his life walked out on him and shattered his heart.
Florian Beaudry had his whole life figured out. His business was flourishing and everything was settling down at last. Or so he believed...until he walked in on his girlfriend and best friend.

Still on the rebound and unable to trust another man, Enzo never expected a chance encounter with Florian. The one person he thought he would never see again. The one person he missed the most.
Were they truly meant to get a second chance or were they doomed from the start?

REWIND is an MM romance novel set entirely in France. Though part of a series, it is a standalone story without a cliffhanger. #mmromance #lgbt #gay #booksofinstagram #review @anoveltakepr
...

23 1

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Mar 2

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I’m sensing a theme on my new bookshelf. Missing I’m sensing a theme on my new bookshelf. Missing a few tho. I don’t have a bookshelf big enough for all of @gallagherwitt #books :) #lovetoread #lgbtqbooks #prolificauthor #morebooks #bookstagram #blogger

I’m sensing a theme on my new bookshelf. Missing a few tho. I don’t have a bookshelf big enough for all of @gallagherwitt #books :) #lovetoread #lgbtqbooks #prolificauthor #morebooks #bookstagram #blogger ...

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Jan 23

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What I’m reading right now. Perfect Match by AG What I’m reading right now. Perfect Match by AG Meiers. Some lies, some sad eyes, and some loggers. What else do you want? Grab it here—> https://amzn.to/2AYN9au #riptidepublishing #newrelease#bookstagram #bookshelf #books #read #reading #readabook

What I’m reading right now. Perfect Match by AG Meiers. Some lies, some sad eyes, and some loggers. What else do you want? Grab it here—> https://amzn.to/2AYN9au #riptidepublishing #newrelease#bookstagram #bookshelf #books #read #reading #readabook ...

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Nov 8

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So I had one person not able to collect their GRL So I had one person not able to collect their GRL autograph book. That means you could win! Tell me what book you’re reading right now and you could win this book signed by many authors including the one I am reading at this moment. @gallagherwitt GO! #grl2018 #booksarefun #readallthebooks

So I had one person not able to collect their GRL autograph book. That means you could win! Tell me what book you’re reading right now and you could win this book signed by many authors including the one I am reading at this moment. @gallagherwitt GO! #grl2018 #booksarefun #readallthebooks ...

22 4

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Oct 18

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Okay I’m at #grl2018 and had these amazing noteb Okay I’m at #grl2018 and had these amazing notebooks made for our readers. And YOU get to choose who you want signing it. Tell me who you want signing it, and I will find that person and get it signed for you. (Plus a whole lot of other authors). @jessiegbooks already got it started. I have three to give away over the next three days. #grl #authorstalking #istalksoyoudonthaveto #renportsmouth #mycontestmyrules

Okay I’m at #grl2018 and had these amazing notebooks made for our readers. And YOU get to choose who you want signing it. Tell me who you want signing it, and I will find that person and get it signed for you. (Plus a whole lot of other authors). @jessiegbooks already got it started. I have three to give away over the next three days. #grl #authorstalking #istalksoyoudonthaveto #renportsmouth #mycontestmyrules ...

16 1

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Sep 24

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What I’m reading tonight. Honeymoon for One by @ What I’m reading tonight. Honeymoon for One by @keiraandrewsauthor #gayromance #lgbt #mmromance #bookstagram #whatimreading

What I’m reading tonight. Honeymoon for One by @keiraandrewsauthor #gayromance #lgbt #mmromance #bookstagram #whatimreading ...

25 2

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Jul 22

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#ImperialStout Presented by: @laylareyne and @anov #ImperialStout
Presented by: @laylareyne and @anoveltakepr
 Grab it on Amazon—> https://amzn.to/2Nxr7jc
Layla Reyne spins off from her pulse-pounding Agents Irish and Whiskey books with Imperial Stout, the first installment in the Trouble Brewing series �
Hosted by: 
7/21: @two_chicks_obsessed @Maythebooksbewithyou 
7/22: @ParadisLivres @BFDBookBlog 
7/23: @midnightclockwork @Lovinghotbooks1 @DTR_DowntoRead @riverreads_ 
7/24: @jessiegbooks @bookquotes221 
7/25: @amyaislin @ScrollMates 
7/26: @bookish_notes @loveunchainedreviews 
7/27: @Surletagere @collectorbookbf 
Imperial Stout (Trouble Brewing #1) is a contemporary M/M romantic suspense featuring a US Attorney and the kidnap and rescue expert he teams up with to track down a missing witness. Layla Reyne delivers on the pulse-pounding action and intrigue she is so famous for! This book releases on July 23, 2018. 
Tour details: For seven days, July 21 - July 27, some truly amazing accounts will be hosting #bookstagram shots of Imperial Stout. Take a peek and get to know this brand new romantic suspense from @laylareyne

#ImperialStout
Presented by: @laylareyne and @anoveltakepr
Grab it on Amazon—> https://amzn.to/2Nxr7jc
Layla Reyne spins off from her pulse-pounding Agents Irish and Whiskey books with Imperial Stout, the first installment in the Trouble Brewing series �
Hosted by:
7/21: @two_chicks_obsessed @Maythebooksbewithyou
7/22: @ParadisLivres @BFDBookBlog
7/23: @midnightclockwork @Lovinghotbooks1 @DTR_DowntoRead @riverreads_
7/24: @jessiegbooks @bookquotes221
7/25: @amyaislin @ScrollMates
7/26: @bookish_notes @loveunchainedreviews
7/27: @Surletagere @collectorbookbf
Imperial Stout (Trouble Brewing #1) is a contemporary M/M romantic suspense featuring a US Attorney and the kidnap and rescue expert he teams up with to track down a missing witness. Layla Reyne delivers on the pulse-pounding action and intrigue she is so famous for! This book releases on July 23, 2018.
Tour details: For seven days, July 21 - July 27, some truly amazing accounts will be hosting #bookstagram shots of Imperial Stout. Take a peek and get to know this brand new romantic suspense from @laylareyne
...

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Jul 10

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Traveling Together for 39 Years: John and Isaac Traveling Together for 39 Years: John and Isaac

Traveling Together for 39 Years: John and Isaac ...

9 2

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Jul 9

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62 Photo of Queer Biennial Artists Creating a Bell 62 Photo of Queer Biennial Artists Creating a Belle Epoque in L.A.

62 Photo of Queer Biennial Artists Creating a Belle Epoque in L.A. ...

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