review

Charles: Learning to Love by Con Riley: Release Day Review

July 23, 2021 by Denise

Opposites attract in this low-angst romance filled with British snark and humour.

Life should be a breeze for a playboy like Charles Heppel. As the third son of an earl, he lives for the moment, partying and playing. Settling down isn’t for him. Not when London is full of beautiful men who he hasn’t one-and-done yet.

To escape his family’s nagging, Charles applies for a temp job that matches his playful skill set. A role in a Cornish classroom could be his until the summer, if Charles meets two conditions: he must move in with the headmaster’s best friend, and teach him to be happy.

Living with Hugo should be awkward. Charles is a free spirit, but Hugo’s a man of faith, with morals. A man who almost took holy orders before disaster changed his direction. Only far from being a chore, Charles finds that making Hugo happy soon becomes his passion.

Together, they share physical and emotional first times. Ones that change Charles, touching his soul. He wants Hugo for longer than they have left, but learning to love with his heart, not just his body, will take a leap of faith from Charles — in himself as well as Hugo.

New from Con Riley, Charles: Learning to Love is the first novel in a series based at Glynn Harber, a very special boarding school set in England’s glorious Cornwall.

♥ This shared-world series starts with Charles and Hugo, but each book follows a different couple in their own standalone novel, with a fulfilling happily ever after.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I’ve read a few books now by Con Riley. They are always enjoyable reads that aren’t too angsty but still tell a good story. I haven’t read the previous series that introduced Charles, but I think I will.

I almost immediately feel in love with Charles, third son to an Earl, he has no real responsibilities related to his heritage, but his one brother is always trying to get him involved.

While on an interview at his dream school, Charles meets Hugo, AKA Holy Hotness. He isn’t an official padre, but some of the older children respect his as such. Hugo’s best friend Luke is the headmaster at the school and is letting Hugo stay there while he recovers from a serious injury and figures out his new path- since he has given up becoming a minister.

Charles makes Luke smile and laugh and they are incredibly attracted to each other. Even though Luke has little experience, Charles has plenty for both.

They are really adorable with each other. And not in a cheesy super cute way. They just kind of fell into being a couple quickly because it is what they were meant to be. There was no judgement between them with their worst insecurities, but they still held some back.

This is a sweet story of two men becoming who they are meant to be- together, with some sexy times that don’t take over the story at all.

4 pieces of eye candy

Bennet, Pride Before The Fall (Love, Austen, Book 3) by Anyta Sunday: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

July 21, 2021 by Denise

“I want someone to want me for who I am. No changing my appearance or philosophies or principles. I need a partner to be proud of me—in public and beyond—and proud of themselves.”
“Think you’ll find it?”

~ ~ ~

Bennet had always dreamed of love. Of finding his Mr. Right.
Hell, he’d even settle for Mr. Righteous.
Who he won’t fall for, not ever? Mr. Downright Pride-less.

~ ~ ~

It’s Pride and Prejudice, complete with scumbaggery, anguished declaration of desire, meddling villagers, Karaoke, Scrabble, and Pride.

Bennet, Pride Before The Fall

Love, Austen, Book 3

By Anyta Sunday

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

“I’ve yet to see what’s so compelling about him,” Caroline said. “Other than how punctual he is. But walking in this weather? Really. You should have seen him, like a soaked mop with all that wet hair around his face.”

“Walking does seem questionable.”

“Did you see his boots outside? Mud up to the knees.”

“He seems careful with his appearance. I can only assume that this meeting of yours means a lot to him.”

“More than catching a cold? Ridiculous. He should have borrowed a car.”

“He doesn’t have one?”

“Refuses to get one, I heard. Some nonsense about the environment. All this looking down on other people and their choices. Their beliefs are never as good as his own . . .” Caroline was quiet for a moment. Bennet squared his shoulders to walk in, but she continued, “Doesn’t that change your opinion of him?”

“My opinion of him is as it always was.”

Another short pause followed. Then Caroline, in that enthusiastic tone of hers, “Of course, I am interested in helping him with his party thing. I hate to see anyone struggling to fit in around the village, and my financial support will make this doable. I suppose I can encourage a few people to take part.”

“There’s a reason you’re the local queen.”

“Oh, stop it.” She giggled, not sounding like she wanted Darcy to stop at all. “I’m hardly a queen. I simply do my bit to make Cubworthy the best it can be.”

“Do you think a Pride event will help the village?”

Caroline made no immediate answer, and Bennet’s patience reached its end. He would not let Darcy ruin his chances for Caroline’s support.

He strode into the room.

Caroline gave a short nod of approval. Darcy offered a slower, lingering look. Again, he jerked his gaze away. “That coffee must be almost done.”

Caroline sprang up and sashayed into the kitchen.

Darcy had taken Bennet’s former place at the table; Bennet’s phone still rested there.

“Bennet, you were telling me what you do for a living,” Caroline called over.

“I’m a freelance editor of gay romance novels.” He stared deliberately at Darcy.

Darcy stared back. “Is there much work in that?”

“More than I can manage.”

“Kiwi writers?” Caroline asked.

“From all around the world, but Kiwi authors too.”

Silence followed his statement. The rain continued, a ceaseless drum over the roof and windowpanes.

The moment their coffees touched the table, his phone vibrated. Caroline’s, too.

“Oh, dear.”

Bennet resisted the cringey urge to lunge for his phone.

“What’s wrong?” Darcy asked.

“You should join the community message board,” Caroline said. “It’s a wonderful tool, don’t you agree, Bennet?”

“Yes. Full of very accurate news and fun family facts.”

Darcy’s lips curled and he slid Bennet’s phone toward him.

“There’s been a flash flood,” Caroline said. “The river has broken its banks. All bridges in and out of Cubworthy are out of use.”

Bennet lurched to his feet. Lyon. “I have to get home.”

“It’s not flooded the village. Your brother will be fine. The school bus didn’t pick up the Cubworthy kids today.” Caroline grimaced. “Looks like you’re stuck out here for a day or two.”

“Perhaps you own a dingy? I can row over.”

Darcy took the news easily and served them all coffee from the carafe. He met Bennet’s eyes as he poured into his china cup. “My advice for boating during a flood? Don’t.”

“Lyon is all alone.”

“From what I’ve seen of your brother, he doesn’t follow guidance anyway.”

Bennet closed his eyes briefly. “God. He’s marooned in a village full of shearers!”

Caroline and Darcy looked at him inquisitively.

“Never mind.” He waved the thought away with a hand. “Caroline. Would you put up with me until it’s safe to cross back into the village?”

“Well.” She touched her scarf, eyes flashing to Darcy. “I absolutely would welcome you to stay here. If I had any spare rooms. As it is, I’m sleeping in the living room during the renovations.”

Bennet searched in vain for another option. The nearest inn was practically in Port Rātapu. He didn’t want to be that far from Lyon. Farms this side of the river were few and far between. Not another one for miles. It’d be a cold trek without a horse, and still no guarantee he’d be welcome.

He drummed his fingers over his thigh.

There was no other option. His gaze locked with Darcy’s.

“I suppose that means I’m at your mercy.”

I am really loving these retellings of classic novels. But the best part is- you don’t need to know the original story. The updated retellings stand quite well on their own and I can’t wait for more.

This time, the retelling is of Pride and Prejudice. And I doubt many have read the story, I bet many have seen the movie(s). And we have all fallen a little bit in love with Mr Darcy.

Instead of Mr Darcy, we have Darcy, a widowed father of adult children we met briefly in previous books. And Bennet who returned home to the tiny village he grew up in to raise his brother after his parents died.

Bennet is not only out and proud, but so is his 15 year old brother. And because he is trying so hard to do right by him, he won’t back down from that pride and he won’t settle for less than true love with someone else as proud.

I absolutely loved the relationship between Bennet and his brother Lyon. Lyon, a typical 15 year old with the added weight of being an orphan and being gay. Throughout the book we saw their relationship blossom and grow as much as we say Bennet and Darcy’s relationship grow.

Of course there are friends and gossipy villagers and shearers who came in for sheep shearing season (ha! say that 5 times fast!). There is a side story with Bennet’s best friend which helps him see different kinds of love, different kinds of happily ever after.

Slow burn, romantic, very little sex on page and positively swoony. Loved it.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of emotion, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.

My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.

Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/about-anyta/
Sign up for Anyta’s newsletter and receive a free e-book:
http://www.anytasunday.com/newsletter-free-e-book/

Contact Anyta:
Join my Facebook group to chat all things Slow Burn Romance:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SlowBurnSundays/

You can also find me here: www.anytasunday.com

For information about new releases and freebies, follow me on BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anyta-sunday

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Kisses (Kiss Me Book 2) by Charlie Novak: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

July 19, 2021 by Denise

Aaron’s Plan
Then:
1. Get a better job
2. Learn more skills
3. Get money for restaurant
4. Don’t fall in love with Josh

Now:
1. Finesse menu
2. Stop being angry at Josh
3. Swear less (Ben’s idea)
4. Stop wanting to kiss Josh
5. Get Michelin stars
6. Stop being in love with Josh

Josh’s Plan
Then:
1. Start new job
2. Try not to burn out
3. Don’t fall in love with Aaron
4. Seriously. Don’t. It will only end badly…

Now:
1. Survive the summer
2. Get a new job?
3. Don’t get involved with Aaron again
4. Don’t think about kissing him
5. Don’t think about his smile
6. Don’t think about how much you still love him

Summer Kisses is a 78,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring two chefs with a complicated history, clashing egos, cheese toasties, and two summers that will change everything. It is part of the Kiss Me series and can be read as a standalone.

Content Warning: This novel contains mentions of drug use and issues of alcohol abuse.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Aaron POV

Ten minutes later we staggered out of the shop, weighed down with several bags.

“Shall we go back?” Josh asked.

“You just want to try your new grape drink,” I said with a wry smile.

“There’s nothing wrong with grape.” Josh nudged me playfully as we walked along Goose Gate. “You keep saying I whine about mushrooms, but I’ve never heard someone bitch so much about a drink flavour.”

I shrugged and grinned. “Do as I say, not as I do.”

“Fuck off.”

“I can if you want, but I’m taking the dumpling stuff with me.”

“Remind me why I like you again?”

“I didn’t think you did.”

“That’s true. I don’t,” Josh said. His smile was so wide it made my chest ache, a storm of emotions threatening to overtake me. Why had we resisted this for all those years?

We dragged everything back to the flat, and I left Josh to unpack while I made a quick trip to the Tesco Express around the corner to grab some chicken. When I got back, Josh slid the orange-flavoured Charmander drink across to me.

“Where do we start?” he asked.

“First,” I said, cracking the tab and taking a long sip. It was sweet and not quite what I’d been expecting, but in a good way. “We need music.”

I grabbed my phone, hooking it up to the old Bluetooth speaker that perched on the edge of one of the shelves. I grinned, putting my playlist on shuffle, and waiting to see Josh’s reaction when the first song came on. I’d always had eclectic musical taste, from death metal to chart-topping pop, but I thought most people associated me more with the former.

Josh stared at me as the familiar beat line of “Shake It Off” kicked in, his mouth falling open. “Seriously? Taylor Swift?”

I shrugged, taking another sip of my drink. “Don’t diss Taylor. She’s awesome.”

“You know,” he said, leaning in to give me a kiss, “every time I think I’ve got you figured out, you surprise me.”

Since discovering Charlie Novak, her books are an auto-read for me. Funny, snarky, sexy with interesting characters who aren’t cookie cutter style.

This is book 2 (easily a stand alone) and I did really enjoy it. We met Josh and Aaron is book 1- they are chefs where Patrick is a pastry chef. Seeing the friendship between Aaron and Patrick even more was a delight.

The book goes back in time to when Josh and Aaron first met and wanna be chefs in London. Their flame burned bright and fast and came to a crashing halt one night. That was when all of Aaron’s secrets came to light.

They didn’t see each other for a while and are faced with each other again in a new restaurant. Cooking together. Over the span of several years, we see the animosity between them. But really, they just wanted each other.

Aaron was a total jerk during those years. Josh pretty much saved his life by walking away and Aaron treated him like crap. Yanno, until THAT NIGHT.

They can’t keep their hands off of each other now. But they never really talked about what all went down before. Instead, they just had more sex. And honestly, I almost think there was too much sex in the book. That’s saying something for me. I would have liked to see them mature more together, grow together. Which they do, but so.much.sex.

This story was a little different from previous with the alcohol abuse and drug use. Although that part of the story was told well and compassionately. And mixing angst with snark is one of my favorite things. But I needed more. They went from boiling hot to ice cold to boiling hot again. No gradual rise in temperature.

I still highly recommend. I love books set in restaurants that really show the reality of working back of the house. And I REALLY want Ben’s story…

4 pieces of eye candy

Charlie lives in England with her husband and a dachshund named Biscuit. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that loves comes in all shapes and sizes.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Connect with Charlie:

Website: https://charlienovak.com/
Newsletter https://charlienovak.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/charlienovakauthor/
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/charlie-novak
Twitter https://twitter.com/charlienwrites
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charlienwrites/
Facebook Group, Charlie’s Angels https://www.facebook.com/groups/charlienovaksangels/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fractured Souls (Fallen Messengers, Book 1) by Ava Marie Salinger: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Kick A$$ Giveaway

July 19, 2021 by Denise

Humans are dying in San Francisco. The most shunned angel on Earth may very well hold the key as to why…

When Cassius Black moves to San Francisco for a fresh start, the angel’s hopes of staying below the radar of the supernatural organizations that oversee the otherworldly and magic users in the city are dashed when he stumbles across a dead body in the sewers. His grim discovery soon puts him in the sight of the Argonaut Agency and Francis Strickland, the bureau director who knows his darkest secrets.

Morgan King and his team of Argonaut agents have been hunting for the culprits behind a series of gruesome killings that have rocked the city all summer. Killings that bear sinister hallmarks of sacrificial rituals where the victims’ souls have been ripped from their bodies. When Fate brings Cassius in Morgan’s path, he realizes the angel everyone likes to call The Devil may very well be the only person who can help them track down the murderers.

Morgan and Cassius soon find themselves chasing down a sect of black magic sorcerers and cross paths with a mysterious warlock whose actions evoke disturbing echoes of an incident from Cassius’s past. As rumors of a potential plot to tear the Nether reach their ears, Cassius and Morgan must work together to defeat their common enemy and save the city from destruction, all while fighting their growing attraction for one another.

Fractured Souls is the first novel in the MM urban fantasy romance series Fallen Messengers. If you like action-packed paranormal adventures with romance and snark, then grab this pulse-pounding book today and enter a world you won’t want to leave!

Fractured Souls

Fallen Messengers, Book 1

By Ava Marie Salinger

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

“Are you the person in charge?” Cassius asked the blonde icily. “On whose authority are you trying to arrest me?”

The woman narrowed her eyes. “You know very well who we are. You are a suspect in the murder of a man whose body was discovered in the sewers under Bayview Park eight hours ago. You were seen fleeing the scene of the crime.”

Cassius drew himself to his full height.

“So, you decided to come in here and gun me down?” he snarled. “Is that the modus operandi of the San Francisco branch of the Argonaut Agency? Kill first and ask fucking questions later?!”

The blonde frowned. “Like I said, that was an unfortunate accident. Now, how about you—?”

“What’s going on here?” someone said behind Cassius.

He whirled around.

Glass crunched under Morgan’s bare feet as he stepped inside the apartment from the terrace. He was wearing jeans, an almighty scowl, and little else.

Cassius stilled. The glass was not cutting Morgan’s skin.

Alarm had Cassius’s pulse spiking. He hadn’t sensed anything unusual about his neighbor when they’d just spoken out on the terrace. His stomach dropped.

Except for the fact that he knew I was there when I’d deliberately masked my aura.

“Morgan?” The blonde gaped. “What the hell are you doing here?!”

Cassius’s heart stuttered. Wait? They know each other?!

“I live next door,” Morgan replied irritably.

Cassius registered the expressions on the other Argonaut agents’ faces with a sinking feeling. It was clear they knew Morgan too. Not just knew him, but regarded him as their superior.

Shit. He’s an Argonaut agent.

Cassius fisted his hands. The demon cat protested with a soft meow when his fingers sank into its hide.

“Since when?” the blonde asked Morgan, still shocked.

“Since a month ago,” Morgan snapped. “Now, how about you tell me what the hell you’re doing in this guy’s apartment, Adrianne?”

“I should renegotiate my salary,” the blonde muttered, looking around the luxurious penthouse. Her gaze focused on Morgan and Cassius once more. “Your neighbor is a suspect in a murder,” she told Morgan. “FYI, your neighbor is Cassius Black.”

Morgan visibly stiffened. He observed Cassius with an inscrutable expression before turning to Adrianne. “That still doesn’t justify you guys coming in here in full tactical gear and shooting at him, Adrianne.”

Cassius blinked. That’s a first.

It wasn’t every day an Argonaut agent came to his defense.

He clenched his jaw. “I happened to be looking for this cat. That’s why I was in those sewers. My client is a woman called Joyce Almeda. Her phone number is on my cell phone.” Cassius studied Morgan and Adrianne coldly. “Seeing as your agency appears to be as biased against me as every other one on this planet, you’ll excuse me for not having stuck around long enough for you assholes to pin the blame on me for something I had nothing to do with.”

Adrianne frowned at Cassius.

“We found another victim,” she told Morgan, a muscle jumping in her cheek.

Morgan froze. “What?”

“We found another human sacrifice. It was a man this time. Your neighbor was at the scene of the crime when our agents got there.” Suspicion glittered in Adrianne’s eyes as she glanced at Cassius. “And yes, before you ask, it was a magic circle made from Dark Blight and human—”

Wind exploded inside Cassius’s apartment. It wrapped tightly around his body in overlapping bands, locking his limbs in place and robbing him of his breath. Cassius gasped as he was lifted bodily into the air, his wings straining uselessly against his back where he sought to spread them and escape.

Morgan’s pupils glowed with blinding-white light as he wielded his powers, imprisoning Cassius in a painful tempest of seraphic energy. The demon cat leapt onto the floor and hissed angrily at the angel who was glaring at Cassius as if he’d committed a grave sin.

Black spots burst across Cassius’s vision as the constraints squeezed his ribs to near breaking point.

He thought he heard Adrianne shout Morgan’s name.

Darkness encroached upon his world as his consciousness faded.

A supernatural detective/security agency of angels and demons. What a cool idea! And the name – Argonaut! I was expecting Jason to show up any second.

So, think bad boy/enemies to lovers. Morgan runs the team of avenging angels trying to find out why humans are dying.

Cassius Black – way more devil than angel – comes to town not looking for trouble but quickly finds it.

And speaking of Angels – these are the type of winged wonders that like whisky and cigarettes.

Add in black magic sorcerers, a warlock, angels, demons, and magic cats – oh my! And you have a high charged magical romp through the underworld – or I believe they’re calling it San Francisco these days.

Read the glossary of terms at the beginning because you’re going to need it!

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Ava Marie Salinger is the pen name of an Amazon bestselling urban fantasy author who has always wanted to write scorching hot M/M urban fantasy. In 2021, she launches FALLEN MESSENGERS, her first M/M urban fantasy romance series. She also writes contemporary M/M romance as A.M. Salinger. When she’s not dreaming up hotties to write about, you’ll find Ava creating kickass music playlists to write to, spying on the wildlife in her garden, drooling over gadgets, and eating Chinese.

Subscribe to Ava Newsletter and receive a free prequel short story to Fractured Souls (Fallen Messengers #1) here: https://www.amsalinger.com/subscribe/

Connect with Ava:

Website

Facebook Reader Group

To celebrate the thrilling release of Fractured Souls, Ava is giving away:

a signed Hardcover edition of Fractured Souls
A signed Paperback edition of Fractured Souls
A Special Angel, Demon, Magic themed necklace

Giveaway is open Internationally!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beautifully Unexpected By Lily Morton: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway

July 16, 2021 by Denise

Sometimes love comes when you least expect or want it.

Magnus Carlsen is determined to grow old disgracefully. At fifty-two, he doesn’t believe in keeping anything. Men, sofas, books—everything gets jettisoned, eventually. He’s divided his life into happy compartments. A successful trial lawyer, he spends his days lecturing jurors, exasperating judges, and striding arrogantly around courtrooms. He fills his nights with a parade of handsome young men who want to make him happy. Why date someone his own age to discuss back pain, retirement-planning, and corns, when he can date men who don’t care to discuss anything at all?

However, when one of these sunny young men shows an inclination for dramatic scenes, Magnus meets his new neighbour. And his whole world implodes.

Laurie Gentry is nearly the same age as Magnus, but that’s where the similarity ends. He’s messy and creative and nosy and mysterious. He’s everything that Magnus has spent a lifetime avoiding. So, why can’t he get Laurie out of his head?

Luckily, Laurie is only in London for the summer. Magnus can uncover Laurie’s mysteries and indulge their annoyingly hot attraction, and Laurie will be gone before complications arise. A few months isn’t long enough to lose his heart. Is it?

From bestselling author, Lily Morton comes a romantic comedy about two footloose older men and how one summer in London brings something quite beautifully unexpected into their lives.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

I come back out to find him examining a picture on the wall. It’s a six-foot landscape of the Danish coast done in sepia tones. “This is so good,” he says. “Your mum?”

I nod. “She gave it to me when I was twenty-one.”

He whistles. “Nice present.”

“I’d have preferred a motorbike,” I inform him. He gapes at me and I wave my hand. “Shall we?”

He peeps through the open door of my study at the mess of papers on the desk. “We definitely should.”

We leave the flat, and, as I lock the door, he leans against the wall watching me. “You seem busy,” he observes.

“I have a trial starting on Monday. I’m just getting a few things straight in my head.”

“Are you nervous?”

I look at him incredulously. “No.”

We walk towards the lift. “You thrive on your job, don’t you?” he says.

I shrug. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“Even living in such an artistic world? Your dad was a poet laureate and your mum a painter. Being a barrister is such a departure.”

“I was the shame of the family,” I say solemnly. “My mother was so embarrassed when I got my law degree that she wouldn’t tell anyone what I did for ages. She thought I should be doing something creative, so she’d tell people rather vaguely that I did something with paper. Half of her circle were convinced I was an origami expert.” He laughs. “It is true. I still get handed paper and asked to make a swan.” I consider that. “The only thing worse would have been if I became a policeman. But then I’d have had to arrest half of her boyfriends.”

“Did she have many?”

We walk out of the building into the sunshine, and I slide my Ray-Bans down over my eyes. “Define many.”

He starts to laugh. “Ouch!”

“Usually at this point, a man would be full of sympathy for me.”

“I’m not most men,” he informs me truthfully. “Anyway, that’s a lie. Your young men would probably be pretending to listen to you while wondering which knot to tie on their genital decorations.”

“You could be right,” I say slowly. “Good grief, I always thought they were interested.”

“Probably just bored into submission,” he says in a comforting tone.

Read Erin’s review here.

Lily writes contemporary romance novels, and specialises in hot love stories with a good dose of humour.

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.

She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else could she get to spend her time with hot, funny men!

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.

Battle for the Top: An MM Rivals to Lovers Sports Romance by Ariella Zoelle: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

July 15, 2021 by Denise

Whether it’s on or off the tennis court, Knightley is always ready to battle for the top. An explosive confrontation with his nemesis Kingston leads them to take their rivalry to the next level off the court. Can two fierce adversaries turn passion into romance?

Knightley Neilson

Kingston Sabatino throws fuel on my fire like nothing else ever has. Our rivalry is all-consuming since I’m determined to dethrone him and reclaim my rightful place as the number one tennis player in the world. I will beat him, someday.

When I confront Kingston after another devastating loss, the line between my rage and obsession to win begins to blur as I discover there might be another way for me to come out on top. True, I’ve never been attracted to a man before, but the temptation to have him at my mercy matters more to me than his gender. I’m not just willing to make him mine; I want to claim him as mine in every way. Having him give in to me will ultimately be the sweetest victory.

Is it really possible for me to love a man like Kingston while still wanting to be the winner?

Kingston Sabatino

I’ll do anything to win Knightley’s heart. That includes becoming the best tennis player in the entire world and defeating him every time we meet. Next, I’ll issue a challenge I know he’ll never be able to resist, even though he’s straight: take his passionate rage out on me in the hottest way possible. That’s how I discover he kisses to win. And I’m not about to let him stop there.

Can I help him see past our rivalry to understand that we’re perfect for each other in every way? Tennis starts with “Love-all,” so let the game begin.

Battle for the Top is a standalone novella featuring a rivals to lovers, bisexual awakening, sports romance. Full of hot banter and sexy fun, this book ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Chapter 2: Kingston Sabiano

It was a pleasant change of pace to not dissolve into instant bickering, so I enjoyed the silence as we drifted in our separate thoughts. It lasted longer than I had expected before he asked me, “How long have you been planning this?”

Rather than telling the truth, I kept my answer playful. “Your arguments with reporters at press conferences give me a lot of time to think about other stuff I’d rather be doing.”

“Like me?” He scoffed at the notion. “You can’t be serious.”

I couldn’t resist teasing him a little. “Our fighting wasn’t foreplay for you?”

He turned his head to stare at me. “Seriously?”

I gave him my best attempt at an innocent expression. “What? Our banter really gets me going.”

Covering his face to hide the grin he couldn’t quite smother, he laughed hard. For once, it wasn’t bitter or haughty, but a sound of genuine amusement that warmed my heart. “Is that why you antagonize me?”

“Yes, and I’m very offended it took two years to get you to translate that into ‘please fuck me stupid,’” I said with mock upset. My peals of laughter ruined the effect, though. “How much more obvious could I be that I desired you?”

“Why?”

I reached out to caress his cheek with my clean hand as I gave him a sincere look. “Because all I have ever wanted these past five years was to be yours.”

“Five years? We’ve only been competing for two.”

“Yes, because it took me three years to become good enough to stand on the same stage as you.” I opened my heart up to him, hoping like hell he didn’t reject me for it. “I’ve been chasing after you since you trounced Terrence Rayston in your debut match.”

It was the first time I had ever stunned him into silence. Swallowing hard, he eventually said, “I don’t understand.”

“The media dubbed you the Iceman because of your icy blue eyes, the way you ruthlessly defeated every opponent, and your cold and aloof demeanor.” I stroked the outline of his strong jaw, amazed he hadn’t rejected me yet. “It confused me how so many people got you so wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not ice—you’re fire.” I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. “I didn’t understand how none of them could see that you burn with a need to be the best and always win. You torched all your opponents to ashes with every triumph. It took me years to become good enough to feel your heat as I faced off against you.”

When he said nothing, I hesitated before I continued confessing. “If I didn’t beat you, you’d never notice me. That meant I had to be better than the best, because that was the only way to make you focus all your fire on me. I’m the only one who can withstand your flames. To make you see that, I had to drive you wild by being unbeatable. I want you to only burn for me.”

This was a short novella, only about 50 pages, and had a whole lot of feelings packed into it. It started with a deep anger and hatred, quickly turned to a lot of hot steamy sex, followed quickly by some feelings that were not expected by Knight.

This story had two very dominant, alpha, males battling it out for tennis champions at the Australian Open. Very strong rivals, it became clear that King was not willing to let their rivalry get in the way of what was to be their HEA. He was very adept at reading where Knight was mentally and emotionally, and guaging how to get him to come around. It was a continual battle of wills.

I enjoyed this short book, although it was so short, it was hard to learn much about the characters or their lives outside the world of tennis. The only real mention of other people were reporters who asked a few questions, and a coach who had a word with one of the MC’s. We had no background on friends, family, etc. But with these alphas, it’s likely they spent much of their lives in tennis, and as it turned out in each other. *snicker*

I did like that not every moment was filled with the literal back and forth of each tennis match. Enough to give you a glimpse, but not so much that the reader felt like they were actually watching Wimbledon.

An enjoyable, hot, quick read.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Ariella Zoelle previously published as A.F. Zoelle. She adores steamy, funny, swoony romances where couples are allowed to just be happy. That means she writes low angst stories full of heat, humor, and heart. Her vast knowledge of weird, wild, and wonderful randomness colors her writing, meaning her characters have some pretty strange and entertaining interests.

There are even rumors that she’s a time management wizard who uses her magic powers to create enough free time to turn her massive horde of plot bunnies into sassy M/M romance novels. Her next feat will be turning herself into a full-time author.

For real time updates on her writing progress, please join her Facebook group for exclusive teasers or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can also sign up for her newsletter to gain access to bonus chapters, previews of upcoming books, exclusive visual guides, and more.

Connect with Ariella:
Website: www.ariellazoelle.com
Newsletter: https://www.ariellazoelle.com/newsletter
Facebook Group: Ariella Zoelle’s Sunnyside
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/extraafzoelle
Twitter: @AriellaZoelle
Instagram: @AriellaZoelle
Bookbub: Ariella Zoelle
Goodreads: Ariella Zoelle