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Punching the V-Card by Leta Blake: IG Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Best friend’s hot older brother? Check. A weekend alone? Check.

Finally punching that V-card? Oh yes.

Carl has a pesky “innocence” problem that requires a solution. His best friend’s brother Devon is the perfect answer.

Devon’s experienced, gorgeous, and Carl’s been secretly crushing on him for ages. Carl doesn’t want to “lose it” to just anybody. Everyone says the first time should be special—and what’s more special than sharing it with the guy of his dreams?

It’s not like Devon won’t enjoy it. Solving this so-called problem is an objectively fun experience for most people! The plan is totally win/win!

Shockingly, Devon agrees. But even though it goes better than either of them ever expected, Carl’s moving across the country soon. It’s not possible to have more. No matter how much they both want it.

Right?

Punching the V-Card by Leta Blake is a is a high heat, NO ANGST, new adult gay romance featuring a best friend’s hot older brother, scorching first times, and falling in love with the guy of your dreams.

Title: Punching the V-Card
Authors: Leta Blake
Length: 35k
Series: Standalone.
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, and very light BDSM/Kink, almost nonexistent, but the themes are still there.
Tropes: Best friend’s older brother, losing virginity, whirlwind romance, first love, virgin baby dom and natural older submissive, forced proximity (to a degree), new adult.
Content: Very light BDSM theme.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“I keep some supplies up here,” Carl said, approaching a sizable fallen tree that was hollowed out inside, and the massive, nearly bench-shaped rock beside it. “Lighters, candles, gummy bears, that sort of thing.”

“Gummy bears?” Devon said, watching as Carl knelt in the pine needles and peered into the log using his flashlight. “Checking for snakes or other ghoulies,” he said before reaching inside and tugging out a Ziplock bag. Inside, sure enough, Devon could make out a package of gummy bears, a lighter, a few tea light candles, and what looked like a pack of cigarettes.

“Do you smoke?”

“Huh?” Carl glanced at the bag and grimaced. “Hope and I tried it. Thought it might look cool on stage, you know? But, ugh. I’d rather eat ass than smoke a cigarette.” A sudden grin cracked over his face and his eyes lit up even brighter. “I guess I mean that literally now. I’d much rather eat ass. That only leads to orgasm, unlike cigarettes which lead to coughing, gagging, and smelling like, well, cigarettes, you know?”

Devon watched Carl take a seat on the big stone bench, and he climbed onto it, too. It was big enough that they could sit cross-legged facing each other.

“Okay,” Carl said, pulling out the tea light candles, the lighter, the gummy bears, and a piece of chalk that Devon hadn’t noticed before. “First we draw a pentagram, like this,” he said.

And Devon watched, surprised, as Carl did draw a big pentagram between them. “What are you doing?”

“Magic,” Carl offered, with a little grin. “Fairy magic.”

Devon blinked at him.

“Kidding. But, yeah, sometimes I like to cast a spell or two. It can be fun.”

Devon shrugged, a nagging uncertainty in his gut, but he watched as Carl put a tea light on each point of the pentagram before lighting them.

“Now, we have to focus on what we want,” Carl said.

“What we want?” Devon repeated.

“Like when I did this last week, I focused on you agreeing to this weekend, and look. It worked.”

“You cast a spell on me?” Devon asked, trying to not feel a little weirded out by that. The forest around them smelled of wet dirt, disintegrating leaves, and fresh air, but the light that sparkled off the water droplets all around and filtered through the swaying tree tops did feel otherworldly. Plus, he was tired, so tired, and drained, and kinda horny still. He felt a little possessed, actually.

“J-just a l-li-li—ugh. A small one,” Carl said, with a shrug. “Do you c-care?”

The stutter. He was anxious now.

Devon looked at the small, flickering candles and up into Carl’s glittery eyes. He didn’t care. If he was told that he was hypnotized into this weekend, he’d be happy about it. If he was told that he’d been put under a powerful elf’s spell, he’d be glad. The time he’d spent with Carl was already the most interesting and arousing he’d ever had.

This book had so many surprising elements in it…in fact, the LEAST surprising element was that Carl had been in love with Devon for years. Just a few of the surprises…Devon’s sister set up this weekend punching of Devon’s V-card. Carl, who began the weekend seemingly shy AF, barely saying a word, turns out to be a baby Dom. Meanwhile, Devon immediately falls in line with it, showing a submissive side, when it is obvious he NEVER would have thought that of himself before this weekend. That two young men were able to have that much sex, and eat so little food (ha ha).

This was one very steamy novella, with two really well fleshed out MC’s for a novella. Carl is leaving for LA to begin a music career, while Devon is not leaving TN because his parents want him to do all the right things. Carl has a stutter that really only shows when he is nervous or emotional. Devon meanwhile has no idea what he wants to do with his life, but he knows he can’t go anywhere. He needs to finish college, then get a job…in what, he doesn’t know. They were honestly exactly as many young people that age, just trying to figure out what was next for them.

This was high heat, low angst, very sweet in places, had a hopeful future and some fun thrown in. It may not be for everyone, as it has A LOT of sex, but it still tells a very good story, as this author always does.

4 pieces of eye candy

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Out of Focus by A. L. Lester: Excerpt and Release Day Review

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Alex has never quite believed he’s good enough. Not as a person and not as a lighting technician. He hates that however hard he tries he can’t get his boss, Luke, to like him. In the two years he’s been in the job it’s become a Thing with him and he’s got a huge crush on the man. He needs to move on for his own sanity and his career and he’s just about to accept a job at a bigger theatre when one of the volunteers he’s bedded and dumped pushes him off a ladder.

Luke likes Alex a lot and has done since the day he walked through the door of Theatre Fawr two years ago. He doesn’t date his staff though, or do casual, and Alex is the epitome of casual. So Luke keeps his distance despite Alex’s constant flirting.

Will Alex’s injury give Alex and Luke the push they need to open up to each other? Or will Luke’s inadvertent discovery that Alex has a secret job offer push them further apart?

Enemies to lovers, a broken wrist, hurt-comfort and pining. A gay romance set in a little Welsh theatre.

Publisher: JMS Books LLC

Editor: Lourenza Adlem

Release date: 26 March 2022

Word Count: 17,500 words

Genre: gay, contemporary, short-story, Welsh theatre, hurt-comfort, enemies to lovers

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Goodreads

Luke was furious. Bloody furious. His theatre. His crew. Alex.

He’d got back after a leisurely look round a potential new supplier of scissor-lifts and harnesses followed by a pub lunch with the business owner to find the theatre in uproar. Alex had tipped over on the zargees…which was bloody ironic given it was the approaching new height restrictions about using ladders to rig that had sent Luke on his errand.

He’d gone straight to the hospital and found Alex about to check himself out against the doctor’s advice. Bloody Alex, as well.

Alex had been a thorn in his side since he’d started in post two years ago. It was a tiny theatre and the chief technician was responsible for anything with a plug on it as well as showing the film programme and doing the lighting and sound for shows. They’d done a panel interview and Luke, a couple of members of the board and Lacey the theatre manager had seen half a dozen people. Alex had come out head and shoulders above the rest.

He’d walked in on his first proper day on the job and looked at Luke from underneath his ridiculously long eyelashes and smiled and said something perfectly professional that Luke hadn’t heard, because he was gone. Gone, gone, gone. His heart had given a big thump, he’d flushed from his chest to his hairline and he’d taken an actual physical step back because otherwise he’d have done something stupid.

Everyone on the circuit knew about Alex Tilsom by reputation. Not his professional reputation, although that was solid. His unprofessional reputation, as Luke privately thought of it.

It was a small industry.

Luke had seen whole companies explode because people fell into bed with each other and the detonation when they fell out of bed again meant they couldn’t work together. He’d been at Theatr Fach for a long time now and although there were no actual rules against it, his personal tenet was to keep his professional relationships professional.

So he let Alex’s good natured flirting roll over him, he didn’t respond like he wanted to and he never, ever commented or ribbed him like the others did about his latest conquest. It was worse because strictly speaking he was Alex’s boss. He tried very hard not to be the older creep who letched on his staff.

Newsflash. In this case he did not always succeed.

It made him feel uncomfortable and itchy inside his own skin. Alex was a funny guy. He worked hard, he was good at his job. He charmed passing crew and volunteers into bed and out again with no drama before or after. He’d be gone in two or three years…he was the sort of person who saw Theatr Fach as a stepping stone to something bigger and more challenging.

All Luke had to do was hold on to that thought and not smile back.

He’d thoroughly fucked that up in the last twenty-four hours, hadn’t he? It was his job to go and see what was going on at the hospital. And he supposed he could argue it was his job to stay with Alex overnight if no-one else could, if the stupid arse wouldn’t stay in hospital like he should have.

It wasn’t his job to mostly fail to sleep in the armchair in the corner of the man’s bedroom and creepily watch over him all night. Or was it? Was that on the right side of the line? Fuck it, who knew any more.

There are some shorts that tell a full and complete story. And there are some shorts that just…don’t. Because it was just too short.

There’s nothing wrong with this story, I just didn’t feel any connection at all. Both guys crushed on each other for 2 years. One openly, one secretly. But we never SAW that, we were just told that.

So when Alex is hurt and Luke goes to the hospital, I kind of expected Luke to let some of his feelings show. But nope.

And then after Luke staying with Alex for 24 hours, even though Alex is known to not be a relationship guy and Luke not wanting a relationship with his subordinate, they just decide to be boyfriends.

If you want a quick read with zero angst, zero sex as a palate cleanser, this is for you. But it was just a bit boring for me.

Writer of queer, paranormal, historical, romantic suspense, mostly. Lives in the South West of England with Mr AL, two children, a terrifying cat, some hens and the duckettes. Likes gardening but doesn’t really have time or energy. Not musical. Doesn’t much like telly. Non-binary. Chronically disabled. Has tedious fits.

Facebook Group : Twitter : Newsletter (free story) : Website : Link-tree for everywhere else

Night and Day by Rachel Ember: Release Day Review

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Ty’s parents seem to have their shit together, and his little sisters are old enough that he doesn’t have to constantly worry about them anymore. He could even enroll in some college classes if he could find an overnight job that won’t kill him. One where he might be able to study occasionally, or catch a nap. When he sees the advertisement for a night nanny, it sounds perfect. After all, he’s got a soft spot for babies, and raised his sisters himself.

If he’s having some seriously sinful thoughts about Isabel’s handsome, melancholy father-well. His thing for older men is nothing new, and he can keep himself under control for the half-hour their paths cross in the morning and evening.

Jonathan is overwhelmed by his wife leaving abruptly–though, to be honest, he’d known it was over for years–by the new responsibilities he’s just been handed at his law firm, and by the baby daughter he adopted three months ago, Isabel. The baby his now-vanished wife had been begging for. He was lucky to get a place for Isabel in the best infant care program in the city, but it closes at 5 p.m. Before Isabel, Jonathan had never held a baby or changed a diaper. He needs help day and night.

When Ty answers his advertisement, and he looks past the tattoos and piercings at the way Ty expertly soothes the baby, Jonathan hires him on the spot. The only problem in the weeks that follow is how much Jonathan begins to look forward to Ty’s arrival every night, and not just because he’s ready to hand over the baby and get some sleep. There’s something that fascinates him about the kid who steps out of the darkness late each night with a crooked smile.

Then, Isabel’s daycare temporarily closes unexpectedly. A desperate Jonathan asks Ty if he can work more hours, and Ty says he can–if he can crash in the guest room, too.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

What a cute read!

It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for a single dad, but a newly single, new dad and a hot nanny? Absolutely! Let’s discuss…

First, we have Johnathan. He’s the new single dad with a brand new baby that he and his estranged wife were adopting just before she up and left him. They hadn’t had a good marriage in a while and I don’t think either was to blame for that. I don’t want to give anything away about that because it came as a bit of a surprise, so I won’t spoil, but it’s easier to understand her once it all comes together.

Because of her sudden departure, busy attorney Johnathan needs a nanny now more than ever. He doesn’t know if he can handle this dad thing, as his screaming baby and no prospect for a nanny is much harder than he thought it would be.

Enter Ty….

I loved everything about Ty. He’s so selfless and charming. I loved his relationship with his sisters and the caretaker role he played in their lives, their entire lives. He was born to take care of people, literally, he had been doing it his whole life. Maybe not by choice growing up, but it was his calling, for sure.
I loved how he was with Johnathan’s Isabel.

Being as different as night and day, I wasn’t surprised to find Ty and Johnathan attracted to each other and I could see them together just as easily as I could if I was watching the reality show that I wanna wish them real to be apart of.  It was inevitable.
I want to gush and I want to tell you every cute thing about this story but I’ll leave it for now and say that if you like any trope with dads, nannies and maybe a little bit of drama… you’ll adore this.

I would’ve liked to have seen Ty’s parents go to prison or just….get smacked with reality and a little of the karmic justice they deserve and I wasn’t so keen on Shay at first, so I’m glad Ty was protective there. He said everything that I was thinking at the moment and I loved that too!

Very cute story! I’d love to read more of these three and their now big extended family!

5 pieces of eye candy

Uniquely Average by Susan Hawke: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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A twenty year age gap, a neurodivergent ‘boy’ and a gray ace of a ‘Daddy’, both lonely and unable to find their match… until now.

Ethan Humboldt is a cocky, confident chef with zero filter and even less humility. He’s also a very good, neurodivergent boy who’s been searching far too long for the perfect Daddy. At thirty, Ethan knows what he wants—and what he needs. The only problem? Finding a caregiving type of Daddy to provide it.

Danvers Jones has more money than he knows what to do with and nobody to spend it on. He’s not looking for a fling, Dan needs someone to pamper. To romance… to adore. As a romantic gray ace, nothing else will do it for him.

Newly retired, Dan has one final mission—to find his former best friend’s long lost son and deliver a trust fund. After that, Dan’s determined to start fully living his life, which starts with the right partner. Only problem? Dan requires the type of person who’ll need his unique brand of Daddy.

Danvers and Ethan aren’t expecting to meet their perfect match in a random meet cute gone wrong, but when does life ever go according to plan?

This stand-alone novel is a full-length, 43k non-age play Daddy romance. The core of this story was previously published as a 15k short in the USA Today bestselling “Dirty Daddies 2021 Anthology.” It’s now been reworked and lengthened to provide the tale as originally intended.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Watching for Daddy’s reaction to breakfast, I tried not to stare while taking a bite of my own. I’d served us perfectly cooked Eggs Benedict, complete with Canadian bacon and my own special hollandaise. My secret? A bit of OJ and a dash of orange zest.

It felt like my heart was beating in my throat when he finally took that bite. Pinching my lips tightly shut, I squeezed my legs together with my hands rhythmically patting my knees. I knew I was stimming, even before my hands started going, but I wasn’t concerned.

And why should I be? Some repetitive motion because I was excited was perfectly fine, a fact my doctor had drilled into me. As long as I wasn’t flapping my hands too much or letting my excitement turn to stressed anxiety, I’d be good.

And yes, I did need to remind myself of this every time and this was also okay.

Thank you, Dr. Stapleton. Years of work, God only knew how much money spent, and now I could calmly explain to myself why I was excited and how it was okay for a little light stimming.

Gasping, I jumped when a light knock on the table jerked my attention away from myself. I looked around the room, desperately trying to anchor myself again—I’d been that startled.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Did I frighten you?” And just like that, Daddy’s voice gave me the anchor I was looking for.

“Huh? I guess I was zoned out, lost in my head. I was being stupid, going through a bit of rationale in my head, and I guess I was deeper than I thought if I never heard you speak.” And, now I truly had a reason to be upset but… I glanced down to see my hands resting quietly on my legs. Huh. So much for the stimming.

I couldn’t understand why, but Daddy looked upset. He held up a finger, waving it back and forth. “That’s a no-no, sunshine. Never call yourself stupid, not on my watch. Especially when you are anything but. In fact, now I think I would enjoy hearing what had you lost in thought. Trust me, I wasn’t adding anything to the conversation. All I said was how these were the best Eggs Benedict I’ve ever eaten.”

It felt like my chest exploded with a surge of rainbows and glitter and hearts and all the other things that made my mother squeal like a little girl. At least when I felt myself smiling, I didn’t have to question why. “Sorry about the whole stupid thing, I can respect that rule. But we can agree to disagree on what you consider fascinating conversation because I want to hear more about how much you enjoyed my eggs.”

Daddy started chuckling as he loaded his fork with a fresh bite. “I’m not exaggerating, these are amazing. Definitely the best. I might be prejudiced because I have a crush on the chef, but I don’t think so. And since we both know you tell it like it is, how about you simply agree with me and I can focus on eating instead of talking? Sorry not sorry, sunshine. But this deliciousness needs to get in my belly.”

Why did his dorky side make me like him more? That was a question. One I wasn’t certain how to answer. But quite frankly, I shouldn’t be this enamored by an outdated Austin Powers reference—or the Daddy with the worst Scottish accent ever who’d given it. And yet, here I was with another crazy question I knew I couldn’t answer.

It was super hard not to find it cute when Daddy powered through his breakfast, finishing before mine was half done. I gave up and started laughing when he actually lifted his plate and began licking it clean.

Finding a romance with anyone who is neurodivergent is difficult. I have looked for them, as someone I am very close to is on the spectrum. Finding a romance where one of the main characters is neurodivergent, is very rare, so I was excited to pick this one up, and I wasn’t disappointed.

What I loved most about this book was that Ethan wasn’t portrayed as a lost man, someone who hadn’t known anything about himself until he found his true love. He was a confident chef, tried to be a good person by using the social cues his mother had drummed into him, and knew enough about himself to know that a Daddy was exactly what he wanted and needed in his life, in the bedroom and out…but definitely NOT in his business. He just hadn’t found the correct Daddy. He didn’t hide this part of himself, and in fact, his mother presented Dan with the contract that they would use for the one week trial. It was so refreshing to see all of this, all the while still having many of the same issues that someone on the spectrum might have; i.e. lack of eye contact, zero filter, anxiety, etc.

Meanwhile, Dan himself knew enough to know that he really wanted a boy that he could cherish, and found all of Ethan’s differences from “normal” to be adorable, and exactly what he wanted in his life. He saw himself as being on the ace scale, although in the book he does discover that perhaps it isn’t as cut and dry as he once assumed. So, he was willing and able to grow and change in their relationship as well.

Portraying someone on the spectrum with a “normal” life (I keep putting that in quotes because it comes up several times in the book, and is simply a descriptor, and not an indicator that Ethan wasn’t as normal as the next person) can be difficult, because no one is the same, and yet, there are many areas that will be seen in many people. But the author did a great job of showing that they can fall in love, they can feel, they can have a great sense of humor (which Ethan does!), and still may need to avoid eye contact, flap their hands, and try to wheedle a puppy out of their Daddy. 🙂

This was sweet, a little sexy, funny, and all around, a read well worth the time.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

As an avid reader and big romance fan myself, I love sharing the stories of the different people who live in my imagination. My stories are filled with humor, a few tears, and the underlying message to not give up hope, even in the darkest of times, because life can change on a dime when you least expect it. This theme comes from a lifetime of lessons learned on my own hard journey through the pains of poverty, the loss of more loved ones than I’d care to count, and the struggles of living through chronic illnesses. Life can be hard, but it can also be good! Through it all I’ve found that love, laughter, and family can make all the difference, and that’s what I try to bring to every tale I tell.

I’m a happily married mom with one snarky teenage boy, and three grown “kids of my heart.” I’m more widely known for my mpreg writings as Susi Hawke; this new name is a departure from that. Whether written by Susan or Susi, the books are filled with that all-important love, laughter, and family I mentioned; the only difference is that this name has no male pregnancy. I look forward to sharing my stories with you, and to bringing more romance and laughter into this world that needs it so very badly.

Connect with Susan:

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Website |  | Facebook Group: The Hawke’s Nest

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His Heart Knows by Riley Long: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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People fall in love with their best friends all the time. But for me, the circumstances of this unrequited attraction are even more agonizing.

I am gay.

My best friend, Sawyer, is not.

Since we were fifteen, I’ve harbored this torturous crush. Now, as we both enter our thirties, it seems time to resign myself to the fact that nothing is going to come of it. Ever.

Or so I thought…

One night, a bottle of gin and a little uncharacteristic self-pity were all the inspiration I needed to launch into a ramble about being alone because I’m bad at everything – even kissing. Determined to prove me wrong, Sawyer decided to shut me up with a kiss.

I know he meant for it to be innocent.

Turns out it was anything but.

Sparks flew as we unlocked a side of Sawyer he never knew existed. Now, more than anything, he wants me by his side forever. But this realization comes with its own set of obstacles. Can we learn to lean on each other as we build a future together? Or will the stresses of our day to day lives tear us apart?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Ricky tapped on my open door with his fingertips and leaned against the door frame. “You were out late.”

I nodded. “Yeah. Crashed at Sawyer’s place. You know how it is.”

“Do it?”

I shot him an unamused look. “Yeah. You do.”

“You sure you didn’t…” He made a crude gesture with his fist and his index finger. Before I could say anything, he held up his hands in defense and laughed. “I know, I know. Just friends, right?”

“Right.” I sounded more uncertain that convincing though and Ricky picked up on it and latched on like a cat on catnip.

“Oh my God, what happened? Please tell me you finally fucked that man.”

I snorted. “I didn’t—” But my throat tightened and I had to stop to clear it. “It was just a blow job. Which I’m sure he regrets.”

“Why would he regret it?”

I gestured to myself. “You honestly think we’re in the same league?”

“Stop it. You were a football player and still have the body for it, except you’re also in grad school and that automatically makes you the smartest person in this room. And he looks like a fucking sculpture of man and makes eyes at you like you’re the only human in the world and the sun shines from your ass. You’re perfect and you deserve someone who cares about you like that.”

“Just because you didn’t go to grad school doesn’t mean you’re stupid.”

He pushed himself to standing. “I am not the point here. Focus on the blow job. Tell me everything.”

“Fine, fine.” I shooed him out of my room. “At least let’s sit in the living room, though, and not stand in my damn doorway.”

Ricky took a seat in his favorite spot, the overstuffed leather recliner, and patted the arms the way he did when he was excited about something. “Okay. Spill.”

This was a sweet, sexy friends to lovers story that I mostly enjoyed.

Axel and Sawyer are total opposites. Axel, poor, raised by a single mom who loved him with everything she had. Sawyer is the son of 2 lawyers who grew up with a cook and housekeepers and anything he wanted. When Axel moved to a new town he and Sawyer just clicked.

Now they are nearing 30, Axel is in grad school, he is out and proud but doesn’t date much and works at a bookstore. Sawyer is a lawyer in a prestigious firm hoping to make partner in 5 years like his father, he is straight and his mother is always trying to set him up “with a nice girl”. But those two have that best friend chemistry that is hard to find.

The premise that got them to kiss the first time was a little contrived, but it got the job done. They very quickly fell into a relationship after the first morning after freak out.

Sawyer seemed to be just fine with the fact that he was suddenly in a real relationship with his best friend. Even though he had never been with a man before. You’d think he had plenty of experience.

The story was far from perfect (see above about falling into a relationship with little issue), as well as Sawyer recovering from a family issue quickly and the continuity issue of he has an older brother, he’s an only child, he has an order brother, he’s an only child. Seriously, how did that not get caught it beta reads or edits?

Fluffy beach read that doesn’t take a lot of mind power at all, but it’s not bad.

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Riley Long is a wife and mother living a quiet life in Virginia, with her husband, son, and one goofy pit bull. She passes her evenings writing, reading, and watching bad television (or not so bad television). For fun, Riley participates in NaNoWriMo, GISH, and reads with her book club, the BAMFs. She likes things with silly acronyms. The craziest thing Riley has ever done involves whipped cream and hugs. Riley writes sweet and sexy romance, with a special place in her heart for hipsters and musicians.

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Only For Ollie by Lisa Henry: New Release Review with Giveaway

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Xander Finch is a top-ranked MotoGP rider, desperate to get back to the circuit after an injury. He’s going stir-crazy in his parents’ house in Ventura while he works on his recovery. Xander has tunnel vision when it comes to his sport—it’s all he’s ever wanted to do in life. When he hires a massage therapist to help speed up his recovery, he’s not expecting the guy to completely flip his universe on its head.

Ollie Baker is living in his car after a disastrous break-up, and jumps at the chance to earn some extra cash through massage. Xander Finch might be hot as hell, but Ollie’s not going there. He’s never going to let some rich guy screw him over again. Besides, Xander’s straight. Isn’t he?

When their friendship deepens into something more, Xander discovers that Ollie makes him feel a way that nobody ever has before, and maybe motorbikes aren’t his only passion after all. Navigating Xander’s newly discovered demisexuality isn’t the only challenge they’ll have to face if they’re going to be together, because Ollie’s been burned before. It’s hard for him to trust Xander, to believe that he’s really willing to make room in his life for Ollie as well as his racing—assuming he recovers enough to race at all.

Only for Ollie is the third book in the Star Crossed series, where regular guys meet famous ones, and sparks fly.

Only for Ollie

Star Crossed, Book 3

By Lisa Henry

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Sometimes you read a book that just makes you want to sigh, in a good way. I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series, and this one is no exception.

I felt HARD for Ollie and all he was going through for the first third of the book. Living in his car in the driveway of his best friend’s house, uncomfortable walking into the house because her husband was an ass, getting fired because someone wanted a handy as part of his massage, all while trying to go to school and hopefully finish his degree. Every day he kept getting up, kept trying, tried to ignore that the world was beating him down. And yet, even when Xander offered him help, he made sure to draw lines in the sand (wobbly, as he put it) so that he didn’t end up dependent on someone again that could take it all away in a heartbeat. Arguing about a hotel room for $400 a night, when there was a perfectly good hotel down the road for much less…and Xander “coming out” because of it was a funny moment.

Xander, meanwhile, injured and grumpy, until he starts talking to Ollie as he’s being massaged. At that point, he begins to understand why he’s never felt any sexual attraction, why he just kissed his previous girlfriend, because she wanted him to. He was demisexual, and needed that connection first, and found it in a clumsy massage therapist with a huge heart. Xander fell in love with Ollie, with very little internal drama for himself. It felt natural to him, once he figured out why he was feeling things he’d never felt before.

I really appreciated that Xander’s injuries were not glossed over. Concussions are huge, and affect everyone differently, physically, as well as mentally. And Xander had a long way to go to heal, but also to understand that when he made poor choices about his health, he wasn’t just potentially hurting himself, but others around him. Ollie was forgiving, but even then he drew a hard line, and Xander respected that.

Xander’s family was amazing, and let Ollie know that no matter what he would have help, even as they were friends. Then later, once their relationship was out, he was instantly family. No questions, no hateful comments (which Ollie had every reason to be gun shy about), just love and joy for a person for their beloved son.

This book didn’t have any real angst, but lots of warm, loving moments. It was tender and really highlighted that even if you have little in common, you can still be proud of all your partner accomplishes, and love them unconditionally.

One small issue I had…the author for this book is from Australia, but the book is based in California. There were several instances of Australian or UK English words being used versus American words. This happens, and isn’t a big deal, but it can throw you out for a little bit.

I recommend this book, and this entire series. I’m not sure if this is the last book or not. The previous books have introduced us to the main characters for the following books, and I didn’t see anyone that I would expect to be the next MC. The covers are great on these books, by the way!

4 pieces of eye candy

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house with too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Lisa has been published since 2012, and was a LAMBDA finalist for her quirky, awkward coming-of-age romance Adulting 101, and a Rainbow Awards finalist for 2019’s Anhaga.

To connect with Lisa on social media, you can find her here:

Website
Facebook
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She also has a Facebook group where you’ll be kept in the loop with updates on releases, have a chance to win prizes, and probably see lots of lots of pictures of her dog and cats. You can find it here: Lisa Henry’s Hangout.


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