Rhys Everly's Blog, page 2

Rhys Recommends - May Edition

Truthfully, this post should have happened 3 weeks ago but

a) I couldn't be arsed putting the blog post together. Wix makes it not so fun TBH.

b) I was getting ready for my vacay-cay.

c) I think you're underestimating how lazy I can get.

Anyway,

May was a big reading month. For me.

I know some of you read 10 books a week, but for me 9 books a month was huge.

And I had so much fun with each and every one of them.

It refilled my creativity well.

And it made me excited for reading again which is a pleasure I haven't had in a while.

I don't know I keep finding the pleasure in reading and then it snuffs out real fast.

But I think I finally figured out why.

I'm an audiobook reader.

I truly am.

I don't think I was to start with. It was a real struggle but over the years the only way I can concentrate enough was to listen to audiobooks which is why I've resorted to listening to audiobooks, or having Alexa read my Kindle books.

Anyway, here are my top, 5 star picks for you.

(the links below are Amazon affiliate links which means if you buy, borrow, or read any of these books I will make small commission. I fully support these books and really enjoyed them so my opinions have not been bought.)

1. Atlas by Michelle Frost

For a quick Urban Fantasy that's also an introduction to a new series, you need this on your TBR. Mages and cute baristas and quirky Seers. Gah, I loved it!

2. How to Catch a Happy Ever After by Ana Ashley

You can never go wrong with Ana Ashley's books. They're as much a comfort read as they are entertaining. Even when she decides to rip your heart out and serve it on a platter. Not this book though. This was such a joyride. What a blast to revisit all the couples from Chester Falls and get a little cheeky look into their future and their lives together. Absolutely love it. But reading the rest of the series first is a must. Don't say I didn't warn you!

3. Spencer Cohen Book 1 by N.R. Walker

My first N.R. Walker book, but certainly not my last! (I know. It's blasphemy it took me this long). I absolutely love this series (I also finished book 2 and eagerly waiting for my next credit to listen to book 3). Spencer is a Boyfriend for Hire but he falls head over heels for sweet, insecure Andrew. Plus Joel Leslie does a fab job with all the dialogue and accents.

*Included with subscription-you don't need to use a credit to listen

4. Egotistical Puckboy by Saxon James and Eden Finley

Look, I don't even get hockey as a sport but I still loved these guys and they made me laugh and fan myself. This was pretty hot. And cute. And funny. #Swoon. I'm definitely reading all the rest.

5. Dark Space by Lisa Henry

I'm too embarrassed to say how long this has been on my TBR. But once I started I couldn't stop until I finished all 3 books. And what a joy it was. If you have triggers you might want to check this book is right for you, but it was phenomenal and I loved every second.

*Included with subscription-you don't need to use a credit to listen

6. AITA?: A modern fairy tale by Cassie Alexander

I know it's not MM, I know it's got some cheating but boy, oh boy this was a thrill. Summoning a demon has never been this fun. (Except when we summon Loki, of course. Let's not forget ourselves.)

I had SO. MUCH. FUN. listening to this joy of a sapphic/FF romance and I need you to read it too so we can all go crazy over it together.

Also be prepared to cry with the author's letter at the end. I did.

That's all for now.

I hope you give some of these books a chance.

Happy reading!

Meet Rhys Everly-Lawless in person (aka What events am I attending?)

I'm travelling all over the world over the next year or so and I'm hoping to meet as many fans and new readers as possible.

Will I see any of you there?

RARE London 2023

July 8 - Sold OutFor a chance at a ticket, join RARE23 London Attendee for Buy/Sell Threads

Pre-order: Closed

RARE Florence 2023

September 23 - Sold OutFor a chance at a ticket, join RARE Florence Attendees for Buy/Sell Threads

Pre-order: https://bit.ly/rhys-rare-florence23

GRL/GayRomLit 2023 - Portsmouth, Virginia

October 18 - Tickets still available at https://gayromlit.com/2023-generalregistration

Pre-order: Opening Soon

Coastal Magic Convention 2024 - Daytona Beach, Florida

February 22 - Tickets still available at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../coastal-magic-convention...

Pre-order: Opening Soon

Indie Pride Book Con 2024 - Blackpool, UK

March 23 - Tickets still available at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../the-indie-pride-book-con...

Pre-order: Opening September

RARE Paris 2024

April 6 - Tickets still available at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../romance-author-reader...

Pre-order: Opening September

ApollyCon 2024 - Washington, D.C.

April 24 - Tickets available at https://apollycon2024.eventbrite.com/

Pre-order: Opening September

If you have any questions, or concerns, comment below or email me at rhys (@) rhyswritesromance (.) com

March Reading Recs

March was a slow month but there's still a winner.

And hey, if you missed the chance to taker part there's always next month, right?

Here's a reminder of March's Reading Bingo.

And February's winner is Sarah S.

Below, you'll find a list of March's participants reads and perhaps you'll find a new favorite.

Please note this article contains affiliate links.

Elven Duty by Rhys Lawless

My legacy is to hate him, but I can’t.Life was normal. Until a woman appears and tells me I’m an elf and she’s my grandmother. Not quite what I expected after another day at the office.Soon, I’m thrown into a world of duty, magic, and monsters.And a family feud as old as time itself.I would have run. I would have gone back to my old life. Or started a new one.But when the man I’m supposed to hate turns out to be my elven soulmate the only thing I can do is fight for my right to love him.No matter what kind of monster gets in the way.Elven Duty is a gay urban fantasy romance with two star-crossed lovers, a ton of monsters hellbent on destroying this dimension and a secret “baby”. This book has a Happy For Now ending with a tease of the next book in the series.This book was previously part of the Magic Emporium multi-author series. The only changes made are the fixing of awry typos and the addition of the last chapter tease.

All Play & No Work by Carol Lynne

When a three man partnership becomes too much for their small Texas town, Ryan Blackfeather knows it's time to head for greener pastures. With a new job awaiting him in Cattle Valley, Wyoming, he convinces his men, Nate and Rio to make the move.A community built on tolerance, Cattle Valley's one of the few places in the country where the residents won't bat an eyelash at the threesomes relationship. Nate, Rio and Ryan fit right in. However, with Ryan busy in his new job as town Sheriff, Rio and Nate are left to wonder how they're supposed to make a living. What use are a highly trained mercenary and a private detective in a peaceful community the size of Cattle Valley?

Pulling Focus by HJ Welch

From this side of the lens, everything’s fake. Especially the love.MALYKListen, sweetie. I don’t need anyone to protect me. But money is a problem right now and I desperately need this big break. So when my awful ex-boyfriend tries to take it all away from me, I’ll do anything. Even pretend to be dating Mr. Hot Shot Photographer if it’ll still get me through the door. I mean, he’s offered to whisk me away to New York, and he’s seriously gorgeous, so where’s the problem? I can be professional. No one’s going to catch feels.OSCARI don’t date models, especially not ones almost half my age. But beneath all of Malyk’s bravado, I can see a sweet man who’s hurting. It won’t harm to pretend to be his boyfriend and spoil him during this ridiculous retreat to keep him safe, right? But there’s something irresistible about him that’s drawing me in, and suddenly a week doesn’t seem long enough before he has to fly back to London. We’re from different countries, different generations, different worlds entirely. It could never work. But when Malyk’s ex threatens to cost him everything, I can’t just stand back and let that happen, either.Pulling Focus is a 60K word contemporary MM novel featuring an adventure across the Atlantic, a room with only one bed, bucket loads of explosive UST, a fabulous masquerade ball, and a long-suffering pooch who knows what his master needs better than he does. It’s part of the Model Love multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, in any order, but there are so many models falling in love, why not read them all?

Be Mine, Vicious Valentine by April Jade

They called him Vicious… I called him mine.Sebastian St. James was more mystery than human…His timid, feeble disposition contradicted the violent rumors that surrounded him. He wasn’t a murderer… but they were afraid of him, anyway.I was fascinated by him and the cautious way he hid his face. His hands trembled when somebody stared too long, and he was wary of speaking.Secrets burned beneath his skin, and it was my job to expose them all. Bit by bit, I was tasked with tearing him apart until there was nothing left but the truth.The funny thing about the truth? There’s always two versions, and it was Sebastian’s version that made me bleed.I no longer wanted to wreck him. I wanted to protect him.They called him Vicious… but it was me they should’ve been afraid of.Be Mine, Vicious Valentine is part of a multi-author collaboration. Ditch the hearts and flowers and step into the dark world of Corrupt Cupid. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not grab each and every deranged tale as you slip into a place where darkness rules? HEA guaranteed.

Operation Meet the Parents by K.M. Neuhold

Teddy is ready to pop the question, but can he find the perfect movie-moment proposal for Harlow? And, more importantly, will Low survive meeting the parents? Oh, the joy of Christmas. A missed connecting flight, inappropriate winter attire, and a kitchen fire…it wouldn’t be Christmas without some complications, right?I know Harlow is desperately trying to impress my family, but I’m a lot more concerned about coming up with a proposal worthy of his Hollywood dreams. That is, if he doesn’t burn the house down first. There’s nothing like the holidays with family. Fa la la la la….Operation Meet the Parents is a 25K-word novella companion to the full-length novel, Operation Meet Cute. Don’t miss this warm and fuzzy, all-the-Christmas-feels, steamy story.

If you'd like to take part in April's Bingo, here are the details!

February Reading Recs

Another month has come to a close and another Reading Bingo is over!

Did you participate? Why not? It's great fun.

Here's a reminder of February's Reading Bingo.

And February's winner is K. Millett

Below, you'll find a list of February's participants reads and perhaps you'll find a new favorite.

Please note this article contains affiliate links.

Royal Fling by Rhys Everly

I left home to find my mother. I didn’t think I’d also find a real life prince.

Reconnecting with my missing past is easy. As is the connection to my mother’s mysterious, rich boss.

A Greek Adonis of a man who looks at me as if I’m the most delectable snack.

Imagine my surprise when I wake up naked in bed with him, only to find out he’s the Crown Prince of Elysia.

I know it’s not going to last. He has a future as a king and my version of a life of luxury includes a classroom full of elementary school children.

So what if he’s handsome, sweet and sexy? He’s only a summer fling. We could never be anything more.

The problem is… I’m falling in love with him.

Royal Fling is the fifth and final book in the Cedarwood Beach small town gay romance series and is completely standalone. It contains a romantic teacher, a hopelessly infatuated prince, surprise luxurious dates and a fairy tale ending like no other.

Hair and Heart by Rhys Everly (Maid costume roleplay)

My life is like a prison.

I may be one of the world’s biggest popstars, but I live no fairy tale.

Everything I do is controlled by my manager. It’s the only way I don’t hurt anyone again.The only way to be free.

Until I meet him. Sandy Thorne. He comes into my life full of color, passion and snark, and despite irritating me to no end, he makes me believe in happy ever afters.

But can I trust myself? Can I trust that I won’t hurt him?

And what does it really mean to be free and happy?

Caution: Contains an oppressed popstar, a sassy color-blind stylist, a Christmas concert ball, and the color pink. So much pink!

Hair & Heart is part of the MM Fairy Tale Romance series. All books are completely standalone and are modern retellings of classic fairy tales with a gay romance twist.

The Copper Horse by K.A. Merikan (Pony Play)

London

1907, twenty years into the zombie Plague

Reuben is a baker living in the slums of London, sharing a room with his father and an extended family of cockroaches. Poor, uneducated, and repressing all his sexual desires, he leads a life of misery, only sometimes sprinkled with gin and a rough tumble in a filthy back alley.

But when he is abducted into Bylondon to be the slave of a wealthy crime family member named Erik Dal, his values are put to the test. His new master is obsessed with all things equestrian, and Reuben soon learns that if he obeys and performs well as Erik’s horse, he might just get everything he yearns for: pampering, foods he never even dreamed of, and shameless sex with a demonically handsome young man in leather riding boots.

As Copper, Erik’s treasured dun stallion, Reuben must submit to his new master’s obscene fancy of possessing another man completely. That is, if he yearns for treats and not the lick of a riding crop. Fake tails, harnesses, and a new haircut to his ginger mane help Reuben transform into Copper, but the fear of losing his dignity in the eyes of society might just prove to be a bigger restraint than any bit, bridle, or handcuffs.

All that for the small price of his freedom. Though at times, Reuben feels it’s his soul that Erik is after instead.

Genre: m/m romance, bdsm

Themes: class differences, slavery, steampunk, alternative lifestyle, Victorian, master/servant, captivity, ponyplay, animalization, kink, organized crime, violence

BDSM Camp by Brina Brady (BDSM)

Twenty-two-year-old Brett attends a BDSM camp in Galway to act as a model for Sean in BDSM scenes. Brett hopes to find a Dom, but Sean seems to have other ideas. All Brett wants to do is please Sean, so he’ll collar him as his sub.

At the camp, Brett meets Master Cleary and his two subs, Jack and Kevin (Irish Runaway Series) and they become friends. When Brett makes a dangerous decision, nothing goes as planned, and he needs the help of these new friends as he learns a lesson about real Doms versus imposter ones.

This book is a prequel to the upcoming Irish Collar Series. It bridges the Irish Runaway Series and the Irish Collar Series.

Be Mine, Bloody Valentine by Skyler Snow (Blood Play)

He left me.Alec Sanborne abandoned me when I was nothing but a scared teenager. He deserted me in a house with a monster. Now, he’s prancing around NYU as a professor, pretending he’s normal.But my step-brother is far from normal. I know all of his dirty little secrets, the ones he tries so carefully to hide. I plan to expose him, to strip everything away that he loves until he has nothing but me.One look and I can see the love and desire in his eyes. He says he wants nothing to do with me, that I can’t be in his class. But how could I abandon the man I’ve fantasized about all these years?Alec Sanborne is mine. My bloody valentine.Be mine, Bloody Valentine is part of a multi-author collab. Ditch the hearts and flowers and step into the dark world of Corrupt Cupid. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not grab each and every deranged romantic tale as you slip into a place where darkness rules? (HEA included)

Yes, Sir by HJ Welch (Consensual Non-Consensual)

Two men. Two secrets. Can true love set them free?BENEDICTJust one more year, then I can go back to my beloved Oxford University and leave this tiny town behind me. Teaching is my passion, but I have other desires that I know would get me fired if anyone found out. The only trouble is, my new TA is pushing all my buttons and I’m not sure he even realizes what calling me Sir does to me. That’s nothing, however, compared to when he starts calling me Daddy.JACKSONHave I got hots for teacher? Oh, yes. Messing around is off the table, though, so in a way it’s safe to flirt with him and see him lose that stiff upper lip. It’s not like he’d be interested in me anyway if he ever discovered what I love wearing under my clothes. Tough guys like me shouldn’t like satin and lace. They shouldn’t want to feel pretty. But Sir makes me feel gorgeous, and I want to be such a good boy for him.Yes, Sir is a steamy, standalone MM romance. It’s the second book in the Paddle Creek College series, where it’s always the quiet ones who get up to the best kind of trouble. This book features two people learning they don’t have to be ashamed of who they are, a sassy brat who really wants to behave, a master in the bedroom who’s a caring Daddy at heart, and a guaranteed HEA with absolutely no cliffhanger.

Bad Joey by Rhys Everly (red cover)

"We are made for each other, but I'm bad for him."JoeyThe whole world is against me.Everyone's turned their back on bad, evil Joey.They all believe the lies.Until him. Santiago.The man I can't stop thinking of.He believes me and in me.He doesn't care a damn what the world thinks.And when he finds himself in danger the only one that can protect him is me.SantiagoHe's what nightmares are made of. He's the stuff crime documentaries warn you about.But that's not the real Joey.The real Joey craves one thing and one thing only.To be loved.And to save me from the awful people I've gotten mixed up with.So even though all signs tell me to run as far away from him as possible, I can't.Because I want to love him just like he needs me to.Welcome to Mayberry Holm, a small island in the Atlantic full of crime, secrets and happily-ever-afters, and the ex-Navy SEALs that come to deal with them all.

Red Velvet Regret by Jena Wade (red cover)

Mild, with a slightly tart edge…Omega Sinclair doesn’t want anything to do with the Blue Flames MC. Well… he does, he loves the group of bikers like family, but he doesn’t belong with them anymore. Not after he made a fool of himself with the club president.Alpha Riley, better known as Rock, might look like a big bad biker with tattoos for miles, but he isn’t as scary as people thinks he is. He has a soft spot for a certain omegas in distress, and there is one in particular that has caught his eye.Purchasing Sinclair at the Bachelor Cake Auction to raise money for the children’s hospital seemed like the best idea at the time, but the omega isn’t looking for anything permanent, least of all with a biker. Rock respects Sinclair’s need to stand on his own two feet, but he can’t sit back and watch the omega struggle when he has a whole crew of bikers who can help.The no-strings-attached assistance from the MC is a life-saver for Sinclair and his sister. Falling for the tough tattoo artist was just icing on the cake…***Red Velvet Regret is a super sweet with knotty heat opposites attract mm non-shifter mpreg romance featuring a sassy omega with a chip on his shoulder, a sexy biker who doesn’t only wear leather when he rides, a club that gives back, true love, an adorable baby, and a guaranteed happily ever after. If you like your mpreg sweeter than cake, your happily ever afters complete with a bundle of joy, and found family, this installment of Bake Sale Bachelors is for you. While each book in the Bake Sale Bachelors series is set in the same world, they can each be read as standalones.

Fate by EM Denning (red cover)

Zane has been out of the scene for a while and isn't expecting his first night back at the club to end with a beautiful boy and perfect stranger claiming to belong to him. To save the boy from embarrassment, he goes along with it. But what starts out as something fake, quickly feels a lot like fate. Can Daddy Zane get River to believe that he can provide him everything he's looking for?

Beau Pair by Rhys Everly (audio that starts with B)

He’s my teacher, I’m his student.He’s my boss… I’m his daughter’s nanny.

Gordon is mature and experienced and I have a thing for silver foxes. But I can’t let him know how I feel. Or show him in any way.

Problem is I’m falling in love.

How could I not when Gordon looks at me like I’m his biggest fantasy? Or his worst nightmare. But which one is it? And does he feel the same way?

Beau Pair is the first book in Rhys Everly’s steamy, low-angst, teacher/student romance series, A Proper Education . It contains an age gap pairing, sizzling romance, and high levels of cuteness.

*This link will take you straight to Paypal. Once paid you will get an email from Bookfunnel with the book.

If you'd like to take part in March's Bingo, here are the details!

Bad Joey - Digitally Narrated Audiobook

https://youtu.be/9614JnFXeXo

Surprise!

While I've been deep in the editing cave, my team and I have also been working on something new and exciting.

A Youtube channel.

And audiobooks.

The plan is to launch a new safe-for-work audiobook a month starting with...

Bad Joey.

Why safe-for-work you may ask?

Well, that's due to Youtube's Terms of Service. Which is one of the reasons the audiobooks are digitally narrated.

But fret not.

The NSFW version will be available to buy direct from me for the friendly price of $3.99

I'm starting with my contemporary romances since the voice-actor narrated audiobooks of those have been on hold.

I'm hoping this new venture will have fund those future audiobooks and in the meantime make my books more accessible to everyone.

This is just the first of many surprises this year and I hope you enjoy each and every one of them.

Listen to the SFW version FREE on Youtube.

Get the full NSFW version audiobook direct.

January Reading Recs

January was the virgin month for my new Reading Bingo challenge.

Every month I give you a list of books to read, you fill in your bingo card, you win a prize.

It's super simple, and super fun!

This is what January's Bingo looked like.

And January's winner is Karen M.

Below, you'll find a list of January's participants reads and perhaps you'll find a new favorite.

Please note this article contains affiliate links.

Cursed Dance by Rhys Lawless

A demon daddy and a virgin incubus... Is it chance or a match made in hell?

Adi has finally been freed after spending millennia trapped.A demon without purpose, he craves for connection. To find a young man and make him his own and teach him everything he knows.

And then he stumbles on a young incubus in need of help and love.

Sacha has been on the run since he killed his boyfriend.Finding out he was an incubi at the tender age of seventeen, put him in a lot more trouble. Now a stripper in the pits of Soho, his life is somewhat falling into place.

Until the day his incubi friends are abducted and his bosses are trying to kill him.

Waking up in the demon’s bed turns out to be the best thing that could have happened for Sacha. He never imagined having a daddy, but when Adi offers to be his protector, everything changes.

And together they are going to find out who is after the young man… or die trying.

Must Love Demons by Meghan Maslow

You’d think being magically tethered to the hottest warden in all Verona wouldn’t be a hardship.

You’d be wrong.

Incubus Nico Azertiran has his dream job as a cherub-in-training. It’s the perfect position for a lust demon who’s more interested in happily-ever-afters than one-night stands. Or it would be, if he didn’t keep screwing it up. When a new cherub gadget misfires, Nico is left trussed to Verona’s most eligible warden, the incredibly grumpy, Sir Flame.

Flambeau Illume has a job to do. Someone’s murdering Verona’s rich and famous, and Sir Flame’s hot on the killer’s trail . . . until he has the misfortune to get magically lassoed to the most infuriating incubus he’s ever had the displeasure to meet. Except, maybe Nico isn’t so terribly awful. But how can he solve his case and keep Nico safe at the same time? Especially when the sweet demon seems to have a bullseye on his back.

Together they need to solve the crime, stay alive, and—if their luck changes—maybe even fall in love. Easy, right?

Hidden Scars by Andi Jaxon

TROPES: Enemies to Lovers, Hockey, Roommates, Hurt/Comfort, Friends with Benefits drama, Granda Quilts, and Santa Cookies.Charles Preston Carmichael is the most infuriating man I’ve ever met.

I want to sock the golden boy of college hockey right in the mouth.

He enjoys telling me everything I’m messing up. Publicly.

And since he’s my roommate for the next year, I can’t avoid him.

Yet there’s something about him that makes me watch him.

Something dark.

A secret I want to uncover.

When he returns from a weekend away, broken and haunted, I can’t keep my distance anymore.

He needs someone and I’ll be damned if it’s not me.

Soon my life no longer revolves around hockey, but the nightmares he’s living with.

Desperately I want to save him but I can’t, only he can save himself.

Can I watch him destroy himself as he tries to hold tight to the things that matter or will I be the final hit in the destruction of his life?

Christmas Bubble by Ana Ashley

A Christmas snowstorm. Two opposites that most definitely attract. Only one bed.

When the man of your absolute dreams slams their mouth into yours, there is only one course of action. Yours truly–that’s me–has broken it down into four easy steps for your convenience.

You're welcome.

Step one: make sure he really is attached to you. Lips to lips. You're a clam. Do not let go.

Step two: climb him like a tree.

Step three: thank your past self for all the squats that gave you those thunder thighs.

Step four: enjoy every second of that kiss before said (maybe-not-so-straight) man realizes what he's doing and has a freakout.

Mafia Daddy by Aster Rae

The last thing Rowan needs is a protector in the Russian mob.

I don't do relationships.

Falling for men is a surefire way to get yourself killed in the mob.

Better to avoid guys with bashful smiles at all costs.

Except one day, I see a young man named Rowan eating ice cream at my brother's engagement party.

He's my brother's fiancé's best friend, and everything from the binky around his neck to the ducky socks on his feet calls out to my internal Daddy.

Before I can stop myself, I write a note offering him a one-month stint as my housekeeper in my Manhattan penthouse.

But there's something Rowan doesn't know.

The agreement ends in thirty days... But once I let Rowan into my dangerous world, there's no way I'll let him go.

Killer Heart by Rhys Lawless

Raised to hate them. Trained to kill them.

Witches are evil. They’re everything that’s wrong with this world. My unit is tasked with finding and killing each and every one of them.

Until he comes along. Caleb Carlyle.

My next target.

Silver hair, small with a big-boy attitude, and an offer I can’t refuse. Trade my cursed, frozen heart for his broken one.

When we join forces, witches and hunters turn against us. Now we have to rely on each other for survival and I know this won’t end well.

Rule number one of witch-hunting? Never trust a witch.

Even when he comes in such a gorgeous package.

Yet his honesty surprises me every step of the way.

Is it all a lie? Or are there darker forces at play here? And if witches aren’t evil, who is?

Extended Stay by Mia Monroe

I’ve never been interested in a man before. So why do I want to kiss this one?

Promising my sick uncle I’d help fix his rundown hotel in San Diego was just the beginning of my problems. I plan to do what I can, convince him to sell, and then take off, returning to my calm and structured existence back east. I double down on that plan when I arrive to find it in worse shape than I expected.

Unfortunately, my plans go awry when I fall for the quaint neighborhood, quirky locals, and loyal employees. That’s when he enters my world. A contractor down on his luck, looking for work and a place to stay, offers me an offer too good to pass up.

He makes me feel things I never have before, and now I’m considering hanging around much longer than intended. As long days turn into even longer nights, I can’t force myself to leave him. His presence turns my carefully planned world upside down, and before I know it, my quick trip becomes an Extended Stay.

His Saint by Lucy Lennox

Augie:

I don't need anyone's protection. I'm fine. But to appease my sister after a home invasion, I agree to take self-defense lessons. They just so happen to be with a big, muscled former navy SEAL who may or may not be everything I've always daydreamed about but never thought I could have.

And he's dead-set on looking out for me even when things in my life suddenly get complicated. Between the increasing threats against me and pressure from my wealthy family to be someone I'm not, I'm having a hard time keeping it together. As I begin to fall apart, I lose faith I'll ever meet anyone who'll want a mess like me—much less meet someone strong and capable like Saint Wilde.

The more time I spend with him, however, the more I realize he's not as put together as he seems. And I begin to wonder... while Saint's busy looking after everyone else, who's looking after him?

Saint:

After my big fat mouth gets me in trouble with a high-profile client, my boss takes away the bodyguard gig and sends me back to my hometown to give one of society's elites a few lessons at a local gym. Babysitting an antiques nerd is hardly my idea of a good time, but as soon the attractive, petite man walks into the workout center, I nearly trip over my own feet.

He's effing adorable.

And absolutely scared to death.

He won't tell me what's spooked him, but I won't rest until I find a way to take the fear out of his gorgeous eyes. Even if defending Augie means I have to stop protecting my own heart.

Key to Us by Morgan Mason

For Randal, life has been spent in the service of others, but working for Dawson has become more than a job. When Dawson’s latest whim has them teaming up with a popular YouTuber and his crew to find buried treasure, Randal feels a strong connection with a member of the team. The only problem is, Pete Harrison is also in love with his best friend.

When Pete left his tyrannical home on his eighteenth birthday, he never looked back. Finding Digg has been the best thing to happen to him since. Not only did he find his best friend and a family with Loyal’s crew, but he found the love of his life, even if Digg doesn’t know it. That is…until Randal enters the picture.

Digg is not a jealous person. Or at least that’s what he keeps telling himself. Seeing his best friend fall in love with another man should make him happy, right? So why does seeing Pete and Randal hug set Digg on edge? And what the hell is he supposed to say when his best friend presses a kiss to his neck and asks him to be their third?

Scars by Avery Ford

Caleb always knew that his work was dangerous. For years, he'd thrived on the adrenaline rush, the danger thrumming under his skin, the tangible efforts of his labor a secondary reward when the flames flickered away to nothing and he was able to save a building, or save a life. He'd thought that the Johnson City Fire Station 10 was his home - until he got caught in a building with no way out.

Henry wasn't always shy and meek. As a child he'd always been buoyant and vivacious; in university he was the life of the party. And then he met Pritchard, and before he knew it he was skipping classes, flunking out, and isolated from his friends and family on threat of Pritchard's fists. Finally finding the courage to leave him was the best thing that Henry's ever done for himself - and also the hardest.

Caleb and Henry are both trying to put their lives back together, both scarred in different and lingering ways. Henry's bruises might have healed - but Pritchard's fists had left their mark on his soul. And Caleb's body is still healing from the burns and broken bones he'd suffered in that burning house. Neither of them are looking for love. Neither of them want someone to look beyond the surface. A quick jolt of pleasure is all they need before going their separate ways again... right?

Scars is a steamy, standalone gay romance novel, with a happily ever after ending and no cliffhangers

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Luc O'Donnell is tangentially - and reluctantly - famous. His rock-star parents split when he was young, and the father he's never met spent the next 20 years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad's making a comeback, Luc's back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice normal relationship...and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He's a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and someone who has never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words, he’s perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately, apart from being gay, single, and really really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust settles. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that's when you get used to someone...start falling for them...don't ever want to let them go.

If you'd like to take part in February's Bingo, here are the details!

Loki and his Master - Exclusive Chapter 1

I've been hard at work developing my new Rhys Lawless series and it's closer than you think!

The pre-order is already up, and today I've got the exciting first chapter exclusively for you.

Chapter 1 - Tomasz

“Are you sure you want to do this?” the old woman asked.She didn’t appear old, per se. But looking at her, the only thing that came to mind was Matka Ziema, the powerful Slavic deity I’d grown up to equally love and fear.“I’m sorry to disappoint, young man, but I’m not her,” she said as if she could read my mind.Right. I had been warned about her.Be careful what you think of, my boss had said.It seemed he was right.“It-it’s okay,” I managed to mumble.I was terrified of her, yet drawn to her bright green eyes, which seemed to have an inhuman glow in the darkness of the underground chamber we were in.The same eyes that seemed intent on burning me with their intensity. Instead of returning the gaze, I focused on the fire in the pit between us.It seemed a little cliché for this sage old witch to be hiding in a dark cave lit by torches and balefire, surrounded by old hardbound books and cobwebs, but I guessed some witches took themselves a lot more seriously than others.“So?” she said under the hood of her black cloak, her curly hair spilling out from beneath it, creating a frame around her face. “What is your answer, young whisperer?”The fire pulsed. It thrummed in my ears. I didn’t know how it could do such a thing, but that was the only way I could explain it.Or maybe I was losing it.I was sitting in an underground cave in the middle of Camden after all.But its beat, its song, brought up all the images, all the horror, all the loss.The memories I wanted to erase with every fiber of my being, but doing so would mean I’d live under the illusion that they were still alive and they weren’t.And those who murdered them needed to pay.“So much anger. So much hatred,” she whispered.“Let me guess. You’re going to tell me I need to let go, to clear my mind, that revenge is never the answer?” I told her, looking at her with defiance I hadn’t been feeling before.She cocked her head and without missing a beat opened her red lips. “No. Use it,” she said.The memories assaulted my mind again. The chaos. The mess. The blood.And for what? For a stupid, fucking egg!The flames of the fire seemed to burn brighter, licking my skin and lending me their heat. Within seconds my insides were just as hot. I caught my breath, felt my heartbeat pounding in my ears, tasted the bile on my tongue.“Do it!” I told her.I stretched my hand over the fire and she held out a dagger.No. Not a dagger. A sword.The silver blade glinted, reflecting the light and I caught the markings on the surface. Knots. Decorative knots that seemed to never end.With the tip of the sword she pricked my finger and let my blood trickle down the blade and paint it red.Then she got up and walked into one of the many doorways, tunnels branching out from the center of the room, dragging the sword, a red line coloring the floor behind her.Even though she’d only taken a drop or two, the blood gushed from the blade.What had I just done?“Are you coming?” she asked before disappearing completely.I rushed to my feet. It was dark in the tunnel but somehow I knew where I needed to go and when I needed to stop. When there was light again I found myself in a long, cold room with a stainless steel wall.Along the wall were small doors. Rows and rows of them.Wait a minute. Is…“Is this a morgue?” I asked her as she opened one door and confirmed the answer to my question. “I thought we were summoning a demon.”She leaned over the large man in the drawer. He was covered in a thin gold membrane but was otherwise butt-naked.The witch looked up at me and smirked.“A demon, young whisperer, needs a body,” she answered and before I even had a chance to digest her words, she lifted the sword and impaled the man with the bloody sword.Shit.Maybe this was a bad idea.“Too late now, little whisperer. Your demon is about to awaken.”

Cozy up with these books this Christmas!

Well, there's no denying it now!

Christmas is upon us and since I have a few Christmas books by now, I thought I'd make a reading list for you.

Hair and Heart

If you want something hot and spunky with a lot of banter and a laughable enemies-to-lovers affair, then you want to read Hair and Heart.

Val is a singer trapped in hell by his uncle.

Sandy is a color-blind stylist that takes no bullshit.

Quite the match if you ask me.

This is also a light Rapunzel retelling so if you like fairy tales like me, that's a bonus for you.

Midnight Ash

This one's another fairy-tale retelling. As you might have guess, this is a Cinderella one and boy, oh boy is it finger-licking good.

As in you'll lick your fingers to turn the pages. Get your head out of the gutter.

Ash dreams of being a writer and Xander can make all his wishes come true.

There's a not-so-evil stepmother and little kinky surprise, but you'll have to read it to find out.

Davey's Christmas Miracle

If you're looking for something short and sweet, this one might hit just the right spot.

Davey is a little bah humbug, but who wouldn't be if they were unceremoniously dumped before Christmas?

So when he decides to hook up the blues away Avery walks into his life showing him just exactly why Christmas may be the best time of the year.

And I don't know if you're a sucker for these things, but this one was inspired by how I met my husband, so...just saying.

Christmas Bubble

Look, I may be biased, but Christmas Bubble is the sweetest, cutest, sexiest, coziest book you'll read this holiday season and I'll swear by it!

Bubble and Coach are a pair on so if you like age gaps, big guy falls for the small guy, and sassy queer men that know how to get what they want, you need to head over to Amazon and gobble this treat of a book up!

And that's an order.

The Holiday Experiment

If you still haven't read Enzo and Carson's story then I don't know what you're doing with your life.

These two are crushing hard on each other and it bounces off the pages.

Enzo has been crushing on his best friend's brother for years. YEARS!

So how could he not insert himself back into Carson's life and offer to coach him on the art of seduction.

Even if he wants to be the one Carson experiments on, he knows he can't.

And the rest?

Well you'll have to read it to find out.

Hope I've given you plenty of stocking stuffers for this season (or week depending how fast you read).

Have you got any holiday favorites? Put them down in the comments and share the Christmas spirit with other readers.

New Release: The Holiday Experiment

The time is here!

The Holiday Experiment is out and available for you to enjoy in all its glory.

“Oh, by the way…I know what you did last night…”He sang the last bit, and my nerves went on high alert.Had someone seen us? Was the rumor mill going at it? What were they saying?“You do?”“Of course I do. We’re all talking about it,” Hwan said, the smile on his face getting dangerously sneaky as if he knew my inner, deepest, darkest thoughts.“They are?”“How could we not?”I shrugged.“I don’t know, Hwan. Maybe because it’s creepy?” Did I come off as upset? Or angry?“How is putting on a show creepy, you weirdo,” he replied.I raised an eyebrow.“You’re filthy,” I told him.Hwan narrowed his eyes and smirked.“Oh, that I am, but how is talking about your little concert last night filthy?”“Aaah, that’s what you’re talking about,” I said before I could stop myself.What a relief!“Of course. What else would we be talking about? Why? What else did you do last night?”

A Poem about Bullying

Gosh,

I wrote this years ago. So many years ago. It was part of an anthology about bullying and I completely forgot it existed until I stumbled on it just now.

I'm not much of a poet but I have written a couple.

I have to say I still feel strongly about this one so I thought I'd share it with you.

To the kid who doesn't think

They're strong enough to fight.

To the kid who thinks

They aren't worth a dime.

To the kid who was once me

And is now you

And will be me again in another life

I have but one thing to say.

You're tremendous

You are precious

You are wonderful

You are unique

You are amazing.

But this is not enough.

To the kid who doesn't think

They're strong enough to fight

Anyone, but the demons of their own imagination.

I have this thing to say.

You are strong enough to fight

Them.

You only haven't had the time,

To harness your greatest weapon.

Your words.

Copyright © 2022 by Rhys Everly-Lawless