R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 70
September 27, 2021
B@@K REVEAL: A New Queen by Amanda Lewis
A New Queen
Amanda Lewis
(A History of Vampires, #1)
Publication date: October 31st 2021
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
When a mysterious outsider shows her the impossible, can she unveil old secrets… and step into destiny?
Angelina Arbonne is obsessed with history. Driven by a passion for travel, the thirty-five-year-old archaeologist has no time for love. But she can’t resist knowing more when she’s stalked by a hopelessly gorgeous stranger who claims he’s a vampire king.
With her handsome suitor leading her through the hidden society of the long-lived, Angelina’s heart begins to beat to an intriguing new tune. But with an ancient magical war brewing, dating a two-thousand-year-old is giving her second thoughts about becoming an immortal queen…
Can they bridge their improbable age gap and enjoy an eternal happily ever after?
A New Queen is the compelling first book in the A History of Vampires paranormal romance series. If you like intelligent characters, original storylines, and historical themes, then you’ll adore Amanda Lewis’ enthralling tale.
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Author Bio:
**The Weight of Birds - 2020 Silver Medal Winner - Contemporary Christian Romance, Reader's Favorite Awards**
Amanda lives in Alabama, with her husband and cat. She enjoys IKEA cinnamon rolls and trying new recipes of macaroni and cheese.
To subscribe to The Story Behind the Story newsletter, and become a member of the Society of M.O.E., please visit https://www.patreon.com/theamandalewis
For free e-mail updates, please follow her on BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/amand...
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BOOK BLITZ: All Men Love Leah by Ksenija Nikolova #GIVEAWAY
All Men Love Leah
Ksenija Nikolova
Publication date: September 24th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
A gripping, powerful emotional page turner with a heartbreaking twist. ‘A story that runs deep; filled with emotional truth.’ – Ferial Mohamed
All Enzo wants is a reason to believe it’s all worthwhile. Stuck in a world that doesn’t fulfil him, he meanders through his days feeling empty, lost, and left out of the real world that is moving by without him. He is cynical but gifted, and when he meets the beautiful and enigmatic Leah she turns his universe upside down.
Leah and Enzo are exact opposites, but she is drawn to his darkness just as he is drawn to her light. She is a woman who lives by her own expression and challenges his dismal character down to its most frightening corners, awakening in him something he didn’t know he had the capacity to experience.
But everything is not what it seems. There is a secret that threatens the happiness that Leah represents in Enzo’s life. She is the one who embraces his flaws and uncovers his bravery by teaching him to love, and for the first time in his life he feels like a real man, but in the end, will Enzo survive Leah’s heartbreaking truth?
—
EXCERPT:
I know that today is Wednesday; I know that we said goodbye to August; I know that September is wonderful. I know that my hair is tidy and I don’t have a horrible beard; I know that I’m wearing a suit I liked from the first moment I saw it; I know I’m sure I like the way I look; I know we are sitting in a wonderful restaurant in the heart of Pisa; I know we are eating delicious food and drinking nice wine; I know there is nice quiet music playing in the background; I know that the candle on the table emphasises the sparks in Leah’s blue eyes; I know that Leah is sitting on the other side of me and I can see her clearly; I know that this moment completely carries me; I know I have the right to my wonderful truth, and I know this is all mine.
Author Bio:
Ksenija Nikolova is a fiction author from Macedonia.
She is the author of six books.
All Men Love Leah is her first book published in the English language.
She writes about life, love, relationships, family, pain, and fears. Her books bring joy, tears, and finally, relief.
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September 26, 2021
BOOK BLITZ: The One and Only Crystal Druid by Annette Marie #GIVEAWAY
The One and Only Crystal Druid
Annette Marie
(The Guild Codex: Unveiled, #1)
Published by: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication date: September 24th 2021
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy
I’m not your average girl.
My best friend is my switchblade. My favorite hobby is using it on the cruel, the abusive, and anyone who gets on my bad side. I’m a convicted murderer with a chip on my shoulder and a dangerous lack of restraint.
And then there’s Zak.
His rap sheet makes mine look tame. The bounty on his head is worth more money than I’ll ever make, and the deadly fae that shadow his every step wield more power than I’ll ever know.
He’s the Crystal Druid, and his first mistake was setting foot on my turf.
His second was saving my life.
And his final mistake will be failing to realize that however dark, however ruthless, however broken he is…
I’m worse.
—From the author of the best-selling Guild Codex books comes a new series that delves into the dark, dangerous world of druids and fae alongside two ravaged souls who may be exactly what the other needs…if they don’t destroy each other first.Unveiled can be read as a standalone series or in conjunction with other Guild Codex series. For the full reading order, visit Annette Marie’s website.
—More series in the Guild Codex world:The Guild Codex: SpellboundThe Guild Codex: DemonizedThe Guild Codex: Warped
—
EXCERPT:
When my attention landed on him, he strode toward me, his long legs eating up the ground and coat billowing out behind him. Stopping almost on top of me, he reached down as though to take my elbow—and seized the front of my jacket.
I grabbed his wrist as he roughly hauled me onto my tiptoes, bringing my face close to his. Despite the moonlight and forgotten flashlights illuminating the clearing, the interior of his hood was filled with unnatural darkness.
Ríkr watched us from his lofty perch, pale blue eyes gleaming.
“That was quite the scene I came in on,” the man rumbled in a low, dangerous tone. “What do you know about that bear fae?”
I stared into his hood.
A rough sound grated from his throat. “You don’t seem to be grasping the situation. Tell me what you know before I lose patience.”
I smiled, showing my teeth. “Was that a threat?” “What do you think?”
My smile widened, and I lifted my empty hand toward his face. “It’ll take more than a hood and a threat to scare me, especially when”—I pushed his hood back—“I’ve already seen your face.”
The shadows fell away, revealing his countenance again. Inhumanly vibrant green eyes, framed by dark lashes, fixed on mine, his eyebrows lowered with menace. A beautiful face, if I were honest. Striking cheekbones, a strong jaw, full mouth—currently pressed into a thin, angry line. By my best guess, he was in his mid-twenties, maybe a bit older.
My palm brushed against his clean-shaven cheek as I let his hood fall—and with the same motion, I flicked my hand, pulling my switchblade from my jacket sleeve. The blade sprang free, and in an instant, I had the point resting against the corner of his left eye.
But not fast enough.
A cold, thin edge pressed against my left cheek. I didn’t break eye contact to see what sort of weapon he had in my face, but the blade felt sharp—sharper than my little knife.
Neither of us moved, his fist tight around the front of my jacket. If either of our hands wobbled, we’d both bleed.
His right eyebrow arched slightly. “How do you want to play this?”“Let go of me.”“I don’t think so.”“I stab you, you stab me,” I suggested frostily. “My cheek is more likely to heal than your eye.”“Pass.”
He wouldn’t let me go and he wouldn’t play knife-chicken. What was left? “Then I’ll answer your question if you answer one of mine.”
His full mouth thinned again, green eyes raking across me. “Fine.”
His agreement surprised me until I realized he expected to win this game too. He thought I’d reveal more with my answers than he would with his.
Not likely.
“Who the hell are you?” I demanded.
“Answer my question first.”
“You first. Who are you?”
He growled under his breath. “The Crystal Druid.”
Surprise flushed through me, and I couldn’t stop my eyelids from flickering with a single, startled blink. He was a druid?
“Now,” he rumbled, “tell me what you know about that bear and the other aggressive fae in this area.” “I don’t know anything.”His blade pressed painfully into my cheek. “This little game doesn’t work if you lie.”“I’m not lying.”“Then you’re an idiot. Every fae across the lower mainland is talking about the attacks and disappearances around here.”
“Fascinating, but this is the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Aren’t you a witch?”
“Yes, but a terrible one.”
His striking green eyes narrowed. “Terrible in what way?”
Ignoring his question, I shifted my blade ever so slightly, ensuring he couldn’t miss the sharp point in his peripheral vision. “My turn again. Why are you here?”
“The fae—”
“Yes, yes, the attacks. But why do you care about some aggressive fae?” I arched my eyebrows, though my bangs probably hid them. “What are you hoping to gain, Crystal Druid?”
Author Bio:
Annette Marie is the best-selling author of The Guild Codex, an expansive collection of interwoven urban fantasy series ranging from thrilling adventure to hilarious hijinks to heartrending romance. Her other works include YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter.
Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada with her husband and their furry minion of darkness. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
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September 25, 2021
BOOK BLITZ: Dragon Chains by Becca Brayden & Grace Goodwin #GIVEAWAY
Dragon Chains
Becca Brayden & Grace Goodwin
Publication date: September 24th 2021
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Dangerous. Tortured. Desperate. King Ryker of the Draquonir will make one last sacrifice to save his people and his kingdom before he loses control of the raging beast inside him. Dragon kind are dwindling, no longer able to hunt for their true mates in this contemporary, high-tech world.
Ryker must do something no dragon has ever done before; have a child with a human woman he has no desire to touch, a woman his dragon refuses to take as a mate. Arrangements have been made. A queen chosen. A loveless, chaste marriage of convenience. No passion. No dragonfire. Nothing but contracts and medical procedures to sire an heir. This is the only way his race will survive.
Katy Toure is tired of cleaning up her identical twin’s messes, but when her sister calls in a panic, unable to get to an important business meeting worth millions of dollars, Katy just can’t say no. All Katy has to do is walk out of her dead-end job, grab her sister’s passport, fly to Italy, pretend to be her sister for a few days, sign some contracts and take the vacation she’s always dreamed about.
No one will know she’s an imposter. No one ever knows.
But Katy has never tried to fool a dragon who scents his mate...
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—
EXCERPT:
“Buona sera, mia regina. May I join you for a drink?”
The deep voice came from a man standing next to her and Katy tore her attention from the dancing couple to look up. And up.
Their gazes locked and Katy forgot to breathe. She flushed with pleasure. Excitement. The fantasy sex god had arrived as if on cue. And he’d just called her something his, she knew at least that much Italian. Her toes curled. Her nipples hardened into tight, aching pebbles. Desire bolted through her body as the air nearly crackled with sexual tension. Out of all the hot, single Italian women in the club, he singled her out. Picked her. A glance to the side showed at least half a dozen women glaring daggers at her. She didn’t care.
“Yes. I mean, sì, signore.” Katy’s voice took on a husky sound she’d never heard before. But then, she’d never been this aroused by just looking at a man either. Sex god might be an understatement. He was gorgeous. Perfect. His smell…
God, his smell.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as his cologne surrounded her and made her body burn. Her breasts grew heavy and her panties were instantly soaked with desire.
She wanted more. She wanted to bury her nose in his neck and nibble on his skin. Rub herself all over him. Absorb him. Mark him somehow, as hers.
“I’m going crazy.” She whispered the words to herself but didn’t open her eyes. Not yet. Not when she could still taste his scent on her tongue and her body was on fire. She needed to gain control of herself. Calm down.
He slid into the seat next to her and placed his hand, palm up, in the center of the table. A blatant invitation.
Katy didn’t want to resist. She needed to touch him. She slid her hand into his and gasped as heat filled her entire body. Raw lust. Desire. It was like she’d fallen into a hot bath and her mind went blank. All she could think about was kissing him the way the couple on the dance floor had been kissing. Pressing her body to his. Feeling his strong hands grip her hips. Melting into his heat. Reveling in his scent as it enveloped her.
“Dance with me.”
Katy’s heart pounded in her chest. The club was loud, the music thumping. She shouldn’t have been able to hear his quietly spoken words, but his voice was so deep it carried straight to her ears, vibrated through her body and set her core to throbbing. His English was perfect, the accent exotic. Sexy. Not quite like the other Italians she’d spoken with while shopping. She couldn’t quite place it. Didn’t care. “Yes.”
Katy allowed Ryker to lead her onto the dance floor. As the music pounded around them he pulled her in close. She went readily into his arms, her body suddenly pliant, melting into his strength. He growled low, pulling her in even closer. Molding her body to his. He bent his head slowly toward her, allowing her time to resist. She wanted this. Wanted his lips on hers. Without conscious thought, her gaze grew slumberous, her long, dark lashes swept down to cover her eyes as she waited breathlessly for his kiss.
His lips were pure fire. Heat flowed through her like nothing she’d ever felt before as he conquered her mouth with his own, his large frame folding around her until she felt like they were the only two people in the world. She’d read novels where one kiss made a woman forget her own name but had never experienced it. Until now.
“Ryker.”
“Hmmm?” His response sounded as drunk on desire as she felt. They had melted into one body, one being, and she clung to him without shame or hesitation. She moved with him on the dance floor, the music barely registering. He moved, so she moved. His scent filled her lungs, made her feel like she was a wild thing and somehow, he belonged to her now. Was hers to do with as she wished.
Was this pure lust? Pheromones? Chemistry?
Katy couldn’t help herself. She wanted more.
Author Bios:
Becca Brayden spends her days writing and her nights dreaming up her next hot adventure with even hotter alien hunks. A Colorado native, she has lived in New Zealand, Florida, Alabama, and Kansas, and loves to travel in direct proportion to how much she hates to cook. Chocolate makes her happy, licorice makes her cringe, and despite the cult following - she hates pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice lattes. (More for you!) Natural wanderlust has given her a deep love for Mediterranean food and a bookshelf filled with everything from philosophy to sexy romance.
She believes that if we are to save our great planet and all its amazing inhabitants, we must put aside our differences and collectively work together!!
You can catch her enjoying a cup of hot cocoa at her website www.BeccaBrayden.com
Author links:Website / Goodreads / Facebook—Grace Goodwin is a USA Today and international bestselling author of Sci-Fi and Paranormal romance with nearly one million books sold. Grace's titles are available worldwide in multiple languages in ebook, print, and audio formats. Two best friends, one left-brained, the other right-brained, make up the award-winning writing duo that is Grace Goodwin. They are both mothers, escape room enthusiasts, avid readers and intrepid defenders of their preferred beverages. (There may or may not be an ongoing tea vs. coffee war occurring during their daily communications.) Grace loves to hear from readers.Author links:
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September 24, 2021
B@@K REVEAL: Alpha Heat by LM Mountford
★✩★ COVER REVEAL ★✩★
ALPHA HEAT
Wolves of Lupus Latr Book 1
By LM MOUNTFORD
Genre/ Tropes: A Reverse Age-Gap | Enemies-to-Lovers | Paranormal Werewolf Romance
Release Date: October 8
Hosted by: DS Book Promotions
Preorder:
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09...
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/...
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BLURB:
Danny Royce knew this was a bad idea. A terrible idea. The worst idea in a long sad history of bad ideas. He didn’t have any choice. He was desperate.
He needed her help.
And it meant going back home…
Danny has spent the last eight years running.
His father was the alpha of the Wolves of Lupus Latr, the most powerful Werewolf Clan in Southern England. Born of ancient and powerful line, his life should have been devoted to protecting his pack.
But when his father fell in a battle with the werewolves ancient enemy, and his big brother lost the rule of their pack, all that changed. His mother spirited them away in the dead of night, far far away from whatever fate the new ruler had in store for them.
Yet now he’s come of age, and things have come into motion that he can no longer run from. Now he must return home to Lupus Latr to face his old pack. However this is not as simple as it sounds. For a wolf in exile to return home, first he must prove himself worthy of his pack.
It’s a dangerous road to walk, and should he survive, he would then have to kneel before the new alpha. Erza. A fierce and powerful she-wolf wielding mysterious powers.
However, Erza has an offer for Danny.
A proposal she can not afford for him to refuse.
And she’ll do anything to get him to accept…
Alpha Heat is the first instalment in the Wolves of Lupus Latr series. A sinfully hot reverse age gap, enemies to lovers, werewolf paranormal romance that sees Hamlet meet Underworld in a mix that’s anything but fluffy.
Alpha Heat products also available:
Mugs, posts, postcards, notebooks and more.
https://store.lmmountford.com/product...
https://store.lmmountford.com/product...
Author Bio:
A self-confessed Tiger fanatic, L.M. Mountford was born and raised in England, first in the town of Bridgewater, Somerset, before later moving to the city of Gloucester where he currently resides. A fully qualified and experienced Scuba Diver, he has travelled across Europe and Africa diving wrecks and seeing the wonders of the world.
He started writing when he was 14. Under the pseudonym Dark Inferno, he has written more than thirty Fanfiction stories.
Author Links:
Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/58021...
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LMMountford1...
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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/l-m-m...
Author page: https://www.amazon.com/L.M.-Mountford...
Newsletter Sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/w7y7k2
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Web site: https://lmmountford.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lmmountford/
B@@K REVEAL: Gorgeous Misery by JA Huss #GIVEAWAY
Gorgeous Misery
JA Huss
(Creeping Beautiful, #3)
Publication date: January 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
Wendy Gale isn’t the kind of girl you marry. She’s not even the kind of girl you date. She’s not a friend with benefits, she’s not one-night-stand, and regardless of what she thinks, she has never been a rebound.
Wendy Gale is kind of girl you kidnap and lock in your basement so she can’t ever escape. She’s the kind of girl you tie up. You put a collar on her. A leash. Handcuffs. You chain her to things and gag her mouth. A blindfold isn’t a bad idea, either.
Because Wendy Gale is the kind of girl you grab on to—any way you can—and you never let go.
Wendy. Babe. You only need to know one thing about me, OK?
I will never let go.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
Author Bio:
JA Huss is a New York Times Bestselling author and has been on the USA Today Bestseller's list 21 times. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world. Her book Eighteen was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Her audiobook Mr. Perfect was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017. Her audiobook Taking Turns was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Her book Total Exposure was nominated for a RITA Award in 2019.
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GORGEOUS MISERY COVER REVEAL GIVEAWAY
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B@@K REVEAL: The Cursed Princess by Alexa Michaels #PreORDER
The Cursed Princess
Alexa Michaels
Publication date: October 1st 2021
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
A fresh and dark urban fantasy abounding with treacherous secrets, desperate fights, and an angsty romances that could ignite the pages.
I’m Kyra Baxter. Once, I was human—now, I learn it’s all a lie.As the top student at my university and the best intern in Dallas, I thought my life was built in the clouds, and I was on top of the world.But then…it all crashed hard.
A murdered friend.A secret world.A mysterious warrior.
It’s safe to say that the life I thought was solid will never rise from the rubble. It’s time to move on, and live the life I was always meant for–what I was born for. Except there are those who want to make sure that never happens. In fact, if I don’t move quickly, the enemy who I’d been hidden from is coming for blood.The curse I bear has blocked my memories, so I’m left to blindly navigate this new world. And when a swarthy male saunters into my life, I’m forced to face a ghost from the past without knowing who he is and was, and what he wants.He says he’s here to help.He admits he’s keeping secrets.As our attraction grows, all I know is that if I want to break this curse, I’m going to need his help. And unless I heed the warnings my late friend spent her dying moment’s telling me, everyone I know and love could end up butchered.This curse could be the death of all those I hold dear.If you like fierce heroines, powerful heroes, terrible secrets, and slow-burn romances, then read the urban fantasy The Cursed Princess, the first book in the Kyra Baxter Trilogy!
**This is the beginning of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger.
***Author’s note: this book is intended for a mature audience in terms of content, language, and passionate happily ever afters!
Author Bio:
When Alexa isn't writing, she can be found with a book in her lap and a mug of coffee or glass of red wine within reach. A native of the North Woods, Alexa is an avid lake-jumper, beach lounger, and sunshine lover.
Alexa is living a happily ever after with her own steamy hero. Together they have an English Springer fur-baby and would love a few more!
Alexa loves any type of love story. So you can find her writing both contemporary romance and fantasy novels. Instead of making a separate pen name, Alexa just adds her middle initial to her fantasy genre books!
Alexa H. Michaels ~ Author of Fantasy
Alexa Michaels ~ Author of Romance
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B@@K REVEAL: A Land of Never After by R.L. Davennor #PreORDER
A Land of Never After
R.L. Davennor
Publication date: October 26th 2021
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Retelling
All my life, I’ve dreamed of the sea.
Mermaids, stormy skies, daring adventures, pirates…it was little wonder I sprinted to the docks the moment I left the orphanage. Eager to begin my new life, I searched for a ship that would have me—and found a thief instead. I chased the bastard.
Now I’m trapped.
I’m told this place is Neverland, but everything I touch is dead or dying; what’s left is hellbent on killing each other. Monsters lurk around every corner, and everyone I meet hides a damning secret. I’m thrust in the middle of a deadly feud, and the only one capable of unraveling the curse that plagues us.
Neverland is my home now. Until it’s done with me?
It will never let go.
Peter Pan meets Pirates of the Caribbean in A Land of Never After, but reader beware: this children’s tale has been reimagined for adult lovers of all things dark and deadly. Content warnings include language, violence, and mentions of gender dysphoria and suicide.
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Author Bio:
Raelynn Davennor is an author of fantasy and science fiction, a musician and composer, and a creature of the night.
Nestled among her fictional worlds full of darkness, dragons, and sassy heroines, you'll often find a musical number or two. An accomplished performer, she's made appearances with artists such as The Who, Weird Al, and Hugh Jackman on many of the largest stages in the United States.
Raelynn is usually lost in her head, dressing up in costume, or humming a tune she can't wait to scribble down. When not obsessing over her latest idea, she enjoys pampering her menagerie of pets and pretending she isn’t an adult. Her home base is https://rldavennor.com where you'll find more information, her newsletter, and links to social media.
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September 23, 2021
BOOK BLITZ: On Board by Jay Hogan #GIVEAWAY
On Board
Jay Hogan
(Painted Bay, #2)
Publication date: September 23rd 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
Leroy Madden is in trouble. Big, handsome, Fox Carmody trouble.
Leroy has buried his attraction to the enigmatic fisherman in irritation and pointless bickering, keeping Fox at a safe distance. But with the troublesome man now living in Leroy’s house, it’s becoming impossible for Leroy to keep his true feelings hidden, or the fact that Leroy isn’t so straight, after all.
Leroy hungers for something different between them. He wants more. But Leroy’s business is struggling, his newly mended relationship with his brother is at risk, Fox doesn’t plan to stay, and their mothers are lovers.
Regardless of what Leroy’s heart so desperately wants, his entire world is at stake, and nothing about a relationship with Fox Carmody was ever going to be easy.
—
EXCERPT:
I stole a sideways glance to where Fox lounged in the passenger seat of my Hilux, his interested gaze soaking up the countryside. The worst of the Monday morning traffic was behind us and the driving was easy, not that you’d know it by my white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel.
Sister Sledge streamed through the speakers, Fox’s fingers tapping away on one thickly muscled thigh wrapped in tight stonewashed denim. A fashionable rip mocked me from just above the knee, revealing the faintest glimpse of tanned skin and short dark hair, not that I was looking.
Yeah, right. I was soaking that shit up like sugar in hot coffee.
The universe was definitely fucking with me. Well, that and my mother who’d arrived for Sunday lunch with a surprisingly edible peach cobbler and what she called the ‘best idea ever’ for me to give Fox a lift into Whangarei the next day since I was already going. He wanted to check out some boats, but his car was still waiting on parts.
Fucking wonderful. Why he couldn’t wait for his own vehicle to be fixed wasn’t a question I was prepared to ask based on my mother’s I-dare-you look. I’d caved and agreed.
I could’ve killed her. And by the constipated look on Fox’s face at her suggestion, I was pretty sure he felt the same. It had been a long, long weekend and entirely my own damn fault. Other than forced interaction at work, rugby training, and Sunday lunch, I’d avoided Fox at all costs, and he’d been good enough to play along and pretend he hadn’t noticed, other than a notable drop in temperature whenever he looked my way. I could hardly blame him for that. If only he knew that my epic arseholery stemmed from lust and not disgust.
And the Academy Award for epically fucking yourself goes to . . . yeah. Enough said.
Note to self: don’t get tipsy around the guy. Without the benefit of way too many beers, we wouldn’t have talked and got all chummy on the deck, and I wouldn’t have realised that I maybe, actually liked the bastard, not just wanted to kiss him, or touch him, or have him touch me, or . . . goddammit, wait for the drum roll—fuck me.
I swallowed hard. Me fucking him would, of course, be marginally more acceptable to my brain, but who was I kidding? I’d spent the entire weekend thinking, fantasising, googling, watching, and yep, definitely him fucking me. Good God, the sooner he was out of my house the better. Still, it sounded like it wouldn’t take much to get him to shift back down south, so I could only hope.
“You okay, Leroy?”
My gaze jerked his way. “Fine. I’m absolutely fine,” I lied, because no, I didn’t want to go there, or talk about it, or think about it, or do anything other than bury it as unsuccessfully as I’d done for the last five days, make that a year—my, doesn’t time fly—because I’m chickenshit as all hell and my life is a fucking shitshow of irony.
Why now?
Why him?
Why . . . this?
Bisexual. I’d even practised saying it in front of the mirror, barely able to spit the word out as it sat huge and sour on my tongue. It wasn’t that I hated the man-on-man part, because I was clearly on board with that in so very many, many Fox-shaped, lickable ways. It was more that the admission held an extremely unflattering mirror up to the jerk hypocrite that I’d been, and very likely still was, my entire life.
Whoever said sexuality was a choice, I needed that fucker’s address and a suitably sized cactus to shove where the sun don’t shine.
My head had been buried so far in the sand for so long that I had grit coming out my arse, and that shit had to stop. After my appalling behaviour in the kitchen, I’d sulked and pondered long and hard over the weekend and gotten more than my money’s worth from my broadband provider. It all came with an uncomfortable realisation. The infatuation I had with Fox wasn’t going anywhere, and that meant either making myself and everyone around me miserable or pulling it into the light and stop running. How had I completely missed this rather critical aspect of my nature?
And then it occurred to me, maybe I hadn’t. I had the pieces, but nothing or no one had caused them to fall into place, until Fox.
Author Bio:
Heart, humour, and keeping it real.
Jay is a 2020 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Gay Romance and her book Off Balance was the 2021 New Zealand Romance Book of the Year.
She is a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense, primarily set in New Zealand. She writes character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality and a splash of angst. She's travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life she was a critical care nurse, nurse educator, and counsellor. Jay is owned by a huge Maine Coon cat and a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel.
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BOOK BLITZ: Walk on the Wilder Side by Serena Bell #GIVEAWAY
Walk on the Wilder Side
Serena Bell
(Wilder Adventures, #2)
Publication date: September 23rd 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
His best friend’s sister is rocking his boat. In the best way possible.
Brody: What’s a bad boy doing hosting a book club? Excellent question. All I can tell you is, it’s not going well. I forgot the bug wipes, the extra TP, and the hand sanitizer, we’re out of wine, and… well, I may have made some people angry, if the reviews are any indication. The only way to dig myself out of this hole is to redeem myself by offering the best girls’ nights out in town.
Enter my best friend’s sister. I’ve gone out of my way to avoid Rachel, since despite her good-girl rep, I can’t seem to get her out of my head. Now she’s in my boat… and if I don’t watch myself, soon she’ll be in my bed. Things are going surprisingly well between us… but I know myself, and I’m not this guy. I’m the guy you want for fantasy fulfillment, not the guy you want for forever.
But what if I need this time to be different?
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EXCERPT:
Connor paces back and forth a few times along the side of the boat, then slaps a hand on his thigh. ”I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
“My mom’s got this new business. One of those sell-out-of-your home things. Beauty stuff, like body wash and perfume and shit. She does these girls’ night parties. Women love them. My mom can’t keep up with all the requests. I bet that would work for your boat. And my mom coordinates the food and wine and everything. You could redeem yourself without having to personally kiss a lot of ass. They do the party, you just supply the location.”
Huh. I don’t hate the idea.
“You’d still have to buy TP,” he says, always practical. “And not forget the bug wipes.”
“I can totally handle that much. Jesus, that sounds like a fucking dream. I’m all over that.”
“The only thing is, my mom broke her foot, so I don’t know about the whole boat thing.”
“Well, shit,” I say. “How’d she do that?”
“Stepped off the curb wrong in town, twisted it in the storm grate.”
I wince. “That sucks.”
“Yeah. But she said she was maybe going to ask Rachel to help her out, so I guess Rachel could do it.”
You know the buzzer sound that signals the end of, well, anything? That’s the sound that just zapped through my brain.
“Wait, Rachel’s home?”
I try to make it sound like, “The Ducks have the early game?” or “You up for grabbing a pizza and a couple of beers?” but it still comes out sounding more like my sixteen-year-old self than I’d like.
Luckily Connor doesn’t pick up on the fact that I just insta-reverted to my teenage years. “Yeah. Some shit hit the fan for her and she’s regrouping.”
Rachel is Connor’s younger sister. Her hair is long and thick and not-quite-black. Her skin is a warm, light brown. She has dark brown eyes and a mouth that, in recent years, has made me think about blow jobs.
Okay, who am I kidding? Her mouth has made me think about blow jobs for way longer than I want to admit.It’s the lower lip. It’s full and sulky and she licks it when she’s nervous. I’m not sure whether it’s the peek of tongue or the glossy sheen left behind that drives me so wild, but there you have it.My life plan, since late high school, has been to avoid Rachel Perez at all costs, because that lip—her whole mouth, in fact—no, make that everything about her, inside and out—feels like a clear and present danger.It is a threat to my sanity and, more urgently, to my friendship with Connor.However, because life is what happens when you’re busy making plans, Rachel is everywhere.
She saw me last month when Len Dix taunted me in Oscar’s Saloon & Grill and I punched his lights out. She doesn’t even live here; she just happened to be in town from the East Coast to visit her mother. They were taking a family ski trip for her mom’s birthday.
And now she is, possibly, the only thing standing between me and a simple solution to my business problem.Because I don’t think my sanity would survive being alone on a boat with Rachel.“Do you really think Gabe would kick you out of the family business?” Connor asks.
Right. In corner one, we have the threat to my sanity from Rachel Perez. And in corner two, we have the threat to my livelihood and family life from Gabe Wilder.
Author Bio:
USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.
Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.
When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.
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