The Road to Pienza by Garrick Jones

BOOK BLAST - RECENT RELEASE

Book Title: The Road to Pienza (The Road to Montepulciano #2)

Author and Cover Artist: Garrick Jones

Publisher: GRJ Press

Release Date: November 6, 2025

Genre: Crime Thriller

Themes: Historical fiction; Crime Fiction; Political Thriller; Action Thriller

Heat Rating:  5 flames

Length:  117 000 words/348 pages

It is part of a series, but does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy links

Amazon US  |  Amazon AU   |  Amazon UK  |  B&N

The action-packed sequel to the best-selling thriller, The Road to Montepulciano

Blurb

The action-packed sequel to the best-selling thriller, The Road to Montepulciano

On the night of the ninth of June 1944, four days after the Allied liberation of Rome, four nuns are murdered in a railway carriage at the Vatican City railway station.

Sixteen years later, returning to Tuscany after a gruelling book signing tour of Australia, Damson O’Reilly finds his partner, Giancarlo (no longer a detective but now a well-known and successful lawyer) engrossed in a slander case between Italy’s screen heartthrob, Mario Celestino, and a high-profile, fascist industrialist, Giovanni Scavola.

The case uncovers buried secrets, secrets that bring to light the involvement of both men in the WW2 crime and which lead to kidnapping, torture and murder, culminating in a dramatic, bloody outcome that will rock the Italian nation to its core.

Excerpt

By the time I finished my turn in the bathroom, Kendall was naked, sitting up on top of the bed covers, so I perched on the edge of the mattress next to his knee and lit a cigarette.

“Come closer,” he said. By now, I recognised that look in his eye.

He ran his hand over my thigh and cupped my balls. I leaned back and moved my knees apart while he gently massaged my chest and stomach, his hand finally coming to rest, encircling the base of my by-now hard cock. “I like this,” he said, jiggling it a little.

“What about the rest of me?”

“Oh, yeah, that’s all right, too.” His accompanying cheeky wink made me grin.

“What you said earlier … I’m the only man who’s ever fucked you?”

“Yep.”

“Why me?”

“As I said, I like this.” He squeezed harder, milking my erection, then leaned over and licked the shiny drop of fluid from the eye of my cock with the tip of his tongue. “I’ve always liked looking at big ones, but yours is the first I’ve ever wanted inside me.”

“Kendall—”

He laughed, interrupting what I was going to say. “I’m not out to make trouble with you and Giancarlo. I really like him too. What we did in the hotel room in Sydney … I want more of that, and not just watching either.”

“Where on earth does this come from? You’ve always seemed rather standoffish to me, especially when it comes to talking about sex.”

“I dunno, Damson. Something just clicked between us that first night in Adelaide when I pretended to be drunk and asked you to suck me off.”

“You returned the favour, as I remember.”

“That’s right, and yours was the first cock I ever had in my mouth, and the first time I’d ever swallowed or even tasted spunk.”

“I’m confused.”

“I’m aware that I always skirt around my history—my sexual history, that is. You know that I’ve always been into sex with older women. Not sure why—I don’t remember my own mother, I was far too small when she died, so it can’t be that. Fooled around a bit in my teens with lads my own age; that happens at an all-boys’ boarding school. But then, when I joined up, I became fixated on what men had between their legs, especially the big ones, like yours. There was someone for a while, but all we did was swap tongues while we pulled each other off.”

“You’ve never seemed to want to swap tongues with me,” I said, by this time my legs wide apart and my erection almost purple because he’d been squeezing the base so tightly.

“Can we just be friends, Damson? I don’t want anything more than you as a close mate in my life. Of course, I still want to do this with you—and Giancarlo if that’s on the cards—but I’m not looking for a love affair. Is that all right with you?”

I closed my eyes for a moment. “That depends.”

“Depends on what?”

I wrapped one hand around the back of his neck and pulled him towards me. I guessed the kissing part of what he’d done with his army mate was something he really liked, because before I knew it, I was almost choking on his tongue after he’d nearly sucked mine out of my head. I pushed him onto his back on the bed. The kissing became more languid, sensuous, exploring. He guided my hand down to his balls, then raised his hips. I massaged the rim of his arsehole with my fingers.

“Aw, fuck,” he moaned into my mouth.

Damned if he wasn’t one of the best kissers I’d ever met. He didn’t even flinch a little bit as I eased my saliva-wetted dick into his body.

About the Author 

From the outback to the opera.

After a thirty-year career as a professional opera singer, performing as a soloist in opera houses and in concert halls all over the world, I took up a position as lecturer in music in Australia in 1999, at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music, which is now part of CQ University.

Brought up in Australia, between the bush and the beaches of the Eastern suburbs, I retired in 2015 and now live in the tropics, writing, gardening, and finally finding time to enjoy life and to re-establish a connection with who I am after a very busy career on the stage and as an academic.

Author Links

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A Daddy For Christmas 3: Rowan by Colette Davison

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: A Daddy For Christmas 3: Rowan

Author and Publisher: Colette Davison

Cover Artist: Covers by Jo

Release Date: December 16, 2025

Tense/POV: first person, alternating POV

Genres:  Contemporary MM Romance, BDSM

Tropes: grumpy-sunshine, Daddy kink, forced proximity, snowed-in, insta-love, low-angst

Themes: Finding Christmas spirit

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 39 000 words

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

It is part of a multi-author series.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link

Blurb 

When my brother jets off on a last-minute holiday, leaving me to run our business, my plan to avoid Christmas is left in tatters.

The bright side? Is there one? I don’t really do bright sides.

Making use of my brother’s flashy car and his driver, Rowan, is a plus. Sort of. Upbeat personalities aren’t my thing. Despite that, Rowan’s optimism is better than any chisel, chipping away at my stern exterior.

Getting stranded in a snowstorm wasn’t on my itinerary, but here we are, cold and all alone, with no sign of being rescued.

I couldn’t leave Rowan to freeze, could I? As we try to stay warm, I discover something about Rowan which makes me realise we have more in common than I expected.

I’m technically his boss…

…but that doesn’t matter tonight.

Not when working together to raise the temperature in the car has the potential to be so much fun.

But when the storm clears, will I still want to be Rowan’s Daddy?

A Daddy for Christmas 3 is a multi-author series. Holiday tales of boys in need of Daddy’s love and in some cases, a firm hand. Naughty or nice, it’s all in Santa’s hands now. So why not dive in and read each standalone and enjoy the holidays alongside our boys.

Excerpt 

“Look lively. Grumpy boss is on the prowl,” Rubin says.

I stand tall and stare in the direction towards Nigel’s office. Damon is standing in the doorway, flicking his gaze around the room. He is so dreamy. Tall, dark hair, a stern expression, and fuck, does he look good in a suit. I don’t know how old he is, but I’d guess he’s in his mid-thirties. If I’m right, he’s around six or seven years older than me, which is perfect. Or it would be, if he weren’t one of my bosses. He’s overdressed compared to everyone else here, but I appreciate the cut of his navy, single-breasted jacket, and his royal blue tie.

I’m overdressed, too. As Nigel’s driver, I need to look as smart as his cars. My official uniform is a charcoal-grey suit and a white shirt, which I jazz up with my choice of ties. Today’s is green with tiny candy canes all over it.

Damon’s piercing stare falls on me. His irises are dark blue, although from this distance his eyes look like shining lumps of coal. “Rowan. Do you have a minute?” He returns to his office without waiting for an answer.

“I will always have a minute for you, handsome,” I mutter under my breath.

“Careful not to trip over your hard-on on the way to his office,” Rubin says.

I flip him my finger. “I do not have a hard-on.”

“Yet.”

“I’m professional.”

“Oh, yeah. So professional, you’re drooling right now.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

I roll my eyes and make my way across the vast, yet cluttered space to the office.

I knock before entering. “You needed me?”

Damon is staring at the monitor, a vein pulsing in his temple and another throbbing in his neck. Is he stressed about something? Probably the fact that he’s here, rather than taking time off, like he should be. But if he’s here, where is Nigel?

He gives me an apologetic look. “I need a favour and you’re the only one I can spare.”

Which means he doesn’t need me to drive him anywhere. That’s a shame.

“I need you to pick up my costume for the charity ball tomorrow night.” He pushes a Post-It Note across the desk with an address on it. “It’s a bit of a trek, I’m afraid.”

“I don’t mind.” I scoop up the Post-It Note and scan the address. Yeah, he wasn’t kidding when he said it was a trek. “Wait. I thought Nigel was going to the charity ball.”

Damon sighs. “Nigel’s not here.” His words are clipped and stern. “Fuck, how am I going to get there? It’s in the middle of nowhere.”

I clear my throat, drawing his attention back to me. I smile brightly and wave my hand. “Your driver’s standing right in front of you.”

“It’s in the middle of nowhere. At night.”

I widen my smile. “It’s my job. You do know that because it’s in the middle of nowhere, Nigel booked two rooms for the night, don’t you?”

He stares at me. I guess he didn’t know.

“Aren’t I lucky that he doesn’t expect me to sleep in the car?” Although I could easily. “I think he was planning on taking the Rolls-Royce. Is that all right with you?” It’s a beautiful car, with a stunning interior ceiling.

“This is why we need a PA,” he grates out.

“Nah, this is why you’ve got me. If it’s anything to do with getting from A to B, I know what the plan is.” I wave the Post-It Note. “One costume coming up.”

He half-smiles. “Thanks, Rowan.”

“You’re welcome.” Now get out from behind your desk and give me a hot, steamy, thank-you kiss. A guy can dream.

About the Author 

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |   Facebook Page   |  Facebook Group: Colette’s Cosy Corner

BookBub   |   Twitter  |   Goodreads  |  Instagram: @colettedavison

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The Book of Oded, Chapter 2 by Oded Kassirer

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: The Book of Oded, Chapter 2

Author and Publisher: Oded Kassirer

Release Date: October 8, 2025

Genres: Gay Non-Fiction Memoir

Tropes: A kind of forbidden love

Themes: Coming out, HIV/AIDS

Length: approx. 25 000 words/ 94 pages

Heat Rating: No sexual content

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Paperback and Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Paperback also available from IngramSpark

A Story of Love in 17 parts

A poetic and deeply personal exploration of love, identity, and spiritual truth through a queer lens — part reflection, part quiet confession. This book speaks to anyone who’s searched for belonging or inner peace.

Blurb 

The Book of Oded, Chapter 2: A Story of Love in 17 Parts is a true story told through seventeen short reflections, each introduced by a photograph.

This real-life memoir follows Oded Kassirer’s journey through love in its many forms—love that comforts, love that tests us, and love that stays even when people are gone. With honesty and openness, Oded shares moments from his own life, weaving together memory, relationships, and the everyday search for meaning.

Each part begins with an image, creating a rhythm of words and photos that invite the reader to pause, reflect, and connect. The book moves gently between joy and loss, humor and sorrow, offering a window into how love shapes us over time.

The Book of Oded, Chapter 2 is both deeply personal and universal—a reminder that behind every story of one life, there is also the story of love itself.

Excerpt

Looks like I don’t have to do that anymore, since Gil and I are dating now. Well… Gil being a lieutenant in the Israeli army, we only see each other once every two or three weeks, for maybe a day and a half. So we’re dating-lite.

But there’s more. You see, I’m out, and Gil is… well, I'm in a bigger closet than Gil.. OK, let me explain something about coming out and closets: you don’t just come out once and you’re done. No. You come out of the closet you’re in, into a slightly bigger closet. First, friends know. Then some family. Then all family, maybe a few coworkers. And so on, into bigger and bigger closets, until one day you think you’re totally out. But when you hesitate to put a photo of you and your boyfriend on your work desk, you realize: you’re still in a closet. A really big one, but still a closet.

So in my case, my friends know, and some of my family knows too. But as I start dating Gil, I find myself stepping backwards into a smaller closet. Back to lying to my family and friends. They ask: “So how do you know this guy Gil? He’s four, five years younger than you.”

“Oh, he’s my friend.”

“But we are your friends…”

And with Gil’s family it’s worse. We have to invent a background story, making sure our lies match. It’s back to lying and living a double life — something I’ve always hated.

Maybe because we don’t actually live together, and only see each other once in a while, I agree to it. Maybe I don’t value enough the freedom of being out. Or maybe I need to go through this to finally understand it.

And so Gil and I continue to keep our relationship very low profile. We have to be creative to communicate. Gil is stationed at a small base in the Golan Heights, just a few hours north of Tel Aviv, right on the border with Syria. When I call him, I can’t say what I really want to say. All the lines are tapped—not to catch gay soldiers, but to make sure nobody leaks classified information. Gil, being an intelligence lieutenant, is very aware of this. So even saying “I miss you” is, for him, like shouting into the phone: “GAY! GAY! GAY!”

So we come up with a code. We both love listening to Sarah Vaughan, the jazz singer. “Sarah” becomes our password. Our way of saying what we can’t.

“Hey Gil, how are you? Oh, by the way, Sarah really misses you.”

“Tell her I miss her too.”

“And she wants you to know that she loves you.”

“Tell her I love her too.”

It works—until one day, Gil can’t come to the phone and I leave a message with someone else: “Could you please tell Gil that… Sarah misses him?” When Gil finds out, all hell breaks loose.

About the Author 

Oded Kassirer was born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, and moved to Los Angeles in 1988. His creative journey began in film and animation, where he worked on major studio projects before turning toward acting, writing, and personal storytelling.

Alongside his career in the arts, Oded has explored photography and visual expression, blending images and words to reflect the intimate moments of everyday life. The Book of Oded: A Story of Love in 17 Parts is his first book - a true story that combines memoir and photographs in a deeply personal exploration of love, memory, and connection.

He lives in Los Angeles, with his husband, Oscar.

Author Links

Blog/Website | Instagram

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The Deviation - Rebecca Raine

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: The Deviation

Author, Cover Artist, and Publisher: Rebecca Raine

Release Date: December 17, 2025

Tense/POV: first person, present tense, alternating POV

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance

Tropes: Rock star, first time bi, workplace romance, forbidden love, found family

Themes: Pining, coming out, integrity, trust, belonging, loyalty

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length:  88 000 words

It is Book 3 in a series where each book can be read as a standalone. 

It does not end on a cliffhanger. 

HEA guaranteed.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

When my quiet life fell apart, he turned up the music in my soul. How do I pretend we never happened?

Blurb

Johnny

I did everything my parents wanted: got a respectable job, married my childhood sweetheart, and pushed my rock star dreams into the background. It was enough for me… until my divorce cracked open the cage.

Now old cravings rush to the surface, and I ache to satisfy each one. Starting with the gorgeous man I lock eyes with at a musical festival. Calum is all kinds of perfect. As a manager, he could accelerate my music career. As a man, he reignites the fire in my soul. I can’t have him both ways.

When my band signs with Calum’s company, we agree to keep our distance. No one can know we’ve met before. How far we’ve gone. How deeply we’ve tasted. Our futures depend on the secrets we must keep.

Calum

If I’d known who Johnny was the night we met, this never would have happened. Getting involved with a client is forbidden, and I can’t risk my job—or my sister’s security—for some lust-fuelled romance.

Working together doesn’t have to be complicated. That’s what I tell myself every time we avoid touching. When his eyes tease, and his lyrics seduce. As our professional successes mount, the connection between us only grows stronger.

There are lines we can’t cross. Boundaries we can’t break. But when Johnny is all I want, all I think about… how do I stay away?

Excerpt 

Johnny ambles over to invade my personal space. The warm, freshly showered scent of him creeps into my nostrils, causing me to inhale, but I don’t shy away from his closeness. He’s in a dangerous mood. If I show weakness, he may pounce.

“Would you like a drink?” he asks, gesturing with the tumbler that dangles from the fingers of his right hand.

“Sure.” It’s a terrible idea, but at the moment I’ll say yes to anything that will put some distance between us. He withdraws to the kitchen, and I suck in a lungful of oxygen. It doesn’t help. His presence lingers in every square inch of air. It strokes my insides, burrowing into my cells and setting them on fire.

This is not the meeting I expected. We’re supposed to talk about Ned and how we can be allies in my bid to win him over. This isn’t supposed to be a seduction, and I am definitely not supposed to be gagging for it.

Stalking after him, I plant myself in the entrance to the kitchen and glare at the lines of his muscular back. “Why am I here, Johnny?” The clipped words imply irritation, though the truth is probably closer to lustful vexation.

He turns, smirking as he delivers the generous glass of scotch to my hand. “Because you can’t stop thinking about me.”

My spine stiffens at his knowing drawl. I snatch the drink before escaping back to the living room. It has more room for pacing and I’m unsure what he’ll do if I stay still. “I mean, why did you ask me to come here tonight?”

He drains his glass as he returns. Dumping it on the coffee table, he steps into the path I’m wearing through his carpet. I come to an abrupt halt to prevent a head-on collision. His hands lift to cup my face, the calloused fingertips dragging over my cheekbones. The deep brown of his eyes drink me in, and his mouth is a breath away from mine. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you,” he says in a rough whisper.

There’s no smirk this time. Only need and heat and passion. “I wonder where you are, constantly. What you’re doing. How you taste.” His body crowds mine. Our hips brush together and, holy fuck, we’re both hard as nails. This man is lightning in my veins. The way I want him hurts, and I glory in the sharpness of the need. “I imagine you masturbating to the thought of me,” he whispers, “every time I masturbate to the thought of you.”

“Johnny.” The name is a groan, pulled all the way from my throbbing cock and up through my vocal cords. “We can’t do this.”

“Sure we can.” His head dips, and I shiver as his lips brush my throat. “I’ll show you.” His hands are on my hips now, tugging me more firmly against him. His mouth chases mine but I turn my head, my eyes drifting closed.

“I need…” My words falter as he rocks his hips, rubbing his erection against mine.

One hand threads through my hair. Taking it in a firm grip, he angles my face back towards his. His panting breath fills my open mouth. “I need you, too.” And then he’s kissing me. His tongue in my mouth. His body flush against mine.

God help me, I kiss him back. Even as I force my arms to stay at my sides and my body to remain still, I can’t resist losing myself for precious moments in his kiss, in the scotch and temptation of him.

When a needful moan reverberates from my throat to his lips, he pulls back long enough to smile at me. It’s the smile that shocks me back to my senses. Lifting one hand to his chest, I force myself to push him away.

“No, Johnny.” We stand there staring at each other, our chests heaving. “I need Fifth Circle. I need to sign a band and my boss has decided it has to be your band.” His smile dies and he straightens away from my touch. “If I don’t sign you to Rush, I lose my job. If my boss finds out what’s going on between us, I lose my job.” The ramifications of my actions slam into me and I drain the glass of scotch I’m still holding before putting it beside his. “I can’t risk my job. Not for anything.”

Not for you. The unspoken words hang between us.

His gaze hardens and a bitter grimace curls his lips. “In that case, we’re both shit out of luck.” Picking up the empty glasses, he storms back towards the kitchen. “There may not even be a band anymore.”

About the Author 

Rebecca is a long-time lover of all things romance. Whether it’s a book, movie, or real life, she will always have more fun if there’s a love interest thrown into the mix. She lives in Queensland, Australia with her very own hero husband, two quirky kids and one big, black dog. Other than reading and writing books, her favourite things include loud music, enjoying a glass of wine on the patio, organising everything in existence, and spending too much time on the Internet.

Author Links

 Newsletter Sign-up  |  Blog/Website  

 Facebook Author Page

Pinterest  |  Instagram   |  Goodreads

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Cover Reveal: The Deviation by Rebecca Raine

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: The Deviation

Author, Cover Artist, and Publisher: Rebecca Raine

Release Date: December 17, 2025

Tense/POV: first person, present tense, alternating POV

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance

Tropes: Rock star, first time bi, workplace romance, forbidden love, found family

Themes: pining, coming out, integrity, trust, belonging, loyalty

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length:  88 000 words

It is Book 3 in a series where each book can be read as a standalone. 

It does not end on a cliffhanger. 

HEA guaranteed.

Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

When my quiet life fell apart, he turned up the music in my soul. How do I pretend we never happened?

Blurb

Johnny

I did everything my parents wanted: got a respectable job, married my childhood sweetheart, and pushed my rock star dreams into the background. It was enough for me… until my divorce cracked open the cage.

Now old cravings rush to the surface, and I ache to satisfy each one. Starting with the gorgeous man I lock eyes with at a musical festival. Calum is all kinds of perfect. As a manager, he could accelerate my music career. As a man, he reignites the fire in my soul. I can’t have him both ways.

When my band signs with Calum’s company, we agree to keep our distance. No one can know we’ve met before. How far we’ve gone. How deeply we’ve tasted. Our futures depend on the secrets we must keep.

Calum

If I’d known who Johnny was the night we met, this never would have happened. Getting involved with a client is forbidden, and I can’t risk my job—or my sister’s security—for some lust-fuelled romance.

Working together doesn’t have to be complicated. That’s what I tell myself every time we avoid touching. When his eyes tease, and his lyrics seduce. As our professional successes mount, the connection between us only grows stronger.

There are lines we can’t cross. Boundaries we can’t break. But when Johnny is all I want, all I think about… how do I stay away?

Excerpt 

Johnny ambles over to invade my personal space. The warm, freshly showered scent of him creeps into my nostrils, causing me to inhale, but I don’t shy away from his closeness. He’s in a dangerous mood. If I show weakness, he may pounce.

“Would you like a drink?” he asks, gesturing with the tumbler that dangles from the fingers of his right hand.

“Sure.” It’s a terrible idea, but at the moment I’ll say yes to anything that will put some distance between us. He withdraws to the kitchen, and I suck in a lungful of oxygen. It doesn’t help. His presence lingers in every square inch of air. It strokes my insides, burrowing into my cells and setting them on fire.

This is not the meeting I expected. We’re supposed to talk about Ned and how we can be allies in my bid to win him over. This isn’t supposed to be a seduction, and I am definitely not supposed to be gagging for it.

Stalking after him, I plant myself in the entrance to the kitchen and glare at the lines of his muscular back. “Why am I here, Johnny?” The clipped words imply irritation, though the truth is probably closer to lustful vexation.

He turns, smirking as he delivers the generous glass of scotch to my hand. “Because you can’t stop thinking about me.”

My spine stiffens at his knowing drawl. I snatch the drink before escaping back to the living room. It has more room for pacing and I’m unsure what he’ll do if I stay still. “I mean, why did you ask me to come here tonight?”

He drains his glass as he returns. Dumping it on the coffee table, he steps into the path I’m wearing through his carpet. I come to an abrupt halt to prevent a head-on collision. His hands lift to cup my face, the calloused fingertips dragging over my cheekbones. The deep brown of his eyes drink me in, and his mouth is a breath away from mine. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you,” he says in a rough whisper.

There’s no smirk this time. Only need and heat and passion. “I wonder where you are, constantly. What you’re doing. How you taste.” His body crowds mine. Our hips brush together and, holy fuck, we’re both hard as nails. This man is lightning in my veins. The way I want him hurts, and I glory in the sharpness of the need. “I imagine you masturbating to the thought of me,” he whispers, “every time I masturbate to the thought of you.”

“Johnny.” The name is a groan, pulled all the way from my throbbing cock and up through my vocal cords. “We can’t do this.”

“Sure we can.” His head dips, and I shiver as his lips brush my throat. “I’ll show you.” His hands are on my hips now, tugging me more firmly against him. His mouth chases mine but I turn my head, my eyes drifting closed.

“I need…” My words falter as he rocks his hips, rubbing his erection against mine.

One hand threads through my hair. Taking it in a firm grip, he angles my face back towards his. His panting breath fills my open mouth. “I need you, too.” And then he’s kissing me. His tongue in my mouth. His body flush against mine.

God help me, I kiss him back. Even as I force my arms to stay at my sides and my body to remain still, I can’t resist losing myself for precious moments in his kiss, in the scotch and temptation of him.

When a needful moan reverberates from my throat to his lips, he pulls back long enough to smile at me. It’s the smile that shocks me back to my senses. Lifting one hand to his chest, I force myself to push him away.

“No, Johnny.” We stand there staring at each other, our chests heaving. “I need Fifth Circle. I need to sign a band and my boss has decided it has to be your band.” His smile dies and he straightens away from my touch. “If I don’t sign you to Rush, I lose my job. If my boss finds out what’s going on between us, I lose my job.” The ramifications of my actions slam into me and I drain the glass of scotch I’m still holding before putting it beside his. “I can’t risk my job. Not for anything.”

Not for you. The unspoken words hang between us.

His gaze hardens and a bitter grimace curls his lips. “In that case, we’re both shit out of luck.” Picking up the empty glasses, he storms back towards the kitchen. “There may not even be a band anymore.”

About the Author 

Rebecca is a long-time lover of all things romance. Whether it’s a book, movie, or real life, she will always have more fun if there’s a love interest thrown into the mix. She lives in Queensland, Australia with her very own hero husband, two quirky kids and one big, black dog. Other than reading and writing books, her favourite things include loud music, enjoying a glass of wine on the patio, organising everything in existence, and spending too much time on the Internet.

Author Links

 Newsletter Sign-up  |  Blog/Website  

 Facebook Author Page

Pinterest  |  Instagram   |  Goodreads

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Boolgarrin by Jude Rule

RECENT RELEASE

Book Title:  Boolgarrin

Author:  Jude Rule

Publisher: Warru Press

Cover Artist: Leo Fortin

Release Date: November 8, 2025

Tense/POV: third person, past tense, alternating POV

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance

Tropes: Small town romance, fake marriage, marriage-of-convenience romance, second chance

Heat Rating: 3.5 flames    

Length: 38 913 words/ 150 pages

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

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He thought he was saving the farm. He never expected to lose his heart.

Blurb

Sometimes you have to fake it before you make it—especially when it comes to marriage.

When a father's hatred becomes a weapon from beyond the grave, two men must fake a marriage to save a family farm.

Finn has hurt him once. Can Ben survive being married to the man he desires most in the world without his heart being crushed in the process?

Located in the fictional town of Murrilup, Western Australia, Boolgarrin is a tender marriage-of-convenience romance. Amidst small-town prejudice and a vengeful neighbour, two men hope for a second chance at love.

Excerpt 

Ben couldn’t sleep. He twisted in the sheets, fists clenching against the mattress. The ceiling above seemed to tilt with the shadows, and his breath caught sharp and uneven, as if the ground had shifted beneath him.  He was used to having control of his life, and now he felt completely unbalanced.  His mind was racing.  In one day, his whole life had been upended.  Amelia and Josie had started wedding planning.  The admission by Finn, though, was what really blind-sided him.  

He finally gave up on sleep. Slipping his feet into his slippers, he padded into the kitchen. 

He smiled faintly as he put a couple of brownies in the microwave, then turned to flick on the kettle and noticed pots simmering on the stove. Iris made the best brownies.  

"Sorry," he said. "I thought I'd be the only one up."

Amelia appeared from the pantry, smiling tiredly.

"Can't sleep either?" he asked.

She shook her head and gestured to the kitchen bench. "Come sit. I'm just finishing something."

“I can make my tea and head back to my room,” Ben said.

“Nah, come and join me,” she said, pulling out one of the breakfast stools.  After helping herself to some water from the fridge door, she sat down.

They sat together briefly, neither saying anything.  

“What are you making?” asked Ben, breaking the silence.

“Hand cream.”

“It smells amazing.”

“Thanks,” said Amelia. She smiled, the first genuine smile Ben had seen from her all day. "I've been selling some at the farmers' market in Bremer Bay. Nothing major, just pocket money really, but people seem to like them."  She returned to the pots on the stove and started stirring them.

"Selling them?" Ben raised his eyebrows. "That's brilliant, Amelia. Have you thought about expanding it?"

She shrugged. " I wanted to. I have notebooks full of ideas, including new scents and packaging designs, and I've even researched what it would take to start officially." Her face fell slightly. "Dad said university was a waste of money for girls. That I'd just get married and have babies anyway, so why bother with business studies?  He was happy to spend money on the stuff I needed to make the product, but he wasn’t happy with me selling any, even at the market.”  

Ben felt that familiar anger toward his father rising in his chest. "That's rubbish, Amelia. You know that, right?"

"I know. But when someone tells you something often enough..." She trailed off, focusing intently on her stirring.

"You could still do it, you know. Study business. Sell these." Ben gestured toward her pot of hand cream. "Finn would help with the legal stuff."

Amelia's face brightened. "You think he'd help?"

"Of course he would. Especially after..." Ben paused, realising he was about to bring up the marriage arrangement. "Well, especially considering everything he's doing for us."

For a while, the kitchen was quiet except for the sound of Amelia's spoon scraping the sides of the pot. Ben stared into his tea, Finn's words from earlier echoing in his head.

"Can I ask you something?" Amelia said quietly.

“Sure.”

"I saw your face when Nate said Finn would move in. Why is that such a big deal? He used to stay over all the time."

Ben raked a hand through his hair. "That was different. Back then, he was just Nate’s friend."

Amelia tilted her head. "So?"

He took a big breath.  “It’s a lot, okay?”

“I know, but …”

“Look, if I tell you something, do you promise to never tell anyone, not Finn and definitely not Nate?”

She nodded, “Of course.  I love you, brother. I’m just trying to understand.”

“I’ve never told anyone this before.”

“Then I'm honoured you trust me.”

He laughed nervously and began, fingers picking at his nails.  “When I was seventeen, he came over, but Nate was out with Josie.  Their relationship was still new, and they had gone to the Stirling Ranges, where they planned to have a picnic and do the Kanga Walk.  He told me that he would hang around until they got back, as he hadn’t let Nate know that he was coming anyway.  We had a great afternoon.  We went for a ride and sat down by the old Moreton Bay Fig Tree.  When we returned, he came into my room and we played video games.  We just talked and laughed, and I may have just snaffled a port, so we may have had a drink or two too.”

Amelia arched a brow.  “You may have?”

“Fine, I definitely did.” Ben grinned briefly.  “Finn was more used to drinking than me, but we both became a little tipsy.”

“Oh no.  This is going to be bad, isn’t it?” Ben nodded his head.  

“I started talking to him about how he had the most beautiful, deep blue eyes, like the ocean, that someone could drown in.  I even told him his eyes were cobalt blue.”  Ben put his hands over his face.  “I mean how geeky is that?”

Amelia shrugged and continued to stir her concoction on the stove.  “I don’t know, it’s not as if you told him the hex code for the colour.”

Ben laughed and shook his head.  “No, but it gets worse.  I then told him what kissable lips he has, and then I leaned forward and kissed him.  At first tentatively, but then when he put an arm around me, I reached out and pulled my hands through his hair.”  Ben closed his eyes; the mere thought of that kiss always brought him back to that night, the softness of Finn’s hair and the feel of his lips. It was as if electricity shot through Ben.  Before Ben knew it, he had acted on instinct, their lips moving together, Ben’s tongue moving across the seam between Finn’s lips.  Finn responded, sliding his arm around Ben’s waist and kissing him back. When Finn moaned, Ben pulled him closer.

“Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.”

“Nate,” said Amelia quietly.  She had stopped stirring and was sitting opposite Ben on a stool.  Ben nodded and put his hands over his cheeks.  

“Finn jumped back, causing me to step back.  Our hair was mussed, our skin flushed, and our lips swollen.  Nate opened the door and told Finn that he was home.  He had dropped Josie off on the way.  He looked between the two of us, and I still have no idea what he was thinking.  Finn told him he would join him in a sec.”

“Close call.  I’m glad that Nate didn’t just walk in.”

I shook my head.  “I’m so glad too.  It was bad enough as it was.”

Amelia reached over and put her hand over mine.  “What happened next?”

“Nate’s forehead creased, and he looked like he was going to say something, but then he closed the door and left.”

“Finn spoke quietly, presumably so that Nate wouldn’t hear, but there was a forcefulness to his voice.    ‘What the heck!’ he had exclaimed, ‘we’re both men.’  I looked down, thinking that I’d misread all the signals.  I thought he had liked it.  He told me in no uncertain terms that it could not happen again, as he didn’t like me that way.  He then left the room, while I slumped to the floor, wondering how I was ever going to recover.”

Amelia reached across and squeezed his hand. “So, that’s why you started trying to avoid him?”

“Was I that obvious?”  Ben rubbed his chest, wondering why it hurt so badly all these years later. 

“Yep.  Sorry, but it was very obvious.”

“It was only a couple of weeks later that I came out to you and Nate.”

“So, you fell in love with Finn when you were drunk.”

Ben shook his head.  “No, I had had a big crush on him for a couple of years, before I, well, before that incident.”

“Look, I can see why it was embarrassing back then, but I don’t see why it is such a problem now.”

“Because I made a fool of myself.  I was so utterly embarrassed that I couldn’t face him until now.”  Ben paused.  “Even now.”  

“But is it really that bad?  I mean, you made a pass and he kissed you back, right?”

“Right.”

“And he wrapped his arm around you?”

“Yes.”

“Then, when you were nearly caught by Nate, he lied and told you he wasn’t gay.”

“Right again.  I didn’t even know he was gay until today.”

“I still don’t get why you were so embarrassed.”

“He rejected me, and he is my brother’s best friend, which meant that I had to face that rejection every day.”

Amelia shook her head.  “Ben, I think that he may have rejected you with his words, but his actions say something else.  I think he was attracted to you and liked the kiss.  When he was nearly caught by Nate, he freaked out.”

About the Author 

Jude Rule is an author from Western Australia.  This is his debut novel.

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Boys' Love Series by Rebecca James

SERIES TOUR

Boys' Love Series by Rebecca James

SERIES DESCRIPTION

Falling for his costar wasn’t in the script.

This series is based on the boys’ love genre popular in Asian countries such as Thailand, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Phillipines, and Vietnam. My books are set in Thailand, where “fanservice” is very popular, and center around the premise of two male costars falling for each other while filming a boys’ love series.

Books one and two go together. Books three and four can each be read on their own.

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, New Adult

Overall Heat Rating for the series: 3 out of 5 flames

Cover Artist: Feddefar

The ebooks are available only through the author's website. 

Paperbacks available soon.

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Considering Rama's ex-girlfriends nicknamed him "iceman," fanservice with his male partner in a bl series might be a challenge.

Book Title: Boys’ Love

Length: 185 pages 

Release Date: January 1, 2022

Tense/POV: first person present tense/alternating POV with occasional other character pov

Tropes: Forbidden love, actors romance, slow burn

Themes: Coming out, bisexual awakening, past abuse from family member, love

Book 2 is the sequel to book 1. This book does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads  |   Buy Links

Blurb

Rama’s dream is to be an actor, so when he's offered an audition for an upcoming Boys’ Love drama, he jumps at the chance. Due to the popularity of bl dramas, a lead part in one is considered the quickest route to fame for young male actors. Rama isn't worried about playing opposite a man; he's more concerned about the outward affection that fanservice in the bl industry demands from its actors--his past girlfriends didn’t dub him "iceman" for nothing.

Recently outed in an industry that prefers their actors to be straight, Pravat feels lucky when he wins a lead role in a new series. The phenomenal chemistry between him and his co-star launches them to top fan popularity. By the time Pravat realizes he's falling for Rama, it's too late to turn back.

BOOK 2

Rama considered himself to be straight until he fell for his male costar in a Thai boys' love series.

Book Title: In Love

Length: 197 pages

Release Date: February 27, 2022

Tropes: friends to lovers, coworkers, actors, hurt/comfort

Themes: bisexual awakening, coming out, childhood trauma

This is a sequel to book 1. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

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Blurb 

It sounds like a TV romance, but for Rama Sathianthai, it's reality. The chemistry between the two young actors and their popularity as a couple has won them a second season of their series, which means they'll have to keep their budding relationship a secret. The bl industry frowns on gay actors, particularly those who want to date each other. But the couple is determined to make things work. Meanwhile, the upcoming wedding of his favorite cousin threatens to throw Rama into family drama due to his recent confession that his aunt molested him when he was an adolescent. With the cards stacked against them, Rama and Pravat worry that love might not be enough to keep them together.

BOOK 3

 It's difficult to remain professional when your new BL partner is your old crush.

Book Title: Baby Love

Length:  260 pages

Release Date: January 1, 2023

Tropes: Co-workers romance, actors romance, hurt/comfort

Themes: Coming out, childhood trauma, family loyalty, love

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads  |  Buy Links   

Blurb    

When Spin--or "Baby," as his friends nicknamed him due to his affectionate and clingy nature--joins a new Boys' Love production company, he never expects to be coupled with his old crush from university, Park Rardchawat. He knows from experience how easy it is to get too attached to your partner in this business, and, with his sister's tuition to pay for, he can't afford to get lost in his feelings. But with competitive fanservice blurring the lines, it isn't long before Spin finds himself falling hard for his handsome costar. Now, it's his heart as well as his job he has to worry about.

BOOK 4

Can two best friends play lovers for the camera?

Book Title: Friend Ship

Length: 285 pages

Release Date: August 1, 2025

Tropes: best friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, extravert/intravert

Themes: found family, parental rejection, responsibility, love

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads  |  Buy Links   

Blurb    

The only reason Mee Noi agrees to help Sud with his video exam for theater arts is because Sud insists Mee Noi is the only guy he can convincingly do a love scene with. Neither of them expect the project to turn into an offer to play a couple in a boys' love series, but that's exactly what happens. Since it's Sud's big chance to make his dream of being an actor a reality, Mee Noi is determined to make it work. But although acting is surprisingly fun, it's also stressful and exhausting, especially when you don't know what you're doing, and soon it begins to take both a physical and a psychological toll on Mee Noi as painful memories from the past begin to surface.                                                            

When Sud's video project wins him and Mee Noi an audition for a bl series, it's a dream come true. But he's pretty sure it's more of a nightmare for his introverted friend, who only got into this to help Sud out. Yet Mee Noi accepts the part when it's offered, and the gesture adds to the budding feelings Sud's starting to have for his best friend. When Mee Noi has a frightening panic attack at work, Sud tells himself that he must bury those feelings. Mee Noi hasn't had an easy life; the last thing Sud wants to do is put more pressure on him.                                                                                              

The worst irony would be for them to play friends-to-lovers in the series only to have their real friendship end because of it.

EXCERPT from Boys’ Love, book 1

“Tell me all about Pravat,” my sister demands, plopping down on the gold sofa and pulling a fringed throw pillow onto her lap.

“You probably already know more about him than I do.”

“Did he say anything about your audition?”

“Just that I did well.”

Chinda grins. “You really did. It surprised me. Did you talk about anything personal?”

“Thanks, and you’re being silly,” I scoff. “We talked about the job.”

“Come on, Rama, there must be something. Please tell me.” She pouts. My sister and I have always been close, and I admit I cave to her wiles most of the time.

“He told me he’s still in university and that he’s gay but doesn’t have a boyfriend right now. He said boyfriends tend to get jealous of what he does. This is just between us,” I belatedly warn her.

“It’s not a secret that he’s gay. That came out sometime last year when he was outed by his co-star.”

I frown. “He was outed? That’s awful.”

Chinda nods. “Yeah. Especially since it’s preferred that bl actors be straight. His co-star claimed Pravat came onto him, which makes Pravat sound like a troublemaker. I think the guy lied because he was jealous of Pravat’s popularity.”

My mind snags on the first thing she said. “Why do they prefer the actors to be straight? I would think gay actors would do better in a gay romance.”

Chinda shrugs. “Less drama, I guess. Easier if there’s no chance of feelings getting into the way. I think, too, that viewers like the idea of two men falling in love against their natural inclinations. What else did you and Pravat talk about?”

I’m digesting the information and take a moment to respond. “He mentioned Y-couples, and I told him you’d bring me up to speed on them.”

“I can definitely do that.” Jumping up from her seat, my sister runs for her room, returning seconds later with her iPad. “As I’ve already explained to you, the term Y-couple comes from Yaoi, a popular genre in Japan that pairs two men together.” She pulls up a video. “This is the most popular Y-couple right now. ChaoFinn.”

I frown, looking at the thumbnail of two guys smiling at the camera. “What kind of name is that?”

“It’s their ship name. Their two names together, Chao and Finn. You and Pravat have already been dubbed Pravma.”

I watch the video, taken at a fan meeting, of Chao and Finn holding hands, wrapping their arms around each other, and doing other romantic things that have their fans screaming and clapping for them. When Chao sits down and pulls Finn onto his lap, the cheers and applause get even louder.

“This is what you have to look forward to,” my sister says, smiling.

Alarmed, I look from the screen to her and back again. “Do you really think so?”

“Yes. Believe me, the two of you are hot together. I mean, from an outsider’s standpoint. You’re my brother and not hot to me.”

I chuckle. “Thanks for clearing that up. But can you really imagine me sitting on someone’s lap like this?” I ask. Imagining doing that with Pravat Benjawan has my face heating.

“If you allow yourself to relax, maybe. You have to play the game if you want the fame. That reminds me. You need a manager.”

I groan. “They’ve already started calling me. I have no idea who to pick.”

“Ask Pravat. I’m sure he can help you with that. You’re going to have to put yourself out there, Rama.”

Annoyed at being lectured by my younger sister, I harrumph and go back to watching the video.

About the Author 

Rebecca James grew up escaping into books because book people were more interesting than real-life people. This naturally led to creating her own book people and the worlds they live in. Somewhere during all this, Rebecca found herself captivated with the tender side of relationships between men, which eventually led her to write "slash" (M/M) fanfiction and later to brave the world of M/M romance publishing. If she could write full time, all the time, she would be happiest. Whether she's writing about tough bikers, hot shifters, aliens, or Thai actors falling in love on the job, Rebecca puts passion into all her characters.

Author Links

Website  |  Facebook  |  Facebook group: Rebecca’s Romantic Readers 

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