Audiobook Tour - The Midwest Series by Brigham Vaughn

AUDIOBOOK SERIES TOUR

The Midwest Series by Brigham Vaughn (Books 1 and 2)

Publisher: Two Peninsulas Press (self-published)

Cover Artist: Brigham Vaughn

Series Tagline 

It was more than a decision, it was serendipity. 

Series Blurb 

A former college hockey star’s decision to come out of the closet and reunite with his high school boyfriend does more than change the direction of their lives.

It sets into motion events that will lead to their respective best friends, a former hockey player and a psychology major, being stuck on a summer road trip together. 

They cross paths with another old friend, an injured pro baseball player who's been forced to move in with his physical therapist. Old hurts are healed and the six become close friends.

When a night out for the guys leads to their meeting an Olympic hopeful swimmer who is fascinated by a drag queen it’s clear that none of their lives will ever be the same.  

They are standalone stories featuring four different couples. Reading in order is helpful but not required.

Overall Heat Rating for the series: 4 flames   

BOOK 1

Book Title: Bully & Exit

Narrator: James Edward Jones

Length: 78 986 words/ 264 pages

Release Date: First edition – July 9, 2015 Second edition – June 30, 2020

Genres: Contemporary M/M Romance, Bisexual Romance, Sports Romance

Tropes: Jock/geek, opposites attract, second chance

Themes: Coming out, forgiveness

Goodreads

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 It's time to leave college and the closet behind.

Blurb 

Nathan Rhodes has put hockey first for most of his life, but as graduation looms, he has a different goal in mind. He needs to come out and reclaim his first love. If only Caleb will believe him...

Theater geek Caleb Stockwell gave up on love when his boyfriend chose the closet over being with an openly bisexual guy. Now, he hides his heartbreak behind a string of casual hookups. He loves the drama on stage, but he’s done with the drama of Nathan Rhodes. For good.

Nathan is determined to right the wrongs of four years ago, but the clock is ticking.

One month until he and Caleb go their separate ways. One month to take a final shot at winning Caleb's heart back.

Win or lose, everything is on the line.

BOOK 2

Book Title: Push & Pull

Narrator: James Edward Jones

Length: 91 467 words/ 316 pages

Release Date: October 24, 2018

Genres: Contemporary M/M Romance, Bisexual Romance, Sports Romance

Tropes: Opposites attract, enemies to lovers, road trip

Themes: Coming out, acceptance

Goodreads

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 It was just supposed to be a road trip.

Blurb 

Former hockey player Brent Cameron has a plan now that he's out of the closet. He'll take a summer road trip, find a job, and settle down with a fellow jock. Lowell Prescott is not part of that plan, but when Brent’s travel companion bails, he’s the only option.

Out and proud, Lowell has a love of sports, a flair of fashion, and a disdain for anything conventional. Burned by past relationships, he’s wary of jocks who want to change him—and that includes Brent Cameron.

Tempers flare and sparks fly as the miles disappear behind them. Just as it seems they might be on a journey to something more than Lake Superior, Brent receives a phone call that could change everything.

Will Brent stay with Lowell and ignore a friend in need, or go sit by the bedside of the man who broke Lowell's heart?

The stakes are high when you play for keeps.

BOOK 3

Book Title: Touch & Go

Author: Brigham Vaughn

Publisher: Two Peninsulas Press (self-published)

Cover Artist: Brigham Vaughn

Length: 101 817 words/ 410 pages

Release Date: September 27, 2019

Genres: Contemporary m/m romance, bisexual romance, sports romance

Tropes: Opposites attract, hurt comfort

Themes: Redemption, pride, coming out

Goodreads

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 It was supposed to be a secret fling.

Blurb 

Micah Warner spent his whole life dreaming of pitching in the big leagues. Signing with a minor-league team near Chicago puts him one step closer to making that a reality. But there are no out players in pro ball, so any involvement with a man must be discreet.

Physical therapist Justin Lamb loves his job with the Cougars. A romantic at heart, he wants to find lasting love—with a man or woman—but traveling with the team makes it difficult to maintain a long-term relationship.

Micah offers Justin a no-strings-attached way to blow off some steam, and Justin reluctantly agrees. It doesn’t take long before they’re both in over their heads but falling in love will risk everything.

With their careers and relationship hanging in the balance, they have one last play to make.

It’s time to take a swing for real and lasting love.

BOOK 4

Book Title: Advance & Retreat

Author: Brigham Vaughn

Publisher: Two Peninsulas Press (self-published)

Cover Artist: Brigham Vaughn

Length: 105 980 words/368 pages

Release Date: July 14, 2020

Genres: Contemporary m/m romance, sports romance, bisexual romance

Tropes: Opposites attract, age gap

Themes: Acceptance, coming out

Goodreads

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Olympic-size dreams come at a price.

 Blurb

Openly gay college swimmer Ian Harrington feels like he's fighting against a current of tragedy. He's grieving the loss of his parents and best friend, and now he's dealing with a toxic coach and judgmental brother. But he won't let that stop him from chasing his dream: Olympic gold. 

Ricky Chavez has just about everything he wants in life: a great career, a supportive family, and a side gig as drag queen Rosie Riveting. The only thing he's missing is a partner to share it all with. 

When the two men connect after Rosie’s performance, they're immediately drawn to one another. But it's never that simple. Ricky isn't the type of man to hide, and with Ian's coach breathing down his neck, he can't openly love a drag queen without making waves. 

They'll have to brave deep waters to make it to the finish line.

About the Author

Brigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time author. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn't let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can't wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.

Her books range from short stories to novellas to novels. They explore gay, bisexual, lesbian, and polyamorous romance in contemporary settings.

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The Yakuza Path: Blood Stained Tea by Amy Tasukada

BOOK BLAST

Book Title:  The Yakuza Path: Blood Stained Tea

Author: Amy Tasukada

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: November 28, 2016

Genre: Gay thriller (NOT ROMANCE)

Tropes: Forbidden love, bad boys, tragic hero

Themes: Mafia 

Heat Rating: 1 flame       

Length: 350 pages

It is the first book in the series and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - FREE to read on all platforms 

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Barnes and Noble  |  Books 2 Read

A bloody past haunts him. A devastating present lures him back...

Blurb 

Nao hides from his violent past in the Japanese mob by opening a teahouse in Japan's cultural center, Kyoto. His past comes flooding back when he discovers a gravely injured man with a tattooed chest, a bloody knife, and a Korean business card.

Saehyun would've died if not for Nao's help. He knows nothing of his savior's connection with the local mafia, but Saehyun has his own secrets. He commands the Korean mafia, the mortal enemy of Nao’s former syndicate.

As Nao and Saehyun grow closer, so does the strength of the Korean mob. A shocking murder pulls Nao back into a past he'd all but abandoned. War is looming, and Nao must choose between protecting Saehyun or avenging the honor of his old mafia family.

Blood Stained Tea is the first book in the The Yakuza Path series. If you like complex characters, blood-soaked violence, and twists you won't see coming, then you'll love Amy Tasukada’s gritty crime masterpiece.

The Yakuza Path Series

BOOK 1 - Blood Stained Tea

BOOK 2 - Better Than Suicide

BOOK 3 - One Thousand Cranes

BOOK 4 - The Deafening Silence

BOOK 5 - Flowers of Flesh and Blood

BOOK 6 - Releasing in November

Excerpt 

 It was no collection of branches, but a human body slumped against the tree roots.

“Are you all right?” Nao yelled over the cracking thunder.

No answer came.

Nao dropped his umbrella and crossed the footbridge in a single stride. The rain trickled down his back, plastering his hair to his neck. As he groped for a cherry-tree branch to steady himself on the embankment, his clog sank into the mud, which slathered between his toes. He pulled one foot up, but the shoe stuck, and he tipped forward. The cold river stung his face, and he spat out the water that had flooded his mouth.

Nao crawled to the body and came face-to-face with the unconscious young man. He had to be a few years younger than Nao. Lightning flashed, exposing the man’s bushy eyebrows and sloping nose. An eye was swollen shut, and blood dripped from his open mouth. Nao grabbed the arm of the man, who hissed in pain. Blood poured out from underneath his cut sleeve. Nao swallowed. He hadn’t seen such flowing blood since that night. The cut was sliced clean and couldn’t have been from the stranger’s fall in the canal.

Nao pulled at the sleeve and held it against the wound. 

“Can you get up?” 

Nao received no reply, but he waited, hoping the minute or two of pressure would close the cut. The warm fluid flowed out between Nao’s fingers.    

“Your arm’s in rough shape. I’ll take you to a hospital.” 

“No. No hospital,” the injured man said, and then he muttered something in Korean, but the Korean sounded like the cawing of crows to Nao.

“Someone there should be able to speak Korean. You need to get your arm looked at. Come on!” 

Nao reached for the man’s uninjured arm, but the stranger pushed him away with such force Nao fell back into the mud. He curled his fingers into a fist, and mud oozed out. No matter how much the stranger struggled, Nao wouldn’t leave him.

The rain drowned out the man’s continued mumbling. He was probably telling Nao why he couldn’t go to the hospital. Expired visa or lack of insurance, Nao didn’t need to know.

With an uneven step toward the stranger, Nao realized his right shoe had stayed in the muck. His bare foot slid through the sludge, and he grimaced. Lightning flashed, and the stranger’s mouth no longer moved. Nao’s eyes widened. He couldn’t let another person die in front of him.  

“Wake up.”

No reply or movement from the stranger. 

Nao clenched his teeth. He grabbed the injured arm, pressing his thumb into the cut. The man hissed in pain and then spat out more Korean. Nao backed away. He had deepened the injury, but the cruelty woke the guy up, so it was worth it.

“Let’s go.”

“No hospitals.” 

“We need to get out of the rain before we both get sick.”

Nao tugged the good arm over his shoulder. The man moaned as Nao hoisted him up. The stranger was considerably taller, built larger in all aspects, and he weighed down on Nao’s shoulder. Yet the drive to do something right for once carried him on.

About the Author 

International best-selling author Amy Tasukada writes thrilling times of crime, love, and gore. Readers who crave diverse characters, unique settings, and edge-of-your-seat action will devour her Yakuza Path series. Readers who seek less blood and more love will swoon over the Yakuza Path Romance and Would it Be Okay to Love You? Series. Amy is an atheist, queer author who enjoys drinking tea, Japanese street fashion and visual kei music.  Her calico cat, O’Hara, is never far from her side. Amy lives in North Texas, but is always planning her next trip to Japan.

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Feral Hearts: Book 1 by Melissa E Costa #kindleunlimited #giveaway

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Feral Hearts: Book 1

Author: Melissa E Costa

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Vanesa Gorkova

Release Date: August 19, 2021 

Genres: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy M/M Romance. 

Tropes: Friends to Lovers. Childhood friends. Gay for you. Omegaverse. Hurt/Comfort. Fated Mates. 

Themes: Soul Mates, classism

Heat Rating: 2 flames

Length:  68 683 words/176 pages

This is book one in the Feral Hearts series. 

The book does not a cliffhanger, per se, but the story’s conclusion won’t be reached until the end of book 3.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

To save the one he loves, he must face the beast within.

Blurb 

Alex isn’t a traditional alpha—he’s gentle, awkward, and caring. He also has no desire to assume leadership of the Black Moon Pack once his father steps down.

Talen is an omega stray, taken in by Alex’s parents and raised as his brother. He’s also straight, emotionally damaged, and the love of Alex’s life.

Now of age, Talen is forced into the role of an omega—those treated little better than slaves. Worse yet, the monster inside of Alex has awoken and set its sights on Talen. The beast will stop at nothing to get what it wants, even if it takes the whole world down to do it.

Alex must face his worst nightmares if he ever has a chance at protecting Talen. Is he strong enough to bring them together, or will he lose Talen along with the pack?

This three-book series tells a continuous story with a resolution at the end of book three.

Excerpt

Alex couldn’t believe they were going to flog Talen. Eben stood to the side of the pillar with his back to Alex. He had been able to get Alex out of doing the whipping.

Etched into the pillar were symbols from the old language. A loop made of rope was attached to a minor ledge higher up in the stone. Its purpose was for this very thing. The shaman placed a large wooden block at Talen’s feet and had him step up onto it. Even elevated, he still wasn’t tall enough to fit his wrists through the loop, so they told him to hang onto it instead.

Talen wasn’t wearing a shirt. His arms above his head stretched his torso and made visible the taunt muscles of his abdomen and chest. Tiny beads of sweat gathered on his collarbone before they rolled down his back. Whether caused by anticipation or the blistering heat, Alex didn’t know. Talen’s left arm was no longer hidden by his sleeve, making the slight bow in his wrist apparent for anyone who knew where to look. A nearly unnoticeable tremble shook his shoulders. He looked so small then, fragile, even though Talen was anything but.

One of the shamans began making a speech. Her loud voice carried on the wind. “To speak out against your betters is the greatest disrespect you can show to your pack.” She was lecturing Talen, but she also looked around as if talking to the crowd, making an example out of him. A wave of nausea washed over Alex as his anger rose. “When you disrespect your pack, you’re disrespecting yourself.”

“Stupid bitch,” Alex grumbled. “Get off your high horse.” Even though he hadn’t wanted to watch the whipping, his feet moved on their own until he was close enough to see Talen’s face clearly.

“Talen, for your disobedience, you will be punished by thirty slashes to your back to be carried out by the pack leader.”

Eben held a medium-sized bullwhip.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” the shaman continued. “To say to Roman, who you have disrespected by your behavior?”

For one moment, Talen looked like he would say something, and it wouldn’t be nice. That fire burned behind his dark-hazel eyes.

Alex remembered his father’s words at dinner. If Talen doesn’t go through with this, he might have to find himself another pack.

As cowardly as it seemed, Alex prayed that Talen would keep his mouth shut. Please, don’t say anything. Please, Talen. Please don’t say anything.

Talen closed his eyes, and the tension left his body.

“Only to apologize for my insolence.” His words carried on the mild breeze that made standing outside on this humid hot day bearable. But Alex couldn’t care less about the wind or how good it felt against his skin. Instead, his attention focused only on Talen. Even though Talen bowed his head, and his words sounded a bit hollow, there was a fire to them—Talen’s voice, his spark. His energy. His will to fight. Talen amazed him. His ability to stay himself, to not give into fear, regardless of the hell he had been through. Alex envied him. Talen might have been an omega, whereas he was an alpha, but there was no doubt that Talen was the stronger of the two of them.

His father got in position and raised the whip. With a loud crack, it singed between Talen’s shoulder blades, leaving an ugly red gash. Talen’s breath hitched. He clenched the rope, baring his teeth. Every taunt muscle on his body writhed with each slash that marred his back. He wasn’t crying out, though. Talen was a proud one.

Another crack.

Alex tightened his fists.

Each crack grew louder and louder. Alex’s claws dug into his fists until tiny droplets of blood trailed down his palms.

Ten slashes into the punishment, Talen’s visible ribs heaved with each breath. His lithe frame trembled. Then his wolf surged, forming a white aura. It didn’t stretch out into a shadow—mostly that was an alpha thing—rather, it surrounded him like a sphere as it had done before with Roman—a white wolf seemingly chasing its tail in an endless figure eight. Its hazy white color made Talen appear blurry. It wasn’t large enough to affect Eben, only a whip length away.

It reeked of agony, hurt, anger, but mostly pain—Talen’s.

Alex turned away. His stomach clenched in knots. Something dark grew inside of him. Blacker, thicker. As he looked back at Talen, all Alex felt was rage.

Talen let out a scream before he bit his lip and a trail of blood spilled down his chin. Finally, he lost the battle, and he started crying out with each lash.

Alex’s fangs elongated. He wanted to kill them. All of them. His dad included. How fucking dare they lay one hand on Talen? On his Talen.

About the Author  

Melissa writes character-driven fiction, and any genre is fair game. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, anime, manga, and gaming. Living by the motto of trying all things twice, Melissa has jumped out of a perfectly good plane, swum with manatees, dived headfirst into Alice’s rabbit hole, and seduced classy ladies in 6-inch heels. A free-spirited bohemian, she currently lives in artsy St. Petersburg, Florida, with her soulmate and their two adorably needy cats.

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The Red Zone by Beth Bolden #kindleunlimited #giveaway

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title:  The Red Zone

Author: Beth Bolden

Publisher: Beth Bolden Books

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood Designs

Release Date: August 11, 2021

Genre: Contemporary gay romance

Tropes:  Friends to lovers, sports

Heat Rating: 4 flames 

Length:  97 000 words

It is a standalone story.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

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Spencer’s deep in the Red Zone and it’s time to even the score.

Blurb

Nine years ago Spencer Evans became the first player out of the closet to be drafted into the NFL. Everyone believed he had aspirations to change the world but all Spencer ever wanted to do was play football for a team that accepted him wholeheartedly. But they never would, and Spencer began to conceal all the parts that made him different.

When a terrible injury forces him to re-evaluate his life and his choices, he realizes there’s only one man who can help him.

The very first gay sports agent, Alec Mitchell has given his life and his career to making queer athletes’ dreams come true. He can’t help but think of Spencer as the one who got away—professionally and personally.

Alec thought he’d buried his desperate longing for Spencer ages ago but it turns out it was just lying dormant, waiting for the right spark. When he begs Alec to take him on as a client, everything they’ve been burying for years surfaces once again.

With Alec’s help, Spencer can change everything about his life he’s come to hate. An extraordinary future—and an undeniably extraordinary man—are waiting for him. The play has been called. All he has to do is catch the ball and score.

Excerpt 

“You should try my wine,” Alec said, gesturing towards the bottle. “You said you don’t drink wine, not that you don’t like wine. And this is an easy drinking red, real fruit forward, not too many tannins on the back end.”

“Is this how you want to do this?” Spencer asked suspiciously. “Make me try things I don’t think I’m gonna like?”

“How will you know, if you don’t try?” Alec hesitated, and slid his jacket off, hanging it over the back of one of the barstools. “Come over here. I’m not going to bite.”

Spencer shot him a look, full of heat, and Alec remembered why it was probably better not to take his jacket off and why it was definitely better not to make jokes that could be taken in any kind of sexual context.

Well, he’d done it and he wasn’t going to take it back. If they couldn’t figure out how to make this work, then Spencer wouldn’t get what he needed—and Alec wanted that more than anything else.

“Fine,” Spencer said with a sigh. He skirted around the edge of the kitchen island, approaching hesitantly as Alec tilted the half-full glass in his direction.

“Isn’t there supposed to be a special way I do this?” Spencer asked as he took the glass.

Alec raised his eyebrow. “A special way? You take a sip. Swallow it. Decide if you like it or not. Though, really, you should try it twice. The first sip will clear your palate from that god-awful beer you’ve been drinking.”

“That’s what I mean,” Spencer said. “I don’t want to do it wrong.”

“Not drinking it, that’s doing it wrong,” Alec said, even though he knew what Spencer was referring to. But all of the swirling and the legs and the aroma, all the self-important recital that true wine connoisseurs participated in was only going to confuse Spencer. Alec just wanted him to fucking try it.

“Alright, fine,” Spencer said, grumbling, and lifted the glass to his lips.

Spencer made a face, and Alec said, “Nope, not yet. Don’t tell me you don’t like it yet. You’ve got to clear your palate.”

“How do I do that?”

Alec put his hand on Spencer’s arm, stopping him from handing the glass back. “Take another drink,” he instructed. “In a minute.”

When he pulled his hand back, he could still feel the heat and solid strength from Spencer’s forearm. He was going to have to get used to all this touching and personal connection, and hopefully when he did, it wouldn’t affect him this strongly.

“Alright,” Spencer agreed. “It wasn’t . . . well, it wasn’t what I thought it’d be.”

“You didn’t hate it,” Alec guessed, leaning against the edge of the countertop.

“I thought I would,” Spencer confessed. “Wine’s just so fancy and complicated, and I’m not . . . I’ve never been either of those two things. And beer is fine.”

“Beer is fine, sure. You might not dislike it. But what if you liked something else better?”

“I don’t know,” Spencer agreed. He hesitated, and Alec watched him closely, even though it almost hurt to look at him like this. So unsure and vulnerable and wanting so hard to do the right thing, the best thing. “It’s why I asked you to do this.”

About the Author 

A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.

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Series Tour and New Release - Why Can’t Sophomore Summer Be Like Pizza? by Andy V. Roamer

THE PIZZA CHRONICLES SERIES TOUR 

and BOOK 4 NEW RELEASE

SERIES BLURB 

The books in the Pizza Chronicles series follow the main character, RV, through his high school years, as he tries to answer his many questions about life, God, prayer, sexuality, being the son of immigrants, and staying loyal to his heritage while carving out his own life and relationships. 

The stories should be read in order.

Book #1: Why Can’t Life Be Like Pizza?

Book #2: Why Can’t Freshman Summer Be Like Pizza?

Book #3: Why Can’t Relationships Be Like Pizza?

Book #4: Why Can’t Sophomore Summer Be Like Pizza?

Overall Heat Rating for the series: 1 flame

NEW RELEASE

BOOK 4

Book Title:  Why Can’t Sophomore Summer Be Like Pizza?

Author: Andy V. Roamer

Publisher:  Nine Star Press

Length: 52 000 words

Release Date:  August 23, 2021

Genre: Young Adult LGBT 

Tropes:  Summer vacation between freshman & sophomore years of high school

Themes:  Teenage steps toward maturity: ups & downs of romance, driving lessons, coming out to family

It is a standalone story, with the same characters from books 1-3.

The books have frequent references to previous titles in the series, so better if they are read in order.

Goodreads 

Buy Links

NineStar Author Page

Amazon US Author Page   |   Amazon UK Author Page 

RV’s summer after sophomore year of high school isn’t all fun and games as he navigates a budding new relationship, struggles with driving lessons, copes with the ups and downs of his summer job in a movie theatre, and tries to be patient with his traditional family that doesn’t want to deal with his sexuality. 

Blurb

It’s the summer after sophomore year and RV enjoys new adventures and faces new challenges having finished two years of high school.  Since he loves movies, he’s happy to get a job as an usher at a movie multiplex, but learns the realities of dealing with job stresses and unruly customers. It’s time for him to start learning how to drive, and his father is eager to give him lessons.  But he’s not the most patient of teachers and RV is not the most capable of drivers. Bobby is still around, but he’s doing the hard job of recovering from his injury so doesn’t have time for much else. RV tries to open himself up to a new relationship and is happy when he meets Matteo, who works at the multiplex also.  It looks like the start of a budding romance – until it isn’t.  And then there is RV’s family, loving but traditional, not ready or willing to discuss issues of sexuality. Luckily, as always, there is Mr. Aniso, RV’s freshmen-year teacher, who has become a friend and is always there to talk over anything that might be bothering RV. But he’s away for the summer, helping his partner’s family, so there’s only so much time and attention he can give RV. 

CHECK OUT THE FIRST THREE BOOKS IN 

THE PIZZA CHRONICLES SERIES

BOOK 1

Book Title: Why Can’t Life Be Like Pizza?

Author: Andy V. Roamer 

Publisher:  Nine Star Press 

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Length:  55 100 words/ 208 pages

Release Date: March 30, 2020 

Genre: YA Contemporary 

Trope:  Son of immigrants 

Themes: Coming Out 

It is a standalone story. 

Add on Goodreads

Buy Links

NineStar Press  |  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

In Why Can’t Life Be Like Pizza? RV begins freshman year at demanding Boston Latin School, doing his best to keep up and fit in while wrestling with his immigrant heritage and his sexuality.  

Blurb 

Wrestling with his sexuality, along with a lot of other things, RV thinks all is okay when he starts going out with Carole.  But things get more complicated when RV develops a crush on Bobby, a football player in his class, who admits he may have gay feelings, too.  Bobby is African American and facing his own pressures.  Luckily, RV develops a friendship with Mr. Aniso, his Latin teacher, who is gay and always there to talk to when the pressure becomes overwhelming.  

BOOK 2

Book Title:  Why Can’t Freshman Summer Be Like Pizza? 

Author: Andy V. Roamer 

Publisher:  Nine Star Press 

Cover Artist:  Natasha Snow 

Length: 50 200 words/196 pages

Release Date:  June 1, 2020

Genre:  Young Adult Contemporary

Trope:  Summer Vacation 

Themes: Obstacles to exploring sexuality and enjoying summer 

This story is a continuation of Book #1 with the same characters 

Goodreads

Buy Links

Nine Star Press  |   Amazon US  |   Amazon UK 

Tagline In Why Can’t Freshman Summer Be Like Pizza? RV and Bobby have survived freshman year and are looking forward to spending a wonderful summer together. But life has other plans.  

Blurb  

RV and Bobby’s summer is not what they wish for.  They hardly have time to spend with each other.  Bobby is busy at football camp and working at a job his father has pressured him into taking. RV is busy with a summer job, too, and also has to help his parents pass their U.S. citizenship test. His friend Carole jumps at the chance to spend her summer in Paris. As always, Mr. Aniso, RV’s Latin teacher is there to talk to when RV gets too lonely. He’s also there when RV inadvertently spills one of Bobby’s secrets, and Bobby is so angry at him RV is afraid he’s ready to cut off the friendship. 

BOOK 3

Book Title:  Why Can’t Relationships Be Like Pizza? 

Author:  Andy V. Roamer 

Publisher:  Nine Star Press 

Length: 58 000 words/ 272 pages

Release Date:  March 15, 2021

Genre:  Young Adult Contemporary 

Trope:  Forming relationships 

Themes:  Maintaining relationships through difficulties/helping friend through tragedy 

This is a continuation of Book #2 of The Pizza Chronicles

Goodreads

Buy Links  

Nine Star Press  |   Amazon US  |    Amazon UK

In Why Can’t Relationships Be Like Pizza?, Book #3, RV begins sophomore year in high school, though his relationships create more questions than answers.

Blurb 

RV is trying to maintain his newfound friendship with Bobby, but it’s becoming harder and harder. Bobby seems a different, more distant, person. RV’s friend Carole is distracted with the ups and downs in her relationships with the French boyfriends she met during her summer in Paris. RV’s new friend Mark is focused on his family’s troubles.  School is a mixed bag.  But Mr. Aniso, RV’s former teacher and mentor, is there to lean on, especially when near tragedy strikes and RV needs Mr. Aniso’s counsel to stay strong and provide help where it’s needed most.   

About the Author 

Andy V. Roamer grew up in the Boston area and moved to New York City after college. He worked in book publishing for many years, starting out in the children’s and YA books division and then wearing many other hats. This is his first novel about RV, the teenage son of immigrants from Lithuania in Eastern Europe, as RV tries to negotiate his demanding high school, his budding sexuality, and new relationships. He has written an adult novel, Confessions of a Gay Curmudgeon, under the pen name Andy V. Ambrose. To relax, Andy loves to ride his bike, read, watch foreign and independent movies, and travel.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook   |   Instagram:  andy_v_roamer 

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