22/05/2021

New Release - Xavier’s School of Discipline by S. Legend #KindleUnlimited #giveaway

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Book Title:  Xavier’s School of Discipline

Author: S. Legend

Publisher:  Mockingbird Publications

Cover Artist:  Nadia Polyakova and Chiara Monaco

Inner Book Artist: Artsy Ape

Release Date: April 21, 2021

Genre: Erotic M/M Romance

Trope: Soulmates 

Themes: Belonging.  Found Family.  Spanking.  Domestic Discipline. 

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 83 539 words/306 print pages

This is book one in the series but can be read as a standalone.

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Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

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“… there’s something tantalizing about trouble and me in it with him.”

Blurb

Follow Your Heart's Discipline Calling

Finnegan Brighton is twenty-seven, has never moved out of Dad’s house, can’t keep a job and has to rely on his brother for continued food and shelter. In a bold move, he ships himself off to one of those new, fangle-dangle, discipline schools hoping to turn his life around. But it’s not just a whim, he’s finally answering a calling inside of him, one he’s ignored until now. The school turns out to be more than he bargained for, giving him a family of men just like him, who want to teach him that he can love himself enough to have everything he’s ever wanted. He just has to do the one thing he’s never been able to do: Surrender. 

Enter Xavier. 

Xavier is the school’s unyielding headmaster and founder. Oh, and he happens to be interested in the one Finnegan Brighton. Surely with the forces of the strict headmaster and Finnegan’s affectionate, if overzealous domestic discipline family, he can overcome himself, his own worst enemy, and surrender to who he is inside, right? Or will his crushing self-doubt chain him to old patterns forever?

Either way, much spanking ensues! A polyamorous love story with brats and Tops.

Excerpt 

From Chapter 6

Dammit. I know what to do. I need to do it. As much as Tops are drawn to soothe us … oh fine ‘brats’, us brats are drawn to soothe Tops. I’ve watched Grayson do it a ton, Chris, Bellamy and Johnny too. Even Bray when he’s in the mood. I swallow. “Oh, sir? One more thing. We can still have people over, right?” It’s not against House rules for each of us to have one friend from another House over. If it’s more than that, it turns into a party, which would require permission, but as the rules stand, that means one for me and one for Grayson.

His eyes narrow. “Who?”’

I shrug. “Haven’t decided yet, but there is this hot Top, Nikolage, from one of my harder classes. Maybe he can uh, help me with my homework?” I waggle my eyebrows, suggesting that yes, fucking Nikolage is what I mean. 

His chair slides out, he stands, hands flat on the desk and my heart’s beating so damn fast. I have to take a stealthy breath. Maybe I should abandon the whole thing—I’m poking at a fucking lion and I know it—but I also know in my bones it’s the right thing to do. 

“No.” 

“Why?” I dare to cross my arms at him—a, God … a brat’s red flag, okay?

“Come here, my little Finnegan.” He flashes shark teeth at me. He is predator, I am prey. 

I want to buckle, I want to tell him I’m just kidding, but I’m in too deep now. I commit. “So you can spank me? Forget it. It’s not against the rules. I was kind enough to even run it by you. I’ll be leaving now.” 

I went too far didn’t I? Yep. Too far. 

Xavier clears his desk in a smooth, panther-like leap. I’m quick to respond, gripping either side of the leather chair I was just sitting in, catapulting myself over it. But I was a hockey player, not a gymnast and though my response is quick, my catapulting skills aren’t graceful. I catch the chair and hit my knee, landing like a rock on the other side. “Fuck!” I roll on the ground behind it, licking my wounds. 

How is it I can take one helluva spanking, but this paralyzes me?

Xavier’s there fast, reminding me of Superman, with the way his jacket flares. He crouches beside me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you hurt?”

I laugh. “I’m fine. I wasn’t scared.” 

“You were a bit, but ... well I thought you wanted me to chase you.” I’ve never seen the man blush, he does now. He can’t even look at me. 

I wait until he braves my eyes again. “Xavier, I did want you to chase me.” 

He stares frozen, my words sinking in, as my heart thumps loud drumbeats into my ears. While I wait for him to come to, I rub my sore knee. It is fine, but there’s gonna be a nice bruise I’ll have to explain to Ani later. I smile thinking of the arnica he’ll insist he has to apply to it. Xavier notices my rubbing. 

“Your knee.” 

“No, Xavier—” 

But it’s too late. He scoops me up and it’s fucking embarrassing how easy it is for him to lift me. It’s not like I’m small. He’s got me bridal style and he swings me around, placing me in the chair and bending down to inspect the knee. I wore loose jeans, he’s able to roll them up to have a look. “Doesn’t look to be swelling, but you’ll ice it anyway when you’re home. Understood?”

He’s holding my knee in both of his elegant hands, which are hot against my skin. I have to look down at him. “I will, sir.” 

I’m kicking myself now. This was a disaster. One point to me on not being a brat, a real brat would have pulled this off, I end up injuring myself. 

“Now that it’s established your knee will be fine, we will address, Nikolage.” His nose wrinkles, his form takes up all the space in the room once again. 

Shit. Already forgot about Nikolage. “There’s no Nikolage. I just said that to—” 

“—I know Nikolage.” 

“I meant there’s no Nikolage for me, sir. I only said that to, never mind. May I go?”

He’s staring at me for a new reason now, a smile spreads slowly, reaching his eyes. He yanks me up. We’re close, my lips aren’t far from his. “I want to spank you so badly right now.” 

That was the goal. “You uh, you can, sir.” My voice is above a whisper. 

“I know. I can spank you whenever I want. But that would not be a good idea. It’s day eight, Finnegan.” 

“I am well aware of the day, Headmaster Harkness,” I say, boldness returning. Two can play the game of cheek, but only one of us will win, we both know it’s going to be him. 

“All right, that’s quite enough cheek from you, brat.” 

I light up everywhere. Maybe him calling me brat isn’t so bad?

“I don’t date people, Mr. Brighton. I own them. Do you want to be owned?”

About the Author 

Some of you know her as Mock, others as S. Legend, or Miss S.  She welcomes all names but will often go by Mock, a name given to her by her readers.

Mock is an ambitious creative, weaving the most precious aspects of her soul into stories.  She is an architect, building fascinating worlds, designed from inquiry, rooted in worldly wonderings.  It’s an intuitive process where she is the scribe, the translator, the conduit. 

It helped that storytelling was the language spoken at home.  One simply didn’t say, “We have an ant infestation. ” In Mock’s family it was, “I was on my way to the living room, when a peculiar ant crossed my path.  I looked to my right, a suspicious line of them marched toward the pantry.  In that moment I knew; my kitchen was under siege.”  The natural flow of conversation always took this form.  

And so. 

When Mock wrote her first novel, she didn’t plan it chapter by chapter, there was no outline, no “plotting” to speak of.  But she didn’t “pants” it either, she didn’t make it up as she went along.  She knew how the story felt, where it curved in places and hollowed in others; she knew the destination it rushed toward.  Instead of orchestrating, she let the world inspire her, and held space for the words to come, trusting the characters knew what they were doing.  All she had to do was tell a story, as she always had done; like breathing.  

This is her peace, her healing and solace: Gifts better shared.

Mock’s works are the comfort you seek when you need to come home.  Her unique writing style will take you, wayfaring reader, to unexpected destinations. 

She always says, “I’m not in the business of making up stories, I couldn’t if I tried.  I’m lucky enough to get picked to share someone else’s story when I ask a question to the universe.  Someone answers; I write it down.” 

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20/05/2021

New Release - Kraken My Heart (Sucker For Love Mysteries Book 2) by K.L. Hiers #giveaway

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Book Title: Kraken My Heart (Sucker For Love Mysteries Book 2)

Author: K.L. Hiers

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Tiferet Design

Release Date: May 18, 2021

Genre: Paranormal Gay Romance

Trope/s: Closed Circle Mystery, Guilty Until Proven Innocent, Hemipenes Loving, Finding Love After Heartbreak 

Theme: Love Conquers All

Heat Rating:  5 flames  

Length: 60 000 words/ 191 pages

It is a standalone story, but the author recommends reading the first one.

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It’s just Ted’s luck that he meets the love of his life while covered in the blood of a murder victim.

Blurb

It’s just Ted’s luck that he meets the love of his life while covered in the blood of a murder victim.

Funeral worker Ted Sturm has a foul mouth, a big heart, and a knack for communicating with the dead. Unfortunately, the dead don’t make very good friends, and Ted’s only living pal, his roommate, just rescued a strange cat who’s determined to make his life even more miserable. This cat is more than he seems, and soon Ted finds himself in an alternate dimension… and on top of a dead body.

When Ted is accused of murder, his only ally in a strange world full of powerful magical beings calling for his head is King Grell, a sarcastic, randy, catlike immortal with impressive abilities… and anatomy. The two soon find themselves at the center of a cosmic conspiracy and surrounded by dangerous enemies. But with Ted’s special skills and Grell’s magic, they have a chance to get to the bottom of the mystery and save Ted. There’s just one problem: Ted’s got to resist Grell’s aggressive advances… and he isn’t sure he wants to.

Excerpt 

Carefully, like Ted was navigating through a minefield, he tried to sneak back to his room. Despite his diligent and precise pace, his foot collided with a very large ball of fur just as he walked around the edge of the couch.

Mr. Twigs yowled in protest and promptly bit Ted’s ankle.

“You stupid cat!” Ted growled in pain, his leg jerking and sending the cat stumbling into the wall. His heart dropped in instant regret, and he hurried to turn on a lamp. “Shit! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to, little dude! Are you okay?”

Mr. Twigs was glaring at Ted over his sunglasses and growled loudly. A portal suddenly opened up in the living room floor with flashing bright lights and whipping winds.

Ted froze, staring stupidly at the giant black void in the apartment floor. Being able to create a portal was a very rare skill, and he’d never seen one in person before. “What the…?”

As if the swirling hole wasn’t crazy enough, Mr. Twigs transformed into a very tall, very skinny, and very naked young man. He flashed a smile full of pointed teeth, hissing, “Oh, that’s the last time you kick me, asshole.”

“I didn’t kick you!” Ted argued indignantly. “It was a fucking accidennnnnttt!” he screamed as Mr. Twigs pushed him and sent him toppling headfirst into the portal.

It was like… going down a water slide filled with pudding.

Ted didn’t feel air around him, not exactly, but it was something thick and suffocating. The light all around him was so bright that he couldn’t see, and he thought he had to be dying.

His stomach dropped as if he was falling, but he couldn’t see anything to track his descent. He grunted when he smacked into something solid and wet, the wind knocked right out of his lungs. He wheezed, trying to draw in oxygen and staring up at a high vaulted ceiling.

Ted watched the portal close above him, and he weakly lifted his head to see where he was. He was lying in a puddle of something sticky, and the room was reminiscent of an old castle throne room.

Big ceilings, lots of stained glass, fancy throne….

He was also completely surrounded by monsters.

Giant scaled things with tentacles, humanoids with spiraling horns jutting out of their foreheads, twisted feline creatures with sharp teeth, and fishlike worms were all around him.

Ted scrambled to stand up, but he slipped in the sticky mess beneath him. He could feel the goo all over his back and hands, sliding around as he struggled to get out of it. He bumped into something cold and whirled around to find a dead body.

It was one of the feline creatures, its eyes lifeless and milky, soaking in a puddle of….

Oh God.

It was blood.

“Pardon me, coming through!” a deep voice growled, echoing throughout the massive chamber. “Stand aside! This is official royal business, so move your ass!”

Ted was nauseated, staring up at a human figure pushing his way through the crowd of monsters.

He was short but broad, thick in stature, and sporting a nasty smile full of pointed teeth. Otherwise, he looked quite normal. His hair was jet black, cut close to his scalp, with a well-groomed beard streaked with silver, and his eyes were a spectacular shade of gold, looking over Ted like he was a tasty piece of meat.

He wore a three-piece suit, but it was a much flashier ensemble than Ted would have worn for his job at the funeral home. The jacket and pants were black, but the tie was an obnoxiously bright purple, and he could see a glittering watch chain hanging from the man’s matching purple brocade vest.

“Well, aren’t you just a pretty little thing?” the man greeted. “What’s your name, darling?”

“I’m, I’m…,” Ted stammered, looking around frantically as the monsters backed away. Whoever this man was, he was definitely in charge. There was something about the way he was looking at Ted that made him blush and his heart beat a little faster.

“I’m Ted…. My name is Ted,” he managed to choke out. He wondered if he was dead or if this was some sort of nightmare. His mind was having trouble processing that any of this was real. “Where am I? What is this?”

“Welcome to Xenon, darling,” the man replied. “I’m Thiazi Grell. I was voted most likely to get detained for illegal activities by my primary class, very avid Tetris player, and reigning Miss Pretty Petunia Pageant champion for the last two hundred years. Oh, and King of Xenon. Obviously.”

“Huh?” Ted squeaked.

“Would you like something to drink?” Grell offered. “Something strong. Help you calm down, put some more hair on that luscious chest, come to terms with the murder charges….”

“With the what?”

About the Author 

K.L. “Kat” Hiers is an embalmer, restorative artist, and queer writer. Licensed in both funeral directing and funeral service, she’s been working in the death industry for nearly a decade. Her first love was always telling stories, and she has been writing for over twenty years, penning her very first book at just eight years old. Publishers generally do not accept manuscripts in Hello Kitty notebooks, however, but she never gave up.

Following the success of her first novel, Cold Hard Cash, she now enjoys writing professionally, focusing on spinning tales of sultry passion, exotic worlds, and emotional journeys. She loves attending horror movie conventions and indulging in cosplay of her favorite characters. She lives in Zebulon, NC, with her husband and their children, some of whom have paws and a few that only pretend to because they think it’s cute.

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19/05/2021

New Release - Reclaiming Pride by Jessie G #giveaway

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Book Title: Reclaiming Pride

Author: Jessie G

Publisher: Jessie G Books Inc

Cover Artist: Andrew Reyna

Photographer: CJC Photography

Cover Models: Luiz Oliveira & Yenner Sanchez

Release Date: May 18, 2021

Genre:  MM Paranormal Romance

Tropes: shifters, hurt/comfort

Themes: prophecy, betrayal, trust

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length:  66 000 words/220 pages

It is book 2 in the Kindred Story Trilogy

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Grigori & Matisse must accept their destiny and learn to trust each other before they can face the enemy they know...and the one they never saw coming

Blurb

The first time Grigori Federov, Zenith of the Wall, dreamed of his Kindred, he feared Crowley’s good fortune was making him wish for things he couldn’t have. As much as he doesn’t want to get his hopes up, the man in his dreams is in trouble, and every time they connect, the threat is worse. Accepting that his fated mate is real is the first step to finding him but saving him is only the beginning of their problems.

A lifetime of running and losing everyone he loves has taught Matisse that no one can be trusted, and he doesn’t believe he’ll ever be safe. When Grigori tries to convince him otherwise, his wish for it to be true isn’t enough for him to let down his guard. But while he doesn’t believe in fairy tales, he may not have a choice when the only one who can stop the hunters is the Zenith who wants to love him. 

Discovering who they are together reveals a connection between the Kindreds that could be a clue to fulfilling the prophecy. Unfortunately, it also exposes a deception that forces the Zeniths to question their sacred purpose. 

Now they have to decide: are they destined to save the world or destroy it?

Excerpt 

Everyone knew the least trustworthy person was the one who begged to be trusted. Grigori didn’t look like the type to beg, but Matisse figured a guy who showed up with an army at the exact moment it was needed would feel secure in the image he was presenting. With all those muscles and a generous helping of facial fur accentuating his scowl, the army was actually overkill. 

You’re safe now, said the big burly bear to the itty-bitty lynx.

It was laughable. More than that, it was the most wildly outlandish claim he’d ever heard. Safe? Come on! A kit still wobbling on four paws would know better. 

So, why didn’t he?

“Are you cold?” Grigori frowned and stepped closer. “You shivered.”

“I did?” He hadn’t realized, but Matisse didn’t think it had anything to do with the temperature. “No, I’m pissed that I didn’t realize how close the hunters were. I can’t afford to get caught off guard like that.”

Then again, he couldn’t afford to follow a voice in his head and yet here he was in a place he’d never been with men he’d never met half-believing that he was safe because the big, smoldering badass said so.

“You were focused on my army charging toward you. I think you can cut yourself some slack.”

“Except that mistake could have gotten me killed, so no slack and no excuses.” And no more getting distracted by his hot savior. 

By all appearances, Grigori knew he was in trouble even though they had never met before and had rushed to help him. In Matisse’s experience, strangers didn’t do that for one another unless they had an ulterior motive. He just needed to figure out if Grigori was in league with the hunters or if he was working another angle. 

“Do you know why they’re after me?”

“Not yet.” Grigori offered him a reassuring smile that seemed…awkward. Unused. Kind of endearing, not that Matisse was fooled. Much. “Mehdi will keep at least one alive so we can get you that answer.”

“Only one?” Matisse didn’t want to sound ungrateful. Friend or foe, perfectly timed or total coincidence, Grigori and his men were the reason he was still alive. 

Grigori gave him a funny look and reminded, “They were trying to kill you.”

“I know.” Who knew better than him? “I just…” Matisse trailed off with a shrug. All he wanted was to have a normal, threat-free life like everyone else. It was a simple request, and one he didn’t think required a blood sacrifice.

About the Author 

Jessie G is a bestselling MM Romance author with a penchant for hurt/comfort stories featuring chosen families and second chances. She likes her men rough around the edges and willing to wallow into the darkness to save the one they love. From ex-cons to bad boy bikers, military heroes to fated mates, she hopes you find your next great read among her books.

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17/05/2021

New Release - My First by Sky McCoy #giveaway

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Book Title: My First

Author: Sky McCoy

Publisher: Sky McCoy

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood

Release Date: May 17, 2021

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, Humor 

Trope: Fake Boyfriend, Age Gap, Friends to Lovers

Theme: Forgiveness 

Heat Rating:  5 flames

Length:  185 words/ pages 165

It is Book 1 of the Surrender Series

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A young man searching for his future, an older man living his life single. 

Can they both find the love they desire?  

Blurb 

Caden:

“Grayle Meadows was like no other man I’d ever met. He was tall, handsome, sophisticated, and sexy as hell. Eyes so blue you thought you were swimming in a seductive ocean, and you could lose yourself and never come up for air, and he was the first man I ever loved. I could have spent my life adoring and loving him, but for one thing, he said, ‘You’re too young.’ Twenty five wasn’t that young. I was just hitting my stride.”  

A young man searching for his future, an older man living his life single. Can they both find the love they desire?  

Submission series is an age gap (25/35) M/M Romance with HFN. The first book contains fake boyfriends and friends to lovers.    

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Caden

I’ve seen men, great-looking men. Some average, some tall, beautiful, handsome men, but I never thought much of it. However, when I laid eyes on Grayle Meadows for the first time, I knew I’d missed a lot in my life. 

The day I first caught sight of that man, I knew he was out of my league, but hey, foolishness and dreams are for young men, and I was going to dream until something, or someone woke me. However, it wasn’t happening today, because today my eyes were feasting on Grayle Meadows—hair perfect, eyes blue, face magnificent, suit perfect, wide muscular shoulders, thin waist, and he was stunning. 

All man, and I saw him first.    

I’d like to think I was the first to see Grayle. However, it was delusion on my part. I was sure there were many who laid eyes on this beautiful, handsome-looking man before I’d entered the picture called life. 

He appeared to be ten years my senior, therefore, to say others had seen him first had to be inadequate, and superfluous. In other words, unnecessary to say the least, because there was the likelihood that his mother and father saw him long before I did. Maybe a brother or sister or two could claim that trophy if they were giving them out for who spotted the handsome, sensuous, blue-eyed Grayle Meadows first. 

I’d throw in my medal for him being the sexiest, and most compelling man alive. I was sure he could have any woman, or man, if that was his choice, but I wanted him to pick me, and why not? I was young, gay, and available. Willing to go the distance if it called for that. He exuded sex in the way no other man could. He didn’t just walk, his steps measured, he sailed across the floor with no wind at his back, and when he spoke it was with a low raspy baritone voice.

I’d gladly hand over a medal, but no one could claim that they saw him the way I’d pictured him in my mind, then in my dreams, and how he’d invaded my senses when he first strolled into the shop where I’d worked every summer since my parents allowed me to have a summer job. 

I smelled his manly scent among all the customers standing at the counter waiting to be served. When I spotted him with his beautiful, strong face, deep intense eyes, I knew he was the man for me, and he’d be my first and only love.

 I dropped what I was doing and rushed over, elbowed one of my fellow workers, and my best friend Lane, took the scoop from his hand, and I stood waiting for my first and only to open those full lips, and tell me what he wanted—a blowjob from me, or a piece of my firm, hard, young ass.

Name it. I’m here to please, I thought, wearing a wide smile.   

I looked over at Lane. “Who is he? I saw him first.”

“His name is Grayle Meadows.” 

 I pushed Lane aside and stared at him, daring him to say a word, or take a step in Grayle’s direction, because he was mine, and I had dibs on him. 

Grayle leaned over, trying to decide on which vanilla flavor to order, and I couldn’t help but take in his scent on this hot false-spring day. Not even the heavenly smell of chocolate, strawberry ice cream, and lime sherbet could dull my senses, because his shaving lotion had overtaken me along with the flash of his big blue eyes, and his dark-auburn curly hair. It was a bad hair day for me, but not Grayle Meadows. I doubted he’d ever had a bad hair day or anything else, because there wasn’t enough heat and wind in the world to disturb and disrupt that full mane of beautiful shiny hair. 

I watched his large hands move to his hair, and his long fingers raked through it as he bent once more to look at all the flavors, and when he raised his head, his eyes locked with mine. He smiled and moved on. My heart lurched and my cock twitched. He was my first. Never had I had that feeling about anyone before where my dick involuntarily set off a firestorm that had gotten out of control. 

About the Author 

Hi, I'm Sky McCoy.

I write steamy M/M romance books, and I love to read hot M/M romance. Maybe steamy is too mild a term for my books. Maybe I should say that my gay romance books are hot, hot, hot. I enjoy writing about strong, flawed men who don't mind saying they're sorry when they hurt the ones they love.

I read and write across genres and what gives me pleasure, and there is nothing more pleasurable or satisfying to me than to write a happy ever after hot M/M romance with a kink or two.

My favorite books to read are anything M/M, vampires, werewolves, mystery, and steamy romance. I have been busy with reading and writing to bring you the best M/M romance books. Enjoy!

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15/05/2021

New Release - This is Not a Horror Movie by Sara Dobie Bauer #KindleUnlimited

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Book Title: This is Not a Horror Movie

Author: Sara Dobie Bauer

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow Designs

Release Date: May 13, 2021

Genres: m/m new adult, gay paranormal romance, LGBTQ, romantic comedy

Trope: Friends to lovers

Themes: non-explicit, humorous, teens, Florida, summer vacation, hauntings, evil spirits

Heat Rating:  2 flames

Warnings: Scenes of graphic violence, death of minor characters, mentions of bullying, alcohol use

Length:  78 000 words

It is a standalone story.

Add on Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

 


Blurb

Emory Jones loves two things: horror movies and Connor Nichols. 

For the past four years, Emory, Connor, and their families have vacationed side by side on Longboat Key, Florida. Eighteen-year-old Emory has pined for his neighbor from behind the covers of Stephen King books, but college boy Connor has never noticed him. Probably because Emory looks like Jack Skellington with good hair.

Emory anticipates another predictable summer of sunburn and disappointment. Instead, he ends up with a mystery on his hands when a beloved beach bum goes missing, and Connor volunteers to help with the search. Turns out it’s not just scary movie cops who are worthless, so the boys start an investigation of their own—leading them straight to an abandoned beach resort.

Despite the danger, Emory and Connor grow closer, but as Emory’s gay dreams start coming true, so do the horror movie tropes he so loves. Even though he knows that sex equals death in slasher flicks, Emory can’t keep his hands off the guy of his teenage dreams.

 Excerpt 

I’m about to follow a mysterious rat into the darkness when a hand lands on my shoulder. I suck a panicked gasp in through my lips as Connor says, “Sorry! Sorry.”

I put my hands on my knees and relearn breathing.

He stands there, backlit like some kind of hot angel, and shrugs. “Maybe you should be thanking me.”

“What?”

“You like to be scared,” he says.

He’s right. Haunted house in the neighborhood? I’m first. Spooky cemetery? Coming through. Maybe that’s part of the reason I always let Liz drag me to parties at the Outpost. It feels like being in a scary movie. I’m waiting for Leatherface to show up and murder the morally reprehensible youth. Of course, if horror movie rules are true, I’m totally dead. I lost my virginity at sixteen and more often than not spend “happy hour” sharing malt liquor with Longboat’s famous homeless dude, Leland.

“What are you doing over here?” Connor asks.

“Befriending local wildlife.” I glance over my shoulder into the dark. I shove hair out of my face—a nervous tic I’ve acquired since growing it out. Because I needed another nervous tic. “What are you doing over here?”

“Talking to you.” He grins, but I can feel a disconnect. 

Connor and I have always had a mutually agreed upon rhythm. He’s the big, gorgeous straight dude who puts up with me, the skinny, little gay kid. 

Well. 

No one knows I’m gay down here. Florida is for family, not fu— Anyway.

In summers past, Connor wrestled me and tickled me, and I pretended not to like it. We talked about some things, mostly scary movies, but kept an emotional distance. He accepts me being a drama queen, and I never let him know I would climb Everest for his kiss. 

Staring at me with a dumb look on his face is not our rhythm.

I finally lose my shit. “Jesus, am I bleeding from my eyes?”

He coughs out a laugh. “What?”

“You’re looking at me funny.”

He looks away. “Oh.”

I cross my arms. I have, in fact, filled out a lot since last summer—and the lifeguarding helps—but I’m still self-conscious about my small frame and will probably never forget the jocks calling me “Tinker Bell” from seventh to tenth grade. I press my lips together and side-eye the kids dancing to some club beat on Liz’s phone. “Everyone’s looking at me funny, actually.”

Connor clears his throat and plucks at the front of his tight, white T-shirt. He looks like he wants to dive headfirst into the empty pool at his back.

“You don’t have to talk to me, you know.”

His blue eyes flit back my way. Even in the dark, I know they’re blue. He says, “But I like talking to you.”

I hug myself tighter and lift a shoulder. “Seen any good horror movies lately?”

His smile is back. “Tons. I saw this French one called Raw.”

I bounce up on my toes. “Cannibals! Oh my God, that movie was so good! The writing.” I tear at my hair in euphoric bliss.

He nods. “And the scene with the roommate.”

“And the ending!” I poke him in the chest. “Dude, I tried to get Liz to watch it. She’s all vegetarian now because she dated this hippie dude senior year. She said she gave up meat for her health, but I think it’s because he said he tasted death in her mouth.”

Connor does the silent open-mouth laugh thing that happens when my storytelling reaches peak levels of absurd. 

“She made it thirty minutes into the movie before she had to leave the room and vomit. Meanwhile, I was sitting there eating, like, spaghetti.”

He puts his hand on my shoulder as he keeps laughing. I smell his deodorant: sporty man stuff. “I can’t believe I almost didn’t come this year.”

That steals the air from my lungs. Sure, I should be avoiding the guy, looking forward to the future, but all of a sudden, I can’t imagine a summer without Connor Nichols making me blush.

About the Author 

Sara Dobie Bauer is a bestselling romance author and mental health / LGBTQ advocate with a creative writing degree from Ohio University. She lives with her hottie husband and precious pup in Northeast Ohio, although she’d really like to live in a Tim Burton film.

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