Lily G. Blunt : May 2020

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Best friends. Roommates. And now, maybe…more?

Blurb

Thom Novak feels like a walking cliché: the gay guy desperately in love with his straight best friend, Lee. But he’s willing to keep his feelings hidden, to do whatever it takes, as long as they stay friends forever.

Lee Conway loves sharing an apartment with Thom, his best friend since birth, and would be happy doing it for the rest of his life…no matter his current girlfriend’s opinion on the matter. But he’s never been known for being in contact with his emotions.

When something happens to upset the status quo, Lee pulls away. Has Lee learned how Thom feels about him? Will it mean the end of their friendship? Or is there another reason Lee needs time to think? A more…hopeful reason?

Excerpt

The next morning, I’m one hundred and ten percent certain something’s wrong. It’s 6:17 AM and I’m waiting for Lee in the kitchen, leaning against the sink, trying to make my glass of water last so I have an excuse for hanging around, doing nothing but staring in the direction of his bedroom.

Every morning, we go out running together at 6 AM on the dot. Without fail, come rain or shine, weekend or workday. The only exception is if either of us is sick or if it’s a world-ending kind of storm outside. And Lee is a stickler for being on time: between him and me, I’m the one who’s always late and leave him waiting impatiently for me to get ready.

And now it’s almost twenty past six and he hasn’t showed his face yet?

Outside, it’s a lovely May morning. The birds are chirping, waking up the neighborhood, and the first rays of sun promise to finally heat up our corner of the world. So no world-ending storm in sight, and yet he’s nowhere to be seen.

Is he dying?

Any other day, I would march into his room, pull off his down comforter, and yell in my best—albeit not very good—imitation of a drill sergeant—Get up, get up, get up!—but today I’m strangely reluctant.

On one hand, I want an explanation for his weird mood from yesterday—and his tardiness!—but on the other hand I still want to give him time if he needs it. And part of me isn’t entirely sure I’m not over-reacting.

But I can’t help thinking that it has to be something about me. What if he found out how I really feel about him and can’t deal with it? Not that I can recall doing something to show my hand, but I can’t be sure.

Maybe it’s something Debora said? Did she figure me out and tell him? She’s never shown any homophobic tendencies, so I don’t think that would be the reason. But maybe she’s jealous? She wouldn’t be the first of Lee’s girlfriends to be jealous of our close friendship, and I can’t really blame her if that’s the case.

But that can’t be it either. Every time someone has complained about our friendship in the past, Lee’s shut them down immediately. He wouldn’t accept it from her. And to be perfectly honest, Debora has always been friendly and nice whenever we’ve met and not shown any indication of being jealous.

And I’m back to thinking he must have figured out how I feel about him, even though it seems highly unlikely. I mean, I haven’t told him specifically—or written my feelings down on a sign—but whatever it is, I hope it won’t come between us.

I can live without having Lee Conway as my life partner, but I can’t live without his friendship. Losing it would kill me.

In the end, I decide to give him time, and live with his ire if it turns out he overslept—yeah, right!—and I neglected to wake him. I shove my feet into my shoes and head out on my own.

Running alone is weird. Lee is the whole reason I’m a runner at all; when he decided he wanted to become a professional football player when he was ten, he told me he needed to start taking his “fitness routine” seriously and he was going to start running every morning. When I made a disgusted face over the thought of getting out of bed in the buttcrack of dawn to go out and run of all things—wake me up and take me to the library and I would have been game, but running?—he zeroed in on me and started lecturing me on how even science geeks needed to stay healthy. He went on and on—and quoted me honest-to-god, real, actual facts!—until I broke down and agreed to come along. I’ve never been one to resist science. Or Lee. And the combination was deadly even when I was ten.

About the Author

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies room), loves music (and singing along at the top of her voice but she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (Make it so). She loves words, bullet journals, poetry, wine, coffee-flavored kisses, and fika (a Swedish cultural thing involving coffee and pastry!)

Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.

Nell is a bisexual Swedish woman married to the love of her life, a proud mama of a grown daughter, and is approaching 50 faster than she’d like. She lives in the south of Sweden where she spends her days thinking up stories about people falling in love. After dreaming about being a writer for most of her life, she finally was in a place where she could pursue her dream and released her first book in 2017.

Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angsty, short over long, and quirky characters over alpha males.

Author Links

Blog/Website | Facebook Author Page | Facebook Profile

Twitter: @nellirisauthor | Instagram: @nell_iris | Goodreads

QueeRomance Ink | BookBub

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28/05/2020

Cover Reveal - Kings of the Mountain by Morgan Brice #giveaway

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: Kings of the Mountain

Author: Morgan Brice

Cover Artist: Natania Barrron

Release Date: May 21, 2020

Genre/s: Urban Fantasy, MM paranormal romance

Trope/s: Hurt/comfort, mutual pining, friends-to-lovers,

childhood best friends, second chance

Themes: coming of age, forgiveness for self and others,

crush maturing into love, letting go of guilt, family

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 63 000 words/238 pages

It’s the first in a new series

Buy Links

Read a copy of my Badlands short story Restless Nights here for free

Fast cars. Outlaw country boys.

A love that can’t be denied.

Snarky werewolves, vengeful ghosts and menacing monsters.

Blurb

Fast cars. Outlaw country boys. Snarky werewolves, vengeful ghosts, and menacing monsters.

Dawson King’s family has been hunting things that go bump in the night in Transylvania County, North Carolina, since before the Revolutionary War.

Dawson was never happier than when he was racing his souped-up Mustang along winding mountain roads and hunting monsters with his best friend, Grady. Then Grady fell in love with him, which should have been perfect since Dawson had already fallen hard for Grady.

But Grady was only seventeen, and Dawson feared that sooner or later, Grady would realize his feelings were just a first crush, and then he’d be gone, leaving Dawson devastated. They both needed space to figure things out. So Dawson joined the army, while Grady stayed on the mountain.

Four years later, Dawson is coming home. He’s more sure than ever Grady is his forever love, and they’ve both agreed to begin this new aspect of their relationship as soon as Dawson gets back.

Then Grady’s father is killed in a werewolf hunt gone wrong. Grady is devastated, and he’s throwing mixed signals about moving forward. Dawson knows he needs to hold off on this new thing between them until Grady has time to grieve. But monsters never sleep, and one hunt after another throws Dawson and Grady into constant danger, while tension and unresolved feelings ripple between them.

Making it even harder, Dawson’s got a secret. He’s dreamed of death omens—which point to something stalking Grady. Can Dawson figure out who’s trying to kill Grady, save his life, and win back his heart?

Plenty of mutual pining, hurt/comfort, spooky chills, sexy thrills, and a very happy ending. The Kings of the Mountain is the first novel in the series. It is a MM romance intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

About the Author

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.

On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.

Series include Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail, Kings of the Mountain and Fox Hollow. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!

Author Links

Facebook Group | Pinterest (for Morgan and Gail) | Twitter: @MorganBriceBook

Follow me on BookBub | Instagram

Giveaway

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21/05/2020

New Release - Sicarii (Parts 1-3) by Adrienne Wilder #KindleUnlimited #giveaway

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Sicarii (3 book series)

Author: Adrienne Wilder

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Adrienne Wilder

Release Date: April 28, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romantic suspense

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length three books total: 160 454 words/627 pages

Is it a standalone story across three parts.

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Marcel isn’t going to save them.

He’s going to change them.

Because life is a gift.

Sicarii Part 1

BLURB

Ben Corbin lost his parents then his uncle and clues to the man responsible take him to the small town of Spencer. While Ben is determined to get justice for the murder of his family, he finds himself drawn to Jacob Moser, an ex-prostitute with ties to the killer.

Jacob Moser owes his life to Marcel Serghi. A man forged into a killer under the most brutal conditions. A man who saved him when no one else would.

Ben and Jacob, two men from completely different worlds, who have no idea how much they need each other until a killer brings them together.

Sicarii Part 2

BLURB

Ben Corbin has been swept up in a vicious game of revenge. A pawn to be sacrificed in a life or death game of chess.

In order to survive, Ben must make a deal with the devil, Marcel Serghi.

A mistake from Jacob’s past is brought into the game. And it could cost Jacob more than his pride.

It could cost him Ben.

Ben and Jacob, two men from completely different worlds, who have no idea how much they need each other until a killer brings them together.

Sicarii Part 3

BLURB

Marcel Serghi lives by the rules of his House Sicarii where he was honed into the perfect killer; merciless, emotionless, incapable of remorse.

Jacob Moser has always had undying loyalty to Marcel for saving his life.

Until Ben.

Now Jacob must make a choice, to love or live. Because breaking a vow with Marcel means returning what he gifted Jacob.

A chance to live.

Ben and Jacob, two men from completely different worlds, who have no idea how much they need each other until a killer brings them together.

Excerpt

Chapter I

The killer watched.

Light bled from Sam Water’s window, backlighting his silhouette. The pencil danced in his hand. Whatever drove him from his bed must have been important. He was up early, even for a school day.

Marcel leaned against the porch railing and coaxed a cigarette from the package in his hand. The momentary flame from the lighter outlined the web of scar tissue across his palm and three and a half fingers. The car bomb had also spared his thumb. A good thing. Learning how to write with his left hand would have been a bitch.

Not that an old dog couldn’t be taught a new trick. He was no old dog, but the teachings ingrained in him had been done so under conditions leaving no room for change.

The cherry of his cigarette flared in the darkness.

Night in this suburban neighborhood was nothing like where he’d grown up. Tucked in the mountains, there were only the stars, the moon, and the occasional candle. There the darkness wasn’t just a state of being. It was a living thing. All-consuming and unforgiving, conspiring with the wilderness to kill those too weak to survive.

Here the darkness was just a veil; once lifted, life returned, shattering any chance of reaching such perfection.

The storm door to the house opened, and the wooden slats on the porch creaked.

Mild green tea and aloe mixed with the honeysuckle blooming along the split rail fence nestled between the houses. The heat left over from the shower clung to Jacob’s skin.

“I wish you wouldn’t smoke.” In the darkness, there was only the sound of his breathing, the rustle of his clothes, the weight of his body pressing against the space around Marcel. A space that shrank to nothing with another small step.

Jacob’s caress traced the line of Marcel’s jaw. Layers of scars disrupted the gentle movement.

“Did you find your money?” Marcel exhaled a stream of bitter smoke.

“You gave me too much again.”

“It is a tip. For…you know. Good service.”

Jacob teased his fingers down the back of Marcel’s neck. There was more in his touch than physical contact. There was longing, yearning, endless want. But Marcel would never be able to give the man what he yearned for.

“You don’t need to tip me. You already give me so much.”

“I make you live in a motel.”

“Only because it’s close.”

“I could buy you a house.” The tip of the cigarette flared. Jacob was right, he shouldn’t smoke. Damn things never tasted like anything but shit.

“I don’t want a house.”

“You should. You are young. Young people should want a house. A family. A car. You have nothing.”

Jacob rested his cheek on Marcel’s shoulder. “I have you.”

“Nothing.” Marcel snuffed out the cigarette between his finger and thumb, then slid the butt into his shirt pocket. “You should go. Get some sleep.”

“I napped.”

Marcel cupped Jacob’s chin. He didn’t need the light to know how Jacob pleaded with his eyes.

Marcel saw it every time they were together. “No. I have told you many times.”

“Maybe I keep hoping.”

“It is a waste.”

“I don’t see it like that.”

“I could let you go. I could give you enough to go wherever you wanted. Back to school, maybe. What was it you wanted to do again?”

“I don’t want to go to school.”

“You should.”

“I’m happy.”

“You need more than an old man’s cock in your ass. You could go back and get your degree.”

“It takes years to be a doctor, and that dream sailed a long time ago.”

He was young enough to catch up to it. Or simply change direction altogether. All Jacob needed was motivation. A reason to want more. Someway for him to see there was more.

Marcel leaned down, and Jacob tipped his face up, leaving his mouth an inch, maybe less, but definitely not more, away from Marcel’s.

“You need to save those for someone you love.” Marcel traced the bow of Jacob’s lips with his thumb.

“Maybe I have.”

“No, Jacob. I fuck you. That is all.”

“And I’m okay with that. I—”

Marcel stopped him with a press of his finger. The tremor running down Jacob’s body was nothing more than a flutter of his pulse.

Jacob swallowed. “Please don’t send me away.”

One day Marcel would. But not today. Or tomorrow. Jacob wasn’t ready. “Friday. Ten o’clock.”

Marcel went back to tracing Jacob’s lips. He deserved to be kissed, to be loved. But that part of Marcel had been stripped away those nights on a mountain ledge when he was a boy.

“Go home.” He patted Jacob’s cheek. “Rest. You will need it.”

The whisper of tennis shoes against wooden slats faded into steps of rubber soles on concrete. Then those too were gone, leaving Marcel to the darkness.

In the window of the house next door, the boy finished writing whatever had pulled him out of bed. He folded the piece of paper in careful movements. Then he disappeared from view, and the patch of light coming from his lamp winked out.

And the killer watched.

About the Author

I am a writer of contemporary and speculative fiction and artist of all things monster. I live to create new worlds and the people in them. Several of my books have been best sellers both nationally and internationally.

I do my best to write original stories with powerful characters and emotion as well as a fast-paced plot. My goal isn't just to deliver a good story but to take the reader into the story and let them experience the characters as if they are right there with them.

While almost all my books have a romantic element, I will be the first to admit, they are not traditional romance. In fact, I'd like to think there is nothing traditional about them. And the stories I paint are done so way outside the lines of traditional genres.

One of my favorite things to do as a writer is push the boundaries of what makes a story and to deliver the unexpected and maybe even change the perspective of the reader.

My characters are more often than not, beautifully flawed, not always the good guy, and make mistakes. Their stories will take dark turns which, in the end, make the light at the end of the tunnel all the brighter.

If you're looking for something different, exciting, and unique, my books are for you.

Check out my website for updates and how to contact me. I love hearing from fans.

Author Links

Blog/Website | Facebook group | Twitter

Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up | Patreon | Deviant Art

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a $10 Amazon gift card or one of two sets of the Sicarii ebooks (parts 1-3)

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20/05/2020

Audiobook - Forgotten (Heaven and Hell Club Book 2) by Colette Davison

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR

Book Title: Forgotten (Heaven and Hell Club Book 2)

Author: Colette Davison

Publisher: Independently published

Narrator: Piers Rymans

Release Date: May 5, 2020

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: hurt/comfort, small age-gap, disabled MC, one-night stand to lovers

Themes: Being true to yourself, trusting in others

Heat Rating: 3-4 flames.

Length: 7 hours and 42 minutes

It’s the second part of the Heaven and Hell Club series.

It can be read as a standalone, but it’s better if read after Broken.

Universal buy link for Audible | Universal buy link for Amazon

Buy Links

Blurb

Can Jared build a future when he’s forgotten his past?

Jared is determined to make the most of his second chance at life.

A passionate one-night-stand with a cocky pole dancer leaves him wanting more, but will the truth of his past work against him?

Can Kyrone help Jared to come to terms with his injuries, solve some of the mysteries of his past and deal with what it really means to forget ones past?

Forgotten is the second book in the Heaven and Hell Club series. It’s a hurt/comfort romance, with two men who need to learn to be true to themselves. It can be read as a standalone, but works better if read after Broken.

.

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

Mailing List | Newsletter Sign-Up

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

New Release - Suckerpunch (Hockey Gods & Monsters, Book 1) by Elyse Springer #giveaway

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Suckerpunch (Hockey Gods & Monsters, Book 1)

Author: Elyse Springer

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Elyse Springer

Release Date: 5/15/2020 (re-release; first published 10/1/2019)

Genre/s: M/M romance, PNR/Paranormal, sports romance (hockey)

Trope/s: Enemies to Lovers, secrets, soul mates

Themes: Opposites attract, love triumphs over fear

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 85 000 words

It is a standalone story.

Buy Links

Nook | iTunes | Smashwords | Kobo

A rookie goalie with a secret and a handsome yet hot-headed defenseman clash in the locker room and on the ice—but their shared desire to make the playoffs might help them move from enemies to lovers.

Blurb

When the goalie for the Seattle Cascades hockey team is injured while drunk driving and Alex Fanning is recruited to take his place, Alex thinks his dream has come true. But to hold on to his hopes, he must keep his vampire heritage secret as the sport moves to ban Paranormals. The sexy but infuriating defenseman Sasha Petrov won’t make that easy. The injured goalie was his best friend, and he resents Alex’s presence—maybe even enough to use his bloodline against him.

Tensions mount, but the realization that there’s more to their feelings than animosity hits both men like a punch to the gut. Alex and Sasha’s newfound friendship promises passion, but a shocking betrayal could cost them all the ground they’ve gained.

Excerpt

The end result was that Sasha was running far behind in his usual game-day routines. He didn’t think of himself as especially superstitious—not like Engel, who had an almost religious devotion to his playlist on game days, or Carts, who had been eating the same lunch before games for almost a decade. But he did have the timing of things down precisely, and watching the clock tick later and later was stressing him out.

When Sasha did finally burst through the locker room door, he was already half an hour behind schedule. Still, he couldn’t help but pause as he walked inside, head turning automatically to stare at Ed’s stall.

Where there was a kid sitting on the ground and stretching.

And it was a kid. The guy looked like a goddamn teenager, eighteen or nineteen at best. This is our new backup? A literal child? He was bent over his own legs and hadn’t looked up when the locker room door opened, which gave Sasha a moment to study him unobserved.

Okay, the kid was honestly kind of cute. Floppy brown hair, pale skin, and lean muscle that flexed beneath his thin base layers. Under different circumstances he’d be exactly the kind of guy who would catch Sasha’s eye in a club—not that he’d do anything about it, but he’d enjoy watching and fantasizing. The new goalie had an expression of absolute focus on his face as he went through his stretches, showing off flexibility that made Sasha’s mouth go dry.

But circumstances were what they were, so it didn’t matter how nice the kid looked. He wasn’t Ed, which meant he didn’t deserve to be sitting in that stall, with his name on top like he belonged there. Just the sight of him made Sasha want to yell and kick something.

“Sasha, hey!” That was Shawn, calling him over to joke about how late he was running.

His defense partner was enough of a distraction to pull Sasha’s attention away from the child across the room.

“Long night last night. You heard?”

Shawn made a face. “Yeah. Is it as bad as social media is saying?”

Sasha resisted the urge to rub his temples where a headache was threatening to form. “Worse,” he said shortly.

“Shit. Three to six months, huh?”

Sasha hadn’t heard any confirmation, but with the injuries he’d seen, it wasn’t a surprise at all.

But Shawn was the kind of guy who didn’t linger on the negative. He balanced Sasha out that way—usually cheerful and energetic when Sasha was more dour and solemn. “But hey, man, at least there’s some good news. You remember I told you about my best friend from Juniors? Alex Fanning? He’s our new goalie!”

Before Sasha could respond, Shawn was already yelling across the room.

Sasha stiffened. That was Carts’s best friend? The child who had been brought in to replace Ed? Impossible.

Up close, the guy didn’t look quite as young as Sasha had initially thought. His face was young, cheeks still a little soft, but his eyes were intelligent and bright, and showed far more maturity than the rest of his appearance.

And, somehow, he was even more attractive up close. Handsome wasn’t the right word, or even cute. Fanning’s brown eyes were fierce and bright, and his skin was flawless, like he’d look more fitting on a runway than in a locker room. Прекрасен, Sasha thought, then immediately banished the word from his thoughts with a sour taste in his mouth.

Beautiful or not, he didn’t want anything to do with this temporary replacement, and he’d make sure this kid knew it.

About the Author

Elyse is an author and world-traveler, whose unique life experiences have helped to shape the stories that she wants to tell. She writes romances with LGBTQIA+ characters and relationships, and believes that every person deserves a Happily Ever After. When she’s not staring futilely at her computer screen, Elyse spends her time adding stamps to her passport, catching up on her terrifying TBR list, and learning to be a better adult.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway

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one of FIVE e-book copies of Suckerpunch in the format of your choice.

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15/05/2020

New Release - Unpredictable Fate (D’Vaire, Book 17) by Jessamyn Kingley #KindleUnlimited

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Unpredictable Fate (D’Vaire, Book 17)

Author: Jessamyn Kingley

Cover Artist: LJ Anderson, Mayhem Cover Creations

Release Date: May 14, 2020

Genre/s: M/M Urban Fantasy Romance

Trope/s: Fated mates

Themes: Second chances, fate, love

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Everyone deserves a second chance in life and love.

Blurb

Chieftain Kalthekor Valzadari is an elf with many regrets. Once a man concerned only with what would bring glory to his tribe at the expense of people he should’ve protected, everything changes when his son is born. Trapped in a loveless matebond, Kalthekor wants to leave his old life behind, but he is bound for eternity. Still, he can’t help but wish for freedom and a relationship as rich in joy as those around him.

Although Aristos Centaurus is brother to the leader of the Centaurs, he is unable to forgive or forget that he once spent centuries committing inexcusable acts of war. With so much blood on his hands, he cannot ignore that he should have been sentenced to death. Aris might help the centaurs now, but he keeps his distance, knowing better than to befriend any of his brethren. He doesn’t deserve happiness or love, but he yearns for it nonetheless.

A misunderstanding sends Aris from the isolation of his brother’s house to Council Headquarters, where he finds himself staring into Kalthekor’s blue eyes. After an instant connection, both are ready to have a partner, and believe they can find what they need in each other. As the pair build a life and a home together, Kalthekor and Aristos realize that although they have created a wonderful foundation based on friendship and love, if they are to move forward as a family, they must find a way to face and reconcile their pasts. Only fate knows if it will tear them apart or if a blissful future awaits them.

Excerpt

With nimble fingers, Aristos logged into CouncilParlay and searched the list of assigned bills for the number that matched what he deemed as a stupid one. He was perplexed when he couldn’t find it, so he looked at the drop-down box and found that it was only showing the uncompleted ones. Perhaps I set it to “In progress,” Aristos thought, though he had no memory of doing so. He decided to make it show everything, so he could find it in the correct numerical order.

“There it is,” he muttered aloud. But his glory was short-lived as next to it were the words “Notes available.” Aristos’s brows drew together as he wondered how that was fucking possible when he hadn’t uploaded them, so he clicked on it. At the top of it, where it should have listed his name and his shifter community, he found that he’d been usurped by an elf. Since he had the entire advisory panel’s contact information, Aristos quickly opened the file and found the number he was searching for.

“Chieftain Valzadari’s office, this is Walker speaking, how can I help you?”

“What do you mean, ‘Walker’? That’s not an elven name,” Aristos said without thought. Perhaps so much time without communicating beyond the men in a house who merely tolerate me isn’t doing wonders for my manners.
“You are correct, sir. I am not an elf. May I ask who this is, and how I can assist you today?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t get out much. I need to speak with Chieftain Valzadari. My name is Aristos Centaurus; I work for the archon. This is regarding the advisory panel. If he can’t take my call, I can leave a message.”

“Mr. Centaurus, if you don’t mind holding, I’ll see if the chieftain is available.”

Aristos assured him that he could certainly stand by, and he drummed his fingers on his desk as he pondered his wasted afternoon. He barely had time to ruminate when a cultured voice answered, and the easily detectable lilt of a man who’d likely spoken Elvish for centuries or more before learning English came through.

“This is Chieftain Valzadari, thank you for calling, Mr. Centaurus. How can I help you today?”

“Yeah, hi, Chieftain, I’m hoping you can help me by explaining why I’m on CouncilParlay and trying to upload this bill only to find that you’ve done my job for me.”

“I don’t understand, I only took care of the bills assigned to me by Their Majesties last Friday.”

“Well, obviously you didn’t, Chieftain, or I wouldn’t be on the phone with you right now. I don’t appreciate busting my ass all afternoon to read something and take the kind of intelligent, insightful notes our Council leaders require, only to find that I’ve been usurped. You need to stick with what numbers you get, and if you want to switch or something, you need to use this fancy software and communicate that. My time is valuable, and I don’t appreciate wasting it.”

“I understand the value of time, Mr. Centaurus. My own is limited, and I certainly did not take it upon myself to add to my workload by doing something assigned to the archon. I can offer you no explanation as to why you believe you were delegated something that clearly I was given on Friday, but I would suggest that you double-check with the archon or perhaps consult your own notes for a numerical or clerical error,” Chieftain Valzadari responded, and though his tone wasn’t angry like Aristos’s, it was clear to him that the elf was not pleased.

“I certainly didn’t make a mistake, Chieftain. We could go back and forth over this, but we both have shit to do. Just make sure you don’t do my work next time,” Aristos retorted.

“Mr. Centaurus, I have already explained that I did not. Since you refuse to consider that the error might not be my own, I see no point in continuing this conversation.”

“Me either, Chieftain. I know how to do my damn job,” Aristos snapped and didn’t bother saying any kind of good-bye before he ended the conversation. “Damn elves are always fucking things up for me.”

About the Author

Jessamyn Kingley lives in Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute favorite.

Jessamyn is married and working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.

Visit her website

Join her Facebook group, Jessamyn's Ruffian's

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook Group

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts here

14/05/2020

New Release - A Share In A Secret by Jude Tresswell

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: A Share in a Secret

Author: Jude Tresswell

Publisher: Self-published on Amazon KDP

Release Date: April 18, 2020

Genre/s: LGBTQ crime and mystery

Trope/s: Sexual/asexual relationship; gay polyamorous relationship

Themes: Compromise, trust, honesty

Heat Rating: 2 flames

Length: 63 000 words/ 227 pages

It can be read as a standalone, although it is Book 5 of the County Durham Quad series.

Background information is included for new readers.

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Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

YouTube link to audio version of the short asexual/ sexual story Scar Ghyll Levels – available on Amazon Kindle.

Sooner or later, secrets will out…

Blurb

Mike, Ross, Raith and Phil are a gay, polyamorous quad who live in County Durham, North-East England. Mike’s nephews visit, and launch the quad into a tale involving inclusivity and investment scams, false arrest, and a desperate attempt to keep a dangerous secret hidden.

Meanwhile, Nick Seabrooke is now living and working in the village. Can the quad navigate the complexities of a sexual-asexual relationship? They would risk their safety for each other. Are they willing to do so for Nick?

This is the fifth County Durham Quad story. As always, background information is included for new readers.

Excerpt

Here is the start of the story. It’s a typical exchange between the four men…

Late afternoon in ‘Cromarty’, a normally quiet home in Tunhead, County Durham. Phil and Mike were seated in the living room. Phil stopped typing the article he was preparing for a medical journal and looked in the direction of the kitchen. Mike stopped skyping his brother, looked up too and, not really expecting an answer, asked, “What the fuck’s he up to now?”

The ‘he’ was Raith, Phil’s husband. Raith was a successful artist and ceramicist, but he sounded like someone intent on demolition not on creation.

“I thought all our kitchen units were the easy-glide, silently-closing variety,” Phil commented as another cupboard drawer slammed shut.

“They are, but the manufacturers hadn’t met Raith, had they? Nuthin’s Raith-proof, is it?”

The banging stopped and voices took their place. Ross, Mike’s civil partner, had come into the kitchen from the garden. He walked through to the living room and met Mike’s and Phil’s enquiring eyes.

“He’s made a chart. He was looking for something to stick it up with,” Ross explained.

“Stick it up? It sounded like he was hammerin’ it up,” said Mike.

“A chart?”

“Yes. He’s fixing it on the wall now. It’ll either amuse you or horrify you. I’m not sure which. Possibly both. He wants us to discuss it before Nick comes round for his tea.”

“I thought we were involving Nick in all our discussions,” Phil remarked.

“Yes, but not this one. You’ll see why in a minute. Come on.”

Mike, Ross, Raith, Phil—and Nick. By their own definitions the first four men were four sorts of poly. Polydomestic: they shared the household duties. Polypecuniary: they shared their incomes too. Polydemocratic: they had equal say in decisions and tossed a coin if the vote was evenly split. And fourthly, they were polyamorous: they loved each other deeply, although Ross only had sex with Mike. Nick was Tunhead’s most recent inhabitant. He shared most of his meals and much of his spare time with the quad, but although he now lived in the village, he didn’t live in Cromarty. There were reasons for the need for a little separation. Hence Raith’s chart. Nick might be romantically and emotionally attracted to men or, rather, to one man—Mike—but he wasn’t attracted to anybody sexually. In fact, he was revolted by the thought of an intimately physical relationship.

Ross stood aside and ceremoniously waved Mike and Phil through to the kitchen. In place of the whiteboard that, ten minutes earlier, had indicated the week’s household duties list, there was a large sheet of cartridge paper divided into two vertical columns. The left hand column comprised extremely realistic drawings. The other, narrower one was partially filled in. It contained some ticks and some crosses.

“Are you plannin’ expandin’ into illustratin’ porn?” asked Mike as he studied the drawings. “That’s you, Phil! Bloody hell. That’s me!” he added, and pointed to a portrayal of two men indulging in frottage.

“Yes, I’ve already put a cross by that one,” Raith said. “I knew Nick wouldn’t like it.”

“Looks like you two liked it though,” Ross commented as, curious, he took a close look.

“So this is… what, exactly? And I’m not talkin’ about the drawin’s themselves. I can see what they are.”

“Well,” said Raith, “I thought it would save us a lot of future problems if we sorted out what we were allowed and not allowed to do when Nick’s in our home instead of in his place.”

“And you figured that a bloody big explicit poster starin’ at him over his tea was the best way to do it?”

About the Author

I’m married, I’ve grown-up children, I’m asexual (although a different sort of ace from Nick) and I do enjoy writing stories that aren’t constrained by hetero-norms.

The plots are always stimulated by something on the news – in this instance, the homophobic reaction of some people and groups to the UK government’s decision to introduce lessons on inclusivity into the school curriculum.

I enjoy writing light dialogue as well as dealing with serious issues, though, and I hope that some of the quad’s interchanges will make readers smile.

I talked about myself and my books on Brad Shreve’s Gay Mystery Podcast (an episode entitled Four Times As Much Mystery) in April, 2020. (Link below)

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Amazon Author Page for all works |

(Audio version contains 200 photos of scenery)

Four Times As Much Mystery with Jude Tresswell (Ep. 028) on the Gay Mystery Podcast

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

12/05/2020

New Release - Love’s Lawyer by Janice Jarrell #KindleUnlimited

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Love’s Lawyer

Author: Janice Jarrell

Publisher: KDP Amazon

Cover Artist: Janice Jarrell and Robin E. Vuchnich

Release Date: May 11, 2020

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 269 pages

Add on Goodreads

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Would law school do what a drug lord’s bullet could not?

Blurb

Colin Campbell had been a champion all his life. Nothing had ever beaten him, not even a drug lord’s bullet. And he approached law school the same way he approached everything in life, with cocky confidence fizzing through his veins like ginger ale. He had it all. He had the looks, the brains, the experience, the know-how and he also had the love of his life at his side. He couldn’t be defeated.

But he hadn’t counted on the gravitas of law school, the reading, the preparation, the cases, the competition, the Socratic Method, the concepts, the grading curve, the expectations, the finals, memos, study groups, outlines... all of it piled and heaped upon those preparing for a career as an attorney until it wasn’t surprising that some of them simply imploded under the weight of it all.

Suddenly Colin was scrambling to keep up and rarely ever seeing Joshua. His grades slumped as he tried desperately to balance the opposing forces in his life, but his only solution was stretching himself thinner and thinner, until he feared he’d be torn in two. Joshua pleaded with him to slow down, but Colin refused to lighten his load and the path before them grew darker and darker.

They’d been through so much and survived. Would law school be the storm they could not weather? Would it do what a drug lord’s bullet could not and hand Colin Campbell the bitter defeat he never believed he’d have to face?

Or would the man he loved find a way to draw him back from the abyss.

Excerpt

Joshua nodded again, then turned to face his husband, his jaw clenched tight. “I know all about this kind of study, Colin,” he hissed out. “I’ve done them myself. Two credit hours equals out to at least six or eight hours a week of research, analysis, and in your case, detailed legal writing.”

He leaned toward Colin and when he spoke, his voice was a hoarse grate in his throat. “And just where the fuck are those hours supposed to come from, Colin? I never see you as it is! And now what little time we did have together will be sucked down the drain because of this… this…” he hissed out a disgusted breath and slapped at the papers in Colin’s lap, spilling them onto the floor.

He shot to his feet and stalked toward the kitchen, then spun back to face Colin, who gathered the wrinkled pages into his hands. “I can’t imagine why you thought I’d hate this,” he said. “Why would this bother me? It’s not like I give a flying fuck about ever spending any time with the man I married! I enjoy living alone.” His voice cracked with barely controlled emotion, and his hands suddenly balled into fists. “Goddamn it, Colin!” he cried out in anguish. “How could you dothis?!”

“Josh, listen to me!” Colin cried, rising to his feet. “I can say no. I don’t have to…”

“Oh God, Colin, just shut up!” Joshua spat out, spinning away from him to stride toward the kitchen. “If you were going to say no, you would have done so, and I never would have heard about this goddamn project. Every fiber of your being is leaping with joy about it. You think I can’t see it? You think I don’t know you well enough to…” He shook his head, his teeth clenched in frustration. “Fuck it,” he said. “I’m done. I’m not saying another word.” He careened into the kitchen and fell against the counter, leaning on his elbows. His hands lifted to cover his face. “Fuck it,” he said again, his voice husky. “Just fuck it all!”

Colin came up behind him and stretched out a tentative hand to touch his back. “Josh, please. Just talk to me for a second.”

“Why?” Joshua asked. “Why bother? Your mind is made up, and you damn well know it.” He turned to face his husband. “Don’t play me, Colin,” he demanded. “Just don’t fucking do it.” Joshua’s face was damp with tears, and Colin bowed his head against a storm of pain and guilt.

“Josh, okay. I understand why you’re upset. I do. But we can talk this through. It isn’t going to be the way you… the way you described it just now. I promise you.”

Joshua’s laugh was a sob in his throat. “Right.”

“Josh, I promise!”

“Stop saying that!” Joshua cried out. “Stop making promises you know damned well you can’t keep!”

“I-I can make it work,” Colin said. “I can!”

Joshua stared at him, his huge brown eyes misty with tears. “You can’t make the schedule you’re on now work, Colin,” he whispered, his voice strangled. “We pretend it’s working, or rather I do by not complaining about—” He stopped, and his voice trailed off. He shook his head, staring silently down at the floor beneath their feet.

“Josh, please talk to me,” Colin begged. He grabbed Joshua’s wrists and tried to draw him into his arms, but Joshua jerked away.

“Not now, Colin,” he replied, moving away. “I can’t right now.” He stumbled toward the stairs, his hand gesturing back at Colin as if dismissing their conversation. “I’m done. I’m going upstairs.”

“Josh, please,” Colin implored, stretching out his hand.

“Do what you want,” Joshua muttered, his voice leaden. “You will anyway.”

❤️*•.¸ ¸.•* 🧡 *•.¸ ¸.•*💛 *•.¸ ¸.•* 💚*•.¸ ¸.•* 💙*•.¸ ¸.•*💜 *•.¸

*It's the publishing anniversary of Love's Magic AND the release week for Love's Lawyer*

This is a RE-RELEASE of the KINDLE version of Love's Magic

with a NEW cover, NEW format, and NEW content.

Grab your brand new release of Love's Magic on Amazon for FREE

from May 10 through May 14.

FREE ON AMAZON AND ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

❤️*•.¸ ¸.•* 🧡 *•.¸ ¸.•*💛 *•.¸ ¸.•* 💚*•.¸ ¸.•* 💙*•.¸ ¸.•*💜 *•.¸

About the Author

My name is Janice Jarrell. I am a retired grandmother who lives in Seattle, WA. I have two children and three grandsons. I’ve been writing gay romance since I was twelve years old, only back then it wasn’t called ‘gay romance’. In fact, it had no name at all. It was the fifty’s, and it was worth your life to admit to being gay, let alone confess to being a girl who constantly fantasized about relationships between gay men. Hell, I didn’t even know what a homosexual was. I lived on a farm out in the sticks in a tiny Michigan village and I’d never, to my knowledge, even heard the word. I just knew I loved the thought of boy on boy romance. I just knew that there was something hot going on between Tom Corbett and his Space Cadets and all those guys on ‘Combat’.

I wrote slash fanfiction for 30 years, writing over 337 stories, some as short as 100 words (a drabble) some as long as a series which was over 119,012 words. I enjoy writing my stories. I enjoyed the feedback I received from my readers. It was a creative release I’d been searching for my entire life and I blessed the Internet for leading me to this artistic oasis for my spirit.

Love’s Magic was my very first step into writing my own characters. I will always be grateful the slash fanfiction community for nurturing the budding author until she was ready to blossom into a fully realized novelist. It’s been an amazing thing to watch the gay community’s growth over these past twenty years. My own journey has echoed theirs in many ways, and I’m grateful to all those gay activists who fought to give the gay community the rights and privileges they always deserved. Love’s Trials and Love’s Glory were the second and third books in the series and both Love’s Magic and Love’s Trials are available in audio format on Audible.

I’m also grateful to the gay romance community, readers, authors, publishers and promoters, who are making these, my retirement years, the most creative ones of my life. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling, walking, hiking, knitting, crocheting, and weaving.

I'm very excited about the upcoming release of my fourth contemporary gay romance novel, Love's Lawyer. Those of you who fell in love with Joshua and Colin in the three previous books in this series are in for a treat because they are in rare form in Love’s Lawyer. Colin takes on way too much, and his obsessive drive to succeed proves almost as deadly to their relationship as a drug lord’s bullet. But despite their struggles there are still many passionate, loving moments and the friends they treasure will be there to help them find their way.

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