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Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit + Giveaway - Kim Dare


Kim Dare is here today and she came armed with a sweet and sexy merman fic as well as a bombtastic giveaway!


Mermaids Don’t Exist

Eric kicked with all his might, propelling himself upwards. Just as he reached the sea’s surface, another wave smashed into him. His mouth filled with sea water.

He felt himself being dragged back under. This time, he was pulled even deeper. He clawed at the water, desperately hoping that he might find something, anything to cling to.

The wave that had carried him overboard in the storm could have damaged the ship. It could have broken off a piece of something that would float.

All his hands found was more water. He kicked out again, his lungs burning with need as he tried to fight his way back to the surface. Except, the waves had tumbled him so badly he had no idea which direction the surface was in now. Salt stung his eyes, but he couldn’t see anything that would help him.

A deeper, more permanent blackness started to close in around him. He reached out one last time and his hand brushed against something. His fingers slid against something warm and smooth. He saw a flash of what looked like skin.

Someone else had fallen overboard with him? Eric twisted around, trying to catch hold of them. He had to get them to the surface. He had to—

A man’s face appeared before him, calm and smiling, surrounded by a halo of auburn hair.

Mermaids don’t exist.

Hallucinations are bad.

Oxygen deprivation—it had to be. Eric really was dying. The realisation gave him another burst of adrenaline—enough for one last bid for the surface. He could make it. He—

“Stop struggling, you idiot! Do you want to drown?”

Eric froze. His hallucination was speaking to him?

Before he could react further, firm, demanding lips covered his.

Now was really not the time, and Eric automatically pushed against strong, muscular shoulders, but—

Oxygen.

The man wasn’t kissing him. He was breathing for him. Understanding dawned and Eric tried to pull him closer rather than push him away. His hands skittered over skin and scales in turn, but never found a purchase.

Suddenly, they breached the surface, but just for a moment. Eric barely had time to snatch one breath before another wave battered them down.

As water covered their heads, Eric was sure he saw the guy’s smile turn into a smirk. But, back deep beneath the waves again, that didn’t matter.

The man’s mouth covered Eric’s once more. It might have been possible to believe it was just about helping him breathe, if it hadn’t been for the way the man’s tongue flicked against Eric’s lips, tempting him to forget about more important concerns and kiss him back.

Eric hesitated, survival instinct still telling him both to push him away and pull him closer. As the kiss lingered on, closer began to win, and maybe not entirely because he needed the man’s help to breathe.

Eric still wasn’t sure if mermaids existed, but apparently mermen did…

Nothing gives you the warm fuzzies quite like a Kim Dare story, ammiright? We unicorns thank her for helping us celebrate our fifth anniversary. Be sure to let her know what you thought of her merman story in the comments!

About the Author 

Kim is a thirty-three year old bisexual submissive from Wales (UK). First published in 2008, she has since released almost 100 BDSM erotic romance titles ranging from short stories to full length novels. Having worked with a host of fantastic e-publishers, she has just moved into self publishing.

While she has occasionally ventured towards other pairings, Kim's first love is still, and probably always will be, Male/Male stories. But, no matter what the pairing, from paranormal to contemporary, and from the sweet to the intense, everything she writes will always feature three things - Kink, Love and a Happy Ending.

Social Media links


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Enter to win the entire Kinky Cupid series! That's right. Even the ones that haven't released yet. It's the giveaway that keeps on giving! You'll receive Once a Brat and Base Over Apex immediately then receive Sticks and Stones and All The Gear on the days of their release!

The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) 11/17/18. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner!

Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner. Good luck!

Don't miss entering in our month long unicorn giveaway HERE! It ends 12/1/18!

Review: Wanted - Bad Boyfriend (Island Classifieds #1) by T.A. Moore

His mother. His best friend. The barmaid at the local pub. Everyone is determined to find Nathan Moffatt a boyfriend. It’s the last thing Nathan wants. After spending every day making sure his clients experience nothing but romantic magic, the Granshire Hotel’s wedding organiser just wants to go home, binge watch crime dramas, and eat pizza in his underwear.

Unfortunately, no one believes him, and he’s stuck with lectures about dying alone. Then inspiration strikes. He needs the people in his life to want him to stay single as much as he does. He needs a bad boyfriend.

There’s only one man for the job.

Flynn Delaney is used to people on Ceremony thinking the worst of him. But he isn’t sure he wants the dubious honor of worst boyfriend on the entire island. On the other hand, if he plays along, he gets to hang out with the gorgeous Nathan and piss off the Granshire’s owners. It’s a win-win.

There’s only one problem. Flynn’s actually quite a good boyfriend, and now Nathan’s wondering if getting off the sofa occasionally is really the worst thing in the world.


I had trouble coming up with a rating on this one. There was a lot I enjoyed but just a bit too much distraction that muddled up my love for the story.

This author writes one of my absolutely favorite types of characters, helllllooooo Flynn. I love a strong, quiet hero and Flynn is just that and more. He’s the guy who never even looks in the mirror but has an inner confidence that makes him ridiculously appealing and he has no clue. And, he doesn’t really care. As I read through the story, I liked him more and more. There’s so much more to him than the reader is lead to believe from the blurb or from the beginning.

And since I’ve brought up the blurb . . . .

I don’t think it does the story justice and is frankly a little misleading. Nate isn’t anything like he’s described, I don’t think he sat on any couch for more than five minutes throughout, so I don’t know why anyone would need to convince him to get off his buns. Flynn’s description is more accurate though thankfully, but I expected him to be at least a bit of a dick because everyone in town hates him.

And since I’ve brought up the town . . .

What the hell? Why is everyone so terrible and why do Nate and Flynn want to stay there? The people sound awful honestly and unfortunately it made the town seem like more of a caricature than a true setting and that bummed me out. I love stories set in small English towns and this one didn’t do small English towns any favors.

I very much enjoyed Flynn and Nate when they were together. The push/pull as they got to know one another was delicious and I wish there was more. A good chunk of the story is spent focused on Nate’s wedding planning and Flynn’s rescues. Both things were ok, I liked reading more about Flynn’s rescues and that’s just me because I couldn’t care less about wedding planning. But the forays into their professions were time consuming and distracting. I wanted more investment into two characters I was growing quite fond of together and felt a little short changed as they were constantly interrupted by outside forces that didn’t add a lot to the story.

Flynn’s background is a mystery throughout most of the book, but there are enough clues to figure out what’s what. That does bring me back to the townsfolk again though. Their reactions were incongruous to what Flynn presented so I just didn’t get the animosity. Because I liked Flynn so much, the crap he put up with from people really bugged. He deserved better and if more of the secondary characters had been fleshed out, I don’t think the reactions from people would be so jarring because they wouldn’t be so extreme.

I feel like I’ve been too negative here, but it’s just because the bits I loved, I loved them pretty hard and wanted more. I wanted my beloved Flynn to have a fair and reasonable chance at happiness. The romantic bits were perfectly romantic and I don’t need copious amounts of fluff, I do just want it to be balanced and in the end I think that was my issue. The story was presented as a romance and so that’s what I wanted more of than anything else and some of the beauty of the evolving love story between Flynn and Nate was lost in amongst the rest.

As with every story I’ve read from this author, the writing is tops and the MC’s read realistic. I wanted everything good for them and was happy with, and believed in, their HEA. Thankfully I also believe that Nate will take good care of Flynn (and vice versa), so even though the journey didn’t exactly lead me down the path I expected, I was really happy with the destination when I arrived.




**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**




Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit + Giveaway - Kelly Jensen


Grab yourself another glass of unicorn punch, Kelly Jensen is here! Kelly tells us about weird inspirations! Are you curious? Check it out! And she won't leave you empty handed, she's hosting a giveaway for her latest ebook, Building Forever

Take it away Kelly!


Weird Inspirations

Happy fifth anniversary to Boy Meets Boy Reviews! I’m here with an ebook copy of Building Forever to give away, and a story about where I get my ideas from. Some of them are pretty weird!

The ideas from my books come from anywhere and everywhere: a line of dialogue or a song lyric, a scene from a movie, the dilapidated resort near the post office, a news article, someone else’s book, the way the light flickers between the trees along the side of the road when I’m driving, the need to explore a particular type of character, being tapped on the side of the head with a bo staff, a funny situation, and… a mouthful of Cheez-Its. 

I’ll start with the bo staff. For seven years I studied Kiryoku, a martial art combining Tang Soo Do, Shotokan, and Aikido. One of the elements is a weapons kata, and we had to learn a new one at each belt level. The first is performed with a bo staff—a long, slim pole of bamboo or wood—and the mixture of learning and mischief always led to a few pokes. And unintentional taps to the head. I ducked, another student turned, and smack—the bo staff hit the side of my head, but so did an idea!

Well, the idea was inside my head, unfolding like a scene in a movie. I saw a girl backing out of her apartment, equipment bag slung over her shoulder and bo staff tucked awkwardly under her arm. She locks the door, turns, and whacks her neighbor across the cheek with the tip of the staff. She’s horribly embarrassed of course, but he doesn’t mind so much because it was just a glancing blow, and she’s pretty cute in her karate outfit. Also, he’s interested in martial arts. She takes him to meet her sensei, he signs up for lessons, and then he asks her out. 

There was more to it than that. She had a backstory—a reason she was taking self-defense classes—and he probably had a good story too, but I hadn’t really figured it out yet. I put a few paragraphs in one of my notebooks when I got home. It wasn’t until I returned to the idea, ready to write it, that I fleshed it out more—and changed it significantly. 

I knew from the beginning that the story I wanted to write was of someone finding self-confidence through the study of a martial art, and that their journey would be guided and complicated by their love interest. But when I started outlining my idea, it didn’t feel as fresh as I hoped it would be. Then I changed my first main character from female to male and discovered not only an entirely new slant, but a renewed zest for the project. What I’d thought would be an empowering story about a young woman coming to terms with an event from her recent past actually became an even better story for a young man with a similar character makeup: someone who had been bullied and abused, and didn’t know how to fight back. What I loved about the switch is that we don’t often see men in this particular role in romantic fiction.

And so I began to write Max’s story, and opposite him, Jake—who didn’t mind at all swapping out a female love interest for a male one. The book I’m talking about is Block and Strike, which will always have a special place in my heart—for the way it began, but also because I got to share part of my own journey via self-defense training, and pair together two deserving characters who really needed each other.

To See the Sun is my most recent science fiction release and I got the idea for it from a Harlequin historical romance about a pregnant woman who arrives in Montana, hoping to meet the man who has contracted her to be his wife. When she arrives, that man is nowhere to be found, however—having died in some circumstance I don’t remember. But the town sheriff takes her on, and eventually falls in love with her, becoming both her husband and father to the baby. I absolutely loved the story. It pushed all my fluffy buttons: found family, a sweet, beta hero who was also tough enough to deflect gossip and take on the town bullies, and a heroine with nerves of steel. I can’t imagine traveling halfway across the known world to meet someone I didn’t know—alone and pregnant—only to find out they had died. I think I’d fall apart right then. She never did.

I immediately wanted to write something like it, once again shifting the focus to a male character in need and came up with the plot for To See the Sun: a young man is caught in a desperate situation and the only viable solution is to take a contract as a companion to a lonely colonist—a mail order husband of the future. 

I really love forced proximity tropes. I love writing situations where people have to get to know each other. But I also love writing slow burn romance where the first kiss is after the halfway mark and deeper intimacy a long way behind. Combining those two loves with a mail order bride trope and a science fiction setting seemed like an impossible task—but I think I pulled it off and a lot of readers seem to agree! I had a ton of fun writing To See the Sun and I’m eager to follow it up with more trope-laden romances set on far flung planets.

Without a doubt, the weirdest and most ridiculous inspiration for a book came from a box of Cheez-It crackers. If you’re not familiar with Cheez-It’s, they’re tasty little squares of salty, cheesy goodness and they come in many “can’t eat just one” flavors. My favorite is the white cheddar variety, but I’ll go a box of original any day. So, I was in the kitchen one day, stuffing my face with the things—literally stuffing: handful toward mouth, fit in as many as I could, crunch and spit—when one of those little movies started playing in my head.

I imagined someone standing there with a mouth full of cheesy little crackers. Crumbs spilling out, orange dust on their lips and fingers. And in walks The One. The person they’re going to fall in love with and spend the rest of their life with. 

Charlie had opinions regarding that, and just about everything else, so I immediately ran upstairs to start telling his story—as dictated by him. Then Simon chimed in and that’s how Building Forever got started. I loved writing this book, particularly Charlie’s point of view as a parent and fellow science fiction writer. But I also adored Simon’s quieter aspect and really like how his arc continues in that same quiet and understated way throughout all three books of the This Time Forever series. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little bit more about where my ideas come from. I’d love to tell you about more of them, but I’m sure there are other posts to read and other prizes up for grabs! To the winner of Building Forever—have fun spending time with the guys and if you start craving Cheez-Its… so sorry (not sorry). <3

About Kelly
If aliens ever do land on Earth, Kelly will not be prepared, despite having read over a hundred stories of the apocalypse. Still, she will pack her precious books into a box and carry them with her as she strives to survive. It’s what bibliophiles do.
Kelly is the author of eleven novels, including the Chaos Station series, co-written with Jenn Burke, and several novellas and short stories. Some of what she writes is speculative in nature, but mostly it’s just about a guy losing his socks and/or burning dinner. Because life isn’t all conquering aliens and mountain peaks. Sometimes finding a happy ever after is all the adventure we need.
Social Links
Connect with Kelly: Twitter | Facebook | Website
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/czGhYz

Our thanks to Kelly sharing with us and you! <3



Win an eBook copy of Building Forever from Kelly Jensen!


A new town, a new neighbor, and a new chance to build a forever.

Charlie King is doing fine. Sure, he’s a widower raising a teenage daughter who just got her first boyfriend, his book series isn’t writing itself, and he has a crush on his new neighbor — the guy next door. But everything’s just fine.

Simon Lynley is doing better. He moved to Bethlehem to fall out of love and rebuild his career. An affair with his neighbor isn’t part of the plan, but the attraction between them is too hard to ignore.

But when Simon’s ex follows him to Pennsylvania seeking reconciliation, and Charlie’s life starts to feel like a video on repeat, everything comes apart. Charlie worries that he’s failing as a father, and Simon is a distraction he can’t afford. Meanwhile Simon doesn’t know if he could survive being left again, and he hasn’t come all this way to make the same mistakes. But despite their fears, it’s only together that they’ll find the strength to slay old foes and build the forever they’ve been waiting for.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) on 11/17/18. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner!

Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner. Good luck!

Don't miss entering in our month long unicorn giveaway HERE! It ends 12/1/18!

Audiobook Review: The Bureau: Volume 1 by Kim Fielding

This collection contains the first three Bureau novellas:

CORRUPTION

Once a proud demon of the night sky who carried nightmares to humans, Tenrael has spent decades in captivity as the star attraction of a traveling carnival. He exists in miserable servitude to men who plunk down ten dollars to fulfill their dark desires.

Charles Grimes is half human, half… something else. For fifteen years he’s worked for the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs, ridding the country of dangerous monsters. When his boss sends him to Kansas to chase a rumor about a captive demon, Charles figures it’s just another assignment. Until he meets Tenrael.

CLAY WHITE

Someone—or something—is murdering young men in San Francisco. Clay White has been fired from the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs, but he’s determined to track down the killer. When he comes across a vampire named Marek, Clay assumes he’s caught the perp. But the encounter with Marek turns out to be more complicated than Clay expected, and it forces him to deal with his own troubled past and murky psyche. As Clay discovers, sometimes the truth doesn't come easy—and the monsters are not who we expect.

CREATURE

Alone in a cell and lacking memories of his past, John has no idea who—or what—he is.

Alone on the streets of 1950s Los Angeles, Harry has far too many memories of his painful past and feels simply resignation in facing his empty future.

When Harry is given a chance to achieve his only dream—to become an agent with the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs—all he has to do is prove his worth. Yet nothing has ever come easy for him. Now he must offer himself and John as bait, enticing a man who wants to conquer death. But first he and John must learn what distinguishes a monster from a man—and what a monster truly wants.

Listening Length: 7 hours and 39 minutes
Narrator: Joel Leslie


Overall rating: 4 hearts

‘The Bureau’ novellas deliver paranormal MM romances with a bit of a dark edge. The novellas have an overarching theme of acceptance and overcoming differences through love.

I would have enjoyed this collection regardless, but the excellent audiobook narration by Joel Leslie took it up a level. If you’re looking for an MM paranormal audiobook, I’d definitely recommend ‘The Bureau: Volume 1’!


Corruption - 4 Hearts

Tenrael, the demon who flew across the skies bringing nightmares, has spent decades enslaved, humiliated, and degraded.

My heart broke for Tenrael. Readers get a clear picture of the abuse he’s subjected to on a daily basis, and it definitely isn’t pretty.

There was nothing demonic about him. He was just broken. Tenrael yearned for only one thing - an end to his living nightmare.

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Charles Grimes is half-human and works for the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs. He’s sent to deal with rumors of a captive demon, but instead finds himself entranced.

This isn’t a sweet love story. Both men are messed up, and there’s a huge power imbalance. Their relationship is just a bit twisted, built on dubious circumstances.

But there’s no doubt that Charles and Tenrael were meant for each other. Tenrael finds a reason to give up the freedom he so craved, and Charles has a reason to break his complacency.

Overall, this was a really good beginning to the series. It’s dark and just a tad haunting, but with enough romance to believe that Tenrael and Charles are on their way to a happy ever after.



Clay White - 2 Hearts

After making a huge mistake, Clay was fired from the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs. But despite having no official role, he’s determined to find out who - or what - is going on a murdering spree in San Francisco.

His investigation brings him to Marek - an alluring vampire that Clay’s convinced is the culprit. But Marek turns all assumptions Clay had about vampires on their head.

Marek is self-assured and exudes sensuality. He’s also on the lookout for the murderer as well. Similar to book 1, the “beast” of the story was the more fascinating of the characters.

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The feel of book 2 is different from ‘Corruption’. It’s set in modern times, and the focus isn’t on the relationship. I’d say Clay and Marek’s relationship plays second fiddle to the mystery plot for much of the book.

I wanted more of the romance. It’s clear that the two feel something for each other beyond sexual attraction, but it I didn’t feel like it was explored as much as it needed to be.

The murder mystery was entertaining, though I did have some unanswered questions by the end.

Overall, this novella just didn’t capture my imagination as I’d hoped it would.



Creature - 4 Hearts

Tortured and imprisoned, John doesn’t know who he is or where he comes from. He only knows that he isn’t human, and that he longs for a life outside of his prison walls.

When down-on-his-luck Harry is presented with a chance to join the Bureau, he grudgingly takes on the task though he wants nothing to do with John.

John captured my heart right from the start. His heart may not beat, but he yearns for some semblance of a normal life. And he refuses to let his captors break him completely.

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I could empathize with Harry too, though I wasn’t happy with how he initially treated John. But it didn’t take Harry long at all to begin treating John like he would another person, and not just as a thing.

The respect that Harry gives John becomes the basis of their relationship. John feels care and warmth for the first time in his memory, and Harry slowly learns that the “creature” is more human than the people who forced the two together.

For a short read, there was a fair bit of angst and poignancy. But it’s worth it, just to see John and Harry build each other up. They’re just so clearly meant for each other.

The mystery angle was engaging and added suspense, but the real star of ‘Creature’ is the romance between two broken men who make each other whole.


Blog Tour: Seeking Solace (The Walker Boys #3) by Ari McKay


Ari McKay are here today to talk about their new Dreamspun Desires release, Seeking Solace and they've brought an exclusive excerpt too!


Read our 5 ❤ review of it here.



Hello, everyone! I’m the McKay half of Ari McKay, and I’d like to thank Boy Meets Boy for letting me stop by as part of our launch tour for Seeking Solace.

Seeking Solace is the third book in our Walker Boys series, which focuses on some of the men of the expansive Walker family from Buffalo Lick, Texas. Each Walker Boys book features a self-contained romance with a different couple, but characters from the previous books often make appearances.

Although the Walker boys are from Texas, only the first book is set entirely in Buffalo Lick. The main action of Seeking Solace occurs on board a cruise ship. For this post, I’d like to present an exclusive excerpt from the book. Enjoy!


Paul followed Devin out of the dining room, and then they rode the elevator up to the sports deck, which was at the top of the ship. Since it was well after midnight, there was no one around, but Devin didn’t stop there. He took a key ring out of his pocket to unlock a door next to the stand where people could borrow basketballs or putters and balls for the minigolf course. There was a spiral stairway inside, and Devin led him upward to a small deck, no more than twenty feet square, that was completely deserted. But the view of the sky and the moonlit sea was beautiful, and the band in the dining room was clearly audible.
“When they built the ship, they’d planned to have skeet shooting up here,” Devin explained. He took off his backpack and placed it near the door. “But there was something about insurance and liability problems, so the idea was abandoned. One of the ventilation shafts for the dining room comes out on the sports deck, which is why you can hear the music.” He walked over to the railing where the deck overlooked the water at the aft of the ship. “I love to come up here at night.”
Paul approached the railing and gazed out at the ocean. The water looked forbidding—black and infinite—but the reflection of the moon on the surface gave it an unearthly allure. Overhead, countless stars glittered, bright pinpoints of light in the inky velvet of the night sky, and Paul was entranced by the view.
“I can see why,” he said, leaning on his forearms against the sturdy metal rail.
“They sometimes have small, private cocktail parties up here, which is why I have a key,” Devin said. He turned his back to the water, leaned against the rail, and looked at Paul. “So, Mr. Bailey… we’re all alone, no one can see… would you care to dance?”
Paul shot a startled look at Devin, too surprised to respond right away. That was the last thing he expected Devin to suggest, and he knew he ought to say no. He was already having inappropriate thoughts about Devin; dancing would only make it worse.
But he wanted to. He hadn’t danced in over two years, and he missed it. He missed the pleasure of having a man who was attractive and who he was attracted to in his arms, and Devin was safe. Trustworthy in ways Jack and the other men he’d dated after the accident hadn’t been.
Paul drew in a deep breath, roused his courage, and said, “Yes.”
He could see Devin’s smile in the moonlight as Devin straightened. “Would you prefer to lead? That way we can go at your pace.”
“Sure, that would be fine.” Paul moved closer and held out his arms, scarcely able to believe he was about to do this.
Devin moved closer, sliding into Paul’s arms as naturally as if he’d been doing it for years. They were well matched, and Devin smiled as the band began “Moonlight Serenade.”
“Well, this is about as perfect as it gets,” he murmured.
“So it is.” Paul kept a polite distance between them as he secured his arm around Devin’s waist and began to move. It was awkward at first, and he worried he was going to drag his prosthetic foot—or worse, trip them both—but the music was slow and easy to follow, which helped.
Devin moved with him, easily and naturally. He gave Paul’s hand a squeeze. “You’re doing great. See? You can still dance beautifully.”
“I haven’t fallen on my face,” Paul said, smiling wryly. “I consider that a win.”
“You’re doing much better than that,” Devin said. “You’re naturally graceful, and it shows. Just move as you always have, and you’ll be fine. Your body hasn’t forgotten.”
Devin’s reassurance was comforting, and Paul released a long, slow breath to help himself relax. He remembered how it felt to lose himself in the music and forget the outside world while he savored the pleasure of dancing, of being in sync with his partner, of letting the rhythm take over. He wanted to feel that way again, so he focused on the music and Devin, unconsciously drawing Devin a little closer as they moved around the small deck.
They danced on, as the songs flowed together, slow and romantic tunes made for dancing. Then the music stopped, and Devin sighed. “That was wonderful, Paul. I haven’t danced like that in a long time. Thank you.”
“I should be thanking you.” Paul met Devin’s gaze, and gratitude was the easiest but not the only emotion threatening to overwhelm him as he lost himself in Devin’s eyes. “I feel like you’ve been more help to me in just a few days than therapy has been in over a year.”
Devin hadn’t moved away. “I’m glad,” he said softly. “You’re a wonderful person, and you deserve to be happy.”
“I want to be.” Paul found himself smoothing his palm up and down the length of Devin’s back, savoring the warmth seeping through Devin’s shirt. “I think I was in a rut, but being here—being with you—has shaken me out of it.”
The smile on Devin’s face was easy to see even in the darkness. “Good. I can’t take all the credit, though. I think you’d probably worked through a lot of things yourself, and you just needed a little push to get you started down the path.” He touched Paul’s cheek lightly with his fingertips. “When the cruise is over, you need to keep going in the right direction. And if you don’t, I’ll find you and kick your butt for you.”
Paul laughed quietly, not wanting to disturb the strange, private cocoon that had spun around them. “Noted.”
Devin’s gaze fell to Paul’s mouth, and when he spoke, his voice was husky. “I feel so totally selfish right now.”
Paul frowned slightly, puzzled by that apparent non sequitur. “Why?”
“Because if you were still attached, I’d never dream of doing this,” Devin replied, then leaned forward, his eyes sliding closed as he pressed his lips to Paul’s in a gentle kiss.
Startled, Paul froze at first, but the warmth of Devin’s lips was too tempting to resist. It had been so long, and he had been lonelier than he cared to admit. He closed his eyes and parted his lips, a soft moan escaping him.
Devin slid his fingers into Paul’s hair as he accepted the invitation to deepen the kiss. He explored Paul’s mouth, going slowly, twining his tongue with Paul’s, stepping closer until Paul felt the warmth of Devin’s body against the length of his. Paul wound his arms around Devin and clenched his fingers on Devin’s back. This wasn’t smart, and he would likely regret it, but in the moment, all he wanted to do was enjoy the press of Devin’s body against his and the pleasure of a man’s body in his arms. He yielded to Devin’s exploration, offering to give whatever Devin wanted to take.
Devin made a soft sound of pleasure as Paul responded, and kiss flowed into kiss, slow and deep. Devin stroked through Paul’s hair, while he caressed Paul’s back with his other hand, running it slowly from shoulder to hip and back again. The touches were a soothing balm to Paul’s battered heart, and he wanted nothing more than to arch into them like a needy cat, but this couldn’t continue. He couldn’t have this for more reasons than one, and so he drew back with reluctance.
“We should stop,” he whispered.
Drawing in a deep breath, Devin nodded. “You’re right. You were just… irresistible, standing there in the moonlight.”


Seeking Solace will be released on November 6, by Dreamspinner Press.

BLURB:

All hands on deck for a shipboard romance—with a secret.

Like his cousins, Devin Walker aspires to be a chef, but he wants to indulge his wanderlust while feeding his customers, and working a cruise ship seems like the solution. Since he can’t find an opening in the kitchen, he’s happy to start out in a position behind the bar.

While onboard Poseidon’s Pearl, Devin is assigned to shepherd a visiting executive. Paul Bailey is quiet and unassuming, and a car accident that cost him his leg also shattered his confidence. He doesn’t think he’s attractive to other men anymore, and Devin is eager to show him just how wrong he is. Paul has a surprising secret that might sink their passionate affair before it even leaves port.


BUY LINKS:

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

BIO:

Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who have been writing together for over a decade. Their collaborations encompass a wide variety of romance genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, and action/adventure. Their work includes the Blood Bathory series of paranormal novels, the Herc’s Mercs series, as well as two historical Westerns: Heart of Stone and Finding Forgiveness. When not writing, they can often be found scheming over costume designs or binge watching TV shows together.

Arionrhod is a systems engineer by day who is eagerly looking forward to (hopefully) becoming a full time writer in the not-too-distant future. Now that she is an empty-nester, she has turned her attentions to finding the perfect piece of land to build a fortress in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, and baking (and eating) far too many cakes.

McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.

CONTACTS:

Website

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Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit + Giveaway - K.A. Merikan


The Merikans are here! The Merikans have arrived! And they're not empty-handed! They've dropped off a fun flash fiction for all to enjoy! Let them know what you thought about it below! plus Dreamspinner Press is giving away a lil sumthin' sumthin' for a partier's grab bag! Check it out!





Jeremy was on his fifth coffee. Or had it been only the third one since the new day started at midnight? It didn’t matter as long as the caffeine made his heart beat fast to transport adrenaline all over his body. His chair was deceptively comfortable, and he was starting to consider switching to something simple, with no padding and a lot of edges, just so that he wasn’t so tempted to let his head fall back.

He’d been playing for sixteen hours straight just to finally get to the last boss, Vuxogon. The villain lived in a dark tower surrounded by dark clouds and even darker rain, but Jeremy was climbing up its tall walls, and in a matter of seconds, he would be reaching the window leading to Vuxogon’s lair.

He wiped his sweaty hands against his pants as the introductory animation started, and he allowed himself to squeeze his eyes a few times in order to relax the muscles around them. Still, sand was a prominent presence under his eyelids.

The camera dove into the large room at the top of the ancient tower, presenting the huge fireplace filled with flames, the colorful flags of kingdoms subservient to Vuxogon’s empire. And then there was the man himself—a dark, brawny presence standing behind a silk curtain that divided the chamber in two.

Vuxogon looked over his shoulder with a frown, a large copper bath steaming right next to him. “Oh. I wasn’t expecting you so soon,” he said in the same dark voice Jeremy had heard him use on the battlefield.

Before Jeremy could even lift his sword to seize the moment and cut the head of the beastly man, Vuxogon spun around, and his dick swung into view.

Jeremy stilled, his brain pixelating when Vuxogon’s large hand touched his bare—where the hell was his armor?—chest.

Vuxogon smirked and leaned closer, planting a kiss on Jeremy’s lips. “If I’d known it was you, I would have surrendered long ago.” The words were more like a purr, and Vuxogon licked along the seam of Jeremy’s lips.

Pleasure jolted throughout Jeremy so abruptly, he jerked away, only to see his IKEA lamp swing over his head.

A female voice was calling his name, but when his chair crashed to the floor, all he had in answer was a weak grunt.

“Jeremy! What are you doing at five in the mornin—” Mom gasped looking down at him, only to storm back into the corridor. “Cover yourself, for God’s sake!”

Still groggy, and with a stiff, aching back, Jeremy looked first at the clear outline of his erection, and then at Vuxogon’s face grinning at him from the computer screen.

He needed to lay off the coffee. “Sorry, mom!”

Pretty fun, right? Let the Merikans know what you thought of computer guy below!


Thanks to Dreamspinner Press, they're giving away any DSP eBook to one lucky winner. (Winner's choice) Enter in rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) on 11/16/18. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner!

Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner. Good luck!

Don't miss entering in our month long unicorn giveaway HERE! It ends 12/1/18!

Review: When the Devil Drives (Death and the Devil #1.6) by L.J. Hayward

Work-life balance for a spy may be an oxymoron, but Jack Reardon likes a good challenge. And he’s almost bested this one. He’s settled into his Meta-State promotion as a field leader and into his new team with a second he can trust. Shop in order, he can take a day or two off when Ethan blows into town, their bargain finally starting to paying off.

Assassin Ethan Blade has few pleasures in his life—a decent cup of tea, a job well done, racing his fleet of supercars, and Jack. With plans to combine the last two into one thrilling weekend, Ethan’s attempt at having a normal, happy life may deliver everything he’s ever desired—or backfire spectacularly.

Jack and Ethan made a bargain, but the deal is thrown into jeopardy when the expectations and identities of the dealmakers shift—stoking the fires of doubt and jealously. Not to mention a contract killer out for revenge and an illness that threatens to reveal closely guarded secrets. Rewards are on the table for both men, maybe bigger than they even realize, if only they can renegotiate—and survive.




I have to hand it to L.J. Hayward, she really knows how to keep the intrigue going between these two.

I enjoyed the first part of this novella the most. I wouldn't consider myself a gearhead or anything but I do enjoy cars and an Aston Martin?

YES, PLEASE!!!!!!!

The most painful cinematic moment in my life to date was the car chase scene in Casino Royale.


WHY GOD, WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!! #crushed

Anyhoo, I also think it's cute that Ethan is so besotted with his cars. When he gets animated about them... it's adorable especially since he's normally so stoic. Also, quick side note, the action sequence was LOADS of fun! Nothing like a good car chase as long as the Aston Martin doesn't get taco'd. 

Ethan has entered a race on the Gold Coast under an alter ego, Roy Carter. Roy is charming and outgoing and HAS FRIENDS!


You heard me. A shocking development for all involved, and by "all involved", I mean myself and Jack.

He asks Jack to tag along under the auspices of spending some quality sexy times together which morphs into some interesting relationship development. For an arrangement that's supposedly in the 'super casual' category both of them sure do struggle with the specter of the green-eyed monster.

There were some somewhat comical moments, the party scene being my favorite. No spoiling but I snickered a little.

The second half I was less enamored with due mostly to them not spending much time together. But the ending is somewhat cliffish thereby ensuring that I will dive into the next one to get ready for book two.

Word of caution to those who've not started this series, since Ethan and Jack have agreed to a casual relationship neither are expected to remain celibate when they're apart, so not precisely cheating but I know many have a hard limit when it comes to sex outside of the main relationship. None of it is on page, though, just referenced.

What I keep struggling with and coming back to is the suspense plotline. I guess I had it in my head that there would be a sort of overarching case that needed solving which would ultimately require Jack and Ethan to work together, but so far that hasn't come to fruition. I find that a bit disappointing because they make a formidable team but also because I feel like I'm left with loose ends. I don't know if there's going to be closure at some point or if I'm going to be left with a ball of strings.

Nevertheless, I would recommend this series to readers who enjoy protagonists who have questionable morals or those who enjoy romantic suspense.



A review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.