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Giveaway + Audio Release Blitz: Leaning Into A Wish (Leaning Into #5) by Lane Hayes


Celebrate the release of Leaning Into A Wish with author Lane Hayes and Indigo Promotions. Learn more about this holiday romance and enter in the giveaway to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Good luck!


Title: Leaning Into a Wish
Series: Leaning Into #5
Author: Lane Hayes
Publisher: Lane Hayes
Original Release Date: November 22, 2017
Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 3 Hours, 29 Minutes
Genre: Romance, Holiday, Bisexual, Humor, Winery, Working Relationship

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Synopsis

Ryan Haskell loves everything about the wine business. He's fortunate to work
at one of the most prestigious wineries in Napa Valley doing something he
enjoys with the people who are like family to him. But he could do without the
good-natured intern slash former jock with the wicked grin who always seems to
be in the way. Ryan isn’t sure why the new guy is under his skin when everyone
else loves him. Thankfully he'll be gone after the holidays.

Danny Meyers can’t believe his luck when he lands an internship at Conrad
Winery. It’s the perfect temporary gig to wrap up his graduate studies. He's
left his dreams of tennis stardom on the court to focus on a new career and a
new life. However, he didn't count on the spark of attraction he feels for his
prickly co-worker. When their tentative friendship blossoms into something more
than either man counted on, they may have to change direction and lean into a
holiday wish.


Excerpt


A vacuum-like static rang in my ears. It
wasn’t until Danny nudged my arm that the typical raucous bar noises filtered
through again. And when he scooted his barstool back a foot or two and raised
his hand to flag down a server, everything seemed to return to normal. Sort of.

“Gin and tonic for my friend and I’ll
have another martini, please. Thanks.” Danny tipped back the last of his drink
then handed it over before twisting to face me. “So other than being out
twenty-five bucks and possibly having an awkward conversation at work on
Monday, that didn’t go so bad.”

“I—I don’t get it. What just happened?”

“We agreed to let Geordie win the bet,
remember?”

“Sure, but how did I get stuck here with
you?”

Danny snorted. “We’ve already
established that you like me. Stop being an uptight fuddy-duddy.”

“A fuddy—? You’re…” I gritted my teeth
and tried to think of a stinging insult to fit the situation. “Annoying.”

Lame. And the “That’s the best you’ve
got?” twinkle in Danny’s eye told me he agreed with me. I was about to let him
have it when the waiter stopped to deliver our drinks. When we were alone
again, I leaned into him and kicked his shin for good measure.

“Ow. Relax, Ry. I still want to kiss
you, you know.” He popped the speared olive from his martini into his mouth.
“With tongue.”

“You’re reading way too much into a
stick of spearmint gum, honey. Don’t flatter yourself. It was a joke,” I huffed
derisively.

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“Are you fucking nuts? I’m not kissing
you,” I announced primly.

“You want to though. Admit it,” he
teased.

I blew out an exaggerated breath, sucked
down half my cocktail, and slid off my barstool. “I’m outta here. See you Monday.”

Danny grabbed my belt loop and yanked me
to his side. “You didn’t let me finish. I was about to say…”

“Yes?” I prompted with a rolling hand
gesture.

“I want it too.”

We stared at each other for a heated
moment. I had no clue what he was thinking, but it seemed weird to ask for
clarification. When the growing tension went on a beat too long, I wanted out.
“See ya, Danny boy.”

I pushed my way through the crowd and
gulped for air when I finally reached the sidewalk. I didn’t dare stop to enjoy
the refreshing autumn breeze. If I wanted to avoid any further confrontation, I
had to boogie. Danny was the type of guy who liked having the last word, and
that wasn’t happening on my watch. I fished my keys from my pocket and
power-walked toward the parking lot behind the bar.

“Ryan!”

I ignored him and picked up my pace. I
spotted my car and clicked my fob to unlock the door. Danny called my name
again. I could tell from the sound of his footsteps behind me that he was
closing in quickly. I had to hurry or—

Too late. A hand on my elbow yanked me
sideways.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I
fumed, pushing his chest to no avail.

He moved into my space until his nose
was less than an inch from mine. He was too big and imposing, and the look in
his eyes was straight-up dangerous.

My dick twitched in my jeans. Of course
it did. I had a bad habit of coveting what I couldn’t have and getting turned
on by the chase. My past was littered with embarrassing short-term affairs or
crushes on guys like Wes and Finn. Men I admired but never had a real shot
with. I didn’t want to add Danny to that list because against my better
judgment…I liked him. Really liked him.

Purchase at Audible

Meet the Author

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Meet the Narrator

 

Nick is an award winning narrator with a fan following for his work in fiction, specifically in the romance genre. His performances in two of Amy Lane's books, Beneath the Stain and Christmas Kitsch, made him the recipient of Sinfully M/M Book Review's Narrator of the Year - 2015. When he's not in the booth, Nick enjoys spending time with his wife, Jessica, and kids, (aka their beagle Frank and cat Stella), drumming in his cover band, exploring rural back roads with his wife on his motorcycle, or being enthralled in a tabletop role playing game with his friends.

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Anniversary Shenanigans: Rhys Ford Giveaway!



Friend of the clubhouse and all around fantastic person (ask anyone!) Rhys Ford is offering up a generous giveaway to sweeten the Unicorniversary shenanigans! 

She also released a new Murder and Mayhem story just yesterday, "Cops and Comix"! Happy (belated) Release Day, Rhys!


It’s all fun and games until someone leaves a dead body on the floor.

Life for comic book store owner Alex Martin usually runs to the mundane. Sure, he has a regular influx of geeks and freaks, but for the most part, it’s a familiar weird. That all changes when he opens up Planet X Comics one morning and finds a corpse in the middle of his shop.

When Detective James Castillo is called in to investigate, Alex is torn between wanting to climb the man like a tree and giving him a wide berth. Luckily for Alex, the handsome detective is just as interested in him—as a suspect in the murder.







About Rhys Ford

Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and was a 2016 LAMBDA finalist with her novel, Murder and Mayhem. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.

She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Yoshi, a grumpy tuxedo cat and Harley, an off-kilter flower-faced grey and white cat-dog , as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people

Rhys’ Blog: www.rhysford.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhys.ford.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhys_Ford
Rhys Ford’s books can found at Dreamspinner Press (http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com), DSP Publications (https://www.dsppublications.com/) and all major online book stores.


Rhys is graciously giving away a $25 USD gift certificate to one person. Could it be you?

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The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) 11/24/18. 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: Lover (Survivor #2) by T.M. Smith

Life has not always been kind to Shannon Dupree. On the outside he’s carefree and fun loving, but when it comes to his past he’s evasive and secretive. Running away from emotionally bereft parents at just fifteen, Shannon escapes life with them but steps into the waiting arms of the devil.

Rory Landers is a rising star at the Bureau. His personal life, however, is nothing to write home about. He hopes to take his limited relationship with Frank Moore to the next level when they finally solve the Langford murder case, but that doesn’t turn out as planned. On the plus side, he meets free-spirited college senior Shannon Dupree.

Rand Davis finds himself fortysomething and single when his partner of more than a decade is unfaithful. Taking over the Cold Case Squad frees up some of his time, and Rand welcomes newfound friendships within the Langford-Moore family circle. He thinks relationships are not in the cards for him until he meets an agent with an attitude and a vivacious blond that make him want so much more.

Past, present, pain, and suffering collide, ushering in the possibility of a life and love worth fighting for. Although their personalities couldn't be more different, their three hearts beat the same. Shannon, Rory, and Rand learn the definition of love, commitment, and strength and if they allow themselves, the trio will find all that and more—in each other.

Narrator: Nick J. Russo
Listening Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins



Reviewer: Shee Reader


Rand is a big blustery type and his co-worker Rory is a spirited and strong man Rand doesn’t want to be attracted to. Rory is in a relationship with a wonderful man who is scared and scarred by his past abusive relationship. Can they find a way to make things work long-term with his abuser on the loose? Rand wants to take care of Shannon whilst simultaneously trying to stop his vivid and erotic fantasies that include a man in a relationship with another!

I absolutely adored the first book in this series, and could not wait to get started on this book. It is a gloriously complex, yet lowish angst love story of a couple finding their missing piece in the shape of a third. Beautifully written and engaging, I was drawn in from the outset. The three men are all likeable in their own way and a lovely match up.

The previous couple from book one feature throughout this story and it is so good to see them and how they are part of the tale as it unfolds.

The narration was delightful, and Russo gave the characterisation a lovely depth. The writing is often witty and funny and the narration enhances that in such a charming way.

I highly recommend this series, and I personally, eagerly await the next book!

I was given a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.





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Enter to win any backlist ebook from Dreamspinner Press! The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) 11/24/18. 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!

Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit + Giveaway - Lily Morton


Author Lily Morton is here today and she's got some fun tidbits about her Mixed Messages series. She's also offering a backlist ebook so be sure to enter below for your chance to win!


My name is Lily Morton and I write love stories with heat and humour. My Mixed Messages series features snarky men falling in love with a lot of laughs along the way. Here are some facts about the series that you might not know:

1. Rule Breaker had many different titles. They included Rational, Love and Other Memos and Dizzy.

2. The sarcastic work emails between Gabe and Dylan that people loved in Rule Breaker were very much written on a whim. I wrote them while watching Strictly Come Dancing and I still have a few spare ones lying around in a file somewhere.

3. Asa was originally meant to be American. It came as quite a surprise to find out while I was writing that he was from Yorkshire!

4. Billy’s chat with Jude at the front door in the beginning of Deal Maker was actually based on my youngest son. He was so chatty that he’d talk to anyone and despite being told not to, he kept opening the door to doorstep cold callers just so he’d have a new person to talk to.

5. Ivo in Risk Taker was originally going to be a lot older than Henry.

6. In Risk Taker, Ivo was Henry’s best friend of nearly twenty years. However, in my original plan he was going to be a fashion photographer and a stranger who Henry meets during a hook up.

How fun was that? We unicorns thank Lily for helping us celebrate our fifth anniversary.

Don't miss out on Lily's next project, the Finding Home series. Oz comes out November 20th!

What happens when temporary becomes forever?

Oz Gallagher does not do relationships well. Bored and jobless after another disastrous hook up, he decides to leave London for a temporary job in the wilds of Cornwall. Surely managing a stately home on a country estate will be easier than navigating the detritus of his relationships at home. Six months there will alleviate a bit of his wanderlust and then he can come back to London as footloose and fancy-free as the day he left it.

However, when he gets there he finds a house in danger of crumbling to the ground and a man who is completely unlike anyone he’s ever met. An earl belonging to a family whose roots go back hundreds of years, Silas is the living embodiment of duty and sacrifice. Two things that Oz has never wanted. He's also warm and funny and he draws Oz to him like a magnet.

Oz banks on the fact that they're from two very different worlds to stop himself falling for Silas. But what will he do when he realises that these differences are actually part of the pull to one another? Will falling in love be enough to make him stop moving at last and realise that he's finally home?

From bestselling author, Lily Morton comes a romantic comedy about two very different men and one very dilapidated house.

This is the first book in the Finding Home series but it can be read as a standalone.

About the author

Lily writes contemporary romance novels, and specialises in hot love stories with a good dose of humour.

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.

She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else could she get to spend her time with hot, funny men!

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.

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Enter to win a backlist ebook from the author. The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) 11/23/18. 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: Cops and Comix (Murder and Mayhem 0.5) by Rhys Ford

Second Edition

It’s all fun and games until someone leaves a dead body on the floor.

Life for comic book store owner Alex Martin usually runs to the mundane. Sure, he has a regular influx of geeks and freaks, but for the most part, it’s a familiar weird. That all changes when he opens up Planet X Comics one morning and finds a corpse in the middle of his shop.

When Detective James Castillo is called in to investigate, Alex is torn between wanting to climb the man like a tree and giving him a wide berth. Luckily for Alex, the handsome detective is just as interested in him—as a suspect in the murder.

Previously published in Grand Adventures by Dreamspinner Press, March 2014.



I thoroughly enjoyed both ‘Murder and Mayhem’ and ‘Tramps and Thieves’, so I was ready to give ‘Cops and Comix’ all the love.

Unfortunately, this short read fell below my expectations.

In this prequel to the Murder and Mayhem series, we’re shown how Rook’s cousin, Alex Martin, got together with his homicide detective, James Castillo.

The lovebirds were secondary characters in Rook and Dante’s story, so I was looking forward to finding out how they became an item.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Alex and James were thrown together like most of Rhys Ford’s couples - through a case of murder and being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

In this case, Alex comes in to work one morning to find a decomposing body in the middle of his comic book store. James is the detective assigned to the case.

description

From the moment they met, sparks fly. Neither man would say no to getting in the other’s pants. And James, brash as he is, makes no secret about his interest.

So it was great set up. Except for one thing - Rhys Ford tried to fit her usual formula into a very limited number of pages. And as someone who loves Rhys’ formula murder and grand romance, ‘Cops and Comix’ just felt rushed and unfinished.

I barely got a feel for either the romance or the murder mystery before it was over.

I know I would have loved James and Alex’s story if it was a full-length read, but there was just too much happening here for such a short story.


A review copy was provided.





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Enter in a SURPRISE giveaway of any backlist ebook from Dreamspinner Press! The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) 11/23/18. 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!

Giveaway + Release Blitz: Walking In a Winter Wonderland by Claire Castle


Welcome author Claire Castle and Signal Boost Promotions who are celebrating the release of the author's holiday story, Walking in a Winter Wonderland! Join in the celebration by entering the giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card. Good luck!




Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK - Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow in Kindle Unlimited

Length: 34,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Claire Castle

Blurb

Colton Dawson is miserable this holiday season. Those he’d loved the most are no longer in his life. With one disappointment after another, how can he possibly get into the Christmas spirit? Maybe a change of scenery—a new place to put down roots—is just what he needs for a second chance to find some happiness.


Winterbourne Vale is only too happy to help his much-loved aunt and uncle run their café in Canada while on his short December break—even if it means leaving his home in the United Kingdom. After a defeated-looking Colton walks into the café, Winter is determined to lift his spirits.


Can Colton and Winter’s Christmas happiness continue long after the gifts are unwrapped and the decorations are stowed away?


Walking in a Winter Wonderland is holiday treat filled with special ornaments and glistening snow, hot tea and cold-weather kisses, along with some sexy shenanigans and plenty of holiday cheer. 



Claire Castle grew up surrounded by books. She has loved reading for her whole life. Her true love is romance and HEAs. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found wearing comfortable leggings, drinking mocha and petting her west highland terrier. She loves collecting awesome mugs and paperbacks of her favorite stories.


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Anniversar Shenanigans: Jack L. Pyke Giveaway!



Jack L. Pyke breezed in to help fill one lucky person's party bag! Jack's giving away a $5/£5 Amazon gift card!

We bass boosting this already snazzy giveaway with an extra from publisher Dreamspinner Press! We're adding an ebook of the winner's choice as well.

Pretty sweet huh?

Enter below!


Our many thanks to the author and publisher for making this giveaway possible!



Author Bio: Jack L. Pyke blames her dark writing influences on living close to one of England’s finest forests. Having grown up hearing a history of kidnappings, murders, strange sightings, and sexual exploits her neck of the woods is renowned for, Jack takes that into her writing, having also learned that human coping strategies for intense situations can sometimes make the best of people have disastrously bad moments. Redeeming those flaws is Jack’s drive, and if that drive just happens to lead to sexual tension between two or more guys, Jack’s the first to let nature take its course.

Website & Social Media links:

Website: Jack L. Pyke: Home of Kink and Mind Games: http://www.jacklpyke.com/
Facebook: Jack L. Pyke: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007776739131
Goodreads: Jack L. Pyke: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6691397.Jack_L_Pyke
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Jack-L.-Pyke/e/B00AOC2GXS#
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-L.-Pyke/e/B00AOC2GXS





Win a $5/£5 Amazon gift card courtesy of author Jack L Pyke AND also win a Dreamspinner Press eBook from of your choice from the publisher!

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The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) on 11/22/18. 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: Fair Isn't Life by Kaje Harper

Luke Lafontaine survived the past year by not thinking about the father he lost, the dairy farm he couldn’t save from bankruptcy, or his way of life that vanished with the rap of an auctioneer’s hammer. Cleaning up city folks’ trash at the Minnesota State Fair is just another dead-end job. But at the Fair, surrounded by a celebration of farm life, ambitions he’d given up on and buried deep start to revive. And seeing Mason Bell in the parade—gorgeous, gay, out-of-his-league Mason—stirs other buried dreams.

Mason left his hometown for college in Minneapolis without looking back. Student life is fun, classes are great, gay guys are easy to find, but it’s all a bit superficial. He’s at the State Fair parade route with his band when he realizes a scruffy maintenance worker is Luke, his secret high school crush. Luke should be safely home working on his dad’s farm, not picking up litter. Mason wishes he hadn’t fallen out of touch. He’s an optimist, though, and it’s never too late for second chances. Now he just has to convince Luke.



A very dear friend of mine is from Minnesota and we’ve been talking for years about joining her and her family at the State Fair followed by a week at their cabin. Fair Isn’t Life made me call her and talk about actually making it a thing next year. Thanks Kaje!

I can always count on this author giving me characters to read about that have so many dimensions and more realism than I expect. I should expect it though as it’s a normal Harper thing, I just get to re-appreciate it every time.

The realism in Fair Isn’t Life starts out pretty heartbreaking actually. Mason spies the farm boy, Luke, he tutored and crushed on when he was in high school picking up trash at the State Fair. Luke should be working the farm that he loved, not picking up trash. Mason is intrigued (and still attracted) and so begins a campaign to reconnect with Luke.

Luke seems like a stereotype on the surface, but as Mason draws him out we get to see that he is so much more than the dirt poor dairy farmer his peers mocked him for. Growing up, Luke was ridiculed for his perceived lack of smarts and wealth, but he kept his head down and did everything for the farm and the cows that he loved. All the while, he kept his sexuality to himself and the constraint he lives with made me so sad.

Slowly Luke reveals a little bit more and a little bit more and Mason is just a star for him. Luke has never really had Mason level support and while he doesn’t necessarily know what to do with it specifically, he knows it’s a gift and he’s smart enough and humble enough to accept what Mason offers. Luke has lost the one piece of his identity he could embrace fully. His life as a dairy farmer is over and he’s at a complete loss as to who he is meant to be now. His life has narrowed down to living paycheck to paycheck, not necessarily knowing where that paycheck would be coming from.

When Mason comes along Luke is finally afforded, for the first time in his life, the opportunity to explore more dimensions of himself and the courage to have hope for his future. The journey these two went on was absolutely sublime. It was much spicier than I expected and I enjoyed the two of them together muchly. I loved where the author took Luke and his sexuality. It was unexpected in that it didn’t fit stereotypes and isn’t that the point of a great book? We should all expect more from our MC’s and Kaje Harper delivered in spades. The beauty of breaking stereotypes is that the “different” becomes “normalized” and it gives hope that boys like Luke can be more than just a poor dairy farmer and more than just what is expected from him because of how he looks.

The angst in Fair Isn’t Life is external from the relationship between Mason and Luke and that was just as it should be. There was plenty of life going on without unnecessary drama between the two of them, which, given their personalities, would have felt manufactured.

I didn’t really say much specifically about Mason and that is doing his character a disservice, but just know you will love and appreciate him as much as Luke. Trust me, that’s a lot.

I’m going to call my bestie so we can plan a Minnesota vacation.




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


Anniversary Shenanigans: Keira Andrews Giveaway!


The holidays are upon us and to help you get into the spirit Keira Andrews is giving away an ecopy of her 2017 holiday story, In Case of Emergency!

We unicorns thank her for her generosity and for helping us celebrate our fifth anniversary!



Former stepbrothers find Christmas romance under the tree.

After years alone, Daniel Diaz is finally ready to shake up his orderly, solitary life. He’s about to leave for a cozy Christmas getaway with his new man when he gets the call from the ER that his former stepbrother has been admitted with a concussion and a broken hand—and Cole put him down as his emergency contact. Why the hell would he do that? Daniel barely knows the guy. After all, their parents’ marriage lasted less than a year and it was a decade ago!

But Cole has no one else to look after him and strict doctor’s orders not to be left alone. So fine, Daniel will bring him along on vacation to make sure he doesn’t starve or fall into a coma. This is supposed to be Daniel’s chance to explore romance again after locking down his feelings for too long—except it turns out his could-be boyfriend is more interested in partying and being an obnoxious jerk. Daniel sends him packing, and now he’s stuck with a virtual stranger in an isolated mountain cabin.

Cole Smith crushed hard on cranky Daniel when they were teenagers. Alone with him in a romantic winter wonderland, those feelings roar back to life. Glimpsing the caring, vulnerable man under Daniel’s frosty shell, he yearns to get closer. Christmas is a time for surprises, and Daniel and Cole discover a scorching connection that just might melt their hearts.

This fluffy gay Christmas romance from Keira Andrews features former stepbrothers reconnecting as adults, sexy hot-tub shenanigans, cuddling by the fire, and of course a happy ending.

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Author Bio

After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, fantasy, and paranormal fiction and — although she loves delicious angst along the way — Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said:

“The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.”


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Enter to win an ecopy of In Case of Emergency. The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (EST) 11/22/18. 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!

Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit + Giveaway - T.A. Moore


Author T.A. Moore is here today with a mind-blowing fic. So, without further ado...


PAYING THE PIPER


People think magic is hard. They make up stories of scholomances and dark apprenticeships, of long years of study and old, wise mages who know when not to use a spell.

That’s all bollocks.

You don’t need any of that. All you need is that cold, effervescent moment when you want something—revenge, love, money—so much that you forgot nothing came for free. That got you that first, mercurial spill of power that wrung out your soul like an orgasm wrung out your body.

Of course, what some people wanted wasn’t always...good.

Lachlan cocked his head to the side and peered down at the dead man in the bath. The last sighting of him had been two hours ago, in a bar with a pretty boy who had a sharp smile and a sleeve of intricate tattoos that glowed subtly in the neon lights. From the state of him it should have been a year ago, his body rendered down to congealed fat and thick broth in the stagnant water.

“Jesus,” one of the cops muttered as the smell made them recoil out of the room. “What the hell happened?”

Lachlan snorted and snapped latex gloves on over his hands. The familiar, powdered itch of them against his fingers focused his mind on the job. He was here. That should have been enough to give the local plods a starting point for speculation. What wasn’t the question that needed answered. It was who.

“Francis Graves,” a familiar voice said behind him, the rough scrape of something ruined under the calm delivery. “He was a convicted sex offender, but he had friends in low places. The word is that he did the accounts for half the crooks in the city, and they didn’t want him out of commission for tax season. He got two years, probation. It looks like someone wanted their own justice.”

Old lust itched down Lachlan’s spine—a memory of something he’d wasted—and it should have been easy to ignore. There was a man boiled down to soup in his own tub, if the sight of it wasn’t enough to turn his stomach the odd sweet reek of it should have been. Somehow though, that just made it easier to let his mind wander. It scraped up that one fevered hour and picked it apart to spin it out into something with a bit more staying power.

“You sound like you approve,” Lachlan said.

“Someone got him off the streets,” one of the uniform’s on scene muttered. “We should thank them.”

There was a pause and then Ross cleared his throat with quiet disapproval.

“It’s not justice, and it’s not the law, but I’m not shedding any tears.”

Lach glanced over his shoulder. He kept waiting for Ross to get a stye in his eye or to mouth something hateful. Anything that would make the ridiculously perfect man just a little less...desirable. Nothing yet. Detective Ross McEntire rolled out of bed in the morning ready to serve and protect, and he looked good doing it.

So did Lach, of course, but he cheated.

“Don’t be too ready to give them a medal just yet,” he said dryly. “This wasn’t the work of some wronged victim. Not anymore anyhow.”

He spread his head wide over the bathtub. The sickly heat of it felt like a clammy grip against his palm. A muttered word under his breath made the tattooed lines on his arms splutter to life, a mute glow that stained his white shirt blue and glowed through thin material of the gloves.

After a second the thick stew in the bath gurgled and spat like a pot on the stove. The thick layer of rancid grease congealed around the edges of the tub spluttered to sullen, yellowish light.

“It wasn’t murder,” he said. “It was shopping.”

The tincture that someone had turned Graves into had already been tapped. Most of the magic had been collected, stoppered, taken away—but there was always a little left.

“The kid at the bar?” Ross asked. He should have learned from the case that ruined his throat, but he still sounded sceptical. “He can’t be more than 20.”

“Do you know what I did when I was twenty?” Lach asked.

It was rhetorical. Everyone did. They got the rundown on his record the day before they met him, just to make sure they remembered why not to take his cuffs off. Ross knew better than most. That had been the case that ruined his throat, and why Lach should have been ashamed to imagine him naked.

“So what next?” Ross asked after an awkward pause. “Do we need to put protection details on all the perverts who got off with a slap on the wrist?”

He’d do it too, despite the distaste in his voice. The same way he worked with Lachlan, despite everything. Ross didn’t let his own feelings get in the way of his job.

“That would be too easy,” Lach said as he stepped back from the bath. There was nothing here for him, no passion or spillover of compulsion. The only thing the killer had left behind was a mild, satisfied feeling, like a housewife who’d found the spice mix she needed. “It’s a recipe, Detective. I’ve seen how you cook, but most people add more than one ingredient to their dinner.”

He heard it in his voice, the same way everyone else in the room did. An off-putting hint of professional admiration that got away from him before he could strangle it.

Magic was easy. Magic was cheap. Just like the first hit of crack from your dealer. It was only once you were hooked that the price went up.

So creative, right? We unicorns thank T.A. for helping to make our 5th anniversary special!

Author Bio: 


TA Moore -
TA Moore is a Northern Irish writer of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and contemporary romance novels. A childhood in a rural, seaside town fostered in her a suspicious nature, a love of mystery, and a streak of black humour a mile wide. As her grandmother always said, ‘she’d laugh at a bad thing that one’, mind you, that was the pot calling the kettle black. TA Moore studied History, Irish mythology, English at University, mostly because she has always loved a good story. She has worked as a journalist, a finance manager, and in the arts sectors before she finally gave in to a lifelong desire to write.

Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.

Twitter: @tammy_moore



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Review: Introducing Mr. Winterbourne by Joanna Chambers

Lysander Winterbourne appears to lead a charmed life. Handsome, amiable, and a renowned sportsman, he is the darling of London society. As far as Adam Freeman is concerned though, Lysander is just another spoiled aristocrat.

A wealthy mill owner, Adam has no time for the frivolous world of the ton, but when his younger brother becomes engaged to Althea Winterbourne, he reluctantly agrees to be introduced to society–with the Winterbourne clan’s golden boy as his guide.

Resigning himself to a few days of boredom, Adam is surprised to learn that there is much more to Lysander than his perfect surface. But will Adam have the courage to introduce Lysander Winterbourne to his own secret self?



Simply Delightful!

This little story put a smile on my face with the first curricle mention. There's just something about this era that appeals to me, all that buttoned up stodgyness just begging to be ripped open like a kid a Christmas. *shivers* I love it. I also have an age difference kink and there is a slight one here. Plus, if it gets your motor running, Lysander is a virgin.

In my opinion, few others can deliver the Regency goods like Joanna Chambers and she did with this little dumpling. 

Adam and Lysander have an enemies vibe initially, though it's more like animosity on Adam's part since he's been shunned by the aristocracy for being a commoner. A commoner with enviable wealth, to be certain, but a commoner nonetheless. He assumes Lysander is another in a long line who've looked down their noses at him.

Lysander quickly dispels that notion and over the course of a day the two form a connection. The evolution happened right before my very eyes! Every moment they spent together was economic in the relationship development sense and along the way both of their personalities emerged through the dual perspectives as did their attraction to each other. 


Though they only know each other a day, I completely bought into their connection and loved every minute with them whether it be fencing, sharing a meal or dancing in the moonlight, I wanted more, more of the Lysander's sweet shyness and more of Adam's grouchiness and more of them finding common ground and becoming more comfortable as they discover they are cut from the same cloth. Some may naysay the speed of the sexytimes but CARPE DIEM, I say!

Through language and knowledge of the era Joanna Chambers created an atmosphere that immediately transported me to this world and I look forward to re-entering it with "Mr. Winterbourne's Christmas" soon.

Recommend to historical romance fans who like their enemies to lovers trope on the lite side.



A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.