Blog Tour + Giveaway: The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

Angel Martinez and Other Worlds Ink visit on The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana #1) blog tour! Learn more about the latest from Dreamspinner Press and enter in the $25 Dreamspinner Press gift card giveaway today!

Angel Martinez has a new MM fantasy book out: The Mage on the Hill.

Toby’s wild magic is killing him. The mage guilds have given up on him, and it’s only a matter of time before he dies in a spectacular, catastrophic bang. His only hope is an exiled wizard who lives in seclusion—and is rumored to have lost his mind.

The years alone on his hilltop estate have not been good for Darius Valstad. After the magical accident that disfigured him and nearly drowned Pittsburgh, he drifts through his days, a wraith trapped in memories and depression. Until a stricken young man collapses on his driveway, one who claims Darius is his last chance.

For the first time in fifteen years, Darius must make a choice—leave this wild mage to his fate or take him in and try to teach him, which may kill them both. The old Darius, brash and commanding, wouldn’t have hesitated. Darius the exile isn’t sure he can find the energy to try.


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Giveaway

Angel is giving away a $25 Dreamspinner gift card with this tour. For a chance to win, enter via Rafflecopter:

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Excerpt



It’s killing him. We have to end this.

Too cruel to force him to keep struggling.

I don’t understand. He should be finding a minor channel at least. Something. He shouldn’t be at this level of physical distress and still be able to throw so much.

We can’t condone pushing on. Dangerous for him and for everyone in a five-mile radius. We’ll have another Darius situation on our hands.

You’ll tell him?

As soon as he’s able to hear it, yes.

Toby drifted from gray misery to scarlet agony, the voices floating to him in fits and starts. His instructors, the director—they were talking about him and they sounded done with him, just like the previous six guilds that had tossed him to the curb. Wild magic. Unplaceable on the web of Arcana. Unsustainable and eventually deadly. The only remaining bets anyone could make now were how many people he took with him when he went out with a catastrophic bang.

Hands lifted him. The familiar sensations of stretcher and rolling followed him down into the dark.

***

“What’s this?” Toby peered at the papers on the rolling tray, not quite up to focusing through his pounding headache.

The director pulled a chair close and cleared his throat uncomfortably. “We discussed that this might be a possibility someday, Tobias.”

“We’ve talked about a bunch of stuff.”

Director Whittaker let out a sharp sigh.

“Not saying it to be a smartass, sir. I can’t get my eyes to read this just yet.” Toby shifted on the infirmary bed. His fifth stay in this wing of the guildhall and the mattresses hadn’t managed to grow any more comfortable. “Couple hours I should be able to.”

“Ah. My apologies.” The director returned to a concerned parental pose, hands clasped between his knees as he leaned forward. “These are your separation papers from the Montchanin Guildhall.”

Toby swallowed hard. “You’re giving up on me? Already?”

“I’m so sorry, Tobias.” Director Whittaker patted his arm. “The Kovar method is nearly infallible—”

“Nearly. You said nearly.” Despite his pounding head, Toby sat up, hanging on to the director’s hand as hard as he could. “Please don’t do this. You said you’d help me.”

“We said we would do the best we could. Wild magic…. It’s unusual, certainly, but cases of unplaceable wild magic like yours aren’t unheard of. We should have seen some sign of channeling by now. Some directed trickle that would have let us help you find your place in the web.”

Toby let go to fall back against the pillows, hurting, nauseated, and dizzy. His uncontrolled magical explosions, each one harder on him than the time before, had only been getting more volatile and unpredictable. “I don’t have anywhere else to go. Can’t I stay here? Until, well, until….”

“It’s too dangerous for the other students. For the staff and other guild members.” Director Whittaker took his hand again. “Tobias, you blew a hole in the guidance room’s wall today.”

Ten feet of weapons-grade Kevlar and steel—that shouldn’t have been possible. Holy crap. “Did I hurt anyone?”

“Not today. But I can’t risk lives any further. It’s reached that point where we’ve tried everything we could. When you feel up to it, read the packet. There are several wonderful hospice options nearby. Beautiful places where you’ll be cared for and made comfortable. The guild will take care of you and cover any expenses.”

Drugged to the eyeballs so I won’t do any more damage. Allowed to starve to death in the nicest possible surroundings. Toby closed his eyes, his exhausted brain banging up against walls of possibility, trying to find him a way out. All this time he’d been sure one of the guilds would find a way. They were the experts. Now? Now he was terrified. The experts were telling him he needed to accept his impending death. No, no, no, fuck that. “Sir, who’s Darius?”

“Ah, you heard that, did you?” The director sat back and pulled out a microfiber cloth to give his glasses a meticulous cleaning before he went on. “Darius Valstad caused one of the greatest magical disasters in recent memory. He nearly destroyed Pittsburgh. He pulled magic too far from his channelings, the result much like a wild magic accident. The catastrophe was narrowly averted.”

“Oh. That sounds about as bad as it gets. What happened to him?”

“He nearly died. His guild status was revoked, his teaching of any more students forbidden.”

Toby turned that over a few times, his brain fumbling and dropping concepts along the way. “So, but he’s still alive?”

“As far as I know. He lives in isolation, oh, not far from here, with the promise that he will no longer attempt anything beyond personal magic.”

“But he was once like me? And he lived?” Toby knew it was conclusion jumping, but he was desperate enough to reach for anything.

The director’s sigh was slower this time, more melancholy. “Tobias, he found his channels long ago, both his major and minor Arcana. Yes, he lives because as long as he respects the web, his magic won’t tear him apart. He had some early success with teaching unplaceables, but Pittsburgh was the ultimate result of his unorthodox methods.”

“Yes, sir. Of course.”

Director Whittaker rose with one last pat to Toby’s shoulder. “Get some rest. We’ll talk again in the morning. Please keep in mind we’re not simply turning you out onto the street. We want to be certain you’re looked after properly.”

Toby nodded, no longer trusting his voice. He didn’t turn his head to watch the director leave, staring at the white ceiling tiles instead. Ugly ceiling tiles. Places where you have to lie in bed like hospitals and infirmaries should have nice ceilings with meadows and bunnies painted on them. I don’t want to die. Oh gods… I don’t want to die.

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Author Bio



The unlikely black sheep of an ivory tower intellectual family, Angel Martinez has managed to make her way through life reasonably unscathed. Despite a wildly misspent youth, she snagged a degree in English Lit, married once and did it right the first time, gave birth to one amazing son, and realized at some point that she could get paid for writing.

Published since 2006, Angel’s cynical heart cloaks a desperate romantic. You’ll find drama and humor given equal weight in her writing and don’t expect sad endings. Life is sad enough.

She currently lives in Delaware in a drinking town with a college problem and writes Science Fiction and Fantasy centered around gay heroes.

Author Website: https://angelmartinezauthor.weebly.com/

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/amartinez2

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/groups/angelmartinez

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngelMartinezrr

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1010469.Angel_Martinez

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/angel-martinez/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Angel-Martinez/e/B001KHMFTG

Review: Mud & Lace (Rainbow Place #4) by Jay Northcote

When Wicksy falls for drag queen Charlie, they discover that both sexuality and gender can be fluid.

Simon Wicks—Wicksy to his rugby teammates—has only ever been interested in women. But when he sets eyes on Lady Gogo, a drag queen who performs at Rainbow Place, he can’t stop thinking about her. He knows there’s a guy behind the fishnets and make-up, but he’s ready to explore his fantasies, and Lady Gogo is game for making them come true.

Charlie adores performing in drag. It allows him to indulge in his love of cross-dressing while earning some extra cash. Fooling around with a mostly straight guy in secret seems like a fun diversion, and gives him the chance to explore his feminine side. He feels safe wearing the mask of his confident alter ego, because the real Charlie is hidden from view.

When Wicksy sees more of the guy behind the make-up and glitter, his attraction to Charlie persists, and he realises he’s bisexual. In turn, Charlie begins to understand and accept his gender fluidity. As their mutual journey of self-discovery brings them closer, the secrecy becomes increasingly hard to deal with. If they’re going to have a future together, they both need to find the courage to show people who they really are.

Although this book is part of a linked series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

‘Mud & Lace’ is quintessential Jay Northcote - sweet and sexy with some feels.

Simon is a total lad. He’s in to rugby, beer, and the ladies. He’s also totally comfortable with his LGBT friends, and hanging out at the local gay hotspot.

But falling for a drag queen catches Simon completely off guard.

Charlie loves drag. It gives him the freedom and confidence to explore different sides of himself. He’s down to fool around with Simon, if only for the novelty of the hot straight jock.

But things get complicated pretty quickly.

I was a bit skeptical at first. The “straight-boy-and-the-queer is a common trope in MM. But it’s one thing to be attracted to androgynous or cross-dressing men; it’s quite another to ignore your sexual partner’s gender all-together.

Luckily, I didn’t have to worry. Simon gets over his initial hang-ups pretty quickly, and he’s in it just as much for Charlie’s pleasure as his own.

From the moment they give in to their attraction, Charlie and Simon are on fire. They give and take in equal measures, and indulge their kinky sides for some hot action!

Feelings enter the picture gradually. What starts off as just some fun becomes a friendship. Simon and Charlie find themselves wanting to share parts of their lives with each other, and both slowly let their guards down.

There are two major themes in this book - discovery and acceptance. Both go hand-in-hand for our MCs.

For Simon, it’s his sexuality. And for Charlie, it’s his gender identity. I loved how their relationship grew as each man became more comfortable with his fluidity.

Also loved the supportive moms!

It takes some work, but Charlie and Simon work out how to be open about who they are and what they mean to each other. The ending is a strong HFN, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of them in future books!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: It's In My Blood (Criminal Delights: Obsession) by Sean Azinsalt

It's In My Blood (Criminal Delights: Obsession) is out! Author Sean Azinsalt and Signal Boost Promotions promote today's release blitz! Learn more about the dark tale and enter in the It's In My Blood ebook giveaway!



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link - Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 62,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Blurb

Death eventually comes for us all. But what if there’s a way for older people to regain their youth? To stay a step ahead of the grim reaper?


Turning 40 was the last straw for me. It’s practically 60 in gay years and I wasn’t ready for dentures yet, so I came to Youthology — a program that injects clients with blood transfusions from young, fit and healthy donors.


I chose Nick.


Handsome. Masculine. And more importantly, young.


I thought I hit the lottery, until my life started to change for the worst. Not even the top medical experts can explain what happened to me. From the moment Nick’s blood flooded into my veins, I stopped being me, and I became something new; something dangerous and deadly.


I became my donor.


His obsessions are mine now. His darkest desires, his dreams, his needs, and nightmares are all a part of me, and I don’t want to let them go.


I embrace them and the beautiful boy who haunts both of our dreams.


My blood pact was sealed the moment I entered Youthology.


I never thought I’d become a killer.


This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.


Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.

Author Bio


Sean Azinsalt is the pen name for Shane K Morton.


Shane lives in Studio City, CA with his husband Jody and their fur baby Slayer. His first novel, The Trouble With Off-Campus Housing was published in 2016. When not writing, Shane can be found at a film festival or performing cabaret somewhere in a dark dive bar in LA.


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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Gideon (Finding Home #3) by Lily Morton

Author Lily Morton and Vibrant Promotions celebrate the release of Gideon (Finding Home #3)! Learn more today and enter in the Gideon ebook giveaway!

Gideon

Finding Home Series, Book 3

Lily Morton

Release Date: 05.12.19

M/M Romance

BLURB

Gideon Ramsay is so far in the closet he should be a talking faun.

A talented, mercurial, and often selfish man, Gideon has everything he should want in life. Fame, money, acting awards – he has it all. Everything but honesty. At the advice of his agent, Gideon has concealed his sexuality for years. But it’s starting to get harder to hide, and his increasingly wild behaviour is threatening to destroy his career.

Then he’s laid low by a serious illness and into his life comes Eli Jones. Eli is everything that Gideon can’t understand. He’s sunny tempered, friendly, and optimistic. Even worse, he’s unaffected by grumpiness and sarcasm, which forms ninety percent of Gideon’s body weight. And now Gideon is trapped with him without any recourse to the drugs and alcohol that have previously eased his way through awkward situations.

However, as Gideon gets to know the other man, he finds himself wildly attracted to his lazy smiles and warm, scruffy charm that seem to fill a hole inside Gideon that’s been empty for a long time. Will he give in to this incomprehensible attraction when it could mean the end of everything that he’s worked for?

From the bestselling author of the Mixed Messages series comes a story about a man who needs to realise that being true to yourself is really just a form of finding home.

http://getbook.at/gideon

EXCERPT

“Round the block?” he intones in a gloomy voice.

I nod. “Yes, please.”

The car moves off slowly. He examines my face in the mirror. “You okay, sir?”

I look up, surprised. “Of course,” I say abruptly. Then I ask, “Why?”

He shrugs, returning his attention to the road. “You don’t look so good, Mr Ramsay.”

“Oh Russ, you old charmer, you,” I drawl, slugging some more tequila. “What’s with the ‘sir’ and ‘Mr Ramsay’ business anyway?”

He ignores the question. He’s more passive-aggressive than Taylor Swift. “You haven’t eaten properly for a few days now,” he says instead in a concerned voice.

“I have eaten,” I say crossly.

“Tequila and vodka aren’t any of the major food groups.”

I shrug. “I had a Pop-Tart this morning.”

“You had that yesterday and very charmingly regurgitated it into a jasmine bush earlier on.”

“I’m fine,” I say dismissively.

“I surely hope you are,” he says wryly. “Because you’ve got your hands full tonight.”

I shake my head, thinking of the two men I’m about to get into bed with and looking down at my very disinterested cock. “Russ, you’d need a medium and a séance to bring my dick back to life tonight.”

He laughs loudly and then sobers. “Maybe you should call it a night then. Go to bed on your own for a change, sir.”

“Okay, Nanny McPhee. And maybe I’d be better with a box of tissues and a wi-fi connection.” I sigh. “Actually, that sounds a lot quieter.” I stare blearily at the back of his grey head. “I hope you also know that tagging the word sir on the end of a sentence doesn’t make it any less bossy.”

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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Audiobook Review + Giveaway: Falling Down by Eli Easton

Eli Easton and Signal Boost Promotions host today's Falling Down audio review tour stop! Enter to win your very own copy of Falling Down on audio!

And don't miss R *A Reader Obsessed*'s review below on today's post!

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Audible US | Audible UK

Length: 7hrs 33mins

Narrated By: Michael Stellman

Cover Design: Tiferet Design

Blurb

Josh finds himself homeless at 18, but he has a plan. He'll head north on the bus to New England and spend October there for his mother's sake. She always talked about going to see the fall leaves someday. And when the leaves are done and the harsh winter comes, Josh plans to find a place to curl up and let go. It will be a relief to finally stop fighting.


Mark spent his life trying to live up to the tough swagger of his older brothers until he pushed himself so far against his nature that he cracked. Now a former Marine, he rents a little cabin in the White Mountains of New Hampshire where he can lick his wounds and figure out what to do with the rest of his life. One thing was clear: Mark was nobody's hero.


Fate intervenes when Josh sets up camp under a covered bridge near Mark's cabin. Mark recognizes the dead look in the young stranger's eyes, and he feels compelled to do something about it. When Mark offers Josh a job, he never expects that he'll be the one to fall.


The snow is coming soon. Can Mark convince Josh that the two of them can build a life together before the flurries begin?


Trigger warning: Suicidal thoughts

One is not going to get anything less from Easton other than good writing and strong feels.

Josh has had it rough in his short 18 years of life, and he’s basically given up. He doesn’t want to feel or hope or want because that will inevitably bring disappointment, and Josh has definitely had quite enough.

Mark has his own baggage as well, especially from his time served in the military. He’s got a protective and caring side to him but at the same time, he’s scared of letting others down and thus afraid to commit to anything, including telling his brash traditional family that he’s gay.

When Mark sees Josh huddling under a bridge one night, Mark can’t not help him, and what begins as lending a helping hand slowly turns into so much more. Ensue a slow burn accompanied by lots of doubt and personal struggle on both these guys’ parts. Beware suicidal thoughts, in the closet anxiety, some selfishness and at times, an inability to empathize with the other’s situation, However, when it comes down to it, Easton doesn’t fail on the emotions nor the sexy.

Narrated by Michael Stellman, I’ve enjoyed him in the past and this was no different. He brings to the fore a certain melancholy fitting for the story, and the emoting done by both Mark and Josh was pitch perfect.

Overall, if you're a fan of this author, then I doubt this will disappoint. Easton for sure can be brutal in the angst but don’t be too intimidated by the subject matter here. Though there’s not a lot of puppy and rainbows except for the wonderful epilogue, this was kinda tame in the pain factor in comparison to some of her other stuff.

Again, a solid romance with a fulfilling happy ending!

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

About Eli


Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.


Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particular admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.


In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include “Blame it on the Mistletoe”, “Unwrapping Hank” and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles”. Her “Howl at the Moon” series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.


Her website is www.elieaston.com

You can email her at eli@elieaston.com

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Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Nine Small Sips (A Tales Of Bryant Wedding) by V.L. Locey

V.L. Locey and Signal Boost Promotions reveal the new cover for Nine Small Sips (A Tales Of Bryant Wedding)! Great cover! Learn more and enter in the Tales of Bryant ebook giveaway!



ADD TO GOODREADS

Release Date: June 12

Cover Design: Sloan J Designs

Tales of Bryant - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb

Life for Isamu Taylor is now a Cinderella story that includes a Manhattan loft, a new position in the hottest LGBT film production company in New York City, and an upcoming wedding in Bryant Park to his very own handsome prince.


He’s come a long way from that struggling film student with ratty sneakers and shaggy hair. Isamu is now living an urbanite’s fairy tale with that happily ever after just around a bustling city street corner.


But as all wedding planners know, even the best laid plans seem to go awry, and Isamu and Brian’s wedding is no exception. But love – both old and new – is in the air, so nothing can go too badly, right?

USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.


V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.


When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.

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Review: Why We Fight (At First Sight #4) by T.J. Klune

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Corey Ellis sure doesn’t. Oh, everyone around him seems to have found their happy ending, but he’s far too busy to worry about such things. He’ll have plenty of time for romance after he survives his last summer before graduation. So what if he can’t get his former professor, Jeremy Olsen, out of his head? It’s just hero worship. And that’s the way it should stay.

Except that this summer, bigender Corey—aka Kori—is interning at Phoenix House, a LGBTQI youth center that recently hired an interim director. And because life is extraordinarily unfair, the director just so happens to be a certain former professor, now current boss.

Desperate to keep things professional as he and Jeremy grow closer, Corey makes a major mistake: he turns to his friends, Paul Auster and Sanford Stewart, for help.

But Paul and Sandy have some ideas of their own.

Set in the summer of 2016, Why We Fight is a celebration of queer life and being true to oneself… no matter the cost.

I couldn’t wait to read Corey/Kori’s story, and at the same time, I didn’t even want to start it because, like so many others, I don’t want the At First Sight series to end. But, like all good things, blah, blah, blah and here we are. Why We Fight is the perfect end.

The flavor of it is a little different than the rest of the series, but it has to be. It’s a little more serious and tackles the reality of 2016 because it has to. It’s Corey’s life and love story, but it’s also the story of the whole family as they mature and all their lives evolve. They evolve together though and while bits were terribly bittersweet, they were still full of hope and happiness. You’ll notice that I used the word “mature” there, you have to know that term is relative with regards to the Tucson crew.

There were still plenty of shenanigans to keep me laughing throughout and there’s really nothing better than family dinners at the Auster house. The extended family is growing by two as Charlie’s gentleman, Robert and his son Jeremy are welcomed, nay shanghaied, into the fold. I do love when lonely people find their homes in stories and when it’s a chosen home, the finding is that much sweeter. The characters are always so appreciative of what they have too, it just makes me feel good to read their interactions. The snark and sarcasm keep them real and hilarious and the balance, as always, is perfectly done.

I appreciated reading Corey’s distinct voice and perspective. He’s a bit more serious and jaded than Paul, Sandy, Vince and Darren, and it makes sense for him. He’s seen some shit and he’s lived a life where he depended on no one but himself. And then of course along came Sandy and he got the family he always deserved but never had. He’s about done with his Master’s and the changes coming for him are scary in a way he’s never had to worry about before. He didn’t have family, so leaving his foster parents was never a real emotional thing. But he has a family now, couples are pairing up, things are changing and his educational career is coming to an end. He’s at a bit of crossroad and I could feel how unsettled he was.

This is Corey’s happy ending though and when Jeremy, his hot professor shows up as the interim director of Phoenix House everyone but them knew what was coming. Their journey to their HEA was different than Paul and Vince or Sandy and Darren. I mean, obviously, but I mean it in the way that Corey and Jeremy are more mature, more worldly, so they kept the decorum for a good bit, because neither was willing to jeopardize what the other had going on professionally. Not that there weren’t some amazing moments that were the exact opposite of that, but overall, there was just a lot of respect between the two of them.

Being that Why We Fight is set in 2016, with the spectre of the Cheeto on the horizon, there were a lot of poignant moments that gave the issues that the LGBTQI community is now confronted with a personal face. It’s important to read, it’s important to listen and it’s important to learn from the stories told here. Charlie made me cry more than once and I’m getting all verklempt just thinking about him. The respect, friendship and love he is shown throughout the story really made this book for me.

While I’ve mostly reflected on the heavier side of Why We Fight, and I’ve only mentioned shenanigans in passing, you have to know there are some amazingly wonderfully stupid moments that are the hallmark of this series. There’s always so much great stuff that I’ve reread each book multiple times and discovered/remembered a moment every time. I’m going to do that with Why We Fight too. I think I was so moved by all the dynamics, that I know I have to go back and re-appreciate the interactions. They are too good not to read multiple times.

I’m so sad to see this series come to a close, but I loved how it ended. I’ve always felt invested in these characters and to see them all with their HEAs makes my heart happy.

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

Release Blitz + Giveaway: To Love and to Cherish (Enchanting Encounters #3) by Tamryn Eradani

To Love and to Cherish (Enchanting Encounters #3) is out! Celebrate with author Tamryn Eradani and IndiGo Marketing! Learn more about the BDSM contemporary and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!

Title: To Love and to Cherish

Series: Enchanting Encounters, Book Three

Author: Tamryn Eradani

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: May 13, 2019

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 57400

Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, Contemporary, BDSM, gay, bondage expo, spanking, collaring, commitment, college professor

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Synopsis

Kyle’s never been shy about going after what he wants. After two short term contracts, he wants something closer to permanent with Aidan. And what better way to bring them closer than to spend time apart? Being away from each other for the first time in their relationship might make them both realize they’d rather be together.

Excerpt

To Love and to Cherish
Tamryn Eradani © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Music filters through the speakers of the dance club, this song less deafening than the last. The singer’s voice is lower, crooning, and every beat of the bass reverberates through Kyle’s body. He moves with the music, chasing it, his movements too languid to ever completely catch it.

The guy behind him groans as Kyle grinds back against him. He splays his hands across Kyle’s hips and pulls Kyle back against him, as if there’s any space left between them at this point.

“You’re good at this,” the guy says, his breath hot against Kyle’s ear.

Kyle grins as he tips his head back against the guy’s shoulder. It shows off the long line of his throat, even in the dim lighting of the club. It’s a tease, all that skin, shiny with a sheen of sweat, more than Kyle meant it to be. The guy tightens his hold as he dips his lips to Kyle’s neck.

“Makes me wonder what else you’re good at,” the guy says.

Yep, definitely too much of a tease. Kyle stops the man’s hands from creeping up his shirt.

“Tonight, just dancing,” Kyle tells the stranger.

“I could persuade you.” He dips his thumbs into Kyle’s waistband. It’s his turn to grind against Kyle, and Kyle’s honest enough to admit the man’s packing a pretty persuasive argument.

It’s tempting, but he has someone even better waiting for him tonight.

“You can’t,” Kyle says, apologetic as he turns so they’re face to face.

The guy’s a couple of inches taller than Kyle, but he doesn’t make him feel small. He likes a bit of looming from his partners, and he’s met some people who pull it off even though they’re shorter than him, but this guy doesn’t manage it even with a natural advantage. It’s a good reminder that while this has been fun, this isn’t the guy he wants to spend the rest of his night with.

The man’s hands on are Kyle’s ass now. They roamed during the past two songs, touching what seems like every part of Kyle’s body. His skin is humming with it. He wants a harder touch, for them to slip under his clothes even though he just stopped the man from doing it.

Someone better is waiting for me at home.

It makes him wonder which of them he’s really teasing.

Probably both.

“One more dance or no?” Kyle asks, his tone light so the guy knows there’re no hard feelings either way.

“One more,” the guy says.

He keeps Kyle like this, the two of them facing each other, as he draws him in closer. He’s rougher during this song, because it has a faster beat or because he knows this is the last few minutes he has before Kyle disappears into the crowd.

Honestly, Kyle doesn’t care what the reason is. He’s into the hands that try to touch all of him one last time and the press of the guy’s dick through his pants. He’s really into the way the guy loses the rhythm of the music as if Kyle’s more important than the dancing. By the end of the song, what they’re doing can’t be called dancing. Even with clothes on, it’s borderline indecent.

Kyle unwraps himself from the other man and flashes him a thumbs-up before heading to the bar for a drink. He asks the bartender for lemonade because he’s looking for a jolt of sugar.

He leans against the counter once he has his drink and looks out at the dance floor. It’s hard to see more than shapes, just a mass of bodies writhing together. He takes a drink, the coldness of his lemonade a contrast to his overheated skin.

He checks his watch. He has to stay here for at least a half hour longer. Probably more. He doesn’t want to seem too eager even though he is eager. All of this is to wind him up, and he’s not sure how much more of it he can stand.

He takes another long drink before he holds his glass to his forehead. His face is flushed, and he’s sweating. He’d worn one of his thinnest shirts in anticipation of a packed dance floor, and now it’s plastered against his skin, it’s practically see-through.

Once he finishes his drink, he leaves the cup and a tip for the bartender. There’s a line for the bathroom, and by the time he’s done, his clothes are sticky and uncomfortable from the sweat drying. Should he call it a night and head home? If he drives slowly enough, then he’ll show up at the earliest time he was given. He was hoping to make it a little longer, but the teasing will be worth it.

A guy with spiked hair and a hopeful smile slides up to him. He’s slimmer than Kyle and his cheeks are as pink as Kyle’s feel. He has eyelashes that make Kyle jealous, and his shirt, if possible, clings even more than Kyle’s is right now.

“You look like you’re trying to have a good time,” the guy says.

He isn’t Kyle’s type at all except he’s interested, and that’s Kyle’s biggest turn on, more than eye color or body shape or gender. Maybe it makes him vain, but he finds himself leaning toward the other man.

“Not too good a time,” Kyle cautions, because on a night like this, it’s important he doesn’t lead anyone on. Some guys assume he’s playing hard to get, and those are the ones he cuts loose after a dance. He is looking for a good time, but his end game isn’t anyone here.

The guy smiles, his teeth white and bright in the dark room. “That makes two of us.”

Kyle shrugs and lets the guy lead him to a part of the dance floor he hasn’t used yet tonight. It’s on the edge, in full view of the bar. Kyle prefers being in the middle of things, bodies packed tight all around him.

It takes a whole song for him to realize the guy’s looking over Kyle’s shoulder toward the bar.

Their plans for the night really are the same.

Kyle hooks his fingers through the man’s belt loops and tugs until he has his attention. “Do you have someone watching or someone you wish was watching?”

“Uh.” The guy’s gaze redirects to Kyle. He puts a few inches between them as if he’s nervous. He must see something on Kyle’s face that settles him because he says, “The first one.”

Which means whoever it is must be sitting at the bar. Kyle wants to turn around and see for himself, but he holds off. First, he runs his hands through the guy’s hair and tips his head back so they’re looking at each other.

“What am I allowed to do?” Kyle asks.

He knows all about putting on a show. Getting people’s attention is one of his best skills, and he’s more than happy to help this guy have his good night.

The guy’s eyebrows climb upwards. “You were definitely a good choice. You can do anything but kiss me.”

“Anything? I can’t kiss, but I can bite?”

“Not hard. No marks.” His brow furrows. “Were you planning on it?”

“No, but you should be more careful offering blank checks to random guys you meet in dance clubs.”

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Meet the Author

Tamryn studied English and Creative Writing in school but has been writing since she could first hold a pencil. Recently, she’s turned her focus towards writing erotica. She enjoys writing stories where sex comes first, then feelings, because doing things out of order can be fun.



Tamryn has spent the past few months writing the Daniel and Ryan series with a lovely view of mountains out her window, and she’s now searching for a new mountain range to serve as her backdrop as she begins her next project.

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