Review: Mr. Right Now by Annabeth Albert

He’s Mr. Right Now, but for how long?

When Russ suffers a Thanksgiving disaster, his gorgeous neighbor Esteban is there to save the day. And after an innocent mix-up leads to the former Hollywood hottie playing the role of Russ’s date, Russ thinks scoring Esteban as his fake boyfriend is a huge win. The newly discharged marine is healing inside and out and could use some holiday cheer.

For his part, Esteban is intrigued by his big, bad neighbor. He likes how his matchmaking cat brings out an unexpected caring side of Russ. Desire flares as the reasons to continue their ruse pile up for both men.

And pretending feels so good. From chocolaty kisses to late night cuddles, their burgeoning friendship is getting cozier and cozier. But as the end date for their little deception looms, all the real feelings they’ve tried to ignore come tumbling in. Each must decide whether they have what it takes to ring in the New Year as a couple.

Mr. Right Now is a stand-alone holiday novella with sweet, low-angst feels, spicy love scenes, and foodie inspired, quirky Oregon romance with a military flavor. Happy ending guaranteed with no cliffhangers!


Sweet and chock-full of holiday feels!

Neighbours Russ and Esteban unwittingly go from practically strangers to boyfriends in a matter of hours. It’s not planned at all, but they go along with the mistaken identities to humour their families over the holiday season.

But with each fake date and time spent together at home (just as friends!), neither man can deny that their pretend romance is starting to feel very real.

The initial set-up had me grinning like a fool. Esteban was just lending a helping hand, and suddenly found himself with a boyfriend.

The meet cute was quite cute indeed!

I think what I liked best about this book is how wholesome both of the main characters are.

Esteban’s an extrovert with a love of cooking, and is always willing to lend a hand.

And Russ is a teddy bear. Shy and a bit standoffish at first, but deep down he just wants to love and be loved. I would happily volunteer myself for the task.

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Of course, Esteban did prove himself worthy! I’m not jealous at all.

Though this is a novella, Russ and Esteban’s relationship didn’t feel rushed at all. It’s an easy progression from fake boyfriends, to friends, to actual partners.

The two men fall for each other gradually - through dates chaperoning each other around to family and work events, shared meals at home, and eventually sweet kisses.

Esteban and Russ fall for each other almost effortlessly. The angst is minimal, and it doesn’t take too much convincing for both men to realize that they have a shot at something real.

The happy ever after was the perfect cherry on top!

If you’re looking for a low-angst and very easy to read MM holiday romance, I’d definitely recommend ‘Mr. Right Now’.


A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.


Blog Tour + Giveaway: Becoming Us (True-Blue #3) by Becca Seymour


Becca Seymour and Other Worlds Ink visit on the Becoming Us (True-Blue #3) blog tour today! Follow up with the latest from the True-Blue series and enter in the $10 Amazon gift card giveaway!


Becoming Us - Becca Seymour


Becca Seymour has a new contemporary MM romance out: "Becoming Us."

Catch up with Kirkby residents Scott and Davis as they navigate through the ups and downs of fatherhood, relationships, and juggling... balls.

In two years, it's clear love can last, just as it can grow.

Davis's business remains successful, Scott's clinic is going strong, and Libby is happy and content.

But that doesn't mean real life is always perfect, nor does it mean fatherhood isn't as exhausting as it is wonderful.

Needing a break from their daily routines, Davis and Scott head away for a weekend of uninhibited fun. With lots of laughter and dancing, Davis has never seen Scott so relaxed and comfortable in public.

And he's not quite sure how to handle that.

Worried that life in Kirkby is holding Scott back, Davis nearly makes the biggest mistake of his life.

But Scott has other ideas. He doesn't need saving. What he needs is his man to step up and fight for their family and their future.

And he has just the plan to do it.

A True-Blue novella. I've Got You MUST be read prior to reading this story.


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | Amazon AU | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads




Giveaway

Becca is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter:

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Excerpt


Becoming Us - Becca Seymour

When Scott came by, Libby holding his hand, I pulled them both into a hug and planted a kiss on both their cheeks. “Hey, you two. That time already?” I glanced at my watch, realizing I was due to wrap up and head on home.

“It sure is.” Scott offered that sexy-as-hell smile he reserved solely for me. My gut tightened with the memory of this morning’s kiss. The thought of a night away with zero interruptions so we could turn it into one of debauchery was looking even better when heat crept up his neck.

I rarely held back how much Scott affected me and meant to me. And after a couple of years together, all it took was a glance for him to know exactly what was on my mind.

Pulling my gaze away from Scott, I focused on Libby and crouched before her. “You had a great day?”

She nodded enthusiastically and almost socked me in the eye as she thrust out her arm to show me what she was wearing. “Made it with my Scott.” A quick glance in Scott’s direction showed me he melted at her words. It got the both of us every time.

“Wow. Pretty bracelet there, princess. You two did a great job.”

“Yep.” She looked thoroughly proud of herself. “And I made you one.” She turned her gaze up to Scott. “Daddy’s?”

“I’ve got it right here.” Scott grinned down at her and pulled out a bright pink and green beaded bangle, with the odd bead having tinsel and some glitter attached. “I told you Daddy would love it. Here you go.” He handed it over, a shit-eating grin on his face.

I had zero doubt my fixed smile was more of a grimace, but there was pretty much nothing I wouldn’t do for my girl. She was spoiled rotten, and I had zero regrets about that. Plus, I’d wear whatever crazy stuff she created with absolute pride.

Just last week she’d discovered makeup, courtesy of Jenna. I’d managed to snap a photo of Scott complete with blue and green eyeshadow, something red and slimy on his cheeks with glitter on it, an orange lipstick that had made my sides hurt from laughing so much, and a black crayon or pen or something drawn all around his eyes.

While the same had been done to me, it was Scott’s hairclips and butterflies that had set his image off spectacularly.

We were both suckers.

We also had to pay Jenna back somehow for the makeup kit she’d provided.

With the elastic bracelet snapped into place on my wrist, I jiggled it.

“It’s soooo pwety.” Her pretty eyes were opened wide. “My Scott has one. Look, Daddy.” She tugged at Scott’s arm so he knelt, then snapped the grotesque necklace on his neck. Scott winced.

“Careful there, Libby. Don’t destroy Scott’s windpipe.” I grinned widely at Scott, who, complete with bright and dodgy-looking necklace, was freakin’ gorgeous. How could he not be when he wore the love he had for Libby so openly?

“Sorry.” She spun to face Scott and threw her arms around his neck. After a big squeeze, she planted a loud kiss on his mouth. “You ’kay?”

Scott stood with her in his arm. “I sure am. I think this pretty necklace has magical powers, or maybe it’s your kiss.”

I stood and looked on as Libby nodded.

“I fink it’s my kisses.”

“Makes sense,” he said.

After another bob of her head, she gave him one more kiss. “Love you.” She then wriggled her whole body to get down.

Scott’s smile lit up his face. “Love you too, Libby.” He set her on her feet, and she raced off to Jessie, one of my staff, who was clearing tables. His gaze on me, he asked, “You almost done?”

“Give me five and I’m all yours.”

His eyes turned molten, urging me to get my ass into gear and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening with my favorite two people.




Author Bio


Becoming Us - Becca Seymour

Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

Author Website: http://www.beccaseymour.com

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

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

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

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorbeccaseymour/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18745264.Becca_Seymour

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/book/becoming-us/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Becca-Seymour/e/B07NYXX6JP


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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Promise (Single Dads #3) by RJ Scott


Help author RJ Scott & Signal Boost Promotions celebrate the release of the third in the Single Dad's series, Promise, today! Find out more about the romance & enter in the giveaway for a $10 Amazon gift card!




Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link


Length: 57,000 words approx.


Cover Design: Meredith Russell


Single Dads Series


Book #1 - Single - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Book #2 - Today - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link


Blurb

Leo Byrne is a cop, Jason Banks is an ex-con. Even after one stolen kiss, something has to give before Leo can convince Jason that falling in love is even an option.


Adopted at a young age, Leo is part of the sprawling Byrnes family. With his dog Cap, three siblings and a whole mess of nieces and nephews, he is never lonely, and his life is full. Love is the last item on his to-do list, but seeing his best friends Sean and Eric happy and making new families makes him want things he doesn’t think is possible. Kissing Jason at an event to honor his bravery was one thing, but anything other than that is off limits. Until Jason has no one left to turn to, and it’s Leo who helps him at his lowest. Taking Jason and his daughter into his home is one thing, but falling for the ex-con is something else altogether.


Jason made a deal to keep his daughter safe and spent years behind bars as a result. Volunteering as a convict firefighter was as much about helping the community as saving his sanity, but now that he’s out, he doesn’t even have that. He’s lost his future, his self-respect, and has no friends or a place to call home. Worst of all, even after rescuing his daughter he still can’t keep her safe from the man who wants to use her as a bargaining chip for money. Meeting Leo might give Jason a way to keep Daisy safe, but falling for the stubborn cop means the truth has to be revealed, and he could lose everything all over again.


USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.


RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.


The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.


She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:




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Giveaway + Release Blitz: Hometown Christmas by Garrett Leigh


Celebrate the release of Hometown Christmas with author Garrett Leigh & Signal Boost Promotions. Find out more about this holiday romance & enter in the giveaway for a backlist e-book from the author. Good luck!





Length: 40,000 approx.

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Blurb

Yani Nicolaou is sworn off love for good. After fleeing a bad break-up in London, the only blood, sweat, and tears he has left are for his gyro stall at the Christmas market. Rebound fling? No thanks. He’s sticking to one-night-stands.


Ex-army vet Gavin Richie has even less capacity for romance. Managing a homeless shelter while recovering from injury keeps him far too busy. So what if he’s often alone? He’s content being single, or so he thinks until a chance meeting lights a spark he can’t ignore.


Yani is the warmth and affection Gavin hadn’t known he was missing. As Christmas lights up the city, their lives entwine in more ways than one. Falling for each other is easy. Holding on is harder, unless a hometown Christmas proves their love can last longer than the festive season.





Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer.


Garrett's debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.


When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.


Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.


Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh




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Review: Melting for You (Neighborhood Shindig #1) by A.M. Arthur

After his father’s heart attack, Isaiah Morrell gave up cooking in his own high-end Atlanta restaurant to return home to Reynolds, North Carolina, in order to help his father Thomas heal and to keep an eye on his business Neighborhood Shindig. A collection of food trucks and other small businesses, Shindig is a popular destination in this college town, but Isaiah longs for the fast pace of a big-city kitchen. Until he meets Joel…

Joel Fisher has been out of commission from a serious illness for the better part of a year, but now he’s ready to reclaim his life—except his apartment has been sublet, his partner is missing, and their shared food truck is stripped of everything not attached. In short, Joel has nothing. After an uncomfortable night sleeping on the food truck floor, Isaiah and Thomas Morrell give Joel an offer he can’t refuse: a rented room in their house, as well as their help creating a new food truck concept. Joel hates accepting charity, but he’s hit rock bottom and has nowhere to go but up.

Working with seemingly uptight Isaiah is actually pretty fun, and the pair bonds over a challenge to create a unique grilled cheese sandwich. Light flirting melts into a deeper connection neither man expects, but Isaiah isn’t in Reynolds for much longer, and Joel can’t get attached to the gorgeous professional chef. As Isaiah’s feelings for Joel strengthen and grow, he entertains the idea of staying in Neighborhood Shindig for good—but Joel hasn’t asked him to… 

Welcome to Neighborhood Shindig, a friendly place where you can snack on a lamb kebab while getting your hair done, pick up your favorite herbal tea blend, and then go listen to live music under the pavilion. We’re happy to have you.



First off, reading this book made me hunnnnnngry. There isn’t much better out there than melty cheese and carbs, so Melting for You was speaking my language and the author did a great job of describing the MC’s culinary adventures so the food became a character as well. Which was important for this story as food was a passion for both Joel and Isaiah. Albeit in slightly different ways, it didn’t matter because the story that was told showed how the love of creating good food is universal and I liked that message very much. From high end haute cuisine to food truck fare, good food makes the people happy.

Joel was a character I could really root for. He had some serious crap he’s going through with his health and when he recovers enough to get back to the food truck he loves he finds his partner/ex has committed felony levels of douchebaggery. Joel’s a tough cookie and all around good guy though, so the nonsense doesn’t break him down and he’s committed to turning the stream of negativity around and make the messy mess into an opportunity.

And he does. Not without the help of some convenient coincidences, overly open strangers and whatnot, but who cares when it’s Joel? Not I. Isaiah and his father are the overly open strangers who opened their doors, their hearts and in Isaiah’s case, his pants to Joel allowing Joel to find his feet with his new food truck concept. It was fun reading about Joel and Isaiah brainstorming and experimenting with their ideas and I liked their culinary chemistry a lot.

I didn’t feel a ton of chemistry between them in the relationship department though. Melting for You is the least angsty A.M. Arthur book I’ve ever read and I like the voice of the less angsty story I just think I needed a little bit more of Joel and Isaiah together just being Joel and Isaiah. Not chefs, not temporary business partners, not anything else but two men falling in love. There always seemed to be something else going on that distracted from their time a bit. And it was all good distractions, all good stuff that I wanted to read about, I just needed a smidge more Joel/Isaiah time.

Melting for You is a good start to a series for foodie romantics and there are a lot of us out there. I’ll be looking forward to reading the next one. And getting hungry all over again.




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

Audio Release Blitz + Giveaway: What Lies Beneath (Lancaster Falls #1) by RJ Scott


RJ Scott and Signal Boost Promotions celebrated the audio book release of What Lies Beneath (Lancaster Falls #1)! Discover more about the Sean Crisden narrated romantic suspense and enter in the giveaway to win your very own code for the audio book!





Length: 5hrs 44 mins

Narrated By: Sean Crisden

Publisher: Tantor Media

Blurb

In the hottest summer on record, Iron Lake reservoir is emptying, revealing secrets that were intended to stay hidden beneath the water.


Best-selling horror writer Chris Lassiter struggles for inspiration and he's close to never writing again. His life has become an endless loop of nothing but empty pages, personal appearances, and a marketing machine that is systematically destroying his muse. In a desperate attempt to force Chris to complete unfinished manuscripts his agent buys a remote cabin. All Chris has to do is hide away and write, but he's lost his muse, and not even he can make stories appear from thin air.


Sawyer Wiseman left town for Chicago, chasing the excitement and potential of being a big city cop, rising the ranks, and making his mark. A case gone horribly wrong draws him back to Lancaster Falls. Working for the tiny police department in the town he'd been running from, digging into cold cases and police corruption, he spends his day's healing, and his nights hoping the nightmares of his last case leave him alone.


USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:







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Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions


Release Blitz + Giveaway: Peter Cratchit’s Christmas Carol by Drew Marvin Frayne


Author Drew Marvin Frayne revisits Ebenezer Scrooge's timeline in new holiday romance, Peter Cratchit’s Christmas Carol! Celebrate with Frayne and IndiGo Marketing as they host a $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!


Title: Peter Cratchit’s Christmas Carol
Author: Drew Marvin Frayne
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: November 18, 2019
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 36100
Genre: Historical Holiday, LGBT, Christmas, romance, fairy tale, businessmen, ghost, prostitution, poverty, 19th century England, pirates, tear-jerker, time travel

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Synopsis

Peter Cratchit, a young lad preparing to make his way in the world, is the eldest son of Scrooge’s lowly clerk Bob Cratchit. Peter flourishes under the tutelage of his “Uncle” Scrooge and seeks to make his mark as a man of business, like his uncle before him.

One Christmas Eve, as Scrooge lays dying, Peter embarks on a risky ocean voyage that he believes will secure the future for his family. Onboard, Peter finds love, happiness, and success, only to lose it all by the voyage’s end.

Returning to London, Peter shuns his family and instead finds himself living on the streets, haunted by his failures and his dead lover, selling his body just to survive while he waits for the winter cold to claim him once and for all. But winter snows also mean Christmas is coming, and for the Cratchit family, Christmas is a time of miracles. Can a visit from three familiar spirits change Peter’s life again? Is there one more miracle in store for the lost son of one of Dickens’ most enduring families?

Excerpt

Peter Cratchit’s Christmas Carol
Drew Marvin Frayne © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Scrooge was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. He died some two years past on this very day, Christmas Eve. I would it were not so; yet I suspect the old man would not agree. He became rather infirm at the end, frail and forgetful, and though he did his best to remain cheerful, I know he hated to show weakness of any kind. It wasn’t a matter of pride, nor vanity; no, it wasn’t for his sake that he cared so. It was that, as he himself often said, he had become a sort of safeguard, a protector, to his family and to his community, and he hated the thought of us carrying on without him there, watching over us all. And we, of course, would clasp his hand and tell him that he would be looking over us in the next life, and that such thoughts brought us great comfort, and they should bring him great comfort too. And he would sigh, and agree with us, and settle in, at least for a while, until another great spasm wracked his breast, and his chest would heave with immense, raggedy gasps for air, and his worries arose all over again.

He died a good death, if it could be said that any death should be regarded as good. Though I have not spent nearly as many years as Scrooge did on this planet, I have knocked about a bit, and circumstance has shown me both great fortune and great tragedy. And as such, I have come to believe there is no good death to be had in this world. I have seen many poor wretches, past all hope of recovery from whatever it was that ailed them—whether it be an infliction of the body or the soul—beg for death, pray for it, and have watched it come in many guises, be it the cold, or the cough, or the cutthroat. I have seen their prayers answered, even if those answers came in some form of pain they had never envisioned. And yet I say, when the end did finally come, each and every one begged to stay, begged for their final breath to be forestalled, begged to live for even one moment more. Yea, though I have been on this world for less than a quarter of a century, I have come to know its horrors and have learned the greatest horror of all is that there is no world, no life, beyond this one.

Scrooge would not have agreed with this; oft he told us the tale of his visitation by his old friend, Jacob Marley, dead seven years in the grave before his return, and the further visitations by the three spirits who haunted him, also on a Christmas Eve. To Scrooge, there was no greater evidence of providence than this, and he lived such feelings in his heart for the rest of his life. I was glad of it; we all were, all of London town, though those of us who were closest to him felt his change of heart and his largesse most keenly. And many was the time, as a young man, on a Christmas Eve like this one, I sat cross-legged on the floor at Scrooge’s feet and listened to his tales of Christmas ghosts and astonishing spirits, of visitations to the past, and of the wondrous things that are yet to come.

Yet even then, I was a skeptic. After his tale was complete, Old Scrooge, as wise at reading faces as he was at managing his business, would frequently tousle my hair and tell me, “Young Master Peter, you must have the conviction of your faith. It is not enough to simply believe; you must know Christmas, and keep it in your heart all the year long.” Such words were enough for Tim and for the others; but I, I would only smile, and say, “Yes, Uncle Scrooge,” in a manner and tone that were always respectful, but that the cunning old man also knew to be mollifying. And Scrooge would then bend quite low—for he was a tall, wizened old fellow, and I have always been inclined to be undersized—and he would say to me, “You must not fear the world so much, Peter Cratchit.” And I would nod, and he would pat my cheek, or sometimes playfully pinch my nose. But what he meant by those words, I cannot say. In my experience, there is much to fear in this world, and much calamity the world will set upon the unwary soul who is not ever vigilant.

A growl in my stomach disturbed my thoughts. Time to dispense with these ruminations on the past; I was hungry. I willed my body out of its bed, a small recess in the side of a crumbling brick building used for the storage of livestock, a cramped pen to house the beasts before they were led to slaughter. The recess provided some shelter from the elements; there had been rain last night, so it was useful to keep dry, though the rain had been only a drizzle, and the weather was unseasonably temperate for so late in December. That was no small mercy.

The recess had once been a side door, now sealed up, when the building had been used for some other purpose, long forgotten to time. The smell of animal excrement that clung to the building—and to those who worked or, like me, dwelt within her—was formidable, but it also meant the alley I called my home remained deserted during the nightly hours. Safety in this life often comes at great cost. Those who have suffered at the world’s hands know this lesson all too well. The men who tended the animals had assembled a small cleaning station, clean water and a strong lye soap, behind the building, and they charitably did not begrudge my use of it from time to time, provided I did not tarry, and they did not see me. I hastened in my morning ablutions and made my way out to the street.

There was a bakery on Saint Martin’s Close; it was there I would seek to break my fast. Every morning, my repast was the same: two hot buttered rolls and a small tankard of ale. The only difference was whether the baker would tally the cost of his labors on my tongue or on my tail.

I made my way down Carol Street to the main Camden Road. I used to live on this very road, as a youth, but far down the other end from those places where I now worked and resided. Camden Town was named for Camden Road; the road was the heart of the ward, bisecting it in the north and making up the entirety of its western edge. It was impossible to be in Camden Town and avoid the Camden Road. And yet, in all of my wanderings through this neighborhood, I always avoided the familiar façade of my former house, with its chipped paint and ill-fitted front door. I was more interested in the thick, oaken door that led to the alley behind the bakery, where the business received deliveries of flour and other such supplies. I knocked. Some days, the baker answered promptly, as if expecting me; other days, like today, I had to wait. He was a busy man, having woke well before the dawn to assemble his breads and rolls and pastries and cakes. His bakery was a small one, but he did a good measure of custom, enough to keep him in flour and dough and sugar and coal for the ovens. Still, he had only one boy to help him prepare the daily wares—in this neighborhood, even relative prosperity resulted in genuine poverty.

Whether the boy was his son, or some urchin off the street, I do not know. The baker and I did not converse on such matters. It was, in part, because the man’s well of English was so deficient that any conversation would prove inconsequential at best. I could not identify his native tongue, and he spoke only the English of a tradesman and knew the terms for barter and exchange, and little more. My own English improved greatly under the tutelage of Ebenezer Scrooge, who gave me books to read and provided college-trained tutors to sharpen my intellect. I was beyond basic schooling by the time our families came together; but my mind was quick and hungered for knowledge, and Uncle Scrooge filled it with book after book on all manner of subjects—history, literature, economics, philosophy, mythology, the principles of business. I eagerly took it all in, save perhaps the poets, who I found too disordered, too insubstantial, to truly relish. Still, for an occasion such as this, the silver portion of my tongue was not really necessary. It was my tongue’s other talents that the baker was interested in. I suppose, in the end, this, like so much in life, was simply a matter of business. I needed what the baker had to offer; he felt the same. Talk would only prolong the necessities of exchange.

The man finally answered and hurried me inside. In nicer weather, he sometimes took his payment in the alley, but he did not like the cold and the damp, so he ushered me into a cramped cookery room stuffed with coal- and wood-burning ovens. I had no objection to being enveloped in warmth; it made for a pleasant change of atmosphere from my usual status at this time of year.

I could see by the sights and sounds of his distresses that my morning patron was more harried than usual. His eyes were darting around the room. His gestures were quick, and rough, and impatient. He was a large, hirsute man, with a rotund belly and a gray, prickly beard, which, at the moment, was dusted in a rather generous supply of flour.

I was no longer fond of beards; I generally preferred smooth-faced youths, like myself, and not the wooly chins of older men, though, in my line of work, older men were my main custom. And this was business, not pleasure, and the baker felt the same as I, especially today. Even as he penned me into his back kitchen, he continued to bellow orders to the boy out front. I often wondered what the boy thought of our exchanges. Perhaps it was of no consequence to him. Perhaps he was grateful he did not have to provide a similar service. Or perhaps he did. Who can say.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo


Meet the Author

Drew Marvin Frayne is the pen name of a long-time author (Lambda Literary Award finalist) who is finally taking the opportunity to indulge his more sentimental and romantic side. When not writing the author lives with his husband of 20+ years and their dog of 10+ years in a brick home in the Northeast. Find out more on Drew's Website.

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Review: Four (Love by Numbers #2) by Tia Fielding

A Love by Numbers Story

When unlikely attraction blossoms between a twentysomething genderqueer tattoo artist and an older, small-town veterinarian, both are forced to face their pasts for a chance at a loving future. 

Four years ago Padraig Donovan lost his husband, the only man he’d ever been with. Now his life consists of the work he loves, a big empty house, and the possibility of a lonely future.

Kaos’s experiments with makeup landed him in the hospital at the hands of his disapproving ex. With nowhere else to turn, he flees to Acker, Wisconsin… and runs into a sexy widower and the kindest man he’s ever met.

Padraig and Kaos know there’s something worth exploring between them, and as they raise a puppy and deal with the ups and downs of their respective jobs, they fit into each other’s lives in ways they never expected. Being with Kaos—who is so different than the guys he’s always been attracted to—opens up an exciting new world for Padraig. But can he convince Kaos to trust another man with his body… let alone his heart?


While I enjoyed reading Four and getting to know Kaos and Padraig very much I will say that the book is really not a standalone and I would say you should read book one first to get the full layout of character dynamics. I didn’t read book one first and that’s my bad. There was enough info to be able to get a good gist of what was going on when characters would refer to their histories, but I know I was missing chunks of material that would have made the story more fully fleshed out for me. 

Individually I liked Kaos and Padraig a lot and as they spent more time together I liked reading about their impending couple-hood. They were an unlikely paid and those couplings are usually my favorite. The differences have a tendency to bring out hidden treasures in each character and reading about them exploring and being true to themselves is a treat. That was especially true for these guys. Kaos is escaping an abusive relationship and struggling to honor his true self. Padraig is coping with grief and that almost always leads to feelings of guilt. So, these two had a lot to work on both separately and together.

The thing that threw me off a bit was the secondary characters. I’m going to chalk some of that up to not reading book one, but even if I had backstory, I think the supporting characters were just, a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. Everything felt incredibly dramatic and over the top and it’s slightly shitty of me to say that considering basically EVERYONE has some serious trauma but honestly it became exhausting. The distractions of meltdowns would drag me out of the burgeoning relationship between Kaos and Padraig so I felt like was losing their momentum more than once.

An HEA was inevitable, but man, they had to earn it. Both Kaos and Padraig got in their own way of their happiness multiple times and I believe that there was just too much for one story to be able to resolve it all organically and with enough balance so that I could really feel the happy ending. I totally bought into it, don’t get me wrong, I was just hoping it would feel more satisfying when it finally came around.



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



Release Blitz + Giveaway: Snowdrop in a Storm (Snow Globes #3) by Ava Kelly


Celebrate the new holiday NineStar Press release, Snowdrop in a Storm (Snow Globes #3) with author Ava Kelly and IndiGo Marketing! Learn more about the latest in the Snow Globes series and enter in the $10 NSP credit giveaway!


Title: Snowdrop in a Storm
Series: Snow Globes, Book Three
Author: Ava Kelly
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: November 18, 2019
Heat Level: 1 - No Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 18300
Genre: Contemporary Holiday, LGBT, contemporary, gay, pansexual, trans, interracial/intercultural, holiday, Christmas, established couple, children, panic attack, grief, family drama, teachers

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Synopsis

Daniel Wu’s life is wonderful. He has an amazing family in his partner, Jeff, and their adopted daughter. The only thorn in his happiness is Abby’s biological father, Nick, who can’t seem to let go of the past.

Ridden by guilt for trying to tear apart Jeff’s family a year prior, Nick Mariani struggles to find a place for himself in a future that seems bleak. With the backdrop of a holiday vacation, he embarks on a journey of redemption. An unexpected surprise is Leon, who flirts shamelessly from the moment they meet. Leon brings Nick hope, but the shadows of the past threaten to swallow all that newfound brightness.

Excerpt

Snowdrop in a Storm
Ava Kelly © 2019
All Rights Reserved

“We are so going to regret this,” Daniel said with a sigh.

He smiled as he blew over his teacup, and from across the breakfast counter, Jeff grinned at him. He’d already packed their lunches for Daniel’s last day of work and Abby’s last day of school. Their suitcases were waiting upstairs, almost ready. In the morning they’d be on a plane.

For the first time in his many years working as a teacher, Daniel Wu’s winter vacation would begin a week early. As a supervisor, he would accompany a handful of lucky eight-year-old chess club enthusiasts for a training tournament in the picturesque snow-covered Austrian Alps. Daniel looked forward to showing Jeff and Abby one of the places he’d enjoyed the most during his travels.

A pancake flipped through the air and returned with a sizzle to the pan. Jeff shook his head, his excitement contagious.

“We’ll be fine. Between you and me and Amber and Nick, I think we can wrangle a bunch of kids.”

Jeff had a point. It shouldn’t be much harder than keeping an entire class in line during museum trips, especially with so many adults supervising. He just couldn’t help but worry a little, planning for disasters and busted knees and special dietary requirements.

“Besides,” Jeff continued, “other teachers will be there, won’t they? With the other teams.”

“Yep,” Daniel agreed.

The pension hotel they’d be staying at had been reserved to host a mini-tournament of the International Chess Club that Amber had convinced Daniel to join. As a novice teacher, Amber had needed someone else to co-supervise the school’s club. Honestly, it had been a good thing. Some of the kids—Abby especially—had taken to it incredibly quickly during the first months of the semester, and now, they were set to start participating in competitions. One of the perks of the ICC was the winter gatherings that served as practice before the summer tournaments. And some of next year’s teams in Abby’s age group would be present at the resort. It opened up opportunities to meet new kids, learn new things.

Nothing came without a price, however, and Daniel suspected he’d pay for this trip with his patience and a few white hairs. He was excited, for several reasons, and yet—

Some of his ambivalence must have been visible because Jeff said, “Don’t pout,” his smile just as bright as he pushed over a full plate.

“I’m not pouting.” Daniel pulled the flattest expression he could. “My face is poutless, see?”

“Sure.” Jeff looked at the ceiling. “Abby! Breakfast!”

She came thundering down the stairs, hair tied crookedly in two braids falling over her shoulders. She’d been getting better at doing them herself, with a determination Daniel figured she extracted from her passion of all things Wednesday Addams, but she still had a ways to go. It was a matter of practice. Abby waved the tip of a braid at him, a question mumbled around her mouthful of pancake.

“They’re better today,” he said.

“The best,” Jeff added with a pat to her head.

Abby’s teeth were smeared with jam as she grinned.

“Mouth closed,” Daniel chastised, gently, and heard Jeff’s lips smack against each other.

He laughed—couldn’t not with his precious persons. The happiness of it stung behind his eyes for a moment, and he took a deep breath.

“What am I going to do with you two, huh?”

“I guess you’ll have to love us,” Jeff singsonged in a bad rendition of The Addams Family tune, and Abby snapped her fingers at the end.

Daniel shoved a forkful in his mouth just so he wouldn’t blurt, “Marry me,” to Jeff right then and there.

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Meet the Author

Ava Kelly is an engineer with a deep passion for stories. Whether reading, watching, or writing them, Ava has always been surrounded by tales of all genres. Their goal is to bring more stories to life, especially those of friendship and compassion, those dedicated to trope subversion, those that give the void a voice, and those that spawn worlds of their own.

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Double Six (Rowan House #5) by Brenda Murphy


Author Brenda Murphy and IndiGo Marketing promote new release, Double Six (Rowan House #5)! Learn more about the romance and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!


Title: Double Six
Series: Rowan House, Book Five
Author: Brenda Murphy
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: November 18, 2019
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Female/Female, Female/Female Menage
Length: 63500
Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, Contemporary, romance, BDSM, interracial, ménage, switch, edge play, knife play, pain play, extortion, kidnapping, Oslo, Norway, Isle of Skye

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Synopsis

Elaine MacLeod, the most feared and revered Mistress of Rowan House, is frustrated. Overworked, still hurt and angry over the departure of her long-term lover, she refuses to admit Rowan House needs another Mistress to accommodate their guests. Unconvinced anyone will be able to meet her high standards, Elaine grudgingly agrees to audition the sole applicant, Petra Grendhal.

Robin Broadacre would do anything for the woman who rescued her from certain death at the hands of her previous employers. When she volunteers to assist Petra with her audition, Elaine is forced to reckon with her desire for Robin. Drawn to Petra’s fiery strength and icy demeanor as well Robin’s devotion, Elaine finds herself torn between her passion for both women. When Petra disappears on a trip to Oslo, Elaine and Robin’s search leads them to menaces from Robin’s past and a fight for their lives.

Excerpt

Double Six
Brenda Murphy © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One
“Are you sure this is what we need?” Elaine lowered the hairbrush and shifted her gaze to Martha’s face, reflected in the dressing table mirror.

Martha quirked her mouth. “We’ve been over this. Just give her a chance. You can’t keep up with our client requests.”

Elaine tossed the brush on the top of the dressing table. “Because you and Lucia don’t help.” She swept her titian hair back and up into a high ponytail.

Martha handed her an elastic. “We’re not having this argument again. Lucia and I are finished with that side of the business. We can’t keep putting people off or they’ll find other houses to visit.

Elaine knotted a hunter-green ribbon in her hair. “Oh please. Like they could find anyone like me. Or what we offer here.” She shoved away from the vanity and turned to face her sister. “Fine. We’ll see how she handles herself. But the timing sucks.”

Martha placed her hands on her sister’s shoulders. “We had to work with the dates she gave us. Lucia thinks she’d be a good fit. We’ve had our trip planned for a long time. We trust you to make a good decision.

Alone. Again. “I’m not worried about making a wrong decision. Who’ll sub for her? Benita and Fallon are on holiday. No one else likes heavy pain play.”

Martha grinned wickedly at Elaine. “Maybe you could give it a go?”

Elaine rolled her eyes at her sister. “The switch gene is not in me. Go on, go on your holiday. I’ll figure it out.” Somehow. Damn, I miss Roxy.

Lucia and Myfanwy stood next to the car, their breath visible as they chatted in the frosty gray morning. Millie loaded the last of their luggage into the trunk and closed the lid gently. Martha placed her hand on Elaine’s forearm. “You have our itinerary. We can return if it’s an emergency”—she straightened to her full height and squared her shoulders—“but we are not to be disturbed unless it is.”

Elaine rolled her eyes at her sister. “Yes, sister dear, goddess forbid I interrupt your honeymoon. Like you haven’t already had one. I won’t bother you.” She let the devil show in her eyes. “I expect you’ll be tied up.”

Martha settled her fedora on her head. “I’m not going to waste my time replying to that, and please for the love of all that’s good, try to get along with Petra. We don’t have any other candidates.”

“So we should settle?” Elaine placed her hand on her hip.

“No one is saying settle. What I am saying is do not make a snap judgment. Or piss her off so much she leaves.”

Elaine shrugged. “If she can’t stand the heat…”

“Martha, we need to leave now.” Lucia spoke over Elaine, her voice a soft command. “I’m sure Elaine and Petra will sort things.”

“See, even your Miss agrees.” Elaine smirked at Martha.

Martha smiled at Elaine, not giving her the argument she craved. “Try it some time. You might find you like it.”

“Ha. A cold day in hell. Go now or you’ll miss the ferry.”

Martha gave Elaine a quick hard hug before she hurried down the steps to the car.

Purchase

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Meet the Author

Brenda Murphy writes short fiction and novels. She loves tattoos and sideshows, and yes, those are her monkeys. When she is not swilling gallons of hot tea and writing, she wrangles two kids, two dogs, and one unrepentant parrot. She writes about life, books, and writing on her blog Writing While Distracted.

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Audiobook Release Blitz + Giveaway: Starting From Scratch (Starting From #2) by Lane Hayes


Author Lane Hayes and IndiGo Marketing promote the audiobook release of Starting from Scratch (Starting From #2)! Discover more about the Michael Pauley narrated romance and enter in the $25 Amazon gift card giveaway!


Title: Starting From Scratch
Series: Starting From, #2
Author: Lane Hayes
Narrator: Michael Pauley
Publisher: Lane Hayes
Original Release Date: October 17, 2019
Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
Genre: Romance, Bisexual, Enemies to lovers, Rock and roll, Hurt-comfort, Opposites attract

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Synopsis

Charlie Rourke is an ultra fabulous human whirlwind on a mission to launch the next biggest band in the world. However, he might have taken on more than he could handle when he signed on to manage Zero. Promoting a rock band and finding gigs shouldn’t be hard. They’re a talented group with a ton of star power. If Charlie can find the right record label, he’s sure he can help them get to the next level. The only problem is the skater boy slash bassist with a quirky sense of humor. He’s annoying and silly, and he’s exactly Charlie’s type. Except he’s straight.

Ky Baldwin isn’t afraid to switch things up. He loves a challenge as much as anyone, but Charlie doesn’t make things easy. Zero’s manager is a force of nature with a razor sharp tongue, a quick wit, and a no-nonsense attitude. Ky can’t stop thinking about him. Winning over Charlie becomes Ky’s pet project. But when the ice between them thaws, neither is prepared for the intensity of going from enemies to lovers. They’ll have to decide if they’re willing to start from scratch and take a chance on the unexpected.

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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 won First Prize in the 2016 and 2017 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.

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Meet the Narrator

Michael has well over 50 audio book titles currently available for purchase on Audible.com. He is versed in multiple styles and genres including fiction (novels and short stories) ranging from romance to science fiction to crime dramas to thrillers; business strategy books; health and wellness books; and even an occasional children's book.

Fans of Michael's narration are welcome to follow him on social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and SoundCloud.

If you are interested in working with Michael to produce your next audio book, you can contact him directly at acx@michaelpauley.info

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