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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Out on the Serve (Out in College #7) by Lane Hayes


Author Lane Hayes and IndiGo Marketing return to promote the latest in the new adult series, Out on the Serve (Out in College #7)! Discover more about the college sports romance and enter in the $25 Amazon gift card giveaway!

Title: Out on the Serve
Series: Out in College, Book 7
Author: Lane Hayes
Publisher: Lane Hayes
Release Date: July 10
Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 55K
Genre: Romance, New Adult, Bisexual, Friends to Lovers, College romance, Athletes, Volleyball, Humor

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Synopsis

Roommates to friends to lovers…

Elliot-

I need a roommate fast. Even a temporary one. Beggars can’t be choosers. Going pro after graduation has been intense, and time is precious. Thankfully, Braden seems cool. He’s a little quirky…and very sexy. Of course, I would never get involved with a roommate. That’s a bad idea. Isn’t it?

Braden-

Moving to Long Beach seems like a no brainer. It’ll be a perfect chance to wind down before grad school and a nice respite from my folks. Plus, my new roommate is a great guy. A little messy, but sweet. Gotta admit, I like him more than I should. And we’re off to a strange start when a mutual friend hooks me up with his ex. Elliot’s the one I want, but going from friends to lovers is a risk. We could end up out on the serve…or we could win it all.

Excerpt

Ten minutes later, I tied a towel around my waist and opened the bathroom door to release some steam just as Braden opened his bedroom door.

It might have been my imagination or wishful thinking, but I could have sworn he eye-fucked me before he met my gaze.

“Mornin’,” I said in a raspy voice.

“Good morning.”

“How’d you sleep?”

“Pretty good. Are you going to the beach today?” he asked awkwardly.

“Yeah. I’m leaving soon.”

“Hmm. I heard the swell is huge,” he said in a fast, clipped tone.

I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorjamb. “Yeah, I heard that too. There’s some big storm off the coast of Mexico.”

“Right.”

“Want to come with me?”

“To Mexico?”

I barked a laugh. “No, dork. To the beach.”

Braden chuckled. “Believe it or not, I’m going to the theater. Sophie talked me into trying out the assistant gig. Hopefully, it’ll keep me out of trouble.”

And there was the opening I needed. I wasn’t sure how to word it, though. The hint of unease between us told me that I should proceed with caution. We had to be on the same page and willing to try something new and—fuck. My window of opportunity was closing. Braden’s cheeks reddened as he mumbled a good-bye.

I grabbed his wrist before he closed his door, ignoring the spark and sizzle that zipped along my spine. “Hang on…thank you.”

“For what?”

“The cereal.”

“Oh.” He let out a half laugh and yes…his face went a shade pinker. Fuck, that was both cute and hot at the same time. “It was silly.”

“I love silly. I’m a huge fan of all things ridiculous. Ask anyone.”

“I believe you.”

“Good. So…let’s agree that this doesn’t have to be weird. We’re grown adults. Well, you are anyway. We can call it a celebratory kiss if you want and move on. What d’ya say?”

“Yes, okay. I’m—I’m sorry about”—he circled his wrist meaningfully—“everything. I overreacted.”

“You mean the part when you yelled at me for getting sand on the floor? I forgive you.”

“No, I was serious about that part.”

“I know. But don’t worry about the other thing. Boners happen.”

Braden sputtered. “I did not have a boner.”

“Liar. We both did. Might have been your mom’s fudge,” I teased.

“You think my mother’s homemade fudge gave you a hard-on,” he repeated incredulously.

“Dude, chocolate totally gives me wood. Or maybe she added a chemical substance that made us too relaxed.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know…weed?”

Braden snickered. “Unlikely. My mom is very proper. I don’t think she even knows what weed looks like.”

“Hmm. You seem kind of proper too. Do you take after her?”

“Maybe, but I know what weed looks like,” he assured me. “My roommate in the dorms my freshman year was very fond of the stuff. We didn’t get along at all. He was a total—”

“Slob?” I supplied, quirking my brows.

“Yeah.” He shrugged carelessly. “I was probably overbearing, but in my defense, I come from a super rigid household. I’m an only child, and I was sick a lot when I was little. I had colic and sensitivity issues. I’d break out in rashes if I was in the sun for five minutes or if I ate citrus. My asthma was off the charts. I had a nebulizer at home, and I carried inhalers everywhere I went.”

“That’s a lot of information,” I said with a laugh.

He winced, then sucked in a deep breath. “Sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. My geek is showing.”

“Ha. Nothing wrong with that. You like me, eh?”

Braden chuckled. Like I’d hoped he would. “What makes you think that?”

“You kissed me. Twice. We might as well get married and pick out His and His towels. Thoughts?”

“Great idea. Just don’t tell my mom. She’d have a heart attack. She was already worried I’d moved in with you because you were my…”

“Boyfriend,” I supplied.

“Yeah, except she has a hard time saying that word, so it comes out in a strained whisper like…boyfriend.” Braden modulated his voice to sound like a scared woman. He grinned when I busted up laughing, and I could have sworn a ray of sunshine burst through the wall of our apartment.

Purchase at Amazon


Meet the Author

Lane Hayes 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. 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, 2017, and 2018-2019 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 | Instagram | Bookbub

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Release Blitz: Marked by Lightning (D’Vaire #18) by Jessamyn Kingley


Author Jessamyn Kingley and Gay Book Promotions promote the Marked by Lightning (D’Vaire #18) release blitz today! Find out more about the fated mates urban fantasy!

RELEASE BLITZ
Book Title: Marked by Lightning (D’Vaire, Book 18)
Author: Jessamyn Kingley
Publisher: Self-published
Cover Artist: LJ Anderson, Mayhem Cover Creations
Release Date: July 9, 2020
Genre/s: M/M Urban Fantasy Romance
Trope/s: Fated mates
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 99 770 words

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited


For two wizards from opposite worlds, only fate knows if a future awaits them.


Blurb

When a group of intrepid sorcerers leaves their government, Prism Wizard Vadimas Porfyra is selected to lead them. After centuries of denying his chosen school of magic, Vadimas is embracing the full power of his hue. Busy ruling the Spectra Wizardry, he believes the only thing missing from life is a tidier house. Treasured by the large D’Vaire family, Vadimas is content and not seeking anything beyond knowledge.

Far from the Council of Sorcery and Shifters is Arch Wizard Severin Dewitt, the Fate-chosen leader of the wizards. Little is known about the man whose wrist is marked by lightning. Severin is rarely seen, and unbeknownst to most, inside a house he cannot leave, his every move is being watched. Yearning for freedom, Severin must take matters into his own hands to forge his own destiny.

The Consilium Veneficus considers Vadimas an upstart and a traitor, so when he and Severin find out Fate has chosen them as a couple, there is little consensus on what the future holds. Severin’s knowledge of Fate is minimal, making it difficult for him to accept that a matebond rises above everything, while Vadimas trusts her fully, pushing their relationship to the brink.

Will distance, separate goals, and the ocean separating their populations of wizards stand between Vadimas and Severin forever, or can the two compromise to build a future together?



Excerpt

Confident that he looked the part of leader, though he lacked the mark of lightning given to the wizard leader he was about to meet, Vadimas waited for Myrddin to fly up onto his shoulder.

His familiar in place, Vadimas strode purposefully into the building, and the dragons helped him breeze through their checkpoints. Previously an oddball with no clout, he now traversed to the Office of the Emperor at least weekly, so he knew the dukes by name. A quick trip up the elevator and yet one more duke to exchange pleasantries with, and Vadimas made it to the main reception area.

“Hi, Vadimas. Did you hit any traffic?” Royal Duke-mate Niko Draconis asked as he rushed over to give him a hug.

“Not at all, is everyone waiting for me?”

“Yes, go on in.”

“Are you coming too?”

Niko shook his head. “No, Costas will give me the full rundown afterward. I’m going to get caught up on some work while I wait for my mate.”

“Well, no time like the present to find out what has brought the Arch Wizard out of hiding.”

“Good luck.”

The doors to the office were wide open, so Vadimas strolled through the gorgeous space that the Emperors shared with three of their dukes. Off to the left, he could barely see Ducblanc-mate Tiridythas D’Vaire concentrating on his sewing machine. Vadimas couldn’t remember another instance when the door to his workshop was closed, but with the dukes in with Their Majesties, Vadimas assumed his other half, Ducblanc Zane Draconis, had insisted. Only allowing himself a moment to square his shoulders and strengthen his resolve, Vadimas turned the door handle to the boardroom and pulled it open.

Myrddin made a strange noise and flew off his shoulder as Vadimas’s body went crazy. The smell of a newly printed book filled his nose—a scent Vadimas had never found an equal to—and his balls tingled while his cock nearly made a fool of him as it tented his slacks. He tugged his cloak over his erection as his gaze sought out a wizard with heterochromia iridum. One eye was the same violet as Vadimas’s own gaze, and the other was a bright goldish yellow, though they were both widened with shock as he stared. His flaxen blond hair brushed his shoulders in chunky layers, and his face was almost delicate in its symmetry.

As soon as Vadimas could get air in his lungs, he realized that not only was the Arch Wizard his mate, but he was the only sorcerer he knew of with two distinct hues of the rainbow—and each one was a separate pool of magic. They were nulled by what he suspected was a cuff he’d recently helped intensify. Now only one cuff was necessary, so suspects or prisoners could be deprived of their Fate-chosen ability to shift or cast without both their arms behind or in front of them like traditional restraints.

A meow reached his ears, and that was when Vadimas noticed the cat clutched in the Arch Wizard’s grasp. Like the sorcerer himself, he was dual-eyed, and his features were nearly dainty. Myrddin was making a nuisance of himself by standing on the table in front of the Arch Wizard and bumping his head into the cat, who was sniffing the dragon suspiciously.

“Prism Wizard Vadimas Porfyra of the Spectra Wizardry, allow me to present Arch Wizard Severin Dewitt and his familiar, Emrys,” Alaric said. “Arch Wizard, the dragon licking your cat is named Myrddin.”

Vadimas wasn’t going to comment on the fact that they’d both picked names for their familiars from Arthurian legend and in the same language. “Myrddin, leave Emrys alone,” Vadimas ordered, though his dragon blithely ignored him. The cat was lolling his head into Myrddin, and they appeared to be having a great time, so he gave his attention to the still-staring Arch Wizard. Since he’d taken up the role of Prism Wizard, he’d never once considered he would be called by Fate as a leader. For decades, he’d allowed inadequacies to fester as he faced people who had been, so it was quite a shock to find that his mate was the one selected to rule. As far as being someone’s other half, Vadimas had no clue where to begin. He was good at being a wizard and had long ago shaken off any idea of deficiency, but he had no confidence in his skills as a potential partner.

Gathering his thoughts, Vadimas couldn’t quite manage a smile as he wondered what in the world to do. It was so unusual for him not to have the assurance to trudge forth after assessing the best way to tackle a problem that he was at a loss for words. “Arch Wizard, I like your cat.” Closing his eyes, Vadimas shook his head at his own idiocy.

Severin appeared almost trancelike as he stood up slowly, and Emrys leapt out of his hold to join Myrddin on Their Majesties’ giant table. “I was told Fate would help you know who she selected as a possible mate, but I didn’t expect…so much.”

Bristling at the word “possible,” Vadimas pulled himself together. “Yes, well, it would be no use for her to give you a mate if she did not give you an undeniable way of discovering them.”





About the Author
Jessamyn Kingley lives in Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute favorite.
Jessamyn is married and working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.
Join her Facebook group, Jessamyn's Ruffian's

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Extraordinary Things (Star Shadow #4) by Beth Bolden


Extraordinary Things (Star Shadow #4) release blitz visits the blog thanks to author Beth Bolden and Gay Book Promotions! Learn more about the rockstar romance and enter in the $25 Amazon gift card giveaway!

RELEASE BLITZ
Book Title: Extraordinary Things (Star Shadow #4)
Author: Beth Bolden
Publisher: Beth Bolden Books
Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood Designs
Genre/s: MM Rock Star Romance, Existing Couple
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 50 000 words
It is NOT a standalone story. Reviewers need to have read at least Terrible Things.
Release Date: June 26, 2020

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Extraordinary Things is a continuation of Leo and Caleb's love story from Terrible Things.
It should not be read as a standalone.


Blurb

Leo and Caleb have been through hell—addiction, destruction, and even a five year separation—but they’ve come through on the other side with their love stronger than ever.

Caleb knows he’s earned Leo’s forgiveness. He wants to believe he deserves it, but just when Leo needs him more than ever, a voice in his head insists that maybe he doesn't. It’s so loud, he can't block it out. So loud, he’d do anything to silence it.

Including risking everything he and Leo, and the rest of Star Shadow, have built together.




Excerpt

“If you don't want to buy another house, you just need to tell me,” Leo said, and then wiggled out of Caleb's grasp, walking over to their big oversized walk-in closet. “Then I'll tell the realtor,” he said, his voice muffled. “But I feel stupid going to look at all these great places, when you end up hating all of them.”

“I don't hate them,” Caleb said quietly. That was true. He didn't hate them. There wasn't even anything really wrong with them, but there was this voice that kept telling him it was a mistake to move. A mistake to buy a new house, even though they had enough cash they could buy ten houses. “I just like this one.”

“I do too.” Leo walked out of the closet, wearing only a pair of skintight briefs, leaving nothing to the imagination and sending Caleb's pulse through the stratosphere. His voice and expression had softened, and Caleb thought if he kissed Leo, he wouldn't push him away. Not now. “I just wouldn't mind having some additional space.”

“Maybe,” Caleb said, clearing his throat as he began to unbutton his own shirt, “maybe we could look into an addition.”

Leo gave him a soft, chiding look, like he could see right through Caleb, straight into him, into all those ugly places that he tried to hide, and tried to hide from. “Maybe,” he said. Even though they both knew perfectly well that there was no extra room on their small, beachfront lot for an addition. If they wanted a bigger house, they would need to buy one. But for right now, Leo seemed to have let the problem go, and so Caleb decided that now when they had so much to celebrate, what was the point of continuing to argue about it? They'd figure it out—someday, anyway, Caleb reasoned.

“Hey,” Caleb said, shucking his shirt and reaching for Leo again, his hands sliding up his soft curves, reveling in the way his skin felt against his hands. “Hey, let's go to bed.”

Leo gave him a sly, lopsided smile, reaching up and intertwining his fingers through his curls, pulling Caleb down so their lips were nearly touching. “And what do you think I was trying to do, this whole damn time?”

“Torture me?”

“Maybe just a little,” Leo acknowledged, raising himself up so their eyes were nearly level. That deep, endless blue was something that Caleb had gotten lost in for the first time at the age of sixteen, and he'd never ever gotten over it—and the truth was, he never ever wanted to. Leo was as much a part of him as his red hair or his too-big hands or his mediocre ability to play the bass. Even when they'd been separated, and it had been years since he'd seen Leo, there'd always been a part of him yearning to be with him again, to feel that hot wild blue gaze wash over him, calming and exciting him, somehow all at the same time.

“I love you,” Caleb said, even though the words didn't feel like enough to possibly explain the feelings surging through him. Love and lust and tenderness and winding through all of that, a golden thread of abject gratitude.

Leo was the toughest person Caleb knew—the most relentless, and possibly the least forgiving person on the planet. So if he'd forgiven Caleb, and they'd moved on, that must mean Caleb deserved that forgiveness.

“You look,” Leo said thoughtfully, tapping a finger on Caleb's bottom lip, “you look like you're not thinking of what you should be thinking about.”



About the Author
A lifelong Oregonian, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband and their sweet kitten, Earl Grey. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published eighteen novels and six novellas.

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: North Point (Jagged Shores #1) by Thom Collins


The North Point (Jagged Shores #1) release blitz is here! Join author Thom Collins and Gay Book Promotions as they promote the new romantic thriller. Check it out and enter in the giveaway: win one of five ebooks from Thom's backlist!


RELEASE BLITZ
Book Title: North Point
Author: Thom Collins
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Release Date: July 7, 2020
Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, Thriller and Suspense
Trope/s: Going home, murder mystery
Themes: Fatherhood, survival
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 61 000 words
It is a standalone story

Buy Links

Will an idyllic summer holiday lead Arnie to the love of his life, or the end of it?
Blurb

It should be the start of a perfect vacation. After a period of stress, Arnie Walker takes his nine-year-old son AJ home for the holidays. Arnie grew up in Nyemouth, a picturesque fishing town on the North-East coast of England, and he wants AJ to experience the kind of carefree, endless summer he enjoyed as a boy. It’s a short-lived dream. While taking an evening walk along the North Point cliff, Arnie and AJ witness a murder attempt.

For the volunteer crew of Nyemouth Lifeboat Station, it’s a rescue mission like none before, Helmsman Dominic Melton is part of the team who rescue the victim from the deadly North Sea. When Arnie and Dominic come together in the aftermath of the attack, the attraction is instant. Arnie isn’t looking for a relationship. He’s committed to his son’s well-being and has no time for a distraction like Dominic, even though the handsome ex-naval officer is hard to dismiss. Is it possible for Arnie to fulfill his promises to AJ while falling for Dominic?

Despite the distraction, a fledgling killer remains at large. As feelings between Arnie and Dominic develop, so does the danger they are in. North Point may be a beautiful place to fall in love, but it could also be the most dangerous.



Excerpt

“The police are outside,” Dominic said. “They want statements from all of us.” He had large and very expressive brown eyes. Within them, Arnie saw flecks of amber and gold. With his dark hair and muscular build, Dominic looked every inch a hero.

No, Arnie corrected himself. This guy doesn’t look like a hero. He is a hero. The entire crew are. It was more than the way he looked. There was an aura about Dominic, an undefined energy that made him incredibly attractive. Arnie had worked with some exceptionally good-looking men in his career, bona fide Hollywood heartthrobs, and none of them had Dominic’s naturally sexy quality. Everything about him—his face, his hair, his build—appealed. He was a knockout.

Come on, Arnie thought, pulling himself up. You’ve just witnessed a horrendous crime. A woman is fighting for her life this very minute and you’ve taken a fancy to the local hot guy. Get a grip.

He dunked a biscuit into the tea and ate it. His father was right—the sugar seemed to have an instant effect and his senses became clearer.

“How rough were things out there?” Martin asked.

“The sea’s getting up,” Dominic answered. “The wind too. Another half hour and we might not have got in there. It wouldn’t have mattered if we did. The tide would have taken her by then. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

“You’re amazing,” Arnie said, and meant it. Dominic and the crew of volunteers had risked their lives for the safety of a complete stranger. They might all have died trying to rescue her.

“I just drove the boat,” he said. “My colleagues— Joanne and Minty—they did the hard work. They transferred the woman from the rock to the boat and kept her stable the whole way back. That’s no easy job in those swells.”

“Does anyone know who she is?” Martin asked.

“Minty thought he recognized her from around town but couldn’t be sure. It’s for the police to find out now.”

“It’s hard to believe something like this could happen here in Nyemouth,” Martin said. “Something so cruel. Who do you think did it? An ex-boyfriend?” Martin and Dominic looked at Arnie expectantly.

“I’ve no idea,” he said at last, avoiding the intense scrutiny of Dominic’s eyes. “Whoever it was, they kept their face hidden. It could be anyone. And they came from behind. So, even if it was someone she knows, I doubt she’d have recognized them.”

“Bastard,” Dominic said. He had a slight accent Arnie couldn’t place. Northern. Maybe Yorkshire. Nothing definite. The accent of someone who moved around a lot, losing all but a trace of their regional twang. A bit like his own. It was hard not to look at him. He was stunning. That hair, the glossy sheen of his beard, the moody furrow between his eyebrows. Wow. Despite everything that had happened, Dominic aroused something in Arnie. It should have been the last thing on his mind, but Arnie couldn’t stop the desire he felt for him. He imagined holding him and kissing that mouth, thinking about the body beneath those clothes.

Stop it.

Arnie finished his tea. “I should speak to the police. The sooner they know who they’re looking for, the sooner they’ll find him.”

“Are you feeling better?” Martin asked.

“Much,” he assured his father. “Thanks to you.”

“Take care of yourself,” Dominic said. “I wish we’d met under better circumstances. Hopefully I’ll see you around some time.”



About the Author
Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, Gods of Vengeance, Silent Voices and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.
He is currently working on a new series.
Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.
Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook The Night.

Social Media Links




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Review: Just Like That (Albin Academy #1) by Cole McCade

Summer Hemlock never meant to come back to Omen, Massachusetts.

But with his mother in need of help, Summer has no choice but to return to his hometown, take up a teaching residency at the Albin Academy boarding school—and work directly under the man who made his teenage years miserable.

Professor Fox Iseya.

Forbidding, aloof, commanding: psychology instructor Iseya is a cipher who’s always fascinated and intimidated shy, anxious Summer. But that fascination turns into something more when the older man challenges Summer to be brave. What starts as a daily game to reward Summer with a kiss for every obstacle overcome turns passionate, and a professional relationship turns quickly personal.

Yet Iseya’s walls of grief may be too high for someone like Summer to climb…until Summer’s infectious warmth shows Fox everything he’s been missing in life.

Now both men must be brave enough to trust each other, to take that leap.

To find the love they’ve always needed…

Just like that.


Full disclosure. I’ve never read anything by Cole McCade or his other alter ego Xen., but that doesn’t mean I haven't seen him around GR with the multitudes of praise he’s gotten especially over his Criminal Intentions series. Hence, I’ve been intrigued, and when this came across the blog, I thought why not? The publisher states that this is a “highly romantic contemporary love story”, and if that’s what you’re seeking, then come on over!

As per the blurb, Summer returns home and to the very school he once attended, hired to be a teacher in training to the most intimidating man he has ever known. To say the least, his anxiety is ratcheted up several thousand notches but for some reason, when push comes to shove, Summer can overcome that base fear, setting a precedent that creates a challenge between himself and the professor he’s fascinated with. Summer only has to be brave daily and he’ll be rewarded with a kiss by the same man who unnerves him as much as turns him on.

Fox Iseya is not to be trifled with. He doesn’t quite know how he got wrangled into this situation with Summer, but he obviously can’t resist the enticing younger man either. Sadly, Fox has secluded himself in a fortress of grief for the last 20 or so years, and though Summer confounds him, though Summer captivates him, he’s determined to stay aloof and unattached. Fox is held by a prison of his own making, and as days and weeks go by, the push pull with Summer evolves into so much more than anticipated, causing a resigned and staunch belief that he could never be what Summer deserves.

Admittedly, I had certain expectations and knew that this wasn’t going to be some dark gritty drama. What I didn’t expect was how descriptive the imagery and how flowery the prose were going to be, especially regarding all the feelings, desires, and worries these two men have. Also, each kiss, each step towards a deeper intimacy, was detailed extensively lending a very emotional, weighted atmosphere. Some might appreciate this and some might not...

Overall, I’m not typically for over descriptive, drawn out explanations or details, for my ferret brain gets easily distracted and impatient. Regardless, this was a beautifully written age gap, second chance romance that surprised me. It’s lush and painful, hopeful and sad, and yes, so very romantic. McCade gives a very intricate and expressive look at Summer and Fox’s inner turmoil and growth. I could appreciate it for what it was, and if that’s the type of story you love, then dig in! I’m definitely intrigued by this author, and I definitely want to explore what else he has in his backlist as well as any future endeavors!




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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Drifter by Eden Winters


Happy Release Day, Eden Winters! Drifter is out now and you can find out more about this contemporary romance through the IndiGo Promotions release blitz, read an excerpt & enter in the giveaway to win an e-copy of the book. (5 Winners!)


Title: Drifter
Author: Eden Winters
Publisher: Rocky Ridge Books
Release Date: 7/7/20
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 238
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Rocker

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis


Some legends never die.

Killian Desmond met his end in the fiery
crash that killed his band, or so the newspapers say. Now a nameless drifter,
he plays one pick-up gig after another in a haze of pain and regret, moving on
the minute someone says, “You sound like that guy from Trickster.”

Getting outed cost Mike Rose his musical
family. A bassist without a band, he’ll play any kind of music to earn a
paycheck, but Trickster’s music provides light during the darkest moments of
his life.

A chance meeting brings together two
lost souls who spark enough heat to set their guitars on fire. Their chemistry,
both onstage and off, feels like something written in the words of a song and
gives them courage to face life again.

But to seize their future, they have to
confront their past.

Excerpt


The throbbing beat blended with screams
from the crowd; a crowd hidden by bright lights. Sweat and cologne and beer
filled Killian Desmond’s nose. Familiar sounds. Familiar scents.

Home.

Did he love this life or hate it? Who
cared, he’d never known another. Back to back with his brother Elliot, he
shredded his electric acoustic guitar, improvising for the fans. The strings
bent to his callused fingertips, note after note falling from his guitar.

Elliot kept up. Elliot always kept up.
Others might get lost in Killy’s musical fantasies, but El gauged Killy’s
intentions by the way he moved, held his shoulders, or gestures, like pausing
to flip his sweat-dampened hair out of his eyes.

The drummer and keyboardist faded away,
letting El set the tone with a deep bass beat.

Killy strutted to the front of the
stage. Hot lights illuminated him from behind, shining on sweat-soaked skin.
“What you wanna hear?” He didn’t need the words to know they’d be sticking to
their prearranged lineup. At their manager’s urging, he’d saved the best for
last.

Highway!” roared through the arena.

He grinned and cupped a hand to one ear.
“What’s that? I can’t hear you.”

Highway!” roughly six thousand voices
cried out in unison, louder this time.

“Aw, c’mon, now,” Killy teased. “We’ll
play whatever you want, but you gotta tell us.”

The thunderous chant of  “Highway!
Highway! Highway!” threatened to blow the roof off the building.

Strolling over a few paces and throwing
an arm around his brother, Killy said, “Well, I reckon we better do as they
say.”

“Since when have you ever taken orders?”
Elliot shot back.

Faster than most could follow, Killy
slung his guitar back into place and launched into their best-known riff.

The screaming nearly deafened him. He
tried again. On his sixth attempt the crowd settled enough to begin.

He grinned. Adoration and energy flowed
from the crowd, straight into his veins, to gather strength and escape through
his fingers and his voice.

His deep growl purred through the arena,
pouring out the melody he’d written in a single night in a hotel room God knew
where. High on life, cheap vodka, and the rush of their first big show, he’d
settled onto the bed in the dark, except for the flickering image of a black
and white movie on the TV, sound turned down, and began strumming.

The words flowed out of him unbidden,
leaving him raw, shaken, and in possession of a number one hit.

He didn’t sing or play Highway—the
melody made him its bitch, possessing him, demanding release into the world.

Who was he to refuse?

“Some were born to sand and wind, on the
sea they make their home

Some may live a hermit’s life, on a
mountain all alone

Or in a glass and metal cage, high up in
the sky

Packed in tight with a thousand souls,
all trying to get by

Nine to five may work for some, but that
don’t work for me

Saddled to day in day out, no, I need to
be free

Living a life all on my own, free of
family, lover or friend

On the highway I was born, it’s there
I’ll meet my end.”

Alone, just him and the highway, until
the chorus.

“On the highway I was born, it’s there
I’ll meet my end.”

Elliot’s sweet tenor wrapped around
Killy’s pack-a-day growl, blending together seamlessly.

The audience joined in, chanting,
“Highway! Highway! Live and die on the highway!”

Rob kept pace on the drums, a musician
not really worthy of the band they’d become, and Ace, a friend and one hell of
a musician, wound his way through the twists and turns on his keyboards.

“The only home I’ll ever know stretches
from sea to sea

No start, no end, no in between, just
miles of road and me

Living a life all on my own free of
family, lover or friend

On the highway I was born, it’s there
I’ll meet my end

Highway! Highway! Live and die on the
highway!

Highway! Highway! Live and die on the
highway!

Highway! Highway! Live and die on the
highway!”

The mass of humanity might have started
chanting again for all Killy knew. His world boiled down to this moment, the
music, his brother, his friend, and the life laid out for him long ago, the
first time his mother brought him and Elliot onstage.

They’d stayed. She’d gone.

Here they still stood, though she didn’t.

Never would again.

Nope, no bad thoughts. Just the music.

Note after note poured from him like
rain, blocking thought and feeling.

He crashed to his knees, striking a
chord and letting his guitar speak for him. Caught in the spotlight, he leaned
back in a signature move his manager made him practice, making his shirt ride
up to show some skin, while his hair fell back, glittering like gold in a
strategically placed spotlight.

The blue streak, his own addition,
voiced his defiance at being a commodity.

He should’ve been exhausted after the
show they’d put on, but in that moment, he swore he could go all night.

He jumped to his feet, racing across the
stage and running through part of the guitar solo for those seated to the left
of the stage, then reversed course to the right, repeating the solo.

Arms reached for him, a thousand voices
calling his name.

Rejoining Elliot centerstage, he
launched into the chorus and let the others join him.

After extending the song by two more
choruses, he finally wound down.

An announcer stepped up on stage, to
catcalls, whistles and ear-splitting shouts. “Let’s hear it for Trickster!”

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Meet the Author

 




You will know Eden Winters by her
distinctive white plumage and exuberant cry of “Hey, y’all!” in a Southern US
drawl so thick it renders even the simplest of words unrecognizable. Watch out,
she hugs!

Driven by insatiable curiosity, she
possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that
she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial
Pursuit.

She’s trudged down hallways with police
detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the
correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets
of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug
tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures she has
written twenty gay romance novels, has won Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards
Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question
her Internet searches.

When not putting characters in dangerous
situations she’s a mild-mannered business executive, mother, grandmother,
vegetarian, and PFLAG activist.

Her natural habitats are airports,
coffee shops, and on the backs of motorcycles.

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