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Guest Review: Fish on a Bicycle (Fish Out of Water #5) by Amy Lane

Jackson Rivers has always bucked the rules—and bucking the rules of recovery is no exception. Now that he and Ellery are starting their own law firm, there’s no reason he can’t rush into trouble and take the same risks as always, right?

Maybe not. Their first case is a doozy, involving porn stars, drug empires, and daddy issues, and their client, Henry Worrall, wants to be an active participant in his own defense. As Henry and Jackson fight the bad guys and each other to find out who dumped the porn star in the trash can, Jackson must reexamine his assumptions that four months of rest and a few good conversations have made him all better inside.

Jackson keeps crashing his bicycle of self-care and a successful relationship, and Ellery wonders what’s going to give out first—Jackson’s health or Ellery’s patience. Jackson’s body hasn’t forgiven him for past crimes. Can Ellery forgive him for his current sins? And can they keep Henry from going to jail for sleeping with the wrong guy at the wrong time?

Being a fish out of water is tough—but if you give a fish a bicycle, how’s he going to swim?


Reviewer: Annika

I have probably said it before – and most likely will do it again, but Fish out of Water is by far my favourite series by Amy Lane’s. There’s just so much to love about it, so many great characters you care for – even the ones you only meet in passing. I would have to agree with Ellery, there’s something with Jackson that draws people to him, like moths to flame we are all drawn to this battered man. I can’t believe it took me so long to get to this book. I mean I did try to hold out for the audio and Greg Tremblay, but I’m weak and caved…
When we catch up with Ellery and Jackson they are both recovering from their last battle. And the recovery is a rough one, months long even, but they are both determined to make it through, to start their new firm and for life to settle a bit. And for a while that plan works out well, they are mending and are in the process of finishing the renovations for their newly acquired office space, when a client walks in asking for their help. One is a lawyer (not yet able to practice law in the state) and one is Henry, a 27 year old army vet with a chip on his shoulder to rival the Empire State Building, and the baggage to match. How no one had strangled that man is a complete mystery to me, because when we first met him he was anything but pleasant to be around.

Also, holy moly the amount of angst that was jam packed into this story. I physically ached, while reading some parts, had tears in my eyes for others. And often did I want to hit someone, mostly Jackson or Henry, over the head for being stupid. I know they both had their reasons for being so closed off, I mean the shit they had in their baggage was enough to last ten people several lifetimes over. But still, for their sakes as well as the people that cared for them, I wanted them to open up a little, to share their hurt and be able to heal just a little bit. I don't think they will ever fully heal, especially not Jackson, but I wish for him to at least stop bleeding from his old wounds, that they could scab over or even scar. And I mean that literally as well as figuratively as he seems to always amass new injuries.

It would be nice to see Ellery and Jackson working smaller cases every once in a while. I mean there must be some cases out there not drenched layers and layers of conspiracies, assassins or kingpins? What was it Kryzynski said, “You can’t lift up a single goddamned rock and not find a goddamned fire-breathing dragon, can you?”, because man are there hordes of fire-breathing dragons in this series, I mean couldn’t they find a wolf or bear to wrestle with – you know it might be easier on their health and life expectancy.
I only have one negative thing for me and that was the crossover to yet another series. Personally I’m so rarely a fan of this, I don’t mind spin-offs, those are another chapter all together, but connecting books and series that have nothing in common don’t sit well with me, I’m sorry it feels like a marketing trick and on me it has the opposite effect than what I assume is the desired one – to buy and read the other series. Sadly I tend to go the other way. This is highly preferential and I know many, maybe even most readers love any and all cross-overs.

On a positive note I really like Henry and Jackson. I mean it was clear early on that the two of them were so similar that they would either end up killing each other (and they did a fine job trying to do just that, I might add), or end up on the same side fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves. I’m really looking forward to see where their partnership will lead them, because let’s face it, that’s where they are heading.

I'm addicted to Ellery and Jackson and even Billy Bob, and hope there will be more adventures in the future. I also hope that those adventures won't land any of them (or their loved ones) in the hospital, but going by experience, there will be many more scars to come.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review





Release Blitz: Matched To His Wolf (The Dates of Our Lives #1) by Lorelei M. Hart & Colbie Dunbar


Join authors Lorelei M. Hart & Colbie Dunbar, along with Gay Book Promotions, as they celebrate the release of Matched To His Wolf (The Dates of Our Lives #1)! Learn more about shifter romance today!

RELEASE BLITZ


Book Title: Matched To His Wolf: An M/M Mpreg Shifter Dating App Romance 
(The Dates of Our Lives Book 1)

Author: Lorelei M. Hart & Colbie Dunbar

Publisher: Surrendered Press

Cover Artist: Megan J. Parker-Squiers

Release Date: July 16

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, MM mpreg romance, paranormal romance

Trope/s: Forbidden love as in a human falls in love with a wolf shifter not knowing that shifters exist

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: approx. 35,000 words

It is the first book in a series. 




Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited





Blurb

Fate doesn’t use dating apps to pair true mates...except when it does.

Human Omega Colin Soames has finally made it. Investors are clamoring for his new hit dating app and then things get weird. Now he’s on a mission to figure out who’s co-opting his app and why; by going undercover as a potential date. Little does he know that the oddities he discovered weren’t designed to sabotage the app as he first thought. No. Shifters have figured out a way to use it incognito, and he’s about to go on a date with one. If only he knew shifters existed outside of fiction.

Pack Alpha Bentley Shaw likes being single. He doesn't have to answer to anyone but his pack. He likes it that way even if he is lonely and even if his wolf is restless. Why bother putting your heart out there if you are only going to get hurt? But one drunken night he lets his Beta talk him into trying the new dating app all the shifters are using—just once. How bad could one date be? It couldn’t be worse than the time he tried to date a human—except that’s exactly what Love and Hate sends him.

Sparks fly, feelings grow, and their worlds are turned upside down in the very best of ways.

Matched To His Wolf is the first book in the sweet with knotty heat Dates of Our Lives M/M Mpreg Shifter Dating App romance brought to you by the popular co-writing duo of Lorelei M Hart and Colbie Dunbar. It features a human who stumbles into a world he never knew existed thanks to a silly little soap opera, an alpha who didn’t want to date—full stop, two powerful men trying to figure out how to come together as one, and an adorable baby. If you like your shifters hawt, your omegas strong, your mpreg with heart, and your HEAs complete with true mates and a bundle of joy, one-click today.



Excerpt

It’s from Chapter 5, and is the omega’s POV. His name is Colin. He’s human, and he’s the app developer. He goes on the blind date hoping to discover who's co-opting the app. His date arrives and it’s Bentley, a wolf shifter and pack alpha. But Colin had no idea shifters are real and of course, Bentley doesn’t enlighten him. The only context humans have re shifters is a famous soap opera, Shifter World, but they think it’s fiction.


“You’re not wearing a tie.”

“Ummm… nope. Is that a problem?” I glanced at the tie-less men seated in the restaurant.

Bentley loosened the knot at his throat, and I was mesmerized by the long, elegant fingers. He could be a hand model. He did look kinda familiar. I stared at his hands again. Maybe I’d seen them in an ad for watches, phones, or sexy underwear. My inner voice was voting for the last one.

My dinner companion slipped off the tie and stuffed it in his pocket. I was so desperate to check out his nether regions again, I was tempted to do the ‘drop-the-napkin’ trick and get a good gander at his crotch.

“Been here before?” Bentley asked as his amber eyes flicked over the room.

“Nope. But it’s got great ratings on Grassfed Reviews.”

He grimaced. Yeah, that’s what that was. “I don’t pay much attention to that sort of stuff. Too much crap online.”

Did he just put down the entire internet when he was on a blind date that happened by way of an app? My app! I think he did. What an ass! My hand gripped the steak knife wondering if I’d get probation if I stabbed it into the wooden table. Perhaps a warning, pay for the damages, and be blacklisted at the steak house? I could live with that.

But I reminded myself he had no idea I was the developer. “And yet here we are because of an app.”

“My friend convinced me to try it.”

His words reminded me I was supposed to have my detective hat on, not be ogling him or thinking of ways to destroy the furniture because of my bruised ego.

But his scent wafted over me, and if I lived in the 18th century, I swear I would have swooned. I didn’t really know what that was but it sounded like how I felt. All shaky and my stomach was jumbly. I gripped my glass and threw a mouthful of beer down my throat, but in my rush to not swoon, I choked.

The table and my date were showered with beer and probably saliva. Ewww! Bentley’s gray button-down was dotted with wet splotches and so were his hands, cutlery, and napkin. But while I was gasping and focused on not dying, he was suddenly behind me, pushing me forward and thumping my back.

“Okay?” he asked as I took the first breath in what felt like forever but was only a few seconds.

“Mmmm,” I nodded as my cheeks flamed.

“If I choke on my steak, I want him to give me first aid.” That was a comment from the next table.

“Eyes here,” snapped his companion.

“Sorry about the shirt,” I whispered as a waiter replaced the Bentley’s setting and took our orders.

Bentley shrugged as he said, “No big deal.”

I was at a loss for a conversation starter. We’d done names, discovered he hated the information superhighway, he’d saved my life, and I’d ruined his shirt and shared my DNA. Pretty impressive for the first five minutes.

But I was scrabbling for something to say and desperately trying to avoid his aroma which reminded me of an ancient forest that rarely disclosed its secrets. I pictured the trees, with their arms around one another as they closed ranks against outsiders. It was both intoxicating and hair-raising, and I stuck my hands in my lap so Bentley couldn’t see the goosebumps sprawling across my skin.

And then the same voice that had admired my dinner companion’s life-saving prowess said, “That Floyd. I followed him on social media and commented that I hope they bring him back for more episodes. ‘I wouldn’t count on it. Don’t hold your breath,’ was his response.” The guy tittered and placing both hands near his throat, made an exaggerated gasping sound while staring into my eyes. He’s mocking me.

“Hey,” Bentley stood and got in the other guy’s face. That was weird ‘cause I’d listed that as one of my hates on the app. He grabbed the omega’s shirt. “Apologize to my friend. That was completely inappropriate and you’re a jerk.”

The guy sniffed. I was convinced he was inhaling the alpha’s scent and his expression changed from overconfident to insecure. He shuffled along the booth and I swear he shrank to half his size.

His alpha companion muttered, “He meant no harm. Sorry,” before flinging a pile of cash on the table. The pair raced out, not looking back when the waiter arrived at their table with two sizzling steaks and yelled, “What about your dinner?”

How odd! “Thanks,” I mumbled. “You didn’t have to do that.”

He shrugged. “The guy was an ass.”


About the Authors

Lorelei M. Hart

Lorelei M. Hart is the cowriting team of USA Today Bestselling Authors Kate Richards and Ever Coming now joined by their friend, Ophelia Heart. Friends for years, the three decided to come together and write one of their favorite guilty pleasures: Mpreg. There is something that just does it for them about smexy men who love each other enough to start a family together in a world where they can do it the old-fashioned way ;).


Social Media Links




Colbie Dunbar

My characters are sexy, hot, adorable—and often filthy—alphas and omegas. Feudal lords with dark secrets, lonely omegas running away from their past, and alphas who refuse to commit.

Lurking in the background are kings, mafia dons, undercover agents and highwaymen with a naughty gleam in their eye.

As for me? I dictate my steamy stories with a glass of champagne in one hand. Because why not?


Social Media Links




 





 

Blog Tour: Loving Logan (Writing Our Love Novella #4) by Sammi Cee


The Loving Logan (Writing Our Love Novella #4) blog tour stops by today! Check out what author Sammi Cee and Vibrant Promotions has to share this visit!

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Loving Logan
Writing Our Love Novella 4
Sammi Cee
M/M Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 06.26.20
Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00018]
Blurb
Logan’s life changed forever six months ago when he lost his best friends and support system. Now it’s up to him to raise the two-year-old son they left behind.
Creed’s family teases him for being a serial dater, but that’s because he refuses to settle. He’s searching for the right person to fall in love with, but no one fits—until he meets the tattooed giant behind the bar.
Logan may look like a tough guy, but he has a shy, vulnerable side that sparks protective instincts Creed didn’t even know he had.
When Creed pursues Logan full stop, will the other man’s insecurities get in the way or will Creed get the love he’s always longed for?
This is a sweet-as-pie novella about two men and a precious little boy; no angst, just healing as they find their happily ever after— together.


lovingloganteaser2use

Excerpt
“You don’t have to. Bobby, the other bartender, is one of the best, and if he says he’s got it, he does. I’ll be heading out shortly.”



Creed—not that I’d needed him to introduce himself, I’d caught his name hours ago—shrugged his broad shoulders and eased onto the stool. “Well, humor me. You finish what you’re doing, and I’ll walk you out.”



To hide my confusion, I lifted my lips in my best customer service smile. “Okay, well, let me know if I can get you anything else.”



He waved me off with a grin, so I went about my business cleaning glasses, wiping down the bottles, and restocking things to make the rest of Bobby’s night smoother. The whole time, Creed’s fingers flew across the screen on his phone. Every now and then, he’d groan, but otherwise, he appeared content to just wait. But why? He’d spent a lot of the night standing at the end of the bar. Where others went back and forth from their table to get their drinks, or waited on the waitress, he’d hung out and chatted with whoever happened to walk up. Based on the conversations I’d overheard, socializing and shooting-the-breeze came easily to him. Honestly, it had made the whole night easier for me. People loved to chat up their bartenders, especially the evening crowd, and talking had never been my strong suit.



If I hadn’t overheard his brother and his men—which, how cool was that? A throuple—teasing him repeatedly through the night about how fast he went through women, I’d think maybe he’d stayed to hit on me. Since that didn’t seem to be likely, I had no idea why he patiently sat there, without actually speaking to me, playing on his phone. It seemed odd. I guessed him not staying to pick me up was actually a good thing. While Creed’s spectacular body next to most of his friends had been larger with muscle, my sheer body mass and height made me considerably bigger than him. In my experience, any man with a body that showed plenty of time spent in the gym, when they pursued me, they had only one thing in mind: get held down and fucked hard by the big tattooed guy. So not m—



“You okay over there? I’m pretty sure whatever spilled, you got it.”



Creed’s amused voice interrupted my ruminating, pulling me back into the present. I glanced up at him, confused.



He pointed to the broom in my hands. “You’ve been sweeping that same spot for about five minutes.”



“Oh.”My face heated with my embarrassment. “Sorry, I guess I got lost in my head.”



Creed set his phone down on the bartop. “Penny for your thoughts.”

Sammi-Cee---Main-Logo
Sammi Cee was raised in a family of readers. Summer vacations consisted of a good book while sitting lakeside from as far back as she could remember. After growing up and having her own children, her appreciation of how the written word could transport you on an adventure, bring you to tears, or give you hope, took on a whole new meaning.
These days Sammi is watching her children develop into fine young ladies while doing the things she enjoys most: drinking coffee, eating chocolate, and writing her own stories.

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Giveaway+ Blog Tour: Hardwood (Four Bears Construction #3) by K.M. Neuhold


Join author K.M. Neuhold & Vibrant Promotions as they promote the release of Hardwood (Four Bears Construction, #3). Find out more about this contemporary romance, read an excerpt & enter in the giveaway to win your very own ecopy of the book. Good luck!

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Hardwood

Four Bears Construction Series, Book Three

KM Neuhold

Release Date: 07.01.20

M/M Contemporary Romance

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Blurb

I’ve spent forty-four years of my life telling the world I’m a carpet man. Is it too late to admit to myself and everyone else that deep down I’m really all about the Hardwood?

It took me over thirty-five years to admit to myself that I’m gay, another seven to find the courage to say it out loud to anyone else, and exactly thirty seconds to develop a massive crush on my daughter’s music teacher. It’s really not my fault, have you even seen those cute bowties he wears?

After everything it’s taken to get here, am I going to work up the nerve to come out to my ex-wife and my best friends? Am I ready to shake up my comfortable, simple life and take a chance on Watson? Or am I going to throw a wrench in my own chance for happily ever after?

***Hardwood is a steamy, seriously so much delicious tension, single-dad, gay awakening, low angst story, which happens to be the third in the Four Bears Construction Series. It CAN be read as a stand-alone. There are NO shifters in this series, only the OTHER kind of bears.

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/Hardwood

Hardwood teaser 2Hardwood teaser 4

Excerpt

It must be nice to be handy. My kitchen sink has had a small drip for a year that I’ve pretty much just ignored because I don’t know what else to do with it,” he confesses.

“I can take a quick look next time I come over. I’m no plumber, but it’s probably something basic. You might just need a good caulking.”

“Tell me about it,” he agrees. “Oh caulking. Yeah, totally, that.”

I quirk an eyebrow at him and laugh when his face goes red. “If anyone’s mind should be in the gutter, shouldn’t it be mine?”

“There’s plenty of room down here for all of us,” he assures me.

I show him to the living room, realizing once we sit down that I left my laptop out and open when I left the house earlier.

“Oh shit.” I close it quickly so he can’t see what I was looking at.

“Porn?” he guesses. “Don’t be shy, if you found something good, you really should share it with your friends.”

“It wasn’t porn. Although, that goes both ways, feel free to send me any interesting porn links you find.”

“Honey, I’m not sure you want to open that floodgate. But if you’re feeling brave, I’m sure I could fill up your inbox with links,” Watson says, grinning wickedly. My cock perks up at the image of him enjoying himself with some porn. Without my permission, my eyes dart to the crotch of his pants.

He laughs again, letting me know I’m totally busted. “And you’re claiming I’m the one with my mind in the gutter.” He tsks and shakes his head. “So, if it wasn’t porn, what’s so secret on your laptop?”

“It’s nothing,” I lie.

“Come on, we’re best friends, you said so yourself.”

“I was setting up a dating profile,” I confess. “I didn’t finish it though. It’s probably a bad idea.”

“Let me see.” he insists, waving at me to open the laptop back up.

“It’s bad,” I warn, opening it up and logging on. I pass him the computer and sit back to wait as he reads my half-finished profile.

There’s a half smile on his lips as his eyes are glued to the screen. I watch as different emotions pass over his features as he reads— amusement, tenderness, a cringe or two.

“This isn’t horrible,” he says.

“It’s not great,” I hedge.

“No, it’s not,” Watson agrees. “It’s fixable though, if you’re serious about posting it.”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “I started it on a whim this morning while I was sitting here thinking about my friend’s wedding coming up in six months and how much I’d love to have a date to take.”

“You want my honest opinion?” he asks.

“Please,” I say emphatically, sitting forward with my elbows on my knees, ready to hear whatever truth he’s about to lay on me.

“These sites are great for hookups, but not so much for finding the kind of guy you’ll want to take to a friend’s wedding.”

I sigh. “I kind of figured as much.” Leaning back, I pull my hat off and toss it onto the coffee table, dragging my fingers through my hair. “Where do I go to find the kind of guy I’d want to take to a wedding then?”

Watson snorts a laugh. “Babe, if I knew that, I wouldn’t be forty and living alone with a hedgehog.”

KM Neuhold Logo__
Author K.M.Neuhold is a complete romance junkie, a total sap in every way. She started her journey as an author in new adult, MF romance, but after a chance reading of an MM book she was completely hooked on everything about lovely- and sometimes damaged- men finding their Happily Ever After together. She has a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well. And she fully admits that her OCD tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory will likely always lead to every book having a spin-off or series. When she's not writing she's a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero...just kidding, she's likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her husky while her amazing husband brings her coffee.




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Release Blitz + Giveaway: The Scholar’s Heart (Chronicles of Tournai #3) by Antonia Aquilante


Join author Antonia Aquilante and IndiGo Marketing as they host today's release blitz for The Scholar’s Heart (Chronicles of Tournai #3)! Discover more about the popular series and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!


Title: The Scholar’s Heart
Series: Chronicles of Tournai, Book Three
Author: Antonia Aquilante
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: July 13, 2020
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 108082
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Romance, fantasy, family-drama, suspense, gay, bi, court intrigue, kidnapping, abduction of a baby, friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, magic users, cat shifters

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Though he is the youngest son of a royal duke, Etan is a scholar at heart, happiest in a library surrounded by his books. He contentedly juggles his work for the prince’s government with his studies of the history and legends of Tournai, a subject of particular interest to him because he shares the secret magical Talent that runs in the royal bloodline. However, Etan’s peaceful world turns upside down when his best friend—the man he secretly loves—unexpectedly marries someone else.

Tristan is the oldest son of a wealthy merchant, raised to shoulder responsibility for the family business one day. That day comes far sooner than anticipated, and he makes a deathbed promise to his father to marry the woman his father chose and become head of the company and family. Tristan values his friendship with Etan and has always been attracted to him, but he can’t forsake his duty to his father, even if it means giving up the possibility of having Etan as a lover.

A year later, Tristan is a widower with an infant daughter and a mother who demands he marry again quickly—something Tristan resists. Circumstances throw Etan and Tristan together again, but even as they succumb to the desires they’ve always harbored, Etan battles his feelings, wary of being cast aside once more. When the unimaginable happens, Etan and Tristan must come together and support each other through the ordeal…and maybe beyond.

Excerpt

The Scholar’s Heart
Antonia Aquilante © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Prologue
One year earlier

“There you are!”

Tristan’s musical voice made the simple sentence something special, or perhaps Etan’s feelings made it seem so. Etan smiled as he looked up from his book, a glow of warmth and welcome lighting him up inside.

Tristan strode into the small room Etan had claimed for his own in the palace’s labyrinthine library. He had a desk in the university library as well, but these days, out of necessity and preference both, he conducted most of his work in this cozy little room. Obscure history books filled the shelves lining the walls. The table in the center of the room held Etan’s notes on his studies and projects, all neatly organized so he could find anything he wanted quickly. But this morning he slouched on the comfortable couch instead, book propped in his lap.

He sat there, book forgotten as he watched Tristan, the morning sun streaming in through the window and glinting off Tristan’s bright gold hair. Tristan seemed to bring the sunshine into the room with him, brightening what had been an ordinary morning until that moment.

“Good morning, Tristan.”

“Good morning to you.” Tristan sent a flirtatious smile in his direction and skirted the table, coming closer.

“It’s good to see you.” He probably sounded ridiculous, but he hadn’t seen Tristan in a few days and, well, he’d missed him.

Tristan’s smile warmed, turning a bit softer. “You too.”

Etan frowned as Tristan flopped on the couch at Etan’s side. Not at the action, but at the look in Tristan’s eyes. The brilliant blue seemed shadowed somehow. “Everything all right?”

“Fine. Why do you ask?”

“No reason. You just seem a little…” Etan shrugged. He couldn’t quite put a word to it, and he couldn’t very well say he didn’t think Tristan’s eyes sparkled as much as they usually did. “Troubled, maybe.”

Tristan was quiet for a moment and then scooted closer and rested his head on Etan’s shoulder. “I’m fine. A little tired. What are you up to?”

“Doing some reading.”

“For work or pleasure?”

Etan suppressed a shiver at the way Tristan’s voice shaped the word pleasure. Certainly, it had to be unconscious on Tristan’s part, but it put ideas into Etan’s head he didn’t want there, not yet, not when he and Tristan hadn’t spoken of feelings between them beyond friendship. But he could see those feelings were there. Perhaps he should just come right out and kiss Tristan. Tristan seemed to be over what feelings he’d had for Amory, Tristan’s lifelong friend who was now married to Etan’s cousin. Etan didn’t see any of the emotion or longing he used to in the glances Tristan sent Amory’s way. Maybe Etan had waited long enough.

He’d certainly paused long enough before answering. “A bit of both. Want me to read to you?”

He’d read to Tristan before, many times, sometimes with Tristan sitting as he was now, snuggled up against Etan’s side, sometimes with Tristan lying with his head in Etan’s lap. Tristan seemed to like when Etan read to him, seemed to enjoy the legends and histories Etan habitually occupied himself with, seemed to even enjoy when Etan forgot himself and ran his fingers through Tristan’s soft hair as he read. Etan hadn’t read to anyone before except for his youngest sister, Meriall, but reading to Tristan was a far different experience from reading bedtime stories. He liked it, liked having Tristan close and hearing Tristan’s comments and reactions.

“I’m not sure I can sit still today. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.” He’d realized early on in their friendship Tristan was an athletic person who enjoyed being active and outdoors. Etan came to treasure the moments of stillness and quiet, when he saw Tristan’s intellectual side and his softer side in equal measure, but he enjoyed sharing the other more active times with Tristan too. Tristan always made the rides through the countryside and the hikes along the cliffs and the rambles over the beach fun. “What would you like to do?”

“Will you go for a ride with me?”

He thought briefly of the work awaiting him in the office he shared with Cathal, of his plans to spend the morning with his books and his studies before he returned to that work. And tossed it all aside with one glance into Tristan’s eyes. As he always did. His books would still be there when he returned to them later.

And he wasn’t convinced Tristan really was all right.

“Of course. Shall we go now?”

When Tristan agreed, Etan set his book aside and tidied away a few papers. On the way to the stables, they stopped in Etan’s suite so he could change into riding boots, but they didn’t dally otherwise. Stable hands saddled their horses quickly, and they mounted up. They rode together out of the palace gates and through the city, an easy conversation flowing between them. Once they left the city, Etan let Tristan lead. When Tristan took the road leading out to the cliffs, Etan knew his suspicions about Tristan’s state of mind were correct. Tristan seemed to prefer a gallop along the cliffs when he felt he needed to escape something, some pressure in his life. He talked to Etan about it sometimes, at least a little, but only after the ride.

As Etan expected, Tristan veered off the road as they neared the cliffs. The path he chose wound through some trees until it ended in the meadows overlooking the sea. Once they were through the trees, the view opened up before them, with fields dotted with wildflowers and a rocky precipice tumbling down to the vivid blue of the sea. The area was one of Etan’s favorites. He’d rather walk along the cliffs or picnic at the top so he could better appreciate the view, but riding was exhilarating too. Well, any ride with Tristan was. Tristan was a skilled and fearless horseman, who ended each ride flushed and smiling. Etan always wanted to grab him close and kiss him when he saw Tristan that way, to see if he could make Tristan breathless for another reason entirely.

Maybe today he would.

He put the thought out of his head as best he could for the moment as Tristan urged his horse into a gallop and took off parallel to the cliff edge. Etan hurried to follow. If he thought about it too much, he risked falling off his horse, which would certainly end any chance of kissing Tristan today.

Instead he concentrated his thoughts outward to the sea- and flower-scented wind blowing in his face, to the sunlight warming his skin. The day was perfect for spring, a little cool early in the morning but pleasant as the sun climbed. The sky was clear, the sea calm. There would be fishermen out in their boats, working to bring in the day’s catch. But they weren’t close; no one was close enough to intrude on his solitude with Tristan.

He watched Tristan, slightly ahead of him. Tristan really did ride well, better than Etan did, but then Tristan had probably spent most of his childhood trying to get on a horse while Etan had spent his sneaking off to the library. Or using his Talent to change himself into a cat and climbing trees. But, most often, the library. And given where Tristan had found him this morning, not much had changed. But he did come out when Tristan asked. Unlike when he was a child and his brothers would come and pounce on him and drag him from the room.

If Tristan wanted to pounce on him, it would be another story entirely.

After a while, Tristan began to slow his horse, and Etan followed. Upon reaching the point, they paused to take in the view and then turned back for home, riding side by side at a much more leisurely pace. Etan expected Tristan to be more relaxed, even laughing, after the long gallop as he so often was, but if anything, he seemed more pensive.

Etan let Tristan have his silence, even though it pained him to do so. He wanted to help, to make whatever it was right again. Tristan had cheered him up often enough, and they’d bolstered each other’s strength through bad times. But Tristan had to speak in his own time, and he’d never actually ask for help even when he did.

Tristan didn’t speak until they were almost all the way back to Jumelle. “My father wants me to marry.”

Etan’s brain stuttered. He had to have heard wrong. He whipped around to look at Tristan, but Tristan was still staring straight ahead. “What? Did you say he wants you to marry?”

“He’s dying, Etan,” Tristan said in a small, quiet voice that made Etan hurt.

“Tristan. I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you.” Tristan glanced up at the sky for a moment, and Etan gave him his privacy to pull himself together, or what passed for privacy when they were riding side by side. “He wants me settled, since I’m to run the business when he’s gone. He wants the business settled too.”

Tristan’s family business was the largest shipping concern in Tournai, and as Tournai was a country rich in trade, owing in part to a quirk of geography, the business was a prosperous one. Etan could understand somewhat Tristan’s father wanting him to be settled down if he was to be both the head of the business and the head of the family. Old-fashioned, perhaps, but there was probably some real concern for Tristan in his father’s desire too.

Etan worked himself up to suggest perhaps the two of them could wed. Not right away, but they could make an agreement and use a betrothal period to see if they would suit. Etan believed they would, but he was already thinking of ways to convince Tristan and Tristan’s father, if necessary. Etan’s own father would be difficult, he was sure—as a duke, his father would want Etan to make a more advantageous marriage to a lady of noble birth—but he could deal with Father later.

But all those thoughts—all the hope that came with them—screeched to a halt when Tristan spoke. “I’m to marry a daughter of a friend of Father’s, Dariela. They think it will be good for the business.”

“You already know—you’re marrying a woman? That woman?”

Etan had no idea who she was—she might be a perfectly lovely person—but he couldn’t understand Tristan marrying her, or marrying any woman. Tristan preferred men, the same as Etan did. Etan had hoped Tristan might just plain prefer him.

“Father thinks it’s best. For the family and the business.”

“Yes, but—what about you? What do you think?”

Tristan shrugged. “I must live up to my responsibilities to the family and the business. I have to run everything as Father would want. He shouldn’t be dying so young.”

“I know he shouldn’t. It’s awful.” Etan scrubbed a hand over his face. “He’s been to see the healers? I’m sure Jadis would see him if I asked.”

“He has, and Amory already had Jadis examine him. This illness has gone on too long undetected and untreated. His heart is too weak now.”

“I am so very sorry, Tristan.” He wanted to pull Tristan into a hug, to hold him and try to bear some of the pain and grief for him, but they were on horses. And Tristan was about to marry someone else. “Are you sure about this marriage though?”

“I don’t see a reason not to marry her. Do you?”

The statement was a stab of pain to his gut. He had to bite back a gasp, it seemed so real, so physical. He managed to murmur something that might have been an agreement, because what else could he do? If Tristan didn’t see a reason not to marry this woman, Etan could hardly give him one.

By the time Etan arrived back at the palace, he felt as if a yawning, empty hole had opened inside him. His head was buzzing, and he couldn’t seem to think quite straight. His feet carried him to his office. But when he walked into the empty room, he just dropped down into his chair and stared at the polished top of his desk, clean of papers since he’d tidied up yesterday.

Tristan was getting married.

He and Tristan would never be anything other than friends, and Tristan obviously wanted it so, was fine with it. Perhaps Etan had been wrong about Tristan’s feelings all this time.

“Etan?”

Etan looked up, but it took him a moment to understand what he was seeing. He hadn’t even heard the door open. “Cathal.”

Panic, an emotion he seldom saw in his stoic older brother, flooded Cathal’s face. “What is it? What’s happened?”

“Tristan is marrying.” Pain spasmed through him as he said the words, but he had to say them, had to get used to hearing them. Tristan was marrying, and all chance Etan might have had with him was gone.

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NineStar Press | Amazon

Meet the Author

Antonia Aquilante has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, and at the age of twelve, decided she would be a writer when she grew up. After many years and a few career detours, she has returned to that original plan. Her stories have changed over the years, but one thing has remained consistent—they all end in happily ever after.

She has a fondness for travel (and a long list of places she wants to visit and revisit), taking photos, family history, fabulous shoes, baking treats (which she shares with friends and family), and of course, reading. She usually has at least two books started at once and never goes anywhere without her Kindle. Though she is a convert to e-books, she still loves paper books the best, and there are a couple thousand of them residing in her home with her.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Antonia is living there again after years in Washington, DC and North Carolina for school and work. She enjoys being back in the Garden State but admits to being tempted every so often to run away from home and live in Italy.

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Blog Tour: Ride the Lightning (Sinister in Savannah #1) by Aimee Nicole Walker


The Ride the Lightning (Sinister in Savannah #1) blog tour visits our blog today! Learn more about the new series thanks to author Aimee Nicole Walker and Vibrant Promotions!

See our 4.5 <3 review HERE!

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Ride the Lightning
Sinister in Savannah Series, Book One
Aimee Nicole Walker
LGBT Romantic Suspense
Release date: 06.23.20
Ride the Lightning Cover
Blurb
Truth seeker. Promise keeper. Guarded heart.
By day, Jonah St. John is a criminal analyst for the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. By night, he produces Sinister in Savannah, an investigative podcast, with his two best friends. Jonah’s life revolves around three principles: a man’s word is his oath, friendships are priceless gifts, and love is for other people.
When the Sinister in Savannah team delves into the thirty-eight-year-old murder of a drag queen, they quickly discover that the story doesn’t end with the alleged killer’s confession in 1995. Continuing the investigation could have fatal consequences for Jonah and everyone he holds dear, including his irresistible intern.
To love is to lose: a lesson Jonah has learned the hard way. For a decade, he has embraced solitude as his penance for a past mistake. Then came Avery Bradford, a man whose warmth and sunshine infuses Jonah’s battered soul and challenges his resistance. Over the past eight months, Jonah has soared closer and closer to Avery’s flame until the thing he’s feared the most becomes the one he can’t live without.
The chill of danger merges with the heat of desire, forming a deadly superstorm. Will Jonah seek shelter or ride the lightning?
Sinister in Savannah series is a fictional podcast exploring the city’s most nefarious crimes with Southern-fried snark. The books explore friendship, love, loss, and the irrepressible human spirit. Ride the Lightning is book one of three. While each book is written about a different couple, the series should be read in order. Sinister in Savannah is an LGBT romantic suspense series with mature language and sexual content intended for adults eighteen and older.
Cover: Jay Aheer
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Model: Ash

Ride the Lightning GraphicSinister in Savannah Logo

Excerpt
“What happened to your flowers?” Jonah suddenly asked, opening the can of worms he’d vowed to leave alone.

Avery only gaped at him unblinkingly. Who could blame him? The question had come out of nowhere. “My flowers?”

“The ones Romeo brought you. I caught you making heart eyes at them every time I stepped out of my office yesterday.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Avery scoffed. “I took them to my grandmother.”

Of all the possible things Avery could’ve said, Jonah hadn’t been expecting this one. “Why?”

Avery released a deep sigh. “I told you he wasn’t the guy for me.” It was Jonah’s turn to just stare. “Here was this handsome, successful guy who seemed to be interested in me, but I felt…nothing. No spark.”

Jonah snorted, and Avery scowled.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Avery asked.

“No spark?” Jonah asked. “I’d hate to see how you return from a lunch date when you do feel chemistry with a man.”

Avery stiffened in his chair. “What are you talking about?”

“Come on, Avery. Flushed cheeks and swollen lips. I recognize the signs of someone who has been thoroughly kissed…or more.”

“You th-th-thought I… that we…” Avery stammered. He swallowed hard and briefly closed his eyes. “You’re an idiot, Jonah. My pink cheeks and puffy lips were a result of a medical condition.”

Jonah raised a brow. “Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

“I had an allergic reaction to my lunch, asshole,” Avery practically shouted. “I didn’t see the little bites of heaven in my salad until it was too late.”

“Little bites of heaven?”

“Avocado,” Avery said. “I was stuffing my face while my date talked about his job. Suddenly, I noticed my face felt numb, and my lips were tingling. I shifted the lettuce around in my bowl and found the cause.”

Jonah buried his face in his hands. “I’m the biggest dick on the planet.”

“This isn’t the time to brag about your dick size, Jonah,” Avery chastised.

Aimee Nicole Walker Logo
Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day. I’d love to hear from you
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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Sugar & Ice (Raptors #4) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey


Authors V.L. Locey and RJ Scott, along with Signal Boost Promotions, host the Sugar & Ice (Raptors #4) release blitz! Check out the latest in the hockey romance series and enter in the giveaway for a chance to win: Coast to Coast & Across the Pond eBooks! Good luck!




Length: 51,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Arizona Raptors Series

Book #1 - Coast to Coast - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 - Across The Pond - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Book #3 - Shadow and Light - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb

When love is on the line, the worst decisions can end up having the best endings.
Tate Collins, an all-American hockey phenomenon, was the highly marketable face of Dallas hockey. Loaded down with endorsements and playing his best game, he was a superstar and a household name. No one ever expected him to fail, but overnight, after the worst decision of his life, everything spirals out of his control. Abruptly, his reputation is in tatters, and he’s traded to the Arizona Raptors in a shocking move. Brushing off the wild and unfounded accusations that he faces on social media, and stuck on the second line, he keeps his head down and works hard to earn his spot. Tate knows he can make a difference if only his teammates would let him. Something has to change for him to earn their respect, but falling for the captain might not be his best move.

Vladislav Novikov has been called many things over his long and illustrious career, but the new nickname of Iceberg seems to fit best. Perhaps it’s due to his icy blue eyes, or the way he rams into opposing players as he defends his goalie. Or maybe it’s because of his cool demeanor when not playing the game he loves. Whatever the reason, it’s why he’s the perfect team captain for this wild bunch of puck-pushers. His perfectly controlled life is smooth as ice until Tate Collins rides into Tucson with his apple pie ways and those damn dimples. The young superstar immediately catches his eye. Despite knowing better than to start something with a teammate, the big, bad Iceberg is about to have that chilly veneer around his heart melted away by Tate one sweet kiss at a time.


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:



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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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Sweet Revenge by Tilly Keyes


Welcome author Tilly Keyes and IndiGo Marketing as they celebrate the release of Sweet Revenge from NineStar Press! Learn more about the friends to lovers romance and enter in the $10 NSP credit giveaway!


Title: Sweet Revenge
Author: Tilly Keyes
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: July 13, 2020
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 42200
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Revenge, friends to lovers, pastry chef, slow burn

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Synopsis

Riley’s not the scared, weak boy of years ago.

Strong, handsome, wealthy, and successful, he should be happy, but he’s not. He’s still tormented by the memory of the bullies of his school years, the cruelty he was subjected to. There’s only one way to silence those reverberating memories, and that’s revenge.

But while seeking it, he finds peace in the small village where he befriends Zac, the cake maker. Zac’s the first friend Riley’s had in decades, boyish and fun and, without a doubt, sweet. Feelings grow toward the cake maker, but his need for revenge still hovers in his mind.

When he discovers Zac secret, he wonders if revenge is really worth it with Zac in the crossfire.

Excerpt

Sweet Revenge
Tilly Keyes © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Riley stared at the different bouquets of flowers, then groaned and rubbed his temple. Choosing flowers wasn’t supposed to be torturous. He reached for a bunch of yellow roses and stared at them long and hard. Roses were far too romantic, and it certainly wasn’t meant as a romantic gesture. He put them back and grabbed a bunch of white lilies while nodding. They looked nice, a bit droopy, a bit torn, but it was the thought that counted.

“Are you confessing your undying love or going to a funeral?”

Riley paused and turned to the woman beside him. The old lady clutched a woven bag to her chest and stared him down with her beady eyes. Her lips were framed by a mosaic of wrinkles, and she trembled slightly as she waited for a response.

“Neither…”

She hummed, stepping closer. Her hand closed around the lily stalks, and she pulled them from Riley’s hand. He wasn’t anticipating the strength and speed and was left clutching the air.

“Okay, then.”

“Lilies are what I expect to have at my grave,” she said, slotting them back in the flower stand.

Riley frowned. “That’s…that’s nice to know.”

“And roses are romantic, haven’t received roses in years. If it’s not meant as love, or condolence, what are you buying flowers for?”

“To say sorry, sorry for being a rubbish brother, and an even worse uncle.”

“Ah, well, there’s no tags on the flowers that say those exact words. Boy or girl?”

Riley looked down at himself, then back up at her. The woman rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean you, did I?”

“No, of course not,” Riley said, scrunched his brow. “Girl, my niece. I’ve got a niece.”

“May I make a suggestion?”

“I’m sure you’re going to whether I say yes or no.”

The woman laughed, and her thin lips stretched in a smile. “Ditch the flower idea, alcohol is far better.”

“Alcohol?” Riley smirked.

“A bottle of whiskey, that was my favourite.”

Riley lifted his eyebrow. “Whiskey?”

She jabbed his bicep with her bony finger. “Don’t think I can’t drink you under the table.”

Riley rubbed his arm. “I 100 percent believe you could.”

“Good, now get to it.”

Her gaze followed him as he walked towards the cashier.

It was only a small village shop, and they kept all the alcohol behind the counter along with the medicines and cigarettes. Riley flicked his chin out at the man serving.

“What rose do you have?”

“We only have one, and it’s £3.99.”

Riley smiled tightly, nodding. “Guess that’ll do, then, can I have a box of those beers too?”

He didn’t particularly like Emily’s husband, but he couldn’t turn up without something for him too.

He paid and strolled out the shop, but a familiar croaking voice made him stop. He turned back to the woman and watched as she hobbled towards him.

Her thin lips tugged into a smile, and her pink cheeks looked fragile as it stretched. “Be a dear and help me cross the road.”

“Of course.”

Riley offered his arm for her to take and she latched on.

He led her across the road and once on the other side, released her arm. He looked down and noticed the flowers poking from her bag—white lilies. His mouth bobbed open as he thought of something to say, but she only waved him away.

“You’ve got something for your sister, but what about that niece of yours?”

Riley darted a look back to the shop, but a tapping sound had him turning back to the woman.

She knocked her frail knuckles against the window, and Riley looked inside the cake shop. He hadn’t been to the village for months, and the cake shop was definitely a new addition. The village shop barely stocked anything of use. There were boards covering the windows of the hair salon; the church looked haggard and crumbling. But the bakery gleamed, and the display he could see through the window was more at home in the posh areas of London.

Riley flashed a smile at the woman. “Thanks.”

She turned and waved over her shoulder.

Riley pushed inside the bakery, and immediately a sugary scent wrapped around him. He strolled up to the counter and admired the cake creations behind the Perspex shield. They were all identical and arranged in uniformed lines. Chocolate sponge, one that looked like lemon, and a pink one with a strawberry on top.

Riley looked up and craned his neck to see further into the bakery kitchen. There was no one inside, and he frowned, checking his watch. It was two o’clock, and he doubted the staff were still on break.

“Hello?”

Riley bunched his lips together and waited, but there was no reply. He turned, poised to go back to the shop, but the billboard caught his eye, and he moved towards it.

Adverts were nailed to the board, one asking for a tenant, one selling a wheelbarrow, and another an old sofa. They were scrawled in pen, and the pictures were black and white. Riley freed one of the pieces of paper and frowned. Not an advert, but a missing pet poster. Not a dog, or cat like he expected, but an African grey parrot.

“Who’s a pretty boy, then?”

Riley startled at the voice and pressed the poster to his chest. He flashed a look at the man behind the counter and laughed softly.

“You scared the hell outta me.”

The man blushed and bit his lip. “Yeah, I don’t know why I did that. I saw you with the poster, and it kinda popped into my head.”

“And out of your mouth.”

“Yeah.”

Riley repinned the poster and walked towards the counter. The man was younger, midtwenties at a guess. He swept his black hair back over his head and fixed his warm eyes to Riley’s. There was a flutter in Riley’s gut that unnerved him.

“So, they haven’t found the parrot?”

“Nope, that posters been up since I opened.”

“The bakery is yours?”

The man puffed up, not to shove his muscles in Riley’s face but to show him the apron smudged with chocolate. “Yeah, it’s mine.”

“This place is real nice.”

“Thank you, it doesn’t bring me much money, but I enjoy it.”

Riley frowned. “Not everything’s about money. Happiness is more important.”

The man smiled warmly, then stuck out his hand for Riley to take. “I’m Zac.”

“Riley.”

He frowned and looked down at their shaking hands when he felt stickiness. Zac glanced down, then up at Riley again.

“Well, that’s embarrassing.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Sorry for the wait, I was in the back, and I’m not strictly open right now.”

Riley darted a look back to the door and widened his eyes when he realised the shop was in fact closed.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realise.”

Zac waved the comment away. “If I open all day, I’ll get overrun. I’ve got the breakfast pastries in the morning and the cakes and muffins in the afternoon.”

“You do this all by yourself?” Riley scanned all the cakes with wide eyes. There were so many it was hard to imagine one guy could do it all.

Zac ruffled his black hair with a tinge of embarrassment in his cheeks. “Yeah, I buy some stuff in and make the rest. My kitchen porter comes in at four and cleans everything up. He’s Dave—he’s a nice guy, but his taste in music is awful.”

“What does he listen to?”

“Very loud rock where you have no idea what the singer’s screaming about.”

“Ah,” Riley said, looking away.

Zac rocked back on his heels. “By that ‘Ah’ I’m guessing you’re a fan.”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“So, Mr. Terrible-taste-in-music, what brings you here?”

“My sister, she lived in the village. I’ve been a bit of a crap brother recently, wanted to surprise her.”

Zac drew his eyebrows together. “What’s her name?”

“Emily Mathews.” Riley sighed.

It was a small village, but still with a population of a thousand or so—there was no way this man could know who she was.

“Ah. With little Maisy, right?”

Riley was rarely stunned, but it took an extended blink and a squeeze to the bridge of his nose before he could speak.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“So, you’ve been a rubbish brother, then, and you want to make amends.”

“Something like that.”

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon

Meet the Author

Tilly lives in a small village in the UK, surrounded by fields, and meadows.

By day, she’s looks after her two lively boys, but by night…she’s usually asleep, too exhausted to write, but sometimes she gets lucky, sometimes she settles down with a nice cup of tea and sinks into a story.

She hopes you enjoy them. Send her an eMail.

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Audiobook Blog Tour: Ex Meridian (Nothing Special #7) by A.E. Via


Aiden Snow narrated romance, Ex Meridian (Nothing Special #7) is out on Audible. Join author A.E. Via and Vibrant Promotions in celebrating today! Learn more about the tale!

ExMeridian Audio Tour Banner
Title: Nothing Special VI: Ex Meridian
Series: Nothing Special
Author: A.E. Via
Genre: M/M Action Romance
Publisher: Tantor
Narrator: Aiden Snow
Length: 9 Hours
Audio Release Date: 07.07.20
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Blurb
Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle.
Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machine—now imagine two of them.
Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficiently—lethally—together.
When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly.
“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”
Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”
But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that they’ve been forced to suppress for years.
Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a HEA.
Note: This is a partners-to-lovers, out-for-you, action romance.


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Excerpt
Neither of them spoke while they ate. Ex never felt the need to fill their long moments of silence with idle words, and his partner wasn’t a big talker. Besides, Ex could enjoy Meridian by him simply being there. His presence was just that powerful.

“So, what’s next?” Meridian asked after he’d pushed his empty plate to the side.

Ex drank some of his water, the coolness feeling good to his parched throat, but he wished he had something stronger. He reclined in his seat, mimicking Meridian’s posture and trying to appear casual.

“First and foremost, we go to Virginia and get our supplies. My contact there is ready for us, we should be in and out,”Ex explained. “Oay night. Of course, flying would be faster but we can better stay under the radar if we avoid TSA. Amtrak will be easiest to transport our cargo as well.”

“Works for me. He knows what we need?”

“Yes. As soon as we get back we can start to have some conversations around town. We’ll backtrack over the task force’s recent arrests and see what we can find. I also wanna keep an eye on that deputy district attorney. Something seems off there to me,” Ex said.

“Agreed.”Meridian put his cigarette into his mouth and finally lit it. He blew the aromatic smoke away from Ex but he still caught the robust scent of cloves.

Ex thought the smoking habit was atrocious, but he found he liked it when Meridian did it. The addiction made him seem less programmed. It was something his partner did when he was battling on the inside, and it was also something he only showed Ex.

Meridian’s eyes were half covered by his long black eye lashes, appearing as if he was enjoying what he was doing. He had one arm braced on the back of the seat and Ex could see the shiny Italian silk lining of Meridian’s jacket and the butt of his chrome Wesson Valor resting against his rib cage.
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A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay literature for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great, new up and coming MM authors.
A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her.
Writing.
A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is well-known for her hardcore, love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.
Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.
Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com
A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh
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