Blog Tour + Giveaway: Blood Bound (Youkai Bloodlines #3) by Courtney Maguire

Author Courtney Maguire and Other Worlds Ink share info on new historical paranormal vampire romance, Blood Bound (Youkai Bloodlines #3)! Learn more about the latest in the series and enter in the $10 Amazon gift card giveaway!

 

Blood Bound cover reveal - Courtney Maguire

Courtney Maguire has a new MM paranormal historical romance out, Youkai Bloodlines book 3: Blood Bound. And there's a giveaway!

Two hundred years can strain even the seemingly eternal love of the youkai.

When Hideyoshi’s coldness drives them apart, Hiro finds comfort in his friendship with Takanori, a vociferous human man he met at a ramen shop and can’t seem to keep away from.. Everything Hiro had to fight for from Hideyoshi, Takanori gives freely, making it all too easy to turn away from his responsibilities--and Hideyoshi--in favor of something sweeter.

But while Hiro is off playing human, danger is brewing among the Youkai. Hideyoshi, still reeling from his breakup with Hiro, struggles to uphold the promise they made to the Hunter leader, Kyo, but the Youkai’s loyalty has been challenged by Hiro’s abrupt disappearance. With Hunters literally banging at the door, Hide must find a way to bring Hiro home or risk igniting the war they’ve spent the last two hundred years trying to prevent.

Warning: graphic violence, terminal illness, depictions of grief and depression/mental illness, suicidal actions

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Art Card Meme


Giveaway

Courtney is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card with this tour:

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Excerpt

Blood Bound Meme

Chapter 1: Trainwreck

Spring 2004

You can live a hundred lifetimes and the world will still surprise you, hit you like a high-speed train and drag you along the rails before dumping you off a thousand miles from where you started. Sometimes, the ride isn’t as violent as all that. Sometimes, it feels like a vacation, an escape, like falling in love. But, the end of the line is always the same—a broken, bloody mess far from home.

Sitting on a hard cobblestone path in my two-day-old funeral suit, I stared at a pillar of granite with his name on it, a fifth of Jack in my gut and my soul shattered into a million pieces. Aikawa Takanori—the name of the train that hit me.

A broad shadow fell over me and I closed my eyes against it. I knew who it was, knew the sound of his steps, the way the air trembled in his presence. Sakurai Hideyoshi. He sat down beside me on the stone path without a word, so close our shoulders touched. Over two hundred years had passed since the day we met, and his nearness still made my skin prickle. His fingers brushed against mine as he slipped the nearly empty bottle of whiskey out of my hands and raised it to his own lips.

“You knew it would end this way,” he said, his voice low and cold. Not a judgement or an accusation, just a statement of fact.

“If you’re here to lecture me, you can save it,” I said, snatching the bottle back out of his hand.

There was something shocking about seeing him again, sitting there like an inkblot on my vision. The same solid frame, the same dark features, sharp as cut granite and just as immovable. How much time had I spent pounding myself against that hardness, like the ocean against a rocky cliff, trying to break it away? Now I observed him as if from a distance. Something bitter pushed up against my grief, but there was no room for it, so it settled back into my gut. He had been my home before Takanori, but now he was almost unrecognizable. He hadn’t changed, of course. I was the one who was different.

“How long since you’ve drank something besides whiskey?”

“Not since—” I broke off, my eyes darting to the gravestone. My hands trembled as I took a long pull off the whiskey bottle. It could have been hours or years, every second since that day stretched into an eternity.

“Come with me,” he said, pulling himself gracefully to his feet. I didn’t move. “Hiro.”

“I can’t,” I choked. I struggled to breathe around the ball of grief wedged in my throat. He was here for a reason. He wanted something and I couldn’t give it to him. “I’m not...ready…”

“He’s dead. It doesn’t matter if you’re ready,” he barked. The words were sharp, the edge of a blade iced over, and they cut deep.

He grabbed the collar of my jacket and yanked me to my feet. Without even waiting for me to catch my balance, he turned and stomped off down the path. It had been this way since the day we met, Hideyoshi plodding ahead without looking back, so confident I would follow. I found it comforting somehow, like nothing had ever broken between us. We would always be Hideyoshi and Hiro. The shape of his back would never change. He would never get sick and die.

I ran my hand over Taka’s name on the granite and felt my heart tugged in two different directions. Another train had come, this one promising to take me back to somewhere familiar, but part of me was afraid. What if I got there and found it wasn’t my home at all anymore, but just another strange place that would leave me even more broken?

But, Hideyoshi was right. Taka was dead, the home I could have had here reduced to ashes. I had nowhere else to go.

My chest constricted and I cursed under my breath as I ran to catch up to Hideyoshi, falling in step just a few paces behind. The sun was setting as we exited the cemetery and darkness fell quickly over the narrow streets of Tokyo. Neon signs lit up one by one with an electric pop as we passed, the early evening crowds already taking their places in the izakayas that lined the street and disappearing into basement bars. Hideyoshi led me all the way to Ikebukuro and the busy streets surrounding Sunshine City. Wires hung like spider webs overhead, feeding power to the garish artificial light. Loud music and cigarette smoke filled the streets and the smell of sweaty bodies started a scratching under my skin that had me gritting my teeth.

He stopped in the most crowded part of the busy street and looked over his shoulder at me for the first time. My gut clenched. I knew what he wanted. I scowled and shook my head, but he simply pinned me with those needle-sharp eyes that didn't take no for an answer until I relented.

His silent command: Sing.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The scratching under my skin intensified and the sounds of the city died away as something else rose to the surface, something dark and dangerous. When my eyes opened again, the electric lights paled behind the glare of human life, every movement leaving a streaky after image in blue and white. My pulse sped and my mouth watered. I pulled in a deep breath and my voice rose from the depths with an old song, something traditional that took me back to a different Tokyo, and despite its terrible purpose, it warmed me. My heart swam in it, cleansed its wounds in it.


Author Bio

Courtney Maguire

Courtney Maguire is a University of Texas graduate from Corpus Christi, Texas. Drawn to Austin by a voracious appetite for music, she spent most of her young adult life in dark, divey venues nursing a love for the sublimely weird. A self-proclaimed fangirl with a press pass, she combined her love of music and writing as the primary contributor for Japanese music and culture blog, Project: Lixx, interviewing Japanese rock and roll icons and providing live event coverage for appearances across the country.

Author Website: https://www.courtneymaguirewrites.com/

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/courtney.maguire.37

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Blog Tour + Giveaway: Grieving Royal (Club Royal #3) by Elouise East


The Grieving Royal (Club Royal #3) blog tour visits us today! Author Elouise East and Gay Book Promotions share the latest from the BDSM romance series! Plus, they're hosting an Amazon gift card giveaway! Good luck!

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Grieving Royal (Club Royal, Book 3)

Author: Elouise East

Cover Artist: Design By Tina Løwén

Release Date: February 3, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance 

Tropes: MMM, royal BDSM club, hurt/comfort

Themes: Grief/loss

Heat Rating:  4 flames   

Length: 108 000 words

The story does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link  |  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

Losing himself to the shadows is not possible, but who can help him learn to live again?

Blurb 

Despite being third in line to the throne, George doesn’t believe he will ever be king, and he is content with that knowledge. He prefers to live his life in the shadow of his brothers because he can hide his extra-curricular activities there. When his life is torn apart by grief, he loses himself in those shadows until he focuses on what matters to him. Love.

More media attention is the last thing Timothy wants. He left his hometown to get away from it, but his new position makes that almost impossible. Balancing the requirements of his teaching role, the needs of his new patient, and the feelings that should never have grown, he struggles to see the right course of action until the choice is taken away from him.

Stepping back inside the place where Eddie had been abused by the one person who should’ve taken care of him has been harder than he expected. Finding someone who is patient enough to help him through his anxieties about a BDSM relationship is easier. Unfortunately, royal duties threaten to pull them apart before they’ve even started.

As the three lives intertwine in the unlikeliest of situations, who will throw themselves into the deep end, and who will back away, scared of the repercussions?

This is an MMM book containing BDSM scenes and D/s dynamics in all forms. It also has lots of loving, friendships, family drama and, of course, a triple HEA.

Excerpt 

“Eddie!”

He searched the room for the voice but couldn’t see anyone until Master George stepped through the parted crowd. 

Eddie lowered his head. “Master George.” Eddie’s heart raced, and he couldn’t contain his smile.

“Clarice didn’t hear from you. Does that mean you’ve decided not to go ahead with what we talked about?”

Was he supposed to have called her? “Oh, um, I still want to go ahead with it. I forgot to call her and tell her. I was excited about coming tonight and didn’t think about calling ahead.”

“Shh. Eddie, breathe. It’s fine.” Master George slipped an arm around Eddie’s shoulders. “I wanted to go through a contract with you, that’s all. Can we do that now?”

Eddie didn’t want to read a contract. He wanted Master George. “Can we do it later?” he asked, eyes still lowered.

Master George was quiet, then a finger curved under his chin, lifting his head. When he met the vibrant blue eyes, he relaxed.

“Better. Yes, we can do it later, but we must do it if you want to go ahead.”

“I do, Sir. Definitely.”

Master George smiled. “What would you like to do tonight?”

Eddie licked his lips. “I’m not really sure.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Implicitly,” Eddie said in a firm voice.

Master George nodded once. “Come on.”

Eddie went with Master George to one of the private rooms but hesitated at the threshold, even though Master George still had his arm around him. 

“What’s wrong?” Master George stepped in front of him and cupped his jaw, bringing their gazes together. “Talk to me.”

“This is the room…Master Douglas found me in.” Eddie’s heart pounded. He knew he’d have to face the room eventually because it was ridiculous to think a space could have this much of a hold over him.

“Let’s try another room.”

“No! Sir. No.” He stared into Master George’s eyes. “Will you help me?”

“With anything and everything I can. What do you need?”

“I want to do it here. I need something good to wash away the bad memories of this room.”

“Are you sure, Eddie? There is no weakness in not being ready.”

“I’m sure.” He nodded to emphasise his answer.

Master George stared at him for a long minute, then nodded in return. He slid his hands into Eddie’s and gripped them hard. “I’m here.” He stepped backwards, tugging Eddie into the room with him. 

Every step had Eddie’s palms sweating and his heart jumping, but when they finally stopped in the centre of the room, Eddie sighed. He glanced around, never letting go of Master George’s hands.

About the Author  

I am Elouise East but feel free to call me Elli. I write sweet and steamy connections in gay romance. I also touch on taboo stories under the name Elouise R East.

Books that tell the stories where friendship and family are the focal point - be it blood family or chosen - is very important to me. That’s why I include a variety of personalities, talents, ages, situations and abilities as I believe a story or a character needs. I want my characters to be real, to be relatable, to be free to have whatever views they tell me they have. And trust me, most of the time, I do not have any say in the matter!

My characters come to life on the page for me as well as my readers. Their stories unfold in front of me, and I have very little input into how they want to be shown. Just like real life, the lives of my characters change with every choice, every interaction and every conversation. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I write books that are emotionally realistic, even if liberties are taken with other aspects of my stories. I don’t know any other way to write. It comes from deep inside.

Who am I? A single parent to two children who make life worth living. An avid reader who still devours every book she can get her hands on. A student of learning about any subject that takes her fancy. An author of books she would read herself. And a romantic at heart who loves anything cheesy. 

Who’s in?

Author Links

Blog/Website  |   Facebook  |   Twitter  

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Bookbub  |  TikTok

Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

a $10 Amazon gift card

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: The Devil's Boyfriend (Hellbound #2) by Alexa Piper

The Devil's Boyfriend (Hellbound #2) is out from Changeling Press! Celebrate with author Alexa Piper and IndiGo Marketing! Find out more about the urban fantasy and enter in the giveaway!

Title: The Devil's Boyfriend

Series: Hellbound 2

Author: Alexa Piper

Publisher: Changeling Press

Release Date: February 4

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 153 pages

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller/Suspense, Action Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Gay, Shapeshifters, Magical Creatures

Add to Goodreads


Synopsis

Lionel, necromancer and police consultant, finds himself closer to the Devil than he ever wanted to be. But even for a necromancer, life goes on, and murder happens. The next crime scene is just around the corner, and Lionel will do his job… ideally without Lucifer looking over his shoulder.

After a traumatic experience, Lucifer knows he has to protect his necromancer, mostly from the other man’s own stubbornness and ignorance. Lionel is not quite as human as he likes to think, and to Lucifer's great annoyance, Lionel hasn't given up on his bad habit of running into situations without thinking.

Lionel doesn’t know how he feels about the Devil, and he doesn’t know what he wants in his life. Lucifer knows what Lionel needs, but getting the necromancer to accept that is the difficult part. And of course, there is murder happening in town, and it is not the boring human-on-human kind of violence. This time around, it looks like immortals are involved. Solving the case will require Lionel to accept who he really is while Lucifer wants his boyfriend to embrace who he truly can be. Lives may depend on it.

Excerpt

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2022 Alexa Piper

The Devil’s body on top of mine, his mouth stealing my breath, his woodfire smoke-and-spices scent all around me -- that was not something I ever thought I’d get used to. Yet here I was, Lionel Hawkes, consultant for Brunswick PD and accomplished necromancer, my cock rubbing against Lucifer’s belly and his own erection as he was doing his damnedest to kiss me senseless. My lips were already tender, but the soft lighting dipped his bedroom in an amber glow, and that made me care less about the state of my lips somehow… as long as he kept coming back for more kisses. I wanted to bury my fingers in his baby-cat hair, but Lucifer had my wrists crossed over my head, his hand holding me there. I could struggle, but he wouldn’t let me go. I’d tried that before, and he’d kindly informed me that I got to move my hands when he wanted me to. He fucking owned me.

I bucked up to get more friction and heard his deep voice break into a chuckle that made my entire body tremble.

“Sweet Nelly, is there something that you want from me?” he said with laughter smoothing around his words like warmth around a fire.

That fucking asshole. He knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted to come. He’d put me on my back in his too-large and weirdly round bed with the super-soft cotton sheets about an hour ago, and then he’d started with kisses, with touch, with friction that was just never enough.

“I have work in the morning. I just want to come and go to sleep,” I said. I’d been off for three weeks after that thing with the crazed serial killer, a.k.a. No Longer Quite So Sexy Mitch, who’d drugged and abducted me. But tomorrow was my first day back. “And you seem to have one hand free, so if you would, Lucy?” I looked down to my leaking cock. Damn, my belly was slick from our combined precum.

I wiggled under him, feeling the soft sheets I was lying on. I tried looking away as if this whole lovemaking thing bored me. Lucifer had drawn the curtains, but I didn’t really think they were thick enough to hide what he was doing to me. Obscure it, yes, but if anyone with a daring heart got to his wilderness of a home on this cold-ass November night and peeked up, they’d know exactly what was going on in the Devil’s bed. I’d complained about it two weeks ago. Lucifer had smirked and said, <em>If anyone does dare to come here, they should be rewarded by getting a glimpse of your face, writhing in ecstasy because you have my cock deep inside you. It will serve them well to think of it while I punish them for the transgression</em>. So typical -- boisterous Devil-speak.

And that was just so Lucifer, but since the room was partially lit, I saw him pull back and look down at me as if he were a cat and I a canary, caught between his claws with my wings splayed. He wanted to fucking torture me, I could see that in his sapphire eyes. Not actual torture, but he wanted me in a writhing puddle of need, so desperate I begged for his cock.

Heavens knew he’d fucking gotten me into that state before.

Before Lucifer could make another noise, before I could try to get a wrist free to jack myself after all, my phone rang. Lucifer’s eyes darkened. “I told you to turn that off,” he said. He didn’t raise his voice. Lucifer didn’t have to. He was the fucking Devil. His voice carried.

“And I told you I need to be reachable,” I said as the <em>Jaws</em> theme music grew louder. “Let me up, I need to go answer that.”

Of course, the Devil his own damn self didn’t move a fraction of an inch. “You do not need to be reachable when you are in my bed, when I have you and am in the middle of figuring out how exactly I will make you feel me -- what exactly I will make you feel once my cock is buried deep in you.”

Oh, damn his stupid sex talk. It got me in entirely the wrong mindset to achieve my current objective -- answering the phone. And I would bet a spell he’d stolen that line from one of the countless romance novels he read. There was currently a pile of them near his reading armchair by the window wall. He got up to two or three a day sometimes. That one weekend, when I’d told him I just needed quiet and hot cocoa after escaping the fucking basement a psycho killer had dragged me in to kill me, Lucifer had actually complied. He’d made me sit on the couch in his rich-people house where he let me stream just whatever sappy thing I wanted to watch without comment from him. In fact, Lucifer had refilled my mug with hot cocoa whenever it was empty, and sat there as close as I would allow it like some classical statue, reading through a stack of those damn novels. He had taken a reading break every couple of hours, and his breaks had only consisted of getting me off. If I allowed it.

I had allowed it. “You just read about that in your damn book?” I had asked after he was done with one of his breaks, my naked back pressed against his chest, my spent cock still in his sticky hand.

He bit my earlobe before he answered. “The things I want to do to you, Nelly… They aren’t in any of those books.”

Purchase

Changeling Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Meet the Author

Alexa Piper writes steamy romance that ranges from light to dark, from straight to queer. She’s also a coffee addict. Alexa loves writing stories that make her readers laugh and fall in love with the characters in them. Connect with Alexa on Facebook or Instagram, follow her on Twitter or TikTok, and subscribe to her newsletter!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | BookBub

Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive a $10.00 Changeling Press Gift Code! 

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Cover Reveal: Thick as Thieves (Aster Valley #4) by Lucy Lennox

Author Lucy Lennox and Social Butterfly PR reveal the cover for upcoming friends to lovers romance, Thick as Thieves (Aster Valley #4)!

Thick as Thieves, an all-new friends-to-lovers mm romance from USA Today bestselling author Lucy Lennox is coming March 1st and we have the incredible cover!

Julian:

I've been in love with my best friend since forever. Okay, fine. Like, kindgergarten. It started out platonic, obviously, but then became... nope. Still platonic. The problem is that Parker Ellis has been straight since forever. And that makes it difficult to convince him the two of us are meant to be together.

And now there's no point. All is lost. He's gone and gotten engaged to his high-school sweetheart which means I have to grin and bear it while pretending to be the happy, supportive best man while he prepares to commit his life to a woman I can't even fault. She's great. We've all been friends forever. I know he'll be happy with Erin, just not... just not as happy as he could be with me.

Parker:

I'll admit. Sometimes I press the easy button. Like when Julian Thick had offered me half his sandwich back in grade school after noticing I didn't have any food. Or when I'd needed a date to homecoming in tenth grade and Erin told me she was it. Or when I'd used the one thing that came easy to me, skiing, to get my college tuition paid for. Or when Erin had showed back up in my life six months ago and told it was time to marry and start a family...

But for the first time in my life I'm facing something that's not at all easy. It's my wedding weekend and I've just been left at the altar. Not only that, but when my best friend whisks me away to drown my sorrows in a snowy cabin in Aster Valley, I accidentally discover Julian's been keeping secrets. Big secrets.

The kind of secrets that lead to hot experimental kisses in front of a blazing fire, tenative physical exploration in a way I'd never imagined before, and the kind of intimate, true confessions I'd never even dreamed of between me and the one person who's always been my true home.

But after twenty-plus years of thinking of Jules as my friend without benefits, is it truly possible to change who we are to each other? There's no easy button this time, but I'm willing to do the work. I only wonder if Julian is ready to trust I really mean it.

 
Reserve your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CsFZs5
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ThickasThiev

Add Thick as Thieves to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3CAv13H
 
Meet Lucy Lennox
Lucy Lennox is finally putting good use to that English Lit degree earned way back in the 1900s.
She stays up way too late each night reading M/M romance because she is a sucker for a good story.

Connect with Lucy
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Book Blast + Giveaway: A Particular Friendship by Paul Van der Spiegel


 

Welcome author Paul Van der Spiegel and Gay Book Promotions as they share a book blast for contemporary romance, A Particular Friendship! Read more today and enter in the giveaway to win an eBook copy!

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: A Particular Friendship

Author: Paul Van der Spiegel

Publisher: Perceptions Press

Cover Artist: Paul Van der Speigel

Release Date: November 28, 2021

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Boy meets boy, loses boy, gets boy back again

Themes: Religion and being gay, coming out as an older man

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length:  62 000 words/ 225 pages

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US   |   Amazon UK 

Tom Morton is a gay Catholic priest whose lover comes back into his life leading to a confrontation with a powerful bishop.

Blurb 

The story has two timelines. In the odd-numbered chapters we meet Tom, an isolated fifty-year old parish priest of St. James’ Church, a Jesuit-built church in a northern English town. Tom is an in-the-closet gay man in an increasingly intolerant Catholic Church, an organisation that defines homosexuality as inherently disordered with traditionalist elements blaming incidents of child sex abuse on an underground ‘pink mafia’. Antony, the only man Tom has ever fallen in love with, the man he abandoned thirty-years earlier, arrives in church to ask Tom to provide the Sacrament of the Sick to his dying mother. 

In the second timeline, the even numbered chapters, we see Tom from childhood through to his ordination as a priest. As Tom grows into adolescence the confusion begins: he has experiences with girls, as well as burgeoning romantic and sexual feelings for his friend, Antony. After they sleep together for the first time, as the pressure to conform to a heterosexual society reaches fever-pitch, Tom abandons his lover and flees to the Church. At Ash Burrow seminary, Tom finds acceptance, a masculine culture, and other gay men like himself.

The novel has three sections. The first section describes Tom meeting Antony again after decades apart, the rekindling of their relationship, and how history repeats itself with Tom siding with the Church against his love. In the second timeline, we see Tom’s childhood, and the repercussions of the tragic car accident that kills his father and brother.

The second section describes Toms emotional collapse and the deterioration of his mental health until he reaches the point where he is actively suicidal. In contrast, we see Tom’s teenage-self approaching life with a sense of potential. The section ends with Tom coming out to his congregation and informing them that he is HIV positive and has been for twenty years.

In the third section, Tom is sacked, and St. James church is closed and put up for sale. Tom is also dealing with the scars of a violent sexual assault suffered whilst he was a seminarian at Ash Burrow – the perpetrator, Derek Worrell, is now the Bishop of Preston. In the second timeline, we see Tom’s life at the seminary, his romances, his appreciation of the structure of the Church, and the horrific incident that changes his life forever.      

The story reaches its close with a group of gay Catholic priests standing with Tom against the bishop and the diocese. Antony proposes to Tom in a crowded railway station, and they prepare to begin their lives together.  

Excerpt

Excerpt from ‘A Particular Friendship’

Tom read the gospel according to John. 

‘When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts, he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So, he made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”’

‘Jesus was a man of action,’ Tom told his congregation, ‘a person who would take risks. Jesus did not stop to do a risk assessment, fill the forms in, or consult a firm of speciality solicitors. Instead, he acted out of a deep conviction, the conviction that love is God, that love is central to our lives, that crowding our lives with the busyness of business leaves no room for goodness. Jesus felt fear, just like us, but he did what he knew God wanted him to do.’ 

After the blessing and dismissal, the Arundel children, Sophie and Danny, led the way from the altar to the church entrance, brother and sister dressed in matching black cassocks and white surplices. Standing on the tiled steps, Tom shook the hands of his parishioners, blessed proffered rosaries and crucifixes on chains, waved goodbye to the choir, thanked visitors for coming. 

On his way back to the sacristy, Tom found Mike Arundel waiting by the Lady Altar as his children snuffed out the candles and tidied up.

‘Hello, Mike,’ Tom said, as he strode past.

‘Father Morton,’ Mike Arundel replied. 

‘See you, Father Thomas,’ Sophie said, as she hung her cassock on a hanger in the wall cupboard and disappeared into the church.

‘How are you finding things at St. Pat’s, Danny?’ Tom asked. ‘I went there myself, a long time ago.’

‘Everyone seems really nice. Mister Cooper is strict though.’

‘I went to school with your headmaster. He was in the year above me.’

‘Yeah.’

‘It’s a big change, going to high school.’

‘Yeah,’

‘Do you see your sister around school much?’

‘Not much.’

‘What subjects do you like best?’

‘I like music and drama.’

‘What about sports, football and rugby?’

‘I don’t like football.’

‘I didn’t like it either at school. I was useless. I like watching it now though.’

‘My dad takes me to watch Bussell Athletic.’

‘That sounds fun.’

‘I’ve got to go… my dad will be waiting.’

‘Hi five, Danny.’

The boy slapped the priest’s hand and then he was gone.

‘Go and sit with your sister in the car,’ Tom heard Mike Arundel tell his son.

‘Father Morton,’ Mike Arundel said, as he stepped into the sacristy, ‘keep your hands off my boy.’

‘I beg your pardon?’ Tom said.

‘You heard me.’

There was a loud knock at the front door of the rectory and Tom, still stunned, walked from the sacristy into his home. Opening the door, he found a dishevelled woman with a supermarket carrier bag in her hands. 

‘Hello, Father Morton. I’m sorry to trouble you. I’ve had nothing to eat for two days. Can I come in?’

Tom fought the compulsion to tell the stranger to piss off, to tell her that now was not a good time. In fact, it was an incredibly bad time. He bit back his anger. Then, he did what he was supposed to do and invited the woman in.

‘Come in, please. Would you like some food?’

‘Thank you, Father. I thought you were going to tell me to fuck off there, for a minute.’

‘No, not at all. Sorry, I was having a senior moment. The kitchen is this way. Please follow me.’

As his guest took her seat at the table, Tom brought out a slice of Joan Bird’s ‘Friday fish-day’ pie from the fridge. 

‘I’ll warm this up for you. Would you like a tea or a coffee with that? Let me plug that phone in for you.’

‘Can I use your bathroom, please? I promise I won’t rob nothing.’

‘There isn’t anything worth stealing, I’m afraid, not unless you like religious books. The bathroom is upstairs, first door on the left.’

Tom warmed the pie in the microwave and put some frozen green beans into boiling water on the stove. 

‘You’re welcome to have a shower whilst you’re here, if you like. There is a lock on the door so needn’t worry about your privacy,’ he said, as his visitor returned.

‘Are you saying I smell?’

‘Gosh no. I would never say that. I was just…’

‘I’m messing with you. I’m Rosie.’

‘Hi, Rosie,’ Tom said, extending his hand, ‘I’m Tom.’

‘You’re a good priest, Father Morton. I can tell. Not like some of the others.’

‘That’s kind of you. Funnily enough, I’ve just had a rather unpleasant conversation with a parent who told me in no uncertain terms that I am not allowed to clap hands with his son.’

‘The bad apples spoil it…’ Rosie said, dissolving into a coughing fit, holding her sleeve to her mouth.

‘Are you okay?’ Tom said, concerned. ‘Can I get you anything?’

‘No, I’m fine,’ Rosie said, fishing a fistful of paper napkins from her pocket and wiping her mouth. 

‘I think your food is ready.’

Tom watched as Rosie devoured the food, finishing her plate in a matter of minutes. 

About the Author 

I am the author of the Queer Testament series (Trans Deus - about a trans woman Christ, 7 Minutes - about coming out at the point of death, Parably Not - an illuminated book in the tradition of William Blake, and A Particular Friendship- a story about a gay Catholic priest who finds himself in conflict with his sexuality and his Church). My stories are about the intersection of faith and sexuality. I am a Will Blake obsessive and I’m working on new material based on his themes of sex and gender fluidity, revelation and rebellion. I love reading (Alan Garner, Alan Moore, Susan Cooper, Ballard, and PK Dick especially). I live in Manchester, England. 

Author Links

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Guest Review: Out: The Complete Collection by Cara Dee

In this 150,000-word complete collection, Zach and Henry bare it all. You’ll get wild Los Angeles nights, the overwhelming emotional roller coaster of discovering yourself, plans gone awry, adventures, laugh-out-loud moments, and sizzling romance.

I had two things on my list when I arrived in Los Angeles. One, track down Henry Bennington, the uncle and guardian of my little brother’s best friend Tyler, and tell him to get his ass back to Washington—because his nephew was getting out of control. And two, figure out just how non-straight I was.

Nowhere on this list did it say, “Get Tyler’s uncle into bed and fall for him.”

Nowhere.

This is the complete collection of every story revolving around Zach and Henry. All 150,000 words of them, starting with the first novel, Out, continuing with the holiday sequel, Out for the Holidays, and followed by a novella previously only available to Cara’s newsletter subscribers, Out Cruising, as well as brand new content titled Out and About.

 

Averaged

Reviewer: Annery

Out - 4.5 Hearts


Zach grew up fast, became a parent to his brother and a caretaker to his mother. At 25 he got an inkling that perhaps he wasn’t as straight as he thought. Two years later, he came from his small town of Camassia, WA. to Los Angeles to confirm his suspicions, and to do something about it. Fortuitously he meets Henry Bennington, almost 20 years his senior, everything Zach is not and his life comes into clear focus. Zach just needs to convince Henry of the rightness of them as a couple and that Zach isn’t just sampling at the gay buffet.

This story is a breath of fresh air & sunshine. Yes, there’s age-gap, coming out, some familial strife, and yet the prevailing sentiment while reading it and once you’re done is a smile. The author astutely keeps the villains, such as they are, off stage and the bad things have already happened. The story is centered on Zach & Henry’s relationship & told from Zach’s P.O.V. which is genius as Zach is great company. He’s open and honest, particularly about himself, what turns him on or what he wants, and he’s funny too.

Things move fast. Pretty much from the moment Zach lays eyes on Henry his suspicions of gayhood are confirmed completely, skipping bi as a possibility. I liked it, no half measures for our Zach. Henry takes some convincing, even after he succumbs to Zach’s charms. He doesn’t see them as a lasting thing, lacking confidence in himself, he can’t fathom that Zach, his junior and a complete virgin to gay life, will want him, a guy who albeit handsome, educated, and of economic means, has shut himself in an obscure bookstore and a hamsterwheel life. Luckily, Zach is charming and persistent.

Fear not. Henry’s doubts about a lasting relationship don’t translate to the bedroom, their sexual chemistry is akin to Habanero Orange or Red on the Scoville scale. However for me the bigger draw was their quotidian interactions, how friends & family are at the heart of this story. I really enjoyed this slice of goodness and it lightened up the winter doldrums.

Recommend :D

Out for the Holidays - 4 Hearts

Henry and Zach are back. It’s their second Christmas together and plans go a bit haywire but not in any kind of tragic or drastic way. We just get to visit with a beloved couple, see how their imperfect, bumps, warts and all, fairytale plays out. As a plus when these two get together fun and smoldering sex are on the agenda. Sweet.

Zach has a successful modeling career but an unexpected work trip is threatening to derail his Christmas plans which entail nothing but being a homebody pampered by Henry. Fortunately the guys are resourceful, they turn lemons into lemonade, and get a chance to deal resolutely with a persistent pest. If that means smoking hot sex with Zach in the driver’s seat and certain people seeing them, what can you do?

I will note that though done organically, the story is populated by characters from other books in the author’s catalog, but they don’t in any way hinder or take over the story. They’re just part of the world Henry & Zach inhabit. I do think the reading experience would be richer if you know these stories too, and I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve read.

Out Cruising - 3.5 Hearts

The guys, Zach in particular, need a distraction. A gay cruise with seven of their closest friends is just what the doctor ordered. Zach continues to have firsts as an out gay boy, and a fun time is had by all. You too, reader!

This short really just pushes Henry & Zach’s story, where they are in terms of friends & family, and defining what the borders of what life will look like. Fret not, certainly there are some creative sexy times, but the heart of the story really has to do with the couple’s desire to become parents and making that wish a reality.

Two things kept this under a four:

1) knowing the stories of the three other couples that feature, somewhat prominently, is highly recommended. If you’ve enjoyed reading this series, these others wouldn’t be a hardship.

2) in the bedroom Zachary & Henry have had since the beginning this Daddy/boy dynamic. To my eyes it was just a playful, erotic thing they did for play, but now it seems to be more front & center and the prevalence of it didn’t seem organic, more like everyone has a kink which … not necessarily true? Sometimes vanilla is just fantastic without any sprinkles. Obviously just my 2 cents and YMMV.

Out and About Briefly - 3 Hearts

This is an epilogue included in this collection of the OUT stories. It takes place eighteen months after “Out Cruising” and we’re on another cruise in December but this one is absolutely PG. Zach & Henry are fully immersed in parenthood and loving it. When they get home we get a Christmas & family love bomb. Enjoy xoxo

FINAL NOTES:

a) these should definitely be read in order
b) if you already own the first three books I’m not sure that buying the box set for the final story is absolutely necessary, though I understand completists' impulses. It’s probably 15 pages of Henry & Zach being happy.

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



Release Blitz + Giveaway: His True Heart by Samantha Cayto

His True Heart is out from Pride Publishing! Read more about the contemporary romance from author Samantha Cayto! Don't miss the First Romance gift card giveaway too!
 

His True Heart by Samantha Cayto

Word Count: 33,436
Book Length: SHORT NOVEL
Pages: 125

Genres:

 EROTIC ROMANCE
GAY
GLBTQI
MEN IN UNIFORM
VALENTINES

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Book Description

The heart always knows the way.

Chris Novak is adjusting to his lieutenant being the first openly gay SEAL. Seeing the man’s obvious love for his husband gives Chris ideas—ones he has ruthlessly suppressed his whole life. Becoming a SEAL was his dream. Having the love and approval of his father remains critical to him. Acknowledging his sexual orientation would have jeopardized both. While the military has evolved, Chris fears that his father’s views have not.

Tanner Pac has been openly out and proud since high school, with his family embracing him as he is. He knows being gay is not a problem, but his dream of becoming a software engineer is. His parents expect him to carry on the family business of running a pizza parlor. He dares not disappoint them, fearing a loss that would crush him.

While visiting his father on leave, Chris goes out for pizza, not expecting to run into his old girlfriend’s annoying little brother. They could never ditch Tanner and now that he is all grown up, Chris finds he no longer wants to. Facing the strong temptation that Tanner presents is causing Chris to also face the truth about himself.

As Chris and Tanner struggle to meet their parents’ expectations, their attraction for each other cannot be denied. Their strength and courage grow in each other’s arms, but it may not be enough to break free of the weight of family expectations.

Excerpt

“Man, the way the lieutenant’s reunion is going, I’m not sure they’ll make it home. Know what I mean?”

Petty Officer First Class Christopher Novak did indeed know what his teammate meant. Scott Carpenter’s husband had jumped into his arms the second he’d seen Scott coming through the gates. At the moment, the guy’s legs were wrapped around Scott’s waist, and the two of them were going to pass out from lack of oxygen if that kiss didn’t end soon.

“Yeah, but we shouldn’t be staring. It’s not like they’re animals in a zoo.”

His teammate, Diego, had no filter. “I hear you, only it’s like…when have you ever seen a SEAL kiss another man? It’s a first for me.”

Chris slung his duffel bag over his shoulder. “It’s a first for everyone, and Scott’s already on the receiving end of some nasty reactions. We don’t need to add to them.” He walked away, breaking his gaze from the sight. He hadn’t been able to make the wedding the previous summer, so this was the first time he’d seen Scott in such an obviously sexual way with his husband. He couldn’t bear to watch, not because it disgusted him but because it was compelling in a way that disturbed him.

Diego stepped up to his side. “Wanna grab a drink? I’d like to find some female company myself, and I hear The Anchor has added a new heat level to their wings.”

Chris shook his head. “Sorry… I’ve got laundry to do, then hitting the rack. I have an early flight to Detroit in the morning.”

Diego groaned. “Seriously? Why are you so keen on freezing your balls off after what we just went through? I need a few days in the sun to thaw out.”

“I’m overdue visiting my father. If you think you can convince him to move away from his hometown, his extended family and the proximity of my mother’s grave and come to San Diego, have at it.” There was more bite to his words than he’d intended. Visiting his father always triggered conflicting feelings in him. Obviously, he loved the man, but the strain of meeting his expectations was beginning to wear on him.

“Dude, I’m sorry. I was only joking.”

Chris flashed him a smile. “It’s fine. I know you were. I’m tired, that’s all. Have fun tonight, and I expect a full report on how it goes with both the wings and the women.”

He peeled off when they reached his truck. As he tossed in his duffel and slid behind the wheel, he reminded himself that spending his leave with his father was a good thing. They would talk shop, as much as legally permitted, watch sports and pretend that everything was great—because it was, damn it all. There was no reason to believe otherwise. And yet, the vision of Scott devouring his husband’s mouth in front of God and everyone stuck in his mind, no matter how hard he tried to shake it away.

Buy Links

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About the Author

Samantha Cayto

Samantha Cayto is a Boston-area native who practices as a business lawyer by day while writing erotic romance at night—the steamier the better. She likes to push the envelope when it comes to writing about passion and is delighted other women agree that guy-on-guy sex is the hottest ever.

She lives a typical suburban life with her husband, three kids and four dogs. Her children don't understand why they can't read what she writes, but her husband is always willing to lend her a hand—and anything else—when she needs to choreograph a scene.

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Sugar Bunny (My Kinky Housemate #1) by Colette Davison

Author Colette Davison and Gay Book Promotions share new kinky series, Sugar Bunny (My Kinky Housemate #1) ! Read more about the MMM romance and enter in the $10 Amazon gift card giveaway!

 

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Sugar Bunny (My Kinky Housemate Book 1)

Author: Colette Davison

Publisher: Independently Published

Cover Artist: Designs by Jo

Release Date:  February 1, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: MMM, Pet play (bunny play), Daddy kink (no age play), age gap

Themes: Coming out, forgiveness

Heat Rating:  4 flames      

Length:  87 857 words

It’s the first book in a new series and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

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Can a no-strings fun-times relationship with two older men lead to real and lasting love?

Blurb

With the My Kinky Housemate app, I've found a place to live with seven like-minded guys. My new start and a chance to make my dreams come true aren’t turning out like I hoped. A housemate has the solution—become a sugar baby. Answering an ad is easy, but will a Sugar Daddy be interested in me? 

A sexy interior designer is way more than I expect. He wants to spoil me, spank me, and share me with his silver fox husband. 

Together, Colton and Ford solve some of my problems but create another as I start to fall for them.  However fun our time together is, I have to remind myself it’s not real. It won’t last. It’s not love… is it?

Sugar Bunny is an MMM, D/switch/s, age-gap romance. It includes pet-play, spanking, an open relationship, sharing—but no cheating!—and some hurt/comfort. 

Trigger warning: domestic abuse.

Excerpt 

My black naughty bunny outfit consists of my bargain-buy corset, a jockstrap, suspender belt, and fishnets. I made a pompom out of wool and attached it to the very bottom of the corset. I feel sexy wearing it, especially when I add the bunny ears. I make sure they’re fully upright because I want to look perky for Colton.

Colton and Ford are waiting for me in the reception room. They’re sitting facing the open doorway, which means they see me the moment I walk in the door. Both men stare at me with wide eyes, not hiding the fact that they’re looking me up and down.

“You look sexy,” Colton says in a husky voice.

“Gorgeous,” Ford agrees.

He rubs his hand over his thighs, which draws my attention to the obvious bulge in his trousers. I gnaw my lower lip as a little thrill runs through me. He’s turned on by me.

“Are you ready to play, bunny?” Colton asks as he stands and walks over to me.

Ready. Excited. Nervous. “Yes, Daddy.”

He grabs my hair and pulls my head back, making me squeak. The sound is barely audible, though, because he kisses me crazily hard at the exact same moment. He’s claiming me. Showing me who’s in charge. Not that he needs to. He’s in charge. I’ll do anything he says.

He lets me go and steps back. “Do a little twirl for Daddy. I want to see my bunny from every angle.”

About the Author

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |   Facebook Page   |  Facebook Group: Colette’s Cosy Corner

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a $10 Amazon gift card

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