Release Blitz + Giveaway: Conspiracy (A New World #3) by M.D. Neu

Title: Conspiracy

Series: A New World, Book Three

Author: M.D. Neu

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 08/16/2022

Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 126800

Genre: Sci Fi, LGBTQIA+, Space travel, aliens, politics, grief, interspecies romance

Add to Goodreads

Description

A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It’s home to seven billion people with all manner of faiths, beliefs and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding, who have been told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world, unless they had no other choice.

It’s been a little over a year since Todd Landon’s life changed with the arrival of the Nentraee. Continuing his duties as Special Envoy for Terran Affairs, Todd finally feels at home with the aliens; gaining more responsibility and influence with both races. Plans are underway for two Interplanetary spaceports and additional solar exploration. It’s an exciting time for both the humans and the Nentraee.

Not everything is as perfect as some hope. Speaker General Mirtoff and Vice-Speaker Mi’ko of the Nentraee are worried that the Liberi Dei plot additional terrorist attacks and may have inside help. Threats are clear, but who can they trust? Could Todd be helping them unknowingly or worse covertly? Will these new space endeavors continue to bring the human and the Nentraee together or will a conspiracy hiding in the shadows fracture an already shaky alliance?

Excerpt

Conspiracy
M.D. Neu © 2022
All Rights Reserved

The Security Training area appeared ordinary, especially since the space was in a secured part of the ship. Yes, the area had grass and a few shrubs outside the façade, but the endless sky feeling didn’t exist here; overall, this area had been built more for function and less for form. Still, Todd was glad he had access to the location, and the gym had everything they needed for a good workout. He had even managed to have the Nentraee bring up some human gym equipment for his use, as he didn’t want to risk his life on the Nentraee equipment. Sure, the human machines got a few odd looks from the Nentraee security when he and Dan used them, but Vi-Narm confided in him several of the security personnel had tried the pieces and used them when no humans were around.

He cracked his neck, thinking of his earlier conversation with Brad. Seeing his brother again would be a nice treat, and Brad had been correct: too much time had passed since Todd had seen Brad or the rest of his family down on Earth. The infrequent visits weren’t all his fault; so much had changed over the last year, and he had a lot of work to do, especially knowing Liberi Dei continued to lurk out there, waiting. A shudder ran down his spine. Martha’s words still haunted him.

Too bad you won’t live long enough to find out. What had she been organizing? Her death was a shame really, killed by her own people before he found out what she and Liberi Dei actually wanted. However, they were still out there planning. Which added to his frustration of late: Mi’ko and Mirtoff no longer included him in anything to do with the terrorist organization, saying keeping him detached from the matter kept him safe.

Todd had no reason to doubt them, but something tickled the back of his mind and he wasn’t sure if this was the only reason they kept him in the dark about Liberi Dei.

He missed the tick of his pocket watch.

So much has changed.

He dug through his bag, pulled out his pocket watch, and checked the time.

“Where is he?” Todd huffed and put the timepiece in his gym bag, his hand brushing along the cool surface of his datapad.

Dan should have been here twenty minutes ago; at this rate Todd would barely have enough time for their workout and for him to get changed and ready for the interview.

A chirp called his attention.

Todd reached into his bag and pulled out his datapad. Now what? He tapped the pad to activate the device.

“Dan!” Todd’s voice called out louder than he had hoped, but no one around him seemed to notice. “Where are you? You’re late.”

“I know.” Dan’s expression remained flat with no Danness to flavor his words. “Listen, I’m heading to Earth. I have to see my family and take care of some things.”

“What? Is everything okay?”

“Fine.” Dan’s tone faltered and his expression sank. “They’re fine, sorry; just a lot going on and my mom isn’t getting any younger.”

“I get it, my parents–”

“Look, I have to go. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“When you–”

The communications ended and the Nentraee seal appeared.

“What the hell?” Todd shook his head and dropped the pad into his bag.

Todd raked a hand through his hair. Well, now he would have plenty of time to get ready for the interview. He made his way over to the lockers to change into his work clothes and ceremonial robe. Once Todd cleaned up, he made his way out of the locker room.

“Special Envoy.” A deep familiar voice caught Todd’s attention as he left the facility.

He turned to see Vi-Narm standing there in the equivalent of workout wear: loose pants and a flowy top.

“Hi, Vi-Narm.”

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready to meet with GNN?”

Todd nodded. “I planned to get in some training with Dan today, but…”

“If you would like to train, I would be happy to workout with you, after your duties.” Vi-Narm tossed her long ponytail over her shoulder.

Todd picked at his deep-blue ceremonial cloak, the one given to him by Mi’ko and Mirtoff to represent his standing in Nentraee society. The cloak draped over his shoulders, and the wide embroidered collar with silver stitching sparkled as the threads caught the light. He checked the two large silver clasps with matching deep-blue stones attaching the cloak to his shoulders. The ends of the cloak fell to the floor, revealing the embroidery as the stitching continued down to each of the eight symbols representing the Nentraee clans and the one representing humans.

“Do I look okay?” Todd asked.

“You look respectable for your position and the purpose of your meeting,” Vi-Narm said.

“And with that not-so-shining endorsement, I’ll head off.” He winked at her. “Thanks for the offer to work out. I’ll have to take you up on the suggestion, especially if Dan keeps ditching me.”

On his way out, he gave one more glance over his shoulder to the facility and the surrounding area. Dan and he were supposed to work out twice a week, and yet over the last several months Dan had cancelled many of their get-togethers, not just the workouts. Each time they met, Dan appeared more preoccupied. More distant. Todd shook his head. At least he still had Brad’s visit to look forward to, even if he would be here for work and not play.

He felt the tick of his pocket watch and marched on in time with each tick. Once he found a viewport, he glanced out, seeing one of the Speaker General’s ship’s parks. A group of xĩmé flew by, the deep blue of their feathers a contrast to the yellow leaves of the nabutimaba tree. He chuckled and shook his head. Recent events seemed insane to him, like something out of some sci-fi series.

“What a year.” He sighed as he continued on.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read

Meet the Author

M.D. Neu is an award-winning queer Fiction Writer with a love for writing and travel. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley (San Jose, California) and growing up around technology, he’s always been fascinated with what could be. Specifically drawn to Science Fiction and Paranormal television and novels, M.D. Neu was inspired by the great Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Stephen King, Alice Walker, Alfred Hitchcock, Harvey Fierstein, Anne Rice, and Kim Stanley Robinson. An odd combination, but one that has influenced his writing.

Growing up in an accepting family as a gay man he always wondered why there were never stories reflecting who he was. Constantly surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, M.D. Neu decided he wanted to change that. So, he took to writing, wanting to tell good stories that reflected our diverse world.

When M.D. Neu isn’t writing, he works for a non-profit and travels with his biggest supporter and his harshest critic, Eric his husband of twenty plus years.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Heat Wave (The Extraordinaries #3) by T.J. Klune

Heat Wave is the explosive finale to the thrilling Extraordinaries trilogy by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author TJ Klune!

Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz are back in action bringing justice, protection, and disaster energy to the people of Nova City.

An unexpected hero returns to Nova City and crash lands into Nick's home, upturning his life, his family, and his understanding of what it means to be a hero in the explosive finale of the thrilling and hilarious Extraordinaries trilogy by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune.

A satisfying conclusion to this YA fantasy trilogy, I felt this matured with each book, as well it should as our teen hero Nick and his loyal friends all go through a lot, learning about life, love, and themselves!

When we last saw Nick and company, they were a solid incognito crime fighting team, and Nick was trying to come into his newly realized powers and potential responsibilities, all the while dealing with familial secrets and betrayals. Flash Fire left readers wondering about the future fate of all Extraordinaires as nemesis Simon Burke introduced a seemingly benevolent offer to cure their powers for the safety of the public, hiding a yet to be seen but inevitable sinister self serving plan. Toss in an off kilter ex-boyfriend who had escaped prison and an unbelievable cliffhanger reveal, and there were many questions left to be answered.

Though this plot line started out nebulous and confusing, what unfolds was a scary twist. Many might not like this crazy development, but I felt it ultimately played out nicely, forcing the gang and their wonderful parents, friends, and family to really band together to fight Simon Burke’s evil maniacal agenda.

What I truly appreciate about these 3 books is that with Klune’s deserved popularity and move into a more mainstream avenue, I’m grateful that a bigger publisher in no way impeded his unique and trademark brand of humor, style, and over the top brazenness. This doesn’t hold back on touchy topics, the uncomfortableness of growing up, the squeamish/embarrassing but relevant topics that all teens face, and Klune does it with frankness, truth, and outrageous humor and always with plenty of heart. It’s been a hot minute since I laughed so hard that I was crying, and then I soon found myself crying for real because of all the feels.

Overall, though some things in plot execution didn’t pan out as I wanted (do they 100% truly ever?), this still had a fitting conclusion that fell in line with the themes and messages of each book. Things can’t always end perfectly (tho it was pretty darn close), and that’s how life goes - sometimes it’s tough, sometimes it’s really really great, and often it isn’t fair.

Sooooo bad guys are going to do bad. Good guys are going to their darnedest to stop them. There are certainly some setbacks, but this is fantasy fiction after all so don’t be too worried. Rest assured that our titular hero Nick definitely remains true to himself and learns plenty along the way as all YA stories go, leaving me with a big fat smile at the very end!

Release Blitz: Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life (Changing Majors #3) by Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life (Changing Majors Book 3)

Author: Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid

Publisher: Eine Kleine Press

Cover Artist: Clancy Nacht

Release Date: August 16, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, new adult, Christian

Tropes: Nerd & jock, opposites attract, demisexual

Themes: Found family, reclaiming Christianity

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 70 000 words/236 pages

It is a standalone story in a series. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

The other stories are not needed for this one. Each story stands alone, tied together with being part of a college series in which characters change their majors.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Spicy gay romance that reclaims Christianity

Blurb

Tutoring the athletic, indifferent son of the local megachurch's influential pastor promises to be a tough job for turbo-nerd Thomas Knott, but when he meets handsome, aloof Colton Frost, nothing is as it seems.

Colton's hiding a huge secret...one he can't quite hide from the perceptive and amiable Thomas.

After graduating from a gay conversion camp, Colton Frost isn't sure who he is anymore. How does he reconcile his faith with everything he feels inside? Dormmate (and long-time crush) Noah watches his every move for Colton's famous father, reporting if he steps out of line. There's no room to grow or find himself...until he meets chubby, awkward, inexplicably confident demisexual Thomas Knott.

Can bold, brainy, secular Thomas help struggling believer Colton discover his lost identity? And just as importantly to Colton, can Thomas help him heal his relationships with his parents--and with Jesus?

70k words of nerd & jock, opposites attract, demisexual, Christian romance, new adult

Content Warning: complex moral and religious situations, suicidal ideation, internalized homophobia, conversion therapy references, Christianity, mentions of underage drinking, marijuana use, references to CSA, exhibitionism

Excerpt

Thomas’s dark stare bored into Colton, as if he could see right through him. “I need your … cooperation with something, and in return, I can make sure you pass your classes.”

There was some irony that Colton was skipping class to try to put off his potential tutor who wanted to negotiate him passing the classes he skipped. “What, like take my tests for me?”

Thomas snorted delicately and raised a pointy brow with the air of a Victorian nobleman. “No, Colton, but I don’t have much of a social life. I can devote enormous resources to teaching you the material. Are you an auditory learner? Visual? Kinesthetic? I can help you break down your learning style and tailor study strategies for your needs. It’ll be the easiest learning you’ve done. I’m a boss. But I need your help too.”

How did he manage to sound so confident when he was basically confessing to being a loser? It was as if he’d embraced his own geekery and weaponized it for use against his betters.

“If I wanted to learn the material, I would.” Colton shrugged as he adjusted his backpack. “And I’d learn it faster without having to block you out.”

Everyone could use Colton’s help in one way or another. Were he the sort to lend a hand, he’d probably get nothing else done. At the very least, he had to know what it was Thomas wanted so he could tell him no and then maybe they’d be done with this. “You’re beyond help, but what do you think I could possibly do for you?”

“You gave Rose Ryan my phone number.” The way Thomas said her name, he might as well have been saying Aphrodite or Venus. “We’ve been texting. Things are… developing. But she thinks I’m you, and if I tell her who I am, she’s going to bail on me. I need this, Colton. It’s your doing anyway. Take responsibility.”

“How would I know your phone—” As the memory returned of the random girl that very irritating morning returned to him, so did the phone number. There it went again, rattling around in his brain. A little faded, maybe. He was less certain of the numbers now than he had been, but there it was.

Colton chuckled and shook his head. Even if he tried to lie, by now his cheeks were so hot it was probably obvious that he remembered doing it. “What do you mean things are developing? You’re not being weird and telling her it’s me, are you?”

“I didn’t tell her that. You told her that. You gave her your number, but it was mine. You lied to her, and now I’m making you look good by being a decent human being to her. I mean, aside from the nudes…” Thomas smirked and gave Colton the kind of look that suggested he’d made an enormous mistake.

Colton gasped and stared at Thomas in horror. “You sent her nudes?”

He eyed Thomas up and down then shook his head. “No way she’d believe your nudes were me. No way she’d keep talking to you if she saw,” Colton gestured at Thomas. “Unless she’s an idiot.”

But God, what if the rumor got out that there were nudes of him? Even if they were obviously not him, his dad would probably hear about it.

“Who said I sent the nudes? Although, not that it’s your business, my business is very respectable. With some creative cropping, she’d be very impressed with ‘you’.” Thomas laughed from his belly, eyes crinkling at the corners. He looked like an evil cherub. Like a cherub just hellbent on fucking Colton’s life right up.

“Oh God, I don’t need to know that.” Colton held his hands up in defense as the images popped into his head. “You can’t accept nudes from her as me. I would never take advantage like that. I …”

For once, Colton was utterly speechless as he stared at Thomas in horror.

Thomas laughed again, throaty and delighted, and shook his head. “Oh man, I really got you going. I didn’t accept nudes! As if Rose Ryan would send anyone nudes. She’s the definition of perfection. She’s not going to put something like that into the world and risk her reputation. Do you know how shitty people are to women of color who express their sexuality? To any women? You probably didn’t ace Gender Studies, but you can trust me on that.”

Then Thomas sobered and narrowed his gaze on Colton appraisingly. “Look, man, you put yourself in this situation. The only way out is through. I want you to go to her volleyball game on Friday with me. Introduce me and then, I don’t know. I just…”

Suddenly Thomas’s cherubic face turned haunted, lips turning down at the corners and making his dimples stand out in dismay. “Listen, Colton, I know it doesn’t mean anything to you, but it would mean a lot to me. I just want to get my foot in the door. I need her to just look at me for once instead of right through me. I’m not who people assume I am. I’m…” Thomas sighed and his tongue flashed over his lips. “There’s more to me. I feel like Rose could see it, if I could just get an in.”

Colton realized he had clutched his chest, much like his mom did when she was hearing news that shocked her. He was flooded with relief that there were no nudes. He definitely didn’t want to be in the middle of some incel revenge porn scandal. He didn’t know that it was worse or better for women of color, but he did know how a lot of men regarded women who sent nudes.

He hadn’t thought any of it through when he gave Rose Thomas’s number. He’d just thought Thomas would correct her and everyone would go on with their lives.

This had gotten complicated.

He didn’t know Rose, but he had kind of put her in this situation. Maybe there weren’t nudes yet, but if Colton walked away from this situation and allowed it to continue, who knew what would happen?

Plus, Thomas looked so darn pathetic. There was probably no chance that one introduction was going to set them up and fix everything, but that wasn’t his problem.

Colton needed to find a way to extricate himself from this situation without finding himself in the middle of some nerd-on-nerd violence. He exhaled. “All right. Friday night I go to her game and we pretend to be… friends? I just decided I enjoy my tutor so much that I’m dragging him along to sporting events?”

“Well, yeah. She can assume I’m your wingman. You have to admit, standing next to me, you look extra good.” Thomas’s self-deprecating little smile didn’t do much to erase his pitifulness. “Just make it plain I’m a cool guy, and I’ll take it from there. You’re not interested, or you wouldn’t have given her my number, so just let her know you’re only interested in friendship, and I’ll fend for myself.”

“My wingman. I don’t need a wingman.” Colton rolled his eyes but accepted the premise. “All right, fine. For one night only, I need a wingman to get a girl who approached me.”

It didn’t matter. He just needed to wash his hands of this situation. “Just, try not to be weird, okay? I’ll let her down easy after the game and you can just … whatever.”

About the Authors

Together, Texans and platonic life partners Thursday Euclid and Clancy Nacht write queer novels that span genres, with intense romances and a seamless shared narrative voice.

They published their first co-written novel, the m/m rock star romance Black Gold, in 2010, and now have over a decade of award-winning collaborations under their exquisite belts. Recent titles include the twisted romance His Fake Prison Daddy and the Phisher King series, in which an uptight federal agent and a bratty hacker go from enemies to lovers while solving a hate crime.

Though Elder Millennial trans man Thursday and Gen X gender outlaw Clancy live three hours apart, they are inseparable. Their friendship is a perfect example of the Grumpy/Sunshine trope, which makes Thursday very happy. Clancy thinks it’s all right.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Twitter | Twitter | Instagram

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Release Blitz + Giveaway: The Devil's Lover by Alexa Piper

Title: The Devil's Lover

Series: Hellbound 5

Author: Alexa Piper

Publisher: Changeling Press LLC

Release Date: August 12

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 149 pages

Genre: Romance, Action Adventure, BDSM, Dark Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Urban Fantasy, Dark Desire, Elves, Dragons & Magical Creatures, Magic, Murder Mystery

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Lionel and Lucifer are drawn deeper into a murder case, but they are set on solving it together.

Just when Lionel’s love life has gone back to normal -- normal meaning the kinky Devil making his ownership known -- Lionel’s murder case gets stranger. Lionel’s birth father seems to have his hands in the mystery, and Lionel finds himself in the sights of Eris, goddess of discord.

Lucifer used to be a prime example of a powerful underworld deity with all the knowledge and skill to take care of a lover in the bedroom. But that was before Lucifer fell properly in love and won over his necromantic boyfriend, who also happens to be a demigod. Lionel’s innate magic, magical skill, and stubborn nature make it exceedingly difficult for Lucifer to be the alpha god he wants to be for Lionel.

Lucifer is set on finding a way to provide for the man he loves and to fulfill Lionel’s every desire. But before he can focus entirely on his necromancer, the two of them must solve the case, prevent primordial deities from being raised and destroying the world, and learn to communicate better. It’s what relationships and crime solving are all about.

Excerpt

Lionel

The Devil’s body in front of mine, protecting me from a threat I didn’t quite understand, that was a new and uncomfortable feeling, and something I didn’t really care for. I tried getting a decent look at the deity that had teleported into Lucifer’s doorless office, but the Devil his own damn self kept pushing me back. It was so annoying when he was trying to be an alpha god.

“Will you cut it out, Beelzebug?” I grumbled, and Trony, in her pink tartan skirt and with her sword in hand, gave me an admiring look.

Nyx, the deity that had Lucifer so riled, chuckled and turned their milky, unseeing eyes on me. “You are a fierce one. Tiamat has said as much.”

And speak of the dragon mother, she appeared in the office as well, which was fine, apart from the fact that she wasn’t wearing any clothes. Awesome.

“What is going on here? Nyx, do you have to scare the children?” the dragon mother said and crossed her arms under her breasts. Not that I was paying any attention to her breasts, but it was sort of hard not to notice they existed. Why did all gods have trouble with clothing? Buttons and zippers really weren’t all that bad.

“Children?” Lucifer said and straightened before pulling me to his side and circling my waist with his arm in a proud <em>look, this is my boyfriend</em> kind of way. Apparently in his mind, the presence of the dragon mother lessened the threat level in his office.

“No one in this room was scared,” Metatron said and flashed her sword.

“What were you saying about Eris?” I asked the blind god… then realized looking at them wouldn’t be enough to cue them in on the fact I was speaking with them. “I mean, Nyx. You were saying about Eris?”

The sightless god turned to face me. “Eager as any human, aren’t you?” They smiled. “Or as the Devil dispensing deals.”

Tiamat clapped her hands. “If you have something to say about Eris, I am interested. I don’t appreciate her harassing poor, lovesick humans around the corner, but I think we can talk while also eating, can’t we?”

Metatron nodded. “I second that. The necromancer has been turning his nose up at my food since his return from Scotland, and he looks worse for wear.”

“I haven’t!” I said. “And I don’t! It’s just been a busy few days, and there were corpses.”

“Humans are quite frail and need regular nourishment, even those who are only partially so,” Nyx said, and they and the dragon mother nodded knowingly.

Lucifer glowered at the other god. “I know best what my boyfriend needs,” he said, but I could tell I was in for eating my breakfast out of the Devil’s hands while sitting in his lap.

* * *

Lucifer was indeed behaving like a total alpha god, and it reminded me that I should call Persephone and give her an update, but that would mean looking at my phone and seeing whatever social media was now making of the sharkomancer incident. Maybe I should still tell her about the minotaur… but what would I even tell her about that? It was confusing, the way I felt or should feel about Minos, and I was actually glad to be dealing with something else right about now.

The dragon mother, Nyx, and Lucifer and I teleported to the already set dining room table, and I tried to grab a chair, but Lucifer wouldn’t let me go. He pulled me close and tilted my chin up.

“How about I take you to Sephy’s and Hades’ place? It’s almost the weekend anyway, and you trained Marc Deacon well. I am sure he can handle things here while you relax a little,” Lucifer said. He was doing his best at looking charming, dashing, someone you didn’t want to say no to. His kitty-cat hair was catching the light just so.

In one word, he was a transparent, overprotective alpha god, and he was trying to lull me into damseling myself, or whatever you’d call it. “You are not benching me,” I said. “I will raise the minotaur, even if it’s --” If it was what? A way for me to get back at him? To make sure he was very and truly dead? I shook my head. “I’ll raise him. I can do my fucking job, whether you believe that or not, Beelzebug.”

Lucifer’s face soured, but then he kissed my forehead. “I know you can, my love, but you don’t have to.”

“What are you saying about raising the minotaur?” Tiamat said. She had put on a bathrobe, just a thin one that hugged her every curve and still revealed a lot, but it was better than nothing. Which was the alternative.

Lucifer hugged me close. “He was apparently murdered in his cell at the human prison not too long ago. Christine just called with the news.”

“The minotaur,” Nyx said, and I wiggled out of Lucifer’s hold and even managed to sit in my own chair instead of the Devil’s lap. My goals had shifted over the past few months, and today, this was an achievement, and I knew it. “He was a powerful human sorcerer,” the blind god went on. They used their cane to find a chair opposite the dragon mother. Lucifer moved his chair at the head of the table to the left, toward my own, until he was sitting right next to me.

“You knew him?” I asked. “How did you know the minotaur?”

Purchase

Changeling Press LLC | 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 | Instagram | BookBub

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Blitz: Earl Hathbury’s Vessel (Duty & Magic #2) by S. Rodman

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Earl Hathbury’s Vessel (Duty & Magic, 2)

Author: S. Rodman

Publisher: Dark Angst Publishing

Cover Artist: Miblart

Release Date: August 14, 2022

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Tropes: Hurt/comfort

Themes: Learning to love / trust

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 45 000 words

It is a standalone story, but part of a linked series.

Each book follows a different couple. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

After years of cruelty, how do you learn to trust? To love?

Blurb

After years of cruelty, how do you learn to trust? To love?

It may be 2022, but the modern world has done nothing to protect me.

I live in the world of the British nobility, a secret society of magic, mages and vessels.

There are strict rules and customs and no freedom at all.

My name is Charlie, but to society, I’m just a vessel. A person who grows and absorbs magic within them, but cannot wield it.

As tradition dictates, on my eighteenth birthday, I was given to a mage. From that day onwards, every seven days for four long years, Earl Rathbone took my body to take my magic.

Earl Rathbone was a cruel and harsh master. But it was ‘the done thing’ and society turned a blind eye to my mistreatment.

Until the earl’s son finally intervened and whisked me away. Sending me to Archie. The Earl of Hathbury.

Archie is kind and sweet. The man loves books nearly as much as I do. He is nothing like Earl Rathbone.

Yet, giving Archie my body and my magic is daunting. But it is my duty and a necessity. As a vessel, I need a mage to regularly empty me or I could die.

To my great relief, Archie is understanding and gentle, and it’s not long before I start to fall for him. Finding my duty more of a pleasure.

Archie seems to enjoy our time together more than is proper, and I am hopeful.

But can Archie be trusted? Is he really safe? Will I ever be truly free?

Excerpt

Sighing wistfully, I continued my meander around the grounds. I turned a corner around a tall hedge and found a swimming pool. I blinked in surprise. The old families usually considered them vulgar. Something only new money garishly indulged in.

It was quite tucked away and hidden by tall hedges. Whoever had installed it had known it was something to be embarrassed about.

It looked clean, if a bit tatty. It had obviously been here for a while. The pool was a decent size, surrounded by well-maintained grass. There were no sun loungers nor any other accouterments. I wondered if anyone still used it.

A few stray leaves floated on the surface, but the water looked clear. Calm and inviting. Sod it. I had nothing better to do. The day was warm enough that I’d soon dry off, even without a towel. I stripped down to my underwear, a pair of simple white briefs. Leaving my clothes carelessly strewn across the grass, I sat on the edge of the pool and dipped my toe in.

It was delightfully warm. A heated pool. Now, that was a pleasant surprise. Grinning, I slipped in. The water was divine. Feeling far too lazy to do laps, I merely bobbed around for a while. Then I floated on my back and closed my eyes. The feeling of weightlessness in the warm water, combined with the sun shining down and the birdsong, was wonderful. Maybe swimming could become my new hobby. I could come here every day. I’d soon get fit, I supposed. If I actually swam instead of floating around.

But this relaxation was lovely. Doing this everyday sounded far more alluring. I could call it meditation or something. Maybe do a bit of yoga at the poolside, so it didn’t feel quite so decadent.

Someone coughed, and it startled me so much I nearly drowned trying to get to my feet. Spluttering water out of my mouth and wiping it from my eyes, so I could see, I looked up.

It was Archie. Standing by the pool. Holding a folded white towel and wearing a white robe. His shapely legs were bare, and he had flip-flops on his feet. He had come to swim in his secret pool and found me in it.

I scrambled to the edge and heaved myself up. The poor man took a step backwards as I lunged out of the pool to stand before him, water streaming off of me onto the grass.

“I’m sorry!” I gasped, pushing my sodden hair out of my eyes with both my hands.

Archie just stared at me. A strange look on his face. His cheeks were heated, unsurprisingly. He was probably furious at me.

“It’s quite alright,” he said after a while, but his voice sounded strained.

“I’ll… I’ll leave you to your peace,” I stuttered and hastily scooped up my clothes that seemed to be scattered everywhere. Making it take forever to gather them. When I eventually had them all, I ran.

When I was far enough away, out of sight and hearing, I stopped, chest heaving. I dropped my clothes onto the ground so I could start dressing. As I glanced down, I saw my wet underwear was entirely see through.

Groaning, I covered my blush with my hands. Not that there was anyone to see now.

“Nice one, Charlie,” I said to myself. Just what his lordship wanted to see. I thought sarcastically. Great way to get to know your new master, invade his private pool and then flash him.

About the Author

I love characters that are battered and broken by life, who through the course of finding love, discover they are strong.

I like to pour my dark past into my characters and hope I will be forgiven.

Despite everything, because of everything, I will always believe that love conquers all.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter

Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up | TikTok

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Book Blast + Giveaway: A Beach Far Away by BL Maxwell

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: A Beach Far Away

Author and Publisher: BL Maxwell

Cover Artist: BL Maxwell

Release Date: July 30, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Friends to lovers, instalove, vacation romance, meet cute

Themes: Starting over, finding true love

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 31 000 words

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

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Falling in love wasn’t on the itinerary

Blurb

Ryan Stone can’t wait to put his toes in the sand at the famous Bondi Beach. When he arrives after a flight that was far too long, and having not slept or eaten, all he can do is stare out at the beautiful expanse of white sand and blue ocean in awe. And when a blond guy asks him to play footy, he agrees, even if he doesn’t know for sure what that is.

Ollie Hughes thinks a day at the beach is just what he needs to take his mind off work. When he sees the cute but rumpled guy sitting by himself in the sand, he’s drawn to him. The more time they spend together, the less he wants the day to end. They end up spending a few days together, those few days turn into weeks, and neither is ready for their time together to end.

A lot of chemistry, and a little bit of luck make for an interesting day at the beach that both men are reluctant to end. Time and distance could be their biggest obstacle, but maybe some things are just meant to be. #meetcute #vacationromance #mmromance

Excerpt

Slipping my shoes and socks off, I carried them with me to the water’s edge. The water was warmer than it was on our side of the planet, but the last time I’d been to the ocean had been near Eureka. The water was never warm there. I walked out enough for the water to hit near my knee.

“Oi, mate. You don’t want to be going out there. It’s a wicked rip. Pull you right out without warning and you’ll end up across the ditch in New Zealand.” A very tanned, very blond guy about my age, wearing an aqua and dark blue shirt with Lifeguard emblazoned on his chest, crossed his arms and planted his feet.

“It’s okay, I’m not going out far. I just wanted to see how warm it was.”

“If I had a dollar for every time I’d heard that, I’d be a rich man. Most that have said it, are now about fifty meters offshore.”

My head whipped in the direction he’d indicated, before he burst out in laughter.

“Just messin’ with ya. But seriously, don’t go out past your knees. Everyone thinks they can handle it, but it’ll drag you out before you can get your feet under you.” He stood and waited for me to walk out of the water and waved when I relented and walked back over to the grassy area.

Leaning my head back I let the heat of the sun warm my skin as my feet dried off. The sound of the ocean and children playing on the beach were all I could hear right now. The long flight started to weigh on me, and I knew if I kept my eyes closed much longer, I’d be asleep. I still needed to find a place to stay so I slipped my shoes on and walked toward the other end of the beach.

People were everywhere, and dogs, and cars, and even what looked like a group of lifeguard trainees. “Hey, you up for some footy?” a guy with long, curly blond hair that hung in soft waves around his face asked as he jogged closer.

“Footy?”

I wasn’t sure exactly what he meant.

“Yeah, we can just toss it around.” He threw the football up and caught it with a grin.

“Sure.” I stood and followed him down to where the sand had been raked smooth. People were gathered around the area, but most were at the edges of the immaculate sand. I set my

backpack down on the edge and followed him. Noticing he was barefoot, I hurried back to take my shoes off.

As soon as I was on the sand again, he tossed the ball to me and turned to run. I threw it back and he made an amazing diving catch. We both laughed as he dusted off sand before tossing it back to me. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Ryan, what’s yours?”

“Ollie, Ollie Hughes.” He caught the ball and did some weird jumping throwing thing that looked funny as hell but did the job.

I caught it and before I could toss it back, he was running at me. At first, I didn’t realize what he was doing but then he tackled me. We rolled around laughing until I was able to get away and run farther down the beach. When he got up and started to come at me, I threw the ball to him and turned to chase him down. Both of us laughed as we crashed together onto the sand and wrestled around to get the ball.

He got a grip on it and bolted away from me as a few people near us clapped. “Oh, I see how it is now,” I yelled and gave chase. He ran around other people that were sitting either in a chair or on a towel, and the ones standing tried to move out of the way.

Finally, when he got to an open area, he turned around and stopped with the ball tucked under his arm. “How long are you here for?”

“How do you know I’m not from here?” I asked.

About the Author

BL Maxwell grew up in a small town listening to her grandfather spin tales about his childhood. Later she became an avid reader and after a certain vampire series she became obsessed with fanfiction. She soon discovered Slash fanfiction and later discovered the MM genre and was hooked.

Author Links

https://smart.bio/blmaxwellwriter/

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

a $10 Amazon Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Cash: An MM Mafia Romance (Ruthless Daddies) by K.L. Hiers

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Cash: An MM Mafia Romance (Ruthless Daddies)

Author and Publisher: K.L. Hiers

Cover Artist: Charli Childs

Release Date: August 12, 2022

Genre: Contemporary MM Romance, Mafia Romance

Tropes: Interracial Couple, First Time Gay, Bad Boys Do It Better, Daddy Kink, Kidnapping, Bad Men Doing Bad Things

Themes: Food is love, learning to trust, sex first feelings later, daddy/boy

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 90 000 words

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

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Cho “Brick” Brixton enjoys cooking, working in his yard, and binge-watching television while living as an out and proud gay man in the heart of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. His parents had the perfect romance, having fallen in love at first sight when they met in Korea, and Brick longs to find a love like that for his own. Whipping up meals for one isn’t much fun, and the constant boredom is a drag.

Not to mention it’s miserably lonely.

All of that changes when a giant mysterious hunk named Jules Price moves in next door. Jules has arrived on business of the not-so-legal sort, namely to retrieve something that was stolen from his criminal family. When he’s not busy being a vicious gangster, Jules is set on getting close to Brick and exploring his first ever attraction to another man. Although Brick has been yearning for the excitement of meeting that special someone, he soon realizes he may have bitten off more than he can swallow.

As their romance heats up, so too does the danger, and Brick finds himself in the middle of a bloodbath in the making if Jules can’t get back what he came here for. Luckily for Brick, Jules is the kind of man who will stop at nothing to keep him safe, and he doesn’t care who gets in his way—or how high the body count gets.

CASH is part of the Ruthless Daddies multi-author collab and a complete standalone. Expect to find a criminal Daddy, a tough boy, high steam, and some dark mafia themes. Want more deliciously morally gray Daddies and boys? Grab the whole series!

Excerpt

“Never met a guy that got me hard before.” Jules glanced over Brick appraisingly. “Well, except you.”

Brick couldn’t have heard that correctly. “Excuse me?”

“I’ve met some of the most fuckin’ fearless motherfuckers on the planet. Nothing makes these guys flinch, not a fuckin’ thing.” Jules paused to sip his drink, his dark eyes fixed on Brick’s. “And you…”

Brick’s face was instantly on fire from the intensity of Jules’s gaze, and he was hyperaware of how very close they were right now. He couldn’t stop glancing down at Jules’s mouth, fixated on a wet spot of liquor that he desperately wanted to taste.

“You’re just some fuckin’ translator. You’re just a regular guy, but you didn’t hesitate a fuckin’ second to point that gun at those assholes. I saw you fightin’ them before I got in there. You were gonna mess those fuckers up if they hadn’t pulled on you.” Jules grinned. “It was fuckin’ hot.”

“Yeah?” Brick leaned in, gravitating as closely as he dared to Jules. “And how many other guys have you tried to sell this shit to, huh? Oh, I’ve never ever been with any dudes before, but you are so way hot, please suck my dick.”

“Hey. I didn’t say nothin’ about suckin’ me.” Jules’s tongue flicked over his lips. “But if you wanna, I ain’t gonna stop you.”

“Who said I wanted to?” Brick fired back.

“Oh, baby boy.” Jules’s smile grew wicked. “You definitely wanna.”

“You sure about that?” Brick couldn’t believe this was happening now.

Flirting with Jules was somehow even more insane than having a gun pulled on him earlier tonight, especially since Jules was so eagerly flirting right back. The energy in the room was charged, hot, and Brick knew he was in deep trouble because the only thing on his mind was kissing this sexy gangster.

“Very sure.” Jules’s hand slid up Brick’s thigh to rest on his hip. “I know a pair of fuck-me eyes when I see ’em. You wanna suck Daddy’s dick, huh?”

“I think you’re just really into this Daddy thing,” Brick argued, seeking out Jules’s chest and rubbing over his thick pec. “You want some sweet little thing to roll over and call you Daddy while he blows you, huh?”

“Can that sweet little thing be you? ’Cause I’m startin’ to get into it.”

“I don’t know, Daddy,” Brick teased. “I still think this isn’t the first time you’ve pulled this.”

“It is.” Jules touched Brick’s cheek. “Ain’t ever had any guy get to my dick like this. You’re… pretty fuckin’ special.”

“And you’re not having any kind of weird identity crisis wanting a guy to blow you?”

“I’m very well adjusted.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It don’t matter. Like I told you before, when I want something, I go for it.” Jules’s lips hovered over Brick’s, and his breath was hot and smelled of spicy liquor as he whispered, “And right fuckin’ now, I want you.”

Brick’s brain imploded. He could not think clearly when Jules said shit like that, and touching Jules’s thick muscled chest was every bit as delicious as Brick had imagined. Moving fast wasn’t new to Brick—hell, once upon a time he’d been known to have some fun in the men’s room at the club when he couldn’t wait to get home.

But this was crazy, right?

Wanting to sleep with his attractive neighbor who was a dangerous gangster, had saved Brick’s life, and also apparently just decided that he wanted to sleep with Brick despite never having been with a man before?

Definitely crazy.

Like, all the planets in the solar system had aligned in full batshit formation just for tonight to ensure optimal levels of crazy.

“What if I say no?” Brick challenged.

“Mmm.” Jules hummed thoughtfully. “Then I get to be real disappointed for a lil’ bit while I think up some way to change your mind.”

“You think it’s gonna be that easy?”

“Trust me. Daddy Jules is very, very convincing.”

“Right.” Brick scoffed, his pulse rising to an eardrum-shattering level. He could deny it all he wanted to, but they both already knew what was about to happen. “Sure you are.”

Jules smiled, slid his fingers into Brick’s hair, and pulled him in for a deep kiss.

About the Author

K.L. “Kat” Hiers is an embalmer, restorative artist, and queer writer. Licensed in both funeral directing and funeral service, they worked in the death industry for nearly a decade. Their first love was always telling stories, and they have been writing for over twenty years, penning their very first book at just eight years old. Publishers generally do not accept manuscripts in Hello Kitty notebooks, however, but they never gave up.

Following the success of their first novel, Cold Hard Cash, they now enjoy writing professionally, focusing on spinning tales of sultry passion, exotic worlds, and emotional journeys. They love attending horror movie conventions and indulging in cosplay of their favorite characters. They live in Zebulon, NC, with their husband and their children, some of whom have paws and a few that only pretend to because they think it’s cute.

Author Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Instagram

Twitter | Newsletter Sign-up | Patreon