Book Blast + Giveaway: CLUBBED TWO: Anxiety, Anger, Activism by Robert A. Karl

 

Author Robert A. Karl and Gay Book Promotions share info on LGBTQ Historical Fiction released earlier this year, CLUBBED TWO: Anxiety, Anger, Activism! Find out more and enter in the $25 Amazon Gift Card giveaway! Good luck!

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: CLUBBED TWO: Anxiety, Anger, Activism

Author: Robert A. Karl

Cover Artist: Nirkri with original art by Alejandro Mesurado 

Release Date: January 31, 2022

Genre: LGBTQ Historical Fiction

Themes: LGBTQ Pride; Diversity; Disability Awareness and Acceptance; Interracial Love; 1980s Queer Fashions and Fads; Ageism, Infidelity, AIDS Activism

Heat Rating:  4 flames   

Length:  81 516 words/ 291 pages

It is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

Every day is a good day to be gay.

Blurb

CLUBBED TWO is historical fiction, set in Philadelphia from 1982 to 1992. Club Sanctuary can be seen as a metaphor for the greater LGBTQ community, but it is written as a real place, with characters who are fabulous, funny and flawed.

The author combines historical characters and events with fictional ones, creating a story that's entertaining, informative and emotional. The love story between the two main characters, Joey and Henry, serves as a vehicle for connecting the stories of diverse, Queer characters.

This second book in the CLUBBED series continues the story as the LGBTQ community fights prejudice and ignorance in an effort to be recognized as people worthy of respect. Will the community be torn apart by fear, or will they come together to support PWAs? (People With AIDS)

Experience the drama, the beauty, and the excitement as well as the music, fashion and fads of the 80s with CLUBBED TWO: Anxiety, Anger, Activism. 

Excerpt 

When he let himself into Kirk’s room, he found Kirk sitting on a small sofa in front of a 13-inch black and white TV with no cable. The picture was fuzzy and the volume was low while a rerun of Happy Days was on.

“Just put the box on the coffee table and we can eat here. And keep out two beers and put the rest in the fridge.”

Kirk proceeded to eat, with no hint that anything sexual was about to take place between them. This felt awkward to Jando who didn’t really know how to act on a date. He was used to quick fuck-n-sucks, usually in a public place like The Hole at the club. So, he copied what Kirk did. He figured Kirk knew how to act better than he did.

After a few minutes, there was only one slice of pizza left. Kirk looked at the young Puerto Rican guy sitting next to him with a mischievous grin.

“Hey Bae, you know what I always wanted to do?”

“Please don’t tell me you always wanted to smash a guy in the mouth with a slice,” Jando joked.

“No, not that. But you know how in the movies, a couple will share something they’re eating, until they end up mouth-to-mouth. And then they have to decide whether to kiss or what they’re gonna do next?”

“Yeah,” Jando said. And not just people do that. Remember in that cartoon where Lady and the Tramp were eating spaghetti?”

Kirk laughed, actually snorting a little as he thought about that famous scene.

“If you’re the Lady, I guess that makes me the Tramp,” Kirk said, still laughing.

“You wanna try it?” Kirk asked, reaching for the final slice, trimming it into a very slim slice and pointing the uncrusted end towards Jando’s mouth.

Kirk closed his eyes and started to eat the crust on his side of the slice. He felt the pull as Jando joined him, taking small bites of the other side.

Kirk started laughing again. “Damn! I didn’t think about that we actually have to stop to chew.”

Now both of them were laughing, as Kirk continued to hold the slice in mid-air between their two mouths.

“Keep going, Bae. Keep going.”

With gooey cheese dripping down and various pieces of pepperoni, green peppers, onions and mushrooms falling, and while they tried to keep from laughing, their mouths continued to inch closer. 

Finishing the slice, they were both chewing as their lips finally brushed up against each other’s. 

Swallowing hard, Kirk took the lead and kissed Alejandro forcefully. He pushed Jando back so he was prone on the sofa as he slid his tongue into Jando’s mouth, tasting the pizza but also the sweetness of Jando’s lips and tongue. Jando returned the favor, kissing with a passion that he’d been holding back for a few hours, needing some release soon. 

“I wanna do this right. Let’s go in the bedroom,” Kirk whispered, lifting himself off Jando’s writhing body. “And bring the beers with you,” Kirk reminded him as he took hold of a walking cane that was next to the sofa, unnoticed by his Bae.

About the Author 

Robert A. Karl is a native son of Philadelphia, PA, a retired educator, a queer author, and the proud Gay Dog Dad to Zuna, the Awesome Boston Terrier. He now resides in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he enjoys the beauty and culture of La Isla del Encanto, The Island of Enchantment.

Social Media Links

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Giveaway 

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a $25 Amazon Gift Card

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Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Guest Review: American Love Story (Dreamers #3) by Adriana Herrera

No one should have to choose between love and justice.

Haitian-born professor and activist Patrice Denis is not here for anything that will veer him off the path he’s worked so hard for. One particularly dangerous distraction: Easton Archer, the assistant district attorney who last summer gave Patrice some of the most intense nights of his life, and still makes him all but forget they’re from two completely different worlds.

All-around golden boy Easton forged his own path to success, choosing public service over the comforts of his family’s wealth. With local law enforcement unfairly targeting young men of color, and his career—and conscience—on the line, now is hardly the time to be thirsting after Patrice again. Even if their nights together have turned into so much more.

For the first time, Patrice is tempted to open up and embrace the happiness he’s always denied himself. But as tensions between the community and the sheriff’s office grow by the day, Easton’s personal and professional lives collide. And when the issue at hand hits closer to home than either could imagine, they’ll have to work to forge a path forward…together.

Reviewer: Shee Reader

I absolutely adored the previous two book in the series and was so eagerly awaiting this one, and I was not disappointed!

Patrice is an immigrant to the US who worked amazingly hard to reach the pinnacle of his profession at a young age. His friends have always had his back, but he’s never let a special person in to see the real him. Then he meets Easton. Their chemistry is incendiary, but the very real problems between them take some working out!

This book is so completely absorbing and emotional that I read it in two days. Then I re-read it since lack of sleep meant I may have missed details. It is an absolute joy from start to finish!

There is awesome own-voices representation, amazing friendships, strong family and lots of yummy love and a healthy amount of lust *blushes*.

It was lovely to revisit the guys from the earlier books, and quite the teaser for the last love story in the group of friends. Roll on the next book I say!

Adriana has become one of my auto-buy authors since her writing is so authentic, positive and full of joy.

Highly recommended.

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

Review: Cash (Lucky #2) by Garrett Leigh

Cash is a car mechanic with a secret. Head down, sleeves up, he hides from the past as much as his shattered heart, until a reluctant stumble into a Tottenham bar ends in the one night stand of his dreams.

Hunt saboteur Rae can’t believe his luck when he wakes up the next morning. Cash is gorgeous, and the hottest hook up he’s ever had. He doesn’t expect to see him again, until a twist of fate lands him on Cash’s doorstep a few months later.

United by a cause that’s broken Cash before, they are drawn together. They have more in common than they ever imagined, but with Cash haunted by the past, and Rae so tangled in the present, it’s not long before love isn’t enough to keep them alive.

It takes an extremely talented writer to take two flat characters and a charged topic prone to having readers turn away in disgust and transform it into something readable. Though the romance didn't work for me I do appreciate the edification on fox hunting.

Which, to be clear, isn't actually a sport. It's barbarism in the guise of sport. Hunting is something that takes skill and usually hunters enjoy being challenged. Fox hunting is nothing more than a bunch of toff brutes getting dressed up for the sole purpose of being cruel to animals. What I found so shocking was not just the senselessness of caging an animal, keeping it alive only to later kill it in the most brutal way, but how the dogs and horses were treated as well. In a word, sickening.

The underground world of "sabbing", as it's called brings Cash, a former sab, and Rae, a current sab, together. Rae's crew is short on people and long on fox hunting toffs, so he's sent to see if Ciaran Walsh a.k.a. Cash a.k.a. his hookup from a few weeks ago would entertain re-joining the ranks of saboteur.

Cash isn't keen on this due to a past debacle but then relents with stipulations. The stipulations were kinda wonky and... thin.

Neither of these characters were well defined nor dynamic but their devotion to the cause of saving as many foxes as possible is a laudable one and they get brownie points for good humaning. I can deal with a lukewarm romance for a cause and this cause I honestly knew nothing about until this book. I'd always envisioned fox hunting as an elaborate excuse for a bunch of WASPs to dress up and ride around the countryside whilst male bonding with their dogs.

I know, stupid American.

Anyhoo, I squirrelled. But IMHO the fox hunting took precedence over the romance which was lackluster with pedestrian sex. The sex had so much potential what with Cash having something of a penchant for a little pain but... it never came to fruition on page.

The bright spots in the story for me were Dom and Lucky with my interest waning with Cash and Rae continually waffling on whether or not they wanted to couple. Then again, Dom and Lucky were AMAZING characters who cast large shadows and continued to be amazing in a multitude of ways in this book.

However, I would be interested in continuing with this series. Mostly for the updates on Dom and Lucky but also open-minded enough to be wrecked by another couple too.

As always, my opinions are my own and YMMV. Also, the editing wasn't great so be aware of words missing, extra words, etc.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.