Release Blitz + Giveaway: Rising Heat by Elizabeth Hollows

Author Elizabeth Hollows and Pride Publishing celebrate the release of Rising Heat! Read more and enter in the First Romance gift card giveaway!

 

Rising Heat by Elizabeth Hollows

General Release Date: 5th April 2022

Word Count: 68,506 

Book Length: 

NOVEL Pages: 270

Genres:

CONTEMPORARY 

EROTIC ROMANCE 

GAY 

GLBTQI 

MEN IN UNIFORM

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Book Description

 

Can a sweet and sexy fireman change a fling into a happily ever after?

Neil Farris is your typical ‘love ’em and leave ’em’ type. He’s been told his biggest fear is commitment, but he’s not bothered by that. He doesn’t see the point of a long-term relationship. He either gets bored or his partners realize he’s too bossy and scathing. It’s easier to stick to one-night stands.

When his boring work conference in Brisbane sends him to the wrong hotel, he finds himself surrounded by gorgeous firemen. Luckily for him, one of them is gay and interested in a good time.

Scott Fields is everything Neil looks for in a fling—gorgeous, good in bed and temporary. He’s also nice and considerate, which is a bonus. It’s a shame Neil only gets two nights with the fireman before he’s returning home.

However, much to his surprise, he runs into Scott a few days later. It turns out they’re both from the same town. When Scott asks him out, Neil is hesitant but agrees. He really isn’t interested in dating or relationships. Can the sweet and sexy fireman change his mind?

Excerpt

Neil Farris had never seen the point to relationships. They only seemed to breed drama and boredom. Why choose one person to sleep with when the options for many were only a bar trip away?

His co-worker Denise often joked that he could find a fling in a haystack. He took it as a point of pride. He didn’t need to settle down into monotony when he could be the envy of many with a few well-placed flirtations. Sex was what he was after, not some white picket fence.

Yet despite her remarks, Neil hadn’t expected to have much luck at his yearly manager’s meeting. Not only did he know better than to sleep with his colleagues if he wanted his flings to remain flings, but the last three years had been the same boring routine.

He managed a men’s clothing store that specialized in affordable formal and stylish casual wear. Hardgroves was a leader in the industry with twelve stores in Queensland alone, and they wanted to maintain their foothold in the market. He’d driven the four hours down to Brisbane with the plan to check into his hotel and catch up with the few other managers he liked.

Instead, he found a mistake in the booking culminating in his lost reservation. Thirty minutes of back and forth with the company and he had alternative accommodation in a different hotel twenty minutes across town.

When he finally arrived, tired and annoyed, the last thing he’d expected was a lobby full of eye candy. A dozen muscled men were carrying duffel bags and chatting in small groups. Some were tanned, and some had tattoos. There were a few women with them, but Neil only had eyes for the guys.

Let it be a convention for gay singles.

He didn’t know where to look, but Neil quickly found his attention grabbed by a man at reception. His upper body had an attractive V-shape, his arms were muscled without bulging and the view only got better farther down. Neil crossed the lobby to stand behind him. The man’s khaki pants hinted at a firm bottom and taut thighs. He was a head taller than Neil with short black hair that was spiking at the top. He was compact in a way that showed he was no stranger to working out.

Now that’s a man I’d happily show a good time.

Neil would have continued his admiration if the man hadn’t stepped backward and turned. He nearly collided with Neil but jerked away in time.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t realize someone was there.”

The man’s eyes were as blue as the sky, and his smile was friendly. Neil swallowed down three pickup lines.

“Don’t worry about it.”

The man flashed another grin before taking a better grip on his bag. He walked over to a group congregating farther inside the hotel. They welcomed him with laughter, backslaps and familiarity. Neil forced his attention to the reception desk rather than the man’s biceps. The young woman behind the desk gave him a knowing smile.

“Annual fireman’s training,” she explained. Her eyes flicked toward the men before back to Neil, and she lowered her voice. “It gives us the best view in the city for the next week.”

“I suddenly don’t mind being in a different hotel from my colleagues.”

“Ooh, you get all the firemen to yourself. Well, half of them.” She winked. “I want my share, too.”

Neil laughed. He glanced at the men again, lingering on the one who’d almost bumped into him. He was just Neil’s type. Being a fireman only added to his appeal.

When Neil turned back to the receptionist, he matched her grin.

“How about you get the straight ones and I’ll get the gay ones?”

“Perfect!” They shared another smile before she cleared her throat. “Now, how can I help you?”

“I’ve got a reservation.”

She took a few minutes to sort everything out, but Neil soon picked up his small suitcase and headed to his room. The hotel wasn’t the height of luxury, but it was well-maintained. The two-story building had a bar off the lobby, along with a small restaurant. His room was on the ground floor and down a hall just past reception. It had all the standard amenities with a decent-sized bed. He placed his suitcase on the luggage rack and opened it. Originally, he’d planned to order room service and relax, but the firefighters changed things. Pulling out a nice dress shirt and jeans, Neil headed to the bathroom. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t a club. He needed to look his best if was going to catch anyone’s attention. A quick shower helped Neil feel refreshed, and he double-checked his reflection in the mirror. His sandy-blond hair looked naturally tousled and fell just below his ears. The shirt he wore was white with a subtle pattern of small palm trees. The leather bracelet around his left wrist partially obscured his tattoo of a sun. He grinned at the mirror, knowing he looked good.

Grabbing his wallet, room key and phone, Neil slipped them into the pocket of his jeans and stepped out of the room. The hall was empty, but when he reached the lobby, he noted that there weren’t as many firemen as there had been before. Neil was quick to spot the one from reception. He was at the bar, ordering drinks with four others. It only took one more once-over for Neil to make his choice. He crossed the room and took a place leaning against the bar two stools down from the group. His chosen firefighter glanced at him, his blue eyes locking onto Neil’s green. Neil smiled. He held the man’s gaze, feeling a thrill go through him. Neil knew the game well, and he was certain there was interest in the fireman’s eyes. Neil only looked away when the bartender approached.

Once his beer was poured, he glanced back at the man and subtly listened to the conversation. They were talking about the upcoming training course and their travels to get to Brisbane. Three of them were from the same town but the other two were from different parts of the state.

It sounded a lot like Neil’s own management meeting. He took a sip of his beer and glanced at the men again. His blue-eyed fireman was already looking at him. If they had been at a club, Neil would crook his finger and gesture the man over. Or maybe he’d turn on his stool, sprawling his back over the bar and making it easy for the fireman to step between his open legs. However, with the man surrounded by his friends and colleagues, Neil knew it would be better to wait. He settled for smiling again before taking his beer and heading into the attached restaurant.

Neil selected an empty table with a good view. The group from the bar plus nine more firefighters entered the restaurant for dinner. There were attractive men wherever Neil turned, but he found his gaze kept falling back to the same man. He was watching Neil, too. They exchanged glances throughout dinner, and that found anticipation and desire sparking through Neil. He felt confident enough to move back to the bar after his meal. He ordered another drink and waited. A few of the firemen left to return to their rooms, but the one Neil cared about was soon stopping at the bar stool beside Neil’s.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked

“Not at all.” Neil shifted to better face him and held out his hand. “I’m Neil.”

“Scott,” he replied.

Their palms lingered together for longer than necessary and a noticeable tension was thrumming through the air as their gazes stayed locked. It didn’t take a genius to realize the guy was interested in him, too.

Gay, hot and only meters from my hotel room. Could this be any more perfect?

When they dropped hands, Scott took a seat on the stool. He angled his body close enough that their shoulders brushed. Neil’s desire grew from that small touch.

“I didn’t think there would be anyone else here,” Scott said. “I thought we’d have booked out the hotel.”

“Seems I slipped through the cracks,” Neil replied. “Lucky me.”

When the bartender came over, Scott ordered a matching beer. Neil had another sip of his but kept his gaze on the fireman. Scott was lightly tanned and had a cluster of three small moles on the side of his neck. Neil wanted to mouth at them until the skin surrounding them was red and flushed. This was the type of fireman who’d be perfect for their famous, shirtless charity calendars—only Neil wanted him removed of all his clothes.

“So, what brings you to the hotel?” Scott asked, dragging Neil’s attention from Scott’s neck.

“Annual manager’s meeting,” he said. “There was a mistake with my booking, so I ended up here.” Neil openly ran his gaze over Scott. “Not that I’m complaining. In fact, I’m going to take advantage of my good fortune.”

Because if a one-night stand was practically falling in his lap, he wasn’t about to ignore it. Lately, it took more effort and drinks for Neil to get into someone’s pants. Right now, Neil felt he could score before they reached a second glass.

“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Scott said, his attention dropping to Neil’s mouth. “A lot of the guys are having an early night.” He caught Neil’s gaze again. “But I figure that I’m in a new city, and I should have some fun.”

There was a suggestive note to his voice that filled Neil with eagerness. He held out his glass for a toast.

“To a night of fun, then.”

Scott brought their glasses together with a soft clink. They never broke eye contact, and Neil already knew they would have sex by the end of the night.

In fact, if he played his cards right, Neil was certain it could happen within the hour.

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About the Author

Elizabeth Hollows

Elizabeth Hollows is an Australian writer of LGBT love stories specializing in homosexual or lesbian romance.

Her preferred genres are fantasy, science fiction and contemporary/modern.

She has been writing since she was twelve, but has spent the last few years writing romance stories and discovering a passion for LGBT romance.

When Elizabeth is not writing she embroiders, reads and plots her next novel. She is a fan of the winter months and always has a book in her handbag and a cup of tea nearby.

You can find Elizabeth at her website here

Giveaway

Enter for the chance to win a $50.00 First for Romance Gift Card! Competition hosted by Totally Entwined Group.  

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Review: A No-Strings Noel by Annabelle Jacobs

A week of no-strings fun in a winter wonderland setting. No consequences, no expectations, no hurt feelings. Right?

Henry:
Finding his boyfriend in a compromising position leaves him with a week off work and no holiday to go on. A night of vodka, ice cream, and his sister’s sympathetic ear is the only way to deal with it. It’s also how he finds himself on holiday alone a few weeks later, at an English holiday village in the countryside, surrounded by Christmas cheer and happy families.

He’s expecting a week of relaxing days and early nights, doing his own thing, and taking some time for himself. And hopefully finding some festive spirit along the way, because it’s sorely lacking at the moment.

What he’s not expecting is Dom.

Dom:
Coming to somewhere so familiar soothes his broken heart after yet another failed attempt at finding someone to settle down with. He’s ready. They never are.

Seeing a lost-looking stranger on the first day of his holiday triggers his protective instincts, so he steps in to give him some helpful advice. Who knew that advice would mean they end up spending the day and then the whole week together? But he figures a holiday fling is exactly what he needs to get through this slump: no expectations, no misunderstandings, no heartbreak.

Or that was the plan. He knows Henry wants more, but he doesn’t trust himself where his heart’s concerned. He doesn’t trust Henry not to break it.

A Christmas MM romance featuring a meet-cute, a sexy holiday fling, a meddling but awesome sister, a teeny bit of angst, and a festive HEA.

After finding his boyfriend in bed with another man, Henry decides to spend a week at a holiday village in the countryside.

Distraction comes in the form of burly experienced holiday village-goer Dom, who’s getting over his own recent breakup.

The two men agree to a week of no-strings fun, both in and outside of the bedroom. It’s a simple arrangement with some Christmas cheer.

I really liked the set-up of Dom and Henry’s relationship. It felt natural and believable. I liked how despite the two being strangers, Dom immediately tried to make Henry feel welcome, and how Henry felt at ease with him.

The obvious sexual tension also didn’t hurt. A holiday fling should bring the heat, even if it’s winter, after all!

I did wonder at one point whether the two had jumped into feelings a bit too quickly after their recent breakups. But I suppose that can’t be helped when you’re spending everyday (and night) together in your own little bubble of outdoor activities and bedroom shenanigans. And when the connection is just undeniable.

Their week together at the holiday park was cute, with sweet moments and lots of holiday fun. ‘Charming’ would be the word to describe them.

Where things went off the rails for me was the second half. So many misunderstandings and miscommunications, and much of it because they were texting.

Was it realistic for today’s world? Yes, probably. But was it also incredibly frustrating to read? Very much so.

But I wanted one of them to just smarten up and call the other. They could have avoided a lot of heartache, and it may have allowed for more page time to see the two together in the “real world” outside of the holiday park.

The epilogue was very sweet, though it felt a bit tacked on after a rushed happy ending.

Overall, while the first half of the book was quite enjoyable, the second half didn’t deliver on the holiday feels. Your mileage may vary!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Lure of Port Stephen by Sydney Blackburn

Robbie Wales is young and starting a new job in a new town, on his own. Coming from a split family, he was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents and came out as a teen without a lot of fuss, but his father, whom he only saw infrequently, has never known. As an adult, he’s found he’s got a lot in common with his father, and they’re finally getting to know each other. He fears coming out to his father may jeopardize that.

Then he meets Raj Williams, the attractive man in the trailer next to his father’s in a seasonal RV park. Raj is handsome, sophisticated, yet loves to fish and watch silly Disney movies.

Raj finds Robbie equally interesting. But Robbie’s still in the closet, at least in Port Stephen, and Raj’s ex used that as an excuse to treat him as nothing more than a friend with benefits. He’s not interested in a repeat experience.

Robbie finally finds the courage to come out to his father, but was it all just for a summer fling?

The first half of The Lure of Port Stephen is heavy on the horny flirtations of summer romance with boners aplenty. Robbie has come to Port Stephen to spend time with his dad and step mom and fish the idyllic waters. He and his father are not close as Robbie was raised by his mom, but they are connecting and Robbie is looking forward to their time together.

I really liked Robbie, he’s a likable young man with solid character. He just wants to spend the summer fishing and bonding. The trailer next door to his dad has a resident that is more temptation that he can handle though and Robbie’s dad doesn’t know that Robbie is gay. So Raj, the hot neighbor, and Robbie do a fair bit of subtle flirting at first, one thing leads to another and pretty soon they are swapping bodily fluids on the sly, just having a bit of fun.

We all know that fun often leads to feelings, which is a favorite trope of so many readers, me included and about the time the feelings hit is when the book became something more. Raj is a little gun shy from previous heartbreak and Robbie is inexperienced and in the closet in Port Stephen. He’s out elsewhere, but fears what will happen to the tenuous relationship he is working on with his father. Raj isn’t about to be someone’s secret so the angst that came along with the new relationship potential and the whole coming out thing made sense and kept a good balance from there on out.

I found a few of the communications odd between Robbie and his dad and Raj and his family. Like there were more things going on than what was being said and I kept waiting for some clarity that didn’t come. Robbie was about as subtle as a flying brick with his hints about his sexuality and his dad joked along with seemingly no issues. When Robbie did find the courage to say the words his dad flipped his shit a tad. I felt like his reaction would have felt more realistic if Robbie hadn’t been alluding for a while, but his dad didn’t have a lot of depth for me so I had trouble reconciling what I read with what little I knew. There was a comment about a look from Raj’s dad that I didn’t really get either, as if he were slightly surprised about Raj and Robbie being together. But it didn’t really make sense given there was no secrets about their relationship when they got to the family cabin to visit and there was no further commentary and I waited for some closure on it that didn’t happen. Dangling comments are a pet peeve of mine.

I really liked Raj and Robbie together, they were very sweet, very horny and very concerned about one another’s feelings. Which, given Raj’s past and Robbie’s age and inexperience said a fair amount for their potential future. Once these two committed to one another, the romance overflowed; these guys love the love. I was pretty convinced by that point there is a solid HEA on the horizon for Robbie and Raj at the end of the summer.

**a copy of this story was provided by the publisher for an honest review**

Guest Review: Boston Boyfriends by Maggie Church

A hot hook up at a celebrity wedding leaves Porter Campbell wanting a whole lot more of gorgeous Stiegen Lange. Unfortunately for Porter, Stiegen's career as a voice over actor is skyrocketing, and a serious relationship isn't in his plans. Their hours together in Miami were more than a booty call for Porter, but what can he do?

Stiegen finds solace in Porter's arms when his best friend nearly dies. Then, he organizes an unforgettable weekend of passion with Porter back in Boston. His feelings deepen. Saying good-bye to Porter gets harder every time, leaving him wondering whether his career can remain the center of his universe.

Because Porter's in it for love and won't settle for less.

Reviewed by Samantha

Porter Campbell has a life in Boston. He's the owner of a school that helps kids, he loves to teach, and he loves not having to be around his family all the time. His sister's marriage to a famous rapper brings him down to Florida for the wedding, and it's there that he meets and has a hot fling with best man Stiegen Lange. Against his better judgement, he wouldn't mind seeing Stiegen again, but life calls, and it's back to Boston for Porter before long.

But life never is easy. Between the sale of the building that he rents for the school, a terrible accident that leaves his sister's husband injured, and a confusing situation with Stiegen, things are a bit of a mess for Porter, and they just might get worse before they get better.

“That would be nice. She’s nuts about him. I tried talking her out of marrying into this crazy lifestyle but obviously failed.”

“It’s her life, Porter. Your mom and I don’t really get your lifestyle choice…”

Lance talked as though Porter could become straight as easily as changing hair color. “Wearing kilts is a lifestyle choice. Being gay isn’t. How about stepping into the twenty-first century, Dad?”

I'd never read this author before, but the blurb sounded interesting enough, so I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to get through the book, and began skimming after about sixty percent.

I had a handful of problems with the book that made it difficult for me to get through. One of the biggest issues for me was the timing of events - they just seemed off. For example, Stiegen and Porter get into a pretty big fight about expectations and relationships the second time that they meet. At that point, it didn't seem to fit for me. They hadn't really built up much of anything, and the argument came out of nowhere for me. From there on, the progression was off. I felt like I was missing some huge piece of their relationship that I never got, like they'd grown together when I blinked, it all happened and I never saw it. So when the bigger issues came later in the book, it was all just off.

Furthermore, there was a bit of a mystery toward the end - but to me, it was completely obvious the entire time. I'm also questioning a few things surrounding it, for example (and this is purposefully vague to avoid spoilers) what about insurance? This, among other things, just felt poorly hashed and inconsistent.

The ending also just kind of happened. There was no real oomph to it, so it fell flat. This may be a result of my skimming, but I'm really not so sure that it was. It felt like I was walking along and hit the edge of a cliff all the sudden.

All of his is not to say that there weren't good things about the book. For one, I enjoyed Petra. She was certainly my favorite. The writing itself wasn't bad either. In terms of the language, it wasn't particularly choppy. I think the author would do well to focus more on her outline for the plot in the future, but she certainly has potential.

Overall an okay book, but pretty forgettable.
 

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