Release Blitz: Heart of Stone (Juxtan #6) by Tricia Owens

Author Tricia Owens and Gay Book Promotions share info on the latest release in the fantasy series, Heart of Stone (Juxtan #6)! Read more about it!
 

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title:  Heart of Stone (Juxtan 6)

Author: Tricia Owens

Cover Artist: Tricia Owens

Release Date: February 4, 2022

Genre: Fantasy M/M Romance

Tropes: Enemies to lovers

Themes: Redemption

Heat Rating: 5 flames   

Length: 60 000 words/285 pages

It is book 6 in the Juxtan series.

The story does not  end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads - Juxtan series

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

Love can move mountains

Blurb 

Hadrian and his friends may have survived the encounter with Theon, but they paid a heavy price in the end. They need time to heal, both physically and emotionally. Unexpectedly, while recuperating in a small mountain town, they encounter the most powerful man in the land, who offers them protection and much-needed medical aid. The timing is fortuitous, but what secrets does this mountain palace hold? Is it truly a refuge, or is it soon to become their stone prison?

Excerpt 

"My tongue wants to be inside your arse," Caled whispered hotly.

"What?!" Hadrian looked around, panicked. "Stop it. Don't say another word." He pushed blindly through the street, trying to put the mercenary behind him but Caled hounded him like a shadow.

Fingers brushed the hair off the back of his neck and were quickly replaced by soft, warm lips. Hadrian moaned and struggled to keep walking, ignoring the few curious looks they garnered.

"You're causing a—scene," he warned, squirming beneath Caled's kisses.

A hand caught his shoulder and spun him around. Hadrian stumbled, but only fell back against the wall of a nearby building. Caled immediately loomed over him, both hands planted on either side of Hadrian's head.

"I want you." The mercenary’s blue eyes were the color of the edge of night. He wedged his thigh between Hadrian's and pushed it against his crotch. "I want you in every manner I can have you."

Hadrian clutched the other man's shoulders, wanting to push him away in shock, but unable to loosen his fingers. Caled’s passion was infectious.

But at the back of Hadrian’s mind a voice questioned the mercenary’s overwhelming ardor. Why would it spring up now, in the middle of the afternoon on a crowded street?

“Where did you go this morning?” he asked.

Caled paused only for a moment before resuming his slow rub between Hadrian’s legs. “Doesn’t matter. Nothing matters now except getting us naked.”

Hadrian straightened his arms, moving Caled back. “Please don’t lie to me. I need to trust you.”

Pain flitted across Caled’s features before he looked away. “I was looking for something.”

“What?”

A muscle rippled in Caled’s jaw. “A gift. For you.”

“For me? But why—” Hadrian caught himself.

Until now he’d not wanted to acknowledge the change he’d sensed in Caled. It was a softening. No, it was a soft spot within the mercenary that the man was evidently terrified of recognizing within himself. Hadrian could trace its formation—the night they believed Gam and Lio had been killed.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Hadrian told him. He cupped a cheek that sparkled with golden stubble. “Not ever.”

Caled shifted his weight from foot to foot, unusually restless. “I didn’t think you were.”

“I don’t require a gift to stay by your side.”

He frowned. “That’s not why I wanted to give you one.”

Hadrian leaned up and lightly touched his lips to the older man’s. “I know that you love me, Caledon ni Agthon.”

The mercenary closed his eyes and held Hadrian’s gloved hand to his cheek. “No. Don’t use that name,” he whispered. “Not until it’s over. I can’t be that man until then.”

Hadrian kissed him again. “You will always be the man I fell in love with, then and now. Deep down, you haven’t changed at all. That’s why I’ll never leave you.”

“You can’t leave me, Hades.”

The soft entreaty stabbed Hadrian through the heart. “I’d be a fool to do so. Are you calling me a fool?”

A smile curved Caled’s lips before he opened his eyes again. "Not a fool. Perfect. Sweet and delicious." He took the initiative to brush his lips over Hadrian's. "Which is why I must taste you this instant."

About the Author 

Tricia Owens has been writing m/m fiction since 2000, after stumbling onto the term ‘slash’ and thinking it referred to horror stories. She is the author of the Sin City, A Pirate’s Life for Me, and Juxtapose City series, among several others. She lives in Las Vegas.

Social Media Links

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Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Guest Review: Wicked Lovely (The Black Blade Chronicles #1) by J.K. Hogan

Darkness grows in the realm of Taleth. To the west, a power-hungry despot schemes to conquer kingdoms and territories alike by chasing an ancient elven prophecy that could give him the power to rule all. In the east, after a prince’s murder goes years unanswered, a princess learns there was much more to her brother’s death—and to her life—than she realized.

The House of Kjenelach is shaken to its foundation when Princess Sigrid is stolen away. Her faithful guardian, Sir Senne Clayward, reluctantly accepts help from his nemesis, a notorious halfling mercenary of questionable morals—but indispensable tracking skills—called Kasimir vas Hjardar.

Kasimir makes his living hunting monsters, both creatures and men. While he exists outside the law, he lives by his own unassailable code of honor. At the top of that list: never harm a child. When he turns down a contract to kidnap Sigrid and later finds out she was taken by someone else, he offers his help to the prickly knight tasked with protecting her.

Together, they embark upon a journey across the continent to save Sigrid and foil King Prosper’s plans to conquer Taleth. The way is fraught with dangers and pitfalls, from supernatural beasts to Senne’s deathly fear of magic, but they must not fail, for Sigrid may very well be the savior of the realm: the long prophesied Aisnellach Fuil. Somehow, the two men must set their differences aside and work together to rescue Sigrid, and possibly find love along the way.

Reviewer: Free Dreamer

Prophecies, magic, action and adventure with just a dash of romance? Count me in!

The prologue starts the book off with a bang. I was hooked right away. The plot is fairly action-packed and while there were no shocking turns, "Wicked Lovely" still proved to be an enjoyable page turner.

The setting is a bit generic. There's so many Fantasy books set in a world that's heavily inspired by the Western Europe during the Middle Ages. Some of the creatures we encounter seem to be vaguely influenced by Irish mythology. Kasimir is a halfling, which in itself isn't exactly innovative. But unlike all the other halflings I've encountered so far, he's not half human and half something else.

I'm usually not a huge fan of the enemies to lovers trope and this book certainly had a bit of that. It wasn't overdone, though, and since we got both Kasimir's and Senne's pov, I could relate to their actions and the animosity in the beginning. I didn't particularly care for the sex scenes, however. Since they were on the move a lot, hygiene wasn't exactly great. Not many baths for these two. And I'm sorry, but I just think rimming after a few days of hard riding and no bath to be found is just kind of gross.

Sigrid also gets her own pov, but not as often as the guys. From what there is, she seems a bit stereotypical. The wild princess who doesn't want to be a princess and doesn't behave like one at all. But she's only 15 and teenagers tend to rebel anyway.

The world building was good, but not great. I would have liked a bit more depth, but there are a lot of elements I really enjoyed.

Overall "Wicked Lovely" was a good read. Not amazing, but definitely enough to keep me interested in the series. I'm looking forward to part 2!

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

Review: Anhaga by Lisa Henry

Aramin Decourcey—Min to his few friends—might be the best thief in Amberwich, and he might have a secret that helps him survive the cutthroat world of aristocratic families and their powerful magic users, but he does have one weakness: his affection for his adopted nephew, Harry.

When the formidable Sabadine family curses Harry, Min must accept a suicide mission to save his life: retrieve Kazimir Stone, a low-level Sabadine hedgewitch who refuses to come home after completing his apprenticeship… and who is in Anhaga, a seaside village under the control of the terrifying Hidden Lord of the fae. If that wasn’t enough, Kaz is far from the simple hedgewitch he seems.

With the Sabadines on one side and the fae on the other, Min doesn’t have time to deal with a crisis of conscience—or the growing attraction between him and Kaz. He needs to get Kaz back to Amberwich and get Harry’s curse lifted before it kills him. Saving Harry means handing Kaz over to his ruthless family. Saving Kaz means letting Harry die. Min might pride himself on his cleverness, but he can’t see his way out of this one.

The Hidden Lord might see that he never gets the choice.

Action, drama, heartbreak, romance, and magic - all the markings of an excellent MM fantasy adventure! Consider me very pleased.

In her latest work, Lisa Henry introduces us to Aramin Decourcey, who isn’t necessarily an anti-hero, but certainly isn’t the best of men.

Born in the underbelly of Amberwich society, Min has been raised to be tough and calculating; traits that serve him well in being a mercenary for the ruthless aristocracy.

However, his resolve and loose morals are put to the test when his nephew, Harry, becomes the latest victim of the nobility.

I was sucked into the story from the initial get-go. Yes, Harry’s a bit of an idiot. But he was just a kid, so I could overlook the repeated bad decisions. And it was nice to see from the start that Min had a weak spot, despite his reputation.

This book is action first, and romance second. The plot involves Min being put in the middle of the Sabadines, one of the most powerful families in the kingdom, and the Hidden Lord, the leader of the fae.

The Sabadines send Min on a dangerous journey to retrieve their wayward witch, Kazamir Stone. The terrifying fae seem to have taken a special interest as well.

Min definitely ends up between a rock and a hard place!

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that I was thoroughly entertained. The magic, the constant sense of danger, and the uncertain politics all kept me on the edge of my seat. The worldbuilding was excellent!

The relationship between Min and Kaz builds gradually. While Min finds Kaz attractive, being the younger man’s captor isn’t exactly conducive to romance.

Kaz stole my heart pretty early on. He’s a bit broken, but has a core of strength. Something Min can’t help but take notice of, despite trying to ignore it.

Kaz and Min are an odd pair, but they just work. I enjoyed their romance just as much as the grand action plot. The HEA was the perfect way to wrap things up.

Overall, this was an excellent fantasy read. If you’re looking for an entertaining read with magic and a sweet romance, give ‘Anhaga’ a try!

A review copy was provided.

Tag Team Review: Lord Mouse (Lords of Davenia #1) by Mason Thomas

Scoundrel by nature and master thief by trade, Mouse is the best there is. Sure, his methods may not make him many friends, but he works best alone anyway. And he has never failed a job.

But that could change.

When a stranger with a hefty bag of gold seduces him to take on a task, Mouse knows he’ll regret it. The job? Free Lord Garron, the son of a powerful duke arrested on trumped up charges in a rival duchy. Mouse doesn’t do rescue missions. He’s no altruistic hero, and something about the job reeks. But he cannot turn his back on that much coin—enough to buy a king’s pardon for the murder charge hanging over his head.

Getting Garron out of his tower prison is the easy part. Now, they must escape an army of guardsmen, a walled keep and a city on lockdown, and a ruthless mage using her power to track them. Making matters worse, Mouse is distracted by Garron’s charm and unyielding integrity. Falling for a client can lead to mistakes. Falling for a nobleman can lead to disaster. But Mouse is unprepared for the dangers behind the plot to make Lord Garron disappear.

Averaged!

Sara - 4 Hearts

I know I say “I don’t know how to review this” a lot but I am going to say it again because how the hell do I review this and not just flail over how much I love Mouse? Ugh. Be warned, there be quotes a plenty in this review.

Mouse, I have never felt this way about anyone before. Have never known anyone like you before.

I am a pretty simple reader and come for the romance. I came for the romance with this but what I got was Mouse. I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved this small statured man with his own sense of honor among his profession of thievery.

But in the short time I’ve known you, Mouse, you’ve proven yourself to possess more integrity and honor than most of the so-called noblemen I know.

I have a crap ton of highlights from this book and 99.9% of them are things Mouse says because Mouse is snarky AF! He was this way about him that is genuine and yet his dry wit makes you pause because it’s so blunt but so comical, it’s just amazing.

You face your demons directly. You do not try to disguise them behind some false truth or rationalize them away. That doesn’t make you wicked. It makes you honest.

If you are looking for a story full of romance and sex, look elsewhere. There is romance here but it’s not at the front of the story. There is more adventure, daring rescues and fighting for one’s life while trying to escape an unlikeable end. There is romance and it’s pretty swift but when you find yourself with the most amazing man who has rescued you and keeps doing so and kinda gives you googly eyes when he thinks you aren’t watching, how could you not fall for Mouse? Of course, it would take someone special, like Lord Green Eyes, to make Mouse fall head over boots with hidden daggers as well and I did like Garron.

“Mouse, I so enjoy our time together,” Garron said dryly. “You introduce me to the most extravagant places.”

“Only the best for His Lordship. What do you think about exploring a coal mine later? Or we could rent a wagon and collect the dead from some recent plague.”

The side characters in this were amazing. I have a huge soft spot for Hawken and actually loved his time with Mouse that I had I not known Mouse was meant for Garron, I would have liked them together. The secret of the dagger Mouse carries that was his father’s leant to an additional mystery in the story that of course at the end, shows you how far Mouse will go to protect those he loves but it could have been a bit easier, had he just asked his dad.

The running from being killed deal after Garron’s rescue reminded me a bit of The Princess Bride though there were no six fingered men about nor Rodents Of Unusual Size. It was just plain fun with the added gasp of danger that reminded me what I love about stories like this.

So, I said there wasn’t much romance but OMG when Thomas brings it, he brings it and it was perfect. It has me swooning at appropriate times and really, he could have added more and I wouldn’t have minded a single bit. Nope. I am not talking about on page sex mind you, I don’t need that for a book to be romantic, emotions create romance and when Garron and Mouse  have moments, they were… very romantic.

“This is such a bad idea, Garron, I’m not the one for you.”

“Shouldn’t that be my call?”

From the blurb, you get what you need to know about the story. Mouse is hired to free Lord Garron but what we don’t know, is why Lord Garron is a prisoner. This is what nagged at me the whole story and yet when we got it, my reaction was the same as Garron’s brother!

“That’s the reason?”

“Damn right it is!”

“But what does that matter, Father?”

Why indeed? Though it does provide for an interesting end to the story and a last chapter that quite frankly had me in a puddle of goo.

This book was one hell of fun ride. I love Mouse completely. Garron and what he does for Mouse makes me adore him and that end was all sorts of a gooey HEA but for this hopeless romantic, it was perfect.

I wonder if we'll see these two at all in the next book? I girl can only hope.

Fantasy Living - 4.5 Hearts

Historical-Fantasy can be pretty hit and miss for me. I find it too wordy in the worldbuilding, and slow moving to the action. The language can be irritating if not done right. I sometimes find myself taking long breaks, and contemplating whether it's worth pushing on, hoping for something to happen so I can justify time spent on it. Large gaps in dialogue, or action can leave me feeling like I’m reading a textbook instead of an adventure novel. Even with recommendations, I tend to shy away, or spend more time on Social Media, or *shudder* cleaning, than reading the book.

Not this story. It pulled me in from the very first page, and every page after. The world building was pretty tight, slightly lacking, but not enough to disappoint, and I wasn’t distracted by other shiny things in the room while reading this. It was a pleasure.

Mouse was witty, snarky, and resourceful. He was driven by a purpose, and didn’t let small details, or foiled plans, stop him from achieving his goals. He was going to get to his charge, set him free, and get his coin. Even if he had to slay everyone in their path…….

Until the morally righteous Garron makes him swear an oath not to kill anyone.

Mason Thomas really did this story justice with the thoughtful work-arounds for the no-kill rule. It was exciting, and suspenseful in all the right ways. I found myself trying to figure out how it would all come together, and whether it was believable. It was. Sort of.

Mouse used what was in the Manor at his disposal, and managed to get Garron to go along with his plans. There was a fair bit of set up during the first half of the book, but it wasn’t dreary, and it all came together at the right time.

That’s not to say there weren’t road bumps along the way. And some hairy situations that required some creativity. Mouse pulled it off brilliantly, and I was behind him one hundred per cent.

The character building was good for Mouse. I would have liked a bit more from Garron. His personality was just out of grasp. The relationship building was sound for a high action story. It’s hard to get both with the page count provided, so while not perfect, it was enough. It wasn’t quite insta-love, more insta-lust with adrenaline fueled feelings of connection. There was a lot of sexual tension worked in, which made the suspense that much more satisfying.

This is not an erotic novel. It is fade to black. So if you’re looking for some smexy, this probably won’t satisfy that craving.

If you enjoy Fantasy and adventure, with some wit and snark, this is definitely a recommended story. Mouse was truly a fun character to go on a ride with, and I will be following it up with The Shadow Mark.

A Review copy was provided for an honest opinion




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