Release Blitz + Giveaway: Ge-Mi: Part Two by Mell Eight

Are you ready for Ge-Mi: Part Two?! Author Mell Eight and IndiGo Marketing are! Check out today's release blitz for the latest paranormal romance and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!

Title: Ge-Mi: Part Two

Series: Ge-Mi, Book Two

Author: Mell Eight

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: May 18, 2020

Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 28600

Genre: Paranormal, LGBTQIA+, MM romance, opposites attract, genetically modified humans, law enforcement, restaurant server, politics, men with pets, cat rescue

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Synopsis

Taylor Reyes was born to privilege, but despite that has always been considered an abomination. He was the child that should never have been born and has spent his life trying to prove his worth to the world to no avail. As a red wolf Ge-Mi, humans look at his furry ears before his accomplishments, and no matter how hard he continues to work Taylor knows that will never change. Still, he has a grandfather that loves him and a pack of his own to lead. The life he created for himself is not a bad one, until one day a pair of adorable cat ears derails everything.

The thought of finding a mate had never crossed Taylor’s mind, but suddenly he can’t stop thinking about Nevada. There’s no time for the distraction, though, as people are moving to unseat his grandfather from the city’s throne. The fight has just begun, but ending it might mean Taylor will lose Nevada forever.

Excerpt

Ge-Mi: Part Two
Mell Eight © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Prologue
Taylor Reyes knew the exact moment he fell in love. He had been ranting and raving and basically making an ass of himself. Okay, if he really thought about it, Taylor knew a lot of people would say he did that regularly, but this time was different. A baby kitten had attacked him earlier in the day. The scabs on his face were itching, and his pride was smarting. The first chance he got, he tracked the cat stench that belonged to some waiter at a restaurant where his grandfather insisted he eat. The waiter’s cat was the one that attacked him, and Taylor wasn’t about to let the waiter go unpunished for the slight. The stench led down the sidewalk a few blocks to a nearby apartment building, and eventually, to the tiny studio apartment taking up a third of the top floor.

Getting inside was easy enough since his DNA had been automatically coded into every lock in the entire city. It was one of the perks of being the heir to the Reyes family, the family that had ruled the city of Kensey for generations. Kensey Reyes had taken power directly after the last Great War that destroyed all the large cities, leaving behind only smaller cities and towns without any federal government to oversee them. Those with the means took control all across the country, and Kensey held on to his city fiercely until his death ten years later. Taylor’s great-grandfather and then eventually his grandfather had taken power, and Taylor was being groomed as the next heir.

Taylor enjoyed a life of privilege, but as a Ge-Mi, it wasn’t an easy life to live. Long before the Great War, scientists had managed to combine the DNA of humans with that of animals. Today’s history books contained speculation on why the scientists had done that, but it was generally believed the project began with good intentions. A cure for blindness by giving someone the sight ability of an eagle was the example Taylor remembered from his school textbook. Unfortunately, the military and some unsavory groups became involved, and they wanted super speed or super strength. Strange hybrid creatures were the eventual result, people like Taylor, who appeared human enough but also had wolf ears and a tail, or people with the power of a bear or the venom of a snake.

At first, Ge-Mis and humans had been able to live together peacefully, but fear over a Ge-Mi’s extra abilities soon had the humans enacting discriminatory laws that forced even the most law-abiding Ge-Mis into desperate acts to keep their families fed.

After the Great War, that fear remained, coloring the minds of all the humans in the country. No one really remembered why the Great War started, but it had increased the level of fear regular people experienced. That fear now focused on the Ge-Mis. It wasn’t easy to be called the heir of the city when almost no one trusted that his animal half would be safe in the position of the city’s next leader.

Taylor’s father was a red wolf Ge-Mi, and he had passed down the red-colored, pointed wolf ears that sat on top of Taylor’s head as well as a long and fluffy red wolf’s tail. The rest of him was pure Reyes stock—light-blond hair and blue eyes—but the Ge-Mi parts of him were too distinct to hide.

Which was totally unlike the object of Taylor’s affection.

He had expected to find a human hoarder of cats, and he found a hoarder, but Nevada most definitely wasn’t human. The moment those big gray eyes with the adorable little rounded ears peeking out of his white-and-black hair appeared over the edge of the loft high above Taylor, his heart was lost.

Nevada was no pushover. He wasn’t some kitty cat Taylor could threaten into obedience or scare away by growling. No, Nevada was all snow leopard, fierce and protective of those he loved. Yet, at the same time, it was easy for him to hide his small ears under a handkerchief and to keep his tail wrapped around one leg. He had been hiding among the humans for his entire life.

Taylor had discovered Nevada’s secret that fateful night, but where he might have ordinarily used it to blackmail Nevada, he was unable to do it. Nevada was just so… Taylor didn’t have the words to describe the way Nevada made him feel, but Nevada owned his heart all the same.

Which was why Taylor was currently standing across the street from Restaurant Spice, hidden in a darkened alcove where he couldn’t be seen, watching as Nevada deftly moved through the tables stuffed with customers.

These days, Nevada didn’t have to hide what he was. He’d spent three years working at the café next door while hiding his Ge-Mi side, and the customers genuinely learned to like him. Recent events in a fight against a clan of hyena Ge-Mis trying to kill him forced Nevada to reveal his snow leopard half. The handkerchief was gone now, his ears visible to the world, and because Taylor had arranged to have special pants made for Nevada with an elastic ring in the back for his tail, his tail now showed. However, he still kept it curled around one leg, half out of habit and half to keep the kids from tugging on it when they saw it because the white fur with black rosettes was distinctive inside the busy restaurant.

Taylor pulled his phone from his pocket to double-check the time and sighed. It was only 7:45 p.m., which meant he had at least fifteen more minutes before Nevada got off shift. It would probably be longer, though, since Nevada was slowly starting to learn the ropes of the assistant manager position and didn’t leave until he was certain the restaurant could run without him there.

Ree’s riot of multicolored feathers, where her hair would have been had she been human, appeared in front of a table in the window, temporarily blocking Taylor’s view. Ree was another Ge-Mi who had been outed in the hyena attack, but she, too, seemed to be thriving as another waiter at the restaurant.

Taylor let out a low growl and slumped harder against the wall behind him. Waiting for Nevada was so damned difficult, but the last time he went into the restaurant to get Nevada, he had been scolded for bothering the customers during dinner. A mad Nevada wasn’t a fun Nevada.

Taylor’s phone rang, startling him into jumping slightly in surprise. A glance at the caller ID told him Carley was calling.

“What?” Taylor growled into the phone. Carley knew Taylor was waiting to walk Nevada home. After closing was the only guaranteed time they had together each day, considering how busy both Taylor and Nevada were at their respective jobs.

“I might have found the link we need to finally find out who’s engineering the coup,” Carley explained, completely unperturbed by Taylor’s aggressive tone. Carley had changed Taylor’s diapers; he wasn’t afraid of any of Taylor’s moods.

“Who?” Taylor asked, all growl gone from his voice.

“Not sure yet,” Carley replied, and Taylor could hear a cheeky shrug in Carley’s voice. The man loved to yank Taylor’s tail. “But I know where to start digging. Get your kitty cat home safe; then come over.”

“Fine.” Taylor let out a grumbling sigh to let Carley know how dissatisfied he was before hanging up.

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Meet the Author

When Mell Eight was in high school, she discovered dragons. Beautiful, wondrous creatures that took her on epic adventures both to faraway lands and on journeys of the heart. Mell wanted to create dragons of her own, so she put pen to paper. Mell Eight is now known for her own soaring dragons, as well as for other wonderful characters dancing across the pages of her books. While she mostly writes paranormal or fantasy stories, she has been seen exploring the real world once or twice.

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Re-Release Blitz + Giveaway: The Perils of Intimacy by Rick R. Reed

Author Rick R. Reed and IndiGo Marketing share re-release information about The Perils of Intimacy! Discover more about the contemporary romance and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!

Title: The Perils of Intimacy

Author: Rick R. Reed

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: February 3, 2020

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 63300

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, contemporary, addiction, recovery, office worker, waiter, instalove, romance

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Synopsis

Mark believes he’s meeting Jimmy for the first time in the diner where he works, but he’s wrong. Mark has no recollection of their original encounter because the wholesome Jimmy of today couldn’t be more different than he was two years ago. Back then, Jimmy sported multiple piercings and facial hair. He was painfully skinny—and a meth addict. The drug transformed him into a lying, conniving thief.

Mark doesn’t associate the memory of a hookup gone wrong with this fresh-faced twenty-something… but Jimmy knows. Can Mark see Jimmy for the man he is now and not the addict he was? The answers depend on whether true love holds enough light to shine through the darkness of past mistakes.

Excerpt

The Perils of Intimacy
Rick R. Reed © 2020
All Rights Reserved

JIMMY

In romance novels, they call it meet-cute. If you’re not familiar with the term or even with romance novels for that matter, let me explain. Meet-cute is how our two protagonists, our star-crossed lovers, if you will, first encounter the other. It might involve an embarrassing moment, or some great coincidence, or something like a setup, or a blind date that goes horribly wrong and does not bode well for the future. See…it’s like there’s that day where everything changes, often in a funny way, and our two love interests begin their journey toward love.

You might look at how Marc Kelly and I met as a meet-cute experience. It went something like this:

Even though I’m a smart guy, at least I think so, I’ve never really had much in the way of education. High school diploma was about it. I always hated school and never did very well in it, which is why I currently wait tables at a little diner in the lower Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. I’ve been at Becky’s Diner a few years now, since I managed to get my life back in order. And I have to admit I like it. Becky’s is the kind of place alcoholics end up at 5:00 a.m. for an eye-opener and, if their stomachs can handle it, maybe a couple of greasy fried eggs and some bacon. It’s the kind of joint that’s been in Queen Anne since the Depression and still looks like it—scuffed black-and-white tile floors, dark walls, red leatherette booths, and stools at the counter, many of them patched with duct tape. On the other side of the joint is a bar that’s even darker—the drinks are strong, and we get a lot of regulars. The pinball machine over there pretty much goes untouched. Same with the TV, which is always tuned to some twenty-four-hours news crap with the sound turned off. No one watches it. Everyone’s too busy nursing their drinks. Anyway, I wait tables in the diner part.

And I find myself digressing away from my meet-cute. Maybe that’s because it wasn’t really a meet-cute, but it makes for a good story. And that’s what romances are all about, right? Good stories? At least on paper…

Anyhoo, about two weeks ago, this one guy comes in about seven, seven thirty. That day there hasn’t been much of a breakfast rush—we’re busier on the weekends—and I’m chilling behind the counter, checking Facebook on my phone. Marc, as I’d later find out his name, walks in, observes the Seat Yourself sign, and does just that—in the last booth at the rear. Right away, I see the guy is old school, as he spreads out an edition—paper, no less!—of the Seattle Times. He looks around expectantly.

I wipe my hands on my apron and approach, my order pad in hand.

I give him my trademark grin, the one I hope will coax big tips out of even the stingiest customers. “Hey there… mornin’! What are you in the mood for?”

He looks me up and down, a little smile twitching. I pick up on the gaydar, the attraction, and pause a little mentally because two things strike me almost simultaneously.

One: This guy is a good bit older than my twenty-three, maybe even by as much as fifteen or twenty years, but he’s a hottie. DILF! His salt-and-pepper hair is full, nicely cut, side part, with more salt than pepper. He sports—rocks—a little goatee that’s all salt. It perfectly frames cupid’s bow lips. How’s that for romance talk? But it’s his eyes that floor me—so dark the pupils just about get lost in them. They grip me. They hold me. They make me wanna quiver.

Two: There’s something about this dude that rings a bell. Not so much in the lust department, although that’s definitely there in spades, but in the area of “Have we met before?” Because, yeah, he looks familiar. I just couldn’t place him—at least not then.

We hold the look for a couple of seconds longer than the average waiter and customer would, and I can put my finger on this dance—it’s called flirting. Gives me the warm and fuzzies inside, except for that nagging feeling that I know him from somewhere.

And when you have a past like mine, you want to be careful with shit like that. Because I’ve not always been the best person, to say the least. Anyway, that’s something I’ve learned not to dwell on.

Can’t undo the past!

All that stuff took, like, thirty seconds to go down. The guy speaks, “I’ll have coffee and a cinnamon roll.”

I pull a pencil from behind my ear. Not sure I’ll need it, but just in case. “We’re all out of cinnamon rolls,” I say.

He grins, flips a page in the Times. Doesn’t look up at me as he says, “Okay, then. I’ll have tea.” He flips another page. “And a cinnamon roll.”

I chuckle. “We’re all out of cinnamon rolls.”

He nods and looks like he’s taking what I just put down to heart. “Okay, uh, how about a glass of milk and…a cinnamon roll.”

I shake my head. “Dude, I just told you—we’re all out of cinnamon rolls. Sold out during the breakfast rush. But I’ll tell you a little trade secret.” I lean close to his ear and notice a very nice aroma coming off him—something tangy, piney, and manly. “The cinnamon rolls come from the QFC off Mercer. You can buy a four-pack for what you pay for one here.”

“Okay,” he says, looking into my eyes with those killer dark eyes. Those lashes! Man! “Just bring me a cinnamon roll.”

I shake my head and then tuck the pencil back behind my ear. I start to head away, saying over my shoulder as I go, “You let me know when you’re ready.”

I can’t decide if the guy is a cornball, a total asshole, or incredibly charming. He’s probably a little of all three. And I feel a little flutter in my heart that tells me our little meet-cute encounter, which I’ve come to learn he lifted from some old public television kid’s show, means he has his hooks in me.

Smitten.

And yet there’s that nagging feeling I’ve met him somewhere before…and a darkness hides behind the notion that contradicts the fluttery feeling I get when I look at this hunk. In fact, that nagging recognition makes me a little sick.

It’ll come to me. Or it won’t. And something inside, a self-protective part maybe, hopes for the latter. They say ignorance is bliss, right?

He calls after me, “You do poached eggs? Runny?”

I turn. “We do anything. Two?”

He holds up two fingers and nods. “With coffee, no toast, no potatoes, fruit on the side if you got it.”

I jot down the order. “No cinnamon roll?”

He just laughs and begins reading the paper.

When is a meet-cute not a meet-cute?

When you’ve met before.

And my gut drops a couple of inches as I remember where I met him before.

I don’t want to go there. That was a different time. A different me. And there was nothing cute about it.

But I remember this guy because I felt something for him then. And I feel something for him now.

And it could never work.

Could it?

I watch from the corner of my eye as Cinnamon Roll, as I’ve dubbed him, downs his low-carb breakfast. How someone can eat poached eggs without any toast is beyond me, but it takes all kinds.

“You got a thing for him or what?” Matilda Blake, the other server on duty, whispers to me. She pauses just behind me with three plates balanced on two arms. I smell pancakes, bacon, and the sage aroma of sausage.

I turn a little to grin. “What?”

“Ah, don’t play innocent with me, Mister. I could see the lust in your eyes from fifty paces.”

I shrug. “Guilty. Maybe. A little.”

She laughs, and it’s a sound like a bell tinkling. Matilda doesn’t even reach five feet and probably doesn’t top ninety pounds, but she’s a workhorse like you wouldn’t believe. She has short, spiked blonde hair and numerous tattoos. On the weekends she plays in an all-girl metal band called Two Spirit. And in my head, I call her Tinker Bell, because that’s who she looks like to me. She takes off to serve her customers, but not without prompting me to “Go over and talk to him.”

I busy myself filling ketchup bottles and the salt and pepper shakers I’ve removed from empty tables, but I keep an eye on Cinnamon Roll. His food is gone and the newspaper’s been abandoned and he’s staring off into space. I shudder because I wonder if he’s recognized me and is thinking about our last encounter, a little over two years ago, at his place on Dexter Avenue.

But no, that couldn’t be possible, could it? I’m a different person now, inside and out. Back then I was twenty, twenty-five pounds lighter than my current one hundred and sixty-five. I had a septum piercing like Ferdinand the Bull. My hair, which is now cut high and tight and is reddish brown, was long back then, bleached blond, dirty, and tangled up in dreadlocks that reached down almost to my waist. My skin had, I’m sure, a pasty and unhealthy pallor.

That person doesn’t even exist anymore, and even though it’s only been two years, I look completely different today. He’s probably just thinking about his day or something.

Right?

I walk over to his table, a little nervous that he’d come to and look at me with an accusing glare. There’d be a scene. And maybe I’d end up getting fired or something. Thinking back to what I did to him, I deserve it.

But when I approach his table, all he does is smile. And that smile melts my heart. It did back then too. Just not enough to keep me from my desperate and dark ways.

“You need anything else?”

He looks down at his paper and back up at me. A blush rises to his cheeks, and I gotta say it—there’s nothing more adorable than this face staring up at me right now. He looks like he wants to say something, but all that comes out is “The check? I gotta get to work. If I don’t get out of here and on the bus, I’m going to be late.”

“Oh?” I cock my head. “What do you do?”

“You don’t want to know. Government contracts. Health care. Downtown. Websites, e-mail, so-called social media from a health-care perspective. Writing boring newsletters.” He laughs. “Not the astronaut I thought I’d be back in kindergarten.”

“Yeah. Well, I always dreamed I’d work in a diner. And look at me. Dreams do come true!” I tap my chest. “Living proof!” We stare at one another for a moment. My heart pounds for a variety of reasons, both sublime and shameful. “I’ll get your check.”

I turn and go to total up his modest bill. My hands are shaking just a tiny bit. There’s this dark shadow of shame hanging over me that I try my best to banish. I remind myself that shadows are made by light and that I should direct my thoughts toward the light, not the darkness.

I look over at him once more. He’s staring off into space again, and I take note of his clothes—the blue-and-white checked button-down shirt, the navy cardigan, the jeans with the rip in the knee of the left leg, the awesome wing tips, maroon and navy. He looks hipster professional. In the two years since I’ve seen him, he’s hardly changed a bit. A little grayer maybe, but essentially the same guy. I get a quick vision of a big black leather headboard, framed in dark wood. A box on the dresser containing valuables…

His name comes to me in full. Marc Kelly. Simple. Solid. Like him. A good guy who never deserved what I gave him.

I should leave him alone. I know I should. No good can come from this.

A little voice inside reminds me I’m a changed person, one who loves himself, and I shouldn’t beat myself up anymore. I should forgive myself and believe I’m deserving, especially now, of a man like this.

Still, it’s with a lot of qualms that I write, near the bottom of his eighteen dollars and sixty-five cents total, Jimmy Kilpatrick (206) 555-9407. I pause for a moment, thinking I should tear this ticket up and write a new one.

No. I put one foot in front of the other, walk over to him, and set it in front of him. “You can pay up front. Thanks for stopping by.”

I hurry away before he even has a chance to look down at the check or up at me. I head right through the kitchen and out the back door, where I stand outside by the dumpster in gray and drizzly February air and light up a smoke with shaking hands.

I think I have to release my wishes, to let them float away on the gray plume I exhale. I need to have faith—I remind myself—that everything will unfold just the way it should.

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Meet the Author

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” You can find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his beloved husband, Bruce, and their fierce Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix, Kodi.

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Guest Review: Dilly and Boz by John Inman

It’s funny how love nails you when you least expect it.

Dilly Jones has pretty much given up on romance ever finding him. Boz Jenkins, his neighbor, is recently out of a bad relationship but has definitely noticed the cutie across the street. When Dilly drops a bag of donuts on the sidewalk, it sets a chain of events into motion. And suddenly both men’s hearts are lost.

But Boz’s ex is still hanging around, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get Boz back.With a brand-new romance gearing up to knock their socks off, the last thing Dilly and Boz expect is to get tangled up in a stranger’s murder. Or to find themselves fighting for their lives.

Just as they finally find happiness, their love for each other becomes the thing that threatens them the most.

Reviewer: Annery

Score another victory for the #blurbswhatblurbs camp. This was my first John Inman book, though I’ve had my eye on him for quite a while, and based on this read it won't be my last. I chose this book solely based on the cover, quite beautiful IMO, and the title that led me to believe it was a gentle romance, which in a way it is, but it’s also something deeper, and sometimes darker. Grittier.

Dilly and Boz is the story of two unremarkable people, the kind who are maybe side characters in other books, but never protagonists. Dilbert ‘Dilly’ Allan Jones is 5’ 6”, 25 y.o., skinny, klutzy, miopic, has almost pathological anxiety, and he works as the sole clerk at the Retro Record Shoppe. He’s as lonely & poor as a church mouse, having only his cat Grace for company, but yearns for even a spark of human contact. Bosley ‘Boz’ Maurice Jenkins 27, is not much more physically imposing than Dilly, and has a painful recent past, but he’s marginally better off because he’s got a stable job as a waiter, has his little dog Leon, and despite intense shyness, is willing to risk going after what he wants, which thankfully is Dilly. When these two get together it’s the beginning of a sweet, beautiful, and tender romance which makes you yearn to wrap them up in cotton wool and sprinkle fairy dust on their road to HEA. You never doubt the veracity of them as men falling in love, the scents, and tactility of their physical attraction is clearly, and to my utter delight, written from a male perspective. I loved it.

Supporting characters to the Boz & Dilly show are Leonard ‘Puffer’ Moran, Dilly’s octogenarian boss who’s rarely without a joint, and his equally, young-at-heart, girlfriend Estelle. They provide not only comic relief but a grounding in the real world, unencumbered by inhibitions or fears. I’d say they’re a sound mirror for Dilly & Boz to imagine themselves into a future of joy. So why wasn’t this a 5 star read for me? Read on.

The other prominent character is Bobby Mayfield. Outwardly he’s a poster boy for both gay & heterosexual paradigms of masculine male beauty: tall, stacked, and a former soldier. But currently he’s a methhead, with a violent, and sadistic streak who also happens to be Boz’s ex, and won’t accept that the relationship is over. While he plots, schemes, and threatens to get Boz back he snorts meth in massive quantities and has the unsexiest sex with Angel, an undocumented Guatemalan young man, who deludes himself into believing that there’s a future with Bobby. The author does a tremendous job depicting both of these characters and the downward spiral progression of their story, which is necessarily dark, but at some points I felt like it almost overwhelmed the romance part.

Though intricately woven, they form a sort of unhappy marriage. Boz & Dilly’s story is a refreshing and unexpectedly engaging romance between two ordinary guys with no billionaires, blinding beauties, (save for how the MCs see each other), or six-packs in sight. But the Bobby appearances shift it into suspense territory, and it just threw me off a bit. My other quibble is of the greedy variety. Dilly & Boz grew on me and I’d really like to know more about them. We know nothing of their families, where they came from, or where they’re going, and they seem to have no friends. It’s almost as if they just sprouted in situ. *shrug*

Regardless of my minimal complaints I’d recommend this as a nice change from the common MM romances currently in vogue, and I’ll absolutely be reading more from this author.

Review: Better Place (Rainbow Place #3) by Jay Northcote

Joe deserves better. Meeting Dylan helps him see that.

After a recent redundancy, Joe takes a few months off to try and make it as a writer. His partner, Harry, is less than supportive but Joe is used to that after ten years together, just like he’s used to Harry’s controlling nature and his drinking habit.

Dylan, a server at Rainbow Place, is fascinated by Joe as he sits in the café and works on his laptop. His attempts to flirt are met with awkwardness at first, but gradually Joe opens up. Dylan is disappointed when he learns Joe isn’t single. As their friendship develops he begins to worry about the nature of Joe’s relationship, especially when he witnesses Harry’s behaviour in person. Abuse isn’t always physical, and Dylan knows that from experience. His concern helps Joe see his relationship for what it is, and gives him the courage to end things with Harry.

Free to act on their mutual attraction, Joe and Dylan dive headlong into something that becomes serious fast. Joe revels in the passion and intimacy he’s been missing out on for so long, but Dylan is worried that Joe is on the rebound. He puts on the brakes, knowing that they need to slow down to make this last. For this new relationship to work, Joe needs to show Dylan that he’s ready to move on from the past.

Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone and has a satisfying happy ending.

I had to think about my rating for ‘Better Place’ for a bit. Some parts I liked, but ultimately I didn’t really connect to this book at all.

Dylan’s job at the Rainbow Place café is made even better by the quiet writer who becomes a regular. The server never misses an opportunity to awkwardly flirt with his favourite customer.

The customer in question, Joe, thinks Dylan’s sweet. But he’s focused on his writing. And, more importantly, Joe’s already taken.

From the beginning of the book, readers know what the score is: Joe’s partner Harry dictates Joe’s life. What Joe does, where Joe goes, how long Joe spends out of the house.

Everything revolves around douchebag Harry.

It may not be physical violence, but it’s an abusive toxic relationship just the same.

But pretty soon, the only thing Joe looks forward to are his short forays to Rainbow Place - where Dylan is.

Because while Joe’s clear to Dylan that nothing can happen between them, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t appreciate the friendship.

The two men find it easy to connect. Both have their demons, but with each other it’s only smiles and sweet moments.

And underneath it all, there’s a longing for something more.

This is where things didn’t really pan out for me - the “something more.” Because while we’re told that Joe and Dylan are falling madly for each other, the romance was so muted that I never really got a feel for it.

And another big issue was that there’s an ever-present third party - Harry. Though Joe breaks up with Harry about halfway through, Harry’s in the picture right until the end.

Harry’s constant presence in the story was distracting and depressing.The book was not so much about Joe and Dylan’s relationship, as it was about Joe escaping Harry.

By the end, I was pretty ambivalent. I was glad to see Dylan and Joe get their happy ending, but I’d already tuned out well before it.

Though book #3 wasn’t my favourite, I’d still recommend this series if you’re looking for romances that overcome the odds!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Obsession by Theophilia St. Claire

Nick has a hard life. Not only is he working at an East Harlem bar to make ends meet and pay for his sister’s medical expenses, he’s also on the run from a shady past that’s surely catching up to him.

Most people think Claude has it easy due to the money and luxury surrounding him. But they would be wrong. Firmly trapped beneath his stern father’s thumb, Claude’s pre-determined life took a nosedive when his lover, Christian, left him a year ago.

When the two meet, sparks do not instantly fly between them. Claude thinks Nick is his ex-lover returned to him. Nick thinks Claude is crazy.

However, circumstances bring these two men together. And despite Claude’s jealousy and possessive nature, Nick is falling for him. Sick of being mistaken for Claude’s ex, Nick is willing to find out what happened to him—the real Christian. He’ll have to if he wants a stable relationship with Claude. How Claude takes the truth, however, is the only thing that scares him.

Rated 2.75 Hearts

Reviewer: Annery

The very first thing that must be said about this book is that it emphatically is NOT a romance. There are two people, in this case male, who engage in a sexual and what could be deemed a quasi romantic relationship. Claude Vanderpoel repeatedly professes his love for Nick Martin, except he calls him Christian, and Nick/Christian seems to be in a sexual thrall to Claude and more than a bit dazzled by his wealth. Sounds convoluted? It is but not in any interesting way. I’ll try to elucidate in the least spoilerish way possible.

Nick is twenty-four, working as a waiter at a jazz supper-club, and trying to scrape enough money together to petition the legal custody of his sick sixteen-year-old sister. He’s just getting back on his feet after a few years of somewhat rough living: some drugs, some gang affiliation, some prostitution, some homelessness.

Claude Vanderpoel is one of those dime-a-dozen romance MCs: fantastically rich, devastatingly handsome, and sexually irresistible. Also he’s only 27.

One night Claude sees Nick at Jenkins’ Jazz Bar, where he works as a waiter, but he keeps calling him Christian. Christian is/was Claude’s lover who left him over a year ago. Is Nick Christian in a new guise, living a new life away from Claude? It would seem not. Nick keeps insisting he’s not Christian, there’s even an un-funny running gag of whether Claude means the name or the religious affiliation when he says Christian. Because that’s a thing. SMH. In any case one silly thing leads to another and Nick ends up not only in Claude’s uber luxurious Fifth Avenue apartment but also in his bed, on Pretty Woman shopping sprees, and spur of the moment caribbean vacations. Claude keeps calling Nick Christian and though Nick is pretty adamant that he is not Christian he continues to go along with Claude and whatever he doles out. None of this is particularly scintillating. I lost interest or knew where this was going pretty quickly. I really don’t know what category this would go in, mystery? suspense? Maybe. It’s not terribly good as any of those but not horrendous either. The reasons for my low rating may be inconsequential to others who know zero about NYC, but I couldn’t/can’t overlook them. Here goes. I may get ranty.

Going by the use of technology the story seems to be set in present times and Jenkins’ Jazz Bar is located in Harlem. I don’t know what 70’s Charles Bronson movie the author used to base The City on, but that stretch of real-estate is currently one of the most expensive in New York and not riddled with marauding gangs, the smell of piss, and random gunshots. Here’s a little nugget that just about made me crazy. Claude is in his car following Christian/Nick, like the stalker he is:

”He got to his car and drove to East 116th Street in time for Christian to board the M102. … He followed it for five stops until Christian got off at the Malcolm X Boulevard stop. Christian kept his hood up, ignoring everyone else around him while he disappeared into the subway station. Claude stayed behind him a good distance as he took the Number 2 subway line to wherever. Claude was familiar with the route. He knew the stops and the time frame adequately. The farther he drove, the worse the area became. Poverty, high crime, and drug addiction were leading social problems in that corner of the world. Public housing units filled almost every block. Claude pitied the sad souls who called this place home. He spotted Christian exiting the station on 96th and Broadway. … How could Christian possibly have made a living down there? Watching his back every second to make sure to make sure it wouldn’t be stabbed? He passed all manner of homeless people and shady characters. Trash littered the streets and graffiti covered multiple surfaces.

That’s some straight out of Escape from New York fantasy. I’m sure that denizens of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, among them Columbia University and the Museum of Natural History. Here’s a peek from Zillow at the current real estate: W. 96th Street.

Next we have this gem, Nick/Christian and his friend Eric go to visit Nick’s sister Amy who’s in the hospital, and they depart from East Harlem:

”The train ride took ninety minutes to get upstate, to the New York Med, the hospital where Amy was being treated. Nick exhaled a cold breath as he peered up at the large white-and-brown building.” “I hate the Bronx,” he mumbled. If not for Amy, he’d never step foot in that borough again.”

So how do I explain two wildly incorrect things in that passage? 1) The Bronx is NOT and will never be Upstate New York, it is one of the 5 boroughs that comprise New York City. 2) Save for some horrible train nightmare, the ride from East Harlem to even the furthest end of The Bronx could not take 90 minutes. It should be 30 or 45 minutes on the outside.

Claude takes Nick/Christian out to dinner and the whole date turns into one of those film fantasies where they have dinner at a five-star restaurant, (the author makes sure to tell what dishes & wine they have), and later head to the Empire State, from which vantage point Claude proceeds to enlighten Nick on local architecture. Sure. That’s what New Yorkers do on dates.

Later Claude takes Nick/Christian on a day trip in his yacht which is on a pier on the Hudson river. Somehow that’s a two-hour drive going north on I-87! Unless he’s anchored up in the Catskills, which would make no sense given all the piers on the Hudson river right in Manhattan. I’m bewildered by the geography of this book.

Sprinkled throughout is nonsense like gangsters referring to the police as “pigs”. The 70’s are calling and want their slang back, or this little insight into Claude’s genius:

”I studied Economics and Marketing at Yale. I pored over the stock market for several years, so I think I would have enjoyed working on Wall Street. Either that, or becoming a university professor in Paris.”

Sure. Why not.

Claude is 27 and Nick/Christian is 24 and somehow Nick/Christian is always “the younger man”. Claude whisk’s Nick/Christian away on a plane and:

”Christian gazed out the window, puzzled by the hot unfamiliar surroundings. “Are we out of the country? Because I don’t have a passport. Claude chuckled. “Already taken care of.” He patted his coat pocket.” 

How, you ask was a passport procured for Nick/Christian without him knowing about it? I haven’t a clue.

I could go on as the idiocies are sprinkled all over but I’ll move on to other things that may interest some readers. The story includes kidnapping, rape, and murder on page and references to child abuse, drug use and drug dealing, all of which go pretty much unpunished. I’m all up for dark romances but I’m not sure this would qualify. On the plus side it’s not badly written, if at times overly expository, and it certainly fits the slot of different, which turns out to not always be good.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: After Hours by Emjay Haze

Celebrate the After Hours release with author Emjay Haze and IndiGo Marketing! Learn more about the contemporary romance today and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!

Title:  After Hours

Series: After Hours, Book One

Author: Emjay Haze

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: April 9, 2018

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 90300

Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, Contemporary,romance,waiter,nightclub,businessman,chef

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Synopsis

Alex Michaels is a successful manager for a Wall-Street financial firm and lives in a beautiful hi-rise apartment overlooking Central Park. Anyone looking in from the outside would say Alex has it made, especially his working-class parents who wanted more for their only son.

Nick is working his way through graduate school with dreams of becoming a teacher so he can help kids like himself. With his parents cutting him off and leaving him with nothing but a student apartment and low self-esteem, he’s determined to make something of himself in spite of them.

Even Nick's club friends think Alex is too good for him, but Alex keeps showing Nick how worthy he is. Alex learns a lot from Nick, too—how not to give up on his dreams.

Excerpt

After Hours
Emjay Haze © 2018
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One
“Please come to my office for a minute,” the mid-regional director bellowed, his voice deep with authority, causing Alex to redirect himself from heading to his own office. He followed the older gentleman around the corner and down the long hallway to the executive suites. He’d hoped to be there one day himself but had a long claw to go. Yes, claw. That’s how you got ahead in this place.

Alex had been a manager at the Manhattan financial advising firm for the last four years, having been promoted from sales where he’d landed out of grad school. They called it middle management for a reason. You were stuck right in the center, with twenty employees always needing your attention, and upper management wanting a little more blood. It was exhausting.

He shouldn’t really complain. His job paid the bills for a very nice Manhattan apartment three blocks from Central Park with a gorgeous view of the city. He’d become what his parents had dreamed for him, in every way. Robert and Martha Michaels lived on the outskirts of St. Louis. They both had decent jobs, but a lack of college education had kept them from the “good life,” as they called it, and they wanted more for their only son.

“Come in, Alex.” Mr. Kensington motioned for Alex to enter his spacious corner office with the big windows, which overlooked the New York skyline. It was breathtaking, and a little intimidating.

“Thank you, Mr. Kensington.”

“I think it’s time you called me Mitchell.” Mr. Kensington flashed him a wide grin. Alex wondered if his friends called him Mitch. He glanced at the distinguished gray-haired gentleman with the thousand-dollar suit. Mitchell it is.

“Thank you, M—Mitchell.”

“Have a seat, Alex.” His smile disappeared. He was all business.

Alex took a deep breath and sat in the leather-upholstered chair in front of Mr. Kensington’s mahogany desk. His boss sat behind it in an even larger chair that would have sucked Alex in if he’d tried to sit in it, yet Mr. Kensington sat ramrod straight. Alex couldn’t imagine what this was about as the seconds ticked away. Maybe he was getting fired. He gulped.

“Alex, I value your work here at the firm.”

“Thank you, sir.” A bead of sweat formed at the base of his hairline.

Mr. Kensington glared at him, knitting his eyebrows together.

“Mitchell,” Alex squeaked. That would take some getting used to.

Mr. Kensington stood up, appearing even more intimidating as Alex craned his neck to meet his gaze. “Due to business booming, we’re expanding the operation, Alex, and I’d like you to be a part of a new division.”

Alex’s eyes grew wide. Did this mean a promotion? Was he finally getting an executive position? He sat straighter, waiting for the man to make his point.

“As you know, middle manager is the most important position in this firm,” Mr. Kensington said, pacing back and forth in front of Alex. “You have responsibilities on both ends. It’s not easy finding someone who fits so well in that position, with the respect of both upper management and his employees.”

Where the heck was this heading? It didn’t sound like a promotion.

“And you are a good manager, Alex,” he continued. “Your troops like you, and they’re productive. That’s a huge accomplishment for anyone.”

“Thank you, s—Mitchell.” Alex took a deep breath, waiting for him to get to his fucking point.

Mr. Kensington came around his desk and walked behind Alex. Stopping, he placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “I am appointing you manager of the new Celebrities account division, so you will be taking some of the most important accounts this company currently has, as well as acquiring new ones. You will report to the new divisional director, Karl Morrison, from our west coast branch.”

Karl Morrison, who the fuck was that? Another middle manager getting his big promotion? Alex seethed, but kept it cool on the outside. “What does this mean for me, sir?” He tried smiling, but it came out as more of a sneer with his teeth clenched. Fortunately, Mr. Kensington was still behind him.

“A ten thousand dollar a year increase and larger staff,” Mr. Kensington said as he slithered back behind his desk. “You will manage our most prestigious division, Alex.”

As a middle manager and not an executive. He worked up a more believable smile. “Thank you, s—Mitchell.”

Mr. Kensington nodded. “You deserve it, son. Karl will arrive later this month, so you have some time to wrap up your current accounts. You will also choose staff to bring with you—oh, and please see Human Resources for your requirements for the new positions.”

So, I do the work and Mr. Karl Morrison swoops in next month and gets what should be my corner office. “I won’t let you down, sir.”

He smiled and nodded, as if to say I know you won’t. “Oh, and Barbara will order business cards with your new title.” Mitchell sat down behind his desk again.

“New title?” Did I miss something?

“Senior Manager. Congratulations, Alex.”

Alex faked a smile. “Thank you, sir.” It was still middle management. He should be ecstatic. Mr. Kensington could have passed on him completely. So, why did he feel like punching him in the face?

Mr. Kensington dismissed him by standing up and motioning to the door. Alex also stood and shook his hand, thanking him once more and attempting a more believable smile. At least it was more money, and it might be interesting work at that. He wondered if this was the success his parents intended for him when they made him quit culinary school at the end of his first year and go to a real college for a business degree. Stuck in middle management for the rest of his life. God, he sounded pathetic—and ungrateful.

Alex walked back to his windowless office and sighed as he sat down on the much smaller and less comfortable fabric chair at his plain oak desk. Would he ever get a nice chair like Mr. Kensington—err, Mitchell?

The day was almost over, and he couldn’t wait for that clock to strike five. He had nowhere to go, unfortunately, but he liked the quiet after everyone left for the day. No snotty salesman knocking on his door asking for a day off or a better commission structure. No director buzzing his phone asking where the weekly report was. He put his elbows on his desk and rubbed his fingers through his hair. He usually waited for the cleaning guy who always had a good story to tell. Maybe he should go home, or better, go out and get laid.

As if the gods had heard him, there was a rap on the door and his beautiful secretary, Belinda, peeked her head in. “Hey, boss. A few of us girls are going out tonight to a club and thought you might join us.”

Alex pictured an overcrowded dance club where horny straight guys hit on his coworkers while he sat and brooded over his gin and tonic or something that said straight-boy. “Uh, no, thanks, Belinda. You guys have a great time, though.”

“Oh, no,” she said, walking into his office. “We picked this club for you.” She shook her finger at him and winked.

“You’re going to a gay club for me?” He raised an eyebrow. He had never hidden his sexuality from his assistant.

“No, silly. We wanted to go anyway, but honestly, it’s better if we take a gay man with us.” She froze. “Yeah, that didn’t come out quite right.” She straightened her skirt and regrouped, apparently searching for her next words. “We want you to come with us. You’ll have a great time, I promise.”

Alex chuckled, shaking his head. “Might be exactly what I need. I’m in.”

“Good. You work too hard. Maybe you’ll meet a nice man—and get lucky.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

Belinda had worked for Alex ever since he moved to management. She was in her early thirties, single, and she had a lot of friends at the firm. The tall, fiery redhead had long, wavy hair and big blue eyes, and was well-endowed in all the areas that straight men found attractive. Alex thought she liked working for him mainly because he didn’t undress her with his eyes every time she walked into the room. She’d practically told him that one night as she was heading out and one of the supervisors was leaving Alex’s office. He’d given her a creepy once-over as he passed her. She’d rolled her eyes and entered Alex’s office, shutting the door behind her. Then she’d spilled her troubles.

Alex was empathetic, and she’d thanked him for treating her like a human. They’d become friends after that, but never took it outside the office. It might be fun having a night out with the girls. He didn’t want to do anything that would have them all talking about him at the watercooler the next morning, though. That shit could get around quickly. No, he’d have to keep it PG. Still, it would be nice to get out and watch cute boys on the dance floor, even if they were only dancing with his friends. He hadn’t done that since college.

Alex shut down his computer and followed Belinda into the elevator. “We’re meeting everyone in the lobby,” she explained as three women Alex recognized but barely knew barreled over to them.

“Alex, this is Hannah from accounting, Jill, Mr. Lawson’s admin, and Barb, you know.”

“Hi, Alex,” Barb said. She was Mr. Kensington’s assistant. “Congratulations on the promotion.” He had spoken with her many times, but never on a personal level.

“What?” Alex hadn’t thought of his move from manager to senior manager as a promotion. “Oh, thanks. I’m thrilled.” He hoped he sounded convincing.

“What’s this?” Belinda hadn’t heard yet, because Alex hadn’t told her. He felt like shit.

“They offered me senior manager with a new division. I found out earlier today before you walked in my office. Sorry, I should have told you.”

“That’s awesome, boss. Does that mean…?”

“You’re coming with me,” he said. “I couldn’t do my job without you, Bels.”

“Oh, thank God. I’d hate having to break in a new boss.” Her tone was flippant, but Alex knew better. She didn’t want to have someone with authority ogling her all day. He stifled a chuckle.

“Well, come on, ladies. I see you’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

He groaned as they chatted excitedly all the way to the parking garage. He hoped he wouldn’t embarrass himself. Why did he think going out with coworkers to a gay club was a good idea?

Alex drove Belinda and Barbara, while the other two followed them in Jill’s car. This way, Belinda explained, if Alex wanted to leave early, or later, then he’d have his own car and the four women could drive back to the office together. He wasn’t planning on taking anyone home tonight. Not with witnesses to discuss it at work the next day.

They pulled up to the curb outside the club. Alex got an immediate case of nerves as he stepped out of his car.

“Look at this place,” Belinda said, following him. “We’re gonna have a blast.”

Purchase

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Meet the Author

Emjay Haze is a pen name for a wife, mother, and writer of gay romance. She resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, two teenagers, a new puppy, cat, gecko, and several fish. She always loved writing and fell in love with the genre seven years ago after discovering the world of fanfiction. She went back to school to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing from SNHU where she graduated in April, 2015, with a renewed desire of making her dreams of becoming a published author come true.

She has a wide and diverse work history in the fields of travel, hotel management, high-tech communications, web development, real estate, and the nonprofit health care industry where she has held positions such as travel agent, hotel concierge, web programmer, Realtor, account manager, and many, many others, giving her a varied and unique set of experiences that she draws upon in her stories and characters. Her interests include music and pop culture, and she is an advocate for the LGBT community.

Her stories delve into all types of romantic relationships, regardless of sexuality, with a focus on first times and new encounters in a lighthearted style with a goal to gain a diverse readership and broaden the minds of those who might not normally pick up an LGBTQ romance because it’s more about the person than the sexuality. She’ll take you on a roller-coaster journey, but you’ll always get a happy ending.

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Guest Review: Circle of Darkness (Genesis Circle #1) by Aimee Nicole Walker & Nicholas Bella

There isn’t a monster D’Angelo Kumar can’t destroy or a crisis he can’t manage until he meets Angel Bai. The insane attraction he feels toward the sexy waiter is unwelcome because D’Angelo doesn’t have room in his life for relationships. A solitary path is the only option for a man like him, but fighting his growing feelings for Angel may be the first battle he can’t win.

Angel’s abilities extend beyond memorizing the menu at D’Angelo’s favorite Italian restaurant, but he knows better than to trust anyone with his secret. When a vision reveals that D’Angelo’s life is in danger, he will risk everything to save him. The only thing scarier than monsters and demons to Angel is never knowing D’Angelo’s touch.

To say the demon hunter is reluctant to form a partnership with the psychic is putting it mildly, but D’Angelo needs every advantage he can get when the world’s very existence is threatened. As darkness looms nearer, D’Angelo and Angel’s unexplainable connection grows stronger. For a chance at happiness, the two men will need to call upon unlikely allies for an epic showdown between good and evil.

Sexy, witty, and action-packed, Circle of Darkness is the first book in the Genesis Circle paranormal romance series by Nicholas Bella and Aimee Nicole Walker. This book contains sexually explicit material and is intended for adults 18 and older.

Reviewer: NeRdyWYRM

Mixed Bag

I'm not sure where to really start here. Many of you might know that I really like new twists on religious angles and mythology. I love a little of that in my paranormals. I enjoy the imagination and creativity that can shine through when an author manages to come up with a unique spin on that kind of thing. This book has that in spades.

Is it believable? ... meh. Sort of. Is it fun and interesting? Yes. Was it unique enough to probably have me rating this book higher than the masses would? Yep. Why do I say that? Well, because there were definitely things about it that I didn't like and I can't help but think those things probably should have weighed more in the balance of things, but ... I'm a sucker—A SUCKER—for fun twists on religious themes. Don't stone me.

So what didn't I like? D'Angelo was an absolute ass, and while it did get noticeably better, as in, he wasn't actively being an ass after a while, I don't think I saw a personality transplant mentioned in there anywhere. And that's what it would have taken to fix that guy. I mean seriously, he treated his soulmate like "the little woman" for Christ's sake. Yeah, I blasphemed. And?

Cast out warriors, tattooed with Jesus' blood, still fighting the good fight. All that I can get behind except for the apparent power differential. Fighting the everyday baddies was fine. They were good with that, powerful enough for that, but throw a demon in the picture and it was like swatting flies. You'd think that would be the one subsection of badness they'd have cornered the market on, what with the content of the tattoos and all.

Also, I had some unanswered questions about what it meant for the 'mate' in the equation. Things were hinted at but not clarified. Are these guys longer-lived? Do they have regular human lifespans? Do the 'mates' take on some of their partners powers? Since they're not in the loop with the illustrious school that cornered the market on the Jesus mojo, does that mean that D'Angelo and Christian's mates—who don't exist according to the Institutes doctrines and yet of course they do—are unprotected from the evils they're now exposed to through their warrior mates?

Too many questions to make it more than a 3.5 heart (3 GR stars) read. It was entertaining. I liked the 'treasure hunting', the occultism, the religious twists, the MCs were [mostly] okay, I believed the romance for the most part, I liked the secondary characters—I want more of the demon knight—and it left me intrigued enough to read the next ones. I guess that's almost a glowing recommendation as long as you keep the niggles in mind.

There could have been a little more balance in the character- and relationship development and the dialogues were sometimes a little frenetic, sometimes a little immature, but I think it fit the character(s) where they were in life at the time. I dunno [shrugs]. It's worth reading and I liked it overall, but don't be surprised if there are things that take it down a notch or two as you're reading.

I am looking forward to more, so that says something. Maybe that I'm a big, gullible, sucker ... maybe that there's something substantially worth it prowling in the wings waiting for its moment in the series. Maybe you should see for yourself.


More reviews by NeRdyWYRM can be found on Goodreads here.
Images (when present) may be subject to copyright.
An ARC copy of this title was provided for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Femme by Marshall Thornton

Queeny cocktail waiter, Lionel, wakes up to find himself in bed with Dog, a straight-acting softball player and the two embark on a rocky road to romance. A journey that requires coming out of the closet, going into the closet, a pair of red high heels, many pairs of red high heels, a failed intervention, a couple of aborted dates, and homemade pom-poms. Mostly, Lionel and Dog learn what it means to be a man.

Listening Length: 6 hrs 23 min
Narrator: Joel Leslie

This review can probably be summed up in three sentences.

Freaking fantastic audio.

Lionel’s voice is superb.

Dog is a douche.

So feel free to go out and buy the audio based on those suppeerrrbbb sentences. However I will go into a tad more detail.

If you’ve read the book you’ll really enjoy this audio. Lionel and Carlotta’s voice were wonderful and queeny. It was a bit to get used to, as was Dog’s slow timbre but they molded into the characters effortlessly that nothing else would’ve worked in the end.

As for this story, if you haven’t read it and were thinking of trying it out, I’d definitely recommend it. This story is a wonderful story about being who you truly are and figuring out exactly what that means. This is absolutely a romance, but more of a self-discovery story than anything.

Now for the kicker, Dog is a douche, but possibly a realistic one. Dog is not your knight in shining armour main character. He’s scared and cowardly to a point where he hurts Lionel multiple times. He made me fairly angry at times but I find it hard to judge him to harshly, especially because he’s compared to someone as brave as Lionel. Realistically a lot of us are terrified when coming out to family and probably did or didn’t do things we regretted later on. Dog is just like that and he does absolutely make it up to Lionel!

Read this wonderfully uplifting story and if you’re looking for your next audio check this one out!!! Well worth the extra money.