Callum Derringer was hired by the Pittsburgh Titans to help rebuild the organization after a devastating plane crash left its future unknown. Now that he’s got the team back on track, it’s time to put some effort into his own life.
When I accepted the job of general manager with the Titans, it was just the opportunity I needed to prove myself to the sports world. Unfortunately, my career isn’t the only area in which I’ve previously made mistakes and the past is about to come back in a big way.
Juniper Ryan is…complicated. Smart, funny and insanely gorgeous, she was my first love and my first heartbreak. But my loss was my stepbrother’s gain and she’s been his wife for five years now. I’ve done a decent job of putting her out of my mind but when I’m brought home for a family emergency and see the bruises on Juniper, I’m gutted to learn that she was pushed into the arms of a monster.
Vowing to put our past aside, I learn dark truths about my brother and his marriage to my first love. And to make matters worse, I’m beginning to realize the feelings I once had for Juniper aren’t tucked quite as far away as I had hoped.
When things take a dangerous turn, I’m willing to put myself in the line of fire to keep my girl safe. I was a fool to walk away from Juniper the first time and I’m a man who knows better than to make the same mistake twice.
Grab your copy of Callum directly from Sawyer by shopping the Sawyer Bennett Bookstore! ✦ E-Book and Audio (audio narrated by Jason Clarke and Lessa Lamb): https://bit.ly/STORE_Callum ✦ Signed paperback (available to US mailing addresses): https://bit.ly/Callum_PB
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
Two conflicted military men. A longing for happiness. One Lonely Diner, where people often search for a recipe for love. (The food is good there, too.)
One man plays it straight. Another grieves over a lost best friend with benefits.
Everyone thought they were meant for each other. Lance, an Air Force computer engineer, and Ryan, a former submariner in the Navy and now a military college professor, are gay men blinded by the painful wounds of their past decisions. Both men are ready for love. But because of their pasts, they’ve slammed the brakes on their desires.
Now thirty years old, a younger Ryan Ball decides he can be happy only by conforming to social expectations. So what does he do? He decides he must have a wife and kids. Though he acknowledges that he can never be straight, he is convinced that with effort, determination, alcohol and erectile dysfunction meds, he can play the necessary roles.
Vikki, Ryan’s girlfriend in high school and now his wife, begs to differ.
At thirty-one, Lance Dingle falls for his best friend and roommate, Randy, a stunt pilot who agrees to a friends-with-benefits arrangement. From Lance’s perspective, there’s a spark in their arrangement that Randy denies. Then, tragedy strikes. Lance finds himself alone and lonely, living with memories of Randy and an ever-expanding list of “what-might-have-beens.” Finally forcing himself into the dating scene, Lance discovers that Mr. Right is more elusive than he ever imagined.
Then, Callie Yenti, transwoman, drag performer extraordinaire and entrepreneur, enters the picture. She owns the popular Lonely Diner and possesses an uncanny insight into the workings of the heart.
Even the complicated hearts of her two hard-headed friends, Lance and Ryan.
A HEA gay romance.
Trigger Warning: This novel includes scenes from a sexual assault and a PTSD episode.
Tropes: Military Romance, Coming Out, Overcoming Adversity, Second Chances.
Soon, the table beside Lance became available. A gorgeous, dark-haired man with biceps on the verge of bursting through his shirt sleeves sat down. Lance noticed that he was drinking Liquid Death, often a signal that a bar patron wished to avoid alcoholic beverages. Lance also noticed that his haircut was similar in style to his own. Lance wondered if the body builder might also be a member of a branch of the military.
Lance’s face turned crimson when the man caught Lance cruising him. Rather than heightening Lance’s embarrassment with silence, the man, who also had a well-conditioned chest and stomach, asked Lance to join him.
Lance noticed the tremor in the man’s voice.
Ah, he’s an introvert, like me, Lance thought.
Lance cast him a beaming smile. “Why not? No need for the two of us to monopolize a pair of tables when one will do.”
Lance grabbed his ale—his third for the evening—and carried it with him as he sat in the chair next to the man. “My name is Lance Dingle,” he said. He reached across the table for a handshake.
“My pleasure, Lance.” A very brief pause. “Wait! I think you’re the fellow the infamous Callie Yenti has been devoting so much time finding a way to introduce us.”
“Holy shit! Then you must be Ryan Ball. Finally, we meet!”
Ryan laughed. “I guess she’s included us both in her match-making scheme.”
“It’s a talent she’s very proud of,” Lance said. “You’re an English professor at The Citadel, right? And before that, you served in the Navy?”
“Damn! She’s thorough.” Then, Ryan reciprocated with a fact of his own. “And I think I remember her saying that you’re an Air Force man.”
“Yep. That’s me. A computer geek. Not a pilot.”
The men chatted about their backgrounds, their experiences in the military and navigating the tricky terrain of being gay in the service, despite the revocation of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Naturally, there were parts of their biographies they were unwilling to share—like the sexual assault in DC and Lance’s torch-carrying for Randy. Lance unwittingly—and because of the buzz the drinks precipitated—came very close to telling Ryan how many physical similarities he and Randy shared. Fortunately, he caught himself before he provided Ryan a very good excuse to abort their conversation.
Then, Ryan popped the same question that was also on Lance’s mind. “Would you be interested in hanging out sometimes? I mean, it’s fine with me to call it a date. Y’know, to see if Callie still has her magic touch.”
But Lance had no chance to respond.
Because a nervous James Manigault appeared at their table, without his cute young diversion, and kissed Lance squarely on the mouth. Lance could taste the rum he’d drunk and smell the pot he and the young man shared before heading to the club.
Then, Lance caught a glimpse of Ryan’s face.
But a look long enough to see that sexy face fill with disappointment, vulnerability and perhaps even distress.
Abruptly, Ryan rose from his chair. It almost toppled over, but Ryan grabbed it on its way to the floor. “I don’t want to intrude,” he said. “I’ll leave you to it. And Lance? It was nice to meet you.”
Now, it was Lance’s voice that quivered. “Likewise, Ryan.”
They shook hands like two businessmen closing a deal. Ryan quickly pulled his hand away and headed toward the exit.
Lance looked with a mixture of anger and annoyance at James, who was now sitting in Ryan’s chair.
And then, James had the fucking nerve to ask if they were still on for their date the next night.
*****
Author Info:
Dann Hazel has been writing both fiction and nonfiction for more than twenty years.
Besides writing romance, he has taught high school English and journalism, college psychology and human sexuality, directed federal grants and worked as a therapist in a psychiatric hospital. His fiction genre interests include thrillers, horror, literary and gay romance. He has published the Some Like It Haute Gay Romance Series, including Room for Dessert, My Own Private Biscuit and Lonely Diner.
Nonfiction works include Witness: Gay and Lesbian Clergy Report from the Front and Moving On: The Gay Man’s Guide for Coping When a Relationship Ends.
Dann’s personal interests include reading and writing, cinema, jogging, Broadway, keeping abreast of current events and travel.
Currently, Dann lives in Central Florida with his husband, Josh, and their American Eskimo canine, Flurry.
How do I choose which heart to break? No matter who I choose, I’m going to be the loser.
Alejandro
Three years ago, Ben walked into my Portland bar and stole my heart with one look. It didn’t matter that I’m 21 years older than him. All he wants is me.
Benjamin’s beautiful smile and endless charm attract everyone he meets, including my 20-year-old daughter, Anna.
No one knows about all the things he and I have done together. And I’ve made sure to keep it from her.
My carefully constructed life built upon rules and my duty to my family is about to crumble before my eyes because she and I want the same thing—Ben.
In the end, keeping us a secret may cost me both of them. I’m in an impossible love triangle that, no matter which one I choose, I’m going to lose.
And when someone attacks my bar via social media, it’s all I can take.
So, which do I choose? Anna’s happiness? Or a life with Ben?
Ben
I knew I loved Alejandro Sanchez the moment our eyes met across the bar. There was something about the single dad and bar owner that I couldn’t get enough of.
After three long years, he’s finally okay with us. But when he refuses to tell Anna about us, I take matters into my own hands.
I’ll do whatever needs to be done to keep him in my life, even if it means accepting a date with Anna.
We Could Do This Tonight is an age gap, single dad, boss/employee love triangle romance and the second book in the We Could Do This Duet. It is the tenth book set in the Package Deal World with reoccurring characters from the original series. It is best enjoyed after reading We Could Do This Forever.
Note to the reader: If you have not read the Package Deal Series, you might find it beneficial to start there and refer to the reading order for the PD World within the books. All the books are available through Kindle Unlimited.
When the countdown to midnight started, I stepped back and leaned against the bar. Telling myself I was checking to make sure everyone had champagne, my eyes drank in Alejandro as he stood protectively over his daughter and ex-wife.
When the shouts of Happy New Year began, I turned my gaze from him. But before I could get away completely, I looked up to see him glance at me before he kissed his daughter. When he leaned down to his ex-wife, I turned my body toward the TV on the opposite wall.
Maybe next year things would be different. I didn’t know if he was interested in me, or just enjoyed the flirting we were doing. Snapping myself out of this silly funk, I put a smile on my face and went back to work.
Around one-thirty, we had almost everything cleaned up for when we closed at two a.m. Nick had just left, even though it was my night to close. He’d stayed to help me put up the chairs before heading out. When the bar was empty, I locked up behind him, then carried the last bus tray of dirty glasses to the kitchen.
I picked up the sanitized ones from the dishwasher and headed back out to restock for the next day. Alejandro had come out of his office and began turning off the lights. Every time he extinguished one, my heartbeat increased. One by one, the lights around the room went out until only the recessed lighting around the bar remained.
The volume on the sound system had been turned down low, but helped to fill the void when everyone had gone home. Adding to the ambiance, the light shining down on the sparkling glassware and the amber colored contents of the glass bottles created the illusion of flickering candles. It was romantic as hell and fed my desire for him.
Lost in my fantasies, I didn’t notice when he walked behind the bar. Alejandro stood beside me, shoulder to shoulder, as I restocked the glasses. I could see him in my peripheral vision and felt the warmth of his body radiating toward mine. His biceps were straining his shirt and his expensive cologne intoxicated me further every time he stirred the air around us.
I breathed in the woodsy scent as he reached over to hand them to me, one at a time, making me smile and slowing me down. “You don’t have to help. I can do this.”
“I know,” he said quietly, “but I wanted to. And I needed to check on you.”
Turning my head to look at him, my brow furrowed. One look at him in this dim lighting made my heart beat a little faster. “Why?”
Alejandro turned to his side to face me, then folded his muscled arms over his chest. “You looked a little sad earlier. Thought you might be missing your family.”
I wanted to laugh and tell him my family was not what I was thinking about.
I wasn’t missing them.
I’d been imagining what it would be like to kiss him.
*****
Review:
I loved Ben. He’s sweet, funny, happy, and, luckily for Alejandro, forgiving & patient. Even knowing that they are meant to be together, it takes a LONG time to get there and the progression in their relationship is slow going. (I’m not sure I could have been as tolerant as Ben was so I’m glad Beckett had us jumping thru time in the early parts of the books to show how things developed.)
Alejandro is drawn to Ben but he feels like there’s quite a bit standing in their way – their age difference, the fact that they are employer/employee, and his daughter’s crush on Ben. While they find ways to work through the first couple, that last one is really hurting Alejandro (and giving readers some fits based on other reviews). He feels like it would be wrong to hurt her, after all as her father it’s his job to protect her, but he’s getting outside advice telling him to just tell her. (And we as readers know he should just tell her. She’s like 19 years old and it’s just a crush. Plus, Ben has never suggested the feelings could be reciprocated and I’m pretty sure he has a say in this matter too.) Eventually things come to a head, thanks to a little push from outside parties, and we’re good for that HEA they deserve.
Or maybe not! I looked down at this point and realized I was only about halfway thru the book and thought how much more can she put them thru! 🙂 Just a little more apparently and of course it all worked out in the end. Although I did wonder about Alejandro a few more times – the man had some seriously wrong reactions to situations. Luckily Ben is willing to wait for him to figure things out, which of course he does and comes out all the better for it, but it is a frustrating and sometimes eye-rolling journey to get there. So, who’s ready for a bit of a roller coaster read?
*****
Author Info:
Emerson Beckett is an avid sports fan and lover of M/M romance books, Emerson loves her new career as an author. It gets even better when she can combine the two. Emerson is the co-author of The Package Deal Series and The Portland Protectors: EHM Security Series with Rheland Richmond. The We Could Do This Duet is her first solo project.
Emerson lives in North Carolina and has been married to the same man for 34 years. She is the mother of three beautiful adults, one of whom is completely responsible for her addiction to MM Romance.
Emerson is now mom to an Australian Shepherd, four cats, and a cute bunny rabbit.
Preston James did things to me. Things that had me wanting more of him and his dirty mouth, even though I knew better. Things that made my heart race. Things that made me come to realize there was more to my boss’s best friend than met the eye.
Nick Reed
As one of the bartenders at Alejandro’s Bar, I’ve seen it all. I’ve even watched my friends, Christian and Cooper, both find the loves of their life. Six years after breaking up with my college boyfriend, I’m convinced that’s not the life I’m supposed to have until forty-five-year-old Preston James makes me the target of his relentless sexy stares and his straight-forward, dirty propositions.
Maybe being the object of his desire wouldn’t be so bad.
Preston James
The first time I laid eyes on Nicholas Reed, I knew I had to have him. There was something about my best friend’s bartender that captivated me. And I always got my way. But this twenty-eight-year-old grad student has me jumping through all kinds of hoops to get his attention. There’s nothing I won’t do to prove to him I’m exactly what he needs. I’m relentless like that and I won’t stop until he’s mine.
We Could Do This Forever is the first book in the We Could Do This Duet and is an MM Bisexual Romance. Additional tropes: Age Gap; Mutual Pining; Boss’s Best Friend; Secretly Wealthy; Humor.
The gentleman, the hot mess, and a little British adventure…
Raine
Moving to London is scary and daunting, but I desperately need this job–and a redo. Okay, so I may have oversold my qualifications. That shouldn’t be a big deal, though. I mean, being an assistant’s assistant seems easy enough, and I’m a fast learner.
Hold up!
I’m already in over my head with spreadsheets, new pronunciations, and temperamental appliances. And just as I’m mentally preparing to face going home early, the big boss offers me an opportunity I can’t refuse. And I definitely should because Graham Horsham is an infuriating, complicated grumpy bear with a razor-sharp tongue, a wickedly dry sense of humor, and…I like him far too much.
Graham
I’ve been bamboozled. I’m not quite sure how I ended up with an assistant who spills coffee daily, wears wrinkled shirts, and chatters nonstop. He can’t stay, but I don’t want him to go and that’s madness. The Horsham Group is closing one of our biggest deals ever and I won’t jeopardize it. This one is personal.
Yet so is Raine.
He’s a breath of fresh air—silly, impetuous, lighthearted, good-natured, and…quite lovely. I like him more than I want to admit. For some reason, I can let my guard down with him. It’s unnerving and probably unprofessional.
But not to worry…I will not, under any circumstances, fall for Raine.
Falling for Raine is an MM, age-gap romance featuring a British gentleman, a desperate but adorable American, and a UK adventure!
What in the hell was going on? It was as though I’d entered an alternative universe. Everything looked the same, but it was different.
Of course it was Raine.
I studied him shaking hands with everyone in the shop as I shrugged on my jacket. He was…hypnotic, addicting—a cross between an inappropriate dinner party guest and a fistful of forbidden sweets when you were on a diet. He didn’t fit in this world I’d carefully constructed, yet I kept inviting him in and forgetting whatever reason I’d concocted for this to make sense.
Like now.
“Perhaps you’d like to try something on.” I stuffed my hands into my pockets so I wouldn’t be tempted to touch him.
He widened his eyes and sidled close, whispering under his breath, “Are you nuts? One shirt here costs half my rent. Unless…oh, no. Oh, no, no, no!”
“What?” I demanded, pulling him with me outside.
“Are you going daddy on me?”
“Excuse me?” I furrowed my brow, stopping under the eaves where rain sluiced off the roof and fell like a curtain around us on two sides.
“Slow your roll, G, I’m not looking for a meal ticket, and I’m not taking hand-outs. I can be talked into bedroom daddy kink, but if you want me to call you Daddy—”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, you daft man. I do not want you to call me Daddy,” I growled just as a well-dressed man stepped onto the mat next to me, pausing for a moment to close his umbrella and dart a quick look between us.
Raine pursed his lips, then burst into laughter when the man entered the shop. “Ha! You should see your face. I was kidding.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I huffed, my lips twitching.
“I’ll be good, Daddy. Don’t spank me.”
“Don’t test me.” I pretended not to notice him fanning himself with a slack-jawed expression as I gestured toward the pub on the next block. “If we stay under the eaves, we’ll stay dry, but we’ll have to hurry.”
“No need. I bet they sell umbrellas in there.”
I squinted at the tourist shop at the corner on the opposite side of the street, its windows papered with Union Jack memorabilia. “That’s crap, Ray-n.”
“So what? It’s fun crap. My treat.”
He sprinted into the deluge, dashing into the tourist shop while I stared after him. What was he doing? Now he’d be wet and stuck with a tatty tourist umbrella that would undoubtedly flip inside out at the first gust of wind.
A crack of thunder spurred me into action. I borrowed a sturdy umbrella from Ives and Harris with the promise to return it as soon as possible, then walked down the street to find Raine.
I shouldn’t have been surprised that he’d managed to make a friend in under five minutes. He stood in front of a wall stuffed with tartan throws, holding two compact umbrellas and chatting up a salesman. It took a bit of persuading to convince him he didn’t need the blanket—however, I couldn’t talk him out of purchasing two Union Jack umbrellas. I warned him that they were poorly made, but he didn’t care.
We squabbled all the way to the pub, argued over what to order, who was paying, and where to sit before finally settling into a table for two at the window. I frowned when he beamed a sunshine smile my way.
“Stop being so happy,” I teased, cradling my glass. “It’s miserable out there.”
“But it’s warm and yummy in here,” he countered, sliding his calf along mine under the table. “And you’re cute when you’re cranky.”
“I am neither cute nor cranky. I’m—okay, never mind, I am cranky. If we’d come straight here, we could have avoided the queue and had that corner booth.” I pointed at the booth currently inhabited by a gaggle of noisy businessmen. “Do you ever listen to reason?”
“Have you met me?”
*****
Review:
Sometimes reading m/m romances I’ll find their interactions to be written a little … different than I’m used to. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to find them sexy or not and the beginning of Falling for Raine fits into that category. I get the whole one night stand and anonymous sex thing but some of Hayes’s descriptions were a bit much for me. I actually started to put it down but I know Hayes writes excellent stories so I pushed through. And oh am I glad I did! I loved Raine and Graham together. And I liked that their relationship didn’t go the way I expected.
Raine needs to get away, regroup, and get past his troubles. Taking a job in London has a chance to do that, until it becomes apparent that he’s way under-qualified. And to make matters worse, he runs smack dab into a one night stand. As his new boss.
Graham didn’t expect to see Raine again but since he’s not been able to forget him maybe he can take advantage of the situation. As long as both of them agree to certain terms, most important is not getting their hearts involved. Shouldn’t be too hard, right? Right.
Raine is a delightfully positive foil to Graham’s more serious reservedness. It’s entertaining seeing Raine help Graham to relax, take life a little less seriously. To look at things and people in a different way. And to embrace a more carefree person hidden underneath his well tailored suits.
Funny, cheeky, and with a good amount of heat, Falling for Raine proves to me once again that Hayes just knows how to write stories that I love.
*****
Author Info:
Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. She loves wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and her fabulous pup, George.
To celebrate the release of Falling For Raine, Lane is giving away the Winner’s choice of an audiobook or ebook of your choice from her published works!
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
There are bad days, and there are unbelievably bad days.
When Olivia woke up, she thought it would be one of those perfect days that put a smile on her face. She had a stable boyfriend, a job that paid the bills, a terrific colleague and best friend, and no clouds looming over her perfect morning.
But that same morning, Olivia got fired. It was a bad day.
And she was dumped by her boyfriend. It was an unbelievably bad day.
She needed to think, regroup, and come up with a plan to fix the mess. What better place to get a grip on her life than the Olympic Peninsula, where she spent her childhood summers?
There, that was the plan. She would be on her feet in no time. At least, she thought she would be until she realized she was stuck in a cabin, under six feet of snow, with a grumpy, sexy mountain man.
A cabin that didn’t have a TV, Internet, or a functioning phone. Well, looking at the bright side, she had zero distractions to come up with her master plan.
She only had to avoid staring at Noah’s biceps, threatening to rip the t-shirt, or how his sweatpants hugged his toned backside.
The Grump and the Chef is an easy, short, spicy rom-com featuring a bubbly, cheerful chef, a grumpy, sexy handyman, and a rooster with a soft spot for blond curvy guests.
There were a few things that weren’t quite believable (like the idea that Olivia would have to spend months in a cabin with a stranger with no way out) but overall I enjoyed this book a lot. Olivia is fun and funny, Noah is sexy and a bit of a curmudgeon. But it doesn’t take long for Olivia’s sunshiny personality to start working on Noah. Turns out he is more grumpy by circumstance than by nature and time together has him looking at the world a little bit differently. Once they give in to their attraction he is amazing at helping Olivia realize and embrace her sexiness, her confidence eroded by past partners. While a little more conversation might have avoided a few of their troubles, their circumstances aren’t exactly normal and it makes for an entertaining HEA ending. It’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect given the rest of their relationship 🙂 From what I can find, Ashford is a new author so I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what she comes up with next.
*****
Author Info:
Wendy Ashford loves to write spicy small-town romance novels that end with a Happily Ever After. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, dog, and cat. She loves the beach during winter and walking in the snow.
She likes to read, play with Legos, and watch romantic comedies on Netflix when not writing.
What happens in the woods, doesn’t always stay in the woods …
What’s the worst thing you could do when you’re stranded in the woods with your rival? Sleep with him. That’s what.
Not only is Rowan Whitlock my sister’s ex, but we’re both vying for the contract that would save my family farm.
So why did it have to be Rowan who came to the rescue after I fell on a remote hiking trail? When the weather turned unexpectedly, we were forced to find shelter and ride out the storm. Only that wasn’t the only thing I ended up riding.
We promise ourselves what happens at the cabin stays at the cabin, but when we get back to Sugarloaf, it’s impossible to stay away from him. Those blue eyes captivate me, his strong body comforts me, and he makes me feel beautiful.
Which is crazy, right?
If only my stupid head would listen and stop this before my heart gets involved, but I keep going back because I’m already in too deep.
I should’ve known that the temptation wasn’t worth the risk because when it all falls apart, our promises are broken, and I’m afraid my heart will never recover.
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed–reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
Scorching heat, laugh-out-loud humor, and loads of heart make this sexy enemies-to-lovers, close proximity, forbidden, workplace, small town standalone romance unputdownable.
In FALLING FOR MR. BAD…
Sable Montgomery loves her single, do-as-she-pleases small-town life. She sees family often, spends her days working in her auto shop and many evenings playing at a local pub with her band, Surge. She has no desire to settle down or let any man tell her what to do. When Surge is offered what most people would consider the chance of a lifetime to tour with and open for Bad Intentions, the hottest rock band of the decade, her bandmates are all in, but she’s determined to walk away. Sable has no patience for glitz, glamour, or overinflated egos, and that includes the infuriatingly hot billionaire sent to wrangle her into submission.
Taking over as manager for his brother’s band wasn’t on business mogul Kane Bad’s agenda last year, much less negotiating with the stubborn and beautiful lead singer for Surge, but there’s nothing he won’t do for family. Including trying to stifle his desire for Sable. He needs to convince her to accept the contract, but he’d rather wrangle the sexy, headstrong, boot-wearing, tough-talking musician into his bed.
Loyalties are tested, lies are told, and greedy pleasures are satisfied. Are they just a chorus between chaotic verses, or will falling for Mr. Bad be Sable’s greatest love song?
No cheating, no cliffhangers, and happily ever afters guaranteed to leave you breathlessly in love with the fiercely loyal and wickedly naughty characters in the Love in Bloom series. All Love in Bloom books are written to stand alone or be enjoyed as part of the larger series, so dive right in and enjoy the ride!
There’s a fine line between a strong heroine with an attitude & one that is just a bitch and I think that Foster does a good job here with Sable. She’s sassy, stubborn, mouthy, and confident but has a big heart under her prickly exterior, willing to do just about anything for those she loves. She owns her sexuality and gives as good as she gets, especially when she meets just as stubborn and confident Kane Bad.
Kane is a take charge, filthy mouthed, seriously hawt hero and a great foil for Sable. He doesn’t let her get away with anything and enjoys pushing her buttons, but also understands her fears & vulnerabilities. Together they create a lot of sparks – both the good and the bad kind – and it’s a delight watching them slowly opening their hearts to each other, learning to work together to face any problems that come up.
(Can be read as a stand alone but there are A LOT of characters from other books that either make an appearance or are mentioned. Doesn’t bother me but could be confusing for some.)
*****
Author Info:
Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.
What can mend a marriage in trouble? Two meddling kids, one grandfather, and a mischievous puppy.
Nothing But It All
by Adriana Locke
Blurb:
From USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a warm and romantic novel about a marriage in trouble, two conspiring kids, and the meaning of long-lasting love.
After twenty years, the cracks in Lauren Reed’s marriage are showing. She and her husband, Jack, feel more like roommates than a loving couple. What they have in common are two wonderful teenagers, Michael and Maddie, and the same wistful question: When did it all go wrong? Now that Lauren’s decided to get on with her life—alone—divorce is inevitable.
Not to the kids. They aren’t giving up so easily.
Michael and Maddie have conspired with their grandfather to bring everyone together for a vacation in the family’s favorite summer getaway, a rustic lakeside cabin in Story Brook, Ohio. Awkward? Yep. A little deceptive? Sure. But as far as traps go, Lauren and Jack agree—the meddlers couldn’t have set one that was more scenic or filled with so many bittersweet memories.
This trip is going to be life-changing for the whole family. Fourteen days of hope, heartbreak, and unexpected possibilities—like maybe falling in love all over again.
USA Today and Amazon Charts Bestselling author, Adriana Locke, writes contemporary romances about the two things she knows best—big families and small towns. Her stories are about ordinary people finding extraordinary love with the perfect combination of heart, heat, and humor.
She loves connecting with readers, fall weather, football, reading alpha heroes, everything pumpkin, and pretending to garden.
Hailing from a tiny town in the Midwest, Adriana spends her free time with her high school sweetheart (who she married over twenty years ago) and their four sons (who truly are her best work). Her kitchen may be a perpetual disaster, and if all else fails, there is always pizza.
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance, Work Place Romance, First Love, Forbidden Love, Slow Burn
Release Date: February 15, 2204
Blurb:
When you know, you know . . .
And Drew knows. He knows he likes men—Holden in particular. He knows he’ll have to make the first move. And when he and Holden are together, Drew knows nothing has ever been more right. The problem is that Holden doesn’t know it too.
Holden knows he isn’t good enough for Drew—an ex-con is never a good bet–but that doesn’t stop him from wanting him. He craves Drew more than he wants to breathe, and that’s the problem. Between his dubious past and all the complicated family issues, Holden is afraid of hurting Drew. And that’s the one thing he never wants to do.
When two strong souls collide, the stars align and something right is born. But can love survive the storms, or will something right turn into what could have been?
Shaniel Watson is the author of the Imperfections Series. Her first book was published in 2015. She writes stories she likes to read, sultry emotional stories with imperfect characters who eventually get their happy ending.
Shaniel lives in New York and is the proud mother of two daughters.
Love is the last thing on Justin’s mind. Sure, he’s noticed the big, shy guy who comes in for his coffee every morning, but Justin doesn’t have time to indulge in a crush. After his last disastrous breakup, he needs to get his head out of the clouds and focus on climbing out of debt with his pile of part-time jobs. The singing telegram gig is the most embarrassing by far, but at least no one will ever recognize him in his ridiculous costumes. It’s temporary, just through the Valentine season.
Adam is in love. He just needs to drum up the nerve to do something about it. A daily smile from the cute guy behind the coffee counter is the bright spot in his day, keeping him going through the work week in an office filled with jerks. Especially when one of the jerks starts sending him romantic telegrams as a joke. There’s nothing he hates more than public humiliation. If he ever finds out who’s behind it, heads will roll.
Love songs, lies, and an absurd amount of glitter pave the way to a romance neither of them expected. Adam is everything Justin’s ever dreamed of, but he can never discover Justin’s terrible, fuzzy, off-key secret.
This Valentine’s Day, Cupid doesn’t miss, even if he has terrible timing.
The stares started in the parking garage and only got worse as he entered the lobby.
This latest assignment brought him to one of the four high-rise buildings that defined downtown Belleview, the biggest one, some financial firm. It stood out against the mountain landscape like alien architecture that had dropped from the sky, dark and shining and bleak beside the trees and mountains jagged with life.
Ignoring the gobsmacked expressions on the receptionists’ faces, he approached the front desk. “Hi, how you doing? I’m here to make a special delivery on the sixteenth floor.”
The older of the two receptionists shushed the other’s giggling as she dutifully tapped away at her computer. “Name?”
Out of habit, Justin almost glanced at a name badge he was no longer wearing. Instead, he passed along the crumpled order form in his sweaty gloved fist. “I represent Season’s Greetings, with a telegram delivery for Adam Hubert.”
She perked up immediately, taking in his work uniform with a slowly spreading grin. “Adam Hubert, up in IT? Oh, honey, wish I was coming with you. That’s gonna be a sight to see.”
Nothing in her words or her delivery inspired confidence. Oh well, some gigs were more difficult than others. Not everyone appreciated a personalized singing telegram. Justin had already run the gamut of reactions from delight to disgust, and now, he just wanted to get each assignment done so he could move on to the next. “Can you direct me to his office?”
“Says right there on your paper. Floor 16, room 319. I promise you’ll know him when you see him; he stands out around here. Not as much as you in that getup, but he’s never exactly blended in either. Big hulking guy, always wears a frown, nobody can get a smile out of him. Folks up on his floor call him ‘Lurch.’” She added that final aside in a stage whisper with a conspiratorial air that rubbed Justin the wrong way.
He retrieved his order form and stuffed it in his pocket. “That doesn’t seem like a very nice name to call somebody.”
“He’s not very popular. Alright, here’s your badge.” She slapped a little barcode sticker on his furry chest with uncalled-for glee. “That should let you in the right doors. Tell Charlene up in reception to call me when you get there. I wanna listen in.”
He left with a half-hearted wave, his boss’s ancient boom box weighing heavily in his hand. “Thanks.”
This book has all the corn syrupy feels you would expect from a Valentine’s Day novella. Justin and Adam together have that OTT cute & funny thing going on and the meet-cute between the two & the sweet interactions once they start actually talking to each other is just the bestest. There was plenty of awww moments and a quite a few chuckles before the end.
Being a novella, it does’t take long to get to the conflict and their happily ever after but I liked them so much I really wish we’d gotten more. I wanted to know more about why Adam feels the way he does about himself, how he is with his coworkers and others besides Justin. And I wanted more of Justin finally getting a good relationship and getting himself back on his feet. And I really wished I’d gotten a bit of a better conclusion to the “secret admirer”. I guess there’s always some of that with a novella but can we make this into a longer book, please?
But I think the fact that even with all those wants I still finished it with a smile shows that Thomas does a really good job of creating those characters and moving them through well to that HEA ending.
*****
Author Info:
A.C. Thomas left the glamorous world of teaching preschool for the even more glamorous world of staying home with her toddler. Between the diaper changes and tea parties, she escapes into fantastical worlds, reading every romance available and even writing a few herself.
She devours books of every flavor—science fiction, historical, fantasy—but always with a touch of romance because she believes there is nothing more fantastical than the transformative power of love.
Romantic Reads and Such 