When Foster McInnis’ ex-wife flakes and he finds himself with full custody of his daughter, the nanny he hires brings a new complication—an attraction he can’t ignore, no matter how hard he tries.
I love being on the ice and am grateful for my hockey career, but the off season is my favorite time of the year because it brings me my one true love—my daughter, Bowie Jane. Between my job and my ex-wife living across the country, the time I get to spend face-to-face with my kiddo is limited, though we make up for it with summers full of fun adventures. We’re thick as thieves and take full advantage of our time together, but the distance away from her is killing me.
My fortunes change when my ex walks away and I find myself with full custody. But with the hockey season looming, I know I’m going to need help taking care of Bowie Jane. Enter Mary Elizabeth Archer—otherwise known as Mazzy. Highly recommended to me through the Titans’ network, Mazzy crashes into our life like a hurricane. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met and to say I’m intrigued is an understatement. But no matter how attractive she is, no matter how I crave to know everything about her, I can’t go there. It’s inappropriate. Just wrong, wrong, wrong, even though she might be the most right thing I’ve ever known.
Being the indescribable force she is, there is soon no corner of our lives that Mazzy hasn’t impacted in a positive way. And my desire for more with her becomes far stronger than my misguided idea that I could ever resist this woman. Our attraction burns hot and keeping our eyes, hands and mouths off one another gets harder by the minute. It doesn’t take long for me to know that I’m all in with Mazzy. She’s my end game and, lucky for me, winning is my specialty.
Grab your copy of Foster directly from Sawyer by shopping the Sawyer Bennett Bookstore!
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).
Ever have someone get you so well it’s like looking in a mirror?
Cruz
Starting over is not what I had planned.
Those stories about magically becoming best friends with the person assigned to live with you… Yeah, that won’t be me. I already have a best friend. Even if I wanted a new one, Liam wouldn’t be it. He’s permanently grouchy, carrying a negative energy I don’t need since I’m finally in a good place. But I’ve never been good at ignoring when people need help, so I paste on a smile and play nice.
Predictably, Liam isn’t much of a talker, but after an unexpected accident he needs my help in other ways. Ways that offer me answers about myself. Ways that raise new questions about the football dreams I’ve been chasing since I was a kid. Ways that make me relive the past I want to ignore.
To say I’m confused is an understatement, but there’s one thing I know for certain…Liam is either the key to one door or the bolt that could prevent another from ever opening. And I have to choose which I want him to be.
Liam
Starting over is exactly what I need.
I can’t get any more invisible than I’ve been for the past few years, and I figure rooming with another person means at least one human on the planet can’t ignore me. Unfortunately, that human is Adonis personified, and not gay, so it’s looking like my invisibility streak might continue.
Then I suffer a minor accident, and Cruz’s hero complex comes out in full force.
I should be grateful to have someone to open my door and carry my books, but when you pair his selfless personality with that body… My mind starts to blur the roommate line, which makes his blur the line of not being gay.
My heart is already battered, and I doubt it can take rejection from the one person who broke down all the walls I’d built around it. That doesn’t mean I won’t try to give it to him anyway.
**Beautifully Fractured is a high-heat MM romance with medium angst that features a grumpy/sunshine relationship, forced proximity, hurt/comfort situations and a bi-awakening. This is book one in a series of interconnected standalones. Though the main characters are athletes, this is not a sports romance. Rather, it’s a romance that happens to feature people who play sports.
“So, now that we’re friends.” Cruz’s voice halts my internal rambling, and I try not to choke on my own breath as he steps back into our room wearing only a towel that does very little to hide the delicious little ‘V’ I suspected he’d have at the base of his torso. “Got any thoughts about what to do with this room?”
I swallow back the saliva pooling in my mouth as he pulls on a pair of boxers–before letting the towel drop to the floor thank God. “What do you mean?”
His head swivels around, taking in the space. “It’s kind of depressing, don’t you think?”
“It’s a dorm.”
“We might need to work on your vocabulary, Sunshine.” He tugs on a pair of sweats that do nothing to hide how round his ass is. “This place isn’t just a plain dorm room, it resembles a prison cell. Where’s the personalization?”
I force myself to look at his face. “Just because we’ve called a truce doesn’t mean you get to give me a nickname.”
“An ironic nickname.” He smiles proudly, like we’re already on our way to being best buddies, and I can’t decide if that makes me want to roll my eyes or smile back.
He’s just so…eager.
Rolling my eyes wins out, though I take my own tour of the bare white walls, plain tile floor, and worn wood furniture. “What did you have in mind?”
*****
Review:
Lenard’s first book in her newest series is a spicy slow burn. I liked that she brought readers an ace character – the diversity in characters is one of my favorite things in MM romances. Traditional MF romances tend to be … well, traditional and I love that she took the opportunity to explore.
I do struggle a little tho with New Adult age romances, especially first year college students. I’m an old lady 🙂 and recognize how much growing is done, especially through the 20s. But I also realize that there are couples that get together young and last, which can be appealing too. And Cruz & Liam have dealt with a lot so I feel like it helped them bond and matured them a bit more than your average 18/19 year old.
Speaking of them going through a lot, I hurt for these two but through luck of the residence lottery they were matched up with someone who could truly get them. And I love how their pasts made them different, with Cruz being positive & happy-go-lucky but Liam being grumpy & sullen, but it also helped them be the support the other needed.
There’re these delightful moments of humor mixed in with the steam & emotion as Cruz explores his sexuality and both of them start to become more than just friends, sharing some of their hurts. There’s also a delightful mix of side characters so Lenard has given her readers plenty of material for future stories. Looking forward to what comes next (I’m just torn on who I want it to be more).
*****
Author Info:
Hi! I’m Michele-or at least that’s the name I write under-because my parents and my kids are not allowed to read my books. Ever. Though sports romance is my guilty pleasure, I like to dabble in all MM tropes. My books are set in my home state of Colorado, because to me the mountains are the only thing that can compete with a good book. My favorite food is Mexican, my favorite shoes are flip-flops, and my drink of choice is whiskey, the same as virtually every character I’ve ever written.
Owen Doyle’s rough beginnings taught him not to form attachments, yet he’s drawn to Tyler Booth like a magnet. Their relationship has blossomed from strangers to best friends, with each twist in the journey weaving their connection tighter. But Owen has a six-year secret that’s become unbearably painful to keep. As the seams of his resistance fray, Owen will lean into a new mentoring opportunity to keep from ruining the best thing in his life.
Tyler will never regret going to jail and getting sober because meeting Owen saved his life and taught him how to trust again. Their inseparable bond has earned much teasing over the years, but Tyler doesn’t recognize himself without Owen. When he senses a yawning chasm between them, he’ll turn to mutual friends for help. Their well-meaning advice opens Tyler’s eyes to unexplored possibilities and will snap missing puzzle pieces into place.
Some hopes are too big to stifle, and some truths are too big to ignore. A photo booth, smoking-hot kisses, and honest revelations will take Owen and Tyler’s intimacy to a whole new level. But before they can achieve their happily ever after, they must unload the baggage from their pasts. Will the road to discovery guide them to the necessary healing, or are the guys destined for the highway to heartache?
Friends Like Them is book four in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. Friends Like Them contains mature themes and is intended for adults.
“Ty, I want to get pictures with you in the booth.” Owen’s voice was soft, but his suggestion landed like a bomb. That tiny, cramped space wasn’t big enough. One would have to practically sit on the other’s lap. Tyler’s mind didn’t need additional encouragement to replay the earlier fantasy.
“Ty.” Owen’s voice was more urgent as he stepped beside him. “Are you okay?”
No, he wasn’t, but an honest answer would only invite additional questions he wanted to avoid. Tyler forced a smile and said, “Yeah. I’m great. Let’s go take pictures.”
Owen responded with an excited whoop before he bounded out of the kitchen. Tyler dried his hands and trailed behind him at a more sedate space so he could coach his body and brain into remaining calm. It felt like every pair of eyes was on them as they made their way toward the booth, which looked even smaller up close. Owen reached for the door just as it swung open. Finley and Kieran stumbled out with mussed hair, swollen lips, and strips of photos in their hands. Clearly, the couples used the cramped space to suck face instead of smiling for the camera. Tyler’s heart skipped a beat before galloping like a racehorse.
“It’s all yours, fellas,” Fin said with a sweeping gesture.
Kieran winked at them as they passed by, and Tyler reexperienced the sensation he was the last to figure things out.
*****
Review:
Owen and Tyler have been inseparable since they met in prison. They’ve pretty much been two halves of a whole and we’ve just been waiting for them to finally realize that they were meant to be something more. They’ve always been supportive of each other so it’s a pretty easy transition to a loving, romantic relationship. While there wasn’t a lot of drama in the change, I loved this opportunity to understand their histories and how they got to this point.
I don’t know how Walker keeps giving us such great couples. I saw a few reviews that complained that not much happened or that there wasn’t a lot of angst. Maybe it’s because there was a lot of expectation about what would happen because it’s been hinted at in the previous stories. What we get is a smooth shift from friends to lovers and I’m all for it – I absolutely loved these two together.
*****
Author Info:
Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.
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Kieran Sullivan is broken when he arrives at Redemption Ridge. A wrongful conviction and twenty months in lockup will do that to a man. The ranch is a place for second chances and fresh starts, but for him, it’s an opportunity to discover who set him up. Get in, get answers, and get out. The plan sounds easy enough until Kieran meets an equine specialist whose sunny smile could warm the coldest heart.
Finley Ashe is a sucker for bruised spirits and sad eyes. The horse whisperer and broken-boy magnet is six months into a hiatus from love when Kieran, the king of emotionally unavailable men, gets assigned to work under his supervision. Mutual attraction is gasoline on proximity’s flame, testing Finley’s resistance in new ways.
Priorities shift, shields come down, and truths get exposed. Will the inevitable combustion redeem Kieran and Finley or consume them?
Guys Like Him is book one in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. Guys Like Him contains mature themes and is intended for adults.
From New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster comes The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Redemption Ranch, a small-town, big-family series of standalone romance novels featuring fiercely loyal, insanely sexy bikers who give horses—and people—a second chance. Buckle up for a wild ride in Hope Ridge, Colorado, as these big-hearted badasses and their sassy sisters wrangle in their forever loves. No cliffhangers, no cheating, and always a happily ever after.
A Taste of Whiskey
The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Redemption Ranch
by Melissa Foster
Releasing April 10, 2024
World Literary Press
Blurb:
Sasha Whiskey is done with always doing the right thing. She’s ready to wrangle in the one man not looking to be caught, and give him a taste of Whiskey. With any luck, one taste won’t be nearly enough. Come along for the steamy, emotional ride in this friends-to-lovers, forbidden romance.
Equine rehabilitation therapist Sasha Whiskey has everything she needs right there on Redemption Ranch—a job she’s passionate about, a loving family, and Ezra Moore, the sexy single father who went from trying to nail her as a belligerent teen to keeping his distance as a successful therapist and the person to whom she compares every other man. She’s done with comparisons. She wants the real thing. But going after what she wants means risking everything they’ve both worked so hard to achieve. If only dating co-workers weren’t forbidden.
If you’ve read any of the Dark Knight’s stories you know exactly what you are going to get – fiesty, strong women and the big-hearted men who love them. I like that Ezra isn’t quite as much of a borderline alphahole as some of them can be. He cares deeply for Gus, Sasha, and everyone else in his found family. Thanks to some scars left over from his own childhood, he does everything to show them love, care, and attention. But he’s got a little bit of the devil in him too when it matters 😉
Sasha, like all Whiskeys, is all huge heart and spirit. She’s in deep with Ezra and his adorable son but, believing it can never be more, she’s tried hard to move on … which is going about as well as can be expected. Full on respect to her for being willing to give it one more shot to get what she really wants. There’s a lot at stake for both of them but it could be worth everything!
I loved this chance to see Sasha & Ezra figure things out. We’ve known since day one that they belong together, they just had to finally take that plunge. Foster could easily have gone heavy-handed on a few different aspects of their story but she balances it perfectly. There’s a delightful mix of the will-they-won’t-they push & pull as they decide how much longer they can resist the feelings between them, followed delightfully by their exploration of this new aspect to their relationship. With a very Whiskey HEA ending, of course. Can’t wait to see what comes next!
(Part of a series, but I felt like this is one of the ones that more easily can stand alone. Of course, there’s so many characters that it’s nicer when you start from the beginning – and there are only a couple to catch up here – but some are more self-contained than others.)
*****
Author Info:
Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling and award-winning 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.
Is it wrong for me to want the world to know I’m in love with Patrick Griffin and have been since we were eight-years-old?
Patrick Griffin
I hurt him. I didn’t mean to.
Now he’s gone, and I deserve it.
As a linebacker in the NFL, I’ve never found the right time to come out of the closet. Not even when I promised Cole I would.
But now, with Cole’s band, Fallen Angel, in the spotlight along with my team, the pressure is mounting. Everyone thinks we’re just best friends, but the weight of my secret is tearing us apart.
And it just might be too late to save us when I can.
Cole Bradley
Is it wrong for me to want the world to know I’m in love with Patrick Griffin and have been since we were eight-years-old?
He is the love of my life, but it’s been years of waiting and excuses.
All our friends, even his teammates, have a public life. So why can’t we?
He promised it would be different in Portland.
But then he tells yet another reporter he’s single. I need a break. It’s perfect timing since our band is heading out on tour.
I don’t know if I can live without him. But I don’t think I can do forever in the closet.
It’s always been Patrick for me, but is it too much to ask for the world to know he’s mine too?
The Linebacker is a secret romance and childhood best friends-to-lovers MM Romance. It is book two in the Portland Protectors-EHM Security Series and the eleventh book in the Package Deal World.
To maximize reader enjoyment, it is highly recommended to read the other books in the Package Deal Series, as well as book one, The Rockstar. Series reading order can be found at the beginning of each book.
Content Warning: Referenced off the page homophobic violence toward an off the page character, and an automobile accident.
The luxury suite in our high-rise hotel was dark as I stood looking out the window. The only light that crept in was from the lights shining over San Francisco. It had a magnificent view of the water during the day that was dark and moody now. It was really kind of prophetic.
I heard the door lock disengage in the silence as Patrick entered the room. The air stirred around him and brought the smell of his cologne and body wash to my nose. My heart throbbed at the thought of leaving him tomorrow, but I knew in my gut that it was what we needed if we had a hope of surviving.
Strong, warm arms wrapped around me and pulled me back into his chest. “Babe, why are you standing here in the dark?”
There were so many things I wanted to say but chose not to. “Just looking at the city. It’s really beautiful from up here.”
I tilted my head to the side as Patrick placed kisses down the side of my neck and onto my shoulder. His familiar hardness pressed against my ass and made me long for him, even though I was standing right here, wrapped in his arms.
“I need you,” he murmured against my skin. There was an unmistakable edge to his voice. His big hand went to my middle and held me in place against him.
“Patrick, we need to talk.” I was fighting to keep my emotions down, but I knew I was going to lose.
He loosened his hold just enough to turn me around to face him. Warm caramel eyes met my blue ones as the smile slipped from his face.
“What’s wrong? You feeling okay?”
I slipped from his arms and went to sit on the sofa. Patrick followed me, his handsome face now missing the smile I loved.
“We need to talk about the tour.”
Patrick unfolded his six-foot-five body from the sofa and got on his knees in front of me. He wedged himself between my thighs and took my face in his hands. Looking into them, he pulled my face to his.
“I know things are strained between us, but can we please have tonight to celebrate and just be you and me? Forget the world and everyone in it. Just me and you, like we’ve always been.”
“Patrick,” I whispered, the emotion thick in my throat before he sealed his mouth over mine. His tongue slipped past my lips, and I sank into his warmth, wrapping my arms around him. I wanted to stay like this forever.
*****
Review:
When we were given a teaser of what happened between these two at the end of The RockstarI knew I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. As soon as it hit my Kindle, I dropped everything to read it. And it did not disappoint.
My heart broke when Cole had to make the decision to walk away. I understood why, what drove him to do something that would hurt them both so much, but it wasn’t easy. It was important, though, because it finally made Patrick address his choices and what he wanted going forward.
OK, so I did have to suspend belief just a little bit that Cole didn’t know why Patrick was so hesitant to come out. That being as close as they were for as long as they were, he didn’t know what happened. But once I let that go, I could appreciate the way that they addressed it and worked to move past it. There were serious considerations given to handling it in a healthy manner.
There are a lot of feels here, think big angst, which was to be expected. These two obviously love each other but sometimes that’s just not enough. And working their way back to a place where they can be together wasn’t going to be a quick fix. My hearts ached along with theirs as they face an uncertain future. And lifted when they finally found their way to a HEA.
While you can read this as a stand alone, it is probably better to have read the other books. There are a lot of couples amongst these friends and none of them had an easy path to their HEA 🙂
*****
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.
For as long as she can remember, Rheland’s had her nose stuck in a book, getting lost in the world of someone else’s creation (She still does). Her love for writing came from her love for reading. She could never have one without the other.
Writing has always been a hobby and a cathartic experience for her. There are many stories lost to the never to be completed or published pile but needed to be written at the time.
She’s just a girl that loved stories so much she decided to write hers.
Rheland would love to hear from her readers and learn more about y’all. So if you get a chance… Get in touch.
Check out Book 1 in the Portland Protectors- EHM Security Series – The Rockstar – the first book in the sexy new bodyguard series set in the Package Deal World.
Adam Spencer – “The Rockstar”
Here’s what I know — some people aren’t meant to find love.
And as much as I want to be someone’s everything, that’s not meant for me.
After a painful breakup, I channeled all my hurt into a song that has skyrocketed my band, Fallen Angel, to the top of the charts.
Now I need protection from the one person who was supposed to love me no matter what—my mother.
Whether I want him or not, I now have a sexy, silver-tongued southern charmer as my 24/7 bodyguard.
I’ve tried not to fall for him, because I don’t do relationships. They hurt too much.
But Michael has me thinking I could take one more chance to find love.
Or was I meant to be alone like I thought all along?
Michael Coleman – “Phantom”
I’ve always been a protector. During my career as a Navy SEAL, my duty was to protect my four best friends.
Now I need to protect the sexy rock star I love flirting with every time he walks in the door to our EHM office.
Adam Spencer lights me up like no one ever has. And that’s saying something.
I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him, even from himself.
Have I finally found the love I’ve been hoping for with the Rockstar?
The Rockstar is a flirty, friends-to-lovers, bodyguard and rockstar MM Romance that takes place in the Package Deal Series World. It can be read as a stand-alone book.
Trigger Warning: There is off the page reference to physical abuse to a minor. Off the page domestic violence and death of a mentioned character.
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?”
*****
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!
I’ve been in love with my best friend and roommate since the first day of boarding school over a decade ago. But Preston has always been oblivious, obsessed with his PhD research, and more importantly, straight.
When the new, sexy grad student walks into my gym, I have to wonder… is it time for me to move on?
Preston
Some guy is trying to steal my best friend. I won’t let him. Sawyer’s mine.
Maybe I haven’t appreciated Sawyer enough over the years, but that’s going to change now. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him by my side. Even if it means kissing him.
Stacked is a best friends-to-lovers, bi-awakening, nerd/jock MM romance between possessive, protective, and co-dependent roommates. Expect the most tender caretaking, slipping into each other’s beds in the middle of the night, and adorable clinginess. It is the second book in the Mars Fitness series and can be read as a standalone.
In the doorway is another boy, shorter than me and scrawny. The school uniform he’s wearing is wrinkled, one pant leg is caught in a sock, and the tie is loose and off-center. He’s got a mop of black hair and thick black-framed glasses, but what really catches my attention are his eyes.
They’re blue. Like the ocean. Like the sky. And they’re zeroed in on me with such intensity that my lungs stop working. My brain stops working. The only response I’ve got is whoa and cool.
Beside me, Mom clears her throat and steps forward. She puts on her mom voice when she speaks. “This is Sawyer and I’m his mom, Ms. Paige. He’s moving into this room today. And you are?”
The mom voice works because the boy shrinks back and clutches the textbook he’s holding closer to his chest. “Preston Boyer,” he says, eyeing Mom warily.
“So nice to meet you, Preston.” Then she hooks her thumb over to my side of the room. “Would all this be yours?”
Preston’s eyes dart from Mom to the bed, piled high with clothes, to me. There’s a little furrow in his brow like he’s trying to think of a response and drawing a blank. Like maybe all this stuff isn’t actually his.
Then he blurts out, “You’re not my roommate.”
Mom’s in front of me, so I can’t see her face, but I know exactly what it looks like. Her eyebrows are halfway up her forehead and her lips are pursed into her “What did you just say?” expression.
Oh shit. Preston’s in trouble.
“As a matter of fact, he is. Sawyer’s enrolling as a student at Westbourne and he’s been assigned to this double room. So your choices are to become friends and get along or find another room to sleep in. Either way, you need to move your things. Now.”
With each word coming out of Mom’s mouth, Preston shrinks into himself even further. I kind of feel bad for him, even if he’s being a jerk. Getting on Mom’s bad side is never a good idea.
“Hey, Pres. What’s taking so long?” A pretty blond girl wearing a cheerleading uniform materializes behind Preston. It takes a second for her to notice me and Mom in the room. “Oh! Hi! You must be Sawyer.”
She squeezes past Preston and approaches Mom with a big smile plastered on her face. The girl is brave. “I’m Madison. Preston’s girlfriend.” She extends a hand for Mom to shake, then does the same with me.
“Mads!” Preston hisses like Madison is consorting with the enemy. “What are you doing?”
Madison glances back at him. “I’m welcoming them. Come on, Pres, don’t be a jerk. You knew you were getting a roommate.”
“No, I didn’t!” Preston shuffles into the room, staying behind Madison like she can protect him from Mom. Madison looks like she can hold her own, but no one can stand in Mom’s way if she’s determined.
“Yes, you did.” She rolls her eyes and turns to the mess on Preston’s desk. “The Residence Office sent you a letter, remember?”
She shuffles through his things, tossing them around as Preston’s expression grows pained. He’s probably one of those people who has some weird ass filing system that only makes sense to them.
“Here it is!” Triumphantly, Madison holds a crumpled piece of paper high in the air. It’s the same thick cream-colored stuff that my acceptance letter was printed on. “Sawyer Paige. Moving in September twentieth. Please clear away any personal items that have been stored on the other side of the room.”
As one, we all stare at the personal items that have definitely not been cleared away.
Silence stretches for long moments before Madison breaks it. “No worries! I can help! It shouldn’t take too long.” She marches over with a big grin and grabs a stack of books off the desk.
“No! Wait!” Preston drops the textbook he’s holding and reaches for the ones in Madison’s hands. “You can’t just move stuff around! I have a system!”
Ha. Called it. This guy is strange. Living with him is going to be a drag, but at least I don’t have to worry about being the token loner.
“Fine, here, I’ll hand you the stuff and you put it wherever you want, okay?” Madison takes him by the shoulders and spins him around so he’s facing his side of the room again. “Just keep it all over there.”
Did she say she was his girlfriend? How the hell did a confident, pretty cheerleader end up with this disaster of a guy? I exchange a look with Mom, who has to be thinking exactly the same thing.
Then she sighs and pats me on the shoulder. “Looks like you’re all going to get along just fine.”
It’s going to be a long year.
*****
Author Info:
Linden Bell writes contemporary MM romances that heat you up and make you smile.
Check out Book 1 in the Mars Fitness Series: Ripped
Sometimes heartache is a blessing in disguise.
I thought my life was perfect. I lived with my amazing boyfriend. I worked with my ride-or-die best friend. I was on track to made-it-ville.
Then I came home one day to find my boyfriend sleeping with my best friend.
Now I’m lost with no one to turn to except Donnie, the silver fox who lets me crash at his house until I can figure out what the hell went wrong and how I’m supposed to fix it.
But once I’m there, I’m not sure I want to leave.
Donnie’s a lot older than me and he’s still grieving the death of his husband. My life is a trash fire and my career is non-existent. He’s a svelte spin instructor and I’m a film geek. We couldn’t be more different, but we need each other like we both need to breathe.
So maybe my boyfriend sleeping with my best friend wasn’t the worst thing to happen. Maybe it was the best. It brought me to Donnie.
Ripped is an age gap, nerd/jock, opposites attract MM romance between roommates who cuddle on the couch while watching classic movies. Expect steamy shower rooms, teary confessions, disapproving family, and brand new starts. It is the first book in the Mars Fitness series and can be read as a standalone.
CW: off-page sudden loss of a spouse, off-page homophobia, cheating secondary characters. Happily ever after guaranteed.
A marriage proposal from a deliciously handsome and wickedly charming prince sounds like a fairytale.
But for a nerdy scientist with severe social anxiety,it’s a horror story.
Prince Torin O’Grady, with his mischievous blue eyes and cocky grin, is always in the spotlight. And he needs to marry me to inherit the crown.
But we have nothing in common. He’s a future king. And I’m perfectly happy slogging through mud in my work boots.
So why can’t I stop thinking about him?
Maybe because he won’t stop texting me. And sending me gifts. And making me feel like everything I find awkward and weird about myself is special and amazing.
And there’s also that little detail of him offering me my dream job and telling me that together we can change the world.
Well, I could probably 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 for him.
And if I have to marry him 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 to get what we both want, then fine. It’s for the greater good.
It has nothing to do with the way he kisses me. Or that dirty mouth. Or the 𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵he gives me in the bedroom.
Fine. Maybe it does. Still, it’s only a year. Then I can turn in my tiara and come back to my normal, boring, behind-the-scenes life.
But Torin is determined to turn me from reluctantly royal to royally 𝘩𝘪𝘴.
NYT & USA Today bestseller Erin Nicholas is writing this fun new modern royal romance under her new pen name Erin Nicolle!
She presses her lips together, takes a breath, then asks, “What else do you want?”
I decide to be honest. “I want to whisk you away on my private plane to an actual palace and give you everything and anything you could ever want or need.”
Her eyes widen. “You don’t even know me.”
I tuck my hands into my back pockets. To try to look casual. But also to keep from reaching for her.
“I’ve read all about your work,” I tell her. “I started by just wanting to know about that job you said you hated so much. But then I kept reading. I know all about you.”
She’s staring at me. She’s sitting up straighter now and even in the pale light, I can see her shock.
“You…read about me?”
“Not just about you. I read all of your papers. Your work in college. Your dissertation. The articles you’ve published. I even stumbled upon some social media posts.”
“I…Oh…” She shakes her head. “I thought you wanted to sleep with me.”
I chuckle softly. “Oh, Abigail, I most definitely want to sleep with you.”
She swallows hard.
“I wanted that before I knew you are a damned genius who could come to my country and revolutionize agriculture and completely overhaul our economy.”
I can see that she’s breathing faster now.
“So you want to hire me?” she asks. “Which means we can’t sleep together because you’ll be my boss.”
I step up on the first step.
“I don’t want to hire you. But I do want to bring you to Cara to do your work.”
“I don’t understand.”
I step up onto the next step, but she doesn’t back up. There’s only a step between us now. “I want you to marry me.”
Her eyes widen. But she says nothing.
“Be my princess,” I go on. “You’ll have influence and resources. You can do anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to do.”
She’s staring at me. Then when she realizes I’m done talking, she laughs.
“Marry you? Is that how things work for you? You just smile that smile, waltz a couple of waltzes, and women just say yes to anything? Even marriage?”
Well…
“I’ve never asked anyone to marry me before, so I don’t really know,” I answer.
She’s still smiling. “Thank you for the offer. But I’m not going to marry you.”
“As princess of Cara you can see your plans in action. Right now, they’re all just on paper. You’re not actually doing any of it. Don’t you want to see it come to life?”
Now she’s not smiling. She’s just watching me. She takes a deep breath. “Of course I do.”
“This is the perfect way. There’s no red tape. Nothing between your amazing brain and making it all happen for real.”
“What’s the catch?”
“No catch. My country needs a prince and princess in place before my grandfather steps aside. The country deserves to know who will be there to step up and take care of them. My grandfather needs a successor in place before his heart gives out.”
“He has a bad heart?” she asks.
“He’s already had three heart attacks. I really need to get married to give him and the country peace of mind.”
“So you’re serious about finding a wife?”
“I am.”
She steps down a step.
“Abigail.”
“Yes?”
“If you step down one more step, I’m going to kiss you.”
She wets her lips.
“So if you want to just keep talking, you need to keep your sweet ass right there on that step.”
She looks down at the step that would start the kissing.
“And if you don’t want to keep talking…or anything else… you need to go back inside.”
She’s staring at me. But she seems more fascinated than anything. “Okay. I understand.”
“Good.”
Two heartbeats pass.
Then she steps down onto the step right above mine.
I groan and cup her face, bringing her mouth in against mine.
*****
Review:
Pretty sure that there isn’t a better book boyfriend (or husband) than Torin. He’s hot, caring, and intelligent. He listens to Abi, really listens, and does his best to make her world perfect. He supports her and helps her navigate difficult situations. He gives her gifts that actually matter to her and makes sure that ALL of her needs are met *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* 🙂
Not that Abi doesn’t do what she can to support him in return. She believes in him and helps him embrace his future as a monarch, leading Cara into a delightful future. But no one can do it with the flair that Torin does.
I appreciate that we avoid what could have been a huge conflict towards the end. Instead we are given a satisfying slide into a HEA and a glimpse of a delightful future. Erin has always delivered the heat and the fun, continuing to do so with a new series and a new name, and I’m so looking forward to what she has in store for us next.
(Can be read as a stand alone but there are character appearances and references to previous books.)
I’ve given up on love by the time tall, dark and handsome sweeps me off my feet — literally.
Mal
Everyone around me is sickeningly in love. And I’m happy for my friends. I really am. But when is my turn coming? Why am I still a disposable hookup?
I’m ready to give up on love entirely by the time a bunch of drunk jocks decide to jump me on my way home from the Boyfriend Café. But before a single punch can fall he sweeps in, my dashing hero, my literal tall, dark and handsome, the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.
Please tell me this isn’t a dream.
Omari
The second I hear a scream I run toward it without thinking. My own teammates are threatening someone, and I rush in to stop them. But the man I save is … beautiful. And funny. And smart. And he brazenly gives me his phone number right then and there.
He has no idea that he just gave his number to the most hunted man at this university.
I’m Omari Carter, a football player everyone assumes is destined for the pros. Scouts are hounding me. Coach is pushing me to decide on my future. My whole family is depending on me. But Mal doesn’t know or care about any of that.
With all the expectations weighing me down, I don’t have time for love. So why can’t I walk away from this?
Mint to Be is an opposites attract MM romance with a major size difference, a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, an athlete meeting a lovable fashion nerd and spicy open door scenes.
Broccoli cocks his hand back. I stumble away, but I’m not looking and my foot catches on the curb. I fall backward onto the sidewalk, screaming in terror as I thump to the ground. It’s a real scream, too, a full-throated shriek of panic as my doom approaches. I cover my head in my hands. It won’t do a bit of good, but I don’t have anything else to protect myself with. I can’t run. I can’t hide. I can’t talk my way out of this. When that fist comes down on me, I’m pulp on the sidewalk.
“Hey. Assholes.”
Everything stops as someone shouts at the football bros. Broccoli hesitates, his fist in the air, his dumb neanderthal face going slack with surprise as he sizes up the man sprinting toward us like his shoes are on fire. Seriously, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone that fast in my life.
He doesn’t slow down when he reaches the group, either. He keeps running, slamming into Broccoli and tackling him to the pavement. They grunt and shout, but the new guy has the upper hand. He doesn’t seem drunk, for one thing.
“Cut it out, Derek,” New Guy says.
“Fuck, Omari, what the hell? That really hurt!” Broccoli says.
“As much as it would have hurt that dude you were about to punch? What is wrong with you, man? You really think Coach won’t sit your ass on the bench for that shit?”
“I don’t know, man. I was drunk. He was in our way. He said some shit. I got mad.”
“Well, get un-mad. Real quick. And then get the fuck out of here, understand?”
Broccoli nods, and New Guy lets him up. I’m still on the ground, mouth agape as I watch this interaction play out. The other guys in the group all mutter apologies before they drag their buddy away. And then it’s just me and that new guy, the one they called Omari.
He turns toward me, and I instantly forget how to breathe.
People jokingly call Albert tall, dark and handsome, but this guy is literally tall, dark and handsome. He might be taller than Albert, and he’s built from nothing but lean muscle. His every movement bears an athlete’s grace. When he looks down at me, his eyes are deep and vast and dark, nearly as dark as his close-cropped hair and beard. He extends one smooth brown hand toward me.
“Are you okay?” he says.
I don’t know how to answer that with my heart flailing around in my chest.
I just got superhero rescued by the most gorgeous man on this entire campus.
*****
Review:
Readers are gonna have to be ok with a bit of a rollercoaster with Ray’s newest. Omari is really conflicted about his future and struggles with how Mal & their attraction for each other can fit into it. Getting both of their POVs helps to see where each of them are coming from so you understand Omari’s struggle. I think my favorite part is that both of them have people there for them. Mal is a little bit better at embracing that support, I think because of how they’ve all been there for each other up to this point, but once Omari accepts they want to help and want the best for him, it leads to a satisfying ending.
There are some complaints about how Omari treats Mal and how Mal reacts, but I remember what it was like to be in college so this really struck true to me. Usually it didn’t end in a HEA tho so I’m pleased that Mal & Omari were able to figure things out. And the way that Mal is able to help Omari figure things out is just the sweetest.
*****
Author Info:
F. A. Ray started writing fiction as a child and has never stopped. When they aren’t writing, they enjoy rock climbing and hiking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where they live with their partner and cat.
Visit linktr.ee/faraywrites to find out more. You can also sign up for my Patreon, where I post WIPs, updates, bonus scenes, deleted scenes and short stories that don’t appear anywhere else.
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.
Romantic Reads and Such 