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COVER REVEAL: “Elex: Sons of Hecate – Vol I” by Mellanie Rourke. Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Included!

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: Elex: Sons of
Hecate Volume I

Author and Publisher:
Mellanie Rourke

Cover Artist: Reese
Dante

Release Date: December 26,
2023

Genres: Dark Romance, Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Tropes: Hurt/Comfort

Themes: Overcoming adversity, rags to riches

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 92 000 words/320
pages

It is a standalone story and
first in a series. The other books will be coming out
in 2024.

It does not end on a
cliffhanger.

Goodreads

 

Alone, they are victims.
Together, they may topple an empire.

 

Blurb

Elex is a slave even though his father is King of
Alexandria. Disinherited once his elemental magic developed, he was banished to the
Alexandrian Legion to “learn his place” at the non-existent mercies of his new masters.
Humiliated and abused, he learns the hard way that he can’t always protect the ones he
loves.

Now the time of the Machi Thanatos approaches, a
deadly competition where Legionnaires must battle their foes and each other for the

dubious honor of a lifetime of slavery at the hands of Elusians, Alexandrians with the ability
to control Elex and his fellow Mageians by Suppressing their ability to use magic.

Elex will fight to the death to protect himself and those
he loves, but during the Machi he meets Helios, a shapeshifting Soma from the rebel country
of Illyria. Helios will fight for what he loves, too, and this savagely fierce little Mageian is
quickly adding his name to that list.

Separately they are two victims of the whims of
Alexandrian Elusians. Together, they may discover a secret that could topple an
empire.

 

Excerpt

The moonlight slowly slid across his face, casting his scarred
side in shadow. Finally, he spoke.

“What did you want me to ask you that I didn’t?” he
asked.

I closed my eyes. Fuck. He’d know if I was lying. In for a
penny.

“I wanted you to ask me if you could kiss me,” I whispered
finally. He didn’t move at my words, and I suddenly felt like the biggest idiot. How could this
beautiful, courageous, kitten-saving man ever want someone like me? Especially after just
sharing everything my own blood had done to me.

Feeling suddenly filthy, I was on my feet and pulling away
from him without thinking. “Yeah, dumb thing to think, I know. Probably been drinking too
much of that vodka.”

“That sentence was a lie,” he whispered. Then without
warning he was in front of me. He slowly reached out and cupped the back of my head and
drew me close. He was standing so near to me that I could feel his breath on my cheek. “But
that first one…”

He swept his thumb over my lips.

“Truth,” he whispered, a small, sad smile forming. He
moved even closer, his breath hot on my skin.

“Kataramenos,” he said, drawing my name out. My heart
pounded in my chest at his nearness, and my body flushed both hot and cold at the same
time.

“Kat. May I kiss you?” he asked, finally.

I swallowed hard, my nerves on fire. I couldn’t believe
someone like him might want someone like me. I couldn’t look away from his eyes, which
were brighter than the moonlight. I could see my reflection in his gaze. It was almost
unrecognizable. It was a person who was strong. Confident. Whole. Someone who deserved
something good in his world. Someone I wanted desperately to be.

I nodded, unable to form the words.

He moved forward slowly, just brushing his lips across my
own. The zap of our magics built to a vibrating hum as he licked gently across my lips with
his tongue. I opened my mouth slowly, savouring the taste of the vodka as he slid into my
mouth, the gentle heat of his body pressing against mine.

He held me like I was something…precious. Not fragile,
exactly, but something valued. I had fooled around with other Mageia in the past and been used
by Elusians against my will. This was completely different from any of that. None of those
encounters, even the willing ones, had ever made me feel cherished. Safe. Made me feel like
he did.

 

About the Author

Mellanie Rourke lives in Akron, Ohio with her spouse and their
furry menagerie of 3 young adult roommates (because ‘they aren’t kids anymore’), two
dogs, three cats, and five ferrets.

 

Social Media Links

Facebook | Facebook group

Instagram | Newsletter Sign-
up

 

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a $25 Amazon gift card, one of two $15 Amazon gift cards,

or one of five ebook copies of Mason’s Run or Nicki’s
Fight.

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Continue ReadingCOVER REVEAL: “Elex: Sons of Hecate – Vol I” by Mellanie Rourke. Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Included!

NEW RELEASE: “Bad at Being Good” by A.L. Morrow.

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Bad at Being
Good

Author: A.L.
Morrow

Publisher: SourGirl
Books

Cover Artist: Morningstar
Ashley Designs

Release Date: November 28,
2023

Genre: Contemporary M/M romance, new adult

Tropes: brother’s best friend, friends to lovers, first love, bad
boy

Themes: coping with grief, forgiveness, hurt/comfort, found
family

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 73 000
words

It is a standalone story and
does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads | BookBub

 

Available on Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, B&N, and
Smashwords

Universal Buy Link

No one is good all of the
time. Especially me.

 

Blurb

Six years ago, I promised my friend Kellan that I’d never
mess around with his little brother. I accepted it. I didn’t regret it, and I didn’t think twice
about it. Milo Sterling—the good student, perfect son, and promising dancer—was off
limits.

But that was before.

Before we went away to college. Before Kellan died. Before
I flunked out of school.

Now, I’m back home, and Milo’s different. He’s quieter and
colder, no longer a boy but a man. And that hurt in his eyes? I put it there the night I failed
to save Kellan. I have a lot to make up for. Falling for Milo, no matter how much I want him,
would be one more thing to add to my list.

But promises are meant to be broken, and if there’s one
thing I’m bad at, it’s being good.

Bad at Being Good is a best friend’s
brother/brother’s best friend (dual POV) M/M romance featuring hurt/comfort, found
family, coping with grief, and—of course—a happily ever after. Readers are advised to check
the Author’s Note for content sensitivities.

 

Excerpt

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

I ignore the next person who tries to talk to me, exactly like I
did the last. Dad’s eyes bore into me. When there’s a break in the people approaching, he
steps closer and leans over my shoulder.

“Milo, stand up,” he scolds. “These people are here to support
us. Snubbing them is rude.”

Mom comes between us immediately. She places her hand on
Dad’s arm, but her gaze is warm when it turns toward me. “David, leave him alone. He’s
going through enough right now. He shouldn’t have to worry about other people, too.”

At least Mom gets it.

Dad frowns but stands straight again. Sighing, he looks out
across the church.

Then, he scowls.

“I can’t believe that piece of shit showed up.”

I glance over my shoulder in the direction of his stare, and I see
him.

“Benji?” I whisper.

Our eyes lock, and I can barely breathe.

He came. I texted him the other night to make sure he knew
about the arrangements, but he never replied. Still, he’s here, standing way in the back
where people light votive candles. His hands are shoved in his pockets. He’s dressed in black.
And although he’ll always be my idea of gorgeous, right now he looks like hell. Gauze is
stuffed up his nostrils, and a bandage covers his nose. His bottom lip is split, and he’s got
stitches by his hairline and bruises on his cheeks. My dad really did a number on him.

“How did he even find out about the service?” Dad
grumbles.

Because I told him. I knew you wouldn’t, so I
did.

“David, let it go. He was Kellan’s best friend. He has every right
to be here.” Mom hooks her arm through Dad’s and takes his hand, holding him back before
we have a repeat performance of their fight in the ER.

But she doesn’t stop me.

I’m on my feet, making my way to the back of the church
before the next note on the organ plays. Unfortunately, Benji moves just as quickly. He
beelines toward the door, knowing he’s been spotted.

“Benji, wait!” I call.

Dad’s voice echoes behind me. “Milo, get back here. They’re
about to start. Milo!”

Fuck that. Kellan would want Benji to feel welcome. He’d want
him to know he doesn’t blame him for what happened. He’d want him to be all right.

And you know what? I want that, too.

I move faster, jogging down the aisle, taking off after him, but
he has too much of a head start. The door to the church swings open. He almost knocks over
one of Kellan’s former coaches, but he doesn’t excuse himself or stop.

“Benji!”

I know he can hear me. I know he saw me. If only he would
hold still for a second and give me a chance to explain, to apologize for my dad …

I follow him through the front door and make it down the front
steps of the church in time to watch his Range Rover pull out of the parking lot.

“Benji …”

No, he can’t go. He can’t leave me here. I have too much to
say.

He needs to know it’s not his fault.

He needs to know I love him—that I’m in love with
him.

But he’s gone.

 

 

About the Author

USA
Today bestselling author A.L. Morrow enjoys
dreaming up steamy scenes and spectacular settings—often along with a touch of magic or
myth. She believes that love is love and likes reading and writing various genres of
romance.

In her downtime (what’s
that?), A finds delight in scouring for secondhand designer fashions. She briefly lived in a
haunted mansion, once took a flight to visit Scotland for a day, and is prone to meeting
minor celebrities in random hotel elevators. She resides in the eastern US.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up

 

 

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Australia stores (winner to pick store)

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Continue ReadingNEW RELEASE: “Bad at Being Good” by A.L. Morrow.

COVER REVEAL: “In Love and Death” by Aldrea Alien

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: In Love and
Death (Spellster and the Hound)

Author: Aldrea
Alien

Cover Artist: Maria
Arteta

Release Date: 7th Nov
2024

Genres: MM Bi-awakening Fantasy Romance

Tropes: Hurt/Comfort, Forced proximity, Forbidden love, Mage/Mage Hunter, Falling for the first time/Learning to love
again, Fish out of water, Sex magic

Themes: Grief, Self-acceptance, Healthy vs toxic relationship.

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 270 000
words

It is part of the Spellster
and the Hound series and ends on a
cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Pre-Order Buy Links

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

In one day, Dylan’s whole
life was destroyed.

In one night, he may have
found the beginnings of a new one.

Blurb

Still grappling with the loss of his home, Dylan has no
choice but to head for Wintervale. His one solace is in travelling the same direction taken by
the enemy. But the truth behind the attack on the spellster tower suggests things aren’t as
clear-cut and the enemy may well be closer than they thought.

Crossing the kingdom also means remaining in the
presence of Tracker, the King’s Hound who Dylan’s repressed desire refuses to let out of his
head. The man’s gentle protectiveness, coupled with his flirting, certainly doesn’t help. It
taunts him with ideas of the night they shared in the tower becoming something more, a
thought that is no less ridiculous than remaining unleashed.

After all, it’s a hound’s job to escort or kill spellsters. They
do not disobey orders. They do not falter. And they do not fall. Especially not in love.

Excerpt

“I thought I knew my role in the world,” Dylan confessed.
“Thought I had survived the ambush because it was my fate to return home, but there’s
nothing left. No home. No friends. No life. So… why was I spared?”

Why?
Tracker knew that question well. The memory of it lay cloaked in the gloom of the Pit, where
a sallow flickering light danced upon broken and battered bodies. Even after all these years,
he recalled how thickly the tang of human blood sat on his tongue. How the only sounds
over his ragged breath were the moans of air escaping the dead, yet the loudest stunned
silence of the witnesses screamed the loudest, echoing in his mind for years after.

The knowledge that he should’ve been the one to die that
day.

A surprising outcome. That was what their mistress had called his survival. Unexpected and
problematic. She had him sent away. Officially, to be trained in seduction, but he knew it was
to have little hopes like love and family literally screwed out of him.

He’d learnt different lessons. Seduction, yes—difficult not
to when it was a requirement to remain working in the brothel’s upper tiers—but also
compassion. They couldn’t replace the family he had lost to Hunk’s betrayal, but
The Gilded Lily had offered a type of kinship. Without it, he wasn’t certain he would’ve
survived the first year.

And if he had died? What would it have been
altered? Which lives would’ve been saved or lost? The spellster protected by an entire
mercenary company? The elven woman who had spent decades feeding on the nearby
village? The countless young spellsters and would-be hounds he had aided in smuggling into
Dvärghem?

And Dylan’s fate?

He bumped the spellster’s arm with a shoulder, hoping that
gentle contact was enough to get the man’s attention without startling him. “I am no priest,
but if I remember my childhood teachings correctly, the gods do not control how our lives
play out, they merely offer alternative paths. Everything else is our choice.”

Dylan remained silent for some time. At first, Tracker
thought he hadn’t been heard, then the man spoke.

“My choices are responsible for my friends dying?”

“I did not say that and this is the last time you will speak
such a lie. No choice you could possibly make would have led to what happened.
That blame lies squarely on another’s shoulders.” Who had made that decision was an
answer Tracker didn’t currently possess, but he was going to find out. And once he did, not a
thing would stop him from dealing out the ultimate consequence. “As for why you were
spared…” He inhaled, unthinkingly breathing in the scent of magic emanating from the man.
The wisps of power might have died down, but that storm-cloud aroma remained a beacon
regardless. “I would say your strength played no small part there.”

Dylan’s face scrunched in confusion. “My strength? I could
be the strongest spellster in the world and it wouldn’t… I couldn’t…” He ran a hand through
his hair, further upsetting the already messy array. “I just feel…” His breath came out in one
shuddering exhale. “I don’t know what.”

“Helpless? Hopeless?”

“Like no matter how hard I try, I’m utterly useless in keeping
all the terrible things from happening.”

Tracker laid a hand on Dylan’s forearm. Even through the
layers of his clothes, the man’s shaking was palpable. “There was no way you could have
predicted what happened. Not the ambush, not the army, not… any other outcome.”

Dylan stared down at his hands. Unformed magic danced
around his fingertips like a rolling fog. “I can’t stop thinking I should’ve done more, should’ve
been more, then maybe they’d be alive.”

He drew the spellster into his arms, sensing the ghosts of
pure magic crackle into something tangible as Dylan stiffened in his grasp, the flash briefer
than a lightning strike.

With his ear pressed to the man’s chest, he heard the man’s
heart thumping at a tempo that suggested Dylan had spent the day sprinting down the road
rather than the steady pace they’d taken through the forest. “I cannot tell you it will get
better, that is not something anyone can judge for you. But I am here if you need me, in
whatever capacity that may be.” He didn’t know if his presence alone would be enough to
help, but he hoped so.

The man’s heartbeat slowly calmed as Tracker talked. Dylan
sagged into the embrace, his arms awkwardly wrapping around Tracker’s shoulders, his
cheek resting atop Tracker’s head. Wetness seeped into his scalp. He ignored it and
tightened his grip to match Dylan’s.

It was a while before the man unwound himself. He dried
his face, giving a self-conscious little chuckle. “I really have to stop crying all over
you.”

About the Author

Aldrea Alien is a bisexual,
multi-award-winning, USA Today Bestselling Author of lgbt & fantasy
romance.

Hailing from New Zealand,
she lives with a menagerie of animals, most of whom are convinced they’re just as human as
the next person. Especially the cats! By day, they wrangle the family. By night, they
write.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website
| Facebook |
Facebook Group | Twitter

Newsletter Sign-Up |
Instagram |
BookBub

TikTok

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Continue ReadingCOVER REVEAL: “In Love and Death” by Aldrea Alien

NEW RELEASE: “Relevant Heart” by Janice Jarrell.

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Relevant
Heart (Fearless Heart Series, Book Three)

Author and Publisher: Janice
Jarrell

Release Date: December 6,
2023

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Established Gay Relationship, Ireland, Gay Attorney, Gay
Psychologist

Length: 75 835 words/206
pages

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is part of the Fearless Heart
Series but can be read as a standalone.

It does not end on a
cliffhanger. They get their HEA, of
course!

Goodreads

Buy Links – Available in Kindle
Unlimited

Amazon
US | Amazon UK

The best wish is knowing that there’s nothing left to wish
for.

Blurb

Colin is prosecuting his first murder case, and his ability to
remain emotionally detached is challenged as the circumstances surrounding the crime
awaken his deep inner fear of losing someone he loves, a fear nearly realized when – only
two short months ago – Joshua was kidnapped and violently assaulted.

While Colin and his team gather evidence, Joshua
endeavors to create a program that will establish a bridge between veterans suffering a
mental health crisis and local police. But the effort drains Joshua’s already fragile health to a
dangerous degree, leaving Colin frantic with worry and frustration.

Meanwhile, Nate has a play opening off-Broadway and
must live in New York City for six to eight weeks… alone. It is clear from the onset that the
director has the hots for Nate – or at least for his talent as a playwright – which has David
pacing the floor in anxiety. He is happy for Nate and proud of his husband but worried about
the director’s attention and unhappy about Nate’s long absence.

By the time Nate celebrates his opening night, all four
friends are exhausted both emotionally and physically and ready for the healing trip to
Ireland they’ve been planning for months.

Colin’s breathtaking ancestral home provides many magical
moments, but an unexpected and terrifying incident leaves them shaken and questioning
the faith in each other that has always been their foundation. Will these shattering
circumstances strengthen their bonds or break their hearts and tear their relationships
apart?

Excerpt

I feel like I’ve been a bit annoying lately.” He stared down at
the sheets and huffed out a noisy breath. “I feel like ever since you were abducted, I’ve been
an impossible son of a bitch to live with.”

“That’s not true either! What is wrong with you
today?”

Colin arched his eyebrows, his expression one of comic
confusion. “No one knows.”

“Please stop being so hard on yourself. You have
not
been an impossible son of a bitch to live with. Quite the contrary. I couldn’t have gotten
through this without you.”

Colin quirked his mouth and huffed out a sigh. “Well, if I
helped at all, I’m glad.”

“You chose me, remember?” Joshua said,
cupping Colin’s cheek.

“I did,” Colin whispered. “Smartest move I ever
made.”

“Well, I chose you too,” Joshua told him. “And I
knew—even when I left you and ran home to Glencoe—I knew I could never love anyone
else.”

Colin smiled and turned his head to press Joshua’s fingers
against his lips.

“It didn’t matter that you didn’t love me,” Joshua said, his
voice soft and dream-like. “It didn’t matter at all. I was bound to you, and I knew I always
would be.” He pressed his lips to Colin’s, his fingers tightening in Colin’s hair. “Didn’t matter
that you were mad at me,” Joshua continued. “I thought you never wanted to see me again,
and even that didn’t matter.” His dark eyes met Colin’s, and they were brimming with tears.
“I was yours. Even when you didn’t want me, I was yours. Even when I believed I was the
only one who loved… I loved you.”

Colin pulled Joshua tight against his body, rocking him in his
arms. “My darling boy, you weren’t the only one who loved! Every
minute we were apart was torment for me. I was just scared that if I let you love me, I’d
somehow hurt you. Or worse… lose you.”

“You can’t lose what’s already yours.” He stroked Colin’s
cheek. “When I fell in love with you, I gave you part of me that you couldn’t give back even if
you wanted to. A part of me that’ll always be yours. My vision of who you are as a man. My
faith in who you are as a person.” He shrugged, his thumb sliding along the rise of Colin’s
cheekbone. “All that will stay even if I don’t.”

Colin drew in a quick breath; his face contorted in pain.
“Don’t talk like that!”

“Relax,” Joshua murmured, nestling against Colin’s chest.
“To quote a famous Irishman, I’m not going anywhere!”

About the Author

My name is Janice Jarrell. I
am a retired grandmother who lives in Seattle, WA. I have two children and three
grandsons. I’ve been writing gay romance since I was twelve years old, only back then it
wasn’t called ‘gay romance’. In fact, it had no name at all. It was the fifty’s, and it was
worth your life to admit to being gay, let alone confess to being a girl who constantly
fantasized about relationships between gay men. Hell, I didn’t even know what a
homosexual was. I lived on a farm out in the sticks in a tiny Michigan village and I’d never, to my
knowledge, even heard the word. I just knew I loved the thought of boy-on-boy romance. I
just knew that there was something hot going on between Tom
Corbett and his Space Cadets and all those guys on ‘Combat’.

I wrote slash fanfiction for 30
years, writing over 337 stories, some as short as 100 words (a drabble), some as long as a
series which was over 119,012 words. I enjoy writing my stories. I enjoyed the feedback I
received from my readers. It was a creative release I’d been searching for my entire life and I
blessed the Internet for leading me to this artistic oasis for my spirit.

Love’s Magic was my very first
step into writing my own characters. I will always be grateful to the slash fanfiction
community for nurturing the budding author until she was ready to blossom into a fully
realized novelist. It’s been an amazing thing to watch the gay community’s growth over
these past twenty years. My own journey has echoed theirs in many ways, and I’m grateful
to all those gay activists who fought to give the gay community the rights and privileges they
always deserved. Love’s Trials, Love’s Glory, and Love’s Lawyer were the second and third,
and forth books in the series and all four books are available in audio format on
Audible.

I’m also grateful to the gay
romance community, readers, authors, publishers and promoters, who are making these, my
retirement years, the most creative ones of my life. When I’m not writing, I’m traveling,
walking, hiking, knitting, crocheting, and weaving.

I’m very excited about the
upcoming release of my fifth contemporary gay romance novel, Relevant Law. Those of you
who fell in love with Joshua and Colin in the four previous books in this series are in for a bit
of angst in this latest episode. A dark and sinister cloud hangs over the University of Virginia
after three students are abducted, raped and beaten. Colin works with both campus and city
police to catch the perpetrator, but his hard work and effort proves futile when Joshua turns
up missing!

Despite their struggles there
are still many passionate, loving moments and the friends they treasure will be there to help
them find their way.

Social Media Links

Audible Profile | YouTube

Blog/Website |
Instagram | Facebook | Amazon Author Page

Goodreads | Facebook Group | TikTok

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Continue ReadingNEW RELEASE: “Relevant Heart” by Janice Jarrell.

RELEASE BLITZ: “Lonely Diner” by Dann Hazel.

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Lonely
Diner

Author: Dann
Hazel

Publisher: The Original
Press

Cover Artist: Josh Fippen;
Photograph by Cura Photography

Release Date: December 4,
2023

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Military Romance, Coming Out, Overcoming Adversity,
Second Chances

Themes: Dealing with Trauma, Gay in a New City, Forgiveness

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 109 000
words

It is part of a series, but each
novel can be read as a standalone.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

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.)

Blurb

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.

An HEA gay romance.

Trigger Warning: This novel includes scenes from a sexual assault
and a PTSD episode.

Excerpt

It was at this point—this question—that Ryan slammed
both hands flat against the table. He heard Diamond’s short scream and grimaced. He
lowered his voice. “Okay. Fine. The two of you want the truth? The whole truth? You’ll have
it, then.”

​He could imagine what Vikki would say. She would never
have advised handling his parents the way he intended now. ​

Ryan inhaled deeply. “For years now, I have denied a big
part of who I am. In my denial, I asked Vikki to make a sacrifice—a sacrifice of which she was
unaware for years—while I sorted my shit out. A fool’s way of avoiding the truth. It took a
stint in the Navy but finally, I did. I sorted everything out and realized I am gay. There. I said
it. And I said it without fear or shame.” ​

“Oh, dear God!” Mr. Ball’s voice boomed, echoing against
the walls of the dining room. “What kind of farce do you have in store for us next? That
you’ve fallen in love with a sailor, and with him, you intend to live happily ever after?” A
pause. Then: “Gay!” He spat out the word. “Another fad. Another trend. It’s not real. I’ve
known men who thought they were homosexuals, then after years of lying to themselves
passed, I discovered they were happily married with children.”

​“How many people have you told?” Mrs. Ball demanded.
“To what degree have you brought shame to this family?” And then, after a thought: “And
what about Vikki? Can you say with certainty that you’re really Diamond’s father? After all,
you’ve been at sea for months at a time.”

​“Wait just a minute!” Ryan’s voice exploded. “First, I must
say that your assertion is offensive—both to me and, I’m sure, to Vikki. Just because I’m gay
doesn’t mean I can’t perform sexually with a woman.” He turned to his father. “Which
probably is part of the reason why your gay acquaintances were able to pull the wool over
your eyes so successfully. Being gay is more than just sex, you know.”

​Mr. Ball glared at his son. “I am so fearful of what will
happen to this country when your generation takes the reins.”

​“Just—stop it! Just shut the fuck up! Both of you. I’m tired
of it. Tired of the bullshit.”

​The expression on both parents’ faces confirmed the fact
that their son had never spoken to them using this tone, these words. ​

Ryan lowered his voice to a subtle whisper. “What Vikki and
I are dealing with? Well, it’s our concern. No one else’s.”

​Then, a voice. Vikki’s voice. Coming from the doorway.
Diamond, still absorbed in her coloring activity in the family room.

​“Please understand. Both of you. I was able to handle your
son’s honesty. Was I deeply hurt when I discovered the truth? Yes. Of course. And I’m sure
you bear some hurt of your own. But you should not weaponize that hurt into anger against
your son. It’s important that you try to do what Ryan and I did. It took some effort, but it was
worth it. With open communication and a willingness to be accessible to one another, we
began to work things out. I know there are still challenges ahead of us, especially with our
little girl. That’s uncharted territory, to be sure. But Diamond is loved. By both of us. We will
still be a family, even when Ryan is in Florida and I’m here, in Virginia. We want both of you
to be a part of our family. But that’s not going to happen if the two of you can‘t see your way
forward to cultivate a little understanding.”

​To avoid escalating the situation even more, what Vikki and
Ryan did not say was that Mr. and Mrs. Ball would never see their grandchild again if they
could not surmount their anger, doubt and resentment.

About the Author

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.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook (Some Like It Haute) | Instagram

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions



Continue ReadingRELEASE BLITZ: “Lonely Diner” by Dann Hazel.

BLOG TOUR: “Ugly Beautiful People” by C J Bedell.

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Ugly
Beautiful People

Author: CJ Bedell

Publisher: Next Chapter
Publishing

Cover Artist: Lordan June
Pinote

Release Date: August 31,
2023

Genres: Adult LGBTQ Thriller
(3 out of 5 point of view characters are bisexual)

Themes: Coming out, Self-acceptance, finding yourself, death, grief,
loss

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 59 000 words/249
pages

The book stands alone, but it
is intended to be the first book in a trilogy.

It ends on a small cliffhanger.
Most of the plot points that happen in Book 1 are wrapped up, though.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B & N | Kobo

Welcome to Crescent Hills
where beauty only runs so deep. Scandal lurks just below the surface behind the
McMansions, designer clothes, and fancy cars. And a death will bring the lies, secrets, and
betrayals to a boil.

Blurb

Welcome to Crescent Hills, where beauty only runs so
deep. Scandal lurks below the surface behind the McMansions, designer clothes, and fancy
cars. When the town is shaken by the disappearance of journalist Ivy Fields, whispers of
betrayal and intrigue begin to unravel the threads binding its elite residents.

Audrey, haunted by her own past, is determined to
unveil the truth behind Ivy’s disappearance, hoping to find closure she never received.
Amidst this, Marcia grapples with the confines of her seemingly perfect marriage, leading
her down a dangerous path. At the same time, a young Ben navigates the complexities of
love, friendship, and societal expectations. Meanwhile, Cassandra’s life gets disrupted by a
ghost from her past.

As Crescent Hills residents confront their own
dilemmas, the shadow of Ivy’s disappearance looms large. For behind every beautiful
façade, there are secrets yearning to be exposed, and as they say, the past always finds a
way to catch up.

Excerpt

Birds screeched when Audrey opened her eyes. She
yawned, then stretched. Her back hairs stuck up. Audrey might’ve been lying on the seating
of the pontoon boat, but black no longer veiled the sky. Instead, sunlight beamed from the
cloudless sky.

Audrey scanned the boat. Ivy was gone.

Dread filled Audrey’s insides—she couldn’t think of one
logical explanation as to why Ivy would no longer be on the boat. Audrey did the only thing
she could and leaned up against the edge of the boat and peered into the water. No sign of
Ivy.

Something vibrated from her jean’s right pocket and she
whipped out her iPhone. Sawyer was calling her. “Hello?” Audrey asked.

“I wanted to see how you were doing this morning.” Sawyer
chuckled. “And don’t worry. I’m not mad you decided to have a fun night with Ivy. Just glad
Ivy texted me about you staying over at her place. Most people wouldn’t be so courteous.”

“I’m still on the boat,” Audrey blurted. “And Ivy is nowhere
to be found.”

“Come again?”
“We never went back to shore and had
dinner.”
“How much did you drink last night?”
“Just one gin and tonic.”

A folded piece of paper on the driver’s seat of the boat
caught Audrey’s attention, and she rushed over to it. “I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta go,” she said.
“I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

Audrey pressed END before shoving her iPhone back into
her pocket. Then, she unfolded the note and read it.

Dear Audrey,
I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but I’ve
been very unhappy

with my life for a long time, and I’ve decided to end my
life.

I know my suicide will probably come as a shock to you.
However,

please always think of me fondly.

Love,

Ivy

Audrey crumbled the note and it fell onto the floor of the
boat. After that, she screamed. Tragedies were supposed to be something that she watched
on the news, not witnessed first- hand. But no explanation was necessary about how cruel
life was and the universe often had a twisted sense of humor.

Tears welled in Audrey’s eyes. Nothing could’ve prepared
her for this moment, because she wanted to cry. And cry. And cry. Ivy couldn’t be dead; she
was only thirty-seven. So, she still had a little more than half her life left.

Ivy was in trouble and Audrey hadn’t seen the signs. So,

Audrey’d never forgive herself for Ivy’s suicide. Audrey had
failed Ivy, and she couldn’t fathom how she’d continue with life.

Audrey’s throat tightened. Perhaps Ivy’s death was only
meant to resemble a suicide and was really murder. There was a reason people always
touted the saying about life being stranger than fiction. Audrey shook her head. Yeah, that
had to have been it. Ivy couldn’t
have been desperate enough to commit
suicide.

The only thing Audrey was certain of was that Ivy was
nowhere to be found. And that was why she’d get to the bottom of Ivy’s death. Whether
someone murdered Ivy or Ivy actually committed suicide, there had to be more to
the story.

About the Author

Chris Bedell is the author of
over a dozen novels. He also graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh
Dickinson University in 2016.

Author Links

Twitter |
Instagram

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter
Giveaway for a chance to win

one of two ebook copies of
Pieces of My Life.

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Continue ReadingBLOG TOUR: “Ugly Beautiful People” by C J Bedell.

COVER REVEAL: “An Odyssey of Shadows” by Dion Marc

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: An Odyssey
of Shadows

Author: Dion
Marc

Cover Artist: Illustrated by
Author

Release Date: March 25,
2024

Genres: Period Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Drama, Thriller

Tropes: Ancient Secrets, Family Drama, Coming of Age, Epic Storylines
with Lots of Characters, Hero’s Journey, Greek Tragedy.

Themes: Ancient Greece meets 1945, Queer Main MCs, M/M, F/F Side
Characters. Not a traditional style romance. Fantasy First, Strong Word Building, WW2, many
different folklores involved.

Heat Rating: 3.5 flames

Length: 90 000
words

It is the first book in a new
series – The Odyssey of Theodore
Miller.

Add on Goodreads

 

Pre-Order Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

A Hero’s Journey Is a Tale
of Tragedy.

Blurb

In the wake of his brother’s
death, Theodore’s world is irrevocably shattered. Now he stands alone against the shadows
that dance at the whims of Gods. Clad in armour touched by magic and driven by a sharp
mind, he faces a world of chaos and trials of unimaginable darkness all to save his brothers

life. Each heartbeat of fear, each spark of hope, fuels his fight through a world where his
bookish smarts may be his key to survival. Yet, Gods have never been known to play fair –
especially the war god – Arēs

‘An Odyssey of Shadows’ is
the first instalment of a new fantasy series set in the year 1945, penned by Amazon
bestselling author and artist Dion Marc. This saga weaves queer protagonists and intricate
plot lines into an unputdownable read.

 

Excerpt

The air was dense, choking me
with its acrid stench. I found myself in an unending void, where even my own body seemed
to disappear into the oppressive blackness. But the silence was the worst of all—a soundless
void that made my eardrums ache with its sheer weight.

Then, a light—faint at
first—began to pulse in the distance. A scarlet bloom beckoning me closer. As I drew near,
the light revealed itself to be a door, slightly ajar, emanating an even deeper blackness than
the void around it. From within, whispers floated out, layered over each other until they
became a cacophony of desperate cries and muffled screams.

“Join us. Save us. Take
us.”

Unable to resist its pull, I pushed
the door wider. Inside was an endless expanse of contorted, writhing figures, locked in a
dance of agony. Their skin seared, peeling away to reveal muscle and bone, yet they moved
as if in rhythm to some ghastly melody.

And there, in the midst of the
tormented crowd, was Thomas. His once bright brown eyes were now hollow, devoid of
hope or recognition. Chains wrapped around his body, pulling him deeper into the throng. I
tried to scream, to shout his name, to reach out, but my voice was stolen by the void, and
my limbs were weighed down by invisible forces.

My own cries seemed to echo
back to me from the abyss until a blinding surge of scarlet light consumed
everything

 

About the Author

Bestselling Scottish Australian
author Dion Marc lives and breathes queer art. Whether he is painting, writing, sewing or
dancing naked in the moonlight he does it with pride. He is a practising Hellenistic polytheist
who believes in healing the world one hug at a time and that drinking tea without a biscuit is
a horrendous crime. Dion has worked on Harry Potter, Moulin Rouge, Hamilton and so many
more creative and flamboyant shows. You can follow Dion on Instagram
@author.dionmarc

 

Social Media Links

Facebook Group | Instagram

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Continue ReadingCOVER REVEAL: “An Odyssey of Shadows” by Dion Marc

COVER REVEAL: “Lonely Diner” by Dann Hazel.

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: Lonely
Diner

Author: Dann
Hazel

Publisher: The Original
Press

Cover Artist: Josh Fippen;
Photograph by Cura Photography

Release Date: December 4,
2023

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Military Romance, Coming Out, Overcoming Adversity,
Second Chances.

Themes: Dealing with Trauma, Gay in a New City, Forgiveness

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 109 000
words

It is part of a series, but each
novel can be read as a standalone.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

 

Pre-Order Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

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.)

 

Blurb

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.

An HEA gay romance.

Trigger Warning: This novel includes scenes from a sexual assault
and a PTSD episode.

 

Excerpt

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.

 

About the Author

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.

 

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook (Some Like It Haute) | Instagram

 

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions



Continue ReadingCOVER REVEAL: “Lonely Diner” by Dann Hazel.