Novellas & Short Stories

BOOK BLAST: “The Hidden Heart” by Patrick Bryce White

BOOK BLAST

Book Title:  The Hidden Heart

Author:  Patrick Bryce Wright

Publisher:  JMS Books

Cover Artist: Written Ink Designs

Release Date:  April 26, 2025

Tense/POV: third person, past tense, single POV

Genres:  Sweet MM Contemporary Romance

Tropes:  Co-worker to boyfriend, silver fox, age gap, May-December, size difference, boss-employee, workplace romance

Themes: Wounded guy finds love, found family

Heat Rating:  1 flame

Length:  20 000 words/ 60 pages

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

Goodreads

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Ellis Isaacs falls in love with his new boss, silver fox Richard Quillen, but worries Richard will find him inaccessible or cold. Will the older man see Ellis’s true heart and return his feelings?

Shorter blurb

At the Kissinger-Mann detective agency, the mystery of love is solved just as often as crimes. When detective Ellis Isaacs joins the agency, he falls in love with his silver fox of a boss, Richard Quillen. But Ellis worries Richard will find him inaccessible or even cold. Will the older, wiser man see Ellis’s true heart and return his feelings, or will Ellis’s heart remain hidden?

Longer Blurb

At the Kissinger-Mann detective agency, the mystery of love is solved just as often as crimes. When detective Ellis Isaacs joins the agency, he falls in love with his silver fox of a boss, Richard Quillen. However, Ellis faces two big problems: He tends to fall for straight men, and even when he doesn’t, Ellis’s ex-boyfriends claim he is inaccessible or even cold. Also, he has no idea how Richard will react to the age gap between them.

As Ellis works hard to spend time with Richard outside of work, problem after problem unfolds. Is Richard straight, or is he already dating a male co-worker? Is the age gap a problem, or is the issue Ellis’s reputation for being cold? Will this older, wiser man see Ellis’s true heart and return his feelings, or will Ellis’s heart remain hidden?

Excerpt 

Ellis steeled himself and headed across the hallway to Richard’s office. On the strength of the single donut he had eaten on the way there and half a cappuccino, Ellis paused in the doorway and gathered his nerve. It was time to ask the man out for coffee. 

Richard was already seated at his desk, wearing a dark gray suit and a maroon bowtie. He read over papers that filled a manila folder. As expected, he was breathtakingly handsome. 

Ellis took another sip of cappuccino for courage and then spoke. “Sorry to interrupt you, but I have a question.”

Richard glanced up. “Hm?” He met Ellis’s gaze and gave him a smile. “Not at all. What is it? I’m always here to help.”

If only you could help in the way that I wish you would. “I’d like to get coffee with you sometime this week. At lunch, maybe? Or tomorrow morning? We could even go after work, if that’s better timing.” Ellis’s heart pounded. He always hated this part: setting himself up for rejection.

“Well, sure,” Richard said. “Be glad to. We could get some coffee tomorrow morning if you’re an early bird like me, or we can have lunch. I know a café not far from here that has great sandwiches and decent coffee.” He looked curious, one eyebrow lifting, although he didn’t ask any questions.

“Lunch is perfect,” Ellis said. “Let’s shoot for noon today.” This was the closest he had ever gotten to asking an older man out on a date. Despite his miserable track record with men in general, he’d managed to go on dates with men his own age. That was how he knew he wasn’t interested in getting serious with any of them. At securing a lunch with Richard, Ellis felt a smile threatening to overtake his face, and his heart still raced. “We can always leave a couple of minutes early or late depending on how our mornings go.”

“True,” Richard said. “All right. As soon as you’re ready for lunch, stop by. I’m just doing paperwork today.” There was a kind twinkle in his eyes. 

“Great!” Ellis headed up to the third floor to his office, his dour Monday morning officially turned around. I asked a silver fox out for coffee, and he actually said yes.

About the Author 

I’m a quirky English professor with tattoos, piercings, and an addiction to supernatural thriller, horror, fantasy, and science fiction. I’m proudly neurodivergent, third gender, and a trauma survivor, all things often reflected in my novels. I have degrees in both English and psychology, both of which inform my writing. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, off-road biking, and pyrography.  

Author Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |   Medium.com  

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Giveaway 

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one of five ebook copies of my sweet romance MM short story, Dancing at the Edge.

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NEW RELEASE: “Forbidden Lust” by Oliver Takely. Rafflecopter Giveaway Included!

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Forbidden Lust

Author: Oliver Takely

Cover Artist: Emily’s World of Design

Release Date: June 6, 2025

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance

Tropes: Forbidden love, age gap

Themes: Insta love

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 33 000 words

Each book in the Sinful Knights series is a standalone and can be read in any order.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link   |  Amazon US  |   Amazon UK 

Two hearts, one secret connection: will lust turn to love?

Blurbette

Josh meets Daniel, a successful lawyer twenty years his senior. Their passionate weekend blurs the line between lust and love. When it is revealed Daniel’s best friend is Josh’s secret father, he must choose between financial security and the chance for a future with the man of his dreams. Will this forbidden love conquer the odds? 

Full blurb

In the City of London, Josh works tirelessly to provide financial security for his younger sister, following the tragic deaths of his parents. He longs for a connection with his birth father who doesn’t want Josh to wreck his perfect life. Mature beyond his years, Josh craves the love and stability of an older man to anchor him.

Daniel, a wildly successful lawyer, works hard and plays even harder. His heart is closed to love after the betrayal of his ex-husband, until he meets Josh, twenty years his junior, and the executive assistant of one of his clients. Their chemistry ignites during a passionate weekend, initially driven by lust, awakening feelings Daniel never thought he’d experience again.

But fate has a cruel twist in store: Daniel’s best friend is also Josh’s birth father, making their love utterly forbidden. With a tempting offer on the table from his father to walk away, will Josh choose financial security or take a chance on love? And can Daniel convince Josh that the only choice he needs to make is to follow his heart?

Excerpt 

The warmth of the coffee shop was a welcome relief from the biting cold of January. The UK weather was always unpredictable, but it was guaranteed January and February would be ball-freezing cold.

“Good morning, Daniel,” said Jakub, the owner.

Daniel had moved to Hampstead three years ago after selling the marital home and finalising his divorce. He’d been coming to this independent coffee shop ever since. Jakub knew him well, and he raised a questioning brow when Josh was looking the other way. All Daniel could do was smile and act like it was nothing. The fact was, in all the time he’d lived in this area, he’d never brought another man to his favourite little coffee haunt.

“Morning, Jakub. My usual please. Josh, what would you like?”

Josh was in his own world, looking at the eclectic décor of the coffee shop. If you knew Jakub, it was very him – chaotic yet calm. A mishmash of different chairs and tables packed in, with nothing matching. Calm pastel colours on the walls, with a variety of art from local queer talent.

“Josh.”

Daniel put his hand on Josh’s shoulder, causing him to startle a little. He turned and smiled, looking a bit embarrassed. Daniel loved how much he blushed, because it made him look even more adorably cute. 

“What would you like to drink?”

“Oh, erm . . .” 

Josh looked up at the menu board, looking uncertain about what to choose. Jakub had a great place here, but the choices were limited to the staples. Daniel was getting irritated – not at Josh’s indecisiveness, but at what had happened to the assertive, needy boy who’d begged for his cock earlier.

“You can’t go wrong with one of my cappuccinos,” said Jakub, picking up on the awkwardness.

Josh let out an audible sigh of relief and nodded at Jakub. He shot a “what the fuck” look at Daniel as he steered Josh to a table. The coffee shop wasn’t too busy; it was past the lunch rush. After their breakfast, and morning fuck, they’d had another nap before showering together. Then he’d dropped to his knees and sucked another load out of Josh. Oh, to be twenty-five again.

“Are you okay, Josh?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Tell me if I’m overstepping here, but you seemed overwhelmed when you were ordering your coffee.”

“Oh, that’s just how I am.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m indecisive when there are lots of choices. That’s why I love my job with Oscar. He’s very clear in what he wants. No room for ambiguity. Life’s easier that way, don’t you think?”

It was hard to argue with his logic, but life just wasn’t like that. It was constant ambiguousness and second-guessing. Intuition was essential for survival, and he wasn’t sure if Josh went with his gut very often.

“Is there anything you’ve got going on now that you’re struggling to decide about? Maybe I can help, as a neutral observer,” he smiled.

“Spoken like a true lawyer.”

Daniel chuckled. He wasn’t wrong there, but what he really wanted was for Josh to open up to him and share what was bothering him, because something was.

“I guess . . . well . . . please don’t take this the wrong way . . .”

About the Author  

Oliver Takely is a passionate MM romance author who revels in dark, edgy stories featuring complex, flawed characters. With years of writing experience and a creative day job, Oliver Takely is also an avid reader of MM romance, consuming 300 books in both 2023 and 2024. His favourite trope is enemies to lovers, but is also a sucker for a feel-good Christmas romance.

Originally from the north, Oliver now resides in the south of England with his husband and their beloved fur baby, who is treated like a princess, living their own happily-ever-after straight out of a romance novel. When not writing or reading, he enjoys holidays and indulging in lots of good food, because who doesn’t love a delicious combination?

Author Links

Website  |   Facebook  |  Instagram  

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BOOK BLAST: “Death & Maia” by A. C. Jolly

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Death & Maia

Author and Publisher: A. C. Jolly

Cover Artist: Alyssa Winans 

Release Date: April 24, 2025

Tense/POV: first person, present tense, single POV.

Genres: FF Dark Fantasy, Historical, Paranormal

Tropes: Fated mates

Heat Rating:  4 flames 

Length:  Approx 35 000 words/184 pages

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

Goodreads 

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited and Paperback

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK  |  BookShop.org

Can love truly conquer death when mortality stands in the way?

Blurb 

A lush, sapphic romantasy.

In the shadowed streets of plague-ridden Athens, Maia lies on the brink of death. When the grim reaper appears to claim her, Maia makes a bold request: a kiss.

Ancient and enigmatic, Lady Death has guided countless souls into the unknowable afterlife. But Maia is different. Her resilience and humour—and that kiss—awaken a desire that Death has never known. What begins as a moment of terrified curiosity deepens into a passion as tender as it is consuming. 

Excerpt 

There’s death and sheaves of hyacinth beside me in the chamber. The body of the other girl lies on the floor. I can see her in the darkness like a misshapen pale rock in a shallow puddle. I want to swim to her.

I was with her when she died. I didn’t know her name, but I told her mine.

“My name’s Maia,” I said. I don’t think she heard me. Her thin breath was drowned out by the music coming from the street below. A festival, the Anthestreria by the sounds. But I knew that she was still alive, and as long as she lived, I might. My wrists were tied above my head to a bracket on the wall.

“I’m here,” I said. “I’ll wait with you.”

But she drowned to death, or burned, or something. I didn’t know her name.

And now there’s only me, and the party downstairs is finished, and the street outside is quiet. Dawn has come and it finds me dying, too. I was working in a different neighbourhood with the other girl, who was so, so pretty. “Follow me,” I remember saying to a passerby, some young guy with an absent look and fancy laundered clothing. He smelled good. I took the pretty no-name girl by the hand because I wanted her with me, and the guy followed us down a narrow street to a doorway strung with many-coloured ropes.

After that I don’t remember much until the neighbourhood, below us, below our chamber, got fired up with the festival and its lights purred orange on the back wall. And then the music died and the sun rose, just about enough to see the flowers on the step beside the shuttered door, no doubt to cover up the smell of the body of the pretty no-name girl.

It’s hot in the chamber. I sit with my back against the wall, a rag across my stomach. I couldn’t tell you how many days I’ve been here. I’m starting to think that the fires and the music and the shouting in the street may not be festive at all, unless many months have passed since that pretty afternoon with the girl, the guy, the doorway with the many-coloured ropes. Unless the music that I’m hearing is carried to me from a far, far different quarter of this city or the next one over. I think about home. My cabin. I miss it. My tiny little cabin where I keep my only thing, a patterned clay horse figurine, on a stool beside the mattress.

The dim light fades. Maybe it’s another evening. And I’m still not dead. The hyacinth is failing at its job. It’s night again and I can’t remember what it’s like to have arms—well, what it’s like to feel them. They’re not actually tied to a bracket on the wall. That’s just fucking nonsense. They’ve fallen at my sides and don’t move.

The chamber fills with cooking-fire flakes and the music blares. I open my eyes, which rasp with dryness, and black smoke falls from the long, high slit of window at the top of the opposite wall. And if my nose wasn’t telling me otherwise, I’d think it wasn’t smoke at all but a river of perilous dark hair that runs down the wall, sinks down the wall, and starts to fill the chamber, flooding round the body of the pretty no-name girl, and I panic, thinking, Shit, she’s gonna drown!

But she’s dead already.

And this evening Death has come again, for me.

She kneels in front of me, a woman dressed in subtle linens. In her right hand she holds a moist and I assume human heart with fronds of cypress growing out its ventricles. She has the pale face of a barbarian and jet-black hair and dark eyes, not black but glorious brown and shot with other colours, whirling blue and green, each eye a round of deep sky reversed on a field of white moon.

She says, “You may ask something small of me, if it is reasonable.”

And although I’ve never actually heard her voice, I kind of already know it. You would too, if you came from my neighbourhood. And right now, in this moment, I’m determined not to ask her for a thing, but I know that won’t last. She is unspeakably lovely and ancient, and I’ll definitely crumble. But I play it out, anyway. “You took your time,” I say, because the truth is I should have died eight years ago, when a dated version of this fever took my parents and uncles and baby brothers, or five years ago, when my master and his favourite slaves were murdered by his business partner, or just a month ago, when a wild wolf-dog came down the alley and through the empty canteen where I was drinking down my supper.

She smiles briefly and her teeth are white and perfect. That smile makes me sure this is the way she prefers it done. I mean, if I was her, I’d enjoy the rude ones a lot more than the simps.

“My name’s Maia,” I say. “What should I call you, Lady?”

“My name is Death.”

Alright, so now I’m scared. My split lips sting with salt from tears and sweat. And I’m so fucking angry at myself because there’s no point in that, there’s no point in crying, because I have no choice. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry,” I say, and my breastbone cracks as the breath coils, blooms, inside my body.

“Why promise that?” says Lady Death.

And she’s not holding the cypress heart anymore. Instead, a column of fine red dust drops from the funnel of her hand.

“I wanted to defy you,” I say raggedly. “You know how it goes.”

“I do,” she says. “But why waste time? Remember, you may ask something small of me, if it is reasonable.”

I take a breath.

“A kiss,” I say, because why not. “Is that reasonable?”

“Aye,” says Lady Death, and I suppose she’s granted this same favour a thousand million times before.

She has to come to me because I can’t move. She holds my face in her hands, and they’re warm like fire but do not burn, and her lips meet mine gently, and they’re soft and cool like mist but do not chill. Her tongue tastes of sweet apples, and peppery, exactly what I’d hope for from the wildest, freshest, most inspirited of oils. I keep my eyes shut tight because the final thing I want to see on earth is her mouth as she handed it to me.

I keep my eyes shut tight and say, “Who knew Death would be so beautiful?”

About the Author 

I’m a writer from New Zealand, and now live in the UK with my wife. I wrote Death & Maia, which is about a romance between Lady Death and a mortal woman, after watching the TV series Agatha All Along and being a bit disappointed with the (lack of) backstory.

Author Links

Instagram: @acj.olly 

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RECENT RELEASE: “Force Majeure: A Pain and Pleasure Story” by Elizabeth Noble. $10.00 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Included!

RECENT RELEASE

Book Title: Force Majeure: A Pain and Pleasure Story

Author: Elizabeth Noble

Publisher: Howling Corgi Press

Cover Artist: TL Bland

Release Date: March 18, 2025

Pairing: MM and MMM

Tense/POV: third person, past tense, alternating POV

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, BDSM, Menage, Mystery/suspense

Tropes: Established couple, threesome, lover turned stalker, D/s lifestyle, kidnapped, protector

Themes: Forgiveness and redemption, spicy marriage, loyalty, perseverance 

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 26 000 words/110 pages

It is a standalone story. 

It is a continuation of a series of shorter stories, the Pain and Pleasure series. 

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads 

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited  

Universal Link  |  Amazon US  |   Amazon  UK 

One simple act could change your life.

Blurb

One simple act could change your life.

Ian Groden and Taren Murdoch have a good life. Their marriage is solid, and their Dom/sub lifestyle makes for an amazing and extra spicy sex life. Meeting with another man, Kevin, on occasion adds another level of excitement to their marriage.

For Ian, the only thing better than one Dom is two!

Taren loves watching Ian being dominated by Kevin. Ian craves complete submission to Taren when they’re alone again.

Problems arise when Kevin decides he doesn’t want to remain the casual third man. He puts in motion a plan to drive a wedge through Taren and Ian’s relationship, forcing them to fight for each other and their marriage. Can they put their life back together and regain what could be lost?

Excerpt 

Taren Murdoch was kind, soft-spoken, and incredibly capable, with broad shoulders and a quick smile. He’d stayed with Ian until his parents arrived, despite Ian’s protests that it wasn’t necessary. Not wanting to let on how frightened he’d been waiting in the cold and dark for help to arrive, Ian tried to brush off the experience. Taren would have none of it and stayed with Ian for the hours it took his parents to make their way to the hospital.

Taren made Ian feel safe. He was darn nice on the eyes, too. They’d started dating not long after and had been married for nearly eight years. Ian loved Taren, heart and soul. Never once did Ian doubt Taren felt the same way.

“You know it’s your choice. You’re in control of this situation. I’m happy either way. Kevin is…a nice distraction from reality. But I love you. I married you. No one, and I mean no one, comes before that.” Taren swept up both cards and tore them up. “It’s great to help you experience something I was able to, but Christ, Ian, if this is going to cause you so much anxiety, I’ll tell him never to contact us again.”

“It’s not making me anxious,” Ian retorted. 

Taren laughed and cocked his head to one side. “Boy, please!”

As when he was on the phone, Taren uttering the word, boy, immediately sent Ian into sub role.

Ian’s gaze dropped to the floor, and he studied his toes. “I’ve laid out some choices for you, Sir.”

“Do you want dinner first?”

Ian shook his head. “No, Sir.” 

If Taren wanted to eat first, Ian was obligated by their Dom/sub agreement to accommodate his wishes. For Taren, Ian’s needs always came first. Ian had such admiration and respect for Taren in part because he was an amazing protector. Taren always seemed to know exactly what to do for Ian in any circumstance.

“Did you prep, or should I do that?”

“I prepped, Sir, but if you want to inspect for yourself,” Ian offered.

Taren smiled softly. “No need. I was simply checking, boy. Go wait for me at the cross.”

Ian nodded. He wouldn’t speak unless asked a question. Hurrying to their bedroom, Ian stood on the low platform holding the cross. He hung his wrists over the ‘arms’ of the cross and leaned his forehead against the longer vertical piece.

A few minutes later he heard Taren enter the bedroom. Ian turned his head far enough to watch as Taren shed his work clothes and pulled on a pair of lightweight, black linen pants.

Taren sat on the bed and sorted through the toys and equipment Ian had laid out. Ian had to shift his weight and turn his head the other way when Taren moved to their storage area. Taren added a wooden paddle, wrist and ankle restraints, and plastic nipple clamps. All those items joined Ian’s picks on the bed. Taren cleared his throat, and Ian turned back to the cross, leaning his forehead against it and standing straighter.

The first thing Taren did was fit the hood over Ian’s head, sinking him into darkness. The hood was made of thick rubber with openings for his mouth and nostrils. Ian’s sight was completely blacked out, and his hearing was dampened, everything but the loudest noises were muffled. He’d have little or no warning for Taren’s actions. 

Taren pulled gently on the rubber, making sure it was positioned properly. He used two fingers under the hood to make sure Ian’s skin wasn’t pinched or his hair pulled. The purpose of the hood was sensory deprivation, not discomfort or pain.

Ian shuddered and gasped when the nipple clamps were snapped into place. Next, Taren crisscrossed the leather straps of Ian’s harness across his chest and back and buckled it securely. The wide, leather wrist and ankle cuffs were positioned and tightened into place. 

The only way Ian knew Taren had moved away was the loss of heat from his body against Ian’s back. He felt Taren return, then jumped when Taren used his hands over Ian’s to have him curl his fingers around the cross and hold on. The vibration against Ian’s back when Taren chuckled added to his overall mood of expectation. Taren ran one hand over Ian’s back before reaching around to put pressure on his belly, getting him to take a step back and extend his arms. He gripped Ian’s hips and pulled back, positioning him, so Ian’s legs were slightly spread, and his ass jutted out.

Ian took a few deep breaths, bracing himself for what he knew was coming next.

About the Author

Mystery, action, chills, and thrills spiced with romance and desire. ELIZABETH NOBLE lives by the adage “I can’t not write.” She doesn’t remember a time when she didn’t make up stories and eventually she learned how to put words on a page. Those words turned into books and fan fiction that turned into a genuine love of M/M fiction. A part of every day is spent living in worlds she created that are filled with intrigue and espionage. She has a real love for a good mystery complete with murder and twisty plots as well as all things sci-fi, futuristic, and supernatural.

When she’s not chronicling the adventures of her many characters, Elizabeth is a veterinary nurse living in her native Cleveland, Ohio. She has three grown children and now happily shares her little, brick house with two spunky Cardigan Welsh Corgis and their feline sidekicks. Elizabeth is a fan of baseball, basketball (go Cavs and Guardians) and gardening. She can often be found working in her ‘outside office’ listening to classic rock and plotting her next novel waiting for it to be dark enough to gaze at the stars.

 Elizabeth has received a number of amateur writing awards. Since being published, several of her novels have received Honorable Mentions in the Rainbow Awards. Jewel Cave was a runner-up in the Gay Mystery/Thriller category in the 2015 Rainbow Awards. Ringed Love was a winner in the Gay Fantasy Romance category of the 2016 Rainbow Awards. Code Name Jack Rabbit and The Vampire Guard series placed third in The Paranormal Romance Guild 2022 Reviewer Awards in the LGBT/ROMANCE/ACTION ADVENTURE/MILITARY individual book and series categories.

Author Links

Blog/Website  | QueeRomance Ink  | Liminal Fiction

Facebook  |   Facebook Author page  |  BlueSky 

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BookBub  |  JMS page  |  Amazon

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RECENT RELEASE: “An Increasing Entanglement” by Ellie Thomas

RECENT RELEASE

Book Title: An
Increasing Entanglement (An Unlikely Alliance, Book 2)

Author: Ellie
Thomas

Publisher: JMS
Books

Release Date: July 13,
2024

Genre: Historical (Regency) MMM Romance

Tropes: Threesome, Regency, Hurt/Comfort, Class Differences, Interracial,
Opposites Attract

Themes: Kidnapping, Avenging Angel, Orphan, Redemption, Found
Family

Length: 22 293
words

Heat Rating: 4
flames

It is book two in a series of
three.

Book 1 (An Unlikely Alliance)
is available for review

It does not end on a
cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

JMS | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Can Clem, Abe and

Humphrey sustain their burgeoning romance from outside threats?

And might their
connection blossom into lasting romance?

Blurb

In Regency London, during the Season, after a brief and
steamy courtship, the relationship between threesome Clem, Abe and Humphrey holds
much promise.

But their busy routines and different lifestyles, as a
professional secretary, society gentleman and an official informant to the military, interfere
with their burgeoning romance.

Then sinister forces reappear to threaten their connection
and even the life of one of the trio.

Can these three band together to save the day and keep
each other from peril? And given the chance, might they forge lasting happiness
together?

Excerpt

Abe entered the Ye Olde Cheddar Cheese tavern closer to
eight o’clock than seven. Clem was sitting at their usual table, alone and forlorn. Abe cursed
the informant who had delayed him.

Abe approached, attracting Clem’s notice. His aspect didn’t
brighten. There was no teasing smile of welcome.

Instead, Abe received a chilly glare.

“You came then,” Clem said flatly.

Abe sat opposite his friend and lover. “Can I get you
another drink?”

“If you like.”

Clem’s glacial indifference continued when their gin was
served together with a jug of water.

He said casually, “I was at the Old Red Lion yesterday to find
you’d vacated your room. I thought you might have run out on us.”

He took a swig of barely diluted gin, avoiding Abe’s
eyes.

“I’m sorry, Clem. I should have let you know.”

If they had been in a less public place or one that catered
solely for their kind, Abe would have covered Clem’s hand with his own.

“Yes, well, it’s not like you owe me an explanation.” Clem’s
defensive posture said otherwise.

“Of course I do. It was remiss of me. I have been occupied
with pressing matters, official-like.”

Clem’s body relaxed slightly. Abe hardly made it public that
he was working for Horse Guards, but he had shared that confidence with his lovers. He
eyed Abe warily under long light brown lashes, a distinct pout to his lush mouth.

“You could have sent word to me.”

“Yes, I should have. I see that now. I didn’t mean to hurt
you, Clem.”

“Who said I was hurt?” Clem’s indifferent words were at
odds with his wounded expression.

“Just because I’ve been busy doesn’t mean that I haven’t
been thinking of you. And Humphrey, too. I’ve missed you both.”

“Really?”

“I swear it.”

“Then it’s fortunate that I left a note for Humphrey to meet
us here after he’s dined.” Clem’s narrow jaw clenched combatively.

He’s not letting me off lightly. At least he’s still talking to
me and hasn’t flounced off in a huff, renouncing me forever.

It wasn’t the right moment to argue that either Clem or
Humphrey could have taken the initiative earlier. Abe recognised that Humphrey was too
self-effacing to make the first move. As for Clem, he’d learned the hard way to be sparing
with his trust.

“I’m sorry,” Abe said sincerely. “I’ll say it a hundred times
over if that will make amends.”

Abe was the first to admit that once he got the bit between
his teeth, he could be ruthlessly single-minded. Apart from his mother, he’d never had to
consider anyone’s feelings. Until now.

That must change, he vowed.

“I’ll gladly apologise to Humphrey. I’ve neglected you both.
You know what I’m like when I’m in full cry.”

There was a brief silence as the waiter topped up their
glasses.

“We all have our burdens,” Abe added. “You’re chained to
your desk during the day, I’m no longer my own master and Humphrey has a flock of
relatives to shepherd.”

Clem smiled grudgingly. “Is that an excuse?”

“No, more a recognition of our circumstances. What say
you if we make this our regular rendezvous? This is as good a place as any to meet every few
days. That should avoid any further misunderstandings.”

“I thought you’d left me.”

Clem’s voice was so low that Abe’s strained to catch the
words against the background noise of the narrow tavern.

“I’d never abandon you, Clem. I may have many faults, but
I’m no fool. I would never throw away such a treasure unthinkingly.”

Clem stared in his glass.

“Now I’ve found you and Humphrey,” Abe continued. “I
won’t let go easily unless that’s your will.”

Clem gazed at Abe, his face unreadable. Then he glanced
over Abe’s shoulder.

“You have an opportunity to repeat your abject apology.
Humphrey’s coming this way.”

About the Author

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea.
She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she
daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader, especially about anything historical. She
mainly writes historical gay romance.


Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E.
Thomas.

Author Links

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Twitter |
Newsletter Sign-up | Bluesky

Goodreads | Bookbub

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Continue ReadingRECENT RELEASE: “An Increasing Entanglement” by Ellie Thomas

NEW RELEASE: “An Unrivaled Off Season” by Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James.

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: An Unrivaled
Off-Season (Hockey Ever After, #3.5)

Author: Ashlyn Kane &
Morgan James

Publisher: Dreamspinner
Press

Cover Artist: L.C.
Chase

Release Date: April 2,
2024

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, M/M sports
romance

Tropes: Rivals to lovers, established relationship

Themes: Meeting the family, starting a life together,

Heat Rating: 3.5
flames

Length: 27 808 words/ 96
pages

It is not a standalone story. It
follows directly after Unrivaled (Book
3 – same couple) and won’t make much sense
without it.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

 

Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Buy Link

 

Sometimes the best win
comes in the off-season.

 

Blurb

Any other year, hockey player Grady Armstrong would be
licking his wounds after a disappointing playoffs exit. Somehow, this year, he’s in the stands
as his rival-turned-boyfriend Max Lockhart competes for the Stanley Cup… and there’s
nowhere he’d rather be. Well, except maybe lifting the Cup himself. So along with preparing
his body for next season, Grady prepares to ask Max to stay in his life
permanently.

Max figures it can’t be easy for Grady to watch Max
cash in on his dreams, but if he’s struggling, he hides it well—which is great, because they
don’t get much time together during the season, and it would suck if Grady spent the
summer sulking.

But while Grady may still be a competitive bastard,
he doesn’t sulk. He nurses Max through hangovers. He comes home with him for the
summer. He loses fishing bets. He earns so many boyfriend points Max should really level
him up. The question is, how?

 

 

Excerpt

The day after the parade, Grady and Max took Max’s
parents to the train station. “Thank you so much for the hospitality,” Max’s mom gushed as
she hugged Grady goodbye. “You’ve been a wonderful host.”

Grady, who didn’t know how to talk to parents because his
had died before he became an adult, looked embarrassed. “It’s Max’s house too.”

This was an abject lie; Max’s name was nowhere near the
paperwork. He just lived there.

But Max’s parents didn’t know that—at least Max didn’t
think they did. Max’s dad just said, “I hope you’ll come out and visit us all this summer. It
would be good to see you.”

They shook hands and Grady said, “I’ll be there.”

Max almost fell over. How many boyfriend points was that?
Was Grady doing some kind of speed run?

“I’m flying, though,” Grady continued, gesturing at the train
platform.

Max’s mom laughed and hugged him again. “I don’t blame
you. We’ll see you in a few weeks, boys.”

When she wrapped Max up in her arms, she squeezed so
tightly Max’s eyeballs almost popped. “I’m so happy for you, sweetheart. You deserve
this.”

Max was less than 50 percent sure she was talking about
hockey, but he squeezed back. “Love you, Mom. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

“You’re darn right.”

Then they got on the train, and Max and Grady got back in
the car to go home.

“I’m supposed to do altitude training with Jess in Colorado
this summer.” Grady flicked on the blinker to merge onto the highway. “Ten days in early
August. You want to come?”

Max swallowed. Grady took sibling time with Jess very
seriously, since they were each other’s only family. “I won’t be crashing?”

Grady glanced at him sideways, then returned his attention
to the road and changed lanes. “I’m inviting you, so no.”

“Okay.” Max felt warm all the way through. He would’ve
needed to do some altitude training anyway, but it meant something to have an official
invite. “Thanks.”

“I mean….” Grady paused and hit the brakes as LA traffic LA
trafficked. “That’s assuming you’re not sick of me by then, I guess. Or were you planning on
having me stay with your parents?”

What? Max tilted his head and stared at him. “Why would
you stay with my parents?”

Grady’s ears had gone pink. “’Cause you still haven’t
officially invited me to your Cup party. Or, you know, your house in New Brunswick.”

Oh.

“Okay, well, now that I’m not drunk, hungover, or jinxing it,
hey, Grady, do you want to come spend the summer with me in New Brunswick?”

The car jolted a little as Grady braked hard to avoid an
accident. When he’d navigated around it, he said, “The whole summer?”

“I mean, other than going to Colorado and maybe if you
want to take a vacation somewhere.” Preferably with Max, but would that be too much? “I
mean, we don’t see a lot of each other during the season, so—”

“Yes.”

So many boyfriend points. “Are you sure? I’m related to,
like, half of New Brunswick. It’s going to be a lot.”

“I can handle it,” Grady said.

Max heard, You’re worth it.

They were
worth it.

Truthfully, it would be a lot for Max too. His family would
give him endless shit over falling in love with a rival player—and Grady, who had a
reputation as kind of a stick in the mud, would provide plenty of opportunities for his aunts
and uncles and cousins to mock him. But Max had never minded that, and he didn’t think
Grady would either.

At Christmas last year, Grady’d held his own with Max’s
siblings and niblings, and Max’s heart had grown three sizes because he got to give Grady a
full family holiday experience. And that was before they were technically even together. It
was Max’s pleasure to provide Grady with family-level chirping—and to be chirped about
him—forever.

Well. Now he knew what happened if someone got too
many boyfriend points.

Max cleared his throat. “Okay, then. I’ll book us
tickets.”

 

About the Authors

Ashlyn Kane likes to think she
can do it all, but her follow-through often proves her undoing. Her house is as full of half-
finished projects as her writing folder. With the help of her ADHD meds, she gets by.


An early reader and talker, Ashlyn has always had a
flair for language and storytelling. As an eight-year-old, she attended her first writers’
workshop. As a teenager, she won an amateur poetry competition. As an adult, she received
a starred review in Publishers
Weekly for her novel Fake Dating the Prince. There were quite a few years in the middle there, but who’s counting?

Her hobbies include DIY home decor, container
gardening (no pulling weeds), music, and spending time with her enormous chocolate
lapdog. She is the fortunate wife of a wonderful man, the daughter of two sets of great
parents, and the proud older sister/sister-in-law of the world’s biggest nerds.

Morgan James is a clueless
(older) millennial who’s still trying to figure out what they’ll be when they grow up and
enjoying the journey to get there. Now, with a couple of degrees, a few stints in Europe, and
more than one false start to a career, they eagerly wait to see what’s next. James started
writing fiction before they could spell and wrote their first (unpublished) novel in middle
school. They haven’t stopped writing since. Geek, artist, archer, and fanatic, Morgan tends to
pass their free hours with in imaginary worlds and people on pages and screens—it’s an
addiction. As is their love of coffee and tea. They live in Canada with their massive collection
of unread books, where they are the personal servant of too many four-legged
creatures.

 

Author Links

Blog/Website |
Facebook Group | Facebook Profile

Twitter |
Newsletter sign-up | BookBub

 

 

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Continue ReadingNEW RELEASE: “An Unrivaled Off Season” by Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James.

NEW RELEASE: “The Locket’s Tale” by RJ Peterson.

NEW RELEASE

Book Title:
The Locket’s Tale

Author and Publisher:
RJ Peterson

Cover Artist: Ron Perry Graphic Design

Release Date: February 21, 2024

Genre: Contemporary M/M
Romance

Tropes: Older guys, small town

Themes: Just a hint of magic

Heat Rating: 3.5 flames
(there are only a couple of sex scenes, but they are
quite detailed)

Length: 22 600
words

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

Goodreads

Buy Links –
Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Sometimes love is just
lying there, waiting to be found.

Blurb

When Miles Wickford happens upon a locket one day

during his morning walk, little did he realize how his life would change.

Elias Grafton is frantic when his beloved locket is taken
from his antique shop. He fears it may be lost forever.

Miles is intrigued by the power the locket possesses but
can’t in good conscience keep what doesn’t belong to him. Although it can’t hurt to try it
once or twice, can it?

A locket brings these two men together. And fate, or the
locket’s magic, leads to so much more.

Sometimes love is just lying there, waiting to be
found.

A Locket’s Tale is a small town MM romance featuring
older guys, a lost locket, and just a hint of magic.

Excerpt

It was an ordinary day, much like every other in my life. I
awoke at seven without an alarm, my body tuned to the rhythms of my life. After a quick
shower, followed by coffee and a bagel, I set off on my morning ritual five-mile walk through
my neighborhood and around Milford Pond before returning home.

I was a freelance editor, and this was how I started each
day. It helped clear my mind. A brain reset, if you will, before delving into the next
manuscript.

I sometimes varied my route slightly, just for a bit of variety
in my otherwise oh-so-similar days, and this Friday was such a day. On my return home, I
turned right on Folsom Street, which would take me by a small park, complete with a
playground for the neighborhood children.

The park was empty at this hour, children already in school
this sunny but cool October morning. As I ambled down the sidewalk, I heard a dog barking
in the distance as something caught my eye on the pavement ahead of me. A ray of sunlight
reflected on its surface. A coin perhaps.

But as I approached, its form became more distinct.
Is that something on a chain? I stopped mere inches away and bent to retrieve it. A silver locket
in the shape of a book. And yes, a matching chain. Curious. I looked around but saw no one
who might have dropped it.

I examined the locket, noting the fine filigree work on the
front surrounding an oval gem—lapis lazuli was my first thought—where one might expect
to find a photo. Instead, the oval contained a cabochon of what appeared to be lapis lazuli. I
opened it, hoping to find something that might help to identify it or the owner and was
surprised to see words delicately engraved upon what looked like pages.

Despite my squinting, I couldn’t quite make out the words,
so I closed the locket and placed it in the front pocket of my jeans. I’d employ the help of a
magnifying glass to decipher the message once I returned home. And so I set off to complete
my journey, wondering what secrets this jewelry might hold.

* * *

Entering the back door of my Craftsman home, I shrugged
off my jacket and hung it on the peg just inside the kitchen entry. I filled my favorite Yeti
tumbler with ice and water, then proceeded to my office to begin the day’s work. But first, a
closer look at the locket.

Pulling it from my pocket, I placed it on the desk blotter and
grabbed a magnifying glass from the top drawer. I examined the front and back, but again,
found no distinguishing marks, so I opened it to study the message engraved inside.

Place this locket about
your neck,

Then close your eyes
and think

Upon a book that you
adore

And let the story
sink

Into your brain. Now
make a wish

And you will find,
indeed,

You’re in said story for a
day

Or more or less. Take
heed!

“Hmmm, that’s interesting,” I said aloud to the empty
room. “But it still doesn’t tell me who this trinket may belong to.” I shrugged, glancing at the
small digital clock on my desk only to see it was later than I realized. “I’ll give this more
thought later.” I opened the project management app on my iMac. “But now I really need to
get to work.”

About the Author

R.J. Peterson is a retired
graphic designer. An avid reader—preferably while sipping a vodka martini or bourbon on
the rocks—he’s had a long and varied career, including library page, car wash attendant,
travel agent, and graphic designer in the marijuana industry. In addition, he worked in the
banking industry for twenty-five years. He loves to travel and has been on 55+ cruises. When
not on a cruise, he and his husband live in New England.

He never planned to be a
writer, but a fateful day in January, 2021 changed it all. He woke with a story stuck in his
head and started typing. The more he types, the more ideas he gets.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website |
Facebook Group | Newsletter Sign-
up | Linktree

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Continue ReadingNEW RELEASE: “The Locket’s Tale” by RJ Peterson.

Cover Reveal: “Love Beneath the Stars” by Claerie Kavanaugh.

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: Love
Beneath the Stars: A Matchmaker Wedding Novella

Author: Claerie Kavanaugh

Publisher: Half Caff Press

Cover Artist: Lauren
Dombrowski

Release Date: April 26, 2023

Genres: Contemporary F/F Romance

Tropes: Age gap, celebrity, matchmaker, wedding

Themes: Coming out, forgiveness

Heat Rating: 3
flames

Length: 30 000
words

It is a standalone story in the
Entertaining Love series.

 

They say love conquers all,
but what if getting it means losing your family?

 

Blurb

After years of searching, a job
gone wrong finally led Hollywood’s most famous matchmaker Eve to her soulmate in up-
and-coming starlet Jemma Mason. For a year, they had pictured their perfect destination
Valentine’s Day wedding. But when Jemma’s family arrives from Montana, they quickly learn
perfection is hard to come by.

Jemma’s conservative brother
has always been distant, but when he meets his sister’s fiancée, who is seven years her
senior, he worries she’s moving way too fast and refuses to come to the wedding, let alone
keep his promise to walk her down the aisle. Can love really conquer all, or are there some
wounds that simply run too deep to be buried?

Eve and Jemma’s Wedding Novella. Sequel to LOVE AMONG
THE STARS in the standalone sapphic celebrity romance series ENTERTAINING LOVE.

 

About the Author

Claerie Kavanaugh has spent
most of her life telling stories, but she never imagined herself writing romance. In fact, she
used to think it should only be reserved for Hallmark movies. It wasn’t until college, when
she discovered fanfiction, that she learned what romance was truly about: not just fluffy
relationships and happily-ever-afters, but human connection, the desire to push one another
to be better, and create hope that somewhere, somehow, everyone has
someone.

When she’s not writing, she
loves to travel and explore new cultures, helping other authors polish their works as a
freelance editor, and singing while doing so. Broadway musicals are her soul-food,
something her mother and sister know well. She constantly blasts the newest soundtrack
through the halls of their Missouri home, much to the chagrin of her very sassy and spoiled
cat.

 

Social Media Links

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

 

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter
Giveaway for a chance to win

one of 5 ebook copies of
Love Beneath the Stars

a
Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Continue ReadingCover Reveal: “Love Beneath the Stars” by Claerie Kavanaugh.