With the release of Survival Game, book #9 in Susan Mac Nicol’s contemporary M/M Romance Men of London series, fast approaching, Embrace the Rainbow Book Promotions and the supporting bloggers would like to take you on a flashback tour through the Men of London series so far . . . . . . . . .
Men of London Book One
**LOVE YOU SENSELESS**
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One of London’s up-and-coming chefs, Eddie Tripp has just the right recipe to drive tragedy from the mind of Gideon Kent—and leave him senselesswith desire.
THE MEN OF LONDON
From Soho to Norwich, there’s no escaping love.
A TASTE OF FOREVER
An award-winning chef with his own restaurant and an inexhaustible passion, Gideon Kent once had everything. Then came tragedy. It stole more than Gideon’s home. He hasn’t cooked since.
Until Eddie Tripp. Fun-loving and vivacious, the Norfolk redhead’s a real up-and-comer in Gideon’s kitchen—and other places. Slim where Gideon’s broad, easy-going where Gideon is growly, he and Gideon seem polar opposites, and yet Eddie conjures flavors that would tempt anyone with a taste for perfection. The sauce of love is already simmering, and this pair is about to dine on the most delicious dish they’ve ever prepared. Because Eddie’s been Gideon’s missing ingredient all along.
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EXCERPT
Gideon tapped the pen on the desk in nervousness at having Eddie so close. Not for the first time he wished he could smell him, see if the man’s scent was sweat or cologne, or soap or sweet-scented sugar from the creations he made.
“She did, did she? She can be a really interfering biddy. And how many times have I told you to call me Gideon? Mr. Kent was my dad. And I don’t see him here.”
He bit his lip as his snark returned in Eddie’s presence. It was as if his mouth had no other way to react when Eddie was near.
Eddie seemed to be suppressing a smile. “It’s a little difficult to be on first-name terms with a man who’s always growling at me,” he said, faint amusement in his tone. “I thought perhaps I should keep it professional.”
Oh, Eddie bites does he? Not such a whippersnapper after all. I quite like that. The idea of him biting is definitely something I’d like to pursue.
Gideon shifted in the chair, trying to stave off the erection forming in his jeans.
Christ, that would be all I need, physical evidence of how he turns me on. I don’t even know if the man is gay or straight and he’d probably deck me. They say redheads have tempers, don’t they?
Men of London Book Two
**SIGHT AND SINNERS**
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The murder of a shared friend leads a high-profile investigator and a psychic into a mystery involving lies, blackmail, BDSM—and into each other’s arms.
From Charing Cross to Waterloo, there’s no escaping love.
SEEING THROUGH…
28-year-old Draven Samuels has a tragic past, but as an investigator with a high-profile London company he now gets what he wants. Tough, sarcastic, and sceptical, he has no patience for lies and even less for people who waste his time. Even if they’re as beautiful as the wild and dark-haired Taylor Abelard. Especially when they’re talking over the body of a murder victim.
THE DARKNESS
Psychic Taylor Abelard is used to people calling him a freak. He can see past events and feel the ghostly vibrations of people close to him who’ve passed on. It’s why he doesn’t get too close to the living. But this time, against his better judgment, despite Draven’s mocking rejoinders, Taylor will get closer than ever before. The mystery of a dead friend will lead the two men down a dark and seedy trail of blackmail and lies. Add in the heartbreak of a family tragedy, and events lead them straight into each other’s arms. By the end of this night, all their demons will have risen—and been banished with the dawn.
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Men of London Book Three
**SUIT YOURSELF**
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Scarred both physically and emotionally after a motorcycle accident, twenty-five year old ex fashion model and porn star Oliver Brown is about to be stripped bare by flamboyant twink Leslie Scott—and they’ll rebuild love from the bottom up.
BARING THE BEAST
Twenty-five year old Oliver Brown is addicted. Two years ago, he was at the height of his career as “Nikki Star,” fashion model, porn actor, partier without peer. Then came the accident. Hiding his scars, both emotional and physical, he’s gone into hiding. But fine clothing is some solace. A new suit by Debussy? Better even than a ride on his motorcycle Hulk or all the things he used to give and take on camera.
Enter Leslie Scott, the flamboyant, dark-haired, heel-and-tiny-short-wearing twink sent to deliver Oliver’s newest fix. A firecracker, Leslie is dapper, generous, in touch with his feminine side but all man, and as gorgeous as any garment ever made. He makes Oliver dream of ending his reclusion, of recapturing a future forever denied him. But for that to happen, Leslie would have to strip him to the bone. Only then will they rebuild life from the bottom up.
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Men of London Book Four
**FEAT OF CLAY**
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TWO MEN.
TORN. TORTURED. LOVED.
Though they went their separate ways, Tate Williams and Clay Mortimer have been crazy about each other since their school days. Clay went into the SAS. Tate became a cop. Neither mentioned their attraction to the other. Both sought out danger. Both found it.
Imprisoned and shot in an undercover assignment gone wrong, Tate somehow survived…and found his way back into Clay’s arms. His old friend is now the owner of an elite investigation agency and everything any man could want: patient, handsome, commanding. And Clay knows what it takes to survive. But Tate can’t bring himself to share all his secrets, nightmares that force him to rebel against everything. He finds solace from his past as a graffiti artist, a childhood passion, but his demons drive away all who might care for him. Only when he faces that past—and learns that everyone has tasted despair—can the two men truly be brothers-in-arms…and more.
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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT!
“Christ, I love you, Clay, you know that, but I can’t take this anymore. I need some space. I need to be alone and figure this out.”
Clay moved forward, the bulk of his body both commanding and familiar. Tate wanted to enfold himself in those arms, feel the beat of Clay’s strong heart against his chest, the warmth of his man’s body against his, but he couldn’t let that happen. He needed to get his head right, be someone Clay could respect again, not this broken, haunted man in front of him—a weakling.
“We tried that,” Clay said softly, the pain in his eyes stabbing into Tate’s heart with every blink of his eyelashes. “Remember? I came and fetched you and brought you home.”
Tate stared at him. “You broke into the hotel I was staying at, tied me up and brought me back to that safe house, where you continued to lock me up while you talked the sh*t out of me. Some people call that kidnapping.”
Clay took a shuddering breath. “I call it love. And it worked, didn’t it? Those slashes on your wrist healed and you told me you wouldn’t do it again. You even started going to therapy again.”
Instinctively, Tate stared down at the scars on his wrists, reminders of that time ten months ago when he’d decided he’d had enough. He’d booked a cheap room in a hotel, drank himself stupid then attempted to slash his wrists. He was a cop; he knew how to do it properly, and yet he’d slashed across instead of down. Something had held him back. He had no doubt had he done it the right way, he’d be dead now.
Carra's Review
I just can’t say no to any M/M romance that centers around characters who are healing from a horrific event in their past, and with Feat of Clay we find Tate had not just a horrific event, he was literally tortured. His lover Clay has been trying to help him heal, but it’s a slow and truly painful process that continually tears both of them up.
Tate is an incredibly strong character—he had to be strong to survive what he did, even if at one point he tried to escape the pain afterward. Clay cares for Tate so much, but can be overprotective in his quest to keep Tate safe…something that leads to friction between the two men, and that along with some suspense thanks to Clay’s profession drives the drama in the story.
Between the suspense of the case Clay is working and the tension from Tate working through his pain, there was plenty to keep me riveted to the pages while reading this story. Add in getting to see characters from the previous stories in the series as well as introducing Jax’s character (who I just can’t wait to read about in his own book!), and Feat of Clay wound up being a really great read.
This was a solid 4-star read for me, and I think it’s a great addition to the series. It tackles the topic of PTSD and does it well, while giving the reader characters that are very easy to care about and become invested in. I’d definitely recommend this to M/M romance fans, especially if you’re already a fan of this series. This book is for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
Men of London Book Five
**CROSS TO BARE**
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TWO OF A KIND
It’s amazing what a little mascara and lipstick, a blonde wig, false boobs, and top-notch female fashion can hide. Not that Lenny James is hiding his masculinity. He uses his normal voice when he’s Laverne, and he’s not particularly camp as a man. His reasons for creating his alter ego are locked deep in his past. He is who he is: tough in business, and a romantic at heart. What he’s hiding is vulnerability. He wants a man to accept both sides of him.
Gorgeous, commanding, and dark as sin, Brook Hunter meets Lenny and knows nothing about Laverne until fate pushes her into his path. Cross-dressing is as far from Brook’s reality as fashion is from his world of diplomacy and high finance. Understanding and truth take time, and trust doesn’t come easy. But Brook is about to show Lenny that there are no sides to true love, just the place where they meet in the middle.
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Carra's Review
Okay, Lenny really is the one who made this book for me. He’s fabulous as both himself and Laverne, and he made me laugh while also having me cheer him on taking care of himself with those people who are either not tolerant or are just out to get others take him on. He is totally comfortable as both Lenny and Laverne, and is successful in his business with friends and employees who adore him.
Brook does a pretty good job I think trying to understand and accept Lenny/Laverne. To have something like that sprung on you can really test a person, and while at times Brook does have some difficulty with it, overall he tries hard to come to terms with Lenny’s alter ego and in the end does a pretty good job of it. The two of them definitely have chemistry, and there’s plenty of heat to steam up the pages.
One of my favorite things about this story was Leslie, he was fantastic in his own story in the series, and he’s a trip here in Cross to Bare. Getting to see other characters from the series was great as well, I love how they all keep crossing into each other’s lives.
Cross to Bare was a 4-star read for me, and is another good addition to the series. The only thing that would have made this one better for me is if it had started before the two of them met so we could see the entire relationship from start to finish instead of picking up after Lenny has tried to break things off the first time around. The more characters we meet in each book, the more stories I want to read in the series to find out all of their personal tales. This one’s for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content (yep, these two are plenty hot together!).
Men of London Book Six
**FLYING SOLO**
Flight attendant Maxwell Lewis has spent years cultivating a bon vivant image only to find he finally wants something more—and that something more includes the never-does-repeats game designer Gibson Henry.
ABOVE AND BEYOND
Maxwell Lewis is proud of the life he’s made. Having turned tragedy into triumph, he’s now a beloved member of a Target Airlines cabin crew with more than his fair share of attention both in the air and on the ground. But lately he’s wanted something more than the occasional hook-up or sometime sex buddy—particularly after meeting game designer and passenger Gibson Henry.
Talented and driven, Gibson has built a company ready to be the next big thing in gaming. Devoted to his work, he takes onetime pleasures where he finds them and never does repeats…which is what he tells handsome, sexy Maxwell Lewis after a little mile-high flight attendance. But a chance encounter in a London club is about to change things forever. Two men, one who’s flown solo and another who’s only ever played alone, are about to find that at some point all games come to end, it’s time to bare your heart and try for love.
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Carra's Review
I don't know how I've gone this long and not read one of Susan Mac Nicol's books, but this is actually the first one of hers that I've had a chance to read...and so of course now I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to enjoy her writing. Because I truly did enjoy Flying Solo, and now I can't wait to get started on her entire backlist.
I'm always up for a story where players find "the one", especially those self-admitted players who have the idea in their heads that they're nowhere close to wanting to settle down. Getting to watch them do an about face and develop a meaningful relationship with that one person who is their match? Always priceless, and Flying Solo pulls this off quite nicely with one main character, Maxwell, knowing he wants to stop his player ways and settle down and the other, Gibson, being the one who thinks he's not ready to do the same. It was great seeing them meet over and over, slowly developing their relationship over time.
Maxwell's past adds some tension and angst to the story, providing some hurdles for them both to get past, and Gibson has family drama to ramp up the emotional aspect. I loved how they supported each other through everything and became stronger as a couple. Though some issues become more threatening to their relationship, giving the story more complexity and pulling you in deeper as you root for resolution to it all...because Maxwell and Gibson match each other so well, you will want to see them work it all out.
Fans of M/M romance will really enjoy Flying Solo just as I did-this was a really good 4-star read for me, and I'd recommend it to fans of the genre who are 18+ for adult language and M/M sexual content. This story has me adding the author to my list of favorite M/M authors!
Men of London Book Seven
**DAMAGED GOODS**
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Touched by tragedy, love is an elusive dream never to be realised by eighteen-year-old Jax Grady--until he discovers his secret admirer and receives the sweetest gift he could ever desire.
THE SWEETEST GIFT
Tragedy and horror shaped Jackson Grady's life, leaving him orphaned and scarred. At eighteen he's ready to claim his future, but who could love his disfigured face and damaged soul? Definitely not a big, burly, beautiful Irish Traveller who is entirely the stuff of dreams.
Dare Rowan didn't mean to become obsessed with the blue-eyed man he first saw across a field, but that porcelain skin and innocent air demanded another meeting. Jax has the face of a wounded angel, and the rest of the young man is as heart-breakingly perfect. Jax is beautiful in every way and teaching him about love and life will be something Dare will embrace. Like unwrapping and savouring the candy at the shop where he works, Dare will show this young man everything Jax desired but never thought he'd have, and take Jax to new highs while he holds him through the lows. Between them, they’ll find out just how sweet life can be.
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Carra's Review
I absolutely loved this story. This is my favorite of the Men of London series, and considering how much I like all of the books in this series so far that's say a LOT. It has the appeal of first love, sweetness and innocence while also peppering in some spiciness to heat things up a bit.
One of my favorite things about this book is the characters. I adored Jax. I don't see how anyone could not totally love his character, he is the picture of innocence but also full of curiosity and quite eager once he and Dare start seeing each other. Even with everything that has happened to him, the horrible suffering he went through, he has persevered and become an amazing young man. Dare-he sees past the physical into the heart of who Jax is, and even with the physical scars Jax carries, Dare looks at him and thinks he is beautiful. Dare has a loving heart and is protective and compassionate. He is proud of who he is and where he comes from, and is just a good man.
To see Dare and Jax together, it just makes you feel good. I lost track of how many content sighs I had while reading this story...Jax and Dare's story just was so satisfying all around and when I was done, it was with a smile on my face while I was wondering how soon would be too soon for a re-read.
Damaged Goods was a wonderful 5-star read for me, and is one of my top recommendations in this genre. I'd recommend this to M/M romance fans 18+ for adult language and M/M sexual content. It's an unputdownable story that will leave readers happy and satisfied, and probably with a mischievous grin--just like Jax when he's teasing Dare ;-)
Men of London Book Eight
**HARD CLIMATE**
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Eco-warrior Mango Manning must shake the demons of his past to win back London nightclub owner Ryan Bishop, who is suddenly facing issues of his own.
WITH BOTH HANDS
Brawny, beautiful, complicated and sexy as hell, eco-warrior Mango Manning is everything performer and London nightclub owner Ryan Bishop wants in a life-partner. But Mango has been loving and leaving Ryan for the past two years, and Ryan’s had enough. That’s why he’s moving on. Ryan’s the monogamous type—which means now he’ll be alone at the worst possible time.
Mango Manning knows he’s screwed up and has commitment issues. That’s why he’s been so on-and-off with Ryan these past two years. He’d thought he found a safe haven, a place to hide from the losses of his past, but there are other demons you just can’t escape. Like Ryan’s health. If Mango is to put things right, he must man up and discover a way back into Club Delish and the heart of its owner. Only then can they look to the future together, come what may. True happiness will slip through their fingers...unless they both grab on and hold tight.
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Carra's Review
Take one feisty guy who owns a club where he dresses in drag from time to time (Ryan) and put him with a rally-for-the-cause guy who just can’t commit (Mango), and you have a recipe for angst called Hard Climate. But that’s not all you’re going to find when Mango realizes exactly what he stands to lose when Ryan decides he’s fed up with the come-and-go attitude Mango continually plays. It’s a case of “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone”, exacerbated by some health drama that will keep you quickly turning the pages to make sure these guys will still have some kind of happy ending.
I loved Ryan, he’s a successful club owner, definitely comfortable with who he is and I was proud of him for standing up for himself after two years of back and forth with Mango who for personal reasons won’t commit to him permanently. Mango gets an earful not just from Ryan, but from his friends as well, prompting him to make a decision on just what is really important to him.
Mango’s attitude at first rubbed me the wrong way, so the journey in this story of him discovering how badly he wants Ryan (and not just as a when-I’m-in-town guy), and the cementing of that relationship between them felt like a bit of redemption for his character. The two of them are really good together, and as Mango works his way back into Ryan’s heart and their relationship gets stronger and stronger, it raised my opinion of Mango as the story progressed.
The drama and worry throughout the story, particularly after Ryan receives some troubling personal news, kept me glued to the pages, and in the end Hard Climate wound up as a 4.5-star read for me. And just as with the rest of the series, this book is only for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
Men of London Book Nine
**SURVIVAL GAME**
Releases September 2017
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Since his true love died, paramedic Eric Kirby has been living a half life, but when he meets purple-haired Kyle Tripper, Eric's heart is jolted into a whole new rhythm.
HANDLE...
Kyle Tripper has led an interesting life. Currently the manager of London's famous Club Delish, he used to be a croupier extraordinaire in Las Vegas. But not everything in that life was so glamorous; his ex was a piece of work. Now gun-shy, Kyle hopes there is someone special out there for him, and secretly wishes it's luscious paramedic, Eric Kirby.
WITH CARE
Every day Eric Kirby goes through the motions. Yeah, he saves lives, and, sure, he makes a difference, but he doesn't feel it anymore - not since he lost his one true. But, when he meets wild, flamboyant Kyle Tripper and learns there's a skittish, apprehensive man beneath the bold façade, the best of Eric's protective nature kicks in, and opens his heart to a new love.
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Giveaway: Win a SIGNED copy of Survival Game!
About the Author
Susan Mac Nicol is a self-confessed bookaholic, an avid watcher of videos of sexy pole dancing men, geek, nerd and in love with her Smartphone. This little treasure is called ‘the boyfriend’ by her long-suffering husband, who says if it vibrated, there’d be no need for him. Susan hasn’t had the heart to tell him there’s an app for that…
In an ideal world, Susan Mac Nicol would be Queen of England and banish all the bad people to the Never Never Lands of Wherever -Who Cares. As that’s never going to happen, she contents herself with writing her HEA stories and pretending, that just for a little while, good things happen to good people.
Sue is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She’s also Editorial Manager at http://www.divinemagazine.biz, an online LGBTQ e-zine, and she’s a Charity Board trustee at http://wwwbeingmecampaign.com in London.
She’s passionate about research for her books and has stayed in a circus, taken lessons from a blind person on how it feels to be non-sighted, and travelled to a lighthouse with maintenance crew to see first-hand what it’s like inside. She’s also writing a screen play with a Hollywood actor named Nicholas Downs, with a view to taking her latest release, Sight Unseen, to the big screen.
All in all, she’s happy with her lot and loves that you love to read her books.
You do, right?
