New Release-Excerpt: TONGUES by Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid

Tongues

by Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid

Publisher: Eine Kleine Press

Cover Artist: Clancy Nacht

Release Date: May 17, 2022

Genre: LGBTQ+ horror fiction, Lovecraftian horror

Tropes: Forced proximity, fate

Themes: Saving the world, Interracial mc, black mc, lgbt, horror, adult, cosmic horror, occult horror, paranormal suspense, occult fiction

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length:  51 000 words/170 pages

It a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger, but a HFN.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Cosmically tormented FBI linguist investigates famous actor's unspeakable past and discovers an eldritch power the government seeks to exploit  

Blurb

Cosmically tormented FBI linguist Ekon is the only one B-list heartthrob Chris will talk to about the Farm, a horrifying cult of which he's the only known survivor. As they bond over mysterious pasts and their unsettling attraction, Ekon discovers an eldritch power his government bosses would love to exploit, one that could spell the end of everything.

While there are queer and romantic elements, this is a horror novel.

Content Warning: Violence, gore, horror, mentions of CSA

Excerpt 

In a black, Fed-issued SUV, Ekon pulled up outside Daimon’s luxury apartment at the appointed hour. A trickle of sweat snaked down Ekon’s spine in LA’s abundant spring warmth, turning cold as he headed through the air-conditioned lobby to the elevator. Though it should’ve been a bustling, well-secured complex, there didn’t seem to be a soul around.

Palming his badge, he strode down a long, empty, gray-walled hallway and knocked at Daimon’s door.

“Mr. Daimon, it’s Agent Adams with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We have an appointment?”

There was nothing, not a sound on the other side. Was Daimon even at home? Was anyone?

Then Ekon heard it: The eerie rustle of the nameless language. Born not of wind or whistling pipes, it emanated this time from the corridor’s buzzy fluorescent bulbs as if presaging the coming of something unutterable.

Without even the sound of a loosed deadbolt, the door yawned open, and a familiar young white man stood before Ekon. He was damp, naked but for the towel clinging precariously around his hips, and in excellent physical shape.

The world went silent, as if muted by the force of Daimon’s presence. There was only the fluorescents’ unholy rustling and a high-pitched, constant scream like the aftermath of a high-powered gunshot.

Then Daimon smiled.

Ambient noise returned with crippling ferocity: Traffic outside the complex, neighbors within, as painfully intense as if they were all trapped inside Ekon’s skull. Even his heartbeat deafened him, a muffled thudding in his inner ears one instant per second.

The young man tilted his head, wet hair dripping onto his shoulder. His eyes—a bright blue even more piercing than on television—scanned Ekon slowly up and down with careful sensuousness that left Ekon feeling undressed.

Then Daimon blinked slowly, like a happy cat, and turned sideways to allow Ekon in.

“They sent you alone?”

Why did he sound so amused?

About the Authors 

Together, Texans and platonic life partners Thursday Euclid and Clancy Nacht write queer novels that span genres, with intense romances and a seamless shared narrative voice.

They published their first co-written novel, the m/m rock star romance Black Gold, in 2010, and now have over a decade of award-winning collaborations under their exquisite belts. Recent titles include the twisted romance His Fake Prison Daddy and the Phisher King series, in which an uptight federal agent and a bratty hacker go from enemies to lovers while solving a hate crime.

Though Elder Millennial trans man Thursday and Gen X gender outlaw Clancy live three hours apart, they are inseparable. Their friendship is a perfect example of the Grumpy/Sunshine trope, which makes Thursday very happy. Clancy thinks it’s all right.

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New Release-Review & Excerpt: PLAYING FOR KEEPS by Beth Bolden (Miami Piranhas #1) - Includes Giveaway!

Playing for Keeps

Author and Publisher: Beth Bolden

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood Designs

Release Date: May 11, 2022

 Genres: Gay contemporary sports romance

Tropes: Forbidden love, age gap, player/coach’s son

Themes: Overcoming fear, positive change, growing trust

Heat Rating: 4 flames     

Length: 85 000 words

It’s the first book in a new series

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited 

Universal Link  |  Amazon US   |  Amazon UK

Blurb

Sebastian Howard is the best damn cornerback in the NFL.

Or at least he was.

Age and injuries have taken a toll, and while most people have written him off, Sebastian isn’t ready to acknowledge that at only thirty-two, he’s already in the twilight of his career.

He signs with the Miami Piranhas intending to prove everyone wrong.

Only to realize that the head coach’s son, out-and-proud Beau Dawson, doesn’t believe he can.

Beau is infuriating but brilliant, and when he offers to help him on the field, Sebastian wants to say yes, but there’s one thing stopping him: the unexpected, inconvenient, and all-consuming crush he doesn’t want to have on Beau.

But Beau isn’t interested in playing it safe, with football or with anything else, and soon they’re embroiled in a hot—and secret—affair that would finish Sebastian’s career if Coach Dawson found out.

As Sebastian falls harder for Beau, he begins to realize that actually the worst thing in the world isn’t getting benched, but losing the man he loves.

Excerpt 

The bartender set a new round of drinks in front of them.

“I shouldn’t,” Beau said.

“Why not?”

Because if I have another drink, I’m going to think it’s a really, really good idea to have sex with you, and it’s not.

Sebastian broke into laughter then, and Beau realized, humiliation flushing his cheeks, that he’d said that out loud.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have another one,” Sebastian said, still chuckling as he swirled the straw in his own drink. But then he shot him a speculative glance, and Beau realized he wasn’t the only one thinking about it.

Sebastian had been checking him out all night.

Sebastian had almost kissed him twice, even when he was pissed as hell at him.

“Is that why you thought I manipulated you?” Beau asked before he could stop himself.

You’re the worst. The absolute f*cking worst. You’re supposed to be flirting with the super-hot guy you haven’t been able to stop thinking about since he showed at camp, and instead, you’re bringing up that he hates you. A+ work, Beau. Really brilliant. You must be a genius.

At least, Beau thought as Sebastian continued to stare and swirl his drink, he hadn’t said any of that out loud.

Thank God for small miracles.

“Naw,” Sebastian finally said, another glimmer of a smile emerging on his handsome face. “You tried your level best not to flirt with me. It’s not your fault you trying to be all brilliant and professional about it made me hot.”

“No?” Beau squeaked.

Sebastian leaned in, and Beau could smell him again. Lavender and something darker and richer, and he wanted to lick up the neck that the open collar of his white button-down shirt had exposed and taste it, too. Wanted to trace the tattoo peeking out of his collar with his tongue.

Maybe he really shouldn’t have another drink.

Except . . . he could sleep with Sebastian. That wasn’t off-limits. But if they made it a habit, it would inevitably spill into the locker room, and then onto the field, and that was the one hard and fast rule his father had given him.

And he was going to want it to be a habit. They hadn’t even kissed, and Beau already knew it, as easy as breathing.

No, he should really keep his hands in his lap, and his drink un-drunk, but then Sebastian’s eyes practically sparkled with the dare of it and he leaned in another fraction of an inch.

“Don’t you want to know how hot it made me?” Sebastian crooned in that dirty, sexy voice of his, all low and enticing, and Beau lost the fight with himself.

He reached out and laid his hand on Sebastian’s thigh. His hard, muscular thigh, hot beneath the light wool of his slacks. He’d already removed his jacket, and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, exposing those rippling forearms that had taken up residence in too many of Beau’s fantasies already.

He swallowed hard. But didn’t move his hand either.

“I think you do,” Sebastian said lowly.

Carra's Review

Once again Beth Bolden delivers a solid sports romance that is relatively low-angst, filled with strong and likable characters, and just plain hot!  Beau and Sebastian have that instant attraction (not insta-love, just that “I want you!” vibe) which leads to those spicy hookups, and of course those pesky feelings just HAVE to intrude to complicate things.  The football stuff is accurate for those who enjoy that part, and the romance develops at a normal pace through the season without feeling rushed.

Sebastian may be reluctant about the change the team wants to make moving him into a different position, but Beau is just the right person to help him make that transition.  The trick is to do that while still remaining professional, because a star player and the coach’s son?  Yeah, that’s not complicated at all, right?

I like that there is a strong cast of supporting characters with their teammates, and as you might expect you’ll find several who are prime choices for stories of their own.  The good thing about that (other than the expected future books in the series) is Beau and Sebastian have others to support them while they are keeping what’s going on between them quiet.  A bit of a stretch in such an über-macho sport?  Maybe, but it still comes across well in this setting.

Playing for Keeps was a strong 4-star read for me, and I’d recommend this to any M/M sports romance fan (especially if you love football).  This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.

About the Author 

A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.

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New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: WE CHOOSE YOU by Katy Manz (Choice Versus Fate #1)

We Choose You
By Katy Manz

Choice Versus Fate, Book 1

James and Aidan didn’t need fate. They had each other.

Alpha James and Beta Aiden love each other and don’t care what fate has to say about that. Mating doesn’t need to be based on pheromones and scents. And kids? There were many ways to build a family.

When fate comes knocking years later, James does what any wolf in his situation would—he runs away. He has a mate he loves more than anything, and they’re just about to get everything they want: a family. He can’t risk losing everything because Fate decided to be a butt.

Omega Riley scented his fated mate once months earlier, and the wolf ran away. He is coming to terms with his singledom. Everything is going as well as it can, that is, until his fated mate’s children walk into his classroom.

We Choose You is book one in the sweet with knotty heat MM shifter mpreg romance series: Choice Vs. Fate. It features an alpha wolf shifter who mated his beta best friend, the omega sent by fate, true love, twins who will steal your heart, adorable babies, and a guaranteed happy ever after.

Universal Link

Add to Goodreads

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Excerpt

Only I could end up in the ER as an adult for getting a building block stuck in my nose. It should be one of the dozen or so kids under the age of five who I worked with here right now waiting for the on-call doctor to help free the annoying toy. But no, it was me, the grown-up charged with keeping them from doing it.

I was the grown man who got such a thing lodged in his breathing hole. I tripped over Eddie’s missing shoe while Andy was holding up a building block to show me it was his favorite color. The fates decided I had to be laughed at more in life. The kids all laughed, at least, except poor Andy who cried thinking he hurt me.

Luckily, it was a quick fix, more embarrassing than anything. Now, I needed to meet my friend Leslie in the hospital cafeteria, and we could pretend this day never happened.

“Hey, blockhead,” Leslie called out from across the cafeteria, making me vow to tell anyone who would listen about when she threw up after her first time watching a five-year-old eat his own booger. Note to self: get more embarrassing stories about my best friend, pronto.

“Seriously? Can we pretend today never happened and we came here to ogle hotties in lab coats and scrubs?” I asked as a nurse strutted past us and put a bit more swagger into his walk. Yum.

“Nope. But I will let it go for now. Was the doctor cute at least?”

“There’s my bestie. Always about trying to get some action! And to answer your question, he was all right. But definitely an omega, and so not my type.”

Her eyes widened, and a slow smirk grew. “Omega? Oh, mama likes them smart and steamy. Show me.”

I laughed at Leslie. “Sorry, hun. From the ring on the finger, the bump of his belly, and mark on the neck, that omega was spoken for and very happily so.”

“Figures. Oh well. One day I will meet the omega of my dreams. Maybe they’re too busy creating the next medical breakthrough. Or discovering life on Mars.”

All I could do was shake my head. Yes, one day it will happen but for now, I need food. “Did you want to grab something to eat?” I motioned toward the prepackaged sandwiches. “Or should we go grab something from the café, perhaps?”

“Um, yeah. Let’s go with the café. I would die for one of those delicious flatbreads they had the other day.”

Leslie and I grabbed our stuff and started toward the door. As we reached the exit, we saw two alphas standing near the doors, and my world stopped.

Growing up, we were told of the moment your soul recognized its fated. And everything I was warned about happened. The instant connection pulling me to them and the heat of recognizing only that person could satisfy me.

What wasn’t covered was what to do when the fated got a look on their face like the worse news was delivered to them and took off running in the other direction.

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate their debut release, Katy is giving away a Paperback copy of We Choose You, and some Author Swag!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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About the Author:

Katy Manz has always dreamed of being a romance writer. She wanted to bring the stories created in her mind to a world of readers that would fall in love with her characters as much as she has. Keep a look out for more books in this series and future series to come.

Connect with Katy:

Linktree

Website - Amazon - Goodreads - BookBub - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - TikTok

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New Release: HONESTLY YOURS by Jaime Reese

Honestly Yours

by Jaime Reese

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance Standalone

Release Date: May 12, 2022

Cover Design: Reese Dante

"This was a beautiful story of love and found family."

The truth hurts. But in the end, honesty wins. Or does it?

Warren Prescott loves a challenge. He knows how to play the game and adapts when necessary to succeed in his cutthroat world. Tired of pining for a man he’s wanted for months, Warren intends to seal the deal. Until that man throws him an endearing curveball…

Be honest.

Gian Benedetti doesn't play games. Success has cost him the personal connections he craves, and he doubts he’ll take another chance on a relationship. Until the attractive, younger man with the brazen personality and confidence stirs his interest.

Except…someone else is playing games.

And threatening everything Gian has worked hard to achieve.

Warren won’t rest until he uncovers the new player and gets his forever with Gian.

But they’ll soon face a hard truth—

Honesty may be what brings them together…

Or it could be the one thing that tears them apart.

***

Honestly Yours is an age-gap standalone romance. It features a snarky younger man with a giant crush on a good-hearted, affectionate, bisexual older man. Expect some banter, a little mystery, a few twists, a dash of angst, curious parents, animal trivia, and a whole lot of love…and hugs (so many hugs).

Jaime Reese is the alter ego of an artist who loves the creative process of writing, just not about herself. Fiction is far more interesting. She has a weakness for broken, misunderstood heroes and feels everyone deserves a chance at love and life. An avid fan of a happy ending, she believes those endings acquired with a little difficulty are more cherished.

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New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: BEDSIDE MANNERS by Ella Fenn (Living Situations #2)

Bedside Manners

(Living Situations Book 2)

Author and Publisher: Ella Fenn

Cover Artist: Mayhem Cover Creations

Release Date: May 10, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M romance

Tropes: Age gap, hurt/comfort, BDSM, hot mountain man, forced proximity

Themes: Healing trauma, second chances, coming of age

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 88 000 words 

It is the second book in the series, so characters from book 1 do show up in it, but the reader doesn’t need to know their story to read this one. 

The book does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link  |  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

A freak windstorm. A life-changing accident. An unlikely helping hand. 

Blurb

A freak windstorm. A life-changing accident. An unlikely helping hand. 

After years spent suffering under the weight of his father’s expectations, Max Castillo-Grant is celebrating his shiny new law degree by drinking, partying, and bed-hopping around Seattle. Max isn’t stupid—he knows the good times never last—but if the world’s going to bring him low, he might as well enjoy the high. 

Six years ago, a broken heart and a deep loss turned Ben Greer bitter and reclusive. Formerly the life of the party, he quit his job, rejected his friends, and hid from the world. Now, he spends his days alone, working on occasional custom carpentry commissions, with only his dog, Judith, for company.

Two severe weather events conspire to leave Ben in need of a full-time caretaker for his injuries, and Max in need of a respectable job. Despite a rocky start, Ben is begrudgingly won over by Max’s good humor, and the two form a lasting connection. But emotional wounds leave deep scars, and both Ben and Max are damaged. Can they find a way to heal hurts that go far beyond the physical before it’s too late?  

The second book in the Living Situations series, Bedside Manners is a gay romance featuring an age gap, BDSM, and 4-6 terrible puns about woodworking. If you like steamy situations, hurt/comfort, and grumpy mountain men, then you’ll love Ella Fenn’s latest novel.

Pick up Bedside Manners and let Ben and Max sweep you off your feet today! 

Excerpt 

Ben woke to the disconcerting sensation of a tongue between his toes. He sat up, yanking his foot away, and faced down the wet-mouthed perpetrator.

Judith sat back on her haunches and grinned, her tongue lolling from her lips as she stared at him with brown eyes that radiated canine intelligence. She was smart enough to know how to get Ben out of bed, at any rate. 

“Menace,” Ben said, scowling as he scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Delinquent. I oughta take you back to the pound.”

Judith gave an impatient yap, her shaggy tail thumping against the hardwood. Ben glanced at the clock and yawned. “All right, all right. I’m coming.” 

He rose, ignoring the way his knees popped and his neck twinged—forty-five was forty-five—then dressed in his standard flannel and jeans then navigated the maze of boxes that lay between him and the stairs. eBay purchases, mostly, things he’d intended to refurbish and sell but never quite got around to dealing with. 

Judith led the way downstairs to Ben’s well-stocked kitchen, where he poured a bowl of kibble for her and got coffee brewing for himself before flipping on the radio.

“We’ve got a windstorm advisory for Seattle. It’s gonna be a nasty one out there, folks, so if you’re planning on hiking, maybe reconsider,” the announcer said as she detailed the day’s weather. A quick glance out the kitchen windows confirmed her words. The tall pines surrounding Ben’s isolated property were bending under the wind’s assault. 

“Guess we’re staying in the shop today,” he said, more to himself than to Judith, who was still preoccupied with her food.

Not that staying in was a problem—Ben had been doing it every day for the better part of five years. There was plenty of gas in the generator and food in the fridge, so even if the wind blew the power down (which it had been known to do on occasion), he and Jude could stay tucked up and safe for a good long while. Not forever, but… well, forever would be the dream, with unlimited supplies appearing as if by magic. 

“Come on, little girl,” he said, patting her head. “You wanna get to work?”

That got her tail wagging, and Ben grinned. He felt the same way about the workshop, that welcoming cocoon of sawdust and wood awaiting them across the drive. Originally, it had been a two-car garage with a mother-in-law suite overhead, but he’d converted the space into his workshop when he bought the place, putting up a carport between the buildings to link them. The shop was his sanctum sanctorum, full of tools he’d inherited from his father and some shiny new toys he’d purchased to make it perfect. 

Judith bounded ahead, eager to get to her favorite place—favorite bed, favorite toys, favorite box of treats—and Ben followed, cupping one hand over the top of his mug, the scalding splashes barely registering against the worn calluses he’d built up over the years. No more than half the coffee remained by the time he made it to the workshop and opened the side door. Judith, true to form, was already curled up in her bed, the doggy door Ben had installed years before having allowed her ease of access. 

“Sh*t,” he said, leaning against the heavy wooden door with a laugh. “That’s some gale, huh, Dorothy?”

Judith didn’t get the joke. Humor was wasted on canines. Harrumphing, Ben went to his desk, set his coffee between two precarious-looking piles of papers, and picked up the leatherbound sketchbook he’d need to continue work on his latest commission of six dining chairs. 

Notebook tucked into his back pocket, he went to his wood rack, selected a sheet of oak, and eased it out. He whistled along with the wind as he brought the wood to the table saw that dominated the corner nearest the rack. An ancient relic, the saw had been his father’s, carefully packed and shipped from Montana after the old man had died a few years prior. 

Ben flipped the switch that powered the table then got to it, carefully cutting the slab of oak down to size. It was rote work, peaceful in its way, and he lost himself in the rhythm, heedless of the screaming wind outside… until there came a bang on the roof so loud it made him jump. That was a mistake, since he’d been damn close to the blade. The torque of the motor kept chewing through the wood, and when it got to Ben’s forearm, the saw chewed through that too. 

About the Author 

Ella Fenn is a romance author best known for telling tawdry tales tinged with a little something sweet.

Author of the Living Situations series, Ella wakes at the crack of dawn each day and spends a few hours tapping at the keyboard before beginning her 9-5 job in marketing and communications. 

Using her bachelor’s in journalism and a master’s in organizational behavior, Ella enjoys diving deep into the unique traits and tricks that make her characters tick. She believes everyone has a story to tell, and loves to engage with readers, whether it’s answering questions or discussing the nitty-gritty of her process. 

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Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win 

one of 5 signed copies of Bedside Manners (for US residents only) or ebooks for non-US residents.

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