Remy Duval was my high school crush and secret first kiss, but he’s also so much more. A painter, a tattoo artist, my best friend Bailey’s older brother…and Bailey’s sworn enemy. It was easier to keep my distance the past two years, but now that Bailey and I are attending Franklin University with him, I’m only drawn to Remy more. I should be loyal to my best friend, focus on classes and swim team, but the more I see Remy around campus, the harder it becomes to stay away.
Remy Duval
My brother hates me, but that’s no surprise. I’ll take the fall for ruining our family if it means doing the right thing. But as soon as my brother and his best friend show up on campus, I know I’m in trouble. Alex is all grown up, and I can’t help wanting him, especially when he’s in those tiny swim briefs that emphasize everything.
One kiss leads to more, and before we know it, we’re tumbling into secret, no-strings-attached hookups. But who knew Alex would understand me in ways few others have? And I think, just maybe, I understand him too.
I keep telling myself it’s temporary. Alex doesn’t want to disappoint his best friend, and after what my parents went through, I’m not looking to settle down. Making waves is nothing new, but the further I fall, the more I drag Alex in the deep end with me.
“Wanna dance?” Alex asked with a hopeful glint in his eye.
“Nah, I’ll just observe from a safe distance.” I leaned forward. “I like watching you.”
He made a frustrated sound. “Okay, you don’t play fair.”
“And you do?” I chuckled, eyeing him.
“Ready?” Jordan nudged him, and Alex nodded.
Just as they were about to head out, Alex swung around. “Will you hold my jacket so I don’t lose it?”
“Of course.” Once I took it from him, I slipped my arms through it so it wasn’t dragged or stepped on or anything. The material was warm and soft, obviously broken in from use. But when I angled my head and sniffed the lapel, it smelled like him too. Perfect.
“What?” I asked, realizing that Alex was staring at me with a wistfulness in his eyes.
“It looks good on you,” he said, adjusting the hem against my waist.
I grimaced. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“Well, you did go to a football game, which I still can’t believe.”
“You and me both.”
As soon as I shifted, I realized that his jacket was a bit of a tight fit in the shoulders. I’d need to be careful so I didn’t tear it.
“By the way, I wouldn’t be caught dead in this thing if it wasn’t yours.”
He cracked a smile. “Thank you for your sacrifice.”
I leaned forward. “You’re welcome, Chlorine Boy.”
About the Author:
Once upon a time,Christina Lee was a wardrobe stylist in New York City. She spent her days schlepping clothes, hailing cabs, and on the hunt for the perfect lip gloss, which became a bit of an addiction—along with books and coffee. You could always find her perched in a corner booth of a favorite diner sipping a dark roast and reading.
She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband and son—her two favorite guys. She’s been a clinical social worker and a special education teacher and while very rewarding, they still didn’t feel like an exact fit. It wasn’t until she began writing a weekly column for the local newspaper that the bells went off in her head. She could finally draw from her real-life experiences and vivid imagination to write fiction—and she’s never looked back.
Christina writes romance in different sub-genres, but mostly with LGBTQ characters because representation mattersand everyone deserves a happily-ever-after.
It's Not Unusual To Be Loved by an Alien By Chloe Archer
Tentacular Tales Series, Book 1
A sexy alien living incognito on Earth meets a sci-fi loving nerd who wants to rock his universe. What could possibly go wrong? Besides the unexpected tentacles and the accidental Mating Courtship Ritual, that is....
RIVER SULLIVAN
As a bona fide sci-fi nerd and total X-phile—the truth is out there—I’ve always believed in aliens. Duh. But I never thought I’d actually find them on Earth–let alone right here in Las Vegas! Now I’ve stumbled onto a big freakin’ secret and found my very own hot AF alien. I’m head over heels, but he’s being a total grump and holding back. How do I make him realize a geeky sunshine guy like me is just what he needs in his life? Did I mention he also has tentacles?!?! #HolyHentaiFantasyBatman #SwoonworthyAlien #SignMeUpSugar #MakeItSo #VivaLasVegas
KAI GENARO
The last thing I need in my life is a chatterbox twink who’s determined to woo me and could expose the secret existence of aliens on Earth to all humankind. Everything about him annoys me, including his stupidly attractive halo of golden curls and his bright green ‘come hither’ eyes. To make matters worse, he’s been recruited to work for the alien Alliance on Earth, and I’m assigned to keep him out of trouble. I don’t care how attractive he is. I don’t date humans! Except, my tentacles may have accidentally started the Mating Courtship Ritual with him…
It’s Not Unusual to be Loved by an Alien (Tentacular Tales #1) is an (102,000 words) M/M sci-fi rom com featuring an adorkable twink with unexpected secrets and a slight obsession with extraterrestrials, the reluctant alien he wants to make his boo, tentacles with a mind of their own, zany extraterrestrial shenanigans in Sin City, and enough humor to fill an entire spaceship. This is the first book in the series. There is no cheating, and this book ends with a HFN. Never fear, the series guarantees readers an HEA by the end!
“Why do your pajamas have telephone booths on them?”
River jolts in his chair like I’ve used a cattle prod on him. I don’t think it’s possible, but his eyes get even bigger, and his mouth drops open. “Dude, this isn’t an ordinary phone booth. It’s the motherf*cking TARDIS.”
“The what?”
“Uh oh.” Benji shakes his head. “Now you’ve done it.”
River’s nostrils flare. “First you think we’re freaking drug dealers, and now you’re telling me you don’t know what the TARDIS is? Don’t tell me you’ve never seen Doctor Who?”
Ah. Now I think I know what he’s talking about. I’ve heard of the show but never watched it. As a captain of the Alliance, I really don’t have time for such things. Something makes me want to keep messing with him though. He’s too adorable in his outrage. “What’s that?” I ask, feigning ignorance.
River puts the back of his hand to his forehead and slides out of his chair to collapse on the floor. I have to bite back a laugh. This guy should’ve done theater. Or maybe daytime soap operas.
River’s theatrics continue as he raises his fist so it can be seen above the top of the table and performs an over-the-top soliloquy of his own creation. “Oh, cruel universe! How could you bring me a hot as f*ck alien Timelord-looking wannabe, but he has no idea who the Doctor is? Why? How can he not know about the TARDIS? Why is he channeling Agent K when all I want is a dashing David Tennant? Too, too cruel.” He fake sobs.
Against my better intentions, I can’t help but smile. This man is utterly ridiculous, but in a way that is somehow charming. He’s like a bright sun sucking me into his orbit, so vibrant and warm I can’t look away from him.
His eyes peek up at me from above the lip of the metal table, and he grins while flashing lovely straight teeth at me. “I knew I could make you smile.” He pumps both fists in the air. “Yeeeeeeeeesssss!”
Carra's Review
This book was so much fun to read. It’s pretty lighthearted throughout, and is funny without being over the top. I truly did have a smile on my face during much of my time reading this.
River is your classic “I want to believe” sci-fi fanatic who, along with his stoner Uncle Benji, learns a bit more than he should about his neighbor—and consequently about what really is out there. He also doesn’t have much of a filter on his constant chatter. But he’s adorable, and such a fun character.
Kai is his opposite—focused, serious, and fully committed to keeping all things alien on Earth under wraps while trying to keep law and order. So it’s a touch of Men in Black with a budding romance…and let’s not forget the tentacles. Kai and River complement each other perfectly, even though Kai tries his best to not become involved. River’s relentless though, which makes for a lot of laughs along the way.
There are quite a few supporting characters who are amazing and add depth to the story, along with the possibility of more couplings down the road. There are also a few different plot points going on to add complexity to the story (notably, River’s family as well as the ongoing drug dealing investigation), and they set things up for more to come in the series. The author did a great job of hooking and reeling me in, and I’m absolutely going to be sticking around to see where this goes.
This was a 5-star read for me, I loved reading it and it was definitely entertaining. Yes there are some naughty tentacles, but let’s be honest—that’s probably why a lot of us readers picked this up in the first place. Enjoy the laughs—you’ll find plenty of them here—and remember this story is intended for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
Enter the Giveaway:
To celebrate this exciting debut release, Chloe is giving away 2 x $5 Amazon Gift Cards along with e-copies of It's Not Unusual To Be Loved by an Alien!
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
Chloe Archer writes M/M sci-fi and paranormal rom coms with laugh-out-loud humor because she’s all about bringing the funny-sexy back. Oh, yeah!
She currently calls Minnesota home but has lived abroad in places like Montreal, Edinburgh, and Tokyo. She’s hoping to relocate to Scotland permanently in the next few years if the stars align.
Chloe is a fur mama to two adorable Yorkies, Jasper and Teddy, and she loves them in a crazy dog mama kind of way. When she isn’t busy writing, she enjoys visiting friends and family, traveling, reading, binge-watching movies and TV shows, and practicing her karaoke skills. She does a mean cover of Pat Benatar and Cher, or so she’s been told.
There I was, moving into the dorms at Franklin U and not into the shared party house I’d lived in my freshman year. Last year had been all about football and parties, not schoolwork. Which was why my grades tanked. Why I was one failed class away from being kicked off the team.
Why I needed to live on campus and find myself a tutor.
Funny that my new roommate just happens to be a tutor. Funny that he’s oblivious to how hot he is. For a smart guy, he’s pretty clueless. Maybe I could tutor him in how to be more outgoing in exchange for help with calculus. I could teach him how to talk to people, how to make new friends. Hell, maybe I could even help him punch his V-card.
Actually, now that I think about it . . . that’s a really good idea.
Vincent Brandt
And there I was, happy to be back at college, happy to be where I was most comfortable. Happy to be starting another school year, happy to start tutoring again so I could earn some money.
And yes, there I was, equal parts excited and dreading to see who my new roommate would be . . . until Cobey Green’s smiling face appeared at the door. A huge football player loved by everyone. Gorgeous, rich, and out of the closet.
Everything I’m not.
It doesn’t help that he’s genuinely a nice guy. It doesn’t help that I make him laugh and we can talk so easily. And it certainly doesn’t help that we start having private tutoring sessions, which end up way more private than I’d ever dare imagine.
I’d ranked top of my class in every subject since the first grade, yet there I was falling stupidly in love with him.
This was going to be a hell of a year. And one very steep learning curve for both of us.
I was in the backseat of the car, having flashbacks of when I was thirteen and my parents had enrolled me in a summer camp for mathletes instead of football. Only this time, they were moving me back to college, but not back to the fun house where I’d spent my first year. Oh no. They were moving me into the dorm. Why?
Because I was failing school.
I didn’t thank them when I was thirteen, and I wasn’t thanking them now.
Sure, they meant well. But come on! I was a nineteen-year-old guy on the college football team. My education was secondary to my social life. Well, and to my football life, so make that thirdary . . . if that’s even a word.
And therein lay the problem. Or so my father had said. School needed to be a priority.
So yeah, a great start to the new school year.
I was trying not to be mad about it. While I wasn’t thanking them, I could see their point.
Kinda.
“And who knows,” Dad said brightly, eyeing me in the rearview mirror as he drove. “Your new roommate might be nice. A good influence, perhaps.”
I stared.
Did I just hear him correctly?
“I’m sorry, my new room-what?”
“Your new roommate.” Dad shot Mom a panicked look. “You didn’t tell him?”
If Dad looked panicked, Mom looked stricken. “Didn’t you?”
“Didn’t tell me what?” It came out as a yell-squawk. I leaned forward through their front seats so I could try to see their faces. “A roommate?”
“All the single rooms were taken,” Dad offered.
I slumped back in my seat. They gotta be f*cking kidding me.
But no, they weren’t.
“It won’t hurt to make friends outside of your football buddies,” Mom added. “Broaden your circle a bit. Broaden your horizons.”
Cool.
And when we get to the horizon, we can just keep on driving. Right off the f*cking edge.
“I’d rather not broaden anything, just so you know,” I mumbled. “I like my football buddies just fine.”
They droned on about how it won’t be so bad, and it could even be great, and how it will mean more study time. Thankfully Dad realized now was not the time to lecture me again on my priorities and last year’s poor grades, because all I could think about was who I was going to have to live with.
What if they were a slob? What if they left their crap all over the floor?
Oh god.
“What if they don’t do laundry and our entire room stinks like a gym bag?”
Dad snorted. “You mean, like your gym bag?”
Mom turned to give me that look. You know that sorry-patronizing-grimace look that moms can do. “It’s highly unlikely it could be worse than what you lived in last year, darling. And anyway, maybe your new roommate will be a quiet, clean, and considerate person.” Then she mumbled under her breath, “Unlike whom you lived with last year.”
“The guys I lived with last year were just fine,” I grumbled. “They’re my friends. My teammates. And what if this roommate person is super weird? Like crazy-weird.”
“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Dad said. “And if they’re not, if you really can’t live with them, then you can see about changing rooms. Just give it a couple of weeks. Who knows . . .” He gave me a hopeful glance in the rearview mirror. “They could turn out to be someone great.”
I sighed.
Now, I was normally an optimistic guy, always trying to look on the bright side. But this semester was going to blow.
* * *
Vincent Brandt
My new roommate was Cobey Green.
Cobey freaking Green.
He, of course, had no idea who I was. Which probably wasn’t surprising, let’s be real. Everyone at Franklin U knew who Cobey Green was. He was the incredibly popular, six-foot-three linebacker for the Kings, totally gorgeous, with a killer trademark grin. If that hadn’t been enough to annoy my cynical little heart, I’d never heard anyone say a bad word about him.
“Hey, man,” he’d said, carrying a box in. I’d opened the door, saw him holding said box with the aforementioned killer grin, and I’d stood there like an idiot. “Name’s Cobey. Your new roomie.”
It took a second for my brain to function. “Oh, sure.” I stood aside. “Come in. I, uh . . . I moved in already and put my stuff on the left.”
Cobey put the box on his bed. “I’m cool with whatever,” he said, still wearing that ridiculously stunning grin. “Oh, this is my mom and dad. Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“I’m Vincent Brandt.”
There was a forty-year-old dad version of Cobey, clearly where he got his height from. And a woman, from whom he’d very obviously inherited his smile.
“Hi, Vincent,” his mom said. She had a huge bag of bedding. “I’m Sheree, and this is Chris.”
I gave Cobey’s parents a smile and a nod. “Nice to meet you.”
The room was small enough as it was—with two single beds, two desks, two closets—but now with three tall people all looking at me, it was kinda crowded. And I was never good with parents.
“I’ll, uh, I’ll let you get settled in,” I said, shoving my hands in my jean’s pockets.
“Oh, we didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” Sheree said. “You can stay. This is your room.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s not that.” I gave them my best smile and pointed to the door. “I have to go see about a . . . tutor program thing. In the tutoring center . . . it’s in the library.”
“Oh, a tutor program.” Chris’s eyes lit up and he gave Cobey an excited nod. “See, son? Vincent here’s in the tutor program too. There’s no shame in needing a tutor.”
Cobey was clearly horrified, and he hissed, “Dad!”
Oh god.
That was my cue to leave.
“Nice to meet you,” I said again, edging my way around them toward the door. “Oh, Cobey, you might not want to open the blind. It fell down before.”
He gave me an apologetic smile, and after giving him a nod, I bailed. I did have to go to the library to see about the tutor program; that wasn’t a lie. And the room was too small for four people anyway. Giving them the space to get settled and organized without me sitting on my bed like an awkward lump, getting even more awkward questions from Cobey’s parents . . .
No thanks.
Not today.
In the tutoring center, I found Rafe behind an armful of books. “Hey, Vincent,” he said warmly. “Glad to see you back, man.”
Rafael was a junior English major, and we’d been friends since my first day there. I didn’t have many friends. Like maybe three I could name. We didn’t hang out often, or at all, really, but we were friends enough to strike up a conversation. Like now.
I took half his burden of books. “Hey. Yeah, it’s good to be back. How was your summer?”
“Not bad. Time with the fam, and earned some money helping my dad. How about you?”
“Yeah, much the same,” I lied, on both counts, and quickly changed the subject. “Just met my new roommate.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“Cobey Green.”
Rafe put the books down and gave me a smile. “Oh, he’s a nice guy.”
That was the consensus. Absolutely everyone at Franklin U knew him and liked him. I wasn’t sure why that annoyed me.
Jealousy?
No.
I just didn’t hold people who coasted in high regard. The type of people who had everything come easy: money, social life, sports. And Cobey was the epitome of that. Superstar football player, tall, gorgeous, rich, friends with everyone, had loving parents.
He was also out and proud.
He was literally every single thing I wished I was . . . but wasn’t.
Was that his fault? No. Was any of his good fortune his fault? Also no.
Was I being an ass with my generalizing, broad-sweeping, stereotypical assumptions?
Possibly yes.
“Yeah, I’m sure he’s great,” I added. “He’s gotta be better than the guy I roomed with last year.”
Rafe chuckled. “We can only hope.” I helped him sort through the books in a comfortable silence for a while. “Please tell me you’re here to sign up for the tutor program?”
“Oh, yeah. That’s what I came in here for.”
“You mean you didn’t come in just to see me?”
I rolled my eyes, but he did make me smile. “Oh, sure. That too.”
See? I sucked at the whole friend thing.
“We’re having a bit of a welcome back party this weekend.” Rafe handed me the clipboard. “You should come.”
I took the clipboard, my introverted heart panicking at the mention of a social outing. “Oh.”
He laughed. “The look on your face . . .”
“No, I could come,” I tried, regretting it as soon as I’d said it. “Who else will be there?”
He looked at me, obviously deciding not to laugh when he realized I was trying to be serious. “Just the usual crew. It’s just a small thing. You know how we are.”
I nodded. I did know. They were good people. My kind of people: quiet and studious.
I filled out the tutoring information, and we chatted a while. I liked Rafe. He was chill and nothing fazed him much.
But I couldn’t put off going back to my room forever.
Cobey was alone in our room when I got back. “Oh, hey,” I said. “Your folks gone already?”
“Yeah, they had to go back home,” he replied and nodded to the window. “Dad fixed the blinds.”
I sat on my bed, trying not to let things get awkward. “So is, uh, is home far?”
Great job, Vincent. Don’t make it awkward by asking a straight-up personal question.
“Nah,” he said effortlessly. “San Diego. What about you?”
“San Luco.”
“Ah, sweet. This is your hometown.”
Not far enough for me.
“My parents just wanted to make sure I moved in okay,” he added. “I was in Mundell last year and my grades tanked.” He sighed. “It’s a catch-22. My grades were sh*t because of football. You know, games, training, the social side of it. It takes up so much of my time and studying isn’t a real priority for me. But if I don’t maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, I can’t play football. It’s part of my scholarship deal. I just scraped through. Coach was pissed, but my parents went kinda nuclear. And here I am. In the dorm.”
Plenty of guys maintained a football and school ratio, and they managed just fine. I didn’t doubt it wasn’t a difficult seesaw of commitment, but I had to wonder if there was more to Cobey’s story.
“It’s not so bad here in the dorm,” I said. “Not as much fun as the Mundell house, I bet. But that’s probably the point.”
“That’s exactly the point. Apparently.” His grin was something special, and it was easy to see why people liked him.
He’d put up some posters and pictures on his side of the room above his bed. There was a vintage Coca-Cola poster that was kinda cool, and there were some group photos, team photos, all smiling faces. There was a poster of Post Malone wearing a dress and a poster of Jesus . . . no, Mary . . . no, wait. “Is that Adam Driver?”
Cobey burst out laughing. “Yep. It’s funny as f*ck.” Then he stopped, his eyes quickly finding mine. “Uh, if you don’t like it, I can take it down. I didn’t mean to offend you, or anyone. Sh*t. Sorry.”
I snorted. “No. I’m not offended. It is kinda funny.” Then I nodded to a small rectangular flag stuck with the photos. “Is that the bi flag?”
His gaze shot to mine. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“Oh, no. Absolutely not,” I replied quickly, trying not to panic. The last thing I needed was for him not to like me just two minutes into the year. “No problem. Actually, I kinda like it. That you . . .”
Shut up, Vincent.
Just shut up.
“That I’m what?”
Gawd.
I wanted to die. I certainly didn’t want to answer, but his stare was drilling into me. It made my mouth dry. “That you’re, you know, out and proud.”
“Oh.” He was clearly relieved, but then I could almost hear the penny drop. He stared. “Oh.”
Panic struck me. “No, it’s not like that,” I said. Except it was. “I’m not . . . I’m not . . .”
He tilted his head. Patient. Curious. “You’re not what?”
“Out,” I blurted. “I’m not out.”
Way to go, Vincent. Announce that to a complete stranger. Something you’ve never told anyone, and you just blurt it out to Cobey freaking Green. Of all the people. One of the most popular sophomore guys at college.
Way to f*cking go.
Enter the Giveaway:
To celebrate the release of Learning Curve, N.R. Walker is giving away an eBook of the Winner's choice from her backlist and a $10 Amazon Voucher!
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don't let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love.
She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
Fast cars, outlaw country boys, snarky werewolves, vengeful ghosts, menacing monsters, and a love that can’t be denied.
NEW RELEASE - BOOK 2
Sins of the Fathers
MM Supernatural Suspense
Author: Morgan Brice
Publisher: Darkwind Press
Cover Artist: Natania Barron
Length: 62 000 words/ 213 pages
Release Date: August 28, 2022
Genres: Urban fantasy, MM paranormal romance
Tropes: Hurt/comfort, friends to lovers, established relationship, evolving relationship, learning to trust, dealing with the past, dealing with family secrets.
Themes: Letting go of the past, moving on after loss, intergenerational trauma, family secrets
Heat Rating: 4 flames
It is book 2 in the series but can be read standalone. It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Reckoning with the past just might destroy Grady and Dawson’s plans for the future
Blurb
Three deadly accidents that might have been magical murder. A dark witch with a grudge against the King family. Federal agents with supernatural abilities. And, as usual, Dawson and Grady are smack dab in the crosshairs of trouble even they can’t outrun.
When Grady King’s brother Knox is targeted by shady characters, old secrets, coverups, and lies come to light. Grady and his boyfriend Dawson begin to question what really happened when Grady’s grandparents and Dawson’s parents died. Then agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Supernatural Investigation show up pursuing a different case, only to discover that the crimes appear to be connected, with a vengeful dark witch at the center of the plot. And since monsters never sleep, Grady and Dawson are still carrying out their duty to hunt dangerous paranormal creatures, restless spirits, nefarious faeries, Civil War ghosts, creepy cryptids, and things that go bump in the night. It’s all part of the centuries-old King family mandate to protect the people of Cunanoon Mountain and Transylvania County, a mission Grady and Dawson are sworn to fulfill.
But when it looks like something is hunting the people Grady loves, it’s time to dig into the family’s painful past, uncovering dangerous details of long-ago hunts against immortal creatures who never forget—or forgive.
Can they solve the mystery and figure out who’s behind the deaths, or will they bear the deadly consequences of their hidden history? Reckoning with the past just might destroy Grady and Dawson’s plans for the future and set loose a tide of malicious magic that could sweep them all away.
Sins of the Fathers is a thrill-packed MM romance adventure full of fast cars, outlaw country boys, snarky werewolves, vengeful ghosts, menacing monsters, and a love that can’t be denied.
Excerpt from Sins of the Fathers
Dawson’s heart went out to Jason, worried about his long-time partner without news of how he was doing and now afraid of being left alone.
“Lily sent us here to talk.” Grady tag teamed. “She knew you’d be upset. She also knew how much you two loved each other.”
Lily Franklin was the long-time Meals on Wheels volunteer who had delivered to Jason and Everett for many years. She’d become a good friend and was Everett’s emergency contact once Jason passed away.
A door slammed. Grady’s head snapped up, and he shot a questioning look at Dawson. Dawson reached out to take his hand, intertwining their fingers and holding their hands in the air.
“We’re like you and Everett. We understand wanting to stay together.” Dawson picked up the conversation.
The planchette trembled before beginning to move. “D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S,” Dawson said as the pointer moved.
“Dangerous to admit what you and Jason were to each other?” Grady asked.
The planchette moved to “YES.”
“It can be, but plenty of people are ‘out’ these days. Even married,” Dawson answered.
A framed photo rocked back and forth on the mantle. Dawson saw that it showed two men in their thirties decades ago on a sunny day, grinning with arms slung over each other’s shoulders.
“If Everett can’t come home, do you think you could go to him?” Grady asked.
The planchette went wild, circling “YES” over and over.
“Is there something here that means a lot to you that you could ‘travel’ with if we took it to Everett?” Dawson looked around, wondering what objects among the collections of a shared lifetime might be special enough to anchor a ghost.
A crash sounded from the back of the house. They headed toward the noise and found the door to a bedroom open and a painting on the floor in a broken frame. As soon as Dawson entered, he was shoved by invisible hands sending him stumbling toward one side of an unmade king-size bed.
He nearly fell, and when he braced himself against the edge of the mattress, he saw a leather jewelry tray on the nightstand, and in it, two silver military rings.
“These?” Dawson felt a puff of cold air in response.
“What are they?’ Grady stood in the doorway, respecting the privacy of the old man who had lived there.
“Army service rings. Vietnam, if I’m right.” Dawson picked up the rings and looked at them in the light.
“Lily said they met when Everett was a nurse at the VA hospital, and Jason came home wounded from the war,” Grady replied.
Dawson’s gaze went to a photo of a younger version of the two men standing together in uniform. They were circumspect in their pose, but Dawson imagined that he could see a slight lean, a bit less space between them than usual, and broad grins.
That could have been Grady and me if we’d been born then. I’m glad they found each other and were happy.
Carra's Review of Sins of the Fathers
This author has been an auto-buy for me since day one since I know I’m going to get a captivating story full of fascinating lore with well researched origins. While the first book in this series was a bit heavy on the angst and pining, here we’ve finally moved past that to the point where Dawson and Grady are finally at ease with each other. Of course, you know just when things get comfortable is when the guys will get tested.
With several seemingly innocuous, even routine hunts there are also some that turn much more dangerous than expected. Things continually ramp up as they find out the details behind family hunts that had tragic endings, with connections that could have broader impacts in the supernatural community. Everything builds until a dramatic (though I thought too-quickly-over) final conflict, made even more tense here in the second book thanks to the connection Dawson and Grady have forged.
With the return of characters from the first book and the addition of some new ones (yes I do really want a story with Tucker and Gibson!) , there is a great cast of supporting characters. The guys also get help from others characters tied to the overall Morgan Brice universe, something I love seeing pop up in this author’s books. No, you don’t need to read those other series in order to read this series, though I will strongly recommend you read Kings of the Mountain before starting Sins of the Fathers to get Dawson and Grady’s full backstory.
With less angst for me to wade through this time around, and plenty of supernatural action going on, Sins of the Fathers was a 4.5-star read for me. It also has me wanting another book in the series ASAP (no pressure LOL). This story is for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
Fast cars. Outlaw country boys. A love that can’t be denied.
Snarky werewolves, vengeful ghosts and menacing monsters.
Blurb
Fast cars. Outlaw country boys. Snarky werewolves, vengeful ghosts, and menacing monsters.
Dawson King’s family has been hunting things that go bump in the night in Transylvania County, North Carolina, since before the Revolutionary War.
Dawson was never happier than when he was racing his souped-up Mustang along winding mountain roads and hunting monsters with his best friend, Grady. Then Grady fell in love with him, which should have been perfect since Dawson had already fallen hard for Grady.
But Grady was only seventeen, and Dawson feared that sooner or later, Grady would realize his feelings were just a first crush, and then he’d be gone, leaving Dawson devastated. They both needed space to figure things out. So Dawson joined the army, while Grady stayed on the mountain.
Four years later, Dawson is coming home. He’s more sure than ever Grady is his forever love, and they’ve both agreed to begin this new aspect of their relationship as soon as Dawson gets back.
Then Grady’s father is killed in a werewolf hunt gone wrong. Grady is devastated, and he’s throwing mixed signals about moving forward. Dawson knows he needs to hold off on this new thing between them until Grady has time to grieve. But monsters never sleep, and one hunt after another throws Dawson and Grady into constant danger, while tension and unresolved feelings ripple between them.
Making it even harder, Dawson’s got a secret. He’s dreamed of death omens—which point to something stalking Grady. Can Dawson figure out who’s trying to kill Grady, save his life, and win back his heart?
Plenty of mutual pining, hurt/comfort, spooky chills, sexy thrills, and a very happy ending. The Kings of the Mountain is the first novel in the series. It is a MM romance intended for readers 18 years of age and older.
Excerpt from Kings of the Mountain
The longer they spent time on the road and on hunts together, the more Dawson felt a powerful attraction to Grady. He’d always been fond of the younger man, but Dawson found himself admiring the person Grady was growing into. Grady deserved to find the right guy—if that’s what he wanted—who could make him happy. And as much as Dawson wished fervently that could be him, he knew he couldn’t take the chance that Grady might feel pressured or obligated to respond if Dawson made any advances.
Not to mention how Grady’s mother had always carried on about how awful it was to marry a “cousin,” something that she claimed no one in her family had ever done. She’d made her position loud and clear while she was married to Aaron, which had not endeared her to the rest of the community. Such marriages were legal in North Carolina, and not uncommon in the rural areas.
The fact that Grady wasn’t a cousin by blood probably wouldn’t matter to Camille. But what if Grady had accepted his mother’s bias? Maybe Dawson had imagined the flirtation, or worse, projected his own feelings onto the other man. So Dawson took the edge off with hookups and out-of-town one-night stands, very aware that he tended to choose partners with a resemblance to Grady.
Until he couldn’t stand it any longer.
That’s when Dawson enlisted.
Once they were on the main highway, Dawson turned to watch Colt’s profile.
“So…what happened with Uncle Denny and Grady?”
Colt’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, and the tic in his jaw told Dawson that the other man didn’t want to have this conversation. “They’re both alive. But a hunt went wrong a week ago, and Grady isn’t dealing with it very well.”
A week, Dawson thought. That was when he’d stopped getting emails from Grady. He had tried to convince himself the silence was due to any number of impersonal reasons, but Dawson knew in his gut something wasn’t right. His responses from Uncle Denny had gotten short and less frequent around the same time.
Was this what his nightmare had been warning him about?
“Could you be a little clearer?” Dawson knew Colt could read the warning in his tone.
“Grady got hurt. Aaron was killed. Grady’s not dealing well with it. Uncle Denny didn’t want to leave Grady alone. So they sent me.”
Dawson’s head swam. Uncle Aaron, dead? That’s hard to even imagine. He was always so full of life. And Grady—it’s got to be bad if he couldn’t come. Oh, God. I almost lost him. Plus there’s something Colt isn’t saying, something even worse. Because if Uncle Aaron died on a hunt, then Grady had to have been right there when it happened. That’s bad, really bad. No one should see their parent die, especially not like that.
Carra's Review of Kings of the Mountain
Morgan Brice does urban fantasy really well. I know when I pick up one of her books I’m going to find some urban legend that is new to me, along with some of my favorites. This time the stage is set with a family of monster hunters going back many generations. The bit of a twist? Two cousins unrelated by blood who have been best friends for a very long time, partners in monster hunting…and both pining for each other. Dawson and Grady’s story is even more complex than what you get with just a glance at the book’s blurb.
With a setup like that you I’m sure you can imagine the amount of angst going on, and things are complicated by Grady grieving the death of his father as well as the death omen dreams Dawson’s been having. Dawson trying to hold off on the two of them finally seeing where things can go with them as a couple just adds fuel to the fire.
The urban fantasy elements are spot on, and each successive encounter keeps the tension of the story building. The romance elements though are sparse, at least until the end; instead there are extra heaping portions of that pining I mentioned which of course increases the angst level. That did make the connection between Dawson and Grady feel, well, not quite connected—and for me that made the scene where they finally do connect feel a little less than genuine (something a few lingering touches and so-close-but-just-a-breath-away encounters could have resolved).
The story does keep you on edge thanks to the gradual suspense buildup, I just would have liked to see a bit more on the romance side. Kings of the Mountain was still a solid 4-star read for me, and is a great setup for this new series. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
About the Author
Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.
On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.
Series include Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail, Kings of the Mountain and Fox Hollow. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!
