New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: CONSORT OF THE DRAGON KING by Ariella Zoelle writing as Zarina Aston (Bonded Hearts #2)

Consort of the Dragon King
By Ariella Zoelle Writing as Zarina Aston

Bonded Hearts, Book 2

At long last, King Kitsuki’s fated mate returns. Can they overcome the dangerous threats and form a mating bond before it’s too late?

After six hundred agonizing years, Kitsuki’s intended has finally returned to him. Their reunion is full of joy and sorrow, as the once light-hearted prince is now a stoic, battle-scarred king. The chasm between who they were in the past and who they’ve become threatens to shatter their reclaimed love.

As rival suitors seek to destroy Kitsuki’s tentative new relationship with his beloved, it has never been more important for him to claim his bondmate in a Royal Consort Fatebonding ceremony.

In a world on the brink of war, can Kitsuki and his fated mate overcome the heartache of the past and the perils of the present to finally find happiness together?

Consort of the Dragon King is the second book of the Bonded Hearts series and part of the Talwyn Saga universe. Please do not read this until you’ve finished Mage of the Dragon Prince first, as this series must be read in order to fully understand it. Full of dramatic twists and turns, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. The story continues in Lord of the Lone Wolf and concludes with a happily ever after in Fury of the Fated Mates.

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Excerpt

Chapter 4: Auslin

Auslin’s words spilled out of him in a rush. “I’m so sorry! I don’t know what I was thinking going through Fate’s Gate to help Roltan. I never wanted to leave you and—”

Kitsuki cut him off with a gentle kiss, which was more reassuring than words. He embraced Auslin tightly with his one arm. “All that matters is you’re here with me now.”

Auslin’s heart ached for what his moment of stupidity had caused Kitsuki to suffer. “I never meant—”

“Unbeknownst to us, it was the Day of Ascension,” Kitsuki interrupted Auslin to say. “I had ascended the rankings as Father’s heir. Fate pushed you through Fate’s Gate. It was not your fault.”

Tears welled up in Auslin’s eyes. “But you had to suffer for so many centuries because I did such a stupid thing. How can I ever make that up to you?”

It made Auslin’s heart stutter in his chest when Kitsuki lovingly caressed his cheek. “I once told you I would wait a thousand years if that was what it took for you to return to my side. That was not a lie,” Kitsuki said. “I would have waited an eternity for you to be mine once more.”

While it was sweet, it was also heartbreaking to hear. He threw his arms around Kitsuki, hiding his face against his chest. “I never wanted to spend a single moment of my life without you, let alone inflict six hundred years of you wondering why I disappeared.”

Kitsuki kissed Auslin’s temple as he hugged him back. “You have returned. That is all that matters to me now.”

“But I left you,” Auslin insisted in an anguished tone.

“Yes, but you have returned to me,” Kitsuki countered. “You are mine once more. That is all I have ever asked of fate.”

“I’m never leaving your side ever again,” Auslin swore while hugging Kitsuki tighter.

Auslin didn’t know how long the two of them embraced in silence, but Kitsuki eventually gestured for them to sit on the enormous bed. Once they were comfortable, Auslin dared to ask the hard question. “What happened after I left?”

“I tried to follow you through Fate’s Gate, but it refused me, as Satsuma said it would,” Kitsuki told Auslin. “Kizoshi assured me that all was as it was supposed to be, but that was little consolation. Father also promised I would reunite with you someday in the future.”

“I’m so sorry,” Auslin apologized again, feeling like he could never say it enough. “I don’t know how you can ever forgive me for what I did to you.”

Kitsuki brushed Auslin’s hair from his eyes. “It was fate’s decision to push you back through the gate to your own time on that day. You bear no blame for what happened.”

Auslin didn’t understand how Kitsuki could be so forgiving for such a horrible thing. He hid his face against the shifter’s broad chest. “I’d feel a lot better if you were mad at me.”

The comment made the corner of Kitsuki’s mouth turn upward in a hint of a smile. “And what would that accomplish?”

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Enter the Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of Consort of the Dragon King, Zarina is giving away an e-set of the Bonded Hearts Series so far (3 eBooks)!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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Check out the Prequel:
Enchanter of Dragons

Bonded Hearts, Prequel

A unicorn shifter is the last of his kind. Can a royal dragon shifter save him from being hunted?

Captured by a cruel king, Fersen is close to succumbing to the shadows of despair. But hope flickers to life when General Jaega is his unexpected savior.

After Jaega’s mate was murdered during the Necromancer War, the dragon prince had given up on love. The last thing he expects to discover is his new fated mate is the last living unicorn shifter.

Fersen is finally free, but the danger isn’t over yet. The sudden arrival of his heat makes a bad situation even worse.

Jaega knows he should keep his distance like a gentleman, but how can he resist his instincts demanding they consummate their mating bond?

Enchanter of Dragons is the prequel to the Bonded Hearts series and part of the Talwyn Saga universe. It is a complete story that can be read as a standalone.

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Bonded Hearts, Book 1:
Mage of the Dragon Prince

A twist of fate brings a human mage to the past to fall in love with a dragon shifter prince. But will it also tear them apart before they can bond as fated mates?  

Auslin accidentally steps back in time, where he crosses paths with Kitaro, a charming dragon shifter prince. Forced to rely on the alluring stranger, Auslin places his trust in the hands of Prince Kitaro.

When they embark on a perilous journey to return Auslin to his rightful era, the fated mates discover a love that transcends time. But dangers lurking in the shadows conspire to keep them apart, threatening to unravel their fragile bond before it fully forms.

As they navigate treacherous challenges and powerful adversaries, Auslin and Kitaro must confront the ultimate question: can their love withstand the twists of fate that brought them together, or will it ultimately be the force that tears them apart? 

Mage of the Dragon Prince is the first book of the Bonded Hearts series and part of the Talwyn Saga universe. Full of dramatic twists and turns, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. The story continues in future books, which will lead to a happily ever after.

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About the Author

With a pen as her wand and a heart full of mischief, Zarina Aston conjures up fantasy worlds where queer love knows no bounds. Her stories are like a kaleidoscope of emotions, filled with passionate encounters and heart-stopping adventures with shifters. From the first page to the last, Zarina's books are a whirlwind of dramatic twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, turning pages long into the night.

But sometimes Zarina’s in the mood for something with a little less angst and drama. If you’re craving light-hearted fluffy works of heart, then check out her Ariella Zoelle books as well.

For real time updates on Zarina’s writing progress, please join her Facebook group for exclusive teasers or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can also sign up for her newsletter to gain access to bonus chapters, previews of upcoming books, and more.

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New Release & Giveaway: TEXTUAL CONFUSION by Fifer Rose

Textual Confusion
By Fifer Rose

I need you tomorrow.
Same time and place as last week.

Who dis?

Did I f*ck you stupid last time? You know.

Between barely scraping by financially and dealing with a stalker ex-boyfriend, Asher’s life was already problematic enough before randomly receiving a string of texts from an unknown number in the middle of the night.

He should have just done what a normal person would do and ignore them. But since when had Asher ever been normal? Besides, based on the not-quite-nudes the guy sent, he was clearly hot. Against his better judgment, Asher responds – which doesn’t take long to devolve into depraved sexting.

He wasn’t expecting the man to Venmo him an eye-popping amount of cash for his trouble. (Not that he ever got the money. The guy didn’t know who he was – or that he was even another man, for that matter.)

That should have been the end of it. Except they keep texting. And, like the utter moron he is, it doesn’t take long for Asher to catch feelings. Honestly, he ought to know better than to fall for rich assholes by now. (Otherwise known as how Asher Kodet, twenty-three-year-old baker extraordinaire, becomes the accidental sugar baby of Markus Kingston, richest, meanest – but actually the frickin’ sweetest – billionaire CEO in all of Seattle.)

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Enter the Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of Textual Confusion, Fifer is giving away an e-copy of the release!

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About the Author

Fifer Rose is a happily married mother of four human children and two very spoiled cats.
When she is not wiping snotty noses or being bullied into feeding her cats (again?!), she can be found obsessing over M/M romance. She loves all the tropes, some of her favorite being enemies to lovers, hurt/comfort, sugar daddy, and mistaken identity. She also has a penchant for A/B/O dynamics.
While Fifer is a sucker for angst, a happily-ever-after is a MUST in all she reads and writes.
Unrelated hobbies include baking, attempting to golf (for her husband’s sake), and daydreaming about traveling. (No actual traveling because did you see the part about four kids?)

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New Release: A HIGHLAND GARGOYLE'S LUCKY STAR by Chloe Archer (Tales from the Tarot #17) - Includes Giveaway!

A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star
By Chloe Archer

Tales from the Tarot, Book 17

A gargoyle hotter than Goliath (IYKYK) meets a human bad luck magnet with a coveted power that attracts trouble like catnip to cats. Is it destiny or disaster?

Noah Price

When a mysterious magic shop owner draws the lucky tarot Star card for me, I drop everything and hop on a plane to Scotland for the bucket-list trip of a lifetime. Outlander (and Highlander, for my fellow nerds), eat your heart out!

But instead of my constant bad luck finally turning to good, chaos ensues from the moment I arrive, and sketchy creeps keep following me everywhere. Then a smoking hot gargoyle-slash-Highland warrior swoops (literally) in to rescue me—and in a super sexy kilt, no less. Swoon!

Who cares about the threats to my life and my newfound magical abilities when I’ve met the man—I mean gargoyle—of my dreams? But Elryk DarkWing isn’t as thrilled as I am to find out he’s my fated mate, and trying to win his heart might be my biggest challenge yet. That’s okay though, because I believe in destiny—and he’s mine.

Elryk DarkWing

Guarding a powerful magic ley line in the heart of the Highlands has been the responsibility of the DarkWing clan for centuries. This wasn’t the path I’d wanted for my life, but here I am.

That is, until my fated mate shows up, an attractive wee human with a surprising ability and all kinds of trouble hot on his heels.

My clan is thrilled but I’m less enthused. Can such a delicate being survive among battle-hardened gargoyles that risk life and limb every time there’s a threat to the ley line we protect? Can he adapt to this isolated life, removed from most of human society? Answer—not bloody likely.

And Noah’s unique power has drawn the unwanted attention of friend and foe alike. Accepting our mate bond in the midst of all this is complicated enough, but I soon realize keeping Noah safe is a Herculean task I might not be ready for. I won’t back down though, because this sweet man is starting to make me believe that true love exists and our destiny together might just be written in the stars…

A Highland Gargoyle’s Lucky Star is the first book in a spinoff series set in the Monsters Hollow universe and featuring the DarkWing gargoyle clan in Scotland.

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Enter the Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star, Chloe is giving away a $15 Amazon Gift Card with a signed bookplate, or a Signed Paperback of the release!

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About the Author

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 one day 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.

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New Release-Review: PARIS AND THE REAPER by Layla Reyne (Soul to Find #2)

Paris and the Reaper by Layla Reyne is now live!

Paris and the Reaper

(Soul to Find #2)

by Layla Reyne

I was given the name Paris at birth.

So far, I’ve lived up to it; or rather, down to it.

Too pretty, too unfocused, too easy a target.

My father even tried to sacrifice me.

 

And then I was saved by a beautiful, haunted man.

 

Mac is a reaper; he delivers lost souls.

But when he came for mine, I wouldn’t let go.

And now I can hear other souls too.

I can help him. Love him, if he’ll let me.

 

Assuming we survive a conspiracy to bring Chaos through the veil.

 

Mac says souls get what they deserve.

If I do enough good, then maybe I can be worthy of his.

Maybe I can hold on to him and our bond—forever.

 

Paris and the Reaper is a soft, swoony, and suspenseful M/M urban fantasy romance. It features a grumpy raven shifter afraid to love and lose again and the sweet, cursed human who makes him want to risk it all.

  Download today!

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Carra's Review

First off, I would strongly recommend you read the first book in this series, Icarus and the Devil, and the short story, Jason and the Storm, before you read Paris and the Reaper.  This world the author has created is unique and complex so having those stories under your belt before diving in will give you a better sense of the overall world and the place of all the other characters in it.  You won’t find much backstory in this book, so reading the others first will keep you on more solid footing.

Both Paris and Mac were introduced in Icarus and the Devil, and now here they take center stage. Paris is compassionate and caring, though can seem impulsive when trying to prove himself.  Mac is the consummate protector, though innocent in his own way and with heartache in his past.  They match well together, and while the two are linked things between them are actually a slower burn than you may expect.

My one nit pick with this story is that the details are more surface-level.  Part of this I think is due to there being an assumption that you would have already read the other books in the series, so would understand what is going on (hence my advice to read those first before this one).  I really would have liked to have had things explained more in-depth than they were, particularly regarding the origin of the giants.

Even so, I was still entranced by the story and am looking forward to the next installment in the series.  Paris and the Reaper was a solid 4-star read for me, and I’d recommend to to M/M urban fantasy fans in particular…just please read the other stories first, trust me!  

About the Author

Layla Reyne is the author of What We May Be and the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Perfect Play series. She writes sexy, intense LGBTQIA+ romance featuring competent adults in kitchens, sports arenas, car chases, and other high-stakes situations. Whether it's adrenaline-fueled suspense, rival athletes, vampires and shifters in alt-realms, or love mixed with mouth-watering foodie goodness, queer folks finding happily-ever-afters is guaranteed.

 

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New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: Rule #1: Never Accidentally Marry Your Teammate by Portia Blake (Hockey Rules #1)

Rule #1: Never Accidentally Marry Your Teammate
By Portia Blake

Hockey Rules, Book 1

I might have a reputation for partying, but I’ve outdone myself. After drunkenly proposing to my new teammate, Noah, during a wild night out in Vegas, I wake up with a ring on my finger, a husband by my side, and a colossal PR nightmare.

The team’s management is furious, and the only way to salvage our careers is to pretend the marriage was intentional. Noah plays along like a pro, and I move him into my Boston penthouse. He just got called up from the AHL, and I might cost him everything.

We’re stuck together for at least a year, navigating public appearances and hockey playing and living together. In fact, this so doesn’t feel like pretend. But obviously that’s impossible: we’re both straight. Aren’t we?

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        Excerpt

                 It’s going to be fine.

I need to close my eyes again, and this annoyingly lucid dream will shift.

There is absolutely no way I am in bed with Noah Fitzpatrick. People just sent up from the AHL don’t room with first-line players.

Which means I’m having a dream about being in bed with Noah Fitzpatrick, which isn’t hugely advantageous.

Obviously, it’s not like I’m gay or anything. I’m a hockey player.

I close my eyes and wait for the dream to change. It doesn’t.

I can still hear breathing, still feel the soft mattress and softer sheet against my sweaty skin, still smell a cologne not my own. Memories of a night that couldn’t possibly have happened barrage my mind. I came here to play Vegas, not to venture into a pink chapel that has always been the punchline in comedies.

The dream isn’t changing.

I decide this path isn’t working. I flip around, and he’s there. Short dark hair, a freckled nose that is the perfect amount of straight and curved, long black lashes, and green eyes that…

My heart sprints.

Green eyes that are looking straight at me.

“This isn’t a dream,” I say.

“Why would…” Noah’s voice rumbles, last night’s alcohol giving it a husky, roughened edge I shouldn’t find appealing, and his sleepy eyes widen. “Oh, sh*t.”

I nod eagerly. He gets it.

Noah scrambles from his side of the bed, causing the mattress to bounce, and I swear he’s not wearing anything. His shoulders are wide and sturdy, formed from years of dedication. My gaze temporarily drifts downward, past his six-pack, to a set of V-shaped muscles that aren’t supposed to look interesting. He yanks the sheet from the bed, and I roll away, letting him wrap the silky fabric around himself. Now he looks like a sleepy-eyed toga-wearing frat boy. I pull the blanket over me because copying his pose would be strange, and my body doesn’t realize this so isn’t the time for morning wood.

“Did we—?” Noah can’t finish the sentence. I won’t finish it for him. The words don’t feel right coming out of my mouth, even though I know how he wants to end it.

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Enter the Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of Rule #1: Never Accidentally Marry Your Teammate, we are giving away an e-set of the Hockey Rules Series so far!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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Be sure to Grab the Prequel!

Hockey Rules 0.5: Never Crush On The Captain

The unwritten rule in hockey? Never crush on the captain.

Too bad I’m failing at that.

Single dad Evan McAllister is our adored team captain, attractive, and my all-around amazing former best friend. Oh, he’s straight too. That’s less of a positive for me. I’ve been distancing myself to smother my feelings, but that’s only confused him and totally hasn’t worked.

When a concussion leaves Evan needing care, I step in to help him and his daughter Stella. Evan’s not thrilled with me barging back into his life after I ghosted him, and the more we’re thrust into intimate circumstances, the harder it is for me to keep from blurting my secret.

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About the Author

Portia Blake lived in Boston for many years and still thinks it’s the most beautiful city in the world. When she’s not off gallivanting from scenic location to scenic location, you’ll find her curled up with a good MM romance. She is a USA Today bestselling author under another name.

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