Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Cover Reveal & Pre-Order: LOVE AND LINGUISTICS by Tara Lain (Movie Magic Series #2)


Love and Linguistics
(Movie Magic Series, Book 2) 
by Tara Lain

Blurb

In his neighborhood, El Martin stands out, and that can be life threatening. Against the odds, he’s managed to graduate high school and then master IT. Now he’s desperate to get a good job to free his drunken dad and himself from the control of gang leader M2 and the drugs he sells. But with his piercings and his slang-ridden speech, El looks and sounds like a Bronx gangbanger, and potential employers won’t give him a second look. So when El hears about Henry Fairhaven, PhD, linguistics researcher and wealthy New York socialite, El takes his life in his hands to escape from M2 and ends up sleeping in the stairwell at Henry’s building, hoping to learn how to speak.

To Henry, who wants to prove himself as a scholar and not merely a rich dilettante, El isn’t only the most beautiful man he’s ever seen—he’s also the key to getting a paper published on Henry’s ground-breaking linguistics methods before a competitor beats him to the punch. But Henry doesn’t tell El the truth, and El thinks Henry’s helping him because he cares.

El’s dreams collide with Henry’s ambitions at the elegant Met Gala, where El captivates a prince of Silicon Valley. But the real collision comes when M2 tracks El down and Henry has to choose between the validation he craves and a future with the man he’s come to love.


Pre-order at

Release Date: 
November 26, 2019



About the Author

Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters – and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn’t believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her best-selling stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes — the beautiful boys of romance —  and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara’s characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara’s creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Likely a Gryffindor but possessed of Parseltongue, Tara loves animals of all kinds, diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers. She also loves to hear from you.   



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Monday, July 29, 2019

New Release & Giveaway: SOUL ON FIRE by Tal Bauer




Buy Links


Length: 75,000 words


Blurb

A deadly virus burns through the jungle, leaving nothing but corpses in its wake. Everyone flees from the outbreak—except for the terrorists intent on weaponizing the catastrophe.

Lieutenant Elliot Davis, US Navy SEAL, is sent to rescue CIA officers from their clandestine base in Goma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and evacuate them out of the country. What they’ve uncovered sends Elliot back to the Congo, trying to prevent an attack that could spark a global pandemic.

Dr. Ikolo Ngondu runs a refugee hospital caught between the advancing rebels intent on slaughtering everyone in their path and Elliot’s mission to find and capture their leader. In the chaos of a surprise attack, Elliot’s target slips away, and the only way to find him is to plunge into the Congo’s dark, dangerous, and fevered forest with Ikolo as his guide.

Together they track a burning shadow through Africa’s broken heart, and Elliot struggles to reconcile the world he finds with the life he’s lived as a black man in the West. He looks to Ikolo for answers and finds a man with a core so bright and fierce he scorches Elliot’s soul.

Even as they race against time, Elliot and Ikolo have no idea what’s been set in motion with their mission: a dark secret lies at the center, one that leaves billions of lives hovering between life and death.

And through it all, a question burns inside Elliot, one that only Ikolo may hold the answer to.



About the Author



Tal Bauer is an award-winning and best-selling author of LGBT romantic thrillers. He is happily married and lives with his husband in Texas. Tal is a member of the Romance Writers of America.






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Friday, July 26, 2019

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: INTOXICATING by Onley James

Intoxicating
Elite Protection Services Book 1
Onley James
M/M Contemporary/Age-Gap/Daddy Kink/BDSM 
Release Date: 07.08.19


Cover Designer: Molly Phipps @ We Got You Covered Book Design


Blurb


Lincoln Hudson has just been handed the easiest job in the world. Babysit the spoiled son of a conservative senator, keep him out of trouble, and receive a six-figure paycheck, a paycheck he desperately needs. Wyatt’s father claims he needs Linc’s firm hand and discipline. One look at him and Linc agrees. Wyatt needs discipline.


Being the closeted gay son of a family values senator has left Wyatt Edgeworth with a reckless streak and a love of partying that just cost him eight months of his life and might cost his father his re-election. So now he has a babysitter. A very sexy babysitter. 


When Wyatt drunkenly tells Linc he’d make an excellent Daddy, they reach an understanding. Wyatt gets a Daddy and Linc gets a paycheck, then they go their separate ways. For this to work, discretion is key, but with a reporter dogging Wyatt’s every move, that might prove impossible.


Staying together was never an option, but with each passing day, their feelings only grow. Will they risk it all for what’s supposed to be a harmless fling?


Intoxicating is the first book in the Elite Protection Services Series and contains age-gap, Daddy-kink and BDSM elements complete with a HEA and no cliffhangers. Warning: This book contains scenes which may trigger some people including, self-harm, suicide attempt, past and present physical abuse and implied past sexual violence.

Universal Link:


Excerpt
He had a right to pout, he assured himself. His balls ached and his c*ck was hard enough to break a window yet some stupid part of him was still desperate to please his Daddy. If Linc wanted to punish him, Wyatt couldn’t stop him, but that didn’t mean he had to be happy about it. 

He was the opposite of happy and it was his right to behave accordingly.

He side-stepped Linc, hitting him with the most frigid look he could muster. “Fine, then I’ll just go take a cold shower… Linc.”

Using Linc’s name was petty, but it gave him a small measure of satisfaction as he sauntered past. Linc caught him by the upper arm, his other hand swatting Wyatt’s backside twice. He bit his lip to keep from moaning, even as his c*ck leaked, betraying him. Linc spun him back around. “If you need to shower, you can shower with me so I can keep an eye on you. I won’t have you getting yourself off all alone in there.”

“I wouldn’t,” Wyatt fumed.

Linc snickered. “Oh, you would. Instead, I think you should get on your knees and blow me.”

Wyatt glowered at him. “Oh, do you?”

Linc smirked. “Mm hmm. Right now.”

Wyatt cocked his head to the side, lips pursed. “No.”

“Are you disobeying me again?” Linc questioned, threading a hand in Wyatt’s hair, forcing his head back.

Why did he like this so much? “I’m already being punished. What does it matter?” 

Linc grinned, stepping into Wyatt’s space, pressing kisses into his throat and along his jaw. “Do you think I can’t make it worse? I could bend you over this bed and spank your bottom until its raw, jerk myself off while I tell you all the things I would’ve done to you if you’d just behaved, put your c*ck in a cage, make sure you don’t come again for a week, maybe more. Is that what you want? Me, using you for only my benefit? That doesn’t sound like much fun for you?”



Carra's Review

What starts as on the surface a “father hires bodyguard to babysit his out of control son” situation morphs into a consuming Daddy kink story—one that fully envelops the main characters and turns their just-a-fling into something far deeper and more meaningful.

Wyatt may appear to outsiders as just another bratty trust fund baby, but the prologue will quickly strip that façade away as it paints a vivid and disturbing picture of Wyatt’s internalized emotional pain. It can seem that this story is one of heat and Daddy kink with a young man who is a bit damaged from his past, complete with a family who you might come to despise—especially his father.  But underneath the dirty, sexy times Wyatt’s past continues to lurk, hovering in the background and waiting.

Linc is so very well suited as the one to watch over Wyatt.  He has that quiet yet commanding, powerful presence, and his expectation that Wyatt follow his instructions is expressed in such a way that Wyatt does NOT want to disappoint him.  I’ll admit, sometimes the use of “daddy” in these types of relationships is a bit weird to me (probably because I could never see myself saying that).  That feeling was even more pronounced given the type of man Wyatt’s actual father is.  In actuality?  Linc is everything a father should be, and treats Wyatt as he should be treated but on the level of a friend, lover, and protector…regardless of the use of the term “daddy” itself.

You know things are building to an inevitable major conflict between Wyatt and his father.  The man is so far to the conservative right, and cares nothing for Wyatt beyond how he fits into the wholesome family—no gay son here!—picture for their public image.  When things finally come to a head, it’s an explosive one of drama and the release of that pent-up pain Wyatt’s been hiding.

If you’re looking for hot Daddy kink with plenty of naughty scenes to make you sweat, you’ll find it here.  If you’re looking for age gap, that’s here too.  Drama thanks to homophobic family?  Past emotional abuse?  Angst and emotional turmoil?  Intoxicating has it all…and it has it with outstanding main characters, interesting supporting characters (you’ll love Wyatt’s best friend as well as Linc’s boss, and Wyatt’s grandmother is pretty great too), and strong writing.


All that to say this was a 4.5-star read for me, and I definitely can’t wait for more in the series!  Intoxicating contains adult language, sexual content, mentions of self harm and past abuse, so this book is meant for readers 18+.



About the Author

Onley James is the pen name of YA author, Martina McAtee, who lives in Florida with her daughter, her daughter-in-law, and a menagerie of animals, both good and evil. When she’s not writing m/m romance or supernatural LGBT young adult books, she’s running 7 Sisters Publishing and attempting to maintain both her sanity and her full-time job as an RN.
When not at work you can find her mainlining Starbucks refreshers, whining about how much she has to do and avoiding the things she has to do by binge-watching unhealthy amounts of television in one sitting. She loves ghost stories, true crime documentaries, obsessively scrolling social media and writing kinky, snarky books about men who fall in love with other men. 




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Thursday, July 25, 2019

Now Available: NOTHING VENTURED by Jay Northcote



Buy Links: 


Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design


Blurb

Mud, sweat, and reluctant romance. Can Aiden and Matt sort out their feelings before race day?

When Aiden agrees to run the Mad Mucker—a twelve-mile muddy slog over an obstacle course—he’s expecting it to be a bit of a laugh. The training will be tough, but Aiden could use the motivation to regain some fitness.

Matt is the sexy cousin of one of Aiden’s coworkers and a last-minute addition to the team. When he agrees to train with Aiden, Aiden suddenly finds the prospect of regular workouts a lot more appealing.

Soon attraction flares, and they embark on an intense physical relationship. Matt doesn’t want to fall in love with a man, and Aiden doesn’t want to fall in love at all, but despite their insistence on no strings, they grow closer. As the day of the race approaches, time is running out for them to work out how they feel about each other.



About the Author

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.




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Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Review & Giveaway: PATRON OF MERCY by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes (Lords of the Underworld #3)



Buy Links: 


Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 70,000 words approx.
Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Lords of the Underworld Series

Prince of Death - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Prisoner Of Shadows - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link


Blurb

Lach has spent the last few thousand years counting only on himself. What he needed, he took. What he wanted, he won with charm. All except a god he turned his back on an age ago, when he had a different name and didn’t know what he was giving up.

Thanatos, god of merciful death, is one of the gentlest gods in the pantheon—easing the transition between life and death for billions of mortals. But he has faced eternity alone. After breaking his heart on the sharp words of a fisherman’s son, he hasn’t been able to connect with anyone.

Now, Lach is crashing back into Thanatos’s life, dragging him into an adventure that could save the world . . . or kill them both.

PATRON OF MERCY IS THE THIRD BOOK IN A SERIES, BUT CAN BE READ AS A STAND ALONE NOVEL.


Carra's Review

From the moment I started this series, the authors had me hooked with the unique look at Greek mythology and their adaption of those stories to modern day.  Not as a retelling of those stories, but more as the evolution of them into our current world.  I was completely enthralled with the first two books, and eagerly got started on Patron of Mercy the moment I had it in my hands.

Thanatos is pretty laid back for the majority of the story, and demonstrates a lot of patience when it comes to Lach.  His approach and view of his role in the pantheon as the merciful guide to Elysium after death was actually quite soothing, and he fits well in that position.  Lach I found a tad bit hard to warm up to; I think this was more a “me” thing since characters who have such a flippant attitude towards taking from others are not high on my list of likability.  This was tempered some though with the remorse he had for how things went between him and Thanatos the first time around.

I was surprised that this time around the story seemed to move slowly, particularly for the first half through the plot setup and the beginning of their journey.  That of course led my attention to wander, so I had a little trouble focusing.  During the second half I was pulled more into the story.  I also found myself wishing for more information on the backstory between Lach and Thanatos from their past relationship.


Overall, Patron of Mercy was a 4-star read for me, and I attribute the majority of that to Thanatos—he was definitely my favorite character.  I also enjoyed seeing characters from the previous stories again, which helps tie things together with the series.  I think I can safely say if the authors were to continue exploring the multitude of myths out there, I’d follow the series until they couldn’t write anymore!  Patron of Mercy is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.


About the Authors

Sam Burns wrote her first fantasy epic with her best friend when she was ten. Like almost any epic fiction written by a ten year old, it was awful. She likes to think she’s improved since then, if only because she has better handwriting now.

If she’s not writing, she’s almost certainly either reading or lost down a Wikipedia rabbit hole while pretending to research for a novel.



W.M. Fawkes is an author of LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romance. With coauthor Sam Burns, she writes feisty Greek gods, men, and monsters in the Lords of the Underworld series. She lives with her partner in a house owned by three halloween-hued felines that dabble regularly in shadow walking.





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Tuesday, July 23, 2019

New Release & Guest Post: WRECKED by Jodi Payne & BA Tortuga


Please welcome BA Tortuga to Making it Happen!

Hey y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and lover of all things cowboy, and I’m visiting with my beloved cowriter, Jodi Payne to share our new contemporary western romance, Wrecked. Wrecked is the story of married couple, Skylar and Beckett. They’ve been separated for four years, and when bull rider, Sky, gets trampled by a bull, Beckett has to decide whether or not it’s worth taking a chance of a second shot.

Top 5 Foods from the cowboy and the lawyer ;-)

Sky:
  1. Chicken parmesan
  2. Chicken fried chicken
  3. Chicken fried steak
  4. Chicken fried bacon
  5. Chicken fried rice

Beck:
  1. Pizza (pepperoni, thin crust, sauce shouldn’t be too sweet)
  2. Sushi (spicy tuna)
  3. Steaks on the grill (medium rare, nice char)
  4. S’mores (squishy)
  5. Whatever chicken fried thing Sky is making

Much love, y’all!

BA and Jodi


Genre: Contemporary Western
Length: 276 pages, 67000 words
Release Date: July 23, 2019

Blurb

The call comes when Beckett Adler least expects it. He’s made a new life for himself in Vermont and has a law practice of his own. After four years, he’s even stopped wearing his wedding ring. So when he finds out his husband, bull rider Skyler Paulson, has been badly injured at an event, he isn’t sure what he wants to do. He knows what’s right, though, so he heads down to Baltimore to bring his man home.

Sky knows his injuries are a career-ender, and he can’t believe Beck has come for him after all this time. He’s not a hundred percent sure what went wrong with their marriage, and he has no idea how to be anything but a bull rider. But he wants this second chance, so he grabs at it with both hands.

There’s a lot Sky has to learn, from how to walk again to how to settle down with the man he loves. Beck needs to learn to open up and how to be more trusting. For their marriage to       work again, both men will have to find a way to meet in the middle. Because neither of them wants to be wrecked anymore.


Available in Kindle Unlimited starting July 24, 2019!



About the Authors



JODI PAYNE takes herself way too seriously and has been known to randomly break out in song. Her men are imperfect but genuine, stubborn but likable, often kinky, and frequently their own worst enemies. They are characters you can't help but fall in love with while they stumble along the path to their happily ever after. For those looking to get on her good side, Jodi's addictions include nonfat lattes, Malbec and tequila any way you pour it.




Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friends, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias.

With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.