Friday, December 30, 2022

New Release-Book Review & Excerpt: CHESHIRE IN HEARTSLAND by Ariella Zoelle (Wonderland Ever After #2) - Includes Giveaway!

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Cheshire in Heartsland
By Ariella Zoelle

Cheshire 1800

Wonderland Ever After, Book 2

Cheshire is determined to convince King Rei to give them a second chance at happily ever after. But what if the only way to do that is for the cat shifter to team up with his enemy?

I could sulk about King Rei choosing his duty to his kingdom over our relationship, but it’s way more fun to get payback by stealing his crowns. Of course, my favorite form of revenge is tempting my fated mate with what he could have if only he wasn’t so stubborn.

We’ve been playing our will-they-won’t-they game since he took the throne, but the stakes change when a rival prince arrives in Wonderland to try wooing away my beloved. As a master of mayhem and mischief, I’m prepared to chase off the unwanted interloper by any means necessary.

But I quickly discover that the little princeling isn’t what he seems. And what’s more ingenious than working with my enemy to catch Rei by surprise? After all, I said I’d do absolutely anything to win him back.

Will my efforts finally motivate Rei to let me claim him as my mate?

Cheshire in Heartsland is the second book in the Wonderland Ever After series. This sweet-with-heat MM paranormal fantasy romance features affectionate shifters, fated mates, second chances, and a royal gay romance. Escape into this Wonderland full of whimsy, where everyone gets a HEA without cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone but is best enjoyed in order.

Universal Link

Goodreads

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Excerpt

Chapter 1: Cheshire Cat

“I can make us both feel better,” I offered King Rei.

“What would make me feel better is if you’d leave me alone.”

It was the same claim he always fell back on when he was losing the fight against his desire for me. “We both know that’s a lie, so why do you keep saying it like it’s true?”

For once, he didn’t argue with me. “You can’t be here.”

“Because Prince Renner arrives tomorrow for his marriage interview with you?” I narrowed my eyes in displeasure, rankling at Rei’s responsibilities as king forcing him into such an unsavory situation.

The regret on his face mollified me somewhat. “You know I didn’t want to agree to that, but I had no choice.”

“Wrong. You could choose to be with me instead,” I insisted. “Now that the magic has returned to Wonderland and the shifters have reemerged from their long hibernation, there’s no reason for you to keep rejecting me.”

“That doesn’t mean my people will accept you as my royal consort.” Rei sighed with old frustrations. “Your reputation as a troublemaker and hell-raiser—”

“If you were mine again, I’d be as docile as a dormouse,” I promised with a pleading gaze. “I wouldn’t need to cause any trouble when I’d finally have everything I want.”

It surprised me when he pulled me down into an embrace. “Please don’t look at me like that. It makes it too difficult to tell you no, Chess.”

Despite my displeasure, I delighted in the small show of affection. I nuzzled against him with a purr, even as his still-hard prick made me want to do more than waste time talking. “Give me the chance to charm your people and reassure their fears about me. I promise you they like me far more than you think they do. I don’t know why you believe the townsfolk aren’t fans.”

He hugged me tighter. “I wish it was that easy.”

“At least let me try before I lose you for good.” I rocked against his hardness, earning me a sharp breath. “Please, Rei.”

He guided me to look down at him. “I can’t get out of the marriage interview, but you have my word I won’t fall for Prince Renner.”

I pouted. “But everyone says he’s Prince Charming, a perfect blend of gorgeous, generous, and kind. He’s everything a king’s consort should be. It would be the height of foolishness not to choose him to stand by your side.”

Rei ran his fingers through my hair as I nuzzled against his palm. “When I became king, I vowed if I can’t be with you, then I’ll be with no one. I have no intention of breaking my word.”

His words should have made me feel better, but they didn’t. I hated that he stubbornly chose to be alone when he didn’t have to. “Why would your people want to be ruled by a King of Hearts who can’t love?”

“It’s not that I can’t love. It’s that I can’t love you openly. There’s a difference.”

“You beautiful, stupid, stubborn man.” I’d had enough of his words that tugged at my heartstrings and made us both sad. Instead of arguing, I gave in to the forbidden urge I had resisted since the eve of King Rei’s coronation. I kissed him with all the pent-up love that I had been forced to hold back for the past three years of his reign.

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Carra's Review

After reading the first book in this series, it was hard to wait to read Cheshire’s story after being teased with his and Rei’s situation.  I love his character with his naughty behavior and tendency to poke around while no one can see him.  Of all of the characters introduced in the series, Cheshire is by far my favorite…such a wayward cat.


Rei has had the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders since he became the king, and he’s worked tirelessly to make things right after his mother’s and oldest brother’s reigns.  Unfortunately, that meant denying himself a relationship with the person he loves…all out of his supposed duty to his people.  His angst is self-imposed, and Cheshire, along with Rei’s other friends, are relentless in trying to get Rei to change his thinking.


As for Prince Renner from Mirrorland?  The part he plays in all of this is unexpected, but leads to some interesting revelations.  You may not expect the feelings his character will evoke.  He is also the instigator of one of the funniest scenes in the book—and the most revealing for Rei.


I had high hopes for Cheshire’s story, and I’m happy to say the author delivered.  4.5 stars for Cheshire in Heartsland, and now I again can’t wait for book number three!  If you haven’t started this series yet, you’re really missing out on the fun :-)


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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate Ariella's new release, we are giving you the chance to win the eBook of your choice from Ariella's Published Works!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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Check out Book 1:
Alistair in Wonderland

Alistair 1800

Wonderland Ever After, Book 1

Alistair falls down the rabbit hole and becomes the new Alice. Can he save Wonderland’s magic by falling in love with his fated mate?

My life sucks until Bianco shows up. He’s a gorgeous albino who promises me a fun adventure while looking like a handsome prince from a fairy tale. I happily follow him down the rabbit hole in the hopes of getting up to some sexy shenanigans.

Imagine my shock when I discover he’s the famous White Rabbit from the books and one of the last shifters left in Wonderland! Even more surprising is finding out I’m a descendant of the original Alice, which means I’m the only person who can bring the missing magic back to their world.

That’s all well and good, but our incredible chemistry is highly distracting. It’s impossible to resist our intense attraction when I’m his fated mate, so why bother trying? But maybe there’s a way to have it all.

What if forming a mating bond with Bianco is the way to make all my dreams come true and save Wonderland at the same time?

Alistair in Wonderland is the first book in the Wonderland Ever After series. This sweet-with-heat MM paranormal fantasy romance features affectionate shifters, fated mates, and a magical gay romance. These books have hilarious characters to adore, a lot of sexy fun times, and no angst love stories that make you laugh and swoon. Escape into this Wonderland full of whimsy, where everyone gets a HEA without cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone but is best enjoyed in order.

Universal Link

Goodreads

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About the Author:

Ariella Zoelle adores steamy, funny, swoony romances where couples are allowed to just be happy. She writes low angst stories full of heat, humor, and heart. But sometimes she's in the mood for something with a bit more angst and drama. If you are too, check out her A.F. Zoelle books.

For real-time updates on her 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, exclusive visual guides, and more.

Website - Newsletter - Amazon - A.F. Zoelle's Books - Facebook Group - Facebook Page - Twitter - Instagram - Goodreads - BookBub


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Wednesday, December 28, 2022

New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: STAR OF THE GAME by Amy Aislin (Stick Side #6)

Star of the Game 

(Stick Side #6)

Author and Publisher: Amy Aislin

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: December 27, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M sports romance

Tropes: Best friends to lovers, roommates, hockey

Themes: using your voice/platform for good, mental health, friendship, taking risks

Heat Rating: 3 flames    

Length: 94 000 words / 360 pages

It is book 6 in the Stick Side series, but can be read as a standalone. It's not necessary to have read the previous books in the series.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon  |   Apple  |  B&N  |  Kobo


The previous book in this series, Two-Man Team (Stick Side 5), 

is on sale for $0.99 on all platforms from December 20-January 3

Amazon  |   Apple  |  B&N  |  Kobo  

Blurb

Felix only wants two things:
1. To make music.
2. His best friend, Emery.

But he’s not willing to risk two decades of friendship for something more. Besides, a bout of writer’s block is preventing him from creating new material, and he’s got deadlines to meet. He doesn’t need any distractions—and Emery is the biggest distraction of all.

Emery only wants two things:
1. To play hockey.
2. His best friend, Felix.

He’s ready to risk it all for a shot at being together. While he should be concentrating on playing his best hockey so his team will grant him a contract extension, there’s no reason he can’t multitask.

With their careers at a crossroads, the timing for romance couldn’t be worse—but when Felix is forced to move in with Emery, will Emery finally convince him to take a chance at becoming the stars of their own game?

Excerpt

Music was his heart and soul. It would never not be a part of his life. But he was ready for something different, whatever that “something” looked like. It was a vague, nameless something that poked at the back of his brain like a child lazily poking at a drum set.

He had tour dates and venues for this summer to firm up with his tour manager, and although he loved performing, the thought of touring made him slump back against the wall.

Twisting open the bottle cap, Felix chugged half his water, mopping up a drop that spilled onto his chin with the back of his hand. F*ck, he couldn’t wait to get home, even though Vancouver in January was as dreary as Henryk Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3. He had a house in LA too, in Playa del Rey, but Vancouver was home. He wanted to sleep in his own bed, visit with his parents and younger sister, help out at his mentor’s after-school musical theater program, and spend time with Emery.

His phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Well, speak of the devil. Emery Stanton read his caller ID next to a photo of his childhood best friend’s face, and Felix’s heart skipped a beat, an automatic smile pulling his lips upward despite his exhaustion. Felix remembered snapping that picture. “Smile,” he’d said one day when they—along with their other best friend, Kris—had been strolling along Vancouver’s Seawall a couple of summers ago, and instead Emery had made a kissy face.

“I was going for pouty and sexy,” Emery had explained, but the result was that he looked like he’d eaten a lemon.

Felix swiped to answer the video call. “Hey, Em.”

“Oh, hey.” Dark eyes flared in what Felix wanted to believe was pleasure but was probably surprise. “I thought you were still doing the show. I was going to leave you a message.”

See? Surprise.

“We just wrapped up,” Felix said. “What’s up?”

“Nothing.”

Felix waited out a whole ten seconds of silence where they did nothing but stare at each other. Emery scratched his bristly jaw. Felix sipped more water. Amusement tickling the back of his throat, he finally said, “What was your message going to be about, then?”

“Oh, nothing. I was going to ramble on about the latest movie I saw with the guys just so you didn’t forget the sound of my voice.”

The guys being his friends on his NHL team.

Felix rolled his eyes. “I haven’t been gone that long.”

“It’s been two weeks, Fe. You disappeared right after New Year’s. I miss your face.”

Felix did not let that go to his head—or his heart. This was just Emery being Emery. “You were in Winnipeg playing a New Year’s game, and then in New York, then Colorado. If I’d have been home, we wouldn’t have seen each other anyway.”

Emery scowled. “That’s not the point.”

“What is the point?”

“The point is that it’s the middle of January and I haven’t even said ‘Happy New Year’ to you in person yet.”

“Oh, the horror.”

“Sarcasm is unbecoming,” Emery quipped, quite primly.

About the Author 

Amy’s lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.

An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

Newsletter Sign-up  |  Facebook Group

Giveaway!

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

a signed paperback of Star of the Game.

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Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Audiobook Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: THE HUMBUG HOLIDAY by Lane Hayes, narrated by Michael Dean

The Humbug Holiday

Format: Audiobook

Author: Lane Hayes

Narrator: Michael Dean

Publisher: Lane Hayes

Release Date: December 12, 2022

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 03 Hours 50 Minutes

Genre: Romance, Holiday romance, Bisexual romance, Grumpy/Grumpy, Small Town

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Two grumpy bears and a holiday season neither will forget…

Joe

So this sexy silver fox rolls into my small New England town and buys a run-down old house in need of renovation. That’s where I come in. My job is to do some basic repairs, so he can write in peace. Yep, the hotshot is a bestselling author, but that’s not why I recognize Cameron Warren.

No worries, I won’t let a one-night stand make things awkward. I could use the work, but is he seriously asking me to help him buy a Christmas tree too?

No way.

Cameron

I’m a good-natured guy all year long, but I have to admit…I hate the holidays.

There. I said it.

This season, I’m hiding away on the opposite side of the country in a picturesque village. My family isn’t excited about my decision, and the only way to assure them I’m fine is to deck the darn halls. Or hire someone else to do it.

The handyman might not be the logical choice for an elf, but his grumpy act makes me smile. Which makes me think the holidays might not be so “bah-humbug” this year after all.

The Humbug Holiday is a bisexual, age-gap romance featuring two grumpy bears who find unexpected magic and learn to embrace everyone’s favorite time of year!

Excerpt

“No, thanks.”

Cam narrowed his gaze. “What do you mean ‘no, thanks’?”

I set the strand of fairy lights on a green plastic bin and scowled. “Do I really look like f*ckin’ Santa Claus?”

“No, but—”

“My holiday cheer begins and ends at my mom’s bingo deal. That’s it. I don’t own twenty boxes filled with useless knickknacks. I don’t put up a tree or hang lights or…any of that sh*t for myself. Why would I do it for you?”

“Money. I’ll pay you handsomely to deck the damn halls and take a few photos. That’s in addition to the handyman stuff.” He named an even more outlandish sum than the one he’d proposed two days ago.

I whistled as I crossed my arms. “You do realize that’s insane, right?”

He shrugged. “A little. Look, I need a few Christmassy photos for my aunts.”

“Why?”

“Because…well…it’s a family thing,” he hedged, narrowing his eyes as he cast a wary glance over the array of boxes still littering the entry hall. “And as you can see, it’s complicated.”

I peeked at Tony’s roofing truck through the lacy curtains. “I’m a carpenter or a general handyman. I can’t, in good conscience, take money for something like putting up a tree. I mean…it would be one thing if you couldn’t physically do it yourself, but you seem perfectly capable of putting up a few decorations.”

“Physically yes, mentally…no.”

I stared at him for as long as I could manage without blinking, then let out a heavy sigh. “Is there an artificial tree somewhere in those boxes, or are you going to need a real one?”

“I have no idea. I haven’t looked and I don’t want to. I want to hire you to do all of that for me. Put it up and take it all down…within forty-eight hours. It’s Tuesday. If you get a tree today, it can be gone by Thursday, and then you can concentrate on the rest of the house stuff.”

“Your priorities are kinda whack.” I snorted. “Christmas is in three weeks. Don’t you FaceTime with your family?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“They’re gonna notice the lack of cheer on the big day.”

Cameron frowned. “Oh. That’s true.”

“Look, I should probably get out there and deal with Tony,” I said, stepping toward the door. “I’m not opposed to taking your money, but I’m no designer and I don’t like the holidays any more than you do. I’ll ask in town. Janie Calhoun owns the Christmas store on First Street and she does some staging for a couple of home boutiques in the area. If you want this done right, she’s a better bet than me.”

“No, thanks. I’ve had my fill of designers.” He waved impatiently and stalked over to the bins. “How about this? Let’s buy a tree, put some lights on it, and throw on a few ornaments. Then we’ll toss the whole thing in the trash before noon on the twenty-fifth and be done with it.”

“And what about all that stuff?” I inclined my head meaningfully at the holiday sh*t he had yet to unpack.

“Leave the box with ornaments, and put the rest in the basement. Out of sight, out of mind. Or better yet, throw it all away.”

“Wow. You are Scrooge.”

Cameron smirked unapologetically. “I told you so. My youngest cousin is having a baby any minute now, so with any luck, my aunts will forget about me for a while. Just knowing there’s a tree up will make them happy, and that’s what matters. So…what do you think?”

I fixed him with a long, hard stare.

“I think you’re up to something.”

He widened his eyes in surprise. “Such as?”

“I dunno. People who don’t like the holidays wouldn’t go through the hassle of hiring someone unqualified to do their dirty work, even if money were no object. It would be much easier to hole up in your office and hibernate for the rest of December. What do you really want?”

“Huh?”

“Is this about sex?”

“Sex,” he repeated with a huff. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to a repeat, but I’m not in the habit of paying for a good time.”

Christ, all he had to say was “repeat” and I popped a boner.

Purchase at Amazon


Carra's Review

Grumpy + grumpy for the holidays?  Yes, please.  Plus I’ve always enjoyed this author’s other books, so of course I wanted to check this one out, especially since I haven’t picked up many holiday stories this year.


Both Joe and Cameron fit the grumpy type, Joe more so than Cameron.  I did feel that their personalities didn’t quite mesh—at least for the first half of the story.  Up to about that point, I just wasn’t feeling a connection forming.  As the two finally seemed to be warming up to the holidays later in the book, that’s when I was finally able to feel something solid forming between them.


They do mesh well physically, it was just the emotional side of things that took longer than I expected which did make that first half feel a little slow.  I became more absorbed with their story once their grumpy sides started thawing out.  


Since it did take me a little while to really get into it, the story itself I’m giving 3.5 stars.  As far as the narration, Michael Dean did a good job voicing the characters and bringing their emotions alive.  He clearly differentiated between Joe and Cameron, and kept a good pace throughout the book, so it’s 4 stars for the narration. 


Meet the Author


Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016, 2017, 2018-2019, 2020-2021 Rainbow Awards. She loves wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.


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New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: DEEP WATERS by Thom Collins (Jagged Shores #3)

Deep Waters

by Thom Collins

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Cover Artist: Kelly Martin

Release Date: December 27, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, thriller and suspense

Tropes: Murder mystery, small town, coastal romance 

Themes: Secret lives, seeking justice, danger at sea

Heat Rating:  3 - 4 flames

Length: 61 740 words/ 262 pages

It is a standalone story. The third book in a linked Jagged Shores series but can be read alone. 

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal link  |   Publisher  |   First For Romance 

In search of a story, he found murder and romance.

Blurb

Author Christian Costner is researching material for one of his dark thrillers and Nyemouth seems like the perfect setting for his next book. The small seaside town has witnessed plenty of trouble over the years, and Christian thinks it will provide him with the inspiration he needs.

He hires local tour guide and fisherman Harry Renner to help him explore the coastline for a couple of days. Harry is knowledgeable and mature beyond his twenty-eight years. Handsome too, though Christian thinks Harry is far too young for him..

As the weather worsens, Harry cuts short their first sight-seeing trip. Heading back to shore they spot a figure in distress in the water. A difficult rescue is made far worse when they discover the casualty has a knife wound to his abdomen and dies before they reach the safety of the harbour.

United by the trauma, Christian and Harry find comfort in each other, but when another murder comes to light, they find themselves at the heart of a dangerous mystery and the target of a killer more ruthless than they could ever imagine.

Excerpt 

Harry went to the bar. He didn’t know the bartender so didn’t have to face another barrage of questions about Niko’s death. “Two of whatever these were,” he said, holding up the empty tumblers. “Make them doubles.”

He glanced over his shoulder as he waited. Christian gazed into the fire, looking lost in his thoughts. What was it about him? Just this morning Harry had dismissed him as being far too old, but the more time he spent with him and talked to him, Christian’s appeal grew stronger. He can’t be that old, anyway, he reasoned. Ten, maybe eleven years older than he was. It wasn’t like fancying someone his dad’s age.

Of course, Harry knew what really drove this new attraction to Christian.

Death.

He’d learned from his time in the lifeboat how sex and death went hand in hand. He had taken part in three failed rescues when he was a member of the crew and afterwards he had always wanted sex. It wasn’t unusual. He’d even read an article about it—how sex helped people to feel alive after a clash with mortality.

Is that what this is? Do I only fancy him because we didn’t save Niko?

As he carried the drinks back to the fire, Harry realised just how much he did want Christian. They had been through a gruelling experience. What better comfort could there be than each other’s bodies? He didn’t want to go back to his flat on his own and wondered whether Christian felt the same about his lonely hotel room.

F*ck it. One more drink and I’ll ask him. The worst he can say is no.

Christian lifted his gaze from the flames when he returned. Their eyes connected and, just for a second, a hint of a smile. “Thanks,” he said, accepting the drink.

“Is this your favourite tipple? Whisky?” he asked, sitting down.

“Sometimes. It depends on my mood. But at the end of the night, when I want to unwind, it’s the best. I always bring a bottle with me when I’m working away—for a nightcap.”

Their eyes locked again, and Harry wondered if there had been a hint of an invitation in the last remark. Or is it just wishful thinking?

He had never been good at reading signals.

“What’s your hotel like?” he asked in a rush. “I’ve had a drink at the bar in Quay House, but I’ve never been upstairs.”

Christian’s brow furrowed in confusion.

Oh sh*t. I’ve judged this all wrong.

Then he smiled. “It’s nice. I’ve got a good-sized room that overlooks the harbour. Actually, it’s pretty great.” He sipped. “You’re welcome to come up, if you’d like to look around. I could also give you that nightcap.”

Harry’s pulse quickened, and a stiffness developed in his groin. “I’d love to.”

This morning he’d been so dismissive about Christian because of his age, and now there was nothing he wanted more than to spend the night in his protective embrace.

About the Author 

Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, North Point and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.

Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.

Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook, The Night.

Other links

Twitter: @thomwolf  |  Instagram: thomcollinsauthor  |   Newsletter Sign-up

Giveaway!

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win 

one of 5 ebook copies of Deep Waters

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Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Morgan Brice's "New in 2022 - Have You Read Them All?" Tour - Includes Giveaway!


A special book tour to celebrate this year’s new releases by Morgan Brice!

  1. Sins of the Fathers—MM Supernatural Suspense
  2. No Surrender—An MM Psychic Detective Romance Adventure
  3. Again: Fox Hollow Zodiac Novel 2–MM Shifter Romance Suspense
  4. The Devil You Know: MM Supernatural Romance Adventure (ebook and audio release)
  5. Blink: MM Supernatural Suspense (audio release)
  6. Huntsman (audio release)

Plus, two holiday novellas 

  1. Crewel Fate ~ Gail Z. Martin in Christmas at Caynham Castle
  2. Memory and Malice: A Badlands MM Psychic Detective Romance in Ring in the New at Caynham Castle

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Book Title: Sins of the Fathers—MM Supernatural Suspense

Length:  62K words/ 213 pages

Release Date: August 26, 2022

Genres: Urban fantasy MM paranormal romance

Tropes: Hurt/comfort, friends to lovers, established relationship, learning to trust, dealing with the past, dealing with family secrets.

Themes:  Letting go of the past, moving on after loss, family secrets

It is book 2 in the series but can be read standalone. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon  |  Nook

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.

Check out my 4.5-star review of Sins of the Fathers

BOOK 2

Book Title: No Surrender—An MM Psychic Detective Romance Adventure

Release Date: April 20, 2022

Genres: Urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, psychic detective

Tropes: Hurt/comfort, established relationship, learning to trust, grumpy-sunshine, cold case, ghosts helping/interfering, lots of magic, wedding planning

Themes: Found family, loyalty, dealing with unresolved issues, putting the past to rest

Length: 224 pages

It is Book 5 in the Badlands series but can be read as a standalone.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Goodreads

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Also on other platforms

Cold cases, hot leads, a psychic psychopath, a copycat killer, cursed objects, the trial of the century--and wedding plans.

Blurb

Psychic medium Simon Kincaide and sexy homicide detective Vic D'Amato met hunting a supernatural serial killer. Since then, Simon has become a police consultant on cases involving the paranormal, and Vic has gotten over his doubts about Simon's abilities being real. Along the way, they fell in love and got engaged. But it seems like the danger never ends.

Now, the first case Simon and Vic worked together comes back to haunt them as the killer goes to court and all hell breaks loose. The killer has a crazy fan setting curses on key players in the upcoming trial. Ghosts from an old cold case suggest that someone got away with murder. And a supernatural creature attracted to fear and death is using the Grand Strand as its feeding ground. Simon and Vic feel like they’re waging a war on all fronts, but with the stakes so high, there can be No Surrender!

No Surrender is a fast-paced thrill ride MM paranormal romance packed with supernatural suspense, haunted tourist attractions, monsters, visions, hot sex, hurt/comfort, loyal friends, wedding planning, found family, ghosts galore, dark magic, and an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.

Check out my 4-star review of No Surrender

BOOK 3

Book Title: Again: Fox Hollow Zodiac Novel 2–MM Shifter Romance Suspense

Release Date: July 5, 2022

Genres: Urban fantasy MM shifter romance suspense

Tropes: Shifters, one true pairing, reincarnation, fated mates, psychics, magic, curses, hurt/comfort, found family, 

Themes: Long-distance relationship, knowing you can depend on each other, navigating a new relationship

Length: 247 pages

It is book 2 in the Fox Hollow Zodiac series. It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  | Amazon UK

The fast, furry, and furious! A lynx shifter, pursued by a cryptid trophy hunter. A wolf shifter desperate to rescue a lover who's not just his fated mate—but his one true pairing across past lives. And a love that transcends time.

Blurb

The fast, furry, and furious! A lynx shifter, pursued by a cryptid trophy hunter. A wolf shifter desperate to rescue a lover who's not just his fated mate—but his one true pairing across past lives. And a love that transcends time.

Lynx shifter Noah Wilson narrowly escaped being captured by the Huntsman. While recuperating in Fox Hollow, he meets his fated mate, wolf shifter Drew Lowe.

Noah has to return to Canada to finish filming his TV projects, so he and Drew visit when they can and come up with creative solutions to their long-distance relationship. Noah and Drew are sure they're meant for each other and start making plans.

Drew's dreams make him wonder if he and Noah are more than fated mates—could they be a true pairing, destined to find each other lifetime after lifetime?

Then Noah accidentally records a murder, and the killer is on his trail. Can he elude a master tracker and reach the safety of Fox Hollow, or will he and Drew have to wait to find happiness in another life?

Again is a thrill-packed MM shifter romance adventure full of sexy shifters, hurt/comfort, one true pairing, reincarnation, sincere psychics, hunky mechanics, first responders, a sexy wildlife photographer, found family, and fated mates.

Check out my review of Again

BOOK 4 

book plus audio release

Book Title: The Devil You Know: MM Supernatural Romance Adventure

Length:  240 pages

Release Date:  February 8, 2022

Genres: MM romance, supernatural romance adventure, urban fantasy

Tropes: Hurt/comfort, friendship/partnership/lovers, found family, second chance at love

Themes: Evolving established relationship, healing, learning to trust,  facing old fears

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

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Audible

 It all comes down to trusting the devil you know!

Blurb 

Seth and Evan met “on the job” when Evan was the intended sacrifice of a dark coven, and Seth came to the rescue. Now, they’ve teamed up to stop a century of ritual murders and get justice for Seth’s brother Jesse and the other victims.

Seth and Evan have a plan to stop the next witch disciple, plus new allies and magic. But this time, the warlock knows they're coming, and he has plans of his own. When Seth disappears and is trapped in a spell that gives him his heart’s desire, can he free himself in time to help Evan?

And when Evan’s younger brother shows up unexpectedly, can Evan trust Parker to have his back? It all comes down to trusting the devil you know!

The Devil You Know is a thrill-packed urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with plenty of supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, hot sex, found family, and dark magic and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.

BOOK 5 - audio book release

Book Title: Blink: MM Supernatural Suspense

Narrator: John Solo

Release Date: April 19, 2022 (audio release)

Genres: Paranormal/urban fantasy M/M Romance, action/adventure, romantic suspense

Tropes: Second chance love, hurt/comfort, true soulmates, psychic, witches, ghosts, mobsters, resort town

Themes:  Learning to trust, hurt/comfort, second chance love, established relationship

It is part of series but could stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon  |   Audible

Ghosts always remember. Mobsters never forget.

Blurb 

Erik Mitchell helped Interpol bust cartels, oligarchs, and spoiled billionaires for art fraud. As an undercover cop, Ben Nolan helped bring down a Newark crime family. Now Erik and Ben have started over in Cape May, leaving their danger-filled jobs behind them, excited about a fresh start and their new relationship.

Plans to renovate a historic old theater stir up dangerous ghosts and revive interest in unsolved Mob hits. The curse of a murdered witch strikes a close friend, old movie props reveal clues to long-ago crimes, and a shakedown scheme sends Ben’s cousin running for cover. 

Time is running out to lift the curse. The Russian Mob wants revenge on Erik, and the Newark Mob is gunning for Ben. A grieving ghost seeks justice. Secrets, lies, and deception unravel in the blink of an eye. 

Erik and Ben were planning for happily ever after. But unless they can outwit witches, wraiths, and wise guys, they could go down in a hail of gunfire and a blast of dark magic—and see their plans go up in smoke. 

Blink is a suspenseful MM paranormal romance mystery-adventure filled with second chance love, hurt/comfort, true soulmates, awesome food trucks, dangerous secrets, restless ghosts, psychic visions, powerful witches, angry mobsters, and a very haunted theater.

BOOK 6 - Audio release

Book Title: Huntsman

Narrator: John Solo

Length: 5 hours, 36 minutes

Release Date: August 23, 2022

Genres: Urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, shifter romance, gay romance

Tropes: Friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, learning to trust, second chance at love, fated mates, small town romance, found family

Themes: Love conquers all, starting over

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon  |  Audible

Huntsman is full of sexy shifters, hurt/comfort, second chance love, sincere psychics, hot first responders, found family and fated mates.

Blurb 

A grieving wolf. A hunted fox. Fated mates, thrown together by chance, and the looming threat of a fabled Huntsman who might tear them apart forever.

Fox shifter Liam Reynard is running from a killer. He uproots his life to find sanctuary in Fox Hollow, deep in the Adirondack Forest in New York.

When his car breaks down, sexy wolf shifter Russ Lowe comes to the rescue, and one touch makes it clear they’re fated mates. Neither man was looking for love, and both are still mending from past heartbreak. When mysterious fires and disappearances threaten Fox Hollow, Liam fears the killer is hot on his trail. Can he protect the town and his fated mate from the evil hunting him, or will an ex-lover’s betrayal cost Liam everything he loves?

Huntsman is full of sexy shifters, hurt/comfort, second chance love, sincere psychics, hot first responders, found family and fated mates.

…and these holiday favorites for Xmas and New Year

BOOK 7

Book Title: Christmas at Caynham Castle - Crewel Fate ~ Gail Z. Martin

Authors: Gail Z Martin plus Jeanne Adams, Caren Crane, Seressia Glass, Donna MacMeans, Nancy Northcott, Anna Sugden

Publisher: Rickety Bookshelf Press

Length: 521 pages

Release Date: November 2019

Genre: Romance—note—Gail's story is MM paranormal romance. The others are MF romance and MF romantic suspense

Tropes: Friends to lovers, established relationship, enemies to lovers, second chance at love, paranormal romance, psychic, spies 

Themes: Learning to trust, found family, hurt/comfort, family secrets

These are seven individual novellas all set at the same fictional castle/town and Christmas ball

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Blurb 

Christmas at Caynham Castle

A Collection of 7 Holiday-Themed Novellas

A seasonal ball,

A charming town on the Welsh border,

And an ancient castle with adventure, mystery, ghosts and romance in every corner.

Celebrate the Christmas season with seven authors, each telling the story of the holiday at Caynham Castle in her own spectacular style.

Crewel Fate ~ Gail Z. Martin

When Teag Logan and his fiancé Anthony Benton travel to England to celebrate their engagement, Teag’s magic and supernatural experience hone in on restless spirits, an old scandal and century-old secrets that could turn deadly. Can Teag and Anthony solve the mystery and settle the spooks before the Ball, or will more people join the ranks of the castle ghosts?

Carra's Review of Crewel Fate

I haven't had much exposure to Tag and Anthony yet, so I enjoyed this chance to spend some time with these characters in this short story.  For me, the UK setting in a castle was a bonus ;-)

While Crewel Fate may seem to start off slow while the background and setting is covered, just be patient as from there the spooky stuff starts to appear!   Once the supernatural aspects were revealed, the story really had me hooked.  Even with the short story format, you get a buildup of suspense until things are resolved.

I really liked this glimpse into Teag and Anthony's relationship, and am giving Crewel Fate a solid 4-star rating.

BOOK 8

Book Title: Ring in the New at Caynham Castle 

(Memory and Malice: A Badlands MM Psychic Detective Romance by Morgan Brice )

Publisher: Rickety Bookshelf Press

Release Date: December 21, 2021

Genre: Romance. Note -  the Morgan Brice novella is MM paranormal romance. The rest are MF romance/romantic suspense

Tropes: Friends to lovers, established relationship, enemies to lovers, second chance at love, paranormal romance, psychic, ghosts, historical mystery, gargoyles, witches, magic

Themes: Learning to trust, found family, hurt/comfort, family secrets, 

Each is a standalone story with no cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Blurb 

What better way to celebrate the new year than by partying in an ancient castle, now a hotel, in a small English town? Join us in lifting a glass to the holiday with these festive novellas:

Memory and Malice: A Badlands MM Psychic Detective Romance by Morgan Brice

Psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his fiancé, homicide detective Vic D’Amato, planned a relaxing Christmas and New Year’s at Caynham Castle. But when Simon encounters a man possessed by a malicious ghost, he fears that a spirit with an ancient grudge intends to disrupt the holiday festivities. Can Simon and Vic prevent a disaster and protect the Earl, or will a ghost from the past destroy the chance to ring in a bright new future?

Carra's Review of Memory and Malice

I love Simon and Vic in the Badlands series, so I love getting extra time with them in a short story.  Plus getting to revisit Caynham Castle is always a treat!  And Vic's excitement about visiting the UK was cute...and triggered me to think about planning my own visit back again.

The story starts off slowly while the two are getting settled and sightseeing, but we're quickly tipped off that there's supernatural activity of the not-so-nice kind afoot.  Once Simon and Vic are settled at the castle, planning for a confrontation with the ghost kicks into gear.  The anticipation quickly builds until the main clash, which had me glued to the pages.

I really enjoyed Memory and Malice, and it was a 4.5-star read for me.  The added hot and sexy times were a great bonus in a short read like this too ;-)

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