Making it Happen: New Release-Review & Excerpt: 7 MINUTES IN KEVIN by DJ Jamison (Games We Play #3)

7 Minutes in Kevin

Games We Play, Book 3

by DJ Jamison

Publisher: Must Love Books LLC

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood

Release Date: November 10, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Forbidden love, best friend’s dad, small town, drag queen, bi-awakening

Themes: Finding where you fit in the world, acceptance, unconditional love, supportive community

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: approx 93 000 words

It is part of the Games We Play series, but it works as a standalone. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

7 minutes in...holy heck, what have I done?!

Blurb

What happens when I return early from a work trip to find my son throwing yet another party?

Annoyance. Exasperation. Temptation...

I'm tired, yearning for my bed, but I hadn't counted on the games my son and his friends play--or the one person who'd be waiting in my closet after everyone else is gone.

The guy who's been haunting my fantasies lately.

He's too beautiful. Too young. Too off-limits, being one of my son's best friends.

And...on his knees for me.

Oh god.

7 Minutes in Kevin is a son's best friend romance with a bi-curious dad, an androgynous beauty who opens his eyes to a whole new world, and a quirky small town full of people who might lose their minds if they find out just how close these two are getting …

Excerpt - Garrett’s POV

“There’s, uh, someone in the closet. You should probably get them out.”

I glanced at the living room coat closet. “That one?”

Linc nodded and hurried away, a smile playing on his lips. Something about his expression struck me as strange. I turned on my heel and crossed the room to the closet. I pushed open the door but didn’t see anyone immediately. Then a shadow shifted in the back corner.

I stepped inside, the trickle of living room light spilling in to splash over the guy’s face.

“Finally,” he said, tone exasperated.

I blinked as recognition hit me, followed quickly by surprise as he fisted my shirt and yanked me close.

“Kev—” I started to say.

My words were cut short as he went up on his toes, his mouth catching mine. I gasped, shocked to feel his full lips at last, that slender frame pressed tight against me.

Then his tongue swept into my mouth.

That was when my mind shut off and my body took over. I grabbed his face and kissed him back with every ounce of pent-up need I had. Years’ worth of longing and lust poured forth as we stumbled into the back wall, mouths still latched, hands roaming.

I palmed Kevin’s ass, squeezing it with a groan of delight, and he slid his hands under my shirt, caressing my back.

By the time we broke apart, we were both gasping for air, eyes wide with shock.

“You’re not Mark,” Kevin said, stunned. “I mean, of course you aren’t. You’re too tall, and too broad, and too…” He licked his glossy lips, his gaze eating me up, blue eyes shockingly vivid in contrast to his dark eyeliner. “He said he would join me in a minute, but you— You’re not him.”

“No,” I rasped. “I, uh…the party was over, and I heard someone was in here so…”

My eyes lingered on his lips. I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to kiss him again.

Kevin smiled coyly, and it reminded me of an expression I’d only seen on his face once before, when he’d been dressed in drag. It was bold. Flirtatious. Maybe a little challenging.

“We were playing Seven Minutes in Heaven. We’ve only used about two minutes so far. That leaves five more…” He raised an eyebrow. “What do you say, Garrett? Want to play?”

Hearing him say my first name in that tone sent a shiver down my spine. Watching him sink to his knees in front of me destroyed any sensible thoughts I might have had about not crossing lines.

With shaking hands, I unfastened my jeans and watched as the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen licked his shiny red lips.

I’d been hesitant to explore my attraction to men. Something had held me back, and now I knew for certain exactly what it had been.

I’d been waiting for the most beautiful person I’d ever met.

Waiting for Kevin.

Carra's Review

It’s another great entry in this author’s Games We Play series! I love Kevin’s character and how open and true to himself he is. A budding drag queen he may be, but he is also a selfless and thoughtful person always willing to help friends and family when needed. He’s such an easy person to like.

Garrett is Kevin’s best friend’s father, and therein lies the wrinkle in the relationship he and Kevin embark on after they have a steamy but quick encounter thanks to the Seven Minutes in Heaven party game. There’s also that twenty-year age gap to consider, and the fact that Kevin doesn’t conform to gender norms when it comes to how he dresses—makeup and all…and not just when he’s doing drag.

The wonderful thing though is that neither of them cares about all of those things when it comes to each other. They only have eyes for each other, it’s mostly overcoming their own doubts that gets in their way. Thankfully they both have good heads on their shoulders, and a lot of faith in what they each feel for the other. It’s obvious when they’re together that they’re a fantastic match.

7 Minutes in Kevin was a solid 4-star read for me, with my only niggle being that it felt longer than it needed to be to tell the story. That said, this is a really good read and while it’s part of a series and characters from the series do play important supporting roles, you can still read this as a standalone. This story is for readers 18+ for adult language and steamy sexual content.

About the Author

DJ Jamison writes romances about everyday life and extraordinary love featuring a variety of queer characters, from gay to bisexual to asexual. DJ grew up in the Midwest in a working-class family, and those influences can be found in her writing through characters coping with real-life problems: money troubles, workplace drama, family conflicts and, of course, falling in love. DJ spent more than a decade in the newspaper industry before chasing her first dream to write fiction. She spent a lifetime reading before that and continues to avidly devour her fellow authors’ books each night. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, one snake, and a sadistic cat named Birdie.

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