New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: THE KEEPER by Aimee Nicole Walker (Redemption Ridge #5)

The Keeper
By Aimee Nicole Walker

Redemption Ridge, Book 5

Sabotaged brakes didn’t kill Rueben Sanchez, but waiting for his assailants’ trial to start just might. A potential witness for the prosecution can’t explore his lusty feelings for the hunky sheriff who saved him, but that doesn’t stop his imagination from running wild. Rueben has already shaped his traumatic mountainside meet cute with Seth Burke into a happily ever after to tell their future grandkids. When the delay threatens to stretch on for years, Rueben feels his dreams slipping out of reach. Should he surrender gracefully or fight for his man?

Pressure and scrutiny are nothing new to Seth, but shouldering his duties has never felt like a burden until they keep him from the man he wants most. Cracking an unsolved murder, safeguarding a high-profile trial, and winning re-election should be enough to keep him busy. But he can’t stop thinking about the perfect weekend he shared with Rueben before everything careened off course. Are they as good together as Seth remembers, or is his memory swayed by the allure of the forbidden? And does he dare to find out?

Late-night phone calls and shared secrets lead to stolen kisses and a lakeside cabin rendezvous. But one encounter isn’t enough, and the two men will risk everything to explore their deepening bond. When a series of chilling events rock the county, Rueben and Seth must put more than their hearts on the line because one misstep could prove fatal.

The Keeper is book five in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. The Keeper contains mature themes and is intended for adults.

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Excerpt

Seth scanned the hallway again, and his gaze landed on the stockroom. “In here.” He curled his fingers into fists to avoid doing something stupid like reaching for Rueben’s hand. Seth opened the door and turned on the light. The space wasn’t huge to start with, and rows of tall metal storage shelves aligned both walls, leaving only a narrow aisle between them. Seth shut the door and gave in to the urge to take Rue’s hand, guiding him past stacks of toilet paper, napkins, and nonperishable food items. They stopped by a section of table condiments toward the back of the room. The aisle was barely big enough for one person, let alone two, and Seth ended up crowding Rueben against the metal shelving. Body heat drew him in, or maybe Rueben gave Seth’s heartstrings a little tug. Either way, it was nearly impossible not to react to the energy pulsing between them. “I want to apologize.”

Rueben’s gorgeous mouth curved into a wicked smile. “I can’t fault your style.”

Seth almost laughed and replied with a snappy comeback, but they didn’t have much time. He went for a direct approach instead, though he didn’t step back to put distance between them. How could he when Rueben smelled so damn delicious? Seth tried not to be too obvious when he inhaled a little deeper on his next breath. Mmmm. Sunshine and clean clothes. “And clear the air,” he added.

“I’m trying to decide if your growing erection is making things clearer or if it’s muddying the water,” Rueben said.

Seth’s exhale came out sounding more like a needy whimper than the heavy sigh he’d intended. Rueben’s warm chuckle was such a small sound, but it rippled over him like a seductive caress. Seth needed to take a step back, screw his head on right, and put things in proper perspective, but he settled his hands at Rueben’s hips and held on for dear life. Being together was so wrong but felt so f*cking right.

“Not that I’m complaining, but I’m getting mixed signals from you today,” Rueben said. “You iced me out at the prosecutor’s office and wouldn’t even look at me. And now, you’re a few heartbeats away from rubbing one out against me.” Seth hadn’t moved his hips so much as an inch, but grinding against Rueben’s answering hard-on was the only thing on his mind. “Use your words, Burke. I don’t have enough emotional spoons left in the drawer to guess where your head is.” He raised his hand and caressed Seth’s jaw with two fingers. “This one, I mean. The other head’s desires are pretty self-explanatory.”

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Enter the Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of The Keeper, Aimee is giving away 3 e-copies of the release!

 

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Join us for Book 1 in the Redemption Ridge Series with:
Guys Like Him

Redemption Ridge, Book 1

Kieran Sullivan is broken when he arrives at Redemption Ridge. A wrongful conviction and twenty months in lockup will do that to a man. The ranch is a place for second chances and fresh starts, but for him, it’s an opportunity to discover who set him up. Get in, get answers, and get out. The plan sounds easy enough until Kieran meets an equine specialist whose sunny smile could warm the coldest heart.

Finley Ashe is a sucker for bruised spirits and sad eyes. The horse whisperer and broken-boy magnet is six months into a hiatus from love when Kieran, the king of emotionally unavailable men, gets assigned to work under his supervision. Mutual attraction is gasoline on proximity’s flame, testing Finley’s resistance in new ways.

Priorities shift, shields come down, and truths get exposed. Will the inevitable combustion redeem Kieran and Finley or consume them?

Guys Like Him is book one in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. Guys Like Him contains mature themes and is intended for adults.

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About the Author

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.

I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me at:
BookBub - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Blog 

Want to be the first to know about my book releases and have access to extra content? You can sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/dlhPYj

My favorite place to hang out and chat with my readers is my Facebook group. Would you like to be a member of Aimee’s Dye Hards? We’d love to have you! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AimeesDyeHards/

Connect with Aimee:
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New Release-Excerpt: GRABBING MY SLYCE! by Dann Hazel (Some Like it Haute! Series #4)

NEW RELEASE

Grabbing My Slyce!

(​​Some Like It Haute! Gay Romance Series)

by Dann Hazel

Publisher: The Original Press

Cover Artist: Joshua Fippen

Release Date: June 24, 2024

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Forced Proximity; Hurt/Comfort; Slow Burn; Age-Stratified or May/December Romance

Themes: Family Strife; Loss of a partner/spouse; dealing with internalized homophobia

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 138 829 words/ 360 pages

It can be read as a standalone, but is part of a series.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

How do you find your true love when the other business of life has always gotten in the way—until now?

Blurb

As an only child, Frank Slyce is an independent, self-reliant gay man with a huge creative streak. 

Now, at thirty-two, he feels thrown off-kilter by a proverbial “urge to merge.” 

But how does a man like Frank find love when he has always related best to people older than he is?

Enter David Hawkins, a Unitarian minister who’s similar in age to Frank. At first, they seem to hit it off. But in their steamy pursuit of a relationship, they discover individual differences that feel insurmountable.

Then, Frank seeks a business loan to open Slyce! Pies and Pasta. The hot, charming banker who works with him, Nicolas Beaumont, is eleven years older than Frank. 

Age is not a problem for Frank. 

But what is it about Nicolas’ history or personality that causes the banker to retreat into silence when Frank, for the first time in his life, feels certainty about love?

A slow-burn, age-stratified, HEA gay romance.

Excerpt

Once they’d returned to the Round House dock, Frank helped Nick secure the boat all over again. There was, after their kiss, a certain timidity between them now. As though they had to process what had just happened at their own pace. As though speaking of it might somehow wipe what happened out of existence.

While they worked with the boat, Frank didn’t notice the arrival of a familiar car.

David’s car.

It was, after all, Nick who filled Frank’s consciousness. He could smell him. He could hear his rhythmic breaths. He could feel Nick’s body against his.

It was as though he walked toward the Round House on autopilot. It was as though he had no idea where he was, the magic still had such a blinding hold on him.

Then, from the familiar car, Frank heard his name.

A voice he recognized, shouting his name.

He looked up and saw David, a big smile on his face, a hand waving at him. More eager than ever to spend a day with his chef and their friends. As though those days of silence and isolation had never happened.

Frank smiled and waved back.

Nick noticed. He noticed and took it all in. He didn’t know exactly what was going on between these two men, but from his forty-two years on this familiar planet, he had an idea.

He knew that the best move he could take now was to make himself scarce.

He bid farewell to Frank, asking him to convey his regrets to their hosts, before he headed back to his boat. He was no longer feeling well, he said, and needed to return the boat to the marina, then get himself home and into his bed.

Frank was speechless, though he managed to ask if Nick needed him to accompany him. To make sure he was okay.

“No. That’s not necessary, Frank,” Nick replied. “I’ll be fine. It’s just a—thing—that happens from time to time. It’s not serious. Just my body’s warning that it needs a little rest.”

Nick boarded his boat, then sped away with a perfunctory wave.

Then, Frank turned back to David.

But David, he saw, was already heading into the Round House.

David, he knew, was mad as hell.

About the Author

Dann Hazel has been writing both fiction and nonfiction for more than twenty years. 

Besides writing romance, he has taught high school English and journalism, college psychology and human sexuality, directed federal grants and worked as a therapist in a psychiatric hospital. His fiction genre interests include thrillers, horror, literary and gay romance. He has published the Some Like It Haute Gay Romance Series, including Room for Dessert, My Own Private Biscuit and Lonely Diner.

Nonfiction works include Witness: Gay and Lesbian Clergy Report from the Front and Moving On: The Gay Man’s Guide for Coping When a Relationship Ends.

Dann’s personal interests include reading and writing, cinema, jogging, Broadway, keeping abreast of current events and travel.

Currently, Dann lives in Central Florida with his husband, Josh, and their American Eskimo canine, Flurry.

Blog/Website  |  Facebook   |  Instagram

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New Release & Giveaway: LEVEL UP by Max Walker (Franklin University Series Season 2 Book #4)

Level Up
By Max Walker

Cover Designer: Natasha Snow

Franklin University Series Season 2, Book 4

Joey 'Jay' Cruz

Moving to San Luco wasn’t my choice. I was kicked out of my old school because of a protest I organized that went south. Now, I was attending Franklin University with only a semester left until graduation and not knowing a single soul.

Until I meet Ryan Redpine at a frat party. He’s handsome, muscular, has a great smile, and I quickly find out he’s the son of a CEO hell-bent on destroying the environment.

I push Ryan out of my mind, deciding to keep my sanity and morals in tact.

But fate had other plans. When Ryan ended up as my surprise dorm mate, avoiding him became impossible. And so was avoiding the feelings that started to develop... Maybe getting expelled wasn't the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. Maybe it was actually the best?

Ryan Redpine

Jay entered my life like a lightning bolt.

I’d never met someone I was so attracted to, and someone who clearly didn’t want me. The moment he learned about my dad, he shut me out. Then I get reassigned to his dorm. Cue complications, especially when his bed breaks and we're forced to share.

Things quickly heat up, but Jay's adamant about keeping us under wraps. He's planning this big protest at the beach for an oil drilling project and doesn't want my family name tied to it.

So how do I tell Jay my dad is one of the backers? And how do I make sure I don’t lose him in the process?

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To celebrate the release of Level Up, Max is giving away 2 e-copies of the release!

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About the Author

Max Walker lives in Atlanta with his partner of over 14 years. He's the best-selling author of the fantasy series, Magic & Marvels, along with his contemporary series, Stonewall Investigations & The Book Club Boys. He's incredibly excited to be enrolling at FU with a group of exceptionally talented authors.

Connect with Max:
https://maxwalkerauthor.com/

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New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: HOODOO HOUSE by Peter E. Fenton (The Declan Hunt Mysteries #2)

HOODOO HOUSE
By Peter E. Fenton

Declan Hunt Mysteries, Book 2

FROM POPULAR AUTHOR OF LGBTQIA ROMANCE PETER E. FENTON

How far would you be willing to go to keep a secret?

When writer Malcolm Tull is discovered dead at his writing desk, all signs point to suicide. But Malcolm' s editor isn' t so sure. There' s the matter of the man' s missing computer, a mislaid manuscript and the fact that he didn' t seem the type to take his own life.

Declan Hunt and Charlie Watts are called into action and make their way to the mysterious Hoodoo House nestled on the edge of the Badlands of Alberta. Soon they are embroiled in a case involving blackmail, gay tricks and possibly even murder.

As the secrets of Hoodoo House come to light, Charlie discovers that his boss has been keeping a few secrets of his own, secrets that could impact their romantic relationship outside of the office. And before this investigation is done, Charlie will have to get to the truth, even if it means this might be his final case for Declan Hunt Investigations.

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Excerpt

Henry often seemed wiser than a boy of his age. Although he was only her ward, she thought of him as the child she’d never had and due to their age difference, he had taken to calling her Gramma Carol.

She patted him on the shoulder. “Now, clear up your mess and set the table. Then you can go and tell Mr Tull breakfast is ready.”

Henry quickly did as he was told.

Mrs Cameron smiled as she looked around. The kitchen was her domain and nobody in Hoodoo House would dare to question anything she did here or, frankly, anywhere else on the property. She was the housekeeper, cook, scullery maid and holder of just about every other staff position one could imagine. She was as permanent a fixture in the building as the ancient stove or the kitchen’s large wooden prep table and she loved every scrap of wood and broken-down fixture in it…almost as much as she loved young Henry.

Writer Malcolm Tull, however…

An acrid smell hit her nostrils.

“Damn.”

She ran towards the oven. A cloud of smoke filled the air as she pulled out the tray of burnt baking.

“You damned fool,” she muttered to herself as she removed the biscuits and placed them on a cooling rack. She could scrape the char off the best ones and they’d be fine. The others she’d save for crumbling up for the chickens, or perhaps the centres could be used for stuffing. Either way, they would end up inside a chicken.

She checked the coffee perking in the pot and dabbed the fat off the freshly cooked bacon. She turned back towards the kitchen table and was startled to see Henry standing at the door, his eyes wide, his mouth open. It took him a moment to speak.

“There’s something wrong with Mr Tull.”

“Well, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“He’s asleep on his desk and he’s lying in his own sick.”

Mrs Cameron hurried to the writing room. Henry followed. She went to the desk and examined the prone man. She’d been around long enough to know when something wasn’t alive, but to be certain, she checked for a pulse—nothing.

“Henry, leave the room and don’t touch anything. And don’t come back in here.”

She scurried past the boy and headed back to the kitchen where she called the doctor…and the police.

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To celebrate the release of Hoodoo House, Peter is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

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Check out Book 1: Mann Hunt

FROM POPULAR AUTHOR OF LGBTQIA ROMANCE FICTION PETER E. FENTON

Book one in the Declan Hunt Mysteries series

How far would you be willing to go to finish the job?

Declan Hunt is having a bad week. His kidnapping case is showing little progress, his office assistant has left him on short notice, and his latest investigation has left him literally battered and bruised. But things change when he hires twenty-four year old Charlie Watts to help out at the office. They form an unlikely partnership trying to solve two seemingly unrelated cases whose threads begin to weave together when the missing person case turns to murder.

The investigation takes them from the dark alleys, gay bars and bath houses of Calgary, to the richest parts of the city during the world-famous Calgary Stampede.

But will they be able to discover who the killer is before another life is lost? And will Declan be able to solve the mystery of his relationship with Charlie who is clearly attracted to him — especially since it is evident that the attraction is becoming mutual?

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About the Author

Peter E. Fenton's first book, The Woodcarver's Model came out in April of 2022 and was a four time nominee in the Goodreads M/M Romance Readers' Choice Awards.

His second book Mann Hunt was released in August of 2023 and was also a nominee in the Goodreads M/M Romance Readers' Choice Awards.

Mann Hunt is the first in the three part Declan Hunt Mysteries series, with the release of Hoodoo House adding a second book to the series . The final installment will come out in the summer of 2025, (all through Pride Publishing).

2024 will also see the release of his first teen romance novel, Not Not Normal, with Lorimer Publishing.

All of Peter's novels are proudly set in Canada and are filled with humour, heart and unforgettable characters.

Previous creative work was focused on writing for the stage, including award-winning productions of The Giant’s Garden, Newfoundland Mary, and Bemused which have played across Canada. His newest play, The Detective Disappears just finished a six week tour throughout Canada.

Peter spent many years working in palaeontology in remote locations including the Canadian Rockies, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

He currently lives in Toronto, Canada with his partner of more than twenty years.

Website - Blog - Twitter - Publisher - Instagram - Goodreads - Facebook Page

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Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway: OUR RADIANT EMBERS by Zarah Detand - Top Recommendation!

Our Radiant Embers
By Zarah Detand

Their rivalry? Explosive. Their chemistry? Magical.

When a regrettable drunken hookup becomes your partner in a high-stakes magical project, sparks are bound to fly—just not the kind Liam Morgan was hoping for. Teaming up with Adam Harrington, the golden boy of a legendary magical lineage, was not on his to-do list.

Adam, the epitome of tailored perfection, has accepted the need to lock his true self in the closet. Liam, on the other hand, wears his nonconformity like a badge of honour, challenging the elite’s silken norms with every step he takes.

Tasked with revolutionising urban development in an eco-friendly manner, their forced collaboration is marked by snark, resentment, and a magnetic undercurrent of attraction. But as their reluctant partnership turns into a bond that’s hard to deny, a plot for power simmers, threatening to unleash chaos that could sweep the city into a maelstrom of uncontrolled magic.

This contemporary MM romance is a romp through a magically infused London. It interweaves snappy banter, enemies to lovers, and political intrigue with a slow-burn kind of love that can save a city.

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Excerpt

Well then. Game face on.

I accepted a glass from a passing waitress with a murmured thanks. She shot me a surprised glance from underneath demurely lowered lashes, and right, yeah. Acknowledging the hired help was not industry standard in these circles. But five years ago, I might have been in her place—just enough magic potential to orbit around those who mattered.

I reminded myself that I belonged. No, I couldn’t trace my lineage back to, say, the Middle Ages—hell, I couldn’t even trace it past my grandmother. But I had every bloody right to be here. Even if I was wearing one of only two designer suits I owned while most people in this room had likely chosen from a whole wardrobe of options.

The practice of publicly ranking families on the strength of their magic had largely fallen out of favour, but we still catered to them, didn’t we?

Except I didn’t bow anymore. Not to anyone.

“Well,” a wry voice said from behind me. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

I didn’t bow to anyone, no. And especially not to Adam Harrington.

Slowly, leisurely, I turned and raised my glass in a friendly salute. “Adam. Opting for a tried and true classic on the insult front rather than using your brain?”

His smile didn’t waver. “I’d respond, but I’d rather not engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed person.”

God, he was infuriating. He carried himself with all the inbred entitlement of his family clout, a prince among commoners. Dark curls and hazel eyes that watched me with thinly veiled derision, and if I squinted just right, the warm, orange glow of his magic was so bright it bordered on blinding. Fun fact, though? He’d just about melted into me when I’d dragged my teeth along his throat.

Carra's Review

I’m not going to wait until the end of my review to say that I LOVED this book.  The concept, the characters (both main and supporting), the setting, the writing…everything about it was what I love in a story.  And with this being a new-to-me author with an established backlist?  Yeah, I’ve just added ALL of them to my reading list.

Adam is from a family that is high up in the social hierarchy of this magical world, and not gonna lie—I was prepared to not like him much given his initial attitude.  But he’s just not a character that I can’t like.  He has the weight of his family on his shoulders, and if you couple that with the antiquated views of their society regarding same sex relationships, that weight is indeed crushing at times.  His character experiences quite a bit of growth, particularly once he realizes what is most important to him.

Liam is used to being lower down in the social hierarchy of magical families, so he and Adam are set as opposites.  I liked Liam’s quiet strength, and that he stood tall even when faced with those considered higher up in the magical social hierarchy.  He’s not in the closet, so he is well aware he may be setting himself up for heartbreak when it comes to Adam.

My only “meh” thought about this book is that it seemed to move slowly in some places.  I think this can mostly be attributed to the world building needed to set the stage and provide ongoing background.  The good part of this though is that if the author decides to add more stories set in this world, the groundwork has already been laid.  And yes, given the strong cast of supporting characters, there are several opportunities for more and I for one hope the author will take advantage of this!

Our Radiant Embers was a 5-star read for me—the relationship development, sensual intimate scenes (especially those infused with a touch of magic…oh…my…word), and emotional journey of the characters far outweigh the slow spots.  This one is going on my Top Recommendations list for this year, and I am looking forward to diving into this author’s backlist while I sit here with fingers crossed for more in this magical world, and hopefully this one on audio as well.  This story is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of Our Radiant Embers, Zarah is giving away a paperback or eBook of the release!

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About the Author

Author of M/M romances. Chaos monkey and coffee snob. Loves a good book, a well-crafted White Russian, and long walks to the closest supermarket.

People in love with other people is her jam, with a particular penchant for snappy dialogue and a slow burn that is all the more satisfying once it finally catches fire. Playing with tropes of the famous-meets-non-famous variation? Bring it on! Fake relationships? Yes, please. All’s fair as long as everyone gets their happy ending.

Website - Newsletter - Facebook Group - Instagram - TikTok

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New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: ENCHANTER OF DRAGONS by Ariella Zoelle writing as Zarina Aston (Bonded Hearts prequel)

Enchanter of Dragons
By Ariella Zoelle Writing as Zarina Aston

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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Excerpt

Chapter 1: Jaega Ariake

The naked man standing in front of Jaega was fearful but defiant. “You may as well kill me. I’d rather be dead than be your whore.”

He was dirty and shackled, with both his hands and feet bound with heavy chains. His long white hair was badly matted. There was the faintest trace of shifter markings on his pale skin, but they were a dull silver and not vibrant like they should be. Even under the filth, he appeared to be very handsome. What was strange was that Jaega could smell the taint of neglect on him, but there was no hint of the man’s scent. It was an oddity, considering dragon shifters were renowned for their powerful sense of smell.

“I did not save you from one beast to inflict myself upon you in such a dishonorable way.” Jaega sheathed his sword to put the man at ease. “I am Jaega Ariake, the head general of Valzerna’s army, under the command of my oldest brother, King Tatsuki Ariake. You have nothing to fear from me.”

The man watched him warily. “So you say. Everyone knows military men rape and pillage as they please.”

“Not in my army. I would sooner strike one of my men down than allow that.” Jaega held his hands out in surrender. “Will you let me help free you? Now that King Decius of Shadron has been dethroned, you can return home.”

The man’s brow wrinkled with distrust. “You’re not going to keep me for yourself as a war trophy?”

Jaega shook his head. “I have never claimed any person as a war trophy, and I am certainly not about to start doing that now.” He sensed the man wavering in his resolve to stay distrustful. “What is your name?”

The man hesitated for a moment. “Fersen Rohesia.”

“Please allow me to undo the grievous wrong that has been done to you by a cruel king.”

“You can’t.” The despair in his voice tugged at Jaega’s heart. “These are enchanted to electrocute me if anyone tries to use magic on them.”

“Then I will not use magic.” Jaega took a step closer to Fersen, who stood his ground.

The chains between the wrist shackles were also connected to the ankle ones. Jaega made quick work of breaking off the adjoined chains and the ones that bound Fersen to the wall. However, the cuffs themselves were impossible to pull apart, even with Jaega’s considerable brute strength. He frowned with frustration as he came up with a different plan.

“Since I cannot remove these, I would suggest you come back to camp with me so that one of our lock pickers can free you from these.”

“So you are taking me as a war trophy,” Fersen said in a flat voice.

“No, I am merely suggesting that you accompany me as a guest to my quarters. You will be fed, clothed, and you can bathe. After a good night of rest, you will be better prepared to start your journey home tomorrow.” When Fersen still didn’t seem convinced, Jaega spoke more directly. “On the honor of my royal family, I will not lay a hand on you, nor will I allow anyone else to. You will be treated the same as any honored guest of the royal clan of Ariake.”

“Why would you do that for me, though? You don’t know me or owe me anything.”

Jaega took off his jacket and draped it over Fersen’s thin shoulders. It dwarfed his smaller body, but it at least covered his dignity. “Because it is the right thing to do. No one deserves to be kept like a caged animal, especially not you.”

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of Enchanter of Dragons, Zarina is giving away copies of the release!

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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.

Newsletter - Website - Amazon - BookBub - Facebook Group - Facebook Page - Goodreads - Instagram - Twitter/X

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New Release-Excerpt & Giveaway: HEART WOOD by Katey Hawthorne

Heart Wood
By Katey Hawthorne

The Stone City and the Heart Wood: uneasy neighbors separated by the Blue Bird River. In the City, Hendrik is about to lose the only life he's ever known, the only love he's ever wanted. In the Wood, corruption threatens the carefully cultivated ecosystem and Dagan's way of life. Two worlds, fated to collide at last.

It could be the end. Or a new beginning.

This version includes the prequel, The Verders.

Smashwords Link

Check out more of Katey’s Book on Goodreads

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Excerpt

“Hello?”

The man, now wearing a pair of battered leathers and a stained, sleeveless shirt, spun, holding a paring knife. “Who’s there?”

Dagan stepped into the clearing. Quickly, it became clear this was some sort of camp; a deflated sack hung on a nearby branch and a small shelter—a roof, really—had been constructed out of a ragged blanket and branches. A dirt pit with charred wood was clearly the cooking fire, and a rack made of sticks perched over it, hung with limp weed Dagan didn’t even recognize. Must’ve been from the sea.

He held up both hands and examined the pale man carefully.

The man waved the knife but with an efficiency that suggested he knew what to do with it. “Who sent you?” he asked in a flat-voweled accent.

“You’re from the Stone City.” Dagan had heard the accent before. “It’s alright. If I wanted to sneak up on you, I would’ve done it ages ago.”

“Is that meant to be reassuring?” The man’s brow crinkled. He had the most arresting blue eyes, bluer than Dagan had ever seen before. Like the reflection of a clear summer sky in the Heart Spring.

“Far more reassuring than the knife you’re waving at me.” Dagan said with a small smile. The man was, on closer inspection, young and fit. That said, there was enough space between them that Dagan could be long gone before the man ever reached him, if he took it into his head to attack.

The man said, “You’ve got a bow. And a much bigger knife.”

“Yes, but I’m not waving them at you. It’s not so much the existence of your knife that troubles me, more the waving of it.”

The man looked at him for a long moment as if confused. Then at the knife. He lowered the hand that held it. “Fair enough.”

“I’m a scout of the Heart Wood. Name’s Dagan, of the Black Walnut Grove.” He put a hand on his heart in formal greeting.

“I’m…” The man licked his lips and shook his head slightly. Then, after a brief silence, finished with, “Hendrik.”

“Of the Stone City,” Dagan repeated, just to be sure.

“No,” said the man. “Well, I was. How did you know?”

“The accent.” Dagan moved closer, examining Hendrik more thoroughly now the danger seemed mostly removed from the situation. Very tall and well-muscled despite the ragged state of his clothes and hair. A face composed of flat planes and angles that might’ve been carved from wood or stone and never quite polished off for softness, obvious even under the scraggly, brown beard. He was altogether handsome, Dagan decided, but the eyes were positively magical. “And the camp. You’re not used to this life, are you?”

Hendrik looked over his shoulder at the sad structure. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Oh, darling, everything.” Dagan gave a little sigh. “I can help you with a new one, if you like. Or you could come with me; I’m charged to bring refugees back to—”

“Refugee?” Hendrik cut in sharply.

Dagan frowned. “Are you not a refugee?”

“I’m no….” But he trailed off, shaking his head. “Refugees come from the other side of the City. From the wastes. Or the mountain. Not from the City.”

“Well, perhaps, when you’re actually inside the City. But as you can see…” Dagan gestured to the trees around them.

Hendrik nodded tightly.

Dagan waited for him to reply to the previous question about how he could be of service.

Hendrik just looked at him, up and down, and not in the way Dagan enjoyed being looked at by handsome men. His bright eyes were hooded, alert. Suspicious.

“What are you, then?” Dagan finally asked.

“What?”

Dagan wondered if perhaps Hendrik wasn’t too bright. It was sometimes the way, with the big, burly types. The forest gods wouldn’t be so unfair as to endow one of their creations with every good thing, would they? How would the rest of them get anywhere in life? “What are you, if you’re not a refugee, Hendrik? I’m trying to decipher how I can assist you.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s my job.”

“What’s your job?”

“I’m a scout of the Heart Wood.” This time, Dagan spoke slowly, enunciating as if speaking to a toddler. “And if you’d be so good as to tell me what you are, that would be very helpful.”

Hendrik’s sharp jaw worked for a moment. Then he slipped the little knife into a makeshift sheath at his waist and said, “I guess I’m nothing, now.”

“And when did you come to the Heart Wood, little nothing?” Dagan slung the bow and then his pack off his back, then knelt before them.

Hendrik gave a snort. “I’m little?”

He was most certainly not, being a good six inches taller and far broader than Dagan, but, “Would you rather be a big nothing? That just sounds cruel.”

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About the Author:

Katey Hawthorne loves queer romance. Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Pittsburgh with her family of one other human and many furry creatures. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, comic books, B-movies, loud music, video games, Epiphones, and Bushmills. Her favorite causes include animal rescue and bisexual representation in media. She is an unashamed fangirl and collects nerdy tattoos like she’s trying to prove it.

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