Tuesday, June 30, 2020

The Rosavia Royals Series - Blog Tour featuring Up For Heir by Stella Starling



 

Blog Tour & Giveaway:
The Rosavia Royals Series

Featuring: Up For Heir by Stella Starling

 

Welcome to the tiny European country of Rosavia, where roses ramble over alpine slopes and princes fall for the men of their dreams. Every Rosavia Royals book happens simultaneously, so books can be read on their own, or in any order... but keep an eye out for familiar faces around the palace!


Come join the fun on the Royals Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RosaviaRoyals/

Add them out to your TBR on Goodreads!

Book 1: Up for Heir

By Stella Starling

  

A playboy heir needs: a man to marry, right now.

 

After spending half his life dodging his duty to the crown, the rebel heir to the Rosavian throne has been told in no uncertain terms that it’s time to settle down. Crown Prince Leopold has one month and a vetted list of suitable princesses, and he will announce his engagement during Rosavia’s Royal Ball. But Leo’s got his own ideas about what really suits him…


Royal Librarian Edvin Blom is good at not attracting attention. Shy and self-conscious of his stutter, he’s used to being overlooked and more than happy to stay in the background. At least, until the crown prince with a wild reputation shows up at the library’s new opening and decides to flirt with Edvin’s sister…


Edvin isn’t at all what Leo thought he wanted, but turns out to be everything he can’t stay away from. Edvin’s been burned by falling for someone out of his league before, though. And believing that Leo has really fallen for him? While Edvin’s drowning in his own doubts and insecurities, that might prove impossible… unless love gives them both a reason to come up for air.
1 


Exclusive from Stella & the Inspirations behind her Prince:


Up for Heir by Stella Starling



How did you become a part of this project/world?

I’ve been friends with Ed and Helen for a while now and love them to absolute pieces! I’m not normally one for group projects, but they knocked it out of the park when it came to shared-world building with their Men of Hidden Creek series, and more than that, they are truly some of the loveliest human beings I know, so when they asked if I was interested, I said yes… and I’m so glad I did! It’s been a total blast to create this world with both of them, Max, and Zoe. I’m pretty sure that Rosavia has become “real” to all of us over the last couple of months, and my only regret is that we’ll never be able to visit it in person. *sob*


Where did your story’s inspiration come from? 

The title and cover were already set when I joined Rosavia, and the other authors had already worked out some general ideas about the royal family, including the fact that my prince would be the oldest and the heir… and that he’d be none too happy about his responsibilities in that regard.

I absolutely LOVE starting with “limits” or pre-existing parameters on a story. It almost reminds me of a creative writing drill. Having to make a story fit certain cues pushes my creativity and gives me a chance to ask myself, “but why would he…?”

For this one, I knew based on the world building that the group had already done that the heir would need to marry, and he’d need to do it fast—by the Royal Ball where each of the five concurrent storylines culminates—and that he would start out not very happy about those facts- LOL! So given that he was one to dodge responsibility and rebel against his duties whenever possible, I wanted him to meet a man who was his opposite. Who embraced responsibility and could inspire Leo to do the same with his. And I also just adore shy nerdy-boy characters, so once I knew I was going to do an opposites-attract story, I just let my imagination loose on it, came up with Eddie—my sweet, selfless, stuttering little librarian—and let his Cinderella story unfold as I wrote it.



 How did you create your Prince?

I generally find that I get to know my characters best once I’m a few chapters in, and this was definitely true with Leo. While I knew some basic parameters about him from the pre-existing world building already in place when I joined the project, I really only started to figure out what made him tick once I dove into the writing.

I started Leo’s first chapter with a conversation between him and his valet, and as that relationship unfolded throughout the book—along with Leo’s relationship with Treble, the cat who adopted him—I realized that he was someone who didn’t know how to show his feelings, and was, in fact, often in a bit of denial of them. But then I got to ask myself “why?” …well, I already knew that he’d rebelled against the responsibilities of being the heir, and I figured that a great reason for that was that it had emotionally distanced him from the people who loved him. And voila! Now I had a man in need of love who wouldn’t recognize it when he gets it. Perfect—*grin*—because I absolutely adore writing clueless men who are actually head-over-heels for their love interests but somehow remain oblivious to that fact even though it’s crystal clear to everyone else—LOL! And that, combined with Leo’s shy little librarian’s assumption that the prince was out of his league, made for a whole cascade of fun, sweet moments as their love story unfolded and they each finally started to believe in the other.




Check out the other books in the series: 

 

Book 2: Reign or Shine By HJ Welch


2

A secret prince needs: a lost tourist to save.
 

Prince Cassander is on vacation from his overdeveloped sense of duty. While hiding out as simply ‘Cas’ in the Rosavian capital, he rescues a gorgeous, distressed American tourist. Matty has no idea that Cas is second in line to the throne. And with only two weeks together to explore the sparks between them, he doesn’t need to ever find out. 


New Yorker Matty Doyle is a fish out of water, taking care of his niece and mending his broken heart. When Cas rescues him, the handsome stranger coaxes Matty out of his shell and he throws caution to the wind. Nobody knows him here. Would it hurt to live a little for once?


But a prince can’t stay secret in his own country for long. Cas would give anything to protect Matty from reality, but how can this fantasy together continue when they belong in different worlds?




Book 3: Throne Together By Zoe Dawn

 

3
 
A pining prince needs: a second chance at love.
 

Prince Julius has only ever wanted one man. Raised alongside Prince Dante of Thedes, the two were inseparable until their unspoken mutual attraction ignited into a single passionate encounter. Convinced that it ruined their friendship, Julius retreated to his duties in Rosavia, where he daydreams of another chance to win Dante’s heart.


After four years apart, fate brings Prince Julius back to Thedes. He offers Dante a coveted invitation: return to the Rosavian palace for ten days, and be his plus-one to the Royal Ball of the century. Before long, they realize one night of passion wasn’t enough, and they can’t imagine losing each other again.


As the clock ticks down to the ball, Julius catches wind of Dante’s family meddling, and he must decide if their feelings are real or if they’ve both been played. Were they always meant for each other, or is it all an illusion that will melt away at midnight?


 

Book 4: In His Court By Max Rowan

 

4

A spy prince needs: a man who sees through his disguise.
 

Prince Benedict is not what he seems. His image as a lazy playboy is carefully constructed to hide the truth. Trained since childhood to become Rosavia's top spy, he spends his life in disguise—and danger—to protect his country. Nobody sees the loneliness in his heart.


Felix Wright is a genius with four degrees, no real-world experience, and a top-secret job... and he's never even been kissed. A lifetime of being alienated for his most valuable assets has left him reluctant to trust the charming prince who thrusts him into fieldwork for the very first time.


When the Crown Jewels are stolen two weeks before the royal ball, it's their job to save the country's reputation. Benedict helps Felix believe in himself, while Felix slowly coaxes the real prince out of hiding. But can they find the jewels and rescue the most priceless treasures of all: each other?


 

Book 5: Barely Regal By E. Davies

 

5
 
A bratty boy prince needs: a firm but fair Daddy.
 

Prince Renford is a royal brat. Nineteen and last in line for the throne, Wren hates his made-up job: Commander of Roses. Good thing his long-time valet has a firm hand—if only Wren could tempt him to break all palace protocol and use it.


Thom Pierce is sixteen years older. Old enough to know he should ignore his prince's less-than-subtle flirtation. He's been burned by a higher-ranked boy before. His job and reputation are at stake if the palace catches a scandal unfolding under their noses.


Wren needs the part of Thom that he's kept locked away for years. If the young prince wants to be taken as seriously as his older brothers, he has to grow up fast. Thom's rules could help Wren become the man Thom knows he can be in time for the Royal Ball... or they could attract the very attention that forces them apart forever.

 

Rosavia Royals Out Now!

 

Come join the fun on the Royals Facebook Group:

Add them on Goodreads!

multi-promo-2

 

Enter the Giveaway:

 To celebrate the release of the Rosavia Royals, we are giving 2 lucky winners a full set of the Rosavia Royals Series.


Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a5716/?




About Stella:

 
 

Stella Starling is the storytelling team of two M/M contemporary romance authors who have far too many stories to tell on their own, so decided it would be fun to tell a few of them together. The authors bring their love for writing, romance, and sweet, steamy “happily ever afters” to every story, and hope that “their boys” will give readers a delicious escape into a world where love always wins.


About the other Authors:



HJ Welch/Helen Juliet Links:
3

Zoe Dawn Links:

4

Max Rowan (formerly Max Hawthorn) Links:

5

E. Davies Links:



grr-tours-promo
Posted by at No comments:

Screens Apart by Charlie Novak - Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

1

 

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:

Screens Apart by Charlie Novak

 

ScreensApart-f900-web

Simon has one secret and two problems.

The secret? An anonymous blog featuring satin and lace.

The problems? Two crushes. One on his gorgeous, charming roommate, Taylor. And another on his charismatic online admirer, Mr. Smith.

When Taylor suggests they start hooking up, Simon is more than happy to agree, even if it means putting a lid on his feelings. After all, no-strings fun is better than nothing at all, right?

Except Simon’s not sure that lid will stay shut, especially when he starts to fall in love. But with Mr Smith in the same situation, advice is in short supply.

And there’s no chance Taylor and Smith are the same person… is there?

Screens Apart is a 55,000-word comedy of errors featuring panties, pining, and two men falling in love, complete with plenty of heat and fluffy feels. Originally released as a serial, this is the full collection with a new bonus epilogue. It contains no love-triangle and no cheating.

Universal Link


ScreensApart-Teaser1

Release Blitz Excerpt: 

Simon

I was so lost in my thoughts, I didn’t hear the door click open, and I didn’t realise I had company until I heard Taylor speaking behind me.
“That’s an awful lot of batteries,” he said, a note of amusement in his voice. I jumped, nearly banging my head on one of the fridge shelves as I spun around, my face flaming. “Got anything fun planned?” Taylor’s lips curled into a smirk that made a little shiver run down my spine.
Fuck! How could he reduce me to a speechless mess without even trying?
“I, um, I-I,” I stammered, no words coming out of my mouth. Shit, why couldn’t I just lie to him? Then again, what would I need twenty-four batteries for? It wasn’t as if I played a lot of video games and needed them for a controller.
“That’s a yes then,” Taylor said, stepping towards me. I froze. He picked up the pack and turned it over in his hands. “You must have some wonderful toys if you need this many,” he said. There was a dark glint in his eyes as he looked at me, and my dick twitched in my work trousers, precum leaking into my underwear.
My brain was suddenly supplying me with the filthiest fantasies it could dream up on the spot. All I could think about was Taylor spreading me out on his bed and using all my toys on me, making me come over and over until I was a spent, sated mess on the sheets.
Fuck, I wanted that so badly.
I wanted him so badly it hurt.
“You know, we could have a lot of fun together. And I know that I’ll be much better than your toys.” Taylor looked me up and down, raising one eyebrow as his gaze skimmed over my crotch. Apparently, it was very, very obvious how hard I was, and I wished the ground would open and swallow me up.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” Taylor said, his voice gentle, almost concerned. He stepped towards me again. “I think you’re gorgeous, Simon, and I know I want you. But if you want me to stop, I’ll never mention this again and we can pretend it never happened. I promise, nothing has to change.”
“No.” I managed to force the words out as my brain came back online. I needed to tell him what I wanted before he walked away, and I lost my chance forever. Sure, Taylor was just offering sex, nothing more. But I was a thousand percent sure that it would be the best sex I’d ever had, and even if that was all I ever got from him, that would be enough.
“I want you. Please.” I licked my lips, taking a step forward. We were practically touching now. “Please, Taylor. I need you inside me.”
Taylor smiled hungrily, reaching up to caress my jaw. “Oh, Simon, we are going to have so much fun.”

ScreensApart-Teaser2

Enter the Giveaway: 

To celebrate Charlie's release, we are giving 2 lucky winners the chance to win e-copy of Screens Apart and 1 lucky winner a $20/£20 Amazon Giftcard & a e-copy of Screens Apart!


Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a5724/?


3
Charlie Roundfinal

About the Author:

Charlie lives in England with her husband and a severe lack of dogs. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that loves comes in all shapes and sizes.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Connect with Charlie: 



grr-tours-promo
Posted by at No comments:

His Horizon by Con Riley - Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

His Horizon

 

Release Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway:

His Horizon by Con Riley

 

HisHorizon-f

Temperatures rise when there are two cooks in Jude’s kitchen...

Jude’s drowning in guilt when he can’t save his family business single-handed. The last person he expects to throw a lifeline is Rob, a rival chef who once beat him to first place in a cooking contest.
Two chefs working together won’t be easy. Not when Rob is everything Jude isn’t—popular, extroverted, and a one-time hook-up. What’s worse is that Rob wears his heart on his sleeve while Jude’s still in the closet.

Jude’s dilemma doesn’t end there. Rob’s rescue package comes with conditions that mean sharing everything from the profits to Jude’s sleeping quarters. 

Sleeping with the enemy will either be a disaster or signal a much brighter future, but only if Jude can meet Rob’s final condition and love him in the open.

Featuring opposites who attract, rivals to lovers, and an out-for-you storyline dripping with hurt-comfort feelings, His Horizon is the first in a shared-world series of standalone MM romance novels from Con Riley.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Grief-related angst, Off-page peril & British-English spelling/grammar.

Universal Link


2


Excerpt:

It was beyond dark in the boatyard, clouds covering the moon leaving the way deeply shadowed. Rob held out his phone, flashlight app a white beam that sliced through the darkness, his other hand in Jude’s, fingers laced as they walked in silence to the boatshed. It lit the ceiling when he placed it at the head of the bed, the portholes dark circles above them. He stayed quiet until Jude lay flat on his bunk. “One thing,” he then said, after kneeling over him. “Just to check.” Rob dipped down for a kiss, lips barely touching Jude’s before he pulled back a scant inch. “You didn’t help yourself to a finger or two of cognac from the bar before coming to find me, did you?” His knees were so close to the edge of Jude’s bunk that he slipped after straddling him. 
Jude grabbed him with one hand on each of his hips, raising his knees to keep Rob steady. Once he was, Jude slid both hands under Rob’s T-shirt, hands travelling up and around to appreciate where his back broadened. “You think I’d need to be drunk to want this? Why?”
Rob’s gaze skittered away. 
It wasn’t easy to switch position. “Jesus, you’re a lump.” Jude pushed up while twisting, rolling them over so Rob was beneath him. “Why, Rob? You really think my judgement needs to be impaired to want you?”
“No… I… well, yes.” Rob’s hands skimmed Jude’s hips, his waist, the curve of pectorals that were more pronounced after a year’s sailing. “To be fair, I have had months of Lou telling me about how you never do this.”
“This?”
“It’s nothing.” Rob’s touch was distracting, but Jude stayed on topic.
“Tell me. What did Lou say I never do?”
Even in the dim light, Rob’s mask slipping again was visible. “Let people get close.” He squirmed, awkward before adding, “Besides, have you seen you?” He pushed Jude’s shirt higher. “Some people might say I’m punching a teensy bit above my weight.” He glanced down at that last word to where Jude had one hand on his belly. Rob’s skin was soft and giving. “Too many second breakfasts.”
“You’re gorgeous,” Jude said, and he meant it. Had done from their first meeting. “Annoying, but gorgeous.”
Rob pulled him closer and Jude sank into it, lying instead of kneeling, kissing instead of thinking about what might come tomorrow. With his eyes closed, and Rob’s arms around him, Jude was back in London, after the contest semi-finals, only this time—now—he wasn’t about to stop at kissing. No, if he’d learned anything this year, it was to take as much as he could, because tomorrow could get washed away without any warning.

3

Enter the Giveaway:

 

To celebrate Con's new release, we are giving a lucky winner the chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a5727/?


5
con riley avi

About the Author:

Con Riley lives on the wild and rugged Devonshire coast, with her head in the clouds, and her feet in the Atlantic Ocean.

Injury curtailed her enjoyment of outdoor pursuits, so writing fiction now fills her free time instead. Love, loss, and redemption shape her romance stories, and her characters are flawed in ways that makes them live and breathe.

When not people watching, or wrangling her own boy band of teen sons, she spends time staring at the sea from her kitchen window. If you see her, don't disturb her—she's probably thinking up new plots.

Connect with Con:

grr-tours-promo
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, June 29, 2020

Freedom by E. Davies - Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

 

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:

Freedom by E. Davies

 

E. Davies-Freedom-Cover

 

F-Word Series, Book 5

 

Agoraphobe Jaden has barely left the house in years. Being dragged to a gay bar by his big brother to bid on a blind date is not his idea of a good time. But then the unthinkable happens: he wins. Sure, he was just about ready to push his boundaries--but on his own time. Not with a probably-gorgeous stranger watching his every move.

Henry hasn't been on a date in the last year--ever since he finished with lower surgery. He works as a nature guide now in the great outdoors, and his new life suits him just fine. Just one thing's missing: a man to share it with. Jaden is sweet, accepting, yet terrified by everything about the date that isn't Henry. But he sees something in Jaden--in his courage for showing up, and his hope and vulnerability along the way.

Back home, when he's in Denver in between guiding trips, Henry quickly becomes a staple in Jaden's home. With Jaden's understanding, Henry grows confident in his own skin. And with Henry's support, the walls of Jaden's sheltered life open up. But every step forward seems like it comes with two steps back. Can they take a deep breath and step into the wide open future--together?

This novel is based on "Denver" -- a short story from the Heart2Heart 2 anthology. It has been revised and significantly expanded. It is now a standalone gay romance novel with a happily ever after ending and no cliffhanger.

Universal Link

Add to Goodreads

 

Excerpt: 

“Hi yourself,” Henry answered, his voice a low, smooth shiver straight to Jaden’s toes. Then he straightened up and smiled, hefting the bags. “I have Chinese. And I bought groceries on the way, too. Hope you don’t mind.”

Oh, God. Jaden’s cheeks burned with surprise as he opened his mouth and failed to come up with words. When he did, he squeaked and cleared his throat. “Um—no. I mean, thank you. That’s really… super sweet of you.”


Henry chuckled softly. “It’s my pleasure.” The distinctive smell of fried rice made Jaden’s stomach grumble again. He blushed, but Henry just laughed. “Shall we eat?”


“Let’s,” Jaden agreed. He beamed and led Henry to the kitchen to grab plates and utensils.


He took the grocery bags from him and then hesitated, spotting the red mark on Henry’s hand. “Are you okay?”


“Oh, that? I’m fine,” Henry said with a laugh and kissed Jaden’s cheek. “Thanks. I’ll get these to the table.”


Watching Henry covertly check out the place made Jaden see it with fresh eyes—as much as he could when he knew every inch of the apartment better than anywhere else.


It was cozy, but the view was gorgeous. Green parkland rolled into hills and then the mountains that always hovered on the edge of the Denver consciousness. It more than made up for the cramped living room space.


Jaden dipped into the kitchen, which was tucked away in an alcove off the living room, to put away groceries. He found himself smiling at Henry’s choices. He’d filled one bag with fresh veggies and a bottle of juice, and another with milk, butter, cheese, and pasta. The third had eggs, bacon, and chicken breasts.


Oh, man. There was easily enough for a week, but Henry hadn’t broken the bank on gourmet groceries, either. It told Jaden so much about Henry: he was sensible and frugal, exactly the sort of practical man he wanted in his life.


Okay, stop mooning over cheddar cheese and get the damn plates, Jaden told himself, grinning and shaking his head.


When he got to the table and set down the plates and utensils, Henry already had the cartons arranged and open in the middle of the table. He dropped into his seat and grinned as Jaden sat, too. “Come on, dish up what you want.”


“But what I want isn’t on the menu.” Jaden’s eyes sparkled as he beamed over the table at Henry, his heart already flip-flopping with the tension in the room between them.


One sweet kiss was nice. But he wanted a lot more. The last few nights, he’d missed Henry’s company—to a ridiculous degree, considering they’d only ever spent that one night together.


Henry grinned back at him and held his gaze. “I haven’t shown you the dessert menu.”

Enter the Giveaway:


To celebrate Release of Freedom, we are giving 2 lucky winners the chance to win an e-copy of Freedom, and the winner's choice of any book from Ed's published works!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a5725/?


Author Headshot C Web

About Ed:

Since 2013, E. Davies has crafted feel-good stories of men in love--stories that are brimming with hope, found families, and realistic guys next door getting their modern fairytale endings. As for hobbies: rescuing bees, dancing badly, traipsing through meadows, and studying photos of cute guys for research totally count, right?

Connect with Ed: 

grr-tours-promo
Posted by at No comments:

A Boy Made of Sunshine by Colette Davison - Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

RELEASE BLITZ


Book Title: A Boy Made of Sunshine

Author: Colette Davison

Publisher: Independently Published

Cover Artist: Colette Davison

Release Date: June 29, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Grumpy and sunshine, opposites attract, age-gap, Daddy kink

Themes: Patience

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: approximately 62,000 words 

It is a standalone story.




Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited



 
 

A strict Daddy. A sassy neighbour. Can opposites attract?

Blurb

After taking early retirement, Liam is happy avoiding people and tending to his roses. Or he was, until young film star Felix moves in next door.

With his cheeky, persistent, and very naughty behaviour, Felix gets under Liam’s skin instantly.

Felix needs Liam to teach him how to behave, but will calling the older man Daddy be enough to bring sunshine into Liam’s life?

A boy Made of Sunshine is a standalone gay romance, with mild D/s play, Daddy kink, a cute Dalmatian puppy, a ridiculous glow in the dark toy, and lots of brattish behaviour.



Excerpt
When a removal van finally arrived in the first week of summer, Liam’s hopes that his quiet existence would continue undisturbed were dashed.

He’d never regarded himself as a curtain twitcher before, but he found himself peering out of his bedroom window as three burly men unloaded the large van. The furniture didn’t scream ‘quiet retired couple’ to him. It was too modern, too loud. Who on earth owned a bright purple sofa, for crying out loud? The bed was even worse. It was a huge monstrosity, easily king-sized, and Liam couldn’t help but feel sorry for the men carrying it into the house. The bed frame was black, probably made of leather, judging by the way the sunlight made the fabric shine, with a massive surround, part of which looked like some kind of lounge chair. Did it even have a built-in speaker? Who needed a built-in speaker in their bed?

His jaw dropped a little more at every item of furniture that was brought into the house. The coffee table looked like it doubled as an aquarium, although thankfully there were no fish in it. There was a bookcase in the shape of a dog, a dining table with what looked like a solid marble top, overstuffed dining chairs, a pool table, and even a bar!

The painting was the last straw.

The canvas and frame combined must have been six feet tall, making the man that had been painted upon it almost life size. Not only was he nude, but he was grasping his cock, his head tilted back slightly, eyes closed, making it obvious that he was in the midst of pleasuring himself. Liam had never been so glad to have no other neighbours. The painting was glorious—he had to adjust himself to make his aching cock more comfortable in his pants—but why in God’s name hadn’t it been covered up? Clearly, his new neighbour had no decorum whatsoever.


About the Author 


Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.



Social Media Links





   

 


Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

a $10 Amazon gift card



 


 

Posted by at 1 comment:

Torn by Rick R. Reed - Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway


Title: Torn
Author: Rick R. Reed
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: June 29, 2020
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 63300
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, roommates, friends to lovers, road trip, United Kingdom, flamboyant characters, hurt/comfort, humorous

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis


Ever been torn between two lovers? That’s Ricky Comparetto’s problem.

It’s 1995, and Ricky is making his very first trip across the pond with his best friend. Ricky, hungry for love and looking for it in all the wrong places, finds it in the beach city of Brighton. His new love has the curious name of Walt Whitman and is also an American, which only serves to make him sexier and more intriguing. By the time Walt and Ricky part, promises are made for a reunion in Boston.

But the course of true love never runs smoothly. In Chicago Ricky almost immediately falls in love again. Tom Green is a sexy blue-collar beast with the kindest heart Ricky has ever run across.

What’s he to do? With a visit to the East Coast on the horizon and a new love blossoming in Ricky’s home of Chicago, Ricky truly is torn.

Excerpt


Torn
Rick R. Reed © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One

It was the cheapest flight we could find. Air India, round trip, O’Hare to Heathrow, around seven hundred bucks. We snatched up the fare because my best friend, Boutros BinBin, was homesick and wanted to show me his homeland, “the place that made me who I am.” If you know Boutros, you know this is a scary thought. And yet I still wanted to go.

We snatched up our tickets because we were both sick of Chicago, dreading the humid summer we knew was in store, and because I had done about every guy on the North Side.

Joke. Now Boutros, hush. And stop rolling your eyes!

We’d do London (and EuroPride). We’d do Brighton (Boutros called the seaside town the San Francisco of England because it was so gay—in a good way). We’d do Boutros’s ancient hometown, Bath. Honestly, one of us would do just about any attractive male within the age range of eighteen to, oh, sixty-five—but the latter part was always negotiable. In the dark, a hard dick is a hard dick.

Or maybe I’d find Mr. Right. “You’ll find a hundred Mr. Right Nows if I know you,” Boutros said. Boutros could always see through me like I was made from glass. It was this attribute that I both loved and hated about my best friend—and probably what drew us together when we’d met a couple of years before at a gay writers’ group called the Newtown Writers, in Chicago. I was drawn to his sense of humor, and he was appalled by the Daisy Dukes I wore to the first meeting.

Just a few short years later, we were both summarily thrown out of the writers’ group. Boutros said it was because we were the only two who’d been published, and I argued that it was because we appeared at a meeting at his house wearing nothing but a smile. Gay men! They’re always trying to get you naked, and then, when they succeed, they get offended!

We agreed to lick our wounds over coffee. Compounding the pain of being ousted from the writers’ group, I had recently ended a relationship. Boutros lent a sympathetic ear to my man troubles, which were then all about my indolent, smart, perpetually stoned, and job-challenged boyfriend, Henry, whose life revolved around marijuana—growing it and smoking it morning, noon, and night. I wondered what it was he needed to escape. When I asked Boutros, he told me, “Probably because he can’t stand waking up sober next to that face. And I can’t blame him.” Only Boutros could say such things to me, knowing I would somehow interpret them as demonstrations of love and caring. When we finally broke up after Henry had quit yet another job that was way beneath him, I cut ties.

And yet, I was devastated. Boutros led me through mourning the end of my first gay love with a firm hand, a lot of sarcasm, and a willingness to listen while I rambled on and on into the phone, wondering if I’d done the right thing. After all, Henry could be sweet, although he’d never admit it. On the day Henry moved out (while I was at work—a concept foreign to him), he left the CD player on and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” playing on infinite loop. Even though I knew Boutros was probably appalled by the sappiness of this gesture, he listened as I choked out words of devastation through sobs, and demonstrated admirable restraint when he could have cut me down to pathetic size with a couple of bon mots. Support like his, coming at a crucial time, often cements two people together.

It did us.

So when Boutros proposed we jet off across the pond together, I was beyond thrilled. Even though I knew I couldn’t afford it on my catalog copywriter salary, which barely paid my rent, going to Europe, especially England, had always been my dream. I’d grown up with a pen pal from the West Midlands and had developed a keen interest in the place from her long letters describing Cannock Chase and the little Staffordshire village in which she lived. Perhaps I could see her, too, while I was there. It would be our first meeting in person.

Boutros convinced me to clean out my bank account for the trip by saying that once we got there, we could stay with friends and family wherever we went. All we’d have to pay for was food (fish and chips!) and drinks (Guinness!). We’d get around via the tube, and for longer distances, we’d take advantage of England’s very user-friendly trains that went just about everywhere.

I desperately needed a break from my boring job and from nursing my broken heart (even if I was the one who technically broke it), so I was on board.

Well, actually, I was on board right that very moment, Boutros next to me. We were on a double-decker plane that was enormous, much bigger than anything I’d ever flown on—not that I’d flown much, just a handful of flights between Chicago and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which had the closest airport to my hometown of East Liverpool, Ohio.

The flight attendants, all women, wore saris. The plane was filled mostly with eastern Indians. Heathrow was a layover for them, not a destination, as this flight continued on to New Delhi.

“Ah, the sweet smell of curry is in the air,” Boutros whispered, leaning close to my ear.

“Hush.” I looked around, praying no one had heard him. I got his sense of humor—which involved saying a lot of things simply for their shock value—but I doubt that anyone else on the plane would.

I already felt as though I’d stepped into another world. I couldn’t wait to get to our destination and see what adventures were in store.

One of the flight attendants came around pushing a trolley. On it were small Styrofoam cups and full-size bottles of whiskey.

“Would you like?” The dark-haired woman smiled at Boutros and me, gesturing toward the bottles and cups.

Indian custom? I shrugged. What the hell? “Yes, please. One for me, and one for my friend here.” I leaned back a little so she could see Boutros in the middle seat. I doubted she could miss him, though, dressed as he was in palazzo pants with a yellow-and-purple paisley pattern, and a white muslin peasant shirt. His black hair stood up in a multitude of directions, and his mustache, waxed, stuck out so far, he could make the truthful claim that one could see the mustache from behind him. The goatee below the mustache was just beginning to gray. His earring and nose ring were connected by a dangling silver chain. He liked to say his face was “done up like a Christmas tree.”

Sometimes I wondered if people even saw me when I stood next to him.

“One?” Boutros scoffed. “Amateur. Could we have two?”

She nodded, smiling, and poured us each two shots of whiskey. She handed them over, and we both quickly downed the first and then handed the cups back to her. Boutros belched and said, “Check back on us, would you?”

The flight attendant’s smile didn’t waver. Serenely, she moved on to the next row to ply the whole plane, I presumed, with strong spirits.

Boutros reached for his leather backpack, which he’d stored under the seat in front of him. “Surprise! I’ve got a little something here that will help shorten the flight, if you know what I mean.” He grinned mischievously as he groped around in the bag’s outer compartment. He brought out a prescription bottle and shook it. A couple of pills rattled.

“Morphine, sweetie, from when I had that cyst out in hospital. Remember? I punched that nun when they started cutting before the anesthetic set in.” He leaned close, rubbing up against my shoulder. “I saved these two just for you and me, darling.”

“You’re too good to me. They say time is the most thoughtful gift, but I beg to differ. I say it’s drugs.” I returned the shoulder nudge, then held out my hand like a beggar.

We popped the morphine, washing it down with our second shot of whiskey. The unvoiced plan, of course, was that we would sleep on the overnight transatlantic flight, arriving in London the next morning refreshed and ready to begin our sightseeing after dropping our stuff off at Boutros’s friend Trevor’s place in Westminster.

Maybe I was too excited to sleep, but even after a third shot of whiskey and morphine, I was still wide-awake for the full eight-hour flight. And perhaps my excitement was contagious, because Boutros couldn’t catch a wink either. We watched our flight’s progress on a screen on the back of the seats in front of us. I thought, Hurry, hurry.

If anything, the drugs and alcohol had the curious effect of making us even more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed than either of us usually were. After trying fitfully—and desperately—to sleep, fluffing the thin and starchy pillows our flight attendant had given us, we passed the night talking about what we’d see and do, following the vivid colors and subtitles of the inflight movie, Raja, which was, from what I could gather from the subtitles, a romance about a young man reuniting with the woman he was supposed to marry years earlier. We ate the meals the airline offered—chicken tikka masala and basmati rice for me and saag paneer and rice for him. Even though it was Indian food, which Boutros and I both adored, it was airline food…and thus barely edible. Fortunately, they brought out the complimentary whiskey cart again near the end of the flight.

And, at around 10:00 a.m. London time, we touched down on the runway at Heathrow International Airport.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon

Meet the Author

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his husband, Bruce, and their fierce Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix, Kodi.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  Blog Button 2
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)