Hi guys, we have Ann Gallagher popping in now with her newest release Lead Me Not, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Aerin’s review, so enjoy the post and leave a comment (with a way to be contacted in the body of the comment) to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~

Lead Me Not

Ann Gallagher

Isaac Morris has devoted his life to preaching against the sin of homosexuality. But when his sister proposes a documentary to demonstrate once and for all that it’s a choice—with Isaac choosing to be gay as proof—he balks. Until he learns his nephew is headed down that perverted path. Isaac will do anything to convince the teenager he can choose to be straight . . . including his sister’s film.

When Isaac’s first foray into the gay lifestyle ends with a homophobic beating, he’s saved and cared for by Colton Roberts, a gentle, compassionate bartender with a cross around his neck. Colton challenges every one of Isaac’s deeply held beliefs about gay men. He was kicked out by homophobic parents, saved from the streets by a kind pastor, and is now a devout Christian. Colton’s sexuality has cost him dearly, but it also brought him to God.

As the two grow closer, everything Isaac knows about homosexuality, his faith, and himself is called into question. And if he’s been wrong all along, what does that mean for his ministry, his soul, his struggling nephew—and the man he never meant to love?

Ann Gallagher

Welcome to the Riptide Publishing/Ann Gallagher blog tour for Lead Me Not!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (including books written as L.A. Witt and Lauren Gallagher, excluding Lead Me Not) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on August 29. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Don’t forget to leave your email so we can contact you if you win!

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt from Lead Me Not… featuring some faces that might be familiar to L.A. Witt’s fans!

Excerpt

After his shift on Tuesday night, Isaac went home to grab a shower and change clothes. Then he punched the address into his GPS and followed the instructions.

There was a parking lot across the street from the location, and this time of night, it was deserted. Isaac parked and double-checked the address. He didn’t see any signs or anything. How weird. What was—

Ah. There. A small red-and-white sign read On Cue and pointed at a set of stairs between a Subway and a vintage-clothing shop.

So, he crossed the street and followed the sign up the stairs. At the top, he found a small bar with very little in the way of liquor, but at least a dozen different beers on tap.

What in the world? Am I thinking like a bartender already?

Four pool tables took up most of the floor, the green felt glowing beneath colorful stained glass Tiffany lamps as men—all men, he didn’t see a single woman—took their shots. Voices chattered, pool balls cracked, and a couple of basketball games—recorded, presumably—played on flat-screen TVs above the bar. He half expected to smell cigarette smoke, but of course it was illegal to smoke indoors in Seattle, so the bar smelled like fry grease, burgers, and chicken wings instead.

“Hey, you made it!” Colton’s voice turned him around, and Isaac’s heart fluttered at the sight of a familiar face.

“Of course I made it.”

Colton leaned against a pool table, a cue in his hand. “Well, it was a long shift today, so I wouldn’t have blamed you for going home and sleeping.” Before Isaac could say anything, Colton picked up a brown bottle and took a swig.

“I . . . didn’t realize you drank,” Isaac said.

Colton turned the bottle so he could see the Thomas Kemper label. “Just root beer.”

“Oh.”

“If you want one, they’ve got plenty. They’ve got Coke and stuff too, just like at Capitol OUT.”

“So it’s . . . I don’t . . .”

“This isn’t high school peer pressure.” Colton winked. “Drink whatever you want. If you’re not into beer, it just means there’s more for everyone else.”

“Oh. Okay. That’ll . . . that’ll work.”

Colton eyed him, then chuckled. “You come from one of those churches that doesn’t allow drinking or dancing, don’t you?”

And you come from one that encourages homosexuality, so . . .

He cleared his throat. “You could say that.”

Colton grinned. “Well, I don’t know which translation your church uses, but”—he raised his root beer bottle—“the King James version says Jesus turned water into wine, not the other way around.” He took a sip, and then gestured with the bottle at the guys on the other side of the pool table. “Anyway, let me introduce you to everyone.”

Everyone? Oh Lord . . .

Colton led him around the pool table to some smaller tables. Half a dozen guys were shooting the breeze around baskets of fries and glasses and bottles. One rested a pool cue against his knee, so Isaac guessed he was Colton’s opponent.

Two of the guys were obviously a couple—one sat on a high barstool, and the other stood between his legs, one arm around the seated guy’s shoulders and the other hand on his thigh. They were murmuring something to each other in between kisses. It was no worse than anything Isaac had seen in Capitol OUT—not by a long shot—but it was still odd to see. He forced himself to keep a poker face, though—thank the Lord his brothers couldn’t see him now.

“Hey.” Colton tapped the standing guy’s leg with his pool cue. “Get a room, you two.”

The two guys laughed and separated . . . a little.

Colton rolled his eyes as he turned back to the table. “Newlyweds.”

Newlyweds? Isaac glanced at the amorous couple, and sure enough, one had a gold band on his left ring finger. So did the other.

Colton gestured at Isaac. “Guys, this is my friend, Isaac. Isaac, this is”—he tilted his bottle at each guy in turn—“Marty, Ricky, Chris, Julien, and Ben.” 

The guys all shook hands with him. He felt a little weird about shaking hands with Chris and Julien, the two who were practically in each other’s laps, but in the interest of being polite and keeping his cover, he smiled through it. And it really wasn’t that bad. In fact, it wasn’t bad at all. Just like . . . shaking hands with a couple of guys. A couple of guys who happened to be cuddling in public like the “newlyweds” they apparently were.

After the introductions, Isaac and Colton went up to the bar to get some fries, which were supposed to be the best french fries in all of Seattle, and a couple of drinks. They settled at the table with Ben and Ricky, and Colton continued playing a game of eight ball against Marty.

While he nibbled on some fries, Isaac watched the game intently. He didn’t know much about basketball, football, or any of that, but he knew his way around a billiards table.

So did Colton, apparently. Marty had left him in a tight spot—the only shot he could make was to knock the six into the corner pocket, but thanks to the ten and twelve balls, Colton was liable to scratch or knock one of Marty’s into the pocket if he took the shot one way. If he took it another way, he ran the risk of grazing the eight ball, which was perilously close to falling into the side pocket.

Colton walked around the table, absently chalking his cue while he pursed his lips and peered at the balls.

Marty laughed. “Let’s see you get out of this one.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Colton scowled. Finally, he moved in to take the shot. It was a challenging angle, requiring all kinds of coordination, but he managed, stretching over the table and balancing on his elbow. His shirt pulled tight across his back, every muscle standing out as he lined up the shot. Isaac wasn’t even sure Colton was breathing. He sure wasn’t. From the sound of it, no one else was either.

Abruptly, Colton’s arm jerked forward. The cue met the cue ball, the cue ball missed both the eight and Marty’s ball, and cracked against the twelve, which in turn missed the corner pocket with room to spare.

“Didn’t make the shot,” Colton said as he straightened. “But I’m still alive!”

“Nice one,” Marty acknowledged.

“Hey, Marty,” one of the guys said. “Make him shoot like that again. It looked good from here.”

Colton immediately turned beet red, and the other guys burst out laughing.

Isaac shifted in his chair, an uncomfortable knot twisting in his stomach, but then he reminded himself where he was and why.

Right. I’m hanging out with gay men. They’re going to look at each other like that. He took a deep swallow of his soda. Just ignore it and blend in.

Here, he was allowed to look too. He was allowed—expected—to give in to that lustful impulse, just like everyone around him.

As Marty approached the table for his turn, he put a hand on Colton’s waist and murmured in his ear, almost brushing Colton’s skin with his lips.

Something surged through Isaac. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, or why it seemed to ease when Marty stepped away from Colton to take his shot.

Of course, it made sense—Colton was Isaac’s lifeline in this world. Isaac didn’t need the guy’s full attention, but he was still finding his equilibrium in places like this. The thought of looking up from the table and Colton being gone nearly made him break out in hives.

“Isaac, right?”

He turned toward the sound of his name. “Yeah. And you’re . . .?”

“Chris.”

“Right. Sorry. Just . . . a lot of names to—”

“Don’t sweat it.” Chris waved his hand. “So you’re one of the bartenders at Capitol OUT, right?”

“Yeah. Just started there.”

“Watch out for him,” Colton said. “He’ll try to poach you to Wilde’s, where he works.”

“What?” Chris clasped his hands over his heart. “When have I ever taken a bartender from—”

“Half the payroll over there started at Capitol OUT.” Colton nudged Isaac with his elbow. “Trust me, you don’t want to go over to that place.” He was being playful, but there was something in his eyes that said he wasn’t totally kidding.

“Duly noted,” Isaac said.

“Well.” Chris grinned. “Just remember my face.” With a wink, he added, “I expect a ‘friends’ discount whenever I come in.”

***

For more excerpt click here: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/lead-me-not (just click the excerpt tab)

About Ann

Ann Gallagher is the slightly more civilized alter ego of L.A. Witt, Lauren Gallagher, and Lori A. Witt. So she tells herself, anyway. When she isn’t wreaking havoc on Spain with her husband and trusty two-headed Brahma bull, she writes romances just like her wilder counterparts, but without all the heat. She is also far too mature to get involved in the petty battle between L.A. and Lauren, but she’s seriously going to get even with Lori for a certain incident that shall not be discussed publicly.

Connect with Ann:

Website: http://loriawitt.com
Author Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
Personal Blog: http://navywifeadventures.blogspot.
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/L-A-Witt-MM-Fiction

Giveaway!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice for a choice of two eBooks off Ann Gallagher’s backlist (including books written as L.A. Witt and Lauren Gallagher, excluding Lead Me Not) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit.

Don’t forget to leave your email so Riptide can contact you if you win!

Review

Title: Lead Me Not

Author: Ann Gallagher

Genre: Contemporary, Religious

Length: Novel (415 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-62649-277-6

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (August 24th 2015)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Aerin

Blurb: Isaac Morris has devoted his life to preaching against the sin of homosexuality. But when his sister proposes a documentary to demonstrate once and for all that it’s a choice—with Isaac choosing to be gay as proof—he balks. Until he learns his nephew is headed down that perverted path. Isaac will do anything to convince the teenager he can choose to be straight . . . including his sister’s film.

When Isaac’s first foray into the gay lifestyle ends with a homophobic beating, he’s saved and cared for by Colton Roberts, a gentle, compassionate bartender with a cross around his neck. Colton challenges every one of Isaac’s deeply held beliefs about gay men. He was kicked out by homophobic parents, saved from the streets by a kind pastor, and is now a devout Christian. Colton’s sexuality has cost him dearly, but it also brought him to God.

As the two grow closer, everything Isaac knows about homosexuality, his faith, and himself is called into question. And if he’s been wrong all along, what does that mean for his ministry, his soul, his struggling nephew—and the man he never meant to love?

Product Link: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/lead-me-not

Review: This isn’t a book I’d normally pick up. I detest religious books, especially ones full of bible thumpers, and I knew from the beginning this was going to be one of those. BUT…I also knew we’d get to see the other side of things, the way LGBT friendly churches interpret the Bible. I love L.A. Witt, I’ll try anything she writes (well except the MF books…cuz yuck!) and while I had my reservations about this book, there was never any question whether I’d attempt to read it. I am so glad I did, because I’ve read one of the best books ever. Whether you like religious MM books or not, you need to read this. The final message alone is worth the emotional pain you’ll go through while reading this book. 

First thing that comes to mind? My heart hurts. Really, there are so many emotions in this book, and the emotional pain the characters experience will make you cry your eyes out. Believe me, you need some tissues because I don’t believe you’ll go through this without using a few. Is this book full of angst? Yes and no! I hurt….for the homeless kids who are rejected by their parents because of who they love; for Isaac, for his personal struggles in finding out who he is; for Colton, who’s faith is shaken and has to learn to love himself as he is; and finally, for all the real people in this world, who go through the same struggles some of our characters did. Yes, this book is full of hurt, but it’s also full of hope.

Can you imagine being raised in an environment that preaches hate? Hate for who you think you are, to the point where you have no idea how to come to terms with being yourself? Can you imagine that after spending years preaching God’s hate for homosexuals, you come to realize all your beliefs are cause for hate crimes, teenagers becoming homeless, kids hating who they are because they believe God hates them. I’m not a religious person, but this brief walk in Isaac’s shoes wrecked me. I hated his beliefs at first, I hated the influence his family had over him, I was mad and furious and disgusted; but I couldn’t help but feel bad for him. He was the grown-up version of a repressed and confused child. 

Issac’s relationship with Colton starts out as friends. It slowly turns into more, but it’s beautiful! Theirs was one of those stories that will stay with me forever. We don’t get any sex, but they kiss a lot, and it’s so emotionally charged, it was better than sex. Honestly, I felt the chemistry, the attraction was there, but they each had reasons for not rushing to the penetrative sex part. It was sweet and innocent and beautiful. Their HEA is one of the sweetest ones, I loved it like crazy. 

Father Mike was an amazing character and I hope that there are a lot of people like him out there. His beliefs about the interpretations of the bible were a breath of fresh air. I’ve always thought the bible has been interpreted to fit with different people’s agenda, and I’m so glad we got his thought on this subject. Isaac’s twin sister was great as well, and her true intention behind her support for making that documentary speaks of the level of influence their father had over Isaac.

And Griffin, Isaac’s nephew….could that kid break my heart any more? Knowing his feelings and his confusion, his frustration that despite his best efforts he couldn’t change who he was, made me sad. But it all ended up good, they’re happy, and love won. Really, this is the message this book conveys: love will win! Always! No matter the bumps along the way, in the end love will always win. 

I’m emotionally exhausted right now. And I know many people don’t like angst in their books. But please read this, no matter how hard it’s going to be. It’s a truly beautiful book, unlike any I’ve read so far in this genre. I have new respect for this author for managing to write this book; I couldn’t have done it, not in a million years. I would’ve broken my own heart trying to write Issac’s family’s beliefs and doing so while making those characters believe what they were saying. A big round of applause!

Check out the other blogs on the blog tour