Stepping Out by Joe Cosentino Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Hi peeps, we have Joe Cosentino popping in today with the tour for his new release Stepping Out, the third book in the Cozzi Cove series. We have a brilliant guest post from Joe, a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~

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Stepping Out

(Stepping Out 03)
by

Joe Cosentino

It’s time for another summer of sun, sand, suntan lotion, sandals, and Speedos on Cozzi Cove at the New Jersey Shore. Cal Cozzi’s seven bungalows are once again open for love.

This summer, sexy Cal welcomes back his brother and sister, who are confronted with people from their pasts. Connor, the maid packed with muscle and mayhem, becomes the subject of a handsome young psychologist’s study on human sexuality. Tommy, the strapping, bald and tattooed local bartender, is captivated with guest Cory Magnum, a police officer with a secret. Another guest, Bill, a disbelieving pastor, is inspired by a vision of two sexy male angels on the cove. And Cal and Michael reach a plateau in their relationship.

What secrets, humor, tragedies, mysteries, and passions lie waiting to unfold in this magical place called Cozzi Cove?

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Joe Cosentino on Writing the Popular Cozzi Cove Beach Series!

I was sitting on the warm white sand with the golden rays of the sun warming my body. Taking in a deep salty breath, I gazed up at the azure sky dotted with white cottony clouds. The seagulls soured above me as they serenaded me with their love songs. The turquoise water crashed against the jagged rocks, its foamy tentacles cooling my feet and taking my stresses and concerns back into the ocean. I was back home.

As a kid, I spent my summers at my aunt’s bungalow on the New Jersey shore making sandcastles at the beach, wading in the bay, playing miniature golf, eating salt water taffy, and jumping up and down on trampolines until I (literally) saw green. As a writer, I decided to immortalize those wonderful times in a series set at a fictitious place I call Cozzi Cove, a gay resort of eight bungalows in a private cove on the Jersey Shore with a stunning view of the bay and lighthouse in the distance. The main beach and boardwalk are only a mile away. It’s a place I love to visit, and I know you will too.

My hero is handsome and sexy Cal Cozzi (on the cover of book one), who like me, also grew up on the Jersey Shore. His family owned Cozzi Cove. After his parents died in an automobile accent and Cal had an unsuccessful career in professional football, he proudly took over the ownership of the resort. Joining Cal is Michael, the man of his heart; Cal’s brother George and George’s ex, Aaron; Taylor, Cal’s comical top one-percenter sister (loosely based on my sister); two longtime friends: Carla of Carla’s Seafood Restaurant and Tommy of Tommy Malone’s Bar (loosely based on my niece and nephew); and Connor, the houseboy packed with muscles and a roving sponge. Each summer brings a fascinating array of guests and stories, but beware, nothing is what it seems in the magical Cozzi Cove.

 After book one Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (TBR Pile Favorite Book of the Month/Rainbow Award Honorable Mention) and book two Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward released, readers and reviewers praised their romantic, humorous, dramatic, mysterious style, and interwoven captivating stories. When readers begged me for another Cozzi Cove novel, I wrote book three Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out. As with the first two books, romance is everywhere on Cozzi Cove, and surprises abound. It was like visiting good old friends to further develop these characters.

In book three, Cal is now thirty-one years old, and still enjoying his role as owner and manager of Cozzi Cove. Cal and Michael (on the cover of book two) reach a plateau in their relationship. Houseboy Connor becomes the subject of a handsome young psychologist’s/guest’s study on human sexuality with unexpected results. Both bartender Tommy and Cal’s brother George (on the cover of book three) meet someone from their pasts and are off to a wild adventure. We also learn something shocking about Cal’s sister’s past. Lucky for Taylor, her best friend, Carla, is there for support. And finally guest Bill, a disbelieving pastor, sees a vision of two sexy male angels on the cove, which leads him to start a new life.

What secrets, humor, tragedy, mysteries, and passions lie in the magical place called Cozzi Cove? You’ll have to read the series to find out. And let me know what you think. I love hearing from readers at: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

So grab your Speedos, suntan lotion, and shades and head back to Cozzi Cove. Cal Cozzi has a bungalow waiting just for you. I hope to see you there!

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Excerpt

Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out

Joe Cosentino © 2017

All Rights Reserved

A soaring golden orb turned the violet, pink, and tangerine sky into a canvas of blue. Early morning was Cal Cozzi’s favorite time. Treading water in the cove that had boasted his family name for generations, Cal felt as if his blood was the bay water, his flesh was the sand, and his soul was the sun. And Michael Rodgers was his heart. Michael swam over to him and wrapped his stocky arms around Cal’s neck. Cal cupped Michael’s firm bottom and squeezed him in closer. As Michael caressed Cal’s muscled back, they shared a salty wet kiss. Cal looked up at a seagull gliding to the lighthouse in the distance. He pondered having the freedom to fly away from Cozzi Cove, but there was no place he’d rather be than in the confines of his legacy with the man he loved.

Cal’s great-grandfather, Calvin Cozzi I, had built everything in the sleepy town on the New Jersey shore, including the eight bungalows on the cove. This beautiful spot was the result of sun and salt water wearing away softer rocks more quickly than the harder rocks surrounding them.

Cal’s legacy was passed down to him from his great-grandfather through his grandfather, Calvin Cozzi II, and finally by his father, Calvin Cozzi III. Cal’s father, sensing his son’s sexual orientation as a boy, had opened Cozzi Cove as a gay resort.

Though Cal had dabbled briefly as a professional football player, and then as a restaurant owner, neither was a good fit. It wasn’t until after the unfortunate death of his parents in an automobile accident that he found his true calling: managing Cozzi Cove. The previous summer, Cal had been united with his half-brother, George, an architect, and the two of them had recently completed renovations on the bungalows, expanding them to add modern amenities while maintaining their grandfather’s nautical theme.

The tip of his head only reached Cal’s chin, so Michael had to stretch up to kiss his nose. Cal’s Italian and Scottish heritage had given him height, auburn hair, emerald-green eyes, an olive complexion, a strapping build, and a wide nose, which, as noted, Michael liked to kiss. “Should we be skinny-dipping at the start of a new summer season?”

“Probably not.” Cal ran a strong hand through Michael’s chestnut hair and gazed into his exotic eyes.

“What if a guest comes early?”

“He can get his own boyfriend.” Cal pressed his tongue inside Michael’s welcoming mouth. It felt warm, and Cal wanted more. As Michael stroked Cal’s broad shoulders and round pectoral muscles, prominent from working out at Cozzi’s gym, Cal pressed his nose against Michael’s thick neck and enjoyed the scent of vanilla. Michael’s African-American and Swedish heritage awarded him smooth golden skin that Cal loved to caress. Cal thought about the eleven-year difference in their ages, how they had met when Michael, still in the closet, tried to gay bash him in an alley, and the year Michael still had left to finish college. It was illogical and improbable for Cal and Michael to be together, yet it felt incredibly right. At that moment, he couldn’t be more in love with Michael.

George Valis, wearing a violet polo shirt and white shorts that accentuated his muscular legs, stepped out of Bungalow Seven and met them at the cove. “Hey, my ex back in Maine dumped me, remember? Stop rubbing in your happiness, you two.”

“Have breakfast with us.” Michael’s dimples appeared. “Cal is making a feast.”

“And Michael is cleaning up after me.”

“As usual.” George winked at Michael.

They got out of the water and put on the terrycloth robes they’d left on a rock at the water’s edge. Cal smiled at the sight of his brother’s height and eye color, which was exactly the same as his own. Cal and George shared the same father, with George being the result of Cal Cozzi II’s infidelity. They had met for the first time last summer when George looked Cal up, and Cal couldn’t have been happier to have a brother like George. He mussed George’s dark hair affectionately. “After breakfast, I’ll pack a lunch for your ride back to Maine.”

Michael’s shoulders slumped. “Do you have to go?”

Cal put his arm around Michael, recalling the brother Michael had lost two summers ago to suicide. “Bungalow Seven is always here for George.”

“Good.” George grinned like a kid with a secret. “It looks like I’ll be staying for a while longer.”

“Yeah!” Michael gave George a hug. “Cal will make a special celebration dinner tonight.” He kissed Cal’s cheek. “My favorite is surf and turf.”

“How about I leave my turf and throw you in the surf at the main beach instead?” Cal kissed Michael’s neck and then turned to his younger brother. “What’s up, bro?”

George looked at them and giggled. “Clearly you two, just before I arrived.”

Cal moved in and placed George in a playful headlock. “Look, little brother, the guests will be here soon. If you want breakfast, spill it.”

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About Joe

Joe Cosentino author picJoe Cosentino was voted 2nd Place Favorite MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards. He is the author of the Cozzi Cove series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention/TBR Pile Favorite Book of the Month), Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out, Cozzi Cove: New Beginnings (NineStar Press); the Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Queen (Divine Magazine Readers’ Favorite LGBT Mystery Novel, Humorous Novel, and Contemporary Novel), Drama Muscle (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective (Lethe Press); the Dreamspinner Press novellas: In My Heart/An Infatuation & A Shooting Star (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Open Skye Book Reviews Favorite Audiobook of the Month), A Home for the Holidays; and the Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll (The Wild Rose Press). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married.

Author Links

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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Giveaway!

Win an e-book of Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, book one in the Cozzi Cove series!

(Just leave a comment on this post)
Post a comment on what you love about the beach. The poster who floats our sailboat the most will be picked in a week.
(Ends 10th February 2017)
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3 thoughts on “Stepping Out by Joe Cosentino Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway!

  1. I love the beach in the summer. It seems that everyone is feeling better when it is warm and the sun is shining. Having a good time.
    I also love the beach in winter. When it is storming and the waves are crashing on the sand. Nature at its best.

  2. I love the sea, that’s why I love the beach. I wish I was on the beach now as well. It’s been raining non stop for four days, it is windy and the weather is foul…. How I miss my summer days!
    Congratulations on the release, Joe. I haven’t read this series yet, but it is on my TBR list

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