The Reluctant Royal by Catherine Curzon & Eleanor Harkstead Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

The Reluctant Royal
Catherine Curzon & Eleanor Harkstead

Word Count: 93,492
Book Length: SUPER NOVEL
Pages: 352
Genres: CONTEMPORARY, GAY, GLBTQI, ROYALS, THRILLERS AND SUSPENSE

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Book Description

Catherine Curzon & Eleanor Harkstead - The Reluctant Royal Cover fv7fjf

 

As an unseen enemy draws near, a royal bodyguard must choose between duty and love.

Risking his life to save a princess is all in a day’s work for Sergeant Joe Wenlock, a Close Protection Officer detailed to protect the royal family. After months of recovery following his brush with death, Joe’s ready to return to duties. But Alejandro Fuente-Sastre, as infuriating as he is fabulous, is the last royal Joe wants to be assigned to.

Alejandro isn’t quite the sort of queen that the British royal family is used to, but when Joe learns that Her Majesty’s step-grandson is also drag bombshell Paloma Picante, it makes his job a whole lot tougher. But is there more to Alejo than sulking and sequins?

When Alejandro’s life is threatened by an unseen tormentor who progresses from internet trolling to arson and violence, Joe must keep his charge safe from harm.

Living in close quarters with the man he shouldn’t be falling for, Joe begins to discover his true self. But as Alejandro’s enemy prowls ever nearer, Joe must make the impossible choice between duty and love.

Reader advisory: This book contains instances of homophobia and homophobic language, cyberbullying and threats, harassment, terrorism, drug use and abuse, Islamophobia and suicide. There are mentions of domestic abuse, including physical, emotional and gaslighting.

Excerpt

Joe took another sip of tonic water. He wished it contained gin, because being the only sober person at the table was hardly his idea of fun, but as he watched the bottle of champagne being passed around, he knew he didn’t really want any alcohol anyway. He couldn’t go back to work the worse for wear. Not after months of sick leave. Best foot forward, as his dad would say.

And it wasn’t only his decision not to drink that made Joe an oddity at the table. These were all Wendy’s friends, out for her birthday. Solicitors, legal types, who’d spent most of the evening already talking shop. Joe looked on, his mind on other things. Would he cope on his first day back? Would they trust him to ever do a good job again?

“So, Joe, we’re taking bets on who you’re going to be coddling next week!” Wendy put her second bottle of Prosecco on the table and settled into her seat. Her leg brushed Joe’s momentarily and she shifted, putting air between them again. “Izzy thinks one of the Fergie duo. Barnaby’s bet his bonus on Wills and Kate. I think it’s going to be the queen. The top job for a top bobby!”

“I don’t know yet.” Joe shrugged. “Maybe one of the corgis?”

“I bet you do know, and you’re teasing us!” Wendy’s friend Jemima brayed. “Have you signed the Official Secrets Act?”

Joe turned the plastic stirrer through his fizzing drink, rattling the ice cubes against the glass. He didn’t pester Wendy’s friends about confidential matters, so why did they think he was fair game? “As you know, if I had, I wouldn’t be allowed to say.”

“Whoever it is,” Wendy told them, “let’s hope they don’t put my poor old hubby in hospital again! He’s getting too old to play the action hero!”

Wendy’s friends laughed, and Joe tried to look happy, but he really didn’t want to be reminded of the accident. The headlamps coming straight for him in the evening darkness—and after he’d pushed the Duchess of Albany out of the way, there had been no time for Joe to leap aside. Just that crushing pain as the car slammed into him. Joe had slumped over the bonnet and found himself eye to eye with the idiot who’d just tried to deliberately run down the duchess.

“He’s not that old!” Verity giggled. She patted Joe’s leg and he tried not to flinch. “And still in fine form, too, Wendy, you lucky thing!”

“Lucky old me!” Wendy’s smile looked like a grimace. How would she know what form her husband was in when it had been over six months since they’d so much as kissed, let alone more? She refilled her glass and whispered to Joe, “For God’s sake, have a real drink.”

“Come on, you know I can’t,” Joe replied. “I can’t risk it. First day back and all that.”

“It’s my birthday.” Her pink lips grew thin and she drew in a deep, sharp breath, as sharp as her fresh blonde bob. Then she put her lips to his ear and hissed, “Stop showing me up, Joe, have a drink.”

“I’m drinking a stunt gin and tonic. That’s enough.” Joe held up the glass. It had the brand name of a well-known gin printed down its side. “They do tests, you know. I want to be nice and clean when they poke through my bodily fluids, thank you very much.”

“Barnaby!” Wendy subtly turned away from her husband, the centre of attention all over again. He was dismissed, just as he had been so many times over the five years of their miserable married life. “So, we’re all dying to know how your Tokyo merger’s going. It’s all everyone’s talking about. Tell us all the latest from the front line of big money!”

Joe sat his glass down on the table. The last thing he cared about was Barnaby and his bloody merger, which he’d heard snippets of for weeks as Wendy had made business calls at home. Barnaby this, Barnaby that, ‘Barnaby’s going places.’

So am I.

Joe nudged his seat back and stood to leave. Verity glanced at him, as if she was surprised he was going, but her attention turned to Wendy and Barnaby. Joe wasn’t sure where he’d go, but he needed fresh air. He wanted to be away from loud drinkers, away from Wendy’s carping. His head was pounding and as he stepped outside the pub, a car drove by close to the kerb. He instinctively jumped back, pressing himself against the wall behind him.

Calm down, Sergeant Wenlock, he told himself.

The night was cold, as cold as the pub had been hot, and Joe took a deep breath of autumn air. London tonight seemed even more surreal than ever, the streets a curious mix of the same well-dressed professionals who filled Wendy’s group and those who had embraced Halloween, escaping the real world in the form of cats and devils, vampires and aliens, some already stumbling, others only just starting out. And there in the middle of them was Joe, who would rather be anywhere else but there.

Maybe Joe should’ve thrown aside his tweed jacket and sensible open-necked shirt for a costume. He’d have made quite a good Frankenstein’s monster, maybe, though that said, when he’d first been taken to hospital and had plaster casts and bandages in places he hadn’t thought possible, he’d have been a brilliant cursed mummy.

Joe decided to go for a wander. Once he was working again, he’d have little time to call his own. He’d take his freedom when and where he could. Music blared from pubs and bars, people laughed, taxis pulled up and disgorged their passengers. And up ahead, someone was shouting.

Bloody people, can’t hold their drinks.

“Don’t you ever, ever bloody do that again! Do you hear?”

It was a man’s voice up ahead. Joe could see two figures, one in a black suit with a skeleton painted on it in white. He was wagging his finger—jabbing it—at the red-headed woman walking beside him in heels so high Joe wondered how she didn’t fall flat on her face.

“It’s so important to me, so fucking important, and all you have to do is just nod, and instead, you’re pissing about, making a fucking joke of yourself!”

“I’m sorry!” Her voice sounded almost desperate and she recoiled from her companion’s stabbing finger, jerking away as though it were the blade of a knife. She hurried after the skeleton when he stalked onwards, scooping up the silken hem of her shimmering red evening gown to follow. “Don’t be angry, I’m sorry!”

“I’m sorry!” he mimicked. Joe could almost see him in profile. The man’s face was disguised by makeup that turned his face into a skull.

Seemed a bit rich for him to be accusing someone of making a joke of themselves.

“The man’s an investor in my film, and I wanted him to know that I’m serious about my art, and then you’re there hanging over my shoulder, interrupting and gobbing on about God knows what!” The man clenched his hands. Even they were tricked out in skeleton makeup. “Why do you wind me up like this? You do it on purpose, for fuck’s sake, then it’s all I’m sorry! Well, you bloody well will be!”

“He was laughing too,” the woman said, a fresh note of desperation in her sing-song voice. No, not desperation. Fear. “He was having a good time, you’re not thinking straight! Just—please, don’t be like this!”

“My thinking’s perfectly clear!” The man gave a long sniff then, and Joe knew exactly what was going on.

The drugs are talking.

The man stopped where he was and raised his hand at the woman. The way she flinched back told Joe that this wasn’t the first time it had happened. As she drew away, he saw her makeup clearly, a glamourous sugar skull in a rainbow of colours that nearly took his breath away.

“Please don’t,” was all she said.

Joe increased his pace. The man’s raised hand trembled but in a split second he slapped the woman across her painted face.

Joe ran.

He was on the couple in only a few steps, and interposed himself between them. He didn’t look back at the woman, but could hear her frightened breathing just behind him. “That’s enough. Time for you to go.”

“And who the fuck are you, James Bond?” the man sneered.

“I’m not going to stand around and watch a bully like you slap a woman.” Joe clenched his fists, resisting the temptation to give Skeletor a taste of his own medicine.

“A woman? That’s a fucking joke. She’s a drag queen—a bloke!”

Joe turned to look at the woman.

A bloke?

Was she?

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About the Authors

Eleanor Harkstead

Eleanor Harkstead likes to dash about in nineteenth-century costume, in bonnet or cravat as the mood takes her. She can occasionally be found wandering old graveyards. Eleanor is very fond of chocolate, wine, tweed waistcoats and nice pens. Her large collection of vintage hats would rival Hedda Hopper’s.

Originally from the south-east of England, Eleanor now lives somewhere in the Midlands with a large ginger cat who resembles a Viking.

You can follow Eleanor on Facebook and Twitter

Catherine Curzon

Catherine Curzon is a royal historian who writes on all matters of 18th century. Her work has been featured on many platforms and Catherine has also spoken at various venues including the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, and Dr Johnson’s House.

Catherine holds a Master’s degree in Film and when not dodging the furies of the guillotine, writes fiction set deep in the underbelly of Georgian London.

She lives in Yorkshire atop a ludicrously steep hill.

You can follow Catherine on Facebook and Twitter and take a look at her Website.

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Dragon Dreams and Fairy Wings by Bailey Bradford Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Dragon Dreams and Fairy Wings
Bailey Bradford

Book 1 in the Fire & Flutter series

Word Count: 58,252
Book Length: NOVEL
Pages: 252
Genres: EROTIC ROMANCE. FANTASY, GAY, GLBTQI

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Book Description

Bailey Bradford - Dragon Dreams and Fairy Wings Cover v8vmg

 

When one fairy with a faulty memory meets a snarky dragon, the supernatural world will never be the same.

Griff was born a Love fairy, but he never quite fitted in. He didn’t want to be part of a harem…at least he didn’t think so. What with his wings gone and his memory damaged, he can’t be certain of what he felt in the past. All he does know is he wants his wings back. Without them, he’s grounded.

Blaze is a dragon shifter who tends to stick his foot in his mouth—and some other parts in other places—when he really shouldn’t. His brother’s the king, and his sister-in-law is scary. Blaze’s last screw-up got him grounded, unable to shift into his dragon form. His punishment seems harsh to him, but there’s no escaping it.

When the Love fairies come to the castle to work on forming an alliance, Blaze has about had it with guarding the horny beings, and he’s disappointed that they don’t stay small and cute. Swatting at something buzzing him, he almost starts an inter-species war when it turns out to be a fairy on a dragonfly.

And from that snarky first meeting between Griff and Blaze, something wonderful, and dangerous, will come…

Publisher’s Note: This book was previously released elsewhere. It has been revised and reedited for re-release with Pride Publishing.

Excerpt

Blaze rubbed his shoulder where it still ached. He’d been lucky the whip had only caught him a glancing blow, otherwise he’d really be in pain.

Of course, even being whipped would be better than his punishment of not being allowed to fly. Or shift. Being stuck in the puny human form and dependent on two scrawny legs just sucked troll balls.

That imagery almost made Blaze gag. Trolls smelled really bad, worse than the dragon dumping grounds—and if anyone needed an explanation for what that area was, they didn’t have a nose.

Plus, trolls were ugly. It was part of them being trolls and all. They also tended to have large, pendulous balls that swung down close to their ankles.

Blaze did gag then, pressing a hand against his stomach. He had to get his mind out of the troll gutter.

“Hey, freak, heard you got your powers taken away, all for a piece of ass.”

Blaze glared at Bort. “Oh, yeah. Your dad wasn’t worth it.”

“My—” Bort’s eyes glowed red, and smoke gusted from his nostrils. “I’ll bake you, you fucking freak!”

Blaze kept his trembling inside. He’d learned not to show any fear to bullies. “Go ahead. King Fyre will be thrilled with you. You’ll look great on a spit.”

“You think just ’cause your brother’s the king means…”

Blaze arched an eyebrow at Bort—which he knew looked cool, because he’d practiced it until he had it perfected and he knew how awesome that one arched eyebrow thing was. “It pretty much means he’ll toast you if you lay a hand on me.”

The only reason the guy who’d hit Blaze with a whip wasn’t dead was because Blaze had kind of deserved it. Kind of, because he hadn’t known Valdez was married to another man. Otherwise, Blaze wouldn’t have fucked him. Probably. Blaze’s morals were questionable at times, but only because he was so desperate for someone to touch him.

“Right, whatever,” Bort drawled. “You’ll probably cook yourself anyway and save all the good dragons the trouble. Crazy Blazy.” He cackled and flipped Blaze off with both hands.

Probably with his toes, too, but Blaze didn’t think to check. Instead he watched enviously as Bort shifted into a gorgeous teal and gold dragon.

Bort blew a stream of fire right past Blaze’s head, then flapped his mighty wings and flew off. A rancid scent lingered in the air.

Blaze sighed and touched his hair that Bort had just singed. Everyone was going to think he’d done that to himself—again. Even though he was grounded, assumptions would be made that he’d done something stupid to burn his own hair, and rumors would fly. He’d have to worry about that later, if at all. Right now, he had to deal with a bully. Blaze really missed being able to shoot flames.

It was true that he couldn’t control his fire, and he could be dangerous. He hadn’t killed anyone on accident, yet, though. “Sheesh.” Blaze sniffed and fanned the air around him. It was no use. The smell was on his head. He could fan all day, and it wouldn’t make any difference.

Resigned to walking all the way back to his nest—which meant heading through the center of the dragon city, since he could no longer fly—Blaze prepared himself for the looks and murmurs. People would be talking about him more than usual today. He ought to be used to such stuff, but the truth was, it always hurt.

Even so, when he heard the buzz of conversations around him, Blaze held his head up high, despite the burnt hair. He hoped everyone gossiping about him got a snoot full of the noxious odor.

* * * *

“Where did I put my shoes?” Griff fluttered as much as a fairy without wings could as he looked for his soft purple shoes. Surprisingly, he could flutter a lot, although that translated into gestures with his hands and much twitching on his behalf.

“Did Egregio eat them?” Gia asked, hovering above him.

Griff glared at her. “Could you maybe not do that? I already feel like a complete loser without my wings.” Who knew they could be knocked off you? Griff hadn’t, and it’d come as a shock to the other fairies in his frolic. Of course, Love fairies weren’t exactly brainiacs. They were more into the sensual than the mental. For brains, people looked to the Genius fairies, though good luck to anyone wanting help from those snobs. They didn’t speak to anyone with an IQ under one-sixty—which left out most of the magic world.

“Sorry.” Gia floated down and grimaced. “Ick. How can you tolerate standing all the time? My legs don’t like it. It’s work. It’s so much easier to fly, or—” She smirked.

“Don’t go there.” Griff knew his own kind through and through. As a Love fairy, he shouldn’t be bothered by hearing about his sister’s sexual escapades. Maybe he was just jealous. “Keep your sordid stories to yourself.”

Gia crossed her eyes at him. “Please. How did a prude get hatched into our frolic?”

“I’ve asked myself that a thousand times,” Griff muttered. “Aha!”

“Aha what?”

Griff knelt and stuck his hand under his bed, then reached farther. “I swear to the gods, Egregio, if you bite me, I will feed you to the dragons.”

“Rawr!” It sounded more like a whine than not.

Griff ducked his head and looked at the catterwaul under his bed. Much like the human-world cat except with two legs and large, hairy toes, and fangs the size of Griff’s index fingers, the beast was rather fierce-looking.

“I’m not joking. Last time you bit me, it got infected. You’re lucky I didn’t toss you out then.”

Beady red eyes glowed at him. “Rawr rawr rawr.”

“Yeah, you’re sorry now.” Griff wiggled his fingers. “Give me my shoes.”

The purple shoes were tossed at him while Egregio continued to vocalize.

“I know, I know, they’re pretty. That’s why I like them, too. Now if you’re good, and you keep the dung beetles away for a whole week, I’ll see about getting you your own shoes.” Catterwauls were great to have as long as they were loyal. Sometimes they forgot that, though.

A few more rawrs and Griff was pretty sure he had his catterwaul vowing to fight off the shiny green beetles that migrated through the area on the way to the dragon dumping grounds. Griff hoped so. The buzz of beetle wings always left him with serious headaches as well as memories of the worst time in his life.

“Okay, got my shoes on, Gia. Now we can go…” Griff spun around, looking for his sister, but no. She had left the mushroom’s interior at some point. “Great. Great! Now how am I going to find my way to where my wings might be?”

Griff couldn’t remember things like he should have been able to. The hit he’d taken from a human’s fly swatter had cracked his skull, knocked off his wings and almost killed him. His memory hadn’t been right ever since, but he was lucky to even be alive.

Although the term lucky was relative. If he couldn’t find his wings, what point would there be to life?

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About the Author

Bailey Bradford

A native Texan, Bailey spends her days spinning stories around in her head, which has contributed to more than one incident of tripping over her own feet. Evenings are reserved for pounding away at the keyboard, as are early morning hours. Sleep? Doesn’t happen much. Writing is too much fun, and there are too many characters bouncing about, tapping on Bailey’s brain demanding to be let out.

Caffeine and chocolate are permanent fixtures in Bailey’s office and are never far from hand at any given time. Removing either of those necessities from Bailey’s presence can result in what is known as A Very, Very Scary Bailey and is not advised under any circumstances.

You can follow Bailey on Facebook here and Twitter here.

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Bailey Bradford’s Dragon Dreams and Fairy Wings

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Demon’s Wish by Xenia Melzer Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Demon’s Wish

by

Xenia Melzer

General Release Date: 5th January 2021

Format: EBOOK
ISBN: 978-1-83943-091-6
Word Count: 53,035
Language: English
Book Length: NOVEL
Pages: 201

Genres:

ANGELS AND DEMONS
COMEDY AND HUMOUR
CONTEMPORARY
EROTIC ROMANCE
GAY
GLBTQI
PARANORMAL

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Book Description

Xenia Melzer - Demon's Wish Cover vmb8fj

Finding love is hard—especially when you’re a demon and your potential mate is your sacrifice…

Sammy is content with running his bookshop and leading a book club consisting solely of paranormal creatures. Despite the persistence of his friends, he has resolved himself to a life without romance, since he doesn’t think anybody could find him and his tendency to spill useless knowledge whenever he gets nervous attractive.

Dresalantion is a demon prince and slightly—make that majorly—annoyed when somebody persistently tries to summon him. He finally decides to show up and put the fear of Dresalantion into his summoners but finds himself rescuing their sacrifice instead.

Sammy intrigues him from the get-go, and when Dre realizes that Sammy can get him the manga he’s been hunting for months—not to mention that he refuses a wish he offered him—the sexy demon decides to get to know this fascinating man better. Much better.

Reader advisory: This book contanis scenes of kidnapping and an attempted human sacrifice.

Excerpt

“Is everybody set?”

Sammy looked around the group of people gathered in his bookstore. It was Wednesday, which meant there would be a book club meeting after closing hours. Their little group met at least twice every month to discuss books and interesting topics related to books, and Sammy loved it. It had formed half a year after he had opened his shop, Sammy’s Book Corner, and the participants had become something like a family to him, which he desperately needed after his parents had died five years before. He gazed around to make sure everybody had their stash of cookies—this time provided by Mavis and Maribell, the two witches—along with their favorite drink.

The delicious smell of freshly baked cookies mixed with the aroma of two hazelnut toffee lattes, the sharper tang of two Chai teas—heavy on the cinnamon—and his own hot chocolate before the familiar background scent of books, both old and new, made him once again congratulate himself on buying the fancy coffeemaker and establishing the little lounging area across from his cash counter. The members of their book club were seated on the four old couches around two low tables, getting comfortable.

Sammy was especially proud of this setup, since he had found all the furniture at flea markets and had given them each a do-over. The whiskey-colored leather couch hadn’t been much work. Just cleaning and treating the leather with a special balm had made the piece shine again. It now smelled faintly of beeswax, something that made Sammy crave a peppermint tea with honey every time he sat on it. The two chaises had required more effort. He had upholstered them and given them each a new cloth as well. Now customers could sit down on the colors of the rainbow to read their latest purchase. The last item was a lounger whose frame he had painted in pink then sprinkled with golden glitter for good measure. A turquoise throw made the piece stand out. One of the tables was covered in dots of various sizes and colors, and the other one had wall tattoos of Drogon and Smaug looking at each other on a black background.

Sammy was the first to admit that his artistic talent was closer to what a six-year old could produce than the fine artistry people with a real gift made, but he had done a good job with the furniture and his shop. Perhaps it was because he loved his little haven of books so much that it brought out the best in him. Except for the laptop in his office and the coffeemaker, nothing in the shop was new. Most everything had come from flea markets and garage sales, making for an interesting and charming mix of styles. Sammy had dedicated quite some time matching his books with the furniture. His antiques were stacked in open wardrobes that matched their age—or came close to it. The fantasy and science fiction books lived on shelves from IKEA, which he had sprayed silver. The romance books had found their home in old wooden wine crates that were clustered around the shop in small stacks of six to ten. Comics and manga were stashed in big boxes he had built from panoplies and painted in different hues of blue. The shop was Sammy’s idea of home, a feeling that seemed to convey itself, because most of his customers were regulars and loved hanging out in the place.

Sammy looked at his fellow book club members and adopted family and felt a brief shudder when he remembered their last meeting, where Amber the banshee had insisted on providing the baked goods. She might be four hundred years old, but just like every other banshee in the world, her baking skills were those of a blind man who had to find his way in a kitchen with both arms tied behind his back. Nonexistent. According to Emilia, the vampire in their group, this had something to do with their magic, which allowed them to pinpoint the exact time of death for every person. Apparently, the mixture of being able to look into the future without upsetting the balance of time and still warning people of their impending end didn’t go well with any kind of cooking. As to why exactly that was, Emilia couldn’t—or wouldn’t—tell. As the only human in a group of paranormals, Sammy had gotten used to not knowing everything. There was too much going on and he had learned soon after stepping into this world that ignorance truly was bliss in many cases where paranormals were involved. He would have preferred to know about Amber’s anti-talent in the kitchen, though, before he’d accepted her offer to bring snacks.

Per group vote, Amber had been banned from ever bringing sweets to the meetings again, even though Jon, the zombie living in the cellar under the bookshop, had later confessed to Sammy that the stone-hard lumps weren’t that bad, once one managed to get through the crust—the burnt, black crust that may or may not once have been sugar. Sammy swallowed hard. Just remembering the taste made his stomach revolt. And he hadn’t even been able to get to the core of the—he tried to find a fitting word for the deadly pieces of ballistic bakery and finally settled for ‘pastries’. Declan and Troy, the two werewolf alphas, as well as Emilia, had sharper teeth and more strength in their jaws, yet the looks on their faces when the crust gave way had been disturbing, to put it mildly.

“I don’t see what’s so different about these,” Amber declared with a pout while holding up a perfectly shaped chocolate chip cookie. Her pixie cut with the neon green hair went well with the huge, sapphire-green earrings, the thick golden chain with various amulets dangling from her neck, the five leather bracelets with Celtic runes etched into them and the approximately twelve rings she was wearing on her fingers. Compared to her jewelry, her outfit was plain—black skinny jeans, black sneakers and a black shirt with a sparkling unicorn on it, declaring Eat My Stardust, Suckers.

“The difference, my dear Amber, is that these cookies can be eaten without costing you a tooth. I’m so sorry to break this to you, but your baking skills are what I imagine Terry Pratchett had in mind when he created dwarf bread.”

Declan put one of the cookies in his mouth, munched on it with an expression of pure bliss on his ridiculously handsome face and gulped it down. He and Troy, who wasn’t there on that day due to business, looked like everybody’s wet dream. They were tall and had angular faces with chiseled jaws and sharp cheekbones, broad shoulders, slim hips, long, muscular legs and hair so thick and healthy that Sammy knew women would murder for it. Apparently, the good looks were part of the genetic makeup of shifters, but Sammy still found it almost offensive how perfect Declan and Troy were. Like two sides of a coin, one dark and dangerous, the other blond and…well, dangerous, they were a constant temptation for women and men alike. When they’d first joined the book club, Sammy had had some disturbingly hot dreams about threesomes with them and it had taken him almost four months until he had been able to put them firmly in the ‘friend zone’. It had helped—once they’d felt comfortable enough to relax during the meetings—to see their true selves. Because, no matter how perfect their looks were, the two werewolves were almost annoyingly arrogant and overconfident, as was typical for alphas—or so Sammy had been told by Jon. Their saving grace was a great sense of humor and their unusual choice of favorite book—Pride and Prejudice. After they had confessed this, nobody in their little circle was able to take them too seriously anymore, because how could somebody who loved the perfect book be a bad person? The posturing was just that—a façade to frighten potential enemies away—and the paranormal world was full of those.

“Dwarf bread?” Amber lifted one of her meticulously plucked eyebrows, a hint of steel in her voice.

“Don’t take it to heart, dear. If you want, you can come over and maybe we can teach you how to get them right.”

Maribell smiled at Amber and patted her hand. The witch looked like a nice, elderly lady with her flower-print dress, the square handbag and the perfectly coiffed bun at the back of her head. Her thick black hair was infused with gray strands, and around her almond-shaped eyes—a heritage from her Asian father—laugh lines softened her features. Sammy knew better, though. Maribell reminded him of his first-grade teacher, Mrs. Smithson, who had been able to shut unruly pupils up with one stern look. Those who inspired her displeasure quickly learned that there was nothing worse than the wrath of a teacher provoked…except for the wrath of witches. And with Mavis and Maribell, the first lesson was also the last.

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About the Author

Xenia Melzer

Xenia Melzer was born and raised in a small village in the South of Bavaria. As one of nature’s true chocoholics, she’s always in search of the perfect chocolate experience. So far, she’s had about a dozen truly remarkable ones. Despite having been in close proximity to the mountains all her life, she has never understood why so many people think snow sports are fun. There are neither chocolate nor horses involved and it’s cold by definition, so where’s the sense? She does not like beer either and has never been to the Oktoberfest – no quality chocolate there.

Even though her mind is preoccupied with various stories most of the time, Xenia has managed to get through school and university with surprisingly good grades. Right after school she met her one true love who showed her that reality is capable of producing some truly amazing love stories itself.

While she was having her two children, she started writing down the most persistent stories in her head as a way of relieving mommy-related stress symptoms. As it turned out, the stress-relief has now become a source of the same, albeit a positive one.

When she’s not writing, she translates the stories of other authors into German, enjoys riding and running, spending time with her kids, and dancing with her husband. If you want to contact her, please visit either her website, or write her an email.

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Enter to win signed/personalized copies of books 1 & 2 in the Club Whisper series and a $5.00 First For Romance Gift Code!

Xenia Melzer’s Demon’s Wish Giveaway

XENIA MELZER IS GIVING AWAY THIS FABULOUS PRIZE TO ONE LUCKY WINNER. ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN SIGNED/PERSONALIZED COPIES OF BOOKS 1 & 2 IN THE CLUB WHISPER SERIES AND A $5.00 FIRST FOR ROMANCE GIFT CODE!

Notice: This competition ends on 13th January 2021 at 5pm GMT. Competition hosted by Totally Entwined Group.


Healing Dance by Samantha Cayto

Samantha Cayto - Healing Dance Cover ferh34Title: Healing Dance

Series: Alien Blood Wars 06

Author: Samantha Cayto

Genre: Paranormal

Publisher: Pride Publishing (August 13,2019)

Length: Novel (262 Pages)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖 3 Hearts

Blurb: What lurks in the dark is not always a monster. Sometimes it’s your deepest desire.

Having survived brutal centuries as Dracul’s slave, Dafydd is pulling his life together. He has accepted his role as father to baby Idris and is determined to raise this son without the evil influence of his alien blood. Trauma still affects every aspect of his daily life, however, and he struggles to cope with it in dangerous ways. He also cannot quite shake the appeal of the human doctor who saved his life.

Ric began his journey with the aliens out of medical curiosity. After his adventure in Wales, he can no longer dismiss how it has become personal. He knows Dafydd is not ready for any kind of relationship, but the lure of courting him is something Ric cannot resist.

When a new problem crops up in the Boston crime world, the aliens are forced to explore the possibility that it is more than human-based. Their journey of discovery ropes in both Dafydd and Ric, throwing them together and forcing them to face their attraction and their demons.

Malcolm is along for the ride with Brenin, who, like Dafydd, is dealing with his own PTSD. The four of them must lean on each other to find a way past the lasting damage visited on them by the monster.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-828-6

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: Fair warning this book contains scenes of violence, rape, enslavement, torture, forced pregnancy, public sex and prescription drug abuse.

You basically get the lives of four men in this story. Dafydd and Ric as well as Malcolm and Brenin. Dafydd had been held for close to four hundred years by a monster, whereas Brenin had been held for months. Dafydd had also been forced to have babies with the monster. He had even killed one of the twins to save one of the men trying to save them. He had wanted to die but was forced by the doc to survive. He was just now getting around to trying to be a father to his latest baby.

Malcolm knew that Brenin was still having troubles with what had happened. He just didn’t have a clue how to help him. Ric was in the same boat but with Dafydd using pills with alcohol. Neither man knew what to do to help the men they loved.

I don’t really know what it is about these stories that doesn’t do it for me. However if I had to guess it is the dark side to the stories. The BDSM doesn’t bother me too much but I don’t really need it in any of the stories. I think mostly it was the fact that it was about four men instead of just Ric and Dafydd. They seemed to be thrown back for parts of the story. The mates come off shallow and immature when they shouldn’t be. It just made the story a bit harder to get into as it should have.

I hate to admit that the same dark tone is what is making me change my mind with this series. I just can’t seem to connect with them. It was fine to read but I can honestly say that it will only be read once.

Mr. December by Bailey Bradford

Bailey Bradford - Mr December Cover 64y4hTitle: Mr. December

Series: Calendar Men 12

Author: Bailey Bradford

Genre: Paranormal

Length: Novella (130 pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (4th December)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Blurb: Santa isn’t the only one coming to town…

Chris wasn’t a part of the calendar shoot—his brother, Albert, was. When Chris attends the release party for the charity calendar, he isn’t expecting anything but a night of boredom.

Which is what he gets.

It isn’t until the following week when he has a client who turns out to be the sexy Dane Dillon—Mr. December—that Chris’ world gets turned upside down.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-677-0

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Chris’ brother was part of the near disastrous photo shoot. Dane was sexy as hell Mr. December and needs a massage. This is where the two men start forming a relationship. I loved the way these two connected.

Another sexy, suspense filled story with a great cast of characters.

Fantastic read.

Mr. November by Bailey Bradford

Bailey Bradford - Mr November Cover 94g4hTitle: Mr. November

Series: Calendar Men 11

Author: Bailey Bradford

Genre: Paranormal

Length: Novella (125pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (6th November 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Blurb: Andy’s planning a feast but it has nothing to do with a holiday and everything to do with the sexy shifter whose heart he’s determined to win.

Andy Cunningham wasn’t thrilled with his month in the charity calendar event—he kind of thought November was a bit undignified. But when he meets Kerry, a sexy buck shifter at the calendar release party, he forgets all about posing during Turkey month and starts planning ways to catch Kerry’s attention—and his heart.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-676-3

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Andy and Kerry meet up after the shoot for some hot fun. Afterwards they both realize it’s more than sex for them. Hot and sexy yet sweet and tender is the way I would describe these two men together.

I loved everything about this story. Sweet and sexy.

Fantastic read.

Mr. October by Bailey Bradford

Bailey Bradford - Mr. October Cover 746gbTitle: Mr. October

Series: Calendar Men 10

Author: Bailey Bradford

Genre: Humour, Contemporary, Paranormal

Length: Novella (143pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (9th October 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Blurb: It’s not just the ghosties and the ghouls that you’ve got to watch out for on Halloween!

Jerome is an artist—in his opinion, anyway. Not everyone would agree that what he does is art, but he’d beg to differ. He has a niche following and his business picks up around Halloween. When a handsome stranger walks into his gallery, the attraction that crackles to life between them is instantaneous, and scarier than anything Jerome has ever created.

He’s quirky and possibly downright weird, but for some reason, the sexy doctor seems to be into him. Jerome isn’t sure he can trust the feelings developing between them, and when someone decides Jerome’s studio needs to go, he fears he’ll never have the chance to see what kind of life he could have with Kaito.

Kaito Yoshida is a successful pediatric oncologist, and a complicated man. As serious as any doctor in his position while working, he’s missed out on a lot of things in his personal life. An encounter that, at first, is mortifying, leads to Kaito daring to take a step he’s never bothered to take before.

He doesn’t expect to fall for Jerome Johnson, or for Jerome to fall for him.

And neither of them expect the obstacles they will encounter on the way to love.

Reader Advisory: Please note that this books contains scenes of violence and references to domestic abuse and the death of children.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-675-6

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: I loved this story about Jerome and Kato. Both are lonely yet Kato was with someone who was soon dumped after Kato meets Jerome. These two men are perfect each other in every way.

As usual the story is not without it’s suspense in the form of the things these men must face. But they face them and persevered to achieve the happy ever after.

Fantastic read.

Love & Tea Bags by C.F. White Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

C.F. White - Love & Tea Bags RBBanner-34

Hi peeps! We have C.F. White popping in today with her new release Love & Tea Bags, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~

C.F. White - Love & Tea Bags Cover 48h3j

Love & Tea Bags

by

C.F. White

Fate can be written in a tea bag too.

Mark Johnson is hitting his forties and is stuck in a rut.

He’s had the same boring office job for ten years, with no motivation or inclination to change it. The same crumbling house for ten years, with no cash or know-how to fix it. And the same Facebook status for five years—it’s complicated. It isn’t. He’s single. He just doesn’t want to correct it. That would be admitting defeat.

The day a tea bag splats onto his face whilst he’s emptying the dregs of his morning cuppa at Macy’s Tea Shoppe is the one that makes him question each of his current life choices…the tea bag and that the shop is currently being run by one rather friendly, rather hunky, but rather young Australian named Bradley Summers.

Tea has never tasted so good.

.•.•.**❣️ Pride Publishing ❣️**.•.•.

Continue reading “Love & Tea Bags by C.F. White Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!”

My Vampire and I by J.P. Bowie

J.P. Bowie - My Vampire and I Cover 473h4v4Title: My Vampire and I

Series: My Vampire and I 01

Author: J.P. Bowie

Genre: Paranormal, Vampires

Length: Novella (149pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (February 2008)

Heat Level: Moderate – Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Blurb: When young Roger Folsom attends a costume party thrown by friends for his twenty-fourth birthday he is immediately captivated by Marcus Verano, a handsome stranger masquerading as a vampire—except Marcus is the real thing.

Spirited away to the vampire’s mansion, Roger is introduced to a new life of unabashed luxury, fascinating stories—and hot sex. Everything is going just fine for Roger, until his new lover’s old enemies show up seeking revenge, and Roger’s blood.

Determined to save one another from the gruesome deaths planned for them, they embark on an adventure that takes them from the weirdness of West Hollywood to the wildness of a vampire’s castle in the hills of Rome.

This time, can true love really conquer all?

ISBN: 978-1-906590-06-2

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Rogers life changes forever when he meets Marcus, a centuries’ old vampire. The two hit it off immediately and learn about one another. Some of Marcus’ stories are sad in what he had been through. Amid their time together comes enemies from Marcus’ past that threaten to tear them apart.

I liked the actual story, it was engaging and quite entertaining. Roger was hilarious and sarcastic at times. The other characters throughout the book gave the story an added element to an already interesting story. However, I was annoyed by the fact that when Marcus and Roger would start talking eventually they would have sex before finishing the story they were telling. There was a lot of sex in this book.

I was also confused to the fact that Marcus said early in the story that D’Arcy was older than him but later in the book he claimed he was the older one so I was not sure which one was older. Aside from those things I enjoyed the story with it’s drama, action and suspense.

Fantastic read.

Mating Dance by Samantha Cayto

Title: Mating Dance

Series: Blood Wars 05

Author: Samantha Cayto

Genre: Science Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy

Length: Novel (254 Pages)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (April 19, 2019)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Blurb: What lurks in the dark is not always a monster. Sometimes it’s your deepest desire.

Trey Duncan’s career as a Boston cop has taken an unearthly turn. He’s become embroiled in an alien war being fought on his planet. Each battle they win is a short-lived reprieve. As he helps his new vampire-like friends save his own people, he can’t help but become emotionally involved, especially when it comes to the disturbingly appealing Demi. A hybrid of human and alien, the boy is both older and younger than he seems. To Trey, he remains a temptation he must resist.

Demi is a young man caught between two species and cultures. While his fathers have always kept a tight rein on him, he is starting to break away from their control. He knows what he wants, and from the moment he set eyes on Trey, he knew that the cop was the man for him. Since the last battle, he finally has hope that Trey feels the same way.

Biology forces both their hands, but Trey and Demi are still worlds apart in what they see as their future together. When their enemy’s legacy comes back to haunt them, it’s up to them to lead the way.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-728-9

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: Each book in the Blood Wars collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.

Trey is an ordinary human who is also a homicide detective. He came across a wild secret not too long ago and gave his word to help the aliens he befriended. The vampire’s were fighting a war that brought death and destruction to many. However there was one alien vampire that he wanted in more fun ways but felt that the kid was just to young. Boy is he in for a big surprise.

Demi is a hybrid, one of his fathers was human whereas the other was alien. He loved them with all his heart but damn if he couldn’t pull one over on them. He wanted the human cop to do more than just notice him. Leave it to his biology and his fathers to help move things along further. He must go through from boy to man stage with some hot sex. He might get what he desires more than life, that is if Trey will fall in line. Things are going to heat up.

This story has a dark tone to much of it but the way it is written just makes that part of the story even better. I think that this is probably one of the few series that can pull that off in a way that keeps my attention. The characters are quite entertaining but I must admit that I don’t really care for Trey like I should have. He is quite a bit older than Demi, but in reality he is actually younger by many years. The thing is Demi still looks like a teenager and it drives our detective crazy. Whatever just happened to getting your freak on. It does go deeper into some areas of the story that will fascinate the reader.

It is a very good story with quite a bit of action going on. Plus I liked the surprise in who the bad guy is. Very good plot and made the story rock. I had quite a bit of fun reading it and can’t wait to see what the next book has going on. I can guarantee that this is one of those stories that will be read many times over.

The Jasper Soul by Bailey Bradford

Title: The Jasper Soul

Author: Bailey Bradford

Genre: Mystery, Paranormal

Length: Novel (192pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (April 9, 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Blurb: An ancient evil stalks the earth, seeking to finish what it started…

Matt Callaghan is pretty sure he’s just an average guy. His tragic past haunts him, and the only comfort he finds is something he’s not willing to explain to anyone else. The jasper stone he found as a child had been with him for over half his life, and he can’t be parted from it.

There’s more to the stone than Matt knows. Thousands of years ago, one man, the last of his people, was cast into the stone, his soul protected when his body could not be saved.

The evil that hunted him is still alive, still waiting for a chance to destroy the jasper stone.

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of violence and physical assault.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-736-4

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: I really enjoyed this story about Andilun and Matt. How they were brought together by a stone was intriguing. Who Andilun is blew my mind. The gods, goddesses and the triad were fascinating in the roles they all played. The evil one and who he was seemed fitting and he delivered on everything he did.

Good versus evil and all that entails are all throughout this amazing story. Andilun’s backstory broke my heart at what was done to his people. Matt was determined and hopeful as the story progressed. Such an emotional, suspenseful, and dramatic read that grabbed my attention from start to finish.

Fantastic read and highly recommended.

Star Dance by Samantha Cayto

Title: Star Dance

Series: Alien Blood Wars 04

Author: Samantha Cayto

Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy

Length: Novel (256 Pages)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (December 25, 2018)

Heat level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts

Blurb: What lurks in the dark is not always a monster. Sometimes it’s your deepest desire.

Malcolm MacLerie has long made his home in the wild Highlands of Scotland. Sick of the endless war with Dracul and living with terrible guilt over the crash, he seeks peace and quiet. When his captain asks for his help one last time, however, he can’t refuse. Honor demands no less. His surveillance of Dracul’s castle turns into a rescue mission when a brutalized boy runs right into his arms.

Brenin has survived the vicious life of being an alien’s slave. His desperate bid to escape leads him into yet another monster’s castle—or so he fears. The more time he spends with Malcolm, the more he doubts his own worries. He has to fight a pull toward this alien who wears a kilt and fights with a sword.

Malcolm isn’t looking to get attached to anyone, let alone a traumatized human, but Brenin’s knowledge of the monster’s lair makes him invaluable and forces them to work together. Duty turns to desire, despite his best intentions. Even as they fight their growing attraction, they keep getting in deeper.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-700-5

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: Brenin had been kicked out for being gay and did all he could to survive. That was how he ended up in such a horrible place. Now he was a slave to a monster that used men, got them pregnant as many times as he could and then killed them. He had no clue how to get out. To his surprise it was another slave, one that was heavily pregnant and wanted to die, that gave him the way to safety. Safety all right, one that led him into the arms of another monster, or so he thought.

Malcolm felt that the crash on the planet that they were stuck on. He felt the guilt and anguish from it. He would follow his captain any where but his heart had no longer been in it. He wanted to live his life alone so to speak, but knew he would always come when Alex called for his help. It led him to the young man that would call to him in a way no one else could.

Evil was out there and many twists will come to this story. This story more outlined the sexual assaults on the young humans who were being changed better than the previous books did. It had quite a bit more details to it that I quite enjoyed. I loved Demi and the young men a lot more than I really did the others. The lingo was a bit harder to understand but after awhile I figured it out. It is a very good story that is action packed and danger filled.

I can’t say that this is one of my favorite series but it ranks pretty high on my reading list. I had a few issues with the book that might just be the company mistake instead of the authors, as it was missing the first page to each chapter. However it was easy to figure it out. It didn’t really take away from the story as I had expected, just drove me crazy.

The story itself is quite unique and I enjoyed reading it. I can guarantee that it will be read many times over.

Sunshine, Sex & Sunflowers by Carol Lynne

Carol Lynne - Sunshine, Sex & Sunflowers CoverTitle: Sunshine, Sex & Sunflowers

Series: Sequel to Harvest Heat

Author: Carol Lynne

Genre: Contemporary, Ménage

Length: Novella (91 pages)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (11th April 2017)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖 3 Hearts

Blurb: Will Jacko find love among the sunflowers?

After losing his family’s station in Australia to the bank, Jacko Hennesy moves in with his best mate, Lochie McBride. Trouble is, Lochie already has a roommate—his new lover, Jamie. Trying to settle into everyday life with two men isn’t as easy as Jacko had hoped. Although he’s been in love with his best friend for years, Jacko also finds himself attracted to Jamie. Watching the constant flirting and touching every day is enough to reduce the tough bushman to a puddle of need. What’s a bloke to do when he falls for two sexy men?

Publisher’s Note: This book is a sequel to Harvest Heat and is best read in sequence. This book has previously been released elsewhere. It has been revised and re-edited for re-release with Pride Publishing.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-549-0

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Prime

Review: Sunshine, Sex & Sunflowers is the sequel to Harvest Heat by Carol Lynne. As the publisher recommends, you should read book one first. There isn’t a lot of character introduction or development in this book and I feel most of it actually happens in the first book. This book was published previously, however, I think I somehow missed it because I really don’t remember reading it before. Which seems a bit odd for me because I absolutely fell in love with the authors two big series, Campus Cravings and Cattle Valley and would actually look for her other releases.

The story continues the story of lovers Lochie and Jamie. They’ve recently fallen in love and have moved in together on Lochie’s farm. In fact, Jamie has moved to Australia from the States to be with his man. Now we’re adding Jacko into the mix. He’s recently fallen onto hard time and is living and working with his best mate, Lochie. Jacko has always been attracted to Lochie but he finds himself torn with now developing an attraction to Jamie as well. Lochie and Jamie are happy together and yet they see the possibility for a lot more love in their lives with Jacko.

I can’t go further because this is essentially the bones of the book and if I say anything else there’s no point in reading it. I think part of the reason I didn’t read this in the past was because there are so many books that are set in Australia that just don’t capture the true Aussie nature. I suppose that is true for others who read books set in their own country but written by an author who does not live there. For any Aussies, I recommend ignoring the stereotyping of farms and regional life because for me it did come across as a little silly at times.

This is a simple, quick read. If you want to just read something sexy without thinking too much, this is probably a good choice. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of character or plot depth, which is annoying because I like the author so much, but come (no pun intended) for the romance and stick around for the sex. That’s all I can say.

Trysts and Embers by Angel Martinez & Freddy McKay

Angel Martinez & Freddie MacKay - Trysts and Burning Embers CoverTitle: Trysts and Burning Embers

Series: Lijun 02

Author: Freddy MacKay & Angel Martinez

Genre: Bisexual, Contemporary, Fantasy, Multicultural, Paranormal

Length: Novel (423pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (November 20, 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Blurb: Fire. Water. Burn.

In the two months since the All Hallows’ Eve party, Tally has courted Haru, buying expensive gifts, taking the two of them to upscale restaurants and trying to find a balance in earning Haru’s fragile trust while being new parents to the Cohen joeys. Tally sees hope in the new domesticity the family has settled into, despite having some bumps along the way.

Gifts and treats have satisfied Haru’s otter, but the human half remembers the brutal lessons of giving their trust away. How can two lijun who barely know each other anticipate what will happen when times get tough? There are circumstances Tally doesn’t understand yet, and Haru struggles to find their feet with an Urusar who doesn’t know the rules.

A revelation not only throws the tentative relationship between them askew, but also starts Tally and Haru down a path the two of them can’t escape, one so heart-wrenching Haru’s not sure their heart will survive.

Traditionalist concerns that have always nipped at the Bastille clan’s heels come roaring to the forefront with demands and ultimatums. Tally needs to fall in line or face further threats to his otter, his family and his clan. Haru needs to find the strength to believe in the good despite the bad. In an environment where it’s vital to know ally from foe, Tally and Haru need to stand united or watch the community Tally’s family has built fall under the thumb of heartless, greedy autocrats.

Reader advisory: This book contains references to past trauma and PTSD, the death of a child and kidnapping.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-697-8

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: There was a lot going on in this continuation of the series. Haru and Tally are trying to settle in their new life but others conspire against them playing on the couples weaknesses and not knowing about certain things.

There is a deeper delve into the Lijun politics that was complex with a lot of rivalries thrown into the mix. A lot of characters are interwoven as certain individuals make plans behind others backs that are not on the up and up. I found the whole story intriguing.

Tally and Haru I felt needed to talk to each other and learn more about the other before cracks are found and the ones up to no good split them apart for good. I was thankful for the warning at the end of the blurb because that incident was sudden and utterly gut-wrenching to read.

Great read and addition to the series.

Mr. September by Bailey Bradford

Title: Mr. September

Series: Calendar Men 09

Author: Bailey Bradford

Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Paranormal

Length: Novella (94pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (4th September 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Blurb: Summer fades into fall, but the heat isn’t letting up for this calendar man.

Enzo Mueller was glad to help out with the calendar shoot. His little sister, Nat, has been in remission for years and he’d do anything to help find a cure for childhood cancer—even if all he can do is pose for a charity event. That, and work three jobs so he can take care of her since their parents split a long time ago.

But raising a teenager and having a personal life are two things he doesn’t think can coexist. He’s resigned himself to being alone, aside from Nat, until he gets her through college. After all, no man in his right mind would want to deal with Enzo’s crazy work schedule.

Tony met Enzo when he waited on their table. Ever since then, Tony’s had Enzo on his mind, and when he runs into him again, something clicks between them. Tony’s daughter, Ina, finished her last cancer treatments weeks ago and she’s in remission. He’s been focused on her since before she was born, but now, one man is making him wonder if it isn’t possible to have more in life than he’d expected.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-674-9

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Enzo and Tony have been attracted t each since they met through Hector. I loved Enzo’s hard working determination to make sure his sister is provided for. Tony’s daughter Ina gives Tony the excuse he needs to see Enzo by wanting to eat at the restaurant that Enzo works in.

The chemistry between these two men is hot. When they get together the sparks fly off the pages. Sweet yet sexy this was a great addition to the series.

Fantastic read.

Slave Dance by Samantha Cayto

Title: Slave Dance

Series: Alien Blood Wars 03

Author: Samantha Cayto

Genre: Science Fiction, Paranormal

Length: Novel (183 Pages)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (October 2, 2018)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Blurb: What lurks in the dark is not always a monster. Sometimes it’s your deepest desire.

Quiet and steadfast, Emil has remade himself from botanist to chef. Taking care of people is what he does best. He hates having to fight the war with Dracul, but his loyalty to his captain forces him to do no less. Unlike others of his species, he has formed no intimate bonds and has no intention of doing so. That way lies sadness. He takes his pleasure from feeding those he loves, content with his destiny. That is until he runs into an abused boy who needs more than a good meal.

All turning eighteen means to Jase is that now the man who he is forced to call Master can abuse him publicly. A victim of sex trafficking, Jase only knows one way of life-brutal submission to whichever man claims him. When his Master joins Club Lux, it’s more of the same until he finds himself in the hands of its strange chef.

Circumstances force Emil into a new and frightening role and Jase into the arms of a scary and unfathomable Master. Emil is worse than any man—or so Jase thinks, when Emil’s alien nature comes out. Jase wants to be a good slave and Emil frets about saving Jase from himself. While they try to find their way, a vicious crew member begins to terrorize Boston. Now Emil fights on two fronts—the scariest being that he will fail Jase.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-6909

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: Each book in the Alien Blood Wars collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.

Jase has one hell of a nasty life. His father passed when he was just a young kid so he didn’t really remember him. Then his mother remarried and lets just say the man gave him the creeps. When his mother was killed it left him in the arms of a monster. A monster that ended up selling him. His latest master has had him since he was fifteen and he thought maybe death was the only way out. That is until a new kind of monster showed up, but this one was a good monster.

Emil is what is known as a vampire but it goes even further than that, the man was an alien. He was trained to fight, take care of plants and a chemist. What he loved to do is to cook. One notice of the new boy in the club has his heartbeat rising fast. However not in the one way you would think.

This book contains scenes of drug use and rape so beware. The way the author twists the old Dracula legend into the story we have now is pretty amazing. When they crashed into earth it changed many things for them. It separated many of the groups into the groups there are in now. Dracul led one group, a group that wanted death to humans and to rule the world. Then there is Emil’s leader Alex, a group that just wanted to live in peace. You have action and danger just flowing in this story and lets just say it is perfectly timed. The story had a fast paced that seem to work for this story. I didn’t care for the abuse Jase went through in the book, however it seemed to work. It made you feel quite a bit for the young man.

It is very entertaining and quite fresh. I can’t say that it is one of my favorites or that it will be read more than once, but it was still a pretty good book. It was missing something to me to make the story rock all the way. It is a very engaging book that kept my attention from the start and kept it all the way to the end.

I enjoyed reading the book and look forward to the next one. I will also admit that I don’t care to read about the abuse Dracul dishes out to the two young men in his home and hope that their rescue is coming real soon. However as I said I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.

With A Twist by K. Evan Coles and Brigham Vaughn Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Evan Coles and Brigham Vaughn - With A Twist Tour Banner

Hi guys! We have K. Evan Coles and Brigham Vaughn popping in today with the tour for their new release With A Twist, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $20 Amazon GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~

With A Twist

(The Speakeasy 01)
by

K. Evan Coles and Brigham Vaughn

Nursing a broken heart, Will Martin throws himself into teaching classes at NYU and writing. An invite from his ex-boyfriend to an uptown speakeasy called Under surprises Will by beginning to heal his bruised spirit, and he finds himself enjoying both the drinks and the company.

Soon after, Will is shaken by news that his father, Republican New York State Senator Bill Martin, has been diagnosed with cancer. Will and his father have been estranged since Will’s coming out, but he reluctantly returns to the family’s home in Garden City, Long Island, to support his family as Bill recovers from surgery.

Senator David Mori is a colleague and mentee of Bill Martin’s. Bill’s conservative views sometimes conflict with David’s more moderate politics and his status as both mixed race and openly gay, but each respects and likes each other, and the men have built a friendship.

Sparks fly when Will and David meet, though Will’s liberal views lead to clashes with David. Will is looking for a no-strings-attached fling and David is leery of getting involved with his mentor’s son, so they keep their affair a secret, in spite of their deepening feelings.

As Senator Martin’s health worsens, Will elects to remain in Garden City where he finds solace with David and continued trips to Under to seek the support of his friends. After David finally admits his feelings have grown beyond a casual sexual encounter, both men must decide how to bridge the divide to create a future together.

Reader Advisory:
This book contains expressions of homophobia and racism by multiple secondary characters, references to disownment, and descriptions of terminal illness and death of secondary characters.

.•.•.**❣️ Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK ❣️**.•.•.

Continue reading “With A Twist by K. Evan Coles and Brigham Vaughn Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!”

Dangerous Dance by Samantha Cayto

Title: Dangerous Dance

Series: Alien Blood Wars 02

Author: Samantha Cayto

Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction

Length: Novel (185 Pages)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (May 29, 2018)

Heat Level: Medium

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3.5 Hearts

Blurb: What lurks in the dark is not always a monster. Sometimes it’s your deepest desire.

Long ago, Val made the decision to stick by his captain against mutinous shipmates. He has spent a millennium on Earth protecting humans as a matter of honor. He also made the fatal mistake of falling in love with a human boy who died trying to birth Val’s son. He’s sworn to never open himself up to such pain and guilt again.

Mackie was forced to run away from his family to save himself from homophobia and abuse. He learned to live by his wits and the sale of his body. He’s reinvented himself as a brat with a need to be dominated and tamed. He thought he’d found the perfect man in Val, only to discover he had given his heart to a vampire—one that pushed him away when an ancient, hidden war reignited.

As Val and his cohorts battle with their old crew members, he tries to keep Mackie at a distance from the danger and his heart. But Mackie will not be side-lined as either a soldier or a lover. He is waging a war of his own to win Val back.

The next chapter in the alien war is heating up. A deadly drug is flooding Boston, threatening to turn the city into a battleground. Val and the others need help, and one bratty twink might be the best weapon they have. He may also be the key to unlocking Val’s heart and giving him back the happiness he lost.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-666-4

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: Each book in the Alien Blood Wars collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.

Mackie has had a hard life and it didn’t seem to get any better. He had been basically kicked out of his own home because his parents were homophobic asshats. Forced to live on the streets he had given his body to survive. Now he danced and got to choose who he slept with. The only one he truly wanted was the bouncer at the club. A man that was not human and a man that didn’t really want him.

Val wanted Mackie with all he had in him. The problem was many years past he had given his heart to a young man and lost him. Lost him and their child because he couldn’t give birth the way his kind was meant to. Now he has gone the route of never falling in love but love always wins over. Top it off there was someone out there who was trying to destroy them all. One of their own to be precise.

You have your good alien vampires and your bad, but it seems the bad always win. The story is quite unique and very entertaining. I am not really a fan of this type of story though. This one has a bit more BDSM involved in it and lets face it the vampire is always the dominate partner. In this series the mates can give birth but it is quite dangerous. You not only get Val’s side of view but Mackies as well. However what is even more unique is you get the bad guys as well.

Now as the down side to this book is the drama between Val and Mackie. There is no true communication between them unless you count sex. Val wants his way and Mackie just wants Val. I don’t much care for it nor the fact that it hasn’t really moved forward with the actual plot from the bad guys.

Overall the story is pretty good and I did enjoy it. I will admit that it is not one of those stories that sticks with you. It is however one of those stories that will be read more than once, but only to remember the parts that you need to. I will hold my final thoughts till I read further on in the series.

Fighting For All by Morticia Knight

Title: Fighting For All

Series: Soul Match 05

Author: Morticia Knight

Genre: BDSM, Science Fiction, Ménage

Length: Novella (146pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (15th May 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: Bravery will lead you to your destiny.

The human and alien rebellion is at hand, but those who have already arrived at the secret military facility are without the one who has inspired them to stand against the Nall. Chris, the human chosen by the Alasharian spiritual leader Sha Sha Ar, has been missing since the escape to the hideout. Those who have never seen Chris before, have only heard tales of his visions, begin to doubt his existence. Fear spreads through the group as humans and Alasharians alike wonder if they’re all doomed, if maybe Chris is a fantasy or has already fallen at the hands of the Nall.

Graham, Morgan and their Alasharian matches stand before the terrified group to reassure them that Chris is real. They’ve barely begun to speak when they are forced to fight an unexpected foe. But before the final battle against the Nall and the Void begins, all must search within themselves to discover what part they will play to achieve their destiny—and to summon the bravery they’ll need to see it through.

Reader Advisory: This book contains graphic battle scene violence and medical play, as well as references to rape and torture. There is also a scene involving urethral sounds.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-662-6

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: The entire series up to this point of human and Alasharian’s meeting their mates, unanswered questions lead to this exciting climax as they all go through a spiritual awareness to culminate with battle plans and strategies to beat all their foes. It will not be easy but nothing in life is.

I loved everything about this story. The danger was real, the battles intense and graphic that left me on the edge of my seat. I loved how all the characters worked together despite the doubts gathering around Chris. The twists and turns were a real eyeful and one even took me by surprise as I did not see it coming.

Needless to say this story was awesome.

Fantastic read and highly recommended.

Mr. August by Bailey Bradford

Title: Mr. August

Series: Calendar Men 08

Author: Bailey Bradford

Genre: Humour, Contemporary, Mystery, Paranormal

Length: Novella (99pgs)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (7th August 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: Hector thought he’d escaped his past and had nothing to fear by posing for a charity calendar, but he was wrong.

Hector Torres is a self-made man. He came from the wrong side of the tracks and had a difficult childhood. Violence and crime flourished around him, but one particular event sent him running, and he’s been looking back over his shoulder for a long time.

He thought he’d changed enough to take a chance and do something good, especially in light of his closest friend’s daughter being diagnosed with cancer.

But Hector is wrong, and the man who suddenly appears in his life might be his savior—or his executioner.

Reader advisory: This book contains reference to physical child abuse.

ISBN: 978-1-78651-673-2

Product Link: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Hector’s past comes back in the form of Mat. Mat has a debt to pay to Hector and in doing so he hopes that things will blossom between them. I liked how Hector and Mat never forgot one another after they grew up.

Hector and Mat were well matched and I loved Mat’s shifter side. A truly engaging story and wonderful addition to the series.

Fantastic read.