The Reading Addict

All’s fair in love and remodeling.

Blurb

Griffin Caldwell can’t wait to make a fresh start: new job, new town, new house. He’s even realized the lifelong dream of owning his own home. Except when he arrives, nothing is what he expected, and Griffin’s celebration turns from triumphant to terrible.

Not only is his “cute bungalow” a derelict heap, it needs major remodeling work to be livable. And it turns out there’s only one person in town who’s even willing to commit to the project.

The first time David Webber talks to Griffin about his disaster zone of a house, he’d like nothing better than to hang up the phone. But he’s stuck. All his grumpy behavior has gotten him is a whole stack of bad reviews online and no clients.

From the moment they collide over a busted toilet, sparks and snark fly. The only thing that might be hotter than their mutual animosity is their intense chemistry.

Neither of them wants to admit it at first but as the project evolves and their lives intertwine, maybe what they’re working on isn’t just a house. It might even be proof that a caring partnership can build a strong, long-lasting foundation--and an even fiercer love.

Excerpt

“What are you doing?” he asked when he stepped inside and spotted David ripping into a wall.

“Baking a cake,” he responded dryly before muttering to himself, “what does it freaking look like I’m doing? Knitting a damn sweater?”

“What flavor?” Griffin asked, choosing not to respond to the rest.

“The best flavor—chocolate.”

“I beg to differ. Chocolate is good, but nothing beats a super moist red-velvet cake with delicious cream cheese frosting.”

David stared at him, crowbar in one hand, sledgehammer in the other. “Are you saying chocolate cake can’t be moist? Because if so, you’re having the wrong cake.”

“No, not at all. I’ve had some decent chocolate cake. It’s just more dense than other flavors.”

David snorted. “Was there anything else you needed? Or did you just stop by to tell me my choice in cake is dense?”

Griffin crossed his arms over his chest. “You brought up the cake conversation, not me. All I did was ask what you were doing.”

David sighed and looked toward the sagging ceiling, as if searching for a way to respond to Griffin. The ceiling was another thing that had given up in that house. The entire thing looked like it’d just had enough standing up in the battle against the elements, animals, and trespassers. And had definitely gotten tired of doing so alone—since it’d sat empty for so long. It’d given up, finally waving the white flag as tree roots took over and the crushing weight of snow had caused certain parts to cave in. The thought of seeing the house in such despair and feeling the sadness among the walls hurt Griffin’s heart, and he hoped all the time, money, and arguments with David were worth breathing new life into the house. It deserved a chance to shine in all its glory, and even though it didn’t look like much now, the bones were still solid. It just needed some love.

“When I get asked a question where the answer is obvious, I can’t help but respond with sarcasm.”

“What was that?” Griffin asked, startled by David’s voice. He’d been so lost in thought about his depressing home that he’d forgotten he was in the middle of a conversation with David.

David sighed loudly and muttered under his breath again. “Did you need something? I’m a bit busy here.”

He waved his arm around the room, the one Griffin intended to be his master bedroom, to indicate the piles of drywall he’d ripped down.

“Just wondering if you need any help.”

“We’ve already had this conversation more than once, Griffin. Right now, it’s best if you stay out of the way until I have the basic demolition finished.”

Griffin pursed his lips as he tried not to stare at the way Griffin’s sweaty T-shirt clung to him like a second skin and his jeans hugged his thick thighs like they were drawn on him. Jesus. He could crack walnuts with those thighs.

Even though it was still fairly early in the morning, the sun was already high in the sky and the humidity was even higher. And just walking outside to collect the morning paper would cause sweat to bead on your upper lip and temples. And while Griffin hated it, he had to give his thanks to the weather gods since David had taken his shirt off more than once while doing work. And Griffin couldn’t help but accept the gifts in the form of his bulging, sweating muscles, eagerly. It’d be rude not to, after all.

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

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About the Authors

Beth Bolden

A lifelong Oregonian, Beth has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband and their sweet kitten, Earl Grey. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty novels and six novellas.

Author links:

Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter | BookBub

Facebook group | Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up

Brittany Cournoyer

Brittany was born in Enterprise, Alabama and moved to a small town in Indiana when she was thirteen. And, even though the town is named Kokomo, it’s nothing like the Beach Boys song. During her free time, she loves to read amazing books, watch mindless television, and spend time with family and loved ones. Oh, and squeeze in writing some time throughout the day as well. She is also the mom to an adorable, yet precocious, Border Collie named Delilah. When not doing any of those fun-filled activities, she works at a hospital as a switchboard operator.

Author Links

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Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up | Facebook group

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GIVEAWAY

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My review:

3.5 stars

All Screwed Up by Beth Bolden and Brittany Cournoyer follows Griffin Caldwell as he copes with the challenges of relocating to a new town, new job, and new home. Unfortunately, the new home is not at all a dream home, and the only hope Griffin has for rescue is a grumpy and opinionated contractor, David Webber. Each man will have to discover whether they can compromise enough to establish a working relationship, let alone anything more.

This adult contemporary gay romance is a light and fluffy story, complete with adorable kittens. I’m afraid Griffin was awfully naïve, and David was pretty over-the-top stubborn, but their interactions and growing relationship was still entertaining to watch. I had quite a few questions (including, what happened to mama kitty, lol) and I wasn’t quite convinced about the major bone of contention in the house, the renovation contest, or even what the “evil” competitor’s actions were that were so bad, because a lot of things were alluded to, but then not explored as in-depth as I would have liked. Nonetheless, I was entertained by this quick read and wouldn’t mind seeing how these two guys are continuing to adapt to each other and to their furbabies.

A copy of this story was provided for review

Friday, October 23, 2020

Rough Contact by Beth Bolden (Spotlight, excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY) GBP ADULT title

Rough Contact

ADULT title

Beth Bolden

Publisher: Beth Bolden Books

Cover Artist: Angsty G Book Cover and Media Design

Release Date: October 14, 2020

Genre/s: Gay sports romance, forbidden romance, age gap romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 93 000 words

It is a standalone story.

Their romance is forbidden. Their love is a secret.

They’re the Romeo and Juliet of football.

Blurb

Neal Fisher knows heartbreak. It's the clock ticking down in the Super Bowl. It's missing the most important field goal of his life. It's losing everything: his thirteen year career as an NFL kicker, his future, and his pride.

Jamie Wright knows love. It's everything on the line as the crowd holds their breath. It's a perfect kick as the ball soars through the goal posts. It's NFL fame and glory laid out before him.

Neal is on his way out, and Jamie--if he can withstand the pressure of tryouts--is on his way in. The one person Jamie should avoid is the veteran kicker, and the last thing Neal wants is to sink Jamie’s chances. But a chance meeting and a wild and undeniable chemistry proves to be irresistible.

Neal thought he knew heartbreak. Jamie thought he knew love.

They were both wrong.

Their romance is forbidden. Their love is a secret.

But if they trust each other, maybe their growing relationship won't end in tragedy. It might even be the beginning of football’s greatest love story.

Excerpt

It felt surreal to be surrounded by so many people he’d only watched on TV. There was Bran Phillips, the famous center for the Riptide, just over there, a small girl balanced on his shoulders, and they were both laughing. Rashad Green, the best running back in the league, was sitting on a chaise lounge, sipping something fruity and frozen from a plastic margarita glass. And then there was Heath, making sure he got something to eat, and introducing him to everyone who they met. “The new kicker,” Heath said several times, even though it was hardly like he’d won the job. But then Heath would know that better than anyone, because he was on the coaching staff and he knew how many kickers they’d brought in to try out. But every single time he said it, Jamie felt like giving an addendum of not quite yet, but maybe, hopefully? If everything works out.

But Jamie didn’t, because even though Heath was more relaxed than Jamie had ever seen him, he was still Heath Harris, and he contained so much goddamn confident certainty that after meeting most of the people at the party, it was hard not to think of himself as the Riptide’s new kicker.

You’re getting ahead of yourself; you still gotta make it happen, he reminded himself. Tomorrow is the day you’re gonna have to prove yourself, again. And then you’re gonna have to do it over and over again, and then probably a couple hundred more times, for good measure.

Maybe then Coach R and Coach Toby might be satisfied.

He was sitting on the edge of the pool when suddenly he felt a body drop down next to him. He was half-expecting it to be Heath or maybe even Sam—which was surreal because he’d never imagined he’d be in the kind of position to be sought out by either of those guys—but then when he glanced over, he nearly fell into the pool.

It was Neal Fisher, and he was just in a pair of navy blue trunks, with little green palm trees scattered across the fabric. He was pale, like he’d spent too long inside this summer, but he was still undeniably handsome, his green eyes glowing in his gorgeous face, offset by his dark hair. It fell into his eyes a bit, probably because it needed a trim.

Jamie’s hands tightened on the edge of the pool and he prayed he didn’t make a fucking fool out of himself. He was just meeting his idol, that was all, and a guy he’d probably spent way too much time fantasizing about over the years.

Do not tell him you’ve jerked off to him about a thousand times. Do not even think about it.

“Hey,” Neal said casually. So casually that Jamie had a feeling that he didn’t know who Jamie really was. “You told me to come find you.” He smiled then, and though it was only a shadow of his former smile, which Jamie was embarrassed to admit he was intimately familiar enough with to tell the difference, it was still a smile. He poked Jamie in the shoulder. “Found you.”

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

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*************

About the Author

A lifelong Oregonian, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband and their sweet kitten, Earl Grey. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Author Links

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GIVEAWAY

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

a $25 Amazon gift card

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Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

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My review:

4 stars

Rough Contact by Beth Bolden follows Jamie Wright as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Neal Fisher, after the man’s fall from grace due to a missed kick attempt during the Super Bowl. Despite everything that should discourage a relationship, the two form a connection. Now to see if they can make it work despite all odds.

This adult gay sport romance provides great glimpses of the football world, with its intense pressure, superstitions, hard work, and elements of chance that can undo everything in an instant. Although the acrimony between Neal and his ex provides an element of conflict, I thought their relationship could have been filled in a little bit more so the ex wasn’t quite so two-dimensional. Despite that, I enjoyed watching the journey taken by each of the main characters as they navigate the surprising spark that they have and all of the landmines that threaten to destroy their relationship before it happens.

The fictional football team is based in my beloved hometown, so it was fun to get glimpses of it and to wonder about the location of Neal’s favorite pizza place, lol. I haven’t read the previous story (The Rivalry) that details the relationship between two of the secondary characters who have cameos, but there was no problem reading this book as a stand-alone story (even though I am definitely curious about previous events). I love the camaraderie that shines through along with the competitive spirit, and I was fascinated to discover all of the elements that must come together for a perfect kick. The heat that develops between the men is delicious, and the intricacies of navigating the path of being a minority in more ways than one allowed Jamie to display grace and strength of character.

I think this story will appeal to both sports fans and romance readers, and I, for one, will be paying closer attention to the kicker during the next football game that I watch!

A copy of this story was provided for review

Friday, September 4, 2020

Drive Me Crazy by Beth Bolden (Spotlight, excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY) GBP ADULT title

Drive Me Crazy

Food Truck Warriors #1

ADULT title

Beth Bolden

Publisher: Beth Bolden Books
Cover Artist: Angsty G Book Cover and Media Design
Release Date: August 26, 2020
Genre/s: Contemporary gay romance, opposites attract, work romance, foodie romance
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 83 000 words

A standalone story.

Blurb

When Tony Blake walks into what might be a blind date, he’s surprisingly intrigued despite his irritation with his meddling brother. But when Lucas turns out to be a new employee for their food truck, Tony’s usual charm deserts him.

Lucas might be fantastically creative in the kitchen, but to Tony’s disappointment, he’s not interested in more than a casual hookup. Old Tony would have loved the lack of strings, but New Tony is finally ready for it all.

He’s ready to find love, and to help the food truck thrive. What he needs is Lucas next to him, revolutionizing their carnivore menu with his vegan point of view, and what he wants is Lucas underneath him in bed, turning his life inside out.

As the kitchen heats up in the Los Angeles summer, can Tony figure out how to drive Lucas crazy enough to change his mind?

Excerpt

Tony was muttering as he climbed back into the truck.

“Gabriel’s here,” he said, “and so is Ash. And the fucking picnic truck.”

Lucas didn’t know who Gabriel or Ash were, but he had heard of the famous—or apparently in Tony’s mind, infamous—picnic truck. It was called Basket, and it specialized in all kinds of stuff you’d bring to a picnic or a cookout: ribs, hot dogs, potato salad, deviled eggs. Lucas had ordered from it once and had been surprisingly impressed by their macaroni salad. Macaroni salad, that fucking mainstay of middle-class American potlucks and grocery store delis. Completely reimagined and absolutely crazy delicious.

But it sounded like Tony was not exactly thrilled they were here, which kind of made sense, because they definitely seemed to grab the lion’s share of attention wherever they went.

“They’re new,” Lucas said. “A novelty.”

“Ross is a dick,” Tony grumbled, “and Aaron is an even bigger dick.”

That surprised Lucas. Tony didn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d trash his competition. “Really?”

“They stole our onion dip recipe,” Tony said. “Well, Wyatt’s onion dip recipe. And he thinks it’s funny, but it’s really not, because then we had to take it off the menu.”

“Why?”

“They claimed theirs is an ‘old family recipe’ which is total bullshit, but somehow it was basically identical to ours, and Wyatt didn’t want us to look like we were copying them, even though we’d had it as a side, nearly from the start. That was when we decided we’d do more salsas, lean into the fish tacos and stuff.”

“You should make it for me sometime,” Lucas said. He hadn’t intended for it to sound like an invitation or, god forbid, a date, but Tony glanced over in surprise, like he’d just propositioned him. Over onion dip, for god’s sake.

“Next big event, we’ll add it as a special. At least if freaking Basket isn’t around.”

Lucas told himself that he wasn’t disappointed in the way Tony dismissed him. He probably wouldn’t be around for the next big event, and Tony knew it.

Returning to his final set of prep, Lucas tried to let it go, but the way Tony had said it was weird. Stole. Money and a recipe were totally different beasts, but there was a weird similarity there that kept bothering him, piquing his curiosity. Finally, even though he knew better than to bring up what was clearly a sore subject, Lucas put his knife down and turned towards Tony, who was working on the spinach artichoke mixture for the grilled cheese, wilting spinach in a huge pot on the stove.

“What do you mean, they stole it?” Lucas asked.

Tony looked up, surprise etched on his face.

“Like, did they break into the truck and steal the recipe?” Lucas continued, gesturing to where the vague recipes were written out in bold, slashing letters that he’d discovered was Tony’s handwriting. “Or did they just buy some and duplicate it?”

“I don’t know,” Tony said. “I wish I did, but fuck if I know how they got it. I guess they could have recreated it. But . . .”

“It was totally identical,” Lucas finished. “Fuck, that sucks.” He knew how hard it would be to recreate a recipethat closely. It’d take dozens of attempts, and tons of time. Not the kind of time that anyone would waste in the food truck business. Tony was probably right; somehow the Basket guys had stolen the recipe.

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

***********************

About the Author

A lifelong Oregonian, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband and their sweet kitten, Earl Grey. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh. Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published nineteen novels and six novellas.

Author Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter | BookBub

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Giveaway

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

*******************

My review:

3.75 out of 5 stars

Drive Me Crazy by Beth Bolden spotlights Tony Blake and his adventures with his What a Catch food truck in Los Angeles. Discovering that his brother and truck co-owner has hired entrepreneur and personal trainer Lucas Barnes to help out in the truck complicates matters when sparks fly, thefts occur, and secrets threaten to derail their new relationship.

This adult gay contemporary romance is the first book in the 'Food Truck Warriors' series but also has connections to the author’s ‘Kitchen Gods’ series. The food truck is busy enough that Tony needs help, but between his friend, Jeremy, and Lucas, the man foisted on him, Tony’s not sure whether things will work out.

I was a little dismayed by Tony’s deliberate blindness and unwarranted loyalty, which made the “mystery” a little obvious, and I was frustrated by the lack of repercussions when the villain was finally confronted. The interaction between Tony and his brother, Wyatt, is a little uneven but I really enjoyed seeing how Wyatt and his famous hubby, Ryan, are doing. There are also encounters with other food truck operators that waffle between friendliness and frenemies, so I suspect some of those guys will appear in stories of their own.

The story is told in alternating points of view between the main characters, and it provides brief insights into the challenges of operating a mobile self-contained mini-restaurant. I was entertained by the glimpses of areas of Los Angeles, which was fun for me, and was frequently made hungry by the descriptions of the dishes being prepared. This is a low-angst light romance, and it can be read as a stand-alone story, although I have no doubt it would be better appreciated if the other series has been read as well. I look forward to reading other stories in this series.

A copy of this title was provided for review

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Extraordinary Things (Star Shadow, #4) by Beth Bolden (Release blitz, excerpt, and review) GBP ADULT title

RELEASE BLITZ

Extraordinary Things
(Star Shadow #4)

ADULT title

by
Beth Bolden

Publisher: Beth Bolden Books

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood Designs

Genre/s: MM Rock Star Romance, Existing Couple

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 50 000 words

NOT a standalone story.

Release Date: June 26, 2020

Add on Goodreads

Extraordinary Things is a continuation of Leo and Caleb's love story from Terrible Things.

It should not be read as a standalone.

Blurb

Leo and Caleb have been through hell—addiction, destruction, and even a five year separation—but they’ve come through on the other side with their love stronger than ever.

Caleb knows he’s earned Leo’s forgiveness. He wants to believe he deserves it, but just when Leo needs him more than ever, a voice in his head insists that maybe he doesn't. It’s so loud, he can't block it out. So loud, he’d do anything to silence it.

Including risking everything he and Leo, and the rest of Star Shadow, have built together.

Excerpt

“If you don't want to buy another house, you just need to tell me,” Leo said, and then wiggled out of Caleb's grasp, walking over to their big oversized walk-in closet. “Then I'll tell the realtor,” he said, his voice muffled. “But I feel stupid going to look at all these great places, when you end up hating all of them.”

“I don't hate them,” Caleb said quietly. That was true. He didn't hate them. There wasn't even anything really wrong with them, but there was this voice that kept telling him it was a mistake to move. A mistake to buy a new house, even though they had enough cash they could buy ten houses. “I just like this one.”

“I do too.” Leo walked out of the closet, wearing only a pair of skintight briefs, leaving nothing to the imagination and sending Caleb's pulse through the stratosphere. His voice and expression had softened, and Caleb thought if he kissed Leo, he wouldn't push him away. Not now. “I just wouldn't mind having some additional space.”

“Maybe,” Caleb said, clearing his throat as he began to unbutton his own shirt, “maybe we could look into an addition.”

Leo gave him a soft, chiding look, like he could see right through Caleb, straight into him, into all those ugly places that he tried to hide, and tried to hide from. “Maybe,” he said. Even though they both knew perfectly well that there was no extra room on their small, beachfront lot for an addition. If they wanted a bigger house, they would need to buy one. But for right now, Leo seemed to have let the problem go, and so Caleb decided that now when they had so much to celebrate, what was the point of continuing to argue about it? They'd figure it out—someday, anyway, Caleb reasoned.

“Hey,” Caleb said, shucking his shirt and reaching for Leo again, his hands sliding up his soft curves, reveling in the way his skin felt against his hands. “Hey, let's go to bed.”

Leo gave him a sly, lopsided smile, reaching up and intertwining his fingers through his curls, pulling Caleb down so their lips were nearly touching. “And what do you think I was trying to do, this whole damn time?”

“Torture me?”

“Maybe just a little,” Leo acknowledged, raising himself up so their eyes were nearly level. That deep, endless blue was something that Caleb had gotten lost in for the first time at the age of sixteen, and he'd never ever gotten over it—and the truth was, he never ever wanted to. Leo was as much a part of him as his red hair or his too-big hands or his mediocre ability to play the bass. Even when they'd been separated, and it had been years since he'd seen Leo, there'd always been a part of him yearning to be with him again, to feel that hot wild blue gaze wash over him, calming and exciting him, somehow all at the same time.

“I love you,” Caleb said, even though the words didn't feel like enough to possibly explain the feelings surging through him. Love and lust and tenderness and winding through all of that, a golden thread of abject gratitude.

Leo was the toughest person Caleb knew—the most relentless, and possibly the least forgiving person on the planet. So if he'd forgiven Caleb, and they'd moved on, that must mean Caleb deserved that forgiveness.

“You look,” Leo said thoughtfully, tapping a finger on Caleb's bottom lip, “you look like you're not thinking of what you should be thinking about.”

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

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About the Author

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GIVEAWAY

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My review:

4 out of 5 stars

Extraordinary Things by Beth Bolden is the fourth novel in the ‘Star Shadow’ series that features a group of guys as they finally find happiness and satisfaction in their lives. Caleb and Leo have had a difficult journey that was detailed in Terrible Things, the first novel in the quartet. They have gotten back together and are determined to make things work, but they’re not quite as confident in their relationship as they try to project…and the road ahead may be rocky.

This adult contemporary gay romance does a great job of tying up the series as all of the guys in the band settle into their relationships. Caleb and Leo have gone through the crucible of Caleb’s abandonment, and although their love is burning strong, they are still a little tentative about being honest about their wants and needs. There are a couple of relatively minor conflicts that have to be resolved, but this story is more about tying up all of the loose ends for each of the couples.

Given that there is such strong notice that this book should not be read as a stand-alone story, I was a little surprised that there were several flashbacks, which probably would help orient a reader new to the series but felt a little repetitive. I didn’t have the intense connection that I formed with these guys in the first story, but I still enjoyed the warm fuzzies from the romantic interludes and the resolutions for various happy couples. These stories were the first I’ve read by this author and I’ll definitely be looking for more of her works.

A copy of this title was provided for review

Monday, June 8, 2020

Hazardous Things (Star Shadow, #3) by Beth Bolden (Release blitz, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GBP ADULT title

Hazardous Things
(Star Shadow, #3)

ADULT title

by
Beth Bolden

Publisher: Beth Bolden Books

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood Designs

Release Date: May 29, 2020

Genre/s: MM Rock Star Romance, Friends to Lovers,

Bisexual Awakening, Forced Proximity

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 80 000 words

It is NOT a standalone story.

Reviewers/readers need to have read either

Terrible Things or both Terrible Things and Impossible Things.

Blurb

Felix Humphries can’t even remember the first time he crushed on Star Shadow’s drummer, Max McCloud.

It’s been an embarrassingly long time, but he’s still never acted on his feelings. One, because Max is his older brother’s best friend. Two, because Max is also his friend. Three, Max is technically his boss. And four, worst of all, Max is straight.

But when Max unexpectedly needs a caretaker for a few weeks, Felix can’t leave his friend in the lurch. He’s all ready to suffer through being so close but not close enough, when the unexpected happens.

Max isn’t straight after all, and what Max wants is Felix—but only in his bed, not in his heart.

Hazardous Things is the third book in the Star Shadow series and should not be read as a standalone.

Excerpt

When Felix came back into Max’s room, the nurse in tow, Max was still awake. He was staring out the window, a harmless drugged smile on his face.

“He’s gonna sleep for a while,” the nurse said, “at least when you get him back home.”

“I’m assuming he’s better off sleeping than being coherent and in pain,” Felix said quietly.

“Oh yeah,” the nurse said. “There’s prescriptions for the pain. And it’ll be significant. Make sure he takes them. If he doesn’t, it’s going to be real uncomfortable for both of you.”

“That won’t be a problem. I’m staying with him,” Felix said. After all, once he committed to something, he committed to it.

“I see you’re awake again,” the nurse said, going over to Max’s side. “How you feel about taking off?”

“Home,” Max repeated firmly.

“That’s right,” the nurse said, and after donning a pair of gloves, began to work on getting the IV out of Max’s arm.

Felix wasn’t exactly squeamish—he’d better not be, anyway, considering that the nurse had already gone over Max’s care instructions and he would definitely be the one changing the surgical dressing and making sure it stayed clean—but it was hard to watch when it was Max. When it was someone he cared about as much as he did Max.

Especially when Felix saw Max flinch.

“Hey,” Felix said, reaching for Max’s other hand and tangling those long, calloused fingers with his own. There’d been a point when he’d have cut off his other hand just to hold hands with the man in front of him, but he couldn’t think about that now. Now, he needed to distract Max from the IV being removed.

“Heeeeey,” Max said, and that was definitely not what Felix had expected. Was that . . .a leer?

“Hi yourself,” Felix said, squeezing Max’s hand.

Max raised their joined hands and brushed them against Felix’s forehead. “Pretty,” he said. “So pretty.”

Felix ordered himself not to blush, but it was useless. He glanced up, and the nurse was looking at them. “Your brother, huh?” she asked, amusement in her voice.

He squirmed. “My brother’s best friend,” he finally confessed. He’d been worried that they wouldn’t let him stay in the waiting room during the surgery or wouldn’t let him in to see Max in recovery if he wasn’t a family member, so he’d fudged the truth a little.

“Ah, that kind of brother,” the nurse said, her voice knowing.

Even though Felix wanted to explain it couldn’t ever be like that, because Max wouldn’t ever be interested in him that way, he didn’t, because it was already humiliating enough that his crush was visible from space.

When this ordeal was over, the only person on earth who didn’t know was going to be Max himself—and Felix would do just about anything to keep it that way.

“I’m just about done here,” she continued. “Just keep him distracted for a moment longer.”

Max’s hazel eyes were speckled with green in this light, unfocused and utterly focused on Felix all at the same time.

“Hey, it’s gonna be alright,” Felix said, his voice so much more tender than he’d intended. If he looked up, he might see quiet amusement on the nurse’s face, but he didn’t look, because he was finding it tough to look away from Max.

“Alright?” Max repeated, but he didn’t sound certain. At least not certain enough for Felix’s peace of mind. Even if this was hard—even if it felt impossible—to be there for Max over the next few weeks, he knew deep down in his bones that it was the right thing to do. Max was alone and understandably, justifiably scared—and even if there was never anything more than friendship between them, Felix wanted to be the one who reassured him.

“It’s going to be more than alright,” Felix promised. Promised himself that he would do whatever it took to make this vow come true.

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link

Amazon US | Amazon UK

*******************

About the Author

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published seventeen novels and six novellas.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter | BookBub

*******************

GIVEAWAY

a $25 Amazon gift card