Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology (Spotlight and excerpt) ADULT titles

 

Secret Identities

A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology

ADULT titles

Edited by Delilah Devlin

Inside Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, you’ll find stories by some of the hottest romance writers out there for readers who crave mysterious, enigmatic men and women who may not be who they claim to be. Perhaps they’re the new next-door neighbor with a secret mission, an alien from a far-away galaxy looking for his fated mate, or a spy trying to catch a foreign agent. Whatever their secrets, intrigue and passion follow…

Thought You Were the One by Gabbi Grey – He’s in for a surprise twist when he seeks a second chance to win the attention of his handsome, unrequited, high school crush

Secret Garden by A.J. Harris – Hired by werewolf matriarchs to track down a bad-boy photographer, a private investigator discovers a deep connection with her past—and a secret garden of unspoken, sensual pleasures

What That Alien D Do by Ava Cuvay – A cosplayer at a popular Sc-Fi convention stalks her favorite MyFans content creator only to discover his alien “prosthetic enhancements” are real

Masquerade by Brent Archer – After accepting an invitation to a masquerade, a coffeeshop owner finds himself on the run from a mafia hitman with a handsome harlequin

Claimed by her Naga Bodyguard by Cameron Allie – Escaping her dorm for a night of fun with friends takes a turn for a witch-in-training when demons attack, and a mysterious creature comes to her rescue

Mayday by Cindy Tanner – A miscommunication isn’t the end of the world—unless it is the end of the world—and your “ride or die” might just be undead

Matsuri by D.S. Dehel – An American woman searching in Japan for the man haunting her dreams is chased by a wily kitsune into a magical place where she meets a samurai warrior

Most Wanted by Darah Lace – A bounty on the line, a hunter who bedded then betrayed her, and a strip club—she’ll bare it all to get her man

Heartthrob by Delilah Devlin – Determined to recast his image from heartthrob to action hero, an actor hires on incognito with an Oklahoma ranch whose owner is trying to stay out of foreclosure

Sex, Spies, and Subterfuge by Elle James – Scottish UK SAS Agent on an undercover weekend assignment tangles with a beautiful Russian seductress and potential assassin.

Baby, Take My Hand by M. Jayne – After surviving a bullet to the brain, a detective hunting a serial killer is drawn to a mysterious man

Her Heavenly Phantom by Michal Scott – Forced into a marriage of convenience neither wants, a mild-mannered banker with an intriguing secret discovers his reluctant bride has a secret, too

Perfect Stranger by N. J. Walters – An undercover DEA agent must keep his identity secret from the woman he’s falling for, a woman he’s also investigating

In the Dark by Reina Torres – During a blackout, an undercover NSA agent in Hawaii falls hard and fast for the military guy living across the hall with secrets of his own

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Thought You Were the One 

by 

Gabbi Grey

 

He’s in for a surprise twist when he seeks a second chance to win the attention of his handsome, unrequited, high school crush.

Exclusive Excerpt

 

Mercer

The day Gawain Piazzi waltzed back into my life, things definitely looked up.

My high school crush stepped into Fifties Diner just as I was leaving. I halted, nearly knocking Sarabeth off her feet.

Gawain smiled as he caught my stare. “Going somewhere?”

“I was about to go home.”

Sarabeth scooted around me and headed into the main dining area. “Careful, Mercer.”

Whether she was warning me about standing in the middle of the diner, gaping like a landed fish, or she was warning me to protect my vulnerable heart, I couldn’t be certain.

Gawain sized me up—his gaze raking up and down my body.

I did my best not to harden under the scrutiny. I wasn’t a fifteen-year-old boy anymore. I was twenty-eight. A man. The man in my house.

Which left an ache in my chest. I would’ve done anything to have my parents back, but life hadn’t worked out like that. They were gone. I ran the business and supported my three younger siblings.

Life moved on.

 

 

Bio

 

Gabbi Grey

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

 

Husky Love (Friend of Gaynor Beach Animal Rescue) by Gabbi Grey (spotlight and excerpt)

 

Husky Love

Friend of Gaynor Beach Animal Rescue 

ADULT title

by 

Gabbi Grey 

 

Danny

I may be young, but I've done a hell of a lot of growing up in the past year. I watched my big brother deal with the challenges of loving someone, went through some medical stuff myself, and changed my career plans and ultimately, my city. Gaynor Beach is smaller than where I was, but it has two attractions—my brother's big new house, where he's letting me live for now, and Rob Dunn. When I met Rob, just, damn. Like my brother, I wanted to help that sweet, stubborn guy and his cute kids get back on their feet. Maybe the rescue husky wasn't the right gesture, despite Rob’s connection to her, but a dog is love on four paws, and I plan to be there to help all the way.

Rob

I fled my abusive husband with my two kids and the clothes on our backs. I'm grateful every day for the support the Gaynor Beach folks have given us…okay, I'm not sure I'm precisely grateful for the rambunctious young husky Danny Reynolds gave us, but Trouble makes my kids smile, and that's a big win in my eyes. I'm determined to get back on my feet. I hate relying on other people to help us, but somehow it doesn't bother me as much when it comes from Danny. It's nice to have a real friend after all those isolated years, but do I want to keep him in the friend zone?

This slow-burn small-town gay romance novel is about fresh starts, accepting help, two sweet kids, and an adorable husky named Trouble.

 

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Exclusive Excerpt

As I ushered Danny into the house, with him carrying Thomas, it struck me that this was the first time someone else had hauled the carrier for me. Gerard certainly had never done it. And we’d been within walking distance of the medical clinic and stores, so I’d just pushed the double stroller.

In other words, no one had ever helped before.

I blinked rapidly. He’s just carrying your son. Don’t make a big deal out of it. And I wouldn’t, I promised myself. I glanced over my shoulder at the other two men, but they just waved us on and turned to peer at something on the porch. I left them to do whatever, and followed Danny.

He moved to the couch, gently placed the carrier on the floor, straightened to his full height, and looked around. “You know, this is my brother’s house and I’ve never seen the inside.”

He spoke in a hushed tone around Thomas, which I appreciated. He needn’t have bothered. Thomas could sleep through anything.

Danny stretched a little, rolling his shoulders back. He was tall, although not as tall as his brother. He was also… I sought the right word. Not fat or chubby or anything like that. Just…solid. Both he and his brother had some heft to them. As opposed to myself who was short and… short and scrawny. No! Slender. Slim. Something that wasn’t a word Gerard had used to make me feel bad about myself. Only now was I realizing just how often I repeated Gerard’s cold criticism in my own head. I was determined to learn not to put myself down.

Gerard did enough of that for the both of us.

Danny smiled broadly. “My brother’s lived here for a couple of months, and I’ve never even seen the place.”

“It’s a great place.” I tried not to think of how small it was in comparison to my LA house because that didn’t matter. We had a roof over our heads. For the moment, we were safe. “I love that Hallie’s going to get her own room.” I didn’t mind sharing a room with Thomas. Having the crib next to the large bed would be a tight fit, but—having met James—I saw why the bed had to be so big. The guy was massive. And Colin wasn’t a slouch either.

As Danny craned his neck, I offered up a smile. “Why don’t you take a look around? Then you can say you’ve seen the place.”

“Oh, I don’t want to—”

“Really, it’s okay.” And Hallie was growing heavier in my arms.

As if sensing the issue, Danny nodded and headed down the hallway to the bathroom, bedroom, and den.

I lowered Hallie to the couch. “Do you want to read a book?”

She nodded silently, her gaze on where Danny had vanished.

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

Author bio and links:

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

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Love Furever by Gabbi Grey (ADULT title) Spotlight and excerpt

 

Love Furever

ADULT title

by

Gabbi Grey

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

Synopsis 

Colin

Being rejected by family hurt like hell, but I kept my head high, left my toxic relatives behind, and moved across the country to Gaynor Beach, CA. Luckily, I have great furry company. My French bulldog puppy, Widget, was dumped on me for not meeting my parents' ridiculously high standards either, so we're comforting each other. With a nice rental house and a new job, Widget and I were ready for a fresh start—until I got a devastating diagnosis. I can't take care of Widget properly while trying to save my own life, and I expect a long, hard road. I'll have to break both our hearts and put her up for adoption, for her sake. Right?

James

I’ve wanted a pet forever, but my family circumstances didn’t allow it. Now I’m away from my masses of relatives and on my own, and I’m ready to take on a furry companion. My friend, a guy who never says no to an animal in need, introduces me to Colin and his beautiful puppy Widget. I’m horrified Colin feels he needs to give her up just because he's sick, but I’m happy to take Widget as a temporary foster. I’m also happy to offer support to the new guy in town who is so very alone during a time of crisis. Helping someone in need comes naturally to me. But what if that temporary help turns into me wanting a forever relationship?

This is a gay romance slow-burn novel about new beginnings, found family, unconditional love, and a puppy named Widget. This middle-angst story has a guaranteed happily ever after.

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 *********************

Exclusive excerpt:

“And now you need to give Chambord up?”

Yet again, I nodded. “Yeah. I need to go up to LA regularly, and I can’t leave her alone in the rental house. I suppose I should’ve looked for something closer, but I didn’t want a big city, you know? Gaynor Beach was the right size in the right location. Of course, I hadn’t realized how bad—” My voice broke and I couldn’t go on. I struggled to keep my emotions tamped down. This should’ve been easy. I’d barely had the dog two weeks. We weren’t bonded. Not really. So I’d find her a new home, and—

“Sounds like you love her, though.”

“Which means giving her up. For her sake.”

“There might be an alternative.”

I blinked several times before meeting Arthur’s gaze. The day was unusually cloudy, so I hadn’t worn sunglasses, and the light was making my eyes water. “I don’t understand…”

“What if I found someone to help you out? Who’d come and take Chambord for walks? And watch her when you go to LA for treatment?”

My head swam. “That could last months. Years, if I don’t get a transplant. Or I might die.” There, I’d said it. Admitted my greatest fear. I’d always believed I’d be brave in the face of death, but I was only thirty-two years old. I wasn’t ready to die.

You might not have a choice.

Doesn’t mean I can’t fight.

Arthur placed a comforting hand on my elbow. “I have a friend. Great guy. He’s been wanting to foster, but I think he’s a little commitment-shy, if you know what I mean. He’s never had a pet, so he’s not sure he wants all that responsibility, but he loves animals. When he comes over to my place, he’s happy to hang out with them. Okay, except the snake.”

“You have a snake?” That felt vaguely alarming to me.

“No, I had a snake. Someone abandoned one in a rental house when they took off. Landlady knew me and asked me to take care of it. Poor thing was in need of some care, which I provided. He now lives in a house not too far from here. Great family. Responsible kids.”

Responsible. Like I needed to be. “So you have a friend who likes hanging out with pets? Hardly seems fair that he’d do all the work and leave Chambord with me the rest of the time.”

Links:

Amazon US

Universal Book Link

Kobo

Apple Books

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Smashwords

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

About the author:

 

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

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Thinking it Over by Becca Seymour KINDLE Countdown deal spotlight ADULT title

Thinking It Over

ADULT title

by

Becca Seymour

Publisher: Rainbow Tree Publishing

Cover Artist: BookSmith Designs

Release Date: June 13, 2020

Genre:  Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Small-town romance, age gap, low-angst

Themes: Reluctant to love

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 330 pages

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

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THE KINDLE 99c COUNTDOWN DEAL 

RUNS FROM 

JUNE 8 (8am GMT/PDT) - JUNE 14 (8am GMT/PDT)

(please check price before purchasing)

Also available in Kindle Unlimited

When a young teacher connects with the principal of his school, work and ex issues, the possibility of happiness and a chocolate Labrador called Penny means they have a lot to think over.

Blurb 

Newly appointed teacher, Jasper Taylor, can't believe his luck. After a year, he's found a job with the possibility of a permanent contract, which finally allows him to put his teaching degree to good use. After meeting the silver-haired principal of the school, Jasper discovers his new position offers an additional temptation. He knows he should retreat, but who said avoiding attraction was easy, especially when the man he's crushing on seems too good to be true?

Well-respected and focused on his career, Austin Harrison is at the top of his game. He's turned a struggling school around, has finally put up boundaries with his demanding ex, and may just have secured full custody of his chocolate Lab, Penny. The appointment of the new English teacher, Jasper, threatens to unsettle the stability he's been working towards. Austin's attraction is immediate, heady, and oh so complicated. But does complicated mean he has to walk away?

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

Excerpt 

 The past week had been a challenge. Not only was the honeymoon period over with a couple of my classes, which meant they were pushing me to see just how much it would take for me to crack, but the uncertainty between Austin and me left a bad taste in my mouth. Feeling ill at ease was never pleasant. Add in that we hadn’t managed more than a handful of text messages, and it made everything feel so much more difficult.

But then he’d kissed me.

When his own concern had stared right back at me, the turmoil making life so unpleasant had immediately eased. Not quite disappeared, as a conversation between the two of us was overdue, but as I pulled up outside his home, excitement tumbled through me.

The previous weekend away had been incredible, close to perfect even. It was only the appearance of his high-maintenance ex that had abruptly put an end to the bubble of happiness.

A sweet grin lit Austin’s features when he opened my car door, having arrived a few seconds before me.

“And who said chivalry was dead?” I said when I exited. “Thank you.” Sweet gestures were a surefire way of making me swoon, and from the softness in his gaze changing to heat, I figured he knew as much.

“My pleasure.” He reached out and took my hand, the connection pleasant and reassuring. “Be warned, Penny may pounce when she sees you.”

I laughed. “Is that right?”

“She’s been pining.”

I side-eyed him. “After three weeks of knowing me, I would imagine that’s a vast exaggeration.”

He shook his head and stopped, angling to stand before me, hand still clasping my own. “Sometimes all it takes is one meeting to know there’s a connection. Add in the next handful of times, and when you’re left smiling, your heart hammering in your chest, already counting down the time until you’ll see that person again, pining is a given.”

Swallowing to clear the dryness in my throat, I fought hard to maintain my composure. “Penny does smile a lot with her eyes.” The words came out breathily, not as flippant or even as jovial as I’d intended. But, in all fairness, beyond slamming my mouth to his, I was unsure how else to respond to his sweet words.

He nodded, his eyes searching mine. “She’s lucky that you came back,” he settled on.

While my heart flipped, my lips quirked. “I’m lucky that you’ve reminded me how good and right it feels to be here.”

  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

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

About the Author 

Becca Seymour is the #1 gay romance best seller of the True-Blue series. Known for “steamy and endearing” and “emotionally profound love stories” (InD'tale Magazine) her books have been nominated for multiple RONE Awards.

Becca lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, Becca’s life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

Author Links

https://linktr.ee/beccaseymour

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Five Gold Blings by Clare London (Spotlight, excerpt, and review) ADULT title

 

 

Five Gold Blings

ADULT title

by

Clare London

 

 

One Christmas, two lonely hearts, and five portions of sparkle!

Gray isn’t enjoying December. The weather’s grim, his job’s a struggle, and his useless boyfriend ran out on him months ago. He’s a walking Mr Christmas Grump. And then he delivers a parcel to Alec, a bright, sparkly, over-earnest vlogger who’s going through his own hard times. Over the course of five days, accompanied by an irritating but relentlessly cheerful pop song, Gray and Alec share secrets, kisses, regrets, triumphs, some truly awful fashion—and maybe a love that will last far beyond the new year.


This short novella was previously published in the 2020 anthology “Gifts for the Season”. It is a standalone Christmas romance.

 

 *********************

Exclusive excerpt:

When Mr A opened the door and took the box, I just followed him in. Assumed he’d tell me to get lost if he thought it was creepy, or he didn’t want me there. But he didn’t.

“So, what’s the A for?” I asked. “In your name. You’re not a partridge, so it must be something human...”

“Alec,” he said. “Sorry. I should have introduced myself before.”

“Seeing as we’ve already exposed ourselves to each other,” I said with a laugh. Then wished I could bite my bloody tongue out for being gross.

“What is it this time?” I rushed on. “Still the summer fashion theme?” I peered in with him, as he opened the box. Our heads were very close together, and for a wild moment, I imagined I could smell strawberries. Jesus. In December? The cold must have affected my brain.

It was a stock of sunglasses. Bright colours, big lenses, wide frames, and they were all covered in little jewels like confetti. As he picked out a couple of pairs, the neon light caught them, and the sparkle nearly blinded me. Talk about overkill. “You’re surely not going to wear them,” I scoffed. “They’re for teenage girls, aren’t they?”

Alec’s expression was mischievous. He nibbled at his plump lower lip in a way that made me want to grab him and offer my lips instead. “Dear me, Gray. How un-metrosexual you are. They’re for whoever wants to wear them.” He glanced at my face but in an assessing way, rather than a look-how-hot-Gray-is-and-I-want-to-ravish-him way.

I laughed nervously, because I had a feeling I knew where this was going. “Which, duh. Isn’t us. Right?”

No immediate answer from Alec. When I glared at him, his cheeks turned pink.

“Will you join me on the podcast again, Gray? It’ll look so much better with two models. We can create all sorts of fun shots. I’ve got some cocktail glasses, a beach ball. It’ll be like taking selfies from beside the pool in Ibiza.”

What the hell? This was a cold, bleak office unit off Clapham High Street at the end of December. You couldn’t get farther away from a Spanish beach. Not that I’d ever had a foreign holiday, but I imagined myself with the sun hot and canary yellow above us, lying on a sunbed in next to no clothes, Alec’s smooth skin glistening with suncream, sipping his margarita and blushing so, so prettily when I ran my fingers along his thigh…

I cleared my throat and we broke our mutual stare. He was flushed: looked strangely confused.

 

Amazon link

 

 

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

 

My review:

 

 

4 stars

 

I'm still in my "bah, humbug" mode, even as I'm gathering things for the holiday season, but this cute, sweet story did a great job of nudging me toward the cheerful part of the spectrum. Of course, now I'm going to be humming the song even though I am NOT ready to sing Christmas carols, lol. 

 

I love the positive message and the encouragement to follow one's dream, not to mention the great ideas for repurposing other people's discards. This was necessarily a condensed start of a beautiful relationship, but hopefully there will be more details about this cute couple at some point in the future. This was an enjoyable quick read that celebrates both the holiday season and the joy of creativity.

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

 

Never Fade Away by E.L. Esch (Spotlight, excerpt, and review) ADULT title GBP

 

 

 Never Fade Away

ADULT title

by

E.L. Esch

 

 

 

 

Until death does us part, but it's knocking on our door…

I'd had enough. That's how I found myself in a dingy alleyway with my revolver in my hand. I was sick and dying anyway, and there was nothing I could do about it. Nothing except maybe taking back some shred of control by going out on my own terms.

One deep breath. Two… Three… Four…

Surrounded by the darkness of my own mind, this was the only solution I could see, but before I could do something I’d regret, rock star Anno Goodkind crashed into my life and flipped it upside down.

It was supposed to be one casual hookup. No complications and definitely no feelings. No, the most logical thing to do would be to stuff my emotions down so nobody got hurt. Especially not him. But nobody told me that love didn’t give a damn about logic.

CONTENT WARNING: This story has a HEA but deals with heavy themes of illness, suicide, anxiety, and depression. Reader discretion is advised.

 

 

Amazon link

 

 

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

 

My review: 

 

4 stars

 

 

Never Fade Away by E.L. Esch centers around an unexpected intervention by rock star Arlo Goodkind as he reminds Vincent to focus on living rather than on dying.

 

 

This adult gay romance was a challenging and sobering story to read. I wasn’t sure whether it was going to be too dark a story to read during these troubling times, given that it starts with an interrupted possible suicide attempt and a serious medical condition. I quickly became caught up in the story, and even though each man is dealing with very heavy emotional burdens, I was charmed by the connection that forms between them. This is not a light fluffy story, but it is heartwarming and indeed fits the parameters of a romance. Those with triggers should pay attention to the warnings, but kudos to the author for tackling such serious subjects with sensitivity and deftness.

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turnabout by Laurel Greer (Spotlight, excerpt, and review) ADULT title

 

Turnabout

ADULT title

by

Laurel Greer

(Vino and Veritas series)

 

 

 

"Auden and Carter are the swoony heroes I didn't know I needed in my life! Turnabout is spectacular, and everyone should read it." USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen

 

I don’t have time for an unplanned visit home to help out in my father’s struggling letterpress shop. My stint in Vermont will have to be short, for a couple of reasons: 

One, I’m a busy executive trying to climb the corporate ladder.

Two, my ex is still my dad’s right-hand man in the shop. And I am not over him.

Nothing has changed at the Burlington shop. Auden still has his infuriatingly sexy Scottish accent. He’s still hot, and still stubborn. Between operating the antique press with his shirtsleeves rolled up, and moonlighting at Burlington’s hottest inclusive wine bar, he pushes every one of my attraction buttons.

My falling-in-love-again buttons, too. Except I’m his polar opposite. I love change, and taking chances. Everything he avoids in life. 

So why am I trying to convince him to reach for more than we’ve ever dreamed of—the possibility of forever?

Turnabout is a second-chance romance with interfering family, groveling, and a large helping of artisan stationery geekery.

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

He lifts a dark eyebrow. “I said, I want to work with someone willing to wallow with paper and design. Tease out the one-of-a-kind magic.”

His voice is quiet, soothing. It demands I take a deep breath and get out of my feelings.

“I’ve been reminded of how much of an art it is,” I say. “And that I can get by, but you—you have a gift.”

Rosy splotches bloom on his cheeks. “You know what you’re doing, too.”

“I don’t have the rhythm of it like you do. The innate… mastery, I guess. The relationship.”

Auden tilts his head and looks out the front window.

“What?” I ask. “He’s not coming back.”

“I know, but hearing the words rhythm and mastery and relationship when it comes to using a press... I'm looking for locusts, frogs, horsemen—any sign of the apocalypse.”

“Fuck off,” I mutter.

Rhythm, mastery.

When he repeats the words like that, I’m not thinking of cast iron machines—I’m thinking about sex.

I can’t believe he didn’t call me on how filthy that sounded.

He’s biting his lip, still a little pink in the face.

Okay, maybe he’s thinking it, at least.

“I could show you,” he says.

Meeting his gaze is like swimming in a lake, when you dive down, down on a bright day, and you have the dark depths below, and the streams of light from above, and it blends around you like you’re wearing a crown of green water and sunlight.

Holy fuck. He’s too much sometimes.

“Come here.” He crooks a finger for me to meet him at the Chandler and Price.

Definitely too much.

I join him anyway.

He takes my left hand and places it on the small shelf on the front of the press where we’d normally collect the cards during a run. The wood is smooth. And it would feel exactly like palming a flat piece of wood always does, except his big hand covers mine.

“Artisanry demands that relationship.” His voice is insanely low, but he’s only inches from me, so I don’t miss a syllable.

“I’m not an—”

“You have the artistic talent. You just need a little patience.” He puts his other hand on my right hip and positions me square to the press. He taps his toe against my heel, a silent command to put my foot on the treadle.

“We’re missing some parts.” Paper. Ink. The frame. Everything that actually turns into a product.

“We’re not making anything.” He’s at an angle to me. If he leaned forward three inches, his dick would be pressed into my hip. His left hand is still holding mine to the shelf. The other is a heavy weight just below my waist.

“I don’t understand,” I say.

“Just watch it, Carter.” He sounds amused. “You want to know every quirk. And not to try to learn when you’re rushing through eight jobs at once. When you have time to go easy.”

“Really.”

“Really,” he says. “Grip the wood with your other hand, too.”

“Grip the wood? You’re fucking with me.”

“A little.” I can’t see his face from where he is behind me, but I hear his smirk.

A little? A lot. I grab hold of the shelf anyway.

“Just work the treadle,” he says.

I press my toe into the pedal, making the flywheel whir.

“And listen,” he says. “Watch.”

I do that, too.

I’ve been so damn busy since I got here—paper in, paper out, paper in, paper out—I haven’t actually watched anything I’ve done.

The rollers, mesmerizing as they glide over the circular, iron platen.

“What color’s the ink?” Auden’s hand tightens on my hip. His breath tickles the side of my neck.

There is no ink.

“Green,” I say. I can’t get that sunlit lake off my mind.

(I don’t want to. Ever.)

My tie… Why am I wearing something meant to restrict my airflow? I want to loosen it, but Auden told me to keep my hands on the shelf, so I’m keeping my hands on the goddamn shelf.

“Hear anything in the flywheel?” he says.

Just the whir and clicks and whuffs it normally makes. “Should I be?”

“Nothing unusual, but the more you know the sounds of it, the more you know exactly when to feed the paper.” He taps the top of my hand once. Twice. Again. Matching it up to some sensory memory that’s so ingrained in him, he probably dreams in that rhythm.

Anchored by his touch, I’m the one who leans in the three inches. My shoulder, touching his chest. His breath, much more than a tickle. A caress.

“It’s a pulse,” he murmurs, so gruff, the consonants and vowels mix together. His fingers brush the hollow above my shirt collar. My knees wobble.

“A pulse.” I tilt my head to the side, exposing my neck.

“Aye.” Bending his head, his lips land on the same sensitive spot.

My head’s turning faster than the flywheel.

“Auden.”

“See? You know the rhythm.”

Oh god, I don’t know anything right now.

 

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My review:

3.75 stars

 

 

Turnabout by Laurel Greer is part of the ‘Vino and Veritas’ series and centers around Carter Prescott, who’s a success in his professional life, but has never felt appreciated by his father. Ironically, his father’s emergency request for help at his artisan printing shop forces Carter to not only evaluate his career choices but also to deal with his painful past with his ex, Auden Macarthur. Each man has to learn how to establish priorities and determine what is truly important in his life.

 

This adult contemporary gay romance provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of printing and evokes the joy and fascination of fine writing materials and the care that goes into producing custom stationery. I could practically smell the expensive cardstock and visualize the brilliant inks and fancy pens even as I watched the give and take of not only the main couple but other connected folks and their relationships.

 

The story is told in alternating first person points of view so that one can see how the relationship imploded from both viewpoints, and how their fractured relationship needs to be realigned. Each of these guys come from a dysfunctional family, and it is lovely to watch them navigate around their challenges and remember why they formed a connection in the first place. I had trouble warming to each man at first, but I was relieved to see that they were capable of maturing. I enjoyed the story (and who can resist a Scot in a kilt?), and now I need to go shopping for some pretty stationery and fancy pens, lol.

 

A copy of this title was provided for review