Showing posts with label adult contemporary m/m. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adult contemporary m/m. Show all posts

Monday, September 11, 2023

A Fall of Light by L.J. Greene (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title

 


A Fall of Light

by 

LJ Greene

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  Contemporary M/M Romance

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 


 

LJ Greene brings to life one of her most compelling characters: the sensitive, eccentric, bass guitarist, Greg Van de Meer. A Fall of Light weaves together the strands of Greg’s private and public lives—a shattering personal history, a love affair with potentially disastrous consequences, and family bonds that are stretched to their breaking point.

 

BLURB:

It’s been fifteen years since Greg was outed by his fundamentalist father at age sixteen and sent from home, with devastating consequences for both he and his younger brother, Asher. Now unlaid ghosts from the past are stirring. With his band’s success on the world stage, Greg’s life takes a complicated turn when he develops a friendship with Louis Angel, an ex-Marine with a secret of his own, and finds himself facing familiar threats from an unexpected source.

 

Strained loyalties, a private affair, and Greg’s own guarded history collide dangerously until a visit from an old foe forces him to confront past wounds and present beliefs. Allegiances are called into question and he must decide whether the secrets he’s fighting to protect are worth the life he’s finally ready to have.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 




EXCERPT

 

He’d forgotten. Not just what it felt like to be touched by a man, but how much a part of him those desires truly were. He’d spent so much of his life in wary vigilance, rarely being able to fully enjoy his sexuality or even the fruits of his life. And he’d had so many blessings, but he was always wary. It was exhausting to be so wary.

He closed his eyes, and just for a moment, let himself imagine what it would be like to surrender to another person’s care. No, to Louis’s care, specifically; not some other’s. To Louis’s willingness to take care of him, to lean on him, as he seemed to want Greg to do. To be himself—fully himself—and to trust Louis to accept him, warts and all.

Louis’s face was now turned away, half buried in the white mounds of his pillow, his sleep-warm arms clutching it.

I’m afraid, he explained to him, in his thoughts. I’m afraid I’m going to fall . . . to get used to this, he corrected himself firmly, and you’re going to decide that being with a man—or being with me—isn’t what you imagined it to be. “I told you,” he whispered softly aloud, “I’m not a casual person. And I’m afraid that I won’t be able to be casual about you.”

A soft snore was his only answer. He leaned over, breathing in the musky sweetness of that firm, smooth shoulder, and pressed a small, loving kiss there.

 Buy links:

 Amazon

B&N

Apple

Kobo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

 

LJ Greene is a self-professed obsessive multi-tasker who writes boring stuff by day and lets her inner romantic fly by night.  This California native is married to the most amazing man and has two beautiful children, now old enough to read her books but still not interested because of the ew, gross factor. She’s an avid reader of all genres with an embarrassingly large ebook collection, and a weird penchant for reading the acknowledgements at the end of a novel.  She’s also a music lover with no apparent musical talent, a travel enthusiast, and a cheese connoisseur.

 

Website

Twitter: @authorljgreene


 *******************************

GIVEAWAY

 a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here

 


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

My review:


3.75 stars

 

“A Fall of Light” by L.J. Greene follows the evolution of the relationship that develops between a rock star with a troubled past and the man who is supposed to make sure he is safe. In addition to the stresses of being in the closet, there are also dangers from the past that threaten to undermine everything these two are building together.

 

This adult contemporary gay romance provides encouragement and inspiration for those who have to fight to overcome dysfunctional families and censure from those who should support them. I love that these two find a way to get past their insecurities and learn to trust each other, even as I cringe at the betrayal and emotional blackmail that is all too familiar to those of us who deal with toxic people. I was able to relate to the characters easily and became invested in their journey, and I like the fact that some of the others in the band seem to be destined to get their lives featured as well. I hope to see this couple featured again some time, so we can catch up on what they’re doing.

 

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





 


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


 


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 eighteen novels and six novellas.



Social Media Links


 

 



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



GIVEAWAY


   





 



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



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