You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine by Kimberly Love (VBT, guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title

It is my pleasure to share a guest post from author Kimberly Love who says...

Don’t Let Fear Get the Best of You!

by 

Kimberly Love

One of the things that were difficult for me to overcome in my path to be published was the fear of failure. Being a writer is often about tons of passion and many writers don’t become published. That may be because they let fear get the best of them and gave up or because they just write for the passion behind it, the sheer joy of creating something.

I’ve been a writer for a long time and I always knew that the goal was to get published. I wanted to be an author more than anything. It’s certainly a hard road though; it’s not for the faint of heart. I struggled for many years and even sat on projects because I was scared of failing. I was terrified of putting myself out there and then getting slammed. I didn’t want my dreams to come crashing down around me.

You can literally paralyze your dreams and your life with fear. I was able to overcome it by just saying, I will allow myself to feel fear for 1 minute, but then I’m going to move ahead anyway. I didn’t want to live in fear; I wanted to see if it was truly possible for me to get everything that I wanted in life. Anything worthwhile in life is going to be scary, right? Isn’t that what they tell us?

When writers ask me for advice, I tell them to forge forward and realize their dreams despite the fear. It’s going to come and that’s okay, just keep moving forward. All writers feel rejection at some point, but if you believe in your work then ignore the critics and keep moving forward. I promise you that you won’t regret it.

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Book Description:

WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK AWESOME?

There's an evil queen, a demented father, some amateur boxing and a trailer park story. Even a silver fox makes an appearance. Why wouldn't that entice you?

If you are looking for something different from the rest of the books out there, something that might make you question your sanity then you will love this book.

Seriously! The comedic and sassy perspective will make you see things differently, and you may even find yourself laughing out loud. It's a good story and one that I truly believe needs to be told. Period.

It’s dark, raw and takes you to a door that keeps all my innermost secrets. I hope that the book makes you laugh, makes you cry, and inspires you to be the best version of yourself.

You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine

ADULT title 

by Kimberly Love

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GENRE:   Non-Fiction/Memoir

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BLURB:

There's an evil queen, a demented father, some amateur boxing and a trailer park story. Even a silver fox makes an appearance. Why wouldn't that entice you?

If you are looking for something different from the rest of the books out there, something that might make you question your sanity then you will love this book.

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EXCERPT

  

Mom? Are you reading this? Maybe you should have a drink first. Can we get a rum and coke over here? She’s gonna need it...

A lot of people have asked me throughout this process, why I would want to write this book. There are a few reasons why I decided to completely expose myself for the world to see, but certainly one particular moment comes to mind. During a heated argument with my ex-husband, post-divorce, he blurted out that he thought I was incapable of loving another human being. It’s one of those things you hear that is so shocking to you that the argument just ceases. I was speechless, I didn’t know what to say. Normally I would have chalked it up to the fact that he was in fact a disgruntled ex because it wouldn’t be the first time we got down and dirty in an argument, but this time I didn’t. I never forgot that comment, mainly because I wondered for years if it was true. There was just something about the way he said it that made me wonder if I was really that irrevocably screwed up. So, I decided to delve into my past, for my sake as well as my daughters, to find out why I walked out on a relationship that everyone thought was perfect.

 Amazon

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kimberly spend her days writing about serial killers and playing on her blog while trying not to get sucked in by her Facebook notifications or get into the whiskey decanter (just kidding...kinda). Check out her blog.

Website/Blog

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Twitter

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GIVEAWAY


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The tour dates can be found here

West from the Cradle by Brigid Amos (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

West from the Cradle

by Brigid Amos

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GENRE: YA Historical Fiction

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BLURB:

Travis Cooper was not meant to be a prospector. Small for his age, he has never been much help on the family farm in Missouri. How could he survive the journey west to take up such backbreaking work? But when he sees a copy of the California Star in the fall of 1848, everything changes. One shining word jumps off the page: GOLD! Now staying alive is a struggle. Keeping his partner from getting himself killed is even harder!

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EXCERPT

Travis paid for the nails and was almost out the door when Hillerman called to him and beckoned for him to come back to the counter. “Come here a second, son. I want to show you something.” Reaching down behind the counter, the shopkeeper pulled out a stack of newspapers. “Melvin Ellerbee brought me these newspapers from St. Joe. It’s this one I wanted you to see.” Hillerman handed Travis the newspaper on the top of the stack.

“California Star,” Travis murmured. “This newspaper’s from California?”

“It’s from San Francisco to be precise. That newspaper was sent out this way by the editor, a Mr. Brannan of San Francisco, to recruit new American Californians. Clever fellow, that Brannan. What I wanted you to see was this article by Victor something or other. His name’s French I guess. Here, look!” Hillerman pointed to an article on the front page.

As Travis skimmed the article, one shining word jumped right off the page. “Gold?” he asked, looking up at the shopkeeper for confirmation.

“Gold!” Hillerman said. “They found gold in the American River. I figure there’s more where that came from, and there must be plenty of other rivers and streams out there that have it in them.”

“Those folks are lucky, aren’t they? I’d call that being in the right place at the right time.”

“They’re lucky all right. But so will be those who emigrate out there this spring. It sounds like there’s plenty to go around.”

Travis put the newspaper down and searched Hillerman’s face. “Is that what you’re thinking of doing? Going out there to California?”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Brigid Amos’ young adult historical fiction has appeared in The MacGuffin, The Storyteller, Wilderness House Literary Review, and Words of Wisdom. Her first novel, A Fence Around Her, was published by Clean Reads in 2016. A produced playwright, she co-founded the Angels Playwriting Collective and serves on the boards of Angels Theatre Company and Women Writing the West. She is also an active member the Nebraska Writers Guild. Although Brigid left a nugget of her heart behind in the California Gold Country, most of it is in Lincoln, Nebraska where she currently lives with her husband.

Connecting with Brigid Amos:

Join Brigid’s mailing list

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Visit Brigid’s website

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My review:

 

3.75 out of 5 stars

West From the Cradle by Brigid Amos is a young adult historical novel that provides a glimpse of the sacrifice and determination that characterized the exodus to participate in the California Gold Rush. Young Travis Cooper gets caught up in the frenzy and has to cope with remarkable changes that he will need to adapt to or be chewed up by the craziness.

There are fascinating aspects to this story that gives a different perspective on the sacrifices, harsh life, and difficult choices that characterized life during this time. The author offers several examples of the way life changes in an instant and gives insight into the highs and lows that accompany the arduous process of gathering gold from the barely civilized region of California. I was particularly entertained to learn the implications of the phrase, "Watching the grass grow." The casual bigotry demonstrated is heartbreaking and it was eye-opening to be reminded what a precarious position women could occupy. The points of view hop around and there are sometimes abrupt shifts in time and scene which I found disconcerting but I was particularly frustrated by the end because it is somewhat of a cliffhanger.

I think this is a fun story that will help youngsters understand a bit more about our amazing history and the fever that struck and changed so many lives.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Alien Mate Experiment by Zenobia Renquist (New release spotlight, excerpt) ADULT title

I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post from author Zenobia Renquist, who shares a little insight about her new story...



ZR:  Romance and I were estranged for two years. It was hard to see the HEA through the mire of life. And then I read Alien, Mine by Sandra Harris and Rescued by an Alien by Amanda Milo. There were a bunch of other books I read too, but those two resonated with me. Suddenly, I wanted to write a story with an alien hero who wasn’t just a tall human in space. He needed to be other. Very other.

My first thought was a reptile. You can’t get much more other than that. Well, you can but I wasn’t going to go that far. My brainstorming session turned in a writing session, and the next thing I knew, I was writing the entire story to the detriment of all else. Nothing was more important than finishing this book, and that included making dinner. There were a lot of insta-meals and delivery pizzas that week.

Yes, I said week. It took me a week (give or take a day or two) to finish Alien Mate Experiment. That was how badly I wanted this story to be written. It was amazing to feel that pull again after so long without—the absolute need to write about these two characters and how they ended up together. Romance returned, and it brought book ideas with it. Lots and lots of alien abducted women and strong, alpha Paranormal men who will have their books written in the near future.




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Alien Mate Experiment
by
Zenobia Renquist
is an ADULT title


- Genre: SciFi Alien Abduction Romance
- Price: $3.99 (ebook), $11.99 (print)
- Release Date: 19 Nov 2017
- Length: 69,800 words, 186 pages
- Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63475-058-5
- Print ISBN: 978-1-63475-059-2



Blurb:

Abducted from her world and dropped onto his, she’s as alien to him as he is to her. That doesn’t mean they can't have some fun with their differences.

Semeera needs a plan for starting her life over. After divorcing a controlling husband, she’s ready to enjoy freedom at last. Too bad she gets abducted by aliens before she can decide her next move.

Captain Kader is an alien warrior trapped in a dead-end assignment where he will never see battle again. There are no more challenges to his life, no chances for glory. And then a dangerous experiment brings him an unexpected visitor who changes everything.

They are as different from each other as night and day, but those differences only entice Semeera and Kader into finding out just how physically compatible they are. What should have been a little fun causes the resurgence of a disease long thought extinguished.

If Semeera triggered it in Kader, will others succumb? And will the scientists be able to get past Kader to find out? Most importantly, can a beautiful black woman really love an alien male with scales, claws, and a tail?



Excerpt:
 
Instead of the elevator, they headed left through a different door and walked… and walked… and walked… and good Lord, how big was this fucking ship?
 
Semeera didn’t ask the question aloud because she’d been the one to ask for an alternative to the elevator. She just hadn’t known she would be walking a marathon instead.
 
Captain Kader said, “The main thoroughfare of the ship is built on a spiral around the perimeter.”
 
She stopped and slumped against the nearest wall, catching her breath. “I give up. Let’s just use the elevator. I’m too out of shape for all this walking.”
 
“I could carry you.”
 
“Don’t tempt me.”
 
“It is no hardship. You weigh next to nothing.”
 
Semeera gave him a huge smile. “You are so good for my ego.” An ego that had been trampled too many times by her ex’s callous comments about her eating less and exercising more so she didn’t crush him—his phrasing—when she rolled onto him in bed.
 
The first time he’d said that to her she should have divorced him. Insensitive asshole. She’d almost developed an eating disorder because of him. And she blamed him for her post-divorce weight gain because she’d eaten everything she’d been denied to celebrate. And lots of it.
 
Captain Kader extended his hand.
 
She shook her head and straightened. “Nope. I’m good. But thanks for offering.”
 
“You’re welcome.” He gestured to the side. “The elevator is this way.”
 
Once they were inside, with her clinging to his arm once again, she said through clenched teeth, “I will not be able to continue doing this—riding this elevator—after lunch. Fair warning.”
 
“Noted. I shall carry you then.” 

“You don’t—”
 
“I will not allow you to overexert yourself. Nor do I want Doctor Gyan berating me for causing you harm.”
 
She met his determined green gaze and almost melted into a puddle of lust on the spot. Of course she wanted him to carry her. She was ready to climb him right then, but for different reasons. “Well, fine. If you’re gonna be all logical about it,” she said in a mock huffy tone as the elevator came to an abrupt halt.
 
“I shall.”
 
She gave his arm a squeeze before letting him go and stepping into a gym. “Wow.”
 
The equipment and the people using it were impressive. The usual suspects of treadmills and weight machines were present. But the people using the treadmills were running at speeds that made their legs blur and the weights on the machines were massive.
 
“I’m pretty sure everything in here can kill me.”
 
“I agree. Please refrain from using them.”
 
“Hey!” She smacked his arm and then regretted it as the sting radiated through her hand. Shaking it out, she said, “You’re supposed to be encouraging and tell me all I need is time to get used to it as part of my acclimation.”
 
“I would rather be realistic. Your first assessment is an accurate one. You will not be allowed to use any of the machines.” There was a finality in his voice that left no room for argument.
 
“Not even the treadmills?”
 
He glanced at them and then smirked at her. “They don’t go that slow.”
 
“Wait a damn minute. I am not slow.”
 
“Whatever speed we were walking earlier, if not slow, is not a speed the treadmills go.”
 
She laughed. “Fine. Fine. Whatever. But I’m not slow. Your legs are just a lot longer than mine, making you naturally faster.”
 
“This is true of all khartarns, which is why no machine made for us will ever be slow enough for you.”
 
Still laughing, she said, “I take back what I said about you being good for my ego.”
 
“Your ego should not be so fragile that the truth hurts it.”
 
She sobered with a small nod. “You’re right. It shouldn’t.”
 
Captain Kader’s expression turned worried. “Artist Sssemeera, my teasing went too far. Forgiveness.”
 
“No, you don’t have to apologize. It’s not you. Just old ghosts haunting me.” She inhaled a cleansing breath to banish her demon ex’s admonishments to eat less and exercise more and then looked around as a familiar scent hit her nose. “Is that salt water I smell?”
 
“Yes, the heated pool.”
 
“You have a saltwater pool?”
 
“This way.” Captain Kader led her deeper into the gym to the pool.
 
The massive pool. She really needed a new word to describe everything the khartarns had. Their height dictated everything be big compared to what she was used to, but this pool was at least twice the size of an Olympic one, and appeared way deeper.
 
Several people swam laps, streaking through the water with their bodies stretched out and their arms at their sides, almost resembling thick snakes.
 
“They’re fast.”
 
Captain Kader regarded them. “Are they?” His tone was less than impressed.
 
“You saying you’re faster?”
 
“Yes.”
 
His superior tone shouldn’t have pricked her nerves, but the earlier banter about the exercise machines was still with her. She put her hands on her hips and gave him a look of challenge. “Prove it.”
 
Without the least bit of hesitation, Captain Kader stripped down to shorts that resembled boxer briefs—YOWZA!—and leapt into the pool, barely causing a ripple. He slid through the water like a bullet. Not only did he catch up to the other swimmers who were past the halfway point, he lapped them and was headed back to her before they’d even touched the far edge of the pool.
 
He surfaced and gripped the edge of the pool, looking up at her. “Satisfactory?”
 
Eyes wide and still trying to process what she’d just seen, she said in a breathy voice, “Amazing.” Goosebumps prickled her skin, and she hugged her arms. “Oh my God, that was beyond… anything. Do it again.”
 
He pushed off the wall and was off with serpentine grace. Even with the slower start, he still shot through the water and made it back to her at the same time as the swimmers he’d lapped the first time.
 
They stared at him in as much awe and admiration as Semeera did. Some voiced words of praise that Captain Kader ignored as he stared at her. Waiting. But for what?
 
If she said to do it again, would he? But that was silly. He couldn’t be trying to impress her. And to prove that point, she held up one finger and asked, “One more time?”


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Author Bio

Zenobia Renquist (aka D. Reneé Bagby) is an Air Force brat turned Air Force wife, she was born in Europe, has lived in Japan and in several states of the US, including Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, California, Maryland and Hawaii.
She moved a lot in her younger years and remembers all too well being the new kid in fish-out-of-water situations. But those experiences only made her better able to adapt, as well they gave her a love of travel, preferring road trips over flying.
Turning her favorite pastime into her career, Renee loves to build worlds and torture her characters for the enjoyment of her readers. She can’t fill everyday with writing alone, and also enjoys watching anime, reading manga, crocheting, knitting (yarn and mail), and binging shows on Netflix. She’s a Whovian (David Tennant for the win!), a trekkie (DS9 because Odo rocked), and a fan of pretty much every Marvel live action movie and DCU animated movie.
She has a wacky imagination and tends to write all over the place. In order to keep up, she only asks one thing—Leave Your Reality Behind to Discover Different and Unique Romance & Erotica.

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Hunter Dane and Camden Snow Series by Adira August (spotlight, review, and GIVEAWAY) ADULT titles

SERIES BLAST AND REVIEW TOUR

These are ADULT titles

Meet Hunter Dane and Camden Snow

BOOK 1

On His Knees (#1 Cam & Hunter 4Ever)

 by  

Adira August

Publisher: RedDeer

Length: 13k words/76 Kindle pages

Genres: Contemporary gay, BDSM, erotica

Blurb

Sometimes it's the cop who needs to hit the floor... As a homicide cop, every blood-soaked crime scene settled in my bones and snaked around my spine. There was only one way to exorcise the images from my soul ... Inside the club, I stopped to scan the room. He was here, Camden Snow. A Norse sex god in the guise of unpretentious youth. Only his ice-blue eyes gave evidence of the Dom who took whomever he wished, whatever way he wanted, with a look and a nod. Merciless. Cam found me watching him and fixed me with his arctic gaze. This time, I didn't walk away. He cocked an eyebrow. Well? The last thing I needed was mercy. I dropped to my knees. A frank exploration of the D/s dynamic between two powerful men. Consensual. Adult. Intense.

  Excerpt

Cam massaged Hunt’s ring, around and around, pressed in the center, went back to massage. "I'm going to prepare you because I'm going to shove my cock into you later, Hunter. And you really are tight. Rumor is you're a virgin." 

With a few drops of oil, he lubricated the wooden butt plug. The teardrop-shaped top, shiny and very smooth, became almost too slippery to hold. 

Cam was going to fuck Hunter until he screamed, as was necessary, but he didn’t want to injure him when he did. 

The plug would serve to stretch him, as well as be a constant reminder of his helplessness. Every strike across his ass would move the plug, massaging, stimulating, opening him. 

Cam’s dick jerked hard at the thought. He spread Hunter’s cheeks. 

A low choking sound came from Hunter, but he submitted immediately when he felt the nose of the plug in the center of his hole and Cam spun the slick, cool surface against him. He inserted it slowly, Hunt groaning a soft oh, God at the widest point. 

Pausing there, Cam turned the plug in place, rocking it slightly, knowing this sub needed time to fully experience his degradation and powerlessness. 

 A series of small, muffled sounds testified to Hunt’s mortification and arousal, suffering and need. 

When Hunter quieted and his body went fully slack in surrender, Cam slipped the plug all the way in. 

Hunter’s sphincter contracted around the wide stem. A muffled moan - Cam smiled knowing Hunter had just realized how open he would remain. Good. 

The sound, the squirm, the sight of the big man laid out before him - Cam’s fist closed around his own fiery cock and squeezed hard. But only for a moment. He was going to need all his energy, and the drive that came from frustration. Uncurling his fingers from the handle that nestled between Hunter’s full round buttocks, Cam massaged and squeezed him over the plug handle. Satisfied Hunt would remain pliant, Cam picked up the oil. It was time to break Hunter Dane.   

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BOOK 2

 

Matchstick Men: Hunter Dane Investigation 1

(Book 2 of 3 in the HuntandCan4ever series)

by

 Adira August

Publisher: RedDeer

Genre/s: Police Procedural, Murder Mystery, Contemporary Gay Erotica, BDSM

Length: 48k words/ 274 pages

 

 

Congratulations to Adira August on her nomination in this year's

Goodreads M/M Romance Best BDSM category.

Blurb  

SEX, GAMES & MURDER Want to play?  

It was munch night at the most elite underground BDSM club in the Rockies. Relaxed and informal, highlighted by the weekly Matchstick Challenge game. Detective Sergeant Hunter Dane, reigning champion, looked forward to a relaxing evening to start his 3 days off. A few beers on the deck. An interlude with a sweet sub. Stumping a challenger with a new puzzle. Home early for a decent night's sleep.  

Some people are SO deadly serious about their games.  

Now Hunt has a fresh body and a new puzzle to solve in twenty-four hours if he wants to find a killer.  

A 48k police procedural with a liberal dose of M/M hotness. Which means our fave full-metal Dom shows up to collect on Hunter's offer of his ... coffer. So to speak. There are puzzles for the reader and mysteries to be solved. Based on characters introduced in the short story On His Knees.

Excerpt

Cam was quiet for a long time, tracing the shape of my pec with his finger. 

It made me feel restless. 

"Are you making an assumption?" he asked. 

 I shook my head. "I'm just stating the probabilities. I'll know more after I talk to Chez and Sherrilynne later." 

He wriggled around and I shifted uncomfortably. "You okay?" He tilted his head back to get a better view of me. "The windows are tinted." 

"I - what?" 

"The seats totally recline." 

"Cam," I said. Sternly, I thought. 

 "You're hard," he said wriggling again. His eyes were big, the arctic blue giving way to black pupil. He was being ridiculous. 

"That’s just physiology. I'm working." 

 He reached for the lever and my seat went almost completely flat. "You're at lunch." 

 "I don't have time," I felt my voice tighten. 

 "Five minutes, tops," he said. "It'll just feel a lot longer. 

Damn kid … 

He braced himself against the door, took me under the arms and shoved the top of me onto the back seat. 

 I heard him lower my zipper and felt the rush of cold air against over my erection before I felt his hand. "Cam - " 

 He rose up over me, bracing himself on his hands on either side of the seat. He gave me a lopsided grin and a hard stare. "You have something to say, sub?" 

Sonuvabitch! My cock jerked and throbbed. 

He lowered his lips to my ear, his warm breath heating the blood rushing to my gut. "You're a slut at heart, you know." He slid down between my legs. Insinuating his fingers through the flap in my briefs, he freed me. "Tell you what," he said, eyes glinting. "If you lie very still and don't make any noise, I'll think about letting you come, this time." 

He was referring to last Friday, when he tortured me with his mouth just before I left the club and didn't get me off. I had to finish myself in the car in the sub-basement of police headquarters. I couldn't walk, otherwise. 

"Put your hands behind your head so I can see your face. I love watching you suffer." He smiled and touched my slit gently with a fingertip. 

I swallowed my groan and complied. The action lifted and opened my leather jacket. 

He could see the Colt in the shoulder holster. He licked his lips. "If you come before I tell you, if you come in my mouth, you will present yourself to me tonight for discipline. Do you understand?" 

I felt precum gush. 

He slipped a thumb over my cockhead. Spreading it. Bastard. 

"Yes, Cam." 

He lowered his wet, hot mouth onto me. 


And then there were no cars in the drive-thru or pulling into parking spaces. No people or voices or murders to be solved. There was just Cam and the mystery of his tongue and lips and hands and teeth. His throat. His eyes glittered with malicious delight, fixed on my pleading ones as his mouth and fingers worked me over. 

I watched him do it because he required me to. 

He watched me watching him because it excited him. 

In less than a minute, I was desperate for restraint. For a gag. For release. And he was just getting started. 

 *** 

Cam looked out the window, leaving me to myself while I drove us through the quiet dark of the Capitol Hill streets. I wondered why this killer wasn't perfectly obvious to me. I wondered if it was impossible for me to see them, being so close that everything blurred at the edges and melded together. 

 "Did anyone ever tell you, you think too much?" Cam asked. 

"Did anyone ever not?" 

 "Take the next alley," he told me. 

"What? Why?" 

 "You need to stop thinking." 

"Cam," I put a warning in my voice. "There's not much time-" 

The bastard grabbed the wheel and cranked it hard right. 

 "Shit!" 

"Steer!" 

I lifted my foot off the gas, or tried to. 

He had his left hand on my thigh just above my knee, digging in, pressing down. 

"Stop it, goddamn it!" 

"Pull into that parking lot." 

"Alright! Just let go, for Christ's sake!" 

He released me instantly and sat back. 

I managed to miss the light pole and the dumpster and slide into a parking space behind a converted Victorian housing psychologists' offices. An appropriate place to stop when riding with a no limits lunatic. The offices were dark, now, but the mosquito bulb over the back door and the security lights at the rear of the building illuminated the lot. And the car's interior. 

Anyone walking by could see us. If they saw us in flagrante delicto, they'd call the cops. Cam had gone too far. 

I shut off the engine but before I could turn and bust his ass, his fingers found my seat belt release and he launched himself up and over the console into my space, his big hands slid down my arms toward my wrists. 

I twisted sideways and we wrestled for control of my hands. I was at a distinct disadvantage under the steering wheel. 

He bent me toward him and my head was on his thigh. 

"Stop it, Cam! Not now, we are not playing!" 

 He fell back into his seat, taking me with him and manacled me with one hand. 

But we were sweaty from the struggle and I managed to break his grip, freeing my hands. He didn't try to regain them. 

He simply raised himself and laid his body over mine. 

My head pressed into his crotch, his weight forced me onto the hard lump of the console. 

"You can always safeword you know," he said. 

I heard the challenge. The taunting. He was having fun. "Fuck you," I grunted underneath him. I'd never safe worded in my life. Not to "red," anyway. "Yellow" a few times when I had a cramp or was on call and my cell went off with a dispatch tone. 

Safewording might have been an option for me now, if his power and the idea of being at his mercy, of which he possessed none, hadn't given me a blazing erection. He'd been betting I wouldn't go there—confident I wouldn't safeword. He really was good at this. 

I felt his hand at my belt in back. Handcuffs. A thrill of fear and excitement made me choke on air. I struggled again, just enough to feel my inability to stop him from doing exactly what he intended. Jesus, I was hard, weeping against my thigh, trapped by the elastic briefs. My legs were twisted and caught under the steering wheel. 

His body locked my right arm against the seatback. He deftly handcuffed my left wrist and calmly found my right and ratcheted the other cuff around it. This was not the infamous Dom of the club, calculatedly giving me what I needed. Not the sexual virtuoso of last night, expertly bringing me everything I never knew I wanted. Pleasures I never thought existed. This was the sadist in his element. Loving what he did to me because of what it did for him. Then, suddenly, I knew who the killer was.

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BOOK 3

 

Dancing Men: Hunter Dane Investigation 2

(Book 3 of 3—and counting—in the HuntandCam4ever series)

by

Adira August

Publisher: RedDeer

Genre/s: Police Procedural, Murder Mystery, Gay erotica, BDSM

Length: 70k words/385 pages

Blurb You have to bury the past, or the past will bury you. An ancient burial urn, empty for millennia, is suddenly not so empty. When Detective Lieutenant Hunter Dane probes the murder at Natural History Museum, it's his own past that haunts him. To solve the complex case, Hunter needs the talents of Camden Snow, the brilliant, beautiful, “no limits” Dom who'd helped him unravel a very peculiar, and very personal, murder. But Cam's ready to kill Hunt, himself! Their high-intensity D/s relationship that began in a playroom, ended in an emergency room. “If you want to be with me, you'll have to do more make some big re-entry gesture,” Cam said. “That’s just more drama. You’ll have to work for this, Hunter.” “All right. What work would that be?” Hunter asked, eager to perform any penance Cam gave him. “You’re the champion puzzle-solver and ace detective. Unravel a mystery.” Hunter’s brows pulled together. “What mystery?” “Me." For adults who love some mystery with their men. A 70k police procedural with a liberal dose of M/M heat. The 2nd of the Hunter Dane Investigations. Matchstick Men, their 1st case, also available on Amazon. Their next case, Psychic Men, will be out in spring of 2018

Excerpts

The Mystery

“You are familiar with the Tamil burial jars case I’m hearing?” the judge asked as she led him into her chambers.  

“Enough to know the case exists,” he said, putting his professional face on. Why would they need a homicide investigator for an international property dispute? “I should mention I’m acquainted with Doctor St Clair who was appointed head of the research team.” 

“I see,” she said, taking her chair but not inviting him to sit. “Do I have to go over confidentiality? I was informed with you it wouldn’t be necessary.”  

“It isn’t,” he said.  

“Good.” She sat forward and clasped her hands on the desk. “Expert testimony the Court finds to be compelling establishes the impossibility of determining the geographic origin of the jars or when they were created and sealed without extensive testing. There will be a problem of international relations if I award the urns to the Denver museum and later testing reveals clearly that the plaintiff did have standing.”  

Hunter nodded.

The judge cocked a skeptical eyebrow at him. “You understand the issue?” 

“It will look as if we must have known all along and used a technicality in the law to keep the jars here. I imagine they have more than scientific value?” he said. 

A slow and very small smile appeared. “Have a seat,” she told him. 

He did. 

“At my request, Doctor St Clare sent a doctoral fellow to take air samples from the jars to determine how long ago they were sealed. That was ten days ago. I received the results on Friday. So did the attorneys. After which, I issued a gag order.” 

Hunter waited for her to get to the point. 

“I’m curious, detective, what you would guess the tests showed?” 

“At least one of the air samples had a much higher level of carbon dioxide than would be present when the jars were made. And traces of methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and nitrogen. Decomp gases.” 

Her Honor nodded.

 “There’s flesh rotting in one of those jars and it wasn’t put there a thousand years ago,” Hunter said.

The Men

Before Hunter could react, Cam bent him back over the hard arm of the chair and glared fiercely into his face. “Do you know how much I want you, you son of a bitch? How much I want you naked in my bed with my cock so far up your ass you can taste my cum in your mouth?” Cam pulled him up and shoved him at his chair. “I want to beat you with a fucking belt until you bleed.”  

Hunt waited silently for Cam to make a choice. Life that included Hunter, or a future entirely without him. 

“According to you,” Cam went on, “You don’t attach to anyone. Ever. But we spent a night together and we both attached and I don’t want to hear any bullshit about it.” Cam waited, eyes bright with challenge in his wrath. 

Hunter wisely kept all bullshit to himself.

 

The Desire

Cam was leaning back against the sink counter.

I approached him slowly, reaching for his top shirt button. “I’m going to give you a sensuous bathing. A Dom I know gave me one, recently,” I teased lightly. 

His hand closed over mine, gripping tightly. 

This close, he had to look up a little to meet my eyes. At an even six feet, he was a couple inches shorter than I was. But where I was rangy, Cam was solid muscle, wide at the shoulders, deep in the chest. A solid, strong man who exuded power and danger. He made me feel like it was a struggle to stay on my feet. He made me long to let go. 

“Why?” he asked. 

“Because I never get to just touch you, the way you do me. Look at you as much as I want. Feel you,” I said. “I need you, tonight, Cam.”  

“You’re a switch. You want to dominate me, Hunter?”  

I put a hand out slowly and laid my palm on his chest. “I want to make us feel good, Cam. I do switch, but—not with you. How about maybe, for a little while, we both get stuck in neutral?”  

He felt so good to me, warm and firm, his heart tripping under my palm. I watched my hand slide up his shirtfront until the tips of my fingers found the top of his clavicle. I followed it, to the center notch, and back to his shoulder. Back in to slide up his trapezius, my thumb in the hollow place, massaging lightly. 

He was warm. So warm. Hard and smooth. He was a revelation to me. 

 I used Doms for pain and humiliation, to strip me down to raw feelings. Until Cam. No one used Cam. I never knew men felt good like this. “I want to touch you,” I said, hardly recognizing my own voice, hoarse and thick. 

He was breathing harder, his jeans’ front bulging. 

I couldn’t help it. I laid my hand over the warm fullness. My thumb along his thickening shaft, fingers over his balls, just holding him. My God, he feels good. He didn’t say no. 
  

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SERIES BLAST AND REVIEW TOUR SCHEDULE

DECEMBER

 

December 4

Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author

Zipper Rippers GUEST POST

The Reading Addict REVIEWS

December 12

Books Laid Bare Boys DANCING MEN REVIEW

December 14

Love Unchained Book Reviews REVIEWS

 

December 18

Rainbow Gold Reviews DANCING MEN REVIEW

December 20

Drops of Ink GUEST POST/INTERVIEW

The Way She Reads GUEST POST/REVIEW RECAP

Noteworthy Book Reviews REVIEW

Making it Happen REVIEWS

December 27

BFD Book Blog REVIEWS

December 30

Tangents and Tissues REVIEWS

 

About the Author

  TYPOS ARE MY TRADEMEARK I write mostly BDSM EROTICA because I love exploring the power dynamics in terms of the love relationships. The work is explicit. It's always consensual. If you have triggers about certain kinds of practices, use discretion. I do not make kink lists for my titles. I went to school interminably, it seemed like. I studied anthropology and paleontology and genetics and literature and theology and ancient Greek. I chased down bad guys, raised children, climbed mountains, played poker, searched for dinosaurs and have had a rather large number of lovers. (I'm not giving up any numbers because TMI) Through it all, I wrote. No wonder I'm so tired.
 

*AUTHOR'S NOTE*

You can read all my books stand-alone. There's plenty of information about what happened previously in Hunt and Cam's story for you to easily follow their relationship arc. The mysteries are always complete within the stories. BUT if you're a romance lover, the relationship story is not a romance. It is a love story. But it's also the story of two independent Alpha males: one gay and one bisexual, one Dom and one switch with a preference for BDSM. And they aren't simple, take it from someone who shares headspace with them. I love these guys. They surprise me and challenge me and break my heart, sometimes. They inspire me. (Just some FYI for the new readers. Hi. Welcome.) Addi

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My reviews:

4.5 stars

On His Knees by Adira August is the first story in the ‘Hunt & Cam 4Ever’ series and details the initial steps in the intense relationship that Detective Sergeant Hunter Dane reluctantly considers with Olympic champion Camden (Cam) Caulfield Snow. Hunter is a Switch and has resisted the tacit invitation from Cam until one fateful case pushes him to the edge. Cam is a no-holds-barred Dom, and has plenty of plans for the sexy detective…if he can tie him down long enough.

I was mesmerized by this dark and edgy BDSM novella and fascinated by the dynamics between these two alpha males who are experts in their respective fields. The unstinting trust that is necessary between those who engage in BDSM is definitely pushed past the normal limits in this story, and although one would normally not consider a scene like this acceptable, I feel it works within the parameter of the story. The heat between these characters is incandescent and the backdrop of the horrors that Hunter is compartmentalizing provides an aura of mystery even as it explains why he needs release so badly. Those who are concerned with such are advised that perspective switches between 3^rd person and 1^st person, which I found odd at first, but became accustomed to. This is the first story I have read by this author and I was delighted to have more tales featuring this memorable couple to consume.

4.75 stars

Matchstick Men: Hunter Dane Investigation 1 by Adira August is the second story in the ‘Hunt & Cam 4ever’ m/m BDSM mystery series. The action picks up after the short story “On His Knees” ends but each can be read as a stand-alone with no problem. Not only are there intensely erotic and kinky scenes depicted but the story follows a murder investigation that is all too relevant to those who patronize the exclusive Scene and Not Heard BDSM club. Getting a chance to watch Hunt in action even as he is puzzling through his relationship with Cam gives a delicious insight into his character and shows how tenacious and insightful he is. Cam complements him perfectly, and the two work their way through the case as tension continues to mount until the exciting climactic scene.

One should be aware of a few things when reading this series. The author enjoys playing around with points of view and shifts from 1^st to 3^rd, which takes a little getting used to. This is also not romance, per se, as in it does not have a happy ever after, even though the two men are working their way through issues and exploring the concept of a relationship other than the cathartic interactions they experience together. Those who are sensitive to such things are warned that there are shades of dubious consent and definitely painful encounters depicted, but tacit permission is given.

I think this is a great mystery story, with the bonus of a couple of thought-provoking puzzles, as one gets a ringside seat to watch the delicate dance between two alpha males who defy conventional roles and work their way toward an arrangement that not only suits them both but also benefits each of them. The author has done a wonderful job of presenting a compelling story that makes one just as anxious to solve the mystery as to figure out whether the two main characters will find a way to make it work.

4.5 stars

Dancing Men: Hunter Dane Investigation 2 by Adira August is the third story in the ‘Hunt&Cam4ever’ series, picking up where the previous story ended. Hunt and Cam must find a way to get past the explosive events that have just taken place and determine whether they have any kind of a future together, particularly in light of some facts which will definitely impact the relationship. A special task force assignment results in Hunt putting together an unconventional team to solve a set of mysteries that will require fortitude and tenacity to parse out and may have unexpectedly far-reaching implications.

Fair warning, this is not a book for squeamish people. This m/m thriller/suspense story has some pretty macabre and disquieting elements, in addition to searingly intense sexual interactions including a detailed and tortuous but evidently extremely arousing procedure. The fascinating political and geographical permutations enrich the story even as one is dismayed by the lengths folks will go to to achieve what they think is their entitlement. I was still a little puzzled by some elements that I don’t think were completely explained but wow, these two main characters are just as compelling as ever and make such a fantastic team. The secrets that are unveiled are heartbreaking and definitely pose a challenge but it was heartwarming to see the reactions and reaffirmed the power of the connection that has formed, despite the odds against it. I love the combination of vulnerability and strength that each of these men displays, and the secondary characters are vivid and enhance the story. The mystery that is gradually unveiled is icing on top of an already delicious story and I can’t wait to see what new adventures these folks will have.

Copies of these titles were provided to me for review

Amid the Winter Snow: A Holiday Anthology by Thea Harrison, Grace Draven, Elizabeth Hunter, and Jeffe Kennedy (spotlight and partial review)

Amid the Winter Snow: A Holiday Anthology

by

Thea Harrison, Grace Draven, Elizabeth Hunter, and Jeffe Kennedy

Blurb:

As the snows fall and hearths burn, four stories of Midwinter beginnings prove that love can fight its way through the chillest night…

THE DARKEST MIDNIGHT, by Grace Draven
The mark Jahna Ulfrida was born with has made her a target of the cruel and idle all her life. During the long, crowded festivities of Deyalda, there’s nowhere to escape. Until a handsome stranger promises to teach her to save herself…

THE CHOSEN, by Thea Harrison
In her visions, Lily sees two men fighting for her tiny country’s allegiance: the wolf and the tiger, each deadly, each cunning. One will bring Ys chaos and death, one a gentler path—but she’s destined to love whichever she chooses. The midwinter Masque is upon them, and the wolf is at her door…

THE STORM, by Elizabeth Hunter
When her soul mate died in a massacre of the half-angelic Irin people, Renata thought she’d never feel happiness again. She’s retreated to the snowy Dolomites to remember her hurts—until determined, irrepressible Maxim arrives to insist on joy, too. And before she can throw him out, they discover a secret the Irin have to know…

THE SNOWS OF WINDROVEN, by Jeffe Kennedy
As a blizzard threatens their mountain keep, the new Queen Amelia of the Twelve Kingdoms and her unofficial consort Ash face their own storm. Ash knows a scarred, jumpy ex-convict isn’t the companion his queen needs. But when a surprise attack confines them together in their isolated sanctuary, the feast of midwinter might tempt even Ash into childlike hope…

There is a special preorder price right now (please check prices before ordering)

Amazon link



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My review:

Thus far, I have only read two of the four stories, but I enjoyed them both!

4.5 out of 5 stars

The Chosen by Thea Harrison is a fantasy novella featuring the Chosen of Camael, goddess of the Hearth, and the Wolf of Braugne, as they jockey with each other in a delicate dance that will affect the balance of power in the land of Ys. The Chosen has had multiple visions that show her choice between the two men vying for control is pivotal, now she has to figure out which is the monster...the Wolf she has met, or the Tiger who has only interacted with her through correspondence. The wrong choice could result in the death and destruction of all she holds dear.

I am always fascinated by the way this author integrates stories of vastly different beings into her well-built universe and balances familiar aspects with new situations. The goddess featured has been mentioned in other stories but I don’t remember reading about any of her devotees, so I was intrigued by her presence in this story.

Despite the unseasonably warm weather I was enjoying, I was tempted to shiver when immersed in the tale, especially given the treacherous journeys the main characters seemed determine to undertake. I love the twists and turns that provide texture and orient one with respect to the environs of other stories, even as the mystery of the Wolf’s true character is explored and the Chosen’s powers are gradually revealed. This story serves as an introduction to a power struggle that will undoubtedly provide fodder for other tales, and ends with a happy for now resolution that whets one’s appetite for further adventures featuring these charismatic folks.

4.25 out of 5 stars

In the Darkest Midnight by Grace Draven follows Jahna Ulfrida, whose birthmark has shaped her personality and made her the target of unkind assailants. When her brother’s renowned fighting instructor, Radimar Velus, becomes part of their household, she begins to absorb lessons that will change her life and shape her future.

This fantasy novella gives insight into the machinations of the upper echelons of a society that values social status and fighting prowess. I was entertained by the story but am unfamiliar with the lands that are briefly described and would have liked to know more about the bigger picture since tantalizing glimpses were provided through the stories Jahna recorded or the information relayed by others. This is a new author for me, so I don’t know whether this story connects to an established series or if groundwork is being laid, but it would be nice to have more background. I enjoyed getting to know these main characters in a story that is reminiscent of a historical romance but it would be nice to get a closer look at the fantasy elements that are evidently part of this world. I definitely will be on the lookout for other works by this author and hope to see other stories featuring these characters.

I was provided a copy of this anthology for review