Monday, September 30, 2019

Blog Tour & Review- Fated Hearts by Garrett Leigh



Buy Links: 
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/30eCxy1
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/FatedHearts
 - Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited.

Length: 60,000 words approx.



Cover Design: Black Jazz Design



Blurb



"He's not a wolf."



Devastated by the death of his best friend, Zio is a soldier with one thing on his mind: revenge. Consumed by a conflict that's raged as long as he's been alive, he's had little time or inclination to learn the legends of the shifter world he was raised in. And he certainly doesn't have time to deal with a shifter of a different kind, even if it's for the good of the war effort. For the good of his pack. The fact that he's already crossed paths with the new face in his unit is almost irrelevant.



Almost.



Do no harm. Give life not death: it's the oath Devan was reborn to live by, so when he's sent abroad to embed with a wolf pack as their resident healer, he doesn't hesitate. In the supernatural world, some bonds are instant--soldiers become brothers, pack become family. But others run deeper and before long, Devan's at the mercy of instincts he can't control. Zio's inner wolf is desperate to be with Devan, while Devan struggles to keep the pack safe. But as the war escalates, and new love is tainted by anguish and pain, the battles within might prove the toughest of them all.



"I won't let him die."


Review:

I was so excited to delve into Garrett’s shifter world and it didn’t disappoint.
Zio, a wolf shifter, has not only lost his best friend, but also his packs healer. His pack and the pack from the south have been in a very lengthy war and are in desperate need of a new healer, they will never survive without one.
Devan is a member of the Shadow Clan, a clan made up of different species of shifters, is given the opportunity to go and help the Northern Pack by being their new healer. Because the Shadow Clan is not just wolf shifters, he knows there will be a bit of prejudice against him from the go.  He decides to make a quick stop in a club before he starts his assignment to “destress”, little does he know he has met his match there as well.
Zio is young, angry and fighter. Devan is older and has a calmness to him that a gifted healer would possess. So you can imagine the heat these two create when they are together. It is not easy for these two to truly be together and they will risk it all to be.  
I really like how not only does Garrett have different types of shifters in this world, but she has also given them “powers”. I can’t wait to see more of this world!!!!
There is just so much more I want to say, but feel like if I do I will spoil it, so take my word for it and just read this book!!!!!
****I give this book 4 Supernatural Stars****





Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.



Garrett's debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.



When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.



Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.








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Sunday, September 29, 2019

The King's Dragon by W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns- Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway



The King’s Dragon by W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns

Series: Fire and Valor #1

Release Date: September 26, 2019

Subgenre: LGBTQIA+ High Fantasy Romance

Order here:





Synopsis for The King’s Dragon:
Lord Tristram Radcliffe has a secret—he is the only dragon at the king’s court in Llangard. It’s a secret he’s kept from the knights he’s fought beside, from the ladies who bat their lashes at him, and from his closest companion, Prince Reynold. If it were to get out, he’d be banished to the Mawrcraig Mountains along with the rest of his kind, but the kingdom of men is the only one he’s ever known, and his heart lives in the stone halls of those who’d count him an enemy.

When the old king dies and Prince Reynold takes the throne, two visitors from the north throw Tristram into the middle of the ancient conflict between dragons and men. They put him on a collision course with the king’s shadow, Bet Kyston, a dangerous assassin who may want him dead or may want more of Tristram that he’d ever thought to give.

With the eyes of dragons upon him and a threat from the north creeping toward the home he loves, Tristram must weigh his allegiances before his dual legacies tear him apart.





Author Blurbs:

“Simmering with sexual and political tension, The King’s Dragon will pull you close, and won’t let go until its final pages. A wonderfully rich and compelling world.”

~ Ariana Nash, author of Silk & Steel


“Intricate plot threads intertwined with gripping tension, chemistry, and built on a fantasy world that rivals any peer in the genre. Vivid characters that aren't cutouts of fantasy tropes, but real people with faults and virtues that will engage the reader. 

This book showcases the best of Fawkes and Burns' writing and style—perfectly meshed storytelling rich in complicated and complex characters, with a plot that kept me afraid, engrossed, and my heart in my throat. An added dash of upended gender stereotypes and a refreshing addition of varied LGBTQ+ romances made this a standout in the genre. A fantastic start to a series and I cannot wait for the rest!”

~SJ Himes, author of Knight’s Fire


“Incredibly detailed world building, and a raft of characters who keep me guessing and turning pages!”

~ Allison Temple, author of Cold Pressed

Teaser
Bet was at Reynold’s side so fast Tris didn’t even see him move. He looked unaccountably nervous for a man who could almost certainly take down any man on the field. “Your Majesty?”
“I want you to fight Lord Gaspar’s guards.” When Gaspar sputtered, Reynold turned to him. “You don’t think it a fair fight? Shall I allow you to join them as well?”
“I assure you, sire, any one of my knights could handle this whelp of a commoner, even if Lord Radcliffe cannot.” He sneered at Tristram, as he had since Tris had been a child. He’d been a friend of Tristram’s mother’s husband—the man the court thought was his father. Tris had always assumed Gaspar knew him to be a bastard, but frankly, he had more important things to worry about.
He wasn’t sure why, but he was worried about Bet. The man was dishonorable and infuriatingly smug, but also . . . like Tris, he never hesitated in his duty to his king. Wasn’t there a kind of honor in that, when one committed dishonorable acts for a king who could not afford to sully himself? Possibly it was Tristram grasping for excuses because he found Bet beautiful, but it still rung true. Perhaps.
“You question Lord Radcliffe’s skill as well?” Reynold asked, pretending to be surprised. He turned to Bet. “Get to it, then. You against Gaspar’s men. If you win, you and Tristram stay. If they win, they stay.”
He had to be joking. While Tris had every faith in Bet’s prowess, it was madness.
But this was no farce. Tristram couldn’t even suggest he deserved to have a part in the deciding of his future. Reynold had announced it, and now Tristram’s fate was in the hands of the king’s shadow.


Excerpt
“You killed Jarl Jorun,” Tristram shot back through his teeth, voice low enough that he drew no attention from knights falling into their own bouts.
“He embarrassed our king,” Bet snapped. Tristram came at him again, sweeping toward his chest. Bet ducked. With the weight of his blade, Tristram overcompensated and Bet sliced his side, just under his ribs. A warning, not hard enough to bruise. “And tried to kill you. Don’t tell me you mourn the man, Tristram.”
The knight bared his teeth at him as he lunged again. “You made it look like I had done it!” he hissed.
At that, Bet laughed. He parried Tris as the broader man advanced on him. “Did I? Anyone who knows you knows you’re incapable.” Bet used the opening of Tristram’s arm to move into his defenses and strike him again—a harmless blow to the thigh. “I heard when you were accused, even the Torndals laughed,” Bet said with a sneer. Tristram would let Jorun roll over him before he debased himself with murder. Without Bet’s intervention, one day, Jorun might have.
Tristram was stronger than him, but that hardly mattered if he could not land a hit. A hair faster than any man at court, Bet had no intention of letting that happen. Suddenly, Tris had to step back. Bet’s blades were a fury. As Bet pushed him across the field, moving into the dueling spaces of other fighters, people had to stop and dodge. They turned to stare at their furious dance. Bet felt the rictus smile on his own face as Tristram began to take more blows than he could block.
And then he saw the sun catch a curl of auburn and the glint of gold on the king’s brow. Every knight in the yard knew what happened to those who sparred poorly. If Bet made a fool of Tristram, he’d lose the king’s favor.
His black eyes settled on Tristram, who’d used his momentary distraction to recover. Tristram swept his sword at Bet’s chest. He could have jumped back.
He didn’t.

 Review:

4.5*

Would be a full 5*, but there were a lot of different players in the game and once or twice I had to back track to see who we were talking about (Rhiannon's sidekick). Each chapter reads in a different characters POV, so it took me a minute. Once I had them all down though, it was smooth sailing.

I also wasn't sure about the ending, only because I reallllllly wanted Tris and Bet together right this instant!! But, it's a HFN, as it's book in a series.

I can't say it really ends on a cliffhanger, there is a little surprise, but I felt it was more of a continuation situation.

I have a really good feeling about a future alliance between humans and dragons and I hope they send Gillian to the Monks to learn about magic. I am also rooting for Sidonie and Rhiannon, I really likes those two. I also loved that fact the Sidonie was a woman,but was referred to as Sir Sidonie, Kings Knight.
I also loved the followed her own morals and wasn't just a sheep to an evil crown. Bet seemed to skirt that line as well.

I am very excited to see how this alliance and possible war might play out, there's so many great characters to follow. I'm also wondering who Tris' real dad is and why he was so familiar to Rhiannon's younger companion. (I'm sorry, his name's hard to spell, Hrafgard? ) I have so many questions!

Author Bio:


W.M. Fawkes is an author of LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She lives with her partner in a house owned by three halloween-hued felines that dabble regularly in shadow walking.

Sam lives in the Midwest with husband and cat, which is even less exciting than it sounds, so she's not sure why you're still reading this. 

She specializes in LGBTQIA+ fiction, usually with a romantic element. There's sometimes intrigue and violence, usually a little sex, and almost always some swearing in her work. Her writing is light and happy, though, so if you're looking for a dark gritty reality, you've come to the wrong author.


Author links:
Joint Facebook Group:

Waverly Fawkes:


Sam Burns:


Giveaway:
Win one of 2 e-copies of any book from the Lords of the Underworld series by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes:



a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Saturday, September 28, 2019

Goalie Interference by Avon Gail & Piper Vaughn






Goalie Interference by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn

Series (name + # in series): Hat Trick Series, #2

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date (Print & Ebook):

Ebook: September 30, 2019
Print: October 1, 2019

Length (Print & Ebook): 

Ebook: 75,000 words (approx.)
Print: 297 pages (approx.)

Subgenre: Contemporary romance, hockey romance, m/m

Warnings: tense family situations, racial microaggressions (called out on page) 

All buy links or pre-order links:


Book synopsis:

It’s goalie vs. goalie in this brand-new enemies-to-lovers hockey romance from Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn…

Ryu Mori has had a stellar season as goalie for the Atlanta Venom. So when he’s called into management’s office, he’s expecting to hear he’s the new starting goalie for the team, not that some new guy—an incredibly hot, annoyingly bratty rookie—is here to compete for his spot.

Not everyone gets to play in the best league in the world. Emmitt Armstrong knows that, and he’s not about to waste the opportunity after grinding his way from the bottom to the top. If the Venom are looking for a meek, mild-mannered pushover, they’ve got the wrong guy.

Ryu doesn’t want to admit the other goalie’s smart mouth turns him on. Beating Armstrong at practice feels good, sure, but there are other, more fun ways to shut his rival up.

In this league, it’s winner takes all. But there’s more to life than winning, and if Emmitt and Ryu can get past their egos and competitive natures, they might just discover they work better as partners than they ever imagined possible.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

About Avon Gale: 
Avon Gale lives in a liberal Midwestern college town, where she spends her days getting heavily invested in everything from craft projects to video games. She likes road trips by car, rock concerts, thunderstorms, IPAs, Kentucky bourbon and tattoos. As a queer author, Avon is committed to providing happy endings for all and loves to tell stories that focus on found families, strong and open communication, and friendship. She loves writing about quirky people who might not be perfect, but always find a place where they belong.

Avon is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary Agency.

Connect with Avon:
Twitter: twitter.com/avongalewrites
Facebook: facebook.com/avongalewrites
Newsletter: eepurl.com/bGLSrD
Instagram: instagram.com/avongale
Website: avongalewrites.com

***

About Piper Vaughn:

Piper Vaughn is a queer Latinx author and longtime romance reader. Since writing their first love story at age eleven, they’ve known writing in some form was exactly what they wanted to do. A reader to the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book.

Piper grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago and loves putting faces and characters of every ethnicity in their stories, making their fictional worlds as colorful as the real one. Above all, Piper believes there’s no one way to have an HEA, and every person deserves to see themselves reflected on the page.

Connect with Piper:
Twitter: twitter.com/pipervaughn
Facebook: facebook.com/pipervaughn
Instagram: instagram.com/piper.vaughn
Website: pipervaughn.com

***


Teaser

“Can I tell you something and you’ll keep your mouth shut about it?” Emmitt asked. “I’m serious, man. This cannot go beyond you and me.”
“Dude! When do I not keep my mouth shut?” Morley scowled. “Like, when are people gonna get it that I’m like, a good guy?”
Emmitt smiled. “You are. I know. Sorry, it’s just…I might be seeing someone.”
Morley stared at him. “Is it another dentist?”
It took Emmitt a moment to remember how he’d told Morley about his ex, and he laughed despite himself. “No. This time it’s actually a hockey player and…yeah.”
Morley did a fist bump and shouted, “People owe me money, motherfuckers!”
“What?” Emmitt hissed. “This is why you’re not getting any cred! People? Who, people?”
“On the Internet,” Morley said, mysteriously. “Don’t worry. I don’t use my real name.”
Emmitt just stared at him. “I don’t want to know about this. I don’t. I’m not asking. And I can’t tell you who it is, because he’s not out, so don’t ask, okay?”
“I won’t. But…it’s not the goalie on the Marauders, is it?” His voice lowered. “People write erotic stories about you two, bro.”
Emmitt blinked. “What? Where? Why?”
“Enemies to lovers, man. It’s a Thing.” Morley waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Okay?” Emmitt gave a helpless laugh. “I don’t know what to even say about that, except I hope those stories end better than my relationship did. It’s not the goalie for the Marauders, by the way. Our archrivals? Give me some credit, dude.”

***

Author Q&A: 

Piper Vaughn:

Name the five biggest distractions from your writing.

-Reading.
-Cross stitching.
-YouTube. I watch a lot of ASMR videos to relax, but I’m also really into cooking videos, crafting tutorials, music videos, and skincare vlogs.
-My cat. Look, she’s too cute to resist. She deserves all the pets and treats and love.
-Social media. Especially Twitter!


What is your ideal writing space?

In a perfect world, I’d have my own office, with a door that locked. There’d be a desk/work station, book shelves stuffed to the brim with paperbacks and knickknacks, a cozy reading nook in the corner for when I needed a break, a few plants near the window, and space to display all of the vintage typewriters I’ve collected over the years.


What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I love to travel, listen to music (my tastes are eclectic, but at heart, I’m still a 90s grunge and alternative kid), read, and marathon TV shows or true crime podcasts. I also love cross stitching, which I’ve only been doing for about 4 months now, but I’m totally obsessed with the craft and have amassed quite the collection of supplies and patterns and have even started hand-dyeing my own fabric and creating my own designs.


What drew you to this genre?

I’ve been a romance reader pretty much from the start, when I first got my hands on a few Harlequin category romances around the age of eleven. YA was a much smaller genre at the time, and while I was reading some of it—Christopher Pike, LJ Smith, RL Stine, Sweet Valley High, etc.—a lot of it also contained romantic subplots. At the end of the day, I just really enjoy watching two (or more) people form a connection and fall in love, with all the ups and downs that come along with that journey. And given that I grew up around a fair amount of death and violence, I really clung hard to the idea of happily ever afters. I still do.


Avon Gale

Name the five biggest distractions from your writing.

Definitely video games. I love them, especially epic RPGs with a huge world map and a thousand pointless sidequests. There’s nothing I love more than fighting with my ragtag group of party members, gallivanting from town to dungeon, rage-quitting boss battles (they cheat!) and putting off saving the world to collect vegetables for that one merchant, or find the lost sheep of a poor villager. I love RPGs because they’re basically found family narratives with a strong emphasis on the power of friendship, which are also things I love to write about in my books. 

After that, it’d have to be crafting -- I like to knit, embroider, sew, paint, make jewelry, anything like that. I’m always up for learning a new craft (sewing and embroidery are my most recent) and I can spend a lot of time in our local yarn shop, the quilt store with the fabric I won’t let myself buy because I am still not that great at sewing in a straight line, or Michaels looking at embroidery thread. 

YouTube -- I watch a lot of YouTube videos, as the shorter format works well with my attention span. I love Jenny Nicholson, who has hilarious videos about bad fanfic, movies, and theme parks -- I highly recommend her snark-tastic video about that awful “Escape from Tomorrow” movie shot guerilla-style in Disney parks. 

My four month old kitten is also a distraction from writing, sometimes a welcome one and sometimes not so much. But it’s hard not to play with her when she’s so cute!! 

For the last one, I guess I’d have to say cleaning. Sometimes I have found myself vacuuming instead of writing, in which case I’m sure somewhere my mom is weeping quality for the twelve year old I might have been, haha! 

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Video games are my biggest hobby at the moment, alongside with crafting (though the kitten makes doing that sort of hard, she likes to pounce on literally everything but especially string/yarn!). I also love to travel, especially road tripping to visit friends or go to concerts. I love to swim, either outside in a nice cold river/lake or at the gym. I obviously love reading, I still love my fandom and shrieking over fanart/fic, and I love watching horror movies. I’m pretty easily entertained, to be honest! 

What drew you to this genre?

I’ve been a romance reader since I was about 11, and I started reading gothic romance (“The Lost Duchess of Greyden Castle” was my first!) and then moved on to contemporary and historical. I love character-driven stories, especially ones with a happy ending. Romance has always appealed to my positivity and inherently optimistic nature, and I love being able to write in the genre I’ve read and enjoyed for so long. I especially love seeing queer characters thrive and end up happy, those narratives were ones I didn’t have growing up and I’m committed to making sure they’re out there. 

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Wednesday, September 25, 2019

DINE WITH ME BY LAYLA REYNE




Miller and Clancy's delicious courtship will make foodie romance fans swoon. Readers will be rooting for that HEA from the first page.

– Adriana Herrera, author of the Dreamers series


Breathtakingly emotional and deeply resonant, this foodie trip romance will have you reaching for the

tissues and cheering at the well-earned happily ever after for one of my favorite couples. This one

lingered with me and made me hungry!

– Annabeth Albert, author of the Frozen Hearts series


Layla Reyne’s DINE WITH ME is a contemporary m/m romance following a dying chef on a last tour of his favorite meals, and the travel companion who must convince him he’s more than his taste buds and that the cost of love is worth living for.


Title: Dine With Me


Release Date (e-book and audio): September 16, 2019


Blurb: 


Life never tasted so good.

Miller Sykes’s meteoric rise to award-winning chef is the stuff of culinary dreams, but it’s all crashing down around him. He’s been given a diagnosis that could cost him something even more precious than his life: his sense of taste. Rather than risk the very thing that defines him, Miller embarks on a last tour of his favorite meals while he still can.


But there’s a catch: he needs a financial backer to make it happen, and he doesn't want anyone to know he's sick.


Dr. Clancy Rhodes has two weeks to come to terms with putting aside oncology to work at his father’s thriving plastic surgery practice. When the opportunity to travel with a Michelin-starred chef presents itself, the foodie in him can’t believe it. It doesn’t hurt that Miller’s rugged good looks are exactly Clancy’s cuppa joe.


As Clancy and Miller travel from coast to coast and indulge in everything from dive bars to the most decadent of culinary experiences, they’re suddenly sharing a lot more than delicious meals. Sparks fly as they bond over their love of flavors and the pressures of great expectations. But when Miller’s health takes a turn for the worse, Clancy must convince him he’s more—so much more—than just his taste buds. And that together, they can win a battle that once seemed hopeless.


One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!


Links:





About Layla Reyne: 

RITA Finalist Layla Reyne is the author of the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Changing Lanes series. A Carolina Tar Heel who now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home, Layla enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Kiss of Death and Rainbow Romance Writers chapters. Layla is a 2019 RWA® RITA® Finalist in Contemporary Romance (Mid-Length) and 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense.


Connect with Layla: 









Giveaway: Signed limited edition paperback + swag (equivalent value for international)







Exclusive Q&A with Layla Reyne, Blog Tour: 



Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?


LR: It’s not just Miller and Clancy in this story. There’s a supporting cast of characters—family, of the blood and found sort—that I absolutely adored writing. And they support, first and foremost. No one here is trying to foil or divert our main characters, and I love that about this story. They are there to support Miller and Clancy, as best and as full-of-heart as they can.



Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?


LR: Every place Miller and Clancy visited is a place I’ve dined or based on a place I dined. (Sadly, a few of my favorites had closed!) Each place in this book is as special to me, for my own reasons, as it is for Miller and Clancy. For instance, one of the stops is The French Laundry, which is where my husband and I got married, so it holds a special place in my heart too.



Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?


LR: Ohmigod, they both do. This story has been rattling around in my head since 2015. It was on the initial list of project ideas I gave my agent. There’s a lot of me in both Clancy and Miller (more so Clancy, my husband more so Miller), but it’s really a love letter to all the amazing dining experiences I’ve been so lucky to have in my life.



What is the significance of the title?


LR: It starts as the opening line of the advertisement Miller posts for the tour. It also ends the book in a way that still makes me happy sigh.



What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?


LR: This is a standalone, so there won’t be a sequel. Though keep your eyes peeled for a special project involving one of the secondary characters.



If you had to describe character Miller Sykes in three words, what would those three words be?


LR: Loyal, Self-Sacrificing, Stubborn



If you had to describe character Miller Sykes in three words, what would those three words be?


LR: Earnest, Honest, Risk-taker



If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?


LR: Oh, this is easy (since the book has been in my head for YEARS). I’ve always had Clive Standen as my fancast for Miller and Grant Gustin as my fancast for Clancy.



Was the writing process different and what challenges did you face writing contemporary romance versus romantic suspense? 


LR: I couldn’t just throw a car chase or explosion in when I needed to pick up the pace! But seriously, I really did have to dig deep to center this one more on emotions, more on the journey of these two men, individually and potentially together in the future. That’s what’s driving the story, versus my usual twisty plot.


Exclusive Excerpt 


By the time they were on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, all of Clancy’s thoughts and words were fighting to get out. He watched through the windshield as Miller stood by the ferry’s rail, a lone figure seemingly oblivious to the blowing snow flurries as he stared straight ahead.

To the island where they would be stuck together for the weekend.

Fuck. Clancy had to say something or else this was going to be the most awkward Christmas Eve weekend ever.

He tossed his empty coffee cup aside, grabbed his scarf from the back seat, wrapped it around his neck, zipped up his hoodie, and buttoned his coat over everything. Bundled, as well as an LA boy could be, he shoved open the car door, took one step out, and had to cling to the door to avoid wiping out. Steadying himself, he carefully made his way to the rail where Miller stood. And just as carefully, he approached the conversation, starting with something easy. “Thank you for the coffee and beignets this morning.”

“I promised you,” Miller answered flatly, not giving him a glance.

Careful and easy took a flying leap off the side of the boat. “Do you still want to be here?” The next second, Clancy registered how that question could be taken, beyond just this trip, and he wanted to jump over the rail himself. “On this trip,” he clarified. “Because if you’re just here because you promised, we can call it off. You can keep the money—”

“It’s not about the money.”

“Fine, but Miller…” He leaned a hip and hand against the rail, trying to get Miller to look his way, to no avail. “If this trip is making you miserable, if you don’t want to be around me, if you—”

Miller’s hand over his silenced the rest of Clancy’s words. “I want to continue, and I don’t want to do it alone.”

“But do you want to do it with me?”

Miller finally gave Clancy his eyes, and they were red-rimmed and bloodshot. Clancy sucked in a sharp breath, fearing the worst.

“Yes,” Miller said softly.

Clancy didn’t hide his huge exhale, and Miller’s answering smile was worth it. The world steadied below Clancy’s feet even as the boat rocked over the waves. He drew his hand back and shoved both of them into his coat pockets. “Where are we going, then? On Martha’s Vineyard?”

Miller glanced back out over the water, toward the island that was growing nearer. “The first place I chef’ed.”

“I thought that was in New York, with Greg.”

He shook his head, a strange mix of pain and longing streaking across his face. “When Sloan and I left home, we came here first. A friend of Ma’s ran a B and B in Edgartown. It was the summer season and she needed the extra help. She rented us a dingy little basement apartment for cheap, Sloan cleaned and helped manage the inn, and I was the on-site handyman and landscaper. But I still needed to get out and make some extra cash.”

“So you found a restaurant to work in?”

“The kitchens in New York and San Francisco might have refined my skills, but Oscar M’Raihi gave them to me.”

“I can’t wait to meet him.”




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TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT

RELEASE DAY BLITZ- The Queen's Starfire Throne (Infernal War Saga III) by Hailey Turner

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