Book Spotlight & Giveaway: The Sex Doctor by Jessica Frost




The Sex Doctor
Sexy Men of Mystery
Book 4
Jessica Frost
Genre: Erotic MM Paranormal Romantic Suspense, vampires, light consensual BDSM, whipping
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Number of pages: 120
Word Count: 30475
Cover Artist: Harris Channing

Bookstrand  |  Amazon  |  Amazon CA |  Amazon UK


Book Description:

Low sex drive? The Sex Doctor can cure that!

Detective Marshall Ray’s hoping the Sex Doctor, Dr. Sébastein Thibeault, can cure him of his low libido. When he meets the handsome, charismatic hunk, he’s flustered and can’t stop thinking about him. But to partake in the doctor’s unconventional therapy, he has to open his heart, which scares the hell out of Marshall.

The reason Sébastien’s therapy’s so successful is he’s an empathic vampire. He uses his sixth sense to cure people. With Marshall, who makes his heart pitter-patter, his senses tell him the cure for Marshall is him. The sexual attraction they have is something Sébastien cannot dismiss. But something’s happening to Sébastien that frightens him. He’s having blackouts and waking up with bloodstains on his clothes that aren’t his.

People are being mysteriously killed in the city, their bodies bled dry. Marshall tries to figure out who the murderer is when a witness identifies Sébastien as the killer. Marshall must secretly investigate Sébastien while trying not to let his emotions affect his job. Easier said than done when his heart’s telling him Sébastien’s his soul mate.

***

Excerpt:

The room spun, and Sébastien found focusing on his handsome blond-haired, hazel-eyed patient before him impossible. He knew he’d have this side effect if he stopped the purification process in midstream. But if he drank an orange juice, it would raise his sugar levels and lessen his vertigo.

He stood, and trying not to show his dizziness by gently bracing his weight on the love seat’s armrest, then the wall, he approached the side bar. Afraid his head would spin out of control if he turned now to gaze at Marshall, he asked blindly, “Would you care for a drink?”

“No, um, are you all right, Doctor? You are awfully pale.”

No use in lying now. The cat is out of the bag. “Yes, of course. I’m just a little dizzy is all.” He drank the cold glass of orange juice as he made his way back to his seat. Not moving his head, the whirlwind scene settled and the good-looking man before him once again came into focus.

Marshall’s gaze teetered between Sébastien and the direction of the room, which held the Purifier. “Um, you stopped the dialysis instantly. Isn’t that dangerous?”

If he confessed the truth, he would say that yes, stopping a kidney dialysis quickly like that was extremely dangerous, but he wouldn’t boldface lie, either, so he did the next best thing without compromising his values. He said a white lie. “Well, the process had ended and I was going to remove the needles when you saw me.”

“Oh, I see.” Marshall nodded, sitting back.

The dizziness was gone, but Sébastien knew that it hadn’t disappeared entirely. It lingered in the crevices of his brain, waiting to wreak havoc once more. If he turned or tilted his head in any direction, it would return with a vengeance. So sitting stiffly and unmoving, Sébastien asked, “Before I tell you about my nonconventional treatment, could you tell me why you wanted to see me?”

“Well, Sheryl told me you helped her with the sexual problems she was having with her husband and I thought…” Marshall paused, his eyes shifting from right to left.

“It makes you uncomfortable to say it, doesn’t it, Marshall?”

“Yes, Doctor, it does.”

“Well, then you don’t have to say it. I’ll speak and you only need to nod if I’m correct or not.”
Marshall nodded, wide-eyed.

“You thought I could help you with the problems you’re having with your wife.”

Marshall shook his head. “No, I’m not married.”

“Then with your girlfriend?”

He nodded. “With past girlfriends. Not just one.”

“How many? Two? Three?”

Marshall continued to shake his head, then added, “All of them.”

Sébastien sighed. “Hmm, well, unfortunately, I won’t be able to help you answer the next question. You’ll need to do so alone. If you aren’t comfortable answering, then I can’t help you any further.”

Marshall grinned. “I’m fine, Doctor. I’ll answer whatever question you want me to.”

“All right, that’s excellent.” Sébastien drummed his fingers on the right armrest. “What type of problem did you have with all your former girlfriends?”

Marshall took a deep breath and, gazing directly into Sébastien’s eyes, responded, “My libido. Or rather my lack of libido.”

Sébastien’s brow lifted, and he couldn’t help but wonder how this muscular and handsome man before him found it hard to make love to women. But if Marshall decided to continue with the therapy, he would soon find out. His lips spread into a half grin to show encouragement. “Well, the good news is treating a low libido is easier than treating an overactive one.”

Marshall shook his head. “If you’re talking Viagra or other meds like that, I tried them. They don’t work.”

“No, I wasn’t talking medication. But your remark does raise a question for me.” He paused, then asked, “Have you seen a medical doctor for your problem?”

“Yes, I did, and I went through a slew of tests, which showed I was normal. So he prescribed me Viagra and other meds like that. None of the meds helped. And I won’t mention the side effects.”

“Yes, the side effects can be many,” Sébastien said, imagining how painful it could be if his cock stayed erect for long periods of time.

“After that I figured maybe homeopathic medicine would help. That’s how I met Sheryl. But she couldn’t help me and referred me to you.”

“I see.” He took a deep breath and tried to lift the man’s spirits. “All right, then we know it isn’t a physical thing. Which makes this easier for us.”

“Easier for me? Not really, Doctor.”

Sébastien grinned. “No, of course not, Marshall. I didn’t mean what you’re going through is easy. What I meant is now that I know that this isn’t physical, the therapy will be straightforward.”

Marshall leaned in closer, and with scrutinizing eyes, he asked, “What type of therapy are we talking here, Doc?”

Sébastien placed the empty glass on the table, and when he saw the dizziness didn’t return with the movement, he thanked God and said, “I’m not sure how much Mrs. Todd told you about me or my therapy, so it’s best I tell you exactly what I tell all my patients before I begin with any treatments.” He sighed. “First off, I’m not a certified sex therapist.”

“But you are a doctor. Aren’t you?”

“Yes, I have a doctorate, but not in psychology. In biochemistry.”

Marshall frowned. “Then why do you practice sex therapy?”

“Because I found my vocation in this. I have helped many people who couldn’t find the help they needed from doctors or psychologists or psychiatrists.” He leaned forward. “So shall I continue or has this news unsettled you and now you wish to terminate any further treatments and leave?”

A hesitant “No” slipped off Marshall’s lips. His eyes though showed his indecisiveness.

Sébastien continued, “You don’t sound that sure, Marshall. Let me tell you what some of my therapy sessions entail. Maybe that will help you make up your mind.”

“All right.”

***

About the Author:

Jessica Frost has always had a passion for fiction and the written word. Add to that her wild, vivid imagination and her pure romantic tendencies and she soon realized she had the traits needed to become a romance author. She decided to take the very big first step not that long ago and wrote her first erotic romance story. And she has not looked back since.


Being a romance writer is a dream come true for her. Having the opportunity to create fantasy worlds where anything and everything can happen is an amazing feeling. She hopes these worlds and the delightful characters she creates will bring hours of enjoyment to her readers as they have done for her.

Website: http://www.authorjessicafrost.com/

Blog: http://authorjessicafrost.blogspot.ca/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Author_JesFrost

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Author.Jessica.Frost

***

Giveaway:


Tour Wide Giveaway

$50 Amazon gift ecard


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Book Review: Clipped by Devon McCormack


Clipped
by Devon McCormack
M/M Erotica/Paranormal
3.5 Stars
Review copy from Netgalley

Blurb:

Though mortals have been convinced that God cares about their souls, nothing could be further from the truth. He created the world as a gift for his lover, Satan. But when Satan left him, he decided to end what he saw as his most grotesque creation.

Satan and his army of demons are man's only hope...

The demon Kinzer and his lover, Janka, have been sent by Satan to spy on The Raze, a gang of rogue demons who are working with God to bring about Armageddon. When someone exposes their true allegiances, The Raze clips Kinzer's wings and murders Janka. Kinzer manages to escape. He tracks down Satan's allies to warn them about a mole in their midst when he learns that they've located the Antichrist—a powerful weapon that could prevent the apocalypse. Now, he's on a mission to protect the Antichrist and avenge his lover’s death.

Review:

Love and hate, good vs evil, the fate of the world.

At the beginning of this book, I felt as if I had started reading halfway through. A lot seemed to have happened before the book started and I was left feeling very confused as to what was going on. The exotic names didn't help either.

Kinzer is one of the fallen, a fallen angel who is trying to save humanity and wakes up with his wings clipped, which negates all his supernatural powers as well, and realises he is now a sex slave in a very rough club. He meets Kid, the youngest person there, who has been a prisoner in the club since he was fifteen and doesn't really know any other life.

Being new, Kinzer doesn't know the rules and strikes up a conversation with Kid in the club's weight room, but it's Kid who gets punished by being tasered, as he did know the rules - no fraternising with the others.

Eventually, Kinzer had enough and engineers an escape, taking Kid with him and trying to figure out who betrayed him to the Raze, the unfallen angels who are trying to bring about Armageddon.

They meet up with two other angels, Dedrus and Treycore (who'd been working as strippers) and these two angels have kidnapped a pregnant woman, who they believe is about to give birth to the Antichrist, the saviour of humanity, not its downfall.

This book was not a boring read, but for me it was an uncomfortable one. There are lots of scenes with very rough sex, including biting, blood play and a lot of pain - as angels are very well-endowed and it hurts, a lot. I don't mind erotica, but that much pain for me isn't erotic. It is erotic for Kid, he enjoys it.

It's definitely erotica rather than romance, as Kid and Kinzer have sex almost within minutes of meeting, despite it breaking the rules. Then Kinzer gets with Dedrus, and Kid ends up with Treycore, an angel who detests humans and thinks they smell foul. It doesn't stop him from having sex with Kid, in many places and positions, even though having sex with him could kill a human because he is so large. Not a book for the faint of heart.

The sex scenes are a bit more raunchy than I was used to, very explicit, no purple prose here. But there did seem to be sex in every chapter, sometimes more than once and that just seemed a bit excessive.

I did come to grow to like Kinzer and Kid, Dedrus I'm still not sure of and I didn't really like Treycore at all.

Towards the end of the book, the betrayer is revealed and I didn't guess who it was, so kudos to the author for pulling that twist. I loved the paranormal elements with a twist on the fallen angels etc., but for me there was a bit too much sex and not enough plot.


Author Interview: Kelli Wilkins Talking about Ultimate Night's Delights


Talking with Kelli A. Wilkins About… Ultimate Night’s Delights 

Q: Ultimate Night’s Delights is the third book in a series of erotic historical romances. Tell us more about the trilogy.

A: Ultimate Night’s Delights is the third (and final) story in a trilogy that began with A Midsummer Night’s Delights and continued with A Midwinter Night’s Delights. I never intended to write a trilogy, but the characters kept popping up in my head, and I knew they had more stories to tell.

I want to mention that although the books start off as “straight” romances, everything heats up for the characters and before long they’re experimenting with M/M, F/F, and various group encounters. All three books are super-hot and have something for everyone!

A Midsummer Night’s Delights introduced readers to newlyweds Julian and Annabelle. They were strangers trapped in an arranged, sexless marriage. To loosen them up, Julian’s father sends them to the Marquis of Demby’s estate to attend a Midsummer Ball. (And this type of ball isn’t for dancing…)

Julian and Annabelle meet the Marquis, Vincent, and his wife, Sabrina. Over the course of their visit, they learn how to open up and explore their sexuality. When they attend the Midsummer Ball, they shed their inhibitions while indulging in their wildest fantasies.

A Midwinter Night’s Delights picks up six months after the first book. (If you haven’t read the first story, that’s okay – each novella stands alone as an individual read. And yes, this book is just as hot – if not hotter – than the first one.)

In the sequel, we discover that Annabelle and Julian have taken what they’ve learned and gone wild. Ever since the summer ball, they have been overindulging in all sorts of erotic activities and are more than eager to give in to their desires whenever (and wherever) the mood strikes – even if it’s at a formal dinner party. Needless to say, Julian’s father sends them back to Vincent’s estate to be disciplined and learn self-control.

A Midwinter Night’s Delights is more intense than the first book. From the outset, readers know that Julian and Annabelle are learning lessons and being disciplined – but it’s all for their own good. I sprinkled in some B/D/S/M to make things interesting. It was fun to explore a different side to the games that take place at the estate and watch how the characters reacted as they received their ‘punishments’ throughout the book. I also shared the backstory about how Vincent and Sabrina met, and introduced two new characters, Lono and Lobo.

Both books got excellent reviews and readers fell in love with the characters. After writing a few other romances, I knew I needed to wrap up the series, and Ultimate Night’s Delights was born.

Here’s the summary:

Julian and Annabelle are back for a final ball!

The Marquis of Demby’s Midsummer and Midwinter Balls changed Julian and Annabelle forever. Freed from their inhibitions, they now help other shy couples explore their sexual urges and hidden desires.

But life on Vincent and Sabrina’s estate is anything but tranquil. The notorious Duke of Blackwell has discovered the secret about the naughty balls and is out to destroy the marquis.

Vincent refuses to deny the rumors about the “anything goes” parties he hosts, and turns to his friends for assistance. Together, they devise a plan to defeat the Black Duke…and still find time for a few erotic games.

**

In Ultimate Night’s Delights, I expanded Lono and Lobo’s characters and made them an essential part of the story. I think readers will enjoy the last installment of the series and be satisfied at the ending.

Q: Was it your plan all along to have someone try to end the erotic parties hosted by Vincent and Sabrina?

A: Not at all. When I started plotting the book, I wasn’t sure what direction to go. I knew there had to be something interesting (beyond a naughty ball) that raised the stakes for everyone, and I thought about blackmail. (It’s always a good motive!) From there, I developed the idea of the Black Duke out to destroy Vincent. Then I had to devise a clever way to tie it all together at the end.

Q: Is this the end or will there be more books in the series?

A: This is the last book in the trilogy/series. But just because Vincent’s games will end, it doesn’t mean the characters won’t have fun off-page. I invite readers who fell in love with these characters to visit my site and catch up on all of my romances. I’ve written spicy stories in all genres, including another historical trilogy.

Q: What’s next for you Kelli?

A: I’m working on a few new romances for Amber Quill Press, including a paranormal and another gay romance. Readers can keep up with my news, get inside looks at my books, writing tips, and more on my blog.

Thanks for letting me share a bit about my latest romance. I love talking about books and writing, and I invite readers to contact me with questions about my stories. (Links are below.)

Happy Reading,
Kelli

Readers can find me on the web here:

Website: www.KelliWilkins.com

Blog http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kelli-A.Wilkins/e/B001JSAB24/

Amber Quill Press Author page http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/bio_Wilkins.html

Medallion Press Author Page http://medallionmediagroup.com/author/kelli-wilkins/

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/@KWilkinsauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1123678.Kelli_A_Wilkins

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelli.wilkins1


About the Author:

Kelli A. Wilkins writes in several genres including romance, horror, and non-fiction. Her Amber Quill Press romances span multiple genres, including gay, historical, fantasy, contemporary, and paranormal. Her most recent romance, ULTIMATE NIGHT'S DELIGHTS, an erotic historical, was released in September 2013. Readers can learn more about Kelli’s romances on her site: www.KelliWilkins.com and her weekly blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/



Book Trailer: Forever is Now by K. Vale


Forever is Now
Shooting Stars Book 1
by K. Vale
M/M Contemporary/Rock Stars
Liquid Silver Books
Available from: Amazon | Allromance

Blurb:


If you love someone, set him free. If he steals something of yours, hunt him down and make him sorry.

Alex Bremen is over Chance Ralan. Ever since his high school boyfriend ditched him nine years ago, Alex has barely thought of Chance at all. Sure, Alex attended a concert or two when his ex’s band, Armageddon Showdown, was in the area, but that was more curiosity than anything else. Who wouldn’t want to see firsthand how his once clean-cut boyfriend transformed into a pierced and tattooed heavy metal god?

But when Chance has the nerve to record a love song Alex wrote for him years ago, Alex crosses the country to confront him. Revenge becomes a dish best served sizzling hot. The two men lock horns, but find the chemistry between them has only intensified with time, and occasionally love needs to do some growing up before it can be done right.

***



Book Review: And if I Offered Thee a Bargain by Jules Jones


Review orignally posted at The Romance Reviews
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10642


And if I Offered Thee a Bargain
by Jules Jones
Musa Publishing
M/M Paranormal/Faerie
Short Story
5 Stars

Blurb:

One night of your life for seven years of love. Would you pay the price?

Jack never dreamed that a reluctant trip back to his home town would thrust him into the world of the sidhe. He finds that the legends are true, but the sidhe have changed. They have a new bargain to offer the mortals who bring them fresh stories and share new technologies.

But is the price of this new bargain worth it?

Review:


This was a wonderful, passionate short story that keeps you reading from the very first line. It being set in Ireland endeared it even more to me, being Irish myself. It was lovely to read again some of the legends I grew up with and the twists the author added to them.

Sci-fi and fantasy fan Jack falls asleep on an Irish hillside while listening to his latest audiobook. When he wakes, a handsome stranger with pointed ears and golden cat-like eyes is staring down at him.

Jack at first mistakes the man for an escapee from a nearby fandom con, but he soon discovers the truth. The stranger is one of the Fair Folk, the Sidhe, also known as elves. There is an instant attraction between them and after they first make love, Fergal the elf offers his bargain. One night will pass in Jack's world, if he will stay with Fergal for seven years in the land of the Sidhe.

But can you ever really trust the Sidhe?

This was a short story, but was as satisfying a read as longer novels.

It's told in first person from Jack's point of view, and while that normally isn't my preference, it works here so that you too are drawn into the mystery and magic with Jack.

Fergal and Jack were both great characters and they feel well-rounded, even though it's a short story. I loved the fact that the elves adored stories and Jack spent many a night reading from his ebook collection to rapt elves.

The ending is bittersweet, but it couldn't really be otherwise for this story. If I had one complaint, it would be that it could have been longer. I would have quite happily tarried a good long while in the magical world the author created.

Reviewed by Annette Gisby





New M/M Releases this week


Sins of the Fathers
by Edward Kendrick
M/M Contemporary/Models
Silver Publishing
Release Date: Nov 4 2013
Allromance

Blurb:


When ex-priest Mark Collins is suddenly catapulted to fame as a super-model, he discovers there is more to it than he expected. With the help of Paul, his boss's assistant, he manages to weather the promotional gigs. Then there is his blossoming involvement with Angelo, a police detective he met soon after arriving in the city.

Everything is thrown into disarray when he finds out his boss may be trafficking with the Mafia. When he's attacked, his life soon becomes a game of 'who do I trust?' Will it be Angelo or the very appealing FBI agent who puts him into protective custody to keep him alive until he can testify?

***


For a Dragon's Protection
by Charlie Richards
M/M Paranormal/Shifter
eXtasy Books
Release Date: Nov 4
Allromance

When Elder Combs—leader for the gray caste of dragons—discovers Ewan MacNiery dying on the side of the mountain, he’s instantly smitten. Helping the human regain his health comes first, followed closely by seducing him and making him his own. Except Ewan claims he’s not interested in males and fights their attraction. Between the danger Ewan’s appearance in the valley represents and the human’s own resistances, can Combs figure out how to convince Ewan that staying and building a life with a male dragon will fulfill the desires of his heart?

***


Almost Paradise
by Caitlin Ricci
Pine Hollow Wolves Book 1.0
M/M Paranormal/Shifter
eXtasy Books
Release Date: Nov 4
Allromance

Travis has done everything to keep his daughter safe. He's fought a long, hard battle in the courts to gain full custody and has finally found some breathing room. But that security comes at a heavy price.


Staying in a motel and living off his quickly dwindling savings is no way to raise a toddler, so when Liam steps into his life and offers him hundreds of dollars just to watch his dogs for a weekend, it almost seems too good to be true.

***


Beautiful Dreamer
by Sam Singer
M/M Fantasy
Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Nov 4
Allromance




From the time he was a child, Nicholas Crittendon, oft-overlooked second son of the Duke of Sanburne, has been outcast because of his fascination with the myth of the Lost Kingdom. As legend has it, the entire population was wiped from existence when its prince was cursed by an evil sorceress into a deathlike sleep.


Convinced that the Lost Kingdom is real, Nicholas devotes his days to reading and research, trying to pinpoint its location. As he grows older, his nights become haunted with dreams of a blond, green-eyed young man calling to Nicholas for help. Nicholas’s interest spirals into an obsession that drives him away from the comfort and safety of his life and toward the unknown of his dreams. Those slumbering visions may hold the key to everything he’s searched for and a lover he never believed could be real.

But when he finds out there is more to Liam than he ever thought, he has a hard decision to make. Can he and his daughter stay and be safe or will he need to leave?

***



M/M Book Trailer: Take me Home by Sloan Parker

Guest Post & Giveaway: Susan MacNicol's Saving Alexander Blog Tour





Guest Post: Pricing
by Susan MacNicol

I have a little bit of a personal bug bear when it comes to buying books on Amazon and other sites. I'm one of those people who really like to get into a book, and into a story hence why I prefer longer novels.

I suppose this is one of the reasons I write such long stories myself- Stripped Bare was 104000 + words, 290 pages (Kindle) Saving Alexander is just under 90 k words, and my other books are much the same, somewhere between these two numbers. I believe that if I'm writing a story, I want readers to get as much out of it as I can give.

Of course there's a place for the novellas, for the short stories, and the 'in between' excerpts to keep reader interest between books that run in a series. I enjoy these as much as the next man or woman and lap them up so I can follow the character's lives between series.

But what I don't appreciate is having to pay a price that I don't believe is commensurate with what is on offer. I've seen books of 20 pages being sold at $4.00, books at 70-80 pages being sold at the same price and then stories of 100 pages or similar going for $6 or more. Now colour me daft, but I tend to want to get value for money when I buy my books to read. So Stripped Bare, for example, priced at $5.45 for 290 pages, to me is not bad value.

But it's got to the stage where I can't tell the length of the book by the price in some cases. It could be that the more popular authors can price their shorter books up simply because they are popular.  Everyone has a pricing strategy and if they can get away with it, well done to them. I just become frustrated when I read a blurb I really like, go and take a look at the book and find out its 100 pages for > $5.

And talking about the short stories, there are a lot of them in the M/M genre, short and sweet tales that are a little like my own publisher, Boroughs Lunchbox Romances , which at around 50 pages and just over a dollar, offer a read that's 'easily consumable in a lunchtime'. You honestly don't mind paying this for a quick read. But I draw the line at paying more unless I'm really dying to read it.

I know that it's up to the reader to decide just how much they would pay to read something by one of their favourite authors. I just wish there was a little more consistency in the pricing. And therein I end my little diatribe about what I deem the unfair pricing of good books on the shelves and I leave it to you to form your own opinion and even tell me if you disagree. I have wide shoulders- I can take it :)

***


Book Trailer:



***


Title: Saving Alexander
Author: Susan Mac Nicol
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
Bookseller: Boroughs Publishing Group


Punishing himself for a horrific past that is not his fault, bestselling author Alexander Montgomery seeks redemption and love—and perhaps he will find it.

Famous author though he may be, Alexander Montgomery is not someone you take home to meet Mother. Seriously flawed, damaged by a horrific past, he’s trying hard to claw his way back to normality. But how can anyone respect what he truly is? His therapy involves regular sessions at Study in Scarlet, an exclusive S&M club.

Then comes Sage. Tall, with black hair and blue eyes, an up-and-coming actor with impossible charm and boy-next-door good looks, he’s the perfect choice to play the leading man in a TV adaptation of Alex’s last best-seller. Even more, he is a man you introduce to your family. Which Alex would do—if he weren’t taken by another man who offers the punishments Alex prays will wipe away the past and make him the person he wants to be. Yet, perhaps there is another path to redemption. If only the solution would reach out and touch him.

***


SAVING ALEXANDER EXCERPT
copyright 2013 Susan Elaine Mac Nicol

Sage pulled Alex to him desperately, feeling the steady beat of his heart against his chest. “Jesus, Alex, babe. You might have been fucked up but you were my fuck-up.” He felt the movement of Alex’s mouth against his chest, as if he was smiling. “You could have told me all this instead of writing a stupid word on a piece of paper and breaking my bloody heart.”

“Babe, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done this right now, I’m a selfish son of a bitch.” He drew Alex’s trembling lips to his and kissed him deeply, tasting the salt on his skin. “You aren’t going to lose me. I’m here for you, that was my promise.” He huffed in frustration. “It’s just I really care for you and I want you for myself. Every last, sexy, beautiful bit of you.” Sage to Alex

Sage moved closer to him, pinning Alex between the sink and his body. Alex stared at him defiantly and Sage reached out, cupping his face in his hands, his thumbs caressing the strong curve of Alex’s jaw. He saw something flicker in Alex’s eyes, a fierce hope that disappeared almost as it arrived.
“You don’t have to keep going with this, Sage. I don’t expect you to.” Alex swallowed, his face filled with pain. “You can leave me,” he whispered and Sage’s heart broke at the defeated tone in Alex’s voice.

Alex had found the weapon. He picked it up in and stood to face Sarah
.
“Stop it.” His voice was quiet. “Stop now or I’ll bloody shoot you, you bitch. And nobody fucking owns me. Not anymore.” He stood, steady hands pointing the gun he’d retrieved squarely at Sarah. “Stay back, Sage.”

Finally Sage released Alex and grinned wickedly. “Could you really give that up?” he said softly in his ear as he nuzzled his neck.

Alex shook his head as he leaned into him, enjoying his scent and the warmth of his body. “I could never give you up. I love you far too much to do that.”

Sage let him go and Alex saw him take two small pieces of paper from his pocket. He watched as Sage laid them in an ashtray on the kitchen tab and bought out a box of matches from the kitchen drawer.

“What the hell are you doing?” Alex asked, puzzled. Sage kept quiet, picking up the two pieces of paper to show him what was written on them.

Chrysippus. Tallulah.

Eric chuckled quietly. “Sometimes I like to exercise my prerogative and change my mind. You’ve been through enough tonight. Time to end it, don’t you think?”

The distinct desire in his voice was evident and Alex thought Eric had chosen to end it for his own pleasure, to finish off the evening for him in the way Eric liked most. Inside Alex.

He leaned in toward Alex’s face, his mouth just short of brushing his lips. One of Alex’s cardinal rules was no kissing. Eric wasn’t allowed to take Alex’s mouth with his and it frustrated him. Sometimes he really wanted to kiss him, taste him, feel Alex’s tongue in his mouth, but he knew Alex would choose someone else if he disobeyed. It was probably why he treated him harsher than his other clients. He didn’t like being denied something he badly wanted.




About the Author:

Susan Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, UK, and left for South Africa when she was eight. She returned to the UK thirty years later and now lives in Essex. Her debut novel Cassandra by Starlight, the first in a trilogy, was published earlier this year by Boroughs Publishing Group in the US. Sue’s latest story, Saving Alexander is her second m/m romance.

Sue has written since she was very young, and never thought she would see herself being a Romance writer, being a horror/psychological thriller reader all her life. But the Romance genre is now something very close to her heart and she intends continuing the trend.

Sue is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Romantic Novelists Association here in the UK.

To learn more, visit Susan on her website and blog on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Susan Mac Nicol is also author of The Magick of Christmas, Confounding Cupid, Cassandra by Starlight , Together in Starlight and the best-selling Stripped Bare.

***

Tour Wide Giveaway:

Susan and her publisher, Boroughs Publishing Group, will be awarding a five-book subscription to their Lunchbox Romance line, plus a copy of Stripped Bare to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.





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Book Review: Stoned by Shelley Munro


Stoned
by Shelley Monro
Ellora's Cave (Spectrum Imprint)
M/M Paranormal Elements/Erotic Romance
Length: Quickie
4 Stars

Blurb:

Life is a chariot race for Marc Angelo and Tarquin Navona. Friends, rivals and rock stars of Circus Maximus in ancient Rome, they wow the fans with their daring driving and take their choice of lovers. A fine life indeed—if Marc weren’t harboring feelings for Tarquin. It’s difficult to behave normally when he craves physical contact with his friend’s muscular body, but Marc resists, too afraid of losing Tarquin entirely.

He needn’t have worried. Fate has plans for them. Very long-term plans…

When a powerful sorcerer catches Marc and Tarquin with his wife, he curses them to imprisonment in stone. Centuries pass, and Marc’s love and lust for Tarquin only increases. His friend doesn’t have a clue, but that’s the least of their problems. They have no idea how to escape their predicament—and may be doomed to spend eternity Stoned.

Review:

Marc has been in love with his best friend Tarquin, who is also his main competitor on the chariot racing circuit. Tarquin has no qualms about bedding any conquests, male or female, it's all just sex to him.

Sometimes they share a woman, although that isn't really Marc's preference, but he does it as a way to get closer to Tarquin. One night they woman they've chosen is not one of the regular courtesans at the brothel, masked and hooded, they suspect she's a married woman.

She is indeed married, to a powerful sorcerer and when he catches Marc and Tarquin with her, he turns them both to stone statues and after centuries they end up in Las Vegas as a statue in one of the hotels, probably Ceasar's Palace :)

They return to their human form for a day on the anniversary of the curse and they've spent the intervening years researching the curse and how to lift it as well as amassing quite a bit of money over time.

They can still talk to each other through their minds while statues, but they can't move and Marc still hasn't got the courage to admit his love for Tarquin, afraid of losing the only friend he has.

It's quite a short story that fits a lot in and is easily read in one sitting. We get both points of view, which was good, but at times I felt like shaking them. Neither wanted to take the first step to progress from friendship to something more. They both evolved over the years they were trapped and probably learned a lot more about each other as they could only communicate with each other while in statue form. They took their time to figure out they really did want each other!

The love scenes between them are hot and sensual and contrasted well with the scenes in the brothel, where they were just there for sex. It's a sweet story overall, not too much angst, but enough to keep you wondering whether they will ever get the curse lifted and get their happily ever after. I would have liked a bit more of the setting to have been Ancient Rome, but that's probably just the history fan in me coming out.



Series Spotlight: Legends of the Red Sun by Mark Charan Newton


Nights of Villjamur
by Mark Charan Newton
Legends of the Red Sun #1
Tor Publishing
Fantasy/LGBT characters

The ancient city of Villjamur is threatened by a long-expected ice age, and thousands of refugees from the coming freeze are camped outside its gates, causing alarm and the threat of disease for the existing population. When the Emperor commits suicide, his elder daughter, Rika, is brought home to inherit the Jamur Empire, but the sinister Chancellor plans to get rid of her and claim the throne for himself.

Meanwhile an officer in the Inquisition, in pursuit of a mysterious killer, also uncovers a conspiracy within the Council to solve the refugee crisis by wholesale slaughter, and a cultist magician is causing a trail of havoc in his search for immortality and his obsessive quest to gain access into another world. To the far fringes of the Empire is despatched military commander to investigate a mysterious new race of undead that seems intent on genocide of the most gruesome nature.

Gradually the separate strands of romance, jealousy, political intrigue and dark violence converge in a superb new action series of enthralling fantasy.

***


City of Ruin
by Mark Charan Newton
Legends of the Red Sun #2
Tor Publishing
Fantasy/LGBT characters

In the frozen north of a far-flung world lies Villiren, a city plagued by violent gangs and monstrous human/animal hybrids, stalked by a serial killer, and targeted by an otherworldly army. Brynd Lathraea has brought his elite Night Guard to help Villiren build a fighting force against the invaders.

But success will mean dealing with the half-vampyre leader of the savage Bloods gang. Meanwhile, reptilian rumel investigator Rumex Jeryd has come seeking refuge from Villjamur's vindictive emperor--only to find a city riddled with intolerance between species, indifference to a murderer's reign of terror, and the powerful influence of criminals. As the enemy prepares to strike, and Villiren's defenders turn on each other, three refugees--deposed empress Jamur Rika, her sister Eir, and the scholar Randur Estevu--approach the city. And with them they bring a last, desperate hope for survival . . . and a shocking revelation that will change everything.

***


The Book of Transformations
by Mark Charan Newton
Legends of the Red Sun #3
Tor Publishing
Fantasy/LGBT characters

A new and corrupt Emperor seeks to rebuild the ancient structures of Villjamur to give the people of the city hope in the face of great upheaval and an oppressing ice age. But when a stranger called Shalev arrives, empowering a militant underground movement, crime and terror becomes rampant. The Inquisition is always one step behind, and military resources are spread thinly across the Empire.

So Emperor Urtica calls upon cultists to help construct a group to eliminate those involved with the uprising, and calm the populace. But there's more to The Villjamur Knights than just phenomenal skills and abilities - each have a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything they represent. Investigator Fulcrom of the Villjamur Inquisition is given the unenviable task of managing the Knights, but his own skills are tested when a mysterious priest, who has travelled from beyond the fringes of the Empire, seeks his help.

The priest's existence threatens the church, and his quest promises to unweave the fabric of the world. And in a distant corner of the Empire, the enigmatic cultist Dartun S r steps back into this world, having witnessed horrors beyond his imagination. Broken, altered, he and the remnants of his cultist order are heading back to Villjamur. And all eyes turn to the Sanctuary City, for Villjamur's ancient legends are about to be shattered...

***


The Broken Isles
by Mark Charan Newton
Legends of the Red Sun #4
Tor Publishing
Fantasy/LGBT characters

War spills into the Boreal Archipelago, as two rival cultures bring their eternal battle into this adjacent realm. Fresh from a military victory, Commander Brynd Lathraea plans to rebuild the city of Villiren, where he is confronted with a dilemma. There are friendly forces who have no other choice but to live alongside his own people, and their numbers will be required to fight in the looming conflict. The commander turns politician as he seeks to build bridges and embrace mysterious new technologies to further his ambitions. However, many in Villiren are sceptical of aliens coming to their city, tensions run high, and even the dream of a peaceful future brings with it inevitable clashes of beliefs.

Meanwhile, Villjamur has been destroyed. A vast swathe of refugees from the legendary city are now on the run from an immense alien presence in the sky. Villages are being cleared and people are dying en masse. And Inquisitor Fulcrom finds himself at the helm of an operation to aid the refugee exodus to the coast, but it's a race against time before this threatened genocide is complete. Ancient civilisations line up on the field of battle. Exotic creatures and a possible god walk alongside citizens of the Empire. As the Legends of the Red Sun series draws to a close, there will be one final and immense conflict to decide the fate of multiple cultures forever.

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