Monday, June 17, 2019

Blog Tour: On the Rocks by Kandi Steiner

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On the Rocks by Kandi Steiner
Release Date: June 13, 2019

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On the Rocks, an all-new standalone contemporary romance by Kandi Steiner.


Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.
That’s what Mama told me when I was a kid, kicking his pew in church and giggling at the games we’d play. It’s what the town said when his father died and the Becker brothers went wild.
And it’s on repeat in my mind the day I walk into the whiskey distillery where he works to buy a wedding gift for my fiancĂ©.
He’s trouble.
Dirty, sweaty, rude trouble.
No matter how many times I repeat it, I can’t escape Noah in our small Tennessee town. And the more I run into him, the more he infuriates me. Because he sees what no one else does.
He sees me—the real me.
The me I’m not sure I’m allowed to be.
I’m Ruby Grace Barnett, the mayor’s daughter. Soon to be a politician’s wife, just like Mama and Daddy always wanted. Soon to fulfill my family’s legacy, just like I always knew I would.
Until the boy everyone warned me about makes me question everything, like whether the wedding I’m planning is one I even want.
Everyone said Noah Becker was nothing but trouble.
If only I had listened.
A stand-alone, contemporary romance.

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Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/OnTheRocks
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Keav1w

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I watched from the sidelines as Betty schooled Noah on the final dance scene from the classic movie — and one of her favorites. Noah, bless his heart, took it in stride. He held her hands, spun her gently, even went under water completely to give Betty some sort of “lift” that made her feel like Jennifer Grey. That was when her smile was the largest — her eyes closed, face cast upward, arms out in the same iconic flight stance that the actress had done. If I wasn’t laughing so hard, I might have cried at the sentiment. After a dozen more run throughs, Betty called for a break, and the two of them swam up to the side of the pool where I sat. Betty took the lemonade I offered her, sipping and hollering across the pool at Mr. Buchanan — who was seated under the umbrellas. Noah rested his arms on the concrete edge, crossing them and resting his head on his forearm before he peered up at me through lashes still dripping with water. His eyes were an endless blue, the light from the pool reflecting off them like a tropical dream. “Enjoying your entertainment this afternoon, Miss. Barnett?” I bit my lip against a smile. “Very much so, Mr. Becker. I never knew you were such a great dancer.” “Oh, you should see me on the actual dance floor. I can two step and waltz and cha cha with the best of them. And don’t even get me started on what happens when ‘Watermelon Crawl’ comes on.” “I’m sure it’s quite entertaining,” I mused, still dangling my feet in the cool water. “When do I get to see your dance moves?” I barked out a laugh at that. “Um, that would be approximately… never.” “Never?” he asked, popping his head up off his arms with a look of injustice. “But you’ve seen all my moves, now. I show you mine, you show me yours. Isn’t that the deal?” “I never agreed to that.” He narrowed his eyes, running his forefinger and thumb over the stubble on his chin before he nodded. “I see…” Then, a wicked gleam came over those blue steel eyes, and before I could so much as scream, his hand wrapped around my wrist, tugging forward until I was off the ledge and under water. I popped up instantly, not even able to open my eyes against the chlorine yet before I was swinging at him. “Noah!” He laughed, catching my advances easily and pulling me into him. I blinked several times, shaking the drops from my eyes before I glared up at him. “You jerk. Mama’s going to kill me for ruining my hair.” “Mama will live,” he said, and then one arm wrapped around my waist, the other taking my hand in a leading position. “Now, let’s dance, little lady.” With one pull of my hand and push of my hip, I spun away from him, reeling back in like a yo-yo and falling in line with his steps before I realized what was happening. Surprise ripped through me, brows shooting up to my hairline as he somehow managed to smoothly twirl me around that metaphorical dance floor even with water hitting us waist deep. My feet felt sluggish, the moves slower than if we were in boots on a hardwood floor, but somehow, that made it even more fun. I laughed and laughed as he danced me around — until he had the bright idea to flip me like a swing dancer. I emerged from the water beating on his chest again, which just made him laugh harder. And when we were breathless, Noah tugged me to the side of the pool again. “Thank you for the dance,” he said, both of us still breathing heavily as he wrapped his strong, rugged hands around my waist. For a moment, he just held them there, the rough pad of his thumbs smoothing over my exposed hip bones. My smile fell, chest still heaving as my eyes slipped to his lips. I didn’t know why I looked at them. I didn’t know why I couldn’t look away. Noah swallowed, tightening his grip on my hips before he lowered in the water a little and helped push me back up onto the edge of the pool where I’d been seated before. Once I was steady, he released his hold on me, backing away with a distant look in his eyes that I couldn’t decipher before he tore them from me and looked at Betty, instead.



On the Rocks is a satisfying slow burn standalone. Noah Becker is a 27 year old who’s been raised in the Whiskey Industry. Ruby Grace is a 19 year old whose father is a Politian. Noah is known as trouble through the town and Ruby Grace a sweet girl who is following in her mama and father’s footsteps. Put the two together and you get a story that will make you laugh, swoon, give you the right amount of drama and some hot romance. I can’t wait for the brother’s stories to come out!

One of my favorite things about Kandi is that her writing flows beautifully. I had the honor of reviewing Kandi’s first book and she has always had a way with words. You get just enough of everything you want with a little bit more. Pick up On the Rocks, you won’t be disappointed!


Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a diehard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer, and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Kandi:
Mailing List: bit.ly/NewsletterKS
Facebook Reader Group: (Kandiland): facebook.com/groups/kandischasers
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:

Thursday, June 13, 2019

On the Rocks by Kandi Steiner

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On the Rocks, an all-new standalone contemporary 
romance by Kandi Steiner is LIVE!

OTR Cover FINAL.png


Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.
That’s what Mama told me when I was a kid, kicking his pew in church and giggling at the games we’d play. It’s what the town said when his father died and the Becker brothers went wild.
And it’s on repeat in my mind the day I walk into the whiskey distillery where he works to buy a wedding gift for my fiancĂ©.
He’s trouble.
Dirty, sweaty, rude trouble.
No matter how many times I repeat it, I can’t escape Noah in our small Tennessee town. And the more I run into him, the more he infuriates me. Because he sees what no one else does.
He sees me—the real me.
The me I’m not sure I’m allowed to be.
I’m Ruby Grace Barnett, the mayor’s daughter. Soon to be a politician’s wife, just like Mama and Daddy always wanted. Soon to fulfill my family’s legacy, just like I always knew I would.
Until the boy everyone warned me about makes me question everything, like whether the wedding I’m planning is one I even want.
Everyone said Noah Becker was nothing but trouble.
If only I had listened.
A stand-alone, contemporary romance.

AN FB.png

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/OnTheRocks
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Keav1w

Release Blitz teaser.png

On the Rocks is a satisfying slow burn standalone. Noah Becker is a 27 year old who’s been raised in the Whiskey Industry.  Ruby Grace is a 19 year old whose father is a Politian.  Noah is known as trouble through the town and Ruby Grace a sweet girl who is following in her mama and father’s footsteps.  Put the two together and you get a story that will make you laugh, swoon, give you the right amount of drama and some hot romance.  I can’t wait for the brother’s stories to come out!

One of my favorite things about Kandi is that her writing flows beautifully.  I had the honor of reviewing Kandi’s first book and she has always had a way with words.  You get just enough of everything you want with a little bit more.  Pick up On the Rocks, you won’t be disappointed! 


Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a diehard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer, and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Kandi:
Mailing List: bit.ly/NewsletterKS
Facebook Reader Group: (Kandiland): facebook.com/groups/kandischasers

Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:

Sunday, June 9, 2019

The Breakfast Club Collection by Felice Stevens




Title: The Breakfast Club Collection 
Author: Felice Stevens 
Genre: MM Romance 
Release Date: June 13, 2019 




 
Beyond the Surface:
On 9/11, firefighter Nick Fletcher’s world changed forever. He's unable to rid himself of survivor’s guilt, made worse by the secret he hides from his family and co-workers. Nick's life is centered around helping burn victims, until he is reunited with the man he’d once loved but pushed away. Now he has a second chance at a love he thought lost forever.
For fashion designer Julian Cornell, appearances mean everything. His love affairs are strictly casual, and the only thing he cares about is making his clothing line a success. A chance encounter with the man he loved long ago has Julian thinking for the first time in years there may be more to life than being seen at the best parties and what designer labels to wear.
When Julian’s world takes an unexpected turn, it's Nick who helps him regain perspective on what matters most in life. Julian, in turn, helps Nick accept who he is and understand he isn’t responsible for tragedies he couldn't prevent. Lost love found can be even sweeter the second time around and after all the years apart, both men learn to look beyond the surface to find the men they are inside.
===================
Betting on Forever:
A weekend fling in Atlantic City couldn’t be more out of socially shy Zach Cohen’s comfort zone, but a bet with his best friends forces him to put aside the humiliation he’s hidden for years and step away from behind his computer screens and online world. When he meets Sam Stein, despite their spark, Zach expects nothing more than a night of passion and a kiss good-bye. Yet weeks later, he can’t keep the man out of his head.
After a split-second decision with tragic results ends his twenty-year police career at the same time as his relationship falls apart, Sam Stein is drifting through life. At his best friend’s urging, he agrees to a trip to Atlantic City to clear his head. What Sam doesn’t plan on is meeting Zach Cohen, whose sweet nature and honesty has him thinking maybe he could move forward, until Zach leaves him without explanation, reinforcing Sam’s belief that people can’t be trusted.
Well-meaning friends refuse to let Zach and Sam hide from each other, forcing them to realize their weekend was much more than a one-night stand. Before that can happen, Zach must come to terms with his past and stand up for his own independence, while Sam has to learn to take a chance and believe in himself and people again. All bets are off when dreams become reality, and forever doesn’t seem to be long enough.
===================
Second to None
Nightclub owner Marcus Feldman never met a man he didn’t love, at least for the night. Although his best friends have all found love, Marcus shuns their advice to commit to one man and settle down. His past has taught him monogamy and marriage is for fools, and Marcus is anything but a fool.
Tyler Reiss’s dream of dancing professionally is unexpectedly cut short and replaced by a different kind of love. He trades in his ballet slippers for go go boots, and spends his nights dancing at the hottest gay club in the city. Flirting with the customers for tips is easy, but resisting the dark and sexy Marcus is becoming harder to do with each passing day.
Unforeseen circumstances bring Marcus and Tyler closer and though they give in to their mutual passion, both still struggle to guard their hearts. When crises threaten, Tyler and Marcus find their strength in each other rather than falling apart. Tyler must choose to either run, or stay and fight for the life he wants, while Marcus realizes that love doesn’t mean losing himself and opens his heart, making him a better man in the end.
===================
What Lies Between Us
Now that he’s living with Sam Stein, Zach Cohen is finally ready to move on from his unhappy past. His days are filled with wedding preparations, yet he still finds time to make plans and decisions without consulting Sam and his mother, firmly believing he knows best.
Sam is ready to settle in for the perfect life with Zach but years of bad habits have come back to haunt him. Struggling to accept himself and his future, he chooses not to share his fears, unwilling to look weak in Zach’s eyes.
Real life gets in the way of the best intentions and when their secrets explode, the aftermath challenges the foundation of a relationship both believed unshakeable. Falling in love is the easy part, and Zach and Sam discover that only with honesty can they overcome what threatens to tear them apart.
This is a novella of approximately 25,000 words in The Breakfast Club series
===================
Hot Date
Once again, Julian Cornell is at the zenith of his career; not only have his designs helped the young men and women in the burn unit, he’s about to ink an exclusive deal with the hottest model for his new high-fashion menswear collection. Everything is perfect except his husband doesn’t understand how important it all is to him, and the model might want more than just to walk the runway in Julian’s clothing.
Nick Fletcher has never been the jealous type; he’s always been confident his place is right by his husband’s side. But now that Julian is about to re-launch his fashion line, Nick fears Julian might be sucked back into a world of beautiful people and wonder what he’s missed being married to a less-than perfect man like Nick.
Leave it up to two meddling friends who think they know best to arrange a hot date guaranteed to put the spice back in Julian and Nick’s marriage. A couple of silk ties and some sweet and sexy loving enables them both to recall the struggle that brought them back together, a reminder that what lies beyond the surface is a lifetime of love.
===================
A Holiday to Remember:
With Lillie away at a sleepover, Marcus and Tyler finally have some much needed time alone together. Marcus can't wait to get Tyler into bed. He has plans that involve getting and staying naked. But an innocent question from Lillie has Marcus wondering if he's ready to take that next big step.
===================
Two Daddies for Christmas
Two clueless men.
One determined little girl.
A whole circle of friends who’ve grown tired of waiting.
You are hereby invited to the wedding of the king of New York City nightlife, who’s finally marrying his prince charming.
Too bad neither of them know it’s happening.
This is an 11,000 word short story set in the Breakfast Club universe, but it features surprise guests from other series.

Available in Kindle Unlimited



Tweet: The11,000 word short story set, The Breakfast Club Collection By @FeliceStevens1 is #Live #BuyNow @Amazon #KindleUnlimited https://ctt.ec/UUN4j+ #MMRomance #GayRomance #BoxSet @buoniAmiciPress



I don't know why I had not read these books before now.  I am going to assume that I was waiting for the whole series to be ready to read in one long period of time.  All that I can say is that I missed out, so I am glad that I took a chance and read them now.
I am a sucker for those books where the friends have known each other for a long period of time and there is a succession of stories that follows, and that is what you are going to get with this book.   
The first book starts out with Nick and Julien.  At first I was not sure what to think about Julien, but I fell in love with Nick just because to the whole 9-11 story that he has.  It is a series of ups and downs and you will fall in love with him too.,
Marcus and Tyler are next and you get to know about the club owner that you are expecting to be a big old man whore- but who is actually a man with a big heart and so much love to share.  
Last there is Sam and Zach.  I think for me this was the most interesting story. Zach is  kinda a mystery thoughout the series and I was not sure how this one was going to play out.  Zach is a huge mama's boy and seems to think that he needs to be there to keep her together, emotionally.  Sam is older, but wiser and together they make sense of all that life has to offer.
What I would say to you would be that you just need to take the time to get to know them all.  Don't be afraid of the length of the book.  It is large, but so worth the time.














Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, Her characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.
Felice has written over twenty books in the gay romance genre. Her books been translated into German, French and Italian. Her novel. One Call Away, part of her Soulmates series, was mentioned in Buzzfeed as one of the best “Out for You” gay romances of 2017.
Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. She recently retired from the practice law and now daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there are bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.






Thursday, June 6, 2019

Blog Tour: The Fallen: Genesis (A Deadly Virtues Prequel) by Tillie Cole




The Fallen: Genesis is a prequel novella in The Deadly Virtues Series and MUST be read before RAPHAEL (DV: book one).

*****
THE FALLEN: GENESIS

(A Deadly Virtues Prequel)

IN THE BEGINNING...

They told them they were evil.

They told them they were possessed by demons.

They told them that darkness ran in their veins.

Holy Innocents Home for Children is a haven for orphaned boys who have nothing and no one. The priests watch over them, educate them, raise them in the family of the church.

Except for some.

Seven of the orphans are no ordinary boys. They attract the attention of the priests for their acts of violence, of bloodlust. The priests realize these boys are drawn to the darkness.

And the priests are no ordinary priests. They are the Brethren, a secret sect who believe themselves on a divine mission to seek out evil in the boys in their care. Seek it out, and then drive it out.

The seven have fallen from God’s grace. And the Brethren will cleanse their blackened souls…

Dark Contemporary Romance novella. Contains sexual situations, violence, sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and topics some may find triggering. Recommended for age 18 years and up.




Let me preface by saying I'm not the biggest fan of shorts and/or novella length stories. It's not really my thing but I do understand the basis for them, especially in a series like this. The Fallen: Genesis, a Prequel to Tillie Cole's newest series opens the doors to what I anticipate being quite an intriguing and exciting series. Though Genesis didn't really standout to me or endear me much to The Fallen as a whole, I found I enjoyed the concept and by the end was ready to see where Tillie was going to take each Fallen's story. Though of the seven boys, Joseph, was the one who's story intrigued me the most. Put into an impossible situation he was willing to do whatever it took, include give up a part of himself, to protect the others. His journey throughout the series will be the one I look forward to most. Genesis was a quick read. It sets up the series quite nicely, giving you just enough information to get to know the proclivities of not just the Fallen but the diabolical Brethren. I look forward to diving into this series.



Joseph watched helplessly as James moved from his place against the far wall toward a boy on a chair on the opposite side of the room. A boy who had slim knives embedded in his arms and legs—a human pin cushion.

Joseph shivered as he recalled his brother’s expression a moment ago as he’d sat and stared at the knives he had sliced into the boy’s flesh. James, the sadistic voyeur of his own work. Joseph’s nervous eyes landed on his brother’s target. The boy was bound with ropes, and a washcloth was stuffed into his mouth,silencing his cries.

Luke.

Fear flooded Joseph’s body. Luke, the boy who had been intent on bullying James since the age of eight. The boy who would spit at James’s feet when they walked by. The boy who call him weird, a goth, a psychopath who rarely spoke. His taunts were endless. Joseph didn’t think the verbal bullets had ever hit their target . . . until he’d found a pad of paper hidden underneath James’s bed. A pad of paper showing in graphic detail what James wanted to do to Luke.

Tie him up.

Cut his flesh.

Exsanguinate his body.

Then drink the blood down.

“They’re just fantasy, right?” Joseph asked James when he returned from detention. Joseph held up the drawings. Page after page of pain and despair and cruelty.

James walked slowly to Joseph and ran his hand down the open page of the pad, delicately running his fingertip over the pencil image of Luke’s slit throat. “It’s a promise,” James said, with no shame in his voice. “Each page is what will happen to Luke.” James finally met his older brother’s eyes. “I’m just waiting for the perfect time.”

From that day on Joseph made sure Luke never got too close to James, for fear of what his younger brother would do. Because Joseph believed every word his brother had said.

The truth was, Joseph knew that someday, if he wasn’t stopped, James would do something so terrible he wouldn’t be able to come back from it.

And Joseph had no idea how to cure James. He didn’t know how to heal his little brother of the wretchedness that had lodged itself into his soul. He prayed for a miracle he knew would never come.

Joseph’s heart pounded as James held up another knife. His brother’s torso was bare, the scars from his frequent self-mutilation clear to see, white roads of flesh mapping the veins that ran under his skin. Veins that carried the blood James so desperately craved; nightly, once safe in their room, he would slice them open and lick the falling drops as they ran in crimson rivulets down his arms.

Joseph thrashed on the bed, fighting the binds James must have placed him in while he slept. “James, listen to me,” Joseph said as he helplessly watched his brother slowly push his blade into Luke’s shoulder. Luke’s chair almost fell as he screamed into the washcloth, the fabric absorbing his cry. But James didn’t even flinch. Joseph’s stomach clenched when the blood started to pour from Luke’s shoulder as James carefully extracted the blade.


Eleven. That’s all James was. Eleven years old, yet thought only of blood . . . worse, even . . . thought only about the consumption of blood.






Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.