Dec 09

New Release Blitz: This Christmas by J.R. Hart (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  This Christmas

Author: J.R. Hart

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: December 9, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 56800

Genre: Contemporary Holiday, LGBT, gay, in the closet, holiday season, coming out, virgin, opposites attract, new adult

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Synopsis

Alex Ross can’t catch a break when it comes to Christmastime. With a long history of bad holiday experiences—like getting rejected under the mistletoe or playing referee to his mother’s divorce—he’s just trying to survive it.

New in town and a stranger to everyone, he plans on ignoring the holiday altogether. That would be easier if his ridiculously cheerful new neighbor would cool it on the Christmas hype. Nicholas is annoying and loud. Worst of all, he’s also impossibly attractive and nice to everyone. It’s getting harder for Alex to deny his interest, especially when Nicholas leaves Christmas cookies at his door and wages a snowball fight against him on the coldest day of the year.

Can Alex open up to him and get into the holiday spirit before he endures another ruined Christmas?

Excerpt

Christmas Spirit

Peppermint. Everywhere Alex looked, on every shelf, peppermint surrounded him. Before Thanksgiving had ended, someone sneezed red-and-white stripes throughout the grocery store. Most of the year, Alex was indifferent to peppermint. He didn’t have a personal grudge against the flavor, not really. At Christmas, however, indifference became loathing.

What was the point of basing an entire season around one specific flavor profile? He didn’t get the excitement of mint, the mad rush to stock up as if the ingredient were scarce. Calculating an extra ten minutes into his routine to account for peppermint mochas being all the rage and the long lines accompanying the seasonal drink? Not particularly enjoyable. Personally, Alex preferred peppermint in the summertime, stirred into a glass of lemonade. In the current season, chamomile tea was a far better option, particularly in Omaha, which may as well have been a frozen wasteland. As he loaded the chamomile variety into his cart, he looked at the peppermint tea beside the others on the shelf again. How many people buy that thinking this is the only time it’s available? It wasn’t a limited holiday tea. Do people really not know this? Peppermint tea was right there, on the shelf, year-round. But somehow, no one touched the tea in the summertime.

Alex found it a little scary how some crafty marketing on the part of a few national giants—a few food brands—could push peppermint to the forefront of everyone’s minds, convincing them the one flavor was a requirement for a good Christmas. Marketing alone could make one flavor of tea, available year-round, fly off the shelves during the right time of year. “Madness.”

While he could deal with the fascination—darn near obsession—with peppermint products surrounding him in the aisles, he couldn’t stand the chaos and overcrowding Christmas caused. He hadn’t realized he’d been standing in front of the tea for as long as he had until a woman bumped him out of the way—no “excuse me” or anything—to reach the tea. He watched her snatch up several boxes of the very same peppermint green tea he’d rolled his eyes over. He wanted to be home badly, instead of at the store.

“You know they sell that stuff all year?” Alex asked. Stupid question.

She replied with a glare, then added two more boxes to her cart before wheeling away.

“Okay, then.”

Comfort food. Alex stalked away in search of comfort food. Not comfort food in the way most people would define it, but rather the food he personally found most comforting. Starting with the obvious item—the largest jar of peanut butter the store had to offer. He wondered how offended the cashier would be if he grabbed a pack of plastic spoons and tore into the jar now. He needed comfort. Moving to a new city, right before the holidays? Yeah. He needed peanut butter. Bread wasn’t important. His preference was to eat the substance straight out of the jar, where the creamy—never crunchy—mass could squish in and fill the emotional void left behind from the tension of shopping at Christmastime, the internal stress from packed aisles crowding in on him, overwhelming him. He scuffled his feet along the floor, head low, set on trying to avoid eye contact with any other shoppers.

Alex wasn’t in the mood to conjure the polite, Christmassy grin he was forced to give the other shoppers. The store piped in annoyingly saccharine, cheerful Christmas tunes, and the music was starting to give him a headache. I hate Christmas. He hadn’t always, but right now, he couldn’t bring himself to like the holiday. He attempted to elbow his way around a cookie display with shoppers crowded around. When he couldn’t manage to get through the crowd, he maneuvered between, reaching an arm in under someone’s elbow and above another shopper’s wrist. He grabbed two boxes, tossing them unceremoniously into his cart.

Too late to put the cookies back, he noticed the words “candy cane,” printed on the label. With the crowd, there was no way he could reach in and put the packages back. What about the season necessitated peppermint added to the cream-filled center of a sandwich cookie? He didn’t understand the need there. “What’s wrong with plain Oreos?” No one heard his question. Which was fine—he hadn’t wanted an answer. He should have ordered his groceries online, he realized in hindsight. But, he was here now. Leaving the store empty-handed didn’t make sense.

Saccharine tunes came through the speakers, crooning classics surrounding shoppers in the store. “On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…” From the next aisle, he could hear a voice singing along. The stranger didn’t bother to hum or sing along quietly as most other shoppers did. Instead, he made his presence known. “Eleven pipers piping.” His voice was booming and excited. “Ten lords a-leaping!” Whoever he was, he was getting into the music, holiday cheer annoying Alex from an aisle over. As Alex grabbed a box of cereal off the shelf, he caught a glimpse of a garish Christmas sweater, a peek of beard, and lips moving along to the song. Of course. He was desperate to get out of the store. The sooner he finished shopping, the sooner he could leave the festive hellhole and take a nap. His mind flitted to the booze aisle. Alex considered alcohol to be a decent enough solution for getting through the holiday season. Unfamiliar with the store’s layout, he wanted to find where he needed to go so scanned above him for a sign. He didn’t see it. Instead, he turned and saw a lone box of peppermint bark on an endcap. He debated grabbing some.

If the candy was any good, it might make up for the peppermint overload the season itself had. Besides, it was the last box. The fear of missing out overwhelmed him. Peppermint wasn’t all bad, even at Christmas. He reached his hand out to grasp the box as a large hand wrapped around the other side.

“Oh. Oh gosh.” A man, the one who had been singing, judging by his festive, candy-cane-striped sweater matching the one Alex had seen through the aisle divider, looked at him. “You can have it,” he said, but he didn’t let go of the box. He was offering with the hope Alex would decline and let him have the box. Alex could barely stifle a groan as he looked up at him. The guy looked a little too into Christmas in the sweater, and his obnoxious attire was a lot to take in.

Alex wasn’t short. He rarely had to look up at anyone. But this festive giant towered over him, so he let go. “I don’t even like peppermint bark,” Alex said. “Take it.” The last thing he wanted was to get on this guy’s Grinchy side over a box of candy he didn’t actually want.

“What?” The man in front of him stared, aghast, mouth open, jaw dropped in an exaggerated way Alex had only ever seen in movies, as if Alex had somehow personally attacked him with the statement. “You’re not a fan? It’s a holiday staple, man!”

Alex resisted any and all temptation to tell him, “I’m not your man.” He hated when people said things like that, so overly friendly, as if they knew each other, but he bit his tongue. Instead, he tried to hide his basket behind him, remembering it was full of peppermint cookies, not that he’d wanted them either. He worried the man had caught an eyeful, but then again, did he really care? He wasn’t on trial here! Apparently, what was on trial was whether or not he liked peppermint bark. Christmas and everything related to the holiday was on his last nerve; that was certain.

“No,” Alex said. “I am not a fan of peppermint bark. All it is is mint and chocolate. Go get a box of chocolate mints in the candy aisle—exact same thing, but the stuff sits there year-round, and nobody’s trying to convince you you’ll have the worst Christmas ever if you don’t have it.”

“Uh…” The man cocked his head to one side.

Alex considered he might have come off a little too strong, and for a moment, he was embarrassed by his mini-tirade about how awful the holidays were. He didn’t back down though. In fact, he realized he’d made a good point. Like he’d told the guy, he could go to the candy aisle if he needed chocolate and mint so badly. “It’s true,” Alex said. Frustrated with himself for getting sucked into the marketing, he was thankful some crazy person in a sweater had come along to snap him out of buying the peppermint bark—or worse, into the peppermint delusion—when he didn’t want it.

“It’s not the same!” The man protested. “This has a pepperminty crunch! It’s magical! I can’t imagine not loving peppermint bark!” Alex quirked an eyebrow and backed away slowly. “Or Christmas! Or candy canes! Of course, I bet that’s because my mom set me up with the whole naming me after Saint…” Alex shook his head, muttering “Merry Christmas,” and went down an aisle before the man could finish explaining how his mother’s love for Christmas somehow translated into a desperate need for peppermint. He didn’t have the energy for any of this. Instead, he stalked away, grabbing a bag of chocolate-dipped pretzels—sans any sign of peppermint—before checking out.

Purchase

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Meet the Author

J R Hart is a queer 30-something novelist passionate about telling romantic and erotic stories about LGBT+ characters. When J R isn’t writing, you can find her at the science museum with her son, cheering for her favorite soccer team, or at The Bean Coffee Co plotting her next work. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram as @jrhartauthor, or on her website at jrhartauthor.com.

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Dec 09

New Release Blitz: Grimmer Intentions by Jodi Hutchins (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  Grimmer Intentions

Series: Tales from the Grim, Book Two

Author: Jodi Hutchins

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: December 9, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 91100

Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, romance, paranormal, demons, ghosts, spirits

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Synopsis

She screwed up. She broke protocol. She saved a life. Grim Reaper Margo Petrov may have resurrected a drowned surfer on the brink of death, but she isn’t earning any awards or receiving employee of the month from Corporate; she’s under more scrutiny from the Grim governing body than ever before. Since she has a massive secret that could spell disaster if revealed, she sure as hell doesn’t want to be in the spotlight, in any form.

Margo vows to keep her head down and stay out of trouble, reaping her quota of spirits lest she cause more problems for herself and the woman she saved with an illegal blood bond. She certainly shouldn’t be opening doors to the Fae lands or offering her neck to an Empusa woman suffering from bloodlust, but Margo’s laundry list of bad decisions keeps growing. With the threat of becoming decommissioned by Corporate looming in her periphery, Margo stumbles deeper into the politics of her people and soon realizes their intentions are far worse than she initially thought.

Excerpt

“Margo, calm down. You can’t go killing someone just because they pissed you off.”

Margo Petrov pumped her arms, increasing her speed as she cut across the dead grass of the front lawn, though her initial fury had settled to a low broil. The cold metal of the baseball bat against her palm was soothing but not calming enough to ease the rage completely.

The sound of Luis’s sneakers pounding the asphalt behind her indicated he’d finally caught up. “I’m not going to kill them,” she grumbled.

Luis snorted. “Okay, well, when you storm out of your apartment, yelling, ‘I’m going to fucking kill ’em, Luis,’ I think I can safely assume you’re going to kill someone.”

She stopped abruptly, causing Luis to run into her chest as she turned to face him. “Fine,” she said, tossing the bat into the bushes lining the sidewalk. She grabbed his shoulders, lowering her gaze to his. “Nobody fucks with my brother without consequence. Nobody,” she said, shaking him slightly to emphasize her seriousness.

Headlights from a passing car gleamed in his wide brown-eyed gaze as he nodded.

“Besides”—she started, as she dropped her hands from him, quirking an eyebrow—“I just want to know if they’re afraid of the dark.” She’d been livid when Luis told her the resident group of asshats from their high school decided to give Luis hell on his way back from the library.

Without further discussion, Margo continued down the cracked sidewalks of downtown Philadelphia.

“They still hang out at the bowling alley on Daly Ave?”

Luis huffed a discontented sigh, eliciting a grin from Margo. “Dude come on. Think about this for a second; do you really want to risk another arrest? You’re almost eighteen, and you could be charged as an adult.”

He had a point, and she admitted that to herself, but she continued down the sidewalk anyway, cutting across the street, her feet displacing loose black asphalt pebbles on the worn roadway. “Yeah, but they need to leave you the hell alone. This is getting ridiculous.” For years, she and her brother experienced taunting for their otherness, Luis taking the brunt end most times. The basketball team tormented Luis for merely existing; however, Margo guessed they blamed their mocking on his differences. They needed a good scare, using a bit of magic, the otherness his tormentors weren’t aware of. She wanted to scare them so bad they’d piss themselves. If all else failed, she’d just beat the shit out of them.

Luis gave a shrug of nonchalance, something she instantly recognized as her brother’s passive language, which furthered the desire to teach the perpetrators a lesson. Instead of digging into his dismissal, she turned and continued her way toward downtown.

Luis followed.

The streets were busy even though rush hour had ended a few hours prior. Cars zipped past, a stray honk resounding a few blocks away, voices rising in a cacophonous argument. The late-night city sounds were laden with a warning, hinting at the kind of night bad things happened, stirring a deep foreboding in the air around them.

Luis jabbed her in the ribs, ripping Margo from her eerie thoughts. “Hey, do you see that?” He pointed to LOVE Park on the opposite side of the crosswalk. Standing beside the water fountain was a child, their head turning from side to side in rapid succession. Luis was clearly pointing to the small person; however, the iridescent shift of air around the child indicated to Margo they weren’t alive.

Before meeting Luis, she agreed with the titles given to her—weirdo, crazy, psychic—the names condensing her down to a freak who could see ghosts with the only person to possibly believe her long dead. Of course, she’d been ecstatic to find kinship in another, to prove at least to herself she wasn’t crazy. That is until Luis stopped for every spirit in sight with their Sally-sob story. “Yeah, I see them, and no, we don’t have time.”

Luis scoffed just as the light turned, and he hurried across the street without waiting for Margo.

She rushed after him, forgoing her planned scare tactics on the basketball team in hopes she’d convince him to leave well enough alone.

They approached the park’s edge, Luis carefully watching the child. Luckily, the park held no other visitors, alive or dead. “We have to help her,” he whispered before he stuck his lower lip out.

She rolled her eyes. “They aren’t stray puppies, Luis. We can’t help every single one of them.”

Brows cinching, he met her gaze with an icy stare. “Maybe this is why we can see them, to help them move on.”

Though reluctant to admit it, she’d come to the very same conclusion herself a long time ago. With no way of knowing why they could guide ghostly apparitions to the other side, she couldn’t come up with a better reason herself. She glanced over at the redheaded girl and sighed. “Fine, but we need to be quick, and I still want to find those idiots so I can mess up their night.”

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Meet the Author

Jodi Hutchins is a healthcare professional by day and fanatical writer by night. They are also an avid reader, coffee connoisseur, helpless romantic, amateur artist, enthusiastic maker-upper of things, spouse, and parent. The frequent rain of western Washington doesn’t stop Jodi and their wife from gallivanting through the next trail head with their two children.

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Dec 08

Book Blitz: Ablaze by Elvira Bell (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  Ablaze

Series: Wavesongs #3

Author: Elvira Bell

Publisher: Elvira Bell

Release Date: December 8, 2019

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: approx. 94K words

Genre: Romance, Historical, Pirates

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Synopsis

The final book in the Wavesongs series!

Nick Andrews has returned to the Caribbean—but the world he remembers has changed for the worse. Despite the dangers, he needs to find a way to get to Corona. All he can think of is to reunite there with the love of his life.

Meanwhile, Tom is watching his every move. Tom, who has turned cold and demanding, and is desperate for Nick to love him.

One night things get out of hand, and something happens between them. Something unforgivable.

Content note: This book contains non-gratuitous depictions of torture, slavery, and sexual abuse.

Please note that the books in the Wavesongs series should be read in chronological order!

Excerpt

Tom is sullen and quiet as he gets ready for bed. His chamber is at the corner of the house, three times as spacious as Nick’s room next door, and far away from O’Connell, whose quarters are next to the kitchen and dining hall. There’s fresh water by the washstand, clean bed linens, and a mirror on the wall—but Tom complains about the mosquitoes, the humidity, and the house’s size.

“Just one floor, like a house for poor people… and nothing is beautiful here, nothing! How am I supposed to live like this?” He lies down in bed, curling up before giving Nick a hard look. “But you think it’s all fine, don’t you?”

“No.” From what he’s seen so far, Harrow Hall is not a good place. That whip in Buckley’s hand… “Why would I think that?”

Tom turns over. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m tired. Please, leave me alone now.”

Nick goes into his own chamber. His body is sore, exhausted, but once he’s in bed he finds it hard to sleep. From the other part of the house comes the sound of voices, laughter. O’Connell and his men sampling their own rum, probably.

There is nothing to like about this place, but Nick won’t stay long. He’ll take the first opportunity to leave.

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Meet the Author

Elvira Bell lives in Sweden and spends most of her time writing, reading or watching movies. Her weaknesses include, but are not limited to: vintage jazz, musicals, kittens, oversized tea cups, men in suits, the 18th century, and anything sparkly.

Elvira writes m/m fiction with a touch of romance and has a penchant for historical settings. She adores all things gothic and will put her characters through hell from time to time because she just loves watching them suffer. It makes the happy endings so much sweeter, after all.

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Dec 02

Cover Reveal

Rialto by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Cover created by Design by Drake

RELEASE DATE: December 16, 2019

Available to Pre-Order at Amazon

Book 8 in the Unbreakable Bonds series!

Someone has it out for Rialto.

Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. He’s newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true.

The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant.

But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy.

Ian tries to handle things by himself, but his friends are soon drawn in when the attacks become violent. That’s when Ian realizes the target isn’t Rialto. It’s him.

Rialto is the final installment in the Unbreakable Bonds series and features sexy times, Daciana snuggles, overprotective family, fire, and of course, code names.

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Dec 02

New Release Blitz: His Unexpected Mate by T.L. West (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  His Unexpected Mate

Author: T.L. West

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: December 2, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 23800

Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, Action/Adventure, Bonded, Shifters, Private Investigator, Police officer, Paranormal, murder investigation

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Synopsis

Living in a small wooden cabin at the edge of a forest and working to solve the mystery of recent murders, young Eli Bright learns the locals believe a man-beast is responsible.

As an outsider, he is watched very closely as he works with the young local sheriff, Stanley Blake. But Eli knows there has to be a proper explanation. Paranormal creatures don’t exist, right?

Excerpt

His Unexpected Mate
T.L. West © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Eli and Stanley acted as fast as possible. They both hurried into Stanley’s car, and Stanley drove them to the murder site. It wasn’t far, and judging by the houses, the residents liked living a simple life. Eli didn’t see one expensive-looking house on the way. There wasn’t much traffic either. Eli tried not to imagine how scary and quiet the area would get at night. Speaking of which, the sun was about to set any minute now. Stanley kept talking to his officers throughout the ride. He sounded authoritative to Eli as he talked on his portable car radio.

Eli was surprised when the car stopped outside an ordinary bookstore. There were no other cars in sight. “Is this where the murder happened?” Eli asked, looking at the bookstore again. It didn’t seem like a typical crime scene at all. “Why isn’t anyone gathered over here?”

“We are keeping this one under wraps from the public at the moment,” he said, and Eli followed him out of the car. A few people looked curiously at the sheriff but went on their way.

Eli kept quiet as Stanley opened the door to the store. All the lights were off except one lamp on a counter. Eli looked at the bookcases as he followed Stanley farther into the store. A lot of them seemed old to Eli. Heck, the entire store felt antique. Eli couldn’t help but notice a whole bookcase filled with books about dark magic and curses. He remembered what Stanley had told him about the residents being interested in the paranormal.

They reached a wooden door. Stanley opened it to reveal a flight of stairs going to the upper story. “The owner of this bookstore, Robert Mathieson, was found dead upstairs in his apartment,” said Stanley as he started to climb. “His neighbor from across the street, Mrs. Beatrice, reported it to the station. She came over to talk to him and found him lying on his bedroom floor, covered in blood.”

“Deputy Patterson is already waiting for us,” he continued as Eli followed. “Another officer is at Mrs. Beatrice’s house trying to keep her calm.”

Mr. Mathieson’s apartment wasn’t big. He didn’t look like a tidy man to Eli at all. There were books scattered around the room. Eli noticed some of the books were about ancient magical spells. “Patterson, you in there?” called Stanley.

“Yes, Sheriff,” came a voice, and a young man with brown hair walked out from one of the rooms to meet them.

“This is Eli Bright,” Stanley introduced Eli to his deputy. “He will be aiding us in the investigation.”

“Call me Eli.” Eli smiled as he shook Patterson’s hand.

“I have to warn you though, the sight isn’t pretty,” said Patterson.

Eli nodded. He had seen bloody, dead bodies a couple of times while working on cases. He had also spent a lot of hours at the morgue during his investigations. Eli followed Stanley and Patterson into the bedroom. “Oh!” Eli wasn’t sure what to say. He had seen pictures of the two previous murders but seeing one for real was a whole other story. Mr. Mathieson’s body looked as if it had been attacked by a large wild animal. Eli could make out claw and bite marks all over the man’s body, and there was blood everywhere.

“The med team is en route for examination,” said Patterson as Stanley looked at the body.

“My take is the attack occurred last night,” said Stanley. Eli looked too. Stanley was right. Judging by the condition of the blood on the floor, the body had been lying there since last night.

“Were there no signs of a break-in?” the sheriff asked.

“No, sir,” answered Patterson.

“Three murders in three weeks,” said Stanley as he rubbed his forehead. He was worried and rightfully so. It was his job to take care of the people living here. Eli wanted to place a comforting hand on Stanley’s shoulder, but he didn’t dare in front of Patterson, and especially not when he knew he had feelings for him. The med team arrived after a few minutes. It was a good thing the sun had set, and people were already in their homes. It allowed the sheriff’s department to keep everything under wraps as long as possible. No one wanted to roam around after dark when they knew there was a murderer, or as they believed, a werewolf, out there.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author

T.L. West is an author of paranormal romance, mystery and fantasy. He enjoys writing characters that grow during the story and feel relatable to readers. His stories are a mix of romance, action, and danger. He’s been writing since high school. He has a degree is Human Genetics. Along with writing stories he also loves staying healthy, drawing, reading and taking the time out to relax. He likes maintaining his privacy.

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Dec 02

New Release Blitz: A Town Called Noelle by MK Hardy (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  A Town Called Noelle

Author: MK Hardy

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: December 2, 2019

Heat Level: 2 – Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 30200

Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, contemporary, seasonal, Christmas, lesbian, enemies to lovers, slow burn, small town, snowed in, bakery, funeral

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Synopsis

Just a few days before Christmas, high-flying city exec Brooke Hawkins is forced to return to her small home town due to the death of her mother, who she hasn’t spoken to since she left for college over a decade before. The town, Noelle, is as full of the Christmas spirit as its name suggests. Brooke is more of the “Bah, Humbug” persuasion. She has a funeral to attend, property to sell, and she wants to do it and leave—preferably before December 25th. Unfortunately, the weather and the pace of small-town life both conspire to keep her right where she is.

Small-town baker Holly Jackson gets a nasty shock when she receives the news, just days before Christmas, that her little shop is about to be sold from under her by her late landlady’s estranged daughter. In the years since her husband died in a tragic accident, she and her daughter Maya have been getting by, healing and rebuilding. Holly was beginning to really enjoy life again. She doesn’t plan to let some woman she hasn’t seen since high school come in and ruin everything.

When Holly and Brooke cross paths, sparks fly—and not in a good way. Brooke is determined to sell up and get out of town—and outrun her bad memories in the process. Holly is determined to make her business work. When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, can the spirit of Noelle change minds… and melt hearts?

Excerpt

A Town Called Noelle
MK Hardy © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Nine Days Till Christmas
“Goddammnit, where’s the friggin’ windshield wipers on this–oh, finally.”

Brooke sighed in relief as the automatic wipers came on just in time to swipe the sudden veil of snow off the windshield, allowing her to see the long, empty road ahead of her. The forecast had cautioned there might be scattered snow showers, but this had come out of nowhere, turning the onerous drive into a slightly more nerve-racking prospect.

She barely drove any more in the city, and the rental car was an unfamiliar make, with buttons and toggles and a slick GPS system she hadn’t even bothered to turn on. There was only one road where she was going, and she knew it well.

Noelle, Michigan, was the sort of place known only to those who lived there—or those who’d left. One of those lower peninsula towns far enough north to feel isolated, and not close enough to any Great Lakes to be of interest to anybody.

The first hour on the road had been fine, a relatively clear run. Now it was getting dark the temperature had dropped like a stone, and Brooke regretted not paying the extra to fly into Traverse City instead of Grand Rapids. It wasn’t like her, really, to sacrifice time and effort to save money, but this time, for this trip, she hadn’t been able to keep her mother’s voice out of her head.

“I’m not paying an arm and a leg to fly into that glorified back yard just to save an hour’s drive!”

Still, it would be fine. She’d seen snowploughs parked in rest stops she’d passed, and her destination was a straight shot up the road. She resisted the urge to drive a little faster; the sooner she got there, the sooner she could leave.

A dark object loomed ahead. Almost too late, Brooke noticed it was stationary, pulling sharply to the side to miss it. A car horn screamed as she slid back into her own lane just in time to miss a vehicle coming the other way. The snow was coming down properly now, and people were clearly getting stupid. Including you. Eyes on the road.

Brooke pulled into Noelle at five minutes to eleven. She could barely see for the swirling snow but even if she could’ve she knew there wouldn’t be much there—a few shops, a stop sign at the town’s only four-way intersection, tidy sidewalks rapidly being covered in a thick blanket of white. Carefully she steered down one of the side streets where she had once ridden her bike, chased by jeering bullies. Now it was home to a B and B she hoped was still open to late check-ins.

Nearly every house on this street and every other she’d driven down was lit up. In Noelle, people took “the season” seriously. Even back when Brooke was a kid folks didn’t much care what precisely you were celebrating, but there was an expectation that one way or another you would double your bills in December turning your house and yard into an electrical fire hazard.

She pulled up outside Lakeview Guest House (the name was an outright lie) to find herself greeted by a twinkling facade adorned not just with the obligatory string of coloured lights along the eaves but a large Santa Claus waving merrily from the wall.

“Wow. Talk about tacky,” she muttered, throwing on her parking brake and then pulling her coat collar up and opening the door. Snow swirled around her as she emerged from the car and retrieved her suitcase from the trunk; there was enough blanketing the ground to make rolling the case up the front path a physical impossibility. Instead she lugged it with her as she tried to avoid any patches of black ice that might be lurking underneath—the last thing she needed right now was a twisted ankle.

She remembered the late hour only a split second after she’d pressed the doorbell. A loud “ho, ho, ho!” rang through the house’s interior. Brooke winced. Not the best first impression. Still, the inside porch light came on almost right away, so at least she hadn’t woken her host. Only most of the guests, probably. A few moments later an older woman wearing a navy housecoat opened the door.

“You must be Ms Hawkins.” Brooke, still cringing from the doorbell moment, found herself momentarily lost for words, but the woman simply reached to take her case from her unresisting grip. “C’mon, we’re letting the weather in.”

The woman led her not to any sort of reception, but rather through to the dimly lit kitchen at the back of the house. The table lamp and book at the breakfast bar pointed to the landlady’s previous location, but now she put the case down by the door and moved over to the coffee maker. “Hot chocolate? Herbal tea? You’ll want something after that drive…”

“Some bourbon?” Brooke said wryly, reaching up to ruffle the snow out of her tousled bob.

Her host’s response was a chuckle. “Hot chocolate, then,” she said, pressing the relevant button on the machine, which was an automated multi-function affair. In moments, it poured no doubt underheated and watery brown liquid into the waiting mug. Perhaps she spotted Brooke’s expression, as she hastened to reassure her. “There’ll be proper fresh-brewed coffee in the morning,” she said. “I keep this around for emergencies. And workmen.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve been described as an emergency,” Brooke said as she accepted the mug, wrapping her hands around it. It might not’ve had any booze in, but it was still welcome after a long drive, and she let the silence stretch out as she sipped, looking around herself with idle interest. The inside of the house was no less festive than the outside, with obviously handmade snowflakes adorning the kitchen cabinet doors.

“That weather’s certainly an emergency—it’s come down fast out there. Expect we’ll be snowed in for days.”

This got her attention. “Snowed in? But I saw the snowploughs out just a couple of hours ago—they’ll have the streets cleared by morning, surely.”

“Running to stand still if you ask me—you wait and see. I know a proper blizzard when I see one and this snow’s settling in for the long haul.”

Just my luck. Outwardly Brooke managed a bland smile. “I guess we’ll see. The municipal building will still be open though, right? They wouldn’t close just because of a little snow.”

“Oh, I expect so, as long as the power’s on.”

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Meet the Author

MK Hardy is the pen name for two geeky women living and writing together in Scotland. They’ve been writing partners for eleven years and life partners for nine. When they’re not typing frantically at one another they like to walk the dogs, cuddle the cats, drink cocktails and play boardgames.

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Dec 02

New Release Blitz: Evolution by L.J. Hasbrouck (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  Evolution

Series: Stalker/s, Book Two

Author: L.J. Hasbrouck

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: December 2, 2019

Heat Level: 2 – Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 118200

Genre: horror, LGBT, dark, zombies/undead, post-apocalyptic, reunited, horror, new adult, gay, trans, tear-jerker

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Synopsis

Brian Jameson left behind a world of chaos—vicious Stalkers, ruthless survivors, and an unforgiving landscape of bitter cold and snow—and escaped to an idyllic island paradise with the love of his life. But now he must abandon everything he fought for and return to the warped remnants of America, land of the lost and the home of the depraved.

His sizzling affair with hotheaded Cajun Louis Lavellé came to a boil when Louis’s secrets surfaced: among them, the fact that he left his sister in the clutches of a twisted, infected psychopath and let Brian think she was dead. Unable to bear Louis’s betrayal or the enigma of Eva’s fate, Brian flees the island—without Louis—and returns to New Orleans to begin his search for the missing girl.

If Brian can find his friends, gregarious D and her badass brother, Antoine, he thinks he might have a shot of fighting his way back to Eva’s last known location. But the Stalkers haven’t died out—in fact, they’re exhibiting frightening new patterns of behavior. And memories of Louis continue to torment Brian…along with the strong probability that Louis hasn’t forgotten him either.

Hopes and fears of reuniting with the Lavellé twins drive Brian as he navigates through familiar but shifting surroundings and obstacles. Sweltering heat has melted the snow, revealing once-buried horrors and allowing both Stalkers and other survivors to emerge from hiding. Everything Brian thought he knew about this warped world is shaken by mounting revelations, and each one chips away at his hopes for a happy ending.

But at this point, he doesn’t even know what his version of a happy ending could be.

Excerpt

Evolution
L.J. Hasbrouck © 2019
All Rights Reserved

The Return
3/9, New Orleans, Louisiana, Orleans Marina, 12:37 a.m.

There are no happy endings. Because when a book ends, the story’s not over. The characters continue to exist in their illusory world, kept alive by the readers long after the author has moved on. Our own existence lacks such perpetuity. We’re born, we live, we die. I’m still wondering when my end will come. All I know is this chapter has ended and a new one is beginning.

Brian closed the journal over his pencil and slid his palm across the warped image of Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. A real-life starry night twinkled outside the boat cabin. When he’d been behind the wheel and spotted the Louisiana shoreline, a surge of triumph had lit him with such heat he imagined himself glowing. But the realization there was no one to share the moment with had extinguished his flare of elation.

Flyers and photos stuck out from the pages of his journal. Brian slid them out, craving company in whatever form he could get. He swiped away a smiling man with a deer.

Dead.

A pair of actors in ’20s garb facing off on a poster for Chicago.

Gone.

A freckled girl bathed in light, young and beautiful.

Abandoned.

A dark-skinned woman in a colorful robe and turban advertising psychic services while an orange tabby napped behind her.

Safe—I hope.

His grandfather caught in a rare moment of laughter with his dog, Rocky, cradled in his lap.

Murdered.

A Polaroid of an Adonis crafted with the same perfection as the marble chiseled by the masters. And the same deceptive impenetrability.

Gone but never forgotten.

Brian swept a thumb over the photo and sighed, regret swelling within his gurgling stomach. He shoved the photos and flyers back into the journal.

After tearing into a tasteless strip of dried fish and following it with water that retained a faint seaweed flavor, he abandoned the kitchen table and descended into the cabin. He crawled into bed and tugged the sheets to his nose. The scent of suntan lotion and burnt wood transported him to a less desolate night.

Brian curled onto his side and embraced the bare pillow beside him. What a hollow victory, returning to the place I tried to escape from.

Alone.

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Meet the Author

Knowledge-seeking animal-lover, supporter of diversity, and OG Floridian. Lifelong gamer who grew up drawing Disney characters, whales, and dinosaurs. Proud INTJ (which I share with the likes of Hannibal Lecter, Batman, and Ellen Ripley).

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Dec 01

Book Blitz: Pattern for an Angel by CJane Elliott (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  Pattern for an Angel

Author: CJane Elliott

Publisher: CJane Elliott

Release Date: December 1, 2019

Heat Level: 2 – Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Male/NB

Length: 17,150

Genre: Romance, holiday, single dad, drag queen, contemporary, genderfluid, nonbinary, acceptance, family, angel, Christmas, chosen family, meet cute

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Synopsis

Can an angel gown for a little boy let a single dad and a drag queen stitch together a new pattern for love?

Hospice nurse Gabe Martin is bisexual but doesn’t have time for love—his main priority is raising Ian, his adopted five-year-old son. Ian loves wearing dresses at home and wants an angel gown for his kindergarten holiday pageant. When Gabe visits a sewing store to get help with Ian’s costume, he’s assisted by a bewitching employee named Loren who opens up Gabe’s focused world.

Drag queen Loren Schuster likes playing with gender norms and wearing skirts and dresses in everyday life. A bad breakup killed his interest in serious relationships, but he reconsiders that stance when gorgeous single dad Gabe walks into the shop. Loren helps young Ian see it’s okay to be himself, and together, Loren and Gabe create a new pattern for a family full of love.

Excerpt

Oh well, you win some, you lose some, Loren thought after he rang up her purchase. As he was replacing the purple-blue material on the shelf, the bell to the shop door tinkled. The store had been crazy busy, which was to be expected for the Friday after Thanksgiving. He turned. Now there’s someone I’d love to win.

The guy coming in the door was seriously hot—dark and lanky with a mouth made for kissing. He was being steered along by a gal, but they were enough alike to be siblings. Loren hoped. His mouth twitched at the expression on the guy’s face and his wide eyes. Safe to assume he’d never been in a sewing shop before.

Loren stepped out from behind the counter and remembered that he was wearing one of his favorite skirts when the guy’s gaze dropped. He braced himself for some negative reaction and was floored when the guy smiled happily and nudged his companion. She brightened.

“Oh, you’re perfect,” she exclaimed.

“I am? I mean, of course I am, but why?”

“We’re looking for a way to sew an angel dress for a little boy.”

“Aww. That’s wonderful.” Loren waited for Hot Guy to say something, but his smile was more than enough. “Do you have the pattern?”

“Oh. Yeah.” Hot Guy had a deep voice. Lovely. He got the pattern out of his bag and handed it over.

“Hmm. Yes.” Loren inspected it and nodded sagely. “This seems straightforward enough.”

“It does?” Hot Guy was even hotter with that hopeful expression.

The truth was, Loren was talking out of his ass. Mia was the expert, and this was her store. Loren enjoyed being around the fabrics and different materials, the buttons and the lace, because he loved playing dress up. But you could put what he knew about sewing into one thimble. However, Hot Guy and his girlfriend/partner/sister didn’t need to know that.

“The problem is,” the gal said, “neither of us know fuck-all about sewing. I still can’t believe Ian’s kindergarten expects the parents to sew these costumes. I mean, are we in the 1950s or what?”

“So this is for your little brother?” Loren asked.

“My son,” the guy said.

Huh. He didn’t look old enough to have a kindergarten-aged child. Bummer that Hot Guy was apparently married or whatever. But that was the story of Loren’s life.

Then the gal piped up. “Gabe adopted him last year. He’s a great kid.”

Sounded like they weren’t together if only Gabe adopted this kid. “Great. So you’re Gabe, and you’re…?”

“Nita. We’re sister and brother. Gabe’s a single dad.” Nita cut a significant glance at Gabe, who frowned back. Loren could relate. Sisters always loved to meddle in their siblings’ love lives.

“Hi, Gabe and Nita. I’m Loren. I’m sure we can help you figure out the sewing part. Let’s start with material.” Loren’s favorite. White satin was way more fun than drab paisley.

Ten minutes later, after a delicious wallow in all the permutations of white satin, they had the fabric. Gabe hadn’t offered many opinions about which material but had seemed amused by Loren’s and Nita’s many exclamations.

But when Loren confronted the rest of the pattern instructions, his head spun. Mia was usually here and helped folks with deciphering the patterns. Loren could only guess what some of it meant but did his best to pick out thread and other needed parts and assembled them on the counter.

“Well. This is everything.” Loren hoped. He started to ring up the items.

“Everything but a sewing machine. What do we do about that?” Nita asked.

“You can rent them. This seems a simple enough pattern.” Panic rose in their faces, and Loren quickly added, “Or, better yet, you can hire someone to sew the costume.”

“Could you?” Gabe asked, shooting a sudden intense glance in his direction.

Damn. Of course he could not. But something made Loren say, “Why, I’d love to!”

Life was getting interesting. Even if Loren had to learn to sew. By tomorrow. How hard could it be?

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Meet the Author

After years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJane Elliott finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane is an award-winning author whose sexy, passionate stories explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.

CJane is bisexual and an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality. In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her family supports her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.

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Nov 25

New Release Blitz: The Mirror Maze by Dianne Hartsock (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  The Mirror Maze

Author: Dianne Hartsock

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: November 25, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male, Male/Male Menage

Length: 20700

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, LGBT, mystery, menage, MMMM, aliens, Fairies, detective, immortal, interspecies, open relationship, carnivals

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Synopsis

Cory loves the carnival. Even as an adult, the lights and color, flashing rides, popcorn and cotton candy, all hold a special allure for him. Especially this year, when the men seem extraordinarily beautiful and Jules, the barker for the Mirror Maze, ran away with his heart from the moment Cory first saw him in his purple-satin and leather uniform.

For Jules, the carnival is life, the other carnies his family, friends, lovers. He can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be. But the carnival has a secret that, if found out, could bring an end to their ideal existence. What with falling in love with a local man and a detective dogging their heels about the body found on the hill above the fairgrounds, his perfect life just might be changing, and he has no idea if it is for the better.

Excerpt

The Mirror Maze
Dianne Hartsock © 2019
All Rights Reserved

“You guys are with the carnival. I’m Detective Sundell. Mind if I ask you a few questions?”

Lex shrugged, undisturbed, and the two men pulled out chairs to join them. Amber sat next to Cory, pressing his thigh against him, warm and firm, and heat seeped up Cory’s leg to his groin. He glanced at Amber’s delicate profile, wisps of purple hair caressing his flawless skin. Was he also Jules’s lover? He pictured the two men in his bed, hot lips and talented fingers roaming his body. Lex looked at him and Cory’s lips parted on a soundless moan as he saw his own pale limbs twined with his dark beauty.

Michael got right to the point. “Do either of you know anything about the body found on the hill overlooking the fairgrounds?”

With his gaze still riveted on Cory, Lex replied, “Wasn’t he some tramp or something?”

“We’re not sure. But he was dumped there the same night the carnival pulled into town. You didn’t notice anything while setting up the tents and whatnot?”

“The carnie’s see to that,” Lex said dismissively. “I was in my hotel room the moment we hit town.”

“Alone?”

Lex licked his lips. “Now where’s the fun in that?” he drawled while Amber dropped a hand on Cory’s thigh and squeezed lightly, nearly drawing another moan from him. The barista came up and set two compostable coffee cups on the table. Lex rose to his feet, Amber reluctantly following.

“Sorry we couldn’t be of more help,” Lex told Michael. “Drop by the carnival anytime if you have any more questions.” He turned his bright gaze back to Cory. “I’ll see you later,” he promised in a low tone that vibrated through Cory.

Amber lifted a strand of Cory’s hair, twisting the light brown lock around a finger. “Bye,” he said reluctantly and hurried after Lex. Cory tried not to stare at his sweet ass as they left the shop.

“Well, that was…interesting,” Michael opined, his speculative gaze on Cory. That was an understatement. Instead of replying, Cory took a sip of his sweet coffee, wondering if Lex’s tongue would taste as rich. And would Amber’s creamy skin hint at peaches? Everywhere?

He blinked, straightening in his chair. He had a boyfriend, for fuck’s sake. What was he doing thinking about those other guys?

Michael pulled a worn notebook out of a pocket and opened to a blank page. “You obviously have an in with the carnival folk. Seen anything suspicious? Has anyone been talking about the murder?”

Cory shook his head. “Not that I’ve noticed, but I’m mostly there late afternoons, after school, to give Jules a ride home.”

“About that. You hooked up with him damned quick, when it was months before you let me taste your dick. What do you really know about him, besides the fact he must be a good lay?”

Cory glared at him. “None of your fucking business. Can I go, detective?” He stood and grabbed his cup, intending to clear it to the counter.

Michael put a hand on his arm to stop him. “I’m sorry. Guess I’m ticked you replaced me so quickly. Never mind that. I’d like you to do me a favor.”

Cory raised a brow. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. I can’t get anyone at the carnival to talk to me. If we went to the hillside where the victim was found, maybe someone would notice—”

“I’m not spying for you,” Cory said in disgust.

“Of course not. But if someone saw you up there and started acting strangely… You can let me know that much, can’t you? Tell you what,” he added when Cory hesitated. “We’ll take separate cars. That way I won’t make you feel trapped, restricted. You could leave any time.”

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Meet the Author

Dianne is the author of paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, m/m romance, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. She lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. She says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee warming her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

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Nov 25

New Release Blitz: Sophomore Surge by K.R. Collins (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Title:  Sophomore Surge

Series: Sophie Fournier, Book Two

Author: K.R. Collins

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: November 25, 2019

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: No Romance

Length: 94400

Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, Contemporary, new adult, family-drama, sports, ice hockey, Concord, teammates, rivals, championship, demisexual

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Synopsis

Entering her second season in the North American Hockey League, Sophie Fournier sets her expectations high. The Concord Condors will make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They have the veteran core to do it and the new talent to give them the extra push.

From the beginning, things don’t go according to plan. The season begins without one of their best players, and they lose others to injury and trades as the season progresses. Hockey is a team sport, and Sophie can’t drag them to the playoffs on her own. Is her voice loud enough to convince her team to believe the way she does?

Excerpt

Sophomore Surge
K.R. Collins © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Sophie braves the Manchester airport, her ball cap pulled down low over her eyes so she won’t be recognized. On a different day, she wouldn’t mind being noticed by kids or even their parents. It would be a sign of how quickly hockey has caught on since she made her debut with the Concord Condors last season. Today, though, she’s on a mission.

Theodore Augereau, one of her teammates, is flying in, and she promised him a place to crash during the convention. Fan Fest is Concord’s first event of its kind, a weekend-long celebration of Condors hockey. They’ve planned autograph signings, player panels to answer questions, photo-ops, everything their PR team could think of to drum up support and excitement for the 2012-2013 season.

Sophie’s been in town for a few days helping to prepare, and her teammates are finally trickling in to join her. She spots a familiar figure in the crowd. Teddy has his hat tipped to hide his eyes, same as her, but she’d recognize those scrawny chicken legs anywhere. His goalie pads make him appear twice as large as he is, but in shorts and a T-shirt he looks small.

“You’re too skinny,” she tells him once they’re together. “Don’t you know the off-season is for bulking up?”

Teddy taps her shoulder where her shirt stretches thin to accommodate the breadth of her muscles. “You hit the weight room enough for both of us.”

She grins, pleased he noticed. She spent the summer training, determined to drag Concord into the playoffs this year. The last time she saw Teddy, his shoulders were hunched, the same misery in his eyes reflected in hers because it was locker room cleanout day, and their season ended too early. It’ll be different this year. They’ll have a postseason for the first time in franchise history.

“The guest room is made up for you,” she says as the baggage claim belt begins to move. “I even stocked the fridge.”

“You’ll spoil me.”

“You’re my goalie.” Goalies are meant to be protected—and spoiled—at all costs. Happy goalies make for happy teams. Jakub Lindholm—Lindy—is their starter, but he was Matty’s long before Sophie came to Concord. She knows better than to think she’ll separate their number one goalie from their captain. But she claimed Teddy last year, fair and square.

Teddy finds the black suitcase with a white 30 embroidered on it and hefts it off the belt. “Will you carry my bag?”

He grins as if he’s teasing. Sophie matches his smile. “Sure. I mean, it looks like I’m the only one who worked out this summer.”

“I tried!” Teddy slaps her hands away as she makes a grab for his bag. He lifts it up even though it has perfectly functioning wheels. His muscles flex, but where Sophie is thick and solid, he’s wiry like one of those Gumby figures she played with at her grandparents’ house.

“Men and their egos,” Sophie sighs.

“The summer didn’t make you any nicer.”

“I picked you up from the airport, I’m feeding you, and I’m giving you a place to stay.” She ticks each reason off on her fingers. “But you’re right. I’m not nice at all.”

“I’m not going to win this one.”

She laughs as she playfully bumps his shoulder. “I rarely lose.”

“Welcome to my apartment.” Sophie opens the door and ushers Teddy in. Last year, given her status as the first woman in the League, the Condors organization felt it was best for her to live with her general manager and his family rather than with one of her teammates. The Wilcoxes had been kind, but she’s ready for something different.

Sharing an apartment with Elsa will be new, but, more importantly, it’ll make her feel normal. Most players don’t eat dinner with their GM after practice or babysit his kids on their off days. They play video games with their teammates and eat too many tacos. She’s spent so much of her career set apart from what typical hockey players do. She’s excited to finally be like them.

She and Elsa haven’t talked much this summer which means Sophie’s done most of the decorating for their apartment on her own. The living room, the first thing anyone sees when they walk through the door, is all Sophie. The floors are hardwood, which is how the apartment came, but she picked out a slate-gray suede couch. It’s extra wide to accommodate hockey players, and she bought the matching love seat. The smaller couch won’t work for napping, but it’s somewhere for people to sit if they ever have company.

The coffee table is the same one displayed when she went furniture shopping. It’s square, with a glass inlay in the wood. The woman at the store said it’s ideal for displaying magazines without cluttering the top of the table. In deference to the saleswoman, she placed a few copies of After the Whistle inside. Carol Rogers, the reporter for the segment, also publishes weekly articles on the state of the League. At the end of each season, they compile her articles and interview transcripts into one large publication. It’s a look-back on the season, and Sophie can trace the history of the sport she loves by paging through the issues.

“Do you want a snack before your shower or after?” Sophie asks Teddy as she moves into the kitchen. It’s smaller than her parents’ kitchen, but it’s functional. There’s an oven with four cooktops and a fridge with a freezer big enough to store all the ice packs she and Elsa will need.

“The shower isn’t optional?” Teddy grins as he slides his shoes off near the door. “What’re you trying to say about me?”

“You smell like airport. You can’t take forever, we have places to be today.” Matty—Daniel Mathers—offered Lindy’s house for a team get-together before the convention. It’ll be a good opportunity to see everyone before they have to be on their best behavior for the fans. “The guest room is the one at the end of the hall. The bathroom’s the one with the toilet.”

Teddy laughs as he wheels his suitcase down the hall. Sophie pulls two bags of tortilla chips out of her pantry and takes out the salsa dip she made after a frantic Google search last night. It’s a layered dip with shredded buffalo chicken, and she hopes it tastes good. Cooking’s still new to her. At Chilton Academy, all their meals were provided to them and not much has changed since she made the jump to the North American Hockey League. Last year, Amber Wilcox and the team accounted for the majority of her meals.

When she asked Elsa if she has any hidden talents in the kitchen, Elsa sent back a picture of an open-face sandwich with either pickles or cucumbers on top. Sophie reapplied herself to finding easy, but trainer-approved recipes. At least if things become dire, she and Elsa can always order takeout.

“What are these?” Teddy pops back into the kitchen, holding a powder-blue hand towel with a seashell border.

“They came as a set; shower curtain, rug, towels. It means everything matches.”

Teddy stares at the towel. “Seriously?”

“It’s the guest bathroom. There are no seashells in mine.”

“Do they make towels with embroidered hockey pucks or do you have to custom order them?”

“Fuck off and shower.”

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Meet the Author

K.R. Collins went to college in Pennsylvania where she learned to write and fell in love with hockey. When she isn’t working or writing, she watches hockey games and claims it’s for research. Follow K.R. on Twitter.

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