Release Day Review & Excerpt! As You Wish by Isobel Starling

1 wedding, 2 best men, one hell of a love story!

Declan Ramsay's brother Oliver was marrying Annabelle Aiken at a fairy tale Castle on the banks of Loch Ness in Scotland. The bride and groom decided, so that he didn’t feel left out, Annabelle's gay younger brother Sam Should share the best man duties with Declan. 

Declan had never met the kid who was to be his joint best man.

Sam Aiken was abroad, working as an interpreter and finishing his studies. He wouldn’t meet Declan until a few days before the wedding, so the best men communicated and planned their speech by email for more than a year.

But on meeting Sam Aiken, Declan is surprised to realise the kid isn't a kid at all, but a tall, blond and athletic young man. Declan is sure he's straight, so he's alarmed by the ferocious attraction he feels for Sam. And as the attraction is reciprocated, the events at Dunloch Castle change everything Declan has ever believed about himself.

But is Samuel Aiken all that he appears to be?

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Sam watched as the kilt was secured around Declan’s waist. 

Fuck Braveheart… 

Declan’s sex appeal just went through the roof, in Sam’s mind. Sam didn’t know what it was about the donning of a kilt that made him want to launch himself at Declan and pin him to the floor. He bit his own knuckle to mute his desire. 

“Nice skirt,” Sam jested, his eyes sparkling with laughter.

 “Are ye lookin’ for a slapped arse?” Declan spat defensively. 

“Now… there’s a thought!” Sam snickered, dodging Declan’s lunge and heading to the wardrobe to retrieve his own kilt. 

“Seriously, never call it a skirt. I’ve known many men to get their arses kicked for sayin’ that—” Declan warned. “—and ye have such a lovely arse, I’m no done with it yet!” he added affectionately.

Let me start by stating that Isobel Starling is a huge tease.

Now we can proceed to the review. LOL

Sam and Declan have to stand as best men to their siblings’ wedding and they have to share every duty the title involves. 

One problem –those two never met in person and, while they liked each other well enough while emailing back and forth, that can’t be said for the moment they literally bump into each other.

Sam is funny, extremely intelligent, easygoing and good looking while Declan is a non nonsense kind of guy. Always brooding and not just as willing to make friends even if he’s one good looking SOB.

As the wedding day approaches and they have to spend almost every waking moment together, they get to know each other better and things get … sort of complicated.

There’s so much more behind Sam’s charming façade, and finally Declan comes to realize why exactly he never managed to have a decent relationship.

You’ll find a little bit of everything in this novella. Hot Scots in kilts, a good amount of kinky sex, funny underwear (Sam has a twisted mind), and a good dose of humor.

Trust me, you don’t want to miss this.

Aaaand, the best part is that a full length novel is coming soon!! Sam and Declan’s story continues!

As You Wish can be considered an extended prologue and Miss Starling did an awesome job. The narrative is fast pace, captivating and very entertaining. You won’t be able to put it down.

I highly recommend it!

Happy Reading!

At heart Isobel Starling is a romantic. She is fascinated by the psychology of attraction and the intricacy of relationships. Isobel has lived in many countries and worked her way through numerous jobs ranging from confiscating camera's from Madonna fans at Wembley stadium in the '90's to Nannying for Models in New York City. Isobel went on to study Fine Art and has worked in the Arts,Theatre and Film for nearly 20 years.

Isobel writes M/M and occasionally M/F and Fantasy. Her characters are always broken in some way.(Aren't we all!) She loves discovering their past and working out where their lives went wrong. Most of all Isobel loves watching her characters grow and heal when they meet that special someone! She is a sucker for a HEA!

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Review & Guest Post!! Knotted, Manhattan Bound Series #3 by Juliet Braddock

Spiraling from the bustling streets of New York City to the opulence of Paris, KNOTTED, the third book in Juliet Braddock’s Manhattan Bound series, continues the steamy journey of Maxine Kirk’s whirlwind romance with star of the Broadway stage, Drew McKenzie.

As their love continues to flourish, Maxine finds herself ensconced in Drew’s world, where power reigns in his all-consuming lust for her. From a blackout in Manhattan to a back alley in Paris to a castle in the Loire Valley, their passion knows no boundaries.

All the while, though, traces from their separate pasts continue to haunt, threatening to disrupt their happiness. 

Maxine must confront the harsh, emotional realities that she’d thought she’d conquered. However, she wonders if her courage will withstand the crushing heartache that has threatened to destroy her soul. 

As Drew continues to fit together the missing pieces of his childhood, danger shadows his every move. Drifting through the tumultuous events of their public and personal lives, Drew will stop at nothing to keep Maxine safe—and to guard their secrets from the world. 

Passion and peril collide, culminating in the explosive revelation of the enigma that’s followed Drew for years. 

KNOTTED, the third novel in Juliet Braddock’s “Manhattan Bound” series of four books, is available at most major e-book retailers on October 3. 

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Well, Juliet, you certainly made living in Paris a lot more interesting. I’ll have some ‘splaining to do when I’ll drive around accompanied and I’ll suddenly start cackling like a mad hyena. Thanks for that.

But let’s get back to the book.

I think I’ve stated well enough what I think about this series in my review of Wrapped which you can find HERE. 

It’s well written, the story is captivating and very intense, the characters are well developed, mature, fascinating, easy to love and just as easy to connect with. 

Another interesting fact about this series is the manner in which the author described the locations. First New York City and, in Knotted, Paris. While reading, it feels like you’re actually there. You see and hear and smell the exact things, you walk the same streets and feel the peace and tranquility of Paris with its beautiful gardens and romantic ambiance. Brilliant. 

In Weakened and Wrapped we see Drew and Maxine meet and fall in love. Now, they’re ready to take the next step. 

There are still things, events from their pasts that are not quite settled yet and they’ll have to face them in order to step toward the future without a worry. 

Drew is the same sweet, protective and powerful man Maxine has fallen in love with. His presence is overwhelming sometimes because he has this way of inspiring confidence and strength with just one look or one touch. 

I’ll admit, I shivered right alongside Maxine more than once “under” Drew’s capable hands. The man is a danger for any woman’s heart, I tell you. 

Then, there’s Maxine. Strong, confident, a little bit hurt and a little bit carefree Maxine who has the power to turn her lover inside out with just one touch. 

And she’s a mess. In the good way. Poor, poor Drew. LOL. 

She’s, maybe, the only one who can bring out Drew’s childish, more carefree side because, with her, he doesn’t have to pretend. Nor her with him. 

They’re passionate and wild and, together, they burn like the brightest star. The connection they share is so very strong and runs so deep that there’s no Penelope without Kind Sir, and no Kind Sir without Penelope. Truly awe inspiring. 

It doesn’t mean that they’re perfect. Far from it. But all the flaws and all the qualities make them so lovable, so … real, and make the Manhattan Bound Series a must read. 

I don’t know what else to say. 

It’s amazing how much certain novels make you feel and how easy it is to lose yourself between the pages of the book to the point that you completely lose contact with reality. 

You’ve never felt that before? In this case, you haven’t read the right books. 

And, since I raved about the emotional side of the story, let me tell you about the sexier one. 

Holy freakin’ always horny Maxine, Batman! This girl needs to be kept under the cold shower all the damn time. Oh my God, what she can come up with… 

Miss Braddock, you owe me a Victoria’s Secret gift card and a check for my water and electricity bill. Just sayin’. 

God, woman. You’re wicked! Love it! *wide grin* 

And I think I’ve kept you here long enough. Go ahead and start reading. What are you waiting for? 

Don’t forget to start with Weakened since Knotted is definitely NOT a stand alone. 

Five more than deserved stars. 

Happy Reading!! 

P.S. – Uncle Benjy is still MINE! Back off.

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Some Myths About BDSM…and the Realities Behind Them

By Juliet Braddock

All Doms are Billionaires. Where, oh, where did this myth evolve? On a personal level, I can tell you that no Dominant man I’ve ever dated has been a billionaire. 

Sure, it’s fun to fantasize about a man who can buy his lady anything—from couture clothing to an entire Island in the Caribbean, if she so desires. But how about a Dom who’s a plumber? Or maybe he owns a struggling little store in a small town? Any man can be Alpha. He doesn’t need to have oodles in the bank just to keep his submissive happy. Emotional security and trust are far more critical in a Dominant/submissive relationship than having access to endless amounts of cash. 

In my Manhattan Bound Series, I actually chose a very different profession for Drew McKenzie, my hot-blooded, hopelessly romantic Dom. While he is wealthy—an heir to a luxury department store chain—he decided to forgo that business and pursue what made him happy: the theater. 

Fame and money aren’t two words that are usually associated with a star of the stage, but Drew loves his work and he couldn’t live anywhere else but in New York City. And his work as an actor allows him so much creativity in his kinky role play. It all adds to his mystique…and leaves his biggest fan Maxine intrigued. 

You have to be brooding all the timeto be a good Dom. In reality, do you really want a man who’s just going to berate you all day long? I’ve always felt that a sense of humor is the key to someone’s soul. What a person finds funny can reveal so much about their personality, their intelligence, and how far they’ll push the boundaries of life. 

Laughter in the bedroom is of utmost importance in any relationship—even when you practice BDSM. Taking life too seriously in anything is a mistake. And if you can’t laugh while you’re making love with someone—be it straight up Vanilla or something a little heavier—things can sour quite quickly. 

Maxine and Drew are always finding some reason to giggle between the sheets—whether they’re in the master bedroom or the Master’s Dungeon. While he takes her safety in their play so very seriously, as any good Dom should, they both realize that there’s a much lighter side to life. Play is only one facet of their relationship, and with so much angst in the world, a good laugh sometimes does make everything better. 

BDSM is abuse.When two adults consent to a certain lifestyle, this does not constitute abuse. If one is coerced in any way, shape or form—or if BDSM isn’t something that they don’t find arousing—then you’re treading on very murky territory. Bribing someone with gifts to go play in your secret kinky room when all they want to do is run away is abuse. Using any sort of force to engage an unwilling submissive is rape. 

Safewords exist for a reason. They should not only be used, but should be respected by the Dominant partner. If “Strawberry” means “Stop,” and a Dom continues play…it’s time to back out of that relationship for good. 

Which brings me to my next point… 

To be a submissive, you must be naïve and weak. Nothing could be more horrifically wrong! When you’re engaging in Power Play, you need to know and understand your wants, needs and limits. You must be able to communicate with your Dominant partner on all fronts, and you must have the courage to speak up when you’re uncomfortable. 

Another assumption by many people is that submissives must have been abused at some point in their lives, and that’s not the case at all. Many people just enjoy the freedom they find in relinquishing control. 

Strong, independent women can gain so much in a true BDSM relationship, in fact. Having a voice to articulate your darkest desires is a very sexy turn-on for a Dom. And when you take control of everything in your life outside the bedroom, it’s often nice to allow the details to fall upon someone else in sexual fantasy. Giving up control shouldn’t be forced—it should be a form of embracing fantasy. 

Doms can’t be romantic. Again, I don’t know where these notions evolve! So he likes to harness you and cane you and deny you of orgasms? That doesn’t mean that he still doesn’t like to curl up on a cold winter’s night by the fireplace with you and snuggle over a few glasses of wine. 

BDSM is a lifestyle, but practicing kinky play doesn’t absorb the true essence of a person. Your Dom could—and should—hold your hand in public. He should be attentive to your whims. He should also have the emotional capacity to support you when times aren’t so wonderful. 

Going on dates, sending flowers, seeing a movie together, sharing a quiet meal at a fabulous restaurant—they’re all facets of the art of wooing. And any true Dom with whom you’re planning to have an actual relationship should be mindful. 

BDSM is a 24/7 role play adventure.There is no right or wrong way to practice BDSM. In some relationships, partners do have a 24/7 commitment to each other, and they’ve made it their consensual lifestyle choice. For others, kinky play in between the realities of life is the norm. Some keep it in the bedroom, and others have private Dungeons or playspaces designated for their daring indulgences. 

There’s also a belief that contracts are a necessity. Some people in the lifestyle feel that it’s a good idea to map out their limits on paper. While that works in some relationships, others in the lifestyle feel that spontaneity is lost when you’re married to a list. 

Choice and agreement again play into the full picture. And one rule of thumb should always be applied: 

Keep it Safe, Sane, and Consensual.

Juliet Braddock loves eighties music, wine, food, theater and all things French. When she’s not exploring the big cities of the world—most notably Paris—she lives and writes in Manhattan, and is the proud cat mom to a very spoiled Russian Blue rescue. 

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Excerpt & Giveaway! Stalked, The Slayers #2 by H.C. Brown

Who's more dangerous – a stripper, an assassin, or a serial killer?

The Stripper Ripper is stalking the streets of New York City, preying on male strippers, and the press is making mincemeat of a helpless police force.

In desperation, the police refer the serial killer's case to the Slayers, a team of enhanced, undercover super soldiers. The commander of the Slayers puts his team on the streets to watch over the Ripper's favorite targets.

One of these targets is Micah, a twink stripper and a desirable sub. Micah's baby sitter is one of the newest members of the Slayers, Sorren, as cold-blooded an assassin as they come, and the last person you'd expect to harbor feelings for his charge.

True to form, Sorren is as surprised as anyone at his new infatuation, but Micah is hiding something. Will Micah learn to trust his protector, or is he destined to be the next victim on the Stripper Ripper's list?

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Chapter 1

Club Surrender, New York

As the commander of the Slayers, Delano Briggs had his hands full controlling a unit of nano-enhanced super soldiers in a constant state of pissed. He leaned back in his office chair, glaring at the brooding form of Sorren, and cleared his throat. The six-seven hunk of muscle-bound “don’t fuck with me nasty” stared right back, unblinking.

Although Sorren had accepted his new duties without question and his professionalism was faultless, he couldn’t put a finger on the underlying uneasiness he had for him. The stripper named Snake from the leather club, Pinkies, had been under Sorren’s surveillance for ten days and nothing had occurred. The man standing before him folded thick arms across his broad chest and glared at him with intimidating menace. He would have to come down heavy to keep this alpha with cybernetic enhancements in line. “Report.”

Sorren placed both large hands on the table and pushed a long straight nose one inch from Delano’s face.

“How long do you expect me to remain sane on butterfly duty?”

“I said report, soldier.” Delano pushed to his feet then noticed Rhys, his second in command, move into the room and take a defensive stance.

Sure, Sorren was a loose cannon, but then nobody walked away from capture by Middle Eastern extremists without repercussions. His captors had not been able to brainwash him or retrieve any information by torture. His nanos had kept his secrets safe and his body in peak condition, but Sorren was suffering from three years of pent-up crazy. The nano enhancements did that to a man left alone with only his palm for company. Delano lifted his chin and repeated the order. To his relief, Sorren straightened and narrowed his unusual blue gaze.

“Nothing to report. The butterfly does his act then goes home. Guys hang around him looking for a little action but as far as I can tell, he isn’t interested. Although, he is a nervous little shit. On stage, the club bills him as Snake but his friends call him Micah, which fits him but it’s not the name you gave me. I think he is hiding his past.” He jerked a thumb over one shoulder toward Rhys. “Tell your boy to stand down unless he wants me to drag his ass downstairs to my dungeon.” He smirked. “I need a heavy scene, sending me to watch strippers every night makes me overheat – ah, sir.”

“I don’t do switch play and if I did you’re certainly not my type.” Rhys grabbed Sorren’s arm and spun him around to face him. “Why don’t you go and fuck your butterfly, then you won’t be loitering outside his apartment with a hard-on all night.”

Sorren’s wide mouth twitched at one corner then curled into a sadistic smile.

“Have you seen my five-feet-two eyes of blue?” He grasped his package. “I’d break him in half. Nah, you’ll do just fine, but just so you don’t get your panties in a twist later, you should know, I don’t do cool-down cuddles.”

“I’m bonded to Dylan and you fucking know it, but if you wanna fight, I’d be happy to grind your face into the floor anytime. Here we fight by Slayer rules, which, as you are the new kid in town, means no rules, asshole.”

Before Delano blinked, Sorren had locked one hand around Rhys’s throat.

“I like no rules just fine. Do I get to fuck you when I win?”

In a flash, Rhys cupped Sorren’s balls in his bionic hand and the color drained from the new recruit’s face.

“Wanna play?” Rhys grinned in a flash of perfect white teeth.

Delano rounded the table. Both these men could take him apart before taking their next breath and Rhys could crush an Mk.16 in one hand without taking a breath. “Stand down.” He moved closer and, standing shoulders braced and feet apart, dropped his voice to a menacing whisper, a method he employed to get his men’s full attention. “Rhys have you lost your fucking mind?”

“Nah, just teaching pretty boy here how we play in my yard.” Rhys dropped his hand and wiped it on his jeans in a repulsed gesture. “I can’t believe you trust him to guard the strippers, he’s not safe on the outside without a leash.”

“Sit down, both of you.” Delano leaned one hip on his desk and glared at them. “We run a club and the strippers who work here are good for business. These murders are bringing all strip joints under scrutiny and I’m sure you both understand why we don’t want eyes on Club Surrender. It would put the entire unit in danger. The cops have zip on the Stripper Ripper, no DNA, no witnesses, so we’ll have to find him and deal out justice, Slayer style.” He glared at Sorren. “This means surveillance and I’ve assigned a man to every local stripper that fits the victims’ profile.” He glanced at Rhys. “Small, young looking, with dark hair. From the images we were able to intercept from the local PD database it would seem the Stripper Ripper has a taste for twinks.”

Rhys grimaced. “Fuck, that covers fifty percent of the guys who work here and Jay but somehow I don’t think the fucking Stripper Ripper will be a problem for him.” He chuckled. “I guess we could throw him out as bait?”

Delano shook his head. “Not a chance in hell. Jay might be sixty percent cyborg but I’m not risking anyone until I know who we’re dealing with.” He jerked his chin toward Sorren. “The murderer is smart, very smart. It’s possible he could be a kinetic Black Ops rogue, one of Sorren’s old unit or similar. We don’t have numbers on the soldiers the government nano enhanced but we are aware of at least twenty enhanced Marines on the government’s ‘kill on sight’ hit list.”

“If they are from my unit then they’re some nasty SOBs. I can’t imagine anyone capable of catching them. I just hope they linked up and are doing much the same as you are here.” Sorren grinned. “My men are very different from your guys, although Rhys here comes close. Taking into account your unit’s compassion and adherence to the Special Ops code even though they screwed you makes me believe they added something special in the way of crazy to the nanos they shot into my guys.”

“Maybe, your blood work came back pretty fucked up. Kurt is still running tests. We all have anger management and sex-drive problems but they enhanced yours tenfold.” Delano shrugged. “It’s just as well we have Kurt as our doctor. He was on the first nano experimental team. Although, he has no idea why you carry different levels of enhancement. To date you are the only man we know of, apart from Jay, who can use mindspeak over a long distance.”

“Why didn’t Kurt ask me about mindspeak during the debriefing? Fuck! He wanted to know how many times I shit a day.” Sorren’s lips quirked into a smile. “The mindspeak distancing is a technique much the same as the one used to shield personal thoughts and easily taught. I do hope you’ve kept our mindspeak ability ‘need to know’ and the enhanced soldiers’ little weapon against Uncle Sam is still safe?” Sorren gave an exasperated sigh. “FYI, sex is used as a cooling system. Haven’t you worked that out yet?” He rolled his broad shoulders. “They didn’t enhance my anger but they did modify my brain chemistry.” His attention drifted to Rhys then back to him. “You see, I don’t have a conscience. They turned me into a psychopath – in other words when I kill I don’t give a fuck. No flashbacks, no regrets.” He rubbed his chin. “They tossed the Slayers on the trash pile because you fucking care and having feelings puts everyone in the unit in danger. The doc who treated me said it was a weakness in your nanos the government couldn’t afford.” He pointed at his face and grimaced. “The bionic eyes, well they needed soldiers who could switch from daylight to infrared without night vision goggles and with the ability to record missions.” He snorted. “I was beaming a vid straight to Black Ops the entire two fucking years I spent in prison. I had no rights because Uncle Sam didn’t classify me as human. I was one of many information-collecting drones.” He gave a cynical bark of laughter. “I’m surprised you found me, let alone got me out.”

Delano met Rhys’s incredulous stare and connected in secure mindspeak. “Fuck, just how many units are out there?” 

“Sorren has been to hell and back.” Rhys grimaced. “I’m not surprised he’s crazy, but I don’t believe for one minute he has no feelings. The way he cares for the wellbeing of the stripper he’s watching tells me there is a man inside, not a machine. But I don’t like him, he is an arrogant SOB.”

Delano cleared his throat and made a conscious effort to pull back on the interrogation. “Bret, the electronics expert, picked up your transmission and we put boots on the ground. Once we got you out of that hellhole, he took over your video link and faked your execution.” He dropped back into his chair. “Don’t look so surprised. Everything in the Slayers is ‘need to know’ until you gain full clearance.” He met Sorren’s disturbing electric blue gaze. The man’s pupils moved like the lens of a camera, constantly adjusting in a circular motion.

“Need to know?” Sorren snorted. “I’m just like you, man. I’ve been here almost a year. It’s about time you started to trust me.”

“Right now, I don’t know if you’re working undercover and although we’ve destroyed all your military tracking devices, we can’t stop you communicating by mindspeak.” Delano glared at him. “And you will refer to me as ‘sir,’ do you understand, soldier?”

“What you ‘need to know’ is I’m not doing this yes, sir, no sir, three fucking bags full shit any longer. I’m not a Marine or part of some pseudo military service under your command.”

“Yeah, well actually you agreed to join the Slayers and I didn’t force you to wear our mark.” Delano indicated to the tattoo of a dollar sign on Sorren’s wrist. “We gave you a new identity, a job, and a place to stay. Not to mention all the ass you need to keep cool.” He lifted his chin and glared at him. “Right now it looks like I made a big mistake taking you into our confidence. I admire a man’s grit but I sure as hell want to keep control of my unit. Most of us are Black Ops, Green Berets or mercenaries and prefer a degree of leadership from me. I’m not running a fucking Sunday school.” He scowled at the arrogant man. “You do know Bret has devised a program to decommission you? He can take away your special vision, slow your implants, wipe your memory, and make you almost human again. That’s the only way you leave here alive, soldier.”

Delano didn’t miss Sorren’s shudder of disgust. He stared at him, waiting for a reply, and it was like watching the cogs of an old clock grind into gear. Sure, Sorren had been alone for a long time and no doubt his art of conversation had become a little rusty but he’d had long enough to adjust. He would give him time to consider the situation because he wanted to keep this man in his unit. He’d yet to see a better specimen of nano enhancement and the doctors in the complex would learn a great deal from his advanced technology.

Sorren was magnificent and he could see why he carried the handle “The Reaper” during his call of duty. He’d selected the moody Adonis for stripper duty in an effort to calm him down. Sorren was a loner. He’d taken his edge-play domination to extremes with the house subs and sure wasn’t looking for a cozy relationship. Rhys had nicknamed him “Shadow Man” because they rarely saw him in daylight. Sorren stalked the gloom like a phantom of menace. In fact, the man might just as well hang a sign around his neck with the message, “I hate everybody” printed in bright red letters. The only time he’d seen him crack any semblance of a smile was after winning an arm wrestle with Adryck.

He rolled his shoulders. “Well?”

A crack of thunder rolled in the distance as if it had come straight from the flash of disgust on Sorren’s face.

“Your decommission threats won’t work on me. I have a failsafe reboot on my system. You’ll have to decapitate me to take me down.” Sorren straightened and his menacing look flicked over him dismissively. “I understand you integrated the Fury boys into the unit without making them jump through hoops and yet, I am one of you, military – not the fucking enemy. I agreed to do butterfly duty because I want to catch a murderer not because I plan to inform on the Slayers. If I’d wanted to betray our kind I would have contacted my commander the fucking day I arrived and neither you nor your cybernetic boy would have been able to stop me.” Sorren pushed to his feet. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m late. The stripper you assigned me to protect is due to walk home alone in twenty minutes and it is twenty-two minutes to his gig.”

Delano stood and waved him toward the door. “Sure, we’ll talk again in the morning. Do you have a med kit in the car – just in case?”

Sorren gave him a curt nod and slipped out the door. He moved like a ghost, not one sound from his boots echoed on the tiled floor.

“What new intel do we have on the murders to date?” Rhys drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. “I know they’re bloody but there must be something the cops haven’t disclosed. What has Bret dug up?”

“Nothing, the murderer is a phantom, he drops out of nowhere, strikes and vanishes. You mentioned bloody, yeah, but how does a man rip someone apart and not leave one footprint or one drop of blood?” Delano moved around his desk and sat down.

“Maybe he’s a vampire.” Rhys gave him a speculative look. “Hey, crazy scientists made us didn’t they? How do we know they didn’t experiment on cross-species DNA as well and now some guys can change into bats and fly away?”

“Scent.” Delano placed the heel of one shit kicker on his desk and tipped back his chair. “I’ve visited all the crime scenes. I would have smelled a giant bat and picked up the pheromones of anyone remotely like us. No, I’m pretty sure the Stripper Ripper is one sick human.”

H.C. Brown is a multi-published, bestselling, award-winning author of Historical, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, BDSM, Time Travel, Action Adventure, Suspense, and Contemporary Romance.

In 2015, she was delighted to be named Luminosity Publishing’s Bestselling Author of 2014.

In 2015, Highlander in the Mist was placed 3rd in Historical and Rock ‘n’ Leather was placed 3rd GLBT in the Easychair Bookshop Competition.

In 2011, she was delighted to receive nominations in three categories in the 2011 CAPA Awards: Favorite Author, Best GLBT Romance, and Best Science Fiction Romance.

She was nominated for Best Historical M/M in the 2013, Goodreads Book of Year Awards.

H.C writes about strong alpha male heroes and girl next door heroines in complex settings, and all her stories have happy endings.

H.C. welcomes feedback from her readers.

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Review, Excerpt & Giveaway! Unsaid, The Manhattanites #3 by Avery Aster

For fans who loved the snarky wit of Will & Grace and the epic love drama found in Brokeback Mountain comes Avery Aster's new full-length, standalone contemporary erotic M/M romance novel, Unsaid.

Chelsea’s hottie Blake Morgan III has reemerged from a nasty breakup. His marriage was a frigid disaster beyond repair, and he vows to be single—forever. Bruised, but still hot in Prada, he creates his Seven Desires wish list, his sexiest imaginings. Blake soon realizes there’s only one man he may trust to make these uninhibited intentions come to fruition: his best friend Miguel Santana.

Lower East Side multimedia artist extraordinaire Miguel Santana may be known as the cocky Latin stud in the city, but all he’s wanted since college was Blake’s hand in marriage. He was livid when Blake walked down the aisle with the wrong guy. Miguel has his own list titled the Seven Needs, which are quite contrary to Blake’s dirty-boy deeds. They involve serious commitments, which may leave his new-to-the-singles-scene buddy sprinting for the door, destroying any hopes Miguel has for happiness.

Can these two hunks conquer their intimate fears and love one another as only best friends can? Join the star-studded cast in The Manhattanites series and see for yourself!

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Exciting him all the more, Miguel pushed him against the table. His friend’s actions may have been plain old-fashioned lust, but someone sought him, in the flesh. Not for his monetary assets, but for his ass. “I want my tongue inside your hot mouth.” He wrapped his right leg around his friend’s tight waist. The warm friendship blanketed them, making him feel desired. He’d never been kissed by anyone but his ex-husband before. This felt different. Real. Mutual. His buddy tilted his head to the side. Bit by bit, Miguel gazed down over his forehead and finally rested upon his eyes, almost speaking intently, as if saying, I’m going to give you the passion you’ve always wanted. I’ll fill your need. Miguel brought his tongue to a long-stroked lick over Blake’s bottom lip before plunging into his mouth, deep and hard with a grunting moan. Breathless as a teenager kissed for the first time, his cock stiffened all over again. “You’re going to be my niño this week,” he muttered in a thick accent. “All mine.” Relishing in the forceful kiss, exhilarated in agreement, he forgot the Hell and nightmare he’d been living in and answered, “Yes, I’ll be your boy this week.” Blake wondered how he’d ever be able to walk away from him once the lists were completed. Would they be able to go back to being best friends? More importantly, if he told Miguel the truth, could he keep it a secret?

Finally!! The story we’ve all been waiting for!!

Miguel has been in love with Blake for ten years and, seeing him walk down the aisle with another man broke his heart. 

Being always the “best friend” hasn’t been easy and, as much as he wants them gone, his feelings are even stronger than before.

Blake is finally free from a marriage that left him broken and disillusioned. Trying to piece his life back together is not easy but he’s determined not to fail and, with the help of his friends and a Seven Desires list, he might just find what he’s been always looking for.

A piece of advice – you might want to read this book where you can have easy access to a shower. You’ll need lots of cold ones, trust me. 

Avery is one wicked, wicked woman. I mean that in the best way *wink*

As you probably noticed in the previous novels in this series, every story is very complex and so much more than an erotic tale.

I had a little bit of a difficult time getting into this book in the beginning because the focus kept changing from Miguel and Blake to Lex and Massimo and it was a little bit confusing. Once I got used to it though, it was so easy to read.

Blake and Miguel finally have the chance to set things straight and give into the attraction they feel for each other. Who better to help Blake with his list than Miguel who is an excellent Dom and can give him exactly what he needs.

We see Blake evolve from a insecure and sometimes shy person into a sexy, adventurous sub who blossoms under the care of his lover. 

Their journey from best friends to lovers and, finally, partners, is one hell of a hot ride *ahem! phew!* and, if you liked them before, you’ll fall in love this time around.

I have mentioned Massi and Lex before. Well, Unsaid isn’t only about Blake and Miguel. Looks like the surprises aren’t over for the other couple. While busy planning a wedding and taking care of her baby and business, Lex discovers more about her parents and some of those findings are quite shocking and unexpected. 

A nice twist to the story which made it even more interesting. Actually, this isn’t surprising when we’re talking about Avery Aster. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about her writing style is that things get a strange and totally unpredictable turn when you least expect it.

Not a bad thing especially if it keeps the book from dragging and becoming boring. She sure knows how to keep her readers on their toes.

All in all, Unsaid was a very good book and I highly recommend it. 

One thing- I know the description says this can be read as a stand alone but my advice is to start from the beginning. 

There are too many characters and so many things happening that you’ll have a hard time understanding who’s who and what’s happening. They are all friends and they interact a lot with each other and are always present in each other’s lives so their stories connect in one way or another.

Other than that I don’t know what to say except, READ THE BOOK!! You’ll love it!

NOTE: This is an M/M erotic novel with scenes of intense BDSM play. If you’re not comfortable with either of these scenarios you might want to skip this one.

Happy Reading!

New York Times bestselling author Avery Aster pens The Manhattanites, a contemporary erotic romance series of full-length, stand-alone novels, and the naughty new adult prequel companion series The Undergrad Years.

As a resident of New York City and a graduate from New York University, Avery gives readers an inside look at the city’s glitzy nightlife, socialite sexcapades and tall tales of the über-rich and ultra-famous.

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Amazon reviewers have been raving about this bestselling series. 

Now for the first time B&N and iBook users can see what kindle users have been saying is "one of the best mind f*ucks you'll ever read!" 

The box set is specially priced at 99¢/99p for release week ONLY. 

This is the entire Empathy series including, Empathy, Desolate, Vacant and Deadly.

I have always had a passion for storytelling, whether it be through lyrics or bed time stories with my sisters. I wanted to be an actress growing up so I could live many roles but I learned early on that my mind was too active… I would want to change the script.I would watch films and think of ways they could have improved the story if they took another direction so i thought it best that i tell my own.

My mum would always have a book in her hand when I was young and passed on her love for reading, inspiring me to venture into writing my own. I tend to have a darker edge to my writing. Not all love stories are made from light, some are created in darkness but are just as powerful and worth telling.

When I’m not lost in the world of characters I love spending time with my family. I’m a mum and that comes first in my life but when I do get down time I love attending music concerts or reading events with my younger sister.

You can find me on Facebook where I love interacting with my readers.

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