Monday 4 November 2024

The Unquiet House by Ellie Thomas

NEW RELEASE 

Book Title: The Unquiet House (Regency Paranormal, Book 2)

Author: Ellie Thomas

Publisher: JMS Books

Cover Artist: in-house with publisher

Release Date: October 26, 2024

Tense/POV: Third person, past tense, single POV

Genres: MM Historical Paranormal

Tropes: Hurt/Comfort, Opposites Attract, Friends to Lovers

Themes: Haunting, ghosts, romantic suspense, peril

Heat Rating: 3 flames    

Length: 17 520 words

It is not a standalone story.

It is book 2 in my Regency Paranormal series. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads 

Buy Links

Amazon US   |  Amazon UK 

In Regency England, Sam and Christian come across a ghostly disturbance at a country house. 

Can their combined skills resolve the problem before someone, including themselves, gets seriously hurt?

Blurb

After barely surviving their terrifying encounter with the spectre of the hooded monk during the previous autumn, Christian Maxwell and Sam Gillespie have consolidated their romantic relationship and are starting to gain a reputation for dealing with the unknown.

For this reason, they receive an invitation to Haverford House in Wiltshire during the spring of 1817. The owners of the historic haunted manor house, Mr. and Mrs. Huxley, are being afflicted by a series of inexplicable incidents.

With his sensitivity to atmosphere, Christian is immediately alerted to danger. Yet, despite their best efforts, neither he nor Sam can discern the cause, although their search brings them closer as a couple and as a team. As sinister events develop, can our devoted duo unmask the culprit without putting themselves in danger?

Excerpt

Christian regarded the stolid group of middle-aged people surrounding Sam, the second vicar, with a darker shade to his complexion from the Caribbean sun. Sam had already struck up an animated conversation with the colonel’s lady. His face, shaded by candlelight into fascinating planes and hollows, was alight with interest. Christian was so distracted that he lost the thread of Mrs. Huxley’s discourse.

“You’ve met my husband, of course.” Christian dragged his attention away from Sam to regard his host. “And near to him is Ernest Bell, a distant relative of mine. It’s very good of him to support us in our endeavours since our son Gordon returned to university after the Christmas vacation. Of course, Ernest’s very fond of the place. He was a regular visitor in my Cousin Grenville’s day.”

Christian placed Mr. Bell in his early thirties, somewhat younger than the Huxleys. There was little or no family resemblance to the fair and even-featured Mrs. Huxley. The man was dark haired and had a strong craggy face. He seemed completely at ease, conversing easily as though taking his cue from his hosts.

As the meal commenced, Mrs. Huxley was monopolised by the gentleman on her other side, allowing Christian to absorb the surrounding ambience. The candlelight flattered the diners and the ready supply of wine increased the merry flow of conversation.

The food is excellent, Christian thought, nibbling on a chicken leg. The dishes were removed by a small number of well-trained staff. The Huxleys clearly hadn’t stinted on the domestic sphere of their enterprise.

“Have you come far?”

A gruff male voice broke into Christian’s preoccupations.

“Not at all. Only the other side of the county,” he replied.

“We hail from Suffolk.”

Unprompted, the gentleman leaned over the lady sitting between them and launched into a treatise on the historic sights of that region. Thankfully, he required little in the way of a response. Without having to pay much attention, Christian simply interjected the occasional, “Oh really? How interesting.”

In such congenial surroundings, Christian almost forgot that he and Sam weren’t invited to enjoy the convivial atmosphere.

When the hair rose on the back of Christian’s neck, at first, he assumed it was due to a stray draught, understandable in such an ancient and large space. Rather than easing, the sensation intensified and Christian felt his shoulders tense, as if braced for attack.

He felt a sudden burst of malice like a silent cackle of mocking laughter.

Again, he couldn’t place the source of ill-intent until a footman leaned between Christian and Mrs. Huxley to place a covered salver on the table.

As the servant reached across to lift the lid, Christian hissed, “Don’t!”

His voice was low, but his urgency transmitted to his hostess and the footman, who hesitated in mid-action.

Mrs. Huxley threw a startled glance towards Christian. However, her voice was calm as she said, “Take it away, please, Simon.”

The young server obeyed without question. Mrs. Huxley murmured, “Excuse me.” She accompanied the footman from the room without attracting any attention.

Christian’s collar felt constricting and the candlelight too bright for his strained nerves. He took a sip of wine to steady himself before he glanced around the table.

There was no discernible change in the level of chatter and general merriment. Christian attempted to focus in vain. He could no longer sense the slightest whiff of the ill-feeling that had vanished like a puff of smoke in a strong breeze.

He jumped at the light touch on his shoulder.

“May I borrow you for a moment?” Mrs. Huxley asked.

Christian turned to see that his hostess was pale, her eyes wide with alarm.

“Yes, of course.”

He rose to follow her, unnoticed except by Mr. Huxley, briefly hesitating in mid-comment, and Sam, who quickly looked up before resuming his discourse.

Christian followed the lady into the service region of the house. In a pantry, the silver salver sat alone on a shelf, guarded by the footman.

“I thought you ought to see this for yourself.”

Mrs. Huxley nodded to the footman, who lifted the lid without ceremony. Instead of the expected delicacy, on the gleaming silver platter lay a dead rat with a candied cherry in its mouth.

About the Author  

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea. She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader, especially about anything historical. She mainly writes historical gay romance.

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

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Sunday 3 November 2024

Sleigh Bells and Second Chances (Love in Mission City Book 3) by Gabbi Grey

AUDIOBOOK TOUR

Book Title: Sleigh Bells and Second Chances (Love in Mission City Book 3)

Author and Publisher: Gabbi Grey

Narrator: Michael Dean

Release Date: October 22, 2024

Tense/POV: First person, past tense, alternating POV

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance

Tropes: Small town romance, former soldier, hurt/comfort, age gap, slow burn, therapy dog

Themes: Redemption, acceptance, demisexual awakening, coming out 

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 10 hours and 38 minutes

Each book in the series can be read as a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Audible US   |   Audible UK

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

Feeling worthy of love is sometimes the hardest battle.

Blurb 

Ryan
The moment I landed in that war zone, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I wasn't a soldier, and my good intentions almost got me killed. Being wounded and shipped back home to Canada was both a blessing and a curse. I’m safe now, but I can’t stop thinking of the men I left behind. My therapist claims Healing Horses Ranch will help heal my wounds—physical and mental—but I'm not sure how much tranquility and wholesome fresh air I can take. But then I meet a beautiful, shy man who makes moving forward seem almost possible. Can I let go of the past and reach for a future with Simeon?

Simeon
I've made peace with being different from the folks around me. I love my home in Mission City, and if anyone needs something fixed, I’m the guy they call. When the owner of the therapy ranch hires me for a big project, I’m excited to get started. I always work alone, but one of the patients keeps hanging around, and I can't bear to send him on his way. I can see how much he's hurting. If helping me helps him, that's a win for us both. As we share the work, something about that wounded man draws me deeper and deeper in. I'm no therapist, and I have my own issues, so am I a fool to be thinking about a future with a guy who's likely to leave once he's healed?

Sleigh Bells and Second Chances is a slow-burn, age-gap, hurt/comfort, mid-angst, gay romance novel with a shy handyman, a reckless former gamer, a precocious borrowed kid, and a therapy dog named Tiffany.

About the Author  

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

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The Unquiet House by Ellie Thomas