The Song of the Lost Series by Liv Savell and Sterling D’Este

SERIES TOUR

The Song of the Lost Series by Liv Savell and Sterling D’Este

Publisher: L&S Fables

Genre: Queer Epic Fantasy

Best read in order

Overall Heat Rating for the series: 2 - 3 flames

Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US Series Link   |  Amazon UK Series Link 

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Book Title: The Last Contender

Cover Artist:  Merilliza Chan 

Length: 669 pages

Release Date: November 27, 2022

Tropes: Forbidden love

Themes: Becoming who you truly are, found family, fighting for what is right 

Goodreads

“What would you pay for freedom?” 

Blurb 

Your body?

Wynn is a carpenter in a small town in Northern Rhosan, but after he is torn from his family by ruthless Victors, he'll have to learn to survive beneath their rule. When he is forced to hunt with the silent, stoic Dyfan, the two men forge a bond that might be enough to shelter them from a life of violence and cruelty.

Your people?

Basia and Danae are the children of nobles in the elegant, educated Phecean Confederacy. When Basia starts to discover just how horrifying the lives of slaves in her country are, she’s faced with a terrible choice: does she step up to reshape her home at the risk of losing her closest friend, or does she keep quiet and let nothing change? Dealing with the difficulties of her budding gender identity would be hard enough without the lives of millions on her shoulders.

Your mind?

Deep in the Tundra’s frozen heart, the daughter of a medicine woman learns to make poison. The dreams it gives her are full of blood, war, and terrible purpose, but when Iniabi’s village is raided by foreign soldiers, it’s all she can do to stay alive. Iniabi will have to use all the Tundra has taught her as destiny pulls her across the continent, but when it comes to the fate of her people, it’s not enough just to survive.

BOOK 2

Book Title: Emissary to the Frost Wolf

Cover Artist: Virginia Laird

Length: 849 pages

Release Date: July 23, 2024

Tropes: Friends to Lovers, forbidden love

Themes: Found family, fighting for what is right, forced separation 

Goodreads

What would you trade for Love?

Blurb 

Your dreams?

Wynn and Dyfan have escaped the pits of Cwm Or, but there is no safety in their homeland, Rhosan. When a desperate flight leaves them stranded on the other side of the world, they'll be forced to choose between fighting for something they don't believe in or being outcasts again.

Your future?

Danae and Basia have vowed to end slavery in Phecea, but vast forces stand between them and their goals, and they risk their lives and careers when their fight is complicated by a violent organization claiming to have the same vision. They'll need to stand together to see this through, even when feelings drive a wedge between them.

Your purpose?

There is a spy among the Emai. It's Iniabi's job to protect her people even as she wages an impossible war against two stronger nations, but the spy is far closer than she knows and wrapping ever tighter around Iniabi's frozen heart.

Content Warnings: Blood, Gore, Violence, War, Death, Explicit Sex, Rape (Mentioned, Not Depicted), Domestic Abuse, Child Abuse (Mentioned, Not Depicted)

BOOK 3

Book Title: The Warrior Dasan

Length:  937 Pages

Release Date: December 28, 2024

Tropes: Forced proximity, Enemies to Lovers

Themes: Fighting for what is right, found family

Goodreads

What would you sacrifice to end this war?

Blurb

Your power?

Iniabi has known all her life that she would marry Danae, but that doesn’t make their new partnership any easier. It’s only complicated by past lovers and enemy attempts to tear them apart. They will need to come together before Iniabi’s final challenge is laid before her. Will all the power of Phecea and the Emaian Tundra be enough to end the Emaian peoples’ oppression?

Your heart?

Dyfan is lost in the wake of Wynn’s absence, struggling to find a purpose while his lover teaches old magic to Liria’s enemies. He longs only to reunite—however he can— but both foreigners have a part to play in the battles to come.

Your honor?

General Lucilius Nonus always serves his Imperator without question, but he feels the stain on Lirian honor caused by the Imperator’s newest acquisition—a mage from the distant land of Ingola. Master Mage Mors Dernier is much more than he seems, but even he is unable to predict the chaos Basia Mavros will make of all their careful plans.

Content Warnings: Blood, Gore, Violence, War, Death, Abduction, Explicit Sex, Addiction, Physical Punishment (in the form of public whipping), Child Abuse (mentioned, not depicted)

About the Authors

Liv and Sterling are queer Indie authors focused on creating inclusive, diverse worlds that deliver on plot, emotional payout, and character development.

Author Links

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Finding Harbor by Duncan Gaye

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Finding Harbor

Author: Duncan Gaye

Release Date: November 10, 2025

Tense/POV: Third person/ past tense

Genres: MM Historical Romance, LGBTQ Fiction

Tropes: Friends to lovers, strangers to lovers, small town romance, forced proximity, shared bed 

Themes: Love against the odds, found family

Heat Rating:  2 flames

Length: 291 pages

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Universal Link

Blurb

Part of The Long Shadow Series by Duncan Gaye

Patrick Callahan comes to Cape Breton expecting easy money from a quick and lucrative timber deal. Instead, he only finds humiliation. Swindled out of his inheritance and stranded in a windswept fishing village, he is left with nothing but a single suitcase and a future that has collapsed overnight. At seven and a half feet tall, Angus MacAskill is a gentle giant with his own past. In St. Ann's, he is known for his silent kindness as much as he is for his stoic nature. He offers Patrick a bookkeeping job in his mercantile, and a place by the fire. What begins as a simple arrangement blossoms into a profound connection neither man could have ever imagined. 

Set within the wild beauty of nineteenth-century Nova Scotia, Finding Harbor is a queer historical romance about survival, finding home, and a love that takes root slowly but with unshakable strength. Perfect for fans of Annie Proulx (Brokeback Mountain), Cat Sebastian (A Gentleman Never Keeps Score) and KJ Charles (An Unseen Attraction).

Excerpt 

Patrick watched, fascinated by the sight. Submerged, Angus looked even more amazing. His chest rose like an island from the water, with rivulets flowing through the valleys of his muscles. His hands, spread wide to aid his floating, could have easily spanned Patrick's entire ribcage. Every proportion spoke of power held in careful check, strength tempered by conscious gentleness.

As Angus had predicted, the water's temperature became pleasant after the initial shock. Patrick swam to the pool's center. His strokes were strong and careful. They reflected his childhood summers in Boston Harbor. He circled Angus once, then twice, like a small craft orbiting a ship.

"Show off," Angus said, righting himself in the water. He moved with surprising speed for his size, catching Patrick around the waist before he could dart away.

Patrick found himself lifted effortlessly, Angus's hands secure around his midsection. "What are you—" he began, but his question transformed into a yelp of surprise as Angus tossed him several feet through the air. He hit the water with a splash, sank briefly, then surfaced, sputtering but laughing.

"Again?" Angus asked, his eyes bright with mischief.

"You're a menace," Patrick said accusingly, but he swam back to Angus, nonetheless, allowing himself to be captured once more.

This time, Angus hoisted him into the air with deliberate care, ensuring Patrick was prepared before launching him skyward. At the pinnacle of his leap, Patrick savored a delightful instant of weightlessness—just a taste of flying. Then, in a beautiful arc, he dove cleanly back into the water. As he emerged, he noticed Angus watching him with bright-eyed admiration.

"Graceful," the giant commented. "Like a kingfisher."

What began as play evolved into a pattern: Angus would throw, Patrick would fly, then dive, then return for more. Each toss sent him higher, Angus's strength precisely controlled to provide thrills without danger. Patrick laughed freely, just like he did as a child. He forgot about being self-conscious. The joy of movement, water, and trust flooded him.

Breathless and excited, Patrick swam to Angus and climbed onto his broad shoulders. He wrapped his arms loosely around the giant's neck. "Onward," he commanded imperiously, pointing toward the small waterfall.

Angus obliged. He swam with powerful strokes that barely seemed affected by Patrick's added weight. They traversed the pool together, Patrick riding high above the water's surface, feeling the play of muscles beneath him as Angus moved. In the tender embrace, skin met skin; Patrick's chest molded to Angus's back. This connection stirred a quieter pleasure, profound and comforting.

At the waterfall, Angus stood tall, water cascading down his body. Patrick, perched confidently on his shoulder, felt like he was soaring among the towering trees. The shift in perspective was exhilarating.

"You see things differently from up here," Angus said in a low voice, one hand reaching up to steady Patrick.

"Is this how you always see the world?" Patrick asked, marveling at the altered perspective.

"More or less," Angus confirmed. "Higher than most, lower than trees."

He helped Patrick slide down from his shoulders. His hands guided Patrick through the water. Soon, they faced each other, bodies close but not touching. Droplets clung to Angus's eyelashes and beard, catching sunlight like tiny prisms. His hands remained at Patrick's waist, neither restraining nor demanding, simply connecting.

Patrick placed his palms against Angus's chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart beneath water-cooled skin. Angus's eyes held his, patient and waiting. He inched closer, their lips poised for connection. When the kiss came, it tasted like fresh water and sunlight; unhurried and adventurous. Unlike their first kiss by the fireside, heavy with longing, this one held a different charm. It was not about urgency, but the playful bliss of certainty. Angus's arms cradled him gently, as water lapped at their shoulders. Wrapped in each other's embrace, they felt whole for a moment, completely secluded in their secret haven.

About the Author 

Duncan Gaye lives in River Forest, Illinois. He believes magic can be found anywhere, even the suburbs. He writes the kind of love stories that sneak up on you—queer, tender, and just a little strange. His books are full of burly big-hearted men, tall tales, impossible odds, and the kind of endings that leave you wanting more.

When not writing, he likes to read, travel and relax with his adorable senior dogs, Spotty and French Fry.

The Long Shadow Series by Duncan Gaye is a thematic anthology series of stand-alone LGBTQ+ novellas and novels that tell love stories shaped by the extraordinary. Blending elements of speculative fiction, magical realism, tall tales, and literary drama, these are stories where intimacy and identity meet epic strength and emotional vulnerability.

From the mythical to the mundane, each book explores larger-than-life characters—strongmen, bodyguards, super soldiers, and other giants. For fans of emotional intensity, queer desire, and stories that stretch the boundaries of realism, this series offers a new kind of legend.

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Alvin Alonso’s Secret Files by Alex Woolfson

SERIES TOUR

Book Details

Series Title: Alvin Alonso’s Secret Files 

Book 1: The Reluctant Incubus

Book 2: Incubus Vampire Slayer

Author: Alex Woolfson

Publisher: Cinnamon Roll Press

Cover Artist: https://trifbookdesign.com

Release Date: November 10, 2025

Pairing: MM

Tense/POV: first person, present tense, single POV

Genres: New Adult MM Urban Fantasy

Tropes: Reluctant Monster in Hiding, Touch-Starved Hero, High Action, Slow Burn, Medium Spice

Themes: Coming of Age, Self-Acceptance, Choosing Good over Evil, Finding One’s Power

Length: Book 1: 80,000 words, 263 pages/Book 2: 80,000 words, 267 pages

It is a two-part duet. Book 1 ends on a cliffhanger. Book 2 resolves the story.

Goodreads:  Book 1  |  Book 2

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Alvin Alonso’s Secret Files series

The Reluctant Incubus  |  Incubus Vampire Slayer

BOOK 1 -  The Reluctant Incubus

I’ve always been afraid of the monster inside me. Now I might have to finally unleash it.

Blurb

I was born an incubus, a literal soul-sucking sex demon. But I’ve deliberately never fed, so I don't have any powers.

Still, that doesn't stop an arrogant fae prince from blackmailing me into stealing a magical watch from a creepy San Francisco mansion.

Turns out, the artifact contains Collin, an all-knowing spirit with serious golden retriever vibes who looks like a cute twentysomething guy my age. If I can keep him from the fae, he swears we can be together—even physically—without anyone getting hurt.

The wrinkle? He’s also being hunted by bloodthirsty vampires who need the watch to end the world.

And my only ally? A smoking-hot monster slayer who's all "touch him and die" whenever I'm in danger but who would most certainly kill me if he ever discovered what I was.

I’ve spent my whole life trying to be good—and okay, maybe dreaming of someone who could make me feel less alone. But to save Collin and stop the apocalypse, I'll have to feed.

And once I taste a soul, there might be no coming back.

The Reluctant Incubus kicks off the MM urban fantasy duet Alvin Alonso's Secret Files. There is a cliffhanger in Book 1—but don't worry: Book 2, Incubus Vampire Slayer, will be released on the same day and is available for immediate review upon request. You can binge the whole story right now, all the way to Alvin’s deeply satisfying HFN.

The romance in this book is slow burn, medium spice. The story has its dark, emotional moments, but overall the action is fast-paced with lots of humor. 

Content warnings can be found here: https://alexwoolfson.com/reluctant-incubus-content-warnings/

Book 2 - Incubus Vampire Slayer

So... I just made out with a Monster Hunter.

Blurb

A totally insane choice since, you know, I'm an actual monster.

And I did this right after finding out that the Hunter, Rafa, has a deep, personal connection with the vampires who are after me—vampires who've kidnapped the teen girl I'm supposed to rescue, and who need the magical watch I'm carrying to end the world.

As for that watch? It imprisons Collin—a handsome spirit who can answer any question and who gets me in a way no one else ever has. Over the last 24 hours, Collin and I have done a whole lot more than just making out.

The truth is, I actually think I'm falling in love with him. Which might be the craziest thing of all, since he still hasn't told me what he really is.

Look, I know I've made some bad decisions lately. But now I have people I need to protect, people I care about. And since I'm feeding, for the first time in my life, I have real power.

So yeah, maybe I'll never be good. But trust me—I am done running.

Because it's time to show those vampires what a real monster can do.

Incubus Vampire Slayer concludes the thrilling, laugh-out-loud adventure that began in The Reluctant Incubus, Book 1 of the MM urban fantasy duet Alvin Alonso's Secret Files. I recommend starting with The Reluctant Incubus so you can binge the whole story from the beginning through to Alvin's deeply satisfying HFN.

Excerpt from The Reluctant Incubus

BLAM! The final vampire bites the dust. I don’t even bother to look back to see if the undead creature was able to get anywhere near the badass Monster Hunter before it was cut down. Instead, I jump to my feet and run for the stairs in a blind panic.

“Wait!” Mr. Terminator yells, voice deep and gruff, clearly expecting complete compliance.

I am not waiting. I book it down the hallway, still gripping the shard of wood.

Collin jogs alongside, having no trouble keeping up. “Alvin? What are you doing?”

I ignore him and almost get to the first stair, but the Monster Hunter is so fast, he swings himself in front of me before I can even put a single foot on that OSHA disaster and grabs my shoulders, fully stopping me. He’s well over six feet. I am child-sized compared to him.

“Slow down, buddy. You don’t need to run. I got ’em.”

He’s less than a foot away from me, his shotgun shoved into some kind of back holster peeking out from under his duster. Without even thinking, I shove back hard against his chest with both of my palms, dropping the stake and using all my strength to try to get out of whatever his “paranormal-creature-smelling” range might be. But at this point I’m a sweaty mess, I’ve got the weak-ass muscles of a committed couch potato, and his grip is so strong, I don’t go anywhere.

In response, he pulls me in tight, into a full-on hug. (Oh, my God! What’s with all the hugs, scary strangers?!)

“Breathe. Breathe! You’re safe. I promise.”

He squeezes me tighter. I can’t breathe. I am so going to die.

 EXCERPT from Incubus Vampire Slayer

I swore I would never feed on a human. There are real risks. He could get seriously hurt, even killed. And he expects me to use the most evil of my incubus powers on him at the same time. To rob him of his free will while I have sex with him.

The thought makes me scowl so hard, my eyebrows actually hurt. In response, Rafa reaches out and squeezes my shoulder—bicep bulging, jaw square—and meets my eyes with a reassuring smile. His grip is solid, and it sends a thrum of warmth straight into my chest. There’s so much caring in his expression, I can’t help but be a bit dazzled, and the pinched muscles of my face relax. He really does look like the handsome lead of a Hollywood romance.

Just a boy standing in front of another boy, asking him to devour his soul.

And I’m agreeing to it. Which means we’re both about to find out exactly how much of a monster I really am.

About the Author 

Alex Woolfson writes action-packed adventures with lovable gay heroes.

An East-Coaster who now calls the Bay Area home, Alex spent twenty years editing films and video before turning to comics, where he created the Lambda Literary Award finalist graphic novel Artifice and the long-running LGBTQ-superhero webcomic The Young Protectors.

His debut MM urban-fantasy novel, The Reluctant Incubus, kicks off the Alvin Alonso's Secret Files duet, delivering high stakes action, slow-burn romance, and queer heroes who save the world and each other.

When Alex isn't at his treadmill desk writing, you'll find him traveling the globe with his husband, on the hunt for the perfect taco.

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The Missing Sentinel (D’Vaire, Book 45) by Jessamyn Kingley

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: The Missing Sentinel (D’Vaire, Book 45)

Author and Publisher: Jessamyn Kingley

Cover Artist: LJ Anderson of Mayhem Cover Creations

Release Date: November 6, 2025

Genre: MM Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Trope: Fated mates

Themes: Love

Heat Rating:  3 flames 

Length:  86 500 words

It is a standalone story. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads Series Link 

Amazon Author Profile

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |   Amazon UK 

Ducarius is determined to find the missing sentinel. 

When he succeeds, both men are stunned to discover they are mates.

Blurb

Skeleton Lord Ducarius Daray lives in a beautiful home with his loving family. Formerly a sentinel who had been stripped of his humanity, Ducarius does not dwell on his past. He finds fulfillment in his job, training with his daggers, and spending time with the Darays. But a mystery plagues his people, and Ducarius often searches for the lone missing sentinel.

In a realm far removed from the Council, Drexley dwells in a peaceful castle alongside the necromancer who was once tied to his soul. His days are spent ensconced in a library, refining his mind with a myriad of books. But his life is no longer idyllic, and Drexley fears the future. The land is crumbling. And his only family member is dying. 

On yet another hunt for Drexley, Ducarius notices a magical anomaly and promptly falls into a decaying realm where he discovers his prey—who happens to be his mate. The attraction is strong, but they have little in common. Drexley is unlike other sentinels, and proud of his differences. However, his memory is poor, and there are things he cannot explain. Like why neither man can leave.

Together, they traverse a perilous path—one with secrets waiting to be revealed. Love is a noble goal, but it will take more than determination for these men to embrace Fate’s promise of a happy mate-bond.

Excerpt 

“Did I mention that I love you?” Ducarius asked.

“Yes, in the kitchen. It was not the charming scene I imagined I would have when you first declared your heart.”

“An expert on love could argue that it did not matter where it happened so long as it did.”

Drexley shifted and lifted his chin, so his eyes met Ducarius’s satisfied gaze. “Tell me about modern matebonds. In my romances, it is a small, quick ceremony celebrated with family.”

“I cannot speak for everyone, but the ones in my extended family are long affairs that include many traditions from different communities. While I applaud any couple eager to combine their lives, they take forever. Everyone is dressed up, and we must sit through floral wreaths, rings, at least one gift, speeches with explanations of why things are happening as if we have not gone to every damn previous one, necklaces, and mating marks as a usual minimum. Each part has people assigned to assist, and if you exclude someone, they could feel slighted. It must be stressful for the couple involved. Someday, you and I will slap smiles on our faces and likely be forced to endure it. I love you, but I am not excited about the ceremony.”

Drexley bit his lip to hold in his laughter at the consternation on Ducarius’s handsome face. The Skeleton Lord clearly had not enjoyed the ceremonies he had attended.

“What if we chose something different for ourselves?”

“What do you mean, love?”

Scooting up to kiss Ducarius, Drexley took a gamble. “I want to know that I can speak to you no matter where you are. When we are in a room together, I want to feel your emotions. I am not against following the traditions of your family, but must we wait to bind our souls? I welcome the chance to belong to you now.”

“Drexley, if you are asking me if I want to bind myself to you now, the answer is yes.”

Drexley grinned as relief and love filled him. “I want to be your fully bonded mate.” Tugging on the covers, Drexley scrambled up so he was seated. “Grab your daggers; do you have to remove the green poison to ensure we can be cut?”

To his delight, Ducarius mirrored his position. But instead of getting his weapons, he rubbed Ducarius’s thigh through the covers.

“I know your feelings about weapons, but I have a suggestion. If we use your daggers, it would turn them from weapons into athames. Many in my family display their athames as a reminder of that important moment in their lives. We could do the same with your daggers.”

It made Drexley sad that he could not honor the request, because Ducarius’s idea was lovely. “I wish we could, but I do not have my weapons any longer.”

“Where are they?”

“I do not know. My memory does not stretch that far back. I cannot recall the last time I trained or what happened to them. But my belongings are not so numerous that I could lose two curved daggers among them. They are not in my trunks, and Adney would not allow weapons to be stored anywhere else in the house. I must assume that I rid myself of them somehow. Perhaps Adney aided me.”

“I see.”

“Do you think it was wrong of me to destroy them?”

Ducarius caressed Drexley’s cheek. “That is not up to me to decide. They were your property, not mine. I already know you have no interest in training, so it makes sense that you would not want to keep blades lying around.”

“I wish I had kept them; having them as athames would have been nice.”

“We could wait and have an athame made if you want.”

Drexley shook his head. “No, I think it will please me to use your weapons, knowing they are always with you. It will be almost like a piece of us goes with you too.”

“You are right. I hope it does not make it harder to attack others knowing that my blades have bound us together for eternity. That would be horrible.”

Given how diligent Ducarius was about his training, Drexley had no fear that his other half would hesitate in battle no matter what important events including his daggers. “Get your weapons, Ducarius, and let us be about our business.”

About the Author

Jessamyn Kingley has published over forty titles and refuses to pick a favorite among them. With an extraordinary passion for her characters, Jessamyn eagerly crafts new tales and avidly re-reads them whenever her schedule allows. Jessamyn shares a home in Nevada with her husband and their three spoiled cats. When she is not writing or adding new ideas to her thick stack of beloved notebooks, she is gaming with family and friends.

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The Best Parts of Him by Amy Aislin

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: The Best Parts of Him

Series: Vermont Trailblazers 1

Author and Publisher: Amy Aislin

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

Release Date: October 28, 2025

Tense/POV: third person, past tense

Genres: M/M Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Hockey, forced proximity, opposites attract, long-distance romance

Heat Rating:  3 flames  

Length: 57 000 words / 210 pages

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Universal Link 

Sometimes the sweetest victories happen off the ice.

Blurb

Ryland Zervudachi lives for the game of hockey—and for the chance to build the kind of team unity that will carry the Columbus Pilots all the way back to the playoffs after last season’s crushing defeat. Off the ice, though, there’s one goal he hasn’t managed to score—the heart of Kyle Dabbs, the Vermont Trailblazers’ team captain and his long-time crush.

Kyle Dabbs has built a life centered on quiet strength. After a childhood scarred by his father’s verbal abuse, Dabbs pours his energy into his career on the ice and the book series he’s written to help kids like the boy he once was. He doesn’t need someone flashy, loud, and spotlight-loving like Ryland turning his world upside down.

But when an untimely appendectomy leaves Dabbs stuck at home, Ryland—recovering from an injury—shows up to help. Between late-night Scrabble competitions, pumpkin-carving mishaps, and long talks that peel back layers they’ve both kept hidden, Dabbs begins to see past Ryland’s bold exterior.

With chemistry sparking and walls crumbling, both men must decide if they’re ready to risk their hearts for something even better than a championship: love.

Excerpt 

“Hey,” Ryland said, his mouth going dry when Dabbs’ gaze met his. “How’s your summer been so far?”

Dabbs leaned his forearms on the top of the high-backed kitchen chair on his left. It sent his biceps straining against his blue T-shirt. Ryland forced his gaze off them.

“Well, let’s see,” Dabbs said, his voice a deep timber that stroked along Ryland’s skin. “Bellamy and I just moved into a new place, so there are still boxes of crap taking up floor space in the kitchen. One of the kids at hockey camp this week decided the ice was too slippery, so he sat out almost every activity. And one of my dogs swallowed a bee.”

Ryland gasped. “Oh my god. Is he okay?”

“He’s fine.” Dabbs regarded him for a long moment, his expression softening. “Nice of you to be concerned though. How has your summer been?”

“Oh, its . . . ” Ryland stumbled over his words for a moment, still stuck on Nice of you to be concerned. “Fine. Good. I can’t top any of that, but my niece did puke candy all over my feet when I picked her up from daycare last week.”

Dabbs made a face. “Gross.”

“I was wearing flip-flops.”

Dabbs made gagging sounds.

“Imagine trying to get vomit out from under your toenails.”

“Oh god, stop talking.” Dabbs straightened and covered his mouth with the back of his hand, as though his gag reflex had engaged.

“On a lighter note, I built a canoe.”

“You . . . what?”

“Built a canoe. Well, me and six other people. We took part in a canoe-building workshop in Glen Hill over the past two months, and we built a communal wood strip canoe. We even took it out onto the water last week.”

“Did it float?”

Putting on his most scandalized Southern belle impression, Ryland brought his hand up to his chest. “Excuse you. Yes, it floated. Rude.”

Dabbs chuckled. “Sorry. You just don’t seem like the woodworking type.”

“Oh, I know how to work wood.” Ryland gave Dabbs an up and down glance. “Very, very well.”

He wasn’t sure what to expect from Dabbs. For him to be so turned on that his cheeks pinked and he stuttered over his words?

Dabbs, coolly confident in a way Ryland had never managed, did neither of those things. Instead, he drawled a lazy, “Me too,” and added three tiles to the Scrabble board, adding w, o, and d to an existing o.

Wood.

Ryland had to laugh, surprised by this aspect of Dabbs’ sense of humor. “Not exactly what I meant.”

Dabbs grinned. “Wood for eight points, plus a double letter score on the w for a total of twelve points. Your turn.”

Swearing under his breath—word games weren’t Ryland’s strong suit—he added a g and a t to an existing e, netting himself four points for get.

“It’s okay,” Dabbs said. “We can’t all be good at everything.”

Ryland laughed. “Oh, you did not just go there.”

“Hey, are we heading out to dinner, or what?” Jason called from the front door. “I’ll drive.”

“Do you play darts, Dabbs?” Ryland asked, grabbing his wallet from the table in the foyer.

“I’ve played a game or two,” Dabbs said hesitatingly. “Why do I get the feeling I’m going to regret admitting that?”

Ryland grinned. “You’ll see.” And followed the group out the door.

About the Author 

Amy’s lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.

An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

Newsletter Sign-up  |  Facebook Group 

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Author Spotlight - Max Vos

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT and BACKLIST PROMOTION

MAX VOS

BOOK 1

Book Title: Going Home (Book is also available in French and Italian)

Cover Artist: A. J. Corza

Length: 47 021 words/ 122 pages

Release Date: February 14, 2016

Pairing:  MMM

Genres: Menage

Tropes: Forbidden Love

Heat Rating: 5 flames    

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads 

Buy Links

Author's Website  |  B&N  |  OverDrive

Kobo  |  Paperback

 Is Love truly ‘Love is Love’?

Blurb 

Journalist Carter Roberts was required to interview Carl Foltz and Matt Evans for an article on their lives. It was not an assignment he relished: he just wanted to get there, get it done and get out. Thinking about the subject matter made his stomach churn. The interview reveals as much about himself as about the two men, and for the first time, Carter learns what a real home feels like. He never would have expected that meeting the two men would change his way of thinking - and his life - forever.

BOOK 2

Book Title: Play Chopin for Me

Cover Artist: A. J. Corza

Length:  222 pages

Release Date: May 2017

Genres: M/M  Fairy Tale

Themes: Music, Cuisine

Heat Rating: Three flames

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon  |  Everand  |  Smashwords

Fire ignites love with music and food.

Blurb 

After a devastating fire, Dale Lusk shows up at his sister’s door in nothing but his boxers and a raincoat, desperately needing her help. Losing both his restaurant and home has left Dale without direction or a place to live. While pushing her handsome brother into a new wardrobe to match his model looks, Chrissie introduces Dale to Al Borkowski. Al is in desperate need of a roommate before his grandmother takes more control of his life. Little did Chrissie know when she pushed the two men together the sparks that would fly and the changes that would happen in all of their lives.

BOOK 3

Book Title: The V Unit

Length: 83 866 words/290 pages

Release Date: July, 2014

Genres: M/M Romance

Themes:  Military, Paranormal

Heat Rating: 5 flames

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Content Warning: This books contains a scene of sexual assault.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US  |  B&N  |  Smashwords

Blurb 

Only a select few in the human world knew of the existence of the V-Unit, a small group of highly trained Marines - who happened to be vampires.
And it would have stayed that way.
But when events in the vampire world threatened the stability of the human world, the powers that be called for the unit's specialized services.
An intrepid war correspondent, Bronson Rudan, who'd seen more than his fair share of fighting, stumbles across the unit by accident, and is drawn into their world.
Bronson has no problem with that, given that he gets to spend time with a hunky Marine Lieutenant, Sarge. Although he won't remember any of this when they're through.
At least, that was the plan...

BOOK 4

Book Title:  Life After Living

Length:  96 350 / 300 pages

Release Date: June, 2016

Genres: MM, Romance, Military, Fiction, Contemporary, Drama, Disability 

Themes: PTSD, Male Bonding

Heat Rating: 5 flames

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK  |  Smashwords 

Blurb 

Two men: each trying to cope with PTSD. 

Vance Spence is suffering from yet another loss. The episodes are becoming more and more frequent. Only time will tell if he will be able to cope with yet another person leaving him. 

Wade Farmer recently returned from Afghanistan only to have his family disown him for loving another man. He also is suffering from loss. When the two are put together, neither are comfortable with the situation, but agree to give it a try. 

Two different lives. Two different men. Two different experiences, but common ground gives each of them understanding. Are they strong enough to battle their own demons as well as the others? Only time will tell.

BOOK 5

Book Title: A Christmas Memory

Length: 22 293 words/ 55 pages

Release Date: November 2013

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, Christmas, Holiday Romance, Short Story

Tropes: Teacher falls for the football coach.

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

 Santa Claus Delivers

Blurb 

J.J. has always hated the holidays. Presents, decorations, the traditional family Christmas…It’s all his colleagues in the staffroom can talk about. J.J. avoids these conversations like the plague. He’d do anything to keep his co-workers from seeing the real J.J, the gay man who doesn’t want to be noticed. When he slips up and reveals that he is all alone with no plans for Christmas, the well-meaning ladies of his high school want to take him in for the holidays.
Oh hell….
Enter Coach Adam Sutton who comes to his rescue—and now J.J. is trapped by this hulk of a man who won’t take no for an answer. And he would have to be someone J.J finds attractive, wouldn’t he? Too bad he’s straight and J.J’s not about to step out of the shadows and make a move on him. He likes his arms where they are, thank you very much.
But Adam has a secret, one which is going to turn J.J’s world upside-down. Adam wants to give J.J. a Christmas to remember, but as it turns out, both men’s lives are never going to be the same again…

About the Author 

Max Vos is best known for his ‘inappropriate’ side. Bringing readers a range of stories with an unexpected edge. His bestselling novel My Hero is a hot and steamy romance, while his banned book Going Home questions what you know of love. With something for everyone, there is a Max Vos book for you.

 Creativity has been a lifelong passion for Max, who retired from being a chef in 2011 and turned to writing. His strong relationships with the women in his life influence his stories and Max’s Southern charm shines through. Each new book will give you something to explore and love.

Author Links

Website  |  Blog  |   Facebook  |  Instagram  

Giveaway

Comment on this blog post to win your choice of ebook by Max Vos.

Say which book you would choose and why.

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Leaving Winter for a Desert Sky by Skylar Lyralen Kaye

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Leaving Winter for a Desert Sky

Author and Publisher: Skylar Lyralen Kaye

Cover Artist: 100 Covers

Release Date: January 2, 2025

Third person/Past tense/Single POV

Genres: Literary Queer Fiction

Tropes: Recovery, family dysfunction, queer friendships

Themes: Mother/daughter, homecoming, recovery

Length: 68 000 words/234 pages

Heat Rating: 3 flames

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links 

Amazon US   |  Amazon UK 

B&N  |  Walmart  |  Kobo

A reluctant prodigal queer daughter returns to her dysfunctional alcoholic family and struggles to climb out of her familiar role of savior.

Blurb 

Erin has spent the last six years abroad, teaching English in Spain, France, Japan. Now, she’s back home in Maine for Christmas, for the first time in years. Her abusive father, Thomas, made it clear that Erin, a lesbian, was not welcome in the house, but her mother, Janet, recently ended the marriage, then invited Erin to come home for the holiday. “Just us three girls,” says Janet, including Erin’s younger sister, sixth grader Beth—though Thomas tends to show up at night drunk and sit in his car in front of the house. Erin bickers with Janet even as she helps her mother get on her feet—setting her up a bank account, making her a resume to apply for jobs—but when it becomes clear her father is trying to reconcile, Erin—who isn’t ready to forgive—leaves for Mexico. She takes a bus to Arizona, where her drinking and her guilt over abandoning Beth get the better of her. She stops in Tucson to attend some Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. With the help of her no-nonsense sponsor, Maggie, Erin attempts to make sense of her life up to this point, beginning with the tumult of her parents’ marriage. As Janet plans to come down to Tucson to visit her, Erin must consider the possibility that she didn’t have one abusive parent, but two. Kaye captures Erin’s complex emotional journey with elegant, salt-of-the-earth economy. “They have a saying about people who keep running away,” Janet tells Erin at one point. “Things catch up with you sooner or later.” While many aspects of Erin’s situation and her reactions to it—substance abuse, sabotaged love, solo travel, motorcycles—may strike the reader as slightly predictable, Kaye fashions her in such a way that she feels like an individual rather than a cliche. It’s a breezy read despite the dark subject matter, and the reader quickly gets swept up in Erin’s redemptive saga.

KIRKUS REVIEWS
Our verdict: Get it!
A raw, emotional novel of recovery and familial reckoning. 
A reluctant prodigal daughter returns to her dysfunctional family in Kaye’s debut literary novel.
It’s a breezy read despite the dark subject matter, and the reader quickly gets swept up in Erin’s redemptive saga.

MELIZA BANALES, Lambda Award Finalist

Skylar Lyralen Kaye’s “Leaving Winter for a Desert Sky” is a striking and rebellious coming of age story. With every pit stop, AA meeting, and second chance Kaye’s raw portrayal of Erin—a complex survivor turned adventurer— offers a snapshot of a young Queer finding her way through trauma and leaving room for hope, even in the most unexpected places. 

TINA D’ELIA, Award-winning poet and Solo Performer
Riveting and timely! In Leaving Winter for a Desert Sky Erin, a young world traveler returns home, where ghosts, family, and unexpected arrivals challenge her in ways to which any reader can relate. Erin travels through lovers’ beds, desert skies, and looming memories in this novel of relationship cliffhangers.

Excerpt 

Erin stood in the school hallway, shaken out of the six years of her life in Spain, France, and Japan by her mother’s voice. She could feel the moment like a snapshot, a stilled image before everything shifted away from her toward an end she couldn’t see. Until now, Erin had told herself it was easy to endure her mother’s hostility on her yearly visits, easy to stay with friends and sneak to see her sister, and easy, always, to leap again onto the wide sweep of road she’d taken to get away from home.  In the beginning of December, the secretary at the language institute in Madrid where Erin taught English had come into an empty classroom and handed her a message. She stood dumbfounded at first, blonde eyelashes shading her pale blue eyes, almost too shocked to recognize her mother’s name. She had looked at the secretary’s dark skin, into her darker eyes, before turning to the classroom window. Fumes from the cars blew up from the street; the gray Madrid sky shifted so a brief glimpse of light slipped through as if by mistake. She opened the note. It said to call whenever she could. Now.

The secretary waited. Erin extended her lower lip and exhaled, blowing up the bangs that hung over her forehead. She spoke in her native American. “Shit,” she said. “What does she want?” She stuffed the note in the pocket of her Oxford shirt and spun so fast her long red gold braid flew over her shoulder with a soft thud.Halfway out the door she stopped and turned around. The white blue of her attention washed over the secretary, bathed her and held her up as Erin smiled an apology, her face changing from bone-hard to a gentle mirth, as if she and the 

shared a secret, as if they were the only people in the world. The secretary had smiled back. People usually did.

Erin walked around with the message in the pockets of different shirts for almost a week. She’d didn’t want to zoom on her iPad; her mother didn’t know she had one. She’d dumped her last burner—too many women calling after one-night stands—so she could truthfully email her mother and say she didn’t have a phone and didn’t plan to get one. After all, she didn’t plan. She usually just procrastinated for a week or two between burners. She’d avoided her mother’s calls as she did those of the stalker women. The sound of her mother’s voice sent stitches of cold threading through her stomach. She didn’t want to call back.

About the Author  

Skylar Lyralen Kaye, fae/they is a queer social justice and award-winning writer as well as a lifelong activist. They have a BA in English from the University of Arizona and an MFA in Theater from Sarah Lawrence College. They were nominated for a Pushcart Prize in Fiction in 1997 and were a finalist for the 2005 Massachusetts Cultural Council of the Arts Awards in Playwriting. They have published in literary journals such as Calyx, Persona, Phoebe, Girlfriends, Happy Magazine and the anthology Out of the Ordinary, Children of LGT Parents as well as winning the Boston Amazon Poetry slam finals and performing on the slam team.  Their foray into filmmaking brought awards that include the 2021 NE Film Star Award as well as 12 film festival awards for the web series Assigned Female at Birth. In theater, they won 2018 Best in Fringe at the San Francisco Fringe for the one person show My Preferred Pronoun Is We, in 2017 the Moth Story Slam and 2018 the Boston Story Slam. Some other awards include: the 2015 Meryl Streep Writers Lab for Screenwriters and the 2002 Stanley and Eleanor Lipkin Prize in Playwriting. Kaye’s memoir, Bachelorx, will be released in 2026 For a complete list of awards and credits please visit https://lyralenkaye.com/

Author Links

Facebook  |  Bluesky  |  Instagram  |   Substack

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