REBOOT TOUR: Follow Me Into Darkness by JR Gray, Santino Hassell, JC Lillis, Roan Parrish & Kris Ripper

Book: Follow Me Into Darkness: Five Tales of Carnivale Romance

Authors: Santino Hassell, J.C. Lillis, J.R. Gray, Kris Ripper, and Roan Parrish

Publisher: Open Ink Press

Date of Publication: 2/4/16

Price: $3.99 (originally) | Sale Price: 99 cents

Goodreads || Amazon || Kobo || From The Publisher || B&N, Scribd, Apple

Follow  Me Into Darkness:

Five Tales of Carnivale Romance

Carnivale is a time for decadence, for revelry, and for mischief. A time when we shed the figurative masks we wear in everyday life in favor of new ones… ones that allow us to be a little bolder, a little more adventurous, and perhaps a little truer to ourselves. Follow Me Into Darkness is a compilation of original tales of queer romance by five of the premier authors of contemporary romance.

Hurricane by Santino Hassell

Interesting things never happened to Zay. He was the wallflower everyone forgot about as soon as the booze began to flow, and Mardi Gras had never been an exception. But after a chance encounter with a devil-may-care grifter, this year's celebration brings adventure and whirlwind romance.

If We Be Friends by J.C. Lillis

Seventeen-year-old Ven should be flying high—he's playing the title role in a new TV drama about Hamlet's teen years, and tonight they're having a Mardi Gras cast party in a possibly-haunted castle. But Ven's lost all his mirth since his boyfriend suggested they "take a break," so he plans to skip the bash and brood in his trailer all night. Then the exasperating guy who plays Horatio challenges him to a Shakespearean soliloquy-off, and Ven knows his actorly honor is at stake. He says yes to the duel, trudges off to the the party to meet his fate--and finds that more awaits him onstage than a battle of wits and words.

Masked by J.R. Gray

Blistering heat and half-naked masked men as far as the eye can see, but Heath runs into the one face it’s taken him fifteen years to forget. Javier is plagued with a life of regret, but when a second chance confronts him, can he let go of his hang-ups and seize the moment? 

The Queen’s Reflection by Kris Ripper

Isah plays the role everyone expects: malleable and cautious, a true queen. But what others see as a queen’s appropriate modesty is really just a disguise for what Isah has never told anyone, the thing no one can ever know.

This body, dressed in the queen’s gowns, is a lie.

Once a year, at carnival, Isah dons someone else’s clothes and becomes them for a night. A young cook in stained whites, or a stableboy in worn breeches. As long as no one gets too close the pretense holds.

Until two strangers look past all the characters and Isah finally exposes the person behind the mask.

Touched by Roan Parrish

Sometimes when he touches people Philippe Rondeau sees their future. It’s erratic and inconvenient, but mostly he’s learned to deal with it. Sure he hasn’t found true love yet, but he has friends and lovers, and is kept busy running his family’s jazz club in Prohibition-era New Orleans. But now it’s Mardi Gras and all bets are off. In the space of one night, Philippe falls under the spell of jazz musician Claude and learns a terrible secret about his powers. If Philippe is certain of anything it’s that the future can be tricky, but the chance at love makes it all seem worthwhile.

About the Authors:

J.R. Gray

When not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it's half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.

newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bigxIL

website: JRGrayBooks.com

twitter: twitter.com/theoriginalgray

twitter: twitter.com/booksbygray

facebook: facebook.com/GrayBooks

tumblr: booksbygray.tumblr.com

tumblr: theoriginalgray.tumblr.com (NSFW)

pinterest: pinterest.com/JRGrayBooks/

Santino Hassell

Santino Hassell is a writer of queer romance heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.

newsletter: santinohassell.com/newsletter/

website: santinohassell.com

twitter: twitter.com/santinohassell

facebook: facebook.com/theonlysonnyhassell

facebook: facebook.com/santinohassellbooks

instagram: instagram.com/santinohassell

goodreads: http://bit.ly/1yBeaqc

J.C. Lillis

J.C. Lillis writes contemporary YA novels about fandom, friendship, love, and art. Her Mardi Gras story was inspired by crazy days and nights in her college theater, where part of her heart still beats under the  floorboards. She lives in Baltimore with her patient family and a cat who intends to eat her someday.

website: jclillis.com

twitter: twitter.com/jclillis

instagram: instagram.com/jclillis

facebook: facebook.com/jclillisbooks

pinterest: pinterest.com/jclillis

Roan Parrish

Roan Parrish is currently wandering between Philadelphia and New Orleans. When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.

newsletter: http://bit.ly/1bNCAaF

website: roanparrish.com

twitter: twitter.com/RoanParrish

facebook: facebook.com/roanparrish

instagram: instagram.com/roanparrish

pinterest: pinterest.com/ARoanParrish/

Kris Ripper

Kris Ripper lives in the great state of California and hails from the San Francisco Bay Area. Kris shares a converted garage with a toddler, can do two pull-ups in a row, and can write backwards. (No, really.) Kris is genderqueer and prefers the z-based pronouns because they’re freaking sweet. Ze has been writing fiction since ze learned how to write, and boring zir stuffed animals with stories long before that.

Find Kris at:

website: krisripper.com

facebook: facebook.com/kris.ripper

facebook:  facebook.com/krisripperbooks

twitter: twitter.com/smuttastickris

Giveaway

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Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

EXCERPT REVEAL: The Deep End by Kristen Ashley

   

✮✮✮A delicious world of erotica, BDSM with alpha-subs and their Dommes, and a gripping love story…Welcome to The Bee’s Honey! The first book in New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley’s Honey Series, THE DEEP END is a seductive and rich love story releasing March 7, 2017! And check out the tantalizing excerpt below!✮✮✮

Fall into THE DEEP END and preorder your copy today!

   

About THE DEEP END (Erotic Romance Releasing March 7, 2017):

Enter a decadent sensual world where gorgeous alpha males are committed to fulfilling a woman's every desire…

Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him hungers for the lifestyle offered by this exclusive club. Here, no boundary will be left untested…and one's deepest fantasies will become an exquisite reality.

When Amélie invites Olivier to surrender, she gives the alpha submissive what he craves. Soon they both find themselves falling harder than they ever anticipated—but as their connection deepens, the truth about Olivier’s past could destroy everything…

Gripping and seductive, The Deep End is the first book in a sensational new series from bestselling author Kristen Ashley.

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

GooglePlay | Kobo | IndieBound | BAM

      

  EXCERPT: 

(Warning: Graphic words/language)

She turned back to him. “You seem to have a good deal of stamina.” “Amelie…Mistress, I don’t think you’re getting’ that I seriously find you not hard on the eyes.” She bent closer, as intended for this part of their session, some of her fair falling on his chest in another caress. She did this letting her amusement show, if not all of the emotion she felt at his compliment. “I wonder, monchou, if you think you can butter me up with compliments.” “I don’t know. Maybe. Though not sure why I’d bother since I didn’t give you one and you just made me shoot a huge-a$$ load the like that have never come from my c^ck.” “And he gives another compliment,” she said through a smile. “You earn it, I’ll say it, he replied, his lips twitching. “That is, if I’m physically capable of speech.” She was still smiling when she reached out a hand and delicately traced circles around his nipple. His eyes darkened. Her good humor increased. “You’re of course aware I should do something about you being so audaciously cheeky.” Another darkness crossed his face. “What?” “I shouldn’t allow you to be cheeky with me.” “Cheeky?” “Impudent,” she explained. The look fled. “You mean, in uppity, hot-chick speak, a wise-a$$.” Amelie couldn’t help it, she laughed softly. “She’s got a pretty laugh, too, to go with that pretty accent,” he murmured and she saw his eyes on her lips. I could get lost in this one, she thought. Lost and never found. 

      

 

About Kristen Ashley: 

 Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen's Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning. Nothing's changed. Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she's blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

WEBSITE * FACEBOOK * TWITTER * NEWSLETTER * GOODREADS * PINTEREST * INSTAGRAM

   

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

COVER REVEAL: Mister Moneybags by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

 

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Authors Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward have teamed up once again to bring you another chance meeting, another Cocky Bastard who will charm his way into your heart on April 10th, 2017.

 

Photographer: Maurizio Montani

Model: Richeli Murari

Cover designer: Letitia Hasser, r.b.a. designs

     

I met Bianca in an elevator.

She was on her way to interview me when we got stuck.

The beautiful, raven-haired reporter assumed I was a delivery guy because of the way I was dressed.

She had no clue I was really Dex Truitt, the wealthy, successful businessman she’d dubbed “Mister Moneybags”—her afternoon appointment.

Bianca told me how much she hated Dex’s type—snobby, over educated, silver- spooned men who didn't appreciate the simple things in life.

So, after the elevator finally started moving again, I cancelled the interview and let her believe I was someone I wasn’t—a bike messenger named Jay. I loved the way she looked at the fake me and didn't want it to end.

I began dating her as “Jay”—all the while letting her interview the real me over email.

I didn’t expect that our chemistry online would be just as hot.

I didn’t expect the mess I’d gotten myself into.

I didn’t expect that Jay and Dex would fall in love with her.

And she was falling for two men.

Only, both men were me.

And when she found out, we were both going to lose her.

Nothing could have prepared me for that day. And I certainly wasn't prepared for what came after.

All good things must come to an end, right? Except our ending was one I didn't see coming.

 

Add to Goodreads

Read the First Chapter here: http://www.subscribepage.com/h8c4d2_MMB

 

PRE-ORDER

iBooks exclusive ebook pre-order | Amazon paperback

**No Amazon ebook preorder. Will go live on Amazon on release day. **

Sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when it goes live!

   

         

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author. With more than a million books sold, her titles have appeared in over fifty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twelve languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.   

  Website | Facebook Fan Group | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram  

      

 Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She’s a fifteen-time New York Times bestseller of twelve novels. Having grown up in Boston with five older brothers, she spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 12-year-old girl with autism and a 10-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.   

  Connect with Penelope Ward Facebook Fan Group | Facebook | Website |Twitter | Instagram  

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

BLOG TOUR: Red by SM West

Today we have the blog tour for RED by S.M. West! Check out the tour stop and be sure to grab your copy today!

About RED:

Red. The color of extremes. Tate Conrad’s existence is annihilated. Destroyed by two men: one, her hero and the other, her worst nightmare. She has nothing to lose. Determined to survive, vengeance feeds her. There are no limits, no boundaries, not even death, in seeking liberation. ******* Rylan Wolfe is driven. A stellar FBI agent close to breaking the case of a lifetime. It’s more than career-making, it’s personal. Tate’s the linchpin to it all. They need each other to succeed. For Tate, is he her salvation or ruin?

 

Get Your Copy Today:

Amazon

REVIEW

RATING:

Melike this, I really do!

Suzanne (SM), I’d say bang up job with this debut novel! Congrats!

There’s plenty room to grow, that’s for sure, but for a debut novel, I’d say SM gave me a story with teeth. If you’re a fan of romantic suspense surrounding crime families and law enforcement, then you should give this a try.

Tate couldn’t have been in a worse situation. Just surrounded by evil, she had to get out. The help came in the form of Ry. Tate has her agenda, and so did Ry. She couldn’t just reveal all her cards, can she now? The more they work together, the more the attraction grew. But when a budding relationship is shrouded with secrets, distrust also builds so how then do you go from there?

While I didn’t agree with all of Tate’s actions, I suppose it makes sense given her past experience. Ry is just the right amount of alpha. Together, I did feel the pull. I enjoyed the sexual tension between them. I bought the heat.

I liked how the story moved. It kept me on edge, just like I expected. I did feel a little conflicted with the last 20-ish% mark. The little time jumps threw me off a little, but at the same time, I can see why it went down that way. And I think some of the loose ends stayed loose. I probably felt like that because I was only told bits of the resolution, rather than shown.

Overall though, like I said, I really enjoyed this one. SM hooked me in just right; so much so that I wanna know about the next story now.

Well done, Suzanne!

About S.M. West:

 

 Born on the shortest day and longest night of the year, Winter Solstice, she's a self-professed night owl. From a young age, creating stories and conjuring characters was always one of her favorite pastimes. She loves a great story with romance and intrigue, a strong heroine and fiercely passionate hero with passion, intensity and edge. If she's not writing or reading, she's planning her next adventure, spending time with her family or drinking a great glass of wine and indulging in chocolate.

Connect with S.M.:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smwestauthor/

Email: smwwriter@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smwestwrites/

Twitter: @SMWestAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15863987.S_M_West

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/smwestwrites/

Enter S.M.’s Giveaway:   

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Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie

REVIEW: Triumph (Bellator Saga, Book 6) by Cecilia London

“All of your ideals, your hopes and dreams…they cease to matter if you abandon them in your darkest hour. We have to see this through to the end.”

Jack McIntyre and Caroline Gerard have never shied away from a challenge. As dual commanders of the American rebel forces, they now face the greatest adversity of their lives. Every decision has permanent consequences. Relationships are tested and restored. Hard truths come to light. When the reality of their situation finally hits them, there is one thing they know for certain.

No sacrifice is too great for love.

 

REVIEW

RATING:

First of all, I feel like I have to apologize to Cecilia. I received my ARC for this way before its release but I just sat on it. Yes, I was nervous about it, but more importantly, at the time this was coming out, the American current events had my attention and it was (well, it still is, at the time of writing) alarming me in so many ways. And to read the conclusion to Jack and Caroline’s story that now feels has quickly moved to meta-fiction category inadvertently, it made me more on edge. 

But there’s no doubt that I would pick this up eventually, come high or hell water. Because deep down, I am dying to get to their ending, simply put.

And gosh darn… this is the epic ending that only an epic journey deserves! Unquestionably!

 This picks up exactly where the 5^th book ended. Caroline and Jack have gone through so much, sacrificed so much, planned so much, it all boils down to this now.

Vindication and comeuppance is what this is all about. In a perfect world, no one should get away with doing evil things. And that’s what Cecilia gave me, ie, in addition to hope.

 Jack is Jack. Imperfectly perfect Jack. I love Jack! Period! The lover that he is, the husband that he is, the partner that he is, the friend that he is, the father that he is, the leader that he is, the person that he is. I love Jack!!! Oh yah, I said that already.

Caroline has definitely found her stride. To bounce back the way she did, this was her moment to shine. Caroline challenged me in the past, as she was starting to recover from that horrific time. Suffering from PTSD, I understood what was motivating her during those times, but, oh, she tried me alright. And while it’s not suddenly all rainbows and unicorns, she’s very well on her path to healing. To be dealing with that during the culmination of their valiant effort, I’d say that takes real cojones, for lack of better words…

 I may have said this already before but Jack and Caroline together, they will go down in my reading history as one of my topmost fave couples. Being the powerhouse couple that they are, it’s admirable to have the moral and ethical compass like they do. Beyond that, to see the way they care for each other, the way they anchor each other, the way they live bigger than themselves and ultimately the love they have for each other was really beautiful to read. It’s so heartfelt that it hits you right in the gut.

My heart was in my throat especially towards the end. Given what they’ve gone through, you just wanted to make sure that everything goes according to plan. And while I was holding my breath, I was also hit with a poignant feeling as Jack and Caroline support each other throughout this ordeal. GAH, I love them so much!

 I do have to acknowledge the other heroes in this series; these heroes, men and women alike, who surrounded Caroline and Jack. These people fought, and some even died, for their belief and to be surrounded by equally strong characters is such a pleasure to read.

Now I understand we’re living in very interesting times at this moment. I may be completely on the left field here but it did feel that Cecilia may have indulged herself a little and used parts of the stories as a bit of platform. Or maybe it’s just me projecting my own feelings. Hey, regardless, I love the message.

Lastly, as a blogger, I love the acknowledgment at the end.😉 Just like Cecilia, I’m also thanking this friend for introducing me to this epic series. This is clearly a labour of love for Cecilia and it truly was a treat to read. This whole journey for Caroline and Jack was creative, emotional and encouraging. I cannot be any gladder I had the opportunity to read this. 

So for that, thank you from the bottom of my heart, Cecilia!

 

Cecilia London is the pen name of a native Illinoisan currently living in San Antonio, Texas. She's filled several roles over the course of her adult life - licensed attorney, wrangler of small children, and obsessed baseball fan, among others. An extroverted introvert with a serious social media addiction, she is the author of The Bellator Saga, an epic, genre-crossing romance series. You can catch all of her quirky updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or at her website.

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie