Tag Archives: m/m romance

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Happy World Lion Day!

It seems every day of the year is dedicated to commemorating some unique, quirky or bizarre event – whether that’s officially going caroling, talking like a pirate or being Ed Balls – and today just happens to be World Lion Day. Founded by the Big Cat Rescue organisation, it aims to pay tribute to the beautiful and majestic lion while raising awareness of the threats posed by poachers, disease and everything else that has led to them being placed on the endangered species list.

As you might know from reading my books, the Lionhearts MM shifter romance series in particular, I adore lions (and pretty much all big cats), so to mark World Lion Day, here’s a couple of gorgeous shots of the animals for you:

Photo by Iva Villi from FreeImages

Photo by Marcos Roberto Silva from FreeImages

The Lionhearts series is available as two box sets from the First For Romance bookstore – find out more about Part One and Part Two here. And keep loving those lions!

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Book Review: Far Away by Bryan T Clark

One unforgettable summer, nerdy student Noah finds his stay at his grandmother’s home in New Hampshire enlivened beyond his wildest dreams by the presence of the handyman’s nephew, Spiro. The handsome young Greek is Noah’s opposite in just about every way, but they make an almost instant connection.

Twelve years later, unable to get his first love out of his head and tired of all his romances failing, Noah makes the impulsive decision to fly out to the tiny Greek island of Lemnos in the hope of finding Spiro. But is he heading on a wild goose chase, and what will happen if he and Spiro finally meet again after all this time.

Far Away is an interesting romance that plays with the always seductive idea of ‘the one who got away’, and the thought that when you do find closure in an unfinished relationship it will end with a Happily Ever After. The Greek island setting is nicely described, making you feel you can almost feel the waves lapping at your feet and taste the stifado, and Spiros is more than just an exotic hunk, with heart and depth. Bryan T Clark ensures that things don’t go too smoothly or predictably for Noah, who’s an unusual character in that he suffers from IBS – not a condition that often rears its uncomfortable head in romance fiction. Noah is also a twin, and the death of his brother when they were both children informs many of Noah’s decisions, as well as those of his parents. There’s a moment or two in the book when the descriptions of Noah’s mother’s behaviour make you think she might become a study in the grief caused by losing a child, which would humanise her as a character. Instead, she’s simply presented as the standard homophobic bitch – a sadly recurring fate for too many female relatives in MM romance. But that quibble aside, Far Away has much to recommend it if you’re looking to immerse yourself in the seductive vibe of a holiday love affair.

Far Away is available from Amazon US and Amazon UK and you can find out more about Bryan T Clark and his books at his website.

I was given a copy of Far Away by Lori at Indigo Marketing and Design in return for an honest review. 

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Book Review: Never Too Famous By Thom Collins

Harry Alexander and Grant Hunter have both made their names on reality shows, but while Grant is happy to milk his fame for all it’s worth, Harry is tiring of being famous for nothing more than having been on TV. When they bump into each other at a nightclub where Harry’s making a personal appearance, it’s obvious there’s a connection between them, but Harry really doesn’t like Grant’s co-stars on the show Sexy Northerners, and unfortunately where Grant goes the rest of his crew are never too far behind. Can the two men ever get together for long enough to act on their desires for each other, or are they destined to be celebrity ships that pass in the night?

Never Too Famous is a fun, hot novella that taps into our current obsession for reality TV and the outrageous micro-celebs these shows create. Harry is an ‘old school’ star, in that he became famous for actually doing a job – in this case, an engineer on a cruise ship – while Grant is from a show that, like Geordie Shore, Made In Chelsea and their ilk, simply features a cast of pretty young things fighting, shagging, and agonising about every last detail of their hook-ups. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Thom Collins has spent some time working in TV, because he really captures the vibe of the low-rent TV chat shows where characters like Grant and Harry would wring out the last drops of their fame, and he has plenty to say about the people who are willing to distort their looks with cosmetic surgery, release sex tapes, and generally do whatever desperate things it takes to stay in the public eye.

Harry and Grant are nicely contrasted as characters, with the older Harry initially appearing the more grounded one in relation to the brash, cocky Grant, but as the story progresses and Grant finds himself trying to help a friend who is getting sucked deeper into the seedy side of fame, it becomes obvious they’re really not too different after all. The attraction between them is a slow burn, but when they finally get together, the sex is steamy and the affection between them palpable.

My only quibble with the book is that for something produced by Pride Publishing, who have very high standards in everything from editing to cover design, there’s a noticeable number of mistakes in this copy of the text, though hopefully those have now been fixed.

If you’ve ever thought being a reality TV star might be fun, Never Too Famous might make you think again, and as this is the first book in a series – Success – all about men in the public eye, I can’t wait to see what comes

Never Too Famous is published by Pride Publishing and is available from First For Romance, Amazon US and Amazon UK. I was given a copy of the book by Lucy Felthouse at Writer Marketing Services in return for an honest review.

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A Little Background: Guest Post By Londra Laine

My guest today is Londra Laine, talking about her thought-provoking new MM romance novel, Living On The Inside. Londra, it’s great to have you at the Naughty Corner.

Thanks for having me! I’m so thrilled to be featured on the blog and to share a little about my new release Living on the Inside. This is my third self-published book and it marks my one-year authorversary. Here is a little background about what inspired the book.

Adrien and Micah have both spent much of their lives feeling like outsiders and then they meet each other. Micah is formerly incarcerated and out of work. He’s living in his baby mama’s guest house, trying to reconnect with thirteen-year-old son. Adrien is a successful business owner with a traumatic secret he’s been carrying around. Neither of them are looking for a relationship, and at first glance, the two seem like an unlikely pair. Adrien is Micah’s boss, they’ve had different upbringings, and neither of them trusts themselves. But eventually the co-workers become friends, then lovers and there is plenty of tension along the way.

For this book, I didn’t want the central point of tension to be the stereotypical bigoted families or the evil female ex. I wanted to show what I’ve personally experienced and seen with a lot of my own friends and family. Exes with great relationships and friendship, families that love and support their LGBTQ family member, but may have other family tension and problems. Bigotry won’t ever go away and I certainly don’t want to downplay that in any way. But I really wanted to focus on other family dynamics where my characters’ orientation isn’t central to the conflict.

My main characters are also an interracial couple. You should know that I am black, so writing black characters comes naturally to me and I understand the black experience first hand But I will say, the black experience is a human experience. As a kid, I saw more negative portrayals of black people than positive, so it’s important to me to show that black people are just people. We are multidimensional with the same interests, worries, and dreams as everyone else.

The Bright Bean coffee shop, Adrien’s cafe in the book, is inspired by a coffee shop I began frequenting when I was about thirteen, much like Caleb. I did community theater as a teenager and needed a place to do my homework between the end of school and the start of rehearsal, so I’d study at a coffee shop near the theater and rehearsal space. Whenever I go back home, I still visit the coffee shop.

Thanks for reading this guest post and I hope that you take a chance on Micah and Adrien! To learn more about my works in progress you can follow me on Twitter at @LondraLaine or on Facebook at @LondraLaineWrites

Title: Living on the Inside

Author: Londra Laine

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: About 55,000 words

Genre: Romance, single dad, gay romance, interracial, ex-con, domestic abuse, work romance

Add to Goodreads

Blurb:

Micah Grayson lives in his baby mama’s guesthouse. It’s unconventional and awkward, but he’s happy for a chance to reconnect with his teenage son. He doesn’t have time for other distractions—no matter how sexy, independent, and compassionate that distraction might be. Besides, he’s not good enough for more than a fling—no one would ever take him home to meet their parents.

Adrien Darling has book smarts, but no street savvy—at least that’s what his family says. And after a heart-breaking betrayal by the man meant to love and protect him, Adrien believes them. But then a gorgeous guy with a defeated look in his eyes walks into Adrien’s coffee shop and makes him want to take a chance.

After years of living on the outside as two misfits looking in, both men are afraid to reach for more. But in each other’s arms, Micah and Adrien find out what it’s like to live on the inside. As their tender bond grows and blossoms, old insecurities bubble to the surface. Will their commitment crumble under the pressure? Or will the two find the strength to fight for each other.

Please be aware that this book contains a flashback of and several references to domestic abuse that may be triggering to some readers.

Purchase at Amazon

Excerpt:

“Is that what we are?” Micah asked quietly. “Friends?”

“Yeah,” Adrien answered. “I hope so.”

Then he was surrounded by Micah’s body. Adrien hesitated for a moment before returning the other man’s embrace, locking his arms around Micah’s torso. A few seconds into the hug all the reasons why he needed to pull away from Micah—now—raced through his mind. But he couldn’t make himself do it.

Adrien had been fighting his attraction, but the man had slipped past Adrien’s defenses. Micah’s earnest joy at making progress with his son. His trust in Adrien as he shared his insecurities. His nonjudgmental attitude. Their growing friendship. All those things made him feel strong and needed. Adrien wanted more of that feeling. He leaned into Micah.

Micah sighed as he squeezed Adrien tighter, and Adrien’s body sagged against him, the fight against his attraction to Micah leaving his body. He tucked his head into the crook of Micah’s shoulder, and gave in to defeat, breathing in the salty sweet scent of Micah’s skin, running his palms up the man’s back.

The scent and feel of Micah was heady, and Adrien’s head swam as he let his eyelids flutter shut, let his lips graze the exposed skin between Micah’s neck and shoulder. Micah tensed against him and his breath hitched, making Adrien wonder if he’d gone too far. But then Micah’s palm slid up Adrien’s neck, cupping his nape, grazing a thumb along his hairline.

Micah moved his other hand lower, resting it right above Adrien’s ass, his fingers lightly grazing the swell below Adrien’s hips.

“Adrien,” Micah grated out. Adrien pulled back, slowly opening his eyes. Micah licked his lips, his eyes skimming Adrien’s mouth, and then he leaned forward.

Adrien met him halfway, their lips connecting in a kiss. The light brush became a firm press then flared, hot and wet, as Adrien ran the tip of his tongue against the seam of Micah’s lips. Micah submitted to Adrien’s silent request, parting his lips to give Adrien access to his tongue and mouth.

Then a loud honk made them jerk apart as a car sped past them, headlights bright and blinding. Their chests heaved, and Adrien took in Micah’s disheveled hair and damp lips and wondered if he looked nearly as enticing to Micah.

Adrien’s gaze skittered away, and he grimaced, embarrassment replacing the intense need he’d felt moments ago. What was he doing? He knew better than this. He’d been down this road before. He couldn’t get involved with an employee again.

Then a terrible thought occurred to him. What if Micah felt like he had to hook up with Adrien? Had Adrien pressured him in some way? Shit. Negative thoughts tumbled through his mind, making him dizzy. He had to nip this in the bud.

“Micah, about what just happened—”

“Our kiss?” Micah moved closer to him.

Adrien’s eyes wandered, unable to meet Micah’s. “Yeah, the kiss. I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to—I’m sorry.” He shook his head and Micah stopped the motion by gripping Adrien’s chin between his forefinger and thumb. He lifted Adrien’s face to his.

“I’m not sorry.” Micah’s voice was quiet in the night.

Meet the Author:

Londra has loved reading since she figured out how to do it. She writes to give her guys the happy ending she wishes everyone––no matter their race, religion, gender, or orientation––could experience in real life.

Londra makes money as a communications manager. She is a former journalist, a runner and a mezzo soprano.

In 2010, she moved from her native California to New York City where she lived in Harlem for nearly eight years. In early 2018 she relocated to Seattle with her spouse.

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail | Queer Romance Ink

Tour Schedule:

2/4 Love Bytes Reviews 

2/5 Joyfully Jay 

2/6 Divine Magazine 

2/7 The (Really) Naughty Corner 

2/8 Books, Tattoos and Tea 

Prize Giveaway:

Londra is giving away a $25 Amazon voucher to one lucky reader. You can enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here.

This tour was organised by Indigo Marketing & Design

 

 

 

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A Box Of Lions

Box sets are great, aren’t they? They let you binge all your favourite things in one go. or they let you catch up on something you missed the first time round without that impatient wait for the next part of the series. Well, some of the books I had the most fun writing – the Lionhearts series for Pride Publishing – are being released in two box sets, and the first is out now. The series, set in a world where lion shifters live alongside humans, not always without problems, was originally inspired by a plaque commemorating a brewery that once stood on the Brouwersgracht in Amsterdam. It expanded into six books, tracing the fortunes of interconnected lion shifter families, and the human lovers they are fated to meet, and focusing on shifter prides in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, England and America. If you like tales of murder, obsessive stalkers, weird cults, secret treasures, paranormal investigators and lost loves, they’re all here.

Book One contains the first three books in the series – The Pride of Amsterdam, Taming The Lion and Vintage Pride, and is available from the Pride Publishing bookstore, Amazon US and Amazon UK. Part Two is coming soon. So that’s your next binge sorted…

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Book Review: Professor Adorkable by Edie Danford

Pete works for an agency that finds housekeepers for gay men. When he’s hired to work for genius astrophysics professor Marek, it seems like the ideal job, living in Marek’s beautiful home and taking care of a man who’s too busy and disorganised to fend for himself. But Marek’s is cute as well as clumsy, and despite his desire to keep things strictly professional, Pete soon finds himself falling for his boss. A line is about to be crossed, and neither man is sure things will ever be the same…

Professor Adorkable is a light, engaging read that takes two characters who are perfect for each other and then spends most of the book working on ways to keep them apart. It’s one of the oldest tropes in romance, but Edie Danford handles it neatly and with plenty of humour. Both Marek and Pete have troubled pasts, having been taken advantage of in different ways (and in Pete’s case, knowingly letting it happen) and through the course of the story Marek has to learn to stand up for himself and Pete to put his fear of reliving the past aside as they work towards the happy ending certain people wish to deny them.

There’s a lot of hot sex in the book, with the running joke that Marek treats everything in life like one of his science experiments, and this extends to the bedroom too. The love scenes are by turn inventive and tender, and the author has the knack of getting deep into the most intimate thoughts and emotions of the two main characters as they explore their desires for each other. If geeky but self-aware men are your thing, Professor Adorkable should hit the spot for you.

Professor Adorkable is available from Amazon US and Amazon UK. I was given a copy of the book by Indigo Marketing and Design in return for an honest review.

 

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Book Review – The California Dashwoods By Lisa Henry

The Dashwood children – Elliott, Marianne and Greta – have lived a happy and privileged life in the comfortable setting of their family home, Norland Park. That changes with the death of their father, Henry. They’re thrown out of the house and forced to relocate to the small California town of Barton Lake, where they have to cope with a vastly diminished income. If that’s not enough upheaval, Elliott’s life is further complicated by his sudden and unexpected attraction to Ned Ferrars, the younger brother of Henry Dashwood’s first wife. Try as he might to tell himself it’s just a fling, Elliott is soon in much deeper than he ever dreamed…

Modern retellings of classic novels always run the risk of being nothing more than a lazy piggybacking off a previously established plot and characters. When they’re done right, though, as in The California Dashwoods, they can breathe new life into a well-loved story. It’s roughly a thousand years since I read Jane Austen’s Sense And Sensibility, the novel on which this book is based, so I didn’t have a mental checklist of all the plot beats The California Dashwoods should hit. However, I think those who cherish the original, and who are fans of M/M romance, won’t be disappointed with the way Lisa Henry tackles the material. And it’s also very easy to come to this book knowing nothing about Sense And Sensibility and enjoy every moment of the tale it tells.

The author has obviously had a lot of fun gender-flipping various characters while retaining the basic premise of two siblings, one quiet and sensible and the other wild and impulsive, negotiating the tricky waters of love and relationships. Elliott, the responsible one, is keen to hold things together for his mother’s sake, while Marianne plunges headlong into a whirlwind romance with a man who might not be the best choice. Much of the social minefield and layers of status that informed Jane Austen’s Regency romances no longer applies in the Twenty-first century – yes, the Colonel Brandon character is older than the person they’re attracted to, but that doesn’t make them a figure of fun in the love and marriage stakes any more. Indeed, Brandon is a nuanced and sympathetic character, as is everyone here but the rich and snobby side of the Dashwood family, who need to be out-and-out villains for the story to work. But there is still plenty for Lisa Henry to explore in the subject of losing a loved one and readjusting to a new way of life, and Elliot’s vulnerability and grief is very nicely handled. He and Ned have chemistry from their first meeting, and their suitability for each other is emphasised with small moments, such as Ned being the only person to tell Elliott he’s sorry for his loss, rather than with over-the-top romantic gestures.

If you’re looking for erotic content you’ll find the book on the light side (one scene involving paint and a canvas in Henry Dashwood’s old studio aside), but that fits the tone of the story. Overall, The California Dashwoods is a funny and charming read that respects Sense And Sensibility while giving it a thoroughly modern makeover.

 The California Dashwoods will be published on May 1st and is available for preorder here. Find out more about Lisa Henry at her website.

I received a copy of The California Dashwoods from Indigo Marketing and Design in return for an honest review.

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Book Review – Vampire Claus by Robert Winter

A vampire without a territory, Taviano arrives in Boston on Christmas Eve. When he was turned, in 19th century Italy, he was studying for the priesthood, and he still finds himself drawn to the familiar ritual of Midnight Mass. While lurking near the church, he manages to prevent a young short order cook, Paul, from being robbed of the presents he’s taking to a shelter for homeless LGBTQ children. Taviano is drawn to Paul, but even though it’s obvious Paul wants him, too, anything that happens between them can only be a one-night thing. Unless, of course, they can experience a Christmas miracle…

Taviano is the kind of vampire romance readers will adore. While the other vampires that feature in this novella are undead monsters, not afraid to use extreme violence to get what they want, Taviano still retains a soul and a moral code. He satiates his need to feed (here personified as a ‘bloodbeast’, a literal demon living inside him) by drinking the blood of muggers, rapists and other lowlife, and he still has strong memories of his life before he was turned. Paul, meanwhile, is poor but good of heart, willing to put others before himself and with a recklessness to his personality that makes him embrace the desires of a vampire rather than run away from them. Both are loners, so naturally they’ll be drawn to each other, and when they have sex it’s hot and sensual and deliciously described.

Robert Winter tends to overdo Paul’s use of slang to emphasise the difference in age and attitude between him and Taviano (does anyone really say “amazeballs”, and if so, please can they stop?), and there’s a rather too contrived revelation about Paul’s family background late in the story, but these are minor quibbles. If you’re looking for a heart-warming slice of paranormal romance to stuff your Christmas stocking, Vampire Claus is the one for you.

Vampire Claus is available from Amazon US and Amazon UK. You can find out more about Robert Winter at his author site.

I received a copy of Vampire Claus from Indigo Marketing in return for an honest review.

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Force of Nature – Guest Post by J.K. Hogan

My guest today is J.K. Hogan, talking about her new M/M adventure, Force of Nature. Welcome to the Naughty Corner, J.K. 

Hi folks! Thanks for joining me to celebrate my new release, Force of Nature, the fourth book in the Coming About series. In this story, we’ve left Seattle for the North Cascades, where our hero Neal has traveled to for a survival adventure with a professional wilderness guide. He gets a little more than he bargained for!

I thought I’d talk a little bit about where the concept of this story came from. I admit to being a bit of a survival show junkie. I used to watch Man vs. Wild quite religiously, along with a lot of the other shows of that type. I grew up camping, fishing, boating, etc, but it had never occurred to me to write a story like this until the pilot episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls came on. Grylls was taking a celebrity guest (Zac Efron) through the Appalachian mountains, which is a fairly tame trek compared to his usual destinations.

The interaction between the two of them was hilarious (at least for me), because Zac seemed to be as much of a survival show junkie as I am, because he was so stoked about being there, and he had a huge amount of blatant hero worship going on. He also kept hugging Bear every time he’d get excited about something, and it was really funny to watch Bear awkwardly put up with it. Plus it was thirty mins of two fit guys doing outdoorsy stuff, sometimes with their shirts off, so there was that.

Anyway, since I knew that there were people out there for hire to take people on wilderness adventures, a plot bunny was born. Thanks ever so to Zac Efron and Bear Grylls for planting the seed. LOL!

About The Book

Title: Force of Nature

Series: Coming About, #4

Author: J.K. Hogan

Publisher: Euphoria Press (self)

Release Date: 7/4/17

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 80,000 words

Genre: Romance, contemporary, adventure

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35446330-force-of-nature

Synopsis

Everyone knows that bonds formed under extreme circumstances never last.

Harbor Patrol officer Neal Hesse has had his life turned upside down by a sudden break-up with his partner of ten years. After sleeping his way through Seattle failed to take his mind off his broken heart, he decides to take a leave of absence from work to find himself again. He hires a professional wilderness guide to take him up into the mountains, so he can get away from everything and live off the grid for a few days.

Travis “Rock” McCreary, ex-Army Ranger turned survivalist, hates doing guided excursions, but it’s his primary source of income while he’s working towards getting his own survival show. Working in such a testosterone-fueled profession has forced him so deep into the closet, he feels like he might never see the light of day again, which makes it even harder to put on a friendly face for his happy, normal clients.

When Rock is hired by clumsy city-boy Neal to take him up into the North Cascades for a survival adventure, his patience and his resolve are tested at every turn. He has to teach Neal to survive in the wilderness while fighting an attraction he can’t allow himself to act on. When their trip doesn’t go as planned, Neal’s getaway turns into a true survival situation, and he and Rock are forced to rely on each other to stay alive. If they make it out of the wilderness, can their newfound connection survive in the real world?

Excerpt

Neal didn’t see how this was supposed to help take his mind off his ex because, as they trudged up the trail mostly in silence, he had nothing but time to think. Time to think about how he’d fallen for and spent years with a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He thought he’d been settled, that Tony was The One, that they had been on their way to growing old together. How wrong he’d been.

When the party reached an overlook at the highest point on the trail, they stopped for a panoramic view of the waterfall. Even Neal had to admit, with the sun streaming into the gorge and casting rainbows from the mist, it was a beautiful sight. It was still hard to drag himself out of his head, though. He knew his friends meant well, and they were right, of course. He needed to get up, get out, get back on the proverbial horse of life. But he didn’t wanna. He wanted to be at home on the couch moping, damn it.

He wished for that even harder when he saw the so-called trail that descended from the overlook to the foot of the falls where hikers could walk around or swim on warm-enough days. This trail was also steps, but natural ones of smooth, flat rock. It was narrow. Very narrow, and the lower part had a thin coat of slime from the water spray and mud. So it was fucking slippery.

When he’d almost made it to the flat riverbed, Neal lost his footing on a slick rock. He barely avoided taking a tumble—probably would’ve cracked his skull open—but he gained his balance again at the last moment. He breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped off that part of the trail. The falls dumped into a wide open part of the gorge, forming a broad pool that was bordered by a large, semicircular bank of river rock. There, day-hikers and tourists spread out on the rocks, picnicking, sunning themselves, or generally just taking in the scenery. Neal’s friends spread out to do their own thing.

Addison stalked off to the tree line with her cell phone, probably trying to get a signal so she could call her girlfriend. Bennett led Rory around the edge of the pond so they could get close to the actual waterfall. He was wearing a chest harness that held his Go-Pro, the action camera he usually kept on his boat. Rich and Paddy sat down on some large rocks and got out their trail snacks. And Nic Valentine, the crazy fucker, was wading in the frigid pool while Justice looked on, shaking his damn head.

Neal shivered just thinking about it. It was the tail-end of summer, so it was still quite warm, but these high lakes and rivers were always brisk, even on the hottest days. He’d been trained to withstand cold water temperatures for marine rescues, but that didn’t mean he had to like it, and he certainly didn’t do it for fun. Turning away from the splashing idiot, Neal looked around at all of the tourists and vacationers. Everyone had phones out, taking pictures, and he was sure they were tweeting and Instagramming like mad whenever they could find a bar or two.

He shook his head, then smirked and took his own phone out. “When in Rome,” he muttered. First, he snapped a picture with the reverse camera of himself with the waterfall in the background. Then he flipped the view so he could get a shot of the gorge. His frame wasn’t wide enough, so he took a few steps back, mindful of the rocks that became more slippery the closer he got to the falls.

His foot slipped and plopped down into water still cold enough to make him gasp, and right at the same time, he backed into something hard. Solid. Something alive. Neal winced when he heard an outraged cry and a splash behind him. Oh, fuck. Had he just…knocked someone into the water? He knew he needed to make sure they weren’t hurt or anything, but damn, he was afraid to turn around…because that had not felt like a small person.

Cautiously, he turned around and looked down, where he saw a man flailing around in the shallows of the pool. Once he got control of his feet, the man sprang up in the perfect kip-up. Neal cringed when he saw that his clothes and trail pack were completely soaking wet. And when he looked at the man’s face, he froze. His brain registered three things almost simultaneously: he looked vaguely familiar, he was very attractive, and he was really fucking mad.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” the stranger shouted.

He stepped forward so aggressively that Neal backed up, and his right hand went instinctively to his hip, where he would’ve put his hand on the stock of his service weapon—only there was nothing there because he was off duty.

Not wanting to seem like an equal aggressor, he covered the move by sticking his hand in his pocket, hoping to appear non-threatening. This guy was about his age and shorter by a few inches, but he was ripped. He looked rugged and whipcord strong and looked ready to kick some ass in a heartbeat. Neal might’ve been able to take him—he had him on height and weight, but the guy looked like he might be stronger…and a lot meaner. Neal really didn’t want to fight. That was a helluva lot of paperwork.

He held his arms out in front of him, both as a gesture of peace and to stave off an attack if that were to happen. “Man, I am so sorry. I didn’t realize anyone was behind me.”

“Clearly,” he growled, shrugging out of his pack. He unzipped it and started digging through it.

“Again, really sorry. If anything in your pack got damaged, I’ll reimburse you.”

He scowled at me. “This is a waterfall hike. I’m not an idiot. Anything of value is inside a dry bag.”

Neal bristled because the guy was basically calling him and everyone with him an idiot because they hadn’t brought dry bags. They’d just figured they could avoid, you know, falling in the water. Probably should’ve planned better, because if Neal hadn’t knocked into this guy, it would’ve been him in the water. But Neal had been the one to cause the fall, so he tried not to let his attitude get to him. “If you need a towel, I think one of my friends might’ve brought one.”

He sat down on a large, flat rock and pulled off his hiking shoes, probably to let them dry a little in the sun. His socks looked dry, so Neal assumed his footwear was waterproof. That also would’ve been a good idea, since Neal’s right sneaker was soggy as hell from stepping in the water.

The guy shook his head and didn’t make eye contact. “I’ve got more hiking to do. I’ll air-dry. Just try not to drown anyone, will ya?”

Neal’s eyes narrowed, and he fought a valiant battle not to tell the guy to fuck off. Instead, he fell back on his usual façade of charm and reached out a hand. “I’m Neal. Wish it had been under better circumstances, but it’s nice to meet you.”

His mega-watt smile, the one that had gotten him laid all the time when he was with Tony and before, bounced off this angry stranger like he had some kind of nice-guy force field. He glared at the proffered hand until Neal got the hint and put it back in his pocket. Just when he was about to say ‘fuck it’ and walk away, the guy mumbled, “Travis.”

“Pardon?” Neal asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Name’s Travis.”

“Well…Travis. It’s been a pleasure. I’ll get out of your hair.” About maxed out on politeness, Neal turned on his heel and started walking, stumbling slightly on the wet stones.

“Hey, Neal?”

He turned and looked at Travis. “Yeah?”

“You should stick to walking in the park or going to the gym. You don’t belong out here.”

Rage burned in Neal’s gut. He’d apologized profusely, and this guy just wouldn’t let it go. Where the hell did he get off? “The fuck did you say to me? I’ll have you know, I’m a police officer.”

Bennett had obviously picked up on the tone because Neal sensed his partner and Paddy creeping up on his flanks.

Travis’s eyes flicked back and forth between the three men, then he shook his head with a scoffing sound. “I’m just trying to give you some advice. It’s guys like you who come out here and fall down into the ravine because you don’t have the instincts to pay the fuck attention to where you put your feet.”

Neal lunged forward, but Bennett stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Nuh-uh. Walk away, Hesse.”

“But—”

“Nope.” Paddy started pulling him backward.

Travis spoke again, and the sound of his voice grated over Neal’s nerves like sandpaper. “I’m not just trying to be an asshole, although I’d be justified, considering.” He gestured down at his wet clothes. “But seriously, if you want to be all outdoorsy and shit? Get yourself some survival training, because you seem pretty fucking hopeless.”

Neal growled and lunged again, but was stopped by his two strong friends.

“Aaaand we’re done here,” Bennett said, as he and Patrick hauled Neal to the other side of the river where the rest of their group was waiting.

“Come on, just one swing!” Neal shouted over his shoulder. It was just for show because his pride was more bruised than he wanted to let on, but the boys kept a firm grip on him just in case.

Why the fuck did it matter that some asshole stranger thought he was incompetent? But Neal knew the answer to that—because his own boyfriend had as well. Tony had basically unmanned him by suggesting Neal’s career and choices didn’t matter, and now some random guy was telling him he couldn’t even wipe his own ass without help.

Neal seethed quietly all the way back down the trail. He’d never see that crazy fucknut again, but he’d be damned if he’d let the guy be right. So as soon as he got back, he booked himself on a survival excursion with a professional wilderness guide. That’d show that asshole. The one he would never see again.

Purchase Links

Euphoria Press (self): http://jkhogan.com/force-of-nature/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B073FKY2QB

Meet the Author

J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them. J.K. is hoping to one day have a little something for everyone, so she’s branched out from m/f paranormal romance and added m/m contemporary romance. Who knows what’s next?

J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives in the country with her husband and two sons, a cat, and two champion agility dogs. If she isn’t on the agility field, J.K. can often be found chasing waterfalls in the mountains with her husband, or down in front at a blues concert. In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading! For more information, please visit http://www.jkhogan.com.

Author Links

Website: http://jkhogan.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JK_Hogan

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6427555.J_K_Hogan

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JKHogan

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/J.K.-Hogan/e/B008UXO15E

Email: jkhogan@gmail.com

Tour Schedule

7/10 MM Good Book Reviews

7/11 Bayou Book Junkie

7/12 The Novel Approach

7/13 The (Really) Naughty Corner

7/13 We Three Queens

7/14 Love Bytes Reviews

Giveaway

J.K. Hogan is offering a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky reader. To enter the Rafflecopter giveaway, click here.

Tour organized by IndiGo Marketing & Design