Adriana Kraft

When it's time to heat things up...

Erotic Romance

Pride Month is over, but Pride is forever. #QueerRomance #Pride #LoveIsLove

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I started the month of June thinking that since I have well over thirty published books with bisexual or lesbian women as heroines, I should feature one of them every day all month. I quickly backed out of that plan and decided to mostly focus on other queer books I thought should be showcased, sprinkling in a few of mine as I went along.

You can find all their blurbs on my Instagram account. I hope you’ll check them out – some famous books, and some truly worthwhile books you may have never heard of. Great reads, all.

Here’s the list:

Rick Reed: The Impossible Childhood of my Desire Contemporary Transgendered Romance

Patrick Field: Servant Contemporary Gay Romance

Carey P.W.: Grayality Contemporary Transgendered Romance

Jess Savage: Good in the Zak Contemporary Bi Romance

T. J. Klune: The House in the Cerulean Sea Contemporary Gay Fiction

J. Scott Coatsworth: Skythane SciFi/Fantasy Gay Romance

H. K. Carlton: In the Flesh Contemporary Lesbian Romance

Charlotte Johnson: Lady Charlotte’s Revenge Regency Transgendered Romance

Robin Lynn: Enchanted Ink Gay Fiction

Jackie Keswick: Hiding Place Contemporary Gay Romance

Gemma Johns: Baby Steps Contemporary Lesbian Romance

David Lawrence: Blue Billy’s Rogue Lexicon Historical Gay Romance

Maggie Blackbird: Back Where You Belong Contemporary First Nation Gay Romance

Lisabet Sarai: Opening Night Historical Gay Romance

V. J. Allison Honestly Contemporary Transgendered Romance

G. A. Hauser Something to Believe In Contemporary Gay Romance

Amity Malcom: Sew Into You Contemporary Lesbian Romance

What fools they’d been— #MFRWHooks #EroticRomance #LaterInLife

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Out Now!

Ripening Passion

Passion Series, Book Two

Erotic Romance, Later in Life, LGBTQ

Welcome to MFRW Hooks, where the authors of Marketing for Romance Writers share snippets from their stories to entice you into wanting more. Be sure to click on the links at the end to travel!

I got ahead of myself – the last two scenes I posted (6/13 and 6/14) were out of time order, showcasing a little heat once Max and Claire had started working things out. I’m backtracking today to share their first kiss…

EXCERPT

Set Up

This scene takes place while Claire and Max are in California at the Sex and Aging workshop. They’ve been avoiding each other, but it might finally be time to “practice” together. They’re in Claire’s suite:

“I can think of something I’d rather munch on,” Max said softly, sitting down beside her.

“In due time,” Claire said, patting his thigh. “Remember, one of the advantages of age is we don’t have to rush because of galloping hormones.”

He chuckled around a cracker and sipped his wine. “Just so you know. My hormones are already trotting.”

She tipped her head back and laughed. “Just so you know, mine too.”

“Good.”

Maybe there was something to the age factor. She couldn’t recall ever being this relaxed before a first sexual encounter with a man. She refused to acknowledge that fiasco at the Center as their first time.

Max set down his wineglass and peered at her. His eyes gleamed and sparkled. “I think I have enough energy to manage a kiss.”

She held his gaze, then tipped her chin in invitation.

He leaned over and nibbled at the corner of her mouth. Only their lips touched. They explored slowly. Max etched her upper lip with his tongue. She rimmed his lower lip with hers. He tilted his head slightly, then slanted his lips across hers.

Claire willed her hands to stay in her lap. This already surpassed her expectations. Let him lead. She didn’t have to lead all the time. Their eyes hadn’t closed, as if they didn’t want to miss a thing. Claire warmed, realizing this really was their first kiss. They’d skipped this step entirely at the Center. What fools they’d been—he was a delicious kisser. Who would’ve guessed?

BLURB

Can Max melt the Ice Queen? Should he even try?

Claire Johnson’s dedication to sex—the cornerstone of her career—led her to help found the Center for Sexuality and Sex Practices. Now in her fifties, she knows the Center must keep pace with the rapidly growing Baby Boomer market, so she agrees to go back on camera for a series on sex and aging. But work with her nemesis?

Former English Professor Max Wilson has championed the cause of the Center ever since his now deceased wife sought the Center’s help to rekindle the nearly extinguished sexual flames of their relationship. He loves working on camera and welcomes the challenge to perform with the svelte but icy temptress.

Sparks fly immediately on and off camera. The jury is out on whether either Max or Claire can transform those sparks into a fire of sexual desire for their viewers—let alone for each other.

BUY LINK

NOW AT YOUR FAVORITE EBOOK VENDORS

https://books2read.com/u/4D82BP

BOOK INFORMATION

Title: Ripening Passion
Series: Passion Series, Book Two
Author: Adriana Kraft
Published by: eXtasy Books
ISBN: 978-1-4874-3813-5
Length: 254 pages, 75813 words
Publication Date: June 2, 2023
Genres: Erotic Romance, LGBTQIA, Contemporary Romance 
Tags: Menage, Bisexual, New York City, Later in Life
Heat Level: Four Flames
Pairings: MF, FF, FFF, FMF, MFM

Click on the links to travel to the rest of the blog posts:

What I wish I’d said…Get the scoop on Claire Johnson #EroticRomance #LaterInLife #MFRWAuthor

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Characters in novels seem to always have the perfect witty comment at the tip of their tongues. I was wishing for that skill the other morning, and the exchange made me think of our latest heroine, who would have done far better than I. She was just interviewed over at the Romance Lives Forever Blog. You won’t want to miss her snappy repartee!

I was at our small town’s local market picking up eggs and tortillas. When I came to the cashier line, a good-looking Afro-American man in dreads motioned me to get in front of him; I’m sure he was at least two or three decades younger than I. I thanked him, and then he said “May I give you a compliment? I really like your hairstyle.” I thanked him for that as well and added, “and I really like dreads, so we’re even,” and he laughed.

What I wish I’d said? “I’m lucky enough to be old and gray, so I like to look sharp.”

I know that’s what Claire Johnson would have said – though since she tints her blonde hair to hide the gray, it wouldn’t have quite fit for her.

She and I have so many characteristics in common. I’ve loved writing her story in Ripening Passion (and her role in book one, Smoldering Passion) and am sorry she only plays a minor role in book three, coming August 18. She’ll be hard to let go of. She and I are both trim, look good for our age, take pride in what we look like, and are dedicated to health and fitness. I can’t claim to be as svelte as she is – I must be at least ten inches shorter. And I will say I’ve never cultivated the icy exterior she’s so skilled at. Oh, perhaps I should add another difference – I’ve never had sex on camera.

It’s been a great pleasure being inside her head and above all having the time to come up with her witty responses as her ice starts to melt. She’s recently been interviewed at a couple blog spots, so I thought I’d throw in one of her responses here (and thank you, Kayelle Allen, for this interview question):

Please provide a physical description of yourself.

Claire: Thank you for asking – call me vain if you like, but I’m really proud of the fact that I can still turn heads at age 59. I’m a tall trim blonde, and yes, I do touch up my hair color a tad. I used to keep a severe short hairstyle, but I’ve let it grow out a bit. By now I can rely on my presence and my stature to intimidate when I need to. Did I mention trim? I work out and I watch what I eat.

You can catch Claire’s entire interview HERE, and of course I hope we’ve tempted you into checking out Ripening Passion at this link:

 

BUY LINK

UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK

https://books2read.com/u/4D82BP

BOOK INFORMATION

Title: Ripening Passion

Series: Passion Series, Book Two
Author: Adriana Kraft
Published by: eXtasy Books
ISBN: 978-1-4874-3813-5
Length: 254 pages, 75813 words
Publication Date: June 2, 2023
Genres: Erotic Romance, LGBTQIA, Contemporary Romance 
Tags: Menage, Bisexual, New York City, Later in Life
Heat Level: Four Flames
Pairings: MF, FF, FFF, FMF, MFM

BLURB

Can Max melt the Ice Queen? Should he even try?

Claire Johnson’s dedication to sex—the cornerstone of her career—led her to help found the Center for Sexuality and Sex Practices. Now in her fifties, she knows the Center must keep pace with the rapidly growing Baby Boomer market, so she agrees to go back on camera for a series on sex and aging. But work with her nemesis?

Former English Professor Max Wilson has championed the cause of the Center ever since his now deceased wife sought the Center’s help to rekindle the nearly extinguished sexual flames of their relationship. He loves working on camera and welcomes the challenge to perform with the svelte but icy temptress.

Sparks fly immediately on and off camera. The jury is out on whether either Max or Claire can transform those sparks into a fire of sexual desire for their viewers—let alone for each other.

 

 

 

Release Blitz: Take the Plunge, by Collette Davison #ContemporaryMMRomance @gaybookpromo #LGBTQ

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RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Take the Plunge

Author and Publisher: Colette Davison

Cover Artist: Morningstar Ashley Designs

Release Date: June 22, 2023

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Forced proximity, best friend’s brother/brother’s best friend, friends to lovers, bisexual exploration

Themes: Learning to trust

Heat Rating: 3.5 – 4 flames

Length: 65 000 words

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

Goodreads

 

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

One weekend could lead to forever if Jett can take the plunge.

 

Blurb

Jett didn’t expect to spend the weekend trapped in a remote holiday house with his best friend’s brother. As they try to pass the time, Kian’s bright enthusiasm starts to break through Jett’s gruff defences. When Kian offers to help Jett explore his desires with no strings attached, everything changes.

Fooling around when your heart isn’t on the line is one thing, but when the weekend ends, neither man wants their casual arrangement to end. Past betrayal has made Jett wary of trusting anyone, but even though Kian’s patience seems to be never-ending, Jett knows it’s only a matter of time before ‘no strings’ turns into ‘goodbye’.

Can Jett look past his fear and make the man who’s claimed his heart his?

Take the Plunge is a standalone contemporary M/M romance where a jaded man with a permanent storm cloud over his head falls for a sunshiny optimist. There’s forced proximity, an interfering best friend, swoony moonlight swimming, bi-sexual exploration, and lots of first times.

 

Excerpt

My head is fucking killing me. My mouth feels like it’s been stuffed full of mothballs. I’m lying on my right side, and that arm is numb. A click echoes through the house. Was that someone closing a door? I wipe my left hand over my face and open my eyes. It’s too dark to see anything.

What the fuck happened last night?

Something whines. Door hinges?

Oh, right. I’m at Rufus’s holiday home in the middle of nowhere. Okay, so it’s not actually his. The house belongs to his granddad, but Rufus is allowed to use it when his granddad isn’t here fishing. The front door hinges have needed oiling for as long as I’ve been coming up here with Rufus and his family.

When we were kids, his family invited me here for a week every summer. Rufus, his younger brother, Kian, and I would go wandering for hours, exploring the woods, chasing each other through meadows of long grass and flowers, and sitting by the lake with our legs dangling in the water. I have lots of good memories of this tiny corner of Scotland.

But reminiscing won’t solve the mystery of my aching head.

The door closes. It’s either the middle of the night or so early the sun hasn’t come up yet, so I’m unsure who’s going where.

I, Rufus, Kian, and some of our friends are here for a weekend of drinking and lazing around. Well, they can laze around. I have work to do as soon as I find some paracetamol and a gallon of water to shift this headache.

A car engine turns on. What the fuck? Tyres crunch over gravel, and then it gets quieter. I try to turn towards the window, but something pulls against my right wrist. Someone groans. I try to move my arm again. Clink. Rattle. Something hard but also soft circles my wrist. What. The. Actual. Fuck?

I twist and flail around, groping for a lamp or a light switch. My neck clicks, and my back aches with the effort. Another groan, a little louder than before. I skid my fingers over a piece of paper before finding a bedside lamp. I flick it on. A golden glow fills the room, and I shut my eyes against the harsh light.

Another groan. “Well, that’s bright.”

Hold up. I recognise that voice.

My right wrist is tugged to the side. Clink.

“Huh,” the voice says.

I rub my eyes and prie them open. I’m lying face-to-face with Kian. Our right hands lie on the pillow between us. Pink fur circles our wrists.

“Huh,” Kian repeats. He lifts his wrist, pulling mine with him. “This must be someone’s idea of a joke.” He kneads his forehead with his fingertips. “So this is what a hangover feels like. I don’t recommend it.”

“Too late.”

“That sucks for us both.” He yawns and closes his eyes.

“Who the fuck would do this?”

Kian shrugs. “Probably Rufus. He never matured past sixteen.”

I sit, dragging Kian upright with me. “Where’s the key?”

Kian tugs me down again. “We can look for it after we’ve slept off these hangovers. Rufus will have it.”

I grunt. “I don’t want to go back to sleep. I want to get these damn things off. What the fuck are they anyway?”

“Handcuffs.”

“I can see that.”

“Why’d you ask, then?”

“Why are they pink? And furry?”

 

About the Author

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

 

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook Page | Facebook Group: Colette’s Cosy Corner

BookBub | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram: @colettedavison

Mailing List | Newsletter Sign-Up

 

 

Giveaway

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a $10 Amazon Gift Card

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Cover Reveal: Inhale, by D.P. Denman #LGBTQ #GayRomance @gaybookpromo

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COVER REVEAL

Book Title: Inhale

Author: D.P. Denman

Cover Artist: AJ Corza

Release Date: July 20, 2023

Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance

Tropes: damaged lead finds love, professional model, learning to love again, blackmail, voyeur, private investigator stories

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 75 000 words/ 300 pages

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

Goodreads

 

Pre-Order Links

Temporary pre-release sale price of $3.99 USD until July 16

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

What can you do when love takes you by surprise? Just breathe.

 

Blurb

Cole Rinne is a model with an impossible problem. An invasion of his privacy ends up in the hands of a blackmailer and the details could go public any day. His only hope is to ditch the spotlight and hide in the shadows. Then he meets someone with a solution.

Gage Marx is a PI who specializes in impossible problems. He’s used to solving the unsolvable. The only thing he’s ever declared a lost cause is himself.

From the start, Cole’s case holds more surprises than Gage expects. The most shocking is that for the first time in over a year, Gage’s broken heart is showing signs of life.

Their plan to wade slowly into love comes apart when an unexpected opportunity threatens to turn it all into a long-distance relationship. Will occasional reunions be enough to keep them together or will their separate careers tear them apart?

Excerpt

Gage woke to the jostling of his mattress. The shadowed figure at the end of the bed had him up from his pillow in an instant. He fumbled for the light on the nightstand, his heart hammering. One hundred watts burst into the room and Gage dropped his head back, breathing to the ceiling.

Cole sat at the end of the bed, still in his rumpled clothes.

“You scared the shit out of me,” Gage told him.

“Sorry.” Cole slumped.

The misery on his face silenced the rest of Gage’s lecture. “It’s okay.”

“I couldn’t sleep. I keep thinking about everything. I feel so….” Cole’s face twisted into a smudge of anger and sadness.

“Violated?” Gage supplied when it was apparent Cole couldn’t come up with the words.

“That.” Cole nodded.

“Betrayed? Pissed?”

Cole kept nodding until the last word. “Oh, I passed pissed an hour ago. I’m whatever you are when you reach the molten lava stage. If I thought it would make me feel any better, I’d ask for a meeting so I could spit in his face.”

“I don’t blame you.” Gage leaned against the headboard.

“I also don’t want to be alone.” Cole looked at him, sad green eyes and crooked eyebrows asking permission.

Gage stared back, searching Cole’s face for a lust-inspired ploy to get into his bed. He didn’t find one.

“Why don’t you sleep in here?” Gage offered.

It was a mistake, and he knew it. There would be no way to maintain any kind of boundary after a night together, even if all they did was sleep. The alternative was to send Cole back to the couch alone, where he would sit in the dark, ruminating over the betrayal. Gage would stare at the ceiling over his bed, imagining him doing it. He’d end up back on the couch, holding Cole and watching infomercials until one of them fell asleep again.

“Thank you.” Cole climbed under the covers and nestled into the empty pillow.

Gage turned off the light and settled back where he’d been, pretending he could see Cole on the other half of the bed until his eyes adjusted and Cole returned to a shadowed form beside him.

They stared at each other for a moment.

“I know you have your rules,” Cole said quietly, “and I still want you working my case. I also think I want you as something more than that.”

“Are you sure it’s not because you’re feeling vulnerable? I don’t want to take advantage of you not having anyone else to talk to.”

Cole reached out and rested a hand on his arm. “I’m not sure of anything, but I know what I’m starting to feel, and I’m pretty sure I know why. It’s more than the case.”

Gage covered Cole’s hand, caressing his knuckles, using touch to mask the silence. It was more than the goal of maintaining a professional distance. He didn’t think he was ready for a physical relationship. Not yet. Not in that house with a room full of similar memories right across the hall.

“Is there a way to make that happen?” Cole asked. “Assuming you want to.”

The question wasn’t new. Gage had already wasted hours thinking about what he would do if Cole kissed him again, digging for loopholes he could bend his ethics around. His only solution was to hand the investigation off to someone who would let him stick his nose back in it at will. No one could fault him for keeping an eye on a situation that affected a man he was dating.

“I could let the law firm take over. They’ll be doing most of the work on it from now on, anyway.”

“I don’t want to take money away from you just so I can date you.”

“I have other clients.”

“People put lawyers on retainer, right? What if I do that with you?”

“I would hope you don’t have things like this happening often enough to be worth that.”

“This would be so much easier if you were a bodyguard or something.”

“They aren’t supposed to get involved with clients either.”

“FBI agent?”

“Nope.”

“Federal Marshall?”

“Sorry.”

“Bounty hunter?”

“Sure, if you didn’t mind me hauling you in for skipping bail anyway. Otherwise, I’d be aiding a fugitive.”

“This is much sexier in the movies.”

Gage smiled. “That’s why they call it fiction.”

 

About the Author

Award-winning author DP Denman wrote her first short story when she was eight and has been crafting fictional adventures ever since! You can usually find her with a cup of coffee in hand, contemplating her next story.

A covert romantic, she writes addictive, character-driven gay romance about damaged people who find the strength to put their lives back together. Her stories are gripping and dramatic — guaranteed to hold you hostage to the last word!

 

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Newsletter Sign-Up

Instagram | BookBub | Lemon8 | Amazon Page

 

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Release Blitz: Synthetic Code for Sincerity, by Naya Zayn #Giveaway #SciFi #MM #Romance #LGBTQ

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RECENT RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Synthetic Code for Sincerity

Author and Publisher: Naya Zayn

Release Date: May 25, 2023

Genre: Sci-fi MM romance

Tropes: wealthy heroes, dark themes, tragic past, morally grey characters, HFN, slow burn

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 260 pages

It is the first book in the series and does not end on a cliffhanger. HFN

Goodreads

 

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

AI has evolved into lifelike synthetic humans called alphas.

 

Blurb

AI HAS EVOLVED INTO LIFELIKE SYNTHETIC HUMANS CALLED ALPHAS.

Alpha, Vincent Zakari is as roguishly handsome as he is cunning.

Made to feel, yet with callous disregard for most people, he hides his synth identity beneath a charming smile.

To foil a major political threat, he worms into the life of an orphaned billionaire, but soon finds himself at the mercy of his own emotions.

Plagued by horrors from a tragic past, Yugo Jordan has shields for days, and never leaves his New York estate.

When another disaster forces him outside, he meets the insanely attractive Vincent, and is quickly undone by dark eyes and honey-slick words.

To Vincent, Yugo’s a fatal error in the making.

And to Yugo, Vincent is weakness personified, steadily breaking down those walls.

Both are helpless against the pull between them, even while confronted by stubborn inner demons and looming external threats.

As they navigate this heated, uncharted territory, they must also unravel the lies and secrets surrounding them…

or cave beneath all-too-human flaws.

Synthetic Code for Sincerity is an addictive blend of light scifi and heavy MM romance — deeply sensual, evocative, and marked by thrilling moments sure to stay with you long after turning that last page.

It’s the first in a series where each installment has a different couple, but follows an overarching plotline.

Readers can expect a host of morally grey characters, a smug bastard MC who’s brought down to his knees, another MC who’s shoved out of his comfort zone, first times, and a happy-for-now ending.

**Warning: This book has content which may not be suitable for all audiences. Check the author’s website for more information. Reader discretion is thoroughly advised.

 

Excerpt

“Strip for me, Yugo. Nice and slow.”

He opened his eyes, blinking repeatedly to clear the haze. As he focused, he spotted Vincent—already several paces away, and seated on the high back. His dark eyes locked on Yugo, fiercely intense and with hidden depths, pulling Yugo to a trance-like state.

Yugo couldn’t help it, he lost himself completely and before he knew it, he began to strip. He removed his jacket, took off his shirt, slipped out of his pants, all without looking away. He should’ve been wracked by nerves, but those eyes had him in the tightest grip and he’d never felt more powerful, more desirable. He cracked a smile and took his time with his shorts, inching here and there as he slowed things down to an aching halt.

Something wicked flicked across Vincent’s stare. In a flash, Yugo was fully naked and up against the window. The glass sent chills down his spine. A solid weight crowded over him, filling his nose with spicy-sweet as lips met lips.

Things unraveled quickly from there, flying into a whirlwind of tongue, heat, and very few breaths, becoming a kiss of greed. It seared through Yugo, stealing moans and cries too wanton for common decency. He hadn’t known he could sound like this. Wild and desperate. Like his life depended on it…

 

About the Author

It all started when she received that first picture book during her diaper days. Naya Zayn, aka NZ, has binged on stories since then.

As a consummate daydreamer, she spends many hours exploring the horizons of her own mindscape — lurking around terrains flush with gay romance and happy endings.

There, she embraces the gripping elements of scifi and fantasy, then ventures into darker outskirts where many rogues and anti-heroes reside.

Though troubled, her morally grey men pine hopelessly and flirt shamelessly. They’re also persistent, haunting her in the waking world, till she finally puts pen to paper… bringing them alive.

 

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | TikTok

 

Giveaway

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one of two $5 Amazon gift cards.

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