Adriana Kraft

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Five Things You Should Know About the Victorian Mansion Series by @JanaRichards #SweetRomance #Excerpts

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Those of you who know me know that I never leave the door closed on explicit sex scenes. I don’t write sweet romance. But I do love to read it, and Jana Richards is an author you should definitely get to know, if you don’t already. She is my blog guest today, with two books from her Victorian Mansion sweet romance series.

Five Things You Should Know About the Victorian Mansion Series

  1. Both books in the series take place in a big, Victorian-style house in Toronto. I call it a mansion, but the century-and-a-half year-old house is mostly a wreck. It was once elegant, but over the years it was converted into apartments and stripped of much of its original charm.
  2. The main characters of each book (Chelsea and Matt in RESCUE ME and Darcy and Nick in TAKE A CHANCE ON ME) meet when they live across the hall from each other in the mansion.
  3. For most of the characters, living at the Victorian mansion is temporary. They like the old place and can appreciate how grand it must have been, but only Darcy has a deep connection to the house. That’s because she lived there with her parents until she was eight years old.
  4. Several scenes take place at Malone’s, an Irish pub and restaurant. Matt’s brothers own the pub, and they try to convince him to work full-time with them. But Matt has dreams of being an actor, and though he’s struggling, those dreams won’t die.
  5. Nick buys the Victorian mansion with the intention of tearing it down to build a condo complex. But his motivation to build something new has nothing to do with earning a profit.

And bonus Fact:

  1. I totally rewrote TAKE A CHANCE ON ME in 2022, taking it from a sexy, sensual read to a sweet romance with closed door love scenes. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but I couldn’t be happier with the results. I believe it’s an even better book!

Rescue Me – Book 1

Genre: Contemporary sweet romance
Keywords: Sweet romance, contemporary romance, neighbors, chef hero
Heat Level: sweet

Blurb:

Chelsea Andrews can’t decide who’s more dangerous—the creep on the Toronto city bus, or the handsome stranger who rescues her. Was he acting, as he claimed, or is he that weird in real life? She doesn’t stick around to find out. Fate intervenes when her rescuer, out of work actor Matt Malone, sublets the apartment next door. Chelsea soon discovers the most dangerous thing about her charming new neighbor is the damage he’s inflicting on her heart.

Or is it? Soon after Matt moves in, strange romantic notes begin showing up at the art gallery where Chelsea works. Then she’s followed home from the bus stop late one night, and her apartment is broken into. Despite her growing feelings for Matt, all the evidence points to him as the culprit.

Matt is at a crossroads. His acting career is stalled, and all his siblings are getting married and having babies while his love life is non-existent. Something has to change. Things begin to look up for Matt when he moves next door to Chelsea. He’s totally captivated by the beautiful blonde and wants to take their relationship to the next level. But when he discovers what Chelsea suspects about him, his plans are put in jeopardy. And how can he protect her from the real stalker?

Is Matt the kind, funny, sincere man Chelsea is falling in love with, or some kind of letter-writing stalker? She must decide whether he is a dream come true or her worst nightmare.

Buy Links:

Amazon ~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon UK

Excerpt:

Matt set her on her feet but kept his arms around her, holding her close against him.

“You must be my good luck charm. There’s an old Irish custom that says if you kiss your lucky charm three times, your luck will triple.”

“You’re making that up.”

Matt called on every ounce of acting skill he possessed to keep the innocent look on his face. “Would I lie to you?”

Before she could answer, he kissed her cheek, his lips lingering over the silky skin.

“That’s once.”

He kissed her other cheek, moving as slowly as possible to make the moment last. His head filled with her delicate fragrance, and his hands shook as he drew her closer. He felt her small hands clutch at the fabric of his shirt.

“That’s twice.”

Her green eyes stared into his, her confused thoughts shining through. Two matching spots of pink on her cheeks made her look like a delicate porcelain doll. Her lips parted slightly, as if asking him to kiss her.

They didn’t have to ask twice.

Matt bent his head and brought his lips to hers, fully intending the kiss to be short and chaste. But when he heard her soft moan, all honorable intentions flew out the window. He crushed her against him, plundering her soft mouth with deep, probing kisses. Her arms wound around his neck, and her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer. Then suddenly she pulled away. Putting her hands on his chest and pushing gently, she stepped out of his embrace.

“That’s three times,” she whispered. She ran a shaking hand through her disheveled hair. “I hope it brings you lots of luck.” She busied herself getting teacups and spoons.

“Chelsea?”

“Hmm?”

“I made up that stuff about the kisses bringing good luck.”

Her hands stilled and the smile she gave him was tense and completely fake. “I know. So, are we going to eat that cheesecake or what?”

Was she trying to pretend the kiss didn’t happen, that attraction didn’t burn white-hot between them?

Not possible.

 

Take a Chance on Me – Book 2

Genre: Contemporary sweet Romance
Keywords: contemporary romance, sweet romance, humor, Canadian setting, love at first sight, neighbors, fear of intimacy, enemies to lovers.
Heat Level: sweet

Blurb:

Teacher Darcy Ferris loves travel almost as much as she loves her Toronto neighborhood. But no matter how far she roams, she always returns to the genteelly shabby Victorian mansion where she grew up, the last place her father lived. Darcy’s world is turned upside-down when the Victorian is slated for demolition.

Since the death of architect Nick Cummings’ mother, his father has retreated from his real estate development business, and from life. In a desperate attempt to interest him in something once more, Nick buys a beat-up Victorian mansion and draws up plans to replace it with a Victorian-inspired condo. He hopes his father’s old spark will return if he helps him build the new condo. But he doesn’t expect such opposition from his new tenant, Darcy Ferris. Nor does he expect to fall in love with her.

Nick and Darcy must come to terms with the past before they can forge a future together. And they’ll need to take the biggest chance of all – on love.

Buy Links:

Amazon ~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon UK

Excerpt:

When Nick pulled up in front of the Victorian mansion, Darcy was sitting on the front porch steps holding Stanley’s leash. On the other end of the leash, the pug sniffed the front yard in a wide arc, testing the limits of his confinement.

Nick scrambled out of his car. Maybe he could still explain, even if she’d already spoken to his dad’s assistant. Darcy wasn’t an unreasonable person.

But when he got to the porch and she lifted her face to look at him, he knew the time for explanations had passed. She patted the manila folder sitting beside her on the porch floor.

“I talked to my next-door neighbors. Seems they got one of these folders, too. So, you’re demolishing that house as well? One isn’t enough for you?”

He cleared his dry throat. “Actually, I bought your grandmother’s old house, too.”

“My grandmother’s house?” The shock on Darcy’s face quickly gave way to anger. Her mouth twisted in distaste. “You want to build some ugly glass and steel monstrosity in the middle of my neighborhood?”

“It won’t be like that. I designed the condo to fit with the architecture of the neighborhood.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She blinked rapidly. “I thought you were my friend. I thought you cared about me. I poured my heart out to you. You could have given me the courtesy of the truth.”

“I promise you, Darcy. My condo will be an asset to the neighborhood.”

“You don’t get it, do you? This is my home. I don’t want something that fits into the neighborhood. I want this house.” She looked away, her breathing ragged. Then she turned angry brown eyes on him once more. “I’ll fight you. I’ll fight you with everything I have.”

Author bio:

Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting than peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.

When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).

Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com

Social Media Links:

Website:  https://www.janarichards.com
Blog:  https://janarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Amazon UK Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup: https://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janarichards155

Release Blitz: Third Time Lucky, by Aurora Crane #LGBTQ+ #M/M #Romance #Giveaway

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RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Third Time Lucky

Author and Publisher: Aurora Crane

Cover Artist: Cormar Covers

Release Date: January 28, 2023

Genre: Contemporary MM romance

Tropes: Friends to lovers, bi-awakening

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 80 000 words

It is part of the Chain Reaction universe but can be read as a standalone. It is a HEA

Goodreads

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link  |  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Blurb

Trust didn’t always go both ways, and Grady Donehue learned that the hard way. He hadn’t learned better after the first betrayal, but he wasn’t going to make the same mistake a third time. Striking up a strange friendship with the equally strange—and straight—soldier, Lake, who had sunshine in his eyes? Grady could do that. He could even handle helping Lake figure out he might not be so straight after all, in a very hands-on way. But falling in love? No, thanks. Lake McKenna has spent his whole life absolutely confident in who he is and what he wants. Even when the picture-perfect future he’d always envisioned seemed further away than ever, none of his plans included another man. But the more time Lake spends with his new friend: grumpy and sneaky-sexy detective, Grady, the more he thinks that maybe what he really needs is something different to what he always imagined. Neither man was prepared for the other, but Lake is nothing if not flexible. Doubt isn’t part of his make-up. He knows how much more incredible they could be together; if only Grady could see it too. Grady has to decide if Lake is worth risking his heart again, and whether he’s brave enough to see if it really is third time lucky. Third Time Lucky is an 80,000-word MM romance. It is a bi-awakening, friends to lovers romance with low angst and high feels. It is set in the Chain Reaction universe but can be read as a standalone.

Excerpt

“Is there a reason you don’t like your house?” Grady asked.

It was a fair question, since they hadn’t spent a lot of time in the last few months at Lake’s, even though they’d spent so many evenings together.

Lake didn’t answer at first, staring out at the dozens of people milling about like ants with a purpose. “It’s empty,” he said quietly. “I bought it when my grandpa died about ten years ago, from my half of the inheritance. There was a lot of space for a family, and a pool, and a big yard for a dog. I fixed it up using money I got from a really long deployment.” He stared down at his hands. “I guess I thought it would be filled by now.” He couldn’t quite smother the feeling of failure when he thought about all the personal accomplishments that he hadn’t ticked off yet. As though his life were nothing more than a checklist that he had to work his way down. He knew that wasn’t right, but it slithered in there, anyway.

“It’s okay to not have found the person you want to make a family with yet,” Grady said softly. “Sometimes it takes longer than we’d like, but when it’s right, you’ll know.”

“I would never have pegged you for such a romantic.”

“Don’t tell anyone. And stop trying to dodge.”

Lake sighed. He knew, logically, that Grady was right. And he had dated a few people over those years that he’d thought maybe, but nothing had ever panned out. “It just feels big when I’m there by myself. Even with the TV on the silence gets to me. I like your house.” He shrugged. “It’s small, and cosy, and it has you in it.” He didn’t know if that admission was allowed, or what it even meant, when it felt like so much more than he could find the words for.

“Lake…”

“I know we haven’t known each other long, but friendships are like that sometimes, aren’t they? I like being around you.”

Grady didn’t respond and Lake awkwardly fiddled with the beaded and leather bracelets around his wrist.

“Do you have food at your house?” Grady asked, eventually. That hadn’t been what Lake had expected him to say. He’d been bracing himself for rejection. Lake had gotten too clingy, wanted to spend too much time with him, and it was time to part ways. Lake would have understood. He knew that he was a lot to handle and sometimes he figured the only reason Felix and Zach had stuck around so long was that they’d had so long to get used to it.

“I guess it depends on what you mean by food?” Lake replied. “Why?”

“Because I like your house, Lake,” Grady said patiently. “And you shouldn’t have to feel like you can’t be there.”

“I—what? You like my house?”

“Well, yeah. It’s big, and it’s inviting, and it has you in it.” He paused and then turned to Lake with a grin that had Lake’s mouth going dry. “And it has more than one bed. Just in case.”

“All of my spare beds are being fumigated,” Lake said, hoping he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt. He didn’t give a fuck if it was weird; he liked waking up next to Grady, liked how big Grady was and how much space he took up on the mattress, the heat that radiated off him in waves. There was no mistaking he wasn’t alone when Grady was with him.

About the Author 

Aurora Crane is an Australian author with a particular love for books featuring poly relationships. You can always find a healthy serving of banter, snark and heat in her books, along with impossible men falling in love, even if sometimes it takes them a little while to get there! She has an appreciation for men in suits and frequently spreads that love in the Facebook group she shares with her muse, fellow Aussie, and co-writer Briar Kearney. When not in the writing cave—a rarity to see this author out of her natural habitat—she can be found playing video games, building Lego sets, or hanging out with her fiancé and their menagerie of animals.

Social Media Links

Facebook Profile  |  Facebook Group  |  Instagram

Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

one of three ebooks from the author’s backlist

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Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Release Blitz: Sandy Wishes, by @JudithKeim #Women’sFiction, #Romance

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Sanderling Cove Inn Series Book 2

Contemporary Romantic Women’s Fiction

Date Published: January 31, 2023

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Sometimes, wishes do come true…

 

Brooke Weatherby is tired of being the dependable one, the boring one of
everyone at Sanderling Cove. She agreed to come to the cove for the summer
unaware her two cousins, Charlotte “Charlie” Bradford and Olivia
“Livy” Winters, would also be there to help manage The
Sanderling Cove Inn while her grandparents take a long road trip in Europe.
More than anything, she wishes for independence from her role as a sometime
caretaker of her mother, so she’s free to find true love.

Unknown to her and her cousins, the five grandmothers at Sanderling Cove
have invited their beloved grandchildren to spend as much time as possible
this summer at the cove, hoping that romance might flourish among
them.

One grandson, Dylan Hendrix, is a well-known artist who decides to take a
break from Santa Fe and experiment with different kinds of paintings
inspired by the scenic Gulf Coast of Florida. As he and Brooke get to know
each other, he encourages her to discover her own artistic talent.
Brooke’s world opens to colors and possibilities she never dreamed of
as her life begins to change.

Grandmothers can be very determined when it comes to seeing their
grandchildren happy. A family saga full of love. Be sure to read all the
books in the series – Waves of Hope, Sandy Wishes, Salty Kisses.

Another of Judith Keim’s series books celebrating love and families,
strong women meeting challenges, and clean women’s fiction with a
touch of romance—beach reads for all ages with a touch of humor,
satisfying twists, and happy endings. Be sure to check out her other
delightful books and series that readers adore.

Sanderling Cove Inn Series

 

Waves of Hope, Book One

Sandy Wishes, Book Two

Salty Kisses, Book Three

 

Available on Amazon

 

About the Author

Judith Keim, A USA Today Best-Selling Author, is a hybrid author who both has a publisher and self-publishes. Ms. Keim writes heart-warming novels about women who face unexpected challenges, meet them with strength, and find love and happiness along the way, stories with heart. Her best-selling books are based, in part, on many of the places she’s lived or visited and on the interesting people she’s met, creating believable characters and realistic settings her many loyal readers love.

She enjoyed her childhood and young-adult years in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Boise, Idaho, with her husband and their two domineering dachshunds, Winston and Wally, and other members of her family.

While growing up, she was drawn to the idea of writing stories from a young age. Books were always present, being read, ready to go back to the library, or about to be discovered. All in her family shared information from the books in general conversation, giving them a wealth of knowledge and vivid imaginations.

When she’s not writing, which isn’t that often, she enjoys an evening glass of red wine and her husband’s creative cooking and always loves spending time with family and friends.

Ms. Keim loves to hear from her readers and appreciates their enthusiasm for her stories.

To sign up for her newsletter, go here: https://BookHip.com/RRGJKGN

Contact Links

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

BookBub

Amazon

Judy’s special FB Group -Women with Heart

Goodreads

BookBuzz

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

iBooks

Google Play

 

RABT Book Tours & PR

Book Tour: Rocky Mountain Star #Giveaway #Romance #Contemporary

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(Rocky Mountain Romances, Book 2)

Romance

Date Published: 12.13.2022

Publisher: Dragonbooks Publishing House

 

 

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Did someone say dance like no one is watching? Guess that’s the only
way Tyler CAN dance now. Slip into the pages of the fun and feisty second
book in the Rocky Mountain Romances series.

Tyler Carter has everything she dreams of—she’s the starring
ballerina in a Cirque-du-Soleil type show, a splashy Las Vegas lifestyle,
and there’s nothing tying her down. Until she injures her knee, that
is.

Tyler flees to her family in the little mountain town of Independence
Junction, Colorado, and pretends she’ll get better, until forced to realize
the truth. And forced to confront her past when she smacks right into
Patrick West, the architect restoring the historic Wilkinson house.

Their attraction quickly rekindles because of a one-night tryst they had
the summer before—one neither of them wants to admit to!

But something else gets rekindled. A stalker sets their sights on Tyler and
leaves shocking clues indicating they know exactly who Tyler is, and that
they want her dead. Will Patrick, Tyler’s brother, and a retired
police dog be able to keep Tyler safe?

The fascinating and quirky citizens of Independence Junction come back in
Book 2 of The Rocky Mountain Romances series to show how small-town
relationships can bring out the best and worst in people.

Heart-warming with a splash of Vegas glamour, Book 2 successfully combines
a new-and-old mix of family and townsfolk in a pressure-cooker plot that
never lets up on chuckles, suspense, and romance.

Excerpt

Panting, Tyler braced herself, waiting to catch her breath. She hadn’t known working out with a punching bag would be so strenuous. And she was used to quite a bit from her own training as a dancer. Slowly, she lowered her arms. She could barely lift them. As she turned, her eyes fell on someone. An image of muscular arms around her waist and intertwined legs flashed before her inner eye. Heat shot through her body. Oh great. She was suddenly aware of scattered strands of hair that had come loose from her braid sticking to her sweaty face.

“You!” she gasped.

“I was thinking the same thing,” he answered.

Funny, she remembered the way he smelled, the sensation of his touch, but she couldn’t remember his name.

“Pat,” he said, as though reading her mind. “Patrick West.”

“Tyler—”

“Carter. I remember.”

They looked at each other, memories from the summer flooding back. Along with the dark good looks and toned body, Tyler remembered he was an architect. He was planning the restoration of a historic house in the area. Which explained why he was still in town.

He took off his jacket and sat on the floor. “I didn’t know dancers could work the bag,” he said.

“I didn’t know either, but it’s great for blowing off frustrations.”

He nodded.

She waited for a comment, but he said nothing, just waited until she slid down beside him, leaning back against the wall.

“You a boxer?” she asked out of the blue.

“A little martial arts,” he answered.

“So this dance studio is now a dojo?”

“You know the Japanese word for it.” He looked impressed.

“I work in Vegas with dancers, stunt people, and every kind of physical entertainment professional from all over the world. Of course I know the term.”

The slight, amused smile fell from his face. “If you need the space, I’ll find another place.”

Contact Links

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Purchase Link

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Release Blitz: The Gods of Inthya, by Effie Calvin @EffieCalvin #Giveaway #Fantasy #ShortStories #Magic

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Title:  Gods of Inthya

Series: Tales of Inthya, Book 5.5

Author: Effie Calvin

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: 01/17/2023

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 38600

Genre: Fantasy, anthology, Fantasy, gods, magic, romance, short stories

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Description

At the beginning of time, the gods came together to create Inthya, a world where magic is common and hatred never had the opportunity to take root.

But the Inthyan gods are young and imperfect. With countless failures behind them and unspeakable horrors lurking outside the borders of creation, they must not allow this world to meet the same fate as the last—without alerting their mortal worshippers that anything is wrong.

Nineteen short stories from the perspectives of the gods themselves, some humorous, some horrifying, and all united by a theme of protecting the mortals who love them unconditionally.

Excerpt

Gods of Inthya
Effie Calvin © 2023
All Rights Reserved

Inthi, God of Creation and First of the Ten, does not generally manifest in cities. This is somewhat paradoxical, considering most new ideas come from places where mortals gather in large numbers. But Inthi is a quiet, thoughtful sort of god and has trouble focusing when surrounded by too much noise and commotion. Even when they are called to a mortal’s private workshop, away from shouting vendors and screaming children, they cannot block out the soft but persistent hum of countless souls going about their daily business outside, each mind a bright beacon of wants and worries and dreams.

But today, unfortunately, they must make an exception.

Inthi is intimately familiar with their own Great Temple in Birsgen, and the enormous district surrounding it. Some call it the Flame District, but others simply call it Inthi’s District. Most large cities have one, a place where smiths and artisans and inventors come together to work and exchange ideas.

As Inthi approaches their temple, they hear mortal voices raised in argument. Standing on the steps are two people—a neutroi that Inthi recognizes as their own archpriest here in Ieflaria, and a priestess of Eran dressed in silver robes. The priestess is the source of most of the noise, waving her clenched fist in the archpriest’s face.

Inthi’s archpriest, however, is unimpressed. They wave a hand dismissively and say, “Your concerns are unwarranted.”

The priestess’s cheeks redden. From the rage that emanates from her mind, Inthi can tell reason has failed and now she is about to start cursing. Inthi walks up behind her and rests a reassuring hand on the prophet-priestess’s shoulder. “It’s all right,” they say. “I will handle it.”

Eran’s priestess looks at Inthi with wide, disbelieving eyes. She takes a step back, too dumbfounded to speak. Inthi’s own archpriest has not recognized them, but she has. With more effort, they can disguise themselves completely, but Inthi is not inclined to do so today.

“I appreciate your efforts,” they add. Only rarely do Eran’s priests take an active role in events. Most adhere to the philosophy that attempting to alter the future is pointless at best and disastrous at worst. This priestess must have decided that no outcome is worse than what she’s already seen in her dreams. “Excuse me.”

Inthi walks past the bemused archpriest and enters the temple. Inside is warm from the heat of dozens of forges, and every stone is steeped in magic. Countless prayers have been uttered within these walls. Generations of priests and artisans have labored here. Even if the temple was disassembled and all the stones cast into the sea, it would take centuries for the magic to dissipate from the air.

After taking a few moments to admire the new bronze statues decorating the temple’s anteroom, Inthi takes a side door into a hallway. All around them, mortal minds buzz with ideas; mortal hands wrest iron and copper into new shapes. It is still early, but most of them have been awake for hours. Some have not slept at all.

Inthi could have manifested directly at the source of the problem, but there is time enough to enjoy being in the temple. They pass a few priests in orange robes, but most of the mortals are dressed practically, with heavy leather gloves and large aprons. Some carry boxes, or tools, or push carts filled with scrap metal to be melted down and turned into something useful. Inthi brushes each mind as they pass, appreciating every mortal’s unique focus.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read

Meet the Author

Effie is definitely a human being with all her own skin, and not a robot. She writes science fiction and fantasy novels and lives with her cat in the greater Philadelphia area.

Website | Twitter

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Release Blitz: Roanoke River Omegas, by Will Okati #LGBTQ+ #Giveaway #NewAdult #ActionAdventure #BoxSet #Romance

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Title:  Roanoke River Omegas

Author: Will Okati

Publisher: Changeling Press

Release Date: January 13, 2023

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 246 pages

Genre: Romance, New Adult, Action Adventure, Box Sets, Paranormal Romance, Gay, Sex/Gender Shifters & MPreg, Single Parent/Pregnancy Romance

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Synopsis

Unusual Omegas and unique Alphas falling in love and finding families? There’s never a dull moment in Roanoke River.
 

Conceivable (Roanoke River Omegas 1)

Omega Jory’s in love with his best friend, Alpha Darius, and Darius has no idea. Darius’s in love with Jory, and Jory has no idea. But when Jory asks Darius to father his baby, everything’s about to explode.
 
Inexplicable (Roanoke River Omegas 2)
Kit had no clue he was pregnant. Now everything’s changing, including his long distance love affair with Deacon. Babies do what they want, when they want. Just like Deacon used to. But now that he’s a father, he’s got to convince Kit he’s in this — and their lives — for keeps.
 
Combustible (Roanoke River Omegas 3)
Long, lean, wild and unconventional for an Omega, Zane rocks and rolls Alpha Grant’s world. Zane can’t be predicted. He can’t be contained. And Grant freaking loves it. Their love affair is gonna be complicated — and downright combustible.
 

Excerpt

Copyright ©2023 Will Okati
Excerpt from Conceivable
 
What did you do with a drunken sailor?
 
Why, anything you wanted, that’s what. You could tie him up tight with a crimson ribbon, dip him in a pool of melted butter, run him through a room of screaming fire alarms, and when he got done with all that, then you could tuck him in bed with an Alpha’s lover. And every last bit of it sounded fine when sung at the top of three dozen-odd throats at Happy Hour on a Friday evening in MacInnes’s pub.
 
Better still when Darius could raise his mostly empty glass and swing it in time with the song. Best of all when tucked into a booth with his best friend beside him, warm as toast and smelling faintly of Omega and largely of burnt-sugar whiskey.
 
As weeknights went, this was a good one.
 
The last lines of the chorus were still echoing off the ceiling when someone who fancied himself a soloist stood on top of a table and started belting out a boozy version of “Danny Boy.” He got a few catcalls and the occasional coaster tossed at him, but he had a decent deep tenor and most of the rowdies settled down to listen. Darius included.
 
Still laughing, still warm, he slid back into the booth he shared with Jory and kicked his legs forward to tangle their feet together. Best friends — closer than blood since they’d met in another bar on weekend passes five years back — they’d always been in each other’s space ever since. Didn’t bother them any that Darius was an Alpha and Jory an Omega. Darius was Navy and Jory part of the Peace Corps, sure, but the military kept everyone on hormone suppressants to cut down on hanky-panky in the ranks, so what did it matter?
 
“Another round?” Darius asked when their impromptu soloist paused to drown his own thirst.
 
Redheaded and usually fair as cream, Jory’s cheeks were cherry pink tonight from the two whiskies and a pint of Guinness he’d already downed, but he gave Darius a blazing grin and raised his empty glass. “You’re on. And I mean it, you’re on. Last round was mine.”
 
Was it? Darius shrugged, not bothered either way. They always took turns. He halfway stood to wave at their waiter — a friendly Beta who could pull pints fast as lightning strikes — then thumped back down in a comfortable slouch. Jory, still grinning, made him laugh. Made him content. Being around him made something inside Darius feel… satisfied. Good.
 
“So,” he said, after tipping back his empty glass in search of just a few more drops. “You were saying, about the kids, before that racket started up?” Jory had gone into teaching kindergarten after getting out of the Reserves, and taken to it like a duck to water.
 
“That they’re adorable. Today I had to teach one of them not to lick the drinking fountain because that wasn’t how it worked. Also? ‘Racket’ my hindquarters, you love it.” Jory’s smile shone smile softer, warmer, teasing. “As if you weren’t singing along.”
 
Darius bent his head, only a little sheepish and only for half a second. He came up with a glint in his eye and clinked his glass against Jory’s. “Shut up.”
 
Jory clinked back. He knew this game. “You shut up.”
 
“Bite me.”
 
“Needs ketchup.”
 
“Kiss my ass.”
 
Jory laughed. “Bend over!”
 
Their pert, pretty little Beta waiter — what was his name, Adam? — rolled his eyes as he swung by their table with two full glasses. “Drown yourself in these, would you?” He softened his words with a gentle love tap on the back of Darius’s dark head and a rustle through Jory’s auburn tangle. “Drink up, boys, order some more, and leave a good tip. I’ve got bills to pay!”
 
“Good thing I have a steady job,” Darius remarked as Adam sped away. He’d left the Navy a year after Jory mustered out and would have settled where his best friend did regardless, but he thanked his lucky stars Jory had picked Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Made finding work on the water easy, and Darius had settled into a good hands-on position at the lake. Solid work that left him aching with sore muscles every day, but satisfied down to the bottom of his soul. “Or I wouldn’t be able to afford taking my best friend out for booze-ups at fancy joints like this.”
 
Jory wrinkled his nose. “Speaking of kids, how are the new hires you were talking about?”
 
“Eh, there’s a few bright stars,” Darius said with a shrug. “Some better than others. Time will tell. But they do already know how to use the water fountains. Probably.”
 
“They’re not as cute as a baker’s dozen of toddlers, though.”
 
Darius waggled one hand to and fro. “They probably think so, especially when they’re out looking to score some tail, but nope.”
 
Jory nodded in satisfaction, making him a pleasure to look at. Darius had always liked his friend’s face, not exactly handsome but friendly and open but with fine, well-shaped bones. Very dissimilar to himself, with his tall leanness, his longer features and darker complexion. His general attitude was sharper-edged, more serious. But whenever Darius got too stuck in his head, Jory pried him out, and whenever Jory’s warm heart got a little too bruised, Darius was there to pick him up and settle him down.
 
What he’d do without Jory in his life, Darius didn’t know. And he didn’t want to know.
 
Darius downed his drink and wiped the Guinness foam away with a sigh of satisfaction. “So did the kid wrap his head around how water fountains worked, in the end?”
 
“Hmm?”
 
Darius cocked his head. “I said…”
 
But Jory’s attention had drifted. He did that sometimes — wandered off in thought and lost himself in daydreams. Darius didn’t worry about it, as he always came back, but every now and again it was interesting to try and track what’d caught Jory’s fancy. He let his gaze go slightly out of focus, turned toward Jory’s line of sight, and…
 
Ah. There it was. Courting couples. Of which there were plenty, no matter where you went, but especially in MacInnes’s when the beer was flowing and the whiskey bit back. Darius followed Jory’s regard, jumping from pair to pair.
 
First an Omega couple — interesting, you didn’t see that too often — in their, hmm, mid sixties? Yes, and comfortable with each other in a way that said they’d been an odd couple for decades. Nice. From there, a couple of Betas who were plainly just friends, but with a few saucy benefits like the hands tucked in each others’ back pockets. A thirtyish Omega buying a jar of spicy brined pickles for a laughing Alpha who rode him piggyback and kissed his ear, and a widower Darius knew who always drank one Long Island iced tea with a picture of his mate on the table with him.
 
Humanity, in all its infinite variety.
 
And then, something Darius knew Jory would zero in on as special. An Alpha with an Omega on his arm, the two of them so in love it almost rang from the rooftop and echoed in everyone’s ears. Total hearts in their eyes, and eyes only for each other. Young, maybe on the uphill climb to twenty-five, but the Alpha had a toddler on one hip and the Omega’s stomach was proudly curved, maybe six months gone with a second cub. He rested one hand on the swell, an unconscious gesture but one that spoke of pleasure and pride. His Alpha glanced down and wrapped his free arm around the Omega’s shoulders, giving him a cuddle.
 
Darius shook his head, but with a lopsided smile. The whole effect was so sweet it’d give a man diabetes, but he wouldn’t complain too much about it. He glanced at Jory to see that Jory had noticed him in turn. “Busted?”
 
“Nosy,” Jory said, giving his shin a gentle nudge under the table.
 
“Look who’s talking.”
 
“But that’s all right,” Jory continued, undaunted. “You can buy the next round. Again.”
 
Darius snorted. “Anyone ever tell you you’re not a cheap date?”
 
“Every now and again.” Jory checked his watch. “Actually, make it a cup of coffee instead. It’s getting late, and I need to sober up.”
 
“Why? We’ve walked home three sheets to the wind before.”
 
“I have my reasons,” Jory said without further explanation, leaving Darius to wonder what he meant by that. It seemed to be something that made him a little nervous. He pushed his glass back and forth in the circle of condensation it’d left on the table, but didn’t drop any handy clues. “Did you see the couple with one in arms and one on the way?”
 
Darius nodded. Of course he had. Ah. Two plus two came together. “Is that the water fountain kid?”
 
Jory’s smile blossomed, warm and pleased. “It is. He’s adorable, huh? He wants to name his baby brother Mr. Ed.”
 
A swallow of beer almost went down the wrong way. Darius coughed. “He wants to what, now? How does he know Mr. Ed? I don’t even remember where I heard of Mr. Ed.”
 
“No telling.” Jory laughed too. “His parents are just hoping he’ll come around to plain old ‘Corey’ when he’s born.”
 
He fell quiet again, but Darius could tell he was still watching the couple. Darius had to admit they made entertaining viewing. The baby must have been awake, inside. The Omega patted his belly, trying to soothe him, and the Alpha tracked his movements with one palm, fascination written across his face. Little judo master, Darius thought the Alpha said at one point. He winced in imagined empathy, and — the strangest thing — a flicker of jealousy.
 
Jealousy? Darius frowned down at the remnants of his Guinness. He’d been a bachelor since he presented as Alpha, and hadn’t really minded. When he needed company or he went into rut he knew where to find what he needed. Aside from that, it didn’t seem so important. He had Jory, and they kept each other busy. Besides, Jory had decided to stay on military-grade suppressants when he went civilian to keep himself level and lower the risk of getting pregnant by accident, so it’d never been an issue. But now, Darius wondered.
 
No. He knew. He’d seen that look on Omega faces before, and it surprised him to see it on Jory’s, but then again it wasn’t a shock. It looked… natural. Nice. Darius tapped the back of Jory’s hand with one finger. “I see. You’ve been thinking about it.”
 
Jory, still captivated by the scene, raised his shoulder a fraction of an inch. “On and off.” He shook his head and focused, looking back at Darius. “No, that’s a lie of omission. I have been thinking about it. I can’t stop thinking about it. I want that, and I can’t stop wanting it.”
 
“A baby?”
 
“Enough that I stopped taking my suppressants,” Jory said, simple and clear. He settled his hands around his glass. “Three days ago. You know suppressants. They start working fast, and they stop just as fast. Should be gone by the weekend.”
 
Darius blinked. Jory really meant business, then. The thought fascinated him in a way that surprised Darius. The mental image of Jory as round and curved and full as that Omega gave him a jolt like electricity applied deep down inside, something that sparked too much heat to ignore.
 
He stamped that down carefully, tightly, and securely. Darius had never been immune to Jory’s charms. He’d had dreams, fantasies. Wishes. Desires. But he’d refused to let himself take one single step past plain and simple friendship. Nothing that’d start them down the road to a messy breakup. He’d seen it happen before — too many times — when friends hooked up. Hell, he’d encouraged Jory to date other people. He’d been glad that Jory was living with Alpha Whateverhisnamewas when he moved into town so the question of sharing an apartment couldn’t come up.
 
Darius realized he was staring. To cover his reaction, he cleared his throat and hurried on. “Fertile. No kidding. Who’re you going to get to be the father?”
 
“That’s the thing,” Jory said, his gaze fixed calmly on Darius. “I was hoping it would be you.”
 

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Meet the Author

Will Okati (formerly known as Willa) has lived through a few Interesting Times, but come out the other side a little grayer, a little wiser, and ready to get writing. Still as passionate about coffee, cats, and crafts as ever, but knowing that to your own self you must be true. Also still one of the quiet ones to watch out for, but life — like storytelling — is always a work in progress.

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