Adriana Kraft

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

RomCom

If you leave… #SnippetSunday #SnipSun #WeekendWritingWarriors #EroticRomance #RomCom #MFRWAuthors

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Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write – and read!
Click on the graphics to travel to the other snippets.

                                        

If you’re not signed up for the Secret Santa party, head on over and join the party Facebook Group – over 350 authors giving away books, swag, gift cards.

Join the party room so you’ll be all set: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DangerouslyDarkDarlings

BLURB

Home and Garden assistant manager Evie Strand has painstakingly embroidered a set of seven thongs as a gag gift for her best friend—only she brought the wrong box to the store Christmas party, and now Adam Grant from Automotive is holding them up for everyone to see: Kiss my…, Tight Fit—could things get any worse? Adam may seem like a total rake, but he can tell Evie’s deeply embarrassed, and he resolves to make it up to her. Who knew where a simple dinner date would lead?

EXCERPT

Continuing from last week at the store Christmas party, Adam’s still opening the gift Evie brought by mistake…

More hoots and hollers followed. The powder-blue Monday thong had been more shocking, probably because it was the first one Adam had held up, or maybe because it said “Don’t Dribble” across the front.

Evie pushed her chair back from the long banquet table where she sat with her fellow Grafton Department Store employees. Leslie grabbed her wrist. “Don’t let him get the best of you. Mistakes happen. At least half the people here think you did this on purpose to get the rake’s goat. If you leave, they’ll know you screwed up.”

Evie gulped and nodded at her department manager. She drew in a deep breath. “All right.”

REVIEWS

Five Stars at Amazon:

“A Gift for Adam is hilarious and a refreshingly new take on the old “opposites attract” formula. I have to admit that laughing until my eyes water and then immediately squirming in my seat from the “heat” of the next scene is a new experience for me…a powerfully good read… truly brilliant comedic rhythm and delivery.

This was an awesome fun and exciting book. A definite must read!

A hot Christmas read – “A Gift For Adam” by Adriana Kraft was one short sexy, funny with a lots of humor Christmas novel. Hard to put down

BOOK INFORMATION

Genre: Erotic Romance
Themes: Holiday, Gift Exchange, Opposites Attract, Comedy
ASIN‏ : ‎ B00RC2X77C
Publisher‏ : ‎ eXtasy Books
Publication date‏ : ‎ December 21, 2014
Length: 70 pages, 14,000 words

BUY LINK

Universal Buy Link

https://books2read.com/u/47gjK7

 

 

“Would you like a little help?” #MFRWSteam #EroticRomance #RomCom #HolidayStory

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Welcome to the MFRW Steam Hop,
where the authors of Marketing for Romance Writers
entice you with steamy excerpts from their erotic romance stories.

Scroll to the end for more of this week’s tempting excerpts.

My daughter-in-law and my granddaughter have an ongoing argument about whether Christmas starts after Thanksgiving (DIL) or after Halloween (granddaughter). I’m in between – I love hearing Christmas music in November, but I’m not a fan of the decorations taking over the stores even before Halloween.

That being said, I have five Holiday stories in my back list, and if I don’t start now, I won’t get through them all before the holiday.

Speaking of which – If you’re not signed up for the Secret Santa party, head on over and join the party Facebook Group – over 350 authors giving away books, swag, gift cards.

Join the party room so you’ll be all set: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DangerouslyDarkDarlings

Today’s Steam is from A Gift for Adam

BLURB

Home and Garden assistant manager Evie Strand has painstakingly embroidered a set of seven thongs as a gag gift for her best friend—only she brought the wrong box to the store Christmas party, and now Adam Grant from Automotive is holding them up for everyone to see: Kiss my…, Tight Fit—could things get any worse? Adam may seem like a total rake, but he can tell Evie’s deeply embarrassed, and he resolves to make it up to her. Who knew where a simple dinner date would lead?

EXCERPT

Toweling herself, Evie watched Adam doing the same, making no attempt to hide his rampant erection. “You seem to have awakened,” she teased. “I thought you were going to fall asleep in the tub a few minutes ago.”

“No chance. I was just resting my eyes wondering what you were planning for us once we got out.”

“Looks like he’s expecting more than going downstairs for dinner.”

Adam dropped the towel to the floor and encircled his cock. “He can be a hopeful fellow.”

Evie wet her lips as Adam skimmed his fingers over his length. “We wouldn’t want to disappoint the fellow.” She let her towel fall to the floor and backed up to sit on the foot of the bed. She delighted in watching his eyes follow her fingers as she toyed with her pussy. “This girl,” she explained, “will need a little attention first. A drawback of a hot tub is she gets a little dry.”

“Would you like a little help?” Adam asked, advancing toward her.

“Thought you might take the hint. A little tongue might help a lot.”

“Just any tongue will do?”

She glanced at his raised eyebrow. “Yours is the only available tongue in the room.”

“I should let you hang for that overwhelming vote of confidence, but we should have you dripping again in a moment or two.”

She lay back as he draped her legs over his shoulders and began to apply his tongue to her labia to achieve their joint goal. His tongue slithered up one side of her pussy and down the other.

Evie twisted her fingers in his hair as he separated her pussy lips and slid his tongue along her slit. She whimpered and flinched as he began probing her depths.

He paused. “I swear I believe we’re going to strike a sweet flow here.”

“You keep that up,” she moaned, “and I know you will. But I’m supposed to be doing you a favor.”

Adam paused again. “And you don’t think this is?”

He was back probing deep in her channel before she could come up with a response, and then she decided why bother? She reached for her clit and tapped her heels against his back.

His tongue dove in and out faster. Her fingers strummed her clit. One of his fingers tapped at her back door. “She’s coming,” she said through clenched teeth.

His muffled chuckles soon became lost in her crashing in on herself. She pulled away from him and curled into a ball. She lost awareness of Adam. He’d served his purpose.

Slowly, she regained awareness enough to know that from time to time he planted a kiss on her butt cheeks. She sighed and turned to crank an eye open to see a purely triumphant male ego. Maybe he did get as much out this as she did.

“No wildcatter ever hit a bigger gusher,” he said with pride.

She shook her head at him as she moved to kneel on her hands and knees. “I think I prefer being seen as a classic car rather than an oil well. It’s your turn.” She grinned and winked at his sudden intake of breath. She waggled her butt. “I do enjoy being submissive now and then.

REVIEWS

Five Stars at Amazon:

“A Gift for Adam is hilarious and a refreshingly new take on the old “opposites attract” formula. I have to admit that laughing until my eyes water and then immediately squirming in my seat from the “heat” of the next scene is a new experience for me…a powerfully good read… truly brilliant comedic rhythm and delivery.

This was an awesome fun and exciting book. A definite must read!

A hot Christmas read – “A Gift For Adam” by Adriana Kraft was one short sexy, funny with a lots of humor Christmas novel. Hard to put down

BOOK INFORMATION

Genre: Erotic Romance
Themes: Holiday, Gift Exchange, Opposites Attract, Comedy
ASIN‏ : ‎ B00RC2X77C
Publisher‏ : ‎ eXtasy Books
Publication date‏ : ‎ December 21, 2014
Length: 70 pages, 14,000 words

BUY LINK

Universal Buy Link

https://books2read.com/u/47gjK7

CLICK ON THE LINKS TO TRAVEL TO MORE STEAMY EXCERPTS

She might’ve gone over the top…#SnippetSunday #SnipSun #WeekendWritingWarriors #EroticRomance #RomCom #MFRWAuthors

by

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write – and read!
Click on the graphics to travel to the other snippets.

                                        

My daughter-in-law and my granddaughter have an ongoing argument about whether Christmas starts after Thanksgiving (DIL) or after Halloween (granddaughter). I’m in between – I love hearing Christmas music in November, but I’m not a fan of the decorations taking over the stores even before Halloween.

That being said, I have five Holiday stories in my back list, and if I don’t start now, I won’t get through them all before the holiday.

Speaking of which – If you’re not signed up for the Secret Santa party, head on over and join the party Facebook Group – over 350 authors giving away books, swag, gift cards.

Join the party room so you’ll be all set: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DangerouslyDarkDarlings

First in line is A Gift for Adam

BLURB

Home and Garden assistant manager Evie Strand has painstakingly embroidered a set of seven thongs as a gag gift for her best friend—only she brought the wrong box to the store Christmas party, and now Adam Grant from Automotive is holding them up for everyone to see: Kiss my…, Tight Fit—could things get any worse? Adam may seem like a total rake, but he can tell Evie’s deeply embarrassed, and he resolves to make it up to her. Who knew where a simple dinner date would lead?

EXCERPT

How could Evie be such an idiot? She’d wrapped so many Christmas presents late last night, it had never occurred to her that the two packages looked so similar on the outside.

To her dismay, she’d drawn Adam Grant’s name for the annual gift exchange. She hadn’t given it much thought once she’d decided to give him a tie.

Evie blinked as he rummaged through his gift. “No,” she muttered softly, when he held up a second thong – this  one, like the last, had hand-stitched lettering.

She should know; she’d painstakingly hand-lettered seven thongs for Christie, as a joke. She doubted Christie would actually wear any of them, but they’d each gone out of their way during the past six seasons to surprise each other with something that was outlandishly sexy. She had to admit  this year.

Adam held high the pink Tuesday thong. He could hardly read it aloud for breaking up with laughter. “Tuesday: Wish you were…?” The question mark below the lettering left little room for confusion about the intent—it would nestle comfortably over the wearer’s mound.

REVIEWS

Five Stars at Amazon:

“A Gift for Adam is hilarious and a refreshingly new take on the old “opposites attract” formula. I have to admit that laughing until my eyes water and then immediately squirming in my seat from the “heat” of the next scene is a new experience for me…a powerfully good read… truly brilliant comedic rhythm and delivery.

This was an awesome fun and exciting book. A definite must read!

A hot Christmas read – “A Gift For Adam” by Adriana Kraft was one short sexy, funny with a lots of humor Christmas novel. Hard to put down

BOOK INFORMATION

Genre: Erotic Romance
Themes: Holiday, Gift Exchange, Opposites Attract, Comedy
ASIN‏ : ‎ B00RC2X77C
Publisher‏ : ‎ eXtasy Books
Publication date‏ : ‎ December 21, 2014
Length: 70 pages, 14,000 words

BUY LINK

Universal Buy Link

https://books2read.com/u/47gjK7

 

 

New Release from Madison Michael #friendfiction #BFFs #contemporaryromance #romanceseries #feelgoodromance #romcom #steamyromance

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CRAZY TO BELIEVE / All’s Crazy in Love Series Book 1, by Madison Michael

Tagline— She’s Betting on Love and the Stakes are High.

Hashtags—#friendfiction, #BFFs,  #contemporaryromance, #romanceseries, #feelgoodromance #romcom #steamyromance

All’s Crazy in Love Series Background

When eight friends from childhood reunite at their twentieth high school reunion, they realize they only see each other at weddings and funerals. This is unacceptable to friends as close as this. The answer—obviously—more weddings. To get the ball rolling, the lone married woman, Gabriella dares her friends to marry or else. When they laugh off her idea, she doubles down on her challenge and raises the stakes.

Gabriella doesn’t care if Avery is so shy that she’s hardly even spoken to a man, or that Rachel can’t choose between the multitude of guys she sleeps with each month. Gabby ignores every argument, instead selecting the worst price for each of them to pay if they lose.

The Dare is on. The women open their hearts to every opportunity that crosses their paths, no matter how unlikely or elusive the man might be. They’ll help each other – as long as it doesn’t cost them the win.

Within weeks Avery finds a fellow cat rescuer, Sofia’s heart flutters with new possibilities at work, and Willow spars and sparks with her horrible neighbor. Melinda has to be coached, but not Harper. After twenty years, she’s finally flirting with her high school sweetheart.

All’s Crazy in Love offers eight steamy romances—from first love to second-chance romance, from unexpected babies to unexpected attraction. Get to know eight wonderful women who find each other, themselves, and a chance to snatch the biggest prize of all—love.  Read these stories and more in the All’s Crazy in Love series coming soon.

Travel with life-long friends as they discover love, test friendships, and race to cross the finish line.

Let the games begin…

Blurb—Crazy to Believe

The “Crazy Eights” have been best friends for thirty years, but they rarely get together. The remedy? An audacious dare contrived to bring them together for weddings—their weddings. Each participant must marry within twelve months or complete a personally mortifying task.

Meet Sofia, beautiful and brilliant, longing for a family. Starting over after a divorce, Sofia is focused on her career, not some foolhardy dare. She’s set her sights on a new job, a new home and reluctantly accepting her single, childless status. Independent and determined, she can’t foresee she will both win and lose her heart’s desire in the next six months.

Jeremy Klein, genius engineer and inventor, is also making big life changes. He’s sold his startup to become a billionaire CEO overnight. Unfortunately, his ego hasn’t caught up yet, and despite family pressures and turning forty, he is gun-shy about returning to the dating game.

Then Jeremy meets Sofia. They bond over shared business interests and a chemistry that sizzles. Their attraction is immediate and so electrifying that a one-night stand quickly morphs into planning a future.

But plans can change. Accusations threaten to derail their relationship, Sofia’s career and Jeremy’s position. Spies, lies and misunderstandings abound until those “Crazy Eights” step in, scheming and manipulating to secure Sofia her happily ever after.

The stakes are high. Win the bet and lose your heart; or lose the bet along with your dignity. When the wager is nothing short of true love, are Jeremy and Sofia crazy to believe?

Excerpt

Mr. Brown Eyes got the message. Sofia watched as he swiftly disconnected from his conversation and sauntered her way. She loved how he moved, relaxed, fluid, and assured. He was a man on a mission. Mr. Tall, Dark and Sexy was every bit as good-looking as Nico. Better. He was classically handsome with high cheekbones and a broad forehead. He appeared serious, intelligent and thoughtful. He bore a straight, slightly hawkish nose, and full, kissable lips.

He was sinewy and graceful as a leopard moving in on his prey. His hair was rich, almost black and a little longer than the current style, longer on top and the back. As he drew closer, his smile widened, blinding her with perfect, white teeth in a face burnished by the sun.

His face was devastating up close – open and welcoming, with a hint of naughtiness in his smirk along with the promise of shared pleasures. But it was his eyes, deep coffee brown and fringed with long dark lashes that were his best feature; piercing, intelligent, inquisitive and currently trained on her.

Please, God, Sofia prayed quickly, do not let this man be the new sales manager. It would be awful if she needed to keep him at arm’s length. He was the first man Sofia had felt drawn to since Nico. If she was honest with herself, he was the first man she had ever felt this attracted to so immediately. It was enough to make her believe in love at first sight or fate.

“Hi.” He stepped closer, ignoring the empty stool beside her to halt just inside her personal space. Usually, Sofia would back up, but she savored his closeness, the power emanating from his presence. Even in this stuffy bar, he smelled good – fresh, like soap and good whiskey. And up close, his eyes were more magical, a hint of gold dancing in their depths.

“Hi,” she responded on a breath, letting the single word hang there for a moment. “You aren’t in sales, are you?”

“Nope.” If he thought it was a strange conversation starter, he kept it to himself and his lack of response increased Sofia’s tension. “I could be in sales for you,” he offered in a voice smooth as brandy, redolent with sexual promise and a hint of curiosity. She laughed at his offer, tense for a better reason. “Are you in sales?”

“Yes, I am. I was thinking of what a crime it would be if you turned out to be my new boss. I’m meeting him tomorrow.”

“Jeremy.” He extended his hand to hers. “Not in sales. Is your boss named Jeremy?”

“Thankfully, not.” Sofia savored the moment as Jeremy closed his long fingers around hers, his skin soft and warm. There was no wedding band. Sofia’s relief was excessive. Everything about him captivated her. “Sofia.”

“Sofia.” He rolled the word around his mouth as if tasting a fine wine. “He was just saying words, but their underlying promise was undeniable. She wanted to be alone with him. She wanted to be naked with him. And all she knew was his first name.

“Is this seat taken?” he asked, already sitting down. “I am anxious to learn why you don’t know who you work with, Sofia.”

His every emotion was transparent, especially the desire flaming in his expression right now. A passion she reciprocated. Wholeheartedly. She couldn’t fathom such an instantaneous attraction. But with Jeremy, she felt electricity and lust move through her entire body, just from the touch of his hand and the sound of her name spoken in his rich baritone.

The man would be thinking their flirtation would lead to sex. She should shut him down—she always had before. But with Jeremy, her body governed her head. She wanted more.

“So, spill.” Jeremy leaned forward on his elbows, putting his mouth dangerously close to hers. Just a few inches, and they could be kissing. “I am dying to hear your story. I want to know absolutely everything about you.” The way he lingered on the word ‘everything’ made Sofia wet. Oh man, she was in way over her head.

“Only if you reciprocate.” She wondered where she found her voice and her nerve. “In detail.”

“It’s a deal.,” he said, lowering his voice until she wondered what exactly he promised to share.

 

BUY LINKS— https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Believe-Alls-Love-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BSDTLD2J

Bio— Madison Michael is living her dream as a romance writer. Born and raised in Chicago, she covered the four corners of the U.S, before returning to her roots, friends, family and the best pizza anywhere.

She loves cats, cat jokes and cat videos, anything with too much sugar, and everything writing. Author of the Beguiling Bachelor romance series, and several stand alone romance novels, she can be found living in Chicago, writing, eating sugar, pizza or hotdogs, surrounded by cats.

Email: maddy@madisonmichael.net

 

Newsletter— Become an insider here.

 

OUT NOW—Love You Now (Love You, Maine, Book 4) by Julia Kent (@jkentauthor) #romance #romanticcomedy #romcom #contemporaryromance

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Genre: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance

Cover Designer:  Najla Qamber, Qamber Designs (https://www.qamberdesignsmedia.com/)

Audiobook Narrators:  Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton

Tropes/Themes:  Small Town, One Night Stand, Reunion Romance, Secret Baby, Strangers to Lovers

Description:

Ana DaSilva is looking for a palate cleanser. A one night stand. A reboot.

Instead, she got fireworks, sparks, chemistry, and the perfect guy. No one wants to meet Mr. Right when he should just be Mr. Rebound, but Mr. Right is so, so right.

But then he went from Mr. Right to Mr. Never, because when she learns she’s pregnant three days after that wonderful night with Dennis, she realizes her sleazy drug dealing ex not only left her with the legal mess she knew about, he gave her a life-long present.

One that means ignoring Dennis’ texts and phone calls, no matter how much she wants to answer.

Dennis Luview wants to escape his pain. Coming back to his hometown of Luview, Maine – the cheesy tourist trap where every day was Valentine’s Day – means facing a past he left behind twenty-four years ago. Yes, his family is loving, and sure, he has roots that go bone-deep in the small town community where people step up for each other.

But the naive eighteen-year-old who left to serve his country is now a retired Special Ops vet with a heavy entourage of ghosts and PTSD. No woman deserves all the baggage he’s lugging around.

Including Ana, who clearly wants nothing to do with him, no matter how intense their one haunting encounter really was.

Which is why six months after that hot night, he’s stunned to find her in his hometown, at a bridal shower, her ripe, pregnant belly swelling under a gorgeous yellow sundress.

A public confrontation turns into a very private reunion, and as Dennis pursues Ana she opens up, but is he crazy to want her — and what turns out to be another man’s baby — to settle down and find stability and love?

Or is he deluding himself that he’s remotely worth the happiness an instant family could offer, after his terrible past?

If you’re looking for a secret(ish) baby, one-night stand, strangers-to-lovers romance set in a town where every day is Valentine’s Day, with a veteran with PTSD who volunteers at an animal-rescue sanctuary and a therapist who keeps picking the wrong men (until now), then settle in with a cup of coffee to read the final book in the Love You, Maine series that features the Luview family.

One-night stand

Strangers to lovers

Secret(ish) baby

… and a sugar glider named Magic

Excerpt

“If I thought you’d say yes, Ana, I’d ask you to come back to my hotel room and finish what we’re starting here.”

“What makes you think I’d say no?”

The way he laughed, a gentle huff through his nose, made a piece of her heart melt a little more.

“Most women would say yes or no to that. Instead, you open the question wide and give it nuance.”

“What’s wrong with nuance?”

“Never said there was anything wrong with it.”

“From what I’ve seen, you are a crystal-clear man, Dennis. Why don’t you try the direct approach?”

Inching closer, his inhale like the rush of a conch against her ear, Dennis smiled, his grin broadening, genuine happiness filling his features in a way that made her feel pride.

Pride that she could elicit that from him.

“Come to bed with me, Ana. I love the feel of you in my arms on the dance floor. Your kiss tastes so good, I want to taste all of you. My room or yours?”

Pure energy shot through her, most of it between her legs, coalescing into a throb. Fire lit up her skin, his caress as he cupped her jaw and kissed her again so anchoring.

And so damn hot.

Few moments in life call for complete abandon, but for Ana DaSilva, this was one of them.

Without question.

Without hesitation.

And without regrets.

Buy Links: 

Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XVL9JCZ

Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09XVL9JCZ

Amazon AU:  https://www.amazon.com.au/Love-You-Now-Maine-Book-ebook/dp/B09XVL9JCZ/

Amazon CA:  https://www.amazon.ca/Love-You-Now-Maine-Book-ebook/dp/B09XVL9JCZ/

Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/love-you-now/id1616553123

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-you-now-2

Nook:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-you-now-julia-kent/1142639342?ean=2940186429272

Google Play:  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Julia_Kent_Love_You_Now?id=KgVsEAAAQBAJ

Print:  https://www.amazon.com/Love-You-Now-Julia-Kent/dp/1638801096/

Website:  https://jkentauthor.com/books/love-you-maine/love-you-now/

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/books/love-you-now-love-you-maine-book-4-by-julia-kent

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59694735-love-you-now

Audible:  Coming Soon

Amazon Audio:  Coming Soon

iTunes:  Coming Soon

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.

From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).

She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.

She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com

Social Media Links:

Website:  http://jkentauthor.com/

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/jkentauthor

Newsletter:  http://bit.ly/2PIBi9n

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

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julia-kent

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3238619.Julia_Kent

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Julia-Kent/e/B00A99V268/

Release blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.

Release Blitz ~ Blue Billy’s Rogue Lexicon by David Lawrence #HistoricalRomanticComedy #RomCom @GayBookPromo

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RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Blue Billy’s Rogue Lexicon

Author: David Lawrence

Publisher: Broadbound Publishing

Cover Artist: Jane Dixon-Smith

Release Date: February 21, 2023

Genre: Historical Romantic Comedy

Themes: Coming-of-age

Length: 75,000 words/ 245 pages

Heat Rating: 2 flames

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

 

A Laugh Out Loud, Bawdy, Historical Romantic Tale

Blurb

William Dempsey was a wonder among wonders.

By 18, he had risen from a gang of London street rogues to be the personal plaything of the Marquess of Argyll. Maintained in splendour, celebrated at masquerades – with everything he could wish for.

Now all has come crashing down. He is put out in the rain without patronage, his West End apartment, or a place among the ton.

So on a stormy night, he arrives at a house in Southwark. Marathon Moll’s in the Mint – the bawdyhouse he worked in during his ascent and where he earned the name Blue Billy.

But is Marathon Moll’s a place from which to rise again? For there is one in the crowd, who catches his eye. Who takes his hand and promises something better.

Or does Moll’s signify a return to his roots? For one day, a second and very different young man raps on the door. Takes his hand and asks him to return to his past.

To the cat language of vagabonds. The canting dialect of thieves.

To the schemes, and the dreams, of his youth.

Excerpt

The Mint, Southwark, 1771

Chapter 1

Abram Cove

among thieves signifies a naked or poor man; also a lusty strong rogue

“And what have we here?”

“Let us in, Moll. Beast of a storm tonight, ain’t it?”

“Aye,” returned Moll, cinching her silk wrap while maintaining a hand behind the front door she’d opened just an inch. “Stormy for some, by the look of it.”

The wind sent rain barrelling into this secluded yard in the Mint, taking the standing, shiftless dregs of chamber pots for an airy jaunt. Souls Yard, a misshapen cul-de-sac of three freestanding abodes, consisted of a squat, squalid cottage, from which no light entered or emerged. A converted barn with modish ventilation in every wall and door, the slope of its gambrel roof rather like hands praying for intervention. And the jewel of the Yard, Marathon Moll’s: a double-fronted, two-story block tethered at east and west with slender chimneys touched with scoliosis.

“Have you lost your way tonight, Billy?”

With a look of wounded indignation, William Dempsey said, “Ain’t it enough to wish the company of an old, dear friend? ‘Old’ meaning previous-like,” he added, “nothin’ more.”

The door remained unmoved; Billy was left to shiver on the tilted stonework of the front elevation. Wiping the endless stream of August rainwater from his face, he pressed himself against the opening until their faces nearly touched. Moll’s – with its native jaundice, like dirty lemon juice upon features which arrived at too many points. Billy’s – a canvas of creamy white, flushed with health and whose boyish pout Moll herself had often declared a criminal provocation.

“‘Old’ you have defined, Billy, but how do you define ‘dear friend’?” said the bawd, pushing up her aquiline nose. “That term implies paying calls of friendship, or at least of courtesy (which are not calls to steal from my house, mind you), and I’ve not seen your pretty face these two years.”

“That Blue Billy outside?” came a second voice from within. “Let him in out the rain, for God’s sake.”

Recognising the voice of one of the house’s most devoted patrons, Dempsey said, “‘Dear friend’ I define as Dip-Candle Mary there behind you, who I hear’s set to be married next week, so I come to bestow my congratulations.”

All around Souls Yard, eyes were opening within cracks in the ramshackle barn and, one sensed without ever quite knowing, at the darkened front window of the cottage. For though a code of honour kept the inhabitants of each from inquiring into the business of their neighbours, scenes in the Yard were fair game for all.

After a moment, and a great sigh from Moll, the door withdrew just enough to allow into the vestibule Dempsey’s small, slim form. Mary hurried forward to embrace him. He was a tallow chandler from Shoreditch, Dip-Candle Mary being his house name. Such names were customary in these houses, which referenced either one’s profession or physical appearance. Indeed, Billy had never known him by any other, though the man had always been sweet on him. Sweet enough to forgive the trinkets Billy had lifted from his dressing table when staying the night. That silver-handled comb the man really didn’t need seeing as how he kept his hair so short. That errant bit of coin taken from coat pockets…

From the dark vestibule, Billy looked toward the glow of the front parlour. The room was filled with claret wallpapering before which replicas of Roman forms thought or gloried or sported in alabaster relief. Chintz upholstered sofas and settees of various conditions reclined before the fireplace, currently cold, its salt shelf crammed with crucibles of scented oil waiting to ignite on crackling nights. The parlour was lit by two fat beeswax candles stuck into halves of an antiquated urn hung over the mantle. The widely cast light lifted a glow from the gold threading of the furniture and, for a moment, a glow in Billy himself as he recalled the handful of good times he’d enjoyed while living here.

No question, Moll had come up in the world. When his eyes returned to hers, pride shone in her face as though to say: only observe all I have accomplished since I got rid of you. When Billy took a tentative step forward, she held up a thin finger, forbidding him to take another step, dripping like a rainforest. He began to undress.

 

About the Author

I am the author of two queer historical novels – ‘Hugh: A Hero without a Novel’ and ‘Blue Billy’s Rogue Lexicon’. As a writer, I love taking a deep dive into the social norms and historical events of 18th century England, told with humour and whimsy, while presenting what I hope are compelling and unique coming-of-age tales.

A native of the American Southwest, I have spent much of my life in Great Britain, France, and Finland. I now live in the American Northwest – Helena, Montana – with my Finnish partner.
By day I love hiking under the Big Sky of my beautiful adopted state.
By night, however, I prefer wandering the byways of 18th century London…

 

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