Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Timeless By Declan Rhodes

In 2024, Dylan Mercer is the rising star of professional hockey, adored by fans and unmatched on the ice. Yet beneath the glitz of his burgeoning career lies a truth Dylan fears could derail everything: he’s gay in a world where he fears coming out could mean the end of his career. After a tough practice session, Dylan’s discovery of a pair of vintage skates in an old locker sends him spiralling back in time to 1980, just before the US Olympic hockey team’s “Miracle on Ice.”

Thrown into an era where the stakes for being himself are even higher, Dylan finds an unexpected ally and more in Nico Santoro, a fellow player with secrets of his own. In the shadow of history, Dylan and Nico forge a bond that defies time, facing down prejudice and fear with the strength found in each other.

As Dylan grapples with his return to the present, he faces an impossible choice: a past world that ultimately learns to love openly because of his and Nico’s courage, or the present where he’s one of the brightest future hockey stars.

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Excerpt

“Yeah, Nico. I wouldn’t lie to you. I accidentally came here when I put on a pair of glowing skates, and now I don’t know how to get back…or when. I suspect it will happen soon, but…”

I stared at him with a dubious gaze. What he’d described was impossible. Maybe Kowalski and the guys were behind it all. They could have found a hockey guy from the city and paid him to throw me off.

It was time to challenge Dylan. “Prove it. Show me something futuristic, something undeniable.”

He hesitated for a moment. “My clothes are from 2024.”

I shrugged. “There’s nothing original about them other than sort of whacked-out styles. Jeans are jeans, and the shirt is cotton.”

“Oh,” he whispered, and he shoved his hand into his pocket. I leaned forward, hoping for a surprise. He pulled out the device he’d been holding when he first appeared in the locker room.

“This is a smartphone from 2024,” Dylan announced, puffing his chest out. It’s not just a phone; it’s a little computer that fits in your pocket, and it’s practically a window to the future.”

“Computer? That size?” I scoffed. I couldn’t hide my disbelief, but I also looked closely, thinking about the stories I could tell if I saw something nobody else in my time had seen.

He held the device out toward me. “You don’t believe me? Just watch.”

Everything was silent around us. The earth stood still. Dylan awakened his device, and the screen came to life. I took a step back. In James Bond movies, little machines like that could shoot to kill.

The thing glowed and displayed a bunch of colorful shapes, unlike anything I’d ever seen. It practically screamed modern technology.

My breath caught in my throat as I took a cautious step forward. Could what Dylan called a phone really be a gateway into a new world?

I was about to concede a slight chance that Dylan was telling the truth when the screen flickered, and then it went black. My heart sank.

“What happened? I want to see it. Turn it back on.”

Dylan frowned. “Damn…of course, the battery goes dead right at this minute, and I don’t have my charger.”

Enter the Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Timeless, Declan is giving away 2 e-copies & 2 Paperbacks of the upcoming release!

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About the Author

Declan Rhodes is a gay hockey romance author who has written more than 40 novels. He also has published in the past as Grant C. Holland. He lives and works in the Upper Midwest where hockey is a birthright. Wisconsin is his home and the setting for many of his books. This is his fifth hockey romance novel and his first involving time travel.

Connect with Declan
https://www.facebook.com/declanrhodesauthor
https://www.facebook.com/DeclanRhodesBooks
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01JNPT260/about
https://www.instagram.com/declanrhodesbooks

New Release Book Review: The Waiting Game by Brigham Vaughn

I am really loving the Relationship Goals series, Brigham Vaughn has really managed to capture so much heart in these stories while at the same time tackling some important issues.

In The Waiting Game Jonah and Felix move from best friends to lovers whilst also dealing with Felix’s recovery from alcohol addiction and Jonah’s grandmother’s ill health.

What starts as a fake engagement for various reasons soon becomes the real things and I was there for the whole ride. I loved Jonah and Felix and loved how much they loved each other as friends and then as more.

The way the team are there for their friends and teammates is also a big part of this series adds even more heart to these stories.

I’d say this is my favourite in the series but I think they are all favourites so far.

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Fans Have Mixed Reactions to Engagement of Fisher Cats’ Hale and Brewer

On the eve of their first playoff game this post-season, the Toronto Fisher Cats organization sent out a press release announcing the engagement of their top d-pair.

The release insinuates the childhood friends may have been involved as far back as college and makes it clear the front office supports the relationship. “We are confident that such a longstanding relationship will be nothing but beneficial to Felix in his recovery.”

Reactions are mixed.

An anonymous inside source stated, “Legit? No way. This whole thing’s a PR stunt to soften the public’s perception of Hale.”

One fan commented, “Hale & Brewer have always been so adorable together! It’s great they finally feel comfortable being out about their relationship!”

While many fans are similarly supportive, others speculate that the announcement is tied to the Cats’ shaky play of late. “We all know they’re not gonna make it past the first round,” one fan stated. “It’s just an attempt to distract from how weak the team is.”

Adding fuel to the controversy, Hale shared an image of the players naked in bed together and captioned, “Pre-game nap with Jonah before we take on the Montreal Lynx. Go, Cats!”

PR stunt or happily engaged couple? Only time will tell.

TRIGGER WARNING: Frank discussion of alcoholism, past death of parents, and emotionally neglectful parents.

New release Book Review: Stepbrother Mine by Felicity Snow

High heat and minimal plot was the description and Stepbrother Mine was both of these, it was also sweet and low angst and an easy read. I’ve never really thought of stepbrothers as being taboo, they aren’t actually related but some people do, so each to their own.

I thought that Rome and Sebastian were very sweet and very hot together and I really enjoyed the flashbacks of them getting to know each other when their parents married and how much they cared about each other. Sebastian has had a thing for Rome since they met, and now they are both away at college and hanging out together all the time, the lines they had drawn around their relationship as stepbrothers are about to blur all thanks to a party game that dares one to kiss the other.

Their relationship very quickly changes and becomes sexual and very spicy, each more than willing to try whatever new kink or idea the other comes up with. I liked that they were both discovering new things about themselves as they discovered more about the other. There are plenty of hot spicy scenes and I mean plenty, I’m not a fan of degradation and calling the other names, but whatever floats a person’s boat, this was my least favourite part of their sexy times.

Some reviews have said they didn’t like the repeated ‘little brother’ and ‘big brother’ way of speaking that Rome and Sebastian use a lot, but for me, it was just a substitute for Daddy/boy in many other books, so it didn’t bother me. sure they could have used each other’s names more, but it suited them to use brother as part of their relationship.

While not my favourite Felicity Snow read it was still an enjoyable read that allowed me to tune out of the real world and enjoy some spicy times for a couple of hours.

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About the book

I’ve always loved my stepbrother, but it took a party game for me to realize how much I wanted him.

Rome

Sebastian and I have always been close. From the minute he waltzed into my life he won me over with his pep, snark, and give no shits attitude, and I couldn’t help but feel protective over him. He’s my best friend. When I’m dared to kiss him at a party I don’t think anything of it. Until his lips are on mine and days later I can’t stop thinking about it, questioning everything I thought I knew about myself. But how can I tell him that I’m suddenly seeing him in a whole different light?

Sebastian

I’ve been attracted to Rome since the moment I met him. How could I not be? He’s gorgeous with his dark hair, soulful eyes, and sinful smile. And his broody personality just does it for me. Not to mention how protective he is of me. But he’s straight, and we’re stepbrothers. I know nothing can ever come of my attraction. Right?

Stepbrother Mine is a 48k word opposites attract stepbrother romance with low angst, high steam, a grumpy possessive top and a sunshine femboy bottom who loves his bunny slippers. It features bi-awakening, kink, a virgin mc, size difference, MINIMAL PLOT, MCs in college, and D/s dynamic. This book has explicit content and is not intended for anyone under the age of 18

*Please mind the content notes in the front matter

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

First seen over on Book’d Out I’m going to try to do this post regularly linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

This week I finished

When a man Loves an Alien by Chloe Archer (Audiobook)

Rent: Paid in Full by Jesse H Reign

Tortured Tones by Tania Joyce (I’ll add the link to my review tomorrow)

I’ve nearly finished listening to Pretty Dogs by Riley Nash, I’ll finish this on my way to work tomorrow so look out for my review Tuesday. And I’ve nearly finished Cry of the Firebird by TM Clark, keep your eye open for that review later this week hopefully.

I’m putting a couple of my reads on hold because I have suddenly a lot of ARCs that arrived all at once so I’m focusing on them this week and also listening to my new bookclub book.

This week I’m listening to

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth (Bookclub pick)

This week I’m reading

The Billionaire Orc by Lilith Stone (ARC)

Lust by Sienna Moreau (ARC)

Dead Serious #4 Professor Prometheus Plume by Vawn Cassidy (ARC)

I’ve been doing some more art this week, my favourite is this watercolour that I did of some sunflowers.

Until next week, happy reading.

New Release Book Review: Rent: Paid in Full by Jesse H Reign

Miller and Ryan, two college roommates who couldn’t have been more different. Ryan is closed off and in a perpetually grumpy mood, he carries past hurts with him and they interfere with every facet of his life. He has few friends and no life outside of study and work and is barely scraping by financially. Miller on the other hand is a rich kid who seems like he has everything, I don’t think he knew what studying was, he’s popular and `everyone likes him. Except for Ryan.

There were some humorous scenes between Miller and Ryan, Miller had a lot of hidden feelings hiding behind his sunny persona. I enjoyed seeing those feelings towards Ryan grow from something he wanted and was willing to pay for, using Ryan’s lack financial means to his benefit, to real feelings. Ryan took a bit to warn to, but as his past with rich bully’s is uncovered, I began to understand some of his standoffishness and his disbelief that Miller was genuine in his affections.

There were some fun side characters I’d like to see more of, especially Ryan’s friend Emily, I’d like to see her get her girl.

This did seem to lag a bit in the middle, it got slightly repetitive for a bit and I wanted things to move forward a bit quicker. When Miller uncovers some of Ryan’s kinks, things forged ahead.

There was a scene near the end that had me nearly in tears, my heart breaking on Miller’s behalf. Luckily Jesse H Reign pulled it all together and this unlikely duo get their HEA.

BLURB

“You have something I want. Something I’ll happily buy…or rent.”

As if my life doesn’t suck enough already, my insufferable new roommate, Miller MacAvoy, seems determined to make things weird. He watches me all the time, grinning at me like a beautiful buffoon, eyes boring holes into me every time I turn my back on him.

It’s the last thing I need. Things haven’t been going well. College isn’t working out at all like I’d hoped. I’m drowning in debt, waiting tables every shift I can get, and falling behind on my studies.

Something’s got to give.

I can’t go on like this much longer.

Miller, being the out-of-touch rich boy he is, keeps offering to throw cash my way. Obviously, I’d rather die than accept charity from him.

Still, he watches and waits. Insisting again and again that I have something he wants to buy. It’s insane. I have nothing of value to sell. Absolutely nothing. My phone screen is cracked and my truck could easily be mistaken for scrap.

Wait.

No!

Surely not.

He can’t possibly be thinking that.

Can he?

Content Warnings

Rent: Paid in Full contains descriptions of anxiety and off-page bullying. There’s a bully role play scene which happens organically and is not pre-negotiated. Though given prior to sex, consent often dubious AF, and involves an undertone of reluctance and coercion. This story is a work of fiction/fantasy and is not representative of sex work in real life.

Rent: Paid in Full is a high heat, low angst story. The main tropes are forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, hurt/comfort, nerd V jock, and a reluctant MC earning money in exchange for sexual services.

TROPES

A hissy black cat VS A lovable golden retriever (who’s also kinda evil)

Pay for play

Enemies-to-lovers

Bi awakening

Reluctance/Cøersion

Snarky banter

An epic HEA

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: System Overload by Saxon James

SYSTEM OVERLOAD Divorced Men’s Club – Book Five by Saxon James

Synopsis

Keller

Banging my son’s bestie was a total accident that will never, ever happen again. I’m sure of it.

While he might be gorgeous and caught me in a weak moment, when it comes right down to it, my son has been my entire life for the last twenty-six years. I don’t know how to be anything other than his dad.

But with Molly heading off to Seattle, he leaves me with a parting gift: Will.

His best friend.

And my new roommate.

Still, I’m determined to focus on my plan of finding someone to settle down with and to start living for me.

Then Molly hits me with another gift: he’s asked Will to help find me the perfect partner.

Will

Molly running away across the country and leaving me made one thing very obvious. I crave stability. I crave a life where I get to control what happens to me, without the constant threat of having to move home to my homophobic family.

All I need to focus on is work and making enough money for the down payment on my own place.

Except now I’m living in the spare bedroom of the man I’ve been in love with for years.

The same bedroom where we had one very messy, very quick accidental frot sesh.

Now I’m cooking for him every night, and we’re working out together every morning. It’s all feeling very domestic and my heart can’t separate reality from the fantasies in my head.

I know I’m going to get hurt.

It’s only a matter of time.

But when it comes to Keller, it’s impossible for me to walk away.

To read an excerpt click here

Genre: M/M Later-in-Life Romance
Trope: Age-gap, best friend’s dad, roommates to lovers, small-town

Cover Design: Story Styling Cover Designs

Photo: Wander Aguiar Photography

Model: Alex

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About the Author

Saxon James unapologetically writes happy endings for LGBT+ characters.

While not writing, SM is a readaholic and Netflix addict who regularly lives on a sustainable diet of chocolate and coffee.

Member of SCBWI.

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