Synopsis

Twin thieves attempt to pull off a daring heist in Stolen City, the sophomore fantasy novel from Dauntless author Elisa A. Bonnin.
 
The city of Leithon is under Imperial occupation and Arian Athensor has made it her playground.
 
In stealing magical artifacts for the Resistance, bounding over rooftops to evade Imperial soldiers, and establishing herself as the darling thief of the underground, Arian lives a life wrapped in danger and trained towards survival. She’ll steal anything for the right price, and if she runs fast enough, she can almost escape the fact that her mother is dead, her father is missing, and her brother, Liam, is tamping down a wealth of power in a city that has outlawed magic.
 
But then the mysterious Cavar comes to town with a job for the twins: to steal an artifact capable of ripping the souls from the living–the same artifact that used to hang around the neck of Arian’s mother. Suddenly, her past is no longer buried under adrenaline but intimately tied to the mission at hand, and Arian must face her guilt and pain head-on in order to pull off the heist.
 
As Arian and Cavar infiltrate the strongest fortress in Leithon and Liam joins the Resistance as their resident mage, the twins find themselves embroiled in court politics and family secrets, and the mission becomes more than just another artifact theft. The target is now the Imperial rule, and Arian will go to any length necessary to steal her city back.

The Legend trilogy is one of my favorite dystopian/fantasy series and this book gave me such wonderful Legend vibes! It had the same kind of strong, fleshed out and morally grey characters and the same kind of creative and unique world building, plus a thrilling magical heist plot. I’m definitely hoping for a sequel to this magical and engaging story!

Read my full review here: Stolen City by Elisa A. Bonnin

A lifelong learner, Elisa is always convinced that she should “maybe take a class in something” and as a result, has amassed an eclectic collection of hobbies. But writing will always be her true love. Publishing a book has been her dream since she was eight years old, and she is thrilled to finally be able to share her stories. Dauntless is her first novel.

​Connect with Elisa A. Bonnin

Author Website • Goodreads • Instagram • Twitter • Bookbub

Get your own copy of Stolen City

Amazon • B&N • iBooks • Kobo
Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a print copy of Stolen City!

I’m so happy to be a part of Gay Book Promotions book blast for the empowering and highly enjoyable Unexpected Departure by Shannon O’Connor! Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win one of five ebook copies of Shannon O’Connor’s FF fake dating romance Only for the Summer! 

Will she be able to confront her past, learn to move on, and learn to love herself?
 
Blurb

Riley is stuck —in a job she hates, a toxic relationship, and in life. She knows the relationship is bad for her, but she also can’t seem to let her go. After catching her girlfriend cheating, again, she finds comfort at her favorite bar, with her best friend by her side.

After punching someone in the face and meeting a mysteriously gorgeous bartender, Riley thinks things may be changing. Sawyer is adventurous, sexy, and confident— all the things Riley yearns to be. And a sunrise motorcycle ride starts to give her hope that things can change.

When she suddenly gets a phone call from her brother, she discovers her estranged mother is dying. After almost a decade of silence, she’s forced to return to her small homophobic hometown, say goodbye, and confront her demons.

Excerpt 

“Wanna dance?” We both turn and see a greasy guy at least twice our age. I bask in the audacity of men. 

“NO THANKS!” I shout back over the loud music. 

He ignores me and starts grinding on Luna’s ass and her eyes almost pop out of her head. She politely tries to move away but he follows her, keeping his body pinned to hers. Luna mouths ‘help’ so I try to pull her away. 

“WE DON’T WANNA DANCE!” I yell at the guy. What the hell is wrong with men?

He either doesn’t hear me or he doesn’t seem to care because he grabs Luna’s other arm. She tries to get out of his grasp and he just laughs, enjoying her squirming. I turn to face this guy now. He’s barely an inch taller than me, with sweat stains under his armpits and oily black hair. 

“We said NO! Now let go of my friend.” I am nose to nose with this guy and he still doesn’t let go. 

“What are you going to do about it?” He laughs, and I can smell the onions he had for dinner on his breath.

Without hesitating, I take a step back as if I’m going to walk away before turning around at the last second and punching him square in the jaw. He stumbles backward, surprised by my strength and action. He falls to the ground, the crowd backing up to avoid catching him. He looks stunned for a moment before he looks angry. 

I grab Luna’s hand and try to maneuver out of the crowd. We need to get out of here as fast as we can. Let me just say trying to run through a crowd of people, wearing heels, while half-drunk, and pulling your fully drunk best friend on your arm is not an easy feat. 

I turn back to see if he’s still following us, giving me a second to catch my breath. He’s still halfway across the club but he seems to be looking for us, so I hold on tighter to Luna and pull her toward the exit. Only when I feel the cool breeze on my bare legs do I feel safe. We walk to get out of the way of people to where we can take a second to breathe.

“Dude, are you okay?” Luna’s eyes are wide and that’s when I finally realize the impact of my punch. My fist is starting to swell and my knuckles are quickly turning purple; only now do I feel how bad that hurt. 

“Jeez, I wouldn’t wanna be on the other end of that hand.” The voice comes from next to us and I look up curiously. 

A woman about our age is leaning against the brick wall smoking a cigarette, looking like something out of a magazine. She’s wearing tight dark jeans and a low cut opened floral button-down. Her blonde hair is slicked back like Danny Zuko from Grease. She’s gorgeous. Where did she come from?

“They had it coming,” I mumbled instantly, losing my confidence. 

“They did,” Luna confirms. I try to flex my fist and wince in pain. Shit, did I break something?

“Want some ice?” The mystery woman puts out her cigarette and motions for us to follow her. 
​
I look at Luna and we both shrug, following the woman into the side entrance of Puzzles.

Unexpected Departure was a quick and enjoyable story about confronting your past, and learning to love and stand up for yourself. There was a wonderful friendship and a promising sapphic romance around the corner, but also a lot of homophobia and a toxic relationship, so please check the trigger warnings before reading.

Read my full review here: Unexpected Departure by Shannon O’Connor

About the author

Shannon O’Connor is a twenty-something, bisexual, self-published poet of several books and counting. She released her first novel, Electric Love in 2021 and is currently working on several sapphic romance novels. She believes there is a lack of positive Female/Female romances in the world, and wants to make them more accessible. She is often found in coffee shops, probably writing about someone she shouldn’t be.

Connect with Shannon O’Connor

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • BookBub • Newsletter

Get your own copy of Unexpected Departure 

Amazon
Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win one of five ebook copies of Shannon O’Connor’s FF fake dating romance Only for the Summer! ​

I’m so happy to be a part of Xpresso Book Tours blitz for the gripping and wonderful Saving Sophie by Debbie Schrack! Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card or one of five Kindle copies of Saving Sophie!

Synopsis

​Seventeen-year-old Gabe Hunter knows he has a purpose in life. He has always strived to be the “best of the best,” but lately nothing has gone his way. Gabe was devastated six months earlier when his half-brother Josh had a drunk driving accident that killed four members of a family and left a sixteen-year-old girl named Sophie an orphan. Josh went to prison and Gabe struggles to forgive him because how can he forgive the unforgivable? When Gabe reluctantly agrees to do math tutoring for his senior service project, he discovers that the girl he will be tutoring is also named Sophie. But in a town of eighty thousand people, what are the odds it will be the same person? Astronomical, Gabe figures.
 
Gabe soon discovers, though, that it is the same Sophie. A former National Merit Scholar finalist, Sophie had a severe brain injury in the accident. She has seizures, amnesia, and can barely read or write. When he meets her, Gabe realizes what his purpose in life must be—to help Sophie and make amends for his brother. His plan is to spend the rest of the school year tutoring Sophie, then say goodbye and go quietly off to college without ever telling her that his brother was the one who killed her family. What Gabe doesn’t count on is falling in love.

Excerpt
​
The door to the bakery opens and Sophie and Joe come in on a blast of cold air. I shiver. Cold has penetrated every cell in my body; not from the air, but from what Sophie’s uncle just told me.

“Sophie set up a spot in the back where you guys can work,” Jim says, getting up from the table. “I’m going to make the dough for tomorrow. If you need anything just give a holler.”

I stand up and take a deep breath. Now’s the time, I think. Now’s the time to tell Sophie and her uncle the truth about me. My brother killed her family. He’s the reason she has seizures and amnesia and has to learn how to read and write again. But they’re looking at me like I’m one of the superheroes from The Avengers. My mouth opens and this is what I say: “I’ll do my best, sir.” You chickenshit.

Jim claps me on the back. “I know you will. And call me Jim.”

Sophie waves to me. “Come on, Gabe.”

I follow her to a table in the corner. She takes off her hoodie and drops it over a chair. She’s wearing a green long-sleeved shirt with Edgewater emblazoned across the front in white. It’s like a slap in the face.

“I’m impressed you went to Edgewater,” I say. “I heard it’s harder to get in there than Harvard.” I have the sense that this is all an illusion, that I’m watching us play ourselves in a movie or a Netflix series. 

“Edison’s a good—school, too,” she says. “Uncle Jim talks about it—all the time.” She speaks with a slight hesitation—not a stutter, exactly, but more like her words can’t keep up with what her brain is trying to say.

We sit down at the table. Joe parks himself on the floor next to Sophie. There’s nothing on the table except a folder and some pencils. I don’t see any books anywhere, although a backpack is sitting on one of the chairs.

There’s an awkward silence as we stare at the folder. Then Sophie looks at me.

There were so many times I wondered if her eyes were blue or gray. But I never imagined they were this shade of blue—like the sky on a June day. And I never would have guessed there were pinpoints of violet inside the blue.

“I’m so sorry about what happened to you,” I blurt. As soon as the words are out, I want to take them back.

She looks down at her hands in her lap. Her hair falls like a curtain around her face. When she looks up at me, her eyes have tears in them.

​My heart cracks open. I didn’t know anything could hurt this much. My face burns like I have a fever, while the rest of my body is frozen, like it’s encased in ice. I’d give anything right now to go back in time and talk to Josh about his drinking. Insist he get help. Maybe if Mom and I had paid more attention, I wouldn’t be sitting here with the innocent victim of this nightmare. Of everyone affected by the accident, Sophie’s the one who bears the heaviest burden. Her family is dead. Josh will be out of prison at some point. But Sophie—she’ll have to deal with this for the rest of her life.

This teen romance was such a vulnerable, gripping and realistic story about finding forgiveness and your purpose in life.

You can find my full review here: Saving Sophie  by Debbie Schrack

Although the character Sophie in her debut novel SAVING SOPHIE is fictional, she is a composite of many of the struggling learners Debbie has taught over the years.

Debbie lives with her family in Fairfax, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Debbie finds personal fulfillment in creating new things, whether it be a novel, a painting, or a batch of croissants. She loves animals, and horses are her special passion. When she’s not writing or horseback riding, Debbie is a sucker for musicals, enjoys visiting art galleries, and desperately wants to travel more. She also loves hanging out with her three children, who she will always consider her most amazing creations.

Connect with Debbie Schrack

Webbsite • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

Get your own copy of Saving Sophie

Amazon • B&N • Kobo
Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card or one of five Kindle copies of Saving Sophie!

Welcome to the Gay Book Promotions release blitz for Don’t Hold Back by Colette Davison, celebrating this sweet and adorable M/M sports romance with a grumpy gymnast who falls for his sunshiny rival. Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!

Can rivals gain Olympic glory and love?
 
Blurb

Garret has spent years training in gymnastics, but the pressure has taken its toll. Despite qualifying for the Olympics, failing to medal at the World Championships is all he can think about.

Anger is taking control and strangling his ability to focus on training, when his main rival, Team USA gymnast, Ryder Anderson, arrives at the gym to train alongside him.

Garrett wants to hate Ryder, but he can’t ignore his rival’s sunshine personality and handsome looks. Discovering Ryder is fighting a battle against himself, Garrett’s anger turns to admiration and then love.

Dating his rival isn’t against the rules, but that doesn’t make it a good idea. Can they make a relationship work despite the pressure of the Olympics, or will they crack under the strain?

Don’t Hold Back is an M/M sports romance with a grumpy gymnast who falls for his sunshiny rival. It has a slow-burn relationship and some hurt/comfort.

Trigger warnings: Don’t Hold Back features a character who has anorexia.

Excerpt

“Ryder.” Lennie waved him across. “Good work. I’ve got two options for you.”
Ryder raised his eyebrows as he waited. From the look on Lennie’s face, he wasn’t sure he’d like either of them.

“You could go to Boulder and train alongside David Marshall.”

David was a two-time Olympian.

“Isn’t he trained by Isaiah Hobbs these days?” Ryder asked, trying hard not to scowl.

“Yes.”

“That’s not really an option, then is it?”

“Hobbs said he’d have you.”

Ryder shook his head and half turned away. “I don’t particularly care.”

“I didn’t think you’d go for it. But Boulder’s closer to home than my next suggestion.”

“There’s not much farther away than that.”

“The other option is to come with me.”

“To England?”

Lennie nodded. “I’ve called in a favour at my old gym in Leeds. They’d be happy to have us. We could train around visiting hours. They’re pretty prescriptive. You’d get more training hours in if you went to Boulder.”

“I’d rather take the week off than train under Isaiah again.” He folded his arms and dipped his chin. “England, huh? I’ve always wanted to see Buckingham Palace.”

Lennie laughed. “Leeds and London aren’t exactly next door.”

“Oh.”

“Seriously, what do you think?”

Ryder drew in a breath. “Travelling’s always harder than being home, but I’d rather train with you in England than with Isaiah. But only if you’re sure.”

“I am. We can stay at my parents’ house. Dad won’t mind if you take over the kitchen. Or if you prefer, we can rent somewhere.”

“Sounds good.” It was easy to say, less easy to feel.

Ryder always felt anxious about travelling, especially when it meant staying somewhere else for any length of time. But travelling was unavoidable at his level of gymnastics, so he dealt with it.

“You’re sure?”

Ryder smiled and nodded. He wouldn’t train under Isaiah again. He couldn’t.

“You won’t be the only Olympian training at the gym we’ll be using,” Lennie said.

“Oh?”

“Two members of the British team train there. Reece Matthews and Garrett Kidd.”

“They’re great gymnasts.”

“Yes.”

Ryder laughed. “Garrett’s the handsome scowling one, right?”

Lennie gave him a stern look.

“What? He is handsome, and he was very scowly at Worlds when I went to congratulate him.”

“You beat him.”

“So?”

Lennie rolled his eyes. “He probably thought you were rubbing your win in his face.”

“Me? Nah. Why would I do that?”

Lennie raised an eyebrow.

“I barely beat him in the all-around final. It was by point four or something.”

“Point two.”

“Oh. Even closer than I thought.” Ryder shrugged. “Either one of us could have won on the day. I was just luckier. See? Now I’m looking forward to a trip to England.”

Lennie shook his head and sighed. “Let’s see your floor routine again.”
​
Ryder grinned. “On it.”

Don’t Hold Back was such a sweet grumpy/sunshine, M/M sports romance, but  also a story about dealing with mental health issues and the constant fight that is required to find your way back after severe anorexia.

Read my full review here: Don’t Hold Back by Colette Davison

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.

Connect with Colette Davison

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • BookBub • Newsletter

Get your own copy of Don’t Hold Back 

Amazon
Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!

Synopsis:

What happened in Vegas? Definitely didn’t stay in Vegas.
 
Gabe’s the oldest. Brody’s the bad boy. Clark’s the strong, silent warrior. Amanda’s the girl. And Easton—well, Easton’s the panty melter.
 
I’m Kane.
 
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a bad job. But usually, I’m not the one people are talking about.
 
That’s about to change. Because the woman I had a smoking hot one-night stand with in Vegas? The one I should have stayed far, far away from, since women like her are my kryptonite?
 
She’s the same woman my brother just hired to redesign his fancy new glamping RVs.
 
I haven’t seen her since Vegas, but the instant I lay eyes on her, I can tell my quiet role as the boy-next-door brother is about to change.
 
She’s pregnant.
 
And it’s mine.

Excerpt

There’s a knock on Bernadette’s door.
 
It pulls me out of deep concentration on the trailer project and sends a small thrill of anticipation up my spine.
 
Kane.
 
It’s gotta be Kane. It’s not like I get visitors.
 
I haul myself off the couch—an increasingly challenging undertaking. Even though I know it has to be him, I peep out. One of the awesome mods on Bernadette, courtesy of her previous owner, is a peephole, which is super useful when you’re a single woman on the road alone.
 
And even though I know it has to be him, I still feel a surge of pleased surprise when I see his face.
 
“Delivery,” he says, holding out a big, round Tupperware… cake holder?  “Boston cream pie.”
 
Holy shit, he found it.  
 
I yank open the door and have to stop myself from snatching the cake out of his hands. Or throwing my arms around him and hugging the crap out of him. “Where did you find it?”
 
“I—”
 
He stops, appearing to think better of whatever he was about to say, but it’s too late. I know where that sentence was going.
 
“You made it?”
 
“Amanda helped,” he says, like that’s going to take anything away from a six-foot-something built-like-a-God man who bakes Boston cream pies. 
 
“Aaaaahhhh!” I cry, overcome. “You are a saint and a genius.”
 
He tries to bite back a smile. “I think you’re overstating things a little.”
 
“No,” I say, shaking my head. I have been fantasizing about yellow custard, soft yellow cake, and chocolate ganache nonstop since before I knew Kane had planted this baby in me. “Come in. You have to have some, too.”
 
“It’s all for you,” he says. “I wouldn’t take any of your special treat. Your presentation was fantastic. You deserve all the cake.”
 
This guy. I swear. He was too much in Vegas, when all I knew about him was that he asked real questions and knew how to use his body for both good and evil. Now…
“Well, come in anyway.”
 
He hesitates again, then follows me in, setting the cake on the counter. I wash my hands and take two small plates down from the cabinets. I grab two forks from the utensil drawer and two mugs from the overhead hooks. “I don’t have coffee—” I gesture at my belly, “—but I have tea, milk, or water.”
 
“Water would be great,” he says. “And no cake. I’m serious. It’s yours.”
 
I wrestle the cake carrier open and cut into my prize. My mouth waters as I do. It’s so--
Not gonna say moist, but holy shit, it soooo is.
 
We sit at Bernadette’s little pink dinette table. I’d forgotten how small this table is with two people at it. Or maybe it’s how big Kane is; his knees touch mine, and his arms cover so much territory, even with his hands folded. I force myself to look away because staring at close range is both rude and dangerous.
 
His eyes are very, very blue.
 
I dig in. “Oh, wow,” I say. “Wow.”
 
It’s soft. Moist (again, sorry!). Tender, springy. The custard is cool and smooth on my tongue, the ganache dark and flavorful.
 
“Mmm. Just. Thank you.”
 
Kane grins at me, like he’s pleased, though there’s something else in his expression I can’t quite read. “I did good?”
 
“You did amazing. So good I could kiss you.”
 
One eyebrow goes up, but he only says, “How does it rate among the Boston cream pies of the world?”
 
“It’s up there. Although pregnancy might be biasing me.” I lick a bite that’s mostly custard from my fork, and catch a glimpse of Kane’s face. His eyes are… interested. I lick again, for good measure, and notice the muscle in his jaw tense.
 
A ripple of tension slides down the lower slope of my belly and lodges itself in my internal muscles. In their constantly primed state, they… quiver dangerously. 
 
The next time I look at him, Kane’s eyes are on my chest. I’m wearing a flowy green maternity dress with a low scoop neck, and, why, yes, it does show off my newly ridiculously huge boobs to excellent advan--
 
“You have—“
 
He reaches out. “Some cake—”
 
His finger almost touches the upper curve of my breast, and, oh, whoops, yes, that is cake on my boob. I use my own finger to scoop it up, then lick it clean.
 
I hear the moment the breath leaves Kane’s lungs.
 
I see the moment his gaze travels from my chest to my mouth, when it fixes on my finger, sliding between my lips. The moment it sticks, and stays, right there on my mouth, even as my hand drops away.
 
“Mari—”
 
His voice is hoarse.
 
“Do it. Just—do it,” I order him.
 
Then he’s leaning over the table, setting his mouth over mine, hot and unhesitating and so, so good.

This was such a fun, sweet and heartwarming romcom with complex and relatable characters, hilarious banter, and just the right amount of spice and heartbreak! And so bingeable – I read it in just a couple of hours!

Read my full review here: A Little Wilder by Serena Bell

A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

Connect with Serena Bell

Webbsite • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Newsletter

Get your own copy of A Little Wilder

Amazon • B&N • iBooks • Kobo
Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Cover reveal! I’m so happy to be a part of Xpresso Book Tours cover reveal blitz for Strut by Jay Hogan. Enter the Bookstagram Giveaway to win an ecopy of the first book in the series, Flare!

Strut will be released on July 14th 2022!

About Jay Hogan

Heart, humour and keeping it real.

Jay is a 2020 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Gay Romance and her book Off Balance was the 2021 New Zealand Romance Book of the Year.

She is a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense, primarily set in New Zealand. She writes character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality and a splash of angst. She's travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life she was a critical care nurse, nurse educator and counsellor. Jay is owned by a huge Maine Coon cat and a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel.

Connect with Jay Hogan

Author links

Get your own copy of Strut

Pre-order
Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Bookstagram Giveaway for a chance to win an ecopy of the first book in the series, Flare!

Cover reveal! Today I’m excited to help reveal the cover of Rescue, the third book in the City of Kaus series by Dani Hoot. Enter the Bookstagram Giveaway hosted by MTMC Tours to win one of three digital copies of the first book in this series, Revenge!

Rescue is a swashbuckling upper YA/NA LGBTQ+ sci-fi western you don’​t want to miss!
 
Cor, Ellie, Zach, and Gabe thought they were in the clear, but their bad luck said otherwise. As soon as they stepped foot on land, the four were arrested for a new crime they didn’t commit, and there was only one person who would have the resources to turn another town against them.
 
As they wait for Byron to retrieve them from the town’s prison, the group comes up with a plan to escape. But what happens when one of them doesn’t make it out? Do they risk their lives to go back for that person, or do they save their own skin?

Welcome to the Gay Book Promotions book blast for this beach read that will melt the hearts of all ice queens! Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win one of three paperback copies of The Fire Island Ice Queen by B.J. Irons!

“A Fire Island beach read that will melt the hearts of all ice queens”
 
Blurb 

​College law student, Connor, is a bit pretentious, high-strung and what some might describe as being cold as ice. After catching his boyfriend cheating on him and then being dumped, Connor decides to take his best friend Byron up on his offer for a summer gaycation experience to Fire Island.

While at Fire Island, Connor reevaluates his identity and goes through a deep soul searching experience to truly understand himself. While on vacation, he befriends a stranger named Lawrence, who encourages Connor to open up more and become lively. Lawrence proposes that Connor completes a series of wild, fun tasks, which he dubs as the Fire Island Ice Queen Challenge to get Connor to come out of his shell more. Will this frivolous and boisterous vacation at Fire Island be enough to melt the heart of this Ice Queen?

Excerpt

Chapter 1

​“Ewwwww!” I exclaimed, noticing the skinny, shirtless guy dancing on the box out of the corner of my eye. He had two older men standing below holding dollar bills up at him.

Pathetic!

The whole scene gave me an unsettling feeling in my stomach. The boy reeked of desperation for attention and the old men reeked of desperation for the pale and frail twink. I was expecting to see his skin glisten like diamonds when the strobe lights moved on top of him. He was decidedly vampiric-looking, but lacked the hot features of Edward Cullen.

I rolled my eyes and diverted my focus back to my boyfriend, Derrick, who was beside me at the bar, ordering us another round of drinks.

“What are you ewww-ing about now?” he asked.

“Just that dirty ginger up on the box.” I pointed in the direction of him, now bending over on the box, getting the money tucked into his waistband by the two tragic geriatrics.

“Ugh! Why do you care about him anyway, Connor?” Derrick questioned me with a vexed tone in his voice.

He was right. I did care too much about how other people behaved, dressed, acted, etc. I was a very judgmental person and I could recognize that in myself. However, I wouldn’t dare to let other people think that of me. As much as I cared about how others presented themselves, I cared even more about how I looked and how I was judged. I went to the gym every day, made sure I was the top student in all of my college classes, and wanted everyone to know that I was beyond mature for my age. I wouldn’t have them think any less of me.

But, I’d be out of my mind to admit this to my boyfriend.

“I don’t really care about him at all. It’s just an observation,” I confessed.

Derrick handed me my drink that the bartender gave him. “Yeah. But just let him be. He’s a young guy just trying to have fun. Clearly, he doesn’t care what other people think of him. If anything, you’re giving him the attention he wants by even making thatcomment.”

My boyfriend had a point here. I was giving him more attention than I should. And now, by having this conversation with Derrick, I was donating way too much of my time and energy in talking about him.

Derrick then reached for my empty hand. “Do you want to dance?”

I shook my head, recoiling from him. “Nah. I’m good. You can go ahead. I’ll chill out here at the bar for a bit. I wouldn’t be caught dead dancing out there.”

He simply shrugged and chugged his drink before turning around to head out to the dance floor.

I decided to take the now empty seat at the bar he left open. I glanced down at my phone and began scrolling through a few social media posts. This place was getting boring. Yawning, I checked the time to realize it wasn’t even midnight yet. What a snooze-fest tonight had turned out to be. Our usual friends had other plans and couldn’t make it out tonight, which left Derrick and me stuck alone with ourselves. I turned back around to try and pinpoint his location on the crowded dance floor, but had no luck.

I let out a heavy sigh, tapping my right leg up and down on the foot of the barstool. I had to really take a piss, and couldn’t hold it in much longer. But, at the same time, I didn’t want Derrick to come back and think I had disappeared.

However, I would only be gone for a minute or so. Oh well. I stood up and walked across the dance floor towards the bathroom.

“Nice ass!” I heard a man behind me say as he grabbed my butt as I scooted by him.
Dirty fucker! He was lucky I had to use the bathroom so badly. Otherwise, I would have turned back around and made a whole scene in front of everyone.

I pushed my way through the random guys chilling in the hallway leading to the bathroom, who were either gossiping or making out with one another. I opened the bathroom door and saw that the four urinals were occupied. One of the two stalls had the door halfway open, so I slightly kicked it to make sure no one was in there before I claimed it.

Locking the door behind me, I dropped my pants and released myself, letting out a light sigh of relief. I glanced down at the floor and could see a rather large shadow coming from the next stall over. There was definitely more than one person there. I could then hear a few wet and sloppy kiss-like noises coming from next door as well.

Like seriously!? Get a fucking room!

I flushed the toilet and walked out of the stall, shaking my head in disdain. Moving towards the sink, I checked myself out in the mirror as I proceeded to wash my hands. I rubbed my hand through my hair, making sure it was swept back nicely. My mouth gaped open at what I saw next. The door to the stall that was next to mine opened and the two guys emerged from it. The first was some random, cute guy who had a similarly toned body to me, except he had bright bleach blonde hair. Then, behind him, was Derrick.

Derrick was with that stranger in the stall!? What the fuck!?

I immediately turned around to face them both.
​
“Derrick! What the fuck!? Are you shitting me right now!?” I yelled.

Connect with B.J. Irons 

Website • Instagram​ • Goodreads

Buy The Fire Island Ice Queen

Amazon • Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win one of three ebook copies of The Fire Island Ice Queen or one of three paperback copies (U.S. only)!

I’m so happy and honored to be a part of the Xpresso Book Tours blitz celebrating the release of this adorable and gripping contemporary teen gay romance! Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Synopsis

Noah aka NOS2321: Gamer. Weeb. Up-and-coming rock star. And gay. Encouraged by his anonymous pen pal, XES6969, Noah takes the leap and comes out of the closet—no instructions needed—accidentally sending his father to the hospital during his reveal. Despite his horrible dating track record which included two girls (because it was required that he at least try) and one boy (because he had to start somewhere), Noah believes in happily ever after. That belief gets tested when he falls for Evan Santiago.
 
Evan aka XES6969, believes in sacrificing yourself for those you love. Learning NOS’s identity hadn’t been his fault. Except he carries the lie which begins to fester, trapping him into silence. When a stray football brings them together, Evan no longer wants to keep silent. And when he learns that Noah is interested too, he takes a chance at love, risking everyone he’s tried to protect, including himself.

Excerpt
 
Noah
 
As if the cosmos decided to force me to drool, Evan Santiago rode into the lot on his motorcycle. He wore a helmet with the visor down, hiding his face, but I didn’t need to see to know. The guy was all tight muscles and badness. He parked two spots away from my light blue jalopy with the word WEEBS 2 on the license plates and stickers of Kirito, Asuna, and Zero Two on the windows around my car. He dropped the kickstand and gracefully swung one powerful leg over the seat as he got off the bike. He pulled off his helmet and shook his deep black hair to perfection and crouched to get his satchel out of one of the saddlebags on the bike. His tee lifted, revealing a sliver of pale skin at his back.

Damn. When had I started looking at Evan Santiago this way? I blinked away the moment and turned to the empty seat beside me. I caught sight of Sasha approaching the secret love of my life, having silently crept out of my car. I hadn’t even heard her close the door! Her little skort swayed over toned legs.

The slut.

Was I really thinking she was competition? Was I competition?

Evan acknowledged her and she said something to him. He lifted his eyes in my direction—the color of green flames—forcing me to lose my breath. No. Evan couldn’t see me through the glare of the windshield. Nope. But that look still held me in some sort of trance. As if an invisible line had jettisoned out of his eyeballs and wrapped around my chest, crushing me.

Yeah, too much anime for me.

Then he suddenly looked away, and the crushing sensation lifted. I inhaled sharply, filling my lungs with much-needed oxygen.

Man-whore.

Why was I thinking of someone else when I had Carlos? That was not a good sign.
Sasha took Evan’s arm, and they walked into the school together as if they were a couple. Were they a couple? The idea of them together left me confused. Nothing new, really. Just another normal day in the life of me. Evan was not interested in me. Despite the burning looks he gave me. Certainly, I was misinterpreting them. Maybe the guy had a bad case of acid indigestion. Or I had a bad case of TMI—too much imagination. With an audible sigh, I headed into the school alone.
​
If I had to draw an abstract version of my high school, it would be a prism of varying stars and stripes. I was a stripe, while people like Evan Santiago were stars.

Before she started writing, Elizabeth got her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. She then went on to work in foster care programs, mental health facilities, and youth organizations within the Latinx Community, providing services to youth and families.

She now spends her time writing romance, binge watching anime, and spending time with her family.
​
Elizabeth currently resides in Chicago.

Connect with Elizabeth Arroyo

Website • Facebook • Twitter​ • Goodreads

Buy My NOT So Anonymous Best Friend

Amazon • B&N • Kobo • iBooks

Add on Goodreads

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!