BLOG TOUR, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - You're My Home by Katie Moore

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway:
You're My Home
By Katie Moore

A love story you can live in…

Zach

Brady is my overprotective best friend, and I love him like this. He’s so much bigger than me and makes me feel safe. We are opposites in so many ways, but when I’m cuddled up against him and he reads to me, all those differences fade away. Brady promises to be friends forever, but what will he say when he finds out my secret? Will I lose my best friend and the boy I love more than life itself?

Brady

Zach is so tiny and tenderhearted. All I want to do is protect him from the world. He’s my sweet bookworm and never wants to hurt anyone. I love my best friend, but how do I give him all of me when I don’t understand myself yet? If nothing else, I can shower him with all the acceptance and love he deserves.

Zach and Brady come from completely different social and religious backgrounds, but they don’t let that weaken their friendship. Both teens have to go through a journey of self-discovery, including all the heartaches and joys that come with growing up. As they get older, will they find themselves and how they fit together?

You’re my Home is a sweet and emotional coming of age story. It’s a slow-burn, hurt/comfort, teen best friends to adult lovers romance. There will be tears, laughter, new friends, and steamy lovemaking as Zach and Brady learn the meaning of true acceptance of oneself and others.

**Trigger warnings: domestic violence, trauma, PTSD, and religious homophobia.

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My Rating - 5+ Stars!

This book! Oh my god, this book! You're My Home is a debut novel for Katie Moore. And it's mesmerizing, riveting, and all consuming.

This book is long. No question about it. It is detailed, complex, and covers many years. Set plenty of time aside to read this.

This book is serious. Extremely serious. It touches on abuse, family issues, bullying, anxiety attacks, panic attacks, and a connection between two people unlike anything I've ever seen before. It thoroughly explores one's need to define their sexuality, and the elements of demi-sexuality.

This story is that of Brady and Zach, two boys who are worlds apart. But the connection between them is absolute. The first time Brady meets Zach, he knows he is there to help save him. From his father. From the bullies. From the ugliness of the world. And fortunately for Zach, Brady's family feels the same way.

I don't want to go into any details. It's best to just discover them as you read. But the story is amazingly beautiful and touching.

And it's as emotional as can be. Every single moment of this book, every single sentence, is weighed down with emotion. The emotions jump off the pages throughout.

It's a long, ugly, emotional journey for these two. But this is a romance, so ultimately it's no surprise that they eventually get together. I think it's fair to say this isn't a spoiler.

And when they do, oh my god. Seriously, I just can't even begin to explain how torturously emotional the sex scenes are. I thought the emotions carried this story before. But gah! The sex scenes. I've never read anything so full of emotion before.

Just read it.

Their journey starts as kids, carries them through the teen years, and ultimately looks at their futures. It's long. It's detailed. It could easily be a three part series. But it's pure perfection read all together.

You're My Home is absolutely addicting. From the first page, Katie Moore held me hostage with her words. This isn't like my typical review because this isn't a typical book. Zach and Brady grabbed my heart from the very first page and I lived and breathed every single moment of their journey with them. It's a spectacular book.

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Special Release Excerpt:

“I want to talk to you.” Dad walks down the hallway to his office, knowing I’ll follow him. I lean against the doorframe, staying just far enough out that Zach will know where I am if he comes back into the kitchen.

Dad sits on the edge of his desk, facing me. “Who were the kids that were being mean?”

“Derek Sanders, the one I asked to leave here when he called Zach a stalker. Along with a few of JV freshman players that I don’t know well.”

“Not surprising, he seemed like a dick.”

My dad doesn’t usually call someone a dick, and it catches me so off guard that an abrupt laugh escapes from my chest.

“What were they making fun of him about?”

“His size…being a fourth-grader…a hobbit. Then they called him queer, and he got up and left.”

“No wonder he was so upset.” Dad rubs the back of his neck, and I realize that I have that same habit when I’m stressed.

“He was upset because he thought it would embarrass me. He never wants to hurt anyone, and when he thinks he’s the cause of it, he can’t handle it.”

“That’s why it makes me livid that someone would hurt him, even with words. God knows the kid has been through enough already.”

I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and turn to see Zach in the kitchen, looking lost. I wave my arm so he sees me, and he smiles. I watch him walk over to help Mom with the ice cream before looking back at Dad.

“He trusts you, Brady. The kind of trust that most people will never give. Be sure to treasure that and not do anything to break it. I’m not sure you could get it back if you did.”

Dad’s words feel heavy, like I need to memorize them and keep them close. “I wouldn’t do anything to break his trust.”

“I know you never would intentionally, but you’re young, and teenagers do stupid things. I think you’re mature beyond your years, and I am so proud of the young man you’re becoming. I’m only cautioning you because I see the bond you have with Zach, and I’m not sure you truly understand what it would mean to lose that. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friendship…love…and so many go through life searching for what you’ve found so young. Many never find it.”

He walks over to put his hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. “All I’m saying, Son, is that when it comes to Zach, think before you react and don’t take all the love and trust he gives you for granted. Someday you’ll truly understand the depth and beauty of what he gives you. And what you give him.” His hand moves down over my heart. “You’ve given him a lot of space in here. Take care of your heart, Son, because that boy in the kitchen is most of it.”

I nod, speechless at my dad’s words.

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the Katie's debut release & cover reveal, we are giving away a 3 copies of You're My Home!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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Katie Moore is a writer of romance and happily ever afters. She is very compassionate and tries her best to show others kindness. She loves to write and escape into some imaginary world she's created in her head. If she's not writing, she's reading a book. Preferably one with emotion that makes her laugh and cry. Katie is usually snuggled up with her four dogs, Izzy, Bess, Violet, and Skye.

Katie Moore is the author of You're My Home, a gay romance novel. She let her heart write Zach and Brady's story. She hopes all her readers love them as much as she does.

Connect with Katie:
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21577348.Katie_Moore
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkatiemoore
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatiemoore/

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RELEASE BLITZ, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - The Golden Age by Eve Morton

 

Title: The Golden Age

Author: Eve Morton

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 07/26/2021

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 122800

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, family drama, arts/performance, arts/visual, coming of age, friends to lovers, nerds, contemporary, trans, bi, gay

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Seven years ago, Sebastian Munro changed his life immensely by transitioning and starting a graduate degree at the University of Ottawa. Now that his degree—and his cash flow—has run its course, however, he finds himself on a Greyhound bus back to his suburban town outside of Toronto in early 2006. Though his high school friends are well aware of his transition, many have yet to see Sebastian face-to-face.

Instead of dreading the reunion, Sebastian looks forward to it—until his parents announce their divorce, his former best friend won’t speak to him, and he realizes he has become a stranger in a place that was once so familiar. Rather than returning to Ottawa, he is forced to stay in Durham Region when he witnesses a crime at the local restaurant run by a family friend. Until the trial finishes, and until an academic job comes through, Sebastian must learn to stay exactly where he is—whether he now wants to or not. When he reaches out to his former best friend’s older brother, Garrison, their budding relationship shapes and changes everything Sebastian thought he knew about his previous life, secret identities, and the power of home.

Now that Sebastian has found a way to survive in his hometown as the person he always knew himself to be, he realizes he faces a decision especially as an academic job opportunity emerges. Does he continue with his new fantasy life in his hometown, thereby leaving his former academic and trans community aside—or does he go back to the life that made him who he is now and leave his family and friends one more time?

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My Rating - 3.5 Stars!

The Golden Age is a long, detailed read by Eve Morton. It's a tough one for me to review, as I neither love it nor hate it. 

I enjoy the story idea as a whole. It follows Sebastian as he returns home after many years away. He's different than he was and it's awkward when he returns. 

He transitioned years ago but never confronted those close to him about it. In the process of him being able to do so, he has a lot of other issues to deal with. 

I like the idea of the story. I think I was somewhat disconnected from it though. 

The issues with Sebastian and his trans status is well done. I strongly connected to him at the end. Omg. The name part brought me close to tears. I found that scene extremely emotionally. 

I enjoy the romance. I like that the two have known one another for ever, but their age gap kept them slightly apart. The way they gravitate to one another now is beautiful. 

And then there are the other characters. An ex and an ex best friend. The lack of connecting with them left me so damn sad. There are plenty of deep aspects addressed and it's sad overall. 

I enjoy the title and it's meaning. I think the author did a great job infusing the importance of that phrase throughout. 

This is a unique story about a transgender man. The author definitely approaches it in a manner I am not used to seeing it. I find the story focuses more on the other issues than the romance. The romance that's there is sweet and very enjoyable. But this is more a story of a man returning home and dealing with his past, and all the people who have changed around him. 

In the end, The Golden Age is a good read. There is nothing wrong with this Eve Morton book. My problem is, I'm not sure who to recommend it to. It's a fine read. I don't hesitant to say that. But when there are so many choices out there, I'm not sure what to say about this one. 

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The Golden Age
Eve Morton © 2021
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One
I was late for the bus home.

Discarded couches, plates, and jagged forks and knives packed the city streets, all detritus from the former student life. I thought leaving before the exam period was over would allow me to avoid the crowds. The exodus, as Ken called it. He was being dramatic. Biblical. A Shakespearean scholar, through and through. Then I remembered the Easter and Thanksgiving rushes, the deluge of students desperately trying to go home with too many bags of dirty clothing. I was caught off guard by the trash on the street, still a city bus away from the Greyhound station that would take me back to my hometown.

These students and the remnants of their short-term apartments were the minifloods before the mass exodus at the end of the semester. Ken had warned me. The streets will be packed, so think ahead. I brushed off his fastidiousness, but I should have trusted his insight, culled from experienced history rather than scholarly articles and delivered like folk wisdom. I’d booked my Greyhound bus home after Easter but before the final date for students to leave the dorms, thinking this was enough to avoid the crowds and keep Ottawa pristine in my mind. I wanted the capital to have stayed as staid as Ken, as picturesque as a postcard, as parochial as a footnote. Maybe that way, leaving would hurt less.

Instead I was left with nothing to read to pass the time but a thin Stephen King novella. The Running Man was the only book that didn’t fit into my storage locker; I couldn’t bear throwing out books, so I brought it with me. The furniture in my apartment were cast-offs, and there were always hungry graduate students looking for toasters. I could pass them off, rotate. Ken’s new student was walking in my furniture shadows—but the books, I kept. I had to and I didn’t even like King that much. I had many copies of his work because of Michael, Emily, all of them from Whitby, our hometown outside of Toronto. I may not have devoured King, but I loved them. A cardboard box I kept in my storage locker, bursting at the sides, was like another ticket home, a reminder of voices I’d tried to silence since my degree began. I may as well take this piece of history with me. Even if I didn’t like King all that much, I could still find solace in the words.

But I was running late.

My shoulder bag dug into my skin as I stepped onto the city bus and squeezed into a standing space all my own. The Greyhound station was in the heart of downtown, while my storage locker had been on the edge; the city bus fed me through the surface roads to the station where I’d catch another bus home. The trip was long, odious. Made even longer by one red light after another.

Another red light. Another student stop, a casual group of teenagers—maybe some whom I’d taught—laughed as they stepped on. End of the year. End of their exams. The cars lined up on the street. Rush hour. Another red light. The bus should have already arrived. I should be checking in. I looked out the window at more discarded couches and dishes and more students carrying cases of booze, their voices celebratory.

“I want out.” I walked to the front of the bus and repeated my request. “Please.”

“This isn’t a stop.”

“This is a red light. It’s faster if I walk.”

The driver eyed my bag filled with toiletries and clothing, as if I were leaving for only a night. He glanced up, gaze lingering too long on my face. “This still isn’t a stop.”

“But you’re stopped.”

He stared, unrelenting.

I sighed. “Please.”

With the eyes of a martyr, he opened the door. I got off as the light turned green. The bus rocketed ahead of me, going faster than I thought possible.

A flicker of doubt rushed over me. Had I made a mistake? I walked faster and faster toward the city centre. Another red light and city traffic bloomed. The bus was faster, but it was always going to be stopped. I knew shortcuts to the city centre, learned from the early months of my testosterone shots when I was undecipherable as man or woman. I knew all the covert alleyways and the hidden catwalks, the city’s secrets where I would not been seen. My heart panged at the thought of leaving everything behind. It wouldn’t be forever, like that horrible in-between transition phase wasn’t forever either, but the discarded dishware and books that looked so much like mine made leaving feel that much more permanent.

I passed the bus after five minutes of fast walking. My legs were bruised from my bag banging against them. My lungs ached. Calves smarted. The pain diminished when I saw the blue of the station. Greyhound. A line was there, but not too long. When I was in New York City with Ashley, an old girlfriend before my transition, we’d watched in horror as our bus departed before its designated time because it was full. Though Greyhound had sent another for those who were still lingering, watching it depart while standing in place was a sucker punch I’d had to stay still for, like counting the days backward before surgery. Now, when I could taste my mother’s weak tea and smell my father’s secret cigars, I couldn’t bear to watch the bus pull away.

Another surge of speed flowed through me. I darted across the road between parked cars and emerged on the sidewalk. I was almost at the station door when someone yelled at me.

I froze. A car horn honked simultaneously, but I realized it was unrelated. The person shouted again.

“You—yeah, you! Plenty of time!”

I saw an old man under the city bus station awning: his face worn, his jeans frayed at the edges, and his baseball shirt from years ago. He raised a hand in the air and repeated his words.

“Plenty of time! You need to slow down.”

I was angrier than the first time I’d been catcalled at thirteen. I turned away with an audible scoff and ran the rest of the way inside of the station. My shoulders smarted and my lungs still ached, but I was last in line.

Not until I was seated near the back, my bag stored underneath the bus and the now horribly bent out of shape book in my hands, did I think of the bum again. His words were personal. Not the typical ranting or lecherous stares of downtown. He was giving me advice. Like Ken. He was…

I turned away from the window. I stared at the cover of my book. I opened it and tried to read.

Doesn’t he understand? Ten minutes later, the highway lulled me back to memory, my legs still throbbing as if I’d run. Didn’t he understand I was going home? There was no time to waste. There was no time to play, to talk, to slow down. I had to go home.

I’d been gone for so long.

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Eve Morton is a writer living in Ontario, Canada. She teaches university and college classes on media studies, academic writing, and genre literature, among other topics. She reads tarot, has a lot of tattoos, and loves all things occult and supernatural in nature. She also loves true crime, especially the forensic side of it, and is often swayed by a really good podcast (even more when it is funny). She continues to do research work on LGBTQ communities, media representation, and film after completing her PhD in 2019. Find more information on authormorton.wordpress.com.

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Invincible Me by Addison Lloyd

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

A reaction to almost dying or gay awakening?

I don’t fit in anymore. Not at home. Not at school. And this jittery feeling—like I’m living someone else’s life—needs to stop. Nothing makes sense until I confront Caleb Patterson at his locker. Arguing with him makes me feel alive again.

I have a girlfriend, but Caleb lights me up like he’s flipped a switch. He’s patient and sweet. And I want to kiss him until I break his world apart and reach the person underneath.

I’m tired of labels and playing by the rules. But living my life on my terms is more difficult than I imagined.

All I want is to be his everything.

Invincible Me is a 24,000 word YA gay romance. It is part of the Stories of the Seasons (A Gay YA series) but stands alone from the other books in the series. It is part of the Dublin High/Westbridge Academy world that starts with Merry Little Lies. It can be read as a standalone and has a HEA.

My Rating - 3.5 Stars!

Invincible Me is a short, cute young adult romance by Addison Lloyd. This novella is a high school, coming of age romance. It's an easy read and totally adorable.

High school couple Rob and Carli both have some truths to deal with. Having dated for two years, Rob is suddenly having feelings for the new boy at school, Caleb.

Rob is still reeling from almost dying a few months prior and the secrets he kept about it. He's dealing with acknowledging his truths and dealing with his knowledge that life is short. 

Rob's sexual awakening is sweet and completely believable in the way it's written. His complications with Carli, and the way it affects Caleb all seem realistic and it makes for a nice read.

Invincible Me is a short novella of just under one hundred pages. Addison Lloyd manages to explore a sweet coming of age story in this bisexual awakening romance. It's nice the way the author uses Rob's near death experience to make him face his truth. 

Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

 

Amazon Link 
Goodreads Link

Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli in this swoon-worthy, heartfelt rom-com about how a transgender teen’s first love challenges his ideas about perfect relationships.

Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.

When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.

In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Meet Cute Diary is a wonderful young adult book. This Emery Lee tale features a coming of age journey for a trans boy and his non cis friend. 

Noah is in town for the summer, living with his brother, and living as a boy for the first time. He runs a popular blog about trans men finding love. All of this is in an effort to give trans people hope of finding love. 

In the beginning, I found Noah to be annoying. Yes, he's a self centered teen who thinks his problems are everything. But, seriously, it's spot on behavior for a sixteen year old. And wow, the social media part of this story is also spot on. Every single part of it.

Noah's journey towards finding his real self, and his real feelings about love, is a long, bumpy road.

When someone learns that Noah is the blogger, he's suddenly in a "cute on paper" romance with Drew that doesn't always feel right.  

And all the while, Noah's spending time with his co-worker Devin, who's trying to figure out what gender terms work for em. Their conversations are wonderful, poignant, and well worth a read. Everything about Devin is impressive, written with knowledge and a whole lot of care. Their friendship is important, full of understanding, compassion, caring, support, and encouragement. Their friendship changes both of them for the better. I enjoy the realistic and honest feel to their relationship.

And for both teens, the trouble involved with their journeys are deeply explored. Being trans. Body dysphoria. Gender definitions and the ongoing fluidity of figuring of what feels right. Seeing pronoun changes throughout is stellar representation of the struggle. Best of all, there's no open homophobia or transphobia that's illustrated. Yes, it's there but it's not in the forefront at all, which is wonderful. Instead, this story is all about their ever evolving feelings about themselves.

Race is also an aspect that is seen, but not a big issue, which is amazing. Noah is tri-racial and it's never a big part of his story. How fantastic!

As well, Noah's relationship with his best friend Becca is an ongoing aspect of this story. The author excels in exploring the give and take in friendships, and the value of true friendship. Living with teen drama every day, I love the way this is explored. 

I highly recommend Meet Cute Diary for anyone looking for some understanding of the non-cis journey. Trans. Non-binary. Gender queer. Emery Lee explores it all through these two fabulous characters. I wish every teen had this as required reading. I also would love to see this as movie. Visibility is important and this book is a wonderful way for anyone questioning their gender to feel seen. 

BLOG TOUR, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - All the Way Out by Ingrid Sterling

 

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: All the Way Out

Author: Ingrid Sterling

Publisher: Literary Wanderlust

Release Date: April 1, 2021

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, New Adult

Trope/s: One-night stand turned into true love; Forced proximity; Athlete with musician; closeted sports star

Themes: Self-acceptance, coming out publicly

Heat Rating:  4 flames

Length: 79 000/263 pages

It is a standalone book.

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Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

Literary Wanderlust  |  Bookshop.org

Ever since Zach was 14 years old, he knew two things about himself: 

1) He wanted to play football at the highest levels of college and pro ball. 

2) He was gay.

Even at that young age Zach knew that those two truths - all-star athlete and homosexual male - could not exist concurrently. So, he’d started dating Rebecca, his devoutly Catholic girlfriend who wants to wait to have sex until she’s married, during his junior year of high school and never looked back.

But on the last night of a team trip to Rome, on the cusp of his senior season at Northwestern University, a Heisman, a number 1 draft pick and a National Championship, Zach seeks out one last anonymous encounter. He opens Grindr and slips out into the Italian summer night to meet Liam - Liam who has a face that looks like it was carved from Carrara marble by one of the ancient greats and whose brazen facade becomes sheepish when he’s asked about his past in Paris. The night is intense, better than Zach could have imagined. But like all one-night stands, it comes to an end by morning’s light.

But what happens to Zach’s carefully manicured plans for a professional football career and a life in the closet when Liam shows up, not only on the Northwestern campus the first day of the fall semester, but in Zach’s upper-level Plato seminar, too?

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My Rating - 5 Stars!

All The Way Out is an amazing debut novel by Ingrid Sterling. As a lover of sports romances, I find this one to be absolutely riveting and perfectly charming. 

I really love this book. Everything about it works for me. But, yes, I am probably biased as it's about a closeted athlete. Love this trope!

Zach's a closeted college athlete with a long time girlfriend, Rebecca. The reader knows early on this relationship with Rebecca is for show only. One can easily feel how unattached they are. So, yes, there's cheating, but he and Rebecca are waiting for marriage, and the cheating is not in a way that it bothers me at all. 

As for Zach and Liam. I love that they hook up in Italy. Their night together is entertaining and sweet. But adding to the fun is that Liam ends up at the same school as Zach.

What follows is a beautiful romance between two people who clearly belong together. Their path isn't easy, but damn, I love them together. 

There's so much going on throughout their journey. Zach's closeted and terrified to be out as an athlete. This is a main part of his journey. The issues with his girlfriend definitely has some interesting surprises along the way. 

The author does a terrific job illustrating the pain of being a gay athlete who's unable to be themselves. I appreciate every bit of how this is handled. This is all too real and well explored. 

The writing style is fantastic, with two well developed characters who are both lovable. The feelings are laid out for the reader to easily feel all the ups and downs, all the want and need, all the pain and regret. The flow is great, the storyline is compelling. There's nothing I would change. 

All the Way Out is a wonderful coming of age romance. I adore every single moment of this Ingrid Sterling read and I can't wait to see what Ingrid writes next. 

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“What are you doing in my upper level classics seminar?” Liam snapped.

 "Um, I’m fulfilling my degree requirements,” Zach snapped back. “What are you doing in my upper level classics seminar? You live in Rome.”

 “No, I was regrouping in Rome. I’d been going to school in Paris before that but—Wait, degree requirements? You’re a Classics major? Mr. Hotshot-starting-quarterback is a Classics major?” Liam’s voice came out shriller than he would have liked.

 Zach set his hips back against the table, crossing his arms with a sudden smugness. “A Classics major focusing in Pax Romana philosophers with a 3.7 GPA, you mean? Yeah. I am. How do you think I recognized that ridiculous Metamorphoses quote on your Grindr profile?”

 “I figured you Googled it like everyone else usually did.”

 Zach’s face softened at Liam’s unintentional reveal. “Why didn’t you say anything about coming to school in the States that night?” Zach asked.

 Liam leveled him with a look. “I don’t remember us doing an awful lot of talking.”

 “We talked enough. You could have mentioned it.”

 “I’d only decided to come here a week or so before we met,” Liam explained. “I barely knew anything about Northwestern aside from the fact that it has a pretty well-respected music program. Certainly not enough to know it has some big deal football team. And besides, what were the chances?”

 “I’m not a betting man, but I definitely wouldn’t have taken these odds.” Doe-eyed panic lingered on Zach’s face even as he shifted to a more conversational tone. “So, the music school, huh? That’s cool. I remember you had music on your desk. What do you play?”

 “Piano mostly, but I’m a composition major. I added a Classics minor ‘cause I can, here. My other school didn’t offer liberal arts courses.” Zach nodded, and Liam realized it was probably his turn to attempt conversation. “A jock with a brain, then. Color me impressed.”

 Zach gave a bored lift of his shoulder. “It makes for a great human-interest story. I think every bad pun about Greek gods or Roman gladiators has been made about me at least once. The ESPN announcers think they are so fucking clever.”

 Liam stared at him. “You keep saying these things thinking I know what they mean.”

 “ESPN.” Zach gave him a patient grin. “It’s a cable sports network that shows games. You know, on the TV.”

 “Yeah, alright.” Liam’s pursed lips morphed into an unbidden smile.

 It was impossible not to note how the tension in the room had slipped away. The looks that passed between them carried a certain playfulness once they were forced to accept the inconceivable fact that they were both here in the same city, at the same school, and even in the same class. And into that ease slipped the feelings of attraction and memories of the intimacy they’d found on Liam’s mattress by the end of their night together. Liam had sought hidden parts of Zach’s body with his fingers. That small, insinuating touch, burned into his memory, had ignited such terrified want in Zach’s bright blue eyes that Liam had known that he would have been allowed to feel Zach from the inside if only they’d had more time. One more night. One more hour, even. And now here Zach was, standing before him. It was as baffling as it was thrilling. Liam certainly wouldn’t mind if they wound up hooking up again.

 “Look,” Zach started, “This is crazy that you’re here, and I hope you love your time at Northwestern as much as I have, but it’s probably for the best if we don’t interact.”

 Liam was rendered mute.

 “I mean, I know we’re in class together,” Zach continued. “We’ll have to interact, discussion grades and everything, but what I mean is, we shouldn’t be friendly.”

 “Why not?” Liam asked after another stunned beat.

 “It’s nothing personal. In fact, I think you’re—” Zach stopped. He pressed his eyes closed and shook his head sadly. He took another steadying breath before speaking again. “It would make things really difficult for me. Like I told you in Rome, no one knows about me. About me and…” He spoke the next word at a careful volume. “Men. In fact, you’re the only person on this entire campus who does.”

 Zach’s sexuality was a secret that should have bound them. But instead, Zach was using it to put a wedge between them, between even the possibility of them. Liam didn’t think the conversation could get any more ridiculous.

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I named myself "Ingrid" after a character in a story I started writing and will never finish.

I named myself "Sterling" after my dad's boyhood dreams.

I'm a Yankee who has lived south of the Mason Dixon for a decade and I use 'Y'all' without irony. I dance in my kitchen. I vote. I love all the cats in the world and a good IPA. I will scream over college sports.

I write about love, with love, because #loveislove. 

With two degrees in music performance, I strive to make my words sing. The rhythm and pacing of the prose are as important to me as my complicated, imperfect characters and my guaranteed happily-ever-afters.

Author Links

Blog/Website  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Newsletter Sign-up

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one of three ebook copies of All the Way Out

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BOOK TOUR, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - Dead Sea by Mia Kerick

 

Book Tour! 

Dead Sea
by: Mia Kerick

Dead Sea 

(Story Ballads Book #2) 
by: Mia Kerick 
Genre: YA Coming of Age Gay Romance
Release Date: March 3

Kyle is a swaggering bully; Lenny strives to be invisible.

Kyle has been left alone in the world; Lenny is the world’s biggest loner.

When Kyle saves Lenny from drowning, their lives will never be the same.

After a brutal encounter with school bullies, Lenny swims out into the ocean, determined to let the current whisk him away. Next thing he knows the meanest kid in town is pulling him from the waves, promising to be his Dead Sea, and to never let him sink.

All Kyle wants is to get out of beach cleanup, is that too much to ask? So he goes for a swim, only to come upon the most epic “nobody” in the senior class drowning in a riptide. Lenny’s haunted gaze grips him, and Kyle makes the impulsive decision to save his life or die trying. And through this ordeal, Kyle and Lenny are transformed.

Kyle’s heroic act sets him on the straight and narrow, and he opens his heart to the young man he dragged from the ocean. Lenny changes too but is still unable to reveal the truth of his pain. While drowning in a sea of secrets, the reformed bully and wary victim fall in love. But staying afloat in the Dead Sea is not as simple as it seems.

Goodreads

Buy Link: 

Amazon: (Kindle Unlimited or $2.99) 

 

Giveaway! 

$20 Amazon Gift Card (International) 

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My Rating - 5 Stars!

Dead Sea is a stunning read by Mia Kerick. The second book in the Story Ballads series, it's easily read as a standalone. 

This is a deep and heavy young adult story. 

Kyle and Lenny are two teens. Total opposites. And both barely holding on; both struggling with who they are. 

Their lives collide and dramatically change forever one day at the beach when Kyle saves Lenny from a riptide. 

The two have nothing in common. Kyle's the popular boy at school, one of the crowd who bullies Lenny. And Lenny's the recluse who never talks at school. Ever. They are two boys who hide, one behind his clothes, the other behind his attitude.

But damn, there are so many layers behind what they show the world. Kyle's mother is toxic and abusive, never appreciating or praising him. Dear lord, the way she talks to him is horrific. 

And poor Lenny. He hides behind his silence at school. He knows he's different and he's completely confused by who he really is. Lenny just doesn't fit in. He struggles to figure out where his desires fit in. His love of wearing costumes and dressing up leaves him confused and embarrassed. So to the world he chooses to try to be invisible. His family issues are complicated as well. 

They are two broken young men whose worlds collide. Two broken young men who end up saving each other. And it's beautiful. 

Despite not knowing one another, Kyle chooses to save Lenny and feels compelled to keep protecting him. 

What follows is a tale of two boys who help each other embrace who they are, encouraging and inspiring each other. Two boys who give each other a reason to live. 

This is a story with family and mother issues galore. There's homophobia, bullying, attempted suicide, and depression. 

As far as favorite quotes, there are way too many to list. The author seriously had me stunned with some of the impressive quotes. Basically, she reminds us to find the people who nurture and support us. She reminds us that life will always throw us obstacles and complications but encourages us to survive our current obstacle and face the future. It's wonderfully poignant. Especially in our current environment. 

Dead Sea is a heavy and powerful coming of age story. Mia Kerick once again gifts her readers with a stellar young adult romance that is complex and multi-layered. I am thrilled to have read about these two young men and their journey. 

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Award-winning gay romance author, wife, and mother of four, Mia Kerick, knows that a satisfying romance novel is riddled with challenges. For true love to prevail, the leading men are going to have to put in some effort. But the HEA is oh, so rewarding. 

From Jane Eyre’s Mr. Rochester to Brokeback Mountain’s Ennis and Jack to Twilight’s Edward, Mia has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature. Her contemporary gay romance focuses on such tropes as coming of age, hurt/comfort, and forbidden love. She firmly believes that sometimes you have to break his heart to save him. In Kerick’s books, the course of true love truly never does run smooth. 

Mia’s books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine. They have won a 2019 IPPY GOLD award for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction, GOLD award for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction, a 2018 YA GOLD MOONBEAM Children’s Book Award, a YA Readers’ Favorite Award, several Gold Rainbow Awards in YA and adult categories, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, a YA Indie Fab Award, a First Place Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, a First Place Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Award, and more. 

Mia cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Author Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6474518.Mia_Kerick

Website: https://miakerickya.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaKerick

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

BookBub Link: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mia-kerick

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Tour Created by YA Bound Book Tours