Three people doing their jobs and making decisions that may lead to a conflict between the world’s powers. After all, the US must respond to an attack on its flagship project to build home-grown ‘fabs’, especially as it is linked to the reputation of the President. And People’s Republic cannot possibly ignore unprovoked aggression on its sovereignty…
Jane Sullivan’s appointment as the National Security Adviser is the pinnacle of her career. She knows that access to ‘silicon chips’ is a strategic imperative of vital interests to the nation and decides to do whatever she can to ensure a fully domestic Semiconductor Supply Chain…
Argon Zhi has built a good career with the local semiconductor industry. He has become a successful man and is a member of an elite club of professionals who work behind the scenes to make their island one of the Asia’s ‘Tiger Economies’. When a friend asks, he agrees to craft a plan for ensuring the continued competitiveness of the island’s technology companies. It is the ‘right thing to do’…
Cedric Dyson is a tinkerer and does not care about politics. Instead, he loses himself in his job as a Failure Analyses (FA) engineer who figures out why some chips do not work the way they are supposed to. Then he notices a pattern. Like a crime detective on a murder case, he follows the clues, trusts his intuition, and uncovers a shocking truth…
Everything comes to a head with a murder of a foreign citizen on US soil…
EXCERPT
‘There is a Tide in the Affairs of Men’
William Shakespeare
1-0 + 20 months, Chandler, AZ
Jane knew that this time around she would need to be nothing more than a wallflower. But she did not mind. In fact, she knew that her participation on this junket was something of a reward. In the political language of the capital, the proximity to the president that this trip offered was recognition for the part she’d played in the project. Besides, flying with POTUS on Air Force 1 was always fun. Even Iron Brew was impressed. And since all the attention would be focused on him, she would get to do what she preferred―observe rather than be observed.
Yes, this trip was to be a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the first of her advanced semiconductor factories. POTUS would meet the CEO of Intel, they would shake hands, pose for pictures, probably with one of those silly giant scissors, and then pretend to tour the facility.
Jane was however surprised by the many thousands of man-hours that went into orchestrating the event. The team that represented the hosting company―Matt Nowak, the site manager, and his tech geeks―were highly concerned about the prospect of a tour of the facility. Apparently, this would contaminate the line and once corrupted it would take them weeks to bring it back up to the needed standard. They kept going on about Class-1, whatever that meant, and insisted that the only possible way of supporting a tour was if the party was limited to no more than eight people, and if everyone wore the full ‘bunny suits’ and followed standard procedures. Some amongst the nerd squad thought that even that would be unacceptable.
On the other hand, the Secret Service people went into conniptions at the idea of POTUS wearing a bunny suit. Apparently having POTUS in a disguise that would make him indistinguishable from the rest of the party was unthinkable. It seemed that having him out of sight of the full support team―aides, snipers, eyes and ears, the guy carrying ‘the football’, medics, and all the rest of the normal retinue―was totally against procedures. Not to mention that the level of protection provided by only a couple of agents who would not be allowed to bring in their weapons was entirely unacceptable.
And the White House political spin doctors were concerned about someone snapping inappropriate pictures of the President struggling to get in and out of one of those bunny suits―an awkward procedure that would apparently call for levels of agility that may be beyond the septuagenarian POTUS.
About the Author. . .
Riko Radojcic was born in poor post-war Yugoslavia but enjoyed a very happy and secure early childhood there. When he was twelve his father took a job with the UN World Health Organization and Riko spent his teen years in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, observing the demise of the colonial Raj as well as some harsh Third World realities. He completed high school in Swiss private schools -- a polar opposite of the Third World -- which gave him a peek into the lives of the one-percenters. He then moved to Manchester, UK, where he witnessed the bleak circumstances of the working class in the heart of industrial England.
After working in the UK for several years, Riko immigrated to the US, settling in San Diego. There he enjoyed a rewarding and a very stimulating career in the semiconductor industry, working in a variety of technical, managerial and business development roles. His professional life exposed him not only to the amazing wonders of silicon chip technology, but also gave him an opportunity to travel internationally and to interact with smart and talented people from very diverse backgrounds. After 35 plus years in the world of high tech and engineering management, Riko is now devoting his full energies to writing as he tries to bring to life the magic of technology, the realities of the high-tech industry, and some of his diverse life experiences through storytelling.
Brooke Weatherby is tired of being the dependable one, the boring one of everyone at Sanderling Cove. She agreed to come to the cove for the summer unaware her two cousins, Charlotte “Charlie” Bradford and Olivia “Livy” Winters, would also be there to help manage The Sanderling Cove Inn while her grandparents take a long road trip in Europe. More than anything, she wishes for independence from her role as a sometime caretaker of her mother, so she’s free to find true love.
Unknown to her and her cousins, the five grandmothers at Sanderling Cove have invited their beloved grandchildren to spend as much time as possible this summer at the cove, hoping that romance might flourish among them.
One grandson, Dylan Hendrix, is a well-known artist who decides to take a break from Santa Fe and experiment with different kinds of paintings inspired by the scenic Gulf Coast of Florida. As he and Brooke get to know each other, he encourages her to discover her own artistic talent. Brooke’s world opens to colors and possibilities she never dreamed of as her life begins to change.
Grandmothers can be very determined when it comes to seeing their grandchildren happy. A family saga full of love. Be sure to read all the books in the series – Waves of Hope, Sandy Wishes, Salty Kisses.
Another of Judith Keim’s series books celebrating love and families, strong women meeting challenges, and clean women’s fiction with a touch of romance—beach reads for all ages with a touch of humor, satisfying twists, and happy endings. Be sure to check out her other delightful books and series that readers adore.
Judith Keim, A USA Today Best-Selling Author, is a hybrid author who both has a publisher and self-publishes. Ms. Keim writes heart-warming novels about women who face unexpected challenges, meet them with strength, and find love and happiness along the way, stories with heart. Her best-selling books are based, in part, on many of the places she's lived or visited and on the interesting people she's met, creating believable characters and realistic settings her many loyal readers love.
She enjoyed her childhood and young-adult years in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Boise, Idaho, with her husband and their two domineering dachshunds, Winston and Wally, and other members of her family.
While growing up, she was drawn to the idea of writing stories from a young age. Books were always present, being read, ready to go back to the library, or about to be discovered. All in her family shared information from the books in general conversation, giving them a wealth of knowledge and vivid imaginations.
When she’s not writing, which isn’t that often, she enjoys an evening glass of red wine and her husband’s creative cooking and always loves spending time with family and friends.
Ms. Keim loves to hear from her readers and appreciates their enthusiasm for her stories.
The Devil You Know is a thrill-packed urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with plenty of supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, hot sex, found family, and dark magic and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.
Blurb
Seth and Evan met “on the job” when Evan was the intended sacrifice of a dark coven, and Seth came to the rescue. Now, they’ve teamed up to stop a century of ritual murders and get justice for Seth’s brother Jesse and the other victims.
Seth and Evan have a plan to stop the next witch disciple, plus new allies and magic. But this time, the warlock knows they're coming, and he has plans of his own. When Seth disappears and is trapped in a spell that gives him his heart’s desire, can he free himself in time to help Evan?
And when Evan’s younger brother shows up unexpectedly, can Evan trust Parker to have his back? It all comes down to trusting the devil you know!
The Devil You Know is a thrill-packed urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with plenty of supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, hot sex, found family, and dark magic and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.
Excerpt from The Devil You Know
We just might die tonight, and it won’t even be monsters that kill us.
Seth Tanner hunched low over the handlebars of his black Hayabusa motorcycle and urged the roaring engine to eke out a bit more speed.
Behind him, his partner Evan Malone wrapped his arms tight around Seth’s midsection and tucked his helmet against Seth’s shoulder blades.
The rev of a truck close behind them told Seth their pursuers weren’t ready to give up. Then a shot fired, changing the whole game.
“Fuck,” Seth muttered and wove from one side of the lane to the other, desperate to keep the goons from getting a clear shot.
The gunman fired a second time and a third. Seth’s luck wasn’t going to last forever, and then one of the bullets would hit Evan, the bike, or him. Seth had a good idea who had hired the hitmen, and he doubted they showed up on a dark Ohio road just to send a warning.
A light ahead drew Seth’s attention, and he skidded into the gravel lot of a cinder block roadhouse. Neon beer signs cast a crimson glow that attracted a row of pickups and Harleys. Red paint on white walls proclaimed it to be Charley’s Place.
I’ll take my chances on a bar fight over being shot in the back.
The charcoal Ford truck chasing them never slowed, rumbling past the bar too fast for Seth to get a good look, and then it was gone, swallowed by the night.
He faced the motorcycle toward the road, sheltered between a beat-up green F-150 and a red Silverado with a gun rack in the back window. Seth felt sure that he and Evan would be no more welcome inside than they’d been with the guys who chased them, so when their attackers didn’t return, Seth hit the gas and headed back the way they came.
His heart didn’t stop pounding until he slowed at the entrance to the campground where they had parked their RV. While it wasn’t late, Seth was hyper-aware of the rumble of the motorcycle’s engine, not wanting to draw attention. When they pulled up in front of their site, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Doesn’t look like anyone’s been here,” he said to Evan as he climbed off the bike and secured it. His body still hummed with adrenaline, and Seth scanned the area for danger as Evan followed him to the RV’s door.
Locks and security alarm aside, the fifth-wheeler and black pickup that towed it were also protected by magical wardings, courtesy of friends with supernatural abilities. The protections recognized Seth and Evan but were designed to keep out intruders.
Seth turned on the lights and gasped when he saw the blood on Evan’s jacket and realized his boyfriend was leaning heavily against the wall.
“You’re hit.” Seth helped Evan to sit at the table and went to fetch their medic kit.
About the Author. . .
Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.
On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.
Series include Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail, Kings of the Mountain and Fox Hollow. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!
An epic story of love, loss, friendship, and survival under the most hellish of conditions, Hell Holes: A Slave's Revengeis the award-winning prequel to the Hell Holesseries of alien invasion novels.
After killing his father, alien demons teleport a fifteen-year-old boy, his mother, and his sister to Hell, a desert world in the Demonic Empire. With survival far from certain, they have just two choices: to live as useful slaves or die as demon food. As the boy becomes a man, he must decide just how much he must collaborate with his demon masters to survive. But can he live long enough to take his revenge and regain his freedom without losing his humanity and his very soul?
Winter 2022 Pinnacle Achievement Awards - Winner - Science Fiction Category 2021 Top Shelf Magazine Book Awards - Runner-up - Fiction/Fantasy Subcategory July 2022 BooksShelf.com Book Awards - Finalist - Fiction Category 2021 The Wishing Shelf Book Awards - Finalist - Adult Category ReadFree.ly - 50 Best Indie Books of 2021
The beautiful young photojournalist, Aileen O’Shannon, is not who she seems. For centuries, she has been a demon hunter, a sorceress who has tracked and killed small bands of demons that occasionally crossed into our world. But that changed when she joined Dr. Jack Oswald’s expedition to study one of hundreds of huge holes that mysteriously appeared overnight in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle. Instead of small sporadic incursions, hordes of demons now pour from these hell holes like water from a sieve. With bombing little more than a losing game of whack-a-mole, Earth’s armies are unable to destroy the portals. When Jack suggests a desperate plan, he is drafted to join Aileen and a team of other sorcerers and Army Rangers to travel to the demon homeworld. Once there, they will unleash a plague virus and set off a nuclear bomb to destroy the portal complex. It’s a suicide mission. But Aileen has given Jack’s wife her word to bring him back safely, and the demons have already killed three men under her protection. Just how far will Aileen go to avoid losing another?
When hundreds of huge holes mysteriously appeared overnight in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle, geologist Jack Oswald picked Angele Menendez, his climatologist wife, to determine if the record temperatures due to climate change was the cause. But the holes were not natural. They were unnatural portals for an invading army of demons. Together with Aileen O'Shannon, a 1,700-year-old sorceress demon-hunter, the three survivors of the research team sent to study the holes had only one chance: to flee down the dangerous Dalton Highway towards the relative safety of Fairbanks. However, the advancing horde of devils, imps, hellhounds, and gargoyles will stop at nothing to prevent their prey from escaping. It is a 350-mile race with simple rules. Win and live; lose and die...
It’s August in Alaska, and geology professor Jack Oswald prepares for the new school year. But when hundreds of huge holes mysteriously appear overnight in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle, Jack receives an unexpected phone call. An oil company exec hires Jack to investigate, and he picks his climatologist wife and two of their graduate students as his team. Uncharacteristically, Jack also lets Aileen O’Shannon, a bewitchingly beautiful young photojournalist, talk him into coming along as their photographer. When they arrive in the remote oil town of Deadhorse, the exec and a biologist to protect them from wild animals join the team. Their task: to assess the risk of more holes opening under the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the wells and pipelines that feed it. But they discover a far worse danger lurks below. When it emerges, it threatens to shatter Jack’s unshakable faith in science. And destroy us all…
Donald Firesmith is a multi-award-winning author of speculative fiction including science fiction (alien invasion), fantasy (magical wands), horror, and modern urban paranormal novels and anthologies of short stories.
Prior to retiring to devote himself full-time to his novels, Donald Firesmith earned an international reputation as a distinguished engineer, authoring seven system/software engineering books based on his 40+ years spent developing large, complex software intensive systems.
He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with his wife Becky, his daughter Sera, and varying numbers of dogs and cats.
We all wish to escape to a time where the sky is filled with mystical creatures and magic is more commonly found. Replacing not only reality but logic, what adults claim as nothing more than make believe. Yet many throughout the ages hold onto these myths and legends following traditions first created by the ancients. Embark on an epic adventure enjoying these twelve authors, and poets. See firsthand their imagination exploring the realms of fantasy filled with love, family, discovery of your true self, and a bit of dark humor.
There are various fantastical short stories and poems written by E.L Summers, L.N Frost, Katelyn Young, Ben Pick, Natalie Locke, J.M. Celi, Alvin Fraser, Norbert Góra, Lucas Alan Dietsche, Jenna O’Malley, Kurt Wagner, & Samantha Preston-Morris
What lures us into the realm of fantasy? What makes us leave reality behind for a world created inside our head? Everyone dreams about going on adventures hoping to find things many believe are mere myths while discovering themselves along the way. In this collection of poetry, you may just find yourself lured to a world of dragons, sirens, demons, musicians, ocean adventures, and so much more. Brought to you by an author who tried to bring her own dreams to life.
E.L Summers (Lauren Adele) is native to Baltimore, MD and has been writing for the last ten years. She is a blind author and writes poetry, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. Her debut novel HUNTED: The Immortal’s Kiss cowritten with Luna Nyx Frost is available on Amazon. She hopes to inspire creativity and imagination to others with her writing. She has had several poems featured in Maryland’s Best Emerging Poets 2019 by Z Publishing and Fae Thee Well: An Anthology and Rogues and Rebels: An Anthology both published by Dreampunk Press. Her inspiration comes from nature, the fantasy and paranormal literature, classic musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked and of course, her favorite music ranging from showtunes to punk rock. Emberly also loves reading about magic, mythology, faeries, witches, and dragons.
In this beautifully written debut, Anna Jean Mayhew offers a riveting depiction of Southern life in the throes of segregation and what it will mean for a young girl on her way to adulthood and for the woman who means the world to her.
On a scorching day in August 1954, thirteen-year-old Jubie Watts leaves Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family for a Florida vacation. Crammed into the Packard along with Jubie are her three siblings, her mother, and the family's black maid, Mary Luther. For as long as Jubie can remember, Mary has been there cooking, cleaning, compensating for her father's rages and her mother's benign neglect, and loving Jubie unconditionally.
Bright and curious, Jubie takes note of the anti-integration signs they pass and of the racial tension that builds as they journey further south. But she could never have predicted the shocking turn their trip will take. Now, in the wake of tragedy, Jubie must confront her parents failings and limitations, decide where her own convictions lie, and make the tumultuous leap to independence.
Infused with the intensity of a changing time, here is a story of hope, heartbreak, and the love and courage that can transform us from child to adult, wounded to indomitable.
The Sexy nerd's Review. . .
Within the last few years, I’ve been struggling with reading books—something I thought would never happen to an avid reader. It was getting to the point I was thinking something was wrong with me because books and my life go hand in hand. After speaking with other avid readers, I learned some of them had been experiencing the same thing. I wrote a blog post about our conversations (written from my point of view/[read for yourself] ➡ New Year! New You! New Reads?) to keep them anonymous, but I realized after having spoken with them, it wasn’t just me. I have been struggling to find real substance in the books I had been selecting. And as a result, I began hating to read. It seemed like every book I started, I struggled to finish and when I did, I just felt like I was wasting all my time on nothing. Why am I sharing this with you? Well…simply because you may be feeling this way too, but I’m happy to say, this book I’m about to tell you about has changed the game for me.
I love a good southern-themed story and 13-year old Jubie narrates such a story that will most likely live with me for the rest of my life. Jubie comes from middle-class white America where the neighborhoods are picket fences and manicured lawns. Black men and women were employed by families like Jubie’s to work as maids and yard men. The year was 1954 and segregation was all too familiar and ever present and Jubie was curious about life and especially their black maid, Mary.
Mary had been working with Jubie’s family for quite some time and they were preparing to take a southern road trip to Florida. Knowing how dangerous the south could be for Mary, Paula, Jubie’s mother, needed Mary’s help and was willing to take the risk of driving with her. Of course, Mary had to sit in the back just in case they got stopped. As they traveled, it was clear that they were going to have problems with Mary sleeping in motels of which she often had to sleep out back and use the outhouses versus the bathrooms. Jubie wanted the world to love Mary just as she had. What struck Jubie as interesting was the fact that Mary wasn’t ignorant and used proper grammar and was smart—something some whites referred to as her being ‘uppity.’ Mary wasn’t permitted to show her intelligence, except around her employers and their children. And even at those times, Jubie’s father didn’t like Mary making him look bad.
On their way, Paula stopped to visit with her brother. Everyone was out enjoying the beach and having a good time, but Mary wasn’t permitted to go to the beach. There were certain times of the day when she was permitted to be seen, and if she was noticed, she quickly had to mind her manners and promptly get back in place. Once the family left Paula’s brother’s home, is when things took an ugly turn. As they drove, they had a car accident and that, readers, is where our story exits stage left.
Wow!!!! I loved this story so much! I could feel what each character was feeling. Mayhew put the reader front and center. I haven’t felt this alive with reading a good book in so long, I almost forgot what that feeling was like. I wish I had saved this story to read for Black History Month, but as good as this story was, it doesn’t matter when you read it. What an incredible story told so eloquently by 13-year-old, Jubie. There were so many times I wanted to reach in my Kindle and give her a hug. She felt so real to me and her feelings were heart wrenching.
The Sexy Nerd gives The Dry Grass of August five extra hot days. This book was so good, it’s going on my all-time favs. list. I absolutely loved the realness and essence of each of the characters and the storyline. I see why this novel won so many awards. It deserved every one of them. I most definitely recommend if you're looking for a great southern-themed story or African-American-themed story, you've got to read this book! You can find it free on Amazon under Kindle Unlimited, if you're a member. If not, this would be a great time to join and subscribe. I can’t believe this book came out in 2011. And my biggest takeaway is the more that things change, the more they stay the same. There are some things in the story that resonate today and it’s 2023. Hard to believe. Mayhew restored my faith in reading. I owe her a big “thank you!” Until next time, Nerds, you know what to do.
Separating truth from lies is impossible in the game of spies…especially the lies you tell yourself.
A prison break.
Adrenaline junkie and explosives specialist Kinsley “Switch” Morales had a chip on her shoulder long before being caught in what she suspects is some sort of intergalactic human-trafficking ring. Aliens not only exist, their reptilian bodies are stronger, their honed reflexes faster, and their shiny scales nearly impenetrable. But nothing will curb Kinsley’s resolve to commandeer their spaceship and return home to Earth—even if that means crawling behind enemy lines and cozying up to their uncompromising captain.
An undercover mission.
When Raveno Hoviir catches Kinsley outside her cell, wreaking havoc in his control room, he sees more than just her strength, resolve, and courage. He sees a golden opportunity to finally root out the traitor under his command and prove his brother’s loyalty before the coming revolution. After so many years undercover, Raveno is finally one mission away from saving his planet from its tyrannical ruler. He’s sacrificed everything to protect his people—his love life, his anonymity, his left leg—but in his efforts to right his father’s wrongs, has he inadvertently become the very monster he plans to overthrow?
An unlikely alliance.
As Kinsley and Raveno each attempt to exploit the other, they find more than just leverage for their separate missions. Inexplicably, they find common ground in their mutual devotion to family and service. Kinsley knows all too well the grief and guilt of making the wrong decision in the field, but will Raveno keep his word to send her home if she flips loyalties? Is Raveno’s softening heart compromising his judgment, or is Kinsley’s intelligence accurate? Separating truth from lies is impossible in the game of spies. Seeing beyond their surface differences and trusting in love again may be the only way to save both their people—and each other
An intolerable order. A desperate charade. A deadly secret...
Before Commander Torek Renaar can return to active duty, he’s ordered to purchase an animal companion to help relieve his PTSD symptoms. But having been a caretaker for and lost a loved one, keeping even one little human alive is a challenge he feels doomed to fail. It doesn’t help that his animal companion is the newest, most exotic breed on the market, demanding constant attention, daily grooming, and delicate handling. If she doesn’t die first in his incompetent care, she’ll be the death of him.
After witnessing the murder of her domestication specialist, Delaney McCormick allows her new owner to treat her like the pet he believes her to be. If anyone suspects she’s more intelligent than a golden retriever, her murder would be next. She endures the humiliation of being washed, the tediousness of being trained to “sit” and “come”, and the intrigue of hearing private conversations. But in Torek’s care, she finds something unexpected on this Antarctic planet, something she never had in all her years on Earth while house-hopping between foster families: a home.
As companionship grows to love, must Delaney continue the charade, acting like an animal and hiding from the murderer waiting for her misstep? Or can she trust Torek with her secrets, even if the truth threatens everything he holds dear—and both their lives?
Melody Johnson is the award-winning author of the “out of this world” Love Beyond series and the gritty, paranormal romance Night Blood series published by Kensington Publishing/ Lyrical Press. She graduated magna cum laude from Lycoming College with her B.A. in creative writing and psychology.
Earning the 2021 Maggie Award of Excellence, Beyond the Next Star (Love Beyond, book 1) is an exciting branch from Melody's paranormal romance roots, keeping the dark grit from her Night Blood Series and taking it to new worlds. Her first published novel, The City Beneath (Night Blood, book 1), was a finalist in the “Cleveland Rocks” and “Fool For Love” contests.
When she isn’t writing, Melody enjoys swimming, hiking, reading, and exploring her new home in southeast Georgia. Stay in touch with Melody on social media or her website: authormelodyjohnson.com
Trust didn’t always go both ways, and Grady Donehue learned that the hard way. He hadn’t learned better after the first betrayal, but he wasn’t going to make the same mistake a third time. Striking up a strange friendship with the equally strange—and straight—soldier, Lake, who had sunshine in his eyes? Grady could do that. He could even handle helping Lake figure out he might not be so straight after all, in a very hands-on way. But falling in love? No, thanks.
Lake McKenna has spent his whole life absolutely confident in who he is and what he wants. Even when the picture-perfect future he’d always envisioned seemed further away than ever, none of his plans included another man. But the more time Lake spends with his new friend: grumpy and sneaky-sexy detective, Grady, the more he thinks that maybe what he really needs is something different to what he always imagined.
Neither man was prepared for the other, but Lake is nothing if not flexible. Doubt isn’t part of his make-up. He knows how much more incredible they could be together; if only Grady could see it too. Grady has to decide if Lake is worth risking his heart again, and whether he’s brave enough to see if it really is third time lucky.
Third Time Lucky is an 80,000-word MM romance. It is a bi-awakening, friends to lovers romance with low angst and high feels. It is set in the Chain Reaction universe but can be read as a standalone.
Excerpt
“Is there a reason you don’t like your house?” Grady asked.
It was a fair question, since they hadn’t spent a lot of time in the last few months at Lake’s, even though they’d spent so many evenings together.
Lake didn’t answer at first, staring out at the dozens of people milling about like ants with a purpose. “It’s empty,” he said quietly. “I bought it when my grandpa died about ten years ago, from my half of the inheritance. There was a lot of space for a family, and a pool, and a big yard for a dog. I fixed it up using money I got from a really long deployment.” He stared down at his hands. “I guess I thought it would be filled by now.” He couldn’t quite smother the feeling of failure when he thought about all the personal accomplishments that he hadn’t ticked off yet. As though his life were nothing more than a checklist that he had to work his way down. He knew that wasn’t right, but it slithered in there, anyway.
“It’s okay to not have found the person you want to make a family with yet,” Grady said softly. “Sometimes it takes longer than we’d like, but when it’s right, you’ll know.”
“I would never have pegged you for such a romantic.”
“Don’t tell anyone. And stop trying to dodge.”
Lake sighed. He knew, logically, that Grady was right. And he had dated a few people over those years that he’d thought maybe, but nothing had ever panned out. “It just feels big when I’m there by myself. Even with the TV on the silence gets to me. I like your house.” He shrugged. “It’s small, and cosy, and it has you in it.” He didn’t know if that admission was allowed, or what it even meant, when it felt like so much more than he could find the words for.
“Lake…”
“I know we haven’t known each other long, but friendships are like that sometimes, aren’t they? I like being around you.”
Grady didn’t respond and Lake awkwardly fiddled with the beaded and leather bracelets around his wrist.
“Do you have food at your house?” Grady asked, eventually. That hadn’t been what Lake had expected him to say. He’d been bracing himself for rejection. Lake had gotten too clingy, wanted to spend too much time with him, and it was time to part ways. Lake would have understood. He knew that he was a lot to handle and sometimes he figured the only reason Felix and Zach had stuck around so long was that they’d had so long to get used to it.
“I guess it depends on what you mean by food?” Lake replied. “Why?”
“Because I like your house, Lake,” Grady said patiently. “And you shouldn’t have to feel like you can’t be there.”
“I—what? You like my house?”
“Well, yeah. It’s big, and it’s inviting, and it has you in it.” He paused and then turned to Lake with a grin that had Lake’s mouth going dry. “And it has more than one bed. Just in case.”
“All of my spare beds are being fumigated,” Lake said, hoping he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt. He didn’t give a fuck if it was weird; he liked waking up next to Grady, liked how big Grady was and how much space he took up on the mattress, the heat that radiated off him in waves. There was no mistaking he wasn’t alone when Grady was with him.
About the Author . . .
Aurora Crane is an Australian author with a particular love for books featuring poly relationships. You can always find a healthy serving of banter, snark and heat in her books, along with impossible men falling in love, even if sometimes it takes them a little while to get there! She has an appreciation for men in suits and frequently spreads that love in the Facebook group she shares with her muse, fellow Aussie, and co-writer Briar Kearney. When not in the writing cave—a rarity to see this author out of her natural habitat—she can be found playing video games, building Lego sets, or hanging out with her fiancé and their menagerie of animals.