Lillian Francis - Author: Release Blitz & review - The Tea House by Amanda Meuwissen

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: The Tea House

Author: Amanda Meuwissen

Publisher: Amanda Meuwissen Books

Cover Artist: Amanda Meuwissen

Release Date: October 1, 2021

Genre: Horror Paranormal M/M Romance

Tropes: Secret identity, secret powers, first love

Themes: Starting over

Heat Rating: 4 flames

***Note that this contains graphic blood and violence. Dubious consent could also be called out, since one of them is a monster in disguise, but the couple does end things on a HFN, even really a HEA.

Length: 18 112 words

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Every rose has its thorns.

Blurb

Jaime is looking for sanctuary and a new start after escaping his stepfather. With little money to his name, he doubts he can afford the gorgeous bed and breakfast he stumbles upon, surrounded by tea roses inside and out. Then Logan, the handsome young concierge, surprises Jaime with a ‘pay what you can’ policy, and Jaime is instantly smitten.

Little does Jaime know the Tea House is plagued by rumors of monsters and disappearances and is known by another name.

Hollow House.

My Two Pennies' Worth

This review contains spoilers.

Definitely a Halloween read.

Creepy AF.

Even before things got weird this story was creeping me out.

The romance is kinda sweet even when it isn't.

But the story is dark.

** spoiler alert **

Blood, guts and gore dark. Monster dark. Seriously 'don't get too attached to characters' dark.

Oh and did I mention the tentacle sex. No? Okay, there's tentacle sex.

** end of spoilers**

A quick read. Satisfying if you like horror with your romance.

Excerpt

“What do you do?” Jaime took his first bite of filet and nearly had his eyes roll into the back of his head.

Wow.

“I’m an investigative journalist. Sort of. Trying to be. I work for an online publication focused on the paranormal and unsolved mysteries right now. That’s why I’m here.”

“Here? For what?”

“There’s local rumors about this place being cursed or something and having a run of unexplained disappearances. When it’s not the Tea House, people call it…” Rick glanced around and leaned closer as if sharing a great secret. “Hollow House.”

Jaime would have laughed, but he couldn’t help the chill that trickled down his spine. “Hollow? Why that?”

Rick shrugged. “Like a hollow in a tree, I guess. You know, a bottomless pit that sucks you in and you never leave. Well, some people leave. But there are stories!”

Jaime relaxed. Stories was probably all it was, and it wasn’t hard to imagine where they’d come from with an old building like this and all the mystery around a benefactor. “I’ll let you know if any of the roses start wilting.”

Rick barked a laugh. “Eh, it pays.”

Logan was finishing up serving the family, after taking a few custom orders for milk and some extra bread. At least the family genuinely seemed nice, all thanking Logan affably, even the little girl, who couldn’t have been older than four.

As Logan wheeled the food cart back across the room, Sheila and Gary stopped him to order wine. There must be a limit on glasses the guests could have because Gary tried slipping a twenty into Logan’s pocket with a request for a couple bottles, but Logan politely refused and set the bill on the table.

Rick stopped him to ask for a glass of wine too. “You, Jaime?”

“Oh, um… I like wine, and my mom used to let me have a glass or two on occasion, but I’m not old enough.” He felt like a preteen having to say that even though he was almost twenty and hardly a kid.

“Guess you won’t make an exception in this case either, huh, Mr. Concierge?” Rick grinned Logan’s way.

Logan looked honestly apologetic. “I’m sorry, Jaime, but—”

“It’s fine,” Jaime broke in. A glass of wine would have been nice after the day he’d had, but he didn’t want to get Logan in trouble. “Thanks anyway. Dinner is amazing.”

Logan preened again, and then proceeded to move the cart into the corner of the room near the door before departing, which still had several covered plates on it, as if waiting for other patrons.

“Jaime, huh? He’s never used my first name before,” Rick said with a teasing smirk, and Jaime felt the heat rise in his cheeks. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to try schmoozing for my benefit just coz he likes you. Not that I’m not tempted. I don’t think I’m ever gonna crack him. I keep trying to catch some of the other help instead, but they are seriously ghosts. I’ve never seen a single one.”

“Maybe because they’re all really good at their jobs and like it here,” Jaime offered. It wasn’t hard to tell Logan took great pride in his work. “They don’t want some reporter getting them fired.”

“Fair.” Rick chuckled. “But a haunting or monster story exposé could be good for business. People love that stuff! Why do you think I have a job? Anyway, there’s always at least one unhappy worker. I just need to find them. I was thinking of staying up as late as I can tonight, maybe take a midnight stroll through the halls. Feel like joining me?”

Jaime coughed around his next heavenly bite of filet. He liked Rick. This wasn’t some creep trying to hit on him or get him into trouble, but Rick was definitely a thrill-seeker and maybe a bit of a bad influence. “I don’t think Logan would be too happy about that.”

“You like him too, don’t you?” Rick’s grin turned fond older brother more than pure teasing. “I’m not much of an authority on the subject, but he sure is pretty. You’re, what? Nineteen, twenty? And he can’t be more than twenty-two. Sounds like an even match to me.”

“I’m just passing through,” Jaime said with a bashful chuckle.

Rick caught Jaime’s eye and winked. “Never stopped me. But I guess that means I can’t convince you to potentially piss pretty boy off, huh?”

“Sorry, I’ll pass.”

“Had to try.”

They enjoyed their meal with Rick telling Jaime about some of the stories he’d covered in the past. Mostly potential hauntings, and while he had a few tales of the unexplained happen to him, nothing he’d experienced was concrete evidence of the paranormal.

Logan brought out the drinks and tended to additional needs of the guests, including seconds for the family upon request, which Logan provided from the cart. No matter what Logan was doing, he always passed Jaime a soft smile or flutter of his long pale lashes whenever their eyes met.

About the Author

Amanda Meuwissen is a bisexual author, with a primary focus on M/M romance. As author of the paranormal romance trilogy The Incubus Saga and several other titles with various publishers, Amanda regularly attends local comic conventions for fun and to meet with fans, where she will often be seen in costume as one of her favorite fictional characters. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband, John, and their cat, Helga.