Release Blitz - Winnie Takes Paris by Lane Hayes

RELEASE TOUR - Winnie Takes Paris by Lane Hayes

The fabulous stylist, the absentminded professor, and a Parisian adventure…

Length: 54,000 words
Series: Love and Travel, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary
Tropes: Age-Gap, Opposites Attract, Humor, RomCom, Travel Romance.
Heat: 5 out of 5

Winnie

Hey, I don’t regret taking an oddball assignment to assist a British professor abroad. I could use a break from my life as an aspiring hair and style guru in LA. The only worrisome snag is that the professor is determined to do everything on his own.

Not acceptable. I’m here to help the impossibly smart geek with mismatched socks who just happens to be my best friend’s boss.

Alistair

Paris calls. And somehow, I have a new temporary assistant. 

Winnie is a technicolor, whirlwind American with a wicked laugh and the subtlety of a steamroller. He’s brash and ridiculous and…funny, warm, lovely, and—

Oh no. 

Winnie can take Paris, but he can’t take my heart.

Winnie Takes Paris is an MM romantic comedy featuring a fabulous diva, a nerdy professor, and the Parisian adventure of a lifetime!

EXCERPT:

“To Paris!” 

I tapped my cup to his flute awkwardly. “To Paris.”

Winnie watched me cautiously. “Did I get your tea right? Raine said you like a smidge of milk and sugar.”

“Uh, yes…brilliant. Thank you.”

He grinned. “You’re welcome. What should we do now?”

“Wait for the train,” I replied evenly.

Winnie threw his head back and laughed, drawing a few curious glances our way. The lounge wasn’t exactly a library, but there was an unspoken acknowledgment that this was a quiet zone. 

“Got that. I meant, what about work? I’m your assistant. If you need me to do anything, just say the word and I’m there.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your diligence, but there’s no need. Enjoy your champagne,” I said in a tone that clearly marked the end of the conversation. 

Winnie didn’t take the hint. “Do you like champagne?”

“No, I don’t.”

He flattened his hand over his heart. “Why not? Champagne is the elixir of the gods, sunshine in a flute, bubbles for the soul.”

I shrugged. “I’m afraid I don’t care for bubbles at all. I don’t want to drink them, anyway.”

“Mm, you’re missing out. I would bathe in champagne bubbles if I could.” He hummed indulgently. 

“That sounds…sticky.”

Winnie’s lips twitched. “You’re right. It also sounds like a waste of a good thing, and I wouldn’t sacrifice a single sip of this stuff.” 

I wasn’t sure how to respond or if I was supposed to, but this was probably a good time to remind Winnie that I didn’t need him to entertain me or vice versa. Or perhaps this was an opportunity to ask him a few questions and be done with prerequisite niceties. 

What sort of questions, though? I had no clue. This was the sort of thing Raine usually handled for me. 

I set my cup on the side table, pulled my cell from my pocket, and typed, Questions for a new acquaintance.

Google suggested the following: Number one, ask personal information—likes, dislikes, favorite color, hobbies. Not a chance. In my admittedly limited experience, that line of inquiry invited reciprocity, and there was no point in pretending we shared any common interests. 

Number two, comment on something pleasant, such as the weather. I glanced out the rain-streaked window and quickly abandoned that suggestion. Too dire. 

Number three, pay a compliment. That seemed like a safe option. Winnie was very…winsome. He had beautiful olive skin, perfectly coiffed hair, a flair for fashion, and—

“You have lovely eyes,” I blurted. 

Winnie froze midsip, quirking his head as he slowly lowered his glass. “Are you flirting with me, Professor?” 

“I—no! No, I…no,” I sputtered, wrinkling my nose, licking my lips, and blinking in rapid succession. “That was a statement, not a flirtation. I don’t do flirtations, so you’re quite safe there.”

“Am I?” 

He was teasing. The spark in his eyes held pure mischief, but I didn’t know the rules of engagement at all. Was I supposed to say something clever in return? Possibly, probably. Witty banter wasn’t my strong suit, so I went with the truth instead.

“I couldn’t help noticing that you’re wearing makeup and…you look quite smart.”

His megawatt grin hit me like a bolt of lightning. “I do? How so? I’ve never been told my application of Chanel Stylo Yeux in espresso gave collegiate vibes.”

“Uh, no. I didn’t mean smart in that sense. That is to say, I’m sure you’re very intelligent, but I meant that you look…nice.” 

His smile didn’t waver. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.” Well done, old chap. Now, leave it alone. Unfortunately, I couldn’t shut my gob. This was bad…very bad. “Ancient Egyptian men wore cosmetics, and depending on their rank and social class, they wore a lot of it. The kohl liner they used had practical purposes, too. It shielded one from the sun’s rays and repelled insects. They used animal fats and oils to create moisturizers, shampoos, and even to prevent baldness. Interesting, isn’t it? They’d rub fat from a snake or a—”

“Okay.” Winnie held his hand up. “That’s a lot of information.”

“That’s hardly the tip of the iceberg,” I assured him. 

“I bet.” He gestured to the corner of his eye. “I made a last-minute trip to Sephora for this stuff. Much easier than wrangling a snake.”

“Sephora, derived from the Greek sephos, or beauty.” 

Oh, bloody blooming bollocks. What is wrong with me?

About the Author:

Lane Hayes  lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesn’t mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, who’s pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write.

She’s been telling stories about sexy, funny, sometimes geeky and quirky men who find love for a dozen years now and loving every minute. In her previous life, she sat at a desk and dealt with numbers, so yes…romance is much more satisfying!

Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolate…in any order. Add a book and she’s set!

AUTHOR LINKS

My Readers’ Group, Lane’s Lovers: https://bit.ly/3aIbMYg
My Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3cICfaK
Website: www.lane-hayes.com
Twitter: twitter.com/LaneHayes3
FB: facebook.com/LaneHayesAuthor
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/lanehayes
BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/lane-hayes
Instagram: instagram.com/lanehayesauthor/
Goodreads: goodreads.com/LaneHayes
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@lane_hayes

Release Blitz with Review - The Unquiet House by Ellie Thomas

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: The Unquiet House (Regency Paranormal, Book 2)

Author: Ellie Thomas

Publisher: JMS Books

Cover Artist: in-house with publisher

Release Date: October 26, 2024

Tense/POV: Third person, past tense, single POV

Genres: MM Historical Paranormal

Tropes: Hurt/Comfort, Opposites Attract, Friends to Lovers

Themes: Haunting, ghosts, romantic suspense, peril

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 17 520 words

It is not a standalone story.

It is book 2 in my Regency Paranormal series. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

 

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

In Regency England, Sam and Christian come across a ghostly disturbance at a country house.

Can their combined skills resolve the problem before someone, including themselves, gets seriously hurt?

  Blurb After barely surviving their terrifying encounter with the spectre of the hooded monk during the previous autumn, Christian Maxwell and Sam Gillespie have consolidated their romantic relationship and are starting to gain a reputation for dealing with the unknown. For this reason, they receive an invitation to Haverford House in Wiltshire during the spring of 1817. The owners of the historic haunted manor house, Mr. and Mrs. Huxley, are being afflicted by a series of inexplicable incidents. With his sensitivity to atmosphere, Christian is immediately alerted to danger. Yet, despite their best efforts, neither he nor Sam can discern the cause, although their search brings them closer as a couple and as a team. As sinister events develop, can our devoted duo unmask the culprit without putting themselves in danger?  

 

My Two Pennies' Worth 

This is a review for both books in the series so far. I say so far because I'm really hoping for more.

It's a perfect pair of novellas for those long dark nights. Creepy and menacing in all the right places but balanced by a sweet romance between our two amateur paranormal investigators.                   

In the first book, The Monk's Lair, they stumble upon the paranormal mystery. However by the time of the second book their reputation has grown and they are actively invited to investigate. The author manages to pack a punch despite the story length, with a rollicking good mystery and some lovely character/relationship development. I loved how Sam supported Christian when his low self-esteem got the better of him.

Highly Recommended

Excerpt

Christian regarded the stolid group of middle-aged people surrounding Sam, the second vicar, with a darker shade to his complexion from the Caribbean sun. Sam had already struck up an animated conversation with the colonel’s lady. His face, shaded by candlelight into fascinating planes and hollows, was alight with interest. Christian was so distracted that he lost the thread of Mrs. Huxley’s discourse.

“You’ve met my husband, of course.” Christian dragged his attention away from Sam to regard his host. “And near to him is Ernest Bell, a distant relative of mine. It’s very good of him to support us in our endeavours since our son Gordon returned to university after the Christmas vacation. Of course, Ernest’s very fond of the place. He was a regular visitor in my Cousin Grenville’s day.”

Christian placed Mr. Bell in his early thirties, somewhat younger than the Huxleys. There was little or no family resemblance to the fair and even-featured Mrs. Huxley. The man was dark haired and had a strong craggy face. He seemed completely at ease, conversing easily as though taking his cue from his hosts.

As the meal commenced, Mrs. Huxley was monopolised by the gentleman on her other side, allowing Christian to absorb the surrounding ambience. The candlelight flattered the diners and the ready supply of wine increased the merry flow of conversation.

The food is excellent, Christian thought, nibbling on a chicken leg. The dishes were removed by a small number of well-trained staff. The Huxleys clearly hadn’t stinted on the domestic sphere of their enterprise.

“Have you come far?”

A gruff male voice broke into Christian’s preoccupations.

“Not at all. Only the other side of the county,” he replied.

“We hail from Suffolk.”

Unprompted, the gentleman leaned over the lady sitting between them and launched into a treatise on the historic sights of that region. Thankfully, he required little in the way of a response. Without having to pay much attention, Christian simply interjected the occasional, “Oh really? How interesting.”

In such congenial surroundings, Christian almost forgot that he and Sam weren’t invited to enjoy the convivial atmosphere.

When the hair rose on the back of Christian’s neck, at first, he assumed it was due to a stray draught, understandable in such an ancient and large space. Rather than easing, the sensation intensified and Christian felt his shoulders tense, as if braced for attack.

He felt a sudden burst of malice like a silent cackle of mocking laughter.

Again, he couldn’t place the source of ill-intent until a footman leaned between Christian and Mrs. Huxley to place a covered salver on the table.

As the servant reached across to lift the lid, Christian hissed, “Don’t!”

His voice was low, but his urgency transmitted to his hostess and the footman, who hesitated in mid-action.

Mrs. Huxley threw a startled glance towards Christian. However, her voice was calm as she said, “Take it away, please, Simon.”

The young server obeyed without question. Mrs. Huxley murmured, “Excuse me.” She accompanied the footman from the room without attracting any attention.

Christian’s collar felt constricting and the candlelight too bright for his strained nerves. He took a sip of wine to steady himself before he glanced around the table.

There was no discernible change in the level of chatter and general merriment. Christian attempted to focus in vain. He could no longer sense the slightest whiff of the ill-feeling that had vanished like a puff of smoke in a strong breeze.

He jumped at the light touch on his shoulder.

“May I borrow you for a moment?” Mrs. Huxley asked.

Christian turned to see that his hostess was pale, her eyes wide with alarm.

“Yes, of course.”

He rose to follow her, unnoticed except by Mr. Huxley, briefly hesitating in mid-comment, and Sam, who quickly looked up before resuming his discourse.

Christian followed the lady into the service region of the house. In a pantry, the silver salver sat alone on a shelf, guarded by the footman.

“I thought you ought to see this for yourself.”

Mrs. Huxley nodded to the footman, who lifted the lid without ceremony. Instead of the expected delicacy, on the gleaming silver platter lay a dead rat with a candied cherry in its mouth.

 

About the Author

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea. She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader, especially about anything historical. She mainly writes historical gay romance.

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

 

Author Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Facebook Group

Twitter | Newsletter Sign-up | Bluesky

Goodreads | Bookbub

 

   

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Audiobook Tour - Persistence of Memory by J.M. Snyder

AUDIOBOOK TOUR

Book Title: Persistence of Memory

Author: J.M. Snyder

Publisher: JMS Books LLC

Narrator: Nick Johnson

Release Date: September 25, 2024

Tense/POV: first person, present tense, single.

Genres: MM Dystopian Romance

Tropes: amnesia 

Themes: love despite everything

Heat Rating: 1 flame      

Length:  2 hours and 28 minutes

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

Goodreads

Buy Links

Audible US   |  Audible UK 

Amazon US  |   Amazon UK 

Blurb 

Five years ago Joah was culled—kidnapped by the government to be trained as a soldier. In the process, they erased his memory, destroying his past, his dreams, everything but his name. Armed with that alone, Joah escapes from the facility in search of someone to help him recall the man he used to be.

That person is Tobin, Joah’s husband, who never gave up hope of finding him again. He refuses to believe that the strength of his love alone won’t be enough to bring back Joah’s memories of their shared lives, and he’s determined to bring back the man beneath the soldier, the man he knows has to love him.

But an alarm in the chip blocking Joah’s memories was triggered at his escape, and if it isn’t removed soon, it will shriek his life away. Removing it won’t bring back his past, and may destroy the present that Tobin has tried so hard to build between them. How can the love they once shared possibly survive?

About the Author  

J.M. Snyder is a multi-published author of gay erotic romance who started writing fanfic (specifically, boyband slash). She has worked with several different e-publishers, including Amber Allure Press and Torquere Press, and had short stories published in anthologies by Alyson Books, Cleis Press, eXcessica, and Lethe Press.

In 2010, she started JMS Books LLC to promote and publish her own work as well as that of other authors she enjoys.

Author/Social Media Links

Audible Profile  |  Blog/Website  |  Facebook 

Twitter  |   Newsletter Sign-up

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