Release Tour: Stolen Dream, by Oliver Takely

 

RELEASE TOUR: Stolen Dream by Oliver Takely

Forbidden love reignites; stolen dreams lead to second chances.

Length: 60,000 words

Series: Soho Knights Book 3

Prior Reading: Recommended but not essential

Genre: Contemporary

Tropes: Second Chance, First Love, Demisexual Rep, Found Family, Forbidden Love

Trigger/Content Warnings: The MCs meet in a conversion therapy camp. Some elements of mental abuse are depicted on the page, and the physical abuse is discussed.

At just eighteen, Paolo and Max meet at a conversion therapy camp. Abandoned by their families. left to endure literal hell on earth, their love is forbidden. Their secret romance grows and as they make plans to escape, they are brutally torn apart.

They both spend the next twelve years building lives in different worlds. Paolo in the vibrant heart of Soho, London, surrounded by his found family, and Max thriving as a successful criminal lawyer in the bustling streets of New York. Both of them believing they’ve lost the love of their life forever.

Max finds himself in London after defending a mobster, which leads to an offer he literally can’t refuse. Needing thinking time before his fate is sealed, he unexpectedly crosses paths with Paolo again. The spark between them reignites, yet their reunion is fraught with challenges, and even the magical backdrop of the holidays may not be enough for them to get their second chance at love. With Paolo's sister at risk of suffering the same fate they endured, the stakes are even higher.Stolen Dream is a tale of resilience, forbidden love, and the fight for a future that embraces who they truly are. Will they save Paolo's sister in time, and can they find a way to be together, against all odds? Join them on this emotional journey of hope and redemption, where stolen dreams may just lead to a love worth fighting for..

AVAILABLE NOW

KC greeted Paolo with a big hug when he arrived. She was such a wonderful woman, who had been through more than all his brothers put together. The bravery it took for her to transition in the nineties had Paolo in awe of her.

“What are you doing here on a Saturday?”

“I’m meeting an . . . an old friend.”

“Old boyfriend?” She smiled.

Paolo felt his face heating. She leant forward and whispered to him.

“Well, if it’s the guy who just walked in who looks like he wants to eat you, then I think I’ve got my answer.”

Paolo spun around and there was Max. He hadn’t gotten a proper look last night with the shock. Max had always had a broad build, but now he was built like a rugby player, with wide shoulders and a tapered waist. His hazel eyes were as captivating as they had been twelve years ago. Max smiled at him, showing those perfect dimples in his pinchable cheeks. He was clean-shaven, unlike Paolo who’d had a short beard for the last five years. His face was too babyish when he was clean-shaven.

“Can I give you a hug?” asked Max.

Paolo was too choked up, so he just nodded, and Max wrapped his big, muscular arms around him. They were the same height, but even though Paolo had packed on the muscle over the last few years, Max almost smothered him – albeit in a good way. He was wearing a citrusy aftershave, and he could happily stay like this in Max’s arms forever.

When the hug was bordering on being far too long for a public setting, they pulled apart and both smiled. Paolo gestured to a nearby table he’d claimed when he arrived. He made eye contact with KC, who gave him a warm smile and touched her heart. Paolo rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

“Thank you for seeing me,” said Max.

Was he nervous? This wasn’t how he remembered him. Max had been the strong one when they’d been in the camp. It wasn’t just Paolo who looked up to him; it was everyone. Paolo wasn’t sure what to say. He felt tongue tied, so he grabbed a menu, passing one to Max. He knew the menu by heart, but Max didn’t need to know that.

“Did you want to get something to eat?” asked Paolo. That was a safe conversation starter.

“I am always hungry.”

He smiled, and then a dark shadow appeared in his eyes. It was clear a memory had hit him. One they shared. Paolo needed to get things back on track. Today was not a day to go down memory lane.

https://geni.us/stolendream-tour

Oliver Takely is a passionate MM romance author who revels in dark, edgy stories featuring complex, flawed characters. With years of writing experience and a creative day job, Oliver Takely is also an avid reader of MM romance, consuming 300 books in 2023. His favourite trope is enemies to lovers, but is also a sucker for a feel-good Christmas romance.

Originally from the north, Oliver now resides in the south of England with his husband and their beloved fur baby, who is treated like a princess, living their own happily-ever-after straight out of a romance novel. When not writing or reading, he enjoys holidays and indulging in lots of good food, because who doesn’t love a delicious combination?

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563482888445

https://www.instagram.com/olivertakelyauthor/

https://olivertakely.com/

https://olivertakely.com/knights-corner (newsletter)

Release Tour: Starts with a Bang by Aimee Nicole Walker

Starts With A Bang by Aimee Nicole Walker

Length: 55,000 words

Series: standalone (in the Redemption Ridge universe)

Prior Reading: not required

Genre: contemporary

Tropes: Best friend's brother, hurt/comfort, opposites attract, grumpy sunshine, fake dating 

Trigger/Content Warnings: n/a

https://getbook.at/BangTour

The best way to get over a cheating jerk is to get under someone new.

The best way to get over a cheating jerk is to get under someone new.

Dominic isn’t looking for love or salvation at the Thirsty Cowboy. He needs a temporary escape from the drudgery his life has become, and the universe provides him with the sexiest distraction he’s ever seen. Sven is a sucker for sad eyes, thick thighs, and a Royal Cosmopolitan. He scores the trifecta of trouble when a broody hunk buys him a drink. Sparks fly, passions flare, and a simple kiss becomes a four-alarm blaze until an untimely interruption douses the men with an icy reality, pitting loyalty against lust.

They shouldn’t... They couldn’t… Spoiler alert: they do!

It was supposed to be one and done but memories of their shared encounter won’t let go. A single text triggers two years of conversations, healing, and an endearing friendship that could blossom into something precious if Dom and Sven were brave enough to take a chance.

An unexpected invitation could provide the nudge their scarred hearts need. Exploring their reignited passion for two weeks in Vail would be a heavenly hideaway if not for a hellish houseguest’s resolve to cause trouble. Family rifts and uncomfortable confrontations abound, and embracing a future with Sven means Dom must face his past. Is their love strong enough to withstand the fire, or will they go down in flames?

Starts With a Bang is a standalone novel within the Redemption Ridge universe. It contains mature content and is intended for adults.

AVAILABLE NOW

Reaching into my pocket, I removed my key fob and unlocked the vehicle. The headlights flashed on, but instead of going to the driver’s door, I detoured around to the passenger side. I turned to face Stevie. No. Not Stevie. Sven. Maybe if I repeated it often enough, I could forget he was Kerry’s little brother. Sven had stopped several feet away, and my headlights illuminated his perfect body. I hadn’t been able to get him out of my mind all night. Other guys had flirted with me, but they weren’t him. Sven.

What I was about to do was wrong, but I could worry about it later. I grabbed the handle on the minivan’s rear door and slid it open. Sven was right. We were consenting adults and didn’t need Kerry’s permission. What had he meant about Sven not learning his lesson from past mistakes? It was on the tip of my tongue to ask, but I noticed Sven hadn’t budged from his spot. I forced my gaze up to his face and registered his hesitant expression.

“Why a minivan?” Sven asked. 

I saw our interaction in a new light and admired Sven’s self-preservation. I was a virtual stranger who wanted to lure him into the back of my sketchy vehicle in a dark parking lot. “It’s convenient for my work.” 

Sven took a few tentative steps closer. “So, no car seats or soccer ball hazards I need to be concerned about?” 

“No kids,” I said. 

“Good to know.” Sven edged a little closer. “What about tarps, duct tape, and rope?”

I laughed for what seemed like the first time in months. “I’m not a serial killer either.” 

“Phew.” Sven strode forward until he reached the open door. He squinted his cobalt-blue eyes and scrutinized the minivan’s dark interior. “No lights?”

“I disabled them.” Realizing how bad that sounded, I added, “I’m a private detective.” I gestured to the white van. “It’s nondescript, fits in everywhere, and lets me blend in during surveillance. Dome lights will make me stand out like a sore thumb during nighttime stakeouts.”

Sven pursed his lips and nodded. “Makes sense.” He reached inside the van and rested his hand on a captain’s chair. “How far back do these seats recline?” 

“Climb on in and let’s find out.” 

“Said the spider to the fly.” And Sven walked into my web.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE! Did I mention that I absolutely loved this book? Dom and Sven are wonderful together, and I loved the way they came together and everything after. The stuff they had to deal with no couple should, but it makes them stronger in the end. Brilliant writing, wonderful story, amazing characters...it is the perfect combination for a story you don't want to put down. 5 stars.

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she makes a living by telling stories to others. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and grandma are just a few. Love inspires everything she does, podcasts keep her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.

https://linktr.ee/AimeeNicoleWalker

Audio Blitz: Paper Roses by Lily Morton

 

Length: 9 HOURS (APPROX)

Series: Confetti Hitched, book 3

Prior Reading: Prior reading NOT required 

Genre: contemporary

Tropes: Fake marriage, Boss and assistant, Workplace romance, Forced proximity, Only one bed

Trigger/Content Warnings: Reference to spouse’s death. The death was 10 years before this story and is off page, but the grief is discussed.

 

Jed Walker is starting to think that cheerful oblivion about his feelings is the key to being fake married.

 

Jed Walker thinks he’s having a midlife crisis. The only trouble is that it feels too good to stop. 

Widowed at a young age, he’s spent his life since then avoiding any relationships that might end up hurting him again. He has his successful wedding planning business, Confetti Hitched, and a series of uncomplicated hookups, and that’s all he needs in life. 

The one person disrupting this controlled stoicism is his younger assistant, Artie. He’s sweet and kind and has a funny way of calming Jed’s mind. So, when Artie comes to him with a problem, Jed moves heaven and earth to help, which is how he finds himself entering a fake marriage with the younger man and catching feelings. Too bad it’s all pretend. Or is it? 

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a story about how love can completely derail the best-laid plans. 

This is the third book in the Confetti Hitched series, but it can be read as a standalone. 

AVAILABLE NOW  

https://geni.us/PaperRoses

I have been in a reading funk lately, and part of that is because I feel like I have so much going on. So when I received the audiobook of Paper Roses, I had to take a deep breath. Lily Morton has never let me down, but like I said, I've been in a funk. This book was so good.

STORY: 5 Stars
Grumpy boss meets an employee who doesn't exactly cower. There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book. It pulled you in immediately, but more than that, you can see the story and the characters developing and growing, and I had a hard time putting it down when I needed to.

NARRATION: 5 Stars
If you've read my audiobook reviews before, you know I love how Joel Leslie brings the characters he is reading for to live. Each personality comes through and the voices are different and distinct. This book was no different. You need to listen to this because the book will come alive for you.

OVERALL: 5 STARS
Brilliant story, characters, and narration. It's a must read/listen. 5 Stars.

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle. 

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family. 

Website: www.lilymortonauthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlilymorton

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Threads: https://www.threads.net/@lilymortonauthor

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LilyMorton-Newsletter

 

Release Blitz: Love on the Edge by Sara McClaflin

LOVE ON THE EDGE

Sara McClaflin

Release Date: March 2

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

Welcome to the Sexy as Sin series, where badass female athletes don't mind working up a good sweat on or off the field.

Valeria Blaze

The Olympics aren’t just my dream—they’re my obsession. Every jump, every spin, every sacrifice has been for one goal: gold. I don’t drink. I don’t date. And I sure as hell don’t make reckless decisions.

Until him.

Running into Ethan Crosse—the rink’s rugged, maddeningly handsome new maintenance man—wasn’t part of the plan. He’s gruff, complicated, and far too good at making me forget the walls I’ve built to protect myself. One impulsive night should have been enough to get him out of my system.

But now he’s everywhere.

I should be focusing on skating, but the closer we get, the harder it is to keep my walls from crumbling. He’s everything I don’t have time for. But he might be the one thing I can’t let go.

Ethan Crosse

I’ve learned to live for two things: my daughter and my family. When my wife walked out, she left more than a broken marriage—she left bills, responsibility, and the life we’d built together. Taking on a second job at the rink was a way to keep us afloat, even if it meant sleepless nights and long days.

Then I ran into her.

Valeria Blaze is fire and ice all wrapped up in a dangerous package. One night with her wasn’t enough, but I can’t risk letting her into my messy world. Not when she’s focused on something bigger than me. Not when I’m still picking up the pieces of my life.

But the more I try to push her away, the closer we get. Now I’m not sure if I’m ready to risk it all for her—or if I even have a choice.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJCCC6QQ

Sara McClaflin, a dedicated author of romance, crafts tales that are not only heart-melting but also delve into the delicate facets of humanity. Having spent the past few years as an avid reader, Sara transitioned from writing book reviews to creating her own narratives. Her passion for romance, in all its diverse forms, shines through as she weaves stories that resonate with readers.

Residing on the vibrant west coast with her husband and beloved dog, Sara McClaflin is surrounded by the inspiration of nature and the love of her family. In her world, there is no such thing as too many books or an overfilled "want to read" list, as each story unfolds new possibilities and adventures.

To find out about Sara McClaflin’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on Sara McClaflin and her books visit: https://linktr.ee/saramcclaflin

Connect with Sara McClaflin:

hello@authorsaramcclaflin.com

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Cover Reveal: Brimstone and Blades by Maria Alexander

Brimstone & Blades
Maria Alexander
Publication date: June 3rd 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult

It’s 1689. Sixteen-year-old Julie de Maupin is on the run with her boyfriend, a young swordmaster named Sérannes. They perform sword fights and songs in taverns to survive. But when a diabolical creature kills Sérannes, it also injures Julie in the attack. Plunged into the dangerous world of French magic, Julie needs to return to Paris to find the great magician that can heal her devastating wound so she can avenge Sérannes’s death. On the way, she finds the creature is controlled by a necromantic coven called the Shadow Holders. Defeated during the Affair of the Poisons, they’ve returned but this time with traitors in the royal court to crush Louis XIV and terrorize France. With her found family of magical and moggie misfits, Julie must use her sword, wits, and gender-bending wiles to send the threat back to Hell. But will they be enough? Magic is illegal, and so is dueling. But that won’t stop La Maupin.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Maria Alexander is an Amazon #1 Bestseller of Young Adult Horror. Her short stories and nonfiction essays have appeared in numerous publications and acclaimed anthologies alongside living legends such as David Morrell and Heather Graham.

Her debut novel, MR. WICKER, won the 2014 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. Her first YA novel, SNOWED, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel, and was nominated for the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Children's/YA Novel.

She lives in Los Angeles with two ungrateful cats, a Jewish Christmas caroler, and a purse called Trog.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram