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Monday, November 27, 2023

New Release Blitz and Giveaway!

Author: J Hali Steele

Title: A Barista for Christmas

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 64 pages

Genre:

 Romance, Christmas Romance, Gay, Second Chance, Age Gap

Publisher: Changeling Press

Release Date: 8th Dec 2023

Synopsis

With a lot of hard work, Aspen Ferris’ dream of owning his own coffee shop has finally come true. Unfortunately, renovations are almost complete on a nearby mall that will house a chain coffee establishment. Not only that, Christmas is a few weeks away! When the electricity goes out at the mall, the construction company’s owner visits Asp’s store. Insulting the pushy brute gets Aspen thoroughly told off and… kissed! A kiss he can’t forget.

Dandridge St. Clare speeds to his worksite to handle an electric outage and misses his morning coffee. Locating a place to grab his caffeine fix, he’s offended by the barista at Your Coffee Cup. Anxious and upset, Dan pulls the man over the counter and can’t resist kissing the handsome jackass. On top of that, he enjoys the best cup of coffee ever. More unsettling still, he can’t erase the taste or feel of the man’s mouth. Dandridge returns for more of both.

The holidays are approaching and neither man expects much. Both get more than they bargained for.

Excerpt

A Barista for Christmas J. Hali Steele 
All rights reserved. 
Copyright ©2023 J. Hali Steele 

Three stores from the corner, a wall of plate glass gave Aspen Ferris a great view all the way to the end of the block. He removed his net cap as he watched a big silver pickup emblazoned with a Rayburn & St. Clare Construction logo tool around the corner, causing a car to slam on brakes in the intersection. Tires screeching turned pedestrians’ heads. “Did you see that?”


“Wow!” Eric Winters, Asp’s oldest friend and partner, gawked over the counter. “Close call.”


“Animals. They’re animals.” Asp finished restocking the sugar packets in the ceramic bowls on each table, checking napkin holders and filling glasses with wooden stirrers as he made his rounds.


“Asp, don’t stoop to the level of name calling.”


“It’s true.” His mood darkened under Eric’s scolding. “They’re stone-aged he-men.”


“For goodness sakes. Stop.”


Almost complete, the renovations to the stores in the nearby strip mall included competition Aspen resented. The Bean and Leaf had already opened, and they were hanging dreadfully festive Christmas decorations all over the damn store. Aspen hated Christmas. Morning rush at his shop, Your Coffee Cup, had dwindled to a crawl. Staring out the window brought him no comfort. “Can you believe The Bean and Leaf is already prepared for the holidays? Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away and I haven’t even purchased decorations.” Malls nearer the city were probably alight with holiday cheerfulness and teeming with shoppers Asp had no wish to join. It seemed a trip to Walmart was in his future as he’d volunteered to shop for decorations, thinking it might help him get a handle on his angst regarding Christmas.


“At least business was brisk this morning.” Air huffed from Eric’s mouth. “Get prepared, Asp. It is our first winter open and people will decorate all around us. I know it’s not your thing.”


Not anymore. Aspen ignored his partner’s hint. “Traffic is picking up. It looks like the whole town is heading to grab a fancy cup of coffee and factory-produced pastry.”


Eric wiped around the coffee pot he had filled before coming to stand at a table near Aspen. “Most travel past here to get on the highway into Philly. You know that.”


“They’re going to kill our business just when we hoped to hire permanent staff.” Open twelve hours a day, six days a week, Aspen and Eric took turns working Saturdays with help of part time high school students. Sundays they were closed. “If we only had a few more months to get established. Why did the section of the building housing The Bean and Leaf have to be finished with its renovations before other shops?”


“Asp, Rayburn & St. Clare Construction provides jobs for struggling families in town.”


“We can’t compete with chain shop prices.” Asp sat on the windowsill. Pulling his legs up, he tucked knees under his chin.


“Don’t put your dirty shoes up there!”


“Sorry.” He settled his feet back on the floor. “Our coffee is better. Richer.”


“More expensive. Lowering prices, we might scrape by until people discover Your Coffee Cup serves the best in town. For now, Asp, we could buy pastries in bulk and forego homemade from the bakery across town. Maybe we should consider staying open later.”


“Your Coffee Cup is not a restaurant, Eric. We agreed six in the morning to get the early traffic and close at two. Now we’re coming in at five to set up and staying after five cleaning up since we serve food until four.”


“Business is better.”


“I yielded to your suggestion of salads and sandwiches along with a soda fountain, but this is a coffee house and we’re green. Doesn’t the environment mean anything?”


“Adding food, I don’t know if we’re just a coffee shop anymore. Our bottom line has improved with regular customers stopping in for meals to take home.” Eric sighed. “Hell, I don’t know if the idea of serving only coffee was ever feasible.”


“Our salads have become popular and most folks seem to appreciate our meats are sliced fresh for each sandwich.” Shaking his head, Asp added, “They’ll want french fries and a pickle next.”


“You’re right. We better order potato chips.” Eric laughed so hard, the table he rested his hip on squeaked against tile.


“Smart ass.”


Eric sighed. “If we had a dime for every time someone asked for a carryout coffee cup…”


“Your coffee cup. Bring your favorite travel container or we provide mugs they can use should they remain on site. And we do have carryout cups.”


“Go-green paper cups which sometimes spring a leak before they get out the door. And I’m doubling them to alleviate complaints.”


“I hoped we could make a difference.”


“I hoped to entice more of the workers from the site to at least see what we have to offer,” Eric shot back.


“Last thing we need. A bunch of rowdy construction workers tracking in.”

Purchase

Changeling Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Kobo | iTunes | Smashwords


Meet the Author
Growl and roar -- it's okay to let the beast out. -- J. Hali Steele

J. Hali Steele wishes she could grow fur, wings, or fangs, so she can stay warm, fly, or just plain bite the crap out of... Well, she can't do those things but she wishes she could. A winning ex-quarter mile drag racer, J. Hali often angles to get her butt back in the driver’s seat!

Multi-published, best-selling author of romance in Paranormal, Fantasy, and Contemporary worlds which include ReligErotica and LGBTQ stories where humans, vampyres, shapeshifters, and angels collide—they collide a lot! When J. Hali's not writing or reading, she can be found snuggled in front of the TV with a cat in her lap, and a cup of her favorite beverage of the moment.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway


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Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Review of a recent release trilogy.

 The Magic Users Of Greenford Trilogy
by Lisa Oliver 4*

Lucifer Fireborn is a high magic user with a taste for the high life. He spends his days, along with his anchor brother Darwin, chasing the rogue magic users who don't follow the rules all magic users live by. When his brother claims his own fated mate, and can't anchor for Lucifer anymore, Lucifer has to find someone else to anchor for him, or risk setting everything and everyone around him on fire. But there's a problem... Lucifer really doesn't want anyone drooling over him, because that's what people do.

Stefan de Marco is homeless again. Ranking as one of the highest scoring anchors in the country doesn't count for anything when a man leaves his employ just so he can keep his pants on. It's not the first time he's been in that situation, and with his familiar Garrick, Stefan gets by. He was raised in the Trades Sector and he knows the value of hard work. When his path crosses with a desperate Lucifer, sparks fly, but not the ones Lucifer was hoping for.

Underneath it all is the insidious Brethren who believe high magic users should be able to use their magic without the grounding effects of an anchor. They seek to enslave or kill anchors in their bid to gain attention. Lucifer and Stefan have to find a way to work together to bring down the organization, but it's not an easy thing to do when the two men come from different sides of the track.

The Magic Users of Greenford Trilogy should be read in order. It follows the one couple, Lucifer and Stefan, as they learn to manage their magic, and their love for each other in the face of adversity.

Warnings: Some violence.

My Review:  I read these books at the beginning of the month and really enjoyed them. I do advice checking the inside Trigger Warning before buying the book however, as there are some sensitive issues covered in the first book. 

 The magic concept of user and anchor was well thought out and the characters had real depth, even the secondary ones. The World building was exemplary and the actual magic used was believable. Overall it was a great trilogy to read and I do recommend it for anyone who has a liking for Lisa Oliver stories. Also recommended if you like a slow burn romance that evolves over time has genuine character growth, has lots of magic use, and some thrilling action between the MCs and the bad guys .








Lisa Oliver has a new MM paranormal romance trilogy out: The Magic Users of Greenford. And there's a giveaway.


Author: Lisa Oliver
Cover Artist: Lisa Oliver

Genres: Paranormal, Romance

Word Count: 50K x 3 books

Publishing Company: Lisa Oliver Books

Release Date: Tuesday, June 20 2023

The Magic Users of Greenford Trilogy - Lisa Oliver

Synopsis

Lucifer Fireborn is a high magic user with a taste for the high life. He spends his days, along with his anchor brother Darwin, chasing the rogue magic users who don't follow the rules all magic users live by. When his brother claims his own fated mate, and can't anchor for Lucifer anymore, Lucifer has to find someone else to anchor for him, or risk setting everything and everyone around him on fire. But there's a problem... Lucifer really doesn't want anyone drooling over him, because that's what people do.

Stefan de Marco is homeless again. Ranking as one of the highest scoring anchors in the country doesn't count for anything when a man leaves his employ just so he can keep his pants on. It's not the first time he's been in that situation, and with his familiar Garrick, Stefan gets by. He was raised in the Trades Sector and he knows the value of hard work. When his path crosses with a desperate Lucifer, sparks fly, but not the ones Lucifer was hoping for.

Underneath it all is the insidious Brethren who believe high magic users should be able to use their magic without the grounding effects of an anchor. They seek to enslave or kill anchors in their bid to gain attention. Lucifer and Stefan have to find a way to work together to bring down the organization, but it's not an easy thing to do when the two men come from different sides of the track.

The Magic Users of Greenford Trilogy should be read in order. It follows the one couple, Lucifer and Stefan, as they learn to manage their magic, and their love for each other in the face of adversity.

Warnings: Some violence.

Get Them on Amazon

The Magic Users of Greenford meme - Lisa Oliver

Excerpt

“Why would I be angry with you?” Stefan was looking steadfastly out of the passenger window. They were on their way to the airport, as planned. It was just their destination that had changed.

“You have to admit the situation with Foster was unusual. His anchor, Ethan was never found.”

“I doubt anyone ever looked for him. Ethan was just an anchor after all.” Stefan sniffed. “As for Foster, we got told, once we dropped him off at the facility Monty recommended, that the hexing case was under New York’s jurisdiction and therefore not our concern.”

“You weren’t curious about where his new anchor Helen got the hex?” Lucifer checked the traffic, and then risked a quick look at Stefan. Who still wasn’t looking at him. Catching Creed’s glance in the rear-view mirror, Lucifer got the impression the dog was judging him, too.

“I might have been, under different circumstances.”

Yep, Stefan was still angry.

“I mean, if my mate was still working as a Wielder of the Magic Sword, which was his occupation when I met him, and Foster’s case came across our desk as an authorized case, I would’ve jumped right on it with you. But, no, my mate told his boss, Ben, in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t be doing that job anymore. I believe you told him that after our holiday, we were going to work at the Anchor Division.”

Stefan had an amazing memory. “Yes, I did say that.” Lucifer flicked on his indicator and took the turning for the airport. “But this case isn’t being investigated by the Council.”

“No. No, it’s not.” Stefan turned to face him then, and even out of the corner of his eye, Lucifer could see the hurt and anger on his face. “You’ve taken a case, on our behalf, from the one group of people who want to see people like me either subjugated, or completely wiped off the face of the earth.”

“If this is about the holiday…”

“What holiday?” Stefan didn’t have to raise his voice. He could snap out a sentence and make Lucifer feel as though he’d been whipped. “Are you talking about the holiday that you promised me nothing would get in the way of? That holiday?”

“I’m sure this won’t take long…”

“What the hell difference does it make how long this case takes? I’m not some spoiled society brat you have to appease with holidays and gifts. I’m from the Trades sector. I’m not afraid of hard work.”

“Then what…?”

“You really don’t get it. I can’t believe it, but you honestly don’t get it. Fine. Seeing as you clearly left your brain in your suitcase, I can tell you there are two things I’m upset about.” Stefan never used strong language, or interrupted Lucifer for any reason. But he was on a roll. “One. There’s the fact you didn’t consult me at all before you took the case. You reverted to Lucifer the arrogant ass, and made decisions for both of us, never once considering my feelings on the matter.

“And secondly, and by far the most important to my mind, did you miss the part when I said you’ve been employed by people who want to see me dead? Did you hear what they said about Technic? Council propaganda? Bad press? Excuse me? And that’s without the derogatory tones they used when they referred to me. How could you?”

My Review Here


Author Bio

AUTHOR LOGO - The Magic Users of Greenford - Lisa Oliver

Lisa Oliver lives in the wilds of New Zealand, although her beautiful dogs Hades and Zeus are now living somewhere else far more remote than she is. Reports indicate they truly enjoy chasing possums although they still can’t catch them.

In the meantime, Lisa is living a lot closer to all her adult kids and grandchildren which means she gets a lot more visitors. However, it doesn’t look like she’s ever going to stop writing - with over one hundred paranormal MM (and MMM) titles to her name so far, she shows no signs of slowing down.

When Lisa is not writing, she is usually reading with a cup of tea always at hand. Her grown children and grandchildren sometimes try and pry her away from the computer and have found that the best way to do it is to promise her chocolate. Lisa will do anything for chocolate… and occasionally crackers. She has also started working out, because of the chocolate and the crackers.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers and other writers (I really do, lol). You can catch up with her on any of the social media links below.

Author Website

Author Facebook (Personal)

Author Facebook (Author Page)

Author Instagram

Author Amazon

Giveaway

Lisa is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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