To celebrate the upcoming release of my new M/M paranormal romance The Werewolf’s Heart on May 9, here’s a quote from the novel.
This assignment was full of challenges. Like me going undercover as a suburban homeowner, posing as an ‘average’ lone werewolf among humans. My interests included grisly murders, supernatural victims or suspects, and bringing killers to justice.
Now? I needed to blend in. Live a normal life. Whatever the hell that meant.
It sounded kinda like torture. Then I met him.
Here are the first two chapters from my new M/M paranormal romance, The Werewolf’s Heart. The full book comes out on May 9th!
Can a werewolf protect the man who holds his heart without giving into forbidden desire?
Aaron Honeywell can’t wait to renovate his new house and transform it into his oasis, but his home isn’t the only thing in disrepair. His lackluster and stalled love life could use a little attention. And just when he hits it off with his devastatingly sexy neighbor, a fox shifter attacks and reveals the hidden supernatural dangers lurking outside their cozy street.
Going undercover in the suburbs sounds like the assignment from hell for supernatural detective Merritt Slate. Then he meets his cute neighbor and suddenly his all work and no play lifestyle seems lacking. But the dangerous forces capable of kidnapping werewolves certainly aren’t playing, and he won’t let an innocent person get caught in the crossfire. Protecting Aaron is more important than his feelings, no matter what his wolf thinks.
As the human and his protector grow closer, they start to realize the same thing. A house is only as valuable as the people in it. But when the case hits too close to home and threatens everything, will Aaron and Merritt be strong enough to stand up to those determined to tear them apart?
~
Aaron
WHAT MAKES A HOUSE a home?
I was about to find out as the newest resident and homeowner on Crescent Street in the growing city of Ashvale, North Carolina. The deed listed Aaron Honeywell, yours truly, as the owner of a two-story ranch style property.
Honeywell, I’m home.
The trunk of my Honda Civic slammed closed with a satisfying clunk as I balanced the last box on one hip. I surveyed the suburban middle-class homes in shades of faded wheat and ecru—also known as beige and white—with well-mowed lawns and identical mailboxes by the driveways. My house might be a tad smaller than the rest, but it was still mine.
This moment? A big damn deal. I soaked in all the glory as the pleasant afternoon sun washed across my arms and I gazed upon my new territory, every blade of grass and modest square inch.
Moving in felt pretty good.
But catching the eye of my sexy new neighbor? That felt even better.
His dark sable hair—so gorgeous it deserved the pretentious home designer name for brown—moved with the breeze, a strand falling over his face and ratcheting his sexiness up another few impossible degrees. Mr. So-Hot-It-Defies-All-Logic, we hadn’t been formally introduced, wore a sweater the color of sculptor’s clay (grey), perfect for a stroll around the neighborhood on a mild spring day.
I was half tempted to drop my box on the driveway and see if he’d be interested in starting a neighborhood fitness group that I’d never attend solely for the opportunity to chat with him. He nodded to me and I waved—oops, this box definitely required both hands. I started tipping forward with the weight and hastily saved it and myself from wiping out, hopefully without looking too silly.
Any potential humiliation was forgotten when I walked towards the front door and felt his eyes taking a gander at my ass. Somebody sure was and I doubted elderly Mr. Martin next door was the culprit.
Sexy neighbor guy was still way out of my league, but I was theoretically a respectable catch. I had a stable job, my own house at 27, and cooked a mean lobster ravioli. Sure, my culinary skills max out at five meals, but I cooked those five recipes well. And I wasn’t hideous either. Petite in both stature and figure, I had wavy auburn hair and a thin frame with a round face and light hazel eyes.
A sea full of possibilities and other ‘P’ words greeted me inside when looking around the living room of my new kingdom. Along with lots of boxes. Ugh, time to unpack.
The doorbell saved me.
Did the hot guy stop over to say hello?
No, another neighbor greeted me. A young woman with long midnight (black) hair, my first visitor! She told me her name was Kara and proudly thrust her gifted bottle of wine into my arms.
“It’s perfect, how did you know?” I asked with a mischievous grin.
“One look at you and I saw weeknights bingeing trashy vampire dramas and sipping red wine were in our future.”
“Sounds fantastic,” I laughed.
“Great, because I frequently need to escape my place…” She winced. “No matter how many times I remind myself that staying at home through college saves money, it’s still…”
“Living with your parents?”
“Bingo.”
While I left my mother’s house as soon as I turned 18, I still remembered the days of nightmare roommates and happily offered her sanctuary. “Feel free to drink and binge watch in my home anytime, as long as you accept that this house loves Damon and Stefan Salvatore equally.”
“Yes. Stefan has the hero hair, but Damon is just so annoyingly sexy.”
I smiled. “We’re gonna get along just fine.”
When sticking the wine in the fridge, I considered buying a wine rack. I enjoyed a good rosé after a long day at work managing a customer service center for a high-end electronics brand. My kitchen décor was nonexistent, so I should fix that too. A woeful amount of shopping was still needed to really finish decorating the interior since I only lived in apartments before.
Even when living in a few houses with Mom during my childhood none of them felt like a home, all lacking that special ingredient to make them comfortable and warm.
Owning my own place was so exciting because this was my first real home ever. Or it would be one day, but there was one thing missing.
My romantic prospects left a gaping hole in my otherwise promising future. What would really make my new house feel like a home was the right man to share it with.
~
Aaron
One ‘P’ word kept rattling around in my head. No, not penis. Yes, I needed a man, but… potential. That was the ‘P’ word, potential. My home was a flat, square property with two small stories, a grey roof, and dingy cream paint in the back, but potential meant that the funky smell in the attic and peeling linoleum in the downstairs bathroom weren’t problems. My fixer upper was full of exciting projects.
So even after a long night of unpacking, I was in remarkably high spirits the next day.
“Oh, hello,” I said as I opened the front door.
Another new friend arrived. Not a neighbor though. A bird.
The bird released a soft chirp, and I halted in the doorframe to avoid stepping on it. I waited for it to shoo, but it stayed parked there where a welcome mat should be on the square slab of raised concrete that passed for my front porch.
“Shoo?” I tried. The bird refused my request.
Note to self: add welcome mat and flowers for porch to shopping list.
The small brown creature had a pointed beak that almost dared me to challenge him when he puffed up his feathers and stared me down. A sparrow maybe? Something common and usually unintrusive. His tiny beady eyes were focused and slightly unnerving.
“Can I help you with something?” I demanded, refusing to be unnerved by the tiny winged menace.
“Just saying hi.” Holy deep voice, Batman.
Yes, the caped crusader had a deep baritone, but this guy could give him competition. The sexy voice was, naturally, attached to the sexy neighbor, who had walked up the path to my door.
His shadow fell over the bird, whose wings flapped once in protest before he flew away, leaving me alone on my front porch with… oh my god, he’s even hotter up close.
The man’s dark hair looked naturally tousled, though his beard was carefully trimmed and maintained. He was so tall with a square jaw, strong build, and lightly sun-kissed skin. And his whiskey-colored eyes were positively striking.
“Is this a bad time?” He stepped back like he’d leave.
“Stay!” I half yelled. Oops. Did I already ruin the fleeting hope the sexiest neighbor I’ve ever had will look at me twice? “Sorry, I wasn’t talking to you before.”
He looked around, confirming we were the only ones standing on my front porch.
“There was… a bird.” My face flushed. Yeah, I definitely blew it already. There went the opportunity to blow other more fun things. “He was watching me.”
The man’s left eyebrow rose. Just the left and not the right. Impressive. I’d never been able to do that. “Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?”
“Huh?”
“Birdwatching.”
“Well, I was watching him too.” Stop saying stupid shit! “We were having a staring contest?”
Oh look, it got even stupider.
“Hey, whatever you do in your free time is your own business.” An almost smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, so the gentle teasing didn’t offend me. Only I offended me for acting ridiculous in the first place.
“I do totally normal things in my free time,” I promised. Normal people probably didn’t feel the need to specify that they were normal.
Making the executive decision to gloss over all my weird behavior, I pasted a bright smile on my face and extended a hand. “I’m Aaron Honeywell.”
“Hey. Merritt Jones.”
We shook hands. His grip, just like the rest of him, was firm and strong.
“Nice to meet you,” I said. “I promise I’m not a crazy person.” Another one of those things you shouldn’t have to spell out.
He smiled kindly. “I don’t think you are.”
“Really?” That made one of us. “I wouldn’t judge you if you did.”
“You’re cute.” His eyes widened like he didn’t realize he was going to say that, but I was very happy he did. “Uh, I figured you might need a break from unpacking. I remember how hectic moving is.”
“Oh, are you new to the neighborhood too?” I asked and he nodded.
Sweet, another thing we had in common. Along with living on this street, (probably) being not-straight, and (in my dreams) being into each other.
“What brings you to North Carolina?” I asked, deciding he wasn’t a native because he lacked even a slight Southern drawl. “I’m not from the South either originally, but I went to college in Durham and fell in love with the area.”
“Actually, I’m from Louisiana, but I’ve moved around so much that the accent only comes out after a few drinks.” I wanted to hear that. “My work brought me to Raleigh first, then here.”
“How’s the job going?” I asked to be polite and because I likely had an interest in everything he did. Even eating cereal or clipping his toenails.
“It keeps me busy,” he answered neutrally, though his gaze seemed loaded for some reason. “But my work isn’t very interesting.”
“Really?” My eyes trailed down the kind of incredible physique that typically belonged to movie stars and professional athletes. “Your job must be engaging enough since you look so—” I coughed to avoid gushing about his fine as hell body and embarrassing myself further. “…in shape.”
“There are lots of ways to stay in shape.” A stray shaft of sunlight fell over my face and half blinded me, but I thought I saw a spark of amusement in his eyes as he continued. “For all you know I sit behind a desk all day and hit the gym at night.”
“No way.” I sized him up with over-exaggerated obviousness, squinting and tilting my head as the picture came together. “You’d be bored staring at a computer screen all day. My guess is you work outdoors or with your hands, but your job must have excitement too. You love action.”
“Alright, fine.” He shot me a quick grin that would have made my heart stop if it lasted any longer. “Lucky guess.”
“My first impressions of people are usually correct.” I had to look away, towards a teenager mowing grass two lawns over, as it hit me how forward you love action sounded.
“Well, I don’t know much about reading people.” His keen attention felt palpable, and I wondered whether that was true. “But observing others is probably easier without distractions.” He leaned back, raising his arms in a casual stretch, and my view wavered for a split second before giving up on watching his powerful arms, and instead zeroing in on the skin revealed at his navel from his shirt riding up… uh, what?
When I registered his words, I flushed and found myself unable to look directly at his knowing smirk.
This guessing game suddenly became too real. Some light flirting was definitely going on, but sizing him up hadn’t actually revealed much as my new neighbor was hard to read. Was he just being friendly or really interested? Truthfully, my skills at reading people were better with second impressions, but ‘second impressions’ wasn’t a real expression.
“Y-yeah, I’m distracted.” I cast my eyes about the street and landed on a neighbor’s lawn. “Mrs. Gregory’s begonias are just so colorful,” I rambled. “Aren’t they nice? Especially since she hasn’t grown them before.”
“You just moved here and you’ve already chatted with your neighbors and remember their names?” Okay, her ten-minute spiel about her garden wasn’t exactly fascinating since I knew nothing about flowers, but she was so sweet and—”That’s impressive. In my head she’s the lady with the ugly robe and yappy dog.”
“So does that mean you don’t welcome all your new neighbors to the block?” That meant I was special.
He stilled for a moment, then chuckled under his breath. “Hey, I’m just being neighborly. And I’ve tried all the nearby take-out restaurants if you need recommendations.”
“Are there any good Thai places nearby?”
Merritt provided a few options, then added, “It’s not Thai, but Joseph’s on 5th Street is the best restaurant hands down. Great Italian food and they even have an outdoor patio so you could enjoy dinner and a show.”
“Huh?”
He smirked. “Watching the birds while you eat.”
Oh, for the love of– “I don’t always watch birds!”
“Either way, the atmosphere really adds to the experience. Better to dine in there instead of ordering takeout.”
“Um, are you asking me out?” I blurted out because that sorta sounded like an invitation.
He looked surprised, seemingly reviewing everything he just said internally to see where my wires got crossed. Oh god. Innocent flirting and actual attraction were two different things, and I totally messed up and confused the two.
“Nope, you were just giving me suggestions,” I realized. “One new homeowner to another, right. I gotta get going.” I quickly backed up—
“You’re already home.”
—not quickly enough.
“Yes, I’m home and there’s so much, uh…” I trailed off, gesturing vaguely behind me.
“Unpacking,” he supplied.
“Yep, gotta do that!” And get inside and die in peace.
“Hey, it’s alright.” His smile, though a tad amused, mostly seemed kind. “For the record, you’ll know when I ask you out.” Time slowed, my gaze zeroing in on his eyes and the promise in them. “I have a feeling you’ll find out soon enough.”
Whoa, from attraction to embarrassment and a whole roller coaster of emotions, I struggled to process where we landed. Then a brilliant smile lit my face, one I couldn’t hide or wipe away as it hit me: Merritt was attracted to me too.
We said our goodbyes, and I floated along in a daze for the rest of the day. About half the stuff I unpacked might have been put in the wrong place. Oh well.
Everything was lining up just right. My world was full of potential, and things were off to a promising start with my sexy neighb—Merritt. Plus, some shelving for the bedroom arrived. First delivery to my new home! I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
Merritt
AROUSAL FILLED THE DAMN BLOCK whenever the new neighbor saw me.
Humans unknowingly clouding the air with pungent feelings typically irritated me, and every tiny feeling pours off Aaron in waves, creating some of the strongest scents ever broadcasted in my direction… somehow his aroma doesn’t bother my wolf. All arousal carries a spicy tang, yet his was layered with sweet undernotes like cookies hot from the oven. I wondered what his regular scent smelled like and if it was as enticing.
The lust lingered persistently in my nose even when traveling over a mile to where Tom Parker and Jenny French live. Lived. Before they disappeared a month ago without a goodbye or forwarding address.
“House is clean,” I reported to Agent Frost over the phone. Shiny hardwood floors and lemon scented cleaner surrounded me, the place otherwise empty.
“Figures.” His voice sounded neutral, though I heard the repetitive clicking of a ballpoint pen and knew he felt the same frustration as me.
A few investigators were sent earlier and found nothing interesting, but I still had to check the place out for myself. An average suburban neighborhood rested outside the living room window. Compact cars, pine trees, and not enough hidden vantage points for safely watching two wolves. Nothing strange stood out.
“Tom and Jenny were leasing this place for another four months.” I ran down the list of what we knew. “When they stopped paying rent on the first, the landlord checked in and they were gone.”
“Right.” Frost continued, “They left the majority of their things but took a car and enough essential items to make the police doubt foul play. Credit cards showed charges heading north for rooms at cheap motels without surveillance. They appear to be a young couple that decided to head for greener pastures on a whim. Nothing directly points to them being missing.”
“Not from a human perspective.”
We knew a few things the humans didn’t.
Tom and Jenny weren’t just a nice young couple but a nice young couple of werewolves. Both lived away from pack land but were in good standing with their respective packs. Wolves rarely cut and ran. It looked bad on them and their families to desert the pack, not to mention the emotional toll of abandoning loved ones and an alpha.
Wolves didn’t flee, not without a damn good reason. Or because they weren’t given a choice.
“My case is almost over,” Frost said. “Should I head up faster and—”
“—Help with my dead end?” I filled in, holding back a laugh. “Not necessary.”
“Right…”
The investigation started so late that we were already at a huge disadvantage. Between garnering no attention through human channels and the closest supernatural law enforcement branch being over three hours away, the case was already on the verge of going cold when we received it.
Tom and Jenny attracted attention partly because they were wolves number five and six to disappear from a four-county area in the past six months. All just vanished. Aside from living away from pack lands, the only other commonality between all the missing persons was their ability to sprout fur and claws.
“A second set of eyes may reveal more details,” Frost volunteered.
“Paperwork that bad?” I guessed.
“I’ve faced rampaging minotaurs the size of small buildings and three-headed hydras from dark dimensions. I fear nothing… and I have nightmares about this paperwork.”
“Sorry I can’t help you.” I needed some help myself.
This assignment was full of challenges. Like me going undercover as a suburban homeowner, posing as an ‘average’ lone werewolf among humans. I had little in common with average people. My interests included grisly murders, supernatural victims or suspects, and bringing killers to justice.
Now? I needed to blend in. Live a normal life. Whatever the hell that meant.
Ugh, I was looking at days, maybe weeks or more, full of… Being friendly. Polite chitchat at mailboxes. Socializing. Maybe going on a few dates. What regular people did. Even when they were werewolves, according to my annoying younger siblings.
It all sounded kinda like torture. Then I met him.
Aaron Honeywell—seriously with that last name?—was tempting. Too tempting, unlike the seven middle age divorced women who saw me walking and asked about starting a neighborhood fitness club. Aaron, however, he flustered so… adorably. His round cheeks flushed all rosy and warm as he bit his lip and sneaked glances at me under his eyelashes.
Me and my wolf were typically the epitome of ‘dog with a bone’ once we were on the hunt. Yet my wolf was eager to take a break and learn more about the interesting human who smelled like warm sugar when excited.
Maybe my family was right about me needing a vacation after all.
I had some time to kill anyway. We weren’t expecting action on the case anytime soon. The goal now involved blending in and recon. At least I wouldn’t be bored waiting for the case to heat up.
Maybe this assignment wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Famous last words.
-Check out the book here and order your copy now!
Aaron is an eager young homeowner who wants to make his first home perfect in The Werewolf’s Heart. But he’s missing one vital ingredient. Here’s a quote from the novel to celebrate the book’s release on May 9.
This was my first real home ever. Or it would be one day, but there was one thing missing.
Taking stock of my finances when preparing to invest in a home and piling up my possessions put things into perspective and allowed me to evaluate my life. While largely on the right track, the romance department left a gaping hole in my otherwise promising future.
What would really make my new house feel like a home was the right man to share it with.
You can pre-order this M/M paranormal romance now! Check it out here.
When a werewolf’s heart belongs to a man in danger, how far will a supernatural detective go to save the one he loves?
Aaron Honeywell has almost everything he needs to turn his new house into a home, except for the right man to share it with. His sexy new neighbor Meritt seems like just the guy until he saves Aaron from a handsy stranger with glowing eyes, revealing that he’s more than man—he’s a werewolf.
Meritt Slate has worked some challenging cases before, but this is a whole other level of difficulty. The detective is stuck undercover in suburbia to lure out whoever is abducting werewolves. And his alluring neighbor is quite the distraction. Fighting his desires and doing his job has never been a problem before, but it’s possible he’s finally found someone worth settling down for.
But the dangers lurking outside their cozy street are getting closer to home. Kidnapping shifters is just the beginning of a sinister magical plot that may require Aaron’s help to succeed… whether he’s willing to provide it or not. Can the werewolf protect his heart or will evil forces shatter it forever?
Quick Summary: An overworked alpha and abused half-wolf come together to lead a growing pack. But not everybody is happy with the pack’s success.
Overall Impression: Romance and action combine in this engaging first novel in a M/M paranormal romance series. A delicious story that creates an interesting world with many possibilities for the future. I also adore big stories with fun supporting casts where just about everybody is gay.
Rating: 5 out 5 fresh baked cookies
Issues and the people who have them
Being the alpha of a thriving supernatural pack is a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. That somebody is Ric. He’s tough but fair and takes his alpha responsibilities very seriously.
Keeping track of all the ins and outs of his growing pack is difficult, and things can slip through the cracks. Like the two wolfs who were stealing from the pack. On the list of people you don’t wanna piss off, alpha werewolf should be number one but I guess they thought they were weren’t gonna caught?
When Ric and his enforcers go to deliver justice, they see stealing was tip of iceberg. Because the two elder Kings are keeping malnourished abused wolves in the shed, the dad’s children from an affair.
Kai comes out of the shed swinging a rake to protect the younger ones. Not exactly a meet cute but memorable. The kiddos then become under Ric’s protection but they are naturally cautious, afraid, and suspicious.
Kai is the eldest. He’s protective, nurturing, and of course very desirable to Ric. But his fresh and traumatic time with his father make a relationship complicated.
The push and pull between them takes up most of the novel and is done just right. A slow but not too slow burn romance as Kai heals that leaves you wanting more and fully satisfied when finally delivering on the sexual tension. The romance hits you in the feels, the steamy scenes hit you in the… other parts. Very good stuff on both counts.
Pack Justice
One little detail is that Ric originally intended to punish the Kings by banishing them and branding them. The punishment increases when finding the mistreated children and he ends up taking a hand from them each. Which, yep, sounds extreme, though this is the more traditional punishment that was common in the old days.
The harsher old ways of the old days haven’t completely been eradicated in modern times. Many packs have harsh rules where only the strongest survive, which is part of Ric’s pack grows as people seek sanctuary in his more accepting territory.
The dynamic between barbaric werewolf culture and more tolerant modern ways is highlighted many times throughout the novel. I think it’s fascinating to see the two different styles and a ‘realistic’ element for a story about werewolves, torn between two mentalities of brute strength vs. acceptance.
The writing is good at balancing romance and action with darker and deeper elements. I didn’t realize at first but there’s a lot of layers below the surface. And a little bit of magic and magical rituals, which also adds flavor.
Two Halves of One Whole
As Ric’s pack grows, it’s harder for one person to take care of everything. While it takes him a while to wise up, Ric is desperately in need of a complementary partner from the beginning. A lot of novels use this approach where it takes two to lead a pack, an alpha and mate, and both parties bring different strengths to the table. I thought it was particularly well done in this instance. Even right from the title, alpha and his king. Two superior forces that work even better together.
Quote
The Alpha and His King
As alpha, Rick’s dedication to his pack has never wavered—until Kai. The pull he feels toward the younger man is more than a simple distraction, but Rick won’t let himself lose focus. Not while a hidden enemy is drawing near.
Moving in with the grumpy alpha who saved him is a big change for Kai, and it isn’t long before he begins to ache for something he can’t have. As a half-human shifter responsible for his three younger siblings, he knows he can never be Rick’s mate.
Pushing aside their doubts and insecurities, they grow closer. But when the pack’s enemies strike, bringing their fears to fruition, Rick and Kai have to decide if they’re willing to risk it all to be together.
The Alpha and His King is the first book in the Kincaid Pack series and features a quick-tempered and possessive alpha; a sweet and feisty alpha-mate; shifters, seers, and witches galore; massive amounts of hurt/comfort; and a happily ever after.
Kincaid Pack Series
A laser-focused detective is hot on the trail of whoever snatched missing werewolves when he meets a sweet, optimistic young man who suddenly makes him question his all work and no play lifestyle in The Werewolf’s Heart. To celebrate the upcoming release of my new M/M paranormal romance on May 9, here’s a quote from the novel.
Wolves rarely cut and ran. It looked bad on them and their families to abandon the pack. Not to mention the emotional toll of leaving loved ones and their alpha without so much as a goodbye.
Wolves didn’t flee, not without a damn good reason. Or because they weren’t given a choice.
I’m not sure why I always think I need the perfect opening line to talk about a new book, but whatever the perfect way to begin is, I haven’t found it. So let’s just dive right into discussing my M/M paranormal romance The Werewolf’s Heart.
In celebration of the book coming out on May 9, I’m going to post a quote and excerpt from the novel, but I’m not sure I’ve shared the cover and description yet, so that’s what is happening first.
Aaron Honeywell’s new house is a fixer upper, but his love life feels broken beyond repair. Fortunately, this fresh start is his chance to find the right man to help turn his house into a home. His sexy new neighbor Meritt seems like just such a guy until he saves Aaron from a handsy stranger, revealing that he’s more than man—he’s a werewolf.
Meritt Slate has worked some challenging cases before, but this is a whole other level of difficult. The detective is stuck undercover in suburbia to lure out whoever’s abducting werewolves. And his alluring neighbor is quite the distraction. Fighting his desires and doing his job has never been a problem before, but it’s possible he’s finally found someone worth settling down for.
But the dangers lurking outside their cozy street are getting closer to home. And when the supernatural world comes knocking on Aaron’s door, a werewolf protector may not be enough to save him. Can the werewolf protect his heart, or will evil forces break it first?
In this scene, Meritt the supernatural detective talks about the challenges with his latest case.
This assignment was full of challenges. Like me going undercover as a suburban homeowner. My interests included grisly murders, supernatural victims or suspects, and bringing killers to justice.
Now? I needed to blend in. Live a normal life. Whatever the hell that meant. Ugh, days, maybe weeks or more, full of… Being friendly. Polite chitchat at mailboxes. Socializing. Maybe going on a few dates. What regular people did. Even when they were werewolves , according to my annoying younger siblings.
Honestly? Pretending to be a regular werewolf living on the down-low among humans? Kinda sounded like torture.
Then I met him.
Aaron Honeywell—seriously with that last name?—was tempting. Too tempting…
Let’s play a game. Let your imagination run wild when thinking about this question.
What’s your dream home and who’s your dream neighbor?
In this scenario you’re free to live anywhere and have any kind of home your heart desires. And when you move into your ideal neighborhood, who would you be super happy to see living across the street?
(I wanna make some joke about the eye candy adding curb appeal but I don’t have it.)
Are you picturing a log cabin in the mountains with a sexy lumberjack? Or a palatial estate with an infinity pool, acres upon acres of land, and a classically handsome hottie with a square jaw grinning at you from his sports car?
Admittedly my head started somewhere around the latter but then I realized I’m a whimsical romantic sort. Cute, cozy, and a little quirky is much more my speed. So I started searching for fairytale-esque cottages.
The house is in Carmel-by-the-Sea California. Awesome name, and you don’t even have to ask if it’s near the sea because it’s right there in the title. The town apparently attracts artists and oddballs that want the area to retain its eccentric charm, so I’m guessing there’s no Chipotle nearby but otherwise looks like a nice place to live.
And since this is a fantasy I don’t have to ask myself who would water those plants and why I thought I could handle the responsibility of keeping them alive.
My ideal neighbor was a bit of a challenge because I wanted someone super good looking who also might be able to walk into a small cottage without bumping his head.
I went with Freddie Stroma from Bridgerton, though I recently watched him on Unreal where sometimes he looks nice and conventionally attractive and other times he grows a beard or gets this steely look in eye and goes from cute to dirty hot in a very appealing way.
The inspiration for today’s hypothetical question came to me based on my newest novel.
The book is a paranormal romance, so I suppose the scenario actually goes like this: What if your new home came with everything you desired, including a sexy new neighbor? What if your new neighbor was also a werewolf?
The Werewolf’s Heart is my new book that launches on May 9th. There’s a lot more to share with you soon, including the cover and special release day bonuses.
(No idea if this needs to be said, but in case you’re wondering, the book is of course M/M.)
I’m a little early for New Year’s resolutions, and I also don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but I guess I’m trying to be more flexible by reading Dead Over Heels. I usually hate straying from series reading order, though since the books in the Blackhaven Manor series are connected yet about different characters I made an exception. This was the perfect time to read too since it takes place over the winter holidays.
Quick Summary: A troubled loner finds a fresh start in a magical town. Meeting his fated mate helps, but running into an unexpected ghost does not. Oh yeah, he sees dead people.
My thoughts: What a great winter/holiday novel about fated mates who suddenly find themselves living together during the Christmas season. The book is full of sweet romance, domestic ups and downs, and just a touch of heat.
Fictional Rating System: 4.5 tiny cat sweaters out of 5
Keywords and tags: Paranormal romance, holidays, age gap, werewolf, medium, ghosts, fated mates, cranky cats, crankier spirits, fluffy, finding home, acceptance
Characters and Story (and Curtains?)
Fritz, called this for many technical malfunctions in real life, is a sweet, clumsy guy who is used to annoying people and occasionally hurting himself with his klutzy mishaps. Adding in medium abilities only makes matters worse. Even though supernatural beings are known, he thinks he’s just a regular guy who happens to see ghosts and never stays in one place too long because people will ask questions or he’ll overstay his welcome.
Until he arrives at Blackhaven manor. He’s looking for a job, and they instead send him to the sheriff’s office. Said sheriff rightly assumes this is a set up because the manor literally hires everybody, they even have a job which is basically Official Opener and Closer of Curtains. This isn’t at all related to the plot, but it’s a detail I remember when writing this, and I still find it amusing.
Vander is the sheriff, who indeed hires Fritz. It would be kind of rude to not give his fated mate a job. But before they can get to know each other better, Fritz accidentally touches some evidence and gets saddled with a ghost. A nasty one. Vander doesn’t know what’s happening, but realizes he needs to tread carefully to make his mate comfortable and get him to open up. So what follows is Vander low-key wooing his mate while Fritz tries to handle his uninvited ghostly house-guest.
Sweeter Than Sugar Cookies
While most shifters are apparently not huge fans of sweets, this book is filled with sugary goodness as the pair live together and fall in love. All while dealing with enthusiastic family members, a touch of demonic possession (or close enough), and hilariously feisty animals.
Honorable character mentions go to the hellbeast/nice kitty they babysit and the formidable goose who battles a werewolf and wins.
Honestly this wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. It’s an enjoyable book I didn’t really fall in love with, but I still recommend because of excellent writing and such fun, silly scenes that are sure to be memorable. I think there are lots of people who would love this novel when looking for seasonal reads, romantic comedies, and sweet love stories with relatively low angst.
Book Quote
Dead Over Heels by Arden Steele
It’s been twelve years since the Awakening. Otherlings are out of the paranormal closet. The whole world knows that creatures like vampires, werewolves, and witches exist. So, seeing dead people barely even rates on the freaky scale. Right?
Wrong.
Fritz Tolliver figures he must have done something terrible in a previous life to be afflicted with such a curse. In fact, every bad thing that has ever happened to him can be traced back to his unwanted ability. So, when a stupidly hot werewolf who’s way out of his league claims to be his mate, he should be thrilled. And he probably would have been if he hadn’t gone and gotten himself haunted by a nasty spirit on the same day.
When a human male strolls into the station asking for a job—and promptly spills an entire Americano on him—Sheriff Vander Hale has a feeling it’s going to be a bad day. Then, the door opens, the wind shifts, and suddenly, his whole world changes. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his mate, no battle he wouldn’t wage, even if his enemy is technically already dead. Unfortunately, there’s just one problem with his plan.
He’d go to hell and back for Fritz, but how is he supposed to fight something he can’t see?
Series Info: Blackhaven Manor
Werewolves + gay people= happily ever after. Werewolves but also gay. That’s it, that’s the book. Which is not a complaint, trust me. There was a time I would have given almost anything for “werewolves but also gay” to apply to Teen Wolf.
I wanted to write a review for All It Took Was One Look
Maybe I will write a review one day. Maybe I won’t. We’ll see where life leads!
This novel is on the melodramatic side and there’s lots of staples you’ll recognize like the evil bitch girlfriend, the repressed bully, the tortured protagonist, and the nerdy gay kid. It’s got familiar characters and situations, but even the recognizable details feel fresh in a gay YA setting. The book fully embraced all the dramatic, important moments you might expect to find in a book like this and went wild with them.
AITWOL feels like the start of a series. There’s a whole huge world to play in with several main and supporting characters. If there were future books, I would definitely be interested in them.
Gay Paranormal Romance 