author. human. working hard to become stellar at life.
“This book had me reeling basically from the beginning. I couldn’t put it down. The tension and true love between these men left me hurting and yearning for them. There pain and hurt but also peace and hope and love. I just loved this book so much. Like I said these authors made magic with this story. It’s an absolute must read!”
Source: Goodreads | Love Bytes Reviews (Oak Harbor, WA)’s review of Vespertine
I’m so honored and excited to announce that the Training Complex, the critically acclaimed sequel to fan favorite Training Season, was a runner-up for Best Erotic Romance in the 2015 Rainbow Awards hosted by the amazing Elisa Rolle.
This judged annual awards competition not only help to promote LGBT books across all genres, but help to raise funds for LGBT charitable organizations. In 2015 the Rainbow Awards raised over $17,000, going to a variety of LGBT charities worldwide. I couldn’t be prouder to be associated with these awards and to have had Training Complex do so well overall.
Thank you, Elisa and judges, for your efforts in the LGBT literary community!
!["I don't think any fans of Training Season will be disappointed in [Matty & Rob's] continued journey. Leta Blake is a story goddess!" - 3 Chicks After Dark Reviews "I just can't get enough of Matty and Rob and love them so much." - Jay, Joyfully Jay Reivews "These two love like no others. Leta brings that all consuming, old fashioned, From Here to Eternity feel to the love they have. Of course on a hotness scale it just explodes. SO HOT!" - Diverse Reader Reviews "This sequel gave me a book hangover of the best kind!" - Rainbow Gold Reviews](https://letablake.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/training-complex-e-reader-copy-682x1024.jpg?w=535)
Buckle up – Matty’s back!
Figure skater Matty Marcus didn’t capture Olympic gold, but he won rancher Rob Lovely’s heart.
After Rob sold his ranch and Matty hung up his skates, they started a new life together in New York City. Now Matty has taken on a fresh challenge as a figure skating coach, and Rob’s second career as a physical therapist should be everything he’s dreamed of. But in the brutal heat of their third summer in the city, Rob yearns for the wide-open country, and the intensity of city life awakens Matty’s demons.
Matty asks for increasingly intense BDSM scenes, and his disordered eating and erratic behavior ramp up the stakes. Rob struggles to stay in control, and after a well-intentioned anniversary gift goes awry, he still thinks he can handle the fallout. But the concrete jungle is closing in and his coping skills are unraveling.
Their love is deep, but Rob will have to admit the truth about what he really wants before they both tumble into chaos.
“What an emotional journey. I felt for Zach, Marian, Ava and Arthur. How much do you tell Leith or do you wait for it come back? What would I do if my loved one saw me as a stranger? It’s amazing at how the body retains certain memory even when the cognitive mind doesn’t. I appreciate this author tackling a difficult subject with sensitivity yet conveying the sense of helplessness the characters felt. I could see everyone’s POV and I just had to walk with them with hope and patience.
I wish I could hug everyone in this book.”
via Goodreads | Ezinwanyi~the Troublemaker Oh My Shelves The Colony, TX’s review of The River Leith.
Memory is everything.
After an injury in the ring, amateur boxer Leith Wenz wakes to discover his most recent memories are three years out of date. Unmoored and struggling to face his new reality, Leith must cope anew with painful revelations about his family. His brother is there to support him, but it’s the unfamiliar face of Zach, a man introduced as his best friend, that provides the calm he craves. Until Zach’s presence begins to stir up feelings Leith can’t explain.
For Zach, being forgotten by his lover is excruciating. He carefully hides the truth from Leith to protect them both from additional pain. His bottled-up turmoil finds release through vlogging, where he confesses his fears and grief to the faceless Internet. But after Leith begins to open up to him, Zach’s choices may come back to haunt him.
Ultimately, Leith must ask his heart the questions memory can no longer answer.
“What can I say? I was *immediately* hooked by the debacle of Will and Patrick’s booze-adled shot-gun marriage and the story that ensued. The writing is excellent, well-paced, and I developed an investment in the the characters almost instantaneously. Both Will and Patrick left me enchanted, frustrated, totally smitten…and completely impatient for the next installation!! If any of you are on the fence, get the book. You’ll be amazed how quickly you devour it and are left begging for more!!!”
via Liza’s review on Amazon.com
“Rob was such a beautiful, inspiring character. He is the partner that most of us dream of having; caring, considerate, loyal, and steadfast. And although the story is based around Matty, Rob is the one I connected to. The kink and D/s was at a level I hadn’t expected, but very much appreciated. It was done very well, and I completely bought into the dynamic between Rob and Matty. The D/s gave their relationship a beauty and intimacy that was perfect to the story.”
via Amazon.com: BookAddict’s review of Training Season.
A Montanan rancher and a flamboyant figure skater find lust, then love, but can they find a life together?
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win–on and off the ice–during his training season?
“This book was such a awesome addition to this series! This is not a stand alone so you need to read the first book in the series before you read this one.
So in this book Patrick gets to meet Will’s family and let me say Will’s mom gives a new meaning to mother-in-law from hell. Patrick is his usually snarky self with everyone which I loved! There is just something about his character that draws me in and has me laughing so hard at the things he says. Then there was poor Will I just want him to honestly get over Ryan and realize what a jerk he is.
The sexual tension between these two was off the charts in this book. So many times I just wanted to yell through the book and tell them to just get it on already because you know they are going to be so hot together when they do. I really do not want to say much more because this book you have really got to read for yourself because it was just so good! I will say these two authors have drawn me into this story of Patrick and Will so much that I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book in this series to see more of these two characters together and what will happen next.
All together I really loved this book! I would definitely recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.”
Meeting the family is challenging for every new couple. But for Will and Patrick, the awkward family moments only grow more hilarious—and painful—when they must hide the truth of their predicament from the people they care about most.
Throw in the sexual tension flaring between them, uncomfortable run ins with Will’s all-too-recent ex-boyfriend, an overprotective mobster father, and a mafia spy tailing them around Healing, South Dakota, and you’ve got a recipe for madcap laughs and surprisingly heartwarming feels.
Episode 2 of 6 in the Wake Up Married serial.
“5 stars
I was given this book by Inked Rainbow Reads for an honest review.
Book 2 in the Vegas Marriage of Will and Patrick. This book was just as good as book 1. Patrick gets to meet Will’s family. And of course Patrick can’t hold his tongue. Oh my I just love his snarky attitude. And the things he does voice are hilarious.
Once again I enjoyed this book very much. Definitely need to read these books in order. Looking forward to reading more about Will and Patrick.”
Meeting the family is challenging for every new couple. But for Will and Patrick, the awkward family moments only grow more hilarious—and painful—when they must hide the truth of their predicament from the people they care about most.
Throw in the sexual tension flaring between them, uncomfortable run ins with Will’s all-too-recent ex-boyfriend, an overprotective mobster father, and a mafia spy tailing them around Healing, South Dakota, and you’ve got a recipe for madcap laughs and surprisingly heartwarming feels.
Episode 2 of 6 in the Wake Up Married serial.
Follow Will & Patrick as they cope with the fallout from their Vegas wedding in this second installment of the romantic-comedy serial, Wake Up Married, by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!
Meeting the family is challenging for every new couple. But for Will and Patrick, the awkward family moments only grow more hilarious—and painful—when they must hide the truth of their predicament from the people they care about most.
Throw in the sexual tension flaring between them, uncomfortable run ins with Will’s all-too-recent ex-boyfriend, an overprotective mobster father, and a mafia spy tailing them around Healing, South Dakota, and you’ve got a recipe for madcap laughs and surprisingly heartwarming feels.
Episode 2 of 6 in the Wake Up Married serial.
“Well what could be more entertaining then two drunk guys getting married in Vegas, nothing!! This book is great, it starts out and the writing is so good it just captured my interest immediately.
Will and Patrick couldn’t be more different but as as couple they are fantastic. Patrick is a jerk, a very smart one and knows it. But that is what makes him a lovable character. Will, I kind of felt sorry for, he’s hung up on his ex boyfriend.
I loved how Patrick knew how to push Wills buttons and really irritate him. I’m looking forward to the next book just to find out what happens in this crazy story.”
via Sherry’s review on Amazon.com.
“The gist is, I adored this book. If you are looking for a unique romance, The River Leith is it. I highly recommend.”
via The River Leith by Leta Blake | Review After Hours at Lilybloombooks.
Memory is everything.
After an injury in the ring, amateur boxer Leith Wenz wakes to discover his most recent memories are three years out of date. Unmoored and struggling to face his new reality, Leith must cope anew with painful revelations about his family. His brother is there to support him, but it’s the unfamiliar face of Zach, a man introduced as his best friend, that provides the calm he craves. Until Zach’s presence begins to stir up feelings Leith can’t explain.
For Zach, being forgotten by his lover is excruciating. He carefully hides the truth from Leith to protect them both from additional pain. His bottled-up turmoil finds release through vlogging, where he confesses his fears and grief to the faceless Internet. But after Leith begins to open up to him, Zach’s choices may come back to haunt him.
Ultimately, Leith must ask his heart the questions memory can no longer answer.
“This is my first time reading this authors work but I loved this book! The story was well written, the characters were real from page one, and it had everything a good romance should offer. I couldn’t put it down. I laughed and I cried but in the ends I was cheering for Jesse and Christopher. I only hope that the story continues with Gareth’s story.”
via Amazon.com: DaisyJo “DaisyJo”‘s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams.
Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:
AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER
And now at KOBO.
COMING SOON!
Join the fun in this vibrant first installment of the new romantic comedy serial by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!
After a drunken night of hot sex in Vegas, strangers Will Patterson and Dr. Patrick McCloud wake up married. A quickie divorce is the most obvious way out—unless you’re the heir of a staunchly Catholic mafia boss with a draconian position on the sanctity of marriage.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Will and Patrick don’t like it, or each other, but they have to make the best of it until they can find another way out of their marriage. To ensure the trust fund Will’s charitable foundation relies on isn’t revoked by his mobster grandfather, he and Patrick travel to Will’s hometown of Healing, South Dakota, posing as a newlywed couple in the throes of true love at first sight.
Complicating their scheme are Will’s unresolved feelings for his all-too-recent ex-boyfriend Ryan, and Patrick’s desire to get back to the only thing that really matters to him in life: neurosurgery. Will they fool everyone? Or will the mafia get wind that their marriage is a fake? Throw their simmering attraction into the mix and all bets are off!
Episode 1 of 6 in the Wake Up Married Serial.
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00075]](https://letablake.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/will-and-patrick-wake-up-married-high-res.jpg?w=535)
***
Watch this space for more information will be out shortly regarding exact release dates for this new six part serial!
“I loved this book, absolutely LOVED IT. I knew from the beginning that Nicky was going to make me love him and he did. This book was absolutely beautiful to read. There were tears and humor. And you could feel, from beginning to end, just how much the two MCs loved each other. Hats off to Ms. Blake and Ms. Vaughn because this book is perfect. Books about ex lovers can be painful to read because a lot of authors tend to insert an endless amount of flashbacks. Not this one. There are shared memories of course, but it wasn’t overwhelming and I never felt like it interrupted the flow of the book. I HIGHLY recommend.”
Source: Goodreads | MrsBookLover’s review of Vespertine
“This was, at its heart, an amazing and raw love story. As is only fitting given the characters, there is a slow build to the sex, but when it hits the page, it was remarkable. This book kept me up into the night and it lingers in my mind days after it was done. I feel like Nicky and Jasper are there on their island, and I can’t help but wait to see the amazing journey their love is taking.
There is an excellent collection of secondary characters, and the plot is engaging and well paced.
Don’t miss this excellent read.”
Read more of this review at Watch & Word Society Romance Reviews.
or
Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.
Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.
As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.
Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
“I was a hard sell on the topic of this book. But, little by little, Nicky and Jazz won me over. They were riveting, compelling characters, drawn with such confidence and empathy. They gave me goosebumps. They made me cry. They made me cheer.
This is an exceptional book, and I highly recommend it.”
Read more of Vanessa North’s review at Goodreads.
or
Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.
Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.
As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.
Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
or
Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.
Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.
As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.
Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
“The fine writing of this tale unequivocally blew me away. Man, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop while reading this. I thought it was going to be too preachy, and I surely didn’t want to see outright disrespect of the church or religion. I know by now I say I’ve loved a ton of guys throughout reading this genre, but I’ve only been emotionally invested in a select group of guys. Now we can add Father Jazz and Nicky.
I definitely see myself re-reading this before the year is up. Kudos to you Ms. Blake & Ms. Vaughn.”
Read more of Tamika’s review at Goodreads.
or
Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.
Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.
As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.
Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
“Normally I shy away from stories involving religion… but I love Indra Vaughn’s writing style and ever since I’ve heard she was writing a book in collaboration with Leta Blake I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
What can I say without giving away too much? I fucking loved this book, I loved Leta & Indra’s writing style, how they created these two awesome guys. I absolutely adored Jazz and Nicky.
Vespertine is a fantastic, challenging read, the romance is emotional and passionate. The pacing is excellent, the dialogue authentic and Indra and Leta’s writing style is warm and smooth, it’s like painting pictures with words. Marvelously done!
I loved everything about this story, from the interesting plot to the amazing characters. I really tried to read the story slowly, leisurely, over a few days, to savor every word… and failed. Once started I couldn’t put the book down anymore.”
read more via Goodreads | Tina (Germany)’s review of Vespertine.
COMING SEPTEMBER 10, 2015
Can a priest and a rockstar obey love’s call?
Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.
Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.
As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.
Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
I’m going to be attending Rainbow Con this July! If you’re in the Tampa area, come out and see me!
I’ll be sitting and speaking on the following panels:
“Take a walk on the wild side!
The Second Annual Rainbow Conference (RainbowCon) is coming up this July at the Holiday Inn Westshore by Tampa International Airport in Florida. It’s an exciting event centered around QUILTBAG (Queer/Questioning, Undecided, Intersex, Lesbian, Trans*, Bisexual, Asexual, and Gay/Genderqueer) multimedia. This includes fiction, fanfiction, non-fiction, television, movies, stage, music, comics, fan art, and anything else involving QUILTBAG media. For 2015 and 2016, we’re being hosted by the lovely Holiday Inn Westshore in Tampa, Florida!”
