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Leta Blake

author. human. working hard to become stellar at life.

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        • Training Season
        • Training Complex
      • Wake Up Married
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      • Entrainement
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        • La montée de la passion: Passion #1
        • La passion de l’Alpha: Passion #2
        • Une passion amère: Passion #3
      • Se réveiller mariés
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        • Will & Patrick rencontrent la famille ( se réveiller mariés : épisode 2)
        • Will & Patrick traversent les fêtes ( se réveiller mariés : épisode 3)
        • Will & Patrick combattent leurs sentiments ( se réveiller mariés : épisode 4)
        • Will & Patrick rencontrent la mafia: se réveiller mariés #5
        • La fin heureuse de Will & Patrick: se réveiller mariés #6
        • La lune de miel de Will & Patrick: Se réveiller mariés #7
        • Se réveiller mariés: Intégrale
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        • Lévitation: un conte de fées gay
        • Envol : un conte de fées gay
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        • Vers la vie adulte #1
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      • Notiziario
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        • North’s Pole: Un pacco per Natale
        • Cowboy cerca marito
        • Vespertine : Edizione italiana
        • Smoky Mountain Dreams: Edizione italiana
        • In ogni singola vita
        • Un uomo fortunato
        • Un fiume in piena
        • Le Differenze
        • ANGELO IMPERFETTO
        • La leggerezza del principe
        • Rise: Una favola gay
      • ’90s Coming of Age – Versione italiana
        • Ritratti Di Te (’90s Coming of Age Vol. 1)
        • Tu non sei me (’90s Coming of Age Vol. 2)
      • Calore d’Amore
        • Slow Heat: Calore Inatteso
        • Calore Proibito
        • Calore Amaro
      • Calore in vendita
        • Calore in vendita
      • Home for the Holidays – Versione italiana
        • Cuore di ghiaccio (Home for the Holidays Vol. 1)
        • La lista dei cattivi (Home for the Holidays Vol.2)
      • La stagione dell’allenamento
        • Training Season: La stagione dell’allenamento
        • Training Complex: Il complesso dell’allenatore
      • Svegliarsi sposati
        • Svegliarsi sposati (Wake Up Married Vol. 1)
        • Svegliarsi sposati 2 & 3: Will e Patrick incontrano la famiglia (Wake Up Married 2 & 3)
        • Svegliarsi sposati 4 & 5: Will e Patrick combattono i loro sentimenti – Will e Patrick incontrano la mafia (Wake Up Married 4& 5)
        • Svegliarsi sposati: Il lieto fine di Will e Patrick – La luna di miele infinita di Will e Patrick (Vol 6 & 7) (Wake up married)
    • German
      • Die einbändige
        • Auch in diesem Leben
        • Das Herz findet immer einen Weg
        • Heat for Sale – Deutsche
        • Mr Frosty Pants (German)
        • Mr. Naughty List (German)
        • Smoky Mountain Dreams – Deutsche Version
        • Stay Lucky– Deutsche
        • Vespertine: Der Priester und der Rockstar
      • In der Hitze der Liebe
        • Langsame Hitze
        • Alpha-Hitze
        • Langsame Geburt
        • Bittere Hitze
      • Training Season – Deutsche Version
        • Training Season – Deutsche
        • Training Complex – Deutsche
      • Überraschend … verheiratet!
        • Überraschend … verheiratet! (Wake up Married 1)
        • Überraschend … verliebt! (Wake up Married 2)
        • Will & Patrick: Endlose Flitterwochen: Wake up Married Bonusstory
      • Newsletter
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      • Sueños en las Montañas Humeantes
  • About

sexy

QUEER ROMANCE FREEBIE & FAN CLUB – TASTER BOOK

January 19, 2018 by Leta

QRFFC is a Facebook group from romance authors that has over 2,300 members now, and shares freebies, new releases, and competitions.

The fourteen romance authors involved are often asked what of their own books they would like to recommend as a place to start.

So, we came up with this idea to create a book you can download onto your own reader with first chapters, buy links, social links and news, for a selection of the authors. We also thought we’d group items together, for example, contemporary, paranormal etc.

The first taster book is called Strong & Sexy and can be downloaded to your desktop or phone from the following links:

Mobi – https://goo.gl/FJ2P14

Nook – https://goo.gl/JAd538

Kobo – https://goo.gl/sV16rH

iBooks – https://goo.gl/VfGBDh

ePub – https://goo.gl/Ftjgo5

PDF – https://goo.gl/paB28B

Containing tasters from:

N.R. Walker, Keira Andrews, Eli Easton, Jay Northcote, RJ Scott, V.L. Locey, DJ Jamison, Leta Blake, Posy Roberts, Jamie Fessenden, Annabelle Jacobs, and Amber Kell

My featured book is Slow Heat– Book 1 in the Heat of Love Series

(Alpha Heat, Book 2 will be out this spring)

Slow Heat Leta BlakeA lustful young alpha meets his match in an older omega with a past. 

Professor Vale Aman has crafted a good life for himself. An unbonded omega in his mid-thirties, he's long since given up hope that he'll meet a compatible alpha, let alone his destined mate. He's fulfilled by his career, his poetry, his cat, and his friends. 

When Jason Sabel, a much younger alpha, imprints on Vale in a shocking and public way, longings are ignited that can't be ignored. Fighting their strong sexual urges, Jason and Vale must agree to contract with each other before they can consummate their passion. 

But for Vale, being with Jason means giving up his independence and placing his future in the hands of an untested alpha--as well as facing the scars of his own tumultuous past. He isn't sure it's worth it. But Jason isn't giving up his destined mate without a fight. 

Filed Under: ebook, ebooks, erotica, Gay, LGBT, Reading, Reviews, romance Tagged With: alpha, omega, omegaverse, sexy, strong, taster, teaser

Leta Blake Recommends Kit Brisby's ROGUE MAGIC! Check it out! #gay #romance

January 30, 2017 by Leta

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I’m thrilled to welcome Kit Brisby today to talk about her excellent book Rogue Magic! It was one of my favorite books I beta read last year and I highly recommend it!

Let’s get started:

1. Rogue Magic is deeply romantic, but more than that it’s a wonderful but never heavy-handed allegory for persecution based on religion, race, or any other human quality that might go against the values of the established culture. Was this intentional on your part?

 

Persecution based on religion, race, and countless other identities has existed for centuries. It’s a common theme in stories, and I don’t think I was doing anything revolutionary here! When I wrote this book, the political climate in the United States hadn’t quite reached its current fever pitch. I’ll be honest – I hoped that by the time the book was released, our nation might be entering a time of healing under the leadership of the first female president.

But that’s another story entirely.

Ultimately, I believe #ownvoices is incredibly important, and while ROGUE MAGIC might be read as an allegory about what marginalized people face today, I urge readers to seek stories written by members of those populations. I’m a queer white woman with anxiety. I can speak to those experiences, but I can’t begin to speak to the lived experiences of people of color, Muslims, and other marginalized people. I’m touched that readers have drawn parallels but a direct parallel was not my intention.

 

2. Do you remember the first moment this story came alive in your mind? The point of inspiration? Can you tell us a bit about it and how it made you feel inside?

 

The opening scene was always the foundation of this book. The act of sacrifice and the immediate consequences. The mix of confusion and fear and empathy. I get a little squiggly feeling in my stomach over that scene, and it’s that kind of excitement/inspiration that fuels me as a writer as the story unfolds.

 
3. Was there a point with this story when you felt like it was too much, or that you’d never be able to complete it satisfactorily? What got you through that time and led you to persevere?
I’m always very excited for the first 15,000 words of a new draft. Then I enter the “despair and whining” phase until I’ve got about 15% left. I stick to a fairly stern drafting schedule that gets me through the agony of the “I’ll never finish this garbage” doldrums. Revisions and line edits can be rough, but in this case I had amazing guidance. That always makes the hard work more gratifying.

 

4. Many authors write with music playing or use songs to drive inspiration and channel emotion. Is there a particular song (or songs) that will forever be attached to Rogue Magic or its characters for you?

 

I listen to moody Google Play Radio stations when I’m writing. I also listen to short, curated playlists that help me get into characters’ headspaces. The Shins played a large part in ROGUE MAGIC’s playlist, along with a little Belle and Sebastian. I have a feeling that was more Levi’s influence than Byron’s.

 

5. You have an annual star chart you use to track your writing and edits. I found it deeply inspiring and started doing a similar one for myself. Do you want to briefly explain it?

 

I’m deeply inspired by author V.E. Schwab. She popularized the “star chart” method and uses monthly calendars. Her productivity is amazing, and she’s very transparent with her fans about the amount of labor that goes into producing a book. Using a star chart to tracking drafting is particularly motivating, but I’ve found a lot of value in visualizing revisions, which aren’t nearly as sexy as cranking out brand new words. (But they’re so much more important!) I use a year calendar from NeuYear.net to track my book-related work.

 

6. What is the one thing you hope readers take away from Rogue Magic and what is the one thing you are most proud of when it comes to the book?

 

I hope readers enjoy themselves as the story unfolds. I’ve found great comfort and escape in books throughout my life, and it’s truly the greatest honor to offer that to others.

*

Thank you, Kit! Congratulations on the release of Rogue Magic! 

Filed Under: books, Gay, Reading, Reviews Tagged With: fantasy, gay, kit brisby, lgbt, magic, romance, sexy, sweet

Review: The River Leith – I'm With Geek "Ultimately, The River Leith is a delight: devastating, hopeful, sexy, romantic, and true." #gay #amreading

August 4, 2016 by Leta

“The River Leith is a short book. It could be completed in a day, and it is engrossing enough to do so. As with her previous book, Training Season, Blake showcases her skill for writing unique, involved and developed relationships. Her sex scenes are also wonderfully written, realistic and free of purple prose while still being romantic (but I’m With Geek will be sure to discuss them in more detail in a later Between the Sheets article.)

Ultimately, The River Leith is a delight: devastating, hopeful, sexy, romantic, and true.”

via Review: The River Leith – I’m With Geek.

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.

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Filed Under: books Tagged With: amnesia, blogger, boxing, emotional, gay, romance, sexy, sweet

"Elegant story-telling. I couldn't put this one down." Review of The River Leith by Leta Blake

May 6, 2016 by Leta

“Elegant story-telling. I couldn’t put this one down. As would be expected with a story about a man with amnesia, there’s a lot of introspection and revisits to the past, yet it never once felt like the story had stagnated. In fact, the pace was so right, measured. Loved every word.”

via Goodreads | Lane Swift’s review of The River Leith.

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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.

Filed Under: books Tagged With: amnesia, amnesia trope, favorite amnesia books, gay romance, m/m, m/m romance, romance, sexy

FREE! Will & Patrick Wake Up Married (Episode 1 in the Wake Up Married serial) – April 18 – 22 only! #gay #romance

April 18, 2016 by Leta

“I truly adore this series more than words can express. The writing is stellar and the storyline just keeps getting better and better.” – Bayou Book Junkie Reviews

“Ms. Blake and Ms. Griffiths have crafted an endearing tale full of promise, humor, tension, drama, sadness, and forgiveness. An incredible read!” – Alpha Book Club

“If you haven’t read these stories yet what are you waiting for?” Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

FREE April 18 - 22 on Amazon!

FREE April 18 – 22 on Amazon! 

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Filed Under: books Tagged With: arranged marriage, autism spectrum, comedy, diabetes, disabled hero, erotic, forced marriage, free, fun, gay, laughs, promotion, romance, sexy, vegas, wake up married, wedding, will & patrick

"Oh Mrs. Leta Blake you are fast becoming one of my favorites!" Review of The River Leith #gayromance

March 6, 2016 by Leta

“Oh Mrs. Leta Blake you are fast becoming one of my favorites! This is one of those stories that kinda leaves you breathless. I mean think about your partner…now imagine he/she doesn’t remember anything about you or your relationship together. Is the love you share strong enough pull them to you regardless??? Well this is that story. Leith has lost the last three years and Zach has lost his lover and best friend. The story takes you through some of the frustrations they have while traveling the path back to each other. I’m not sure I could be as strong and Zach or Leith for that matter.Again I wish I had he gift of words to truly describe this story to you. The only thing I wish Mrs. Blake would have included in the story is the same thing Leith wanted which is how they met…ugh! I want to know that story too!”

via Goodreads | Bookjunkie12’s review of The River Leith.

AMAZON|KOBO|B&N|iTunes|ARe

AMAZON|KOBO|B&N|iTunes|ARe

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.

Filed Under: books, Reading, Reviews, romance Tagged With: amnesia, emotional, gay romance, gaynesia, romantic, sexy

"This is my first Leta Blake book but will not be my last!" Review of Smoky Mountain Dreams #gayromance

January 15, 2016 by Leta

“This is my first Leta Blake book but will not be my last!! I loved everything about Christopher and Jesse. I immediately felt their connection and attraction. I also knew it wasn’t going to be a smooth ride. I am a self-proclaimed angst lover (both reading and writing it) and this had just the perfect amount of constant turmoil that made me read into the middle of the night hoping this couple would find their happily ever after.”

via Amazon.com: PhoebeWilson’s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams.

AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMTED AND AMAZON

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Filed Under: books, LGBT, Reading, Reviews, romance Tagged With: #1 bestselling gay romance, angst, bisexual, gay romance, m/m romance, romantic, sexy, smoky mountains, southern

"This book was every bit as outstanding as the original!" Review: Leta Blake – Training Complex – Hearts on Fire Reviews

January 5, 2016 by Leta

“Sometimes it’s hard for a sequel to live up to the expectations of a first book that leaves such a lasting impression, but I’m thrilled to say that this book was every bit as outstanding as the original – *happy grin*!”

via Review: Leta Blake – Training Complex – Hearts on Fire Reviews.

 

"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
“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

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.

Click for reviews and praise for Training Complex!
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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: bdsm, erotic, gay, intense, romance, romantic, sexy, training season

“I feel like a better title for this book would be ‘Perfect Season’ .” Review of Training Season by Leta Blake

December 20, 2015 by Leta

“I feel like a better title for this book would be “Perfect Season” because that is what it was all about to me. It’s what we want: perfection. It’s what we want to see in others: perfection. It’s where we want our lives to be – the place we want to live. It’s just not always the most realistic viewpoint to carry.

I’ll spare you the blurb, which actually describes this gem perfectly.

From the characters to the prose to the level of angst and love this one delivers a Gold Medal winning performance. I loved both characters – though sometimes I didn’t like them very much. It felt absolutely real. We all strive for the “Perfect Season” in our lives and so very rarely do we get it – until we look back on what we’ve done, seen, loved, and worked towards and realized that it really was all for a reason. Sometimes we get kicked down so hard that we think we’re so far underground we won’t see the light of day, well, ever – and yet we keep going. The drive, the motivation, to do something like Matty is doing seems foreign to many – but people who have it, who give like that, who commit like that, it’s overwhelming, painful, endorphin producing, rewarding, and downright costly. All at the same time.

What great fortune to also find a book that contains BDSM but is not about it. No fancy schmancy clubs here with paraded twinks naked with collars. No discussion or negotiation, no BDSM101 lecture, nada. No “Boy” this and “Sir” that protocol. Just honest need, want, and desire that gets expressed with a more D/s theme running through. I will definitely say that this one has two kinks that are neither common nor comfortable for a great amount of people: breath play and medical (enema). Yet I would challenge anyone to read this and not to understand what was going on, how these fit in to the story, and come away with the thought that it was those things that identified the book. Because they just so don’t. The scenes’s are memorable for how they express the characters relationship and growth and understanding. They are expressions – of something far greater and far more importance. Divine.

A top 5 pick of the year for me. I very rarely stay up until 4am to finish a book. I did here and didn’t regret it one bit and didn’t even wake up tired. I woke up with this feeling that I’d just left my Grandma’s house on Christmas day after all the food, festivities, and love and I so want to go back to that place again. For that moment, in that time, at that place – it was, for me, The Perfect Season.”

 

Amazon.com: AlexJouJou’s review of Training Season.

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"Does Training Season by Leta Blake live up to all it's crazy hype? IT SO DOES!" - Breann, Boy Meets Boy Reviews "A tale told with such flair and tenderness, and with such insight into the two main characters that I will read it over and over again." - Susan Mac Nicol, The Romance Review Site "If you are looking something real with passion that leaps off the pages, read this book. Now. You will NOT be disappointed." - Mama Kitty Reviews "I am stunned. I am shocked. What did I just read? A wonderful story? A gorgeous tale of love, hope, loss, acceptance, forgiveness? All of the above? You bet your sweet ass." - The Risque Redhead Reviews "I loved it in pretty much every way it's possible to love a book and its characters." - Lisa, The Novel Approach
“Does Training Season by Leta Blake live up to all it’s crazy hype? IT SO DOES!” – Breann, Boy Meets Boy Reviews
“A tale told with such flair and tenderness, and with such insight into the two main characters that I will read it over and over again.” – Susan Mac Nicol, The Romance Review Site
“If you are looking something real with passion that leaps off the pages, read this book. Now. You will NOT be disappointed.” – Mama Kitty Reviews
“I am stunned. I am shocked. What did I just read? A wonderful story? A gorgeous tale of love, hope, loss, acceptance, forgiveness? All of the above? You bet your sweet ass.” – The Risque Redhead Reviews
“I loved it in pretty much every way it’s possible to love a book and its characters.” – Lisa, The Novel Approach

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: bdsm, fan favorite, figure skater, gay romance, m/m, rancher, sexy

“This story is beautifully written, almost lyrical in its flow, like the fairy tales of yore.” | Review of Levity by Leta Blake

November 23, 2015 by Leta

“This story is beautifully written, almost lyrical in its flow, like the fairy tales of yore. Of course, the evil witch came along and presented our heroes with an impossible choice. Without giving too much away, the characteristics and growth of both heroes made it possible for them to save the world and each other, and live happily ever after.

This was a light (ha!), fun, engaging story. Great for a beach read, a comfort read; one of those moments you want something you know will make you laugh, smile, and feel good.”

Amazon.com: jeayci’s review of Levity (formerly Earthly Desires).

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Previously released in 2012 as Earthly Desires.
Previously released in 2012 as Earthly Desires.

Filed Under: books Tagged With: erotica, fairy tale, fairytale, gay, sexy, The Light Princess

Spend Christmas In the Smokies with Christopher & Jesse! Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake #gay #romance

November 15, 2015 by Leta

Set during holiday season and ending on Christmas Day, bestselling gay romance, Smoky Mountain Dreams, warms up the cold nights!

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Sometimes holding on means letting go After giving up on his career as a country singer in Nashville, Christopher Ryder is happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee. But while his beloved Gran loves him the way he is, Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. Even when he's center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. Bisexual Jesse Birch has no room in his life for dating. Raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children's mother, he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Sometimes holding on means letting go.

After giving up on his career as a country singer in Nashville, Christopher Ryder is happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee. But while his beloved Gran loves him the way he is, Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. Even when he’s center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.

Bisexual Jesse Birch has no room in his life for dating. Raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother, he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

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Filed Under: books Tagged With: christmas, gay romance, happy ending, holidays, m/m, mmromance, romance, romantic, sexy, thanksgiving, winter

“An awesome addition to this series!” Review: Will & Patrick Meet the Family by Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths

November 13, 2015 by Leta

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“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.”

via Kara on Goodreads

 

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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.
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.

Filed Under: books, ebook, ebooks, Gay, Gay Rights, LGBT, Reading, Reviews Tagged With: funny, gay, gay romance, laugh out loud, m/m, m/m romance, meet the family, neurosurgeon, opposites attract, pretend marriage, rom-com, romance, romantic comedy, sexy, snark, snarky, UST

“I absolutely love Ms. Blake’s books! This is another not to miss!” Review of Smoky Mountain Dreams #gay #romance

November 1, 2015 by Leta

“A wonderful emotional story it tugs at your heart, making you not want the story to end, a must read for the holidays and all year long. I absolutely love reading Ms. Blake’s books, this is another not to miss both Christopher and Jessie’s story is amazing!”

via Amazon.com: Sherri’s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

Filed Under: books Tagged With: angst, bisexual, emotional, gay, hot, m/m, romance, romantic, sexy

“Beautiful writing; wonderful, flawed characters; off the charts UST and enough uncertainty to keep me utterly gripped.” | Jay Northcote’s review of Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

October 12, 2015 by Leta

“I’ll be honest here… they had me at priest in the blurb, because forbidden/repressed love is a trope I adore. I’m happy to report that the authors delivered in spades. I absolutely loved this story. Beautiful writing; wonderful, flawed characters; off the charts UST and enough uncertainty to keep me utterly gripped. I’m not going to lie, this is an angsty read. People who know me, know that I don’t often choose angst-heavy books. And yes there is a lot of pain in this book, and it made my heart hurt as I followed Jazz and Nicky’s story and learned how past mistakes had landed them where they are at the start of the book. But there is also hope laced in every page right from the beginning. I *knew* they’d get to their happy ending, I trusted and I longed for it and it was so completely worth the ride. Gorgeous, gorgeous book. Definitely one of my favourite reads this year.”

Source: Goodreads | Jay Northcote’s review of Vespertine

 

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Can a priest and a rock star 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.

Filed Under: books, Reading, Reviews Tagged With: angst, catholic, emotional, forbidden love, gay, hot, priest, rock star, romance, sexy

“Hats off to Ms. Blake and Ms. Vaughn because this book is perfect.” Review of Vespertine #priest #gay #rockstar

September 24, 2015 by Leta

“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

 

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Can a priest and a rock star 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.

 

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.

Filed Under: books, ebook, ebooks, Gay, LGBT, Reading, Reviews, romance, Uncategorized Tagged With: emotional, forbidden love, forbidden romance, gay, jazz, nicky, priest, reviews, rock star, rock star romance, romantic, sexy

“I’m so glad I read this book! It totally blew me away!” Review: Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

September 17, 2015 by Leta

“In general, I don’t like to read religious themed books. All the guilt and hate (both self-loathing and hate directed at the MC’s) just makes my heart hurt. Sometimes, though, I feel compelled to make an exception, when it’s an author that I know I like and I am willing to take the chance. I’m so glad I read this book! Vespertine totally blew me away!”

Read more of Jewel at JesseWave’s Reviews.

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Can a priest and a rock star 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.
Can a priest and a rock star 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.

Filed Under: books, ebook, ebooks, Reading, Reviews, romance Tagged With: erotic, gay, homosexual, love story, m/m romance, priest, rock and roll, rock star, sexy

“Off. The. Page. Scorchingly. Delicious!!!!!” 5 Stars! Review of Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake #gay #romance

May 18, 2015 by Leta

“It was sweet, emotional, funny (the quips from Gran are LOL-good), poignant, and SO damn well written. I wish I could visit Smoky Mountain!! And the sex w/Christopher and Jesse??? Off. The. Page. Scorchingly. Delicious!!!!! I look forward to reading more books from this author.”

via Amazon.com: Elaine’s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams.

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Click for reviews and praise for Smoky Mountain Dreams!
Buy at ARe. Buy at Amazon. Buy at Smashwords. Buy at Kobo. Buy at Barnes & Noble. Buy at iTunes.

Filed Under: books Tagged With: angst, best selling gay romance, country music, gay romance, reviews, sex, sexy, smoky mountain dreams

“Incredibly Satisfying Sequel!” review of Training Complex by Leta Blake #mmromance #gay

May 14, 2015 by Leta

“Matty and Rob are back! Matty and Rob are back!!” I literally said that out loud when I heard there was a sequel in the works favorite book of 2014, Training Season. I just could not love these characters any more than I already do. Even more now that I’ve read the sequel Training Complex.

If you liked the first book, you owe it to yourself to read this sequel to see how the boys make it to their HEA. If you loved the first book, you’re probably already reading/read it. I HIGHLY recommend this one and am deliriously happy!”

via Amazon.com: Jen “Gigi”‘s review of Training Complex (Training Season Series B….

 

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Click for reviews and praise for Training Complex!
ARe|Amazon|Smashwords|Barnes & Noble|iTunes.

Filed Under: books, Figure Skating, Gay, Reading, Reviews Tagged With: angst, bdsm, eating disorder, figure skater, figure skating, gay, gay romance, kink, kinky, matty, mmromance, physical therapist, physical therapy, physio, rancher, rob, romance, sexy

Early Release Day! The River Leith Available Now! #mmromance #gay #ebook

May 15, 2014 by Leta

The River Leith is now available!

Amazon

Smashwords

All Romance Ebooks

and Barnes & Noble!

What is the reason for this early release? Well, see, I’d originally planned to release the book on the 18th, my husband’s birthday, as a sort of, “Hey, happy birthday, babe! In your honor I released a book!” But, uh, apparently he’d rather I spent his special day actually, you know, paying attention to him and not messing around with getting files loaded, dealing with glitches, messing with blog posts and announcements, and all that jazz. Can you believe that? I mean, so demanding, right? 😉 Seriously, though, obviously that release-day/birthday thing wasn’t the best plan in the world. Luckily, I resolved that and now…*drumroll*…the book is available several days early! Hooray! Go forth and buy! *bounces* *bites nails* Hope you enjoy!

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.
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.

Filed Under: books, Gay, LGBT, Reading Tagged With: amnesia, boxer, erotic, erotic romance, gay romance, happy birthday babe, husband's birthday, learning all the things anew, m/m, mmromance, not the best present after all, romance, sexy, the river leith, vlogger

Growing My Leg Hair Out For Self-Esteem #feminism #shaving #rosacea

February 16, 2014 by Leta

I wanted to write about some of my deep thoughts on make-up and simply don’t have the brain power for it today. It’s all convoluted and involves all kinds of connected topics such as trans*women, the covering up of “blemishes” or scars, and my own experience with a changing face.

Aw, hell, let’s try for it anyway. Okay, here we go.

Basically, I wanted to talk about what’s real and what’s “not real” and ask us all to ponder some questions about that distinction. Let’s talk about me and my rosacea for a moment. A few months back, I realized that when I manage to successfully cover the redness up with make-up, I felt better about going out in public. I felt less ashamed to be seen and more secure. When I got stared at, I thought to myself, “Today they’re looking at me because they think I’m attractive, not because I look like a splotchy-faced clown.”

However, I also found myself dismissing these stares and any compliments on my appearance because I didn’t feel like it was “real”. I found myself thinking things like, “If they only knew how bad my skin really looks under this make-up, they wouldn’t be saying that.” So, that led me to wonder how make-up does or does not play into a trans*woman’s experience of feeling “real”. And what does it mean to women in general if they’re taught to feel most attractive by applying something foreign to the base version of the “real” them? 

BUT those thoughts are a month or so old now and while they still apply, another experience has interceded and changed the flavor of them. In the last month, I’ve decided/realized a few important things:

a) due to her genes, my daughter is likely to have pretty severe acne in her teenage years. Her father had it and, physically, she is his mini-me. I realized that would be hard on her at that vulnerable time in her life, and in a massive, huge, wow-life-changing epiphany, I realized I didn’t want to model for her an obsession with my own skin. I didn’t want her to see me fretting about how it looked, or feeling ashamed of it, or complaining that I felt unattractive. Which, I’m ashamed to admit, she definitely has overheard many times in the past. I wanted to start modeling a behavior for her that makes it known that what her face looks like is so much less important than WHO SHE IS. So, I’ve stopped talking about my face. Ever.

Picture (not me!) from Razor Free Inspiration.

b) I decided on a whim to not shave my legs again until the hair has entirely grown out. I realized that I’ll be forty this year and I’ve never really seen my body as it naturally looks because I’ve spent my entire life, since I was nine years old and started puberty early, shaving and making it out like my body is something that needs fixed.

When my eight year old started asking when she could shave and I found myself struggling to explain why she couldn’t yet and what exactly “you don’t need to” means (because who NEEDS to? we aren’t going to die if we don’t shave) I chose to do this “no more shaving” experiment. I’ll cop to the fact that I am still shaving my armpits because I don’t like how hair feels under there. I let it grow pretty long but it was bugging me, so I shaved it. My leg hair is not bugging me, though, so I’m going to keep letting it grow.

I might shave again when I’m done and I might not. It all depends on how I feel at that time and if it’s something that I want to do. I admit I’ll probably want to shave for bathing suit season. The social issues alone are something I’m not sure I want to deal with, but I’ll need to give that some thought, too. 

c) By choosing to not talk about my face, or allow myself to even act like the rosacea is bothering me, and by choosing to let my body be natural in terms of the hair on my legs, I’ve discovered that I am much more interested in who I AM than in what I look like. And that realization has made me see how many years and how many hours I’ve lost being distracted with concerns about what I look like. I can’t fathom that men lose even a quarter as much time on that same question. The requirements for men are so much less time consuming and don’t boil down to these tiny nuances like the shape of their eyebrows or if their pubes are properly trimmed. When my husband wants to go swimming, he puts on a bathing suit and goes. When I want to go swimming, I have to tame a forest first. It’s exhausting and, frankly, makes me say no to swimming a lot more often than it makes me say yes. 

Since I’ve stopped focusing on my rosacea and stopped shaving, my husband’s sexual interest in me doesn’t seem to have waned and may have even grown. Not because he gets off on hairy legs (which would be fine, but he doesn’t), but because I think I’m a lot less anxious and a lot more willing to just let it all go in the moment, which is, of course, a lot more fun all around. No more, “Sorry, I didn’t shave….” comments. Or turn-off conversations consisting of, “Why is my face so bad? I didn’t eat any corn. It’s so ugly.” Instead, it’s just me being me and me not apologizing for stupid shit like hairy legs.

So, yeah, so far it’s all been a big success and while I can’t say that I feel awesome about how I LOOK, what I can say is that I think about how I look a lot less, and that’s AWESOME.

If I have the inner strength not to shave and wear what I want…I have the strength and mental fortitude to do anything – L Kaur

Filed Under: Fashion, Feminism, free, How to be a better person, LGBT, Parenthood, Trans* Tagged With: feminism, how I look doesn't matter, leg hair on women, no more shaving, not how i look, not shaving, rosacea, sexy, shaving, who i am

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