Title: Balls to the Walls: an OPS Protector Romance
Series: Owens Protective Services Book 15
Author: Giulia Lagomarsino
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Protector Romance
Release Date: December 25, 2023
Cover Design: TE Black Designs
Photographer: R Plus M Photo
Cover Design: Tony Brettman
True love is…taking a wooden stake to the abdomen for the lady you met two days ago.
I was sitting in a cantina smoking a cigar when I first saw her.
Eyes like honey and a body that tempted me to do something so irrational it would have killed any other man.
Lucky for me, my handy dandy weapon of choice was close by.
But she was worth it.
And I found that I was especially fond of her abilities with a corkscrew.
How could it not be love at first sight?
Although, my teammates could have shown just a little more enthusiasm when I showed up.
But no, they were focused on the gaping hole in my side.
Oh, and the little fact that I hadn’t bothered to call.
Still, couldn’t a guy get a hug or even a pat on the shoulder?
Or…hey, is that your wife? She’s totally hot. How about some shawarma?
You know, it’s almost like they didn’t miss me.
Cat gives this book 5 Meows with a 3 Purr heat index...
I love this series and each book gets better and better. You do need to read in order as characters reappear, and some storylines cross over with one huge one looming that appears in some book. Each book does usually tie up the story for that book.
This book shocked me at who the main character was. Though I've been waiting on more about him. Plus, there was several mini stories from him telling about past, and there were actual missions the other guys were on. I was also happy to get just enough peek at character I thought this would be about. Enough to keep me begging for that story.
There's still lots of characters to get stories plus the main story to finish so I'm sure I'll be happy for a while yet plus, there are some side characters that need stories, like Ivan and IKE lol.
I picked up my cigar and waited for him to notice me, the lone ranger sitting in the corner with zero fucks to give. It didn’t take him long to notice the man who had nearly taken off his head. Well, had I aimed a little lower.
In a rage, the man strode around the bar, storming over to my table. He pulled a gun from the waistband of his pants, aiming directly at me. But I wasn’t afraid. It was in his stance, the way he held his gun, the way his finger wasn’t quite in the right position. This man threatened people with a gun, but he wasn’t nearly trained enough to use it.
“You dare shoot me in my own bar?” the man shouted.
Ah, so he was the owner, using his position to threaten those around him. He intimidated my Honey with his position, using deplorable tactics to get what he wanted. I knew men like him. I killed men like him.
“I didn’t shoot you,” I said casually, tapping the end of my cigar and letting the flakes fall into the dish. “If I was shooting at you, I wouldn’t have missed.”
The man spluttered at me, his face mottled with rage as he stared at me. “You need to leave my bar.”
“Not without Honey.”
His eyes flicked to the woman he was just threatening. “She is not yours.”
“She’s a hell of a lot more than mine.” I stood, holstering my weapon. Yeah, he still had his out, but that did nothing to make me flinch. The man couldn’t hit me unless he was holding the gun against my chest, and even then, it was highly unlikely he’d kill me.
“You have no right, gringo,” he spat.
I walked around the table until I was standing right in front of him. His gun pressed against my chest and he really started to sweat. “Do it,” I hissed. “Pull the trigger.”
“I—”
He didn’t know what to say, and didn’t want to become a murderer. His eyes flicked to Honey again, and then he pressed the gun harder against my chest. He wanted to do it. He wanted to watch the blood seep from my body, but he couldn’t.
In one swift move, I grabbed the gun from his hand and slammed it down on his head. He dropped to the ground, out cold and not going anywhere anytime soon. Honey came rushing over, her eyes filled with tears as she leapt into my arms.
“You saved me,” she cried. “No one has ever done anything like that for me before.”
I slowly lifted the cigar to my mouth and took a long drag. “And you’ll never have to know what it’s like not to have me around.”
I'm a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, "No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book." I didn't think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn't already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven't been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.
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Emmett McElroy is the cowboy horses hate. When his heir apparent brother dies and his father has a heart attack, he does his duty and steps up as head of the family ranch, but he wishes things were different and his life choices were his own. Just when he begins to get his legs under him, he arrives home to find his high school crush has been hired as ranch foreman.
Ex-rodeo cowboy Nathaniel Zachary desperately needs work. When Mrs. McElroy offers him a job while her husband recovers, he jumps at it. The only issue is Emmett… because Nathaniel has never been able to get his best friend’s brother out of his mind.
Tensions only increase when, after drowning his sorrows, Emmett foolishly agrees to enter a bucking bronc contest at the local rodeo. The attraction that grows as Nathaniel helps prepare Emmett for the contest is something neither of them expected, but as Emmett's father's health improves, the happiness they've built may break faster than a cowboy thrown from the meanest bronc.
I really enjoyed this but I'm a big cowboy fan. It's also second chance, brother's best friend and a little age gap. So, I was in heaven.
There is some angst, a little suspense, very low heat though there is plenty sexual tension.
It's kind of witty because poor Emmett keeps getting bit on the butt by horses, yet takes a challenge to ride a bronc in a rodeo when he's never been on one.
He is a recipient of the RWA Centennial Award, has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and now writes full-time. Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing). He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Visit Andrew's web site at: www.andrewgreybooks.com
Follow the blog facebook page HERE and check the giveaway tab for all the current promo posts with giveaways, thanks for stopping by y'all!
Veterinary student Dutton Glenroth isn’t on speaking terms with his sister, Mary, but he isn’t about to let his niece and nephew suffer because of it. He knows they have very little, so for the holidays, he makes up a basket of gifts for them and leaves it outside their door.
But the kids are getting older, and this year Dutton finds it difficult to pick out their gifts. When he asks for help at Foster’s Toys, he runs into Randy Grant, his high school crush, who even volunteers to wrap and deliver the gifts with Dutton. Suddenly Dutton’s normally lonely holiday has a spark of Christmas cheer. Will this be the year he gets the holiday he’s always longed for?
Secret Guncle is just a really short, sweet, feel good Christmas story.
It's kind of a second chance, though both guys crushed on each other in school, it was unrequited. Now they are both back and ready to see where things go.
He is a recipient of the RWA Centennial Award, has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and now writes full-time. Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing). He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Visit Andrew's web site at: www.andrewgreybooks.com
Follow the blog facebook page HERE and check the giveaway tab for all the current promo posts with giveaways, thanks for stopping by y'all!
The best wish is knowing that there’s nothing left to wish for.
Blurb
Colin is prosecuting his first murder case, and his ability to remain emotionally detached is challenged as the circumstances surrounding the crime awaken his deep inner fear of losing someone he loves, a fear nearly realized when - only two short months ago - Joshua was kidnapped and violently assaulted.
While Colin and his team gather evidence, Joshua endeavors to create a program that will establish a bridge between veterans suffering a mental health crisis and local police. But the effort drains Joshua's already fragile health to a dangerous degree, leaving Colin frantic with worry and frustration.
Meanwhile, Nate has a play opening off-Broadway and must live in New York City for six to eight weeks... alone. It is clear from the onset that the director has the hots for Nate - or at least for his talent as a playwright - which has David pacing the floor in anxiety. He is happy for Nate and proud of his husband but worried about the director's attention and unhappy about Nate's long absence.
By the time Nate celebrates his opening night, all four friends are exhausted both emotionally and physically and ready for the healing trip to Ireland they've been planning for months.
Colin’s breathtaking ancestral home provides many magical moments, but an unexpected and terrifying incident leaves them shaken and questioning the faith in each other that has always been their foundation. Will these shattering circumstances strengthen their bonds or break their hearts and tear their relationships apart?
Cat gives this Book 3 Meows with a 4 Purr index...
I've really liked this series, but this wasn't my favorite book in the series. It is a very heartfelt story following up the harrowing kidnapping and after affects Josh and Colin went through.
In this one it's also about half David and Nate. I guess that's what threw me off was the bouncing of so many characters.
However, the trip to Ireland was amazing and I felt like I was there.
Excerpt
I feel like I’ve been a bit annoying lately.” He stared down at the sheets and huffed out a noisy breath. “I feel like ever since you were abducted, I’ve been an impossible son of a bitch to live with.”
“That’s not true either! What is wrong with you today?”
Colin arched his eyebrows, his expression one of comic confusion. “No one knows.”
“Please stop being so hard on yourself. You have not been an impossible son of a bitch to live with. Quite the contrary. I couldn’t have gotten through this without you.”
Colin quirked his mouth and huffed out a sigh. “Well, if I helped at all, I’m glad.”
“I did,” Colin whispered. “Smartest move I ever made.”
“Well, I chose you too,” Joshua told him. “And I knew—even when I left you and ran home to Glencoe—I knew I could never love anyone else.”
Colin smiled and turned his head to press Joshua’s fingers against his lips.
“It didn’t matter that you didn’t love me,” Joshua said, his voice soft and dream-like. “It didn’t matter at all. I was bound to you, and I knew I always would be.” He pressed his lips to Colin’s, his fingers tightening in Colin’s hair. “Didn’t matter that you were mad at me,” Joshua continued. “I thought you never wanted to see me again, and even that didn’t matter.” His dark eyes met Colin’s, and they were brimming with tears. “I was yours. Even when you didn’t want me, I was yours. Even when I believed I was the only one who loved… I loved you.”
Colin pulled Joshua tight against his body, rocking him in his arms. “My darling boy, you weren’t the only one who loved! Every minute we were apart was torment for me. I was just scared that if I let you love me, I’d somehow hurt you. Or worse… lose you.”
“You can’t lose what’s already yours.” He stroked Colin’s cheek. “When I fell in love with you, I gave you part of me that you couldn’t give back even if you wanted to. A part of me that’ll always be yours. My vision of who you are as a man. My faith in who you are as a person.” He shrugged, his thumb sliding along the rise of Colin’s cheekbone. “All that will stay even if I don’t.”
Colin drew in a quick breath; his face contorted in pain. “Don’t talk like that!”
“Relax,” Joshua murmured, nestling against Colin’s chest. “To quote a famous Irishman, I’m not going anywhere!”
About the Author
My name is Janice Jarrell. I am a retired grandmother who lives in Seattle, WA. I have two children and three grandsons. I’ve been writing gay romance since I was twelve years old, only back then it wasn’t called ‘gay romance’. In fact, it had no name at all. It was the fifty’s, and it was worth your life to admit to being gay, let alone confess to being a girl who constantly fantasized about relationships between gay men. Hell, I didn’t even know what a homosexual was. I lived on a farm out in the sticks in a tiny Michigan village and I’d never, to my knowledge, even heard the word. I just knew I loved the thought of boy-on-boy romance. I just knew that there was something hot going on between Tom Corbett and his Space Cadets and all those guys on ‘Combat’.
I wrote slash fanfiction for 30 years, writing over 337 stories, some as short as 100 words (a drabble), some as long as a series which was over 119,012 words. I enjoy writing my stories. I enjoyed the feedback I received from my readers. It was a creative release I’d been searching for my entire life and I blessed the Internet for leading me to this artistic oasis for my spirit.
Love’s Magic was my very first step into writing my own characters. I will always be grateful to the slash fanfiction community for nurturing the budding author until she was ready to blossom into a fully realized novelist. It’s been an amazing thing to watch the gay community’s growth over these past twenty years. My own journey has echoed theirs in many ways, and I’m grateful to all those gay activists who fought to give the gay community the rights and privileges they always deserved. Love’s Trials, Love’s Glory, and Love’s Lawyer were the second and third, and forth books in the series and all four books are available in audio format on Audible.
I’m also grateful to the gay romance community, readers, authors, publishers and promoters, who are making these, my retirement years, the most creative ones of my life. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling, walking, hiking, knitting, crocheting, and weaving.
I'm very excited about the upcoming release of my fifth contemporary gay romance novel, Relevant Law. Those of you who fell in love with Joshua and Colin in the four previous books in this series are in for a bit of angst in this latest episode. A dark and sinister cloud hangs over the University of Virginia after three students are abducted, raped and beaten. Colin works with both campus and city police to catch the perpetrator, but his hard work and effort proves futile when Joshua turns up missing!
Despite their struggles there are still many passionate, loving moments and the friends they treasure will be there to help them find their way.
He knows what it means to lose, but he never stops fighting
He wears his heart on his sleeve
But exists within nightmares
He is shrouded in the name that the Inferno gave him
Angry.
Feral.
Wild and Careless
Damon is an unpredictable storm without rhyme or reason.
He needs something from me that I’m unwilling to give.
And he keeps coming back, always worse than before.
I see in him what I have in me.
When apart, we barely hang on to our feigned smiles.
But when together, we’re explosive.
I’m not sure I can endure this man’s games.
There’s no telling if his storm will consume me.
We’re hopelessly addicted to that which harms us.
I knew better than to allow Damon in my life.
But now that he’s here, and now that he has me…
…I’m not sure there will ever be an escape.
Nine Ruthless Men. Nine Unrepentant Sinners. Nine Irresistible Manipulators.
Cat gives this Book 5 Meows with a 4 Purr heat index
Hi Y’all! Come in and grab some fancy finger food and a glass of champagne
while I tell you about this book I just read.
The title is Anger by Lily White and it is book 5 in The Inferno series. You do need to read in order because they run Alongside each other and you'd really be lost not having read the others.
The cover is Sexy. I like being able to visualize a character. And this really speaks Damon. Then I read the blurb and it really got my interest because... " wild, reckless Damon is an unpredictable storm without rhyme or reason"
Who’s my favorite main character? I bet your expecting me to pick Damon. I hope you didn't place a bet. Because I'm choosing Blue. She's very likeable and broken but gutsy. And I liked Damon too lol. Ok ma sucker for an anti-hero.
Was there another character I loved and why? I liked seeing all of the Inferno group and their girls...but I really liked Patrick and Kane and would love to see their stories.
The story has lots of settings but one of the main ones is Myth where Amelie works as a cage dancer. We get lots of information in those backrooms and some hot sexy times.
The story is a dark romance with some suspense.
Were there significant plot twists and turns? Oh boy was there. So so many but the ending the most shocking. It was a cliffhanger but I myself like continuing series and love a good cliffhanger it just makes me want the next book.
If you like bad boys, bullies, twists, suspense lots of sexy men and women and a spicy dark romance you will love this
There are trigger warnings mentioned so if the mention of rape, fighting to the death, extreme BB violence, hate sex bothers you, skip this one or read with caution.
I’ve never paid for sex and I don’t plan to start now.
But if there was ever a woman who could convince me to do it, it’s this one.
I’m not sure how much time passes while she continues dancing and I stand a breath away, so damn close that I’m surprised she can’t sense me staring at her.
She’s that lost to what she’s doing, so far gone from this moment and everything around her that I can imagine her becoming the music.
And fuck…she can move.
I’m as lost to her as she is to the beat, and I can’t imagine anything more beautiful or intriguing.
At least until she finally opens her eyes and discovers me.
You would think my close proximity would startle her, that she’d lose that perfect pace she keeps with the music pumping through both of our veins.
She doesn’t.
Not even in a little.
Instead, her eyes remain locked on mine for a few seconds, her full lips parting just a touch to draw in a deeper breath.
At first, I think it’s the swirls of color crashing down from the dancing lights above our heads, but then I realize her violet eyes are natural, a shade I’ve never seen in another person.
I stand mesmerized as she continues dancing while studying me, those violet eyes slowly moving down my body and back up.
A barely-there smile graces her stunning face.
“You just going to stand there all night, or are you planning on dancing with me?”
“I can’t dance,” I confess. “Not like you anyway.”
Her smile widens. “Then why are you up here?”
Another confession, one filled with so much need that I hate to admit it.
“I want some time alone with you. In a back room, where you belong to just me for an hour.”
She takes a moment, considers it.
“I don’t usually go to the back rooms.”
“Don’t usually and never are two different things.”
My counter-argument causes the corner of her mouth to curl.
“Aren’t you the observant one? Okay. Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you by the bar.”
Nodding my head at that, I keep my eyes trained on her and finish my beer, not bothering to step away immediately to give her space.
The entire time, she never stops dancing. Never once loses the beat. It’s impressive and aggravating at the same time.
I want to startle her, for some reason.
Knock her off course.
Affect her in some minor way.
But given how she continues staring at me while keeping pace with the driving beat of music, I doubt I’m able to affect her at all.
Soft laughter flies over those full lips. “I said five minutes, champ. The clock doesn’t start until you walk away.”
Instead of giving ground, I lean in closer. She doesn’t so much as flinch.
“Don’t tell me you’re the bossy type,” I tease.
She stares at me for a few seconds, her body swaying like a siren leading me straight to the gates of hell.
“I can be anything you want, crazy boy. The only question is whether you can afford it.”
Treachery (Antihero Inferno #1) - Available Now
Fraud (Antihero Inferno #2) - Available Now
Violence (Antihero Inferno #3) - Available Now
Heresy (Antihero Inferno #4) - Available Now
Anger (Antihero Inferno #5) - Available Now
Greed (Antihero Inferno #6) - TBA
Gluttony (Antihero Inferno #7) - TBA
Lust (Antihero Inferno #8) - TBA
Limbo (Antihero Inferno #9) - TBA
Lily White is a romance writer who likes to dabble on the taboo side of eroticism. She is most known for her Masters Series, Target This, Wishing Well, and Asylum. In addition to dark romance Lily writes contemporary romance, taboo romance, and psychological thrillers. Lily enjoys stretching her writing muscles by continuing to challenge herself with each book she publishes.
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True love is…taking a wooden stake to the abdomen for the lady you met two days ago.
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