Title: Chance To Be King
Author: Sue Brown
Genre: M/M Romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: 17th December 2014
Cover Artist: DWS Photography
Blurb
After working nonstop for two years, actor Eric Pawlowski desperately needs a respite from his grueling schedule and the crippling migraines that come with it. Thinking that a few weeks in a secluded cottage is just the thing, his vacation gets off to a rough start when he almost mows down the only other guy who lives on the remote road. Fortunately Thomas is quick to forgive, and soon he, Eric, and Eric's two dogs are palling around like they've known each other for years.
But when Eric witnesses Thomas coldly order a lost stranger off his property, he starts to question how well he knows him. Despite a mutual attraction that has Eric cursing every time a well-meaning member of the nearby small town interrupts their attempts to get intimate, Eric wonders if acting on his desire for Thomas will get him involved in a situation he shouldn't be in. When his rented cabin catches fire in the middle of the night and the firemen call it arson, it confirms Eric’s suspicions.
To keep Eric with him, it's up to Thomas to come clean about who he is... and his involvement in a decade-old web of tragedy and revenge into which Eric has unwittingly walked.
Excerpt
Eric paused for a minute to take in his surroundings. The lake was huge, surrounded by reeds and banked in places by sandy beaches. A short note in the paperwork said it was suitable to swim in, and Eric had brought his trunks hopefully. There seemed to be a narrow path following the shoreline. Eric called to the dogs and set off to follow it. He didn’t necessarily want to explore all of it today, but he did think the dogs would benefit from a long walk after being cooped up in the truck for most of the previous day.
In places the overhanging branches meant Eric needed to duck, one of the disadvantages of being well over six feet tall. The dogs, however, had no such issues, and they plowed ahead eagerly. Their enthusiasm meant he lost sight of them until he reached a clearer spot in the trees. Eric could hear them splashing up ahead and smiled to himself. Millie was a terror for getting in the water, be it puddle or pond. Toby was more of a wimp and would dance around the edges before finally getting up the courage to venture in.
Eric finally reached the shoreline, to see Millie in the water as he expected. However, the man playing with her as she swam around was a surprise. He’d obviously been swimming, because he was bare from the waist up and—oh fuck—he was a vision: lean muscles, firm abs, and dark nipples against tanned skin. Yummy. Not that Eric was looking closely. At all. Okay, maybe it didn’t take much for Eric to react to a gorgeous man dancing half-naked in cold water.
Eric squinted as he looked a bit closer. Wasn’t this his rescuer from last night? Tim… Tony… Thomas… that was it, Thomas.
“Morning,” Eric drawled as he watched them pl
ay. “Hope she’s not bothering you too much.”
As Eric spoke, Thomas looked up and stopped horsing around. Millie gave a disappointed bark as she paddled and nudged Thomas’s hand hopefully. Thomas ran his hands though his hair to get the drips out of his face, his muscles rippling in a most distracting way. Eric’s cock was quite appreciative and twitched in his sweats.
“I don’t get too many dogs rushing to join me in my morning swim.” “Sorry, she never can resist getting in the water.”
Eric was trying hard to concentrate on the conversation, but really, most of his attention was taken by the view in front of him. He spent his days surrounded by handsome men and beautiful women, but this man took his breath away. His dark blond hair curled damply around his ears, and his bright blue eyes sparkled in amusement. Damn, could I get more girly?
“Eric?” Eric blinked. “Uh… yes?” He’d been so busy staring at the water droplets running down Thomas’s chest… and—oh, are they freckles? Eric couldn’t tell from this distance.
“Earth to Eric?”
He dragged his gaze away reluctantly from Thomas’s body to his face. Not that it was any less distracting with those eyes…. Fuck, those eyes. “Yes?” Thomas was smirking at him unashamedly.
“Would you mind calling your dog back? I’m getting cold now, and I’d like to get out.”
Eric stared at him stupidly for a minute, and then his brain finally got on board with the conversation. “Yes… I mean, sorry. Millie, come here girl.”
Guest Post - Sue Brown
Do you have a favourite Christmas song? There are so many to choose from but mine is definitely Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl from the 1980s. I love its bittersweet antidote to the usual slushy Christmas songs. As my favourite Christmas movie is Die Hard maybe I prefer the bittersweet to the sugary sweet. Okay, okay I am the Grinch.
Over the last couple of years I’ve heard rumblings from people who really hate the lyrics because it includes ‘cheap, lousy faggot’. For years I’ve listened to the lyrics and never thought about the word. But now I have to reconcile the fact the homophobic word and all the negative associations with it. Of course we have 2014 sensibilities with a 1980s song, and a lot has changed in thirty years.
A lot of the films and TV programmes I love from eighties have stereotypical gay characters and casual homophobia that I didn’t see. Why didn’t I see it then? Because I wasn’t looking for it. It didn’t even impinge on my consciousness. If you watched the TV series NCIS take note of the homophobia in the first series that is absent as the seasons progress. I’ve watched NCIS from the beginning and I wouldn’t have noticed it then, but nearly eight years of writing gay characters has made me much more aware.
I’m glad to live in my world, with online friends around the world and people who actually think about what they say. I still love Fairytale of New York. It’s still my favourite Christmas song, but in my head faggot becomes maggot.
And finally, for those I don’t speak to on a regular basis, I wish you a Happy Holidays and a glorious New Year.
Review
Foxy Rating = Four Stars
This was a sweet and sexy quick(ish) read with a dash of
suspense thrown in for good measure. I’m a fan of Sue Brown’s books (especially
her Morning Report series) and this one did not disappoint.
Action movie star Eric is taking some much needed downtime
in a remote small town cottage and comes across hot man by the lake Thomas.
There is an insta attraction that leads to some serious sexy time but also the
difficulties in each other’s lives are brought forth to intercede the romance
with suspenseful threats against them. The love action was quickly established
after a bout of flirting and then the ‘Yes I am gay’ conversation takes place
(I did think this a tad obsolete after the sexy flirting had already
established that *winks*)
The chemistry and believability of the pairing was nicely executed
and I fell for the couple from the onset. I loved the inclusion of the ‘kids’ –
Eric’s dogs, there’s just something about a man loving his dogs that gets to
me!
The backstory, which mainly focused on Thomas’ past was
gradually revealed that lead to the finale which gave a bit of angst and threat
to the storyline. I would have liked more inclusion of the men’s families as I
love a ‘family’ feel in my stories, however there were some great secondary
characters from the small town, especially the ladies at the bingo, nice humorous
touch there.
Overall an enjoyable read that I would recommend to others.
If you like your m/m romances with hot sexy men, cute loveable dogs and a dash
of angst, then this is definitely one you should pick up. Four stars.
Buy The Book
Giveaway
A $20 Gift Card from Amazon/Are (Winner’s choice)
3 E-copies of “Chance to be King”
Meet Sue Brown
Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn't following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot and has gotten expert at ignoring the orders.
Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she's made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.
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