Behind the Scenes with Kelli A. Wilkin: For Love's Sake

 

Behind the Scenes: For Love’s Sake (An Epic Historical/Fantasy Romantic Adventure)

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

This “Behind the Scenes” blog is part of a series examining my romance novels. In each blog, I’ll talk about why I wrote the book, share my thoughts on the plot and/or characters, and sometimes reveal what I loved most (or least) about writing the book. Warning: Blogs may contain spoilers.

If you missed any blog in this series, you can catch up here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/blog

 

Hi romance lovers,

My latest romance, For Love’s Sake, uses the subtitle, “An Epic Historical/Fantasy Romantic Adventure”— that says quite a lot, but that’s the best way to describe it.

Here’s the summary and links:

For Love’s Sake

An Epic Historical/Fantasy Romantic Adventure

She left everything behind to be with him.
He risked losing everything to stay with her.
They were willing to sacrifice everything… for love’s sake

Through a case of mistaken identity, Prince Kevan of Alborg narrowly avoids an assassination attempt and wakes to find himself trapped in mad King Torok’s rat-infested dungeon. Just when he is about to give up hope, he is rescued by an unlikely ally—Torok’s daughter, Princess Adrianna.

Adrianna is desperate to flee her father’s kingdom and agrees to help the handsome stranger escape, but only if he takes her with him when he leaves. Although Kevan knows bringing Adrianna home will not sit well with his father and lead to other complications, he agrees.

They make their way to a waiting ship captained by Kevan’s brother, Mikhael, and set sail for Alborg. Along the way they are lost at sea during a ferocious storm, battle a murderous mercenary sent by Adrianna’s father, and try to deny their intense romantic feelings for each other.

When they arrive in Alborg, Kevan’s father, King Lenard, disapproves of Adrianna and drops the bombshell that Kevan is already engaged to be married. While Kevan tries to get out of the arranged marriage, Mikhael introduces Adrianna to members of the nobility in an effort to win over the king.

At his engagement ball, Kevan is forced to choose between his duty to his father and his loyalty to Adrianna. Soon after, Adrianna is kidnapped and Kevan and Mikhael band together to hunt down her abductors and rescue her before it’s too late.

Order your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DS2H1YMD

Other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4jvDXj

***

For Love’s Sake is divided into three parts: The Castle, The Ship, and The Palace. Each part is devoted to a specific section of the longer, overall story, and they’re almost novellas unto themselves. But what readers don’t know is… this wasn’t how the book started out.

I originally outlined the story as a trilogy. (Yup, this one book would have been three.) In my outline, each part would have been its own self-contained book with a beginning, a middle, an end, and a central story arc.

Looking back on my original idea, I only have one question: What was I thinking??? First, nobody would want to read all that. Second, I didn’t want to write, edit, revise, and proofread all that. Writing one novel is hard enough; why triple my workload?

I’m glad to say common sense kicked in, and my writer’s intuition of what works and what doesn’t work, prevailed.

The book is 86,000 words, which is plenty. I wanted to fully develop each part, but without adding unnecessary scenes or too many details. For example, in part two, I could have described every rope, set of rigging, and mast on the ship for readers as Dray learns about them. But I didn’t want to go overboard. (Ha-ha.) Readers get the feel of being on the ship without seeing the day-to-day events that don’t impact the plot. The writer’s credo is “write tight.” Even in novels.

Some readers have asked me: If this is a romance, where are all the hot and heavy love scenes? Well… as I was editing/revising, I decided to delete several scenes that, although they were very nice, didn’t move the story along or add character development. When I came to some of the explicit love scenes between Kevan and Dray, I cut them or had the characters recall them in flashbacks.

But For Love’s Sake is more than a romance, it’s also an adventure. The characters experience lots of action outside of the bedroom: escaping a dungeon, fighting pirates, being lost at sea, getting kidnapped… And there’s plenty of emotional drama for everyone. The book is filled with lies, deception, sadness, secrets, jealousy, revenge, regret, and love in all its forms.

The secondary characters, Mikhael and Derick, play an important role in part three. Mikhael (Kevan’s brother), is married to Derick, and together, they set events in motion that bring the story to its conclusion.

I love Mikhael and Derick, and for a while I considered giving them their own book. I even wrote their entire backstory—their first meet, Derick’s disastrous lunch with Mikhael’s father (the king), how Derick became a Lord, and what happened when Mikhael and Derick moved into the manor house—but I never intend to publish it.

Why? Because it’s not a book in the traditional sense that it’s a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. There’s no plot. It’s merely a series of vignettes about their lives. But because I love them so much, I included Mikhael and Derick’s first meet as a bonus read. That story also explains the origins of the Freedom.

In the book Mikhael is sassy, self-assured, and bold… but he didn’t start out this way. As readers will see from the bonus read, he started out very confused and troubled. He’s come a long way (thanks to Derick) in the course of a few years. And because I love Mikhael so much, I gave him a fun bit of dialog: “Stand and deliver. Your money or your life.” I’ve always wanted to use that phrase in a story, and it fit Mikhael’s personality (and the scene) perfectly.

For Love’s Sake has plenty of action, drama, suspense, humor, love, and emotional growth to earn epic novel status. It was a lot of fun to write, and it’s one of my favorite romances. It’s also my last romance. (Yup, you read that right.)

I enjoy creating characters and settings and inventing troubles for my heroes and heroines to get into (and out of), and I love all my books. But when it comes to romances… I think I’m done.

Over the last twenty-five years I’ve been writing romances faithfully, and I had romances lined up in my head and/or outlined on paper just waiting to be written—but For Love’s Sake (my 24^th romance) was the last one in line.

I’ll still write, but I’ll be focusing on horror/mystery/suspense short fiction.

For now, I’ll leave you with an epic tale of two people who risked everything… For Love’s Sake.

I welcome comments and questions from readers. Be sure to follow my blog for the latest updates and visit my site for a full title list and links to my social media.

Until next time,

Kelli A. Wilkins

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 8 mystery/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror and mystery stories.

Her latest release, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.

In August 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Kelli also released her fourth gay romance, A Thousand Summer Secrets, in 2024. This tender contemporary romance takes place over a summer weekend, where two friends reconnect while seeking love and acceptance.

She published The Route 9 Killer, a mystery/thriller set in Central NJ, in 2023.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.

 

Tour Stop and Giveaway: Out-Houses by Kira Stone

Title: Out-Houses

Author: Kira Stone

Cover Art: Marteeka Karland

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Releases, Romance

Themes: Age Gap (Older Man), LGBTQ+ Gay, Multicultural & Interracial, Multiple Partners /Polyamory, New Adult

Book Length: Novella

Page Count: 55

Synopsis

Out-Houses.com. The hottest gay-owned interior design business in Northern California.

When Paul joins the owners of Out-Houses.com, Alex and Toby, at their secluded cabin, it’s supposed to be a chance for them to work away from the distractions of the office. Instead Paul finds himself more distracted than ever -- and wanting to join in the fun.

Andy is late for a very important date -- with Toby, one of the owners of Out-Houses. Toby doesn’t like to be kept waiting and decides to teach Andy a lesson by giving him a spanking. Not the traditional way to start an interview, but at Out-Houses, anything goes.

Alex and Toby are great fun, but Paul wants a man of his own. Not just any man -- he’s got his sights set on Andy. Which would be fine, except Andy’s not looking his way. Or is he?

Excerpt

Out-Houses

Kira Stone

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2025 Kira Stone

“Fuck me.” There was a startled gasp, then, “Harder!”

“You want it bad, don’t you?”

The sounds of slapping flesh accompanied the masculine voices emanating from the other side of the bedroom wall. Paul groaned and rolled over. His hard-on stabbed the mattress and he groaned again, this time from pain. It was gonna be a long, exhausting week if he had to listen to his bosses, the owners of Out-Houses -- the newest, hottest gay interior designer company in Northern California -- get it on in the living room every night.

Especially given his recent, secret aspiration of becoming the meat in their cum sandwich.

“Oh, yeah. Just like that. Don’t stop.”

Must be Alex doing the begging, the little slut. Paul pictured him on his knees, his fine caramel colored ass in the air. Desperate for what satisfaction only his partner could give him.

Toby’s deep bass rumbled in response. “Heh. No worries there.”

“Oh, fuck. More. More!”

Placing a pillow over his head didn’t help stifle the erotic noises coming from the nearby room. If he had to hear it, then Paul wanted to see it. Feel it. Be fully engaged in the action. Eavesdropping was a poor substitute for sating carnal lust. Last night he’d been jet-lagged enough to fall asleep. A drag queen in full voice wouldn’t have woken him. However, after spending the day shoulder to shoulder with his gorgeous employers, hunched over a work table studying a ream of concept drawings for a gay-oriented housing project, pinned between their two rock solid bodies…

Damn. Rock solid. Just like his cock.

He was never going to get to sleep as long as he had to listen to them fuck.

Paul tossed off the sheet covering him and slipped out through the sliding glass doors onto the balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He didn’t bother to dress. Dense shrubs on either side of the isolated beach house created a privacy screen from anyone walking along the cliffs. The only people he was likely to encounter were otherwise… engaged.

Two long flights of stairs descended from the deck to meet a short expanse of pristine white sand. Paul didn’t feel comfortable going near the water, in part because walking around in the dark in a strange, wild area had “potentially fatal” written all over it, but also because it took him farther away from where he really wanted to be. Inside. In the living room. On his knees. Sucking Alex’s cock while Toby pounded into him from behind.

Like that’s going to happen. Face it, Paulie, you may be ready, willing and able to bat for the home team, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get a chance to play in this ballpark.

Paul lifted his face to the ocean breeze, trying to clear his mind. He failed, miserably. No matter what lust-killing thoughts he injected into his brain, his libido returned him to the action inside. Toby’s large frame, black skin over corded muscle, wrapped around Alex’s lithe Latino body. Fucking like bunnies.

If it were just about the sex, he might have stood a chance at stemming this hormonal rampage, but Paul admired their internal qualities too. Both had high IQs and more ambition than a rookie Triple-A player after a spot on a major league bench. They were risk takers. Adrenaline junkies. And it was a good thing, because it would take as much guts as money to make their fledgling company, Out-Houses, a success.

But if anyone could do it, Toby and Alex were capable of pulling it off. Paul wasn’t sure how these two alpha males managed to work together so well, or how long their partnership, in and out of bed, could last. Meeting them through their website had been a fluke when Paul needed help with his bathroom plumbing. They’d needed an architect though, and he was ready for a change in jobs. However, the youth of their business and their relationship made signing on with them a gamble. If they broke up, chances were the company wouldn’t survive. Paul chose to take the risk with them. It was hard to walk away from a dream job.

And his dream of joining Alex and Toby during one of their lunchtime quickies.

Paul relaxed against the balcony rail. Moonlight spilled over his milk white skin, giving it a silvery sheen. He ran his hand down his chest, following the thin arrow of reddish-blond hair to his cock. In order to get any sleep at all, he’d have to appease his woodie sooner or later. Might as well be now.

But not quickly. Not something that would be over and forgotten in a minute like a quick jerk-off during a morning shower. Paul wanted to treat himself to something special. Something he’d remember for a long time to make up for the erotic ménage memories he’d have to live without.

Purchase at Changeling

Meet the Author

Kira Stone lives in a warm cave tucked away in the remote Scottish Highlands, where a small band of ever-changing heroes serves as company. As they relax in front of a roaring fire, demons dance in leather pants and angels stroke tunes from the harp strings, while the Fae stop in to share tales from other worlds. Bound by pen and imagination, these are the folk who wait to greet you from the pages of Kira's stories. Visit Kira's Website.

Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive a $10.00 Changeling Press Gift Code! 

Book Review: Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

 

One woman's past will battle with her present and future as she deals with her wartime activities and more. 

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

WWII Historical Fiction

Park Row Books

Available at Amazon

My Rating for Last Twilight in Paris: 3.5 Stars

 This is an objective review and not an endorsement

In 1953, Louise is trying to adjust to being a mom and wife in a world adjusting to the aftermath of World War II. When she stumbles across a necklace that seems familiar in a box labeled of a Paris department store one day at her job, she’s determined to find out what happened and maybe find the owner to return it. But it also may hold clues to the death of her friend during the war, Franny, as she still has questions about that death and the circumstances around it. Following the clues, Louise asks an old boss, Ian, for some help and finds herself tracing the dark history of Lévitan as a Nazi prison and one woman named Helaine who was swept up in the Nazi raids after they invaded Paris. Louise races to figure out how Helaine, the Levitan and how it’s involved in Franny’s death. But as Louise will find out, sometimes the journey will be as important as the story she finds out. Danger mounts as she gets closer to the truth and some people are determined that it won’t get out.

 My Review:

LAST TWILIGHT IN PARIS begins after the war has ended and Louise is trying to adjust to life as a mom and wife even as she finds herself struggling to deal with her wartime activities and the loss of her friend, Franny. With each twist, Louise delves head long into the past as she tries to find answers of the necklace, what Franny’s death has to do with it and the little-known history behind the department store, Levitan’s use as being a Nazi prison for Jewish prisoners. This was one book that sounded interesting and at times was really good, but it dragged in several spots within the story. I really enjoyed seeing how Louise’s past work at the Red Cross during the war and what happened to her at that time. What I really enjoyed was seeing this little-known aspect of World War II that I didn’t know about. The writing is fast, and the storytelling is very well done. The area I struggled with was Louse’s interactions with her old boss, Ian, in the present time and I really didn’t connect all the way with her as a character at times. It took me several days to get through this book as I kept getting tossed out of the story with the aspects of Louise and Ian’s substory within LAST TWILIGHT IN PARIS.

 

Pam Jenoff delivers a story about the aftermath of World War II and the Nazi’s despicable pattern of stealing possessions from the Jewish people they were imprisoning and killing among others. I highly enjoyed Helaine’s story as the dual storylines played out within the pages of LAST TWILIGHT IN PARIS. There was a hint of mystery, interesting actions from Louise & Helaine’s lives that captivated me. If you haven’t read one of Pam Jenoff’s books before, you might want to try this one. I look forward to seeing what this author delves into next for her readers.

 

 

 

 

Tour Stop/Giveaway: A Murder of Convenience by Kathleen Buckley

 

Check out the new book from Kathleen Buckley, A Murder of Convenience, today and make sure to enter the tour wide giveaway where Kathleen Buckley will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Also  make sure to stop in on the other tour stops for more chances to enter this giveaway. All tour stops are HERE and the tour is sponsored by Goddess Fish Promotions.

A MURDER OF CONVENIENCE

AUTHOR: Kathleen Buckley

GENRE:  Historical Mystery

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3L2RGJ

Ellen Cuthbert’s husband, Randolph, is now the Earl of Keswick’s heir. Their marriage is a sham, and Randolph’s mistress, Lydia, is present at the house party. When she is found murdered in a locked room, all the evidence seems to point to Ellen. And how could the murderer have escaped the locked room except by witchcraft? Sir Hugh accompanies his cousin, a magistrate, to the scene of the murder. They investigate, appalled to find their childhood friend Ellen appears to be the chief suspect. Hugh’s lack of prospects years ago prevented their marriage. Now if he cannot find the real murderer, there may be only one final service he can perform for Ellen to spare her a slow death at the end of the hangman’s rope. 

Excerpt Two: 

Wallace’s response to whatever news her husband’s uncle had imparted carried. “Good! You can supply a wagon or cart and driver to take it to Penrith?” Another few words, apparent agreement, and he sketched a bow to the earl. Had they been talking about the body? Randolph’s face revealed nothing.

 

“My lord, ladies, gentlemen, I must beg your indulgence. There is someone Sir Hugh and I must speak with immediately,” Wallace said. “We will begin your interviews as soon as we can.”

 

The earl nodded curtly and departed.

 

Sir Hugh, now; his father and his older brother must have died.

 

Cuthbert drawled, “Need we be confined here while you take some servant or menial out of order?”

 

 “Yes, I fear you must, as Lord Keswick wishes this matter dealt with in the most expeditious manner. To do so, my colleague and I must attend upon the doctor—”

 

 “Why, if she’s dead?”

 

Wallace replied more peaceably than Ellen would have managed, but then, she had had years of Cuthbert’s ways. “So that we can get his immediate impressions, which may help us direct our investigation. And our work will be needlessly slowed if we have to have you and his lordship’s other guests sent for.”

 

He turned to approach Ellen, who prayed he would not address her informally.

 

 “Mistress Cuthbert, I must beg your patience and ask you to wait for me in the Yellow Parlor. I do not expect to be long. A footman will escort you there.”

 

“Certainly, sir.” She curtsied and started for the door. Randolph continued to sprawl in his chair.

AUTHOR Bio and Links: 

One day after coming home from first grade, Kathleen Buckley set about writing her own dictionary but quickly realized it would take too much time, so she read a book instead. Possibly Space Cat.  

After a career which included customer service, light bookkeeping, working as a paralegal, and a stint as a security officer, she began to write as a second career, rather than as a hobby. Her first historical romance was written after re-reading Georgette Heyer’s Georgian/Regency romances for the tenth or twelfth time and wondering if she could do something like that. Apparently she could, as her eleventh will be released on 3/24/2025. As a change of pace, it’s a murder mystery, but still set in the mid-1700s (but still with some romance). 

Warning: no bodices are ripped in her romances, which might be described as "powder & patch & peril" rather than Jane Austen drawing room. They contain no explicit sex, but do contain the occasional den of vice and mild bad language, as the situations in which her characters find themselves sometimes call for an oath a little stronger than "Zounds!" 

https://18thcenturyromance.com/   (website)

https://www.instagram.com/18thcenturyromance/

https://www.facebook.com/pg/anunsuitableduchess/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/270998.Kathleen_Buckley

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathleen-buckley

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kathleen-Buckley/author/B072J2GPZ3

https://www.pinterest.com/kathleengailbuc/

https://writing-on-el-camino-real.blogspot.com/

https://www.amazon.com/author/kbuckley      (Author page)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tour Stop/Giveaway: At Her Service by K.S. Trenten

Title:  At Her Service

Author: K.S. Trenten

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: 03/25/2025

Heat Level: 1 - No Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 23500

Genre: Fantasy, Cinderella, F/F fairy tales, nonbinary characters, romance, magic, royalty, humor, glass shoes

Add to Goodreads

Description

There are one too many Ariellas in our family chateau, when my stepmother becomes its mistress. She’s the rightful Ariella, and Ariella is a name she’ll only share with her daughter. Fortunately, the lady doesn’t realize I’m more than happy to give her daughter anything, including my name. I’ve come to live for the moments when I tickle her feet into her glass slippers. Why would I wish for anything more?

Magic, however, is going to whisk me away from my pallet in the cinders for a night of lights, dancing, and mystery. Mischief will try to sweep me off my feet, but I’m not so easy to sway. For princes are not what they seem, and a servant’s loyalty can be as strong as any spell.

Excerpt

At Her Service

K.S. Trenten © 2025

All Rights Reserved

One Ariella Too Many

I’ll never forget the first time my mistress offered me her hand.

“Every woman should dance once.” She hadn’t been my mistress yet. She was my stepsister, a bewitching girl with sapphire-blue eyes and a husky voice.

No, the other Ariella’s voice was more than husky. I could feel every syllable caressing the inside of my ear. Nor did the sensation stop there. The sound glided down my spine, raising the hairs of my neck, awakening my entire body.

“Shall I show you how, Ariella?” She kept her strong fingers steady, ready to catch and claim me.

Shy, uncertain, I dared to raise my hand to touch hers.

“Ariella, stay away from that girl!” Harsh as the caw of a crow, those words stopped us where we stood.

Ariella stiffened, turning to face its owner at the same moment as I did.

The lady of the chateau wasn’t a tall woman, but her presence loomed within the room, ready to quell anyone who dared to irritate her.

I could already tell I more than irritated her.

“Ariella was only showing me how to dance…” I began, trailing off when I saw the expression in my stepmother’s eyes. How could she look so much like Ariella herself, yet be so different?

“You will address my daughter as the Lady Ariella.” The lady of the chateau spoke in a tone as cold and flat as her eyes. “This is not your home, not anymore. You may no longer dance around as if you owned it.”

“Mother…” Ariella began, but her mother cut her off.

“This is our ancestral estate, the Lady Ariella’s and mine.” She advanced upon me, raising one hand in a claw. It reminded me of a chicken who’d once challenged a hound dog for dominion over a pile of sand. The chicken had won.

“Even if your ancestor managed to steal this chateau from ours, we have taken it back.” She kept her hand raised, a ring flashing upon it. It may have once belonged to my mother, but she hadn’t worn it very often.

“Isn’t it my father’s estate?” Frightened as I was, I hadn’t learned yet not to contradict the lady. “Aren’t you only here because my father married you?”

She struck me, a sharp, glancing blow which might have been no more than a slap to a sturdier woman.

I had never been particularly sturdy. I was tiny, overimaginative, and lacking in a sense of balance.

The lady’s strike knocked me off my feet. I hit the ground in an ungraceful pile at the lady’s own.

“How dare you!”

I’ll never forget the angry snarl that distorted her face. What she’d constrained within her eyes and pinched lips had finally been set free.

I crawled to my knees, not getting up. It seemed better to stay down. One glance at the lady’s twisted, quivering mouth was enough to convince me. I covered my head with my hands.

No, I’ve never been particularly brave. I try to avoid conflict. I suppose I’m like my father in this.

Submitting didn’t appease my stepmother. She raised her hand. Perhaps she meant to hit me again once she’d grabbed my hair, pulling me up to the level of her fist.

“Mother, stop.” Ariella’s husky voice rose with a firm authority I’d never heard her use.

I opened my eyes to glimpse her ankles peeking out from under the hem of a dark-blue skirt.

They were pale, bony, but there was a strength to them. They were planted on the floor between the lady and myself, drawing energy from beneath her heels. I could feel it, traveling up her legs to her torso, heart, and head. The shape of the bone protruding from her ankles reminded me of a rock jutting out from the coastline, standing in proud defiance of the coming waves.

I wanted to grab her ankles, kiss her feet, to give her whatever I could to help her withstand her mother’s rage. Or anything else that might crash against her.

Not that I could do any of those things while huddled on the floor.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read

Meet the Author

I’m a California Bay Area author, exploring the borders of reality and gender to create new worlds and populate them with compelling characters. I live with my husband and our two four footed children, i.e. cats.

Website | Facebook | Twitter |  Pinterest

Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive a $50.00 NineStar Press Gift Code! 

Tour Stop: STOLEN DREAM by OLIVER TAKLEY

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Stolen Dream

Author: Oliver Takely

Publisher: MM Romance Press

Cover Artist: Emily’s World of Design

Release Date:  March 5, 2025

Tense/POV: Third person, dual POV

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance

Tropes: Forbidden love, first times, demisexual rep, found family

Themes: Second chance romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 60 000 words        

It is book three of the Soho Knights Series. Books four and five are scheduled in 2025.

The book ends on a cliffhanger for the series, but not for the couple.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

AMAZON US  |  AMAZON UK

In a world that tried to change them, love becomes their greatest rebellion.

Blurb 

At just eighteen, Paolo and Max meet at a conversion therapy camp. Abandoned by their families. left to endure literal hell on earth, their love is forbidden. Their secret romance grows and as they make plans to escape, they are brutally torn apart.

They both spend the next twelve years building lives in different worlds. Paolo in the vibrant heart of Soho, London, surrounded by his found family, and Max thriving as a successful criminal lawyer in the bustling streets of New York. Both of them believing they’ve lost the love of their life forever.

Max finds himself in London after defending a mobster, which leads to an offer he literally can’t refuse. Needing thinking time before his fate is sealed, he unexpectedly crosses paths with Paolo again. The spark between them reignites, yet their reunion is fraught with challenges, and even the magical backdrop of the holidays may not be enough for them to get their second chance at love. With Paolo's sister at risk of suffering the same fate they endured, the stakes are even higher.

Stolen Dream is a tale of resilience, forbidden love, and the fight for a future that embraces who they truly are. Will they save Paolo's sister in time, and can they find a way to be together, against all odds? Join them on this emotional journey of hope and redemption, where stolen dreams may just lead to a love worth fighting for.

Excerpt 

KC greeted Paolo with a big hug when he arrived. She was such a wonderful woman, who had been through more than all his brothers put together. The bravery it took for her to transition in the nineties had Paolo in awe of her.

            “What are you doing here on a Saturday?”

            “I’m meeting an . . . an old friend.”

            “Old boyfriend?” She smiled.

            Paolo felt his face heating. She leant forward and whispered to him.

            “Well, if it’s the guy who just walked in who looks like he wants to eat you, then I think I’ve got my answer.”

            Paolo spun around and there was Max. He hadn’t gotten a proper look last night with the shock. Max had always had a broad build, but now he was built like a rugby player, with wide shoulders and a tapered waist. His hazel eyes were as captivating as they had been twelve years ago. Max smiled at him, showing those perfect dimples in his pinchable cheeks. He was clean-shaven, unlike Paolo who’d had a short beard for the last five years. His face was too babyish when he was clean-shaven.

            “Can I give you a hug?” asked Max.

            Paolo was too choked up, so he just nodded, and Max wrapped his big, muscular arms around him. They were the same height, but even though Paolo had packed on the muscle over the last few years, Max almost smothered him – albeit in a good way. He was wearing a citrusy aftershave, and he could happily stay like this in Max’s arms forever.

            When the hug was bordering on being far too long for a public setting, they pulled apart and both smiled. Paolo gestured to a nearby table he’d claimed when he arrived. He made eye contact with KC, who gave him a warm smile and touched her heart. Paolo rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

            “Thank you for seeing me,” said Max.

            Was he nervous? This wasn’t how he remembered him. Max had been the strong one when they’d been in the camp. It wasn’t just Paolo who looked up to him; it was everyone. Paolo wasn’t sure what to say. He felt tongue tied, so he grabbed a menu, passing one to Max. He knew the menu by heart, but Max didn’t need to know that.

            “Did you want to get something to eat?” asked Paolo. That was a safe conversation starter.

            “I am always hungry.”

            He smiled, and then a dark shadow appeared in his eyes. It was clear a memory had hit him. One they shared. Paolo needed to get things back on track. Today was not a day to go down memory lane.

            “Everything’s amazing here. KC is the best cook in the world.”

            “That’s a bold claim. I’ll have to let Mason know.”

            “Mason?”

            “He’s a Michelin starred chef in New York.”

            “How do you know him?”

            Max took hold of Paolo’s hand. It felt strange, yet familiar.

            “Mason’s just a friend. I’m not with anyone.”

            “That’s not . . . I didn’t mean . . .” Ugh, why couldn’t he get his words out?

            Perhaps sensing his struggle, Max suggested they order. He let go of Paolo’s hand and Paolo missed the touch instantly. How could this be happening? He’d not had butterflies or any of these feelings for twelve years.

About the Author  

Oliver Takely is a passionate MM romance author who revels in dark, edgy stories featuring complex, flawed characters. With years of writing experience and a creative day job, Oliver Takely is also an avid reader of MM romance, consuming 300 books in both 2023 and 2024. His favourite trope is enemies to lovers, but is also a sucker for a feel-good Christmas romance.

Originally from the north, Oliver now resides in the south of England with his husband and their beloved fur baby, who is treated like a princess, living their own happily-ever-after straight out of a romance novel. When not writing or reading, he enjoys holidays and indulging in lots of good food, because who doesn’t love a delicious combination?

Author Links

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Book Review: Susan Mallery's Beach Vibes

 

Susan Mallery delves into family relationships, romance and friendship dynamics as two women find that in order to have the life you deserve, you need to have courage to roll with the punches even if your heart breaks from it.

My Rating of BEACH VIBES: 4.5 Stars

Find all the Buy Links HERE

Contemporary Women’s Fiction Romance

Release Date: March 18^th, 2025

Reviewed eBook ARC via Netgalley

Beth is proud of her success with her sandwich shop, Surfside Sandwiches, and is determined to move on with her life after her divorce. She has made friends with Jana and is feeling all is good in her world even if it feels a bit empty at times. When her older brother, Rick, says he met someone, she’s hopeful that he’s finally found a good person to love but is stunned to find out that it’s Jana. Cracks start to show in Beth’s life as she remains loyal to her brother and tries to find a way to keep her friendship with Jana even as problems, big and small, snowball in her life. Now she needs to find a way to stand up for herself and for the people she loves even if it means damaging the relationship she cherishes above all.

Susan Mallery delivers another wonderful story filled with family, romance and more with her new release, BEACH VIBES. I absolutely love this author’s books and her latest book, BEACH VIBES, is full of her signature writing style and captivates the reader with family drama, romances and more within the pages of BEACH VIBES. The story flows smoothly with a lush and intriguing setting that makes me want to visit. I really enjoyed the varied and complex characters she introduces the readers to. From Beth and Jana to their families & friends, each is unique and has its own unique voice.

Meet Beth and Jana. Beth is recently divorced and trying to move on. She’s content with her life owning and running a local sandwich shop, Surfside Sandwiches and finally made a new friend, Jana, who volunteers with her at a local shelter. Even if she longs for more in her life, she feels stuck and is content not to move forward. Jana is a bubbly single mom determined to better her life for herself and her daughter. Living with her brother and his kids has helped and she is enjoying her classes for her degree as she works at the local doctor’s office. Both Beth and Jana are intriguing and captivating characters. It took me several pages to warm up to Beth as she comes across, initially, as standoffish and rigid compared to Jana, who comes across the pages as bright, sunny and open-hearted. Both characters bring something to one another’s lives, and I love how their friendship continues to grow and evolve with all its ups and downs. Their respective families are fun and had me flipping the pages to see what they would do next within the story. The romances for both women also kept me glued to the pages and when Beth finds out some things about her brother, Rick, that will affect Jana and Beth in ways she doesn’t anticipate, it was interesting to see how Beth reacted to all that. The characters in BEACH VIBES are well written and kept my attention through the whole book. I loved Beth’s Aunt Agatha and Jana’s brother Teddy, and his kids were so much fun and their responses within the story had me laughing at times in delight.

BEACH VIBES is a complex story filled with warmth, family drama and relationships that range from friendships to romantic ones to family relationships. I loved how the author delivers a story filled with a few twists that had me gasping in shock even as I rooted for Beth and Jana to get their happy ever after. If you are looking for a great spring or summer book to devour, then BEACH VIBES is the one for you. I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store for her readers next.

This is an Objective review and not an endorsement