Here’s a rundown of all the giveaways on Stories That Make You Smile that are still open as of this posting. Act quickly, some are ending soon!
NOTE: If an open giveaway lists a requirement for you to comment on the blog post, please click through to the original blog post (book titles are links) to comment rather than leave it on this post.
Shadows on the Border by A.L. Lester
Newspaper reporter Lew Tyler and his lover, Detective Alec Carter, are working out the parameters of their new relationship. Meanwhile, time traveler Lew is trying to decide whether he wants to stay in the 1920s or find a way to get back to 2016, and Alec doesn’t know if he can bear the vulnerability of being in love with someone who uses such dangerous magic.
Fenn is a Hunter from the Outlands, come through the Border to search for the murderous Creature and its offspring at the behest of the Ternants, who maintain the balance between Fenn’s world and ours. Fenn strikes a bond with Sergeant Will Grant, Alec’s second in command, who is keen to learn more about his own magical abilities. As time goes on, Will grows keen to learn more about Fenn, as well.
Fenn has their own painful secret, and when they appear to have betrayed the team and goes missing in London, Will is devastated. He has to choose between following his heart or following his duty.
Moving through the contrasting rich and poor areas of post-First World War London from West End hotels to the London docklands, the men need to work together to capture the Creature … and choose who – and what — is important enough to hold on to and what they may need to give up to make that happen.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
a Rafflecopter giveawayForlorn by Elvira Bell
Excerpt on the original blog post!
Nick Andrews is back in England. He is a broken man, living on the streets and trying to cope with everything he’s been through. Nick thinks that his life is over, but then Tom comes along. Tom, who is handsome and wealthy and intent on making his acquaintance.
Nick ends up as Tom’s valet, a position that brings him to the remote estate of Ravensleigh. At Ravensleigh, he soon realizes that Tom and his family have a past laden with shadows. Nick regrets coming there, but at the same time finds it harder and harder to resist Tom’s advances.
Then one night, a stranger arrives at Ravensleigh. And Nick’s world is turned upside down once more.
Warning: This book ends with a cliffhanger. The series as a whole will have a HEA ending.
Please note that the books in the Wavesongs series should be read in chronological order!
Dragon War Chronicles Series by A.G. Carothers
Interview and excerpt on the original blog post!
This series is about dragons who want nothing more than to live in peace, but refuse to be subjugated. In war there’s also love, and love is blind. Love doesn’t care about gender, race, species (in this case), or sexuality.
Book 1 – SYN Consulting: Amazon US| Amazon UK
Book 2: Secrets Revealed: Amazon US| Amazon UK
Book 3: First Strike: Amazon US| Amazon UK
a Rafflecopter giveawayMoved by You by Ann Lister
Vance feels trapped. He never cared about his family’s wealth and prestige, but he finds himself pinned in place by the weight of his father’s expectations. Vance would much rather sweat in his studio creating metal sculptures with his blow torch than take any kind of position at the family firm. When pressure from his father mounts, Vance is torn between going with the flow or making waves. But everything changes when Vance hits a bike messenger with his car.
Kyle has drifted through his life with a massive chip on his shoulder against the privilege that’s always been just out of reach. His job as a bike messenger doesn’t help. He’s stuck delivering packages to the very elites he loathes. When Vance crashes into Kyle, they’re suddenly thrust onto different paths than they ever expected. But can they take this new path together, or will egos and societal privilege create too many obstacles to overcome?
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
a Rafflecopter giveawayPerilous Hearts by A E Ryecart
Excerpt on the original blog post!
You can lock your door, but can you lock your heart?
Finding the courage to end his relationship with his manipulative and vicious boyfriend, Jamie Wheeler turns to his close friend Ed Corrigan to help him get his life back on track.
Jamie and Ed have been inseparable for years, and all it would take is a small step to cross the divide from friends to lovers.
It would be the biggest mistake they could make.
Jamie seeks the security of a settled long-term relationship, but Ed vows never to put his heart on the line again after a devastating betrayal. Anything beyond friendship is a risk, and could break them forever.
As Jamie’s vindictive ex causes trouble from the side-lines, a face from the past makes an unwelcome return. Jamie’s life isn’t getting back on track, it’s coming off the rails, as a series of seemingly random events lead to only one of two conclusions: either somebody’s playing a dark and sinister game, or Jamie’s losing his mind.
Amazon Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UK
a Rafflecopter giveawayPrince of Death by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
Gifted power over life and death, Lysandros has spent millennia in the underworld, listless and alone. The youngest child of Hades and Persephone, he’s been sheltered from the threats in the world above.
Theo Ward hasn’t been so lucky. After watching his mother wither away, he’d do almost anything to have her back. When a messenger appears at the Banneker College of Magic and offers the young professor a chance to save her, Theo can’t pass it up, even if it means going straight into the underworld and dragging her home. But Theo gets more than he bargained for when he crosses paths with the prince of Hades.
Set against the king of Olympus, they must shed their past burdens and learn to trust in each other, so they can face down a storm that threatens to wipe the nation’s capital off the map.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
a Rafflecopter giveawayBackstreets by Kat Cassidy
“Where there’s nothing to gain and everything to lose.”
It’s modest, but after a lifetime spent barely holding on, former car thief Peter Bauer is proud of what he’s managed to achieve. He’s got a legal, legitimate job as a mechanic, a firm grasp on his addictions, and a steady relationship with Nikos Petrakis—stable, handsome, and recently widowed. Nothing is going to upset that, not the ever-present memory of Nik’s wife, not the claustrophobia Peter is starting to feel trapped in domestic bliss, not even the sudden reappearance of Peter’s ex—the sexy and dangerous Stavros Giannopoulos.
But when Nik’s daughter goes missing, Peter will be forced back into the seedy underbelly of the LA crime world, where anything goes. Can his and Nik’s relationship survive? Can Peter?
Backstreets is the second book in Kat Cassidy’s Hot Wire series which contains themes of crime, suspense, family drama, hurt/comfort, dark humor, addiction, and abuse. It should not be read as a standalone.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
a Rafflecopter giveawayBlack by Quin&Perin
Cover Reveal and excerpt on the original blog post!
“Meow!”
There it was.
The sound that made my knees buckle.
He purred, neck stretched, eyes half-lidded.
With those cat ears, in his hair.
And the tail, that he flicked.
A ray of sun in the drizzling rain. I’d been a traveler, floating adrift, while he’d stayed in one place. How was I supposed to know he’d become my anchor? My light. My everything. But would I ever become his?
***As a standalone romance, “Black” features detailed adult m/m content, a hurt/comfort relationship as well as “kitty play.”
Broken by Colette Davison
Excerpt on the original blog post!
Rule #1: Keep running.
Jag’s rules have kept him safe and free since he escaped conversion therapy, but that was before he walked into Heaven and Hell. A no-strings fling with the club owner, Michael, turns into so much more as Jag finds himself breaking one rule after another.
Michael hasn’t been able to commit to anyone since his partner died, until Jag walks into his club. Falling in lust with the elfin young dancer is easy, and his heart is quick to follow.
Michael gives Jag a reason to stay, but fear rules Jag’s heart more than love. Despite his deepening feelings for Michael, Jag knows he can’t stay. Can he?
**Contains adult themes, content, and language.**
Bitten by Fate by Annabelle Jacobs
Daryl plays with fire and gets burned by fate…
Former Primrose Pack member Jason Black happily accepted his role as beta in the new Regent’s Hill pack, knowing that merging the two was the best decision for everyone involved. Daryl Easton is loyal and honest but wary of change. The joining of the two packs wasn’t his preferred outcome, and he’s struggling to see all the newcomers as pack, including those now working alongside him.
When the alpha council proposes a two-week pack-building course to help improve troubled relationships, Jason and Daryl are sent along as backup. It soon becomes clear that the unit members and their betas won’t be the only ones taking part in tasks—Daryl and Jason will have challenges of their own to complete.
With the full moon adding to the rising tension, emotions are volatile, and tempers flare among the unit members. Jason and Daryl become closer than either of them expected, but with such opposing views on relationships, a messy outcome seems inevitable unless Daryl can let go of the past.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
a Rafflecopter giveawayThe Hands We’re Given by O.E. Tearmann
Playlist and excerpt on the original blog post!
Aidan Headly never wanted to be the man giving orders. That’s fine with the Democratic State Force base he’s been assigned to command: they don’t like to take orders. Nicknamed the Wildcards, they used to be the most effective base against the seven Corporations owning the former United States in a war that has lasted over half a century. Now the Wildcards are known for creative insubordination, chaos, and commanders begging to be reassigned.
Aidan is their last chance. If he can pull off his assignment as Commander and yank his ragtag crew of dreamers and fighters together, maybe they can get back to doing what they came to do: fighting for a country worth living in.
Life’s a bitch. She deals off the bottom of the deck. But you play the hands you’re given.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN
a Rafflecopter giveawaySmoke & Mirrors by Vesper St. Clair
Excerpt on the original blog post!
Frank knows plenty about being haunted, after his brother was killed on his watch. But he has no patience for mediums. Especially not ones with silver tongues and piercing blue eyes like the Illusive Kasimir. Frank can’t understand why his boss, the head of the Brunetti crime family, is all too happy to waste his money and time trying to speak with the dead.
Until a devastating attack at one of Kasimir’s séances leaves the Brunettis in shambles, and Kasimir and Frank on the run.
Frank needs to hunt down whoever ordered the hit on his boss. What he doesn’t need is another doomed love affair with someone he can’t trust—like the con artist Kasimir. But if he’s going to save the Brunetti family—and his own broken heart—he’ll need to exorcise more than just his ghosts.
SMOKE & MIRRORS is a standalone M/M novella with a HEA set in the glamorous and dangerous world of 1920s Jazz Age Manhattan and the fictional Gilded Lily speakeasy. It contains violence and explicit sexual content between consenting adults.
The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn
Dr. Christopher Allen knows how to deal with death. He’s a psychiatrist who works with hospice patients and their families, helping them cope with grief and letting go. But Chris’s job doesn’t prepare him for the sudden death of his devil-may-care brother Cal.
At Cal’s funeral, Chris is completely thrown when he meets Elliot Rawlings, an artist Cal has been dating. Chris is hurt to discover that the brother he knew as straight was actually bisexual. Elliot is angry and resentful of having been kept hidden from Cal’s family.
After the funeral, a night of drinking at the bar with Cal’s friends leads to Chris and Elliot falling into bed together. The next morning, they’re overwhelmed by guilt and grief and agree to never speak of it again.
But Cal’s apartment needs to be packed up and Elliot reluctantly agrees to help Chris, as well as answer some questions about Cal’s life and their relationship. Despite their guilt and initial dislike for one another, they sort through the pieces of Cal’s life and begin to fall for each other.
Despite his best efforts to fix things, Chris’s family seems to be crumbling around him and he begins to question who he is and what his role with them is. As his feelings for Elliot grow, Chris must decide if they’re worth further damaging his fragile relationships with his friends and family.
Elliot’s rough upbringing has left him distrustful of getting close to anyone, much less another man who isn’t willing to acknowledge him in public. The odds seem stacked against Chris and Elliot, but if they can overcome them, they may be able to lay Cal’s ghost to rest, along with their own demons.
Cowboy Seeks Husband by Leta Blake and Indra Vaughn
Excerpt on the original blog post!
Walker Reed’s Louisiana cattle ranch is in debt after costly repairs from hurricane damage. To get the money, his family schemes to make Walker the star of a new bachelor reality series: Queer Seeks Spouse. How hard can it be to fake interest in a dozen handsome men for a few weeks in exchange for enough money to solve all of their problems?
Roan Carmichael never got his Masters degree after his mother was diagnosed with cancer. With medical bills piling up, and a costly experimental treatment available, Roan signs on to be a suitor on Queer Seeks Spouse. While he hates having to leave his sick mother long enough to win the cash for her treatment, he’s willing to do whatever it takes.
Can two men who are just in it for the money fake their way into real and lasting love?
Cowboy Seeks Husband, the latest book by Vespertine authors Leta Blake and Indra Vaughn, features a cowboy, a hipster, opposites attract, steamy scenes, and heart tugging moments that will leave you wanting more.
At War with a Broken Heart by Dahlia Donovan
Excerpt on the original blog post!
What’s the perfect recipe for an emotional MMM romance?
One autistic coffee shop owner, one morose mug maker, and a mostly cheerful police detective.
Fie Morogh Russell goes off to war with a broken heart and returns with a shattered spirit. He hermits away in Bideford, Devon, making mugs, with his service dog, Haggard, for company. Post-traumatic stress turns every memory into a minefield, and life is dismal with one or two rare exceptions.
Davet Heuse drags his younger brother to Bideford for a new start. Both autistic, the two siblings have fought hard to enjoy freedom by the seaside. While Davet runs a coffee shop from his tiny house, his brother pursues his dream at university.
Detective Sidney Little has transitioned from military service to the police force easily. His unrequited crushes and his estranged father are the only points of frustration in his life. He hasn’t quite figured out how to deal with either problem.
When a tragic accident brings Davet’s world crashing down around him, can Fie and Sid help him through the pain of loss?
In this May-December romance with a twist, three men struggle through one obstacle after the other to somehow find themselves in love on the other side.
Men in Love and at War Series by LJ Collins
Interview and excerpts on the original blog post!
Book 1: Mistela
When the cruise ship Luke Ganes is working on sinks off the coast of South America, he thinks he has met his watery grave. Regaining consciousness, he finds himself in a different world that defies the laws of both nature and gravity. With the help of his saviour, Girufu, he slowly comes to terms with his new environment and learns to love his new home, Mistela. When he hears about the evil Taronas and their quest to slay the Pescamans, he develops a plan to save his newfound friends from their brutal attacks. As time passes, Girufu proves to Luke he is the lover Luke has always been looking for. But when Girufu pushes Luke to the limits of his sexuality, he panics and begins a desperate journey, seeking a way back to Earth. His arch-rival Janus convinces him he can help. Only love and a cunning plan can save him from certain death.
Series at Amazon | Series at eXtasy Books
a Rafflecopter giveawayDesires Entwined Series by Tempeste O’Riley
Guest post and excerpt on the original blog post!
BOOK 1: Designs of Desire
Artist James Bryant has forearm crutches in every color from rainbow for fun to sleek black for business. He even has a pair with more paint splatters than metal. After his family’s rejection and abuse from a man he thought loved him, James only just gets through the day by painting. He lives in constant fear that he’s not worthy of anything, let alone love.
As CEO of his company, Carrington Enterprises, Seth Burns is a take-charge kind of guy, and he is instantly smitten by the artist helping with his newest project. When he witnesses James suffer a panic attack, a protective instinct he never knew he had kicks in. He truly believes nothing is unobtainable—including James—if he’s willing to put in the time and effort.
James is shy and confused by Seth’s interest in him as a person. With Seth’s support, can he work through his fears to finally find the true love he deserves, or will someone finally land the crushing blow he won’t survive?
Enukara Series by Nina R. Schluntz
Guest post and excerpt on the original blog post!
Book 6: Dragon Devolution
Seven hundred years after the initial dragon invasion, the world is now controlled by humans. Dragons have devolved into animals. They’ve lost their ability to shift into humans and with it, their intelligence. Humans enslave them like the animals they are, using them to power factories and in some countries, even eat and skin.
Brothers, Ellis and Wyatt believe the dragons have more potential than humankind give them. When they discover an escaped dragon in their barn, they know she’ll be killed if returned to her owners. They decide to take matters into their own hands and ask a drifter they met at a bar for help. He’s rumored to be a dragon whisperer and might just be the one to help the dragons rediscover who they are.
Book 1: Amazon – Book 2: Amazon – Book 3: Amazon – Book 4: Amazon – Book 5: Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway