Sunday, July 27, 2014

Giveaway competition: gay erotic romance

Three copies of gay menage romance The Delaneys and Me are up for grabs in the Booklikes competition

When Liam makes a scene in the middle of a restaurant after his boyfriend, Brandon, dumps him, he knows Brandon’s cousins, the Delaney twins, will be after him for retribution. The Delaneys head up the local gangster scene and are not to be messed with. Especially as, in the heat of the moment, Liam threatened to take what he knew (and, really, he doesn’t know much) to the police.

It’s a recipe for disaster. But when the Delaneys give Liam a choice between being shot or having sex with both of them, Liam finds that his evening might turn out to be rather more interesting than originally anticipated.

Reviews:

“Anne Brooke has penned a lovely short story that will have you in stitches with its funny dialogue and sex on demand, as our hero, Liam, tries to repay his debt and live another day.” [From a 4.25 star review at Jessewave Reviews]

"Liam's voice as the first-person narrator is pitch perfect for a dark comedy, veering between comic distress and absurd-but-somehow-you-buy-it-anyway arousal. This story and this plot could have easily veered very dark indeed, but Brooke keeps it madcap enough that the constant sense of danger titillates you …" [From a review at More Than This Reviews]

“The Delaneys and Me by Anne Brooke is a well written, slightly edgy and fun erotic romp that I enjoyed and believe others will as well. The manner in which the story ends leaves the door open to future possibilities for these three, and in particular in respect of the relationship between Johnny and Mark, which I’m sure will delight fans of this author should she decide to further explore their relationship.” [From a review at Three Dollar Bill Reviews]

Good luck in the competition!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy (gay-themed)

Friday, July 25, 2014

Short story collection: more discounts!

There's 30% off my short story collection, The Girl in The Painting and Other Stories, direct from Untreed Reads. Here's the blurb:

A brand-new collection...and three new stories!

For years, Anne Brooke has wowed reading audiences with her ability to write exceptional tales in multiple genres. From science fiction to romance, horror to tales based on stories from the Bible, Anne has consistently produced some of the most intriguing and gripping works available.

And here's an extract from one of the included stories, Painting from Life:

I was with my wife the first time I saw him. He was an old man, weathered in the sun and wind, and the shock hit me like a storm on the sea. It was almost like love. Although of course it couldn’t have been. Not really and not then.

Amanda and I had been walking along the beach. Hand in hand, which was something we rarely did. It was autumn and the wind was piercing the layers of wool and cotton I’d wrapped around myself. The sand under my feet was white like salt and I wished I could take off my shoes and bury my toes deep in its grainy softness, but I didn’t. Amanda would have thought it strange and the last thing I wanted to do was to upset her. Though neither of us acknowledged it at the time, we were on a mission to save our marriage. We’d been together for five years, three of those as man and wife, but somewhere along the way, in the middle of the struggle to make a living and the complications which arise from being with someone else, we’d lost the importance of it all. I’d imagined a weekend away and time shared together in the town which Amanda had loved as a child would put us back on the road to intimacy.

Her eyes had sparkled when I’d told her my plan.

‘What about your work?’ she’d asked.

‘Forget it. You’re the most important thing,’ I’d said, my lips nuzzling her neck at the curve of her shoulder, breathing in the scent of apples and heather from her skin.

It was true, at the time. A mere couple of hours later on that Friday night in September, we were grappling together on the small double bed in the Sea View Hotel. It was the first time we’d had sex in weeks and it had been good for both of us. So good that afterwards, with the warm glow of mutual satisfaction still upon us, we’d decided on a stroll along the beach.

Which was when I saw him. I’d laughed at something Amanda had said, throwing my head back and letting the sound of my laughter mingle with the rhythm of the grey-blue waves caressing the shore. At the corner of my eye, something moved and I turned to see what it was. Fifty or sixty yards away from us on the edge of the sand, an old man was sitting on a bench, gazing towards the sea. The sound we were making must have caused him to jump and the movement startled me. Now his eyes were meeting mine, causing a jolt of recognition, even understanding, in my heart. No, somewhere deeper. In my belly, from where it surged in a torrent of blood down through my legs and feet, and up into my chest, arms, fingers and at last into my mind. I gazed at him in astonishment.

He was old, a thin wiry body wrapped in a green fisherman’s jumper, 
faded cords protecting his legs. His hands were gnarled like the rocks, strong fingers burnt brown by the sun. But it was his face which captured me, even at such a distance, and never really let me go. His skin was wrinkled, lines etched from forehead to chin and flowing down his neck. Every mark gave a hint of the character beneath and drew my gaze to his eyes. Though I couldn’t study them closely at that stage, I later came to know their deep blue richness with the scattered flecks of grey like the sea almost as if they were my own.

Happy reading!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Omnilit Books: BIG discounts

There are currently BIG discounts on all my fiction at Omnilit Books, so don't miss out! You can choose from a range of gay and lesbian fiction, romantic fiction, erotic fiction, literary fiction, comedy, science fiction and thrillers. Happy reading!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Naughty but nice discounts: The Delaneys and Me

For 16 July ONLY, gay menage romance The Delaneys and Me (Delaneys Series #1) is discounted direct from Amber Allure Press, so don't forget to pick up your copy today!

When Liam makes a scene in the middle of a restaurant after his boyfriend, Brandon, dumps him, he knows Brandon’s cousins, the Delaney twins, will be after him for retribution. The Delaneys head up the local gangster scene and are not to be messed with. Especially as, in the heat of the moment, Liam threatened to take what he knew (and, really, he doesn’t know much) to the police. It’s a recipe for disaster. But when the Delaneys give Liam a choice between being shot or having sex with both of them, Liam finds that his evening might turn out to be rather more interesting than originally anticipated...

Here's a couple of review extracts:
“Anne Brooke has penned a lovely short story that will have you in stitches with its funny dialogue and sex on demand, as our hero, Liam, tries to repay his debt and live another day.” [From a review at Jessewave Reviews]
"Liam's voice as the first-person narrator is pitch perfect for a dark comedy, veering between comic distress and absurd-but-somehow-you-buy-it-anyway arousal. This story and this plot could have easily veered very dark indeed, but Brooke keeps it madcap enough that the constant sense of danger titillates you …" [From a review at More Than This Reviews]
The Delaneys and Me by Anne Brooke is a well written, slightly edgy and fun erotic romp that I enjoyed and believe others will as well. The manner in which the story ends leaves the door open to future possibilities for these three, and in particular in respect of the relationship between Johnny and Mark, which I’m sure will delight fans of this author should she decide to further explore their relationship.” [From a review at Three Dollar Bill Reviews]

Happy reading!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy (gay-themed)

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Drama, detection and fun

There's a 4 star review of gay erotic romance The Paranormal Detection Agency at GGR Reviews. Here's an extract for you:

"The characters are fun. They are well developed, and you get to like them. They are as believable as a paranormal investigator, and the man who falls for him can be. And I have to say the suspense of the book, the drama, finding the answers to the questions the haunting brings about is fun, and well done in the tradition of some of the mystery writers of our time. I really enjoyed The Paranormal Detection Agency, and recommend it for a quick, fun read that is not just like everything else. You will like it!"


Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy (gay-themed)

Friday, July 11, 2014

Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier: night train to nowhere ...

A turgid book, which has a few moments of interest at the beginning, when teacher Gregorius decides to change his life so radically that he abandons his classroom in mid-lesson. It’s certainly an exciting start (in a literary genre understanding of the concept of ‘excitement’, that is) though I thought the scene of a strange woman writing a phone number on Gregorius' head was beyond curious. At that stage, however, I was prepared to forgive this small oddity in the hope that the book’s interest would grow and deepen.

It didn’t. There’s a fair amount of travel in various directions, as the MC chases after the elusive (and now dead) author Prado. He meets a lot of people who make a large number of not-very-interesting and very long-winded declarations. Goodness, they do go on. The characterisation and plot gets entirely lost under a veritable barrage of words, and I abandoned all interest in the novel at a fairly early stage. Sometimes the prose is laughably bad, and there’s far too much telling and not nearly enough showing us what’s going on. Not a good combination.

I think it might have had a slight chance if the mysterious Prado had been a writer worth pursuing, but honestly he wasn’t. I grew very tired of his interminable book and his dull ramblings but the good news is they’re easy to skip as they’re in italics. Suffice it to say there’s a love triangle of some sort or other, but I couldn’t be bothered to understand much of the details. I also have no idea why all the women appear to be in love with Prado, as he strikes me as nothing more or less than a smug and pretentious egotist too wrapped up in his own perceived perfection to have any real time for anyone else.

Perhaps though, at some level, that’s the point of all this? That we all tend to pursue goals and dreams which aren’t what they appear to be, and really Gregorius would have been far better off giving the night train to Lisbon a miss, and finishing off the lesson he left so abruptly instead. The Isabel Allende quote on the front tells us she thinks it’s one of the best book she’s ever read. My suggestion would be that she widens her reading material, hey ho. Oh well.

Verdict: Turgid. 2 stars.

Sweltering intimacy with a dash of amusing romance

The Paranormal Detection Agency gains a 4.5 star review at Literary Nymph Reviews. Here's an extract:

"The Paranormal Detection Agency is an amusing promising romance highlighted by sweltering intimacy in addition to the presence of ghosts as well as otherworldly creatures. The characters are admirable … Anne Brooke has created a splendid short story that I enjoyed immensely."

Gosh, thank you!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy (gay-themed)


Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Sexy together: gay romance and ghosts

Gay erotic romance The Paranormal Detection Agency gained a 4-star review at Prism Book Alliance today. Here's an extract:

"This was a spooky little story with just enough humor to keep it from being truly frightening ... I got a good feel for the characters and the setting. I enjoyed the paranormal happenings and the contrast between the dark subject matter and the lighter dialogue. Jack and Aaron were sexy together."

Well gosh, that's certainly put a smile on my face.

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy (gay-themed)

Friday, July 04, 2014

Discounted gay fiction: Wilde City Press

From today until 7 July, there's 25% off my gay fiction at Wilde City Press - just use the code WILDEFREEDOM at checkout!

So you can enjoy quirky comedy, Taking a Chance:

The moment model and part-time actor Benjamin spots the sexually alluring David outside his local restaurant, he’s determined to get to know him better. So he takes a chance and pretends to be Timothy, the blind date David is waiting for.
When David asks him about submission, safe words and spanking, Benjamin knows the sensible thing to do would be to leave. Funny then how he finds himself eager to know more. Will it be a date to remember and, if David discovers his deceit, could he ever be persuaded to take a chance on Benjamin?
or

BDSM erotica, The Beginning of Knowledge:

When University administrator Alan Castleton meets temporary worker and talented pianist Luke Milton, he doesn’t expect to become obsessed with the handsome young blond. But soon he is heavily involved in a passionate and angry affair, and exploring the dark shadows of his own personality in a way he’s never encountered before.
The more Alan tries to break free from his obsession, the deeper it entangles him. The dangerous split between his reason and his sexual desires threatens his peace of mind and, when the crisis point comes, he must decide once and for all the kind of life he should lead.
Either way, or indeed both ways, I hope your weekend is a hot one!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy (gay-themed)