Antonia Aquilante
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Rainbow Snippets May 29-30

5/29/2021

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​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

​For today's snippet, I'm sharing the first lines of The Sorcerer's Guardian, an opposites attract fantasy romance in which an arrogant sorcerer and a loyal guard captain are sent on an important mission for the crown (and don't like it one bit...until they do).
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​As afternoon waned into evening, Loriot approached his house on Dove 
Lane. Weariness dragged at him with each step. He hadn’t slept more than a few minutes in the last few days, and now that the crisis had passed, he felt the fatigue down to his bones. But the lack of sleep was worth it for the good outcome of the situation.

He trudged up the few steps to his front door, its rich blue color recently freshened, and let himself in. The key turned smoothly in the lock, and the magical protections on the house recognized him as belonging, allowing him inside.

You can find more about The Sorcerer's Guardian here. Thanks for reading, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.
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Rainbow Snippets May 22-23

5/22/2021

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​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

I'm sharing another set of first lines, this time from The Scholar's Heart. This book is an estranged friends to lovers story between two people who do their fair share of messing up along the way. (It's also probably my angstiest book...) At the beginning, though, Etan and Tristan are still friends (and Etan is more than a little in love with Tristan).
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​“There you are!”

Tristan’s musical voice made the simple sentence something spe
cial, or perhaps Etan’s feelings made it seem so. Etan smiled as he looked up from his book, a glow of warmth and welcome lighting him up inside.

Tristan strode into the small room Etan had claimed for his own in the palace’s labyrinthine library. He had a desk in the university library as well, but these days, out of necessity and preference both, he conducted most of his work in this cozy little room.

You can learn more about The Scholar's Heart here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're staying safe and well.
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Release Blitz: The Homecoming Prince by Isabella Adler

5/19/2021

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Title: The Homecoming Prince

Series: The Castaway Prince, Book Three

Author: Isabelle Adler

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 05/17/2021

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 25300

Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, action/adventure, bisexual, cross-dressing, established couple, fantasy, genderbending, genderfluid, political, royalty, war

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Description

Having returned to the continent following Warren’s illness, Stephan and Warren are certain they’ve escaped the notice of spies from Seveihar and are ready to build a new future for themselves. However, their quiet life is shaken once again when they receive a message from Stephan’s sister, Nessa. She begs him to return home and help her stand against their older brother, Robert, who is abusing his power by oppressing his subjects and starting an unnecessary war with the neighboring country of Esnia. With dark family secrets coming to light, Stephan is faced with a difficult choice between safety and happiness in exile with the man he loves, and his duty as a prince to protect his people from tyranny. And yet, amid all the dangers, the greatest risk he might face is a broken heart… The Homecoming Prince is the final book in The Castaway Prince series. For best enjoyment, please read the books in order.

Excerpt

The Homecoming Prince Isabelle Adler © 2021 All Rights Reserved “I’m glad to say you look slightly less awful today,” Stephan said. His tone was teasing, but it masked a very real concern. Warren’s bout of illness had been so prolonged and so grave that for a while Stephan had feared the worst. Those days had been nothing short of horrible. He’d known plenty of wretchedness and weathered plenty of dangers, but nothing could ever come close to the long hours spent by his lover’s sickbed, holding his hand, wiping the sweat off his brow, and hoping the next rattling breath wouldn’t be the last while Warren thrashed about with fever. “Always such a sweet talker,” Warren said. A weak smile played on his lips as he brought a cup of tea to his mouth. He sat up on the narrow bed, propped against a stack of pillows. The only room they could afford at the inn had a tiny fireplace, which gave off more smoke than heat. The feeble flames fought a losing battle against the mid-autumn chill seeping through the windows and walls. But Stephan had piled all the blankets he could find on the bed, and the tea was hot and strong, at least. Stephan took his own cup, savoring the warmth that spread through his fingers. “You should go downstairs to the common room and warm by the big fire,” Warren said, having undoubtedly noticed him shiver. The illness did nothing to lessen his usual perspicacity. “Maybe get something to eat too.” Stephan shook his head. They were running too low on funds for him to luxuriate in more than one meal a day now, and they’d already eaten lunch. Besides, he wouldn’t leave Warren alone in a drafty, cramped room while he enjoyed himself downstairs. Had their roles been reversed (as they so often had been), Warren wouldn’t have moved from Stephan’s side even for a moment unless for some dire need. “I don’t actually mind the winter,” Stephan said wistfully. “We’ve been traveling through hot-climate lands for so long, the nip in the air is refreshing. It reminds me of home.” Warren raised a skeptical eyebrow, but Stephan was being truthful. He’d loved Segor; the short time spent living together in the port city of Varta, free to express their love for each other, had been the happiest in his life. But when they were forced to flee, pursued by his brother Robert’s assassins, things had begun to go awry. The South Isles, where they’d found a temporary refuge, had proved too much of an extreme environment for them to thrive in. When Warren had fallen sick, the local physician had advised he return to the familiar climate of the continent—which they had, despite the risk inherent in such a journey. “I do miss Seveihar sometimes,” Stephan confessed, coming to perch on the edge of the bed with his cup of tea. Warren folded his long legs, making room for him. “Even the winters at the castle, with the winds whistling through window cracks, and those endless creaking staircases. I always knew the cold and the snow would abate eventually, and then it’d be spring again, and then summer. The summers were always so beautiful there, up in the mountains.” “I remember.” Traces of hoarseness clung to Warren’s voice, but already he sounded so much more vital than before. “I remember how you loved to roam the woods around the castle. Until…” “Until it became too dangerous for me to go out on my own,” Stephan said. “It still is.” The old pain of realizing his own brother hated him enough to plot his assassination flared back into life. The worries and tribulations of the last few weeks had almost made him forget the true reason for his self-imposed exile, but he knew better now than to think it was all behind him. The events that had driven them from their safe little haven in Segor into the dangers of the unknown had demonstrated all too clearly that they couldn’t afford to let their guard down again. Warren reached for Stephan’s hand, threading their fingers together, and they exchanged a brief, bitter smile. Some of Stephan’s anger and disappointment dissipated into their shared warmth, as they always did. “I’m sorry,” Stephan said. “For what?” “I seem to always bring danger to our doorstep. Even when we move halfway across the world.” “And if it weren’t for you, I’d never have seen anything of the world.” “Don’t joke. You fell sick because of me. If I hadn’t been so careless in Varta, we wouldn’t have had to travel so far, putting so much strain on you. It’s my fault.” “It’s not,” Warren said. “And if I had a choice, I would have done it again. All of it. I would do anything just to be with you.” Stephan shook his head, swallowing around the lump suddenly lodged in his throat. “I love you,” he said, ignoring the treacherous crack in his voice. “So much.” Warren’s hand on his tightened, and his eyes flashed in the low lighting, illuminated by the same surge of desire that washed over Stephan. That smoldering look made Stephan’s heart beat faster, filling him with the hope and relief for which he’d yearned for days. He took the half-empty cup out of Warren’s hand and leaned down to brush his lips against his, tasting the strong flavor of steeped herbs. It took some effort to pull back. He wanted nothing more than to sink further into Warren’s embrace, but the faint wheezing in Warren’s chest reminded him of the need for prudence. “It’s late. I’ll go downstairs to fetch us some dinner,” Stephan said, rising from the bed. The desire to see Warren hale again outweighed the need to be frugal. “I’m not that hungry. At least, not for food. Can’t you stay?” “You need to eat to get your strength back,” Stephan said sternly. “If you can kiss, you can chew.” Warren rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically, settling back on the pillows. “Fine. Just please hurry back.”

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read

Meet the Author

A voracious reader from the age of five, Isabelle Adler has always dreamed of one day putting her own stories into writing. She loves traveling, art, and science, and finds inspiration in all of these. Her favorite genres include sci-fi, fantasy, and historical adventure. She also firmly believes in the unlimited powers of imagination and caffeine.

Website |Twitter

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Rainbow Snippets May 15-16

5/15/2021

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​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

​I've gotten on a new theme, I guess, after last week's first lines from The Prince's Consort, and I'm giving you the first lines of The Artist's Masquerade. This is an opposites attract romance between an overly proper and dutiful duke's heir and a sharp-tongued artist, who is in disguise and on the run. Plus magic and spies and intrigue. In the first few lines of the book, Cathal's father the duke drops a bombshell on him.
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​“It’s time you took a wife.”


Cathal managed to keep his surprise hidden with some difficulty. That blunt statement was not what he’d expected when he received the summons to his father’s office. A discussion of family business, perhaps, or questions about happenings at the palace, even a diatribe about one of his cousin’s choices--since Father seemed to hate every one of them since the prince’s marriage to Amory--was what usually precipitated a call to Father’s presence.

He’d never imagined Father would bring up marriage. Cathal had seen no indication Father was even thinking in such a direction.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.
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Rainbow Snippets May 8-9

5/8/2021

5 Comments

 
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​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

I had such trouble deciding what to snippet from this week—I want to share some more of To Love the Dragon King, but I think I'd like to wait until it's a little closer to ready until I share a lot more. So, I decided to go back to my first published book and give you the first few lines of The Prince's Consort. Amory and his best friend Tristan are in high spirits on a spring day, and of course, Amory has no idea that everything is about to change when his (rather awful) father throws him into the path of the prince consort.
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​Amory giggled as he and Tristan practically fell through the garden gate. He slapped a hand over his mouth, but Tristan must not have heard. If he had, he would have teased without merc
y, as was his right as Amory’s closest friend. But Tristan tugged him along, barely giving him a chance to latch the gate behind them so the lock spell would reengage.

You can find out more about The Prince's Consort here. Thanks for reading, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.
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My April Reading

5/5/2021

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I feel like May came out of nowhere, and here I am doing my monthly reading post. My attention span and ability to get into a book continues to vary widely, and I didn't read as much as I wanted to in April. I've been listening to audiobooks still, mostly rereading favorites there. But I did read a few books for the first time that I really enjoyed last month (continuing to read paranormal/historical/fantasy romances for maximum escapism):

Unhallowed by Jordan L Hawk: This book has been sitting on my Kindle for far too long (I will blame my previously mentioned lack of ability to settle into a book) because Jordan L Hawk is a favorite author and the Whyborne & Griffin series, from which this is a spin off, is one of my favorite series. I wasn't certain how I'd feel about returning to the world of Widdershins without the characters I love, but I fell in love with new characters in this book, and I adored all the little references to the events of the previous series and seeing where the town is ten years later. I'll be very excited for more books in this new series. (I think you could probably jump in here without being lost, though you'd miss some of the delightful references to the Whyborne & Griffin series.)

Hijinks with a Hellhound by Louisa Masters: I've been enjoying this series, though sometimes the main characters feel a little immature to me—especially for paranormal creatures who've been around long enough to be grown ups! But this installment was lots of fun, and I've enjoyed the deepening world building throughout. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book—the romance has already been set up, I think, and it seems like the overarching plot will be wrapped up. Start with the first book in the series with these—the romances wrap up in each book, but there's a mystery that carries through all of them.

The Prince of Secrets and The Court of Mortals by AJ Lancaster: I read the first book in this series back in March, and I had planned to stretch out reading the next two (because the final book doesn't come out until summer!)...but I ended up reading these two books back to back. And now I'm very upset I'll have to wait for the last book in this fantasy romance quartet! These books pick up quite soon after the previous. Hetta is learning to be Lord of Stariel, and the romance between her and Win is deepening. (I really do love these two together.) The world building is also deepening, and I'm very much enjoying everything we're learning about the world of the fae. I'm also hoping for maybe a romance between Hetta's brother and Win's brother...

Have you read anything you loved lately?

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Rainbow Snippets May 1-2

5/1/2021

4 Comments

 
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​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

I decided to finish up the first kiss theme with a glimpse at my next release, which I am still working on well after I thought I would have it done and self-published and be on to something else (this past year has made a mess of every writing plan I had!). To Love the Dragon King will be the start of the Dragons of Ivria series (more dragon shifters—yay!). In this first book, King Lysander has discovered a plot against him and his kingdom and is trying to find its masterminds, during which he meets Sascha...a gorgeous young man who is unknowingly being used a pawn in that plot by his family. Sascha becomes concubine to the king, and things develop from there. This is their first kiss, as it stands now—I'm sure there will some more editing and polishing before this makes it to its final form. (To Love the Dragon King already has a gorgeous cover by Natasha Snow, but I'm not quite ready to share that yet, so here's one of the many aesthetics I've made, often when I should've been writing.)
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​Lysander wanted to just take, but he wouldn’t. “May I kiss you?”


Sascha blinked his large eyes, his lips parting again in surprise. But his voice was sure when he spoke. “Yes.”

He couldn’t help his smile—satisfied, anticipating—as he bent closer to Sascha. He slid one hand around the back of Sascha’s neck, the other around his trim waist, and leaned down to touch his lips to Sascha’s. The contact was like lightning arcing through him. Sascha made a little noise in his throat and brought a hand up to Lysander’s chest, but he didn’t push Lysander away. He just pressed his palm there, perhaps anchoring himself, perhaps keeping a little bit of distance so Lysander didn’t do all the things he wanted right then and there.

I'll have more about and from To Love the Dragon King (hopefully) soon! Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.
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    Antonia is a writer and a reader. She loves books, travel, art, photography, baking, pasta, and shoes.

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