Maggie Blackbird

Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. Readers have the chance to jump from one author to another who share hooks from their current WIP (work in progress) or any previously published book.

For this week’s edition of Book Hooks, I give you a teaser from Toy Soldiers, book two in the When We Were Young series.

BOOK TWO:  TOY SOLDIERS (Sequel to Two Princes)

Once a thief, always a thief, and if he can’t win the heart of the boy he loves, he’ll steal it.

Blurb:  Billy Redsky’s made one of his biggest dreams come true, but there’s a problem.  Even though the boy he loves is mere footsteps across the hall from his bedroom, they might as well live a country apart because claiming René Oshawee’s heart is more difficult than Billy anticipates.

Much to Billy’s disgust, René can’t accept his true self, so he’s incapable of loving someone else.  And all he cares about is living a life the chief and his wife foresee for their youngest son.

If Billy is to finally have what he truly desires, he must stop René from running away from who he really is and face the man in the mirror, or what they share will never blossom into true love.

Genre(s): Multicultural, m/m contemporary romance, LGBT, young adult.
Heat Rating: Level 2
Publication Date: October 2, 2020
Publisher: Devine Destinies

PURCHASE AT DEVINE DESTINIES

“I wasn’t intentionally trying to keep this from you.” René hit the remote on his visor. The garage door opened for his stall.

“She’s hot for you.” Billy couldn’t hide the jealousy in his voice, and he didn’t care if it was splattered all over his statement. “She told me so.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s got the wrong equipment. Plus, I’m with you.” René shut off the truck. He gazed at Billy.

The hot jealousy faded. A flickering of heat appeared in Billy’s underwear. “Yeah, you are. And it’d better stay that way.”

“It’ll stay that way.” A smile tugged at René’s lips.

“What about Keith?”

“What about him?” René knitted his brows.

“Do you think he’s hot?” Billy tangled his fingers.

René glanced away. “I’m said I’m with you.”

“But if Keith asked you out…?” Billy kept rubbing his fingers.

René sighed and glanced back at Billy. “He’s twenty-four. I’m turning seventeen in a couple of weeks. You do the math.”

“You can’t flirt with him.” Billy raised his chin.

“Flirt?” René sputtered. “Why’re you saying all this stuff? Where’s this coming from?”

“Because I love you, you fucking dunce.” Billy slapped his hand over his mouth. Oh hell. How the heck had those three words jumped from his voice box? Shit, he was probably going to scare René to Timbuktu now.

René’s jaw almost hit the leather seat. His eyes resembled a cartoon character’s eyeballs popping straight from their sockets.

The air in Billy’s lungs diminished. He coughed, trying to find some serious oxygen.

“D-dude…” The word squeaked from between René’s lips.

“Wh-what?” Billy couldn’t help his natural defenses rising, or the fire of embarrassment burning his face. “Quit acting like it’s a big deal. Y’know how I feel. I told you tons of times we’re meant to be together. Spare me the shocked look.”

René ran his palms over his face. “We’d better get inside. The guys will be here soon.”

“Fine. We’ll talk tonight after the movies. You can take me to Chunky Chicken.” Billy got out and slammed the door shut.

Be on the lookout for book three, Knight Moves, in the When We Were Young series, releasing April 16, 2021.

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