Aiden Ainslie – King of the Mountain

Today, I have author Aiden Ainslie in the interview chair. We’re discussing his latest release King of the Mountain, book one in the Love at Lake Clyde series, a m/m sports romance. Be sure to read my review. And don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.

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1. What is your favourite romance sub-genre, why did you choose to write in that sub-genre, and what books you’ve read that you would recommend to readers?

Aiden: I am delighted that MM Romance is finally hitting the mainstream with the release of movies like “Red White and Royal Blue”. As a result, the angst and agony associated with coming out will be made easier for people who identify as LGBTQ+.

This is very personal for me, and it is no coincidence that one of the main characters in “King of the Mountain” struggles to accept his bisexuality until well into his thirties.

Some of the MM Romance novels that I would recommend are:

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall: My all-time favorite MM romance. Alexis Hall has an enviable command of the English language, and his British humor has me laughing out loud.

Borrowing Blue by Lucy Lennox: This is the first MM romance I ever read, and its straight-to-gay trope remains one of my favorites. The story is set in Northern California where I live, and it was so relatable that it helped inspire me to try my hand at writing this genre.

In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish: Roan Parrish is one of my favorite romance authors. She does not shy away from putting a little grit into her books. Some of them should probably have trigger warnings for sensitive readers.

2. What’s your favourite scene in the book? Not in regards to writing, but reading, and why?

Aiden: Early on in the relationship, Clifford, the superstar cyclist, gets one day of rest from the Tour de France. He invites Gabe, the young traveling art student, to join him for a day on a picturesque Mediterranean beach near Nice. They sunbathe and frolic in the water. The mutual attraction and desire grow.

At one point, Gabe gazes into Cliff’s eyes and leans in for a kiss. Clifford looks around furtively and is wracked by indecision.

I love this scene because it is full of suspense and emotion and the setting is picture-perfect. All the elements are there for a passionate first kiss. Instead, everything pivots and Gabe is deeply hurt. He thought there was something real developing between them but now suspects that the celebrity sports star was just toying with him – leading him on. Clifford’s action, or rather inaction, costs him dearly because the seeds of mistrust have been planted.

3. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?

Aiden: I could make many minor improvements to tighten up the language but I wouldn’t change a thing about the story itself or the main characters.

4. What do you love most about your two main characters?

Aiden: Clifford’s character is made interesting by the constant war raging within him. To the world, he is a successful, highly ambitious athlete at the top of his game. But inside he feels trapped and insecure. He finds himself yearning for something he can’t put into words or fully understand. Hence, despite appearances, he is actually very vulnerable and humble – looking for love and acceptance like everyone else.

Gabe on the other hand is open and trusting with an irrepressible joy for life. He is comfortable with himself and his place in the world. What I love about him is that he has retained a childlike ability to be awed by beauty in all its forms: nature, art, architecture, or a man that reminds him of a Michelangelo statue. Gabe only sees the good in other people and that makes him vulnerable to hurt and disappointment.

5. What makes you want to shake your two main characters?

Aiden: Both of them are inclined not to talk about their feelings. When Clifford has something on his mind he disappears off on his bicycle and exercises till his frustration subsides.

Gabe does not like conflict and hence, he will simply put on a smile and not let on when he feels hurt or upset.

6. If you could spend time with one character from your book, who would it be? And what would you do on that day?

Aiden: I would spend the day with Gabe’s mother, Isabella. She is a fun supporting character that appears throughout the series. Isabella is an ex-beauty queen from Colombia who came to the US where she met and married another immigrant: Gabe’s Irish father, Connor O’Reilly.

Isabella is vivacious, a fiercely protective mother, a businesswoman and an incorrigible matchmaker. She is also an atrocious cook. At one point she tells the story of her first visit to a large U.S. supermarket. “When I saw the frozen food aisle, my mind was made up. I’m staying in the U.S. and never again have to cook.”

She might not cook but she appreciates good food so I would take her for wine tasting and a meal at a top restaurant in Sonoma California.

7. If your two main characters dined together, what would they cook up? It can be breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a snack.

Aiden: Gabe, like his mother, is hopeless in the kitchen. Left to his own devices he would live off takeouts and canned spaghetti bolognese. Hence, he would be parked at the kitchen counter with a glass of wine to watch as Clifford prepared a gourmet meal.

Clifford eats super healthy food. All the ingredients for must be fresh, organic and sustainably sourced. He would probably grill fresh trout and vegetables and conjure up a delicious lemon-and-caper sauce with a hint of ginger. For dessert, there would be freshly baked apple crumble with cream, which Clifford would make specially for Gabe.

8. How did you come up with the title of your book?

Aiden: I thought about a series right from the start and initially, it was to relate to the elements: earth, wind and fire. But when the main character started to take shape, “King of the Mountain” struck me as a good title. The elements are still buried in the titles, “Ruler of the Waves”, “Lord of the Sky” and of course the mountain equates to earth.

9. If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the leads?

Aiden: I don’t like to watch movies with super well-known actors. I often find that the characters fade into the shadow of the actor or actress. Meryl Streep is always first and foremost Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant is always same old Hugh Grant. Hence, I would want the casting director to go out and find relatively unknown actors who would not steal the limelight from Clifford and Gabe.

10. If your book was a candle, what scent would it be and why?

Aiden: Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings”. The opening line is “It must have been cold there in my shadow….” It is the ultimate tribute and recognition of support by a successful person to their lover.

12. If your book was a colour, what would it be and why?

Aiden: It would be the translucent aquamarine of the Mediterranean on a sunny day. That is the color of Clifford’s eyes.

13. If a reader asked you why they should read your book, what would you tell them?

Aiden: If you have a beating heart, you will fall in love with Clifford and Gabe and will root for them all the way through the magnificent French setting and on to California. But be prepared for some anxious moments before they finally get their happy ever after.

14. What can we expect from you in the future?

I am currently working on the fourth and final book in the series, “Lord of the Skies”. After that, I’m not quite sure but it will definitely be more contemporary MM romance with loads of love, adventure and great characters.

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Title: King of the Mountain
Series: Love at Lake Clyde, Book One
Author: Aiden Ainslie
Genre: M/M Sports Romance
Release Date: July 11, 2021
Length: 332 pages
Publisher: Self-Published

CLIFFORD
After years of hard work and training, I finally have the chance of fulfilling my lifelong dream of winning the Tour de France. Nothing can be allowed to distract me from this mission, especially not Gabe O’Reilly, the adorable art student from San Francisco.

But he looks so vulnerable – all alone in France.

I would be failing in my patriotic duty to a fellow American if I didn’t take care of him, wouldn’t I? And what possible harm could come from spending twenty-four hours with him on the shores of the Mediterranean? I deserve that little break, don’t I?

GABE
I have never seen a human specimen as perfect as Clifford Du Frey. During our fleeting encounter in Paris, I saw a man who was funny, caring, and tender – so very different from the way the media portray him. He is everything I could ever dream of in a boyfriend.

But in what universe will an international sports superstar pay any serious attention to me?

Do not get involved, my brain yells; you can only get hurt again. But my heart is thrumming to a different tune.

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

GABE

Cliff stood in the shallows. His pale skin gave him the quality of a Michelangelo marble statue. His body had magnificent, classical proportions. Every muscle was clearly defined as though chiseled in stone and smoothed to perfection under the loving hand of a master sculptor. I wondered if he realized just how beautiful he was. And I still found it hard to believe that he was giving me the gift of his time.

He watched me as I strode toward him and, when I shook the water out of my hair, he warned, “Don’t you dare splash me. I like to get in slowly.”

“I won’t splash you,” I said as I stopped in front of him. His eyes were unbelievable. The aquamarine of the water reflected off his blue eyes. I had the sensation of looking into a kaleidoscope of colors yet to be invented. I placed my hands on his shoulders and kissed him on both cheeks.

He was startled but did not back away. “What was that for?” he asked.

“We’ve not had a chance to greet each other yet – the French way. The way you taught me. And,” I continued, “to say I’m sorry.”

I gave him my sweetest smile.

“Sorry for wha….”

He didn’t get to finish the sentence because I folded one leg behind him and, in the most basic of wrestling moves, tipped him backward into the water.

The look on his face was priceless, and I burst out laughing when his head emerged, spluttering and cursing.

He reached out a hand and said, “You can at least help me up.”

I took hold of his hand and found myself yanked off my feet with Cliff dunking my head underwater. I shook myself free and rose from the waves to see Cliff making a run for the beach. I lurched after him, tackled him, and dragged him back into the water. He laughed and spluttered till he gained his footing and rounded on me, grabbing my waist, the most ticklish part of my body. He held me tight with one arm curved around my chest while his free hand tickled my hip bone without mercy. I giggled and squirmed helplessly in his arms.

We horsed around in the water like a couple of drunken teenagers. Drunk on sunshine, drunk on life, drunk on L… I didn’t dare to complete the thought. Who was I to think a man like Clifford du Frey would fall in love with me?

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The book is in two parts. For the first part, Gabe and Cliff meet for the first time. Cliff, of course, is competing in the Tour de France, and Gabe is present on vacation, raring to start an architectural journey. Cliff longs to escape and live a “normal” life instead of being a superstar, and Gabe enjoys his quiet life. Then the two meet…

I wouldn’t say it was lust or love at mere sight. More like intrigued at first sight, which was refreshing. Both find each other interesting, so they have lunch together. What happens after that is a wonderful romance abroad, but it doesn’t end well, all because of a big misunderstanding. It seems everyone and the universe is plotting to keep these two apart. Since they’d only just met, trust is not on the table yet, so of course they allow the misunderstandings to drive them apart.

I found the first half of the book interesting, especially the part about cycling. The author did their research or was in the Tour de Fance (LOL) because it was interesting to read how it operated. There are quite a few side characters, such as Annie, Gabe’s BFF, Eddie, Cliff’s manager, parents, siblings, etc. The romance was believable since they are in the right setting, a place all about romance, but can their romance carry on after they leave France? Did they build something sustainable?

There aren’t big character arcs, but some awakenings for Cliff and Gabe. One of them being trust. I must say the second half is full of much angst and drama that I enjoyed. Along with a true plot thickening with someone who turns out to be a villain. Surprise, surprise. But I will admit I saw the “villain” coming. I just get those hunches, and I was all “yay, I was right,” when the baddie was revealed.

I enjoyed how Cliff and Gabe had to rebuild their relationship, and yes, there were more misunderstandings. But the plot built nicely up until the end with the big showdown and I enjoyed this, because I wasn’t sure how they’d escape that mess.

It’s a great read, perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon now that fall is here, with two main leads who are opposites but meant to be together. Do yourself a favour and get a copy.

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Aiden Ainslie lives in the Diablo foothills, east of San Francisco. He grew up in various small towns and loves to draw on that small-town feel for his romances: the sense of community but also the petty grievances, intrigue and rivalries. “An author has to draw on personal experience to create authentic stories.”

According to Aiden, setting and mood are critical parts of a romantic story, hence he is always taking pictures of romantic settings to be used in future novels. Check them out on his website http://www.aidenainslie.com

When Aiden is not writing or listening to audiobooks, he likes to cycle and hike. During those solitary pursuits, he dreams up the characters and plots for his MM Romance novels. He also enjoys zipping around town on his motor scooter, drinking coffee at the local coffee shops, and watching people to get inspiration for his writing.

Follow Aiden: Website | Facebook | Twitter

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