Maggie Blackbird

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

For this week’s edition of Book Hooks, I give you a teaser from Twisted Beauty, an enemies-to-lovers, m/m dystopian romance. Be sure to check out other participating author posts here.

His community or his enemy.  He can’t have both.

Deep in the badlands, long after the fall of modern civilization, Hunter patrols the area as the war chief for his Lakota community.  His latest mission is to hunt down a marauder who robbed his neighbors of their precious goods.  He’ll act as this man’s judge, jury, and executioner.

Having lost everything at his former Ojibway encampment, Chassis is far from home.  He wanders the badlands, a grim reaper bringing death to those with what he needs to survive.  But there is one man courageous enough to challenge him.

When the duo faces off, neither expects the sizzling chemistry to erupt between them, nor for their duel to touch what both have denied themselves.  Now they must choose to either remain together and sacrifice their beliefs, or go their separate ways, losing what they’ve spent their lives searching for—love.

Genre(s): M/M Dystopian Romance, LGBTQ+, First Nations Romance, Native American Romance
Heat Rating: Level 4 (violence, dubious consent)
Publication Date: November 3, 2023
Publisher: eXtasy Books

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Chassis held his side and used a cane to walk. Even easing behind the wheel of his car was agony to his side. If he blew his stitches, he was fucked. But anything beat lying in the medical lodge at the bottom of the canyon. Out here, his tongue tasted the freedom the openness offered, freedom his blood demanded. He slid the keys into the ignition of the Mach 1, and the car roared to life.

Hunter climbed in behind him and lay down. He might find it uncomfortable back there, being as tall as he was.

“Here.” Chassis tossed the blanket in the backseat he used to cover Waabooz’s cage to keep her warm at night.

“Remember, I’m in charge. I’m saying this as your war chief,” Hunter reminded him while taking the blanket.

“But I’m not a member of the village.” Chassis shifted into first, and the car rolled away. They’d take the highway.

It was evening. The sun was sinking behind the horizon, and bright bursts of red and purple covered the land.

“Just bear with me for one night.” Exasperation coated Hunter’s words, muffled from being under the blanket.

Chassis raced them down the yellow line. “I think he’s going to make his move tonight. He’s had all day to rest. He’ll be hanging around the highway. Not close enough to be spotted, but he’ll want to hook up with them…fast.”

“Mobility, huh,” Hunter murmured.

“Yeah.” Chassis could use his pipe right about now. He ached for a taste of tobacco. “You’re nothing without a vehicle. Easy pickings out here.”

“Do you ever get tired of it?”

Chassis flicked his gaze in the rearview mirror. There was no sign of Hunter, who was hidden under the blanket. “Tired of what?”

“Being out here. Alone.”

“No.” Chassis kept his eyes peeled on each side of the road.

“Liar.”

Chassis couldn’t help his smirk. The accusation from Hunter’s lips was his big hand sliding down his pants and making a grab for his package. Damn, the guy had a sexy voice. “I don’t get tired of being out here. But I was getting tired of being alone.”

“You don’t have to be alone.”

This time, Hunter’s words kissed the back of Chassis’ neck. He shivered. “Is that an offer?” The moisture in his throat vanished.

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s an offer to stay. We could use a good man like you.”

Chassis frowned. His Ojibway encampment had wanted the same thing from him—his skills. “I told you. I prefer the highway.”

“I see we’re back to this again.”

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