Book Title: Meant For Him
Author: D.H. Starr
Publisher: Ai Press (October 1, 2014)
Book Length: 203 pages
Genre: Gay romance; M/M romance
Book Blurb:
Another hot guy from Greenwich Village is about to meet his match. That is, if he doesn’t mess things up…this time. After the failure of his relationship with Jeremy, Andrew Jamieson threw himself into a routine his high powered job on Wall Street and workouts. After two years, however, he is unable to quell the longing in his heart for that special someone. Feeling hopeless, Andrew resigns himself to life of work and living alone in his pent house apartment. That is, until he’s fixed up with Peter, the local bartender in Jeremy’s favorite watering hole in the East Village. Peter is hot, sweet, sensitive and…masterful. Peter brings out a side of Andrew he never knew he had. And he can’t get enough. However, the same difficulties Andrew had with Jeremy threaten to rear up and ruin his chances with Peter. Will Andrew love Peter enough to let himself have the one guy in the world who could be meant for him?
Buy Links:
Finding Balance
In our lives, balance is the thing we all try to achieve. Work, family, personal, relationship, friends, family…each of these competing demands serve as a challenge to achieving balance. I am a huge victim of this, having let work take center stage for too many years at the expense of most other things. Family hasn’t suffered as I’ve made them a priority as well, but certainly my personal life in terms of going out with friends and finding that special someone has suffered. But that’s me. Someone else might have a wonderful family life and tons of awesome friends, but long for an occupational focus that seems to fall to the side due to competing demands on time.
Meant For Him, at its heart, is about finding balance.
Andrew is a powerhouse at work. He makes all the right choices. Everything he touches turns to gold and he makes a shit-ton of money, but all of his success comes at a price. He lost his relationship with Jeremy because he couldn’t find contentedness in living the life they’d developed. Back when he was younger, when he and Jeremy started dating, they’d been on more even footing. But Jeremy was content in his work and didn’t feel the pull or drive to climb the ladder and achieve greater status and financial reward. Andrew couldn’t understand this and, in the end, pushed Jeremy away. Luckily, they broke things off before too much damage was done and they are still good friends.
Peter is a sweet guy. He’s understated on the outside which conflicts with the drive and ambition living at the core of his nature. Having gone to business school, he dreams large but lives small. As a bartender, he’s carved out a comfortable life for himself. People know him. He makes enough to get by, although his salary is only just enough to afford him a small studio apartment. His family had encouraged him to use his degree to join an established corporation. While that path would have led to greater financial stability, Peter knew a piece of him would’ve died if he became another cog in a massive machine.
Each man is living only part of their life, but neither is living fully. Until they meet. The pieces of themselves each has neglected begin to squirm for attention as they spend time together. Andrew’s need for control and Peter’s desire to please are put to the test. All of a sudden, Andrew finds himself following Peter’s lead. Relinquishing power to the other man is as foreign to him as drinking vinegar, but awakens a part of him that sparks him to life. At the same time, Peter can’t help but take charge when around Andrew. Normally someone who serves others, for the first time, he begins to take what he wants, gaining his own pleasure by commanding it from Andrew.
These strange behaviors and feelings scare them, but for me, that’s the fun of the story. Neither man is willing to remain in the rut they’ve dug for themselves and, in exploring their new emotions, they edge closer to finding the balance and happiness which always seemed just out of reach.
When you read Meant For Him, I hope the experience causes you to think of your own life and to consider the areas you’ve shied away from. What have you neglected? Why? What would it take to follow your dreams? What’s the risk? And hopefully you’ll also contemplate the most important question of all…what are the rewards if you try?
Each exercise tormented a distinct part of his body. There was precision to the work as he focused within, as if he were able to command individual cells to do their part. Mechanically he progressed from core to limbs as he broke down muscle tissue so it could build back up even stronger.
As one hour passed and the next was well underway, Andrew continued his circuits until he’d stretched and pulled every fiber of himself. He finished his workout with a thirty minute run on the treadmill.
Once done, he stepped off the machine, panting. He ran an internal check, trying to sense any lingering stress.
His mind was blessedly clear as he carried himself down the stairs to shower and change. There were just as many men as when he’d arrived earlier, but Andrew wasn’t focused on them. The ache from his workout still throbbed in his body and the penetrating heat of the steam room beckoned him.
He made quick work of undressing, aware of the glances he received but ignoring them. With a skimpy towel, which seemed to be a staple at all sports clubs, barely clinging to his hips, he entered the small tiled area. Immediately assaulted by thick billows of vapor, Andrew stood in the middle of the room gaining his bearings. Slowly, he was able to make images along the benches. He worked his way to an empty spot where he could have some space.
There were two guys just to his right stroking each other’s cocks. Their eyes were fixated on the objects in their hands. When the man closest to Andrew leaned over and took the second guys cock in his mouth, Andrew closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall.
For several minutes he simply breathed in and out through his nose. The door opened and closed a few times and the slurping noises next to him continued, but Andrew pushed each distraction aside, focusing on the wet heat in the room. As little as two or three months earlier, he would have watched. Maybe even participated. But meaningless encounters held no appeal to him any longer.
The image of Peter flashed behind his closed lids, along with the imagined statement he’d made in Andrew’s fantasy. Let me take care of you. Andrew didn’t need anyone to take care of him. I know what you want. Andrew didn’t even know what he wanted. How could anyone else?
Andrew snapped his eyed open and noticed a man leaned against the wall next to him. Each muscle stood out along his powerful frame and, as Andrew surveyed the physical prowess, he couldn’t help the way his eyes fell naturally to the man’s groin. Long fingers of one hand cupped the package, rubbing gently and doing virtually nothing to hide the sizable lump hidden beneath the towel.
Though the steam blurred Andrew’s vision, he could tell the man was staring at him in open invitation. Had this been another time, if he hadn’t become so aware of his isolation, Andrew would have allowed his covering to slide open and his dick to lay bare for the man to see. He might even allow his hand to drift towards his groin, playing with himself. But none of those impulses or desires surfaced. Instead, Andrew closed his eyes once again, shutting out the obvious invitation.
Rejecting the pass was enough to stimulate Andrew’s thoughts. And the more he tried to concentrate on breathing and relaxing spent muscles, the more his thoughts closed in until they captured one thing.
Peter
In one day, the man had managed to wedge his way past the walls Andrew’d constructed to hold his desires at bay. And in another day Andrew would have a chance to see the guy in action at the gym. At least he hoped so. After the way he fled Jeremy and Craig’s he wouldn’t be surprised if Peter backed out. Heaviness settled in his chest. Why should he care? He barely even knew the guy. Even if he’d met him a few times and admired him at Phoenix, there was no good reason why he should care if Peter broke their date.
Is that what their meeting at the gym was? A date? Andrew closed his eyes once again. He wondered whether Peter would wear a tee-shirt or a tank. Did he wear sports clothing like Adidas or Nike, or did he simply work out in plain cotton? Did he wear a jock or underwear?
Each question brought new pictures with it and Andrew slid his hand towards his cock, rubbing at the growing bulge. With his palm, he created friction using the rough material covering his skin. His breathing became slightly heavier.
Realizing what he was doing, Andrew opened his eyes to find Mr. Beefcake, who’d stood next to him. He’d moved and was now located directly in front of Andrew, his towel slung over his shoulder.
Andrew gasped, surprised to see the man standing before him. The giant lowered himself to his knees and reached to unhitch Andrew’s towel.
It was as if a light had been switched on. Andrew stood and brushed past the man, exiting the steam room and wincing at the rush of cool air against his skin. Securing the towel on his hips, Andrew scampered to his locker and made quick work of dressing.
The whole time, one question screamed inside his head. Why didn’t I let that guy blow me? The man was hotter than hell and looked like he was ready to provide Hoover action on Andrew’s cock. Yet something had recoiled at the idea of letting someone touch him in that empty, purely physical way.
D.H. Starr is a product of the 80s who should have grown up in the 60s and wishes he could travel through time to visit the Ancient Romans and Greeks so he could wear togas and be considered in-style. He loves to torment his characters before giving them their happy ending, enjoying the way they struggle and change from beginning to end. On his off-time, he can be found parading naked through the woods, searching for mystical creatures who he swears do exist. Once he finds the portal to their world that will be the last you see of him. His favorite quote comes from the musical Rent, “No day but today” and he loves the song Seasons of Love because its message is so true.
Author Contact Links:
Email: dhstarr@dhstarr.com
Website: www.dhstarr.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doug.starr.10
Blog: http://www.dhstarr.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dhstarrontwtr
Double Giveaway !
Leave a comment on this blog post to win an eCopy of Meant for Him and Meant for Each Other (prequel)
And
$10 Amazon Gift Card and an eCopy of Meant for Him
Author D.H Starr also released another book recently “The One I Choose”
This book does not have any ties to Meant for Him. This Novella was released 2 weeks prior by the same Author.
Book Title: The One I Choose
Author: D.H. Starr
Publisher: Wilde City Press (September 19, 2014)
Length: 90 pages
Genre: Gay Contemporary Romance
Blurb:
Cal’s been with his partner Rhys for three years, their life together was perfect—or so he thought. When Rhys’s culinary path in NYC is detoured, Cal uses his inheritance to relocate them to Boston. While using his contracting skills tirelessly to get Rhys’s restaurant operational, Cal realizes that Rhys’s happiness, their very relationship, may not be as solid as he’d once thought. Cal struggles as he realizes the many ways he’s taken Rhys for granted and needs to make some hard choices if he doesn’t want to lose the man he loves.
Buy Links:
Terrific post and giveaway! Thank you!! <3
Why did my comment appear with a name of another person? That’s weird! Internet is really messing everything up! *sad*
Thanks for post and giveaway.
The books sound so appealing!
I would love a chance to win this book. 🙂
I probably shouldn’t have entered since about two minutes later I broke down and went over to B&N and bought a copy! Oh well 🙂
Thanks for the great post and giveaway!
Reading can be quite a powerful thing and the authors thoughts about how his books may affect a reader in their choices and life change making is very pertinent. Lack of confidence is my issue, which is a tricky thing to overcome.
Thank you for a chance to win DH Starr’s book 🙂
Thanks for the excerpt! Looking forward to reading these! Thanks for the chances at the giveaways!
Meant for him is definitely going to my TBR list. It seems like a great story line.
Thanks for the giveaway! And tons of success to you!
taina1959@yahoo.com
Very very good excerpt. This sounds great.
Looking forward to reading this book from a new to me author.