Release Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway:
The Heart Heist by Elle Keaton
What happens when When Harry Met Sally and Four Weddings and a Funeral meet in an elevator? You get The Heart Heist, except no one dies and everyone is queer. I may possibly be dating myself by mentioning these two movies, but the person who said this is one hundred percent correct. Plus, even though I didn’t plan it, films ended up having a role in Heart Heist (as well as Feinted Love).
Jacob and Duff are the two main characters in The Heart Heist, Jacob grew up in Seattle and Duff arrived when he was fairly young. And, Seattle is, of course, the third main character. Sense of place is very important in my writing. I’ll freely admit I had to remind myself that Seattle wasn’t the main character and forced myself to cut a bunch of references and scenes, I don’t need readers to fall in love with Seattle, I want you to fall in love with Jacob and Duff.
But…one of my aims is to take readers to places in my hometown they may not have seen in Sleepless in Seattle, 10 things I Hate About You, or any of the other movies filmed here (as an aside if you really want to see old Seattle check out the Fabulous Baker Boys but don’t get me started on Say Anything as it was mostly shot in California!).
The gum wall is (well, gross) cool but so is Ye Old Curiosity Shoppe—a place not to miss, if only for the weird collection of mummified bodies. Yes, Pike (there is no “S” at the end—this is a pet peeve of mine) Place Market is incredible, I take all my out-of-town guests there. But munching on fish and chips at the Spud’s in West Seattle is cool too, and you can visit our tiny Statue of Liberty which stands on the beach there.
But I digress. The Heart Heist is a love story about two young men who meet, meet again, and meet a few more times before they truly understand what they are to each other. It’s about accepting help when you need it, found family, it’s about having both safe places and safe people.
In December 2021 I’ll be releasing the third and final in the series, The Boyfriend Spree, which is Charley and Simon’s story and all I have to say is, Simon has his work cut out for him!
Thank you for taking a chance on my guys!
Elle
Crimes of the Heart, Book 2
Duff Cleveland knows better than to open himself to love, that’s how you get hurt.
Jacob De Rossi is a family guy; he’s got the house and the picket fence he’s just missing the man.
When a gorgeous stranger wanders into Jacob’s yoga studio one summer night Jacob knows he’s in trouble. He’s going to break all his rules and probably his heart.
Something about Jacob has Duff wanting more, but how many just one more time’s can a dedicated hookup artist justify? He can hardly handle the life he’s living, having an actual boyfriend is impossible.
Jacob’s not letting Duff go easily. It’s obvious, to him at least, that Duff needs someone in his corner, and he’s the man for the job.
Will Duff recognize his heart is safe with Jacob before it’s too late?
The Heart Heist is a first person, dual POV, following Duff Cleveland and Jacob De Rossi as Jacob woos Duff’s reluctant heart. No cliffhanger, HEA guaranteed. Heat level, 4+.
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From Jacob’s POV
“Place your palms together in front of your heart, breathe in slowly and hold for a moment. Good, good. Now breathe out and push your breath away and your hands, still pressed together, toward the ceiling.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the studio door begin to open, interrupting my instruction and catching everyone’s attention. Automatically tensing, I glance at the wall clock; it’s ten minutes past the hour. I don’t like it when people are late, and unless someone stole my sign (“no entry ten minutes past the hour” in bright all-caps lettering, hung at eye-level), my policy is clearly posted. Just because I teach yoga doesn’t mean I can’t be an asshole sometimes.
“Class is — ”
The door fully opens, and whatever I’d been about to say, something pissy about how class is already in session, dies on my lips, and I’m helpless. The universe is smirking at me, I can just tell.
One of the most gorgeous men I’ve ever seen in real life hovers on the threshold, an apprehensive expression on his face. There is no way I am going to tell this man he can’t join the class.
“There’s space at the back,” I murmur, trying not to telescope that I feel like I’ve been hit by the universe’s very own MAC truck.
His chin dips down and messy blond hair falls across his face, hiding him for a moment. He impatiently pushes it behind one ear, exposing high cheekbones and winged eyebrows in a darker blond than the hair on his head. I’ve never felt this before — his golden-caramel gaze seems to pierce right through me, plumbing my deepest darkest secrets. Which is funny because I’ve never really thought of myself as the kind of person who had deep dark secrets, until now.
But if I’m suddenly going to have some, I want to share every last one of them with this man. I want to open myself up and offer all that I am to him.
And I don’t even know his name.
“Thanks,” he says, and I fall even further. One freaking word.
My eyes stay glued on him as he makes his way to the back of the room, unrolls his mat, and flops down on it. Belatedly I realize the rest of the students are watching my reaction. One woman in the front raises an eyebrow and winks at me, barely suppressing a grin.
I am so fucked.
I’d say I have some idea how I got through class, but it was probably just muscle memory. All I know is my attention was one hundred percent on the newest student for the entire hour.
An hour and fifteen minutes later, he follows the rest of the students out into the summer evening, taking my heart with him. I want to say something — seriously anything — but I can’t. No words coming out of my mouth would be the right ones. This man needs epic poetry, he needs the northern lights. He needs things that are not in my power to give because the universe simply isn’t enough. Stupid universe.
“I’m sorry I was late,” he says as he passes by me and turns up the street.
I nod. The cat, as my grandmother would say, has got my tongue. And I’m an idiot because he’s given me an opening, but I just stand there and watch him walk away, taking my heart along with him. A heist in plain sight.
To celebrate Elle’s New Series, Elle is giveaway a $20 Amazon Gift Gard!
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About the Author:
Elle Keaton writes contemporary gay romance and MM romantic suspense set in the Pacific Northwest. Elle’s books are known for their hot mm romance, complex characters, and unique sense of place. The men start out broken, and maybe they’re still banged up by the end, but they always find the other half of their hearts.
Elle published first in 2017, now she has over seventeen books available for you to read or listen to. She loves cats and dogs, Star Wars and Star Trek, pineapple on pizza, and is known to start crossword puzzles with ballpoint pen.
Love always wins, thank you for supporting this indie author!
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