Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway:
Emerett Has Never Been In Love by Anyta Sunday
Love, Austen (Book 1)
A man who acts before he thinks, a man who thinks before he acts, and the ensuing mishaps on the path to the ultimate love match.
~ ~ ~
Emerett “Lake” Lakewood has a healthy ego and a flair for the dramatic. After losing his best friend to marriage—completely crushing his heart—he deems it prudent to distract himself, and what better way than playing cupid?
He’s already got his eye on two young men desperately seeking romance, and he has a plan to hook them up.
Barbecues.
Photoshoots.
Reciting Shakespearean love declarations.
Lake is killing it. Love is positively pulsing in the air. Anyone could see it.
Well, anyone other than Knight, his best friend’s dad, who cautions Lake to stop meddling. To leave love to its natural course.
Lake has always valued Knight’s frankness, but this time he’s wrong. Without him, two hearts might be doomed never to find love.
Besides, what does Knight know about romance? He’s barely dated in all the seven years Lake’s known him. He’s clueless. Though, there’s a thought. Knight has everything going for him. Sensibility. Kindness. Generosity. And for a forty-four-year-old, he’s—objectively—freaking hot.
Why is he single?
~ ~ ~
“. . . [T]here may be a hundred different ways of being in love.”
~ Jane Austen
And a hundred different ways not to recognize it.
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Knight glanced up from the business section, surprised. “Lake. I thought you were resting.”
His shirt, now unbuttoned, revealed a turquoise T-shirt underneath, and the lighting flowed over him, illuminating threads of gold in his hair and eyes. He was laughter and hugs ready-and-waiting. Lake folded himself into an adjacent chair. “I rested, and now I’m here.”
“If you’d move your elbows . . .” Lake drew them off the newspaper, and Knight turned the page.
Lake took a section of the paper; the tingly feeling at his cheek told him Knight was studying his profile. Air stirred as Knight leaned in. “Lake, what are you doing?”
“Reading an article.”
“It’s the Classifieds.”
“Best part. Are you interested in a tall, gently-muscled man, who can appreciate a garden and has a good sense of humor? Because you have competition.”
“I’m interested in the way you keep glancing at the career-opportunities column.”
Noticed that, did he? “Now the house is sold, I have to start fixing the rest of my life.”
“Read on.”
Two job descriptions later, West returned, now wearing a neat Henley; the stem of his rose tattoo stretched to his chest. Armored with chocolates and a gift for Taylor and Amy, he thanked them again for letting him crash there for the weekend.
Lake watched the bearded man intently.
Was this really the same man who’d failed to show up for Taylor? His parents must have pressured him tremendously not to socialize with Taylor’s family. He seemed too sincere for anything less. He leaned toward Knight and lowered his voice.
“You were a little harsh about him.”
Knight’s gaze laser-focused on West. “Is that right?” he bit off.
“I mean, look how thoughtful he is.”
Knight made a non-committal sound in his throat and returned to his newspaper. Perhaps he was reflecting? Realizing he’d been hasty in his judgment?
West slung himself opposite Lake, on Knight’s other side. “What are you two up to?”
Knight answered curtly, “Reading.”
Lake stifled his amusement. Not quite over his prejudice, then. “Knight’s a reader. He’s encouraging me to pick up a few books too.”
West grinned. “What books?”
“The old ones.”
“Classics,” Knight murmured.
“Exactly, those. I’m most of the way through Moby Dick.”
West’s brows shot up. “What do you think?”
“The title is misleading.” West blinked, Knight cleared his throat, and Lake continued, “I know more about whales than I ever thought I would.”
“Want a confession?” West said playfully, and Lake leaned in to hear more. “At school I only read the Cliff’s notes.”
“You absolute rebel.”
“A prerequisite to join the club.”
Knight’s phone beeped. He checked it and smiled. “Josh.”
“Josh?” A flicker of pleasant surprise crossed West’s face.
Lake queried, “Do you remember him?”
“We bumped into each other a fair bit. Friendly guy. Smart.”
Knight looked up from his phone. “He’s inviting us to his place for cake.”
Lake’s chair screeched as he hurried to pull out his phone.
He was invited this time.
Taylor called from behind the couch, waving his phone around. “West, you too. Josh said anyone can tag along.”
Lake stared at his invite. Did he want to go? What if Josh spent the whole afternoon flirting with Knight?
“So, we’re all off to Josh’s, then?” West asked, looking eager.
Lake sighed. “I suppose I’ll come.”
“Of course you’ll come,” Knight said. “There’s cake.”
Lake stood reluctantly. “I’ll be needing a lot of it.”
To celebrate the release of Emerett Has Never Been in Love, Anyta is away a $20 Amazon voucher & e-set of her Signs of Love Series!
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About the Author:
I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.
Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.
I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of emotion, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.
My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.
Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/about-anyta/
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