SERIES TOUR - LOVE AT LAKE CLYDE
BOOK DETAILS
LOVE AT LAKE CLYDE, BOOK 1
Book Title: King of the Mountain
Author and Publisher: Aiden Ainslie
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Length: 106 000 words/ 386 pages
Release Date: July 11, 2021
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Tropes: Gay awakening; rich sports star meets poor student
Themes: Coming out; competitive cycling; overcoming adversity; perseverance; HEA
Heat Rating for the series: 3 - 4 flames
It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.
The books are standalone but the reader would benefit from reading them in sequence to fully appreciate the setting and supporting characters of Clydesdale, a fictitious town in the California Sierra mountains.
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited
Blurb
American cycling sensation and heartthrob Clifford Du Frey is riding the wave of success. Brand Du Frey is a multi-million-dollar business, and during the Tour de France, Clifford is mobbed by fans wherever he goes. The superstar must focus on winning the Tour de France and maintaining his fan base.
But Clifford has a secret. He has fallen hard for Gabe O’Reilly – the dreamy art student from San Francisco whom he met on a summer’s day in Paris.
Can Clifford and Gabe’s budding relationship withstand the media storm and other forces arraigned against them? Can the grit and determination that propelled Clifford to the top of his sport help him break out to find true love and happiness?
You will root for Clifford and Gabe as they take you on a steaming hot ride through France and all the way back to their native California.
LOVE AT LAKE CLYDE, BOOK 2
Book Title: Master of the Wild
Author and Publisher: Aiden Ainslie
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Length: 88 500 words/ 364 pages
Release Date: January 27, 2022
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance
Tropes: Opposites attract; roommates to lovers; protect your bruised heart by never falling in love again; rich guy poor guy; proving oneself in a strange environment
Themes: Fairy tales; clash of city and country; wilderness challenge; meddling townsfolk; HEA.
Heat Rating for the series: 3 - 4 flames
It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.
The books are standalone but the reader would benefit from reading them in sequence to fully appreciate the setting and supporting characters of Clydesdale, a fictitious town in the California Sierra mountains.
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited
Blurb
IT whiz, Conner O’Reilly, moves from London to California to lick his wounds and recover after the break-up of a bad relationship. He is determined to find a job and start a new life. The last thing he needs is another romantic entanglement.
But Conner hasn’t bargained on meeting Ewan Driscoll. Wild, tattooed, gorgeous, messed-up Ewan, who has more baggage than a freight train.
Will Conner be sensible and get his life back on track, or will his heart lead him into the wilderness?
Excerpt from “King of the Mountain”
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 have 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 did not 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. His hands stroked over my hip bones, and I started laughing. He had inadvertently found my weak spot, the most ticklish part of my body. Cliff was not one to let such an advantage pass him by. 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 did not dare to complete the thought. Who was I to think a man like Clifford du Frey would fall in love with me? For all I knew, he was straight as straight can be. Sports stars let off steam by horsing around with their teammates. And after the grueling days on the road, he sure needed some fun to relax and unwind.
I reminded myself that a man could bathe in the warmth of the sun, but that did not mean the sun cared about the man’s existence. He was an international celebrity, a superstar. As unattainable as the sun itself. And we all knew what happened to those who flew too close to the sun.
After a few more minutes of splashing and laughing, I got his glistening body in a half nelson and made him concede that I was a superior wrestler.
Cliff stood bent-over, panting. I beat my chest like Tarzan and hollered at the waves, “I, Neptune, King of the Sea, have conquered the one and only King of the Mountain.”
He smiled his most disdainful smile, came to stand right in front of me, and said, “Just wait till I get you up into the mountains.”
“What are you going to do?” I teased, “Drag me into your castle and tie me up?”
His nostrils flared, and his face showed such a mixture of emotions that I was at a loss to interpret them.
“For starters,” he said, “I’ll whip your ass….”
I caught my breath.
He continued, “…at skiing.”
He drew himself up to his full height, which meant I was looking directly at his lips and the stubble on his chin. I ached to reach out and feel that roughness. I did not just want to feel it with my hands; I wanted to feel it on my neck, my chest, on every square inch of my body. He parted his lips, and I imagined the sweet, salty taste they would leave on my tongue.
My throat was suddenly dry. I licked my lips and looked up at the eyes that were waiting to bore into mine. Our chests were only separated by a minuscule air gap and two thin layers of water that were rapidly evaporating under our bodies' heat. I stood motionless; my heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure Cliff could hear it. I had the sensation of my chest hair vibrating to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
About the Author
Aiden Ainslie lives in the Diablo foothills, east of San Francisco. When he 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.
Aiden and his family have two dogs that keep him busy and 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.
According to Aiden, "Setting and mood are critical parts of a romantic story, hence I am always taking pictures of romantic settings to be used in future novels".
Author Links
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