All right, I’m here. Not that I have much of a say on it. My name’s Gideon Brooks and I’m here to tell ya that Jonathan Wolfe is a bloody wanker. Did I say wanker? I meant, Jonathan Wolfe is a right bloke and not a complete arse at all. At least not all of the time. I promised Jacky I’d keep the swearing to a minimal and behave all gentlemanly and whatnot, remember how to speak proper and all. Fact is, I ain’t no gentleman. Not that I don’t try, though I suppose I could try a little harder sometimes. I don’t mean to, it’s just my nature. I guess the reason Johnnie gets on my bloody wick is because he’s sort of like me, plus I don’t much like admitting he’s actually managed to do what no one else in my life ever bothered to do. He saved my life, in his own daft way. Look, I ain’t about to sit here and start bawling like some ditzy bird about how swell he is for what he did for me, blah blah blah. Yeah, he did save my life, all right?

I was all sorts of balled up, doing things I weren’t–wasn’t, proud of just to survive. I don’t like to go on about it, and only talk about it with Henry when we have our sessions. Henry’s a right guy. A little screwy, but a real swell bloke. Why do I think he’s screwy? Well, ’cause he’s in love with that git. I mean, Henry’s all posh and the like, and he does all these good things for people, and then he goes and falls in love with a Yank who don’t know which way is up most days, and he still goes out of his way–even if it’s killing him, to show Johnnie how much he loves him. I don’t get it. How come he still sticks around, waiting for him, being all good to him when that arse is such a bloody mess? What sort of fella would do that? I mean, I know why Jacky and the fellas do what they do, why they take us Brats in. I never knew blokes like them existed, because well, the world’s a pretty shit place at times. I had a hard time understanding why they were doing what they were doing for nothing in return other than my effort to become something more than what I was. I just can’t get my head around why a fella like Henry would bother with Johnnie at all? What’s that? Love? Pff, ain’t no one can love someone that much. Can they? I don’t think I could ever find myself that dizzy over someone.

Of course I ain’t ever been in love. Don’t think I ever will be. Look, the last few years at the manor ain’t been no picnic, and getting all swoony over a fella has been the last thing on my mind. Sure, I suppose things are a little different now than they had been when I first arrived seven years ago, but there ain’t no one who I fancy. Certainly not Connor. I don’t know what his game is. He’s so bloody jumpy, and everything I do gets on his wick even when I’m not doing anything to annoy him. He’s only a year older than me, but I know a pushover when I see one. He always has this pathetic sad look on his stupid face. It’s not like I think he’s handsome or nothin’, and despite what those rubes think, I did not run into that wall cause I was distracted by him taking off his muddy rugby shirt. Bunch of rotten liars. Well, I’m gonna breeze. I got boxing lessons with Johnnie, and yeah, maybe Connor will be there, so what? When you see him, I never said a word about him, savvy? Good.

Blurb:

Eight years after leaving the deserts of Africa and the French Foreign Legion behind, Jonathan Wolfe has settled into life at Hawthorne Manor in the English countryside. Johnnie helps his adopted family run the manor and provide a safe, loving home for a new generation of “brats”: boys mistreated and discarded for their homosexuality—something all too familiar to Johnnie.

Although no longer an unruly youngster, Johnnie is as stubborn, foul-mouthed, and troublesome as ever. His recent rash behavior becomes a concern for those closest to him, especially Dr. Henry Young, the only man ever to capture Johnnie’s heart. Instead of soothing him, their closeness brings Johnnie’s insecurities from an unsettling past to the surface, and leads to an explosive situation that threatens to tear them apart. Then Henry’s past catches up to them….

Excerpts are in the form of a serial.

Read Part 6 over at Eden Winter’s here.
Excerpt 7

Henry cleared his throat and we pulled our hands apart.

“This has to stop, Ellie. We’ve already explained this to you.” I was getting plenty tired of falling through windows and getting dirty looks from the gardeners. As if I was purposefully frolicking through their vegetation simply to irritate them.

Elliot shook his head, the deep frown returning to his little face.

I shifted my gaze up to Henry and pleaded with him. “Help me out here, will you? He can’t keep doing this.”

Henry kneeled down and pulled Elliot close. “Ellie, darling, Johnnie is a grown man free to do as he pleases with whom he pleases. It isn’t right for you to try and force him. You don’t like it when someone tries to make you do something you don’t want to do, so it isn’t fair you do the same to him. Understood?”

“Of course,” I griped. “Because it’s all me, isn’t it?”

“Johnnie, please. Let’s not.” He turned his attention back to Elliot, who was fiddling with his shorts’ suspenders. “Do you understand?”

Elliot leaned in and whispered in Henry’s ear. Whatever it was, it brought a sad smile to Henry’s face. He placed a kiss to Elliot’s head and ruffled his hair. “Yes, well, I think perhaps you are a little biased.”

“What did he say?” I asked Henry.

“Nothing important.”

Clearly it was important enough to make Henry sad. “Like hell. I want to know.”

Henry was about to speak when Elliot answered for him. “Daddy’s better than Glen.”

Great, because getting it from Chance wasn’t enough.

“Yeah, well, it ain’t always that easy, kid,” I grumbled, sticking my hand out. Reaching into his pocket, Elliot pulled out the key to my room and put it in my hand. He clutched onto his teddy bear tightly and turned away from me, leaning into Henry and burying his face against his shoulder. Elliot was obviously finished speaking his piece. Henry hugged him and looked up at me.

“I’m sorry. We’ll get through to him eventually.”

I wished we didn’t have to. It was ridiculous, trying to convince a six-year-old that I didn’t want his daddy—the greatest man in the world. What I wanted was a prissy near-alcoholic who only wanted me around for the sex and my dough. I put my hand on Elliot’s shoulder and he shrugged it off. It hurt, but I couldn’t blame him. Before I could make the two feel any worse, I stood, secured my hat on my head and started to walk away, but damn it all to hell if my goddamn conscience didn’t decide to give me a kicking.

Part 8 continued on Nov 19th over at Shira Anthony’s blog.

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Available in ebook and print from Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4362

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Comment prompt: Enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, lost love returns? Do you have a favorite romance theme?

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About the Author:

Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From Historical to Fantasy, Contemporary to Science Fiction, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

Currently residing in South Florida, Charlie looks forward to migrating to a land where the weather includes seasons other than hot, hotter, and boy, it’s hot! When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

Website: https://www.charliecochet.com
Blog: https://www.charliecochet.com/blog
Email: charlie@charliecochet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charliecochet
Twitter: @charliecochet | https://www.twitter.com/charliecochet

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Giveaway

1st Prize: $15 Amazon gift card + Impetuous Afflictions signed swag pack + signed 8×10 art print.

2nd & 3rd Prize: Impetuous Afflictions swag pack + signed 8×10 art print.

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To Enter

Just leave a comment on any of the blog posts along the tour, along with a contact email address. **If you would still like to enter the contest but don’t wish to leave your email address in the comment, you can also enter by emailing charlie@charliecochet.com.

Winners will be chosen at random and posted on Charlie’s blog at https://www.charliecochet.com/blog on Monday, December 2nd. Winners will then be notified via email.

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Contest ends

Sunday, December 1st at midnight, Eastern Time.

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Tour stops:

11/9 – Welcome to Hawthorne Manor [Excerpt 1] – The Novel Approach

11/11 – Billiard Room Brouhaha [Excerpt 2] – Author Sue Brown

11/12 – A Trip to the Town of Aylesbury [Excerpt 3] – Author Kim Fielding

11/13 – Time for Tea [Excerpt 4] – Author Lex Chase

11/14 – Stopping for a Pint [Excerpt 5] – Author Andrew Q. Gordon

11/15 – Visiting the Furry Hat Man [Excerpt 6] – Author Eden Winters

11/18 – Meet Gideon Brooks [Excerpt 7] – Author Michael Rupured

11/19 – Meet Rori Curti [Excerpt 8]s – Author Shira Anthony

11/20 – Meet Aubrey Jepson [Excerpt 9] – Attention is Arbitrary

11/21 – Meet Oliver Darling [Excerpt 10] – Hearts on Fire

11/22 – Meet Elliot Young [Excerpt 11] – Author Elin Gregory

11/25 – Meet Connor & Edmund Grey [Excerpt 12]- Joyfully Jay

11/26 – The Devilish Duo [Finale] – Mrs. Condit & Friends