~
~ UPDATE INFORMATION ~
Kele Moon is giving away a $25 GC to Amazon to one lucky commenter during her blog tour! Please leave a comment below to be considered for the drawing.
On the island where they first met, two lovers from opposite sides of the tracks are reunited. Now jaded and broken, Alex and Matt still can’t deny their sizzling connection or the memories of one perfect, uninhibited year together.
At twenty-two, Matt Tarrington is rich, good-looking and destined to be powerful, but behind that confident exterior lurks a man who resents the life his family thrust upon him. Wanting an escape, Matt heads to Mirabella Island off the coast of Florida for a year of relaxation and a few wild nights with vacationing party-girls.
Matt never expected to find real passion in the arms of Alex Hunter, a handsome, laid-back local. Alex is gay, but closeted. Knowing Matt should be off limits, Alex finds the deeply-in-denial rich boy too tempting to ignore. Especially when a bet has them working together, fighting the heat in the rundown, beachside cafe where Alex sweats for every dollar.
Their love felt inevitable until youth left them vulnerable to hatred and greed. After six years of hating the lies they live to make others happy, they will have to risk it all for the second chance they both desperately need.
Buy Links:
Amazon / B&N / Loose Id / All Romance Books
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Book Excerpt:
Alex heard newcomers greeting him, but didn’t acknowledge them as he walked around the counter toward the register. He thought he was acting like his normal easygoing self.
It was a lie. His knees were shaking, and his stomach jittery. Just breathing was taking effort as he leaned casually against the counter and faced Matt, praying for strength to protect both of them and keep his cool. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Matt said, his voice smooth, but there was a haunted look in his light gaze as he studied Alex.
Matt wasn’t even being subtle as he studied him. It made Alex wish he were wearing something besides beaten-up jeans and a T-shirt he used for work. The black apron he had tied on over his clothes had flour smeared on it. His baseball hat was on backward like he hadn’t grown up since the last time they’d shared the same air.
Matt took a deep breath, as if also looking for the strength to breathe. “You look handsome—h-healthy. Um, you look good, Alex.”
That caused Alex to look past him, seeing if Matt’s stuttering compliments had been heard. Matt had never been subtle. He hadn’t honed the fine art of being a gay man in public, perhaps because he was straight—most days.
Nonetheless, Alex was flattered. Matt was going to do away with Alex’s own cool exterior and make them both obvious.
He grinned and rubbed his sweaty palm against his apron before he held it out to Matt, shaking his hand across the counter in an effort to remind both of them that to the world, they had only ever been friends. “You too, buddy. You’re looking pretty healthy yourself.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR BIO:
A freckle faced, redhead born and raised in Hawaii, Kele Moon has always been a bit of a sore thumb and has come to enjoy the novelty of it. She thrives off pushing the envelope and finding ways to make the impossible work in her story telling. With a mad passion for romance, she adores the art of falling in love. The only rules she believes in is that, in love there are no rules and true love knows no bounds.
So obsessed is she with the beauty of romance and the novelty of creating it she’s lost in her own wonder world most of the time. Thankfully she married her own dark, handsome, brooding hero who had infinite patience for her airy ways and attempts to keep her grounded. When she leaves her keys in the refrigerator or her cell phone in the oven he’s usually there to save her from herself. The two of them now reside in Florida with their three beautiful children who make their lives both fun and challenging in equal parts–They wouldn’t have it any other way.
Kele Moon is a new author for me, but I will be reading more of her books in the future. She put such great emotion into her characters, made them believable, and more importantly, enjoyable to read.
Alex has lived all his life on Mirabella Island. He loves the sand, the beach, and everything about his small town. He has no desire to ever leave.
Matt comes from money and his life has been planned for him since birth. He will follow in his late father's footsteps and take over running the chain of department stores his family owns.
Two young men could not come from more different backgrounds, but the passion and love that they feel for each other will not be denied. Will what they feel be enough to keep them together? Especially when small-minded folk and a desperate mother try to tear them apart?
LOVE,LOVE, LOVE these two men and how they struggled to cope with their growing feelings and the resolution at the end had me in tears.
There is also a secondary story: Alex's best friend, Holly, has kept Alex's sexuality a secret forever--but she also has been keeping another secret of her own.
One that involves Alex's brother, Will.
I loved watching these two characters deal with their feelings and am glad to know that Will and Holly still have some issues to work out and I can't wait to read their own story! I also hope to find out what exactly happened between Will and Alex in New York--it's KILLING ME not to know.
Starfish and Coffee is a great story about second chances at having that perfect somebody who totally gets you--faults and all--and loves you in spite of them.
Goddess Fish~
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. I loved Kele's book--it was a delish read and I can't wait for the next book in this series.
I'm feeling the "LOVE, LOVE, LOVE". Always a good sign.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Mary,
DeleteThis past year I started reading this sub genre, and this is going down as a fave :)
Thanks for stopping by!
I love it when the two main characters come from totally different worlds yet find common ground in their love for each other. Thanks for sharing with us
ReplyDeletefencingromein at hotmail dot com
Shannon-Thank you so much for stopping by. I loved these 2 guys--they sizzled on the pages.
DeleteThank you for giveaway.
ReplyDeletewendy_pogrant@yahoo.com
wpogrant~
DeleteYou are so welcome and thanks for stopping by!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! I had a great time writing it! And thank you so much for being part of the tour!!
ReplyDelete:D
Kele
Kele---I had to fan myself sevral times while reading--Alex and Matty had such great chemistry. Can't wait for book 2~~hint, hint
DeleteAnd I'm really looking forward to writing it! Hoping to find a spot in my schedule sometime this year :D
DeleteKele
I love journals but mostly do my writing on my computer. How about you, are you still using a paper notebook for notes or writing stories down?
ReplyDeletegalaschick78 at gmail dot com
Gala---I'm a pantser, myself and write at my laptop :)
DeleteWhat about you, Kele?
Love the excerpt! I love an opposite attrackts story.
ReplyDeletejibriel.o(at)web(dot)de
Jibriel~
DeleteThanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Glad you enjoyed the excerpt!
Great excerpt and so many wonderful reviews. Already added book to my TBB list.
ReplyDeletestrive4bst(At) yahoo(Dot) com
Jbst~
DeleteThank you for stopping and glad you liked it :) Feel free to always stop by and drop me an email about a book that I've reviewed and you read --I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Wonderful review, definetly one for the tbr list.
ReplyDeletelennascloud at gmail dot com
Lena~
DeleteThank you for commenting and glad you liked my review!
Ami~~~Fans self---that would be one hot audio :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book. Thanks for the great review! I love that cover.
ReplyDeletethompsonem3 at aol dot com
Ellen--the cover is drool-worthy ;)
DeleteAnd the book was great--emotional and smexy!
Thanks for reading my review.
Excellent excerpt, this books sounds intriguing.
ReplyDeletehopefull1978ATgmailDOTcom