Guest Post | His Alien by Holly Day

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Hiya!  

I’m here as Holly today because a few days ago, His Alien was released 🥳 Everyone likes aliens, right?   

It’s not often I read alien stories, though when I do, I often go on a binge and read a lot of them. Hard sci-fi isn’t my thing, but alien romance can be a lot of fun. This is one of those stories. It’s not heavy on the technical stuff, but it has aliens! 😆  

Do you remember There Will Be Aliens? It was the third story I published as Holly, so a looong time ago, but that’s the world we’re revisiting. You don’t have to have read There Will Be Aliens to read this, but it’ll give you a better picture of the world.  

We have Forest who is on his way to Europe to look at art when he is abducted by aliens. He might have wanted to get away from things, but outer space wasn’t what he had in mind. Then he’s rescued (?) by other aliens and taken to a weird planet where he’s given to one of them.  

Brox, who was on a mission to go to Earth and bring back ten females in an attempt to save his people from going extinct, never wants to see a human again. He didn’t approve of the mission in the first place, and after having brought the humans back to Negudade, he’s still convinced it was a bad idea.   

So when he’s taken off active duty to look after a human, he is not pleased. At least not at first. Then Forest does some interesting things and Brox doesn’t mind so much anymore.  

This is an abduction story, but not the grim kind. Below you can read the first chapter! 

His Alien

hisalienSequel to There Will Be Aliens

Brox was once a fierce warrior, but now his only job is to share his home with an alien. A human.

All Forest Blue wanted was to go on a trip to Europe, not get kidnapped by aliens. He hadn’t even known aliens existed. Though, he guessed things could be worse. The huge devil lookalike he’s been given to hasn’t tried to eat him … yet. Small favors. But would it cost him to smile now and then?

Brox Scoreceds Cruul was once a fierce warrior, now demoted to take care of an alien. A few months back, the leading females had sent a ship to gather ten human females from their home planet in hopes of saving the Negudade people from extinction. Now a male has arrived on the planet, and the leading females have given him to Brox, since he has a language implant that allows him to understand humans. His assignment is to make the human thrive. How could anyone make a human thrive?

The devils have the emotional depth of a shallow water puddle, but Brox feeds Forest and makes sure he has everything he needs. It’s not what Forest imagined his life to be, but when a creep starts following him around, Brox goes all snarly devil on his stalker. So maybe having an alien husband isn’t too bad?

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Gay Alien Romance: 29,730 words

JMS Books :: Amazon

Chapter 1

Forest Blue had thirty-seven years’ experience of not listening to the woman who birthed him, so why had he done as she’d suggested this time? He should’ve known better. Taking time off work to go on a trip had never been something he’d considered, so why had he?

He’d been out of sorts, stressed after the fall term, and needing a break. He’d told his mother he had a hard time sleeping due to anxiety. He never told his mother anything, but she had read his aura and been worried.

Forest rolled his eyes. If only she could take a peek at his aura now.

Her name was Harmony. Nowadays. It wasn’t the name she’d been given as a baby, but her birth name didn’t suit her, so she’d changed it. He wasn’t allowed to call her mother or mom or mama or whatever else children called the person they’d once shared a body with. The words didn’t have the right energy, and according to her, he had an older soul than she did.

As a child he’d believed her, so saying he had thirty-seven years of experience of not listening was wrong. He hadn’t had any doubts until he was maybe seven or eight, and even then, he’d only known he wasn’t like other boys.

He’d always felt out of place, always suspected the world wasn’t what it made itself out to be, and the feeling had intensified when he’d grown old enough to analyze his family’s interactions with others.

His parents weren’t bad. He hadn’t gone hungry, he always had clothes to wear and a place to sleep, but… Harmony didn’t believe in toys, they hampered children’s creativity. She didn’t trust plastic, so most toys were out of the question anyway. She didn’t believe in relying on the grocery store. If you couldn’t survive off what you foraged or grew, you had no business surviving.

When he’d been eleven, he’d had appendicitis, and she’d refused to take him to the hospital. It wasn’t until he’d become really ill, she’d relented. She believed hospitals were a scam, and all you needed in ways of medicine, you could find in nature.

He wouldn’t call it neglect. He hadn’t been hurt, not severely hurt, by her beliefs, but he’d never belonged.

After years of homeschooling, he’d finally managed to talk her into letting him attend public school. It was how his fight for independence had begun. He’d realized he was a freak, and no matter how hard he tried, he’d never managed to assimilate. And no, he didn’t believe it had anything to do with his energy, aura, or soul, no matter what Harmony said. He didn’t think it had anything to do with the shadow of a father hiding in a cloud of smoke either.

His dad was one hell of a gardener when it came to plants in the Cannabaceae family. Forest didn’t blame him. If he’d had an escape, he’d have taken it too. He had escaped. Escaped a little too far since now he was trapped in a small cage on a spaceship.

He wondered what Harmony would have to say about the giant bug aliens keeping him prisoner. Were their auras muddy? Did they have old souls?

Forest believed they were evil either way. He’d seen some weird creatures during his weeks on board, and none of them had been treated kindly. He’d lost count of how long he’d been there, but he believed a little over a month. Six weeks, maybe seven. No matter how long, he’d been treated more kindly than the others on board.

He was in a cage, which wasn’t kind, but the others were chained to the wall with metal collars around their necks. Two times, another ship had connected to theirs and some of the creatures in the room had been taken away.

Both times, the buyers—he assumed they were buyers—had checked him over. Had poked and squeezed, but in the end, left him in favor of stronger-looking creatures. He believed it was a good thing. For now. Or maybe they were heading somewhere where the inhabitants ate humans for their Sunday dinner. Time would tell.

He tried not to freak out, but it was of no use.

Hours passed, and Forest dozed against the cool metal bars. When a loud alarm sounded, he jumped to his feet with a startled yelp. This was new, and he wasn’t sure new was good.

He looked at the other creatures in the room. There were only five others, three of them of the same species. They looked like giant slugs with four arms and one large foot. Slimy. Then there was one more similar to the woodlice ones holding them captive but without the curved shell on its back. Maybe it was wrong to compare them to bugs on Earth, but its head looked like a giant ant’s. And then there was the black devil. Forest had spent days trying to look at it without getting caught looking.

It was huge, seven feet, if not more, and it had sharp teeth and a bare tail sticking out of its black pants. It truly looked like a black devil minus the horns. It had been here when Forest had arrived, and both buyers had been interested in it but no one had bought it. Forest might have read the situation wrong, but he believed the price had been too high.

What made it different, apart from the way it looked, was that the others made noises and tugged at their chains, pleaded—or so Forest assumed—but the devil never moved a muscle. Or of course, it did. It alternated between sitting and standing, and it ate when offered food, walked with their captors to the bathroom when they were allowed, and so on, but it never flinched, never grimaced, never made any sounds. Stoic. Impassive. Blank.

The blankness sent a shiver of unease down Forest’s spine. It was as if it didn’t have emotions of any kind. But he couldn’t stop staring. It was the closest to human-looking he’d seen since he was taken from Earth, and he sought comfort in the similarities.

The moment the alarm had blared, it had shot to its feet in a far more graceful way than Forest ever would’ve managed. He wanted to say it was female, but he wasn’t sure. She, if it was a she, was heavily muscled. His body had deteriorated during the weeks there, he was weak and shaky, but she looked as strong as she had when he’d woken up in the cage.

The ship shook and there was a sound of screeching metal loud enough to rattle his bones. The four in the room who weren’t devils made loud sounds, their versions of screams, Forest guessed. He didn’t. He curled his fingers around the bars and locked his knees.

He met the devil’s gaze for the first time ever, and she gave a short nod. What the fuck did that mean?

Shots rang out, and Forest cursed. He was pretty sure they were in space. When they were led to the bathroom, they passed the cockpit or whatever it was called in a spaceship, and he’d seen endless darkness. And the bathroom—the first time he’d gone, he’d feared he’d get sucked into the hole. It was similar to a toilet on Earth, though made of cold metal, so sitting was unpleasant. And the moment you lifted the lid, the suction started. Where the waste went, he didn’t know, and he didn’t want to know, but it was vacuumed up the moment it left his body.

The rooms had metal walls and floors suited for a sci-fi movie, so yeah… space. But no one would be stupid enough to shoot in space, would they? One hole in the hull, and they’d be dead.

He waited.

There were clicking sounds which he associated with the woodlice’s way of speaking, but it sounded louder. Maybe they were shouting.

Sounds came closer. Shuffles and grunts and clicking. Maybe another ship of woodlice had boarded, and they were fighting.

Forest waited. There wasn’t anything else to do. He didn’t think about what it would mean, didn’t try to understand what was going on.

An eternity later, or maybe it was only a few minutes, another black devil showed up in the doorway. It was more blue than black, and he believed he’d been right in his assessment of the chained one being female because this one was bigger and had wider shoulders and more muscles. Damn. He tried not to stare, but… damn.

For the first time, the chained devil made a sound. She said something to the one in the doorway, then gestured at Forest. Fuck. Was it good or bad? Did she say to save him or bring him so we have something to eat on the journey back?

The male glanced at him, said something guttural, then went to inspect the chain and the collars. Another devil appeared in the doorway, another male, almost as dark as the female. He said something, and the first male answered and gestured at Forest.

The devil came closer, and Forest skidded backward. There wasn’t much space to skid on, but he did his best to increase the distance.

The devil grabbed the door to the cage and pulled. Metal creaked, and the hinges snapped. A whimper escaped Forest. He’d yanked on the door with all his might over and over again.

A large hand, three fingers and a thumb, curled around his wrist before he could react and pulled him out of the cage. Forest tried to tug free, but while the grip didn’t hurt him, there was no give either.

The man said something to him, his face blank, and his fangs sharp.

Sorry, I didn’t get that.”

No reply, instead the devil walked out through the door of the cargo hold, and Forest had no choice but to follow. He continued in a direction Forest had no memory of ever walking, and soon they came to a doorway leading into another ship. The devil continued, dragging Forest along, and said something to another devil, who replied. Forest had no way of knowing what they said, but as he was led into what looked like a canteen and was offered something to drink and what looked like a protein bar, he took it as a sign his prison had been upgraded.

* * * *

Brox Scoreceds Cruul walked into the large building where the ruling females worked. He didn’t know why he’d been summoned. He was supposed to be on leave. He’d come back from a mission not long ago, and since the missions had grown fewer and further between, the downtime between missions stretched.

He didn’t like it. There was nothing for him to do on Negudade. He was trained for missions, trained to defend the rapidly dwindling population of his home planet. Sitting in his house doing nothing didn’t serve anyone—not him, and not the planet.

Being called in front of the board wasn’t good, though. Other than having to debrief them when missions had gone wrong, he’d never been called in, and never on his time off.

It didn’t matter. It would give him something to do.

He pushed open the heavy door, stepped inside the cool room, and stilled. He didn’t wince, didn’t widen his eyes, didn’t do anything other than come to a stop. There was no use in wasting energy on reactions, especially not around females.

By a large table on a podium, was Shauke Scoreceds Govvel, which was to be expected. She was the leader of the Scoreceds region. What had him hesitating to step further into the room was Qheks Hannaek Koruts. Koruts was the leader of the planet.

Negudade was small, they only needed one leader, and she’d been in power for a decade.

He walked forward. They wouldn’t understand hesitation anyway. They weren’t stupid, but the Negudade population was on the cusp of extinction because they’d lost their emotional responses. Brox was a warrior, not a scientist, but it had something to do with dopamine levels, among other things. It hit the females harder than the males. Most females were unable to form any kind of emotional connection these days. Smiles and touches were something of the past, only read about in old scriptures, and there were no children.

Some tried for the good of the planet, but when they could hardly endure physical touch, caring for a young was out of the question.

Brox Scoreceds Cruul.” Koruts rose to her feet, and for a second Brox’s heart did something strange. He’d felt it before, on missions when he’d believed there was no way out. It was an odd reaction, and he took a deeper breath than normal. It slowed his pulse a fraction.

We have an assignment for you.”

Assignment? Not a mission. He met their eyes, one at a time, and waited. They wouldn’t want him to interrupt.

A couple of months ago, a Negudade female was captured by Icai slavers.”

Brox stood a little taller, a minuscule motion, but it caught Koruts’ attention. She halted for half a second before she spoke again.

Her crew tracked the ship and rescued her.”

No need for him to track them then.

On board, they had a human. The crew was unsure if it was male or female, so they brought the human with them.”

Brox showed no emotions. He’d had enough of humans. A few months ago, he’d gone to Earth together with Zenon Scoreceds Qhainqons, his captain, Anek Scoreceds Dhaankrors, who he’d gone on many missions with before, and Ghurva Scoreceds Vracets, a linguist. They’d been tasked with bringing ten human females back to Negudade in an attempt to save the planet.

He hadn’t believed it to be a good idea, neither had the rest of the crew, but they weren’t the ones making the decision.

They were only meant to take females, but the first humans they saw were a male and a female. Carlo and Grace. Zenon grabbed Carlo as his. It didn’t align with their instructions, and Brox had been worried about the repercussions at first. Then Zenon had mated Carlo, and no one, not even the ruling females, would do anything to interfere with a mating. Since then, Grace had mated with Ghurva, their linguist, so now there were two mated couples on Negudade.

It was a miracle. More than they could’ve hoped for, but he’d hoped he never had to deal with humans again.

It turned out it was male, which is a problem.”

Would they ask him to kill the human? He might not want anything to do with humans, but he didn’t want to kill someone who wasn’t a threat. An irrational emotional response, perhaps.

Your new assignment is to look after the male.”

What?” Brox hadn’t meant to speak, but looking after wasn’t the same as eliminating, the opposite almost.

There are only a few individuals with a language implant that allows for human communication. You’re one of them. Zenon Scoreceds Qhainqons already has a human in his home, same as Ghurva Scoreceds Vracets, and Anek Scoreceds Dhaankrors has expressed interest in one of the females brought here on your ship. Which leaves you.”

There are others.” Some males had asked to either have a language chip installed if they didn’t already have one or asked to have them switched out for the new version Ghurva had developed together with some other scientist.

All who have applied to have their chips upgraded have done so because they want to interact with females in hopes of persuading them to carry their young.”

Brox opened his mouth to argue, but Koruts continued as if he hadn’t shown a reaction. Maybe he hadn’t.

You’ve been taken out of active duty, and your new assignment is to care for the male. I don’t think we’ll have any use for him since human males can’t birth young, but it would be a shame to get rid of him only to realize he might be valuable for the future later on. Humans are rare.”

Rare here, yes. There were eleven on the planet, twelve if the male had arrived too, but on Earth there were many. Going back there for more females wasn’t ideal, but it was an option. He hoped he wouldn’t be contracted with the mission if they were.

Brox hesitated. Questions were a sign of weakness, but Koruts had stopped talking, and he wasn’t sure he understood what she was asking of him. This wasn’t a normal mission. “Can you clarify what I am to do?”

Koruts gave him a blank look, blanker than normal. “Make sure he thrives.”

Thrives? Brox had no idea how to make anything thrive. “Where is he staying?”

With you.”

Brox stared. With him? With him how? “In which building is he residing?”

In yours.”

Brox only had a small house. A bedroom, a larger room to relax in, a food prep area, and a bathroom. There was no room for another being, least of all an alien. Everyone on Negudade, apart from Zenon and Ghurva, lived alone. Some had opted for large houses, most bigger than Brox’s, but no house was built to be shared.

When he didn’t speak for a long time, Govvel rose to her feet and looked at him for the first time since he’d entered. She was normally the one to brief them before a mission. “We believe humans have more of a pack mentality than we do. Both humans living with Negudade partners seem to be doing better than the ones who aren’t.”

Brox wasn’t sure Grace and Carlo’s well-being was linked to a pack mentality, but he was neither a scientist nor an individual to make decisions. “Where is he to sleep?”

He’d asked more questions than he normally would, but he still didn’t understand what they wanted him to do.

In your bed with you. It’s what the others do, and Ghurva Scoreceds Vracets told us it’s often how humans live on Earth. They share beds with their partners. You’ll be his partner.”

Brox held his breath for a moment. Had Ghurva advised them to do this? His skin was shrinking. He didn’t know much about humans, but he didn’t think they were assigned partners to live with.

Ghurva Scoreceds Vracets is on a mission and won’t be back for some days. The human doesn’t have a language chip, but you should be able to understand him. He’ll get one when Ghurva Scoreceds Vracets returns. Good luck.” She sat, and Brox had a hard time breathing.

For how long?”

Koruts met his gaze. “You’re off active duty. This is your assignment.”

For the first time since he was young, he wanted to shout. His assignment for how long? What was he supposed to do?

He’s been brought to your house, and this meeting has taken longer than we expected, so you should hurry back.” Koruts sat and turned to Govvel, dismissing him.

He moved toward the door but hesitated before he pushed it open. “When will I go back on active duty?”

You won’t.” Had Koruts been male, he was sure there would’ve been a hint of annoyance in her voice, it was the emotion most appeared to still have, but not the females. Or only a few females. She must’ve read something in his stance because she continued. “Your team is now in charge of the humans. Zenon Scoreceds Qhainqons, Anek Scoreceds Dhaankrors, Ghurva Scoreceds Vracets are looking after humans, now you are too.”

Ghurva wasn’t part of their team. He’d gone on one mission with them, that was all. Brox nodded and pushed the door open. He needed to breathe fresh air.

With the dwindling population, Koruts had taken measures to ensure the safety of those who remained. All her focus was on Negudade’s survival, and she’d grown less willing to send them on missions, less willing to risk casualties. There was a surplus of warriors as it was, and by doing this, she’d made sure she had one more male out of immediate danger. On one level, he understood her decision, except he wasn’t meant to be planet-bound.

Guest Post | An Increasing Entanglement by Ellie Thomas

Today, the lovely Ellie Thomas is back on the blog! She’s here to talk about An Increasing Entanglement, so read on!

An Increasing Entanglement WP 2

Thanks for having me as your guest again, lovely Ofelia! I’m Ellie and I write MM Historical Romance. I’m here today to chat about my latest release, An Increasing Entanglement, book 2 in my MMM Regency series, An Unlikely Alliance. This sequel was written for JMS Books’ 14th anniversary, with the story taking place over a period of fourteen weeks.

In the first book, An Unlikely Alliance, I introduced my three characters, Abe, Clem and Humphrey. It was a fun challenge to explore how they might fit together romantically given the historical setting. In the sequel, An Increasing Entanglement, having introduced my trio, I had the opportunity to dig deeper into their personalities and explore their strengths and weaknesses. 

Abe Pengelly is the outward strong man of the trio. Brought up in the raucous melting pot of London’s Covent Garden, the only son of a courtesan, Abe flirted with criminality in his youth, establishing himself as a formidable figure. By the start of An Increasing Entanglement, Abe has fully embraced respectability, relinquishing his lair in the notorious Old Red Lion tavern, and is now an established investigator at the military headquarters of Horse Guards. 

All seems well in Abe’s life. He has found stable employment that won’t get him arrested or hanged, and he has finally found two special men to share his life, with the blessing of his beloved mother, Lucy. 

But when Clem is abducted by their mutual enemy, Richard Farquarson, redoubtable Abe finds himself at a loss. Love has made him vulnerable. His inability to snatch Clem from danger or to wreak immediate revenge on Farquarson causes deep self-doubt.

I found it fascinating to explore Abe’s vulnerability as a result of falling in love and to reveal that Abe is capable of deep and complex emotions at odds with his physical strength. It’s impossible for him to fight this inner battle alone. His challenge is to accept love and understanding. To achieve that goal, he must learn to rely on Clem and Humphrey. 

An Increasing Entanglement

anincreasingentanglement

In Regency London, during the Season, after a brief and steamy courtship, the relationship between threesome Clem, Abe and Humphrey holds much promise. 

But their busy routines and different lifestyles, as a professional secretary, society gentleman and an official informant to the military, interfere with their burgeoning romance.

Then sinister forces reappear to threaten their connection and even the life of one of the trio. 

Can these three band together to save the day and keep each other from peril? And given the chance, might they forge lasting happiness together?

An Increasing Entanglement Promo 2

Excerpt:

Abe entered the Ye Olde Cheddar Cheese tavern closer to eight o’clock than seven. Clem was sitting at their usual table, alone and forlorn. Abe cursed the informant who had delayed him.

Abe approached, attracting Clem’s notice. His aspect didn’t brighten. There was no teasing smile of welcome. 

Instead, Abe received a chilly glare. 

You came then,” Clem said flatly.

Abe sat opposite his friend and lover. “Can I get you another drink?”

If you like.”  

Clem’s glacial indifference continued when their gin was served together with a jug of water.

He said casually, “I was at the Old Red Lion yesterday to find you’d vacated your room. I thought you might have run out on us.” 

He took a swig of barely diluted gin, avoiding Abe’s eyes.

I’m sorry, Clem. I should have let you know.”

If they had been in a less public place or one that catered solely for their kind, Abe would have covered Clem’s hand with his own.

Yes, well, it’s not like you owe me an explanation.” Clem’s defensive posture said otherwise.

Of course I do. It was remiss of me. I have been occupied with pressing matters, official-like.”

Clem’s body relaxed slightly. Abe hardly made it public that he was working for Horse Guards, but he had shared that confidence with his lovers. He eyed Abe warily under long light brown lashes, a distinct pout to his lush mouth. 

You could have sent word to me.”

Yes, I should have. I see that now. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Clem.”

Who said I was hurt?” Clem’s indifferent words were at odds with his wounded expression.

Just because I’ve been busy doesn’t mean that I haven’t been thinking of you. And Humphrey, too. I’ve missed you both.”

Really?”

I swear it.”

Then it’s fortunate that I left a note for Humphrey to meet us here after he’s dined.” Clem’s narrow jaw clenched combatively.

He’s not letting me off lightly. At least he’s still talking to me and hasn’t flounced off in a huff, renouncing me forever.

It wasn’t the right moment to argue that either Clem or Humphrey could have taken the initiative earlier. Abe recognised that Humphrey was too self-effacing to make the first move. As for Clem, he’d learned the hard way to be sparing with his trust.

I’m sorry,” Abe said sincerely. “I’ll say it a hundred times over if that will make amends.”

Abe was the first to admit that once he got the bit between his teeth, he could be ruthlessly single-minded. Apart from his mother, he’d never had to consider anyone’s feelings. Until now. 

That must change, he vowed.

I’ll gladly apologise to Humphrey. I’ve neglected you both. You know what I’m like when I’m in full cry.”

There was a brief silence as the waiter topped up their glasses. 

We all have our burdens,” Abe added. “You’re chained to your desk during the day, I’m no longer my own master and Humphrey has a flock of relatives to shepherd.” 

Clem smiled grudgingly. “Is that an excuse?”

No, more a recognition of our circumstances. What say you if we make this our regular rendezvous? This is as good a place as any to meet every few days. That should avoid any further misunderstandings.”

I thought you’d left me.”

Clem’s voice was so low that Abe’s strained to catch the words against the background noise of the narrow tavern. 

I’d never abandon you, Clem. I may have many faults, but I’m no fool. I would never throw away such a treasure unthinkingly.”

Clem stared into his glass.

Now I’ve found you and Humphrey,” Abe continued. “I won’t let go easily unless that’s your will.”

Clem gazed at Abe, his face unreadable. Then he glanced over Abe’s shoulder.

You have an opportunity to repeat your abject apology. Humphrey’s coming this way.”

An Increasing Entanglement Promo 5

Books Links:

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8XL5QQV/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1

Universal Book Link:

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Publisher:

https://www.jms-books.com/ellie-thomas-c-224_420/an-increasing-entanglement-p-5138.html

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Bio:

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea. She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader especially about anything historical. She mainly writes historical gay romance.


Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

Website: https://elliethomasromance.wordpress.com/

Facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/8308047409266947

Twitter/X: @e_thomas_author

Bluesky: @elliethomas.bsky.social

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19835510.Ellie_Thomas

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ellie-thomas

Guest Post | A Dash of Town Bronze by Ellie Thomas

Today, we have the lovely Ellie Thomas back on the blog. She’s here to tell us about her story, A Dash of Town Bronze. Welcome, Ellie!

Thanks for having me as your guest again, lovely Ofelia! I’m Ellie and I write MM Historical Romance. I’m here today to chat about my latest release, A Dash of Town Bronze.

This under-4k-word release consists of two Town Bronze bonus chapters I wrote for my newsletter subscribers, now published by JMS Books as a freebie. Nothing like a free read! These two stories were originally titled Not in the Petticoat Line and Country Matters.

The second story, Country Matters focuses on the couple in the first Town Bronze story, Jasper and Mortimer. This age-gap romance with a surprising spanking kink began in Town Bronze in the spring of 1812 and continued on in the background of Petticoats and Pantaloons (Book 2) and Impeccable Credentials (Book 3) in the autumn and winter of the same year.

I wanted to give Jasper and Mortimer a hint of an HEA and so Country Matters seemed the ideal opportunity. There are plenty of obstacles for this couple. The nearly twenty-year age gap, which older partner Mortimer is deeply conscious of, and the fact that, until he met Mortimer and discovered his propensity for spanking, twenty-one-year-old Jasper considered himself a ladies’ man.

The four months of the Regency Season in London where they meet and start their relationship, wasn’t long enough for either man to overcome his reservations. In London, their differences are obvious; age, connections, sophistication and manners. Mortimer has all of those qualities and Jasper almost none.

But in Country Matters, when Mortimer invites Jasper to his home to break his journey on the way to his parents’ estate for Christmas, their similarities are revealed. They are both countrymen at heart with the same interests and values. These common interests are at the heart of this romantic short story, giving a firm foundation for the years to come.

A Dash of Town Bronze

These two under-2k-word stories are bonus chapters for the Town Bronze novella trilogy. In these short scenes, two out of the three couples in the ensemble cast deepen their romances, together with the guest appearance of Nathan Brooks from Twelve Letters. 

Barney and Ross/Rose from Pantaloons and Petticoats, Book 2 in the series, snatch some precious time together at lunchtime in a busy coffeehouse.

Then Jasper and Mortimer from Book 1, Town Bronze have their long-awaited chance for a happy ever after, away from the distractions of London and their friends’ love lives.

Excerpt:

Sir Mortimer Cleverly felt unduly gratified, regarding the young man sitting at his fireside as though he belonged there. 

At the end of London’s autumn Season, it felt like a natural progression to invite Jasper to Gloucestershire to break his journey home. 

Their bond had strengthened over several months since their first inauspicious meeting. Mortimer was persuaded they would benefit from some days alone together, away from the constant bustle of London.

Previously, Mortimer had conducted his fleeting affairs with sufficient tact that avoided unpleasantness and unwelcome notoriety. Yet, he acknowledged the situation with Jasper was entirely unprecedented. Despite his considerable experience, Mortimer was subject to an emotional pull that surprised him by its strength. 

Nearly twenty years Mortimer’s junior, Jasper was very green when he’d arrived in London last spring, unleashed from the constraints of formal education and his overprotective parents. Since then, he had started to find his feet amongst the hazards of the social whirl with a distinctly coltish grace that occasionally faltered. 

Looking over at Jasper, far more comfortable in a country sitting room than a Mayfair ballroom, Mortimer smiled to see the younger man so at ease.

Yes, you need attention, too,” Jasper crooned at Pepper, one of Mortimer’s house dogs, pawing at his knee. Pepper licked his face, making Jasper laugh, while Mungo, the aged terrier, nudged his hand for an ear scratch.

I needn’t have worried, Mortimer thought with a smile, watching the show of indulgence towards his household pets.

Once Jasper had accepted his last-minute request, Mortimer fretted that he had made a mistake. Rather than furthering their relationship, being thrown into each other’s company without the distractions of the city might bring their differences into sharp relief.

He had momentarily forgotten that Jasper, like Mortimer, was a true countryman. When they arrived at Mortimer’s estate, his guest displayed an easy confidence he lacked in town. 

Proving to be a more than competent horseman, he’d ridden around the fields, making intelligent comments about the lie of the land. Similarly, Jasper had approached the outdoor and domestic staff with just the right degree of familiarity. He was capable of conversing with Mortimer about everyday landowning concerns, from rotating the crops to animal welfare, as though he was born to it.

Which indeed he was, Mortimer acceded. It was easy to surmise that the Goodhew establishment in nearby Worcestershire didn’t differ greatly from this estate in terms of land management. 

The expedient absence of Mortimer’s sister-in-law and his young nieces, which had prompted the invitation, had made his and Jasper’s togetherness complete. 

Once the household retired for the night, Mortimer navigated the darkened corridor to Jasper’s room. More often than not, Jasper was awake, awaiting the specific stimulation that gave him such intense relief. But sometimes, he was already slumbering when Mortimer slid into bed beside him. Jasper snuffled in his sleep and instinctively rolled towards Mortimer, seeking his body warmth, nestling into him in the most disarming manner. 

Mortimer confessed himself as captivated by that unconscious trust as much as by the lissom body in his arms.

A penny for your thoughts, Tim?”

Jasper was smiling as he continued to make a fuss of the dogs.

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Bio:

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea. She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader especially about anything historical. She mainly writes historical gay romance.


Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

Website: https://elliethomasromance.wordpress.com/

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