Title: The Secrets in My Scowl
M/M GAY CONTEMPORARY / STANDALONE
Edited by: Tina Adamski
Cover Artist – Jay Aheer
PAGE COUNT – 312
Release Date: October 28, 2016
“Look smart ass. This is the last time I’m going to remind you about breaking sections of the lease. If there’s a next time, I won’t stop until you and your frilly, white wedding shit is thrown out of here. Do you got it?!”
Wylde looked in Jacob’s pained eyes and answered in his deep voice. “Yeah, counselor. I got it.”
From high school, up until he became a successful attorney Jacob Snowden was convinced that love had it out for him. “Everyone left,” were the words he lived by. His mother, his high school sweetheart, his father, and his fiancé, all left Jacob just when he felt it was safe to let down his guard. Not any longer. Jacob was a determined man, set at keeping people at a distance. If his six foot one, military-made body didn’t scare people off, his permanent scowl surely did. At almost forty, Jacob’s social life was non-existent, but he told himself his work fulfilled him. He helped people get out of their loveless marriages. Jacob Snowden was one of the best divorce lawyers on the east coast and was damn proud of it. So, imagine his disdain when a wedding planner moves into the suite directly adjacent to his… an insanely masculine, male wedding planner.
Wylde Sterling had made quite a name for himself in his hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, working for a wedding planner that catered to the elite. He was known for his charm and impeccable taste. Yep, he was incredible at giving couples the wedding of their dreams. But he wanted nothing more than to plan his own. After striking out in love more times than he cared to admit, Wylde decided to start his own business in a new city, hoping Richmond would give him a fresh start. Things started out wonderfully – until he started to piss off the angry divorce attorney next door.
Wylde could see past Jacob’s mean scowl, knowing there was a reason for it. It was the man’s defense mechanism, his means of keeping people away. Everything in Wylde told him to stay away, but he believed Jacob just needed to meet a man who had been hurt as badly as he had.
This story ends in an HEA and does not end on a cliffhanger.
Wylde – well what can I say about him! He knows who he is, and he is a happy go lucky person, but one that doesn’t suffer fools gladly. His last date before he moved was a prime example, how he didn’t actually punch the man I don’t know. Wylde is happy with his life, and never seems to let anything get him down. When he sees something he wants he goes for it full throttle!
Jacob and Wylde first meeting will have you smiling - the uptight, grumpy, sort of unsociable divorce lawyer meets happy, friendly sociable male wedding planner….. yes the sparks do fly around a bit! Funnily enough though, it is Wylde who always seems to come out on top!! In some ways you can’t understand why Wylde even bothers trying to be nice to Jacob, but he obviously could see something that nobody else could.
It takes a few times of meeting for Wylde to begin to break through the defences that Jacob has built up over the years, but once he senses a crack in the amour he is elated. Some of the happiness that radiates from Wylde seems to rub off on Jacob, and he seems to take a look at himself, and not necessarily liking what he sees. I think that Jacob is unsure of himself too, as he knows he wants to change but not sure how, plus he is still really uneasy about having a relationship with Wylde as things always go bad.
Wylde totally gets under Jacobs skin, and then when he has a bad day, the first person that Jacob will turn to is Wylde, as just a hug from him seems to help Jacob calm and center himself again. However the big test for Wylde is when he wins a huge contract, and Jacob gets some bad news (which he doesn’t tell Wylde, not wanting him to miss on his big break). When Wylde finds out what is happening, he is straight to Jacob – even if others can’t understand why he is doing so.
As the blurb says it is a HEA, so you obviously know they will be together, but there are still some ups and downs along the way. I have to admit to laughing with a kitchen scene and the sheet….. just think hot sex!!
I am so pleased I was asked to take part on the release day blitz of this book, as it has really shown me another side of Adrienne’s writing, and this style really suits her too. You could feel the emotions of both MC’s in the book, but you also had the giggles at times too. I honestly look forward to reading more books like this in the future.
Jacob shook his head in disgust at the cliché and turned to storm out the door, crushing the flowers under his boot as he did. The roaring in his head was loud, but the repetitive “I told you so” screamed even louder. God, he felt so foolish… again. He’d been played like one of the many instruments Mark had mastered.
Jacob’s long legs ate up the parking lot as he moved quickly to his car.
“Just give me one minute to explain. Jacob don’t go, I’ll send Reggie away right now. Please let me talk.” Mark jumped in front of Jacob’s path, almost making him fall for the second time today.
Jacob growled in his face. “Move, or I’ll move you myself.”
“No. I don’t care. Not until you let me explain.”
“Explain! Explain what? That you’re fucking your best friend behind my back?”
“No! I swear, I’m not!” Tears ran freely down Mark’s red cheeks and his voice was hurting Jacob’s head the more he tried to convince him he hadn’t seen what he did.
Jacob gripped Mark’s biceps and yanked him into his chest. “Then why are your goddamn pants undone, huh? You let him touch your dick, Mark? You let him touch what you promised was mine?” Jacob’s voice was low and lethal as he pushed Mark away, but his heart ached so deeply. He grabbed at his chest and another wave of agony washed over him when he realized what his hand was pressed against. The cry he let out was one of pure suffering. “You proposed to me, goddamnit. What the fuck was that… a joke?”
“No, I swear to god. I am yours, Jacob.” Mark cried louder. Jacob moved around him and Mark must’ve realized he was almost out of time because his pitiful explanation began to fly out of his mouth like projectile vomit. “I called Reggie just to talk. I was upset about the way I proposed and how you wouldn’t answer me. He came over and said he just wanted to keep me company. I don’t know… I don’t know how we started kissing. I was just so lonely. I’m always by my fucking self! I miss you all the time.”
“I was just here this past weekend. Well, I guess I know now who warms your bed when I’m not in it. All I asked was for a little patience.” Jacob refused to sob in front of this cheating bastard. Whether he believed Mark or not, he could never fully trust him again. Once a cheat, always a damn cheat. When he became a lawyer, he may spend long nights in the office or days at a stretch out of town on a case, and he refused to have to worry if his husband was being faithful at home.
When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children. Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors.
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