Title: Gryffon Hall Author: Alexis Duran Release Date: August 30th 2016 Genre: MM Romance, Fantasy
Buy Links: Amazon | Loose ID | ARe Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31722038-gryffon-hall?ac=1&from_search=true
EXCERPT
Wryler squinted up at a velvet sky recently cleared of clouds. It would be a good night for peering through his telescope, if only the stars would stop swarming about so. "Lovely night after so much rain." Wryler lowered his chin and stood up straight. The voice came from the shadows toward the stables, followed by the sloshing of boots through puddles. With a few more strides Aeric Rouchet emerged from the gloom, that damnable grin on his face. "Yes. Quite," Wryler said, "The dining hall got so hot." "It did, didn't it?" Rouchet kept walking, and Wryler feared the man might plow straight into him. He braced himself for impact, but Rouchet stopped a few inches shy of contact. "The fresh air is bracing, but it hasn't done much to cool the flush in your cheeks." "It's a curse. The blushing," Wryler said, and damn if his blood didn't flame even hotter. "I find it quite becoming." Rouchet rested his palm against the wall next to Wryler's head and leaned in. "Is it only the quest for fresh air that keeps you from your comfy bed, Sir Wryler?" "Yes. What else would it…would I…?" "Oh, I don't know. I noticed the young Mr. Arsburry giving you the eye all night." "Him?" Wryler snorted. "There's nothing going on between us, I assure you." "Glad to hear it. I thought perhaps you were looking for company." "I weren't. I wasn't." Accursed wine! "But now?" Rouchet placed a finger under Wryler's chin and lifted it slightly. His looming presence enveloped Wryler in warmth and the smell of leather. Rouchet blocked out the sky, the stars replaced by his gleaming eyes. Wryler shrank back against the wall. He wasn't being held in place, but he might as well have been. He couldn't move and didn't much want to. Rouchet swooped in for a kiss, his wine-moistened lips covering and consuming Wryler's. He was surprisingly gentle, this barbarian, his tongue easing into Wryler's mouth slowly but firmly. What's happening? What's going on here, exactly? Men other than Lennox had kissed Wryler. Large, rough men. Stable hands. Traveling knights. Many had attempted to steal more than a kiss, and while pleasant, Wryler wasn't often tempted for more. But now, now he sensed Rouchet hesitating, waiting for a sign from Wryler, for permission to unleash the lust he obviously held back. This really isn't acceptable behavior. But Rouchet would soon be gone, and they'd never see each other again. What harm could come of a little kiss? Wryler responded, pushing back with his tongue, his body arching against Rouchet's. Rouchet growled and plunged in harder, driving Wryler against the wall. A cascade of tiny explosions fired beneath Wryler's skin, and he was instantly and embarrassingly hard. It had never been like this with Lennox. Wryler always required coaxing and coercing. Now he felt as if he could be the one in charge, tearing at Rouchet's clothing and demanding to taste every inch of the lord's enormous body. Wryler kept his hands by his sides and balled into fists, not trusting himself to touch Rouchet with more than lips. Rouchet had no such restraint and ran one large hand down Wryler's back all the way to his buttocks, which he squeezed hard. Wryler gasped, and Rouchet seized him with both hands and pulled him in tight, crushing Wryler's poor swollen cock against his unyielding thigh. The pressure felt too good. Wryler wanted to climb Rouchet, to mount this monster of a man and ride him like….like… Words fled him as he cried out for this unexpected delight. Rouchet broke out of the kiss but kept his mouth close to Wryler's ear. "My dear Wryler, thank you for your answer, but I fear if I keep at it I won't be able to stop." "Wait. Why?" "You're drunk, and although appearances may suggest otherwise, I am nothing if not a gentleman." "I am not!" Wryler insisted, weaving as Rouchet released him. "Sweetly, deliciously drunk." Rouchet ran a finger along Wryler's jaw, then stepped back and bowed. "A good night to you, Sir Wryler, and may you arrive safely at your rooms. I'd escort you, but I'm afraid I'm more the monster in the shadows this night than the knight by your side." He sighed deeply. "No, I'm afraid I'm more likely to sling you over my shoulder and carry you to my bed than see you safely tucked away in your own." "I wouldn't mind," Wryler said. "Not much anyway." "You're too kind." Rouchet bowed again. "Sleep well." He turned and stalked off into the night, vanishing as suddenly as he'd appeared. For a moment, Wryler wondered if he'd dreamed the entire thing. His body certainly didn't think so.
Review
Gryffon Hall was a new and different story with fantasy and
Fairytale twisted together. Where you have mythical creatures mixed with Lords
and Ladies of court, secrets hidden behind closed doors and magical villains
trying to take over the world.
Wryler, the fourth son of a second wife, loves his books and
not much else. He knows he needs to marry for the good of his family and really
likes the merchant's son his father has picked out. Wryler looks forward to
this marriage because he knows given some time he will just be able to go back
to the way his life is now, the way he likes it. But life plans do not always
go as they are set and now finds himself in a castle in the middle of the Black
Forest married to a barbarian of a man who has a questionable reputation. A
kingdom surrounded by monsters or so he is told. Now what he wonders is his new
husband one of those monsters.
Wryler is studious and almost naive man in some ways but a
very likeable well developed character. He is terrified of what he will find at
Gryffon Hall and numerous times thinks of escape. But ultimately he has a spine
of steel and sticks to his guns to save those close to him, or he thinks is he
saving them anyway...this is where his naivete actually hurts him and those of
Gryffon Hall. One thing he does know is Aeric, Lord of Gryffon Hall, is not who
people think he is. He is kind and loving and Wryler has started to fall deeply
for the man he has come to know. Aeric is secretive but playful with Wryler and
loved by all at Gryffon Hall.
This is a true romance story with the fantastical thrown in
which just makes it all the more like a fairytale. A love as sweet as it is
sizzling hot. A world as mysterious as any fantasy but full of wonder and awe
with a flip side of evil and danger. Although there is danger it is handled in
a more fun way versus a threatening way. This isn’t bad because the story would
have felt so very different if Wryler, with his almost innocent nature, and his
sidekick Amster, who really lacked smarts but had loads of laziness, were any
less funny. I really enjoyed their playful banter with Wryler getting annoyed
by how bad Amster was at his job and Amster having everything go right over his
head.
I loved the ending and hope that maybe the author would be
open to creating this into a series with more monsters falling in love!
Giveaway:
Win a ebook copy of To Catch a Threeve by Alexis Duran and a $10 Loose ID gift card a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
Alexis Duran was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest.
At the University of Oregon, her fascination with people and relationships led
her to major in Sociology, but her main love has always been creative
writing. She's worked in museums,
finance, film production and for several performing arts organizations. Her
favorite job so far has been inventorying the collection of a haunted Victorian
Mansion. She is the author of the Masters and Mages and Edge of Night m/m fantasy series as well
as several stand-alone romances. Her
fiction has won several awards including the Rupert Hughes Award from the Maui
Writers Conference and First Runner Up from Love Romances Cafe. She lives with
one dog and four and a half cats. She is
always working on the next novel and has several new ideas brewing at all times.
You can connect with Alexis at www.alexisduranblog.com, http://twitter.com/AlexisSDuran. http://www.facebook.com/alexis.duran.18294
and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8332457.Alexis_Duran
I loved the blurb for this!! Congrats for the release!
ReplyDeleteSounds really good. Thank you for the chance at the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! Thank you for being part of the tour xx
ReplyDeleteI've got the book and really ready to start reading now! Congrats and good luck with your newest release, Alexis!
ReplyDelete