From The Black Velvet Room
Fresh reads, fierce desire, and men who love without apology
June always feels a little different to me. The heat settles in. Nights get longer. People start craving stories that leave bruises instead of butterflies.
So this month, alongside a special multi-author promo packed with temptation, obsession, and men making catastrophically beautiful decisions, I also wanted to spotlight one of my own novels that still lingers under my skin: Shadows on My Soul.
It’s a dark romance I can’t publish on Substack because of the subject matter, and it doesn’t pull its punches. The story deals with trauma, survival, healing, and the complicated ways love can exist alongside damage. It’s heavy in places. Uncomfortable in others. But honestly? I think it’s one of the most important books I’ve written.
If you’re looking for something softer and sweeter this month … this may not be the one.
But if you want a story that crawls inside your chest and stays there awhile, keep reading.
Beyond the shadows, his love held true for only one man
Derek Lawrence is a player. There is no other way to phrase it. He’s been unstoppable since coming out in high school.
Guy after guy—conquest after conquest. He isn’t looking for a commitment from anyone. His life is perfect the way it is.
Except for one rather significant exception. Derek has been in love with his best friend and business partner, Justin Leary, since the first day he set eyes on him over twenty years ago.
Despite the daily agony of being in Justin’s company, Derek has never shared his feelings with Justin, fearing it would ruin their friendship.
When an implication surfaces that Justin’s feelings for Derek might also run deeper than friendship, Derek considers approaching Justin about it.
But before he can, one targeted act of violence while camping with friends, followed by the aftermath of that violation, challenges not only their friendship—but the strength of their love for one another.
Will they ever be able to find their way past what transpired in that tent?
This month’s promo:
From these authors, expect high heat, dangerous chemistry, forbidden cravings, and enough taboo tension to make your Kindle blush. From power dynamics to obsessive desire, these FREE MM stories are packed with the kind of kink-filled trouble you probably shouldn’t read in public.
Whether you’re here for the softer moments, the dangerous ones, or the stories that leave fingerprints behind, I’m glad you’re spending part of your June with me. Now go ruin your sleep schedule responsibly.