Category: new release

new release

Out Today!

Kristbethke

It started with the blip of an idea, as most stories do. It went through about 7 iterations before the story actually worked. I knew what I wanted: a man who hated where he grew up, a man who adopted that place as his own, and Christmas. Eventually we got there. Barrett has reasons to reset his childhood, Morgan has reasons to love his little town, and plenty of holiday shenanigans.

Hickory Hollow was born and took on a mind of it’s own. It became another character in the book, a perfect backdrop to Barrett and Morgan falling in love. It spawned future possibilities. We’ll see where they lead.

But out today Home for the Hawley-Daze. A punny title, perhaps. But so fitting for these two guys. You can get it here!

Barrett McKinnon is at a crossroads. Newly retired from the Marine Corps, and at loose ends, he heads back to the town he was forced to spend half of his childhood in. He never thought he’d ever set foot in Hickory Hollow again. He tells himself it’s only for the holidays. Just to spend some time with his uncle, the only family he has left. Come January, he’ll head out and start the next phase of his life.

But Hickory Hollow is not like Barrett remembers. Morgan Hawley is the driving force behind the town’s now booming economy. The festivals and events Morgan plans have taken it from ghost town to tourist destination. When Barrett unwittingly gets roped into helping Morgan get ready for the Holiday Festival, he starts to see the town in a new light.

Morgan loves the little town he’s adopted as his own, and Barrett can’t wait to get away again. But the more time the two men spend together, the more things change. No matter how much he fights it, Barrett is drawn in to the holiday magic Morgan is creating. And, more importantly, to the man himself. But when the daze of attraction and Christmas cheer settles, it’s up to Barrett to figure out if Hickory Hollow, the town he thought he hated, is now the place he can call home.

new release

New Release

Kristbethke

Renovating Law is out in the world! You can get it here.

Tia and I had a blast writing this second book in the series. We both love this world and these characters we’ve created and we can’t wait for you to dive back into the small town of Fairville and the Caldwell/Mulligan family. If I remember correctly, we’d once envisioned other LIs for these two, but as we were writing Rebuilding Charlie our thoughts changed as the characters emerged. It was also originally set to be a duology, but the moment we put Felix on the page, it became a trilogy.

And in true us fashion, one line Tia wrote in Renovating Law had me asking them “…does this mean…?” and suddenly it was a four book series. We’re hard at work on the next book, and have some ideas about the fourth. So there’s plenty of time left at the Black Dog Inn. (And if you’re a fan of our co-writing style, we have plenty of plans for the future after this series as well!)

But Law and Oak have their story to tell now. Make sure you pick it up, whether you buy or borrow. To whet your appetite, here’s a sneak peek:

“I do, too.” I kissed the top of her head. “Brynly can think whatever she wants, but you know the truth. You, and Harper and Tris, have a whole bunch of aunts and uncles, and Grams and Gramps, who love you and want you to be happy.”

“Family is made up of the people who love and support you, not just the people you’re related to.”

Marlie and I both jerked our gaze to Oak, who had come upon us without either of us knowing. Oak’s eyes went wide, and he clapped a hand over his mouth as he turned beet red. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to butt in—”

“No. It’s fine. Because you’re right.” I was quick to reassure him. 

Oak seemed frozen for a few seconds, but then he took a couple of steps closer. He was staring at me, but when I nodded encouragingly, he smiled slightly and dropped his gaze to Marlie. “Love is the most important thing about family. And everyone in my family loves everyone in your family. And that makes us one big family. No matter what bratty little kids say.”

My jaw dropped open, but Marlie giggled, clearly feeling more like herself. She sat up, pushing away from me. “Brynly is a brat. She thinks she’s so special, but she’s just mean.”

Oak nodded sagely. “So don’t worry about what Bratly says to you.”

Marlie lost it then, bright peals of laughter echoing through the dining room. Internally, I thought that was a very fitting nickname. Externally, I had to be the better parent. “Marlie, don’t call Brynly that. Even if she is.” Okay, so maybe I was only a good parent. 

“I won’t.” She hopped off the chair. “I’m not mean like her.”

The case was closed, apparently, because she headed into the kitchen to get her snack. I stared after her for a second before I turned to Oak. He was smirking at his own humor, but when he caught sight of me, he blanched.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Making sure my kids were occupied and looked after, I took hold of Oak’s arm. “I need to talk to you.”

Oak kept pace with me as I led him to the back corner of the room, well out of earshot of little ears that heard things I didn’t want them to. Oak’s eyes were wide, like he was a little scared, which I didn’t want him to be. Once we made it to the corner, I pulled him into my arms. He remained stiff in my hold for just a moment, and then he sank in, clutching me back.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

I titled my head down so I could speak directly into his ear. “There’s no need for sorry. I wanted to thank you. What you said was absolutely right. Love is the most important thing in a family.”

Oak nodded, and my lips were so close to his ear they brushed against his skin. He shivered, and my entire body reacted. Having him this close, smelling his fresh linen and lemon scent—which was probably from his work—and the way he held on tight, was enough to do me in. 

I pulled back just enough so I could see his face. Make sure I had all his attention. “You are loved here. You are surrounded by family, both blood and not. We are so glad you’re safe and happy here. You know that right?”

We were so close, barely a breath separating us. I’d wanted to make sure he understood that I got where his head was at. But the air charged between us, changing things in an instant. Oak’s pupils dilated, and his lips parted. 

“Law.” My name was hardly more than a breath. 

In that moment, I lost my mind. It was the only explanation for what I did next. But I wanted him to know how very glad I was that he was here. And his mouth was right there, plump and perfect. And he was staring at me with wide, beautiful eyes. My mind took a vacation. 

Which is why I kissed him. 

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did writing it. As I said, we really love this world and the people who live in it, and we can’t wait to hear what you think. After you read it, let me know if you spotted whose story comes next!

Sometimes it seemed the only way I’d get that kind of loving forever was if I stepped through one of the fairy doors I’d collected.

Law Caldwell knows his life needs an overhaul. With his ex-wife accepting a job across the country and his brother living far from home, he’s focused on making sure his three children have the best life possible. But when his mother takes things a step too far, it’s the final straw for Law. He realizes the best thing for him and his kids would be to pack up,move to Fairville, take a job at the Black Dog Inn, where there’s a loving support network.

Oakley Young is settling into his new life, finding his place and himself in the process. Including changing his name. Oak Mulligan is who he wants to be, and it’s the first step to healing. He still has a lot of trauma to unpack but he’s working on it. When his bestie Charlie informs him that his brother Law and the kids are moving in, Oak is just as excited as everybody else. The Caldwell family will fit right in. But Oak isn’t prepared for the instant attraction to spark between him and Law. He knew the older man was hot, but their first meeting a few weeks before didn’t equip him for the lust. Or for the way Law would keep him at arm’s length. 

Law has only been attracted to a few men in his life and he misinterprets the affection and protectiveness he feels for Oak as brotherly at first. But as he realizes how deep his feelings run, he knows there’s too much in their way. The age gap and their familial connections are enough to push down his growing feelings. But Oak is too enticing to ignore, and the closer they become, the deeper the attraction goes. One kiss changes everything and sets the two men on a path with bumps they have to navigate. It’ll take work on their communication, and figuring out how to fit their lives together, but there’s no doubt that the love growing between them is the kind to last a lifetime. 

new release

Coming in 6 Days!

Kristbethke

Are you ready for the second book in the Black Dog Inn series? You’re in luck! Next Tuesday, July 23, you’ll have a chance to have it in your hot little hands.

Some readers were speculating that Oak would be the MC of the next book…and who his love interest would be. Let me know if you got it right!

You can preorder it here!

Sometimes it seemed the only way I’d get that kind of loving forever was if I stepped through one of the fairy doors I’d collected.

Law Caldwell knows his life needs an overhaul. With his ex-wife accepting a job across the country and his brother living far from home, he’s focused on making sure his three children have the best life possible. But when his mother takes things a step too far, it’s the final straw for Law. He realizes the best thing for him and his kids would be to pack up,move to Fairville, take a job at the Black Dog Inn, where there’s a loving support network.

Oakley Young is settling into his new life, finding his place and himself in the process. Including changing his name. Oak Mulligan is who he wants to be, and it’s the first step to healing. He still has a lot of trauma to unpack but he’s working on it. When his bestie Charlie informs him that his brother Law and the kids are moving in, Oak is just as excited as everybody else. The Caldwell family will fit right in. But Oak isn’t prepared for the instant attraction to spark between him and Law. He knew the older man was hot, but their first meeting a few weeks before didn’t equip him for the lust. Or for the way Law would keep him at arm’s length. 

Law has only been attracted to a few men in his life and he misinterprets the affection and protectiveness he feels for Oak as brotherly at first. But as he realizes how deep his feelings run, he knows there’s too much in their way. The age gap and their familial connections are enough to push down his growing feelings. But Oak is too enticing to ignore, and the closer they become, the deeper the attraction goes. One kiss changes everything and sets the two men on a path with bumps they have to navigate. It’ll take work on their communication, and figuring out how to fit their lives together, but there’s no doubt that the love growing between them is the kind to last a lifetime. 

This book includes: emotional religious trauma, parental emotional and mental abuse, mentions of parental physical violence,

Also depicted in this book is an amicable divorce and healthy co-parenting.

And don’t worry. Tia and I about to start work on book 3 of what is now a four book series! Place your guesses as to who gets the next love story.

new release

Coming Soon

Kristbethke

This Saturday, July 6th, in fact!

Ready for another story set in Landry’s Fall? Jay Turner first made an appearance way back in ‘Twas the Play before Christmas. He showed up again, briefly, in last year’s As Luck Would Have It. I have always intended, from the first time he appeared on page, to give him his own story. But it’s never quite worked out. Until now.

Jay Turner is a helper by nature. So when his best friend ropes him into helping Leith Porter finish repairs on his house, Jay is happy to lend a hand. It doesn’t hurt that Leith is easy on the eyes and injured to boot. Everything about Lieth brings out the caretaker in Jay. And when one moment between them sparks Jay’s inner Daddy Dom, things shift between them.

With only two weeks to get the repairs done, the men spend a lot of time together. Jay didn’t expect to find a perfect submissive in Leith. But the man pushes all the right buttons, and their kinks align. The closer they get, the more they want to explore the dynamic between them. The easy way they fall into their roles and the connection between them, only spurs them on. It might be fast, but they both want more.

But they’ve been living in a bit of a bubble, together all the time, and it’s only a matter of time before that bubble will burst. Fourteen days is too fast to fall in love. To want to build a future. Except both men know they’ve found their forever and maybe a fortnight is exactly the right length of time.

If you want to pick it up on preorder, you can do it here, right from the publisher. It’s on sale! It will be for a bit after release as well.

I’ll have buy links at other e-tailers when it releases.

As with all Landry’s Fall books, they don’t need to be read in any particular order, or read at all, to enjoy this story. But if you have read the other books, you’ll see some cameos from other characters. And if you’ve read Rebuilding Charlie then you’ll spot a familiar face and cupcake as well!

new release

Out Now!

Kristbethke

Rebuilding Charlie is live! It’s now available to buy or borrow here.

We’re so excited that this book is out in the wild. As I said the other day, we love this book. We loved writing it, we love the characters, and we can’t wait for readers to get a chance to fall in love with Charlie and Teague, with small town of Fairville and the Black Dog Inn and the host of secondary characters.

As I also said, there’s some heavier themes in this book. You can find the whole list of content warnings here or check out the preview of the book. We did our very best to handle those things with care. And there’s plenty of funny and sweet and hope and love to balance all that out.

One day at a time, one cupcake at a time, I was determined to win him over.

Charlie Caldwell has hit a breaking point. With more than just his mental health on the line, he makes the decision to move across the country to work for his best friend, leaving his brother and niblings behind. A new start isn’t going to fix him. His dysmorphia isn’t going to magically go away. But his hope is that being in a new place and going no contact with his toxic mother will at least allow him to breathe. 

Teague Mulligan might look like a lumberjack, but he’s really a marshmallow. And he likes it that way. He’s a doer, a fixer, and his wide shoulders are big enough to handle any problem. He’s always going to put himself between the world and the people he loves. But when he first meets Charlie, Teague doesn’t make a great first impression. Fortunately, he gets a chance to apologize and explain. Though Teague is immediately attracted to Charlie, he recognizes the other man has built walls around himself. Teague vows to go at Charlie’s pace, even if friendship is the only thing he can have.

The more they get to know each other, the more the attraction blooms. But Charlie’s past trauma keeps him from leaping. As much as he likes Teague, he knows the road blocks his mental health puts in the way. But Teague is as patient as he is kind, and as the days go on, trust is built. Slowly and surely, Charlie lets Teague in. Neither Charlie nor Teague were looking for love, but day by day, and cupcake by cupcake, love is exactly what they find.

And if you’d be so kind, and are so inclined, please leave a review. It’s so helpful for visibility. We really appreciate it!

new release

New Release–Free Today Only!

Kristbethke

As the title says, I have a new book out today! And for today only, Friday, December 22, it’s free! Follow this link and you can pick it up at no cost to you! After that, it’ll go on sale at all the usual places.

This book gave me some trouble. I’d had Bran in my head for a long time, and I was just trying to find the right story for him. When I finally did, I wrote half the book and then hit a wall. So it sat. For months. Doing absolutely nothing and I was sure that I didn’t have the right story. I tried several different iterations (and several other stories) before I revisited this one. And lo and behold, the rest of the words flowed. Introducing Bran and Gage, the witch and his wolf shifter mate!

As a favor to his brother, witch Bran Corbin agrees to host a wolf shifter pack for their winter solstice celebration. But Bran’s entire life turns upside down when meeting the wolves and recognizing one as his soulmate. For Gage Harrison, the connection is also instant. But shifters finding a mate is nothing surprising. A witch’s soulmate is something else altogether. Because the bond is not just for this lifetime, but for all the lives that have come before.

Bran may have been raised by raven shifters, but he’s not one himself. Not only does he need to figure out how to navigate pack politics, but he has to convince Gage of just how deep their connection goes. There’s no denying the instant attraction and affection between the two men, and both Bran and Gage readily accept that. With Bran’s emotions running higher because of the new bond, a pack of wolves in his space, and solstice looming, Bran is a bit overwhelmed. That doesn’t stop him from seeing Gage’s heart and wanting to solidify their connection.

But in order for the bond to fully form between them, Bran needs to see their past. Gage, on the other hand, isn’t sure about magic he isn’t familiar with. It’ll take patience and conversation before Gage is on board, but when they finally take that step, their lives are irrevocably changed. Solstice is the first day of their new forever.

If you get a chance to pick it up, I hope you enjoy these two, and the pack, as much as I do. There’s fate and magic and love, and all the warm and fuzzy feels you can expect from one of my books. Plus some holiday celebration and a whole host of side characters to make the story fun. Happy reading!