Release Blitz: Easton: Riley Hart
Easton
I’m the youngest Swift brother. The one who’s always in trouble and can’t get his life together. I wouldn’t know where to start, and ever since my twin died, I can’t bring myself to care. After my last “situation,” Dad washed his hands of me. And though my brothers should’ve done the same, they stood up for me, fracturing their relationship with him too. He’s a terrible father to all of us, but considering we’re just figuring out how to build a relationship, I don’t want them to lose him because of me.
Officer Archer Thorn won’t stop coming around either. After every screwup, every bad day, Archer’s there to offer a hand. Before I know it, we’re going to dog parks, sharing meals, and Archer seems at home hanging at my place. When he touches me, fills me, all the noise in my head goes quiet. He makes me want more, but he doesn’t know how much that terrifies me, how much I worry that getting better means breaking a promise I made years ago.
Each moment with Archer shows me how good a man he is. For the first time, I actually want to face my trauma and get over my past. Archer makes me see there’s beauty in the world and, more importantly, he makes me want some of it for myself…that is, if I don’t ruin Archer Thorn first.
Easton is a small-town, hurt/comfort romance full of heart, heat, a touch-starved MC, and brothers learning how to have a relationship with each other. It deals with themes of grief, death of a parent and a sibling, and mental-health struggles.
Oh, these poor damaged Swift brothers are breaking my heart. Easton Swift is one of the most broken boys I have read. He has felt like a burden and unwanted his entire life and tragically lost the only people who loved him unconditionally and still blames himself. He is struggling with survivor's guilt, feels unfixable, and is plagued by negative thoughts, self-worth issues, and grief. He gets into trouble often and somehow one man seems to be there to help him each time.
Archer Thorn is a police officer and good guy. He is caring, protective, dependable, positive-minded, and a fixer. Something keeps drawing him to the youngest Swift brother not only to help keep him out of trouble and protect him but also due to an attraction and growing connection and feelings. East lets Archer see a bit more than most, but he also knows that pushing East will make him pull farther away.
It is easier to start with a physical relationship where feelings are not supposed to be allowed. East is sure no one would ever really want more from him anyway. But as they grow closer and East begins to find a safety and acceptance he has never known, he begins to want to be a better man for both himself and Archer. But he has such deep wounds and has never felt good enough for anyone and feels that he ruins everything. He struggles so hard and has felt so alone. I loved that Archer wants to be his safe place and keeps showing up for him and trying to assuage his doubts.
This is an emotional, heartfelt, and passionate story about shared trauma, pain, hope, healing, unconditional love, and fighting to be better and for a future. It does not sugarcoat the effects of trauma, verbal abuse, loss, and mental health issues. Easton has to find it within himself to get out of his comfort zone, ask for help, and begin to trust people again. This is also about his brothers and trying to reconcile and understand the men they have become and deal with their shared past pain, guilt, and self-worth issues. My heart hurt for these men who had been through so much and have not dealt with it well. I am looking forward to the eldest brother, Rhett's book next. I am so excited for his pairing.
Keep Reading for a look inside Easton!
I hate having to call Morgan and tell him I’ve been arrested. He just came back to Birchbark this summer because our dad had a stroke. He has enough on his plate dealing with a father who wants to control him and Rhett, but who wants nothing to do with me. And Morgan’s complicated relationship with Rhett isn’t much easier. Morgan’s finally starting to be happy—has admitted his feelings for his best friend, Dusty, whom he’s probably been in love with since before I was born, and they’re together.
The last thing he needs to deal with is me.
I’m the last thing anyone should have to deal with.
Still, I call because it’s not me I need him to take care of. It’s my dog, Pretty Girl.
“Hello?” Morgan answers, voice rough with sleep.
“I got arrested. I’m fine. I just need you to go take care of Pretty Girl in the morning. She’s gonna need out, and I don’t want her to be alone.”
“What about you?” Morgan asks. Since he’s been gone for ten years, he’s not tired of me yet. There’s no doubt in my mind that he will be at some point.
“Who cares? Take care of my dog, Morgan. I’m counting on you. I…” Don’t ask for things often…need to make sure she’s okay…don’t know how to reach out. I’m doing my best here.
Fortunately, Morgan doesn’t make me find words—something that’s not always easy for me to do. “We’ll make sure she’s taken care of, but I’m not just hanging you out to dry. What happened?”
Does it really matter? I’m always in the wrong, even when I’m not. But then, whose fault is it but mine? Yeah, the motherfucker I beat deserved it, but I could have found a better way to deal with it. My impulsivity is all on me. “Me.” I sigh. I happened. I always happen.
“I’ll call Archer,” I hear Dusty say in the background.
My heart rate spikes. I can’t figure out how Archer Thorn hasn’t gotten sick of me yet, why in the hell he wastes his time with me at all, other than him thinking it’s his job to fix the world. He thinks he let his cousin die when it wasn’t his fault, and now he’s trying to save me.
Why do I let him try?”
graphics from Author's Facebook page
Morgan
Swift Brothers #1
Goodreads
Kim's 4.5 star review
Kim's 4.5 star review
Morgan
When I left Birchbark angry and heartbroken, I vowed never to return.
Fate had other plans.
The father I hate had a stroke, so now I’m back in the Upper Peninsula to take care of him. The locals treat Dad like royalty, while Dad vacillates between open anger and flat-out ignoring me. Throw in my messy relationship with my brothers, and being in Birchbark becomes unbearable.
The only saving grace is Dusty, my childhood best friend. He’s always had my back, save for one night ten years ago that changed everything. Despite my endless family drama, Dusty becomes my solace, and it’s not long before our emotional connection becomes more. Dusty worships my body in ways no man has before, but more importantly, he’s stolen my heart. Except Dusty’s home is here, and mine is in Santa Monica, as far away as I can get.
While I’m battling it out with Dad and trying to hold the family together, my every impulse is to leave the first chance I get. But I can’t leave Dusty behind. Not again. If I want a chance at real happiness, I’ve got to work through this anger and grief…even if the hits keep coming.
Riley Hart's love of all things romance shines brightly in everything she writes. Her primary focus is Male/Male romance but under various pen names, her prose has touched practically every part of the spectrum of love and relationships. The common theme that ties them all together is stories told from the heart.
A hopeless romantic herself, Riley is a lover of character-driven plots, many with flawed and relatable characters. She strives to create stories that readers can not only fall in love with, but also see themselves in. Real characters and real love blended together equal the ultimate Riley Hart experience.
When Riley isn't creating her next story, you can find her reading, traveling, or dreaming about reading or traveling, spending time with her two snarky kids, and swoony husband.
Riley Hart is represented by Jane Dystel at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Literary Management. She's a 2019 Lambda Literary Award Finalist for Of Sunlight and Stardust.
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