Born for Leaving by Mia Kerick writing as Jude Munro - Book Tour - eBook Sale - Book Review - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Mia Kerick writing as Jude Munro and her new book, “Born for Leaving”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post – except the Available at Amazon picture, which takes you directly to the Amazon Book Sale Page.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Mia and to increase your chances of winning!

This eBook is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!  See below for more details.

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Born for Leaving

by Mia Kerick

writing as Jude Munro

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GENRE: Gay Romance

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BLURB:

When they say be careful what you wish for, do you pay attention?

Neither did Oliver Tunstead.

Oliver wishes for nothing more than to get his mind off his crappy bartending job, pile of debt big enough to swallow him whole, and playboy ex-boyfriend/boss who refuses to back off. Too bad distractions, like the hot little convertible he has his eye on, cost megabucks. And Oliver is flat broke. Renting the spare bedroom in his rundown beachfront cottage is his only option to pick up the cash he needs—a risky proposition, as Oliver is the polar opposite of a people-person. When he responds to a bizarre ad in the Waterfront Gazette seeking summer housing, he gets more than he bargained for. But Oliver can cope… After all, how much harm can a single quirky tenant do to his tightly guarded life in three short months?

Where Oliver is a loner by design, urban cowboy Bodie is a loner by necessity. A family dispute long ago dropkicked him onto the path of a lifelong wanderer. This changes when Bodie moves into the tiny beachfront cottage and starts working the door at Oliver’s bar.

Despite Oliver and Bodie’s nearly paralyzing instinct to avoid commitment, they fall into a wary romance. And to their surprise, life as a couple is sweetly satisfying; that is, until their jealous boss devises a cruel plan to destroy the tentative bond they’ve built. True to form, Bodie hits the road, leaving Oliver to lick his wounds alone.

Can these wounded souls defy their urge to flee and fight for love?

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EXCERPT ONE:

“You said there was an outdoor shower.”

“Oh, yeah. It’s on the deck off the kitchen.”

He drops his bags in the hall between the bedrooms. “You cool if I borrow a towel? No room for ’em on the bike.” His cheeks turn pink. “I’ll hit the store tomorrow. Ya know, I can pick up sheets and towels and shit like that.”

“No worries—I have plenty of towels. Come here.” I lead him into the hallway and point to a narrow closet. “I have extra sheets too. Don’t waste your money on that stuff. You’re only gonna be here for a few months.”

Bodie nods. Once, of course.

“You can use the bathtub if you want to freshen up before you go to work.” I do my best to fight the blossoming image of a burly naked cowboy with a crown of dark red curls, swallowed up in a pile of bubbles, lounging in my old clawfoot tub. I fail and hear my own extended sigh. “It sort of brings you back to childhood. You know, soaking in a tub.”

“Nah.” His shoulders stiffen. “I like the outdoors better.”

“Okay, then. And for your fingers, there are bandages in the bathroom medicine cabinet.” Bodie grunts his acknowledgment and grabs a faded pink bath towel out of the closet. Then he shakes off his boots and pulls his T-shirt over his head as if he’s alone in his bedroom.

And just as I figured… a golden brown six pack appears beneath a light spray of copper chest hair. “Um, I’ll leave a key for you on the kitchen table.”

“Cool.”

When he starts to push down his sweatpants, I flee. The last thing I need is to witness a sexy cowboy perform a seemingly inadvertent striptease in the hallway by my kitchen. I’m through with great-looking men worming their way into my life and leaving me more alone than before I let them in.

“Just lock up when you leave.” I stand at the front door, back turned to him and my hand fastened on the doorknob. Ready to run. “You’re heading to your job in a little while, right?” I glance at him over my shoulder.

“That’s right.”

I should ask where he works—what he does for a living—but his sweatpants are looped around his ankles and I’ll admit to being somewhat flustered at the sight of his rugged thighs, not to mention the amazing curve of his backside in nothing but his Calvin’s. “Well, I guess we’ll catch up later, Bodie.”

“You bet your ass we will.” When he laughs—a deep rumble—it’s like he knows something I don’t. Whatever the case, the prickles of heat I’ve been unsuccessfully trying to ignore turn into goosebumps and shoot down my arms. Shoulders, wrists, and fingers—all tingling. Which can’t be good.

What have I gotten myself into?

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MY BOOK REVIEW:

This book brought on a rollercoaster of emotions over the course of the story!!!

The author has a unique way of creating stories that are filled with easy to relate to characters, overcoming obstacles, and finding acceptance amongst the turmoil.

The author further lends a voice and provides a safe place for young readers to express, understand, and just really be themselves.  I feel happy to know that teens can turn to this author and her books for comfort.

What also really stood out about this book was the high emotional content, the raw and gritty details, the thought-provoking passages, and the complex multidimensional characters.

I liked the main characters, Oliver and Bodie.  These intricate characters (and total opposites!!!) are likable, genuine, and realistic.  These characters are easy to connect to and relate with.  It is clear from the get-go that both of these characters are hurt, damaged, and struggling with their own secrets and baggage.

Although I am not part of the LGBTQIA life, I can still appreciate intriguing characters and enjoyable story lines, like this book cleverly provides.

I really enjoyed that the author created flawed and damaged characters that really showcased her writing style and ability to push her characters to reach their full potential over their arc.

A strong character development journey to root for and enjoy watching it unfold!

This book has a creative story line that flows, excellent writing style with well-described scenes, and strongly developed characters!!

There are some predictable scenes.  However, there are still a few very unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming!

This book is Book One of the New England State of Mind Book Series.  It can be read as a standalone.

I would remiss if I didn’t mention a content warning label that should be attached to this book.  There are many difficult topics that are addressed in this story and can be quick triggers for anyone with previous history or ties to them.  As one of those readers, but who has worked hard to be able to overcome and skip past certain scenes, I would feel horrible for not warning someone – especially if they were not as far along in their recovery, going into this book blindly.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it!  I think all Gay Romance fans or LGBTQIA fans will like this book too!  So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading – you won’t be disappointed!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**

Did you find this review helpful?

If so, please, please, please mark it as helpful on Amazon here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R33GYAC4Q594UX

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AUTHOR BIO:

Like Jude Munro, her fictional characters in her gay romance novels are drawn to the beach. They’ve sunbathed on the sands of many alluring East Coast beaches, along with the fantastical beaches in Jude’s books. They’ll answer questions like “Who do you think you are, the sun god?” (which they often resemble) if they can hear you over "Boys of Summer" cranking on their headphones. To most of Jude’s men, no shoes and no shirt is really not a problem. But even on the sunniest of beach days, the guys in Jude’s books do have problems… as in, serious relationship issues. Many of which seem insurmountable. And each character must earn his day at the beach. (Yes, there is always a HEA).

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CONNECT WITH JUDE:

Website:

https://judemunrobooks.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jude.munro.54

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/books_jude

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20447502.Jude_Munro

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54751663-born-for-leaving

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/339FV0Q

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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK & BOOK SALE INFO:

**The Born for Leaving eBook is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!**

https://amzn.to/35nYFw8

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Jude will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.