Book Reviews, Rants, & Raves!: Looking for Home by Aria Grace

Blurb:

Evan spends half the week on the road, literally, and the rest of his time sitting around in an empty house. Killing time and drowning his hopes of ever finding someone to share his life with. Someone to come home to.

When he meets Georgie at a New Year’s Eve, Evan’s entire perspective changes.

Pages or Words: Approximately 35,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, New Adult

Excerpt:
Bill, bill, coupon, coupon, bill, and a big black envelope addressed to me. An invite, maybe? I don’t see my name in calligraphy very often but it looks good.

Mr. Georgie Kelton

Most of the mail that comes to the penthouse is not for me so I rarely look through it. I mostly toss it in a pile for Spencer or Dylan to take care of when they’re in town. But for the past two weeks I’ve been checking every day for something important. Not just something. The one thing that could get me pointed in the right direction for a real career in fashion.

The Bijou Design Summit for Fashion in New York accepts six up-and-comers with no experience or schooling into their Page program for the week of the event. It’s not glamourous work but if I get accepted as a page, it’ll be worth a few years of practical experience right there. Fast-tracking my fashion aspirations from a ten year plan to a five year plan would be huge.

I’ve had dreams of starting my own fashion line since I was a kid but I couldn’t risk anyone catching me with a sketch pad full of wedding gowns so I put those dreams on hold.

Once I ran away and started dancing, I all but forgot about the goal. It wasn’t until Spencer and Dylan encouraged me to start sketching again that I even considered a career in fashion was possible.

But here I am, waiting for a letter from New York that will tell me if my dreams are more than fantasy. If I have what it takes to even stand in the same room as the people I’ve idolized since the day I thumbed through my mom’s Cosmopolitan magazine.

And as much as I want to say getting to New York is all about fashion, I know that’s a lie. It’s about more. I want more.

My friends are all beginning to couple up around me and it’s becoming harder to ignore the lack of a better half in my own life. I have fun with my tricks and I’m physically satisfied but watching them get dressed and go home to their wives or kids or wherever they go after they get their rocks off with me is starting to wear me down.

A five-year plan is perfect. Just enough time for me to put together a decent portfolio, make some contacts in the industry, and work my way out of whoring. It’s a good gig while you can get it but I can’t do this forever. And I won’t try. Wouldn’t want to even if I could.

Dropping all the junk mail on the counter, I take the invitation with me as I flop on the white leather couch. The Christmas tree is still standing in the corner but the unusually sunny day drowns out all the holiday cheer that filled the penthouse just twenty four hours ago.

With Dylan and Spencer back in California to spend time with Andre and his new boyfriend, Frankie, the penthouse is more lonely than ever.

Pulling open the corner of the black envelope with my teeth, I shake it sideways until the single notecard falls into my lap.

You’re Invited
Ring in the New Year with Chance and Vinnie
Black Tie Attire
10pm
Private Mezzanine at The Heathman Hotel

A party at The Heathman? Are Chance and Vinnie going all 50 Shades on us? I haven’t spent much time with those guys but what I do know about them is all good. It sounds like just the kind of party I love but I have other plans.

Theo promised to ditch his wife on New Year’s and spend the evening with me. The tyrant he’s married to keeps his holiday schedule locked up during the entire month of December but he’s already given her an excuse about having to entertain some colleagues from the United Arab Emirates.

If all goes well, that ball in New York won’t be the only one getting some action on Saturday night. Being a high-end rent boy guarantees I have sex nightly when I’m working, but Theo will cuddle.

Sometimes.

If he doesn’t have to rush out, he’ll hold me until I fall asleep. But it’s been too long since he hasn’t had to rush out so Saturday can’t come soon enough.

While I’m thinking of him, I can’t resist a quick text.

I’ve sent the proposal.

Because his wife is always monitoring his phone when she’s around, I have to start every text with an innocuous phrase that won’t raise any suspicions.

Thanks. In a meeting. Will review tonight.

Tonight? I wasn’t expecting him to come over tonight. I quickly thumb through my scheduling app to make sure I’m free. I have one client at 7:00 but will be free by 9:00 so I send him a coded reply.

I’ll be offline until 9. Will look for your comments then.

Confirmed.

Confirmed! He’s coming tonight.

I toss the invite onto the coffee table and jump out of my seat. If I’m going to see my sugar daddy tonight, I need to do some prep work. I haven’t waxed in a week and I could use a pedicure.

Theo also likes lace so I spend the next hour trying on lingerie until I find a pair of panties that displays my package the best. The red lace against my pale skin has the same classic thing that my girl Taylor rocks.

The best part is they’re assless. The straps that hold the front together fit snugly under my cheeks, giving me a bit more of a bubble butt than nature intended. Again, exactly how Theo likes me.

Personally, my style is more about beauty and comfort than purely being femme. But, Theo has a thing for princesses. His wife is a princess but more beast than beauty.

So I give him what he wants. He doesn’t pay me anymore, not in terms of my nightly rates. He gives me something far more valuable than the cash I get from every other trick. Theo gives me affection. It’s not a perfect relationship right now, but as soon as he leaves the ice queen, we can be together.

Of course, if the page job in NYC comes through, I may have to reevaluate everything, including my patience with Theo.

Sales Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1SF5fO7

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/looking-for-home-aria-grace/1122360672?ean=2940152043471

Itunes: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/looking-for-home/id1021198219?mt=11

About the author:

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Aria enjoys the year round sunshine and laid back environment of the west coast. She lives with her husband and two children on a quiet hill that gives her lots of time to read and write. Once she ventured into the exciting world of gay romance, she never looked back. She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to drop her a note or visit her at www.ariagracebooks.com.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FollowAriaGrace

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Aria-Grace/e/B00AU4XSH8/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Twitter: @ariagracebooks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/search/?q=ariagracebooks&referrer=sitelinks_searchbox

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/ariagrace

Publisher: Surrendered Press

Cover Artist: Kris Kendall

Tour Dates & Stops: August 11, 2015