Roustabout: Carnival of Mysteries a Paranormal MM romance by Morgan Brice ➱ Join us for the Book Tour with Guest Post & Giveaway

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Book Title: Roustabout: A Carnival of Mysteries book

Author: Morgan Brice

Publisher: Darkwind Press

Cover Artist: Dianne Thies

Release Date: August 23, 2023

Genre: Paranormal MM romance

Tropes: adversaries-to-lovers, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, rogue with a heart of gold, secret agent/con man, redemption arc

Themes: overcoming the past, settling old wrongs, second chances

Length: 230 pages

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is a standalone book, but also part of the shared-world, multi-author Carnival of Mysteries series and is connected to Morgan's Kings of the Mountain series.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Bartlett Gibson is a necromancer and an agent for the Tennessee Bureau of Supernatural Investigation. He’s hot on the trail of RJ Tucker, a psychic con man who has eluded him at every turn and led him on a merry chase. Pursuit leads to grudging respect in their game of cat and mouse, which becomes a high-stakes game of seduction. Bart chases RJ to the Carnival of Mysteries and realizes that nothing is as it seems. A dark witch’s curse ups the ante, creating a deadline for revenge and redemption, and the clock is ticking.

Falling in love breaks all the rules. Can Bart and RJ stop the witch, break the curse, and find a way around RJ’s spot on the “most wanted” list before time runs out?

Roustabout is a fast-paced MM paranormal romance filled with supernatural suspense, snarky humor, crafty carnival workers, sarcastic ghosts, midway magic, hurt/comfort angst, adversaries-to-lovers tension, and a very happy ending!

Part of the multi-author, shared-world Carnival of Mysteries series. Can be read as a stand-alone.

Excerpt

But first, reckless as it might be, RJ had a date.

He knew he was fussing too much over his hair—manicuring his stubble and manscaping— but it had been a long time since there’d been anyone to notice, and he was going to make the most of it.

RJ wore his best shirt, a russet one that complemented his hair and warmed his pale complexion. Together with a new pair of jeans and a pair of Timberlands that were a rare splurge, he knew he cleaned up well.

He drove to Rosco’s Barbecue and parked, then realized his palms were sweating as he gripped the steering wheel.

It’s just dinner, he told himself. But nobody had ever made him feel like Bart did.

He grew up fast on the circuit surrounded by roustabouts and wranglers who didn’t follow convention and largely lived outside the restrictions of polite society. RJ had plenty of boyfriends and lovers over the years. Those in the carnival life rarely expected permanence, and relationships seldom lasted more than a season.

Moving from place to place had been a necessary distraction in those years. He hadn’t wanted more than temporary connections since he still mourned the people he had loved and lost. The dream of vengeance had sustained him, and for a long time, that was enough.

But now, with the end of his quest in sight, RJ found himself wanting more. Maybe he could never tell a partner everything about his old life and the recompense he had dealt out, but perhaps he didn’t need to live in self-imposed solitude.

After all, people in WITSEC get married. This isn’t too much different.

God, I’ve got the cart before the horse. We haven’t even fucked properly, and I’m picking out china patterns. It’s just dinner. And maybe a blow job if I play my cards right.

He went inside and looked for Bart. When he didn’t see the tall man waiting, his stomach tightened, fearing he had been stood up.

Bart came in a moment later, looking harried. “Sorry. Work ran over. Have you been here long?” He looked like he really cared whether RJ had been worried.

RJ relaxed and gave a broad smile. “Just got here myself.” His stomach growled. “It smells so good in here, and I’m starving.”

They followed the hostess to a table. RJ saw Bart slip her a twenty to get a spot out of the thick of the fray. Rosco’s did a booming business, with food that deserved the buzz.

“Did you have a good day?” Bart asked after they had ordered. RJ thought it was charming that Bart seemed flustered.

Maybe he’s as out of practice as I am.

GUEST POST

A World Apart

By Morgan Brice

One of the things that intrigued me with the concept for the Carnival of Mysteries series was that the carnival itself is magical and had supernatural elements. I’ve loved going to carnivals, fairs, circuses and amusement parks all my life, and in my heart I always believed that they were magic in their own way.

RJ Tucker takes refuge working as a roadie or roustabout for fairs, circuses, and carnivals. In real life, those traveling enterprises provided a degree of sanctuary for the performers and workers who didn’t adhere to societal convention or norms, especially in the past when there were few alternatives for folks who didn’t fit in. There’s even a town in Florida especially for retired carnival and circus people. Found family is a powerful thing.

Unlike other spooky carnival movies and series, the Carnival of Mysteries isn’t evil or ominous. It’s supernatural and there are dangers for the arrogant or unwary, but it isn’t malevolent. It’s a sanctuary for those who need it, and a strong found family for the regular performers. I believe that the carnival appears slightly differently to every newcomer, who has the experience they need to have. So if you find variations among the books, I think it’s because the carnival is unique to the visitor.

My favorite time at a carnival or park is when the sun goes down and the lights come on. When the neon and flashing lights and music are going and the rides are running and you can smell all the wonderful midway food, that’s a little slice of heaven. It’s exciting and magical and transports you from your normal life and worries to somewhere else, even if just for a little while.

Which is what I hope Roustabout will do for readers—take them to a special somewhere just outside of normal space and time. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the books in the series, too! And if you like Bart and RJ, be sure to look up my Kings of the Mountain series, where they are recurring characters!

About the Author

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic and urban fantasy, with less romance, more explosions.

All of the modern-day Morgan Brice and Gail Z. Martin series crossover, so characters from one series appear in cameos and on page in important secondary roles in books from other series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the more you read the more the expanded universe of friendships and connections becomes clear.

Morgan and Gail believe that paranormal elements make any story even better, and her worlds are full of ghosts, psychics, shifters, creatures, vampires, monster hunters, and magic.

She's also a huge fan of the TV show Supernatural. (Chibi art by Kamidiox)

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