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Word Count: 90000
Character Identities: Bisexual, Demisexual, Gay
Summary: Quarter-Finalist in the BookLife Prize Contest "Overall: 9.50 out of 10 Expertly plotted and paced, this romance builds a central relationship that is sweet, sexy, and satisfying. The love story grows through various plot points and conflicts, taking the main characters -as well as a vibrant supporting cast - on an emotionally resonant and heartwarming journey. It's exactly what a good romance book should be. Merrill’s dialogue is authentic and exhibits variances of tone and cadence when spoken by different characters; it's distinct and clear. The love scenes are explicit and passionate with an undercurrent of emotion that sets them apart from others in the genre. This swoon-worthy romance between a Marine officer and a rock star charms with a sweet and sexy story that shows how love can heal two hearts touched by tragedy." —BookLife Prize "Over the course of this novel, Merrill writes about this burgeoning connection with smooth confidence...Merrill rests a good part of the story on a realistic appraisal of his characters’ fallibility: “People want to think they can handle anything that comes their way, but everyone has a breaking point,” Brains reflects at one point. It may seem like a standard unlikely-romance plot at first, but the author offers it to readers with considerable skill and style." —Kirkus Reviews "R.L. Merrill is the reigning queen of romance and rock and roll. Brains and Brawn delivers yet another heartfelt love story with relatable characters whose trials feel steeped in the real world. Like the first book in the series, Summer of Hush, this one gives you a VIP backstage pass to life on a mega-tour. You’ll come out feeling like a member of the band.A realistic and inviting love story in the rock-music world.A rock star with a secret is injured in a freak accident. A single-dad Navy corpsman comes to his aide. Neither expected romance to bloom, but now that it has, will their secrets end it before it begins?" —Award-Winning Author Kilby Blades Billy “Brains” Brennan has achieved rock stardom in not just one, but two chart-topping bands, but events from his past have him convinced he’s living on borrowed time. Brains and his brothers-in-Hush are ready to take the last cross-country Warped Tour by storm...until the actions of two drunk dudes with bad attitudes set off a chain of events that leave him incapacitated...and face-to-face with a handsome stranger who inexplicably feels like home—and not the home Brains fled at sixteen. Chief Petty Officer Paul McNally has spent his 25-year career as a Navy Corpsman responding to emergencies and caring for wounded soldiers. When fate has him in the right place to provide aid to a fallen rock star, it sends his life spiraling on a trajectory he never planned for. Instead of concentrating on his impending retirement and a second career, he’s now playing nursemaid to a fascinating younger man…and falling in love—a fact he can’t seem to figure out how to explain to his adult son. A health scare, band drama, and pain from both their pasts threaten to end Brains and Paul’s fledgling relationship. Fate brought them together. It will take trust, honesty, and hope to keep them together.
Word Count: 70000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: The Earth shook the morning actor Ethan Bradley arrived in Los Angeles looking for a second chance. He hoped his former producers Reese Matheson and Toby Griffiths meant it when they said to look them up if he were ever in LA because he had no other options. The pictures the paparazzi took at the wrap party for their London show made sure of that. What he wasn’t counting on was the reception he got from their manager, Arthur Frye. He was absolutely the kind of together guy Ethan wished would notice him, and for more than his pretty face and talent. Too bad Arthur only sees Ethan as a complication. Arthur Frye has his hands full with his best clients—and best friends. The last thing he needs is another diva to care for, especially one who has a reputation for causing trouble. He has a strict rule against getting involved with the talent, no matter how pretty they are. Only Ethan Bradley shines for real, and when Arthur realizes his nice-guy innocence is genuine, he’s ready to do anything to help Ethan get his career back on track and get him out of LA. He’s too much of a temptation, and Arthur can’t afford to lose focus…not even for a chance at happiness for himself. Especially not when his star clients are about to risk their professional and personal happiness with their newest creation; a musical about two boys falling in love in the 1960s featuring music written by Reese’s grandfather, whose health is in decline. Ethan Bradley shakes things up wherever he goes, and Arthur Frye is afraid he’ll be left in the wreckage if he gets too close. Can these two opposites find love on solid ground?
Word Count: 50000
Character Identities: Bisexual, Lesbian, Pansexual, Polyamorous
Summary: In 1860, four brothers on a mission from God tunneled beneath the surface in Nevada territory, looking to find the next Comstock Lode. Legend has it they went down into the Earth as honorable Christian men but returned as something more sinister, their good intentions abandoned. There they became possessed and altered by an evil force, and their hold on the residents of what was known then as Lake’s Crossing allowed them to gain unfathomable wealth and power. Youngest brother Jonah ran from that evil and has been in exile under an alias for nearly 70 years. He spends his existence as Jimmy Manwaring, playing piano nightly to the rough-and-tumble saloon crowd in Fort Bragg, California, with the final words of his beloved deceased wife constantly on his mind. “When hope comes, you must protect them.” An act of violence thrusts barmaid Hope Johnson, her unborn twins, and her lover, Bonnie, into his world, and he swears to protect them, but not even one with the power of Sight could predict the series of events that threaten their safety. Will Jonah receive the absolution he seeks, or will his new family suffer for the sins of the Bane brothers?
Word Count: 74000
Character Identities: Bisexual, Gay, Straight
Summary: The Banes of Lake’s Crossing - Origins The Biggest Little City in the World was founded on a lie. History tells us that the city called Reno, Nevada, was founded as a gambling haven for silver miners and later the divorce capital. But it goes deeper than that. It goes as deep as the lines from which the silver came. In 1860, four brothers tunneled beneath the surface, looking to find the next Comstock Lode. They left their families behind in search of the valuable metals being brought forth from the Earth in order to do the Lord’s work. Their plan was to settle down near Virginia City and build a new church to save the souls of those seeking riches. They went below ground on a chilly fall morning in 1860, and were never seen again. The official story was an explosion caused their brace work to collapse, trapping them all inside. Word reached their families a month later, and services were held to bless their souls and send them into the afterlife. Legend has it that the four men who went down into the Earth as good, solid Christian men returned as something more sinister, their good intentions abandoned. They became possessed by a force more evil than could be imagined, and their hold on the residents of what was known then as Lake’s Crossing allowed them to gain unfathomable powers. ________________________________________ The Fourth Man by R.L. Merrill Lake’s Crossing was a fairly new settlement in 1862, but Julianna Monroe had already seen the worst of humanity cross their bridge seeking shelter. One blustery fall night, four well-dressed men enter her family’s inn, and she immediately senses their otherness. Despite her concerns for self-preservation, she is drawn to the fourth man. Quiet, brooding, and different from his elder brothers, Julianna is intrigued by Jonah and soon realizes it is time to choose a husband before the choice is made for her. But when the elder Bane brothers threaten her safety, will Jonah be strong enough to stand up to them and protect her? Or will she become yet another victim of the Banes’ evil influence? Hell’s Belles by Ellay Branton When her most loyal client and friend falls under the mysterious control of the Bane brothers, Arabella Kimpton knows she has to do something to save him. Convincing Zach Upton that his little brother is in big trouble won't be easy. The sexy rancher knows all about her business as an owner of Hell's Belles Saloon – and that she spends a lot of time alone with his brother. Arabella will have to risk everything to gain Zach's trust and save Jerry. But the gamble might leave her with a broken heart...if she survives the wrath of the sinister Bane brothers. The Silver Brooch by Kimberlie L. Faye Miss Penelope Webb is ready to start fresh. A midwife with a gift and a pure soul, she’s hired by Lionel Bane for the birth of his second child. She’s determined to start anew in Lake’s Crossing and leave her past behind her. Little does she know the Bane brothers rule the town and folks are not quite themselves. Penny has caught the ire of William, the large and imposing younger brother. He oozes menace and disdain and darkness is embedded in his soul. Despite his danger, she’s inexplicably drawn to him. Should she risk her heart and her secrets for a chance at love with a man who has a damned soul? The Banes Of Lake’s Crossing - Origins is the first of a trilogy set in this world. Look for part two in May 2018 in time for RT Reno, and the third in October 2018.
