Author Name: A.M. Arthur
Book Name: Come What May
Series: All Saints
Book: One
Release Date: May 23, 2016
Blurb:
Jonas needs Tate. He just doesn’t know it yet.
Or at least, he doesn’t want to admit it. Because there is no way Jonas Ashcroft is gay. He’s a straight, carefree frat boy player, just like any good son of a conservative state senator. If only his struggle to convince everyone—especially himself—didn’t leave him so miserable. No matter how many girls or bottles he drowns himself in, Jonas can neither escape nor accept who he is.
Enter Tate. He’s smart, confident, and instantly sees right through Jonas’s surly exterior. Sure, he’s done things in life he’s not proud of, but he knows who he is and what he wants. And what he wants is Jonas. As their easy friendship intensifies into something more, Tate introduces Jonas to a life he’s never known. One filled with acceptance and sex and a love that terrifies and excites them both.
But some inner demons refuse to be shaken off so easily. When Jonas’s old life barges in, he faces a shattering choice, one that could destroy everything he and Tate have fought so hard for. Sometimes love just isn’t enough—and sometimes it’s exactly what you need.
Pages or Words: 70,000 words, 320 pages (print edition)
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance
Excerpt:
“It’s small,” Jonas said.
“Better than a cardboard box or foster care.” The sharpness in Tate’s voice echoed in his frown.
Jonas had never known anyone before who’d been in foster care, and saying so would probably make him the biggest douche on the planet. It also took the edge off some of his irritation over the total mindfuck that was Tate Dawson. “It’s way better than both of those things. You worked hard for this place, Tate. I haven’t worked hard for anything in my life.”
“I disagree.”
He blinked. “You do?”
“Yes, I do. I think you work very, very hard to convince yourself and the world that you’re something you’re not. I think you work very, very hard to be perfect when no one is, and the only thing anyone should ever do is just be her or himself. Be true to you, not to what others want from you.”
Jonas’s throat squeezed tight. “I can’t.”
Tate took a step closer, bringing a gentle waft of sweat and something sweet. “Why not?”
He saw the barest reflection of himself in Tate’s glasses and he didn’t like it. He stepped back. Tate snagged his wrist and held him there. The touch sent awareness buzzing across his skin, down his spine and straight to his balls. H needed to pull away before this got out of control.
And then his rebel brain decided it was a good idea to glance at Tate’s pink lips. Lips that Tate, the asshole, licked with slow swipes of his tongue.
Jonas yanked away his hand away so hard Tate stumbled. “I’m not gay, so you can get that ‘fuck the frat boy’ fantasy out of your head right now.”
Instead of being cowed, Tate planted both hands on his hips and said, “Who are you trying to convince? Because it’s just you and me in this room, and I’m not the one who brought up your sexuality. You did.”
Damn him. “Why won’t you leave me alone?”
Tate’s gaze drifted over his face as he sought for words. “Because every time we’re together I can tell you’re struggling with something. You put up this lone wolf front to keep people at arm’s length so you don’t have to work so hard to pretend, but it’s exhausting you. Jonas, you can be yourself with me. Whoever that is.”
“I can’t.” Talking was getting harder around the lump in his throat. His heart was kicking too fast and his chest ached.
“Look me in the eye.” Tate closed the three strides between them, then curled a warm hand around the back of Jonas’s neck. “Look me in the eye and say you don’t want to kiss me right now.”
Come What May by A.M. Arthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Whew…I’m not going to lie, I didn’t like Jonas at all when we meet him…even knowing there was probably a good reason for his attitude I didn’t want to forgive it at first. Tate sees something in Jonas and doesn’t want to give up even after he’s a jerk on their first couple of encounters. As Tate uncovers the real Jonas we see what an amazing young man he is and how just a little bit of belief in him goes a long way.
Both men have some growing up to do – Jonas more than Tate, as well as self-acceptance, release of guilt and acceptance of help and love from others. There are several issues these men deal with, either directly or indirectly – homophobia, parental rejection, death of parents, too much responsibility at too young an age, sexual abuse and a physical attack. While Jonas really does need Tate, I think Tate needs Jonas too and they really are perfect for each other. The growth of their relationship is so, so good and I loved every part of it.
It was great seeing other characters from other stories, which I’m learning is something this author does quite a bit. I loved seeing Ezra, Donner and Brendan from the Belonging series…I loved them so much in that series so this was a great crossover! I’m guessing book 2 will be about Marc and it sounds like that one might be a hard one to read. There were a few characters that I hope we see in future books…Will and Ice especially.
Buy the book:
Author Interview:
Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing A.M. Arthur, author of Come What May.
Hi A.M., thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.
Hello! I’m an m/m romance author, who mostly writes contemporary but occasionally delves into paranormal. I live in Hicksville, USA with two rambunctious cats and a large collection of horror film DVDs.
My newest release, Come What May, is the first in a new NA romance series with Carina Press. Jonas Ashcroft is suspended from college after a fraternity prank goes wrong, and he’s stuck working in his aunt’s thrift store—his very first job ever. Tate Dawson runs an LGBT homeless shelter nearby, and when their paths cross, sparks fly. So do insults, misunderstandings, and smexy times.
Q: Do you pay attention to literary criticism? If so, how do you handle it?
A: That question took me right back to college, where I took a class on literary criticism. And since no one has, to my knowledge, written a lit crit paper on any of my books, then no, I haven’t paid any attention. In terms of do I read reviews of my books, then yes. I know I shouldn’t, but I do. And I do read the one and two-star reviews, too, because I’m curious what it is that readers didn’t like. Was it a character? My writing style? They object to kittens as supporting characters? It can hurt, but reading bad reviews can also be helpful and make me think, “huh, okay then.”
Q: How do you come up with your titles?
A: I buy them in bulk at Costco. Seriously, though, they come from all over. Come What May came from the two heroes bonding over the film Moulin Rouge!. “Come What May” is the secret love song between the hero and heroine in that film, and it seemed pretty perfect for this book. Book two’s title, Say It Right, is also from a song that means a lot to one of the characters. Sometimes titles are a struggle; sometimes marketing makes me change a title.
I also have this weird need for my series titles to match in some way. All of my Carina Press books have three-word titles (I did not do that on purpose, it just sort of happened that way). For the Cost of Repairs books I wanted to stick with the Blank of Blank format of titling and it worked out well. But I think I wrote myself into a corner with the Perspectives series, because the format of The Blank As He Blanks It is killing me now that I’m on book four…any ideas?
Q: What new authors have grasped your interest?
A: Most recently I discovered Lynn Kelling. In April, she released Caged Jaye, and the blurb intrigued me, so I read a few reviews and bought it. I devoured that book. It’s so not a romance, but the follow up book, Arctic Absolution is, and I loved that one, too. So now I’m digging into her back list.
Q: What is the hardest part about writing?
A: Writing is such a solitary thing. It’s me, my laptop, and the voices in my head. And not only the voices of the characters, but my own self-doubt. Is this a good story? Will anyone care about these characters? Should I write this scene? Maybe they should do something else? Shutting up that voice that is constantly second-guessing me is a pain in the butt.
Q: Name your four most important food groups.
A: Steak & potatoes, sour cream, French fries and vodka.
Meet the author:
A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, and SMP Swerve.
When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.
Where to find the author:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/A.M.Arthur.M.A
Twitter: http://twitter.com/am_arthur
Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/am-arthur
Website: http://amarthur.blogspot.com/
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27731949-come-what-may
Publisher: Carina Press
Cover Artist: Carina Press
Tour Dates & Stops:
23-May: The Novel Approach, Gay Media Reviews, Gay Book Reviews, Man2ManTastic, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Mikky’s World of Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents
24-May: Oh My Shelves, MM Good Book Reviews, Attention Is Arbitrary, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
25-May: Unquietly Me, Havan Fellows, Prism Book Alliance
26-May: Love Bytes, Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Sassygirl Books
27-May: Hearts on Fire, 3 Chicks After Dark, Multitasking Mommas
30-May: Happily Ever Chapter, Books A to Z, Joyfully Jay
31-May: Dawn’s Reading Nook, Jessie G. Books, Book Lovers 4Ever
1-Jun: My Fiction Nook, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Making It Happen
2-Jun: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Full Moon Dreaming
3-Jun: V’s Reads, As The Pages Turn
6-Jun: Outrageous Heroes, BFD Book Blog
7-Jun: Cathy Brockman Romances, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy
8-Jun: Three Books Over The Rainbow, Bayou Book Junkie
9-Jun: Kirsty Loves Books, Divine Magazine
10-Jun: Alpha Book Club, Molly Lolly
Rafflecopter Prize: $25 e-gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice)
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Congrats on the new release! I’m always eagerly looking forward to A.M. Arthur’s books.
Congratulations on Come What May!
On my to read soon list.