Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Gentle Wolf by Pia Foxhall
Perth Shifters, Book 2
Omega Aodhan Donne has buried his past, his life revolves around his chocolaterie, Little Star, a place where he creates sweet and happy memories. Demisexual, and used to being shoved in the friends category by the time he falls for someone, he throws all his energy into creating romantic moments for others in his store, neglecting his needs. His highlight for two years has been the man who visits his shop every Tuesday.
Beta Thomas Wilson is an historian who believes the past should be unearthed, working as the curator at Western Australia’s only shifter museum, educating children and adults about shifter history. Quiet and hard-working, he allows himself to visit Aodhan at Little Star once a week, as a treat.
When Aodhan decides he wants to get know Thomas better, he offers him a window into a complicated history that influenced the lives of shifters in the whole of Australia, and faces the possibility of Thomas learning too much about his dark past.
After deciding to take it slow, their unconventional relationship becomes a whirlwind, sweeping them up together and blowing open the doors hiding their painful pasts. They couldn’t face their truths alone, but if they’re willing to face them together, Aodhan and Thomas may get the love they’ve always yearned for.
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My review:
The Gentle Wolf by Pia Foxhall is the second book in the Perth Shifters series. I haven’t read the first book and I didn’t have a problem keeping up with this one. The characters from the first book appear quite a few times in this second installment but if you want to know their story, you’re going to have to read the first book! Aodhan is happy with his life. He owns and spends a significant amount of time at his chocolate shop called Little Star. In spite of a traumatizing youth, he has spent his life putting that behind him and moving on. Thomas runs the local Shifter Museum and he has been coming to Aodhan’s shop every week on Tuesday for two years. He is completely absorbed in the museum and a relationship isn’t really on his radar. He is content with the way he can see Aodhan once a week. The thing that makes these two main characters quite interesting is the trauma that they have faced in the past. Both men have gone through something challenging and traumatic and it has transformed who they are. The author does a great job of exploring how emotional and psychological abuse/damage can change everything about a person. When these two men reveal that they both have feelings for one another, they begin a slow and challenging journey to one another. I absolutely enjoyed the two of them and the way that they were so open and loving. It was a pleasure to read the way that Aodhan was so forthcoming about his thoughts and feelings. He is a unique character and I thoroughly enjoyed him. There is a great supporting cast in this book as well. Hunter is an alpha with a secret and I’m really hoping that he and his attitude will be appearing later in the series. Braden is Aodhan’s old roommate and he’s really coming into his own. Each character that is introduced has a reason to be in the story – they were fully developed and interesting and often entertaining. I would definitely continue to read this series!
Excerpt:
When Aodhan returned, he tangled his fingers together, then reached past Thomas to take his coffee and bring it over to the table. He picked up the Reserved sign himself, and Thomas followed, placing his briefcase down by the chair he always occupied, before sitting. ‘I’m a little alarmed,’ Thomas said. ‘It’s nothing like that. I didn’t want to be interrupted. That’s all.’ Aodhan cleared his throat, then cleared it again, then shook his head like he was exasperated with himself. He shoved his fidgeting hands beneath the table, and Thomas saw his forearms tense, his shoulders bunch. ‘Aodhan,’ he said, at a loss. ‘No, god, look at me, I’m making you worry for nothing. Honestly, it’s nothing. But I want to be honest with you.’ He shook his head again and sighed. ‘There’s a few things about me that other people might think of as strange. Whether it’s how I paint my nails. Or how I think gender is stupid, at least for me. It’s also that, I’m- Man, I imagined this conversation would be a disaster and even what I saw in my head was smoother than how this is going.’ He placed one of his hands on the table, his fingers tapping restively. Thomas reacted without thinking, reaching up and placing his hand over Aodhan’s. The fingers stilled, and Thomas thought he was being too forward, breaking the rules, but Aodhan just stared at the place they touched. Thomas felt Aodhan’s smooth skin, the alternating heat and coolness; heat from the coffee machine, coolness from being in an air-conditioned shop that was designed to protect chocolate from the elements. He wanted to trail his fingers up Aodhan’s forearm, and with how agitated he seemed, Thomas wanted to hold him. In that moment, he didn’t care about how scared he was of repeating whatever he’d had with Chris, he just wanted to hold him. ‘Tell me,’ Thomas said. ‘I like you.’ Thomas blinked at him, fingers tightening helplessly on Aodhan’s hand. ‘I know it’s stupid,’ Aodhan said in a rush. ‘I know it’s too late. I know it’s been two years. I’m not even what you’re looking for, I’m sure of it. I’m demisexual, but it’s not even that, because most demi people- Okay, I don’t know most demi people, to be fair! But on the internet, it sure seems like I’m an odd one out among people who feel like odd ones out. It was really nice when you thought I was normal, honestly, please tell me to shut up now.’ ‘I like you, too,’ Thomas heard himself say. Aodhan’s eyes snapped up to his. ‘I mean I like you as more than a colleague-friend.’ ‘Yes.’ Thomas couldn’t help smiling at that. ‘So do I.’
Check out Book 1 in the Perth Shifters Series: Blackwood
In a world that is still getting used to shifters, where everyone thinks omegas are second class citizens, nature photographer and omega Braden Payne lets everyone think he’s a beta. That way no one gives him a hard time and he doesn’t have to live a repeat of his failed relationship. But when his car breaks down in the remote Blackwood forest in Western Australia, without the medication that lets him hide who he is, he’s faced with what he fears most: an unmated alpha.
Government forest guardian and alpha Coll MacDubhar is tired of illegal loggers, foolish tourists and people who underestimate the wilds of Western Australia. He discovers Braden lost and in need of medical assistance in the forest he protects and knows something’s not right.
But there’s hidden depths to Braden that capture his interest, and no decent alpha would walk away when Braden’s unwelcome past comes to visit.
Enter the Giveaway:
To celebrate the release of The Gentle Wolf, Pia is giving away 3 e-sets of the Perth Shifters so far (2 books)!
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a5798/?
About the Author
Pia Foxhall is a queer, nonbinary and disabled Australian author who lives in the most isolated major city in the world – Perth, Western Australia – with two rescue cats. Much of their time writing is spent working on the Patreon-supported Fae Tales serial, a dark fantasy BDSM erotica epic that has been in production for many years. They’ve always been fascinated with all types of trauma recovery stories, and they like their character’s comfort to be earned, and the growth to feel real.
You can visit Pia on Tumblr, Instagram or Twitter, subscribe to their newsletter, or see more of them at their Patreon. Alternatively you can get in touch via email!
Connect with Pia: Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dJsDhQ Tumblr: https://not-poignant.tumblr.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/ravenari Twitter: twitter.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/foxhall
Kinzie Things 