Authors: K Evan Coles & Brigham Vaughn
Series: Speakeasy #3-4
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Dates: Behind the Stick - August 20, 2019
Straight Up - June 9, 2020
Publisher: Pride Publishing
💖🍷💙💚🍸💛💜🍹💗🍹💜💛🍸💚💙🍷💖
Under is both hang out and haven for the men who spend time within its walls and their friendships build family ties that are sometimes missing from their own lives.
The stories can be read in order or as standalones.
💖🍷💙💚🍸💛💜🍹💗🍹💜💛🍸💚💙🍷💖
Summary:
Malcolm Elliott has been keeping secrets. Helping his mom through a financial crisis has nearly emptied his bank account and his kitchen cupboards, despite his thriving career with Corporate Equality Campaign. Malcolm is also bothered by his inability to tell the most important people in his life that he identifies as gray ace.
Stuart Morgan has a secret of his own. Though years have passed since the tattooed chef fled the Mormon church in Utah for New York, he’s never truly come to terms with the kink that ruined that rigid but outwardly perfect life. Experience has also taught Stuart that keeping his love of lacy things under wraps is safer than telling the truth.
After Malcom’s boss, Carter, hires Stuart’s restaurant to cater a gala fundraising event, the strait-laced Malcolm is thrown together with badass biker Stuart. Despite their differences and a couple of false starts, the men discover they work well together and a friendship quickly forms.
As Malcolm’s feelings for Stuart deepen, his sexuality awakens, but he remains tight-lipped about his problems. And though Stuart grows more and more attached to Malcolm, he remains fearful of confessing his kink.
When both of their secrets are finally exposed, they find themselves at a crossroads in which they must choose between playing it safe or finally coming clean to the person they love.
Summary:
Kyle McKee lives a charmed life. He co-owns Under, an uptown speakeasy, where he is chief mixologist. Friends poke fun at Kyle’s tiny one-bed apartment in Chelsea, but they’re the best support system a man could ask for. Unfortunately, Kyle’s lackluster love life has led him to take a break from dating.
Harlem resident Luka Clarke is a lieutenant with Engine 47, the Pride of Morningside, where he carries on his father’s legacy with the FDNY. Luka, who is mixed race and bisexual, has his eye on Kyle, whom he met at a local burger joint and he just needs to make time to visit Kyle’s bar.
Before work one evening, Kyle is trapped inside the luncheonette when a fire breaks out. Luka’s firehouse answers the call and he connects with Kyle again under the most unexpected of circumstances. When Kyle gratefully invites Luka and the firehouse squad to Under, the flirting between the two men leads to a date.
Kyle and Luka quickly grow close, but Luka’s mother and sister distrust Kyle for being both white and gay. Luka believes his family will come around and accept Kyle in the end, but Kyle is not optimistic and hides his disquiet as attraction blossoms into love.
Kyle and Luka’s near-idyllic bubble is shattered one evening after a hate crime leaves them scarred, inside and out. Shaken, they put on a strong front but struggle inwardly against fear and personal demons. As the emotions seething beneath the surface finally come to a head, both men must decide if they have the strength to find love enough to conquer hate.
Reader advisory: This book contains references to non-nurturing parenting; homophobia; racism and racist slurs. There are references to recreational drug use. This book also contains scenes of mmmm ménage and characters caught in fire.
I just want to jump out of the gate by saying: had I realized Straight Up was going to be the final entry in The Speakeasy series, I probably would have held off reading. Don't get me wrong, not because I didn't want to read Malcolm and Stuart's story but because I love this series and the whole universe that Coles & Vaughn created way-back-when with Tidal so much, I just never want to see it end. So had I known, I probably would've let it linger a bit by queuing up in my kindle😉😉.
Seriously though, Straight Up is . . . well . . . straight up brilliant!
I feel like I say this a lot but the main characters, Malcolm and Stuart, are just meant to be. Could they be happy with others? Perhaps. Could they reach their potential? Maybe. Could they find the freedom to be themselves and let their true selves "come out to play"? Not even close. I kind of hate to say that Malcolm and Stuart "complete" each other because I don't like to imply anyone "needs" someone to be who they are but I have always believed, be it friend, lover, family member, there is that one person who helps you be 150% comfortable so you can let your whole self shine. Well, that is exactly who Malcolm and Stuart are to each other and for me it's that part of each of them that truly makes Straight Up unforgettable.
There is enough drama in the mens' journey that I could never label it a rom-com by any means but I can honestly say for me it is the least dramatic of the whole Tidal/Speakeasy universe. Is it lighthearted? I wouldn't go that far but I didn't feel the need to have a box of kleenex handy either. I love the whole not-often-seen meshing with familiar elements of this entry, it makes the story both relaxable and not-put-it-down-able(yeah I know, not real words or phrases but sometimes a story just gives you certain feels that you just have no options but to make up your own terminology😉😉).
Is this the last we'll see of the Tidal/Speakeasy crowd? Maybe, but the characters involved are just too boisterous to not have more to tell so maybe if we're lucky and super-duper-uber nice they'll let K Evan Coles and Brigham Vaughn in on their holiday plans down the road😉😉. However, if this truly is the end of their sharing then they will always live on in our hearts and our kindles. I for one can't wait to see what Coles and Vaughn, both individually and collaboratively, have in mind next.
One final note: if you are wondering about reading order, I highly recommend doing so in series order. The Tidal duology is definitely a need to read in order but Speakeasy is different pairs so in a way they are standalones but as previous characters are popping in and out, personally, I find it flows better read in released order and can't imagine doing otherwise. BUT, you won't be lost if you start with Straight Up.
Original Review August 2019:
Can I just start by saying that this series just gets better and better! I love Kyle and his ingenuity behind the stick(behind the bar for those of us not in the know when it comes to bartending lingo😉), he has been one of my favorite secondary characters from way back in the Tidal duology when we first met him and now that he finally got his own story he is even more lovable and full of WOW-ness!
Let's talk Luka now. Fireman . . . need I say more😉😉. He has an amazingly supportive family with the exception of his mother and sister when it comes to dating another white man which all stems from his previous boyfriend which you really need to experience Luka's journey as he opens up to Kyle to fully understand where all the characters' thoughts and emotions are coming from. I'll admit my first instinct was to be extremely angry toward's Luka's mom & sis but as you learn more, I remained unhappy with them but I could understood their reluctance. Emotions and support can be an unbalanced teeter-totter but eventually you find what you need to make the ride level out. I guess what I'm saying is don't jump to conclusions because it is actually a pretty perfectly written balance between making the reader think and creating just the right added layer of drama to entertain.
Now putting Kyle and Luka together with Jesse and Cam is fun, sexy, fitting, and simply put a joyous treat. Luka being open to the possibility yet not sure about participating but definitely interested in watching was wonderfully written. Getting to see it unfold through his eyes, knowing that it wasn't a threat to their relationship was really awe-inspiring. I can't help but think some authors would have over-explored the fear of it ruining the relationship, letting one participant's jealousy overshadow the heat for the sake of extra drama but Cole & Vaughn did not. Sure Luka has a moment of clarity but it was never really about jealousy and that was much appreciated and for me made the scene even hotter but more importantly it made it believable and acceptable for the two couples and the individual characters involved.
You'll notice I didn't touch on the hate crime that is mentioned in the story blurb. It will break your heart but unfortunately there is still that level of evil in society but the authors wrote this part of Luka and Kyle's journey so beautifully, an odd choice of wording considering the subject matter but it's how they tackled it and not just thrown it in for relationship drama that made it beautiful for me. In fact, calling it any kind of "drama" I think belittles what Luka and Kyle go through both during and after, and its how the boys, their friends, and family react that made it so well written. This is definitely a defining moment for all the characters but it is not the end-all-be-all of the story, there is just so much more to Behind the Stick. As for the fallout from the attack well you'll have to read it for yourself to see if you feel the same as I did.
So for those wondering about the reading order of The Speakeasy series, yes technically each one is a standalone as it's a different pairing BUT(and I think most of you know what I'm about to say😉) for me I can't imagine reading in any order other than how it was released. Characters from previous entries as well as from the Tidal duology that this spun off of appear throughout and though you won't be lost by any means I found everything flowed better having read those journeys first. As I said, you won't be lost if you don't start at the beginning but because of the ménage/mmmm scene in Behind the Stick I would highly recommend reading Extra Dirty to learn how Jesse and Cam fell in love. Whatever order you choose to read it just be sure to read because this is not only a reading gem but a pure delightful and heartwarming love story with just the right amount of drama and heat, oh the heat, to make you smile and that is never a bad thing.
RATING:
Straight Up #4
“Crap, crap crap.” Malcolm took the subway stairs two at a time, muttering under his breath.
He’d arranged the Thursday meeting with Chef Morgan at Lock & Key, expecting forty-five minutes would be plenty of time to commute up from Midtown. However, a mechanical problem had plagued his train and he’d spent the crawling ride exchanging messages with his mom, trying to get her to apply for job openings he’d found in the neighborhoods around Staten Island. Now Malcolm was nearly fifteen minutes late and almost sprinting along Broadway in his loafers and business casual duds, messenger bag bumping his hip.
Malcolm hated being late, particularly when it came to his job. He’d texted the chef with a heads-up he was running behind, but still felt wretched and unprofessional. He also knew this would make a poor impression on a man who had high expectations of the people around him. Stuart had been friendly—even charming—when he’d introduced himself to Malcolm, tattoos peeking out from beneath the chef’s white jacket. His demeanor had changed the moment the talk had turned to food, however, shifting into a thorough confidence that was reflected in the quality and plating of the food he’d put in front of Malcolm. Everything had been luscious—both esthetically and in taste—and Malcolm had known from the first bite that the chef and his staff at King’s would do impeccable work for the CEC fundraiser.
The steel in Stuart’s expression as he’d spoken about food and his work had reassured Malcolm. He understood how to interact with a man who was all business. He’d been less sure of how to handle the moments when Stuart had smiled at him, however, and the way that warmth had made his brown eyes dance. The chef’s touch had tingled against Malcolm’s skin when they’d bid each other goodbye, too and…well. Malcolm really didn’t know what to make of that.
He caught sight of a huge motorcycle parked by the curb as he neared Lock & Key and slowed to a walk. It was a beautiful machine, gleaming black and chrome in the late afternoon light, and Malcolm could imagine the kind of man who rode it, clad in a leather jacket with tattoos on full display.
I’ll bet Stuart Morgan wears a leather jacket.
Malcolm nearly tripped into Lock & Key’s door. Where the hell had that come from?
Seconds later his errant thought literally came to life and Malcolm blinked at the sight of the chef seated at Lock & Key’s bar, a tall glass of water in hand and motorcycle helmet by his elbow. Stuart wore a black leather jacket, just as Malcolm had imagined, and a scowl so mighty he looked almost like a stranger. Malcolm’s stomach flipped.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said in a rush. Moving quickly, Malcolm waved hello to the bartender, then pulled the strap of his bag over his head and stepped up beside Stuart. “I meant to be here to meet you, Chef, but the train—”
Stuart cut in, his voice gruff and grumpy as Malcolm had expected. “I get it. Public transportation sucks.”
“It’s unpredictable,” Malcolm replied. “Anyway, Under’s head bartender is waiting for us downstairs.”
“Downstairs?” Stuart waved at the room around them with one hand. “Downstairs from here?”
“Um, yeah. This is Lock & Key. Under’s located in the basement.”
“I thought you said the event would be happening on the roof?”
“It will be. Under and Lock & Key will be part of it, too though. Sort of.” Heat flashed over Malcolm’s cheeks when Stuart rolled his eyes. “Sorry, let’s …” He blew out a breath and squared his shoulders. “Let’s start again.”
Stuart’s expression softened by a degree. “Okay. I’m listening.”
Behind the Stick #3
Kyle McKee set down his gym bag and yoga mat and pulled up a seat at his gym’s juice bar. The class he’d taken had warmed his skin and stretched his muscles and joints to their limits. He felt like the world’s most relaxed slab of single New York man, which was good for Kyle’s state of mind. He’d been stressed lately, about his love life in particular. Because damn if every guy he’d been out with in the last two months hadn’t turned out to be a shitheel of epic proportions. So much so, Kyle had decided to stop dating entirely.
Eyes closed, Kyle forced away thoughts of dating catastrophes. He rolled his neck from side to side but peeled his lids open again when the chair on his left slid back and his friend Malcolm Elliot dropped into the seat. Malcolm gave Kyle a lazy grin. At six-three, he stood a few inches taller than Kyle, and he looked rosy-cheeked and loose limbed, his blue-gray eyes shining.
“I am a man-sized untwisted pretzel,” Malcolm said. “I’m not sure what that means, so don’t ask.”
“You’re yoga-stoned, dude.” Kyle smiled at Malcolm’s laugh.
“Is that a thing?”
“Totally a thing.”
Malcolm narrowed his eyes at Kyle. “You’re the one with the bloodshot eyes—what did you do after class?”
“Ugh, nothing but itch from allergies. Ragweed is my kryptonite.” Kyle pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, then nodded at the menu on the wall behind the counter. “What are you drinking?”
“I’ll do a Kale Storm with protein,” Malcolm said.
Kyle held up a hand when Malcolm reached for his wallet. “I’ll grab these—you paid last week.” He smiled at the barista who’d stepped up to take their order. “A Kale Storm with a protein powder shot and a Peanut Butter Baby with chia, please. You headed home after this?” he asked Malcolm.
Malcolm shook his head. “I’ve got errands to run. My kitchen has mysteriously emptied itself of food since my brother and his girlfriend came back to town. What about you?”
“I’m opening tonight, so I’ll just head to the bar. I have extra clothes at the office I can change into.” Kyle co-owned a speakeasy called Under with his friend Jesse Murtagh and, while he loved his job, the commute uptown from Chelsea to Morningside Heights could be a pain in the ass. He welcomed the option to skip extra stops when he could.
Malcolm ran his gaze over Kyle’s gray Henley and dark jeans. “You could always serve in what you’re wearing, you know. You’d blow Jesse’s mind.”
Kyle covered a theatrical gasp with one hand. “I would never!” His preference for black or dark gray clothing while working was a source of gentle teasing among his friends. “Seriously, I don’t feel like I’m working unless I’ve got my blacks on. I’ve done it for so long it’s just part of how I do my job.”
“Crap, crap crap.” Malcolm took the subway stairs two at a time, muttering under his breath.
He’d arranged the Thursday meeting with Chef Morgan at Lock & Key, expecting forty-five minutes would be plenty of time to commute up from Midtown. However, a mechanical problem had plagued his train and he’d spent the crawling ride exchanging messages with his mom, trying to get her to apply for job openings he’d found in the neighborhoods around Staten Island. Now Malcolm was nearly fifteen minutes late and almost sprinting along Broadway in his loafers and business casual duds, messenger bag bumping his hip.
Malcolm hated being late, particularly when it came to his job. He’d texted the chef with a heads-up he was running behind, but still felt wretched and unprofessional. He also knew this would make a poor impression on a man who had high expectations of the people around him. Stuart had been friendly—even charming—when he’d introduced himself to Malcolm, tattoos peeking out from beneath the chef’s white jacket. His demeanor had changed the moment the talk had turned to food, however, shifting into a thorough confidence that was reflected in the quality and plating of the food he’d put in front of Malcolm. Everything had been luscious—both esthetically and in taste—and Malcolm had known from the first bite that the chef and his staff at King’s would do impeccable work for the CEC fundraiser.
The steel in Stuart’s expression as he’d spoken about food and his work had reassured Malcolm. He understood how to interact with a man who was all business. He’d been less sure of how to handle the moments when Stuart had smiled at him, however, and the way that warmth had made his brown eyes dance. The chef’s touch had tingled against Malcolm’s skin when they’d bid each other goodbye, too and…well. Malcolm really didn’t know what to make of that.
He caught sight of a huge motorcycle parked by the curb as he neared Lock & Key and slowed to a walk. It was a beautiful machine, gleaming black and chrome in the late afternoon light, and Malcolm could imagine the kind of man who rode it, clad in a leather jacket with tattoos on full display.
I’ll bet Stuart Morgan wears a leather jacket.
Malcolm nearly tripped into Lock & Key’s door. Where the hell had that come from?
Seconds later his errant thought literally came to life and Malcolm blinked at the sight of the chef seated at Lock & Key’s bar, a tall glass of water in hand and motorcycle helmet by his elbow. Stuart wore a black leather jacket, just as Malcolm had imagined, and a scowl so mighty he looked almost like a stranger. Malcolm’s stomach flipped.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said in a rush. Moving quickly, Malcolm waved hello to the bartender, then pulled the strap of his bag over his head and stepped up beside Stuart. “I meant to be here to meet you, Chef, but the train—”
Stuart cut in, his voice gruff and grumpy as Malcolm had expected. “I get it. Public transportation sucks.”
“It’s unpredictable,” Malcolm replied. “Anyway, Under’s head bartender is waiting for us downstairs.”
“Downstairs?” Stuart waved at the room around them with one hand. “Downstairs from here?”
“Um, yeah. This is Lock & Key. Under’s located in the basement.”
“I thought you said the event would be happening on the roof?”
“It will be. Under and Lock & Key will be part of it, too though. Sort of.” Heat flashed over Malcolm’s cheeks when Stuart rolled his eyes. “Sorry, let’s …” He blew out a breath and squared his shoulders. “Let’s start again.”
Stuart’s expression softened by a degree. “Okay. I’m listening.”
Behind the Stick #3
Kyle McKee set down his gym bag and yoga mat and pulled up a seat at his gym’s juice bar. The class he’d taken had warmed his skin and stretched his muscles and joints to their limits. He felt like the world’s most relaxed slab of single New York man, which was good for Kyle’s state of mind. He’d been stressed lately, about his love life in particular. Because damn if every guy he’d been out with in the last two months hadn’t turned out to be a shitheel of epic proportions. So much so, Kyle had decided to stop dating entirely.
Eyes closed, Kyle forced away thoughts of dating catastrophes. He rolled his neck from side to side but peeled his lids open again when the chair on his left slid back and his friend Malcolm Elliot dropped into the seat. Malcolm gave Kyle a lazy grin. At six-three, he stood a few inches taller than Kyle, and he looked rosy-cheeked and loose limbed, his blue-gray eyes shining.
“I am a man-sized untwisted pretzel,” Malcolm said. “I’m not sure what that means, so don’t ask.”
“You’re yoga-stoned, dude.” Kyle smiled at Malcolm’s laugh.
“Is that a thing?”
“Totally a thing.”
Malcolm narrowed his eyes at Kyle. “You’re the one with the bloodshot eyes—what did you do after class?”
“I’ll do a Kale Storm with protein,” Malcolm said.
Kyle held up a hand when Malcolm reached for his wallet. “I’ll grab these—you paid last week.” He smiled at the barista who’d stepped up to take their order. “A Kale Storm with a protein powder shot and a Peanut Butter Baby with chia, please. You headed home after this?” he asked Malcolm.
Malcolm shook his head. “I’ve got errands to run. My kitchen has mysteriously emptied itself of food since my brother and his girlfriend came back to town. What about you?”
“I’m opening tonight, so I’ll just head to the bar. I have extra clothes at the office I can change into.” Kyle co-owned a speakeasy called Under with his friend Jesse Murtagh and, while he loved his job, the commute uptown from Chelsea to Morningside Heights could be a pain in the ass. He welcomed the option to skip extra stops when he could.
Malcolm ran his gaze over Kyle’s gray Henley and dark jeans. “You could always serve in what you’re wearing, you know. You’d blow Jesse’s mind.”
Kyle covered a theatrical gasp with one hand. “I would never!” His preference for black or dark gray clothing while working was a source of gentle teasing among his friends. “Seriously, I don’t feel like I’m working unless I’ve got my blacks on. I’ve done it for so long it’s just part of how I do my job.”
Most authors have a favorite character they've written, which of yours is one that never seems to quite leave your thoughts?
KEC: By turns, Carter Hamilton and Jesse Murtagh, both from the Tidal and Speakeasy series. They’re like two sides of a very odd coin. Recently, they’re sometimes joined by Mark Mannix, a character from the totally separate Stealing Hearts series. I feel equal parts relish and dread at the trouble Mark and Jesse Murtagh could get up to.
BV: Riley Porter-Wright from the Tidal and Speakeasy series will always be strongly in my thoughts. Maybe because he was the first character I really delved into in depth, but I feel like I know him so well. Lowell and Micah who are both from The Midwest series are also very prominent. I feel like I can slip very easily into their headspace with almost no effort. They’re both very strong personalities though so I think that’s part of it. They demand my attention. Riley is quieter and more polite about it but he’s definitely there.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
KEC: You actually can write more than one thing at a time!
BV: Get your shit together. It’s great to be creative and be inspired by new things but writing full time is a business as well and it’s important to pick your priorities and stick with them. A scattered approach just leads to frustration and getting less work done.
As a writer, what do you think would make your perfect mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
KEC: A cute and slightly dorky dog like Dodger, Chris Evans’ mutt.
BV: An otter! They always seem so curious about the world and inquisitive and fun.
In films/television many scenes end up on the cutting room floor for dozens of reasons, once you/publisher hit "print/upload" do you find many scenes "left behind"? If yes, do you keep them as website/blog extras or do you forget and/or delete them?
KEC: I hoard them and, now and then, find the file they’re saved in and read them. Sometimes I repurpose them in new stories or scenes, and pieces from one ended up in a short extra scene that went out for free.
BV: Yes, I keep them in a word doc and do something very similar to what K Evan does. If it’s just a good line or two, they get reworked into something new. If it’s a scene that was great but didn’t work for the flow of the book, I’ll post them in my Facebook fan group. I just did that recently, actually.
Is there a book from your childhood/teen years that influenced you as both a reader and a writer? Perhaps not influenced so much but no matter how old you get you'll always have a copy in your bookcase?
KEC: I’ve reread William Gibson’s Neuromancer more times than I can remember, and I’ve never grown tired of it.
BV: Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin. I read it in college and for some reason the words just stuck in my brain. She has this amazing lyrical yet sparse way of writing and it really inspired me. And the story is so complex with multiple storylines woven together and it blows me away every time I read it.
KEC: By turns, Carter Hamilton and Jesse Murtagh, both from the Tidal and Speakeasy series. They’re like two sides of a very odd coin. Recently, they’re sometimes joined by Mark Mannix, a character from the totally separate Stealing Hearts series. I feel equal parts relish and dread at the trouble Mark and Jesse Murtagh could get up to.
BV: Riley Porter-Wright from the Tidal and Speakeasy series will always be strongly in my thoughts. Maybe because he was the first character I really delved into in depth, but I feel like I know him so well. Lowell and Micah who are both from The Midwest series are also very prominent. I feel like I can slip very easily into their headspace with almost no effort. They’re both very strong personalities though so I think that’s part of it. They demand my attention. Riley is quieter and more polite about it but he’s definitely there.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
KEC: You actually can write more than one thing at a time!
BV: Get your shit together. It’s great to be creative and be inspired by new things but writing full time is a business as well and it’s important to pick your priorities and stick with them. A scattered approach just leads to frustration and getting less work done.
As a writer, what do you think would make your perfect mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
KEC: A cute and slightly dorky dog like Dodger, Chris Evans’ mutt.
BV: An otter! They always seem so curious about the world and inquisitive and fun.
In films/television many scenes end up on the cutting room floor for dozens of reasons, once you/publisher hit "print/upload" do you find many scenes "left behind"? If yes, do you keep them as website/blog extras or do you forget and/or delete them?
KEC: I hoard them and, now and then, find the file they’re saved in and read them. Sometimes I repurpose them in new stories or scenes, and pieces from one ended up in a short extra scene that went out for free.
BV: Yes, I keep them in a word doc and do something very similar to what K Evan does. If it’s just a good line or two, they get reworked into something new. If it’s a scene that was great but didn’t work for the flow of the book, I’ll post them in my Facebook fan group. I just did that recently, actually.
Is there a book from your childhood/teen years that influenced you as both a reader and a writer? Perhaps not influenced so much but no matter how old you get you'll always have a copy in your bookcase?
KEC: I’ve reread William Gibson’s Neuromancer more times than I can remember, and I’ve never grown tired of it.
BV: Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin. I read it in college and for some reason the words just stuck in my brain. She has this amazing lyrical yet sparse way of writing and it really inspired me. And the story is so complex with multiple storylines woven together and it blows me away every time I read it.
Saturday's Series Spotlight
K. Evan Coles is a mother and tech pirate by day and a writer by night. She is a dreamer who, with a little hard work and a lot of good coffee, coaxes words out of her head and onto paper.
K. lives in the northeast United States, where she complains bitterly about the winters, but truly loves the region and its diverse, tenacious and deceptively compassionate people. You’ll usually find K. nerding out over books, movies and television with friends and family. She’s especially proud to be raising her son as part of a new generation of unabashed geeks.
K.’s books explore LGBTQ+ romance in contemporary settings.
Brigham Vaughn
Brigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.Her books range from short stories to novellas. They explore gay, lesbian, and polyamorous romance in contemporary settings.
To stay up to date on her latest releases, sign up for the Coles & Vaughn Newsletter.
K Evan Coles
GOOGLE PLAY / BOOKBUB / B&N
EMAIL: coles.k.evan@gmail.com
Brigham Vaughn
SMASHWORDS / PINTEREST / SCRIBd / B&N
EMAIL: brighamvaughn@gmail.com
Straight Up #4
Behind the Stick #3
AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / B&N
KOBO / iTUNES / GOOGLE PLAY
PRIDE PUBLISHING / GOODREADS TBR
The Speakeasy
KOBO / iTUNES / GOOGLE PLAY
KOBO / iTUNES / GOOGLE PLAY
PRIDE PUBLISHING / GOODREADS TBR
The Speakeasy
KOBO / iTUNES / GOOGLE PLAY
