Today I am so pleased to welcome Pia Foxhall to Joyfully Jay. Pia has come to share an exclusive excerpt from their latest release, The Gentle Wolf. They have also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving Pia a big welcome!

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Excerpt

‘Aodhan, your sister came to visit me. She brought the rest of the family documentation from the shed.’

‘Oh,’ Aodhan said. A wave of confusion washed over him. ‘Was she kind of a pill? She can be a bit much sometimes.’

‘She told me some things that she shouldn’t have told me.’

Confusion gave way to dread. Without thinking about it, without needing to try, Aodhan felt his expression give way to something easy and accepting. As though what was about to happen would be fine. Did she tell Thomas about their father being at Moreland? Surely she wouldn’t do that.

Except after their last conversation, Aodhan didn’t know anymore.

‘I’m so sorry. I am so, so sorry,’ Thomas said. ‘But I know, Aodhan. I know about Odhran and what he did. I know about why you left Australia in the first place. I know your family didn’t believe you.’

A lifetime of practice gave him the ability to make it seem like nothing had happened. He knew the expression on his face looked normal, even pleasant. He knew his body didn’t tense. He didn’t react to the news like it was a nightmare or even a flashback, even though it dropped through him as heavily as they did. And he stood there feeling like Thomas was further away than ever, even though he was right there.

‘Trust Iona to do that, right?’ Aodhan said, hearing how smooth his voice was, and there, he was smiling too. Like they were in on some joke.

It wasn’t a normal way to react, but he couldn’t make himself stop.

‘It’s fine,’ Aodhan heard himself say. ‘I mean, I wish she hadn’t done that, and I’m sorry you had to hear that, but it’s fine. Was there anything else you wanted to do tonight? We could shift together if you wanted?’

From the horror on Thomas’ face, he knew he wasn’t reacting the right way. He couldn’t make himself stop. He wished Thomas would play along with it. He wished Thomas understood this was a performance, they both had to pretend everything was fine. If they did it well enough, Aodhan would feel like Little Star hadn’t become the coldest, emptiest point in the city.

Please, please pretend, he willed.

But the look on Thomas’ face told him he’d have to find another way to manage the fallout, and Aodhan didn’t have another way to manage it. He’d never come up with a game plan for this moment.

No one else was ever supposed to find out.


Blurb

gentle wolf coverPerth 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.


Bio

pia foxhall bio photoPia 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!


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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!

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