Chasing Risks by Maria Ann Green
Publication date: May 22nd, 2020
Synopsis (according to Goodreads):
Eleonora--Ellie or Nora or Leo, depending on who's calling her name at the moment--has the exact life she wants. No really, she does. She couldn't be happier with her job at the bar she owns wiht her best friend or her fantastic sex life with her boyfriend, Lucas. Or... with her girlfriend Theo. Hey, she never said it wasn't complicated, just that she couldn't picture it any other way.
And, that's not to say that Ellie doesn't have struggles. Being proudly bisexual and openly polyamarouns, she knows what it's like to be judged, to be written off immediately by a lot of people. She's used to it, though. So when Quincy walks into her bar--and then into her bed--she expects just that, a judgment and a fast goodbye. But somehow this gorgeous woman takes Ellie as she is, with all the baggage. And Quincy even wants more.
But Ellie isn't sure she has the time for more, for another set of feelings to consider. There are only so many hours in a day. Plus, she's not the only one who has opinions about Quincy. Lucas understands, he's always been the easygoing one. But Theo is pissed, and her jealousy flames higher and higher, threatening to burn Ellie's whole life down with it. And she does have a point, she's known Ellie a hell of a lot longer. So who is Quincy to walk in and take away more time from Theo and Lucas when their schedule had been working so well?
Who is Quincy to Ellie, and is she worth risking everything for? Because that's just it. If Ellie can't find a balance, find a way to juggle it all and keep everyone happy, then taking the risk could cost her the love her life.
*Content Warning: sex and lots of it--of both the hetero and queer variety, and language*
If you like erotic romances, diverse and strong-willed characters then Chasing Risks might be your next favorite book. It represents the bisexual babes and polyamorous peeps, with a few laughs and some serious swoons. It'll keep you up way too late, reading just one more chapter all night.
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Excerpt
"And for you, beautiful?" I say to the blonde--a goddamn bombshell--as she sits on the stool in front of me.
The waves of her hair are glossy, like she just came from a photoshoot, and her lips may be even more kissable looking than Lucas's.
"What would you recommend?" she asks me, and her voice is like bells ringing in my ears. It's soft and sweet and as light as the air outside. Not the air in here--it's heavy and oppressive in here on the best of nights, with scents of dancing bodies and beer spilled on the floor.
Gross.
But this one, she's a breath of mint and intrigue through cool clouds.
"Well," I start. It's not often on a Tuesday night that anyone takes the time to ask for my advice on what to order. "Tell me first, do you play it safe, or do you prefer to go big?"
She smiles, and I swear I've never been more thankful to be standing behind the bar. I don't think I'd trust myself on the other side--but back here there's plenty other things to look at, to focus on, rather than her tentative smile. A little crooked.
There's a fluttering in my chest, and I have to put my palms down on the shining bar for a second, but I cock my head to the side a moment later in what I hope is a distraction from my head rush.
Her eyes light as she leans forward, her neckline dipping below the horizon of the bar. Not that I'm looking.
I won't look at her tits. I won't look. I won't...
And then I do.
Damn.
She may be thin, but damn, her chest is perfect. Perky and porcelain with just a hint of body glitter drawing my eyes even lower. Lower, lower, lower.
"I don't think I've ever gone home," she says, forcing my gaze to snap back up to her honey-colored eyes. Right. Yes. I asked her a question.
"S-so, big it is," I stammer.
The waves of her hair are glossy, like she just came from a photoshoot, and her lips may be even more kissable looking than Lucas's.
"What would you recommend?" she asks me, and her voice is like bells ringing in my ears. It's soft and sweet and as light as the air outside. Not the air in here--it's heavy and oppressive in here on the best of nights, with scents of dancing bodies and beer spilled on the floor.
Gross.
But this one, she's a breath of mint and intrigue through cool clouds.
"Well," I start. It's not often on a Tuesday night that anyone takes the time to ask for my advice on what to order. "Tell me first, do you play it safe, or do you prefer to go big?"
She smiles, and I swear I've never been more thankful to be standing behind the bar. I don't think I'd trust myself on the other side--but back here there's plenty other things to look at, to focus on, rather than her tentative smile. A little crooked.
There's a fluttering in my chest, and I have to put my palms down on the shining bar for a second, but I cock my head to the side a moment later in what I hope is a distraction from my head rush.
Her eyes light as she leans forward, her neckline dipping below the horizon of the bar. Not that I'm looking.
I won't look at her tits. I won't look. I won't...
And then I do.
Damn.
She may be thin, but damn, her chest is perfect. Perky and porcelain with just a hint of body glitter drawing my eyes even lower. Lower, lower, lower.
"I don't think I've ever gone home," she says, forcing my gaze to snap back up to her honey-colored eyes. Right. Yes. I asked her a question.
"S-so, big it is," I stammer.
About the Author:
Maria lives in Minnesota despite the frozen winters. Actually, she prefers snow drifts and icicles over summer and all that sweat running everywhere. She lives with her husband and little family, which includes a couple lazy cats who make great lap warmers. You can usually find her wishing that she lived in a secret cabin in the woods where she could be a hermit reading and writing all of the time. Instead she lives the suburban life where she pretends to her neighbors and the other moms around that she doesn't swear like a sailor, have hidden tattoos, and love a good glass bottle of wine. She absolutely believes in unicorns and ghosts and hopes vampires and monsters are real too. She's a coffee-in-the-morning and wine-in-the-evening kind of person, preferably with a nap in between. Maria prefers cats over dogs, books over people, and late nights over early mornings. She probably shouldn't talk to anyone until she's had her first cup of coffee. And if you ever want to hang out with her, you'll have to be game for a horror movie or just a quick run to target for two (hundred) little things. Also, you couldn't pay her to be in her twenties again; Thirties is where it's at. She's a creative, mouthy, introverted, proud bisexual, highly-sensitive INFJ, Slytherpuff, dork with a sweet-tooth.
Maria devours books, reading mostly in bed or listening to audio books in the car. Writing has been one of her passions for pretty much her whole life. So creativity is a necessity for her, always. After working in the mental health field for almost a decade, she's now living her dream as a stay-at-home writer, kiddo wrangler, professional snuggler, and constantly-tired-person. When it comes to her writing, she specializes in dark and twisted thrillers or gritty, angsty contemporary romances. But no matter the genre, she always prefers writing deeply flawed characters with dysfunctional relationships. She's pretty sure the whole "unlikable character" thing is a conspiracy because every character she loves have been labeled this way. Ridiculous. And because of this, she's pretty much found it impossible to write anything without at least a little mayhem.
Maria was once told she painted with her words, and that phrase stuck with her--because writing really is an art, and good stories are true masterpieces. She's always trying to grow and improve in her craft, shooting for a masterpiece of her own someday. And she plans to write forever because writing gives Maria the ability to disappear into new worlds and create people within twisting plots, all from the comfort of her couch. She will always believe that though not every story is for her, and her stories aren't for everyone, every story has a reader.
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