When Are You? by Addison Albright Blog Tour

They have to find him... but how?

A former member of an elite military special forces unit, Leo Bailey can handle anything life throws at him. Except maybe approaching a certain gorgeous, purple mohawk-wearing, heavily pierced artist. Not without his three eye-rolling wingmen along to push him in the right direction.

One look at the mouthwateringly muscled, military buzzcut-sporting man with the endearing blush, and Vincent Noland is in love. Or at least in lust. Love comes later. Then marriage... and sweet, adorable Oscar.

Life is perfect – the stuff of fairy tale happily ever afters – except for Arthur Fletcher, whose unsettling reactions to them threaten to upset the happy balance of their lives. But it isn’t Arthur who throws their lives into turmoil.

A freak event causes Oscar to go missing and leaves both men frantic to rescue their son. As they piece together the clues, they discover that Oscar isn’t somewhere. He’s somewhen. And Arthur Fletcher holds the key – or rather the glass beads – to their one chance of finding Oscar.

Will Leo’s training, Vinnie’s determination, and Arthur’s knowledge help them find Oscar, or is the little boy doomed to spend the rest of his life at the mercy of a primitive civilization? Could there be a third possibility?

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They reached the quivering wall of air and rushed through it to the sound of the old woman on the bench screaming as their shoes found purchase on the park’s pervious rubber pathway, and they surged forward… then tumbled headlong onto the surface as the counterweight they’d been pulling vanished.

Leo grunted as his forearms scraped along the path. He stared uncomprehendingly at the stroller’s handlebar, still clutched in one hand. The handlebar and about six inches of pole on either side ending with a clean cut.

Leo gaped, unblinking and breathing heavily, at the path behind them. The wavering air… it was gone. The air was normal.

The woman hadn’t stopped screaming. Vinnie was panting— hyperventilating? —and snatching at bits of light green fabric that matched the stroller’s canopy.

“Oscar?” Leo’s voice came out in a squeak. Louder, he repeated, “Oscar?” He sat up and scanned the area. An unrelenting hand clutched his heart. Squeezed it. Squelched it. Liquified it. Oscar was gone. The entire stroller, other than the handlebar, was… gone.

Leo shoved his sunglasses to the top of his head. His breath caught in his throat, and he looked around again. He shouted, “Oscar!”

“No, no, no, no…” Vinnie chanted as he stumbled to his feet and spun around, fruitlessly looking everywhere… anywhere. He snatched another bit of green fabric floating on the air. “No, no, no, no… this isn’t happening.”

“Oscar!” Leo yelled again. His stomach lurched, threatening to heave because their actions were pointless. Wherever they’d been, that’s where Oscar still was. The portal had snapped shut, cutting them off, but every cell in Leo’s body screamed in denial of this reality. “Oscaaaaar!”

The woman stopped shrieking but sucked in rattling breaths behind her hands that now covered her face. Behind them on the path, voices broke through Leo’s focus.

“Oh, my God, did you see that?”

“What the hell just happened?”

“They just disappeared… into… thin air.”

“What happened to the kid?”

“Somebody call 9-1-1!”

In the field, the people who’d been kicking soccer balls had stilled and were staring, wide-eyed. Vinnie crumpled to the ground, hugged his knees to his chest, bits of green fabric clutched in his hands, and rocked. Leo barely heard Vinnie’s words as they tore his heart in two. “No, no, no, no…”

Leo doubled over and retched. He’d failed Oscar. He’d failed Vinnie. He’d failed. Utterly and completely failed.

He hadn’t cried since middle school, but a garbled sob escaped him now. He dragged a forearm across his mouth and turned back toward where the wavy air had been. “Oscaaaaar!”

“Where did it go?” Vinnie choked on a rattling sob of his own. “Where did it go? We’ve got to go back and get him! Where did it go?”

Leo lifted his face to the sky. “Oscaaaaar!”

The faintest of echoes was the only answer to Leo’s agonized plea.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆☆
While I’m not a big fan of time travel romances, the majority (and possibly all) of my exposure has been in the M/F romance genre. That said, I am a big fan of Addison Albright’s writing and thought I’d take a chance and dip my toes into M/M time travel romances. While I wasn’t sure what to expect, I am beyond pleased that I decided to give When Are You? a go.

Albright is one of those authors who writes time jumps well and that skill paid off in Leo, Vinnie, and Oscar’s story. The book begins with Leo and Vinnie’s meet-cute, which was so grin-inducing that my face is still sore. Readers are then treated to some of the more significant moments in Leo’s and Vinnie’s – and eventually, Oscar’s – lives. For me, this allowed me to fall in love with and to connect with the characters and care about them in such a way that when Oscar disappeared, I felt Leo and Vinnie’s confusion, horror, devastation, and grief, as well as their determination to get their son back.

Could this story have been longer? Yes, I’m sure Albright could have added more scenes showing how Leo and Vinnie’s relationship developed, the early years of their marriage, them deciding to become parents, and Oscar’s entry into their family. There was plenty for the author to expand upon and turn this into a much-longer book, but the romance between Leo and Vinnie, while pivotal, was not the driving force of the story – at least not to me it wasn’t. I felt the real focus of When Are You? was the length to which two fathers would go to insure their son grow up happy and to keep their family intact. I’m trying very hard not to give out details about the actual story as I feel potential readers should be able to experience Leo and Vinnie’s journey for themselves.

On a final note, I’ll be forthcoming and say I didn’t expect to give this story five stars, largely because I didn’t expect that I would want to re-read it after I knew how their time travel played out, assuming the element of surprise would be gone. However, I’m dying to read it again already to see what clues I may have missed on the first read through, hence the five well-earned stars. Not only did Albright keep me guessing, keep me entertained, and made me a bit weepy eyed, but she also left me wanting to check out more m/m time travel romances.

Addison Albright is a writer living in the middle of the USA. Her stories are gay (sometimes erotic) romance in contemporary, fantasy, and paranormal genres. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, french fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

Connect with Addison

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of When Are You? by Addison Albright to read and review for this tour.

The Best-Laid Plans by Addison Albright Release Blitz

A death that wasn’t what it seemed...
A kidnapping that isn’t what it seems...
Time is running out.

The morning after his wedding night, Prince Marcelo thought he’d be embarking on a journey to his own personal fairytale happily ever after with his husband Efren, the crown prince of Zioneven. But when news arrives indicating his sister’s death wasn’t as accidental as previously thought, that journey becomes fraught with danger.

Enmeshed in political intrigue, death, and a kidnapping that might not be what it seems, will Efren untangle the web of misleading clues in time to save the naïve young man he’s already come to admire? Or will Marcelo dig deep to discover a previously untapped inner strength and determination to facilitate his own survival?

Book 2
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Efren

Efren blinked rapidly as he came awake with a start. He stared into the darkness and mentally shook the cobwebs from his mind. What had awoken him? Marcelo lay softly breathing in his arms, as relaxed and peaceful as only the innocent can truly be.

Around him, the night was silent. Too silent? He strained to hear the patrols rustling through the grasses, or the faint trills of their signals to each other.

A breeze swirled through the branches of the trees in the distance, rippling the leaves. Crickets chirped, apparently unconcerned about whatever either was or wasn’t going on in the meadow.

And footsteps. Quiet, approaching footsteps. It must be time for the shift change. That’s what had awoken him. Efren relaxed and nestled Marcelo tighter against him. One at a time, the guards would come in and wake their replacements.

Except—Efren tensed, then maneuvered his arm out from under Marcelo’s head and eased himself from under the blankets—the footsteps, furtively stopping and restarting, were approaching from multiple directions.

Efren shivered as goosebumps rose on his naked skin in the chilled night air and soundlessly slipped his broadsword and knife from their leather scabbard. He glanced at Marcelo, still sleeping, although less serenely with the sudden loss of the warm body next to him.

Guilt pinged his core as he shook off a strong desire to waken and forewarn Marcelo, but he pushed it down. Marcelo, completely untrained in warfare, would be safer in here. He seemed a heavy sleeper, likely incorporating outside noises into his dreams, unused to a need to be readily alert. He might even doze through the skirmish.

Or was that just wishful thinking? Because there’d be no hope that Marcelo could escape unseen, if it came to that.

Surely it would be better for such an innocent to be killed in his sleep, or with scarcely a brief moment of shock beforehand than to spend minutes quaking in terror, unable to defend himself.

Efren shook off his doubts and quickly pushed out the weighty flap, sword raised ready, and opened his mouth to yell an alert to awaken any of his warriors who hadn’t already sensed the looming danger, same as he had. But the breath he drew to strengthen his voice instead choked him.

He’d never before smelled these fumes, but the pungent, wet-dog odor had been described to him. The material of their tents was heavily treated to keep the toxin producing that odor from permeating the walls and closed flaps.

Icy apprehension slithered across Efren’s skin before settling in the pit of his gut. This was a completely unexpected development. The alchemists from the kingdom of Proye who’d developed this toxin—and unfailingly guarded the recipe—called it “Knockout.”

As Efren’s sword arm dropped, followed swiftly by his eyes rolling back in his head and his body slumping in a boneless crumple, a corner of his brain recognized how fittingly it was named, and hoped that enough of it had entered the tent through the briefly opened flap that Marcelo would succumb before Proye agents executed whatever they had planned. They’d been married for less than two days, and already he’d failed his innocent, young husband.

Copyright 2019 Addison Albright

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This follows on directly from The Contingency Plan, and you really do need to read it to understand the dynamics and the reasoning behind much of what happens in this installment.

Efren is very excited to be taking his new spouse back to his kingdom. Even though Prince Marcelo has obviously not been educated, he is clearly smart, and would seem to be as interested in Efren as he is in him. Life is looking good, but as always enemies threaten the peace.

In an adventure worthy of any of the classic fantasy tales of knights errant are derring-do, this story manages to convey the tension, and the environment using sparse words, but plenty of action to give the sense of the time and the place. Where there is description it is used wisely and Albright's writing imparts all the emotions with perfect emphasis.

Writing a really good short story is a skill possessed by few – I am delighted to say that Addison Albright is one of those few.


Angela – ☆☆☆☆☆
I cannot even begin to express the absolute delight I felt when I learned that Addison Albright had written a sequel to The Contingency Plan. I absolutely adored Prince Marcelo and his honest reactions to being thrust into a marriage designed to seal a peace treaty between his country of Sheburat and his soon-to-be husband’s country of Zioneven. A marriage that was supposed to be between his twin sister and Prince Efren. A marriage that suddenly elevated him from a relative no one as a rare royal son in a matriarchal society to an individual of utmost importance as his marriage would be the first of its kind for Sheburat and cement the peace between the two kingdoms. I enjoyed The Contingency Plan so much that I actually went to the author’s website to read bonus scenes from the book, which is something I almost never do. So, the joy and happiness were accompanied by grabby hands upon my discovery of The Best-Laid Plans.

True to the format of the first installment, The Best-Laid Plans is set over the course of two (maybe three) days and picks up the morning after the royal wedding. But before the newlyweds can begin their journey to Zioneven, Albright ratchets up the tension with the discovery that Princess Marcela’s death wasn’t accidental after all… and that the responsible party isn’t done trying to prevent peace between the kingdoms. And that’s pretty much all I’m going to say about the specifics because I don’t want to spoil the adventure for other readers.

Albright does such a wonderful job of making Marcelo seem real. His feelings of inadequacy as he compares himself to others, especially his husband, was a little heartbreaking. Were it not for his fierce determination to expand his knowledge and develop new skills to be better prepared for his new life, Marcelo’s self-doubt might have tainted the story a bit for me. But it’s his unwillingness to let his self-identified shortcomings define him that made the self-doubt easier to read. Marcelo’s ability to constantly surprise others had me grinning more than once, even when the scene wasn’t particularly pleasant. His determination and resourcefulness were sources of major character growth over such a short period of time. Unlike book one, Albright gives us Efren’s point of view as well and it not only makes the story even richer, but it left me feeling as though I knew and understood him better as well. At the end of The Contingency Plan, I loved Marcelo and liked Efren, but at the end of The Best-Laid Plans, I loved both men. I can only hope that Albright is inspired to write another sequel because I NEED to know how Marcelo is adjusting to life in Zioneven and see how the couple continues to grow.

Also Available in the Plans Series

Book 1
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JMS Books

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on The Contingency Plan Release Blitz.

Addison Albright is a writer living in the middle of the USA. Her stories are gay (sometimes erotic) romance in contemporary, fantasy, and paranormal genres. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, french fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

Connect with Addison

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Best-Laid Plans (Plans #2) by Addison Albright to read and review for this tour.

The Choice by Addison Albright Blog Tour

As a freshly turned vampire, Neil had frozen in panic when he’d found himself face-to-face with his ex-boyfriend, Cameron. Neil thought that misstep and its associated danger was all in the past, but Cameron’s current boyfriend, Dennis, is like a dog with a bone, and a keen imagination. When the two men’s curiosity progresses to the point the vampires consider their secrecy to be endangered, choices must be made.

Now that faction leader Albert has a blood-mate, he finds himself second-guessing his decisions. Neil would be crushed knowing his mistake led to human deaths, but Albert shouldn’t factor that into the difficult choices he must make. Will Albert’s indecision put the entire vampire establishment in danger? Or is redemption only a flamethrower away?

Book 2
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JMS Books

Neil closed his eyes and bit back a whimper. He’d been so happy these past months loving Albert, a man—vampire—that in many ways he barely knew, yet somehow he could see and truly understand the man’s fundamental essence. Albert’s core…what made him tick. Although Neil wasn’t party to many of the details of faction business, he had made friends among the vampires, and he and Albert frequently socialized with other vamps of all “ages” and levels within the faction. Among their fellow moviegoers tonight had been one of the faction’s team leaders on one end of the scale, and a delivery driver on the other. Albert treated them all with the same respect and caring as he would likely give to fellow faction leaders or council members. If there was something within Albert’s power that would make life more enjoyable for his people without risking their safety, he did it.

Albert might have black blood flowing through his veins, but he didn’t have a black heart…he had a heart of gold. Neil knew that with every fiber of his being. But he also knew that Albert had to untangle ethical dilemmas that would make most people quake in dismay. At least, the good ones would flinch away from those concerns. Those with hearts steeped in foul malevolence would relish the decisions Albert faced.

Two men’s lives hung in the balance on one side of the scale versus a calculated risk to the lives of all vampires worldwide. Albert’s hand at Neil’s back steadied him as he wobbled. Neil reopened his eyes and stared into Albert’s.

It was as if Albert could read his mind. The look in the man’s eyes screamed that he understood Neil’s pain and would shoulder it if only he could.

Neil’s sorrow centered on knowing that two human lives were on the line because of his own screw-up. The downside to perfect recall was that he would never be able to forget his failure that day when he’d first been trusted out on his own as a fairly new vampire, delivering packages for the faction’s delivery service. He still had the occasional nightmare, reliving it…



The click of a door opening, and a light bark accompanied by the sound of footsteps, alerted Neil to a dog on the landing above him, heading down to be walked. This would be a little trickier than the incident this morning, since they’d be crossing paths in a narrow passageway, but he had his head in the right space now. He could deal with this.

He straightened confidently and slapped on a friendly smile. The dog came into view first, and Neil stutter-stepped, then froze when the man walking the Boston terrier—Hobbs was the dog’s name—came into view.

Hobbs whimpered but at least he didn’t try to dash in the opposite direction. Not that trying to bury himself in Cameron Ferguson’s shoes was much better. What the hell was his ex doing in this building? Cam ground to a halt and stared with his mouth hanging open.

Which was Neil’s own damned fault for freezing and looking guilty, because the changes to his appearance had surprised even himself for the first few days, any time he’d caught sight of his reflection in a mirror. It would not have jumped out at Cam if Neil had managed to keep his cool.

“Oh, my God. Phillip? I heard you died.”

Cam moved as if to embrace him, and Neil finally—fucking finally—broke out of his trance for damage control.



So yeah, it had been Neil’s mistake. If he’d kept his cool, given a disinterested nod or “how’s it goin’?” then Cam wouldn’t have taken a second look in his direction.

“Okay,” Neil whispered, since Albert seemed to be waiting for some sign that he had his emotions under control.

Albert tipped up Neil’s chin for a brief, gentle kiss that spoke more of his love for Neil than words could have done. Albert’s finger traced Neil’s jawline, while his eyes begged for understanding. Then he opened the door, and they stepped into the apartment.

The room, like the hall and stairs leading to it, was unlike most of the vampire-owned apartment buildings. At least, it was unlike the ones Neil had visited. This building was a loft conversion that had once been something else—a small warehouse or office building perhaps. The point that stood out to Neil was the highly polished concrete floor. The better to easily clean up DNA should the need arise?

Cameron and Dennis sat peacefully on steel stools in the otherwise-unfurnished vestibule. Doorways to the living areas were closed. If Neil were to guess, he’d say those doors contained heavy-duty soundproofing—a buffer between the apartment’s entryway and the outside walls and windows.

Cameron looked much the same as Neil remembered him. His dirty blond hair was subtly highlighted and cut short. Dennis had thick, straight, light brown hair, longer than Cameron’s, especially on top. Both pairs of brown eyes stared obliviously.

Four others stood waiting. Two men and two women. Vampires, obviously, although Neil wouldn’t have guessed that by their appearances, only by the fact they were there.

Albert quickly made the introductions. April and Lester had been on the street following them and communicating with Albert. Vinny and Bridget lived here.

“They’re prepped?” Albert asked.

Vinny nodded.

Albert glanced at Neil. “We have a tendency to inadvertently, and quite literally, scare the piss out of people, so it makes sense to have them ‘go’ while still under the influence.”

Neil winced. That did seem like a wise move, though, whether it was so the two could walk away inconspicuously or to minimize potential DNA on the scene.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆
The Choice is the second installment of The Faction series. While I doubt it would be difficult or confusing to read as a standalone, I do suggest reading The Recruit first to get more of the story.

In this installment, Neil is a delivery driver, who accidentally comes upon his ex-boyfriend, who immediately recognizes him even with the disguise and name change. This puts the Faction at risk, and Albert must take precautions.

The ex and his new boyfriend are watched to make sure they don't go looking for Neil, but obviously their minds immediately jump to vampires, which means they are a problem that must be dealt with.

While this was an interesting premise, which made me enjoy this installment more than the first, entertainment-wise, the story itself is still missing key pieces to make it a cohesive read. There is zero emotion, the scenes are not developed, nor are the characters.

The world-building is a bit of a letdown. Vampires are nothing special. They don't bite people, nor do they experience any pleasure or enjoyment (think of us eating cake after dieting, we would at least ENJOY it on an innocent level). They have no special gifts, and the conversion takes less than a second and done. The only thing that is interesting is how they recruit others.

There is no romance, no steam, no flirting or banter, which would be fine if the series didn't feature a thousand-year-old vampire and his Blood Mate, who was over thirty human years at conversion. Their interactions are more befitting for young adult, of characters beneath age sixteen. Everything is moralistic in the extreme, where they don't bite because that's inhuman, or turn anyone against their will, only the dying who fit into a role, yet have no issue murdering humans that learn of the existence of the Faction, which is a bit hypocritical and bizarre. For me, I need flaws and strife, a bit of depth, to make a read realistic, even paranormal in nature.

There is no emotion, intimacy, nor connection. We're just told with a sentence here or there that they are blood mates and that's it.

While the novellas are written well without any editing issues, without some depth, without it feeling as if a checkbox has been clicked, and without everything being so 'perfect,' I will not be continuing on with this series.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is an odd sequel or serial because while it doesn’t really continue to develop Albert and Neil’s relationship, it also doesn’t offer a second couple for readers to engage with. Some months on from the first book and Neil and Albert are enjoying perfect domestic bliss. Because of the bloodmatch thing, Neil and Albert will apparently experience domestic bliss for the rest of eternity. Which is great – but not very entertaining.

Conflict in this story comes from Neil’s ex-boyfriend and his new partner digging into Neil’s past and present. Albert must make a decision about the two men’s futures and the risks they pose to the vampire community.

Much like the first book, this story moves quickly and relies on tired tropes. There is very little character development and I didn’t find myself invested enough in Dennis or Cameron to care what happened to them. After two books, I’m still not sure I know Neil or Albert terribly well and I don’t really have any desire to know them better.

All sorts of world building has been borrowed from various Urban Fantasy series in these books and I found myself more engaged with matching concepts to original creators than I was with the actual stories. This isn’t a favourite series and finishing this second story was hard work.

The Recruit

Albert Manlii has walked this earth for more than two thousand years, but survival on his own was never easy. Now he leads a faction of highly organized vampires who carefully guard the secret of their existence. Unlike the old days, potential recruits are carefully selected and presented with an offer.

Phillip Brewer has weeks to live – if he lets his disease run its course. He doesn’t want to die, but given a choice, will his desire to live outweigh his concerns about the vampires’ ethics?

When the new recruit’s missteps are cause for concern, can Albert control the fallout, or will Phillip’s life once again be torn apart?

Book 1
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JMS Books
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆
Addison Albright is a new-to-me author. The Recruit is the first in The Faction series.

The Recruit was a super fast, not too deep novella that I read in under an hour.

At the start, Albert shows how the Faction goes about recruiting new vampires, where they must be of a specific age and look to fill a role needed in the group, as they cycle their identities and professions. Choosing Phillip, who is dying of terminal cancer, Albert feels a spark.

The whole of the novella is Phillip's transformation into Neil, and I don't mean the transition from human to vampire, as that took less than a second and less than a sentence. which was anticlimactic in the extreme. Neil's diction, clothing, and profession as a delivery man.

The world-building is quick and simple, not explained or shown. The romance is instant fated mates. Blood Mates. Yet a blood mate is not explained, nor does anything have to happen metaphysically to tie them together. The romance is just accepted from the start, no hot and steamy on the pages. I need to add that there isn't even any fade-to-black action. It's nonexistent in the romance, intimacy, and physical. The author tells us it exists a sentence here or there thrown in, but there is nothing shown whatsoever on the pages. Most important to me was some sort of emotional intimacy, but then again, Neil and Albert don't show any emotions.

To be quite frank, while this was a quick read, with no editing issues, and was easy to follow and fall into the story, there wasn't much depth to capture my attention. It felt like a checklist of things, which meant the emotions were missing.

As for Phillip turned Neil, who was a thirty-something with terminal cancer... he fit into the Faction because of his age and maturity. His age and condition would have matured him, yet he comes off as an adolescent throughout the pages and the next installment, perhaps younger at times in his actions/reactions. Like jumping at a noise, then running into Albert's arms to shudder like a spooked puppy. This comes off as someone decades younger, without living experience, and it made it difficult for me to take him seriously.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is pretty much a paint-by-numbers vampire story. The author strings together tired genre tropes without adding anything terribly original or memorable.

Albert and Phillip both have the potential to be fantastic characters, but both are underwritten. Phillip’s cancer storyline should pack an emotional punch, but readers don’t really get to engage with his emotions. Instead, the story is mostly narrated from Albert’s pragmatic and calculating perspective. The bloodmatch/soulmate trope is used to eliminate the need for any sort of romantic tension between Albert and Phillip. Ultimately, the story doesn’t really offer much of any character or relationship development and I found it almost impossible to connect with Albert or Phillip.

Addison Albright is a writer living in the middle of the USA. Her stories are gay (sometimes erotic) romance in contemporary, fantasy, and paranormal genres. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, french fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

Connect with Addison

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Instagram

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Choice (The Faction #2) and The Recruit (The Faction #1) by Addison Albright to read and review for this tour.

The Contingency Plan by Addison Albright Release Blitz

A sheltered prince. A sudden death. An unexpected choice. How will Prince Marcelo react to discovering he’s The Contingency Plan?

For eighteen years, there has been peace between Sheburat and the kingdom of Zioneven. The untimely death of a princess throws the marriage arrangement—the final phase to complete the terms of the treaty—into disarray, and the contingency plan is put into motion. Now the Crown Prince of Zioneven gets to make his own choice from among the princess’s younger siblings.

As a rare royal son in the matriarchal sovereignty of Sheburat, Prince Marcelo grew up knowing he would never marry. Never. Royal sons did not marry. Period. Except, Prince Efren isn’t from Sheburat, and he has other plans.

Book 1
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JMS Books

With everyone now in attendance, Queen Giselle stepped forward. “Your Royal Highness, Ladies and Lords, and people of Zioneven, please accept our warm welcome to Sheburat, and I hope you’ll accept our sincere apology for the chaos in which you find us today.

Prince Efren inclined his head. “Of course, Your Majesty. On behalf of Zioneven, I offer our heartfelt condolences on the loss of your beloved daughter.”

“Thank you,” Queen Giselle replied. “Sadly, our loss yesterday affects more than simply causing us private pain.”

“Indeed.” Prince Efren kept his reply short, perhaps diplomatically leaving it to Queen Giselle to either further the conversation toward whether or not he was ready to choose his alternate, or to wait for a time when her grief would be less immediate.

His mother would put diplomacy first, Marcelo didn’t doubt that. The conversation may or may not happen today, but it would occur during this visit. Diplomacy always came ahead of personal concerns.

“Although disappointment caused by the cancellation of the wedding we’d expected tomorrow is unavoidable,” Queen Giselle said. “I hope you’ll find a small comfort in knowing that you may now make your own choice of your future bride from among my younger daughters rather than the arrangement made on your behalf at the tender age of five.”

Again, Prince Efren inclined his head. “Sibling.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Sibling. The terms of the treaty specify I may choose an alternate from among Princess Marcela’s younger siblings. It didn’t restrict the choice to daughters.”

Marcelo stiffened. What in the world could Prince Efren mean by that? Men didn’t marry men. At least, he’d never heard of such a thing occurring in Sheburat. Marcelo wasn’t alone in his bewilderment. Everyone on his side of the room stilled. None of the faces opposite them exhibited confusion. Was that an acceptable option in Zioneven’s culture?

It was only by mere minutes, but Marcelo did qualify as a younger sibling to Marcela.

For the first time in Marcelo’s recollection, his mother faltered. “Do… surely… but…”

Marcelo turned his head toward her, his wide eyes silently imploring her to voice an objection. Kemble may have recently grown complacent thinking herself in the clear, but she’d at least spent her life knowing she was the likely backup plan.

As a royal son in this matriarchal society, Marcelo had grown up knowing he would never marry. Never. Royal sons did not marry. Period.

He’d been perfectly happy with that knowledge because he’d never experienced the attraction that men outside the royal family felt toward women. In fact, he’d enjoyed knowing he would not have to merge his life with a woman’s with the expectation of having to bed her.

His gaze flicked back and forth between Queen Giselle and Prince Efren before settling on the prince. Prince Efren had kept his eyes locked with the queen’s, but as if sensing Marcelo’s scrutiny, his head turned to reflect Marcelo’s regard.

Marcelo’s heart thudded so vigorously in his chest, surely everyone in the room must hear it. His respiration quickened. That single word uttered by Prince Efren had shattered Marcelo’s understanding of everything he knew about the world and had expected in his life.

Queen Giselle remained frozen for a few more moments, her brows drawn together as she processed the unexpected direction of this discussion. She cast a brief, apologetic glance toward Marcelo, then lifted her shoulders in a barely visible shrug. “The treaty does indeed use that word. Prince Efren, the choice is yours.”

Marcelo’s stomach dropped as her words echoed through the silent hall even though he’d known in his heart that she’d put Sheburat before her son’s individual concerns. So, he felt no personal betrayal. It was who is mother had to be.

Prince Efren continued to stare at Marcelo as he firmly stated, “I choose His Royal Highness, Prince Marcelo. The wedding will proceed tomorrow as planned.”

Marcelo swayed as the blood drained from his face. How could this be? How did such a marriage work? Would he be expected to—

“Marcelo?” Suky’s whispered tone voiced her concern. “Are you unwell?”

She repeated the words, but from farther away. Or did her voice only seem distant? He wobbled as the people around him faded, and then, thankfully, this nightmare all went away.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a very short read – but actually packs a lot of punch in those pages. It turns our conventions on their head, with a matriarchal society, where royal boys are not tutored past the basics and can expect a lonely celibate life. However, this all changes due to a fatal hunting accident, and Marcelo finds himself not just married, but married to a prince.

I would have loved a couple of hundred pages on this story – mainly in his new home – but actually what we have is enough to give us a very clear indication that there is lots of hope for their future.


Angela – ☆☆☆☆☆
One of the things I enjoy about being a blogger is the opportunity to read books that I would likely have never discovered otherwise. I’m sorry to say that I can be a little bit of a page-count snob when it comes to books and it’s rare for me to give short stories and novelettes under 50 pages a second look. Although I’ve gotten better about it over the last couple of years and have bought a few when brought to my attention, I hardly ever seek them out. The Contingency Plan is one such novelette that I would have missed out on because not only is it on the shorter side, but it’s also fantasy – a genre I’ve only recently rediscovered my enjoyment of – and to have missed it would have been a shame.

As for Prince Marcelo’s story, Albright does a marvelous job of giving the reader a look at a significant moment in the young man’s life. Marcelo is a royal rarity – a prince in a matriarchal society – and he’s lived a sheltered life with no expectations. He is, in essence, a pampered prince who has no demands placed on him and who is contentedly resigned to his life of celibacy as princes do not marry. But the unexpected death of his twin sister the day before she was to be wed in order to seal the peace treaty between his people and the Zionevens, throws a bit of a wrench into his plans for the future. You see, as death at an early age is common in medieval kingdoms, even those in fantasy worlds, the part of the peace treaty that outlined the marriage specified that in the event of Marcela’s death, the Crown Prince of Zioneven would choose another sibling to wed. SIBLING. Not sister, sibling. A single word and the acceptance of same-sex marriage by the Zioneven people change the entire course of Prince Marcelo’s life and The Contingency Plan gives the reader a front-row seat in Marcelo’s life the day that he learns this.

I found The Contingency Plan to be a very sweet story. I think part of the reason it works is that rather than trying to shove too much into it, the author focuses on two pivotal days in Marcelo’s life. Because we spend a good portion of the story in Marcelo’s head, it’s easy to see that he’s a sweet young man who understands and accepts his station in life, doing so without becoming entitled, cruel, or spoiled. Being as arranged marriages are common among royalty, it’s easy to understand why the story progresses as it does. As the reader learns more about Crown Prince Efren through his conversations with Marcelo, it becomes clear why he makes the choice he does and why he seems to show affection towards Marcelo on the day they meet. Albright weaves the story in such a way that I couldn’t help but adore Marcelo and have hope for him to find love with Efren, making me buy in to the happy ending that The Contingency Plan promises – the happily ever after that I get to craft in my own imagination for Marcelo and Efren. I thoroughly enjoyed The Contingency Plan and while I’d be happy to read more of Marcelo and Efren’s tale, I’m quite pleased with their story as written.

Addison Albright is a writer living in the middle of the USA. Her stories are gay (sometimes erotic) romance in contemporary, fantasy, and paranormal genres. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, french fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

Connect with Addison

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Contingency Plan (Plans #1) by Addison Albright to read and review for this tour.

Vows Box Set by Addison Albright Audiobook Review

Join Henry, Sam, and an appealing supporting cast as they ride a roller coaster of emotions when their lives are derailed before coming back on track, leaving Nash as collateral damage in the novel, 'Til Death Do Us Part, novelette From This Day Forward, and short story Okay, Then. Nash takes an unusual path to his own happily ever after in To Love and to Cherish.

Contains the stories:

'Til Death Do Us Part

Henry and Sam are living the dream, but their worlds are shattered when Henry's plane crashes and he's presumed dead. But Henry survives undetected on a remote, small, and insignificant island. Will Sam and Henry's love be able to survive, as well? When Henry is rescued, will Sam be able to put aside his new love when he reunites with Henry?

From This Day Forward

With their nightmare separation behind them, Henry and Sam are anxious to renew both the intensity of their former intimacies - now hampered by having a curious and still apprehensive child sharing their home - and their commitment to one another. Will they be able to move their love forward now that they are together again?

Okay, Then

Sam and Henry's first date/encounter is mentioned in flashback in 'Til Death Do Us Part, but this short story fleshes it out. Relive the moment they first connect while on a research trip in Honiara in the Solomon Islands.

To Love and to Cherish

Jilted by his fiancé, Sam, just weeks before their wedding, Nash Marino's outlook on life in general, and love in particular, is jaded. Will Nash find love again? Of course he will. Will he go about it in the usual way? Now that's another story entirely. When Nash's marriage-of-convenience scheme is muddied by notions of love after a memory reboot, will their plans go awry, or will Nash's new outlook on life be just what the doctor ordered?

Audiobook Details
Length: 17 hrs, 26 mins
Narrator: David Gilmore

Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

Audiobook Buy Links
Amazon  ~  Audible  ~  iTunes

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Rachael – ☆☆☆☆☆
This was a fun box set to listen to. I loved following along as Henry and Sam went about their lives after a horrible plane crash and what happened when they are reunited.

The story about Nash was just as interesting. The love that bloomed between them so unexpectedly was heartwarming. Watching as Nash dealt with an accident of his own and having to deal with some emotions all over again was crushing.

Overall, I have to say it was a very sweet set of stories that were interesting and unique and fun.

There were parts of the audiobook that were cut out and that was a bit frustrating, but I'm sure that was part of bringing all the books together in a boxed set.

Addison Albright lives in the middle of the USA with two peculiar cats. Her stories are gay (sometimes erotic) romance, and tend to be sweet man-love in contemporary settings. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, French fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

Connect with Addison

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


Review Copy Provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Vows Audiobook Box Set by Addison Albright, narrated by David Gilmore to listen to and review for this post.