Bookhounds YA

Books, Gardens, and Dogs

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Giveaways
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Review Policy

$10 #Giveaway The Other Brother by Jax Calder Ends 1.20

January 11, 2022 By Mary

 

The Other Brother
Jax Calder
Publication date: January 12th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, New Adult, Romance, Young Adult

What happens when you fall for the one person you can’t have?

Ryan has had seventeen years of being compared to Cody, part of his toxic fractured family, so you’ll forgive him for some epic eye-rolling when it comes to Mr Perfect. Although not related to him by blood, Cody has always been annoying background noise in Ryan’s life. It doesn’t help that Cody’s a high achieving musician, while Ryan’s life ambition doesn’t extend past catching the next wave.

One summer changes everything. It’s the summer when circumstances collide, and Cody and Ryan end up spending time together at Cody’s family’s beach house. It’s the summer Ryan teaches Cody to surf and Cody teaches Ryan to play guitar. It’s the summer when they become friends.

And then more than friends.

But when summer ends, Cody and Ryan are forced back to reality, where they must hide their relationship from their warring family members. And as tragedy strikes and family secrets buried deep in the past worm their way to the surface, their relationship is threatened. Can their feelings, which began in the summer sun, survive the winter ahead?

Note: This coming-of-age story contains sexual content.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

The next day I’m out surfing early. The waves are gentler today, and while the rides aren’t as intense, it’s crazy-cool being out with the early sun glinting off the water and the fresh salt air giving my nostrils a spring clean.

I’m about to head in when I notice a lone runner on the beach. As the figure draws closer, I recognize the lean build and curly hair.

Okay, so maybe I time my exit from the water so I intercept him. But hey, it’s a long, lonely fifty-feet walk back to the house. It’s natural to want some company.

Cody stops at the start of the path, leaning forward to rest his hands on his legs as he recovers his breath. He’s wearing a close-fitting T-shirt that shows off his biceps.

“Hey.” Yep, I should win awards for the most original opening line. I stand there, dripping in my wetsuit, sand caking my feet.

“Hey,” he pants. He straightens and pulls up his T-shirt to wipe his forehead, giving me a view of his muscled, tanned stomach.

“Heading back to the house now?” I keep my voice casual.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be your security detail if you want.”

“Thanks, there are lots of bandits in the dunes,” he says in such a deadpan voice that it takes me a few seconds to realize he’s joking.

“Gotta watch out for those bandits.” My reply is a few seconds too late and a few levels too feeble as I step into stride next to him. The sandy path cuts through the dunes.

“So, do you surf?” I ask.

“Nah, I’ve never learned.”

“You spend your summers here, and you’ve never learned to surf?”

“I bodyboard.”

I snort. Making sure as much derision as possible is contained in the snort.

Cody raises his eyebrow. “Bodyboarding doesn’t cut it with you?”

“Nah. It’s like saying Jimi Hendrix and Justin Bieber are both equal musicians. Or… like Mozart and whoever was the crappy but popular composer back in his time.”

“I get the Jimi Hendrix/Bieber comparison,” Cody says. “You don’t need to put it into classical music terms.”

“That’s good, because I don’t know shit about classical music,” I say. “You dig Hendrix?”

“I play a few songs of his. Mainly on the guitar.”

“You play guitar as well?”

“Yeah. You ever played an instrument?”

“Does the recorder in third grade count?”

He flashes me a smile. “Kind of like bodyboarding counts as surfing.”

“Fair point.”

We’ve reached the house now. The sun is hitting the front windows, turning them into gleaming pools of gold light. But the yard is still in shadows.

“Wetsuit off, right?” I say.

“Yeah, there’s a hose around here somewhere you can use to wash down.”

He rummages around by the side of the house and emerges holding a hose.

I strip my wetsuit off. If there’s one thing it’s impossible to look coordinated doing, it’s removing a wetsuit. Luckily, I’ve got board shorts on underneath so I’m spared the indignity of possible shrinkage on full display.

“Damn, that’s cold.” I spray myself with the frigid water.

Cody’s standing there, immobile. He studies the ground, not looking at me.

Because I’m in control of the hose, I can’t help flicking water in his direction. He raises his gaze to mine, his eyes narrowing.

“You looked like you needed to cool off,” I say.

“Thanks,” he replies dryly.

I turn off the hose.

“Race you for the first shower,” I say, taking off through the door.

I’m not expecting Cody to engage, but then I hear footsteps on the floorboards behind me in the kitchen, and he’s right on my tail as I streak through the living room.

We’re side-by-side on the stairs, jostling each other with our elbows.

He slips ahead when we reach the hallway, but I tackle him to slow his momentum, and we both crash into the bathroom door at the same time and slide down it, laughing through our panting.

Author Bio:

Jax’s stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who’ll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.

Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. Join her Facebook group Jax’s Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

 

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • More
  • TSU
  • Share on Tumblr

Related Posts

  • Related Posts
#Giveaway Excerpt CURSE UNDONE by Brandie June @brandiejune @CamCatBooks @RockstarBkTours Ends 11.22
#Giveaway Why STEM? by Valerie Tripp #Win Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad #3: The Law of Cavities Ends 11.13 @mediamastersbks
#Giveaway How I Came to Write The Time Fetch by Amy Herrick #Win THE TILTERSMITH @AmyEHerrick @AlgonquinYR @mediamastersbks Ends 11.6
#Giveaway NO ADMISSIONS by Brittany Geragotelis @TheBookSlayer @PixelandInkBks @HolidayHouseBks @RockstarBkTours Ends 10.25
#Giveaway Excerpt ZARA’S RULES FOR FINDING HIDDEN TREASURE by Hena Khan @henakhanbooks @SalaamReads @SimonKIDS @RockstarBkTours Ends 10.18

Comments

  1. Mya Goss says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:11 pm

    This would be a definite new genre for me. Sounds good!!

  2. Bea LaRocca says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:20 pm

    I love the cover, synopsis and excerpt, this is a must read for me. Thank you for posting about this book

  3. Mary Preston says

    January 12, 2022 at 1:54 am

    An interesting YA story.

  4. Audrey Stewart says

    January 12, 2022 at 3:29 am

    Jax Calder is new to me, but I love meeting new authors. Thanks to this blog for the introduction.

  5. Piroska says

    January 14, 2022 at 2:38 pm

    The book sounds very interesting. Nice cover!

  6. Shelly Peterson says

    January 15, 2022 at 2:54 pm

    This sounds really good.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Goodreads
  • Email

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 29,786 other subscribers
You'd have to have, like, a lentil for a soul to hate wiener dogs. ~Zuzana from The Daughter of Smoke & Bones by Laini Taylor

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 ·Modern Blogger Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Design by Imagination Designs all images form the Future is Steampunk kit by Marta Van Eck WordPress · Log in