RELEASE TOUR: Convenient Rivals by Oliver Takely (Excerpt)

RELEASE TOUR: Convenient Rivals by Oliver Takely

Can love blossom from the ashes of rivalry, or will family ties tear them apart?

Length: 60,000 words
Series: Soho Knights Book 4
Prior Reading: recommended, but not essential
Genre: contemporary
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, Class/Privilege, Fake relationship, Found family, Nerd/Jock, Small Top/Big Bottom, A touch of kink
Trigger/Content Warnings: Parental homophobia, childhood bullying discussed but not shown, physical violence but not to MCs

In the heart of London, where privilege and ambition collide, Gregory and Oscar’s tumultuous past threatens to resurface in unexpected ways. Once childhood friends, their relationship took a dark turn when Oscar became Gregory’s high school bully. Now successful in their own right, their paths continue to intertwine due to the unshakeable bond between their mothers. While Oscar seeks to atone for his past, Gregory remains trapped in a cycle of hurt and betrayal.

After being abandoned by his family when they discovered he was gay, Gregory yearns for their acceptance, but only on their terms. As he struggles to support his financially reckless brother, entangled with the mob, the stability of his Soho home with his chosen family of true brothers hangs by a thread. With desperation setting in, a glimmer of hope emerges when Oscar proposes a marriage of convenience, which could solve both of their problems. 

However, Oscar’s mother has her own agenda, threatening to upend everything he believes about love and loyalty. Can the reserved tech genius and the charming former athlete put aside their painful history to forge a new beginning? As the tension between them sizzles and threatens to ignite into something undeniably passionate, they must confront their pasts and decide how much they are willing to sacrifice. In a world of titles and privilege, family ties threaten to strangle the love which is building between them. Will they find the courage to defy their legacies for a chance at happiness, even if it means risking everything they’ve ever known?

https://getbook.at/CRGRRTour

EXCERPT:

“Fancy seeing you here,” said a familiar deep voice.

Gregory shuddered, his skin prickling as Oscar’s breath ghosted over his ear. He put his signature scowl on before turning to be face to face with him. Those blue eyes almost took his breath away, but they belonged to Oscar Montgomery, a man who had made his life miserable in secondary school. He may not have been the ringleader, but he was always there in the thick of the action.

“Of course I’m here. It’s my father’s birthday. What are you doing here?”

“My mother and yours are best friends, remember?”

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

“Do you know how hot you are when you get angry?”

Gregory flushed, with what he wasn’t sure. Anger? Desire? All of the above.

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what you said to me in the club.”

Gregory wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t know why he’d said it. He blamed the whisky, and Jason for forcing him to go to the club. Gregory had left after he’d walked away from Oscar, and met a guy off one of the apps. The itch had been scratched, but that was a month ago. Now he had his dream guy, who he’d been crushing on since he was a teenager, practically panting in his ear. Why did he have to be such an arsehole?

Oscar Montgomery had been his gay awakening. He was a year older than Gregory, but because of their mothers’ friendship, they’d spent a lot of time together as kids. Gregory had been so nervous about going to a private secondary school, which was all boys. He’d been grateful to have a friend there, but Oscar had ignored him and pretended they didn’t know each other. That had been hard enough, but once he was in year nine, and it was becoming obvious to everyone but his parents that he was gay, that’s when the bullying started. For some bizarre masochistic reason, it hadn’t quashed Gregory’s unrequited crush on Oscar.

About the Author:

Oliver Takely is a passionate MM romance author who revels in dark, edgy stories featuring complex, flawed characters. With years of writing experience and a creative day job, Oliver Takely is also an avid reader of MM romance, consuming 300 books in 2023. His favourite trope is enemies to lovers, but is also a sucker for a feel-good Christmas romance.

Originally from the north, Oliver now resides in the south of England with his husband and their beloved fur baby, who is treated like a princess, living their own happily-ever-after straight out of a romance novel. When not writing or reading, he enjoys holidays and indulging in lots of good food, because who doesn’t love a delicious combination?

AUTHOR LINKS

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https://www.instagram.com/olivertakelyauthor/
https://olivertakely.com/
https://olivertakely.com/knights-corner (newsletter)