top of page

Henrys End Release Blitz


Release Day Blitz

Title: Henry's End

Author: Julie A Richman

Genre: Standalone M/M Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 11, 2015

Overall Rating: ★★★★


Synopsis

Dreams.

I used to have them—before the nightmares started.

I dreamed of nice guys, love…normalcy.

Things like reading the Sunday paper in bed with my lover.

But who needs dreams when your reality is filled with a string of faceless dominating men in uniform? Men that pack a thick bulge and are only too happy to satisfy my deviant sexual cravings.

Me. That's who.

And then HE walked through the door and shared with me, a total stranger, his intimate dream of love.

Damn him for verbalizing every single detail of the dream I buried long ago.

And now I don’t know how I'm going to live without that dream.

Or him.

My Review

This is my first Julie A. Richman book. Let me tell you, if they’re all like Henry’s End, I’m going to need some more tissues! I really enjoy reading m/m romance novels and I had been anticipating this release for many months. I love emotionally charged, character driven books and Henry’s End delivered on all fronts. Henry’s story was heartbreakingly beautiful, rife with emotional highs and lows that had me smiling, laughing, crying and left my heart feeling happy and full of hope.

Henry Clark is endearing, generous and loyal. It was so easy to fall in love with him. He was so thoughtful and giving in his relationships with others. He was always the first to help a friend and support those in need. He has a successful sales career that explodes when he moves to San Diego to take over a new sales territory. It is here where he finds new beginnings and develops lifelong friendships and indulges in the dynamic gay nightlife the city has to offer. He ultimately finds himself in a situation that leaves him bare and warring with demons that haunt him. With the help of his longtime friend Schooner Moore he is able to run through it and come through on the other side happier, and more fulfilled emotionally and physically than before. He is once again able to have dreams and share his love with another in an openly gay relationship while also finding acceptance as a gay man in his career and community.

Henry’s happiness is soon stripped away leaving him devastated and hopeless. But, Henry is resilient. All it takes is for one man, a man who shares his dreams of reading the paper with his lover and visiting tropical places, to awaken those long buried dreams and bring them back to life. Henry realizes that he still wants, still aches to have and share those dreams. It is Henry’s End where he discovers a lasting, lifelong love with someone who he can dream big and experience love with again.

Henry's End is written in a 3rd person perspective. In general I find it difficult to connect to books written this way, always feeling like an observer rather than an active participant in the story presented. It is a true testament to Julie's exceptional writing abilities when she can not only make you feel like you are a part of the character's story but also forge such an emotional connection with them. Julie A Richman's words are crafted with such skill that it was impossible for me to not fall into Henry's world and leave it with a piece of him in my heart.

I loved this story so much. I thought it was achingly beautiful and full of messages of hope, love and acceptance. A 4 star emotionally charged story of one man’s journey to finding love and acceptance.

Henry’s End Book Trailer

Excerpt #1

Holding eye contact with the man, meeting the challenge head on, Henry didn’t flinch. He wanted him to know that he was aware that he was being watched. The energy between the two was sharp and direct. There was no mistaking that contact had been made, and Henry could feel his stomach cramping with excitement, and his balls tightening with desire. This was a man he had dreamed about his whole life. He exuded absolute power. Envisioning him in uniform made Henry inexplicably ache even more.

Definitely a Marine, he thought. A lieutenant? A captain? This man gave orders and expected them to be followed. He commanded. Demanded. And received.

Turning away, Henry made his way through the crowd in search of the bathroom. Mostly he needed his air back and a moment to process what had transpired. He knew that wasn’t all in his head.

The man hadn’t just cruised him.

He’d claimed him.

Heading into the bathroom, the site of an open stall door felt like an immediate godsend and he needed to get behind it, alone. Quickly.

It happened so fast, he wasn’t quite sure how it occurred. Entering the stall, he turned to close the door but was propelled against the metal stall wall to his right, knocking the air out of him. He heard the muffled sound of the stall door latch being locked. The larger man pinned him with his body, his muscular chest pressing Henry flush against the cold metal. The cool smooth surface felt good against his hot, sunburned cheek. Henry could feel the man’s cock pressed against his ass crack on the outside of his bike shorts and wondered if the guy’s cock was still in his pants or not. It wasn’t until that moment that he realized the man had him in a loose choke hold. He didn’t feel fear, and somehow instinctually knew this guy wasn’t going to hurt him. He was establishing his control and position.

With lips next to Henry’s ear, his voice was little more than a growl. “Is that what you want? Little boys? Little boys that will never satisfy you? Is that what you want?” His sizable cock pressed harder against Henry’s ass. With his free hand, the man reached around to the front of Henry’s bike shorts and found exactly what he was looking for – a hard, excited cock. Giving it a squeeze through the slippery material of his bike shorts, Henry hardened immediately to the man’s touch. Continuing to fondle him through the thin fabric, while simultaneously pressing him from behind, the Marine hissed into Henry’s ear, “I asked you a question.”

Brain cells blown away by the physical assault both front and rear, for the life of him, Henry could not remember the man’s question and answered by pressing his junk harder into the guy’s hand, needing to feel possessed by his grasp. He did not disappoint Henry as he squeezed his balls tighter.

“You still want little boys?” he growled, his arm tightening around Henry’s neck.

The moment Henry felt the crook of his arm squeeze his neck, he began to pump himself into the man’s hand, “No. I don’t want little boys.”

“Then what is it you want?” The man had Henry by his cock and was pressing him firmly against his own hard-on, grinding harshly against his ass.

“I want you.”

“Good. And I don’t want you dancing with those boys. Do you understand that?”

Henry nodded his head, yes.

With his hand firmly encasing Henry’s privates, the Marine pressed the smaller man against him and continued to let Henry feel the pressure of his cock against his ass.

Henry leaned his weight back into him, eyes closed. There was nothing in the world except the guy’s hand kneading and pressing his balls. He wanted to stay in the moment forever. Submit to whatever the man wanted from him.

And then he was gone. Leaving Henry against the wall with a raging hard-on and a need to feel the Marine’s hands and cock again, hear his voice, low and raspy, in his ear. Without removing an article of clothing or coming, he had never had a sexual experience that excited him as much, and he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he would always remember the sublime feeling of being restrained by this man.

He wanted more.

Excerpt #2

Henry was deeply ensconced in his own head, making resolutions about moving on, not paying attention to his surroundings, or seeing the man, as he approached his car. He was leaning against the hood, his thick muscled arms folded across his chest. Calm, cool, collected, in charge and so damn freaking handsome.

“Your place?” was all he said.

Henry felt the sharp stab in his heart as his adrenal glands shot a release of hormones into his blood stream. Shaking his head no, he was shocked at how cool and calm his voice sounded, when he was anything but, “No. I don’t think so. You haven’t even bought me a drink yet.”

Walking around the big Marine to the driver’s side, Henry hit the remote, unlocking the door.

With a palm to the solar plexus to stop him, “Where are you going?” the Marine asked.

“Home,” Henry was very matter-of-fact.

“I thought you wanted me to buy you a drink?”

Stepping around the Marine, Henry opened the door to his black BMW and got in. “I do…” and he closed the door and started the engine.

Rolling down the window, he added with a smile, “… on Sunday.” Gunning the Beamer's engine, he left the Marine in the dusty parking lot with a smile on his handsome face.

Well played, Henry congratulated himself. Let him ache for me as much as I’ve been aching for him.

Purchase Links

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Julie A. Richman is a native New Yorker living deep in the heart of Texas. A creative writing major in college, reading and writing fiction has always been a passion. Julie began her corporate career in publishing in NYC and writing played a major role throughout her career as she created and wrote marketing, advertising, direct mail and fundraising materials for Fortune 500 corporations, advertising agencies and non-profit organizations. She is an award winning nature photographer plagued with insatiable wanderlust. Julie and her husband have one son and a white German Shepherd named Juneau.

Where to find Julie:

Rafflecopter Giveaway

click the image to enter for a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card


 
bottom of page