Hi and welcome! I’m so excited that my new book, Beauty, Inc. is now released! The third of the Pennymaker Tales weaves a story of beauty both external and inside. One reviewer said yesterday,
“Well-written with vivid, empathetic characters (the kind you root for), “Beauty Inc.” is a feel-good book. Triumphing over adversity is a good thing, good people getting their well-deserved rewards is an even better thing, and gorgeous gay people who are smart and accomplished, the best of all.
Looking for a fun time? Read “Beauty Inc.” and find yourself falling under the magical spell of the amazing Tara Lain. Honestly, what a way to go!” Alan at Sinfully Gay Book Reviews.
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My Book Filled Life
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June 21, 2016
Joyfully Reviewed
Beauty, Inc.
(The Pennymaker Tales #3)
by Tara Lain
Blurb:
Is beauty only skin deep?
Chemist Dr. Robert “Belle” Belleterre loves flowers, green trees, his best friend Judy, and “his baby”: the new face cream he developed to help put his father’s small cosmetics company on the map. Sadly he gets no help from his alcoholic, gambling-addicted father who loses Belle in a poker game to Magnus Strong, the CEO of Beauty, Inc. the largest American cosmetics company—a man infamous for his scarred ugliness.
Belle finds himself uprooted from his home, living in a wildly crazy apartment in New York owned by Mr. Pennymaker, and completely unprepared for his mad attraction to the charismatic Strong. Feeling like a traitor, Belle fights his passion only to see more and more of the goodness and humility hidden by Strong’s ugly face. But when Belle’s family starts manipulating his life again, the odds turn against happiness for beautiful Belle and his beloved beast.
Available for purchase at
Excerpts
Magnus
stared at the photo he kept in the top drawer. Quit being sappy. Still, helping Judy Brancoli brought it all back.
He sighed. A good reason to stick with other philanthropies.
stared at the photo he kept in the top drawer. Quit being sappy. Still, helping Judy Brancoli brought it all back.
He sighed. A good reason to stick with other philanthropies.
Is someone here?
He looked up
just as Belle stepped into his doorway. His heart skipped. What did Belle’s expression
mean? Confusion? Anger? Hope? “Hello.”
just as Belle stepped into his doorway. His heart skipped. What did Belle’s expression
mean? Confusion? Anger? Hope? “Hello.”
Belle
swallowed hard. “Are you the one who called Judy last night?”
swallowed hard. “Are you the one who called Judy last night?”
Okay, what
had he done now? “Uh, yes. I—I thought—it was so late, and no one else was
here.”
had he done now? “Uh, yes. I—I thought—it was so late, and no one else was
here.”
“You had a
ticket waiting for her at the airport and got Leroy to meet her?”
ticket waiting for her at the airport and got Leroy to meet her?”
“Yes.”
“And gave
her a job and insurance?”
her a job and insurance?”
“I talked to
HR, yes.”
HR, yes.”
Some huge
storm battled behind Belle’s midnight blue eyes. He didn’t seem to be able to
catch his breath. He just gasped and clutched his chest. Magnus stood. “Are you
okay? Can I get you water?”
storm battled behind Belle’s midnight blue eyes. He didn’t seem to be able to
catch his breath. He just gasped and clutched his chest. Magnus stood. “Are you
okay? Can I get you water?”
Suddenly
Belle took off like a gazelle that had spotted a lion—except he ran to the lion. In three bounding steps, he
crossed the office and hurled himself at Magnus. Before Magnus could prepare, a
tall, slim body hit him full force, arms wrapping around his neck. “Thank you.
Thank you. Oh my God, how can I ever thank you?”
Belle took off like a gazelle that had spotted a lion—except he ran to the lion. In three bounding steps, he
crossed the office and hurled himself at Magnus. Before Magnus could prepare, a
tall, slim body hit him full force, arms wrapping around his neck. “Thank you.
Thank you. Oh my God, how can I ever thank you?”
Magnus lost
his balance and staggered, arms coming around Belle, falling until his butt hit
the office chair, which rolled back. They smacked the wall with Belle sprawled
on his lap. He gasped for breath, and the exhale came out as a laugh. It was
like having the world’s cutest dalmatian on his lap—a dalmatian he’d like to
kiss and embrace and otherwise manhandle. Dream
on.
his balance and staggered, arms coming around Belle, falling until his butt hit
the office chair, which rolled back. They smacked the wall with Belle sprawled
on his lap. He gasped for breath, and the exhale came out as a laugh. It was
like having the world’s cutest dalmatian on his lap—a dalmatian he’d like to
kiss and embrace and otherwise manhandle. Dream
on.
Belle kept
hugging and muttering, “Thank you. Thank you.”
hugging and muttering, “Thank you. Thank you.”
Magnus
adjusted Belle a little so he was actually sitting on Magnus’s lap but didn’t
make a big enough thing out of it to scare him off. Hell, this was a moment to
savor and prolong.
adjusted Belle a little so he was actually sitting on Magnus’s lap but didn’t
make a big enough thing out of it to scare him off. Hell, this was a moment to
savor and prolong.
Finally
Belle stopped wiggling, which was good, since the vibration was getting to
Magnus’s cock. Belle stilled and seemed to hesitate. Reluctance or
embarrassment? He sat back and looked into Magnus’s face. “Hi.”
Belle stopped wiggling, which was good, since the vibration was getting to
Magnus’s cock. Belle stilled and seemed to hesitate. Reluctance or
embarrassment? He sat back and looked into Magnus’s face. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Magnus
couldn’t help smiling, even though the effect wasn’t really friendly. “I’m very
glad you’re happy.”
couldn’t help smiling, even though the effect wasn’t really friendly. “I’m very
glad you’re happy.”
“No one’s
ever done such a wonderful thing for me before.”
ever done such a wonderful thing for me before.”
Magnus tried
to be corporate and fatherly—very challenging in his current position. “It’s
the mission of this company to help women.”
to be corporate and fatherly—very challenging in his current position. “It’s
the mission of this company to help women.”
“Yes, but
this was very personal. I’ll be grateful all my life.”
this was very personal. I’ll be grateful all my life.”
“I’m glad.”
His heart beat so hard they both should have been able to hear it.
His heart beat so hard they both should have been able to hear it.
Belle looked
down at where he was firmly planted on Magnus’s lap. “I guess I was a bit more
enthusiastic than I planned.”
down at where he was firmly planted on Magnus’s lap. “I guess I was a bit more
enthusiastic than I planned.”
“You don’t
hear me complaining.”
hear me complaining.”
Belle slowly
looked up at Magnus’s face, which made Magnus want to cringe or hide. Too close. Belle cocked his head and
inspected every inch of Magnus’s ruined landscape of a face. Slowly, he leaned
forward and kissed the scar across the bridge of Magnus’s nose. He whispered,
“In for a penny—” and his mouth moved south until he kissed the distorted
corner of Magnus’s mouth.
looked up at Magnus’s face, which made Magnus want to cringe or hide. Too close. Belle cocked his head and
inspected every inch of Magnus’s ruined landscape of a face. Slowly, he leaned
forward and kissed the scar across the bridge of Magnus’s nose. He whispered,
“In for a penny—” and his mouth moved south until he kissed the distorted
corner of Magnus’s mouth.
“Looking for someone?”
“Yes. Judy.
My friend. I thought she was coming here.”
My friend. I thought she was coming here.”
“Oh yes. She
has her apartment on the ground floor. Mr. Strong thought it would be best if
she didn’t have to climb too many stairs while she’s being treated.”
has her apartment on the ground floor. Mr. Strong thought it would be best if
she didn’t have to climb too many stairs while she’s being treated.”
Belle just
stared. He felt the tears welling in his eyes but couldn’t stop them. Limb by
limb, he collapsed to the floor like an old plastic bag. His own father hadn’t
even paid attention, and Magnus Strong put Judy on the ground floor to keep her
from having to climb stairs.
stared. He felt the tears welling in his eyes but couldn’t stop them. Limb by
limb, he collapsed to the floor like an old plastic bag. His own father hadn’t
even paid attention, and Magnus Strong put Judy on the ground floor to keep her
from having to climb stairs.
Mr. P closed
the door and flopped down beside him. “So, my dear, what seems to be the
trouble?”
the door and flopped down beside him. “So, my dear, what seems to be the
trouble?”
Belle shook
his head and snuffled.
his head and snuffled.
“Try again.”
“I did a
really bad thing.”
really bad thing.”
“What might
that have been, my dear?”
that have been, my dear?”
He sniffed.
“I humped my boss.”
“I humped my boss.”
“Hmm.
Humped. I’m failing to get a mental image.”
Humped. I’m failing to get a mental image.”
Belle
sighed. “It’s probably just as well. I got overzealous and threw myself on
Magnus Strong. That might have been okay, but then I—” He dropped his face in
his hand. “Oh God.”
sighed. “It’s probably just as well. I got overzealous and threw myself on
Magnus Strong. That might have been okay, but then I—” He dropped his face in
his hand. “Oh God.”
“I’m
starting to get an image. Continue.”
starting to get an image. Continue.”
He popped
his head up. “I kissed him, okay? And then, as if that wasn’t the stupidest
thing ever done since W said “mission accomplished,” I managed to get my penis
in contact with his and—humped. Now do you get the picture?”
his head up. “I kissed him, okay? And then, as if that wasn’t the stupidest
thing ever done since W said “mission accomplished,” I managed to get my penis
in contact with his and—humped. Now do you get the picture?”
Mr. P
clapped his hands. “Perfect.”
clapped his hands. “Perfect.”
“Oh, so far
from perfect.” He fell back against the large Asian throw rug. “Why did I do
it? Why?”
from perfect.” He fell back against the large Asian throw rug. “Why did I do
it? Why?”
“Excellent
question. Why did you do it?”
question. Why did you do it?”
“He turns me
on.”
on.”
“What?”
Belle sat
up, in his best Frankenstein’s monster imitation. “He turns me on like a large
neon light.”
up, in his best Frankenstein’s monster imitation. “He turns me on like a large
neon light.”
“Because he
helped your friend?”
helped your friend?”
“Way before
he helped Judy. Before he helped me, in fact.”
he helped Judy. Before he helped me, in fact.”
Mr. P
smiled. “So you acknowledge that he’s helped you?”
smiled. “So you acknowledge that he’s helped you?”
“Oh hell,
Mr. P, I’m so confused. I mean, getting won in a poker game doesn’t exactly
kick a relationship off on a sterling foot. Plus, that was after he seemed to
be stalking me. I assumed he was trying to get me here to—you know—screw me
instead of my father.”
Mr. P, I’m so confused. I mean, getting won in a poker game doesn’t exactly
kick a relationship off on a sterling foot. Plus, that was after he seemed to
be stalking me. I assumed he was trying to get me here to—you know—screw me
instead of my father.”
“Ah, I see.
And now you’ve thrown at him the very thing you assumed he wanted—and he
refused it.”
And now you’ve thrown at him the very thing you assumed he wanted—and he
refused it.”
“In a
word—yes. I don’t know what to think.”
word—yes. I don’t know what to think.”
“There’s
only one answer, my dear. Outside the box.”
only one answer, my dear. Outside the box.”
The Pennymaker Tales Series
Sinders and Ash
(The Pennymaker Tales Series, #1)
by Tara Lain
Available for order at
Driven Snow
(The Pennymaker Tales, #2)
by Tara Lain
Available for purchase at
About the Author
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her bestselling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soulmate husband and her soulmate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!You can find Tara at
Giveaway
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Looking forward to reading this modern take on a classic fairy tale. I loved the blurb and the excerpt even more.
Tanja, i’m so glad!! Thank you. ; )
Honestly, I’m not big on excerpt just because I prefer to dive right into the book instead. But the blurb sounds delicious!! 😉
Love being delicious!! : )
Looking forward to more.
Thank you, Mary!! No Pennymakers coming, but lots of new books! : )