Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway:
Stacked
By Linden Bell

Stacked 2

Mars Fitness, Book 2

Sawyer

I’ve been in love with my best friend and roommate since the first day of boarding school over a decade ago. But Preston has always been oblivious, obsessed with his PhD research, and more importantly, straight.

When the new, sexy grad student walks into my gym, I have to wonder… is it time for me to move on?

Preston

Some guy is trying to steal my best friend. I won’t let him. Sawyer’s mine.

Maybe I haven’t appreciated Sawyer enough over the years, but that’s going to change now. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him by my side. Even if it means kissing him.

Stacked is a best friends-to-lovers, bi-awakening, nerd/jock MM romance between possessive, protective, and co-dependent roommates. Expect the most tender caretaking, slipping into each other’s beds in the middle of the night, and adorable clinginess. It is the second book in the Mars Fitness series and can be read as a standalone.

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Exclusive Excerpt:

It’s a family tradition to play football on Thanksgiving before the big meal. It’s Dad’s show these days, but Grandpa is the one who started it. Guests are divided into two teams. It’s supposed to be a fun game, but nothing is ever just for fun when Dad’s involved. He always stacks his team—which means he gets Sawyer—and if the other side knows what’s good for them, they’ll let him win. No one wants to spend the rest of the day around grumpy, passive-aggressive Dad.

The big field behind the house is marked out with flags and a massive tent is erected with chairs and refreshments for the spectators. Only the old and infirm are excused from playing. Every able-bodied person is required to spend at least a few minutes on the field.

Despite having been forced to partake in this tradition every year, I have no idea how football works. There’s a ball. It gets thrown. People run. And then some people cheer and other people groan. I just try to stay out of everyone’s way.

Sawyer’s wearing a form-fitting long-sleeve shirt and black leggings under his shorts. His cheeks are flushed and he’s grinning from ear to ear. When he’s playing, he’s so laser-focused, eyes trained on his target. His legs are a blur as he races down the field, and the air around him ripples with fog from the heat his body projects.

When he scores—and he scores a lot—he breaks out into complicated dance routines. During every lull in the game, he runs around giving people high fives. His voice rings out over everyone else’s as he shouts encouragements to his teammates and friendly shit talk to the opposing team.

It’s not the first time I’ve seen him play like this, of course. I’ve watched him hundreds of times before. Every year at Thanksgiving, sure, but also at his rugby games during high school. He’s always been mesmerizing on the field. So athletic. So determined. The energy that exudes from him is infectious and intoxicating. He makes everyone run a little faster and throw a little harder. He brings everyone together.

He’s a vision. Captivating to watch. Impossible to turn away from.

“Hi, Preston.” I jump, but it’s only Sawyer’s mom. She’s been coming to these Thanksgiving parties just as long as Sawyer has.

“Hi, Mrs. Paige,” I say, trying not to shrink away from her. Sawyer’s mom is really nice, but I’ve never quite gotten over the impression she made the first time we met. She was so intimidating back then, and even though I’ve known her for years, she hasn’t lost that effect on me.

“How’s your research going?” Mrs. Paige asks, and unlike my own mom, there’s a sincerity in her voice that makes me believe she actually wants to know.

Some of my nervousness eases. “It’s going really well. I ran into some problems with my coding earlier in the semester, but once I figured that out, there’s been significant progress in the past couple months.”

“I’m so glad to hear that! Does that mean you’ll graduate next spring? Sawyer mentioned you might push back your defense.”

I bite back a groan. Professor Graves still won’t entertain the idea of delaying my defense, and since Fitz came on board, things have only sped up, not slowed down. I still don’t want to graduate in the spring, because I still haven’t figured out how to avoid being recruited into Dad’s company. At this rate, though, I might not have a choice.

“I don’t know yet,” I say, hedging my answer.

“I bet your parents are eager for you to be done with school.”

“Yeah,” I mutter under my breath.

Mrs. Paige pulls in a deep breath, then lets it out in a sigh, as if she can feel how despondent I am. “Your parents are good people.” Her voice is softer now, as if she’s trying to comfort me.

I chew on my inner lip, not sure where she’s going with this.

“They’re smart, accomplished, ambitious people.” She bumps me with her shoulder in a move that reminds me so much of Sawyer. “You’ve inherited a lot of great qualities from them.”

I nod in agreement. As much as I don’t get along with my parents, I know I’m lucky. Despite their objections to my life choices, they’ve never tried to block me from pursuing academia.

“I know they have… expectations of you. And, I’ll be honest here, all parents have expectations of their kids. But, at the end of the day, I think they just want you to be happy.”

I glance at Mrs. Paige and she’s wearing a kind smile that looks so much like Sawyer’s. I want to believe she’s right, that my parents will suddenly change their minds about my future. They must know how unfit I am for business and how disastrous it would be if they put me in charge of anything. I want them to approve of my academic career. But I can’t see that happening. My parents are stubborn. They don’t give up on what they want so easily.

“Preston!”

I hear my name, but it takes me a second to react. I glance up, trying to figure out which direction the shout came from, and—

Crunch.

Stacked Teaser 4

Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of Stacked, Linden is giving away 3 e-copies of the release!

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Check out Book 1 in the Mars Fitness Series:
Ripped

Sometimes heartache is a blessing in disguise.

I thought my life was perfect. I lived with my amazing boyfriend. I worked with my ride-or-die best friend. I was on track to made-it-ville.

Then I came home one day to find my boyfriend sleeping with my best friend.

Now I’m lost with no one to turn to except Donnie, the silver fox who lets me crash at his house until I can figure out what the hell went wrong and how I’m supposed to fix it.

But once I’m there, I’m not sure I want to leave.

Donnie’s a lot older than me and he’s still grieving the death of his husband. My life is a trash fire and my career is non-existent. He’s a svelte spin instructor and I’m a film geek. We couldn’t be more different, but we need each other like we both need to breathe.

So maybe my boyfriend sleeping with my best friend wasn’t the worst thing to happen. Maybe it was the best. It brought me to Donnie.

Ripped is an age gap, nerd/jock, opposites attract MM romance between roommates who cuddle on the couch while watching classic movies. Expect steamy shower rooms, teary confessions, disapproving family, and brand new starts. It is the first book in the Mars Fitness series and can be read as a standalone.

CW: off-page sudden loss of a spouse, off-page homophobia, cheating secondary characters. Happily ever after guaranteed.