About Oversight
Holden Payne has it all . . . or so he thinks. As heir to the founder of the Community—an organization that finds, protects, and manages psychics—he’s rich, powerful, and treated like royalty. But after a series of disappearances and murders rock the Community, he’s branded the fall guy for the scandal and saddled with a babysitter.
Sixtus Rossi is a broad-shouldered, tattooed lumbersexual with a man bun and a steely gaze. He’s also an invulnerable—supposedly impervious to both psychic abilities and Holden’s charms. It’s a claim Holden takes as a challenge. Especially if sleeping with Six may help him learn whether the Community had more to do with the disappearances than they claimed.
As Holden uncovers the truth, he also finds himself getting in deep with the man sent to watch him. His plan to seduce Six for information leads to a connection so intense that some of Six’s shields come crashing down. And with that comes a frightening realization: Holden has to either stand by the Community that has given him everything, or abandon his old life to protect the people he loves.
Now available from Riptide Publishing. https://riptidepublishing.com/titles/oversight
The Virgin Hero
I have a love/hate relationship with the Virgin Hero trope.
Some of my biggest pet peeves stem from it, but I equally have a soft spot for the idea of a character who has waited for the right time to become intimate with another person, a character who has been repressed and is now exploring their sexuality, and various other circumstances that would result in someone not rushing to share their body. There’s a lot of trust involved with sex, and sometimes that gets brushed over in favor of sexual urgency. I know this because I often put a ton of sexual urgency in my books.
Which is why I was shocked when the idea of Sixtus Rossi—the no-nonsense Community employee in Oversight—being a virgin sprung to mind.
In Six’s case, he wasn’t waiting for a certain time, but he did in fact need a special someone. You see, Six is an Invulnerable, which means he has a powerful mental shield that not only makes him immune to psychic powers… it also makes him kind of blank to the typical vibes people put off. He isn’t someone who is going to easily pick up on social cues or read your mood. He doesn’t really get sarcasm. He is literal and extremely blunt. And his mental shield is so powerful, you can almost say he lacks empathy.
That being said, to the average person, he comes off like a real dick. And when he isn’t coming off like a dick, he doesn’t pick up on someone’s attraction unless they come right out and say “hey, I want to bone you.” It’s happened, after all he is a big muscular bearded lumbersexual with a manbun, but Six’s responses to flirtation tend to be a little… lacking. Which is why we have Sixtus Rossi—the thirty-year-old virgin.
He doesn’t care that he’s a virgin. In fact, he’s made zero effort to change that status. However, he’s not guarding his virginity either.
“Maybe I’m just curious as to how you’d react to having my tongue in your mouth. Or your dick in mine.” Holden ran his fingers along Six’s cheekbone. Six started, clearly unprepared for the light touch. “I bet you have interesting fantasies.”
“I do,” Six said, but his voice was lower. “You don’t speak in them, though.”
If you’re curious as to how Holden Payne, the suave empath and night club owner, manages to woo our resident Invulnerable, you can pick up OVERSIGHT on June 26!
About The Community Series
What lies beneath the surface of the world you thought you knew?
Secrets and lies have twisted an underground community founded by psychics escaping persecution. Blackmail, sex, and social climbing in the name of power has created an irreparable rift.
In the eyes of the founders, there are two sides: loyalists and everyone else. Surely no one would emerge from their tightly woven webs. And they certainly wouldn’t sow the seeds of rebellion within the heart of the Community’s only queer night club.
Now an outcast, a scion, and a runaway are leading a revolution to save not only the men they love, but the entire Community.
Check out The Community series! https://riptidepublishing.com/titles/series/community
About Santino Hassell
Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family but grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into a grumpy introvert and unlikely romance author with an affinity for baseball caps. His novels are heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, and his desire to write relationships fueled by intensity and passion.
He’s been a finalist in both the Bisexual Book Awards and the EPIC Awards, and was nominated for a prestigious RITA award in 2017. His work has been featured in BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Washington Post, RT Magazine, and Cosmopolitan Magazine.
Connect with Santino:
- Website: www.santinohassell.com
- Blog: santinohassell.com/blog
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/santinohassellbooks
- Twitter: twitter.com/SantinoHassell
- Tumblr: thatdudesantino.tumblr.com/
- Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/santinohassell/
- Instagram: instagram.com/santinohassell
- Google+: plus.google.com/u/0/+SantinoHassell/
- Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/santino_hassell
Giveaway
To celebrate the release of Oversight, one lucky winner will receive a $15 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 1, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!
Review
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Community series is about people with different types and levels of psychic abilities. Holden and Six are the main couple in Oversight. Readers met Holden in Insight. He's able to recognize how people are feeling. He can literally experience their senses and send vibes affecting their awareness. Because of his special abilities and the way his father has treated him, he isn't sure if anyone is truly attracted to him or simply reacting to the vibes he's sending them. Six is impenetrable, which is a downer to Holden at first but is actually good for his self-esteem. While these guys are getting to know each other, the mysteries surrounding the psy population are growing. People disappear. Things are happening at the Farm. It's difficult to know who to trust and what to believe.
Oversight delivers the suspense and romance. There are plenty of secrets to sort and emotions to experience, and the guys' hook ups are beyond sexy. I recommend it for sure and can't wait for the next book.