The Art of Living | Abrianna Denae

Cover Artist: Pretty in Ink Creations
Release Date: June 10th, 2021
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 35,000 words
Pre-Order: Universal Link
Add to Goodreads

Blurb
Letting go is the hardest thing a person can doâŚ
Robert Harper has spent the past seventeen years living for his son. He doesnât know who he is if heâs not being a caregiver and protector all rolled into one.
Niall Ross is finally ready to make a life of his own. After years spent making sure his younger brother had everything he needed, itâs time for Niall to discover who he is.
All it takes is one glance across a crowded meeting room for the men to feel a connection, but Robert is terrified his life is too complicated for the other man. Luckily, Niall has patience in abundance. With a little help from Robertâs meddling family, the two begin a tentative relationship.
Just as theyâre finding their footing, all of Robertâs worst fears come to life and he falters under the pressure. Niall takes the challenge to show Robert that heâs a safe place to lean on, but when his own life begins to unravel, he places his heart in Robertâs hands.
When two independent men are forced to trust each other will the love win out, or will vulnerability and fear cause them to lose the best thing they didn’t even know they had?
It is a standalone book, though the reader may be interested in The Gift of Believing, a companion book featuring the MCâs son: mybook.to/GoB

Excerpt
Ice cream for dinner is the best grown-up way to celebrate all the good changes in my life. I find a cute little old-fashioned ice cream parlor in a shopping center about fifteen minutes from my house.
I probably donât need the sugar, but after weeks of interviews, packing, moving, and general life shit, I deserve it.
I order two scoops of cherries jubilee and as I turn to find somewhere to sit, I crash into someone. âShit,â I exclaim as my lovely, hard-earned ice cream drops to the floor.
âOh my God,â the person I ran into says. âI am so sorry, I wasnât looking where I was going and I can buy you another one. Iâm so sorry, I really am, I swear I didnât see you there-â
âBreathe, Pres,â someone else says.
I look up from the mess at my feet to the two kids in front of me. One of them looks like heâs about ready to cry, his blue eyes are shiny with what must be tears. The other is speaking to him in soft, gentle tones and holding his hands, trying to soothe him.
âItâs okay,â I tell them. âAccidents happen. A little mess can get cleaned up, nobody got hurt and thatâs the important thing.â
âI really am sorry,â he says again. âLet us buy you more?â
I want to protest, but if itâll make the kid feel better, Iâll let him. âYou donât have to, but the thought is appreciated.â
âGo sit down,â his friend says, âIâll get everything taken care of.â
By this point, one of the employees has come over to clean up the mess and the few people sitting at tables are back to minding their own business.
âWe really are sorry,â the other boy says after his friend walks off to sit down.
âNo harm done.â We step up to the counter and I let the boy order theirs first. âIs he going to be okay?â
He gives me a small smile, âYeah, he will, heâs just a bit shaken up. He gets…anxious easily, I guess.â
When we get to the cash register I hand over my card.
âYou were supposed to let us pay!â
âItâs fine, my treat, please.â
âThank you.â
âYouâre welcome. You can pay it forward in some other way.â
âWe will.â He gives me a smile and heads over to his friend.
I find my own table and watch them interact. The dark-haired kid I was talking to in line grabs the other oneâs hand and the way they smile and lean toward each other tells me thereâs more to their relationship.
It makes me happy to see them so comfortable in their own skin. I would have loved to have what they do when I was their age.
Turning away from them, I focus on my own ice cream. The flavor bursts across my tongue and I have to hold back a moan. To some, having ice cream for dinner, alone to boot, might seem like the loneliest mini-celebration ever, but for me, itâs perfect.
I spent so long trying to make sure my brother was taken care of, and that he understood how much I cared and valued his accomplishments, teaching him that itâs the little things that matter just as much as the big ones. Now Iâm on my own, and Iâm okay with making my own celebrations memorable in the little ways that I enjoy. As long as they bring me happiness, who cares how small it is?
The two teens leave before I do. I watch as the blond, the one who ran into me, takes his boyfriendâs backpack. The smile that lights up on the brunetâs face makes my heart ache with a longing I havenât felt in a very long time.
Maybe itâs because the dark hair and eyes remind me of Robert, maybe itâs because they have what I would have killed for at that age, or maybe itâs something else entirely.

About the Author
Abrianna Denae is a twenty-four-year-old author living in Northern California. An English major, she has always had a passion for writing.
Deciding to sit down and write one of the many stories that had plagued her mind for years was the easy partâfinding the time to do it was a different story.
Caffeine is her best friend, and sleep is her worst enemy.
A lover of books that make the reader feel something, she tries to incorporate as much of her real-world views and feelings into her stories as she can.
Social Media
Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter | Instagram |Â BookBub | Goodreads Author Page | Amazon Author Page
You can also email her at authorabridenae@gmail.com
Hosted by Gay Book Promotions


Like this:
Like Loading...
You must be logged in to post a comment.