Grab some sun with Joe Cosentino and the men of Cozzi Cove!

We’ve taken a dip downward in the temps lately, so I’m happy to welcome Joe Cosentino with the release of book three in the popular Cozzi Cove series. Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out, available from NineStar Press and other eRetailers. 

Ready to join the fun as Joe discusses the writing of this popular series? Look at that cover – of course you are. 🙂

COZZI COVE: STEPPING OUT –  the third novel in the Cozzi Cove series by JOE COSENTINO, published by NineStar Press

NineStar Press: http://ninestarpress.com/product/cozzi-cove-stepping-out/
Amazon: http://myBook.to/Cozzi_Cove_SO
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cozzi-cove-joe-cosentino/1125465976?ean=2940153954615

It’s time for another summer of sun, sand, suntan lotion, sandals, and Speedos on Cozzi Cove at the New Jersey Shore. Cal Cozzi’s seven bungalows are once again open for love. This summer, sexy Cal welcomes back his brother and sister, who are confronted with people from their pasts. Connor, the maid packed with muscle and mayhem, becomes the subject of a handsome young psychologist’s study on human sexuality. Tommy, the strapping, bald and tattooed local bartender, is captivated with guest Cory Magnum, a police officer with a secret. Another guest, Bill, a disbelieving pastor, is inspired by a vision of two sexy male angels on the cove. And Cal and Michael reach a plateau in their relationship. What secrets, humor, tragedies, mysteries, and passions lie waiting to unfold in this magical place called Cozzi Cove?

Cozzi Cove, a dream come true – Joe Cosentino discusses writing the popular Cozzi Cove series.

As a kid, I loved watching television shows like Fantasy Island and The Love Boat. Everyone was beautiful and sexy. Their stories were romantic, funny, dramatic, surprising, and always had a happily ever after ending.

Also in my youth, my sister and I spent our summers at my aunt’s bungalow on the New Jersey shore making sandcastles at the beach, wading in the bay, playing miniature golf, eating salt water taffy, and jumping up and down on trampolines until we(literally) saw green.

As adults, my spouse and I enjoyed staying at a gay resort in Key West, Florida.

So I decided to combine these three passions and create a fictitious place I call Cozzi Cove, a gay resort of eight bungalows in a private cove on the Jersey Shore with a stunning view of the bay and lighthouse in the distance. The main beach and boardwalk are only a mile away. It’s a place I love to visit, and I know you will too.

My hero is handsome and sexy ex-professional football player Cal Cozzi. After his parents died in an automobile accent, Calproudly took over the ownership of the resort. Joining Cal is Michael, the man of his heart; Cal’s brother George and George’s ex, Aaron; Taylor, Cal’s comical top one-percenter sister (loosely based on my sister); two longtime friends: Carla of Carla’s Seafood Restaurant and Tommy of Tommy Malone’s Bar (loosely based on my niece and nephew); and Connor, the houseboy packed with muscles and a roving sponge (losing based on a friend of mine). Each summer brings a fascinating array of guests and stories to Cozzi Cove, but beware, nothing is what it seems in the magical paradise.

After book oneCozzi Cove: Bouncing Back(TBR Pile Favorite Book of the Month/Rainbow Award Honorable Mention) and book twoCozzi Cove: Moving Forwardreleased, readers and reviewers praised their romantic, humorous, dramatic, mysterious style, and interwoven captivating stories. When readers begged me for another Cozzi Cove novel, I wrote book threeCozzi Cove: Stepping Out. As with the first two books, romance is everywhere on Cozzi Cove, and surprises abound.

In book three, Cal is now thirty-one years old, and still enjoying his role as owner and manager of Cozzi Cove. Cal and Michael reach a plateau in their relationship.Houseboy Connor becomes the subject of a handsome young psychologist’s/guest’s study on human sexuality with unexpected results.Both bartender Tommy and Cal’s brother George (on the cover of book three) meet someone from their pasts and are off to a wild adventure. We also learn something shocking about Cal’s sister’s past. Lucky for Taylor, her best friend, Carla, is there for support. And finally guest Bill, a disbelieving pastor, sees a vision of two sexy male angels on the cove, which leads him to start a new life.

What secrets, humor, tragedy, mysteries, and passions lie in the magical place called Cozzi Cove? You’ll have to read the series to find out. And let me know what you think. I love hearing from readers at:http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

So grab your Speedos, suntan lotion, and shades and head back to Cozzi Cove. CalCozzi has a bungalow waiting just for you.I hope to see you there!

P.S. – Cozzi Cove: New Beginnings (book four) releases on March 27!

Praise for COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD, the second Cozzi Cove novel:

“Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward delivers a strong cast of characters and a few surprising denouements to individual story lines that will bring a smile to your face and perhaps even a heartfelt sigh.” GGR Reviews

“Who knew that 7 bungalows set surrounding a beautiful cove, could hold so many secrets, love and intrigue?” “The humour, whether subtle or not-so-subtle was superb, the timing delivered with perfection, Joe Cosentino is a natural comedian and another reason why I love reading his books. He is also very clever, he weaved moral messages throughout the entire storyline,” “Great fun entwined with the Cosentino romantic magic that brings his books alive, I loved it.” Three Books Over the Rainbow

“visiting Cozzi Cove is like coming home or revisiting a beloved holiday destination. I know everyone, by now, who is a permanent fixture and I sincerely hope that Cosentino continues this series forever. As before, the characters are a hoot. They’re a mixture of funny, quirky, sad, lonely individuals who come together to make a riotously brilliant cast.” Divine Magazine

“Oh, Cozzi Cove, you are fast becoming a favorite vacation destination with your action and excitement! Joe Cosentino once again wins his way into your heart and soul with this fun, flirtatious romance. Love, laughter and smoldering intimacy await all who dare to venture to the clear blue waters of the Cove.” 3 Chicks After Dark

“I absolutely love this series and loved all of the romance that happens at Cozzi Cove. You don’t just have one romance you have seven (really eight when you count Cal & Michael).” “I love an author that can inject humor in just the right places. Joe Cosentino is fast becoming a must read author for me.” “I can’t wait to read more from Cozzi Cove.” Inked Rainbow Reads

“The beautiful scenery and all around magical quality of Cozzi Cove is hard to resist…This is a fun, often lighthearted story, whose sweet sexy vibe makes for a great escape.” Coffeetime Romance

Praise for COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK, the first Cozzi Cove novel (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention/TBR Pile Favorite Book of the Month):

“I loved this story. It carries you through the full range of emotions, from joy to sadness, from happiness to anger.  The characters are beautifully written.” “I look forward to a return visit to the Cove.” TBR Pile

“Heartbreaking and heartwarming, sweet beginnings for some, sour endings for others, emotions jumping off the page as you turn eagerly to read more, welcome to Cozzi Cove. The author measured his scales to perfection in delivering the perfect balance of love, laughter and tears in this sexy, fun filled holiday romance entwined with some sadness. Summer magic waved it’s wand at all who visited and stayed at Cozzi Cove and I was one of those who wanted to stay.” Three Books Over the Rainbow

“In true Joe Cosentino style, this book is packed full of drama! This cast of characters will have you laughing out loud one minute before ripping your heart out the next.” Joyfully Jay

Excerpt of Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out by Joe Cosentino, published by NineStar Press:

A soaring golden orb turned the violet, pink, and tangerine sky into a canvas of blue. Early morning was Cal Cozzi’s favorite time. Treading water in the cove that had boasted his family name for generations, Cal felt as if his blood was the bay water, his flesh was the sand, and his soul was the sun. And Michael Rodgers was his heart. Michael swam over to him and wrapped his stocky arms around Cal’s neck. Cal cupped Michael’s firm bottom and squeezed him in closer. As Michael caressed Cal’s muscled back, they shared a salty wet kiss.

Cal looked up at a seagull gliding to the lighthouse in the distance. He pondered having the freedom to fly away from Cozzi Cove, but there was no place he’d rather be than in the confines of his legacy with the man he loved.

Cal’s great-grandfather, Calvin Cozzi I, had built everything in the sleepy town on the New Jersey shore, including the eight bungalows on the cove. This beautiful spot was the result of sun and salt water wearing away softer rocks more quickly than the harder rocks surrounding them.

Cal’s legacy was passed down to him from his great-grandfather through his grandfather, Calvin Cozzi II, and finally by his father, Calvin Cozzi III. Cal’s father, sensing his son’s sexual orientation as a boy, had opened Cozzi Cove as a gay resort.

Though Cal had dabbled briefly as a professional football player, and then as a restaurant owner, neither was a good fit. It wasn’t until after the unfortunate death of his parents in an automobile accident that he found his true calling: managing Cozzi Cove. The previous summer, Cal had been united with his half-brother, George, an architect, and the two of them had recently completed renovations on the bungalows, expanding them to add modern amenities while maintaining their grandfather’s nautical theme.

The tip of his head only reached Cal’s chin, so Michael had to stretch up to kiss his nose. Cal’s Italian and Scottish heritage had given him height, auburn hair, emerald-green eyes, an olive complexion, a strapping build, and a wide nose, which, as noted, Michael liked to kiss. “Should we be skinny-dipping at the start of a new summer season?”

“Probably not.” Cal ran a strong hand through Michael’s chestnut hair and gazed into his exotic eyes.

“What if a guest comes early?”

“He can get his own boyfriend.” Cal pressed his tongue inside Michael’s welcoming mouth. It felt warm, and Cal wanted more. As Michael stroked Cal’s broad shoulders and round pectoral muscles, prominent from working out at Cozzi’s gym, Cal pressed his nose against Michael’s thick neck and enjoyed the scent of vanilla. Michael’s African-American and Swedish heritage awarded him smooth golden skin that Cal loved to caress. Cal thought about the eleven-year difference in their ages, how they had met when Michael, still in the closet, tried to gay bash him in an alley, and the year Michael still had left to finish college. It was illogical and improbable for Cal and Michael to be together, yet it felt incredibly right. At that moment, he couldn’t be more in love with Michael.

George Valis, wearing a violet polo shirt and white shorts that accentuated his muscular legs, stepped out of Bungalow Seven and met them at the cove. “Hey, my ex back in Maine dumped me, remember? Stop rubbing in your happiness, you two.”

“Have breakfast with us.” Michael’s dimples appeared. “Cal is making a feast.”

“And Michael is cleaning up after me.”

“As usual.” George winked at Michael.

They got out of the water and put on the terrycloth robes they’d left on a rock at the water’s edge. Cal smiled at the sight of his brother’s height and eye color, which was exactly the same as his own. Cal and George shared the same father, with George being the result of Cal Cozzi II’s infidelity. They had met for the first time last summer when George looked Cal up, and Cal couldn’t have been happier to have a brother like George. He mussed George’s dark hair affectionately. “After breakfast, I’ll pack a lunch for your ride back to Maine.”

Michael’s shoulders slumped. “Do you have to go?”

Cal put his arm around Michael, recalling the brother Michael had lost two summers ago to suicide. “Bungalow Seven is always here for George.”

“Good.” George grinned like a kid with a secret. “It looks like I’ll be staying for a while longer.”

“Yeah!” Michael gave George a hug. “Cal will make a special celebration dinner tonight.” He kissed Cal’s cheek. “My favorite is surf and turf.”

“How about I leave my turf and throw you in the surf at the main beach instead?” Cal kissed Michael’s neck and then turned to his younger brother. “What’s up, bro?”

George looked at them and giggled. “Clearly you two, just before I arrived.”

Cal moved in and placed George in a playful headlock. “Look, little brother, the guests will be here soon. If you want breakfast, spill it.”

COZZI COVE: STEPPING OUT –  the third novel in the Cozzi Cove series

by JOE COSENTINO, published by NineStar Press

NineStar Press: http://ninestarpress.com/product/cozzi-cove-stepping-out/
Amazon: http://myBook.to/Cozzi_Cove_SO
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cozzi-cove-joe-cosentino/1125465976?ean=2940153954615

About Joe:

Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out, and Cozzi Cove: New Beginnings (NineStar Press); Drama Queen (Divine Magazine Readers’ Favorite LGBT Mystery Novel and Humorous Novel), Drama Muscle (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective Nicky and Noah mysteries (Lethe Press); In My Heart/An Infatuation & A Shooting Star (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), A Home for the HolidaysThe Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press); Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll (The Wild Rose Press) Jana Lane mysteries. He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. He was voted 2ndPlace for Favorite MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards, and his books have received numerous awards.

Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino

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