What happens when a social worker delivers not one, but two bundles of joy to the unsuspecting sperm donor? Scott Wexler, discovering he has twin nine-month-old babies, needs all the help he can get.

Anthony Rodrigues, Gaynor Beach’s social worker, can’t help but step in to assist in this heartwarming single dad gay romance.

Let’s meet Anthony from Anthony, a gay romance, by Gabbi Grey. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here!

Please tell us about your latest book.

Anthony by Gabbi Grey

Genre gay romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): steamy

Anthony

During my seven years as a social worker in Gaynor Beach, California, delivering orphaned twins to their unsuspecting father is the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced. These babies lost their mother and they need a loving parent, but is adorable Scott Wexler up to that challenge? Transferring custody is one thing—walking away is something entirely different, especially with the stress of Christmas bearing down on Scott too.

Scott

After escaping a miserable childhood, I’ve made a fresh start in California. I’m in charge at the Gaynor Beach Public Library, I love helping people, and I’m feeling like an actual functional human being. Then social worker Anthony Rodrigues shows up on my doorstep with twins I fathered through a sperm donation, and suddenly I’m responsible for two tiny lives. Accepting help from the gorgeous social worker is a no brainer—admitting I want him to stay is going to take a lot more courage.

This 74k word gay romance is a slow burn, mid-angst, instalove with a geeky librarian, a by-the-book social worker, adorable twin-toddler terrors, and a beleaguered cat named Crumpy.

Stressing Anthony

Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.

Please tell me about your hero.

Age: 30
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Napa Valley, CA
Profession: Social Worker
Ethnicity: Hispanic

What does your hero look like?

Anthony’s tall, dark and handsome. These days he’s sporting a beard in an attempt to look more mature. His hair’s a little long and he likes that. Especially when his partner tugs on it while they’re making love.

Who is the significant other in his life?

Scott Wexler – librarian in Gaynor Beach – and new single dad. Scott’s a ginger with stunning green eyes and a bit of a geeky side. He’s also a little kinky, much to Anthony’s surprise.

The Hero’s Relaxed Side

This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.

Anthony’s very dedicated to his work – if he’s going to show up at a party, it’ll be for work – mostly to impress his boss.

How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?

He’s relaxed and vigilant at the same time. He wants to make a good impression on those around him – image is everything.

Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?

He’ll mingle with his co-workers and try to engage his boss in a conversation.

f he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?

He’ll have a beer, if alcohol is being served.

How much drink is his usual?

One beer is his absolute limit. He’s dealt with an addict in his past and he’ll never let himself lost control.

The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?

He’ll likely need a break away from the stress of having to make a good impression. He puts up a good façade, but it’s a little tiring.

Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?

If he were at a party with some other gay men, he’d latch on to a friend and stay with them. He’s very loyal.

If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?

He’s the intervener – he’ll do everything in his power to stop the fight before it escalates. And if he has to pick sides, he’ll pick the weaker person. He always stands up for the little guy.

Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?

He’d do the tossing – he has no patience for people who overindulge.

Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?

He’ll know when to leave. Being around his co-workers might be awkward, but he can judge the perfect moment to make his exit.

The Hero’s Stressed Out Side

How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?

He’ll remain calm. He knows racial profiling is a thing, and he’ll be worried. But he’ll do everything he’s told and hope things are sorted out later. He’s innocent. He’ll hold tight to that.

How does the hero react to hearing a scream?

He runs toward those in needs – even if it comes at his peril.

If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?

How can I intervene? If there’s a weapon, he might stop to call the cops.

If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?

Jumps in. He knows he’s mortal, but he’s not going to stand by and watch someone get hurt. He’ll put his own life on the line if it means he can save someone else.

This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?

Keeps going. He’s found himself in over his head a few times and has always come out on top, so he’ll stick firm to the belief he can do it again. Even if he goes down in defeat, he’ll be able to cling to the fact he tried.

The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact in some way. What does he do?

Funny, this exact thing happens to him. He doesn’t want the confrontation, but he also understands it has to happen. In the end, though, he protects those in his life who he loves the most.

Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?

He’s faced this exact situation. He brings the twins to Scott – who’s a few years younger – and it’s soon clear that Scott’s not coping well. Anthony doesn’t hesitate – he steps in to offer a hand without being controlling. Oh, and he falls in love in the process.

The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?

You’ve borne unbearable emotional grief and anguish. You lost everyone who meant something to you. You can endure this physical pain because there’s something better on the other side.

What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?

A high school guidance counsellor brought him back from the abyss and helped him get into college. You’re stronger than you think will always be his mantra.

What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?

Tremendous personal losses have been his guiding principle – he ensures the helpless children in his community are cared for. The desire to keep doing that is enough to see him through even the darkest situations.

What one thing would you like readers to know about your hero?

He was a bit of a jerk in my book, Hugh, another book in the Single Dads of Gaynor Beach series. Yet even as I wrote him back then, I knew he had reasons for being the way he was and I also knew – without a shadow of a doubt – that I had to write his redemptive arc. I hope readers will feel I’ve done that.

Thank you, Kayelle, for letting me share a glimpse into Anthony. I really appreciate you letting me visit.

Where to buy Anthony

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Anthony-Single-Dads-Gaynor-Beach-ebook/dp/B0BJQL39SZ
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anthony-gabbi-grey/1142694635
iBooks https://books.apple.com/ca/book/anthony/id6444502148
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/anthony-24
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1179503

Gabbi Grey Social Media

Gabbi lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black.

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