The stars of CONCOURSE, the newest standalone novel in the M/M romance Five Boroughs series, are Ashton Townsend and Valdrin Leka and the paparazzi love them. Ashton is NYC royalty—a party boy born into old money and who has a messy personal life and a big Instagram presence. His newest love is a amateur boxer from the Bronx who is rumored to be the son of Ashton’s former nanny. Intrigued yet? See how you feel after you read the top five reasons why the paps chase them around throughout the book.

#1 Ashton’s love life is the stuff of New York City socialite legend. He’s been linked to everyone from married blue bloods, real estate moguls, and airline execs. There may have even been a fling with a politician here or there throughout the years. But now? He’s been spotted several times with tall, dark, and muscular Valdrin. They’re so different it can’t be real, so of course the paps are determined to prove that it is.

#2 - Ashton plays coy. He knows the gossip columns and photogs keep his brand flourishing while hating the fact that they don’t let him have any privacy. Even so, he’s not shy about dropping a hint or two and teasing his fans (and nosy journalists) about his love life.

#3 - Valdrin, on the other hand, is a complete mystery, and that makes the paps hungry for information. The man has no social media except an Instagram where he only follows 3 people—his sister, another boxer, and Ashton.

#4 – Ashton looks amazing even when he’s fleeing his apartment in a frazzled state. The former model is known for his androgynous looks and style (donning everything from leather pants to sleek black dresses) and flowing blond hair. It’s almost impossible to get a bad picture of him. But… sometimes the paps try their best, especially when they sense drama in the air—which happens more than once during CONCOURSE.

#5 – Even when people think they have Ashton, and his glamorous life, figured out… he does something to keep them guessing.

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Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into an unlikely romance author.

Santino writes queer romance that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.

Visit Santino on Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads, or his website.