About the Book

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.

The Finer Details

Publication Date:  June 27, 2017
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Editor: Sarah Lyons
Cover Artist: Kanaxa Website
Story Arc: Series, The Community, book 2
Series Arc: new couple
Length: 242 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person, limited omniscience
Tense: past
Pairing(s): Male/Male
Identities: Gay, Bisexual
Age Range(s): 22-25
Genre(s):Paranormal
Supernatural Elements: telepathy, psychics, empaths
Tropes & Tags: opposites attract, virgin
Setting/Locale: New York

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Notice:

Review and rating removed.

On or about March 9, 2018, the news broke far and wide that the author known as Santino Hassell is a catfish, abusive, predatory, a master manipulator…and the list of sociopathic adjectives could go on from what I’ve gathered.

In the days surrounding, ties with this author were severed with ‘his’ agent and most (if not all) publishers including Riptide, Dreamspinner, Berkley, and…probably others.

I’m not here to write a think piece on the matter, plenty are out there, and I’d just be repeating what’s already been said. Though, I’ll say that it disgusts me to my core that anyone who came into contact with this author — from readers to authors (including co-authors), to those who were barely even in ‘his’ orbit and those who were close friends — are all victims of such a far-reaching deception. It’s monstrous how much damage and harm was caused by such epic deceit and web of lies spanning nearly two decades. I was duped. We were all duped.

It’s not about a pen name. It’s not about gender. It’s not about author privacy. It’s not about author brand. It's a fucking mess of despicable truths stranger than fiction that has left this community I love reeling in the aftermath.

If you need more information here’s a start:

Statement from Riptide: http://riptidepublishing.com/a-statement-on-sh

Twitter Moment outlining the allegations: https://twitter.com/i/moments/970716633017790464

Tumblr post further outlining allegations: https://thesaltminers.tumblr.com/post/171680546960/the-santino-hassell-debacle

Twitter post that’ll blow your fucking mind: https://twitter.com/sweetsakuradoll/status/972031764766994432

Heartbreaking statement from Ais, co-author of the ICoS series: https://twitter.com/aisness/status/976957000708915200

NOTE: Several Twitter handles were also massively important — chiefly Nikki @ease_dropper who worked for over a year to bring this information to light with receipts like you wouldn’t believe while simultaneously dealing with increasing backlash and abuse in those efforts to be heard.

A Twitter search of #SHconfessions will also work as well as the entirety of the Twitter handle @sweetsakuradoll. 

Other posts that can be found with a google search of “Santino Hassell” or “Santino Hassell Catfish.”