Word Count: 100641
Character Identities: Gay
Summary:
2018 Top Ten Gay Romance brings together the best-selling short stories published by JMS Books that year.
From first love to true love, from submission to sensual, from heat to sweet and everything in between, the couples in these stories are sure to keep you turning the pages as you fall in love with them.
With stories by Addison Albright, Laura Bailo, Kris T. Bethke, Sarah Hadley Brook, Nell Iris, Shawn Lane, K.L. Noone, Deirdre O’Dare, J.M. Snyder, and J.D. Walker, this head-over-heels collection goes beyond bedtime reading. Whether happily ever after or happy for now, there’s an ending for everyone in here!
Contains the stories:
- The Contingency Plan by Addison Albright
- No Rulebook for Flirting by Laura Bailo
- Hero Worship by Kris T. Bethke
- Motorcycle Man by Sarah Hadley Brook
- Unexpected Christmas by Nell Iris
- Hitting It Big by Shawn Lane
- Leather and Tea by K.L. Noone
- Doggone Love by Deirdre O’Dare
- Commanding Officer Thomas by J.M. Snyder
- No Snarkasm in Love by J.D. Walker
Pairing: M-M
December 29, 2018
Word Count: 27000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Troy Pettifer, a broken-hearted chocolate shop worker, isn't sure what to do next when Richard Belden, a controlling but handsome sadist, walks into his life and gets him on his knees. Troy's friends start fixing him up with vanilla guys. Richard is nursing his own heart that was broken by a man who betrayed him and the entire BDSM community, but, for Troy to fulfill desires he didn't even know he had, he's going to have to embrace the beautiful leatherman within.
Pairing: M-M
July 18, 2015
Word Count: 72000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: 6 Days Series, Book Two Mixologist Nick Valentine never thought love was in the cards, but after a scorching Valentine’s Day kiss from bouncer Davis “FatBoy” Newman, he’s beginning to think it’s possible. After four weeks of dry spell, Nick’s losing patience—it’s time FatBoy stop acting the gentleman and just throw him over the bar or Nick may just change his mind. All FatBoy wants is a shot at winning Nick’s heart. As long as meddling bosses, an Irish hurling team and a bar riot don’t ruin his chances forever, he might just get lucky and take the man of his dreams, home.
Pairing: M-M
March 9, 2018
Word Count: 69034
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Matthew Doner is starting over. After a five-year prison term that alters every aspect of his life, he receives a bequest from his aunt with the stipulation that he use the money to make things right. Breaking free of the long-standing role he's played and inspired by the few who support him, he decides to create a safe place where people like him can find purpose and start a new life. Julian Capeletti likes challenges. He is confident, brash, stubborn, and just what Matt needs. Desperate for work after a downturn of luck, he accepts the job to renovate Matt's crumbling building. Over the course of a year, romance simmers between them as they restore the house. But there's a bigger renovation that must take place in their hearts. To become better men, they need to learn to trust each other even with secrets and painful memories they fear may rip them apart.
Pairing: M-M
January 16, 2014
Word Count: 33588
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Bain never thought he’d escape the prison he’d lived in for the last five years. He spent his days chained up like an animal, and his nights…they were better not spoken about. Until one day Antonio came stumbling into his darkness, lighting a fire in his soul and giving him a chance at a new life. Antonio loved his position as a Bellator, and he loved his brother Luc; it was Luc’s friends he could do without. When he came upon an emaciated and beaten boy at his brother’s best friend David’s house, he knew he had to get him out of there. Risking his place on his team, his relationship with his brother, and even death was something he’d never regret. After all, Bain was Antonio’s sodalis vitae, and soulmates were forever. The small problem of Bain being a member of the Tenebrix, the Bellators’ mortal enemies, was nothing compared to what could happen if David found out where he was. But Antonio won’t let anything—race, being hunted by his own kind, or Bain’s fears—keep him from finally claiming his mate. This novella is a standalone in The Bearer of Truth world and takes place three years before Shadowing the Light. Antonio and Bain do appear in The BoT series as side characters, but you do not need to have read those books to read this one or vice versa.
Pairing: M-M
February 7, 2019
Word Count: 63000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Does Fate Grant Wishes? Ryan O’Shaughnessy, owner of the Top o’ the Morning Coffeehouse, is convinced of it. Besides brewing the best coffee in Rothcote and baking delicious pastries and cakes, he helps Fate with her errands, never minding that it’s always someone else’s turn to catch a bit of happiness. Not until he meets a man who takes his breath away. Detective Sergeant Ben Hobart has made a career of helping others. He never asks help for himself. Not even when a bad breakup leaves him with only his cat for company. Until he sets foot into Ryan’s coffeehouse to investigate a break-in and finds what’s missing from his life. Fate may grant wishes, but she doesn’t hand them out for free. Can Ben let go of the past? And will Ryan find the courage to make a wish of his own? A sweet, sexy mm coffeeshop romance with a touch of magic and a cat.
Pairing: M-M
October 20, 2022
Word Count: 84000
Character Identities: Bisexual, Demisexual, Transgender
Summary: Edmund is heir to the throne of Thalassa and a wielder of Water magic. Devoted to his kingdom and his duty to it, Edmund can do nothing but acquiesce to an arranged marriage with the queen of a neighboring kingdom. The marriage and the child it is required to produce will seal an alliance between Thalassa and Aither that is vital to Thalassa’s safety, and far more important than Edmund’s personal misgivings. Arden is the younger brother of Aither’s queen and a wielder of Air magic. Raised in the politics of the court to support his sister’s rule, he understands the alliance is important to Aither, even as he worries about his sister marrying someone she’s never met. When Edmund arrives in Aither to prepare for the wedding, Arden is tasked with helping him settle in at court. As they spend more time together, Edmund and Arden develop a close friendship, then stronger feelings, but with Edmund’s wedding approaching, they must hide their feelings, even from themselves. When someone tries to assassinate the queen, Edmund is blamed, and Arden rescues him before he can be executed for a crime he didn’t commit. To prevent a war between their kingdoms and protect them from a dangerous enemy, Edmund and Arden will have to discover who wants to pit Aither and Thalassa against each other and mend relations between the two kingdoms as they evade those searching for them—all while finding a way to be together.
Pairing: M-M
October 1, 2018
Word Count: 85788
Character Identities: Bisexual, Pansexual
Summary: Kris Starr used to be famous. Rock and roll. Sold-out shows. Literal magic. Empathic talents and screaming fans. But he has a problem or two. He's having a hard time writing new music. It's Midwinter, which means he's surrounded by depressing holiday cheer. And he's in love with Justin, his manager, who has a talent for rescuing almost- or once-famous bands ... and who's hiding secrets of his own. Justin Moore, on the other hand, is very good at keeping those secrets -- he's had to be for years. One secret involves a demonic inheritance that would make him a target of suspicion. Another involves his past. And the third involves Justin's feelings for Kris Starr, rock and roll icon and now his client ... and a powerful empath.
Pairing: M-M
March 10, 2018
Word Count: ~67000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Sometimes the perfect man can be found in the most unexpected place…. Martin Carmichael owns a security firm and is part owner of Club Whisper. He’s a Dom in search of the right guy, and when his car breaks down on a lonely stretch of road, he thinks he might have found him. Artist Collin Malloy is talented, easygoing, but somewhat insecure. Still, he has a big heart and is quick to offer help when he sees Martin in need. To thank him, Martin invites Collin to dinner, where the attraction between them becomes harder to resist. But what will become of their budding relationship when Martin reveals that he likes his men bound, submissive, and in pain? Is it something Collin can accept… and possibly enjoy exploring? Even if he can, Collin has a secret of his own—a secret he doesn’t even realize he’s keeping.
Pairing: M-M
April 10, 2018
Word Count: 67500
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Silver fox Curtis is everything baker Andrew could want in a sub, and their chemistry is off the charts. But as a wealthy and successful gallery owner, Curtis intimidates Andrew and challenges his dominant nature. Can Andrew get used to a sub with a much higher social status? British noble Curtis Morris has all but given up on finding his perfect Dom when he walks into a bakery and meets Andrew Granger—smoldering hot, new to Miami, into the lifestyle, and with kinks that align perfectly with Curtis’s own. Andrew grew up poor and doesn’t know if he can handle a sub with so much more money, even if he’s insanely attracted to Curtis. To make matters worse, Curtis’s preferred club, Whisper, is far beyond Andrew’s financial means. Still, Andrew doesn’t want to lose Curtis to his own hang-ups, not when Curtis is far from the elitist snob Andrew expected. But Andrew keeps messing up, and with Curtis’s rich ex visiting with the hopes of winning him back, he and Curtis will need all the help they can get to make their romance of opposites work out.
Pairing: M-M
June 24, 2019
Word Count: 72000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Life is perfect for Richard and Dean. Richard is a wealthy and successful businessman who also owns a BDSM club, and Dean is a bestselling author and sub to Richard. They’re young, happy, and in love. The future is bright…. Until tragedy strikes and an accident claims Dean’s beloved sister. Dean also finds himself the guardian of a three-month-old infant, and soon he’s trading in his leather fetish gear for diapers and drool bibs. But little Emily is all that remains of his family, so how can he abandon her? It’s not what Richard signed up for. As much as he tries to be supportive, he never wanted kids and misses having his partner to himself. Suddenly the life he imagined for them is gone, and he’s not sure their relationship can survive the upheaval. But fate isn’t through with Dean, and when misfortune strikes again, will he be able to turn to the man he loves? A final crisis will determine if they can pull together as a family or they must face facts and part ways.
Pairing: M-M
October 23, 2017
Word Count: 45572
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: How do you stay standing when the ground is torn from beneath your feet? Becket and Christian are taking the first, tentative steps towards the committed D/s relationship they both crave when the world literally explodes around them. In a frightening reversal of roles, Becket has to deal with his own vulnerability and Christian must find the strength to take care of his Dom. With the help of their friends at The Edge, the two men come to realise that dominance and submission cannot be switched on and off. Events that could have ended in tragedy provide the catalyst that affirms their trust in each other, but there are still questions to answer. Is the safe path always the right one to take? Is control simply a state of mind? One thing’s for certain, life’s too short for compromise. Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series.
Pairing: M-M
July 18, 2014
Word Count: 110000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: XAVIER Former Navy SEAL Xavier Thierry knows he is good at his job… protect the client. You do the job but never get too close—that’s his motto. When the friend he owes for saving his life asks for a favor, he doesn’t hesitate to say yes, no questions asked. But babysitting some pampered brat is nowhere on his to-do list. Until he first lays eyes on him… Cris. And he’s nothing like Xav expected. He wasn’t sure when this man stopped being a job, but the rules blur once Cris ends up in his arms. How can Xavier let him go when he’s the only one who chases away the darkness? CRIS Cris Whitcomb thought he finally found his happily ever after… But the fairytale soon became a nightmare, one that left him with only one choice—to push away those he loves to protect them. His chosen family refuses to be pushed away. Their solution, call in someone trusted to watch over and protect him… Xavier. But what happens when your future walks in on the worst day of your life? Maybe sometimes you have to go through the bad to get the best... One who knows the pain of loneliness, another haunted by memories he can’t run away from... Maybe they are exactly what each other needs… TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains scenes of domestic violence in flashbacks.
Pairing: M-M
July 28, 2019
Word Count: 86611
Character Identities: Bisexual, Demisexual, Gay, Transgender
Summary: Prince Edmund of Thalassa and Prince Arden of Aither are eagerly anticipating their upcoming wedding, but the danger to their kingdom hasn’t lessened. They have a plan, but they won’t be able to carry it out alone: they need a strong wielder of each Element, whom they can trust implicitly, to carry out the magic. Rhys is a commoner and wielder of Earth magic. He and his sister have made a living from the use of their magic for years and have become highly respected in scholarly circles, though he prefers a more simple life with his plants. When a message from Prince Arden reaches them asking for their help, they don’t hesitate. They stop only to request that Gaz, a strong Fire wielder and the man Rhys has long been enamored of, accompany them on the journey to Thalassa’s royal palace. What no one knows is that Gaz was once known as Prince Gareth of Thalassa and is Edmund’s younger brother, long believed dead. He fled his home after his Fire Affinity made itself known and put him in danger, and he had no intention of ever going back. But he can’t keep himself from going to his brother’s aid, despite the risk of discovery and of the weight of his secrets potentially crushing his fledgling relationship with Rhys. Working against time, they must find a way to come together in a magical working the likes of which none of them has ever imagined, or their homelands will surely burn.
Pairing: M-M
March 11, 2019
Word Count: 111200
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: After surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing. Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge. After a lifetime of putting his career first, a milestone brings him to a harsh realization—he's lonely. Hunter's world changes when he meets Cam. The wary young man intrigues him and awakens a desire unlike anything he's ever experienced. When Cam's past resurfaces and threatens to rip them apart, their budding relationship is challenged and Cam's hope for a future begins to dim. These outside forces hunting Cam will stop at nothing to send him back to prison. But they'll have to get past Hunter first. ---------- NOTE: Word count: 111,200. This story is a romantic suspense/mystery novel and the second installment in The Men of Halfway House series. Although characters reappear from book one, this story can be read as a stand-alone.
Pairing: M-M
April 28, 2014
Word Count: 30000
Character Identities: Information not available
Summary: Christmas has come on the ridge, Levi and Travis are busy getting ready for the biggest celebration the old farmhouse has seen in years. But a cloud of sadness still haunts Levi after losing both of his parents only a month ago. Meanwhile, Jeannie is seven months along in her pregnancy and has a bad case of the holiday grumps, and when the city council asks her to play The Virgin Mary in the town Christmas Parade she must decide whether she wants the responsibility, and when her husband Tony has to work; she asks her ex-fiance Jake to play Joseph, making his husband Shane jealous. Back At Magnolia, While he is searching for decorations in the attic he discovers a secret his father had kept hidden from him and his mother for years; he has a half-brother, and it's someone he and Travis have met before. Join Daniel Elijah Sanderfer and the cast of characters you have come to love for the epic seventh book in the Best Selling Magnolia Ridge Series. Even if we aren't feeling the holiday cheer, Christmas still lives in all of us. We just need help finding it sometimes.
Pairing: M-M
December 17, 2018
Word Count: 20043
Character Identities: Bisexual, Lesbian
Summary: A New F/F Fantasy Romance from the author of Cynthia and Eve. Book 1 of 'The Fae Souls'. When I first arrived at the mansion, I couldn't remember anything. My name, how I'd got there or who the people were around me. I knew I was a woman, and the pink dress and brown ankle boots I wore felt vaguely familiar, but nothing more. It wasn't long before I was told my name was Celina. I was given a suite to stay in and encouraged to prepare for the mysterious Prince Eldran's masquerade party. I found everything I needed in my suite, other than the answers I sought. Fragments of memory hinted at dark experiences, at love and loss, but there was no context and I was uncertain about my history and what the future might hold for me. A stranger at the time, Sorcha found me alone as I sought solace in an empty room. I discovered she too had missing memories, and in her I found a person to talk to. A friend and more, but did we have a chance? A Masquerade in Time is a romantic novella of just over 20,000 words, which contains strong steamy content and language.
Pairing: F-F
June 26, 2017
Word Count: 145000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: A story of healing and confronting demons… Detective Aidan Calloway is rock-solid strong. He's a man of justice—loyal to his friends, family, and job—even if it requires bending a law…or two. He shields himself behind an abrasive, fearless facade, until a phone call one night chips his armor and throws his perfectly planned, hollow life into a tailspin. Jessie Vega is the epitome of optimism. His carefully crafted attitude of hope and positivity protects him from a past filled with too much pain. When a ghost from a dark time resurfaces and nearly breaks him, he must tap into his inner strength or risk losing everything he's worked so hard to build. But Jessie can't do it alone. He must fight to break through Aidan's ironclad defenses to reveal the heart of the man hiding beneath the tough surface and mend his damaged spirit. Only then can they truly heal and become strong enough to battle the demons that haunt them and threaten their chance to finally be together. ---------- ***This book contains scenes and subject matter some readers may find distressing. It is only intended for adult readers.*** Word count: 145K Although part of a series and events from prior stories are referenced, this book can be read as a stand-alone.
Pairing: M-M
April 28, 2016
Word Count: 80.5
Character Identities: Gay, Polyamorous
Summary: Starting all over again isn't easy, especially for pack alpha River. With his small band of followers and his half-human, half-omega mate by his side, he's left everything he knows for the wilderness. Tragedy brings the group to Cascade City, where rogue werewolves and humans both pose a threat to the pack. River isn't sure he can trust the humans anymore, and telling which rogues are dangerous and which are not is a difficult task. Foremost on the pack alpha’s mind is getting those in his charge to safety and after that rebuilding their pack. Beneath River’s worries lies an uncomfortable feeling that something isn't quite right with the pack's omegas.
Pairing: M-M, M-M-M, 4+ or Other
May 9, 2020
Word Count: 70000
Character Identities: Gay
Summary: Tom Morton is a gay Catholic parish priest in a northern English town. Tom's closeted life is turned upside down when the man he fell in love with comes back into his life. Caught between duty and desire, Tom finds himself confronting the powerful Bishop, Derek Worrell—a dark figure from Tom's past, and the man who has pledged to rid the Church of its troublesome gay clergy.
Pairing: M-M
November 28, 2021
