Books Tagged With what - concept - resilience

Word Count: Click here to reveal84000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The Birthmark Murders (MM mystery with slow-burn sparks) Step into a world where secrets smoulder between the lines and truth hides behind the curtain. A famous father’s death. A city of secrets. A son who won’t let go. A play that refuses to stay on the stage. When Mikael—a half-Finnish New Zealander—returns to Finland to probe his father’s supposed suicide, nothing adds up. With reluctant new friend Pekka Wall, a sharp-tongued editor-translator, and a local misfit at his side, the stunning Mikael slips into Finland’s eccentric underbelly. In nightless summer, the light hides more than it reveals; silence is a blade; the past refuses burial. As layers of performance, paranoia, and betrayal peel back, the real challenge isn’t catching a killer—it’s facing the truth. Darkly funny and emotionally charged, The Birthmark Murders blends satire with sorrow, theatre with obsession, and a distinctly Finnish atmosphere you’ll feel in your bones. It launches a new pair of gay sleuths—Pekka Wall & Tuomas Ylivire—who crackle with wit and chemistry… even as the body count rises. For Queer Romance Ink readers MM mystery / crime with slow-burn attraction and banter Reluctant partners → found family vibes Queer leads front and center, no tragedy porn Atmospheric Nordic summer, theatre & literary satire Tone: darkly comic, emotionally satisfying, hopeful ending for the sleuths If you love smart, stylish queer mysteries with bite and heart—start The Birthmark Murders today. Grab your copy and meet your next favorite duo.

Word Count: Click here to reveal72000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Handful (MM coming-of-age with sweet first love) A story of courage, friendship, and finding your own way. In the crisp spring of suburban Finland, Tuomas Ylivire is teetering between boyhood and whatever comes next. With his judo kit, razor-sharp wit, and a rule-breaking streak inherited from his legendary detective father, he thinks he’s ready for anything. Then enigmatic Esa walks into his world—and buried truths start to surface. To move forward, Tuomas has to risk the hardest things: trust, vulnerability, and being open about who he is. As secrets unravel and friendships are tested, the boys learn that while being gay is perfectly normal, living honestly—and joyfully—can demand rare courage. Handful is a modern, heartfelt page-turner that blends suspense, smart humour, and the beautiful mess of real life. Expect hope, laughter, and a deeply satisfying finish that lingers. For Queer Romance Ink readers MM YA/NA coming-of-age with sweet, slow-burn first love Found family & fierce friendship vibes Finnish suburban spring and summer setting—crisp, atmospheric, real Emotionally safe: no queer tragedy; hopeful, affirming end Themes: self-acceptance, bravery, loyalty, stepping into your own power If you love tender, smart queer stories where joy outshines every struggle, dive into Handful. Meet Tuomas and Esa—and discover why this is the book everyone’s talking about. Grab your copy today.

Word Count: Click here to reveal63000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

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.

Word Count: Click here to reveal45000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: There’s no glory in custodial work. That never bothered campus janitor Carl Gibson any. He worked hard—had to. His love life was a tragedy best not reopened and his only hope for the happiness he broadcast to the world was in two things: Halloween and the shrill, ever-demanding bark of his darling Lilah. But Halloween decorations were being displaced by Christmas already, and his precious pug? He could only hope she’d hold on a bit longer. Austin Edwards had failed his little boy. The most junior dining manager at the college, when everyone called out on Halloween, he got called in. The house lights were all dark. except one. A sparkling hope of legend at the college. For his boy’s sake, he hoped Carl was as crazy about Halloween as the stories said. When Carl filled his son’s empty bag with candy, Austin couldn’t help but wonder why such a wonderful man was so alone. He had to find out. With Christmas fast approaching, Carl and Austin tip-toe into dating. But they both have ghosts and memories to contend with. Can Austin be Carl’s Christmas vision? Or will Carl retreat, as he always has?

Word Count: Click here to reveal85788 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Pansexual (Click here to hide)

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.

Word Count: Click here to reveal60000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul. ANSON: I was just a mercenary back from fighting the good fight overseas. I was on a quest for my father, my roots, looking for answers. Turk Blackburn, Bent Zealots MC Prez, ordered me on a fresh operation to prove myself, my guts, my valor. Infiltrate the Navajo Rez and find out who is claiming the Zealots’ turf, using kids to cook drugs. My partner is the famous badge slut, Ormond Tangier, known far and wide for his mad oral skills, his subservience to anyone in uniform. Mercenaries don’t wear badges, but my dominant side soon has me all over that seductive Spanish servant. A man may as well have a few laughs while on a fatal mission. Because these things never end pleasantly. ORMOND: I was flung into a life-or-death battle against the slimy Iceman, leader of a rival MC. Iceman is running all sorts of questionable ops on Bent Zealots land, and now Anson and I have to prove our street creds just to stake a claim in our own backyard. I’m a friend of cops, firemen, and soldiers alike, but suddenly I only want one man ordering me around. Anson Dineyazzie, macho half-breed hired gun, has stolen more than just my heart. This was never supposed to happen. ANSON: I swear I’m never falling for that service bottom Ormond. I’m accomplishing this op and going back to Afghanistan. But I have to wrest control of this Rez land from Iceman and the lethal hit man who has been trailing us. I’d bury anyone who got between me and Ormond. Does that mean I’m in love? God, I hope not. Don’t think I can take that again. Just need to get back onto the open road and blow the dust from my soul. Publisher’s warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. It contains scenes of gay sex, illegal doings, violence, mild BDSM, and forced seduction roleplay. There is no cliffhanger or cheating and there is a HEA.

Word Count: Click here to reveal49000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: A Scotland honeymoon promises joy for a Dom and his sub, but a criminal's revenge may prove deadly. Sure the danger that dogged their steps in Los Angeles has finally passed, Brian and Jackie seal their hopes for a new beginning with a New Year’s Eve kiss. Though Brian’s trauma at the hands of criminals has left its mark, they do their best to leave troubles behind and enjoy a Scotland honeymoon. The ancient city of Glasgow offers nightlife, historic sites, long walks through snowfall, great Scotch whisky, a cozy fireside -- and a blazing hot private encounter with a cool, cool ghost. But every time somebody wins, someone else loses. When Brian helped State Department cop Jesse Douglas take down a crime ring, a rogue FBI agent lost everything. She blames Brian, and with the help of false identities and very good skills at disguise, tracking him and Jackie down in Scotland poses no problem. When a final encounter in the Highlands turns deadly, the key to keeping Brian alive lies in Jackie’s hands. With everything he loves at stake, can he call up love, courage and confidence in time to take that single, vital shot in darkness?

Word Count: Click here to reveal48000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Deep love, hot kink. Secrets call for a shot of trust when true danger lurks in LA's hidden places. __________ Brian Harrison wants to keep everyone safe -- especially his beloved sub, Jackie Vasquez -- and he’s convinced the only way to do that is to dig ever deeper in a forbidden investigation. Keeping his activities secret from the State Department means keeping them from his own boss, Luki Vasquez, and keeping secrets from Luki means Jackie can’t know either. Meanwhile, Jackie keeps his own secrets as his kind heart and indomitable spirit drive him to find and help a mysterious homeless woman, who may be connected to a kidnapping. Both men dance around dangers lurking in LA’s hidden places. Love continues to grow, adventurous kink heats up, and a marriage proposal still hangs in the balance. Can a willing shot of trust keep them together and alive when secrets collide?

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Summary: For Jack and Gareth, family is everything. But justice comes a close second. A death from natural causes that might just be murder. A dance coach with wandering hands. Holiday jobs, birthday party plans, and a request for help that calls Jack to Tokyo. Between family, work, and their freelance jobs Jack and Gareth’s summer leaves little room for private time. At least their personal issues are solved. Or so they think until a threat to their family tests all their certainties once more. For fans of found family, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and stories where justice is never simple, A Simple Mistake delivers a powerful exploration of resilience, loyalty, and the choices that shape us. Will Jack and Gareth’s family emerge stronger, or will the fractures of the past finally tear them apart? Discover the answer in A Simple Mistake.

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay, Pansexual (Click here to hide)

Summary: A Christmas in July Release! Cozy MM Holiday Romances. An entire Christmas season in one collection. Celebrate Christmas in July with over 1000 pages of cozy, emotional, and binge-worthy MM holiday romance featuring beloved couples, heartwarming favorites, and THREE brand-new holiday novellas written exclusively for this collection. Inside you’ll find: holiday weddings hockey romance fake dating Daddy/boy & Daddy/little dynamics bi-awakenings small-town charm found family emotional hurt/comfort spicy holiday nights ... and all the Christmas feels Return to fan-favorite couples including: Niall & Eli Wynter & Taran Savion & Declan Markus & Nicky Aiden & Levi Creed & Avery … and more.

Word Count: Click here to reveal51000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary:

Can a night of passion lead to a happily ever after?

Yakuza captain Hayato’s life is a mess. His boyfriend broke up with him, changed the locks, and kept all his stuff. He can’t crash at his brother’s because his girlfriend is moving in. And just when Hayato thinks things can’t get worse, he accidentally gets blackout drunk and wakes up in the arms of a clingy underling.

Masuo believes he and his boss made a deep connection, but when he’s blown off the next morning, he feels lied to. Assigned to run a failing pachinko parlor, Masuo is determined to turn it around to prove himself to everyone…especially his sexy superior.

When Hayato realizes he’s falling for the young parlor manager, he is more than ready for fun. But as Hayato’s tragic past comes back to haunt him, Masuo wonders if he’s ready to carry all Hayato’s baggage.

Can the unlikely pair learn to accept each other and find their way to happiness even while new challenges arise, or is their love destined to fall like balls through a pachinko machine?

Buy Addicted to Lust to find love in crime today!

Word Count: Click here to reveal120000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: May-December love is sweet… but December doesn’t last forever. Tim Davis always knew he’d likely outlive his older husband. He just thought they’d have more time. He also never imagined that their final years together would revolve around a grueling and protracted battle with cancer. Eighteen months later, he’s still coming to terms with his loss and his new life. Where does he go from here? Alex Ouellette is drowning in grief and survivor’s guilt, constantly reliving the moment his world stopped. Then a friend suggests that a change of scenery and the company of men who’ve been through similar losses could do him some good. Alex is dubious, but he agrees to go. Neither man has high hopes for this widowers’ retreat. Grief and loneliness have been constant and unwelcome companions, though. At this point, they’ll try anything. The last thing either anticipates when they get there? A powerful spark of attraction. Friendship blooms. Then more. They bond over their grief, but also find joy, laughter, and a connection neither expected to ever feel again. As their broken worlds collide, both Tim and Alex finally have unexpected hope that there’s life after loss. But grief’s dark clouds are never far behind, and the past could be the one thing standing in the way of a happy future. After December is a 120,000-word standalone gay romance novel.

Word Count: Click here to reveal117000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary:

Word Count: Click here to reveal223000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Bisexual, Gay, Pansexual, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: Contract killers don’t retire. They don’t start over and they don’t live normal lives. Zane Cortese doesn’t care what the unspoken rules are and he breaks away from a life of murder to become a regular, law-abiding citizen. He settles down to do what he’s always loved—writing songs. So what if he lives on a remote mountain side, has no friends, and there are discreet cameras situated all over his property. Being normal isn’t as easy as it sounds. Zane’s struggle to be like everyone else is second only to his infatuation with the cowboy renting the cabin on his property. There is a list of logical and ethical reasons why he shouldn’t pursue a relationship with the arresting man—not that Zane knows how to have, you know, a relationship. Despite what he wants or is even ready for, his pushy agent arranges for him to meet a popular band. Needing the distraction, he agrees not knowing that before the night is over he will be caught in a web of schemes. One thing’s for certain, Zane doesn’t care if life is normal as long as he gets to keep the people that he’s quickly coming to love. Tags: medium burn, polyamorous, unusual paranormals, an assassin trying to be normal, an abandoned cowboy far from home, an old god looking out for his favorite person, one human struggling—or not—with discovering paranormal beings, said being striving to claim him in different ways, found family, blooded family, Scandinavian roots, Central American lore, oracles, Beowulf reimagined, dragons, all the world building

Word Count: Click here to reveal61725 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Trevor comes out as bisexual, meets the man of his dreams, and learns he's a new dad. Will he be able to survive his conservative parent's wrath? Two years after Peter lost his fiancée, he’s convinced love isn’t in his future. At least until sexy new father Trevor and his very opinionated infant son step into his life. As their relationship begins to blossom and grow, the baby’s disapproving grandparents decide to intervene. Will Trevor and Peter have the strength to overcome the obstacles they face to have another chance with love?

Word Count: Click here to reveal110000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Welcome to another place in time...where one can be swept away into lands and eras long forgotten. This collection of short stories was birthed because a sworn "I don't like historicals" reader fell in love with what have become some of her favorite books by most of her favorite writers. Surprisingly, they were all historicals. Determined to make others feel the love, these authors were asked to contribute small tastes of how amazing historical storytelling can be. Along with a foreword written by Alex Beecroft, enjoy these original short stories that make up "Another Place in Time". Office Romance by Tamara Allen The post-war economy is at a standstill, much like Foster Wetherly’s life until he’s forced to do battle with irritatingly confident—and competent—fellow ex-doughboy Casey Gladwin for a position in their shrinking department at Manhattan Security Mutual. Introducing Mr. Winterbourne by Joanna Chambers Lysander Winterbourne appears to lead a charmed life. Handsome, amiable, and a renowned sportsman, he is the darling of London society. As far as Adam Freeman is concerned though, Lysander is just another spoiled aristocrat. A wealthy mill owner, Adam has no time for the frivolous world of the ton, but when his younger brother becomes engaged to Althea Winterbourne, he reluctantly agrees to be introduced to society–with the Winterbourne clan’s golden boy as his guide. Resigning himself to a few days of boredom, Adam is surprised to learn that there is much more to Lysander than his perfect surface. But will Adam have the courage to introduce Lysander Winterbourne to his own secret self? The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh by KJ Charles Lord Gabriel Ashleigh is a ruined man. Last night he lost everything at the card tables to his brother’s worst enemy, notorious gambler Francis Webster. Tonight, he’s going back for one more game. Ash thinks he has nothing left to lose. But Francis sets the stakes, and they’re higher than Ash could have imagined… Two Regency bucks. One game of cards. Everything to play for. Unfair in Love and War by Kaje Harper Many men lost brothers overseas in the summer of 1944. Warren Burch was one of them. For months he still clung to his big city life in Philadelphia, but finally he's made the difficult choice to return to his home town. Warren's polio-stricken leg won't let him serve, so the least he can do is be there for his mother, when brother Charlie never again will. Arriving home means a whole new life, constrained by the rhythms and prejudices of a small town. Fortunately, it's made more interesting by the mysterious and attractive young man next door. Carousel by Jordan L. Hawk When a child goes missing, is it a simple case of a young runaway, or are more sinister forces at work? “Carousel” is part of the Whyborne & Griffin series and takes place between the events of Stormhaven and Necropolis. It can be read as a standalone. Deliverance by Aleksandr Voinov This is a re-vamped, re-edited, improved version of "Deliverance". It's about William Raven, a templar, who thought he'd escaped his past. (Same character as in "The Lion of Kent".)

Word Count: Click here to reveal7551 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Unexpectedly, two-year college English instructor Joseph Rutledge gets a letter from Quentin Richards, the boy who sat in front of him at a charity school for wayward boys. Joe vividly remembers Quentin comforting him in fifth grade during an unprecedented earthquake. What could have been a lasting friendship with the boy he loved dissolved under Joe’s inherent shyness. Little does he know Quentin too remembers the traumatic day of the earthquake and has relied on his memories of Joe’s comfort to buoy him during rough times. After recovering from a debilitating incident at the Olympics, Quentin’s keen to get together with Joe and writes to ask him out. Will their memories of each other be enough to spark a relationship? Or do they each remember a person who never really existed?

Word Count: Click here to reveal44945 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Eos is after her wings and Kenner’s mate, Como, holds the key to finding them. Como brings his dreams to life on canvas. His art has mentally protected him most of his life and now Kenner wants to take over that job. How can Como open up and explain everything to his mate when he doesn’t understand most of it himself? Como knows he must try, but fear has always ruled him and right now he's fearing he might lose Kenner before he could even claim him. Kenner knew Como was a gifted artist. However, he also knew he had hidden secrets that if not told could mean both their lives. Kenner needed to gain Como’s trust before it was too late because if Eos got her hands on those wings it would mean the lives of all Shifters on Haven and around the world.

Word Count: Click here to reveal90000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Politics taught him restraint. Love taught him who he would destroy. Lornyc Reagalos is judged a naïve young High Lord of Katraman: too young, too soft, too inexperienced to wield the power of his bloodline. His marriage to Methian is dismissed as nothing more than political convenience, a cold alliance meant to stabilise borders rather than ignite devotion. His rivals believe him harmless. They are catastrophically wrong. When Methian is kidnapped and vanishes without a trace, Lornyc’s composure shatters. Panic claws through him, his magic spirals out of control, and every restraint he has ever learned begins to fracture. There is no limit to what he will do to bring Methian home, and no mercy left for those who stand in his way. Taken beyond his world, Methian learns the truth. The Valen believe he is a dimensional aberration, the son of one of their own, stolen into the wrong reality. Stripped of everything familiar, Methian clings to a single, unyielding certainty. He will return to Lornyc. But bloodlines hide more than ancestry. Beneath the mage city of Beher, Lornyc uncovers an ancient magical barrier that has shackled the Reagalos for centuries. The revelation gives him the power to tear worlds open and reclaim Methian, but at a terrible cost. Can Lornyc control his fury, or will he unleash destruction so complete it could rip both himself and reality apart? Avarice  Reagalos Book Three is a high-stakes gay romantasy of buried secrets, volatile magic, and a love forged through separation. Where devotion becomes defiance, rescue becomes rebellion, and choosing each other may be the most dangerous act of all.

Word Count: Click here to reveal121000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealDemisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: A child’s memory. A journey’s end. Lance doesn’t remember the time before Ulfr found him. It’s a dark pit in his mind that he avoids at all costs. And yet, despite his best efforts, pieces start to fall, and echoes from the past begin to ring. However, he has little time to comprehend their meaning, since the Captain of the Imperial Army herself has come to collect him and bring him to the capital city of the Nifdem Empire. Whisked away to the gilded streets and glittering court of the Hill of Tarran, and then to the snowy reaches of Swenen, Lance and Gust will learn the answers to questions they’ve had from the start. And be forced to acknowledge their roles in the survival of the empire and the ripple effects of their actions. But such knowledge can come at a steep price. As allies and enemies begin to step from the shadows, Lance will learn the truth of his past and the price of his redemption, and all the pain that comes with them. While Gust will have to decide what he’s willing to sacrifice to safeguard the one he loves.