Books Tagged With potential trigger - abuse - past

Word Count: Click here to reveal25166 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: M/M erotica wrapped in mystery A solitary Irish detective and a reclusive Scottish academician…hardly a match made in heaven. Blond and dark, yin and yang, perhaps even angel and devil.  In fact, sometimes Thomas Fitzgerald wonders whether the mysterious Burns is a figment of his lonely nights, a creature evolved from an idealized portrait of the poet Robert Burns. Real or not, the university teacher-curator teams up with him to solve a murder involving a Celtic burial site in Dundee and a voice from Scotland’s bloody past. Join two unusual sleuths at the ancient mound called “The Dundee Law” as two men merge their talents, and more. Much more.

Word Count: Click here to reveal151000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: At seventeen, Rick Albright left his home, his parents and even his old name, rather than pretend to be straight. But being on his own was hard. When his big brother Sam found him, and insisted on giving him a place to stay, he didn't resist too long. Living with Sam is better than fighting just to survive, but it's not easy to find his balance in a simple, small-town life, after his time on the streets. Travis Brinkerhoff finally managed to come out in college, his second year anyway. It was the one bright side to losing his baseball scholarship and jock status. But without money for tuition, second year came to an abrupt end. He's back in his small Minnesota hometown, and back in the closet. Travis feels like he's trying to fit into a life he's outgrown. If he's going to survive, he has to figure out a way to be his own man, maybe even have his own man, without losing the family he loves. When he left the Marines, Sam Albright wanted nothing more than to find his missing younger brother. Mission accomplished. Now he's got an independent, possibly traumatized, openly gay young man on his hands, a girlfriend in a war zone overseas, and parents he has to lie to in order to keep the peace. Keeping it all together won't be easy, but Sam has never backed away from a challenge. 145,000 words

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

Summary: Simon Williams spends his lunch periods drawing his geek and trying not to think about the terrors waiting for him at home. He needs to get away from his abusive father before he suffers the same grisly fate as his mother. Because he's learned the hard way running away doesn’t work, he’s counting the days until his eighteenth birthday. Jimmy Bennet should be spending his lunch studying so his senior GPA is good enough to get him into college, but he can't seem to focus thanks to his distracting artist. When he’s given the opportunity to tutor Simon in Trig and discovers Simon’s home-life nightmare, he wants nothing more than to get Simon out of danger. This need becomes more urgent when Simon comes to school the Monday after their first date with bruises, but it takes a broken leg before Jimmy can convince his boyfriend the Bennets really want him. But the danger Simon thought was past shows up at the most unexpected time, and he must stand up to the fears he’s held so long to protect not only himself, but the man he wants to spend his life with.

Word Count: Click here to reveal50000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: At 17 Sasha is a little lost and a lot lonely. He craves friendship but his self-destructive tendencies cause problems and he pushes people away. Every day he collects glass for the sculptures he makes and every day he dies a little more inside. Until he meets Thomas. Thomas is shy but sure of himself in a way Sasha doesn’t understand. He makes it his mission to prove to Sasha that everyone deserves to be loved, and doesn't give up even when Sasha hurts him. Their friendship becomes more than Sasha ever thought possible. And when Sasha is forced to confront his past he realizes that accepting he is worthy of the love Thomas gives him is the only way to obliterate the darkness.

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

Summary: When the right space pilot walks into his bar, a desperate bartender uses all his wiles (and tentacles) to talk the man into business and his bed--but the spacer is still enslaved by his past and isn't sure he can deal with a two-armed lover, much less one with six. As the supply shipments stop coming, Teo Houdin needs all his tentacles to keep his waystation bar open. Facing a riot by thirsty miners stranded in the backwater of the galaxy, Teo helps a greenie space pilot buy a ship in return for a regular haul of liquor. But he longs for the courage to invite the enigmatic spacer to fill his lonely bed as well. Still smarting from his newly implanted navigational ports, Jimenez knows owning his own ship will prevent him from ever being bought and sold again. For a former slave, transporting cargo through the emptiness of space sounds like paradise, but after meeting the compassionate and sexy Teo, his heart feels empty, too. At the edge of the galaxy's spiral arm, can Teo convince Jimenez that the heart has its own tentacles and theirs should be entwined forever?

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

Summary: Read Aidee Ladnier's 2016 Prism Award Winning novella The Klockwerk Kraken, paired for the first time with its sequel Spindrift Gifts and a special never before published epilogue. When the right space pilot walks into his bar, a desperate bartender uses all his wiles (and tentacles) to talk the man into business and his bed--but the spacer is still enslaved by his past and isn't sure he can deal with a two-armed lover, much less one with six. As the supply shipments stop coming, Teo Houdin needs all his tentacles to keep his waystation bar open. Facing a riot by thirsty miners stranded in the backwater of the galaxy, Teo helps a greenie space pilot buy a ship in return for a regular haul of liquor. But he longs for the courage to invite the enigmatic spacer to fill his lonely bed as well. Still smarting from his newly implanted navigational ports, Jimenez knows owning his own ship will prevent him from ever being bought and sold again. For a former slave, transporting cargo through the emptiness of space sounds like paradise, but after meeting the compassionate and sexy Teo, his heart feels empty, too. At the edge of the galaxy's spiral arm, can Teo convince Jimenez that the heart has its own tentacles and theirs should be entwined forever?

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Rejoining Mystere in Paris, Douglas and Margaret find that the search for the second sword will not be as easy as they had thought -- Hauteclere is missing, and there is another force competing with them to find it. Mystere believes that the disappearance is unconnected to Caedda, but they must find Hauteclere before the others do, and before Caedda follows them to Paris. But in the midst of their search, Margaret vanishes. In order to save his wife, Douglas must regain his long-forgotten mastery as a Warden, and to do that, he must find Hauteclere.

Word Count: Click here to reveal97,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Nathan doesn’t know how to stop dwelling on the failures and tragedies that have plagued him since the last time we saw him at the end of The Mayor of Oak Street, a twenty-one-year-old happily in the arms of the handsome young doctor he had pined for since he was twelve. Many years later, what could mend Nathan’s heart after the latest tragedy and stop his deep dives into the past? Another handsome young doctor? Or would someone in the medical field do? After a chance meeting with ER nurse, Mateo, a lot of Nathan’s reminiscing is now devoted to that encounter and how it made him feel. Will he seize the day or continue wallowing in the past, having lunch with his best girlfriend from high school, and writing poetry? Nathan has lived through and had a personal connection to many of the crises that have plagued the LBGTQ+ community in the last forty years: the Up Stairs Lounge fire in New Orleans, the assassination of Harvey Milk, and the AIDS epidemic. He has lived in foreign countries, traveled the globe, and had lovers on every continent, all the while with a disease that people once thought was a death sentence. There are moments he is convinced that Mateo is the reward to all his suffering and loss, that his whole life led him to this great love. At other times, he’s so frustrated with Mateo, he’s ready to run as far away as he can get. Mateo, for his part, must take care of his ailing mother while he works full time in the emergency room. The practical aspects of starting a new relationship are challenging to say the least. The Long Journey to You is both a moving romance and a lesson in survival.

Word Count: Click here to reveal85000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Every action has consequences. For a decade, Angel Salvatore has been the most powerful sorcerer and only necromancer in all the Northeast. Never one to ask permission nor apologies, he has acted with near impunity for years. Until now. The High Council of Sorcery has come to Boston, and Angel is their target. Charged with numerous violations of practitioner laws, his freedom and family are placed in jeopardy. If found guilty, Angel's apprentice Daniel will be imprisoned to serve out the remaining years of his apprenticeship. Isaac, his brother, is too vulnerable to be left unguarded, and Angel fears for his sanity and health. And Simeon, Elder vampire and Angel's mate refuses to see Angel convicted under the laws of the Council and his actions to keep Angel free threaten to start a war that could destroy their world. And Angel faces the severest of punishments—the castration of his gifts. The Council has never cared for the people of Boston, and Angel doubts their motives. They have come for some insidious reason, and it has nothing to do with upholding the law and everything to do with Angel. Dealing with an impending trial, a wayward ghost, and a graverobbing ring of thieves leaves Angel on the edge. He thinks he may have a handle on things until violence erupts across the city, and a stranger comes to town...a stranger with his own dark powers of necromancy. This is book 3 of a series, and the previous books should be read first for full enjoyment. Trigger Warnings are on the Copyright Page and can be seen using the Look Inside feature or by downloading a sample of this book. 85,000 words 340 pages Gay Urban Fantasy Romance

Word Count: Click here to reveal25000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: Who says that underdogs don't bite? Twelve-year-old Jack Horwood has run from the pimp his mother sold him to, preferring to take his chances on the streets. A house with a cheerful red door – and a classic convertible out front – prompts him into a spot of breaking and entering, and soon he has a warm, dry basement to squat in. Until the owner of the house, Jamaican hacker Rio Palmer, discovers his hideout. Rio offers him a safe place to stay, but Jack doesn’t believe a word the man says and runs. Rio can’t forget the youngster who is scared and vulnerable, and stronger than many men Rio has met. Finding Jack is a tiny challenge. Teaching him to trust is like climbing a mountain. But when faced with a true zero and its power, Rio can do nothing else.   Check out this poignant coming of age story of courage and hope with a touch of revenge.   Zero Rising traces the origins of Jack Horwood, the main character of my Power of Zero series. Both series are available from my store, all retailers, Kobo Plus, and libraries. Also available as part of a bundle. Please check my store for additional links.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: There was a time when Master Saul Alvarez filled his days fighting and his nights teaching willing subs the pleasure of his whip. His compassionate understanding of the masochist mind makes him the most sought after professional sadist in the Miami BDSM community. Neither role invites long term relationships, but he’s comfortable with his solitary existence until he is charged with guarding Durango’s prized whore. One look into those terror filled eyes has him vowing to risk it all to save the beautiful man. Javier Escardo had been praying for death, but never expected the stone cold killer he got in response. One glimpse into those sinful eyes reveals not only the promise of retribution, but a reason to live. Six years later, free and mostly sane, Javier is determined to take what belongs to him. Saul’s heart. Through hell and back, through layers of pain and shifting realities, that one truth has remained firm. His protector needs saving and he can’t do it alone. Hidden beneath the public persona, Kyle Jansen is a man who craves to be invisible without being insignificant. He longs to find a Master who will see his need to be taken over without abusing him and a lover who will care about him beyond the sexual games. It isn’t until he encounters the smoldering combination of Saul and Javier that he realizes it was never supposed to be just one partner at all. Can two battered hearts be mended by the love of a third? Kyle becomes the light to their darkness, and he’s willing to risk his heart for theirs, but when the past threatens Saul, will Javier’s sacrifice destroy them all? Author's Note: This book contains references to past abuse. Kindle Unlimited: The Protector's enrollment in KU will expire February 6, 2017

Word Count: Click here to reveal64000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Stefan Holt left home at nineteen, guitar in hand, determined that couch-surfing would be better than staying with his mother. He finally lands with Megan, an old band-mate, and they decide to resurrect their rock n’ roll dreams to get them out of their opioid-riddled small town. Unfortunately, neither of them is much of a lyricist. Han Westfall works at the local library, where he lives to rec poetry to the handsome, mysterious guy who brings in his guitar and stays all day. Han writes lines of his own, and when Stefan finally asks to see them, their musical chemistry clicks—and it brings them closer, faster than either of them imagined possible. They name their new band Virginie, ostensibly in honor of their Appalachian roots. They’ll have to work through band in-fighting, revenge porn, homophobic taunts, family addictions, parental drama, and their own inner demons to make things work, both in love and in music. But if they can make it, maybe they won’t just get out of town. Maybe they’ll rise up and take everyone with them.

Word Count: Click here to reveal86720 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The final war is on the horizon. Years ago Renaldo would have said all is fair in love and war. Now he’s sure nothing is. His husband, Casto, has left him, and without his touchstone, Renaldo cannot control his powers. The loss could not come at a worse time. The Good Mother and her followers are stretching out in a power grab, dividing the forces of the Gods of War and putting their victory in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Casto has reached the ancient city of Quell’renar, where raw magic has been burned so deeply into the fabric of creation that no one can stay for any length of time. Delving into the past the city reveals to him shows Casto that he and Renaldo are not so different. But even if he accepts his role as Renaldo’s heart, there’s a long way to go before he’ll find any peace. Because Quell’renar itself is speaking to him, driving him to the brink of insanity….

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Once, Tarjiaan was the sixth prince of war-tossed Meradon. His dreams were captaining his own ship with the man he loved beside him, until a devastating attack leaves him the only surviving prince and heir to the throne. Fifteen years later, to finally end the war with the Empire, all Tarjiaan has to do is marry the Emperor's granddaughter. Once, Daanir knew that his place in Tarjiaan's heart was assured, until the battle where his prince nearly died. To save Tarjiaan, Daanir unleashes his unsuspected magic. The power saved his prince, but the cost was his place at Tarjiaan's side. Fifteen years later, they are reunited… on the day of Tarjiaan's wedding. Once, Nika was the lowest slave in the Imperial Palace. Then she was told that as the bastard daughter of the Prince, she would be marrying Tarjiaan, the so-called Butcher of Meradon. She expects a monster, and instead finds a man willing to fight the world for her before he even knows her name. Together, Tarjiaan, Daanir and Nika must navigate a course through a storm of treachery, betrayal, and heartbreak in an attempt to end an endless war. But there's an unseen threat is lurking below the waves, and the battle is much closer to home than any of them expected.

Word Count: Click here to reveal52000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Rescued from slavers, healer novice Jaime Buchanan finds himself alone and free in Pyrderi, a kingdom of magic, mythical creatures, and a culture as open and kind as his homeland was cruel and close-minded. Despite his rescue, Jaime is not left without scars, both mental and physical. Traumatized by his experience and hiding his gift, Jaime struggles to earn his place in the kitchens of Angharad Palace, the heart of Taliesin City. His former life as a student of the healing arts leaves him at a disadvantage in the kitchens, and his damaged state is becoming more apparent by the day. One day, when necessity and fate intervene, Jaime meets someone unexpected—Prince Maxim, youngest son of the Pyrderian king, a sword master and a devastatingly kind man. Unaccustomed to powerful people with compassion and heart, Jaime flees. A cascade of events reveals Jaime’s hidden talents of healing, and he finds himself not in chains, but at the beginning of a new life. This swift change of fortune opens Jaime up to new possibilities, including a smitten prince who cautiously courts Jaime, easing him away from his fears and reminding him that compassion and love can make him strong. The winter solstice is quickly approaching, and Prince Maxim shows Jaime the enjoyment and excitement to be found in a land that embraces the ice and cold, and the mysteries of all things magical. He learns to see the man under the royal mantle, and Maxim is more than even Jaime suspected. The winter solstice is nigh when tragedy strikes, and Jaime learns that his past of grief and sorrow can be a pillar of strength for his solstice prince. If there is one thing that Jaime believes above all else, it is in the healing power of love. 51,835 words, 182 pages Gay Epic Fantasy Romance

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

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

Summary: This is a rerelease. It has been re-edited with added scenes and chapters. If opposites attract, a nerd who loves partying and a quiet cowboy who doubts his worth are as opposite as they come. Greg Mitchell endured a childhood filled with abuse and addiction. He put all that behind him six years ago and has built a life that might not be perfect, but it’s simple. Between finishing his college courses and his work on the farm, he doesn’t have time for much. Not even Brian Stockwell, the cute accountant who he’s been in love with for as long as he could remember. When he lets his secret out in one drunken confession, his simple life becomes a complicated mess. Re-edited with added scenes and chapters. Warning: Contains scenes with domestic violence, both verbal and physical.

Word Count: Click here to reveal68,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Ryan was shocked when he saw the man who had rescued him from a psychotic co-worker three months ago, a man Ryan had been having very sexy dreams about ever since, standing on the same yacht as he was. Learning the man’s name was Jansen Branwyth should have rung a few bells, but Ryan was never one to keep up with the rich and powerful. Now this big, gorgeous man seemed to be in hot pursuit, relentlessly and expertly, backing the confused Ryan against a hard wall. Deliciously turned on by the man’s erotically suggestive flirting, Ryan finds himself now in competition with his former, incredibly beautiful girlfriend, vying for Jansen’s attention. As the heat ramps up, so does Ryan’s self-doubt, forcing Jansen into making it perfectly clear who he intends on taking with him off the boat, even if he must chase down, subdue and throw that certain someone over his shoulder to do it.

Word Count: Click here to reveal26000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A farmer in the otherworld. What could possibly go wrong? Colton deserved a token for going through the portal. Was it stealing if he took lube? He should get a pass because it was otherworld lube. Who wouldn’t want some of that? It turns out that yes, it was still stealing. One thing was for sure, the otherworld was about as unique a vacation as Colton would get, even if he spent most of it in the dungeon. Except it’s not a cell they throw him into but a pit. And, of course, he meets his soulmate down there. Could his luck get any worse?

Word Count: Click here to reveal126000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: 'Your ridiculous Art. It’s as twisty as you are, and that’s saying something.' Kit Whitely has been exploited his entire life for his unique magical specialty, opening doors and locks. He's finally safe…until bounty hunter Alexander Locke arrests him for the use of illicit Art. But Alex is a man of divided loyalties and he intends to use Kit for illicit purposes of his own. How much trouble could one pissant little thief give him, anyway?

Word Count: Click here to reveal63,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Travel writer Rob Hanson has been from the summit of Mount Everest to the markets of Mogadishu. He loves adventure, he loves his job, and he loves the freedom of being single. At least that’s what he tells himself. Everything changes when an assignment takes him to a small, idyllic west-coast island where he falls in love with the local woodcarver. From the first moment he sets eyes on Mitch, he feels like he’s found his perfect match. But things are never that simple for Rob. Before long he finds himself involved with devious deals, jealous ex-lovers, and secrets from the past that refuse to go away. Rob knows that the only way to get what he needs is to reveal the truth. But does he have the courage to do what must be done in time to save himself and the man he loves?