Books Tagged With potential trigger - grief; past loss

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

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

Summary: On tour with The Rade, music’s-out-and-proud glam rock darlings, drummer Wren is having the time of their life. That is, until their worst knocker-fae nightmare suddenly happens: They’re sucked off stage and into a witch’s summoning circle mid-show. A powerful binding keeps them from leaving their enthraller’s side, and the annoyingly hot witch claims it’s all just a mistake. But since when has a human ever passed up the chance to use fairy magic for their own financial gain? August Minotte should’ve been trained as a hereditary witch, but instead he was forbidden to use the grimoires his infamous grandmother left him. The Minottes lost a huge fortune for mysterious reasons, and now Augie’s barely keeping his head—and his dwindling family—above water. When he finds a spell to get back their lost riches, he’s just desperate enough to use it. Then the spell summons and enthralls a beautiful, spicy fairy rockstar instead delivering a long-lost pile of money. They’ll both have to face their families’ dark histories to set Wren free. Then, and only then, they can think about acting on all this pent-up attraction that’s driving them both absolutely wild.

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 reveal80000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: It’s been months since Seth Byrne’s boyfriend ghosted him. Seth is still angry, but he’s worried too, because when Andrew Keller disappeared, he completely disappeared. Disconnected phone. Empty apartment. Abrupt departure from his job. Gone. Until tonight. Just as Seth is beginning to move on, Andrew shows up at his door with a story so wild it has to be fake… except he’s armed with a stack of evidence proving he’s telling the truth. And the truth is that everything Seth knew about Andrew is a lie. Detective Brandon Gaines was supposed to be Andrew Keller for the rest of his life. After being marked for death by the white supremacist cops he tried to bring down, he was put into witness protection. When a chain of events returns him to his old identity, Brandon doesn’t know who he is anymore. Now he’s caught between two identities that don’t fit, and nothing in his world makes sense… except the way he feels about the man he left behind. Is it even possible to rekindle their relationship when Seth knows nothing about Brandon? He understands why Brandon had to lie, but that doesn’t change the fact that the man in front of him is a stranger. Where do they even start? But as they struggle to bridge the gap between them, they may have much bigger problems. Because there are people who do know who Brandon is. And they haven’t forgotten why they drove him into witness protection in the first place. The Truth in My Lies is a standalone gay romantic suspense novel.

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 reveal85700 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: War brews among vampires. Facing extinction at the hands of an ancient one, the Vampire Council plods along with a secret strategy. Jaret Bachmann, both vampire and witch, fears the Council elders move too slowly. He has the power to assist them in defeating their enemy, but the longer they keep him at arm’s length the more defiant he becomes. He’s already pushing the boundaries to assert his will when tragedy strikes, devastating him and compelling him to become even more rebellious. A young vampire alone in the world, Jaret struggles to find his true self and discover how he wants to spend the remainder of his eternal life, even as the vampire war intensifies and the rogue vampire strikes again. To compound his problems, he’s faced with the allure of a hot renegade vampire, not sure if he is friend or foe. Who will win the war, and where will Jaret’s soul-searching lead him? Find out in The Vampire’s War.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Kaleo Lakeford skyrocketed in the entertainment industry during his first year of university. 15 years later, he is a retired entertainer. Married for ten years with a 7-year-old daughter, he finds himself divorced and a single parent after his wife was caught in a string of public affairs. Devastated and trying to put the crumbs of his and his daughter’s life back together, he decides to take a break from the cameras and media for the holiday season and takes his daughter to his childhood home that he hasn’t set foot in since before he got married ten years prior. Destin Ashwell left university his first year to take care of his sick mother. With no education, he fought to provide for her for six years until she passed away from her illness. The bank seized their home, and he was living in his car when Lilah Lakeford finds him and brings him home. With her help, he finishes school and rebuilds his life, both of them leaning on each other as replacements for his dead mother and her estranged relationship with her son, Kaleo. At 33-years-old Kaleo will come home this holiday season to repair the fences around the rocky relationship he has with his mother, put the building blocks of his and his daughter’s life back together, and unravel past misunderstandings and misconceptions of his old schoolmate Destin, all while trying to keep the holiday cheer turned up for his 7-year-old daughter. Will Kaleo find the life he’s been waiting for all along back home? Or will his walls send him back to the only life he’s known for the past 15 years? This is a winter holidays story about a family healing with holiday traditions and cheer to warm the heart. This story comes with a single dad, one-sided dislike to friends to lovers, second chance on first crushes, unrequited love, mutual pining, past misunderstandings, learning to communicate, hurt/comfort, and healing from an emotionally and physically abusive marriage. But it’s also paired with colorful holiday adventures, the joys of a child, along with undeniable chemistry and sizzling heat while learning to love again. A found family, and a reconnected and put back together family.

Word Count: Click here to reveal72,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Westing House stood as a testament to the passage of time. Nestled in a quiet, overgrown garden, its once-stately facade bore scars of age. Faded paint peeled off in delicate layers, revealing weathered wood beneath. The roof, adorned with timeworn shingles, was pitted and sunken from years of elemental exposure. For Alex, Westing House represents a new beginning. Eighteen years old and fresh from a cruel and uncaring foster system, he’s suffered plenty of setbacks in his short life. But a job as the caretaker for a dilapidated historic house is the perfect opportunity for him to start anew. To get some money in his pocket and have a place to call his own, even if it’s just for a year. His tentative hopefulness is shattered by the arrival of several creepy messages and presents from someone who signs themselves only as “X.” This person knows everything about Alex, and they want it all—all his deepest, darkest secrets. His body. His heart. When the messages shift from uncomfortably romantic to menacing, where will Alex turn? He’s lucky to have Gabe in his life. A tall, handsome firefighter with the Emberford FD, he sweeps into Alex’s world just in time to catch wind of the monster that haunts Westing House. Gabe is strong, brave, and fiercely protective. But it may be the case that even Gabe can’t save Alex from the entity that wants Alex all to themselves… on pain of death. Will Gabe be able to save Alex from the faceless evil that pursues him? Or will their love go up in flames, along with Alex’s sanity? THOSE WHO FAVOR FIRE is a terrifying dark romance with adult themes. Readers should be warned of scenes containing graphic violence and peril. Discretion is advised.

Word Count: Click here to reveal65,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: There are vipers in Arajon, from the Valley to the Bronze. Grace Harrington, the Dowager Archon of Arajon, is approaching her first anniversary on the throne she claimed following the death of her husband, slain at her own hands. But her position is so precarious that even the unwelcome presence of the former assassin Nathaniel Morgenstern, watching over her at her father’s behest, cannot protect her from her enemies. The city’s press has turned against her, the Bronze is rallying behind Odessa White, and her last hope of support from the Druids has gone up in smoke. The lies are adding up. A coup is coming for Grace, and she is running out of people in the city to trust…

Word Count: Click here to reveal49258 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Love is like honey—you might get stung, but the rewards are sweet, and they stick to you. Firefighter Shane Ward seeks solace in a new life as a beekeeper, embracing the rhythms of farm life while grieving the tragic loss of his husband. His attraction to his two kind bosses makes Shane wonder if he’s ready to take a chance on love again.   Dante Sarcletti pours his energy into the farm he owns with his partner, Emmett Simpson, while Emmett manages the business side. The demands of running the farm has stolen the spark from their relationship. What begins as a no-strings fling with their new farmhand grows into something unexpected.   As summer unfolds, their bond strengthens. When a sudden wildfire threatens everything they hold dear, Shane must face the trauma he’s fled. When they confront the reality of love and loss, can Shane, Dante, and Emmett protect what they’ve built together before everything goes up in flames?   Throuple Honey is a heartfelt, stand-alone romance that beautifully weaves together themes of love, healing, and connection, proving that true love can rise from the ashes.

Word Count: Click here to reveal98,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: "I'm coming back to take what's mine, and you better not get in my fucking way." Richard Mason  Addiction and anger issues are causing the ex-mafioso CEO sleepless nights. Self-control is on a knife-edge, not helped by the return of his sultry ex, Pagan. Only being dominated helps ease his troubled mind. Tino Santini-Mason Richard’s beautiful, cross-dressing husband is slowly falling in love - with Pagan’s man. He believes he has a polyamorous solution for both couples to fulfil their desires, IF he can keep Richard under control. Pagan Sandhurst She’s back! This curvy domestic goddess is determined to have it all. Loyal to her family, yet her friendship with Tino brings mischief, mayhem and sexual hijinks. Marcus Sandhurst Outwardly a stern doctor, Marcus secretly craves Richard’s brutal punishments. His love for Pagan and Tino can only end in one mighty crash which will affect them all. Third and final book in the Switchblade Romance series can be read as a standalone dark romance.

Word Count: Click here to reveal52108 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay, Non Binary, Questioning, Pansexual, Straight, Transgender (Click here to hide)

Summary: Do you crave science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories with a dash of the erotic and romantic, featuring transmasculine leads? Welcome to TRANSLITERATION. The top surgeon whose price is free—with an asterisk. Loving a machine that cannot love you back. A world where suicide has become the accepted norm. Medical science in an age where curatives are only for the rich. The ultimate gift that cannot save a failing marriage. Trying to keep a normal routine during societal collapse. A strange water creature that preys upon pity to transform its victim into its ideal mate. A dystopian state in which sexual reproduction is a crime. An unusual marriage proposal presented to a young lord. A nonbinary Regent who realizes the dragon is the least of their nation's problems. In this collection of fifteen speculative short stories, Reis Asher seeks to explore past, present, future, and alternate worlds through the lens of transmasculinity. Sometimes bright and optimistic, other times rooted in a deep cynicism about society, TRANSLITERATION examines our hopes, our fears, and our flaws.

Word Count: Click here to reveal125000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay, Genderfluid, Lesbian, Non Binary, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: This city of fools will be brought to order! Deposed, her father presumed dead, her friends slaughtered and the cavern in chaos, Grace Harrington is on the run and entirely alone. The only ally she has left is the man she hates most in the world: Nathaniel Morgenstern, the assassin who murdered her mother and seduced her father. Grace’s only hope of reclaiming the throne and saving her people is to seek the aid of Éamon Tadhg, the High Druid of Arajon. But she needs to survive the hostile streets of Iole City before she can even think about fleeing to the Violet Valley. Nathaniel made a vow to Doran to protect Grace, but he could never have imagined how quickly and horrifically their lives would fall apart. Grieving the dual losses of the man he loved and his new friend Tsa Lien, Nathaniel devotes himself to the service of the overthrown Lady Archon who despises him – even if it costs him everything he is.

Word Count: Click here to reveal53500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Desperate to escape the pain of his brother’s death, Jesse Melnik ran—but he couldn’t outrun the grief, no matter how much distance he put between himself and his past. Now, after fifteen years of trying, he’s finally ready to face his hometown of Charlottetown again. He expects the memories of his brother to hover in every corner of his family’s sailboat and whisper in every sea-tinged breeze. What he doesn’t expect is Parker Willis, the best friend he left behind without a word the day he fled. And he certainly doesn’t expect old feelings to resurface. Parker’s been stuck in a rut since his father died three months ago. Every day is the same: try to keep his father’s dinner cruise business afloat so he can chip away at Dad’s debts, one bill at a time, all while working a job that leaves him more frustrated than satisfied. Then Parker’s routine shatters in the best way possible: Jesse Melnik arrives on Prince Edward Island for the summer, all six feet three inches of gorgeous hockey player. Now, that’s different. Jesse kickstarts Parker’s heart. Parker makes Jesse feel again And although both men are a little bit damaged from struggling down the broken path of loss, maybe—just maybe—if they can lean on each other, they’ll learn to move forward at last. Content warnings: themes of grief, discussions of a parent’s death from cancer, descriptions/discussions of a sibling’s death by suicide.

Word Count: Click here to reveal68000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Having a partner is bad news. I’ve been doing everything I can to go it alone. But this time I’ve pushed my unit too far. I’m being punished. Not quite a fate worse than death, but almost as bad. I’ve been tasked with a mission at the SICB Academy to help train wannabe agents while working undercover to figure out why recruits have been going missing. I’m not looking to inspire. How can I when I’ve become a lone wolf? But that doesn’t stop the powers that be from demanding I work with a rookie. Just two months out from graduating, and my new partner is apparently a hotshot agent in training. Amber-eyed, bold, and with a scent that calls to me, Jett Shaw is a panther who is close to getting under my skin. We’ve no choice but to work together and have each other’s six, but how can I trust anyone when I can’t trust myself? With a new threat appearing and Shaw being in the line of fire, I have to change tack. If not, taking down the shadow agency that refuses to stay buried may become my last mission for the SICB. And not just mine; the whole unit could go down with me. Weaker Than Instinct is the second book in a gay urban fantasy romance series. Between the pages you’ll find high-octane action, snarky vampires and shifters, and scorching-hot scenes to make you swoon. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but you'll appreciate the side characters more if you read Thicker Than Water first.

Word Count: Click here to reveal109000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Two brothers, one storm. After he’s kicked out for being gay, and still reeling from being abandoned by the man he loves, Jude goes to live with his brother, Beck, who thankfully is more than happy to take him in. But Jude has other secrets he’s yet to share, for fear that even Beck will reject him, leaving him well and truly alone. When he draws the attention of werewolves, Jude discovers that everything he thought he knew about Levi, the man who abandoned him, is a lie. But one lie leads to another, ending in a vast conspiracy that threatens to destroy everything Jude loves. Beck feels guilty for leaving Jude with parents who are barely tolerable on a good day. Now that he has his brother with him, Beck does everything in his power to keep Jude safe as he learns about paranormals. When Jude plunges head first into the dangerous side of the Otherworld, Beck must allow Jude to find his own footing even though he wants to protect his brother. But perhaps Jude doesn’t need protecting. Just maybe, his brother is the protector. Tags: rejected mates vibes, second chances, all the pining, found family, chosen family Jude is terrified of losing his brother, chased by werewolves, Jude has trust issues, supernatural people, werewolves, past and present collide, druids, seers, a brother who is trying hard to be what Jude needs, parkour, Jude’s destiny is not what he thinks it is, reincarnation, a love that transcends time and place, did I mention lots of pining, Jude dives in head first just like his brother was afraid of, example of what not to be as a parent, multi-POVs, 3rd person past tense, no cliff hanger, HFN ending.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: They come from different worlds, but their hearts beat in perfect harmony. Savion Once upon a time, my life was a fairytale. Engaged to a beautiful woman, we were planning our perfect future. Then, the sick act of an obsessed man ruined everything. Alone, disfigured, and betrayed, I fled to LA to focus on my work as a paleontologist. It was there I met Declan. The gorgeous Viking of a man awakens feelings within me I never knew existed. But no one could ever see beyond my scars, so how can I let myself get close to him? Declan Savion is unlike anyone I’ve ever met. The pain of his past allows him to understand my upbringing in a way no one has before. As I get to know him, I’m awakened to the possibility that I’m bi. I know a relationship with me would be a lot for him to endure. Not only am I much older than him, but my life in the limelight comes with a lot of media attention that can feel stifling. Even so, there’s something about Savvy that makes me ache to protect him. Whether he realizes it or not, I'm in deep and already hooked. For him, I will risk it all to prove my love. Will the stars align for us or burn out far too soon?

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Can love, loyalty, and family succeed where the law falls short? Join Jack Horwood and Gareth Flynn as they tackle murder, secrets, and moral dilemmas in a world where the law isn't always enough - while finding comfort in each other and their home-made family. The first volume of Dwight & Conrad Casefiles stories includes: Mouse Hunt: When a friend's death and old secrets collide, Jack has no choice but to step up and help. A Very Winston Christmas: Can adopting a cat really cause so much heartache that Jack considers escaping to Tokyo? Can Gareth fix what's going wrong? Grand Union Hunt: Gareth lives to help people. But should he obey the law or follow his conscience? When the Law Needs Help is a collection of three tales set in and featuring characters from the Power of Zero world. Stories are also available individually from my store.

Word Count: Click here to reveal87400 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Genderfluid, Genderqueer (Click here to hide)

Summary: A winter storm blows through Salem, Massachusetts, setting young witch Alexander MacBeth on a perilous path to adulthood as his dying mother gifts him an heirloom and pleads for him to use it to survive. To do so, he will need to perfect his inherited witchcraft to protect himself from those who want him dead. In his journey to adulthood, he falls in love with dashing nobleman Crispin Nottingham. Abandoned by Crispin and pursued by the Puritans, he finds he must harness the wind to assist his escape and flee his homeland aboard a pirate ship led by the handsome captain, Henri the Twisted. Struggling against distrustful pirates, an evil witch, and his continued longing for Crispin, Alexander sharpens his magical skills and falls into a romance with Henri. Chaos and danger confront him at every turn, even as he searches for love and belonging. A new sail on the horizon may signal hope or more danger than ever before—if Alexander can survive to meet his future.

Word Count: Click here to reveal53305 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Two shattered hearts, one small town, and a love they never expected to find again. Taran Losing Royce shattered me. My husband, my best friend, gone too soon because I missed the signs—missed how deep his pain went. Now it’s just me and twelve-year-old Rory, my son, my heart, and I’m doing everything I can to give him the life he deserves. But no matter how many shifts I work, it never feels like enough. Getting denied the loan to start my own bakery? It’s just another blow. I wanted to create something stable for my son, a future for us. But that dream’s slipping through my fingers. Then Royce’s best friend Wynter walks back into my life looking every bit as lost as I feel. He disappeared shortly after the funeral. I should be furious with him, but every time he’s near, I feel things I haven’t felt in years. Wynter My return to Aspen Ridge was supposed to be a fresh start after a hard-earned military retirement, but instead, I found my wife pregnant with another man’s child, leaving me with a broken heart and a future I never anticipated. Now, everything I used to know about my life is gone. And here I am, standing in front of Royce’s husband again. The man I swore to look out for, and yet I failed him too. Life has dealt hit after hit to Taran. He's strong, but I can see the cracks forming. As the snow falls and Christmas draws near, something between us is starting to thaw. It’s terrifying, but maybe we can heal each other’s wounds. Because second chances don’t come around often. And in this small town, maybe we’ll find the love we never thought we’d have again.