Books Tagged With potential trigger - traumatic past

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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: Click here to reveal50000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: One dominant Marine. One troubled rugby player. The Sin Bin will never be the same. Gray Baird’s to-do list for the year includes starting a restaurant, claiming his submissive, and keeping his nosy friends out of his business. He has his work seriously cut out for him. Scottie Monk prides himself on bullying his way through problems—and sometimes even people. His life is spiralling out of his control, but he refuses to break. The last thing he expects is to find peace in the confines of submission. One man will try to tame a lion. One man will try to heal. And both men will have to join forces to deal with a toxic family and invasive paparazzi. The Lion Tamer is book six in Dahlia Donovan's international bestselling gay romance series, The Sin Bin. Each one features hot rugby players and the men who steal their hearts. ***It is recommended that readers have read at least The Royal Marine and The Unexpected Santa prior to reading The Lion Tamer

Word Count: Click here to reveal69,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Gabe’s life changed in a heartbeat when his husband died in a plane crash, leaving him a widower and a single dad to their newborn daughter. Two years later, he’s finally ready to return to his work as an artist. When a bright, attractive college grad named Matthew presents himself as a live-in caretaker for Isabela, Gabe thinks he’s the perfect fit. Matthew is more than the solution to Gabe’s childcare problems. The two men soon fall into bed together, and Gabe wonders if Matthew was heaven-sent to create the insta-family of his dreams. But behind Matthew’s irresistible exterior lurks a desperate soul who could plunge Gabe into the greatest nightmare of his life. Romeo Preminger’s Guilty Pleasures Editions are a hardcore thrill ride with sex, murder, mayhem, and high stakes drama.

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

Summary: Even love can die without trust. Angel’s brother, Isaac, has returned home, and the pair begins to make slow and awkward attempts back to each other. Learning how to be a brother to a grown man instead of a parental figure has Angel adjusting his behaviors and habits, and Isaac still remains a mystery. Was it merely entering adulthood that turned Isaac away from an overprotective Angel, or does Isaac carry a secret that will keep them from finally being a real family? Daniel Macavoy, Angel’s new apprentice, is torn between his bond with Angel and the grasping machinations of his father. Dealing with a traumatized apprentice with dangerous holes in his magical education, saving Daniel may be harder than Angel first thought—especially since the biggest problem is not revenge, but guilt. The one shining beacon in his life is Simeon, Elder vampire of Boston’s only Bloodclan. Four hundred years old and sexy as sin, Simeon is warrior and sage, patient and cunning. The strength Angel draws from Simeon’s devotion and the newborn mate-bond between them is steadfast and true…and the fount of death magic that animates the undead lord places Angel in the midst of a power struggle for control over himself, his lover, and his family. Through it all, Angel is beleaguered by the unwanted attention of a troll-hybrid, the adventures of a dragon in the city, and a serial killer has decided to hunt the back alleys and midnight streets of Boston. **72k words. Contains bonus short story at the end, "The Necromancer's Birthday Surprise", written for Crystal's Many Reviewers, March 2016. Book TWO in a series. Not standalone. **Contains male/male sexual content. Violence, gore, sex, vampires. A cute dragon and some snark. Okay, lots of snark.

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 reveal46000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Ario six-four-nine-one is an obsolete synth gigolo—especially when his latest trick proves to be his last in a brutal and horrifying way. But he's only a synth, it's not like he can really think and feel. No one will notice one more out of date synth tossed in the garbage. Except for Elias, homeless and lonely because he's not what his father—or the world—wants him to be, haunted by a tragedy for which he cannot forgive himself. When he finds a battered, broken, long-discontinued synth in a dumpster, he decides to repair the poor thing despite all the reasons he shouldn't. Then all those reasons come crashing down, and in order to save each other from a world that doesn't want either of them, Elias and Ario will have to sacrifice everything they hold dear: freedom, safety, and even themselves. Warning: contains graphic depictions of violence and sexual violence.

Word Count: Click here to reveal30500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Leaving his life in New York City behind, 33 year old Ira Hughes has moved back into his childhood home to help care for his ailing father. His overbearing mother quickly guilts him into looking after her interests in the family curio shop. That means dealing with her business partner Colton McCabe, the bully who made Ira's teen years a living hell. Ira is now forced to confront painful memories from his past. As he watches his father fight for his life, and his relationship with his mother become even more strained, he begins to find unexpected comfort in his time with Colton. Could it be that Colton is not the high school horror he used to be? Is the bane of his youth now becoming the love of his life?

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: Click here to reveal220000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Powerful vampire, Rose Foster, and her girlfriend, Kara Unnarsdóttir, take refuge in a hidden kingdom of vampires, as war breaks out between vampires and humans. Rose is shocked to find that even though she doesn’t know them, the vampires of this kingdom know her. Not only that, but they’re prepared to follow her into battle. Yet, they refuse to tell her why. World war rages on in their absence, threatening the extinction of both species. Rose soon realizes that, even though she doesn’t want power, if she wants to prevent genocide, she’ll have to take her place as a Commander of Power. But when Kara uncovers a terrifying piece of information about Rose, she must decide, once and for all, if her loyalty to the woman she loves is strong enough to withstand even the end of the world. Or if it’s time to do what she does best: betrayal. In this final installment of the Creatures of Darkness series, the Eklektos will either save the world or destroy it.

Word Count: Click here to reveal160000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Levi Harris has never had a reason to stay on the straight and narrow. Nothing he does is ever good enough for his family, his teachers, his bosses, his drill instructors. He can’t do anything right, so why bother trying? Then he gets caught breaking and entering, and now he’s bound for prison. Or is he? Austin Caldwell isn’t thrilled about being burglarized, but when he finds himself face to face with the intruder, he sees himself in those terrified eyes. He knows more than most how much prison chews people up and spits them out. Maybe, just maybe, he can save Levi from that fate. It starts as an arrangement for Levi to work off his debt to Austin. As trust grows between them, so does an undeniable attraction. Especially as Austin begins to see untapped desires in Levi, and he begins to unlock a whole new world of sensuality for his submissive protégé. Levi’s in heaven. He’s finally wanted. He finally belongs. For the first time in his life, he has something to lose. All he has to do is stay out of trouble. And hope trouble doesn’t find him. The Right to Remain is a 150,000+ word standalone contemporary gay romance with a guaranteed happy ending. CW: criminal activity, brief mentions of past death of a child, brief mention of past suicide, incarceration.

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 reveal40000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Struck by amnesia after a car crash, Brian Stouten has been living a life laid out by his family, a heterosexual life that just doesn’t fit. When he learns it was all a lie, he returns to the small college town that’s his only clue to his past. But the town is still unfamiliar, and the man he’d hoped would make all his memories return is on a honeymoon with another man. To add insult to injury, everyone thinks Brian died in the crash. It’s only when an out-of-place cowboy asks to bum a smoke that Brian realizes this trip was meant to be. Sylvester Thomas has always fought a secret desire, and done it successfully. But when geeky Brian offers him a smoke and a light, a simple brush of hands has Sylvester’s hidden passions burning deep. Did he make a mistake letting Brian walk away? This book was originally released by Dreamspinner Press in November 2016 with a different cover, and as part of the print anthology The Chess Master Chronicles, which bundled all three of the Sam's Cafe Romances.

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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 reveal80000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: There was no escape. Pierce had been running from me for years. No more. This time, Pierce needs me to play the role of doting boyfriend to keep his parents from dragging him back to Boston. With the help of some sneaky accomplices, I’m turning this fake boyfriend into something real. I will finally understand all his secrets and the haunted look that darts through his eyes every time my brother is mentioned. Preferably before Pierce learns the truth behind too many of my own secrets. The Temptation is the fourth and final full-length novel in the Executive Suite Secrets series, which includes a grumpy, too-serious billionaire, a sassy world-class violinist, evil schemes, fake boyfriend, best friend’s brother, snark, teasing, stolen kisses, “helpful” friends, hurt/comfort, caretaking, and finally getting to the bottom of an old mystery so we can have that sweet, forever kind of love.

Word Count: Click here to reveal80000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In a wicked game, the God of Love falls to his own arrow, and a gentle scholar learns how dangerous knowledge can be. Aphrodite has had it. It was bad enough that her son Eros walked a fashion show in drag, but did he really have to show the entire world his wings? Desperate to rein in the impulsive young god, she recruits the scholarly muse Rees to lure him back to Olympus until the scandal dies down. After hundreds of years, Eros has finally located the reincarnation of his former love, Psyche. The only way to her heart is through fame, so the God of Love plans a daring campaign to win her back. Yet the closer he gets to Psyche, the more he’s drawn to a geeky young professor who came crashing into his life. Eros drags Rees into his wicked world of high fashion and risqué parties, only to expose him to danger from an unexpected source. When Rees’ secrets come out, they threaten to destroy Eros’ love for him. Yet when Rees is kidnapped, Eros is forced to turn to the woman who set this catastrophe in motion—his mother, Aphrodite. Book #1 in the Aphrodite Project series

Word Count: Click here to reveal200000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Rose Foster is just starting to adjust to life as a vampire when a series of highly publicized murders throws the world into chaos. Rose and her friends must intervene, if they want to prevent the imminent war between vampires and humans. But when they realize the woman behind these murders is Alana—a vampire they believed to be long dead—intervening becomes complicated. Alana is as powerful as she is seductive. She’s a master of manipulation and the queen of mind games. She craves vengeance, and she doesn’t care if she has to tear the world apart to get it. Outnumbered and overpowered, Rose accepts help from Alana’s ex-lover, Kara Unnarsdóttir. Kara is the second-in-command of the largest vampire colony in the world and a cunning and skilled warrior in her own right. Rose’s attraction to Kara is as intense as it is complicated, but whether or not Kara can be trusted remains to be seen.

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 reveal18401 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: M/M erotica wrapped in mystery Is this the end, or merely the beginning? It’s Hogmanay… New Year’s Eve in Scotland, 2014. A chance assignment finds Thomas and Burns in a medieval castle in Stirling, on a perilous hunt for a suspected bomber. Burns’ final secret may be revealed in the resolution of this case. What happens when two unusual sleuths follow their own private mystery to its astonishing conclusion?

Word Count: Click here to reveal144000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: New York City, 1924 Once their paths cross, their worlds will never be the same. Danny Moore and his crew only meant to rob the hotel suites of rich guests. He wasn’t supposed to find himself in gangster Ricky il Sacchi’s room. And il Sacchi wasn’t supposed to wind up dead. Now Danny has the attention of another notorious gangster. Carmine Battaglia is intrigued by the Irish thieves who would have made off with a huge score if not for il Sacchi’s death. They’re cunning, careful, and exactly what he needs for his rum running operation. But Danny’s already lost two brothers to the violence between New York’s Irish and Sicilian gangs, and he’s not about to sell his soul to Carmine. With gangster’s blood on his hands, Danny needs protection, whether he likes it or not. And that’s to say nothing of the generous pay, which promises to pull him and his crew—not to mention their families—out of destitution. Working together brings Danny and Carmine to a détente, then to something so intense neither can ignore it. Something nearly enough to make them both forget the brutal tensions between their countrymen. But the death of Ricky il Sacchi hasn’t been forgotten. And someone is determined to make Danny bleed for it. The Venetian and the Rum Runner is a 144,000-word gay historical romantic suspense novel set during Prohibition and the Roaring Twenties. CW: graphic violence, PTSD