Books Tagged With what - condition - mental illness

Word Count: Click here to reveal140500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Silver has been freed from sexual slavery and settled down with River, his lover and former patient, yet cracks begin to form when it becomes increasingly obvious that the stress of constantly having to care for Silver, begin to tell on River. When River’s parents die, leaving him to care for his 12 year old brother it, at first, seems that the introduction of the lively twelve year old into the mix was going to do them all the world of good. However, when spiteful relatives involve Social Services, the previous flaws nearly rip them all apart. Faced with the dilemma of keeping either Ben or Silver at home and sending the other to stay with Sam, a personal friend, River chooses responsibility for his brother over his love and concern for Silver. Things come to a head when a series of misunderstandings lead Silver to believe River doesn’t love him anymore and that everyone is secretly ashamed of him because of his past. After running away, Silver reasons the only place he can fit in is with his own kind and he sets out to search of a new “home.” At the Theatre de la vie he meets Tony, a club owner with big ideas, who ‘looks after’ a group of young men who dance and “entertain” patrons of the club. There, among others, Silver finds Ariel, an ephemeral little minx with a knack for getting into trouble, Alex, the big hearted mountain of muscle, and Asher. With Asher, a former sex slave like himself, Silver finds a kindred spirit and soon finds himself falling for the beautiful, broken boy. Together, Ariel and Asher show Silver a whole new way of looking at the world, a transformation echoing the sleeping chrysalis of his soul, and soon his inner self emerges as the beautiful butterfly he was always meant to be. Yet as happy as he is with his new friends, Silver eventually realises he truly misses River and intends to return to his side, but a dark figure from his abusive past returns to threaten both a possible reunion and the very ones who would protect Silver. River learns of the danger, and hurries to add his own support of Silver and reaffirm their love, but with so many doubts and unspoken regrets between them, is it too late for a chance at happiness together? At the emotional climax to this suspenseful story of love and loss, Silver and River reach conclusions that will either save them both or drive them apart forever.

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

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

Summary: Josh’s idea of a romance is curling up alone and reading a novel with a happily ever after. His flat is his safe haven—the walls covered with stories and poems, a thousand words that help him cope, and his living room ceiling is a map of the universe. Angus may be shy and inexperienced, but he's incapable of hiding anything, especially his attraction to his older neighbour. When Josh admits to Angus that he’s gay, he doesn't expect Angus’s reaction. Angus’s obvious interest terrifies Josh. For years he’s managed to keep the world at arm’s length and avoid getting too close to anyone. Well, anyone except Eleanor, Angus’s mother, who helped Josh rebuild his life after he was hospitalised for depression. But Josh still thinks he’s broken. His past has left scars he’s convinced are too deep to heal. Despite Josh’s defenses, Angus begins to mean more to him than just the cute boy next door. If Josh can take a risk and let someone into his isolated world, he might have a chance for a real life happy ending.

Word Count: Click here to reveal77000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Pansexual, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: A stuntman with a love for fire. A yoga teacher in search of zen. A holiday season neither will forget. Stunt performer and self-declared badass, Tate Astbury returns to his hometown to spend another dreaded Thanksgiving with his dad. But his father forgets and makes other plans, resigning Tate to a quiet and depressing holiday alone unless he can find someplace else to celebrate. When Tate’s mischievous friend learns about the unfortunate twist, he dares Tate to enter a radio contest to become a fake boyfriend for a desperate caller’s holiday dinner, and Tate never turns down a dare. Endre Michel is a mess. His yoga business is on the cusp of ruin, and his moms are visiting from out of state for the holiday, intent on meeting his boyfriend, a person Endre invented. Through the contest, he meets Tate, a crude, tattooed older man who plays the role of doting boyfriend so well, Endre suspects and hopes it’s not all for show. Neither man can deny the unintended connection, and they struggle to overcome the distance between Tate’s put-together Hollywood career and the chaos surrounding Endre’s unsteady future—a situation that intensifies when an unthinkable tragedy uncovers a dark and painful truth. Will Tate and Endre’s future together perish in flames, or can their love rise from the ashes? Flirting with Fire is a standalone holiday romance with several cups of angst, questionable jokes, a bird with a wicked sense of humor, a bed with loud, squeaky springs, and an HFN/HEA ending. CW: suicide, substance abuse disorder, grief, mental illness

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: (Jimmy) I fell for my best friend. Shifters like us have mates. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he was mine, but Savi's feelings for me? Purely platonic. I need to find a way to fall out of love with him. Because losing him? Not an option. Who would have thought a trip to the zoo would be the start of my forever? At just five years old I knew that the cute kitty in the cage was meant to be mine…my best friend, my person, MY Kiki. At sixteen, I prayed to every deity known in the human world that he would be my mate. At nineteen, I left. Now?  Our lives will never be the same.   (Savi) We should be planning the best summer ever, instead, I’m learning how to live without my best friend for the first time since he and his family rescued me from my terrible foster “parents” when I was a kid. Jimmy, my best friend, my person, up and left me for 6 whole months! One hundred eighty-two and a half-ish days. Maybe forever. It’s only a matter of time before Jimmy finds his mate and our separation is permanent. If only I was that mate. Because it’s only a matter of time before he can’t deny anymore that he needs more than me. He needs a mate. Something I’m not, something I can never be. Shouldn’t be. For anyone, but especially not for Jimmy LaFleur. For All Eternity : Destinies Entwined is an ongoing M/M Best Friends to Lovers, Paranormal, Kindle Vella Romance serial. It contains multiple points of view, but the main bulk of the story and main focus is on these best friends and their path to their eternity. For All Eternity : Destinies Entwined features an autistic main character, traumatic pasts, horses, and lots and lots of cuddling. Oh, yeah, and Blood Play (eventually!) The friendship these two have is nothing ordinary! Note: Heat level of 3 is indicative of the heat in the story thus far, not the entire story, which will be a 5.

Word Count: Click here to reveal100000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Big-hearted Danny finds interaction difficult and must keep his world small in order to survive. By day he lives in an abandoned swimming pool and fixes electrical devices to trade for supplies, but by night, alone, he hunts sharks—a reckless search for the dangerous men who prey on the vulnerable. A search for his best friend’s killer. A chance meeting with an American boy selling himself on the streets throws Danny’s lonely existence into disarray. Micky is troubled, fragile, and Danny feels a desperate need to protect him. Though from what, he doesn't know. As Danny discovers more about Micky, he realises that what Micky needs saving from is the one thing Danny has no idea how to fight. To save Micky, Danny must risk expanding his world and face something that scares him more than any shark ever could: trusting he will be accepted for who he is. If a freezing winter on the streets, a sadistic doctor, and three thousand miles don't tear them apart first, that is.

Word Count: Click here to reveal75000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: After three years, Snow and Jude’s relationship is still passionate and strong. They’re getting ready for a romantic vacation at home when Jude receives a horrifying call no one wants to receive. His youngest brother was found barely clinging to life. While Jude’s family is rallying around Jordan, Jude is determined to find out what happened to him. Snow and Jude follow the clues, investigating a side of Jordan’s life none of them knew about…and is far darker than any would have believed possible. They get pulled deeper into the seedy side of life, while echoes from a past Snow thought he walked away from return to offer an unexpected insight into the cause of Jordan’s injuries. But someone else has noticed their involvement and is furious, putting them both in danger. The risk is high but so is Jude’s determination to find the truth—though the knowledge could very well fracture his heart. Trigger Warning: This book has a scene that some might find triggering, but the triggers are also spoilers to the plot, so they can be found at the front of the book.

Word Count: Click here to reveal131676 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Choices. You cannot escape the consequences of your choices. TJ’s choices have landed him in a whirlwind of trouble. Legal trouble. As he faces the biggest challenge of his life, he is also demanding answers about his past. Will TJ beat this case that is moving through the criminal justice system, or will his future come tumbling down? Will TJ have to reap the consequences of what he has sown? The choices Seven made are haunting his mind. Several people believe he was responsible for the Jaquez situation and that choice he made will return some grim results. While Seven tries to shake off the mistakes of his past, a new love interest develops. The choices he makes with this love interest can also come at a costly price. For Seven, do the ends justify the means? Insert Elijah. His past choices have led him to his new truth which causes the relationship with his mother to take a drastic turn for the worst. But why? What is really causing these problems in his home? What is really at the core of Elijah’s issues? Is his mother to blame? Or is it something deeper? What will Elijah do when the demons in his head take him to a place of no return? While the friends tackle these storms in their lives, something more sinister is at work. A plan is being crafted to destroy them at their core. Dark secrets will be revealed. The ultimate betrayal will occur. Someone will meet their untimely death. In their world, all bets are off. Who can you trust? Who do you trust?

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Luis has two problems. The depression monster is breathing down his neck and he’s in love with his boss, who thinks their age-gap and employer/employee status is a deal-breaker. Luis Flynn has had a thing for Royce Hessing since the day he started work when he was still in high school but Royce doesn’t see him as anything other than an employee, and an annoying one at that. It’s hopeless to think they could be anything more. And then Royce kisses him. It should make Luis happy, but Luis finds that emotion hard to grasp. In fact, he’s finding it difficult to get through a day so his attraction to his boss, along with everything else in his life, takes a backseat.

Word Count: Click here to reveal104000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Miko Asada does not belong in the human world, not since the jump drive accident that warped him into something other. Fragile, beautiful, and silent, Miko remains an enigma, even to those who know him best. Ajhani Guardian Tarrin Rhivana no longer belongs on the world of his birth. Exiled for choosing his clan’s safety over the sanctity of human life, Tarrin attempts to escape aboard a ship belonging to the Sky People who have invaded his world. When Tarrin’s ignorance of Federation technology threatens his sanity and his life, he is saved by a beautiful ghost, and brought to the Institute for Psionic Research. There, he meets Miko and learns that one of the Sky People has bonded to one of the ancient artifacts his people are sworn to protect. As a Guardian, it is Tarrin’s duty to return to his clan and convince them of the danger the Sky People represent. But his fellow Guardians will kill an exile on sight, and Miko may be the only one who can prevent them from executing Tarrin before he can deliver his warning. (~104,000 words)

Word Count: Click here to reveal23700 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: It was pitch black outside, the only light came from the lantern at the front of the coach, bobbing crazily over the road. Wild gusts of wind threatened to tip them over every so often and the coachman gripped the reins even more tightly, swearing under his breath. Rain beat frantically against the windows as Jonathan peered out, hoping to catch a glimpse of Castle Blackstone, the place that would be his home for the next six years... When Jonathan Winters accepts a post as tutor to the only son of Lord D’Anvers, he looks forward to sharing his love of learning with his young pupil.  Not even arriving at Castle Blackstone in the middle of a thunderstorm can dampen his enthusiasm, nor the fact that the wing above his head is forbidden. Absorbed with Evelyn’s education, Jonathan is completely unprepared to find himself the object of Lord D’Anvers’ attentions. Until D’Anvers kisses him...   A M/M Historical Romance   Word count 23,700

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: The Brothers Grime Book 2 Loving yourself can be a tough job... Eddie and Andrew have dynamite chemistry, except Eddie is profoundly dyslexic, and Andrew lives to read. Andrew is pathologically disorganized, and Eddie likes things neat and clutter-free. Andrew is desperately ashamed of his hoarder father—a secret that could pull them apart even as a friend's tragedy brings them together. When Andrew's father's condition deteriorates and he nearly dies because of his compulsion, Eddie and Andrew must learn compassion begins with loving oneself in Eddie: Grime Doesn't Pay.

Word Count: Click here to reveal112000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Aromantic, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Be not inhospitable to – handsome – demons, lest they be angels in disguise. Two things are well-known about Alberto. One: he's gorgeous. Like it or not, like him or not, there's no debating that. Two: Alberto feels nothing and everyone constantly jokes about it. There isn't much else to say about him. Floating about like a drifting cloud, Alberto likes minding his own business, but out of nowhere, an angry guy named Mathias charges into his life, demanding answers. Deep down, he knows Mathias isn't the solution to his problems, but it doesn't matter, as long as he feels something. But here's the annoying thing with feelings: they can sneak up on you at the least opportune time... *** Mathias is new in town and enrolled at Colette International due to unfortunate circumstances. His devotion to his family places him face to face with a puzzling equation, one he never thought he'd have to solve before. Now he's forced into the path of a schoolmate he particularly dislikes, and not without reasons. The only problem is, he can't seem to take his eyes, nor his hands, off him. He was promised a peaceful senior year after everything he went through. But Mathias already knows life is never that easy. And now he's in the thralls of an unfeeling demon.     He Looks So Fine is a seven-part story about two young men's rediscovery of empowerment, communication and trust, about the lasting damages of trauma and the healing virtues of friendship. Part One is 360 pages long and contains arcs 1 to 3 pertaining to Alberto and Mathias's journey. The upcoming Part Two is longer; it contains arcs 4 to 7 and concludes their story. As it features several characters from the previous books, it's usually recommended to read the series from the start. However, the tone of this story is darker and more mature and differs from the rest of the series. As a result, this book can also be enjoyed as a standalone. Content Warning:Due to the presence of difficult themes, sexual content and other potentially upsetting scenes, this work isn't intended for readers below the age of eighteen. (A full content warning list can be found at the beginning of the book.) This is not a happy book! This work explores themes such as depression and grief.  If you're looking for fluffy romance, please select another book/author.

Word Count: Click here to reveal107708 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A lawyer and an architect walk into a bar…   Jocelin:   What do you do when your boss’s pushy nephew repeatedly asks you out and won’t take no for an answer? You create a fake boyfriend. One who works a lot, so he never comes to office functions or meets you for lunch. It works well until le salaud calls my bluff.   So that’s how I find myself at a client event, practically begging a handsome stranger to play said boyfriend. Only after I calm down do I realize le bel homme in the bespoke suit is no stranger at all. He’s my best friend’s brother, and mon Dieu, he cleans up well!    When Gunnar volunteers to keep up the ruse beyond one night, of course, I say yes. I’m no fool. But fake love can have very real consequences…    Gunnar:   Being accosted by the attractive, if slightly flustered, Jocelin Allard before I even make it out of the parking lot isn’t how I expect to start my evening. But pretending to be his boyfriend for a few hours seems like a harmless way to liven up an otherwise painful social event.    And as far as dates go, fake or otherwise, I could do a lot worse. He’s smart, gorgeous, and has a sexy accent. Plus, my sister would kill me if I left her bestie hanging.    When the evening goes shockingly well, almost effortlessly, our relationship turns real, and for a while, it’s total bliss. Until I unintentionally take a wrecking ball to my life. Again.   Heal Me is a low-medium angst, MM fake boyfriend, sister’s best friend, contemporary romance about bad decisions, past trauma, and loving someone including their flaws. It contains no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.

Word Count: Click here to reveal96800 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The truth hurts. But in the end, honesty wins. Or does it? Warren Prescott loves a challenge. He knows how to play the game and adapts when necessary to succeed in his cutthroat world. Tired of pining for a man he’s wanted for months, Warren intends to seal the deal. Until that man throws him an endearing curveball… Be honest. Gian Benedetti doesn't play games. Success has cost him the personal connections he craves, and he doubts he’ll take another chance on a relationship. Until the attractive, younger man with the brazen personality and confidence stirs his interest. Except…someone else is playing games. And threatening everything Gian has worked hard to achieve. Warren won’t rest until he uncovers the new player and gets his forever with Gian. But they’ll soon face a hard truth— Honesty may be what brings them together… Or it could be the one thing that tears them apart. ----- Honestly Yours is an age-gap standalone romance. It features a snarky younger man with a giant crush on a good-hearted, affectionate, bisexual older man. Expect some banter, a little mystery, a few twists, a dash of angst, curious parents, animal trivia, and a whole lot of love…and hugs (so many hugs).

Word Count: Click here to reveal72855 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: What’s a straight guy to do when he falls for his new friend? Paramedic Connor Devlin is a stressed-out tower of a man. Hoping knitting will help him unwind, he visits a local craft shop, where he’s overwhelmed by the yarn selection but more so by his feelings for shop owner Judah. Judah Bissel is tired of falling for unavailable men. He can’t help his crush on Connor, though, or wanting to get closer to the big, gentle bear. And that just might spell trouble because pining for straight guys is not Judah’s style. As a blizzard pummels the city, the men hunker down together to wait out the storm. When the spark between them ignites, will the revelation that Connor feels more than friendship for Judah bring them together or tear them apart? Hooked On You is a 72.8K friends-to-lovers MM novel. It features a stressed-out paramedic who’s figuring out he’s not quite straight, a yarn shop owner with a bad habit of falling for unavailable guys, lots of knitting and snowdrifts, and a sweet, happy-sigh HEA.

Word Count: Click here to reveal85,100 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Some hearts are made to be hopeful. Ian Byrne is done with love. Or so he’s been telling himself since his life crashed and burned. Ian got through his depression with help from friends and his career as an orthopedic nurse, as well as a big shaggy dog that’s not really his. And if most days Ian feels just all right, he thinks that’s fine. He never expected to meet a guy on the train. Especially not a robot-building whiz kid like Tris Santos, fifteen years younger than Ian and in so many ways his opposite. But they agree that epic love is a myth and strike up an effortless friendship, the spark of attraction between them quickly igniting and burning hot over chat screens when Tris moves away. Now, Ian can’t imagine his life without Tris. Can’t believe that what started as a fling became so much more and how deeply he feels for a man he doesn’t even see in person. Ian thinks Tris might be the right guy; that he might be ready to risk his heart one more time. But … is it too much to hope that Tris might feel the same? Hopeful Hearts is an 85.1 K age gap sex-buddies-to-lovers novel. In it you’ll meet a grumpy nurse practitioner recovering from heartbreak, a bright-eyed robotics genius who thinks epic romance is epically dumb, a huge wily dog in need of an owner, a 400-mile LDR, and a deliciously satisfying happily ever after. Content Advisory: This book contains a character coping with serious depression and contains references to homophobia and disownment. Happy ending absolutely guaranteed.

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: A six-year-old human child, who recently moved with his single father into the heart of the Boston North Pack’s territory, is missing–and Alpha Tobias Rogan has been framed for kidnapping the boy. Meanwhile, a new pack member with a traumatic past has drawn Saul Hughes, the rogue Alpha with a grudge against Tobias, to Boston. Kyle Slidell, Tobias’s mate, spots Saul and realizes he must be behind the child’s kidnapping. But Saul has retained his powers and uses them to erase his presence from the minds of all of the other Boston wolves. Only Kyle, with his unusual immunity to compulsion, is able to remember seeing the rogue. To protect his mate and save the little boy, Kyle will violate shifter law and ignore direct orders from the ruler of the Northeast Region werewolves. But will he survive the fallout? This book was originally published in 2012. This version has been revised, edited, and expanded from the original.

Word Count: Click here to reveal140000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: 25% of the author’s royalties for Interference will be donated to organizations assisting homeless and/or disabled veterans. Disabled veteran Wyatt Miller is out of options. Six months after his eviction, every day is a struggle just to survive on the streets. Sometimes, the only thing that motivates him to move forward at all is his determination to protect and feed his beloved service dog, Lily. Then a cold snap drives Wyatt to beg a veterinary clinic to board Lily… and puts him on the radar of someone who can’t stomach letting the dog or her owner sleep out in the cold. On the surface, hockey star Anthony Austin has it all. The fans and cameras see a man with dazzling stats, a fairy tale home, and a red hot sports car. He and his longtime boyfriend are the poster boys for out-and-proud male athletes. The limelight doesn’t see the cracks, though. His boyfriend has quietly moved out, and nothing Anthony says or does will bring him back. Anthony’s play is starting to suffer, and he’s too miserable to care. When he sees the man pleading for a warm bed for his dog, Anthony doesn’t hesitate to open his home. All he has in mind is keeping a man and his dog off the street. He has no idea Wyatt is about to upend his world—and his attempts at reconciling with his boyfriend. Interference is a 140,000+ word slow burn hockey and military romance. Don’t worry – there’s no cheating! CW: combat PTSD, dying/death of a parent (cancer), experiences and trauma associated with homelessness

Word Count: Click here to reveal108000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Headstrong. Telekinetic. Pariah. On the run from his family, Quentin d’Arcy has settled in San Diego with dwindling funds and the growing suspicion that his gifts might not be limited to telekinesis. When he meets a psychic who can control people’s actions with a few words, his comfortable life starts to unravel. Demigod. Oracle. Hunter.  Laurence Riley almost died killing one god only to discover that he’s descended from another. Before he can come to terms with that revelation, Quentin’s twin brother walks into his life, and there’s no way to know what his motives may be. With great power comes great danger. Kane Wilson wants to make a better world: a world in which psychics are open about who and what they are without fear of reprisal or hatred. With the power to control others he might be able to pull it off, but there’s going to be collateral damage. If Quentin and Laurence can’t get to the bottom of Wilson’s plan, Kane will out the existence of psychics not only to San Diego but to the world, and all hell will break loose. Knight of Flames is the second book in the Inheritance series and contains mature themes and events which may be distressing to some readers. It has a mild heat rating and an HFN ending.

Word Count: Click here to reveal122000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Scott Weston’s car is sensible, his suits are bland, and his job is stable but boring. Mundane routine helps keep his anxiety and obsessive tendencies under control. Socializing—especially dating—isn’t on his list of strong skills either, and, made worse with the echoes of his disapproving mother. So he’s content to stay at home with his lists and cleaning and wildlife documentaries, until a one-night stand goes unexpectedly right. History has taught Devon DuCaine that dating can be uncomfortable, but there’s just something about Scott. He may be the opposite of Devon’s own long-haired, tattooed, free-wheeling spirit but he brings out the nurturer in Devon. Maybe it’s Scott’s surprising fascination with Devon’s motorcycle, or his shy surprise in moments of affection, but there’s more under those sensible suits than meets the eye. The most important person in Devon’s life, his mom, taught him love and compassion and that’s all he wants to share with Scott. Their one-night stand turns into a regular thing, but Scott doesn’t trust it to last. He’s pretty sure Devon is hiding something. He’s even more sure that once Devon gets to know him, the attraction will fade. And then there’s his mother. However many sparks fly between them, Devon will have his work cut out to convince Scott they can have their happily ever after. (This book was first published as 2 short stories, but this new version has double the content from the originals.)