Books Tagged With what - topic - recovery

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

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

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

Word Count: Click here to reveal145000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A story of healing and confronting demons… Detective Aidan Calloway is rock-solid strong. He's a man of justice—loyal to his friends, family, and job—even if it requires bending a law…or two. He shields himself behind an abrasive, fearless facade, until a phone call one night chips his armor and throws his perfectly planned, hollow life into a tailspin. Jessie Vega is the epitome of optimism. His carefully crafted attitude of hope and positivity protects him from a past filled with too much pain. When a ghost from a dark time resurfaces and nearly breaks him, he must tap into his inner strength or risk losing everything he's worked so hard to build. But Jessie can't do it alone. He must fight to break through Aidan's ironclad defenses to reveal the heart of the man hiding beneath the tough surface and mend his damaged spirit. Only then can they truly heal and become strong enough to battle the demons that haunt them and threaten their chance to finally be together. ---------- ***This book contains scenes and subject matter some readers may find distressing. It is only intended for adult readers.*** Word count: 145K Although part of a series and events from prior stories are referenced, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

Word Count: Click here to reveal17081 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In a world where magic is hated and feared, sometimes the bravest thing a man can do is trust. Daymon is the second prince of a kingdom in which Evokers—those who possess intuitive magical abilities—have long since been treated with fear and mistrust. Marked as an Evoker himself, Daymon is captured by those who wish to take advantage of these powers. Now, the prince must put his faith in Rhyder, the captain of his guards—and the man Daymon has claimed as his own—to free him.

Word Count: Click here to reveal32000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Having survived one nightmare of a relationship, Justin Tesh thought he'd left the worst behind when he put his ex Peter behind bars. But when his new lover, Russell Pine, explodes in a fit of alcohol-fueled rage, Justin finds himself frozen with a fear he thought he’d long since worked through. While older, more experienced Russ is anxious to put the incident behind them, avoiding personal issues never works, and for Justin, his fear is an open doorway to demons both he and Russ need to confront. Despite their histories of loss and pain, Russ has faith in the promise of their relationship. But if he can't heal the wound he's inflicted on his lover’s heart, he risks losing Justin forever to Peter’s legacy of brutality. This book was originally published by Dreamspinner Press with a different cover in March of 2015 and was included in The Chess Master Chronicles which compiled all three of the Sam's Cafe Romances into a single print volume.

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

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

Summary:

Word Count: Click here to reveal149,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The star of the University of Virginia theater department, Aidan Emery is lusted after and admired for living out and proud. He uses his talent and good looks to his advantage and never sleeps with the same guy twice. But his glamorous patina has been carefully honed to hide the pain he carries inside. Aidan wasn't always such a player. He starts college naively romantic, hungry for the attention he can’t get from his workaholic father and mentally ill mother. Unfortunately, that leaves him ripe pickings for predatory professor Rodney Montgomery. Rodney’s flattering regard seduces Aidan into a dysfunctional relationship that destroys his innocence. Life looks up for Aidan when he finally breaks free of Rodney’s pull and moves to New York City to make it as an actor. Meeting sweet fellow actor Patrick Jaymes seems like the start of a fairy tale. But before Aidan can rebuild his life into happily ever after, family secrets rip him wide open, leaving him easy prey when Rodney decides he’s not willing to let Aidan go.

Word Count: Click here to reveal12900 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: As a soldier, Dustin Cooper survived his unit being blown up. His twin brother didn’t survive the blast, and Dusty knows he’s lucky just to be alive. He doesn’t feel lucky. Crippled and scarred in the explosion, Dusty can’t even go to the local grocery store without being called a monster by any kid who gets a good look at what’s left of him. When Dusty collapses in the aisle, he wakes to an angel looking down on him. Benjamin Newell offers hope, offers help. That he’s gorgeous only makes the whole situation more tense. But Dusty is determined to overcome his injuries and the trauma of the past without any charity from a stranger. There’s only one thing he wants from his grocery store savior—a date.

Word Count: Click here to reveal81000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Matt There’s nothing quite like a night with one of the Gentlemen of the Emerald City. No strings. No complications. I’ve been burned by love, and I’m not going there again. Unlike my teammates who fell for their Gentlemen, I know how to keep emotions from coming into play. At least… I used to. Andre I used to love this job. The money doesn’t matter—just the thrill. But that thrill is gone now. That is, until I meet Matt. And that’s before he starts looking at me like that. And booking me more often. And making my heart do things it’s not supposed to do when I’m on the clock. How do I convince a jaded man that love is worth another try? Gentlemen of the Emerald City Andre is Book 5 of Gentlemen of the Emerald City, a sexy series centered around the high class, high-dollar Gentlemen of Seattle’s most exclusive escort service. Each book is full of snark, sass, and sweetness, and like any Emerald City client, you’re guaranteed a happy ending.

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

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

Summary: Rory Graeble returns to college determined to reinvent himself. Too many years have been wasted with masks, but becoming a student leader is a step Rory isn’t sure he’s ready for. A new identity takes more than just a new nickname, and Rory knows he has to take the chances that his old self would never risk. When that chance is a party that ends with an anonymous hot skater’s tongue down his throat and a phone number in his pocket, Rory knows what he has to do. Danny Smits never expected to see stuffy lit geek Rory Graeble trying to be out, trying to be proud, trying to be… Rory. It’s damned sexy, and too much for the entrepreneurial skater to resist. When Rory calls him back the day after the party, Danny knows Rory has changed. But will Danny’s haunted past deter Rory? Or will Rory embrace the chance to experience everything the closet had stolen away? Danny believes in keeping things real, in a brutal honesty he knows means Rory will run screaming. But this time Rory isn’t running.

Word Count: Click here to reveal23000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Four short stories from the world of the Undead Canadian series, including two previously unpublished works!

Word Count: Click here to reveal48870 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A wolf and a cougar—with all that keeps them apart, can they have a future together? In Haven, Montana, the shifters and their human allies are safe—for now. But that safety hinges on the town’s location remaining a secret, and it’s about to be compromised. Cougar shifter Travis Kuger spent the past several years alternating between craving revenge and wishing he could forget his painful past. Ever since the shifter-hating Knights blinded him and killed his family, Haven—and Sheriff Jack Ulger—have been Travis’s refuge. Travis and Jack know their friendship could be much more, but Jack is part of Haven’s ruling wolf shifter pack. If he takes a non-wolf mate, he could be banished forever. But when a knight infiltrates Haven, love becomes the least of their problems. Second Edition with updated and revised text.

Word Count: Click here to reveal54500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Some mistakes haunt you. Others come back to kill you. After a lifetime of poor decisions, Bryson Franklin sees his grandparents' farm outside quiet Willow River as his last chance at redemption. A fresh start, far from his troubled past. But small towns have a way of unearthing old habits. When Bryson falls into a passionate affair with Daniel Riggs, his charismatic but volatile neighbor, he finds himself sliding back into familiar patterns. What begins as risky attraction quickly spirals into something far darker when Daniel guilts Bryson into helping him cover up a suspicious death. Breaking free from Daniel is harder than Bryson expected, but the gentle attention of handsome sheriff's deputy Sam LeClaire offers something Bryson hasn't felt in years—hope. As Bryson cautiously rebuilds his life and opens his heart to the possibility of genuine love, he begins to believe he might finally outrun his past. Until Daniel reappears on his doorstep a year later, threatening to unravel everything Bryson has built. Now he faces an impossible choice between the future he desperately wants and the deadly secrets that never truly stayed buried. This time, the wrong decision won't just break his heart—it might end his life.

Word Count: Click here to reveal105360 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A man recovering from a traumatic event. His partner supporting him the best he can. An agent called back into the field by an old enemy. A case in Detroit requires the onsite attention of FBI Special Agent Aaron Pearce. Men are being murdered, notes left behind that reference Pearce, inviting him back to the city. But Pearce doesn’t want to leave his boyfriend, Mark Beecher, who is still recovering from their terrifying trip to Barbados. Surely someone else can track down this killer. Mark Beecher tells Pearce what the man already knows: this case is too personal, and Pearce has to leave him and return to Detroit. Regretfully, Pearce leaves, and Mark works on becoming more comfortable with himself and his memories, making progress every day. Which means, when the stakes in Pearce’s case become even more personal for him, Mark has to decide whether it’s better for him to stay in Washington, D.C., or be with Pearce in Detroit.

Word Count: Click here to reveal11200 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: This is a Life Lessons short story 3.5, occurring a week after Home Work - book 3. (* contains significant spoilers for Home Work*) Mac, Tony, and the kids have had a long complicated year. Each of them has dealt with fears and losses, joys and triumphs. As December 31st approaches, it's time to look forward to the new year, and what may be in store. Mac and Tony figure whatever happens, they can handle it, as long as they go through it together.   11,000 words

Word Count: Click here to reveal96460 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Christian Goodley did the unthinkable and now he’s left everyone to suffer the consequences of his actions. His family returned home from church, only to find him laying on the floor, in a pool of his own blood. At the hospital, Vivian got the devastating news about her son. With the family trying to put the pieces of their lives back together, Vivian is having stomach pains and after an important phone call, returned to the hospital. There, she received two additional pieces of information that forever altered the course of her life. Consequently, Vivian set forth a plan of action to undo years of her wrongdoings. While Vivian was focused on her plan and protecting her life-changing secrets, tensions start to brew between Cordell and his stepfather. This unfolds a past of abuse, lies and betrayal that in turn, leads to an ultimate showdown that threatens one of their lives. Because of his web of lies and secrets, Damien’s personal life is a disaster. His professional life, on the other hand, couldn’t be better. He is selected to represent his school at a national teaching conference. While on this trip, he accidentally stumbles across evidence that questions everything he knows to be true. Is Damien’s mind playing a dirty trick on him or is this newfound information actually reality? Crimes of the Heart 2: The Aftermath, is a story of secrets, lies, betrayal and redemption. Just how far would a remorseful mother go to protect her flesh and blood?g

Word Count: Click here to reveal22,075 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Lesbian, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: A pink-haired succubus, a kitchen witch and an angelic agent. In a world of supernatural threats, they'll need all the help they can get. In the town of Bellasford, Rose is a succubus who can't avoid trouble. She wants little beyond a happy life with her magically-gifted girlfriend Lisa, some steamy poly encounters to keep her nourished, and to find her missing mother. Ella, an elder succubus, disappeared years before, but Rose's attempts to uncover information led her straight into a trap and a veritable nest of vampire trouble. A daring escape is not without its price, as Rose is forced to strike a deal with one of her captors. As tempted as she is to cast aside the task, innocent lives are at stake, as is her continued well-being if she breaks her word. Relieved to have her girlfriend back safely, Lisa agrees to help fulfil her promise. Neither knows what dangers lurk in the shadows, especially as secrets are unveiled. Darkling Rose is a F/F romantic urban fantasy novella of around 22,000 words, which contains strong steamy content and language. Trigger Warning: Kidnapping

Word Count: Click here to reveal51300 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Rene and his men are known as D.O.A., Dragons of Anarchy. They were created centuries ago, by the great Heck, to find and destroy serialists by any means necessary. Each member was gifted with a dragon that was connected to their soul. If one died, so did the other. The men didn't shift into the dragon, but they would call out and the maharishi would join them in the fight against evil. Not wanting their secret discovered, D.O.A. lived in a town called Drago, just outside Poconos Boulevard, and they hid behind their image as a bad ass motorcycle club Children were being murdered and Rene, otherwise known as Pit, along with his men were out to find out who was behind the copycat murders of a long time serial killer known as the Alphabet Killer. While questioning a victim's mother, Rene discovered his sentience, his mate. Now all he had to do was figure out how to tell the man he was not exactly human, and he better do it fast because his dragon heat was already kicking in. Bren was the local town veterinarian. He figured something was off about SI Rene Telkin. If not from the leather jacket with a large D.O.A. patch on the back, then maybe because he drove a navy Blue Harley Davidson CVO Street glider instead of a tan sedan. Bren was not the type to get mixed up with a biker club, even if the man was a cop. However, something kept drawing him to the sexy man and it seemed that nothing would break the bond they were forming. Not even when he discovered the secret all D.O.A. agents held. A large dragon for a partner. Now Rene needs to do his best to claim his mate and also track down a serial killer, because on the last body was a note threatening the good doctor of Poconos Boulevard.

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

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

Summary: When Gabriel's sister, Ashley, falls ill, he is sent to the forest wise one for help. But instead of the frightening dragon he expects, he is faced with a shape-shifting, magical creature named Kym who is both kind and beautiful. Kym instructs Gabe to bring Ashley to his canyon hideaway so that he can watch over her properly. As the two care for her, they grow unexpectedly close. But once Ashley is well, Gabriel must leave with her, and Kym cannot leave his forest... This is a second edition. No significant changes have been made from the first edition.

Word Count: Click here to reveal34613 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Jotham was one of the oldest of the paranormal world, and a dragon shifter. He had been one of the attending Councilmen for the mating Games, since its creations. It is a time, for most, to come and have some fun, play some games, and hopefully find their mate. However, for Jotham, it was the time of his worst nightmare. Someone had taken his daughter over a hundred years ago. Discovering that Councilman Troy, his supposed friend, was behind his daughter’s disappearance was something Jotham had a hard time dealing with. When he was first approached about the sinister actions of his fellow councilman, Jotham had not believed the men's accusations. Then Ricky, Ian, Joop, their mates, and family proved their words were true. Discovering his daughter had died was heartbreaking, but then he saw a picture in a file and knew the little girl looking back at him could only be one person...his granddaughter. Ricky and Ian convinced him that maybe one of the victims might be able to help them find the other captives. That is how he met his destiny.... his Q... his mate. Q had never really known a life outside the labs and captivity. So many people and no ability to communicate was terrifying. Then he saw the most beautiful sight in the world. His koala wanted to pounce and claim the man...but then he found out Jotham was a man of power and that type of person had only brought him fear and pain. Can Q push past his fear and help his mate find his granddaughter and others still being imprisoned? Can Q push his fear even harder aside and allow his dragon mate to claim him? Or will all be lost forever?

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

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

Summary: Michael: Two years ago I made a mistake, a big one, and then I threw in another couple just for good measure. I screwed up my life big time but I made it through. I was lucky. Then I was given the opportunity for a fresh start. Two years in Auckland, New Zealand. Away from the LA gossip, a chance to breathe, to get my life back together. I grabbed it and packed my new set of golden rules with me. I don’t do relationships. I don’t do commitment. I don’t do white picket fences. And I especially don’t do arrogant, holier-than-thou, smoking hot K9 officers who walk into my ER and rock my world.   Josh: The only thing I know for certain about Dr. Michael Oliver is the guy is an arrogant, untrustworthy player, and I’d barely survived the last one of those in my life.  Once was more than enough. The man might be gorgeous but my eleven-year-old daughter takes number one priority and I won’t risk her being hurt, again. I’m a solo dad, a K9 cop and a son to pain in the ass, bigoted parents. I don’t have time for games. I don’t have time for taking chances. I don’t have time for more complications in my life. And I sure as hell don’t have time for the infuriating Dr. Michael Oliver, however damn sexy he is.