Books Tagged With what - sex - first time / exploration

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

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

Summary: If a megalomaniacal earth mage kidnaps your little sister, do you: A) Kill him B) Kill him C) Kill him D) Magically indenture yourself to him to ensure her safe return Welsh water horse Nevan Quirke would have happily opted for A, B, or C, but had no idea where his sister was hidden—so, option D it is. He’s not a fool, though. He made sure to limit his obligation to a single task. Unfortunately, he neglected to nail down a few tiny details before the geas brand was seared into his skin, and now: A) He can’t shift B) He can’t swim C) He can’t drink D) If he fails, he’ll be bound to the mage for eternity Oh, and that task? Assist in an assassination. If only he weren’t so thirsty. And if only his partner for the heinous job weren’t the most appealing man Nevan has seen in his entire two-thousand-year life. Assassin by Accident takes place in E.J. Russell’s Mythmatched universe and is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book features grumpy/sunshiny, hurt/comfort, mistaken identity, opposites attract, unexpected derring-do, and of course an HEA—no matter how little the men in question think they deserve it.

Word Count: Click here to reveal120000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Death threats drove him from his country. Can he ever find asylum from his past?   Hernán had family, college, and a future in El Salvador. Until a vicious gang targeted him as gay. Threatened with murder, he braved a nightmare journey toward a new life. Now, haunted by his trek, he hides from immigration trouble as well as his enemies. He prays to pass in Provincetown unnoticed. But a handsome man with a secret like Hernán’s is vulnerable to predators. Colin is in town for a wedding when he falls into the harbor. The man who rescues him is dark-haired, dark eyed and gorgeous. He’s also a target because of his immigration status. Colin owes a debt, and wants to repay it by helping his savior escape the monsters who would exploit him. Hernán yearns to trust the kind man who offers him sanctuary. Will his demons destroy his chance at a future with Colin?   Asylum is a standalone gay romance novel but contains spoilers for the prior novel, September. Trigger warnings for brief references to off-page sexual abuse of a child and adult.

Word Count: Click here to reveal91000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The year is 1968, and Phoenix Rising is on the brink of becoming bigger than the Beatles - but can lead singer Ravynn St. John survive their world tour without exposing his secret love for the band's rhythm guitarist, or will the truth tear apart their shot at stardom? I'm the twenty-year-old lead singer of the hottest band on the planet, leading the charge on our first world tour as we chase the dream of becoming bigger than the Beatles and recording at Abbey Road Studios. You'd think I'd be on top of the world, living the dream, but my life is a carefully constructed lie. Behind the fame, the sold-out shows, and the adoring fans, I'm hiding who I really am. The truth? I'm homosexual - and my family disowned me when I admitted it. The only family I have now is my band and our management team - they're the ones who know the real me. As our tour kicks off, I'm determined to keep my secrets buried. I refuse to be another nobody from Atlanta, Georgia, and I won't let anything - or anyone - stand in the way. But when my guitarist, Benji, pushes for us to be more than bandmates, and my ex's friend - a reporter - shows up to dig into my past, everything begins to unravel. Will I be able to keep my secrets hidden and secure my shot at musical greatness, or will everything I've worked for come crashing down?

Word Count: Click here to reveal92000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Banyak & Fecks is a prequel to The Clearwater Mystery series of romantic gay novels. However, it is not a mystery. It is a story of how a Ukrainian refugee and the son of an Irish immigrant come to meet in the East End of London in 1884. It is a story about friendship. 1881. Andrej’s family are dead or missing, and his village in Ukraine decimated. Aged thirteen, he walks west to find a boat to take him to London. Three years later, homeless, starving and having resorted to prostitution, he finds safe passage and arrives in London alone but determined. 1884. Silas’ mother has died, leaving him to fend for his twin sisters in the hellish world of the Westerpool slums. Silas only knows the work of a thief and trickster and at sixteen, heads to London to make his money. What he finds is poverty, starvation and the Greychurch workhouse. About to give up, he encounters a giant Ukrainian, proud, handsome, and renting his body in the alleys of the East End. Silas (Banyak) and Andrej (Fecks) make an unlikely pair, but their friendship is all they need to survive life in London’s notorious East End. When disaster robs them of their home, they have no choice but to live rough and work the streets. Lodging houses, rope houses, arrest, violence and prostitution, they face it together. But when the Ripper starts slaughtering Greychurch rent boys, Banyak and Fecks have only their friendship to ensure their survival.

"A colourful and enchanting tale. Beautifully written. Marsh does an excellent job of evoking the look and feel of a different age."

Olivier Bosman author of the DS Billings Victorian Mysteries

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Barista Brewed Love  - Love is always brewing at the local coffee shop! Sip your coffee, cozy up, and get ready for some warm m/m romance that’s just as sweet as the perfect cup! In the comfy corners of a local café, love is always on the menu. Jacques, a flirtatious and endearing barista with a knack for matchmaking, has seen it all—and made countless connections in the process. But after losing his husband, he's slowly learning that even the best cups of coffee can't heal all wounds. In Barista Brewed Love, a collection of interconnected M/M romance stories, unexpected sparks fly as strangers become friends, and friendships bloom into love. From the sweet jitters of a first date to the heartwarming comfort of second chances, these touching tales weave a tapestry of love, friendship, and new beginnings. You’ll fall for the unforgettable characters who pour their hearts out—whether it's a young couple navigating their first real love, a man filled with regret tracking down a lost love from the past, or older men discovering romance after years of solitude. And Jacques? He's there every step of the way, playing matchmaker, offering advice, and finding his own path to healing. Join these lovable characters in a celebration of love, vulnerability, and hope, and find out if Jacques can open his heart to new possibilities. With laughter, tears, and a few steamy moments, Barista Brewed Love will make you believe that no matter how complicated life gets, love is always worth the fight. Sip your coffee. Let your heart race. And let love brew...

Word Count: Click here to reveal99596 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A grumpy cryptid falls for his sunshine human. I didn’t come to Wisconsin looking for a legend. I came to get out. Out of staged smiles. Out of corporate campaigns. Out of photographing happiness that felt manufactured. I was supposed to spend two months in the woods. No clients, no deadlines, just open sky, real silence, and nothing that needed editing. What I find instead… is Calder. Seven feet of muscle and shadow and ancient forest stillness. He doesn’t trust humans, but I don’t scare easily. And the more time I spend with him, the harder it is to ignore the way he looks at me. The way his body reacts when I get too close. The way mine answers. But the forest isn’t as empty as it looks. There’s something else out there. Calder won’t name it—only follows its movement, and keeps himself between me and whatever’s slinking through the trees. And I’m starting to understand that whatever he’s been guarding me from isn’t the only danger in these woods. I should leave… but I don’t. Because knowing that doesn’t change anything. I still want him. And the worst part? He wants me too.

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: Information not available

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

Summary: Ishmael Lux. A name synonymous with wealth. The elite come to him- to stay in his hotels and to play in his club, both for business and for pleasure. He has a secret, though. It’s rather an open one, though believed by most to be rumour and speculation. Kristoffer Jones. A new hire of Triborr Property Management International, one of Lux’s many legitimate fronts. He was thrilled to be in London, straight on the heels of being informed he was being moved onto the management track. Some rumours are best left unconfirmed, as he discovers when he finds himself in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Ishmael sees it as an opportunity. As with all opportunities that will pay off handsomely, he takes it. Then, he locks Kris away. Kristoffer is his and he is never going to let him go. The kicker? Kris is rapidly becoming unsure if he wants to be free. Note: This book is written in UK English, with British spellings, grammatical rules, and terms. This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance. Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.

Word Count: Click here to reveal47,700 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The past doesn’t define us. Love does. When high school principal, William Garrison, steps in to help a bullied freshman boy, he is surprised to learn that fifteen-year-old Ben is the son of his former high school nemesis, Benito “Benny” Vega. William has mixed feelings about seeing Benny again, considering Benny was the one who used to torment and pick on William for being different. But Benny is a changed man, in more ways than one, and he wants the chance to prove to both his son and William that he’s not the same guy he once was. Can William be the bigger man and let go of his unresolved feelings toward Benny or will their shared personal history get in the way of helping Ben? ​​​​​​​After all, they do say love always wins, right? This is a standalone book in the Blockers Series, a MM romance.

Word Count: Click here to reveal120000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Lieutenant Commander Connor Marks is starting over. His kids are grown up. His divorce is final. He’s settled into his new command and a beautiful house in Spain. Nothing left to do but move forward. And maybe explore his bisexuality after all this time. Unfortunately, his options are limited. He doesn’t speak enough Spanish to connect with the locals, and getting involved with other service members can get… complicated. When HM1 Alex Barlow stumbles across a hot guy on a hookup app, of course it’s that gorgeous new physician Alex sees all the time at the hospital. Of course he’s looking to hook up with a guy. Of course he’s exactly Alex’s type. The only problem is that Connor is an officer while Alex is enlisted. The fraternization regs are crystal clear—they can’t even be friends, never mind hook up. Never mind be more than hookups. But the Navy’s regs can’t cool the chemistry sizzling between Alex and Connor. And nothing—not even their own stubbornness or Alex’s toxic, persistent ex—can stop them from falling in love. CW: Discussion of past abuse, brief on-page violence; combat-related PTSD.

Word Count: Click here to reveal102000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Spencer’s thirtieth birthday is right around the corner, and he wants to say goodbye to his twenties with a bang. Literally. As a self-proclaimed sex god, Spencer has sworn off love and dedicated himself to finishing his F***-it List – a collection of wild fantasies he’s checked off one by one. Now, only one fantasy remains: rock a virgin’s world with a night of unforgettable sex. Shy, sweet Mickey seems like the perfect candidate, but he’ll need a major confidence boost before he’s ready to go all the way. Hoping for a chance to be Mickey’s first, Spencer makes him an offer he can’t refuse – he’ll transform Mickey into San Francisco’s next sex god. Mickey, who’s always felt out of step with the gay scene, jumps at the chance to reinvent himself. It isn’t long, though, before styling tips and flirting lessons give way to stolen glances and heart-to-heart conversations, and what started as a playful makeover begins to look a lot like falling in love. For Spencer, feelings were never part of the plan. But as Mickey blossoms into a self-assured man and their connection deepens, Spencer is forced to ask himself: is Mickey just another checkmark on his list, or could he be the man who finally makes Spencer believe in love? Better Than Sex is a steamy, slow burn, opposites-attract romance. Loaded with humor and heart, the story explores friendship, found family, and the messy, wonderful lengths we go to for love and acceptance.

Word Count: Click here to reveal77816 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Ray Cortez returned to Seattle after fourteen years to help his pregnant best friend and her partner. He meets another fireman at his station, and is immediately attracted to blond Viking, but Ray doesn’t date straight or closeted guys. Leif Ramsey has spent the last year trying to figure out how to come out to his mother and macho firefighter brother, terrified he’ll lose them. With Ray’s no-closeted-men policy, Leif takes the risk. When a fire at Ray’s childhood home ignites past trauma and threatens their growing trust, can Ray and Leif survive the heat, or will their relationship go up in smoke?

Word Count: Click here to reveal107,103 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: All of his life, Caden DeMott’s mismatched eyes have made him the target of superstition and scorn. Though he is the son of a nobleman, he’s been allowed to run free over the hills and moors, mostly ignored by his family. No one ever thought to inform him that he had been betrothed since infancy, until the day his fiancé, Prince Rhys Gwyther arrived to marry him. Rhys is the prince of the small island country of Mauritania, a land rich in gems, rose oil, and pearls, but poor in skilled artisans and seeds to grow crops. In order to further cement the trade route to the mainland, he’s been sent to marry a man he’s never met and bring him back to Mauritania. Unfortunately, an accident years before has left Rhys with a lot of emotional baggage and very little trust in strangers. But trust is exactly what Caden and Rhys are going to need if they are to make a life together and help unravel the mystery of who’s been smuggling valuable gems and pearls off the island. Add in the realization that Caden’s stepmother, Mildred and her island representative, Maxwell, have been importing inferior goods for years, forcing Mauritania to become more dependent on them, and trust becomes even more difficult. Caden possesses the knowledge to finally allow Rhys’ father to unravel the plot to ruin Mauritania, but only if the king and his son are willing to put their faith in Caden’s loyalty to his new home. Something that is difficult to do after Caden is accused of cheating on his marriage vows to Rhys with his guard, Luc. Will Rhys believe him innocent? Or will their marriage be over before it truly has a chance to begin?

Word Count: Click here to reveal66,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Cameron Hayes believed himself to be a dedicated friend and a good son but destined to be alone. Because in his twenty-one years, he’d never fallen for anyone. Dating never appealed to him when he would rather spend a night at home. Despite his friend’s best intentions for Cameron to find a hookup for the night, he stayed at the bar as he nursed a beer. And that’s when Cameron spotted him and everything he knew evaporated with one look. Rylan Ellis wanted one night out without complications. To forget about his overwhelming responsibilities and stress at home. He loved to lose himself in the music and ignore everyone around him. But when he happened a glance at the bar and spotted the tall, broad, and sexy-as-sin man, he felt drawn to him. Soon, Cameron and Rylan learn about each other and establish their lives together. They also have to deal with a group of well-meaning friends, loving parents, and unexpected friendships. But most of all, a dangerous threat that could tear their lives apart. Will a chance meeting turn into something more? This novel contains heavy attraction at first sight and first-time gay sex between two men. There is no cheating or cliffhangers and ends with a happily ever after. *Contains a brief mention of a prior sexual assault and violence in later scenes.

Word Count: Click here to reveal31000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: College is supposed to be the best time of your life. . . What happens when it isn’t-- Andrew was living the dream until he moved to college with his girlfriend. “Know what you are getting into because love changes when the situation changes,” his grampa told him. Everything in life seemed to be going wrong, but one day, after an incident in the quad, something went right—Connor. Moving in with Conner, Andrew found himself in a foreign situation. There was something about his new roommate. . . was this a boy crush? Did Connor like him back? Thoughts become actions, and actions become emotions until life throws another curveball.

Word Count: Click here to reveal44000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: College is a time of acceptance—but what happens when you’re tired of explaining who you are? Kiel, a young trans man, moved back to the Midwest to attend college with his closest friend, Shelly. Over the last few years, he’s lived his adventure, but now his heart yearns for something normal. Raziel, a straight college student, works at the college rec where Kiel exercises. During a night out, Raziel finds an unexpected attraction for Kiel. Confused by these unforeseen feelings, Raziel needs time to identify and understand his new desires. Both Kiel and Raziel suffer from navigating the world of acceptance and discovery. The yearning desire for normalcy without advertisement or hidden agendas, and the fear of exposing one’s heart only to find rejection. Someone must take the first step, but who will it be? And what will it teach them both about themselves, each other, and about love?

Word Count: Click here to reveal80,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In 1888 Austin, Texas, a shy medium with clubfoot is visited by the horrific ghosts of murdered children and enlists the help of a rugged Texas Ranger to pursue their killer. As the two men hunt the murderer, they find themselves not only in the grip of a taboo love that could—at best—send them to prison, but also in danger of becoming the killer’s next prey. In the twenty three years of his life, Thomas Carillon has known nothing but unrequited love. People don’t notice him; they only notice his clubfoot. He has given himself up to a solitary existence with only the companionship of his cat and the ghosts who visit him. When a rare child ghost, her massive injuries evident, asks Thomas for help, the only law man that will listen is a hard-bitten Texas Ranger who reawaken’s Thomas’s secret desires. The two grow closer as they chase the killer, but can they hold onto their fragile, budding love in such hard times? Hadrian Burton thinks Thomas looks like an angel, except for whatever horror he’s hiding in that strange boot. Temporarily leaving life on the range and his complicated past to track down a killer with Thomas, Hadrian finds himself doing something he vowed never to do again—falling in love. Their “congress,” as Thomas calls it, is more intense than he has ever experienced. After a lifetime of virginity, the clubfooted man is going wild, and he doesn’t balk at Hadrian’s unconventional appetites. But they’re too different; Hadrian fears he will only hurt Thomas in the end. And yet, he has never fallen so hard for another man. How can he keep both his and Thomas’s hearts from being broken? And how can he bring the elusive Child Slayer to justice with only the help of a medium and ghosts? This erotic gay romance contains violence, period homophobia, period racism, period ableism, and graphic sex scenes.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: They were best friends. Then enemies. Now they’re stuck sharing a hotel room in paradise. Marty came to Cancun to relax—not to room with the guy who broke his heart and left him behind. Jaxon is still infuriatingly hot, impossibly cocky, and far too good at getting under Marty’s skin. Between awkward family dinners, a pirate-themed booze cruise, and one very small hotel room, their old rivalry turns into something much harder to ignore. But Marty never understood why Jaxon walked away from him. Now every lingering look, late-night confession, and accidental touch threatens to uncover the truth—and reignite feelings Marty thought he had buried for good. Letting Jaxon close could finally give Marty the answers he has wanted for years. Or it could leave him behind all over again. Catching Up in Cancun is a steamy, funny, heartfelt MM romance featuring enemies to lovers, forced proximity, nerd/jock chemistry, grumpy/sunshine banter, first times, tropical heat, and a slow-burn happily-ever-after.

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

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

Summary: This collection combines the complete books: Because Faery Godmonster and His Dungeon Discovery. Enter an enchanted world of gay romance and fairytale magic!   How can they get together with a monster in their way? The warrior-priest. Gossamer wants true love. But his faery godmonster, a gigantic, winged, two-headed beast named Puff-puff, is determined to keep him "safe"--even from a broken heart. The necromancer.  Pox is a sexy fugitive. An exiled aristocrat, his ego is as big as a dragon's maw. He has no time for love. Still, that brawny Gossamer might make a fine manservant....   Content warning: graphic, sexually explicit scenes—for adults only. (It also contains crude humor, a love story, and a big scary monster.)

Word Count: Click here to reveal75,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A cinnamon roll Viking, a socially anxious sweetheart, and a decades-long secret crush.   Jules: I’ve been in love with my brother’s best friend since I was twelve, and twenty years later, Erik Osouf is still so far out of my league, we aren’t even playing the same sport. Not that I play sports. That means talking to people, and my social anxiety makes that all but impossible.   It also makes my brother incredibly overprotective, and while I love that Stef always has my back, it’s why I still can’t tell Erik how I feel. It would wreck their friendship, and after everything Stef’s done for me, I won’t ever be the cause of that. I just wish my heart would get that memo.   Erik: For years I thought of Jules Evans as the quiet, sweet kid who regularly crushed me at Mario Kart, and let fireflies loose in our camping tent. Then he accidentally admits he’s in love with me. He doesn’t remember saying anything, and I’d never embarrass him by mentioning it, but since then I can’t stop thinking about kissing him.   If it was anyone else, I’d probably have told them how I feel by now. But he’s my best friend’s younger brother. The same best friend who told me Jules is off-limits. That makes this all kinds of impossible. Unless I can convince them both I’m the right man for Jules.   Choose Me is a low-angst, brother’s best friend, contemporary MM romance about flawed but devoted families, taking chances, and sweet cinnamon roll Vikings. It contains no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.