Books Tagged With what - topic - friendship

Word Count: Click here to reveal28000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Fear took him away, but longing brought him back… Six years ago, Nikolas Steele’s heart was broken when his best friend—the man who he thought was his forever—walked out on him without an explanation. Now, Ky Kendall is back in town, just in time for the holidays. When he shows up at Nikolas’s Santa Shop with a little girl who looks like him, Nik has questions. In a time of need, Ky steps up to play the part of Santa’s Helper to keep the spirit of Christmas alive, but neither of them expect those old sparks to fly. Despite their renewed passion, Ky’s still running scared and Nikolas knows that at any moment, their fragile relationship could be shattered once more. And this time, he isn’t sure if he’s strong enough to survive it. Second Chances is a 28,000 word MM contemporary romance novella with a guaranteed HEA, and no cliffhangers or cheating. Each book in the Sheltered Hearts series can be read as a stand alone.

Word Count: Click here to reveal53000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Previously on Dragon War Chronicles, we left our heroes fighting for their lives in the midst of battle... Kollin races against time to get samples of the weapon used in Canada to their lab in Oslo. Kenshin races to get Danica back home in time to save her, Aiden and Xander. Danica's allies converge in Toulouse to prepare for what may come. Will Kollin be able to help save Danica, Aiden, and Xander before all is lost? Will Matt be able to track down who's responsible for a new weapon that threatens them all? What will happen when Danica's biggest secret is revealed? Secrets are revealed that will change the future for all dragon and SLIP kind alike. Warning: This book contains explicit sexual situations that are MM, MF, and MMMF. There are romantic relationships displayed that are MM and some depictions of loving and consensual BDSM relationships. There are also bad puns, a game of tag with an invisible dragon, and lions, jaguars, and bears. Oh my! Dragon War Chronicles is a continuous series. It is best read in order. SYN Consulting Secrets Revealed First Strike Dragon's Hoard (Coming Fall 2019)

Word Count: Click here to reveal105000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: “Risk is the spark that ignites adventure.” Barbary Fleet, 1891   The Larkspur Academy — Where men explore the mysteries of love and learning Chester Cadman has been duped by unscrupulous men, ridiculed in the newspapers, and disowned by his family. Only twenty-two, he is on the verge of starvation when a Clearwater detective makes him an offer he can't refuse: Join the Larkspur Academy and investigate a haunting that has plagued Lord Clearwater’s family for nearly four hundred years. Mystified, but determined, Chester enlists the help of fellow academy man, Frank Andino, and is soon presented with a second mystery: his attraction to the loyal, but bawdy young Greek. Together, they unearth sinister family secrets that could destroy Clearwater’s reputation and the academy, but the truth must be known. Faced with a double dilemma, Chester is forced to confront the past, even if it means Clearwater’s downfall and a broken heart. It’s a risk, but, as Fleet says, ‘Risk is the spark that ignites adventure, and love is the greatest adventure of them all.’ ★★★★★ ‘Seeing Through Shadows’ is the fourth book in The Larkspur Mystery series. A combination of mystery, male love and adventure set in England in 1890 and 1891, the Larkspur Mysteries blend historical fact with fiction. Rescued from destitution, young gay men are invited to Lord Clearwater’s Larkspur Academy. There, they explore their talents as they encounter romance, bromance and a variety of intriguing mysteries. The Larkspur series follows on from the popular Clearwater Mysteries and is set in the same world, but you don’t have to have read the Clearwater series to enjoy this collection of full-length historical novels.

Word Count: Click here to reveal50348 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Nerisa is a selkie who had long dreamed of exploring the world beyond her people’s territory and finding her other half, should she exist. With a leap of faith fueled by wanderlust, she was ready to embrace what the town of Arkan Hallow had to offer. She found an uninhabited shack by the sea, a job as a carer and the beginnings of a new life… and she was enjoying it. The thief struck when she was at work and stole her pelt. It was more than a piece of clothing or her means to shapeshift; it was a part of her soul and her only way of returning to live among her kind. Without it she couldn’t become a seal again. She couldn’t return to live in her family’s waters and continue the life she’d had before. Without it she felt very much alone. Desperate, Nerisa searches for help and finds it with Nina, the daughter of a witch and fortune teller. Nina is still recovering from a break-up, and she becomes captivated by the beautiful woman from the sea. She decides she has to help her at any cost. Together they search for Nerisa’s pelt and try to get it back; not an easy task when they’re not sure where to begin. The journey allows them to discover something just as valuable along the way: each other. The closer they get to answers, the more dangerous their quest becomes, and the stakes should they fail. Only by discovering who is behind it all can they get Nerisa’s pelt back and find a happy future together. Reader Note: Selkies Freedom is a F/F paranormal romance novel of just over 50,000 words that features sapphic love (the steamy and sweet kind), adult language and some violence. Two women willing to face danger together in the name of love await you!  

Word Count: Click here to reveal83,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Reeling from the news that his parents are divorcing, Pete Morgan starts his junior year at college cynical about love and commitment. Although his new openness to one-night stands does wonders for his sex life, fighting his romantic nature proves harder than he’d anticipated. He soon finds himself pining for a glamorous senior, Aidan, who doesn’t mind taking Pete to bed but shows no interest in commitment—at least not with Pete. And Pete’s attempt at a “friends-with-benefits” relationship with sophomore Jed leaves Pete feeling empty. One bright spot in Pete’s year is Matthew, an easygoing graduate student who assists Pete in making his first film. Matthew has some baggage too, and has sworn off relationships and sex altogether, so Pete feels safe to enjoy their friendship. But he falls for Matthew anyway, not able to fight his growing conviction that Matthew is the perfect guy for him. Even if Pete can accept that he made a mistake when he turned his back on relationships, that doesn't mean Matthew will feel the same. With a few life lessons under his belt, Pete’s ready to take a chance on love. As he finds the courage to bare his heart to Matthew, he can only hope that Matthew will take a chance with him.

Word Count: Click here to reveal81,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Shy guy Jed Carter has always felt invisible next to his charismatic older brother, Kent. Kent’s master plan for Jed is simple: University of Virginia, fraternity, business, sports, and ladies’ man. None of it is Jed, except for playing on the rugby team, which he joins in defiance of soccer-loving Kent. Jed comes out in his sophomore year and starts seeing Pete, an attractive junior, who uses him for sex and videogames. Jed wants more—in life and in love—and starts making his own plans. First on the list: getting to know Charlie, the handsome guy working at the local videogame arcade. Charlie Ambrose has always felt like an oddball, and not just for his tendency to stutter. Being gay sets him apart from his African-American community, and as a “townie,” he doesn’t fit in with the college crowd. Charlie’s inspiration is his cousin, Morocco, who’s transgender and doesn’t give a fig about fitting in. Art is Charlie’s passion, and when a local videogame designer discovers him, Charlie’s living a dream. The only thing he’s missing is love. But the last person Charlie expects to find it with is a cute, white U.Va. rugby player named Jed.

Word Count: Click here to reveal71513 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: To be soulmates they first have to survive. A serial killer stalks the streets of Boggslake, Ohio. The victims are always found in pairs, one human and one vampire. Simon Hawthorne has been a vampire for nearly a hundred years, and he has never seen anything like it. Neither have the other supernaturals he works with to keep the streets safe for both their kind and the humans. One meeting with Simon finds Ben Leyton falling for a man he knows is keeping secrets, but he can't ignore the growing attraction between them. A recent arrival in Boggslake, Ben finds it very different from his native New Zealand, but something about Simon makes Ben feel as though he's found a new home. After a close friend falls victim to the killer, Simon is torn between revealing his true nature to Ben, and walking away to avoid the reaction he fears. But with the body count rising and the murders becoming more frequent, either, or both of them, could be the killer's next target. Author’s note: This story was originally released in 2014 by another publisher. This edition has been revised and re-edited with the end result being a better, stronger story.

Word Count: Click here to reveal89906 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Complete their mission or lose everything. Berlin, 1943 An encounter with an old friend leaves German physicist Dr Kristopher Lehrer with doubts about his work. But when he confronts his superior, everything goes horribly wrong. Suddenly Kristopher and Michel, a member of the Resistance, are on the run, hunted for treason and a murder they did not commit. If they’re caught, Kristopher’s knowledge could be used to build a terrible weapon that could win the war. For the team sent by the Allies—led by Captain Bryant, Sergeant Lowe, and Dr Zhou—a simple mission escalates into a deadly game against the Gestapo, with Dr Lehrer as the ultimate prize. But in enemy territory, surviving and completing their mission will test their strengths and loyalties and prove more complex than they ever imagined. Author’s note: This is the third edition of Shadowboxing. The first and second editions were released by another publishing house

Word Count: Click here to reveal95,006 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Shadowing the Light   “Everybody has their own agenda. Everybody.” Hunted for the unique blood that runs through his veins, half-angel, half-demon Gabriel Sinclair lives without expectations. On the run from forces on both sides of an ancient conflict, he searches for strength and peace in a world which only seeks to use him. When Gabriel is forced to stop running, assigned a team—and a mate—he doesn’t want, and reluctantly tasked with a mission, he must overcome obstacles both real and imagined. Otherwise, the world as he knows it, and the mate he’s reluctantly come to care for, may cease to exist. “I will do as the Creator bids me. Always.” Evander Ryan is special, and he knows it. The final handcrafted immortal warrior for the light, he is the Creator’s greatest masterpiece. For fifty-eight years, he’s lived his life in black and white, coddled by his Maker, while leading his team to countless victories against their enemies. Those fights were easy. Working with a new, uncooperative mate who sees the world in shades of gray? Less so. As Evander’s eyes are opened to the existence of light warriors who are not good, dark warriors who are, and the wider world of supernatural beings, he learns nothing is as he thought it was, and his mate isn’t who he thought he was either. Maybe there’s something to be said for not always following the rules. . .

Word Count: Click here to reveal105000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Lucas Vallois is always in control. He’s building an empire in the glittering city of Cincinnati and created his own family from his three close friends. The self-made millionaire has everything he wants within his tight grasp. But his world starts to crumble after he’s jumped by a trio of thugs late one night after leaving a club. The warning is clear—give up his new property venture or end up dead. Caving to the demands of his friends, Lucas accepts the help of bodyguard, Andrei Hadeon, as he hunts for the source of this new threat. But as Lucas gets closer to uncovering the danger, he realizes the sexy Romanian bodyguard poses an even bigger risk to his carefully constructed world. Trapped by a need he never expected, Lucas must find a way to deny the shiver of longing he cannot control. His brother. His warrior. His heart. Four friends. Unbreakable bonds.

Word Count: Click here to reveal84600 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Recently traded to the newly formed Vermont Trailblazers, professional hockey player Roman Kinsey needs to focus on helping the team win games and filling the stands, not on the blond, bespectacled part-timer who works at the library he volunteers at. He knows all too well that outing himself equals heartache and ridicule…or worse. Cody Evans, psych major and grad school hopeful, notices everything and thinks too much. But he doesn’t know what to think when he sees Roman reading to kids. The rugged hockey player just doesn’t look like the type. But it stirs something in him, something he’s never felt before. When the library is threatened with closure, Cody enlists Roman’s help. As they get to know each other better...much, much better...they realize that they have more in common than books. But Roman’s keeping a big part of himself from his team, and giving in to his feelings for Cody might be more than he’s willing to risk.

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

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

Summary: Grey I was just a divorced, small town, hardware store owner, and the man most people considered a gentleman. A slip up in my strict routine would send the town gossips into a frenzy. Yet I'd grown up in that town and everyone knew everyone. No secrets were safe, but I carried one that would send my world into chaos if I let it. I was falling for a town transplant and one of my best friends, Sugar. He was everything I wasn't. Spontaneous, fun, and knew exactly who he was. What would he see in a boring man like me? Sugar (Shug) I was that fat, nonbinary person who hadn't known the inside of a closet in my life. With a mom like mine, she taught me to never live with regrets, but I had a massive one. I fell in love with my straight, gentlemanly best friend. Grey was everything I wasn't. Thankfully, he was clueless, but our shared friend group wasn't. How long could our friends stay silent in a town as small as ours?

Word Count: Click here to reveal55,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary:

Emmaline's twin brother, Spencer, has been found dead at a party. The police say Spencer drowned, but Emmaline doesn't believe it. She wants the truth, and when she finds it she wants revenge. Harley and Reed, are Spencer's best friends, they want to help Emmaline find the truth, but they also want Emmaline. As the trio seek out answers they discover an unconventional love, a love that works for them. This is a N/A book, with M/M scenes and group sex. Not suitable for under 18. It is dark and has some major triggers.

Word Count: Click here to reveal139,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Follow the burgeoning love of two teens during the worst year of their lives. Irish-born Declan David de Quirke II is the son of two ambassadors, one Irish and one American. He is ‘out’ to his parents but to no one else. French-born Jean Isidore de Sauveterre is also the son of two ambassadors, one Catalan and one Parisian. His four half brothers have been told to cure him of his homosexuality. Both teens have lost a parent in a London car bombing. Declan and Isidore meet at the beginning of their senior year at a private academy in the United States. Declan is immediately smitten with Isidore and becomes his knight in shining armor. Isidore wants to keep what is left of his sanity and needs Declan’s love to do it. One is beaten, one is drugged, one is nearly raped, one has been raped. They are harassed by professors and police, and have fights at school, but none of it compares to running for their lives. When the headmaster’s popular son attempts suicide and someone tries to assassinate Declan’s mother, they are thrown headlong into chaos, betrayal, conspiracy, allegations of sexual coercion, even murder. And one of them carries a secret that may get them killed.

Word Count: Click here to reveal36300 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A hotel room with an overactive heater. A rising star struggling to write a Christmas song. Song lyrics written in secret. Will Johnson is shocked to discover his hotel room window overlooks the courtyard patio of one of his favorite gay singers, Rex Garland. Even more amazing, Rex seems interested in Will too. When Will overhears Rex struggling to write an original Christmas song, he is struck by a flash of inspiration and drafts an anonymous note with song lyrics. Will is sure nothing will come of it, but the Christmas magic swirling amidst all the snow in upstate New York is about to change both their lives forever. This funny, sweet, and heart-warming love story about a boy-next-door and the celebrity of his dreams is set in the Williamsville Inn world.

Word Count: Click here to reveal30000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A second chance romance about friendship, new beginnings, and putting the pieces back together. Lindsay: Two years after my divorce I’m ready to push through the pain. Either I pick up the reins of my life now, or let go forever. I didn’t expect to cross paths with Rae—in a chat room of all places. She was my first love, who I met in college. Ten years ago, I walked away from us at a time when she needed me. Unfortunately, now I know how that feels. My first instinct is to run—it would be too easy to fall in love again. Too easy for my heart to break. But now that she’s back in my life, I’m truly grateful for her friendship, even though she’s far away. Rae: Real love has evaded me since Lindsay, my first love and the girl I left behind. It’s been a string of friends with benefits—I give my body but never my heart. But my second chance has come, and the girl I loved is now a woman with a broken heart. She’s a shadow, and everything in me yearns to coax her back to life. That’s why I’m inviting her to stay with me in Ireland. I think she could use a break away to let the past go and find some healing. I suspect the demons of her past won’t let her go so easily, but I’ll do what I can to help her find happiness again.  

Word Count: Click here to reveal77,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: She tried to steal treasure from the dragons’ hoard… and stole their hearts instead. To save her sister from a lascivious lord, Venya must steal a piece of treasure from a legendary dragon’s hoard. Dragons haven’t been seen in several generations, so imagine her surprise when she wakes not one, but two dragons from their hibernation. While the battle-honed Onyx is intent on having her for lunch, the graceful Gold appears more curious than angered by the theft. Abyss and Ray have very different ideas about what to do with the thief when they catch her. Abyss wants to punish her while Ray is intrigued by her audacity. After Ray turns his mate’s anger to desire, the dragons set out on a rescue mission, intent on capturing the brazen thief and learning more about her. And to see if her Song matches theirs. Neglected and discarded by her parents, Venya has never bonded with anyone except her sister. Now she has two mighty dragons wanting to woo her and take her as their mate. While she finds delight in their company, she must reassess her own self-worth before she can trust them enough to love them. But the dragons have exposed themselves to the outside world, and many covet not only their hoard but Ray’s golden scales. And when Venya’s closely held secret is revealed, she becomes a prize worth killing for.

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

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

Summary: As Alaiya reclaims her life, she never intended to capture the heart of a she-wolf. Alaiya was trained by her parents to be the perfect wife. Due to her beauty, they knew they could entice a wealthy man to wed her and raise their status. She was a trophy, a prize, brought out to entertain like an obedient dog. Their efforts were rewarded when Lord Salazem claimed her to become his next wife, intent on adding her to his harem. But when two mighty dragons and her sister save her, Alaiya is given a new chance at life. Determined to stand on her own and discover who she truly is, Alaiya has little interest in relationships. Even when she meets the silver-haired Talla, Alaiya pushes down her desire, unwilling to be caged again. Talla is the alpha of her large wolf pack in the Firestar Mountains and knows Alaiya is her mate. She is entranced by Alaiya’s strength, courage, and loyalty, and is determined to prove herself as a worthy mate. But first she must overcome Alaiya’s barriers, which might prove to be her greatest challenge. As Alaiya and her sister adjust to their new lives, they must secure their home from those who would take it from them. Including their parents. As Alaiya struggles to stand on her own, she learns that true strength lies in letting others stand beside her.

Word Count: Click here to reveal95000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: March 1891. A parliamentary committee arrives at Larkspur Hall to assess Lord Clearwater’s suitability to become an earl. Prince Albert Victor will announce their decision at a society dinner on Archer’s thirty-second birthday. However, the MP with the authority to advance Archer to the title is the same man who caused Edward Hyde never to speak again. When the parliamentarians arrive to inspect the Larkspur Academy, Edward comes face to face with the man he had arrested for making unnatural advances. A man who was never tried for his crime. Silas Hawkins and the academy men band together to ensure Edward sees justice done while protecting Lord Clearwater’s reputation and each other. Using their skills in chemistry, physics and deception, they embark on a game of secrets and subterfuge where the unspoken causes the loudest outcry. “The quiet ones have the loudest voice. Them as say most by speaking in silence.” Fiona Hawkins, 1881 Speaking in Silence is the fifth book in the Larkspur Mysteries series, and touches on themes of victimisation and suicide. Like all books in the series, it is inspired by actual events from the late 1800s. With themes of friendship, bromance, male love and revenge, the story is more of a ‘how dunnit?’ than a ‘who dunnit?’ and like all of Jackson’s mysteries, contains humour, while mixing fact with fiction.

Word Count: Click here to reveal94000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Felix only wants two things: 1. To make music. 2. His best friend, Emery. But he’s not willing to risk two decades of friendship for something more. Besides, a bout of writer’s block is preventing him from creating new material, and he’s got deadlines to meet. He doesn’t need any distractions—and Emery is the biggest distraction of all. Emery only wants two things: 1. To play hockey. 2. His best friend, Felix. He’s ready to risk it all for a shot at being together. While he should be concentrating on playing his best hockey so his team will grant him a contract extension, there’s no reason he can’t multitask. With their careers at a crossroads, the timing for romance couldn’t be worse—but when Felix is forced to move in with Emery, will Emery finally convince him to take a chance at becoming the stars of their own game?