Books Tagged With when - period - 19th century

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 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 reveal49000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: New lovers torn apart. An ancient evil consuming a small town. Unlikely heroes running out of time. Dex Wells, former deputy of the prairie town of Belkin’s Pass, has been taken captive by the wicked vampire Balthazar and held in the caves above Venom Valley. He knows he is being kept as bait, a way to lure Dex’s lover, Josh, into the caves in order to capture him. As Dex tries to escape, he realizes he’s not the only prisoner Balthazar keeps chained in those dark depths. Josh Stanton can raise the dead. It’s a power he’s always had within him but never understood. Now, he’s trying to become more skilled at wielding that power, and using it to battle Balthazar and rescue Dex. But there’s still a bounty on Josh’s head for a murder he did not commit, and he ends up back in Belkin’s Pass with Glory, a half White, half Apache former saloon girl watched over by a Native American spirit. Two members of the US Army arrive and, with no lawmen left in town, take Josh into custody. It’s up to Josh and Glory to convince these men the truth about their small town and find a way to save Dex before Balthazar turns him into a vampire as well.

Word Count: Click here to reveal12000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: “The greatest reward often lies at the end of the stoniest path.” Lady Dorothy Marshall, March 1891 When Lord Clearwater inherits a set of enigmatic clues and a compass, it becomes clear he has the means to uncover a momentous secret. He calls upon the men of the Larkspur Academy to help with the hunt, including the latest recruit, the bewildered ex-sailor, Bertie Tucker. The academy men investigate follies, national monuments and ancient churches, using their diverse skills to unlock a series of random messages. The men must work together to find Clearwater’s secret and ‘treasure’, but relationships threaten the status quo. Edward Hyde has turned his affections from Henry and aimed them at Bertie Tucker, opening a rift which must be mended if the hunt is to succeed. And when two of Clearwater’s adversaries conspire to beat him to the secret, what begins as an adventure becomes a game of cat and mouse that leads to a fight for survival. Starting with Secrets is the sixth book in the Larkspur Mysteries series. With themes of friendship, bromance, male love and revenge, the story is the first part of a two-part adventure, and combines historical fact with fiction. As with all of Jackson Marsh’s mysteries, the novel contains humour, love and action, while offering the reader the chance to solve the clues with the cast of disparate, well-drawn characters.

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

Summary: Love knows no boundaries, and in this collection of six short stories, the writing duo known as Ari McKay explore how finding your soulmate doesn't mean you have to be part the same social scene, work in the same field, or even inhabit the same plane of existence! The Whole Kit and Kaboodle — Grey is smitten with seemingly shy librarian Henry, but Henry has a secret that could stand in the way of their happiness. A Hundred Lonely Halloweens — Micah forms an unexpected connection to the ghost haunting the historical home he’s refurbishing. Steam Heat — Coworkers Joss and Trey realize they have far more in common than they thought when they encounter each other at a Steampunk convention. Caribbean Blues — Jon isn’t the type to indulge in vacation flings, but he can’t resist Derrick, a marine biologist who studies dolphins in the Bahamas. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around — Landon thinks he needs to wear drag to catch the interest of his crush, but when he starts getting lessons from drag queen Raul, he finds himself growing hot for teacher instead. As Fair Art Thou, My Bonny Lad — Shopkeeper Adie has tried to keep his desire for men a secret, but Niall, a newcomer to the colony of North Carolina, tempts him to risk his reputation in the little port town for a chance at love.

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

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

Summary: Adrenaline addicted veteran, Vivian Chastain, confronts the man who has been following her for days, only to find he has a message of dire consequence for her. Spurred into action by his news, she barrels head on into a tumultuous and violent series of events. Stoic and stubborn, Vivian lands in the hospital, fighting for her life. During Vivian’s lengthy recovery, her partner is released from jail and the two reconnect, stoking up the flames of their toxic union all while Vivian dives into a blossoming relationship with a new love interest who offers fulfillment and love, if only Vivian can figure out how to allow it all in. Still on the mend, she learns that the coast is not clear as former threats return and continue to endanger her. While she cannot rest easy; friends, her work crew, and customers at the night club where she tends bar provide her with much needed fun, comradery, and support. Vivian wrestles with her temper, her penchant for physical violence, and her overwhelming emotional baggage. Struggles from within and without threaten her existence, and in the moment when death is just a breath away, Vivian’s brother shows up and changes everything.

Word Count: Click here to reveal114,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sing a song of sixpence A stage full of fright One two-faced blackbird Won't last the night   When a phantom presence lures Hieronymus Bash into a deadly game, threatening to kill one of the players at his beloved Gaiety Theater each day until famed actor Horace Beastly returns to the stage, London's premier consulting detective is on the case. The trouble? Horace Beastly is Hiero's alter ego and the true object of this murderous obsession. When the current star of the show is struck down, Hiero has to risk everything by stealing back the spotlight. After a golden summer together, DI Tim Stoker would do everything in his power to protect the man he loves. But a specter from his own past proves an unexpected, and perhaps fatal, distraction. Scheming prima donnas, grudge-fuelled critics, and an axe-wielding theater ghost are all out for blood. Will Hiero and Tim unmask this menace before the final curtain call, or are they past the point of no return?

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Months have passed since Mystere left England in search of Joyeuse, leaving Douglas and Margaret behind, safe in behind ancient shields in a manor house in Sussex. Then Douglas is called away for an emergency, and disappears without a trace. A letter arrives, assuring Margaret that Douglas will be safe. A letter from Caedda, one embedded with spells meant to kill. Fearing for her husband, Margaret risks her own life and that of her child in a desperate attempt to summon Mystere, setting into motion a journey that will take them from Sussex to Aachen to the mountains of Austria, and to the long-hidden sword, Joyeuse. With all four swords once more in the world, the secrets they’ve been hiding will finally be revealed.

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

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

Summary: In 1860, four brothers on a mission from God tunneled beneath the surface in Nevada territory, looking to find the next Comstock Lode. Legend has it they went down into the Earth as honorable Christian men but returned as something more sinister, their good intentions abandoned. There they became possessed and altered by an evil force, and their hold on the residents of what was known then as Lake’s Crossing allowed them to gain unfathomable wealth and power. Youngest brother Jonah ran from that evil and has been in exile under an alias for nearly 70 years. He spends his existence as Jimmy Manwaring, playing piano nightly to the rough-and-tumble saloon crowd in Fort Bragg, California, with the final words of his beloved deceased wife constantly on his mind. “When hope comes, you must protect them.” An act of violence thrusts barmaid Hope Johnson, her unborn twins, and her lover, Bonnie, into his world, and he swears to protect them, but not even one with the power of Sight could predict the series of events that threaten their safety. Will Jonah receive the absolution he seeks, or will his new family suffer for the sins of the Bane brothers?

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Cursed with immortality, John Zebedee has resigned himself to spending the rest of eternity alone. Then he discovers an escaped captive in his barn — the immortal heir to the Elven throne. Ethriel captures John’s heart, and gives him hope for the first time in a very long time. But Ethriel’s captors are hunting for him, and the rest of eternity may be closer than it seems.

Word Count: Click here to reveal150000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: ‘No one can take away your name.’ Clearwater will lose his entire fortune unless he cracks a musical code. If Archer’s insane brother dies, their distant cousin, the evil Count Movileşti, will inherit everything, and with the influenza pandemic threatening the brother’s asylum, the outlook is grave. The only thing that can ensure Archer’s future is a legal document left behind by his grandfather, but the clue to its location is hidden within two pieces of music. Archer has one; the other is in Movileşti’s collection at Castle Rasnov. Archer dispatches two of his team to the Transylvanian castle, and two to the Clearwater Archives in London, leaving the rest to search every inch of his country house. The men face their pasts and decide their futures as loyalties are tested, and death stalks the corridors of Larkspur Hall. With Movileşti on his way to claim the inheritance, everyone has a vital part to play and everything to lose as they race against time. Set during the 1890 Russian influenza pandemic, The Clearwater Inheritance is a mystery thriller that takes us from Cornwall to Transylvania, and from the cellars of Larkspur Hall to the Orient Express. A mashup of romance, mystery and adventure, the tenth book ties up previous threads, answers questions, and sets the scene for the Clearwater future. The series is best read in order, starting with ‘Deviant Desire.’ The non-mystery prequel, ‘Banyak & Fecks’ should be read before books nine and ten.

Word Count: Click here to reveal114000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Genderfluid, Intersex, Pansexual, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: A Slow Burn Meet Cute! Baker. Wizard. God of Space and Time. Cupcake enthusiast. How long will it take to fan the flames and enrage this gentle phoenix? Start counting. What's a wounded and lonely little cinnamon roll to do? Stripped of his psychic powers, Calico Winghorse flees his homeworld and travels to 19th century Earth via his inter-dimensional portal. As a mixed-blood phoenix trapped in human form, he opens a bakery in the San Francisco Bay Area and quietly nurses his wounds. But the unique method of his arrival draws the unwanted attention of Infinity Corporation. Representing this angelic-run company is Agustin Chavez de la Cruz, the Demon Lord of California. Even though Agustin is IC's heir, he finds himself demoted from his duties to concentrate on his new assignment: take absolute control of Calico's portal. But Calico refuses to sell at any price. He is also very busy ensuring that the good people of the city are getting their fill of baked goods. Before Agustin can formulate a more gracious avenue of acquiring the gateway, the demanding head of IC interferes, further complicating matters. So as negotiations stumble along, Calico and Agustin come to realize they both want more than a stuffy business arrangement. However, due to Calico's injuries, the portal remains vulnerable to the darker forces that want it at any cost. Agustin will have to push both his angelic heritage, as well as his own psychic powers to the very limits to heal this sweet baker, who is also the portal world's God of Space and Time. The Demon Lord of California is the first book of an LGBTQ+ paranormal-fantasy series. You won't want to miss a first love found, hidden worlds, and a recovering workaholic grasping at his second chance. All centered around the control of an otherworldly portal. So curl up with your favorite beverage, and hang out with Cal and Gus for a while. You'll be happy you did!

Word Count: Click here to reveal500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: An Award-Winning, Coming-of-Age Flash Fiction Set in Historical Scotland. Prequel to His Captain. "Eddie is determined to become Scotland’s most respected solicitor. If only he can stop dreaming about the handsome lad in front of him and concentrate on this blasted class. Can he navigate the path of his ambition and the stirrings of his heart? “Stephanie Lake gives us appealing characters, fun storylines, and crisp prose. I especially enjoy the skill she uses with her historical settings. Her stories are perfect when I need an escape from the here and now.” – Kim Fielding, Award-winning author of The Bureau series. “Bold, sensual historical settings that immerse you in the experience and characters that bring the past startlingly to life.” – Amy Lane, award-winning author of Fish out of Water series."

Word Count: Click here to reveal73000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: After being arrested at a molly house and serving two years’ hard labor, accounting clerk William Hamond knows work will be hard to come by, so when Lord Hartley offers him the position of secretary to his father, the reclusive Earl of Trenwych, he’s eager to accept the position and devastated to discover that Lord Trenwych does not want or need a secretary. But he’s been promised a salary as long as he stays six months, and Lord Trenwych seems content to have him do so. Then he witnesses an attempt on Lord Trenwych’s life, an attempt that could objectively have been made by Lord Hartley, and William realized he has another reason to stay, to try to save Lord Trenwych. A gay - m/m Regency romance, 73,000 words, print version 275 pages

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Exhausted, starving, and fretting about her ailing father, Adeline Hart disembarked in San Francisco after a harrowing sea voyage. The last thing she needed was immediate marriage proposals from multiple men. Women, at that time, were as scarce as hen’s teeth. Jasper Langley, handsome and dark with sadness in his eyes, and Royal Dawson, who personified sunshine with his golden glow, provided the comfort that Adeline needed. Everyone else was rushing off to the gold fields or trying to carry her away. Jasper and Royal forged a special bond during their treacherous overland journey to California. They arrived before gold was discovered. Luck and hard work made them extremely wealthy men. San Francisco was lawless and wild. The ramshackle shanty town quickly became the fastest-growing city in North America. Tremendous opportunities existed for ambitious people to succeed. The unscrupulous also flourished. There were times when it was necessary to be reckless and daring just to survive—for the good as well as the wicked. No one was safe. Including Adeline. This dramatic MMF romance is a steamy love story filled with danger and suspense.

Word Count: Click here to reveal13,300 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: England, 1834. On the night of a harvest moon, in the shadows of late autumn, Malcolm comes across a quaint village tucked away in the forest. It seems the perfect spot for a weary traveller to lay his head, and maybe find a little company. But there is dark magic afoot, and lots of local gossip swirls around the seductive titian-haired weaver, Daniel. All Malcolm seeks is a night's pleasure. He never suspected he would have to worry about losing his life. Or his heart. This novelette is about 13,000 words in length and the first entry in the Darkly Enchanted Romance Series.

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

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

Summary: Henry Hope lies in a coma, and Lord Clearwater’s hunt for his mother’s secret treasure is on hold. But when a new clue comes to light, Clearwater and the academy men resume their greatest adventure. It is also to be their most dangerous. With murderous enemies behind, the unknown ahead, and a warrant out for Clearwater’s arrest, no-one is safe. Loyalties and friendships are tested as the men face harrowing confrontations, a war of attrition in the national newspapers, storms, gunfights and death. Will love and friendship be enough to secure the lives and futures of Lord Clearwater and his crew? Can they solve the riddles in time, and will anyone ever know the meaning of the seemingly unlockable riddle? Behind four points ’neath gifted crook, the light awaits for those who look… ◆ ◆ ◆ The Larkspur Legacy follows on directly from ‘Starting with Secrets’ and is the culmination of both the Clearwater and Larkspur mystery series. It is not necessary to have read the Clearwater Mysteries, but to get the best from this ‘end of season finale,’ you’re advised to read both, the Larkspur Mysteries in particular, and to read them in order. With themes of friendship, bromance, male love and revenge, the story combines historical fact with fiction. As with all of Jackson Marsh’s mysteries, the novel contains humour, love and action, while offering the reader the chance to solve the clues with the cast of disparate, well-drawn characters. “This is a book that could have been written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dan Brown.”

Word Count: Click here to reveal82000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: After being caught up in a raid on a molly house, Thomas Brook escapes on his way to the pillory. Collapsing from exhaustion on the moors of Yorkshire, he's rescued by the handsome Lord Elmsby and taken to Gorsewall Manor. As he recovers, Lord Elmsby offers him a position cataloging the library. It would be an ideal situation, isolated, with a handsome, solitary lord and servants who don't ask many questions, except for the strange sounds in the corners of the library and the feeling he's being watched. And then a body is found on the moors, a body that could be the long missing fiancee of Lord Elmsby, and Thomas must find out the truth of what happened at Gorsewall Manor. A gay - m/m Regency romance, 82,000 words, print version 315 pages

Word Count: Click here to reveal90000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sir Arthur Holden was lonely. That had to be why he found the private inquiry agent, Henry Parker, so intriguing. Simple loneliness after he'd gotten his two best friends arrested in a raid on a molly house he'd recommended. Now they're both out of prison, but William is living in Cornwall and Thomas is hiding in Yorkshire. And the intriguing Mr. Parker says he has a way to help Thomas come out of hiding. That would be the only reason to hire him. Nothing at all to do with wanting to see him again. A gay - m/m Regency romance, 90,000 words, print version 340 pages

Word Count: Click here to reveal4538 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: These three 1.5k-word stories are bonus chapters for the Regency MMM An Unlikely Alliance trilogy, featuring a short story from the point of view of each of the three men, Humphrey, Abe and Clem. In The Spare Man, modest gentleman Humphrey Atkinson reflects on recent events and the tumultuous effect that Abe and Clem have had on his previously quiet life. Former hard man Abe Pengelly is in the spotlight for Privilege and Preferment, firstly in trouble with his mother after a drunken night out and then getting the better of an arrogant young sprig at the military headquarters of Horse Guards, Abe’s new and respectable workplace. Finally, Clem Metcalfe, secretary turned MA student, has his turn in Journey’s End, where he agonizes over whether a term spent in Oxford, away from his lovers in London, has weakened their romantic bond.