Books Tagged With when - season - summer

Word Count: Click here to reveal84000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The Birthmark Murders (MM mystery with slow-burn sparks) Step into a world where secrets smoulder between the lines and truth hides behind the curtain. A famous father’s death. A city of secrets. A son who won’t let go. A play that refuses to stay on the stage. When Mikael—a half-Finnish New Zealander—returns to Finland to probe his father’s supposed suicide, nothing adds up. With reluctant new friend Pekka Wall, a sharp-tongued editor-translator, and a local misfit at his side, the stunning Mikael slips into Finland’s eccentric underbelly. In nightless summer, the light hides more than it reveals; silence is a blade; the past refuses burial. As layers of performance, paranoia, and betrayal peel back, the real challenge isn’t catching a killer—it’s facing the truth. Darkly funny and emotionally charged, The Birthmark Murders blends satire with sorrow, theatre with obsession, and a distinctly Finnish atmosphere you’ll feel in your bones. It launches a new pair of gay sleuths—Pekka Wall & Tuomas Ylivire—who crackle with wit and chemistry… even as the body count rises. For Queer Romance Ink readers MM mystery / crime with slow-burn attraction and banter Reluctant partners → found family vibes Queer leads front and center, no tragedy porn Atmospheric Nordic summer, theatre & literary satire Tone: darkly comic, emotionally satisfying, hopeful ending for the sleuths If you love smart, stylish queer mysteries with bite and heart—start The Birthmark Murders today. Grab your copy and meet your next favorite duo.

Word Count: Click here to reveal72000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Handful (MM coming-of-age with sweet first love) A story of courage, friendship, and finding your own way. In the crisp spring of suburban Finland, Tuomas Ylivire is teetering between boyhood and whatever comes next. With his judo kit, razor-sharp wit, and a rule-breaking streak inherited from his legendary detective father, he thinks he’s ready for anything. Then enigmatic Esa walks into his world—and buried truths start to surface. To move forward, Tuomas has to risk the hardest things: trust, vulnerability, and being open about who he is. As secrets unravel and friendships are tested, the boys learn that while being gay is perfectly normal, living honestly—and joyfully—can demand rare courage. Handful is a modern, heartfelt page-turner that blends suspense, smart humour, and the beautiful mess of real life. Expect hope, laughter, and a deeply satisfying finish that lingers. For Queer Romance Ink readers MM YA/NA coming-of-age with sweet, slow-burn first love Found family & fierce friendship vibes Finnish suburban spring and summer setting—crisp, atmospheric, real Emotionally safe: no queer tragedy; hopeful, affirming end Themes: self-acceptance, bravery, loyalty, stepping into your own power If you love tender, smart queer stories where joy outshines every struggle, dive into Handful. Meet Tuomas and Esa—and discover why this is the book everyone’s talking about. Grab your copy today.

Word Count: Click here to reveal71000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The stage is set for murder It's the summer of 1929 and there's a serial killer on the streets of London. Bodies of young women are dumped at the stage doors of London’s theatres. Noël Coward's assistant Florence Miles, known to her close friends as Bill, is dragged into the investigation when the body of her former secret lover is found outside His Majesty’s Theatre. Bill forms an unlikely alliance with the Chronicle newspaper’s senior crime reporter Simon Sampson. Together they discover that the killer has friends in high places… This is the prequel to the LAMBDA finalist A Death in Berlin. It explores the secret world of the 1920s, a time when your sexuality could make you a lawbreaker. When gay men and women were constantly on their guard, careful about how they presented themselves in a hostile society. A Death At His Majesty's is the first of a series that brings together Bill and Simon and follows them as they embark on a series of sleuthing adventures.

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

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

Summary: Hired by the esteemed Clearwater Detective Agency, and determined to prove themselves worthy, Jack and Will Merrit face their first case: They have eight days to unravel past events at an English public school, find a missing man and prevent his suicide. A new life brings intriguing potentials as Jack grapples with his attraction towards men. As the assistant to the manly and assured, Jimmy Wright, he must put aside his longing for Larkin Chase and the temptations of a new stable lad, and face the weight of his new responsibility. The Merrit brothers’ future depends on it. But when circumstances pull Jimmy away, Jack and Will are left alone to navigate a map of deceit, solve the case, and save a man’s life, even if it means risking their own. ‘A Fall from Grace’ is the second book in the Delamere Files series of romantic, Victorian gay mysteries, and follows on from ‘Finding a Way.’ The books should be read in order.

Word Count: Click here to reveal51,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Three friends torn apart by jealousy and carelessly spoken words. Only one has ever held on to the hope of them reuniting, and with a few well times suggestions and a whole lot of luck, he’ll finally have them in the same place together after eight years. Eight long years of pining and wishing for a wand he could wave to put things back to the way they used to be. When the fireworks that burst forth at their reunion are sparked by a passionate embrace, he begins to hope that the two weeks that lay ahead of them at Pride Camp were going finally fix what was broken between them. Especially when they meet a man interested in not one, or even two of them, but the trio they’d always been, and the potential is as limitless as the fireflies they chase along the banks of the lake. When the past rears its ugly head, can he find a way to lay it to rest forever, or will he lose them all as they lose themselves to bitter and angry grudges? Welcome to Pride Camp where diversity and inclusion is our motto. We’ve got daddies, littles, pets and so much more. So, unroll your sleeping bag, make a couple smores, and enjoy the show!

Word Count: Click here to reveal37,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sheriff Avery O’Rourke has tried to obey his strict Christian faith and lead a “normal” life. In 1923 in a rural East Texas town, “normal” means heterosexual. A cholera outbreak has made Avery a young widower, so he is married to his job. When a murder investigation forces him to confront his truth, will he finally be able to accept being gay? Veterinarian Garland Sands has returned from Europe to take over his father’s practice. Struggling with shellshock (PTSD) and heartbroken by the suicide of his French lover, he resigns himself to a quiet, solitary life as a country vet. But the murder of the town doctor brings the sheriff to Garland’s doorstep looking for help with the investigation. Seeing Avery awakens dormant feelings. Can he love a man who hates what he is? This isn’t the lavish 1920s of The Great Gatsby. This is the flip side of that coin—rural East Texas. No electricity. No indoor plumbing. No flappers. In 1923, the timber barons have left and racism, homophobia, and sexism thrive. A Little Sin is a realistic mystery with unlikely heroes and a timeless romance between lovers caught in a world where their love is forbidden. This book contains steamy sex scenes and is intended for adults only.

Word Count: Click here to reveal93100 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Retiring from the sport he loved had never been part of Crow’s five-year plan. Unfortunately, the head injuries he’s amassed over years of Mixed Martial arts fighting have left him little choice but to throw in the towel and begin a new, shaky road towards…what? He’s got no clue, that’s for sure. In fact, the only thing he’s certain of is that living a few short blocks from the gym is not the way to put the sport behind him, not when he still hasn’t told any of his friends or training partners exactly why it is he suddenly decided to hang up his gloves. Moving is the only option that comes to mind, and what better place to retreat to than the beauty of the Vermont wilderness he loved visiting in his younger days. After all, he still has family there, and it’s far removed from the sport he’s struggling to walk away from. Speaking of walking away. Ever since he found proof of his late husband’s infidelity, Jaylon’s been wishing the man had abandoned him long before his illness stole his life. At least then he wouldn’t be torn between fury and mourning, wondering what he’d done to drive away the man he’d loved. He’s way too old to be starting over, or at least, that’s what he tells himself before Crowley “Crow” Davies pulls up to the cabin Jaylon was renting out, beautiful hitchhiker in tow. Now he’s got one eye on Crow and one on Owen, a budding new dynamic forming between them, but will it all come crashing down when Crow’s best friend, Jesse, shows up, looking to reconnect. A former fighter who left the sport two years before, he’s been friends with benefits with Crowley since before either stepped foot in a cage to fight. The chemistry between the sheets is smokin’ hot, but there’s always been something missing, something the two never could put their fingers on. Can the inclusion of Owen and Jaylon provide the pieces they’ve always needed, or will someone find themselves left out in the cold.

Word Count: Click here to reveal45,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Gay American Dom with a fabulous sub juggles romance and bondage with Scotland Yard police work. Book 1 in the the Vasquez Inc series, spinoff from Vasquez and James. When Brian Harrison first met Jackie Vasquez at a Hawaiian wedding, Jackie was sixteen and troubled. Six years later they meet again; Brian’s career at Scotland Yard is budding with promise, while Jackie’s student days at the University of Nebraska are rolling toward a strong finish. Magnetic mutual attraction pulls them insistently toward one another, but the ocean separating their lives makes for a simmering romance. When the waiting ends and they get together for a weekend in Denver, Dom Brian and sub Jackie both know they’ve tapped into something scalding hot, and much deeper than sharing an artful session. Shibari, lust, and love are all on the agenda -- but for Brian, so is his police career, and a strange series of crimes seems poised to threaten their romance -- and maybe their lives.

Word Count: Click here to reveal48000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Deep love, hot kink. Secrets call for a shot of trust when true danger lurks in LA's hidden places. __________ Brian Harrison wants to keep everyone safe -- especially his beloved sub, Jackie Vasquez -- and he’s convinced the only way to do that is to dig ever deeper in a forbidden investigation. Keeping his activities secret from the State Department means keeping them from his own boss, Luki Vasquez, and keeping secrets from Luki means Jackie can’t know either. Meanwhile, Jackie keeps his own secrets as his kind heart and indomitable spirit drive him to find and help a mysterious homeless woman, who may be connected to a kidnapping. Both men dance around dangers lurking in LA’s hidden places. Love continues to grow, adventurous kink heats up, and a marriage proposal still hangs in the balance. Can a willing shot of trust keep them together and alive when secrets collide?

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

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

Summary: To stop a serial killer a detective will need to explore his own vices… Nathanial Bayard wants nothing more than to find the nobleman creating snuff pornography. If he fails, his career in the recently formed nobility taskforce will be over and as the youngest son he’ll be forced to obey his father and join the church. But a life of celibacy doesn’t appeal. Nathanial has never even kissed another man, fearing for his soul and his reputation. Jericho Fulbright has never lived a wholesome life. After behavior unbecoming he was discharged from the army and sent home in disgrace. His inventor and nouveau riche father refused to have anything to do with him, so Jericho turned to what he knew best: opium, gambling and sex. As the owner of the Jericho Rose, a club for gentlemen who like men, he enjoys a certain notoriety. Some would say he has a golden tongue, but the truth is a succubus lives within him feeding on souls. Once he needed her help, now she is a burden that keeps him from getting close to anyone. After the unfortunate death of a young noble man in Jericho’s bed, Nathanial is sent to investigate. He is scandalized and intrigued by Jericho, but soon realizes that Jericho could be exactly who he needs to help break the snuff case. Together they are drawn into a web of lies that will result in Jericho facing prison unless Nathanial can unmask the real creator of the snuff, a man with rank and privileges that reaches almost to the King.

Word Count: Click here to reveal49,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: After Andrew Wentz loses his job, his parents take pity and invite him to join them on a Mediterranean cruise. He jumps at the chance, but once he’s aboard, he feels guilty. Shouldn’t he be figuring out what to do with his pathetic life instead of lazing around on a ship? The cruise was supposed to be Eric Schofield’s honeymoon, but one cheating fiancé later, he’s traveling solo. Fine. He’s been working too much anyway, so a vacation is exactly what the doctor ordered. He’s on a boat with plenty of hot men, and he’s determined to invite as many of them as he can into his stateroom’s king sized bed. When the two men run into each other—literally—it’s crush at first sight. Now Andrew can’t think of anyone else, and Eric only wants one man in his bed. The sparks fly, and it’s the perfect vacation fling, especially since ten days isn’t nearly enough time to develop feelings. At least, it’s not supposed to be.

Word Count: Click here to reveal70000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A B&B owner takes on a posh hotel developer in this enemies-to-lovers story with plenty of South Florida heat. The grudge match is set to get nasty. Wesley and Nathan are willing to pull out all the stops to achieve their dreams. They just never expected the heat between them to carry over to the bedroom. After one reckless night burning up the sheets, Wes and Nathan can’t stay away from each other. But is there any hope of them having their happily ever after when it means someone has to give up his dream?  All For Wesley is a standalone enemies-to-lovers MM romance with sneaking, spying, family troubles, helpful movie stars, one poorly timed hurricane, and all the feels.

Word Count: Click here to reveal32, 189 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Ash and Anthony had it all planned. Sweethearts since high school, they’d gotten engaged, bought a house they were renovating together, and planned for children. A tragic accident ended those dreams and left Ash reeling from despair. Unable to return home to even look at the tree they’d just decorated before going out, he hid from the world at his parents’ home in another city. Shannon understood loss. After his wife died shortly after the birth of their child, he knew he had to be strong, especially for little Marley’s sake. Deciding it was time for a fresh start, he moved them from Chicago to the small town he’d grown up in. One house, a real estate agent, and a man re-awakening to life. When Ash finally emerges from his grief, he has but one plan. Sell the house and, somehow, find a way to start moving forward then. Google brings him to Shannon Greyson’s one-man band realty. It’s love, though, that brings them together, perhaps with a little help from Anthony.

Word Count: Click here to reveal79000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Taran I've disappointed a lot of people in my life, but the one that still hurts is Diego. I should've been honest about my feelings for him, but instead I went off to college and focused on my so-called football career. Eight years later, when we saw each other again for the first time, we ended up in the backseat of his car just like old times. I know it's selfish, but I'd beg for another chance to treat him right. Diego What a pathetic cliche, the gay theater kid that fell for the closeted high school quarterback. He might've broken my heart ages ago, but when Taran showed up at my stepsister's wedding, I knew I was in danger all over again. I have a great life in the city, good friends, talent, aspirations, hook up apps. The last thing I need is a blast from the past to destroy it all. So why the hell can't I stay away from him?

Word Count: Click here to reveal60,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The 1950s. Postwar exuberance. Conformity. Rock and roll. Homophobia. Russell tells himself he’ll marry Susie because it’s the right thing to do. His summer job coaching her water ballet team will give him plenty of opportunity to give her a ring. But on the team’s trip to the annual Aqua Follies, the joyful glide of a trumpet player’s solo hits Russell like a torpedo, blowing apart his carefully constructed plans. From the orchestra pit, Skip watches Poseidon’s younger brother stalk along the pool deck. It never hurts to smile at a man, because sometimes good things can come of it. Once the last note has been played, Skip gives it a shot. The tenuous connection forged by a simple smile leads to events that dismantle both their lives. Has the damage been done, or can they pick up the pieces together?

Word Count: Click here to reveal37000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sam McAuley isn’t having a great start to the summer. Served with papers? Great. He’s being sued. Perfect, pristine yard overrun with chickens? What the—? Clearly, the new guy running the animal rehabilitation centre next door has no idea what he’s doing. It’s one town to the next, one school to the next, one job to the next for Bo Novak. Everything is temporary. Even his current job—running his sister’s animal rehab centre while she’s away on a four-month leave—is temporary. And he does know what he’s doing, thank you very much. Sure, things don’t always run smoothly, but the stick-in-the-mud next door could be a little nicer about it. One overheard conversation, an olive branch, and a baseball game might show these guys that being at odds isn’t really what they want, and that what they want might just be each other. [As Big as the Sky was first published in August 2017. This new edition has a brand new cover but no content changes.]

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: The search for the swords brings Douglas and Margaret back to England, where Mystere has hidden the sword Almace -- his own sword. Four months pass with no signs of Mystere, and Douglas and Margaret start to make plans to go in search of him. Then they accidentally become the caretakers of an injured street urchin. The boy — a sweep’s apprentice — tells them that there is something invisible haunting the rooftops of London, preying on the children who make their living there. In the absence of Mystere, Margaret insists that they need to help, but Douglas refuses. Margaret defies him and goes anyway, only to discover that what lurks on the rooftops is far worse than she had imagined -- Caedda has taken the rooftops of London as his domain. Worse, he has taken Mystere prisoner, he holds the sword Almace, and he knows that Margaret is there. Trapped on the roofs, unable to reach Douglas, Margaret has to rely on her wits and her memories in order to save Mystere, herself and her unborn child.

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 reveal117000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A rookie, his teammate, and his best friend from a rival team. What could possibly go wrong? Seattle Snowhawks rookie Justin Reid has it bad for his teammate Shawn Kelleher. It’s just his luck that Shawn’s got a crush too… on Justin’s best friend, Vancouver Narwhal center Keith Adams. When Shawn lets it slip at the worst possible moment that he wants Keith, Justin is hurt, but what can he do? He steers Keith in Shawn’s direction and lets chemistry do the rest. What Justin doesn’t know is that while Keith is into Shawn, he’s also secretly wanted Justin since forever. After some stumbling, they realize there’s something very hot and very mutual going on between all three of them. It’s fantasies coming true left, right, and center, and it just doesn’t get any better than this. Except this scorching hot triad is anything but simple. Not while the closeted son of a hockey legend is fighting to make his own name in the shadow of his deeply homophobic father’s legacy. Not in the midst of grueling schedules and a team’s fraternization rules. Throw in pesky emotions showing up where they aren’t wanted, and it’s a play that’s doomed from the start. Shawn, Keith, and Justin all fought their way into professional hockey. Is what they have together worth fighting for too? Or will fear let heartache win this game? ASSIST is approximately 117,500 words. It's book 2 of the Pucks & Rainbows series, and can be read as a standalone.

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?