Books Tagged With where - state - california

Word Count: Click here to reveal25109 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Hotel owner and part-time musician Zeke Bandy is too busy for love. His plate is full running the historic Bandy Hotel and upholding his family’s tradition of offering refuge to strays and runaways. For fun two nights a week, Zeke also plays and sings traditional folk music with his rewritten gay lyrics at the Stonewall Saloon and for occasional celebrations. Then at a gay wedding, Zeke meets Victor Longbow, who just might be the man of his dreams. However, Vic isn’t looking for love either. In fact, because of his upbringing in a strict, white foster family, Vic’s not sure he believes in love. He’s in Stone Acres to open a branch office of a national brokerage firm. He also hopes to track down a vintage photo of what might be his Native American ancestor. After their paths cross, they become friends. Connected by their experiences as orphans raised by flawed fathers, Zeke and Vic wonder if their future could possibly hold love and family or if they are destined only to be lifelong friends.

Word Count: Click here to reveal56000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: There are three golden rules for new recruits at Fairyland Theme Park: 1. No breaking character, even if you’re dying of heat exhaustion 2. Always give guests the most magical time 3. No falling in love. Nate’s only been at work one day, and he’s already broken all three. Fast-tracked into a Prince role, Nate’s at odds with Dash, the handsome not-so-charming prince who is supposed to be training him. Nate doesn’t know how he ended up on Dash’s bad side, but the broody prince sure is hot when he gets mad. Dash has worked long and hard to play Prince Justice at Fairyland. Now, instead of focusing on his own performance, he is forced to train newbie Nate to be the perfect prince. Nate’s annoying ease with the guests coupled with his charm and good looks could dethrone Dash from his number one spot … so why does he secretly want to kiss him? Fairyland heats up as sparks fly between the two rival princes. Will they get their fairytale romance before they’re kicked out of Fairyland for good? Find out in this standalone MM contemporary romance by Jaxon Knight, set in an amusement park where fairytales can come true. --- Rival Princes is a sweet Rivals to Lovers romance with queer characters, set in a fairy tale themed amusement park. Guaranteed HEA. Some cursing, no cheating.

Word Count: Click here to reveal52000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Denial helped Diego survive childhood trauma, but if he wants a future with Beck, he must embrace the heritage he left behind. Eager to escape the shadows of a tragic loss, Diego walks away from the heritage his abuela offers. Right or wrong, he gambles and fights for a new and uncomplicated life. With his best friend at his side, Diego doesn’t want to push the boundaries of their friendship. He’s lost enough and doesn’t want to lose Beck, too. When he finally admits he’s been in love with Beck for years, their relationship takes a happy turn. But peace is easily shattered, as he’s learned all too well, and this time it’s ruined by the arrival of a mysterious package and dangerous men hell bent on violence. Memories of a dead brother and an untouchable drug lord inevitably rise to the surface. Diego dreads the idea that the man he loves is mired in the world Diego tried to escape. But Beck’s secrets aren’t so simple, and neither is the world in which Diego has been living… Tags: deny-deny-deny-deny, Diego does a lot of that, sometimes posturing works and other times it doesn’t, the bat actually gets used, secret love of lacy things, Diego will do anything to protect his family, fire alarm in the bedroom, everybody has secrets, friends to lovers, hidden supernatural world, pining, a villain you want to personally topple, single POV, urban fantasy, no cliffhanger, HFN ending.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Life is good in San Capistrano. Alex is happy and recovering after the drama of the last few years. Ben has settled into a contented life with his law practice, his family, and scotch. Ally and Lucy are growing up too fast and foster son Jamie seems settled in his new life with them and his boyfriend Leo. Nobody is prepared for what is around the corner. How will the family cope when they're once more thrust into turmoil? And how will Alex cope with what may be the biggest challenge he has faced so far?

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

Summary: The court case is over. Alex and Ben can concentrate on healing the wounds inflicted by Alex's mother, Janice. As they find their way back to a normal family life Alex begins to experience life in ways he never has before.  When he takes up a role in a local free clinic, he encounters a teenage boy who has been neglected and rejected by his parents. Will Alex be able to cope when he and Ben decide to take the boy in? Will the new family member help him take the last steps into the lightness of being loved?

Word Count: Click here to reveal6400 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sometimes you have to go home again. When Bryce Edwards left Minnesota for the bright lights of Hollywood ten years ago, he was determined not to look back. He's built a solid acting career through his own hard work and talent. But when he finds himself unemployed right before Christmas, the memories he's been ignoring start to rise up and annoy him. Maybe it's time to take a different approach; maybe it's time to confront his past and not just use it as motivation for his next angsty scene. If he can make peace with what happened back then— the small-town bigots who drove him away, and his first boyfriend who refused to leave with him— maybe he'll be free to move on to something better. He's not sure what “something better” will look like, but he's finally ready to get on a plane, go home, and find out.   64,000 words

Word Count: Click here to reveal110,775 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The Blackwood Pack saga continues… This is part of an on-going series by Amazon Bestselling Author, Mary Rundle, and catching up on previous titles is advised. Readers of the past books will enjoy meeting old friends once more as the pack does what it does best ̶ caring for one another and helping shifters everywhere. Brian, a.k.a. “The Loch Ness Monster” has searched for his Fated Mate in vain for more than 600 years until he scents Reif in the frigid waters of the lake. But his mate seems to be purposely eluding him, so Brian turns to the Shaman of the Blackwood Pack to help find him. Reif, one of a line of ancient shifters thought to be extinct is drawn to Brian but must focus on completing a mission to free his enslaved people from the clutches of an evil group. Despite his powerful attraction to Brian, he hides from him, believing it’s the only choice he has. That changes when Reif surreptitiously kisses Brian while he’s sleeping, setting off a chain of events that puts both of them in mortal danger, and the powerful Blackwood pack resolves to help them stave off the wrath of vampires and witches. Along the way, both Brian and Reif learn some hard lessons about the mutual trust necessary to achieve the happiness and fulfillment both have sought for hundreds of years. A heartbreaking confession, an action-packed rescue, a riveting courtroom battle and many unexpected twists and turns make this passionate love story by Mary Rundle impossible to put down once you’ve read the first page. Multiple POV, M/M, Shifters, Fated Mates, MPREG, HEA

Word Count: Click here to reveal119000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The Blackwood Pack saga continues… This is part of an on-going series and reading the previous titles is advised. Readers of the past books will enjoy meeting old friends once more as the pack does what it does best ̶ caring for each other. Slate, one of the last Dire Wolves, has carved out a life which suits him fine—plenty of traveling to exotic locations and an abundance of one night stands to handle his needs. While he’s happy for his brother, who has found his Fated Mate, Slate isn’t interested in finding his—at least not for a long time. That is, until his body betrays him. Seeking his mother’s help—who is an Oracle—Slate pays a visit to the Blackwood Pack where he finds the Fates have once again, messed with his life. Dakota, the chef for the Blackwood Pack, fell in love with cooking as a young child and ultimately the kitchen became a place of refuge for him. Suffering with a ‘curse’ through much of his childhood, he relied heavily on his mother’s help to deal with it. After the massacre of his mother and siblings by their greedy uncle, Dakota barely survives, but finally forges a life for himself, content to stay home and take care of the people he loves. A long-hidden secret, rejection of a mate, acceptance of rare gifts, and a brutal kidnapping are just some of the obstacles Dakota and Slate must battle together to save their relationship. As the pack rallies around them, both must learn to trust the other before they can find the happiness that the Fates have ordained for them…

Word Count: Click here to reveal29,610 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Recent graduate Dr. Fenton Miller takes December off to decide which job offer to accept. Then he meets his landlord, sous chef John Barton. Suddenly, thinking about his career becomes his last priority. A better option might be a month-long roll between the sheets with John. While John is attracted to Fen and might even agree to his plan, John has got more pressing matters to worry about. His past has arrived in tiny Stone Acres from San Francisco and is intent on sucking him back into a life he hated. Promising to help John and shelter him if necessary, Fen finds he’s also being threatened by a homophobic father who doesn’t find Fen as entertaining as his kids do. As they wade through their problems during the happiest time of the year, Fen and John rely more and more on each other for happiness.  

Word Count: Click here to reveal96200 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When tailor Marvin Gottschalk abandoned New York City for the brash boomtown of silent-film-era Hollywood, he never imagined he’d end up on screen as Martin Brentwood, one of the fledgling film industry’s most popular actors. Five years later a cynical Martin despairs of finding anything genuine in a town where truth is defined by studio politics and publicity. Then he meets Robbie Goodman. Robbie fled Idaho after a run-in with the law. A chance encounter leads him to the film studio where he lands a job as a chauffeur. But one look at Martin and he’s convinced he’s likely to run afoul of those same laws—laws that brand his desires indecent, deviant... sinful. Martin and Robbie embark on a cautious relationship, cocooned in Hollywood’s clandestine gay fraternity, careful to hide from the studio boss, a rival actor, and reporters on the lookout for a juicy story. But when tragedy and scandal rock the town, igniting a morality-based witch hunt fueled by a remorseless press, the studio brass will sacrifice even the greatest careers to defend their endangered empire. Robbie and Martin stand no chance against the firestorm—unless they stand together.

Word Count: Click here to reveal40000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Spells & Stardust is Scott's first anthology - eight sci fi and fantasy shorts that run the gamut from regeneration to redemption. The Bear at the Bar: A gay fish out of water tale with a pinch of magic. Tight: What happens when your lover disappears in midair? Morgan: The year when everything changed. Re-Life: What if you were reborn in a strange new future? A New Year: They met every eleven years. And each time, Hank's life changed. Repetition: What if you wanted to go back in the closet? Gargoyle: Sometimes you get what you deserve. Sometimes it happens on All Hallows Eve. Avalon: A few bright moments in the sun, stolen from outside time. Most of these stories have been previously published in various anthologies and journals. This is the first time they have all been collected in one place.

Word Count: Click here to reveal20353 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Exciting news abounds in Stone Acres, California, the former gold rush town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. All the couples from the Foothills Pride contemporary romance series are chatting and spreading the word. The whispers of movie scouts in Stone Acres have the couples speculating about how a film might impact their lives. Rumor says the potential film would tell the stories of how and why the newcomers left the Bay Area to settle in the foothills. Some of the men, like Jimmy Patterson, Fredi Zimmer, Jeff Mason, and Mitch O’Shea, think to see a movie being made could be fun. But the others, including David Fairbanks, Vic Longbow, Christopher Darling, and John Barton, think the ordeal would be horrible, everything from invasive and embarrassing to heart-breaking. Meanwhile, as the rumors make the rounds, a couple of good old boys steal Mitch’s specialty SUV and take it for a joyride. The lark ends with the car falling into an old mine shaft, seriously injuring one of the passengers. How does the town handle so much happening? Like the rest of us, they go to lunch and talk about it.

Word Count: Click here to reveal11000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Cameron Wheeler’s life is all mapped out: he’ll finish business school, return home to Vermont, get a job, and marry his high-school girlfriend. He’s packed away what he really wants—a career as a musician—because he knows it’s never going to happen. But Cameron's well-planned life is turned upside down when he walks into a musty jewelry shop in LA and meets the mysterious Apollo, who tells him to “follow his soul, not his past.” Apollo's magical presence spurs Cameron to discover and follow his true path, in life and in 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: Information not available

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

Summary: Ben and Alex have been happily married for six years, living in the beach house left to them by Ben’s mother Allie. Their two daughters, Ally and Lucy, help Ben’s grandmother Polly keep both men on their toes. Life seems perfect. When Alex’s mother turns up, however, she opens old wounds and reveals things Alex never wanted Ben to know. Can their relationship – and their family – survive Janice’s hatred of her son? Can Alex?

Word Count: Click here to reveal98000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A werewolf pack reels from the loss of five members, including the Alpha and Beta, at the teeth and claws of Canadian werewolves. Summoned by a frantic call from a young werewolf who survived the massacre, Anax Tobias Rogan, the highest-ranked wolf in the United States, heads to North Dakota to stabilize the pack. But the trip takes a toll on Tobias’s relationship with his mate, vegan werewolf Kyle Slidell. Fate put them together, but Kyle has chosen to part. A request from the Canadian Anax, Silas Creighton, gives Tobias an opportunity to rebuild things with Kyle: A road trip to Nova Scotia. As eager as Tobias to restore their relationship, Kyle agrees. With an international conflict to resolve, a traumatized young werewolf in tow, and multiple threats to his life, Tobias struggles to make time for his mate. And when unexpected enemies invade Silas’s island stronghold, Tobias and Kyle’s relationship isn’t the only thing that might come to an end. This book includes discussions of past sexual assault and physical child abuse, homophobia including a French Canadian homophobic slur, a child character living with cancer, and depictions of grief and mourning.

Word Count: Click here to reveal106,042 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: This is part of a continuing series by Amazon Bestselling Author, Mary Rundle – reading the previous titles is advised as the story continues where the last book ended. Readers will enjoy catching up with members of the Blackwood Pack and reading about what is happening to them as the pack does what it does best  ̶ caring for one another and helping shifters everywhere by fighting evil forces that threaten them. Sent to capture the ones responsible for the Fox River Pack massacre, Reeve Nicolet has long given up hope of ever finding his mate, but the Fates have other ideas. The only problem is that his mate is the son of the shifter wanted by the High Council for the deadly act. Forced to keep it a secret, Reeve can only hope his mate will forgive him when the truth finally comes out. Kahn’s teenage years were spent fighting his father, Josiah, who pressured his son to become be the next Alpha of the Silver Point Pack. Out of options when he father demands he marry a woman, Kahn leaves the pack and makes a new life for himself in San Francisco where he is finally able to do what he loves most. When Reeve shows up to arrest Josiah, Kahn’s world is turned upside down. Forced into hiding, he struggles with guilt over his father’s sins while trying to give his mother and sisters the emotional support they need. Alarmed by the threat of violence against his mate by one of Josiah’s enforcers, Reeve seeks help from Jackson while Kahn plans his escape. Desperation drives both in opposite directions until an unexpected event finally brings the two together in a claiming blessed by the Great Spirit. Astounding surprises, a rare gift, an action-packed mission, and many unexpected twists and turns make this passionate love story by Mary Rundle impossible to put down once you’ve read the first page.

Word Count: Click here to reveal79204 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: All werewolf Tobias Rogan ever wanted was to live a quiet life with his destined mate, vegan werewolf Kyle Slidell, in the smallest pack in the United States. The pack Tobias once ruled as its Alpha. He never wanted to be a leader, but fate keeps throwing him into the role, first as Alpha and now as Arkhon, the leader of the Northeast Region’s werewolves. And he isn’t done. The Anax, ruler of all werewolves in the United States, is threatening the very existence of their world and must be removed from the rank. Only Tobias is strong enough to challenge and defeat him. But the Anax knows Tobias’s intentions and co-opts one of Tobias’s employees, a human man who threatens Tobias with silver bullets. To save Tobias’s life, Kyle kills the man, a violation of shifter law. And when Tobias and Kyle travel to California for the annual gathering of all werewolf alphas and regional leaders in the country, the Anax’s men take Kyle into custody. Tobias has allies in his bid to defeat the Anax–but the Anax has Kyle’s life in his hands. With the fate of the country’s werewolves at stake, Tobias must choose: Save the world, or save his mate. This book was originally published in 2014. This version has been revised, re-edited, and expanded from the original. It contains on-page violence between humans and between werewolves, including the on-page death of a human; mention of gun violence; references to past abuse and sexual assault and threats of those things; and depictions of PTSD. This book was previously published in 2014. This edition has been moderately revised and re-edited and includes a newly-written ending.

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: Click here to reveal67000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sequel to the award-winning The Necessary Deaths A man is murdered, and takes a deadly secret to his grave.   Is it true the murdered man is Dominic Delingpole’s former lover? And were they still seeing each other just before his recent wedding to husband Jonathan?   Or are these simply lies? This is more than a story of deceit between husbands. A man’s death plunges Dominic and Jonathan into a world of international espionage, which puts their lives at risk. What is the ruthless Charter Ninety-Nine group, and why is it pursuing them across Europe and the United States? Dominic and Jonathan are forced to test their relationship to its limit. What deadly lies must they both confront? And if they stay alive, will their relationship remain intact?