Books Tagged With where - state - california

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 reveal24000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Their bond was unbreakable, until desire unleashed a firestorm. Fire Captain Thom and his husband, Chuck, shared a love as steadfast as their vows. But when the alluring Lisa entered their lives after a kitchen fire, she and firefighter Foster ignited an unexpected spark in both men, drawing all four into an explosive courtship. Some desires are simply impossible to extinguish. So as the flames of love and desire grow, will their steadfast bond be strong enough to handle the inferno? Previously Published as Thom's Desires. This is a rewritten and re-envisioned version of the original. If you crave character-driven plots with intense passion, you'll devour this page-turning romance by award-winning author Stephanie Lake. Grab your copy and feel the heat! Trigger Warnings: Jealousy Past trauma Steamy scenes Adult language Emotional vulnerability Multiple partner encounters Consensual non-monogamy Male/male and female/male encounters

Word Count: Click here to reveal317000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: For the first time, the entire Lonely Hearts Series is available in one box set. Including never before published epilogues for each of the four stories and a bonus short story, Time to Play. His Kind of Love Joel Reading is lonely, and Gabriel Hunter has been waiting years for the right man. The Colors Between Us Roland Wilson is a haunted man, and Adonis Smith wants something he can't have. Love Comes After Bennet James's world is imploding, Aiden Hennessey is devastated, and Chris Wheeler doesn't do emotions. Until You Say Otherwise Richard Harrington is tired of saying goodbye, and Sam Sanders is determined. TIme to Play Athena Smith is ready for her time in the spotlight with Wesley and Grant.

Word Count: Click here to reveal97,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Nathan doesn’t know how to stop dwelling on the failures and tragedies that have plagued him since the last time we saw him at the end of The Mayor of Oak Street, a twenty-one-year-old happily in the arms of the handsome young doctor he had pined for since he was twelve. Many years later, what could mend Nathan’s heart after the latest tragedy and stop his deep dives into the past? Another handsome young doctor? Or would someone in the medical field do? After a chance meeting with ER nurse, Mateo, a lot of Nathan’s reminiscing is now devoted to that encounter and how it made him feel. Will he seize the day or continue wallowing in the past, having lunch with his best girlfriend from high school, and writing poetry? Nathan has lived through and had a personal connection to many of the crises that have plagued the LBGTQ+ community in the last forty years: the Up Stairs Lounge fire in New Orleans, the assassination of Harvey Milk, and the AIDS epidemic. He has lived in foreign countries, traveled the globe, and had lovers on every continent, all the while with a disease that people once thought was a death sentence. There are moments he is convinced that Mateo is the reward to all his suffering and loss, that his whole life led him to this great love. At other times, he’s so frustrated with Mateo, he’s ready to run as far away as he can get. Mateo, for his part, must take care of his ailing mother while he works full time in the emergency room. The practical aspects of starting a new relationship are challenging to say the least. The Long Journey to You is both a moving romance and a lesson in survival.

Word Count: Click here to reveal115000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A group of strangers meets at Ragazzi, an Italian restaurant, for a cooking lesson that will change them all. They quickly become intertwined in each other's lives, and a bit of magic touches each of them. Meet Dave, the consultant who lost his partner; Matteo and Diego, the couple who run the restaurant; recently-widowed Carmelina; Marcos, a web designer getting too old for hook-ups; Ben, a trans author writing the Great American Novel; teenager Marissa, kicked out for being bi; and Sam and Brad, a May-September couple who would never have gotten together without a little magic of their own. Everyone in the River City has a secret, and sooner or later secrets always come out. The watercolor on the cover was painted by Valentyna Shpara and is used with permission. Find her on Etsy under ValrArt.

Word Count: Click here to reveal115000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A group of strangers meets at Ragazzi, an Italian restaurant, for a cooking lesson that will change them all. They quickly become intertwined in each other's lives, and a bit of magic touches each of them. Meet Dave, the consultant who lost his partner; Matteo and Diego, the couple who run the restaurant; recently-widowed Carmelina; Marcos, a web designer getting too old for hook-ups; Ben, a trans author writing the Great American Novel; teenager Marissa, kicked out for being bi; and Sam and Brad, a May-September couple who would never have gotten together without a little magic of their own. Everyone in the River City has a secret, and sooner or later secrets always come out. Narrated by Michael Lysan.

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

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

Summary: It’s official, my step bro is the biggest himbo ever to himbo. He’s a massive blond beefcake with a soft heart and an over-eager smile. The mere sight of him incites a shaking hot rage in me. He’s everywhere. He’s around me all the time. So sweet and gentle it makes me feel wild. I see him and smell him everywhere. And when I can’t see him or smell him, I hear him. The wall between our bedrooms is paper thin. I can’t help it - I hear what he does in his room when he thinks he’s alone. I hear everything. I know I shouldn’t do it. It’s obviously a terrible, terrible idea. Still, I bide my time. I wait, and I wait, and finally, I pounce. “Luke! I know what you’re doing in there.”

Word Count: Click here to reveal97000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Gene Caldwell has given up on love. After two messy divorces and countless failed relationships, he’s sixty-one, he’s single, and he’s done trying. Terry Hanson still believes in love, but after burying two partners in thirty years, he’s prepared to spend the rest of his life alone. Even if the nights get cold, he refuses to go through that heartbreak a third time. At a mutual friend’s wedding reception, the two men bond over their loneliness and cynicism. They spend the evening commiserating… and the rest of the night pretending they’ll be able to walk away from each other in the morning. Neither can help coming back for more. They can't get enough of each other’s touch, the affection they’ve both been starving for, and the companionship they both crave and fear. If they lower their decades-old defenses, they’ll risk more heartbreak. If they don’t lower those defenses, though, they’ll miss out on love that was worth waiting half a century to find. This 97,000 word Las Palmas Fencing Club novel is the sequel to The Master Will Appear, and can be read as a standalone.

Word Count: Click here to reveal47000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Two years after meeting at a rock concert, Ben and Alex are happy together. When they find themselves facing a happy event and tragic news at the same time, they're forced to dig deep into themselves and their relationship to get through it. Can Alex provide the strength Ben is going to need?

Word Count: Click here to reveal74000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Typhoon Toby: Forces of Nature Book Two Blurb   On the surface, Toby Griffiths appears to have it all: talent, money, a brilliant mind, and model good looks. With his best friend Reese, he’s built an empire as a singer/songwriter. But beneath that glittering exterior, Toby suffers the lasting effects of betrayal (or abuse?). To keep his tempestuous past where it belongs, he insists on anonymity with lovers—no names, no personal information. A vacation fling in Bali changes all that, and he can’t get his recent playmate out of his mind. Therapist Spencer Hart left Bali with a bad case of pneumonia and a broken heart. While recovering, he's shocked to find his secretive partner on TV—and he's determined to see him again.  Spencer arranges to attend one ofToby’s fundraising galas, and their reunion is tense. Toby tries to stick to his rules… until a New Year’s kiss with Spencer washes away the last of his resistance. ButToby is a man with secrets, and when the storm that’s been holding comes ashore, it could devastate not just his professional life, but his fledgling love affair and long-time partnership with his best friend. Will Spencer stand by his side and help him weather the storm as Toby faces his worst fears?  

Word Count: Click here to reveal39525 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Some might think attorney Elijah Cummings has everything—a loving family, supportive friends, great looks and respect in the community. But Elijah’s problems are mounting—a suit filed against him, a financially dependent son, and an ailing mother who relies on him for care. His new gay law partner, Riley Hansen, might be what the business needs. But the younger, fresher version of himself reminds Elijah of what pains him most—the difficulty of coming out and finding love at the age of forty-two in a youth-obsessed culture. Riley Hansen has ideas on how to attract more business, but whatever he does seems to annoy his new law partner Elijah Cummings. Having invested his savings in the firm, Riley needs to make things work with Elijah—and that starts by banishing the unprofessional thoughts he’s been having about his handsome new partner.

Word Count: Click here to reveal29689 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When he sees entrepreneur Mitch O’Shea whirling around an empty building, contractor Ben Behr is enchanted. Even though his two brothers are gay, Ben always thought he was a ladies’ man until he met Mitch. Despite his feelings, Ben knows San Francisco native Mitch is totally out of his league. What could Ben possibly do to get out-and-proud Mitch to notice him? Turns out Mitch is just as attracted to Ben. As they compete in car rallies, camp in the Sierra Navada foothills, and tour the bars Mitch owns in the city, they realize how stifled they’ve been their entire lives. Maybe looking over the fence and jumping it to explore what’s on the other side are good ideas. When these two seemingly opposites get together, will Ben and Mitch find out they have the world at their feet and might even have love in their hearts?

Word Count: Click here to reveal29672 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: It wasn’t supposed to be REAL! Bigfoot doesn’t actually exist. Yetis, shifters, creatures of the night…none of those exist. Right? Right? There’s nothing about perky—some might even say twinkie—Oliver Hughes that would make a skeptic like Sensational News’ (Never Fake! We Swear!) reporter Wilson Banks think otherwise. But while pursuing soundbites for a tabloid story about Bigfoot, Wilson witnesses something he wasn’t meant to see. In Wilson’s new reality, is there room for love with someone whose dreams are as big as his…er…feet? This fun novella has a paranormal twist, a hint of mystery, and a flavorful dollop of romantic comedy. Mix it all together for a satisfying HEA! Keywords: shifter, Bigfoot, comedy, fun, California, mystery, twink, reporter, tabloid Weekend at Bigfoot’s won 1st place in the Gay Paranormal Romance category and was a 4th tier runner up in the combined Best Gay Book category of the 2020-2021 Rainbow Awards!

Word Count: Click here to reveal109000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Two brothers, one storm. After he’s kicked out for being gay, and still reeling from being abandoned by the man he loves, Jude goes to live with his brother, Beck, who thankfully is more than happy to take him in. But Jude has other secrets he’s yet to share, for fear that even Beck will reject him, leaving him well and truly alone. When he draws the attention of werewolves, Jude discovers that everything he thought he knew about Levi, the man who abandoned him, is a lie. But one lie leads to another, ending in a vast conspiracy that threatens to destroy everything Jude loves. Beck feels guilty for leaving Jude with parents who are barely tolerable on a good day. Now that he has his brother with him, Beck does everything in his power to keep Jude safe as he learns about paranormals. When Jude plunges head first into the dangerous side of the Otherworld, Beck must allow Jude to find his own footing even though he wants to protect his brother. But perhaps Jude doesn’t need protecting. Just maybe, his brother is the protector. Tags: rejected mates vibes, second chances, all the pining, found family, chosen family Jude is terrified of losing his brother, chased by werewolves, Jude has trust issues, supernatural people, werewolves, past and present collide, druids, seers, a brother who is trying hard to be what Jude needs, parkour, Jude’s destiny is not what he thinks it is, reincarnation, a love that transcends time and place, did I mention lots of pining, Jude dives in head first just like his brother was afraid of, example of what not to be as a parent, multi-POVs, 3rd person past tense, no cliff hanger, HFN ending. *Author's Note: Werewolf’s Tale and a Druid’s Sword has been significantly changed from it’s previous release by more than 30k. Enjoy!

Word Count: Click here to reveal31,490 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: On his thirtieth birthday, barista Jimmy Patterson decides to get rip-roaring drunk after his roommate-boyfriend abandons him at a bar in the tiny California foothills town of Stone Acres where they have relocated from San Francisco. Jimmy is immediately rescued by the burly owner of Stonewall Saloon, who has had his eye on Jimmy since the first time he came in months before. Jimmy's fine with being saved but wants to know the bartender's real name since the guy has worn name tags with an assortment of names every time Jimmy has spoken to him. After Jimmy nicknames him Guy, the bartender decides to turn guessing his first name into a game, giving Jimmy a guess a day for a week and promising to wine and dine him during that time. If Jimmy's guess is wrong, he owes Guy a zing-zow, knock-your-socks-off kiss. Jimmy agrees since this sounds like a slam-dunk, win-win deal. While he searches for cringe-worthy given names, Jimmy is distracted by the destruction of his shopping mall coffee shop. He is also beset by the town council that doesn't want him to buy an historic bank building in Old Town Stone Acres to set up another coffee shop. The celestial high of being romanced by Guy and the abyss of business worries don't seem like the road to happily ever after. However, Jimmy and Guy might be in for a big surprise.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: When his lover Jason’s drug addiction spiraled out of control, TV celebrity chef and cookbook author Adam de Leon walked away from him. Adam also abandoned his renowned restaurant in San Francisco to start a small bistro in the Sierra Foothills. Five years later Adam is battling the conservative leaders of Stone Acres, California, to open a new restaurant in historic Old Town when Jason turns up on his doorstep—a recovered Jason, now going by the name David and claiming he's overcome his addictions. What’s more, he begs Adam to take him back and says he’s ready for their happily ever after. Adam has enough on his plate with problems plaguing the opening of his restaurant. And now he’s having a hard time deciding which to follow—his head or his heart. Rainbow Award Honorable Mention book 2016.

Word Count: Click here to reveal65,255 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Is there a time limit on love and forgiveness? Fifteen years ago, Manny didn’t show up to take Wes to the Shelby High School prom as he promised. Instead, Wes found Manny’s letter jacket at their meeting spot without a note or any explanation. From college to his current job in Monterey, California, Wes has carted the jacket around as a memento of his teenage love and rejection. This year he decides enough is enough. He’s attending the high school class reunion, returning Manny’s jacket, and going home free to find the real love of his life. When Manny sees Wes at the reunion tour of the new high school facilities, he’s determined not to let his teenage lover leave without them clearing the air and possibly getting back together. Through reunion activities such as a quiz bowl, meet-and-greet meals, and a formal banquet with a prom-like ball as well as outside activities like the quinceañera of Manny’s niece, Wes and Manny work through the lies and misunderstandings of the past. With so much to reconcile and forgive on both sides, will they end up together? Or go their separate ways with only memories of the past?

Word Count: Click here to reveal113,334 (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 International Bestselling Author, Mary Rundle – 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. Hunter always expected to be the next Alpha of the Rolling Hills Pack until he had to walk away, leaving behind his dream, forced to build a new life for himself and his brothers. Arriving with them to visit his cousins at the Blackwood Pack, he never expects to find his mate there, but when he catches his scent, it’s impossible for him to concentrate on anything else, including a secret he has that will change his cousins’ lives. From the moment Hunter meets Jackson, tempers flare between the two Alphas as their anger builds about secrets both are keeping. Their distrust of each other grows yet they must struggle to find common ground due to their mutual responsibilities toward Hunter’s mate. Fionn, a rare white dragon, has fought hard for his independence, believing it will protect him from relatives who want to seize his hoard. As a recent member of the Blackwood Pack, he looks forward to sharing the future with his new family. That is, until he realizes he has a mate. Needing time to sort out his feelings, he flees to his hoard, hiding from Hunter who impatiently waits for him. Together, Fionn and Hunter must put aside past hurts and disappointments as they try to forge a new world for themselves while facing a dangerous threat to Fionn…and to the rest of the Blackwood Pack. Long-kept secrets, a treacherous attack, an action-packed rescue, 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 reveal45000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Winds of Change follows Ben and Alex as they face Allie's illness and embark on a new stage of their life together. For the first time in his life Ben can't control what is happening around him. As Ben tries to cope with the changes happening, Alex has to face his mother's wrath once more.

Word Count: Click here to reveal78000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: At eighteen, Landon Miller was sure about two things--he was a submissive and he was going to be with Gregory Douglas for the rest of his life. That was until parents and school got in the way, and he found himself in New York, thousands of miles from the man who had learned how to take him in hand. Feeling abandoned by the personhe’d come to rely on, Landon has no choice but to set his sights on a new and lonely future. Years later, behind the bar at Rapture, the BDSM club he’s built on a foundation of disillusioned dreams and broken bricks, Landon finds himself face to face with his favorite memory and greatest regret—Gregory. Seeing his first love again is the only inspiration Gregory needs to commit himself to forging his way toward the future he always envisioned…one with Landon yielding and bending to his command. Determined to recapture the magic of their first love, Gregory works to right the wrongs of their past so they can move on together. Battling through the resentment from their youth, Landon is unexpectedly called back to New York, and Gregory can’t help but fear the past is repeating itself. Fighting familiar feelings of helplessness, he makes the decision to give Landon what he needs, even if that means not chasing after the man he adores…again. Gregory can only hope when Landon returns, he won’t throw away the love they’ve fought and risked everything for.