contemporary

Word Count: Click here to reveal21,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Forced roommates, fake boyfriends, fiery attraction, and a secret or two… are they fooling themselves or falling in love? Life is good for Eric Brown, a happily single theater major with a great group of friends. But then Will Butler—fellow senior, co-RA, and the cutest guy Eric’s ever seen—becomes his roommate. Will seems very straight and has an off-campus sweetheart. That doesn’t keep Eric from growing closer to him every day. Will has never believed in himself. But meeting Eric changes everything. Eric believes in his talent and is fast becoming Will’s best friend. Soon Will wishes he had been honest with Eric from the start. The secrets start to grow. To protect himself from Will’s hotness, Eric persuades his ex to pretend they’re still together. And Will is also hiding some big things, not only from Eric, but from himself. Will they be able to get through the lies to the love that awaits them? If you love college guys, friends to the rescue, and music and drama geeks, you’ll love this feel-good friends to lovers romance. Second Edition, no major changes

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

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

Summary: Niall’s never known anything but betrayal. All Mat wants is Niall’s heart. What will it take for him to coax Niall in from the cold? Mat's connection with Niall is tenuous; one step forward, two steps back. Since that night on the beach Niall's been avoiding Mat like a bad case of the flu--which, ironically, most of his deputies have come down with. What will it take for Niall to truly believe Mat wants him for who he is? Mat's overworked, Niall's unnerved, and then things really go sideways. Will a killer destroy everything before Niall realizes they are stronger together than apart? Long Shadow is a dual POV about a broody introvert and a somewhat patient Sheriff. Mat’s going to have to prove to Niall he's the man for him. The Hamarsson and Dempsey series follows the same couple as they find their way to their happily ever after.

Word Count: Click here to reveal57,500 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Genderfluid, Genderqueer (Click here to hide)

Summary: Several years ago, Will's best friend ran away with an alien to live happily ever after. They've kept in touch, but Will misses the man that might as well be his brother. So, he decides he's going to go visit. Who cares if visiting requires a trip to outer space? No big deal, right? Ticheck met Will for the first time while trying to find a friend who had gotten lost. Since then, they've seen him a couple times a year at most. Ticheck wasn't expecting him to be coming for a surprise visit, and they definitely weren't expecting to end up with him as a temporary roommate when cramped quarters on the ship force them to share. From strangers, to surprise roommates, to friends…and maybe something else? But do they dare to dream of a life together when they literally come from two different worlds? Roommates and Space Trees is a sweet asexual romance. It is book two in the Iska Universe series, but can be read as a stand-alone.

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Summary: Noah Rothenberg spent the perfect summer with his first love, the charming and seductive Spiro. He fell head over heels in love from what started as a clumsy crush. But that was twelve years ago. His relationships since have been spectacular failures because of how things ended with Spiro. If he has any hope of moving forward, he needs to find Spiro and get some closure … even if he has to fly halfway around the world to a tiny island in Greece to do it. Love isn’t an emotion Spiro Papadopoulos entirely trusts anymore. He’s far too pragmatic for that. His focus these days has to be on his art and caring for his ailing mother. Being with Noah again is easy and feels so right … but is it love? Spiro isn’t sure. Besides, with his entire life being tied to Greece and Noah’s to New York, love might just be a luxury neither of them can afford. Can Spiro and Noah overcome the oceans and years between them—or will their second chance at love end as badly as their first?

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Not all vampires are idly rich. Some of them have day jobs. Er, night jobs. In a world struggling to come to grips with the existence of vampires, where reactions range from excitement to fear to determined disbelief, these vampires are just trying to make ends meet. Some of them do mundane work—like waiting tables or driving a cab. Others have more prestigious careers in medicine and crime prevention. But what all their jobs have in common is people. Unpredictable, interesting, frustrating, hostile, helpless, tasty people. Whether they’re pouring drinks, answering phones, hacking into a computer system, or serving up the perfect food/wine pairing, these working stiffs are too busy to fall in love. Or are they? This International Workers Day, celebrate by sinking your teeth into thirteen awesome stories about vampires at work. Because even the undead have to earn a living. Proceeds benefit the WHO's Covid-19 Response Fund. Bad Blood by Lyra Evans Dr. Alek Matsouka and Dr. James Crawford have been at each other’s throats since the first night of their ER residency. And not in the way that gets Alek fed. He doesn’t know why Crawford is so hostile—whether he’s an anti-Vampire bigot or just hates that Alek is the better doctor—but Alek does like to provoke the arrogant prick. When their competitive antics get the better of them one night and a case takes a dangerous turn, both doctors will have to face the truth of their bad blood—or risk their careers. Fangs for the Memories by Sadie Jay Rollie Brown was 20 years old when he staked his vampire boyfriend. Now, fifteen years later, he’s discovered Alex is alive, bartending, and more forgiving than Rollie deserves. They might have a second chance at love—but first they have to rescue Rollie’s wayward ex. Fire and Ice Cold Skin by Mel Gough When a firefighter takes pity on a gorgeous young man who has been made homeless by a blaze, he has no idea who he’s invited into his home—and soon into his heart. How To Keep an Author (Alive) by AJ Sherwood The funny thing about living forever is that you still have bills to pay, which is why Justus is now working for JD Cooper. The man is a writing raconteur—known to craft a mean mystery—but he’s one step away from hoarder level. When Justus takes a job as his housekeeper, he expects eccentricity. But he gets so much more. Graveyard Cops by Crystel Greene Police officer Jesse Hendricks, twenty-one since 1900 and hating being a vampire, is secretly in love with his patrol partner Angelico “Lico” DiMarco. Chronically upbeat Lico doesn’t believe in anything supernatural, thankfully, but he keeps teasing Jesse for his vampire-like reserve, pallor, and beauty in the most annoying of ways. Then, one fateful night, Jesse is injured with a silver blade and needs to feed to survive. Lico steps up and saves him—body and soul. Life Hacks by Eliott Griffen Josh is a corporate big shot, living the life he thought he wanted. Vin is a vampire on the hunt, with zero self-confidence and a truckload of regrets. Living on opposite sides of the equation, they have nothing in common, until one day their lives collide in the worlds of ones and zeros. Long Haul by Tanya Chris When Vlad intervenes to stop a shakedown in progress, he doesn’t plan on keeping the young sex worker he saves, but Silver has an irresistible tenacity. He also has a little something extra in his blood—something that drives Vlad wild in both good and bad ways. Off the Menu by R.J. Sorrento Johnny Russo, a newbie-vampire and chef, refuses to feed from humans. His new job at a Chicago restaurant is going well until he’s forced to work with Nate Beaumont, a handsome but snobby sommelier with an intoxicating scent. The tension between them builds for weeks, and Johnny fights the urge to feed. Despite first impressions, they could be good together if Johnny can be himself. But feeding from Nate might make him feel less than human, and Johnny would be crushed if Nate sees him as a novelty instead of boyfriend material.

Word Count: Click here to reveal90,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: “When Rob lost control the first time, spread out on my bed and writhing in the throes of ecstasy, I knew I would do anything to see him again.” Rob Martyn A sexually confused Englishman with his marriage and career in the toilet, Rob is a disappointment to his snobbish family. One seductive test-drive later, and Rob is propelled into a world of glamour, drag queens and hot sex with wealthy New York businessman, Lexington Black. Lexington Black I guess I should file seducing Rob under another of ‘Lexington’s Bad Ideas.’ Cynics say love doesn’t hit like a lightning bolt, but they’re wrong. The only problem is, I’ve lied through my teeth to get Rob into bed. I’m not talking about a white lie, but one the size of the Empire State Building.  When he finds out, we’ll both be in heartbreak city. Alone. Drag queens, a Bridezilla and an English wedding gone wrong provide a backdrop to this sexy romance.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Love comes along when you least expect it. That's what Duncan Taylor's sister, Scout, tells him. Scout has everything Duncan wants--a happy life with a wonderful husband. Now that Seattle has made gay marriage legal, Duncan knows he can have the same thing. But when he proposes to his boyfriend Tucker, he doesn't get the answer he hoped for. Tucker's refusal is another misstep in a long line of failed romances. Despairing, Duncan thinks of all the loving unions in his life--and how every one of them is straight. Maybe he could be happy, if not sexually compatible, with a woman. When zany, gay-man-loving Marilyn Samples waltzes into his life, he thinks he may have found his answer. Determined to settle, Duncan forgets his sister's wisdom about love and begins planning a wedding with Marilyn. But life throws Duncan a curveball. When he meets wedding planner Peter Dalrymple, unexpected sparks ignite. Neither man knows how long he can resist his powerful attraction to the other. For sure, there's a wedding in the future. But whose?

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 reveal55000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A rowdy superstar in danger. His resentful new guardian. It’s hate at first sight until love takes an unexpected encore.   Closeted actor Owen fears failure and betrayal. So after he’s stabbed by a crazy fan, the movie studio offers a hunky bodyguard for protection. Suspicious that the ripped security man is just a gossip-seeking plant, he pushes back at his bulging biceps, ignoring the chemistry.   Newly retired SEAL Jamal is having a hard time adjusting to civilian life. Reluctantly taking a Hollywood job for a bad boy with tight abs, he’s sure the star is simply paranoid. But when he discovers the sexy celebrity is in serious jeopardy, he doesn’t hesitate to jump into action mode.   As the peril hits closer to home, Owen finds himself falling for the handsome hero fighting for his life. And as the threats intensify, Jamal fears he might lose the man he has come to love.   Will Owen and Jamal go down in a catastrophic climax, or will they star in their own happy ending?   Hollywood Lighting is the red-hot first book in the Bodyguards M/M contemporary romance series. If you like tortured heroes, intense predicaments, and steamy affairs, then you’ll adore J. V. Speyer’s tale of LGBT passion.   Buy Hollywood Lighting to let desire take centerstage today!

Word Count: Click here to reveal42000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The last person Christian wants to run into on a visit home to spend time with his mom over the holidays is his former best friend-turned-lover-turned-ex. But there Riley is, in all his tall, chiseled, blondness. The same guy who walked out on him six years ago, breaking his heart in the process. Who knew he’s still in love with the jerk? Two years ago, Riley was injured out of the NHL, but he's got his own bakery now and a quiet life selling quiches and cupcakes to his customers. Then Christian unexpectedly walks back into his life, forcing Riley to question his choices. Especially that one choice he made six years ago that walked him out of Christian’s life. Now if only he had the courage to tell a boy how he really feels about him… [The Play of His Life was originally published in 2017. This updated version has a brand new cover, but very little changes to the content aside from fixes to grammar and typos, fixing a minor inconsistency, and the inclusion of the bonus epilogue that was originally available via my newsletter.]

Word Count: Click here to reveal32k (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The life of rock star, Dorian Gray and his lover, award winning film director Scott Newland, has been filled with highs and lows. Their love has transcended drug addiction and insecurities, but will it survive another’s revenge against Dorian?   This story shows the progression of these two men from friends to lovers and a backstage look at what a rock star faces onstage and off. As David would say, “My Name is Dorian Gray and I’m here For Your Entertainment.”  PLEASE NOTE: This story deals with drug and alcohol addiction. If these are triggers for you please skip this one!

Word Count: Click here to reveal51900 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary:

What happens when a confirmed hook up app user falls for a man who is his polar opposite?

Carter Walsh will be alone on Valentine’s Day, and his plans include a candy sampler of hook ups.

But after learning about the Cupid Crawl—a bar crawl covering a half dozen bars, gay and straight—he changes his plans.

During the crawl, he runs into:

An ex-co-worker nemesis who resurrects—loudly—an unfortunate nickname she bestowed upon him years before.

Several hot men eager for a quick hook up.

And one man absolutely not Carter’s type, but who manages to pique his interest and, possibly, steal his heart.

The Cupid Crawl is a funny, sweet, and steamy opposites attract, slight age gap story that takes place in the Williamsville Inn series world, and features characters from the Christmas stories Snowflakes and Song Lyrics by Hank Edwards and Snowstorms and Second Chances by Brigham Vaughn.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Best friends fall in love. What are they going to do about it? Cayo Suárez, who is gay, and Ben Roth, an admitted Oblivious Straight Guy, were roommates in law school, but two years after graduating, they have lost touch. After an accidental meeting, Cayo invites Ben to stay with him while Ben looks for his own apartment. There’s only one complication, but it’s a big one—Cayo has been in love with Ben since they met. What begins as a heartwarming reunion of old friends heats up quickly, and Ben starts to wonder if he’s as straight as he always thought he was. Cayo and Ben reconnect in a most unexpected way, but their jobs complicate things. Cayo works for low-income people at Legal Assistance, and Ben works for the man. When Ben and Cayo become involved in a controversial case, powerful people with a lot to lose seize control of the situation. They want to bend the case’s outcome to their own nefarious ends, and they’ll destroy anyone who tries to stand up to them. Will Cayo and Ben find a way to save Ben’s career, and their budding relationship, before it’s too late? What He Really Needs is an action-packed book full of warmth and humor, a first-time bisexual awakening, a healthy dose of suspense, steamy sexy times, and an extraordinarily happy ending.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Colby McBride is a hardworking cowboy trying to make ends meet laying tile in Colorado. A loner by choice, Colby finds his peace camping in the mountains outside Boulder. Gordon James is a sophisticated restaurateur who owns not one, but two successful establishments in downtown Boulder. He is devoted to his work and wealthy enough to get what he wants. The men are friends, but sparks fly when Colby falls in love and decides to show Gordon how much fun a cowboy can be. They’re just beginning to explore their relationship when a family tragedy leaves Gordon with custody of his five-year-old niece. Colby comes from a huge family and is eager to help with Olivia and to prove his worth to Gordon. But neither of them is ready for the tremendous changes to their already busy lives, or for how this new relationship with Olivia challenges them, complicating the way they interact with each other. They say opposites attract, but can these two different men work together to join their disparate lives and form a family? Please note: this book previously published as Heart of a Redneck by Jodi Payne and BA Tortuga.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: A mysterious bookstore, two lonely guys and pie... Keith is lonely and unsure. He doesn’t know what he wants or where he’s going in life until a storm forces him inside out of the rain. Sadler runs his family’s bookstore. He’s open to possibilities. Success. Magic. Love. A future. He only needs one more ingredient—maybe the sexy wet guy who just walked in? This is an insta-love, magical realism romp with a happy ever after ending. This story was part of the Between The Covers limited edition anthology.

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

Summary: Mike and Aidan have raised a daughter together and are looking to foster a second child. But fear and prejudice are even more dangerous enemies than the memory of Rick Hanlon, who molested Mike when he was a teenager. When Hanlon is paroled, Mike and Aidan must rely on their allies, or their love will not survive. Publisher’s Note: Mike and Aidan’s story begins in the White Oak/Black Mahogany Duet (Heartwood 1) and continues in Thorn (Heartwood 3)

Word Count: Click here to reveal14900 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Detective Andreas Ruffner is less than thrilled when his husband and partner, Detective Darren Corliss, announces they’ll be cat-sitting for a couple of weeks. He’s even less pleased when he realizes the cat in question is a large grumpy thing with razor-sharp claws and no regard for personal space. When Darren deploys the puppy dog eyes, though, Andreas is powerless to say no, so they’re on kitty detail… and despite his best efforts, Andreas is a sucker for the critter shedding all over his apartment and stealing his husband’s affection. It’s only for two weeks. Plenty of time for the cat to get on his nerves, but not nearly enough for her to trick him into falling in love with her. Right? This 15,000 word short story is Bad Behavior book 6, and is best read after Protective Behavior.

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

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

Summary: David Peterson had his whole life charted out for him by his parents. An athletic scholarship to a prestigious college in California and a future in major league baseball were almost certain. But his high school love affair with quarterback Kaden Morris almost changed his predetermined path. When Kaden eventually rejected him, David swore he would never return to Orlando. Fifteen years later and divorced with a child, David returns home to find a newly divorced Kaden seeking forgiveness. Old feelings resurface, but can the pain of the past be forgotten and a new future together forged?

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

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

Summary: Detective Mark Thibedeau is perfectly happy doing his job in Internal Affairs and going home to his cat. Still, when his assistant wants to set him up on a blind date, he can’t help but be intrigued. Dr. Ryan Campbell loves the frenetic pace of working in an emergency department. He likes his life and doesn’t need anyone. But that guy his colleague wants him to meet does sound pretty interesting. It’s instant chemistry when they meet—and instant chaos. That chaos isn’t just phone calls interrupting dates. When a patient comes into the ED rapidly bleeding out from a gunshot wound, Ryan suddenly finds himself in possession of evidence that could very well put two white cops in jail for killing an innocent black man in cold blood. Not sure what else to do, Ryan takes the evidence to the only cop he can trust—Mark. Now Mark is investigating a delicate case, and Ryan is a material witness, and putting their fledgling relationship on hold is the least of their problems. Dirty cops stalk Ryan and his colleagues. Higher-ups question Mark’s investigative integrity at every turn. Worse, he’s tugging at threads of a citywide systemic problem of cops getting away with racially motivated murder. And there are cops with blood on their hands who will gladly kill to keep that system running. CW: Racially motivated violence, white cop-on-black civilian violence

Word Count: Click here to reveal54000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: At last, the long-awaited sequel to The Troll Whisperer! ​Noah and Oscar have been married for five years, and now they’ve become parents to an adorable baby girl. Life seems just about perfect, but a sudden illness puts Noah’s sister Rebecca into a coma, which brings Noah’s mother and father back into his life. As they battle for control over the care of Rebecca, Noah must also defend his little family against his bigoted parents. Oscar and the Lozada clan have his back, but only Noah can truly stand up to his parents, once and for all—if he can find the courage to do it.