Books Edited By Sue Laybourn

Word Count: Click here to reveal95000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When Orion joins an established coven of powerful mages he is unsure how he will fit into the group. The four elemental mages have had centuries to build both their powers and their relationships while Orion is little more than a stranger. As a light mage, Orion has the power to heal, but as he comes to know the other members of the coven, he learns that not all wounds are visible, and healing tortured souls and broken hearts isn’t as easy as fixing broken bones. Orion must bring them all together before they tear themselves apart. Only when the coven is strong will they be able to welcome the dark mage who will complete the circle and give them the power to defeat a mage who has waited centuries to exact revenge on the former members of his coven. READER ADVISORY: This story is a ménage and more story with emphasis on the more.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: One firefighter. One hockey player. One slow burn that had nothing to do with the fire. Russell “Chip” Cornish has always been the heart of the Rochester Copperheads—he reads the ice in angles and probabilities, and the rest of the world the same way. He keeps his routines, maps every room in steps and distances, and lets his assistance dog Sable do the emotional heavy lifting when the world gets too loud. Then a fire changes everything, and the firefighter who pulls them both from danger turns out to be the one thing Chip can't calculate his way out of. Pulling a stranger and his dog from a fire was just the job. Dane Rourke hadn't counted on the stranger being quite so impossible to forget—or on breaking every rule he'd signed up for about getting involved. After a second encounter crackles with something neither of them planned for, they start finding reasons to be in the same room—and then the same apartment. Slow and steady, careful and quiet, keeping it hidden from Dane's station captain while a homophobic colleague watches for cracks. As the Copperheads chase the Cup and Chip and Dane navigate trust and the terrifying leap from careful to committed, they're learning that showing up—every time, even when it's hard—is everything. Spectrum & Smoke is a steamy, slow-burn MM hockey romance featuring neurodivergent rep, an assistance dog who steals scenes, opposites attract, a hero learning to let someone in, and a love story that goes all the way to Game Seven.

Word Count: Click here to reveal67000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In 1594 the Dark Earldom of Crofton was created by one of the most powerful vampire sires to have walked the Earth. Now Ben Redbourn needs to take his seat at the Vampire Council as the 3rd Dark Earl of Crofton, whether he likes it or not. Under investigation, Ben has to contend with Senior Warlock Ashley Niven invading his home. But there is more hidden at Crofton Hall than Ashley could have imagined with Ben having a demon valet, an elf secretary, and a werewolf in the archive. Tempers are raised and sparks fly in all the wrong ways until a spell misfires and the tension shifts in a different, passionate, direction which has Ben and Ashley fighting to ignore their instincts. Subterfuge is the first in a paranormal gay romance series. Come and experience a darker side of Crofton Hall.

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

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

Summary: It wasn't just a role this time... Xavier Duran is ready for the breakthrough film role of his career, and he thinks he's found it. Not only does this new job take Xavier to the beautiful countryside of Spain, it also takes him right into the arms of his silver screen crush, Hollywood hunk, Dennis Herbert. Dennis may be gorgeous but everyone knows he's straight. Or is he? Lines blur and soon Xavier can't tell if Dennis is just playing his lover or if he wants to take on the role off-screen as well. And what about Dennis' beautiful model girlfriend? Xavier has been burned before, and he isn't sure he wants to be the secret lover again. He's certainly not ready to risk his feelings on something deeper. But passion presides and soon Xavier and Dennis are tangled in a web of fraught emotions and uncertain advances. Is this only a fling? Or is this the beginning of a real romance? One thing's for certain, it's going to be a scorcher of a summer.

Word Count: Click here to reveal65000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Elizabethan actor Sebastian Hewel is about to embark on the role of a lifetime. When his twin sister, Bronwyn, reneges on the arrangement to marry Anthony Redbourn, Earl of Crofton, Sebastian reluctantly takes her place. At nineteen, Sebastian knows he is getting too old for the female leads, and the male ones are hard to come by. He might feel like he’s in one of Master Shakespeare’s plays, but with his performance as Lady Crofton, he hopes to pay off his late father’s debts. Never mind the danger of losing his head should he be discovered. Sebastian didn’t expect Anthony to be so attractive and alluring—not to mention shrewd. Anthony sees through the ruse, but not being the type of man to care if his lovers wear a gown or a doublet, he is charmed by Sebastian, and offers a mutually beneficial alternative. Fool Anthony’s fellow nobles and court in an extravagant wedding, then retire to Crofton Hall to play Anthony’s beloved wife for a year or two, after which the young, but sickly, Lady Crofton will succumb to a fever, and Sebastian can return to his normal life. Sebastian will need every drop of his acting talents to survive with both his head and his heart intact. Third edition – previous editions published by Dreamspinner Press

Word Count: Click here to reveal69000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sell the ranch or save it—either way, someone’s going to lose everything. Jesse Knox has given his heart and soul to Snow Creek Ranch. It’s not just dirt and cattle—it’s family, legacy, and the only place he’s ever belonged. So when Lucas Barrett arrives with city clothes, sharp eyes, and a plan to sell everything Jesse loves, there’s no compromise to be had. Just a line drawn in the dirt—and a promise that Jesse won’t back down, no matter what it costs. He only owns a quarter of the ranch, but it’s enough to stop anyone from tearing it out from under him, and he’ll fight to the last breath to keep it. When Lucas needed him most, his grandfather turned him away without a second thought. Now that same man has left him a majority share in a remote ranch he’s never seen. If Lucas lasts six months, he can sell and walk away with millions that will fund beds, safety, and second chances for kids with nowhere else to turn, just like he’d once been. Only, nothing about Snow Creek fits neatly into a spreadsheet, and the more time he spends battling Jesse, the more cracks appear in Lucas’s control. Because this ranch isn’t empty land. Secrets are revealed that change everything. And Jesse Knox is anything but a problem to be solved. Six months. One ranch. Two men with everything to lose—and no way to walk away unchanged. The City Boy and the Rancher is a 69,000-word MM Romance. With hate-to-love, opposites-attract, forced proximity romance, found family, secrets, lies, passion, high-stakes legacy, and a battle between saving Snow Creek ranch and selling it. It is book 1 in the shared world of Snow Creek Ranch. Each book can be read as a standalone, so be sure to check out the entire series!

Word Count: Click here to reveal99000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: Dive into this collected edition of the first three volumes of The Darkly Enchanted Romance series. Sweet and sultry historical romances with just the right amount of spookiness! ~ THE HARVEST MOON In the shadows of late autumn, Malcolm comes across a quaint village tucked away in the forest. It seems the perfect spot for a weary traveller to lay his head, and maybe find a little company. But there is dark magic afoot, and lots of local gossip swirls around the seductive titian-haired weaver, Daniel. All Malcolm sought was a night's pleasure. He never suspected he would have to worry about losing his life. Or his heart. THE GHOST OF HILLCOMB HALL On a stormy night, landscape designer Jonas arrives at the cheerless and fog enswathed Hillcomb Hall. He finds an odd trio of ladies in residence and an eerie portrait of the hauntingly attractive portrait of a stately ancestor, which constantly seems to watch his every move. His nights are filled with weird dreams and otherworldly visitations. Is the manor house truly haunted? Or is it all just a trick of the mind, a sinister game being played by the inhabitants of Hillcomb Hall? MANCHESTER LAKE Monty, along with his best friend Bishop, discovers a mystical selkie in Manchester Lake who transforms into a gorgeous man of his dreams. Together they adventure through a tastefully debauched house party, an Edwardian novelty called a “night club,” and a macabre Parisian cabaret. As their journey unfolds, they come face-to-face with ghoulish agents of the occult as well as startling discoveries - including Monty’s realization that he is falling for the beautiful creature from the lake. Can he really be in love so soon, or is there a past connection? And what does it all have to do with his past trip to Paris? Before their adventure ends long-hidden secrets will erupt in a storm of magic and passion!

Word Count: Click here to reveal27000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Callum Gething meets the alluring Dominic Fairweather at a card game during a night on the Ton, and agrees to take a strange pottery object to stand-in for his winnings. But a spell from thousands of years ago is going to change everything Dominic and Callum thought about themselves, and who they were in Ancient Egypt when their souls were first bound together. The Eternal Spell is the first in a shared world of The Pharaoh's Promise. An ancient spell designed to keep loved ones together in the afterlife is locked away, but when freed the spell casts its influence through the centuries weaving love along its path.

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

Character Identities: Information not available

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

Word Count: Click here to reveal47700 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: All Bailey wants for Christmas is the one man he can’t have—his brother’s best friend. Turning twenty-five and still a virgin, Bailey has barely dated, let alone acted on the private fantasies featuring his brother’s best friend, newly retired hockey star, Kai. All he wants is for Kai to love him, but after a summer when Kai’s anger drove them apart, love doesn’t seem possible at all. When Kai goes home to Wishing Tree, he knows he owes everyone an apology, not least of all to the man he loves. He’s convinced he can be the man Bailey deserves, and he needs to show Bailey how much he’s changed. The only problem? Bailey has secrets he’s scared will drive Kai away, and Kai is running out of time to convince Bailey that falling in love starts with a wish, and can end up in forever. The Wishing Tree is a standalone small-town Christmas MM romance with perfect snow, twinkling lights, a first real kiss, a shy virgin with a silken kink, a retired hockey player, and all the Christmas feels.

Word Count: Click here to reveal67,813 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Kazimir Lebedez is a shocking anomaly in Russian politics. He’s an honest man who can’t be bought. Because he has no secrets. Until an extramarital love affair results in an illegitimate son he decides to hide in plain sight. Raised in Estonia by his adopted grandmother, Misha Vergara has dreamed of dancing ballet since he was a toddler. He exhibits the natural grace and drive to succeed in the competitive world of classical dance. Natalya Baranova—Talia—is convinced that she and her bestie, Misha, are destined to be the preeminent ballet couple someday. They work diligently on their craft which ultimately leads them to the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. Henri Minas, a new arrival, has all the qualifications to become a principal dancer, with a face and personality that beguiles and confuses Misha. Torn between his best friend and Henri, Misha must come to terms with his growing feelings for another boy. In a region of the world where same-sex relationships are forbidden, will Misha follow his heart and choose love with Henri, or stay true to Talia and their shared dream of fame? To make matter’s worse, all of Kazimir’s carefully crafted lies are about to unravel, as the half brother Misha doesn't know sets his sights on Talia. Now a high-ranking member of the government, can Kaz protect his reputation, and more importantly, his precious love child, without losing it all?

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

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

Summary: Perry's mother told him he'd develop the superpower of flight, like his grandfather. She even named him Peregrine, so folks would call him "The Falcon." Spoiler— they don't. Because when he did come into his power, all he got was the ability to change colors. Not even himself, like some kind of Chameleon Man, but the color of objects. He can de-pukify the shade of his bedroom curtains, turn a bully's sweatshirt pink, or even turn a red traffic light green. (Not a good idea.) He hasn't told anyone except his disappointed mom about his power. What would they call him? The Interior Decorator? Back in high school, under stress, he did convince his power that transparent was just another color. Now that ability's sometimes fun in an illicit way. Then one morning, in the mailroom at work, he turns a cardboard box transparent and sees a bomb inside. And Perry's ordinary life explodes. Sergeant Deckard of the Nova City Bomb Squad never thought much about superheroes, or supervillains for that matter. He has plenty of work with ordinary humans and their explosives. Until he and his bomb-sniffing dog, Nix, get called to a possible-explosives situation in a highrise mailroom. The guy who reported the bomb is a nerdy twink in dark-framed glasses who pushes all of Deck's buttons. When he finds out the young man has a weird superpower and may be the target of a villain, every protective instinct comes into play. Deckard's goal is to keep his job, his dog, Nova City, and Perry intact. His libido can just sit down, shut up, and take a number. But as their attraction gets hotter and the villain closes in, their future might be blown apart before it even has a chance to start. Transparent Is a Color is a part of the multi-author Subpar Superheroes MM romance series. (Content warning for abduction, parental emotional abuse)

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

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

Summary: Money cannot buy happiness, something Robin Flint may have to learn the hard way. Long distance relationships are hard, even more so when one of the couple is a future viscount, billionaire, and potential prize for every gold digger on the East Coast. When Robin takes a temporary assignment in New York, leaving Simon, his boyfriend of nearly a year, back in the UK, they have to work to keep their relationship on track. Life gets even more complicated when Robin's ex, movie star Dorian Marsten, comes out as gay and Simon is targeted by one of Dorian's fans thinking Dorian and Robin were meant to be together. This is a companion story to the events in Coming Out at Crofton Hall from Robin and Simon's point of view. It is recommended to read this story after Coming Out at Crofton Hall, but it can also be read after Starting Again at Crofton Hall due to the overlapping story timelines.

Word Count: Click here to reveal67,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In the hottest summer on record, Iron Lake reservoir is emptying, revealing secrets that were intended to stay hidden beneath the water. The tragic story of a missing man is a media sensation, and abruptly the writer and the cop falling in love is just a postscript to horrors neither could have imagined. Best Selling Horror writer Chris Lassiter struggles for inspiration and he’s close to never writing again. His life has become an endless loop of nothing but empty pages, personal appearances, and a marketing machine that is systematically destroying his muse. In a desperate attempt to force Chris to complete unfinished manuscripts his agent buys a remote cabin. All Chris has to do is hide away and write, but he’s lost his muse, and not even he can make stories appear from thin air. Sawyer Wiseman left town for Chicago, chasing the excitement and potential of being a big city cop, rising the ranks, and making his mark. A case gone horribly wrong draws him back to Lancaster Falls. Working for the tiny police department in the town he’d been running from, digging into cold cases and police corruption, he spends his day's healing, and his nights hoping the nightmares of his last case leave him alone.

Word Count: Click here to reveal100000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Enjoy the first five White Knight stories in one single volume! Includes: A Knight to Remember, Grant, Rylan, Luca, and Fritz. *** One private security firm. Four friends. Five ways to family and love. They have a plan. They have their HQ. Now Grant, Rylan, Luca, and Fritz face a journey of courage and camaraderie as they build White Knight Security and discover love in unexpected places. Grant, who lives for action, finds himself in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a stalker. Rylan, the master of silent strength, confronts his own vulnerabilities when protecting nightclub owner Kris. Luca, a master communicator, struggles to connect with his intriguing client, Jax. And Fritz ends up rescuing a tough, opinionated cutie who’s too stubborn to give up. Whether it’s a break-in, a firebomb, a kidnapping, or a case of tampered brakes… the White Knights are ready to take it on.

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Summary: Every man has a limit. Jack is about to reach his. Jack Horwood should be content. His job keeps him busy and renovating his home keeps him entertained. So why does he feel as if something important is missing from his life and he’s just wasting time? Discontent sharpens his attention, and between losing one mentor and watching the other struggle with prejudice and racism, Jack doesn’t like what he sees. Walking away is not an option, but neither can he carry on as he has. It is Rio, whose conduct gives Jack an idea, and his ladder-climbing partner, Tom Gatting, who makes him realise what is important to him. After that, it’s just a question of making a choice. Because when he hits his limit, there’s only two directions Jack can go.   Zero Rising traces the origins of Jack Horwood, the main character of my Power of Zero series. Both series are available from my store, all retailers, Kobo Plus, and libraries. Also available as part of a bundle. Please check my store for additional links.