Books Edited By Sue Laybourn

Word Count: Click here to reveal63000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Does Fate Grant Wishes? Ryan O’Shaughnessy, owner of the Top o’ the Morning Coffeehouse, is convinced of it. Besides brewing the best coffee in Rothcote and baking delicious pastries and cakes, he helps Fate with her errands, never minding that it’s always someone else’s turn to catch a bit of happiness. Not until he meets a man who takes his breath away. Detective Sergeant Ben Hobart has made a career of helping others. He never asks help for himself. Not even when a bad breakup leaves him with only his cat for company. Until he sets foot into Ryan’s coffeehouse to investigate a break-in and finds what’s missing from his life. Fate may grant wishes, but she doesn’t hand them out for free. Can Ben let go of the past? And will Ryan find the courage to make a wish of his own? A sweet, sexy mm coffeeshop romance with a touch of magic and a cat.

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

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

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

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

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

Summary: Berlin 1933: When the parties stop...the dying begins SHORT LISTED FOR 2023 MYSTERY LAMMY AWARD The city that’s been a beacon of liberation during the 1920s is about to become a city of deadly oppression. BBC foreign correspondent Simon Sampson risks his life in a bid to save thousands of gay men from the growing Nazi threat. This is the second in the Simon Sampson mystery series. The first, A Death in Bloomsbury, was hailed as ‘a good old-fashioned John Buchan-esque mystery reworked for the twenty-first century’. Simon moves to Berlin where he meets British author Christopher Isherwood and his lover Heinz. He’s also reunited with his banter-partner Florence Miles, better known to her friends as Bill. She’s recruited him into the British intelligence services and he’s got the task of hunting down communist spies. But when Simon is ordered to spy on an old college friend, his loyalties are brought into question. Who are his real enemies? And how much can he trust his masters?

Word Count: Click here to reveal311000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Everyone has secrets… but some are fatal. 1932, London. Late one December night Simon Sampson stumbles across the body of a woman in an alleyway. Her death is linked to a plot by right-wing extremists to assassinate the King on Christmas Day. Simon resolves to do his patriotic duty and unmask the traitors. But Simon Sampson lives a double life. Not only is he a highly respected BBC radio announcer, but he’s also a man who loves men, and as such must live a secret life. His investigation risks revealing his other life and with that imprisonment under Britain’s draconian homophobic laws of the time. He faces a stark choice: his loyalty to the King or his freedom. This is the first in a new series from award-winning author David C. Dawson. A richly atmospheric novel set in the shadowy world of 1930s London, where secrets are commonplace, and no one is quite who they seem.

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Summary: For Jack and Gareth, family is everything. But justice comes a close second. A death from natural causes that might just be murder. A dance coach with wandering hands. Holiday jobs, birthday party plans, and a request for help that calls Jack to Tokyo. Between family, work, and their freelance jobs Jack and Gareth’s summer leaves little room for private time. At least their personal issues are solved. Or so they think until a threat to their family tests all their certainties once more. For fans of found family, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and stories where justice is never simple, A Simple Mistake delivers a powerful exploration of resilience, loyalty, and the choices that shape us. Will Jack and Gareth’s family emerge stronger, or will the fractures of the past finally tear them apart? Discover the answer in A Simple Mistake.

Word Count: Click here to reveal82000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: After an amicable divorce, Euan Holmes follows his retired parents to live on the Isle of Lewis. His daughter, eight-year old Billie, unhappy in London, comes to join him in the new house he has designed. An architect, specialising in eco-homes, Euan has set up his own company to create homes on small developments across the Highlands and islands. When Billie arrives, the first thing she needs is a school. Murdo MacIntyre has lived on Lewis all his life. He’s gay, but has never had a relationship—his sister, then his niece, and his work, have always come first. He’s taught at the local primary school for eighteen years—his whole teaching career and has spent eight years as headteacher. He is also guardian to his eight-year-old niece, Fion. Fion and Billie hit it off immediately, and become fast friends. One night, Murdo and Euan overhear the girls discussing how lonely the two men are, and that perhaps they could be boyfriends. Murdo, embarrassed, apologises, although he might wish for the same, and Euan finds he can’t stop thinking about the idea. Are the girls right, after all?

Word Count: Click here to reveal8300 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: England, 1910 It's Valentine's Day and Gareth, footman at the local manor, is determined to make his true feelings known for his companion, Robbie. Robbie has big dreams for his future and Gareth is hoping he can be a part of them. Armed with a box of chocolates, a solicitor's letter of good news, and hopeful determination, Gareth goes to meet Robbie for lunch. But will Robbie be as eager as Gareth to make their situation permanent? Or will the pressure of having to keep their love a secret be too much for their dreams to handle? 'All Tall Flowers' is a sweet, historical romance short with a happy and hopeful ending. It is a short story of about 8300 words or approx. 25 pages in print.

Word Count: Click here to reveal48,000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: One night. One baby. One safe place that changes everything. Corporal Morgan Armitage arrives at Guardian Hall in the middle of the night with nothing left but his daughter in his arms. Living on the streets, he's a veteran carrying grief, trauma, and now a newborn; he’s terrified of failing. Guardian Hall gives him space to breathe, to heal, and to learn how to be a father when every instinct tells him he’s one mistake away from losing everything. What Morgan doesn’t expect is to be seen—not as broken, not as a problem—but as a man who is already enough. Cole Braxton has money, power, and a life built on control. A millionaire investor who quietly funds Guardian Hall, he believes he can fix problems with resources and distance. Then Morgan and his baby walk into his world and refuse to stay at arm’s length. Drawn to the quiet strength of a single father fighting for his child, Cole finds himself wanting something money can’t buy: a family that chooses him back. Always Enough is an emotional romance about survival, healing, and building something real. Set within the walls of Guardian Hall, it’s a story of a wounded single dad, a soft-spoken millionaire who learns how to stay, found family, gentle caregiving, and a love that proves safety isn’t a weakness—and sometimes, being enough is everything.

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

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

Summary: A tale set in Stuart England, where the king’s life depends on his most loyal of subjects. Anthony Redbourn, Earl of Crofton, delights in his reputation as a charming rogue. Life is never quiet at the court of King James I, especially with his good friend and secret lover, Sebastian Hewel, by his side. As an actor with the celebrated King’s Men, Sebastian has his own admirers, but neither man has eyes for anyone else. When a plot against His Majesty is uncovered it threatens Anthony and Sebastian’s charmed lives, and they are dragged into the political intrigue and the race to save the king from danger. Fear that a traitor is linked to the King's Men leaves Sebastian and Anthony with no choice but to stage a very public dissolution of their friendship, so Anthony can be free to be the patron of a new rising actor, and Sebastian can be the prodigy of another noble. It is a dangerous game they are playing to expose the plotters and still find a way to meet in secret, as Anthony is adamant that they will not sacrifice the love they have fought so hard to win. They will do whatever it takes to protect the king’s life, and their commitment to each other.

Word Count: Click here to reveal90000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Politics taught him restraint. Love taught him who he would destroy. Lornyc Reagalos is judged a naïve young High Lord of Katraman: too young, too soft, too inexperienced to wield the power of his bloodline. His marriage to Methian is dismissed as nothing more than political convenience, a cold alliance meant to stabilise borders rather than ignite devotion. His rivals believe him harmless. They are catastrophically wrong. When Methian is kidnapped and vanishes without a trace, Lornyc’s composure shatters. Panic claws through him, his magic spirals out of control, and every restraint he has ever learned begins to fracture. There is no limit to what he will do to bring Methian home, and no mercy left for those who stand in his way. Taken beyond his world, Methian learns the truth. The Valen believe he is a dimensional aberration, the son of one of their own, stolen into the wrong reality. Stripped of everything familiar, Methian clings to a single, unyielding certainty. He will return to Lornyc. But bloodlines hide more than ancestry. Beneath the mage city of Beher, Lornyc uncovers an ancient magical barrier that has shackled the Reagalos for centuries. The revelation gives him the power to tear worlds open and reclaim Methian, but at a terrible cost. Can Lornyc control his fury, or will he unleash destruction so complete it could rip both himself and reality apart? Avarice  Reagalos Book Three is a high-stakes gay romantasy of buried secrets, volatile magic, and a love forged through separation. Where devotion becomes defiance, rescue becomes rebellion, and choosing each other may be the most dangerous act of all.

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

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

Summary: Karl Vinter joins the staff at Crofton Hall as the new under butler. He's too busy to bother with relationships, but he's more than happy to explore a friends with benefits arrangement with gardener, Val Blake. He couldn't imagine a more perfect way to settle into is his new life at Crofton Hall. Pity pesky things like feelings start to get in the way. Meanwhile, Ben Redbourn, 16th Earl of Crofton, is trying to find the perfect way to propose to Ashley, his boyfriend. He's going to need all the help he can get, especially after at least one misstep and that he's never given Ashley any indication he wants to get married. This is the third Modern Crofton novel, featuring Benjamin Redbourn, the 16th Earl of Crofton and descendant of Anthony Redbourn, 1st Earl of Crofton from my historical series, The Crofton Chronicles.

Word Count: Click here to reveal71500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When an angel and a demon fall for the same mortal man there is only one solution…share him. Halloween night at the Inferno club always draws a crowd. When Tristan spots a stunningly gorgeous man dressed as a demon across the dance floor he sets out to draw his attention, little realising he has already gained the notice of another. The demon disappears into the throng of revellers, but with the heavenly handsome Machidiel in his arms, Tristan doesn't mind. Even though Mac warns him they can never have more than a one-night stand, Tristan longs to see the man who gave him the best sexual experience of his life again. One year later, Tristan opens his door to find Alastor, the demon from the Inferno, who claims they have a date tonight. Alastor may be the one man who can make Tristan forget Mac. Little does he realise Mac isn't as far from his reach as he believes. When Mac reappears he has a proposition for Tristan and Alastor, one that means breaking rules and potentially getting him stripped of his wings. A ménage formed between an angel, a demon, and a human means the sex is hotter than hell itself, but only time will tell if the relationship they have forged together is made in Heaven or Hell.

Word Count: Click here to reveal64500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The bull shifter, Ryan, and his human mate, Caleb, have made a good life together. Alongside Caleb’s mother, Mandy, they run an animal rehabilitation center on their ranch. Ryan has become the honorary uncle to two young bull shifters, and Caleb is proud at how well his mate has acclimated to the human world. For Ryan, he’s found the family and the peace he’s long craved, and he’s determined to keep it by whatever means necessary. But their quiet lives are disrupted when Caleb’s aunt—Chief Hera of the US Agency—visits. And she brings a dire warning: the Knights of the Dawn want Ryan’s blood. After losing someone precious to them during a skirmish with the knights, Caleb spirals into grief, and Ryan must work through his guilt and sorrow to care for his mate. A task made easier when Hera stays with her nephews, sharing their heartache. After they retreat to Haven, Montana, they begin the long process of healing. Unfortunately, Haven is in a state of unrest, and they are sucked into shifter politics that threaten the safety of the community as a whole. Meanwhile, the knights still need Ryan’s blood, and he can’t hide forever. Note to readers: Caleb and Ryan first show up in Love is a Whirlwind. While many of these books can be read alone, for full enjoyment please read previous books in the series, as this one does have many cameos and character resolutions.

Word Count: Click here to reveal82000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Newly married, David and Linc now have to get on with the rest of their lives. Like other couples, they face the everyday of living with someone else and making decisions together. Ordinary life can be stressful when you’re busy, and even more so when you decide to move and combine two households and a workplace into one. Luckily, many helpers make light work if you are organised enough. David and Linc make the huge decision to start the journey to having a child of their own. Unlike others, for them this means scrutiny of their pasts and their present, and who knows what such investigations will reveal.. Getting away is often a good idea after the stress of moving house, and before they begin adoption process, taking a honeymoon trip to America, something Linc's mother dreamed of doing, seems the ideal opportunity to get some time alone together. But if one person is keeping secrets from the other, even the simplest plan can go wrong. Join Linc and David once more for the third and final part of their story. Will their plans reach fruition, or will the perils and challenges of everyday life leave all their hopes and dreams in jeopardy?

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Summary: Your duty demands you save two worlds. Your heart wants to protect your soulmate. Rakurai, a centuries-old Yuvine, hunts demons. He doesn’t consort with gods. Until he meets Tenzen. Tenzen, a death god, cares for souls. He despises the callous, self-absorbed Yuvine. Until he meets Rakurai. A rescue and a sacrifice make a death god and a hunter fall in love, but a life of bliss is a long way off. Someone is disturbing the balance of magic and threatening two worlds. And while desire draws Rakurai and Tenzen together, duty, assassins, and clan politics keep them apart. When they're forced to make a choice, who will Tenzen and Rakurai save? Two worlds or each other? *** An opposites attract m/m paranormal romance featuring mortals and immortals from both sides of the veil, old promises, new revelations, and a bloody fight between love and duty.

Word Count: Click here to reveal57,671 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When hockey wunderkind Tennant Rowe meets his new coach, he knows he’s in trouble. Jared Madsen is nine years older than Tennant, impossibly attractive, and — worst of all — his brother’s off-limits best friend. Is their chemistry worth the risk? ***** Can Tennant show Jared that age is just a number, and that love is all that matters? The Rowe Brothers are famous hockey hotshots, but as the youngest of the trio, Tennant has always had to play against his brothers’ reputations. To get out of their shadows, and against their advice, he accepts a trade to the Harrisburg Railers, where he runs into Jared Madsen. Mads is an old family friend and his brother’s one-time teammate. Mads is Tennant’s new coach. And Mads is the sexiest thing he’s ever laid eyes on. Jared Madsen’s hockey career was cut short by a fault in his heart, but coaching keeps him close to the game. When Ten is traded to the team, his carefully organized world is thrown into chaos. Nine years his junior and his best friend’s brother, he knows Ten is strictly off-limits, but as soon as he sees Ten’s moves, on and off the ice, he knows that his heart could get him into trouble again.

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

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

Summary: Anyone who had thought Lord Byron mad, bad and dangerous to know, obviously hadn’t met Charles Redbourn, 8th Earl of Crofton. Charles Redbourn cares little for anyone’s opinion, life is there to be lived and the London Ton provides a host of pleasures. He is used to getting his own way and, after another clash with the impertinent Captain Timothy Thorne, Charles is determined to put the uniformed upstart in his place. Both are stubborn and passionate men, and someone is going to win this battle of wits—to the winner the spoils. But when enemies turn into lovers, they face an uncertain future. Charles has to decide which is more important, Timothy or being the Earl of Crofton.   “My constitution is no concern of yours, Crofton. I fear you would not survive at my hand. A soft bellied gentleman such as yourself could not hope to slake my needs.” Charles snorted. “Bless your naivety, Captain. Give a man a sword and shiny buttons and he thinks he is a dashing hero, but maybe he is the heroine who is in need of a firm hand.”  

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

Summary: Merry Christmas from the Earl of Crofton. Come and read about the festive goings-on at Crofton Hall in this collection featuring characters from the Modern Crofton and historical series. Stories are from Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future. Christmas Past A Gift for the Man Who Has Everything: Anthony and Sebastian Twenty Buttons: James and Adam Merry Gentlemen: Charles and Timothy Christmas Present Ben and the Mistletoe: Ben and Ashley Chris and the Kittens: Chris and Jack Christmas Telly Sucks: Dara and Nathan Ashley’s Twelve Days of Christmas: Ben and Ashley Christmas Future The First Christmas in the Cottage: Karl and Val New Year’s Eve at Fairbanks: Simon and Robin The First (and last) to Make it Home: David and Kieran

Word Count: Click here to reveal34000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Organising a charity auction is no easy matter. Add a stolen masterpiece and events are set to go off the rails. Damien Walsh knows what he wants: gain his degrees in art and criminology and join White Knight Security. He also wants Drake Norton, the handsome insurance investigator he’d met when Gloss burned, but that goal is a pipe dream – and Damien has better things to do than pine for a man who never looked twice at him. Until a stolen painting and meddling friends force Damien and Drake into a partnership, Drake turns out far from disinterested, and Damien suddenly dares to hope. Can Damien convince Drake that they’re a perfect match and age is just a number? Or is he destined to watch Drake leave when they’ve solved their case? An age gap romance with art theft and meddling friends set in the White Knight Security world.

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

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

Summary: A love worth hiding. A choice worth everything. Lornyc and Methian can barely make it through a university lecture without arguing. Sharp words, clashing egos, and mutual irritation define their student rivalry. But irritation has a way of curving sideways. After one explosive argument, the dislike turns into passion, and then into something far more meaningful. Their future roles in leading their own cities mean they have to keep their burgeoning relationship secret. They survive with stolen moments, quiet rooms, and promises never spoken aloud. For a while, secrecy is enough. The secret doesn’t last. When Methian’s father discovers the relationship, the response is immediate: Methian is sent away, and the choice is made for them. Months pass in silence and distance, heavy with everything left unsaid. Duty stretches ahead of them both, demanding obedience, sacrifice, and futures that no longer seem to include each other. When they finally unite, they know they can never lose each other again. Their love must remain hidden, but it is no longer fragile. It is steadfast, chosen, and quietly defiant, no matter what the future demands. College Days, the Reagalos series prequel, is a gay romantasy of rivalry, inherited expectation, and a forbidden love that refuses to stay broken.