Contemporary Genre

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

Summary: Zech Larsson, once married, would sooner run headlong into a raging bushfire than into another relationship. Catching sight of their latest recruit, a young, Anglo-Indian guy with a head of long black curls and kissable lips, instant attraction warns Firefighter Zech that he is in trouble, more so as he’s straight. Exiled to Kolar Creek by his homophobic father when he was caught with another boy, Nathan Harris fears that life in this quiet country town makes it the last place on Earth that he wants to be until he gets an eyeful of Zech in his uniform. Suddenly things are picking up, and Nathan decides that the Rural Fire Brigade needs him and he needs Larsson. In Kolar Creek, the temperature is heating up, and when Nathan’s training is left in Zech’s hands, a clash is inevitable as the man struggles with his feelings. Faced with temptation, their attraction spirals out of control as other factors soon come into play. Neither of their lives will ever be the same again as those who would do them harm use violence as a means of separating them. Before long it’s not only the bush that is on fire. Zech realizes that having Nathan in his bed might be a whole lot better than sleeping in it alone.

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

Summary: At Books Beans and Buns, you can buy a book, a signature coffee, and a sweet roll. And maybe find true love. All decked out for the holidays, Brock and Eddy are celebrating at the store and inviting their Foggy Basin friends to join them. A small-town holiday short story.

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Summary: A small town rescue romance -- saving more than their hearts! Brock inherited a bookstore with a tiny café in the quaint but confining hamlet he grew up in. He never imagined coming home would bring brand new issues and maybe a man of his own to protect. Eddy is on the run. He may be a little paranoid with a side of anxiety and a tendency to be obsessive, but that doesn't mean someone isn't out to get him. Worse, it might be someone he knows. But he never thought he'd turn to a sexy, gruff and unlikely bookstore owner for help. Welcome to Foggy Basin. Just passing through? No problem. Here to stay, well, better find your place. Sit back, relax and get to know the townsfolk. They love hard and play even harder. Each book is a standalone but why not stay and get to know us and read them all.

Word Count: Click here to reveal60000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Standoffish Aiden is content keeping people at a distance and ensuring his boundaries are impenetrable. There’s safety in not opening up, but there’s also a loneliness he doesn’t realise exists until he meets Riley, a new member of the LGBTQIA+ adventure group Outback Boys. Fascinated by the new guy, Aiden is quick to discover his flirtation skills are rusty and his sweet-talking is cringeworthy. But sweet and clumsy Riley doesn’t seem to mind so much. Even though Riley doesn’t quite know how to handle Aiden’s intensity, he’s willing to step out of his comfort zone and see how their tentative friendship unravels. Between a surf lesson that resembles a kangaroo on acid and paddle boarding that is trickier than walking a tightrope, Aiden and Riley discover love may be a possibility after all. Happiness relies on honesty and openness, though. And with both men holding on tightly to past struggles, their future together is at risk. Can the two Aussies bounce back and heal themselves and each other, or are some wounds too raw to recover from? Outback Boys is a sweet and sexy M/M romance series complete with bruised butts, rope burn, and overworked muscles… all in the pursuit of adventure, of course!

Trigger Warning: Contains themes (discussions) of mental illness and suicide.

Word Count: Click here to reveal10,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Adrian King is the kind of man who keeps his world in perfect order — until one impulsive gift wrecks his routine and tempts him with something far messier: desire. Enter Kai Moreno. Beautiful, magnetic, and completely unpredictable. Hired for one night, Kai is everything Adrian has trained himself to resist. But when their chemistry burns hotter than expected, what begins as a paid encounter quickly spirals into something neither man saw coming. Adrian can’t afford distractions. Kai can’t afford to get attached. But some connections refuse to be ignored. If you love: ✅ MM romance with a high heat factor ✅ Opposites-attract: uptight professional vs. charming escort ✅ Slow-burn tension with explosive payoffs ✅ Power dynamics, emotional vulnerability, and mutual healing ✅ Secret pasts, steamy encounters, and unexpected love ...then Bound by Him will leave you breathless, blushing, and begging for more. Start reading now and discover what happens when control finally gives way to connection.

Word Count: Click here to reveal18,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Will Simpson figures he’s the epitome of boring. He works in a cubicle, goes to the beach for vacation every year, and even the ex who only wanted sex once a week left him. So when he gets an invitation to spend a weekend at a B&B in Maine with a bunch of his old frat buddies, Will figures why not do something totally out of his comfort zone. He knows he might see Mitch again, but with enough guys around, it wouldn’t have to be awkward. Mitch Archer thinks a weekend with his old buddies might be fun, too, but when he gets to Maine, he surprised to find Will is the only one who made it. He’s also surprised to discover that the house itself is more than just a fun place to vacation in small-town New England. He’s always wondered what he and Will could have had together, so he grabs at the chance to test things out between them. He’s ready to explore, and he’s bound and determined to show Will how adventurous he can be. The matchmaker got a little nudge from an old friend on this one, and with the aid of forced proximity and a little inside information, he has put together their ultimate fantasy.

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

Summary: Why must Fate insist on having the last word? Spoiled rich kid, Riko Walker, has spent the last summer roaming the New England coast, working hard to maintain the rudderless image his father believes. Riko doesn’t need his father or anybody else. Until a beating leaves him broken and alone in the middle of nowhere. Braxton Harper’s inner voice screams “don’t get involved!” when he finds a bloodied and beaten young man in a heap on the roadside. He’s gotten good at ignoring that voice, though, and loads the stranger into his truck, promising him a place to rest and heal. The Titanic-sized chip on Riko’s shoulder makes Braxton want to drop this ungrateful brat and be on his way. After all, no one handed Braxton anything in life. He’s worked hard for what he has. If Riko doesn’t want help, why bother? Fate has no patience for their stubbornness, throwing the two together time after time. How can sparks fly between two so different men? And can move they move past ugly beginnings to find their common ground? This story includes scenes involving homophobia and animal welfare that, while done in a caring and thoughtful manner, may be disturbing to some people. Reader discretion is advised.

Word Count: Click here to reveal48000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Danny Valentine is Division P’s East Coast/International ‘Fixer’ and general go-to guy. He’s had to come to terms with his bisexuality and his empathic abilities despite his military background. Peter Vithoulkas is Division P’s immensely gifted healer, possessing one of the rarest of Talents. All fire and discipline, Peter is bisexual too, but it doesn’t color his day-to-day reality until he spends some time under fire with Danny. Busy Danny and Peter fall into a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship that neither thinks much about. Jennifer Sebastiano is an artist from a conservative family background who works part time as a forensic police artist. She spends a lot of time in crime victim’s heads, seeing what they saw and helping them identify the criminals. It’s Jen who shows Danny and Peter what they’ve really got between them. Danny and Peter think that Jen should be between them as well, but Jen isn’t sure if she really fits there. As their three lives entwine, can Jen let go of societal and familial expectations? Can Danny and Peter convince Jen that there is a place for her in their unconventional relationship?

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

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

Summary: Quarter-Finalist in the BookLife Prize Contest "Overall: 9.50 out of 10 Expertly plotted and paced, this romance builds a central relationship that is sweet, sexy, and satisfying. The love story grows through various plot points and conflicts, taking the main characters -as well as a vibrant supporting cast - on an emotionally resonant and heartwarming journey. It's exactly what a good romance book should be. Merrill’s dialogue is authentic and exhibits variances of tone and cadence when spoken by different characters; it's distinct and clear. The love scenes are explicit and passionate with an undercurrent of emotion that sets them apart from others in the genre. This swoon-worthy romance between a Marine officer and a rock star charms with a sweet and sexy story that shows how love can heal two hearts touched by tragedy." —BookLife Prize "Over the course of this novel, Merrill writes about this burgeoning connection with smooth confidence...Merrill rests a good part of the story on a realistic appraisal of his characters’ fallibility: “People want to think they can handle anything that comes their way, but everyone has a breaking point,” Brains reflects at one point. It may seem like a standard unlikely-romance plot at first, but the author offers it to readers with considerable skill and style." —Kirkus Reviews "R.L. Merrill is the reigning queen of romance and rock and roll. Brains and Brawn delivers yet another heartfelt love story with relatable characters whose trials feel steeped in the real world. Like the first book in the series, Summer of Hush, this one gives you a VIP backstage pass to life on a mega-tour. You’ll come out feeling like a member of the band.A realistic and inviting love story in the rock-music world.A rock star with a secret is injured in a freak accident. A single-dad Navy corpsman comes to his aide. Neither expected romance to bloom, but now that it has, will their secrets end it before it begins?" —Award-Winning Author Kilby Blades Billy “Brains” Brennan has achieved rock stardom in not just one, but two chart-topping bands, but events from his past have him convinced he’s living on borrowed time. Brains and his brothers-in-Hush are ready to take the last cross-country Warped Tour by storm...until the actions of two drunk dudes with bad attitudes set off a chain of events that leave him incapacitated...and face-to-face with a handsome stranger who inexplicably feels like home—and not the home Brains fled at sixteen. Chief Petty Officer Paul McNally has spent his 25-year career as a Navy Corpsman responding to emergencies and caring for wounded soldiers. When fate has him in the right place to provide aid to a fallen rock star, it sends his life spiraling on a trajectory he never planned for. Instead of concentrating on his impending retirement and a second career, he’s now playing nursemaid to a fascinating younger man…and falling in love—a fact he can’t seem to figure out how to explain to his adult son. A health scare, band drama, and pain from both their pasts threaten to end Brains and Paul’s fledgling relationship. Fate brought them together. It will take trust, honesty, and hope to keep them together.

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

Summary: When humans forsake the temples, the gods need to find other employment. Hades opens Brandywine Investigations after his divorce and his subsequent move to the modern world. If he was hoping for boring infidelity cases and lost dogs, he’s sorely mistaken as murder and mayhem find his agency and his extended family at an astonishing rate. Includes: Canines, Crosshairs & Corpses: Brandywine Investigations #1 No Enemy But Time: Brandywine Investigations #2 Dragons, Diamonds & Discord: Brandywine Investigations #3

Word Count: Click here to reveal52663 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Past crimes, present danger With a new Police Scotland job, a new-ancient home, a loving pet, and a fresh outlook, Rory and Alex are almost ready for their marriage—as soon as bonnie Scotland can figure out how to do it. Working on the restoration of an old Jacobite tower house, they find evidence of a serious crime. But with no handy forensics lab on the wind-swept heathland, they don’t know whether it happened recently, or a hundred years ago. For his part, Alex’s new duties also mean a new identity, as he follows the trail of drugs and dirty cops. Former playboy Rory is anything but a detective. But with Alex tied up in his current job, he finds himself chasing down clues to a mystery lurking in Brash Tower itself.  Their independent investigations uncover some startling secrets—and a source of immediate peril—as Brash Tower becomes once again a fortress against brutal enemies. Will Rory and Alex ever tie that infernal knot—or will the high moor become once again a desolate reminder of what might have been?

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

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

Summary: In a near-future United States where slavery is alive and controlled by an organization known as the Circle, Avery Tulano is up for sale yet again—and it might very well be his last time on the auction block. As a young man, he signed his life away in a contract willingly, driven by the desire to escape his life. Now, eight years later, he's broken, battered, and sick from a life of unspeakable horrors. When the bidding starts as low as $200, it may as well be a death warrant. Enter Conrad Fisher, a corrupt ex-cop discharged from the force who runs a failing private detective business. His wife died chasing one final high and he's been in a state of isolated depression ever since. He's only at the auction to help his journalist daughter Christina get a scoop on the Circle. When he sees Avery up for bid at such a low price, however, it's an offer he can't refuse and before he knows it, he's walking out of the auction house as Avery's new owner. It's a mistake. Slavery is wrong. Conrad can't afford to keep him anyway, no matter what strange connection they find in each other. But even if a real relationship was possible, a life of drugs, alcohol, and bad decisions is rapidly catching up with both of them—if the Circle doesn't kill them first.

Word Count: Click here to reveal64031 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Between hatred and desire. Nico was brought up to hate Daniel. The feud between their families is centuries old. But now they are both part of the Terengian national ice hockey team. Working together is proving difficult. A medal at the Winter Olympics in Beijing seems increasingly out of reach. Frustration threatens to tear the team apart. Still Nico and Daniel grow closer every day. But Nico is keeping a secret. A secret that threatens his very existence. But with every second they spend together, Daniel comes closer to uncover it.

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

Summary: From the frying pan into the fire. After a critic’s review attacks both Chef Liam Walker’s culinary skills and his personal life, Liam can no longer take the heat of the cutthroat New York City restaurant scene. He needs to get out of the kitchen—at least long enough to cool down and regroup. At the Overlook Resort in North Carolina, Liam meets owner Carter Galloway. Carter has a passion for the hospitality business to rival Liam’s own, and it’s not hard to see where their shared interests—and attraction—could lead. But Carter has no interest in a fling, and Liam has no intention of walking away from the career he fought so hard for. If they want a taste of happiness together, they’ll have to find the courage to break the bonds threatening to pull them apart.

Word Count: Click here to reveal103000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sometimes a single moment defines a man For homicide detective Mac, it's been a good year. Having Tony to go home to makes him a better cop and a better person. For Tony, it's been hard being in love with a man he can't touch in public. Evasions and outright lying to friends and family take a little of the shine off his relationship with Mac, but Tony is determined to make it work. As the Minneapolis Police Department moves into a hot, humid summer, Mac is faced with a different challenge. A killer has murdered two blond women, and the police have no real clues. Mac hates to think that another murder may be the only way they'll make progress with the case. But when that murder happens, it hits close to home for Tony. And suddenly Mac faces an ultimatum: come out into the sunlight and stand beside Tony as his lover, or walk away and live without a piece of his heart.

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

Summary: Luke Bell Three years after leaving a life on the streets behind, Luke is in his first relationship with Sarah, a woman he met on his University course. When they unexpectedly break up, Luke has to deal with the fallout: cyber bullying and questions about his past. Struggling to deal with what the bullying brings up, Luke meets the teaching assistance on his course, and a close friendship develops. As they grow closer and emotions deepen, Luke questions the decision he made never to have a gay relationship. When Luke realises that he is in a relationship, he needs to decide to continue and face the shadows from his past or walk away and never look back? Krish Bashir Krish, an openly gay man, has been attracted to Luke since the first moment he saw him in the lecture hall. Knowing Luke isn’t gay, and in a relationship with a woman, Krish is surprised when Luke is suddenly single and the victim of a bullying campaign. As Krish supports him through this difficult period in his life, they gradually become closer. When’s Krish’s parents express their concern over their developing relationship, Krish has a decision to make. Does he stay with Luke or does he walk away?

Word Count: Click here to reveal118461 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Saul Reynolds manages a busy bicycle shop in downtown Boulder, Colorado. A recent CU graduate, he’s also a Dom, and has many friends his age in the scene. Saul’s an old soul, and even at twenty-five, he’s had enough experience to understand his own desires. He’s had plenty of lovers and he’s played the role of part-time Dom, but he’s never found the perfect combination of lover and sub in one man. Troy Finch lost his lover in a rodeo accident twenty years ago, moved to Boulder, and has worked as a line cook in his friend Carter’s diner ever since. He’s attended many parties at Carter’s home with couples in the BDSM lifestyle and feels comfortable in a submissive role, but without a Dom of his own, Troy hasn’t explored what that really means to him. He has needs he doesn’t entirely understand and finds his only outlet at the hands of Carter’s husband, Geoff, a tattoo artist who has used Troy’s skin as a canvas for as long as they’ve known each other, covering Troy in colorful, intricate triskelia. Troy doesn’t know what he was thinking accepting a dinner invitation from a kid half his age, but everything feels right about their evening together, including Saul’s Dominant side. The rules for a twenty-five year old gay cowboy from years ago, though, are totally different than for a twenty-five year old college grad in Boulder now, and despite Saul’s confidence, Troy isn’t sure whether they can make it work. Saul and Troy manage to bend a good many rules in the name of caring and compromise, but in the name of love, there are some rules they’re just going to have to break.

Word Count: Click here to reveal23,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Paul Xiao considered himself lucky. He'd lost his husband after a grueling battle with cancer, but they'd had twenty-two years together. After six months, he started to live his life again, the parts of it he'd lost touch with during that five-year battle, the parts he could carry on with alone. Then he went to a fine-art miniatures show and met the painter Kevin Park. Before he knew what he was doing, Paul had invited Kevin to join him and his friend Patrick for dinner. And Kevin, who'd been so strongly attracted to Paul that he'd held those two paintings, hoping he would come back around and they could talk, said he would. Three months of cautious dates later, Paul asked Kevin for help with his home yoga practice. It was logical; that was Kevin's profession. But he was hoping that opening the door to his home would mean opening other doors too. After a lifetime of compromised relationships, Kevin was almost afraid to hope. There was just so much between them that was right. If they could find the right balance and breathe into this, maybe they'd both find space in their lives for love.

Word Count: Click here to reveal128000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Cary “Sol” Solomon isn’t just in a slump—he’s a mess. His stats have plummeted. Fans hate him. After he caps off two awful seasons with a catastrophic playoff flop, his team is done with him. Worse, thanks to his downward spiral, the addiction that’s nearly cost him his career before is rearing its ugly head. As luck would have it, though, the Seattle Sasquatches are desperate for goalies. When they snatch up Sol off waivers, maybe he has a chance to turn things around… if he can stay sober and get back on his game. Except Sol isn’t the Sasquatches’ only new netminder. Once destined for the hall of fame, Josh O’Brien is a trainwreck thanks to an injury and a messy divorce. His illustrious career is a disaster, and now he’s an unrestricted free agent who nobody wants to sign. He’s on the brink of losing the only thing he has left: hockey. Then Seattle comes knocking with an offer he can’t refuse: a huge pay cut, but a shot at redemption. One that means being teammates with the ex whose name still raises Josh’s hackles all these years later. Now Josh and Sol are stuck on the same team, proximity dredging up emotions they’ve both kept buried for years. Which wouldn’t be so bad if the only things coming to the surface were anger and resentment. As they remember all the sparks and feelings that once drew them together, neither can decide which is worse—being together or apart. And that’s before Sol’s old demons start showing up. But they’re not just coming for him this time. Brick Walls is a 128,000 word contemporary gay hockey romance. Content Warning: On-page struggle with cocaine addiction. If you would like clarification or other additional information about this content warning, please feel free to email the author at gallagherwitt at gmail dot com.

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

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

Summary: What happens when you don’t know you’re missing something until he shows up on your farm?  Cole Contrary to what my brother thinks, I like my life the way it is. I enjoy my job, my animals, and having my family close. I’ve never felt the need to find someone before, so why he thinks I’m missing out and need love now, I don’t know. But, it’s when he recruits Johan to help at my family’s farm that I start to wonder if maybe my brother was right after all. As I learn more about Johan and we discover things we have in common, he quickly becomes the first person to ever make me want more. Johan When I escaped to England, hoping to forget about my cheating ex, I gave myself one rule: no dating. With my time in the charming town of Larchdown Valley limited, starting something with someone would be silly. I manage to stick to my self-imposed exile… right up until I lay eyes on Cole. All is not lost, however, as the gorgeous, smart-as-hell vet doesn’t seem to have any interest in me—or anyone else, either. I realise my mistake when we work together to nurse a dog back to health—I’ve fallen for him. But, with my return to Sweden imminent, it’s too late… isn’t it? Bridging the Gap is a sweet but steamy MM Romance featuring a swoony viking nursing a broken heart and a super smart vet who doesn't need anyone, until he finds can't ignore Johan. It is the second book in the Larchdown Valley Series set in a British village all with no 3rd act breakup and a guaranteed HEA. It can be enjoyed as a standalone