Contemporary Genre

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

Summary: Blackmail turned Lane Becker into a thief at the age of fourteen. After ten miserable years, he’s finally free. To make reparation for his crimes, Lane plans to steal back a priceless Metropolis poster and return it to its rightful owner. But to find it, he has to break into the home of Hayrick Letsen, the man who turned his life into a living nightmare. The last thing Lane expects to encounter is Letsen’s nosy but crazy-hot security guard. Quincy Holt’s life has been ruined. He’s infamous in Oklahoma as a cop on the take, but what no one knows is that he was unofficially undercover, trying to get the goods on Letsen — the most wanted fence in the business. When that failed, he was left with no other option but to take a job as Letsen’s security guard. Lane and Quincy are on the run from their mutual enemy while trying to right past wrongs. Neither expected a thief and a cop to have the kind of wild, off-the-charts chemistry that could very well end up breaking their hearts.

Word Count: Click here to reveal74900 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Smudge really needs to get laid, if only to stop himself wondering about the softness of Raleigh’s curls and why he keeps running away. After his tumultuous teenage years, Smudge has settled into his quiet life in the sleepy English village of Slopy Bottom. He’s his own boss with the time and space to indulge his artistic creativity. And he has friends. He’s happy. Satisfied. Lonely. And the pool of potential soulmates is almost non-existent. His friends, Rick and Mal, flush with their own happy romance, keep trying to set him up with the most incompatible men, and he's never finding true love on Grindr. Hell, he's not even going to manage a hook up based on the kinky messages he’s been getting recently. He'll just have to slake his desire to find his own HEA in the pages of bosom-heaving romance novels. Raleigh is the darling of Slopy Bottom’s blue rinse brigade: church organist, mobile librarian, and apparently wedded to his trademark cardigans. He seems to be the polar opposite of the artistic Smudge, whose brightly coloured mohawk and piercings should be a red flag to Raleigh. Yet he’s yearning for company too. It’s just that Raleigh has less expectation and definitely less courage to chase after it, for reasons that he keeps very close to his chest. Reasons that don’t stop him from being drawn irresistibly to Smudge. Smudge is sure that the way Raleigh runs from him whenever he sees him is cruelly deliberate. A reflection on his bad boy looks and his disdain for Raleigh’s precious church. So why can’t he stop thinking about the softness of Raleigh’s curls and his delicate body? Then Raleigh offers an olive branch of sugar and caffeine, Smudge’s favourite combination, starting them on a road to an awkward truce. And when they are conned into working together on a community project at the local hospital, the proximity ignites a spark that can’t be ignored. But navigating the murky waters that could take their relationship beyond tentative friendship all depends on whether Raleigh can release his secret fears – and whether Smudge is the man to share and allay them.

Word Count: Click here to reveal80000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: “You have something I want. Something I’ll happily buy…or rent.” As if my life doesn’t suck enough already, my insufferable new roommate, Miller MacAvoy, seems determined to make things weird. He watches me all the time, grinning at me like a beautiful idiot, eyes boring holes into me every time I turn my back on him. It’s the last thing I need. Things haven’t been going well. College isn’t working out at all like I’d hoped. I’m drowning in debt, waiting tables every shift I can get, and falling behind on my studies. Something’s got to give. I can’t go on like this much longer. Miller, being the out-of-touch rich boy he is, keeps offering to throw cash my way. Obviously, I’d rather die than accept charity from him. Still, he watches and waits. Insisting again and again that I have something he wants to buy. It’s insane. I have nothing of value to sell. Absolutely nothing. My phone screen is cracked and my truck could easily be mistaken for scrap. Wait. No! Surely not. He can’t possibly be thinking that. Can he?

Word Count: Click here to reveal95400 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Alan Baxter’s lost the bulk of his savings and is struggling to make ends meet as a deejay in suburban Detroit. When he takes a job as a repo agent, he is dismayed to discover his first assignment is a car belonging to his drug dealer ex-boyfriend, Jason. In the middle of a heavy downpour, Alan's plan to quietly drive away with the cherry-red Mustang is derailed by a flat tire, and when a cop stops to offer assistance, they discover a body in the trunk, and Alan finds himself the prime suspect. While trying to prove his innocence to the overworked and perpetually crabby Detective Treadwell, Alan and his best friends, Sabrina and Gus, find themselves caught up in a dangerous mystery involving a lethal new street drug sweeping through Detroit's club scene. When his apartment mysteriously goes up in flames, Alan, along with Sabrina and his traumatized cat, Baxter, are forced to move in with his overly supportive father, Everly. Between dodging bullets, tracking down Jason, dealing with his home insurance company, and trying to stay employed, Alan must track down the drug supplier before he and those he cares about end up as nothing more than case files on Detective Treadwell's desk.

Word Count: Click here to reveal88000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Bisexual, Gay, Genderfluid, Lesbian, Non Binary, Pansexual, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: As 2017 opened, the United States took several steps back in the progress toward equality. In response, a group of authors has stepped up to offer positive stories of hope and love. In an effort to help fight and support those groups who are facing even greater challenges, we wrote these stories to offer a small amount of aid. Stories of hope, resistance, and ultimately triumph fill the pages of this anthology. All proceeds of the anthology go to The Trevor Project and GLAAD to help fight the effects of the dark times we’re facing.

Word Count: Click here to reveal53800 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: How long can you wait on a promise? After his first night with Mal, Rick broke the habit of a lifetime and invited the sexy radiographer to spend the weekend in the sleepy English village he called home. Rick isn’t in denial but he’s afraid to reveal his sexuality in the close-knit community that has known him since he was a babe in arms. The sex is amazing but equally Mal loves lazy days spent in the garden at Slopy Bottom, and every precious moment he spends with Rick. For Mal the village quickly becomes an oasis of peace, far from the noise and grime of life in London, a slice of tranquillity with Rick at the heart. But Mal has defied his family and his religion to be true to himself, and there is no way can he join Rick in his self-built closet, no matter how comfortable it is... Rick is afraid revealing the true nature of his relationship with Mal will change the way his neighbours see him. He adores these people, this village, and he can’t face the thought of losing everything over who he chooses to sleep with. When the alternative is giving up a man who has slotted perfectly into his life—a man who he might just love—it’s no choice at all. But, knowing what has to be done isn’t always as easy as putting it into practice.

Word Count: Click here to reveal14384 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Resonance: The quality in a sound. The power to evoke enduring emotions. Sometimes one can result in the other. Rick Brandt would never have said he was claustrophobic; after all he’s been in plenty of enclosed spaces in his job as the village’s only handyman cum gardener. He even squeezed into a disused coal chute to rescue a trapped dog for an elderly resident. So why did opening his eyes in the MRI scanner induce a breath stealing freak-out that has him jabbing at the panic button. Luckily, Mal, the radiographer running his scan has a pleasant voice and an excellent bedside manner that soothes Rick’s frayed nerves and rabbity heartbeat. Soon the resonance of his tone has gone beyond calming and Rick is lost in a fantasy of the man behind the voice. But things aren’t always what they seem and when Rick’s shocked surprise at the reality causes offence, the likelihood of him getting to experience Mal’s true bedside manner appears to be slipping away.

Word Count: Click here to reveal51000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: You can never escape from yourself. When Darach McNaughton returns to his home town, the one thing he isn’t looking for is love. But when he meets the mysterious Brice Drummond, his investigative instinct isn’t the only thing aroused. After a gang beats Brice Drummond, leaves him for dead, and needing to use a wheelchair, he ends up in a witness protection program. His only company is a beautiful cat aptly named Princess. He creates beautiful pieces of art, but allows no one into his life—until a handsome policeman appears out of nowhere. On a snowy night, Darach McNaughton returns a crying cat to its owner and is immediately curious about the beautiful man with the tattoos. Bit by bit, Darach uncovers the shocking truth about Brice’s history. Can he get past what he discovers? Can Brice let someone into his life? Or will the past catch up with them both and tear their fledgling love apart?

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Summary:

Because loves deserves a second chance.

After being cast out by his family Nico leaves his home town and his one true love Ryan. A meeting of a fellow outcast leads him down a dark and ultimately dangerous road. Discarded and left for dead Nico is found by a man who helps him turn his life around, but even with success and fame Nico is lost without his love by his side.

The chance sighting of a Ten Year School Reunion on a social media site gives him the excuse to return home. He needs to apologize to the man he still loves, hoping he will accept it. Deep down he wants him back but imagines him married to a man who deserves him, not a coward that ran.

       ‘The ache for Ryan has been so strong and so real it has taken every ounce of strength I have to keep away, to let him lead his life without me. With me being a deadbeat, a loser and no good for anyone. Or so I’ve been told.’

Ryan retires from the army after the death of his mother, settling again in his home town and his new life as a cop. Still single, his heart has always belonged to the one man he wasn’t able to keep. As the reunion gets closer Ryan searches for his man’s name as the list of attendees grows…

It’s there…Nico Angeles. He’s coming, he’s coming home!

Will they be able to forget the past or has the last ten years apart been too long?

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Summary:

Can the past ever be forgiven?

The story continues

The reunion between Ryan and Nico was sweet as sugar and as hot as hell, but after ten years apart can they find true happiness?

When the one man Nico had wished to never see again suddenly appears, is it purely the coincidence it appears to be, or is there a reason he showed up at the exact moment Nico and Ryan found each other again?

I watch the man I love walk back through the doors of the restroom his ass is tight and firm and feels so damn good. How have I lived without Ryan for this long? He is such a good man, a strong assertive and confident man.

Ryan and Nico both discover living with each other is not easy. They know the love they share is real but they're not the same men they once were. The passion between the two men continues to rocket sky high but so does the tension, causing tempers to rise between them.

“I love you Nico, but I hate your past. Or more that I hate how your past has decided to control us.”

When secrets emerge and the past threatens the two men, can they pull together or will it too much for Ryan to cope with?

By the time the puzzle has been solved it may just be too late for one or even both of them.

it may just be too late for one or even both of them.

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

Summary: Information not available

Word Count: Click here to reveal81000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Someone has it out for Rialto.  Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. He’s newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true. The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant. But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy. Ian tries to handle things by himself, but his friends are soon drawn in when the attacks become violent. That’s when Ian realizes the target isn’t Rialto. It’s him. Rialto is the final installment in the Unbreakable Bonds series and features sexy times, Daciana snuggles, overprotective family, fire, and of course, code names.

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

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

Summary: Scarlett Lennon died in a skiing accident five years ago, leaving behind secrets she’d been keeping to protect herself, her inheritance and her fiancée, Ella. Single mom Ella Anderson works as a dispatcher for the mountain rescue squad in Summit Springs, CO. She is doing her best to make ends meet while she raises her five year old son on her own. She adores little Theo, and although she would never complain, she doesn’t have time for anyone else. Natalie Lennon is the youngest daughter of the Lennon family, who own Pines Peak ski resort and whose great wealth is well known in town and beyond. She has no career, no girlfriend, and no direction. What she does have is a lot of money. She’s grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth, not understanding at all what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck. The two meet by coincidence in the Emergency Room late one night. Ella remembers Scarlett's little sister, even though Natalie doesn’t recognize her in return. The chance meeting touches off something bigger than either woman is ready for. Not just an unexpected relationship, but a dive into the past that shines a light on Natalie’s big sister Scarlett’s secrets. Rich Girl is a millionairess and single mom, secret heir, opposites attract romance set in the fictional universe of Summit Springs Colorado.

Word Count: Click here to reveal73039 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Kace Hallard leaves Sacramento, bound for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, something he and his father had always planned to do together. When his father realizes he won’t be able to make the trip, he makes Kace promise to go on his own. He takes off, not sure he’s up to the challenge. When he has mechanical trouble a few hours away from home, he questions his choice even more. Striker Johnson is just out buying lunch for the guys at the shop when he notices the handsome stranger in the parking lot checking over his Harley and looking confused. He approaches him and offers his help. The next few hours fly by, and Kace asks Striker to join him. It’s the trip of a lifetime for them both, one man looking to ease his grief, the other riding toward emotions he has no hope of controlling. One way or another they’ll have to decide if they ride together or separately, when life throws them one more curve.

Word Count: Click here to reveal81000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The job is as simple as they ever are for members of the Collective: get in, fool the marks, and commit some devastating corporate espionage. For Miroslav Antanasijević—an expert at faking identities—it’s a high-stress gig, but one he’s used to. At least that’s how it starts. When it all goes wrong, Mirko barely escapes with his life… and only because a ride share driver comes to his rescue. Arlen Tate is just trying to finish his doctorate, help his sister through school, and leave his turbulent family life in the past where it belongs. His schedule is packed tight, and it does not have room for “help an organized crime syndicate rescue one of their own.” Too bad the minute he hauls that stranger into his car and takes off, he’s on a one-way trip down a rabbit hole of crime, corruption, and a very strange gray area between moral and illegal. And maybe he doesn’t want to go back. Especially the more time he spends with the enigmatic chameleon he rescued. But someone is coming for the Collective. Someone ruthless and powerful. And they will happily murder anyone who gets in their way.

Word Count: Click here to reveal234 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sequel to Fire Horse Finally reunited, Preston Fawkes and Konrad Schnell put family and obligations aside, preferring to remain in seclusion on Ned’s estate to get reacquainted. Unfortunately, reality can only be held off for so long, and they return to Texas to reclaim the life they put on pause. Trying to strike the right balance between business, family, and romance requires ongoing effort, and the challenges begin shortly after they arrive. At the top of the list is Bandi, Konrad’s son, and his desire to play polo. A close second is Conrad “Sasha” Fawkes, Preston’s actor son who’s struggling to succeed on Broadway. And last, but certainly not least, is Paloma, the fiery Argentinean beauty Preston sired after a passionate tango. Blending the interests and needs of three grown children is difficult at best and almost impossible when agendas collide and old secrets are unearthed. The situation comes to a head when the family gathers in San Antonio for Thanksgiving, throwing Preston and Konrad into a maelstrom they must weather as best they can, or they’ll face a major ride-off that could throw the game before it even starts.  

Word Count: Click here to reveal29000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Herding cattle and drinking Australian beer aren’t pastimes that particularly appeal to an ‘indoor girl’ like Clara, but she’d be damned if she’d let her cheating ex-boyfriend have the vacation they were meant to share. So, to salvage some piece of her self-respect after a bad break-up, she finds herself riding a horse along the Oodnadatta Track for five days. When Clara arrives, she can’t help but feel an intense attraction to Evelyn, the drover who guides their group through the immensely unique landscape between Coober Pedy and the Anna Creek Station. Clara’s never been one for a no-strings-attached fling, but cowgirl Evie becomes increasingly difficult to resist. In combination with the exquisite outback, soulful horses, and overly cheerful tourists, Evie may just be exactly what Clara needs to escape her own pessimism.

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

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

Summary: A race against time and nature, to save the man he loves… Owen Hewitt thought he had weathered every storm life could throw at him, but the last twelve months have tested him like never before. His six-year relationship with Sebastian Carmichael, the love of his life, is crumbling under the weight of Owen's injury-induced depression and chronic pain. Once a vibrant and active partner, Owen now feels like a burden, believing he's holding the younger Sebastian back. Desperation sets in when Sebastian, seeking solace and clarity, retreats to their holiday house on the Tasmanian coast. The distance between them feels insurmountable, and Owen fears it's the end of their love story. But as nature unleashes its fury in the form of a devastating tsunami, the end of their relationship might be the least of their worries. Riding the Waves is a story of love's endurance against all odds. It has themes of natural disaster, rescue romance, hurt/comfort, and the dynamic of an age-gap relationship. Riding the Waves is an expansion of Sebastian & Owen, a story that was briefly available in 2016. The story now includes Sebastian’s point of view.

Word Count: Click here to reveal85264 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Can injured Sgt. Cooper Brandt, with the help of Dr. Westley James, rip off the mask he donned as self-imposed penance at the end of high school, or will fate determine a different path for both men? Thirteen years after high schooler Cooper Brandt suffered a life-altering tragedy, Newark Police Sergeant Cooper Brandt suffers yet another earthshaking misfortune while on duty. As a result, he lets the mask he donned because of his first grief-filled setback slip. When overwhelming guilt consumes him for a second time, an unexpected, and oftentimes unwanted, helping hand tries to force him into making a choice: face his demons and rip the mask off, or continue living a lie while his facade stays put. Upon his move to New Jersey, aqua therapist Dr. Westley James meets his toughest patient yet when a snarly police sergeant accuses him of duplicity at the start of their first session. When he discovers the reason for Cooper’s ornery attitude, an odd, empty feeling he’s lived with for as long as he can remember begins to fill in like missing pieces of a puzzle. As a fragile relationship between Cooper and Westley grows, an unhinged sociopath threatens to ruin everything. Will fate force the emotionally bruised sergeant to fasten his mask on even more tightly or will the couple’s blooming love and partnership be strong enough to help Cooper rip his mask off for good?

Word Count: Click here to reveal62000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Colin Everroad should be dead, but after his lobster boat founders during a violent storm off the Maine coast, he wakes up on a beach. He’s cold, but unscathed… with strange memories of a face he can’t conjure and a voice he doesn’t recognize. No one can explain it, but a friend suggests Colin was saved by one of the mer. Except the mer don’t exist. Do they? But… that face. That voice. Someone was in the water with him. Someone saved him. If not a mer, then who? And whoever it was, Colin wants to see his face. Lir broke protocol by rescuing a land person, but he couldn’t just let the man drown. When he disobediently resurfaces to see his beautiful land man, he knows it’s only a matter of time before he’s forbidden to leave the depths again. One clandestine visit turns into more. Soon, Colin and Lir are meeting at the shore as often as possible, and the connection between them deepens. The only problem is that neither can live in the other’s world. Or can they? Then Lir finds a way for them to be together, but only for a little while… and at a cost. As time grows short, they have to choose: does Lir return to the sea and never see Colin again, or stay forever with the man he loves in a world that will never love them? Ripples & Waves is a modern, queer retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.