holiday

Word Count: Click here to reveal7700 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A lion sleeps in the hearts of brave men. When Prince Theodorin refuses to wed the general's youngest son because he loves another, he is trapped on a cursed island. He spends his days trying to escape, his nights listening to his lover’s soothing voice echoing through the forest. His attempts to escape only lead back to where he started… until an encounter with a lion reveals a crack in the illusion. Theo has to believe, or he may never find his way home.   ___________________________ Previously appeared in Wilde City Press' Bedtime Stories anthology

Word Count: Click here to reveal20000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: This is a re-release of a previously published work. New material added and re-edited with a new cover. Walt Thompson had started training for the Olympics when he was just in grade school. Skiing was like second nature to him. It was all he had ever dreamed of. A great coach and a fabulous sponsor and he was on his way. Until a freak accident on the slopes at the winter try outs, left him with a broken leg and a very dark future. On top of all that, the man he thought he was in love with walked out. Leaving him to deal with the pain of losing his dream and going on with his life. Years later, he found himself working as the ski instructor at his family’s lodge. This was not the dream he had wanted.   Then one day a handsome man literally knocked him off his feet. Curt Woodridge was an entertainer. He was singing in the lounge at his family’s lodge. Could this be the beginning of a new dream for Walt or just another crashing blow to his already fractured spirit?

Word Count: Click here to reveal8200 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Derrek is dealing with the recent, unexpected death of his mother just before Thanksgiving. He’s been alone for five year since his husband Will died, and he’s ready to find someone new and to start living again. Ryan lost his partner, David, in an auto accident, and is dating Alex, who doesn’t treat him right.

Derrek can’t figure out why Ryan won’t see what’s right in front of his face. Why does Ryan come to him to talk about all his hopes, dreams, and fears, then go home to Alex?

 If Derrek can figure that out, they might just have a shot.

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Summary: When the organizers of a local charity ask the team at Doover to help build a Tiny Home community for those in need, Owen jumps at the chance. It’s a project he’s happy to be part of until he learns that the organizers have bankrupted the fund before the job is done. With the prospect of leaving the chosen families homeless—and not just for the holidays—Owen will do the one thing that scares him the most. Ask his loved ones for help. Though he’s never had the nerve before, there’s no doubt they’ll agree, and together, they will build homes filled with hope and the foundation for the future. The culmination is every reason Owen began building houses in the first place and having his family’s support only makes the job better. There’s only one thing missing, but Owen can’t think about that and still get the job done. Luckily, his family is working behind the scenes, and they coordinate with friends from afar to bring one final gift to the man who put it all on the line to deliver A Home for the Holidays. Authors Note: This book contains characters from nearly every book I’ve written so far. If your favorite character is missing, I apologize, but it was getting a little crowded. It’s not a standalone and you will be completely lost if you start here. A big thank you to the readers in Jessie’s Garage for planting the seed and Pamela Bankhead for the plot bunny that made it grow. I never intended to write a holiday story, but I’m not sorry for this little side trip and I hope it’s everything you wanted.

Word Count: Click here to reveal35500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A romantic getaway at an all-inclusive boutique hotel over Christmas seems the perfect way for Glenn Trevor to celebrate the festive period with his boyfriend. But he could have done without waking up on the first morning delirious and covered in spots. Abandoned by his boyfriend, Glenn’s only saving grace comes in the dynamic form of Bastian, the waiter assigned to attend his every whim, and who might just be an angel in disguise. Bastian, has only two rules: always make the guests feel as comfortable as possible—not a problem with his innate nurturing disposition—and never ever get involved with a guest. But the quarantined guy in 210 needs someone to take care of him, and Bastian’s more than up for the challenge of making Glenn Trevor’s stay the best ever, even if he has to run himself ragged to do it. If Bastian can learn to accept the same nurturing care he hands out so readily, and Glenn can get over the farce of his previous relationship, between them maybe they can make it the Christmas of their dreams.

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Summary: With the wedding of Jack Frost and Rudy Rein Dear only three weeks away, everyone travels to Jack’s palace in Svalbard, Norway, where the happy couple will exchange vows beneath the northern lights. Festivities have been planned leading up to the wedding, and Dasher eagerly anticipates not just the fun, but staying under the same roof as the blustering winter spirit who’s caught his eye—the King of Frost, Jack’s father. A long-ago tragedy has left Eirik fearing to ever love again. As the King of Frost, Eirik maintains his distance from everyone, especially the young Christmas elf who insists on intruding on Eirik’s solitude. But Dasher is determined to find a way to show the lonely king that his heart still beats and he shouldn’t fear allowing it to beat for another.

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Summary: Everyone has heard of Santa’s home in the frozen north, where elves and reindeer work hard to ensure Christmas cheer for the world. But that’s only part of the story…. All is not sparkly snowflakes and sweet candy canes in Mayor Kringle’s city. Sometimes it takes more than a little courage to keep the workshops running smoothly and enemies at bay. When their duties are complete, the Rein Dear, elves, winter spirits—and a legendary figure or two—are ready to spice up their chilly nights… and hopefully find a happily ever after along the way. Sometimes it’s waiting in the last place they expected. With adventure, magic, and romance hot enough to melt the polar ice, these holidays won’t soon be forgotten. Welcome to North Pole City, where love is the greatest gift of all.

Word Count: Click here to reveal8000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Ash isn’t exactly filled with the Christmas spirit. He left Texas after being outed by an ex, and isn’t in the mood for family holidays. When one of his neighbors shows up out of the blue insisting that Christmas decorations are mandatory per their lease, he rolls and goes along with it as long as he doesn’t personally have to do anything. The fact that the guy filled with “cheer” is the most attractive man he’s seen in his new hometown has nothing to do with it. He does agree to dinner, though. Will the determined ghost get her way and make this an unforgettable Christmas for Ash and Tristan?

Word Count: Click here to reveal125000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary:

Word Count: Click here to reveal25971 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: All Joe wants to do is enjoy winter break from college, but it just isn’t going his way. His mom remarried, he runs into his ex who announced he was also getting married, and he’s missing the big end of semester party on campus. To top it all off, he’s tasked with bringing home twins he’s never met so they can spend Christmas at his house with their uncle—his new stepdad. Then he meets the twins, Kris and Karen, and Joe realizes Kris is really cute. His luck might be changing, but is Joe over his ex enough to move forward?

Word Count: Click here to reveal13527 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: All alone, caught in a blizzard—without a coat—on Christmas Day. Would you accept a ride from a huge guy looking like a serial killer? Daniel Erickson stormed out of his family celebration after choking on his turkey served with a side of bigotry. Utterly miserable, he reluctantly lets himself be charmed by the hulk of a man and gets into his car…hoping he won’t be ax murdered. Axel Wilson—Ax for short, unfortunately—is a sweetheart. Really. He may be badass-looking but his heart melts into goo at the mere mention of his four-year-old niece. Surely, he’s not dangerous? Thrown together by family drama, they spend the evening getting to know each other. Axel is nothing like Daniel expected. But it doesn’t matter that he loves poetry, is gentle and patient—and hot!—Daniel is absolutely not falling in love at first sight. There’s no such thing. Right…?

Word Count: Click here to reveal12981 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When software engineer Keith Trainor decides to start his own company, he knows exactly who he wants as his partner: Parker Mulvaney, his best friend from high school. But in the ten years since graduation, their contact has dwindled to nothing, and it’s all Keith’s fault. If he hadn’t tried to kiss Parker under the mistletoe at the winter formal their senior year, Parker wouldn’t have bolted. At their ten-year reunion, Keith intends to do everything in his geeky power to make amends. Parker should have known that scheduling the reunion the day before Christmas Eve was a recipe for a headache of monster proportions. But when Keith sends a text that he’ll be attending, the evening doesn’t look so bleak. Can an unnecessary makeover, a nostalgic breakfast, an abortive shopping trip, and dance invitations with only a 50 percent success rate culminate in a long-overdue first kiss? The Probability of Mistletoe is a short and sweet opposites-attract, friends-to-lovers, second-chance rom-com featuring an awkward geek on a mission, a determined extrovert with a plan, interfering female relatives of various sizes, and a statistically improbable amount of mistletoe.

Word Count: Click here to reveal9200 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A Secret Santa Gift Exchange offers more than gifts to two co-workers. It opens a path to talk, learn more about secrets, and deal with a bully. Quiet, strait-laced David Appleton thinks he’s going to have a problem at work. A new co-worker discovers his secret in the locker room. Unable to confront someone, David let him walk away. Now he worries everyone will know his deepest held secret. A secret hidden under his signature vest, tie, and trousers. Since walking in on his co-worker, CJ O’Connell tries to get a moment to speak with the shy David, but nothing works. His last hope – the Secret Santa Gift Exchange party. Perhaps a special gift can peel away the secrets.

Word Count: Click here to reveal15000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Attending his daughter’s holiday dance recital should be easy for pro hockey player Patrick Barnes. Showing up in a tutu, however, wasn’t exactly part of the plan. And yet the holidays get even more interesting when he bumps into Lee, the man he let get away in high school. Ballet instructor Lee can’t believe who just walked into his studio. He also can’t believe how quickly the flare of attraction between he and Patrick resurfaces, despite the decade that’s gone by since they last spoke. In high school, they let opportunities get away. Now, almost twenty years later, is it possible they’ll have a chance to pursue the spark that has come back to life after just one conversation? Holidays are a time for giving, and neither Patrick nor Lee are about to take this particular gift for granted.

Word Count: Click here to reveal14000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: As a security officer on an interspecies ship, Growlan Raskli's experienced in heading off species-specific aberrant behaviors in order to keep the peace. But when her captain asks her to find out what's bothering their sole human crew member, Raskli's out of her depths. She hardly knows anything about humans and she's not a psych doctor. Something's definitely upset Human Jen, something to do with human holidays. The more time Raskli spends studying humans and interacting with the intriguing Human Jen, the more personal the assignment becomes. Determined to lift the dark cloud from Human Jen, Raskli will do whatever it takes—within safe parameters, of course.

Word Count: Click here to reveal47000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: At eighteen, Donnie Kagan's plans for graduation, and maybe even college, were derailed by a beer, a stoplight, and a fatal crash. Now he's twenty-four, out of prison, and bitterly determined to start over. But with the holidays approaching, he can't resist a quick trip home to Tallbridge, North Dakota, and the man he left behind. Just a fast look, to make sure Adam's doing all right, before Donnie starts his new life. He doesn't plan to stay. Adam Lindberg's been waiting six years to get closure with Donnie. He missed that chance after the accident, fighting for his life in a hospital bed as Donnie pled guilty and disappeared into the justice system. Without so much as a letter back from Donnie in all this time, Adam's tried to move on. And yet, he never found another guy he cared about the same way. So when Donnie shows up in Tallbridge, Adam's ready to fight for more than three words of goodbye. Of course, Adam's brother and dad don't want Donnie to stick around, but it's the busy Christmas season at the family store. If Adam asks for Donnie's help, maybe he'll stay long enough to finally talk about the future, and the past.

Word Count: Click here to reveal19656 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Max Futé and Avery “Smitty” Schmidt are both doctors who work for the Washington Bureau of Intelligence and Security. They’ve settled into a comfortable relationship, and although Max assures him otherwise, Smitty is waiting for the other shoe to drop. That will be when Charles Browne, Max’s former lover, realizes what he’s let slip through his fingers and comes to take Max back. Although Charles had enjoyed having Max in his bed, he’s always declared he wasn’t gay. And finding solace with other men after Max left him had nothing to do with ... anything. Now, however, he’s found a woman who ticks all his boxes in spite of her somewhat kinky tastes. Will Santa give them each what they want most this Christmas?

Word Count: Click here to reveal21000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Ethan Carson can’t bring his father back, but he can give his widowed mom a perfect Christmas. He’s spent all his savings on her wish list and found an epic tree. But when he starts to decorate with the family heirlooms, he finds her favorite ornament, the one his father bought on their honeymoon, is broken. The last time glassblower, Nico Kazan celebrated Christmas his boyfriend died. He woke up in the hospital alone and guilt-ridden. When Ethan, the object of his secret crush, asks him to recreate a broken Murano ball, the last thing he wants is to recreate a symbol of love—not when he knows love doesn’t last. With Christmas orders coming in, only Ethan can convince Nico there’s more to life than money. And only the magic of Christmas can open a heart sealed up tight. It’ll take more than skill to recreate the Murano ball. It’ll take a Christmas miracle.

Word Count: Click here to reveal20000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Peter Warfield wanted a Christmas like none before. A celebration of putting the past behind them. Leaving Bradley Warfield and Moses Lee buried in the past. A new tradition of love and happiness for future generations. But, no one was cooperating. You are invited to celebrate the holidays with Peter, Sally and their daughter, Lily, at the Warfield Manor. There’s no murder to solve or a criminal to catch, but there are secrets to be revealed. Justin Warfield and Marcus Drummond are speaking or telling anyone else what is going on. Damien Fitzgerald and Robert Wyler have been out of the country but is that really the truth. Sally’s been trying to tell Peter something important for weeks but he’s so wrapped up in Christmas, she can’t get through to him. Catch up with the rest of the Warfield extended family: Richard Brooks, Daisy Lee and their son Alexander, Krystal Smith, Winnie, Michaels and all the rest. One thing’s for sure, it will be a Christmas the Warfield’s will never forget.

Word Count: Click here to reveal28000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Fear took him away, but longing brought him back… Six years ago, Nikolas Steele’s heart was broken when his best friend—the man who he thought was his forever—walked out on him without an explanation. Now, Ky Kendall is back in town, just in time for the holidays. When he shows up at Nikolas’s Santa Shop with a little girl who looks like him, Nik has questions. In a time of need, Ky steps up to play the part of Santa’s Helper to keep the spirit of Christmas alive, but neither of them expect those old sparks to fly. Despite their renewed passion, Ky’s still running scared and Nikolas knows that at any moment, their fragile relationship could be shattered once more. And this time, he isn’t sure if he’s strong enough to survive it. Second Chances is a 28,000 word MM contemporary romance novella with a guaranteed HEA, and no cliffhangers or cheating. Each book in the Sheltered Hearts series can be read as a stand alone.