Contemporary Romance books

Actor Tucker Crawford is having the worst summer ever. Thanks to a viral video of him trying to swim, he’s the laughingstock of Hollywood and his role in a hit TV series is in jeopardy. The only bright spot is Tucker’s sexy new swim coach, Reed Oliver, but even that has its problems—because Tucker is deep in the closet and has never been with a guy.

Reed Oliver is having the best summer ever. He’s just scored a high-paying freelance gig teaching a Hollywood actor how to swim. The two of them have the run of a deserted summer camp, complete with an Olympic-size swimming pool. But when cocky playboy Reed meets shy, virgin Tucker, sparks fly and Reed’s walk-in-the-park coaching job becomes a minefield of temptation. Once they kiss for the first time, there’s no way to overcome their mutual passion and no looking back. But after two weeks of secluded intimacy, can they keep their romance alive in the real world? 

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When Prince Reynard escapes his gilded cage, he runs as fast as he can in search of a taste of freedom. Predictably, he gets pulled over.

State Trooper Fisher Bronson doesn’t know the handsome stranger in the rental car, but he does know the guy was driving way too fast. Still, Fisher takes to protect and serve seriously, so he helps Reynard find a hotel for the night.

Then the hotel catches fire.

Apparently Reynard hasn’t covered his tracks as well as he thought. But is it paparazzi on his tail, or someone much more deadly? Either way, when Fisher offers him a room for the night, he’s grateful for the refuge.

Reynard is generous and kind, but Fisher knows he’s hiding something. Finally Reynard confesses the truth: as prince of Veronia, his life is structured and ordered for him, but as Reynard, in Carlisle with Fisher, he has the freedom to become a person he actually likes. To Reynard's surprise, Fisher likes him back—not for his title, but for the man he is. But duty, family expectations, and whoever is after Reynard could spell the end of their relationship before they get past once upon a traffic stop.

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When Mason gets caught in a blizzard on his way home for Christmas and ends up in a snowdrift, the outlook is grim—until a handsome trucker appears, offering shelter, companionship, and a tow in the morning.

Tate has never been anyone’s idea of a hero. He’s been on the road most of his adult life, with few ties to people and even fewer to any particular place. Now, after one steamy night in the cab of his truck, all that changes. Suddenly he has a sweet, intelligent guy who can’t get enough of him, who invites him to spend New Year’s with his family… who already feels like home. But Tate’s job keeps him on the road for weeks at a time. Can he really build something permanent?

Portions of this novella appeared in the short stories Weathering the Storm, Coming Home, and Tying the Knot, published by Dreamspinner Press in 2009. 

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Sheriff Aaron George hat vor zehn Jahren seine Frau verloren. In der Hoffnung, dass es für seine Kinder besser wäre, in einer Kleinstadt aufzuwachsen, zog er nach Colton. Mittlerweile kennt er jeden in der Stadt, einschließlich Mr. Larkin, den quirligen, amüsanten Naturwissenschaftslehrer. Seit ‚Larx’ fast wider Willen zum Rektor der örtlichen Highschool befördert wurde, fehlt ihm die Zeit, die Leichtathletik-Mannschaft zu coachen, und er beginnt stattdessen mit dem Joggen. Aaron dachte bislang, dass sich sein restliches Leben nur noch um die Kinder drehen würde, aber ein Rektor, der mit nacktem Oberkörper an einer gefährlichen Straße entlang joggt, belehrt ihn eines Besseren.

Auch Larx lebt nur für seine Kinder und für die Schüler und Schülerinnen der Colton High. Aarons Interesse bemerkt er zuerst gar nicht. Dann fangen sie an, gemeinsam zu joggen, und er lernt den Polizeibeamten für seine Verlässlichkeit, seinen Humor und sein volles Verständnis für seine Prioritäten zu schätzen: Kinder an erster, Job an zweiter und die eigenen Interessen leider an allerletzter Stelle.

Schon nach einem Kuss fühlen sich die beiden Endvierziger wie verliebte Teenager, trotz der großen Verantwortung, die auf ihren Schultern lastet. Dann wird die aufkeimende Romanze von einem Gewaltverbrechen überschattet und die beiden Männer müssen verhindern, dass die kleine Stadt im Chaos versinkt. Als sich die Ereignisse zuspitzen, erkennen sie, dass es ihre neu zusammenwachsende Familie ist, die verhindert, dass ihre Welt aus den Fugen gerät.

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Kyle Wilson hasn’t had it easy. His insecurities and nasty home life made him lash out as a kid, and when he finally came out as gay, his family disowned him. Then, just when he’s pulled his life together and gotten his construction company running, he’s caught in a fire and forced to take costly time off.

When firefighter Hayden Walters rescues a man from a burning building, he’s just doing his job. He doesn’t expect it to turn his life upside-down, but the man is none other than Hayden’s high school bully.

He definitely doesn’t expect Kyle to come to the station to thank him in person.

With awkward apologies out of the way, Kyle and Hayden realize they have a lot in common. And when it turns out someone set the fire at Kyle’s construction site to target him, they find they can solve each other’s problems too: Hayden needs a place to stay while his apartment is renovated, and Kyle doesn’t want to be alone in case the firebug strikes again. Things between the two of them quickly heat up—but so does the arsonist’s agenda. Can they track down the would-be killer before it’s too late?

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Depuis la mort de leur mère, Josten Applewhite fait ce qu’il faut pour s’occuper de son petit frère et préserver la cohésion de leur petite famille. Mais, en un instant, un coup de malchance détruit le petit foyer qu’il a réussi à construire, et Jos et Isaac se retrouvent à la rue.

C’est là que l’agent Kip Rogers les trouve et, même s’il sait qu’il doit laisser les autorités compétentes s’occuper de la situation, il n’arrive pas à trouver le courage de les repousser, allant même jusqu’à les inviter à rester chez lui jusqu’à ce qu’ils se remettent sur pied. Avec l’aide de Kip et de ses amis, Jos commence à reconstruire sa vie. Mais l’expérience lui a appris que rien n’est gratuit, et la générosité semble trop belle pour être vraie, comme tout ce qui concerne Kip.

Kip a le béguin pour Jos et il aime la façon dont Jos et Isaac font de sa grande maison un foyer. Mais leur arrangement ne peut pas être permanent, pas avec Jos qui veut tracer son propre chemin. C’est alors que surgit un parent éloigné, déterminé à détruire la famille de Jos. Kip sait que Jos a besoin de lui, même s’il n’est pas prêt à l’admettre.

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Gabe Martin ne vit que pour le hockey, il n’a rien d’autre. Dante Baltierra, lui, cherche à s’amuser sur la route du Temple de la renommée du hockey. Ni Gabe ni Dante n’ont le temps de penser à l’amour.

Mais les plans changent.

Quand l’homosexualité de Gabe s’affiche dans la presse, son petit monde bien organisé se trouve bouleversé, ce qui perturbe son jeu et cause une série de défaites à son équipe. Gabe ne s’attendait pas au soutien de Dante, mais grâce à lui, il commence à remonter la pente.

La saison n’évolue pas comme Dante s’y attendait. Il déteste perdre ! Que Gabe soit gay ne le dérange pas, que lui le soit aussi le sidère. Dante a toujours exposé ce qu’il était, ce qu’il faisait, aussi déteste-t-il devoir mentir et se cacher. Mais son coéquipier a besoin lui, alors, il ronge son frein.

Il n’avait pas envisagé de tomber amoureux.

Une relation entre coéquipiers finit toujours mal. Dante est ouvert, drôle et brillant au hockey. Gabe ne peut y résister. Malheureusement, il a du mal à s’ouvrir après des années passées dans le placard et Dante s’irrite du secret de leur relation. Réussiront-ils à s’accorder avant que la glace ne cède sous leurs pieds ?

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When Jay and Wallace first meet at an LGBTQ group, they have no idea they’ll be dating six years later. In fact, they quickly forget each other’s names. But although fate continues to throw them together, the timing is never quite right. Finally they’re both single and realize they want to be together... but now they can’t find each other! 

With determination and the help of mutual friends, Jay and Wallace can finally pursue the relationship they’ve both wanted for so long. It’s only the beginning of the battles they’ll face to build a life together. From disapproving family members all the way to the state legislature, Jay and Wallace’s road to happily ever after is littered with obstacles. But they’ve come too far to give up the fight.

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The problem with being an actor on top of the world is that you have a long way to fall.

Logan Steele is miserable. Hollywood life is dragging him down. Drugs, men, and booze are all too easy. Pulling himself out of his self-destructive spiral, not so much.

Brit Stimple does whatever he can to pay the bills. Right now that means editing porn. But Brit knows he has the talent to make it big, and he gets his break one night when Logan sees him perform on stage.

When Logan arranges for an opportunity for Brit to prove his talent, Brit’s whole life turns around. Brit’s talent shines brightly for all to see, and he brings joy and love to Logan’s life and stability to his out-of-control lifestyle. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy for Logan, and as Brit’s star rises, Logan’s demons marshal forces to try to tear the new lovers apart. 

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Vor sechs Jahren begab sich Noah Wheeler zum Flughafen, um seinen Partner, Dante Cerreto, zu treffen, und seine Welt brach zusammen. Dante küsste jemand anderen und teilte ihm mit, neu verliebt zu sein. Noah nahm sein gebrochenes Herz – und auch das Ultraschallbild ihres von einer Leihmutter ausgetragenen Kindes – und schloss die Tür hinter dem, was er bisher als sein Leben angesehen hatte. Von nun an konzentrierte er sich auf den Teil seines Traumes, der ihm geblieben war: Vater zu sein.

Während eines Urlaubs in Las Vegas trifft Noah zufällig auf die Cerreto-Familie, und somit auch auf Dante. Er erfährt, dass nicht nur er betrogen worden war, sondern auch Dante. Dieser möchte nun die verlorene Zeit wieder gutmachen. Um jetzt die Chance auf sein Glück zu bekommen, braucht er Noah, den einzigen Mann, den er je geliebt hat, und Grace, die Tochter, von der er bislang nichts wusste. Dante muss alle verfügbaren Überredungs- und Verführungskünste aufbieten, denn Noah wird sich nicht erneut auf eine Liebe einlassen, nur um dann wieder mit gebrochenem Herzen da zu stehen.

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Une tentative d’acte d’intégrité coûte tout à Henry Worrall – sa carrière militaire, sa famille et le petit ami secret qui l’a gardé piégé pendant onze ans. Désespéré, Henry arrive à la porte de son frère, et on lui offre un endroit où vivre et un travail comme homme à tout faire dans une piaule pour jeunes stars du porno.

Le passé de Lance Luna lui a donné des raisons de faire du porno, mais tandis qu’il poursuit son internat dans un hôpital local, elles ressemblent désormais plus à des excuses. Il a l’argent pour déménager de la piaule et vivre sa propre vie – mais qui a besoin d’intimité quand on s’occupe d’une bande de jeunes hommes qui pensent que travailler du pénis fait d’eux des adultes ?

Lance s’inquiète que Henry ne s’intègre pas, mais celui-ci a un faible pour les jeunes hommes perdus et la manière pour les aider. Alors que Lance et Henry trouvent leur rythme en tant que mères poules, un meurtre et les fantômes du passé violent d’Henry font irruption dans leurs vies. Lance sait que celui-ci n’est pas capable de meurtre, mais est-il capable de prendre soin du cœur de Lance ?

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As a young detective, Sean Kryzynski expected violence on the job, not to get stabbed coming back from lunch. Add an angsty bedside breakup, and by the time he gets home from the hospital, he’s over everything, including his irritating, hot-as-balls nurse, Billy No-Last-Name with the big, cynical brown eyes.

Billy’s whole porn-model flophouse is experiencing a wave of altruism and adulting—people getting real jobs and going to shrinks and doing good works. Billy opts in too—he wants to be a good guy—but his assignment is taking care of the world’s most exasperating, headstrong patient. At least bunking with Sean means Billy has his own spare bedroom and some peace and quiet to do classwork.

The porn model and the policeman seem to have no common ground, but Billy's experience herding his younger siblings helps him manage Sean with unexpected empathy—a skill Sean has been working on too, because he wants to be a good cop. Eventually they chip away at the walls around each other’s hearts and discover a real connection. If not for their incompatible day jobs and inconvenient pasts, they might even be falling in love….

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People say there’s a fine line between love and hate. If you ask Grady Armstrong, the line’s as obvious as the one across the middle of a hockey rink.

So he can’t explain why he doesn’t walk away when his Grindr hookup—a guy who accused him of impersonating himself—turns out to be Max Lockhart, a rival player Grady once punched in the face. Apparently Max can goad him just as well off the ice as he can on it.

Max Lockhart showed up thinking he was going to expose a fake. Instead he hooks up with a guy who claims to hate him. And has a good time. A really good time. But that doesn’t mean players from different teams can be together.

Max has always wished Grady would relax a little. When the season starts and Grady accepts Max’s offer of help with finding someone to date for real, Max gets his wish. But he should’ve been careful what he wished for, because now that he knows Grady is a big softie under that prickly shell, he’d rather keep Grady for himself.

Grady only goes on a handful of dates before he realizes he has a lot more fun with Max. But he can’t be falling for a rival player… can he?

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Everyone needs to be rescued sometimes.

As a vet tech, Daniel is usually first in line to come to animals’ aid. When he and his boss get a call about an animal hoarding situation, they expect the handful of badly treated dogs… but the tiger comes as a surprise.

Wes recently left his job to care for his sick mother. Now that she’s on the mend, he needs work, and he finds it at a bustling shelter. But the animals aren’t the only ones in need. His kind, chatty coworker Daniel is dealing with an abusive boyfriend—something Wes, whose father was an alcoholic, has experience handling. Wes steps up to help Daniel kick his boyfriend to the curb, but in the process, he finds himself falling for Daniel himself.

Navigating a new relationship when they both have traumatic pasts is one thing. But when a shady group starts targeting the tiger they are trying to find a zoo placement for, the stakes are raised even higher. Can Wes and Daniel come together to rescue the animals—and each other?

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Asher Kaufman could use a miracle. But first he’ll have to believe they exist.

Ash is single, strapped for cash, and burned out from his work at a nonprofit. Everyone else’s holiday spirit leaves him feeling like he’s in the wrong movie.

Then strange, thoughtful gifts begin appearing outside his door: a rustic basket filled with pinecones and acorns, and a beautiful handmade scarf in Hannukah colors. But the most wonderful gift of all comes when he meets Clay, his secret admirer, a beautiful young man who happens to be a fairy who lives in the wooded wonderland behind the duplex where Ash lives.

Clay brings warmth and magic into Ash’s dreary life–but when the realities of the human world threaten the bridge to fairyland, it will take all Ash’s faith to bring about a happy-ever-after that will work for everyone.

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After courtship, cohabitation, and learning about love and each other, Andy and Eli face the ultimate test: being separated at Christmas.

Eli’s seen the propaganda—the country boy goes home from the city and realizes his heart is back among the snow, trees, and chickens. A big happy family is something Eli, with his demanding job running a shelter for LGBTQ youth, can’t provide. He’s been readying himself for the other shoe to drop anyway—Andy’s mother is a force of nature, and she wants her little boy home. 

Andy may be in Vermont, but his heart is back in Brooklyn with the man who’s battling basement floods and crumbling buildings to bring Christmas to sixty kids who’ve had their hearts broken too many times already. Holiday myths may say that Christmas means going back home to a happy family, but Andy knows happy endings don’t come without a little faith and a lot of hard work. He's got an army ready to put in the elbow grease. If he can get Eli to believe in him, they might just save Christmas after all.    

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Lake Copeland’s best friend Miriam is perpetually single. When she laments the idea of returning to her hometown solo for the holidays to meet her mom’s new husband, Lake has the perfect solution: he’ll tag along as her boyfriend. Fake boyfriend, that is. Some of his favorite holiday romances have fake boyfriends that lead to true love—and complications. But since he’s gay, there'll be no complications. Right?

Unfortunately Lake’s foolproof plan didn’t account for Miriam’s new stepbrother Spencer, who sets Lake’s heart aglow….

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Cassidy Hancock déteste être en retard, c’est même pathologique chez lui. Par un frais matin d’automne, il s’arrête sur le trottoir pour regarder le si beau fils de sa voisine courir derrière son chien… et voilà qu’un arbre lui tombe dessus.

Mark Taylor, interne en chirurgie orthopédique, assiste à la scène et prodigue les premiers soins au jeune homme. Malgré lui, il est fasciné par son voisin et peu à peu, tandis qu’il s’efforce d’aider Cassidy à se remettre de sa fracture, il comprend ce que cache cette obsession pour la ponctualité : l’histoire d’un garçon solitaire qui pense qu’il doit être parfait pour être aimé.

Les Taylor sont loin d’être parfaits, mais pour Cassidy, ils pourraient représenter la parfaite solution. Alors que les deux hommes apprennent à se connaître, Cassidy se met à fantasmer sur un avenir heureux en famille, ce qu’il n’aurait jamais pensé avoir un jour. Quant à Mark, il s’attache de plus en plus à Cassidy, à sa gentillesse, à ses grands yeux écarquillés et à sa surprenante créativité. Mais pour avancer, le couple doit surmonter les peurs de Cassidy. La période de Noël offre des joies infiniment plus riches que la ponctualité. 

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