Contemporary Romance books

A Novella in the Delectable Series

A week before Christmas, Alex Bancroft’s bakery goes up in flames. When he runs back inside after a dog, firefighter Kevin Flint has to rescue Alex—and Quincy—from the smoldering building, endangering them and inflaming Kevin’s resentment.

Now Alex can’t create the elaborate gingerbread house he donates to a foster-kids charity each year. Fire Station 7 again comes to his rescue, offering their kitchen and their manpower.

Everyone but Kevin Flint, that is. A third-generation firefighter, he’s fearful of stepping too far out of the closet. So when his powerful physical attraction for Alex ends in a sizzling secret encounter in the firehouse, Kevin can’t push Alex far enough away, and Alex returns the cold shoulder.

After a change of heart, Kevin risks his life to prove he’s worthy of Alex’s affection, but without a Christmas miracle, their chances at sweet romance might go up in smoke.

Like all Delectable stories, Gingerbread Palace includes recipes used in the book.

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Logan Brandish, auteur à plein temps, est parfaitement heureux dans sa paisible routine, avec sa collocation avec sa meilleure amie dans une petite bourgade, sa chatte, et son petit ami … Jusqu’à ce qu’il rencontre l’éditeur de son prochain livre, le beau Brock Kimble, et le calme passif de sa vie quotidienne disparaît en fumée. Découvrant pour la première fois ce que veut dire passion, Logan devient anxieux et impatient, et bien vite sa vie et son nouveau manuscrit – qu’il s’était imaginé pouvoir finir un jour – ne sont plus que pagaille.

Mais Logan l’apprend à ses dépens : on n’obtient pas toujours ce que l’on veut … pas du jour au lendemain, en tout cas. Pour oublier tous ses ennuis, il part en voyage, mais même le ‘paysage’ italien ne peut empêcher bien longtemps ses pensées de revenir vers son désormais ex-éditeur. Logan devra peut-être admettre qu’il est des choses auxquelles on ne peut échapper.

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El escritor de ficción Logan Brandish es absolutamente feliz en su apacible rutina diaria de pequeña ciudad con su mejor amiga, su gata y su novio, hasta que conoce al editor de su próximo libro, el atractivo Brock Kimble, y la perezosa quietud de su día a día se va volando por la ventana. Experimentando una auténtica pasión por primera vez en su vida, Logan empieza a sentir desasosiego y angustia, y pronto su vida y su nuevo manuscrito —una obra en progreso que él siempre pensó que terminaría— acabarán patas arriba.

Pero, como Logan está aprendiendo, uno no puede siempre conseguir lo que quiere...., al menos no en seguida. Para liberar su mente de semejante lío, Logan inicia un viaje, pero ni siquiera Italia y sus bellos, ummm, escenarios, pueden apartar sus pensamientos de su antiguo editor por mucho tiempo. Logan, simplemente, tendrá que admitir que hay cosas de las que no se puede huir.

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Weber Yates ha sempre sognato di diventare un professionista del rodeo, ma si ritrova a lavorare come garzone in un ranch in Texas. La sua unica relazione è con un uomo completamente diverso da lui, così al di fuori della sua portata che, fosse stato sulla luna, sarebbe stato più vicino. O a San Francisco, dove Weber si ferma per salutarlo un’ultima volta, prima di cercare di sistemarsi e di vivere una vita umile e solitaria, proprio come quella – pensa lui – di un ranocchio. 

Cyrus Benning è un neurochirurgo di successo che non si fa sfuggire un solo dettaglio. Ha messo gli occhi sul principe, vestito da povero cowboy, sin dall’inizio. Ma ogni volta che Weber se ne va, si fa sempre più difficile per Cyrus, che non sa fino a che punto il suo cuore potrà resistere. Ora il dottore ha un’ultima possibilità per dimostrare a Weber che non è certo il suo lavoro a renderlo l’uomo perfetto per lui, bensì Weber stesso. Con l’aiuto di sua sorella e della sua famiglia in pezzi, Cyrus è pronto a dimostrare a Weber che la casa e la vita che ha sempre cercato sono lì con lui, davanti ai suoi occhi. Cyrus gli ha dato un ultimatum, una volta, è vero, ma ora questo si è trasformato in un voto solenne: non lascerà che Weber esca dalla sua vita, mai più.

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Luke Scherer has turned bad romance into an art. When he catches his latest deadbeat boyfriend selling Luke’s belongings—and his own body—to cover his debts, Luke decides he needs a vacation. He just doesn’t expect his Napa Valley retreat to be a step into his past.

Eight years ago Mal Kuijpers was grieving his wife while his vineyard floundered. Hiring Luke for the summer put the business back on track and a smile back on Mal’s face.

Nineteen-year-old Luke had just gotten out from under his father’s thumb and started saving for his education, his last screw-you to his old man. Then he made the mistake of falling for his boss, his dad caught up with him, and Luke panicked—and fled.

Now they have another chance. Mal has his own share of closet skeletons, including a family he doesn’t talk to and a dead wife he sometimes does, and he’s gone without romance for years. He works hard to convince Luke he’s worth more than a casual fling and asks for nothing in return, but Luke needs a relationship of equals. If Mal can believe in himself and Luke can believe in love, two hot summers might yield a lifelong reward.

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Christopher "Kit" Britten drifts through life, partying with friends and spending his parents’ money. He hasn’t told them he’s gay, but he’s told all of his five sisters, and to keep from being harassed about responsibility, he works part-time for one of them. When she sends him on an errand and his shiny red Ferrari breaks down in one of Houston's seediest locals, he pushes it to the nearest garage. That's where he meets Romy O'Keefe.

Romy works hard as a mechanic to provide for his mother and little brother. When Kit pushes his to-die-for Ferrari into Romy’s garage, Romy is wary of falling for gorgeous Kit despite instant attraction. Kit impulsively decides to prove how serious he is about Romy by coming out to his parents—and his father disowns him!

Uptown and downtown clash as the two men share the tiny space in Romy’s Airstream trailer and struggle to make ends meet. When Kit’s former boyfriend comes sniffing around, and Romy gets the bill for his little brother’s surgery, it drives home to him how very different his world is from Kit’s. However, Kit is in love with the velvet-voiced Romy, and he isn’t about to give up.

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Too much partying and self-inflicted trouble have left Cameron Lacey’s life a complete mess. But he’s determined to change, and he’ll do anything to keep a roof over his head until he gets himself together. When he's introduced to Sam Powell, he can’t believe Sam will let him stay without expecting anything in return—in Cameron’s world, nothing is free. Realizing Sam’s bleeding heart is exactly as it appears throws Cameron for a loop… and completely head over heels. Unfortunately, old habits die hard.

Cameron’s demons rear their ugly heads, leading to a series of backsliding disasters and fumbled attempts by Sam to save Cameron from bad choices. As Cameron struggles to become who he wants to be instead of who he is, he also comes to hope Sam will discover that what’s right for him might not be what he’s looking for—but who he already has.

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The Connection: Book One

Ben Silver’s personal dream is to open the first gay bar in Liamsport, Pennsylvania. The town isn’t exactly open-minded, but that’s not why Ben stays in the closet. Chance, Ben’s computer nerd boyfriend, is deathly afraid of anyone finding out he’s gay. On a night out, Ben meets Brodie Felix, a younger, heavily tattooed bartender who lights a spark in Ben’s heart. Although the spark in his relationship with Chance has dwindled to almost nothing, Ben feels guilty for wanting to be single, for wanting another man, so he tries to forget about Brodie.

But when Ben discovers one of Chance’s own secrets, he’s forced to make a difficult choice.

On his own for the first time in his life, Ben can be open with his family and friends. Though honesty has its benefits, his life isn’t perfect. Ben’s circle of friends and family is growing. So is the spark between him and Brodie, and Ben hopes it will grow into a flame. His dream remains out of his grasp, but with a little help and a lot of work, he might yet serve his favorite rum and ginger ale at his own establishment, the first gay bar in his hometown.

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Larry Kincaid isn't ready to be a parent, but when his sister dies in an accident, he takes his nephew, Angus, into his home. The change throws Larry’s life into limbo until he meets Joshua Langdon.

To Joshua, Larry is a lion: growly and strong, but too proud to ask for help. Joshua gets past his defenses and finds a place in Larry and Angus’s family, but Larry's pride gets in the way. Can they turn their holiday romance into a relationship that lasts into the New Year?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Advent Calendar package "Heartwarming".

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Kit Jefferies, a part-time department store Christmas elf, is an artist who loves life and his family. Unfortunately, his car dies at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere as he is heading home for Christmas. Enter Nick St. George.

Nick is a very unhappy man—he's achieved his professional goals only to find the rest of his life bleak and empty. Deciding there was only one way to make everything right, he is on his way to San Francisco on a dark mission, and even the horrible sleet storm that blocked his path won't deter him. That's when he found Kit.

At first, Nick is pretty sure rescuing Kit was a big mistake. Kit's personality is just too, well, effervescent. But as the miles go by, Kit begins to bring light to his dark heart. It might even be bright enough to illuminate a Christmas miracle.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Advent Calendar package "Heartwarming".

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Christmas is the worst time of the year to find yourself alone. Chris Moss, owner of a tree farm, knows this down to his bones as he makes his way through his first holiday season after losing his wife to cancer. When Wade Hart, an annual customer at the farm, visits, they find common ground: Wade lost his own longtime lover to a parting of ways and is lonely too. The constant, gentle companionship provides fertile soil for an attraction neither expects, but nurturing a new relationship is a tough proposition. With the encouragement of family and friends, Chris and Wade may yet find that a second love later in life can be just as fulfilling as the first.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Advent Calendar package "Heartwarming".

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Will Sutherland hasn't been home to see his parents in four years—not since they reacted badly when he came out. This Christmas, he’s finally worked up the courage to go home, where he's surprised to find they've taken in a boarder. Ryan Bennett is just a couple years younger than Will, cute, sweet... and openly gay.

As Will deals with his jealousy of the man who's been receiving the love and acceptance he was denied, Ryan finds himself falling for Will's brooding good looks. But Ryan also suspects the Sutherlands may be using him as a pawn in their long-standing conflict with their son. Will this Christmas finally tear the family apart, or is there a chance they can put their hurt and anger behind them?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Advent Calendar package "Heartwarming".

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Bronco's Boys: Book One

Former mercenary Bull Krebbs now heads up security at his nightclub in Harrisburg, PA. Working the door night after night, he's seen it all. Though tough on the outside, he's a little hurt that people find him unapproachable. Then he pulls a cute twink out of line to perform a random search, and he's surprised when the guy giggles and squirms.

Zach Spencer, graphic artist, twink, and seriously ticklish, isn't intimidated by Bull. He's in awe, and when Bull saves Zach from being trampled on the dance floor, Zach finds his inspiration for the superhero in his graphic novel.

Soon Zach wants more and makes his move by asking Bull on a date. Though small, he has a backbone of steel. He'll need it—their happily ever after is thwarted at every turn, including by Bull's interloping mother showing up unannounced and enemies from Bull's past threatening to pull him to the other side of the world.

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Sometimes Stratford Dale feels like Doctor Chicken consumes his life. It’s his pen name for a series of wildly popular children’s books. They were his brainchild; he meant for them to be a way to pay his many bills while he pursued his dream of publishing graphic novels. But the Doctor Chicken contract was a raw deal. Instead, he churns out book after book for a pittance, leaving him broke and no closer to his dreams.

Stratford’s dreams of love have fared no better, but he’s still trying. After yet another disastrous date, he’s intrigued by a man going into a cooking class—so he takes the class too. Vinnie Giani is a successful, self-made man who is charmed by Stratford’s bow ties, sharp humor, and clumsiness—which leads to an opportunity to take Stratford in for stitches. Vinnie is, above all, responsible, having taken on the care of his mother and sisters from a young age. Perhaps it’s natural when he begins to treat Stratford more as a child who needs a parent than as an equal partner. But when Vinnie tries to “fix” Stratford’s career woes—including the Doctor Chicken problem—and ends up making the situation worse, their fledgling relationship may not withstand the the strain created by blame and lies.

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Ben Ryder's Englishmen Stories.

Includes three eBooks:

Noah by Ben Ryder

Callum Walker is feeling listless in his life in London. When his job takes him to Canada to install communications software for a new sports arena, he’s glad for a change of scenery.

During his stay, he befriends Noah Lukas, the strikingly handsome star player of the Toronto Bobcats professional hockey team. Callum knows nothing will ever come of it, but he can’t stop his attraction. As their bond grows, Callum learns more about – and falls more for—Noah through his sensitive and humble interactions with fans, his gentlemanly reaction to flirtations from arena staff, and his frank apprehension over his impending retirement. Their friendship evolves from workout partners to confidants, and then to even more. But Callum’s time in Canada is limited, and circumstances may divide him from a love he wasn’t looking for.

Side Line by Ben Ryder

Having rarely experienced another man’s touch, US Marine Damon O'Connor doesn't identify as gay, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t think about strong hands or where treasure trails lead, despite his commitments back home. Damon’s sense of duty is strong, and he’ll stop at nothing to do what’s right, even if that means dying for his country.

While stationed in the Middle East, Damon gets what he least expects in the form of Jay Wells, an out-and-proud British beer promotions manager working in the area. Jay is content working his life away and has no time for relationships. Neither does Damon, as he’s days away from deploying to war. Until they met, love was the last thing on their minds, but they’re determined to enjoy it while they can.

Released by Ben Ryder

Dominic Holland leaves behind in London the shattered remains of a dishonest relationship and sets about rediscovering himself across the pond, exploring New York City and two widely different possible futures. Through a series of increasingly public encounters with a mysterious silver-haired man, Dominic gets a tantalizing taste of a new kind of freedom. But it’s fellow journalist Alex Everton who attracts Dominic, making him yearn for a real and honest love. But Alex is working on a story that is linked to his past, leaving Dominic unsure of whether he will be the one to heal his heart.

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Promesses, tome 1

Carrick Francis a passé la majeure partie de sa vie à sauter à pieds joints dans les problèmes. La seule chose qui l’a sauvé de la prison, ou pire, est sa dévotion absolue envers Deacon Winters. Deacon a été sa raison et son salut durant une enfance misérable de maltraitance, et Crick ferait tout pour rester à jamais avec lui. Aussi, lorsque le père de Deacon meurt, Crick suspend ses projets universitaires pour aider Deacon, tout comme Deacon l’a aidé auparavant.

Le plus grand souhait de Deacon est de voir Crick échapper à ses souvenirs et à la ville où ils ont grandi, afin que Crick puisse jouir d’un avenir plus rayonnant. Mais après deux ans de sentiments refoulés et de tentations, le maladivement timide Deacon succombe finalement aux avances insistantes de Crick et reconnaît se voir faire partie de la vie du jeune homme.

Alors Deacon est presque détruit en découvrant que Crick attendait qu’il le repousse, exactement comme la famille de Crick l’avait fait par le passé. Quand le don de Crick pour prendre des décisions sur des coups de tête le conduit loin de chez lui, Deacon finit abandonné, traumatisé et seul, luttant pour reforger son cœur dans un monde où l’amour avec Crick est une promesse, mais en aucun cas une certitude.

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A Blue Notes Novel

Cool kid violinist Roger Nelson doesn’t give a damn about anything. Wannabe conductor John Fuchs is awkward, effeminate, and just figuring out he’s gay. Despite their differences, they become friends—then lovers—and after college, they try to make it work. But it’s the 1970s, and Roger can’t bring himself to admit he’s gay. Worse, after his brother is killed in Vietnam, Roger tries to live up to his memory and be the perfect son. Then after suffering one tragedy too many, he makes the biggest mistake of his life: Roger pushes John away.

Through the years, they dance around the truth and in and out of each other’s lives, never quite able to let go. Twenty years later, Roger still carries the pain of losing his dream of a brilliant career with him, while John is a superstar conductor with a wild reputation. John’s off-stage antics get him plenty of attention, good and bad, though deep down, he wants only Roger. Finally determined to hold on to what really matters, Roger asks John for another chance, and when John panics and runs, Roger has to convince him to listen to his heart.

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Dropping Anchor: Book One

Unable to move on after the death of his lover, British expat Niall Ahern clings to Nolan's dream of living in the Caribbean by moving to Tortola. Once there, he finds that not even the beauty of the island can fill the hole in his heart. Broke and spent in nearly every way imaginable, Niall wants out of the lonely, miserable, guilt-ridden life he's carved out for himself.

When Ethan Bettencourt, a wealthy tech guru, shows up in British Virgin Islands looking to purchase a second home, he gives Niall hope that he can move on. Both men fall hard and fast, but Niall finds piloting his yacht in the midst of a hurricane is nothing compared to weathering life's simple misunderstandings. As their troubles come between them, Niall is left to wonder if he and Ethan are over before they've begun.

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