Contemporary Romance books

Explore serious, romantic, and occasionally dark and dangerous, tales spun by Evan Gilbert, starting on the darker side with Brown-eyed Devil and its sequel, Red Rogue, which follow the tale of necromancer Anoki and his lover, Myron, whom Anoki must rescue from demonic forces. Then back to the real world: in Made Man, true crime author Eli decides to settle a score with a mob boss, only to fall for his son; in Loss of Heart, Daryl and Adam are comfortable in their relationship, but they can’t agree on whether to marry; in Dallas in Wonderland, Dallas is surprised when he develops an attraction for Johnny, a college student who has recently become a porn actor for Dallas’s studio, and Miguel Duarte, an office assistant; in Love Turned Blue, Slade meets auto mechanic Bruno, who desires a dedicated relationship as much as he does; and in Eyes on Sparrow, Morgan is surprised to discover he and Sparrow share a mutual attraction, one that leads to smoking hot sex, the kind that leaves the room sweltering.

See excerpt for individual blurbs.

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A How to Be Novel

Gustavo Tiberius is not normal. He knows this. Everyone in his small town of Abby, Oregon, knows this. He reads encyclopedias every night before bed. He has a pet ferret called Harry S. Truman. He owns a video rental store that no one goes to. His closest friends are a lady named Lottie with drag queen hair and a trio of elderly Vespa riders known as the We Three Queens.

Gus is not normal. And he's fine with that. All he wants is to be left alone.

Until Casey, an asexual stoner hipster and the newest employee at Lottie’s Lattes, enters his life. For some reason, Casey thinks Gus is the greatest thing ever. And maybe Gus is starting to think the same thing about Casey, even if Casey is obsessive about Instagramming his food.

But Gus isn’t normal and Casey deserves someone who can be. Suddenly wanting to be that someone, Gus steps out of his comfort zone and plans to become the most normal person ever.

After all, what could possibly go wrong?

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Lexington Lovers

Horses were his passion, until he laid eyes on his boss.

Eighteen months ago, tragedy struck Bywater Farm when a riding accident killed Clay Hunter’s lover and traumatized his prize horse, King of Hearts. Clay and King lingered in limbo, surviving but not really living, until a breath of fresh air in the form of Luke Davis, a new groom in the stud barn, revives them both.

When a fall from King’s back sends Luke to the emergency room, Clay watches the shaky foundation of their budding relationship tumble down. Can Clay really love a jockey again, or will his fear of losing another man he loves keep them apart for good?

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A Harmony Ink Press Title

Elpida: Book Two

High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. Almost. He has great friends, parents who love him just the way he is, and he was a champion hurdler until someone took out his knee when they kidnapped his boyfriend. Yet, Michael is determined to make the USATF tryouts in spite of his injuries.

Christy Castle is Michael’s entire world. Healing from years of abuse, his abduction by a predator has left him hiding a new secret as he tries to start his life again. Together, Michael and Christy work to recover from their wounds in time to make prom and graduate high school. To complicate matters, Christy is astonished to learn a fellow victim from his native Greece has survived. Christy will stop at nothing to bring him to the US to keep him safe.

But the prosecution of Christy’s kidnapper looms large in their futures and the struggle to return to normal only worsens. Christy's past continues to haunt them and, when the prosecution turns ugly and Christy’s new life is torn apart, only their unrelenting courage and determination can save them from the nightmare that threatens to destroy their future together.

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Ren Murphy is a stagehand. He’s also a loyal friend, a gifted musician, and an inspiring teacher—but most people don’t see past his job. Ren knows that crushing on the Oilton Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal timpanist, Christoph Theoharis, is a waste of time. Christoph brushes off highly eligible would-be suitors regularly. What chance would a stagehand have? Christoph doesn’t even notice Ren’s existence—until one fateful night when chance or luck or maybe fate gets Ren Christoph’s undivided attention.

Old betrayals overshadow both men’s lives, yet each sees something compelling in the other, something that won’t let either walk away. Ren and Christoph may be each other’s best hope of finding a happy-ever-after, but to do that they’ll have to forgive old wrongs. They’ll have to let go of the pain in their past before it destroys their hope for a better future. Most of all, they’ll have to find a way to believe—in possibilities and each other.

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A Novel in the Long Pass Chronicles

Everyone wants the best for SCU student and tight end Raven Nez—and they know exactly what that is. Enter the NFL draft, become a big football hero, promote his tribe’s casino, and make a lot of money to help people on the reservation. Just one problem. Raven’s gay and he  really wants to work with gay kids. Plus he figures a gay Native tight end will get flattened in the NFL. Then the casino board hires a talented student filmmaker to create ads for the tribal business and asks Raven to work with him. But the filmmaker is Dennis Hascomb, a guy with so much to hide and a life so ugly it’s beyond Raven’s understanding. Still, he’s drawn to Dennis's pain and incredible ability to survive. Captivated by Raven’s stories of the two-spirited and by the amazing joy of finally having a friend, Dennis knows he has to break free from everything he’s ever been taught was good—but that’s a struggle that could kill him and Raven too. Is there a chance for “the great red hope” and the “whitest guy on earth”? A future for the serpent and the raven?

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Twenty-nine-year-old Lucas Thompson is at the top of the corporate ladder. But when his lifelong friend and ex-boyfriend invites him to his last-minute destination wedding in the Bahamas, Lucas realizes his corporate success can’t hide his private loneliness. Nor will he be able to escape seeing his family at the wedding—and having to explain, yet again, why he’s rich, handsome… and still single.

Fate and a taxi ride change everything when Lucas meets the charismatic and clever Jack McQueen, who just so happens to be a male escort. Jack’s presence on Lucas’s arm at the wedding keeps questions at bay, but their pretend relationship turns into something more after ten days of sun, sand, and sex. And before the trip is up, both men will discover that what started as a simple escapade in paradise might just lead to their very own happily ever after.

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Planting Dreams: Book One

Foster dreams of getting away, but after his father’s death, he has to take over the family dairy farm. It soon becomes clear his father hasn’t been doing the best job of running it, so not only does Foster need to take over the day-to-day operations, he also needs to find new ways of bringing in revenue.

Javi has no time to dream. He and his family are migrant workers, and daily survival is a struggle, so they travel to anywhere they can get work. When they arrive in their old van, Foster arranges for Javi to help him on the farm.

To Javi’s surprise, Foster listens to his ideas and actually puts them into action. Over days that turn into weeks, they grow to like and then care for each other, but they come from two very different worlds, and they both have responsibilities to their families that neither can walk away from. Is it possible for them to discover a dream they can share? Perhaps they can plant their own and nurture it together to see it grow, if their different backgrounds don’t separate them forever.

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Newport Boys: Book Two

Nightmares and panic attacks following a horrific tragedy leave Professor Elliot Lawrence a prisoner in his own home. After months of relying on his sister as his only connection to the outside world, Elliot is desperate for a sliver of independence. But leaving the safety of his home isn’t an option, not yet, and he reaches out in the most innocuous way he can think of: grocery delivery.

Colton Kelly, retired porn star and recent college grad, is struggling at two minimum wage jobs to make ends meet. During one of his grocery deliveries, he meets Elliot. Although the attraction between them is instant, they must first traverse the long road of putting Elliot back together. When disaster strikes yet again, this time in Colt’s life, Elliot’s not sure he’s strong enough to be the man Colt needs him to be.

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Will & Patrick: Book One

Patrick Mason travels to Bristol to spend the summer with his brother, Ben. He’s cat sitting for the first two weeks while Ben goes on holiday. But Ben neglected to tell him he wouldn’t be doing it alone. Will Adams—Ben’s mate and Patrick’s long-time crush—is staying in Ben’s guest room while he waits to move into his new house after a breakup.

Against his better judgment, Patrick convinces Will that a little no-strings fun is just what they need. Patrick doesn’t want to get involved with a guy on the rebound, and Will isn’t interested in starting something serious with a student. But Patrick’s never been good at separating sex from feelings, and this time is no exception. As their weeks together draw to a close, they need to decide if they have something worth pursuing or if it’s really just a casual thing.

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Il loro matrimonio doveva essere solo una questione d’affari…

Quando Chris Valentine, scrittore in cerca di editore, incontra Jesse Donovan, è interessato a un contratto letterario o magari a un appuntamento. L’ultima cosa che si aspetta è una proposta di matrimonio dallo scapolo d’oro di New York!

Jesse è nei guai. Per mantenere il controllo della sua compagnia deve sposarsi, perciò offre a Chris un accordo: dovrà vivere nella sua splendida villa per un anno e recitare la parte del marito devoto. In cambio avrà tutto il tempo per scrivere e, al termine del contratto, se ne andrà via con un milione di dollari. Chris ce la può fare. Sì, ce la può fare a vivere con l’uomo più bello e affettuoso che abbia mai incontrato, un uomo che lui desidera disperatamente e non può avere. Perché, quando serve, al cuor si comanda. O forse no?

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Groomzilla

When drama threatens to ruin a romance on a reality show, only a true friend can save a groomzilla’s wedding.

Daniel Green is neither a romantic nor a wedding planner, but he’s the only person who can manage his childhood friend Ander, an outrageous fashion designer soon to marry a wealthy entertainment lawyer. Distracting Daniel is Owen Grainger, a too-handsome-to-be-true producer whose quiet charm pulls Daniel into his orbit.

When the stress of the show triggers bad behavior from Ander, the coproducer decides it’s the key to a ratings bonanza, and he undermines Ander and Rafe’s relationship to create more drama. Daniel is determined to protect his friend, but when he falls for Owen, there’s much more at stake than ratings.

Groomzilla Does Vegas

Daniel Green and Owen Grainger found a happy ending in the middle of chaos. Now, a year later, they are engaged, setting up house, and working on their new production company. What could go wrong? Well, allowing the eccentric but well-meaning Ander to be the wedding planner is possibly Daniel's first mistake. A bachelor weekend in Las Vegas might just make or break Daniel's last nerve.

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Don't miss these reader favorites from Kate McMurray!

In Blind Items, Jonathan is too afraid to step out of the closet, and Drew thinks the smartest thing might be to let him go—until Jonathan shows up drunk one night at his apartment. The slow burn of their attraction doesn’t fade with Jonathan's buzz, but navigating a relationship is never easy—especially in the shadow of right-wing politics. In Four Corners, after five years gone, Adam is back, and he has his mind set on Jake. But those years of anger, hurt, and confusion are a lot to overcome, and Jake doesn’t find it easy to forgive. In The Stars The Tremble, Mike’s partner was killed when Emma was a toddler, and Gio mourns the beautiful voice he will never have again, so coping with loss is something they have in common. Their initial physical attraction quickly grows to something more as each hopes to fill the gap that loss and grief has left in his life. In When the Planets Align, quiet, practical Simon realizes he’s been in love with Michael all his life, only now Michael has moved on. They will find themselves in the right place at the right time to take the next step. In The Windup, Ian lets an old friend talk him into joining the Rainbow League, New York’s LGBT amateur baseball league. Baseball turns out to be a great outlet for his anxiety, and not only because sexy teammate Ty has caught his eye. But when Ian receives an offer for a job overseas, Ty needs a new plan: convince Ian that home is where Ty is.

See excerpt for individual blurbs.

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A los veinticuatro años, los tics y tartamudeos de Carter Stevenson lo han convertido en una persona extremadamente tímida. Aunque sus amigos lo acusan de dejar que su síndrome de Tourette le dicte la vida, Carter decide irse de Los Ángeles y trasladarse a una ciudad más pequeña y tranquila de California, Santa Josefina. Su intención es mantener un perfil bajo y evitar a la gente. Lo que no estaba en sus planes es que su vecino, Ethan Hart, entre estrepitosamente en su soledad y lo obligue a salir y a vivir.

Desde el principio, Ethan deja claro su amor por Carter. Pero teme que Carter no vea más allá de su lesión cerebral, a pesar de que eso le permita estar más en armonía con sus sentimientos que la mayoría de la gente. Para Carter, hay un gran problema: ha sufrido mucho en el pasado a manos de quienes se suponía eran su pareja «perfecta» y no quiere volver a arriesgar su corazón.

Sea como sea, Ethan está decidido a mostrarle a Carter que deben estar juntos. Pero entonces, Ethan recibe malas noticias y de repente necesita a Carter para que le dé apoyo y fuerzas para seguir adelante. ¿Será capaz Carter de estar a la altura cuando Ethan más lo necesita?

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Even though bankers’ hours leave long weekends for romance, cosmic intervention is Grant’s only option when money doesn’t buy happiness and he’s got virginity in spades.

Grant Adams is a twenty-six-year-old bank teller who’s unlucky at love, yet hopelessly hopeful. After years of horrific first dates, he’s convinced he’s saving himself for true love. Surely he has bad taste in men because it couldn’t possibly be his persnickety nature that’s sent them packing.

Tristan Carr has been in a holding pattern since his daughter was born fifteen years ago, which suits his workaholic lifestyle just fine. This ex–naval officer turned auto mechanic never wanted anyone interfering with being a weekend dad. For Tristan to rearrange his carefully orchestrated life, a guy will need to be special. Or in the case of the newest employee at his bank, the guy will need to be adorable, shy, and open to the prospect of forever when it shows up at his window.

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Buch 1 in der Serie - Carlisle Cops

Officer Red Markham kennt die Schattenseiten des Lebens. Von einem Autounfall, der seinen Eltern das Leben kostete, hat er hässliche Narben davongetragen, die ihm den Umgang mit anderen Menschen schwer machen. Sein Job als Polizist auf den Straßen von Carlisle, Pennsylvania, trägt ebenso dazu bei, da sich in letzter Zeit Drogenmissbrauch mit tödlichem Ausgang häuft. Eines Nachmittags wird Red wegen eines Kindes, das bei einem Unfall fast ertrunken wäre, zum örtlichen Schwimmbad gerufen. Am Unfallort stellt er fest, dass das Kind von dem Rettungsschwimmer Terry Baumgartner gerettet wurde. Red ist nicht überrascht, als der gut aussehende Terry ihn und sein hässliches Gesicht keines Blickes würdigt.

Mit anzuhören, dass einer der Rettungskräfte ihn für oberflächlich hält, öffnet Terry die Augen. Vielleicht ist er doch nicht so nett, wie er immer gedacht hat. Seine Freundin Julie schlägt vor, dass er Menschen unterstützt, denen es nicht so gut geht, indem er Essen an ältere Leute liefert. Auf seiner Tour trifft er die offenherzige Margie, eine Frau, die sagt, was sie denkt. Es stellt sich heraus, dass sie die Tante von Officer Red Markham ist.

Reds und Terrys Welten prallen aufeinander, als Red versucht, den Ursprung der Drogenwelle zu finden und Terry vor seinem Exfreund zu beschützen, der ein Nein nicht akzeptieren kann. Zusammen finden sie vielleicht mehr, als sie erwartet hatten – wenn sie es schaffen, hinter die Fassade des anderen zu blicken.

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L’ultimissima cosa che Vincent Wade si aspetta è che Carson Cress gli chieda di uscire. Vince è uno studente di biologia scrupoloso e solitario; Carson Cress, al contrario, è una superstar del football, una specie di mito che vive costantemente sotto ai riflettori. È impossibile che tra loro possa funzionare. Ma Vince sta imparando che spesso le persone piombano nella tua vita come una forza inarrestabile e che tutto quello che ti resta da fare è aggrapparti, oppure ritrovarti con il cuore spezzato. Se la loro storia riuscirà a sopravvivere al disastroso incidente che costringe Carson a ripensare tutto il proprio futuro, allora forse Vince potrà finalmente trovare qualcosa in cui credere.

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In My Heart Novellas

An Infatuation

With his ten-year high school reunion approaching, Harold wonders whether Mario will be as muscular, sexy, and tantalizing as he remembers. As a teenager, it was love at first sight for Harold while tutoring football star Mario, until homophobia and bullying drove Mario deep into the closet. Now they’re both married men. Mario, a model, is miserable with his producer wife, while Harold, a teacher, is perfectly content with his businessman husband, Stuart. When the two meet again, will the old flame reignite, setting Harold’s comfortable life ablaze? How can Harold be happy with Stuart when he is still infatuated with his Adonis, his first love, Mario? Harold faces this seemingly impossible situation with inimitable wit, tenderness, and humor as he attempts to reconcile the past and the future.

A Shooting Star

On the eve of the best night of his life, winning an Academy Award, Jonathan Bello thinks back to his one great love, David Star.

Flipping back the pages of time, Jonathan recalls his handsome, muscular, and charismatic college roommate. Since Jonathan was a freshman and David a senior in the Theatre Department, David took Jonathan under his wing and molded him, not only as an actor but as a lover. With every wonderful new adventure, David left his joyful mark on anyone with whom they came in contact, but Jonathan soon uncovered David’s dark past, leading to a shocking event. Undaunted, Jonathan celebrates the captivating man who will always hold a special place in his heart.

A Bittersweet Dreams title: It's an unfortunate truth: love doesn't always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.

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