Contemporary Romance books

When high school teacher Tom Smith meets Kevin Bannerman at a gay club, he violates his own rule:  one-night stands only. But when the weekend is over, he walks away, reminding himself that he lives a deeply closeted life for painful, compelling reasons. He keeps his secrets, his heart, and the cause of his crippled arm to himself, but almost immediately he bitterly regrets leaving Kevin.

Months later, while Tom serves as reluctant assistant director for his school’s production of Rent, he fears that the show’s same-sex love angle will somehow out him. Protests against the play begin, one of the student actors is harassed, and during a parents’ meeting, Tom encounters Kevin again. This time Tom can’t fight the attraction between them, and he and Kevin begin a tentative relationship. Within Rent’s message of acceptance and support, and as local churches oppose the play, Tom struggles to find the strength to admit one man into his heart.

Her characters are highly entertaining and totally different from each other in personality, yet add just what is needed to make this threesome a strong committed partnership.  5 of 5 nymphs  Critter Nymph @ Literary Nymphs

Separately and together Chris, Scott and Caleb were wonderful characters. I enjoyed seeing the differences between their personalities and how they were able to mesh together to create a bond that included all three of them equally... Those who may not be fans of menage stories may still want to check this one out. Bottom line this is a story about falling in love and making a relationship work and the fact that it's between three people instead of two shouldn't keep you from reading this really lovely book.  4 of 5 stars  Lily @ Rainbow Reviews

After his boyfriend breaks up with him, fashion photographer Caleb Moss finds himself alone in Los Angeles looking for work and friends. He finds both in a group of aspiring musicians, who offer help through their connections. But while building a strong friendship with Scott and Chris, a startling sexual tension flares to life among the three men, and Caleb is afraid the new friendships will fall apart.

It won't be easy for Caleb, trying to find his way when Scott and Chris invite him into their relationship. They face criticism from their friends, but they'll struggle to stay together because they have discovered a three-fold love.

Alec Sumner is fleeing yet another broken heart. By moving to London, he hopes to find peace and a fresh start. While shopping with a friend on a busy London street, he sees his chance, embodied in a mysterious young man with soulful blue eyes and a bad leg.

Eli Burke is broken in his own way, haunted by memories of his lover’s murder and physically scarred from the same fatal assault. He, too, plans to run away—to Africa and a new life working with children. But when he meets Alec, his choice isn't so easy. He and Alec see the real possibility of new love and a brighter future, but they'll both have to face their fears of past pain and find a way to heal.

...a moving read about loss, love, trying to move on, being trapped by memories that may not want to let go and finding that one special person that let's you find the good within the past.  5 of 5 Hearts  Lilyraines @ Night Owl Romance Reviews

Although at times very heart wrenching, keep Kleenex handy as you might just need them, Broken is a very fulfilling story and one that will stay with the readers long after they have finished the book.  5 of 5 Nymphs  Critter Nymph @ Literary Nymphs Reviews

If you like strong, emotional stories; if you like realistic characterisation with good, but flawed people; if you want to be dragged into a story about recovery and how love and friendship can heal; then Broken is for you.  5 of 5 stars  Jenre @ Jessewave Reviews

A Love Means... Story

Len Parker is laid off during the recession in the early eighties and decides to go back to college at home in rural Michigan, where he reconnects with his best friend from high school, Ruby. He's overjoyed when she marries Cliff Laughton and overcome with sorrow when she dies an untimely death, leaving behind her husband and two-year-old son. 

Out of work again, Len finds a job at Cliff Laughton's sorely neglected farm. Cliff is still mourning his wife, struggling to raise his son, and has little enthusiasm or energy left for work. Len immediately begins to whip the farm—including the two Laughtons—into shape. Working side by side, Len and Cliff grow ever closer, but loving another man takes a lot of courage. They'll have to stand together as they face faltering business, threatening drought, misguided family, and Midwestern prejudices to protect what might be a lifelong love.

Jim Kulik is giving a ranger talk as part of his job at Denali National Park, but his eyes keep wandering to an attractive blond man, who to Jim's surprise, seems to be looking back. Dave Roberts recently moved to Alaska on a business transfer, and after mourning his lover for two years, he's looking to begin again. It is amidst the glory and beauty of the Alaskan wilderness that the two men will find love in each other's arms.

...totally held my attention with its complex, organized plot, with its depth of characterization and, last but not least, its heart-stoppingly gorgeous sex scenes. Zahra Owens has done an exceptional job of developing the characters of these two men, plus a cast of secondary characters, against a complex and riveting plot. 5 of 5 Stars Carole @ Rainbow Reviews

Jonas Hunter is a high-class body for hire with a small, exclusive, mostly male clientèle who pay big bucks for his undivided time and attention. Discretion is Jonas's middle name—he can play his role to the hilt for the client's benefit and at the same time disappear seamlessly into a crowd, safely anonymous.

He's persuaded to take on a new client who is everything he despises in a man: the effeminate, tantrum-throwing, attention-seeking bad boy of Paris haute couture named Nicky Bryant. Nicky's shows are outrageous and always good for a front cover, and his appearance never fails to turn heads. But Jonas soon learns Nicky is a carefully maintained façade himself.

As a fiery attraction grows, Jonas and Nicky have to find a way to walk the tightrope between their public and private personas. They'll need to learn to love and trust each other around the other people in their lives if they're going to share their hearts.

Andrew Grey's Love Means No Shame is a tear jerker. The characters grab you from the beginning and refuse to let go... This is one book that will make it to several keeper shelves to be read again and again. 5/5 Nymphs - Critter Nymph @ Literary Nymphs

This story is written with heart. It is both bittersweet and uplifting, and reminds us that love can be generous and selfless and that a true family and sense of belonging don’t necessarily require blood ties. If you are looking to sink into a well written, poignant, sweet and romantic reading escape then I highly recommend “Love Means ... No Shame” by Andrew Grey. 4/5 Stars - Indigene @ Rainbow Reviews

A Love Means... Story

Geoff is in the city, living the gay life to the hilt, when his father's death convinces him to return to the family farm.  Discovering a young Amish man asleep in his barn, Geoff learns that Eli is spending a year away from the community before accepting baptism into the church. Despite their mutual attraction, Geoff is determined not to become involved with him, but Eli has discovered that Geoff shares his feelings and begins to court him, neatly capturing first Geoff's attention and then his heart.

Their budding relationship is threatened by closed-minded, gossipy relatives and the society at large, a whole new world to Eli, and he must decide whether to return to the community, his family, and the world and future he knows or to stay with Geoff and have faith in the power of love.

A Work Out Story

Working out is a daily routine for Dan, who meets his friend Lonnie at the gym to lift weights. But breaking a sweat takes on a whole new meaning when Dan sees Gene, a professional bodybuilder, in the mirror. Dan knows it's a lost cause: he's forty and nursing a broken heart, nowhere in the same league as gorgeous Gene.

Then at the gym the next day, Gene asks Dan if he can work out with him. A bet wins Dan a smoothie and conversation, which surprisingly leads to a date. Now Dan is faced with a dilemma: does he allow Gene to elbow his way into his life, or will he give up on the idea of a new relationship before it even starts?

When the manager of Kazuki, Japan's hottest pop star, approaches Benjamin Blume, manager of the fledgling rock 'n' roll band Hayate, he can't believe their good fortune. Their plan to court publicity by having Hayate's lead singer, Kaji, pose as The Shining One's lover sends both groups' popularity skyrocketing.  But when the publicity stunt turns into a real affair with disastrous consequences, Kaji is left heartbroken.

Unfortunately, Ben has problems of his own. Soothing his lead singer's pain and keeping Hayate on the road to success becomes even more challenging when his ex-lover, rock god Hagen Rune, shows up promoting rival band Voodoo. Torn between the attentions of Kazuki's attorney, Shin Yoshiro, and the feelings for Rune that have never quite died, Ben's decisions could send Hayate to the top of the charts—or lead to disaster for them all.

Nicholas Sayers, needing money for college, takes a job as assistant to infamous photographer Damian Wolfe. It's just taking pictures, right? Wrong. While Nick has never questioned what kind of man he is or what he truly wants in life, working for Damian during a BDSM photo shoot opens his eyes to all sorts of sexual possibilities, and many of them include the handsome Mr. Wolfe.

Damian has serious doubts about getting involved with a younger man who knows nothing about the BDSM lifestyle, but Nick's adventurous and humorous approach to new experiences is far too alluring to resist. Although he knows it might be a mistake, Damian takes Nick into his life.

Flirting on the edges of control, submission, and pain excites Nick more than he would have ever dreamed possible. With Damian, Nick learns about his own deeply hidden desires and finds out that relinquishing control doesn’t make him weak—having someone else in control of his sexual pleasure simply heightens it. And the reverse is true for Damian: Control turns him on. So they set out to explore these sensual boundaries together, neither expecting to find love along the way.