Contemporary Romance books

Christer is too old to believe in fairy tales. He’s not the kind of guy to pick the proverbial seven flowers on Midsummer’s Eve so he can dream of who he will marry, and he certainly isn’t the type to fall for someone he’s just met. Especially not a womanizing blogger named Henrik.

Besides, Christer’s previous marriage didn’t end with a happily ever after. Therefore, he has no interest in gifting his heart to someone who lives five hundred miles away and probably isn’t even gay. His family is right: it’s time he grew up and stopped dreaming.

But Midsummer’s Eve in Sweden is a magical night, and Henrik won’t stop flirting. As the midnight sun shines down on the misty woods, maybe there’s room for one last dream.

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

Read more...

Liam Hartley has just turned sixteen and is struggling with his sexual orientation. He meets Cody Williams, a bisexual transfer student, and Cody shows him that what he feels is normal, but they agree to keep their budding relationship under wraps due to the extreme homophobia throughout the conservative small town. They find their own little hideaway where they can intimately explore each other.

Cody hides their relationship by platonically dating a cheerleader, much to Liam’s dismay. The jealousy, secrets, and stress of dealing with hateful messages coming from religious bigots push Liam to the breaking point, and he turns to cutting himself. Things go from bad to worse when the rest of the school finds out Liam and Cody are more than friends. Even if they can get through this difficult time, Cody’s family will soon be moving back to the city, and Liam knows his chances of standing alone against the rest of the town aren’t good.

Though there might be a glimmer of hope in Liam’s future, he’ll have to travel a dark road to reach it.

Read more...

Storie di Toronto, Libro 3

Il trentacinquenne Rick Haviland è un logopedista rispettato, ma mentre i suoi amici si stanno tutti accasando, lui rifiuta di rinunciare alla sua vita fatta di notti in discoteca e sesso senza impegno. Per lui le relazioni sono pericolose, perché ha un segreto da nascondere. Quando incontra Ian O’Donnell, responsabile commerciale di un sito sensazionalistico specializzato in scandali, Rick crede che le sue regole personali riguardo alle relazioni basteranno a proteggerlo da qualcosa di più dell’avventura di una notte.

Quando Ian fa coming out, stanco del sesso anonimo e di nascondere segreti alla sua numerosa famiglia cattolica, Rick è proprio lì, ed è proprio il tipo d’uomo che a Ian piacerebbe conoscere meglio. La loro attrazione è immediata, irresistibile e reciproca. Ian convince Rick a infrangere sempre di più le sue regole, fino a far crollare le sue difese. Ma qualcuno osserva, qualcuno che desidera il fallimento di questa nuova relazione. Quando il lavoro di Ian diventa un mezzo per svelare il segreto di Rick, le loro carriere e i loro cuori rischiano di uscirne distrutti.

Read more...

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and no one knows it better than the men in EM Lynley’s Delectable Series.

In Brand New Flavor, Artisan ice cream maker Jay Brown and food critic Cameron Clay have one delicious encounter that could lead to much more, if they can find each other again. Simon Ford resents the easy life of those like Austin Kelvin, owner of Kelvin Cellars in Napa Valley, in *An Intoxicating Crush*. But Austin’s business is going under, and when Simon’s true reasons for being at the winery come to light, Simon will have to risk everything to prove his sincerity.

When Alex Bancroft’s bakery burns down a week before Christmas and he’s pulled from the flames by Kevin Flint in Gingerbread Palace, the gingerbread house he donates to charity seems like it’s not going to happen, until Fire Station 7 comes to the rescue yet again. But can Kevin come out of the closet long enough to see what he might be missing?

In Spaghetti Western, professional chef Riley Emerson’s dreams are in tatters when he takes a job at the Rocking Z guest ranch. Colby Zane is ecstatic when the new cook turns out to be his hot one-night stand, but financial problems at the ranch may drive them apart. In *12 Courses*, chef Thom Kennedy has finally regained his confidence after the theft of his recipes when ex-boyfriend Blake Warner shows up at his restaurant several days in a row. But can he trust Blake again when he seems to know more that he’s saying about the theft?

See excerpt for individual blurbs.

Read more...

The path to happiness starts with acceptance, and sometimes the chance for a bright, loving future means letting go of the past.

All his life, Neil Baxter has buried a large part of himself—the part that’s attracted to other men. He married a woman and denied that side of him existed. And he plans to keep right on pretending to be straight after his beloved wife has passed away.

To help him deal with his grief, Neil’s sister-in-law convinces him to vacation at a dude ranch. There, Neil meets Cole Thompson, a young, gorgeous, unabashedly gay wrangler—who is unabashedly attracted to Neil. And try as he might, Neil cannot deny he feels the same way. But desire soon becomes something more profound as the two men get to know each other. Cole is much more than a sexy cowboy: he’s kind, spiritual, and intelligent. In fact, he’s perfect for Neil… except he’s a man, and Neil isn’t ready to let go of a lifetime of denial. If he cannot find the courage to be true to himself, he might let something wonderful slip through his fingers.

2nd Edition
First Edition published as Trust Me by Amber Quill Press, 2011.

Read more...

One is trying to heal a broken heart, the other, a broken family.

After separating from his partner of nine years, Palmer Simpson flees to the island of Oahu to pursue a carefree life of surfing. There, he meets Riku Usami, a more skilled surfer—but one with a bad attitude and a boatload of family drama. A contest between the two men leads to friendship and the possibility of something more meaningful. When a tsunami threatens the island, a friend is stranded out on the waters of the deadly Banzai Pipeline. Palmer and Riku must face the dangers of the barrel waves and the looming forces of nature in order to get their friend to safety. If they survive, they’ll have to contemplate what their future together will look like after the storm blows through.

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Read more...

Coda, numéro hors série

Lorsque Jonathan Kechter accepte de rencontrer Cole Fenton, il ne s’attend à rien d’autre qu’à un dîner et une nuit sans lendemain… mais il ne s’attendait pas non plus à Cole. Cole est arrogant, extravagant et pas du tout le genre de Jon. Toutefois, lorsque Cole lui propose une relation sexuelle sans aucun engagement lorsqu’ils sont tous les deux en ville, Jon accepte immédiatement. 

Cet arrangement est peut-être sans aucun engagement, mais Jonathan apprend vite qu’entre sa peur de toute intimité et sa vie de nomade, avec Cole Fenton, rien n’est facile. Jonathan se demande si leur relation n’est pas vouée à l’échec dès le départ. Mais plus Cole le repousse, plus Jonathan est déterminé à la sauver. 

Read more...

Tate O’Connor has worked hard to realize his dream of dancing on Broadway, and it’s about to pay off with a premier in his first show. He doesn’t expect the distraction of sharing the stage with his celebrity crush: Broadway superstar Mike Chang. Drama ensues both onstage and off as Tate and Mike work closely and realize there could be something between them. However, there are those who don’t think an up-and-coming dancer is good enough for someone with Mike’s talent and fame, and rumors and misunderstandings might lead to broken hearts if Tate and Mike can’t work through their confusion and insecurity.

Read more...

Loving You: Book Two

Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be—the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who enjoyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend hit Kee and called him names, Kee retired from the social scene.

Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk—a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk—but Kee is searching for somewhere to belong. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens—a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence.

With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of opposites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together.

Read more...

A  Mitch Jenkins viene a mancare la terra sotto i piedi quando la relazione di due anni con il suo compagno arriva a una brusca fine. Sono passati due mesi e lui sta ancora soffrendo. Nel tentativo di risollevargli il morale, un collega lo conduce in un club ʻsegretoʼ. Mitch non è minimamente interessato a quei giovani gay che si pavoneggiano, finché non nota in fondo alla sala un ragazzo con il naso infilato in un libro, incurante dell’ambiente circostante. Adesso sì che Mitch è interessato. 

Nikko Kurokawa vuole estinguere il proprio debito e andarsene dal Black Lounge. Guadagnarsi la libertà non è un compito semplice, specialmente quando inizia ad attirare l’attenzione. La vita diventa un po’ più facile da sopportare quando conosce Mitch. Lui non è come gli altri uomini che frequentano il club. Mitch lo intriga e riesce a catturare il suo cuore, dandogli il coraggio di affrontare qualsiasi cosa. A breve Nikko sarà fuori di lì, e lui e Mitch potranno capire se esiste un futuro per loro. 

Nessuno dei due ha tenuto conto di chi non vuole che Nikko se ne vada…

Read more...

Friday, 23 January

The cat funeral.

Yeah, that happened today. I went and participated in—aided and abetted?—a cat funeral.

London life is tough on idealists. In an ideal world, after years of flirtation, Leo would be cosily settled down with Jack, his long-time crush. In an ideal world, Jack wouldn’t now be engaged to a woman. And in an ideal world, Leo would move on.

When handsome new neighbour Alex moves in opposite Leo, an opportunity to do so presents itself. But Alex is working class, poorer than Leo, and probably straight. While Jack’s engagement unravels, and Leo’s friendship with Alex deepens, will Leo manage to find happiness with the right man? Or will he succumb to his enemies: self-doubt, family expectations, and pride? 

Told in diary form, this is both the story of a love triangle in London and the chronicle of a man’s struggles to confront his self-image and overcome his insecurity.

Read more...

With a shot at happiness in sight, it’s no time to drop the ball.

A back condition ruined Ray’s basketball ambitions, but he wants one last opportunity to play before hanging up his sneakers. While volunteering as a coach at a special needs school in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, he meets Singaporean Xin, who works matching wealthy corporations with compatible charities. Xin helps the American navigate the local customs in order to see the smile Xin fell for at first sight, but Ray makes sure no one sees how hard it is for him to keep upright, let alone keep enjoying Vietnam and playing the sport he loves.

When Ray’s back pain becomes too great to hide, Xin accommodates him in Ho Chi Minh and in Singapore—and in bed. Ray wants to imagine a future for them but fears he’s damaged goods, and Xin’s obligations in Asia aren’t easily forgotten. Ray won’t be another charity of Xin’s, especially when Xin also needs someone by his side. Their romance will be cut as short as Ray’s basketball dreams unless he can close the Pacific-sized distance between them.

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

Read more...

Beauty is only skin deep, but some marks—and what they represent—are impossible to escape.

Eric resents his comfortable college life and the restrictions his family’s expectations put on him. Dwayne, his best friend Angel’s cousin, is a pierced and tattooed ex-con trying to rebuild his life. Eric sees only the tattoos and the way Dwayne’s upbringing have dictated his future. It takes a surprising revelation from Angel to force Eric to see past Dwayne’s defenses to the generous heart beneath and to realize it’s time for him to break free of his own instilled beliefs. The men can’t keep apart, and they gradually learn that everything they thought they knew about each other might be wrong. 

Opposites attract as two men from very different backgrounds move from enemies to lovers in a story of understanding, compassion, and redemption.

2nd Edition
First Edition published by Pink Petal Books, 2011.

Read more...

Theatre headliner Trevor Rowland is at the peak of his career when disaster strikes. In one fell swoop, he loses his eyesight, his fame, and his boyfriend, who absconds with most of his money. Trevor must take on a flatmate, hardworking East Ender Jack Burrows, to afford the rent. Anger and bitterness have taken up residence in his heart—but Jack shines light into the shadowy corners with his relentlessly sunny disposition.

Jack introduces Trevor to a local drag club and convinces him he can enjoy the stage again. Trevor’s defences slowly come down as Jack becomes much more than a barely tolerated roommate.

But will Trevor’s fragile trust be destroyed when it appears he’s been manipulated yet again by a man he’s come to care for? Will he reclaim his life or crawl back into a shell of defeat? Trevor must learn to trust not only a man, but himself, once more.

Read more...

Buch 2 in der Serie - Sex in Seattle

Der erfolgreiche Geschäftsmann Daniel Derenzo lebt nur für seine Arbeit. Doch dann wird er durch seinen sterbenden Vater daran erinnert, wie kurz das Leben ist. Daniel setzt seine Prioritäten neu und macht eine überraschende Entdeckung – er fühlt sich zu seinem Geschäftspartner und besten Freund Nick hingezogen, obwohl er immer davon ausgegangen war, ein absolut normaler, heterosexueller Mann zu sein. Auf seine typisch perfektionistische Art erkundet Daniel diese neue Entwicklung mit Hilfe der Experten von ‚Expanded Horizons‘, einer Sexklinik. Und anschließend geht er das Problem an, wie er es aus dem Geschäftsleben kennt – mit dem festen Entschluss, sich das Geschäft nicht durch die Finger rutschen zu lassen. 

Nick Ross war vor vielen Jahren in Daniel verliebt, als sie sich ein Zimmer im Studentenwohnheim teilten. Aber Nick wusste schon damals, dass Daniel nicht schwul ist. Er reparierte sein gebrochenes Herz durch eine Heirat mit Marcia. Vierzehn Jahre und zwei Kinder später gleicht ihre Ehe zwei Schiffen, die sich nachts begegnen. Da Nick seine Kinder über alles liebt, verzichtet er auf eine Scheidung. Er hat Angst davor, dass Marcia das alleinige Sorgerecht zugesprochen bekommt. Aber wenn er seinem eigenen Herzen und den Gefühlen, die in Daniel erwacht sind, vertrauen kann, gibt es vielleicht doch noch ein glückliches Ende für sie beide.

Read more...

Carlisle Cops: Book Five

Brock Ferguson knew he might run into his ex-boyfriend, Vincent Geraldini, when he took his first job as a police officer in Carlisle. Vincent’s attitude during a routine traffic stop reminds Brock why their relationship didn’t last.

What Brock doesn’t expect is finding two scared children in the trunk of a Corvette. He’s also surprised to learn the kids’ mother is Vincent’s sister. But his immediate concern is the safety of the two children, Abey and Penny, and he offers to comfort and care for them when their mother is taken into custody.

Vincent is also shocked to learn what his sister has done. For the sake of the kids, he and Brock bury the hatchet—and soon find they have much more in common than they realized. With Abey and Penny’s help, they grow closer, until the four of them start to feel like a family. But Vincent’s sister and her boyfriend—an equal-opportunity jerk—could tear down everything they’re trying to build.

Read more...

If a stalker doesn’t kill them, the heat between them might.

Christopher Vincent is desperate enough for a job that he accepts an offer to entertain as a psychic in a friend’s nightclub. Jackson Whitman, one of the club’s co-owners, is less than thrilled by the new act. To him, psychics are ridiculous and a liability. But when they come face-to-face, attraction flares to life between them. 

Someone is watching Jack and Chris from the shadows. What starts as a series of creepy encounters leads to deadly attacks.

Jack and Chris must set aside their differences and work together to survive a homicidal stalker. But can they survive their explosive connection?

Read more...

A Love Can't Novel

Small but mighty—that could be Detective Nevin Ng’s motto. Now a dedicated member of the Portland Police Bureau, he didn’t let a tough start in life stop him from protecting those in need. He doesn’t take crap from anyone, and he doesn’t do relationships. Until he responds to the severe beating of a senior citizen and meets the victim’s wealthy, bow-tied landlord.

Property manager and developer Colin Westwood grew up with all the things Nevin never had, like plenty of money and a supportive, loving family. Too supportive, perhaps, since his childhood illness has left his parents unwilling to admit he’s a strong, grown man. Colin does do relationships, but they never work out. Now he’s thinking maybe he won’t just go with the flow. Maybe it’s time to try something more exciting. But being a witness to a terrible crime—or two—was more than he bargained for.

Despite their differences, Colin and Nevin discover that the sparks fly when they’re together. But sparks are short-lived, dampened by the advent of brutal crimes, and Colin and Nevin have seemingly little in common. The question is whether they have the heart to build something lasting.

Read more...