Book picks similar to
The Imperfect Heart by J.K. Benson


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Collateral Damage


J.T. Cheyanne - 2016
    Plagued by anxiety attacks and an abhorrence to being touched, Trevor rebuffs his best friend’s attempts to set him up. He has no desire for any type of relationship; until the local golden boy strolls into his line of sight at the neighborhood dive…Logan Andrews just wants to take care of his mama. After years of serving his country in the Army Special Forces, Logan resigns when he learns his mother is suffering from advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease. A night out with old friends turns heated when the newest deputy in town catches his attention…When a sexually deviant killer sets his sights on the gay men in the area, Trevor is assigned the case. In a wicked twist, all evidence points to Logan. Can Trevor’s past be repeating itself? In a race against a killer, Trevor struggles to overcome his own insecurities and clear the man whose touch sets him on fire. Will he succeed or will their budding relationship become Collateral Damage?

Safe in His Arms


Renae Kaye - 2014
    He’s not looking for anyone, but when Casey offers, Lon doesn’t turn him down. Welcoming the young man in his big, hairy arms, Lon provides a safety to Casey that he has never known, and Casey wants to stay forever. Still reeling from the breakup of his family years ago, Lon’s not sure he’s ready for the responsibility of the comfort and security Casey craves. But perhaps Lon can risk opening his heart again and hoping for a brighter future. Casey has some pretty big skeletons in his past to deal with. And Lon wonders what Casey will do when he finds out how badly Lon failed at protecting the ones he loved eight years ago.

Smoke and Mirrors


Lillian T. MacGowan - 2014
    Naim Moreau’s life, the last thing he expected was to lose his heart! But he can’t resist his quiet, mysterious doctor, nor does he want to. He wants to make a life with Naim—preferably locked away in his apartment worshiping each other like they were meant to be. Because they are.Things aren’t as clear for Naim. His past haunts him to his soul, and he would rather die than let Deck seem him the way he sees himself. Being honest with Deck and showing his true face could cause him to lose Deck forever. But is it possible that just maybe Deck will see another man? A beautiful man? And what price is Naim willing to pay to take that chance?

Winning in a Landslide


J.M. Cartwright - 2011
    Johnny and Grissom are at odds with each other, the reality of their world sinking in for both men. Johnny's frustrated and Grissom's patience is stretched to the limit.Johnny's come to understand exactly what their relationship could cost Grissom, and he's having second thoughts. But the two men have established a family, and a life together -- a good life, despite their differences. Plus, it's almost Christmas, and they're breaking in a new housekeeper. How will she like working for two daddies?Can they really make it work in small-town West Virginia? Join the boys from A Change of Tune and find out.

Yakuza Pride


H.J. Brues - 2011
    Shigure is even more pleased when he discovers Ken not only speaks Japanese fluently, but is fluent in Japan's ways, even the more violent of the martial arts. Ken’s expertise at kendo is not his most striking quality—it’s the passion beneath his quiet, almost fragile exterior that ignites Shigure's lust, and the two come together as explosively as they spar. Shigure is a dangerous man in a dangerous position. He’s been trying to keep the peace with the Daito-kai—his hated rivals—but the danger on the streets is escalating, threatening those Shigure most wants to protect. He may claim to love his gaijin, but before he can keep Ken safe, Shigure will have to overcome hostility from his people, a hidden enemy, and, the most insidious opponent of all, his own hard-won pride.

Last Call


Sierra Riley - 2016
    The sting hasn't faded after that night three months ago when his last art show bombed right before he was dumped. He designs t-shirts to pay the bills, but he's dateless and creatively uninspired now, hardly moving from the couch until a chatty Siamese cat invades his apartment. When his best friend drags him out to a gay bar to get him drawing people again, Connor's stunned to reunite with the last guy he'd expect behind that bar: Zach Stephens, the heartthrob of his first year in art school.“That's when my parents kicked me out.”It's been five years since bartender Zach Stephens had to drop out of engineering school and lost touch with his best friend from freshman year. After he was caught holding hands with another guy, Zach and his dog escaped his parents, and Zach's been struggling ever since to build a stable life. He just can't reconcile the hunky, tattooed Zach everyone else sees—and wants—with the little he feels like he has to offer. But Connor sees him for more than his abs, and falling into his first relationship with his old friend is the easiest thing in the world. “I want to do something with my life.” When Zach's boss tells them the bar's closing in sixty days unless he finds a buyer, Zach has a choice to make: move and find a proper career but lose Connor, his first boyfriend, stay in town but work in dead-end bartending jobs... or take the third option, the scariest of all, and secure a future for everyone. While Connor struggles with his fear of certain failure if he enters the next big art show, Zach has to decide what kind of man he wants to be. Can Connor and Zach screw up their courage and be brave, or will they only screw up the one good thing they had going?Last Call is a steamy, standalone gay romance novel with a HEA and no cliffhangers.

Clouded Hell


J.R. Gray - 2016
    Physical pain to avoid the mental. Disposable flesh to avoid relationships. Work to avoid attachment. My club became my empire of avoidance. Inside the ring millions are won and lost. The fight is confined to breaths, actions and reactions, fists and pain. Rules don’t exist. Only my opponent exists. I’d been avoiding my needs for far too long when Remi stumbles into the Inferno and I’m hungry. The promise of a submissive with no attachment is far too tempting. I can’t resist him.He was only supposed to be a distraction, but I know I'll never get over him. There isn't a chance in this clouded hell.

The Forest Savage


Claire Davis - 2015
    They look like best friends, but is there something more between them? Maybe one of them is head over heels and the other one a bit clueless? They would make such a cute couple :)Photo Description: In the photograph, two young men sit closely together. One is smoking, while the other appears to be talking. Their close proximity to one another suggests friendship and intimacy. Behind them, the surroundings look bleak and drab.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story. This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

Fate Makes No Mistakes


Shin
    His days are filled with strange coincidences and hours of his day just seem to disappear... Then one night, a man in a strange mask saves him from being hit by a bus. Turns out the strange man isn’t a man at all, but a goblin. It isn’t long before Eunjae’s forced to accept that according to the world of the afterlife, he’s dead. And there’s only one being now that can protect his body and soul from slipping away: San, the goblin.

Stained Glass


Jaime Samms - 2012
    Recently unemployed and struggling with his newly discovered submissive tendencies, Laurie needs his best friend, Jeff, more than ever. One sleepless night of detox and a desperate kiss convince him that the attraction they've battled all their lives has become too hard to ignore, but Jeff has other responsibilities that take him far away from Laurie and his self-destructive behavior.When Jeff leaves, all Laurie wants is to be left alone to wallow. Instead, he finds himself riding herd on his friends who have quit their jobs to achieve their dream of starting their own manga publisher. Those same friends return the favor by riding him: about the booze, talking about what happened, seeing a doctor-and about Jeff, whose abandonment left Laurie bitter and resentful. Laurie knows they can't have a relationship without forgiveness, but when Jeff returns, can he be what Laurie needs?

Arrows Through Archer


Nash Summers - 2017
    Each day, he struggles his way through classes, parties, and trying to put on a good front for the sake of his best friend. But at night, he falls asleep to the sound of gunshots ringing in his ears.Mallory is a man fighting a war of emotions all his own. When his son invites his best friend back home to Banff over a college break, he’s happy for the company.Some time during the late-night talks, subtle smiles, and long, long silences, the two men begin to find solace in one another.But love isn’t always easy, especially when it strikes you straight through the heart.

Strong Medicine


J.K. Hogan - 2016
    A drunken car accident gets him sentenced to a work-release at Riverbend Behavioral Health Facility. Reclusive, traumatized writer Jonah Radley has an entire graveyard of skeletons in his closet. Jonah regularly hospitalizes himself for psychotic episodes caused by a horrific childhood trauma, his biggest secret—one he refuses to speak about in therapy. Jonah and Cameron form a bond inside the hospital, forged in mutual pain and hope for a better life. Once they leave the hospital, they must decide if they are brave enough to explore the intricacies of living with mental illness—and find a new normal together.

Taken


J.C. Owens - 2011
    If only it had stayed that simple.It had all gone wrong. Sent as a mercenary to kidnap Kirith Martinelli from his tropical island home, Landon finds himself on the wrong end of a job gone bad. But there's more to Kirith than meets the eye - he's the brother of feared mob boss Enzo Martinelli, and he's taken Landon as his captive. Kirith makes Landon an offer he can't refuse: stay with him for three months - until he tires of Landon's body - and then Landon may go free.Landon, fearing his own criminal family more than the man before him, quickly agrees. Three months will buy him enough time for his brothers to lose his scent, and then freedom will be his. But that freedom has a steeper price than Landon bargained for as he's drawn into the secrets of Kirith's past. He can't ignore the sadness and loss behind his captor's beautiful eyes, and Landon finds himself wondering if three months will be enough - for either of them...

The Jewel of Colorado


Jason Collins - 2016
    But when Jacob Sanders arrives, he specifically requests that Evan be present for the secretive meeting, and Evan tries his best to keep his composure around the strikingly handsome man. Jacob comes across as a friendly, assertive guy who is unaffected by his wealth, and Evan feels an immediate attraction. Invited to visit the Sanders Ranch, Evan discovers a family who cares deeply for each other despite their attempts to keep some of their darker secrets hidden. When one of those unwanted secrets appears out of the blue, Evan and Jacob are thrown together and forced to deal with the chaos. As the two men begin to explore their feelings, they must deal with the realization that the precious jewel has gone missing. Trying his best to comfort Jacob, Evan agrees to help search for the missing stone or the person who might have stolen it. With fingers being pointed in all directions, Evan tries to keep himself off the list of suspects as he moves forward cautiously. Hoping to save their relationship, Evan joins in the hunt for Colorado’s most infamous jewel.

Sub-Mission


Sage Marlowe - 2012
    Most of the time. His romantic side has him secretly dreaming of Mr Right, a family and a happy ever after. Noah Conway is a single father who doesn’t believe in happy families any more. When his daughter’s life is at stake, he would sell his soul to save her but as a sadistic Dom takes an interest in him, he sells his body instead.A shared session at a BDSM club leaves Pierce intrigued and soon he finds himself willing to do anything in his power to heal the wounds that life has left on Noah’s soul. When he realises that the very thing Noah dreads the most might just be what he needs, Pierce sets out on a mission—but maybe it’s just not in his power to save Noah. Will Noah be able to battle the demons that haunt him and find the happy ever after Pierce has dreamed up for them?Reader advisory: This edition is a revised re-release. Contains a scene of dubious consent and references to violence in one MC’s past