Book picks similar to
The Young Man's Guide to Love and Loyalty by Clara Merrick
fantasy
historical
m-m
romance
Heartache & Hoofbeats
Maz Maddox - 2018
He protects his small town of Stallion Ridge and its people from any threat large or small. When word comes in that the notorious Iron Bandits are making a play for a train in his territory he’s both livid and invigorated. If anyone can bring these thieves to justice it’s him and his crew. What he did not expect was having a charming, whiskey-eyed outlaw dumped in his lap that challenged everything he thought he knew.
Celebrating Sanctuary (Magical Mischief at the B&B Book 5)
Susi Hawke - 2021
It’s me, Darcy Valentine. I’m still enjoying a fabulous, never-ending first date with my sexy vampire boyfriend Storm. Can you believe we’re celebrating a year together? Yep, we go together like toast and jam. He’s still helping me with the B&B I run inside the warded walls of the quirky, ancestral castle I call home with the rest of the special family my mama and I built with the motley group of weirdos who live here with us.Lordy, do I ever have a crazy tale for you this time. I’m a huge fan of not just Storm but so many other authors. Imagine my thrill when Storm gets the invite to appear at a reader con right here in Austin. You only know I have to go with him, right? It’s the perfect way to celebrate things getting back to normal, our first anniversary, and… did I mention there’d be book signings?Just one thing… Nobody told me these conventions can be deadly. Life-changing, in fact. Remember how I said I’m a huge fanboy? Y’all… I ain’t got nothin’ on the Storm Chasers. Who are they, you ask? Ha! Have a seat. This one might take a few to tell.This 24k novella is the fifth and final book in the Magical Mischief at the B&B series. This book does not contain mpreg, and if you’re looking for serious literature, this ain't it. But if you want to laugh so hard you’ll wake the neighbors, this should get you there. There might be a few tears this time, but it’s mostly full of all the fluffy, happy feels you’d expect from a Susi Hawke book. It could also be a choking hazard due to a ridiculous amount of awful jokes, so maybe don’t eat or drink while reading, okay?
Ganymede: Abducted by the Gods
Wendy Rathbone - 2017
Abducted against his will. My name is Ganymede, and I have been betrayed. Every boy my age dreams of leaving home to embark on a noble adventure, but never does any boy imagine it happening as it did to me. On the evening of my 18th naming day, when I expected no more than a chalice of wine and a few drunken flirtations to tempt my innocence, I was instead sold by my father to the god, Zeus - not because of anything particular I had ever done or said, but solely because I am considered beautiful among mortals, and my father found more value in a few gold coins than in the well-being of his youngest son. To be honest, I never believed in the gods, but my lack of belief held no power in Olympus or on Earth. Now under Zeus's influence, I am kept drunk on ambrosia in the sun-lit halls of the immortals, alternately amazed and horrified at the power these beings hold over others, and how darkly they influence the progress of humanity itself. How very much I want to hate Zeus for kidnapping me, and yet he shows me mostly kindness, even on that fateful night when we shared a bed for the first time. Kindness, yes, but also a godly and unyielding refusal to take no for an answer... probably because he could read my ambrosia-fevered curiosity as much as my naive, inexperienced terror. He owns me, after all, just as he owns everything else, so perhaps it never occurred to him that a captive and a slave might not make the best of lovers. Throughout my time at Olympus - who's to say how long I've been here, for time on Olympus is not the same as that on Earth - the only thing that gives me hope comes to me in dreams and visions. His name is Sable and he is a magnificent shape-shifter in the form of a giant raven. When he first spoke to me in my mind it was with a resonance unlike any I had ever known - his mind and mine sounding a single note together, a song without words, a promise of freedom, a glimpse of some distant but very real possibility of this thing we humans call Love. But now he is silent. Perhaps I dreamed his voice. Perhaps I have finally lost my mind... _____ This male/male romance is a sensual, fantastic and alternate myth, where captivity leads to transformation, immortality and finally love. “Fans of “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller, and “Captive Prince” by C.S. Pacat will especially enjoy Rathbone’s version of the Ganymede’s myth.” – A.J., blog reviewer
Counterpoint
Rachel Haimowitz - 2010
Depleted by generations of war with a dark race, the human kingdoms and their ancient alliance stand on the brink of extinction. The outlands are soaked with the blood of the fallen. The midlands are rotting with decadence and despair.Elfkind, estranged by past crimes, watches and waits for nature to run its course.And then the two collide.Ayden's life has long been guided by two emotions: love for his sister, and hatred of all things human. When he's captured in battle, he must for his sister's sake swallow his pride and endure slavery in the service of a human prince, Freyrik Farr.Freyrik's always known elves to be beautiful and dangerous, but never has one affected him as deeply as Ayden. Can his life of service to his people leave room for this attraction? Dancing on a dagger's edge between duty and high treason, Freyrik discovers that some choices can change a life, and some an entire world.Between prejudice, politics, pride, and survival, Ayden and Freyrik must carve a new path, no matter how daunting. For nothing less than the fate of both their peoples rests on the power of their perseverance and their love.Note: This edition is a re-release of the same novel first published in 2010 by Guiltless Pleasure Publishing.This title is #1 of the Song of the Fallen series."Warning, this title contains the following sensitive themes: explicit violence"
Betrothed: A Faery Tale
Therese Woodson - 2015
Prince Chrysanths should be no different—except with a human for a father, the prince known as Puck already is different. When he is betrothed against his will to Prince Sky, Puck flees to his father in the human world, only to have Sky follow. Prince Sky Song of the Clouds isn’t thrilled with the prospect of marriage either, but is bound by duty to follow through. If he can’t win Puck over, the faery realm might very well dissolve into utter chaos. Too busy arguing, Puck and Sky are unaware there are others with a vested interest in seeing the betrothal fail. In a bid for Puck’s crown, they’ll seek to keep them apart, even as Puck and Sky realize that duty and love don’t always have to be mutually exclusive.
King of the Dark
Ariana Nash - 2020
"Your love is worthless, it's your hate I need." ~Prince Vasili CavilleWhen King Talos Caville surrendered the war to the elves, soldier Nikolas Yazdan vowed never to serve the royals again. He said the same to the prince who tried to buy his loyalty, and learned the Cavilles don’t take no for an answer. Whipped for his insolence, Nikolas is forced into slavery in a palace full of vicious, brutal royals. And Prince Vasili Caville is the worst of all. Malicious and cruel, the prince is more viper than man, and someone inside the palace wants him dead. Nikolas would kill the prince himself if not for one thing: Julian, the prince’s personal guard and Niko’s light in the dark. If Nikolas doesn’t submit to Prince Vasili and discover who is plotting against him, Julian will suffer. But there’s more wrong in the palace than just the prince. The king is on his deathbed, the ferocious elves are creeping closer to the great city of Loreen, and madness stalks the hallways. There’s poison in the Caville court, and if Nikolas doesn’t discover the real reason Prince Vasili tried to buy him with a bag of coin, the palace, the city, and everything he loves, will be lost forever. King of the Dark is the first book in the slow burn, enemies-to-lovers Prince’s Assassin series. A gay Game of Thrones with a hint of Witcher thrown in, there are triggers, including but not limited to: reference to past abuse, attempted rape, dubious consent, reference to incest, torture, drug use and PTSD. High heat sexual content. The Prince’s Assassin is for 18+ only.
Reading order:King of the DarkReign of DarknessCurse of the Dark PrinceThe Cottage (novella)
Sebastian
Sam Argent - 2015
Unfortunately, the prince isn’t content with being alive, and he hunts Sebastian down to thank him personally. Not only is Sebastian stuck with the prince's unwanted affections, he's also confronted by growing evidence linking the assassination attempt to someone from his father's past.Lord Orwell is a lot of things: thief, liar, drunk, and all around horrible father, but Sebastian knows he's no murderer. In order to prove it, Sebastian has to keep the prince alive long enough to discover the truth—a task made considerably harder because the idiot prince prefers wooing Sebastian over securing his own survival. On top of everything, Sebastian needs to save the day without revealing his magical powers and the real reason he hides his appearance.Sebastian had no intention of playing the hero, but whoever is stirring up shit in his country will pay for destroying his quiet life.
Guarded
Kim Fielding - 2014
Now he’s a soldier stationed at the palace, desiring Prince Berhanu while receiving only loathing in return. But when Berhanu foolishly refuses the king’s request to let Volos accompany him on a peace mission to the neighboring country, Berhanu is kidnapped and brutalized. Now Volos must risk his life as he works to save Berhanu and help his country avoid another devastating war.
The Capital
A.H. Lee - 2020
They argue. They fight. They…make out?Prince Roland comes home from the war to bury his father and see his sister on the throne. He sneaks out to his favorite tavern for nostalgia’s sake. It’s the place where he kissed a man for the first time, the place where he used to carouse with the lover he buried on a battlefield.Roland expects to enjoy some anonymity and perhaps flirt with a few strangers for old time’s sake. He does not expect to find a fascinating scholar from out of town—a lonely young man with beautiful eyes and an obvious longing to be touched, buried beneath a prickly demeanor. The man clearly has his secrets, but so does Roland, and their unexpected chemistry makes him feel alive for the first time in months.Roland exerts all his knightly charm and is rewarded by the promise of a second date. He figures he’ll need something to look forward to tomorrow, since he must spend the day in council with his family’s sworn enemy—a necromancer whom his sister has rashly invited to consult about the war.Sairis is a necromancer with a price on his head. He knows that he will have to bargain for his life tomorrow. He’s never been this far from his tower. He’s good with magic, not people. He’s frightened, although he doesn’t want to admit it.Sairis knows he’s doing something foolish by visiting a tavern the evening before his meeting with the royals—a tavern that caters to men of certain tastes. But Sairis wants things. Things a hunted outlaw can never have.He tells himself that he’ll just watch—see what ordinary people enjoy every day. Sairis is confident in his ability to intimidate anyone who comes too close.He’s shocked when a dazzling mountain of a man is not intimidated in the slightest. Sairis knows a knight when he sees one. He has killed plenty of knights. But this knight is funny and kind. Sairis finds his defenses melting in spite of his best efforts. Maybe he could go on a second date with this person.Of course, he’ll have to get through tomorrow first…when he must bargain with the hated royals who have persecuted him all his life.The Knight and the Necromancer is a trilogy with satisfying HEA at the end of book 3. Steamy scenes, adults only.
His Mistake
Pandora Pine - 2021
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for his love life. He has one rule when it comes to dating. Break it and you’re gone. His most recent lover lasted longer than most, but ultimately suffered the same fate. Little did Cristobal know that ending his relationship with Ezra was the worst mistake of his life.Ezra Black spent the last year in Vermont trying to put his life back together after the messy breakup. His mother’s cancer diagnosis sends him running back to Florida and conveniently into Cristobal, who wants to rekindle their relationship. Ezra isn’t sure if the risk is worth the reward.Cristobal is willing to do anything to win Ezra back, even going so far as having one of his fellow warlocks attempt to cast a love spell on Ezra. The men begin to reconnect, but a family emergency throws their lives into chaos and threatens to tear them apart forever.Will the second time be the charm for Cristobal and Ezra? Or is this another mistake in the making?
Semper Fi
Keira Andrews - 2014
The battle for love has just begun.As Marines, Cal and Jim depended on each other to survive bloodshed and despair in the Pacific. Relieved to put the horrors of war behind him, Jim went home to his apple orchard and a quiet life with his wife and children. Knowing Jim could never return his forbidden feelings, Cal hoped time and an ocean between them would dull the yearning for his best friend.But when Jim’s wife dies, Cal returns to help. He doesn’t know a thing about apple farming—or children—but he’s determined to be there for Jim, even as the painful torch he carries blazes back to life. Jim is grateful for his friend’s support as he struggles with buried emotions and dark wartime memories. Then Jim begins to see Cal in a new light, and their relationship deepens in ways neither expected. Can they build a life together as a family and find happiness in a world that would condemn them?This historical gay romance from Keira Andrews features friends to lovers, sexual awakening, found family, and of course a happy ending. (It also contains wartime violence and depictions of post-traumatic stress.)
The Alpha Dragon's Instant Family
Sean Michael - 2021
Everyone has a little dragon in them, but he’s the full dragon king of his high-rise castle, along with his best friends Seamus and Harrison. He might had left his overbearing, aristocratic family behind, but now he has the Skye Dun clan and their successful empire. Too bad his well-ordered life gets a jolt when he meets the man he thinks is his mate at a club, then has to leave him without even getting his name due to an attack on his high rise that leaves Harrison gravely injured. Sebastian Addams is doing the best that he can. He’s just a guy with wings and a single scale on his cheek, as well as his two younger siblings to care for, so he’s pretty low in dragon society. Needing to provide for his family, he looks to a personal assistant job to a business tycoon, but when he walks into the interview, he discovers the man who loved and left him the previous night without even a real introduction. Sebastian wants to slink away, but he needs this job. Badly. Warrington, though, is overjoyed that Sebastian has walked into his office – now he doesn’t have to go searching for his mate with nothing to go on. The trick will be convincing Sebastian that they’re fated to be together, which gets more complicated when Sebastian winds up pregnant. But Warrington thinks his instant family is amazing and sets about making Sebastian see it too. Now if they can just stay safe from the bomber who seems determined to put an end to Skye Dun clan, they just might get their happy ending.
Rueberry Orchard
Michele Notaro - 2020
Remember Rueberry Orchard.”A beautiful man in strange clothing starts invading my dreams, and even though I know he isn’t real, the dreams—mind-links, according to him—are so vivid it’s hard to imagine this man doesn’t exist. After a few of these nightly visits, I start looking forward to meeting him and listening to his smooth voice as he tries to convince me to go to Rueberry Orchard.To my surprise, the place really exists, but I know it would be crazy to go there when it’s ten hours away… right?When the visits don’t stop, some deep desire inside me knows I have to listen to this dream man, even if it’s absolutely insane. I follow his instructions to Rueberry Orchard, and nothing in this world could’ve prepared me for what I find. Or for the wild adventure I’m about to embark on.Rueberry Orchard is the first book in the multi-author series, Beyond the Realm: Remember. Each book is set in its own world and can be read as a standalone novel. Join eight authors on eight very different, romantic, and magical stories as each one writes their own take on the same concept.
Omega's Gamble
Claire Cullen - 2021
With the threat of being banished to the priory hanging over his head, Raine will do whatever it takes to find himself a husband. Even visit Stormshield, a remote kingdom no omega prince ever sets foot on. A kingdom that just so happens to have three eligible alphas. Prince Darien has all but given up on the idea of marriage after years of being snubbed by royal omegas. He has far more important things to worry about, like the pirates besieging their island kingdom. When an omega finally does step off the airship, Darien has no interest in a wedding. But he's not given a choice—this marriage represents an alliance his kingdom cannot refuse. Bound to each other only hours after meeting, Raine and Darien face a rocky road. One wants this marriage at all costs, and the other resents being forced to marry the son of an enemy to keep the peace. They're both hiding secrets, but in Stormshield Kingdom, secrets never stay hidden for long. Omega’s Gamble is a slow burn m/m shifter romance with a dash of magic. It features an arranged marriage, two stubborn princes, pirates, and a mysterious kingdom. It contains mpreg and mature themes.
Finding the Wolf
Mell Eight - 2012
Nyle is the unlucky dragon tasked with finding Leon, a duty he dreads as it forces him into the confounding human world and far away from his collection of pretties.Locating a missing prince should be a simple matter, but if Nyle has learned anything about humans since being forced among them, it’s that they needlessly complicate everything. When he finally locates the errant prince, however, what Nyle finds is a treasure worth all the complications—and worth protecting at any cost.