Book picks similar to
Oceans that Swim by Casey Cox
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The Wanderer
Dahlia Donovan - 2017
Lost and confused, he hides from his failures until an unexpected inheritance forces him to make a change.Graham Hodson lives for travel, adventure, and one-night stands. Wanderlust rules his life. He never expects a brief encounter with a stranger to haunt his dreams and follow him across the world.One diagnosis shakes both men to their core. One journey through the depths of recovery brings two perpetual bachelors into the unknown territory of love.The Wanderer is book one in Dahlia Donovan's international bestselling gay romance series, The Sin Bin. Each one features hot rugby players and the men who steal their hearts."The Wanderer hits some hard truths of how cruel life can really be, but on the flip side of that, it shows that love is such a beautiful and patient thing that seriously will come out of nowhere, knock you flat on your arse and make you a better person than you ever thought you could be." —Lil Maso for PNR Book Lover Reviews
Falling for the Pet Doctor
Crystal Lacy - 2022
Out of his depth and dealing poorly with grief, Felix turns to compassionate veterinarian Tyler for comfort.Losing the love of his life in an accident has made Tyler Hayworth afraid to risk his heart again. When Felix walks into his life, Tyler tries his best to steer clear of temptation--but lowers his guard when he realizes Felix is only looking for a temporary fix for his loneliness.Felix is going back to the mainland soon. They can both take what they need from each other without compromising their hearts, right?An emotional romance featuring a singing African grey parrot, lots of cats and dogs, and a sweet, well-deserved happily-ever-after. This 44,000 word novella was originally published under Radish Fiction under the name Finding Home. It has been revised and edited for re-publication here.
With a Pinch of Love
Hayden Hall - 2021
DALTON I have it all figured out. I’m going to marry the woman I love and I’m going to put in the work for that promotion. Life can only get better from here on out. Or so I thought. My blushing bride elopes minutes before the ceremony and turns my life upside down. I’m now heading to Vermont with Marshmallow to seal the deal on his soon to be Bed and Breakfast. After a series of unfortunate coincidences, Marshal and I are fake-dating, but my long repressed desire starts lurking from deep within. Impossible. I’m not bi, right? I can’t discover that at twenty-nine, can I? It must be the breakup trauma; nothing more. It’s got nothing to do with my homophobic upbringing, surely. But my broken heart flutters more every time I see him. MARSHAL My best friend stole my first kiss and I’ve loved him ever since. Dalton doesn’t know it, though. Nobody knows. It’s only written in dozens of unsent letters I can’t bring myself to destroy and finally move on. I can’t stand pretending to be his boyfriend when pining after him is all I’ve ever known. And I can’t let us fool around even when he kisses me again. He’s heartbroken and lonely – that’s a far cry from being in love. I will not be his rebound. The charming small town of Rocky Springs quickly gets under our skin and it doesn’t take much to make me fantasize about our future here. Except it’s all fake. Dalton has a career to go back to once his heart is healed and I am building my future here. We’re a lost cause. With a Pinch of Love is a slow-burn, fake boyfriends, best friends to lovers, bisexual awakening, close proximity, standalone romance. It’s a heart-wrenching story with a healthy dose of angst and a grand, hard-earned happily ever after. Lose yourself in the sleepy town of Rocky Springs as Marshal and Dalton fall in love against all odds.
Roommate Arrangement
Saxon James - 2022
And ditch the gray sweatpants. And not leave his door ajar when he’s in compromising positions ...Beau:In search of: roommate.Must be non smoker and non douchebag.Room payment to be made in meal planning, repairs, and dumb jokes.Since my career took off, I barely have time to breathe, let alone keep my life in order. I’m naturally chaotic, make terrible decisions, and scare off potential dates with my “weirdness”.So when Payne gets back into town and needs somewhere to stay, I offer him my spare room with one condition: while he’s staying with me, I need him to help me become date-able.And while he does that, I can focus on my other plan: ignoring that Payne is the only man I’ve ever wanted to date.
My Best Friend's Brother
K.C. Wells - 2021
And gorgeous.Casey’s off limits. Forbidden. But that just makes me want him more.RylanI’ve watched Casey grow up. I never imagined how the sweet, scrawny kid would turn into a hot muscular man. A hot guy who just came out.Casey torments my thoughts. And my dreams. I need to stay far, far away from my best friend’s kid brother. Should be easy, right? I can find plenty of guys to distract me.Problem is, all I want is the one man I can’t have.CaseyThere’s never been a time when I wasn’t in love with Rylan. My brother’s best friend was my first crush. My only crush. He’s the one man I shouldn’t go near. And here I am spending the summer in the apartment he shares with my older brother.That seemed like a good idea in the beginning. I thought I could handle it but now that I’m so close to the man I’ve always wanted, I’m not so sure. About anything.I can have any man – except the one I want.It’s going to be a long, hot summer.
Just Watch Me
Lee Blair
I’m happy in my boring and predictable life. I certainly don’t need a gorgeous man moving into my building to mix things up.When my neighbor brings home a fresh hookup, I mean to close the blinds. I really do! It’s just that he has a tattoo and shows all that skin, and well, I’m ashamed to say I get busted. It’s not my fault he never closes his blinds and our studio apartments stare right into each other’s. I try to ignore my shame until, one day, my neighbor puts on a show, and like the magic of my favorite video games—I forget how to be boring.Just Watch Me is a 38,000-word low-angst, sweet, and steamy gay romance about a tech geek who tumbles out of his comfort zone thanks to his gorgeous temporary neighbor. This book is for fans of ridiculous T-shirts, secret geeks, all the cheese, neighbors who become lovers, and a homebody falling for someone always on the move.
Up for Heir
Stella Starling - 2020
Prince Leopold has one month and a vetted list of suitable princesses, and he will announce his engagement during Rosavia’s Royal Ball. But Leo’s got his own ideas about what really suits him…Royal Librarian Edvin Blom is good at not attracting attention. Shy and self-conscious of his stutter, he’s used to being overlooked and more than happy to stay in the background. At least, until the Crown Prince with a wild reputation shows up at the library’s new opening and decides to flirt with Edvin’s sister…Edvin isn’t at all what Leo thought he wanted, but turns out to be everything he can’t stay away from. Edvin’s been burned by falling for someone out of his league before, though. And believing that Leo has really fallen for him? While Edvin’s drowning in his own doubts and insecurities, that might prove impossible… unless love gives them both a reason to come up for air.Welcome to the tiny European country of Rosavia, where roses ramble over alpine slopes and princes fall for the men of their dreams. Every Rosavia Royals book happens simultaneously, so books can be read on their own, or in any order... but keep an eye out for familiar faces around the palace!
Hold the Door
Vinni George - 2021
When Sam finds out an older, hotter, and amazingly talented Max Martino is part of the acquisition, he knows the only way to keep his sanity is to avoid Max—and their history—at any cost.Max never planned to settle down, but recently he’s been pining for roots. A new job, a new city, and a second chance with Sam makes the thought of staying in one place exciting for the first time ever.But the harder Max pushes, the farther Sam runs, sometimes literally, and Max begins to wonder if Sam can ever let go of the biggest mistake Max ever made—leaving.But maybe a second chance at forever is as simple as holding the door open for love.Hold the Door is an 80,000-word contemporary romance that features friends to lovers and a second chance at love, a sassy work husband, and surfing lessons that often lead to more. Hold the Door is the first book in the Open Doors series and can be read as a standalone.
Cash & Cary
Sam E. Kraemer - 2021
He told me the first day of our minicamp that he’d make my life a living hell. Oh, he achieved that goal in spades, but I doubt in the way he intended.Tragedy never takes a holiday, and having suffered one, I’m not ready for another. When it happens, Cary is there to support me. I have a guardian angel who’s been looking out for me, and I never knew it.Now, I wonder what the cost will be for both of us—since I’ve already fallen for him.••◆◆◆••★Cary Brewer★Skip Mitchell told me that his nephew is a hell of a pitcher. Seeing the kid in action proves the man right. But when I lay eyes on Cash Mitchell, my gut ties itself in knots. Ask anyone—I’m not that guy.The attraction I’m fighting tooth and claw will only be detrimental to both of our careers. I need to get away from him, but how do I do that?The kid has me completely under his spell, and the blue in my uniform will match the blue in my pants if something doesn’t give.This work of fiction is approximately 55,000 words in length, ends in an HEA, and can be read as a standalone novel.
Saving Crofton Hall
Rebecca Cohen - 2014
Faced with his mother’s gambling debts, forgery, and the possibility of foreclosure by the bank, Ben vows to make Crofton Hall pay for herself. But opening an Elizabethan manor house to the public isn’t a one man job. With time running out, Ben needs help—and fast.Ashley Niven needs a new challenge, and that’s exactly what he gets when he answers a job advert asking for people who like history, earls, and old houses. Working with the dashing Earl of Crofton to open up Crofton Hall is a dream come true, and Ashley soon finds himself drawn not just to the charm of the house but its charismatic owner.But Crofton Hall has many untold stories, and a family secret dating back four hundred years to the 1st Earl of Crofton, Anthony Redbourn, is about to change all their lives.Second edition. Previously published by Dreamspinner Press.
Too Like the Lightning
Travis Beaudoin - 2022
A stable relationship with a successful man. A beautiful home in a quiet suburb. And best of all, a job where he spent his days talking about literature.Then his tenure was denied and, too quickly for him to stop it, everything crumbled.Now, with his dreams in the dust and his confidence shattered, Andrew has one summer to figure out his next move.Bulbs, Florida, is like no place Andrew’s ever known. It’s small and provincial. It’s hot as hell. Storms roll through every single day. But Andrew just has to keep his head down. Finish his book, find a new job, put things back on track. Easy-peasy.He didn’t plan on making a friend.Coley Brandt has a green thumb and an easy smile. He’s much younger than Andrew, but he puts Andrew at ease, makes him feel at home. Their time together reminds Andrew what having a purpose feels like.Suddenly, this long, lonely summer feels too short.But Coley has dreams of his own, and they’re a million miles away from the life Andrew’s trying to get back.Maybe this is just a summer fling. Maybe, like the lightning, it’s only meant to be glorious for a moment before it disappears.Or maybe it’s something more.Too Like the Lightning is a steamy small-town, age-gap romance. It’s perfect for lovers of second chances, coffee on the back porch, thunderstorms, poetry, and happily ever afters. 85,000 words.
The Viking and the Drag Queen
V.L. Locey - 2022
The only son of the late Danish hockey great, Elias Hemmingsen, Tyr has always done his best to follow the plans his father had laid out for him: Finish school, make it into the pros, become team captain, find a biddable young lady to marry, and win a championship so the Hemmingsen name lived on eternally on the side of a massive silver cup. Like the good son he is Tyr has done as his father wished no matter how it peeled away layers of his true self. Then all the neatly placed supports that hold up his so-called life come crashing down during a night on the town. Tyr might be known as the ‘War God of Wilmington’ on the ice but there’s no battling the effect Gigi Patel LeBay has on him. Elijah McBride lives for the spotlight. As Gigi he bewitches and bedazzles the crowds at the Campo Royale Club. His vibrant stage persona is the face he presents to the world. Underneath the rouge, eyeliner, and lipstick is a young man who still feels the sting of his parent’s disapproval and rejection of the son who wears wigs and dates other men. With his drag family and older brother in his corner he’s finally found peace in his life. Until that fateful night a massive hockey player shows up the club. There’s a world of hurt in Tyr’s soft brown eyes and Eli finds himself falling for the big man despite all the barriers he’s built around his tender heart. The Viking and the Drag Queen is an opposites attract gay romance with heavy checking, lipstick worship, an out and proud queen, a closeted athlete, family lost and found, twink/jock, a new beginning, and a well-cinched happy ending.
Chasing Chance
M.E. Parker - 2019
They become so ingrained in your memory that you can’t let them go, no matter how hard you try. Some may seem small and insignificant when they happen. Others are so big and important that you know, even while you’re in the moment, that your life will be forever changed. For me, almost all those moments—both the small and insignificant as well as the big and important—were moments I shared with Chance Wyrick. If I were in a support group for hopelessly pathetic gays, I’d have to introduce myself by saying, “Hi, I’m Andy Michaelson and I can’t stop myself from thinking about Chance Wyrick.” From the time we met, when we were only six years old, and for the next twelve years, he was my best friend. I fell in love with him along the way. I couldn’t say exactly when it happened, only that it happened. Words of advice: Never fall in love with your best friend, especially if he’s one of the most popular kids at school, the best high school quarterback in the state, or if he happens to be your next-door neighbor. But most of all… Never, I repeat never, fall in love with your best friend if he’s straight. Nothing good can come of it. Trust me. Our friendship was over before we finished our last year of high school. My best friend became my ex-best friend. I hoped to forget about him when I went off to college. But Chance followed me there. So did all the memories. I tried to forget him. I did. But he was more beautiful than ever. He was the starting quarterback for Gilcrest University. He was larger than life. He was impossible to ignore. We hadn’t spoken in years, but the memories still hit me out of nowhere, and they still hurt. By the time I started my third year at Gilcrest, I was beginning to think I’d never be over him. As it turns out, I was right… Chasing Chance is the first book in the Gilcrest University Guys series. It’s a full-length, “friends to lovers” romance novel. It has “coming out” and “first-time gay” themes, is stocked full of STEAM, heartache, and laughter, and it has a guaranteed happy ending. The series will follow the love stories of four college friends. Chasing Chance is the first of two books that will tell Andy and Chance’s love story. Look for book two, Catching Chance, to come out next month!
The Real Baxter
Lane Hayes - 2022
I’m the real Baxter.Well, I wear the suit and let the action play out onscreen. You want to know the secret of my success? Sell the story you want to tell. Even if you have to bend the truth a little.Okay…a lot.Trust me, no one will notice. Except Trent, who seems to notice everything. And for some reason, I like that. I like him. I’m just not sure what to do about it.TrentLook, I’m not exactly killing it. I’m a typical struggling actor-slash-waiter, hoping for a break. And boom…in walks Sebastian Rourke. He’s a cutthroat, wickedly charming silver fox, a Hollywood legend in the making. No joke. You’ve got to sell a piece of your soul to get in this man’s orbit. Or fake a British accent, then take a job playing bodyguard to fool the press. As one does.I know I should take advantage of the very strange situation I find myself in, but I’m not sure I’m cut out for it. However, I’m willing to take a chance, ’cause I want the real Seb.Even though it might cost me everything.The Real Baxter is a MM age-gap, bisexual romance featuring the man who has everything and the actor who’s willing to show him what’s real.
Never Too Late
Sloan Johnson - 2016
No, really. I was dead on the side of the road following a gruesome motorcycle accident. From what I've been told, it's only because of one stubborn man that I have another chance to make something of my life. I no longer hate him for screwing up what I thought I wanted. I want to thank him. NEED to tell him what his actions mean to me. Now, I’m headed back to the town I’ve never set foot in even though it’s a huge part of my life. I’m not thrilled about that, but the job offers haven’t exactly been flowing in. They’ll probably think I’m crazy, because there’s no way I won’t be able to look at every guy I walk past, wondering if he’s the one who saved me. Michael: My entire life, I wanted to save lives. I’d earned a full-ride scholarship and had been accepted to med schools across the country. I was so close to making those dreams a reality until the night held a dying man in my arms. I’ve never been able to get the images of his lifeless body caked in mud out of my head. Even when the paramedics tried to take over trying to save him, I couldn’t let go. I never let go. Eventually, my guilt over not doing more cost me everything but my son. And now, I worry I’ll lose him if I don’t get it together. I’ve often thought that if I could find him, maybe I could get some closure and finally get my life back on track. Now he’s here and I’m more of a mess than ever. Once the truth comes out, will he keep trying to save me or will he realize that it’s too late?