Book picks similar to
Bending the Rules by Brigham Vaughn
mm
m-m
hockey
second-chance
Let There Be Light
A.M. Johnson - 2018
Hard work and drive kept Royal O'Connell one step ahead of his competition. His spot on the swim team, keeping his scholarship, was the only plan that mattered. His world was ebony and ivory. Natural talent and ambition set Camden Morgan apart from the other music majors. His dedication scoring him a full ride. Normally, their paths would have never crossed….But when Royal meets his best friend's new roommate, his big plan and Camden’s controlled environment faces a variable that could destroy it all. Attraction. The world they live in had no room for error. That undeniable pull between them was dangerous and neither one of them could've prepared for the choice they'd have to make. Love isn't always an easy road and, when everything they've worked for is on the line, they'll have to decide if being together is worth the risk. Let There Be Light is a full-length standalone.
The Rebel
Kendall Ryan - 2021
And the chemistry I remember? It’s more combustible than ever. Except…our fling is forbidden and must exist only in secret. Her rules, not mine.I can’t be her forever. I’m not that guy, and even she knows it. But I can’t stay away from her either. I’m determined to claim not just her body but her heart, even if that’s the one thing she’s vowed not to give me.
Whiteout
Ann Grech - 2016
What could go wrong? Or will it be the moment they get all they’ve ever wanted? In discovering their bisexuality, will Reef and Ford be brave enough to reach for each other?Pro-snowboarder, Reef Reid, is at the peak of his career. He has it all. Except the one thing he desperately wants: a lover, the white picket fence and his happily ever after. Disillusioned and exhausted, he flees to a tropical paradise to defrost.But a ticketing mishap lands him in the ski village of Queenstown, New Zealand.Stratford ‘Ford’ Wallace loves the ladies, but rarely sticks around longer than a night. Falling for a man wasn’t on the cards, but everything he knows is flipped on its head when the enigmatic Reef Reid literally drops out of the sky.When a whiteout traps them on a mountaintop neither expects sparks to ignite. They’re unable to resist each other, but will they give into temptation? Or will the avalanche that tears through the mountain end them?Whiteout is book one in Ann Grech’s international hit male/male romance series, Unexpected. Books 2 and 3 continue Reef and Ford’s story through the highs and lows of the pro-snowboarding circuit. You’ll fall in love, want to slap a certain someone or two and swoon over these two men who are made for each other.
Duplicity
A.E. Madsen - 2022
Now, I’ve been effectively disowned by my parents, and I haven’t dated anyone in almost nine months since. According to my friend, that’s too much time to waste regretting the actions of a good for nothing jerk. Part of me wants to get back out there, but I’m not sure. She insists on setting me up on a semi blind date with her old study buddy. But when I run into him on campus, he isn’t anything like she said. Ian I can count the number of people that I’ve told I’m bi on one hand, make that one finger. I’ve never been the out and proud type. So, when Daniel approached me nervously asking about a date, I was a little surprised, but I was also on my way to soccer practice and had no time to think it through. I gave him my number so we could meet up later and we went on a date the next weekend. It was great, and he kissed me when we were saying goodbye. Then he called me Aiden. That’s my brother’s name. Did I forget to mention I’m a twin? *Duplicity is a mistaken identity romance novel with a HFN ending. Please see front matter for TW.*
Surviving Love
S.C. Wynne - 2021
Suffering from anxiety and asthma, he rarely ventured from his mundane routine. He lived vicariously through his books and TV shows, envious of the exciting lives others led. But when Mason is involved in a car accident that almost claims his life, he realizes hiding from the world to protect himself was a fool’s game all along. Mason decides it’s time to truly live his life. He tries out for a spot on his favorite reality TV show Devious Island and he gets accepted.Jack Harrison teaches people how to survive in the wild. He’s everything Mason isn’t: confident. Commanding. Cunning. The minute Jack sets eyes on Mason, he enjoys making life difficult for the city boy. He thinks Mason is sexy, but in over his head. In his opinion, the sooner the wimpy city boy is sent home, the better.
Six Ways from Sunday
Mercy Celeste - 2013
After high school he had football but he lost Dylan.Dylan Sunday walked a different path, one laid down before him by his father and his grandfather. Losing Bo one day after discovering they shared more than football wasn’t part of the bargain. Six years of missed connections and finally Dylan is able to come home to the man he left behind. The spectacle of the biggest game in the NFL is only the beginning of one sizzling week. After that time and fate would decide if Bo and Dylan would walk the same path, or if one of them would make the ultimate sacrifice.Warning: bittersweet tale of two hot men, making up for six years of separation. May not be suitable for sensitive readers. Contains scenes of male/male sexual practices.
Lost and Found
Lucy Lennox - 2017
But when I needed him the most, that was exactly what he did…Wilderness guide Xander Reed has spent fifteen years trying to forget the night he turned to his best friend in his darkest hour, only to find the young man who’d sworn to always have his back was turning his on Xander instead. Two thousand miles and fifteen years of building a new life in the quiet backcountry of the Rocky Mountains should have been enough to put the memory of Bennett Crawford out of his mind forever, but old wounds run deep and when Bennett suddenly reappears in his life as part of a wilderness expedition Xander is guiding, the scars he thought long healed break wide open.I’d only ever wanted to protect Xander from getting hurt again. I never considered the one he needed protection from was me…Bennett Crawford was faced with an impossible choice the night his best friend needed him.He chose wrong.As the only son of one of the wealthiest families in New England, he should have had the world at his feet, but losing his best friend at the tender age of fourteen changed everything. And even though Bennett’s managed to hide behind a mask of contentment as he takes his place at his father’s side in the family business, inside he’s searching for the piece of himself that’s been missing ever since Xander Reed walked out of his life. Bennett’s only saving grace is his work with a group of inner city kids, and when he’s given the chance to show the troubled teens that there’s a bigger world out there waiting for them if they just have the courage to reach for it, he takes it.But when he steps off that bus for what was supposed to be a week of fun and adventure, he’s instantly returned to the past when he discovers their expedition guide is none other than the boy he let go so long ago. Only, the soft-hearted, insecure little boy Bennett once knew is gone, and in his place is a brooding, bitter man who isn’t interested in second chances.People leave. I know that now and nothing Bennett has to say to me will change anything…All Bennett wants is another chance to show Xander that friendship was only the beginning. But when a stubborn Xander refuses to even hear him out, Bennett realizes he’s going to need to fight dirty.Because now that he’s found Xander again, he’s not letting him go a second time…
The River Leith
Leta Blake - 2014
Unmoored and struggling to face his new reality, Leith must cope anew with painful revelations about his family. His brother is there to support him, but it’s the unfamiliar face of Zach, a man introduced as his best friend, that provides the calm he craves. Until Zach’s presence begins to stir up feelings Leith can’t explain.For Zach, being forgotten by his lover is excruciating. He carefully hides the truth from Leith to protect them both from additional pain. His bottled-up turmoil finds release through vlogging, where he confesses his fears and grief to the faceless Internet. But after Leith begins to open up to him, Zach's choices may come back to haunt him.Ultimately, Leith must ask his heart the questions memory can no longer answer.
Battle for the Top
Ariella Zoelle - 2021
An explosive confrontation with his nemesis Kingston leads them to take their rivalry to the next level off the court. Can two fierce adversaries turn passion into romance?Knightley NeilsonKingston Sabatino throws fuel on my fire like nothing else ever has. Our rivalry is all-consuming since I’m determined to dethrone him and reclaim my rightful place as the number one tennis player in the world. I will beat him, someday.When I confront Kingston after another devastating loss, the line between my rage and obsession to win begins to blur as I discover there might be another way for me to come out on top. True, I’ve never been attracted to a man before, but the temptation to have him at my mercy matters more to me than his gender. I’m not just willing to make him mine; I want to claim him as mine in every way. Having him give in to me will ultimately be the sweetest victory.Is it really possible for me to love a man like Kingston while still wanting to be the winner?Kingston SabatinoI’ll do anything to win Knightley’s heart. That includes becoming the best tennis player in the entire world and defeating him every time we meet. Next, I’ll issue a challenge I know he’ll never be able to resist, even though he’s straight: take his passionate rage out on me in the hottest way possible. That’s how I discover he kisses to win. And I’m not about to let him stop there.Can I help him see past our rivalry to understand that we’re perfect for each other in every way? Tennis starts with “Love-all,” so let the game begin.Battle for the Top is a standalone novella featuring a rivals to lovers, bisexual awakening, sports romance. Full of hot banter and sexy fun, this book ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers.
Soft Hands
Ariel Bishop - 2018
Some say it’s ‘cause he doesn’t have any heart, but if you asked him at his most honest it’s because his heart isn’t his own: he’s hopelessly in love with his best friend and former linemate, who’s now happily married and traded away to Seattle last season.Playing the ice has always come easy...When Xander asks out Jordan Darling, team trainer and massage therapist, he doesn't expect to get shot down. It’s a first, but it only makes Xander that much more determined to make Jordan his. But Jordan wants a relationship, not just the one-night stands that make up Xander’s sexual life.Just when he thought his heart was on ice, love comes skating in...What Xander doesn’t know is that Jordan has been nursing an unrequited crush on him for over a year. Lonely without his best friend, when he finally opens his eyes to what is right in front of him, the chemistry is undeniable. And for once, it keeps Xander coming back for moreIs Jordan the other half of his heart? Will Xander put his player days and ways behind him? Or will he push Jordan away to find someone who deserves him?Find out in this steamy sports romance novel, filled with heart-stopping moments, heart-pounding sexual tension, and two hearts that just might be what the other needs.
Cement Heart
Beth Ehemann - 2015
After all, life is just one big game, right? Wrong. When what was supposed to be an innocent bet goes horribly wrong, he’s left to deal with the aftermath—and the guilt. In an effort to make things right the best way he can, he ends up falling for the one person on the planet he never should have. The old saying goes that two wrongs don’t make a right . . . or do they?
Feinted Love
Elle Keaton - 2020
I have no idea what the second is, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.Falling in love with Tobias is not on the list.TobiasI've never forgotten Arnie Ferguson, or the night we had together. When I find him again, I want to get to know him—as more than a friend.I may come from a wealthy family; but I know better than most that money can’t buy happiness. But brash, socially awkward Arnie Ferguson makes me think happiness is possible when you let your heart choose.Feinted Love is a first person, dual POV, following Arnie Ferguson and Tobias Barrington as they do their best to awkwardly fall in love. No cliff hanger, HEA guaranteed. Heat level, 3+.
Penny Wishes
Lucy Hawkins - 2016
After serving in Afghanistan, he finds safety in his routine of making furniture with his Labrador, Jess, by his side. Single again after a relationship that just didn't work, he still holds hope that he’ll find his happily ever after one day. Even if he’s haunted by the distant memory of a fierce teenage love for his older brother’s best friend. “I won’t let you trick me again.” Austin St. James is washed-up. After a successful run as the front man in rock band Vision X, it’s been three years since he’s made any music he’s wanted to share. When his past comes calling, Austin knows he can’t keep running. Returning to his hometown after eight years was not part of the plan and neither was having to call in a favor with his childhood friend, Tyler. All grown and muscled-up, the boy he once swore to protect is now a man and the tether that binds them is still fiercely electric. “What are you doing?”“Making up for all the years I was supposed to be kissing you.” But so much has changed for the two men who lead very different lives. Tyler struggles with change and Austin uses it to cope with his past. When the unexpected reunion reignites the flame between them that never really died, will they be able to keep it alive? Penny Wishes is a sweet and steamy second-chance gay romance. It is a full-length novel with no cliffhanger and an HEA.
Ten in the Bin
N.R. Walker - 2013
12.5K words. Heartbroken, Dean Cartwright leaves Sydney and heads home, to the coastal town of Newcastle. In a bid to make new friends, he signs up for a local rugby league team where he meets a man known as Macca. Dean and Macca are both front row forwards, meaning they’re the biggest guys on the team. Over six feet tall and over a hundred kilos each, they’re a force to be reckoned with on the field.But when Dean gets knocked out, Macca gets even by punching the other guy, and both Dean and Macca end up on the sideline. Dean soon realizes that being knocked unconscious is the best thing to ever happen to him. Story is set in Australia, and uses Australian English
The Shutout
Dianna Roman - 2022
Life after loss is too difficult for surprises, which is why Max would be lost without his reliable best friend and neighbor, Jack.Best pitcher in the MLB, Jack Spears, is at the top of his game. He has it all, except for the one thing he wants most, which happens to be the one thing he can't have if he doesn't want his private life to overshadow his career: love. When an emotional evening reveals his biggest secret, he's faced with losing everything that matters most to him.Can Max see him for the man he truly is, or will Jack forever be doomed to live in the shadow of the image he created as America's favorite pitcher?Heartfelt and human, The Shutout is a story of friendship, loss, love, and the rough road to new beginnings.