Book picks similar to
Desolation Angel by Layla Dorine


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contemporary
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Blow Me


Mari Thorne - 2020
    That was, until he kissed me at my graduation party and I freaked out, ran away, and didn’t come back for three years. Now I’m home, conflicted about my future, and determined to repair our broken friendship, though it seems he’ll never forgive me for hurting him.Aaron: Three years ago, I made a huge mistake. I kissed my friend at his graduation party. My very straight friend that I had a huge crush on. Because I couldn’t keep my lips to myself, he ran away and ghosted me. Oh well, his loss, right? Since then, I’ve moved on with my life, or so I thought.Brady’s back in town, and I don't want anything to do with him. Then, he kisses me, leaving me reeling once again. But that doesn’t mean I plan on forgiving him. I didn’t think I’d find myself in a position to need his help, though. When he steps up to help my brass band out, he’s in my life again whether I want him there or not.Blow Me is a 55,000 word friends-to-lovers novel about finding your soulmate through music, the unbreakable bond of high school band, forgiveness, and choosing what makes you happy. It features a bisexual awakening, humorous moments, steamy scenes, a small-town brass band, a pug named Petunia, and trumpets.

Uncaged Hearts


Sloane Easton - 2017
     Declan's adoptive daughter, Katie, has struggled with her shyness for years, but after a few weeks with Ivan, her new English teacher, she's suddenly coming out of her shell. When Declan meets this miracle worker, he can't help but fall for the scholarly man. No wonder his daughter has improved so much: Ivan has an inspiring way about him. But does Ivan have any interest in other men? Ivan thought he had achieved his purpose in life. He managed to land a job at a respectable private elementary school, and has a small class of students who hang on to his every word. However, life at home is rather empty and quiet—save for his blasphemous parrot. After he meets Katie's father, he can't get his thoughts off the man, until finally they both decide to start meeting outside the school grounds. What follows is an emotional awakening neither of them knew they needed. Uncaged Hearts is a standalone novel featuring two hot men, a cute kid, a mischievous parrot, and a happy ending for all four of them!

Ignite (Set on Fire #1)


Rebecca James - 2021
    And although he knows it's going to be difficult to go back to the real world, he can't help but get a little lost in the act. Funny thing is, before this trip Luca would have sworn he knew everything about his best friend. But before they leave Miami, Michael reveals something that Luca never expected.Tropes: Fake boyfriend, friends-to-lovers, bi-discovery, virgin, tall/short.

His Guardian Angel


David Horne - 2018
    The next time he meets the handsome trauma nurse, he’s hiding from the world in his twin brother’s luxurious beach house, trying to heal the wounds in his soul. He still can’t wrap his mind around losing his partner on that fateful night. The last thing Caesar wants on his vacation is company. He wants to hide until he can bury his pain. He isn’t expecting to fall for anyone, either. But he can’t hide from his feelings for Lucas. Lucas Cameron has accepted his friend’s invitation to spend his holiday in Gary’s vacation home on a small island, after six years as a trauma nurse in the ER at Bellhaven General. This will be his first real vacation since he started there. He doesn’t expect Caesar Polanco, the hard-nosed police detective he had cared for on that horrific night months ago, to be his vacation neighbor. The man had made an impression on him back then, despite his injuries, and now, six months later, even his grouchiness does nothing to stop Lucas' attraction to him. Neither man is looking to start a relationship, but they’re falling for each other. Can they find common ground, despite Caesar’s overwhelming grief? Please Note: This book contains adult language & steamy adult activities, it is intended for 18+ Adults Only. Novel, approx. 31,000 words in length. HEA (happy ever after ending). Does not end with a "cliffhanger."

Chasing the Dream


Andrew Grey - 2016
    If he’s been left lonely because of his family’s pursuit of wealth and their own happiness, he figures it’s a small price to pay for what he sees as most important: money.Cade McAllister has never had it easy. He works two jobs to support himself, his mother, and his special-needs brother. They don’t have much, but to Cade, love and taking care of the people who are important to him mean more than material possessions. When Cade is mugged in the park, he can’t afford to lose what little he has, and he’s grateful for Brian’s intervention. Cade is given a chance to return the favor when Brian’s grandfather passes away and Brian’s assets are frozen. Cade offers Brian a place to stay and helps him find work, and the two men grow closer as they learn the good and the bad of the very different worlds they come from. Just as Brian is starting to see there’s more to life than what money can buy, a clause in his grandfather’s will could send their relationship up in smoke.

Finding Aaron


Gigi Kern - 2015
    Between his severe Learning Disabilities, ADHD and past trauma, every day is a struggle. Three years ago, Aaron's world got a whole lot brighter thanks to his new best friend, Ryan Foster and his family. The Fosters have taken him into the fold. That is, everyone except for Ryan's Uncle TJ. When Aaron and TJ meet, sparks fly. TJ, 31, can't stand his nephew's flamboyant, in your face, blue-haired, rainbow loving, best friend. He knows he shouldn't be so judgmental but after spending five years in Iraq and Afghanistan, his patience is buried under a mountain of guilt and loss. TJ's animosity toward Aaron always stresses Aaron out going home to the Foster's for the holidays but they are the only family he has. He just needs to put up with TJ. He can do that, right? When something happens that neither one wants to acknowledge, it may just be the catalyst needed for the sparks to explode. What happens when TJ lets himself see the real Aaron? And, can Aaron let TJ past his defenses, when he's barely holding on. ~ 33,000 words – gay romance, heat level low.

Lost In The Crowd


E.M. Leya - 2014
    He's the hottest country music sensation to hit the charts in years. He travels the world doing what he loves, but something is missing. No matter where he goes, security follows. His manager is always calling or on his case, and no matter where he goes, fans are hounding him for autographs. He would give anything for just a couple days away. A chance to go back to being a nobody.With two weeks off, Jared finds himself ditching his security team after his last show, desperate to figure out a way to go into hiding for a couple days and relax. Maybe find that missing part of the person he used to be.When he meets Scott, the chef at the arena he just performed at, and is offered the perfect escape, he takes him up on it. Little does he know, the one night will change his life forever.Scott treats him like a normal person, not the music idol he is, and their friendship grows.After years of hiding, he is finally free to be himself and live the life he left behind for fame and fortune. Trouble is, he only has two weeks before he has to be back on the road. Leaving his freedom behind, let alone Scott, might be more than he can bear.

Digital to Analog


Evie Kiels - 2012
    His only relief from classes, loneliness, and asshole peers is his online friend, Atropos. But even that is a problem because Atropos is also one of the assholes he hates most, leaving Seth confused as to who is more authentic: the asshole from class or the friend online.Then Seth slips up, and he fears he may have ruined the only good thing he had …

Alpha Males


D.J. Manly - 2009
    And Derrick is nothing like Sandy, who was willing to go along with anything, big, bad, Jade wanted. How often can two Alpha males butt heads before one of them surrenders?

Subsurdity: Vignettes from Jasper Lane


Eric Arvin - 2007
    Melinda Gold is a young mother whose desire for position in the neighborhood is at odds with her upbringing by her ultra conservative mother. The same mother who makes life hell for Melinda's son, Patrick; Cassie Bloom is the grand dame of Jasper Lane, living on a cul du sac and doing her best to annoy Melinda. But she has a secret of her own regarding her missing husband and son that only a few, including the transsexual Vera, know about; Rick has just moved into the neighborhood and has immediately fallen for the ex-Army man, James. Will he find the courage to go after what he wants?; Terrence, Rick's good friend, has found out he has a son from a one-night stand years before where he dallied with heterosexuality; and the perfect couple Steve and Sandy have run into a rough patch which forces Steve to find employment in the porn industry. All these stories interlock and play out in a brightly comic way with gay porn parties, sexually confused animals, and dead bodies all being thrown in the mix. It may not be perfect, but it sure is fun!

Damaged Soul


Anne Pine - 2015
    His life story has been a sequence of tragedies, and his soul has barely survived intact. Yet, despite the trauma of his past, he continues to endure, making it through each day the best way that he can...even if it's not always the healthiest way. Jack Winthrop is a wealthy man and a respected Dom in his community, but since the death of his lover five years ago, he's felt empty. Despite the line of subs waiting to warm his bed, he's been unable to find anyone to fill that void in his heart that aches deep down into the depths of his soul. Meeting Eli reawakens his spirit, but the young man has no experience in the BDSM lifestyle, and Jack has no desire for a vanilla relationship. Can these two damaged souls find healing together? **This novel contains explicit MM sex with significant BDSM elements and is not intended for readers under the age of 18.** Note: This is the first installment in a series. It is not a standalone novel, and Jack and Eli's story does not conclude at the end of this book.

Falling Back


Mercy Celeste - 2019
    With few options in his field, he returns to the diner he’d worked at as a teenager. Waiting tables again was like rubbing salt in an open wound. Resigned to his fate, Chase puts on a smile to greet his very first customer. Divorced, children’s book author, Gavin Hayes was looking for a quiet place to write. The corner table at the diner down the street had the best afternoon light. He could grab a bite to eat and work on his manuscript in peace while he tried to salvage what was left of his life. He never expected the friendly smile of the new blue-haired waiter to spark something inside him that had grown cold. While Chase has no plans to stay. Gavin has no plans to leave. Can love at first sight, bring them together?

Second Chance, Iowa


Spencer Spears - 2016
    After a devastating heartbreak, he fought tooth and nail to put his life back together again. All Danny wants now is a second chance at the happiness he never thought he’d get. But what if that second chance comes in the arms of the man who left him all those years ago? “You think you can just waltz in and pick up right where you left off? You don’t get to undo the past. You have to live with it.”“I hate myself for what I did. I know I can’t take it back, but I just need you to know I’m sorry.” Bestselling author Colton Catherwood never thought he’d come back to Cherry Creek, Iowa. The small town is full of painful memories - his mother’s death, his father’s hateful beliefs about Colt’s orientation, and, of course, Danny. Colt knows he hurt Danny and doesn’t blame him for being angry about the past. But when his father’s sudden illness forces Colt to come home, all his feelings for Danny come rushing back. “Don’t you want this?”“Of course I want this. I never stopped wanting this. Never stopped wanting you.” Danny trusts Colt about as far as he can throw him - so why is Colt’s return throwing him so far off balance? Danny’s spent the past seven years getting over Colt and he could have sworn he finally felt nothing for the man. He’s determined to keep it that way, but it sure would be easier if Colt would hurry up and leave town again.As Colt adjusts to life back in Cherry Creek, he can’t deny that his passion for Danny burns as strongly as it ever did. And he’s sure Danny feels it too. So why won’t he admit it? Colt wants to apologize, but Danny will barely give him the time of day. How can they ever move on if they can’t even speak to each other? “I never meant for us to end this way. I get it now. I’m bad for you. Having me in your life does nothing but hurt you.”“Please. I can’t take another rejection right now. Especially not from you.” What Cherry Creek, Iowa lacks in size, it makes up for in drama. The longer Colt stays in town, the more the past becomes unburied and secrets get revealed. And as Colt and Danny are thrown together, it seems that fate has a sense of humor, because the town of Cherry Creek, Iowa used to have a different name - it was founded by a huckster scam artist who called it Second Chance. Will hurt feelings and lack of trust tear these two lovebirds apart again, or will Colt and Danny finally get the second chance they deserve?Second Chance, Iowa is a steamy, 70,000 word second chance romance - a no cliffhanger standalone with an HEA ending.

Christmas beyond Christmas


J.P. Sayle - 2020
    He loved to stick his nose in a book and hide in the pages. Then he makes a silly, drunken mistake and his life changes. What was once an easy life becomes a life of ups and downs while he attempts to navigate single parenthood.That is until Will returns.Will Green has spent the last seven years working in war torn countries and he has lost his ability to laugh. He returns to the one place he calls home, only to find that there may be more to laugh about than he ever imagined, as a little girl and her daddy recreate Christmas beyond Christmas.Christmas Beyond Christmas is a MM gay small town romance where, sometimes, a next door neighbour can be more than just a friend.

Blackbird Fly Home


Kendel Duncan - 2017
    The kick in the balls, both literally and figuratively, happened to Noah Pierce a long time ago. Ten years to be exact, when, to cap off a brutal and horrendous four-year relationship with the man who claimed to love him, that man buried a butcher knife in his side. It was the final wound in a seemingly endless cycle of bruises, cuts, breaks, sprains and other things that sent him to the hospital. He thought he was going to die. But when he opened his eyes in that ER room and saw a stranger with kind yet determined eyes looking back at him and with his boyfriend nowhere in sight, Noah knew that life was going to change for him. And it did. For ten years he was stronger, he was better, he was……hollow. He didn’t realize that last part until he saw one man. One pair of haunting blue eyes beside the very man who had ruined Noah all those years ago. One pair of frightened eyes. One pair of hollow, hopeless eyes that Noah couldn’t have walked away from if he tried…..because someone else hadn’t walked away from him all those years ago. Noah didn’t realize it at the time, but by saving Jesse Miller from the clutches of his ex, he was going to learn to fly….. This is an adult M/M romance intended for readers over 18. It has an HEA (happily ever after) for the main characters in this book with no cheating. Trigger warning: This book contains mentions of past sexual abuse.