Book picks similar to
Bitter Springs by Laura Stone
historical
romance
historical-fiction
mm
Men of the Cross
Charlene Newcomb - 2014
Stephan l’Aigle’s prowess on the battlefield is well known, as are his exploits in the arms of other men. He prizes duty, honour, and loyalty to his king above all else. But God and the Church? Stephan has little use for either.Henry’s convictions are challenged by loss and the harsh realities of bloody battles, unforgiving marches, and the politics of the day. Man against man. Man against the elements. Man against his own heart. Survival will depend on more than a strong sword arm.This tale includes a m/m relationship with a heat level of 2 (on a scale of 5), i.e., nothing too graphic.
The Bitter Rednesses of Love
Dominique Frost - 2013
Anthony needs Stephen's money, and Stephen has been pledged to Anthony since birth.Yet, they are absolute opposites. Will their marriage prove intolerable to them both, or will they find a happy equilibrium, instead? As Anthony teaches Stephen the pleasures of the body, will Stephen be able to teach Anthony the pleasures of the heart?
Reckless
Jess Whitecroft - 2017
The puzzle only gets more perplexing when they take the ship and find an English girl in leg irons. It’s an old and popular love story – the pirate and the virgin who steals his heart away, only this time the pirate is the virgin and the girl isn’t a girl at all. She is James ‘Jem’ Exley, thief, molly, occasional actor and full time transvestite. Jettisoned to the New World in order to spare his aristocratic family any further disgrace, Jem is glamorous, flamboyant and fascinating to Henry, a former quiet country boy who became a pirate when his merchant vessel was robbed. At only nineteen, Henry is determined to prove himself a man one way or the other, and is astonished to find that nothing makes him feel like more of a man than his increasingly reckless passion for Jem. As their love leads them into trouble, the mysterious circumstances of Jem’s capture lead Henry deeper into a mystery that not only upends his whole world, but sees them running for their lives across the Caribbean. Stolen jewels, scheming Captains and devious drag artists collide in this steamy eighteenth century romp from the author of These Violent Delights and Going Sasquatch.
Wild Trail
A.M. Arthur - 2017
For some men, it's a fantasy come true.Mack Garrett loves the rolling hills surrounding his Northern California dude ranch. Leading vacationers on horse trails with his two best friends is enough - romance is definitely not in the cards. When a sexy tourist shows up at Clean Slate, he's as far from Mack's type as can be. So why is the handsome city slicker so far under his skin in less than a day?Roughing it in the middle of nowhere isn't anywhere near Wes Bentley's idea of fun. Then he lays eyes on the gruffest, hottest papa bear he's ever seen. But Mack is as hard to pin down as he looks - distant, sharp-tongued, and in desperate need of a shave. Until a campout gone wrong strands both men in the mountains with nothing to do but get to know each other.Mack intends to keep his closely guarded heart out of Wes' very talented hands. But for a seven-day cowboy, Wes is packing some long-term possibility. The cold country air can do wonders for bringing bodies together - but it will take more than that to bridge the distance between two men whose lives are worlds apart.This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you're looking for with an HEA/HFN. It's a promise!This book is approximately 90,000 wordsCarina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Alissa Davis©2017 A. M. Arthur (P)2017 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited.Length: 10 hrsNarrated by: Greg Boudreaux
Manners & Mannerisms
Tanya Chris - 2019
Everyone, that is, except Lord William Bascomb. William knows he’ll be expected to woo Reginald’s sister, and he can't summon the interest for it. But when the Abernathys arrive at last, William discovers he’s interested after all—in Reginald. Reginald is the most handsome, most dashing, most intriguing man he’s ever known. Better yet, he seems to share William's preference for men. The addition of the Abernathys to Highley suits everyone. William’s sister adores Reginald’s, Aunt Harriet foresees many happy matches between the two families, William’s sister-in-law is pleased at the prospect of unloading her penniless relatives at last, and all the eligible ladies in Highley want the man who only has eyes for William. Against a backdrop of elegant balls and frolicking picnics, William and Reginald enjoy furtive moments of ecstasy until a scandal erupts, forcing William to choose between Reginald and the only life he’s ever known.See how many matches Aunt Harriet can make in this low-angst, warm and fuzzy Jane Austen-inspired M/M Regency romance.
Keys
Amber Kell - 2015
I live in the City of Keys, a town of gears, keys, locks, and wonder. Our forefathers banished magic long ago, bolted the doors and locked everything up tight to keep people out and the town’s secrets in. Four Lock Lords control what information is left, and everyone else is left struggling to survive.Despite what Thorne, my naïve lover, thinks, I was an orphan, but not a victim. When I walked the streets at the age of twelve, I learned fast where to steal the best food, how to use my daggers, and where to hide my would-be attackers’ bodies. No one suspected me of such violence. No one knew then or now that I have magic inside me.Now, power hungry men intend to release the magic for their own benefit—at the expense of the rest of the city. We will stop them, even if Thorne must battle his own kin, even if I must reveal my hidden talents and the role I seem destined to play.
How We Began
Edie Danford - 2015
A smile across a counter at a coffee shop or video store. A secret revealed in a song from another place and time. Or in a love ballad crooned at a high school dance. In this anthology of never-before-published sweet LGBTQ+ stories, six authors explore the beginnings of love between young and new adult couples. All proceeds will support The Trevor Project's work with crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.
The Rake, the Rogue and the Roué
Eric Alan Westfall - 2014
Our heroes are nicknamed the “Three R’s.” Peregrine, our blond British viscount rake; Rory, our brawny, hairy, sometimes kilt-wearing, Scots rogue, and Michel, the languid, lethal English-born roué with the French name and French title. They’re close friends. Intimate you might say. Especially since Peregrine is having really great sex with both Rory and Michel. And neither of them knows about the other.Besides his dear Mama trying to marry him off, Peregrine has a problem. He's given his word of honor to each of them he won’t disclose what’s going on. What’s a horny rake to do when he knows the three of them together would be incredible in so many ways, but can’t say anything to make it happen?Even worse, what happens if his two men find out about all the secret sex Peregrine has been enjoying?You’ll have to read to find out those answers. Along the way: a duel, mysterious inheritances, a nefarious bishop, a scheming lord, a love poem, some wit and humor, a frantic race home, a frolic by the sea, a portrait and...oh, yes...some great sex.All royalties will be donated to a local LGBT organization.RRR is 141,908 words of story. The original version was published for free in 2014 by MM Romance Group. The bonus short story, “Banging the Bishop Back,” is 10,085.
A Most Personal Property
Darrah Glass - 2014
There are limits to what a gentleman might do with his slave and still remain a gentleman, and what Henry craves goes far beyond what’s allowed. Martin, a slave from House Ganymede, is the most beautiful young man Henry’s ever seen, and he’s ready and willing to do as Henry commands, but Henry’s afraid to ask him for what he really needs. A master needn’t care what a slave thinks or how he feels, but Henry can’t help wanting Martin to like him anyway. If Henry could be certain Martin wanted the same things he does, he might be bold enough to reveal his secrets. Unfolding against a backdrop of progress, privilege and turn-of-the-century amusements, the four installments of the Ganymede Quartet present an erotic coming-of-age fantasy of Gilded Age New York in which young men from the richest families form intense bonds with the slaves who serve them.
Spoils of War
Hannah Walker - 2017
Jecks knew things didn’t tend to change when you were at the top of your career. He was wrong. In one moment, because of one small letter, his entire world tilted. Everything changed. Being forced into a marriage he didn’t want, with a prince he had nothing in common with, Jecks watched his life crumble around him. Yet, he could do nothing other than go along with the plans for the sake of peace and the thousands of lives at risk in both empires. Calling on the support of his friends, he makes the journey to meet his fiancé. Along the way, he meets a man he never expected to find— one he could fall in love with. Battling the enemies intent on stopping the peace deal from going ahead, and his own heart, Jecks steels himself for what the future holds— a life of loneliness and regrets. Forced to confront feelings he can't afford to explore, and fighting to bring peace to both lands, Jecks will stand together with his men and fight for what is right, even if it's sacrificing his own feelings. His duty to Kabaria is more important than the love of a man. With enemies out to stop them, and danger meeting them around every corner, Jecks must learn to trust while ignoring the growing emotions he shouldn't feel. With their goal in sight, Jecks knows he must honor the duty given him, but once he arrives at the castle, he finds his problems have only begun.
Under a Sky of Ash
Brandon Witt - 2016
When he meets Ben Woods, the mentor of one of his students, the attraction is immediate. The revelations that they’ve both suffered traumatic childhoods form a bond between them. Raised by an abusive grandmother, Ben is a recovering addict who has made a family with his construction worker boss, Hershel, and Hershel’s husband, Daniel—drag queen ManDonna. Adding Isaiah to his life gives Ben a glimpse of a future he’d never dreamed possible for himself. Both Isaiah and Ben are survivors, but when guilt drives a wedge between them, the past threatens to end their relationship. Ben and Isaiah embark on journeys of self-discovery. Though their path will be difficult at times, humor and love find a way to bring light to the darkness.
By The Currawong's Call
Welton B. Marsland - 2017
Determined to honour his calling as best he can, he throws himself into the footy mad, two-pub town, navigating the dusty streets, learning the gossip, and striking up a friendship with Jonah Parks, the resident police sergeant and local bona fide hero. A police officer and a priest often find themselves needed at the same place, and Jonah and Matthew’s friendship deepens quickly, as they set about their business of protecting the bodies and souls of Dinbratten’s residents. When a bushfire threatens the town, and Matthew’s inexperience with fire endangers the church buildings, Jonah comes to the rescue, and a reckless kiss in the midst of the chaos takes their friendship to forbidden. Neither Matthew nor Jonah can go back to the way things were before, but continuing their relationship puts everything at risk: their jobs, their friends, even their lives. In the outback town of Dinbratten where everyone knows everything about everyone else, how can they ever expect to keep a secret this explosive?
Midlife Crisis
Audra North - 2017
But thirty-five years after he said "I do," Cam finds himself nursing a beer in a gay bar, thinking about what might have been.Dave Montoya is confident, self-assured, and cautiously single. But when he meets shy, uncertain, and clearly-still-not-out Cam in a coffee shop in Austin, his reservations about getting seriously involved again disappear. Cam is everything he’s looking for in a partner . . . almost, anyway.No matter how much Dave wants him, and how good they are together, Cam can't bring himself to fully embrace the life he was meant to live. After all, when his secret finally gets out, he faces the very real possibility of losing everything that kept him going for the first fifty years of his life, just like he’s feared for so long. But with a little faith—and a lot of love—his dream of living fully, truly, as himself might finally be within reach.
Dark Chocolate and Raspberries
Sui Lynn - 2011
A spoiled rich kid, Dylan enjoys pushing people around. Or does he? When Taj is charged with taking Dylan under his wing, he discovers the shy boy behind the diva mask.But Dylan walks in on Taj kissing Ben, their budding feelings may not be able to withstand the blow. Stunned, Dylan runs from the room. Taj gives chase, trying to catch him to tell him the kiss he saw was the result of a game played in the dorm called 'Raspberries'. Will their love blossom into kisses, drown in drunken chocolates, or erupt in raucous raspberries in Dark Chocolate and Raspberries?
Brokeback Mountain
Annie Proulx - 1997
Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist, two ranch hands, come together when they're working as sheepherder and camp tender one summer on a range above the tree line. At first, sharing an isolated tent, the attraction is casual, inevitable, but something deeper catches them that summer. Both men work hard, marry, and have kids because that's what cowboys do. But over the course of many years and frequent separations this relationship becomes the most important thing in their lives, and they do anything they can to preserve it. The New Yorker won the National Magazine Award for Fiction for its publication of "Brokeback Mountain," and the story was included in Prize Stories 1998: The O. Henry Awards. In gorgeous and haunting prose, Proulx limns the difficult, dangerous affair between two cowboys that survives everything but the world's violent intolerance.