But when the crops of their kingdom start failing, the king commands that Paurick be joined to Brother Laurel, a monk, in order to combine Paurick’s royal magic with that of the Goddess, and thus bring fertility back to the land. The union is only meant to be temporary, but Brother Laurel is so ugly and prudish that it might as well be an eternity. However, as they get to know one another, Paurick realizes he has misjudged Laurel and finds himself falling for the thoughtful and sensitive young man. The fate of the kingdom relies on their sexual union, but as time goes on, it becomes clear that the fate of their hearts is in jeopardy as well.

    He's lost his job and his boyfriend and is feeling depressed. His best friend Jenny tells him about an ad she's noticed where The Muddy Mountain Ski Resort is looking for waiters. Chris has restaurant experience and since his New Years Resolution is to learn to ski it seems like a nice opportunity to jump start his life.Trevor Brown is a ski instructor at the resort. He befriends Chris right away and the have undeniable chemistry. But Trevor has guilt over the death of his lover, Lane two years earlier. Can the two of them learn to trust each other and move forward and forget the past?

    And that's a problem. He's my only client's son. He's only twenty-one. And he wants to call me daddy.

    But can it bring two unlikely lovers together? Heading into his ten year high school reunion, Erik Severyn knows he should be proud -- after all, the former valedictorian has lived up to lofty expectations. So why does he still feel like something's missing? Leave it to his old rival, Hunter Cole, to zero in on his weakness. Cole, a bright but rebellious mind, might as well be the patron saint of wasted potential. Too damn handsome for his own good, Cole left a grim trail of broken hearts in his wake -- girls' hearts, mind you, 'cause Cole never went for boys. Just one more reason to be disappointed in the rock-hard stud. Erik is sure the bad-boy has an ulterior motive -- if only he could figure it out. Amid the testosterone-fueled tension, the two boys sneak off together to drink and argue and reminisce about all the times they spent at other's throats ... until the night abruptly ends with an ill-fated kiss. Could Cole actually be curious? Or is Erik falling for a straight boy that thinks with his crotch and can't keep his head out of trouble? Hunter Cole's devastating good looks and don't-give-a-damn demeanor had hearts throbbing in high school. But high school's just another bad memory now. And while everyone else moved on with their lives, Cole kept stumbling backwards ... until he fell into the seedy underworld of crime. At least, that's what you'd think if you believed the gossip. But no one ever bothered to get to know the real Hunter Cole. The man so obsessed with the truth, he'd lurk in the shadows and bear the brunt of everyone's disappointment like a badge of honor. Cole knows he sticks out at the reunion like a sore thumb. But he manages to get Erik alone, just like he'd planned. But what happens next -- when alcohol flows and inhibitions flee -- surprises him. Troubles him, even. All Cole knows is that he has to get closer to Erik. No matter what. Can Cole set aside his confusion, his feelings, and focus on his mysterious one-man mission? *** Ripped is a 55,000 word dark romance with crime thriller and suspense elements! Stand-alone novel with a HEA, no cliffhangers.

    But when they both arrive at the store at the same moment, the proprietor tells them to figure out between themselves who gets the bed. Elliot and Shawn decide to hold a contest: winner buys bed.And so the competitions begin, from selling charity tickets to cleaning out stables, and interpersonal tension and burgeoning attraction mount as the days until Christmas pass. But who deserves the gift more: Elliot, who can afford the expensive gift for his casual sex partner, or Shawn, who can barely cover rent, and the mysterious man he’s head-over-heels for?

    Jacob has convinced himself he has everything he needs until Ben Corbin comes into his life. In fear of his growing attraction to Ben, he does his best to push him away.Then a deadly game of revenge turns Ben and Jacob into pawns, and the only one who can save them is a man forged into a killer under the most brutal conditions.Marcel Serghi is an assassin who belongs to the House of Sicarii and there are Rules that cannot be broken. When a long-standing grudge against Marcel comes to fruition, innocent lives are put into play. And to keep everyone alive, Marcel must choose his moves with care.Themes: Gay For You, First Love, Enemies to Lovers, Secret SocietiesThis book was previously published under the Title Sicarii with a different cover. No content has been changed.

     James (Jamie) Massey has been raised in a strict military household and grew up with the sole purpose of becoming a soldier. He never imagined the heartache his choices in love and war would weigh on his soul, and when he loses everything, he can’t imagine ever being happy again. Chris Baker grew up in a small town, raised on the rodeo circuit. When he met Ben, he thought he’d live blissfully every after, but things have a way of not going along as planned. Chris, devastated by his loss, was barely hanging on. When Jamie and Chris end up in the same small town diner, it can only be credited to divine intervention. But are both men too damaged? They say God works in mysterious ways. Well, he certainly had his hands full when he chose these two for saving. Is it too late? Triggers: Deals with PTSD, death, and realistic wartime violence.

    He especially has no interest in his kinda-odd-but-kinda-cute neighbor Patrick, a guy who owns enough pumpkin-scented candles to start a wildfire.For Patrick, the feeling is very much mutual. He’d rather watch wax melt than share air with his kinda-rude-but-kinda-hot jock neighbor. Newly single from a painful breakup, he just wants to enjoy his first fall back in Chicago.But Patrick’s plan and Spencer’s perfect summer both come to a crashing halt after Spencer eats it on the court and winds up in a cast. Stuck having to help his neighbor get around, Patrick begins to break through the bumps and spikes of Spencer’s personality. As the two of them experience all the glory fall has to offer, they soon find themselves lost in a corn maze of emotions. But will their newfound closeness fall apart once Spencer’s cast comes off?FALL FOR YOU is a story for everyone who believes in the magic of love, the beauty of autumn, and the power of scented candles.

    One of the publisher's boxes goes missing, and when he finds it, the box is wrapped up in union red tape. Then he gets into a nasty debate with Toni, a hunk Jacob would rather stare at than argue with.Maybe his first day at the book fair couldn’t get worse, but it certainly gets weirder when, after an hour-long snarling match, Toni offers Jacob a ride to his hotel. Jacob accepts, but his day does not improve—the ride is nothing but awkward silence.Over the rest of the week, Jacob’s life disintegrates, and Toni’s repeated offers to drive him to his hotel become bright spots. Silence turns to civility turns to friendship, and though Jacob hopes for more, work keeps the two of them from spending much time together. Finally Jacob is free of obligations—but suddenly he can't find Toni anywhere, and Jacob’s time in New York is coming to a close.

    After relapses, detoxes, and even jail time, Otto found the stability and sobriety he was looking for halfway across the country with a new identity.But when Otto gets word that his father is terminally ill and his mother and brother are struggling to keep the family inn afloat, he knows that it’s time to swallow his pride and go home.Even if he hasn’t talked to his family in almost two decades. *** When Cheshire-native Reese left his foster family to find his passion in New York City, he imagined he was saying goodbye to Cheshire forever. But Reese was never cut out for New York. The city chewed him up and spat him out, and Reese was forced to return home where his best friend still resented Reese for leaving. “You left me just like Otto. Everyone leaves...” Now it’s been two years since he’s been back, and Reese runs Cheshire’s only general store. He’s painstakingly mended his friendship with his best friend, and even after the recent death of his foster father, Reese almost feels like part of a family again. Reese feels like he’s finally got his life under control.  Then his best friend’s brother walks into Reese’s bar. *** Nineteen years ago, Reese and Otto were as good as brothers. But now, they have more catching up to do than either of them realized. After a chance encounter in which neither man recognizes the other, the two must navigate the wreckage of a struggling family, a brother who can’t forgive, and the reality of life in an isolated town in the mountains. Black Sheep is the first book in the three-book series, My Best Friend’s Brother. It has a happy-for-now ending, but is NOT self-contained. This slow burn starts out with a bang and delivers content meant for adult audiences. Black Sheep contains frank discussions about drug use and recovery.

    Once upon a time an imprisoned prince was rescued by seven beautiful men. For two years, Prince Snow has been locked away in the palace tower. On the night Queen Serena decides to do away with him for good, seven beautiful men with equally tragic pasts appear out of nowhere to rescue him. Starved for affection, hurt, and in fear for his life, Snow is shown attention and care he has never known. The seven men teach him what real loyalty and love can be. Doc, their leader, will heal him. Sleepy, the most devoted, offers to become his love until the end of days. All yearn to fight to gain Snow his rightful throne. But Snow cannot justify his new friends putting their lives on the line for him. His heart will break forever if anything happens to Sleepy. Maybe it would be better for all if he just left… You will love Prince Snow, but you will fall in love with Sleepy! M/M romance, non-magical fantasy, abduction, imprisonment, rescue, hurt/comfort, and a sweet love story with a happy ending!

    An offer of a remote hospital post seems perfect, and he accepts a lift to his new posting from kind strangers. But an idyllic trip turns to horror when they’re attacked, his friends brutally murdered, and his own life is saved by a mysterious, mute stranger. Now his fate is in this stranger’s hands as they travel across a snowy wilderness. With his destination unknown, and his companion unwilling to share the smallest detail or comfort, Kelten wonders if he’ll ever be able to resume a normal life.Dharn is a hunter, deaf from birth, who’s been raised in a community where deafness is no disability. His life follows an orderly rhythm from season to season, trapping with the help of his loyal dog, but when he rescues a feckless, rather arrogant young man from marauders, his peaceful existence is turned upside down. The responsibility isn’t exactly welcome, but there’s something about Kelten that attracts him. If Dharn can just keep him out of the clutches of the law and the marauders’ friends, these two people from very different backgrounds might have a chance of being together.Content advisory: Contains a scene of strong sexual violence which may be triggering for some readers.

    But instead of saving the world, he loses himself. After testifying against one of the biggest crime bosses in the country, Noah’s fear of retribution leads to a serious case of agoraphobia. There isn’t much in Noah’s safe zone that calms his nerves… well, except for his short interactions with his surly but hot new neighbor. Life crushed Dr. Zachary Meadows’s rose-colored glasses years ago. He makes amends for the deeds of others—and for his failure to protect those in need—by saving as many lives as he can as an ER physician. After early betrayals, he purposefully keeps his circle small. Until he meets his odd new neighbor and unwanted desires cause him to act like a jerk. When two survivors collide—one desperate for love and one afraid of it—sparks fly. But just as Zachary and Noah begin to heal one another, the past returns…with a vengeance. One. Two. I’ve decided to come for you. Three. Four. It won’t help Scaredy Cat to lock his door. Five. Six. You committed a sin you can’t fix. Seven. Eight. I’ve picked the date. Nine. Ten. No one will ever see you again.

    He also carefully keeps his desires frozen-for their sake. But he can't help the attraction he feels for the burly, unapproachable lineman who shares two of his classes. Cliff Stevens is equally set on achieving his adopted dream of becoming a professional football player to the exclusion of almost everything else. Cliff drifts through the days alone, but he can guess what Mark has in mind when he catches him watching one day. After an accidental encounter, Cliff proposes a bargain: for one week during the break, they will set aside their reservations and play at being together, exploring each other and perhaps even learning a little about themselves as well.

    James failed. He tried to be what they wanted. He tried to deny it. He tried to be a good Catholic boy…but it’s become too much. He craves pain, submission. He’s denied himself far too long, and it’s eating him alive.Charles thrives off the exchange of power. He knows the world revolves around control. It’s given and taken like currency, in business and in pleasure. He won’t get attached, though, or so he tells himself, until James turns his world upside down. He’s defiant and snarky, but Charles can taste the submission on him.All James has to do is say one little word.