Book picks similar to
Better Together by B.L. Maxwell
m-m
romance
young-adult
dnf
Heart of the Woods
Grant C. Holland - 2018
It makes it impossible to fly.” When Levi left college to convince his grandmother to pack up her off-the-grid life in the Northwoods of Minnesota and return to civilization, he never expected to lose an argument and stay. He didn’t expect to fall in love either. In the small Missouri farm town where he grew up, Levi was a skinny gay kid with glasses scared of his own shadow and the tormentors who lurked in the hallways of his high school. A rugged life on Lone Cedar Lake helped him blossom into an attractive, muscular young man, but the underlying insecurities remained. Brandon fell in love with the lakes and woods during a spring break visit with a college friend. Upon graduation, he began building a wilderness guide business that gave him the capital to buy his first house at age 24. A downturn in the local economic atmosphere sent him scrambling to shore up the bottom line. He thought a new wilderness route to the mysterious Lone Cedar Lake would be just the ticket to lure in new clients. While exploring for the new route, Brandon spotted Levi in another canoe. Their first encounter led to a physical battle on the forest floor, but soon, an attraction they couldn’t ignore blossomed. Unfortunately, romance won’t be so easy when the mysteries of the past threaten to stand in their way. Heart of the Woods is a 55,000-word ugly duckling romance set in the Northwoods of Minnesota. It includes steamy scenes, a happily-ever-after ending, canoes paddling in the wilderness, and some of the best stargazing on earth.
Liam Davis & The Raven
Anyta Sunday - 2014
But I’m about to find out.Jock. Big-boned. Broad shoulders. Tall. Runs fingers through hair as though he’s attractive and knows it. Walks into party like he has all the time in the world, slow but oddly graceful. Laugh lines around the mouth, a deep crack in his skin where a dimple might be. That’s how I described him in the notes for my latest party-page column.He fascinates me, but I’m not sure why. Or what to do about it. My belly is a fluttery, twisty mess.Best to focus on my mission to find The Raven—the campus vigilante—and warn him about the hate mail the student paper’s been getting for him.Except . . .Quinn looks at me and his eyes darken. He wants something. But what is it?Why do I want so badly to give it to him?Liam Davis & the Raven is a slow-burn, bi-awakening, New Adult, gay romance set in college. This roommates to lovers story follows quirky, socially awkward Liam to his heartwarming HEA.
Noah's Song
Jaclyn Osborn - 2017
Being a seventeen-year-old kid in high school with blue hair, piercings, a mostly all black wardrobe, and an obsession with zombies and video games, he doesn’t exactly blend in. But he never wanted to. His two dads raised him to always stay true to himself.Bastian Hunter prefers structure and predictability. Suffering from a rare disease, every day is a challenge for him, and he prepares for the future by excelling academically and denying who he really is. Everything changes when he meets Noah, the unpredictable variable in the equation he’s built his life around, and feelings he's hid for so long begin to surface.Being gay in high school isn’t exactly rainbows and butterflies, and Noah has definitely faced his fair share of bullies. Moving to Port Haven, Oregon opens up new possibilities for him, and he starts falling for the quiet, brown-eyed boy from his English class. Too bad the attraction is one-sided… or is it?
Finn's Fantasy
K.C. Wells - 2021
Afterhours, Finn dreams of the hot older guy who walks his chocolate lab on Goose Rocks Beach. The man of his dreams ticks all his boxes. Salt and pepper hair. Strong jawline. Blue eyes.His dream man is perfect fantasy material. As for actually speaking to him?As if. Their paths won’t ever cross, and the guy is probably straight.
A new chapter
Recently divorced Joel is finally living as a gay man, but he’s not sure he’s ready to jump into a relationship. That doesn’t stop him from noticing his new contractor’s muscular build, hewn from hard, physical work, or his storm-colored eyes. Or the way he wears his tool belt slung low on his hips. The icing on the cake? There’s more to Finn than good looks. Maybe he’s the perfect guy to share long walks on the beach and warm nights in front of a fire.But it’s been twenty years since Joel was with a man. While he’s not forgotten how to flirt, he’s nervous about making a move.Especially with Finn.
Homecoming Hearts Collection
H.J. Welch - 2020
Join Blake, Joey, Raiden, Trent, and Reyse as they each discover their happy ever afters! This 1500+ page box set features all five original novels as well as two follow up short stories that catch up with the guys after their HEAs! ---------- Scorch Blake Jackson just wants to open a dance school now his pop star days are done. But his life is turned upside down by a reality TV show, and an old school friend the director has made into his fake boyfriend. Blake isn’t gay, but he’s happy to reconnect with barista Elion Rodriguez. However, Elion is gay, and has been secretly in love with Blake since freshman year. As the lines between fake and reality begin to blur, an obsessive stalker shadows Blake. Can he save Elion from getting pulled under? ---------- Spark The last thing Joey Sullivan wants is to go back to his homophobic family, but he’s penniless and has no choice. Recently single and heartbroken Gabe Robinson loves the town Joey hates. As a librarian and voluntary firefighter, he’s used to helping people. When Joey gets a lucky break out of state, Gabe doesn’t hesitate to take him on a road trip. The sparks that fly between them have to be just temporary, though. Joey can’t wait to leave town and his family are eager to kick him out the door. Can Gabe’s love save him from ending up on the streets? ---------- Burn Songwriter Raiden Jones never thought he’d need a bodyguard. But when a malicious hacker starts destroying his career and threatening his life, he finds himself desperately in need of protection. That means ex-Marine Levi Patterson is stuck on tour with the bratty Raiden, their friction quickly turning sexual. Bisexual Levi is firmly in the closet and Raiden’s never thought of being with a man before, but the chemistry is too fierce to ignore. Will the hacker ruin everything before they can work through their differences? ---------- Steam Bad boy movie star Trent Charles is in need of an image makeover. Ashby Wilcott wants some peace and quiet after his ex-boyfriend cheated on him. They both find themselves in a remote sky resort, but Ashby refuses to fall for hot-as-hell Trent. Good thing Trent is straight, because Ashby is done with trouble makers. Except when Trent rescues Ashby from a creep, they find themselves pretending to be boyfriends for a wedding weekend. Ashby awakes a longing in Trent he’s never felt before, and Ashby realizes Trent has a heart of gold. But can this fling last longer than the melting snow when there’s a creep determined to tear them apart? ---------- Blaze Reyse Hickson might be an international pop sensation, but he’s also forced to remain in the closet thanks to his homophobic record label. When gorgeous Corey Sheppard saves Reyse from a mugging, Reyse can’t resist falling into his bed, if only for one night. However, a family emergency calls Reyse home, and it seems like the perfect chance for him and Corey to steal some secret time together. But it can’t last. Reyse’s label would never allow it. Can Reyse and Corey walk away from the best thing that’s ever happened to either of them? Or is this love worth going down in a blaze of glory? ---------- One Night in Hawaii Raiden and Levi spend a perfect day on their dream Hawaiian vacation, but Levi has plans to make it even more magical.
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.
Unintended
M.J. O'Shea - 2010
He never meant to fall for the hottest guy in school...or any guy at all for that matter. But he did.Alex Stewart is in love. He took one look at the adorable skater boy with the big lost eyes and was gone.They're both happier than they've ever been, but can their fragile new love survive?
About Last Knight
Michaela Cole - 2021
Wants to finish high school as peacefully as possible. No angst, no drama, play soccer, make some new friends.As one of the only hipster-clothes-wearing, luxury-vehicle-driving teenagers in a sea of plaid, camouflage, and loud souped up trucks, he unfortunately sticks out like a sore thumb at Knoxton Falls High School.Lucky for him, he’s a handsome, fun-loving guy with a heart of gold that everyone warms up to quickly. Well, almost everyone… but Dacen’s not one to back down from a challenge.And when that challenge comes in the form of one hot boy with the body of a god and the lips of a sinner? That drama-free senior year goes up in a pouf of smoke before it even begins.~*~Ryne Sutton: Grouchy. Aloof. Sexy but kind of a jerk. These are the words most people would use to describe him. And that’s the way he’d like to keep it.He’s spent nearly half his life keeping his shields up, and has no plans of removing them now. His priority is a kick-ass soccer season and preparing for a future in the sport.Then the new guy crosses his path at tryouts and repeatedly afterwards. He doesn’t like him, wants nothing to do with him, yet can’t help watching for Becker around every corner.Even if it’s just to give him a few verbal punches and scorching glares, Ryne’s empty shell of a heart flickers whenever he’s near.-------------Content warning: This book contains explicit sexual content and is intended for readers 18+.
Our Rhythm
Cody Ryder - 2016
He’s been single since college, and he just can’t admit to himself that he’s got a thing for men. That is, until he meets him at a client’s wedding. He’s impossibly handsome, he’s got a voice of gold, and he’s one of the most famous pop stars in the world.Passions under the spotlight…Will Masterson’s life has been a flurry of stage lights, five star hotel rooms and flashing cameras, never giving him a moment to pursue his true passions or show his real self to the world. He also desperately needs a change, to make a true connection that has been sorely missing in his heart. When he meets Luke, the handsome stranger unaware of his celebrity status, the two hit it off in a way neither have felt before.Their desires must stay backstage…As the notes of their passion begin to perfectly harmonize, they must do everything they can to keep their relationship out of the public eye and away from Will’s uptight and authoritarian stage mother. Can the two men keep their secret hidden, or will the curtain come crashing down on their love forever?Our Rhythm is a steamy contemporary M/M gay standalone story set in sunny Southern California, and features a HEA feel-good ending and no cliffhangers!
When It All Falls Down
Tanya Chris - 2017
Charlie’s tough, though. He doesn’t mind eating lunch alone or watching his former gang interact with their new best buddy. What he does mind is seeing Drew Lavoitt suffer the same fate. Drew didn’t come out. As far as he, or anyone else knows, he’s straight. What Drew did is accidentally hit and kill a little girl. Now the boy who was voted Most Popular, and who Charlie has maybe had a crush on since eighth grade, faces financial ruin, expulsion, and the fear that if he’s not everything, he’s not enough. Popularity, wealth, acclaim—these things are easily lost. In each other’s arms, Drew and Charlie find something that can’t be taken from them. Together the two build a foundation on which they can re-create their lives.
Fix Me
Van Cole - 2020
I’m Happy To Be Back Home… Even Happier When I See An Old FriendPahrump, Nevada.I've missed you.England's wild green landscape is nothing like the flat orange desert.I was raised here, I've come back to renovate the house for my mom.You'll never guess who runs the local construction company – Eric, my childhood best friend.I've been in love with Eric since high school, as if coming home wasn't complicated enough.The name's Eric.Recently divorced, father of a six-year-old, and a project manager for a construction company.I love my kid, and the money's good – but it's lonely, and stressful, to say the least.I just heard Will's back in town.It'll be nice to see him again.Fix Me is a standalone Gay First Time Best Friend Romance with a HEA and NO cheating!
Before There Were Three: Ethan & Rhett
L.A. Witt - 2016
Seattle, 2000 - Ethan Mallory is counting down the days until he moves back to Toronto. He loves Seattle, but it's time to go home. So it's just his luck that, with a month to go, he meets Rhett Solomon. Their chemistry is off the charts, and in bed, Rhett is everything Ethan's been craving. He's witty and charming outside the bedroom too. Ethan's not about to change his plans for a man he's just met, but... what could this become if they had a little more time? Is this just a sizzling hot last hurrah before he returns to Canada? Or is leaving Rhett behind a huge mistake? Before There Were Three is a series of prequels to menage stories written by L.A. Witt or Lauren Gallagher. Ethan & Rhett is the prequel to The Distance Between Us."
An Unforgettable Love
Jerry Cole - 2019
He has plenty to do, being the head ranger of the Tahoe National Forest, but living alone in a cabin in the middle of the woods isn’t exactly the most riveting life. He’s known excitement, too. For many years he served as a sniper in the marine corps, but a devastating shoulder injury has reduced him to civilian duties. These days, a walker’s twisted ankle or a trapped raccoon is about as exciting as it gets. Nothing can prepare him, though, for the day he comes across a man lying in the middle of a lonely forest road. The man is alive, but he’d certainly been left for dead. When he wakes up in the hospital, it becomes obvious that he’s suffering from amnesia. With nothing to identify him save for the huge angel tattoo that spreads across his shoulders, the hospital staff name him Gabriel, and tell Hopper that with nowhere else to send him, once he’s recovered from his injuries he’ll have to be sent out into the world. Against his better judgement, but always a sucker for swarthy looks and piercing blue eyes, Hopper agrees to allow Gabriel to stay with him. Perhaps, together, they can work at finding out who this mystery man is, why he was left lying in the forest, and who could possibly have attacked him so badly. What Hopper can never prepare himself for is how deeply he will fall for this handsome stranger, and how he will be able to let Gabriel go when the past, as it always does, comes to catch up. Please Note: This book contains adult language and steamy adult activities, it is intended for 18+ Adults Only. Novel, approximately 82,000 words in length. HEA (happy ever after ending). Does not end with a "cliffhanger." Themes include: Forest Ranger, Amnesia, Angel tattoo, Lake Tahoe, Falling in love, ex-marine
Throwing Hearts
N.R. Walker - 2020
In his spare time, he keeps himself busy at a local LGBTQ centre that pairs a younger person with a community elder to help them feel included in today’s rainbow family. Leo and Clyde have been buddies for a few years now, and signing up for a pottery class seems like fun. Merrick Bowman has been so focused on getting his pottery business up and running that he’s forgotten how to date. How to live, even. But when a young, bubbly Leo and an older, grumpy Clyde walk through his door, Merrick has no idea how much Leo is about to centre his world. Throwing clay has been Merrick’s entire life, but Leo's about to change all that. Maybe Merrick's ready to throw caution to the wind. And maybe he’s ready to finally throw his heart on the line. Throwing Hearts is 55,000-words.
Hot Date
Felice Stevens - 2017
Everything is perfect except his husband doesn’t understand how important it all is to him, and the model might want more than just to walk the runway in Julian’s clothing. Nick Fletcher has never been the jealous type; he’s always been confident his place is right by his husband’s side. But now that Julian is about to re-launch his fashion line, Nick fears Julian might be sucked back into a world of beautiful people and wonder what he’s missed being married to a less-than perfect man like Nick. Leave it up to two meddling friends who think they know best to arrange a hot date guaranteed to put the spice back in Julian and Nick’s marriage. A couple of silk ties and some sweet and sexy loving enables them both to recall the struggle that brought them back together, a reminder that what lies beyond the surface is a lifetime of love.