Book picks similar to
Red Hot by M.A. Gray


brother-s-best-friend
romance
contemporary
mm

Finding Gunnar


Andria Large - 2017
    What he does know is that he was stabbed, shot, and crushed under a wall when his unit was attacked when he was in the Army. Now, he’s just trying to find his way. He’s fucking angry and tired of dealing with his poor excuse of a life and am doing his best to drown his sorrows in the bottom of a bottle. The pieces of his forgotten life are reappearing and they terrify him more than the uncertain future ahead… Bowen He’s a lot of things, but what he’s not, is a babysitter. He has his own shit to deal with, let alone take care of a guy who barely knows who he is. Gunnar is his brother’s best friend, and Bowen's former lover. So when his brother asks for a favor, he can’t say no. What he wasn’t expecting was the feelings that started happening when Gunnar needed his help. The vulnerability in his voice tugged at Bowen’s heart. Although Gunnar has no memory of who he is, Bowen’s getting glimpses of the man he used to be. He’s hoping Gunnar will let Bowen help him find himself again. Otherwise, Bowen’s afraid he’ll be lost forever.

One for the Road


Jackson Tyler - 2017
    Ever since he tragically lost his high school sweetheart six years ago, he's been unable to stay in one place. He’d rather drift aimlessly across the country than settle down and make memories. He knows that in an instant, the happiest memories can become the most painful. Preston Hawthorne is old money. But with excessive wealth comes excessive expectations, and Preston has never lived up to what his parents think he should be. They always overlook him in favor of his more successful siblings. On his way to a family vacation in Aspen, Preston finds Jake stranded on the side of the road and takes pity on the down-on-his-luck hitchhiker. He offers a deal: if Jake pretends to be Preston’s boyfriend for a week in Aspen, Preston will help him out of near-homelessness. For Preston, Jake is supposed to be a means to an end. His parents have been nagging him to settle down — this is his chance to get them off his back. If it upsets them that his first “serious relationship” is with another man, at least they'll be paying attention for once. But after spending more time with Jake, he’s enchanted by the man’s good looks, free spirit, and tenacious attitude. Jake instantly dislikes Preston. He’s rich, he’s entitled, and as far as Jake can tell, he's never faced a day's hardship in his life. But his deal is too sweet to pass up. Unfortunately, no good deal comes without a catch, and Jake’s dislike soon pales in the face of Preston’s charm. When they reach their destination, their fake relationship and their real feelings will be put to the test. This 40,000 word M/M romantic comedy features road trip and fake relationship tropes. Things might get angsty and intense at times, but this story comes with a guaranteed HEA and no cliffhangers! Content warning: homophobia.

Exposure


Aly Hayden - 2017
    And he does... in his dreams. But when they insist Sam bring his partner to the annual Labor Day family reunion, his options are to either admit it was all a lie or find a stand-in in a hurry. The trouble is that his lies have all been based on one very real man.Ben Matheny has been hurt before. When he's bribed into playing a part by his friends, he fleshes out Sam's dreams, but it's like flying too close to the sun. He's always had a crush on Sam, and now they're going to the Hamptons to spend a weekend pretending they're lovers, everything is getting harder.When Ben uncovers another lie Sam has told - that Ben is every bit as rich as Sam is - things begin to unravel. If Sam isn't happy with who Ben is, Ben can't stick around to get burned again.With their hearts on the line, the two must fight for their dreams as the pressure mounts. It would be so easy to admit that it was all a sham, but some dreams are worth the risk.

Maple Springs: The Complete Series


Spencer Spears - 2019
    The series follows a group of friends in the lake-side small town of Maple Springs as they uncover secrets, reconnect with old flames, and find love in the most unexpected of places…Billion Dollar BetKian: He’s a self-made billionaire. He wants to destroy my town. And he’s straight up told me he’s bad at relationships. There’s no reason for this to work, and every reason for it not to. So why can’t I stop falling for him?Beneath OrionColin: I don’t date. Period. And I definitely don’t date single dads. Or straight guys. Or men who give me butterflies and make me feel things. I’m supposed to be protecting my heart. But it’s so hard to remember that when I’m in his arms.Sugar SeasonGraham: What do you do when your random hook-up turns out to be your dead husband’s estranged brother? You feel guilty as sin. You swear it’ll never happen again. And you definitely don’t wake up with him in your bed… over and over again.Strawberry MoonJosh: How the hell do you survive a summer stuck in a tiny cabin with a guy who hates your guts? A guy who just happens to be your deliciously hot, but total mistake of a one-night-stand from a week ago. And more importantly--how do you keep yourself from repeating that delicious mistake all summer long?

Flirt


Lucy Lennox - 2018
    Gorgeous silver fox, Evan Paige, is way out of Stevie's league, however, not to mention the chief has always been a ladies' man, but when Stevie turns twenty-one, he decides he's tired of only daydreaming about Evan. He wants a real taste of that sugar daddy, even if it means turning the flirt factor up a notch or ten to make it happen. This 36k word novella has pee-in-your-pants humor, peel-the-paint-off-the-walls steam, and a smidgie-poo of hand-on-chest swooning.

The Swap


Annabella Michaels - 2018
    Realizing they’re best friends and not in love with one another, the two agree to an amicable split. Nervous about jumping back into the dating world, they accept a friend’s invitation to attend a swap party. Tossing their keys into a bowl and leaving it up to fate to decide who they’re paired with is too tempting to resist. But when Samuel is faced with an audacious young man who strikes up a conversation, the attraction to men he’s kept buried for so long comes rushing back. At twenty-two years old, Oliver Hughes is one of the most sought after male models in the world. Sassy and bold, with a penchant for wearing high heels and a touch of makeup, Oliver’s life is what he always dreamed it could be. Except for one thing… Yearning to fall in love and settle down, Oliver’s grown bored of meaningless hookups with shallow, fame seeking guys. While attending a swap party, his last-ditch effort to find someone who doesn’t know who he is when they meet, Oliver finds himself drawn to a handsome, older man. One who’s endearingly unaware of his own appeal. As their relationship grows, something sinister and dark threatens what they’ve managed to build. What will it take for Oliver and Samuel to survive, and is their happily ever after doomed from the start?

The Subs Club


J.A. Rock - 2015
    He has a pornstache. He loves meat, stoicism, America, and real discipline. And he thinks subs exist to serve him.But . . . not everything about him is awful. His Davy Crockett act just seems like a cover for his fear of intimacy, and part of me wants to show him it’s okay to get close to people. And, I mean, sue me, but I have fantasized about real discipline. Not role-play, but like, Dave, you’re gonna be thirty in four years and you still work in a mall; get your ass in gear or I’ll spank it.Not that I’d ever trust anyone with that kind of control.I’m gonna redefine “battle of wills” for the Disciplinarian. Or I’m gonna bone him. It’s hard to say.—Dave

Saving Crofton Hall


Rebecca Cohen - 2014
    Faced with his mother’s gambling debts, forgery, and the possibility of foreclosure by the bank, Ben vows to make Crofton Hall pay for herself. But opening an Elizabethan manor house to the public isn’t a one man job. With time running out, Ben needs help—and fast.Ashley Niven needs a new challenge, and that’s exactly what he gets when he answers a job advert asking for people who like history, earls, and old houses. Working with the dashing Earl of Crofton to open up Crofton Hall is a dream come true, and Ashley soon finds himself drawn not just to the charm of the house but its charismatic owner.But Crofton Hall has many untold stories, and a family secret dating back four hundred years to the 1st Earl of Crofton, Anthony Redbourn, is about to change all their lives.Second edition. Previously published by Dreamspinner Press.

Just Like That


Cole McCade - 2020
    But that fascination turns into something more when the older man challenges Summer to be brave. What starts as a daily game to reward Summer with a kiss for every obstacle overcome turns passionate, and a professional relationship turns quickly personal.Yet Iseya’s walls of grief may be too high for someone like Summer to climb…until Summer’s infectious warmth shows Fox everything he’s been missing in life.Now both men must be brave enough to trust each other, to take that leap.To find the love they’ve always needed…Just like that.Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories featuring beloved romance tropes, where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.In Just Like That, critically acclaimed author Cole McCade introduces us to Albin Academy: a private boys’ school where some of the world’s richest families send their problem children to learn discipline and maturity, out of the public eye.This book is approximately 65,000 words.

Sex & Sourdough


A.J. Thomas - 2013
    Though a hiking virgin, he’s glad he made the decision when he receives threatening messages from his ex. Luckily, Kevin, an experienced backpacker, takes him under his wing.Kevin Winters isn’t looking for a hiking partner, let alone a fling with a cute man on the rebound. After learning he has the autoimmune disorder that killed his father, Kevin left his family to wander remote trails. Convinced his future holds only pain and death, Kevin refuses to get close to anyone. The family sourdough recipes he recreates over a campfire are his only solace.In the wilderness, Anders and Kevin discover a lot of common ground. While the future holds uncertainties they may not be ready to deal with, it might also hold the chance for happiness.

Counting Daisies


Nicola Haken - 2016
    Growing up together, they shared everything. By the age of fourteen they were more than best friends – they were in love. They dreamt of their future, of success, marriage…happiness. They were going to grow old by each other’s side.But… “Kids are stupid.”When tragic circumstances forced them apart, Dylan discovered that life wasn’t the fairytale he dreamed of; it was dark, difficult, saturated with pain and shame. Life wasn’t meant to be enjoyed, merely survived, but even that became a challenge.Damaged, worthless, and disgusting, he saw no point to his pitiful existence…Until he came face to face with the boy he used to love.Successful, honourable, and happy, Cameron had achieved the future they planned. He was good, positive, popular…everything Dylan would never be. What would happen if Dylan let him back into his world? Would he destroy Cameron too? Would his poison push him away like everyone else?“Everybody leaves.” “They leave or they die.”But what if…what if Cameron didn’t?Counting Daisies is book one in The Counting Series, but can be read as a standalone novel.(M/M romance. Not suitable for readers under 18 years of age due to language and sexual content. ***Please note*** This book contains scenes and descriptions of intravenous drug use which may be uncomfortable for some readers.)

Loving Luke


Van Cole - 2020
    HarleyFor years, hockey has been my only love, with occasional straying with nameless girls.And yet, no one made me feel that special something, until that fateful night happened.My team captain and I met up at the bar after a victory.We had one too many and I woke up in his room; naked, hungover and thirsty as hell.I’m just not sure if it’s only water I’m so thirsty for.LukeIt all started as a bet, a harmless bet.No one was supposed to get emotionally attached.But, it turns out it was his first gay experience and, now, I can’t wrap my head around it.I’m too old for this.Much older than him and I’m supposed to know better than to fall for a younger guy.Loving Luke is a standalone Gay First Time Hockey Romance with a HEA and NO cheating!

Lexington Black


S.A. Smythe - 2015
    His ambition to be an author has stalled, and he has a nightmare of a family, most of whom think he is a waste of space. His father killed himself when Rob was 15, and since then, Rob has found it hard to trust and commit himself to anyone but himself, yet over the course of a test drive with a suave stranger, he discovers he is capable of behaving in a totally irrational and risky manner. Lexington Black is the wealthy New Yorker who rocks Rob's world. After a night of hot sex, he wastes no time in luring Rob to the US to stay at his penthouse for a month so that he can reboot his writing career. A ruthless businessman, Lex is accustomed to getting what he wants. He is in love with Rob and he also wants his ailing father to accept his sexuality before the old man dies. As Rob is introduced to gay Manhattan by Lex's colourful friends, he is unaware that Lex is holding on to a crucial secret. Years before, Lex was a student at the college where Rob's father was Headmaster. A brief encounter between them had resulted in the tragedy that Rob had been unable to forget. With this secret hanging between them, it is only a matter of time before Rob and Lex's relationship is balanced on a knife edge. A heated tale of deception and lust between two hot men who cannot keep their hands off each other...

Grumpy Bear


Slade James - 2021
    It’s opening weekend at my clothing-optional campground, guests are starting to arrive, and I’ve got a pool party and a few hundred peoples’ vacations to save while battling Mother Nature’s tantrums.The last thing I need is a temporary employee who can’t even put up a tent.Luke Cody’s not my type. He’s too young, too pretty, and too much like my late partner. Another flaky musician? No thanks. But when a storm blows down his campsite, I can’t just leave him outside and soaked to the bone. Now he’s staying in my cabin, sleeping in my bed, and worst of all, he’s completely ignoring the proverbial sign over my head that says Grumpy Bear: Do Not Approach.I’m not quite as immune to his charms as I want him to believe, but he’ll only be here for a few days.Nothing’s going to happen… Grumpy Bear is a boss/employee, grumpy/sunshine romance set at a gay campground full of bears. (Not shifters; the other kind of bears.) It’s the first full-length book in the Bear Camp series and can be read as a standalone.