Book picks similar to
Heart of the Woods by Grant C. Holland
mm
m-m
lgbt
romance
A Soul to Keep
K. Sterling - 2019
Night after night, he relives the terror and pain and wakes up haunted by a ghost from his past. Numerous surgeries and years of physical and psychiatric therapy have failed to fix our brave soldier and hacker and he’s perilously close to breaking.
“Alone is why you almost killed yourself and that’s what’s going to kill you.”
Denver might be an admirable yet occasionally stupid brand of stubborn but Dr. Ezra Gabriel is about to teach him a few lessons in patience and perseverance. Gifted, charming and just about as stubborn, the young doctor won’t let Denver give up, then finds he can’t let the brilliant, gentle, battle-scarred veteran go.An incident involving a monster of a trout causes two friends to slip and slide into a predicament neither saw coming. One of them loses their head and two hearts find the same steady beat as dreams change and merge with reality.This is a standalone love story but features characters from The Boys of Lake Cliff series. You do not need to have read the series to enjoy A Soul To Keep.Warning: A Soul To Keep explores extremely difficult topics such as suicide and PTSD and includes scenes involving violent acts of torture.
Optical Illusion
Emma Jaye - 2016
The problem is, his new brother’s very edible friend isn’t fooled by his act. If his secrets are revealed, they won’t want him and he has nowhere else to go.Thanks to a suicide bomber, ex-military police sergeant Jase Rosewood is back in the English countryside. His plans for quiet recuperation are ruined by the effervescent, go-go dancing twink who has everyone wrapped around his little finger. Luckily for the gullible Matt, Jase can smell a liar a mile away, and Chris Bacon, if that’s even his name, stinks to high heaven. Assigned ‘Chris-sitting’ duty while Matt's on honeymoon, Jase has a week to discover what is hidden beneath the bright camouflage. It's a job, just like any other, so why does it feel so different? Unfortunately, Jase isn’t the only one drawn to the boy who can’t stay still, but instead of wanting to reveal his true colours; they want to dull them forever.Contains issues of physical abuse, but not between the central couple.
King of the Mountain
Aiden Ainslie - 2021
Brand Du Frey is a multi-million-dollar business, and during the Tour de France, Clifford is mobbed by fans wherever he goes. The superstar must focus on winning the Tour de France and maintaining the image of the athletic hetero alpha male at all costs.But Clifford has a secret. He has fallen hard for Gabe O’Reilly – the dreamy art student from San Francisco whom he met on a summer’s day in Paris.Can Clifford and Gabe’s budding relationship withstand the media storm and other forces arraigned against them? Can the grit and determination that propelled Clifford to the top of his sport help him break out to find true love and happiness?
The Wedding Date
Nicole Casey - 2017
One shared room. One eventful wedding weekend. What could possibly happen? Bryant I hate weddings. Especially my own sister’s wedding, where my ex boyfriend Tony will be there…with his new lover. Luckily my friend Hayley has a plan: bring a hot date and make Tony jealous. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. He’s sexy, fun, and far more exciting than my ex ever was. We’re gonna fake it, until the fake relationship doesn’t seem so fake anymore… Max When my friend asks me to pretend to be some hot guy’s boyfriend on his sister’s wedding, my automatic response is to say no. But things haven’t really been going well recently, and this could potentially inject some spice into my life. This is just a show, right? But after a sizzling night with him, I am not so sure anymore. Now, I can’t help but wonder if I am falling in too deep… *The Wedding Date is a sweet and steamy mm gay fake relationship romance. It’s the first part of Wounded Souls Series, but it can also be read as a standalone. No cliffhanger and HEA guaranteed!
Heat
R.J. Scott - 2014
Can Lewis and Devon overcome their mutual dislike to fight for Laurels and their lives?
Betrayal and grief have left Master Chef Lewis Mandineau a broken man. As the primary carer for his sister, injured in the crash that killed their parents, she is his priority, and nothing will stop him from creating a safe place for her to call home. But, when an ex-lover embezzles from the company accounts, his fragile hold on life disintegrates. However hard he works, he can't balance the books and his only solution is to sell the family restaurant to an American hotel chain.
Hard-headed businessman, Devon, heir to the Trelawney Hotel empire, is sent from the US to assess the viability of Laurels. Debts swamp the restaurant, and his first reaction is to sell the real estate and call it a financial win for his family. He understands tradition, but sentiment has no place in his business plans. Until he meets innocent Rachel with her love of beautifully simple things, and Lewis, who shows him that anything is possible with enough love.
Better Be Sure
Andy Gallo - 2019
Easy. Won’t be him kicked of the house.So what if his luck with guys on campus has been shitty? Ed Knowles is Jack’s winning ticket.Tall, handsome, hardworking—and he doesn’t go to Harrison.With every stolen look, every secret kiss, every clandestine touch Ed becomes more than just an answer to a bet.These cloak-and-dagger meetings that set Jack on fire? They mask one tiny, enormous obstacle: Ed’s not out. Can’t attend the dance.What does Jack do now?Hold on to his legacy… or his heart?"Better Be Sure" is a sweet, slow burn M/M romance with a heart-pounding HEA. This New Adult, college, opposite sides of the tracks novel can be read as a standalone and in any order.
I've Got This
Louisa Masters - 2019
His job as an assistant director at Joy Universe, the second-largest theme park complex on the planet, makes him indirectly responsible for bringing joy (pun intended) to millions of people. So what if none of his relationships are that close? Everyone he meets loves him. Except Trav Jones. For some reason, the visiting Broadway performer would rather Derek just go away. He appreciates Derek’s work ethic, though, and after Trav steps up when Derek desperately needs someone to fill in for his sick staff, Derek seizes the chance to convince Trav he’s not such a bad guy. Falling in love while distracted by a murder at the park, food poisoning, and colleagues placing bets on their relationship won’t be easy, but between the two of them and with the magic of Joy Universe, they’ve got this.
If Wishes Were Horses
Silvia Violet - 2014
Now he’s got another chance to capture his target, but the gorgeous rancher he’s investigating makes him long for things he can’t have.Ken gave up his society life to run a ranch, and he’ll do anything to protect what’s his. When he starts to suspect his new employee is hiding something, he knows he should send the man away. But Andy is as gorgeous as he is infuriating, and he‘s pulling Ken to him like a magnet. Both men long for control, yet neither knows how to surrender.A clash of wills is inevitable, but neither man expects the tenderness that grows every time they touch. With secrets between them and outside forces threatening the ranch, each man will need to decide how far he’s willing to go to protect the other.
High Alert
Becca Seymour - 2021
I’ve crushed on my brother’s best friend since I sprouted hairs on the unmentionables. Once upon a time, he was straight, until he wasn’t… and talk about bad timing. And when we’re finally at a place for me to make my move, sexy rural firefighter Dan clams up and acts weird and I’m left with pants that are too tight and my heart feeling bruised… but he’s a good friend and I’m grateful he’s in my life. Because of course Dan is a good guy. Though him being “good” and ridiculously easy on the eyes and possibly the best man I know only makes me want him more. When we’re thrust into a situation that brings both of us close to danger, it’s hardly the time to be chasing first kisses or finally acting on my crush. But Dan doesn’t seem to mind. I just know that when the stakes are high and emotions are running wild, sometimes you have to show your hand and go all in. And that’s exactly what I plan to do. High Alert was originally a 7,000-word short story in the March 2020 charity anthology "When the Smoke Clears." It is now a 64,000-word full-length novel, complete with smouldering low-angst loveliness and a group of Aussie men who will capture your hearts.
Let Me Catch You
Kent Deron - 2016
Staying with his father’s former boss, Stephen Davis, provides a distraction from his mess of a life, and a face that continues to haunt him. Soon though, awkward interactions with Stephen, and strange happenings in the night, begin to rattle Inver who is unaware his handsome host intends to make him pay for the sins of his father.It’s 1995 and cocky womanizer Stephen has returned to the family farm to inherit a responsibility that was never meant to be his. Feeling bored and trapped he develops an unlikely friendship with social outcast Shaun Munro. As lines between mates are crossed, Stephen begins to question what he stands for. The true spirit of their friendship betrays those around them, leading to severe consequences in a town rife with secrets, and forces Stephen to choose which path in life to take.
Buying You
Wendy Rathbone - 2018
It’s quite another to be sold as one. Prized for his looks, Dane knows it’s shallow, but he is on his way to having it all. It feels good to be gorgeous, smart and have top designers from around the world requesting him. When he returns to his hometown to participate in a small Date-For-Charity auction, it seems harmless enough—until a hooded man walks in and bids higher on him than anyone else. Dane is intrigued but nervous when he finds out the guy has vanished after the winning bid, leaving only a limo behind to whisk Dane off into the night. Enemies to lovers, opposites attract, and hot steamy nights that challenge two guys’ trust issues along with their biggest fears.
Absolution
E.M. Lindsey - 2016
Running a bookshop and living a quiet life in London, he has very few expectations. Then one night, his life is irrevocably changed, when he’s mugged in an alley. Instead of going to the police, Alexei tracks down the mugger and learns he’s merely a starving man trying to get by. Offering him a job and a place to stay, Alexei is determined to help make it right. The one thing he doesn’t expect, however, is to fall for his sudden flatmate. Will this be his own version of a storybook romance, or are they star-crossed lovers, determined to burn bright, then fall apart?
Benji's Awakening
Jaclyn Osborn - 2017
He fought to hold on, but as each day passed, his resolve weakened and letting go seemed easier. Better than living a lie. Life at home sucked, and school wasn't much better. His dad wanted him to be the hotshot athlete who got all the girls, but Benji could never be that. No one understood him, and no one even tried. Then, Nick Asher came along. Meeting Nick changed something inside Benji . For the first time, he felt like he belonged, and the question that used to haunt him suddenly didn't seem as scary. He was excited for the new direction his life had taken, but he feared it wouldn't last. Nothing good ever happened to him, so why should it now? *This companion novella follows Benji and Nick, who were first introduced in Book 2 of the Awakening series as an established couple, and shows how they met in high school.*
Out of the Blue
Kay Simone - 2020
After all, it’s a small price to pay to focus on his career (even though his overbearing boss seems to hate him). But then young Michael—young, hot, and horny—appears, out of the blue.Older and tattooed, Geoff is exactly the kind of guy Michael’s dad is going to hate. That makes him hotter, right?Romance is the last thing on Michael’s mind when he meets the tough-looking, tattooed Geoff one day on the beach. Michael doesn’t bother hoping for anything more than a steamy one-time encounter with this hot DILF—not after everything he’s been through. He may be a survivor, but he knows never to expect good things in his life, or good guys.Sometimes, the island feels smaller than it is.Sparks fly when Geoff and Michael meet by chance in their insular island community. They can’t seem to keep away from each other, despite their age gap. But when Geoff realizes that he’s dating his boss’s son, their entire world comes crashing down, and Geoff must choose between his career and his relationship.You’re the only one who’s made me feel anything good since everything happened...There is something undeniable between Michael and Geoff, a connection that’s deeper than the mind-blowing sex. Can their bond grow into a life together on the island, or will Michael’s father do anything he can to snuff out the flames of their fire?