Book picks similar to
Taxi Rojo by Erik Orrantia


fiction
contemporary
recommendations
ebook

Perception


Mario Kai Lipinski - 2012
    He is the bullying victim of Tim ‘Dumb’ Eschner, soccer hunk and the school’s official dimwit.When the vice principal witnesses one of Tim’s assaults, Marcel’s problems seem to be solved at last. But his good nature and his fast tongue get him into more trouble than he would prefer.Forced to work together, they both discover that there is more to the other one than meets the eye.A feel-good story about change, forgiveness, and love.This romance novel contains graphic language and descriptions of sexual encounters (m/m).Word count (story only): approx. 74.200

Hamelin's Child


D.J. Bennett - 2011
     Now he’s Mikey and he works for Joss. With streaked blond hair and a cute smile, he sleeps by day and services clients at night. Sometimes he remembers his old life, but with what he’s become now, he knows there is no return to his comfortable middle-class background. Then he makes a friend in Lee. A child of the streets, Lee demands more from friendship than Mikey is prepared to give. But the police are closing in on them now and Mikey’s not sure anymore who he really is – streetwise Mikey or plain Michael Redford. Hamelin’s Child was long-listed in the UK Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award. A thriller set in the seedy world of London's drug rings, this book contains strong scenes and adult material. (approx 85,000 word novel)

Been Here All Along


Sandy Hall - 2016
    His plans include running for class president, becoming head of the yearbook committee and having his choice of colleges. They do not include falling head over heels for his best friend and next-door neighbour, Kyle. It's a distraction. It's pointless, as Kyle is already dating the gorgeous and popular head cheerleader, Ruby. And Gideon doesn't know what to do . . .Kyle finally feels like he has a handle on life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, a best friend willing to debate the finer points of Lord of the Rings, and social acceptance as captain of the basketball team. Then, both Ruby and Gideon start acting really weird, just as his spot on the team is threatened, and Kyle can't quite figure out what he did wrong . . .

The Boy Next Door


Kate McMurray - 2011
    Jase had starred in many of Lowell's teenage fantasies, but Lowell is convinced Jase is straight. And yet, as they rekindle their friendship, it begins to look like Jase might not be so straight after all. Jase has problems of his own: his troubled ex-wife has allowed him full custody of their daughter on one condition: he never exposes her to his affairs with other men. The arrangement works just fine until he starts falling for Lowell and a whole new world of possibilities opens up for him. But how can he have a relationship with a man and still keep his daughter? Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Male/male sexual practices.

A Boy Worth Knowing


Jennifer Cosgrove - 2017
    But they aren’t the only ones making his high school years a living hell. All Nate wants is to keep his secret and keep his head down until he can graduate. That is, until the new boy, James Powell, takes a seat next to him in homeroom. James not only notices him, he manages to work his way into Nate’s life. But James has issues of his own.Between dead grandmothers and living aunts, Nate has to navigate the fact that he’s falling in love with his only friend, all while getting advice from the most unusual places.Ghosts, bullies, first love: it’s a lot to deal with when you’re just trying to survive senior year.

It's All Relative


J.M. Snyder - 2004
    But an unexpected phone call interrupts his announcement -- Aunt Evie is dead. Now Michael, his boyfriend, and his dysfunctional family must prepare for the funeral.

Because You Came Back


Ian Finn - 2018
    And then I about faint when I see that the delicious-looking man inside it is Ashton Falls, my old high school classmate, and the object of my obsession ever since.Back then, I wanted him bad, but never let on. I was the popular football jock, and he was the nerd who tutored me. I had a reputation to uphold, which included staying closeted.After graduation, Ashtown moved away and became a Silicon Valley tech billionaire. He's back in Baytown for our ten-year high school reunion. Meanwhile, I stayed here to take care of my mom, and opened a mechanic's shop. And I'm still in that damn closet, because there's a stigma around these parts against gay men.Our worlds are about as night and day as they could get. But soon they collide with a night of passion in which I discover that Ashton is as attracted to me as I was to him, and that he always has been. He can teach me more than just math now, and he's as athletic in the bedroom as I was on the field. I want him to stay with me, and in me, for good. But will both of us be willing and able to change our lives enough for that to happen? And, first things first, after hiding my true identity from fellow Baytown residents for my entire life, will I have the courage to show up at our high school reunion with Ashton on my arm?Because You Came Back is a full-length standalone coming out, small town, second chance, rags to riches, opposites attract, billionaire/blue collar gay romance novel that combines humor, heat and heart. It has no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a very happy after ever. It's Book 1 in the Baytown Boys series. It can be read alone but, due to related characters and settings, is best read with others in the series... and a tall glass of water to cool you off after so much steam.

Subduing Ryan: A Wild Possession Romance


E.A. Gosling - 2020
    The man he loved for years, Andrew Morris, cheated on him, and Ryan isn't sure he could ever endure anything serious right now. Only casual will do. But Officer Paul Grayling has had his eye on his sad, sexy neighbor for months. He knows that Ryan's heart was broken, but when a chance to get together for a night of fun presents itself, he takes full advantage. Their chemistry is surprising, and Ryan isn’t sure what to think about how well he and Paul hit it off. Ryan is still hesitant to pursue anything serious, but Paul isn't making it easy, and what they have together could turn into love. It doesn't help that Ryan's ex keeps popping up at the wrong time, asking to get back together again. In the end, though, Ryan and Paul have to decide what they truly want, no matter the obstacles that come their way.

We Contain Multitudes


Sarah Henstra - 2019
    With each letter, the two begin to develop a friendship that eventually grows into love. But with homophobia, bullying, and devastating family secrets, Jonathan and Kurl struggle to overcome their conflicts and hold onto their relationship...and each other.This rare and special novel celebrates love and life with engaging characters and stunning language, making it perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson, Nina LaCour, and David Levithan.

Clay


D. Alex - 2021
    I love coffee and watching reruns in my just-right-for-me sized apartment.I loved my ex-boyfriend until he went off the deep end and started to stalk me.When things turned sour, an unlikely savior came stumbling into the hallway.His name was Dax. I’d been searching for a way to talk to him. Having him rescue me from my ex was never the plan. But neither was falling in love with him. If you love: next door neighbor romances, Schitt's Creek references, adorable grannies, hot sex scenes, jealous exes, low angst, and happy endings without cliffhangers, then you'll love this book!

The Otto Digmore Difference


Brent Hartinger - 2017
    But he’s also a burn survivor with scars on half his face, and all indications are that he’s just too different to ever find real Hollywood success. Now he’s up for an amazing new role that could change everything. Problem is, he and his best friend Russel Middlebrook have to drive all the way across the country in order to get to the audition on time. It’s hard to say which is worse: the fact that so many things go wrong, or that Russel, an aspiring screenwriter, keeps comparing their experiences to some kind of road trip movie. There’s also the fact that Otto and Russel were once boyfriends, and Otto is starting to realize that he still might have romantic feelings for his best friend. Just how far will Otto go to get the role, and maybe the guy, of his dreams? Author Brent Hartinger first introduced the character of Otto Digmore in 2005, in his Lambda Award-winning books about Russel Middlebrook. Back then, Otto was something pretty unusual for YA literature: a disabled gay character. Now, more than a decade later, Otto is grown up and finally stepping into the spotlight on his own. The Otto Digmore Difference, the first book in a new stand-alone series featuring Otto, is about much more than the challenges of being “different.” It’s also about the unexpected nature of all of life’s journeys, and the heavy price that must be paid for Hollywood fame. But more than anything, it’s a different kind of love story, about the frustrating and fantastic power of the love between two friends. Praise for Brent Hartinger: “Hits the narrative sweet spot." — NPR's All Things Considered "Downright refreshing." — USA Today "Touching and realistic...hilarious." — Kirkus Reviews

Two Boys Kissing


David Levithan - 2013
    While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other.

After The Fall


Sarah Goodwin - 2012
    His wife is a stranger, his dead parents just a photograph, and his home an unfamiliar, shabby place that smells of dog.At a local support group for amnesiacs, Connor meets Nate, a fellow sufferer of retrograde amnesia. Nate has no memory, and no idea how he came to lose it, but he remains easy going, and Connor quickly considers the foulmouthed, chain-smoking Nate a friend. But, when Nate makes a pass at him, Connor starts to question everything he’s learnt about himself. Is he really a happily married 32 year old, or are secrets being kept from him?Who is the mysterious ‘Coop’ whose cryptic emails are still in his inbox? And why, on the day of his accident, was he driving with another man in his car? A man whose life, and death, are still a touchy subject at home.

Anything Could Happen


Will Walton - 2015
    Which makes it hard for him to be in love with his straight best friend. For his part, Matt is completely oblivious to the way Tretch feels – and Tretch can’t tell whether that makes it better or worse. The problem with living a lie is that the lie can slowly become your life. For Tretch, the problem isn’t just with Matt. His family has no idea who he really is and what he’s really thinking. The girl at the local bookstore has no clue how off-base her crush on him is. And the guy at school who’s a thorn in Tretch’s side doesn’t realize how close to the truth he’s hitting. Tretch has spent a lot of time dancing alone in his room, but now he’s got to step outside his comfort zone and into the wider world. Because like love, a true self can rarely be contained. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN is a poignant, hard-hitting exploration of love and friendship, a provocative debut that shows that sometimes we have to let things fall apart before we can make them whole again.

Proud


Tatum West - 2019
    And it didn’t work. I’m a trust fund baby. The boy with the summer trips to France, the Mercedes for his sixteenth birthday, and the fancy degree from Georgetown. I have everything. But my family didn't believe me when I came out. I've lived my truth for years, but they just don't get it. The moment I see Jesse Boatwright, though, I start forming a plan. Jesse needs cash, and I need a date for my sister's debutante ball. But Jesse dislikes everything about me. He says I’m rich and spoiled, and I was born with a silver spoon shoved straight down my throat. That's fine. He's just my date. But when Jesse kisses me, his lips tell a different tale. I can feel the depth of his need, the desire in his veins. I wish I could block out the world and hold him forever, but he keeps pushing me away. He tells me he’s a freak, a screw-up, a liar, that we could never be together. There are secrets Jesse is keeping; I just don’t know what they are yet. When I finally discover the terrors that lie in his past, Jesse is already part of my story. I’m head over heels, falling hard, and ready to show Jesse that he’s exactly the man I need. Jesse I lied to get a job. Well, it’s bigger than that. I lied copiously to get a job, and my boss is the hottest guy I’ve ever seen. Will Marshall is everything I never wanted. His blood is Confederate blue, and his parents own the Country Club of Virginia. His money dates back to Queen Victoria, and I’d rather not imagine his family’s history when it comes to civil rights. But Will is kind and strong, and those bedroom eyes make me want to drop out of my office chair. He’s beautiful, and not just physically. Every inch of him is good and pure, and I’m filled with lies. I haven’t been with a guy since my ex gave me a black eye, burned all my stuff, and stole my cat. I don’t have money to pay rent, and I don’t have a degree from anywhere, let alone a doctorate in physical therapy. I’m not half the person Will thinks I am. But I’m falling in love with him. I can’t let him know that. After the deb ball, I need to quit this job and leave town before he finds out what I really am. When he holds me, though, I feel real again, like a person worth loving. When danger is on the horizon, I just have to decide if Will Marshall is worth the risk. Proud is a 67k full length mm romance novel, the first in the DC Pride series! It is a super-hot standalone and contains absolutely no cliffhangers. Will and Jesse are total opposites, and their fake relationship causes a whole lot of trouble! Watch out for daring cat rescues, crazy ex-boyfriends, scandalous dancing, and a very special drag queen bestie.