James starts his junior year of high school without any friends in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. When he meets Kevin Vincent, he’s too distracted by the promise of new friends to see that Kevin has secrets of his own. Having created an environment where he's feared and admired by his classmates, Kevin finds pleasure in using his good looks and violence to control and manipulate those around him. Secretly, he cruises the gay club scene, turning tricks to earn money so he can party and get high. As Rick’s dad becomes increasingly violent and abusive at home, the two form a surprising and volatile trust. In this battle of wills, their precarious friendship will either keep their lives from blowing up around them or possibly light the fuse that will cause the explosion.

    When Melissa Bradshaw, only the most popular girl in school, suddenly shows an interest in Noah, he suspects he's being set up for a cruel joke. She asks him to Homecoming and he refuses to go.After school, the doorbell rings and Noah's sure she's back to pester him about the dance. But when he opens the door, he finds Doug there instead, with an explanation and a much better offer than Melissa's.

    Sharper story telling, different points of view, same old Foster High.Kyle Stilleno is the invisible student even in his nothing high school in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. Brad Graymark is the baseball star of Foster High. When they bond over their mutual damage during a night of history tutoring, Kyle thinks maybe his life has changed for good. But when you’re gay and falling for the most popular boy in school, the promise of love is a fairy tale, not a reality. Isn’t it? A coming-of-age story, Tales from Foster High shows an unflinching vision of the ups and downs of teenage love and what it is like to grow up gay.

    The war started in third grade, with a surprise punch to the face, and lasted until the summer after high school when Brooklyn and Dallas are stuck working at the same store. At night. Together. It should've been a recipe for disaster. But instead of outright combat, they slowly start to notice that not only do they not hate each other, but perhaps they have more in common than either of them knew. Soon, amidst unexpected laughter and camaraderie, Dallas realizes that maybe the guy who used to be his number one enemy could actually be his perfect match.Original Prompt:Dear Author,These beautiful boys have a story to tell. A story of firsts. The first stirrings of attraction, the first feelings of love, the first touch of another, the first forever...Please tell us their story so that their love may live on...Photo Description: A black/white photo of two naked teenage boys in a white bedroom. One sits on the bed facing right, leaning back into the other kneeling behind him. His lover's right hand is across his arm and chest. The left hand gently strokes his hardened penis as they both watch.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Hot Summer Days" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.Download the story, read it here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Vol 1 or Don't Read in the Closet: GayRomLit Retreat 2011 Special Edition.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, virgins, first love, enemies-to-lovers, high school, summer romanceWord Count: 14,012

    His life story has been a sequence of tragedies, and his soul has barely survived intact. Yet, despite the trauma of his past, he continues to endure, making it through each day the best way that he can...even if it's not always the healthiest way. Jack Winthrop is a wealthy man and a respected Dom in his community, but since the death of his lover five years ago, he's felt empty. Despite the line of subs waiting to warm his bed, he's been unable to find anyone to fill that void in his heart that aches deep down into the depths of his soul. Meeting Eli reawakens his spirit, but the young man has no experience in the BDSM lifestyle, and Jack has no desire for a vanilla relationship. Can these two damaged souls find healing together? **This novel contains explicit MM sex with significant BDSM elements and is not intended for readers under the age of 18.** Note: This is the first installment in a series. It is not a standalone novel, and Jack and Eli's story does not conclude at the end of this book.

    He can’t see the camera lens that is pointed in his direction and he doesn’t know all his movements are being watched. He can sense it though, that strange tingle on his skin when he’s meant to be alone. Then strange things start to happen. Belongings go missing and things are moved, but what is really happening and what is just his imagination? It isn’t until a detective turns up at his door that he realises that something is very wrong. Not only is it his possession’s that are gone, its also the men he's been dating, leaving him the last person to see them. This makes him the police’s number one suspect and he isn’t sure how to prove his innocence. Its not until the detective in charge of the investigation gets a visit from Nicolai’s admirer that things become clear. Not only is Nicolai in danger, so is anyone connected to his life. This stranger is hurting the people he loves and he doesn’t know how to stop it. Nicolai doesn’t know who is out there or what he wants, but he can feel him watching. Trigger warning: this book contains scenes of rape, torture and abuse that some readers might find distressing. Reader discretion is advised.

    The time of the ton came to an end and rakes gave way to new, more modern heroes. What if there were still some rakes left in the world? What if they were every bit as devastating and irresistible as the rakes we’ve loved and longed for but modern? K. Sterling believes there are still some rakes out there and their time has come. The rakes have returned. Gideon Drake is not a rake. He’s a journalist. He’s covered every modern battlefield over the last decade because war scares him less than the pain of his past. An impossible lead, a myth and an assassination attempt introduces Gideon to an Israeli Butcher who isn’t Israeli or a butcher. Rami Ali is a rake. His story is very different. He is as mysterious as he is sensual and irresistible and he’s not what Gideon expected to find when he set out to uncover the elusive arms dealer. He wasn’t expecting the passion or the reckoning with his past and being in the middle of the ocean can’t save him from the heat.

    He’s infatuated with his online friend, Evan, alienated from his family and former classmates, and still trying to recover from his father’s death six years ago. He’s also keeping a troubling secret about his older brother, Gunner, who is away at boot camp.
 Then Dresden meets Caleb, a judgmental environmentalist who’s hardly Dresden’s fantasy come true. But Caleb seems to understand Dresden’s desire for rough sex, big feelings, and, ultimately, safety. As Dresden becomes embroiled in a farmers market drama involving Caleb, a couple of bullying tomato enthusiasts, and a gang of vigilante vegans, he discovers he might be willing to trade a fantasy relationship with Evan for a shot at something real with Caleb.
But Dresden fears telling quick-to-judge Caleb his secret, and the news that Gunner is coming home sends him fleeing to California for a chance to meet Evan in person and hopefully fall in love. When the encounter doesn’t go as expected, Dresden faces a choice: stay in California and carve out a new life, or take the long road home to his family, Caleb, and a past he must face if he has any hope for a future.

    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.

    Chase DeWitt is fourteen when his mother dies and he stumbles into the woods beyond his home, angry and heartbroken. He didn’t know that it would change the course of his life. Two broken, lonely men. Tyler Reid is twenty three, grumpy and angry, trying to take care of a injured brother, and rebuilding a life blind hatred destroyed in one night. But he understands the boy who stumbles out of the woods and into his life, understands the grief in his eyes and the rage that makes him shake. And there is something in that familiar grief that makes Tyler trust Chase, when trusting humans has only ever lead to disaster.And a falling down house they make a home. As the summer passes and the years turn, as Chase cares for Tyler’s brother, as he helps rebuild the house in the woods--as they help each other rebuild a life beyond the little house, Chase realizes two important things: these men matter to him, could be family. And they are not nearly as human as they seem.

    As he settles into his new role, makes new friends, and dreams of making it to the top, everything is going to plan.Until he meets James Holden, CEO of Holden House.James Holden hasn’t been able to stop thinking about his encounter with the timid man he met in a club bathroom last week, and when he discovers the one haunting his dreams is an employee, he can’t seem to stop himself from pursuing him.Just a little fun - that’s what James tells himself. He can’t afford to care for someone who can never reciprocate, not once they find out who he really is. James believes nobody deserves the burden of being attached to him. He’s a complicated man. Damaged. Difficult. Demanding. Broken.Is Theodore strong enough to confront James’ demons? More importantly, is James? Please note:This book contains scenes of self harm, mental illness and suicidal ideation which may be uncomfortable for some readers.

    It started out simple enough. Step one, outsmart Adam with wit and flair, goad him into doing something stupid, and land him in detention. Step two, play video games with Kai all night and laugh about it. Go to bed. Repeat tomorrow. Only, Adam and Kai are about to change the rules on him. First, Adam's bullying turns suddenly violent, leaving Dylan to wonder if his bully really needs a friend. Then, Kai makes an unexpected move Dylan has only imagined in his most secret fantasies. Only he'd never dreamed it might come at a price. While Adam opens up, coming closer to revealing a secret he’s kept his entire life, Kai pulls away even as they get closer than ever. With everything he thought he understood turned upside down, Dylan must decide what he really wants from the men in his life—before inaction loses him the very relationships he's always relied on.No pressure, Dylan. You got this. It's just love. How hard could it be?

    Money isn’t who I am, so when I finally use a dating app, I make up a fake “me” with no strings attached. But when I meet Jacob, the spark between us is real.He’s the only man I want, but the closer we grow, the higher the risk he’ll find out I’m not the man he’s falling in love with. Worse, Jacob would never date a rich guy, and with good reason—but that doesn’t change who I am. And who I am could tear us apart when he finds out.He can’t fall in love with a lie.JACOB:I don’t date rich, and I don’t date risky.Another wealthy guy in my life is the last thing I need. My affluent boss used his power to harass me, and now I’m knees-deep in a lawsuit. But when a friend signs me up for the dating app Matched, I don’t exactly back out, and before I know it, I’m matched with Ben.Our date lasts until sunrise, and I know I’ve got to see Ben again. Feelings form fast, and I can’t keep my mind off him—or what he might be hiding from me. I can’t shake this bad feeling, and the more Ben hides, the more I’m worried there’s a dark secret that could pull us apart.Who am I really falling in love with?

    Until he meets Tork. Tork is clever and funny. He makes origami models and reads Dickens. Tork has green hair and makes Adam's heart race with longing. But Tork is homeless and not at all impressed with Adam's attitude.Can Adam see past his fear and arrogance? Can Tork give Adam a chance? Can two such different men turn the world upside down and find out what really matters? Read to find out their story.Content Warning: the story includes reference to and description of self-harming.* * * * *A story from Boughs of Evergreen: A Holiday Anthology

    Noah Andersson is loud, outgoing and probably hasn’t stopped talking since he learned how to say words. When Morgan ends up on a team with Noah at the Olympics, they get closer than either of them expected, and even when they’ve returned home Morgan still finds himself drawn to Noah. Confused by his feelings for him, Morgan might have to figure out himself before he figures out his relationship with Noah.