Book picks similar to
Against the Odds by S. Lucas


mm
contemporary
standalone
100-minis

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!

The Deal


Mackenzie Gray - 2020
    The guy struts around campus like he's God's gift to man. And who gets the unfortunate job of tutoring him? Me. I'm counting down the days until I'm finally free of him. Sebastian Aidan is... awkward. I feel bad for the guy. Aside from his brain, he doesn't have much going for him. He's about as sexually appealing as a toothpick. What Aidan needs is a crash course in seduction. How to dress, how to flirt, how to seduce a man. Figure it's the least I can do. Sebastian Dumont: Good Samaritan. Truth is, I never expected anyone to fall for him. I never expected that person to be me. The Deal is the first book in the Rules of Play series, a steamy m/m contemporary romance series about four brothers finding love on and off the field. Contains failed under-the-table-dealings, bar trivia, a Jude Law look-alike, and a happy ending for our two heroes. It was formerly published as Sebastian. For those who purchased it under the previous title, please update your Kindle for the most recent version.

Tangled up in Blue: A Rainy Day Women Romance


Linda Steinberg - 2021
    Deadbeat dads, that is. Until she's arrested by a handsome detective who won't listen to reason. But when she discovers a dead body while working a case, she needs Detective Tall, Dark and Handsome's Help.Protect and serveWhen Dallas P.D. detective Trey Donovan arrests a feisty, gun-toting woman with a stack of hundred dollar bills stashed in her camisole, he senses this is no ordinary drug bust. He manages to maintain his professional composure but he can't get her out of his mind. On his next case, when he finds Selena standing over a dead body, they agree to work together to catch a killer.Trey is by the book; Selena prefers to color outside the lines. But the chemistry between them sparks creative detective work. And ignites simmering passions. Despite their intentions to keep the relationship professional, a rainy night stakeout leaves them 'tangled up in blue.' And when Selena's out-of-the-box ideas put her in danger, Trey realizes this is a woman he will never put out of his mind. And that's a 'Dunn deal.'Tangled up in Blue is the first book in the Rainy Day Women series, featuring women empowering women--and the men who love them. In a converted warehouse near downtown Dallas a group of strong, professional women come together to volunteer their services to the women of an under-served community. They name their facility the Rainy Day Women's Center. Each book is a stand-alone romance about competent, independent women and the equally competent, independent men they can't ignore--or live without.

Swimmer Boy


Jay Argent - 2015
    On his first day in his new high school, he falls for Alex, a handsome jock on the swim team. Alex does not seem to be gay, but that does not end Liam’s obsession with him. Fate pushes the boys together, and they become friends—until Liam’s secret is revealed. Swimmer Boy is a story about friendship and the kind of love that is found in the most unlikely places.

Chasing Jackson


Jayda Marx - 2019
    We do everything together, including going to the club every week. And every week I watch him sneak off to the back room to hook up with some random guy. Not that I can blame him for that; I’ve never admitted my feelings to Jackson. The man looks like tattooed sex on a stick and I’m a short, skinny nerd. I could never be good enough for him. Jackson- I’m a piece of crap but at least I can admit it. I hook up with random guys every week, but it never means anything; it’s just nameless, emotionless fun with other pieces of crap. The only person who sees me as being worth anything is my best friend Chase. He’s everything I wish I could be; kind, sweet, understanding. He’s too good for this world, and definitely too good for me. *This M/M friends to lovers romance is for readers 18 and up! It has no cheating or cliffhangers and a very happy HEA! It contains a man whose heart is bigger than he believes, a sweetheart who is stronger than he thinks, a hilarious mother and a very spoiled wiener dog. **My stories tend to be low on angst because it hurts my heart. They are, however, packed with sexy scenes, heartwarming moments and a healthy dose of humor. Author’s Note Thank you for your interest in my book! My stories tend to be low angst because it hurts my heart; I like getting to the good stuff and live for fluff. If “instalove” isn’t your thing, my books may not be for you. I want my readers to finish my books with a smile on their face and a fierce case of the warm and fuzzies. Laughter is guaranteed, and each read delivers its own type of drama. Thanks again for taking a look and happy reading!

Raise Up, Heart


Leta Blake - 2020
    He’s felt empty ever since.But his lover’s heart survives, placed inside his cousin, Alex. As time passes, it becomes clear: Damon’s heart is too devoted to Cole. It’s strong, and lovelorn, and terrifyingly true blue. The fight for Alex’s body is brutal. But, to win, Damon’s heart only has to beat.Even faced with the horror of his lover’s eerie return, Cole’s heart leaps at the chance to finally have the man he's yearned for. What will he sacrifice to be with Damon? And who will pay the ultimate price?Raise Up, Heart, is a stand-alone, second chance gay romance, inspired by the famous gothic, short stories of yore. With head nods to Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Raise Up, Heart, is dark, epic, consuming, and dreamlike. Released just in time for Halloween, the story includes angst, steam, and a happy ending. This novella displays Leta Blake’s writing style at its most beautiful and challenging.

Boy With Toys 1


Sky McCoy - 2019
    Maxwell Gold appeared to be a successful straight man with a wife and loads of friends, but Max had been living a secret life. Everyone knows about it, his wife, and his boys, the only one who doesn’t realize that he’s not straight, is Maxwell Gold. The night he walks into a French restaurant and is love-sick over a young man, is the same night he’s confronted with the truth about himself, and his sham marriage to his beautiful wife. Can the love of his life Jami Caulfield who knows who he is, convince Max that love is never having to say you’re sorry when you accept yourself, and who you choose to love? Can Maxwell Gold handle all the problems that have been tossed at him when he announces to his father that he’s gay and loves a man?

Never Trust a Porn Star


Brea Alepoú - 2019
    Women gush. Men applaud his techniques. And everybody wishes they could be his next partner. Thanks to one little video uploaded by an ex, he’s become famous. His family might disapprove of his methods, but Aiden embraces this notoriety and revels in the reviews. In typical Scott fashion, Aiden’s made a f**king career—out of f**king. Aiden has rules in place to protect himself. He doesn’t date. He won’t do sleepovers. He's never been interested in someone longer than it takes to reach a mutual climax. The rules work. They always have. Until he meets one nerdy film major, with big brown eyes and it has him questioning everything. Skyler C. Bailey is a film major and twenty-one years old. It’s his junior year of college at Vanderbilt. He lives to capture people's raw emotions and life stories through a lens camera. A true introvert at heart, one night out and his whole world is turned upside down. He tries to ignore the growing feelings inside, he’s been there and done that. Been stomped on and pushed to the side. He doesn’t want to go through that again, but he can’t ignore his heart even if he’s afraid he’s about to learn the hardest lesson of all: never trust a p*rn star.

Before You: Standalone Contemporary Romance


Eve Cates - 2015
    Stay with me. Just until I don’t need you anymore…’ When Willa Henderson flew to Chicago, she was just supposed to pack up her brother’s apartment and ship everything inside it back to LA. That included packing up his roommate's things up as well. It was a big ask, but Dave was her big brother, so Willa agreed. The last thing she was expecting was to run into said roommate - the intense German named, André Bauer, a photojournalist who was supposed to be in Afghanistan working for the next few weeks - on her first night there. She also wasn’t expecting him to throw her out on her a** without even trying to let her explain who she was and why she was there. Let’s just say it was…hate at first sight. From the moment they met, they didn’t like each other, and neither of them really had any interest in changing that fact. But one thing they did know, was that they were unequivocally attracted, and it didn’t take too long for them to collide. With both of them screwed up by their pasts, neither of them could handle a relationship if they tried - André is a self-confessed a**hole. Willa is a self-confessed commitment-phone and gets angry whenever she feels. Then there's Willa’s brother, who could very well kill André if he found out he’d slept with his sister. But, when desires go unchecked, there’s little that can change the outcome, and eventually Willa and André agreed to give in – just until they got each other out of their system. They expected it would take a week, maybe two. Then they could walk away without anyone getting hurt. Before each other, that arrangement might have worked out, but there was something there - an intensity they couldn't explain. As layers are peeled back and secrets are revealed, they find themselves in a state of need that neither was prepared for... Before You is a standalone contemporary romance with no cliffhanger and its own HEA.

It Was Always You


L.A. Witt - 2018
    Job? Gone. Marriage? Kaput. With nothing to keep him in Chicago, he’s headed home to Seattle to lick his wounds and start over. To his surprise, his high school best friend—the man he ghosted five years ago—swoops in to help him pick up the pieces.Justin Tucker still stings over Tyler vanishing, but when his old friend needs help, saying no is out of the question. Justin’s got a spare room, and he’ll do anything he can to help Tyler get back on his feet. As the guys find their way back to friendship, Justin’s old feelings find their way back to the surface. He long ago made peace with Tyler being straight, but that doesn’t make twenty years of longing any easier to bear. Now he’s wondering if he can really handle having the man of his dreams living under his roof and out of his reach.Except maybe Tyler isn’t as far out of reach as either man thinks…

In This Bed of Snowflakes We Lie


Sophia Soames - 2019
    It just makes things easier that way, not having to face all the fears and drama of living. He especially hides from other people, because Oskar has grown up fearing the snide remarks and the quick glances that strip him of the tiny scraps of confidence he still has left. He is just going to keep existing. Work hard to complete his medical degree and perhaps watch a few more series on Netflix in peace and quiet over Christmas. Erik Nøst Hansen should be an almost fully-fledged adult. He should be able to sort out the mess that festers in his head and stop lying. It’s just hard. And it’s bloody terrifying to even acknowledge the thoughts that swirl around in his head at night when he can’t sleep. He also needs to figure out how to talk to the boy downstairs. The one with the golden curls and the crooked smile. The boy who is completely monopolising Erik’s messed-up heart. A story of falling in love and being brave. A Christmas tale with a difference, set in the university dorms of central Oslo, where lies are uncovered, snowflakes are falling all over the place, and beds are made to lie in. There is a slightly unconventional family. A mess of animal onesies. Too much food and a very Merry Christmas.

In His Sights


Victoria Light - 2019
    I wasn’t going to just let that guy call me gay. Now my management's forcing a 24/7 bodyguard to keep an eye on me until my new album drops. Just what I need, temptation in the form of Sylus Synn, a hard-bodied, hot-as-hell ex-Marine now living under my roof. When I find out Sylus is gay, I feel myself slipping. I want to him to know my secret, to finally indulge in the pleasures I’ve been denying myself. But how the hell can I break through a lifetime of fear and guilt? Sylus Babysitting a troublemaking celebrity should be nothing compared to what I’ve done as a spec ops sniper, but Chris has a way of making everything difficult. I can’t help but feel like he enjoys getting his ass subdued by me. My intuition tells me Chris might not be as straight as he wants everyone to believe. It ain’t my job to get Chris out of the closet. But when he comes to me with one highly unusual request, it’s damn hard to remain professional. How can I turn down an offer to teach a “straight” guy a few gay tricks? In His Sights is the first book in the Brother's Synn series, but can be read and enjoyed in any order. This is a fast-paced read with low drama and heaps of delicious, slam-against-the-shower-wall, man-on-man heat. By the end you'll be fanning yourself and gasping for book #2!

Unpredictable


C.A. Harms - 2015
    With an absent father and a mother who drowns herself daily in a bottle of Rum, there was no other option. Jett Jameson was the distraction Quinn needed, even if it was just for one night. A void filler, and a chance for a moment to allow herself to feel something other than emptiness. He wasn’t what she expected. Gentle. Her life didn’t have room for a man like Jett. Unpredictable. But now it was too late, there was no turning back. Desire. Nothing would ever be the same…

Guarding His Fortunes


Jaylen Florian - 2018
     Sam, a clever and tenacious security guard, investigates a puzzling heist at a fine art gallery and discovers a vast, hidden fortune is at stake. Intimacy is the last thing on the minds of these rugged men. Neither man would ever dream that the other could crash through his walls and excite his imagination. As Elan and Sam build trust to solve the theft, a more dangerous crime strikes in the middle of the night and threatens much more than wealth and riches. The key to unraveling the mysteries is a realization that can only be achieved once the men share concealed feelings and open up about the past. “Guarding His Fortunes” is a romantic mystery set in the enchanting historical city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and its surrounding hills and mountainous regions. This book is written in present tense with a third person point of view and it contains passionate themes intended for mature audiences.

Dirty Coach To Go: A Forbidden Sports Romance


S.C. Adams - 2020
    I was the unpopular outcast with frizzy brown hair who was always picked last for softball.But Coach Mason was behind me every step of the way.He made me feel good. Wanted. Cherished.And now, I’m giving him something precious in return.