Book picks similar to
Their Troublesome Crush by Xan West
romance
queer
disability
lgbtqia
Discovering Daisy
Sloane Kennedy - 2017
But he also knows that Sage’s wounds run much deeper than his own and that there will come a day where what Cash can give Sage isn’t enough anymore. And after meeting the young woman Sage has become enamored with, Cash knows that day is closer than ever.At twenty-one, Daisy Washburne has found a new life working for an underground vigilante group. To the men she works with, she’s Daisy, IT girl extraordinaire, but in the silence of her apartment she’s just awkward, quiet, weird Daisy whose computer is her best friend and whose only link to the outside world are the voices of the men she’s trying really hard not to think of as family. But it’s one voice on the other end of the phone in particular that calls to her like no other and eases just a little bit of the loneliness that has consumed her since losing her mother to a brutal act of violence.In order to survive, Sage Brighton has had to learn how to be two different people. To most of the world, he’s happy-go-lucky, flirty, easy-going Sage. But to the one man who knows him better than anyone else, and yet still doesn’t really know who he is, Sage sees himself as nothing more than a fucked-up mess who takes more than he gives. Life without Cash isn’t even a possibility for Sage, but he can’t deny the pull young Daisy Washburne has had on him from the moment he hears her voice for the first time. Only in the deepest recesses of his mind does Sage allow for a world in which he can have both Cash and Daisy at the same time. Fortunately for Sage, the lines between fantasy and reality are miles apart – almost a thousand miles to be exact, since Daisy doesn’t live anywhere near Cash and Sage’s home in the Ozarks.But when a chance encounter between Daisy, Cash and Sage in a motel just outside Seattle changes everything, the demons from Sage’s past threaten to derail the life he and Cash have built together. When circumstances bring the trio back together, Cash sees an opportunity to give Sage what he needs, even if it costs Cash everything he’s ever wanted. Only, he soon finds that Sage isn’t the only one drawn to the quiet young woman who’s good at being invisible. And he can’t help but wonder if maybe the key to saving Sage isn’t about Sage choosing who can give him a normal life.Because maybe normal isn’t enough.Just like maybe one love isn’t enough… for any of them.
Second Kiss
Chelsea M. Cameron - 2016
She didn't think she'd drop out of college and come back to the small town she grew up in. To be fair, she didn't think her love of baking would turn into a job at the Violet Hill Cafe either, but it did.Something else she didn't expect was for Molly Madison to walk back into her life, eight years after she moved away. They'd been best friends forever, or so she'd thought. But Molly is back in town and she's looking... really good, actually. And that reminds Daisy of that one time at a sleepover when they'd kissed during a game of Spin the Bottle. That one kiss has been on her mind since then, but it's irrelevant. Molly isn't into girls.But as Daisy and Molly spend more time together, feelings start to grow, and Daisy is wondering just how "straight" Molly really is...
A Soft Touch
Laura Lascarso - 2021
Despite their rocky start, Ezra is determined to set Roman’s house to rights without any distractions, if only the man would keep his shirt on and stop looking so damn handsome all the time.An ex-NFL player and confirmed bachelor, Roman has been on a long losing streak when it comes to men. When his best friend (and notorious prankster) says he’s got someone who’s perfect for him, Roman knows it’s too good to be true. But then Ezra comes along with his shy smiles and thoughtful gestures and Roman’s hardened heart finally begins to thaw.Both men have been hurt before, both are a little shy when it comes to love, but when the opportunity to form a deep and lasting connection arises, will they be bold enough to take it?A SOFT TOUCH is a sweet and steamy 73K MM romance novel with low angst, lots of cuddles, and a bonafide happy ending. Content warning for ableism.
Confessions of the Fox
Jordy Rosenberg - 2018
Voth throws himself into his work, obsessively researching the life of Jack Sheppard, a legendary eighteenth century thief. No one knows Jack’s true story—his confessions have never been found. That is, until Dr. Voth discovers a mysterious stack of papers titled Confessions of the Fox. Dated 1724, the manuscript tells the story of an orphan named P. Sold into servitude at twelve, P struggles for years with her desire to live as “Jack.” When P falls dizzyingly in love with Bess, a sex worker looking for freedom of her own, P begins to imagine a different life. Bess brings P into the London underworld where scamps and rogues clash with London’s newly established police force, queer subcultures thrive, and ominous threats of an oncoming plague abound. At last, P becomes Jack Sheppard, one of the most notorious—and most wanted—thieves in history. Back in the present, Dr. Voth works feverishly day and night to authenticate the manuscript. But he’s not the only one who wants Jack’s story—and some people will do whatever it takes to get it. As both Jack and Voth are drawn into corruption and conspiracy, it becomes clear that their fates are intertwined—and only a miracle will save them both. An imaginative retelling of Brecht’s Threepenny Opera, Confessions of the Fox blends high-spirited adventure, subversive history, and provocative wit to animate forgotten histories and the extraordinary characters hidden within.
Fun With Dick and Shane
Gillibran Brown - 2009
It contains snippets, snatches and stories about everyday life with my Daddies, Dick and Shane. I love them both dearly, despite their overbearing ways, or perhaps even because of them. The book takes its starting point and content from the personal web diary I began to write in September 2006, when boredom lay heavy upon me and I was alone on account of my boyfriends being away together on holiday. If you think this houseboy’s life might interest you, then welcome, step over the threshold, but wipe your feet first, as I’ve just polished the parquet. Warning: Adult Content.
The House of Impossible Beauties
Joseph Cassara - 2018
Burned by her traumatic past, Angel is new to the drag world, new to ball culture, and has a yearning inside of her to help create family for those without. When she falls in love with Hector, a beautiful young man who dreams of becoming a professional dancer, the two decide to form the House of Xtravaganza, the first-ever all-Latino house in the Harlem ball circuit. But when Hector dies of AIDS-related complications, Angel must bear the responsibility of tending to their house alone.As the mother of the house, Angel recruits Venus, a whip-fast trans girl who dreams of finding a rich man to take care of her; Juanito, a quiet boy who loves fabrics and design; and Daniel, a butch queen who accidentally saves Venus’s life. The Xtravaganzas must learn to navigate sex work, addiction, and persistent abuse, leaning on each other as bulwarks against a world that resists them. All are ambitious, resilient, and determined to control their own fates, even as they hurtle toward devastating consequences. Told in a voice that brims with wit, rage, tenderness, and fierce yearning, The House of Impossible Beauties is a tragic story of love, family, and the dynamism of the human spirit.
Our Bloody Pearl
D.N. Bryn - 2018
But to the sirens who swim the warm island waters, it’s a home more than worth protecting from the humans and their steam-propelled ships. Between their hypnotic voices and the strength of their powerful tails, sirens have little to fear. That is, until the ruthless pirate captain, Kian, creates a device to cancel out their songs. Perle was the first siren captured, and while all since have either been sold or killed, Kian still keeps them prisoner. Though their song is muted and their tail paralyzed, Perle’s hope for escape rekindles as another pirating vessel seizes Kian’s ship. This new captain seems different, with his brilliant smile and his promises that Kian will never again be Perle’s master. But he’s still a human, and a captor in his own way. The compassion he and his rag-tag human family show can’t be sincere… or can it? Soon it becomes clear that Kian will hunt Perle relentlessly, taking down any siren in her path. As the tides turn, Perle must decide whether to run from Kian forever, or ride the forming wave into battle, hoping their newfound human companions will fight with them.This adult fantasy novel featuring an nonbinary disabled protagonist is a voyage of laughter and danger where friendships and love abound and sirens are sure to steal—or eat—your heart. Trigger warnings: mild gore due to carnivorous sirens and sensations of drowning.
Dark Soul Vol. 1
Aleksandr Voinov - 2011
All the old hands have gathered—of course sharks will circle when there’s blood in the water—but it’s a new hand that draws Stefano’s eye.Silvio “the Barracuda” Spadaro is protetto and heir to retired consigliere Gianbattista Falchi, and a made man in his own right. Among his underworld family, being gay is a capital crime, but the hypersexual—and pansexual—young killer has never much cared for rules. The only orders he follows are Battista’s, whether on the killing field or on his knees, eagerly submissive at Battista’s feet.But Silvio has needs Battista can’t fill, and he’s cast his black-eyed gaze on Stefano. A fake break-in, an even faker attack, and Silvio is exactly where he wants to be: strung up at Stefano’s mercy, driving the older Mafioso toward urges he’s spent his whole life repressing. Stefano resists, but when the Russian mob invades his territory and forces him to seek aid, Gianbattista’s price brings Stefano face to face once more with Silvio—and his darkest desires.
When All the World Sleeps
Lisa Henry - 2014
And rightly so: he sleepwalks, with no awareness or memory of his actions. Including burning down Kenny Cooper’s house—with Kenny inside it—after Kenny brutally beat him for being gay. Back in the tiny town of Logan after serving his prison sentence, Daniel isolates himself in a cabin in the woods and chains himself to his bed at night.Like the rest of Logan, local cop Joe Belman doesn’t believe Daniel’s absurd defense. But when Bel saves Daniel from a retaliatory fire, he discovers that Daniel might not be what everyone thinks: killer, liar, tweaker, freak. Bel agrees to control Daniel at night—for the sake of the other townsfolk. Daniel’s fascinating, but Bel’s not going there.Yet as he’s drawn further into Daniel’s dark world, Bel finds that he likes being in charge. And submitting to Bel gives Daniel the only peace he’s ever known. But Daniel’s demons won’t leave him alone, and he’ll need Bel’s help to slay them once and for all—assuming Bel is willing to risk everything to stand by him.
Carry the Ocean
Heidi Cullinan - 2015
Then a tornado named Emmet Washington enters his life. The double major in math and computer science is handsome, forward, wicked smart, interested in dating Jeremey—and he’s autistic.But Jeremey doesn’t judge him for that. He’s too busy judging himself, as are his parents, who don’t believe in things like clinical depression. When his untreated illness reaches a critical breaking point, Emmet is the white knight who rescues him and brings him along as a roommate to The Roosevelt, a quirky new assisted living facility nearby.As Jeremey finds his feet at The Roosevelt, Emmet slowly begins to believe he can be loved for the man he is behind the autism. But before he can trust enough to fall head over heels, he must trust his own conviction that friendship is a healing force, and love can overcome any obstacle.Warning: Contains characters obsessed with trains and counting, positive representations of autism and mental illness, a very dark moment, and Elwood Blues.
This Is How You Lose the Time War
Amal El-Mohtar - 2019
It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war.
Boyfriend Material
Alexis Hall - 2020
His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he's never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad's making a comeback, Luc's back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship...and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He's a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he's never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that's when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don't ever want to let them go.
Let's Get Back to the Party
Zak Salih - 2021
A high school art history teacher, newly single and desperately lonely, he envies his queer students their freedom to live openly the youth he lost to fear and shame. So when he runs into his childhood friend Oscar Burnham at a wedding in Washington, D.C., he can’t help but see it as a second chance. Now thirty-five, the men haven’t seen each other in a decade. But Oscar has no interest in their shared history. Instead, he’s outraged by what he sees as the death of gay culture: bars overrun with bachelorette parties; friends getting married, having babies. While Oscar and Sebastian struggle to find their place in a rapidly changing world, each is drawn into a cross-generational friendship that treads the line between envy and obsession: Sebastian with one of his students and Oscar with an older icon of the AIDS era. And as they collide again and again, both men must come reckon not just with one another, but with themselves. Rich with sharply drawn characters and contemporary detail, provocative, and emotionally profound, Let’s Get Back to the Party is sure to appeal to readers of Garth Greenwell, Alan Hollinghurst, Claire Messud, and Rebecca Makkai.
All or Nothing
Rose Lerner - 2017
Yet every week he finds himself losing money he can't afford at Maggie da Silva's bohemian gambling den, just so he'll have an excuse to see the beautiful, irrepressible hostess.Maggie thought she had her life sorted out. She has a best friend (with benefits), a successful business, and a truly spectacular wardrobe. But lately she's been...bored. Intrigued by serious, shy Simon, she finds a way to draw him into reluctantly betting on her favors at the faro table.A few glorious nights are all she expects. But when an old flame hires Simon to design a folly during a scandalous house party at his country estate, Simon asks Maggie to pose as his mistress so he can actually get some work done. Sure, she'd rather be his mistress, but she jumps at the chance for a well deserved, all-expenses-paid vacation. What could go wrong?Turns out, everything: Simon has unresolved issues with his ex, it's impossible to keep kosher, and worst of all, Maggie is in danger of losing her heart...