Book picks similar to
An Ocean Apart by Lexi Stone


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Dream by the Fire


Devyn Morgan - 2015
    They attend the same university, and it was a no-brainer to live together. Yet, Mason crossed the country to choose this school over a more prestigious grad program. He always told Darcy it was because of the extracurricular opportunities. Darcy wonders: did Mason move for him? They cuddle now and then... but Darcy's always assumed his best friend was straight. Darcy isn't looking forward to a lonely Christmas. His parents won a Christmas cruise they've been looking forward to forever, but it's for two people. Meanwhile, Mason's flying thousands of miles across the country on Christmas Eve to be with his family. That leaves him alone for ten days. The news of a freak storm sweeping in off the Atlantic shouldn't excite Darcy as much as it does... When the planes are grounded, the roads are a mess, and the airports close down, Darcy and Mason are snowed in together. Now, with the magic of Christmas in the air, they can connect on another level. But can their relationship as best friends withstand the drastic change as sparks fly? Dream by the Fire is a standalone story with a HFN ending.

Chance for the Win


Zach Jenkins - 2015
    He's talented, rich, gorgeous, and has an amazing kid. The only thing missing in his life is the one thing that could cause him to lose it all; a man to share it all with. He keeps telling himself to focus on the game, the money, and the lifestyle until he retires, and then he'll come out and find a man.Manny needs the crazy job that fell into his lap...His last children's book still hasn't found a publisher, and he can't find the right words for the one he's writing, but the bills keep showing up in the mail. Just when he starts to contemplate a life in a cubicle, a sexy, famous quarterback asks him to be the nanny for his son. The salary will solve all his problems. The kid is a dream to watch. But the biggest shock is when they start falling for each other.Passion leads to problems...When an old friend from Manny's past threatens to tell their secret to the press unless Chance gives him money, will it be the final straw that tears them apart, or will they work together to give themselves a chance for the win.

New Beginnings


Kyle Adams - 2014
    An amazing life, a nice house he shares with Tyson, his boyfriend of eight years. Urban learns the hard way that life is full of unexpected surprises and people aren’t always as happy as he thinks. Unexpectedly single and heartbroken, Urban knows he can only take it one day at a time. A daunting endeavor while he still shares a house with the man responsible for shattering his heart.Before Urban can even begin grieving, let alone moving on, Tyson makes a shocking revelation that spins his world around for an extra loop. Can this new surprise show Urban that life isn’t about endings but about making memories and sharing limitless new beginnings?

Lies and Consequences


Kaje Harper - 2011
    But fate seemed determined to throw them together and each time was better than the last. Ian couldn't help starting to think about forever.Chris knew he shouldn't take the chance. His life was a web of lies, from providing his Navy fiancee Jenny with a beard to the details of his fictional childhood. Ian would hate being deceived and a crash was inevitable. But Chris had never felt so deeply about a man before.When the lies came out, Ian did walk away. But fate wasn't done with them. Because Chris's life was in danger, and only Ian was close enough to help. Now Ian had to decide where the deeper truths lay, and whether what he felt for Chris was still strong enough to risk his safety and his heart.

The Groom, the Bride and the Best Man


James Lee Hard - 2015
    He was the perfect guy: manly, gorgeous and charming. He only had one problem: a long time girlfriend. But that didn’t stop Scott from catching mixed signals from Russell since day one. Could those just be wishful thinking? Things reach a cathartic moment during Russell’s wedding rehearsal. In an episode of foolishness, Scott drinks too much and drops the bomb. It was his last chance to know if his gaydar was right all along. Inspired on a true story, this short is fuelled with heated discussions and physical encounters that will engage readers into a small but enthralling plot. WARNING: This book contains explicit scenes of consensual sex between men as well as some graphic language. It is intended for a mature, adult audience.

Made Marian Collection: Volume Two


Lucy Lennox - 2018
    Caring about anyone or anything is asking to be disappointed, which is why I avoid relationships and chase freelance gigs — ghost writing restaurant reviews and penning articles about the efficacy of cheesy pick up lines — instead of chasing my dreams. Besides, dreams don’t come true for people like me. And no one, not even the sexy-as-hell bartender at the club can convince me otherwise. Because I’m never risking my heart again. Sam: As a bartender I’ve watched a million pick-up artists work their magic, but none as talented as Griffin Marian. He’s a flirt, a good time. Hooking up with him was supposed to be just a fling. I wasn’t supposed to care abut his fractured past or his buried dreams. I have my own future to worry about, especially after that stupid food critic scuttled my hopes of finally opening my own restaurant. But, the more time I spend with Griff, the more I’m beginning to realize that my plans mean nothing without him. If only I can convince him to give us a chance to follow our dreams together. Moving Maverick: Maverick: I haven't been back to Rabbit Island, South Carolina, since my parents died and my grandmother, Mimi, rejected me. I'm only returning now to attend her funeral and sell an estate I never wanted. But the moment I step foot on the island and fall into Beau’s arms, I realize it might not be so easy to say goodbye after all. Beau Talmadge was always the boy next door, but now he’s no longer a kid. The man is hot as hell and pushes all my buttons in the very best way. I'm supposed to leave in a week. Sell everything, close the door on my past, and walk away forever. So why am I letting myself fall for someone who lives thousands of miles away? And how the hell am I going to break it off when it's time to go? Beau: It took one short summer to fall in love with Maverick Mitchell and fifteen long years to forget him when he left. I’d never expected to see him again, but when he shows up at Mimi’s funeral looking lost and lonely I can’t resist doing anything I can to comfort him. Falling into bed with Maverick is easy and the nights we spend together are as hot and steamy as a South Carolina thunderstorm. I know it's not smart. I know it's not what he planned. But dammit, Mav belongs in my arms, in my bed, and in my life. So how the hell do I get him to stay? Delivering Dante: AJ: I know Dante’s story better than anyone. After all, I was the one who rescued him from his homophobic, abusive father eight years ago. Since then, I’ve kept my distance, but when I run into him at the Marian House gala and he doesn’t recognize me, I can’t resist the incredible, sensitive man he’s become. I would do anything to protect Dante Marian, but what if his past keeps me from being part of his future? Dante: Every new relationship has obstacles, it just turns out that ours involves my bumbling inexperience (ugh), an octogenarian naughty toy party (don’t ask), and being on the run in an RV with Aunt Tilly (it involves the Secret Service— no really, don’t ask). When my biological father takes his homophobic views to a national platform, the only way to stand up for what I believe in is to claim my past and confront him.

Breathe


Sloan Parker - 2010
     Lincoln McCaw lost everything after he caused a fatal accident. A year later, he's drowning the guilt and despair in whiskey, but he needs to move on. His sister and her kids are counting on him. Then he meets a man who ignites a passion Lincoln thought he'd never find. Too bad one night is all they can have together. Now he needs to figure out how to turn away from the only person who makes him feel alive before whoever is sending him threats decides Lincoln needs to suffer more than he already has. Jay Miller is surrounded by grief and misery until he finally gives in to all those years of sexual fantasies about being with another guy. Realizing he's ended up in the arms of the man who caused his wife's accident, he tries to pull away. But how can he give up a friendship he needs more than anything—a friendship and a love that could save him? He may not have time to make the choice before someone else destroys it all. Length: 101,781 words. This book contains explicit sexual content and graphic language. This is a re-release of a previously published work. It combines the original novel BREATHE with the separately released epilogue WHAT YOU DO TO ME.

Misinformation


Keelan Ellis - 2016
    Since his divorce, that desire has become more acute. When he meets Charlie Woods, his daughter's first grade teacher, they have an instant spark, but Ethan hesitates to act. His contract is up for renewal, there are already rumors swirling about him because of a brief encounter from his past, and the last thing his employers want is for one of their stars to come out publicly.Charlie avoids romantic entanglements because he prefers living on his own terms. He keeps love and sex completely separate, never seeing anyone more than a few times. Hooking up with a closeted celebrity like Ethan seems safe from emotional involvement, even if they have to keep their fledgling relationship secret.The last thing they expect is to fall in love, but their strong mutual attraction moves them both to make changes neither of them thought they wanted or needed.

Pinky Swear


Lynn Lorenz - 2010
    They’ve been through everything together—childhood adventures in their New Orleans uptown neighborhood, Lane’s stuttering, Matt’s alcoholic father, high school angst, and "coming out" in college. All through the years, they’d shared secrets and, using the powerful pinky swear, vowed to keep every one of them. But neither Lane nor Matt ever told each other his biggest secret—that they were in love with each other. For Lane, Matt was everything he wasn’t—gorgeous, sexy and outgoing. He had a different boyfriend every week, and Lane couldn’t get a date, let alone the man of his dreams. For Matt, he could never measure up to Lane, never be good enough for the man who set his heart on fire. Neither wanted to risk the deep friendship they shared to find out if the other felt more. Yet after one night of incredible drunken passion, Lane woke up to find Matt gone and a note saying he was sorry and not much more. Four years later and half a country separated, one fateful storm, Hurricane Katrina, brings the old friends together again. But four years is a long time, and Lane’s grown up, matured, more sure of himself than ever. When Matt rushes home from the West Coast to find the friend he loved and fled, he discovers not just the man he left behind, but a man who knows what he wants—a best friend and a lover who won’t run, who’ll stay forever. Now, it’s up to Matt to make the pinky swear...

Junk


Josephine Myles - 2013
    When an avalanche of books cuts off access to his living room, university librarian Jasper Richardson can no longer ignore the truth. His ever-growing piles of books, magazines and newspapers can no longer be classified as a “collection”. It’s a hoard, and he needs professional help. Professional clutter clearer and counselor Lewis Miller thinks he’s seen it all, but even he has to admit he’s shocked. Not so much by the state of Jasper’s house, but by the level of attraction he still feels for the sexy bookworm he remembers from school. What a shame that Lewis’s ethical code forbids relationships with clients. As Jasper makes slow but steady progress, though, the magnetic pull between them is so strong even Lewis is having trouble convincing himself it’s a temporary emotional attachment arising from the therapeutic process. Jasper longs to prove to Lewis that this is the real deal. But first he’ll have to lay bare the root of his hoarding problem…and reveal the dark secret hidden behind his walls of books. Product WarningsContains a level-headed counselor with a secret addiction, a bespectacled geek with a sweet tooth, a killer “to-be-read” pile, embarrassing parents, a van called Alice, and deliciously British slang.

Gay for Pay


T.M. Smith - 2015
    A chance for love gives them hope.One choice was all it took to destroy Chris’s future.It’s a mistake that he can’t take back or make right, one that cost another person their life. Adrift, alone, and uncertain of his future, Chris moves to New York, but he quickly learns that the bright lights of the big city don’t offer the absolution he seeks. A fortuitous encounter moves him in the right direction. But is he willing to take the chance he’s offered to make a fresh start? After catching his boyfriend cheating, again, Linc is convinced that he’ll never find love.Linc has always been honest about who he is and what he prefers. He’s a bisexual gay porn star that will do just about anything with anyone, on-camera that is, so he can write his own ticket in a versatility-charged industry. It’s not his sexuality that interferes with his personal life; it’s his inability to trust. With the possibility of a happy ever in their grasp, can these two men let their guard down and take a second chance on love? NOTE: This book was previously published as the All Cocks Stories series. It has been edited and reworked with new content added to the story. The core of the story is the same and my guys always get their happy ever after!

Tattoos & Teacups


Anna Martin - 2012
    That was sixteen years ago, and Professor McKinnon has never quite settled in his new home or found his place this side of the pond. He might be prematurely old, but he has his cat, and his books, and that's all he needs.Then Chris Ford explodes into Robert's life with a crash of cymbals. The younger man is the polar opposite of Robert's calm civility. Bright tattoos cover his skin, and he wears his hair in a Mohawk and plays drums for a rock band. But he's a shot of color in Robert's black-and-white world, and Robert turns out to be the one thing Chris can count on. Despite all the reasons it shouldn't work, somehow it does.Even if Robert wasn't looking for love—especially not with someone nearly ten years his junior—he can't deny being with Chris is fun. But sometimes Chris's free-spirited nature leaves Robert feeling vulnerable. If they can't find a balance between tattoos and teacups, their relationship won't survive—and neither will Robert's newfound lust for life.

Falling


D.W. Marchwell - 2010
    Hank is a study in contrast: he lives for the rush of climbing and cutting trees almost as much as he loves the peace he finds exploring the mountains he calls home. Scott's attraction to Hank is immediate and mind-blowing, and it's what Scott has always wanted: to know what it's like to love someone he can't live without. Scott needs to know if Hank's true feelings will be a roar of passion or simply a quiet friendship, one that doesn't match Scott's devotion. But it may be too late... Scott simply can't help himself from falling hard for Hank.

Kissing the Best Man


Elaine Ashford - 2016
    Now he's getting married, and Seth wants to make amends with the brother he hasn't spoken to since then. Turning up unexpectedly on the doorstep of your estranged, gay brother isn't the greatest plan in the world, but Seth's determined not to let their years of separation make him miss his brother's wedding. He's not expecting to get swept up in wedding planning immediately, like they've never been apart. Kent's just trying to write a best man speech for his best friend's wedding. But he can't seem to stay on track when he's talking to his best friend's younger brother, no matter how hard he tries. When Seth finds himself falling, what can Kent do but catch him? As the wedding looms closer, so does the spectre of the home Seth's been trying to escape. Will he have to give up Kent to please his parents, or can he keep this man who's come to mean so much to him? ***Kissing the Best Man is a 34k word Gay Contemporary Romance with a HEA and no cliffhangers or infidelity.***

The Beach Kingdom Bundle: The Complete Series


Tessa Bailey - 2020