Book picks similar to
Phoenix: Rise from the Ashes by Angelique Jurd
mm
m-m
short-story
contemporary
Entangled
Lex Valentine - 2012
One rainy night, Taylor turns up soaking wet on Daren’s doorstep with a confession hovering on his lips. The confession changes both their lives.Original Prompt:Dear Author,A rainy night brought him to me. Now, he sits nude, (wrapped in the smallest blanket I found) nursing a brandy and telling me his life story. Which I'm not really listening to, since I'm busy planning the way to make this straight buddy bend for me—or vice versa, I really don't care, as long as we end up tangled and satisfied. Please, don't think I'm a selfish jerk, because my crush on him is epic.Photo Description: A close-up of a man with long curly hair standing in the rain.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is Always Write" 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.Read the story here or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 3.
Love Around the Corner
Sally Malcolm - 2018
Two lonely men, destined for each other—if only they knew it.Alfie Carter grew up in New Milton, caring for his sick father and keeping their auto repair shop on its feet. He’s touchy about his poor education and doesn’t take kindly to snide remarks from the town’s prickly bookstore owner—no matter how cute he looks in his skinny jeans. Left to run the family business alone, Alfie spends his lonely evenings indulging his secret passion for classic fiction and chatting online with witty, romantic ‘LLB’ as they fall in love over literature.Leo Novak’s new life as owner of Bayside Books is floundering. And he could do without the town’s gorgeous, moody mechanic holding a grudge against him after an unfortunate—and totally not his fault— encounter last Christmas. Still reeling from a bad breakup and struggling to make friends in New Milton, Leo seeks comfort in his blossoming online romance with thoughtful, bookish ‘Camaro89’. But as the holidays approach, ‘LLB’ and ‘Camaro89’ are planning to meet, and realities are about to collide… This novella is approximately 39,000 words and comes with a HEA guaranteed.
Pulling Strings
Riley Long - 2018
thinks he doesn't deserve love. Ari has bipolar disorder and parents who don't understand his challenges. Falling in love isn't on the playlist for a guy like him, someone running from his past and so uncertain about his future. Shane Beckett doesn't have time for things like love. He's busy - giving music lessons, finishing his senior year, and oh yeah, he's the lead singer of up and coming indie rock band, Young Spades. A cup of beer, a music history class, and a pack of cigarettes changes everything. As Ari and Shane are about to find out, despite having a lack of time or the confidence to believe they can make it work, love has a way of pulling them in and rocking their worlds.
Boyfriend Goals
Clancy Nacht - 2016
Forced together for three months at a Vermont lake house with Trev's family, the boys influence each other in unexpected ways, and despite their differences, a real bond begins to form. What will it take for a fake odd couple to become a real one?
Twinkle, Twinkle
Josephine Myles - 2010
Tom Berriman isn’t looking forward to Christmas. The only decorations he appreciates are the attractive pair of legs belonging to the electrician working on the emergency room ceiling. When the electrician comes crashing down and requires treatment for electric shock, Tom’s mortified to realize the legs belong to a guy he most definitely wasn’t friends with at school.But newly hunky widower Vince seems willing to bury the hatchet—and Tom starts to think maybe the holiday won’t be so lonely after all!
Cinnamen
Andi James - 2019
He agrees to take over running her bakery until she is back on her feet, even though it means leaving his coveted sous chef job and returning to a town he despises and the life he left behind ten years ago. When Daniel Dawson isn’t in his grad school classes or working as a dancer at Cinnamen, the town’s hottest gay nightclub, he’s spending time with Patty, who has become a second mother to him. After she expresses concern about her son’s non-existent people skills, Daniel agrees to check in on the bakery and make sure things are running smoothly. Daniel’s first run-in with Oliver is anything but pleasant, yet Daniel can’t deny the chemistry between them. Oliver continues to tell himself his hometown holds nothing of interest to him … except a certain happy-go-lucky dancer may show him that isn't the truth. Will Daniel’s affections be enough to thaw Oliver’s heart? Cinnamen is a 35K word contemporary M/M novella containing hot cinnamon rolls, hot Cinnamen buns, and a sugary sweet soon-to-be librarian set on melting the rock candy heart of a grumpy big-city chef.
First Time, Forever
K.C. Burn - 2012
Now that their son is off to college, they want to put their days of routine, vanilla sex behind them and bring back some of that spark. Realizing that they're empty-nesters, Trevor begins to notice their age difference. He suddenly feels old and unsure of himself, and isn't confident Derrick still desires him. When Trevor decides to keep his health issues and gray hairs down there to himself, Derrick is hurt by his partner's secretive behavior and thinks Trevor must be having an affair.Nothing could be further from the truth, but Trevor doesn't know how to communicate his fears to his partner. He desperately wants to reconnect with Derrick and rev up their sex life, but will it be enough to reclaim their marital bliss?24,000 words
Rebound
Eden Finley - 2018
After my last disastrous relationship with a close friend, you'd think I'd learn my lesson and choose someone else for a rebound. Someone I don't have a solid friendship with. I should definitely stay away from Wyatt. But when have I ever listened to logic?WYATTI’d long forgotten my college crush on Aron. He was never a possibility, having friend-zoned me from the beginning. But now he’s drunk and looking for a rebound. It’d totally ruin our almost decade-long friendship. I have to say no and be the bigger person … right?**Rebound is a 17,000 word short story that belongs to the Fake Boyfriend series but does not contain a fake boyfriend trope. While it can be read as a standalone, it’s recommended to be read in companion with the series.**
Equals
Brigham Vaughn - 2014
Re-released in August 2020 under the combined title "Off-Balance".
Falling for Mr. Corporate
Gianni Holmes - 2018
Still, he never expected the trip to reveal the true nature of his boyfriend when he was around friends. When in a fit of rage over being ridiculed, he wound up lost and on the property of a man who had his gun aimed at his heart, Bryan just wanted directions to get as far away from the mountains as possible. An accident involving a sprained ankle foiled his plans and had him staying with the quiet and surly mountain man Tate who made it clear he was not welcomed. But when Tate wasn't expressing how much he disliked having Bryan there, his mouth was busy tying Bryan up in knots. Bryan had found his attraction to nature in the form of Tate but the other man harbored secrets Brian did not know how to get out of him. When push comes to shove, would Brian have the guts to make it in the woods for the sake of their budding relationship or could he just live in the moment and accept what little time he had with Tate? Falling for Mr. Corporate is a steamy MM contemporary romance novella with HFN ending. It is a 20k word prequel of the upcoming full-length novel, My Dear Mr. Corporate. It is the first book in the Corporate Pride series.
Beautiful Dreamer
Christina Lee - 2018
Garrett’s since gone out of his way to avoid the sexy ginger, instead throwing his energy behind his dance career while supporting his mother through her cancer diagnosis. Finn Sweeney used to think of Garrett as just his kid brother’s best friend, but after an intense exchange at a high school party, things got a little…weird. Despite that, when their two families decide to get together for the holidays for the first time in years, Finn can’t say no. But he’s fully prepared for this to be awkward as hell. When Finn and Garrett lay eyes on each other for the first time in their adult lives, all bets are off. Finn is completely captivated by Garrett and getting to know the man he’s become is now his top priority. Playing catch-up with Finn makes Garrett truly see him beyond the childhood fantasy he’s held onto all these years. Finn is real and vulnerable…and hot as hell. Garrett and Finn can’t seem to keep their hands off each other, so they decide to bury the hatchet between them for the remainder of the visit. After all, it’s only a holiday fling. Until it becomes something more.
Inked in Blood
K. Evan Coles - 2018
He’s also a vampire who prowls the dark corners of San Francisco looking for entertainment and his next meal. Lately, he’s been spending lots of time watching a tattoo parlor in the Mission District, where someone tall, artistic, and handsome has caught his eye.Santiago Alvarez, the forty-three-year-old owner of Iron & Ink has a huge secret. He lives a quiet life, finding joy in his career and his friends, but it’s caused him to shut himself off from dating and getting close to anyone romantically. When he bumps into Jeff on the sidewalk near his shop, he’s intrigued but hesitant to let anyone get close.An unexpected event one night will change everything for both men, and neither of their futures will ever be the same.
Play Hard
J.T. Fox - 2016
Read at your own risk.
Wanting him is the riskiest play of all...
Miami star quarterback Jordan Barr is the hottest man that halfback Eric "The Brick" Higgins has ever laid eyes on, and he's wanted him in his bed for years.
When a chance encounter puts the two pro football players in the same town, the same TV studio, and the same locked room, the sparks don't just fly, they burn. The chemistry between them is intense, immediate, and explosive and Eric isn't about to miss his chance to have Jordan off the field. He'll have Jordan naked in his bed--rumors of game fixing haunting both of their teams be damned.
Eric is one extraordinarily stunning man, and Jordan would love nothing more than to show Eric what it's like to be taken by someone who knows exactly what he wants, in the bedroom and out. But Jordan has bills to pay and far too many responsibilities to throw caution to the wind.
He has to resist. But it's getting hard....
Really, really hard.
Play Hard is the first installment in a three-part MM romance trilogyPraise for Play Hard:
"Dirty-talking deliciousness!" -NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Lauren Blakely
"Play Hard was fast-paced, face-fanning, and ferociously sexy fun! I loved this hot story of two alpha males in love and can't wait for part two." -Bestselling author Lili Valente
"Two scorching hot, dirty talking football players - need I say more? These guys light up the pages." -Melissa Collins
Songs You Know by Heart
Eleanor Kos - 2008
He liked it rough and he still does, but he tries to be safer about his choice of partners and locations these days. He didn’t expect an attempted mugging to be the cause of his relapse. The guy shoves him up against a tree and puts a knife to his throat, and something in his voice makes David want to offer him anything – so he does. It was a stupid idea – David’s had a million of them – but he got it out of his system. When his mugger shows up at his door in the rain like a lost puppy, it’s hard to say who is more surprised when David invites him to come inside. Previously published under another pen name - Songs You Know by Heart, by Dr. Noh. Contains explicit scenes.
All I Want for Christmas... Is My Sister's Boyfriend
Brooke Blaine - 2018
Not me. That would be too clichéd. Then again, I never thought I’d stoop to sitting on Santa’s lap and asking him to bring me a boyfriend, either. In my defense, though, the man of my dreams had just knocked me into a store display ten minutes prior, so I wasn’t exactly thinking straight. Hah, but when did I ever. I never thought I’d see Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome again, but it looked like fate—or Santa—had other plans when I ran into him the following night. Seemed like I might be getting my Christmas wish after all, right? Right. So imagine my surprise when I showed up at my parents’ house for the holidays, only to find out that my sister had asked Santa for the exact same thing I did—and he’d delivered early. Yep, my sister scored herself a handsome new boyfriend, and he’s absolutely perfect. He’s charming, my parents love him, and even Lucifer the demon cat tolerates him. Oh, did I mention he also happens to be my dream guy? The one who’s supposed to be under my tree? Yeah. Merry freakin’ Christmas to me. Someone pass the hot buttered rum. This is a fun, feel-good MM Christmas novella.