A shadow is cast there one day when a tall, cloaked figure approaches the stand of Will Marchman, a young patent-medicine salesman. Fanule Perfidor, commonly known as the Dog King, isn't welcome at the Circus. No resident of Taintwell is; they're all Branded Mongrels, officially shunned. But Will is beguiled by the stunning, mysterious Perfidor. Their mutual wariness soon gives way to desire, and a bond forms.Soon the naive but plucky pitchman becomes embroiled in a dangerous quest. Fanule suspects Alphonse Hunzinger and Purinton's civic leaders are responsible for the disappearance or incarceration of countless Branded Mongrels. But why? As Will's passion and regard for his tormented lover grow, he's determined to help Fanule get answers and prevent any further persecution... or worse. They just have to stay together-and stay alive long enough-to see their plan through.

    At age seven, I left home to train with other boys where we were taught obedience, solidarity, military strategy, and how to withstand pain. My harsh upbringing stripped me of my weaknesses and forced me to become strong. Ruthless.But, I craved something greater—a life I could never have.Against all odds, and the toughest training a warrior could endure, I found an unexpected love in the arms of a fellow Spartan. He was the very air I breathed and the water that sustained me. Fighting side by side with him, we were invincible. Where he went, I followed.However, there was no place for love in Sparta. Feelings were for the weak. The only life for a Spartan was one of battle and brutality with no guarantee of tomorrow. In times of war, all men were put to the test, but the greatest challenge for us was not one of swords and spears, but of the heart.*M/M Historical Romance set in Ancient Sparta*

    He could pretty much have any man he wanted. I walked away because I deserved better.Now our paths have crossed again. He has the world at his feet. It’s a tempting thought to throw away my lifetime of ideals for a single night with him.Do I still have the strength to walk away?Do I even want to?Photo Description: Two men lie naked in bed. One is on his stomach, with his head out of the frame, the other strokes a hesitant hand down his lover’s back.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" 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. This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

    The government is taking the slaves to a reeducation camp where we can learn to be a part of everyday society. But what they don’t understand is that I’ve been with Master for 7 years and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than kneeling at his feet, with his collar around my neck and being used in any way he needs. I’m his.Master and I love each other, and more, we need each other. Help us be together in the way that we need.Photo Description: The subject of the photograph can be seen through the inverted-V of a tall, looming man’s legs. A young, white man kneels on one knee while desperately gripping the other, head down. A chain is locked around his neck, and the man standing in the foreground is holding an alarming-looking whip.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" 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. This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

    Show no mercy. Trust no soul. And vengeance shall be yours ...Prince Chien is determined to claim his birthright — the Throne of a Thousand Swords — denied by his wicked aunt, Empress Mai. He has successfully turned her two equally wicked sons, Prince Minh and Prince Tuan, into dueling each other for the throne. Hiding a vial of EverBloody, Prince Chien attempts to poison their foods at the banquet. No matter who win the duel tomorrow, both wicked princes will die.One cut to the skin, and blood will flow relentless. Prince Chien will make his aunt suffer every second in watching her beloved sons die a slow painful death. Afterward, he will take her head and the crown that sits upon it. Only then will he have successfully eliminated all the traitors who helped kill his mother and his younger sister in the palace coup thirteen years ago.Only one person stands in his way — General Bao. Prince Chien has skirted around court intrigues, planned successful assassinations, and demurred himself as a dunce prince. But love is the one thing Prince Chien never thought he would had to face. Whoever said that those who embark on a journey of revenge should dig two graves was not wise enough to realize love could do exactly the same thing. Original Prompt:Dear Author,Take no prisoner. Show no mercy. Trust no soul. And vengeance shall be yours…Photo Description: Blonde, winged man in han-style clothing, holding swordThis 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.Download the story, read it online or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 6.

    UNAVAILABLERylan and Gage are best friends, lovers, and bandmates, but what happens if one of them wants something more? If one important aspect of their lives changes, can they still be all that they are to each other or is the risk far too great to even consider?Cover designed by Zathyn Priest.

    Bride's College, Cambridge, England, 1905.When Jonty Stewart takes up a teaching post at the college where he studied, the handsome and outgoing young man acts as a catalyst for change within the archaic institution. He also has a catalytic effect on Orlando Coppersmith.Orlando is a brilliant, introverted mathematician with very little experience of life outside the college walls. He strikes up an alliance with the outgoing Jonty, and soon finds himself having feelings he's never experienced before. Before long their friendship blossoms into more than either man had hoped and they enter into a clandestine relationship.Their romance is complicated when a series of murders is discovered within St. Bride's. All of the victims have one thing in common, a penchant for men. While acting as the eyes and ears for the police, a mixture of logic and luck leads them to a confrontation with the murderer... can they survive it?

    He’s determined to make a success of their first mission, and hopes the well-liked lieutenant Aelfstan Donwell will stand by his side as he leads his new crew into battle: stopping the slave trade off the coast of Algiers.Alfie knows their mission is futile, and that their superiors back in England will use the demise of this crew as impetus for war with the Ottoman Empire. But the darker secret he keeps is his growing attraction for his commanding officer—a secret punishable by death.With the arrival of his former captain—and lover—on the scene of the disastrous mission, Alfie is torn between the security of his past and the uncertain promise of a future with the straight-laced John.Against a backdrop of war, intrigue, and personal betrayal, the high seas will carry these men through dangerous waters from England to Africa to the West Indies in search of a safe harbor.

    One is a war-weary but scholarly Southerner who has seen too much bloodshed, especially the tortures inflicted upon the enemy by his vicious commanding officer, his uncle. The other is a Herculean Yankee captured by the rag-tag Confederate band and forced to become a martyr for all the sins of General Sheridan's fires. When these two find themselves admiring more than one another's spirit and demeanor, when passions erupt between captor and captive, will this new romance survive the arduous trek to Purgatory Mountain?

    Please give these boys a sweet story. All I ask is they are roommates and this scene included in the story. The rest I leave up to you.Photo Description: In the first picture, a brown-haired young man is stretched out on a couch, his hands resting on his belly. He is wondering aloud if his best friend— who is sitting on the floor, propped up against the couch— could turn up the heat in the room. In the second picture, his black-haired best friend is now lying on top of him, cradling his head in one hand, and holding a book in the other.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" 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. This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

    It is a product of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group Scavenger Hunt challenge and features original stories from some excellent authors. The Scavenger Hunt challenge is an event where readers find books that fit a criterion (like having a green cover or a title starting with “D”) and then find specific items within the pages of these books to add up to as many points as possible (for example, “twin bed” = +2 points). This challenge was a helluva lotta, fun and so we thought we share by creating the ultimate 2013 Goodreads Scavenger Hunt book.This book was lovingly put together as a baby gift for Katie, our tireless leader, who recently had her first baby and is probably just now realizing what “busy mom” really means. Congratulations Katie!We’ve listed the items you need to find in the front of the book. Happy Hunting (Under Covers).Publisher’s Note: This book is intended for adult audiences. It contains sexually explicit scenes between two or more men, violence, and language which may be considered offensive by some readers.

    Someone who will protect not only him, but also his secrets – and he may have found the perfect man for the task. Being a soldier is Jeffery’s life. He won’t be defined by his past, but fights for the present, not some future he will never see. Yet, his mandatory reassignment to the palace as Prince Akoni’s personal guard forces him to set aside his plans. His role places Jeffery in the presence of nobles whom he despises, and Prince Akoni is worse than most. Can two men learn to trust each other, or will the secrets they carry bring about their own demise? Will having Jeffery close to him help Prince Akoni to become King – or cause more deaths? They need to depend on each other, for the sake of the future, because if they cannot, the past will only repeat itself and neither of them will survive.

    Hot days and sultry, sexy nights. So, who's this guy got in his barn?Photo Description: In the dark doorway of a barn stands a burly, muscular man, wearing only a white stetson and buckskin pants. His hands pull the pants open and low on his hips, exposing his hairy torso down to the curls at his groin. A straw juts from his mouth, and his eyes are intent under the brim of his hat.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.Read the story here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 4.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, cowboys, friends-to-lovers, reunited, first-love, HFNWarnings: implied homophobia (as a regional issue)Word Count: 10,167

    When he finally gives in and gives up, an angel pulls him from the filthy ground of a back alley.Mitchell isn't in the market for a new boy, but he can’t bear to stand by and watch Owen's demise from the sidelines. He finds more than a companion in the older man when he takes him under his wing, and makes it his mission to show Owen it’s never too late to teach an old dog some new tricks.Original Prompt:Dear Author,I'm an older sub who has lost my Dom (you tell us why). Could this younger man with the killer eyebrows be my new love? I feel so lost and vulnerable. Can I trust this new lover? Is this man the one who will provide me with comfort and stability?Picture Description: Two naked, wet, soapy men, one older, one younger, hold each other in the shower, faces turned toward the viewer. The younger, dark-haired man has both arms wrapped around his lover's neck. The silver fox has his left hand at his lover's waist, his right cupping his lover's ass.Download the story, read it online or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 2.__________Genre: contemporary slave fictionTags: gay m/m, d/s, kink, light BDSMWord Count: 9,109

    In fact he could tell you right down to the very minute. He and Cooper have never been anything but friends, though, and as seems to be his luck, whenever he’s considered trying to make a move, either he or Cooper have been otherwise involved. Now that’s all about to change. Spring break is here, and for the first time in years they’re both single. Quinn thinks his time has finally come, his chance to put his plan to seduce Cooper to the test, but things don’t go quite the way he plans.Original Prompt: Dear Author,I feel like these two have a lot of fun together, but they're just friends. Until this licking game turns into something more. Right after this moment, I bet there's a really hot look and a whole lotta sexual tension.Photo Description: A young man in a tank top is smiling, eyes closed, while another young man in a backward hat licks his right cheek.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 online.__________Genre: contemporaryTags: gay m/m, college; public sex acts; friends-to-lovers; road trip; dirty talk; oral sex; geeks/nerds; snowballingWord Count: 9,748