Book picks similar to
A World Apart by Mel Gough
m-m
mm
abuse
arc
Sheriff's Secret
K. Webster - 2020
You know, the small-town dream.But I’ve got a secret I’m terrified will get out.I’m gay.Not bi. Not curious. Not confused.Just gay.So, settling for that dream won’t be happening.If this secret gets out, the people I serve and protect, especially my father, won’t be accepting.I’m not brave like my high school sweetheart, Kian.The day he came out was the day I had to let him go, and with it, love.I’ve done a great job of pretending I’m perfectly fine being single. Until a villainous and annoyingly charming new B&B owner, Dante Kincaid, rolls into town. The spark between us is electric and undeniable. He wants to give me a taste of what he has to offer, and better yet, he vows to be discreet. I’m too selfish to refuse.But my secret is still a heavy burden, leaving me handcuffed to expectations and unable to fully grasp what I want—him. History has a way of repeating itself, but this time around, with Dante, it’ll hurt a lot worse.I have to decide if I’m going to let love slip away again or if I’m going to finally fight for it.***Brigs Ferry Bay is a steamy MM romance series. While each book can be read as a standalone, in order to get the full experience, they're best read in order. Enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, hurt comfort, age-gap romance, and so much more. Fall in love with the charming small-town gay romances of Brigs Ferry Bay...***
Patient Privilege
Allison Cassatta - 2012
After losing love and fighting addiction, he becomes a successful substance abuse counselor and helps people regardless of their insurance or ability to pay. It isn't the dream life he had in San Francisco, but at least he has something to be proud of. Everything seems to be getting back on the right track until Angel, a heroin-addicted male prostitute, crosses his path. Erik not only sees a lot of himself in Angel, but a lot of potential as well. He quickly realizes he's willing to sacrifice a lot to get him on the right path--but is he willing to jeopardize his career?
He Is Poison
K.A. Merikan - 2014
---Domenico Acerbi. The Villani Family’s best assassin. Ruthless. Vicious. With no patience for weakness.Seth Villani. The Don’s son. Clueless. Stubborn. In dire need of someone to keep him in line.Domenico Acerbi grew up ready to give his life for the Family. Ready to follow orders and exceed expectations. A proud man of honor.The last thing he wants to deal with is training the Don’s son for his future role within the organization. Lazy, annoying, spoiled, and as hot as a Sicilian summer, Seth Villani is no mafia material. But a man who could never become a threat might just be what Domenico needs. Seth Villani wants nothing to do with the mafia. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get a say when he’s pulled back into the fold. Thrown into a den of serpents otherwise known as the Villani Family, Seth has to find a way to navigate the maze of lies. But when Domenico Acerbi, the most vicious snake of them all, sinks his fangs into Seth, letting go becomes impossible. If Seth is doomed to follow in his father's footsteps, he might as well enjoy himself with the most intoxicating man he’s ever met. Maybe he can even fool himself into believing that Domenico isn’t a handsome sociopath who kills for a living. POSSIBLE SPOILERS:Themes: Enemies to lovers, mafia, homophobia, assassin, organized crime, forced proximityWARNING: Adult content. Sizzling hot scenes. If you are easily offended, this book is not for you. ‘Guns n’ Boys’ is a gritty story of extreme violence, offensive language, abuse, and morally ambiguous protagonists. Behind the morbid facade, there is a splash of inappropriate dark humor, and a love story that will crawl under your skin.
Optical Illusion
Emma Jaye - 2016
The problem is, his new brother’s very edible friend isn’t fooled by his act. If his secrets are revealed, they won’t want him and he has nowhere else to go.Thanks to a suicide bomber, ex-military police sergeant Jase Rosewood is back in the English countryside. His plans for quiet recuperation are ruined by the effervescent, go-go dancing twink who has everyone wrapped around his little finger. Luckily for the gullible Matt, Jase can smell a liar a mile away, and Chris Bacon, if that’s even his name, stinks to high heaven. Assigned ‘Chris-sitting’ duty while Matt's on honeymoon, Jase has a week to discover what is hidden beneath the bright camouflage. It's a job, just like any other, so why does it feel so different? Unfortunately, Jase isn’t the only one drawn to the boy who can’t stay still, but instead of wanting to reveal his true colours; they want to dull them forever.Contains issues of physical abuse, but not between the central couple.
A Matter of When
Eden Winters - 2014
A lonely man, hiding in shadows. Wealth. Fame. Gold record. Henri Lafontaine had it all…including a control freak manager, band members who smiled while sharpening blades for his back, and last but damn well not least, a fan out to steal his heart. Literally. To recreate himself, he must walk away from all he knows and trust a stranger with more than his career. Opera tenor Sebastian Unger doesn’t share Henri’s bravado or his success. What he does have is a voice as pure as the Colorado mountain air, a heart as fragile as frost on a windowpane, and secrets he keeps close to his chest. Take on a vocal student in the off-season? Sure. What he doesn’t expect is someone who’ll challenge him, teach him as much as Seb teaches Henri. Despite their differences, love is determined to find them. It’s just a matter of when.
First Priority
Este Holland - 2019
Being hit on by said celebrity definitely hadn’t been planned. Beating my social anxiety wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, and avoiding the stubborn actor was even harder, so when I was thrust into the spotlight, there was only one thing I could do… Run. Truman: From the moment I set eyes on Adam Hendrix, I was enraptured. His sweet demeanor and pretty-boy looks captured my heart from the start, and I refused to let Adam get away. When the paparazzi began to swarm, I did the only thing I could to protect Adam… I whisked him away to a place no one could get to him. I let my guard down and showed Adam the real me. The one only a few people in the world know. But will it be enough to make him stay? Will I be enough to make him happy? This is a m/m contemporary romance; alpha/nerd; low angst novel. Trigger warning for some bullying.
All These Hidden Scars
Avril Ashton - 2015
One of the reasons he rejected his privileged family and joined the FBI. But those dangerous assignments take something from him every time, leaving him a mess, unfamiliar even to himself. As he struggles to shed the skin of his latest op, he finds solace in the most random of places.Bar manager, Carter Renault’s only intention was to escort the lonely stranger out of his place before he locked up. Yet somehow they end up in an alley, Carter’s pants around his ankles. Their encounter is intense. A onetime thing. Except months later Sullivan is sneaking through Carter’s window, appearing and disappearing at random. The blistering-hot sex doesn’t hide the obvious torment Sullivan is going through, but Carter doesn’t want to be caught in the middle.Just when he thinks he’s seen the end of that undercover life, Sullivan gets pulled back in. But this time, his identity is no longer a secret, and the aggressive need he has for Carter could get the other man killed. To set everything right, Sullivan has to face the one man he loves and hates in equal measure… his twin.
Nothing Special
A.E. Via - 2014
He's fresh out of the police academy, however, no one is looking to partner with the six foot four beast with a huge chip on his shoulder and an inability to trust. When Cash scans the orientation room he wasn't expecting to find sexy hazel eyes locked onto him. Eyes of the handsome Detective Leonidis 'Leo' Day.Leo is charming, witty, hilariously sarcastic and the only one that can make Cash smile. He’s proud, out and one bad-ass detective.Together Cash and Leo become the most revered and successful narcotics detectives Atlanta’s ever seen. Able to communicate and understand each other, without even having to voice it, they quickly climb up the promotional ranks.When Cash saves Leo's life in a raid that turns deadly, Leo begins to see something in the big man that no one else does…something special. But Leo fears he'll never break through the impenetrable wall that protects Cash's heart.Nothing Special takes the reader through various emotions throughout the richly fulfilling plot that’s full of erotic gay romance, heartache, passion, trials and tribulations, police action scenes, and an intriguing twist that comes to an amazing ending that’s impossible to see coming.
Out of the Shade
S.A. McAuley - 2019
That he hooks up with just as many men as he does women is a secret Jesse's been hiding for years, fearful of losing his family and tight group of friends. He's a Kensington boy--a group of guys that grew up in the same neighborhood and somehow all ended up back in their hometown. They, and his family, are the only things that still matter in his otherwise soul-sucking life.Chuck Dunn, a tattooed and pierced sports photographer, has refused to step back into the closet since he was disowned by his family, but he keeps choosing men who can't fully be with him. Finally free from a long-term relationship he should've ended years ago, he quits his high-profile gig in favor of getting back to the art of sports photography--documenting a local boxing club that works with at-risk teenagers. He may not have the same swagger anymore, but he's working to be happy with who he is.When Chuck joins one of the Kensington boys' community center sports leagues, Jesse's self-imposed rules are systematically demolished. But there's one barrier Jesse can't find the strength to break through--coming out to the other Kensington boys. Chuck knows hooking up with Jesse is a bad idea. Falling for him even worse. But he can't stay away.Chuck is damaged by his past. Jesse is frightened about his future. But, together, they may just be able to come out of the shade.Reader Advisory: Out of the Shade is a standalone novel with an HEA that carries the following warnings--alcoholism, mentions of sexual and physical abuse, mentions of drug addiction, mentions of rape, attempted suicide by a minor character, violence, homophobia, closeting
Slide
Garrett Leigh - 2013
Don’t you ever look back… Shy tattoo artist Ash has a troubled past. Years of neglect, drug abuse, and life on the streets have taken their toll, and sometimes it seems the deep, unspoken bond with his lover is the only balm for wounds he doesn’t quite understand. Chicago paramedic Pete is warmth, love, and strength—things Ash never knew he could have, and never even knew he wanted until Pete showed him. But fate is a cruel, cruel mistress, and when nightmares collide with the present, their tentatively built world comes crashing down. Traumatic events in Pete’s work life distance him from home, and he doesn’t realize until it’s too late that Ash has slipped away. Betrayal, secrets, and lies unfold, and when a devastating coincidence takes hold, Pete must fight with all he has to save the love of his life.
All In
A.T. Brennan - 2017
There is something about Galen that draws me in and makes me want know him, and the more time I spend with him, the more I felt free to be myself. Galen doesn't seem to know what he wants, but I'm a man who stays true to himself, and Galen seems to be someone worth taking a chance on. "Then you happened and all you have to do is touch me and I lose myself." ~ Galen I never thought I'd stumble on an attempted murder, but that's exactly what happened one night while I was trying to get home. After chasing away the assailants and helping the enigmatic young victim home I tried to put the incident out of my mind, but I couldn't get him out of my head. I might not have ever thought about being with a man before, but the more time I spend with Blaze, the more I learn about who I really am. Blaze has scars that run deep, but as he opens up to me I find myself questioning everything I thought I wanted, and wondering if I'm a good enough man to give him what he needs. *This is Book 1 of The Den Boys series, but can be read as a standalone. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and trigger warnings are listed in the book before the table of contents. *This book is intended for an 18+ audience and is a story of male/male romance and love. There are graphic depictions of man parts doing naughty and sexy things, so please be sure this is the kind of book for you before reading.
Phoenix: Rise from the Ashes
Angelique Jurd - 2018
He drinks it, pays, then leaves. One night he orders two and Connor finally gets him to talk. Little by little, week by week, Connor coaxes Lucas to open up - and falls in love with him along the way. But is love enough to help Lucas overcome the physical and emotional pain of what he's been through? And can Connor really understand the horror of what happened? The first novella in the Recovery trilogy.
24 Hour Husband
Parker Elliot - 2016
There’s a condition though - he must be married. The thing is, he already is. And the problem is… his groom has no idea. What was supposed to be a night of escape two years ago ended in exchanging vows with a perfect stranger. Now elusive, wealthy and guarded, Avery must find the man and hope he's willing to go through with his proposal - again. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but what happens when you can’t escape the desert heat? Hotel lifeguard Daniel Crane never expected to see the man who walked out on him after a passionate night two years ago. He’s been trying so hard to forget about Avery, and he almost succeeded… until he shows up telling Daniel the truth about their "wedding”. All Daniel wants to do is run - but the problem is, his family’s ranch is in trouble and Avery is offering a hefty sum in exchange for his discretion. Suddenly playing house doesn't seem so bad. He'd do anything for his family after all... If it's just pretend then why does it feel so right? What was supposed to be an easy exchange soon turns complicated. When meddling exes, concerned family members and unexpected feelings surface Avery and Daniel are left with questions. What does their sham marriage really mean? And why is it that it doesn't feel like a sham at all... 24 Hour Husband is a sweet and steamy full-length standalone MM romance novel with a HEA and no cliffhanger!
Steele My Heart
Tatum West - 2018
But Abingdon needs me. And Kendall Vincent might just get me to stay for good.Gil:I was tired of working the police beat in Northern Cali. Exhausted--my whole body was yearning for a place I hadn't been in years, my old home. When my mama died, I knew I had to come back, and my new job as police chief sealed the deal.I got away from heartbreak. From being so tired. From the constant, never-ending world of crime I'd come to know.In Abingdon, I can relax, see all my old friends from Jackson Academy. Maybe I can even change this place and make it better for all the kids like me. The ones who were different, who needed a place a little bigger and broader than a small mountain town could provide.I always promised myself I wouldn't come back.But Kendall Vincent--he might get me to stay for good. When I'm in his arms, I feel complete, whole again, like a man reborn to the world.Everything seems perfect, right up until the moment that it's not.When two gay kids get hurt bad by a gang of thugs, I realize that Abingdon needs me far more than I thought.And I'm here to protect the town--and the man--that I'm growing to love.Kendall:I've survived everything this world has tossed my way--ignorant parents, falling for men who want to play straight, and running a food truck in a town that likes its men butch and its hot dogs bland as all hell.I even got through chemo and three bone marrow transplants when I was a kid.But nothing prepared me for meeting Gilman Steele.Six feet of pure muscle with eyes that shine like gold and a smile I'd like to see every morning for the rest of my life.I know I'm crazy, but I swear to God almighty that I fell in love with that man of Steele from the first second I laid eyes on him.There's a secret I know that could change my relationship with Gil, a lie I've been hiding for over a year.It could threaten Gil's life here, everything he's worked for. But justice is justice, and I believe in the Abingdon that Gil wants to create.When the drama gets worse than I ever imagined, I realize that Gil's not the only one in danger.I'm toppling off a bridge and getting sucked down into the murky water of Holston Lake when I know for sure--this isn't the day I meet my maker.I didn't survive everything I've been through just to die at the hands of an evil man with a secret far darker than my own.I'll make my way back to Gil. He's mine, now and forever.This town might not be ready for us, but I am. And I plan to let the world know it.Steele My Heart is the first book in the Bridge to Abingdon series. Each book focuses on one amazing couple, and each can be read as a total standalone. There's lots of steam, a heaping dose of mystery, a dash of insta-love, and a happy ending that's guaranteed to make your heart melt. There are a few chilling scenes and some ignorant jerks who meet justice in every sense of the word. Gil Steele and Kendall Vincent are the future of Abingdon, and the men who set up the story for the rest of our lovers. Enjoy!
Breakaway
Charlie Novak - 2019
He’s talented, devoted, and on the road to glory. He’s following the path that’s been laid out for him since he was four, and he has no plans to deviate from it. Christian’s life revolves around a single goal—to be the best… until he runs into his first love and former best friend, David. David Cade is just trying to survive the final year of his PhD intact, while battling long hours, unmotivated students, and the idea that academia might not be for him. But a chance encounter with his first love’s twin sister changes everything, and suddenly David is faced with the realisation that he can’t leave the past behind.When David and Christian are drawn back together, sparks fly. Soon, Christian is forced to confront his deepest insecurities. Can they break away from their fears for a second chance at true love?Breakaway is a 79,000 word contemporary gay romance featuring light angst, glittery bath bombs, a ginger-haired roommate/pet, shared Star Wars love, and a meddling twin sister.It is book one in the Off the Pitch series and can be read as a stand alone.