On the Rocks


Garett Groves - 2018
    A country singing sensation. A small town second chance. Jason Smith has spent his whole life trying to escape Beauclaire, North Carolina, the tiny town where he was born and raised. But when his father passes away and leaves the family’s troubled bar to him, Jason’s sure he’s never going to escape the town and the painful memories that haunt him. Dan Montgomery never wanted to audition on America’s Next Top Singer, but gave in when he felt Beauclaire sink its dream-killing hooks into him. His unexpected success on the show launched a smash country music career—but it also cost him the only man who loved him before he was famous: Jason. After two exhausting, tumultuous years on the road, Dan longs for Jason and a quiet life in sleepy Beauclaire with all its quirks. So when he learns his mother is ill, he rushes home to care for her—and to croon his way back into Jason’s heart. Though they’ve both changed for the better since Dan’s been gone, Jason’s afraid to give their passionate but rocky romance a second chance. With a struggling bar to save and the eyes of the world watching Dan’s every move, it seems downright reckless—but Jason’s never been able to resist Dan. Can the two find a way to be together again? Or will they water down like whiskey on the rocks? On the Rocks is the first in the Southern Comforts series of small town, southern romances. Though each can be read and enjoyed alone, they fit together like butter on a biscuit when read as part of the series. If you like your romances with healthy sides of sweet tea, town gossip, “bless your hearts,” and scenes so steamy they’ll make your Mama drag you to church, you’ll love this latest book from Garett Groves!

Honesty and Artifice


S.H. Allan - 2014
    After years of isolation and secrets, he's unprepared for the feelings that Eric Atherton awakens in him. While Eric recuperates, the two men grow closer, and it doesn’t take long for Boaz to begin to question whether his reasons for remaining alone are good enough. But Eric has secrets of his own, ones that bring grave danger, and could end what has been building between them, maybe their very lives. For the men to know if they have a chance together, they'll have to brave their fears and face demons from the past. In the lonely and vast ocean waters of Alaska, the two men only have themselves to rely on. Can either man trust the other enough to survive the coming storm? Or will Boaz's one chance for love be over before it even began?Genre: action/suspense/adventureTags: first time, masturbation, past abuse, strong HFN, Alaska, series, isolation, boatsContent Warnings: allusions to childhood abuseThis 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 original prompt:Dear Author,I found him in the edge of the surf one morning, on one of my many solitary treks down the beach. Naked, battered, unconscious— just another bit of discarded flotsam on the sand.Who is he? How did he get here? Is he telling me the truth? Can I trust him at all? Can I help him— or can he help me? Or maybe we can even save each other…Photo Description: A muscular, dark-haired man lies prone on a sandy beach, waves frothing and swirling around him. He is naked save for a tiny bikini or underwear that is barely clinging to the round globes of his backside. He also has on a small, dark, braided bracelet. If not for a mound of sand beneath his head, his face would be immersed in the water. He appears to be unconscious.

Caregiver


Rick R. Reed - 2011
    Volunteering for the Tampa AIDS Alliance is just one part of that new beginning, and that’s how Dan meets his new buddy, Adam. Adam Schmidt is not at all what Dan expected. The guy is an original—witty, wry, and sarcastic with a fondness for a smart black dress, Barbra Streisand, and a good mai tai. Adam doesn’t let his imminent death get him down, even through a downward spiral that sees him thrown in jail. Each step of Adam’s journey teaches Dan new lessons about strength and resilience, but it’s Adam’s lover, Sullivan, to whom Dan feels an almost irresistible pull. Dan knows the attraction isn’t right, even after he dumps his cheating, drug-abusing boyfriend. But then Adam passes away, and it leaves Sullivan and Dan both alone to see if they can turn their love for Adam into something whole and real for each other.

Cop Out


K.C. Burn - 2011
    Determined to do the right thing, Kurt offers the mourning Davy his assistance. Helping Davy through his grief helps Kurt deal with the guilt that his partner didn’t trust him enough to tell him the truth, and somewhere along the way Davy stops being an obligation and becomes a friend, the closest friend Kurt has ever had.His growing attraction to Davy complicates matters, leaving Kurt struggling to reevaluate his sexuality. Then a sensual encounter neither man is ready for confuses them further. To be with Davy, Kurt must face the prospect of coming out, but his job and his relationship with his Catholic family are on the line. Can he risk destroying his life for the uncertain possibility of a relationship with a newly widowed man?

Unlovable Bastard


K.A. Merikan - 2017
    All he has to show for it is a bag of money and a lifetime of regrets. There’s no other way out of his line of work than in a body bag.So Robert decides to die.But on the night he chooses to seal his own fate, destiny offers him a chance at redemption. When Robert saves a handsome young escort from a terrible death, he has no idea he is setting in motion much more than one last attempt at proving that inside the hardened shell, he is a decent human being. Charming, quick-witted, and full of smiles, Nathan is all Robert could dream of. He’s also ready to fall into the arms of his gruff protector. Robert, on the other hand, has never been with a man and will first need to fight his own demons if he is to accept that his whole being wants to make Nathan his.With his former boss hunting them both, time is ticking, and Robert might just not get the chance to decide before it’s too late. More importantly though, Robert will stop at nothing to protect the man who’s made him feel alive again, the man who is the only thing between him and the abyss.*“I never had to think much about death before, but I did yesterday. I thought I would die. In a hole. Covered with dirt. Suffocate underground. But then you saved me.”POSSIBLE SPOILERS:Themes: enemies to lovers, protector, cruelty, homophobia, crime, self-discovery, family conflict, age gap, escort, self-hate, first time, revenge, on the runGenre: Dark, gritty, contemporary M/M romance Erotic content: Scorching hot, emotional, explicit scenesLength: ~90,000 words (Standalone novel, HEA)WARNING: This story contains scenes of violence, torture, mentions of suicide, offensive language, morally ambiguous characters, homophobia and homophobic language

Thief of Hearts


K. Evan Coles - 2019
     Mark Mannix doesn’t believe in love or romance, which is ironic given his birthday falls on Valentine’s Day. As he approaches forty, Mark is perfectly content with his life and nursing career in Boston, and—outside of his long-time friend-with-benefits, Alistair—prefers his hookups to be one-night stands. When Mark’s plans for New Year’s Eve fall through, he attends his sister’s party and meets Owen Todd, a graphic designer of Caribbean descent. Owen is more than a decade younger than Mark and, at first glance the two men appear to have little in common. The chemistry between them is potent, however, and Mark breaks his no-strings pattern, seeing Owen week after week. A connection forms between the two men, leaving Mark in uncharted territory and drawn to Owen in ways he’s never known before. Even so, Mark continues his hookups with Alistair but is startled when Owen withdraws out of a desire to protect himself. His foundations shaken, Mark must decide if he can watch Owen walk away or … if the time has come to follow his heart in a new direction.

Love, Me


Sloan Johnson - 2019
    Sunset Beach was only supposed to be a quick trip…Dane learned early to not rely on anyone. He has a good job and a decent life in the city. Granting his father’s request to visit the family he didn’t know existed, the last thing he expected was to find out he’d inherited a share in his grandfather’s inn.Brook has only known romance through notes left in a mailbox at the end of the beach. When he’s tasked with showing his boss’s gorgeous nephew what makes Sunset Beach and Bird Island special, he’s compelled to take Dane to his favorite place.Dane never wanted the inn, but when it’s threatened, he steps up to defend it… and keep the man he’s coming to love by his side and in his life.Love, Me was previously published as Kindred Spirt under the pen name Sloan Johnson. This is an expanded and re-edited version.

A Taste of Sin


Kate Hawthorne - 2019
    What if he’d not been an orphan? What if he’d been adopted? What if his best friend Reed hadn’t been torn out of his life when they were teens? But as an adult, he’s focused on the things he can control—his faith, his calling, and his pride.If you still want me, then I’ll have you.Finally together after a lifetime apart, Dominic and Reed find themselves in a state of emotional upheaval, complicated by the rules of their religions. Reed is terrified of losing his soul, and Dominic, his heart, but neither of them are willing to give up on the second chance they’ve been given without first enjoying a taste of sin.Forgive me, Father; it appears I’ve sinned.

Moved By You


Ann Lister - 2019
    He never cared about his family’s wealth and prestige, but he finds himself pinned in place by the weight of his father’s expectations. Vance would much rather sweat in his studio creating metal sculptures with his blow torch than take any kind of position at the family firm. When pressure from his father mounts, Vance is torn between going with the flow or making waves. But everything changes when Vance hits a bike messenger with his car.Kyle has drifted through his life with a massive chip on his shoulder against the privilege that’s always been just out of reach. His job as a bike messenger doesn’t help. He’s stuck delivering packages to the very elites he loathes. When Vance crashes into Kyle, they’re suddenly thrust onto different paths than they ever expected. But can they take this new path together, or will egos and societal privilege create too many obstacles to overcome?Moved By You is a 67,000 word MM novel with an enemies to lovers theme, and a HEA.

Dance With Me


Heidi Cullinan - 2011
    He hates his soul-killing office job, but he loves volunteering at a local community center. The only fly in his ointment is the dance instructor, Laurie Parker, who can’t seem to stay out of his way.Laurie was once one of the most celebrated ballet dancers in the world, but now he volunteers at Halcyon Center to avoid his society mother’s machinations. It would be a perfect escape, except for the oaf of a football player cutting him glares from across the room.When Laurie has a ballroom dancing emergency and Ed stands in as his partner, their perceptions of each other turn upside down. Dancing leads to friendship, being friends leads to becoming lovers, but most important of all, their partnership shows them how to heal the pain of their pasts. Because with every turn across the floor, Ed and Laurie realize the only escape from their personal demons is to keep dancing—together.

Cowboy Seeks Husband


Leta Blake - 2019
    To get the money, his family schemes to make Walker the star of a new bachelor reality series: Queer Seeks Spouse. How hard can it be to fake interest in a dozen handsome men for a few weeks in exchange for enough money to solve all of their problems? Roan Carmichael never got his Masters degree after his mother was diagnosed with cancer. With medical bills piling up, and a costly experimental treatment available, Roan signs on to be a suitor on Queer Seeks Spouse. While he hates having to leave his sick mother long enough to win the cash for her treatment, he's willing to do whatever it takes. Can two men who are just in it for the money fake their way into real and lasting love? Cowboy Seeks Husband, the latest book by Vespertine authors Leta Blake and Indra Vaughn, features a cowboy, a hipster, opposites attract, steamy scenes, and heart tugging moments that will leave you wanting more.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed


Lisa Henry - 2020
    Caleb Fletcher was the teenager John saved from a cult eight long years ago, and he’s now the young man John wants in ways that neither of them should risk.Eight years after his rescue, Caleb is still struggling with PTSD and self-harm. John has always been his rock, but now Caleb wants more. Can he convince John to cross a line and love him the way they both crave? And when the monsters from Caleb’s past come back seeking to silence him for good, will John’s love be enough to save him?

Patchwork Paradise


Indra Vaughn - 2016
    They share a gorgeous house in Antwerp, go out with their friends every weekend, and count down the days to their dream wedding. But their happy ending is shattered one late night, and just like that, Ollie is left bereft and alone.The months that follow are long and dark, but slowly Ollie emerges from his grief. He even braves the waters of online dating, though deep down he doesn’t believe he can find that connection again. He doesn’t think to look for love right in front of him: his bisexual friend Thomas, the gentle giant with a kind heart and sad eyes who’s wanted him all along.When Thomas suddenly discovers he has a son who needs him, he’s ill prepared. Ollie opens up his house—Sam’s house—and lets them in. Ollie doesn’t know what scares him more: the responsibility of caring for a baby, or the way Thomas is steadily winning his heart. It will take all the courage he has to discover whether or not fairy tales can happen for real.

Letting Go


Ashton Cade - 2018
    But when my brother's old best friend and my teen crush Ian Barrett is here too, I find myself making excuses to stick around a little longer. He's still everything I've ever wanted, but this former baseball star is also a big-time player... if you know what I mean. I don't know what Ian would ever see in steady, reliable Grant Rainier. But I also know I can't stay away. When we start working away together on his dream, I know I'm in trouble. One glance and my heart melts, along with my resolve. Being with him means staying in Umberland and giving up my big-city ambitions, but being without him means losing the best thing that's ever happened to me. How am I supposed to let go of either one? Ian: I've had my share of men, but I've also attracted more than my share of controversy. And since I was a teenager, the Rainier family has always been my rock—I feel like part of the clan. When I see Grant Rainier again, I can't help but remember him as a teenager just off to college... and now the boy is all man. For the first time in my life, the chemistry is there, and so is the caring. But should I subject him to the whirlwind of my life? And can I risk the peace and solitude I've given up everything for? Letting Go is the first book in the Rainier Family series and can be read on its own. 67k words of dreamy, steamy, wishes-come-true love, getting over long-standing fears, Rainiers running interference, and a whole big, bustling, small-town family waiting for its HEA.

Cutting It Close


Reese Knightley - 2019
    Eliminating the enemy is the only thing he’s good at anyway. He sure as hell isn’t good at connecting. Of course, on the heels of that thought, his past comes walking through the door. Will he finally have the guts to explain what really happened that night so long ago? Nothing on earth could bring Lieutenant River Seeger back to the ranch until his grandfather calls for help. With no other recourse, he returns to the Triple R, but makes it clear it’s for a limited time. He’s left the past behind and with it, his youthful dreams. But, since he’s here, shouldn’t he at least get some answers? Two soldiers faced with the past. One man struggles with a tragic secret while the other one demands answers. What’s even worse? When Maddox deploys on a mission and River takes on the kidnappers, time is running out for one of them. The only thing for certain is they’re definitely cutting it close for any chance at a happy ending.