Book picks similar to
Beneath the Surface by M.A. Church
m-m
mm
paranormal
fantasy
Winter Wolf
S.P. Wayne - 2012
It's Axton's definition of paradise, because a werewolf needs his space and his secrets. He's the resident recluse of a sleepy, far flung town hours away from his cabin in the woods, but there's more than one hidden truth in Axton's life. The lycanthropy's enough to make a hermit out of him, but it's the fact that Axton's gay and closeted that keeps him shy. Friendship--let alone romance--isn't an option. Without a pack for support, Axton has to protect his secrets himself. And that means being careful.All's well in the shapeshifter's life until the day a well meaning human decides to vacation in the cabin next door. At first Axton wants nothing to do with his new neighbor, but Leander Avilez is a dream: young, strapping, masculine. As if it's not enough that Leander's gorgeous, he's also charming, and Axton finds himself falling hard. But visions of sweet romance aren't in the realistic picture: Leander's thoroughly human. Axton's terrified of intimacy with someone who doesn't know his secret, because his change isn't forced by the full moon. Whenever Axton's hurt or surprised or on edge, he goes wolf--and he can't stop it. How is he supposed to keep his lycanthropy a secret from his new neighbor? And how is he going to hide his growing and undeniable attraction?And why does Leander have to be straight, with a long list of ex girlfriends? When Leander goes back to his life in Los Angeles, Axton can breathe a sigh of relief. There's moose to hunt and chores to do, and Axton doesn't have the time for a whirlwind werewolf romance, no matter how compelling the fiction of his erotic daydreams might be. But just when Axton's settled back into the werewolf bachelor groove, Leander comes back for another vacation--and then another, and another. They grow closer in time, but as drunken confessional conversations show, Leander's still straight and, oh, yeah, still totally human. Leander is two types of forbidden temptation at once, and Axton doesn't know how long he can stand it. What's a gay werewolf to do?After Leander stumbles across what looks like a big bad wolf in the woods one day, he's understandingly a little panicked. Axton feels fifty shades of irrationally rejected by Leander's fear, and it's what finally makes him kiss his gay bromance-turned-romance dreams goodbye. Still, they get along so well, and Leander is the only person he's been close to in years, so Axton resigns himself to being just friends. There's some tension and some tender yearning--and maybe even some awkward almosts--but mostly, Axton's content.The stakes are upped when Leander visits during a brutal winter, just before the blizzard of the decade hits. The cabins aren't winter proofed, because Axton spends all winter comfortably in his werewolf skin. For a human, the cabins are uncomfortable at best, and skittering towards dangerous as the storm worsens. It's Leander who decides they need to share a cabin and tough out the storm together--and if it was hard to keep his lycanthropy a secret before, Axton's got no idea how to keep Leander from waking up to a face full of fur and teeth now, with temperatures plummeting and emotions running high. But it's when skies clear and a hike goes wrong that things really go deadly. Alone in the snow and hurt, how long can Leander survive? Will Axton find him in time? And when face to face with a wolf, will Leander be struck silent with wonder, or will he fight for his life?Treat yourself to this exciting new book!Blending romance and humor into a struggle for survival, Winter Wolf is a sweet, hot story that's sure to please. Curl up with Axton and Leander this winter and let this shapeshifter romance take you away.
Broken Warrior
Jocelynn Drake - 2020
Since losing his wife and child, the only way Dane can keep going is to focus on the work.But that focus crumbles the second Clay appears covered in blood and barely hanging on to life.Mystery and danger cling to Clay and the other men who suddenly show up. A smart man would walk away.Dane chucks smart out the window in favor of hungry kisses and the silken slide of skin against skin. He doesn’t understand what’s happening, but there’s no question that Clay needs him.He’s just not sure his heart can survive being broken again if something happens to Clay.Broken Warrior is the first book in The Weavers Circle series. It includes fast-paced action, explosions, hurt/comfort, sexy times, animal shenanigans, wounded hearts, three crazy old ladies, and magic!
Duck!
Kim Dare - 2010
Unable to complete a full shift until he reaches his avian maturity, he still can’t be sure of his exact species. But with species comes rank, and rank is everything to the avians. When a partial shift allows the elders to announce that they believe Ori to be a rather ugly little duckling, he drops straight to the bottom rung of their hierarchy. Life isn’t easy for Ori until he comes to the attention of a high ranking hawk shifter. Then the only question is, is Ori really a duck—and what will his new master think when the truth eventually comes out?Please Note: This is the second edition of this book. It has been tweaked and re-edited, but the plot has not changed.
The Omega's Wolf Protector
Lorelei M. Hart - 2018
Russell didn’t have a choice. When Russell became pregnant after a night of youthful rebellion, his traditional pack did the unthinkable—they banished him. Left on his own, he did the best he could to provide for his son, Oliver After witnessing a crime, Russell worries he and his son might be in danger. After a strange man visits Oliver at school, Russel knows he has no choice and packs up everything to return to Distance, ready to beg for their protection. Jameson missed Russell every day of his banishment, but was powerless to do anything about it. As beta of the pack, he was expected to toe the line even if it meant letting the man he knew in his gut was his fated mate slip through his fingers. If only Russel had picked him all those years ago, things might’ve been so very different. Back in Distance, Russell pleads for sanctuary and finds himself under the direct supervision of his childhood friend, Jameson. They grow closer as Russell adjusts to life back in his traditional pack with his son—a son whose biological father has decided he finally wants to stake claim to—a claim he would likely win against the unmated omega, Russell. Jameson has a solution, one that includes their mating. Russell agrees ,and the family of three finds itself growing into a family of four when Russell becomes pregnant with his mate’s baby. Love, his mate’s pregnancy, and the tricky balancing act of becoming the third father to a four year old son become Jameson’s norm and he couldn’t be happier. The Wolf Protector’s Omega is a super sweet with knotty heat second chance male pregnancy shifter romance with an adorable four year old shifter, an omega with a traditional and uptight pack alpha for a brother, and an alpha who would do anything for his one that got away.
Challenge the Darkness
Dirk Greyson - 2015
Knowing he will need alliances to keep his pack together, Mikael requests a congress with the nearby Evergreen pack and meets Denton Arguson, Evergreen alpha, to ask for his help. Fate has a strange twist for both of them, though, and Mikael and Denton soon realize they’re destined mates. Denton resists the pull between them—he has his own pack and his own responsibilities. But Mikael isn't willing to give up. The Mother has promised Mikael his mate, told him he must fight for him, and that only together can they defeat the coming darkness. When Anton casts his sights on Denton's pack, attacks and sabotage follow, pulling Denton and Mikael together to defeat a common enemy. But Anton’s threats sow seeds of destruction enough to break any bond, and the mates’ determination to challenge the darkness may be their only saving grace.
Still Waters
Alex Gabriel - 2015
Almost.A deadly hunter.Hraban has dedicated his life to taking down creatures like Drakjan, protecting those who cannot protect themselves.An uneasy truce.When fate forces them together, the nix and the hunter discover a dangerous attraction… and a threat that can destroy everything Drakjan has come to love.~~~~~~This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" 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. "Still Waters" contains sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. ~~~~~~This story prompt and photo inspired "Still Waters":Dear Author,I only have two words for you: ginger merman! Everything else is up to you.Photo Description: A redheaded, muscular young man with a short beard stands in a lake, a scraggly stand of seaweed-draped deadwood behind him and mountains in the distance. He looks directly at the viewer, wearing a neutral expression. The water comes up to just above his waist, and he is lifting a sturdy white net from the water with both hands.
The Rogue's Omega
Samantha Cayto - 2016
Born capable of breeding like a female, he was raised in the cruel environment of his sire, Haldon’s, pack. He’s spent his entire short life dreading the time when he’d be expected to breed as many pups as possible. His fears are realized one night when Haldon hands him over to the frightening, yet sexy, alpha of the new Rogue Pack. A few minutes in the virile alpha’s company triggers Kyle’s first heat. At first, he assumes the Rogue alpha will breed him then toss him to his pack for sport. The male surprises him by taking him as his mate instead. Having become the reluctant leader of an unusual wolf pack, Alpha Lorcan simply wants to build a settlement for his ragtag group of shifters. Each of them is either a runaway or an undeserving outcast from packs that treated them badly. They call themselves the Rogue Pack, and instead of turning dangerous and predatory, they have found a new sense of belonging under Lorcan’s guidance.Lorcan wasn’t looking for a mate just yet, but the beautiful omega male thrust in front of him as part of a treaty with Haldon changes his mind. With his new lands secured, he wants to increase his pack and nothing accomplishes that quicker or better than an alpha siring pups. Although still emotionally scarred from his own sire’s cruelty, he is determined to be a good alpha. Doing so by mating with Kyle allows him to mix unwanted duty with unplanned pleasure.As Lorcan and Kyle work to form a bond as a mated pair, outside forces threaten to come between them. If their lives together are to become more than mere duty, each of them will have to overcome his painful past and learn to trust and love.
Omega Required
Dessa Lux - 2018
Alpha werewolf Beau Jeffries has been going it alone ever since he was cast out of his pack as a teenager for trying to help a human and endangering the pack’s secrets during the tumultuous years when the wider world was learning the truth about werewolves. He hasn’t lost his drive to help others, and he’s about to begin a prestigious medical residency--only to learn that, as the first werewolf the program has knowingly accepted, he’ll have to follow special rules, including the one that requires him to be married when he begins his residency. Omega werewolf Roland Lea is just trying to survive. After escaping the last and worst in a string of abusive relationships that left him scarred and unable to conceive, he’s found safety in a refuge for homeless omegas. But despite the help he’s getting at the refuge, he just keeps getting sicker instead of better, further and further from being able to make it on his own. When he’s offered the opportunity to sign up with a mate-matching agency, he figures he has nothing to lose. No alpha is ever going to want an omega like him. When Beau sees Roland's profile, he knows at once what's making the omega sick, and he's determined to help. If he can persuade Roland to marry him, he can save Roland's life while Roland helps him get through his residency. But will their hasty partnership be enough to bring them both through what's ahead--and can temporary necessity lead to a forever love?
Galen
Jaclyn Osborn - 2021
Now demons are after him and his only hope is to trust the tall, muscled, combat-boot-wearing thief who claims to be the son of a fallen angel.Galen is charged with protecting humanity from dark forces. Cursed with Wrath, he’s hot-tempered and spends his days fighting demons and trying not to kill his six brothers when they irritate him.His number one rule? Never fall in love. But then he meets Simon, a clumsy human who asks way too many questions and is—unfortunately—a total demon-magnet, and he starts breaking his own rules.What’s inside the box, and why do the demons want it so badly? One thing is for sure… Simon can kiss his peaceful, ordinary life goodbye.Book 1 in the Sons of the Fallen series. A low-angst urban fantasy MM romance featuring a grumpy half-angel and the human he swears he doesn’t like (he’s lying), seven warriors representing the deadly sins, a seaside mansion where they all live, banter, a snarky demon, and a HEA.
Omega Reclaimed
Tanya Chris - 2016
Rich, ripe, male omega - not far away and well into his heat. Unsatisfied heat. I laughed, realizing that in this moment, at least, the omega was the boss of the alpha. I needed to help him." Angel, an alpha who's left the violent, strictly hierarchical rules of his pack to find success in the big city, and Leo, an omega on the run from his abusive alpha, are thrust together to satisfy Leo’s urgent heat-lust. But can a once-hurt omega ever trust an alpha to care for and protect him again? And can an alpha sensitive to social injustice learn to enjoy his naturally dominant nature? Angel and Leo must both face the pasts they ran away from before the two can build a new future together. They may not be able to change the laws of nature, but they can change the language of love. Omega Reclaimed is a MM alpha/omega shapeshifter novella. Content warning: this book includes references to past physical abuse and a description of suicide
NoX
Adrienne Wilder - 2019
He can't even tell Luca his name.He remembers nothing until the moment he sees Luca.The only hint Luca has to the stranger's identity is a tattoo on his wrist: N o XNox doesn't know who he is, but he's sure of three things, his memory loss is temporary, the monsters chasing Luca are called Anubis, and his Alpha, Koda, sent Nox to protect him.There's just one problem… Koda is Luca's brother who was murdered five years ago.With each passing hour, Nox fills in the pieces painting an impossible truth. And with each passing hour, both men find themselves unexplainably attracted to each other.Something Luca is willing to embrace because he has nothing left to lose.And one Nox can't let happen because it could get Luca killed.Nox is an HEA/HFN M/M paranormal, science-fiction romance.But be warned, these are NOT the shifters you are used to reading about.
Unnatural
Alessandra Hazard - 2020
Two alphas forced into a political marriage. Attraction that defies all reason and logic… Or does it? The Kingdom of Pelugia and the Republic of Kadar have been at war for decades. Peace isn’t popular, but the planet can’t survive without it.Forced to marry an enemy prince for the sake of peace, Senator Royce Cleghorn doesn’t like his husband, his alpha scent, or his damned pretty blue eyes. More than anything, Royce hates what Haydn makes him become: a primitive alpha cliché who’ll do anything to mark his territory, even if that territory is his alpha husband. Royce likes omegas; he isn’t into alphas, no matter how pretty their eyes are. It’s just a weird territorial instinct. It has to be.Prince Haydn has always tried to be the perfect alpha his father wants him to be. He's the heir to the throne. He's a war general. He isn't supposed to bare his throat to an enemy alpha--and it isn't supposed to feel so good. Everyone knows a marriage between two alphas is a recipe for disaster. He isn't supposed to crave his alpha husband--their marriage is just a political arrangement, nothing more.But when disaster strikes and loyalties are tested, which bond will be the strongest: their marriage, or their allegiances?
Complicated
J.J. Cassidy - 2013
(That’s not to say the plot isn’t important, though. I don’t want something that’s complete PWP or Excuse Plot. I’d like something that has a rather light tone overall, but still has depth and something meaningful to it. Elements of darkness are okay and, in fact, may even be encouraged, as my profile would attest to. I just don’t want it to turn out to be a darkfic.)I just want adorable cat-shifter-kitty-petting/cuddling. Maybe the shifter retains some cat-like characteristics even when human/in his human form. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a housecat. It could be a big cat of some sort. Just, you know, with petting and cuddling and adorableness (in human and cat forms if you can fit it). And maybe some playing with the tail (not tail sex. just playing with the tail).Photo Description: Two men, both with short, dark hair, lie together on a striped sofa or daybed. The one on the bottom, acting as a pillow and a living mattress, embraces the other man with what seems to be easy affection. The man on top sprawls face down, his head tucked into the space between his lover’s neck and shoulder, hiding his face from view.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" 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.
Unexpected Mate
Toni Griffin - 2011
Rejected by his parents, kicked out of his pack and now his car breaks down on his way south. What else could go wrong? He soon finds out when the police rock up, and the sexy cop turns out to be his mate. What he didn’t expect was his mate to walk away from him, without so much as a backward glance.Marcus Holland was having one hell of a week. Breaking up with his girlfriend, and then copping an earful from his mother about settling down and having kids. All he wanted was to go home and relax. Little did he know one last call-out on his way home would change his life for ever.Can Marcus come to terms with the fact his mate is a man or will he risk losing Brian forever. However, not everyone in the pack is entirely happy with this mating.NOTE: UM has been re-edited, and expanded by over 17 K.
The Pauper Prince
Sui Lynn - 2012
He’s a survivor and tough as nails. Attacked and beaten, his attacker is murdered. Lance, with blood on his hands and a broken spirit, flees to the solitude of the peaceful pine forest of the Black Hills of South Dakota.Andrew Reed, a handsome shape shifter discovers a man in his barn loading a duffel bag with supplies. Before he can ask questions, the young man spots him and runs. Andrew chases after him. What he discovers at the end of a fast paced run through the woods astounds them both.Can Andrew help Lance heal enough to trust him? Can he convince Lance to stay before he runs out of Andrew’s life, forever beyond his reach and the slavery that has him bound to the land and vampires?