Book picks similar to
Tradeoff by Susan Laine


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Time Gone By


E.M. Leya - 2015
    The fame and fortune he has is like nothing he ever imagined, but he left behind the only man he'd ever loved to achieve it. Wyatt thought he'd put the past behind him and moved on, focusing on his career as he hides the truth about himself from those who are closest to him. Why should he risk his family and friends with being honest when his only reason left town six years ago? When fate throws the two men together again, they are forced to confront things from the past that they both don't want to admit, but the passion and desire for each other is stronger than ever, proving that no matter how much time has gone by, the heart knows what it wants. This was previously released as part of the Limelight bundle.

Barebacked by my Mom's Boyfriend


Max Sinn - 2015
    When she brings home a new boyfriend that obviously plays for both teams, young Jeff knows exactly what he must do – seduce that hunky older man into pounding him for the first time! This smoking hot gay romance story will satisfy all your taboo household cravings! 18+ ONLY! Caution! This steamy taboo tale is for readers 18+ only!

The Guardian Series: The Complete Set


Max Walker - 2018
    These four books follow the interconnected lives of men who act as protectors and the men that fall in love with them. COVER ME Tristan Cole made a mistake by falling for his best friend, Adrian Hawk, all those years ago. Their friendship disintegrated after Tristan made a drunken move on Adrian. Now, the both of them are working as FBI agents positioned across the country from each other. But when they find themselves working on the same case after years of not speaking, they end up having to face their pasts headon while also hunting down an infamous drug kingpin before he sets off a devastating terror plot. FIRST DOWN Sean Drake is a star college football player still deep in the closet. With an increasingly crazy stalker seemingly around every corner, his coach decides a bodyguard would be a smart investment. In comes Connor Hawk, a man who resigned himself to living a lonely life dedicated to his work. When Connor and Sean meet, their chemistry is undeniable. Now, both men must come to terms with feelings they thought they were never destined to have. Can their budding relationship survive the worsening advances from the stalker or will they both not even make it to first down? EAGLE GRIP Isaac Hawk’s life wasn’t going as planned. He looked for a change and ended up accepting a job as security for the American gymnastics team. That meant he was traveling to Rome for the Olympics. He knew he would cross paths with his ex, Diego Cruz, but he didn’t realize what that meant. Neither did Diego, who was taken off guard by their chance encounter. Both men will need to deal with their emotions while an old flame of Diego’s threatens to throw them both off the balance beams and into their graves. FIRE FLOW Sexy firefighter, Colton Drake, has everything going for him, so why was he having such a terrible time finding someone to spend his life with? Cue Mason Bleu, a fire investigator who gets transferred to Colton’s station. They immediately connect on a level that rocks the both of them. The men must handle the fiery passion that promises to consume the both of them, all while a serial arsonist spreads fear throughout the community. Can they make it through the fire or will they be turned to ashes? _________________ These are four full-length, very steamy gay romance books containing zero cliffhangers and plenty of loving.

Lean on Me


Sierra Riley - 2018
    He has five hundred Facebook friends but feels utterly alone. Finally, he gets some good luck: his old best friend is moving back into town, and Levi takes him up on an offer to go hiking and get away from it all. He's looking forward to the trip, as long as the crush he had on Marcus back in the day stays buried. “Let's get away from it all. Together.” Recently dumped by his long-term girlfriend, Marcus Townsend is struggling to readjust to single life. He needs to get out into nature, to lick his wounds and recover. A two-day hike with his old college friend Levi is just what he needs. But when a horrible accident befalls them on the trail, Marcus finds himself depending on Levi for more than just friendship. “You're going to be okay. I've got you. Just stay with me.” Levi will do anything to get Marcus home safe. And Marcus had no idea just how much Levi cared. But once they get home, how are they ever going to deal with the feelings that surfaced on the trail? Was it a moment of weakness or a glimpse of something deeper? Lean on ME is a steamy, standalone gay romance novel with a HEA and no cliffhangers.

A Diamond in the Mud


Sterling Rivers - 2016
    Do they dare to be more? After a bad breakup, Alex Abbott is living with his parents and looking for a job. The best thing about being home is seeing his closest friend again. Going away to college didn’t diminish Alex’s attraction to Gavin Crawford one bit … but Gavin is straight, and doesn’t even know Alex is gay. Gavin is tired of serial monogamy. For now, all his energies are going into his fledgling motorcycle shop. Reconnecting with Alex gives him a boost, as does the other man’s offer to help him with advertising. But when Alex confesses he’s gay, Gavin’s initial surprise is quickly overcome by curiosity … and other feelings it’s more difficult to put a name to. Alex is relieved by Gavin’s acceptance, but becoming more than friends is fraught with danger. If he lets himself fall for the one man he’s always wanted, his heart will be shattered once Gavin goes back to women. Will Alex risk everything? And if he does, how can Gavin convince him that he’s not just playing around this time?

Falling Back


Mercy Celeste - 2019
    With few options in his field, he returns to the diner he’d worked at as a teenager. Waiting tables again was like rubbing salt in an open wound. Resigned to his fate, Chase puts on a smile to greet his very first customer. Divorced, children’s book author, Gavin Hayes was looking for a quiet place to write. The corner table at the diner down the street had the best afternoon light. He could grab a bite to eat and work on his manuscript in peace while he tried to salvage what was left of his life. He never expected the friendly smile of the new blue-haired waiter to spark something inside him that had grown cold. While Chase has no plans to stay. Gavin has no plans to leave. Can love at first sight, bring them together?

Downpour


R.M. Grace - 2016
    . . Ash Greene has nothing left to lose when he stands on the curb, ready to lose his dignity. The rain is relentless and has been for days—the story of his life. With nowhere to go and no one to turn to, he only has one option if he wants to earn enough money to survive. Yet, when a chance encounter with a stranger spares him from making the terrible decision, he believes things may be about to change. Cole Harris is getting by, living his life from day to day. He's not looking for love because people like him are incapable of love. All people like him do are push others away. He has too many demons haunting his past to let anybody step foot into his despair. Yet, when he stumbles upon a guy soaking in the rain, only fate can be at work. Letting Ash into his life, Cole soon discovers a devastating reason he should treat him as he does everyone else. The only trouble is, for the first time in his life, he has met a guy worth keeping. Desperate to hold onto him, he will face the tough decision to tell Ash the truth of who he is, or hope he can keep his past buried.

Remember Him


Steve Milton - 2019
     He broke my heart ten years ago. Back in high school, Baxter pretended he didn't know me. I was a skinny, plaid-shirt-wearing nobody. I was openly gay, but nobody even cared — except Baxter, when he wanted a hookup. That was all a nerd like me could expect from the star quarterback and prom king. He treated me as his shameful secret. I’ve stayed away from Baxter for a decade now, even when he came back to visit Honey Bay. I’m older now. Wiser. I know I deserve better. But I can't stop thinking about those fleeting moments in Baxter's arms. Andy Silver: my one weakness. Every time Andy smiled at me from under his floppy hair, I couldn’t help myself. How could a nerd in wire-rimmed glasses be so hot? It was a high school fling. I spent ten years running away from it. My parents never would have understood who I really was. Disappointing my father was out of the question. I couldn't live the life I wanted, even if I loved Andy more than he ever knew. Bumping into Andy ten years later was the shock of my life. That shy nerd is a celebrity now? And he works out? I shouldn’t dwell on how much I miss being with him, even if every sight of him sends me there. My parents sent me to Honey Bay for business. I might just stick around for a second chance at love. Remember Him is a 42,000-word small-town second-chances gay romance. On their way to a feel-good happy ever after, a jock and a nerd dodge windmill blades, fog up the windows, and discuss the fine points of timber, lumber, and plain old wood.

Benji's Awakening


Jaclyn Osborn - 2017
    He fought to hold on, but as each day passed, his resolve weakened and letting go seemed easier. Better than living a lie. Life at home sucked, and school wasn't much better. His dad wanted him to be the hotshot athlete who got all the girls, but Benji could never be that. No one understood him, and no one even tried. Then, Nick Asher came along. Meeting Nick changed something inside Benji . For the first time, he felt like he belonged, and the question that used to haunt him suddenly didn't seem as scary. He was excited for the new direction his life had taken, but he feared it wouldn't last. Nothing good ever happened to him, so why should it now? *This companion novella follows Benji and Nick, who were first introduced in Book 2 of the Awakening series as an established couple, and shows how they met in high school.*

Capturing His Heart


Frey Ortega - 2015
    One day, he is given an invitation he can’t refuse: an all-expenses paid trip to Ireland for three weeks, sponsored by the Supernatural Council.As soon as he gets to Caer Tarw, the stage is set: mating season is close by, and the purpose they were all invited for was to help the Minotaurs find their mates. Hayden is among the lucky ones, finding Minotaurs Brian Connelly and Ronan Breckenridge, who are lovers, and are Hayden’s mates.But not all is well in their tiny slice of paradise. Hayden is clueless about Minotaurs and knows nothing about them. Ronan and Brian are clueless about how to bring their rabbit into their world. How exactly will they capture their rabbit’s heart?Note: This book contains double anal penetration.

All He Ever Needed


Cate Ashwood - 2018
     For Ethan, pretending has become second nature. After all, he’s spent the last decade pretending to be straight, pretending to be happy, and pretending he isn’t desperately in love with his best friend. But in a single moment of raw honesty, all those lies come crashing down around him and he’s left wondering what to do next. When Jase learns his best friend is going through a breakup, his first instinct is to come to Ethan’s rescue, and he knows just the thing to help. The cabin where they spent summers as kids is sitting vacant, and a week there is the perfect remedy to start healing a broken heart. In the seclusion of the mountains, long-buried fears and emotions take their friendship into unexplored territory that will either bring them closer together… or tear everything apart.

Second Chance Christmas


Beau Brown - 2019
    One bad decision derailed him for two years, but now he’s out of prison and trying to begin anew. The only things that ever made him happy in life was his younger brother Taylor, and the sexy alpha, Harlon Smith, who taught Taylor how to swim. Ian’s teenage crush on Harlon was never reciprocated, but Ian has fantasized about Harlon since the day they met. When the cab driver drops him off at Millie’s Hotel the first night of his freedom, he’s shocked to find Harlon behind the front desk. Alpha Harlon Smith always thought Ian was a nice kid, but he truly was just a kid. Nine years older than Ian, Harlon never looked twice at Ian romantically. However, when Ian shows up on his doorstep, fresh out of prison, Harlon is instantly drawn to the younger omega. He’s shocked at his need to take Ian under his wing, and the desire to protect him. However, Ian isn’t a child anymore, and when Harlon offers Ian a job and a place to live, neither one of them is prepared for the chemistry that explodes between them. This 53,000 word story is a standalone holiday story with lots of steamy scenes, Christmas cheer, and warm feels.

His Soul Desire


Casey Cameron - 2017
    In his defense, he honestly thought the whole thing was fake.Well, it turns out demons exist. See exhibit A: Gideon, the demon currently residing in Sean’s living room. True, he doesn’t look so much “dark lord” as “tall, dark, and handsome,” but he’s shockingly powerful, and despite his wisecracks and nonstop innuendo, his purpose is sinister. Sean’s soul in exchange for a favor: that’s Gideon’s bargain, and he won’t settle for anything less. Sean may be new to the demon-summoning business, but he still knows better than to sell his soul, even with unlimited power on the line. So…how do you un-summon a demon? Unfortunately, the answer lies at the other end of a thousand-mile road trip, with Gideon riding shotgun. A lecherous demon makes a terrible road trip companion—when he’s not trying to talk Sean into making a demonic bargain, he’s trying to talk him out of his pants, and that might be just as dangerous. It’d be easy to say no if Gideon were pure evil, but the more Sean gets to know him, the more he starts to wonder if a demon could be a decent person. Between Gideon’s charm, good looks, and unexpected warmth, Sean has to keep a tight grip on his virtue.And to make things worse, there’s another demon on their tail who will see this bargain completed at any cost—even if that means destroying them both. Time is running out in the race to keep their lives—and Sean’s soul—intact. Can Sean and Gideon find a way to work together before the road ahead becomes a literal highway to Hell?His Soul Desire is a 50,000 word gay romance novel featuring a slacker with a heart of gold, the suave demon determined to seduce him, more accidental feelings than you can shake a pitchfork at, several irresponsible uses of magic for hedonistic purposes, and of course, a happily-ever-after ending

Waiting on Life


Parker Williams - 2020
    In fact, he usually got too serious before they were ready. One day, upon returning home from work, Toby finds a young woman kneeling to pick up mail she’d apparently dropped. Taken with her red hair and slender body, he says hello as he grabs his own mail. The woman jumps and bangs her head against the open door, then lets loose with a string of expletives. She turns around and Toby discovers…the person he’s been ogling isn’t a woman at all, but a man.Kyle Roga’s heard it all before. High school was filled with taunting classmates who could tell Kyle was far too fabulous to be straight. And now, here he was, being pawed at by a man who stole Kyle’s breath away. He ticked every box Kyle had, and a few he didn’t even know he wanted ticked. The problem? Kyle’s been burned before by straight men who think you’re good enough for sex, but not for a relationship. He’s been bitten way more than once, and he doesn’t want to go down that path again.Two men, each with a different way of looking at love, find themselves having to reexamine what they always believed about themselves. Will it be enough to bring them together? Will each discover what they’ve been doing isn’t living, but waiting on life?

More to Life


Annabella Michaels - 2021
    Of course, all the late nights and weekends he spent at the office had their price, which he paid dearly. He no longer has any friends or social life to speak of, but none of that matters when he’s finally given the chance for an executive promotion, one that will grant him the financial security he so desperately craves. Kieron Parsons loves his life. He’s got a great family, friends he can count on, and a job that he enjoys. He works hard, but he also knows how to have fun, and for Kieron, there’s nothing more fun than teasing the sexy, surly man that comes into the deli every day for lunch. In fact, making the man blush has become the one thing he looks forward to most. He would love the chance to crack that hard exterior and see if there’s any sweetness inside. When Shaw’s boss invites him to attend an exclusive company vacation for executives only, he is thrilled. That is, until his boss tells him how important it is to have a balanced work and personal life then asks who his guest will be. Worried that not having anyone might cost him the promotion, Shaw makes up a lie, using the only person he can think of, the outrageous guy who’s always flirting with him at the deli. Thankfully, Kieron agrees to Shaw’s plan, posing as the uptight man’s boyfriend, but how are they supposed to convince everyone that they’re a couple when they barely know each other? Will Shaw’s rigid nature end up exposing their lie or will Kieron finally be able to convince him that there’s more to life than just work?