Book picks similar to
Undercurrent by Pandora Pine
m-m
mm
contemporary
romance
Macarons at Midnight
M.J. O'Shea - 2014
He spends a lot of time working late at night, eating and sleeping alone, and even more time meandering around his neighborhood staring into the darkened windows of shops. One night when he’s feeling really low, he wanders by a beautiful little bakery with the lights still on. The baker invites him in, and some time during that night Tristan realizes it’s the first time he’s really smiled in months. Henry Livingston has always been the odd duck, the black sheep, the baker in an old money family where pedigree is everything and quirky personalities are hidden behind dry martinis and thick upper east side townhouse facades. Henry is drawn to Tristan’s easy country charm, dry English wit, and everything that is so different from Henry’s world. Their new romance is all buttercream frosting and sugared violets until Tristan's need to fit in at work makes him do something he desperately wishes he could undo. Tristan has to prove to Henry that he can be trusted again before they can indulge in the sweet stuff they're both craving.
Love You Senseless
Susan Mac Nicol - 2014
THE MEN OF LONDON From Soho to Norwich, there’s no escaping love. A TASTE OF FOREVER An award-winning chef with his own restaurant and an inexhaustible passion, Gideon Kent once had everything. Then came tragedy. It stole more than Gideon’s home. He hasn’t cooked since. Until Eddie Tripp. Fun-loving and vivacious, the Norfolk redhead’s a real up-and-comer in Gideon’s kitchen—and other places. Slim where Gideon’s broad, easy-going where Gideon is growly, he and Gideon seem polar opposites, and yet Eddie conjures flavors that would tempt anyone with a taste for perfection. The sauce of love is already simmering, and this pair is about to dine on the most delicious dish they’ve ever prepared. Because Eddie’s been Gideon’s missing ingredient all along.
Regret
Christina Lee - 2017
The last thing he expects is for his friend’s roommate to be the one guy he despises the most. The same guy who stomped on his heart senior year of high school. And by the looks of the girl on his arm, the same man who’s still deep inside the closet. Nicholas Dell never predicted that eleven years later, one of his greatest regrets would show up on his doorstep down on his luck. Nick has made some terrible mistakes—story of his life—and he’s been paying for them ever since. And if the guilt and shame aren’t enough, his first crush had to turn into one of the sexiest men he’s ever laid eyes on. Nick and Brin have weeks to steer clear of each other. Weeks to avoid strangling each other. But when stubbornness leads to skyrocketing sexual tension, hate-sex doesn’t seem like such an awful way to work through their frustration. Except hate is a powerful emotion, especially when it’s turned inward. And in Nick’s case he’s been drowning in a sea of self-loathing for so long, he can’t see his way out. As Brin reconnects with Nick, his perception of what really happened in their past begins to change. He’s finally ready to forgive him and take a second chance on the one guy who stirs him like no other. But Nick’s demons are complicated, heart-wrenching…demanding. So devastating, he might never allow himself true happiness—even with the one man who’s always owned his heart.
Lost and Found
Lucy Lennox - 2017
But when I needed him the most, that was exactly what he did…Wilderness guide Xander Reed has spent fifteen years trying to forget the night he turned to his best friend in his darkest hour, only to find the young man who’d sworn to always have his back was turning his on Xander instead. Two thousand miles and fifteen years of building a new life in the quiet backcountry of the Rocky Mountains should have been enough to put the memory of Bennett Crawford out of his mind forever, but old wounds run deep and when Bennett suddenly reappears in his life as part of a wilderness expedition Xander is guiding, the scars he thought long healed break wide open.I’d only ever wanted to protect Xander from getting hurt again. I never considered the one he needed protection from was me…Bennett Crawford was faced with an impossible choice the night his best friend needed him.He chose wrong.As the only son of one of the wealthiest families in New England, he should have had the world at his feet, but losing his best friend at the tender age of fourteen changed everything. And even though Bennett’s managed to hide behind a mask of contentment as he takes his place at his father’s side in the family business, inside he’s searching for the piece of himself that’s been missing ever since Xander Reed walked out of his life. Bennett’s only saving grace is his work with a group of inner city kids, and when he’s given the chance to show the troubled teens that there’s a bigger world out there waiting for them if they just have the courage to reach for it, he takes it.But when he steps off that bus for what was supposed to be a week of fun and adventure, he’s instantly returned to the past when he discovers their expedition guide is none other than the boy he let go so long ago. Only, the soft-hearted, insecure little boy Bennett once knew is gone, and in his place is a brooding, bitter man who isn’t interested in second chances.People leave. I know that now and nothing Bennett has to say to me will change anything…All Bennett wants is another chance to show Xander that friendship was only the beginning. But when a stubborn Xander refuses to even hear him out, Bennett realizes he’s going to need to fight dirty.Because now that he’s found Xander again, he’s not letting him go a second time…
Saving Crofton Hall
Rebecca Cohen - 2014
Faced with his mother’s gambling debts, forgery, and the possibility of foreclosure by the bank, Ben vows to make Crofton Hall pay for herself. But opening an Elizabethan manor house to the public isn’t a one man job. With time running out, Ben needs help—and fast.Ashley Niven needs a new challenge, and that’s exactly what he gets when he answers a job advert asking for people who like history, earls, and old houses. Working with the dashing Earl of Crofton to open up Crofton Hall is a dream come true, and Ashley soon finds himself drawn not just to the charm of the house but its charismatic owner.But Crofton Hall has many untold stories, and a family secret dating back four hundred years to the 1st Earl of Crofton, Anthony Redbourn, is about to change all their lives.Second edition. Previously published by Dreamspinner Press.
To Have It All
Jill Wexler - 2020
When Brett Thompson is forced to deal with a family tragedy, his nicely ordered life changes overnight. Not only does he have zero parenting experience, he is not a fan of sticky, messy, or chaotic—the very definition of “kids.” He loves his niece and nephews, but can he handle four of them on his own? Four. F-O-U-R Jordan Butler would do anything for his best friend of twenty years, including stepping in to help out with Brett’s four new rugrats. He handles disorganization much better than Brett does. That’s what friends do, right? Friends take care of friends. But sometimes a friend needs more than a hug. Sometimes messy chaos turns into treasured moments. And sometimes stolen moments and children’s smiles make you realize that for the first time ever, you have the opportunity to have it all.
Nobody's Hero
J. Leigh Bailey - 2015
Now Bradley has seventeen dollars and a gas card, and he’s sleeping in his car. He’s an emotional mess and if he doesn’t land a job soon, he’s up the proverbial creek.Danny Ortega can take care of himself…most of the time. When what started as a date turns into sexual assault in a dark parking lot, he’s grateful for Brad’s help—and an instant admirer of Brad’s military school-honed muscles. He certainly doesn’t expect to see him again, and definitely not as the newest hire at Ortega Construction.As Brad and Danny’s quiet attraction turns into more, things start to go sour before they’ve even started. Danny grows frustrated that Brad won’t open up emotionally. And Brad is terrified of being responsible for someone else’s feelings. When Brad’s family makes one last attempt to turn him into an “acceptable” son, all bets are off—he and Danny will need to decide if they’re in this together…or apart.
Rare
Briar Prescott - 2020
Too bad the ingredients of success haven’t mixed too well for him and instead of having the world at his feet, Alex has, once again, landed himself in a hot mess of trouble. The community service his father arranges for him in a wildlife center on the other side of the country comes as a bit of a nasty surprise, though. Being shipped off to middle-of-nowhere, Oregon, is not Alex’s idea of the perfect summer vacation.What Alex never expects is to meet Noah Price. He never expects to be noticed and understood. He never expects to feel valued and special.He never expects to fall in love. Everything is not what it seems, though, and love that feels invincible turns out to be anything but.But love finds a way, and when Alex and Noah unexpectedly cross paths years later, they will have to risk it all for the love they both deserve and so desperately need. Rare is a standalone MM Second Chance romance about first loves, one perfect summer, one debilitating secret and finding your forever.
Ashes
H.J. Welch - 2018
When an arsonist burns the place to the ground, his whole life goes up in smoke and only his long-time crush can save him. Firefighter Remi Washington never told anyone he’s bi, let alone acted on it. But when he temporarily offers his spare room to his best friend’s younger brother, he’s drawn to the twinky, beautiful Kris in a way he can’t ignore. How long before he gives in to this temptation? Soon Kris stands accused of having started the fire and he has to fight with all his strength to clear his own name. Will Remi risk outing himself to stand by Kris’s side, or will that closet door remain closed forever? Welcome to Hidden Creek, Texas, where the heart knows what it wants, and where true love lives happily ever after. Every Men of Hidden Creek novel can be read on its own, but keep an eye out for familiar faces around town! This book contains a daring rescue, a meddling mommy matchmaker, and enough sparks to start a wildfire.
Cake Clash
Claire Castle - 2018
When his co-worker sends in an application for him to compete on the reality baking show, Cake Clash, he’s nervous but also excited for the opportunity. Even if he secretly wishes he was competing alongside Josiah. Chef Jos, one of the youngest, renowned celebrity chefs, and a notorious recluse, is surprised when he’s asked to be a judge on the reality television baking show, but takes the opportunity as a fresh start. He’s blown away when he recognizes Finn as one of the contestants. The years separated from Finn have transformed him from Josiah Stevens to Chef Jos, and seem to disappear in the presence of his first love. Can they make up for lost time, and reconnect for love on the rollercoaster ride that is Cake Clash?
A Little Bit like Love
Brooke Blaine - 2017
One he’s been hiding since he graduated from South Haven all-boys academy—and that secret’s name is Lucas.When a work trip takes Jackson back to his old stomping grounds, memories of the year he shared with Lucas come crashing to the surface. With growing pressure from his father to settle down and take over the family business, Jackson knows he’s on borrowed time, and sets out to find the free-spirited daredevil he once knew.But Lucas isn’t the same man he was eight years ago.One night. A shattered heart. And an endless parade of nameless faces. Lucas Sullivan is South Haven’s ultimate playboy, a reputation he’s honed since the only boy he ever loved left without a trace. To the world, he’s brash and confident, an in-demand artist who spends his days designing one-of-a-kind pieces and his nights as king of the downtown scene.Many have tried and failed to get past the barrier he’s carefully constructed, but it’s the shy, studious boy he once coaxed out of his shell who still haunts him.Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe it was lust. Or maybe…it was a little bit like love.
In Too Deep
Daryl Banner - 2021
The plan: hit up the beach with my best friend, get one of those fruity drinks with an umbrella in it, and read my book on the sand with the waves crashing at my feet and the sunshine beaming over me.Not part of the plan: being distracted by all of the gorgeous single men who apparently inhabit this Texas beachside getaway.Definitely not part of the plan: falling for one of them.IN TOO DEEP is the first book in a beach-themed spin-off series from the Spruce Texas romances.
Must Like Spinach
Con Riley - 2016
He’s on the corporate fast track as an executive problem solver, yet he can’t help feeling hollow. Yearning for a life spent outdoors makes no sense if he wants to flourish in this city, nor does losing his cool with clients when they make bad decisions. Only leaving the East Coast behind for three months can save his business reputation. His exile in Seattle has unexpected upsides. Jon’s rented home has a garden where his true passions blossom. It’s overgrown yet idyllic—perfect if he didn’t have to share it with another tenant. Tyler might be as cute as hell, and their landlady adores him, but Jon can’t let himself fall for someone who seems lazy. Three months could be enough time to see Tyler clearly, but choosing which to nurture long-term—love or a business career—might take Jon longer than one summer.
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?
Second Act
Alexa Land - 2020
The only downside--it happened just as sweet, gorgeous Lorenzo and I were taking the first tentative steps from friendship to so much more. Our brand-new relationship barely had a chance to get off the ground, and now the pressures of my new-found success are coming at us from every angle.Can I really have it all? Or will chasing fame and fortune end up costing me the man of my dreams?This age gap, opposites attract gay romance begins the brand new His Chance Series. It’s set in the same world as Alexa Land’s Firsts and Forever and Castaways Series, but you don’t need to be familiar with any of those books to enjoy this one.