Book picks similar to
The Last Enemy by Christian Beck
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contemporary
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Penny Wishes
Lucy Hawkins - 2016
After serving in Afghanistan, he finds safety in his routine of making furniture with his Labrador, Jess, by his side. Single again after a relationship that just didn't work, he still holds hope that he’ll find his happily ever after one day. Even if he’s haunted by the distant memory of a fierce teenage love for his older brother’s best friend. “I won’t let you trick me again.” Austin St. James is washed-up. After a successful run as the front man in rock band Vision X, it’s been three years since he’s made any music he’s wanted to share. When his past comes calling, Austin knows he can’t keep running. Returning to his hometown after eight years was not part of the plan and neither was having to call in a favor with his childhood friend, Tyler. All grown and muscled-up, the boy he once swore to protect is now a man and the tether that binds them is still fiercely electric. “What are you doing?”“Making up for all the years I was supposed to be kissing you.” But so much has changed for the two men who lead very different lives. Tyler struggles with change and Austin uses it to cope with his past. When the unexpected reunion reignites the flame between them that never really died, will they be able to keep it alive? Penny Wishes is a sweet and steamy second-chance gay romance. It is a full-length novel with no cliffhanger and an HEA.
Yakuza Pride
H.J. Brues - 2011
Shigure is even more pleased when he discovers Ken not only speaks Japanese fluently, but is fluent in Japan's ways, even the more violent of the martial arts. Ken’s expertise at kendo is not his most striking quality—it’s the passion beneath his quiet, almost fragile exterior that ignites Shigure's lust, and the two come together as explosively as they spar. Shigure is a dangerous man in a dangerous position. He’s been trying to keep the peace with the Daito-kai—his hated rivals—but the danger on the streets is escalating, threatening those Shigure most wants to protect. He may claim to love his gaijin, but before he can keep Ken safe, Shigure will have to overcome hostility from his people, a hidden enemy, and, the most insidious opponent of all, his own hard-won pride.
Barging in
Josephine Myles - 2011
Instead of a change of pace from city life, though, the canal seems dull as ditchwater. Until he crashes into the boat of a half-naked, tattooed, pierced man whose rugged, penniless appearance is at odds with a posh accent. Still smarting from past betrayal, Robin Hamilton’s “closet” is his narrowboat, his refuge from outrageous, provocative men like Dan. Yet he can’t seem to stop himself from rescuing the hopelessly out-of-place city boy from one scrape after another. Until he finds himself giving in to reluctant attraction, even considering a brief, harmless fling. After all, in less than a week, Dan’s going back to his London diet of casual hook-ups and friends with benefits. Determined not to fall in love, both men dive into one week of indulgence…only to find themselves drawn deep into an undertow of escalating intimacy and emotional intensity. Troubled waters neither of them expected…or wanted. Product Warning: Contains one lovable tart, one posh boy gone feral, rough sex, alfresco sex, vile strawberry-flavoured condoms, intimate body piercings, red thermal long-johns, erotic woodchopping, an errant cat, a few colourful characters you wouldn't touch with a bargepole, and plenty of messing about on the river.
The Necessary Deaths
David C. Dawson - 2016
His life hangs in the balance after a drug overdose. But was it attempted suicide or attempted murder? The student's mother persuades British lawyer Dominic Delingpole to investigate, and Dominic enlists the aid of his outspoken opera singer partner, Jonathan McFadden.The student's boyfriend discovers compromising photographs hidden in his lover's room. The photographs not only feature senior politicians and business chiefs, but the young journalist himself. Is he being blackmailed, or is he the blackmailer?As Dominic and Jonathan investigate further, their lives are threatened and three people are murdered. They uncover a conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels of government and powerful corporations. The people behind it are ruthless, and no one can be trusted. The bond between Dominic and Jonathan deepens as they struggle not only for answers, but for their very survival.
The Square Peg
Jane Davitt - 2012
Benedict, a successful accountant, who's just been dumped for being boring, is surprised and pleased to learn that he's inherited half ownership in a gay bar from his estranged father, seeing it as a chance to get out of his rut. That's until he meets his new partner, a mouthy, disturbingly hot Brit called Shane, and discovers that the bar's in the red and Shane's not interested in renovations that could drive away their regulars.When a late-night confrontation turns into the hottest sex either of them has experienced, they realize there's one way to fit a square peg into a round hole, but are they solving problems or papering over the cracks? As they explore the new dynamic between them, pushing their limits until Ben's shocked at where his desire to dominate Shane takes him, the renovations to the bar begin. They're building something new, something good -- but fear and an unexpected act of violence may tear down what they've created.
The Finder
J.E. Lorin - 2017
Victims of murder, suicide, kidnapping, accidents, and rape; August can find them all, usually dead, but sometimes still alive. Nine years later finds August volunteering his services to the police. He's still smarting from the loss of his long-time love Dante, who cheated on him with his best friend, and harbors a deep crush on the incredibly handsome, and oh-so-straight, Detective Luke Williams. But there are bigger concerns on August's mind: a serial killer is loose in the city, one whose victims are a little too much like him for comfort. When August finds a living victim who may be one of the serial killer's, he's drawn even deeper into the case. Will he make it out alive, or will he soon be the one in need of finding?
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?
Deck the Halls
Max Walker - 2018
His perpetually bright and cheery personality feels right at home for Christmas. He has time off from work and a husband who’s waiting for him at home, what else would he need? Well, he had no idea he would be needing to sign divorce papers - let’s start there. Declan Rose-Covington, part of a luxury hotel dynasty, is coming into Stonewall Investigations because he needs help with a family issue. With his mom’s huge holiday retreat around the corner, he’s hoping to solve it before Santa comes to town. The last thing he’s expecting is to enter the detective agency and fall for the strikingly handsome man sitting behind the front desk. Of course, life has ways of delivering well-wrapped surprises. When Declan and Andrew meet they both feel an instant connection. Soon, the connection grows powerful enough to push Declan toward a crazy proposition: invite Andrew to the family retreat as a fake boyfriend. Andrew would get a nice week-long vacation out of it and Declan would avoid the judgemental jabs from all the spoused-up family members. The potential for disaster was there, but there was also a chance to truly make this the most wonderful time of the year. And that was something neither of them wanted to miss out on. ______________________ Deck The Halls is a full-length and standalone Stonewall Investigations story.
The Courtship of Julian St. Albans
Amy Crook - 2013
Albans is the youthful heir to his family's fortune and affiancéd to his beloved Cecil Mandeville, a family friend as well as Julian's lover.When Mandeville is murdered using magical means, Alex is brought in on the case. It's the worst day of Julian's life, but until they meet, it's just another case for Alex. Neither of them have any idea how their lives are about to change.Alex has to disentangle the magical threads until he can catch the murderer, and to do that he has to put himself right in the thick of things. His long-denied family connections get him invited to participate in Julian's Courtship as a Suitor, where he can observe the suspects firsthand. He just has to stay alive long enough to figure out which of the competition thinks Julian is a prize worth killing for.
Private Hearts
Grant C. Holland - 2018
As they approach age 30, they are both struggling through unexpectedly rough patches in their lives. Brody’s single mother, the town librarian, has died from a sudden, unexpected illness, while Dak is struggling to figure out whether the relationship with his elitist boyfriend Lewis is worth saving. They lean on each other to provide support and a reliable port in emotional storms With both men feeling vulnerable, they celebrate Dak’s last evening on shore before returning to his deckhand job on a Mississippi River towboat. It’s their traditional celebration…until the night goes awry. An unexpected kiss causes them to see each other in a different way, and they are forced to re-evaluate their steps forward into the future. Private Hearts is a friends-to-lovers romance. It is the first book in the River Town series, but it can be read as a standalone novel. It contains no cliffhangers, but it does have steamy scenes.
Don't Judge a Book by its Cover
Robbie Michaels - 2012
Mark Mitchell's strategy for surviving is to emulate the mighty turtle: pull back inside his protective shell and keep a low profile to avoid trouble. And it works-nobody bothers him. Of course, nobody really knows him, either, even in a town so small it seems like everybody must know everyone else.Mark certainly knows Bill Cromwell, whom he meets officially when his father volunteers him for manual labor at the school. Bill is his polar opposite: outgoing, gregarious, athletic. But when a massive snowstorm traps the two boys together for three days, Mark learns that being popular doesn't mean you can't be bullied or abused-or gay-and that bullying doesn't stop at the school doors.Mark isn't na ve. He's seen the news reports of gay teen suicides, and he's determined not to become a statistic. But it's not himself he's worried about.
The Suicidal Peanut
Matthew J. Metzger - 2015
His text-flirting with Demi, the brother of his best friend, is going nowhere: Demi already has a boyfriend and anyway, who dates their best friend's twin? But then, the pining after Nick is going nowhere either, because Nick probably likes gay-bashing on Friday nights for fun. He's gorgeous, but he's dangerous, and Tab knows better than that.So what's a bit of harmless flirting, when one is taken and the other is straight? It's just a bit of fun.That is until Demi is suddenly single, and Nick is not looking as straight and scary as he was before.
Snakes Among Sweet Flowers
Jason Huffman-Black - 2016
But there are a few problems with this plan. One is the neighborly citizens of Hog Mountain thwarting his dirty dealings at every turn with their kindness. Another is Jackson Rhodes, a closeted Hog Mountain police officer who can see right through Cam’s good ol’ boy act and plans to catch him red-handed despite the attraction they both can feel. But the biggest problem of all is that Cam’s past is threatening to catch up with him, and it could mean trouble for more than just himself.
Unspeakable Words
Sarah Madison - 2010
Special Agent Parker is dedicated and meticulous, but his abrasive personality has given him a reputation for being difficult. When new information on a cold case appears, Parker is assigned to work with Flynn, and the sparks fly as their investigative styles clash. Contact with a strange artifact changes everything when it bestows unusual and unpredictable powers on Flynn… and the two men must learn to trust each other before a killer strikes again.
Give Yourself Away
Barbara Elsborg - 2016
One an adrenaline junkie. Love could be one risk too many.
March is determined to lose the numbness that accompanies a history of loss and blame. Desperate to feel something—anything—the adrenaline junkie base jumps off cliffs, soars on hang gliders, and embarks on dangerous sea-borne rescue missions. But any release he feels is fleeting, and when you play Russian roulette with fate, eventually you come crashing down.No matter how hard Caleb tries to forget his past, a dark shadow is always behind him. When a bizarre turn of events results in him being trapped in a sea cave, Caleb wonders how his mantra—safety at all costs—could have failed him. On the point of drowning, he’s stunned when March surfaces in the cave.March’s disregard for the rules saves Caleb’s life but gets March into a heap of trouble. Not least of which is the guy shivering in the boat next to him. March tries to ignore Caleb but it’s already too late. Together, they take small, awkward steps toward love. But Caleb’s past is waiting to sink in its claws…and this time, it could drag him to his death.
Warning: This book contains difficult flashbacks of child abduction and sexual violence, but also the incredible perseverance of two men who never give up on love—or each other. Bring your tissues and a heart that believes in the resilience of the human spirit.