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Too Like the Lightning by Travis Beaudoin Andrew Madigan had everything he ever wanted. He’d worked hard to build this perfect little life. A stable relationship with a successful man. A beautiful home in a quiet suburb. And best of all, a job where he spent his days talking about literature. Then his tenure was denied and, too quickly for him to stop it, everything crumbled. Now, with his dreams in the dust and his confidence shattered, Andrew has one summer to figure out his next move. Bulbs, Florida, is like no place Andrew’s ever known. It’s small and provincial. It’s hot as hell. Storms roll through every single day. But Andrew just has to keep his head down. Finish his book, find a new job, put things back on track. Easy-peasy. He didn’t plan on making a friend. Coley Brandt has a green thumb and an easy smile. He’s much younger than Andrew, but he puts Andrew at ease, makes him feel at home. Their time together reminds Andrew what having a purpose feels like. Suddenly, this long, lonely summer feels too short. But Coley has dreams of his own, and they’re a million miles away from the life Andrew’s trying to get back. Maybe this is just a summer fling. Maybe, like the lightning, it’s only meant to be glorious for a moment before it disappears. Or maybe it’s something more. |
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The Lies That They Tell by TM Lore The Lies That They Tell is the tantalizing sequel to the gritty and dark award winning thriller novel The Secrets That They Keep. Alyx Beck has been crowned Queen and must now become everything she hates. To survive-while surrounded by the spiders that want to eat her alive-she'll have to perform her role within the hierarchy; which means she must be bred by her King. Kept from her neurodivergent twin brother, Alyx has no idea how he's doing and worries if she doesn't fulfill her role as child-bearer her brother will be found and killed for her shortcomings. She'll have to use every weapon at her disposal, including her mouth, to keep him safe. That is if the spiders don't kill her first. It's Blink Twice meets Filthy Rich. This dark thriller has a female protagonist, neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ characters. Content warnings can be found at the beginning of the novel. |
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A pirate’s life has never been so tempting. Long-suffering governess Regula is out of her depth on the Wretched Lady, a ship full of pirates as shamelessly charming as they are dangerous. She’d guessed her life would change, leaving the familiar walls of Sanctuary, but she’d never expected to fall into the hands of pirates. Even worse, the Wretched Lady’s roguish captain won’t let her, or her valuable charge, out of his sight, much less off his ship. Connor never wanted to be captain. Bad luck for him that the last one disappeared. It doesn’t help that after twenty years of violently enforced isolation, the city of Sanctuary has awoken with a vengeance, and the pirates who haunt her waters have already begun to pay. With a storm brewing in the isles and two strange women washing up on his deck, Connor must accept his captaincy, or else risk everything he holds dear. That is, if he can get his mind off the intriguing stranger who keeps dodging his questions. An adventurous romp of epic proportions, the sea will test them both as the shadow of Sanctuary looms larger over the water. Shiver Me is the first book in a daring fantasy romance series, each following a different couple towards their HEA. |
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The Dravenhearst Brides by Lindsay Barrett An heiress with a haunted past enters a marriage of convenience with a man as tempting as the devil himself…and likely just as ruinous. After a scandalous debut sent her into recluse, heiress Margaret Greenbrier returns to the Louisville social circuit for the 1933 season. Laudanum prescription or no, Margot is not crazy. She’s not. But perception is reality, and all the money in the world can’t buy the illusion of sanity. Nor, apparently, can it convince even the most red-blooded of men to get into bed with her. Meanwhile, in the heartland of Kentucky, the Great Depression is sinking its roots into the Bluegrass. Prohibition has not been kind to the whiskey industry, and bourbon aristocrat Merrick Dravenhearst is feeling the squeeze. After a chance encounter with a beautiful heiress, sworn bachelor Merrick impulsively throws his hat in the ring for Margot’s hand. Just the right hint of lust, money, and quiet desperation…the best society marriages have been staked on far less, after all. Upon arrival at Dravenhearst Distilling as a newlywed, Margot uncovers the legend of the Dravenhearst suicide brides—two generations of wives, both found dead on the grounds of the distillery. Her new manor home is teeming with ghostly glimmers of the women who lived there before her. And her brooding, beguiling new husband is unaware Margot has brought demons of her own to his estate, initiating a cataclysmic chain of events set to bring long-buried blood-tinged family secrets to the surface. The Dravenhearst Brides is a loose retelling of du Maurier’s Rebecca and is set on a haunted bourbon distillery estate. With a marriage of convenience love story, a brooding Byronic hero, and ghost brides afoot, this book is perfect for fans of Isabel Canas and Crimson Peak. |
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Savannah Royals by Lindsay Barrett A bayou con artist with a thirst for riches. A blue blood boy with a heart of gold. And the criminal mastermind who brings them together…then tears them apart. By day, Katarina Quinn masquerades as a well-bred lady of Savannah. At night, she runs with a ragtag gang of con artists and thieves. She’s a downright professional. And pros never make rookie mistakes like falling for the target—especially when they’re already in love with the criminal underlord of the city. Enter Matthew DaMolin, a wittily charming, newly minted physician, who just so happens to be the son of one of the great American dynasties. Matthew is Kat’s ticket into a highly exclusive club, a place to rub shoulders with the likes of the Rockefellers and the Astors. The thief inside Kat is salivating, but much to her surprise, so is the woman. When her interest shifts from professional to personal, it threatens her place in both Savannah’s criminal underworld and high society. With a street war brewing amongst the city gangs of Savannah and a jewel heist against Matthew’s family on the horizon, Kat’s two worlds collide in a clash of knives and double-crosses. Caught between the cunning, indomitable rogue she’s loved since childhood and the captivating, earnest man targeted by her schemes, she must choose… Whose throat will Kat press her dagger against when the dust settles? Savannah Royals is a Prohibition era heist romance filled with thieving shenanigans and double-crosses, a morally grey cast, and a piping hot love triangle. Perfect for fans of MacLean’s Bareknuckle Bastards series and those who loved Six of Crows...but wanted more romance! It can be read as a standalone. |
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It Bubbles Under The Skin by Caitlin Marceau And they were crewmates... Jayce has spent her whole life by the ocean as part of the close-knit communities found across the Îles de la Madeleine. With a place to call her own, a job she adores, and a girlfriend she loves, her life has always been a comfortably predictable one. But after a night in the waters at Pointe aux Loups Beach, Jayce quickly finds her world upended as something calls to her from the ice cold waves. When blisters filled with saltwater ooze from her skin and ropes of seaweed slither from her body, Jayce realizes she can’t ignore the voice for much longer. |
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Queen O'Nine Tails by Lindz McLeod Pirate queen Valentina Mallozzi kidnaps civilian Miss Gloria Vane for ransom at the nearest port, but Gloria isn’t the helpless girl she pretends to be—she’s a talented pickpocket and observant spy. Her best chance of escape lies in seducing Mallozzi, but the famed Queen O'Nine Tails won't be wooed so easily. When a demon sneaks aboard the ship, jumping from body to body in an attempt to gain power amid the chaos, Gloria's situation goes from bad to much, much worse. The remaining crew must find and kill the demon while juggling an increasingly paranoid and out-of-control Mallozzi, whose foretold destiny threatens to destroy them all. |
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Enamoured: A Triptych by Shelley Lavigne Alchemists may have failed to distill youth, but Josephine is determined to bottle beauty. Josephine is determined to make her fortune, but in early 1900s Canada as a widow under suspicion of murder, her dream of building a cosmetic empire seems like a fantasy. That is until a wealthy young socialite enters her shop, her presence reigniting long-caged desires and memories of Josephine's first love. As their unassuming relationship turns into a seductive power struggle, and the cosmetic application takes a dangerous turn, will Josephine choose companionship or capital? Billed as NATURAL BEAUTY meets DELIVER ME meets PERFUME: STORY OF A MURDERER, and containing three illustrations by Becca Snow, this novella follows Josephine as she plays the gruesome game of LOVE, CAPITALISM, and BEAUTY. |
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Three weeks to fall in love … or lose it all. Dr. Ben Friedman’s mental health clinic, The Well Space, has helped hundreds of patients with mental health issues live better lives. But Ben doesn’t need any help for himself. He’s got it all under control, even though he suffers from worsening panic attacks and hasn’t been to the office in a month. Florist delivery driver Nell uses her green thumb and sheer optimism to get by, but under the surface, her roots are withering. The rent is late, her son is sick, and to top it all off, she woke up to an eviction notice. When she knocks on the wrong door and drops her flower arrangement, it’s just one more mistake to smooth over with a smile. But the grumpy, formally dressed man at the door sees right through her cheerful front. An unexpected connection sparks between them as Nell helps Ben through a panic attack on his porch. To thank her, Ben orders flowers for every patient in his practice. Nell agrees to deliver them—but only if he comes along for the ride. A blossoming attraction in the florist delivery van leads them to try a three-week trial run for dating. Three weeks to see if Ben can step out of his comfort zone, and if Nell can overcome her painful past and nourish her long-forgotten goals. |
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Lionheart by Melissa Fee Adkins She wasn’t supposed to fall in love on tour—especially not with her best friend. It’s the summer of 2005, and Kate Kingston is running from something—maybe grief, maybe herself—across the Midwest in a rundown van with her band, Lionheart. Every mile takes her deeper into a tangle of late-night gigs, half-healed heartbreak, and unresolved tension with Jake, her drummer and oldest friend. The plan is simple: survive the DIY tour, avoid her feelings, and definitely don’t fall into Jake’s arms, even if they already feel like home. But secrets don’t stay buried on the road. As their tour spirals through dive bars, motels, and the wreckage of everything unsaid, Kate and Jake must navigate what’s breaking them—and what might be worth saving. Lionheart is a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance about found family, grief, healing through music, and the terrifying magic of letting someone see you—really see you—and love you anyway. |
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Leave a Light on for Me by Briar Holloway A year after her mum’s death, twenty-something trans woman Natalie Dawson is on a downward spiral, self-medicating with alcohol and binge-watching Buffy. She’s let her veganism lapse, abandoned her culinary dreams, and checked out of every connection she’s ever made. The present’s bleak, the future bleaker. Until she falls in love with Veronica, a woman twice her age who likes nothing more than to play games that would put Steven Shainberg’s Secretary to shame. After discovering a box of old mix tapes, Natalie’s convinced she’s found signs her late mum saw her as a daughter after all. A trail of pop songs and power ballads provide a lifeline, one that’ll see her exhume the role she played in her mum’s death, and bring Veronica’s own secrets to the surface. Splicing the complex romance of The Phantom Thread with the metaphorical ghosts of Six Feet Under, the novel is perfect for readers of Torrey Peters and Caroline O'Donoghue, and fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and My Year of Rest and Relaxation. |
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Touched: PINK Edition by Sage T. Greene Touched is available in TWO unique editions 1 - PINK clean, “closed door” (romance without crude language or explicit erotic scenes) 2 - BLACK spicy, “open door” (mild crude language with explicit erotic scenes) Choose the edition which best suits you (or a recipient - the PINK Edition was edited for my mother!) The royals of Ephtas are Touched, esteemed for their pointed ears and ancient blood. They are beloved by their kingdom, but the Ephtas Manor is harboring secrets. Prince Erryn has been instructed to marry Lady Helm, yet a surprise romance with stablehand Rolfe complicates the arrangement, and Erryn must navigate the royal expectations of perfection without disappointing his kingdom—or revealing the true nature of his lover’s identity. Prince Drake is the playboy cavorting with maids, but he hides a secret affair beneath his carefree demeanor, and to be found out could result in death. King Merit, ever devoted to his kingdom and sons, finds his own desires growing difficult to repress. “Kingdom before self” is a tall task when pining for a fresh-faced noblewoman and navigating threats to tradition and order. Ancient blood stirs within the kingdom. The Touched are more numerous than is commonly known. Some, lurking in shadow, bide their time, waiting to make their appearance. The Ephtas men must reconcile their private hearts before they may truly be vulnerable with each other and with their kingdom. Touched is a heart-fluttering “romantasy” following the relationships of three couples. You will find slow-burn, fast-burn, queer representation, secret relationships, and journeys of self-acceptance. |
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Touched: BLACK Edition by Sage T. Greene Touched is available in TWO unique editions 1 - PINK clean, “closed door” (romance without crude language or explicit erotic scenes) 2 - BLACK spicy, “open door” (mild crude language with explicit erotic scenes) Choose the edition which best suits you (or a recipient - the PINK Edition was edited for my mother!) The royals of Ephtas are Touched, esteemed for their pointed ears and ancient blood. They are beloved by their kingdom, but the Ephtas Manor is harboring secrets. Prince Erryn has been instructed to marry Lady Helm, yet a surprise romance with stablehand Rolfe complicates the arrangement, and Erryn must navigate the royal expectations of perfection without disappointing his kingdom—or revealing the true nature of his lover’s identity. Prince Drake is the playboy cavorting with maids, but he hides a secret affair beneath his carefree demeanor, and to be found out could result in death. King Merit, ever devoted to his kingdom and sons, finds his own desires growing difficult to repress. “Kingdom before self” is a tall task when pining for a fresh-faced noblewoman and navigating threats to tradition and order. Ancient blood stirs within the kingdom. The Touched are more numerous than is commonly known. Some, lurking in shadow, bide their time, waiting to make their appearance. The Ephtas men must reconcile their private hearts before they may truly be vulnerable with each other and with their kingdom. Touched is a heart-fluttering “romantasy” following the relationships of three couples. You will find slow-burn, fast-burn, queer representation, secret relationships, and journeys of self-acceptance. |
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The Goshawk and the One-Eyed Dragon by Lila Mina A missed shot on the battlefield. A desperate plan to save her clan to redeem herself. The explosive origin story of a love that will span four centuries. In the heat of battle, fearless warrior Kyoko strikes with unmatched precision, guided by an unyielding spirit. Her arrows, like whispers of fate, hit their mark every time. One shot is all it would take to bring the Date clan to their knees, until the damning smile of the One-Eyed Dragon disrupts her focus, altering the course of her life. As her clan faces ruin, Kyoko sets out to right her wrongs, willing to sacrifice it all - love, joy, and her relationship with her kin. Nudged by invisible hands pushing her on the path of her destiny, she steps into the dragon’s lair, unaware that the ruthless warlord within will walk by her side until the very End… and Beyond. For fans of powerful lady warriors and LGBTQI protagonists, a gritty and highly explicit enemies-to-lovers, altar-diplomacy, fated-souls romance with a supernatural twist. This is a prequel to the author’s TEMPER saga, but it can also be read a standalone. |
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Burn Up In Victory by Jennifer R. Donahue When her brother Marco unexpectedly elopes, Serafina of House Galeazzo is left alone with their distant father and domineering mother. Forced to step up and take part in the magical dueling society that Marco always shielded her from, Serafina must find her footing and manage to move forward, all the while wishing she escaped with her brother. Lorenzo of House Valier was Marco’s best friend, and had no idea that he was going to vanish into thin air. Now he’s left without his closest confidante since childhood and, and that damnable sister left to fill that hole in their dueling circle. Why couldn’t she have been the one to depart? As the circle works to hone their skills, practice and occasional bloodshed bring them closer together. Serafina learns more about her magical spark, unable to disentangle herself from Lorenzo, until one fateful night after a tournament when he is the only place she can turn. |
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An isolated manor. Ancient enemies locked in an eternal struggle. An innocent woman’s heart and soul caught in the middle. Lord McCardle hires me to stay at Kinloch Manor to restore the keep’s magnificent granite guardians. From the arrogant McCardle to the grumpy Cook, no one here is what they seem. Adriel, the great stone beast guarding the manor’s entrance, unlocks the magic hidden inside me. Now I have two choices. Flee from the handsome monster who occupies my nights and surrender my daylight dreams... Or risk it all for love and join the battle between two ancient enemies. A slightly unhinged Gothic-inspired romance set in a remote Scottish manor, with stone monsters, ancient enemies, unexpected magic, fated mates, a touch of grumpy/sunshine, and spice. |
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Lost Together by Courtney Rosaleen A twenty minute daylight cycle and the creatures who lurk in the dark were just the beginning. They’re still lost to a world of magic and monsters… only now, they’re not alone. And time is running out. — Steven Stone and Alexandra Cutter have not only learned how to survive their new world, and to use their powers, they’ve found out what it means to live. In this strange place where magic exists and monsters rule the dark, they realize that home is where you choose it to be. That maybe they were meant to find each other, and this place. Until someone new lands on their beach, and everything changes. When clues about what happened to those who came before slowly come to light, they must work together as they’re faced with the reality that the life they’ve created in their cliffside home isn’t the end of their journey. They’re nowhere closer to finding the way back. All they know is that their days are numbered. This is an upper YA/NA dark romance series. Book one, Lost to a Dream, is intended for readers 15+. This novel is NA and is intended for readers 18+. |
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Lost to a Dream by Courtney Rosaleen Two teenagers find themselves alone in a world where magic exists, and monsters appear in the dark. Only... the night comes every ten minutes and not even death can help them escape. Alexandra Cutter has hopes of leaving her small town. Until she falls through a portal in an abandoned mineshaft and finds herself lost to a world where you either find shelter, or fight for your life until the sun rises. Never did she imagine being so desperate to get back home. When Steven Stone is forced to live in a new town, he’s flat out angry about it. Until the dreams start. Dreams about the missing girl he never even met. But watching her die, night after night, never being able to save her, is far from a dream. When Steve wakes up in the ruined landscape of his nightmares and Alex saves his life, not only are they forced to survive and learn to live together as they search for a way out… but they are left with the question, what happens if they never do? This is an upper YA/NA dark romance series. It is intended for readers 15+ for book one, and 18+ for the remainder of the series. |
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When the Leaves Fall by Chelsea Jean Drew’s world is forever changed when her mom collapses upon returning from their annual mother/daughter trip. Instead of flying back home to Colorado, she is staying in Wisconsin with her dad while her mom recovers. Luca chose to become a Critical Care Unit nurse because he knows how it feels for the world to fade away around you, and the only thing you can see clearly is the pain and stress of caring for a loved one. When the pair meets, they bond over their shared experiences, sweet gestures, and an undeniable attraction. But Drew lives states away, and Luca is on her mom’s care team. There is a boundary there that they know they shouldn’t cross. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to resist. |
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Mavis Meyers is thrilled to be teaching at her high school alma mater. However, organizing the end-of-year carnival might be enough to send her back to substitute teaching in Milwaukee. Who knew trying to get a group of teachers and parents to focus on the task at hand would be so hard? The most difficult person is none other than Lena Laei-Johnson, a local farm owner and co-chair of the carnival. She is used to taking the lead on planning the carnival and despises change. After the first planning meeting with Lena, Mavis understands why no one volunteered to take on this role. From the theme to the decorations, the two clash over every little detail. But underneath, a simmering attraction grows. Can the two women stop trying to be right long enough to notice how right they are for each other? |
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A Minor Inconvenience by Chelsea Jean At 30 years old, Murphie has everything she thinks she wants. A steady job, a handsome boyfriend, the best friend you could ask for, and her lovable dog. She isn’t ready for a minor inconvenience to be thrown her way. She is determined to make her relationship work and not get distracted by Gavin's thick arms, dimpled smile, and good heart; especially because she is his boss. 22-year-old Gavin is a senior in college with plans to attend veterinarian grad school in Scotland. And even though she has a boyfriend, he can't keep his eyes or thoughts off of Murphie—her flowing auburn hair and the freckles covering her nose and arms. He thinks she is the funniest and sexiest woman he’s ever met. She thinks he's too young. Can Murphie keep Gavin in the friend zone when he is determined to become so much more? |
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Jaina Creighton has always known what it means to sacrifice. When both her brothers are marked for conscription into the Dominion’s wars, she makes a desperate choice—trading her own freedom to join the rangers, an ancient order bound by oath to walk the wilds and guard the people. Her decision will spare her brothers from service… but binds her to a life of duty from which there is no return. Far to the south, Antoinette DeLuca—scion of one of Vetticci’s most powerful houses—has secrets carved into her every masterpiece. An artist, a spy, and a woman trapped by her family’s ambitions, she has learned to shape beauty from duty and deceit alike. When her path collides with Jaina’s, the chemistry between them is as dangerous as it is undeniable. But the Dominion is shifting. The dukes raise armies. Shadows lengthen across the land. And as the days slip away, whispers of something vast and terrible grow louder. To protect the ones they love, Jaina and Antoinette must each come to understand the truth of who they are—and choose between loyalty and desire, between what they owe and what they yearn for. The countdown has already begun. And when it ends, nothing will be the same. |
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Illusions of Lust by Kylie Doyle Calliope I never asked to be a savior. This island has become my prison and my penance. It has rotted my soul and hollowed me into something unrecognizable. Redemption slipped through my fingers long ago, and now all I dream of is escape. Death waits for me at every turn, whispering promises of peace. Then he arrives. My Nightmare is tall, dark, and vengeful—vowing to bury me. Perhaps I’ll let him. I suppose real freedom only comes when your last breath has been stolen. Aztyn Calliope Veritas took everything from me. My brother’s blood stains her hands, and I’ve sworn to balance the scales with her soul. I’ve hunted monsters, and delivered justice wrapped in agony to many but she is different. There is something in her silence that sings, something in her gaze that drags me under. My obsession grows like a thorned vine, strangling reason. I think I’ll keep her close—my Little Muse—until I carve the truth from her bones |
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Soft Launch (Zeta Love Story #1) by Olivia Carter A high-heat, emotionally grounded queer romance about burnout, vulnerability, and falling hard—on camera and off. Remy: I wasn’t trying to go viral. I was just doing my job. Glitter, spandex, party chaos. Then suddenly I was internet famous, and everything got louder. Too many eyes. Too much pressure. I couldn’t keep up. Enter Karim El-Amin. Ex-wellness star. Content whisperer. Calm-in-a-storm kind of guy. He says he can help me build something sustainable. I’m trying to be cool about it. I’m failing. Karim: After I burned out, I swore I was done. No more cameras. No more public anything. Just yoga, hot tea, and quiet mornings above a queer café. Then Remy showed up. Loud. Glittery. Overwhelmed. He asked for help and I said yes. I thought I could stay detached. I thought I could keep it professional. I was wrong. Now we’re building something together. A platform. A relationship. A life. If we can stop spiraling long enough to hold onto it. Soft Launch is a high-heat, emotionally grounded queer romance about burnout, creator chaos, mutual support, and falling hard—online and off. It features slow burn to explosive heat, soft dom energy, neck kisses as a love language, and a tender third act separation with a guaranteed happily ever after. It’s book one in the Zeta Love Story series and can be read as a standalone. |
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Summon D for Demon by Dove Soleil The book said “Pleasure.” This is apparently what the universe thinks I mean by that. Silvia didn’t expect the spell she found in the old hall closet grimoire to work at all, let alone summon a demon. She certainly didn’t expect to summon only one… very specific and enormous part of him. But what starts as loneliness quickly turns to connection. She brought him here by accident, but she brought him back on purpose. Each time, there’s more of him, no matter how much he tries to hide. Ari isn’t ready to be seen yet, but he’s falling for her just as hard as she’s falling for him. |
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Hounded - Ashes to Ashes by Quinn Cameron Some creatures are born to burn; only a few can rise again. Indy remembers everything now: the failed cross-country escape, the moment he lost Loren, and the demons that are hunting him. His past is less of a mystery, but his present grows more dangerous by the day. Loren’s return is far from the solution to Indy’s myriad problems. The archdemon Nero still wants his tears and is willing to enlist every one of the newly made hellhounds to get them. With his powers fading and the threat on his existence looming larger than ever, Indy is running out of options. Even with aid from a new group of allies, survival is far from guaranteed. In the end, no force in Heaven or on Earth can save Indy except, maybe, himself. If only he knew how. |
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The Kraken's Castaway by Cassandra Medcalf I drowned in Lake Superior. I was rescued by some ancient god monster in the depths of the lake. I've got gills now, that's fun. And I'm apparently the smokin' hottest thing this Viking octopus shifter has ever seen. Cool. Cool cool cool. Lillian and Erik have a problem. They were cursed by two wayward Titans holed up in Lake Superior, trapped on an island, and won't be set free until they agree to be surrogate and seed donor for an entire hoard of monster babies. The solution? Simple. No funny business, no matter how tempting the tentacles. But the longer they’re held captive, the closer they become. Giving into their feelings could mean the end of the world as they know it, but eternity is a long time. And as the two of them develop a stronger and stronger connection, the torture of staying apart becomes all the more impossible to bear. With the world at stake, are they strong enough to keep their hands off each other? Or is their attraction even greater than the forces they’re keeping at bay? |
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Ophelia has a dirty secret. Well, it’s not really a secret anymore. Ophelia was born into a family of Hunters, tasked with protecting the humans from the creatures of the night who feast on their fear. Except Ophelia always found the idea of monsters kind of intriguing. She even made the grave sin of committing some X-rated monster thoughts to paper—which in hindsight may not have been the best idea because her parents were mortified—but you live and learn. Well, everyone finds out your secret, you get banished from society, and then you learn. But the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Ophelia has been waiting for to make good on some of those fantasies has arrived. The King of Shades requires a hunter bride, and Ophelia is the best fit for the job. Now she just needs to convince her surly monster husband, Allerick, that she’s the best fit for him. |
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Ketahn did not want a mate. Fate has a different plan for him. When the queen he despises declares her intention to claim him, he retreats into the jungle. What he finds there changes his world. Small, delicate, and pale skinned, Ivy Foster is nothing like the females Ketahn has known. She’s not of his kind at all. Yet the moment he sees her, he knows the truth in his soul—she is his heartsthread. And now that he has her, he won’t let anything take her away. Not the jungle, not the gods, not the queen and her warriors. Whether Ivy agrees or not, their webs are entangled. No one will ever sever those threads. |
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The Maestro's Mates by J.B. Warrick One grumpy gargoyle. One hopeful vampire. One chaotic witch. Three fated mates face a looming threat. Pavel has been called cranky, aloof, and an exacting musical genius, but what should people expect? He’s three thousand years old. He’ll soon be entering the final stage of a gargoyle’s life span, transforming into a statue and going dormant forever. So why would the universe throw his mates at him now, when he has so little time left? He desperately wants to protect them, to guide them, but he’s terrified he’ll be a burden as he descends into oblivion. Justin is working hard to overcome his anxiety and stay positive as he rebuilds after a disastrous few years. When he discovers his two fated mates at his new opera job, he rejects them out of hand. Sure, giving up control to these two men would fulfill every one of his fantasies, but love already screwed up his life once. Sebastian is a witch with a rare affinity—chaos—and that quality follows him wherever he goes. His opera career is taking off, and finding his mates is just the cherry on the sundae! Even if they may not be ready for the power of his seductive, mischievous personality. The three soon find that ignoring their connection is impossible, especially when they have to see each other every day. And they can’t escape each other when they’re trapped together in the opera house elevator. But whatever headway they’ve made is arrested by the return of Sebastian’s power-hungry sister. Can the three fated mates accept their bond in time to survive her attack and save their new family? |
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Signing Off for the Summer by Alyssa Delle Palme Signing Off for the Summer is a romance novel about an overwhelmed radio journalist who withdraws from her toxic workplace, a bad relationship, and city life and escapes to her family’s cottage for the summer where she rediscovers her voice and the magic of falling in love. When Maggie Taylor, an up-and-coming journalist, suddenly quits a prestigious radio internship at 880 News in Toronto, she infuriates her close-knit family. Unbeknownst to her overbearing parents and controlling boyfriend, Maggie suffered a traumatic abuse of power when her boss propositioned her, and she is too ashamed to talk about it. She escapes to her grandmother’s cottage on Cedar Lake for the summer. There she finds solace and healing and begins to develop a close friendship with her cottage neighbour, Thomas. Everything takes a turn for the worse when Maggie’s aunt shows up with surprising news. More trouble follows when her former boss makes an unexpected return to her life, threatening everything Maggie has built with Thomas. In order to move forward, Maggie must face her past and learn to use her voice. |
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Song of the Hell Witch by Taylor Hartley Once a vicious street rat, Prudence Merriweather has clawed her way to the top of society and now enjoys newfound power as the Duchess of Talonsbury. All she has to do to protect her fragile position is maintain the act of gentility, make her husband happy—and keep her monstrous magic a secret. Puck Reed, the Thief Lord of Talonsbury, once delighted in taking risks and humiliating the social elite at any cost, but now lives a quieter criminal lifestyle. With a daughter of his own to protect, Puck tries to lay low and stay safe for her benefit. His daughter, Bea, suffers from a mysterious illness bent on killing her, and Puck will stop at nothing to find a cure. When Prudence’s magic betrays her, she has no choice but to flee—and who better to smuggle her out of the city than her childhood best friend and former sweetheart, Puck Reed? With the help of old friends and new allies, they learn about Stormlash, a safe haven miles beyond the city walls where women and their magic can flourish beyond the oppressive eye of Leora’s religious fanatics. Stormlash may also hold the key to curing Bea’s illness. The challenge? Keep her alive long enough to get there. With Bea’s illness claiming more of her strength, Puck and Pru must work together to reach Stormlash and, in the process, confront a growing evil threatening to devour the country they call home. |
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Lust and Found by Sylvie Helstaff Who knew you could summon a demon by accident? When Rowan’s eccentric great aunt died, they felt lost, now the lone queer sheep in a flock of faithful lambs. But when they move into the late woman’s house, a cleaning accident activates a dormant ritual and they’re suddenly confronted with two revelations: magic is real and demons are surprisingly hot. At least this one is. When opportunity shows up with lust in its eyes, you might as well grab it by the horns.voided. With their world upended, Rowan finds themself embracing newfound magical abilities with the help of an elderly trio of witches, navigating a budding relationship with an amorous archdemon, and nurturing a growing group of queer friends at their new bartending job. Life finally seems to be going their way, despite their pious family and the nosy neighborhood priest who keep trying to tempt them back into the fold. But sometimes Hell is other people. Just when everything seems perfect, a stunning betrayal sees them taking refuge in an infernal realm unlike anything they expected. Hell isn’t what they were taught and maybe “home” isn’t so much about “where” as it is “who.” Lust and Found is a high heat, insta-lust monster romance with slow burn romance, eventual polyamory, and heartfelt found family. |
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HALLOWED BE HER FLESH by Emryn Bird It had only been three days. Three days since Trella had been accused of being wicked. Three days since her flogging and excommunication. And three days since she began searching for a mysterious village deep within the Cantabrian Mountains. When a sudden, bright star becomes something more, this pious woman finds herself face to face with an entity she can only assume is one of God’s great celestials sent down to guide her. Terrifying yet beautiful, the creature vows to protect the woman as the pair journey together to find this promising new home. But will it be the safe haven Trella believes it to be? Or can safety only be found in this cosmic being’s embrace? Hallowed Be Her Flesh is an illustrated cosmic horror romance set in 1570s Spain where the ineffable horror of what lies beyond the stars meets Christian mysticism as an asexual woman questions her faith and her attraction toward a strange entity. |
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Out of the Blue by Marisa Billions I AM HAUNTED. I LIVE A HAUNTED EXISTENCE. Sophia Martin and Eli were married for almost a decade, ran a successful spiritual empire bringing “a bespoke spiritual living experience” to vulnerable people looking to find a purpose in life. Then, Sophia meets a woman who turns her soul, and heart, inside out. Suddenly, Eli's empire is put at risk. I DANCE WITH THE PAST ON A DAILY BASIS. After escaping the marriage, and Eli's demands, Sophia starts again in a new town, and she can reclaim her identity. When she meets Frankie, a woman who teaches her that she is worth love and happiness, Sophia finally begins to heal and rediscover what it means to have peace. Until the bodies of murdered women wash ashore. I RELIVE MY MISTAKES AND QUESTION MY PRESENT AND DOUBT MY FUTURE. When she spots Eli in her newfound hometown around the same time the bodies have been showing up, Sophia knows it's not a coincidence. However, no one will believe her. Not even Frankie. Can she prove Eli is out to terrorize her for destroying the empire he built? |
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Into the Blue Again by Marisa Billions Emma Landry must now navigate life post-Bailey. The role she played in her ex-wife's untimely death still haunts her. Also, she needs to understand the mystery that is Morgan. A woman who came into her life at a most inopportune time. Emma is left pondering the reasons their lives intersected, and whether or not they truly belong together. When these women start to explore the consequences of their decisions, everything changes. You have to understand Jonathan is a demarcation in my life. Morgan Hale was once free-spirited and fun-loving. She avoided serious relationships and falling in love. Until she met Jonathan. A tortured and mercurial writer who turned her world upside down. There was my life before him. And the utter mess left in his wake. Emma is left to figure out how the broken pieces of their shattered lives are meant to fit together as she learns through Morgan’s story not only their lives' parallels but how love can be both destructive and rehabilitative. Will the ghosts of Morgan’s past drive Emma away or bring them closer together? |
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Derek and I have been best friends since we were kids. Now we’re halfway across the world on a gorilla-watching expedition in the Congo, and I’m finally working up the nerve to admit what I’ve been feeling for years. Somewhere amidst the jungle hikes, one bed, and far too many lingering touches, the lines between us start to blur and things start getting a little... slippery. The jungle is wild, but admitting my feelings for him might be the real adventure. Ripe & Ready is a friends-to-lovers, low-angst, 19k-word novella with a HEA and the wildly questionable use of a banana. It is the first novella in a series of queer love stories full of big feelings and extremely unconventional lube choices. Because who says silicone and water-based are the only options? |
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Brighde Restricted by Leslie Sommers and Janice Sommers Cay’s Survival Checklist: 1) Don’t die For the past year, Cay has always been Bridget’s guide on her journey to becoming a Cuardaitheoir. While Bridget hones her magic at Danann Academy, Logan and Cay are doing their best to help her with the search for the Amulet. When the globetrotting pair split up – Logan to Switzerland and Cay to England – things get real for them both. Cay is kidnapped and tortured by the very enemies he was desperate to avoid, the descendants of Beira. He knows the lengths they will go to get information on Bridget, but he could never imagine what happens to him. Will Cay be able to escape and get to Bridget in time or will he perish at the hands of Beira’s kin? |
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Brighde Redefined by Leslie Sommers and Janice Sommers Bridget’s Senior Year Checklist – Updated: 1. Pass final exams 2. Graduate OCHS 3. Find the Amulet 4. Save the world - again Bridget, freshly graduated from Ocean City High School, is now on her way to start her magic training – in Switzerland. Without Cay or Logan, who are helping her by looking for the Amulet, Bridget is forced to make new friends at Danann Academy. It's just as awkward and drama-filled as any average first day of school, only now, her peers have powers. Bridget finds herself being attacked at every turn, from having her stuff set on fire, to fighting off Beira's descendants. To make matters worse, she discovers that Trip hasn’t completely disappeared, and is now dating her newly sworn enemy. What’s a girl to do? Starting a new romance is the perfect escape from her magical reality. As new feelings are explored, Bridget now faces a journey with someone she didn’t see coming: herself. With her half of the Amulet slowly dying, Bridget is running out of time to reunite the pieces and save the people she cares about. Will she be able to rise to the challenge and stop Trip and his band of Beira’s descendants from plunging the world into eternal winter? Will she be able to unify the pieces and correct the unstable weather? Is it too late to reconsider this whole thing? |
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Smoke and Glass Slippers: A Dystopian, Gender-Flipped Cinderella Retelling by Ashley Willingham (From the author) She's the heir to a corrupt empire. He's the man coming to burn it all down. I know my place. I’m a Quartz. Meant to serve. For thirty years, I’ve slaved in the mines, stripping magic to fuel the empire’s precious Capital. But I refuse to die in the dark. The emperor’s competition for his daughter's hand is my one chance. If I can win a place among the nobles, I’ll get close enough to stop the tyranny once and for all. There’s just one problem: Princess Ysabelle is nothing like I expected. And as the Betrothal Games become real, I’ll have to make a choice. A choice that could change the world. Dive into the dystopian fairytale world of Smoke and Glass Slippers, a land of lies and deceit where the lines between heroism and villainy blur and nothing is as it seems. High-stakes fantasy adventure combined with swoony romance await in this clean, enemies to lovers romantasy! Perfect for fans of The Selection and Red Rising. |
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Brighde Reborn by Leslie Sommers and Janice Sommers Bridget’s Senior Year Checklist 1) Hook the new guy, Trip 2) Hang with newly discovered cousin, Cay aka the most popular boy at OCHS 3) Find missing weather controlling Amulet 4) Pass SATs 5) Save the world In her quiet Jersey Shore town, Bridget MacNamara just wants to survive high school senior year and get a date with the strikingly attractive new kid, Trip, but fate and her lineage have other ideas. Things get weird when the most popular guy in school, Cailean "Cay" McKay, won't leave her alone. Turns out they're distant cousins and what's more—they're the descendants of twin Scottish goddesses, Brighde and Beira. The sisters originally shared an amulet that controlled the weather, and its sudden disappearance has sparked betrayal and vengeance, dividing the once-close family into two rival factions for the last few centuries. Bridget doesn’t care about Scottish mythology, but she finds herself thrown in a modern version of it when she learns she’s directly descended from Brighde, and Trip can be traced straight to Beira. After a century of family warfare, Trip and Bridget are now a star-crossed couple, forced to fight both their families and each other in a race to find the missing amulet. Wasn’t senior year supposed to be a breeze? |
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Matsdotter and Adrastus: When A Human Falls In Love With An Archdemon by Aelina Isaacs Elochian Adrastus is the pinnacle of demon nobility, and he hates it. When he’s not leading an aristocracy, in therapy, or rebelling against his birthright by running the most famous bar in Levena, he’s solving a millennia old mystery with his newfound friends. He’s particularly fond of the man he’s only known as an author, learning that there's much more to the human than meets the eye. For the first time in over a century, Elochian feels tempted by the prospect of finding his own happy ending. He’s also terrified that any future endeavors will end in death, like they did not so long ago. Quentin Matsdotter has one goal in life, and that’s to blend in. Unfortunately for him, that’s impossible when you’re a certifiable genius, an author, and are friends with some of the most unique people in the town. He’s got everything a man could want, except for someone to call his own. Quentin hasn’t been able to trust his heart to anyone again after experiencing an abusive relationship years ago, but there’s no mistaking how he feels for the enigmatic archdemon. As the snow builds, so does their friendship, and it’s only a matter of time before they open their hearts to each other. If only the past didn’t come back to haunt them. Be prepared to stand up for what you believe in, reveal the truth, and protect those you love, no matter the cost. |
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The Voice of Wild Places by Noah Hawthorne Cornelius Sawyer is a man of many talents, but forgiveness is not one of them. Watt Johnson is a man of his word, but not once in his life has he spoken up for himself. Once connected by the bonds of childhood, threads now severed by the demands of life, the pair are brought together for a once in a lifetime an all expenses paid expedition to Brazil, searching for a man the world believes to be long dead, Percy Fawcett. And perhaps, even the Lost City that he was looking for. Under the guise of doing research work for their respective universities, a reluctant Cornelius and an exhilarated Watt accept the offer and delve into the unknown, trusting no one but themselves. Looking at a map, the route and its dangers seem to be known obstacles which can be easily conquered, a fact that Watt leans on heavily. But Cornelius is intimately aware that the river has teeth, that the land renders a siren song to those who are desperate to become lost in its mountains and basins. To survive the journey they'll have to face the enemies within, and trust the other to have their best interests in mind. After all, the Voice of Wild Places is calling, beckoning the adrift homeward. |
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A world plagued by sun sickness can be both terrible and beautiful. Senna Kane was plucked from his orphanage and molded into the perfect Goldheart—the personal bodyguard to the prince. It's a demanding job, made harder by the headstrong prince's desire to solve the tension between the darkness-bathed Talsura and the sun-welcoming Redwind, but Senna has vowed to do his best. Defying the law, Senna and the prince sneak out of their kingdom to meet with the Redwindan princess to work towards peace. There, Senna finds himself spending more time with the princess' charming guard, Emrys, who challenges Senna to try bold and impossible things—like harnessing the sun's power to grow plants from his own body. The quest for peace comes at odds with the two lovers as the sun sickness, terrifying monsters, and cruel rulers try to tear them apart at every turn. The danger leads Senna to what may be an impossible choice: to abandon his prince, his duty and life's purpose, or lose the chance to become the man he could've been if that duty had never found him. GOLDHEART is a story about chosen family, choosing love, and the impossible feat of staying good in times of darkness. |
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Undefined Tides by Briar Belmont Before they were pirates, they sought freedom. Rowan yearns only to be the master of his own fate. A year out from indenture in the navy, Rowan finds himself in the midst of a trafficking scheme he can’t stomach. Yves is transformed. No longer the victim he was. No longer fully human. The darkness within him pushes him toward violence and glory. Logan, newly released from the Marran navy, attempts to find the family he hasn’t heard from since childhood. Fox loves too hard. Trusts too easily. But he never thought it would be a mistake to entrust his heart to the one man who’s been by his side all along. John has spent his whole life working toward a higher rank, but when his superior officer orders him to do something appalling, he finally snaps and gives in to the flames that have always fought to rise to the surface. Henri’s mother is dead, and he cannot stand still anymore. Now he must embark on a journey to find the father that has been lost at sea since giving him a mysterious gift. Gaël gave in to his desires for one night, but fear drove him away. Now he must fight to get back to the one man he’s ever loved, even if it’s just to say sorry. Robin wanted a quiet life of bachelorhood, but his family has other plans. When they present him with his new fiancée, he runs, and finds himself face-to-face with pirates. Two pirate crews destined to clash, hurtle toward one another on the tide of their captains’ obsessions. Undefined Tides is a collection of interwoven short stories that follows each member of the Siren Song and Kraken’s Fury as they run, stumble, or murder their way into the life of a pirate. |
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Swallows of Mostar by Neira Fazlovic Two years after she moved to Mostar, a historic small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, eighteen-year-old Franka Garcia still struggles with loneliness, language barriers, and terrible grades. After she accidentally falls off the famous Old Bridge, Franka is rescued by Mirna, a wickedly intelligent, but exasperated teenager obsessed with cliff diving. Despite training all her life and frequently besting her peers, being a girl means Mirna can never participate in the centuries-old tradition of diving off the Old Bridge. But stubborn and determined Mirna won’t give up so easily. After Franka’s near-perfect accidental dive, Mirna reluctantly takes on the challenge of teaching her all she knows about cliff diving. If Franka and Mirna want to compete, they must enact their unorthodox plan to take down the patriarchal system forbidding them from diving. Falling in love was never part of the plan. |
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Between the Stacks: Stories of Lusty Librarians, Amorous Authors, & Bawdy Bookstores by Elisabeth Dove (Editor), Johannes T. Evans , Gemma Moon , A. Boss, Jack Stein , Day S. Grant , Achilles King , Cheeky Boutée The wet dreams of book lovers come to life in these seven erotic stories of library liaisons, bookstore hookups, and book convention orgies. Gay, straight, sapphic, cis and trans--everyone has a place between the stacks. Twenty percent of proceeds will benefit EveryLibrary, which supports libraries and fights censorship. A bookstore meet-cute gets steamy. Closeted gay men find connection in libraries. Roommates act out scenes from a smutty book. A man meets his favorite author—and gets invited to the author's dungeon. A she-orc uses books to send messages to her human crush in the university library. An orgy at a book convention turns into a backdoor gangbang for one author. |
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A Clean Pig by Johannes T. Evans Detective Inspector Phil Hutchinson, following up a last-ditch lead on an anonymous and impossible-to-locate narcotics distributor, attempts to get close enough to surveil her son, a young man called Adrian Gillespie, who uses a wheelchair. He gets closer than he intended, and is rewarded — and punished — as per. 13.6k, rated E, cis M/trans M. Written for an anonymous commission. Both parties are adults (49 & 27) and fully consenting throughout. Contains degradation and humiliation, age gap, dom/sub dynamics with the younger trans man dominating, mild cock & ball torture, sadomasochism, dirty talk, obedience & discipline, self-bukkake, mild drunkenness. Set in London in the 2020s. Set in my Magic Beholden universe, readable completely standalone. Phil Hutchinson is non-magical, but it is implied in several places that Adrian and his family are magical themselves. Work commissioned by an anonymous party. |
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Strange Liberty by Johannes T. Evans Salvo Caine, a young man cursed with a magically sapping touch, is convicted of manslaughter and dispatched to an island prison. Once there, he’s offered limited freedom — and affection — by the cold and manipulative prison warden, Guillaume Villiers. Rated M, 27.5k, dark fantasy with some M/M dark romance on the side. Good bit of age gap sexiness, and some medical and care-giving kink as well. |
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Powder and Feathers by Johannes T. Evans Aimé Deverell, a depressed and lonely artist finishing up his degree in Dublin, watches the world go by, and paints it as it goes. Life is short, he thinks - and thank God! He’s tired of living it. That philosophy shatters like glass when his life is threatened by the beautiful Jean-Pierre, a Fallen angel. |