Scorching Lies by C.M Nyx

I had everything, a family, safety, comfort, I was the heiress to my fathers empire, but that all came burning down, leaving me scarred and alone. If that wasn't enough, the lies started coming to the surface. The betrayal blindsided me and I was left broken and lying on the ground of my own personal hell. My enemies were now lined up, waiting for the chance to make me bleed. My former friends had their hands wrapped around my throat, trying to snuff out the last of my family's bloodline, all for revenge. Ryker was the most vicious of them all. He wanted to make me hurt, to make me scream, to watch me burn. I just hope I can prove my family's innocence before he takes away every piece of me. I may not be his princess anymore, but I'll bleed to become his queen.

Tenure by Violet Pearce

There's an exception to every rule... KIERNAN A college professor and a student. Tale as old as time, right? Only one problem: I'm not actually in college yet. Math is my second language - numbers and formulas just make sense to me - but my IQ never prepared me for him. Professor James McGrath. He sets me on fire and surprises me at every turn. But this can't possibly work. Can it? JAMES I know I shouldn't want her. I know I can't want her. But the second Kiernan walked into my classroom - determined to push every button I have - I felt my control slipping, and it's no longer a matter of it, but how. The only thing sexier than her body is her brain, and the more I get to know of both, the more I know the rule book has gone out the window. Time to make our own.

Them Bones by A. Atkins

"Gritty, dark, tense and intensely emotional" - Sage Kafsky, Watchdog Right guy, wrong time. Laney Hawton has a difficult life. She takes care of her younger brother, Dustin, because honestly? Who else will? Her older brother Cary is... Well. Anyway. When Laney meets Shane, her whole world is turned upside down. But what do you do when you meet your soul mate at fourteen? Right girl, wrong life. Shane Mathers is chronically between couches, scraping by on the unexpected charity of a ten-year-old boy named Dustin. Through a violent twist of fate, Shane meets Laney and can't decide if the universe has finally given him a break, or just offered him his total demise all wrapped up in an irresistible four-foot-something package that makes his knees buckle. Fate is a cruel mistress and she has it in for Shane. He knows nothing this good comes without a price. The question is, will he survive it? Full of angst, drama, and dripping with 90s nostalgia, cozy up for some emotional devastation with Them Bones, Book One in the To The Grave Duet.

Lege et Lacrima by Alina Comsa

My entire life I’ve been dismissed, cast aside, thrown away, whenever something better appeared on the horizon. Finding my boyfriend in bed with another woman obliterates the last of my confidence, hopes, and dreams. It’s only fitting I end up in Lost Hope, a small town in the heart of snowy mountains and lush green forests. My roots spring to life here, the first ones in years. They’re as fragile as I am, anchoring deeper and deeper with every unexpected connection I forge, withering under the unknown threats looming over me. I’m as hopeless as the town’s name, until a snowstorm brings HIM to my doorstep. Tall, dark, and impossibly protective, he’s determined to be my knight in shining... tattoos. My darkness doesn’t deter him, and all my efforts to keep my distance are thwarted by his secret weapons of ice destruction: his ridiculously cute stepsisters. Between a preteen with a wit so sharp it slices clean through my steel walls and a toddler determined to melt the ice caps around my heart-one snuggle at a time, there’s no escape. My instincts to run away fade into nothingness with every stolen kiss and possessive touch. He may have traded the Marines for a guardianship, but his predatory instincts are alive and well. And his ultimate mission is to slay my demons and make me his. Lege et Lacrima is the first book in the Lost Hope series of interconnected standalone novels. It’s a strangers-to-lovers romance with a pinch of suspense, complete with HEA, and the tiniest of cliffhangers. This book is intended for readers 18+, with explicit scenes, mature language, touching on sensitive topics, and more.

Holland, My Heart by Jennifer J. Coldwater

You know that stress inventory you can take? You get one point each for a long list of disastrous life events? Let’s just say I have lost count. In the last year alone I’ve lost my husband (and his brother), sold our home, moved across the country, quietly quit my job, watched my closest friend-slash-sister-in-law move out of the country, and… well, I guess that’s it. Could be worse, right? So, here I am. My name is Holland Gallagher and I'm a twenty-seven-year-old MBA with no job and a broken heart. Which, of course, is when my best friend-slash-mother-in-law Naomi introduces me to her oldest and dearest friend, Kai Ipu. He’s the empirically attractive Black-slash-Samoan CEO of a corporate consulting firm (think a started-in-his-dorm-room company with an eye to making corporations better citizens of the world). But I’m a mess and he’s significantly older than I am. So, I don’t have to worry about that, right? You’d think. He just invited me to join his company. I’m never one to turn down a challenge… so, here goes everything. Loosely based on the Bible book of Ruth (but with f-bombs from Kai, Holland’s drunken confessions of adoration, and one spicy sex scene), Holland, My Heart is the first in a collection of biblical women’s stories retold as contemporary romance. Holland, My Heart is an MF, dual POV, love-after-loss, slow burn, witty standalone romance.

When Ivy Met Adam by Jennifer J. Coldwater

When I met Ali, I thought I’d won the girlfriend jackpot. She was not only tall, dark, and hot AF, but also charming, funny, and kind. We met at first-year student orientation in our dorm. Four years later, Ali broke my heart when she determined—without consulting me—that we should go our separate ways. “You’re going to law school and I’m going to medical school. We’ll both be so busy for the next eight years, Ivy. I don’t want to hold you back.” Now, more than a decade of single status later, my internal alarm clock has started going off every nine minutes. “I think I’m going to get back on the apps,” I tell my sister Iris. The first person I match with is Adam. He’s everything I never knew I wanted: snarky, biting humor, super serious. And his photos are steamy—he’s built like a swimmer, all abs and arms. We set our first date for New Year’s Eve. (Because who's afraid of Cuffing Season?) As fate would have it, it won't even be that long before I fall into his arms... And learn we have a truly heartbreaking history. Loosely based on the Bible story of Eve, When Ivy Met Adam is the second in a collection of biblical women’s stories retold as contemporary romance. When Ivy Met Adam is an LGBT+, dual POV, second chance, forced proximity, love-triangle standalone romance.

Tearing Me Apart by E.A. Buckingham-Young

In the midst of a lifetime of struggles, Nora Hayes has worked her way up to the role of executive assistant at Campbell-Hamilton Marketing Group. While others steer clear of CEO, Ian Campbell, because of his surly demeanor, Nora can’t shake the lingering crush that began the moment they met. As she navigates wounds from her own childhood, Nora quickly discovers there’s more to the man than his stony exterior. When professional boundaries blur, Nora and Ian are forced to confront the lines they ‘ve been hesitant to cross. As their personal relationship progresses, a chilling revelation about Ian’s past propels them into a dangerous hunt for the truth. Will they find the answers he seeks or will the ghosts from his past tear them apart?

Waiting in the Wings by E.A. Buckingham-Young

An unapologetic playboy, Ben O’Connor never says no to a little fun. However, the novelty of a life of casual hookups is wearing off, and Ben finds himself seeking out the one woman he can’t get out of his head. But if he wants to keep her, he’s going to have to convince her that he’s looking for more than a good time. Eve Reyes is about to embark on her most important role yet. And while her acting career is taking off, her love life is dead in the water. She may have sworn off Ben after the disastrous end to their first and only date, but the tension she feels with him proves to be anything but lackluster. Eve decides to put aside her misconceptions, throw caution to the wind, and live a little wild. But when a murder in the rehearsal studio jeopardizes Eve’s Broadway debut, her walk on the wild side takes a serious turn. More than Eve’s dreams could be in danger if she’s not careful.

Cupid Calling by Viano Oniomoh

Ejiro Odavwaro wants to fall in love. Obiora Anozie wants a free vacation. Both hope they’ll find what they want on the upcoming reality dating show Cupid Calling, where they’ll be competing alongside twenty-eight other bachelors for the heart of one bachelorette. The very last thing they expect is to fall for each other.

Winter Nights & Christmas Lights by Sofia Rose

When Charlotte moves to Ireland, she has no idea that Aoife will sweep her off her feet just in time for Christmas. Charlotte has just moved to Dublin for Grad School, hoping for a fresh start in a new city. It's certainly not like the home in Florida that she's left behind. While it's exciting to be in a new city, Dublin is gloomy and rainy in the late fall. That is until Charlotte meets Aoife on a dating app. Will Aoife be the spark that lights up Charlotte's Irish experience?

Snapdragon by Sofia Rose

A Spicy Monster Romance In a world where Humans and Monsters are segregated, Flora has to decide what side of history she wants to be on... Flora is a Human trying to make it big in the music industry. Her development deal with Fortune Records is coming to an end and she is now faced with the true harshness of the industry. When presented with the mysterious Sebastian, she can’t help but be intrigued... but will he be to her downfall or will he be exactly what she needs to shine?

For the Rest of Forever by Becca Neil

No matter what mountains we face, we’ll climb them together. Greg Westin’s thriving career as a landscape photographer is a passion he’s built and cultivated for decades. Although he’s now well into his mid-fifties, Greg is always looking forward, eager for the next mountain to climb, the next trail to hike, the next photo to capture. His love of nature and photography is second only to his love for his husband, Allen—a man with a heart of gold and more kindness and compassionate that anyone he’s ever known. Allen Westin has worked hard to build a life he loves—a life that is not defined by the trauma he suffered in his childhood, but by the community and people he’s surrounded himself with. His career at the public library in the small town of North Bend, Washington has given him a sense of purpose and fulfillment, and his marriage to his best friend and husband, Greg, has filled his life with joy, love, and adventure. But when an incident at the library sets off Allen’s deeply rooted anxiety and depression, he and Greg have to face a new challenge—one where the next mountain to be conquered isn’t out on the trail at all. They must trust in the depth of their love to help them find their footing as they forge ahead into the next phase of their journey toward their forever, together. For the Rest of Forever is an emotional, angsty MM contemporary romance that tells the unhurried story of two older men in a long-term, committed relationship and how their deep love helps them overcome some of life’s darkest moments. It features heavy mental health issues, hurt/comfort, past trauma, an established relationship (thirty-plus years), a silly but stubbornly protective terrier named Beans, and a sweet happily ever after. Trigger warnings: references to past trauma, including parental neglect and physical/emotional abuse; instances of panic attacks and moderate to severe anxiety; brief instances of suicidal thoughts/ideation; brief mentions of homophobia; food aversion/eating disorder.

Tell Me Again by Becca Neil

very minute away from you is a minute too long. Coop It’s been ten years since he kissed me, and I can still feel it—his warm lips, his soft touch. He was my best friend, but then he abandoned me just before my entire life fell apart. When he shows up at the diner where I work, with his fancy job, new car, and beautiful fiancée, my heart feels like it’s being ripped in two. Should I bury my feelings, forget the past, and give him a second chance at rebuilding our friendship, even though I know it can never be anything more than that? Josh Ten years ago, I made the worst decision of my life in the aftermath of the only kiss that ever meant something to me. I never stopped loving him, even if I didn’t get to tell him that. When I run into Coop at a small diner in rural Nebraska, all those feelings I suppressed for years are back, threatening to upend the perfect life I’d built. I’ve got two weeks to convince him I’m sorry. But can I keep my other feelings locked away, or will that sexy baseball cap of his be my undoing? Tell Me Again is a high-emotion, slow-burn(ish), second-chance(ish) MM contemporary romance set in a small town in rural Nebraska. It’s a story of best friends to strangers to lovers, featuring past emotional trauma, found family, virgin MCs, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after. Trigger warnings: references to alcoholism and an abusive parent with an alcohol use disorder, references to and brief instances of parental homophobia, mention of a parent who passed away from cancer, mention of past homelessness.

More Than Words by Becca Neil

I love you, Sam. Just four simple words. Easy, right? Oliver Ellison’s heart knows the words are true. Sam Reynolds is the love of his life, and Ollie wants nothing more than to tell his boyfriend how he feels. But trauma and pain from a brutal assault nearly two years ago have kept Ollie from being free to say the words out loud—or to express his love through physical intimacy. Sam understands. He was there at the beginning, after all. He was the one who took care of Ollie during the aftermath, and he’s been there ever since, with his sunshine-filled smile and endless support. Healing is a long road, and Sam is committed. However long it takes. But when a family emergency on the opposite side of the country forces them apart, Sam and Ollie might need all the strength of their love, and much more than just words, to help them get through. More Than Words is an emotional, angsty MM contemporary hurt/comfort romance that tells a story of deep love, living with PTSD from past trauma, and building a forever through life's ups and downs. It features PTSD/trauma and healing, an established relationship, found family, virgin MCs, and a guaranteed (and very sweet!) happily ever after. Trigger warnings: references to off-page assault, PTSD with flashbacks, implied homophobia, food aversion/eating disorder; see inside preview for additional content warnings.

Little Favors by Adik Graves

He would have no embarrassing secrets. He would be perfect. Liu Xiaokai does everything he is told. He listens to his parents. He's a clever businessman. He's the city's most eligible bachelor. All he has left to do is prove that he's the perfect son--that he's worth becoming his father's heir. That he's nothing like his older brother, who abandoned the family. And then that older brother comes home. He will make his father pay for what he did to him. Liu Xingyu knows two things: firstly, that he loves his little brother. Secondly, that he hates his father. That's all that matters. When he first left all those years ago, he was determined to never come back, but after he met a man named Zhang Weiran, he knew there was only one thing he could do: go back home, and tear down everything his father loved. He won't let them get away with it. Zhang Weiran has had only one thing on his mind since he was a child: fulfill his parents' dying wish and get revenge on the organization that killed them. And it just so happens that his friend and unrequited love Liu Xingyu is not only deeply connected to this shadow organization--he also wants them gone just as badly as Weiran does. Now the only thing they disagree on is Liu Xingyu's suspicious little brother.

We Burn Beautiful by Lance Lansdale

Kent Fox is not okay. Thanks to a botched selfie swap, thousands of his colleagues have borne witness to a photo of his sock-covered crotch. Branded a professional pariah, he's had to move home with his mother, and the only job the 38-year-old, over-the-top, former executive can land is stocking shelves at a grocery store. To make matters worse, his new boss is none other than his ex-gay ex-boyfriend. Fabulous. Just freaking fabulous. To everyone else, Gray Collins is the perfect Christian. He manages the local Pick-n-Save, attends West Clark Apostolic Church four times a week, and he's just bought a ring for the woman helping him overcome his homosexuality. To Kent, however, Gray is the same coward he was twenty years ago. The boy with a list of seventeen reasons why he deserved Kent’s heart. The man who did nothing as his brother ripped Kent from his arms and out of his life for two decades. Forced together, Kent and Gray will have to confront the trauma that tore them apart, and all the old feelings that never truly died. Kent may not have a list of seventeen reasons for Gray, but he has three words that are just as true as they've ever been.

Fear of Flying by KC Elle

Love is in the air. Probably. Most likely. But will a bit of turbulence get in the way of their love taking flight? Drew Parker knows he’s never going to get married. Fall in love. Have a family. But that’s okay, really. It’s safer that way—living life out to his family but otherwise in the closet—just as his parents have always told him. Besides, though he’s attracted to men, he’s never felt the urge to actually be intimate with anyone. So, really, it doesn’t matter. Until Drew meets Zach. Zach Harrison’s anxiety doesn’t rule his entire life, just mostly his social life. And undeniably his love life. According to his best friend, Jen, it’s the sole reason why he’s never had a date or even been kissed. He’s hoping someday he’ll just run into his Prince Charming and they’ll live happily ever after. But real life’s not that simple. When Tired-of-Lawyering-All-Weekend Drew meets Absolutely-Terrified-of-Flying Zach, Drew comes to Zach’s rescue, and sparks seem to fly. And when a snowstorm grounds their connecting flight—and every flight in the city—their instant love connection starts to soar. After spending almost two blissfully perfect days in the same hotel room being in love, it’s clear they’re made for each other. But is “meant to be” enough to help Drew finally get over his fear of flying? Fear of Flying is a steamy, strangers-to-lovers, instalove, snowbound, one-night-stand (okay, it was two nights) gay romance novel, featuring virgin MCs and only one bed—a story about finding love and self-acceptance in the most unexpected places. Content warning for homophobia, toxic parenting, and depictions of moderate-to-severe anxiety, including aerophobia.

An Appreciation of Cats by Des DeVivo

How do we know if it’s too late? Dr. Ian Devonshire, the beloved veterinarian of Holly Grove, is sixty-eight with no plans to retire—until a skin exam ends with an unexpected biopsy. Ian tells no one, privately worrying about what a worst-case scenario would mean for his practice and, more importantly, his assistant, Dr. Alec Tarley. Ian isn’t sure if Alec’s friendliness means what he hopes it does, though it wouldn’t matter if it did; Ian is old enough to be Alec’s father, and as his boss, Ian doesn’t want the small-town scandal of becoming involved. So even as Ian wonders what it might be like to have their afternoon tea somewhere other than behind closed doors, he convinces himself the risks far outweigh the gains. Especially now, as the pending results strand him like Schrödinger's Cat. In an attempt to protect them both from the heartache of a malignant prognosis, Ian makes the abrupt decision to retire. But when Alec refuses to take over the clinic without an explanation for the sudden change of heart, Ian must decide between what’ll hurt more: revealing his secrets or walking away.

Not Quite Meant To Be by Genevieve Croeser

Love is like a four-leaf clover. You find it only when you're not looking. Elana Anderson is definitely not looking for love. When her parents' marriage falls apart, she is left with a ranch full of horses and a rebellious teenage sister. A relationship is the last thing on her mind. A relationship with Colton Johnson, who collects buckle bunnies like most people collect coins, is about as likely as her chances of winning the lottery. The fact that his dimpled smile makes her heart skip a beat means absolutely nothing at all. After having his heart shattered by his high school sweetheart, Colton Johnson decides that true love and happily ever afters exist only in fairy tales. He is perfectly happy with his commitment-free lifestyle, until he really gets to know the dark-haired cowgirl who has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. Can he risk his heart again for the chance at a fairy tale ending to their love story? Is Elana willing to give up everything she thought she knew about Colton Johnson in favour of getting to know the man behind the mask that he presents to the world? Could there possibly be room for him in her world, after all? Horses, ranch lore, love and laughter and of course, a beautiful love story make up this debut novel by Genevieve Croeser.

Time to Remember by Janna Ruth

When the Canterbury Earthquakes destroyed their city, Natalie and her friends were only ten years old. Too old to forget, but too young to be heard, they have never told their stories. Until now. Ten years after the earthquakes, Natalie returns to her home town with a plan. To show how the earthquakes shaped her generation, she wants to curate her fellow students' stories into a special edition of the student magazine. Her project is well-received by all, but one: her self-proclaimed nemesis Josh. From the start, Josh goes out of his way to get the project cancelled. Natalie is determined to see her vision through, yet when she finally uncovers the reason behind Josh's actions, she finds herself questioning everything she's been working towards.

Kiss Me Thrice by Ellie Mack

Three unexpected kisses. Two ambitious dancers. One chance at happily ever after. Lindsay Ferg lives by a simple no dating, no distractions, just dance. It works—right up until an injury sidelines her partner and jeopardizes her career at New York Ballet Theater. Now she’s stuck dancing Romeo & Juliet opposite David Powers. He’s the company’s biggest male star, Lindsay’s second-biggest regret, and the definition of distraction. David doesn’t want to dance this season—not because of his history with Lindsay, but because his life is falling apart. But when NYBT’s director confides that the financial future of the company is dependent on the success of Romeo & Juliet, David has no choice but to grab his tights and get to work. In the studio, sparks fly, lines blur, and an explosive stage kiss leads to an unusual arrangement. During the day, they practice choreography, and at night they focus on harnessing the chemistry that’s threatening to derail the performance. The distraction starts to feel suspiciously like dating, and for the first time in Lindsay’s life, dancing isn’t enough—but one wrong step could close the curtain on NYBT forever. As opening night approaches, Lindsay can’t help wondering if she and David are as doomed as the lovers they’re portraying, or if there’s a happily ever after waiting for them in the wings.

Sweet Torture by P.L Waites

What happens when you accidentally send a text to your best friend's dad that was not meant to be for his eyes? Elona, who is eighteen, is on the cusp of a new chapter- her final year of high school. A dream she has her sights on becoming a model. But beneath her confident exterior lies a secret crush on someone unexpected- Mr. Crane, her best friend's father. Three years ago, after the tragic loss of his wife, Mr. Crane, a painfully handsome man, stands as a hardworking billionaire, a symbol of both success and unspoken pain. His world intersects with Elona's through her best friend, their shared street, and his friendship with her dad. One fateful day, a slip of a thumb changes everything. Elona accidentally sends Mr. Crane a series of revealing photos intended for her best friend. As he sits at the boardroom table, he receives the unexpected images. His gaze lingers on the screen, he has a choice to make. Will he confront the accidental message, risking a fragile friendship and potentially igniting emotions neither anticipated? Or will he grapple with his own desires in silence, seeking a way to navigate this uncharted territory without disrupting the lives around him?

Jay Moriarty Violates the Official Secrets Act by Kit Walker

A modern-day interpretation of Sherlock Holmes' most famous enemy, and the story of how he met his loyal partner in crime. When ex-SAS security consultant Sebastian Moran runs afoul of a rich and powerful corporate client, he's thrown into the path of a brilliant hacker named Jay Moriarty. To survive, both of them must work together to unravel the secrets of Bruce-Partington Aerospace and take down its corrupt CEO, Sir James Walter.

Heartbreaks & Homeruns by Mika C.C.

A marriage-in-trouble story about redemption and rediscovery. Richard 'Ramsey' Greene has focused on his life in baseball since he was a kid; however, things take a turn when the only woman he's ever loved walks out on him. Ramsey's one love starts and ends with Amelia, so when she walks away, he's forced to make a choice: Amelia or the game? Amelia walks away from her marriage as she struggles with self-image and body dysphoria, but moving back to her family's farm across the country isn't going to cut it. Amelia must work through her own problems, but will she be able to change when Ramsey comes to take her "home", or will she ruin everything she's built for herself?

Move Fast and Break Things by Kit Walker

There is something wrong with Victor Keane. This makes him the ideal choice to lead a team of mercenaries, hired to recover an oil baron's granddaughter from a tech billionaire's personal cult. But the job gets more complicated when the team encounters Adrian Yates, a kidnapped academic with peculiar insight into the darkness of Victor's own mind. And when things go wrong, Victor must make a choice between the success of the mission and Adrian's life.

Never Leave, Never Lie by Thea Verdone

The lies that brought them together will tear them apart. Alek and Ian’s relationship is built on lies and the cracks are starting to show. A pianist gifted with synesthesia, Alek sees sounds and hears colors and transforms all of his emotions into music. But no matter how hard he tries to hide behind a facade of apathy and seduction, he can’t escape the dark past that haunts him. Contractor Ian sees the beauty in something destroyed by neglect and his obsession with fixing extends beyond historical buildings. But when Alek’s self-destructive tendencies turn their relationship to ruins, Ian fears Alek is the first project he’ll have no choice but to abandon. Now the Gothic Victorian mansion they’re renovating is the only thing connecting them. Alek will do anything to keep Ian with him. Except tell the truth. Because Alek is lying about everything, starting with his name, and when Ian learns the truth, their house of cards will collapse. Never Leave, Never Lie is an angsty MM modern gothic romance that will appeal to fans of mental health representation, relationships in crisis, hurt/comfort, and a hard-fought happily ever after.

The Gunrunner and Her Hound by Maria Ying

Viveca Hua, arms-dealer ...is driven by three things: the certainty of steel, the need to win, and the compulsion to possess. Yves, bodyguard ...hunts for the place she belongs, and she might just have found it in the captivating Viveca, who offers her a new organization, an answer—and a collar. But their world is violent. It is unpredictable. Luck alone will not shield them. Together they must survive assassins, rival gunrunners, and their own lethal attraction. The Gunrunner and Her Hound is an F/F/F mosaic novella (40,000 words) built from short stories connected by an overarching plot. Part romance (happy ever after included), part thriller, this is a high-heat love story set in contemporary Hong Kong, where passion burns between a ruthless ice queen and an ex-soldier who fled a ruined empire.

Wish Lists Lead to This by Kay Claire

Whenever Seb wants to get something done, he makes a list, and he sets deadlines. He's been in Cape Town for 2 years and has yet to do all the touristy things the city has to offer, so he's set his 24th birthday as his deadline to do 100 things on the list he’s come up with. JJ’s in a rut. He has no friends hates his job (working at a shirtless waiter at a gay bar isn't all it's cracked up to be), and is sick of one-night stands. After an awkward encounter with a former crush, JJ finds himself roped into helping Seb accomplish an item on his list – but plans change after he finds a box of abandoned kittens the day he’s suppose to meet up with Seb. When the two decide to foster the kittens together, they’re both surprised at how well they get along, since on paper they’re exact opposites – especially after their new budding friendship turns into something more complicated after JJ finds a secondary, secret list in the back of Seb’s notebook...

All Roads Lead to This by Kay Claire

Cedric and Rueben have been best friends since sixth grade, and cannot imagine life without each other - Cedric was there for Rueben when he came out to his family, and Rueben was there for Cedric through every step of his transition. Now, both twenty-four and working at the same plant shop, their boss gets an opportunity to receive some extremely rare plants she's wanted for years, except there's a problem: the plants need to be collected in person from across the country, and she cannot make the journey herself. Rueben, ever helpful, is quick to volunteer him and Cedric to travel across the country in her place. Cedric is apprehensive about the trip, both because he hates sudden changes to his routine, and because he may or may not have a few secrets he hasn't told Rueben about. Secrets like the fact that he might be in love with his best friend... All Roads Lead to This is a low angst HEA m/m romance that involves a road trip across South Africa, sharing a bed, heavy pinning, and childhood friends to lovers tropes. Roughly 85,000 words long.

Pit Stop by Ellis Mae

When Isamu Miura returns home on medical discharge from the military, he finds his childhood best friend busy with a new relationship, and his father packing up to return to Japan. With only Inu, his trusted service dog, left at his side, he plans to outfit a camper van to travel across the country. There’s just one problem. The only guy in town who can help wants nothing to do with him, his dog, or his dreams. Unlike Isamu, John Love doesn't consider himself a dreamer. A car accident took his mother way too soon, and he has all but lost his father to alcoholism. All he wants is to work his mechanic job to pay for school and leave everything else behind. Adding more work by helping out Isamu is the last thing he wants. When a friend convinces John to take the job, will he find something, or someone, worth dreaming for? Only if Isamu can prove that John is more than just a pit stop on everyone else’s path.

Book of You & I: When Two Souls Collide by G Severino

OLIVIA WOODS IS CONVENTIONAL, DOWN-TO-EARTH, AND COMPOSED. She's the kind of girl who goes out of her way to do the right things for others but forgets about herself. BRANDON COLLINS IS UNCONVENTIONAL, A CREATIVE SOUL, AND PRONE TO ECCENTRICITY. He values facts over feelings, and his ability to detach from emotions can sometimes make him lonely. When the universe pushes them together under unfavorable circumstances, like lovers from the past and secret relationships, they try to stay apart. But their feelings are too strong to ignore, and they become swept up in a love like they've never felt before...until their true colors start to show. Even after their first kiss, their first touch, the first time they ever laid eyes on each other; were they destined to meet and fall in love, or was their relationship doomed from the start? *Inspired by true events*

Sentence for Life by Maxime Jaz

“Sometimes, we are in a place where we don’t want to be. And maybe, that place is the only place we should be after all.” Theo knows he will become a star lawyer, like the one his Dad paid to keep him out of prison... he's wrong on both counts. He thinks the first day of jail is brutal; meeting his new cellmate redefines the word. Theo's world not only falls apart; it shrinks to the size smaller than a dorm bathroom he has to share with a man who doesn’t belong in his world. Ryker is as strong as a fortress, one that he had to rebuild from the ruins of his own self. Serving the last year of his long sentence, he is terrified of having his freedom at arm's reach. Ryker is everything Theo fears; Theo is everything Ryker loathes. But being locked up together in a tiny space is a powerful force sparking the fires of love, and neither of the men are prepared for the turmoil this raging inferno will unleash. Are Ryker and Theo who they think they are? Or will new lives be born, like the phoenix etched in Ryker's skin, out of the fire of their love?

As the Sun Comes Up by Olive J. Kelley

When competent, capable, and drop-dead gorgeous bed & breakfast owner Cricket Sterling asks friend-of-a-friend Moriah Becker if she can crash on her couch for a night, Moriah doesn’t hesitate to say yes, even despite her secret crush on the other woman. But, when the awards ceremony Cricket is being honored at gets pushed three days, Moriah starts to panic. With her post-pandemic agoraphobia, OCD, and odd hours, she knows she’s difficult to live with, and the idea of having someone in her space for that long nearly sends her into a tailspin. However, Cricket is considerate and accommodating, excitable and passionate, and Moriah finds herself oddly at peace—and falling deeper than ever. It feels inevitable when they crash into each other, spending one sizzling night together—and then another—and Moriah has to reconsider her own mental walls. Were they built to keep people out, or only ever to keep herself inside?

Pretty Average by Arini Vlotman

Society should agree that growing up was a scam. One giant experiment that failed.. Esha More is celebrating her 35th birthday and her quick fix of hair dye and champagne only leaves her with a hangover and more problems. When she asks for excitement, getting thrown in the deep end of a corporate scandal is not what she meant. Kane Mittal has been called in as a consultant to manage yet another crisis. Kane has enough women making demands, but after Esha tumbles into his life he can't stop thinking about her. On a mission to save Esha's career and Kane's family business, together they navigate an inept flock of managers while faced with a mounting deadline, their powerful attraction, and a pandora's box of secrets. Join Esha and Kane in their adventurous meet-cute, a workplace romance filled with laughter, and a hefty dose of intrigue.

Death Sentence by Ashley Hawthorne

He just might take being a bad boy a little too far. Eloise Mason keeps everything arranged to her exacting standards. A stable job, a non-existent dating life, and a perfectly maintained home in just the right neighborhood. Nothing unexpected ever happens and that’s how she likes it. Ethan Callaghan moves in next door and destroys her vision. Late-night parties, roaring motorcycle engines, and charming smiles were nowhere on her schedule, and she isn’t in a hurry to forgive him when he causes a scene in front of the neighbors. She hates him until his persistent interest begins to win her over, but when someone close to her is murdered, it becomes apparent that her softening heart is more of a threat than she realized. As the stakes rise and the killer closes in, Eloise will have to decide if trusting Ethan will save her life or be a death sentence.

Earth to Alis by Lex Carlow

Alistair Woodson is a loner by choice. Since the traumatic night that ended his only friendship, he’s isolated himself by letting his classmates believe he’s a criminal and an arsonist, best to be avoided at all costs. But on his graduation trip across Paris, Switzerland, and Italy, Alis discovers that isolation isn’t so easy to maintain in hostel rooms and cross-country trains. Soon he finds himself growing closer to classmates who were once strangers to him—namely the class clown, Craig Miltenberg, whose frustratingly good hair and cheerful disposition don’t irritate Alis nearly as much as they should. Yet, as his deepening connections stir up painful reminders of his last doomed friendship, Alis continues to cope the only way he knows how: drowning out the pain on the inside by hurting himself on the outside. When his self-destructive behaviours intensify and put him and his new relationships in jeopardy, Alis must find the courage to confront his spiralling mental health—even if it means letting someone in. Lex Carlow's gritty queer debut is perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Kathleen Glasgow, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Love at the Rock Show by Katta Kis

A burnt-out former pop star A sweet, broke psychic… who hates him The festival tour that changes everything Broke pansexual psychic Judit is scraping by. She’s got chronic pain and survives (barely) on Tarot reading gigs. When her rent skyrockets, she jumps at the chance to work a merch booth on a festival tour. It’s the perfect escape until Judit spends a lovely evening with her friend’s ex-flame (it’s complicated)—and he ends up touring with the festival. Ex-boy band idol Patrick didn’t want to play the Endfest tour with the guy who stole the love of his life. He was about to quit the label they started together when a last-minute emergency forces him to join the tour. Worse, the mystery woman who turned his anxiety attack into a magical night is there too—and she knew exactly who he was all along. Judit and Patrick are forced to share a bus while navigating the drama of a mismanaged festival, other people’s exes, and drunk drag queens. The more time they spend in adjoining bunks, the less they find to hate about each other. But can this summer fling last, or will what happens on tour stay on tour?

Black Cloud by Magnus Thorne

Aden suspects his dealer Gage is involved in something dangerous and deadly, but so long as their unique arrangement continues, he’s fine with not asking any questions. Then, when a routine hookup turns out to be their last, Aden impulsively decides to go on the run with a man he barely knows. BLACK CLOUD is a 13k m/m dark erotic novelette with a transmasc main character. Please review author's note and content warnings in the front matter before engaging with this work.

Pretty Dogs by Riley Nash

It’s hard to imagine dating when I secretly share a bed with my best friend every night. When we can barely spend an hour apart. When he’ll kill anyone who tries to touch me. We finally escaped the trailer park, but maybe we weren’t ready for freedom. My best friend Beck doesn’t know how to leave the gang he’s always known, even if it costs him his life. And I don’t know how to find my purpose and confidence as a trans man. We’re too lost in our fears to see what’s right in front of us. But when I almost lose him, it only takes five words for us to fall: I heard about a game. I run. He hunts me. And if he catches me… there are no limits in the dark. Daylight is a different matter, full of the ghosts of everything we’ve lost. Until we stumble across someone who needs us, who forces us to take the broken pieces of our pasts and put them together into something strong. The courage it takes to become who we were all along.

Those Summer Nights by D.T. Brandt

Brandon, a fast food worker with a lead in Victoria, BC's Pride production of Hello, Dolly!, has had nothing but swings and misses in the city's dating scene. He's settled for chatting with his former high school crush when he comes around for his breakfast and coffee every morning. Xander is now a history teacher up Vancouver Island in Duncan and assistant coach for a successful local Under-18 baseball program, the Malahat Mashers. His chats with Brandon brighten his mornings, but memories of failing to get signed to a major league team (and his old independent league summer flings) always haunt him on his hour-long commute from Victoria. Living in Duncan might work out if the rent, the roommates, and the accommodations are right. When Xander and Brandon finally meet somewhere other than the drive-thru, they knock the chemistry out of the park and the whole summer lays ahead for them… once Pride and baseball season wind down. Even then, real life has a pesky way of always lurking around the corner. As the next school year waits on-deck, is a little summer lovin' enough for Brandon and Xander to become hopelessly devoted?

Tangled in Ribbons by Penny Heart

On a trip that goes awry from the start,... Vicky and Michelle, best friends since childhood, rented a cabin for a last hurrah together before Michelle's upcoming nuptials. The day of their trip, Michelle receives an email with proof her fiance cheated on her. The two women head to the cabin anyway to escape the chaos of a cancelled wedding. Neither of them expected the cabin to already occupied by three sexy guys. Vicky's snowed in with three hot guys... When Michelle's ex shows up unexpectedly to set the story straight and asks to meet her at a nearby hotel, Vicky gets snowed in with the three men, where things get even hotter! It starts out as happy fun times, but what happens when none of them want to let go? What else is she supposed to do to pass the time other than them? Read "Tangled in Ribbons" to find out if they salvage their friendships when jealousies, insecurities, and realities intrude in this snowed in, why choose adventure. This is full consensual, why choose erotic romance with MFMM and limited MM action. For a list of sexual activities included in this book, please check out https://www.pennyheartbooks.com/#books This story was previously released on Kindle Vella. This version has been modified to include additional content, including additional spicy scenes and other material to further develop the characters and story. Contains extensive explicit sexual language.

Mending Bones by Merlina Garance

Claire, a Detective Inspector in her late forties, has known and worked with Estelle for many years. Ever since they met, it felt like there could have been something more there: Estelle's gentle flirting and compliments have been a constant in Claire's life, but her self confidence never allowed her to truly believe the other woman meant anything by it. Until one day, Claire breaks her leg and finds out soon after that Estelle has decided to retire from the police, at only 56. Something doesn't feel right there, but before Claire can begin to ask more questions, Estelle offers to take her away to her seaside cottage for a week. After all, with Claire on sick leave and Estelle retired, they both have the time. Surely a week of lazy mornings, too much food and wine, and walks through the countryside aren't enough to make Claire fall when she’s resisted for so long?

Just Stu by Merlina Garance

John, 41, settles in Leicester after his divorce, with hopes of becoming the best version of himself as he builds a new life. He makes friends, starts doing yoga, and joins an RPG campaign. Only one day, he realises he might just have fallen in love with his best friend. Oops. In this slow paced tale of falling in love over time, follow these characters on their journey to self discovery and acceptance, and found family. This is a story about love in all its forms: friendship, romantic, the family we are born with, and the one we end up choosing.

The Flourishing by Merlina Garance

When Andy Campbell, Detective Inspector in Leicester, gets assigned the case of Mr Parry’s disappearance, she expects to find nothing else than an umpteenth marriage ruined by a husband taking off with his mistress. Instead, she ends up investigating a murder case, and struggling to fight her attraction for Mrs Parry. When she realises the feelings are mutual, things definitely get complicated…

Cleats, Corsets, and the Cutie by Ashish Rastogi

One football star, one drag queen, and a pansexual. Eliot’s closet is crowded. Living one life is tough. Living three!? Eliot craves acceptance. He wants to show the world his flamboyance. Most of all, he yearns for a love that accepts the different parts of his life. The floodlights and the spotlights make him wary till he crosses paths with the Indian chef, Raghuvendra, with his ‘tutti-frutti’ English, who speaks in the third person. Six months is long enough to make goo-goo eyes from across the stage. Eliot needs to make a move on the cuddle-worthy bear. But? What if he shows Raghu who he really is and all that he has worked for burns down? While his cleats and corsets are stored in the safety of different compartments of his life, Eliot must find a way to keep the cutie.

Beneath the Indigo Sky by Rayne Hawthorne

Namid I may not know where I come from, or who I am, but I’ve done my best to build a life for myself. I know a handful of people in town, I have a nice place to live, and I enjoy my job. I look just like everyone else. But I don’t feel like everyone else, because I feel…everything. The emotions of others get tangled with my own as they race through my heart and sink into my soul. They set my nerves on fire and rearrange my cells and spread across my skin until they consume me. Jayce I don’t know how to explain what it’s like to lose half of your soul, to fall into grief so dark and relentless that you lose yourself. That’s what it feels like I’ve lost. Half of my soul. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to try to fill in the gaps. I don’t want to walk into rooms that are populated by memories. I don’t want to hear the voice of a ghost echoing in my head. When the eccentric, introverted man who was found on the side of the road without any memories a decade ago takes pity on me and offers his help, for some reason, I find myself unable to say no. Even though I don't know him, when he's standing by my side, for one brief moment, I forget to hurt. Beneath the Indigo Sky is a 75000 word, MM, slow burn, contemporary romance filled with angst, grief, found family, longing, forests, road trips, stargazing, sweet dates, and of course a HEA. There are also minor paranormal elements that are left deliberately open to reader interpretation

Rock Star Romance by Melina Druga

A college grad still reeling from an amicable breakup falls for a rock star who’s given up on love in this contemporary, second-chance romance. A year after she and her now-ex-boyfriend were forced into a devastating decision when life took them — literally — in different directions, Cassandra Economos is done with men. Or so she thinks. Just as Cassie’s getting bored and starting to think she needs to get back out there, she meets Nat, and everything changes. Dramatic Sneezer frontman Nathaniel Hardwick hasn’t dated anyone for months, ever since he caught his girlfriend cheating. Weeks away from the launch of the band’s next tour, however, he finds himself falling for his sister’s friend. Nat isn’t Cassie’s type, but something about him — something more than mere rock star charisma — draws her in. Soon, she’s breaking all her long-standing relationship rules for him. With tour dates looming on the horizon, Cassie’s already seeing parallels to her last breakup. But what happens if this is more than just a summer fling? Jam-packed with sizzling scenes and post-Y2K nostalgia, Rock Star Romance is a must-read for fans of Scarlett Cole and Christina Lauren.

Mr. Right is a Myth by Melina Druga

This heartfelt follow-up to Sexual Awakening follows its ambitious diarist to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where her hopes and dreams for the future are further tested by a string of social hiccups. Cassie Economos has rules. If a new boyfriend can’t wait two months to have sex with her, he’s not the guy for her. If he refuses to wear a condom, he’s not the guy for her. And if dating him would mean maintaining a long-distance relationship, he’s… well, you get the picture. She’s got her life planned out, and she knows better than to try to make things work with someone who can’t agree on the basics, like where to live and whether to have kids. But Cassie isn’t perfect, and the more disappointing situationships she finds herself in, the more she wonders if there’s even such a thing as a “Mr. Right.” But Cassie doesn’t have time to worry too much about that. Her four years at U of I are passing quickly, which means it’s time for her to chart her final course: toward Chicago, the city of her dreams. Readers are in for a rollicking ride through college life in the ’90s here, as Cassie and her friends wade through continental relationship shifts.

Sexual Awakening by Melina Druga

This coming-of-age story, set against the backdrop of the mid-1990s Midwest, follows Cassandra, a high schooler whose big dreams clash with her family’s conservative expectations, as she comes into her own while navigating the complexities of teenage sex and dating. Fourteen-year-old Cassandra Economos doesn’t fit the mold of her traditional Greek family. She’s always been a good kid, but lately she’s begun to question how much influence her relatives’ expectations should really have on her life. Cassie doesn’t understand why anyone would want to stay in Sterling, IL when there’s a whole world out there to explore and experience. She wonders why her brother Chris gets showered in love and affection after becoming a father at 25, when she and her sister, Vanessa, aren’t even allowed to date before they’re his age. And she’d rather go see Nirvana play live in Chicago than attend her homecoming dance. Perfect for fans of Now Is Not the Time to Panic and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, this series-starter traces the social entanglements of the Economos sisters and their friends — from bodice-rippers and bad sex to secret boyfriends and matters of consent — through Cassie’s diary entries from 1993 to ’97.

Girls Night by I.S. Belle

Gossip queen ALEX longs to be seen. Cheerleader TULSI is sick of cutting people on her sharp heart. New kid CLEMENTINE can’t escape the violence inside. And wallflower SUNJU is tired of keeping quiet. When a twist of fate brings this unlikely quartet together, sparks and punches fly. They call it ‘Girls Night,' an underground fight club that’s girls only. Soon every girl at Sterling High is showing up to class with bruised knuckles and split lips. Alex, Tulsi, Clementine, and Sun have never felt more alive. Until demonic head cheerleader, Quentin Scarhill, steps in the ring with her eyes on Alex. As Quentin’s hold over Alex tightens, Girls Night spirals out of control. Can they take back the reins before things turn deadly? And if Girls Night ends will they throw in the towel on their newfound friendships?