Contemporary Romance books

Photographer Zach is happy to pack up his gear and head to the Mojave Desert over the holidays. Ever since his ex-husband filed for divorce a day before Christmas, it’s safe to say this isn’t Zach’s favorite time of year. 

Fortunately, he stumbles upon a town where the residents seem to agree. The good people of Baker would much rather celebrate the possibility of extraterrestrials as they dance under the stars in their unique “Night Sky Festival.” The locals are interesting, to say the least, and they want Zach to join them. 

But is Zach ready to let go of his holiday bitterness? And if so, whose invitation should he accept: the cute cashier, the burly single dad, or the sexy fun-loving cop?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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Rival archaeologists Will and Jude slept together a year ago, on the night of the Summer Solstice at a dig in Stonehenge. But they were both wearing masks, so Jude has no idea it was Will he slept with, and Will’s been harboring a powerful, one-sided crush ever since. 

Now they’re in Egypt, competing to find the lost tomb of Queen Nefertiti. Jude falls through a crack in the cave floor, and when Will reluctantly climbs down to help him, they find themselves in Nefertiti's tomb, surrounded by archaeological treasures—where they must spend Christmas stranded by a sandstorm. 

Will a few sultry hours stripped almost bare from the heat and sharing a bottle of whiskey sort out who should get credit for the discovery—and the real reason for the tension between them?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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The festival of Tulsi Vivah ushers in the Hindu wedding season and tears away the love of Kristopher’s life. Three years of passion and tenderness are reduced to a shameful skeleton in the closet as Arjuna submits to the marriage his parents have arranged for him. His family has never even heard Kristopher’s name. 

The festival, a ritualistic wedding between the holy basil plant, Tulsi, and her eternal lover, Vishnu, is as much of a play-act as Arjuna’s upcoming nuptials, but he believes the wedding will honor his parents and please Vishnu. So why is his Tulsi plant—whose leaves heal and bless the devout, who is Vishnu's representative on earth—dying? Arjuna tends to her with all the care of a concerned parent, but it might take more than his devotion to save her. She might need Kris, with his clever green-fingers—and maybe a revived Tulsi can heal two hearts.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

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The holidays are a time for second chances. 

Warren Blessing lost his wife (two years ago), and his kids decide he’s been alone too long. They send him on a holiday singles cruise so he can meet someone new. On the flight from Chicago to Miami, he sits next to an attractive man, but when the flight’s over, he doesn’t think he'll see him again. 

Fletcher Hammond is a professional mystery shopper for vacation destinations and travel. After a split from his unfaithful fiancé, he’s embarking on a singles cruise. He meets a lovely gentleman on the flight, whose conversation and cocktails help Fletcher through his fear of takeoffs, but he doesn’t expect to see him again. 

As if by fate, a meeting in the ship’s dining room renews their mutual attraction. But can they build a relationship with distance and baggage working against them? Or will they part ways when they return to port?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

Second Edition
First Edition published by Torquere Press, June 2016.

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Forty-six-year-old Eddie Hightower has a problem. He’s all alone. The only thing that saves him from facing that stark reality is the fact that he isn’t really alone at all. He has a house full of pets and a refuge full of stray unwanted animals he spends every waking hour trying to place in homes. While he loves what he does with all the joy in his heart, that same poor aging heart is still missing something. And Eddie knows exactly what it is. Romance.

But wait. Cue the music. Suddenly, beyond all hope, it happens. In the small desert town of Spangle, California, where Eddie lives, comes a sad young stranger with piercing gray eyes. They are the palest, most stunningly beautiful eyes Eddie has ever seen. Poor Eddie Hightower is swallowed up in their silver depths and disappears without a gurgle. The stranger’s name is Gray Grissom. Gray, like his eyes. Without hesitation Eddie opens his doors—and his heart—to the lost young man. After all, that’s what Eddie does. He finds homes for strays. But this is one stray Eddie intends to keep for himself.

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Brian Paulson è nato con la camicia e ha sempre vissuto una vita di lusso e agiatezze. Che la famiglia lo abbia trascurato per inseguire la ricchezza e la felicità non gli sembra che un piccolo prezzo da pagare per ciò che lui ritiene la cosa più importante: il denaro.

Per Cade McAllister niente è mai stato facile. Per mantenere se stesso, la madre e il fratello con difficoltà di apprendimento è costretto a fare due lavori. Non hanno molto, ma per Cade l’affetto dei suoi cari e il potersi prendere cura di loro è più importante dei beni materiali. Non può permettersi di perdere quel poco che ha, e il giorno in cui viene derubato in un parco è grato per l’intervento di Brian.

Quando tutti i beni di Brian vengono congelati dopo la morte del nonno, Cade ha la possibilità di sdebitarsi. Gli offre un posto dove stare e lo aiuta a trovare un lavoro, e i due uomini si avvicinano l’uno all’altro mentre scoprono i lati positivi e negativi dei due mondi da cui provengono. E proprio mentre Brian comincia a rendersi conto che nella vita ci sono cose che i soldi non possono comprare, una clausola del testamento del nonno rischia di mandare in fumo la loro relazione.

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Le seul chemin vers le bonheur c’est la liberté : la liberté de vivre – et d’aimer – comme le cœur le désir. Revendiquer cette liberté nécessitera tout le courage que possède un jeune homme… mais il n’aura pas à l’affronter seul.

Dans la petite ville conservatrice de Sierra Pines en Californie, le Révérend Gabriel est la loi. Son fils, Willy, suit ses directives… jusqu’à ce qu’il rencontre un homme à Sacramento, et puis le croise à nouveau dans sa ville natale – juste sous le nez de son père.

Reggie est le nouveau shérif nommé à Sierra Pines. Son dévouement pour son travail signifie qu’il ne fait pas étalage de sa sexualité, mais quand il voit Will de nouveau, il ne peut échapper au sentiment qu’ils sont destinés à être ensemble. Il gardera le secret de Will jusqu’à ce que celui-ci soit prêt à laisser le monde voir qui il est réellement. Mais si aller à l’encontre de l’Église et des habitants de la ville n’est pas suffisant, les risques du métier que Reggie aime tellement pourraient signifier la fin de leur romance avant même qu’elle prenne son essor…

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Non importa quanto provi a convincersi: Liam, architetto di successo a New York, non ha mai dimenticato Ben, il suo primo amore. All’avvicinarsi dei quarant’anni, Liam sente che nella sua vita manca qualcosa. Riuscirà a rimediare al suo più grande errore, quello che gli ha lasciato un vuoto che nessun successo lavorativo potrà mai riempire? O la paura di sbagliare di nuovo gli impedirà di avere la vita che sogna?

Liam e Ben sono stati amici da ragazzi e poi fidanzati all’università. Quando però Liam lo ha tradito, Ben si è imposto di tagliare i ponti con lui e di andare avanti con la propria vita. Abita ancora nella cittadina in cui sono cresciuti e dove fa l’insegnante, ma quella non è l’esistenza che sognava da ragazzo. Eppure, quando Liam riappare a North Falls, Ben non se la sente di rimettere il cuore in gioco. Non può permettersi di farsi conquistare ancora da lui dopo tutta la fatica fatta per dimenticarlo.

Nessuno dei due sembra voler mettere una pietra sul passato e affrontare l’ansia di un nuovo inizio. Non vogliono innamorarsi di nuovo, ma a volte l’amore bussa, anche quando non lo si è invitato.

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A Carlisle Deputies Novel

When Chris Anducci is moved off jail duty and into the sheriff’s office, he doesn’t expect his first assignment to be protecting a witness against a human trafficking ring. Knowing the new sheriff doesn’t abide screwups, Chris reluctantly agrees to work the case.

Pavle Kasun has spent the last four years of his life at the mercy of others. When an opportunity presented itself, he took it, resulting in his rescue. Now the safe houses he’s placed in are being threatened and he needs protection if he is to have any sort of chance at a life.

Chris opens his home to Pavle, but he doesn’t expect Pavle and his story to get under his skin… and stay there. Soon they discover they have more in common than either of them thought. Slowly Pavle comes out of his shell and Chris finds someone who touches his heart. But as the men looking for Pavle close in, they will stop at nothing to get him out of the way. But even if Chris can keep him safe, he might not be able to protect his heart if Pavle moves back home.

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David Snyder est éperdu de chagrin et cherche un endroit pour s’enraciner. Il achète donc une belle maison centenaire dans l’est de Washington. Malheureusement, sa nouvelle maison présente un bon nombre de problèmes : électricité, plomberie, chauffage… Tout ce que David ne sait pas faire. Sa mère lui donne la carte de visite d’un artisan local et il imagine un homme obèse et chauve, dans la cinquantaine. Cependant, Jackson Henry ne pourrait pas être plus éloigné de ce stéréotype.

Jackson, cheveux bruns, musclé et beau gosse, a quitté une grande entreprise de construction à Seattle afin de s’occuper de sa mère malade. Cependant, sa ville natale a toujours un réseau actif de « traditionalistes » et trouver un emploi dans la construction est presque impossible pour un homme ouvertement gay. Déterminé à persévérer, il accepte des petits boulots d’homme à tout faire. Il est exactement ce dont David a besoin, à plus d’un titre.

Ce dernier n’est pas prêt pour l’attirance qu’il ressent pour Jackson, vu la manière dont sa dernière relation a pris fin. Mais au fur et à mesure que les deux hommes apprennent à se connaître, il devient clair que le cœur sait souvent mieux et récompense ceux qui sont disposés à l’écouter.

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Hagen Wylie ha dei progetti: vivere nella sua città natale, essere in rapporti amichevoli con tutti, esplorare nuove relazioni, e ricostruire la sua vita dopo gli orrori della guerra. Niente complicazioni, questo è il piano. Sta andando tutto bene… finché non scopre che il suo primo amore è tornato a casa. Lui pensa che non sia un grosso problema, ma un incontro casuale con i due adorabili figli di Mitch Thayer lo mette proprio sulla strada dell’unico uomo che non è mai riuscito a togliersi dalla testa.

Mitch è tornato per tre ragioni: crescere i figli dove è cresciuto lui, trasferire la sua ditta di mobili e farla prosperare, e riconquistare Hagen. Anni di distanza hanno reso chiaro che il ragazzo che ha amato al liceo è l’unico che conta per lui. Qual è il problema? Da quando lui ha lasciato la città, non si sono più parlati.

Se vuole che Hagen si fidi di nuovo di lui, Mitch gli deve dimostrare che è maturato e che stavolta non intende mollare. Potrebbero avere un’altra occasione per amarsi, ma Hagen non vuole sentire ragioni: non intende ricominciare una relazione con Mitch. Però… non si sa mai.

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Suite de Des fraises en dessert
Coda, numéro hors série

Les familles devraient grandir, pas rétrécir. Jon Kechter y pense depuis qu’il a épousé son amant millionnaire, Cole Fenton. Dans l’espoir d’adopter, Jon et Cole cherchent une future mère qui leur confierait son bébé, mais l’interminable attente leur pèse à tous les deux.

Jon est proche de son père, George, mais avant Cole, il n’avait personne d’autre. Désormais, George pousse Cole à se réconcilier avec sa mère. Lorsque tous les trois passent Noël avec elle à Munich, les conséquences sont désastreuses. Jon et Cole décident de rester optimistes, mais il n’y a pas d’espoir sans un peu de peur. Jon et Cole ne peuvent pas s’empêcher de se demander si leur rêve d’être parents se réalisera un jour.

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Buch 1 in der Serie - Collars & Cuffs

Seit dem Tod seines Lebensgefährten und Sub vor zwei Jahren hat Leo nicht mehr gelebt – nur noch existiert. Er konzentriert sich darauf, das *Collars&Cuffs*, einen BDSM-Club im Schwulenviertel von Manchester, erfolgreich zu machen. Das ändert sich eines Abends, als er und sein Geschäftspartner sich zu ihrer wöchentlichen Besprechung im Severino’s treffen. Leo kann die Augen nicht von dem neuen Kellner lassen. Der schüchterne Mann scheint entschlossen, Leos Blick zu meiden, doch das ist wie ein rotes Tuch für einen Stier. Leo liebt Herausforderungen. 

Alex Daniels kellnert im Severino’s, um das Geld für eine eigene Wohnung zusammenzukratzen. Er tut sich schwer damit, sich zu outen, doch er fühlt sich zu Leo hingezogen, dem umwerfend gutaussehenden Mann mit den eisig-blauen Augen, der fast jeden Abend in seinem Bereich isst. 

Leo lässt sich Alex‘ Zögern nicht in die Quere kommen. Er hält ihn sogar vom Club fern, um ihn nicht zu erschrecken. Und Alex zu sagen, dass er ein Dom ist? Keine gute Idee. Aus einem Date werden zwei, aber Date Nummer zwei führt sie in Leos Schlafzimmer… und dazu, dass Alex Dinge über sich herausfindet, die ihm nie bewusst waren – und die er nie jemanden sehen lassen wollte. 

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William, en instance de divorce, arrive à l’Asile d'Aliénés de Jelley's Valley pour en devenir le gardien. Il a bien l’intention de faire le point sur sa vie, finir sa thèse et découvrir quel homme il peut être ; l’hétérosexualité a été un échec, mais l’homosexualité n’a jamais été une possibilité. Jusqu’à ce qu’il tombe, en faisant sa ronde, sur une boite en fer contenant des lettres ignorées du monde depuis plus d’un demi-siècle.

Elles ont été écrites par Bill, jeune homme interné soixante-dix ans plus tôt, à une époque où l’homosexualité est une maladie qui doit être soignée par tous les moyens. De lettre en lettre, William découvre Bill, sa force, son courage, ses épreuves. De ces témoignages et sa rencontre avec Colby, gay, lumineux, ouvert et profondément gentil, il tire la force de faire la paix avec lui-même.

Le bonheur semble enfin à portée de main. Ils doivent simplement se laisser une chance.

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A Links In the Chain Story

Lincoln Merriweather was born an entitled brat with a silver spoon lodged so deep, it might never have come out. At the BDSM club or in business, Lincoln was a storm, blowing in and disrupting the lives of everyone he touched, until the day he met a man who peeled away the tarnished layers to expose a decent person.

Lincoln found—then lost—love. 

Since then, he’s tried to atone for his past, including walking away from his family’s wealth. He opened a diner, hiring people to work for him that he would have spit on before his epiphany. He’s found peace, which he’s about to lose to a hazel-eyed man.

Noel Simmons wound up on the street when his parents discovered he was gay. His path leads him to Lincoln’s diner, where he asks for a job. He’s thrilled when Lincoln agrees to hire him, but finds his new boss perplexing. Can anyone be this kind and decent?

What starts out as business becomes something more. Noel discovers he needs Lincoln in order to feel safe. Lincoln needs Noel to complete him. But when Lincoln’s past gets in the way of his present, will the two have a future?

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A Hearts Entwined Novel

An accident crushed Duncan’s Olympic dreams and landed him in a chair, but he knows it’s time to get his life back on track—and he has a plan in mind. Working with his friend Todd, an Olympic skeleton racer, on a promotional campaign will not only help Duncan regain some direction, but it’ll give Todd the financial boost he desperately needs. The sport Todd loves is draining his resources—so much so that he’s thinking of giving up racing just to make ends meet.

As the two men work together, their friendship blossoms into much more, and suddenly the future is looking brighter than it has in a long time. But just when love, happiness, and success seem within their grasp, the USOC steps in with plans to stop their campaign. That’ll mean an end not just to Duncan’s business, but to Todd’s dreams… and Duncan isn’t about to let that happen to the man who means everything to him.

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A Balls to the Wall Romance

Renowned artist Rodney Mansfield stands five foot six, has pink hair, six earrings, a black belt in karate—and a desperate yearning for firefighter Hunter Fallon. But Rod, the Runtback of Notre Dame, knows he’ll never land the beautiful “straight gay” guy, so Rod musters his altruism and helps his more masculine friend Jerry attract Hunter. As if a broken heart wasn’t enough, Rod saves Hunter from a firehouse homophobe—humiliating Hunter in front of his dad!

Hunter lives a dream life—his father’s dream. While he’d like to teach literature in college, read poetry in the sun, and find a strong guy to top him, he fights fires for his dad. Hunter hates flamboyant guys like Rodney. So why can’t he resist him? Maybe it’s time to admit this is one flame he has no desire to put out.

2nd Edition
First Edition published by Etopia Press, 2012.

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