Novellas

Fortsetzung zu Der Einbruch in der Royal Street
Buch 2 in der Serie - Die Spürnasen

Halloween ist Beau Bissonets Lieblingsfeiertag, dazu gehört das Aushöhlen von Kürbissen ebenso wie die Dekorationen in seinem Vorgarten und er liebt es, sich in ein Kostüm zu werfen und die Nachbarskinder zu erschrecken. Aber in diesem Jahr nimmt sein Halloween eine andere Wendung; eine, die seine Fähigkeiten als Detektiv und seine Hingabe zu seinem Partner bei der Arbeit und in der Liebe herausfordern wird.

Seit Beau und Tollison vor einem Jahr den Einbruch in der Royal Street gelöst, Liebe gefunden und Bissonet & Cruz gegründet haben, läuft es privat und beruflich gut. Bis Tollisons Ex-Freund, Bastien Andros, aus heiterem Himmel auftaucht. Natürlich ist Beau misstrauisch, aber zwei Tage nach Bastiens Ankunft verschwindet dieser spurlos und Tollison sorgt sich, dass seine Vergangenheit ihn einholen könnte.

Ein mysteriöses Paket zeigt deutlich, wer Bastien entführt hat und was auf dem Spiel steht. Sowohl Bastiens als auch Beaus Leben sind in Gefahr und Tollison hat nur eine Möglichkeit: Er muss nach Zürich in die Schweiz reisen, um das Lösegeld zu beschaffen und abzuliefern, beide Männer außer Gefahr zu bringen und gleichzeitig sich selbst treu zu bleiben.

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Dass Carson Cress ihn nach einem Date fragt, ist so ziemlich das Letzte, womit Vincent Wade gerechnet hätte. Vince ist ein ehrgeiziger Biologiestudent und eher ein Einzelgänger. Quarterback Carson ist ein Superstar und lebt unter ständiger Beobachtung der Öffentlichkeit. Das kann auf keinen Fall funktionieren. Aber Vince muss feststellen, dass manchmal einfach jemand in dein Leben gewalzt kommt und dich auf eine wilde Achterbahnfahrt der Gefühle mitnimmt, und du dich entweder gut festhältst oder dein Herz dabei verlierst.

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Dane McCormick’s job negotiating leases and building out furnished office suites takes him all over the country. He stays until the job is done—and then he moves on. As satisfying as the job is, it leaves him no place to call home and no chance to build a personal life. After arriving in Greenville, South Carolina, for a job, a severe stomach virus knocks Dane for a loop. He finds a local urgent care clinic… and a tall, dark, and handsome doctor who goes well above and beyond his duties to treat Dane. The doctor’s bedside manner makes Dane forget all about his stomach flu.

Carter Baldridge has dedicated his life to caring for others. Since graduating from medical school, he has spent all his time and energy building his urgent care business. But the morning he steps into his examining room and sees Dane McCormick on the table, he realizes it might be time to devote some attention to a part of life he has neglected. The spark is there, but so is a major obstacle in the form of Dane’s peripatetic lifestyle and a bad experience in Carter’s past. Both have to decide if the risk is worth the reward.

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Ned Balding used to be a decent man—until the stress of seemingly countless responsibilities changes him, and he becomes cold and driven—the kind of man who considers firing an employee days before Christmas. The kind of man who kicks a dog…. But Ned’s transgressions haven’t gone unseen. A Salvation Army Santa witnesses his misdeeds and decides Ned needs to be taught a lesson.

When Ned wakes up the next morning, he’s stunned to discover he’s been transformed into a dog.

In the past year, Jake Carrara has lost his mother, a lover… even his dog. His boss came close to firing him just before the holidays. He isn’t sure he’s ready for another pet when he’s asked to foster a dog, but Jake’s good heart won’t let him refuse. Little does he know, this isn’t just any dog.

Through a twist of fate, two people with little reason to be friends might teach each other to rediscover the good—and the love—in life.

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Texas native Colt Burrow isn’t happy about his third cold, lonely Christmas in frozen Michigan. But when fate sends him a gift in the form of an abandoned puppy, he can’t keep his heart from melting. With the puppy’s companionship, he doesn’t feel so isolated anymore, and the holidays don’t seem as bleak. He even finds enough Christmas spirit to take Roger tree shopping. But just when Colt’s starting to hope Roger’s owner doesn’t show up… he does, and Colt doesn’t want to say goodbye.

Will Roger end up being Colt’s Christmas heartbreak… or his Christmas miracle?

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Sometimes the best day of your life is the one you never saw coming.

Joe Cohen has devoted the past two years of his life to one thing: the care and feeding of Kade Bosa. His partner in their PI business, roommate, and best friend, Kade is everything to Joe, even if their relationship falls short of what Joe desires most. But he won’t push. Kade has suffered a rough road, and Joe’s pretty sure he’s the only thing holding Kade together.

Estranged from his own family, Joe knows the value of desperately holding on to someone dear, but he never expected his present and past to collide just as Kade’s is doing the same. Now they’ve stumbled across evidence that could change their lives: the impact of Kade’s tragic past, their job partnership, and any future Joe might allow himself to wish for….

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Bobby and Paolo’s Holiday Stories: Book Two

Back in America after finding “A Home for the Holidays” and each other in Capri, new couple Bobby McGrath and Paolo Mascobello are ready to tie the knot during the winter holidays. Their families, friends, and pastor offer more advice than sages on speed. So, young lawyer Bobby and fashion designer Paolo are caught in the matrimonial holiday circus. Will a shocking turn of events somehow lead to the perfect wedding for the December grooms?

The following Christmas, Bobby and Paolo aren’t feeling the holiday spirit. They have a nice apartment, designer clothes, entertaining and supportive friends and family, but little time for each other. While out shopping in their quaint local holiday village, Bobby and Paolo encounter Gregory, an adorable seven-year-old who changes their lives forever, offering them a true holiday miracle… if they’re willing to accept it.

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La guerre des moteurs, numéro hors série

Meilleurs amis depuis l'adolescence, Ward Kent et Dean Zimmerman travaillent ensemble au garage de Reggie, où l'émission de télé-réalité *La Guerre des Moteurs* est tournée. Dans sa vie privée, Dean est un coureur de jupons notoire, et de son point de vue, Ward est le meilleur copilote qui soit. Ce qu'il ignore, c'est que Ward est bien plus intéressé par ces messieurs que par mesdames.

Puis le petit frère de Dean, Ash, vient travailler au garage. Ash a peut-être sept ans de moins qu'eux, mais il a le béguin pour Ward depuis des années et il n'a pas peur de montrer ce qu'il veut.

Admettre que son meilleur ami et son frère sont gays est une chose. Mais les voir ensemble ? C'est un peu trop à encaisser pour Dean, qui s'apprête à forcer Ward à prendre une décision : perdre son meilleur ami *et* son travail, ou rompre avec Ash pour toujours.

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A Ranger Station Haven Christmas Novella

Park rangers  Carter and Owen Williams have decided to expand their family and adopt two brothers—boys they rescued a year before when they tried to escape the foster system and flee to Canada. After completing their parenting classes, Carter, a reserved man who enjoys the simple life, swears he’ll be the best father possible. His patience is tested, however, when one brother adopts a cat out of the snowy Voyageurs National Park and the other brother refuses to talk about what’s bothering him.

Owen wants to make sure their first Christmas together is a special one, and he decides all of December should be a celebration. He has an activity planned for each of the thirty-one days, but none of them seem to go off without a hitch. The cat has fleas, the boys need to attend a court hearing, and Carter is more than a little overwhelmed.

But Carter is 100 percent determined to make his new family work. He just has no idea how….

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A Before… and After Story

At what point are differences irreparable?

Tom McAllister and Nick Corwin have always had a comfortable friendship, even though Nick is a Native American webcomic artist and Tom’s father is a rigid Christian. But they’re about to discover growing up means more challenges than choosing a college major. It might mean making decisions that change pivotal relationships—or sever them.

When a bully confronts Tom and Nick and a dark, unsettling aspect of Tom emerges, Nick is shaken enough to end their friendship. As both young men struggle to balance their own dreams with the expectations of their families—both in terms of career and faith—they recognize the emptiness that parting ways has left in their lives. But when reconciliation leads to confessions that might mean something more than friendship between them, will it make their path easier to navigate or more difficult?

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Ein Titel der Krieg der Werkstätten Serie

Was ist schon ‚normal‘?

Als Brandon Kenner in Kasey Ralstons Werkstatt mit einer 1970er Chevelle SS 454 auftaucht, ist Kasey von beidem, Mann und Auto, hin und weg. Aber Kasey birgt ein peinliches Geheimnis: Seine Liebe für alte Muscle-Cars geht wesentlich tiefer als das, was als normal gilt. Sein unüblicher Fetisch hat Kasey isoliert — entfremdet von seiner Familie und von seinen Kollegen sogar noch mehr.

Aber als Brandon das Geheimnis des heißen Mechanikers herausfindet, ist er nicht abgeschreckt. Genaugenommen findet er Kasey faszinierend und hat sich vorgenommen, ihn für sich zu gewinnen.

Alles an Brandon bringt Kaseys Motor in Fahrt und er ist mehr als nur bereit, mit dem charmanten Mann in die Kiste, oder besser gesagt ins Auto, zu springen. Was Kasey jedoch fürchtet ist, was hinterher passieren wird. Gibt es irgendeine Chance auf eine Zukunft für die beiden? In der Vergangenheit hat die Erwartung an etwas Langfristigem immer zu einem gebrochenen Herzen geführt.  Aber Kasey kann nicht anders, als zu hoffen, dass trotz seines Fetisches Brandon die Ausnahme sein wird.

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Da tutta la vita Bryan ama perdersi in un mondo di fantasie western. Nella speranza di attirare l’attenzione di un vero cowboy, ogni volta che va nel suo locale preferito, si veste in un modo che induce perfino il suo coinquilino a chiamarlo “drag cowboy”. Quando Curtis gli offre una birra, però, Bryan non ha dubbi sul fatto che l’uomo sia un esemplare di quelli autentici. Ma riusciranno i due a spingersi oltre una notte di sesso incredibile dopo che Bryan avrà svelato a Curtis che l’unico cavallo che abbia mai cavalcato è un pony a una festa di compleanno?

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Pierce Atwater used to think he was a knight in shining armor, but then his life fell to crap. Now he has no job, no wife, no life—and is so full of self-pity he can’t even be decent to the one family member he’s still speaking to. He heads for Florida, where he’s got a month to pull his head out of his ass before he ruins his little sister’s Christmas. 

Harold Justice Lombard the Fifth is at his own crossroads—he can keep being Hal, massage therapist in training, flamboyant and irrepressible to the bones, or he can let his parents rule his life. Hal takes one look at Pierce and decides they’re fellow unicorns out to make the world a better place. Pierce can’t reject Hal’s overtures of friendship, in spite of his misgivings about being too old and too pissed off to make a good friend. 

As they experience everything from existential Looney Tunes to eternal trips to Target, Pierce becomes more dependent on Hal’s optimism to get him through the day. When Hal starts getting him through the nights too, Pierce must look inside for the knight he used to be—before Christmas becomes a doomsday deadline of heartbreak instead of a celebration of love.

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Christmas has been a lonely time of year for Aaron since losing his family fifteen years ago. But now he’s seeing Craig, and though Aaron is sure they belong together, both have been hurt in the past, so they’re taking things slowly. So far, Craig has been supportive of Aaron’s struggles with anxiety—struggles that cost Aaron relationships in the past.

On Christmas Eve, Aaron is closing his bookshop when Craig surprises him with a specially planned evening. Will this be the night they take that final step and deepen their physical relationship? Aaron hopes so, but things aren’t that simple. Craig has been keeping a secret…. Can Aaron take his place as part of a family again and accept the love he’s missed for so long—or will he find that some deceptions are too big to be forgiven, even with the help of some Christmas grace?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar "Stocking Stuffers."

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Dear Ruth,

I’m not in the mood for Christmas. After a romantic relationship went up in flames, I returned to my hometown in rural Kansas. Then my mother passed away. I’m really busy with my job as fire marshal—and now with my mother’s advice column, which I reluctantly took over. There’s a sexy newcomer down the street, a guy with a young daughter and an unfortunate disregard for fire safety. He seems to want to be friends, but that creates problems that may be too hot for me to handle. The last things I need right now are flammable holiday decorations and too much holiday food. How am I supposed to give good advice to others when I can’t seem to get my own life straight?

—Bah Humbug in Bailey Springs

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar "Stocking Stuffers."

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Every time it seems like things are looking up for Eugene Kraft, disaster hits. Bankruptcy, a bigoted sibling, and a back-breaking accident have all left him with little money and less faith in the universe.

His last-ditch effort at peace is the small lakeside property where he is building a tiny house from recycled materials. If he can get it livable before the cold sets in, maybe he’ll be okay. Hopefully Cullen, the foreman on the construction site next door, won’t notice Eugene pilfering discarded materials from his dumpster.

When Cullen stops by to talk to Eugene, he’s sure the gig is up—but all Cullen wants is a date. Can two things go right in Eugene’s life? At first it seems possible. Projects on Eugene’s house are getting completed by what he dubs “construction elves” while he’s off site. But like Eugene predicted, his good fortune can’t last, and soon he has a tough choice to make: give up his home… or the man of his dreams.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar "Stocking Stuffers."

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Craft store owner Grant has always been a sucker for a pretty face, and that goes double for a pretty face with an adorable sidekick. When seven-year-old Aubrey has her heart set on taking Grant’s already-full holiday craft series, he caves and gives up his one day off a week so she (and her hot guardian, Josh) can take private lessons. Their flirting ramps up week after week, and even though Josh isn’t with Aubrey’s mother, Grant can’t be sure the man isn’t straight. Maybe he’s just being friendly. And Josh, who most definitely is not straight, is afraid of being the creepy guy hitting on the teacher.

Frustrated by their stubbornness and cluelessness, Aubrey takes matters into her own hands. She decides the best gift to give Josh is something homemade and from the heart—a boyfriend they’ll both love.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar "Stocking Stuffers."

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Coda, numéro hors série
Suite de La lettre Z

Zach Mitchell et son amant Angelo Green sont en route pour Paris – en compagnie de leurs amis de Coda Matt et Jared – afin d’assister au mariage de Jon et Cole. Matt devra faire face à l’ex-amant de Jared et Angelo devra passer toute une semaine avec l’ex-petit ami de Zach. Entre la jalousie de Matt et le mauvais caractère d’Angelo, Zach se dit qu’ils auront de la chance qu’ils passent la semaine sans que l’un des fiancés se retrouve avec un bon œil au beurre noir. Mais très vite, Zach se rend compte qu’il devrait moins s’inquiéter d’Angelo et plus de lui-même. Affronter ses souvenirs doux-amers et son sentiment de culpabilité d’avoir brisé le cœur de Jon est plus difficile que prévu. Mais s’il veut un avenir avec Angelo, Zach devra trouver le moyen de surmonter son passé.

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