Books Tagged With who - occupation - small business owner

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Cary Lederman reads a lot more these days, ever since he discovered the Playground, a great LGBTQ bookstore with an intriguing young owner. He only ducked in to get out of the rain the first time, but now along with his new reading habit he has someone to watch. Or watch over. Benjamin Harrison is starting over after tragedy changes his life in Texas and becomes too much to bear. In Boston, he pours his heart and soul into his bookstore and the sparkly, comfortable apartment above it. When his deal to rent part of his store as a coffee shop falls through, though, Benjamin isn’t sure how much longer his dream will last. Cary impulsively offers to fund and run the coffee shop because he knows he’s found exactly what he desires, mainly in Benjamin. The boy is all jangled nerves and confusion, and Cary loves to be the kind of Daddy who gives his boy guidance as well as showering him with love. Will Cary be just the kind of man Benjamin needs and never knew how to ask for?

Word Count: Click here to reveal25,056 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Transgender, Genderfluid (Click here to hide)

Summary: PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Two half-snake men, one a green anaconda and one a brown python, sit coiled together on rocks with their eyes half-lidded. The anaconda is sitting higher than the python. The python man is holding the anaconda man at the waist, and one hand lower on the scaly lower half. He has a tattoo on his upper right arm. The anaconda man is holding the python man’s face, while he looks down with tenderness. He has a tattoo on his left shoulder. See the photo here STORY LETTER: Dear Author, That dark-headed man, who is looking up at his lover, is me. We have been through a lot of heartache and trials, but we have finally made our relationship permanent. As two different types of snake shifters, we had to overcome some major obstacles. Our families put us through a lot of headaches trying to keep us part, but we overcame it all. Can you tell us how we managed to overcome those differences and our families to get us to where we are now, happy and so deeply in love? Triggers: rape, incest Sincerely, Ashley STORY INFO: Genre: paranormal Tags: snake shifters, shifters non-wolf-cat, angels/demons/gods, mythology, magic, corporate espionage, reunited, soulmates/bonded Word Count: 25,056

Word Count: Click here to reveal83000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Transgender (Click here to hide)

Summary: Ghost wards are failing. Mediums are vanishing. Someone—or something—is stirring up the ghosts of Toronto. It’s up to psychic medium Harlan Brand to find out why. After defeating a serial killer who could control ghosts, psychic medium Harlan Brand is feeling much more confident in his abilities working for the Toronto Police Service with his partner, Hamilton, as they protect the city from dangerous spirits. He is expanding his social circle, however reluctantly, to include the other police mediums and Morgan Vermeer, another graduate from the Centre—a school for training psychic children. Harlan and his boyfriend, Charles Moore, are continuing to explore BDSM, their relationship and Charles’ strange ability to shield people from ghosts. Hoping to find answers about Charles’ power and the serial killer, Harlan returns to the Centre only to find that one of its ghost wards—magical symbols that spirits can’t cross—is broken, and it’s a mystery as to how and why. The calm and order that Harlan has been building up in his life are shattered when wards start failing across the city and mediums begin to disappear, including one of his new friends and a student from the Centre. Someone—or something—is stirring up the ghosts of Toronto.   Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of violence and murder. It is best read as part of a series.

Word Count: Click here to reveal62000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Knitting. Ice Cream. And a Matchmaking Fae. Quiet, industrious Finn dreams of his own knitting store. He needs Leo’s enthusiasm to make him reach for what he wants. Cheerful, adventurous Leo sells artisan ice cream but shies away from fulfilling his grandmother’s last wish. He needs Finn’s love and support to put his past to rest for good. Add a Saxon treasure, a fae stranded in the human world, and an empty store with very unusual rental terms - and falling in love is not the only challenge Finn and Leo have to face. Making a dream come true takes work. But there's magic in dreams if Finn and Leo can hold on tight. *** Tags: I'm only here for socks and ice cream. Sometimes you just click with another guy even if you're opposites. I look at you and know what I'll be knitting. How to share a house with someone you've just met. Utensils don't sparkle, right? Grandmas rock. Making a deal with a burglar. Roisin is a decorating wiz and Finn worries about antique furniture. If you don't talk to me, I can't help you. Finding treasure at inopportune moments. And yes, there's a happy ending.

Word Count: Click here to reveal60000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Justin Warfield ran away to Italy to put the events of last summer and a certain dark-haired private eye behind him, to no avail. If anything, he can’t help but rehash what happened over and over. When he finally returns to South Carolina, the hotel he runs with his brother has suffered a series of incidents that are starting to look less accidental after a death threat is received. Not satisfied that Moses Lee and his local police will find the culprit, Peter Warfield calls in the services of his good friend Marcus Drummond to help. Marcus is torn. He wants to help his friend, but he also knows that if Justin has moved on after their failed flirtation last summer, he will be devastated. Tensions mount as danger seems to follow them at every turn, stalking them as they get closer to solving the mystery of who is behind the sabotage of the hotel.

Word Count: Click here to reveal38172 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The Knights are collecting blood types, and they have Jay in their crosshairs. Diego is a coyote shifter living in Mexico City. He co-owns a tourist business with his best friend and enjoys his independence. Unfortunately, his parents are unable to look beyond his deafness and are convinced he is in need of care, regardless of his many achievements. And when his pack receives a special assignment from their master shifter, one concerning the Knights of the Dawn—an organization bent on the eradication of shifters—he’s determined to stand on his own and help, rather than let his parents hide him away. Jay is an army veteran, and after reacclimating to civilian life, he takes his family’s advice and travels for a vacation. Hoping to hook up with someone to break his celibacy, he meets a beautiful man in a bar named Diego. Having two deaf sisters makes communication between them easy since Diego also knows ASL. Their chemistry is explosive, and Jay can’t believe his luck. But their mutual bliss is shattered when Jay is hunted and attacked by knights. They don’t appear to want to kill him… they just want his blood. Diego must put everything on the line to keep Jay, and his pack, safe, and hope that their burgeoning relationship can hold strong in the face of the coming storm.

Word Count: Click here to reveal30,000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Join bestselling author Dahlia Donovan on a cosy mystery adventure in Grasmere Cottage Mystery book one. With love, wit, and a murder to solve, life for Valor and Bishan is about to get bloomin' complicated in this sweet gay romance. Dead body in the garden? Check. Mystery to solve? Check. Police focused on the wrong person? Not good. All grown up and graduated, Valor Tarquin Scott, son to Earl and Countess Scott, owns The Ginger’s Bread, a biscuit shop, in Grasmere in the Lake District. The love of his life, Bishan Tamboli, has turned his music studies into a successful career playing with the London Symphony Orchestra. It’s a perfect life with their cat, spending evenings watching Poirot on the television. The nightmare begins with one dead former schoolmate, leading police to believe Bishan is responsible. Valor struggles to solve the cryptic puzzles left behind in a race to prove Bishan’s innocence. He can’t help wondering how far the body count will rise before they manage to stop the killer.

Word Count: Click here to reveal27400 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Dread takes what he wants, even if that means breaking every rule, pushing anyone in the way aside… Dread: Nicholas “Dread” Derickson is all about his MC, Scorned Devils -- until he spies a youngster who sets his rebel blood on fire. Sexy bastard might be his undoing if Dread can’t get the president to turn a blind eye to his entanglement, which is cutting into club business just as a splinter group from another club moves into the area. One rider of the wayward gang rubs Dread the wrong way -- particularly when he discovers the biker had a prior relationship with the man Dread wants to make his. Marvin: Marvin Branch hadn’t planned on attending an outlaw biker club party with a woman he’d met at his new job, but now he can’t stop eyeing the handsome older guy who’s definitely a member. Marv’s last liaison ended because the biker he hooked up with refused to be open about their relationship. Vowing not to go down that road again, Marv can’t help being enthralled by Nicholas. Soon Marvin struggles with his new lover’s actions and his fear of what will happen when he walks away gets the better of him. The man is not only possessive, he’s hell-bent on keeping Marv until he’s had his fill.

Word Count: Click here to reveal37000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealDemisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The fire might have the last say and be the thing that tears them apart… Callum Roger’s friendship with his boss, Trent Masterton, has shifted into something more—something unexpected and charged with simmering sexual tension. Acknowledging his true feelings is life-changing, but Callum finally gathers the courage to make his move. Trent is no stranger to loss, but it now looks as if his dreams might come true. The man he thought was out of reach is now within his grasp, and the future suddenly seems brighter than ever. But fate has other plans. A raging bushfire sweeps through the mountains, threatening to destroy everything Trent holds dear—his home, his business, and the budding romance with Callum. In the aftermath of the fire, amidst the devastation, Trent and Callum draw strength from each other. Determined to rebuild their lives, they also begin to explore their feelings. But as they strive to create a new beginning, the lingering effects of the fire loom over them, threatening to tear them apart just as they’ve found each other. Facing the Heat is a story of love's resilience in the face of natural disaster. It has themes of hurt/comfort, second chances, demisexuality, spicy first times, and the close-knit dynamics of a small town. Inspired by a short story contribution to a charity anthology, When The Smoke Clears, this is a significantly expanded 36k word book, and contains predominantly unique content.

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Questioning (Click here to hide)

Summary: In a town where a vampire's bite is the hottest drug on the market, one user gets more than they pay for when a feeding turns deadly. Tobias has loved Lucie for as long as he's known the owner of the bookstore he works at, and she seems to like him too. There's a problem, though. It turns out his boss has a boyfriend--a vampire that bites for pay. What starts out as a friendship between the three grows into something infinitely more complicated when Tobias becomes the latest victim of another local vampire. 25 page Novella  

Word Count: Click here to reveal50,730 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Pansexual (Click here to hide)

Summary: Agent Pan has spent most of his adult life protecting shapeshifters from the Knights—an organization bent on their annihilation—and keeping the secret war in the shadows where it belongs. But the Knights are growing bolder, and a new threat has resurfaced after being buried in the ocean for centuries. An ancient scroll, a key to a devastating weapon, is now in the hands of a recalcitrant Russian hawk shifter named Viktor. As a bird shifter, he knows his duty is to protect the scroll, but he wants nothing to do with the war. He leads a quiet life and wants to keep it that way. But when agents come knocking on his door, he finds it difficult to resist the charms of Agent Pan, especially since this isn’t their first meeting. Three years earlier they spent a passionate weekend together, neither aware of the other’s true identity. Viktor never really got over Pan. Now with sexual tension at its peak, they must learn to trust each other and work as a team to protect not only their loved ones, but every shifter in the world. Second Edition with revised text.

Word Count: Click here to reveal230,861 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The tiny Sierra Nevada community of Stone Acres looks benign on the outside, but it’s been a hive of activity since gay men from Silicon Valley began moving in. The Old Town establishment is up in arms as newcomers challenge the conservative community to move into the new millennium. Along the way, gay couples find true love and a new home. Contains the stories: What’s in a Name?: When barista Jimmy is dumped and gets drunk on his 30th birthday, a handsome, hunky bartender takes care of him, but is mum about his real name. When Jimmy presses him, the bartender makes the quest a game, giving him seven guesses and promising romance each night. For every wrong guess, Jimmy has to forfeit a hot, sexy kiss. Sounds good, but what’s the catch? Redesigning Max: Out and proud award-winning designer Fredi Zimmer takes on straight outdoorsman Max Greene’s cabin renovation. When he finds out Max is closeted and wants to come out, Fredi helps Max remodel not only his cabin but his life. Angered that Fredi has turned him, Max’s former friends intervene. Will Fredi and Max win the fight for their happiness? Behr Facts: After CEO Abe Behr discovers discrepancies in his construction company accounts, he hires CPA Jeff Mason to help him find the embezzler. Searching for the culprit, they become closer, and Abe realizes he’s gay. However, coming out to a hostile family and community may break up the couple before they cement their happiness. With so much strife, will love prevail? When Adam Fell: Jason’s drug addiction ripped them apart. Does Adam want to get back together now that his former lover says he’s clean? Relative Best: When hotel owner Zeke Bandy meets Vic Longbow, he sees stars. But Vic is in town to attend a wedding and to open an office, not to fall in love. Are they doomed as lovers because they’re both too busy for happily ever after? Frank at Heart: What will it take to make hardware store owner Frank update himself and his store? Could the new man in town be the key to unlock Frank’s life and future happiness? Waking the Behr: Ladies’ man and small town contractor Ben Behr is blindsided by his lustful feelings for San Francisco entrepreneur Mitch O’Shea. Can a country mouse and a city mouse bridge the gap in their upbringing and expectations to find love? Short Order: Amid the happiness of the Christmas season, horticulturist Fen Miller and his landlord sous chef John Barton have some serious decisions to make. Fen must decide on a career and John on eluding his grim past. Together can they support each other enough to discover their happily ever after?

Word Count: Click here to reveal30,228 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Everything about thirty-five-year-old Stone Acres hardware store owner Frank McCord is old-fashioned -- from his bow tie and overalls to the way he happily makes house calls. He dreams of lasting romance, true love, and marriage. Frank’s ancestors have run the store and been mainstays in the small California town for over a century. While genial Frank upholds tradition and earns the respect of friends and neighbors, he fears he’s too dull and old to attract a husband. Maybe it’s time to break out of his mold. Then handsome thirty-six-year-old electronic games designer Christopher Darling and his fifteen-year-old son, Henry, come into his life. Christopher has everything Frank could want in a potential partner: charm, kindness, and compatibility. Also, he’s a terrific father to Henry. When their Stone Acres home turns out to be uninhabitable, Frank offers the Darlings temporary lodging in his ancestral farmhouse, where he and his tenant Emil reside. Since Emil thinks Frank is his, sparks fly. Suddenly, Frank’s monotonous life promises to explode with love and change him forever.

Rainbow Award Honorable Mention book.

Word Count: Click here to reveal40020 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: A Frost spirit who runs a coffee shop. A Cupid who works as a divorce lawyer. And magic in the air ... Raine’s never been a conventional Cupid. He likes organization, his job as a successful lawyer, and plain black coffee, and he dislikes messiness, physical and emotional. He tries hard not to use his powers, and he’s not planning to fall in love -- after all, he wouldn’t trust it if someone fell in love with him. But the owner of Raine’s favorite coffee shop just might challenge Raine’s resolutions. Don enjoys his life. Even though he’s a Frost, he finds comfort in giving people warmth: good coffee, a cozy refuge from the rain, holiday decorations, and overall cheer. But one gorgeous Cupid seems immune to Don’s cheerfulness -- and he keeps coming back, day after day. Fortunately, Don’s always liked a challenge...

Word Count: Click here to reveal69000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: When he broke off his engagement to his team captain’s brother the day before their wedding, Jamie Jamieson swore he’d never get involved with anyone associated with a teammate again. Getting traded to the Orcas is a chance at a fresh start, but one glance at his new housemate, and Jamie knows he’s in way over his head. Dorian is his new coach’s cousin. And his team’s social media coordinator. And his housemate. It’s the trifecta of bad ideas. Dorian Shore doesn’t do hockey. He’s lived by that rule for years, ever since a season playing as a kid left him with emotional scars. But his new housemate—a big, buff, beautiful athlete who gets under his skin—makes him seriously consider doing a hockey player. It’s not a good idea. They live together. They work together. When the sparks between them ignite, will it be game on or game over?

Word Count: Click here to reveal58000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: For years, Mik has wanted nothing more than to put coal in Rudy Snow's stocking. As former pro hockey players, they’ve been rivals for years. It started in Mik’s rookie season, when a reporter pitted him against his older brother's best friend. Rudy pushes Mik’s buttons like no one else, going out of his way to one-up him at every turn. Now they manage pubs in a small town that takes Christmas to a level best seen in Hallmark movies, but not much else has changed. They’re still rivals, this time pitting gingerbread martinis against pomegranate sangria. But when they’re forced to work together to plan a special holiday party, sparks ignite. Maybe it's a bad idea to put coal in Rudy's stocking after all. They both might just catch fire. Then again, what better way is there to stay warm on a cold winter's night? Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.

Word Count: Click here to reveal12800 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: One snowy evening, a car wreck in front of his toy store triggers terrible memories for Jake. Suddenly, he is in the midst of another winter storm—and another accident, one that not everyone walked away from. When he returns to the present, Jake is on the ground, being watched over by a guardian angel in the form of a kind man named Eli. Eli is no stranger to panic attacks and PTSD, and he’s happy to help Jake get home—where the weather forces him to remain for the night. For Jake, it could be the first step toward a life free from fear and loneliness. This is a second edition. No significant changes have been made from the first edition.

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Peter Marshall has had enough of working for Parks and Rec when he comes across an opening for a real carpentry job and decides to give it a go. Building things is his passion, so even though the shop seems a little out there, and the owner seems pretty grumpy, Peter decides to go for it. Brandon McPhail wishes he didn’t have to hire a new carpenter, but his current one is going out on maternity leave. He’s especially wary of this kid who can’t possibly be old enough to spell BDSM, let alone know what the lifestyle means. But Peter impresses Brandon with both his talent and his tenacity, so Brandon hires him on, reminding himself that he’s in a wheelchair due to his MS, he had a terrible experience in his last relationship, and despite how clueless Peter is about the lifestyle, he’s not interested in taking on another sub. The chemistry between them is undeniable, though, and it’s not long before they’re exploring what they can learn from each other. Peter is a natural at fulfilling Brandon’s needs, and Brandon thinks he’s teaching Peter everything he’s eager to learn, but when danger threatens, they have to help their friends through it while trying to navigate their new relationship. Can they forge bonds strong enough to bind them together for life? Note to readers: Each book in this series is a true standalone, so don't be confused when you discover that Hide Bound takes place before Just Dex in the "timeline". That was deliberate, and you don't need to have read one to read the other.

Word Count: Click here to reveal62083 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Bells ring and choirs sing. People bustle with happiness and joy. Calories pile up while everyone gathers to chat with friends and relatives. What’s more exciting than all the holidays in December? But sometimes we need a break from the expectations and the wonderment. A great way to revive our spirits is by reading a story to ground us in the true meaning of the season. This collection features four stories infused with happiness, love, and joy. From a small business owner discovering his first fruitcake and a homeless man finding a permanent home to a blacksmith’s wish to propose to his childhood friend and a gay man relocating to a small town, each story is a journey of self-discovery leading to happily ever after. Contains the stories: Blame It on the Fruitcake: Motorcycle shop owner Sam McGuire falls for the fruitcake his loft neighbor’s grandma makes as well as the man himself. But will handsome, educated, personable Jay Merriweather be attracted to a grease jockey like Sam? The Orpheum Miracle: The son of crack addicts who abandoned him as a child, Mick has found refuge in the historic Orpheum Theater. But when the new owner takes over, will Mick be pushed out on the street or taken into the owner’s heart? Making the Holidays Happy Again: Butch has been manning the forge in Old Town and fantasizing over his best friend Jimmy since they were in high school. Does Jimmy feel the same way about Butch? Does Butch want to push their friendship and find out? Heart of the Holidays: When Silicon Valley programmer Dan Lassiter moves to a small California town, he doesn’t expect to find love. After Rick Reardon opens his bakery across the street, Dan may change his mind.

Word Count: Click here to reveal94000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Dare Buckley has come home—or at least, he’s come back to Palladian, the small town he left as a teenager. After a major lapse in judgment forced him to resign from the Seattle PD, Palladian is the only place that’ll hire him. There’s one benefit to hitting rock bottom, though: the chance to investigate the mystery of his father’s suicide. He also gets to reacquaint himself with Finn Fowler, whose childhood hero worship ended in uncomfortable silence when Dare moved away. But Finn isn’t the same little kid Dare once protected. He’s grown into an attractive, enigmatic stranger who neither wants nor needs what Dare has to offer. In fact, Dare soon realizes that Finn is keeping secrets—his own and the town’s. And he doesn’t seem to care that Dare needs answers. The atmosphere in Palladian, like its namesake river, appears placid, but dark currents churn underneath. When danger closes in, Dare must pit his ingenuity against his heart, and find his way home the hard way.