Books Tagged With what - emotion - hope

Word Count: Click here to reveal14400 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Why is “fun” always so freaking painful? Software engineer Brent Levine has always struggled with the life part of work-life balance, but to hold on to his new job, he’ll have to embrace his employer’s dreaded “staff enrichment” events. This year’s annual ugly holiday sweater party will strain his ambition to remain inconspicuous: everyone has to wear their sweaters upside down and converted into pants—aka “swants.” At six foot eight, Brent has a hard enough time finding clothes that fit him the right way up. And while he’s an ace at coding, when it comes to handcrafts, he’s definitely at the far left end of the bell curve. Luckily he encounters seriously cute theater costumer Jonathan at the Goodwill Outlet. Jonathan offers Brent both an acceptably ugly sweater and his expertise in swants conversion. Attraction sparks on Brent’s side, but how can Jonathan be interested in a nerdy geek like him? A Swants Soiree is a short and sweet opposites-attract rom-com featuring crafting catastrophes, suggestive sweaters, and an awkward introvert who meets his extroverted match.

Word Count: Click here to reveal120100 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Two men. One sweet dream of family and forever. Gabriel “Bull” del Toro loves his fast-paced globe-trotting job, but aches for an honest relationship and the trust that comes with it. After a few too many heartbreaks, he’s nearly given up hope of finding that special someone. Until Ben. Born deaf, Ben is used to working twice as hard for what he wants, but risking a newfound friendship on an impossible dream is scary. After all, there’s one lesson he’s learned: everything is temporary—freedom, friends, even family. Neither man expects the undeniable spark between them or for every moment together to fuel that connection. For the first time, a happily ever after is within reach, but they must trust that the dream of acceptance, family, and a place to call home is more than a sweet fantasy. It can be forever. ———— A Sweet Man is an interconnected standalone within The Men of Halfway House series. It is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and never giving up on a dream. It includes wounded hearts, an age-gap romance, and enough cake and sweetness to give you a toothache.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Boone Phillips needs a girlfriend—now! If he shows up to the family reunion alone, his mother will throw every woman in sight at him. But the only “woman” Boone trusts enough to ask is Honey, the drag queen alter ego of his best friend, Rob. It’s a crazy idea, but Boone is desperate. Boone wins Rob over to the idea after first going on a “date” with him as Honey, but everything feels different once the plan is set in motion. Between nosy relatives, illegal moonshine, and the sight of Rob in white lace panties, Boone starts to wonder if he’s as straight as he thought. When an earth-shattering kiss sends Rob running, however, Boone learns some surprising things about both his family and himself. Now he needs to convince Rob to give him another chance, or his first taste of Honey might also be his last.

Word Count: Click here to reveal70000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Reed Matthews lives a quiet and structured life in the small town of Edgewood. Going on his sixth year as the principal of a Catholic high school, Reed thrives on routine, but one unplanned excursion for Chinese takeout is enough to send his meticulously-constructed world into a tailspin. After growing up in foster care, Dominic O'Halloran decided to enter seminary in his early twenties, and he's dedicated his adult life to creating space for the LGBT community. Weeks after answering the call from St. Paul's and moving to Edgewood, Dominic finds himself face-to-face with the one person he's never been able to leave in the past--his childhood best friend. Dominic and Reed find themselves entangled in decades old unresolved feelings and a complicated, new emotions. Reed is terrified of losing his soul, and Dominic is worried about losing his heart. But all it takes is one make-believe kiss for them to realize they'd throw everything away for another chance at happiness.

Word Count: Click here to reveal53000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: My name is Ezra Clarke, and I’m twenty-three. Forever. If you’re counting in vampire years, I’m actually two-hundred and eight, and if living that long has taught me anything, it’s that nothing lasts forever. And that’s been fine. It’s… whatever. I’ve never wanted anything that long, anyway, which is why I’ve never taken a mate, but that all changed when I met Declan Byrne. He’s young, handsome, and he doesn’t do what I tell him to. He smells like cinnamon and has eyes that remind me of the daytime sky. Every kiss we share feels like home, and no touch lasts long enough. I need him to be mine. And for the briefest moment he is, and life is perfect… and then it isn’t. Rogue vampires threaten to pull us apart, and complicated politics are painful reminders that a world exists beyond our privacy of our bedroom. But if anyone thinks they can keep me away from Declan, they have another thing coming. My mate and I have a thousand lifetimes to live, and we’re just getting started.

Word Count: Click here to reveal20000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Emily Williams has always felt driven to follow her dreams. Her art studies took her across the country, but she can't forget the girl she left behind. When she learns that Danica has been in a devastating car accident, she's glad to be returning home for Christmas. She has to see Danica again. Danica Swanson has tried to move on since Emily left but with limited success. The town of Myrton hasn't offered many dating prospects, but she found a job as a barista that made her happy. That was until the crash put her life in jeopardy and left her with little choice but to give up her job. Danica still misses Emily, but she has a lot to deal with as she recovers from her injuries. Meanwhile, Emily wants to give her dream of a relationship with Danica another chance. Can they find a way to rekindle their flame or have they lost each other for good? A Touch of Christmas Magic is a steamy lesfic second chance romance of around 20,000 words. It features sapphic love and adult language, with a pinch of holiday magic.  

Word Count: Click here to reveal17081 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In a world where magic is hated and feared, sometimes the bravest thing a man can do is trust. Daymon is the second prince of a kingdom in which Evokers—those who possess intuitive magical abilities—have long since been treated with fear and mistrust. Marked as an Evoker himself, Daymon is captured by those who wish to take advantage of these powers. Now, the prince must put his faith in Rhyder, the captain of his guards—and the man Daymon has claimed as his own—to free him.

Word Count: Click here to reveal32000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Having survived one nightmare of a relationship, Justin Tesh thought he'd left the worst behind when he put his ex Peter behind bars. But when his new lover, Russell Pine, explodes in a fit of alcohol-fueled rage, Justin finds himself frozen with a fear he thought he’d long since worked through. While older, more experienced Russ is anxious to put the incident behind them, avoiding personal issues never works, and for Justin, his fear is an open doorway to demons both he and Russ need to confront. Despite their histories of loss and pain, Russ has faith in the promise of their relationship. But if he can't heal the wound he's inflicted on his lover’s heart, he risks losing Justin forever to Peter’s legacy of brutality.

Word Count: Click here to reveal48000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Lee Starting over after fifteen years hadn't crossed my mind, but the reality hit me when the final divorce papers arrived. To process the end of my marriage, I'd escaped to the lake where I owned a home. I was determined to have everything figured out by the time I returned to the city. What happened instead was an ambush by my son, Taylor, and his friends. Dallas, the beautiful ginger man, who came with him, ruined my plans. He’d made me question everything I’d thought I knew about myself. Dallas There were a lot of things on my to-do list. The main one was trying not to burn out while I worked full-time and prepared for my last year of college. What hadn't made it to my list was walking in on one of my friend's fathers naked. Lee Porter intrigued me. When I returned home, a chance encounter brought us back together. Fascination turned to something else, and I was going to make the older man mine.

Word Count: Click here to reveal7,000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Genderfluid, Genderqueer, Non Binary (Click here to hide)

Summary: What would the Earth look like if the very atoms that compose the planet were suffused with magical aether? How would our lives in the modern world be different if this aether was discovered last year, or last decade, or last century, or last millennia? How might the people who inhabit this oh-so-different but still modern Earth explore their gender identities? These are the questions we posed to the 17 authors chosen to contribute to Duck Prints Press's newest anthology Aether Beyond the Binary. Their diverse answers are bound together in this must-not-miss collection of stories about magical worlds, adventures and mysteries, new chances and well-earned endings, and characters as gender-diverse as the worlds they inhabit.

Word Count: Click here to reveal115000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Blurb: I don’t like labels and I’m happy that way, but it’s taken a long time to get here. A jerk of a father, too many bullies to name, and a string of dipshit boyfriends whose interest in me rarely made it past the skirts I sometimes wear. Suffice to say, my faith in men runs a little thin. The last thing I need is a gruff, opinionated, fiery, closeted, Paralympian jock messing with my hard-won peace. Miller Harrison is a wrinkle in my life I could definitely do without. I have a job that I love at Auckland Med., a boss who understands me, and a group of friends who accept me as I am. I should walk away. But Miller knows a thing or two about living life against the grain, and that hope I thought I’d buried a long time ago, is threatening to surface.  

Word Count: Click here to reveal73,141 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Time travel. For mages, it violates their number one rule: what the Mother has written, let no one unwrite. The Mother writes the destinies of the creatures on the world of Karishian. If her writings were undone, it is feared that Creation itself could be undone. The dark mage Morgorth takes this rule to heart, but there are others who do not. Morgorth is about to claim a stone of power when it is stolen from him by a female mage he hasn't seen in decades. As they struggle for the stone, she activates it, and Morgorth is unwillingly plunged into another time and another place. It isn't long before he realizes what time he's found himself in and there are a few familiar faces. Most notable is a much younger version of Aishe. His mate. Living with a tribe who will be massacred, caring for a young lad who will become his mate, and fighting a battle against a mage who can travel from past to future at a whim—Morgorth's life has never been easy but now he must contend with the will of the Mother. Unable to change the future and the tragedies of Aishe's life, he must decide what his role in his mate's past will be, and ask himself one vital question: how does one defeat time?

Word Count: Click here to reveal76,189 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Aiden’s art is his passion, but he’s lost inspiration. When he meets the gruff but sexy rancher Devin, his life is changed forever. Aiden Fisher does well as a New York artist. In fact, he’s known among the art elite for being the man to watch. That doesn’t keep his critics from arguing that his work lacks personality or emotion. Of course, his life doesn’t have much of that either. While perusing a dating site that connects urban gay men to their rural counterparts, Aiden comes across a profile of a Washington state rancher. The silhouetted picture and matter-of-fact language trigger his inspiration and spin him into a creative journey that ends with a collection that surpasses perfection. After his collection sells to a prestigious buyer, Aiden feels he has no choice but to meet and thank his muse. Little does he know the journey to the rugged mountains of Southeast Washington could change his life forever. Devin Pearce is tall, built and remarkably handsome, all of which is accentuated with the personality of an angry bear. When he first comes upon Aiden, he can’t see past his anger -- this stranger is here because his nosy housekeeper set up that damned profile. But Aiden isn’t a typical stranger, not only does this man have the looks but he has a work ethic Devin has seldom seen in another man. Sure, Devin wants love, but experience has taught him to be leery. Can he trust his instinct that Aiden is an extraordinary person, or will he let the tragedy of past relationships get in his way? The fire between them burns hot, but they are truly opposites. Only the fates know if they are brave enough to overcome their differences and build the relationship they both dream of.

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealAromantic, Non Binary (Click here to hide)

Summary: Three all-ages fairy tales of kindness and acceptance, beautifully illustrated and presented in English and Romanian. Alia Terra: Basme din Tărâmul Dragonilor conține trei povești diverse pentru toate vârstele. Alia Terra: Stories from the Dragon Realm draws from personal experiences, Romanian folklore with Dacian roots, and our fundamental need—to believe in ourselves. Richly illustrated by Michigan artist Matthew Spencer in shades of color and gender, the words of Ava Kelly assure that we all belong. “Ava Kelly’s book of bilingual Romanian/English fairytales is both necessary and a delight. While queer writing is being suppressed in many countries of Eastern Europe, this volume offers comfort and consolation with queer-normative stories that reach back to the familiar themes of childhood, and provide renewed hope. Mages, princesses, and above all, dragons populate the world of Alia Terra, richly illustrated by Matthew Spencer. Characters go against expectations, and learn to live true to themselves: curses turn into blessings, flying creatures find a new beginning underwater, and even love acquires new meaning. From aromanticism to nonbinary gender, LGBTQIA+ themes in Alia Terra are always portrayed with a gentle kindness that we need in our lives, and an eager, resilient confidence. Read the stories and share them with your loved ones!” —Bogi Takács, Hugo and Lambda Award-winning author

Word Count: Click here to reveal70000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A B&B owner takes on a posh hotel developer in this enemies-to-lovers story with plenty of South Florida heat. The grudge match is set to get nasty. Wesley and Nathan are willing to pull out all the stops to achieve their dreams. They just never expected the heat between them to carry over to the bedroom. After one reckless night burning up the sheets, Wes and Nathan can’t stay away from each other. But is there any hope of them having their happily ever after when it means someone has to give up his dream?  All For Wesley is a standalone enemies-to-lovers MM romance with sneaking, spying, family troubles, helpful movie stars, one poorly timed hurricane, and all the feels.

Word Count: Click here to reveal7000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A gender-fluid prince finds an unexpected ally in an arranged marriage with a transgender man. Prince Darian is willing to give up his penchant for gowns when he must wed for the sake of the kingdom. However, his intended bride has a secret of their own. A marriage of convenience may bring something neither expected—acceptance, and all that entails.

Word Count: Click here to reveal18000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Escape with Leo and Zak in outback Australia as they discover it sometimes takes time, distance, and interfering family to amalgamate. After five years of living in the UK, it’s time for Leo to return home to his dad’s stud farm in outback Australia. He has no idea what to expect when he arrives. He didn’t exactly leave with balloons and banners. Nope. His farewell involved destruction and his own heart split in two. He knows seeing the man who’s always held his heart, Zak, is going to be awkward. The older farm manager made his feelings pretty damn clear when Leo hightailed it out of there. Leo quickly figures out life is going to get complicated and a whole heap more exciting as his trip home becomes so much more.  Amalgamated is a fun and steamy M/M short story in Becca Seymour’s Coming Home collection. Stand-alone romances complete with heat, wit, and happily ever afters. 

Word Count: Click here to reveal12900 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: As a soldier, Dustin Cooper survived his unit being blown up. His twin brother didn’t survive the blast, and Dusty knows he’s lucky just to be alive. He doesn’t feel lucky. Crippled and scarred in the explosion, Dusty can’t even go to the local grocery store without being called a monster by any kid who gets a good look at what’s left of him. When Dusty collapses in the aisle, he wakes to an angel looking down on him. Benjamin Newell offers hope, offers help. That he’s gorgeous only makes the whole situation more tense. But Dusty is determined to overcome his injuries and the trauma of the past without any charity from a stranger. There’s only one thing he wants from his grocery store savior—a date.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Every story has more than one point of view. As the mate to the dark mage Morgorth, Aishe has learned a lot about magick, love, and himself. He tries to find a home with Morgorth, to be accepted into his world; to survive in a world full of magick, treachery, and deception. But all the while he struggles to keep a secret about his past and their intertwined destinies. Despite all the obstacles thrown at both of them, Aishe is determined to stay by Morgorth’s side, no matter what the future brings—even if that future turns dark with death should Morgorth embrace his grim destiny. But when Morgorth leaves with his mentor to collect another stone of power, Aishe is left behind. It is then a surprise attack comes and Aishe, determined to protect and defend his new home, decides to take the invaders on by himself. It might prove too much for him to handle...especially when he learns the one who leads the invaders is a mage. This book allows us a glimpse inside the mind of Lord Morgorth’s better half, a dialen named Aishe: his motivations, his personal sorrows, and his struggle to find a place to call home.

Word Count: Click here to reveal16000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A different kind of home invasion... When Adam Tyler's sister announced she was pregnant, Adam decided to move from Portland, Oregon, to Phoenix, Arizona, to fully embrace the uncle experience. However, he didn't count on the move being delayed until three days before Christmas--and three days before his sister's due date. And he definitely didn't count on finding a scorpion in his bedroom. Cue the panicked calls to exterminators. A different kind of knight to the rescue... Garrett Strong doesn't consider himself at all remarkable--his ex certainly didn't think so--and Garrett's pest-control business is circling the drain. Although Adam is his first new client in months, that isn't the only reason Garrett goes above and beyond for him. He feels a real connection to the younger man and intends to do everything in his power to make sure Adam feels safe and welcome in Phoenix--venomous intruders notwithstanding. An Everyday Hero is a short and sweet opposites-attract, age-gap rom-com featuring a fish-out-of-water geek (who still manages to get a bit soggy), a stand-up blue-collar guy (who can't see his own worth), unexpected additions to the holiday festivities (some less welcome than others), and more than one serious discussion about the true meaning of the word hero.