Books Tagged With what - concept - internal homophobia

Word Count: Click here to reveal21534 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Josh has stepped back into the closet for a guy, but how long can he stay there? Life in a college town suits Josh Cassidy. He has good friends and neighbors, and the bookshop café he runs with his family is thriving. As the winter holidays begin, Josh finds himself enamored with police officer Alex Curiel, an old friend who has recently moved back to town. The trouble is, Alex isn’t ready for the world to know he’s attracted to men. At Alex’s request, Josh agrees to closet their relationship, though the secrecy quickly becomes a burden. When Josh realizes he is falling for Alex, his ability to hide his feelings from the world begins to slip, and he’s forced to decide if love is enough to keep him hiding behind closed doors. A Hometown Holiday is a 21.5K sex-buddies-to-lovers MM novella. It features a bookshop owner with a fondness for jazz music, a closeted cop who could be Mr. Right if only he’d give himself a chance, and the warm, fuzzy HEA that both guys deserve.

Word Count: Click here to reveal37,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sheriff Avery O’Rourke has tried to obey his strict Christian faith and lead a “normal” life. In 1923 in a rural East Texas town, “normal” means heterosexual. A cholera outbreak has made Avery a young widower, so he is married to his job. When a murder investigation forces him to confront his truth, will he finally be able to accept being gay? Veterinarian Garland Sands has returned from Europe to take over his father’s practice. Struggling with shellshock (PTSD) and heartbroken by the suicide of his French lover, he resigns himself to a quiet, solitary life as a country vet. But the murder of the town doctor brings the sheriff to Garland’s doorstep looking for help with the investigation. Seeing Avery awakens dormant feelings. Can he love a man who hates what he is? This isn’t the lavish 1920s of The Great Gatsby. This is the flip side of that coin—rural East Texas. No electricity. No indoor plumbing. No flappers. In 1923, the timber barons have left and racism, homophobia, and sexism thrive. A Little Sin is a realistic mystery with unlikely heroes and a timeless romance between lovers caught in a world where their love is forbidden. This book contains steamy sex scenes and is intended for adults only.

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 reveal76000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: For Andrew Tuttleman, sex is a means to an end. With a mother too sick to pay the bills on her own and college bills to pay, Drew has spent years resorting to sex with strangers to keep a roof over his mother's head and keep himself at school, far away from the hell where he grew up. This summer, his usual tricks are still paying the bills. But there's a new one, Grant, who never got the memo that a trick is a no-strings deal. Convinced that Drew is the answer to a hopeless prayer, Grant seems ready to pursue Drew to the ends of the earth. Drew, on the other hand, isn't so convinced. Grant comes with trouble in the form of a wife and three kids, not to mention a single and unwavering requirement: that Drew give up his livelihood. Grant's kiss makes Drew ache for more, a romance that he never dreamed possible. He finds himself unexpectedly willing to try. Can Drew weather Grant's angry father, wife, and a daughter determined to kick him in the shins so hard that he'll leave Grant's life forever? It all relies on Grant's faith in an impossible prayer.

Word Count: Click here to reveal56000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Ash is dead. Okay, that’s a lie. He’s not. Not really. Somehow, that doesn’t make things any better. After reports of a fatal hovercar accident outside the Capital—complete with a charred body and DNA identification—it seems at first that all is lost in the Shadow Wing’s quest to infiltrate the Premiere’s inner circle. But one member of the vigilante group refuses to accept the evidence of his human comrade’s death. Draven knows Ash. He knows that devious mind, and more importantly, he knows the martyr complex that lies beneath it. He should know. Draven is also a master at hiding. He’s done it for most of his life. Now, though, he’s done living in the shadows. Can Draven track down a man who is so intent on not being found that he would stage his own death to prevent it? And if he does succeed in finding Ash, what then? No one ever said that emerging from the darkness of the past was easy. No one ever said that forbidden love was painless. Especially when the object of that love is convinced he’s damaged goods. * * * From USA Today bestselling author R. A. Steffan comes a sizzling sci-fi romance series, perfect for fans of J. R. Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon. Strap in tight, because all's fair in LOVE AND WAR. Author’s note: While this book is part of a series with an overarching plot, it may be read as a standalone with a satisfying conclusion for the two main characters. If you do not intend to continue the series, you may wish to avoid the epilogue.

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

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

Summary: No one is good all of the time. Especially me. Six years ago, I promised my friend Kellan that I’d never mess around with his little brother. I accepted it. I didn’t regret it, and I didn’t think twice about it. Milo Sterling—the good student, perfect son, and promising dancer—was off limits. But that was before. Before we went away to college. Before Kellan died. Before I flunked out of school. Now, I’m back home, and Milo’s different. He’s quieter and colder, no longer a boy but a man. And that hurt in his eyes? I put it there the night I failed to save Kellan. I have a lot to make up for. Falling for Milo, no matter how much I want him, would be one more thing to add to my list. But promises are meant to be broken, and if there’s one thing I’m bad at, it’s being good. Bad at Being Good is a best friend’s brother/brother’s best friend (dual POV) M/M romance featuring hurt/comfort, found family, coping with grief, and—of course—a happily ever after. Readers are advised to check the Author’s Note for content sensitivities.

Word Count: Click here to reveal57000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: You can never escape from yourself. Zac McKenzie is an ex-professional footballer with a secret he gave up his career to protect. Several years ago, he fled to his home in the North East of Scotland to avoid being outed as gay. Now, he owns a successful hotel and restaurant, but is it time to finally come out into the open? Seth Pritchard feels he’s damaged goods. He comes to Scotland to escape memories of the accident that left him injured, his bullying stepbrothers and a life of lies. For their whole lives, Zac and Seth have denied who they truly are to themselves as well as others. When they meet, each man is forced to confront his fears and tear them down one by one.

Word Count: Click here to reveal106000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When two broken men find redemption together, will one survive to accept it?
 Chance 
Everyone assumed I was a magnet for trouble, or maybe I searched it out on my own. By the age of forty, I almost destroyed my life. The tragic event that changed my entire perception of myself is haunting me. When a friend is in danger, I volunteer to keep them safe and momentarily distract myself from my problems. Yet my demons keep hunting me down.
 Bart
 For twenty years since my divorce, I'd completely cut myself off from all physical connection with another person. PTSD has taken everything from me, and a time bomb lives in my head—ready to go off at any moment. For the most part, I've learned to control it. When Chance needs help learning a healthier coping mechanism, I offer my assistance, but when he’s healed, will I be able to let him go like I'd promised? 
Nothing had prepared two traumatized men for each other. Can they heal and find redemption, or will the danger around them take one from the other before they realize they have more than their demons? 
(TW: Mentions of childhood sexual, physical, and mental abuses. Passive Suicidal Ideation, self-harm, eating disorders, and mental illness. These are mainly off-page, but there are detailed flashbacks and conversations of said acts. Yet if these are triggering for you, please feel free not to read the story. Your self-care and mental health are more important. Thank you.)


Word Count: Click here to reveal95000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: 1973 – At 53 years old, Bill, hadn’t expected to run into Bobby when he signed up for that medical convention in Houston. Fair to say they didn’t exactly part on good terms last time. Twenty years later, is Bill ready to finally admit his feelings, his sexuality, and to gather his courage to conquer his old lover and friend once more? A second chance romance with flashbacks to young love, addressing the struggles of coming out in an unwelcoming environment and building the life you really want.

Word Count: Click here to reveal52551 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When Lorrine runs off with a wild mage, she leaves behind a woman in tears, whose shattered life may not be worth repairing. Will Kama recover? Will Lorrine ever grow up and recognize her own feelings? Or will wild magic bring an end to them all...

Word Count: Click here to reveal49152 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A young cowhand with an uncertain future, drowning in debt. A wealthy rancher with a mysterious past, drowning in booze. A single chance at happiness in the face of impossible odds. Jace has been in the closet ever since he first realized he was gay. Not only is his personal life a mess, but now, hard on the heels of losing his mother to cancer, he’s about to lose their farm to the bank. An unexpected job offer from complete strangers could be his only opportunity to save it. After betrayal and addiction stole away everything Remy ever cared about, he figured that managing a promising desert reclamation project in bum-fuck Nevada and drinking himself to sleep every night was about the best he could hope for out of life. He never expected to fall for a clean-cut cowboy with a cartload of horse savvy and a giant chip on his shoulder. Too bad one of them is a broken-down wreck, and the other has the closet door locked so tight that he may never see the light of day. Because if there’s one thing Remy has never believed in, it’s fairytale endings. Though there is another book in the Love in the Desert series, Diamond Bar Alpha Ranch is a standalone HEA gay romance novel with no cliffhanger. It contains explicit sex scenes, as well as hot cowboys with issues—which is probably why you're here in the first place. (No cattle, horses, or hot cowboys were harmed during the making of this novel.)

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Hansen has been hot for Sam since they first bonded over their secret superpowers—literally hot, since Hansen can produce fire from thin air. But Sam is always covered in girls, so Hansen keeps his feelings deeply buried and settles for being Sam's best friend. Then Sam's electrical powers go haywire in public, and in the fallout a mutual attraction is forced to the surface—but bisexuality is new to Sam, and Hansen is afraid to admit he's in love. And in the midst of trying to figure out themselves and each other, they have to face—and survive—the unfriendly witness to Sam's explosion. The Superpowered Love series explores the mixed-up love lives of the “awakened”, humans with awakened thermal or electrical superpowers. The series is complete, and the books can be read in any order or skipped altogether.

Word Count: Click here to reveal26000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Xavier Knight lied and now his past was catching up to him. Sebastian Brady meant everything to him. Losing him wasn’t an option Xavier was ready to accept. Ghosts from his past threaten to open up a secret that needs to stay hidden. He wasn’t going to let Zach Brady or anyone else take his happiness away from him. Zachary Brady had lived in the shadow of his father his entire life. He’d lost his family, his job—everything. What happened between him and Xavier Knight was long ago and best forgotten. He wasn’t going to allow it to sabotage his chance to be accepted by his brothers and sister as family again. Neither man realizes that they don’t hold the key to their peace of mind. And when the truth is revealed, it will shake their worlds. Family isn’t always the one you are born into, sometimes it’s the one you create for yourself.

Word Count: Click here to reveal75000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: James Puffton knew this day would come. As a fallible young man, he’d made all the wrong choices. He’d cheated on his girlfriend with a guy. More than once. And he’d used her—a shield, keeping his perfect image safe. Now that she knew, Jim’s life turned upside down. Faith has always been Jim’s guide, but when it leads him to the most flamboyantly gay freshman he’s ever seen, he wonders if God is punishing him. He can’t deny his feelings, but when people find out, will Tyler be in danger? Tyler Montgomery was terrified to come to campus. An incident last semester made clear the school wasn’t as safe as officials liked to pretend. When he passes out drunk after making a pass at a handsome young jock, he discovers that he was taken care of by school bully Jim Puffton. Tyler freaks, but Jim doesn’t push. He walks away. Then Jim does something profound that makes Tyler want to ignore all Jim’s terrifying history and trust him, sealing that trust with a kiss in front of everyone. But all Jim’s old friends are homophobic bullies. For Tyler, campus is suddenly a dangerous place to be.

Word Count: Click here to reveal145,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: I summon the dragon. I claim my throne. The warlocks of Icarus Academy claim me.  I start my night with a heist in a Catwoman costume at a Vegas casino--and end up shifting into my dragon form for the first time ever in mid-plummet from the roof. Except I can't actually fly. Oops. Turns out being the first dragon shifter queen to rule the witching world (while I'm simultaneously a student at the Icarus Academy) isn't, like, a party. Especially when I go into heat. Because now I have...needs that no warlock at the Academy can satisfy. Plus the only full-blooded male dragon shifter on the planet intends to kill all my warlocks and make me choose just him for my king. As. If. Sweet Jesus, this Maxim guy's causing a world of trouble.  Vasili and Ronin are fighting over whether to kill him or kiss him. My wolf shifter headmaster Lucius has his paws full trying to keep us all from getting expelled. And my sweet bookworm Neo needs something new we're all afraid to give him. When a rival rises to threaten my throne, it'll take major trust between me and all my warlocks--including that vicious dragon I've sworn I'll never claim--to save us all from an assassination attack we'll need a miracle to survive. Gemini Kings is a New Adult queer dark witch academy poly paranormal romance. This deadly duet delivers a seductive and lethal warlock court, teacher-student forbidden love, first-time MM, bi awakening, extended and explicit group encounters, a satisfying climax (no cliffhanger), and enough heat to set your Academy uniform on fire! One-click to read free on Kindle Unlimited. Content notes: This book contains mentions of pregnancy, past childhood abuse, incest, and overcoming internal homophobia as part of one hero’s journey. There is no on-page abuse, pregnancy, incest, or external homophobia, but these topics are mentioned.

Word Count: Click here to reveal544000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A second chance at love with his best friend’s brother; a delightful Regency romance! As a baron’s youngest son, Hector has no prospects and is overshadowed by two perfect brothers and one spectacularly failed affair. While searching to improve his situation, he finds respite in an invitation to a country estate, and a second chance with Wentworth. The upcoming fortnight could be everything Hector has longed for since their disastrous parting. Viscount Wentworth no longer believes in love, the emotion which evokes memories of guilt and heartache. Memories of his family’s passing, memories of a boyhood friend trampling his affections to dust. Has the past wounded his heart past the point of repair, or can he have a life with Hector? Dive into the world of Regency Lords and experience a romance that will leave you breathless. Grab your copy of His Brother’s Viscount today! “Stephanie Lake gives us appealing characters, fun storylines, and crisp prose. I especially enjoy the skill she uses with her historical settings. Her stories are perfect when I need an escape from the here and now.” – Kim Fielding, Award-winning author of The Bureau series. “Bold, sensual historical settings that immerse you in the experience and characters that bring the past startlingly to life.” – Amy Lane, award-winning author of Fish out of Water series."

Word Count: Click here to reveal102000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Scott I’ve done a lot of soul-searching this season. I’ve been in denial about myself and a jerk to everyone else. I don’t even know where to start to fix it all. I don’t know what to feel about anything. How am I supposed to handle falling in love? Hunter I’m good at faking it most of the time. No, not that. I mean faking like I’m okay. Like something doesn’t always hurt, especially when I’m trying to earn my pay. He gets it. More than anyone I’ve ever met, he gets it. But he’s got pain no one can touch. Not doctors. Not me. How do I convince him that shutting me out won’t take away that pain? Gentlemen of the Emerald City Hunter is the sixth and final book of Gentlemen of the Emerald City, a sexy series centered around the high class, high-dollar Gentlemen of Seattle’s most exclusive escort service. Each book is full of snark, sass, and sweetness, and like any Emerald City client, you’re guaranteed a happy ending.

Word Count: Click here to reveal15500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When Aaron refused to discuss getting married, he didn't expect Chris to take it so poorly. They’ve been together twelve years. Aaron thought they’d at least talk about his very valid reasons. Gay marriage isn't even legal in their state, and what do they need a piece of paper for, anyway? When Chris leaves after the fight, Aaron tracks Chris down just in time to see him about to lock lips with a stranger in a club, which drives home the situation’s urgency. Aaron must make things right with Chris. He’s willing to do anything, but their friends’ advice only goes so far, and when he learns what Chris has been hiding, Aaron has to decide if a life with Chris is even an option.

Word Count: Click here to reveal78,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In a galactic mating contest where desire is deadly, five hundred men will kill to claim me. But first...they'll have to catch me. Discover a spicy poly Star Wars-inspired why-choose romance that'll set your Millennium Falcon on fire!  Rebel princess Kaia is a cyber samurai with a price on her head. She's also the runaway daughter of a tyrant who’s worshipped as a god by billions. She’s just become the prize five hundred testosterone-fueled suitors will lie, seduce, and slaughter to possess in a ritual contest to rule her. Too bad the only guys she wants are the three she can never trust. Zorin is a scourge-of-the-galaxy space pirate and the most dangerous possible match. Dex is the icy imperial enforcer who hunts him...and Zorin's mouthwatering obsession. And Nero, the mesmerizing telepath who betrayed Kaia and nearly destroyed her, is a major distraction for all of them. These four have a cargo of shared secrets and a shared passion so combustible it breaks every dangerous rule on a world where lovers are crucified for forbidden unions. Their illicit heat will either save all their races…or get the four of them killed when a god unleashes a death warrant for their heads. Interstellar Angel is Book 1 in the fully complete queer poly sci fi Astral Heat Romance Series. Escape into an intense out-of-this-world adventure with first-time M/M, bi awakening, steamy MMMF encounters, a guaranteed happily-ever-after ending, and enough heat to set your spacesuit on fire!

Word Count: Click here to reveal111,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Isaac Morris has devoted his life to preaching against the sin of homosexuality. But when his sister proposes a documentary to demonstrate once and for all that it’s a choice—with Isaac choosing to be gay as proof—he balks. Until he learns his nephew is headed down that perverted path. Isaac will do anything to convince the teenager he can choose to be straight . . . including his sister’s film. When Isaac’s first foray into the gay lifestyle ends with a homophobic beating, he’s saved and cared for by Colton Roberts, a gentle, compassionate bartender with a cross around his neck. Colton challenges every one of Isaac’s deeply held beliefs about gay men. He was kicked out by homophobic parents, saved from the streets by a kind pastor, and is now a devout Christian. Colton’s sexuality has cost him dearly, but it also brought him to God. As the two grow closer, everything Isaac knows about homosexuality, his faith, and himself is called into question. And if he’s been wrong all along, what does that mean for his ministry, his soul, his struggling nephew—and the man he never meant to love?