Books Tagged With where - general - small town

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: Click here to reveal15600 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Scott Dwyer meets hot, new fireman Adrian Campbell in an embarrassing incident one evening and can’t stop thinking about him. While bartending at the local hangout for Station 39, he sees Adrian with his colleagues about once a week. He thinks Adrian might be interested in him, too, but every time they find a chance to talk, something gets in their way. When rash of arson fires begins the same week Adrian starts at the station, the rumors fly about whether or not he is responsible for them. Things are heating up in town, but will they heat up between the two men as well? Will Fate ever allow them to be together?

Word Count: Click here to reveal35000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Josiah Nelson left the family home where his father’s bullying and his own fears made life a penance, swearing never to return. Now he has a funeral to arrange, another joyless Christmas holiday to survive, and a ranch to sell, before he can finally wipe the last dust of his childhood off his shoes and settle into his lonely big city life. When he arrives in his hometown, Wyatt Ames is still there, still out and proud and everything Josiah secretly wanted when they were growing up. He can’t help feeling a tiny, fragile hope that this time, things might turn out differently. Especially when Wyatt seems set on teaching him that home isn’t the house you live in. It’s the place where your heart belongs. This is a re-edited, rerelease of a book originally published by MLR in 2011. The book has been substantially expanded and improved in this edition.

Word Count: Click here to reveal19884 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Shakespeare-loving teacher Elliot Dunn has been unhappy living in the big city for a long time. He yearns for fresh air, visible stars, and stillness, but his relationship with divorce lawyer Mick Hudson keeps him from moving away. When a dramatic event occurs in Elliot’s class, he’s shaken to his core and suddenly can’t stay anymore. He leaves his partner of two years behind and returns to the tiny town in the mountains where he grew up. Living in a rented cabin in the woods, with only an owl for company, Elliot slowly regains his peace of mind. But being away from Mick is agonizing, and when a ghost from Elliot's past pays him a visit, everything comes to a head. Elliot is faced with a hard decision. Should he stay on the stress-free mountainside alone, or return to the hustle of the city and try to make a life with Mick?

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: Boston in 1888 is quite urbane, but unfortunately for Gil Porter, that isn’t the same thing as being understanding. When his sexuality is exposed by the scandalous suicide of his lover, Gil is exiled to the small town of Mercy, Texas, by his domineering father, George, who believes life on Vernon Porter's ranch will cure Gil of his “unnatural” desires. Grieving and ashamed, Gil is determined to keep his distance from everyone until he can return home. To his surprise, he finds acceptance at Bent Oak Ranch, especially from Matt Grayson, the handsome son of the ranch foreman. Knowing he must fight his attraction to Matt, Gil courts a local girl, but an unexpected encounter with Matt leads to his discovery of Matt’s feelings for him. Torn between Matt and his desire to be “normal," between returning to his old life and building a new one in Texas, Gil is faced with a choice—appeasing his father or becoming the man Matt knows he can be.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary:

A struggling artist. A devoted son. Will they sacrifice everything for forbidden desire?

Kyoto, Japan. Iroha is sick of his boyfriends only dating him to get closer to his famous artistic sister. Shelving his own creative ambitions to run a mafia-funded gallery, he seeks comfort in a fake relationship at an exclusive host club. But when he sets eyes on the outlandishly dressed Kenta, something real stirs in his heart.

Kenta works hard to keep his place as a top-five host at the exclusive Aphrodite’s Castle club. Though it’s put a damper on his love life, the lucrative gig earns him more than enough to support his elderly parents. But when he breaks the rules and falls for the enigmatic Iroha, his income plummets and jeopardizes his family’s welfare.

Heedless of the consequences, Iroha and Kenta plunge into a passionate affair. But the shadow of Iroha’s creative failures threatens to break them apart. And when trouble pulls Kenta back home, the rift between them becomes a chasm.

Can Iroha and Kenta find a common canvas to paint their perfect picture of devotion?

Finding Our Love is the delightful first novel in the Aphrodite’s Castle Host Club MM contemporary romance series. If you like caring men, Japanese culture, and the quest for happiness, you’ll adore Amy Tasukada’s heartwarming tale.   

Word Count: Click here to reveal85000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: At the annual Global Lijun Alliance conference in Tokyo, Tally Bastille makes the first impulsive decision of his life. Others perceive his uktena-the enormous legendary serpent that's his dual-spirit-as a threat, which makes him all too aware that he frightens fellow lijun. But an encounter with a passionate, obviously-not-straight otter lijun one evening convinces Tally that he's found his Em'halafi, his destined match. Tally is determined to barrel through all obstacles to make the match happen, including the otter's conservative, traditional family. Trained as a Satislit—a bride son—Haru Tanaka chafes at the strict boundaries set around their life. They rebel against their clan's constant attempts to force an arranged match and wish desperately for someone who will love them. At the conference, Haru is horrified to learn their family has accepted an offer for them, one too lucrative for the clan to refuse. Not only has the Urusar sold Haru to a stranger, but the lijun is also a giant snake and one who believes in the tired old superstitions regarding Em'halafi. Threatened with banishment if they refuse, Haru has no choice but to marry the wealthy American serpent. Back in Tally's home in Wisconsin, Haru and Tally must navigate both the widening gulf between them as they realize how much they've misunderstood about each other and the tricky politics of the lijun clan Tally leads. Murder, intrigue, and increasing hostility threaten to tear apart the little town of Wadiswan and the arranged marriage they've barely managed to begin.

Word Count: Click here to reveal50844 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Andrew only ever gives one night, but with Kyler, one night isn’t enough. Andrew Martinez has learned not to hold on to romance. As a former homicide detective, he understands death in ways most don’t. It’s clouded his personal life to the point he hasn’t bothered with more than one-night stands. When he moves to Pickleville and takes the job as the local police chief, he thinks small-town life might finally lift the clouds. But his old ways are hard to shake. Even when he meets Kyler, who makes him feel things he never had before, he makes sure their night together doesn’t extend to the morning after. What he discovers is one night isn’t enough, but by then, Pickleville becomes the scene of a series of crimes, and Kyler might just be the next target. Warning: This story involves talk of rape and the use of date rape drugs. While it does NOT show the rape, it does show the investigators solving the crimes. Some of the details may be graphic.

Word Count: Click here to reveal38000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary:

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 reveal95000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Demisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Thirty-seven-year-old Nate Albano’s second relationship ever ended three years ago, and since he’s grace—gray asexual—he doesn’t anticipate beating the odds to find a third. Still, he’s got his dog, his hobbies, and his job as a special effects technician on Wolf’s Landing, so he can’t complain—much. Seth Larson, umpteenth generation Bluewater Bay, is the quintessential good-time guy, content with tending bar and being his grandmother’s handyman. The night they meet, Seth’s looking for some recreational sex to escape family drama. But for Nate, romantic attraction comes before sexual attraction, so while Seth thinks they’re hooking up, Nate just wants to talk . . . genealogy? Dude. Seriously? So they declare a “just friends” truce. Then Seth asks for Nate’s help investigating a sinister Larson family secret, and their feelings start edging way beyond platonic. But Nate may want more than Seth can give him, and Seth may not be able to leave his good-time image behind. Unless they can find a way to merge carefree with commitment, they could miss out on true love—the best time of all.

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 reveal30000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Fortune As an heir to the Stouten family fortune, Brandon Stouten had anything he could want. But the girl his parents tried to foist on him for his birthday was a bit much, especially given that she had no idea she was being offered as a suitable bride. When Brandon balks at the unwilling gift, it causes a fistfight with her brother, and he escapes the party in the company of a tall, willowy angel of a man—a stranger who recognizes Brandon’s hesitance for what it is. When a night of comfort and wisdom becomes an ache in Brandon’s heart, he goes to the only man he knows will understand—the brother who walked away from the family fortune. Taylor Simmons has dressed celebrities and business moguls, but none of them ever filled out a pair of slacks quite as well as Brandon Stouten. Seeing an achingly beautiful and hurt young man, Taylor offers him insight and clarity that becomes a morning filled with passion—and regret. Famously conservative, the Stouten family would never give up one of their own to the demon they see in Taylor. Unfortunately for them, Taylor has no intention of letting Brandon go. This story takes place in the same universe as the Sam's Cafe Romances, with Fortune's Pawn taking place a couple years prior to The King's Mate.

Word Count: Information not available

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

Summary: FOXED: To be thrown into a state of uncertainty—flustered, bamboozled, bewildered, puzzled, vexed. AKA, me. Jed Marshall. 55-year-old successful classic car mechanic; divorced, mostly closeted, and whose wholly inexperienced bisexuality has suddenly awakened after one smouldering look and said, ‘Damn, who’s the hottie?’ Or words to that effect. Cue, Nash Collingwood. 53-year-old scarily smart high school principal; out, gay, confident, and sexy as hell. He’s also my daughter’s boss. So, not complicated at all, right? Nash could ignite a bonfire with a single sultry look, comes fully accessorised with a charm offensive Churchill would be proud of, an easy-going flattery that thrills my heart far too effortlessly, and an impressive track record with men many decades my junior. In short, Nash is everything I’m not, and everything I’ve avoided for roughly my entire life. He’s the hot rod to my sensible family car, that is if you like your family cars with a few dents, creaky suspension, unexpected backfires, and a dodgy stick. The last thing I need is a relationship—especially with a man. I buried that pipe dream a long time ago and a little loneliness is a small price to pay. The festive season and long summer vacation are on our doorstep. I’m finally getting things right with my family who mean everything to me, and I don’t want to mess that up. But Nash doesn’t care about my awkward inexperience, or clumsy excuses, or any of my insecurities. Nash only sees me. He wants me. For the first time in years, I feel alive and sexy and a whole lot more than just a good father and grandfather. I should walk away, but the closer Nash and I become, the more he fills my grey world with colour, and the promise of a second chance at love I never thought possible.

Word Count: Click here to reveal81000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Can a sorcerer apprentice learn to control his magic before the elder demon destroys his home? Fledgling sorcerer Isaac and his friends accidentally create a spell that sets a cryptid town on top of theirs. With no one hurt in the aftermath, they put the night of the Red Storm behind them and opened their arms to the new residents, shifters monsters and everything in between. Caspian, a sweetly sexy fox shifter has turned his considerable affections and attention toward Isaac, making him smitten in return. Unfortunately, not everyone is welcoming and not everyone is kind. A corrupt mayor and his cronies want to use Isaac for his unique and powerful magic. With the help of Caspian, his foxy boyfriend, and his mentor, Darius, Isaac discovers that magic can be fun and helpful in the battle to save his town from the grasping hands of an elder demon hellbent on taking over. Monsters In Love is a small-town series where monsters, humans and others find love and community. This book includes a sweet cinnamon roll fox and his shy sorcerer, found family and small-town charm. There is a happy for now ending but the main couple is together

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 reveal40,480 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: An outcast necromancer and a half-demon clerk need to save the world from seashell zombies. No pressure. Everyone's always told Aspic that trouble can't help following him because of his heritage. Determined to put the lie to half-demon stereotypes, he's finally landed a good, quiet job as an herbalist's clerk where the owner trusts him to man the shop alone. What could go wrong selling coriander and thyme? When Geoffrey first enters the shop, Aspic finds the little man's eccentric appearance startling, then intriguing. Geoffrey explains, in stops and starts, that he is a theoretical necromancer researching replacements for blood magic. His current line of inquiry involves seashells—do they have any in stock? Aspic's co-workers warn him that Geoffrey is a walking disaster, but he finds himself more and more drawn to a necromancer concerned with ethical death magic. Aspic is with Geoffrey in his lab when he has his first success, but the results aren't at all what he was aiming for. Instead of raising the dead rabbit on his table, the ritual animates the seashell and rock spell components, which flee the lab and cause havoc. They soon discover that the spell-animated objects are "zombies" in that they can "infect" other inanimate things. An unorthodox necromancer and an exasperated shop clerk are going to need some unconventional help to find a working de-animation spell before the world is overrun by zombie seashells and stones gone mad.

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: Information not available

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

Summary: Luis has two problems. The depression monster is breathing down his neck and he’s in love with his boss, who thinks their age-gap and employer/employee status is a deal-breaker. Luis Flynn has had a thing for Royce Hessing since the day he started work when he was still in high school but Royce doesn’t see him as anything other than an employee, and an annoying one at that. It’s hopeless to think they could be anything more. And then Royce kisses him. It should make Luis happy, but Luis finds that emotion hard to grasp. In fact, he’s finding it difficult to get through a day so his attraction to his boss, along with everything else in his life, takes a backseat.

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

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

Summary: The last thing Jeff wants is to spend time with the man who totaled his car—the one he spent years restoring with his late father. But if he wants to resurrect his childhood town’s annual outdoor hockey tournament, he’s got no choice. The last thing Mika wants is to work with the guy who took off right after the accident, without ensuring he was okay. And working together on organizing Jeff’s proposed tournament sounds like a complete nightmare. He’s got enough on his plate after surviving cancer. Sparks fly as they’re forced to work together, but is that enough for them to set their differences aside and pull off the tournament in only two weeks? Or will they prove to be immune to the magic of Christmas?