Books Tagged With who – description – abuse survivor

Word Count: Click here to reveal69034 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Matthew Doner is starting over. After a five-year prison term that alters every aspect of his life, he receives a bequest from his aunt with the stipulation that he use the money to make things right. Breaking free of the long-standing role he's played and inspired by the few who support him, he decides to create a safe place where people like him can find purpose and start a new life. Julian Capeletti likes challenges. He is confident, brash, stubborn, and just what Matt needs. Desperate for work after a downturn of luck, he accepts the job to renovate Matt's crumbling building. Over the course of a year, romance simmers between them as they restore the house. But there's a bigger renovation that must take place in their hearts. To become better men, they need to learn to trust each other even with secrets and painful memories they fear may rip them apart.

Word Count: Click here to reveal111200 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: After surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing. Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge. After a lifetime of putting his career first, a milestone brings him to a harsh realization—he's lonely. Hunter's world changes when he meets Cam. The wary young man intrigues him and awakens a desire unlike anything he's ever experienced. When Cam's past resurfaces and threatens to rip them apart, their budding relationship is challenged and Cam's hope for a future begins to dim. These outside forces hunting Cam will stop at nothing to send him back to prison. But they'll have to get past Hunter first. ---------- NOTE: Word count: 111,200. This story is a romantic suspense/mystery novel and the second installment in The Men of Halfway House series. Although characters reappear from book one, this story can be read as a stand-alone.

Word Count: Click here to reveal145000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A story of healing and confronting demons… Detective Aidan Calloway is rock-solid strong. He's a man of justice—loyal to his friends, family, and job—even if it requires bending a law…or two. He shields himself behind an abrasive, fearless facade, until a phone call one night chips his armor and throws his perfectly planned, hollow life into a tailspin. Jessie Vega is the epitome of optimism. His carefully crafted attitude of hope and positivity protects him from a past filled with too much pain. When a ghost from a dark time resurfaces and nearly breaks him, he must tap into his inner strength or risk losing everything he's worked so hard to build. But Jessie can't do it alone. He must fight to break through Aidan's ironclad defenses to reveal the heart of the man hiding beneath the tough surface and mend his damaged spirit. Only then can they truly heal and become strong enough to battle the demons that haunt them and threaten their chance to finally be together. ---------- ***This book contains scenes and subject matter some readers may find distressing. It is only intended for adult readers.*** Word count: 145K Although part of a series and events from prior stories are referenced, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

Word Count: Click here to reveal45000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Tre Derringer, perpetual underachiever with negative self-esteem, made a mistake. If he’d been a sleeper—sans and unaware of superpowers, that is—he would’ve gotten a slap on the wrist. Too bad Tre has awakened hot-thermal superpowers, so he ended up in lockup instead. One year later, Tre’s picked up from prison by a mysterious woman called Amy, who turns out to be a recruiter for an activist group—or so they call themselves. New Dawn, New Day's leader, Vic, is out to bring the presence of the awakened to sleeper attention once and for all, by any means necessary. Tre becomes a part of the ND2 commune, committed to their mission. But then, at a summer music festival, he runs into a crush from his past, Dorian Archer. Dorian’s compassionate, cheerful, and even hotter than he used to be. He might just manage to keep Tre from making an epic mistake… or he might not. It’s only the biggest secret in the world at stake, after all. 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. While all other Superpowered Love books can be read in any order and without previous knowledge, A New Beginning is the final one and works better after reading at least book 2, Riot Boy and book 5, Re-entry Burn.

Word Count: Click here to reveal124000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary:

A story of two men and the boundless love that forever changed them.

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 reveal82000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The would-be highwayman killer’s case is closed, and Luis has been cleared to return to work.  He and Donovan are starting their new life together, and while they’re both a little new at this whole “stable relationship” thing they’re determined to make things work.  When people start dying at Assonet Ledge, it seems like a typical case for Donovan until one of the victims turns out to be a missing person from out of state, bringing the FBI into one of Donovan’s cases yet again.   The park ranger at the site is everything Donovan isn’t, and Donovan finds himself wondering if his partner isn’t falling into old habits.  Luis struggles to understand Donovan’s jealousy, which puts a strain on their relationship and the case.  To top things off, there may be forces at work here that go back long before humans showed their faces, forces Luis can’t hope to understand. Will those forces propel the case, and Luis and Donovan’s rekindled romance, off a cliff?

Word Count: Click here to reveal149,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: The star of the University of Virginia theater department, Aidan Emery is lusted after and admired for living out and proud. He uses his talent and good looks to his advantage and never sleeps with the same guy twice. But his glamorous patina has been carefully honed to hide the pain he carries inside. Aidan wasn't always such a player. He starts college naively romantic, hungry for the attention he can’t get from his workaholic father and mentally ill mother. Unfortunately, that leaves him ripe pickings for predatory professor Rodney Montgomery. Rodney’s flattering regard seduces Aidan into a dysfunctional relationship that destroys his innocence. Life looks up for Aidan when he finally breaks free of Rodney’s pull and moves to New York City to make it as an actor. Meeting sweet fellow actor Patrick Jaymes seems like the start of a fairy tale. But before Aidan can rebuild his life into happily ever after, family secrets rip him wide open, leaving him easy prey when Rodney decides he’s not willing to let Aidan go.

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 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: Information not available

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

Summary: The search for the swords brings Douglas and Margaret back to England, where Mystere has hidden the sword Almace -- his own sword. Four months pass with no signs of Mystere, and Douglas and Margaret start to make plans to go in search of him. Then they accidentally become the caretakers of an injured street urchin. The boy — a sweep’s apprentice — tells them that there is something invisible haunting the rooftops of London, preying on the children who make their living there. In the absence of Mystere, Margaret insists that they need to help, but Douglas refuses. Margaret defies him and goes anyway, only to discover that what lurks on the rooftops is far worse than she had imagined -- Caedda has taken the rooftops of London as his domain. Worse, he has taken Mystere prisoner, he holds the sword Almace, and he knows that Margaret is there. Trapped on the roofs, unable to reach Douglas, Margaret has to rely on her wits and her memories in order to save Mystere, herself and her unborn child.

Word Count: Click here to reveal121000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A child’s memory. A journey’s end. Lance doesn’t remember the time before Ulfr found him. It’s a dark pit in his mind that he avoids at all costs. And yet, despite his best efforts, pieces start to fall, and echoes from the past begin to ring. However, he has little time to comprehend their meaning, since the Captain of the Imperial Army herself has come to collect him and bring him to the capital city of the Nifdem Empire. Whisked away to the gilded streets and glittering court of the Hill of Tarran, and then to the snowy reaches of Swenen, Lance and Gust will learn the answers to questions they’ve had from the start. And be forced to acknowledge their roles in the survival of the empire and the ripple effects of their actions. But such knowledge can come at a steep price. As allies and enemies begin to step from the shadows, Lance will learn the truth of his past and the price of his redemption, and all the pain that comes with them. While Gust will have to decide what he’s willing to sacrifice to safeguard the one he loves.

Word Count: Click here to reveal97,046 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Love, served behind the stick. Kyle McKee lives a charmed life. He co-owns Under, an uptown speakeasy, where he is chief mixologist. Friends poke fun at Kyle’s tiny one-bed apartment in Chelsea, but they’re the best support system a man could ask for. Unfortunately, Kyle’s lackluster love life has led him to take a break from dating. Harlem resident Luka Clarke is a lieutenant with Engine 47, the Pride of Morningside, where he carries on his father’s legacy with the FDNY. Luka, who is mixed race and bisexual, has his eye on Kyle, whom he met at a local burger joint and he just needs to make time to visit Kyle’s bar. Before work one evening, Kyle is trapped inside the luncheonette when a fire breaks out. Luka’s firehouse answers the call and he connects with Kyle again under the most unexpected of circumstances. When Kyle gratefully invites Luka and the firehouse squad to Under, the flirting between the two men leads to a date. Kyle and Luka quickly grow close, but Luka’s mother and sister distrust Kyle for being both white and gay. Luka believes his family will come around and accept Kyle in the end, but Kyle is not optimistic and hides his disquiet as attraction blossoms into love. Kyle and Luka’s near-idyllic bubble is shattered one evening after a hate crime leaves them scarred, inside and out. Shaken, they put on a strong front but struggle inwardly against fear and personal demons. As the emotions seething beneath the surface finally come to a head, both men must decide if they have the strength to find love enough to conquer hate.

Word Count: Click here to reveal59163 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Shocking news comes to Connor Wild, the drummer for Warrior Black, while they are in the middle of recording their next album. But the loss of his father brings forth terrible memories Connor had long ago buried and leads him straight to the nightmare he wants to forget. Only saving grace is the bodyguard, who can make his body thrum, and help him to forget the past. Bodyguard, John Brand has been with Warrior Black since their rise to fame, after their appearance at last year’s Rocktoberfest in Black Rock, Nevada. His choice to stay as protection is solely for the drummer, who he can’t get out of his head. John wants more, but Connor refuses to see them no less than a hookup. Can John beat away the dark demons from Connor’s past? Will Connor risk it all and expose the dark truth to John? Can Connor move on and give John a chance for love? Connor would have to go Beyond the Stix to see how true love can heal old wounds. Beyond the Stix is part of the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2024 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see what antics our bands get into next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for. Kick back, load up your kindle and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!

Word Count: Click here to reveal48870 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A wolf and a cougar—with all that keeps them apart, can they have a future together? In Haven, Montana, the shifters and their human allies are safe—for now. But that safety hinges on the town’s location remaining a secret, and it’s about to be compromised. Cougar shifter Travis Kuger spent the past several years alternating between craving revenge and wishing he could forget his painful past. Ever since the shifter-hating Knights blinded him and killed his family, Haven—and Sheriff Jack Ulger—have been Travis’s refuge. Travis and Jack know their friendship could be much more, but Jack is part of Haven’s ruling wolf shifter pack. If he takes a non-wolf mate, he could be banished forever. But when a knight infiltrates Haven, love becomes the least of their problems. Second Edition with updated and revised text.

Word Count: Click here to reveal11500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: When two lives entwine, death becomes abhorrent. Hail Patrascu, an ancestor of Transylvania’s Draculesti family line, wields unique powers as the world’s oldest living vampire. Searching for death, he becomes something phenomenal after drinking venom infused blood. Not only does he possess vampiric powers, he’s been imbued with those of an even older creature—a serpentine. A snake, heretofore unable to change form, is animated with Hail’s vampire blood and now the monster seeks life of its own! McCall Stephens had one drink; not nearly enough to imagine what he witnesses after being accosted in an alley. A beast so fiendish, it took the life of a man right before Call’s eyes. Now it stalks him. He haunts Call with eroticism, each encounter tugging him closer to a dark abyss with impossible promises. Giving in, he may lose everything—including his life! Or will Call’s wildest dreams come true? Take his blood—lose your life! A standalone short paranormal MM romance with coarse language, masturbation, explicit sex, abuse flashback, and a little bloody horror. But there’s an HEA and no cliffhanger!

Word Count: Click here to reveal110000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAromantic, Bisexual, Demisexual, Pansexual, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: Shattered by betrayal, Aria's Companions have separated. Aven and Del have retreated to the safety of the Water tribe, leaving Owyn and Treesi behind on land to stand with Aria and help their wounded Heir heal. Despite their best efforts, Aria retreats, rejecting them both. Owyn knows that he and Treesi can't do this alone. He starts riding out to the coastal villages surrounding Terraces, sending messages out to the deep, begging Aven to come back, telling him that the Heart can reach the Heir. Then he returns from one such trip to find Aria and Treesi have left Terraces, leaving him behind. Abandoned, Owyn leaves Terraces. Instead of following Aria, he goes north, trying to find a way to contact the Water tribes. Trying to find a way to save everything before it's too late. To do that, he must face his deepest fear, risk losing his heart, and accept help from the most unlikely of allies.

Word Count: Click here to reveal54500 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Bryson Franklin made bad choices in his past. When he inherits his grandparents' farm outside the small town of Willow River, however, he sees it as a chance for a fresh start. But patterns from his past resurface when Bryson takes up with Daniel Riggs, his bad boy neighbor, and he soon finds himself helping Daniel cover up a murder. After Bryson breaks things off with Daniel, the kindness and attention of handsome sheriff's deputy Sam LeClaire gives him hope, but when Daniel shows up on Bryson's doorstep a year later, will Bryson be able to resist temptation?

Word Count: Click here to reveal123100 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sheltered and lonely, Jon's life changes drastically when a strange ship sails into the harbour of his small port town one day. Trapped between the possessive pirate captain and his murderous first mate, he must learn to adapt or he will lose himself completely. An epic tale of love, treachery and revelation, this first instalment of the Baal's Heart series brings you into the lives of three men so bound together by jealousy and lies that they must sail to the very ends of the earth to find forgiveness.