historical

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

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

Summary: Welcome to another place in time...where one can be swept away into lands and eras long forgotten. This collection of short stories was birthed because a sworn "I don't like historicals" reader fell in love with what have become some of her favorite books by most of her favorite writers. Surprisingly, they were all historicals. Determined to make others feel the love, these authors were asked to contribute small tastes of how amazing historical storytelling can be. Along with a foreword written by Alex Beecroft, enjoy these original short stories that make up "Another Place in Time". Office Romance by Tamara Allen The post-war economy is at a standstill, much like Foster Wetherly’s life until he’s forced to do battle with irritatingly confident—and competent—fellow ex-doughboy Casey Gladwin for a position in their shrinking department at Manhattan Security Mutual. Introducing Mr. Winterbourne by Joanna Chambers Lysander Winterbourne appears to lead a charmed life. Handsome, amiable, and a renowned sportsman, he is the darling of London society. As far as Adam Freeman is concerned though, Lysander is just another spoiled aristocrat. A wealthy mill owner, Adam has no time for the frivolous world of the ton, but when his younger brother becomes engaged to Althea Winterbourne, he reluctantly agrees to be introduced to society–with the Winterbourne clan’s golden boy as his guide. Resigning himself to a few days of boredom, Adam is surprised to learn that there is much more to Lysander than his perfect surface. But will Adam have the courage to introduce Lysander Winterbourne to his own secret self? The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh by KJ Charles Lord Gabriel Ashleigh is a ruined man. Last night he lost everything at the card tables to his brother’s worst enemy, notorious gambler Francis Webster. Tonight, he’s going back for one more game. Ash thinks he has nothing left to lose. But Francis sets the stakes, and they’re higher than Ash could have imagined… Two Regency bucks. One game of cards. Everything to play for. Unfair in Love and War by Kaje Harper Many men lost brothers overseas in the summer of 1944. Warren Burch was one of them. For months he still clung to his big city life in Philadelphia, but finally he's made the difficult choice to return to his home town. Warren's polio-stricken leg won't let him serve, so the least he can do is be there for his mother, when brother Charlie never again will. Arriving home means a whole new life, constrained by the rhythms and prejudices of a small town. Fortunately, it's made more interesting by the mysterious and attractive young man next door. Carousel by Jordan L. Hawk When a child goes missing, is it a simple case of a young runaway, or are more sinister forces at work? “Carousel” is part of the Whyborne & Griffin series and takes place between the events of Stormhaven and Necropolis. It can be read as a standalone. Deliverance by Aleksandr Voinov This is a re-vamped, re-edited, improved version of "Deliverance". It's about William Raven, a templar, who thought he'd escaped his past. (Same character as in "The Lion of Kent".)

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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: Click here to reveal99000 (Click here to hide)

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Summary: They embarked on the Crusades as strangers. They battled through as more than brothers-in-arms. March 1190. Brimming with the spirit of youth, the idealistic Henry de Grey joins King Richard’s army ready to fight for God’s glory on the battlefield. But after he bloodies his sword and witnesses the slaughter of innocents, he struggles to justify the violent acts he’s committed. Through months of brutal marches and political bickering, Henry finds comfort in the fearless resolve of a brash veteran. But when his feelings of friendship grow into something more, he must put his old convictions through the gauntlet. Stephan I’Aigle would follow the king anywhere, even into the heart of enemy territory. He takes Henry under his wing, but fears his growing attachment and burning passion could make him lose his fighting edge. Will opening up his heart destroy the knights’ friendship, or leave them both completely defenseless in the heat of battle? Men of the Cross is medieval historical fiction with elements of an m/m romance. If you like journeys of self-discovery, vivid historical details, and slow-burn chemistry, then you’ll love this tale of the knights who served the Lionheart. Man against man. Man against the elements. Man against his own heart. Survival will depend on more than a strong sword arm.

Word Count: Click here to reveal87000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In AD 107, after a grueling campaign against Rome's fierce enemy, the kingdom of Dacia, Gaius Fabius returns home in triumph. With the bloody battles over, the commander of the Lucky IV Legion now craves life's simple pleasures: leisurely soaks in fragrant baths, over-flowing cups of wine, and a long holiday at his seaside villa to savor his pleasure slaves. On a whim, he purchases a spirited young Dacian captive and unwittingly sparks a fresh outbreak of the Dacian war; an intimate struggle between two sworn enemies with love and honor at stake. Allerix survived the wars against Rome, but now he is a sex slave rather than a victor. Worse, the handsome general who led the destruction of his people now commands his body. When escape appears impossible, Alle struggles to find a way to preserve his dignity and exact vengeance upon the hated Romans. Revenge will be his, that is, if he doesn't lose his heart to his lusty Roman master. Dominus is a plot-packed erotic m/m historical fantasy that transports readers back to ancient Rome during the reign of the Emperor Trajan (98-117). This is the first of four books in an alternate history saga—a tumultuous journey filled with forbidden love, humor, sex, friendship, political intrigue, deception and murder.

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.

Word Count: Click here to reveal90000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Sir Gerard Fogg, knight in the Royal Guard of the kingdom of Algonwick, is in love with the King’s only son, Prince Tristan Fysher. The two men carry on a secret, sexual affair and proclaim their undying love for one another, only to have it torn apart by an intruder from the future. A white supremacist named Malcolm, stumbling on a time portal between 2006 and their time of 1456, murders Tristan and escapes to the future. Sentenced to death for failing to protect the Prince, Gerard is freed by the King’s advisor, Ranulf Godfrey, the one man who knows where to find the murdering Malcolm. The two men travel through time to 2006 to discover the castle they love in ruins and a handsome young researcher named Jon Calder cataloging the artifacts of Algonwick’s forgotten age. Jon, who has never felt as though he fit in anywhere except the ruins of this castle, is the vessel within which resides the soul of the murdered Prince. As Gerard and Jon embark on a journey of sexual discovery more than 500 years in the making, the murderous Malcolm circles ever closer.

Word Count: Click here to reveal170,000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: In 1846 London, Oliver Twist has one desire: to own a bookshop and live a simple, middle-class life as far as possible from his workhouse-shadowed past. One thing stands in his way, Jack Dawkins--The Artful Dodger--who's just returned to London and wants to reconnect. Jack's visits cause Oliver nothing but trouble with his master, but he finds himself drawn, time and again, to their shared past, Jack's unguarded honesty, and those bright, green eyes. Oliver craves respectability, and doesn't think he will find it with a forbidden love. Can Jack convince Oliver that having one doesn't mean losing the other? Fagin’s Boy: The Further Particulars of a Parish Boy's Progress is the first book in Christina E. Pilz’s Oliver & Jack series, a gay historical romance. If you like Dickensian characters who fall in love in spite of themselves, and beautiful flowering romance occurring in all the wrong places,  then you’ll love Fagin’s Boy, so pick up a copy today!

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

Summary: Iain Donaldson and Bran MacRae have been best friends since childhood, despite Iain being part of the gentry and Bran a mere crofter's son. Iain's feelings of friendship have deepened over time, and he suspects Bran might share his inclinations—and Hogmanay may be the time to confess feelings. As the old year becomes the new, Iain keeps his promise to first-foot at the MacRae cottage, and Bran takes the opportunity to bare his heart—will it be enough to overcome the challenges to their budding relationship?

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Summary: Cyrus and Nadir first met as hungry orphans on Behekam’s streets at twelve years old. They became friends, then partners in the thievery that enabled them to survive, and as they passed their days together, they fell in love. When they are both taken as pleasure slaves in the opulent palace of the Malik of Neyem, love becomes more complicated. Rumors of an attempt on Malik Bathasar’s life put Cyrus and Nadir’s relationship to the test—they must pose convincingly as intimate slaves to the young malik as part of a plan to lure the assassin into the open. Teman—Malik Bathasar’s real personal pleasure slave and true lover—was once trained by Cyrus for the same duties, and the attraction and care Cyrus developed for him then still remains. The Malik of Neyem proves an easy man to love and Nadir’s feelings for him grow while they’re pretending to love each other. Cyrus and Nadir care deeply for each other but they’ve forgotten the first rule of love: communicate in honesty. Their love remains strong enough to weather the changes—if they have the courage not only to face the coming dangers, but to put aside deception and find their truth.

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Summary: When a country crowns a new ruler, the people rejoice. For most, it’s a time to put away old fears and look to a future of peace and prosperity. But for Teman, a pleasure slave in the land of Neyem, the coronation of his love and master Bathasar fills him with new fears. Assassination rumors roll through the country—and Bathasar is the target. And Teman knows a malik has many duties. Bathasar may not have room in his life for devotion to a slave—a lover he can’t publicly claim. The love they have might shine brighter than the crown’s jewels, but only if they can keep it alive against all odds.

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

Summary: Mermen of Ea: Book One Taren Laxley has never known anything but life as a slave. When a lusty pirate kidnaps him and holds him prisoner on his ship, Taren embraces the chance to realize his dream of a seagoing life. Not only does the pirate captain offer him freedom in exchange for three years of labor and sexual servitude, but the pleasures Taren finds when he joins the captain and first mate in bed far surpass his greatest fantasies. Then, during a storm, Taren dives overboard to save another sailor and is lost at sea. He’s rescued by Ian Dunaidh, the enigmatic and seemingly ageless captain of a rival ship, the Phantom, and Taren feels an overwhelming attraction to Ian that Ian appears to share. Soon Taren learns a secret that will change his life forever: Ian and his people are Ea, shape-shifting merfolk… and Taren is one of them too. Bound to each other by a fierce passion neither can explain or deny, Taren and Ian are soon embroiled in a war and forced to fight for a future—not only for themselves but for all their kind. WARNING: 18+ adults only, contains scenes of explicit MMM menage (although the pairing is strictly MM), and dubious consent.

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

Summary: Stone Harrison never knew he had an aunt; he certainly never expected her to bequeath him one of the largest spreads in central Nevada. But something about Copper Lake Ranch and its foreman, Luke Reynolds, speaks to him, offering a chance for the home he’s never really had. Luke wants Stone to succeed as a rancher and put the legacy of his shiftless father behind him, but he’d also like Stone to share his bed. Unfortunately, Stone is convinced that the world is a harsh place that will never accept two men sharing their lives. Much to Luke’s dismay, he refuses to risk Luke’s life despite the intense attraction they share. The tension between them escalates when a series of calamities strikes Copper Lake. An unexpected and unwelcome visit from Stone’s dandified cousin, James, only makes things worse. Stone’s ability to run the ranch comes into question, but the threat of losing it means less to Stone than the threat to Luke’s life. Stone will do anything it takes to protect the man he loves—even if it makes him a murderer.

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Summary: Born and raised a gypsy in the late eleventh century, Teman values freedom over everything. He and his best friend, Jasim, are thieves for hire—until one night they’re caught and their precious freedom is revoked. Given the choice between the dungeons or palace pleasure slavery, they become slaves, but Teman vows to escape someday. Bathasar doesn’t want the throne. He supports his brother instead, which suits their sadistic father, Mukesh. When Teman, the handsome slave Bathasar has secretly been watching, saves his life, Bathasar requests a slave for the first time. Before long, Bathasar and Teman fall in love. But all is not well. One day Mukesh brutalizes Teman before the court, angering the empress of a neighboring nation. To appease her, he then offers her Jasim as a gift, and Teman decides to stay with Bathasar for now—despite the abuse he may suffer. The peace doesn’t last. Mukesh plans to invade Jasim’s new country, and Bathasar must find a way to stop the destruction. But if he succeeds, he’ll ascend to the throne and have the power to grant Teman his liberty. Then Teman will surely leave him. What other choice could a gypsy make?

Word Count: Click here to reveal90000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: An enslaved scribe whose worst nightmare is becoming a pleasure slave, a warlord who can command men, but not his own desires. When they come together both of their expectations are overturned. Will their budding relationship threaten everything they have managed to accomplish? Oshiro Ryuu has not had an easy life. Orphaned at a young age and sold into slavery by uncaring relatives, happiness was never an outcome he expected. Still, his life as a scribe and teacher was bearable. Fujiwara Aoshi's life was different from Ryuu's in every conceivable way. Son of a soldier, he fought and killed while other boys were still learning to read and write. Now his goal is nearly in reach, uniting the warring kingdoms of Japan under one benevolent rule. When the warlord purchases a scribe to help with his paperwork he never anticipates it will change his world forever. Thrown together by fate, attraction turns to love, uncovering a web of deception, intrigue and passion that threaten to tear Aoshi's rule apart. Strength of Will is transgressive M/M literary fiction. It utilizes adult language and adult situations. It depicts violence, explicit sex and disturbing scenes/images. If you are offended by male/male eroticism, sexual situations, depiction of BDSM elements, and strong language you might not enjoy this work.

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

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

Summary: In this forthright personal memoir, author and poet Janet Mason reflects on the factory-worker lives of her mother and grandmother in working class Philadelphia while she copes with her mother’s final illness. Her mother’s feminist example and unwavering support of a lesbian daughter become increasingly poignant as Janet explores the choices not open to her mother that she made for herself. Equally pressing is the sheer labor of dealing with medical misdiagnosis and subsequent treatment of her mother, and the toll it takes on her own relationship as she spends increasing hours in conversation with the woman who gave her life. Tea Leaves is about daughters, mothers and women, their choices, and the never-ending circles of their entwined lives.

Word Count: Click here to reveal74000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: After losing his memory in the accident that killed his parents, Jack retires to a remote cabin with his aunt to recuperate. Here he meets Ciarrai, a gender-bending, androgynous beauty who captivates Jack and terrifies him at the same time. Ciarrei turns up on dates wearing a skirt and pretends to be his own twin sister. Ciarrai who likes to be naked and is utterly shameless. Ciarrai who is more damaged than Jack could know. When When Ciarrai's past catches up with him, a past that drove him to the brink of suicide on more than one occasion, Cierrai disappears without a word, trying to save Jack from his own fate, something for which Jack cannot forgive him. An accident brings them together, and something which is definitely not an accident almost separates them in the most final of ways. Can their love survive? Can they survive?

Word Count: Click here to reveal104842 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: A linguistic genius, Portia Sebring is recruited to decipher Russian codes for the Venona Project. While at Arlington Hall, she meets Nigel Mann, a CIA officer known as Mr. Freeze. Portia’s father is behind the meeting. Rumor has it she’s a lesbian, and in the late ’50s, her sexuality could negate any veracity to the codes she deciphers. A match with an equally cold man who won’t distract her from her work seems the ideal solution. But Portia and Nigel develop strong feelings for each other and marry to start a family. However, the lifetime together they anticipate is cut short when Nigel’s jet crashes. Devastated, but with a young son depending on her, Portia has no choice but to go on after Nigel’s death. Her son Quinton joins the US Equestrian Team for the 1980 Summer Olympics, but doesn’t compete due to the government’s boycott of the Games. To distract him, Portia takes him to France, and it’s there that Quinton first feels an attraction for someone of his own sex. Since Portia herself had a same-sex affair in her early twenties, she’s very accepting of this. Along with her trusted bodyguard Gregor, she watches as Quinton finds a career in the intelligence community, following in her footsteps, and also finds a partner worthy of his love. She’s happy for her son, but sure that she won’t love again, since Sebrings have their “one” and she's lost hers. But is she right?

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

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

Summary: Shirzah holds a position of honor as a Preparator of the Dead in the great Necropolis of Abdon. His skills assist souls in their journey to the next life, a worthy occupation. But when a body comes into his care bereft of its soul and heart, Shirzah finds himself launched into a chaotic web of murder, intrigue, and fearsome events that force him out of his comfortable, pleasant existence, and give him no choice but to seek out a former friend, lost years ago to the service of the gods. The priest Set-Imbe holds power now, as a priest of the Fourth Rank. Kept to the Pantheon grounds by binding oaths, trained to serve the god Toth, still Seti is delighted when his old friend Shirzah seeks him out, ending eight long years of loneliness and separation. Their joyful reunion nearly overshadows the reason behind Shirzah's visit, all the more so when their old friendship bursts into a new flame of forbidden passion. Frightened by the strength of his attraction to Seti, Shirzah nearly abandons his attempt to secure the priest's help. But the horror of desecrated bodies drives him forward into a whirlwind of events. A demon terrorizes the town of Abdon, feasting upon souls. And a purely inner demon torments Shirzah, as he realizes the strength of his love for Seti, a thing forbidden by his entire society.  And what of the gods? Once, they walked the streets of Abdon, but they haven't been seen in decades. Even the highest ranking priests have had no contact with their deities beyond vague, fuzzy visions once in a while. Where are they now, when a demon is feasting upon their followers? Shirzah and Seti discover an underlying web of corruption powered by death and greed in their quest to defeat the demon and free their missing gods. Will they succeed in saving Abdon and its people? And more, will Shirzah overcome his fears of the love he feels for Seti?

Word Count: Click here to reveal63000 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: For Jacob and Daniel, two young gay men aboard a Navy ship in WWII, the risks were high. Not just the risks of injury and death from Japanese planes and submarines, but the risk of discovery, of discharge, imprisonment or worse. Only a special kind of love was worth taking that chance. But from the moment Daniel met Jacob's eyes across a battle-scarred deck, he knew he had to try. Being together required figuring out what it meant to be gay and in love with another man, in an era when they could be jailed or committed for admitting the desires of their hearts. On a ship at war, their relationship was measured in stolen moments and rare days of precious leave, with no guarantees there would be a tomorrow. And if they survived the war, they would need even more luck to keep their love alive through all the years to come. 63,300 words This story was written for a photo and story request letter as part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group Love is Always Write event. This is a free download in ebook. The audio book, narrated by Kaleo Griffith, is Whispersync'd to the free book on Amazon.

Word Count: Click here to reveal12530 (Click here to hide)

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

Summary: Provocative Prehistoric Erotic Romance Zarum's interest in him was more than E'lan had been expecting, given his preference—but then maybe Zarum had sensed something. E'lan had been told all his life that he was the most beautiful and alluring "girl" and now "woman" anyone had ever set eyes on and each time the clans gathered to seek mates for their younger clan members, E'lan enjoyed the admiration bestowed upon him, but the necessity to keep his true gender and sexuality a secret prevented him from finding a mate for himself. As the healer of the Clan N'kip, E'lan was also their spiritual leader. A position passed down to him by his mother—strictly a woman's position within the clan. Only the elders knew of the deception his mother had strategically undertaken throughout E'lan's life. This mating season, four spirits willing, he would be included in the celebrations. The elders would choose a suitable mate for him and he'd be permitted to take that man back to his sleeping platform and fulfill his long-awaited desires. As a man—not a woman