m/m fiction
Messiah 2: The Page of Wands by Reno MacLeod and Jaye Valentine
Messiah 2: The Page of Wands by Reno MacLeod and Jaye Valentine
Blurb:
In the year 2039, the world is a better place thanks to one man. Humans have all they could wish for, and supernaturals have moved in to peacefully co-exist. Famine, disease, and environmental issues are all but a thing of the past. Earth is practically a new Garden of Eden.
A shame it isn’t going to stay that way. In the sequel to Messiah 1: The Three of Cups, Malcolm Wilder, creator of the HydroGo fuel cell and the world’s new messiah, has begun to feel the weight of the sins that surround him. Levi and Suki do their best to help Malcolm keep the world — and their anointed prince — from falling into shambles. Unfortunately, the jealous tension between the two demons is mounting, and the others have taken notice. Just when things seem their darkest, an unlikely visitor brings the world an unexpected message of hope.
Seducing Light by KC Kendricks
Seducing Light by KC Kendricks
Blurb:
Asher Myles struggled to put his life back together after an identity thief striped him of everything but his talent for capturing light and shadow with a camera lens. With a new job and a new start, Asher’s on his way to Montana—and a meeting with the man he’s fantasized about since he first saw him on the silver screen.
Nick Light, actor, director, and Hollywood royalty, doesn’t like paparazzi. When he agrees to have his Montana ranch photographed for a style magazine, the unexpected happens—he falls for the man with the camera. Nick’s secret comes out when he realizes Asher is also gay.
If there’s one thing Nick can’t resist, it’s a man with a talent for seducing light…
Z. A. Maxfield’s Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy by Z. A. Maxfield
Blurb:
When Jordan Jensen moves to St. Nacho’s he has one goal in mind: starting over. He wants to reconnect with best friends Cooper and Shawn yet is uncertain of his welcome. He has the skills to get a job, but isn’t sure any prospective employer can get past the time he spent in jail for alcohol-related vehicular homicide. He’s past the worst part of his life but knows it will haunt him forever. So Jordan plans a life of quiet service. One thing he knows for sure: finding love is entirely too much to ask.
On the first day of his new job, Jordan meets Ken Ashton. Ken has every reason to hate Jordan for his past and only one to seek him out: Ken’s baseball career was shattered in a drunk-driving accident. But for some reason he can’t explain, Ken needs Jordan’s touch and finds healing within Jordan’s warmth and strength. Jordan wants to give Ken everything his new partner needs.
Without entirely understanding it, Ken and Jordan develop a powerful emotional and erotic connection, but Ken must help Jordan find the faith to trust it. Unexpected help comes from the people of Santo Ignacio–and the town itself–a place where Physical Therapy can be a path toward spiritual healing and powerful, passionate love.
David’s Dilemma by Lynn Lorenz
David’s Dilemma by Lynn Lorenz
Blurb:
When David’s father moves in, David loses more than his study. He loses his life. His father has Alzheimer’s and each day is a struggle for both of them. His father’s blunt, bigoted attitudes about David’s lifestyle, friends and neighbors pushes David out of his circle of support and into a world of loneliness, repeated conversations, and the fear that his father will wander off or burn down the house while David’s at work.
With David’s life in turmoil, now is not the right time to meet a man. And definitely not the time to try to have a romantic relationship. But when his father does wander off, David turns to the local police for help, and he meets Detective Travis Hart.
Travis’s life is not much better. Just coming off a nasty break up with his much younger lover, Travis struggles with his attraction to David. A rebound romance is not what Travis is looking for; he wants commitment and forever. Both men realize what they really need at this point in their lives is not a lover, but a best friend.
Through phone calls, they begin a friendship and share the moments in their days, David’s coping with his father and Travis’s struggle with his job as a cop. But as their friendship and attraction turns into the love, David’s father spirals deeper into a disease that robs him of memory and replaces it with fear and delusions, until the situation becomes something that neither David or Travis ever expected.
The Graft by Isabelle Rowan
The Graft by Isabelle Rowan
Blurb:
Sean and Daniel have both been married before, yet when new legislation allows same-sex couples to register their partnership, Daniel begins to question their relationship. But Sean knows they are meant to be together.
Review:
I first met this author reading her fabulous book A Note In the Margin, which by the way if you haven’t read this book—go read it now. Yes, Now. But for those that are not under a rock, this author is able to pack more emotion and depth into just a few pages than most can offer in 100 pages. This short story is part of the Dreamspinner series “To Have and To Hold” and it’s really wonderful. Coming in at only 20 pages, you’ll be sorry this story ends but at the same time, it’s a complete short story and well fitting.
Sean and Daniel have been together for a few years. There is a slight inconsistency here where the beginning states they’ve been together for five years and later Sean muses it’s been three years. So the intent is several years to at least establish their relationship and connection. Both men have been married before and each has fathered children, yet they are comfortable together without making a big deal about their orientation or sexuality. To these men it’s very simple; it feels right to be together. This calm intuition typifies the relationship between these two older men who handle a partial long distance relationship due to work.
What hallmarks the beauty of this short story is not only the wonderful prose and realistic relationship infused with warmth, love, and simmering passion, but also the reality of marriage between same sex couples. This highlights the need to offer partners the choice, the option to get married if they so choose rather than denying that celebration and recognition. Sean and Daniel don’t necessarily need or want the pomp and circumstance of a marriage, no more polyester suits thankfully, but their relationship has purpose and importance to them.
Similarly the hand fasting ceremony was really quite lovely and a parallel to the apple graft tree Sean was tending at the beginning. Like the apple tree, the parts will come together over the years creating something strong and unique. I find it impossible to read such a lovely story as this and not feel the weight and importance of possibilities for others. As a story highlighting the importance of marriage and equal rights or a beautiful romance, this short tale delights and will entice the reader.
Just go get it. You’ll be happy you did.
Get it HERE!
*A small plug for
who is doing 1 paragraph reviews of the entire series. Emily’s 1 short story a day for a month are very popular so check out her take on this series.
Adrenaline by BA Tortuga
Adrenaline by BA Tortuga
Blurb:
Big time country singer Travis Reed has impulse control issues. He’s known for crazy stunts and good music, but someone has been making threats on his life, which his management thinks is a bit too much. They hire Wyatt Chastain as Travis’ new personal security, a man who can keep Travis safe from his stalker, and from himself.
Travis doesn’t think he needs a babysitter, but the attraction between him and Wyatt is white hot from the first. He’s happy enough to play, and Wyatt has a few impulses of his own, but when things start to get crazy, they have to learn to trust each other as much as they want each other. Can they get their adrenaline rush in and keep Travis alive?
Extreme Bull by Catt Ford
Extreme Bull by Catt Ford
Blurb:
Inside and outside the rodeo arena, Jeff Stratton and Clay Harris are rivals with tempers worse than the bulls they ride. So Clay is shocked when Jeff taps that wild energy and kisses him, sparking an undeniable urge for more of each others’ bodies.
But when they discover they might want more than casual sex between competitions, Clay’s greatest fear is recognized: He is scared of being identified as gay. He’ll have to cowboy up if he hopes to hang on to Jeff on the circuit of love.
Lynn Lorenz’s Pacific Nights
Pacific Nights by Lynn Lorenz
Blurb:
On a deserted island in the Pacific, surrounded by the enemy, two very different men learn to rely on each other for survival. Mike is an uneducated rascal, one step ahead of prison and a court-martial. He’s given one chance to redeem himself: if he wants to stay out of jail, he has to keep Professor James Hamilton alive. No matter what.
James is everything Mike isn’t ~ suave, educated, intellectual, and rich. He’s also a conscientious objector and he’s made a deal with the army ~ three months on the island breaking codes as long as he doesn’t have to kill anyone.
Mike is Catholic, the son of immigrants, and has never acted on his desires. James is Jewish, the son of Boston society, and experienced in love between men. During their hazardous stay on the island, they teach each other about life, friendship, and survival. With only them to say what’s right and wrong, the men make a deal: Mike must give himself to James for one day, submit to him completely, and James will allow Mike to take him whenever Mike wants to slake his sexual needs.
But once the war is over, can they keep the promises made on those hot Pacific nights and find one place both of them can call home?
Holed Up by Hank Edwards
Holed Up by Hank Edwards
BLURB:
FBI Special Agent Aaron Pearce, tall, muscular, a lone wolf with an attitude, is assigned to protect Mark Beecher, a witness to the plans for a terrorist attack. The discovery of an unknown informant within the FBI’s ranks, however, forces the two men to hole up in a loft apartment with only one another for company.
After long conversations and their shared attempt to unravel the puzzle of the terrorist group’s next target, Pearce and Mark find they cannot deny their mutual attraction. Pearce gives in to his passion, sleeping with the man he’s sworn to protect and going against his training as he risks heartbreak once again.
When the informant reveals himself to Pearce and takes him hostage, Mark finds he cannot run and leave Pearce to die. Instead, their roles have been reversed and now he is the only person who can save Special Agent Pearce.
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