A Straight Line by Chase Connor & J.D. Wade

Forty years ago, Harry and Vic opened the first-ever gay bar in their rural town. Facing discrimination, prejudice, and sometimes even violence, they managed to keep the bar open in the face of adversity. A Straight Line was a place where a queer person could be themselves, find community, acceptance, and frequently, the love of their life. Everyone who became a regular at A Straight Line quickly fell in love with the owners, often referring to them as “Uncle Harry” and “Uncle Vic.” As the world changed around them and their bar, Harry and Vic saw their rural town expand, become more accepting, and eventually embrace A Straight Line as a part of the community—just as iconic as the town hall or courthouse. The two men found themselves heroes of the community, beloved and respected for helping to usher out widespread homophobia and herald a new era of acceptance in their town. If you asked any queer person in town about A Straight Line, they’d probably tell you that it saved their life. Now, times have changed. Harry and Vic have decided it’s time to retire and to pass the bar on to new owners. But they won’t go out without one last hurrah. Invitations have been sent out to every queer person who’s alive and attended A Straight Line’s opening—and any queer person who has passed through its doors since and ended up on its mailing list. Harry and Vic are welcoming them all to home for one last evening of music, dancing, food, drinks, and the sharing of life-long memories. One attendee at Uncle Harry’s and Uncle Vic’s party is their twenty-something nephew, Russ, who has recently moved in with them. He’s not sure he believes in finding true love, nor does he understand what it means to create an LGBTQ+ family. However, once the elder gays share their wisdom, and he notices a dark-haired stranger at the party, maybe Russ will change his mind? Maybe all he needs is a little queer magic?

A Tremendous Amount of Normal by Chase Connor

Noah is normal. He’s full of normal. His older brother Will tells everyone all of the time. Even if they don’t believe him. Noah doesn’t understand why kids in school call him a “retard." He’s not intellectually disabled. In fact, he’s very smart. But a lot of people call Will a fag—so maybe it’s kind of like that. Neurotypical people don’t always make sense. Noah doesn’t understand love in the same way that his brother Will does. But maybe that’s because neurotypical people don’t understand love as deeply as Noah does? Noah is full of understanding. And so is Will. Noah wants a girlfriend. His brother Will may never be able to have a boyfriend. Maybe they need to redefine normal?

Bully by Chase Connor

It all began like something out of porn. The gay eighteen-year-old nerd who works at the grocery store after school is being bullied by the "straight" eighteen-year-old jock who also works at the grocery store. They're from different worlds and, under normal circumstances, probably never would have met. But an app notification on the jock's phone sets off an epic...love story? "Bully" is the story of two eighteen-year-old guys, one a nerd, one a jock, who have their first sexual encounter in an alleyway behind the grocery store they both work at after school. Perfect porn scenario. What happens after is everything porn is not built on - first love, rejection, coming out, secrets, sharing of the deepest desires, dreams, and aspirations. Finding the strength to be who you really are and loving the person you really are, finding acceptance for who you are, and leaning on your person through one of the messiest times in life. It's about losing your first true love, graduating high school, finishing college, starting your adult life, and reconnecting. It's about having the faith that you are enough...but hoping that you will find your person again. Bully is the story of two boys and this mess we call life. And lots of sex.

Just a Dumb Surfer Dude 2: For the Love of Logan by Chase Connor

Logan has always been a "good boy". He gave up his chance at finding potential true love at Dextrus Academy, the all-boys school he attends, so that Cooper and Alex could be happy together. Now he's starting to wonder if that decision isn't the worst he's ever made. With Cooper and Alex happy and content in their relationship, Logan can't help but wonder if he'll never find a guy that loves him. He may only be eighteen-years-old, but it feels like he's been waiting a lifetime for the right guy to come along. Just when everything is falling apart, two different guys walk into his life. One he met by chance...and one he's known ever since he came to Dextrus Academy. Just a Dumb Surfer Dude 2: For the Love of Logan is the sequel to Chase Connor's first LGBTQ YA novella "Just a Dumb Surfer Dude: A Coming-of-Age Tale. All of the lovable characters are back--but Logan steps into the spotlight in this tale about first love and coming out.

Just a Dumb Surfer Dude by Chase Connor

Cooper is a genius. At least that's what everyone else keeps saying, even if he doesn't like it. But that's not his biggest problem. Being gay while attending Dextrus Academy, an all-boys prep school, and only having one other gay friend, life can be...difficult. Cooper wants to stay true to himself, and being a hormonal gay teen makes that difficult at times. So far, he's managed to navigate being a good son, a good student, a best friend, and not lose himself in the process. But when Logan, a hot surfer dude, transfers to Dextrus Academy, is it possible that Cooper will lose himself for a chance at true happiness?

A Surplus of Light by Chase Connor

"He's a psycho." That's what Mike is told when he asks who the kid is with the dark swoop of hair and eyes that look like icebergs floating in milk. From that moment, it becomes Mike's mission to find out everything about this kid. The kid who can fight better than anyone, but doesn't want to. The kid who is the greatest artist Mike's ever met. The kid who only wants to be his friend during the lightest days of summer. The kid who tells him that being his friend at school will only ruin Mike's reputation. Regardless of what the kid tells Mike, he doesn't realize that summer is the best time--it has the most light--and it makes it easier for Mike to see who he truly is. And there's no way Mike will back off once he sees this kid for who he truly is.

Between Enzo & the Universe by Chase Connor

Indie Recs Indie

If Enzo listed his problems, being single wouldn't be anywhere near the top of the list. It might not even be in the top twenty list of problems that he faces on a daily basis. His grandmother is dead. His parents are dead. His sister and brother are dead. He has no money. No friends. No job. He's all alone in a country that will always seem strange. Soon, he might not even have a home. And he's so angry. At life. Himself. God. The universe. Everyone. Except for the man he sees in the market. Something about the man with the red hair (who only speaks English) tells Enzo that the universe might not be completely against him for once. 'Between Enzo & the Universe' is a story about a boy who emigrates from France with his family to Canada in the hopes that a better life might be found. Enzo arrives in Canada as a boy with a happy, healthy family...and ends up a young man with no one left in the world. How does the universe apologize for that? Enzo meets an American at the autumn festival and over the course of a night, they will share their dreams, their passions, and the events that made them the people they are. They will eat, laugh, talk...and come to realize that they both share a dream for the future.

Christmas Rekindled by Sadira Stone

Bartender River Lundqvist has a damn good reason for hating Christmas. Bangers Tavern is the perfect place to lay low over the holidays—until Charlie walks in. His first encounter with the saucy server nine years ago was utter humiliation. Her reappearance stirs up powerful desires and hopes for a new start. But the timing is all wrong. Back in Tacoma to care for her estranged dad over the holidays, freelance web designer Charlie Khoury braces herself for the suckiest Christmas ever. A temporary job at Bangers Tavern gives her a chance to escape Dad’s criticism and blow off some steam. But why does the hunky bartender seem to hate her? A pretend girlfriend is just what River needs to keep his family off his back—until a kiss under the mistletoe flares hot enough to melt the North Pole. When greedy developers threaten Bangers Tavern, River and Charlie must team up to save it. Their sizzling chemistry feels like the real thing—but everyone knows rebound relationships don’t last. Come to Bangers Tavern for an enemies-to-lovers tale of reconciliation, found family, holiday cocktails, and the steamiest Christmas miracle ever.

Intricate Deceptions by Jennifer Rayes

Waking up in a desolate cell, Gaia realizes that she has been kidnapped by a human trafficking organization, doomed to be sold to the highest bidder and unable to remember anything before her capture. An opportune rescue by Raoul, the Prince of Kayamato, saves Gaia from a gruesome future, and she is thrown into a world of luxury and privilege. As she struggles to regain her memory, Gaia learns that her rescue was no accident and finds herself in even more danger, hunted by a powerful drug lord, targeted by a thrill seeking pirate, and betrayed by those she thought closest to her. Fighting for sanity and survival, she works to unravel the truth behind her capture, each revelation more shocking than the last. The intricate web of deceptions spun around her family will shatter her world, leaving her unsure if she will ever trust again. Through it all, she must survive to save a friend before it’s too late…

Enlightened (Enlightened #1) by Billie Kowalewski

SPFBO6

"Winner 2017 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD Distinguished Favorites" "Enlightened is exactly the sort of book that remains in your mind long after you've read it, for all the best reasons." authorstalkaboutit.com" "Enlightened is such a fascinating read and is not mindless by any stretch of the imagination." lisaluvstoread.blogspot.com When Veronica lost the love of her life in a horrible accident she wassure he was gone forever, and she would never love again. Then, fiveyears later she meets her own tragic demise leading her back to the manshe loves, but, with an unexpected twist... Imagine waking up to discover that the life you thought was real never was. That your real life is actually lived somewhere else, and the love you thought was lost will go on forever

Currents of Change by Darian Smith

SPFBO6

Haunted house. Haunted heart. When Sara O’Neill goes on the run, she believes the tiny New Zealand town of Kowhiowhio is just the sanctuary she needs. Her family’s old colonial house needs repair, but it’s safe from the abusive husband she left behind. However, a hostile local holds a grudge and a dangerous presence haunting her new home threatens Sara’s chance at peace. How can she create a new life while dealing with ghosts from the old? For local electrician, Nate Adams, parenting his young daughter alone has not been easy - particularly in a town where he is still seen as an outsider. When he meets his new neighbour, he sees a chance at a new start for them both. Even with his help, can the house – or Sara’s heart – be repaired? Someone doesn’t want an O’Neill in Kowhiowhio. Sara’s return is awakening secrets hidden for generations. Why has the house never had electricity? What was the fate of Sara’s ancestors? Can she discover the ghost’s story before it’s too late? The truth will set…something…free.

To Fall for a Duke by Christmas by Sadie Bosque

A steamy historical romance novella set in pre-Regency (Georgian era) England that will hit you in the feels. The Blurb: To spite his former love, David decides to court the least suitable miss of the house party, an enchanting Irish commoner Niamh. He will not marry a commoner, of course. It is just a pretense. Or it was. Until the sparks fly, and he finds himself falling hard and fast for a woman who is completely wrong for the role of his Duchess. A penniless Irish commoner living among polite society is unlikely to find a suitor. Especially in England. Or at least that's Niamh's experience. Living in a troublesome household of her uncle, she is desperate to get away and go back to Ireland. When Niamh meets the Duke during the festivities, however, she finds herself at crossroads. Will she be willing to give up her freedom for a chance at love?

Prisoner at Heart (Daughters of the Seven Seas Book 2) by Grace A. Johnson

Atlantic Ocean 1684 Five months have passed since Captain Rina Blackstone lowered her Jolly Roger. Five months since she had last heard word of her greatest enemy, Timothy Wilde. For once in her life, she feels as thought she may actually be out of the storm. She has found her parents, found love, found her Savior. And a boatload of trouble when Wilde comes sailing up beside her, prepared to finally finish the job. Julius Blackstone has survived over ten hard, grueling years on board Wilde’s pirate ship, the Rogue Maiden. During those ten years, he has continually wondered when his storm would at long last pass and he would be returned to his home and his only family. The time has come. Crimson Wilde has awaited this day for over a decade. Her father has finally found Rina Blackstone, and now her torture has come to an end. Both Rina and Julius will be put out of their misery. But neither Crimson, Rina, or Julius are prepared for the onslaught of joy, peace, anger, and hatred that follows with Wilde’s death sentence.

Held Captive by Grace A. Johnson

Captain Rina Blackstone is the most notorious female pirate to ever plunder the Seven Seas and the fiercest captain to ever sail the Atlantic. But one thing she has never been able to handle well is change. When one merchant ship raid takes a wrong turn and results in her capture, Rina has to escape before all the control she’s worked so hard to obtain falters. Xavier Bennet was commissioned seven years ago to find the Duke of Rothsford’s long lost daughter. Those seven years have past without a trace of the woman except for the one letter he believes will lead him to her. When Xavier’s ship, the Jessica, finally crosses paths with the Rina, it’s all he can do to hope that somehow, someway, he’ll be able to find Lady Catherina and return her to her parents. Except the pirate captain he finds certainly surpasses his expectations and brings the one thing he cannot afford: trouble. Lies. That’s all that spews from Xavier Bennet’s lips. Lies. And Rina is determined not to listen, not to believe. Only to wiggle her way out of his clutches before all the pieces come together and reveal exactly what she doesn’t want… the truth.

Wrong Place, Right Time by E.B. Roshan

Twenty-three years ago, Anna Belko had the misfortune to be born in Dor, Sevia's dangerous capital. Now, she spends her days sewing shirts at the garment factory and trying to ignore the hatred and ethnic violence that is tearing her city apart. Until one evening a spilled pot of tea and an unexpected meeting with a young man named Boris Merkovich turn her world upside down...

Final Chance by E.B. Roshan

Three months have passed since Preen learned that her husband, Rama, was captured and killed by a rival militia. Now the pieces of her shattered life are falling back into place. It's getting easier to breathe again. Preen finds herself smiling over her daughter's antics. She's engaged to her wealthy, handsome cousin, who loved her long before Rama stole her heart. Then, late one night, Rama calls. He asks Preen to come back to the dangerous city of Dor, back to the life she thought she'd left behind forever...

Love Costs by E.B. Roshan

Nobody would have put Dunya and Radoslav together. She's Tur. He's Sevian. She's stuck in a refugee camp. He's working for the people who put her there. With three years of war and a fifteen-foot fence between them, finding happiness together seems impossible. But Radoslav can't get the girl with the pink hair—or her missing cat—out of his mind...

Hamartia by Raquel Rich

Grace's nine-year-old son, Jordan, is dying. . . . First, the Metagenesis disease will tear his soul from his body, and then it will kill him. Desperate for a cure, Grace agrees to take part in an illegal clinical trial cloning souls. Supported by her best friend Kay, the two embark on the ultimate "Vegas Vacation" to the past in search of the right soul to clone, racing against time to save Jordan's life. But someone is trying to stop them and when they discover why, Grace must make a choice: let her son die or kill her husband. If she kills her husband, she triggers widespread Metagenesis, sealing the fate of the human race with a new plague. Humanity is counting on Grace choosing to let her son die. Book trailer: https://youtu.be/nZwRXDKHZ-4 Praise for Hamartia: “Rich spins an ambitious and imaginative concept into a plot that’s full of fantastically complicated twists. . . . Throughout, the narrative raises and resolves questions at a brisk pace, making for a compelling page-turner.” – Kirkus Reviews "The love story is a complex, thought provoking relationship with a seductive touch of heat. Ms. Rich delivers a mind-bending futuristic thriller with seductive skill and a unique perspective to the dilemmas of time-travel!" – InD'tale Magazine

Of Rioters and Royals by M.L Greye

Emry is a Royal - a princess of Enlennd. As is tradition, she must have a knight at her side as her protector. The only way to appoint one is through The Trials. Her Challengers from the five regions of Enlennd must compete for the infamous title of Princess's Knight. The problem, though, is that the people of Enlennd are split into two categories: Rioters and Royals. Finding the perfect knight may be the last of her worries. War is coming to Enlennd. Declan is a Rioter. An upriser. An anarchist. He mistrusts the Jewels - the sovereign family of Enlennd. Yet, he is offering himself up as a Challenger in The Trials. The Mistress, leader of the Rioters, has a mission for him. The first step is for him to become the Princess's Knight. He is ready for the task, until he actually meets Emry and discovers that betraying her would be much more difficult than he'd thought.

A Place to Run (Trials of the Blood Book 1) by Becca Lynn Mathis

What if you learned that the things that go bump in the night are real? . . . What if you became one of them? When Lynn gets attacked by a crazed werewolf, every aspect of her entire lonely life changes. Her new pack helps her adjust to life as a werewolf, but that means living under the constant threat of vampires, their immortal enemies. Worse, Lynn learns a former friend – and vampire – is now targeting her, and the military wants to get their hands on her as well. Fearing the danger she brings to her pack, Lynn must decide whether it’s better to run from them all or to make peace with who and what she has become.

The Recoil Trilogy by Joanne Macgregor

FROM RECOIL (BOOK 1): When a skilled gamer gets recruited as a sniper in the war against a terrorist-spread plague, she discovers there’s more than one enemy and more than one war. The Game is real. Three years after a series of terrorist attacks flooded the US with a lethal plague, society has changed radically. Sixteen year-old Jinxy James spends her days trapped at home – immersed in virtual reality, worrying about the plague and longing for freedom. Then she wins a war simulation game and is recruited into a top-secret organisation where talented teenagers are trained to become agents in the war on terror. Eager to escape her mother’s over-protectiveness and to serve her country, Jinxy enlists and is trained to become an expert sniper. She’s immediately drawn to Quinn O’Riley, a charming and subversive intelligence analyst who knows more about the new order of government and society than he is telling. Then a shocking revelation forces Jinxy to make an impossible decision, and she risks losing everything. THE RECOIL TRILOGY is a fast-paced, exciting, original Young Adult dystopian romance series, which makes great reading for lovers of Rick Yancey (The Fifth Wave), Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games), and Veronica Roth (Divergent).

Chaos (Tessa Avery #1) by Lucy Roy

For most girls at eighteen, life is just beginning: graduation, college, getting their own place. Unlike them, however, I’ve trained my whole life to be an Ischyra, an immortal soldier of the Olympian gods, and when high school ends, I’m going to Olympus to face my destiny, leaving all that I know behind. I’m a nervous wreck, of course, but making the transition from mortal to immortal, not to mention finding out what my affinity will be, has me over the moon. Finally, I’ll be tasting what I was born for. But not all is a bed of roses. Meeting the gods and the grueling training is nothing compared to the nightmares I’ve been having. Controlling my newly awakened powers is more of a struggle than I'd anticipated. Add to the mix a hot guy who I can’t make heads or tails of. And if that wasn’t enough, a bunch of the Titans who were defeated thousands of years ago have begun to gather forces, hoping to retake Olympus for their own. As an Ischyra, my duty is to protect Earth from those who would seek to harm it, but first I have to get through my training year. Yet as my powers start to take on a mind of their own, I begin to realize the gods might have other plans in store.

City of Wishes: The Complete Cinderella Story by Rachel Morgan

Cinderella retold: A human slave, a fae prince, and a Godmother who’ll grant any wish—if you pay the price. In a world of fae, vampires and shifters, where magic is real and wishes can be bought and bargained for, Elle is on society's bottommost rung: she's human. To make matters worse, she's also a slave, bound to her stepmother by magic. Her only hope at freedom is to wish for it. But the Godmother rules the illegal wish trade, and the price she demands is steep. Elle has never been desperate enough to summon her. Until now. This collection includes all 6 episodes in the CITY OF WISHES Cinderella retelling: 1. The Memory Thief 2. The Vampire Trap 3. The Moonlight Masquerade 4. The Eternal Night 5. The Starlight Quest 6. The Everafter Wish

Planet of the Creeps by D.S. Whitaker

A twisted Cinderella story set in modern day NYC about blind dating, deceit, and the struggle to find true love. Cindy has been looking for love through Smitten, an online dating app, only to encounter one creep after another. She has a happy life living in NYC with her gay roommate, Barry, but she feels he’s putting his own love life on hold for her sake. Then her baby sister gets engaged. She decides it’s time to try again to find her own true love. The CEO of Smitten, Lance, is facing declining subscribership and the Board wants his ouster. Lance truly believes women can’t find matches because they’re too picky. As a last-ditch effort, he develops a marketing scheme involving a contest for female users. A few lucky women will go on a series of blind dates for a hefty sum, in the hopes of improving Smitten’s matching algorithm. He decides to pose as a waiter at the restaurant hosting the experiment to find out the truth and validate his position. Cindy accepts the invitation to participate. Lance is a terrible waiter and the patrons treat him horribly. But Cindy becomes his beacon of happiness as the contest progresses. She treats him like a person and not a servant. He watches how she maintains a positive attitude despite several hilariously awful blind dates with the creepiest men. Soon, Lance starts to fall for her—hard. Only, she doesn’t know his true identity. Can Lance win Cindy’s love? Or will he turn out to be the worst creep of them all?

Reactive (The Elite Trials #1) by Becky Moynihan

AN INESCAPABLE CITY. THREE DEADLY TRIALS. ONE WAY OUT. Lune Tatum, adopted daughter of the Supreme Elite, has lived within her father’s walled city for eleven years. 

But she wants out. 

 Except she can’t leave, and not because of the clans and mutated beasts that roam beyond the impenetrable, electrified walls protecting her life. Her plan has always been to win the Elite Trials and earn Title of Choice—her only chance at freedom. And the only way to return home to her mother. 
Then a boy from her past arrives on her eighteenth birthday. His presence threatens Lune's carefully laid plans and exposes memories she's desperate to forget. He can’t be trusted. Especially as he possesses dangerous secrets. And what he reveals could ruin the chance at freedom she’s willing to die for. Perfect for fans of the Hunger Games, Divergent, and Shatter Me series, THE ELITE TRIALS trilogy is the gripping story of Lune Tatum as she fights for freedom in a futuristic dystopian world plagued by danger, secrets, and betrayal. An emotional, action-packed journey of resilience, second chances, and fierce love.

A Touch of Darkness (Hades & Persephone #1) by Scarlett St. Clair

Persephone is the Goddess of Spring by title only. The truth is, since she was a little girl, flowers have shriveled at her touch. After moving to New Athens, she hopes to lead an unassuming life disguised as a mortal journalist. Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world and his favorite bets are rumored to be impossible. After a chance encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead and the terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. The bet does more than expose Persephone’s failure as a Goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows—and it’s forbidden.

When Time Stands Still by Sara Furlong-Burr

Award-winning romance that recently earned acclaim from the prestigious Next Generation Indie Book Awards! It’s been nearly a decade since Elle Sloan last saw Luke Hutchins. Close to ten years since she broke up with him over a single phone call, providing him with little explanation. Since the end of their relationship, Elle has done everything she could do to move on, marrying, proceeding forward with her life, almost allowing herself to completely forget about Luke. Almost. Out of nowhere, Elle receives a phone call from Luke’s mother. Luke has been in a horrific car accident and, a month later, has just awoken from a coma. However, instead of celebrating, his family is stunned to learn that Luke is suffering from amnesia and only remembers his life as it was before his breakup with Elle. Not wanting to tell Luke that he and Elle aren’t together anymore for fear it may compromise his recovery, Elle is asked by Luke’s family to come to the hospital to see him. Their hope is that she will slowly be able to jog his memory and cushion the blow. Guilt-ridden over how their relationship ended, Elle readily agrees, finding herself transported back in time with Luke to the life they once shared and the future they could have had together.

The Senator's Daughter by Amaka Azie

Rita the only daughter of billionaire, Senator Obaseki, hides behind her reputation as a spoilt wealthy heiress with no ambition to cover up a painful past. Former soldier Nosa Edosa, believes the Senator to be the epitome of greed and political corruption. Failing to bring him to justice through legal means, his last-ditch effort involves kidnapping the man's daughter. The plan is simple, the execution flawless ... until love gets involved. Neither Rita nor Nosa are what they seem, and as they discover themselves in this quest to right her family's wrongs, they suddenly have something too precious to lose-their hearts. Experience the thrills of Nigerian politics, sizzling romance, and perilous suspense in this action-packed love story by Amaka Azie

The Paris Photo by Jane S Gabin

The Paris Photo compassionately conveys the story of American soldier Ben Gordon and his relationship with a young mother and her son just after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Despite the strength of this relationship during the war, Ben's eventual return to America separates them. Decades later, Ben's daughter stitches the relationship back together when she discovers a photograph of her late father with an unknown woman and boy. Eager to uncover more of her father's past, she travels to Paris to learn about the people in the photograph. The Paris Photo lifts characters out of the pages of a history book, richly depicting the human emotion that pervades our memories. The Paris Photo will appeal to lovers of historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in WWII. Jane S. Gabin creates a vivid picture of life in Paris during the dark days of the Nazi occupation, as well as a depiction of the contemporary city that still carries scars from the war. Interweaving mystery, romance, and historical research, The Paris Photo demonstrates how the traumas of wartime loss persist into the present.

Tinderbox (Flashpoint) (Volume 1) by Rachel Grant

In the volatile tinderbox of the Horn of Africa, Morgan Adler has made the paleoanthropological find of a lifetime. The discovery brings her to the attention of a warlord eager to claim both Morgan and the fossils, forcing her to make a desperate dash to the nearby US military base to beg for protection. Master Sergeant Pax Blanchard has orders to intercept Dr. Adler before she reaches the base, and in so doing saves her life. After a harrowing afternoon he safely delivers her to his commanders, only to find his responsibilities toward protecting the obstinate archaeologist have only just begun. Morgan and Pax are forced to work together in the Djiboutian desert heat, but it is the fire that ignites between them that threatens to combust them both. For the Green Beret, involvement with the woman he must protect is a threat to his career, while for the archaeologist, the soldier is everything she never wanted but somehow can’t resist. When Morgan uncovers a mystery surrounding Djibouti’s most scarce and vital resource, the danger to her reaches the flashpoint. For Pax, protecting her is no longer a matter of following orders, and he’ll risk everything to bring her back alive.