Handmade with Love by Rachel Bowdler

In the Welsh coastal village of Castell Bay, Stevie Turner creates souvenirs with washed-up materials found on the beach for her rustic gift shop, the Little Shop of Driftwood. When old flame, Anna Conway, returns home and moves into the apartment above the shop, Stevie can only offer her ex-girlfriend the cold shoulder. It’s been eight years since Anna broke things off and vowed to never return to Castell Bay, but with a new job as a city council member, her focus is protecting the home she loves from beach-combing tourists. How could she have known her first bylaw would result in destroying her ex’s business? Despite the shared hostility, old feelings begin to resurface, and when Stevie father’s health takes a turn for the worse, their past becomes the present. Anna and Stevie must finally face the truth of their breakup and accept first loves can never dwindle, even after eight years. This charming, humorous small-town romance is a heartwarming beach read that explores the importance of second chances and found family.

drown by Daryl Leonardo

A story told from two perspectives: Erik is a religious boy who begins to question his sexuality and beliefs after he is propositioned by a male classmate. Nicholas is an attractive, though somewhat self-absorbed, young man whose life is uprooted when his mother announces her bitter divorce from his father. When the two boys meet, things become increasingly complicated as they strike up a friendship, which quickly develops into something neither party can be certain of.

A Broken Kind of Love by Colleen Young

Indie Recs Indie

⁣⁣After Delia’s parents abandoned her and her sister at a young age she spent her childhood dreaming of a better future. As an adult, Delia finally has everything she’s ever dreamed of - a husband, three great kids, surrounded by the love and stability that she craved as a child. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Mitch has retired from the Army nursing mental and physical battle wounds from his time spent overseas. In his second career as an EMT, he takes solace in saving lives and running from the regrets in his past. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ One fateful night Mitch and Delia’s path’s cross, changing the course of their lives forever. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Will these two be able to find their way to A Broken Kind of Love?

I Love You S’more by Wendy Dalrymple

Freshly divorced and worn out from years of single-handedly running her marketing company, Samantha Slater couldn't be more excited to drag her moody teenage son to a parent-and-kid weekend at Palmetto Pines Campground. The camp is a little more run-down than it had been twenty years ago, when she spent those happy summers between college as a camp counselor, but it still brings back memories of the best time in her life. And it's about to bring back a whole lot more than memories, she realizes when she finds that one of the parents attending is none other than her former camp flame, Julian Wells. Julian has spent the last two decades on the road as a wilderness survival expert, never settling in one place for long. But seeing Samantha again makes him wonder if he's been searching for something all along — for the intense connection they had together. With his own moody teenage son in tow, Julian is actually here for a fresh start. He might be ready to settle down near his son, and near the only place that ever really felt like home: Palmetto Pines. But his abrupt departure all those years ago weighs heavily on both of them. Can he convince her that this time, summer camp doesn't have to end?

Boyfriends For Now by Imogen Markwell-Tweed

Anthony Astor’s no nonsense attitude serves him well as CEO of his tech company, but it withers his love life. So when a miscommunication has his mother tearfully ecstatic about Anthony bringing someone home, he has no choice but to go along with the ruse. The solution comes in the form of the kind, clumsy intern, Ben McRobbie. Ben isn’t sure the CEO is for real when he asks him to be his “fake boyfriend for Christmas,” especially after Ben spilled coffee all over him. Nevertheless, Ben is sure that the gorgeous Anthony is serious about giving him a full-time job if he can politely sit through a dinner with the Astors. But as Ben grows closer to his rich, handsome boss, he struggles to remain professional behind the scenes of their fake relationship. Imogen Markwell-Tweed’s Boyfriends for Now is a charming and endearing romance about embracing love, wherever you find it.

No Love Lost by Rachel Bowdler

Six years ago, Taryn’s best friend moved to London without so much as a goodbye, and she hasn’t spoken to him since. Now, after a failed marriage and career, Will is back in St. Agnes, a Cornish coastal town rife with memories of their childhood together — and Taryn, stubborn and jilted, no longer wants anything to do with him. Desperate to get close to her again and give her the explanation she deserves, Will isn’t prepared to stay away from her, so after he manages to get his old job back at the St. Agnes Gazette, he chooses to report on the local environment — and in doing so, seeks help from the best conservationist he knows: Taryn. With their lives and loved ones still connected by past and present, they soon remember just how strong their friendship had once been, and Taryn finds herself unable to resist falling back into old habits with the man who broke her heart. However, finally confronted with the truth, she realises that there was more to Will’s abandonment than she ever knew: he was in love with her and still is. Afraid of complicating their once steadfast friendship and losing Taryn for good, he made the mistake of running away — a mistake that he ever refuses to repeat. Whether as friends or more, Will is desperate to rekindle a connection with the woman he loves, but with Taryn’s new relationship, a fiercely disapproving sister, and a job opportunity in Spain, will they ever find the right time to finally give into their feelings, or are they destined always to be separated by their careers and fears? This best friends to lovers romance tells the story of unbreakable lifelong connections and the unwavering hope of second chances.

UNFURLING: A Tale of Friendship, Love, Mystery, and Mayhem by Tia Ray Dhar

Can an unexpected turn of events, including a mystery, guide you towards a sense of purpose in life? Dr. Mandira Sharma (Mandy), a recent medical school graduate from Mumbai, doesn't feel passionate about her residency in internal medicine and feels devoid of a general sense of purpose in life. Currently, her happiness revolves around making new friends and spending time with them at work or outdoor venues. Her general feeling of isolation and disinterest in her medicine residency accentuates when her two close friends go overseas, and someone she loves and cares deeply about decides to part ways. She navigates through her daily routine devoid of zest or enthusiasm, trying to cope with the current painful scenario. However, tragedy strikes again when two meeting attendees find Mandy's friend and graduate student Latika's body floating in a pool on the premises during a blackout at a psychology workshop venue. An investigative team launches a detailed probe into the crime's motive and modus operandi, and the cohort of meeting attendees, including Mandy, come under the lens of suspicion. Can Mandy help solve the case? Will she find a sense of purpose? Any reader who enjoys a university campus-themed friendship and romance-based novel with a suspenseful murder mystery will enjoy reading this story.

The Stars May Rise and Fall by Estella Mirai

Teru came to Tokyo with dreams of making it big in the glam-metal visual kei scene, but three years later, all he has to show for it is a head of hot pink hair and some skill with an eyeliner pencil. He may look the part, but he doesn't sound it, and tension among his bandmates has him worried about his future. When a mysterious business card offers help, he's willing to take it however it comes. Help comes in the form of Rei, a brilliant composer whose performing career was ended by an accident that left him scarred, injured, and in chronic pain. With Teru's voice and looks, and Rei's money and songwriting skills, both of their dreams seem about to come true - but a forbidden kiss and a late-night confession threaten to tear it all apart. Now Teru, who has spent most of his life denying his attraction to men, and Rei, who vowed long ago never to love again, must reconcile their feelings with their careers - and with their carefully constructed ideas of themselves. THE STARS MAY RISE AND FALL is an M/M retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, set in Tokyo at the turn of the millennium. It comes with a healthy dose of angst and a dollop of nostalgia, as well as an age-difference romance, a physically disabled love interest, and memorable characters who will stay with you long after the pages are closed. "...the way the complicated characters cope with believable pain provides a window into a fascinating subculture." -- Publishers Weekly "A tender, beautifully complex love story about self-acceptance and self-forgiveness, about making peace with the past and embracing the future. With a couple you'll root for and a vibrant soundtrack you can almost hear, this Phantom-inspired romance captures music's power to heal old wounds and weave two very different souls together in perfect harmony." -- J.C. Lillis, author of How to Repair a Mechanical Heart and A&B "If you’re looking for an intense, intelligent and inventive LGBTQ love story, there isn’t a more perfect book on the market right now." -- K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Drive by Courtney Maguire

In the conservative East Texas town of Black Creek, you’re either old money or you work for them. Redmond Cole is the latter. The long hours he spends fixing fancy cars in the local garage are barely enough to support himself, let alone his sixteen-year-old half-sister, Katie. All he wants is a better life for the both of them, one that’s easy and real, but he has a secret. One that could blow up the meager existence he’s worked so hard to maintain.Red is gay.He doesn’t want to lie, especially to Katie, but Black Creek isn’t the most hospitable environment for those who are different. His secrets keep them safe. He’s all but resigned to a life in the closet when he’s propositioned by the dashing, wealthy Victor Itachi. What follows is a secret and intense sexual relationship that challenges everything Red believes about himself. When an unlikely friendship with the only out gay man in town opens Red’s eyes to new possibilities, he must make a choice: submit fully to the relative safety of Victor’s control or risk it all for a chance at real love.

Wounded Martyr by Courtney Maguire

Ice is an asshole, but he’s working on it. He’s two years sober, no small feat when you front a heavy metal band facing waning popularity and dismal ticket sales. But the pieces of a life torn apart by alcoholism are finally coming back together. His band, Wounded Martyr, has written a great album with the potential to launch them back into relevancy. And Ricky, probably the biggest, most important piece, has finally forgiven him for the wreck he made of their relationship. There’s only one problem. Ashton. It was to be expected. As his best friend and bandmate for almost twenty years, it’s only natural they should find each other in the loneliness of the road. Ricky knows about their one night together, but he doesn’t know that Ice can’t stop thinking about it, about his long body and whiskey-flavored lips, and the guilt of it has him on the brink of backslide. Now that Wounded Martyr is poised for a long tour, Ice must find a way to resist temptation or risk blowing their last chance and destroying his relationship with the two most important men in his life.

Haze by Rebecca Crunden

When Eliza Owens gets a phone call in the middle of the night from a girl she’s never met, she doesn’t know what to think. The girl introduces herself as Paige, and says she used to date Erik Stern, Eliza’s fiancé. What’s more, she has something important to discuss. The only problem? Paige has been dead for years. Believing it to be a sick prank, Eliza tries to force it from her mind until Sam, Eliza’s older sister, tells her she met Paige only a few weeks before. And, according to Sam, Paige has nothing nice to say about Erik. The fight which follows shatters the lives of everyone involved, and Erik disappears without a trace. Five years later, Erik returns to town after his father’s death. Old wounds quickly resurface, and with them several burning questions. None the least of which is: Who spoke to Eliza and Sam if it wasn’t Paige? And why?

A Feeling Like Home by Haleigh Wenger

Sword and Silk Books WriteHive Book Club Indie Recs Indie

Sixteen-year-old Paige Williams can’t stop self-sabotaging. Not when her dad gets sick, not when her relationship implodes, not even when her parents send her to another-freaking-state for the summer to live with her sister. Paige just wants to have fun, spray paint a few walls, and block out everything stressful, including her growing concern that she might be sick as well. To make things worse, her parents threaten her with boarding school in the fall if she can’t prove she’s changed her bad habits. Paige’s parents sign her up for a rebuilding project in Texas where her sister lives. Meanwhile, Paige reluctantly befriends her sister’s straight-laced teenage neighbor, Joey, who is a frequent guest. He’s so different from her, but Paige realizes that may not be a bad thing, especially since being around Joey curbs her urge to vandalize and ignore the rules. He even makes her forget about the debilitating stomach cramps she struggles to hide. Just as Paige begins to feel settled in Texas, her dad’s worsening Crohn’s disease brings her home to Seattle. When her own health fails her, she has the choice of staying at home and receiving care. Or, she could go back to Texas and prove for once and for all that she’s more than her mistakes and more than a disease. Torn between two worlds and two versions of herself, Paige must decide where, and with whom, she truly feels at home.

The Rest of Forever by Mandy Lawson

As wedding day approaches, so does Lora Kate's looming court date to bring her attacker to justice. Her life is flung into chaos when she sees a blast from the past, lands a cover on a major fashion magazine, and has an unexpected duet. Is she juggling too much? Can Sam handle his new wife's busy, frantic lifestyle? And most importantly, are either of them prepared for a new addition to the family?

Just a Little Frosting by Mandy Lawson

Newly engaged Lora Kate is over-the-moon happy. She is the boss of a major party planning company, and her fiance, Sam, is the sweetest man alive. And Garrett Smith, her new assistant, is amazing. He makes wonderful coffee, is completely organized, and keeps her day running smoothly - a professional in every sense of the word. However, he's gorgeous and has a crush on her. Besides doing the little extra for the job, he walks her to her car and brings her donuts. He seems to just know what she needs. Sam doesn't like the perfect assistant at all and jealousy begins to seep in. And that begins to drive a wedge between the happy couple. Can Lora Kate and Sam survive the holidays, wedding planning, and a New York fashion show? A fashion show where L.K. goes with her assistant and without Sam? Or will Garrett make his way into L.K.'s heart?

From New York to L.A. by Mandy Lawson

Fall in love with best friend Check! Move to Los Angeles Check! Be an amazing Boss Babe Check! Commit to amazing boyfriend Uh...not yet Lora Kate London is starting a new job as the boss of Madden Party Company. Her best friend and boyfriend, Sam Bridges, is going to be her new assistant. With her boyfriend trying to get her to commit and her new employees being scared of her, L.K. is feeling the pressure, but all things can be made right with cake, coffee, and a good party. Los Angeles is where all of the celebrities live and L.K. is ready to plan. They take trips to the beach, attend fashion week, make a couple of ER trips, and tumble their way into the holidays. Sam's ready to propose, but L.K. isn't ready for that yet. Will he put a ring on it or will L.K. end up heartbroken again?

Party Central by Mandy Lawson

Lora Kate London has had a string of meaningless jobs and she's finally ready to make something of herself. Her roommate kind of bailed on her and she may have to give her coffee maker a funeral. But there's one person she can always count on, her best friend Sam Bridges. They've been friends for five years and she's his number one. L.K. lands a job as a party planner with a boss that is so hot he makes her melt right into her Jimmy Choos, but Sam doesn't trust him. At her first party, she ends up forgetting the cake and accidentally flashes the caterer! Luckily, her boss, Ben Sparks, thinks she's adorable. He buys her presents and gives amazing kisses, but things get a little dicey when Sam starts dating her new roommate. She might be a little jealous, but she shouldn't be. She has a hot boyfriend and Sam's just her best friend. Right? Who will capture L.K.'s heart? Bestie? Or Boss Man?

Pursuing Liam by Lisa Lanay

Find out if Taryn and Liam can go from friends-to-lovers-to-forever in this funny, light-hearted, contemporary romance that will melt your heart. At thirty-four years old, veterinarian Taryn Williams wants a baby. After a failed attempt to adopt, she believes her chances for a family are dismal. But that all changes when Liam McGregor, hunky Chicago Fireman and part-time mural artist, offers her the opportunity to fulfill her dreams. Taryn believes their agreement perfect, until she realizes that she wants Liam as more than her baby daddy; she wants him too! There’s no turning back for Taryn by the time she accepts that marriage and a family are not on Liam’s radar, but can she convince him otherwise? Invicta Libertas, Latin for Invincible Freedom. It’s the code Liam has lived by since graduating college and he has the tattoo to prove it. He does his own thing, and knows what he wants…until he offers to help his gorgeous friend-with-benefits, Taryn Williams, and his world is turned upside down. He agrees to a no-strings attached arrangement because he believes anything else would threaten his freedom and his dream of becoming a full-time artist. Soon, Liam finds himself questioning his decisions because his heart has determined that is has plans of its own, including love for Taryn and their baby, something he can no longer deny and isn’t sure he wants to.

All the Lines to Cross by Ashish Rastogi

A sports star and a doctor. A jock and a nerd. Stop that eye roll. We know it is a trope washed threadbare on romance readers’ hands. But these two might be the ones to shred it to pieces. At least Sharon will, after meeting Jon. He is a flirt, has an OCD about his football career, and an ego stuffed to the brim in a 6’4” frame. She is no damsel in distress, an accomplished surgeon and the one holding the scalpel to get him back on the field. Stuck between their dance is Nate, playing cupid. Not a simple task when you are seven-years-old and the only adult amongst two petulant grownups. Stubborn brats! For Sharon and Jon, falling in love is the cheesy part, but staying in love? Well, that’s a story for a separate page on the playbook. Hey, wait. Don’t walk away. We need all the help to knock the nonsense out of these two. Membership to their @meddlesomefriends group is open. #meetcute #sportsromance.

Fall by Maxime Jaz

When you think you have everything, one small step twists your life around. Golden-boy and medical student Jake has everything laid out for him: wealth, studies, and a brilliant girlfriend. A life people could only dream of. Until one morning, he trips during his morning run and is helped up by a kind stranger. This should be it, but Jake can’t get those green eyes out of his mind. There’s only one tiny problem: they belong to a man. This encounter triggers a series of ripple effects which will haul their lives over and lead them down unknown paths. An all-consuming burning love with heights and lows, and a pit of suffering, will shatter Jake’s world of lies, and shed light on truths he is terrified of embracing. Will Jake take that step into the unknown void he’s facing? Will Doug be there to catch him? As both of them plummet to depths unknown, will their love be strong enough to bridge the gaps between their worlds, and make them overcome the obstacles put in their paths?

Nearly Ten Years Late by Katie Frey

No one likes a highschool reunion. Ok, maybe some people do. Those who are born with the rare amalgamation of genes that allow for a Disney movie version of secondary school. It wasn’t the case for Jenny then, and it certainly wasn’t the case for her now. Ongoing fights with brain cancer left her with a permanent bad hair day for her teen years and the only thing worse than disinterest from an adolescent peer group is pity. Nothing sexy about that. Not then, not now. Luckily, most of the time, high school feels very far away. Ten years away. Except it’s not anymore. The reunion is looming, and Jenny has already RSVP’d with a plus one. Finally, a chance to show up looking decent, image vastly improved by the date on her arm. Or it would have been, had he not dumped her. She’d cancel, but she can’t. She’s got a job teaching in the same school as of January, so this Christmas party is a must. A holiday high school reunion? What could be worse? Maybe, it’s finding out the date her best friend pulls together last minute is actually her high school boyfriend. Back, and hotter than ever. This 102-page novella promises a lovely second chance romance & exciting bonus content.

Kelly's Killer Fries by David Reynolds

Ex-con Gary's death in a prison hospital is only the start of his journey not to redeem himself, but let a young boy have a life of his own. Dropped by a bus at the same spot where his life changed for the worst, Gary is given one command by the driver, "Remember." Can he avoid making the same mistake he made a lifetime ago? Can he keep from hurting young Kelly and poor Pickle, the pooch? Will cooking fries help him make amends with them and their mom Cathy? Find out by reading Kelly's Killer Fries, complete with recipes. Available now on Amazon.com.

The Trail Angel by David Reynolds

When we get older, we want to know more about what brought on our creation. What were our parents like before they met? How did they meet? What brought them to add us to the family? Helping other people, mom said, is how I came to be the center of the family. “Your dad calls me his angel but the roles should be reversed,” mom said, getting my undivided attention. “I’m the one who should be calling him my angel, though, because if your dad hadn’t performed a random act of kindness, who knows where I’d be.” “What happened mom? What did dad do that was so special?” I asked, intrigued by her comment. “Well dear, even though it happened a long time ago, it seems like just yesterday …” Read The Trail Angel available now on Amazon.com

Danseur by Ruth Miranda

When Jai decides to rent the house he shared with his late husband, he has no idea he's about to meet the man who'll change his life. For Lin DaoShi's not only famous, he's also straight – and comes nursing an eating disorder and a broken heart. After a riding accident that threatens to end his dancing career and hamper his acting, he trades China for the UK in an attempt to flee the spotlight and find some peace. What he finds, though, when crossing paths with Jai, is his life changing and his world turned upside down. For after their chance meeting, DaoShi no longer knows who he is or what he wants out of life. Brought together by a common love for ballet, they soon find themselves trapped in a pas de deux only the secrets they must keep can break apart...

An Exploration of BDSM by Koriana Brackson

It’s been two years since Kenzie and Felicity experienced A Discovery of BDSM. While Kenzie’s savored Dominating her beautiful, if bratty, submissive, she hasn’t forgotten her own desires to submit. With Felicity a submissive, and a failed session at a BDSM club, Kenzie’s unable to determine if she is, as she suspects, a Switch. All that changes when Jarrett re-enters her life. During their budding romance, she asks if he’s familiar with BDSM. Not only is he familiar, but he’s eager to delve into the world of kink, giving Kenzie everything she craves with An Exploration of BDSM.

Light as a Feather by Cameron James

Jacob lives in a ballet bubble that is about to burst when he is accepted into the prestigous National Ballet School. It’s everything he’s always wanted until.... it’s not.. When it seems like everyone around him is perfect, Jacob’s cracks begin to show and he begins to worry if he’s thin enough, good enough, or even tough enough for this and soon Jacob reaches breaking pointe. CW: Alcohol, body shaming, eating disorder, starvation, vomiting, mental illness, sex.

Casey by Cameron James

Casey has always had everything planned. 1. Get Testosterone 2. Get Top Surgery 3. Get Bottom Surgery, but the one thing he didn’t have planned was falling in love with Mickey. Now with Mickey at his side and surgery eight weeks away, the countdown is on.

Butterfly Boys by Cameron James

Sam and Frankie come from two different worlds. Sam is sporty, shy and football mad. Frankie is bright, spontaneous and always seen in floral shirts. The only thing they have in common is that they won't admit to being love. CW: Alcohol, hospitalization, homophobia, transphobia, pregnancy, sex, injury.

Kennedy is King by Cameron James

What happens when The King falls for the lowest of the low? In a school were the band rules, Kennedy has to figure out a way to persuade footballer Stephen that his feelings are real, and if that means loosing his crown, so be it! CW: Bullying, sex, injury.

The Advisor by J.D. Wade

Nathan Reed is running for President of the United States of America. If he wins, he will be the youngest president the U.S. has ever had in office. Not only that, he will be the nation's first openly gay, unmarried president. Regardless of the fact that he is unmarried, unpartnered, young, and gay, his campaign is going well. Predictions put him in range to secure the Democratic Party nomination for the 2020 ballot. Then...he makes his first misstep. Things begin to look as though there is nothing Nathan Reed can do to recover from his very public scandal, and all he can think about doing is hanging his tail between his legs and walking away. Just when there seems to be no hope left for his presidential bid, his campaign manager suggests bringing on an unusual advisor. Timothy Long is no stranger to controversy--he's faced plenty in his day as an influencer and brand spokesperson. In fact, he's had the public turn against him before. With his knowledge of social media and how to influence public opinion, he might just help Nathan get back on top. Of course, that's easier said than done. Nathan and Timothy don't exactly see eye-to-eye. Before Timothy and Nathan can even begin to repair the damage done to Nathan's campaign, they'll have to learn to speak each other's languages and get along. In the end, they'll both come to realize...winning isn't everything.

A Discovery of BDSM by Koriana Brackson

Have you… have you ever… experimented with BDSM? Of all the things Kenzie’s best friend and lover could have asked her, she didn’t expect that question. Yet, three years into their friendship, it’s exactly what Felicity wanted to know. A twenty-three year old Kenzie learns of Dominance and submission for the first time, and it intrigues her as much as it intrigued Felicity. Authors Note: The events of A Discovery of BDSM are set twenty-one years prior to the first book of the Bijou Basin series - Natural Exposure. Though Kenzie and Felicity, the main characters of this short story, are still best friends and occasional playmates, they are not still in a relationship with each other in Natural Exposure. Felicity is shown plenty through the first three books of the series and is quite impatiently, rudely, and effusively clamoring for her own story to be told.

Negative Exposure by Koriana Brackson

Once in a while, when a story comes to a close, it’s not The End, but instead, a new beginning. Kenzie and Jarrett Holliday are happy with their life. They have great friends, successful businesses, and reside in a town they adore. As decades long best friends, their love can’t be measured by words; its pure, deep, and unwavering, weathering any storm that crosses their path. What more could they ask for? They didn’t know anything was missing from their lives until she breezed through the door like a breath of fresh air. Ripley Owens wasn't looking for anything more than a fresh start when she moved to the quaint, progressive town of Bijou Basin. She never dreamed that she would start a new relationship and certainly not that she'd be dating a married couple! This wasn’t what the trio expected, but it was what they all needed. Sometimes there is no such thing as a third wheel, instead it's the triangle that provides a greater balance. Authors Note: This erotic romance features adult themes and language. Themes include: graphic sex, BDSM, Polyamory & LGBTQ+ Characters. It is set directly after the events of Natural Exposure. While it could be read on it's own, it's not meant to be, the events of book 1 directly affect this one.

Natural Exposure by Koriana Brackson

It’s business as usual for Kenzie in her boudoir studio. Every day, fascinating people of all genders stroll through and Kenzie has the privilege of making them shine. She’s photographed the gamut: sultry brides-to-be seeking a naughty gift for their spouse, the confidant trans person showing the world their true self, and triads locked in passion, each moment of their tender lovemaking on display. Kenzie’s been a part of it all, but never has a client captivated her so completely, until she steps through the door. Ripley never recuperated from the relationship that irrevocably changed her. Desperate to forget the past, she moves to the progressive town of Bijou Basin, pursuing a fresh start. While acquainting herself with her new life, she notices an advertisement for an erotic nude photographer. On a whim, she books a session, hoping the experience will help her reclaim her identity. Sparks fly for both women, but Ripley discovers there’s more to Kenzie than meets the eye. Can Ripley accept Kenzie as she is and does she want to date someone so complicated? Can Kenzie prove she’s worth it? Authors Note: This slow burn erotic romance features adult themes and language. Themes include: graphic sex, BDSM, Polyamory & LGBTQ+ Characters.

The Guy Gets Teddy by Chase Connor

Life is hard for everyone. But if you throw in religious parents, the death of a brother, and a desire to act, sing, and dance--when you don't look the way everyone expects (or wants)--it can be particularly difficult. This is the story of Baxley Theodore Miller--Teddy. He acts, he sings, he tries to dance (he's working on it), he's gay, he's overweight, his parents are religious, and the one person who loved him just as he is has died. That doesn't mean that life stops moving. Teddy wants to follow his dreams...and maybe find love along the way. Why can't a gay, overweight kid have it all? Teddy finds himself in an experimental performing arts LGBTQ+ summer camp after his senior year of high school. There he will find out what he is truly made of--and maybe make a few friends along the way. But when a handsome, friendly, kind boy starts to show interest, Teddy realizes that maybe he's never understood love at all. With the help of his bunkmates: Rufus, an enthusiastic asexual boy, and Chastity, a lesbian who is a lot kinder than she seems, Teddy realizes that maybe he has to change his way of thinking before he can change the world. Love doesn't just find you, you have to decide to find love, and it all starts with loving yourself.

Gavin's Big Gay Checklist by Chase Connor

Gavin is miserable. But it's not what you think. Okay, maybe it is. Being half-Mexican, half-white, Jewish and Catholic is hard enough. Being a closeted high school senior just makes things harder to handle. Only Eli, Gavin's best friend who lives next door--and who happens to be a white, straight, home-schooled son of a preacher--knows who Gavin really is inside and out. But that's not enough. Gavin decides to make a list. A checklist of "To Do" items to help him become an open, proud gay man before his high school career is over. Before he heads off to college and leaves behind his mother and father, hopefully with their love and support. However, what the checklist does is educate Gavin about life--not just as a gay man--but simply as a man. It teaches him about friendship, honesty, kindness, duty, responsibility, and family. Maybe...just maybe...it will teach him to not be miserable. Gavin's Big Gay Checklist starts out as the story of how a young gay man sets out to accomplish "gay" tasks on his path to coming out of the closet. But it ends up being about life, friendship, family, all of the misery and happiness along the way...and menudo.

Just a Dumb Surfer Dude 3: Summer Hearts by Chase Connor

Cooper's time at Dextrus Academy is coming to an end. The graduating class of 2019 is heading towards commencement - and Cooper is prepared to give the valedictorian speech. Now all that's left for him to do is leave Vermont with his boyfriend Alex for California to attend UCLA on a full academic scholarship...but that means leaving home and his favorite person - his father. Logan is ready to graduate Dextrus Academy and leave the past behind...but the future is terrifying. He has no plans for college or what he wants to do with his life now that he is moving into adulthood. And he can't shake the overwhelming feeling that his boyfriend, A.J., might be ready to move on to other things now that their senior year is ending. One thing is certain - Logan's father has rented a beach house in Maine for Logan, Cooper, Alex, and A.J. They'll get to surf, swim, and spend quality time together as the closest of friends one last time before adulthood arrives. Are their friendships strong enough to withstand distance and time? Will their romantic relationships hold up now that they are no longer in the fishbowl that Dextrus Academy provided? Was all the love they shared only summer in their hearts?

GINJUH by Chase Connor

My name is not "Ginjuh" but that's what everyone calls me. It all started when I was 3-years-old at a family reunion and my speech impediment kept me from properly parroting what everyone else in the family was calling me. Fifteen years later and my speech impediment is mostly better but I still have a shocking wave of flame-colored hair, freckles, and I can't stand to hear that nickname come out of people's mouths. I'm still stuck with that awful nickname, though. Even the other people in school call me "Ginjuh". How can a teenage guy come out to his parents when they keep using a nickname that reminds him that he once had a speech impediment? "It's all just in good fun, Ginjuh!" is their motto. Sometimes I feel like my parents have formed a united front against me like they want me to feel worthless. At least I have my grandpa. But he hasn't been well for a while. Above all things--being scared of coming out, being annoyed with the taunts and jabs, afraid of what the future holds for a high school senior--I'm terrified of losing him. But that's life, isn't it? A guy has to learn to face all it...or collapse under the weight of all of it. Then there's the weirdo I go to school with that my grandpa hired to help us on the farm at the end of summer...

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.

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.