"On the day her son leaves home, Lorna Friern makes a long-planned escape from her loveless marriage. With one suitcase, her laptop, and a box full of books, she leaves L.A. to drive to a new life in a house she’s inherited in Long Island. On the same day, after Northern Californian wildfires burn down the motel where she lives and the bar where she works, Zoe Bradshaw decides to move on again. Her destination, Las Vegas. Maybe. Or home to her family. Maybe. The two women meet on the road, and when Zoe’s old junker of a car finally gives up the ghost, she accepts the offer to travel with Lorna for a while. perhaps all the way to New York. Lorna wasn’t looking for romance so soon after leaving her marriage, but chance put Zoe in her way and Lorna doesn’t want to leave her behind. Sharing a car and motel room beds, the two women learn each other’s histories and secrets. Only at the end of the journey will they know if they’ve escaped the past to ride off together into the sunrise."
"When you live beside a cat café, it’s inevitable the fur will start flying eventually. Derek “Dez” Walker, a police officer wounded in a shooting, feels adrift and isolated as he makes a slow recovery. Others call him a hero, but it’s a title he doesn’t think he deserves. When Dez intervenes in a burglary at the cat café near his apartment, he meets the owner, Francis “Fran” Green. Though he’s a hero to Fran for his intervention in the burglary, it’s Fran who becomes a strong source of support for Dez. Fran offers friendship to his vulnerable neighbour and, as they spend more time together, Dez comes to rely on Fran ... and his cats. He begins to find the way out of his isolation, but does he deserve everything Fran offers?"
"After a decade together, death took Daniel’s lover away in an instant. A year of grieving kept him from thinking about the future. But now fearing loneliness, fearing aging and its effects, he’s ready to find someone new before it’s too late. Filled with good intentions, Daniel joins a gym. He plans to work hard to keep what time is all too quickly taking away from him. But are good intentions enough against the many distractions and temptations of life? Is he really prepared to make the sacrifices required? Meeting gym owner Chris may be the extra boost his motivation needs -- if only he could figure out why Chris keeps blowing hot and cold on him. Death claimed Chris’s lover too, but took much longer about it. The memory of watching the man he loved suffer has left Chris terrified of getting close to anyone again. He likes Daniel a lot, but there’s a problem and Chris can’t fix it, only Daniel can. If he’s serious about being with Chris. It’s a straightforward ultimatum. Daniel smokes and Chris will not date a smoker. Daniel has a choice. It’s Chris or the cigarettes. Daniel has to prove to Chris that he’s ready to make changes and he’s not all mouth. But can he do it? Are the sacrifices he’ll have to make worth it? Should he even be changing himself to suit a man who’s made him no promises and who might still back off later? Chris has to learn to accept Daniel’s imperfections and mortality. Only once he gets past the grief and fear can he take a risk on loving Daniel, even knowing he could be hurt again. Daniel takes on the biggest physical challenge he’s ever faced to prove he’s serious about Chris. But in the end, he has to decide if he wants to make the changes for himself and his own future, whether Chris is part of that or not."
"Max Sagan’s mouth is always getting him in trouble. His special talent for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person makes it hard to hold onto either a job or a boyfriend for long. When Max is fired yet again, his best friend Noah reluctantly gets Max an interview where he works. Max is grateful, but unsure if a party boy like him will fit in at a stuffy law firm. Then he meets Noah’s gorgeous boss, lawyer Owen Hart, and becomes determined to keep this job. Others say Owen is far too professional to date an employee, but Max has a plan -- keep his fingers crossed, look cute, and hope it works out. Meanwhile he’s working hard to keep his big mouth shut so he might last an unprecedented entire month at his new job -- long enough, he hopes, to catch Owen’s eye."
"Military intelligence officer Lieutenant Barb Carolus is ordered to investigate Colonel Locke, a rogue officer suspected of selling military weapons on the black market. Colonel Locke is from Barb’s home planet and she knows exposing his crimes will tarnish the reputation of those rare people like her who’ve escaped the poverty and gangs of their home world to become officers. But orders are orders and she always does her duty. For the mission she’s teamed with the unconventional -- and in Barb’s opinion, entirely unprofessional -- undercover agent Taya Borovsky. Working with Taya will test Barb’s by the book approach to the limits, especially when attraction overcomes her irritation with Taya. Bitter about upholding standards nobody else does, Barb gives in to her desires. When the mission goes bad, Barb and Taya are on the run and outgunned. To survive, Barb must learn from Taya’s unconventional methods and improvise a solution to complete her mission and save their lives."
"Whose silly idea was it to get married in a remote Scottish castle in the middle of winter? But before they can get married, Londoner Kim and her fiery Brazilian fiancée, Gabi, first have to get there. The trip from their home in London involves rain -- a lot of rain -- hire cars, trains, disapproving B&B landladies, and snow. So much snow that even when the brides reach their castle, not in a limo, but in a Land Rover smelling of sheep, they fear the caterer, their families and friends, and, most importantly, the celebrant to marry them, will never make it. Will the guests arrive? Will the power stay on? Will the cake make it safely? Will the wedding even happen at all? Gaining the right to marry was a long struggle. Now the struggle is to get the brides to the church on time."
"Rob Catteneo takes charge of his family’s business, selling ice cream in a British seaside town, and finds their oldest competitor, Bianchi’s, is now being run by the youngest son, Chez. Chez was once a schoolmate but never a friend, because of their old family rivalry. Rob’s interested in both a business partnership with Bianchi’s and a more personal relationship with Chez. But Chez is deep in the closet, terrified his very traditional family will discover he’s gay. A night together in a hotel gives Rob insight into Chez’s fears and vulnerability and he’s sure he can help, but Chez resists further business and personal overtures. On an important summer weekend for both firms, Rob keeps a cool head in an ice cream emergency and helps Chez out, leaving Chez open to future propositions. Will this be the first step on the road to a sweet future together?"
"Journalist Paul Bradley reports on an act of heroism by paramedic Drew McGregor and goes on to have him nominated for a bravery award. Drew's heroism is a great story that Paul wants to make the most of, but he has other reasons to want to see the great-looking and openly gay Drew again. Ones he doesn't dare speak about, since he's deeply closeted and terrified of being outed, fearing losing his career. When Drew accidentally finds out Paul is gay, he's initially angry at the deception, but he's sympathetic too and his kindness encourages Paul to confess his feelings. Drew likes Paul, but won't date a closeted man, saying that leads to too many lies, too much pain. Paul will have to reevaluate all the choices he’s made for the sake of career and family, if he wants Drew to give him a chance."
2017 Top Ten Gay Romance brings together the best-selling short stories published by JMS Books that year. From first love to true love, from submission to sensual, from heat to sweet and everything in between, the couples in these stories are sure to keep you turning the pages as you fall in love with them. With stories by Kris T. Bethke, Becky Black, Linn Edwards, Casper Graham, Nell Iris, Shawn Lane, JL Merrow, Jessie Pinkham, Rick R. Reed, and J.D. Walker, this head-over-heels collection goes beyond bedtime reading. Whether happily ever after or happy for now, there’s an ending for everyone in here! Contains the stories: Enchanted Love by Kris T. Bethke, Wake-up Call by Becky Black, My Best Man by Linn Edwards, An Unconventional Relationship by Casper Graham, Unconditionally by Nell Iris, Gratefully His by Shawn Lane, Tortoise Interruptus by JL Merrow, Strange Fortune by Jessie Pinkham, Beau and the Beast by Rick R. Reed, and A-dork-able by J.D. Walker.
2016 Top Ten Gay Romance brings together the best-selling short stories published by JMS Books that year. From first love to true love, from submission to sensual, from heat to sweet and everything in between, the couples in these stories are sure to keep you turning the pages as you fall in love with them. With stories by Becky Black, T.A. Creech, Rebecca James, Shawn Lane, J.L. Merrow, A.R. Moler, Terry O'Reilly, Michael P. Thomas, Tinnean, and J.D. Walker, this head-over-heels collection goes beyond bedtime reading. Whether happily ever after or happy for now, there’s an ending for everyone in here! Contains the stories: Me and My Big Mouth by Becky Black, Captive by T.A. Creech, Love Lost, Love Found by Rebecca James, Accidentally His by Shawn Lane, A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou by J.L. Merrow, For the Last Time by A.R. Moler, First and Goal by Terry O'Reilly, It's Not Yule, It's Me by Michael P. Thomas, In His Line of Work by Tinnean, and And This is Ed by J.D. Walker.
Whose silly idea was it to get married in a remote Scottish castle in the middle of winter? But before they can get married, Londoner Kim and her fiery Brazilian fiancée, Gabi, first have to get there. The trip from their home in London involves rain -- a lot of rain -- hire cars, trains, disapproving B&B landladies, and snow. So much snow that even when the brides reach their castle, not in a limo, but in a Land Rover smelling of sheep, they fear the caterer, their families and friends, and, most importantly, the celebrant to marry them, will never make it. Will the guests arrive? Will the power stay on? Will the cake make it safely? Will the wedding even happen at all? Gaining the right to marry was a long struggle. Now the struggle is to get the brides to the church on time.
Journalist Paul Bradley reports on an act of heroism by paramedic Drew McGregor and goes on to have him nominated for a bravery award. Drew's heroism is a great story that Paul wants to make the most of, but he has other reasons to want to see the great-looking and openly gay Drew again. Ones he doesn't dare speak about, since he's deeply closeted and terrified of being outed, fearing losing his career. When Drew accidentally finds out Paul is gay, he's initially angry at the deception, but he's sympathetic too and his kindness encourages Paul to confess his feelings. Drew likes Paul, but won't date a closeted man, saying that leads to too many lies, too much pain. Paul will have to reevaluate all the choices he’s made for the sake of career and family, if he wants Drew to give him a chance.
Margot McCallan expected to sleep peacefully through the months’ long journey to a new life on a distant colony planet. But she’s rudely awakened and rescued from a hypersleep chamber full of fellow colonists who have turned into ghouls with an insane hunger for flesh.
Chief of Operations Izzy Ramirez expected the usual uneventful trip ferrying sleeping colonists and their supplies. But when a saboteur repeatedly triggers a virus that cripples the ship’s computer and wakes colonists randomly, she has to lead the rescue parties to save those lucky few who don’t wake up hungry.
Margot and Izzy should never have met, despite sharing that journey. But now they’re a team, working to end the nightmare and save the lives of thousands of people. As their feelings for each other grow stronger, they try to wait, to put romance on hold until they are no longer facing danger together. But it’s hard not to reach out for hope in the midst of horror.
When you live beside a cat café, it’s inevitable the fur will start flying eventually. Derek “Dez” Walker, a police officer wounded in a shooting, feels adrift and isolated as he makes a slow recovery. Others call him a hero, but it’s a title he doesn’t think he deserves. When Dez intervenes in a burglary at the cat café near his apartment, he meets the owner, Francis “Fran” Green. Though he’s a hero to Fran for his intervention in the burglary, it’s Fran who becomes a strong source of support for Dez. Fran offers friendship to his vulnerable neighbour and, as they spend more time together, Dez comes to rely on Fran ... and his cats. He begins to find the way out of his isolation, but does he deserve everything Fran offers?
Max Sagan’s mouth is always getting him in trouble. His special talent for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person makes it hard to hold onto either a job or a boyfriend for long. When Max is fired yet again, his best friend Noah reluctantly gets Max an interview where he works. Max is grateful, but unsure if a party boy like him will fit in at a stuffy law firm. Then he meets Noah’s gorgeous boss, lawyer Owen Hart, and becomes determined to keep this job. Others say Owen is far too professional to date an employee, but Max has a plan -- keep his fingers crossed, look cute, and hope it works out. Meanwhile he’s working hard to keep his big mouth shut so he might last an unprecedented entire month at his new job -- long enough, he hopes, to catch Owen’s eye.
On the day her son leaves home, Lorna Friern makes a long-planned escape from her loveless marriage. With one suitcase, her laptop, and a box full of books, she leaves L.A. to drive to a new life in a house she’s inherited in Long Island. On the same day, after Northern Californian wildfires burn down the motel where she lives and the bar where she works, Zoe Bradshaw decides to move on again. Her destination, Las Vegas. Maybe. Or home to her family. Maybe. The two women meet on the road, and when Zoe’s old junker of a car finally gives up the ghost, she accepts the offer to travel with Lorna for a while. perhaps all the way to New York. Lorna wasn’t looking for romance so soon after leaving her marriage, but chance put Zoe in her way and Lorna doesn’t want to leave her behind. Sharing a car and motel room beds, the two women learn each other’s histories and secrets. Only at the end of the journey will they know if they’ve escaped the past to ride off together into the sunrise.
Military intelligence officer Lieutenant Barb Carolus is ordered to investigate Colonel Locke, a rogue officer suspected of selling military weapons on the black market. Colonel Locke is from Barb’s home planet and she knows exposing his crimes will tarnish the reputation of those rare people like her who’ve escaped the poverty and gangs of their home world to become officers. But orders are orders and she always does her duty. For the mission she’s teamed with the unconventional -- and in Barb’s opinion, entirely unprofessional -- undercover agent Taya Borovsky. Working with Taya will test Barb’s by the book approach to the limits, especially when attraction overcomes her irritation with Taya. Bitter about upholding standards nobody else does, Barb gives in to her desires. When the mission goes bad, Barb and Taya are on the run and outgunned. To survive, Barb must learn from Taya’s unconventional methods and improvise a solution to complete her mission and save their lives.
Javi Barasa, descendant of refugees, accidentally kills a soldier sent to liquidate the shanty town that’s been his home all his life. Meanwhile Arien Lakhami, the agender youngest child of the king of the home planet of Javi’s ancestors, barely escapes an assassination attempt and now, like Javi, they are looking for a way off the planet. Both take entry level jobs on a freighter where Javi meets First Mate Razz Jensen, and hopes for more than friendship. But Razz has a policy about dating crew. Meanwhile Arien arranges to meet their bodyguard -- and fiancé -- Tapuh, at the freighter’s next stop.
Despite Razz’s policy, he and Javi spend the night together at the space station stopover. Arien finds Tapuh waiting there and learns the royal family has been murdered in a coup. Arien is now the strangest claimant to the throne, and since they’ll have to make a political marriage, Tapuh says their engagement is off. Rescued from another murder attempt against Arien, the damaged freighter is taken by the loyalist General Queza to the base where Arien’s allies are gathering for a counter coup. Javi and Razz have time to relax and build their relationship, but Arien has to juggle suitors for their hand in marriage. A marriage that can never result in an heir.
After a decade together, death took Daniel’s lover away in an instant. A year of grieving kept him from thinking about the future. But now fearing loneliness, fearing aging and its effects, he’s ready to find someone new before it’s too late. Filled with good intentions, Daniel joins a gym. He plans to work hard to keep what time is all too quickly taking away from him. But are good intentions enough against the many distractions and temptations of life? Is he really prepared to make the sacrifices required? Meeting gym owner Chris may be the extra boost his motivation needs -- if only he could figure out why Chris keeps blowing hot and cold on him. Death claimed Chris’s lover too, but took much longer about it. The memory of watching the man he loved suffer has left Chris terrified of getting close to anyone again. He likes Daniel a lot, but there’s a problem and Chris can’t fix it, only Daniel can. If he’s serious about being with Chris. It’s a straightforward ultimatum. Daniel smokes and Chris will not date a smoker. Daniel has a choice. It’s Chris or the cigarettes. Daniel has to prove to Chris that he’s ready to make changes and he’s not all mouth. But can he do it? Are the sacrifices he’ll have to make worth it? Should he even be changing himself to suit a man who’s made him no promises and who might still back off later? Chris has to learn to accept Daniel’s imperfections and mortality. Only once he gets past the grief and fear can he take a risk on loving Daniel, even knowing he could be hurt again. Daniel takes on the biggest physical challenge he’s ever faced to prove he’s serious about Chris. But in the end, he has to decide if he wants to make the changes for himself and his own future, whether Chris is part of that or not.
Rob Catteneo takes charge of his family’s business, selling ice cream in a British seaside town, and finds their oldest competitor, Bianchi’s, is now being run by the youngest son, Chez. Chez was once a schoolmate but never a friend, because of their old family rivalry. Rob’s interested in both a business partnership with Bianchi’s and a more personal relationship with Chez. But Chez is deep in the closet, terrified his very traditional family will discover he’s gay. A night together in a hotel gives Rob insight into Chez’s fears and vulnerability and he’s sure he can help, but Chez resists further business and personal overtures. On an important summer weekend for both firms, Rob keeps a cool head in an ice cream emergency and helps Chez out, leaving Chez open to future propositions. Will this be the first step on the road to a sweet future together?
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