The Mercenary's Guide to Mishaps and Romance by Alice Winters

Ellis
Why is it that the first attractive man to look my way mistakes me for a bad guy, stuffs me in the trunk of his car, and ships me off to an island where I’m positive the only thing waiting for me is my own murder?

I mean... yeah, Tavish is charismatic and fun, but did I mention the whole trunk thing? Oh, maybe I forgot to mention his peculiar group of friends who keep promising to “help” me, but why are they running around with masks and weapons while praising fences?

Tavish and his friends are actually the bad guys, aren’t they?

If I (somehow) look past all of that… Tavish really does seem like a nice guy. He’s caring, funny, and willing to risk his life to protect me. It’s become quite clear that if I’m going to get out of this alive, I’m not going to be able to do it without him.
 
Tavish
So maybe I mixed things up a wee bit and took Ellis on a tiny road trip that he might not have been privy to. Ellis doesn’t seem to overly mind. I mean, yeah, maybe he tried blinding me with aerosol spray… or maybe I was just blinded by his handsome smile.

The problem is that Ellis is in danger, but he knows nothing about this world he’s been thrown into. He’s sweet, kind, and has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. And I’m prepared to protect it at all costs.

Tides of the Heart

by Dave Henderson

I’ve been a lot of things in my life—a friend, a soldier, a survivor, a man haunted by shadows. But, I never expected to be in a small coastal town. I was trying to piece together the fragments of a life shattered by war. Brookings, Oregon, was supposed to be a quiet place to hide away, but instead, it became the stage for a story I never saw coming.

It all started with a wounded German Shepherd—Shadow. He barged into my life, all paws and pain, just when I thought I had nothing left to give. And then there was Jordan, the town’s kind-hearted veterinarian with a secret of his own. He’s got this smile that could light up the darkest night, but he's been living in silence, literally. A hearing disorder kept him isolated, just as my PTSD kept me locked in my own head.

We were two broken men, hiding from the world until Shadow brought us together. I never imagined a dog could mend two broken souls. But there we were, caring for this brave creature and finding solace in each other. Jordan, with his gentle hands and empathetic eyes, slowly became my anchor. And somehow, through runs on the beach and quiet moments, we started to heal—not just Shadow, but ourselves.

Before I knew it, this town, this life, became something worth fighting for. Jordan showed me that even in the darkest times, there’s a way out, a way to live and love again. But let’s not get too sappy—because this journey wasn’t all smooth sailing. We faced our demons, both from the past and the ones we created in our heads. Yet, standing by each other’s side, we found strength in vulnerability and love in the least expected places.

So here’s the thing: Brookings gave me more than a fresh start. It gave me Jordan, Shadow, and a family I never thought I’d have. And in the end, it turns out that maybe, just maybe, we saved each other

Notorious Park Avenue Prince

by Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank

James “East” Easton
“The Pompous One”

I’m so over college. It was supposed to be the time of our lives, a time of debauchery, but one by one, Cupid aimed his arrow and hit every one of my moron friends.

Relationships.

Could there be anything more soul-sucking and lame? To be tied to one person, and have to think about their…feelings.

Fine. Whatever. I’ll look for my fun elsewhere.

Like that teacher’s assistant who keeps giving me a hard time. I wouldn’t mind shutting him up—with my mouth.
I wonder if I could provoke him into it…

Zac Fletcher
“The Teacher’s Assistant”

There’s only one person in all of Astor University who makes me rethink my decision to be Professor Kingston’s TA—James Easton, the self-proclaimed leader of the Park Avenue Princes.

Pretentious doesn’t even begin to cover it. He’s arrogant. Obnoxious. A complete and utter snob.

But when one fiery exchange between us leads to the hottest sex of my life, I find myself coming up with creative ways to shut him up. East isn’t someone I’d ever consider being with in the real world, but lucky for me, he doesn’t want anything more than a hookup.

Even better, no one knows. Until the day my boss finds us coming out of the same empty room…together.

East misses nothing. Not the way I blush around “King.” Or the way my body reacts. When he finds out my secret, East makes it his mission to get the three of us together. After all, there’s nothing he likes more than a challenge.

And seducing the enigmatic, impenetrable Professor Kingston? That’s going to be the biggest challenge of all.

Kill Me Sweetly

by Davidson King

Sometimes reality is the nightmare you must conquer.

JJ has a good life. One where he lives with the people he loves, gets to work in Saintly Sweets with his delicious boyfriend, and takes things a day at a time. Of course, that is until he comes across a broken boy so lost in a nightmare, he vows to do everything he can to help him wake from it.

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There’s nothing Shepard Saint won’t do for his JJ. Even help him figure out how to save someone that may be lost to the darkness. He knows this won’t be easy, and the deeper they go, the harder it becomes to climb out.

​

Shep, JJ, and the rest of the Saint brothers find themselves knee deep in the worst of humanity as they try to save a lot more than they bargained for. Saving people is something Shep and JJ are born to do, but when the enemy tries to destroy everything they love, they almost lose themselves to the evils of the world. Can the love they have for each other be enough to make it out alive or have they finally met an enemy far too powerful?

Rule Breaker

by Ava Olsen

Maddox Rocher: Hockey is the only thing I care about. College? Hell no. And the last thing I need is Kayden, a golden retriever teammate who thinks I’m gonna drop my surly attitude and become his BFF. I know from painful experience to never to let my guard down and the only rule I follow is my own. But unlike everyone else, Kayden doesn’t sprint away from me. Instead, he’s skating too close. And we’re set to collide.

Kayden Melnyk: I love college. My hockey team, the parties, the people. Classes, not so much. Especially when I get paired with Maddox, a goalie who offers nothing but snarky comments and snide looks. He’s brilliant and beautiful, and I’m the jock on an athletic scholarship. He hates me but so what? We’re stuck together at away games. His anger sparks a reckless want I’ve never felt before. And I always follow the rules. So why does Maddox make me want to break every one?

The Nokk and The Jock

by Leslie McAdam​

Brandon:

I’m pumped to be one of the first humans to attend a monster university, but a minor, negligible, insignificant issue arises almost immediately: My new roommate wants to drag me to his underground realm and take my soul.

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He’s a nøkk who could almost pass for human, except his webbed fingers and entirely black eyes give him away. In my attempt to befriend him, I give him three drops of my blood, a black animal, and a bottle of vodka (I hear it’s a nøkk thing). Which apparently triggers some ancient bonding ritual. My bad.

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I must admit I’m into him. Maybe those online tests that say I’m only mostly straight are right. But there are a few hiccups: I can’t know his real name. He won’t show me his true form. And he’s both an omen and a cause of drowning … which is troubling, since he’s on the water polo team with me.

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Still, something about him calls to me, even if it shouldn’t.

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The Nøkk:

This human is mine.

Stay away from him.