Kellan & Emmett

by Denver Shaw

Emmett
I never thought I’d see Kellan Miller again.

He was my best friend. The one who knew all my secrets—except the biggest one.

That I wanted him.

I told myself it was a phase, just curiosity. But deep down, I knew better.

Graduation night, he gave me my first kiss. The next day, he gave me my first heartbreak.

He gave no explanation. Didn't say goodbye. Just left a hollow in my chest, carved in his shape.

Twenty years later, he showed up for our high school reunion, looking sinfully good and still hiding behind his carefully built life. The second I felt his presence again, it all came back.

The pull.
The want.
The heat.

I was out. Settled. Gomillion was my home.

If Kelly wanted a second chance, he was going to have to earn it.

Kellan
Coming back was never part of the plan.

I’d spent my whole adult life pretending that night with Emmy didn’t change me. That I could move on, build something stable, keep my truth locked up tight. But nothing about being back in our small town felt settled—not with him watching me like he couldn’t decide whether to forgive me… or tell me to get the f*ck out of his life again.

It felt like it was twenty years ago, being around him was the closest I ever came to feeling like I belonged.

But if I wanted a chance at something real with him, I’d have to stop hiding.

Stop running.

And start fighting for the man I never should’ve left behind.

Understanding Our Forever

by Marie Allen

Trevor: I hate my life, I hate my past, I especially hate my father. But, I'm finally attempting to take steps to change that. Like no longer accepting my father's calls. But can I live the life I want, be a person I actually like, and maybe, just maybe finally find love and acceptance and if I'm lucky, actual friends? 

Gary: The last thing I expected when I agreed to help my twin 're-educate' our cousin's significant other's ex was to fall for him. I completely agree with everyone else. On the surface he's a misogynistic, homophobic, jerk. But with everything I learned when I did a deep dive into his background, I don't think that is who he truly is at his core. The more I get to know him, the more I see the lost little boy in dire need for attention and love just screaming for help. Can I have what turns out to be the perfect man for me without alienating everyone else in my life due to his past behaviors? 

Bone to be Wilde

by Dani Lakely

It’s trick or treat for two smitten lovers in this seasonal holiday romance as Halloween approaches and a little unleashed magic lets the ghoul times roll.

Forrest’s to-do list:
1. Convince Jonathan to move in with him.
2. No, seriously. That’s it.

It’s been nine months of playful bickering and bliss for Forrest Wilde and his boyfriend, Jonathan. But in order to move their relationship forward, Jonathan needs Forrest to find closure from his past.

Alexander Adler is back in town and dragging all of Forrest’s ghosts screaming into the light. Is there still a spark waiting to ignite between Forrest and his ex, or are they nothing more than toasted history? Forrest isn’t exactly eager to find out, seeing as sometimes the monsters under the bed are people who haunt us from days gone by.

Every autumn, the town of Sunset Surf comes alive in celebration of the season. But this year, when Forrest falls under a mysterious spell that forces him to forget the person he loves most, there will be plenty of spooks in store for the fun-loving and eccentric residents of this seaside village. Torn between fright or flight, Forrest must face his fears in order to make his way back to true love—or risk losing it forever.

Just Like Magic

by Ellie Roth

The witches are rioting again.
Figures. They overreact to everything.

Anwer Alexander, son of the notoriously anti-magic governor, has everything he wants in life: a good job, amazing parents, and an annoying brat of a younger sister. But when his sister Shay manifests the same kind of magic powers that get countless teenagers kicked out of their houses, Anwer has to scramble to find her a witch who can show her how to control them—and make sure their parents don’t find out.

Christian Lewis, the most powerful magic user in the tristate area, doesn’t know what to do with himself when the Alexander siblings ask him to teach Shay in exchange for Anwer helping Chris with a life-changing ritual. But no matter how much he hates their parents, Chris has never been able to say no to mentoring a newbie magic user from a toxic household—even though her scowling older brother infuriates him.

As the long summer days grow warmer, Anwer and Chris find themselves slowly drawing closer to each other over Shay’s training. Sparks fly when Shay decides that she wants to compete in the Santiago, the largest magic tournament of the year, but will the five-day competition be the beginning of something more or the end of everything Anwer and Chris hoped for?

Sweet Vengeance

by Riley Hart

Cillian
I can’t figure out why I’m so intrigued by Ollie Gibson.

He’s nothing like me—soft where my world is hard, sweet and kind while I’ve grown up around violence.

But there’s a fire to him that sparks the one inside me, loyalty that calls to me, and bravery I respect even if it gets him in trouble.

When Ollie’s hurt and we don’t know if the men who attacked him will come back for more, I can’t stop myself from claiming him. There’s nothing I won’t do to protect him, even go behind his back for vengeance.

I crave him—both the sweetness and the fire, the innocence and the dirty boy he turns into under my touch.

I’ll kill for him, turn my world upside down for him, share my pain and secrets with him. Ollie helps me deal with it all—even the drama with my father.

It’s supposed to be temporary. I’m not supposed to want more, but I’m determined to keep him, and for a reason I can’t understand, Ollie wants me too.

The future lawyer and the criminal. The Good Samaritan and the killer. We’re living between two worlds, this place where vengeance can be sweet and our differences don’t matter. But we both know it can’t go on like this forever. If the violence of my world doesn’t tear us apart, one day Ollie will walk away…and I don’t know how to let myself lose him.

Sympathy for the Blues

by S.S. Genesee

It’s the 1970s, and two young men are brought together by their shared love of music.

​

Ray Roderick and his best friend Gene Hillard form a blues-rock band: the Dusty Brooms. With Ray on lead vocals and Gene on rhythm guitar, they take their home state of Michigan by storm. Though Ray feels a peculiar longing in his heart every time he plays music with Gene. It messes with his head—and he buries his emotions in the arms of beautiful women.

​

Little does Ray know that Gene is feeling the same for him. Jealousy sparks within Gene every time he sees Ray with a woman. But he shouldn’t be jealous—no, it’s outrageous for him to want his best friend like that. A romantic relationship with Ray could never happen, as the Dusty Brooms rise in popularity.

​

But as his feelings grow stronger, it gets harder and harder to deny them…