Tag Archives: m/m

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Freedom to Me by Sidney Quinn

Today on the site I’m delighted to reveal the cover of Freedom to Me by Sidney Quinn, an m/m “California Noir Romance” releasing from Ninestar Press on June 16, 2026! Here’s the story:

London native Felix Brixton, rich and sheltered, leaves his old life behind on a whim to pursue his dream of running a tall ship tour boat. A mid-life crisis brings him to the small Southern California town of Carino Bay, where he buys a ship, the Freedom. What Felix doesn’t know is he’s also buying a dark secret and complicated history.

Jay Otene, tattooed and leather-clad, lays eyes on the sweet, buttoned-up new guy in town and is intrigued. He can’t resist the temptation. But Jay has personal demons which may cost him everything he holds dear.

Carino Bay, a queer haven full of misfits like him, offers Felix a new start in more ways than one. But he uncovers deep-seated crime and corruption closely tied to the man of his dreams.

No matter how intensely their attraction pulls Jay and Felix to each other, the town’s history and their complicated lives threaten to keep them apart.

And here’s the dangerously beautiful cover by Jaycee DeLorenzo!

A book cover with a pink tropical sunset. The cover is framed by palm trees. The title of the book is Freedom to Me by Sidney Quinn. A revolver lies on a beach with a tall ship at full sail in the background. The tagline says: Mystery, corruption, and a secret that threatens to tear their love apart.

Buy it: Ninestar Press | Amazon

Illustration by Ronnie Vasquez

Sidney loves genre fiction of all kinds and loves combining those genres with queer romance. Expect plots that excite and propel, intriguing mysteries, unconventional romance, and vivid worlds where the setting itself is a character.

Sidney has lived in many places across Canada but now lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia with two cuddly cats. One of these days, the cats will be compelled to pay rent or at least stop causing so much destruction of property—though that’s probably wishful thinking.

Exclusive Cover+Excerpt Reveal: The Howling Dark by Brittany M. Willows

Today on the site I’m delighted to reveal the cover of The Howling Dark by Brittany M. Willows, a bi m/m werewolf romance with aroace, pan, and trans rep releasing November 9th! Here’s the story:

Sylvain is an eclipse-born werewolf who knows neither his bestial form nor the post-nuclear wilds his kind hail from. Raised on the orbital research station Zodiac, he’s grown accustomed to a life of peaceful predictability. Though fantasies of visiting his birthplace may be out of reach due to medical restrictions, he has a loving boyfriend and all of his essential needs are met. What more could he want?

In the opinion of his elder brother, the answer is: everything.

Believing them abducted as children, Illia has always sworn to someday return with his brother to the mountains they were taken from. And when a peculiar turn in Sylvain’s health brings to light an ugly truth, someday becomes now—whether Sylvain is ready for it or not.

Soon enough, the brothers find themselves fugitives on the planet’s surface, pursued by the government and bloodthirsty huntsmen, and under the unexpected guidance of the rebel Sundogs. All that lies between them and home is miles of unfamiliar countryside, toxic wastelands, a parasitic garden of death . . . and the question of how much they’re willing to risk in order to get there.

And here’s the cool cover, designed by the author herself!

Cover illustration for The Howling Dark, featuring the protagonist front and center, facing the viewer with a neutral expression. He is crouching amidst leafless, snow-covered branches, a birch spear clutched in his right hand, wearing a green parka and a brown turtleneck sweater. He is fair-skinned, has long half-black half-white hair, and a scar over his left eye.

Buy it: Amazon

But wait, there’s more! Read on for the first chapter of The Howling Dark!

Continue reading Exclusive Cover+Excerpt Reveal: The Howling Dark by Brittany M. Willows

Fave Five: M/M Romances Starring College Athletes

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei (Hockey)

Futbolista by Jonny Garza Villa (Soccer)

See You at the Finish Line by Zac Hammett (Rowing)

Rush by Nyrae Dawn (Football)

The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen (Hockey)

Rainbow heart

Bonus: Coming in 2027, How to Break His Heart by Matthew Hubbard (Hockey)

Excerpt Reveal: Our Rogue Fates by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Today on the site I’m delighted to reveal an excerpt from Our Rogue Fates by Sarah Glenn Marsh, and m/m Fantasy Romance releasing April 28th from Alcove Press! Here’s the story:

On the hunt for hidden treasure, two former best friends turned adversaries must put the past behind them if they hope to make it home.

This enemies-to-lovers male/male romantic fantasy for fans of Tusk Love and Sara Raasch crackles with tension and heat.

When he isn’t training as a Warden to become half the hero his father was, Griff Sayer is in the business of breaking hearts all across the town of Mayfair, although that slows down after settling in with his current boyfriend. Griff’s ex-best-friend, Mal Pryce, meanwhile, is in business with whatever or whoever puts good money in his hands. Now in their mid-20s, Griff and Mal have only exchanged scathing looks and carefully barbed jabs since the fight that sent them their separate ways years ago. But all that begins to change when an attack Mal plotted for his shady boss leaves Griff near death and their childhood friend Alys is his savior, forcing them back into each other’s orbit.

Livid at his boss, Mal makes a deal to earn his freedom and Griff’s safety. He has just four weeks to retrieve an ancient treasure from Rotrose Mire, a remote swamp known for its ghostly and beastly dangers, the same treasure Alys’s beloved father Rhun had been searching for when he disappeared for good. Armed with a map and a broken blade of Rhun’s, Mal sets off—with Alys and a reluctant and newly single Griff in tow.

Yet the explosive tension between the two men—along with the dangers of the mire pressing in around them—make for a more difficult journey than any of them could have anticipated. As Griff and Mal peel back their tough facades, and shared feelings heat up in unexpected ways as they learn to trust again, they also realize that someone—or something—seems to be following their path. Someone who doesn’t want them to succeed, no friend to their parents’ old enemies, but also no friend to would-be heroes…

Our Rogue Fates is a second-chance spicy Achillean romance with the questing spirit of Dungeons & Dragons, perfect for fans of Critical Role.

Preorder now!

Per the author:

This is a book for anyone who thought their DND campaign would be as epic as LOTR–but then had to go on a side quest with their first love, and it all went to shit from there. It’s also a book for anyone who hasn’t forgotten that LOTR is about more than elves and orcs- that it’s about triumphing over the darkness you’ve been forced to live in. There’s no epic world building here- rather, we’re here for boys kissing, orphans raised together growing up to be messy gays, an emotional support decapitated head, and a slow-burn, cozy Achillean romance featuring recovery, pastries, and a mule that’s the smartest party member.

And here’s an excerpt!

Continue reading Excerpt Reveal: Our Rogue Fates by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Thirty Love by Tom Vellner

Today on the site, I’m delighted to help reveal the cover of Thirty Love by Tom Vellner, a gay tennis romance releasing March 10, 2026 from Alcove Press! Here’s the story:

Things heat up on and off the court for two tennis rivals in this steamy debut gay sports romcom perfect for fans of TJ Alexander and Casey McQuiston.

American tennis star Leo Chambers is determined to win the US Open by 30, the age when many players feel retirement looming. He’s just a year away from that dreaded birthday, but he can’t find his focus—considering he hasn’t told anyone he’s gay, he’s clashing with his strict coach (who also happens to be his dad), and he still can’t figure out how to beat his longtime nemesis on tour, Gabe Montoya, who, well, hits different. Gabe is playing better than ever, and Leo can’t seem to escape him—and maybe he doesn’t want to escape him.

Leo’s other obstacle is Sascha Volkov, a Russian legend who has such a powerful influence on the tennis world, he would destroy Leo’s career if he found out that he’s gay.

No distractions, Leo reminds himself. But when Gabe makes a shocking announcement, Leo is thrown off his game—in more ways than one. Ready? Play.

And here’s the steamy cover by Débora Islas!

Two tennis players leaning against a net on a court

A note from author Tom Vellner:

Débora brought my boys to life in the most beautiful, tender, vibrant way for the cover of Thirty Love. They’re exactly how I’ve been picturing them since I first started dreaming them up almost three years ago, especially how gone Leo (left) is over Gabe. That yearning gaze says it all. I’m over the moon to have a cover that so proudly shows two men in love — as we face an alarming surge of book bans and efforts seeking to erase LGBTQ stories. I can’t wait for this cover to sit on shelves in all its queerness. I hope it brings some joy and comfort when it’s needed most.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon | PRH

(c) Gabriela Barrantes

Tom Vellner is a writer, editor, and mediocre tennis player. A former staff writer at BuzzFeed, he has also contributed to VICE, Thrillist, ACLU Magazine, and more. This is his debut novel. He lives in the Hudson Valley with his husband and two dogs.

Fave Five: Historical M/M Romance, Part II

For part I, click here.

Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore (YA)

Teach the Torches to Burn by Caleb Roehrig (YA)

A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander

Midcentury NYC by Cat Sebastian

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Dead & Breakfast by Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor

I absolutely love that queer cozies in every genre are on the rise, so I’m delighted to welcome Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor to the site today to reveal the cover of their upcoming paranormal mystery, Dead & Breakfast, which releases October 14th from Berkley! Here’s the story:

The new vampires in town are sinking their teeth into solving a murder…

Married odd couple Arthur and Sal are totally normal. They wear sunscreen, not because the sun can kill them, but because even the undead need a skincare regimen. They eat garlic whenever they want, though it gives Sal indigestion. They can talk to creatures of the night, but only the raccoons that rifle through their garbage. Really, they don’t bite… except into delicious baked goods.

Ready to settle down and stay out of trouble, the two have opened a bed & breakfast in the idyllic, if not-so-paranormal-friendly, town of Trident Falls, Oregon. But trouble finds them when the mayor is discovered dead in their begonias with two puncture wounds in his neck. With the help of a werewolf barista, the elven town coroner, and a very human city manager, Arthur and Sal will need to prove they aren’t literally out for blood by catching a killer…

And here’s the bloodthirsty-yet-cozy cover, designed by Colleen Reinhart with art by Liam Eisenberg!

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Kat Hillis is an author of queer speculative fiction full of silly jokes and twisty plots. A southerner now living in Alabama, she’s a lifelong fan of vampires, murder, and puns. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s gaming, drawing, or making handcrafted soaps.

Rosiee Thor began their career as a storyteller by demanding to tell their mother bedtime stories instead of the other way around. Now, they write stories for all ages, including young adult novels Tarnished Are The Stars and Fire Becomes Her, the picture book The Meaning of Pride,  and tie-in novels for franchises like Life is Strange and Firefly. They live in Oregon with two cats, a dog, and an abundance of plants.

Kat and Rosiee live on opposite sides of the United States and like opposite parts of the writing process, but they are unified in their love of puns! After helping with each other’s books for years, they penned their first novel together: Dead & Breakfast.

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore

Today on the site I’m delighted to reveal the cover of Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore, a trans and Jewish m/m contemporary releasing August 20, 2024 from Dell/PRH! Here’s the story:

To save his family’s failing funeral home—and his own chance at a queer love story—a reluctant clairvoyant must embrace the gift he long ignored in this poignant and tender debut, for fans of the swoonworthy romance and queer community of One Last Stop and the macabre humor and family dysfunction of Mostly Dead Things.

Rule #1: They can’t speak.
Rule #2: They can’t move.
Rule #3: They can’t hurt you.

Ezra Friedman sees ghosts—which made growing up in a funeral home absolutely miserable. It might have been better if his grandfather’s ghost didn’t give him stabbing looks of disapproval as he went through a second, HRT-induced puberty, or if he didn’t have the pressure of all those relatives—living and dead—judging every choice he makes. It’s no wonder that Ezra runs as far away from the family business as humanly possible.

But when the ceiling of his dream job caves in and his mother uses the family Passover seder to tell the family that she’s running away with the rabbi’s wife, Ezra finds himself back in the thick of it. With his parents’ marriage imploding and the Friedman Family Memorial Chapel on the brink of financial ruin, Ezra agrees to step into his mother’s shoes and help out . . . which means long days surrounded by ghosts that no one else can see.

And then there’s his unfortunate crush on Jonathan, the handsome funeral home volunteer who just happens to live downstairs from Ezra’s new apartment . . . and the appearance of the ghost of Jonathan’s gone-too-soon husband, Ben, who is breaking every spectral rule Ezra knows.

Because Ben can speak. He can move. And as Ezra tries to keep his family together and his heart from getting broken, he quickly realizes that there’s more than one way to be haunted—and more than one way to become a ghost.

And here’s the gorgeous cover, illustrated by Amy Perez!

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Shelly Jay Shore (she/they) is a writer, digital strategist, and nonprofit fundraiser. Her writing on queer Jewish identity has been published by Autostraddle, Hey Alma, and the Bisexual Resource Center. She lives with her partner in New York, where she attempts to wrangle two large dogs and two small children while single-handedly sustaining her local Dunkin’ Donuts with year-round iced coffee orders. Rules for Ghosting is her debut novel.

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Together in a Broken World by Paul Michael Winters

Today on the site I’m delighted to reveal the cover of Together in a Broken World by Paul Michael Winters, a YA post-apocalyptic adventure romance releasing May 21, 2024 by NineStar Press that looks to be perfect for fans of All That’s Left in the World. Here’s the story:

Two boys fall in love in a deadly world, but it’s the secrets they keep that might kill them.

Seventeen-year-old Zach was visiting his uncle in a small Montana town when a mysterious illness ripped through the world. Most died, but those who survived the Infection became mindless killers, spreading the disease with a single scratch. Now, a year later, civilization lies in ruins, and Zach is the town’s sole survivor. Desperately lonely, he longs to return to his family in Seattle, but his fears hold him captive.

Eighteen-year-old Aiden is on a critical mission for the covert Scientific Collective, delivering vials whose contents could cure the Infection. Tortured by his boyfriend’s death, he welcomes the risks of the perilous journey. When a militia attacks Aiden, he flees to Zach’s town.

The boys escape together and soon form a bond as they comfort each other in this desolate and broken world. The farther they travel, the more their affection grows, as do the forces pulling them apart. But their greatest threats are the secrets they keep. Zach hides details of his uncle’s death, and Aiden conceals the vials’ sinister origins. In order to survive, they’ll have to confront the truths that could tear their love apart.

And here’s the epic cover, illustrated by Micah Epstein!

Buy it: Amazon | Ninestar Press

Paul Michael Winters is a lifelong creative writer whose life is filled with queer joy. His passion is to spread that joy through storytelling and writing books where you might not typically see queer characters. His books feature queer people living their best lives where their queerness is an aspect of their personality but doesn’t dominate the story. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his husband and two tuxedo kitties and might have a slight addiction to reading gay romance. But it’s not a problem. He could stop any time he wanted. Honestly.