Recommendations based on "Red X"

Hold You Down is an edgy novel from rising star Tracy Brown about the perils of love and the ties that bind…New York City. Late 1980s to early 1990s.Mercy and Lenox Howard have always only had each other. Growing up on the mean streets of Harlem with an absentee mother meant that they had to have each other's backs. Now young, smart mothers they are determined to survive in New York City while raising their two sons, who have bright futures ahead of them.Mercy is the quiet, straight laced hospital administrator, struggling to make ends meet. At night and on weekends, she pours her heart into her cooking and her dream of owning her own restaurant. Lenox is the diva, the wild child, looking for excitement and her big come up in life and love. Their boys, Deon and Judah, have been raised more like brothers than cousins, forging a bond that is unbreakable.When Lenox heads down a path that she believes will bring success and power, it changes the entire course of her life and her family’s life forever. As a result of their mother’s choices, cousins Deon and Judah soon find themselves in uncharted territory.

The war is over. The battle for love has just begun.As Marines, Cal and Jim depended on each other to survive bloodshed and despair in the Pacific. Relieved to put the horrors of war behind him, Jim went home to his apple orchard and a quiet life with his wife and children. Knowing Jim could never return his forbidden feelings, Cal hoped time and an ocean between them would dull the yearning for his best friend.But when Jim’s wife dies, Cal returns to help. He doesn’t know a thing about apple farming—or children—but he’s determined to be there for Jim, even as the painful torch he carries blazes back to life. Jim is grateful for his friend’s support as he struggles with buried emotions and dark wartime memories. Then Jim begins to see Cal in a new light, and their relationship deepens in ways neither expected. Can they build a life together as a family and find happiness in a world that would condemn them?Semper Fi by Keira Andrews is a historical gay romance featuring friends to lovers, sexual awakening, first times, found family, and of course a happy ending. (It also contains wartime violence and depictions of post-traumatic stress.)

The War Is Over. The Battle For Love Has Just Begun. As Marines, Cal And Jim Depended On Each Other To Survive Bloodshed And Despair In The Pacific. Relieved To Put The Horrors Of War Behind Him, Jim Went Home To His Apple Orchard And A Quiet Life With His Wife And Children. Knowing Jim Could Never Return His Forbidden Feelings, Cal Hoped Time And An Ocean Between Them Would Dull The Yearning For His Best Friend. But When Jim’s Wife Dies, Cal Returns To Help. He Doesn’t Know A Thing About Apple Farming—or Children—but He’s Determined To Be There For Jim, Even As The Painful Torch He Carries Blazes Back To Life. Jim Is Grateful For His Friend’s Support As He Struggles With Buried Emotions And Dark Wartime Memories. Then Jim Begins To See Cal In A New Light, And Their Relationship Deepens In Ways Neither Expected. Can They Build A Life Together As A Family And Find Happiness In A World That Would Condemn Them?

Grace Park and Shawn Mathews share a city, but seemingly little else. Coming from different generations and very different communities, their paths wouldn't normally cross at all. As Grace battles confusion over her elder sister's estrangement from their Korean-immigrant parents, Shawn tries to help his cousin Ray readjust to life on the outside after years spent in prison. But something in their past links these two families. As the city around them threatens to spark into violence, echoing events from their past, the lives of Grace and Shawn are set to collide in ways which will change them all forever.

From international bestselling author, Casey Morales . . . A traded player, a children's home, and a love to defy all odds. Climbing the ladder of professional baseball is hard. As one of the only openly gay players in the league, Nick Dunlap's path is rockier than most. When Nick is traded mid-season, despite a team-leading batting average, everyone knows his "open secret" is to blame. He flies to Ohio in hopes of a fresh start but finds so much more. On his second day in Columbus, Nick agrees to visit a non-profit whose mission is to counsel children and families. Speeches are made, balls are signed, and before the day ends, Nick meets Ethan, a troubled eight-year-old boy who hasn't spoken in months. Nick's heart yearns to aid the lost boy. Then he meets Dr. André Martin, a French psychiatrist with flowing salt-and-pepper hair and kind smile. André has been on the staff of the non-profit for over twenty years and questions Nick's sincerity, thinking he is little more than a grandstanding player looking for photo ops. Until Nick returns the next day . . . Buckeye is sa heartwarming story of a man finding love in the most unexpected places. Themes include found family, hurt/comfort, an age gap romance, children in need, and so much more. If you enjoyed Red, White, and Royal Blue and Call Me By Your Name, you'll love Buckeye. Note: There are themes and scenes depicting the lives of children and adults with troubled pasts. Some overcome their challenges, while others struggle.

A 3-in-1 Annotated Collection of Reissued Short StoriesTwo Troubleshooters Stories plus a Navy SEAL ShortBEGINNINGS AND ENDS: Annotated reissue originally e-published in June 2012 A Troubleshooters short story Jules and Robin find that endings can be the start of something new…After years of playing a tormented actor named Joe Laughlin on the hit television show Shadowland, Hollywood star Robin Chadwick Cassidy is ready for a change. Joe’s character embodies the real demons of Robin’s past—his struggle with his sexuality, his battle with alcoholism—and portraying the part has taken a heavy toll on his personal life. Robin’s husband, FBI agent Jules Cassidy, has noticed the strain and will do whatever he can to make Robin happy. And what Robin has in mind will forever transform his career, his marriage, and his family.  (Around 12K words or 60 pages)WHEN TONY MET ADAM: Annotated reissue originally e-published in June 2011A Troubleshooters short story in celebration of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Navy SEAL Tony Vlachic meets out gay actor Adam Wyndham at the end of 2007’s All Through the Night and sparks fly...Navy SEAL Tony Vlachic has kept his sexual orientation a secret for years under the threat of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” That is, until he meets Adam Wyndham, a charismatic yet troubled movie star. Tony knows he’s risking his military career when he approaches Adam in front of his SEAL teammates. And Adam, nursing a broken heart, has no interest in a relationship. Still, neither man can deny their instant attraction.Tony didn’t become a SEAL by accepting rejection, and his pursuit of Adam leads to one unforgettable night. But the next morning, Tony is ordered to ship out to Afghanistan with SEAL Team Sixteen, and he’s forced to leave Adam with too much unsaid. As Tony enters a dangerous war zone, Adam has to choose between keeping the home fires burning, or taking a blowtorch, igniting the hope of a new relationship with a perfect-for-him man, and burning it all to the ground.When Tony is injured, the two men must face their feelings for each other. With a little help from some friends—Tony’s SEAL teammates of Izzy, Jenk, Lopez, and Gillman, and Adam’s longtime frenemy, Troubleshooters operative Sam Starrett—they must decide if what they’ve found together is worth risking even more than their hearts.  (Around 19K words or 80 pages)MURPHY'S LAW: Annotated reissue originally e-published in March 2001A Navy SEAL short storyJim Murphy and Andrea Patterson attend the same high school, but they don’t meet until days before Andi leaves for college and Jim joins the Navy. It’s not until six years later, as Jim’s accepted into the Navy SEALs BUD/S training program that he takes a chance and hand delivers some letters that he would have sent years ago, if he’d only had Andi’s address. But it’s never too late to start again, as Andi finds out when she comes up against Jim’s upbeat, revised version of Murphy’s Law. (Around 7500 words or 20 pages)All three stories, combined, are around 38,000 words or 200 pages. Annotated by the author, this 3-in-1 collection is available in e-book and print on demand, as well as individually as e-shorts.

"Locked up in a maximum-security prison, Romeo's highlight each week is a visit from Chad. Despite his friends, colleagues, and therapist all telling Chad to stop, he can't, and he becomes the only joy in Romeo's boring, bleak life.More than his need to kill, he needs Chad to live, but a Copycat killer has other ideas.At first flattered, Romeo relishes the new killer's triumphs, but as he countdown his victims, Romeo realizes the danger Chad's in, not only from the killer, but from his colleagues, and even more alarmingly, himself.Romeo must do something drastic to reunite the Monster and the Magpie, but the Copycat is closing in on Chad fast, and he's intent on doing the one thing Romeo couldn't, concluding his countdown, and claiming number one..." -- Provided by publisher.

Jake offers to act as foreman of the family mine after a series of mysterious accidents have left Indigo's father seriously injured. But Jake's real motives are as secret as his true identity, and as personal as his growing attraction to Indigo. When Indigo and Jake are unfairly compromised, Indigo's sense of betrayal hardens into a wariness of Jake's tenderness and suspicion of his intentions. Will Jake's patient efforts to win over the outwardly rebellious, inwardly vulnerable Indigo be enough to break through her loving heart? Or will a devious villain's attempt to sabotage the mine also endangered their future together?

Book 4 of the Fitting In seriesPrevious Book: Burning UpGray, Jack, and Mason are back. Their threeway relationship keeps growing stronger, and Gray 's feelings for his partners run deeper than he ever thought possible. While he's learned to be romantic at home, at work, he's still a big tough cop that nobody wants to cross. When the murders of several young prostitutes falls to him to solve, and he has no suspects and no motive, his confidence takes a hit. Every dead end, every day that goes by, adds to the urgency he feels to find the murderer. Gray desperately needs a break, with the case and for himself. He excels at taking care of both his men, in bed and out, but when it comes to accepting comfort in return, he shuts down, even with everything at work going to hell. Jack and Mason want him to take a vacation when the case ends, but Gray knows he sucks at down time unless it's spent in bed. With his case weighing on him and his partners trying their best to help, Gray is going to have to figure out how a high-handed man like himself can let go.

Charles and Philip Barnett have settled down to raise their children, but their domesticity is disrupted when Philip's nephew Steve is delivered to their doorstep early one morning after being beaten senseless by his homophobic father. So the family grows, but of course, that's the easy part. A rabidly fundamentalist sheriff and a gay-bashing incident leave Steve and his new boyfriend in legal hot water and at the mercy of the deputies' harassment, and Charles must once again take up the fight for justice for his loved ones.