Original m/m recs
I wish they were more searchable, but I couldn't face posting them all individually and tagging the genre keywords. They're organized by author, on a (mostly) sliding scale of kink from light to heavy. I have a set of unpublished/free recs (not very long at the moment) and a longer set of published recs.
A few words:
- I read a wide variety of kink, so you will find that reflected here. A lot of these are romance, some have external plot elements, some are purely about the kink. I like power dynamics, good writing, interesting and unique characters, and satisfying sex.
- Everything I've included here I think is worth checking out, but some are particular favorites, so I've marked them out as Recommended. I've included caveats where I thought appropriate.
- All the links for the published work go to their Goodreads page, where there are links to purchase at your site of choice.
- Summaries are taken from what the author/publisher provided.
- The only warnings I've given are for physical violence (sexual or otherwise and consensual or otherwise) and for anything I found emotionally disturbing (obviously subjective, so feel free to ask me for specifics). The Goodreads page has additional warnings.
- My kink levels are light, medium, and heavy. Light for me is explicit sex without props; medium is explicit sex with the use of toys and pain in an erotic/playful way; heavy is explicit sex with elements of sexual violence and dubious consent. This is not a perfect scale, so there may be overlap, and your assessment may be different from mine. You are welcome to ask me for specifics on a story.
- I've given genre keywords for each story; I think they are mostly self-explanatory, but feel free to ask me about any of them.
I think that's it. Enjoy!
Unpublished work (or available for free)
This is not a large list - I've only recently been delving into what the internet offers for original fic, so this is by no means comprehensive. And most of the original m/m available for free seems to be on Fiction Press, which has an interface I can't stand to work with. But here are a few original m/m stories I've liked that are available for free (and not on Fiction Press):
Captive Prince, by freece.
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Slavefic, WIP
Kink: Light
Summary: Damen is the true heir to the throne, but when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity and sent to serve the prince of a rival nation as a slave.
Review: Who isn't reading Captive Prince??? Seriously, I started this when freece first started posting it, and it's one of those regular fannish mainstays now. Awesome in so many ways. Warning for non-sexual violence. Recommended.
The Administration, by Manna Francis (ms-manna)
Genres: Speculative (near future), Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: One of the worse guys is Val Toreth. In a world where torture is a legitimate part of the investigative process, he works for the Investigation and Interrogation Division. One of the better guys is Keir Warrick, a corporate director. His small corporation, SimTech, is developing a 'sim' system which places users in a fully-immersive virtual reality. Their world is the dark future dystopia of New London, where Europe is controlled by a totalitarian bureaucracy, which shares political power with powerful corporations. The oppressive government uses torture, violence and the various Divisions of the feared Department of Internal Security to maintain power. The corporations fight amongst themselves, using lethal force under the euphemism of 'corporate sabotage', uniting only to resist attempts by the Administration to extend its control over them.
Review: This is a series of stories that includes three novels and about twenty short stories. I lost several weeks to this series, and I've tried to get all my friends to read it, and so far none of them will bite. So I hope you, gentle reader, will give it a try, because I think it has some of the most compelling world building, characterization, and relationship development I've ever read. Warning for consensual sexual violence and non-sexual violence (torture). Recommended.
Close Protection, by ckingsbridge
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Action (maybe?), WIP
Kink: Not sure yet
Summary: A bodyguard’s life is turned upside down by his intriguing new charge.
Review: It's early to be recommending a WIP only four chapters in, but I think this has a lot of potential for a fun, satisfying read.
And I'm trying hardest not to fall, by surexit
Genres: Short story, Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Growing up is a slow process. "Of course, this sort of colour is also designed to indicate social class, which, although we British are far too squeamish to say so, still fascinates most of us.” (Re: the papers quoting murder victim Joanna Yeates parents’ house price, Sally Baker, Feeedback, Times Jan 8 2011)
Review: Lovely awkward boyness in this, as well as a great look at class and race. Recommended.
Stealer of Hearts (two parts, second part is linked to from the first), by Kim Chee (name used for the Shousetsu Big Bang community)
Genres: Short story, Contemporary, sort-of Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: No summary given - I would say that it's a story about a man dealing with loss and loneliness and the not-very-nice parts of himself.
Review: Amazingly moving, well written, and just really well told. I hesitate to categorize it as romance, though there's an element of that - it's really more of a character piece with some backstory that gets revealed throughout. Recommended.
*ETA: The art for this is gorgeous, so make sure you check it out, too.
Published work
Josh Lanyon
Adrien English Mysteries (Fatal Shadows and A Dangerous Thing, The Hell You Say, Death of a Pirate King, and The Dark Tide
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Relationships can be murder. Bookseller and mystery author Adrien English is looking for love in all the wrong places--and, according to hot and handsome LAPD detective Jake Riordan, it's liable to get him killed.
Review: The writing is good, the relationship is compelling, and the mysteries are fun and humorous. When I finished the last book, I started reading the series from the beginning again. Sex is not the focus, but it's still present and satisfying as part of the relationship. The characters are unique and well fleshed-out, which I've found in all of Lanyon's work. Recommended.
Dangerous Ground series (Dangerous Ground, Old Poison, Blood Heat, Dead Run)
Genres: Contemporary, Action, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Special Agents for the Department of Diplomatic Security, Taylor MacAllister and Will Brandt have been partners and best friends for three years, but everything changed the night Taylor admitted the truth about his feelings for Will. And when Taylor was shot a few hours later, Will felt his reluctance to get involved was vindicated. For Will, the team and the friendship have to come first--despite the fact that he hasn't failed to notice just how...hot Taylor is. Taylor has been in love with his partner and best friend since they were first partnered. There isn't much he wouldn't do for Will--but he doesn't know how much longer they can stay teamed feeling the way he does.
Review: This is a very fun series - nice characters, wacky plots. Dead Run is the best of them, IMO.
Fair Game
Genres: Contemporary, Action, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: A crippling knee injury forced Elliot Mills to trade in his FBI badge for dusty chalkboards and bored college students. Now a history professor at Puget Sound university, the former agent has put his old life behind him-but it seems his old life isn't finished with him.
Review: This is one of my favorites of Layon's; the characters felt real to me, and I liked the development of the relationship. I'm a sucker for backstory, and there's a lot here to sink your teeth into. Recommended.
Come Unto These Yellow Sands
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Lover of fine poetry and lousy choose-your-own-adventure novels, Professor Sebastian Swift was once the bad-boy darling of the literati. The only lines he does these days are Browning, Frost and Cummings. Even his relationship with the hot, handsome Wolfe Neck Police Chief Max Prescott is healthy. When one of his most talented students comes to him bruised and begging for help, Swift hands over the keys to his Orson Island cabin-only to find out that the boy’s father is dead and the police are suspicious. In an instant, the stable life Swift has built for himself hangs on finding the boy and convincing him to give himself up before Max figures out Swift’s involvement in the case.
Review: I'm not sure that summary really captures this one. I have mixed feelings about it-it's not one of my favorites, but the characterization is interesting, and there's a lot of meat there. I could see it being someone else's favorite.
Snowball in Hell
Genres: Novella, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: It's 1943 and the world is at war. Journalist Nathan Doyle has just returned home from North Africa--still recovering from wounds received in the Western Desert Campaign--when he's asked to cover the murder of a society blackmailer.
Review: I like that it's a non-traditional time period for a m/m romance, and the historical context felt very authentic to me. Good characterization as always; interesting relationship.
Don't Look Back
Genres: Novella, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Peter Killian, curator at Constantine House in Los Angeles, wakes in the hospital to find himself accused of stealing a tenth century Chinese sculpture. Peter knows he’s not a thief -- but that’s all he knows. Why is hot and handsome Detective Mike Griffin so sure he’s guilty -- and so hell-bent on seeing Peter arrested?
Review: Amnesia fic! It's never not cool. I really enjoyed the emergence of backstory and the unfolding mystery, as well as the relationship development between several of the characters. The cover art for this is so not reflective. Recommended.
The Darkling Thrush
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Fed up with his desk duty in the Imperial Arcane Library, book hunter Colin Bliss accepts a private commission to find The Sword's Shadow, a legendary and dangerous witches' grimoire. But to find the book, Colin must travel to the remote Western Isles and solve a centuries' old murder.
Review: I think this is Lanyon's only foray into fantasy, but I would love to read more of it. I enjoyed the snarky whimsy of this world and characters. Recommended.
Mummy Dearest
Genres: Novella, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance, Humor
Kink: Light
Summary: Drew Lawson is racing against the clock. He's got a twenty-four-hour window to authenticate the mummy of Princess Merneith. If he's not at his boyfriend's garden party when that window closes, it'll be the final nail in their relationship coffin.
Review: Ha, this was fun. Nice characters, good romance, and a very amusing read.
The Dark Farewell
Genres: Historical, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: It’s the Roaring Twenties. Skirts are short, crime is rampant and booze is in short supply. Prohibition has hit Little Egypt, where newspaperman David Flynn has come to do a follow-up story on the Herren Massacre. The massacre isn’t the only news in town though. Spiritualist medium Julian Devereux claims to speak to the dead-and he charges a pretty penny for it. Flynn knows a phony when he sees one, and he’s convinced Devereux is as fake as a cigar store Indian. But the reluctant attraction he feels for the deceptively soft, not-his-type Julian is as real as it gets. Suddenly Julian begins to have authentic, bloodstained visions of a serial killer, and the cynical Mr. Flynn finds himself willing to defend Julian with not only his life, but his body.
Review: Another non-traditional time period, and the Spiritualist element was a nice backdrop. Very nice characters and romance.
I Spy Something Bloody
Genres: Short story, Contemporary, Action, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: His cover blown, his enemies closing in, British spy Mark is seeking sanctuary with the man he never stopped loving. But there's a new man in Stephen's life, and Stephen's not interested in hearing Mark's explanations or excuses -- let alone playing doctor with him.
Review: I wouldn't normally recommend a short story, but there's enough meat on here that it feels much longer. There's a sequel, I Spy Something Wicked, but it's not available through Amazon so I haven't read it.
The French Have a Word for It
Genres: Short story, Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Colin Lambert is in Paris to study art and escape his domineering grandfather when he runs into ex-FBI Special Agent Thomas Sullivan. Once upon a time Colin had quite a crush on Thomas, but Thomas had rules about getting involved with clients -- especially underage ones. Now Colin is all grown up and Thomas has a one night layover in Paris…
Review: Another short story, but the characters are still really well developed and the story is compelling. It surprises me, actually, how quickly I come to care about Lanyon's characters.
Icecapade
Genres: Short Story, Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: On the eve of the new millennium, diamond thief Noel Snow seduced FBI special agent Robert Cuffe, then fled into the dawn. Now a successful novelist, Noel uses his capers as fodder for his books, and has modeled his hero's nemesis (and potential love interest) on Cuffe. Though he leaves Robert a drunken phone message every New Year's Eve, Noel hasn't seen or heard from him in a decade. So he's thrilled when his former lover shows up at his upstate farm one Christmas Eve.
Review: And another short story! I pretty much adore this premise, and wish it had been a longer piece. But it's still satisfying. Recommended.
Jordan Castillo Price
PsyCop series (Among the Living, Criss Cross, Body and Soul, Secrets, Camp Hell, GhosTV)
Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance
Summary: Victor Bayne, the psychic half a PsyCop team, is a gay medium who’s more concerned with flying under the radar than in making waves. He hooks up with handsome Jacob Marks, a non-psychic (or “Stiff”) from an adjacent precinct at his ex-partner’s retirement party and it seems like his dubious luck has taken a turn for the better. But then a serial killer surfaces who can change his appearance to match any witness’ idea of the world’s hottest guy. Solving murders is a snap when you can ask the victims whodunit, but this killer’s not leaving any spirits behind.
Review: I don't read a lot of paranormal fic, but I enjoyed this series. The main character grated on me all through the first book, then I found by the second that I'd genuinely warmed to him. Warnings for non-sexual violence, disturbing background events, and disturbing imagery. The snarkiness of the characters balance out the angst.
Harper Fox
The Salisbury Key
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Daniel Logan is on a lonely quest to find out what drove his lover, a wealthy, respected archaeologist, to take his own life. The answer-the elusive “key” for which Jason was desperately searching-lies somewhere on a dangerous and deadly section of Salisbury Plain.
Review: I wouldn't really classify this as a mystery, though there's an element of that. Mostly it's like a punch to the gut :). Good characterization and romance, and the story is compelling. Recommended.
Driftwood
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: All Dr. Tom Penrose wants is his old life back. He's home in Cornwall after a hellish tour of duty in Afghanistan, but while the village is the same, he isn't. His grip on his control is fragile, and it slips dangerously when Flynn Summers explodes into his life. The vision in tight neoprene nearly wipes them both out in a surfing mishaps and shatters Tom's lonely peace.
Review: Another really nice characterization piece and romance. Angsty but not overbearing. Fox's writing tends toward dreamy, so I think you will either like it or not.
A Midwinter Prince
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: When Laurie, son of a wealthy London baronet, takes a homeless young man off the bitter winter streets, he only means to shelter him. But Sasha is beautiful and passionate, and he knows what he wants. Soon the two are entangled in a wild and illicit romance.
Review: Fox's dreamy writing is in full effect here. The characters are strong and the romance is compelling, so this is another good one.
Life After Joe
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Ever since his longtime lover decided he'd seen the "heterosexual light," Matt's life has been in a nosedive. Six months of too many missed shifts at the hospital, too much booze, too many men. Matt knows he's on the verge of losing everything, but he's finding it hard to care. Then Matt meets Aaron. He's gorgeous, intelligent and apparently not interested in being picked up. Still, even after seeing Matt at his worst, he doesn't turn away. Aaron's kindness and respect have Matt almost believing he's worth it-and that there could be life after Joe. But his newfound happiness is threatened when Matt begins to suspect Aaron is hiding something, or someone...
Review: I think this one could have used a little more development, but it's still a nice read.
Last Line
Genres: Contemporary, Action, Romance
Kink: Light/Medium
Summary: John Griffin has fallen hopelessly in love. He's trying to hide it, because the man he loves is also his partner in a renegade counterterrorism agency, and John loves the job too. Michael, the most loyal of friends and partners, doesn't return John's passion. Nor that of anyone else, as far as John can see. Sexy and handsome as hell, Mike is a chained-up man, haunted by memories of a mission gone wrong during his time in Russia for MI5.
Review: A lot of tangled threads in this one, but not in a bad way. Warning for violence and consent issues, but all fully recognized and dealt with on a character level. I think Fox must have some magic pen that sucks me into her stories and characters-I couldn't put this one down. Recommended.
Elizabeth Jewell
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Genres: Fantasy/Historical, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: A call for a story at King Arthur's Winter Festival leads Gawain to an adventure that could cost him his life -- or lead him to the man of his dreams.
Review: This was a really lovely retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - I loved the author's voice. Recommended.
Mel Keegan
Dangerous Moonlight
Genres: Historical, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Harry Trevellion would have been gentry if his father's estate had not crumbled; Nick Gray is the favorite but illegitimate son of a rich man, fated to work. His brother, Paul, is a scoundrel waiting only to inherit, and Paul scorns Nick, while Nick performs dangerous work. He's a jewelry courier; it's inevitable that he meet the irresistible rogue, Trevellion. A midnight world opens to Nick: he's drawn into a realm of chanceries, bawdy houses, glittering mansions, and a stormy affair with powerful consequences.
Review: Regency romance-style; this was a lot of fun. I liked the characters and the development of the romance.
The Swordsman
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Jack Leigh is a soldier of fortune, a brilliant sword-for-hire. In the dangerous Riverlands dukedom of Rhondia he gets much more than he bargained for.
Review: I liked the worldbuilding of this a lot and wouldn't have minded a little more development of it. The romance was a little stilted for me. Still, it was an interesting read.
Breakheart
Genres: Short Story, Fantasy, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Winter lies heavily on the uplands between two great trading cities, and the only shelter for miles is the 'Breakheart,' settlement of Brennan's Rath, near the stone circle known as the Nine Sisters. On an errand, a young bondsman called Fendel rescues an enigmatic stranger by the name of Richard Leon, and uncovers a life-and-death mystery.
Review: It's hard to pack in much worldbuilding into a short story, but for a fun erotic interlude, I thought this was nice.
L.A. Witt
Rules of Engagement
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Dustin Walker has no idea that avoiding the search for Mrs. Right could send him into the arms and bed of Mr. Right Now. According to Dustin's mother, he should be out looking for his next wife so he won't be the divorced black sheep of the family. Instead, he passes his free time at a local bar and pool hall, where he meets someone who's everything his ex-wife wasn't: fun.
Review: I don't always love L.A. Witt's characters, but there's something in her books that make them feel fresh and interesting to me. This isn't my favorites of hers, but it's a fun read, and an interesting look at sexual identity.
Rain
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Brandon Stewart and Dustin Walker started dating two years ago after meeting in the local bar over a game of pool. Dustin has struggled to come out to his homophobic family and come clean about his relationship with Brandon, and now they’re planning to get married.
Review: A sequel to Rules of Engagement, from the other POV. Worth reading if you like Rules. A lot of Witt's work deals with sexual identity and cultural/social pressures.
With the Band
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Hard rock band Schadenfreude is finally on the verge of the success that’s eluded them for the last several years. With Aaron McClure as their new lead singer, nothing’s going to stop them…except maybe a steamy, secret relationship between Aaron and bassist Bastian Koehler.
Review: I liked the romance in here a bit more than Rules of Engagement, and it has some hot scenes. I don't love everything about it, but it's a nice read.
Static
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Gender-bend
Kink: Light
Summary: Damon Bryce is worried sick when he doesn’t hear from his girlfriend after she visits her estranged parents, but when he checks up on her, he’s in for the shock of his life: She’s a shifter, part of a small percentage of the population who can shift genders at will. Thanks to her parents, though, she’s been forcibly given an implant that leaves her static-unable to shift-and male.
Review: I think gender identity is more complex than what I got from Static, but the premise is strong and has a lot of potential. There are some thought-provoking moments in here, but overall I felt the execution didn't quite live up to its potential. Still worth checking out if you're into gender-bend.
Out of Focus
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: For twelve years, Dom lovers Ryan “Angel” Morgan and Dante James have run a successful photography business, and satisfied their need for a submissive with the occasional sizzling three-way. On a wedding job, they both zero in on the bride’s beautiful brother, but as professionals, they keep their attraction on the down-low-for now.
Review: This is my favorite of Witt's, and I feel like it has the strongest, most interesting characters of her books (or maybe it's just because I liked them more). The D/s is hot and compelling, but the romance has priority, IMO. Recommended.
Clare London
Branded
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Slavefic
Kink: Light
Summary: Maen is a Gold Warrior, an elite defender of Aza City, respected by his fellow soldiers and favored by his imperious Mistress for services both in and out of the bedchamber. His loyalty and commitment are unwavering until he recruits Dax, a captivating and challenging Bronzeman who, despite his youth and inexperience, seduces Maen with his fierce hero worship.
Review: I liked this world - matriarchy, woo! - and wish it had been presented as less women-are-evil. Because seriously, this is my own personal fantasy. Probably that says more about me than is healthy. But I thought the world was interesting and the story compelling. This actually includes two novels, the original Gold Warrior and its sequel.
Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow
Bound and Determined
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: When Sterling Baker discovers the wonderful world of BDSM, he's ready to literally throw himself at the feet of the spectacular Owen Sawyer, but Owen is unwilling to take on someone so new to the scene-or so he says. Determined to get what he wants, Sterling sets out to convince the doubting Owen that he can be the best sub in the world, the fastest learning, the most obedient. It's not as easy as he thinks it will be, and things get even more complicated when Sterling realizes that he's fallen in love with Owen. With the stakes that much higher, Sterling's more determined than ever to win Owen over. But now he'll have to convince Owen they can have more than a teacher/student relationship, more than just good kink.
Review: I liked this one a LOT. I can be squicked by teacher/student pairings but also really attracted to them, which is why I spent most of my time at the TPM Master and Apprentice archive with one eye squinted to see which way it would go for me. I liked both of these characters and thought they were well fleshed-out, and the story progresses at a nice, realistic pace. The sex is satisfying and the D/s hot, but I didn't feel like I was hit over the head with it constantly. Recommended.
Truthful Change
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, mild D/s
Kink: Medium
Summary: Karl Blake's good at a lot of things: killing bad guys, rescuing hostages...and looting priceless diamonds, but when a bullet ends his career as a mercenary he discovers that he's really bad at living in a huge house with nothing to do. A shy, oddly sexy gardener with an unexpected liking for rough sex seems just what the doctor ordered for his boredom. But Adam's got secrets that make Karl's seem mundane, and if the two of them are going to find a future together, there's a lot more to deal with than dandelions in the lawn.
Review: The summary doesn't include the most compelling part of the story for me - it's not really a spoiler IMO since it's implied in the Prologue, but I'll err on the side of caution and white it out: Undercover FBI agent with an implied directive to seduce his target falls for him instead. Anyway, this is pure fannish crack with a huge helping of good writing and great characters. One of my favorites. Recommended.
Room at the Top
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Austin and Jay want a dom in their lives, but not a third person in their bed. When their dom moves away, replacing him turns out to be trickier than they’d thought and the two of them are getting desperate. Enter Liam, a friend of their former dom, deliciously sexy and stern, ready to spank them into shape - and straight.
Review: This was fun - I liked the characters and writing, and the threesome dynamic was interesting. Some hot scenes.
Ava March
Bound by Deception
Genres: Historical, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Lord Oliver Marsden has a secret. He's been in love with his childhood friend for years, though Vincent's never shown an interest in him beyond friendship. Ruggedly handsome, wealthy, and successful, Vincent is everything Oliver is not. And Vincent doesn't prefer men. Then Oliver discovers Vincent hires a man during his visits to a London brothel. Desperate to be with Vincent, Oliver orchestrates a deception, switching places with the brothel's employee. When Oliver arrives at the bedchamber, he's in for another surprise. Restraints and a leather bullwhip? Apparently Vincent isn't as conservative as he appears.
Review: This was a fun read, though the deception part annoyed me for some reason. I thought there was potential for this to be developed a little more, but overall I enjoyed it. There's also a sequel that I haven't read because it's not available through Amazon: Bound to Him.
His Client
Genres: Historical, Romance, mild D/s, Crossdressing
Kink: Light/Medium
Summary: Mr. Nathaniel Travers has been visiting Madame Delacroix's brothel for five years. On every visit, he requests the same man. Stunningly handsome and highly skilled, Jasper not only shares Nate's fondness for wickedly erotic games and black leather corsets, but he's become a friend. Someone he can talk to. Someone he can share a supper with. And Jasper's the only person who knows Nate secretly harbors a love for his old childhood friend, Peter Edmonton.
Review: I liked this more than Bound by Deception - it could just be I liked the characters more. A fun and sexy read, with a satisfying romance.
Claire Thompson
Switch
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Dane is reigning king in the Austin BDSM scene. Nathan sees beyond Dane's swaggering persona to the hidden submissive beneath. Can Nathan convince Dane of his place at his feet? As the two come together, the sexual sparks fly. It's only a matter of time before a spark catches and bursts into flame.
Review: It's almost always about character for me - I really glommed onto Nathan. I also like the premise of this, in a gender-bending without actually bending gender way. I debated adding Romance to the Genres list, because the relationship is definitely key, but for me it's the exploration of the power relationship more than a traditional romantic one that really came through for me. Recommended.
The Cowboy Poet
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Tyler Sutton can run all he wants from his past, but he's still got himself to contend with. Dark secret dreams of sexual submission continue to haunt the magazine reporter. The embers of his hidden yearnings burst into a bright flame of reality when Tyler meets Clint Darrow, the cowboy poet.
Review: I'm not sure I can explain why I'd label this romance and Switch not, except that the romance felt more prominent than the D/s exploration. I'm probably just counting angels on the head of a pin. I didn't love this as much as Switch, but if you're into the cowboy dynamic, it's worth giving a shot.
Chris Owens and Jodi Payne
The Deviations series (Submission, Domination, Discipline, Bondage, Safe Words)
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Tobias is a skilled Dom, able to bring even the most hesitant submissive around. Noah is a man in need of just that. He wants to sub badly, but has yet to find someone he believes can take him where he needs to go. Through a series of encounters in the world of bondage and discipline, Noah reveals why he has trouble trusting, why he needs such a firm, steady hand.
Review: The evil thing about series is that you're invested in the characters and need to know how things turn out for them no matter how ridiculous later books might be. Which is my way of saying is that the first couple of books are interesting and compelling, but after that the emotional/character development has pretty much run its course. Well, for the main characters at least, and I didn't care that much about the secondary character who becomes more of the focus. But it's still sexy fun and worth checking out.
Katrina Strauss
Blue Ruin series (Some Kind of Stranger, Close to Me, Chains of Love, Need You Tonight)
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: When Derek rescues a drugged, blue-haired waif from a ruthless predator, he's given the opportunity to explore his dark, dominant nature. He molds Blue into the perfect submissive, but is Blue at his mercy or is Derek at Blue's?
Review: What I said about the Deviations series applies here - I really only liked the first book, but I read through the rest on the strength of the characters. Some of the later books are a little ridiculous, but if you're looking for fun, hot D/s that's a reasonable-enough read, check them out.
Finn Marlowe
A Thread of Deepest Black
Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, mild D/s, BDSM
Kink: Medium/Heavy, depending on your position on whipping
Summary: When his mortal enemy, the handsome and deadly Colton Dècarie, shows up on his doorstep asking an unspeakable favor, Killian Frost is cautious-and curious. What could drive a shape-shifter to beg a werewolf for an honorable death in the line of duty-defending humans from soul-stealing Lycans? Moreover, why ask Killian, who has kept his own feet off that dark path?
Review: My general approach to life is to never read anything that has either a) vampires, or b) werewolves, but my heart was kind of taken by this, and not just because vampires are fictional in this universe. The characters are interesting and the world building is bigger than what we see, which makes me want more. The author has an interesting writing style, kind of raw and unpolished, but it came across as fresh and engaging to me. Warning for consensual sexual violence. Recommended.
Helen Saito
Under Contract
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: In a world where sex slavery has been legalized, sometimes being a part of the system makes things very complicated. Gavin's been a trainer at a slave brokerage company called Cascade for a very long time--ever since he earned his way out of his own slave contract. Now he's met someone he'd actually like to own: a new slave named Alex. Gavin's lover, Sam, is understanding and supportive--and very interested in bringing Alex home--but Gavin isn't sure it's such a good idea. He'd better think fast, though, because he's not the only one interested in Alex.
Review: I liked this one a lot and wish Saito had more novels out there. I'd read a sequel to this, too. There's a romance element to this as well, but again, it's a fine line for me. The characters are fleshed out and interesting, the world building intriguing, and the writing makes for a nice read. Lots of sexy fun. Recommended.
Playing with Consent
Genres: Short Stories, Contemporary, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Lovers so familiar with each other they can pick out a couple of props and a safeword and improvise a scenario. A man who's not sure his partner can scare him, and the ways his partner proves him wrong. A dom who brings friends over to fulfill his muscleboy's fantasy. A top who's nervous enough about his desires that he needs his bottom to choose "all clear" words and gestures along with a safeword, so he can check in throughout the scene. A birthday present that comes complete with a guarantee that the birthday boy's going to have to fight his partner down hard to get they both want.
Review: I didn't think I'd find the short story format as compelling for these types of stories, but I liked this collection (though one of the stories is so obviously a Due South story with the serial numbers filed off that it ended up not working for me).
Thom Lane
Dark Heart
Genres: Fantasy, D/s, mild BDSM, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: In Amaranth, the Wayfarers' Guild attracts all kinds of custom. When Lucan the mage walks into the stable yard with a lame horse in the rain, slave boy Tam runs to serve him -- and soon Tam wants to do nothing else. Ever. Lucan is demanding, ruthless, devastating, in bed and out: everything Tam ever yearned for in a master. He's also master of the darkest arts, and not blind to Tam's feelings, but heedless of them. Why would a free man care how a slave feels?
Review: Oh Thom Lane, how I love your stories. This is the kind of unrelenting story that I crave. It's not fluffy slavefic where everyone's a happy sex slave, yet it's very much about getting a sexual charge from those dark corners that maybe we don't always want to admit to. I liked both of the main characters and the development of their relationship, and above all, I loved the absence of moralism. Warning for non-sexual violence. Recommended.
Healing Heart
Genres: Fantasy, D/s, mild BDSM, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: Coryn is the rarest of mages, a young man with the gift of healing. A chance encounter with a sick slave on the road leads to love unimagined, a match for his gentle heart, and the two to a town riven with plague. It's too much for one inexperienced healer-but still, Coryn will break himself with trying and his new boy's heart in the process. What will it take to heal a healer's heart?
Review: In the same universe as Dark Heart but not really a sequel. Everything I said above applies here too. Also recommended.
Hidden Heart
Genres: Fantasy, D/s, mild BDSM, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: Tiffin is a slave boy, branded and chained, trained to serve and eager to please. That’s all he knows; his past life is a mystery, wiped from his mind. Sold to a grim fortress and facing a bleak future, he seeks comfort where he can find it, in the arms and at the feet of Sergeant Zander. He’s happy to give over control of his body to that dominant, delightful man -- but someone else keeps stealing into his mind, taking over. Tiffin doesn’t know how or who. All he knows is how much trouble he’s in, and how much worse it’s going to get...unless Zander can help him discover what's going on, before he literally loses his mind.
Review: Same as above. Also in the Dark Heart universe. Recommended.
Runaway Heart
Genres: Fantasy, D/s, mild BDSM, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: On a drunken bet, Marc broke into Baron Thiviers' mansion to steal something precious. Discovered and almost caught, he's being hunted by the baron and his hounds when Finn, the runaway slave boy, saves his life. Marc claims possession of Finn, to redeem that foolish bet--what's more precious than a beautiful boy? But his so-called friends reject him, and the baron comes after him relentlessly, so he takes the boy and flees again.
Review: This was the story where I was like, OMG, can't one poor slave boy finally be free?? But that is not what this series is about. Also in the Dark Heart universe. Recommended.
White Flag
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Charlie is a nomad, a travel writer who will never settle down. Easy come, easy go: all his boyfriends have been flings or one-night stands. "Love them and leave them" is his motto, the rule he lives by. Until he meets Matthieu one day, by the side of a French canal. After a long hot night together, Charlie realises that this is at last the man he wants to keep, the perfect companion for his wanderlust life.
Review: And now for something different. If you're not into slavefic, give this one a try. I really like Lane's writing, and this is sweetly beautiful, with a compelling background. Recommended.
Red Light
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Jeff is a deliberate loner: he's had his heart broken once, and he won't let it happen again. Ready to rebuild his life, he goes on holiday. Alone. Until he meets Benet - and finds that the human heart is not so easily controlled.
Review: Includes some of the characters from White Flag as secondary characters. I didn't love this as much, but it was still a very pleasant read.
Rachel Haimowitz
Anchored
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Slavefic
Kink: Heavy
Summary: Network news anchor Daniel Halstrom is at the top of his field, but being at the bottom of the social ladder-being a slave-makes that hard to enjoy. Especially when NewWorld Media, the company who's owned him since childhood, decides to lease him on evenings and weekends to boost their flagging profits.
Review: This is one of oddest stories I've read. The world building is unique though a little underdeveloped, but I found it compelling up until the end, where it felt like half the story got chopped off and was wrapped up in like 10 pages. So I'm including it here on the strength of its potential, with a warning that you might find the ending unsatisfying. Warning for non-consensual sexual violence that is not part of the primary relationship.
Aleksandr Voinov
Scorpion
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Action, mild D/s (not with the main characters)
Kink: Medium
Summary: Kendras is a casualty of war: injured, penniless, and quite possibly the last surviving member of the only family he's ever known-the elite fighting force known as the Scorpions. When a steel-eyed stranger offers him medicine and shelter in exchange for submission and a secret task, Kendras has no choice but to accept. He is a Scorpion; he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.
Review: Mmm, this was nice. Interesting characters, compelling romance, lots of backstory. The first few chapters of this aren't indicative of the projection of the story, IMO - it almost felt like a red herring, so it took me a bit to get into it. But once I did I was in for the ride. Recommended.
Blood Run Cold (with Raev Gray)
Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal, sort-of D/s, BDSM
Kink: Heavy
Summary: After an "incident," Frederik Berg, a financial consultant with a reputation for shady business practices, is hired by the Dalcas, a family of ancient and influential wealth. The patriarch, Lucian, takes an interest in him. He is intrigued by Frederik's sociopathic nature and wants to keep him as a pet-literally. Lucian reveals himself to be a vampire, and in him, Frederik finds what he has been looking for all along: a predator even more dangerous and fearsome than he is, someone he can submit to.
Review: This is for the kinkiest of you - I know you're out there. This rode my squick line hard - it's violent and disturbing, but also hot. Also, vampires, but I made an exception for this. Warning for pretty much everything.
Anah Crow
Uneven
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, BDSM
Kink: Heavy
Summary: Rase Illion is a middle-aged captain of industry, a restrained man with a spotless reputation just emerging from the shadow of his vicious, driven father. Since his father's death, Rase has been living like the old man was still alive, keeping up appearances with his trophy wife and appropriately luxurious house. Which is when Rase meets Gabriel. Gabriel loses his temper during his first meeting with Rase and lashes out, which unleashes Rase's carefully hidden submissive and masochistic tendencies. His encounter with Gabriel snaps Rase out of his sleepwalking life, and he sets about remaking his world in his own way. Rase isn't the only one shaken by their encounter, though. Can he convince Gabriel to give their relationship a chance?
Review: The strength of characterization in this kind of blew me away - it was one of those stories where I was hooked from the beginning and glued on until the end. It felt like a raw, fresh look at this type of dynamic. Warning for consensual sexual violence. Recommended.
And that's it! For now, at least :). I hope you all enjoy.
A few words:
- I read a wide variety of kink, so you will find that reflected here. A lot of these are romance, some have external plot elements, some are purely about the kink. I like power dynamics, good writing, interesting and unique characters, and satisfying sex.
- Everything I've included here I think is worth checking out, but some are particular favorites, so I've marked them out as Recommended. I've included caveats where I thought appropriate.
- All the links for the published work go to their Goodreads page, where there are links to purchase at your site of choice.
- Summaries are taken from what the author/publisher provided.
- The only warnings I've given are for physical violence (sexual or otherwise and consensual or otherwise) and for anything I found emotionally disturbing (obviously subjective, so feel free to ask me for specifics). The Goodreads page has additional warnings.
- My kink levels are light, medium, and heavy. Light for me is explicit sex without props; medium is explicit sex with the use of toys and pain in an erotic/playful way; heavy is explicit sex with elements of sexual violence and dubious consent. This is not a perfect scale, so there may be overlap, and your assessment may be different from mine. You are welcome to ask me for specifics on a story.
- I've given genre keywords for each story; I think they are mostly self-explanatory, but feel free to ask me about any of them.
I think that's it. Enjoy!
Unpublished work (or available for free)
This is not a large list - I've only recently been delving into what the internet offers for original fic, so this is by no means comprehensive. And most of the original m/m available for free seems to be on Fiction Press, which has an interface I can't stand to work with. But here are a few original m/m stories I've liked that are available for free (and not on Fiction Press):
Captive Prince, by freece.
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Slavefic, WIP
Kink: Light
Summary: Damen is the true heir to the throne, but when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity and sent to serve the prince of a rival nation as a slave.
Review: Who isn't reading Captive Prince??? Seriously, I started this when freece first started posting it, and it's one of those regular fannish mainstays now. Awesome in so many ways. Warning for non-sexual violence. Recommended.
The Administration, by Manna Francis (ms-manna)
Genres: Speculative (near future), Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: One of the worse guys is Val Toreth. In a world where torture is a legitimate part of the investigative process, he works for the Investigation and Interrogation Division. One of the better guys is Keir Warrick, a corporate director. His small corporation, SimTech, is developing a 'sim' system which places users in a fully-immersive virtual reality. Their world is the dark future dystopia of New London, where Europe is controlled by a totalitarian bureaucracy, which shares political power with powerful corporations. The oppressive government uses torture, violence and the various Divisions of the feared Department of Internal Security to maintain power. The corporations fight amongst themselves, using lethal force under the euphemism of 'corporate sabotage', uniting only to resist attempts by the Administration to extend its control over them.
Review: This is a series of stories that includes three novels and about twenty short stories. I lost several weeks to this series, and I've tried to get all my friends to read it, and so far none of them will bite. So I hope you, gentle reader, will give it a try, because I think it has some of the most compelling world building, characterization, and relationship development I've ever read. Warning for consensual sexual violence and non-sexual violence (torture). Recommended.
Close Protection, by ckingsbridge
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Action (maybe?), WIP
Kink: Not sure yet
Summary: A bodyguard’s life is turned upside down by his intriguing new charge.
Review: It's early to be recommending a WIP only four chapters in, but I think this has a lot of potential for a fun, satisfying read.
And I'm trying hardest not to fall, by surexit
Genres: Short story, Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Growing up is a slow process. "Of course, this sort of colour is also designed to indicate social class, which, although we British are far too squeamish to say so, still fascinates most of us.” (Re: the papers quoting murder victim Joanna Yeates parents’ house price, Sally Baker, Feeedback, Times Jan 8 2011)
Review: Lovely awkward boyness in this, as well as a great look at class and race. Recommended.
Stealer of Hearts (two parts, second part is linked to from the first), by Kim Chee (name used for the Shousetsu Big Bang community)
Genres: Short story, Contemporary, sort-of Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: No summary given - I would say that it's a story about a man dealing with loss and loneliness and the not-very-nice parts of himself.
Review: Amazingly moving, well written, and just really well told. I hesitate to categorize it as romance, though there's an element of that - it's really more of a character piece with some backstory that gets revealed throughout. Recommended.
*ETA: The art for this is gorgeous, so make sure you check it out, too.
Published work
Josh Lanyon
Adrien English Mysteries (Fatal Shadows and A Dangerous Thing, The Hell You Say, Death of a Pirate King, and The Dark Tide
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Relationships can be murder. Bookseller and mystery author Adrien English is looking for love in all the wrong places--and, according to hot and handsome LAPD detective Jake Riordan, it's liable to get him killed.
Review: The writing is good, the relationship is compelling, and the mysteries are fun and humorous. When I finished the last book, I started reading the series from the beginning again. Sex is not the focus, but it's still present and satisfying as part of the relationship. The characters are unique and well fleshed-out, which I've found in all of Lanyon's work. Recommended.
Dangerous Ground series (Dangerous Ground, Old Poison, Blood Heat, Dead Run)
Genres: Contemporary, Action, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Special Agents for the Department of Diplomatic Security, Taylor MacAllister and Will Brandt have been partners and best friends for three years, but everything changed the night Taylor admitted the truth about his feelings for Will. And when Taylor was shot a few hours later, Will felt his reluctance to get involved was vindicated. For Will, the team and the friendship have to come first--despite the fact that he hasn't failed to notice just how...hot Taylor is. Taylor has been in love with his partner and best friend since they were first partnered. There isn't much he wouldn't do for Will--but he doesn't know how much longer they can stay teamed feeling the way he does.
Review: This is a very fun series - nice characters, wacky plots. Dead Run is the best of them, IMO.
Fair Game
Genres: Contemporary, Action, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: A crippling knee injury forced Elliot Mills to trade in his FBI badge for dusty chalkboards and bored college students. Now a history professor at Puget Sound university, the former agent has put his old life behind him-but it seems his old life isn't finished with him.
Review: This is one of my favorites of Layon's; the characters felt real to me, and I liked the development of the relationship. I'm a sucker for backstory, and there's a lot here to sink your teeth into. Recommended.
Come Unto These Yellow Sands
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Lover of fine poetry and lousy choose-your-own-adventure novels, Professor Sebastian Swift was once the bad-boy darling of the literati. The only lines he does these days are Browning, Frost and Cummings. Even his relationship with the hot, handsome Wolfe Neck Police Chief Max Prescott is healthy. When one of his most talented students comes to him bruised and begging for help, Swift hands over the keys to his Orson Island cabin-only to find out that the boy’s father is dead and the police are suspicious. In an instant, the stable life Swift has built for himself hangs on finding the boy and convincing him to give himself up before Max figures out Swift’s involvement in the case.
Review: I'm not sure that summary really captures this one. I have mixed feelings about it-it's not one of my favorites, but the characterization is interesting, and there's a lot of meat there. I could see it being someone else's favorite.
Snowball in Hell
Genres: Novella, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: It's 1943 and the world is at war. Journalist Nathan Doyle has just returned home from North Africa--still recovering from wounds received in the Western Desert Campaign--when he's asked to cover the murder of a society blackmailer.
Review: I like that it's a non-traditional time period for a m/m romance, and the historical context felt very authentic to me. Good characterization as always; interesting relationship.
Don't Look Back
Genres: Novella, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Peter Killian, curator at Constantine House in Los Angeles, wakes in the hospital to find himself accused of stealing a tenth century Chinese sculpture. Peter knows he’s not a thief -- but that’s all he knows. Why is hot and handsome Detective Mike Griffin so sure he’s guilty -- and so hell-bent on seeing Peter arrested?
Review: Amnesia fic! It's never not cool. I really enjoyed the emergence of backstory and the unfolding mystery, as well as the relationship development between several of the characters. The cover art for this is so not reflective. Recommended.
The Darkling Thrush
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Fed up with his desk duty in the Imperial Arcane Library, book hunter Colin Bliss accepts a private commission to find The Sword's Shadow, a legendary and dangerous witches' grimoire. But to find the book, Colin must travel to the remote Western Isles and solve a centuries' old murder.
Review: I think this is Lanyon's only foray into fantasy, but I would love to read more of it. I enjoyed the snarky whimsy of this world and characters. Recommended.
Mummy Dearest
Genres: Novella, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance, Humor
Kink: Light
Summary: Drew Lawson is racing against the clock. He's got a twenty-four-hour window to authenticate the mummy of Princess Merneith. If he's not at his boyfriend's garden party when that window closes, it'll be the final nail in their relationship coffin.
Review: Ha, this was fun. Nice characters, good romance, and a very amusing read.
The Dark Farewell
Genres: Historical, Mystery, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: It’s the Roaring Twenties. Skirts are short, crime is rampant and booze is in short supply. Prohibition has hit Little Egypt, where newspaperman David Flynn has come to do a follow-up story on the Herren Massacre. The massacre isn’t the only news in town though. Spiritualist medium Julian Devereux claims to speak to the dead-and he charges a pretty penny for it. Flynn knows a phony when he sees one, and he’s convinced Devereux is as fake as a cigar store Indian. But the reluctant attraction he feels for the deceptively soft, not-his-type Julian is as real as it gets. Suddenly Julian begins to have authentic, bloodstained visions of a serial killer, and the cynical Mr. Flynn finds himself willing to defend Julian with not only his life, but his body.
Review: Another non-traditional time period, and the Spiritualist element was a nice backdrop. Very nice characters and romance.
I Spy Something Bloody
Genres: Short story, Contemporary, Action, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: His cover blown, his enemies closing in, British spy Mark is seeking sanctuary with the man he never stopped loving. But there's a new man in Stephen's life, and Stephen's not interested in hearing Mark's explanations or excuses -- let alone playing doctor with him.
Review: I wouldn't normally recommend a short story, but there's enough meat on here that it feels much longer. There's a sequel, I Spy Something Wicked, but it's not available through Amazon so I haven't read it.
The French Have a Word for It
Genres: Short story, Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Colin Lambert is in Paris to study art and escape his domineering grandfather when he runs into ex-FBI Special Agent Thomas Sullivan. Once upon a time Colin had quite a crush on Thomas, but Thomas had rules about getting involved with clients -- especially underage ones. Now Colin is all grown up and Thomas has a one night layover in Paris…
Review: Another short story, but the characters are still really well developed and the story is compelling. It surprises me, actually, how quickly I come to care about Lanyon's characters.
Icecapade
Genres: Short Story, Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: On the eve of the new millennium, diamond thief Noel Snow seduced FBI special agent Robert Cuffe, then fled into the dawn. Now a successful novelist, Noel uses his capers as fodder for his books, and has modeled his hero's nemesis (and potential love interest) on Cuffe. Though he leaves Robert a drunken phone message every New Year's Eve, Noel hasn't seen or heard from him in a decade. So he's thrilled when his former lover shows up at his upstate farm one Christmas Eve.
Review: And another short story! I pretty much adore this premise, and wish it had been a longer piece. But it's still satisfying. Recommended.
Jordan Castillo Price
PsyCop series (Among the Living, Criss Cross, Body and Soul, Secrets, Camp Hell, GhosTV)
Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance
Summary: Victor Bayne, the psychic half a PsyCop team, is a gay medium who’s more concerned with flying under the radar than in making waves. He hooks up with handsome Jacob Marks, a non-psychic (or “Stiff”) from an adjacent precinct at his ex-partner’s retirement party and it seems like his dubious luck has taken a turn for the better. But then a serial killer surfaces who can change his appearance to match any witness’ idea of the world’s hottest guy. Solving murders is a snap when you can ask the victims whodunit, but this killer’s not leaving any spirits behind.
Review: I don't read a lot of paranormal fic, but I enjoyed this series. The main character grated on me all through the first book, then I found by the second that I'd genuinely warmed to him. Warnings for non-sexual violence, disturbing background events, and disturbing imagery. The snarkiness of the characters balance out the angst.
Harper Fox
The Salisbury Key
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Daniel Logan is on a lonely quest to find out what drove his lover, a wealthy, respected archaeologist, to take his own life. The answer-the elusive “key” for which Jason was desperately searching-lies somewhere on a dangerous and deadly section of Salisbury Plain.
Review: I wouldn't really classify this as a mystery, though there's an element of that. Mostly it's like a punch to the gut :). Good characterization and romance, and the story is compelling. Recommended.
Driftwood
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: All Dr. Tom Penrose wants is his old life back. He's home in Cornwall after a hellish tour of duty in Afghanistan, but while the village is the same, he isn't. His grip on his control is fragile, and it slips dangerously when Flynn Summers explodes into his life. The vision in tight neoprene nearly wipes them both out in a surfing mishaps and shatters Tom's lonely peace.
Review: Another really nice characterization piece and romance. Angsty but not overbearing. Fox's writing tends toward dreamy, so I think you will either like it or not.
A Midwinter Prince
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: When Laurie, son of a wealthy London baronet, takes a homeless young man off the bitter winter streets, he only means to shelter him. But Sasha is beautiful and passionate, and he knows what he wants. Soon the two are entangled in a wild and illicit romance.
Review: Fox's dreamy writing is in full effect here. The characters are strong and the romance is compelling, so this is another good one.
Life After Joe
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Ever since his longtime lover decided he'd seen the "heterosexual light," Matt's life has been in a nosedive. Six months of too many missed shifts at the hospital, too much booze, too many men. Matt knows he's on the verge of losing everything, but he's finding it hard to care. Then Matt meets Aaron. He's gorgeous, intelligent and apparently not interested in being picked up. Still, even after seeing Matt at his worst, he doesn't turn away. Aaron's kindness and respect have Matt almost believing he's worth it-and that there could be life after Joe. But his newfound happiness is threatened when Matt begins to suspect Aaron is hiding something, or someone...
Review: I think this one could have used a little more development, but it's still a nice read.
Last Line
Genres: Contemporary, Action, Romance
Kink: Light/Medium
Summary: John Griffin has fallen hopelessly in love. He's trying to hide it, because the man he loves is also his partner in a renegade counterterrorism agency, and John loves the job too. Michael, the most loyal of friends and partners, doesn't return John's passion. Nor that of anyone else, as far as John can see. Sexy and handsome as hell, Mike is a chained-up man, haunted by memories of a mission gone wrong during his time in Russia for MI5.
Review: A lot of tangled threads in this one, but not in a bad way. Warning for violence and consent issues, but all fully recognized and dealt with on a character level. I think Fox must have some magic pen that sucks me into her stories and characters-I couldn't put this one down. Recommended.
Elizabeth Jewell
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Genres: Fantasy/Historical, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: A call for a story at King Arthur's Winter Festival leads Gawain to an adventure that could cost him his life -- or lead him to the man of his dreams.
Review: This was a really lovely retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - I loved the author's voice. Recommended.
Mel Keegan
Dangerous Moonlight
Genres: Historical, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Harry Trevellion would have been gentry if his father's estate had not crumbled; Nick Gray is the favorite but illegitimate son of a rich man, fated to work. His brother, Paul, is a scoundrel waiting only to inherit, and Paul scorns Nick, while Nick performs dangerous work. He's a jewelry courier; it's inevitable that he meet the irresistible rogue, Trevellion. A midnight world opens to Nick: he's drawn into a realm of chanceries, bawdy houses, glittering mansions, and a stormy affair with powerful consequences.
Review: Regency romance-style; this was a lot of fun. I liked the characters and the development of the romance.
The Swordsman
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Jack Leigh is a soldier of fortune, a brilliant sword-for-hire. In the dangerous Riverlands dukedom of Rhondia he gets much more than he bargained for.
Review: I liked the worldbuilding of this a lot and wouldn't have minded a little more development of it. The romance was a little stilted for me. Still, it was an interesting read.
Breakheart
Genres: Short Story, Fantasy, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Winter lies heavily on the uplands between two great trading cities, and the only shelter for miles is the 'Breakheart,' settlement of Brennan's Rath, near the stone circle known as the Nine Sisters. On an errand, a young bondsman called Fendel rescues an enigmatic stranger by the name of Richard Leon, and uncovers a life-and-death mystery.
Review: It's hard to pack in much worldbuilding into a short story, but for a fun erotic interlude, I thought this was nice.
L.A. Witt
Rules of Engagement
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Dustin Walker has no idea that avoiding the search for Mrs. Right could send him into the arms and bed of Mr. Right Now. According to Dustin's mother, he should be out looking for his next wife so he won't be the divorced black sheep of the family. Instead, he passes his free time at a local bar and pool hall, where he meets someone who's everything his ex-wife wasn't: fun.
Review: I don't always love L.A. Witt's characters, but there's something in her books that make them feel fresh and interesting to me. This isn't my favorites of hers, but it's a fun read, and an interesting look at sexual identity.
Rain
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Brandon Stewart and Dustin Walker started dating two years ago after meeting in the local bar over a game of pool. Dustin has struggled to come out to his homophobic family and come clean about his relationship with Brandon, and now they’re planning to get married.
Review: A sequel to Rules of Engagement, from the other POV. Worth reading if you like Rules. A lot of Witt's work deals with sexual identity and cultural/social pressures.
With the Band
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Hard rock band Schadenfreude is finally on the verge of the success that’s eluded them for the last several years. With Aaron McClure as their new lead singer, nothing’s going to stop them…except maybe a steamy, secret relationship between Aaron and bassist Bastian Koehler.
Review: I liked the romance in here a bit more than Rules of Engagement, and it has some hot scenes. I don't love everything about it, but it's a nice read.
Static
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Gender-bend
Kink: Light
Summary: Damon Bryce is worried sick when he doesn’t hear from his girlfriend after she visits her estranged parents, but when he checks up on her, he’s in for the shock of his life: She’s a shifter, part of a small percentage of the population who can shift genders at will. Thanks to her parents, though, she’s been forcibly given an implant that leaves her static-unable to shift-and male.
Review: I think gender identity is more complex than what I got from Static, but the premise is strong and has a lot of potential. There are some thought-provoking moments in here, but overall I felt the execution didn't quite live up to its potential. Still worth checking out if you're into gender-bend.
Out of Focus
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: For twelve years, Dom lovers Ryan “Angel” Morgan and Dante James have run a successful photography business, and satisfied their need for a submissive with the occasional sizzling three-way. On a wedding job, they both zero in on the bride’s beautiful brother, but as professionals, they keep their attraction on the down-low-for now.
Review: This is my favorite of Witt's, and I feel like it has the strongest, most interesting characters of her books (or maybe it's just because I liked them more). The D/s is hot and compelling, but the romance has priority, IMO. Recommended.
Clare London
Branded
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Slavefic
Kink: Light
Summary: Maen is a Gold Warrior, an elite defender of Aza City, respected by his fellow soldiers and favored by his imperious Mistress for services both in and out of the bedchamber. His loyalty and commitment are unwavering until he recruits Dax, a captivating and challenging Bronzeman who, despite his youth and inexperience, seduces Maen with his fierce hero worship.
Review: I liked this world - matriarchy, woo! - and wish it had been presented as less women-are-evil. Because seriously, this is my own personal fantasy. Probably that says more about me than is healthy. But I thought the world was interesting and the story compelling. This actually includes two novels, the original Gold Warrior and its sequel.
Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow
Bound and Determined
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: When Sterling Baker discovers the wonderful world of BDSM, he's ready to literally throw himself at the feet of the spectacular Owen Sawyer, but Owen is unwilling to take on someone so new to the scene-or so he says. Determined to get what he wants, Sterling sets out to convince the doubting Owen that he can be the best sub in the world, the fastest learning, the most obedient. It's not as easy as he thinks it will be, and things get even more complicated when Sterling realizes that he's fallen in love with Owen. With the stakes that much higher, Sterling's more determined than ever to win Owen over. But now he'll have to convince Owen they can have more than a teacher/student relationship, more than just good kink.
Review: I liked this one a LOT. I can be squicked by teacher/student pairings but also really attracted to them, which is why I spent most of my time at the TPM Master and Apprentice archive with one eye squinted to see which way it would go for me. I liked both of these characters and thought they were well fleshed-out, and the story progresses at a nice, realistic pace. The sex is satisfying and the D/s hot, but I didn't feel like I was hit over the head with it constantly. Recommended.
Truthful Change
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, mild D/s
Kink: Medium
Summary: Karl Blake's good at a lot of things: killing bad guys, rescuing hostages...and looting priceless diamonds, but when a bullet ends his career as a mercenary he discovers that he's really bad at living in a huge house with nothing to do. A shy, oddly sexy gardener with an unexpected liking for rough sex seems just what the doctor ordered for his boredom. But Adam's got secrets that make Karl's seem mundane, and if the two of them are going to find a future together, there's a lot more to deal with than dandelions in the lawn.
Review: The summary doesn't include the most compelling part of the story for me - it's not really a spoiler IMO since it's implied in the Prologue, but I'll err on the side of caution and white it out: Undercover FBI agent with an implied directive to seduce his target falls for him instead. Anyway, this is pure fannish crack with a huge helping of good writing and great characters. One of my favorites. Recommended.
Room at the Top
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Austin and Jay want a dom in their lives, but not a third person in their bed. When their dom moves away, replacing him turns out to be trickier than they’d thought and the two of them are getting desperate. Enter Liam, a friend of their former dom, deliciously sexy and stern, ready to spank them into shape - and straight.
Review: This was fun - I liked the characters and writing, and the threesome dynamic was interesting. Some hot scenes.
Ava March
Bound by Deception
Genres: Historical, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Lord Oliver Marsden has a secret. He's been in love with his childhood friend for years, though Vincent's never shown an interest in him beyond friendship. Ruggedly handsome, wealthy, and successful, Vincent is everything Oliver is not. And Vincent doesn't prefer men. Then Oliver discovers Vincent hires a man during his visits to a London brothel. Desperate to be with Vincent, Oliver orchestrates a deception, switching places with the brothel's employee. When Oliver arrives at the bedchamber, he's in for another surprise. Restraints and a leather bullwhip? Apparently Vincent isn't as conservative as he appears.
Review: This was a fun read, though the deception part annoyed me for some reason. I thought there was potential for this to be developed a little more, but overall I enjoyed it. There's also a sequel that I haven't read because it's not available through Amazon: Bound to Him.
His Client
Genres: Historical, Romance, mild D/s, Crossdressing
Kink: Light/Medium
Summary: Mr. Nathaniel Travers has been visiting Madame Delacroix's brothel for five years. On every visit, he requests the same man. Stunningly handsome and highly skilled, Jasper not only shares Nate's fondness for wickedly erotic games and black leather corsets, but he's become a friend. Someone he can talk to. Someone he can share a supper with. And Jasper's the only person who knows Nate secretly harbors a love for his old childhood friend, Peter Edmonton.
Review: I liked this more than Bound by Deception - it could just be I liked the characters more. A fun and sexy read, with a satisfying romance.
Claire Thompson
Switch
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Dane is reigning king in the Austin BDSM scene. Nathan sees beyond Dane's swaggering persona to the hidden submissive beneath. Can Nathan convince Dane of his place at his feet? As the two come together, the sexual sparks fly. It's only a matter of time before a spark catches and bursts into flame.
Review: It's almost always about character for me - I really glommed onto Nathan. I also like the premise of this, in a gender-bending without actually bending gender way. I debated adding Romance to the Genres list, because the relationship is definitely key, but for me it's the exploration of the power relationship more than a traditional romantic one that really came through for me. Recommended.
The Cowboy Poet
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Tyler Sutton can run all he wants from his past, but he's still got himself to contend with. Dark secret dreams of sexual submission continue to haunt the magazine reporter. The embers of his hidden yearnings burst into a bright flame of reality when Tyler meets Clint Darrow, the cowboy poet.
Review: I'm not sure I can explain why I'd label this romance and Switch not, except that the romance felt more prominent than the D/s exploration. I'm probably just counting angels on the head of a pin. I didn't love this as much as Switch, but if you're into the cowboy dynamic, it's worth giving a shot.
Chris Owens and Jodi Payne
The Deviations series (Submission, Domination, Discipline, Bondage, Safe Words)
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Tobias is a skilled Dom, able to bring even the most hesitant submissive around. Noah is a man in need of just that. He wants to sub badly, but has yet to find someone he believes can take him where he needs to go. Through a series of encounters in the world of bondage and discipline, Noah reveals why he has trouble trusting, why he needs such a firm, steady hand.
Review: The evil thing about series is that you're invested in the characters and need to know how things turn out for them no matter how ridiculous later books might be. Which is my way of saying is that the first couple of books are interesting and compelling, but after that the emotional/character development has pretty much run its course. Well, for the main characters at least, and I didn't care that much about the secondary character who becomes more of the focus. But it's still sexy fun and worth checking out.
Katrina Strauss
Blue Ruin series (Some Kind of Stranger, Close to Me, Chains of Love, Need You Tonight)
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: When Derek rescues a drugged, blue-haired waif from a ruthless predator, he's given the opportunity to explore his dark, dominant nature. He molds Blue into the perfect submissive, but is Blue at his mercy or is Derek at Blue's?
Review: What I said about the Deviations series applies here - I really only liked the first book, but I read through the rest on the strength of the characters. Some of the later books are a little ridiculous, but if you're looking for fun, hot D/s that's a reasonable-enough read, check them out.
Finn Marlowe
A Thread of Deepest Black
Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, mild D/s, BDSM
Kink: Medium/Heavy, depending on your position on whipping
Summary: When his mortal enemy, the handsome and deadly Colton Dècarie, shows up on his doorstep asking an unspeakable favor, Killian Frost is cautious-and curious. What could drive a shape-shifter to beg a werewolf for an honorable death in the line of duty-defending humans from soul-stealing Lycans? Moreover, why ask Killian, who has kept his own feet off that dark path?
Review: My general approach to life is to never read anything that has either a) vampires, or b) werewolves, but my heart was kind of taken by this, and not just because vampires are fictional in this universe. The characters are interesting and the world building is bigger than what we see, which makes me want more. The author has an interesting writing style, kind of raw and unpolished, but it came across as fresh and engaging to me. Warning for consensual sexual violence. Recommended.
Helen Saito
Under Contract
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: In a world where sex slavery has been legalized, sometimes being a part of the system makes things very complicated. Gavin's been a trainer at a slave brokerage company called Cascade for a very long time--ever since he earned his way out of his own slave contract. Now he's met someone he'd actually like to own: a new slave named Alex. Gavin's lover, Sam, is understanding and supportive--and very interested in bringing Alex home--but Gavin isn't sure it's such a good idea. He'd better think fast, though, because he's not the only one interested in Alex.
Review: I liked this one a lot and wish Saito had more novels out there. I'd read a sequel to this, too. There's a romance element to this as well, but again, it's a fine line for me. The characters are fleshed out and interesting, the world building intriguing, and the writing makes for a nice read. Lots of sexy fun. Recommended.
Playing with Consent
Genres: Short Stories, Contemporary, D/s, mild BDSM
Kink: Medium
Summary: Lovers so familiar with each other they can pick out a couple of props and a safeword and improvise a scenario. A man who's not sure his partner can scare him, and the ways his partner proves him wrong. A dom who brings friends over to fulfill his muscleboy's fantasy. A top who's nervous enough about his desires that he needs his bottom to choose "all clear" words and gestures along with a safeword, so he can check in throughout the scene. A birthday present that comes complete with a guarantee that the birthday boy's going to have to fight his partner down hard to get they both want.
Review: I didn't think I'd find the short story format as compelling for these types of stories, but I liked this collection (though one of the stories is so obviously a Due South story with the serial numbers filed off that it ended up not working for me).
Thom Lane
Dark Heart
Genres: Fantasy, D/s, mild BDSM, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: In Amaranth, the Wayfarers' Guild attracts all kinds of custom. When Lucan the mage walks into the stable yard with a lame horse in the rain, slave boy Tam runs to serve him -- and soon Tam wants to do nothing else. Ever. Lucan is demanding, ruthless, devastating, in bed and out: everything Tam ever yearned for in a master. He's also master of the darkest arts, and not blind to Tam's feelings, but heedless of them. Why would a free man care how a slave feels?
Review: Oh Thom Lane, how I love your stories. This is the kind of unrelenting story that I crave. It's not fluffy slavefic where everyone's a happy sex slave, yet it's very much about getting a sexual charge from those dark corners that maybe we don't always want to admit to. I liked both of the main characters and the development of their relationship, and above all, I loved the absence of moralism. Warning for non-sexual violence. Recommended.
Healing Heart
Genres: Fantasy, D/s, mild BDSM, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: Coryn is the rarest of mages, a young man with the gift of healing. A chance encounter with a sick slave on the road leads to love unimagined, a match for his gentle heart, and the two to a town riven with plague. It's too much for one inexperienced healer-but still, Coryn will break himself with trying and his new boy's heart in the process. What will it take to heal a healer's heart?
Review: In the same universe as Dark Heart but not really a sequel. Everything I said above applies here too. Also recommended.
Hidden Heart
Genres: Fantasy, D/s, mild BDSM, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: Tiffin is a slave boy, branded and chained, trained to serve and eager to please. That’s all he knows; his past life is a mystery, wiped from his mind. Sold to a grim fortress and facing a bleak future, he seeks comfort where he can find it, in the arms and at the feet of Sergeant Zander. He’s happy to give over control of his body to that dominant, delightful man -- but someone else keeps stealing into his mind, taking over. Tiffin doesn’t know how or who. All he knows is how much trouble he’s in, and how much worse it’s going to get...unless Zander can help him discover what's going on, before he literally loses his mind.
Review: Same as above. Also in the Dark Heart universe. Recommended.
Runaway Heart
Genres: Fantasy, D/s, mild BDSM, Slavefic
Kink: Medium/Heavy
Summary: On a drunken bet, Marc broke into Baron Thiviers' mansion to steal something precious. Discovered and almost caught, he's being hunted by the baron and his hounds when Finn, the runaway slave boy, saves his life. Marc claims possession of Finn, to redeem that foolish bet--what's more precious than a beautiful boy? But his so-called friends reject him, and the baron comes after him relentlessly, so he takes the boy and flees again.
Review: This was the story where I was like, OMG, can't one poor slave boy finally be free?? But that is not what this series is about. Also in the Dark Heart universe. Recommended.
White Flag
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Charlie is a nomad, a travel writer who will never settle down. Easy come, easy go: all his boyfriends have been flings or one-night stands. "Love them and leave them" is his motto, the rule he lives by. Until he meets Matthieu one day, by the side of a French canal. After a long hot night together, Charlie realises that this is at last the man he wants to keep, the perfect companion for his wanderlust life.
Review: And now for something different. If you're not into slavefic, give this one a try. I really like Lane's writing, and this is sweetly beautiful, with a compelling background. Recommended.
Red Light
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Kink: Light
Summary: Jeff is a deliberate loner: he's had his heart broken once, and he won't let it happen again. Ready to rebuild his life, he goes on holiday. Alone. Until he meets Benet - and finds that the human heart is not so easily controlled.
Review: Includes some of the characters from White Flag as secondary characters. I didn't love this as much, but it was still a very pleasant read.
Rachel Haimowitz
Anchored
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Slavefic
Kink: Heavy
Summary: Network news anchor Daniel Halstrom is at the top of his field, but being at the bottom of the social ladder-being a slave-makes that hard to enjoy. Especially when NewWorld Media, the company who's owned him since childhood, decides to lease him on evenings and weekends to boost their flagging profits.
Review: This is one of oddest stories I've read. The world building is unique though a little underdeveloped, but I found it compelling up until the end, where it felt like half the story got chopped off and was wrapped up in like 10 pages. So I'm including it here on the strength of its potential, with a warning that you might find the ending unsatisfying. Warning for non-consensual sexual violence that is not part of the primary relationship.
Aleksandr Voinov
Scorpion
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Action, mild D/s (not with the main characters)
Kink: Medium
Summary: Kendras is a casualty of war: injured, penniless, and quite possibly the last surviving member of the only family he's ever known-the elite fighting force known as the Scorpions. When a steel-eyed stranger offers him medicine and shelter in exchange for submission and a secret task, Kendras has no choice but to accept. He is a Scorpion; he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.
Review: Mmm, this was nice. Interesting characters, compelling romance, lots of backstory. The first few chapters of this aren't indicative of the projection of the story, IMO - it almost felt like a red herring, so it took me a bit to get into it. But once I did I was in for the ride. Recommended.
Blood Run Cold (with Raev Gray)
Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal, sort-of D/s, BDSM
Kink: Heavy
Summary: After an "incident," Frederik Berg, a financial consultant with a reputation for shady business practices, is hired by the Dalcas, a family of ancient and influential wealth. The patriarch, Lucian, takes an interest in him. He is intrigued by Frederik's sociopathic nature and wants to keep him as a pet-literally. Lucian reveals himself to be a vampire, and in him, Frederik finds what he has been looking for all along: a predator even more dangerous and fearsome than he is, someone he can submit to.
Review: This is for the kinkiest of you - I know you're out there. This rode my squick line hard - it's violent and disturbing, but also hot. Also, vampires, but I made an exception for this. Warning for pretty much everything.
Anah Crow
Uneven
Genres: Contemporary, D/s, BDSM
Kink: Heavy
Summary: Rase Illion is a middle-aged captain of industry, a restrained man with a spotless reputation just emerging from the shadow of his vicious, driven father. Since his father's death, Rase has been living like the old man was still alive, keeping up appearances with his trophy wife and appropriately luxurious house. Which is when Rase meets Gabriel. Gabriel loses his temper during his first meeting with Rase and lashes out, which unleashes Rase's carefully hidden submissive and masochistic tendencies. His encounter with Gabriel snaps Rase out of his sleepwalking life, and he sets about remaking his world in his own way. Rase isn't the only one shaken by their encounter, though. Can he convince Gabriel to give their relationship a chance?
Review: The strength of characterization in this kind of blew me away - it was one of those stories where I was hooked from the beginning and glued on until the end. It felt like a raw, fresh look at this type of dynamic. Warning for consensual sexual violence. Recommended.
And that's it! For now, at least :). I hope you all enjoy.