Books like 'Shades of Darkness'
Readers who enjoyed Shades of Darkness by Nicky James also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
gay romance shy-hero virgin hero queer disabilities and marks tortured hero
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Twist and Shout by Gabriel (AO3), Standbyme
Destiel FanficWhat begins as a transforming love between Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak in the summer of 1965 quickly derails into something far more tumultuous when Dean is drafted in the Vietnam War. Though the two both voice their relationship is one where saying goodbye is never a real truth, their story becomes fraught with the tragedy of circumstance... -
![Protecting Mr. Fine by Lucy Lennox]()
Protecting Mr. Fine by Lucy Lennox
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsI’m a lucky man and I know it. Kids from backwoods Georgia don’t land scholarships to Yale, but I did, and striking it rich–like, billions of dollars rich–with my best friends after graduation should have used up my luck for a lifetime. But luck struck again when I followed my passion into music...Categorized as:
queer virgin hero m-m grumpy sunshine contemporary secret-relationship hurt-comfort super rich hero -
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![Ninety One Whiskey by komodobits]()
Ninety One Whiskey by komodobits
Supernatural Fanfic - Dean/CastielIn the spring of 1944, the 104th Medical Battalion of the United States Army is disbanded, and its men reassigned to various infantry companies in preparation for their invasion of occupied France...Categorized as:
queer disabilities and marks historical m-m war from hate to love length-epic explicit-open-door -
![Looks Over by Rose Christo]()
Looks Over by Rose Christo
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 18 ratings"There's nothing wrong with trying to get to know my son's boyfriend." Skylar knows he's lucky to have an open-minded father. It's not just that Skylar and Rafael are both boys. Between their families exists a dark and turbulent past: Rafael's father was the first serial killer in the history of the Nettlebush Indian Reserve, and Skylar's mother was his last victim... -
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![Ethan, Who Loved Carter by Ryan Loveless]()
Ethan, Who Loved Carter by Ryan Loveless
By twenty-four, Carter Stevenson has stuttered and ticced his way to debilitating shyness. Although his friends accuse him of letting his Tourette's dictate his life, Carter moves from Los Angeles to a quiet California town. He'll keep his head down and avoid people. He doesn't anticipate his new neighbor, Ethan Hart, crashing into his solitude and forcing him to get out and live...Categorized as:
disabilities and marks shy-hero queer contemporary musicians friends to lovers m-m abuse -
![Stones in the Road by Nick Wilgus]()
Stones in the Road by Nick Wilgus
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen his snobbish future in-laws travel all the way from Boston to visit, wise-cracking Southerner Wiley Cantrell learns that gay marriage is not without its disadvantages... -
![The Remarkable Lover by Maya Jean]()
The Remarkable Lover by Maya Jean
JacksonDreams collapse in the blink of an eye, I know that better than anyone after losing my career as an athlete. Now I spend my days giving people pleasure for pay and playing with stocks. Most of my friends have settled in Clay Springs, Florida. A sleepy little town that moves slower than molasses...Categorized as:
queer disabilities and marks tortured hero shy-hero found-family contemporary hurt-comfort m-m -
![The Unbreakables: Volume 1 by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
The Unbreakables: Volume 1 by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratings***Note that this bundle includes books already available as single titles*** It’s time to go on a roller-coaster ride through the underbelly of Cincinnati with the Unbreakable Boys! Since the completion of the Unbreakable Bonds series, we wanted to offer readers bundles of the series so that they can easily flow from one book to the follow-up short story collections, getting the full... -
![Wild Hart by E. Davies]()
Wild Hart by E. Davies
Everything I want is here, in front of me. Rusty Campbell left Hart’s Bay after high school to work in the wilderness. Now he’s back home for one purpose: seaweed farming. To succeed, he’ll need to fight the tide and win over his skeptical family, once-burned by the fishing industry collapse...Categorized as:
queer virgin hero contemporary m-m queer-awakening length-medium explicit-open-door found-family -
![Marc Jillson & The Gazebo by Anyta Sunday]()
Marc Jillson & The Gazebo by Anyta Sunday
Want true, heart-throbbing romance? Put down the Cheetos, and stop being a jackass.The question is, can I do it?I’ve been an epic dick to my friends, my uncle. Him.Travis Hunter. Photographer, econ-student, paraplegic. Can I redeem myself? Apologize? Make a fresh start?Hunter seems to think so. Even roped me into saving his favorite gazebo from the bulldozers.The confidence of this man amazes me...Categorized as:
disabilities and marks queer m-m humor new adult contemporary from hate to love friends to lovers -
![Got Me Talking by Casey Cox]()
Got Me Talking by Casey Cox
What do you call a herd of rhinos? A crash. That about sums up my life, too.Having spent the last three years caring for my dying mother, I need a new leash on life. So I say goodbye to the UK and take a job opening at a small-town vet clinic in the US.Via a layover in New York. Where I get, ahem, laid over.With a man.Not something I've ever done in my forty-three years... -
![Inked Temptation by Carrie Ann Ryan]()
Inked Temptation by Carrie Ann Ryan
This Montgomery finds his match in this touching second chance romance from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan.I thought I was moving on from my divorce, but now my ex is marrying someone else. I shouldn’t be this broken up, but it’s hard to put on a brave face when my family is basically an inked up Hallmark movie...Categorized as:
tortured hero queer contemporary m-m new adult length-medium audiobook explicit-open-door -
![Digging Deep by Jay Hogan]()
Digging Deep by Jay Hogan
A Digging Deep Story Drake Park has a complicated life. As a gay male midwife, he’s used to raising eyebrows. Add Crohn’s disease and things get interesting—or not, considering the sad state of his love life. Experience has taught Drake that most men are fair-weather sailors when it comes to handling his condition—gone for dust when things get rough... -
![Messy Ink by Ali Lyda]()
Messy Ink by Ali Lyda
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDane Chris is a great doctor, but he can’t heal me… I learned to look out for myself on the streets and in juvie. I’ve cleaned up my act, but it doesn’t mean that I’m about to start trusting a guy to stick around. Especially not a clean cut doctor like Chris. No wonder I ended things between us the first time around. I’m sure it’s for the best... -
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![All I Believe by Alexa Land]()
All I Believe by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNico Dombruso has learned to keep the world at arm’s length after being badly burned by his last relationship. Even so, he decides to let himself enjoy a summer fling while on vacation in Italy. It’s just sex after all, so what’s the harm? He gets so much more than he bargained for when he meets gorgeous, mysterious, art dealer Luca Caruso... -
![Salt by Fearne Hill]()
Salt by Fearne Hill
When was the right time to tell someone that silver flames were shooting from their hair? And that your own tranquil green desired nothing more than to tangle with them, if only it could escape a malevolent orange flare hounding your every move?Over-stressed businessman Charles Heyer is not like most people... -
![Hard to Hold by Jaclyn Quinn]()
Hard to Hold by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPerfect, happy, “Jonah the Savior”, that’s how most people see Jonah Taylor. What they don’t always see is how incredibly overwhelmed he is with his new business or how lonely he is. When a painfully shy man enters his wellness center, all Jonah wants to do is help break him out of his shell. The problem is, the attraction he feels to the nervous, timid man is undeniable... -
![Homebird by Amy Lane]()
Homebird by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCrispin Henry isn’t an adventurer. He learned early on that the world is a frightening place and that home is rare and precious. If his friends didn’t drag him to sports games and ill-advised trips to Vegas, he wouldn’t get out at all—and his trip to Munich for Oktoberfest is no exception. But it’s there that he meets Luka Gabriel, and he learns to take a chance... -
![The Rest of Forever by Alexa Land]()
The Rest of Forever by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDoes love stand a chance between two very different long-time friends? Mike Dombruso’s life is anything but glamorous. He’s a shy, nerdy accountant and a widower with three young sons, whose world revolves around his kids. In many ways, Yoshiro Miyazaki is Mike’s polar opposite... -
![Picking Cherries by Kiki Burrelli]()
Picking Cherries by Kiki Burrelli
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShy and unsure, what Shiloh needs is a steady hand to guide him.Shiloh Formes has lived his young adult life in fear of turning into his brother. Seamus couldn’t make the right choice if it bit him in the bottom. But Shiloh didn’t graduate high school early to spend his life partying like his brother... -
![Hidden Blade by Kaje Harper]()
Hidden Blade by Kaje Harper
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsSometimes willpower isn't enough.Cam Social anxiety's been my constant companion for twenty-three years, sometimes in the background, sometimes silencing me and yanking my guts out in the nearest trash can. No matter how much I love playing music, I'm never going to get up on a stage and perform in front of a crowd... -
![To Take a Quiet Breath by Fearne Hill]()
To Take a Quiet Breath by Fearne Hill
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis isn’t a romance about chiseled, lantern-jawed college kids boasting V-cut abs. There are no marathon steamy sex sessions, not without having at least one nebulizer on standby anyway. Marcel Giresse, the thirty-six-year-old Director of Finance at the French Ministry of Justice, is happy to leave all that nonsense to his oldest friend Lucien, the sixteenth Earl of Rossingley...Categorized as:
queer virgin hero contemporary m-m length-medium grumpy sunshine friends to lovers hurt-comfort -
![Head Over Wheels Book 2 by Jayda Marx]()
Head Over Wheels Book 2 by Jayda Marx
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsHarley - Life is great. I’m healthy and happy, enjoying every day with my sweet and sassy Finn by my side. Jake is graduating college and starting his new career, and in just a few weeks, Finn and I will be joined together as husbands. But it never fails that just when you least expect it, life will throw you a curve ball... -
![The Pretenders of Copper County by May Archer]()
The Pretenders of Copper County by May Archer
It was supposed to be a straightforward protection job. Remove the target from Vermont, get him to the safehouse, keep him there until his mafia uncle testifies, get back in my employer’s good graces.Boom, done. Easy... -
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![Blindside by N.R. Walker]()
Blindside by N.R. Walker
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsMark Gattison has avoided love and commitment his entire adult life. Not interested in more than a one night stand or a brief encounter in a bathroom stall, he is the epitome of a good time.Will Parkinson is the guy who defends him, the guy who puts up with him, the guy Mark calls his best friend.When Will becomes unsettled and a little distant, Mark takes it upon himself to find Will a boyfriend...Categorized as:
queer disabilities and marks m-m contemporary friends to lovers humor angst hurt-comfort -
![Untouched by M.A. Innes]()
Untouched by M.A. Innes
Growing up in an unusual family has made adapting to college more difficult for Jay. Sheltered and socially awkward, the only easy part about higher education is the classes. While everyone around him seems to instinctively understand what they’re into and who they are, he’s lost and alone. That is, until his new roommate makes life a little more interesting... -
![Leaning Into the Look by Lane Hayes]()
Leaning Into the Look by Lane Hayes
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsGrant Kostas made a career based on his looks before joining his family’s real estate firm. He may not love his job but he’s better at sales than he thought. And when he’s poised to bring in the biggest account of the company’s history, even his father is impressed. Unfortunately, the extra attention highlights Grant’s personal life. His parents accept that he’s gay... -
![When Skies Have Fallen (When Skies Have Fallen) by Debbie McGowan]()
When Skies Have Fallen (When Skies Have Fallen) by Debbie McGowan
For many in war-torn 1944, love blossoms in the dance hall, and airman Arty Clarke is no exception. He’s a thinker and a dreamer; however, it’s not the beautiful, talented dancer in his arms—his best friend Jean—who inspires his dreams. For when his gaze meets that of Technical Sergeant Jim Johnson, Arty dares to imagine a different dance...Categorized as:
queer disabilities and marks military historical m-m secret-relationship length-medium open-door -
![Color Blind: An MM Romance by Andrew Grey]()
Color Blind: An MM Romance by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSetting out on your own is tough, but for Mason Fullerton, who was born blind, it’s even more of a challenge. Mase decides that the key to independence and a life of his own is getting a job. His mother, who has always been there for support, isn’t so sure, but Mase is determined. He manages to secure an interview, and one of the men conducting it has a voice that wraps around him like a blanket...Categorized as:
disabilities and marks queer contemporary multicultural m-m friends to lovers length-novella -
![Once Burned by Alexa Land]()
Once Burned by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCameron Doyle is an arson investigator who’s learned he can’t trust anyone. Ignacio Mondelvano is an artist with a secret that could tear them apart. A year ago, shy, quiet Cameron had his trust shattered by a sociopath who used him to gain information on an arson case... -
![Adore by E. Davies]()
Adore by E. Davies
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“I’m gonna go from twink to twunk.” Tired of hookups, Caspian Grey is hitting the gym, though he can’t decide who he’s trying to impress—the sexy gym owner, or his dating app buddy, Bi Unicorn. If he can pack on some muscles, maybe a man will finally overlook his quirks and hold onto him. Matt Rowan owns a safe, welcoming gym, but his bank account and love life are equally empty... -
![Camera Shy by E.M. Leya, Sara York]()
Camera Shy by E.M. Leya, Sara York
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTrust is earned, but sometimes we form walls around ourselves to protect us from the pain, keeping others from getting close, and shielding us from the darkness that lurks around us. Charles has faced the worst of that darkness. Living on the streets from eleven years old, he learned to survive by trusting no one... -
![A Boyfriend by Christmas by Raleigh Ruebins]()
A Boyfriend by Christmas by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI hired him to help me get a boyfriend by Christmas, but time was running out. Then he said he’d fake it for me. Mason: When I searched the Internet looking for confidence tips, I didn’t expect to find a guy who taught confidence for a living... -
![The Oak and the Ash by Annick Trent]()
The Oak and the Ash by Annick Trent
A standalone M/M historical romanceRadical surgeon George Evans is called to the scene of a midnight duel between an earl and his cousin. Despite the strained atmosphere in the house, George finds he must stay and tend to the injured duellists. Fortunately, his sojourn is made more than bearable by the earl's quietly competent and oddly attractive valet, Noah Moorecott...Categorized as:
queer disabilities and marks historical m-m regency length-medium open-door forced proximity -
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![Flowers by Night by Lucy May Lennox]()
Flowers by Night by Lucy May Lennox
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA vivid, meticulously researched novel that depicts unconventional lives during the first half of the 19th century in Edo—the city that would become Tokyo—a city wracked by frequent natural disasters, but where one can find bawdy, thrilling entertainment of every kind...Categorized as:
queer disabilities and marks m-m historical age difference f-f found-family length-medium -
![Verismo by E.M. Lindsey]()
Verismo by E.M. Lindsey
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTwo men, shaped by the demons of their past, find their lives inexplicably intertwined. Nicolas Michaud, the prodigy composer and pianist, grew up apart from the world. A mother who neglected him, and a father who never met him. But when he's suddenly orphaned, Nicolas is taken from his comfortable home and thrown into a life where no one understands him... -
![Pieces of Us by N.R. Walker]()
Pieces of Us by N.R. Walker
As Justin's recovery moves forward, Dallas dares to hope their lives are settling into their new normal. His money worries have eased, business is picking up, and best of all, Justin now laughs more than he frowns.Justin's memory still eludes him, but with each snippet or flashback, small pieces of his old life start to slot into place...Categorized as:
queer disabilities and marks m-m contemporary open-door australia working class hero office -
![Temptation by E.M. Lindsey]()
Temptation by E.M. Lindsey
Colton Davidson knew what his life was supposed to be like. Sports after school, Church on Sundays, meet a nice girl someday, get married, have children. He knew that his attraction to the other boys was nothing more than God testing him. He knew that if he just kept to his faith, he’d overcome the temptation of sin...Categorized as:
queer disabilities and marks m-m age difference contemporary abuse friends to lovers length-medium -
![Short Stay by Heidi Cullinan]()
Short Stay by Heidi Cullinan
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHot messes have a hard time with happily ever after. Baz Acker and Elijah Prince have it all. They’re engaged, and their wedding is guaranteed to be a spectacle no event will ever top...Categorized as:
disabilities and marks queer m-m new adult contemporary found-family length-medium audiobook -
![Trusting Tanner by Nicky James]()
Trusting Tanner by Nicky James
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMaybe tomorrow it will be better… Zander Baker has spent years forcing a smile onto his face to make the world believe he is a happy man. In reality, it’s a façade for the battered person he truly is. Living a life imprisoned in an abusive relationship, Zander doesn’t know how to break free. Ordinary enjoyments are not within his reach... -
![Storm (Men of Hidden Creek) by H.J. Welch]()
Storm (Men of Hidden Creek) by H.J. Welch
“I can’t do this without you” Chase Williamson was never meant to be a dad. Like it or not, though, he’s now the sole guardian of five-year-old Lyla and terrified of messing it up. He needs help, but who wants to rescue a high school dropout? Certainly not the gorgeous newcomer in town, even if he is an ex-Marine. Hunter Duke is looking forward to a small-town life to drive away his demons...Categorized as:
shy-hero queer m-m military contemporary single-father queer-awakening length-medium -
![Lane by Shaw Montgomery]()
Lane by Shaw Montgomery
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsIt wasn’t stalking. Lane just did his best to make sure he was at the right place at the right time to watch the sexy, tattooed hunk get his coffee in the afternoon. The tattooed hunk who had to be straight, no matter how badly Lane wanted to imagine otherwise. He’d somehow collected a stalker... -
![Love Comes Unheard by Andrew Grey]()
Love Comes Unheard by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA Senses Series Story Garrett Bowman is shocked that fate has brought him to a family who can sign. He's spent much of his life on the outside looking in, even within his biological family, and to be accepted and employed is more than he could have hoped for... -
![White-Hot Hookup by Kate Meader]()
White-Hot Hookup by Kate Meader
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEver hear the one about the under-the-radar hockey player, so desperate to lose his virginity that he’s willing to swipe right on an app?Here I am, waiting nervously in a boutique hotel room for my anonymous hookup to show up and take care of business. Only then can I move on to what comes next. A boyfriend, a dog … heck, a life. After I come out, of course.But first, my virginity problem... -
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![Moonlight by Evie McGlynn]()
Moonlight by Evie McGlynn
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI was the most sought-after concert pianist in the world. Now I barely leave my apartment. Injury and addiction have taken their toll, and I can't seem to get my life back on track.My best friend wants to send me on a month-long vacation to the Moonlight Inn to get ready to play for his wedding. In New Jersey. The place where I almost died... -
![Half Moon Chambers by Harper Fox]()
Half Moon Chambers by Harper Fox
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA cop and a recovering addict – no chance for romance there. Yet Vince, a street-hardened narcotics officer, is having to reassess his life. Six months ago, he hit rock-bottom. A bullet brought him down, and his beloved partner Jack betrayed him. Badly disabled and in constant pain, Vince is flying a desk these days, and it doesn't suit him at all...Categorized as:
disabilities and marks queer contemporary men in uniform suspense mystery m-m hurt-comfort -
![Where Love Grows by Jay Northcote]()
Where Love Grows by Jay Northcote
When two broken men look to each other for help, an unexpected romance blooms. Stephen’s home, deep in the heart of the Welsh valleys, suits his reclusive nature. However, as he recovers from illness, he’s struggling to manage alone. As nature reclaims the land he’s poured his heart into cultivating, he becomes increasingly unhappy... -
![Breathing Again by Sofia Grey]()
Breathing Again by Sofia Grey
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSgt. Travis Cooper is a hot mess. He’s a seething cocktail of PTSD, depression, and anger, with a side-helping of borderline alcoholism. The giant holes in his memory don’t help either. When his partner, Kyle, walks out after ten years together, and takes his beloved dog, Travis hits rock bottom. There’s no kind of future if he can’t face up to his past... -
![Steadfast by K.L. Noone]()
Steadfast by K.L. Noone
A love story for the ages! An intimate confession! An epic quest! And happily ever after on the horizon ...Jason Mirelli loves Colby Kent. And Colby loves him. They’ve told the world. And Colby’s recovered from injury, so they’re back at work and back on set... -
![The Thief of Peace by Jess Whitecroft]()
The Thief of Peace by Jess Whitecroft
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsShort on cash and in desperate need of patronage, Florentine artist Niccolò di Volpaia is thrilled when the head of the wealthy Albani family approaches him with an offer. He is less thrilled when he discovers that the offer has nothing to do with his artistic ability and everything to do with his reputation as a hard-drinking wastrel. Albani’s three legitimate sons are dead...
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