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.
contemporary gay romance virgin hero shy-hero disabilities and marks tortured hero queer college angst class difference
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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 angst shy-hero hurt-comfort queer contemporary musicians friends to lovers -
![Alfie: Part II by Cara Dee]()
Alfie: Part II by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMM Romance • Part 2 of 2 • Second Chances • Irish Mafia • Family • Hurt/Comfort • Age Gap • Revenge • Opposites AttractWhen two broken hearts have reached their limits, it’s time for a mobster to play dirty in order to let the healing begin. Don’t worry, Alfie has a plan.That very second, the moment West said those words…I almost shattered. Again. I’d put myself out there... -
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![Alone On the Water by MadLori]()
Alone On the Water by MadLori
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSherlock Holmes never expected to live a long life, but he never imagined that it would end like this. - 7725 WordsSorrow’s my body on the wavesSorrow’s a girl inside my caveI live in a city sorrow builtIt’s in my honey, it’s in my milkDon’t leave my half a heart alone on the waterCover me in rag and bone sympathyCause I don’t want to get over you... -
![Old-Fashioned Cupcake with Cappuccino by Sagan Sagan]()
Old-Fashioned Cupcake with Cappuccino by Sagan Sagan
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThirty-nine-year-old Nozue went from living a routine, melancholic life of sleep and work to spending his days in bliss with Togawa, his younger subordinate. Now six months into their relationship, the two have graduated from dates at a pancake shop to spending their nights together... -
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![FOG[电竞] by Man Man He Qi Duo, 漫漫何其多]()
FOG[电竞] by Man Man He Qi Duo, 漫漫何其多
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratings现代电竞+男神VS男神医疗师攻X突击手受【主角配角均无原型，谢谢大家】---Yu Sui and Shi Luo met each other when they were much younger. One was a pro-gamer, a widely-renowned, best of the best, in-game medic. The other was an e-sports newcomer who was just starting out. The two originally played for the same team, during which their relationship became increasingly deep.But things did not go as expected... -
![Only the Flower Knows 3 by Rihito Takarai]()
Only the Flower Knows 3 by Rihito Takarai
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsZwischen Misaki und Arikawa hat es endlich richtig gefunkt und sie haben sich am Bahnhof geküsst! Als Arikawa ihm daraufhin anbietet, bei ihm zu übernachten, willigt Misaki zwar ein, doch er ist richtig nervös und dabei so süß, dass Arikawa seine Finger nicht von ihm lassen kann. Nach dieser ersten gemeinsamen Nacht sucht Misaki ein letztes klärendes Gespräch mit Kawabata... -
![Igniting His Flame by HJ Welch, Helen Juliet]()
Igniting His Flame by HJ Welch, Helen Juliet
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLove makes us all braveDARIOAfter escaping my controlling ex-boyfriend and moving to Redwood Bay, I swear off men for good. The only company I need is my new rescue dog, Queenie. Meeting gorgeous firefighter Lochlan Bell at puppy training class doesn’t count because he’s straight, yet for some bizarre reason he’s decided to become my friend... -
![Instant Regret by E.M. Lindsey]()
Instant Regret by E.M. Lindsey
There’s nothing like having your sanctuary destroyed.My life has been a series of carefully cultivated, strategic moves to ensure peace and quiet. I’m generally a happy guy but there’s one thing I can’t stand: having my space invaded. After all, that's why I chose this run-down building that no one wants to live in.And then he moved in...Categorized as:
angst disabilities and marks hurt-comfort queer m-m from hate to love christmas contemporary -
![Change of Heart by K.M. Neuhold]()
Change of Heart by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDoes my husband's heart still miss me now that it beats in the chest of another man? Lub-dub A heartbeat more familiar than Easton’s own Lub-dub He vowed to love his husband until death do they part. And then the worst happened. Lub-dub His heart kept another man alive. River. A stranger in the world with Easton's husband's heart pumping the blood that warms his skin... -
![Hannah's Big Night by Mary Calmes]()
Hannah's Big Night by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA Jory and Sam Thanksgiving... -
![Only the Flower Knows 2 by Rihito Takarai]()
Only the Flower Knows 2 by Rihito Takarai
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsZwischen Misaki und Arikawa scheint nach dem verhängnisvollen Kuss alles wieder normal zu sein, aber es macht Arikawa fertig, dass er ständig an seinen Kommilitonen denken muss. Denn er weiß einfach nicht, wie er sich Misaki gegenüber verhalten soll. Als dieser sein Handy im Labor vergisst und es klingelt, geht Arikawa aus Neugier ran... -
![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... -
![A Taste of Christmas: An M/M Holiday Romance by Jaclyn Quinn]()
A Taste of Christmas: An M/M Holiday Romance by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMitch Jensen has just missed the most important interview of his career. An outrageous suggestion to meet Everett Remington at his family’s home in upstate New York irrevocably changes Mitch’s life... -
![The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn]()
The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDr. Christopher Allen knows how to deal with death. He’s a psychiatrist who works with hospice patients and their families, helping them cope with grief and letting go. But Chris’s job doesn’t prepare him for the sudden death of his devil-may-care brother Cal. At Cal’s funeral, Chris is completely thrown when he meets Elliot Rawlings, an artist Cal has been dating... -
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![Perfect by Jenny Wood]()
Perfect by Jenny Wood
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAdoption is hard. Paperwork and more paperwork, lawyers and more lawyers and it seems like begging and choosing....all to get your heart broken when the expectant mother backs out. Not wanting to go through that again, or put Morgan through it again; they opted out. Unfortunately, the new guy didn't get the memo and they were chosen by expectant young mother, Haley... -
![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... -
![Intimation by Vee Hoffman]()
Intimation by Vee Hoffman
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBook 3 in the Acclamation series, Intimation chronicles the months following the end of Lent and Easter holiday and the increasing and intensifying intimacy between Michael and Dominic. Moments stolen away from public sight, even when foreshadowed by Dominic’s approaching graduation and Michael’s intentions for the future, only serve to strengthen their feelings for each other... -
![Beauty and the Beard by R.M. Neill]()
Beauty and the Beard by R.M. Neill
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLeafGrief is a complex thing to experience. Since losing my husband, I’ve let it call the shots. It’s been in control so long that I’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to have someone hold me tight at night or share a secret smile with.But a beautiful young model shows up at my lodge. He’s eager to learn about the outdoors and experience life outside the city... -
![Fake & Bake by Romeo Alexander]()
Fake & Bake by Romeo Alexander
Nothing says home quite like the smell of baking. The quiet, small town of Higbee is set in the perfect place for the upcoming northern lights. People from different parts of the country are flocking in droves to see the brilliant cosmic show as the town celebrates this unusual event...Categorized as:
tortured hero virgin hero disabilities and marks hurt-comfort queer m-m contemporary small town -
![Black by Quin, Perin.]()
Black by Quin, Perin.
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“Meow!”There it was.The sound that made my knees buckle.He purred, neck stretched, eyes half-lidded.With those cat ears, in his hair.And the tail, that he flicked.A ray of sun in the drizzling rain. I’d been a traveler, floating adrift, while he’d stayed in one place. How was I supposed to know he’d become my anchor? My light. My everything... -
![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 angst disabilities and marks hurt-comfort m-m contemporary friends to lovers humor -
![After the Fire by Felice Stevens]()
After the Fire by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsA single bullet destroyed the dreams of Dr. Jordan Peterson. With his lover dead, Jordan descends into an endless spiral of self-destruction that nearly costs him his friends, his career and his life... -
![The Harder We Fall by Rebecca Raine]()
The Harder We Fall by Rebecca Raine
For years, I’ve been bound by sleeplessness and sorrow. His voice threatens to set me free.Insomnia. It’s part of the penance I pay for my greatest mistake. But when an ill-timed doze behind the wheel of my car nearly introduces me to a pole, I know something has to change.Sleep with Me, a locally-made meditation app, promises a cure. I don’t expect it to work...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort angst tortured hero queer m-m contemporary mental illness friends to lovers -
![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... -
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![Dear Mona Lisa... by Claire Davis, Al Stewart]()
Dear Mona Lisa... by Claire Davis, Al Stewart
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTom; shy office clerk by day and drawer of foxes by night, wakes up one Monday knowing the most extraordinary week of his life is about to begin. In five days, a lifelong ‘secret’ will be made gloriously public—but will it mean losing the person he loves most?Getting married… It seems only yesterday Tom changed nappies and sang nursery rhymes to a laughing baby... -
![Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey]()
Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"A Seven Days Story" Can a person's life change in just one day? How about seven? Donald Pottier and Jason Greene are barely more than boys when they meet on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. A day of crabbing soon turns them from strangers to friends, then to something more, but the boys' time is limited: at the end of the summer, Jay will leave Don and the island behind... -
![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... -
![Cort—Unbreakable by Felice Stevens]()
Cort—Unbreakable by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCort I spent years waiting for someone who never put me first. He took my love, took me for granted. Took my heart. Now I’m on my own. Living life my way. The crowd only sees my smile. Never my loneliness and pain. I need someone to need me. When I meet another lost soul my friends try to warn me. He’s a liar. A user. Homeless. Heartbroken. He’s all that and more... -
![Impact Zone Special Edition by Courtney W. Dixon]()
Impact Zone Special Edition by Courtney W. Dixon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSpecial Edition Book Art - Paperback onlyTwo desperate encounters led to a dating arrangement. One for money. The other for sexual exploration.KelI tried to save Ohana Surfing Club, a surf shop my father and I owned... -
![My Beautiful Man , Volume 1 by Yuu Nagira]()
My Beautiful Man , Volume 1 by Yuu Nagira
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsKazunari Hira is not what you'd call popular. In fact, he's basically on the lowest rung of the social ladder, due largely to his stutter that tends to flare up when he's anxious. And then there's him: Sou Kiyoi, leader of the pack and the most beautiful man Hira has ever seen... -
![Worlds Away by Alexa Land]()
Worlds Away by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDoes love stand a chance between two men from different worlds, when they’re both being pulled in opposite directions? Sawyer MacNeil is looking for answers. His time in the Army didn’t go as planned, and he’s still reeling from the end of a relationship that never should have happened in the first place... -
![Wonderland by Jude Ouvrard]()
Wonderland by Jude Ouvrard
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsLucas Colton is far too young to go through all this pain but meeting poetry teacher, Preston Davidson, changed everything. His life went from heartbreak to joyful and then, from friendship to love. The impact Preston had on Lucas’ life was mesmerising... -
![Flare by Posy Roberts]()
Flare by Posy Roberts
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSequel to "Fusion". Hugo Thorson and Kevin Magnus are learning to live again after the death of Kevin's wife, Erin. They're doing everything they can to make a stable home for Kevin’s kids, but that stability is threatened when Kevin is served legal documents: Erin's parents want custody of Brooke and Finn... -
![There's Only After by Julie Anne Addicott]()
There's Only After by Julie Anne Addicott
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTHERE’S ONLY AFTER A Hurricane Hearts Novel BOOK 1 Two lives shattered by suicide. Two men searching for hope. Jackson Andrew was my life. My husband. My reason for breathing. “Time of death eleven-forty-nine p.m.” I will never be whole again. Andrew doesn’t wake up. And I can’t let him go. A past filled with secrets, lies, and unimaginable trauma... -
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![페이백 by SAMK]()
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![Jonathon, After All by K. Sterling]()
Jonathon, After All by K. Sterling
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsWhat do you say to the man who took your virginity, broke your heart, and ruined your life?For ten years, Jonathon hid his pain, acting out in ridiculous ways in hopes that one day, his prince would rescue him. But when the day finally came, it was too little, too late after being pushed at and rejected by every eligible bachelor in Manhattan...Categorized as:
queer virgin hero class difference hurt-comfort age difference grumpy sunshine m-m contemporary -
![After We Gazed at the Starry Sky, Vol. 1 by Bisco Kida]()
After We Gazed at the Starry Sky, Vol. 1 by Bisco Kida
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsTougo Amase is a well-known photographer who focuses on night scenery—and the man Subaru Miyazawa not-so-secretly idolizes from afar. Subaru always assumed Tougo would be distant, just like the stars in his art, so he can’t quite believe his luck when they meet at a trial screening of a new planetarium show. While Subaru is a totally awestruck mess of nerves, Tougo takes it all in stride... -
![Til Death Do Us Part by Jenny Wood]()
Til Death Do Us Part by Jenny Wood
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsTwo weddings and a new guy! Kayson and Conner finally tie the knot! Because Kayson popped the question a whole ten minutes before Jody got the chance, his wedding is up first. It’s everything they both deserve; complete with Kingsley shenanigans! Jody and Cameron also get hitched in a much more Jody and Cameron kind of way... -
![Finn by Jenny Wood]()
Finn by Jenny Wood
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsMoving to a new town with his daughter had opened a lot of doors for Felix Finnley, aka, Finn. A new shop and great friends can really go a long way! Imagine his surprise when a late night trip to the ER, lands him in front of the most gorgeous pair of white-blue eyes, that he's ever seen... -
![Surviving the Break by C.P. Harris]()
Surviving the Break by C.P. Harris
Max doesn’t do repeats, and he definitely doesn’t do commitments. Months after a hot encounter with a smooth-talking stranger in a bar room bathroom, Max comes face to face with the same sexy doctor during the unveiling of the community center’s dance studio. And the man is just as pushy and perceptive as Max remembers. Because of their mutual friendships, Max now has to work overtime to keep Dr... -
![Seeing Blind by Poppy Dale]()
Seeing Blind by Poppy Dale
Jamie’s world is small. He likes it that way - after a lifetime of prosopagnosia (he hates the term “face blindness”), he has learned to keep to himself. The same job, the same coffee shop, the same shirt every time he has a picture taken, all in the hope it will somehow become familiar to him...Categorized as:
shy-hero queer disabilities and marks new adult m-m contemporary glimpses-kisses nerdy-hero -
![Sol: Learning to Love #2 by Con Riley]()
Sol: Learning to Love #2 by Con Riley
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSolomon Trebeck’s heart broke the night of his bi-awakening. Fifteen years later, Sol’s back in Cornwall where it happened, single, shy, and oh-so lonely. Teaching art to kids wasn’t his life plan. Neither is raising a teenage nephew, but with no family left to support him, a live-in job at a boarding school becomes his life raft.Problem: that life raft is sinking... -
![Head-on by John Inman]()
Head-on by John Inman
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAt twenty-six, Gordon Stafford figures his days are numbered. At least he hopes they are. Wearied by guilt and regret stemming from a horrific automobile accident two years earlier in which a man was killed, Gordon wakes up every morning with thoughts of suicide. While the law puts Gordon to work atoning for his sins, personal redemption is far harder to come by... -
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![Into the Light by Carter Quinn]()
Into the Light by Carter Quinn
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAvery spent years in the blackness, fighting memories of abuse and feelings of self-loathing. His only sanctuary used to be his brother Sam, but after two years of intensive therapy and a long-term relationship with Noah, his world is a much brighter place. Things have changed in the year and a half since Avery and Noah confessed their love for each other... -
![Love Comes Unheard by Andrew Grey]()
Love Comes Unheard by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 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... -
![State of Mind by E.M. Lindsey]()
State of Mind by E.M. Lindsey
"Whatever happens in the future, whatever we become in life, know you’re the best thing that ever happened to me."Taking up shop in a former kosher bakery, Wilder Torres aches to find out who he is beyond his dark past. He hides his scars under long sleeves, and his nightmares behind a soft smile, and he’s very careful not to let anyone close...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort angst queer contemporary m-m age difference length-medium explicit-open-door -
![His Surrender by Jaclyn Osborn]()
His Surrender by Jaclyn Osborn
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsREMIEvery Friday night, he sits in the corner of the bar, eyeing me over a glass of whiskey as I play piano on stage. We’ve never said a word to each other, yet I feel… something. An attraction unlike any other.Then one night he finally approaches me.He’s nothing but a playboy who wants to add me to his list of conquests. I can’t give in to him... -
![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... -
![Fem by Seth King]()
Fem by Seth King
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPeter Martin is living two lives inside one body. Although he is openly gay, a lifetime of taunting from his family and community for being “too feminine” has still left him clad in false armor, portraying a character that is entirely fake, but keeps him safe from ridicule all the same. Stand tall, speak deeply, keep a strong handshake, never draw attention, never be “too gay...
![FOG[电竞] by Man Man He Qi Duo, 漫漫何其多](https://s3.amazonaws.com/romance.io/books/small/66e574534e4ad59621705f5e.jpg)
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