Books like 'Dead Inside'
Readers who enjoyed Dead Inside by Alexander Ward also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance dark romance tortured hero angst queer
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Wolves vs. Hearts by Anna Green
The second volume of The Heart Rate of a Mouse trilogy. A new band, a new city, and new lover - Ryan dusts himself off and starts again, but the god-like status that his former band's tragic end has given him isn't as easy to shake off. As he should be focusing on making a comeback with his new band, he runs into the one person he hasn't been able to forget... -
A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur
“I swear. Give me one more chance and I will make the most of it. ”. Ex-escort Javier Landes is asking for his third chance at love. And the third time is the charm. He meets an art therapist named Steffen Finch and what starts as casual deepens into a passionate relationship—everything Jav has ever wanted, and everything he fears losing. Stef’s business card reads Curator & Sailor... -
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Transactional Dynamics by Gregory Ashe
Emery Hazard is ready for Valentine’s Day. He’s made reservations months in advance, he’s ordered flowers, and he’s got a boyfriend he wants to treat right—even if John-Henry Somerset occasionally lets the dishes sit in the sink a little too long. They even have an extra reason to celebrate this year: Somers has received a special commendation for his police work... -
Twittering Birds Never Fly, Vol.1 by Kou Yoneda
Yashiro is the young leader of Shinseikai and the president of the Shinseikai Enterprise, but like so many powerful men, he leads a double life as a deviant and a masochist. Chikara Doumeki comes to work as a bodyguard for him and, although Yashiro had decided that he would never lay a hand on his own men, he finds there's something about Doumeki that he can't resist... -
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A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur
Rated: 4.72 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"I swear. Give me one more chance and I will make the most of it. ". Ex-hustler Javier Landes is asking for his third chance at love. The third time proves to be the charm when he meets a Manhattan art therapist named Steffen Finch. What starts as casual and curious deepens into a passionate relationship--everything Jav has ever wanted, and everything he fears losing... -
A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur
Rated: 4.72 of 5 stars · 16 ratings“I swear. Give me one more chance and I will make the most of it. ”. Ex-hustler Javier Landes is asking for his third chance at love. The third time proves to be the charm when he meets a Manhattan art therapist named Steffen Finch. What starts as casual and curious deepens into a passionate, soulful relationship—everything Jav has ever wanted, and everything he fears losing... -
Unbroken by Sloane Kennedy
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsEverything was supposed to go back to normal when I was rescued. It hasn't. And I'm starting to think it never will because I don't even know what normal is anymore. .. It's been two years since Aleks Silva was rescued by his older brother from the dark underworld of sex trafficking and every day since then has been a battle... -
Police Brutality by Gregory Ashe
For the first time in a long while, Emery Hazard’s life is good. His new business as a private detective is taking off. Things are good at home. He loves his boyfriend, John-Henry Somerset; he loves their daughter. He might even love the new friends they’ve found. There’s only one problem: Somers has been talking about marriage... -
Deserted by Cara Dee
Gray Nolan had survived a kidnapping where he was supposed to have been auctioned off to the highest bidder. He had also survived being stranded on an island, under siege from a different set of foes, and throughout the hell they’d all endured, their motto had been “Leave no man behind. ”. Recovery was different... -
Triangulation by Gregory Ashe
After a recent case with a treacherous client, North and Shaw are ready to go back to work building Borealis Investigations. They’re also ready to go back to dodging their feelings for each other, with neither man ready to deal with the powerful emotions the Matty Fennmore case stirred up... -
Home by Cara Dee
For as long as I can remember, I've only had one goal: survival. It's what I know. There is no future beyond making it through another night and getting my hands on as much money as possible, by any means necessary. Pride and dignity are things I can't afford. It's been the worst year yet—and not because I live on the streets. That's nothing compared to being separated from my little girl... -
Deep Spiral by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsABOUT THIS EPISODE. A deadly, unstable shooter. A trap Malcolm and Seong-Jae can't escape. And more than one life on the line as they find themselves facing down one of the Golden Ratio Killer's proxies in a high-stakes hostage situation that could ramp up the serial murderer's mathematical body counts exponentially. And if Malcolm and Seong-Jae aren't careful, they'll be among the tally... -
Olive Juice by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt begins with a message that David cannot ignore:. I want to see you. He agrees, and on a cold winter’s night, David and Phillip will come together to sift through the wreckage of the memory of a life no longer lived. David is burdened, carrying with him the heavy guilt of the past six years upon his shoulders. Phillip offers redemption. -
One-Eyed Royals by Cordelia Kingsbridge
Spoiler Alert! The following blurb contains spoilers for Cash Plays, book three of Seven of Spades. Shattered by their devastating breakup, Detective Levi Abrams and PI Dominic Russo find themselves at war right when they need each other most. While Dominic is trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, Levi despairs of ever catching the Seven of Spades... -
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Three for a Girl by Louise Collins
If they can get through the first case, they’ll get through any—that’s what Chad tells himself. But juggling his career and his relationship isn’t easy. The monstrous part of Romeo gnaws away under the surface. His dark moments leave Chad uncomfortable, and when they accumulate into an attack, it leaves Chad shaken... -
No Beginning, No End by Richard Rider
“What if that’s all there was? If I don’t need you looking after me no more are you still gonna want me? ”. The first time they were together was a messy, jagged jigsaw of interlocking flaws. Seven years later, Lindsay Brown and Pip Valentine have got back together and are taking a shot at normal life with 9-to-5s, family Christmas, and babysitting duties... -
Fracture by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
After three years, Snow and Jude’s relationship is still passionate and strong. They’re getting ready for a romantic vacation at home when Jude receives a horrifying call no one wants to receive. His youngest brother was found barely clinging to life. While Jude’s family is rallying around Jordan, Jude is determined to find out what happened to him... -
17 Black and 29 Red by Richard Rider
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSecond part in the Stockholm Syndrome trilogy:. Some mistakes are too enormous and some people are too stubborn for anything to work except running away, but the world is never as big as you need it to be and eventually you can't help circling back to where you started. -
The Tin Box by Kim Fielding
William Lyon's past forced him to become someone he isn't. Conflicted and unable to maintain the charade, he separates from his wife and takes a job as caretaker at a former mental hospital. Jelley’s Valley State Insane Asylum was the largest mental hospital in California for well over a century, but it now stands empty... -
The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 5 by 945
THE LONG GOODBYE. It's been three years since Eui-joon last saw Gunwoo and there have been a lot of changes. Eui-joon no longer works his punishing graveyard shift at the convenience store, but instead works in sales at a small company where, as the newest employee, he's constantly running errands for his boss... -
The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 5 by 945
THE LONG GOODBYE. It’s been three years since Eui-joon last saw Gunwoo and there have been a lot of changes. Eui-joon no longer works his punishing graveyard shift at the convenience store, but instead works in sales at a small company where, as the newest employee, he’s constantly running errands for his boss... -
The Innocent by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWhen Clint and the boys “clean house” after discovering a small dangerous operation of child sex traffickers, they find themselves pulled into a nightmare of unparalleled proportions where children are nothing but “merchandise” and the depth of depravity and abuse reaches beyond human comprehension. Note: This is an M/M romance and should be read by readers 18yo and above only. -
Haven by K.A. Merikan
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratings— Not the same river, not the same man. —. After seven years away, Seth and Domenico are back in Sicily with one goal in mind. Revenge. The man who’d hounded their family is still alive, and as untouchable as he’s always been. While they wait for the right moment to strike, reality clashes with fond memories of home... -
What We Broke by Marley Valentine
If someone asked me to describe our love story, I would only need to use two words. Before and After. • • • •. When I met Leonardo Ricci, he was determined I would only be a fling, while I was certain he was my forever. Seven years later, we're the perfect couple. Happy, married, and in love-in sickness and health, till death do us part. At least until the unthinkable happens...Categorized as:
angst queer tortured hero contemporary m-m hurt-comfort single-father second chances -
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Pain by E.M. Leya, Kellie Dennis Book Cover by Design
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen his daughter is kidnapped, Matt’s life screeches to a halt. He would do anything to get his daughter back, but first he needs to find her. When the police exhaust all possible leads, Matt does the only thing he can do — he uses his hacking skills to infiltrate the dark web... -
Dragon by K. Webster
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom USA Today Bestselling Author K Webster comes a new motorcycle club dark standalone MM romance novel! They created this monster when they took me as a teen. Abused me, tortured me, psychologically ruined me. I was once innocent, fragile, and good. Now I’m older and everything wicked. The worst of the worst... -
White Rabbit, Part II by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThe white rabbit crashes storytime with Sila, Malcolm, and Seong-Jae — a little too literally, leaving our intrepid detectives battered but not broken. Yet what they find with the white rabbit's arrival could destroy even the strongest man: a diabolical game with over two dozen lives at stake, turning their final showdown into a macabre stage play with the white rabbit as its star... -
Two for Joy by Louise Collins
Locked up in a maximum-security prison, Romeo’s highlight each week is a visit from Chad. Despite his friends, colleagues, and therapist all telling Chad to stop, he can’t, and he becomes the only joy in Romeo’s boring, bleak life. More than his need to kill, he needs Chad to live, but a Copycat killer has other ideas... -
A Single Bright Candle's Flame by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE. Detective Malcolm Khalaji is at a loss. For the second time in his life, he wasn't there when his lover needed him. And with Seong-Jae Yoon on leave pending an internal investigation, Malcolm doesn't know what to do with a shattered partner and boyfriend who's retreated from him into a dark and broken place. It's Gabrielle all over again. . -
Surviving the Merge by C.P. Harris
My name is Justin, and when I was seventeen, I fell in love with a boy named Damon. Damon was sick, only I didn’t know it at the time. And like any disease left untreated, it festered and burrowed into the unaffected areas of us, until we were both so far from healthy, we were killing one another. Then a tragedy sparked our implosion... -
Reigniting Chase by Jeanne St. James
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAn unexpected collaboration between two authors that’s hot enough to spark a fire. .. Chase. After an excruciating loss, I’m desperate for a fresh start. Away from the painful memories. Away from everyone I know and anyone who knows my story. That’s how I end up in Eagle’s Landing, Pennsylvania... -
The Wild Charge by Lauren Gilley
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsA storm is brewing, and the Lean Dogs find themselves in the center of it. What at first seemed like a routine clash with a cartel proves to be part of a much more sinister - and more powerful - operation than any of them expected. The Dogs have a choice: back out now, play dumb. .. or go full-on vigilante. Tennyson Fox has a new name, a new home, a new family. . -
The Mad House by Liza James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA broken home made whole through promises of eternal life and family beyond. On your knees. Whisper the prayers. Obey thy Father and Mother. You'll be made whole in the Spirit once we're all together again. One sister escapes. The other is trapped, carrying the weight of all focus from their parents for years to come... -
How Much for a Broken Heart? by R.J. Scott
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen the game turns deadly for a SEAL and his Ranger, love becomes the most dangerous mission of all. In a single devastating morning, August's life crumbles. His covert assignment derails disastrously as the family he's meant to safeguard falls prey to the ruthless Cooper River cartel... -
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Unquiet by Melanie Hansen
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLoren Smith has been in love with Eliot Devlin almost his entire life. During their turbulent childhood and teen years, Loren didn’t always understand Eliot, and sometimes he could be a challenge, but Eliot was the only one to ever truly ease Loren’s deep loneliness and accept him... -
Cold Calculation by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHow do you profile a serial killer who keeps changing his pattern? A body encased in ice and a cryptic message make Malcolm, Seong-Jae, and Aanga Joshi question everything they thought they'd learned about the Golden Ratio Killer. If their suspect can change his methods and alter his patterns, he could easily disappear. .. . . -
Boxed In by Rachel Haimowitz, Heidi Belleau
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIn the exciting final season of the Flesh Cartel . . . With the help of the FBI, Mat Carmichael has let himself be re-taken by the Flesh Cartel. Objective? Rescue his brother, exact revenge, and destroy the entire organization from the inside... -
Independence Day by Rachel Haimowitz, Heidi Belleau
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsMat and Douglas’s time as Nikolai’s wards is finally drawing to a close. Though torn apart by Nikolai’s machinations, their fates are still inextricably entwined: they’ve been sold to the same cruel master, and are united in their desire to go home... -
Restricted Area [禁区] by 空菊
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsJiang Chijing had always used surveilling prisoners’ every move to satiate his voyeuristic appetite. Until one day, an extremely dangerous convict entered the prison—and Jiang Chijing was caught spying on him. The watcher became the watched, the hunter became the hunted... -
Remember Me by Avril Ashton
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTheirs was a connection that began and ended in the shadows. Secret moments. Missed opportunities and what-ifs. Wanting more than what they had, but grateful with the bits of happiness they snatched. A bullet stole it away, setting two men adrift. One waiting in the darkness for light to shine once again... -
Promise by Rachel Haimowitz, Heidi Belleau
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIn the exciting final season of the Flesh Cartel . . . With the help of the FBI, Mat Carmichael has let himself be re-taken by the Flesh Cartel. Objective? Rescue his brother, exact revenge, and destroy the entire organization from the inside... -
Deliverance by Garrett Leigh
Banished gangster Benito Martell is living on the edge. An explosive hook-up in a club gifts him the relief he craves, but nothing about his life is ever so simple. Complications abound, and before long, he’s falling for the only man who can save his family from eviction. Recovering addict Mickey Larwood has worked hard to leave his past behind... -
White Rabbit, Part I by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA tense standoff with Sila uncovers more than Seong-Jae ever wanted to know about the strings Sila's pulled in his past. The pain he's caused. The deaths he's responsible for. And he may be responsible for yet one more, as Sila uses his own life as a bargaining chip to keep Malcolm and Seong-Jae at bay... -
Shattered Pieces by K.M. Neuhold
“I was sure my heart had withered away years ago, but then you smiled at me, and I felt it beat again. ” ~Gage. Years ago, I fell in love with my best friend’s little brother. Then, he took his own life, leaving me shattered and unable to piece my heart back together. I’ve been a zombie for nine long years...Categorized as:
tortured hero queer m-m contemporary tearjerkers friends to lovers dark length-short -
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Strays by Garrett Leigh
! ! SECOND EDITION WITH EXTENDED CONTENT ! ! Award winning MM romance. A grumpy hero with the sweetest heart as forced proximity and found family give two damaged men the HEA they deserve. Work, sleep, work, repeat. Nero’s lonely life suits him just fine until his best friend, Cass, asks him to take on a new apprentice—a beautiful young man who’s never set foot in a professional kitchen... -
Griffin in Wonderland by Tiffany Reisz
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHard partying trust fun baby Griffin Fiske wakes up after a hard night with a King's boots on his chest and gets an invitation he can't refuse. .. This Original Sinners short story takes place approximately six years before The Siren. Originally available in a rough draft on Tiffany's website, it has now been fully revised and is now collected in the print, ebook, and audio collection... -
Reinventing Us by Ann Lister
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAlex-Zander Metcalf knew his life would always be filled with twists and turns, especially living in the public eye while playing the role of front man for his band Ivory Tower. That's what made life interesting and he loved every aspect about his job in the music world. Living in a long-term polyamorous relationship with a husband and a wife also created a fair amount of ups and downs... -
boys for sale 2 by Marc Finks
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn this stunning conclusion to the tale first begun in Boys for Sale. .. Having escaped from Javier and The School House, Tavi is now on the run as he tries to survive on the streets... -
Custody Battles by Gregory Ashe
Some parents would die for their children. Others will do a whole lot worse. Emery Hazard and his husband, John-Henry Somerset, are settling into their new normal—at home, with the latest addition to their family, and at work, as Somers adapts to his new role and Hazard manages his expanding agency. The only thing Hazard is worried about is getting through dinner with his in-laws... -
Black Lies by K.A. Merikan
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 11 ratings"That man is not your fairytale ending. ". Griffith has spent two of the most amazing years with his boyfriend Mark, who is undoubtedly The One. Mark is everything Griffith could want in a man. Sexy, kind, always there for him, showering him with gifts and anticipating his needs...
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