Books like 'The Freshman'
Readers who enjoyed The Freshman by Louise Collins also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance dark romance bdsm suspense from hate to love age difference forced proximity secret-relationship queer
-
The Bridge of Silver Wings by John Wiltshire
The third book in the series More Heat Than the Sun Ben discovers the truth of the old adage 'be careful what you wish for'. Nikolas has exorcised his demons, but when they end up stranded in Russia, the monster inside needs to be let loose. Siberia in winter isn't a place for good men. There is nothing Nikolas won't do to keep Ben alive... -
The Keeper of Bees by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.74 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEmery Hazard has pretty much everything under control. He and his fiancé, John-Henry Somerset, are more in love than ever, despite the stress of wedding preparations hanging over them. His business as a private investigator is growing. He’s even enjoying time with his growing circle of friends... -
Finder Volume 4: Prisoner in the View Finder by Ayano Yamane
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 27 ratings"Don't tell me you actually believe Asami is in love with you?" The gorgeous and devious Fei Long has kidnapped Akihito and taken him all the way to Hong... -
This Other Country by John Wiltshire
Nikolas is the sanest, straightest, person Ben knows, so can anyone tell him, why is he on a gay therapy course?Nikolas Mikkelsen could make a very long list of unpleasant things he's endured in his life. Then order it from 'nearly killed me' to 'extremely horrific and don't want to do again'... -
-
The Rational Faculty by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThree months have passed since Emery Hazard and John-Henry Somerset faced a madman and lived to tell about it. Three months have passed since Emery Hazard resigned from his job as a detective. Three months can be too long and too short, all at the same time. On Halloween, a professor at the local college is murdered in his apartment, in front of dozens of witnesses. Then the killer disappears... -
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... -
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... -
Twittering Birds Never Fly, Vol.1 by Kou Yoneda
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsYashiro 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... -
Final Orders by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.74 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAn embattled author. Fanatical parents. A son who can’t stay out of trouble. It’s the last one that’ll probably kill him.When Emery Hazard gets drawn into a brawl at a monthly school board meeting, he knows he’s in trouble; his husband, John-Henry Somerset, is chief of police, and they’re already under enough scrutiny as they try to finalize their foster son’s permanency plan... -
Transactional Dynamics by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEmery 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... -
Finder, Volume 3: One Wing in the Finder by Ayano Yamane
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsThe Chinese crime lord Fei Long comes to Japan hoping to lure freelance photographer Akihito into his web of intrigue and sex. But when his friends fall prey to Fei Long's diabolical schemes, Akihito has only one person he can ask for help, the person he despises more than anyone else on Earth: the Yakuza boss Asami, who once made Akihito his sex slave... -
Anti-Hero by Kelly Fox
Spoiler This isn't some sad exploration of my tragic past. I have a list of the people who bought and sold me. And they aren't getting a redemption arc. I was luckier than most. I was rescued by a team of guys who search out people like me, and now I get to work with them. But I'm not the hero of this story. I don't forgive. I don't forget...Categorized as:
suspense age difference forced proximity queer m-m height-difference humor friends to lovers -
Police Brutality by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFor 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... -
The Hatter's Game, Part II by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE Malcolm Khalaji is missing. And Seong-Jae Yoon is the only one who can find him. But to do so means walking paths he swore he would never tread again. Descending into the blackest hallways of a twisted and sadistic mind. Breaking down every wall he's ever built around himself, to try to predict what Sila will do next... -
-
Special Forces: Soldiers Part II -Director's Cut by Aleksandr Voinov, Marquesate
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSpecial Forces is an epic work of military gay erotic fiction. The three cycles Soldiers, Mercenaries, and Veterans were written between April 2006 and November 2008 and have 70 chapters in total, comprising around one million words (the equivalent of around 15 full-sized novels). It is only suitable for an adult audience... -
囀る鳥は羽ばたかない 4 [Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai 4] by Kou Yoneda, ヨネダコウ
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsYashiro 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... -
Anti-Valentine by T. Ashleigh, Ashlyn Drewek
This Valentine’s Day…the bad boys come out to play…Get ready for an anti-Valentine to remember in this limited release M/M romance anthology. Sixteen authors have come together to bring you a collection of brand-new short stories with a combination of dark, enemies to lovers, and bully themes...Categorized as:
from hate to love age difference secret-relationship bdsm forced proximity queer m-m sports -
The Bright and Hungry Future of Hawks by John Wiltshire
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe FINAL book in the addictive, best-selling "More Heat Than The Sun" M/M Thriller seriesBen and Nikolas know that if they were to compare recollections of their life together, they’d remember things very differently. Ben never asks about their time together in the Department, because he doesn’t want to hear Nikolas lie... -
Backdraft by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE When a 911 call goes wrong and a young man goes missing, it falls to Malcolm and Seong-Jae to investigate the responding officers when Internal Affairs' internal politics leave the case compromised and the officers aren't willing to talk... -
Death's Ink-Black Shadow by John Wiltshire
It takes a certain kind of courage to live as if favoured by the gods, ignoring the ever-present ghosts of your past—or perhaps not bravery, but arrogance. And maybe not even that. Ben genuinely believes that the past is behind them—that they deserve to enjoy the life they have created. So it’s not hubris that leads him to overlook the signs that Nikolas does not share his faith, it’s love... -
Finder, Vol. 1: Target in the Finder by Ayano Yamane
During a routine journalism assignment, Akihito Takara is captured by the mysterious Asami, a powerful leader in Japan's underworld society... -
No Beginning, No End by Richard Rider
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 18 ratings“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... -
Prepared by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBook 6 • Family • Humor • Action • Bachelor Party Fun It’s time for the happily ever after Gray and Darius have fought so hard for…once they get out of this darn jungle in Belize. “You have to understand, I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I said goodbye to everyone in my head.” Three years ago, Gray Nolan lost all hope of ever seeing his friends and family again... -
17 Black and 29 Red by Richard Rider
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 19 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... -
-
Savior Complex by Kelly Fox
Love isn't something I get to wish for. Ten years ago, my nephew was sold to traffickers, and it was my fault. I spent the next decade doggedly searching for him in the most awful places imaginable, unable to stop until I knew he was safe.I finally track him down to Wild Heart Ranch, an equine therapy center in the heart of Texas with a secret mission to help victims of trafficking...Categorized as:
age difference forced proximity suspense queer m-m mystery hurt-comfort contemporary -
Enemy Combatant by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe Renegades #2 • Romantic Suspense • Stockholm Syndrome • Hurt Comfort • Action • MM“The best intelligence is the knowledge that your enemy doesn’t know you have.”Crew Finlay’s ego had taken a hit or two. He couldn’t lie. As a Marine, he’d been one of the best. As a private military contractor, he’d…messed up a bit. Or failed spectacularly. Whatever...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love age difference forced proximity queer m-m military mystery -
The Golden Ratio by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe boys are back, and an old face from Seong-Jae’s past plunges BPD Detectives Malcolm Khalaji and Seong-Jae Yoon from a two-month suspension right into the depths of hell — and into one of the most horrific, grisly cases of Malcolm’s life. He's never seen anything like it... -
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.. -
Devil by Silvia Violet
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsA Dark Mafia Romance Devil is a mobster with a dangerous secret... There's a cop who hates him. A cop he caught and released. A cop he can't get out of his mind after the one forbidden night they shared... -
Dragon by K. Webster
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 12 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... -
Divine Proportion by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWhile Captain Anjulie Zarate y Salazar faces a crisis of loyalty at home, Malcolm Khalaji faces another crisis in Los Angeles—one that will test him to his absolute limits.And that crisis is named Yoon Eun-Ji... -
Deep Spiral by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 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... -
Hard Angle by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsUnsettled tensions from the last case come to a head as Seong-Jae reveals his secrets — but will it be enough to repair the fractures in his relationship with Malcolm?Especially when their only promising lead on the Golden Ratio Killer's identity falls apart, along with any hope of returning home to Baltimore and to their life together.When their primary suspect turns up dead..... -
Savage by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank
Who are we? Nobody really knows. We’re the seven most powerful heirs to empires, ruling Manhattan from our thrones on Park Avenue. By day, we’re the elite, untouchable, and more connected than you could ever imagine. By night, we revel in the darkness of our secrets, pulling strings that make the city bow to our whims.Ruthless.Dangerous.We’re the Park Avenue Kings...Categorized as:
queer suspense age difference forced proximity m-m found-family contemporary dual-pov -
-
Black and Brown by A.E. Via
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGrace’s composed, yet lethal disposition balances his partner Mirage’s impulsive nature, creating a duo—the second-generation Brown Ravens—with the potential for greatness. Grace was one of the most decorated sharpshooters in the Marines. He’s fiercely committed to righting the wrongs that plague the world and protecting the innocent... -
It's Witchcraft by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE An eerie ritualistic murder sends Malcolm and Seong-Jae down a bizarre path of the occult to find a killer--but when it comes to witchcraft, the suspect's not the only one casting a spell. With Seong-Jae haunting his dreams, Malcolm is practically bewitched, his trust in Seong-Jae growing deeper and deeper as both men learn to rely on each other... -
The Hatter's Game, Part I by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE Broken trust. Shattered hearts. Secrets exposed--and yet still no closer to the truth. When Malcolm and Seong-Jae's relationship hits a wall, their partnership fragments as well...and they may not be able to withstand the crushing tide when protests over Tomasz Kowalczyk's death turn into deadly riots. Too many familiar faces return, and one will be leaving in a bodybag... -
Crescendo by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE "I'm sorry." A stage play turns into high drama when the leading man's mutilated body takes center stage--and the remorseful note pinned to his chest is Malcolm and Seong-Jae's only clue to finding the killer... -
Kiss Your Scars by Avril Ashton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBeing the king of Atlanta’s underworld used to have its perks, but lately all undercover agent Renzo Vega has seen is the downside. Someone is auctioning off women in his city, and he’s damn sure not about to let that offense stand. Just as he’s set to make a move, Renzo’s club is ambushed and he’s shot. Unsure of who to trust, he turns to the one man he definitely knows wants him dead...Categorized as:
from hate to love suspense age difference queer m-m multicultural angst contemporary -
The Man with the Glass Eye by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE Multiple execution-style murders hint at a mob hit, but when Malcolm and Seong-Jae follow the clues the last thing they expect is a host of very familiar--and very dead--faces. They say dead men tell no tales, but if Malcolm and Seong-Jae can't even trust the words of the living, they'll never catch a hit man dead set on burying every trace of an underworld secret.. -
Custody Battles by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSome 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... -
Stalked But Not Afraid by Nicole Dykes
RomanHe’s an influencer—whatever that means. He’s also stunningly beautiful with a feisty attitude I can’t deny intrigues me.But more importantly, he’s in trouble.I’m not like my brother. Except for being a cop, I don’t strive to save the entire world.However, I find myself compelled to save him.If he’ll calm down and just let me.BrooksHe’s everything I despise. He’s a cop... -
Matchstick Men by Adira August
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsSometimes it's the cop who needs to hit the floor... Haunted by the worst case of my career, I knew only one way to exorcise the images from my mind, the victim from my soul ... Inside the club, I scanned the room. He was here—Camden Snow—a sex god in the guise of unpretentious youth... -
Collateral Damage by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE Tragedy strikes on the homefront when a husband and father snaps...but if Detectives Malcolm Khalaji and Seong-Jae Yoon can't track down a killer on the run, this crime of passion may take one more victim. Moral boundaries blur, lines cross, and even as a secretive puppetmaster watches from the shadows, both Malcolm and Seong-Jae must make a choice. One path leads to salvation... -
-
The Interrogation (Hunt&Cam4Ever) by Adira August
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHunter’s most twisted killer. Cam’s most dangerous case.A STAND-ALONE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERIf you like a master gamesman for a detective and a few twists in your criminal cocktail, you want to read this... -
Hook by Gianni Holmes
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsKITDodging bullets and jumping from two story buildings are things I’d only ever seen in movies.Never would I have expected that this would become my life.I keep deadly secrets for the man I love.I’ll follow him across countries to have his back.Why am I willing to risk everything for him?Because of the look in his eyes when I purr for him.SULLYWorking with Kit is my greatest joy... -
Changing Faces by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE With Malcolm on forced bed rest and off duty, Detective Seong-Jae Yoon faces his first solo case since joining the BPD--and it's one that will challenge his morals, his sense of duty, and his insistence on adhering to the letter of the law, especially when his actions in the Bishop case leave him questioning his own integrity... -
Cruel Betrayal by Elira Firethorn
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBeing in their enemy's inner circle has never been easier for Elliot, Rhett, and Oliver. Not only have they earned Ludo's trust, but Wren's friendship with Aubrey has turned out to be more beneficial than they ever could've predicted.Still, there's no room for celebration. Not when the constant threat of something happening to Rhett's brothers is looming over everyone's heads... -
King's Virtuous Son by Ki Brightly
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe “Innocent” Twin Hunter Tanner is a prospect for the Kings of Men MC. The club president, King, shocked Hunter with the news that he is Hunter’s biological father. King was the only man who had ever kept Hunter safe, and he’d taken King’s attention the wrong way—only to be devastated to learn they were related. Now he’s pissed off...Categorized as:
age difference forced proximity from hate to love queer m-m bikers mafia contemporary -
Rogue Launch by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe Renegades #1 Romantic Suspense Enemies to Lovers Action MM“We will find you, darling. Stay strong. We will find you.”This was exactly what Elliott Jones needed. A nice barbecue with family and friends. The moving trucks were parked outside his new ranch, and he was ready to start fresh. Again. Despite the regrets he lived with, he tried to focus on the good things in life...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love forced proximity queer age difference military m-m mystery
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences

Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.