Books like 'Warning! Deep Water'
Readers who enjoyed Warning! Deep Water by A.L. Lester also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical gay romance age difference friends to lovers military queer 20th century
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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... -
![Into Deep Waters by Kaje Harper]()
Into Deep Waters by Kaje Harper
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsFor Jacob and Daniel, two young gay men aboard a Navy ship in WWII, the risks were high. Not just the risks of injury and death from Japanese planes and submarines, but the risk of discovery, of discharge, imprisonment or worse. Only a special kind of love was worth taking that chance. But from the moment Daniel met Jacob's eyes across a battle-scarred deck, he knew he had to try... -
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![Eryx: A Spartan Tale by Jaclyn Osborn]()
Eryx: A Spartan Tale by Jaclyn Osborn
My father once told me, above all else... Live and die for Sparta. Honor. Loyalty. Duty. These were the things that mattered most. And then Axios came into my life, teaching me other lessons: humility, brotherhood... love. There were moments when the brutal training stripped me of my humanity, where it turned me into a mindless beast of flesh and muscle set to destroy everything in my way...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer historical m-m angst length-long audiobook explicit-plentiful -
![Whistling in the Dark by Tamara Allen]()
Whistling in the Dark by Tamara Allen
New York City, 1919. His career as a concert pianist ended by a war injury, Sutton Albright returns to college, only to be expelled after a scandalous affair with a teacher. Unable to face his family, Sutton heads to Manhattan with no plans and little money in his pocket but with a desire to call his life his own... -
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![Chain Reaction by Nicole Edwards]()
Chain Reaction by Nicole Edwards
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Nicole Edwards comes the tenth installment in her Brantley Off the Books series.During the two years since they created the Off the Books Task Force, Brantley Walker and Reese Tavoularis have had their share of difficult cases, but their next one hits close to home. Too close... -
![The Bequest by Joanna Chambers]()
The Bequest by Joanna Chambers
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDavid Lauriston and Lord Murdo Balfour have been living happily together for three years at the Laverock estate in Perthshire. But when some unexpected news arrives, Murdo must confront old demons he thought he’d put behind him forever. This story will be exclusively available to my newsletter... -
![Skybound by Aleksandr Voinov]()
Skybound by Aleksandr Voinov
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsGermany, 1945. The Third Reich is on its knees as Allied forces bomb Berlin to break the last resistance. Yet on an airfield near Berlin, the battle is far from over for a young mechanic, Felix, who’s attached to a squadron of fighter pilots. He’s especially attached to fighter ace Baldur Vogt, a man he admires and secretly loves... -
![Only You by Leta Blake]()
Only You by Leta Blake
Join Peter Mandel on his final steps to love in Only You, the highly-anticipated final book of Leta Blake's ’90s Coming of Age series.Despite the lingering wounds of his past relationship, Peter is ready to take a chance on finding a faithful love and embracing his true self.Peter and Daniel explore their connection despite Daniel's complicated home life...Categorized as:
friends to lovers 20th century queer m-m new adult second chances contemporary angst -
![Hallum by Casey Morales]()
Hallum by Casey Morales
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaptured or Killed? Only the War knows.Will Shaw and his friends are typical college students, enjoying dances and parties without much care for life beyond.When Thomas, a handsome Naval officer and newly arrived student, nearly stumbles into Will and his friends, Will's heart spins, though he doesn't understand why... -
![Code Name: Crimson by Casey Morales]()
Code Name: Crimson by Casey Morales
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWill Shaw and his friends are typical college students, enjoying dances and parties without much care for life beyond. When Thomas, a handsome Naval officer and newly arrived student, nearly stumbles into Will and his friends, Will's heart spins, though he doesn't understand why. Sparks of something new burst within, opening his eyes to possibilities he'd never dreamed... -
![Crimson by Casey Morales]()
Crimson by Casey Morales
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 11 ratings(Alternate cover edition of ASIN B0CHHBZJ6C.) What if two Ivy League boys were dropped into a James Bond movie? Harvard University, 1941 Will Shaw and his friends are typical American students, still celebrating the end of the Depression and dreaming about a future filled with success. The war in Europe is far away and someone else's concern. Until it isn't... -
![Hammer & Powder by Megan Derr]()
Hammer & Powder by Megan Derr
The Kingdom of Rinaha is all that stands between the violent, greedy Boorna and the rest of the continent, and they do so by way of their immense and heavily guarded Wall of Gamala, an enormous undertaking that runs the length of the southern end of the continent, standing strong for more than two hundred years... -
![After Hours at Dooryard Books by Cat Sebastian]()
After Hours at Dooryard Books by Cat Sebastian
1968 New York CityNews about the war might be keeping Patrick up at night--news in general might be keeping Patrick up at night--but he's doing fine. He's sure of it. He gets to spend his days selling books in the gayest neighborhood on the East Coast and his nights merrily sleeping his way through the rare book community... -
![The Charioteer by Mary Renault]()
The Charioteer by Mary Renault
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsAfter enduring an injury at Dunkirk during World War II, Laurie Odell is sent to a rural veterans’ hospital in England to convalesce. There he befriends the young, bright Andrew, a conscientious objector serving as an orderly. As they find solace and companionship together in the idyllic surroundings of the hospital, their friendship blooms into a discreet, chaste romance... -
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![Midnight Flit by Elin Gregory]()
Midnight Flit by Elin Gregory
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMiles Siward and Briers Allerdale return for another thrilling Jazz Age adventure.“Silk stockings on expenses.” Miles’s aristocratic mother has information of importance to the British Government and he must escort her home from Bucharest immediately, but their plans go violently awry and Miles and Lady Siward find themselves on a train to Belgrade - where Miles’s lover is posted... -
![Deck the Halls in Secret Agents by Aster Glenn Gray]()
Deck the Halls in Secret Agents by Aster Glenn Gray
Christmas Eve, 1991. The Soviet Union is on the rocks, and so is George Douglass's career in espionage. Nonetheless, the American agent is wading through a blizzard on one last mission.But when George emerges from the snow at a supposedly abandoned chateau, it's lit up like a Christmas tree... -
![Jaxon by Ruby Raynes]()
Jaxon by Ruby Raynes
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAlex: My life is going fine. Okay, it was going fine until I found myself both homeless—my trusty car Trixie on her last leg—and in need of a fake fiancé. What I don't expect is for Jaxon, my long-time crush and the owner of Ink Me, to come swooping in like a knight in shining armor... -
![Now and Then by William Corlett]()
Now and Then by William Corlett
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsNow. Christopher Metcalfe returns to his family home in Kent after the death of his father. Sorting through a box of memorabilia from his days at public school, Chris is suddenly confronted by the face that has haunted him for thirty years... -
![Separate Rooms by Pier Vittorio Tondelli]()
Separate Rooms by Pier Vittorio Tondelli
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsSoon to be a major film adaptation by Luca Guadagnino, Separate Rooms is a masterpiece of Italian literature, and a heartbreaking portrait of love, grief, and the daily realities of being a gay man in 1980s Europe.Thomas, a young German musician, is dying. His older boyfriend, a renowned Italian writer named Leo, finds it impossible to watch the slow and inevitable demise of his lover... -
![The Last Kiss by Sally Malcolm]()
The Last Kiss by Sally Malcolm
A tender and triumphant story of forbidden love in the aftermath of warWhen Captain Ashleigh Arthur Dalton went to war in 1914, he never expected to fall in love. Yet over three long years at the front, his dashing batman, Private West, became his reason for fighting—and his reason for living.But Ash’s war ends in catastrophe...Categorized as:
military friends to lovers queer 20th century m-m historical disabilities and marks angst -
![The Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon]()
The Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon
Diana Gabaldon, bestselling author of the acclaimed Outlander series, weaves an engrossing tale of war, history, and suspense in this original novella—available exclusively as an eBook—featuring returning hero Lord John Grey. London, 1759. After a high society electric-eel party leads to a duel that ends badly, Lord John Grey feels the need to lie low for a while... -
![When Skies Have Fallen by Debbie McGowan]()
When Skies Have Fallen by Debbie McGowan
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsFor 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... -
![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:
military queer historical m-m secret-relationship length-medium open-door disabilities and marks -
![Walking Wounded by Lauren Gilley]()
Walking Wounded by Lauren Gilley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLuke always thought he’d grow up to be a famous author. He also thought nothing could ever damage his relationship with his childhood best friend, Hal. He thought a lot of things that proved to be untrue. Now he barely makes rent and proofreads articles at a New York gossip rag, dreaming about what-might-have-been. He’s not bitter about it. He’s not. And he certainly isn’t lonely... -
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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 age difference m-m historical f-f disabilities and marks found-family length-medium -
![Sweet Honesty by Joan Vassar]()
Sweet Honesty by Joan Vassar
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsAtlanta, Georgia, 1950–Michael can’t believe his eyes as he watches the man he loves marry a woman from the back row of Mount Zion Baptist Church. When the beautiful couple is pronounced man and wife, he leaves his home in Georgia for the chance of a better life in New York City.Alexander is just trying to exist in Queens, New York... -
![Middle Ground by Ursula Zilinsky]()
Middle Ground by Ursula Zilinsky
Two males meet in a Nazi labour camp: half-Jewish teenager Tyl von Pankow, saved from the gas-chambers by the influence of his Prussian grandfather, and Johannes von Svestrom, war-wounded veteran of the Afrika Korps, now sentenced by Hitler to a terrible command... -
![The Last of the Wine by Mary Renault]()
The Last of the Wine by Mary Renault
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsIn The Last of the Wine, two young Athenians, Alexias and Lysis, compete in the palaestra, journey to the Olympic games, fight in the wars against Sparta, and study under Socrates. As their relationship develops, Renault expertly conveys Greek culture, showing the impact of this supreme philosopher whose influence spans epochs... -
![By The Currawong's Call by Welton B. Marsland]()
By The Currawong's Call by Welton B. Marsland
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA small town, a new arrival, and a love that is as undeniable as it is unlawful... Victoria, Australia, 1891 Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw receives his first posting in tiny Dinbratten, two days’ ride from his Melbourne home... -
![Putting on the Ritz by Joe Keenan]()
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![The General and the Horse-Lord by Sarah Black]()
The General and the Horse-Lord by Sarah Black
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 11 ratings2nd Edition The General and the Horse-Lord: Book One General John Mitchel and his favorite pilot, Gabriel Sanchez, served together as comrades and brothers-in-arms for more than twenty-five years. They followed the warrior’s path: honor first, and service, and the safety of the tribe. Their own needs for love and companionship were secondary to the mission... -
![One More Soldier by Marie Sexton]()
One More Soldier by Marie Sexton
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIt is 1963. Being gay is a sin against God. And twenty-eight year old mechanic Will meets Bran for the first time. Over the years a close bond forms between them despite the seventeen year age difference. Will teaches Bran to swim and helps him with homework. The years pass, Bran drops out of school and moves away. Then Bran comes home...Categorized as:
friends to lovers military queer contemporary tearjerkers historical m-m north-america -
![He's Come Undone: A Romance Anthology by Adriana Herrera, Emma Barry]()
He's Come Undone: A Romance Anthology by Adriana Herrera, Emma Barry
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor him, control is everything...until it shatters, and now he's come undone."Appasionata" by Emma BarryPiano technician Brennan Connelly lives to control details: the tension on a piano string or the compression of hammer felt. But he's never faced demands like those heaped on him by Kristy Kwong, the diva who's haunted his dreams for two decades...Categorized as:
20th century friends to lovers queer contemporary anthologies historical m-m forced proximity -
![Rebel by Sally Malcolm]()
Rebel by Sally Malcolm
Falling in love is just the beginning...Samuel Hutchinson has lived his whole life in Rosemont, Rhode Island. And as far as he’s concerned, his future is fixed: complete his legal training, marry a respectable woman, and settle down to raise a family.But Sam never counted on meeting Nathaniel Tanner... -
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![Eleventh Hour by Elin Gregory]()
Eleventh Hour by Elin Gregory
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBorrowed from the Secret Intelligence Service cipher department to assist Briers Allerdale - a field agent returning to 1920s London with news of a dangerous anarchist plot - Miles Siward moves into a 'couples only' boarding house, posing as Allerdale’s 'wife'... -
![Counterpoint: Dylan's Story by Ruth Sims]()
Counterpoint: Dylan's Story by Ruth Sims
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAt eighteen Dylan Rutledge has one music. He believes his destiny is to be the greatest composer of the rapidly approaching twentieth century. Only Laurence Northcliff, a young history master at The Venerable Bede School for Young Gentlemen, believes in Dylan’s talent and encourages his dream, not realizing Dylan is in love with him... -
![Gemini by Michel Tournier]()
Gemini by Michel Tournier
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJean and Paul are identical twins. Outsiders, even their parents, cannot tell them apart, and call them Jean-Paul. The mysterious bond between them excludes all others; they speak their own language; they are one perfectly harmonious unit; they are, in all innocence, lovers.For Paul, this unity is paradise, but as they grow up Jean rebels against it... -
![The Flight of the Heron by D.K. Broster]()
The Flight of the Heron by D.K. Broster
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA young Highlander leaves his home and his bride-to-be to follow the standard of Bonnie Prince Charlie... -
![On Wings of Song by Anne Barwell]()
On Wings of Song by Anne Barwell
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA chance meeting they never forgot. Six years after meeting British soldier Aiden Foster during the Christmas Truce of 1914, Jochen Weber still finds himself thinking about Aiden, their shared conversation about literature, and Aiden’s beautiful singing voice. A visit to London gives Jochen the opportunity to search for Aiden, but he’s shocked at what he finds... -
![The Door Behind Us by John C. Houser]()
The Door Behind Us by John C. Houser
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsIt’s 1919, and Frank Huddleston has survived the battlefields of the Great War. A serious head injury has left him with amnesia so profound he must re-learn his name every morning from a note posted on the privy door. Gerald “Jersey" Rohn, joined the Army because he wanted to feel like a man, but he returned from the trenches minus a leg and with no goal for his life... -
![Man's World by Rupert Smith]()
Man's World by Rupert Smith
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsContrasting today’s blogs with diaries of the past, this novel follows two parallel narratives that are 50 years apart and vastly different, at least at first appearance. In modern-day London, Robert searches for fulfillment in a world of sex, drugs, designer clothes, and hip gay clubs, during which he records his experience on his blog... -
![Duty to the Crown by Rebecca Cohen]()
Duty to the Crown by Rebecca Cohen
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSebastian and Anthony will do their duty, but they will do everything not to sacrifice their love.Sebastian Hewel endures many things to maintain his role of Bronwyn, the wife of Anthony Redbourn, Earl of Crofton, so he and Anthony can be together. But when Queen Elizabeth demands a favour of Anthony, Sebastian’s world is in danger of being fractured beyond repair... -
![Comfort and Joy by Jim Grimsley]()
Comfort and Joy by Jim Grimsley
Rated: 3.97 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsFord McKinney leads a charmed life: he's a young doctor possessing good looks, good breeding, and money. He comes from an old Savannah family where his parents, attentive to his future, focus their energies on finding their son--their golden boy--a girl to marry... -
![The Impetuous Afflictions of Jonathan Wolfe by Charlie Cochet]()
The Impetuous Afflictions of Jonathan Wolfe by Charlie Cochet
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsEight years after leaving the deserts of Africa and the French Foreign Legion behind, Jonathan Wolfe has settled into life at Hawthorne Manor in the English countryside. Johnnie helps his adopted family run the manor and provide a safe, loving home for a new generation of “brats”: boys mistreated and discarded for their homosexuality—something all too familiar to Johnnie... -
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![The Larks Still Bravely Singing by Aster Glenn Gray]()
The Larks Still Bravely Singing by Aster Glenn Gray
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Great War cost Robert his left leg and his first love.A shattering breakup leaves Robert convinced that he is a destructive force in romantic relationships. When he finds himself falling in love with David, an old friend from boarding school, he's sure that he shouldn’t confess his feelings... -
![Unmentionables by David Greene]()
Unmentionables by David Greene
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWinner Book of the Year bronze medal for Gay literary fiction.Unmentionables is the story of two pairs of lovers in the American Civil War south. One couple is straight, white and wealthy. The other couple is gay, black and enslaved. Field hand Jimmy meets Cato, a house servant from a nearby plantation. Over time, Jimmy's fascination with Cato grows into romantic love... -
![Unmentionables by David Greene]()
Unmentionables by David Greene
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsUnmentionables is the story of two pairs of lovers in the Civil War south. One couple is straight, white and wealthy. The other couple is gay, black and enslaved. Jimmy, a field hand, meets Cato, a house servant from a nearby plantation... -
![On a Lee Shore by Elin Gregory]()
On a Lee Shore by Elin Gregory
Rated: 3.97 of 5 stars · 12 ratings“Give me a reason to let you live…” Beached after losing his ship and crew, and with England finally at peace, Lt Christopher Penrose will take whatever work he can get. A valet? Why not? Escorting an elderly diplomat to the Leeward Islands seems like an easy job, but when their ship is boarded by pirates, Kit’s world is turned upside down... -
![Untethered by R.A. Thorn]()
Untethered by R.A. Thorn
Determined to help the war effort, Frankie Norris joins the US Air Force in 1943. Braving intimidating drill sergeants and unending marches, Frankie struggles to hide his secret—he’s queer. But having passed basic training, he’s not going to risk an undesirable discharge or any of his fellow recruits finding out... -
![The Brook Street Collection by Ava March]()
The Brook Street Collection by Ava March
Rated: 3.98 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLondon, 1822 Regency London—where polite manners and spotless reputations reign supreme. Yet behind the closed doors of three elegant town houses along Brook Street, passion and lust rule as gentlemen dare to risk scandal by falling in love… In Thief , a lord intent on his first decadent night with a man finds love when he picks up a thief in a gambling hall...
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