Books like 'Illicit Desires'
Readers who enjoyed Illicit Desires by Ashley James also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance gay romance cheating friends to lovers queer-awakening angst new adult bad boys college
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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... -
![Wolves vs. Hearts by Anna Green]()
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... -
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![If There's a Way by Jessie Walker]()
If There's a Way by Jessie Walker
He was all I ever needed. Desperate. Shattered. Lost.I was a shell of who I once was.Until him...I was a fool to come back to Shiloh.An even bigger fool to stay.But when it comes to Waylon McAllister, I never stood a chance.He's damaged. Reckless. Toxic.A walking, talking grenade to my heart.But no matter how hard I try, I can't shake him... -
![A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur]()
A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur
Rated: 4.81 of 5 stars · 15 ratings“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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![This Other Country by John Wiltshire]()
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'... -
![Max and Frankie by Elizabeth Dear]()
Max and Frankie by Elizabeth Dear
One cold December night, I let myself enjoy a beautiful stranger I’d met in the cage at my Family’s seedy fight club. Afterwards, I kissed him goodbye and sent him away, content to cling to memories of the out-of-towner who’d pleased me so thoroughly. Except that beautiful butterfly wasn’t who he claimed to be, and our lives would soon intertwine in a much more permanent way... -
![Dissent: A Charity Romance Anthology by Brighton Walsh, Kennedy Fox]()
Dissent: A Charity Romance Anthology by Brighton Walsh, Kennedy Fox
For National Read a Book day, DISSENT is available in eBook and paperback!DISSENT is a charity romance anthology with NEW, never before published content from over 150 authors of all romance genres. All proceeds from the eBook and paperbacks will be donated to organizations benefiting reproductive rights in the United States, particularly in areas where people need them more than ever... -
![Anti-Hero by Kelly Fox]()
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:
friends to lovers queer found-family m-m height-difference suspense age difference humor -
![Home by Cara Dee]()
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... -
![Domesticated Beast by Onley James]()
Domesticated Beast by Onley James
JAVIER DE LA FUENTE is a criminal, an ex-con with a long line of offenses, atoning for his sins by rescuing abused animals and advocating for child victims. But that doesn’t mean he’s a saint. Javier learned years ago that what’s right and what’s legal aren’t always the same thing. BOWIE BAKER is a ballet dancer, a soloist doing his best to get ahead in his LA dance company... -
![Possessive Park Avenue Prince by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank]()
Possessive Park Avenue Prince by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank
Who are we? Like you even need to ask. We’re the seven richer-than-sin legacies causing debauchery at the prestigious Astor University in Manhattan.Some call us spoiled.Some call us trouble.But everyone calls us the Park Avenue Princes.Daire Connery“The Bad Boy”I’m not a man of many words. But when I do speak, it usually starts with F and ends with you.Keep to myself. Don’t let anyone in... -
![Seduction by Cassie Hargrove, Story Brooks]()
Seduction by Cassie Hargrove, Story Brooks
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsᴀ ʟᴇꜱꜱ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ʜᴀꜱ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴀᴅʟʏ ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴇᴅᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ…The Deadly Seven were something I never could have prepared for. They came into my life like a silent stalker, claiming my heart and body, and I gave into them willingly. I love those seven broken souls, but even love has it’s limits... -
![Crossing Arizona by Bree Wiley]()
Crossing Arizona by Bree Wiley
He was my home when I had nowhere else to go.XedMatty's the only person who ever mattered to me. Since we were seven years old, he's been my rock, my anchor, and the light guiding me to safety when the world got too dark.Then Hannah was born, and she became the glue holding us in place. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours—a life we built with our together... -
![The Air That I Breathe by Cara Dee]()
The Air That I Breathe by Cara Dee
The Game Series, Book 3.5 “In that moment, I stopped caring about right and wrong.” The only thing that stood between us were the boundaries set by others, by society, by our parents. But together we could knock them down. Together, we could find freedom and live life on our own terms. Screw the rest of the world. He was all that mattered. He was the air that I breathed... -
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![Anti-Valentine by T. Ashleigh, Ashlyn Drewek]()
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... -
![The Bright and Hungry Future of Hawks by John Wiltshire]()
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]()
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... -
![Fracture by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
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... -
![Cult of Personality by Cole McCade]()
Cult of Personality by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE "He pushed me." Three words turn a suspected suicide into an unsettling murder, pointing to a killer whose methods and motives threaten to expose buried memories of Seong-Jae's past... -
![Bitter Legacy by Dal Maclean]()
Bitter Legacy by Dal Maclean
Detective Sergeant James Henderson of London's Metropolitan Police Murder Investigation Team is no ordinary police officer. His remarkable gut instincts and relentless detective work have put him on a three-year fast track to becoming an inspector... -
![Olive Juice by T.J. Klune]()
Olive Juice by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 15 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... -
![Triangulation by Gregory Ashe]()
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... -
![The Devil Inside by Nicky James]()
The Devil Inside by Nicky James
Their love was innocent and pure… Until they were forced to believe differently. Until they were brutally schooled on the “right” way to love.Oakland is not gay. Jameson is not gay.Being gay is wrong. It is immoral. It is a sickness they must fight. It is the devil inside that needs to be purged.At least that’s what they’ve been conditioned to believe...Categorized as:
angst friends to lovers cheating other-man-woman queer hurt-comfort contemporary lgbtqia hate -
![Pretty Black by J.R. Gray]()
Pretty Black by J.R. Gray
Iris Black: There are moments in music when the crowd becomes part of the song and we all lose ourselves to the energy. I wanted to drown myself in the music. It became my escape and my savior. I thought success was what I wanted, but it only intensified my misery. Fame is a monster, and it ate me alive. I tried it all to get out of my head: sex, drugs, and rock and roll... -
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![Haven by K.A. Merikan]()
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... -
![17 Black and 29 Red by Richard Rider]()
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... -
![Strays by Garrett Leigh]()
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... -
![The Tin Box by Kim Fielding]()
The Tin Box by Kim Fielding
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWilliam 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... -
![WTF: Special Edition Paperback by Cambria Hebert]()
WTF: Special Edition Paperback by Cambria Hebert
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsI don’t do commitment. And though I swing both ways, I don’t do men either.It’s too messy, too stressful, and just asking for trouble.I’d rather shine bright like the sun than drown in the rain, so I adopt a pounce-and-bounce lifestyle for which my sparkling charm keeps me from being hated.When I show up in Sweden for a semester abroad, I expect a roomie. What I don’t expect is Lars... -
![Crashing Hearts by K.A. Knight]()
Crashing Hearts by K.A. Knight
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPine Valley is a school that’s both rich in history and legacy, and it’s once more opening its doors to another year of students.Skylar Warren owns the streets of Pine Valley and everybody in it. From cars to people, there is nothing he wants that he can’t get—until now... -
![Savage by Caitlyn Dare]()
Savage by Caitlyn Dare
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA new dark romance from the bestselling author of the Rebels at Sterling Prep series.No one knows the code of the Sinners MC better than me.Born and raised in the club, I’ve spent most of my life rebelling against my daddy’s strict rules and overprotective nature.When an old MC rivalry resurfaces, I find myself with not one, but two surly biker babysitters...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers bad boys queer reverse harem high-school dark contemporary -
![Forgive Me Father by Garrett Leigh]()
Forgive Me Father by Garrett Leigh
Expect: a sizzling hurt/comfort MM romance with a damaged chaplain and a dark-souled enforcer with a tender-hearted secret.“I gave my darkest secrets to a man who doesn’t exist.”Embry"...you don’t understand.”Mateo lowered himself to sit, still vibrating with the need to fix me, the way he always did. “Then tell me. Explain it like I’m the simplest idiot you’ve ever met.”I can’t... -
![Garron Park: Special Edition by Nordika Night]()
Garron Park: Special Edition by Nordika Night
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 34 ratings*This is the same book with the same content as Garron Park [the original] but with special edition formatting and illustrated cover.*Garron Park, where hope dies and no one ever gets ahead. Until… When Devon Sawyer desperately searches for his brother in the middle of the night, beaten and broken, he finds Maddox Kane instead... -
![Torch by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Torch by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Nine months ago, Rowan Ward thought he had it all. Now he's fighting to pull his shredded life together, buried in work and battling the kind of grief that destroys a man's soul. When fires spring up around Cincinnati threatening Rowe's friends and clients, he's thrilled to find his old Army buddy, Noah Keegan in town... -
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![Custody Battles by Gregory Ashe]()
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... -
![Chip's Forever Daddy by Sammi Cee]()
Chip's Forever Daddy by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsChip’s had a good example of a Daddy—and the absolute worst. Ollie’s determined to give him the best…forever. If Chip didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all. All he’s ever wanted is a man to see him, truly hear him, and love him. Ollie is the definition of protective, with the muscle to back it up...Categorized as:
queer found-family friends to lovers new adult m-m contemporary age difference daddy-kink -
![Midnight Target by Elle Kennedy]()
Midnight Target by Elle Kennedy
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Score and Midnight Revenge... Four years ago, Cate’s entire life changed when she discovered she was the daughter of a supersoldier. But Jim Morgan’s overprotectiveness has pushed her away. These days, she’s working as a freelance photographer and living the dangerous life Jim never wanted for her... -
![Stalked But Not Afraid by Nicole Dykes]()
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...Categorized as:
angst queer found-family m-m from hate to love suspense forced proximity contemporary -
![Reigniting Chase by Jeanne St. James]()
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... ChaseAfter 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... -
![Matchstick Men by Adira August]()
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... -
![Shattered Pieces by K.M. Neuhold]()
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:
friends to lovers queer m-m contemporary tearjerkers tortured hero dark length-short -
![How Much for a Broken Heart? by R.J. Scott]()
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...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer-awakening angst queer hurt-comfort suspense m-m grumpy sunshine -
![Unquiet by Melanie Hansen]()
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... -
![Deliverance by Garrett Leigh]()
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... -
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![Surviving the Merge by C.P. Harris]()
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... -
![Salvation by Cassie Hargrove, Story Brooks]()
Salvation by Cassie Hargrove, Story Brooks
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsIt started with an Obsession… We knew from the moment we saw her that she would be ours, and we used all of our means of Seduction to prove it to her... However, with our way of life comes trouble. It didn’t matter how much Devotion we had, it wasn’t enough to keep her safe, and now we’re here. We’re fighting for our lives and everything we never knew we’d have... -
![Remember Me by Avril Ashton]()
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... -
![Vine by Fearne Hill]()
Vine by Fearne Hill
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCaspian Pumkin-Watts is at the end of his rope. Miserably divorced and facing a career crossroads, when he’s offered a chance to spend nine months filming a reality TV show on a French holiday island, he grabs it with both hands. There are only two problems. His co-star is his ex-husband, and the producer is Caspian’s replacement in his ex-husband’s bed... -
![Lost in a Moment by Nicky James]()
Lost in a Moment by Nicky James
When the only person Grayson has to lean on is his straight best friend, what could go wrong? After a horrific accident and an amputation, Grayson isn’t sure where to turn. Not only is he an emotional wreck, but his problems seem to be getting worse, not better. When his childhood best friend insists he come and stay with him for a while, Grayson isn’t sure how to feel...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst queer queer-awakening m-m mental illness contemporary bisexual -
![Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen]()
Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSuccessful lawyer Jeremy Speer has it all—a loving husband, a beautiful home, and a cherished dream that’s about to become reality. He’s learned not to take happiness for granted, meeting the challenges of life and love head-on with unwavering commitment and fierce devotion. A series of tragic events leave Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain...
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