Books like 'Illuminate the Shadows'
Readers who enjoyed Illuminate the Shadows by Isobel Starling also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance mystery suspense hurt-comfort age difference angst queer queer-awakening alpha male
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Stars & Stripes by Abigail Roux
Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett have managed the impossible: a few months of peace and quiet. After nearly a year of personal and professional turmoil, they're living together conflict-free, work is going smoothly, and they're both happy, healthy, and home every night before dark. But anyone who knows them knows that can’t possibly last... -
![Fish & Chips by Abigail Roux]()
Fish & Chips by Abigail Roux
This romance is entering rough waters.After almost dying on their hiking trip, Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett have a moratorium on the word vacation. This makes it hard to discuss their newest case: an undercover operation aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean... -
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![Divide & Conquer by Abigail Roux]()
Divide & Conquer by Abigail Roux
The last place these men want to be is in the limelight. Law enforcement in Baltimore has a PR problem. Robberies, bombings, and violent crimes are on the rise. The public wants something done, and even the FBI is catching blame. When Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett accidentally become the handsome faces of the counter-offense, they find themselves the center of attention from the media... -
![The Grave Between Us by Tal Bauer]()
The Grave Between Us by Tal Bauer
It was just one moment.It was just one mistake.For years, men have been disappearing. A father in North Carolina. A boater in California. A hiker in Arkansas. And more, scattered across the United States. The FBI knows who’s responsible: a serial killer they caught, a man they sent young profiler Cole Kennedy to interrogate...Categorized as:
suspense age difference angst mystery hurt-comfort office men in uniform tortured hero -
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![The Bruise-Black Sky by John Wiltshire]()
The Bruise-Black Sky by John Wiltshire
Ben usually overlooks Nikolas's occasionally jarring dissonance. Not this time. A deep rift, a terrible lie, separates them. Eleven thousand miles from Nikolas, in New Zealand, it's bitter winter as Ben films the tragic story of a post-apocalyptic gladiator, a victim of his own personal darkness. But on receiving a death threat, Ben suspects the truth of actor Oliver Whitestone's suicide... -
![Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper]()
Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper
For homicide detective Mac, it's been a good year. Having Tony to go home to makes him a better cop and a better person. For Tony, it's been hard being in love with a man he can't touch in public. Evasions and outright lying to friends and family take a little of the shine off his relationship with Mac, but Tony is determined to make it work... -
![Enduring Night by John Wiltshire]()
Enduring Night by John Wiltshire
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Nikolas has always liked art. You'd have thought that Ben and Nikolas would have learnt that their romantic holidays inevitably end up as disasters. A short break on the polar ice sees them trapped in a nightmare of murder and deceit... -
![Off Course by Nicole Edwards]()
Off Course by Nicole Edwards
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Nicole Edwards comes the ninth installment in her Brantley Off the Books series. With wedding plans underway, Brantley Walker and Reese Tavoularis are attempting to create some balance between work and life. After a busy summer, they’ve finally slowed down enough to take a breather. At least until the hacker extraordinaire—a.k.a... -
![Castiel by Annabella Stone]()
Castiel by Annabella Stone
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat once was strong is broken.Can what was broken be repaired?Former SEAL and Operative for the US Government’s elite Red Squadron, Castiel Cunningham Clark has defied the odds more times than he can count. He learned the hard way how fickle fate can be and he’s made it his business to live his life at one speed and one speed only… full steam ahead. Except when it comes to one person... -
![Rebel by Reese Knightley]()
Rebel by Reese Knightley
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsOne man on a journey of redemption and the other out to prove himself.Cohen “Ace” Gray – Pegasus Commander.He’d buried one lover; he wasn’t going to take the chance of that ever happening again. Ace had his own demons to work on, but working closely with Jacob and having his friendship— despite their twenty-year age difference—had made life a bit easier... -
![Promises Part 3 by A.E. Via]()
Promises Part 3 by A.E. Via
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA bounty hunter’s partners to lovers’ story. The hunt is on… and he’s the prey. Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Though he was no longer a SEAL Lieutenant, his brother was home safe and he had a job that still allowed him to satisfy his hunger for hunting bad guys...Categorized as:
bisexual friends to lovers age difference military queer m-m contemporary length-short -
![Kairo's Billionaire by Jocelynn Drake]()
Kairo's Billionaire by Jocelynn Drake
Kidnapped.Someone of his skill should not have been kidnapped at all. Let alone so easily.But when Kairo Jones wakes up halfway around the world with a reclusive billionaire begging for his help, the mercenary knows he can’t say no.He also knows that he might be in over his head... -
![Forever by Kindle Alexander]()
Forever by Kindle Alexander
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsDr. Robert Adams grew up with more advantages than most, the son of a former vice president, he had two loving fathers, a twin sister he adores and wonderfully doting grandparents. Life is good until one afternoon when his dreams flat-line. And no scalpel can repair the guilt and grief he carries with him for the first time in his life... -
![Red Flagged by Elle Keaton]()
Red Flagged by Elle Keaton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsEx-US Marshal turned Cooper Springs Chief of Police, Andre Dear isn’t looking for love. He’s too busy hunting a killer. The last person Andre expected to see in Cooper Springs was Dante Castone. He left Dante and the rest of his old life behind him when he moved to Washington State and what he thought would be a quiet job in a small town by the ocean... -
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![Red Flagged: Reclaimed Hearts series book 3 by Elle Keaton]()
Red Flagged: Reclaimed Hearts series book 3 by Elle Keaton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsEx-US Marshal turned Cooper Springs Chief of Police, Andre Dear isn’t looking for love. He’s too busy hunting a killer. The last person Andre expected to see in Cooper Springs was Dante Castone. He left Dante and the rest of his old life behind him when he moved to Washington State and what he thought would be a quiet job in a small town by the ocean... -
![Obsessed by Sloane Kennedy]()
Obsessed by Sloane Kennedy
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsI wanted him from the moment I laid eyes on him and from that point on, the question wasn’t if I’d have him but when…Thirty-five-year-old Matias de la Vega is good at one thing and one thing only... -
![Thuggiana by Gregory Ashe]()
Thuggiana by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPics, or it didn’t happen.Thuggiana is a collection of short stories connected to The First Quarto. It includes the following:“The Slightest Folly”This prequel provides a glimpse into Auggie’s and Theo’s lives in high school. It takes place before They Told Me I Was Everything.“As School-Boys from Their Books”A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of They Told Me I Was Everything... -
![How Not to Break by Susan Hawke]()
How Not to Break by Susan Hawke
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsTake one former SEAL with a healthy dose of regret… Nick St. Cloud is living with shame from the one time he let his lust override his sense of honor. He’s haunted by the memory of when he made love to his best friend’s eighteen-year-old son. The tragic accident that happened that same night has only compounded his guilt... -
![Cross & Crown by Abigail Roux]()
Cross & Crown by Abigail Roux
When Nick O'Flaherty arrives at the scene of a double homicide to find he has a witness to the crime, he thinks it’s his lucky day. But when he realizes his witness is suffering from amnesia and can’t even remember his own name, Nick wishes he’d gone with his gut and put in for vacation time...Categorized as:
suspense alpha male men in uniform friends to lovers mystery military bisexual queer -
![The Final Line by Kendall McKenna]()
The Final Line by Kendall McKenna
Staff Sergeant Corey Yarwood is an instructor at the Basic Reconnaissance Course. His last deployment ended in horror, but he can’t remember those events. Battling severe PTSD, Corey’s drinking is growing out of control. Sean Chandler walks into a dive bar, and into Corey’s life...Categorized as:
alpha male friends to lovers suspense military angst hurt-comfort queer contemporary -
![Diamond in the Rough by Charlie Cochet]()
Diamond in the Rough by Charlie Cochet
When the cards are stacked against you, the Kings will even the odds. For Ward “King” Kingston the role of protector, forged by fire and tragedy, is one he takes seriously. When King is asked to safeguard the son of a four-star general and friend, he is pulled back into the world of government black ops on a mission that raises painful memories from his past... -
![Surrender Your Heart by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
Surrender Your Heart by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 23 ratings***Surrender Your Heart was originally published in 2015. This second edition has been completely re-edited but does not contain new material. *** Secrets and fears—everyone has them. Some more than others. A heavy secret brought Liam Connelly to DC, but it isn’t the only reason he stays. Hired to tend bar at Bottoms Up, Liam finds himself drawn to his enigmatic boss like a moth to a flame...Categorized as:
queer military age difference friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m contemporary length-short -
![Roman by Annabella Stone]()
Roman by Annabella Stone
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFact: Six years ago, former Force Recon Marine Roman Walsh made the biggest mistake of his life and chose duty to his country over love. Fact: He was an idiot. Now the one he loves is missing, and Roman has only one thing on his mind. Get him back alive... -
![Man of Honor by Parker St. John]()
Man of Honor by Parker St. John
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe broke my heart once.Now it's my turn.Violence and I go way back, but waking up in a shallow grave in the middle of the bayou? That's a new low, even for me. I didn't come home to Devil's Garden looking for trouble, but this town is itching to pick a fight with me.Now, I'm stuck relying on the one man I vowed never to face again. Wyatt is older, smarter, and stronger...Categorized as:
age difference queer hurt-comfort bad boys tortured hero men in uniform found-family m-m -
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![A Matter of Time Book II by Mary Calmes]()
A Matter of Time Book II by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsJory Keyes is doing his best to get over Detective Sam Kage, who broke his heart. Fearful of coming out of the closet, Sam intended to marry and uphold the status quo. After testifying against the man he saw commit cold-blooded murder, Jory is sure he and the detective will never cross paths again. But fate has other plans...Categorized as:
mystery queer queer-awakening suspense age difference angst alpha male men in uniform -
![Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley]()
Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsMiller Sutton, a by-the-book FBI agent, is starting to see some troubling shades of gray in his black-and-white world. He comes face-to-face with his doubts in the person of Danny Butler, a mid-level drug runner Miller hopes to use to catch a much larger fish: Roberto Hinestroza, a drug lord Miller has pursued for years...Categorized as:
suspense forbidden love alpha male men in uniform mystery angst bisexual hurt-comfort -
![Tempest by Lisa Henry, J.A. Rock]()
Tempest by Lisa Henry, J.A. Rock
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSomething wicked this way comes. FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness and con man Henry Page are on the run again. This time they’re headed back to where it all began: Altona, Indiana. Population: some goats. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm, but they’ve got nowhere else to go... -
![A Matter of Time Book III by Mary Calmes]()
A Matter of Time Book III by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThree years have passed since Jory Keyes was kidnapped, shot, and left by his lover, Detective Sam Kage. Jory walked through fire and came out the other side stronger. He changed his name to Harcourt and shut the door forever on a past full of pain. Jory now owns his own business, and has a life he enjoys. What he doesn’t have is love...Categorized as:
mystery queer queer-awakening suspense age difference angst men in uniform hurt-comfort -
![Xavier by Silvia Violet]()
Xavier by Silvia Violet
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI thought I was straight.I thought protecting my identity mattered more than anything besides family.Then Emilio came to me for protection.It's my fault he’s in danger, and no one is going to touch him.No one besides me...Categorized as:
military super rich hero age difference queer queer-awakening contemporary m-m length-medium -
![Gently Come Knocking by Cole McCade]()
Gently Come Knocking by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratings** Warning: the following description contains heavy spoilers for the ending of Criminal Intentions: Season Two. ** Malcolm Khalaji is one paternity test away from a breakdown. When a one-night stand from a year ago shows up on his doorstep, she's bringing more than a trip down memory lane — and her little bundle of joy may just be a bundle of trouble if it turns out the baby is actually his... -
![Silent Knight by Layla Reyne]()
Silent Knight by Layla Reyne
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI won’t let anything happen to you. Fourteen years ago, Braxton Kane’s feelings were forbidden.As an officer, he couldn’t fall for an enlisted… no matter how much he longed for Holt Madigan.Now—as a police chief in love with a digital assassin—his promise to always protect Holt is becoming harder to keep. I’ll protect you... -
![Honestly Yours by Jaime Reese]()
Honestly Yours by Jaime Reese
The truth hurts. But in the end, honesty wins. Or does it? Warren Prescott loves a challenge. He knows how to play the game and adapts when necessary to succeed in his cutthroat world. Tired of pining for a man he’s wanted for months, Warren intends to seal the deal. Until that man throws him an endearing curveball…Be honest.Gian Benedetti doesn’t play games... -
![War of the Wicked by Davidson King, Morningstar Ashley]()
War of the Wicked by Davidson King, Morningstar Ashley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLucifer’s Landing is full of unscrupulous people: five families desperate to own every inch. For years, under the watchful and most powerful eye, there has been peace. With the murder of the most powerful man, it’s as if the gates of Hell have opened.Dante Scavo is trying to fill his father’s shoes, find the person responsible for killing him, and stop Lucifer’s Landing from becoming a war zone... -
![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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![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... -
![A Fighting Man by Sandrine Gasq-Dion]()
A Fighting Man by Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsArmy Ranger Slater Cassidy has a very special – very sexy – target in his sights. Meeting gorgeous, smart, uber-snarky Casper Kennedy was the highlight of Slater’s last trip home to New York. The soldier in him carefully plans his conquest. Unfortunately, Casper’s wearing some seriously strong armor and Slater’s charm offensives bounce right off... -
![His Brutal Heart by Leighton Greene]()
His Brutal Heart by Leighton Greene
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe ultimate forbidden love: a Mafia Boss and his captive.I'm a man without mercy. A Mafia heir.Brutality was all that ever made sense to me...Until I saw him.Unfortunately, he happens to be the sole witness to my latest crime. That should mean one thing.Elimination.But one look into those pleading blue eyes, and I lost myself.I let a beauty live…But - beast that I am - I’ve locked him away... -
![Just Say When by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
Just Say When by Aimee Nicole Walker
Someone wants Police Chief Emilio Mendoza dead. And if his unknown assailant doesn’t kill him, pining for Sheriff Abraham Beecham just might. Abe and Lio’s thirty-year journey has taken them from heated rivals to best friends with countless labels and pit stops along the way. Romance is the only avenue left unexplored but not from lack of love or desire... -
![After Ben by Con Riley]()
After Ben by Con Riley
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 27 ratings"Seattle Stories: Book One" A year after the sudden death of his longtime partner, Ben, Theo Anderson is still grieving. The last thing he's looking for is a new lover. But as Theo soon discovers, sometimes life has other plans... -
![Only You by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
Only You by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsTwo completely different men and one powerful attraction. Sebastian Blake is a cynical, self-made billionaire who has only known rejection and abandonment in his personal life. Adam Johnson is a closeted gay man who works for the law firm representing Sebastian in a civil lawsuit filed against him by a former employee... -
![Liar's Gambit by Kelly Fox]()
Liar's Gambit by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHe’s a liar. I’m a hitman. And there’s a game afoot.After seeking sanctuary at The Anonymous, an elite club for lawless types, the elegant, beastly Wilhelm invites me to help him with a simple mission: retrieve the priceless artifact that was stolen from one of his billionaire friends... -
![Shock & Awe by Abigail Roux]()
Shock & Awe by Abigail Roux
After barely surviving a shootout in New Orleans, Sidewinder medic Kelly Abbott has to suffer through a month of recovery before he can return home to Colorado. He’s not surprised when fellow Sidewinder Nick O’Flaherty stays with him in New Orleans...Categorized as:
alpha male suspense men in uniform friends to lovers military mystery bisexual hurt-comfort -
![Definitely Not Meant to Be by A.W. Scott]()
Definitely Not Meant to Be by A.W. Scott
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratings“How long have you been in love with your best friend?” Godric I accepted long ago that I couldn’t have all of the things I wanted in life. Growing up in the way I did, I would be a fool to get my hopes up. But even with that knowledge, I couldn’t resist. I was helpless not to fall into the orbit that was my best friend... -
![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... -
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![Camera Shy by E.M. Leya, Sara York]()
Camera Shy by E.M. Leya, Sara York
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTrust is earned, but sometimes we form walls around ourselves to protect us from the pain, keeping others from getting close, and shielding us from the darkness that lurks around us. Charles has faced the worst of that darkness. Living on the streets from eleven years old, he learned to survive by trusting no one...Categorized as:
friends to lovers slow burn anal sex tortured hero working class hero queer m-m abuse -
![Before I Fall by Joelle Lynne, Courtney W. Dixon]()
Before I Fall by Joelle Lynne, Courtney W. Dixon
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWho’s going to catch me when I fall?EvanEverything has been taken from me. My home, my family, and the love of my life. Raising a child on my own isn’t how I envisioned my young life full of hopes and dreams. Now, my youth is gone, too. I had been drowning with no way out until him. The one man I didn’t expect to hold my head above water... -
![War Torn by Andria Large]()
War Torn by Andria Large
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMy life has been completely turned around with the help of my boyfriend and best friend, Tucker. My depression is under control. I’m not having nightmares or flashbacks anymore. My sister is having a baby. Life with Tucker is great… Or is it? Everything seems to be going so well, almost too well... -
![Ink, Steel, & Forever by Laura Kaye]()
Ink, Steel, & Forever by Laura Kaye
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Never Published Hard Ink/Raven Riders Short Story featuring Jeremy and Charlie, and Ike and... -
![The Way You Lie by Crea Reitan]()
The Way You Lie by Crea Reitan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 4 ratingsSometimes a happy ending comes with heartbreak. Falling in love with my father’s best friend wasn’t on my to-do list. Yes, he’s hot. Sure, I’ve been flirting with him since I was sixteen. Of course I’d be down for a little fun.When Laiken begins returning my flirting, things get heated. It was supposed to be sexy fun and nothing more. We weren’t planning on making this a forever thing...Categorized as:
age difference queer forbidden love bisexual hurt-comfort friends to lovers angst m-m -
![Powder Burns by Isobel Starling]()
Powder Burns by Isobel Starling
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsOne book, two missions, and a memory-key full of secrets! After a series of terrorist attacks on fracking sites owned by a Gas multinational named Drilsink, Sir James Aiken’s agency is bought in to find the radical Eco-terrorist group responsible. He sends Sam and Declan to work undercover at Imperial College where Intel suggests the group are recruiting...
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