Books like 'Cask Strength'

Readers who enjoyed Cask Strength by Layla Reyne also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  gay romance  suspense  mystery  sports  age difference  queer  male-pov  hurt-comfort  friends to lovers 

  • Dirty Laundry by Rhys Ford

    Dirty Laundry by Rhys Ford

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 26 ratings
    For ex-cop turned private investigator Cole McGinnis, each day brings a new challenge. Too bad most of them involve pain and death. Claudia, his office manager and surrogate mother, is still recovering from a gunshot, and Cole’s closeted boyfriend, Kim Jae-Min, suddenly finds his teenaged sister dumped in his lap...
  • Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper

    Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 36 ratings
    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...
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  • Tied Over by Mary Calmes

    Tied Over by Mary Calmes

    Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 17 ratings
    Josiah Redeker has been tied up, tied down, and just plain tied to Bodhi Callahan since the younger marshal was paired with him five years ago. It was an easy slide from partners to best friends, and though Bodhi wanted more, Josiah thought Bodhi could do far better than him...
  • Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan

    Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan

    Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    A visit to a pancake shop leads to an unexpected May-December romance that breathes life into the monotonous routine of an older salaryman.The daily grind both soothes and troubles older salaryman Nozue, until an unexpected visit to a pancake shop with his blunt younger coworker shakes things up!At 39 years old, Nozue lives a routine, if not melancholic, life of sleep and work...
  • The Spoil of Beasts by Gregory Ashe

    The Spoil of Beasts by Gregory Ashe

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    A jailhouse slaughter. A relentless killer. And way too much jackassing around. When word comes that two key witnesses in an investigation are dead, North and Shaw are surprised—and pleased—to learn that their friend, John-Henry Somerset, is interested in hiring them as freelance contractors for the Wahredua police department...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  queer  suspense  m-m  contemporary  length-short
  • Sweet as Honey by Lucy Lennox

    Sweet as Honey by Lucy Lennox

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 44 ratings
    When I rode my bike into Aster Valley, it was supposed to be temporary. A quick, relaxing visit with friends. No entanglements. Zero drama.But then I saw the bumblebee being harassed on the side of the highway. More specifically, I saw Truman Sweet, Aster Valley’s resident botanist, spice merchant, and bee-costume enthusiast, being harassed...
  • Shut Up and Drive by L.M. Krier

    Shut Up and Drive by L.M. Krier

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    A serial sex attacker is spreading fear in Stockport and DI Ted Darling and his team are on the case.The man randomly targets young women and abducts them from busy supermarket car parks. He's armed with a knife and is clearly highly trained in how to handle it.Ever-dwindling police resources make the manhunt harder, even though the attacker clearly doesn't care whether or not he's caught...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  queer  suspense  m-m  contemporary
  • Rialto by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott

    Rialto by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott

    Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 11 ratings
    Someone has it out for Rialto.  Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. He’s newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true. The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant.  But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy...
  • Jem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild by Gregory Ashe

    Jem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild by Gregory Ashe

    Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Jem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“First Dates”A prequel to The Lamb and the Lion books, this short story shows Jem and Tean as they are set up on blind dates—with disastrous results.“Cheap Seats”Jem and Tean go to the movies. Jem insists it’s an epic bromance date. Tean insists they’re just casual acquaintances...
  • Heal by Nora Phoenix

    Heal by Nora Phoenix

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 19 ratings
    Del feels broken. Can Issa be the person to help him heal?President Delano “Del” Shafer is grieving the loss of his wife, Sarah. Now that the culprits behind the Pride Bombing and all the killings are caught, everyone has been able to move on…except Del.His friends have all found love. Even his son is happier than Del could have ever imagined...
  • Enduring Night by John Wiltshire

    Enduring Night by John Wiltshire

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    The 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...
  • My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama

    My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    Resigned, Shin has to settle for seeing Seiji when they run into each other about town or when Shin makes a point of stopping at his store. Shin believes he's content with that, but one night Seiji changes everything by bemoaning his lack of romantic prospects and mentioning he might as well try his luck with guys...
  • My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 2 by Niyama

    My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 2 by Niyama

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    Living under the same roof as the man he’s had a crush on for a solid decade has Shin’s libido in overdrive, and even his rampant awkwardness can’t get in the way of him getting some! Meanwhile, Seiji is swamped with self-doubt...
  • When I'm Old and Grey by L.M. Krier

    When I'm Old and Grey by L.M. Krier

    Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    DI Ted Darling doesn't like coincidences. There are too many for comfort surrounding his latest case. They're spilling over into his private life, too, when some toxic family secrets are uncovered. A serial killer appears to be targeting vulnerable elderly people in care homes and despatching them in the most cynical way. Ted and his team are struggling to get a lead on who the killer really is...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  queer  suspense  m-m  contemporary  length-medium
  • Body and Soul by Patricia Logan

    Body and Soul by Patricia Logan

    Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    More than ten years ago, a series of train bombings devastated railways throughout Europe. Strange poetry sent to local newspapers right before each bombing, confounded investigators at the time. In one of only a handful of failed covert missions, Jarrett had been sent into North Korea to take out the bomber...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  suspense  queer  m-m  contemporary  length-medium
  • Fake Boyfriend Breakaways by Eden Finley

    Fake Boyfriend Breakaways by Eden Finley

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 19 ratings
    Breakaways is a collection of short stories from Eden Finley’s Fake Boyfriend universe. They all feature side characters from the series but do not contain fake boyfriend tropes. Rebound (Fake Boyfriend 2.5) Aron and Wyatt have been best friends since college and are both rebounding from bad break-ups...
  • In Dog We Trust by Neil S. Plakcy

    In Dog We Trust by Neil S. Plakcy

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    an alternate cover edition can be found hereAfter a bad divorce and a brief prison term for computer hacking, 42-year-old Steve Levitan has returned to his home town of Stewart’s Crossing and taken a part-time job as an adjunct professor of English at his alma mater, Eastern College...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  suspense  queer  contemporary  m-m  length-medium
  • Fair Play by Josh Lanyon

    Fair Play by Josh Lanyon

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 29 ratings
    Fifty years ago, Roland Mills belonged to a violent activist group. Now, someone is willing to kill to prevent him from publishing his memoirs. When ex-FBI agent Elliot Mills is called out to examine the charred ruins of his childhood home, he quickly identifies the fire for what it is--arson...
  • Indirection by Gregory Ashe

    Indirection by Gregory Ashe

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Rabid readers. Backbiting authors. A romance convention from hell.Shaw Aldrich and his best friend, boyfriend, and partner, North McKinney, are doing great, thanks. The aftermath of their search for the Slasher has finally settled down. Their private investigation agency is thriving. And after years of missed opportunities, they’re finally together...
  • Impaired Judgement by Youcouldmakealife

    Impaired Judgement by Youcouldmakealife

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    It’s kind of a shame someone that talented is that big a...
  • Ghost of Christmas Present by Pandora Pine

    Ghost of Christmas Present by Pandora Pine

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    With only a week until Christmas, Detective Jude Byrne is wrapping up final preparations for his family’s celebration. He’s made a list and checked it twice, bought presents, planned the neighborhood cookie exchange, and hung mistletoe. Jude’s got a handle on everything, that is, until his son asks if his grandfather is coming to celebrate with them—a man Jude hasn’t seen in six years...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  suspense  queer  contemporary  m-m  length-short
  • Daddy Detectives Episode 1: A Tyler and Ian Jamison Story by April Wilson

    Daddy Detectives Episode 1: A Tyler and Ian Jamison Story by April Wilson

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    This is the first installment in a new series for private investigators Tyler and Ian Jamison. Our heroes are adjusting to life as a married couple and are now parents of newborn twins. While the guys are enjoying paternity leave, their administrative assistant, Kimi, comes to them with a personal emergency...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  suspense  queer  contemporary  m-m
  • Interwoven by Ripley Hayes

    Interwoven by Ripley Hayes

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Daniel Owen has spent the best part of ten years renovating his house when he finds the cellar. By falling into it. The mysterious cellar has a mysterious door, and behind the mysterious door is a mysterious box … and in the box … there are clues to the shocking history of Daniel’s beloved home town. A cold case is occupying Mal Kent’s time. A notorious car thief is released from prison...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  queer  suspense  m-m  contemporary  length-medium
  • How Not to Break by Susan Hawke

    How Not to Break by Susan Hawke

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Take 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...
  • Diamond in the Rough by Charlie Cochet

    Diamond in the Rough by Charlie Cochet

    Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 35 ratings
    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...
  • Roman by Annabella Stone

    Roman by Annabella Stone

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Fact: 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...
  • Point and Shoot by Patricia Logan

    Point and Shoot by Patricia Logan

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Thayne Wolfe and Jarrett Evans have been working together for nearly a year. Now, living together as well, their relationship has taken on a whole new meaning for both men. It seems that danger has always been a part of their lives in the ATF but when SAC Stanger sends them to a relatively routine crime scene, things quickly get complicated...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  suspense  queer  m-m  contemporary  length-long
  • Assisted by Carly Marie

    Assisted by Carly Marie

    Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Foolish is judging a book by its cover… or a hockey coach by his suitAs assistant coach of the Nashville Grizzlies, Imil Bouchard has everything he needs, except maybe a Daddy. On the wrong side of forty and not looking for a traditional Dom, he knows there’s no point wishing for what he can’t have. And of course, he’s drawn to the extra-anxious director who exudes the need for a Daddy not a boy...
  • His Brutal Heart by Leighton Greene

    His Brutal Heart by Leighton Greene

    Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    The 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...
  • Barrel Proof by Layla Reyne

    Barrel Proof by Layla Reyne

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 29 ratings
    Special Agents Talley and Walker’s partnership is tested as they come face-to-face with the enemy who threatens to rip their world apart in this final book of Layla Reyne’s Agents Irish & Whiskey M/M romantic suspense trilogy. Aidan loves Jamie and wants the bright future he was robbed of before...
  • Waiting for Ru by Barbara Elsborg

    Waiting for Ru by Barbara Elsborg

    Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Ruari Byrne may not have had an easy life, but now he’s determined to live in the present, not his past. Trouble is, it’s hard to be independent when you’ve no money and no qualifications. All Ru knows is horses, and when he finds out that his beloved Joni and Cookie are off to auction, his heart is in his throat...
    Categorized as:
    sports  age difference  queer  m-m  contemporary  royalty
  • A Kind of Romance by Lane Hayes

    A Kind of Romance by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · 22 ratings
    Zeke Gulden is a ruthless Wall Street exec. His hard-edged, no-nonsense attitude has served him well in the cutthroat business world, but less so in his personal life. When he finds out his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with a coworker, Zeke can’t let go—not until he finds a way to get even. However, his meddlesome father has other ideas...
  • The Magician Murders by Josh Lanyon

    The Magician Murders by Josh Lanyon

    Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 34 ratings
    Nothing up his sleeves. Nothing but murder...Jason West, hot shot special agent with the FBI's Art Crime Team, is recuperating from a recent hit-and-run accident at the Wyoming home of BAU Chief Sam Kennedy when he's asked to aid in the investigation of a suspicious death in a National Forest...
  • Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins

    Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    This fall, I have one simple rule: don't fall in love with my fake boyfriend.I’m awful at following the rules.One minute I was a nobody in a small Colorado town, getting by on contract work, home renovations, and a dumpster fire of a dating life—and then suddenly, my life was on TV...
  • Silent Knight: A Fog City Novel by Layla Reyne

    Silent Knight: A Fog City Novel by Layla Reyne

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    I 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...
  • And So We See Darkly by Cole McCade

    And So We See Darkly by Cole McCade

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    COP KILLER.That's the accusation scrawled on the home of a dead man, found executed in his own bedroom. That's the tawdry headline thrown around every news channel, every social media feed, every conversation taking over Baltimore.That's the name given to a man who may have been innocent, but never had the chance to prove it — and now Malcolm and Seong-Jae must solve his murder...
  • Zenith by Eli Easton, R.J. Scott

    Zenith by Eli Easton, R.J. Scott

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    A killer haunts Prophet, and this time it’s personalThe discovery of a body at the Thompson Cabins sets off a chain of events that hits too close to home for Sheriff Gabriel Thompson. When his brother Sam becomes a prime suspect in the murder investigation, Gabriel is forced to keep secrets from Tiber and call in outside help as he fights to prove Sam’s innocence...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  mystery  queer  m-m  contemporary
  • North and Shaw: Out of Office: Volume 2 by Gregory Ashe

    North and Shaw: Out of Office: Volume 2 by Gregory Ashe

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Short stories from Borealis: Without a CompassNorth and Shaw: Out of Office Volume 2 is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“Couple Friends”As a (relatively) new couple, North and Shaw learn what it means to have friends as a couple—and how to be friends in a relationship. This story takes place before Indirection...
  • Kiss Marry Kill by S.C. Wynne

    Kiss Marry Kill by S.C. Wynne

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Snakes don’t only crawl in the grass.River Martin has begun to reveal his true motives for being in Rainy Dale, and, shocker, it’s not good news for Maxwell.If Maxwell is going to go to war with River, he’ll need people on his side. In his quest to be more of a people person, he’s roped into attending the wedding of one of his young patients, Janelle Raiden...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  mystery  queer  contemporary  m-m  length-medium
  • In Sequence by Cole McCade

    In Sequence by Cole McCade

    Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    ABOUT THIS EPISODE The Golden Ratio killer resurfaces in California to target a former victim, and this time the case takes Malcolm and Seong-Jae hunting deep into his past, searching for connections between victim and killer that may reveal his identity...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  mystery  queer  m-m  contemporary  dual-pov
  • Thuggiana by Gregory Ashe

    Thuggiana by Gregory Ashe

    Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    Pics, 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...
  • Sadistic Sherlock by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott

    Sadistic Sherlock by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Ten years ago, Dominic Walsh faked his own death. With no true identity, it wasn’t hard. But if he’d stayed, he would have been drawn further into a life he’d never chosen. He has friends and family at Ward Security now and has managed to escape his dark past. There is only one thing he truly wants. Abraham Stephens...
  • Messy Love by Riley Hart

    Messy Love by Riley Hart

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    DannyI'm not a guy who's looking for a serious relationship. I love the chase, and the one time I thought I wanted more, the guy bailed. When my buddy Will mentions his recently out, older brother is looking for a place to stay, I offer the spare room in my apartment. It's clear Jonathan's past did a number on him, and he's locked up tight...
  • Killer Bond by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott

    Killer Bond by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Daniel Hendricks wants a vacation. Ward Security’s accountant and resident code breaker just needs a little R&R from the chaos and usual shenanigans of the office. But what was supposed to be a sexy vacation hook-up explodes in his face when he’s mistaken for a rogue secret agent...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  suspense  queer  m-m  insta-love  contemporary
  • Baby's Got Blue Eyes by L.M. Krier

    Baby's Got Blue Eyes by L.M. Krier

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · 17 ratings
    Someone is dumping bodies on DI Ted Darling's patch and he's not happy. Ted's a good solid copper, in an old-fashioned way, with an excellent clear-up rate. He also happens to be gay and has his own unique way of dealing with any prejudice that brings him. But this killer seems to be running effortless rings round him and every promising lead just takes him up another blind alley...
    Categorized as:
    mystery  queer  suspense  m-m  contemporary  length-medium
  • Snowed by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Snowed by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    A second chance at love is all Kyle wants for Christmas, but a dark menace from his past wants him dead, and love is second to staying alive. Kyle Lourenco has carved out a comfortable life and career for himself in Boston. With the holidays quickly approaching, he's heading home for the first time in several years. Home to his loving parents and the small Canadian town where he was raised...
  • Net Bet by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

    Net Bet by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 10 ratings
    One bet. One spark. One chance.GabeI’ve spent years as the Warriors’ goalie, holding the line under pressure. But off the ice, my life’s a disaster. After dating too many men who only saw me as an NHL trophy, I’ve sworn off romance—until Brody skates into my life. He’s newly traded to the team, ten years younger, and carrying the weight of the world...
  • Skin and Bone by T.A. Moore

    Skin and Bone by T.A. Moore

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Digging Up Bones: Book Two Cloister Witte and his K-9 partner, Bourneville, find the lost and bring them home. But the job doesn’t always end there. Janet Morrow, a young trans woman, lies in a coma after wandering away from her car during a storm. But just because Cloister found the young tourist doesn’t mean she’s home...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  mystery  queer  m-m  contemporary  length-medium
  • Vanished by Carter Quinn

    Vanished by Carter Quinn

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Henry Cooley has good friends and a good life. He’s secure in his job and his relationship. He and Tom, the love of his life, are about to celebrate their twenty-first anniversary as a couple. Their son, CJ, is in his second year at Cal Arts. Henry's only problems are his growing dissatisfaction with his job and the fact that Tom's parents still hate him, even after all these years...
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