Gay Romance Report December 23, 2026

★ FEATURED NEW RELEASE
Multiple Retailers, Kobo Plus

Blackmail, by Beth Christopher

I ruined his marriage. Now he wants to ruin me.

My childhood was the stuff of nightmares. And adulthood? Hasn’t been a whole lot better. I’ve been working as a male escort to put myself through nursing school. I’m so close to getting out when a client’s husband catches us in the act. He tries to blackmail me, threatening to ruin me if I don’t help him win his messy divorce case. When I refuse to do what he’s asking, he decides he’ll take my body instead. It’s what I’m used to. It’s what I’m good at. He gives me the pain I’ve been craving. But I don’t know what to do when he decides he wants my heart.

Blackmail is a full-length dark M/M romance with a HEA, a super sweary male escort, an angry entrepreneur, and a cat named Penelope. It contains content that will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Please review the content advisory on the book’s “About” page for details.

Tropes include: Instalust, found family, opposites attract, Dom awakening/kink awakening, hurt/comfort, dude in distress, Grumpy/sunshine (more like a-hole/brat), power dynamic, rich hero, possessive/protective hero, un-aliving for the one you love, the stray cat you took in who likes everyone else better than you

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Stolen Dream, by Oliver Takely

At just eighteen, Paolo and Max meet at a conversion therapy camp. Abandoned by their families. left to endure literal hell on earth, their love is forbidden. Their secret romance grows and as they make plans to escape, they are brutally torn apart.

They both spend the next twelve years building lives in different worlds. Paolo in the vibrant heart of Soho, London, surrounded by his found family, and Max thriving as a successful criminal lawyer in the bustling streets of New York. Both of them believing they’ve lost the love of their life forever.

Max finds himself in London after defending a mobster, which leads to an offer he literally can’t refuse. Needing thinking time before his fate is sealed, he unexpectedly crosses paths with Paolo again. The spark between them reignites, yet their reunion is fraught with challenges, and even the magical backdrop of the holidays may not be enough for them to get their second chance at love. With Paolo’s sister at risk of suffering the same fate they endured, the stakes are even higher.

Stolen Dream is a tale of resilience, forbidden love, and the fight for a future that embraces who they truly are. Will they save Paolo’s sister in time, and can they find a way to be together, against all odds? Join them on this emotional journey of hope and redemption, where stolen dreams may just lead to a love worth fighting for.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Saddle to Sunup, by Emmy Sanders

He gave me my first kiss. I never expected he might be my last.

Lawson
Ever since Oakley Beaumont skipped town, it feels as if my life has gone off the rails. Even worse than my divorce and moving back into my childhood bedroom at the Darling Ranch is the fact that I’m learning there’s a whole lot about myself I simply don’t know.

Like whether or not I’m straight.

And why the sudden absence of my best friend left a hole in my chest I haven’t been able to fill in the three years he’s been gone.

First things first: I need to bring Oakley home.

Then maybe I can tackle the matter of my love life. After all, I’m ready to get back in the saddle.

And who better to help me than the cowboy who once promised me forever?

Saddle to Sunup is a friends-to-lovers romance set in small town Montana, with a queer awakening for a single dad in his forties, a reunion that feels a lot like a second chance, playful banter, a bit of rope, and one very HEA. It’s book 3 in The Darling Brothers series but can be read as a standalone.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Love by the Lights, by Riley Long

One holiday competition, one charming neighbor, one spark they never saw coming.

I’ve always taken Christmas seriously – very seriously. My house is the brightest on the block and I’m the five-time reigning champion of the town’s holiday lights competition. I try to outdo myself every year, and at this point, the neighborhood expects great things from me. What I didn’t expect, though, was handsome and charming single dad Dakota moving in next door.

When I get trapped on my roof during a day of decorating, Dakota and his daughter Caroline come to my rescue, and the next thing I know, Dakota has his strong, sexy arms wrapped around me to keep me from falling of a ladder. When Caroline convinces Dakota to join the competition, I give them a few tips – in the name of being neighborly and all.

Soon, our rivalry turns into something that feels a lot like Christmas magic, happening right in my own front yard. I’ve spent years lighting up the street. I never expected the new guy next door to light me up.

NEW RELEASE, Multiple Retailers, Kobo Plus

Holiday Huddle, by Felice Stevens

Wow. I did not expect to run into Brooklyn Kings retired football star Harte McKinney in my hometown of Appleton Falls. It takes me back to my college days when I crushed on him in silence. All these years later, nothing’s changed. Even better, something in his eyes has me thinking he’s not as straight as I’d always believed.

When I find him hurt in a car crash in the snow, it’s my duty as a deputy sheriff to follow him to the hospital and make sure he’s going to be okay. Then we share an unexpected kiss, and I make him a proposal: come home with me to recuperate so we can explore these feelings behind closed doors.

Each day we spend together brings us closer, and we know we want to be together. But small towns have big eyes—we might not be able to keep what we have to ourselves much longer. My partner already suspects Harte and I are more than “just friends.” And when my mom gets an eyeful of Harte in his birthday suit…it’s time.

Let the snow fall where it may—we’re ready to come out.

There’s a fire crackling in the grate, the tree is decorated, and presents are wrapped. We’re all set to huddle together for the holidays and hope that love and magic of Christmas conquers all.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Delayed Penalty, by Brigham Vaughn

The last thing Thad Racine needs is to fall for a guy playing for his brother’s hockey team …

As an ex-con, Thad’s had a rough life. Getting a job in the social media department of the Boston Harriers is his last-ditch effort at a fresh start.

He may not be raking in money like his previously estranged twin—the team’s GM—but he finally has a career he likes, a regular paycheck, and some stability. There’s only one catch: if he screws around with anyone working for the Harriers, he’ll be fired.

The last thing he expects is to fall for Graham Pennington.

The golden boy. The high-scoring forward who’s a crucial part of the team. The assistant captain.

Oh yeah, and he’s straight.

Falling in love with his GM’s brother isn’t part of Graham’s five-year plan.

Graham knows what he wants: find love and help lead his team to a Stanley Cup win.

So why do none of his relationships with women ever seem to work out?

After a totally unexpected but sizzling kiss with his friend Thad, he’s confused and a little conflicted. Has he been looking for love in all the wrong places?

Graham’s desire to be with Thad wars with his goal of helping the team find success. Despite Thad’s growing feelings, he’s terrified to risk his new career or the relationship he’s slowly rebuilding with his brother.

When the pressure from their secrets threatens their carefully laid plans, will they be ready to risk everything for love?

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Deal Breaker, by Maia Kinley

We were supposed to hook up and never see each other again. Oops.

Ellis Donlan
Me? A sports agent? Clearly, hell has frozen over.
But it must be happening because Dad insists I start working for the family business, and I’ve run out of excuses not to.
Already dreading my first day tomorrow, I know the best thing to take the edge off is finding myself a hot guy for the night.
That plan leads me to Damon, the hottest, sweetest man ever.
We agree to one night of fun, then we never see each other again.
But the universe must have other ideas because the very next morning, I find out he’s my new coworker. And thanks to a little too much pillow talk, I accidentally use his insider information against him.
Now he hates me, and the sweet guy I met is nowhere to be found.

Damon Marks
I don’t do one-night stands. Not my thing.
Until Ellis enters my life. He’s beautiful, bold, and I’m instantly enamored.
He refuses to give me his number and tells me straight up that he only wants one night. Even if I don’t usually do this, I can’t walk away.
It’s too bad he doesn’t want to see me again after this, because he’s perfect.
Unfortunately for him, the following day we’re both surprised to discover we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other—because he’s the CEO’s son.
And unfortunately for me, I never even saw it coming.
Now, two years later, just when I’ve gotten used to disliking the man I’m still very much attracted to, misfortune finds us once again when a snow storm traps us together in a hotel room—and we’ve only got one bed.

Deal Breaker is an M/M holiday romance novella, featuring a one-night stand between two people who thought they’d never see each other again.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Buckshot and Mistletoe, by Reese Knightley

Even killers need a little holiday peace.

Christmas Eve hits Shadowfell Ranch with a blizzard hard enough to bury the past. Inside, the men who once fought wars for the government face their strangest mission yet—decorations, dinner, and something dangerously close to peace.

But old instincts don’t die easy.

When the alarms flare through the storm, laughter turns to readiness in a heartbeat. Outside, the world is white and cold and waiting. Inside, it’s warmth, found family, and the kind of quiet none of them are sure they deserve.

Buckshot & Mistletoe is a holiday short story set in the Genesis world—where love, loyalty, and second chances shine brightest against the dark.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Composed, by Merry Farmer

These childhood friends are the last to realize they’re perfect for each other…

Nally Hawthorne has always been a musical prodigy, but when the soundtrack he’s scored for a hit movie rockets him into the spotlight, he has no idea how to handle fame. It’s only natural for him to turn to his best mate since forever and social media influencer, Jude. The two of them have always been two peas in a pod, but now that they’re adults, their relationship is starting to become more…adult.

Jude Cranleigh has no problem handling a vast social media career, but when it comes to managing his growing feelings for his best friend, he’s at a loss. Especially since he’s been burned in the past by making a friend into a lover. He isn’t willing to risk losing Nally by making the same mistake twice…but his feelings for Nally are bigger than he can control.

But everything changes when an obsessive fan starts stalking Nally. Jude wants to protect Nally, but will his efforts push them into each other’s arms at last or split them apart?

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Dmitri’s Darling, by Anna Sparrows

Miles Jeffries is an actor just looking for his big break.

Dmitri Zervas is an adult film star reconsidering his relevance in the industry and his life in general.

But when Miles somehow finds himself on the set for a movie far more adult than the low-budget holiday flick he planned to audition for, it doesn’t feel like a mistake. If anything, it feels like Christmas is coming early. (Or maybe that’s actually just him, considering the chemistry he has with his scene partner…especially when the scene partner in question happens to be the Daddy dom of his dreams.)

Dmitri can’t help but agree, seeing as Miles turns out to be his ideal kind of sub. But this is just a scene, isn’t it? They’re just actors who are being paid to enjoy each other. If only his traitorous heart and other parts of his anatomy would get with the program.

After all, what’s the likelihood that Christmas miracles will happen for either of them when it’s not even December and they’re really just manufacturing Christmas?

This sweet and steamy novella is part of the multi-author series ‘DKAG Christmas Daddies Season Two’, where kinky Christmas miracles do happen. Set in Anna Sparrows’ Kinks & Conundrums/Littles & Lace universe, Dmitri’s Darling can be read as a standalone and features ridiculous holiday-themed puns and more fluff than could possibly be healthy.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

My Christmas Reindeer, by Wendy Rathbone

Can a young omega reindeer shifter and Santa’s number one elf find love amid the chaotic demands of the North Pole Christmas season?

Alpha Keir is a serious elf in charge of Santa’s Sleigh, a ground control team. Navigating the spacetime continuum is no small feat, and he must see to it that everything is in order to conduct a single night of massive gift delivery. There can be no mistakes.

Omega reindeer shifter Fallon was born on a snowy night in December and left in an ice drift to die. He is rescued and raised by elves. Because of his difficult beginning, he can’t fly. He’s worked hard with the elves who serve Santa, making toys, but his first love is math and science, and he studies hard in his off hours. He hopes to join Santa’s team at ground control. It would be the perfect job.

Keir is the big boss Fallon must try to impress to get the job he wants. But everything goes wrong when Fallon finds his attraction to Keir fogging his mind and sending him into the throes of heat. Worse, a big storm is brewing and it’s affecting the continuum.

Can two very different men save Christmas and find love all at the same time?

MM romance, omegaverse, shifter, paranormal, unexpected heat, mpreg, saving Christmas romance, HEA.

My Christmas Reindeer is part of the multi-author, gay romance, mpreg shifter A Reindeer Mate For Christmas series. Each book can be read as a standalone but why stop at one when you can read them all!

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Love Game, by Lana Bright

Two high school friends turned enemies. A seven-year sulk. One happy ending this Christmas?

On the tennis court, Dane and I hate each other. But in the locker room where no one can see, we can’t keep our hands off each other. Our angry hookups mean nothing. That’s what I tell myself, anyway. I can’t forgive him for selling me out when we were at school. I waited for him under the mistletoe but he left me hanging, alone and humiliated.

As Christmas approaches, things start to get more tender. Dane saves me when I fall from a treadmill while dressed as an elf (don’t ask). Soon we’re snuggling up together watching Christmas movies. Will the holiday season thaw our hearts? Or is he still too caught up in what people think to ever claim me in public?

Love Game is an MM holiday sports romance novella (~27k words) set in Northern Ireland. Childhood friends to enemies to lovers, pining, jock/indie kid, and small-town vibes.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Nothing For The Weak, by Flynn Woods

Never believe the rumors.

SAMUEL
I’ve always wanted to leave Red Creek, go to college, and live somewhere I wouldn’t be judged for simply being myself. But then I met Benji on my first day at the farm, and everything changed. Benji wasn’t the kind of guy I was supposed to hang around with. At least, that’s what everyone kept telling me. He had a reputation, a bad attitude, and a chip on his shoulder big enough for the whole town. Yet, every time I ran into him, I didn’t see a thug. I saw someone who stood up for himself and the people he cared about. And even though I should’ve known better, I wanted to become one of those people.

BENJI
I didn’t have anything against Samuel when we first met. He kept his head down and did what he was told. Why should I have cared what people whispered when most of them were full of shit anyway? But once he started talking about college, and I found out he lived in his own apartment—paid for by his parents—I saw red. Was this job on the farm just a cute story he would laugh about with his future professors? I wanted to hate him for turning my reality into a joke. And I almost did. I even planned a prank. But the second I set it into motion, I realized I was wrong—and that I was about to hurt the only person who had ever truly seen me for who I was.

Nothing For The Weak is a slow-burn gay novel, following farm workers Samuel and Benji. In a rural town where neither of them quite fits in, a cruel prank draws the two lost guys—one openly gay and the other unsure of his feelings—into a night of unexpected trust and tenderness. Expect an open-door new adult romance, small-town tension, and a tender Happy For Now ending.

NEW RE-RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Eugene and the Box of Nails, by Jaime Samms

Who needs a love life when there’s so much work to do?

Nothing is getting in the way of this tiny house build.

Not my tiny budget.

Not my tiny stockpile of supplies.

Not the tiny question of legality concerning the practice of sneaking materials out of the dumpster on my neighbour’s construction site.

Not the tiny snowflakes threatening to fall sooner than I am prepared for them.

Definitely not Cullen, the not-so-tiny foreman on the construction site with his amazing shoulders, kind eyes, and inexplicable interest in taking me on dates and feeding me.

Wait. Maybe that last one, but just for the afternoon…then I’m right back on task, because building an entire house, of any size, from recycled materials is no tiny feat.

So imagine my shock when, every time I leave the site, I come back to find someone has been there while I was away. They haven’t taken anything. Instead, they’re putting up walls and roof joists and leaving behind festive decorations.

Have I been the victim of tiny construction elves?

NEW AUDIO RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Heart Taker, by Ava Olsen
Narrated by Liam Dicosimo and Zachary Zaba

Silas
I’m the oldest guy on the college hockey team, and I’ve heard the jokes, but the truth is, I put a year of my life on hold. I’ve worked hard to prove that I have a future in this game, but Coach Damien Banning doesn’t believe in me. Damien doesn’t think I’m good enough, but he doesn’t know me at all. I’m ruthless. And when the icy tension ignites, it’s too late. But it’s not about hockey anymore.

Damien
I played pro hockey until an injury sidelined my career, my marriage, and brought me to small-town Vermont to coach college hockey. I know every player on my team, and Silas Moss isn’t cutting it. He’s a skillful d-man, but something’s holding him back. I push him, with good intentions, until summer training camp. I thought my heart was frozen, but no, it’s beating again. And Silas, ruthless player that he is, has taken it.

Heart Taker is a college hockey MM romance. Both MCs have something to prove and everything to lose.

NEW RELEASE, Multiple Retailers

Lessons in Balance, by Sylvia Barry

There’s a delicate balance between falling in love and falling apart.

Armand Demetrio finally has his life together, and he’s never been more terrified. He’s returning to London with the man of his dreams, and everything should be as golden as Lucas’s hair. But Armand’s past lurks around every corner of his beloved city; it’s not a question of if it will all go wrong, but when.

Lucas Barclay is trying his level best to be the world’s most supportive boyfriend, but Armand is flightier than a spooked horse. His lover is clearly hiding something; however, Lucas refuses to press. Armand will come to him when he’s ready—or so Lucas hopes—and he has bigger fish (and chips) to fry. Namely, growing Armand’s burgeoning social media presence and his own blossoming photography career.

When an old “friend” of Armand’s resurfaces, their relationship is thrown into turmoil. Armand isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and they’re both as desperate to hide as they are to open up. That means being braver than ever, and Lucas and Armand will have to balance their fears against their love to see which tips the scales.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

Mistletoe in the Maritimes, by Renée McLean

A socially anxious writer hiding out in a tiny Nova Scotia town.
A sunshiney handyman spreading Christmas cheer to his town-sized found family.
One snowstorm, a cozy B&B, a harbour full of lights, and a love that finally feels like home.

A low-angst, grumpy/sunshine MM Christmas romance with snowed-in forced proximity, quirky small-town charm, and a heart-warming found family.

Sometimes the best love stories come from sheltering in unexpected harbours.

Evander Winslow isn’t here for Christmas cheer. He’s here to escape. A socially anxious, big-city writer from Toronto, he books a quiet room at Whispering Pines, a seaside bed-and-breakfast in the small town of Mintlaw, Nova Scotia. His only plan? Disappear into his notebooks and finish his historical novel. Romance? Not a chance.

Ryan MacNeil, the B&B’s sunshiney cook/handyman, is still lonely under the life he’s built surrounded by the found family he holds dear. He’s got a schedule full of holiday events, a kitchen that smells like Fat Archies cookies, and a knack for nudging even the shyest guest into joining the fun. When Ryan feels drawn to the handsome new guest, he tells himself that he’s just trying to spread holiday cheer to someone who needs it. That’s all, right? It’d be foolish to develop feelings for a visitor with baggage.

A warm community welcome and Ryan’s charm start to thaw Evander’s guarded heart. Mintlaw has a way of pulling people in. When a nor’easter hits, they are snowed-in together for movie marathons, game nights, and a shared obsession with maritime history. After the storm lifts, Mintlaw’s twinkling boardwalks and a harbour glowing with Christmas lights quietly suggest how good forever could be.

Evander must decide whether he’s ready to let go of the past and embrace a love he never saw coming. Will Evander have the courage to choose the home he’s found here, anchored in Mintlaw and in Ryan?

A cozy, clean, low-angst MM Christmas romance featuring grumpy/sunshine, social-anxiety rep, snowed-in forced proximity, found family, a quirky Canadian small town, no third-act breakup, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

NEW RELEASE, Kindle Unlimited

A Little Christmas Season 4, by Various Authors

It’s Christmas, and daddies and littles are falling in love and celebrating at the happiest but also most stressful time of year.

The full multi-author series is available now, free to read with a Kindle Unlimited subscription!

Authors: Wendy Rathbone, Jamie Kassel, Aria Grace, Sam E. Kraemer, Leslie Ayla, Della Cain, Kate Bauer, M.A. Innes, Brina Brady, Lynn Michael, C. McRae, Layla Dorine, TL Travis

GREAT READS & GIVEAWAY

Friends to Lovers

Are they friends? Yep. Are they lovers? Oh yeah…

Are you a fan of friends-to-lovers romances? Stock up on some favourite and new-to-you titles, many on sale, and enter for the chance to win bookish goodies!

★ FEATURED NEW RELEASE
Kindle Unlimited

Jingle Bells and Tentacle Spells, by Chloe Archer

Gemma
It’s not every day your brother gets abducted by aliens—and decides to stay with them. When Felix told me he was in love with one of his captors-turned-boyfriend and wanted to tour the galaxy with him, I thought he’d lost it.

But I’m not about to let my only sibling and last remaining family member blast off into the cosmos without me. And, okay, maybe I have a little motivation of my own. One particular alien has been slipping into my DMs… or whatever the intergalactic equivalent is. Her name is Luna—she’s saucy, snarky, and gloriously tentacled.

There’s definitely something sparking between us—and I’m dying to see where it leads. Preferably somewhere warm, private, and zero-gravity.

Luna
Being single on a spaceship full of lovebirds? Galactic torture. Watching everyone pair off while I drift alone in the stars? Even worse.

Then Gemma appears—bold, curvy, and absolutely irresistible. Our late-night transmissions soon turn into something deeper, and downright electric. I’ve never been with a human before, but she feels as right as the purr of a perfectly tuned engine beneath my hands.

And the way she talks, laughs, and looks at me? She makes me want to purr, too—and not just over engine noise.

She’s joining the crew just in time for Christmas—my favorite Earth holiday. Lights, laughter, and maybe… love? If fate’s on our side, this could be the start of something more amazing than a holiday Hallmark movie!

Jingle Bells and Tentacle Spells is a sapphic sci-fi holiday rom-com in the Tinsel and Tentacles 3.0 series. It is an interconnected standalone to the two previous books, All I Want for Christmas is Tentacles and Tis the Season for Tentacles.