~WATTYS SHORTLIST 2025~ Hunter Dannings was a young CEO who had given up on love. But when he met River Conyers, a single dad and bar owner, his life began to change. Being around River gave him hope, and being around his daughter, Melodie, let Hunter imagine creating the family he's always wanted. But River doesn't let people in easily. And falling for him puts Hunter at risk for more heartbreak than he's ever known. ----- "Thanks for bringing me home." "It's no problem," Hunter shrugged, crossing his arms against the bitter Toronto cold. "You did the same for me." "Yeah," River started in, but paused, fingers tightening around the doorknob. "Maybe I should return the favor." In two large steps, River stepped in front of Hunter. His breath left his lips in small clouds as he stared determinedly at Hunter's mouth. Hunter's body was confused. After battling the oncoming winter chill for so long, it was strange to suddenly have River in front of him, warming his skin from proximity alone. Fingertips tinged pink by the cold reached up, grabbing Hunter's jacket and using the fabric to pull the taller man down. "You were gone for so long and never reached out," River croaked, fists tightening around the fabric of Hunter's coat. "Never sent me a text or gave me a call." "I'm sorry." "Are you?" River's whispered words warmed Hunter's lips, teasing him with the promise of more. "Then prove it." __________________________________ Highest Rankings: #1 mxm/malexmale/manxman #1 gayness/unlimitedpride #1 parent/singleparent #1 nosmut #3 gay #3 lgbtlove/lgbtlovestory #4 gaylove #5 fallinginlove #7 bxblove #16 wattpride #35 lgbt #64 bxb #96 boyxboy #99 single-parent #136 lgbtq #200 BL Date Started: 02/02/2024 Date Completed: 10/4/2024

(mxm) Survival tip #1: Don't strangle your snowed-in roommate. Easier said than done for Miles Thompson, a college senior who just wants to cruise through his final semester with as few complications as possible. But when a freak blizzard traps him in Logan Arver's apartment, simple is officially off the table. Logan is smug, infuriatingly calm, and way too good at getting under Miles's skin. Miles is short-tempered, sleep-deprived, and certainly not interested in making new friends. But with the snow piling up, the power on the verge of cutting out, and nowhere else to go, they're forced to navigate more than just the storm together---long after it ends.

Simon Love is maybe a bit of a dick. He's smart, but he's lazy, and he doesn't know how to live without his mom's meatloaf and at least 4 different investment accounts. After graduating from college, he can't bring himself to leave the comfort of his hometown, so when the newest tech giant, TechNet, plants its HQ roots in his very own Baker, Ohio, Simon knows this must be fate. And when TechNet brings in a local architect to draw up plans to spruce up the building, Simon can't help but notice his construction crew. More specifically, the tall twenty-something wearing a canvas tool belt, a beat-up Sox hat, and a small, heart-stopping smile that has the entire office talking. And it seems like Simon is the only one who doesn't know why.

[BXB] Blake Collins moves in next door and Luca Mendoza's world turns upside down. ☆☆☆ When popular football player Blake Collins moves in next door, Luca Mendoza assumes it won't change a thing in their nonexistent relationship (regardless of the crush that he may or may not have). But then Blake's infuriating thirteen-year-old brother comes into the picture. He plays his music too loud, constantly kicks his soccer ball over the fence and is generally a pain in Luca's ass. When Luca decides he has no other choice but to confront this terror of a middle schooler, he fails to realize that Blake has overheard him until it's too late. To his surprise, the incident triggers a friendship between the two of them and Luca begins to wonder if he has a better shot with Blake than he's been giving himself credit for. [ July. 2022. - September. 2022. ] #6 in quickread #13 in bisexual #27 in high school #36 in light hearted #38 in youth

‎‎"I'm like a fungus," Damian said cheerfully. "You'll get used to me." ‎ ‎"I'd rather contract an actual fungus." ‎ ‎"That's a little dramatic." ‎ ‎"I'm literally a science major," Lukas said, sipping his drink calmly. "I know how bad fungi can get." ‎ ‎Damian leaned forward, like Lukas had just issued a challenge. "Okay. Serious question. What would it take for you to willingly hang out with me?" ‎ ‎"An act of God." ‎ ‎"I'm serious." ‎ ‎"I'm not."

Self-sufficient master of thievery, Vincent Costa has nothing to lose. He steals from the rich and gives to the poor: a modern day Robin Hood, if you will. Vincent and his friends develop well-thought-out schemes to earn a lot of cash and fast. They succeed for the most part. Until a bounty is set to eliminate Vincent at all costs. As it turns out, stealing thousands of dollars worth of goods from big wigs tends to piss off some very powerful rich people. People that would spend any amount of money to have Vincent quietly removed. That's where Hayes Oliver comes in. Can Hayes resist Vincent's boyish charm and talent of getting under people's skin? And will the downfall of the Bronx's local savior come sooner than he'd ever expected?

"Colby?" Avery asks, his voice wavering only slightly. I turn to him, cursing at myself for hesitating, if only for a minute. "Yeah?" "Do you have a crush on me?" My heart shatters, but I can't lie. Not to him. Not about this. "Yes, Avery. I've had a crush on you since that day you got drunk and stumbled into my house. Every time I look at you, I can't help wanting to touch you and craving you." I pause, taking in a shuddering breath. "This doesn't have to change anything. You don't --" He snatches my hands. "You wanna touch me, Colby?" His sudden boldness stops me in my tracks. I nod slowly as he nears my face, his cheek brushing mine. He whispers in my ear, a raspy murmur that sends electric shocks through my entire body. "Do it. I fucking dare you." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Avery Thomas and Colby Beck are best friends; thick as thieves, but polar opposites. Where Avery is energetic and social, Colby is closed off and selects very few people to really know him. Their relationship has always been simply this: best friends. That is, until one drunken night like all of the others; Avery saunters into Colby's house, seeking help in his state. As he assists Avery, Colby realizes that he is beginning to become attracted to him in more ways than best friends should be. *WARNING* Mature sexual scenes and some homophobia. Chapters marked with "M" contain adultery or some sexual interaction between heroines. All scenes have consent, and characters are over 18. Be warned. Your mental health matters. DON'T COPYRIGHT! This is an original work.

A misdelivered love letter meant for the school's cheerleader lands in her twin brother's locker, sparking an unexpected friendship that forces Oliver to face family secrets, his identity, and his growing feelings for the one boy he was never supposed to love. *** Oliver Grant wasn't trying to fall for Max Ellis. He had one job: slip a love letter into locker 166 and finally confess to Kate Ellis - the cool, untouchable cheerleader of his teenage dreams. Instead, it ends up in locker 168. Which belongs to Max Ellis - Kate's twin brother. Broody. Quiet. Star football player. Definitely not the person Oliver was supposed to fall for. And the worst part? Since that day, Max Ellis has been way too interested in Oliver Grant - showing up, sitting too close, smiling like he knows exactly what he's doing. The more Oliver tries to avoid him... ...the harder Max makes it to walk away. Now Oliver's life is spiraling into awkward hallway run-ins, mixed signals, and a growing suspicion that maybe - just maybe - the wrong locker wasn't a mistake at all.

Max Corrigan doesn't consider himself lucky. He never won anything the few times he'd purchased scratch-offs. He's never gotten his coffee paid for by the person in front of him in a chain of 'paying it forward.' And he's certainly never had any luck with dating. All Zach Freeman knows is football. He lives, eats, and breaths the sport and, like all the greats, he is incredibly superstitious. Before having his heart broken, he had a plethora of rituals that had to be performed in order to win. Now the team is on a losing streak with no end in sight. When Zach realizes, through a series of undeniable coincidences, that Max very well could be the answer to his team's misfortune the whole time, he insists Max stick around until the end of the season--just until their coach comes back and they get back on the road to success. With the excitement of winning and a blossoming friendship, on comes much more than college parties and celebratory dances. Zach tends to push his luck and Max thinks it's just the luck of the draw.

Harry Bradford is tired of being lonely. He's stood back and watched as his best friend, ex-boyfriend, and even his sister find love in extraordinary places. He's stuck pulling the short end of the stick and getting detached from short flings or hookups. The only constant he can rely on in his life is his rivalry with his incessantly devilish neighbor Xavier de León that he's kept alive since middle school. Starting when Xavier stole Harry's girlfriend in grade six, the prank-and-payback war began and never stopped. It all changes when Xavier finds out Harry is gay and takes things a little further then necessary. Now Harry is set out to destroy Xavier's life, if possible. Except for the fact that Xavier needs his help with a class project and they are forced to spend time together. Harry would rather die.