…because some happy endings come harder than others.
On this page you can find info and warnings/enticements about my darker books.
If you have any further questions, feel free to email me, or you can join my Facebook group dedicated to the dark side – Love…but darker
Although all the books I write are intended for an adult audience, I feel some themes and events in these particular stories require a heads up if you are of a sensitive persuasion. I make no apologies for writing this stuff, or conversely for offering these warnings. It is what it is.
The warnings can be found under the title and blurb.
The General warnings are vague enough that you can get the idea without giving too much away. They’re more detailed than the hints you get from the blurb but with no plot spoilers.
The Specifics/Spoilers are just that. If you are concerned about anything you read in the blurb or general warnings, you can highlight an area of white text between two arrows to get more specific descriptions. But to be clear, these will include plot points that constitute spoilers which may ruin your enjoyment of the story, i.e. plot twists, etc..
Love…but darker books
– click to go to entry
No Regrets
Stumble Forward
Devil Next Door
The Wolf and the Pear
The Devil Told You
Good Faith
Ex-soldier Ryan Jones likes precisely two things—his kitchen and the music his father taught him to love.
After spending too many years
running from his past, he’s found something like peace. Working all day as a short-order cook in a dying town, then drinking himself to sleep at night isn’t much of a life but he thinks it’s all he needs, until the day he notices the kid.
Lucas is quiet, barely twenty, sporting a shy smile beneath his frightened eyes, and bruises that Ryan can relate to all too well. Torn between wanting to help Lucas and simply wanting him, Ryan’s resolve to keep the kid at arm’s length slowly wears away.
Until Lucas disappears.
Ryan’s not the sort of man to be anyone’s white knight. But as it turns out, what Ryan is capable of, is exactly what Lucas needs.
Warnings
General – age difference (19-20/35), some graphic violence, descriptions of injuries, power imbalance, mentions of death of a parent, descriptions of physical assault of a child (not sexual)
Specific/Spoilers – Highlight between the arrows to read text –> Lucas is beaten severely enough to be hospitalized, Ryan recalls his step father’s abuse including trying to drown him, Ryan kills two men, Ryan’s motivations for marrying Lucas are ambiguous.<–
It’s a classic tale.
Boy meets girl.
Boy meets girl’s brother.
All hell breaks loose.
Alec Clark is trying to start a new life and not complicate it with a past he isn’t ready to share with potential girlfriend, Allie. But when she introduces him to her troubled brother, Jack, things get complicated fast and the men end up with a secret of their own.
But there’s another secret—one that will not only break their lives apart emotionally but could have bloody, fatal consequences.
If Alec can pick his way through the minefield of lies and half-truths, he and Jack might somehow find a chance at happiness—and a life that neither of them could ever have imagined living.
Warnings
General – addiction recovery, serious mental health issues, troubling family dynamics, descriptions of bloody injuries/gore, questionable fidelity, mentions of death of family members, descriptions of unhappy childhood.
Specifics/Spoilers – Highlight between the arrows to read text –> Alec is recovering from a substance abuse problem, Jack is an alcoholic who relapses. Alec and Jack have sex before Alec has formally broken up with Allie (Alec and Allie have never slept together) and lie to her about…well, everything actually. The aftermath of an attempted suicide is described. There is some question as to whether or not Alec and Jack are half-brothers, and they decided to continue a sexual relationship whilst believing they are related.<–
All Remy Harker wants is a fresh start.
Well, maybe that’s what he tells himself as he rolls up to his nice new house, in the nice little neighborhood, in a town where nobody knows his name.
He’s surrounded by friendly neighbors and a white picket fence. The ugly pink carpet might drive him to insanity, and he can’t stop wondering where the old lady who lived there before him died—but it’s nice.
And if he puts his mind to it, he can be anything—or anyone—he wants to be. He can be nice too.
At least, he thinks he can until he lays eyes on his next-door neighbor.
Luke Boucher is nice.
And quiet.
And perfect.
It doesn’t take long for Remy to insinuate himself into Luke’s life. A camera here, a break-in there.
—It’s not really stalking if you love someone, is it?—
But when Remy’s plan to make a good impression goes to hell, he ends up over his head in more ways than one. Then things aren’t quite so nice anymore.
—It’s not really murder if you love someone, is it?—
Loving your neighbor isn’t so easy when you’re the devil next door.
Warnings
General – unsettling/manipulative behavior, stalking, casual violence, murder, gore, dubious consent.
Specific/Spoilers – Highlight between the arrows to read text –> Remy recalls the torture, murder, and disposal of a man in his presence. Lots of gore. Their first sexual encounter goes ahead with dubious consent. Luke and Remy have a violent sexual relationship which although consensual may be unsettling. <–
Once upon a time, there was a boy named Lev.
He didn’t have skin as white as snow or hair that fell in golden ropes. But he was quick witted and braver than he knew. And he would need to be.
When Lev goes to live with his uncle in the little village nestled against the deep dark forest at the foot of the mountains, the place seems pleasant enough. But Lev soon starts to wonder about things that don’t quite make sense—dark looks on people’s faces, cries in the night that go unanswered and secrets whispered. But it isn’t until the first full moon that he truly understands why his parents left their families and never wanted to return. Or why they never spoke of Grandmother who lives in the forest. Or the Big Bad Wolf who lives with her.
Until one day Lev is sent into the forest to Grandmother’s house.
Then all he wonders is whether he’ll ever make it out of the forest again.
.
This is a dark MM fairytale told in the traditional style, with talking animals, violence and sexual content.
Definitely not for children.
Warnings
General – fairytale language (Grimm’s, not Disney), talking animals, the MC is seventeen, violence, violent sexual encounters, dubious consent, gore, manipulative behavior, mentions of suicide, mentions of the death of a parent.
Specific/Spoilers – Highlight between the arrows to read text –> Lev’s parents die and he’s left alone, when Lev meets the wolf (who is a man not an actual wolf) he’s attracted to him even as the wolf is basically sexually assaulting him, Lev and the wolf have violent sexual relations despite being in a caring relationship, the wolf kills people, people are driven mad and commit suicide off-page, Lev stops someone from drowning themselves, there is violent language, mentions of gore and violent death, violent on-page death<–
Getting bundled into a car and held against his will was not exactly how Aiden had planned to spend his day. There’s a way out. His captors will let him live if he can perform an impossible task. Or at least one impossible for Aiden. Mistaken identity really sucks.
Aiden has one night to find an escape from captivity. But what finds its way into his derelict cell is a mysterious stranger who says he can help. For a price.
With little choice, Aiden pays up with the only thing he has to offer. Himself.
And when the impossible tasks keep coming, his only hope of survival is the nameless visitor and the increasingly violent payment he requires.
One way or another, Aiden’s going to get hurt before he can buy his freedom.
But there’s only one man who can make him want it.
Warnings
General – abduction, assault, threats of violence, violence, choking, blood, Ds tones/bad etiquette, sadism, unsettling/manipulative behavior, sexual coercion, murder, dubious consent, unsafe sex, PTSD.
Specific/Spoilers – Highlight between the arrows to read text –> The sexual acts that Aiden is coerced into become increasingly violent, painful and graphic at points. He’s into it, although it’s debatable how much of that is rationalization on his part. Once free, he suffers from mental health issues/PTSD. He subsequently enters a relationship with his abuser.<–
Dethroned Irish mob prince Michael Flanagan has a death wish. Or rather he’s having impure thoughts about a rival mafioso’s sociopathic lover, which amounts to the same thing.
Drawn into one of his uncle’s schemes, Michael is horrified to find himself used as collateral — a hostage to the mafia family and a terrified houseguest of the mobster in question. But despite his ferocious reputation, Carmine Bartolo Jr seems happy enough when his sadistic partner, Ilya starts bedding Michael. Almost as happy as Michael himself.
But of course, nothing in Michael’s life is simple.
Dealing with his own complicated family situation — and that Carmine seems to have a sinister motive behind taking Michael under his wing — is bad enough. But Michael starts to fall, not only for Ilya and the dark passions they share, but also for Carmine, who might be even more of a monster when he’s not charming and considerate. And worse, the feelings seem to be mutual.
Maybe if they can figure out who’s trying to murder Carmine, they’ll eventually get their happily ever after.
And if the three of them have to kill a few people to get there…they’ll probably enjoy it.
Coming Soon
Warnings
General – Very dubious consent, coercion, violence, casual violence, descriptions of injury, shooting, car accident, mentions of people trafficking, mentions of past underage (17), hospitalization, sadomasochism, threats of sexual violence, smoking, mentions of drug use,
Specific/Spoilers – Highlight between the arrows to read text –> Michael and Ilya enter into a relationship based on their sadomasochistic preferences. Their first sexual encounter could be read as noncon but Michael’s reluctance is about getting caught. On one occasion Carmine is very threatening and verbally abusive to Michael when they argue. A teenage boy is tied up and beaten in the background of a scene. There’s some indication that Carmine and Ilya’s relationship started before Ilya was legally old enough. It’s mentioned that Ilya was physically and mentally abused by his older brother and sexually abused by others.<–