Showing results by narrator "Gabriel McKnight" in All Categories

At the end of the Victorian era, a handful of public intellectuals advocated for tolerance of the "Uranian"—a man who loved other men. Some went so far as to propose that these "intermediate sexes" might, in fact, constitute a totally different species, even serve as intrepid guides in our march toward an uncertain future. The five speculative stories in Theodore McCombs's kaleidoscopic collection span several possible worlds, teasing the boundaries between coexisting realities and taking up the question of queer difference from one surprising vantage after another.

I'm ready to open my flower shop Bud's Blooms and turn over a whole new petal. But when a new arrival in Mulligan's Mill—fancy French pastry chef Pascal Dupont—decides to open a new patisserie right next door, I find myself more than just a little distracted by the grumpy, gorgeous Parisian chef. Maybe, with a little help from my friends, I'll get all the love advice I need to become the smooth, suave, sophisticated gentleman that Pascal might notice.

Rory is an omega prince, heir to the throne of the magical kingdom of Igella. His country's laws dictate that omegas must have a Regent to rule in their stead-and that the Regent must be an Alpha. Rory's wicked stepmother, Queen Berenda, needs to find an unscrupulous Alpha, because she has nefarious plans for her stepson.

I shouldn't want him. Not when he's my best friend's father. Not when one mistake could destroy the only friendship I can't afford to lose. But one look from Cole shatters every line I swore I wouldn't cross. He sees me in ways no one else ever has—like I matter. Like I'm his. Giving in will cost me everything. So why do I keep coming back for more?

On this campus, I’m worshiped. While seven hundred miles away, back in my hometown, I’m still trailer park trash, child of the town tramp, and older sibling to three kids who are counting on me to keep my s--t together so I can take them away from the same crappy life I grew up in. These two opposing sides of myself never mix until one person gets a glimpse of the true me. I never expected to connect with anyone like this or want more beyond one night. This may be the real deal. Problem is Dr. Kavanagh’s my literature professor.

Luan Hayes is charming, caring, determined, and talks a lot. He knows how to never leave space for awkward silence. Looking at him, he almost seems like a perfect human, but everyone has their demons in some ways, even those who shine as bright as the sun with their positivity. Grey Davis keeps to himself. He's quiet, observant, and prefers to keep his distance to those who seem more like a complication than simplicity. His family means everything to him, and he would sacrifice his happiness to keep the people he loves. But could two opposites even work?

Me, I'm just a simple guy living the simple life in Mulligan's Mill. I run the hardware store. No one here suspects I'm gay—least of all that I've been quietly in love with Dean Reeves for years. He's my best friend's son. I watched him grow up gentle and gifted, always strumming something on his guitar, lost in his music. But when he turned eighteen—when he stepped out of his backyard music studio, taller, broader, with something magnetic about him—I haven't been able to unsee it since. Now he's a real-life rock star, and he's coming back to town for a break. Just for a while, he says.

It should have been a paradise cruise for me and the girls of Supernatural Inc. A luxury cruise ship, clear skies, fun and games, a little slap and tickle, and let's not forgot the gourmet buffets! But that glorious vacation is interrupted by a report of a mysterious ship appearing at Shelnora Island with dazed and confused passengers aboard. And when those passengers start dropping like flies, dying under bizarre, seemingly paranormal circumstances, panic sweeps the tropical isle.

Six months ago, a series of murders brought us together, a trio of beautiful, resourceful women, a smoking hot shapeshifter, and little old me, here on glorious, sunny Shelnora Island. And ever since, we've stuck together, investigating mysteries and living life to its fullest. But now, a new series of bizarre deaths plague our tropical paradise. Even more terrifying and gruesome than the werewolf killer, with corpses torn apart and stitched back together, missing couples, and a mysterious ancient tome. Looks like it's time for Supernatural Inc. to get to the bottom of it all!

Life on Shelnora Island seemed to be perfect for me. A tropical paradise, great food, and beautiful women at the local sorority . . . until I crossed paths with a mysterious murder and sightings of an honest-to-God werewolf! Now I'm surrounded by three beautiful women, all drawn into the mystery, and it turns out that my new dog is a smoking hot shapeshifter. Life's gotten crazy, but maybe, if we all work together, we'll find out who the real killer is. Could it be the curmudgeonly divemaster with a grudge? The sleazy resort owner drumming up sensationalism for tourist bucks?

Scandalous headlines threaten to turn Jamie Kent from a pop star to a pariah on the regular, but this latest one is a little too close for comfort. The Asylum Fight Club seems like a good place to hide out . . . until he has to prove he belongs—deep in a lifestyle with a contract and rules he breaks within the first five minutes. Staying means complete surrender, but a lifetime scripting love songs didn't prepare him to give his heart to the one man who claims everything he has to offer.

Raised and trained by The Asylum Fight Club's most infamous owner, Reed Dane is almost untouchable. Might sound dope, but there are disadvantages to his "privileged" status. His guardian's reputation makes a serious relationship impossible—turns out the club's members are addicted to breathing—and the one man Reed wants sees him only as a stray his former lover brought home. An endless string of one-night stands lacks the intimacy Reed craves, but at least post-fight hookups distract him from what he'll never have. Until he takes a wrecking ball to the walls that set him apart.

If there were an emergency number for adulthood, Matt Kincaid would have dialed it months ago. Raising his kid brother alone is already an uphill battle, nevermind when an ugly gang initiation lands the teen in lockup. Again. Only, this time for a hate crime against a local fight club, where settling debts isn't taken lightly. When the club offers to let Matt risk everything in a long-shot match with a man who's as brutally handsome as he is tough, he jumps at the chance.

Forrest Cooper: Cooper Springs' resident lavender farmer has a short list of people he trusts. A newcomer to town is not making his list. Ever. Especially not one who is first on the scene of a murder. Nero Vik: Recently laid off and once again single, the ex-investigative reporter is digging into the sordid history of Cooper Springs. He's not in town to make friends, he's there to solve an old mystery and maybe bring closure to those who need it.

Martin quits his job, sells his house, and buys a set of fixer-upper cabins on the coast. There's just one teensy problem. Along with the property comes a very angry man. Nicholas Waugh had his own scare. With no home to call his own, he finagles a security gig keeping an eye on a set of vacant cabins. The deal comes with a free one-year lease–and he's not leaving a day sooner. Fifteen years of teaching, and patience is second nature to Martin. But Nick is giving Martin a run for his money.

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. In reality, Dante's DIYing it; he isn't the trusting sort. Daniella was the only witness to her mom's brutal murder and needs both protection and anonymity—plus as normal a life as possible. It's just a bonus that Cooper Springs has Andre Dear too.

Xavier swore he'd never move back to the flyspeck of a town he'd grown up in and he kept that promise for over twenty years. Now, he's back for good. Vincent never left. After college, he stayed in town to be close to his elderly parents. These days he's the single dad of a fifteen-year-old daughter and working two jobs. He's perfectly happy with his life. Right? Xavier's new mission is to breathe life back into Cooper Springs, but his stodgy, straight-laced, rule-following neighbor, Vincent Barone—is getting in the way.

I wear several labels: owner of the NFL's Raleigh Raptors, heir to the Rutherford empire, and certified adrenaline junkie. One label I'll never wear? Reckless. I may love skydiving and touring live volcanoes, but risking my life is easy. My heart? That's another thing entirely. For years I've kept my best friend and personal assistant Brynn Allen in the strictly platonic section of my wild life, but she's owned me since high school. She's smart, funny, logical, brilliant, and beyond gorgeous. To put it plainly, she's perfection wrapped in a tempting little package.

Wings. That was the nickname they gave me in the lead-up to the Winter Olympics. I was ready to take home the gold for figure skating, ready to make all my dreams come true . . . all but one . . . the dream of finding love. That dream ended the night I lost the only man I ever wanted. It was a moment that led to my downfall on the ice rink. And so I fled my hometown of Mulligan's Mill, determined never to return. That is until I get the call from Doc Morgan, letting me know that my sister's hoarding habit is getting out of control.