Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered…could spilling their secrets on Heart2Heart, the dating and community app loved by queer singles around the world, lead to love?
Whether it's spilling juicy family gossip, confessing your place in a famous viral photo, wanting to spice up your love life, or admitting you've never been kissed, there's no telling the outcome when H2H is involved.
As always, all proceeds from this anthology will benefit LGBTQ+ charities to ensure that love in all its incarnations will be celebrated and protected every single day of the year!
🏳️🌈
The authors are pleased to share the chosen charities for H2H volume 9:
Length: 464 pages, 86 600 words Series: The Mage and His Brute Book 4 Prior Reading: Prior reading is required Genre: Historical, Fantasy/Romantasy Tropes: Slow Burn Romance Forbidden, cross-class Love Enemies to Lovers Protective MMC Rich Fantasy World Danger & Longing Trigger/Content Warnings: Major cliffhanger Designer: 17 Studio Book Design
The most dangerous power is the one he cannot control.
The artefact he fought to recover across two continents is now secured. But the Crimson Codex does not intend to be contained.
Duke Evander Ravenwood’s magic is changing. The Crimson Codex may be secured in Scotland Yard's vault, but it is far from dormant. The ancient power he wrested from the Alps has lodged itself inside him, erupting without warning and beyond his control. A secret he had yet to reveal to anyone—including the man who shares his bed.
When two of Viggo Stonewall's agents disappear in Liverpool, Evander and Viggo lead a team on a rescue mission that will drag them from the rain-slicked dockyards of the industrial north to the gilded drawing rooms of London's elite.
Soon, the fragile peace they fought for begins to fracture. The Mage Council wants the Codex. Parliament wants the Arcane Division on its knees. And the foe whose reach stretches from the streets to the highest corridors of power is tightening a noose none of them can see.
With allies stretched thin and enemies hiding in plain sight, Evander and Viggo must navigate a web of conspiracy, political ambition, and dark magic that threatens to consume everything they have built, including each other.
This time, the greatest threat may not be the enemy at their gates. It may be the force awakening inside the mage himself.
Mage's Gambit is the fourth book in Ava Marie Salinger’s bestselling MM historical fantasy romance series The Mage and His Brute. With heart-pounding intrigue, a romance forged in fire, and stakes that will leave readers breathless. Perfect for fans of historical fantasy and LGBTQ+ romance.
Ava Marie Salinger is the romance pen name of an Amazon bestselling urban fantasy author who has always wanted to write scorching hot contemporary and M/M fantasy romance. FALLEN MESSENGERS and THE MAGE AND HIS BRUTE are M/M fantasy romance series written as Ava Marie Salinger. NIGHTS and TWILIGHT FALLS are contemporary M/M romance series written as A.M. Salinger. When she’s not dreaming up hotties to write about, you’ll find Ava creating kickass music playlists to write to, spying on the wildlife in her garden, drooling over gadgets, and eating Chinese.
Series: Wood Hollow Stories, Book 2 Prior Reading: Prior reading recommended but not essential Genre: Contemporary, Rom-Com, Small-Town, Sports Tropes: Small-Town, Single Dad, Sports, Rom-com Trigger/Content Warnings: This deals with surrogacy. All happy. There is also a death of a sibling off page. Designer: Sleepy Fox Studio
The baker, the grumpy lumberjack, and a new dad journey…
Dexter
The donut business is booming in Wood Hollow, along with my flag-football program. Now I’m ready to take on a new challenge—parenthood. See, I’ve always wanted to be a dad and it’s finally happening. Wood Hollow is the perfect place to raise a child. It’s quiet, safe, and the folks here are friendly.
One glaring exception is the grumpy lumberjack…who ends up being besties with my surrogate. What are the odds?
Yeah…this will be interesting.
Viggo
I’m a logger. I like wood. That’s it. Maybe that makes me a solitary person, but so what?
Unfortunately, I can’t ignore the handsome donut man’s new dad-to-be situation. Not when it concerns an old family friend.
Look, I don’t want to be involved, but I have no choice. And if that means I’ll have to step outside of my comfort zone and do people-y things to make sure Dexter is a going to be a good dad, so be it.
It doesn’t mean I like Dexter. He’s accidentally funny, kind of sweet, very hot, and—
Okay, fine.
Maybe I like him too much.
Sweet Something is an MM bisexual, grumpy/sunshine, small-town romance featuring Wood Hollow’s hottest baker and the grumpy lumberjack with a big heart.
Lane Hayes lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesn’t mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, who’s pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write.
She’s been telling stories about sexy, funny, sometimes geeky and quirky men who find love for a dozen years now and loving every minute. In her previous life, she sat at a desk and dealt with numbers, so yes…romance is much more satisfying!
Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolate…in any order. Add a book and she’s set!
My Readers’ Group, Lane’s Lovers: https://bit.ly/3aIbMYg
I didn’t come to Wisconsin looking for a legend. I came to get out. Out of staged smiles. Out of corporate campaigns. Out of photographing happiness that felt manufactured. I was supposed to spend two months in the woods. No clients, no deadlines, just open sky, real silence, and nothing that needed editing.
What I find instead… is Calder.
Seven feet of muscle and shadow and ancient forest stillness.
He doesn’t trust humans, but I don’t scare easily. And the more time I spend with him, the harder it is to ignore the way he looks at me. The way his body reacts when I get too close. The way mine answers. But the forest isn’t as empty as it looks. There’s something else out there. Calder won’t name it—only follows its movement and keeps himself between me and whatever’s slinking through the trees.
And I’m starting to understand that whatever he’s been guarding me from isn’t the only danger in these woods. I should leave… but I don’t. Because knowing that doesn’t change anything.
I still want him. And the worst part? He wants me too.
Enter the Legends world, where National Parks hold secrets—and monsters steal hearts.
Denver Shaw is a girl who enjoys the simple things in life: the first sip of coffee in the morning, the changing colors of sunset, and clothes fresh out of the dryer- although she doesn’t enjoy folding them. When she isn’t reading romance stories, she spends her time plotting and writing them.
Length: 60K Series: Legends (shared world) Prior Reading: Prior reading NOT required Genre: Monster Tropes: Monster x Human Trigger/Content Warnings: Explicit MM Sex Designer: Claire at BookSmith Design
Enter the Legends world, where National Parks hold secrets—and monsters steal hearts.
Let your light shine.
When Dan, the Dover Demon, is pursued by bounty hunters, he seeks sanctuary in Fox Hollow in the Adirondack Forest. An attractive park ranger becomes his protector, and sparks fly between them. But the bounty hunter hasn't given up, and an even more dangerous threat has emerged from the deepest caverns, one that will take all the magic and courage they can muster.
Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic and urban fantasy, with less romance, more explosions.
All of the modern-day Morgan Brice and Gail Z. Martin series crossover, so characters from one series appear in cameos and on page in important secondary roles in books from other series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the more you read the more the expanded universe of friendships and connections becomes clear.
Morgan and Gail believe that paranormal elements make any story even better, and her worlds are full of ghosts, psychics, shifters, creatures, vampires, monster hunters, and magic.
An epic, magical summer solstice celebration with super scary monster legends, and a cryptid wants me as his date. Seems legit.
Darien As much fun as it is making two dollars above minimum wage, I’ve always dreamed of a career as an herbalist. Now that I’ve broken up with my girlfriend, it seems like the perfect time to trade the go-go-go culture of LA for the peace of the great outdoors. But once I arrive in the Ozarks, communing with nature takes on a whole new meaning.
Rex It’s spring once again, and the Monster Network chat is alive with preparations for our yearly summer solstice bash. Sure, it’s great seeing all my buddies—except they’ll have someone by their side and I’ll be traveling solo. Romance is overrated, right? At least I have all my adorable forest friends to keep me company.
I’ve never considered getting involved with a human, because seriously, how many of them have ‘ISO a giant hairy bear with horns’ on their dating profile? However, when Darien’s life is threatened, I have no choice but to reveal my true form and out myself as an Ozark Howler.
Is it possible that a human is my forever guy after all?
Length: 76,000 Series: Wood Hollow Stories, Book 2 Prior Reading: Prior reading recommended but not essential Genre: Contemporary, Rom-Com, Small-Town, Sports Tropes: Small-Town, Single Dad, Sports, Rom-com Trigger/Content Warnings: This deals with surrogacy. All happy. There is also a death of a sibling off page. Designer: Sleepy Fox Studio
The baker, the grumpy lumberjack, and a new dad journey…
Dexter
The donut business is booming in Wood Hollow, along with my flag-football program. Now I’m ready to take on a new challenge—parenthood. See, I’ve always wanted to be a dad and it’s finally happening. Wood Hollow is the perfect place to raise a child. It’s quiet, safe, and the folks here are friendly.
One glaring exception is the grumpy lumberjack…who ends up being besties with my surrogate. What are the odds?
Yeah…this will be interesting.
Viggo
I’m a logger. I like wood. That’s it. Maybe that makes me a solitary person, but so what?
Unfortunately, I can’t ignore the handsome donut man’s new dad-to-be situation. Not when it concerns an old family friend.
Look, I don’t want to be involved, but I have no choice. And if that means I’ll have to step outside of my comfort zone and do people-y things to make sure Dexter is a going to be a good dad, so be it.
It doesn’t mean I like Dexter. He’s accidentally funny, kind of sweet, very hot, and—
Okay, fine.
Maybe I like him too much.
Sweet Something is an MM bisexual, grumpy/sunshine, small-town romance featuring Wood Hollow’s hottest baker and the grumpy lumberjack with a big heart.
“I’m not concerned about you, donut man. Only Freya…and the child.”
“Look, I’m going to spell this out for you one time only. She’s my surrogate, not my girlfriend, not my wife. We signed a contract. I’m paying her to have my child and—”
“Who will help you raise the kid?” he interrupted.
“Excuse me?”
“Who will help you?” he repeated, annunciating each word. “Do you have a partner, family?”
“I have friends.”
He narrowed his eyes. “The policeman? He’s your boyfriend?”
“What? No! Who told you that?”
“No one. I saw you together.” Viggo sipped his water…aggressively.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was upset about that, too. Oh, great. The big guy was a homophobe. Just what I needed.
“Let me preface this by stating that this is also none of your business, but Reg and I are friends. That’s all.”
“You kissed.” The barstool creaked under his weight as he shifted toward me. “Not a friend kiss.”
I frowned. “How would you know that?”
“Because I fucking saw you from the fucking roof.”
My jaw dropped while my voice went up an octave. “You were spying on me?”
“No! I was removing a tree. The policeman’s property is behind Mrs. Abrams’s. You were in his yard, and your tongue was in his mouth. You’re either his lover or his—”
I slapped my hand on the granite island and glowered. “Enough! That was months ago. We’re not—you know what? I don’t owe you an explanation. And I’m certainly not going to justify my personal life to a bigot I barely know. You can leave now.”
Viggo managed to look insulted and righteous at the same time. An impressive feat for someone who was so in the wrong, it wasn’t even funny.
“I am no bigot. I don’t care who you fuck. Man or woman, does not matter to me.”
“Oh, gee, that’s big of you,” I snarked.
“I’m big.”
I huffed a laugh. Was this lumberjack humor?
“Right. I can see that.”
I gave Viggo a thorough once-over. Not the sexy kind, though. This was more of a deliberate measurement delivered with a sneer I hoped signaled that I wasn’t intimidated. The problem was that my gaze stalled on his beefy thighs and, without my permission, checked out his bulge.
Whoa. Rein it in, Dex.
Viggo frowned. “I don’t care if you’re a homosexual.”
“Bisexual,” I corrected, crossing my arms.
“Me too. Doesn’t matter. The baby matters.” He scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “Fine. You’re going to need my help.”
He’d adjusted his tone to something more conciliatory and less…presumptuous. I felt my resolve soften for a beat, then quickly reminded myself that I didn’t know this guy.
“Thank you for you offer, but—”
“It’s not an offer. It’s a statement. You need help with the baby…and it will have to be me.” Viggo slid off the stool gracefully and carefully pushed it in, like a maître d’ at a fancy restaurant. “Good night.”
“Hang on a second.” I marched in his wake to the front door and slipped around him, blocking his exit. “I’m choosing to believe you’re here because you care about your friend. However, your willful ignorance of the law is troubling. You’re in no position to make demands, Viggo. None. If I have to get a restraining order, I’ll do it.”
He considered me for a long moment, rubbing his thick beard thoughtfully. “That is very serious.”
“Yeah, it is. ’Cause here’s the thing…I don’t know you.”
Viggo inhaled deeply, his piercing gaze boring a hole in my head. Geez, this man was intense. “There’s an easy solution for that. I don’t like it any more than you do, but…we’ll have to become better acquainted. Starting tomorrow.”
“Uh…excuse me?”
“I’ll buy an apple fritter in the morning. I’ll say hello. We can trade greetings for a week or so and go from there.” He opened the door and tilted his chin. “Good night, Dexter.”
I stood on the porch, my mouth a perfect O as I watched Viggo buckle his helmet, straddle his bike, and rev it to life. I’d love to claim that I was frozen in place by his sheer audacity and that nothing about this burly man on a Harley did anything for me, but I wasn’t sure that was true. I’d give myself a stern talking-to later.
For now…what the actual fuck was going on?
about the author:
Lane Hayes lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesn’t mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, who’s pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write.
She’s been telling stories about sexy, funny, sometimes geeky and quirky men who find love for a dozen years now and loving every minute. In her previous life, she sat at a desk and dealt with numbers, so yes…romance is much more satisfying!
Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolate…in any order. Add a book and she’s set!
My Readers’ Group, Lane’s Lovers: https://bit.ly/3aIbMYg
