States of Love (Various)

Brett has spent twenty-seven years trying to be perfect for the Mormon grandparents who raised him. Unfortunately, doing so has meant missing out on lots of life experiences-and denying a major part of who he is. Now that his grandparents are gone, Brett is ready to make up for lost time, break out of the sedate façade he's always presented, and do something he would have never considered before: attend a gay men's spiritual retreat in rural Massachusetts. While trying to infuse some spice into his life with workshops like Erotic Massage, Body Painting, and Drag 101, Brett meets Boston nurse Karl, and it's hard to deny the connection between them. But will Brett's lack of experience and Karl's insecurities end their romance before it can really begin? It might be a spiritual retreat, but Brett must learn to embrace his physical reality if he's going to grab on to his chance at love. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

After two years of internet chats and crappy video calls, Nathan and Leonardo will finally meet face-to-face, and the anticipation is killing them both. Their slow-simmering desire to be together soon boils over as Nathan shows Leo around his hometown of Boise, Idaho. Witty conversation fills their days, passion fills their nights, and both young men know they belong in each other's lives. But how can a romance, let alone a relationship, work when Nathan's career is in Boise and Leo must soon return to his home in Italy? Since neither is ready to say goodbye to the budding love affair, they're determined to find a solution before the end of Leo's holiday. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

For a chance at a future filled with love, he'll have to face a painful past. Eric, recently dumped by his boyfriend, is summoned home after his dad suffers a stroke. His family farm in rural Vermont holds memories he'd rather forget, but he-with his degree in agricultural business-is needed to clear up a predicament with the bank. In trying to forget the bad, Eric has also lost sight of the good: green meadows dotted with grass-fed dairy cows and the sugar maples that once produced the area's finest maple syrup. With Eric's help, they will again. A captivating farmhand named Phil tempts Eric to give the countryside another chance, but before they can consider being together, Eric must move past more than his feelings for his ex-boyfriend-he'll need to stand up to the ghosts that sent him running from the farm in the first place….States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Sean and Nick's life together was a fairy tale: childhood friends who became lovers, high school sweethearts who married after college, both handsome professionals. Sean always enjoyed a few drinks, but after the death of his father, his alcoholism spiraled out of control… and it cost him everything. When Sean loses his job and becomes too surly and unreasonable to live with, Nick has little choice but to end the relationship. Sean can't blame Nick for giving up-not after the arguments and the lies-but he longs for the happiness and love they shared before he spoiled everything. He resolves to get sober and win back his husband. But even if he wins his battle with alcoholism, will it be too late to save his marriage? States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

What happens when you need something but don't know what it is? Why not look in a place you never heard of? Out and proud elementary school teacher Cal Hamilton thought he was happy in Philadelphia, but after a breakup, he steps back to reassess his life and discovers something is missing. He gets in his car and drives south with no idea what he hopes to find. The flip of a coin leads him to a small town in Mississippi-practically a different world from the city where he grew up. Police officer Billy Labarre keeps his sexuality mostly to himself, but he knows just what he needs to fill the hole in his quiet small-town life: the right man. Unfortunately attitudes toward gay men still leave a lot to be desired in the rural South, and it's hard to meet someone. It's not likely his perfect match is just going to show up out of the blue….States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Cameron Dunlop has lived in the Lowcountry town of Summer Corners, South Carolina, his whole life. He loves his home, but his little town in the Deep South doesn't offer much in the way of dating options. Chef Gray Callahan has enjoyed success in the kitchen, but his last relationship sunk like a bad soufflé. When plans for his sister's wedding go awry, it provides the perfect excuse to pack up and go home, where he can help out as he decides how to start his life over. Gray's path crosses Cameron's, and he realizes together they might have all the ingredients to save the day-with maybe enough left over for something sweet just for the two of them. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Giving the commencement speech at his alma mater doesn't fit Clay Keller's meticulous schedule. As Chief Executive Officer of Travel Mogul-the largest travel connoisseur company on the West Coast-he has no time to get back in touch with his country roots. He left fifteen years ago without a second look, but a medical scare makes him change his mind about the speech and brings him face-to-face with his only regret. Time always moves slower in Southeastern Iowa, and Aaron Grant loves it. He's added solar farms to the Grant Lanes portfolio and has been teaching at the local university for a decade. The last thing he needs is to have his tenure application compromised by the return of his ex-boyfriend. If he had known who the commencement speaker would be, he would never have volunteered to be the administration liaison. A proposal-to date for a year-will help them discover that time changes a person, even when everything else stays the same. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

One is trying to heal a broken heart, the other, a broken family. After separating from his partner of nine years, Palmer Simpson flees to the island of Oahu to pursue a carefree life of surfing. There, he meets Riku Usami, a more skilled surfer-but one with a bad attitude and a boatload of family drama. A contest between the two men leads to friendship and the possibility of something more meaningful. When a tsunami threatens the island, a friend is stranded out on the waters of the deadly Banzai Pipeline. Palmer and Riku must face the dangers of the barrel waves and the looming forces of nature in order to get their friend to safety. If they survive, they'll have to contemplate what their future together will look like after the storm blows through. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Leaving romantic wreckage behind him, Nick Charles and his best friend Barb Anderson use Nick's sizable inheritance to fly to one of the most exciting places in the world-New York City-with plans to open their own theater. In doing so, they meet Ross Taylor, the handsome real estate man and actor, and Rudy his construction-worker cousin. Ross is determined to heal Nick's fragile heart, while shy Rudy and oblivious Barb stumble toward their own connection. Will Rosie Dupree, a rigid method actress, and talented but devious Gordon Holmes destroy their theater dreams? Was choosing the original piece, Starting Over, by an unpublished young playwright the best move for opening night? Will the invited critic show up? Amid the frantic and colorful world of the New York City theater scene, Nick and Barb must open their hearts and risk everything for their endeavors to succeed-both on the stage and behind the scenes. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

There's an art to love. Mural artist Ben has come from Tel Aviv to Atlanta to work on a commission. A successful artist, he's still lonely and isolated after his family's rejection. Ben is charmed and surprised when local soldier Eli mistakes him for homeless, and brings him a cup of coffee and a biscuit. This gesture opens the door. Eli is lost, trying to make sense of a future without the Army after a combat injury ends his career. Art gives them a new language and a path forward. But lost men can reach out, desperate to hang on to anyone close. Is what they find together real, and the kind of love that will last? States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

The Witness Protection Program dumps JD Smith practically at the ends of the earth-in Two Pines, Alaska-to protect him until he can testify against a dangerous gang. He tries to stick to his story and keep his head down, but it's impossible to ignore bush pilot Jake Wylder, a sexy loner with quite a reputation around the small town. Flying medical supplies around Alaska suits Jake's wild streak and love of freedom. He's perfectly content to keep his romantic encounters casual-at least until he meets JD. Something about the nurse makes Jake think settling down might not be such a hardship. Now he just needs to convince JD he's serious-which won't be easy, given his past. For a relationship to stand a chance, JD must testify so he can return to Two Pines as the man he really is-and Jake must grow into the man JD needs him to be. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Eighteen-year-old Joe Vasquez leaves Denver for Texas with Harley Bray, the cow kid who never fit in at their high school. In spite of discovering there's another side to Harley's nature-occasional "withdrawals" from roadside convenience stores, a nefarious skill he teaches Joe-Joe shares Harley's dream of riding bulls and a life together on the Texas plains outside of Abilene. A life that will hopefully see the fulfillment of another of Joe's dreams-to become a veterinarian. When a rank bull kills Harley in a rodeo in Longview, Texas, Joe accepts an offer from another bull rider, Shane Thorpe, to partner up and ride the circuit together. The problem is that the blond-haired, blue-eyed Shane found Jesus a long time ago, and he's torn between his faith and his attraction to Joe. As they make their way across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona to their final stop on the circuit at the National Western Rodeo in Denver, Joe bides his time for what he hopes will be a relationship with Shane as fulfilling as the one he'd had with Harley. His hopes for the future, however, are challenged along the way when he discovers that his "withdrawals" have captured the attention of a dedicated Texas Ranger.States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Shawnee County, Kansas, might not be the most accepting place for a gay couple, but boyfriends Antony James and Curtis Ramírez have made it their home. Both of them work at Pauline Central Primary School, and while Antony is content teaching, Curt would rather pursue his passion: poetry. He plans to resign, but he doesn't get the chance. Working together has its risks, and when a student witnesses Antony and Curt sneaking a kiss in the workroom, they're reprimanded. The school board's punishment is mild, but some members of the community aren't willing to let the indiscretion go. That small mistake could cost Antony and Curt their home-or it could remind them that home is in the heart, and as long as they stay strong in their love, they'll always have a place to belong. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Political journalist Aiden McCabe is used to interviewing presidents and world leaders. On a night out with friends, Aiden has a chance encounter with a handsome, enigmatic young man who leaves a lasting impression. Soon after, Aiden is assigned to travel to Utah, where he'll interview Orson Jensen, a prominent Mormon politician and Republican presidential hopeful. While the Jensens' faith and values couldn't be more opposite to Aiden's urbane, Manhattan disposition, he can't help but be charmed by the friendly clan… until the stranger Aiden met in the club reappears, and this time with a startling revelation-one that could tear the Jensen family apart, destroy Orson's political career, and change Aiden's world forever.

Clay and Elliott are working toward a dream-working sixty-hour weeks for one of the oil companies that recently sprung up in North Dakota. The pay is good, but is it a fair trade for never seeing each other? The point becomes moot when the company folds, like so many others, and the couple is left with a difficult choice. Should they find comparable work somewhere else, or is it time to throw caution to the wind and go after their goal-years earlier than they intended? What they've always wanted is to be together and have time to enjoy it, so they follow their hearts. They're going off the grid and fixing up an old cabin so they can be self-sufficient. But when they go from all the conveniences of the modern world to outhouses, solar power, a shoestring budget, and more mosquitos than they ever thought possible, will they find there's such a thing as too much time together? States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Can a Navajo trans teen and a nerdy Catholic find the place they belong... and maybe themselves? In the desert, anything is possible…. When Wren came out as transgender before his senior year, it cost him most of his friends. His father hopes joining a Boy Scout troop might help Wren meet other young men his age and be accepted for who he is. Felipe Nieves wants the new guy in the troop to feel comfortable, and he reaches out to Wren. They become fast friends… with something more beneath the surface. Those feelings confuse Felipe, since his religion considers this a sin-and he's always assumed he was straight-but he can't help pining for Wren. Asking him out will take courage, and getting together won't be easy… but through their friendship, both young men might find their identities… and learn to embrace them in a unique coming-of-age story set against the beauty of the American Southwest. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Nick Caratelli flees the city in an attempt to escape a broken relationship and a career he never wanted. He plans to set up a bed-and-breakfast in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country-despite the fact he has no experience in renovating the old building. Luckily his handsome neighbor Sam approaches him with a curious proposal: he'll help with the restoration in exchange for Nick babysitting his niece. As they work to have the bed-and-breakfast open for business by summer's end, their lives become interwoven without them even trying. Before he knows it, Nick is recovering from his loss and taking his place in the unconventional family that seems determined to form. But for Nick and Sam to be together in all the ways they desire, they'll have to realize all the arguments against romance exist only in their heads….States of Love:Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

When a serious bout of writer's block threatens to delay mystery author Drew Daniels's newest book, his aunt offers her New Orleans apartment in the heart of the French Quarter as a writing retreat. She neglects to mention that it's occupied by the enigmatic and sexy Finn Murphy, a cemetery tour guide with a penchant for Victorian attire and a Cajun accent. A body discovered in an open crypt forces reclusive Drew to deal with Finn's eccentric group of friends and his underlying attraction to the hot Cajun-despite warnings about Finn's violent past. Drew might write this stuff, but he's never had to solve a real-life murder. With a deadline looming and a killer on the loose, this retreat is proving to be anything but helpful for Drew's novel. Drew can only hope he won't end up a tragic tale for the Ghostly Legends & Lore, Inc. haunted tour. States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.