Love in Mission City

I’m not a fan of Christmas. I’m happy to stay up in my mountain cabin and let the silly season pass me by. But when a friend asks for a favor, I can’t say no. Now I’m stuck in my cabin during a snowstorm, trapped with the most beautiful man I’ve ever met - who can’t wait to get away. He just might break my heart when he goes.

Derek Murphy has come to the godforsaken small town of Merritt, British Columbia, in search of a new beginning. The man is tired, jaded, and resigned to never having sex again. Until Friday night at the local sports bar changes everything. Harold Graham, hometown boy made good, has lived in Merritt his entire life. When he meets the new guy in town, he’s compelled to reach out the hand of friendship. And maybe more. But secrets and omissions cloud what could be the beginning of something special. Can they take a chance on being vulnerable enough to fall in love?

Cadence Crawford has a good thing going. He’s making waves as a realtor in Mission City, British Columbia. Yes, he’s recently suffered a personal loss, but he’s moving on, and his path forward includes selling the only true home he’s ever known. Marcus Brannigan is doing fine. He has his physiotherapy practice, he watches over his younger twin sisters, and he’s happy. When he unexpectedly runs into Cadence, who is selling the home he’s always coveted, he’s prepared to do some negotiating. Neither knew they were seriously crushing on each other.

My tranquility is shattered when a motorcycle repair shop moves in next to my bookstore. All I want is peace and quiet. What I get is gunning engines and '80s rock music. One of us has got to go, and since I was here first, it’s the hot mechanic.

Ben: I just graduated. I should be out celebrating. Instead, a storm's coming, and I've got no place sleep except the backseat of my car. At least I have my beloved beagle with me, but seriously, how is this my life? Isaac: After a horrific week, I hate being unable to retreat to my island sanctuary. Perhaps sharing my hotel room with a stranger in distress and his dog will take my mind off things. Afterward, we'll separate and never meet again. Right?

I’m just hanging out on a Friday night, and my boss drops by for comforting. He’s mourning his tragic loss, and I’m happy to offer a shoulder to lean on. When the man I’ve been crushing on for years wants to move things to my bedroom, how can I say no?

I meet an intriguing man at Quinton’s annual Halloween Extravaganza. That wicked smile and the tawny-brown eyes behind his mask hold my gaze. Under his costume, the restless energy of his body promises to do explosive, unexpected things to me. So we indulge in a little fun, but when the clock strikes midnight, the man I know only as Rayne disappears into the crowd.

When my high school crush, Gawain, walks into Fifties diner on that February evening, ten years after walking out of my life, I’m stunned. He's still hot, and I still can't resist him. We share a meal that leads to a whole lot more. But when he reveals the truth he hid ten years ago, I have to face the decision of sending him away forever or living with the hurt he’s caused.

I've spent the last fifteen years becoming the most sought-after divorce attorney in Vancouver. I use every hidden fact and every psychological trick to protect my clients and get the best settlements possible. I have a wait-list for my services a mile long. The problem? I didn’t see my own divorce coming. My wife cheated on me and now I’m alone. I decided as long as I was rebuilding my life, this was the time to explore the bisexual side I'd shelved since college. And hell yeah, I do like men, but the idea of one-night stands leaves me feeling empty.

I left the big city I loved and tomorrow, I start work as the only cardiothoracic surgeon at a small regional hospital. My kids are off with my ex-husband and his new man, and tonight, I'm free, alone, and determined to make the best of it. If Gideon the jerk can find new love, surely I can at least find someone hot to take to bed.

Mission City is tucked in the charming Cedar Valley in southwestern British Columbia. If you love heartwarming, contemporary small-town gay romances, then come home to Mission City and fall in love with the men who live there. Romance blossoms in the unlikeliest places. And trouble has a way of finding them...

I'm not the kind of guy who lusts after strangers, but the man pulling up next to me on his bike is muscular and hot as hell. I let myself look, and he gives me a scorching grin in return. Then the light turns green, he peels away, and I figure I'll never see him again. Except he almost gets hit by a minivan, and I stop to make sure he's okay. Inviting him back to my place to make sure he has no lasting damage is just professional care, but damn, Ulysses can kiss. Pretty soon, we're burning up the sheets together. Sadly, when I wake up, I find myself alone.

I have life figured out—a good job, a nice car, and an ex-boyfriend whose heart I broke. But then my half-brother dies unexpectedly, and I go back to our hometown to settle his affairs. A quick trip before Christmas. Instead, I get the shock of my life. Do I face this new challenge or do what I’ve always done—run? Or will I stay and get to know the most amazing man I’ve ever met and take on a responsibility I've never dreamed of facing? This will be a holiday season like no other.

The moment I landed in that war zone, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I wasn't a soldier, and my good intentions almost got me killed. Being wounded and shipped back home to Canada was both a blessing and a curse. I’m safe now, but I can’t stop thinking of the men I left behind. My therapist claims Healing Horses Ranch will help heal my wounds—physical and mental—but I'm not sure how much tranquility and wholesome fresh air I can take. Until I meet a beautiful, shy man who makes moving forward seem almost possible. Can I let go of the past and reach for a future with Simeon?

After my infamous half-a-night stand with the mysterious Rayne, I moved on with my life. Success as a lawyer demands long hours and giving a hundred and ten percent to the job. I do carve out enough time to hang out with friends some weekends, but it's depressing to watch them pairing up while I'm relentlessly single. Then one morning, the man I can't forget shows up bruised and bedraggled at my office door.

When my marriage fell apart, and I lost custody of my kids, my world shattered. My own fault, all of it, from the pills I was taking to how badly I handled the court case. I retreated to my grandparents’ old home, shut the door, and hunkered down with my Labrador Retriever, Lucky. Life is rough, and the constant construction noise from the mansion going up next door will truly be the end of me.

After the best one-night stand ever, I discover the man I thought was perfect is anything but. Leo Rodgers is an arrogant surgeon who lords his expertise and experience over everyone. Well, not me. I’m a competent nurse who refuses to be pushed around. By anyone. So I flirt with him to annoy him, but there are more fish in the sea than Leo. I have no problem getting a date with a man or a woman when I want one. The problem? I find myself increasingly hung up on a cranky surgeon, whose soft moments with his two children give me hope there's a good man under the arrogance.

Ulysses MacDonald left my bed after earth-shattering sex, but he certainly hasn’t left my mind. When he turns up as the Mission City Gazette's new editor, I'm intrigued. Then he starts poking around my fire hall, sneaking and spying. He won't tell me what he's doing there, and he keeps dodging my attempts to get close. I don't trust him, but Ulysses is hot as hell, and I hate realizing I still want him.