Showing results by narrator "Joel Leslie" in All Categories

Praesidium is the most prosperous city-state in the world, due not only to its location at the mouth of a great bay but also to its strict laws, stringently enforced. Ordinary criminals become bond-slaves, but the worst punishment—to be suspended in a dreamless frozen state known as Stasis—is doled out by the wizard and reserved for only the most serious of traitors.

His career as an operatic tenor was finally taking off, and he would be damned if he let some stalker keep him from his dreams. But he had made the mistake of telling his uncle about the threatening letters the creep had been leaving. Now he was saddled with a muscle-bound bodyguard who was seriously cramping his love life. No matter what Anthony did, he couldn't get rid of the stubborn Brit. Freddie just didn't fit in with his glamorous life. And how did the man never sleep?

This collection contains the fourth and fifth Bureau novellas, Chained and Convicted.

A catastrophic fire drags gay speakeasy owner Dash Parker into the treacherous underworld of Little Italy — where people are seduced and imprisoned by their own vices. When his club’s doorman suffers a devastating loss, Dash must learn if the fire is connected to a sordid gambling den and the predatory family that runs it, or to a secret society that many hoped was long dead. Untangling a decade’s worth of lies between a terrified father, a wily widow, and an enigmatic spiritualist pushes him to the limit.

Since graduating from Whisperwood School for Boys, William has found a sense of normalcy in his life with James. He has a steady (albeit secret) relationship, a home, and a job - even if it doesn't pay the greatest. Never mind that he lacks James' reckless bravery when it comes to dealing with spirits; he does his best, and it hasn't killed him thus far. When a new client calls on their expertise in solving a grisly multiple homicide, William resists. They're spirit hunters, not detectives. But the money is too much to pass up when they don't know when their next meal will be.

Listeners will discover lost and forgotten women who wrote horror every bit as effectively as their male contemporaries. They will learn about their lives and careers, the challenges they faced as women working in a male-dominated field, the way they overcame those challenges, and the way they approached the genre - which was often subtler, more psychological, and more disturbing.

Memphis Sullivan thought he was coming to Blissville to help his cousin out, but instead, he gained three meddlesome females, a tribe, and a permanent home. More than a year later, he owns a popular comic book and vinyl record store and doesn't think his life could get any better. That all changes when the star of his favorite television show and bad-boy fantasies rides into town and spices up his vanilla world.

With their band on the brink of stardom, Johnny Gehrings is cast out by his stepmother and half-brothers because he’s not pretty enough for social media. He takes some solace when Zimri Hayes quits the band too—beautiful Zimri, who is Johnny’s secret heart’s desire. A job at a grocery store and a part-time music gig at a drag club pay the bills, but Johnny is still emotionally adrift, a wanderer abandoned in the forest. And when Zimri is offered a chance to make it big, Johnny fears that a devious manager will eat Zimri alive.

Kidnapping victim Alex Throne literally drops into the arms of security specialist Reese Holt, pulling Holt into a battle against a ruthless drug cartel, personal betrayal, and a specter from Holt's CIA past. Holt agrees to put his team of specialists on the trail of Alex's assailants while he takes on the personal job of protecting the life he inadvertently saved, motivated, in part, by a romantic attraction. Keeping his mind on protecting Alex could prove difficult, especially when he can't keep his mind off Alex's body.

Sam never liked his birthdays because not a single one of them was happy. When he turned one, he fell face-down into his birthday cake. When he turned five, he broke his left arm. When he turned seven, he broke his right arm and his left leg. When he turned 12, his house caught fire. Now Sam is about to turn 16 and he is dreading the day. The only birthday wish he has is for Jake who is the Mr. Popular of Arcadia High to even acknowledge his existence, or better yet give him a happy-birthday kiss.

One young American tutor + one dangerously sexy widowed king = conflict, chaos, misadventure, and lots and lots of sexy times. For the record, sleeping with my boss was not part of the plan when I started this new job. A job I desperately need to get my parents off my back about my chosen career path. But the second I catch sight of Lukas Romansky in the flesh, I know I’m in trouble. The guy is pure sex wrapped in a three-piece suit, and not even his stuffy attitude or the way he seems to despise me on sight is enough to stifle my attraction.

Kirby is radiance and light. His presence is too big for a Welsh valley in the middle of nowhere. Cai is doing so well, but he is clearly a shattered man. They both need more, and I need to give it to them. The world needs them too. It would be selfish of me to keep Cai and Kirby to myself. If only I knew how to get us out of this situation. Then, the night Ri lays his eggs, everything changes.

Out and proud high school English teacher Skyler Foxe and his posse of friends go to the annual Palm Springs White Party for a weekend of fun, frivolity, and luscious men. But there are boy troubles of all kinds ahead. Skyler's boyfriend and high school coach, Keith Fletcher, has to endure an embarrassing number of Skyler's former hook-ups, one of the SFC might be going solo, Skyler encounters unexpected and unwelcome participants at the party, and there's a murder on the dance floor, literally at Skyler's feet!

Titus Shepherd once had it all. Born into a wealthy southern family, he ruled the high school football field, married the town sweetheart, and fathered a beloved son. His future as the next mayor seemed certain. But fate took a cruel turn, and now he's a reclusive widower raising his four-year-old son alone. Pedro Torres was destined for academic success in Mexico until disaster forced him to abandon his dreams for the sake of his family. Determined to change his circumstances, he migrated to the United States as a landscaper, aspiring to gain citizenship.

Lee Harker has never fit in anywhere. Not with his immigrant family in rural Nebraska, not on a Navy ship during World War II, and not in Los Angeles as associate in a law firm. But when he’s sent to a remote mansion to complete some paperwork for the reclusive Vincent Farkas, Lee encounters the most unsettling circumstances yet. Caught in a place where things truly do go bump in the night, he must face his fear—and his desires—and acknowledge his true nature.

Cinder, a poor and beautiful young man who designs clothing, makeup, and hair for his stepmother and stepsisters, offers his clothing and slippers to a naked stranger in the woods, who turns out to be none other than Prince Charming. Follow Cinder and Prince Charming in this twist on the classic Cinderella tale as they discover their inner strengths and find their very own happily ever after.

World War I veteran Thomas Donne is new to San Francisco. Always a stoic man, shell shock and a lost love have nearly turned his heart to stone. No matter - a private eye has no room for softness. Almost broke, he takes on what appears to be a simple case: finding a missing young man. As a magician and medium, Abraham Ferencz cons his audiences into believing he can cheat death and commune with their dearly departed. Although his séances are staged, the spirits are very real, and they’ve brought him almost more pain than he can bear.

When Mayfair jewellers Starsmith Stones wins the commission for a British gay royal wedding, CEO Joel Sterling is recommended to the brilliant young designer Matt Barth - only to discover Matt’s the man with whom he shared an anonymous and passionate kiss on the celebration night.

Bobby McGrath's Christmas trip to the beautiful Italian island of Capri to meet his eccentric extended family offers stunning views - none more stunning than his third cousin, Paolo Mascobello, a real stocking stuffer. As the two young men embark on a relationship, Bobby, a driven law student, learns to relax and bask under the Italian moon, and Paolo realizes there's more to life than a frolic on the beach.

Luke thinks he has his entire life planned out. He's the star of the football team, the darling of his church, and planning a life with his amazing girlfriend. He looks at his parents, and wants the same kind of life with her, as they have. He's on top of the world, with the kind of perfect life you only see in movies, and everyone envies. But it all comes crashing down, when a new student starts at his school.