Böcker av Sloane Kennedy

"I trusted once. I won't make that mistake again..."An ugly childhood and devastating betrayal have left 25-year-old Cain Jensen scarred inside and out. Protecting himself means keeping everyone at arm's length and protecting others means never getting emotionally involved. In the three years since he's joined an underground vigilante group, every life he saves helps ease the guilt of the ones that were lost to him so long ago. So when he's sent to a remote cabin in the Cascade Mountains just north of Seattle to follow up on the disappearance of his boss's co-worker, his only thought is to see that justice is served, no matter what the circumstances.But nothing he's ever experienced has prepared the cold-hearted and very straight Cain for who he finds on that mountain...or the intense need to suddenly offer more than just protection."I've finally managed to break free, but I've never felt more trapped in my entire life..."Ethan Rhodes has been running for six months, but it's never fast enough, it's never far enough. At 30 years old, the talented ER Doctor should be spending his days saving other people's lives, not worrying about his own. But he knows that the four years of physical and emotional abuse he's suffered at the hands of his volatile ex are nothing compared to what will happen when Ethan runs out of places to hide, especially after taking something from the man he once was sure would be the love of his life.A violent episode that has Ethan narrowly escaping death leads to a quiet cabin in the mountains where his battered body will have time to heal before he and the young girl relying on him need to run again. But everything changes with the arrival of a mysterious stranger who threatens to give Ethan something he'd finally accepted was gone forever...hope."I didn't see this coming. I don't think he did either..."To get to the truth, Cain must first get through Ethan's defenses, but watching the other man's walls start to come down forces Cain to face his own past. And as the tremulous connection between the two men grows and gives way to something more, both will need to decide if they're willing to risk giving each other the one thing that has cost them so much in the past...trust.Will two men who've vowed never to let someone close again let down their guard long enough to find each other, or will they let their pasts determine their future?

At 19, Beck Barretti is living two lives. To his family, he's a young man trying to find his way after years of battling a mental illness that nearly cost him everything. But to the rest of the world he's just another privileged kid with problems. The truth doesn't even lie somewhere in between because Beck's entire life is actually about keeping secrets.From the people he loves.From the ones he doesn't.From himself.Spending a summer in Dare, Montana with family friends isn't about starting fresh - it's about escaping the crippling darkness that threatens to consume him.Until one encounter that was supposed to mean nothing ends up changing everything...Quinn Donovan had the life he'd always dreamed of until a brutal act of violence ripped it all away. Even though he's found a new future working at the CB Bar Ranch in Dare, Montana, he's not interested in trying to get back what he once had. All he wants is a quiet life that includes a job that's worth getting up for each morning and hanging out with his best friend, a black and white Paint stallion named Koda.But nothing prepares him for the strange twist of fate that brings not one, but two men into his life...Brody Wilder is done hiding in the closet. As the son of a political scion, he's spent his entire life hiding the truth about who he is just so he could inherit a legacy he never wanted. But those days are behind him and he's starting a new life in rural Montana where he's saving lives as a paramedic and building a successful construction business that would surely horrify his old-money, society-loving family.After years of denying himself, he's taking advantage of his newfound freedom by indulging in random, meaningless sexual encounters that are about pleasure, not emotion.So no one is more surprised than him when one night in the back room of a sordid gay club leads to something more...Can three men who came together by chance find the hope they need to build a future with each other, or will they end up letting their fears tear them apart?

ChristopherHappily ever afters.White knights riding to the rescue on their brazen steeds to rescue the damsel in distress.Said knight declaring his undying love. Same stories just with different covers. I'd spent the better part of my childhood reading those stories, always putting myself in place of the damsel in distress. And by the last page I felt safe. Safe from the sounds of my mother being beaten. Safe from watching my uncle who was less than a dozen years older than me being dragged from our room because his body was considered nothing but currency. Safe from knowing there would be a day that I became currency. I gave up on believing in happy endings and white knights a long time ago. Even if I'd somehow managed to hang onto my dreams of finding true love like all of the men and women in my life as I'd left for college, all it had taken was one wrong, naive decision to take it all away. For good. RushI remembered the kid the second I saw him. I remembered the feel of him in my arms as I'd saved him from his would-be attacker years earlier. I remembered that I'd never wanted to let him go--that despite his young age, he'd fit in my arms like he'd been made for them. But the young man opened the door might as well have been a stranger. Thin, jumpy, and distant, there was just no light in young Christopher's eyes. Even the presence of his uncle, a man who'd treated him like a son from the first moment they'd met, elicited nothing more than passing query of why we were there. It should have been a simple task... drop off the box of books Christopher's uncle had asked me to help him and walk away. I managed the walk away part but between a tiny kitten appearing out of nowhere, some less than graceful footwork on my part and a broken table later, I'd been sitting on Christopher's couch getting some TLC for a paltry wound. And that had been when I'd seen it. The old Christopher. The sweet, innocent young man who'd been subjected to all kinds of trauma that no kid should ever have to hear, see or even know about. I'd gone there to deliver some books but when I'd walked out that door, the sensation of Christopher's tender touch still lingering on my skin, I knew I'd be back. It didn't matter why or when or how and it didn't matter if the young man I'd held in my arms so long ago fought me tooth and nail, Christopher--the real Christopher-- was coming home. *This story can be read as a stand alone but will give spoilers for the previous books in the series.

Zane doesn't do relationships and Connor is definitely the kind of guy who does...Criminal defense attorney Zane Devereaux, is on the verge of having everything he's worked his entire life for. He's on track to become his firm's youngest managing partner and he has enough money in the bank to ensure he'll never have to be at the mercy of anyone ever again. He's left his past exactly where it belongs and refuses to look back. And he sure as hell isn't going to risk a repeat of his former mistakes by letting someone as sweet, sexy and endearingly vulnerable as Connor Talbot into his life. His bed maybe, but not his life.Connor Talbot has no regrets about serving his country, even if it did cost him more then he'd imagined. Two years after an IED took his leg and left him with permanent brain damage, Connor is still struggling to put his life back together, but he's managed to find a makeshift family in Seattle that helps ease the pain of losing his own at a young age. Unfortunately, a string of bad relationships and an abusive ex have taken their toll on Connor and he's given up on finding the lifelong partner he'd always envisioned he'd have. But a chance encounter with a man he has absolutely nothing in common with except for an intense, white-hot chemistry has him thinking that maybe a no strings, physical relationship is exactly what's called for.What begins as two men meeting each other's needs between the sheets turns into something neither one was prepared for but the wounds of the past run deep and both men will have to decide if a future together will cost them too much or if what they could have together is worth fighting for.

He was only there for a business deal...A couple of days...that was all it was supposed to take for property developer Roman Blackwell to decide if the strip of land just south of Dare, Montana would be the perfect spot for his next luxury resort. He wasn't interested in repairing his frayed relationship with his half-brother who'd moved to the small town a few months earlier and he definitely wasn't interested in doing anything more than scratching an itch when he checked out the gay club near his hotel. But when his plans for a quick hook-up are waylaid after he steps in to save a young man being brutalized, Roman finds himself building an emotional connection he never saw coming.One bad decision changed everything...College student Hunter Greene has spent 18 months trying to forget the one night he gave in to temptation and made a decision to hide one lie by telling another. But the guilt of knowing he shattered another young man's life to protect his own secret shame is slowly destroying him and he knows that soon even his spiral into a dangerous pattern of self-destructive behavior won't be enough to keep his entire world from imploding. But the last thing he's looking for is someone to save him.But fate works in mysterious ways...Forced to return to the town he grew up in, the last person Hunter expects to run into is the mysterious savior who changed everything with one soul shattering kiss. While he can't deny his attraction to Roman, Hunter knows that he'll never be free to act on it and once Roman discovers the terrible secret he's hiding, it won't matter anyway.Because some things just can't be forgiven...

"I knew it would be like this...like finding something I didn't know was missing." --LukeAuthor Gray Hawthorne has it all and he's on the verge of having even more. His bestselling detective novels are being turned into a movie series that will make him a household name and he's rubbing a lot more than just elbows with Hollywood's elite. Money, fame and good looks mean an endless supply of men, both groupies and celebrities alike, which suits Gray just fine. He's smart enough to know that his 5 minutes in the spotlight will be just that and he plans to enjoy every moment. Until he gets the devastating news that threatens to steal everything away...Army Ranger Luke Monroe lives and breathes the military. They're the family he never had and a life without his brothers-in-arms is unfathomable. But the ultimate betrayal has Luke on the run and a twist of fate leads him to the small town of Dare, Montana to seek help from the foster brother who saved him once before. Only the brother he's searching for isn't the man he finds and he has no choice but to keep running. Until an encounter on the side of the road with a stranger changes everything.The last thing Gray wants when he seeks refuge at his cabin in the secluded Montana mountains is company but a run-in with the mysterious and very straight Luke has Gray offering the damaged soldier a place to regroup. And since a physical relationship isn't even on the table, Gray finds himself enjoying something he hasn't had in a long time...a real friend.But what happens when friendship just isn't enough? When a man who's only been with women begins to crave more?With one man running from his past and the other running from his future, will finding each other be enough to bring them peace?

"Ich habe alles falsch gemacht, Finn. Vom ersten Tag an. Ich dachte, es wäre der einzige Weg, mit dir zusammen zu sein und deiner noch würdig zu sein. Aber jetzt erkenne ich, dass ich das nie war." - Callan. Rache. Das ist alles, woran der Ex-Cop Rhys Tellar denken kann, und er hat jeden einzelnen Tag seiner zweijährigen Gefängnisstrafe damit verbracht, einen Plan auszuhecken, um seinen früheren Geliebten und Partner zur Strecke zu bringen. Der hat ihn betrogen und dabei den Tod von vier Menschen verursacht. Seine sechsmonatige Bewährungszeit auf der CB Bar Ranch im Südwesten von Montana zu verbringen hätte ganz einfach sein sollen, doch Rhys hat nicht mit den Gefühlen gerechnet, die er für den charismatischen Ranchhelfer, mit dem er sich anfreundet, und den verschlossenen Vorarbeiter, der vorgibt, etwas zu sein, das er nicht ist, entwickelt.Eine Zukunft. Das ist, was Finn Stewart will, aber dafür muss er den einen Mann verlassen, den er mehr als jeden anderen begehrt: seinen völlig heterosexuellen Boss und besten Freund, Callan Bale. Als der einzige offen schwule Mann in einer kleinen, homophoben Gemeinde, muss Finn jeden Tag kämpfen, um sein zu können, wer er ist. Einfach alles hinter sich zu lassen scheint allmählich die beste Entscheidung zu sein - jedenfalls bis Rhys Tellar auftaucht und alles verändert.Eine Lüge. Callan Bale hat sein ganzes Leben lang versteckt, wer er wirklich ist, und das wird ihn die einzige Person kosten, der es gelungen ist, sich einen Weg durch die Mauern zu bahnen, die Callan jahrelang um sein Herz herum errichtet hat. Doch sich für Finn zu entscheiden würde bedeuten, alles aufzugeben, für das er gearbeitet hat, und sein Versprechen zu brechen. Finn an Rhys zu verlieren würde aber zumindest bedeuten, dass der junge Mann das Leben führen kann, das er verdient.Drei Männer. Drei Entscheidungen. Eine Chance, ein Zuhause zu finden.

He wanted a new beginning. What he got was a glimpse of a life he could never have...Widower Dane Winters just wanted a new beginning for himself and his six month old daughter after his estranged husband's cold-blooded murder and moving to a small town in Southwest Montana seemed like a good place to start. But he never expected a favor for a friend to turn into a deadly encounter that puts him on a collision course with a mysterious stranger passing through town.Former FBI agent Jaxon Reid stopped in Dare, Montana to right a wrong, not get caught up in the life of an uptight, country vet with a holier-than-thou attitude. But he soon finds himself drawn to the quiet, insecure single father who's trying to leave behind a life of pain and heartbreak.Dane can't deny his attraction to Jax, but he knows that pursuing a relationship with the gorgeous, younger man will only end in heartbreak and turn him into someone he swore he would never be again. But when danger looms, he's forced to accept Jax into his life and home, along with the emotional vulnerability that being around Jax brings to the surface.As their connection deepens, can Dane find the trust Jax needs from him in order to build a life together or will he let his past destroy his one chance at a real future?

JacksonEveryone says what a lucky guy I am. I've got a great kid, an amicable relationship with my ex, and a job working cattle on one of the largest ranches in Eden, Wyoming. Only problem is that "everyone" has no clue that I'm living a half-life.Because the other half is a closeted gay man who's got it bad for the young ranch hand he works with day in and day out.But the very straight Travis isn't an option. And even if he were, my sexy co-worker isn't exactly committed to commitment.So it's time for a change and since gay guys aren't exactly falling off trees in Eden, I'm going to need a little help...TravisIt was supposed to be a Friday night like any other. Me and my best friend heading into town to find some female company for a few hours. And even though Jackson usually goes home alone, he's still a great wingman.Unfortunately, between my impatience to get the night started and my bad habit of snooping, I've learned two things about Jackson in the space of five minutes that have left me all kinds of confused.Jackson's gay.And he's placed a classified ad to try and hook up with some guy he can't get his mind off after a brief run-in at a hardware store in the city.Now I can't get my mind off Jackson.Don't get me wrong, I like the ladies, but why can't I stop thinking about my good-looking best friend and the faceless stranger he's ready to start something new with? Jackson doesn't need some random guy right now. Not when he has me...Oh hell.

"I've done everything wrong, Finn. From day one. It was the only way I knew how to be with you and still be worthy of you. But I see now that I never really was." --CallanVengeance. It's the one thing on ex-cop Rhys Tellar's mind and he's spent every day of his two year prison sentence planning how he'll bring down the former lover and partner who sold him out and cost four people their lives. A six month parole stint working at the CB Bar Ranch in Southwestern Montana should be the easiest thing he's ever done. But the last thing he expects is to feel something for both the charismatic ranch hand who befriends him and the enigmatic foreman who's pretending to be something he's not.A future. That's what Finn Stewart wants, but to have it he must leave behind the man he wants above all others, his very straight boss and best friend, Callan Bale. As the only openly gay man in a small, homophobic community, Finn has to fight every day to be who he is and walking away is starting to seem like the easier path. Until Rhys Tellar shows up and changes everything.A Lie. Callan Bale's entire life has been about hiding the man he really is and it's about to cost him the one person who's managed to worm his way past the walls he's spent years putting up. But choosing Finn would mean giving up everything he's worked for and breaking the promises he's made. At least losing the younger man to Rhys means Finn can have the life he deserves.Three men. Three choices. One chance at finding home.

After Logan Bradshaw's dreams go up in smoke, he's left broken and haunted by a cruel betrayal from his former business partner, a man he once thought of as a friend. His life as a professional escort helped pay for his future once, so maybe a few more jobs can give him back what he's lost. And if that means being a third for one night for a wealthy couple living out a ménage fantasy, then so be it. It might just be the final payout he needs to get his life back on track. Dominic Barretti has everything money can buy, but it can't save his beautiful young wife as cancer steals her away from him. He also can't deny her one last request - a ménage encounter with another man. It's the perfect excuse to meet the man who's been haunting his dreams. On paper, Logan is the perfect choice to give his wife what she needs, but he doesn't expect his own fierce desires to flare up when the young man enters their lives. Dom and Logan don't know it, but Sylvie Barretti has decided to play matchmaker from beyond the grave. Unfortunately, getting two broken men to find each other makes dying seem like the easy part. Logan can't deny his attraction to Dom, but the surprise desire for another man has left him reeling and questioning everything he's ever known about himself. But when a threat from the past surfaces, will Logan be able to let go of the life he knew and embrace the one he needs? Note: This book contains M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences ***This is Book 3 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story - no cliffhangers. However, more enjoyment can be gained by reading the series in order: Book 1 - Gabriel's Rule Book 2 - Shane's Fall (Note: Logan's Need DOES contain spoilers for events first presented in Books 1 & 2)***