Playing Passion's Game

Takira Lathan’s life revolves around her restaurant. She owns it, cooks in it, and is one hundred percent dedicated to its success. Her life starts to veer off course when money goes missing and so does her restaurant manager, leaving her in the lurch. Most importantly, raising her young nephew was never anywhere in her plans.

Dante Groves could be the answer to Takira’s prayers. She’s an excellent manager and is totally at ease with children. She’s also mature, kind, and unashamedly butch. Takira can’t help being attracted, but Dante’s emotional baggage from her last relationship has left her way too wary of romance.

Betrayed by those they trusted, Takira and Dante must rely on each other to create a recipe for success, both in business and in love.

After surviving a devastating car crash, Bryce Donovan is plagued by crippling nightmares that leave her terrified to close her eyes. She still bears the scars from that night, both emotionally and physically. Her job at Tweedy Contractors brings the diversion she is desperate for, and the new apprentice painter is a welcome distraction. As a gifted artist, Scarlet Tweedy creates beauty in every medium she employs. But she's always been expected to take over her father's business. The problem is she doesn't want to follow in his footsteps while she has dreams of her own to pursue. But can she choose her own path over what has always been expected of her?

Drew Barker is used to having to fight for acceptance, and when they get the chance to represent non-binary people on a popular podcast, they are determined to make the most of the opportunity. They’re even more excited once they get to know the elusive host.

Hannah Carr spends her spare time focusing on her passion project. Her books podcast was a welcome distraction as she recovered from the breakdown of her marriage following becoming polyamorous. Drew gets her, and they share an extraordinary passion, but is she ready to date again?

As a queer autistic woman, Hannah knows that not everyone can be trusted to understand her. As Drew pushes her to put more of herself out there, they risk pushing her away. In a world that does not make space for either of them, they must learn that there is more than one way to have pride.

Audrey, Reid, Emma, and Sadie have been best friends since they were fourteen years old. When Sadie tragically passes away more than a decade later, she leaves them each a note with her last wish: to complete the bucket list they made together on the night of their high school graduation.

Audrey and Reid haven’t spoken since the last time they ticked an item off that list. As they work with Emma to fulfill Sadie’s wish, they’re forced to confront their unresolved emotions—none of them good. But when Audrey goes through a devastating breakup, she finds an unlikely support system in Reid. Perhaps she’s been wrong about her all along.

As Audrey and Reid draw closer in ways they never thought possible, their last promise to Sadie takes them on a journey toward healing their broken friendship and discovering the love they’ve always had for each other.

Conner Cody is poised to have it all. Whether on the big screen or a concert stage, she commands adoration, lust, and more money than she can count from millions of fans across the world. Behind the scenes, she keeps people at arm’s length, having learned her lessons from her famous parents—better to hurt them first before they can hurt her.

Her love life is as dramatic as the roles she plays, so Conner fills the void with meaningless hookups, and her infamous parties provide a facade of friendship. But when a few people begin to slip past her defenses and her estranged sister returns, happiness finally appears within reach.

But letting people in is risky and her insecurities take center stage, pushing away everyone she cares about. On the verge of destroying everything she holds dear, Conner must choose: will she stay behind her walls, safe yet alone, or will she risk it all to finally learn what it means to love?

Forest Ranger Nat Evans is perfectly happy with the safe haven she has created in the Adirondack Forest and her life fighting forest fires, aiding stranded and injured hikers, and policing the waters of Lake George, New York. She has a good friend with uncomplicated benefits, and romance with a much younger woman is not on her to-do list.

After losing everything that matters, Vic O’Brien takes a seasonal position on the Water Patrol unit while she figures out her life. Emotionally bereft, when Vic reconnects with Nat over their shared past and the present challenges of keeping the tourists safe on lake and land, she refuses to deny the attraction kindling between them.

One wounded woman, one determined to protect her—and a summertime of risk, danger, and desire.