Bollocks to Love: Book One: The Giddy Limit (BOOK -1)
£3.59
Bollocks to Love: The Giddy Limit is a witty, heartfelt reimagining of the city love saga for the modern gay man. Meet Leo, an archivist who documents his friends’ chaotic love lives for a column, and his trio of companions: cynical Jasper, anxious Miles, and curated Felix. Together, they navigate London’s dizzying dating scene, dissecting ghostings, disastrous dates, and the relentless pressure to find a perfect, storybook romance.
But this is more than a tale of romantic mishaps. It’s a story of growing up. As Leo falls for a charming agent of chaos, Felix finds unexpected love with a pragmatic plumber, Miles battles the spectre of domestic boredom, and Jasper confronts a haunting past, they all face a terrifying question: what happens after you find what you’re looking for?
From Soho bars to Scottish highlands, they learn that the real adventure isn’t in the frantic search for a soulmate, but in the quiet, unglamorous work of building a life together. They trade the drama of potential for the grammar of the real—the shared responsibilities, the steadfast support during family crises, the deep, earned comfort of a love that lasts.
A hilarious, poignant, and deeply relatable ode to friendship and found family, Bollocks to Love is for anyone who’s ever believed the right person would solve everything, only to discover that the greatest love story is the one you write together, day by ordinary day. It’s a triumphant celebration of moving from searching for a perfect love to building a perfectly real one.
Bollocks to Love: The Giddy Limit is a sharply observed, laugh-out-loud, and deeply moving novel that reimagines the iconic search for love and identity in the city for a new generation and a new community. Set against the vibrant, chaotic backdrop of modern London, this is the story of four gay friends navigating the treacherous, exhilarating, and often absurd world of dating, friendship, and finally, growing up.
Leo Croft is our guide. By day, he’s a meticulous digital archivist, preserving the past. By night, he’s the author of “London Logs,” a column that chronicles his own and his friends’ romantic misadventures. There’s Jasper, the cynical, hedonistic gallery owner whose fortress of wit was built on an ancient heartbreak; Miles, the anxious musical theatre performer in a stable relationship but terrified of “the erosion” of passion; and Felix, the fashion PR maven who treats his love life like a luxury edit, collecting experiences, not connections.
Together, they are amateur anthropologists of the London gay scene, dissecting every text, every ghosting, every promising date that fizzles out over pints in Soho bars. Leo believes if he archives the data perfectly, he’ll find the pattern, the blueprint for a lasting love. But the city is a relentless machine of choice, and they are all terrified of settling, of choosing the wrong flavour from a menu of nine million possibilities.
Their journey is a whirlwind of contemporary romance and personal reckoning. Leo falls for the brilliant, chaotic “disruption consultant” Orlando, a man who values empty plots over finished houses, forcing Leo to question his own addiction to potential. Miles attempts to spreadsheet his relationship into security. Felix’s curated world is shattered by a pint of spilled lager and a pragmatic plumber named Kev, leading him to discover a love built on something real. And Jasper, the group’s north star of cynicism, is forced to confront the ghost of his own great lost love, challenging everything he thought he knew about intimacy.
From illicit scaffolding views in Islington and hellish hot sauce tastings to chaotic nights at the legendary Vauxhall Tavern and transformative trips to the Scottish Highlands, their lives are a series of heartfelt disasters and hard-won epiphanies. They grapple with the terror of becoming “beige,” the exhaustion of performing, and the quiet panic that the best stories might be behind them.
But as they stumble through the chaos, a deeper story emerges. It’s not just about finding “The One.” It’s about the journey from being frantic archivists of their own loneliness to becoming architects of a shared life. It’s about learning that love isn’t the dramatic, conceptual fire they’ve been chasing, but the sturdy, reliable shelter they must learn to build. It’s about the “Margate Manifesto”—the unglamorous vows forged in hospital waiting rooms—and the beautiful, cumulative “patina” formed by shared tax bills, school runs, and caring for aging parents.
Bollocks to Love is a triumphant, modern epic of friendship. It’s a story for anyone who has ever swiped until their thumb ached, over-analyzed a three-dot text bubble, or confused drama for passion. With wit, warmth, and breathtaking emotional honesty, it explores the ultimate quest: moving from the thrilling, terrifying search for love to the profound, messy, and glorious adventure of building a life with it. It’s a toast to the uncurated heart, the scaffolding we all need, and the found family that becomes our home. The search ends here. The real story is just beginning.
3 reviews for Bollocks to Love: Book One: The Giddy Limit (BOOK -1)
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
-
Add to cartRomeo and Julian: A Gay Romance Novel of Sun, Sacrifice, and Second Chances on the Italian Riviera
Romeo escapes his stifling life in Milan for a fresh start in sun-drenched Portofino. There he meets Julian, a free-spirited lifeguard whose joy is as radiant as the sea. Their connection is instant and profound—a whirlwind of intimate moments on hidden nudist beaches, under starlit skies, and within the discreet sanctuary of a men’s sauna.
But their idyllic romance is threatened when Julian’s traditional fishing family forces him to choose between blood and love. Believing he is protecting Romeo, Julian makes a devastating choice, pushing him away with a noble lie that shatters them both.
“Romeo and Julian” is a heart-wrenching story of sacrifice, forgiveness, and the fight for a love that refuses to die. Can their bond survive the ultimate test of faith and family?
This emotional MM romance takes you on a journey from the glamorous parties of the Italian Riviera to the quiet, profound depths of a love reborn. It is a celebration of living authentically, building a chosen family, and finding a happily ever after more beautiful than any dream.
Perfect for fans of gay contemporary romance and lush, setting-rich love stories. If you believe in second chances and love that shines as brightly as the Mediterranean sun, dive into “Romeo and Julian” today. Read with pride.
-
Add to cartStep Out of the Shadows and Into Your Truth
“Coming Into the Light: 60 Ways to Share Your Authentic Self” is more than a book—it’s a supportive companion for one of life’s most personal and courageous journeys. Whether you identify as gay, bisexual, queer, or are still exploring your identity, this comprehensive guide provides a roadmap for sharing your truth with family, friends, and the world, on your own terms and at your own pace.
-
Add to cartA Global Tapestry of Love, Family, and Resilience.
Raising Rainbow Kids offers an unforgettable journey into the lives of fifteen LGBTQ+ families across the world. This powerful collection of true stories captures the raw emotions, everyday challenges, and extraordinary triumphs of modern parenting.
Experience the hopeful anxiety of IVF in Barcelona, the steadfast love of a single foster dad in Chicago, the cross-border legal battle of two fathers in Tokyo, and the quiet defiance of mothers hiding their love in Nigeria. From navigating school bureaucracies and explaining “dono-dads” to children, to finding faith and fighting for legal recognition, these narratives reveal the universal desire to build a safe and loving home.
More than a catalog of hardships, this book is a celebration of resilience and joy. It showcases how these families are raising a new generation of empathetic, strong children. With chapters that move from intimate stories to reflective essays on community and legacy, the book provides both profound insight and practical resources.
Ideal for LGBTQ+ parents, hopeful parents, allies, educators, and anyone interested in the evolving face of family, Raising Rainbow Kids is an inspiring testament to one truth: love, in all its forms, is what makes a family. Discover these courageous stories and see how the quiet revolution of the heart is changing the world, one family at a time.
-
Concrete Heart
£3.99Add to cartCONCRETE HEART: A FORBIDDEN MM PRISON ROMANCE
Love is the ultimate survival instinct.
When Cris Vale, a sensitive young man serving a long sentence, enters the brutal hierarchy of Blackwell Penitentiary, he becomes the target of a ruthless prison gang leader. His only defense is Zak Winters—a solitary, intimidating inmate who operates by his own code. Zak’s quiet protection soon ignites a spark that defies all the prison’s rules.
From tense, vulnerable moments in the showers to stolen nights of desperate intimacy, a powerful love blossoms between Cris and Zak. Their secret affair becomes a sanctuary amidst the violence, but also a deadly liability. When their forbidden relationship is discovered, it is used as a weapon against them, forcing an impossible choice: deny their love or be torn apart forever.
Choosing defiance, they face the system’s harshest punishment—solitary confinement—where their bond is tested through concrete walls with only a tap-code for communication. Their struggle for each other ultimately leads to a bittersweet victory that offers one of them freedom, while the other must wait, their future hinging on a promise made in the dark.
Concrete Heart is a raw, passionate, and emotional journey of forbidden love and fierce resilience. This MM romance delivers steamy moments, tragic drama, and a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to find hope in the darkest places. A must-read for fans of gritty gay love stories and heartfelt LGBTQ+ fiction.
Read with pride. Discover the love story that proves the heart’s most powerful walls are the ones it builds around another.
-
Add to cartCursed Captain Gay Piret cannot set foot on land. Cartographer Noel Laurent is fleeing a gilded cage. When Noel charts a passage on Piret’s ship, their fates intertwine in a quest for a mythical island and the Starfall Heart, a gem that can break Piret’s geas. From the magical dangers of a dream-stealing Maelstrom to the ruthless pursuit of rival pirates and a powerful merchant consortium, their journey forges a bond of trust that blossoms into passionate love.
But breaking the curse is just the beginning. Their unique knowledge makes them targets, forcing them to become revolutionaries in a secret war for the soul of the Caribbean. They must build a sanctuary, protect their legacy, and confront a century-old family secret to find the peace they deserve.
This is a sweeping LGBTQ+ fantasy romance—a tale of magic, adventure on the high seas, and the transformative power of love against impossible odds. Perfect for fans of mystical voyages and character-driven stories where love is the greatest magic of all.
Related products
-
Add to cartLiam is the perfect golden boy. Caleb is the all-star baseball captain. Their love is the town’s best-kept secret—and its greatest threat.
In Oak Creek, a town where reputation is everything, Liam Hayes and Caleb Miller have mastered the art of performance. Liam, the school president, uses his charm and a promise of piety to hide his truth. Caleb, the team captain, uses his athletic prowess to mask his own. Their only real moments are stolen—in a secret treehouse, in whispered notes, in the life-saving touch of a hand in the dark.
Bound by a love they dare not speak, they dream of a future far from their suffocating hometown. But when a jealous classmate uncovers their secret, their carefully constructed world implodes. Exposed and facing ultimatums from their horrified families—including being sent to conversion therapy—Liam and Caleb are forced to make an impossible choice.
Do they surrender, allowing their love to be erased by those who claim to care for them? Or do they risk everything—home, safety, and their very future—to run away together and fight for the life they’ve only ever dreamed of?
The Secret Chord is a gripping, heart-wrenching, and ultimately hopeful story of forbidden first love, devastating sacrifice, and the breathtaking courage it takes to choose your own truth. This 54-chapter epic is a testament to the resilience of young love against overwhelming odds.
-
Add to cartHow to Come Out with Your Book to an Audience (free after payment options under attachment section )
You’ve written a gay romance, a lesbian love story, or a groundbreaking piece of queer fiction. Now you need a publicist who actually understands your work.
readwithpride.comis the first portal dedicated to connecting LGBTQ+ authors with specialized publicists – but using it effectively requires insider knowledge.This 35‑chapter guide walks you through every step: creating a profile that attracts publicists, mining your manuscript for marketing gold, writing targeted pitches that get responses, and negotiating fair rates. You will learn to leverage beta readers, community forums, and live Pitch Parties to get noticed. Real case studies show how romance, memoir, and YA fantasy authors succeeded.
Beyond launch, you will discover how to handle negative reviews, collaborate with BookTokers, manage a crisis, and build a sustainable writing career. The book includes templates, checklists, and a 100‑day action plan.
Whether you write MM romance, WW contemporary, gay historical fiction, or queer thrillers, this guide gives you the tools to come out with your book to an audience that is ready to embrace it. No more generic marketing advice – only strategies tailored for LGBTQ+ authors on the portal that was built for you.
Read with pride. Publish with purpose.
-
Add to cartCole Hendricks, “The Wall” of American polo, has it all: fame, strength, a perfect brand. But his eyes keep straying to his rival, British aristocrat Ash Chamberlain. It’s more than competition; it’s a terrifying, undeniable attraction that defies everything he knows about himself.
Bound by family legacy and expectation, Ash fights a silent war between duty and the dangerous pull he feels toward the powerful American. A single, reckless moment of passion in a horse stall ignites a secret that could destroy them both.
From Palm Beach to Argentina, London to Dubai, they navigate a double life of stolen touches and public performances, their hidden love flourishing in the shadows of the world’s most glamorous sport. But the weight of lies, the threat of exposure, and the cold force of tradition push them to a shattering choice: sacrifice the gilded futures laid out for them, or sacrifice the only real love they’ve ever known.
The Open Field is a sweeping, emotional saga of forbidden love, personal courage, and the high-stakes world of elite polo. It’s a story about the cost of living a lie and the breathtaking freedom of choosing your truth, no matter how hard the ride.
-
Add to cartThe Granite Creek Vet: A Story of Heart, Home, and Second Chances
An American veterinarian seeking escape finds more than he bargained for in a remote Canadian village. Dr. Tom McCarthney’s arrival in Granite Creek is met with cold resistance, especially from Jacob Miller, a handsome, stoic dairy farmer who sees him as an unwanted outsider.
Their frosty beginning is shattered when a devastating illness threatens to destroy Jacob’s herd and his family’s legacy. Forced into a desperate, round-the-clock battle to save the farm, the two men discover an unexpected connection in the sweat and straw of the barn. A tentative, secret romance blossoms between the city-educated vet and the rugged farmer, challenging their deepest insecurities and transforming their lives.
But building a future together means facing external pressures from a skeptical community, confronting painful ghosts from Jacob’s past, and deciding if their love is strong enough to overcome any storm. The Granite Creek Vet is a heartfelt, emotional MM romance about finding home, healing old wounds, and the transformative power of a love that is hard-won and worth every fight.
-
Add to cartMario Rossi is Italy’s most handsome man, living a life of glamour and adoration. But Mario is a lie. Inside is Maria Isabel, a woman screaming to be free.
Her decision to transition shatters her world. Her family disowns her, her friends abandon her, and the media turns her into a scandalous headline. Alone and facing a terrifying future, her salvation comes from an unlikely place: Andrea Lombardi, a powerful, older billionaire who offers her sanctuary, support, and a love she never dreamed possible.
The Sun and the Shadow is the epic, emotional journey of Maria’s transformation. It’s a story of medical procedures and personal courage, of public scorn and private triumphs. As Maria fights to make her body match her soul, she must also navigate a complex romance, the painful echoes of her past, and the burden of becoming a symbol for others.
From the depths of rejection to the heights of authentic love and the creation of a new, chosen family, this sweeping 53-chapter novel explores the true cost of becoming yourself. It is a poignant, powerful, and ultimately uplifting saga about identity, resilience, and the unwavering light that can be found even in the deepest shadows.
admin (store manager) –
Name: Ben Carter
Email: ben.c.reads@gmail.com
Rating: ★★★★★
Title: The Book I Didn’t Know I Needed
Review:
I’ve read every “great gay novel” out there, the ones about tragic love and coming out angst. Bollocks to Love is something entirely different, and it’s a masterpiece. It’s about what comes after you’ve come out, after you’ve had your share of drama. It’s about the terrifying, wonderful, and sometimes boring work of building an actual life. Leo, Jasper, Miles, and Felix felt like my own group chat come to life—their witty banter, their supportive jabs, their shared panic about becoming “beige.” The author nails the specific anxiety of modern dating, the over-analysis of everything, but then brilliantly shows how that anxiety must evolve as we do.
The character of Tom, the “Paramour of Parsnips,” is a revelation. He’s not a fantasy; he’s a good man. And watching Leo learn to appreciate that, to choose the sturdy harbour over the thrilling storm, was one of the most emotionally satisfying arcs I’ve ever read. This isn’t just a romance; it’s a treatise on mature love. The “Margate Manifesto” chapter had me in tears. It articulated a truth about long-term partnership I’ve felt but never seen in print. The writing is razor-sharp and hilarious, but the emotional depth is breathtaking. This book is for anyone who is ready for a love story that doesn’t end at the first kiss, but begins there. An instant classic.
admin (store manager) –
Name: Marcus Thorne
Email: marcus.t@protonmail.com
Rating: ★★★★★
Title: The Gay “Sex and the City” We Deserved
Review:
Let’s be clear: this is the gay Sex and the City, but smarter, deeper, and set in a gloriously rendered London. But where that show was often about the pursuit, Bollocks to Love is about the foundation. Jasper is our Samantha with a PhD in art history and a heart of (well-hidden) gold. Leo is our Carrie, but with a real job and far more self-awareness. The four friends’ dynamic is perfectly drawn—the love, the envy, the unshakeable loyalty. The scenes in “The Gilded Cage” are modern comedy gold.
What sets this book apart is its profound philosophical heart. The metaphors—the scaffolding, the archives, the patina—aren’t just clever; they are the framework for a new way of thinking about gay life beyond the party and the profile pic. The journey from seeing love as a “luxury edit” (Felix) to understanding it as the “mortar” that holds the wall up is genius. As a man in my forties, watching Jasper’s storyline unfold was particularly poignant. It’s a rare story that suggests new beginnings and profound love are possible at any age, if you have the courage to be vulnerable. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, devastatingly honest, and ultimately, incredibly hopeful. I’ve already bought copies for my three best friends. Our next brunch discussion is booked.
admin (store manager) –
Name: Sophie Walker
Email: walker.sophie.j@outlook.com
Rating: ★★★★★
Title: A Universal Story of Friendship and Growth
Review:
I picked this up because the premise intrigued me, and as a straight woman, I wondered how relatable it would be. The answer is: completely. While the specific milieu is the London gay scene, the emotional truths are universal. This is, at its core, a magnificent story about friendship and the transition from youthful searching to adult contentment. Every character’s struggle resonated deeply. Miles’s anxiety about his relationship becoming routine, Leo’s tendency to over-analyse and romanticize chaos, Felix’s fear of letting his curated image go—these are human struggles, beautifully rendered.
The book is worth it for the prose alone. It’s witty and observant in a way that makes you want to read sentences aloud. The description of a ghosting as “a haunting that took place entirely in the digital ether” is perfect. But the true brilliance is in how the author elevates the mundane. A shared tax bill becomes a profound act of commitment. A weekend caring for nieces becomes an existential trial. A quiet Sunday morning becomes the ultimate romantic ideal. It changed my perspective on my own relationships. This isn’t just a “gay book”; it’s a spectacular piece of contemporary fiction about how we all build our families and our futures, with humour, heart, and a lot of emotional courage. Stunning.