The Transaction of Self
£2.99
Read with Pride in this powerful and poignant gay psychological drama. The Transaction of Self is the story of Julian Croft, a wealthy London executive living a perfect, curated life with his wife and family. Yet, beneath the impeccable suit lies a man drowning in silence. Julian harbors a secret desire for men, a need so dangerous he can only address it through a cold, meticulous system of paid encounters across the globe.
From a transactional meeting in New York to a soul-baring conversation in Paris and a transformative connection in London, Julian’s double life is a high-stakes balancing act. But when his wife’s suspicions harden into an ultimatum, the walls between his two worlds crumble. Forced to confront the devastating cost—both financial and emotional—of his decades of deception, Julian must choose: confess the truth and destroy his family, or perpetuate the lie and annihilate himself.
This is an award-winning gay fiction contender, a deep dive into the closet’s corrosive grip. More than an MM romance, it’s a gay literary novel about identity, shame, and the fragile architecture of a life built on lies. Perfect for readers of emotional MM books and LGBTQ+ fiction that explores the raw complexities of being true to oneself in a world that demands conformity. Discover one of the best MM romance-adjacent stories of the year, a heartfelt gay love story that is ultimately about learning to love the person you’ve hidden all along.
Read with Pride. Dive into a profound and emotionally devastating exploration of identity, desire, and the crushing weight of a double life in The Transaction of Self.
Julian Croft is the epitome of success. A managing director of a global investment firm, he lives in a pristine London townhouse with his brilliant curator wife, Eleanor, and their two adored children. His life is a curated exhibit of power, respectability, and familial bliss—a gilded cage of his own impeccable design. But Julian carries a secret that threatens to corrode the very foundation of his world. Since his wedding day, he has locked away a fundamental part of himself: his attraction to men.
Unable to seek genuine connection, Julian has constructed a meticulous, secret system. Using encrypted apps and untraceable funds, he pays for fleeting encounters with men in the world’s cities—Paris, New York, Rio, Tokyo. Each transaction is a carefully managed risk, a temporary salve for a loneliness so profound it has become the core of his being. He is not just a husband and father; he is a client, paying a fortune to rent fragments of a self he can never openly claim.
This is not a simple love story; it is a map of a fractured soul. We follow Julian from the cold efficiency of a New York transaction to the dangerous, searching intimacy of a Parisian conversation, and into the raw, human connection offered by Kai, a London artist who sees through his facade. As Julian’s secret life becomes more emotionally fraught, the walls between his two worlds begin to crack. A name whispered in sleep, a buzzing phone heard at the wrong moment, a panicked flight from a boardroom to his daughter’s school play—each near-miss escalates the tension.
His wife, Eleanor, is not a fool. She conducts a silent investigation of her husband’s growing absence, culminating in a shattering ultimatum: one week to tell the truth, or she will leave and expose him. Trapped between the life he has built and the man he truly is, Julian is forced to stare into the abyss. He confronts the staggering financial and emotional cost of his duplicity, revisits the childhood shame instilled by his father, and finally, must choose between two forms of destruction.
The Transaction of Self is a masterful work of gay literary fiction and a gay psychological thriller that delves deep into the closet’s psychological prison. It’s a story for readers of heartfelt MM fiction who seek more than romance—they seek truth. This award-worthy gay novel explores themes of masculinity, fidelity, parenthood, and the desperate human need to be known. It is a top LGBTQ+ book for anyone who has ever felt the disconnect between their public face and private heart.
Perfect for fans of: Hanya Yanagihara’s emotional depth, the psychological tension of Patricia Highsmith, and the nuanced exploration of queer identity found in authors like Garth Greenwell. This is a gay book club essential, promising passionate discussion about marriage, authenticity, and the price we pay for our secrets.
Experience a journey that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally harrowing. Read with pride as you swim deep into Julian’s mind, from the heights of power in London’s financial district to the intimate, rented rooms where he seeks salvation. This is a new gay release that will resonate long after the final page is turned, a stark and beautiful reminder that the most expensive transaction of all is the betrayal of one’s own soul.
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The Midnight Compass
£3.59Add to cartThe Midnight Compass
A journey begins in a blizzard. A life begins in its wake.Driven to breaking point on Christmas Eve, successful but suffocated Lucas flees his perfect life, only to be stranded in a catastrophic blizzard. His rescue comes in the form of Leo, a charismatic, free-spirited hitchhiker with nothing to lose. Forced together by the storm, their desperate fight for survival in an abandoned diner sparks an undeniable connection.
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Six gay couples. One paradise island. A single rule: don’t break up.
In the ultimate test of love, twelve men from across the globe are isolated on a stunning island for a reality show. The prize is a new home, but the real challenge is resisting the sizzling chemistry with eleven other irresistible men. The rules force them apart all day, pushing them into intimate partnerships with their rivals. Alliances form, passions ignite, and loyalties are shattered.
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Bare Under the Mistletoe
£3.59Add to cartEscape to a holiday romance where the greatest gift is the freedom to be yourself.
Heartbroken architect Liam books a two-week nudist cruise to escape a lonely Christmas. On the sun-drenched MS Odyssey, he forms a life-changing friendship with vibrant Chloe and falls for Mateo, a soulful Spanish artist who sees the real man beneath his carefully constructed walls. Under the stars, they share a Christmas and New Year’s of profound intimacy and liberation, forging a connection that feels destined to last.
When the voyage ends, a surprising offer gives Liam and Mateo a chance to turn their holiday romance into a lifetime: to design and build a revolutionary, clothing-optional eco-resort on a private island. Throwing caution to the wind, they embark on a daring adventure, trading their old lives for the challenge of creating a sanctuary called “Aura.”
“Bare Under the Mistletoe” is a sweeping, sensual, and deeply emotional story about love, courage, and building a legacy. Follow Liam and Mateo as they navigate the storms of creation, defend their utopian vision, and discover that the strongest foundation is the love they build together. It’s a tale of shedding insecurities, embracing authenticity, and discovering that the most beautiful life is the one you build with your own hands and heart.
Ideal for fans of heartfelt LGBTQ+ romance, stories of second chances, and narratives about building a better world.
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On Thin Ice: A Novel of Forbidden Love
Carter Brennan is hockey’s next superstar: strong, handsome, and living the all-American dream. But his perfect life is a lie. Haunted by an attraction he can’t name, his world fractures when he locks eyes with his only true rival—Liam Thibault, the brilliant Canadian goalie.
What begins as competitive fury ignites into something else entirely: a secret, desperate connection forged through stolen glances, late-night messages, and a desire that defies every rule of their sport. As Carter falls deeper for Liam, he’s trapped between his love for his girlfriend, the expectations of his family, and a truth that could destroy his legendary future.
When their hidden relationship explodes into a public scandal, the fallout is catastrophic. Careers hang in the balance, hearts are broken, and families are torn apart. Carter must face the ultimate choice: deny his identity to save the life he knows, or embrace a terrifying love and risk losing everything.
On Thin Ice is a raw, powerful, and unforgettable story of forbidden love in the hyper-masculine world of professional hockey. A 39-chapter journey of tragedy, romance, passion, and sportsmanship, this novel delves into the brutal cost of living authentically and the breathtaking strength it takes to love who you are.
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He was a billionaire heir trapped by duty. He was a butler bound by tradition. Their forbidden love was a paradise they were never meant to keep.
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He was hired to protect a life. He never expected to lose his heart.
Pop superstar Zion Hayes is trapped. A terrifying stalker’s intimate threats have turned his world into a prison. His last hope is Kael Stone, an ex-special forces bodyguard whose icy professionalism is legendary—and whose own heart is sealed off after a past tragedy.
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Name: Marcus Thorne
Email: marcus.reads@mail.com
Title: A Devastating and Necessary Masterpiece
Rating: ★★★★★
The Transaction of Self is not a book you simply read; it’s an experience you survive. As a reader of literary MM fiction and gay psychological thrillers, I was captivated from the first page. The author doesn’t just tell us about Julian’s double life—we live inside his panic, his meticulous calculations, and his profound, aching loneliness. The structure, moving between cities and encounters, is brilliant. Each “transaction” reveals a different facet of his need: the coldness of New York, the intellectual spark in Paris, the raw humanity of London’s Kai. This is so much more than a gay romance; it’s a forensic examination of the closet as a psychological prison.
What hit me hardest was the portrayal of his family. The scenes with his daughter Lily shattered me. The love is real, which makes the betrayal so much more tragic. The ultimatum from his wife Eleanor is one of the most powerfully written confrontations I’ve ever read. This book doesn’t offer easy answers or fairy-tale endings. It offers truth—messy, painful, and ultimately, cathartic. It’s a top LGBTQ+ book for 2026 and an absolute must-read for any gay book club. Be prepared to have your heart broken and your perspective shifted.
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Name: Claire Peterson
Email: c.peterson.books@mail.com
Title: Heartbreaking and Profoundly Human
Rating: ★★★★★
I typically read MM contemporary and gay romance novels, but this book was recommended as something “deeper,” and it completely transcended the genre. The Transaction of Self is a monumental work of gay fiction. Julian Croft is a character of stunning complexity. I found myself simultaneously empathizing with his trapped desperation and recoiling at the collateral damage of his lies. The author’s insight into the mind of someone living a double life is nothing short of breathtaking. The “system” he creates, with its encrypted phones and secret accounts, feels terrifyingly real, mirroring the way we all compartmentalize, albeit on a less dramatic scale.
This is a gay psychological drama of the highest order. The tension is relentless, not from external threats, but from the imminent internal collapse. The supporting characters are flawlessly drawn—Eleanor is strong and perceptive, not a caricature of a wronged wife, and Kai, the artist, provides a beautiful counterpoint of authentic, un-purchased connection. The ending is perfect: not tidy, but authentic and shimmering with fragile possibility. If you’re looking for steamy MM romance, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for an emotional, award-winning gay novel that will haunt you for weeks, this is your next read. Read with pride—and a box of tissues.
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Name: Daniel R. Lee
Email: danlee.writes@mail.com
Title: A Literary Triumph for Queer Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★
As an LGBTQ+ author myself, I am in awe of this novel. The Transaction of Self is a stunning contribution to gay literature. It tackles the timeless queer theme of the double life with a fresh, modern, and psychologically nuanced intensity. The prose is razor-sharp and evocative, pulling you seamlessly from the boardrooms of London to the anonymous hotels of Julian’s secret world. This isn’t just a gay love story; it’s a profound meditation on the cost of authenticity in a world built on certain expectations of masculinity and success.
The use of different cities as backdrops for different emotional needs is masterful. Rio represents passion and freedom, Paris represents intellectual connection, and London represents the dangerous proximity of truth. The MM fiction genre is often pigeonholed, but this book blows those constraints apart. It belongs on the shelf with serious literary fiction. It’s a gay psychological thriller where the villain and the victim are the same man. The final chapters, dealing with the aftermath and the first tentative steps toward healing, are some of the most moving I’ve ever read. This is a new gay release that deserves major awards and a wide readership. An absolute triumph.