What if you staged the best haunted house in the history of the Halloween, but nobody came?

Brady is prepared with mounds of treats, stellar special effects, and an extraordinary welcome for the throngs of trick-or-treaters he expects in his first year at his new place—a gloriously gothic house with the reputation for really being haunted! But the trick's on Brady: Halloween is almost over and not one person has knocked on his door.

Once a top Interdimensional Law Enforcement agent, Rej was busted down to Creature Control after a run-in with his arch-nemesis. When he tracks a non-sentient construct across the dimensional barrier, he's sure he's about to confront Gorvenath again. But the person who bursts onto the porch in a swirl of tuxedo coattails is a monster of a very different sort—but is he Gorvenath's accomplice or his victim?

Monster Till Midnight is an 11,000-word gay romance featuring a hopeful samhainophile, a...]]> Thu, 12 Jul 2018 14:31:52 +0300 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/524179-a_swants_soiree.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/524179-a_swants_soiree.html
Introverted software engineer Brent needs help converting an ugly sweater into pants—swants—for a staff party. Luckily cute costumer Jonathan comes to his rescue.]]> Sat, 05 Jan 2019 16:08:57 +0200 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/682837-principles.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/682837-principles.html

Sun, Moon, and Stars marries magic and science, featuring a road trip, deepening friendship, and a world where choice is the most sacred value.

The books feature the continuing adventures of asexual Sun mage Zal and nonbinary cyborg Torian. In this second story, Zal and Torian finally make it to the capital, but things don't go exactly as planned...

When Sun-born mage Zal is called to a remote village after an explosion on a nearby mountaintop, he's stunned at what he finds in the gaol under the town hall—the last Moon-born on the planet, apparently a rogue mage, and someone Zal is duty-bound to haul to the capital to face judgment.

But although nonbinary Torian is Moon-born, they're no mage. Rescued as an infant from the plague that wiped out the rest of their race, Torian is as much cybertronic as human, and desperate to escape their former Star-born overseers.

Zal has never felt the desires of the flesh, and as an avowed celibate Sun mage, he couldn't indulge them if he did. Torian has only known value as a sexual surrogate, and isn't sure how to prove their worth to a man who has no need of their abilities.

As danger looms from both Zal's world and Torian's, mage and cyborg must find common ground, because only together can they hope to survive.

Partnership is a 25K-word...]]> Thu, 02 May 2024 09:26:46 +0300 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/460777-single_white_incubus.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/460777-single_white_incubus.html
Does a bear shift in the woods?Well, partially. That was what got grizzly shifter Ted Farnsworth into trouble. He wasn't trying to break the Secrecy Pact. He just wants people to see the real him. So he signs up with the mate-matching service Supernatural Selection — which guarantees marriage to a perfect partner. Not only will Ted never be lonely again, but once his new beaver shifter husband arrives, they'll build Ted's dream wilderness retreat together. Win-win. Quentin Bertrand-Harrington, scion of an incubus dynasty, has abstained from sex since nearly killing his last lover. When his family declares it's time for him to marry, Quentin decides the only way not to murder his partner is to pick someone who's already dead. Supernatural Selection finds him the ideal vampire, and Quentin signs the marriage agreement sight unseen.But a mix-up at Supernatural Selection contracts Quentin with Ted. What's Ted supposed to do with an art historian who knows...]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2018 14:04:51 +0200 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/531088-howling_on_hold.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/531088-howling_on_hold.html

Sometimes it's harder to teach a young dog new tricks.

That's why werewolves embark on a Howling: a three-year rite of passage in which they're sent to a group residence to wrestle with their wolfy instincts and assimilate into the Wider World. But Tanner Araya's Howling is almost over, and he could be called back to his remote pack at any moment. His twenty-first birthday might be his last chance to act on his strongest instinct and finally kiss Chase Denney.

Chase is RA at the Howling residence affectionately dubbed "the Doghouse," and he takes his job seriously. So seriously that when he realized he was developing feelings for a resident, he forced himself to keep Tanner at a distance. But now that Tanner's twenty-one, he's not Chase's charge any longer. They could be friends or — if Chase is lucky — something more. At least until they both return to their home packs for good, as tradition demands.

It would take a miracle for them to get together —...]]> Mon, 09 Mar 2020 12:40:15 +0200 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/674998-duking_it_out.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/674998-duking_it_out.html

Royal dukes from rival countries, shipwrecked on a deserted island. The grudge match of the century—or a love story of super-heroic proportions?

Sander Fiala, Duke of Roses, is fourth in line to the South Abarran throne, even though his rogue power earned him the nickname "The Monster of Roses" and got him banished from the Castle. But right before he's about to set off on his annual birthday sailing trip, the Queen asks him to meet with the notoriously volatile North Abarran Duke of Arles.

Tarik Jaso, Duke of Arles, expects the worst from people because—let's face it—people are the worst. His superpower bombards him with any and all electronic transmissions, which...yeah, people suck. So when he's attacked and wakes up in the cabin of a stranded boat, he knows he's royally screwed. Because the man looming over him—the man he'd gone toe-to-toe with right before the attack—is the infamous Monster of Roses.

Tarik...]]> Mon, 24 Feb 2020 13:20:12 +0200 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/682838-the_boyfriend_algorithm.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/682838-the_boyfriend_algorithm.html

Technology is easy. Relationships? Not so much.

When introverted computer engineer Charlie Forrester developed a passive matchmaking model for her doctoral dissertation, she never expected it to go beyond theoretical. Now, with her dream job on the line, she has thirty days to prove her program's accuracy. The only problem? She's the test subject, and her stupid algorithm has chosen watchdog reporter Daniel Shawn, her childhood best friend-turned-nemesis, as her perfect partner.

Notorious for his relentless pursuit of technology fraud, Daniel's reputation tanked when he fell victim to an online matchmaking con. When he discovers evidence of a scam reboot, he's convinced it's the perfect story to redeem his career.

Charlie has awkwardness down to a science, but a relationship with Daniel could mean more than simple humiliation. If he discovers her algorithm uses the same concepts as the sting that ruined him, he could destroy her...]]> Sat, 16 May 2015 16:17:02 +0300 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/674997-purgatory_playhouse.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/674997-purgatory_playhouse.html

Staging a musical in Purgatory can be absolute hell.

Lonnie Coleridge last saw the sun in 1968. Since then, he's been consigned to Limbo, still wearing the same tie-dyed T-shirt and bell-bottomed jeans he had on when he left his life behind. He and others like him have one chance each year at redemption: produce a show for the Greek pantheon. Whoever pleases this very specific—and temperamental—fan group could earn the right to move on.

But after a literal act of god (*cough* Hermes *cough*) destroys their sets, lights, and costumes, the company needs emergency help to rebuild. Without it, all of them could poof out of existence forever.

Out-of-work theater technician TD Baylor has precisely three things on his cosmic wish list: a job, a place to stay, and a boyfriend who isn't a total tool. He thinks he's got the first two nailed when he gets a line on a two-week gig that includes room and board. So what if the job tip came...]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2021 13:20:11 +0200 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/685943-summer_kitchen.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/685943-summer_kitchen.html

The foolproof recipe for personal redemption and perfect love...

Take:

One former rock musician
One almost-MBA turned cooking school student

Add two heaping spoonfuls (each) of:

responsibility
familial obligation
regret

And a dash of:

misunderstanding (optional)

Stir together in:

one small Vermont town

Season with:

friends
family
foes
and one large ginger cat

Garnish with:

validation
laughter
just deserts (also desserts)

Simmer for one entire summer before serving up a delicious (well-deserved) HEA. Bon Appetit!

The road to redemption is long, rough, and steep. Bring snacks.

Finn Lassiter is a werewolf without a pack. Or a roof over his head. Or more than five bucks to his name. He's exhausted every lifeline except the one that makes him want to howl: begging his cousin, the supreme alpha, for charity. After the way Finn behaved for their entire lives, it's entirely possible he'll be turned down flat or banished forever when he makes that call tomorrow. So today he's blowing his last dollar at Nectar & Ambrosia—he needs one more smile from the bakery's beautiful owner to weather the bleak years ahead.

Ganymede, former cup bearer to the Greek gods, is reveling in his new life as a restaurateur in Portland, Oregon. He's finally free of the Olympians and their extremely tedious menu options. Finn, the cute customer who's haunted the corner table in his bakery since opening day, is just icing on the cake.

When the gods stage an encore,...]]> Wed, 18 Jan 2023 17:16:01 +0200 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/650433-an_everyday_hero.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/650433-an_everyday_hero.html

A different kind of home invasion...

When Adam Tyler's sister announced she was pregnant, Adam decided to move from Portland, Oregon, to Phoenix, Arizona, to fully embrace the uncle experience. However, he didn't count on the move being delayed until three days before Christmas—and three days before his sister's due date. And he definitely didn't count on finding a scorpion in his bedroom. Cue the panicked calls to exterminators.

A different kind of knight to the rescue...

Garrett Strong doesn't consider himself at all remarkable—his ex certainly didn't think so—and Garrett's pest-control business is circling the drain. Although Adam is his first new client in months, that isn't the only reason Garrett goes above and beyond for him. He feels a real connection to the younger man and intends to do everything in his power to make sure Adam feels safe and welcome in Phoenix—venomous intruders...]]> Thu, 12 Jul 2018 14:31:51 +0300 https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/650435-christmas_kisses.html https://www.bookfrom.net/e-j-russell/650435-christmas_kisses.html

Three of E.J. Russell's short and sweet opposites-attract holiday rom-coms together in one collection!

The Probability of Mistletoe

An awkward geek on a mission, a determined extrovert with a plan, interfering female relatives of various sizes, and a statistically improbable amount of mistletoe.

When software engineer Keith Trainor decides to start his own company, he knows exactly who he wants as his partner: Parker Mulvaney, his best friend from high school. But in the ten years since graduation, their contact has dwindled to nothing, and it's all Keith's fault. If he hadn't tried to kiss Parker under the mistletoe at the winter formal their senior year, Parker wouldn't have bolted. At their ten-year reunion, Keith intends to do everything in his geeky power to make amends.

Parker should have known that scheduling the reunion the day before Christmas Eve was a recipe for a headache of monster proportions. But when Keith sends a...]]> Fri, 12 Jul 2019 14:31:53 +0300