Rose Falls Series by Raleigh Ruebins

I swear, he isn’t my boyfriend. He’s just my best friend. At least, he used to be….Devin: From day one, our friendship never made sense. I was happy in the studio with a canvas and a paintbrush, and Russ was the gorgeous star quarterback that everyone loved… including me. But I could never tell him. He was straight. I should have been happy that I got to see a side of him that nobody else did: Russ was sensitive, thoughtful, and affectionate when it was just the two of us... moreI swear, he isn’t my boyfriend. He’s just my best friend. At least, he used to be….Devin: From day one, our friendship never made sense. I was happy in the studio with a canvas and a paintbrush, and Russ was the gorgeous star quarterback that everyone loved… including me. But I could never tell him. He was straight. I should have been happy that I got to see a side of him that nobody else did: Russ was sensitive, thoughtful, and affectionate when it was just the two of us. Our friendship didn’t make sense, but it was ours. That’s all that mattered. But after college, Russ left Rose Falls without even saying goodbye. I was ripped apart, and everyone could see it. But that was eight years ago. Ancient history. It was all in the past… Until suddenly, it wasn’t.Russ: I’m done running. Eight years ago, I was terrified of losing everything because of feelings toward Devin I couldn’t shake. It shouldn’t have been possible—I was straight! So why couldn’t I keep my eyes off my best friend’s lips, his smooth skin, his body after a shower? I thought that leaving would make the confusion go away. But it never did. Now that I’m back home, I feel like myself for the first time in my life. I need to make things right with Devin.But I hadn’t anticipated falling into bed with him. And even after one scorching night, can Devin ever forgive me for leaving without a trace? Or have I missed my chance?Finally Falling is a 68,000-word gay romance about two best friends falling in love. It features a kitten named Pepper, plenty of crunchy fall leaves, and hot 'n' steamy scenes next to a waterfall. It’s the first book set in the small, quirky town of Rose Falls, but can absolutely be read as a standalone novel. less

He's a family man. I'm a 32-year-old player.Why the hell does he want me?Emmett:At my friend's wedding, I had one rule: I would not hook up with any of the wedding guests.But then I met Ryan, and I broke that rule in minutes.It's not my fault he was hot, flirty, and practically begged me to ravish him. Our connection was instant. I don't do relationships, though--and when I found out Ryan was keeping a huge secret from me, I vowed to never see him again.But this town is small... moreHe's a family man. I'm a 32-year-old player.Why the hell does he want me?Emmett:At my friend's wedding, I had one rule: I would not hook up with any of the wedding guests.But then I met Ryan, and I broke that rule in minutes.It's not my fault he was hot, flirty, and practically begged me to ravish him. Our connection was instant. I don't do relationships, though--and when I found out Ryan was keeping a huge secret from me, I vowed to never see him again.But this town is small. Before long, Ryan was visiting the coffee shop I work in every day. Why couldn't I stop thinking about him, stop remembering how his lips felt on me? And in the chill of winter, being with him and his 6-month-old daughter feels like home. It's scary. And it's so not me. But I can't help but feel like I've found a family.Ryan: I moved to the small town of Rose Falls to give my baby girl the life I never had. I had no plans to start dating right away, but during my first few weeks in town, Emmett fell into my lap--in every sense of the phrase.Emmett was exciting, adventurous, and hot --he made me feel alive again. But he hates commitment. He hates marriage. And he certainly isn't going to settle down.But my heart soars when I see him get along so well with my baby, cook dinner, and curl up on my couch on snowy December nights. I shouldn't get my hopes up with Emmett. But I love how he feels wrapped in my arms, and I can't help but want him to be a part of my family.-----My Winter Family is a 76,000-word gay romance about opening your heart up to love, even when you thought it had frozen over. It features a baby named Anna who loves her spaceship-print onesie. It's full of wintertime snow flurries, and guys who get hot and steamy by the fire... and also in a supply closet. It's the second book set in the small, quirky town of Rose Falls, but can absolutely be read as a standalone novel. less

He was sweet and hot, but totally straight. ...Until he kissed me on New Year’s Eve. Andy: Working at the convenience store isn’t exciting. I’m just here to help out my grandmother, take care of the store, and try to stay out of fights with shoplifters. But when Chase, the hot flower delivery guy, walked through our door, my world turned upside down. He was shy, but deeper than anyone I’d ever known. So I took a chance. I invited him to a New Year’s Party... moreHe was sweet and hot, but totally straight. ...Until he kissed me on New Year’s Eve. Andy: Working at the convenience store isn’t exciting. I’m just here to help out my grandmother, take care of the store, and try to stay out of fights with shoplifters. But when Chase, the hot flower delivery guy, walked through our door, my world turned upside down. He was shy, but deeper than anyone I’d ever known. So I took a chance. I invited him to a New Year’s Party. It wasn’t a date—he was straight, after all. But then I ended up with his arms wrapped around me, kissing as the clock struck midnight. But I know I can’t get my hopes up for anything real. It’s hot as fire when we’re together, but life keeps pulling us apart. Chase: My New Year’s Resolutions were simple. Stop being so shy, go out with people, and finally come out of the closet. If only it were that easy. When I walked into the convenience store and saw Andy, I nearly passed out. He’d been my crush for over a year, but with his tattoos and bad-boy popularity, I never thought he’d give me a second look. So when he invited me to a New Year’s party, I had to say yes. And a few drinks later, when my lips were on his, all I wanted was more. But being with Andy means facing something I’d been hiding my whole life: I wasn’t straight. If I wanted any chance of being with him, I knew I had to get over my fears. ----- Champagne Kiss is a 55,000-word gay romance novel. It features a local convenience store and its crazy cast of customers, forbidden love, and two guys who are opposites in every way… but can’t get enough of each other. It’s the third book set in the small, quirky town of Rose Falls, but can always be read as a standalone novel on its own. less

He’s cocky, filthy rich, and he might put me out of business. …So why do I still want him so badly? Patrick: The last thing I needed was a hotshot opening a huge, fancy bar in my small town. On the same street as my own humble bar, Brew for You. But Taran isn’t just a problem for my business--he’s a problem for me. Ever since we met, he just wanted one thing from me: a casual hookup. But I don’t do that. I have a bar to run, a brother to take care of, and a mountain of family debt to pay back... moreHe’s cocky, filthy rich, and he might put me out of business. …So why do I still want him so badly? Patrick: The last thing I needed was a hotshot opening a huge, fancy bar in my small town. On the same street as my own humble bar, Brew for You. But Taran isn’t just a problem for my business--he’s a problem for me. Ever since we met, he just wanted one thing from me: a casual hookup. But I don’t do that. I have a bar to run, a brother to take care of, and a mountain of family debt to pay back. But then I ended up in Taran’s bed. My bar is in trouble, and meanwhile I’m sleeping with my biggest rival. So why is it hot as fire when we’re together? And why am I starting to think there a sweeter, wounded side of Taran I can’t resist? Taran: I live, dream, and breathe success. I was already the most popular bar owner in the big city, and now I’m opening a new one in this dinky little nowhere town of Rose Falls. Easy peasy, right? …or so I thought. Because everything is different in Rose Falls. For the first time in years, I have a crush on a guy. After being hurt too much in the past, I vowed never to be in a serious relationship again. But I’ve never met anyone like Patrick. He sees right through my persona. And God, he’s hot as hell in bed. But could I really belong with him? Could I belong with anyone, in this tiny town that I can’t help but fall in love with? Spring for Me is a 68,000-word gay romance about two rivals realizing the scariest thing of all: that they might be perfect for each other. It features plenty of small-town gossip, spring rain & flowers, and steamy scenes in a gazebo. It’s the fourth book set in the small, artsy town of Rose Falls, but can absolutely be read as a standalone novel on its own. less

We’re still just best friends. …Even though we’re sharing a bed. Owen: Is it weird to want to sleep with your best friend? Max has always been there for me. He’s rescued me when I partied too hard and saved me from bad situations more times than I can count. And it’s never mattered that he was gay and I was straight. I knew he didn’t have feelings for me, and our friendship would never change. Until… I changed... moreWe’re still just best friends. …Even though we’re sharing a bed. Owen: Is it weird to want to sleep with your best friend? Max has always been there for me. He’s rescued me when I partied too hard and saved me from bad situations more times than I can count. And it’s never mattered that he was gay and I was straight. I knew he didn’t have feelings for me, and our friendship would never change. Until… I changed. Seeing Max for the first time in months on this beach vacation, it’s like something’s snapped inside my head. I keep asking Max to sleep next to me in bed—it just doesn’t feel the same without him. And finally, when he admits something to me that I never thought I’d hear, I can’t help but pull him in for a kiss…. Max: It isn’t always easy being Owen’s best friend. He’s wild and free, and I’ve had to be the responsible one for so long. When he started asking me to sleep next to him, I couldn’t say no—but then I couldn’t control my reaction to being so close to him. I started fantasizing about Owen in ways I knew I shouldn’t. He deserves better. I shouldn’t fixate on my straight best friend, watching his body glisten in the ocean waves. But then Owen kissed me, and my entire world exploded in front of my eyes. We aren’t just sleeping in bed anymore…. But when our beach vacation is over, all of this will stop. I’m just Owen’s summer experiment, his one-time fling, and this is our little secret. Right? Summer Secret is a 62,000-word gay romance about best friends who fall in love in a way they’d never thought possible. It features a quirky family, tons of sun & sand, and plenty of sneaky secrets in a big beach house. It’s the fifth and final book in the Rose Falls series, but can easily be read as a standalone novel on its own. less