Something Like...

Life isn’t easy for a gay teenager living in the nineties. Ben thought coming out was his best chance of finding love. Instead he ended up lonelier than before. After a not-so-accidental collision with Tim, an attractive athlete and artist, Ben is convinced that he’s met his soulmate. Their budding romance is soon tested by spreading rumors, the danger increasing along with their passion for each other until it pushes them to the breaking point.

For some, love seems an impossible dream. Growing up gay in small-town Missouri, Jace Holden thought his chance would never come. When he meets Victor - a wild soul and fellow outsider - his chances of finding love go from bleak to a very uncertain, maybe. Bracing his heart, Jace chases after his desire, hoping for a warm hand to hold his tight.

There are two sides to every story. When you're Tim Wyman, sometimes there are three. Tim hoped moving to Texas would mean a new beginning, but he soon finds himself falling into the same tired patterns. Until he meets recklessly brave Benjamin Bentley, who introduces Tim to a world of love, sex, and warmth. Certain that society won't understand what he and Ben have together, Tim struggles to protect their relationship, even if it means twisting the truth. Buried beneath his own deceptions, Tim must claw his way to the surface in the hopes of learning to fly.

Jason Grant doesn't have much, aside from a beat-up old guitar and knack for getting kicked out of foster homes. His latest placement is set to be just another in a long line of failures. Then he meets Caesar Hubbard, a handsome guy who lives down the hall. For the first time in his life, Jason wants to stay, which means learning to be part of a family, and not letting his feelings - or his actions - ruin his first real chance of falling in love.

Kelly Phillips has been out and proud since he was a young teenager, and thanks to the gay youth group he frequents, he's never been short on friends or lovers. But when you have almost everything, it's hard not to focus on what's just out of reach: a best friend who would be Mr. Right if he wasn't already Mr. Straight. Or that handsome athlete at school who would be easier to wrangle if not for his angel wings. And then there's the guy who might be a perfect fit, maybe even a soul mate...if only he wasn't convinced he didn't need anyone.

My name is Nathaniel Courtney, and I m a survivor. I didn't let the cruelty of others wear me down, and I've weathered the more subtle hardships of the heart. Love is a Trojan horse, slipping past your guard and leaving you ransacked and vulnerable. I emerged from that war not unscathed but as a new man. The only mistake I ever made was letting the right guy get away. Now I've got one more chance. This is the final battle, because if I fail now...I won't. You'll see.

Benjamin Bentley and many other beloved characters from the Something Like...series make their triumphant return in this collection of short stories and bonus material. "Something Like Yesterday" travels to the past where Eric Conroy attempts to find love against a backdrop of intolerance and political upheaval. In "Something Like Fall", Ben meets Jace's family and tries to cope with many changes in the years that follow.

Noah Westwood is tired of life on the streets, so he turns to Marcello Maltese, a man who owns a small media empire...and a few covert businesses, such as an escort service. Noah volunteers for this, but he's playing a dangerous game. A secret from his past could turn his new friends into enemies, and he isn't sure he can perform the duties he signed up for, especially when he's more interested in falling in love than hopping into the beds of his clients. This is complicated further when his hunky coworker, Harold Franklin, seems to be interested. Or is he? 

Nice guys finish last, but that doesn't mean they give up the fight. Sometimes it's necessary to keep trudging through the rain in the hopes of finding a break in the clouds. William Townson is a good person. He's kind, considerate, and the last thing he ever wanted was to hurt anyone. Accidents happen though, and when they do, all that can be done is to pick up the pieces.

The Something Like series is drawing to a close! Before it ends, reunite with favorite characters and meet others for the first time in this special collection of fourteen stories. Highlights include Something Like Champagne, in which Marcello searches for the truth behind a drunken vision. In Something Like Bunnies, a young Jace Holden struggles with his first crush. Ben and Tim return in Something Like Memories as they debate when exactly they should celebrate their anniversary.

The hot Texas nights were lonely for Ben before he met Tim Wyman, the man he would one day marry. Now, 20 years later, everything is perfect. Isn't it? As Ben struggles with guiding his adopted son toward happiness, he begins to question his own path in life. Tim is little help, pulled away by artistic success and faced with temptation, but true love should be able to overcome such obstacles...if only their struggles ended there.  

"Something Like Stars" playfully explores what would happen if someone made a movie about Ben, Tim, and Jace. Harold attempts to befriend Noah and Felix in "Something like Us", unrequited feelings challenging their relationship. Marcello prepares for the inevitable while revealing secrets from his past in "Something like Goodbye". And in "Something like Heaven", Ben must decide once and for all who his heart - and his future - belongs to.