Heidi Cullinan Libros

"First edition published by Riptide Publishing, January 2013."--Title page verso.

Sometimes family chooses you. At forty, Vincent "Vinnie" Fierro is still afraid to admit he might be gay--even to himself. It'll be a problem for his big fat Italian family. Still, after three failed marriages, it's getting harder to ignore what he really wants. Vinnie attempts some self-exploration in Chicago's Boystown bars, far from anyone who knows him. Naturally, he runs smack into someone from the neighborhood. Between working two jobs, going to school, taking care of his grandmother, and dealing with his mother's ongoing substance abuse, Trey Giles has little time for fun, let alone dating someone who swears he's straight. Yet after one night of dancing cheek-to-cheek, Trey agrees to let Vinnie court him and see if he truly belongs on this side of the fence--though Trey intends to keep his virginity intact. It seems like a solid plan, but nothing is simple when family is involved. When Vinnie's family finds out about their relationship, the situation is sticky enough, but when Trey's mother goes critical, Vinnie and Trey must decide whose happiness is most important--their families' or their own.

Normal is just a setting on the dryer. The Roosevelt, Book 1 High school graduate Jeremey Samson is looking forward to burying his head under the covers and sleeping until it's time to leave for college. Then a tornado named Emmet Washington enters his life. The double major in math and computer science is handsome, forward, wicked smart, interested in dating Jeremey-and he's autistic. But Jeremey doesn't judge him for that. He's too busy judging himself, as are his parents, who don't believe in things like clinical depression. When his untreated illness reaches a critical breaking point, Emmet is the white knight who rescues him and brings him along as a roommate to The Roosevelt, a quirky new assisted living facility nearby. As Jeremey finds his feet at The Roosevelt, Emmet slowly begins to believe he can be loved for the man he is behind the autism. But before he can trust enough to fall head over heels, he must trust his own conviction that friendship is a healing force, and love can overcome any obstacle. Warning: Contains characters obsessed with trains and counting, positive representations of autism and mental illness, a very dark moment, and Elwood Blues.

When your deepest, darkest fantasy shows up, get on board. Special Delivery, Book 1 Sam Keller knows he'll never find the excitement he craves in Middleton, Iowa-not while he's busting his ass in nursing school and paying rent by slaving away in a pharmacy stockroom. Then Sam meets Mitch Tedsoe, an independent, long-haul trucker who makes a delivery to a shop across the alley. Innocent flirting quickly leads to a fling, and when Mitch offers to take him on a road trip west, Sam jumps at the chance for adventure. Mitch is sexy, funny and friendly, but once they embark on their journey, something changes. One minute he's the star of Sam's every X-rated fantasy, the next he's almost too much a perfect gentleman. And when they hit the Las Vegas city limit, Sam has a name to pin on Mitch's malady: Randy. For better or for worse, Sam grapples with the meaning of friendship, letting go, growing up-even the meaning of love-because no matter how far he travels, eventually all roads lead home. Warning: This story contains trucker fantasies, threesomes and kinky consensual sex.

The narrative explores the complexities of relationships and the necessity of companionship in navigating life's challenges. It delves into the emotional and practical aspects of having a partner, highlighting how shared experiences can enhance personal growth and resilience. Through various characters, the story illustrates the impact of connection, support, and collaboration in overcoming obstacles, ultimately emphasizing the importance of partnership in both joyful and difficult times.

Love, adventure and a steaming good time. As the French army leader’s bastard son, Cornelius Stevens enjoys a great deal of latitude. But when he saves an enemy soldier using clockwork parts, he’s well aware he risks hanging for treason. That doesn’t worry him half as much, however, as the realization he’s falling for his patient. Johann Berger never expected to survive his regiment’s suicide attack on Calais, much less wake up with mechanical parts. To avoid discovery, he’s forced to hide in plain sight as Cornelius’s lover—a role Johann finds himself taking to surprisingly well. When a threat is made on Cornelius’s life, Johann learns the secret of the device implanted in his chest—a mythical weapon both warring countries would kill to obtain. Caught up in a political frenzy, in league with pirates, dodging rogue spies, mobsters and princesses with deadly parasols, Cornelius and Johann have no time to contemplate how they ended up in this mess. All they know is, the only way out is together—or not at all.

Doctor Owen and HR director Erin shock the Copper Point community when they go from enemies to lovers literally overnight. It's a distraction, but when their fake romance turns real, they'll have to put their demons to rest and learn to trust each other.

Once upon a time Nicholas Beckert was the boy who stole kisses from Jared Kumpel beneath the bleachers. Now Jared’s a pediatrician and Nick is the hospital CEO who won’t glance his way. But everything changes when they’re stranded alone in a hospital elevator. Ten years of cold shoulders melt away, and old passions rekindle into hot flames. Once out of the elevator, Jared has no intention of letting Nick get away. He wants a full, open relationship, which is a step further than Nick is willing to go, and it looks like the same arguments that drove them apart in high school might resurface. Jared’s determined not to let it happen again. He won’t order Nick from his shell—he’ll listen to what he needs to feel safe. Maybe this time he can prescribe his lover a happily ever after.

The brilliant but brooding new doctor encounters Copper Point's sunny nurse-next-door... and nothing can stand in the way of this romance.Dr. Hong-Wei Wu has come to Copper Point, Wisconsin, after the pressures of a high-powered residency burned him out of his career before he started. Ashamed of letting his family down after all they’ve done for him, he plans to live a quiet life as a simple surgeon in this tiny northern town. His plans, however, don’t include his outgoing, kind, and attractive surgical nurse, Simon Lane.Simon wasn’t ready for the new surgeon to be a handsome charmer who keeps asking him for help getting settled and who woos him with amazing Taiwanese dishes. There’s no question—Dr. Wu is flirting with him, and Simon is flirting back. The problem is, St. Ann’s has a strict no-dating policy between staff, which means their romance is off the table… unless they bend the rules. But a romance that keeps them—literally—in the closet can’t lead to happy ever after. Simon doesn’t want to stay a secret, and Hong-Wei doesn’t want to keep himself removed from life, not anymore. To secure their happiness, they’ll have to change the administration’s mind. But what other secrets will they uncover along the way, about Copper Point… and about each other?

A single stroke holds the power to transform lives, suggesting that even the smallest actions can lead to significant changes. This theme explores the ripple effects of choices and the profound impact they can have on personal journeys. The narrative likely delves into the interconnectedness of events and the importance of seizing opportunities, emphasizing how one moment can alter the course of one's life.