A stylized graphic featuring a flame, a heart, and a hockey puck, representing themes of heat, love, and hockey.
ASHLYN KANE
Illustration featuring a flame, a heart, and a circular object on a black background.
Ashlyn Kane
Writer of queer romcoms

Standalone Books


A Good Vintage Cover

A Good Vintage

When Luke Scherer catches his deadbeat boyfriend selling Luke’s belongings—and his own body—to cover his debts, he decides he needs a vacation. He just doesn’t expect his Napa Valley retreat to be a step into his past.

Eight years ago Mal Kuijpers was grieving his wife while his vineyard floundered. Hiring Luke for the summer put the business back on track and a smile back on Mal’s face. Nineteen-year-old Luke had just gotten out from under his father’s thumb and started saving for his education, his last screw-you to his old man. Then he made the mistake of falling for his boss, his dad caught up with him, and Luke panicked—and fled.

Now they have another chance—if Mal can believe in himself and Luke can believe in love, two hot summers might yield a lifelong reward.

American Love Songs Cover

American Love Songs

Jake Brenner has too many wild oats to sow to fall in love—or so he claims. Besides, he’s much too busy with his band, the Wayward Sons, to go looking for romance. His reticence has nothing to do with his embarrassing crush on Chris, the band’s lead singer and Jake’s erstwhile best friend. But that was before enigmatic wanderer Parker McAvoy signed on as the band’s new lead guitarist.

He can only deny his attraction to sweet, dorky Parker for so long before the urge to do something about it becomes impossible to ignore. The trouble is, Parker knows all about Jake’s philandering ways—and oh, yeah, he’s not gay. Or so Jake thinks until a string of related events provides encouraging new insight. Can he convince Parker to overlook his colorful past and give him a chance? Or will this love song fade out before it even begins?

Fake Dating the Prince

When fast-living flight attendant Brayden Wood agrees to accompany a first-class passenger to a swanky charity ball, he discovers his date—“Call me Flip”—is actually His Royal Highness Prince Antoine-Philipe. And he wants Brayden to pretend to be his boyfriend.

Being Europe’s only prince of Indian descent—and its only openly gay one—has led Flip to select “appropriate” men first and worry about attraction later. Still, flirty, irreverent Brayden captivates him right away, and Flip needs a date to survive the ball without being match-made.

Before Flip can pursue Brayden in earnest, the paparazzi forces his hand, and the charade is extended for the remainder of Brayden’s vacation. Posh, gorgeous, thoughtful Prince Flip is way out of Brayden’s league. If Brayden survives three weeks of platonically sharing a bed with him during the romantic holiday season, going home afterward might break his heart….

Hair of the Dog cover

Hair of the Dog

It’s nine o’clock the morning after his father’s funeral, and Ezra Jones already knows it’s going to be a bad day. He wakes up hungover, sore, and covered in blood. Then it gets worse: the handsome and compelling Callum Dawson shows up on his doorstep claiming Ezra’s been turned into a werewolf. Ezra wants to be skeptical, but the evidence is hard to ignore.

Ezra doesn’t have a lot of time to get used to the rules Alpha Callum imposes—or the way his body responds to Callum’s dominance—as he’s busily working for the CDC to help uncover the origins of a lycan epidemic. When the sexual tension finally breaks, Ezra barely has time to enjoy it, because a new danger threatens. Someone wants Ezra for their own unscrupulous purposes and will do anything to get him.

Hard Feelings Cover

Hard Feelings

Rylan Williams hates conferences: too many people, not enough routine, and way too much interaction with strangers. When he gets stuck in a broken elevator with Miller Jones, the kid who fell asleep in his lecture, he figures things can’t get worse. Then Rylan realizes he’s the same guy he just spent an hour perving over from afar.

Rylan wants to await rescue in silence, but Miller insists on conversation, or at least banter. But just because they don’t get along doesn’t mean they don’t have chemistry, and Rylan breaks all his rules about intimacy for a one-time-only conference hookup. He’ll probably never see Miller again anyway. So of course, two months later Miller shows up at Rylan’s office, having just been hired to work on a new computer program—with Rylan.

And Rylan thought being stuck in an elevator with him was bad.

Soon Rylan and Miller learn that they get along best when they take out their frustrations in the bedroom. Their arrangement goes against everything Rylan believes in, but the rules are simple: Don’t stay overnight. Don’t tell anyone. And don’t fall in love.

Illustration of two young men standing next to each other. One is wearing a pink t-shirt with the phrase 'LETTUCE DROP THE BEET', while the other is in a black shirt. They are set against a light blue background with abstract tree branches, giving a whimsical feel.

Hex and Candy

True love’s kiss can break the curse. But then what?

Cole Alpin runs a small-town candy store. He visits his grandmother twice a week. And sometimes he breaks curses.

Leo Ericson’s curse is obvious right away, spiderwebbing across his very nice body. Though something about it worries Cole, he agrees to help—with little idea of what he’s getting into.

Leo is a serial monogamist, but his vampire ex has taken dating off the table with his nasty spell, and Leo needs Cole’s companionship as much as his help. When the hex proves to be only the beginning of his problems, Leo seeks refuge at Cole’s place. Too bad magic prevents him from finding refuge in Cole’s arms.

Cole’s never had a boyfriend, so how can he recognize true love? And there’s still the matter of the one responsible for their troubles in the first place…

His Leading Man cover

His Leading Man

He wrote a comedy. Fate directed a romance.

Drew Beaumont is bored of the same old roles: action hero, supervillain, romantic lead. He’s not going to let a fresh gay buddy comedy languish just because they can’t find him the right costar. No, Drew bats his eyelashes and convinces everyone that the movie’s writer should play Drew’s not-so- straight man.

Aspiring writer Steve Sopol has never had a screenplay optioned. Now one of Hollywood’s hottest properties wants to be in a movie Steve hasn’t finished writing—and he wants Steve as his costar. Turns out the chemistry between them is undeniable—on and offscreen.

Drew swore off dating in the biz, but Steve is the whole package: sharp, funny, humble, and cute. For Steve, though, giving in to the movie magic means the end of the privacy he cherishes. Will the credits roll before their ride into the sunset?

Cover of 'Homecoming for Beginners' by Ashlyn Kane featuring two illustrated characters standing in front of a house outline with playful text and playful elements.

Homecoming for Beginners

When Ollie Kent arrives on the front steps of the Morris mansion, he’s six months out of the military and the brand-new single parent of an eight-year-old cancer survivor. Now they’re starting over back in Ollie’s hometown, where he’s lined up a job as a live-in caregiver for old man Morris.

So it’s kind of a downer when a very hungover, mostly naked man about Ollie’s age answers the door and tells him old man Morris kicked the bucket.

Tyler Morris left town at sixteen as a pariah. Since then, he’s built a good life for himself as an EMT. But even in death, his father has to get in one final screw-you: Ty can either return to his hometown and act as executor of the family fortune, or let it all go to a hate group.

Between an unexpected job offer and unexpected roommates, coming home doesn’t go the way Ty expects. But Ollie and Theo bring the cold, lonely mansion to life, and golden-boy Ollie provides good cover for the town’s scorn. The only problem is, Ty’s falling head over heels for the world’s sweetest and most stubbornly independent single dad, and if he wants to keep Ollie around, he’ll have to convince him to let Ty help.

The Inside Edge cover

The Inside Edge

Ex-hockey player Nate Overton is trying to find out, but dipping his toes in the gay dating scene post-divorce is a daunting prospect even without the news that his show is on thin ice. Before he can tackle either issue, he skates headfirst into another problem—his new cohost. Former figure skater Aubrey Chase is the embodiment of a spoiled rich playboy. He’s also flamboyant, sharp, and hot as sin.

Aubrey knows how important it is to get off on the right foot. He’s just not very good at it outside the rink. Having spent his life desperate for attention, he’ll do anything to get it—even the wrong kind.

For Nate and Aubrey, opposites don’t so much attract as collide at center ice. But while Nate’s everything Aubrey has scrupulously avoided—until now—Aubrey falls suddenly head over heels, and Nate’s only looking for a rebound fling. Can Aubrey convince Nate to risk his heart again, or will their unexpected connection be checked at the first sign of trouble?

Illustration of two men painting a room, one in a yellow shirt and the other in a pink shirt, surrounded by pets including a golden retriever and two cats. The setting features a ladder and a paint bucket, capturing a cheerful home improvement scene.

Love It or List It

Former foster kid Austin Taylor has always been a loner, so when he finds out he now co-owns a dilapidated farmhouse courtesy of a deceased widow he befriended after he fixed her lawn mower, he’s inclined to keep it—even if it comes with complications.

Over a decade ago, Jose Romano became the backup parent to four kids. When he inherits half a house, he’s busy recovering from his last relationship, building a business, and making sure said kids graduate. Selling would put money in his pocket and free him from DIY hell… and potential entanglement with Austin, his distressingly hot co-owner.

Unfortunately, Joe’s always been a pushover.

With a little effort, Austin convinces Joe to fix the house before they sell. But as they handle surprise renovations, help Joe’s kids navigate high school, and accidentally adopt a quartet of furry new mouths to feed, their run-down farmhouse starts to feel like the home Austin’s never had. After a night of no-strings sex with Joe leaves Austin sure he’s found his family, he starts playing for keeps.

If only he can convince Joe that Austin—and the fixer-upper—are worth the risk.

Rock Star's Guide cover

The Rock Star’s Guide to Getting Your Man

When Jeff Pine rents a cabin in the hometown he’s been avoiding for fifteen years, he just wants some time away from his rock ‘n roll world to figure out his life. Instead he runs into his former BFF—and the inspiration for dozens of love songs—on the first day.

Facepalm.

Park naturalist Carter Rhodes is a cinnamon roll dressed like a lumberjack. Fame and fortune don’t turn his head, but the snarky little nerd who followed him around as a kid? The guy who makes him laugh when he’s grieving and relax when he overextends himself? Not the rock star, but Jeff? That guy has a chance.

Jeff has always known Carter is it for him, but he’s facing a tour with increasingly hostile bandmates, a looming album deadline, and the suspicion that their label is up to no good. Can he find the courage—and the time—to write a true love song with Carter?

Cover image of a winter scene featuring two children skating on ice with hockey sticks and a puck. In the background, there are red barns and sheep in a snowy landscape, with evergreen trees scattered around. The title 'SHEEP CALM AND MERRY ON' is prominently displayed at the top.

Sheep Calm and Merry On

It’s been three years since former hockey player Devon Hughes dried out, hung up his skates, and started raising wool sheep. Now he’s driving home from Christmas shopping in a snowstorm and happens across a stranded motorist. What kind of monster would he be if he didn’t stop?

When the weather turns, Noah Bell is returning to his roots after a short stint in pro hockey, a slightly longer stint in higher education, and a failed relationship. He’s convinced he’s going to freeze to death in a rest stop on I-75 until a stranger shows up to rescue him. At least if he goes home with this guy, he’ll be warm before he can get ax-murdered. Except it turns out he and Devon have more in common than just not being serial killers. If they can get past the panic and sheep calm, maybe this Christmas they’ll get their merry on.

String Theory Cover

String Theory

For Jax Hall, all-but-dissertation in mathematics, slinging drinks and serenading patrons at a piano bar is the perfect remedy for months of pandemic anxiety. He doesn’t expect to end up improvising on stage with pop violinist Aria Darvish, but the attraction that sparks between them? That’s a mathematical certainty. If he can get Ari to act on it, even better.

Ari hasn’t written a note, and his album deadline is looming. Then he meets Jax, and suddenly he can’t stop the music. But Ari doesn’t know how to interpret Jax’s flirting—is making him a drink called Sex with the Bartender a serious overture?

Jax jumps in with both feet, the only way he knows how. Ari is wonderful, and Jax loves having a partner who’s on the same page. But Ari’s struggles with his parents’ expectations, and Jax’s with the wounds of his past, threaten to unbalance an otherwise perfect equation. Can they prove their double act has merit, or does it only work in theory?