8 Million Hearts Series by Spencer Spears

They say it’s a bad idea to fall for your best friend. But since when do I say no to bad ideas? Adam: It’s not like I wanted to fall in love with Ben. When we first met in college, I thought he’d be like every other hot jock who’d made my life hell in high school. It's not my fault he turned out to be sweet, funny, and insanely talented. We moved to New York after college to break into the music business and of course Ben got signed by a major label—they’d be stupid not to want him... moreThey say it’s a bad idea to fall for your best friend. But since when do I say no to bad ideas? Adam: It’s not like I wanted to fall in love with Ben. When we first met in college, I thought he’d be like every other hot jock who’d made my life hell in high school. It's not my fault he turned out to be sweet, funny, and insanely talented. We moved to New York after college to break into the music business and of course Ben got signed by a major label—they’d be stupid not to want him. But even though he’s a famous popstar now, he still wants to be friends with a nobody like me. Honestly, if he didn’t want me falling for him, he should have been less goddamn perfect. Well, except for the part where he’s straight. Did I forget to mention that? In my defense, responsible decision-making has never been my strong suit. Case in point—collapsing on stage, guitar in hand, after discovering my then-boyfriend, now-ex was cheating on me, and downing a bottle of bourbon in response. But I’m cleaning up my act—no more hiding in the closet and no more bad life choices. But that also means no more waiting around for the day Ben magically decides he likes di…sgustingly sappy guys with secret crushes on him (aka me). So why did Ben have to pick now to make me question everything I thought I knew about us? “I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you right now. When I see you, something inside me lights up.” Ben: It’s not like I planned this. I was on tour when Adam collapsed back in New York and he wouldn’t even let me come home early to visit him. But that’s Adam for you—brilliant, breathtaking, and pathologically afraid of vulnerability. All I wanted was to be there for him—and him coming out didn’t change that in the slightest. Yeah, I couldn’t help seeing him a little differently. And no, I couldn’t quite explain why I was suddenly noticing the curve of his back, the freckles on his cheeks, or wondering what his lips tasted like. But whatever weird awakening I was having, Adam needed support, not more confusion. And then I kissed him. Whoops. And I know it’s fast. I know it’s unexpected. I know my label would be livid if they found out I was dating a guy. But I also know—deeply and inexplicably—that this could be something real. I just have to convince Adam of the same thing. Beautiful, broken Adam who looks at the world through 14 layers of irony. Adam, who’d rather get an appendectomy than admit that he needs someone. Adam, who still doesn’t know all of my secrets. So do I convince him to risk everything—on me? Adam’s Song is Book 1 in the 8 Million Hearts series. While each book can be read on its own, they've even more fun to read together. Adam’s Song is a 120,000 word m/m romance full of snark, sweetness, and a healthy serving of steam. Friends-to-lovers and hurt/comfort themes. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed HEA. less

I might be your fantasy. But I’m nobody’s forever… Gray: I’m not the kind of guy you take home to meet your mother. I’m an ex-adult film star with a GED and a giant co...llection of movie credits I can’t talk about in polite company. I might be good at helping other guys get their happy endings, but I’ve more or less given up on finding one of my own. Until Tyler Lang walks into my life... moreI might be your fantasy. But I’m nobody’s forever… Gray: I’m not the kind of guy you take home to meet your mother. I’m an ex-adult film star with a GED and a giant co...llection of movie credits I can’t talk about in polite company. I might be good at helping other guys get their happy endings, but I’ve more or less given up on finding one of my own. Until Tyler Lang walks into my life. That’s right, my co-star for my final film is Tyler Lang--America's heartthrob, until he disappeared from the radar last year. Tyler's got a reputation for being a bad boy, a partier, and apparently straight, but the sweet, vulnerable-looking kid who shows up at auditions is completely different. And now that I'm getting to know him, I can’t help wondering what it is that’s made his eyes so sad--and wishing there were some way I could make it better. I’m not supposed to get a happy ending. So why the hell won’t my heart listen? “I’m yours. In whatever way, for however long you want me. Just say the words and you’ll have me forever.” Tyler: I know what you’ve heard about me. Another spoiled child-actor, all grown up and out of control. I wish I could tell you you’re wrong, but the truth is, I’m a little bit of a mess. Okay, so maybe I'm a giant mess. And now, after getting arrested with an ez-bake oven’s worth of drugs I don’t even remember buying, I'm washed-up at the grand old age of 21. After a year of rehab and community service, all I want is to work again. So when my agent sends me a new script, maybe I don’t read the fine print as carefully as I should. Which is how I end up auditioning for an adult film. A high-brow, literary adult film. But still. There’s no way I can go through with this. After all, I'm so deep in the closet I'm not sure I'll ever find my way out. And I wouldn’t do this movie--except for one thing: Gray Evans. Strong, kind, and honest, Gray makes me feel seen in a way I’ve never been before--and makes me want to be better. And somehow, around Gray, everything seems possible. Like maybe there’s a world where I’m not a total screw-up. Maybe there’s a world where I can come out, and not tank my career. And maybe, just maybe, there’s a world where Gray, who’s smart and brave and so together, could want someone like me. Gray For You is Book 2 in the 8 Million Hearts series. While each book can be read on its own, they're even more fun to read together. Gray For You is a 150,000 word m/m romance full of snark, sweetness, and a healthy serving of steam. Movie star romance and hurt/comfort themes. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed HEA. less

Me, my high school ex, and a five-star hotel room on reunion night. He can’t break my heart twice, right? Oliver: It took me 7 years to forget my high school boyfriend, Luke, and just one night to-- You know what? Scratch that. It took me 7 years of pretending to forget Luke to convince myself that maybe going to my high school reunion was a good idea, that maybe I could show all the kids who’d bullied me just how little I cared about them, and show Luke how little I’d thought about him... moreMe, my high school ex, and a five-star hotel room on reunion night. He can’t break my heart twice, right? Oliver: It took me 7 years to forget my high school boyfriend, Luke, and just one night to-- You know what? Scratch that. It took me 7 years of pretending to forget Luke to convince myself that maybe going to my high school reunion was a good idea, that maybe I could show all the kids who’d bullied me just how little I cared about them, and show Luke how little I’d thought about him. Uh, news flash: it didn’t work, and it didn’t even take me a full night to realize how wrong I was. It took approximately 5 minutes of moonlit conversation in our high school parking lot (super romantic, I know) to figure that out--though I guess inviting Luke back to my hotel room, dragging him into bed, and then having a panic attack in the middle of the, uh, festivities didn’t exactly help matters. And that would have been fine, honestly. Completely humiliating and a memory I would cringe over until my dying day, sure, but fine --if only I weren’t stuck at home, helping my father with a health crisis and dodging Luke’s calls--and my feelings about them. Luke’s a player--he always has been. I know better than to get involved with him again. So how the hell do I get my heart to listen? “I'm not asking for much, really. Just you. Just every little thing about you. That’s all I want.” Luke: Oliver Luna. The guy’s haunted me since high school. Oliver’s the first person I ever fell in love with--and the last. He’s the guy who showed me what I was made of--and it turns out, what I’m made of isn’t pretty. I know I’m a jerk--which is why I don’t date. I won’t risk hurting anyone else the way that I hurt Oliver. And I've never forgiven myself. I guess that’s why I decided to go to this reunion. I figured maybe, if I apologized, I’d be able to let Oliver go. Maybe I'd be able to stop thinking about him at 4 a.m., unable to sleep, googling him for the 10 millionth time. That’s how it works, right? You say you’re sorry and you get to move on? Only, first, Oliver tells me he’s already moved on, and somehow that just makes me feel worse. Like, what the hell, heart? That's what you wanted, wasn’t it? And then, just when I think I’ll never see him again, Oliver lets his guard down, just a bit, and all I want to do is pull him into my arms and make his pain go away. Honestly, who even am I at this point? I have no idea how to fix all the pain I've caused. All I know is this: I’ll die before I let Oliver walk out of my life again. Oliver Ever After is Book 3 in the 8 Million Hearts series. While each book can be read on its own, they're even more fun to read together. Oliver Ever After is a 135,000 word, second-chance romance full of snark, sweetness, and a healthy serving of steam. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed HEA. less

That kiss definitely didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t have... right? Micah: Hunter Westing is not who I’m supposed to end up with. The guy might look like a walking wet dream, but he’s got the intelligence of a doorknob and the emotional range of a toaster. Actually, that might be an insult to toasters--at least they’re not usually homophobic. If life were fair, I wouldn’t have to spend more than 20 minutes in Hunter’s company... moreThat kiss definitely didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t have... right? Micah: Hunter Westing is not who I’m supposed to end up with. The guy might look like a walking wet dream, but he’s got the intelligence of a doorknob and the emotional range of a toaster. Actually, that might be an insult to toasters--at least they’re not usually homophobic. If life were fair, I wouldn’t have to spend more than 20 minutes in Hunter’s company. But if life were fair, I wouldn’t have lost my best friend and her husband in a freak accident two months ago, leaving me and Hunter as guardians of their infant daughter, Bea. So here we are--Hunter and me, living together and raising a baby. But it’s not easy--especially not when the past I’ve been trying to outrun comes back to haunt me. The worst part? Hunter won’t stop being nice about it. The guy’s a jerk--why’s he suddenly being all kind and understanding? And more importantly--why the hell did he kiss me last night? “If you think I’m ever going to forget you, you’re wrong. I’ll always remember what we had. And I’ll always want you.” Hunter: Listen--I never asked for this. I never asked for my parents to scare me into silence, making me afraid to be who I am. I never asked for my brother, the one person I was close with, to disappear on me, leaving only his daughter behind. And I definitely never asked for Micah--sweet, inexplicable Micah, who talks a mile a minute and leaves me torn between aggravation and breathlessness--to come along and turn my life upside down. All I wanted was to make a life for myself that my parents couldn’t control. To carve out something small and quiet, if not exactly happy. But then Micah explodes into my world and God help me, I--I want him. In ways I haven’t let myself think about for years. But as I learn more about Micah’s past, I know he deserves so much more than I can give. I can’t be the person he needs, can I? So why can’t I remember that, now that I’m holding him? Hunter’s Heart is Book 4 in the 8 Million Hearts series. While each book can be read on its own, they're even more fun to read together. Hunter’s Heart is a 115,000 word m/m romance full of snark, sweetness, and a healthy serving of steam. Enemies-to-lovers and surprise-baby themes. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed HEA. less