JL Merrow has 9 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 3 narrators, with an average listener rating of 4.8★ across 5 ratings. The most-rated is Pressure Head.
Pressure Head
Summary
Some things are better left hidden.... Tom Paretski’s not just a plumber with a dodgy hip courtesy of a schoolboy accident. He also has a sixth sense for finding hidden things. Called in by the police to help locate a body near Brock’s Hollow, he’s staggered to encounter Phil Morrison, his old school crush - and the closeted bully whose actions contributed to Tom’s accident. Phil’s all grown up now, and Tom’s unwilling attraction to him is back with a vengeance. Phil’s now openly gay - and what’s more, he’s interested in Tom’s personal charms as well as his psychic talents. As a private investigator called in by the dead woman’s parents, Phil is sceptical about Tom’s unusual gift, but nevertheless quick to spot its potential to aid him in his work. The further they go with the investigation, the less they can ignore their shared past, and the more the pressure and the heat build between them. But Tom isn’t certain he wants to know the secrets he’s helping to uncover, while there’s a murderer on the loose who won’t hesitate to kill again - and this uneasy couple is moving right into his sights.
©2017 JL Merrow (P)2020 Riptide Publishing
Heat Trap
Summary
Book three in The Plumber's Mate Mysteries series. Old flames can leave a nasty burn. It’s been six months since plumber Tom Paretski was hit by a shocking revelation about his family, and he’s been avoiding dealing with it ever since. His lover, PI Phil Morrison, wants Tom to dig deeper into his history and try to develop his psychic talent for finding things, but Tom’s not nearly so keen. Just as he decides to bite the bullet, though, worse problems crawl out of the woodwork. Young Devil’s Dyke barmaid Marianne has an ex, Grant Carey, who won’t accept that things are over between them, and he’s ruthless in dealing with anyone who gets in his way. When Carey threatens an old friend of theirs, Phil and Tom step in to help - but that makes them targets themselves. What with his uncertainty about Phil’s motives, Tom’s family doing their best to drive a wedge between them, and the uncovering of an ugly incident in Phil’s past, Tom’s not sure who he can trust - and the body he finds in the pub cellar isn’t the only thing that stinks. Note: This is lightly edited reprint of a previously published novel.
©2018 JL Merrow (P)2021 Riptide Publishing
Caught!
Summary
Bow ties are cool...but secrets, not so much.
Behind Robert Emeny's cheerfully eccentric exterior lies a young heart battered and bruised by his past. He's taken a job in a village primary school to make a fresh start, and love isn't part of his plans. But then he's knocked for six - literally - by a chance encounter with the uncle of two of his pupils.
Sean Grant works in pest control, lives on a council estate, and rides a motorbike. Robert is an ex-public schoolboy from a posh family who drives a classic car. On the face of it, they shouldn't have anything in common. Yet Robert can't resist Sean's roguish grin, and passion sparks between them even after an excruciatingly embarrassing first date.
Too bad the past Robert's hiding from is about to come looking for him. His increasingly ludicrous efforts to keep his secrets are pushing Sean away - but telling the truth could make Sean leave him for good.
©2017 JL Merrow (P)2017 Riptide Publishing
Lovers Leap
Summary
If they looked, would they ever leap? Good-looking, confident, and doted on by his widowed mum, Michael is used to thinking only of himself. Getting shoved off an Isle of Wight pier by an exasperated ex ought to come as a wake-up call - but then he meets Rufus, and he's right back to letting the little head take charge. Rufus is cute, keen, and gets under Michael's skin in a disturbing way. Would-be chef Rufus can't believe his luck when a dripping wet dream of a man walks out of the sea on his birthday, especially when Michael ends up staying at the family B&B. Life is perfect - at least until Michael has to go home to the mainland. Rufus can't leave the island for reasons he's entirely neglected to mention. And though Michael identifies as bi, breaking his mum's heart by coming out and having an actual relationship with a guy has never been his plan. With both men determined to keep their secrets, a leap of faith could land them in deep water.
©2016 JL Merrow (P)2016 Riptide Publishing
Spun!
Summary
With friends like these.... An ill-advised encounter at the office party leaves David Greenlake jobless and homeless in one heady weekend. But he quickly begs work from his ex-boss and takes a room in Shamwell with easygoing postman Rory Deamer. David doesn't mean to flirt with the recently divorced Rory - just like he doesn't consciously decide to breathe. After all, Rory's far too nice for him. And far too straight. Rory finds his new lodger surprisingly fun to be with, and what's more, David is a hit with Rory's troubled children. But while Rory's world may have turned upside down in the last few years, there's one thing he's sure of: he's straight as a die. So he can't be falling for David...can he? Their friends and family think they know all the answers, and David's office party hookup has his own plans for romance. Rory and David need to make up their minds and take a stand for what they really want - or their love could be over before it's even begun.
©2017 JL Merrow (P)2017 Riptide Publishing
Out!
Summary
When love wars with principle, which one will win?
Mark Nugent has spent his life in the closet--at least, the small portion of it he hasn't spent in the office. Determined to make amends to his neglected teenage daughter from a failed marriage, Mark swears off work--and love--so he can give her a stable home environment. But Mark's resolve to keep his heart under wraps is tested when he meets an out and proud young man he's instantly drawn to.
Patrick Owen is a charity worker with strong principles. He doesn't trust easily, but he's blown away by his attraction for the older man who's so new to his own sexuality. Yet Mark is adamant he's not coming out to his daughter--and Patrick refuses to live a lie.
What with Mark's old-fashioned attitudes and his flirtatious ex-colleague who's determined to come between them, Patrick begins to wonder if they'll ever be on the same page. And when Mark's career as a tax advisor clashes with Patrick's social conscience, sparks really start to fly--in all the wrong ways.
©2017 JL Merrow (P)2017 Riptide Publishing
Played!
Summary
All the world's a stage...but life doesn't come with a script.
Posh boy Tristan Goldsmith has one last summer of freedom before he joins the family firm in New York - no more farting around on stage, as his father puts it. But the classically trained actor can't resist when the Shamwell Amateur Dramatics Society begs him to take a leading role in their production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. As an added incentive, he'll be giving private acting lessons to a gorgeous local handyman who's been curiously resistant to Tristan's advances.
As a late-diagnosed dyslexic still struggling with literacy, Con Izzard's never dared to act before. With arrogant yet charming Tristan helping him with his lines, he finally has his chance to shine. But Con's determined not to start a romance with a man he's convinced only wants a casual fling.
Tristan's never been one to back down from a challenge, especially when he realizes his attraction to the tall, muscular handyman isn't just physical. Just as he thinks he's finally won Con's heart - and given his own in return - disaster strikes with a slip of the tongue that shatters Con's trust and sends him running for cover. This show may be over before the curtains even opened.
©2017 JL Merrow (P)2017 Riptide Publishing
Pricks and Pragmatism
Summary
Kicked out by his father at age 16, English student Luke Corbin's used to trading on his looks and charm to keep a roof over his head until he can make it big as a journalist. He goes for men with money, power, and looks, in that order, and he doesn't let emotions get in the way. But when his lover tells him it's over, Luke finds himself homeless - just as his final exams are looming. Moving in with geeky chemical engineer Russell may be a step down for him, but Luke can't afford to be choosy. Fully prepared to put out as usual, Luke's confused and frustrated when Russell refuses to take advantage of him - and even more so when he finds out Russell's saving himself for someone special. The more time he spends with the shy, honorable man, the more Luke finds himself bowled over by Russell's sweetness and integrity. But just as he's coming to terms with his own wish to be that special guy for Russell, Luke has to face facts: he's fallen for the one man he can't seem to charm.
©2010, 2017 JL Merrow (P)2017 JL Merrow
Hard Tail
Summary
Finding love can be a bumpy ride With his job and his marriage dead in a ditch, Tim Knight doesn’t take much persuading to leave London for the greener fields of Southampton and look after his injured brother's mountain bike shop. But Tim’s a fish out of water in this brave new world of outdoor sports and technical jargon - not to mention struggling with the realization he can no longer deny his sexuality, at least to himself. The reason? Matt Berridge, his brother’s bike mechanic. Fit, tanned, and an adorable klutz, Matt takes a tumble the day they meet and falls straight into Tim’s heart. There’s only one problem: Matt’s boyfriend, who Tim’s convinced is abusing him, despite the stories Matt comes up with to explain away the bruises. A black belt in karate, Tim’s no pushover when it comes to physical confrontation. But he’ll need to step his courage up a gear if he’s ever going to come out, be himself - and save the man he’s coming to love.
©2012, 2017 JL Merrow (P)2019 JL Merrow