Giovanni Romero had been dealt his fair share of heartbreak throughout his thirty years, including losing his beloved parents in a horrible car accident. After suffering yet another devastating loss, he decided to chase his dream of opening his own restaurant and was soon the proud owner of Romero’s, a hugely successful and critically acclaimed Italian restaurant, nestled in the heart of Chicago. Knowing that one more blow to his heart could destroy him, Giovanni had built walls up around his heart to protect himself. He has created strict rules for himself about the men he sleeps with, which include never exchanging names and absolutely no repeat performances. That is until he meets a young man who he finds impossible to forget. After spending the last few years travelling throughout Europe and The Mediterranean, working as an apprentice to some of the world’s top chefs, 23-year-old Caleb Greene was finally moving back home. While he had enjoyed his studies, he couldn’t wait to reunite with his big, crazy, loving family; especially his twin brother, Carter. Most importantly, he hoped to finally begin his career working as the head chef for Chicago’s most prestigious Italian restaurant, Romero’s. After a night of celebration with Carter, Caleb finds himself in a rare position, going home with a tall, dark and sexy stranger. Caleb had never had a one night stand before, but there was something about the man that drew him in. Unfortunately, the man insisted they could only be together for one night. Unable to get the intriguing young man off his mind, but resolved to let him go, Giovanni is shocked to find that Caleb has been hired as his new head chef. Working in such close proximity to each other, could he keep his carefully erect walls in place and protect his heart or would Caleb have the strength to tear those walls down, setting Giovanni free?

A musician in his darkest moment. The firefighter who rescues him. A connection they can’t ignore. Other than family, music has always been the most important thing in Carter Greene’s life, until the night he almost lost everything. Now, he can’t stop thinking about the dark stranger who risked it all to save him. A man who likely wants nothing to do with him. Firefighter Ryan Marshall prefers solitude to the dating scene, but lately he’s been longing for someone to share his life with. An emergency call brings Ryan into Carter’s life at a time when the rising star needs him most, and Ryan finds himself ensnared in an all-consuming attraction. It only takes one moment for Ryan to allow himself to be vulnerable with Carter. One moment for Carter to shatter the illusion and disappoint Ryan, who vows to forget about him and move on. But it’s not that easy. In fact, it’s near impossible…because fate has other plans.

For Landon Greene, managing the band Carter’s Creed is more than just a job. It also means being there to keep his brother safe. When someone begins sending threatening letters to Carter, Landon feels overwhelmed with the need to protect him. He’s relieved when new security is added, until he finds out that the person hired to protect his brother is the same man Landon has spent months trying to forget. Micah Hamilton recently moved back to Chicago to start his own security firm and to be closer to his best friend, Giovanni. He’s ready to leave his past as a Navy SEAL behind and settle into his new life, but his plans change when a friend calls and asks him for a favor. There’s no way Micah can refuse the request, even though he knows it will require him to face the one man he’s vowed to stay away from. Can Landon and Micah put their differences aside in time to save Carter or will their pride leave him at the mercy of a madman? Will they continue to resist the undeniable chemistry between them or will they take a chance and possibly find the greatest love they’ve ever known? \\\* Protecting the Soul is the third book in the Souls of Chicago series. It can be read as a standalone novel, but is best read as part of the series. This book contains sexually explicit materials and is only intended for adults 18 and older.

Rocko earned and loved his reputation as the wild child of the rock band, Carter’s Creed. His bandmates dubbed him Animal, not only for his skills on the drums, but because he was always looking for the next thrill. Sex, drugs and rock and roll were what he lived for. That was until one night when his wild ways nearly cost him his life. As the owner of Golden Entertainment Studios, Lachlan Edwards had a vested interest in his newest clients, the members of the band, Carter’s Creed. He wasn’t surprised when they quickly rose to the top of the music charts, given their talent, but he was concerned with how their drummer, Rocko, seemed to be spiraling out of control. When Rocko seemingly hits rock bottom, Lachlan decides to step in and offer him a chance to recover. Will Rocko accept Lachlan’s offer even if it means facing the past he’s tried so hard to run away from, or will it all prove to be too much and send him spinning out of control once again?

Akio Forrest loved his life. He had an amazing job, great friends, supportive parents and was recently given the responsibility of heading up the Agape House project, the construction of a new facility for the Chicago-based center that helped LGBTQ teens. He knew it would be a huge undertaking, but being able to help more kids in need was something he and all his friends were willing to work hard for. Excited to begin the project, Akio was taken by surprise when he came face to face with strong, sexy and self-assured, Morgan Greene, the new contractor for the job. Morgan Greene had always considered his life a good one. Born and raised in a small town in Tennessee by two loving parents, he owned a successful construction company. When circumstances in his personal life left him desperate for a change, he decided to leave his home and move to Chicago. The move would allow him to finally, live closer to his favorite cousins while also expanding his business. Never one to shy away from an adventure, Morgan was excited about starting the next chapter in his life. What he wasn't expecting was meeting someone like Akio Forrest. Working together to make the Agape House project a reality, Akio and Morgan soon realized that what was happening between them was much more than just a simple attraction. When outside forces bring past hurts and doubts to the forefront, the two men are left to wonder if the foundation they'd laid was strong enough, or if everything they'd worked so hard to build would come crashing down around them?

As the owner of Agape House, a center for Chicago’s LGBTQ youth, Matt worked tirelessly to provide a safe and loving atmosphere for the kids who called the center home. He put his heart and soul into helping the teens in his care, pushing aside his own pain. A pain that no one knew about, not even his closest friend, Isaac. When Isaac first arrived at Agape House in need of shelter, the first person he saw was Matt. Isaac could tell that Matt was a good man and as he got to know him better, he began to trust him and the two became close friends. As an adult, Isaac began working at the center, wanting to give back to the place and the man who had saved his life. Over time, his feelings for Matt grew, but he wasn’t sure if Matt would ever see him as more than just a friend. Dr. Hudson Westley was impressed when he heard from his friends about the work being done at Agape House so he decided to check it out for himself in the hopes of volunteering his counseling services. He was excited to help the LGBTQ youth from his home city. However, he wasn’t expecting the visceral reaction he had to both Isaac and Matt when they met. The attraction between the three men was immediate and powerful, taking them all by surprise, especially Matt who not only found himself drawn to Hudson, but began to see Isaac through new eyes as well. There was obviously something special between them, but would Matt be able to let go of his past in order to create a future? Would Isaac finally open up about what happened that led him to Agape House all those years ago, and could Hudson be strong enough to hold them all together, creating a love like they’ve never known and uniting their souls? Possible trigger warnings: This book contains situations of child abuse, physical violence and substance abuse which may be disturbing to some readers.

Join the Greene family and the rest of the Souls of Chicago as they come together to celebrate the holidays. There will be an abundance of laughter, fun, heartwarming moments, and, of course, the shenanigans that only occur when the Greene family comes together. Reminisce with all your favorite Souls of Chicago couples and triad as they celebrate this joyous time of year.

The cabin is waiting for the SOULS to arrive. The tricks and the treats soon will all come alive. When fingers get pointed and no one will claim, pulling tricks on each other is the name of the game. Something is brewing while the men enjoy fall, but will they figure out who’s behind it all?