Dex in Blue — Amy Lane

Johnnies: Book Two

Ten years ago David Worral had plans to go to college and the potential for a beautiful future in front of him. One tragic accident later, he fled to California and reinvented himself as Dex, top adult performer of Johnnies.

Dex's life is a tangled mess now, but the guys he works with only see the man who makes them believe even porn stars can lead normal lives. When Kane, one of Dex's coworkers, gets kicked out of his house, the least Dex can do is give him a place to stay. Kane may be a hyperactive muscle-bound psycho, but he's also a really nice guy. What could be the harm?

Except nothing is simple -- not sex, not love, and not the goofy kid with the big heart who moves his life into Dex's guest room. When they start negotiating fractured pasts and broken friends, Dex wonders if Kane's honest nature can untangle the sadness that stalled his once-promising future. With Kane by his side, Dex just might be able to reclaim the boy he once was -- and if he can do that, he can give Kane the home and the family he deserves.

Winner of the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Contemporary General Fiction (tied)

Sixth (tie): Best Gay Novel