Book Title: Wine Quest
Author: Dann Hazel
Publisher: The Original Press, LLC
Cover Artist: Dann Hazel and Josh Fippen
Release Date: April 27, 2026
Tense/POV: third person, past tense, single POV
Genres: Contemporary MM Romance
Tropes: Opposites attract, small town romance, forced proximity
Themes: Forgiveness, found family, living authentically
Length: 40 000 words/152 pages
Heat Rating: 3 flames
It’s part of a series (Short Orders Gay Romance Series), but it can be enjoyed as a standalone.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links
Kobo | B&N | Smashwords
Pour the wine. Take the risk. Fall in love.
Blurb
A wounded electrician.
A vineyard owner guarding his heart.
One unforgettable romance set in Virginia wine country.
After tragedy forces him to start over, George relocates to rural Virginia determined to rebuild his life one careful step at a time. New town. New job. No emotional risks.
Love isn’t on the menu.
Then a spontaneous visit to the famous Wine Quest Festival changes everything.
Ryan, owner of Ryval Winery, is charming, successful, and dangerously easy to fall for. Their connection sparks instantly—shared laughter, lingering touches, late-night conversations over perfectly poured wine. For the first time in years, George begins to believe he might deserve happiness again.
But real life refuses to stay uncomplicated.
Ryan’s business partner—and former lover—still occupies a complicated role in his world. George’s fear of abandonment threatens to sabotage something real before it can grow. When workplace conflict costs George the stability he fought to build, both men must decide whether love is worth risking heartbreak.
Set against the romantic backdrop of Virginia vineyards, lakeside sunsets, and small-town charm, Wine Quest delivers emotional depth, sensual chemistry, and a hard-earned happily ever after.
Wine Quest is Book Two in the Short Orders Gay Romance Series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone MM romance.
Perfect for readers who love:
- MM romance
- Gay small-town romance
- Opposites attract relationships
- Slow burn to steamy romance
- Found family & emotional healing
- LGBTQ+ love stories with mature characters
- Vineyard & winery romance settings
- Hurt/comfort and second chances
If you enjoy heartfelt LGBTQ romance with heat, humor, and deeply emotional connections, Wine Quest belongs on your reading list.
His day began to look up.
When he whirled around, he spotted a tasting tent that he knew he must visit next.
Not because of the cute, fall-color labels on the fronts of wine bottles.
Not because he’d heard great things about the winery represented there.
Not because the pours were larger than most.
It was the tall, handsome ginger who looked about his own age of thirty-four who seemed to oversee the venue.
A crowd gathered around the tables from which generous samples were being dispensed. With five other individuals assisting him, this man was clearly in charge. He struck George as the epitome of professionalism, with a pleasant face, eyes that made contact with his customers, and a gracefulness that compelled George to move closer to the tent. The rays of the sun struck the man’s red hair just right—hair that reflected those sunrays back into the crowd. His face also sported a well-trimmed beard and a light moustache.
The man was the prototype of a ginger that George simply could not resist. He imagined himself touching every square inch of the vintner’s body.
Patiently, George lagged behind the lingering crowd for his turn. He felt embarrassed, even exposed, by his intense attraction to the man, an intensity so powerful that he fantasized throwing the ginger across the table where he was stationed and having his way with him.
Finally, as the crowd dispersed, only one older woman stood in front of him. Then, George noticed the sign: Ryval Winery. George remembered passing the winery on his way to work every morning. If he’d known he might run into this fiery deity there, he would have stopped long ago to check things out.
George stepped up to the tent. The ginger greeted George warmly and enthusiastically. Immediately, George felt the familiar spark of a kindred spirit. He glanced at the man’s neck, below which three buttons of his shirt were unfastened. George gulped at the patch of auburn hair curling out of the shirt’s opening.
God, how he’d love to kiss this man’s full lips and trail his tongue from his Adam’s apple all the way to his navel—and beyond.
How he’d love to lay his head on the man’s hairy chest and fall asleep there, safe and secure.
“Hello,” the ginger said in a friendly voice. George appeared at a loss for words. “My name is Ryan Ryval. I’m the owner and vintner of Ryval Winery.”
George smiled self-consciously. He wondered if Ryan might sense his arousal. “I’m George Broussard. I just moved to the area about a month ago.”
Ryan stretched his right hand toward George. They shook. George couldn’t believe how firm and dry Ryan’s palm felt in the summer heat. He hoped his own palm wasn’t sweaty and off-putting.
“Broussard, eh?” Ryan repeated. “Let me guess. You’re either from New Orleans or somewhere in France. My guess is New Orleans.”
George laughed. Ryan’s friendly nature caused him to relax. “You’re good, Ryan. That’s exactly where I’m from.”
“Well, when you decided to make a change of scene in your life, you made a big one, I see.” He pressed his index finger against his lips. “I can often tell what wines people are into just by studying them. Becoming lost in their eyes. You’re into reds, I think. Is that correct, George?”
George nodded. But one red in particular, he thought as he suppressed the catty thought.
“I think I have a blend you’ll absolutely love.”
Ryan poured a sample into George’s glass—a larger sample than he’d received at the other tent—which tasted of blackberries, pomegranates, apples and a slight hint of oak. Its texture was smooth and refined—just like Ryan himself.
“It’s delicious. Heady but smooth. I think I’d like to take a bottle home with me.”
A twinkle in his eye, Ryan seemed amused by George’s turn of phrase.
Before George was ready to move on to another tasting station, he’d purchased a total of four bottles of various reds and blends.
“Oh, wait, George.” Ryan reached behind him and grabbed another bottle. “There’s another one you must try—but not here. The privacy of your home instead. It’s our winery’s Lover’s Libation.”
“Provocative name.” George reached for his wallet once again.
Ryan stopped him. “On the house, my friend. With my compliments.”
Then, in the warmest of voices, Ryan offered another invitation.
“If you’re free next Sunday—say, around two—I’d love to give you a personal tour of Ryval Winery. I think you’ll be impressed. Can I count on you to come?”
George blushed. If Ryan didn’t soon stop with the double entendres, he might very well come right then and there. “Absolutely. From the highway, I noticed, it looks like a sprawling place. Where will I find you once I’m on property?”
“Just follow the driveway to our wine and gift shop,” Ryan replied. “You can’t miss it.”
The two men said their goodbyes, but not before George noticed the intimidating glare of another man who stood toward the back of the tent, where a generous number of wine crates were stacked.
Dann writes gay romance novels along with other queer-themed works. He especially enjoys writing about men who, while dealing with trauma or other challenges, find themselves falling in love despite themselves. He also feels it’s important to include allies who often provide good advice to their gay friends in a troublesome relationship.
When not writing, Dann enjoys running, reading in many genres, watching high quality movies and television series, and snuggling with his adorable American Eskimo dog, appropriately named Flurry. He loves showtunes (of course), golden oldies, classical music, and disco divas.
Currently, Dann and his husband, Josh, reside in the Roanoke, VA area.
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