My Best Friend’s Brother by K.C. Wells

 

Pages: 166

Release Date: March 26, 2021

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Blurb

My best friend’s younger brother is all grown up. And gorgeous.

Casey’s off limits. Forbidden. But that just makes me want him more.

Rylan
I’ve watched Casey grow up. I never imagined how the sweet, scrawny kid would turn into a hot muscular man. A hot guy who just came out.
Casey torments my thoughts. And my dreams. I need to stay far, far away from my best friend’s kid brother. Should be easy, right? I can find plenty of guys to distract me.
Problem is, all I want is the one man I can’t have.

Casey
There’s never been a time when I wasn’t in love with Rylan. My brother’s best friend was my first crush. My only crush. He’s the one man I shouldn’t go near. And here I am spending the summer in the apartment he shares with my older brother.
That seemed like a good idea in the beginning. I thought I could handle it but now that I’m so close to the man I’ve always wanted, I’m not so sure. About anything.

I can have any man – except the one I want.
It’s going to be a long, hot summer.

Review

Delightful. I absolutely adored this story and these characters.

The set-up is of course glorious in its own right. What’s not to love about a blurb that indicates the main characters will have to suffer their way through a fair amount of pining before getting what they ache for—each other.

Casey has had a thing for Rylan, his brother’s best friend, ever since he first figured out he was gay. Which means that inviting himself to spend the summer with his brother Trask and Rylan is not as straightforward as it might appear. Poor Casey. He thought he had a handle on his crush only to discover that the attraction he feels is as strong (if not stronger) as ever. It seems that he’s in for a long and frustrating summer.

On the upside, Casey was sorta prepared for his reaction to being in Rylan’s proximity. Rylan on the other hand is completely blind-sided by his own reaction to seeing Casey again. The boy he remembered has been replaced a handsome, well-built, fully grown, and irresistible young man. Which wouldn’t be an issue were it not for Trask, Rylan’s best friend and Casey’s older brother, who has warned Rylan to stay away from Casey in the strongest of terms.

And thus, begin weeks of two men circling each other. They flirt when it’s just the two of them, although neither is sure if they’re interpreting the other correctly. It takes them some time and a bit of soul-searching to get together. But when they do…

Yes, Rylan and Casey are hot together. But it’s much more than that. They are so adorable. With these two caring for each other came before lusting after and enjoying each other, and it shows in how interact.

I smiled a lot while reading this book and laughed out loud a few times. The dialogue and banter between Casey, Rylan, and Trask is sharp and sparkles. Casey’s heart-to-heart with his supervisor warmed my heart and when Rylan and Casey at last opened up to each other my heart sang.

I always find it ridiculously easy to lose myself in a K.C. Wells story and My Best Friend’s Brother was no exception. For a few hours, I lost myself in the company of two intriguing men and when I left them again, I was happy and thoroughly satisfied. You can’t ask for more from a romance.

BFF by K.C. Wells - Release Day Review

Pages: 200

Release Date: May 5, 2018

Buy links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

I’m about to do something huge, and it could change... everything.

I met Matt in second grade, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. We went to the same schools, studied at the same college. When we both got jobs in the same town, we shared an apartment. And when my life took an unexpected turn, Matt was there for me. Every milestone in my life, he was there to share it. And what’s really amazing? After all these years, we’re still the best of friends.

Which brings me to this fragile, heart-stopping moment: I want to tell him I love him, really love him, but I’m scared to death of what he’ll say. If I’ve got this all wrong, I’ll lose him—forever.

Review

If there is such a thing as ‘the ultimate friends to lovers story’, BFF may well be it. And if there’s such a thing as ‘the ultimate sweet romance’, BFF is at the top of that particular list too. The journey Matt and David make from friends when they’re still kids, to best mates in high school and college, to discovering that the feelings they have for each other go a lot deeper than ‘mere’ friendship, is a joyful and heartwarming experience.

As much as the above may leave the impression that BFF is ‘just’ another addition to a long list of stories in which former best friends discover that they love each other, this book is different. From the very start, in fact from the acknowledgments, there’s no doubt how this story is going to develop or how it’s going to end. I mean, it’s a romance, so the eventual outcome wouldn’t be a mystery either way, but in this case, the ending is as clear as day. No, this story isn’t so much about two men getting together as it is about how they ended up that way, when nothing prepared them for that particular outcome. And boy is it a journey worth reading.

Because we get to join David and Matt for every single step of their journey—from the day they first meet until the moment they at last recognize and acknowledge their feelings for what they are—the build-up until we get to the more romantic part of the story is long; in fact, it takes up most of this book. And that makes for perfect pacing. When their eyes are opened at last and they find the courage to embrace what has been obvious to others in their lives and to the reader for a long time, we really know David and Matt through and through. We’ve seen them as kids, as teenagers, and as young men, finding their way in the world—always together. There is no need for suspension of disbelief in this story; if ever two men were meant to be together, it is these two.

And just because their journey towards love may be longish, doesn’t mean the road leading there wasn’t filled with moments to make me smile, blink away a tear or two, sigh, and even laugh out loud. I lost myself in this story so much that I did something I rarely do and re-read it before writing this review. And, much to my surprise, I enjoyed it even more the second time. Who knew?

If you look at the name K.C. Wells and expect a sex-fest, this book will take you by surprise because even the little sex that does make it onto the page is hinted at more than described. For me that was another example of this story’s perfection. This story is (almost) completely told by David, as he writes it out while participating in NaNoWriMo. And David isn’t the sort of person who would share the intimate details of his (love) life with the rest of the world. What’s more, this story isn’t about sexy-times. This is a tale of a beautiful friendship transforming into an even more gorgeous relationship, and as such it is glorious.

The ultimate beauty in this story, however, springs from the fact that it’s based on real-life; on a blog post titled ‘I’m An Otherwise Straight Man (Who Fell in Love with His Best Friend)’ to be precise. I’ve often finished a romance and thought something along the lines of ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful if this happened for real’. This time my thought process was different and the overwhelming feeling I was left with was: how wonderful that stories like these do happen in our world.

It isn’t the first time, and I can’t imagine it being the last, but I once again find myself highly recommending a new release by K.C. Wells. Go and read it. Trust me, you’ll enjoy BFF.

Bromantically Yours by K.C. Wells - Release Day Review

97 pages

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy links: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

A friends-to-lovers novella that came from Out of the Shadows, because Nate and Dylan needed a story….

Nate and Dylan have been pals for a long time. So what if their friends think they’ve got a little bromance going? Doesn’t mean there’s anything more to it than that, right? And even if there is, Nate and Dylan are totally oblivious….

Until the night they share a drunken kiss—and everything changes. 

Review

First things first: Yes, you can read this story as a stand-alone, but … Trust me when I say you’ll enjoy the story more if you read (the utterly wonderful) Out of the Shadows first. It is in that earlier book that the set-up for this story is first established, and if you’ve read the ‘prequel’ you will know that while Nate and Dylan only see each other as best friends, others, especially those meeting them for the first time, instantly recognise there’s something more brewing between them.

But, while their friends may not be surprised when Nate and Dylan (at last) start to recognise their real feelings for each other, our two men need a bit more time to get their heads around the fact that they are more than ‘just’ best friends. Their journey made me smile from start to finish.

I’m going to keep this review short. It’s not a long book and I honestly believe that the journey Nate and Dylan make is best enjoyed without prior knowledge. Let’s just say it’s sweet, touching, at times laugh out loud funny, and sexy. In fact, I would go as far as to say it is the perfect set-up for a Valentine’s Day romance.

Apart from the delight of losing myself in Nate and Dylan’s revelation and subsequence romance, I have to admit that it was also very nice to get to reconnect with Christian and Josh from Out of the Shadows. Those two men occupy a special place in my heart, and getting a brief glance at their life together was a very special treat.

As books for Valentine’s Day go, this one squarely hit the sweet spot.

Related review: Out of the Shadows

Summer Heat by Jay Northcote - Review Tour

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Cover: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design 

Length: 47,000 words approx.

Blurb

A summer fling is an ideal cure for a broken heart. But when it's with your best friend, things get complicated.

When Adam is dumped by his boyfriend, a week away at a beach resort seems like a great opportunity to get over his ex. Sun, sea, and no-strings sex will be just the boost he needs to move on with his life.

Adam's best friend, Finn, agrees to accompany him at short notice. Finn's had a crush on Adam for years, but is determined to put his feelings aside and be the perfect wingman in Adam's time of crisis.

A spontaneous threesome with another guy forces Adam and Finn to confront their attraction to each other. Having a holiday fling together wasn't part of the plan, and as their trip heats up, they soon realise that one night of fun won't be enough for either of them.

The passion might be scorching, but their hearts and friendship are on the line. If their romance is going to survive the flight home, they have to be honest about what they want.

June 9 - Mikku-chan, MM Book Addicts, Reading In Sarah's Corner, The Smutbrarians
June 12 - The Way She Reads, Oh My Shelves, Dirty Books Obsession
June 14 - Millsy Loves Books, Joyfully Jay, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Good Book Reviews
June 16 - Nicole's Book Musings, Mainly Stories, V's Reads
June 19 - Lustful Literature, My Fiction Nook, Kiki's Kinky Picks, Wicked Faerie's Tales & Reviews
June 21 - Dog-Eared Daydreams, BooksLaidBareBoys, Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books, Making It Happen, A Celebration of Books
June 23 - Sarandipity, BFD Book Blog, Diverse Reader, Wicked Reads
June 26 - Southern Babes Book Blog, The Geekery Book Review
June 28 - Padme's Library
June 30 - Bayou Book Junkie, Book Lovers 4Ever

Review

Part of me wants to keep this review very short and just say: If you’re a fan of Jay Northcote’s stories, hurry and pick up Summer Heat, because this book is quintessential Jay. And yes, that is a very good thing.

On the off chance that this review may be read by someone who hasn't discovered this author yet (and if that’s you, you may want to do something about that oversight asap J) let me explain what I mean. Summer Heat, like the vast majority of Jay Northcote’s books, is a sweet and cute story centred around two characters who will charm their way into your heart within the first few pages. Adam and Finn are recognisable young men; they could be the boys next door, and they’re all the more endearing for it.

This story is gentle, virtually angst-free (yay) and so very hot it should come with a high protection factor, just like the suntan lotion Adam needs in large quantities.

The secondary characters are entertaining, not to mention instrumental in getting these two long-term friends together at last, and the setting is one I wouldn’t mind spending a few sun-soaked days in myself. 

In short, Summer Heat is a hot, undemanding but totally engrossing and captivating story. It is a perfect beach read and I can’t recommend it highly enough if you’re in the mood for a well written, fast, hot, and delightful reading experience.

 

Author Bio

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.

www.jaynorthcote.com | Twitter | Facebook profile | Facebook Author Page

Newsletter | Jay’s books

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

Summer Heat by Jay Northcote - Release Blitz

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Cover: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design 

Length: 47,000 words approx.

Blurb

A summer fling is an ideal cure for a broken heart. But when it's with your best friend, things get complicated.

When Adam is dumped by his boyfriend, a week away at a beach resort seems like a great opportunity to get over his ex. Sun, sea, and no-strings sex will be just the boost he needs to move on with his life.

Adam's best friend, Finn, agrees to accompany him at short notice. Finn's had a crush on Adam for years, but is determined to put his feelings aside and be the perfect wingman in Adam's time of crisis.

A spontaneous threesome with another guy forces Adam and Finn to confront their attraction to each other. Having a holiday fling together wasn't part of the plan, and as their trip heats up, they soon realise that one night of fun won't be enough for either of them.

The passion might be scorching, but their hearts and friendship are on the line. If their romance is going to survive the flight home, they have to be honest about what they want.

Author Bio

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.

www.jaynorthcote.com | Twitter | Facebook profile | Facebook Author Page

Newsletter | Jay’s books

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

WHAT HAPPENS AT CHRISTMAS by Jay Northcote

What Happens at Christmas, by Jay Northcote

Title: What Happens at Christmas

Author: Jay Northcote

Publisher: Jaybird Press (self published)

Length: 37,000 words

Genre: Contemporary gay romance

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Release Date: Thursday 19th November 2015

Series info: This book is a standalone

Blurb:

When two friends pose as boyfriends, could what happens at Christmas turn into something more?

Justin is recently and unhappily single. Christmas is coming, and he doesn’t want to face his ex alone at their office party. So Sean—Justin’s best mate and long-time secret crush—volunteers to go with him and pretend to be his new flame.

Sean has always lusted after Justin from afar, but there’s never been a good opportunity to ask him for more than friendship. Posing as Justin’s boyfriend isn’t a chore, and if Justin wants to rebound onto him, Sean’s more than willing. At the party pretence and reality blur, and a kiss on the dance floor leads to a night of passion.

In the aftermath, they both assume it was a one-time thing until fate intervenes. Stuck together in London over the holidays, they give in to temptation again. But what happens at Christmas stays at Christmas... right?

Buy Links: Amazon US            Amazon UK

Goodreads link: What Happens at Christmas

Excerpt:

Justin’s phone chimed with a text, interrupting Sean’s train of thought.

Justin picked up his phone to read the message. “Ugh.” He put the phone back down without typing a reply and ran his hands through his hair.

“What’s up?”

Justin sighed. “It’s our work Christmas party next weekend. I’ve already got a ticket, and nearly everyone in the office goes, but it’s for partners as well. One of my co-workers, Jess, is bugging me to come, but I can’t face it. I bet Andy’s going to bring his new boyfriend. I know he’s a shit and I shouldn’t let him get to me, but the thought of him parading around with my replacement, and me being there on my own, isn’t very appealing.”

“Is it too late to find someone to take?”

“No, they don’t need final numbers till Monday.”

“Well, then. Take someone else and flirt like crazy in front of him. Show him you can do better and that you’ve already moved on.”

“But I’m not ready to date. It’s only been two weeks, and I’m still at the feeling-sorry-for-myself stage.”

“I’ll go with you,” Sean offered. “I could be your date. We could pretend we’ve got together and are a couple now.”

“Yeah?” Justin looked thoughtful. “Are you sure?”

Duh. It would hardly be much of a sacrifice to flirt with Justin all night. It would actually be a relief not to have to hide the way he felt for a change.

“Sure,” Sean replied. “I think I can manage to fake that I’m arse-over-tit infatuated with you. As long as it’s only for a few hours.”

“Gee, thanks.” Justin rolled his eyes. “You really know how to make an already-wounded ego feel better. But if you’re up for it, we should totally do it. Andy was always jealous of you before you went away. He saw you as competition because we lived together and were so close. I’d love to see his face when I walk in with you on my arm. I think he’ll hate it even if he’s moved on.”

“Okay.” Sean rubbed his hands together, excited at the prospect of getting to piss off Andy. “Let’s do it! Text your friend Jess back and tell her you’re in—with a hot date.”

Author Bio:

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

www.jaynorthcote.com   Twitter         Facebook profile   

Facebook Author Page     Newsletter    Jay’s books

My Thoughts:

There is a reason why I keep on returning to Jay Northcote’s books, and if I had to summarise that reason in one word it would be: comfort. That wouldn’t be entirely fair though. While it is true that Jay’s books are mostly light-hearted, charming and comfortable, she always manages to give both her characters and the story they live through real depth. Combine that with her smooth writing, vivid descriptions and life-like characters and you’re on to a winner.

As with previous books by this author I felt as if I personally knew these characters shortly after starting the story. I was immediately invested in their struggle to move from friends to lovers and came very close to shouting at them when I wanted them to just get their act together and talk to each other already. Nobody (that I’m aware of) writes friends to lover stories quite like Jay Northcote. The dynamics between Sean and Justin make it perfectly clear they’ve been friends for ages. It’s in the little details, like the Christmas present they buy for each other (I’m not giving it away, but boy did I love that).

Of course, being as close as Sean and Justin are, has one major disadvantage too. They are afraid to tell each other how they really feel because the risk of ruining a long and close friendship is just too great. I adored how happy both of them were just to pretend at being boyfriends and the antics they get up to together. The morning they spend playing in the snow, had me grinning from ear to ear. If we ever have enough snowfall in Ireland I’m gonna build me one of those as well. J

I think it’s fair to say that Christmas stories don’t come much better than this. Cute, delightful, funny, comfortable, charming and very sexy ‘What Happens at Christmas’ is pretty much an avid reader’s Christmas wish come true.

THE DOM PROJECT

TITLE: THE DOM PROJECT

AUTHORS: Heloise BELLEAU & SOLACE AMES

Pages: 157

Date: 19/01/2014

Grade: 3

Details: Received from Carina Press

            Through NetGalley

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“By day, Robin Lessing has a successful career as a university archivist. By night, she blogs about her less-than-successful search for Mr. Tall, Dark and Dominant. Living up to her handle "The Picky Submissive," she's on the verge of giving up and settling for vanilla with a side of fuzzy handcuffs when she discovers her best friend and colleague has a kinky side, too.

Sexy, tattooed techie John Sun is an experienced Dom who never lacks for playmates, male or female. If he can't satisfy Robin's cravings, maybe no one can—after all, he knows her better than anyone. So he offers to help her master the art of submission for one month.

Robin eagerly agrees to John's terms, even the pesky little rule forbidding any friendship-ruining sex. But rules are made to be broken, and once they begin their stimulating sessions, it's not long before she's ready to beg him for more—much more…”

My thoughts:

I seem to be saying it a lot these days and I’m getting a bit tired of it, but once again I’ve finished a book that I feel could have been a lot more. Another book in which I loved the idea behind the story and wasn’t as happy as I’d hoped to be with the way in which it was executed.

The idea; I loved Robin’s quest for a Dom and her frustration with all the creeps she meets along the way. And I adored Jason. He had the exact right combination of arrogance, dominance and vulnerability to make me a very happy reader.

I guess I didn’t click with Robin. In real life I would say that I had nothing against her but she wasn’t doing anything for me either. She left me cold. I had problems with her switching from perfectly poised professional in work to squeely geek on her blog. I felt myself in the strange position of rooting for John’s happiness (and if that was with Robin so be it) and not caring at all about Robins. On top of that I found myself torn between thinking how nice it was to read a book in which the characters manage to stick to their no sex contract and wanting to shout at them to get on with it already.

But what got to me most was the lack of communication between these characters. John is an experienced Dom and as such well aware of the need for good communication, yet he doesn’t open his mouth. These two are supposed to have been friends for ages and yet they don’t talk to each other when it is important. It’s not so much that I had a problem with the lack of communication as such – there are plenty of books in which the same idea fits the story and characters perfectly - as that it didn’t make sense for these two specific characters to fall into that trap.

And finally, there were moments in this book where the writing just didn’t work for me. I don’t want to have to read sentences twice because I’m not entirely sure what I just read. It didn’t happen a lot, but often enough for me to want to mention it. The following sentence is an example. The sentiment is so beautiful and yet there’s something about the wording that makes it lose its power.

“He remembered thinking of love – love could mean so many things. Pain and pleasure and compassion all braided together and tied them close, Robin and John, hearts and flowers and collars and mine.”

On the other hand, there were moments when the writing worked all too well and managed to touch me.  

“I’ll always want more from you. Even if you give me yourself, even if you give me everything, I’ll want more.”

And then there were the moments when the authors managed to make the sexy poetic.

“I’ll be your doll. Your toy. Serve you as long as you make me feel this way, like heaven made flesh, like dying, like coming alive.”

And the same is true for the sex scenes. Some of them rocked my world, took my breath away and managed to draw me completely into the story. Others left me more or less cold. I didn’t always feel the chemistry between these two characters and when I didn’t, the story more or less fell apart for me.

I guess you could say I’m conflicted about this book. There were parts of it I loved and parts of it that just fell flat. And I’m afraid that I’m sounding far more negative about this book than I want to. It is not as if there is a lot wrong with this book. It just didn’t have the wow factor for me. I was expecting more and disappointed when I didn’t get it. I’m convinced there is a multitude of readers who will find exactly what they are looking for in ‘The Dom Project’.