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Himbro
Devon got dumped.
My tragic taste in men has left me in the lurch… again. This time it’s the day before I’m supposed to leave for a destination wedding. When my ridiculously hot older stepbrother volunteers to be my travel buddy, I’m ready for five days of brotherly fun in the sun. What I’m not prepared for? My very straight stepbrother introducing himself as my boyfriend to shut up my manipulative, evil ex.
Jesse saves the day.
I’ve spent my entire life protecting my nerdy little stepbrother. If spending a few days holding his hand and calling him baby is going to help him stand up for himself, I’m ready to give an Oscar-worthy performance in my role of fake boyfriend. What I’m not prepared for? A game of spin the bottle that changes everything.
Himbro is a steamy stepbrothers to lovers, jock and nerd, opposites attract, fake relationship, forbidden romance novel with a sweet happy ever after.
My tragic taste in men has left me in the lurch… again. This time it’s the day before I’m supposed to leave for a destination wedding. When my ridiculously hot older stepbrother volunteers to be my travel buddy, I’m ready for five days of brotherly fun in the sun. What I’m not prepared for? My very straight stepbrother introducing himself as my boyfriend to shut up my manipulative, evil ex.
Jesse saves the day.
I’ve spent my entire life protecting my nerdy little stepbrother. If spending a few days holding his hand and calling him baby is going to help him stand up for himself, I’m ready to give an Oscar-worthy performance in my role of fake boyfriend. What I’m not prepared for? A game of spin the bottle that changes everything.
Himbro is a steamy stepbrothers to lovers, jock and nerd, opposites attract, fake relationship, forbidden romance novel with a sweet happy ever after.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2023
75 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
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![Profile Image for Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1700013408i%2F101358081._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 28, 2023
|| 1.0 star ||
I’m sorry but no. This was so boring and so silly. This had absolutely no depth and the writing was incredibly bland and superficial. It was also very cringy. Like, I’m sure it was meant to be cute and sugary-sweet, but it just made me snort derisively, roll my eyes, or sneer in disgust.
It’s a step-brother romance between a nerdy younger brother and a protective older brother and it also has the fake-dating trope. That all sounds like it should be super interesting and engaging, right? Well, it wasn’t. It was boring and gave me absolutely nothing. The chemistry between these two was non-existent and there was less than zero tension between them.
I also failed to see a real connection between them. They were just two “brothers”, who apparently love each other dearly, but I wasn’t feeling any romantic connection between them. The author told me all I was supposed to feel about their relationship, but I wasn’t being shown. It was all way too surface-level and ridiculous for any of that.
And don’t even get me started on the development in the relationship, because it was so non-sensical and so rushed: they literally went from “I love my brother” to “I love my boyfriend” within 1 second, with no inbetween whatsoever.
Also, the fact that they constantly kept calling each other “brother”, even while they were already TOGETHER? They even did so during sex! I could see this dirty-talk maybe working in a very intense and taboo story, but the rest of this book was so “sweet” and bland, that it just felt completely out of place. Honestly, the dirty-talking was literally horrendous.
I’m pretty sure the last thing one of them called the other was “baby brother boyfriend”. I gagged. Could it be any more cringe-worthy? I think not.
Also, I freaking hated the way everyone fawned over Jesse. Like, calm down. I understand he is apparently the most perfect and most handsome specimen to walk this earth, but the googly eyes he got from every single person he met made me want to throw myself off of a cliff. Every single woman in his vicinity wanted to have sex with him for some reason, even though he was already there as someone else’s fake-boyfriend?? It was so annoying and actually also very disrespectful.
And then when you compare this ‘perfection of a man’ to his awkward and emotionally-stunted younger brother who still acts like a baby but who is supposedly a genius, and you just have this pathetic comparison between the “amazing, perfect brother” and the “loser brother”. It was so uncomfortable and unbalanced between them.
Last but not least, the evil ex-boyfriend story was so stupid and so annoying. He was the most cringe-worthy character I have read about in a long while, and I could not understand why he didn’t just… disappear. Clearly no one liked him! So why was he there?? I was definitely over his story after only a few pages, but somehow it lasted for the entire book! *sigh*
I’m sorry but no. This was so boring and so silly. This had absolutely no depth and the writing was incredibly bland and superficial. It was also very cringy. Like, I’m sure it was meant to be cute and sugary-sweet, but it just made me snort derisively, roll my eyes, or sneer in disgust.
It’s a step-brother romance between a nerdy younger brother and a protective older brother and it also has the fake-dating trope. That all sounds like it should be super interesting and engaging, right? Well, it wasn’t. It was boring and gave me absolutely nothing. The chemistry between these two was non-existent and there was less than zero tension between them.
I also failed to see a real connection between them. They were just two “brothers”, who apparently love each other dearly, but I wasn’t feeling any romantic connection between them. The author told me all I was supposed to feel about their relationship, but I wasn’t being shown. It was all way too surface-level and ridiculous for any of that.
And don’t even get me started on the development in the relationship, because it was so non-sensical and so rushed: they literally went from “I love my brother” to “I love my boyfriend” within 1 second, with no inbetween whatsoever.
Also, the fact that they constantly kept calling each other “brother”, even while they were already TOGETHER? They even did so during sex! I could see this dirty-talk maybe working in a very intense and taboo story, but the rest of this book was so “sweet” and bland, that it just felt completely out of place. Honestly, the dirty-talking was literally horrendous.
I’m pretty sure the last thing one of them called the other was “baby brother boyfriend”. I gagged. Could it be any more cringe-worthy? I think not.
Also, I freaking hated the way everyone fawned over Jesse. Like, calm down. I understand he is apparently the most perfect and most handsome specimen to walk this earth, but the googly eyes he got from every single person he met made me want to throw myself off of a cliff. Every single woman in his vicinity wanted to have sex with him for some reason, even though he was already there as someone else’s fake-boyfriend?? It was so annoying and actually also very disrespectful.
And then when you compare this ‘perfection of a man’ to his awkward and emotionally-stunted younger brother who still acts like a baby but who is supposedly a genius, and you just have this pathetic comparison between the “amazing, perfect brother” and the “loser brother”. It was so uncomfortable and unbalanced between them.
Last but not least, the evil ex-boyfriend story was so stupid and so annoying. He was the most cringe-worthy character I have read about in a long while, and I could not understand why he didn’t just… disappear. Clearly no one liked him! So why was he there?? I was definitely over his story after only a few pages, but somehow it lasted for the entire book! *sigh*
![Profile Image for Lilly [Hiatus due to School] .](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1663899589i%2F10381707._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 4, 2023
"My boyfriend. My brother. My Devvie."
Devon gets dumped right before his best friend's wedding with the ex who broke his heart also attending. He was hoping his boyfriend would act as a buffer and also a way to show him that he's moved on. Jesse, Devon's older brother, knows the heartbreak his brother went through and what kind of man his ex is, so he offers to go with him as his fake boyfriend.
This was a sweet and fast pace stepbrothers/best friends to lovers story. These two have been really close forever, and their time Maui pretending to be boyfriends brings up some not-so-brotherly feelings between them. I loved how Jesse just knew his brother so well, those little things and how made sure he had a great time despite his shitty ex trying to harass him. Jesse is really the perfect boyfriend, and Devon got to see how a partner should treat him.
Their feelings develop quickly, but it's no surprise with them being so close. There's a little bit of hesitation on both sides but they realize that they're meant to be together. While this book has the stepbrother trope, it does not feel taboo in any sense. Their main concern is their cover being blown and later on how their parents will take the new status of their relationship.
Overall this was a cute and silly read. This is my first Honey London read, and look forward to checking out their other works.
Devon gets dumped right before his best friend's wedding with the ex who broke his heart also attending. He was hoping his boyfriend would act as a buffer and also a way to show him that he's moved on. Jesse, Devon's older brother, knows the heartbreak his brother went through and what kind of man his ex is, so he offers to go with him as his fake boyfriend.
This was a sweet and fast pace stepbrothers/best friends to lovers story. These two have been really close forever, and their time Maui pretending to be boyfriends brings up some not-so-brotherly feelings between them. I loved how Jesse just knew his brother so well, those little things and how made sure he had a great time despite his shitty ex trying to harass him. Jesse is really the perfect boyfriend, and Devon got to see how a partner should treat him.
Their feelings develop quickly, but it's no surprise with them being so close. There's a little bit of hesitation on both sides but they realize that they're meant to be together. While this book has the stepbrother trope, it does not feel taboo in any sense. Their main concern is their cover being blown and later on how their parents will take the new status of their relationship.
Overall this was a cute and silly read. This is my first Honey London read, and look forward to checking out their other works.
August 2, 2023
This was mehhh. Their connection as stepbrothers was clear since the beginning so it wasn’t hard to grasp their compatibility with each other. I just think the plot was mid, that I couldn’t really enjoy it to the fullest. Just too many friends and ex drama, not really enticing to me. Could’ve been better.
October 23, 2023
i loved this. everything i needed was there. it’s funny, sweet, there is some tension, they act like brothers and the writing is more than decent.
every time there’s a step brother trope i get disappointed because they act more like friends than brothers.
don’t fear, my dear friends, they act like brothers brothers. (yes, the double word is intentional, i think it really underlines the meaning)
i am fucked in the head because i loved that “baby brother” “big brother” during sex, but this isn’t a therapy session and i’m not talking to god, so it’s fine.
mild spoilers ahead
however at 84% i started thinking. and we all know that nothing good comes from my thoughts. they mention their parents a couple of times and that’s it.
“yeah we’ll tell them” yeah no that’s not how it goes your parents are going to have a stroke and i want to see that.
something like this is kind of needed in these books and i felt it missing.
i honestly wish my brain stayed empty so i could have given this 5 stars.
but it is what it is and i gave 4 because i’m in a good mood and i enjoyed this so much.
every time there’s a step brother trope i get disappointed because they act more like friends than brothers.
don’t fear, my dear friends, they act like brothers brothers. (yes, the double word is intentional, i think it really underlines the meaning)
i am fucked in the head because i loved that “baby brother” “big brother” during sex, but this isn’t a therapy session and i’m not talking to god, so it’s fine.
mild spoilers ahead
however at 84% i started thinking. and we all know that nothing good comes from my thoughts. they mention their parents a couple of times and that’s it.
“yeah we’ll tell them” yeah no that’s not how it goes your parents are going to have a stroke and i want to see that.
something like this is kind of needed in these books and i felt it missing.
i honestly wish my brain stayed empty so i could have given this 5 stars.
but it is what it is and i gave 4 because i’m in a good mood and i enjoyed this so much.
August 4, 2025
⭐️ 2.5/5 🌶 2.5/5 — From cloud nine to rock bottom 🫠
Ever been in a relationship that starts like a dream but crashes straight into the pits of what-the-actual-fuck by the end? Yeah… that’s exactly what this book was for me. It started off light, funny, and kinda cute—but the deeper I got, the messier it got, until I was just sittin’ there thinking, “How did we get here?” 🥴
Okay, yeah, maybe me being in my LUTEAL PHASE played a part in my mood—but I’ve never claimed my rating system is technical. I go by vibes, baby. And this one? The vibes dipped hard. 📉
❌️ The Problems with This Book ❌️
⚠️ Jesse KISSED ANOTHER GIRL—right in front of Devon.
❌️ Look, I don’t give a shit if it’s “just spin the bottle” or if there was some silent eye convo where Devon "said yes" with his damn pupils—Devon was clearly hurting, and so was I. I HATE MCs getting involved with anyone else. PERIOD. 😡
⚠️ OM Drama Overload.
❌️ Bryce—Devon’s ex took up way too much space. I get it—he was a plot device—but damn, it felt like I was reading a love triangle I never signed up for. If I wanted that, I’d pick up a poly book (spoiler: I don’t 😒). Honestly, I’d have preferred an actual threesome just to make all that Bryce time worth it. 🥴
⚠️ No Payoff. Like… Barely.
❌️ They only got together at the 85% mark. Baby, I need at least 40% of a book to show the MCs living their happy-couple life. Twenty freakin' pages of romance at the end just ain’t gonna cut it for me. 🙂↔️
⚠️ I Didn’t Believe Jesse Was Really In Love with Devon.
❌️ And this… THIS was THE KILLER. Devon? Head over heels. Jesse? Loved him like a brother, sure—but romantically? Nah. I didn’t feel it. Not once. 🙅🏻♀️
Why? Because Jesse was totally fine after having hot sex with Devon, but freaked the fuck out and avoided him the moment Devon said “I’m in love with you.” Like—one second you’re literally grinding against his ass, the next you’re treating him like a radioactive alien because he caught feelings?! THAT’S where you draw the damn line, dude?! 🤨🤬
And that was the final straw. I can’t believe in a romance where only one person’s feelings are believable. Devon was all in—and Jesse just froze with "shocked" blasted across his face like some horrendous neon sign. No words, no reassurance, nothing. If that were me? I’d run too. The SILENCE would be louder than the moans. 😶💔
👏🏻 Credits When Credits Are Due 👏🏻
✨ I needed a laugh, and the cover alone had me in tears before I even started reading. 😭😂Jesse’s holding some crusty sea creature lookin’ like a himbo god from Himbroland—I was howling. 10/10 cover comedy. 🐚🤣
✨ Jesse couldn’t say a correct idiom to save his damn life and that shit was GOLD. This man butchered proverbs like it was a sport. I was laughing through the secondhand embarrassment. 🫣💀
✨️ Jesse was a genuinely sweet older stepbrother. He was affectionate, protective, and always tried to make Devon feel safe and wanted. He had that soft-touch, nurturing himbo energy down to a T—and honestly, I adored that side of him. 🥹💕
💭 Final Thoughts 💭
On paper, this should’ve been everything I love. Stepbrothers? Fake dating? Bi-awakening chaos? YES. But the delivery fumbled so hard I was left grieving the potential. UGH. I’m not mad, just… disappointed. 😮💨
Yeah, Jesse did the whole “grand romantic move” at the end—literally uprooted his life from Philly to Cali just to be with Devon. But it felt rushed. Undeserved. Like, okay... thanks for finally showing up emotionally, but where the fuck was all this energy when Devon said “I love you” the first time and you avoided him like a scared little boy? 🤡
It felt like the author just threw it in to force a happy ending, and honestly? It didn’t land. Not for me. The connection didn’t feel earned. It wasn’t even a proper HEA—it was just an HFN. 😑
Okay fine. I lied.
I’m mad. Just a little. 😤
-
Quotes:
“Oh shit. Gotta find my passport.”
“No, you’re okay. Maui is in Hawaii.”
Jesse blinked at me.
“Which is in the United States, so no passport needed.”
“Oh, yeah! Totally forgot about those two extra dangly states.”
-
“I’m gonna go charge my Switch and throw some condoms in a backpack.”
“Really, Jess?”
“Dude. It’s the beach. We’re going to be surrounded by hotties in swimsuits. You know what they say… an ounce of protection is worth a pound of unsure.”
That was definitely not “what they say,” but I was picking up what he was putting down.
-
Who studies at the freaking beach? Only my genius baby brother and probably that Bill Nye the Science Dude.
-
Not gonna lie, my baby stepbrother was the reason I even graduated high school—fucking x equals y? Fuck that shit. Even when letters are letters and numbers are numbers.
-
“Half of all marriages end in divorce. Revenge is forever.”
-
I wasn’t sure how comfortable I was with that, but I wasn’t going to lick a gift horse in the mouth.
-
“I guess you learn a lot when you actually care about the person you say you love.”
-
The absolute last thing I or anyone else should waste their time worrying about is the love between two consenting adults.
-
I took another huge gulp from my green drink to stop myself from… I didn’t know… crying? Begging him not to kiss her? Vomiting on the sand?
And then he kissed her.
A soft, sweet, closed-mouth kiss, their lips gently brushing against each other, lingering just long enough to elicit an audible dreamy sigh from every woman on the island of Maui.
It was perfect. They were perfect.
And I hated it.
I wanted to run from it all. Run from the image that was burned into my brain, run from the nauseating jealousy sloshing around in my stomach, run from the feelings I could no longer pretend I didn’t have.
-
I had bigger fish to eat.
-
“I’m in love with you.”
FuckFuckFuck.
Jesse’s eyes widened but he didn’t speak.
What have I done? I had to fix this. I had to tell him I was joking. I held my breath. Or maybe he’d tell me he was in love with me too.
But I couldn’t lie.
And neither could he.
So we stared at each other wordlessly until I ran, climbing out of the pool as fast as I could before the tears started.
-
⚠️ Detailed spoiler below ⛔️
RC and MCs:
💪🏻🧠 MM, strict roles
💪🏻🧠 Jesse Duncan and Devon aka Devvie. Their age weren't specified.
💪🏻🧠 Jesse: Ex-office assistant at G.K Goodberger Dental Supplies (got fired)
💪🏻🧠 Devon: Med student at Stanford
💪🏻🧠 Jesse: Top, dom, older stepbrother, straight-to-bi, deep brown eyes, short dark hair, dimples, beard, muscular, 6ft5/196cm
💪🏻🧠 Devon: Bottom, sub, younger stepbrother, gay, twink, blue eyes, round freckled cheeks
Genre and tropes:
💪🏻🧠 MM contemporary romance
💪🏻🧠 Taboo/forbidden romance
💪🏻🧠 Stepbrothers-to-lovers
💪🏻🧠 Fake relationship
💪🏻🧠 Opposites attract
💪🏻🧠 Bi-awakening
💪🏻🧠 First times
💪🏻🧠 Size difference
💪🏻🧠 Himbo (Jesse)
💪🏻🧠 "Good boy"
💪🏻🧠 Pet names for daayysss
💪🏻🧠 Pet names: Sugar, buttercup, pookie, pumpkin, darling, love bug, babe, baby, angel (angel is the one that actually sticks, cause they both love it)
Safety info:
💪🏻🧠 Angst: Medium
💪🏻🧠 OW/OM drama: Yes, a fuck ton of drama from Devon's ex—Bryce.
💪🏻🧠 Cheating/sharing: Cheating adjacent for me. Jesse kissed a girl in front of Devon before they officially got together.
💪🏻🧠 Third act breakup: Kinda. They freaked out and avoided each other for a short period after their first hookup.
💪🏻🧠 Ending: HFN
💪🏻🧠 Epilogue: Yes, 2 months later
💪🏻🧠 POV: Dual, 1st person
💪🏻🧠 Series structure: Standalone
Spice and kinks:
Dirty talk, intercrural sex (in the private swimming pool), marking (hickey), blowjob, finger fucking, condom, cum play
CW/TW:
Taboo relationship between stepbrothers (not related by blood), manipulative narcissistic gaslighting ex-boyfriend, possibly cheating ex (off-page), struggles of low self-esteem/self-image/self-worth
Ever been in a relationship that starts like a dream but crashes straight into the pits of what-the-actual-fuck by the end? Yeah… that’s exactly what this book was for me. It started off light, funny, and kinda cute—but the deeper I got, the messier it got, until I was just sittin’ there thinking, “How did we get here?” 🥴
Okay, yeah, maybe me being in my LUTEAL PHASE played a part in my mood—but I’ve never claimed my rating system is technical. I go by vibes, baby. And this one? The vibes dipped hard. 📉
❌️ The Problems with This Book ❌️
⚠️ Jesse KISSED ANOTHER GIRL—right in front of Devon.
❌️ Look, I don’t give a shit if it’s “just spin the bottle” or if there was some silent eye convo where Devon "said yes" with his damn pupils—Devon was clearly hurting, and so was I. I HATE MCs getting involved with anyone else. PERIOD. 😡
⚠️ OM Drama Overload.
❌️ Bryce—Devon’s ex took up way too much space. I get it—he was a plot device—but damn, it felt like I was reading a love triangle I never signed up for. If I wanted that, I’d pick up a poly book (spoiler: I don’t 😒). Honestly, I’d have preferred an actual threesome just to make all that Bryce time worth it. 🥴
⚠️ No Payoff. Like… Barely.
❌️ They only got together at the 85% mark. Baby, I need at least 40% of a book to show the MCs living their happy-couple life. Twenty freakin' pages of romance at the end just ain’t gonna cut it for me. 🙂↔️
⚠️ I Didn’t Believe Jesse Was Really In Love with Devon.
❌️ And this… THIS was THE KILLER. Devon? Head over heels. Jesse? Loved him like a brother, sure—but romantically? Nah. I didn’t feel it. Not once. 🙅🏻♀️
Why? Because Jesse was totally fine after having hot sex with Devon, but freaked the fuck out and avoided him the moment Devon said “I’m in love with you.” Like—one second you’re literally grinding against his ass, the next you’re treating him like a radioactive alien because he caught feelings?! THAT’S where you draw the damn line, dude?! 🤨🤬
And that was the final straw. I can’t believe in a romance where only one person’s feelings are believable. Devon was all in—and Jesse just froze with "shocked" blasted across his face like some horrendous neon sign. No words, no reassurance, nothing. If that were me? I’d run too. The SILENCE would be louder than the moans. 😶💔
👏🏻 Credits When Credits Are Due 👏🏻
✨ I needed a laugh, and the cover alone had me in tears before I even started reading. 😭😂Jesse’s holding some crusty sea creature lookin’ like a himbo god from Himbroland—I was howling. 10/10 cover comedy. 🐚🤣
✨ Jesse couldn’t say a correct idiom to save his damn life and that shit was GOLD. This man butchered proverbs like it was a sport. I was laughing through the secondhand embarrassment. 🫣💀
✨️ Jesse was a genuinely sweet older stepbrother. He was affectionate, protective, and always tried to make Devon feel safe and wanted. He had that soft-touch, nurturing himbo energy down to a T—and honestly, I adored that side of him. 🥹💕
💭 Final Thoughts 💭
On paper, this should’ve been everything I love. Stepbrothers? Fake dating? Bi-awakening chaos? YES. But the delivery fumbled so hard I was left grieving the potential. UGH. I’m not mad, just… disappointed. 😮💨
Yeah, Jesse did the whole “grand romantic move” at the end—literally uprooted his life from Philly to Cali just to be with Devon. But it felt rushed. Undeserved. Like, okay... thanks for finally showing up emotionally, but where the fuck was all this energy when Devon said “I love you” the first time and you avoided him like a scared little boy? 🤡
It felt like the author just threw it in to force a happy ending, and honestly? It didn’t land. Not for me. The connection didn’t feel earned. It wasn’t even a proper HEA—it was just an HFN. 😑
Okay fine. I lied.
I’m mad. Just a little. 😤
-
Quotes:
“Oh shit. Gotta find my passport.”
“No, you’re okay. Maui is in Hawaii.”
Jesse blinked at me.
“Which is in the United States, so no passport needed.”
“Oh, yeah! Totally forgot about those two extra dangly states.”
-
“I’m gonna go charge my Switch and throw some condoms in a backpack.”
“Really, Jess?”
“Dude. It’s the beach. We’re going to be surrounded by hotties in swimsuits. You know what they say… an ounce of protection is worth a pound of unsure.”
That was definitely not “what they say,” but I was picking up what he was putting down.
-
Who studies at the freaking beach? Only my genius baby brother and probably that Bill Nye the Science Dude.
-
Not gonna lie, my baby stepbrother was the reason I even graduated high school—fucking x equals y? Fuck that shit. Even when letters are letters and numbers are numbers.
-
“Half of all marriages end in divorce. Revenge is forever.”
-
I wasn’t sure how comfortable I was with that, but I wasn’t going to lick a gift horse in the mouth.
-
“I guess you learn a lot when you actually care about the person you say you love.”
-
The absolute last thing I or anyone else should waste their time worrying about is the love between two consenting adults.
-
I took another huge gulp from my green drink to stop myself from… I didn’t know… crying? Begging him not to kiss her? Vomiting on the sand?
And then he kissed her.
A soft, sweet, closed-mouth kiss, their lips gently brushing against each other, lingering just long enough to elicit an audible dreamy sigh from every woman on the island of Maui.
It was perfect. They were perfect.
And I hated it.
I wanted to run from it all. Run from the image that was burned into my brain, run from the nauseating jealousy sloshing around in my stomach, run from the feelings I could no longer pretend I didn’t have.
-
I had bigger fish to eat.
-
“I’m in love with you.”
FuckFuckFuck.
Jesse’s eyes widened but he didn’t speak.
What have I done? I had to fix this. I had to tell him I was joking. I held my breath. Or maybe he’d tell me he was in love with me too.
But I couldn’t lie.
And neither could he.
So we stared at each other wordlessly until I ran, climbing out of the pool as fast as I could before the tears started.
-
⚠️ Detailed spoiler below ⛔️
RC and MCs:
💪🏻🧠 MM, strict roles
💪🏻🧠 Jesse Duncan and Devon aka Devvie. Their age weren't specified.
💪🏻🧠 Jesse: Ex-office assistant at G.K Goodberger Dental Supplies (got fired)
💪🏻🧠 Devon: Med student at Stanford
💪🏻🧠 Jesse: Top, dom, older stepbrother, straight-to-bi, deep brown eyes, short dark hair, dimples, beard, muscular, 6ft5/196cm
💪🏻🧠 Devon: Bottom, sub, younger stepbrother, gay, twink, blue eyes, round freckled cheeks
Genre and tropes:
💪🏻🧠 MM contemporary romance
💪🏻🧠 Taboo/forbidden romance
💪🏻🧠 Stepbrothers-to-lovers
💪🏻🧠 Fake relationship
💪🏻🧠 Opposites attract
💪🏻🧠 Bi-awakening
💪🏻🧠 First times
💪🏻🧠 Size difference
💪🏻🧠 Himbo (Jesse)
💪🏻🧠 "Good boy"
💪🏻🧠 Pet names for daayysss
💪🏻🧠 Pet names: Sugar, buttercup, pookie, pumpkin, darling, love bug, babe, baby, angel (angel is the one that actually sticks, cause they both love it)
Safety info:
💪🏻🧠 Angst: Medium
💪🏻🧠 OW/OM drama: Yes, a fuck ton of drama from Devon's ex—Bryce.
💪🏻🧠 Cheating/sharing: Cheating adjacent for me. Jesse kissed a girl in front of Devon before they officially got together.
💪🏻🧠 Third act breakup: Kinda. They freaked out and avoided each other for a short period after their first hookup.
💪🏻🧠 Ending: HFN
💪🏻🧠 Epilogue: Yes, 2 months later
💪🏻🧠 POV: Dual, 1st person
💪🏻🧠 Series structure: Standalone
Spice and kinks:
Dirty talk, intercrural sex (in the private swimming pool), marking (hickey), blowjob, finger fucking, condom, cum play
CW/TW:
Taboo relationship between stepbrothers (not related by blood), manipulative narcissistic gaslighting ex-boyfriend, possibly cheating ex (off-page), struggles of low self-esteem/self-image/self-worth
May 26, 2023
Listen, Himbro is not a literary masterpiece. The plot requires suspension of disbelief, the humor is a bit forced, and the term of endearment “angel” is cute at first until you’re beaten over the head with it.
But? I was in the mood for a lil taboo story and was willing to overlook some of the things that annoyed me so I could instead enjoy some mindless fun.
This is a taboo novella with step-bros to lovers, fake dating, bi-awakening, opposites attract, and an older brother who is protective over his timid younger brother.
But? I was in the mood for a lil taboo story and was willing to overlook some of the things that annoyed me so I could instead enjoy some mindless fun.
This is a taboo novella with step-bros to lovers, fake dating, bi-awakening, opposites attract, and an older brother who is protective over his timid younger brother.
October 30, 2023
This was very cutesy, but it needed a little more oomph. I don’t know what that oomph could be, but I could tell it needed it. Some more sex would’ve been fab, too.
May 25, 2023
Oh my heart...
Ok listen. This may have been the sweetest "lets pretend to be a couple, I love my step brother, I'm probably bi" story ever.
I'd give it more than five stars if I could.
So in here we have Devon, who has had horrible luck with boyfriends and Jesse, his straight step brother who are closer than brothers.
When Jesse finds out that the ex that abused him was going to be going to the destination wedding and Devon got dumped, he leaps in to help.
Almost all of this story is just them getting even closer and Jesse realizes that he is into his step-bro physically and both realize that they love each other.
10 out of 10 "I love you bros" to this one.
Ok listen. This may have been the sweetest "lets pretend to be a couple, I love my step brother, I'm probably bi" story ever.
I'd give it more than five stars if I could.
So in here we have Devon, who has had horrible luck with boyfriends and Jesse, his straight step brother who are closer than brothers.
When Jesse finds out that the ex that abused him was going to be going to the destination wedding and Devon got dumped, he leaps in to help.
Almost all of this story is just them getting even closer and Jesse realizes that he is into his step-bro physically and both realize that they love each other.
10 out of 10 "I love you bros" to this one.
May 26, 2023
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
Honey London popped by stepbrother cherry, and I’m so happy I waited for the right person. You only get one first time, after all 🍒
Bro, I had such a good time reading this book. I think it had just the right amount of everything to make it a perfectly balanced quick read. Jesse and Devvie are both super sweet and charming characters. I would like to read about 600 more pages about them. Considering that’s not possible, I’ll have to settle on rereading it what I’m sure will be a gazillion times.
One thing that’s very clear now is that I need to read more of Honey London’s books.
This book had me laughing out loud several times. If you knew the ratio between how many times I write or say ‘lol’ and how many times I actually LOL, you probably wouldn’t trust a word out of my mouth (fingers?), but I promise I spit-laughed multiple times. The way Jesse messed and mixed up idioms and sayings was my very favorite part of the book.
‘Bill Nye The Science Dude’ and ‘Lick a gift horse in the mouth’ is just a couple of things that comes out of that man’s mouth that you can look forward to.
Y’all need to read this book.
Book safety
Tropes & tags
Honey London popped by stepbrother cherry, and I’m so happy I waited for the right person. You only get one first time, after all 🍒
Bro, I had such a good time reading this book. I think it had just the right amount of everything to make it a perfectly balanced quick read. Jesse and Devvie are both super sweet and charming characters. I would like to read about 600 more pages about them. Considering that’s not possible, I’ll have to settle on rereading it what I’m sure will be a gazillion times.
One thing that’s very clear now is that I need to read more of Honey London’s books.
This book had me laughing out loud several times. If you knew the ratio between how many times I write or say ‘lol’ and how many times I actually LOL, you probably wouldn’t trust a word out of my mouth (fingers?), but I promise I spit-laughed multiple times. The way Jesse messed and mixed up idioms and sayings was my very favorite part of the book.
‘Bill Nye The Science Dude’ and ‘Lick a gift horse in the mouth’ is just a couple of things that comes out of that man’s mouth that you can look forward to.
Y’all need to read this book.
Book safety
Tropes & tags
June 1, 2023
The side characters were so over the top and the mcs need to get their shit together I'm not sure I'm convinced they're actually in love.
August 7, 2023
Fluffy and fun.
This was a slightly tamer (stepbrothers!) version of Honey London’s trademark taboo romance, but it had all the best features. MCs who personally felt their relationship was taboo, pining and resisting attraction, minimal angst, hot sex, and a complete refusal to acknowledge any negative consequences from anyone else (including other family members). These are happy vibes books, folks! Nothing but sweet romance here.
Tags: stepbrothers, fake relationship, wedding guest in Hawaii, evil ex boyfriend, himbo and nerd MCs, opposites attract
This was a slightly tamer (stepbrothers!) version of Honey London’s trademark taboo romance, but it had all the best features. MCs who personally felt their relationship was taboo, pining and resisting attraction, minimal angst, hot sex, and a complete refusal to acknowledge any negative consequences from anyone else (including other family members). These are happy vibes books, folks! Nothing but sweet romance here.
Tags: stepbrothers, fake relationship, wedding guest in Hawaii, evil ex boyfriend, himbo and nerd MCs, opposites attract
May 24, 2023
- stepbrothers
- jock/nerd
- opposites attract
- fake relationship
- forbidden romance
Devon gets dumped right before going to his best friend’s destination wedding in Maui, and his big (step) brother Jesse drops everything to join him.
Expecting to spend the next several days in paradise having some bro time, things turn sour when Devon runs into a shitty ex of his (who is also attending the wedding), but Jesse saves the day by introducing himself as Devon’s boyfriend.
Now Devon gets to spend his trip pretending to be fake dating his very hot, very straight stepbrother, who he realizes that he may or may not have feelings for after a game of spin the bottle forces them to kiss.
I love Honey London, and Himbro did not at all disappoint. I don’t think I’ve laughed or smiled thanks to a book in so freaking long, and I loved every minute of Jesse and Devon’s story. Their story is so sweet, a little spicy, and highlights how perfect they are for each other.
- jock/nerd
- opposites attract
- fake relationship
- forbidden romance
Devon gets dumped right before going to his best friend’s destination wedding in Maui, and his big (step) brother Jesse drops everything to join him.
Expecting to spend the next several days in paradise having some bro time, things turn sour when Devon runs into a shitty ex of his (who is also attending the wedding), but Jesse saves the day by introducing himself as Devon’s boyfriend.
Now Devon gets to spend his trip pretending to be fake dating his very hot, very straight stepbrother, who he realizes that he may or may not have feelings for after a game of spin the bottle forces them to kiss.
I love Honey London, and Himbro did not at all disappoint. I don’t think I’ve laughed or smiled thanks to a book in so freaking long, and I loved every minute of Jesse and Devon’s story. Their story is so sweet, a little spicy, and highlights how perfect they are for each other.
June 5, 2023
Reading the blurb I was totally convinced I should love this one. Unfortunately it didn't turn out that way. 2.5 stars
October 29, 2023
this was definitely giving major cheesy rom com vibes like it literally read like a 2000s movie…..that formula has been done a thousand times and is nothing new…..very camp…...i did love emma, she was funny as fuck and very OTT…..the development between devon and jesse could’ve been better, nothing to scream over which is unforch….. i would actually have no choice to stan if it was a movie since mm rom coms are few and far between, but since this is a book, i became a permanent resident of yawn city🥱 and even tho i was over this book before i finished, i still did smile against my will several times……like when finding out jesse’s hero is mike ‘the situation’ from jersey shore💀💀 very himbro
May 31, 2023
"You deserve to be with someone who adores you, who makes you feel like you've been struck by fucking lightning."
This is my first book by author Honey London and I still can't get over how sweet it was! I was all prepared for this angsty forbidden stepbrother romance so color me surprised when it turns out I was way off the money. Jesse and Devon were just too cute together. and HOT, but more on that later. First things first, if you're waffling on the fact that this is a stepbrother romance be warned that this is not shied away from at all. In fact, Jesse even calls Devon baby brother during the few times they are in flagrante. You picking up what I'm throwing down? Smoking what I'm growing? Good.
"My brother's smile was my favorite fucking weakness."
I absolutely loved how close these two were. Jesse is this fun loving himbo gym bro who seems to wear crocs wherever he goes, while Devon is a twinkie nerd who needs reminders to have fun once in a while. Complete opposites really, but there isn't anything one wouldn't do for the other. That includes Jesse pretending to be Devon's boyfriend at a destination wedding in order to keep his slimy ex off Devon's back. Of course we know how this trope always turns out, but it almost seemed inevitable regardless. Jesse is the person who's always been there for Devon. The man who's never let him down. He holds him when he's upset. It breaks his heart to see Devon cry over all these idiot men who don't deserve him.
"There were about a billion people who'd be a better match for Devon than I ever would. People who were smarter than I was, who had more potential than I did, who would be just as successful as my amazing brother.
But not a single fucking one of them would ever love him more than I did."
This story may have been a bit of a slow burn, but once the steam started it was damn good. Jesse has a dirty dirty mouth. And Devon isn't as innocent as he appears. The ending is lovely and happy just like the majority of the book. I'll be keeping an eye out on future books from this new to me author.
This is my first book by author Honey London and I still can't get over how sweet it was! I was all prepared for this angsty forbidden stepbrother romance so color me surprised when it turns out I was way off the money. Jesse and Devon were just too cute together. and HOT, but more on that later. First things first, if you're waffling on the fact that this is a stepbrother romance be warned that this is not shied away from at all. In fact, Jesse even calls Devon baby brother during the few times they are in flagrante. You picking up what I'm throwing down? Smoking what I'm growing? Good.
"My brother's smile was my favorite fucking weakness."
I absolutely loved how close these two were. Jesse is this fun loving himbo gym bro who seems to wear crocs wherever he goes, while Devon is a twinkie nerd who needs reminders to have fun once in a while. Complete opposites really, but there isn't anything one wouldn't do for the other. That includes Jesse pretending to be Devon's boyfriend at a destination wedding in order to keep his slimy ex off Devon's back. Of course we know how this trope always turns out, but it almost seemed inevitable regardless. Jesse is the person who's always been there for Devon. The man who's never let him down. He holds him when he's upset. It breaks his heart to see Devon cry over all these idiot men who don't deserve him.
"There were about a billion people who'd be a better match for Devon than I ever would. People who were smarter than I was, who had more potential than I did, who would be just as successful as my amazing brother.
But not a single fucking one of them would ever love him more than I did."
This story may have been a bit of a slow burn, but once the steam started it was damn good. Jesse has a dirty dirty mouth. And Devon isn't as innocent as he appears. The ending is lovely and happy just like the majority of the book. I'll be keeping an eye out on future books from this new to me author.
May 26, 2023
This was such a fun, sweet, sexy read, and had so many tropes and elements that I love.
Big himbo energy
Opposites - jock/nerd
Step-brothers
Fake dating
Bi-awakening
Devon gets dumped a day before he's supposed to fly out for his best friend's wedding - where he will see his trashy ex at the same time. His stepbrother Jesse, steps in at the last moment to come with him. And when they see Devon's ex, Jesse makes a quick decision to act like his boyfriend, not his step-brother.
These two were so cute together. I love how well they know each other, and how they bring out the best in the other. There was minimal angst, and honestly this story was just so sweet and lovely to read. Jesse is just the best, and I love how much he loves Devon.
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Big himbo energy
Opposites - jock/nerd
Step-brothers
Fake dating
Bi-awakening
Devon gets dumped a day before he's supposed to fly out for his best friend's wedding - where he will see his trashy ex at the same time. His stepbrother Jesse, steps in at the last moment to come with him. And when they see Devon's ex, Jesse makes a quick decision to act like his boyfriend, not his step-brother.
These two were so cute together. I love how well they know each other, and how they bring out the best in the other. There was minimal angst, and honestly this story was just so sweet and lovely to read. Jesse is just the best, and I love how much he loves Devon.
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2023
Thank you to Honey for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an utter delight.
Himbro follows Jesse and Devon - who are stepbrothers. Devon just recently got dumped and has to attend a friend's wedding in Maui. But the snag is, his toxic ex is going to be there. Jesse steps in to save the day, posing as his fake boyfriend. You can guess what happens from there...
The way Jesse takes care of Devon is so freaking sweet. Jesse is definitely a Himbo. Every time he opened his mouth I found myself giggling. But even though he's not book smart, Jess isn't dumb and he proves that time and time again. And Devon? The way he learns to stand up for himself? STANDING OVATION!
This is definitely a book I'll find myself re-reading. It was just great.
This was an utter delight.
Himbro follows Jesse and Devon - who are stepbrothers. Devon just recently got dumped and has to attend a friend's wedding in Maui. But the snag is, his toxic ex is going to be there. Jesse steps in to save the day, posing as his fake boyfriend. You can guess what happens from there...
The way Jesse takes care of Devon is so freaking sweet. Jesse is definitely a Himbo. Every time he opened his mouth I found myself giggling. But even though he's not book smart, Jess isn't dumb and he proves that time and time again. And Devon? The way he learns to stand up for himself? STANDING OVATION!
This is definitely a book I'll find myself re-reading. It was just great.
May 31, 2023
The good
+ Jesse's devotion to Devon
+ How sweet Jesse and Devon were together
+ Jesse's himbo-ness. Viagra Falls, really?
+ Jesse's allergy to clothing
+ Jesse checking whether Devon bottoms instead of just assuming
+ The game of Taboo
+ Devon standing up for himself when confronting his ex
+ Jesse prioritizing Devon over everything
The neutral
o Jesse was, of course, a sex god right from the start. Where was the fumbling, the awkwardness, the questions?
o This whole story requires quite some suspension of disbelief. Devon has been friends with the bride for years, yet his brother never came up? Nobody ever saw a picture of him or even learned his name? Same goes for Devon's ex, especially since he had prevented Devon from seeing his brother more than once
The bad
- Jesse was objectified in the extreme by all the women, including the bride. He even noticed and thought it was hypocritical that everyone kept flirting with him when they obviously wouldn't had he been there with a girlfriend, but he did nothing about it
- The book ended before they told their parents. With how closely they were raised as brothers, I do think that part was necessary for a satisfying HEA. Now, it feels more like a HFN
This was just a little crazy, but in a good way. Jesse was the best and most devoted brother and boyfriend ever, and Devon deserved nothing less. I loved their connection. This was my first time reading a 'fake relationship, forbidden romance' combo, and the author definitely pulled it off.
+ Jesse's devotion to Devon
+ How sweet Jesse and Devon were together
+ Jesse's himbo-ness. Viagra Falls, really?
+ Jesse's allergy to clothing
+ Jesse checking whether Devon bottoms instead of just assuming
+ The game of Taboo
+ Devon standing up for himself when confronting his ex
+ Jesse prioritizing Devon over everything
The neutral
o Jesse was, of course, a sex god right from the start. Where was the fumbling, the awkwardness, the questions?
o This whole story requires quite some suspension of disbelief. Devon has been friends with the bride for years, yet his brother never came up? Nobody ever saw a picture of him or even learned his name? Same goes for Devon's ex, especially since he had prevented Devon from seeing his brother more than once
The bad
- Jesse was objectified in the extreme by all the women, including the bride. He even noticed and thought it was hypocritical that everyone kept flirting with him when they obviously wouldn't had he been there with a girlfriend, but he did nothing about it
- The book ended before they told their parents. With how closely they were raised as brothers, I do think that part was necessary for a satisfying HEA. Now, it feels more like a HFN
This was just a little crazy, but in a good way. Jesse was the best and most devoted brother and boyfriend ever, and Devon deserved nothing less. I loved their connection. This was my first time reading a 'fake relationship, forbidden romance' combo, and the author definitely pulled it off.
May 29, 2023
This book was dumb. I get that that was kind of the point, but it stopped being enjoyable at some point. It's a pretty predictable fake-dating tale about nerdy, nervy Devon who needs a date to his best friend's wedding in Hawaii because his scumbag ex will be there. In swoops Jesse, loveable himbo, and also Devon's stepbrother from when they were literal toddlers. They proceed to fake date and develop feelings for each other. I understand that the stepbrothers aspect was meant to be part of the draw to this story, but honestly it was so gimmicky and unbelievable, especially given that they were apparently stepbrothers from the ages of 2 and 4, and genuinely thought of themselves as brothers. This would have been a better book overall if the MCs weren't related to each other. As it was, the use of the term 'baby brother' during sexy times was literally gag-worthy. I almost gave this one star just for that. What saved it for me was Jesse and Emma, Emma being the bride and best friend. They were really great and funny characters. The rest of it was a big miss for me.
June 5, 2023
Cute. Low angst. Fun read.
July 29, 2023
I loved my first Honey London book, and DNFd the second one I tried. So, at a 50% success rate, this having fake dating and only being pseudo incest, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to try this.
But I found myself wanting to read something I wouldn’t have to put much thought into, and a book titled “Himbro” seemed like a good choice at the moment. So, while I had low expectations (I really, really dislike fake dating), I enjoyed this.
Could Jesse have been more of a himbo? For sure. I actually don’t think he was one at all. Especially since he is described multiple times as being very emotionally intelligent and able to work people quite well. So, I’m a little sad about that.
And though I’m not a fan of epilogues, I feel like this one, set just 2 months out, more firmly cemented this as a HFN than a HEA, and might as well of just not existed.
So, not my normal read, but the read I needed. Sometimes you need something light in plot and low in angst, and I think this delivered on that.
But I found myself wanting to read something I wouldn’t have to put much thought into, and a book titled “Himbro” seemed like a good choice at the moment. So, while I had low expectations (I really, really dislike fake dating), I enjoyed this.
Could Jesse have been more of a himbo? For sure. I actually don’t think he was one at all. Especially since he is described multiple times as being very emotionally intelligent and able to work people quite well. So, I’m a little sad about that.
And though I’m not a fan of epilogues, I feel like this one, set just 2 months out, more firmly cemented this as a HFN than a HEA, and might as well of just not existed.
So, not my normal read, but the read I needed. Sometimes you need something light in plot and low in angst, and I think this delivered on that.
May 23, 2023
This is the first book I’ve read by Honey London and if the rest are anything like this one it will absolutely not be my last. I loved everything about this book. It was a super fun, cute, sweet, step-brothers, fake-dating, bi-awakening, low-angst love story between Devon and Jesse.
My friend kept telling me as she was reading it how much she was loving it and I was so excited to start it. Right from the very first page I was interested in this book and there wasn’t a single page that changed that. I think one of my favourite things about this book was it wasn’t a pining situation. These step-brothers were incredibly close and wanted the best for the other but neither of them had romantic feelings for each other (that they realized at least). It was a mutual attraction taking place together and I thought it was so well done!
Jesse and Devon seemed absolutely made for each other. They shared so much of their life together that they knew each other inside and out and it was beautiful. Jesse was always trying to look out for Devon and knew when he needed help or to do things on his own.
I could have continued to read about these two for days. It is a slow-burn but doesn’t really feel like it since it’s a shorter book. If you are looking for a fun, quick, easy read I absolutely recommend this book.
My friend kept telling me as she was reading it how much she was loving it and I was so excited to start it. Right from the very first page I was interested in this book and there wasn’t a single page that changed that. I think one of my favourite things about this book was it wasn’t a pining situation. These step-brothers were incredibly close and wanted the best for the other but neither of them had romantic feelings for each other (that they realized at least). It was a mutual attraction taking place together and I thought it was so well done!
Jesse and Devon seemed absolutely made for each other. They shared so much of their life together that they knew each other inside and out and it was beautiful. Jesse was always trying to look out for Devon and knew when he needed help or to do things on his own.
I could have continued to read about these two for days. It is a slow-burn but doesn’t really feel like it since it’s a shorter book. If you are looking for a fun, quick, easy read I absolutely recommend this book.
May 21, 2023
This was a taboo-ish read with all the sweetness. Devon and Jesse are step-brothers who were raised together from childhood. So if that’s not your jam, skip it. As for me, I’m all about it.
I’m not usually one for the fake boyfriend trope, but this one worked beautifully. I really think it was Jesse who won me over. He was so protective of his Devvie and knew when to step in and when to step back. I also really liked how he took falling in love with his step brother in stride. Devon’s ex was there to stir up some trouble and I loved that Devon really had some growth and stood up for himself.
This is basically a slow burn, but because it’s relatively short, it didn’t feel too slow. Devon and Jesse had chemistry for days and made for a fantastic twosome.
I’m not usually one for the fake boyfriend trope, but this one worked beautifully. I really think it was Jesse who won me over. He was so protective of his Devvie and knew when to step in and when to step back. I also really liked how he took falling in love with his step brother in stride. Devon’s ex was there to stir up some trouble and I loved that Devon really had some growth and stood up for himself.
This is basically a slow burn, but because it’s relatively short, it didn’t feel too slow. Devon and Jesse had chemistry for days and made for a fantastic twosome.
September 9, 2023
An absolutely gorgeous tale of taboo love. Well, I don't think it's taboo when you're step-brothers, but some may think differently. This story is sweet, funny bordering on hilarious, and angsty (of course). Even with the heavy plot and circumstances the author has made this sensitive subject an enjoyable read.
June 16, 2023
2.5 stars
maybe-later
August 12, 2023maybe later - 10/08/2023
couldn't really connect with the characters and it seemed a bit too cheesy and perfect? hmm not sure but the vibes weren't there - 69%
couldn't really connect with the characters and it seemed a bit too cheesy and perfect? hmm not sure but the vibes weren't there - 69%
May 31, 2023
This is my first book by this author and . . . I found it a mixed bag. I love the title and I love the IDEA of Jesse, but overall, I don't think it did anything enough.
I know this author has written some truly taboo books, and this is pushing the "Amazon limit of acceptability" with them knowing each other from very early on. I've definitely read stepbrother books where their parents got married when they were adults and it's like, you're just two strangers, stop making it a big thing. That being said, this seems to want to push that envelope, but I found that it didn't feel very pushed. We only get little snippets of their history, and I just don't buy that Jesse never met any of Devon's friends and they never saw a picture. If they were as close as they are supposed to be . . . I just don't buy it!
I would have preferred to turn my brain off and bask in vibes, but there were just little moments that made that impossible. The logistics of keeping Jesse completely separate was one, and references to real world politics being a dumpster fire that I think were supposed to be jokey just ended up being jarring. Also, Devon's best friend, the bride, is "jokingly" objectifying of Jesse to a point that went beyond cute. All women in this resort seem to be extremely horned up around Jesse, bc it is mentioned A LOT.
I don't love a terrible ex in these fake dating set ups, and Bryce gets way too much page time, but I did appreciate how he was described by Jesse as being terribly self-conscious and he can see how desperate he is. However, we could have gotten that in half the interactions that we had to endure.
There were cute moments, but I didn't get any momentum between them, I felt like it kept losing steam (lol) . . . SPEAKING OF, if there were ever a book that called for a funny and fumbling first time, it was this one and yeah, Jesse's built like a brick shithouse, but I just rolled my eyes at that scene. I am really tired of formerly straight guys being immediately amazing at gay sex.
Now for a few more positives: I did love how emotionally intelligent Jesse was, I thought the game of Taboo (lol) was really fun, Devon's googling of his 'symptoms' was the kind of goofiness I wanted more of. I also liked the end of the epilogue (and how Jesse kept saying "it's just a job, it's just an apartment, I can get a new job and a new place to live, you're what's important, Devon.")
I've truly been torn, and I'm going to just rate it 2.5 rounded up, because it's not that serious, and I actually wish it had been a little LESS serious.
I know this author has written some truly taboo books, and this is pushing the "Amazon limit of acceptability" with them knowing each other from very early on. I've definitely read stepbrother books where their parents got married when they were adults and it's like, you're just two strangers, stop making it a big thing. That being said, this seems to want to push that envelope, but I found that it didn't feel very pushed. We only get little snippets of their history, and I just don't buy that Jesse never met any of Devon's friends and they never saw a picture. If they were as close as they are supposed to be . . . I just don't buy it!
I would have preferred to turn my brain off and bask in vibes, but there were just little moments that made that impossible. The logistics of keeping Jesse completely separate was one, and references to real world politics being a dumpster fire that I think were supposed to be jokey just ended up being jarring. Also, Devon's best friend, the bride, is "jokingly" objectifying of Jesse to a point that went beyond cute. All women in this resort seem to be extremely horned up around Jesse, bc it is mentioned A LOT.
I don't love a terrible ex in these fake dating set ups, and Bryce gets way too much page time, but I did appreciate how he was described by Jesse as being terribly self-conscious and he can see how desperate he is. However, we could have gotten that in half the interactions that we had to endure.
There were cute moments, but I didn't get any momentum between them, I felt like it kept losing steam (lol) . . . SPEAKING OF, if there were ever a book that called for a funny and fumbling first time, it was this one and yeah, Jesse's built like a brick shithouse, but I just rolled my eyes at that scene. I am really tired of formerly straight guys being immediately amazing at gay sex.
Now for a few more positives: I did love how emotionally intelligent Jesse was, I thought the game of Taboo (lol) was really fun, Devon's googling of his 'symptoms' was the kind of goofiness I wanted more of. I also liked the end of the epilogue (and how Jesse kept saying "it's just a job, it's just an apartment, I can get a new job and a new place to live, you're what's important, Devon.")
I've truly been torn, and I'm going to just rate it 2.5 rounded up, because it's not that serious, and I actually wish it had been a little LESS serious.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2023
Aw! I had such a great time reading Devon and Jesse’s story! I’m a big fan of the fake boyfriend trope, and when you throw in the stepbrother dynamic I am so there for it! Devon finds himself recently dumped as he’s about to leave for a wedding where his former college “could this guy be more insufferable” ex will also be. Jesse, Devon’s older stepbrother, acts as Devon’s plus one/wing man/support person for said wedding. Jesse finds Devon in a sticky situation with Bryce, the aforementioned a hole ex, and smoothly steps in as the recent ex. These two are the definition of opposites attract, and Jesse finds himself with loads of admiring fans and Devon trying to deal with his ex’s disbelief of him moving on with someone as hot and built as Jesse. Cue Devon’s amazing friends who are great fun. I absolutely adored Emma, and her disgust of Bryce was top notch. I enjoyed the low key, low angst of their story even as they both began to realize their less than conventional feelings for each other. Jesse totally rolled with realizing he wasn’t as straight as he thought, and Devon didn’t let himself spiral far once he knew his feelings for Jesse. Their story had wonderful chemistry and connection, and smoking hot sexy times! The witty banter and snark of the writing left me with a laugh and a smile.
May 25, 2023
I really really loved this book! Right from the first couple of pages I was thinking 'ooh this is gonna be a good one' and raving about it to my friend. I have previously read Chief Executive Daddy by this author, and although it was a great book and I very much enjoyed it, I had no idea the author could write *this* well. 'Impressed' doesn't even begin to cover it.
This was just beyond good. Great writing, fantastic characters and absolutely hilarious. I can't believe all the subtle jokes the author managed to weave into the text-- I'm still giggling over 'lick a gift horse in the mouth,' and those are just the ones I picked up on. I stayed up way way past my bedtime to finish this, so there were probably quite a lot of jokes I missed completely. In some ways it reminds me of Fake the Date by Ana Byrde, which is definitely a good thing, because that's one of my favourite rereads.
This is so funny, clever, sweet and cute that I was a little bit worried it would be light on the spice, but I can tell you that is definitely not the case! It starts as a slow burn (although not that slow given how small a book it is) but when it caught fire, wow, the chemistry was insane. It's been a while since I enjoyed a book this much and I'm genuinely sorry it's over. By the time I was halfway through I was already wishing it was longer, but that's a perennial problem with any book I'm enjoying. I am sure I will be rereading this one.
This was just beyond good. Great writing, fantastic characters and absolutely hilarious. I can't believe all the subtle jokes the author managed to weave into the text-- I'm still giggling over 'lick a gift horse in the mouth,' and those are just the ones I picked up on. I stayed up way way past my bedtime to finish this, so there were probably quite a lot of jokes I missed completely. In some ways it reminds me of Fake the Date by Ana Byrde, which is definitely a good thing, because that's one of my favourite rereads.
This is so funny, clever, sweet and cute that I was a little bit worried it would be light on the spice, but I can tell you that is definitely not the case! It starts as a slow burn (although not that slow given how small a book it is) but when it caught fire, wow, the chemistry was insane. It's been a while since I enjoyed a book this much and I'm genuinely sorry it's over. By the time I was halfway through I was already wishing it was longer, but that's a perennial problem with any book I'm enjoying. I am sure I will be rereading this one.
May 20, 2023
I am such a sucker for taboo romance especially taboo ish where people *might* have a moral issue but it’s not quite as taboo as it could be. Step brothers is certainly a popular trope and this definitely delivered!
I loved Jesse! He was funny and swoony sweet with so much love for Devon you couldn’t help but root for him! My favorite thing about him was his ability to read Devon, step in when he needed it but also let him stand on his own when he needed to. Devon was adorable and I so hoping that he would stand up for himself at some point. It was cool to see him come into his own and fight for what he wanted.
The steam was maybe not as prevalent as I was hoping but I’m true Honey London fashion is was super hot when it was there! Also both characters constantly referred to each other as “my brother” which in moderation enhances the taboo and heat factor but it felt overdone and lost its impact in my opinion.
Overall this was a solid, fun, and satisfying read!
I loved Jesse! He was funny and swoony sweet with so much love for Devon you couldn’t help but root for him! My favorite thing about him was his ability to read Devon, step in when he needed it but also let him stand on his own when he needed to. Devon was adorable and I so hoping that he would stand up for himself at some point. It was cool to see him come into his own and fight for what he wanted.
The steam was maybe not as prevalent as I was hoping but I’m true Honey London fashion is was super hot when it was there! Also both characters constantly referred to each other as “my brother” which in moderation enhances the taboo and heat factor but it felt overdone and lost its impact in my opinion.
Overall this was a solid, fun, and satisfying read!
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