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College Fun and Gays #5
Welcome, Brother
When arts student Kyler Morris applies for membership to The Nova Britannia Brotherhood, he's immediately floored by their intimidating leader, Hunter Kingsley. Fellow arts student Hunter, however, isn't the bad-ass he's made out to be and takes Kyler under his wing.
While Kyler struggles to keep his crush under control and his sexuality hidden from the Brothers, Hunter battles daemons of his own in the form of two Brothers who aren't playing by the rules.
This title was previously published with a different cover.
While Kyler struggles to keep his crush under control and his sexuality hidden from the Brothers, Hunter battles daemons of his own in the form of two Brothers who aren't playing by the rules.
This title was previously published with a different cover.
35 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2013
1 person is currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Erica Pike
20 books279 followersIf you're interested in my books, you might want to join my Goodreads group: Gay Romance by Erica Pike.
I haven't been writing since I was in diapers, nor have I been an avid reader since I learned my ABC's. I have, however, always been a daydreamer spinning tales after tales. After having exhausted every possible scenario of man-woman love, I started weaving stories of men who love men. I know! So much hotter. This time I wrote it all down.
I live in Iceland with my adorable little twin boys, and I'm happy with what I have. I often say that my real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners so I don’t even bother revealing it.
I've been writing for several years, or ever since reading became an obsession.
I haven't been writing since I was in diapers, nor have I been an avid reader since I learned my ABC's. I have, however, always been a daydreamer spinning tales after tales. After having exhausted every possible scenario of man-woman love, I started weaving stories of men who love men. I know! So much hotter. This time I wrote it all down.
I live in Iceland with my adorable little twin boys, and I'm happy with what I have. I often say that my real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners so I don’t even bother revealing it.
I've been writing for several years, or ever since reading became an obsession.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 24, 2013
I've got all the "College Fun And Gays" short stories and I've loved them all so last night When I saw this was out I did a mad dash to get it! I really love these shorts set around college life, they're all exactly as they say, short fun and always hot and sexy, but I must admit this one had a bit more of a serious undertone running through it because of the homophobic plot line going on in the background, and its repercussions but that didn't make me enjoy it any less.
Kyler Morris wants to join the Nova Brittana Brotherhood at his college. Its headed by the enigmatic Hunter Kingsley who he's fascinated by and really attracted to so when Hunter takes him under his wing and he ends up being picked to be Hunters Initiate ' vassal' , he's thrilled because it means for a full semester he's living with Hunter in his rooms. As far as he's aware Hunters straight but there's some sizzling sexual tension brewing between them! That's what I like about these books, there's always fantastic chemistry between its MC's and when the sex happens its always steamy and toe tingling. In this one you wait longer for the love scene but when it comes its well worth the wait! My one beef is I always want them to last longer but at the same time I never feel short changed especially seeing how short they are! Great stories to just slot in when you just want to sit back with a cuppa and relax for a wee while. I read mine in bed just before nodding off but they also make a great lunchtime read! Going with the rest in my keepers. Thanks Erica. :)
Kyler Morris wants to join the Nova Brittana Brotherhood at his college. Its headed by the enigmatic Hunter Kingsley who he's fascinated by and really attracted to so when Hunter takes him under his wing and he ends up being picked to be Hunters Initiate ' vassal' , he's thrilled because it means for a full semester he's living with Hunter in his rooms. As far as he's aware Hunters straight but there's some sizzling sexual tension brewing between them! That's what I like about these books, there's always fantastic chemistry between its MC's and when the sex happens its always steamy and toe tingling. In this one you wait longer for the love scene but when it comes its well worth the wait! My one beef is I always want them to last longer but at the same time I never feel short changed especially seeing how short they are! Great stories to just slot in when you just want to sit back with a cuppa and relax for a wee while. I read mine in bed just before nodding off but they also make a great lunchtime read! Going with the rest in my keepers. Thanks Erica. :)
July 17, 2014
I was one of the beta-readers and received a copy from the author.
3.5*
This is a competently written, quirky story revolving around college students and how they relate, with issues of bullying and adapting to peer pressure thrown in. As college stories are not really my preferred reading material, I can only state that this managed to keep me interested throughout, which is more than I often am able to say about books in fields that do truly engage me. So--that's a far better verdict than you'd guess ;)
Recommended for readers interested in that age group and phase in people's lives.
3.5*
This is a competently written, quirky story revolving around college students and how they relate, with issues of bullying and adapting to peer pressure thrown in. As college stories are not really my preferred reading material, I can only state that this managed to keep me interested throughout, which is more than I often am able to say about books in fields that do truly engage me. So--that's a far better verdict than you'd guess ;)
Recommended for readers interested in that age group and phase in people's lives.
April 3, 2016
For short stories, the whole series are really good. This is my last one, I hope the author consider to continue this series. I read book number 6 already so, I'm now craving for this kind of story.
Some part (especially with Liu), is very sad, I hope Liu soon will be able to recover from his nightmare. Hunter and Kinsley are solid through the end after they're solved their 'problems'.
It's really cute when Liu just came to their room and snuggled between Hunter and Kinsley.
Well, dads, you guys should really teach your kid to sleep on his own bed. Soon :)
April 27, 2013
What a great little story. The angsty parts were kind of tough, but the ending made me smile and feel all sunshiny inside.
Read
July 12, 2013Re-published :)
Editor: Douglas Black
Cover: Zathyn Priest
Editor: Douglas Black
Cover: Zathyn Priest
May 16, 2013
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
The first thing you need to know about this story is just how different it is from the other stories in the series. They've all been heavy on sex and kink but with enough plot not to be fluff. Welcome, Brother has hardly any sex at all and deals with some heavier issues than the others, namely bullying.
I read this story right when it came out a few weeks ago and I have to admit that I didn't write a review for it right away because I wasn't quite sure what to say. Not only was it not what i was expecting, I couldn't quite decide how much I liked it. On the one hand, some of the writing is beautiful and heartfelt. On the other hand, I wasn't quite sure that I'd call this a romance. Maybe an unconventional one, at best. While there is definitely a love story, the story is more about Kyler and his journey to it than about the relationship itself, which develops later in the story. But, it depends up on you as a reader whether that's something you like or don't. I think that I would have liked this a little better if I felt there was more interaction between Kyler and Hunter. Still, I'm not quite sure. It happens pretty rarely ;) but this is just one of those stories that I finished and had no idea how I felt about it, and really, that I felt had a strange tone. I haven't read any of the other reviews, but I'd be interested to see how this is received. It's definitely not my favorite of the College Fun & Sex stories from Erica Pike, but all her stories in this series have been a bit unconventional. It's possible that I just wasn't in the right mood or frame of mind to really get this story and what it was trying to do when I read it.
A bit about the plot and characters:
Kyler Morris (who, incidentally, in my head I kept picturing as Kyler Moss, the twinkalicious porn star!) wants to become a member of The Nova Britannia Brotherhood. It's more than a fraternity, both in the fact that unlike regular fraternities, The Brotherhood is more respectable and less about getting bombed every weekend, and the fact that the brothers are incredibly tight, and entrance into the select group of men means a lifetime family and a leg up in life from other members. But, most daunting is Hunter Kingsley, the President of The Brotherhood and an icon at their school. He's beautiful, perfect and has unbelievable feats to his name, almost to the point of legend.
Kyler is intimidated by the in depth interview, which includes Hunter as one on the panel. But, he's shortlisted and soon becomes a new recruit. Among the brothers, he meets Liu, a straight guy, brother ahead of Kyler, who is dealing with some bullying from other brothers. In some ways, this dose of reality (that all isn't perfect among the brothers), I think, temper's Kyler's already guarded thoughts about coming out, or whether his being gay will hurt his application into the fraternity. Liu, however, is a quick friend, and having a friend who went through what Kyler is right now help him. As Kyler becomes a brother and his friendship grows with Liu, he's forced to face some of the ugliness behind The Brotherhood, and in all this becomes closer to Hunter Kingsley.
Like I said before, it's something I can't really name but something in this story felt like it was missing. I can't even really tell you why I only liked it So So, other than the fact that I felt like I would have liked to see more progression in Kyler and Hunter's relationship.
I would recommend this to fans of the series (with the known caveat that it's quite different than those) and fans of Erica Pike. It's too bad, however, that this is the last of the College stories Erica is writing :( It's a shame and I've enjoyed them all as they each came out over the last year or so!
The first thing you need to know about this story is just how different it is from the other stories in the series. They've all been heavy on sex and kink but with enough plot not to be fluff. Welcome, Brother has hardly any sex at all and deals with some heavier issues than the others, namely bullying.
I read this story right when it came out a few weeks ago and I have to admit that I didn't write a review for it right away because I wasn't quite sure what to say. Not only was it not what i was expecting, I couldn't quite decide how much I liked it. On the one hand, some of the writing is beautiful and heartfelt. On the other hand, I wasn't quite sure that I'd call this a romance. Maybe an unconventional one, at best. While there is definitely a love story, the story is more about Kyler and his journey to it than about the relationship itself, which develops later in the story. But, it depends up on you as a reader whether that's something you like or don't. I think that I would have liked this a little better if I felt there was more interaction between Kyler and Hunter. Still, I'm not quite sure. It happens pretty rarely ;) but this is just one of those stories that I finished and had no idea how I felt about it, and really, that I felt had a strange tone. I haven't read any of the other reviews, but I'd be interested to see how this is received. It's definitely not my favorite of the College Fun & Sex stories from Erica Pike, but all her stories in this series have been a bit unconventional. It's possible that I just wasn't in the right mood or frame of mind to really get this story and what it was trying to do when I read it.
A bit about the plot and characters:
Kyler Morris (who, incidentally, in my head I kept picturing as Kyler Moss, the twinkalicious porn star!) wants to become a member of The Nova Britannia Brotherhood. It's more than a fraternity, both in the fact that unlike regular fraternities, The Brotherhood is more respectable and less about getting bombed every weekend, and the fact that the brothers are incredibly tight, and entrance into the select group of men means a lifetime family and a leg up in life from other members. But, most daunting is Hunter Kingsley, the President of The Brotherhood and an icon at their school. He's beautiful, perfect and has unbelievable feats to his name, almost to the point of legend.
Kyler is intimidated by the in depth interview, which includes Hunter as one on the panel. But, he's shortlisted and soon becomes a new recruit. Among the brothers, he meets Liu, a straight guy, brother ahead of Kyler, who is dealing with some bullying from other brothers. In some ways, this dose of reality (that all isn't perfect among the brothers), I think, temper's Kyler's already guarded thoughts about coming out, or whether his being gay will hurt his application into the fraternity. Liu, however, is a quick friend, and having a friend who went through what Kyler is right now help him. As Kyler becomes a brother and his friendship grows with Liu, he's forced to face some of the ugliness behind The Brotherhood, and in all this becomes closer to Hunter Kingsley.
Like I said before, it's something I can't really name but something in this story felt like it was missing. I can't even really tell you why I only liked it So So, other than the fact that I felt like I would have liked to see more progression in Kyler and Hunter's relationship.
I would recommend this to fans of the series (with the known caveat that it's quite different than those) and fans of Erica Pike. It's too bad, however, that this is the last of the College stories Erica is writing :( It's a shame and I've enjoyed them all as they each came out over the last year or so!
April 27, 2013
As a fan of the College Fun and Gays series, I was excited to see a new one. In this installment, we meet Kyler Morris, a self-proclaimed art nerd who wants to be part of the Nova Britannia Brotherhood. He is both terrified and lust-filled by the leader, Hunter Kingsley. During an interrogation, Kyler has to answer questions from “how do you feel about same-sex marriage” to “what are your views on whaling”. He’s flummoxed and sure he’s not getting in. The Brothers are noted for their connections and nearly all are guaranteed lucrative jobs after graduation. Why would they want Kyler?
The story is told in first person from the point of view of Kyler. Being inside Kyler’s head is a lovely thing. He tries, he does. But such things as him giving a defiant look “which can’t be too defiant with the beginning of a spasm in my left eye”, make him ever so down to earth and real. He is trying to keep his sexuality hidden and not make any huge mistakes. So when it turns out he has a chance at Nova brotherhood, he is floored. He makes a friend in Liu and ends up being the vassal of none other than Hunter Kingsley. Was this on purpose? Yes, it was.
As Kyler tries to adjust to being part of the Brotherhood, he is also dealing with loads of lust with the artist who is Hunter. The book may have a lighter feel at times, due to Kyler, but it also deals with some very heavy issues and some terrible happenings. Aaron? I wanted to cry. Liu? I wanted to cry more.
The story may have bittersweet aspects but it isn’t a sad one. Yes, there’s homophobia and violence on the parts of some, but there’s also hope and love, both romantic and friend types. Much more important, yes.
The story is told in first person from the point of view of Kyler. Being inside Kyler’s head is a lovely thing. He tries, he does. But such things as him giving a defiant look “which can’t be too defiant with the beginning of a spasm in my left eye”, make him ever so down to earth and real. He is trying to keep his sexuality hidden and not make any huge mistakes. So when it turns out he has a chance at Nova brotherhood, he is floored. He makes a friend in Liu and ends up being the vassal of none other than Hunter Kingsley. Was this on purpose? Yes, it was.
As Kyler tries to adjust to being part of the Brotherhood, he is also dealing with loads of lust with the artist who is Hunter. The book may have a lighter feel at times, due to Kyler, but it also deals with some very heavy issues and some terrible happenings. Aaron? I wanted to cry. Liu? I wanted to cry more.
The story may have bittersweet aspects but it isn’t a sad one. Yes, there’s homophobia and violence on the parts of some, but there’s also hope and love, both romantic and friend types. Much more important, yes.
April 24, 2013
Ms. Pike has certainly outdone herself this time. What an absolutely wonderful short story! I rarely give 5 star ratings and almost never give them to short stories because quite frankly I always want more. However, this one deserves no less than the best rating possible. There is so much that I want to say yet I don't want to give anything away....
I'll just say that I highly recommend this to everyone. :-)
In the interest of full disclosure I'd like to acknowledge that I was fortunate enough to beta read this story for the author and she gifted me with a copy of the published story, but that in no way affected my review. I loved it in it's original form and I love the published version even more. :-)
Thank you, Erica for writing such wonderfully sweet characters!
I'll just say that I highly recommend this to everyone. :-)
In the interest of full disclosure I'd like to acknowledge that I was fortunate enough to beta read this story for the author and she gifted me with a copy of the published story, but that in no way affected my review. I loved it in it's original form and I love the published version even more. :-)
Thank you, Erica for writing such wonderfully sweet characters!
June 21, 2013
...heh
October 2, 2015
4.25 'Loving this series and there's just something about Hunter's protectiveness of Kyler that I adored' stars.
November 4, 2013
I enjoyed this neatly paced short, which held much more than the intrigue its title suggests.
Art lover, Kyler Morris, enters college with some apprehension. Being into the history of art, rather than being an actual artist is nerdy enough, but he’s also gay and is on the fence about living openly on the campus. But all of that is less than nothing in comparison to his true concern—will the one college fraternity that he wants to join, accept him? Membership to the infamous Nova Britannia Brotherhood would be a perfect fit for him. It's known for its charity work, fundraisers and the like, plus the frat supports the lesser, more geeky clubs of the college, but most of all, their connections to the business world are so vast that becoming a member pretty much assures you of a good job after college.
But before he has access to anything the club has to offer, he has got to get in. And to get in he has to undergo their interrogation-like interview, but more terrifying— he has to pass the scrutiny of the Brotherhood’s infamous leader, Hunter Kingsley. Meeting the renowned leader of the fraternity, throws him another curve ball. Hunter is not what he expected; among other things, the man is a brilliant artist, pretty much Kyler's personal Kryptonite. The combination of Hunter's good looks and his very real talent may prove lethal to Kyler’s decision to keep his gayness a secret. Throw in the fact that somehow Hunter ends up as his “master,” the person that will train him in the ways of the brotherhood and he is to be Hunter’s “vassal”, the initiate who must serve his master, and his fears are complete, after all masters and vassals are expected to room together.
Carefully woven into the romantic college–orientated short, are a mystery to be solved, a charismatic supporting character, and a devious plot that casts a degree of realism to this elegantly phrased tale. Seen through Kyler’s eyes and his very real fears, the story begins in a slightly whimsical manner, so the sharp turn into darkness surprised me in all the right ways; much praise for the author’s ability to pack the very real punch into a story of this length. The romance between the two men was a bit unusual, and while both Hunter and Kyler were nicely fleshed out, for me the real strength of the story were the events surrounding the mystery.
Thank you, Erica Pike; I enjoyed this one and will be looking up your other works. “Witty romantic short with bite.”
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Art lover, Kyler Morris, enters college with some apprehension. Being into the history of art, rather than being an actual artist is nerdy enough, but he’s also gay and is on the fence about living openly on the campus. But all of that is less than nothing in comparison to his true concern—will the one college fraternity that he wants to join, accept him? Membership to the infamous Nova Britannia Brotherhood would be a perfect fit for him. It's known for its charity work, fundraisers and the like, plus the frat supports the lesser, more geeky clubs of the college, but most of all, their connections to the business world are so vast that becoming a member pretty much assures you of a good job after college.
But before he has access to anything the club has to offer, he has got to get in. And to get in he has to undergo their interrogation-like interview, but more terrifying— he has to pass the scrutiny of the Brotherhood’s infamous leader, Hunter Kingsley. Meeting the renowned leader of the fraternity, throws him another curve ball. Hunter is not what he expected; among other things, the man is a brilliant artist, pretty much Kyler's personal Kryptonite. The combination of Hunter's good looks and his very real talent may prove lethal to Kyler’s decision to keep his gayness a secret. Throw in the fact that somehow Hunter ends up as his “master,” the person that will train him in the ways of the brotherhood and he is to be Hunter’s “vassal”, the initiate who must serve his master, and his fears are complete, after all masters and vassals are expected to room together.
Carefully woven into the romantic college–orientated short, are a mystery to be solved, a charismatic supporting character, and a devious plot that casts a degree of realism to this elegantly phrased tale. Seen through Kyler’s eyes and his very real fears, the story begins in a slightly whimsical manner, so the sharp turn into darkness surprised me in all the right ways; much praise for the author’s ability to pack the very real punch into a story of this length. The romance between the two men was a bit unusual, and while both Hunter and Kyler were nicely fleshed out, for me the real strength of the story were the events surrounding the mystery.
Thank you, Erica Pike; I enjoyed this one and will be looking up your other works. “Witty romantic short with bite.”
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 3, 2014
Very sweet and heartwarming, without being too fluffy, Welcome Brother is a great quick read. There is also some violence and a dark backrund story, but I thought they only added depth instead of bringing the over all feeling down.
What did strike me as odd, was a house full of frat boys (even if they weren't officially a fraternity but a brotherhood) playing 'I never' with beer. Seemed a bit off, as I personaly, have played it with something a lot stronger. Then again, from what I remember (or rather don't remember) abou it, beer might be a sager option.
I would recommend this to people who enjoy short, sweet stories.
What did strike me as odd, was a house full of frat boys (even if they weren't officially a fraternity but a brotherhood) playing 'I never' with beer. Seemed a bit off, as I personaly, have played it with something a lot stronger. Then again, from what I remember (or rather don't remember) abou it, beer might be a sager option.
I would recommend this to people who enjoy short, sweet stories.
July 19, 2013
Watching love bloom despite the drama. It was great seeing the bad guys get what they deserve in the end. It was kind of hard to see some of the pain and hurt that happened. This is a very powerful story.
August 2, 2013
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Empathic characters and terrific setting make this story a great short read. For my full review, visit http://wp.me/p220KL-1qe
for more of my reviews and thoughts on writing, visit http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
June 1, 2013
3.5 stars
I enjoyed it, a really good, quick read :)
I enjoyed it, a really good, quick read :)
June 6, 2013
Kyler and Hunter... the names kept tripping me up, but the guys personalities outweighed all the bad.
June 7, 2013
3.5*
June 5, 2016
Hunter & Kyler
Cute, emotional short story. Easy hot read.
Cute, emotional short story. Easy hot read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews