Midnight Companion

by Kit Barrie

The horseman comes for you.

Traveling schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane, doesn’t believe the rumors about witches and spirits haunting the idyllic village of Sleepy Hollow. The townsfolk, led by the rich Van Tassel family, are friendly and welcoming to strangers. On Halloween night, Ichabod is caught in the clutches of a frightening specter. But the Headless Horseman is not the devil he has been led to believe, and Ichabod finds himself falling for the lonely spirit.

All is not as it seems in Sleepy Hollow. Something besides the Horseman prowls the secluded woods. Upon learning the disturbing truth, Ichabod is determined to free the village from its evil curse. But, more importantly, he is determined to save the Horseman he has given his heart to, even if he loses his head in the process.

Midnight Companion is an M/M retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, M M Romance, Historical, Audiobook, Retellings, Queer

153 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2023

About the author

Kit Barrie (she/her) was raised by pirates in a traveling carnival where she learned how to fly and to weave fantasy into reality. She identifies as chaotic bisexual, with good intentions and questionable methods. She lives in an utterly unfantastical state in the Midwestern United States with some food goblins who might just be cats gobblin’ food.

Please visit www.kitbarrie.com for more information on Kit’s writing or to sign up for her fantastical newsletter!

Reviews

[PaperMoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second book from the author and I liked this better. That said, the paranormal / spook aspects was somewhat checkered; the malevolence exhibited by the antagonists could have been a lot more 'horrific' and the final battle-action sequence seemed over before it started. And maybe it's just me (and I readily acknowledge this is touted as a M-M romance), but I did find the physicality aspects of the M-M action a little eyebrow raising/weird.

[Elyse]

This M/M Sleepy Hollow retelling started out very well. I was getting immersed in the world, feeling the set up for the spooky vibes, and loved the cozy comfort Fall feel with the pumpkin images used as breaks.
I was quite content up until the story switched over to spicy times. The first time wasn’t so bad. I’ll admit I was curious how it would go since one of them is headless, so it kept me interested. I also had appreciation for the fact Ichabod is demisexual, even if not said.
It was everything that followed after the first time that threw me off. I couldn’t get back into the story of the witches and curse. It didn’t read well anymore to me. Especially since time wasn’t explained very well, the movements of Ichabod trying to find the skull were jumpy, and it dived back into spicy times. Their second spicy scene felt like modern times. Just the way they both acted was so cringe to me. Like I was reading about a couple of horny teenagers in 2024, and not these proper young men of the late 1700s. Also, how the heck did Reiter know so much about sex if he remembered nothing of his life before becoming the Headless Horseman. He couldn’t remember his name, what he did or the company he kept. But magically he remembered he was interested in men, had sex with men, and how to have proper care during sex with men. It makes no sense.
Quite honestly it feels like one author wrote the first half of the book and a second author wrote the second half. It ended up just being a letdown 😔

[Molly Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sleepy Hallow with a queet twist

The legend of Sleepy Hallow with a queer twist. Kit Barrie has taken this age-old ghost story and put a queer twist on it. Reiter (the headless horseman) rescues Ichabod on the fateful night he is set to be sacrificed to keep Sleepy Hallow in its set existence. The two have a slow burn romance that just works for them in a uniquely beautiful way. Yes, the haunting aspect isn't as well done as the original tale, but for me, that's okay it's a beautiful love story in the end. And Icahbod & Reiter have a simple and beautiful happily ever after all.

Audio review
Kevin Earlywine does a fantastic job in telling this tale! And wow, his Reiter voice is fantastic, such a fun , whimsical voice that I can not get enough of. I have listened to many of his narrations, and wow, does he outdo himself on this one.

[Maddisen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MM fantasy romance that features the headless horseman.
This book was so out of my normal wheelhouse but ended up being one of my favorite reads of 2023 (and I’ve read a LOT)! It is a fast paced read that is perfect for the spooky season to curl up with a hot drink and watch the leaves fall. It includes the perfect mix of world building and romance. The open door spice was well written and I somehow found myself falling for this lonely, headless man right along with the main character. A 10/10 read that I would recommend to anyone in the mood for a fall read with the magic of spooky Halloween tales and an adorkable m/m romance!!!

*I received this book as an ARC but all thoughts and opinions are wholeheartedly my own*

[pani tet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Коли у твого коханого голова не завжди приєднана до тіла - в цьому можуть бути свої плюси.

Ще один ретелінг відомої історії з The Queerly Classic Collection від цієї авторки. Минулого разу була Русалонька, тепер Легенда про Сонну Балку. (В планах ще Острів скарбів як мінімум.)

Знову ж, проста зрозуміла канва, швидко розпочали, швидко закінчили. Цього разу мені трохи не вистачило сюжету чи об'єму, декілька додаткових подій могли б краще розкрити і життя громади в Балці, і зародження стосунків між персонажами. Зате навіть в такій короткій формі, що реально влізає в рамки розказаної біля вогнища легенди, відчувається чітка ідея - про прийняття інакшості, емпатію та "не все що з виду монстр є монстром".

[Omakayas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard about this before release, and read it only a couple days after it released as I was highly anticipating it! I really really enjoyed this book, and totally binged it. I'm always on the hunt for good, spicy, MM books to dive into. As a fan of the original tale of Sleepy Hollow that's what drew my attention in, and I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling. I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.

[ᐯEᖇOᑎIᑕᗩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This was an interesting twist on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I loved the idea of Ichabod falling for the Headless Horseman, it’s dark, spooky, and kind of sweet all at once. The story just didn’t fully grab me, though; it was fine, just a little… meh for my taste. Still, if you like M/M retellings with a creepy, Halloween vibe, it’s worth a look.

[Francis Lace · Rating 5 out of 5]

An MM Headless Horseman retelling you say!?
Awesome!

I loved Kit's take on the lore of Sleepy Hollow! The writing tone was perfect for the story and the characters were well thought out. The romance and steam were fabulous with a very satisfying ending.

All in all, an excellent MM Halloween tale :)

[Milyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was ok. I'm not sure how I feel about headless sex. It was definitely a first.

The thing that really bothered me was that:

- MC2 said early on that he was a spirit, and the "corporeal form" that he had was not his true body. Yet, later in the story, his actual body turns out to be the one he was currently in? That's actually exactly how MC1 was able to find his skull because he based it off on the current body and the crooked teeth. But if that wasn't his actual body, then how come his skull matched the description of the head of his current body?

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Midnight Companion” by Kit Barrie is a fun and exciting retelling of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” adding a MM romance and steam. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this. I love retold fairy tales and classic books so I was hopeful it would work and it did. It does start a tiny bit slow but once things get going they are fun and exciting and I didn’t want to stop listening. The story is plenty creepy without being scary and the mood and atmosphere are great for the characters. The action sequences had me riveted, the romance had me a bit swoony and the steamy aspects had me giggling a bit trying to picture what was happening while also finding those scenes hot.

Kevin Earlywine does fantastic work with this narration. His narration brought the characters to life and made them and the world feel more alive, real and exciting.

I highly recommend this book in any format, because it’s something special.

[Guilherme William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sex scenes with a severed head were… something.

Overall it was decently written. Flowed nice with a clear beginning, middle and end.

I do love a very rewarding brutal ending for the villains. Each one of the three had a very gruesome and deserved fate. I just felt like the villagers should have been held accountable somehow, they do were aware of the sacrifices, and seemed very okay with trading outsider’s lives for good fortune, even if they were unaware of the logistics of the whole thing.

Quick and easy read, will giver four stars because I am feeling nice.

[Bette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressive Retelling, Narration & Audible Listen🎧A Mesmerizing Story for Anytime of the Year!

Midnight Companion
An MM Retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Queerly Classic Collection)
By: Kit Barrie
Narrated by: Kevin Earlywine

Kit Barrie puts her own magical spin on this fantastic retelling of Irving Washington’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and she cast the perfect narrator to bring the characters and story to life from the pages to your ears, more on Kevin Earlywine’s impressive performance to follow. This is my first book written by this author, and I enjoyed her writing style, her brilliant and imaginative mind and how she built the story on the original, while keeping true to some facts and details. The story is mesmerizing, grabbing my attention immediately and holding it captive the entire time. Without giving away any spoilers, I will only say, thanks to the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow, we now know what really happened to Ichabod Crane. This novella sized horror-romance packs a lot of story and has plenty of drama, angst, light but spooky horror, some heartfelt emotions, and steamy romance. Kit Barrie, thank you for this amazing story and wild ride. 

🎧📚🎧 Kevin Earlywine’s versatility and talent truly shined as a voice artist and an entertaining storyteller. His portrayal of the characters was incredible, and I loved how he took each role and owned it, giving each a voice that was fitting, accents included and was believable in every role. He set the perfect tone for the story, spookiness included, captured all the characters’ emotions, their fear and desperation, and made you feel it all. Kevin Earlywine is a pleasure to listen to and his performance elevated this already amazing story to another level. Thank you for this exceptional listen.

[☾⋆⁺ Nurse After Dark · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I swallowed hard, noticing the awkwardness of his position. “Please, do not hold your head up on my account.”

I don't know what I was expecting when I opened this M/M retelling but the whole thing - the 1700s setting, the historical language, the engaging plot and full-detailed retelling- really worked for me! Not to mention the spice - full stars for creative use of -ahem- all body parts!

I had not thought that I had left the estate that much later than anyone else, but the road was completely deserted, no signs of life anywhere besides the night crickets and the occasional swoop of a bird overhead. Even the woods leading back to the town seemed empty. No lights flickered from torches or lanterns, no voices shouted back and forth to one another or scolded noisy children. As Gunpowder and I approached the tree line, I felt my heart pick up in my chest, and I very nearly turned back.

Overall, the tone was deep and moody and absolutely lovely, and this made a perfect autumn/October read!

[Emrys Rei Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book a few days ago from the author directly. She has offered me copies of her books in the past in exchange for reviews, but I always insist on paying. That's because Kit Barrie is a glorious human being with a real talent for writing. She fully deserves to be compensated for her work, and honestly, this was my favorite book she has written so far.

Honestly, given October starts tomorrow, I was really eager to dive into this book. It's spooky season, after all. It was so good, I finished it just 4 hours. The mystery and spooks were exactly what I wanted, tho headless sex was new (so was correcting grammar during said sex omfg I laughed so hard) lol the romance was sweet and believable as well. The happy ending was perfectly told and the book left me feeling both spooked and satisfied with how it turned out. Highly recommend it and it comes out tomorrow for everyone! I feel lucky to have had the chance to read it among the first 🥰😁

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Companion by Kit Barrie is a male/male retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It’s part of the Queerly Classic Collection. This is the first book I’m reading by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’m a fan of the the Sleepy Hollow story by Washington Irving so when I read the description of this book I couldn’t wait to read it. I think this is a perfect fast paced romance for the upcoming spooky season. The worldbuilding was great and the descriptions were on point, I could picture clearly everything I was reading. I didn’t want to put my kindle down. I think I may have found another favorite author. I really loved everything about this book/novella. If you love the headless horseman as much as I do, I can’t recommend this book enough.

Final review:
5 out of 5 stars

[Casey Santangelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting twist on an old classic! Ichabod Crane enters Sleepy Hollow as a traveling schoolmaster. He has no idea that things aren’t as they seem there. After attending the Harvest Party at the Van Tassel’s home, things start getting strange. Ichabod meets the Headless Horseman and finds out the truth. He also develops a love interest with the Horseman. The pair has to work together if they want to break the curse that’s been placed on them both. This tale has a perfect combo of romance and suspense. It also blends the old and new together seamlessly!

[Tracey Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me riveted from start to finish! Fascinating, intriguing, imaginative, creative, spooky, sweet, endearing, timeless romance, steamy bits, curses, magic - it's got it all. Absolutely well-told imagining of Sleepy Hollow & the headless Horseman. I don't want to spoil anything, but there is definitely some interesting advantages to the Horseman's particular predicament.
The audiobook was performed beautifully by the very talented Kevin Earlywine. The Horseman's voice/accent, *chef's kiss!* Stellar all-around performance. Very good & well done indeed!

[The Spiced Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I struggled with Ichabod. I felt that, from is POV and the way he spoke/narrated the story, he felt he was more intelligent than most people. It wasn’t until after meeting the headless horseman of sleepy hallow and realizing he was cursed did he mellow out and put that intelligence to use! I loved the relationship between Reiter and Ichabod as Reiter helps Ichabod navigate their situation and sexual exploration. I loved the unique twist to the town of Sleepy Hallow and overall just really enjoyed this book. A must read for Halloween!

[Frida · Rating 3 out of 5]

With Sleepy Hollow as a background, I expected that eerie, spine-tingling vibe— the kind that crawls up your back and lingers, but this one felt a bit tame. The paranormal touches didn't quite hit the mark, and the evil ghosts (trying to avoid spoilers) were a bit meh. I wish some parts had a bit more foundation or emotional depth because otherwise every retelling will end up feeling like same same but different.

Still, the romance was actually kind of cute.
Overall a decent read, but with a lot of potential left untapped.

[T.J. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a whole new meaning to pumpkin spice!!!!

Absolutely loved this one - it's my 4th (!!!!) book by this author this year and Kit Barrie never disappoints!

Another 'classic' retelling but this time a horror story - Sleepy Hollow. The two main characters were fab, there was a lot of emotionality between them, and I was rooting for them all the way.

The headless sex scenes 😂😂 were unique, the world building was strong, and the spooky vibes were strong - an easy 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Companion - Legendary Love

Kit Barrie has created a uniquely romantic MM romance around Ichabod Crane and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The amazing story delves into a sinister paranormal background, beyond the headless horseman, and we are transported to the small NY village where evil lurks.

The fantastic narration by Kevin Earlywine creates the perfect setting for this sensuous tale to be retold with a delightful MM twist.

Excellent listening experience!

[Khaos Ballinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book should’ve been longer. There is soooo much jammed into 170 some pages. The world building is amazing and I love the details that go into the town and the history so I think it needs a longer story to spread all the information over more chapters

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love retellings and Kit Barrie's Midnight Companion is an MM version of the Headless Horseman Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and is a ton of fun.

A mix of horror, fantasy, and romance, Midnight Companion is great for the Halloween season!

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars

Enjoyed this MM retake of Sleepy Hollow

[notachance]

DNF 3% - Just not feeling the writing style, it’s quite distancing.

[Alyssa Acula · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5🌟

[Janeylou · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Irissska · Rating 2 out of 5]

I cannot say that i liked but giving 1 star would be too little i guess...

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

This was a fun queer retelling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow with the Headless Horseman as the kind, studly love interest to Ichabod Crane. What will us queers think of next!

[GillyBillyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I actually really loved this.
I generally stay away from retellings because they are often so bad. But this one was very enjoyable, and the narrator did an amazing job.