What do you think?
Rate this book
Trickster
Our greatest treasure is time.
Everything else is negotiable. Opportunities missed can be seized again—loves lost, recovered—but the tick of time is inexorable, inescapable, and merciless.
That’s where I come in. I, alone, can bargain with this ruthless beast and wrestle it into submission. I can provide more minutes, days, hours. I can give you one last chance to spill your heart’s secrets at the feet of those you love best.
For a price.
Tempus fugit, my friends. Let me help you make the most of yours.
Trickster is an MM romance with snark, sass, and more than a few Faustian bargains. It was originally published on Burns & Fawkes's Patreon page as our 2023 Paranormal Romance.
Everything else is negotiable. Opportunities missed can be seized again—loves lost, recovered—but the tick of time is inexorable, inescapable, and merciless.
That’s where I come in. I, alone, can bargain with this ruthless beast and wrestle it into submission. I can provide more minutes, days, hours. I can give you one last chance to spill your heart’s secrets at the feet of those you love best.
For a price.
Tempus fugit, my friends. Let me help you make the most of yours.
Trickster is an MM romance with snark, sass, and more than a few Faustian bargains. It was originally published on Burns & Fawkes's Patreon page as our 2023 Paranormal Romance.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2024
164 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 8, 2024
As much as I love books Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes write, so far this has been my least favorite of them all. I found it hard to get into the book, and to connect with the characters. The pacing at times felt a little rushed and disconnected and in all I found myself constantly going 'How much longer till I'm done?' and not in a 'I don't want to finish the story!' way but in a 'Can this please be done already?' way.
That said, your mileage may vary with the book, the story, and the characters. The premise was good, just the over all execution wasn't my cup of tea this time. But, no one is as they seem. Passage is a lawless place (with it's own laws), and the MC's are at odds (sunshine but snark meet broody and snark). The book is a slow burn (which I normally love) and checked what's usually all the right boxes for me, but this just wasn't it.
I received an ARC of Trickster, and my review is my honest opinion.
That said, your mileage may vary with the book, the story, and the characters. The premise was good, just the over all execution wasn't my cup of tea this time. But, no one is as they seem. Passage is a lawless place (with it's own laws), and the MC's are at odds (sunshine but snark meet broody and snark). The book is a slow burn (which I normally love) and checked what's usually all the right boxes for me, but this just wasn't it.
I received an ARC of Trickster, and my review is my honest opinion.
February 13, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
This story was first available on Burns & Fawkes Patreon page and is now being offered to everyone else. It’s a fun little book and a very quick read. The chemistry the two authors manage to create between their characters is on point, and the world building flows organically. Plot wise, there’s not much I can say without spoiling things, but it’s a good, solid little story.
The writing is good, the pace is fast, and I had fun reading this story. If you’re a fan of either author or just want a bit of paranormal romance, this book might just hit the spot.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
This story was first available on Burns & Fawkes Patreon page and is now being offered to everyone else. It’s a fun little book and a very quick read. The chemistry the two authors manage to create between their characters is on point, and the world building flows organically. Plot wise, there’s not much I can say without spoiling things, but it’s a good, solid little story.
The writing is good, the pace is fast, and I had fun reading this story. If you’re a fan of either author or just want a bit of paranormal romance, this book might just hit the spot.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
February 19, 2024
While there were a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting... this story was a bit meh? I am a huge Sam Burns fan and I am going to assume that this is one of those "you can't please everybody all of the time" things. I am sure that I will be reading many more books by these authors and I will be left with a smile on my face as I finish them! 💖💖💖
April 2, 2024
I feel like the couple was lacking chemistry, despite the promising enemies to lovers set up.
I enjoyed the portrayal of demons here though, even if it was not particularly groundbreaking. (Although tbh, I am generally starved for demon content where demonic entities have anything demon-y to show other than a pair of horns and claws.)
I enjoyed the portrayal of demons here though, even if it was not particularly groundbreaking. (Although tbh, I am generally starved for demon content where demonic entities have anything demon-y to show other than a pair of horns and claws.)
February 8, 2024
Reviewed for Love Bytes – 4 hearts.
Passage was a town between countries, therefore a lore unto itself with its own set of laws for the paranormal who lived there. Time could be currency, but what do you do with life in the time you have? If ever a romance was to start in the wrong way, then it was the one between Cameron and Faust – but what would be their end?
Trickster is a paranormal story with a different twist to the norm – and one that I enjoyed. It’s a world where good and evil aren’t restricted to humans or the paranormal. Similarly, there’s plenty of grey area between the black and white. All contain good, bad, evil, power-hungry, those who seek justice for others, some who want revenge, and some who don’t have a choice to do what they do or for whom. Also, love for the paranormal can be just as complicated.
The story is told in the first person from the viewpoints of Faust and Cameron via alternate chapters. An overview of the town of Passage provides some good imagery of what it would be like to live there. Details lie in the characters' backstories and the immediate surroundings of Cameron’s apartment. Movement around town isn’t a frequent occurrence. Occasionally, thoughts/explanations between dialogue derailed the flow, but not by much.
Cameron and Faust have histories that color their everyday lives. As such, Cameron Clover – aka Lucky, puts right demonic contracts that go wrong. He’s a brute of a half-demon who asks questions of the accused before seeking retribution for the person who hired him. He understands that some people hire him out of sour grapes.
Faust is a sorcerer who ended up in a desperate situation and was bailed out for the price of servitude. He knows that the devil is in the details of every contract. Therefore, he does the best with what he has.
The journey for Faust and Cameron begins in a clever cat vs clever cat way, then a sexually charged mode before they realize that something more has happened. Then, entities on the peripherals get involved.
Now then – some, maybe all of the above may sound like gibberish, but Trickster is one of those stories that is a sassy war of wits, and then you realize that you have fallen for the characters. I can’t say that some revelations were a surprise. Nevertheless, I picked up the story because I am a sucker for sass and found myself thoroughly enjoying the read.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
Passage was a town between countries, therefore a lore unto itself with its own set of laws for the paranormal who lived there. Time could be currency, but what do you do with life in the time you have? If ever a romance was to start in the wrong way, then it was the one between Cameron and Faust – but what would be their end?
Trickster is a paranormal story with a different twist to the norm – and one that I enjoyed. It’s a world where good and evil aren’t restricted to humans or the paranormal. Similarly, there’s plenty of grey area between the black and white. All contain good, bad, evil, power-hungry, those who seek justice for others, some who want revenge, and some who don’t have a choice to do what they do or for whom. Also, love for the paranormal can be just as complicated.
The story is told in the first person from the viewpoints of Faust and Cameron via alternate chapters. An overview of the town of Passage provides some good imagery of what it would be like to live there. Details lie in the characters' backstories and the immediate surroundings of Cameron’s apartment. Movement around town isn’t a frequent occurrence. Occasionally, thoughts/explanations between dialogue derailed the flow, but not by much.
Cameron and Faust have histories that color their everyday lives. As such, Cameron Clover – aka Lucky, puts right demonic contracts that go wrong. He’s a brute of a half-demon who asks questions of the accused before seeking retribution for the person who hired him. He understands that some people hire him out of sour grapes.
Faust is a sorcerer who ended up in a desperate situation and was bailed out for the price of servitude. He knows that the devil is in the details of every contract. Therefore, he does the best with what he has.
The journey for Faust and Cameron begins in a clever cat vs clever cat way, then a sexually charged mode before they realize that something more has happened. Then, entities on the peripherals get involved.
Now then – some, maybe all of the above may sound like gibberish, but Trickster is one of those stories that is a sassy war of wits, and then you realize that you have fallen for the characters. I can’t say that some revelations were a surprise. Nevertheless, I picked up the story because I am a sucker for sass and found myself thoroughly enjoying the read.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
September 5, 2024
*reads the blurb* *spits out coffee* *laughs*
I finished the book and wanted to make sure I found the right one since the blurb is so sparse on info and I take it the book is not the authors' usual style? That just cracks me up. Because I have read some Burns+Fawkes books (and some from the individual authors) and I just can't settle on an opinion. Some authors you like, some you try and try to forget you saw but these books were quite a hit or miss. An average one, to be fair, which is why I try. Either the book is a meh, I don't mind reading it but nothing to write home about or I am pleasantly surprised and yes, that's what keeps me trying and reading some of those mehs as well.
This is the pleasant surprise of the bunch and that's why it felt so funny to see the reviews call it "different" and not the usual style and not up to the usual standard. Because this is definitely what I prefer and I didn't even hesitate (too much) before hitting those four stars.
I want to explain why but I keep coming up with Characters were Amazing and Plot was Amazing and the world (location?) was so Unique and that's just one big oh, oh. I must be more gone on this than I thought that I can't even get coherent but that's the magic of good books, where various (sometimes dichotomous) elements work together to create something wholly new and wholly exciting - well, the magic of the right reader finding the right book for them and clicking with it.
It's such an amazing take on demons making deal and living in the human world, both main characters had quite a few tricks up their sleeve and that really helped lift an otherwise depressing story out of the ground and into some really nice heights.
The book is kinda short, the story is actually super simple which I came to regard as one of the biggest proofs of Greatness. The story took as long as it had to, no more, no less.
I am going to not embarrass myself more so let me just end this with a big recommend and a hope to see more of these anomalies and less of the run-of-the-mill (for me) stories that I tried and promptly put down.
I finished the book and wanted to make sure I found the right one since the blurb is so sparse on info and I take it the book is not the authors' usual style? That just cracks me up. Because I have read some Burns+Fawkes books (and some from the individual authors) and I just can't settle on an opinion. Some authors you like, some you try and try to forget you saw but these books were quite a hit or miss. An average one, to be fair, which is why I try. Either the book is a meh, I don't mind reading it but nothing to write home about or I am pleasantly surprised and yes, that's what keeps me trying and reading some of those mehs as well.
This is the pleasant surprise of the bunch and that's why it felt so funny to see the reviews call it "different" and not the usual style and not up to the usual standard. Because this is definitely what I prefer and I didn't even hesitate (too much) before hitting those four stars.
I want to explain why but I keep coming up with Characters were Amazing and Plot was Amazing and the world (location?) was so Unique and that's just one big oh, oh. I must be more gone on this than I thought that I can't even get coherent but that's the magic of good books, where various (sometimes dichotomous) elements work together to create something wholly new and wholly exciting - well, the magic of the right reader finding the right book for them and clicking with it.
It's such an amazing take on demons making deal and living in the human world, both main characters had quite a few tricks up their sleeve and that really helped lift an otherwise depressing story out of the ground and into some really nice heights.
The book is kinda short, the story is actually super simple which I came to regard as one of the biggest proofs of Greatness. The story took as long as it had to, no more, no less.
I am going to not embarrass myself more so let me just end this with a big recommend and a hope to see more of these anomalies and less of the run-of-the-mill (for me) stories that I tried and promptly put down.
October 2, 2024
The idea behind this tale, the setting, the world, the magic, is brilliant. The execution is where this book falls woefully short. At only around 150 pages, for how in depth the plot and world wants to be, it feels as though we barely brush the surface of anything in order to get from point A to point B. It's one thing to have low-intensity, of course. I believe that the elements and themes explored here all wanted more intensity than they were given.
Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Probably not.
See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book
CHARACTERS: For what we had of them, I found myself interested and wanting to know what made them tick. Of course, I barely felt I knew either of them before the whole book was over and suddenly they were together and happily in love. So there really isn't much I can say here.
PLOT: I loved the idea behind the plot. A demon-hunter who is somehow immune to demonic powers and we don't know why? The LI starting as a potential enemy and working for a demon? Figuring out both how to stop them and possibly break it? And all the secrets involved? What an absolutely amazing premise. However, what mostly happened is the demon hunter found the LI, kept him in his home with magic suppressing cuffs until they ended up having sex and discovering how to fix everything. Neatly tied, no issues.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
1/5: low. I mean, it's meant to be low, and that's ok! I personally felt there was a discrepancy between depth and intensity.
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
25%? Sure, they got together. But I barely blinked by the time it was over. It may have well just been a sleepover between besties.
Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Probably not.
See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book
CHARACTERS: For what we had of them, I found myself interested and wanting to know what made them tick. Of course, I barely felt I knew either of them before the whole book was over and suddenly they were together and happily in love. So there really isn't much I can say here.
PLOT: I loved the idea behind the plot. A demon-hunter who is somehow immune to demonic powers and we don't know why? The LI starting as a potential enemy and working for a demon? Figuring out both how to stop them and possibly break it? And all the secrets involved? What an absolutely amazing premise. However, what mostly happened is the demon hunter found the LI, kept him in his home with magic suppressing cuffs until they ended up having sex and discovering how to fix everything. Neatly tied, no issues.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
1/5: low. I mean, it's meant to be low, and that's ok! I personally felt there was a discrepancy between depth and intensity.
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
25%? Sure, they got together. But I barely blinked by the time it was over. It may have well just been a sleepover between besties.
February 18, 2024
I loved the characters and world building in this story. I guessed the big twist but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I liked how the characters don’t conform to expectations, and not everyone is what and who they seem.
I loved Faust and how he’s in an impossible situation, yet doing what he can to help those to deserve it. His power is interesting, and I liked the way he used it. He’s had a difficult road, and the blame for his curse lies squarely elsewhere. Cameron is full of surprises. I loved how he thinks he’s sized up Faust, and slowly figures out he might have made a mistake.
I liked the other characters who make up this world, and how the witches and demons are connected to Faust and Cameron’s pasts. I loved the mix of magic and technology in a world with cell phones etc.
I’d love to read more set in this world.
I loved Faust and how he’s in an impossible situation, yet doing what he can to help those to deserve it. His power is interesting, and I liked the way he used it. He’s had a difficult road, and the blame for his curse lies squarely elsewhere. Cameron is full of surprises. I loved how he thinks he’s sized up Faust, and slowly figures out he might have made a mistake.
I liked the other characters who make up this world, and how the witches and demons are connected to Faust and Cameron’s pasts. I loved the mix of magic and technology in a world with cell phones etc.
I’d love to read more set in this world.
February 2, 2024
Deals
Can you imagine how fun it could be to have the power the play with time?! Do fascinating and yet so dangerous, good thing Faust is the one in control as he’s adorable and charming.
“I’d never seen anything so sexy in my entire life. He was beautiful and horrible and perfect…”
And yes sexy, I agree with Cameron on that and on most everything he did in this book. He is the kind of person I’d want by my side forever. I blew through this book because I had to know all of their secrets and also because these two deserve the happiest of lives and love. I would say I’d make you a deal but I don’t want to tempt, well, anything.
Can you imagine how fun it could be to have the power the play with time?! Do fascinating and yet so dangerous, good thing Faust is the one in control as he’s adorable and charming.
“I’d never seen anything so sexy in my entire life. He was beautiful and horrible and perfect…”
And yes sexy, I agree with Cameron on that and on most everything he did in this book. He is the kind of person I’d want by my side forever. I blew through this book because I had to know all of their secrets and also because these two deserve the happiest of lives and love. I would say I’d make you a deal but I don’t want to tempt, well, anything.
February 8, 2024
Another one-sitting read from Burns and Fawkes. Loved the world-building, the story arc, the characters. Passage as a town is intriguing, and Cameron and Faust made for great main characters. While the few twists in the book were kind of obvious, they were handled well. I only wish the book had been longer in order to show more of the romance - these two come from such different perspectives that having a bit more back-and-forth would have been nice. As it is, this is a standalone that easily could grow into a series about these two’s adventures and I would not be sad at all.
February 6, 2024
I love these authors, and this story did not disappoint. Cameron has a strong sense of morality and justice. While Faust has his own moral code, he's trapped in a bargain he made when he was desperate and dying. The world building in this was great, set in a futuristic, semi-dystopian place called Passage which separates a North America divided into two countries. I'd definitely like to read more stories set there.
February 7, 2024
Trickster is is about Faust a mage and Cameron a demon hunter. I couldn't put this book down once I started because I had to learn everything about these two men. Faust is such a sweet, sexy, and caring guy with some sass thrown in. Cameron is snarky, bad tempered, and misunderstood. This story has so much to draw me in that I was rooting for the guys to figure things out to get to their happy ever after. I would definitely recommend this book.
dnf
March 6, 2024DNF @50% ... which kind of breaks my heart, because I was SUPER excited to see something new by this author-duo, since I usually love them. But this one? I'm completely "meh," and now that it's sat on my Kindle for a lonnnnnnnng time while I fuck off and find a million other more interesting things to read, I'm finally calling it and moving on. 🤷♀️ I still love and will most likely one-click this duo, but this one? #notforme #boringAF #serialsdontalwaystranslatewell
February 5, 2024
Talk about starting off on the wrong foot! Faust is all snark with some attitude to back it up! I really enjoyed him and the way he played off of Cameron. It is a slow burn romance, but the story moves so fast it is oh so perfect! I enjoyed this whirlwind of a read, and I am looking forward to more.
February 9, 2024
Trickster' is a real page-turner, with an exciting plot and some great plot twists. It's well written and has fabulous world building, and it keeps the reader wanting more information about Faust and Clover throughout most of the book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 22, 2024
Surprisingly good!
I’m not really a fan of stories with demons in them, not for puritanical reasons but just because they aren’t my thing. That was why I was so surprised to so greatly enjoy this little novella. Despite its brevity, this was a very compelling read which I can definitely recommend.
I’m not really a fan of stories with demons in them, not for puritanical reasons but just because they aren’t my thing. That was why I was so surprised to so greatly enjoy this little novella. Despite its brevity, this was a very compelling read which I can definitely recommend.
March 24, 2024
Trickster
What a unique story! Gritty, suspenseful, and full of demons and mages!! I particularly enjoyed the different view of demons and the deals they did. Soooooo good. Highly Recommended
What a unique story! Gritty, suspenseful, and full of demons and mages!! I particularly enjoyed the different view of demons and the deals they did. Soooooo good. Highly Recommended
April 6, 2024
a good read
A little dark, a lot sweet, Faust and Clover are reluctantly connected and have a lot of old anger to move past, but this lighthearted short novel gives them their due without getting by bogged down in their trauma. An enjoyable read!
A little dark, a lot sweet, Faust and Clover are reluctantly connected and have a lot of old anger to move past, but this lighthearted short novel gives them their due without getting by bogged down in their trauma. An enjoyable read!
May 11, 2024
4.75 stars
I really like where they went with this world! I wasn't expecting everything, even with one MC named Faust, so that was a lovely surprise. And I would definitely read more set in this universe, if the authors decided to take a trip back there!
I really like where they went with this world! I wasn't expecting everything, even with one MC named Faust, so that was a lovely surprise. And I would definitely read more set in this universe, if the authors decided to take a trip back there!
February 8, 2024
Faust and Cameron were so sweet together.
I loved Faust's snarky banter and Cameron was determined to discover Faust's secrets.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of Passage.
I loved Faust's snarky banter and Cameron was determined to discover Faust's secrets.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of Passage.
February 11, 2024
a fun and sweet book
Read
February 17, 2024DNF 7% - Just not feeling it.
April 15, 2024
Nice, quick read. I thought I knew where the story was going, but then it just ended. LOL. Wonder whether the author will be bringing these characters back.
not-for-me
October 6, 2024DNF @ 49%. The plot is dragging.
December 29, 2024
Cute. Airplane read.
April 18, 2025
This was delightful. Very much enjoyed the voice of these characters. I love how uncanny valley Passage is. Excited to read more of the series.
February 22, 2024
Meh, not much for me to say here. I'm thinking that I really am not the audience for this author's writing style - for me, the strokes are too broad and the tone feels formulaic. I can't connect with the characters at all, and the (constant attempts at) humor falls flat for me.
February 5, 2024
Trickster is a slow burn, sunshine/grumpy romance, Faust and Cameron start with the wrong foot, I loved Faust attitude, he is all snark!!! Cameron is determined to found the truth about Faust and his involvement with a bad demon so he have to make Faust his prisoner but Faust is not what he thought. I like how these two can’t resist each other. This was entertaining and fun to read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews