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Brinnswick Story #1.5
There's A Bat In My Room!
Have a flying bat problem? Tennis Assassin to the rescue!
I’ve never been so scared in my life, but armed with a ski mask, a leather jacket, and a tennis racket, I’m ready to take on the flying demon… er, bat.
When one swing connects, and the bat hits the wall and turns into a man, my life changes forever. Ward swears he doesn’t usually go around breaking into stranger’s homes, but evidence suggests otherwise. Still, there’s something sweet about the guy that makes me feel protective of him… even if he is some kind of supe.
There’s a Bat in my Room! is a 30k standalone novella that takes place in the Ellwood and Brinnswick world and can be read after The Human's Incubus. Jett and Ward’s story is complete with a HEA. It previously appeared in the Fated Mates Charity Anthology and is unchanged.
I’ve never been so scared in my life, but armed with a ski mask, a leather jacket, and a tennis racket, I’m ready to take on the flying demon… er, bat.
When one swing connects, and the bat hits the wall and turns into a man, my life changes forever. Ward swears he doesn’t usually go around breaking into stranger’s homes, but evidence suggests otherwise. Still, there’s something sweet about the guy that makes me feel protective of him… even if he is some kind of supe.
There’s a Bat in my Room! is a 30k standalone novella that takes place in the Ellwood and Brinnswick world and can be read after The Human's Incubus. Jett and Ward’s story is complete with a HEA. It previously appeared in the Fated Mates Charity Anthology and is unchanged.
113 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2024
88 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Michele Notaro
76 books951 followersMichele is married to an awesome guy that puts up with her and all the burnt dinners she makes—hey, sometimes characters are a bit distracting, and who doesn’t plot when they’re supposed to be cooking? They live together in Baltimore, Maryland with two little monsters, a three-legged princess, a four-legged goofball, and a cutie with giant ears (aka their two kids, their two cats, and their dog). She hopes to rescue another cat soon, and if her hubby wouldn’t kill her, she’d get more than one… and maybe a few more dogs as well.
She loves creating worlds filled with lots of love, chosen family, and of course, magic, but she also likes making the characters fight for that happy ending. She hopes to one day write all the stories in her head—even if there are too many to count!
If you would like updates on my new books or to be notified when a new book is released, please join my mailing list:
http://eepurl.com/cseIXT
You can find me on Facebook here:
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Feel free to contact me. I’d love to hear from you.
She loves creating worlds filled with lots of love, chosen family, and of course, magic, but she also likes making the characters fight for that happy ending. She hopes to one day write all the stories in her head—even if there are too many to count!
If you would like updates on my new books or to be notified when a new book is released, please join my mailing list:
http://eepurl.com/cseIXT
You can find me on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
Feel free to contact me. I’d love to hear from you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
February 29, 2024
3.5 stars
Very cute, but I felt like it was missing something.
Very cute, but I felt like it was missing something.
February 24, 2024
Having a good book after a bad book is always a relief. I trusted that Michele wouldn't let me down and I was right. This was sweet and nice and exciting in a compact read. I really enjoyed it.
Plus, more of the Brinnswick clan is always welcome as far as I'm concerned
Plus, more of the Brinnswick clan is always welcome as far as I'm concerned
March 3, 2024
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Cute short story!
Even though I enjoy them, stories that are only around 100 pages tend to leave a bittersweet taste in my mouth because I feel like if they were full-length stories, they could have been much better. But I didn't get that impression this time.
I mean, yes, if the story had been 250 pages or more, there would have been more time to deeply explore certain things like the found family, our MC's growing feelings, and Ward's loneliness, as well as how his old colony's attitude affects him.
However, I enjoyed it perfectly with just 100 pages, more or less. I guess being a fated mates romance helps. In these books, the "viramores" (how they call soulmates) are a thing, and both our MCs know about them. So, when they meet under the craziest circumstances and both feel a certain pull to the other, they kinda guess and decide to go with the flow.
Also, Ward and Jett were cute and hella funny, and that helped too. I laughed so much at their foolishness, like Jett calling Ward a vampire or him putting on a ski mask and wielding a tennis racket to defend against a little bat. And I swooned every time he called him bat-boy, among other things.
I guess they just were kinda cute and sweet. Naive and innocent, and so beautiful together. I was in the mood for something just like this, and I loved seeing them get their happy ending with their chosen family.
I still haven't read the previous series, but I'm planning on doing it (someday, for sure, I promise XD). I'm getting more and more intrigued by the previous MCs and feel like I would enjoy their stories too! But worry not because it's not necessary to have read them to enjoy this new series (at least for now).
Cute short story!
Even though I enjoy them, stories that are only around 100 pages tend to leave a bittersweet taste in my mouth because I feel like if they were full-length stories, they could have been much better. But I didn't get that impression this time.
I mean, yes, if the story had been 250 pages or more, there would have been more time to deeply explore certain things like the found family, our MC's growing feelings, and Ward's loneliness, as well as how his old colony's attitude affects him.
However, I enjoyed it perfectly with just 100 pages, more or less. I guess being a fated mates romance helps. In these books, the "viramores" (how they call soulmates) are a thing, and both our MCs know about them. So, when they meet under the craziest circumstances and both feel a certain pull to the other, they kinda guess and decide to go with the flow.
Also, Ward and Jett were cute and hella funny, and that helped too. I laughed so much at their foolishness, like Jett calling Ward a vampire or him putting on a ski mask and wielding a tennis racket to defend against a little bat. And I swooned every time he called him bat-boy, among other things.
I guess they just were kinda cute and sweet. Naive and innocent, and so beautiful together. I was in the mood for something just like this, and I loved seeing them get their happy ending with their chosen family.
I still haven't read the previous series, but I'm planning on doing it (someday, for sure, I promise XD). I'm getting more and more intrigued by the previous MCs and feel like I would enjoy their stories too! But worry not because it's not necessary to have read them to enjoy this new series (at least for now).
June 22, 2025
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
There’s a Bat in My Room is a short story that serves as book is 1.5 in Michele Notaro’s Brinnswick story series, which appears to be a set of individual stories set within the larger Brinnswick world (at least so far). We met Jett in the first book, The Human’s Incubus, as Hugo’s best friend, so folks who read that book will have some connections between stories, but I think this one also stands alone just fine. The short story was originally part of the Fated Mates Charity anthology and is unchanged from the version.
This story is short and super sweet. Jett and Ward have a meet cute when Jett comes home and freaks out to see a bat in his house. He then proceeds to get on full battle gear in an attempt to take on the bat, but is pretty bumbling about it, only to then really freak out when that bat turns into a man.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
There’s a Bat in My Room is a short story that serves as book is 1.5 in Michele Notaro’s Brinnswick story series, which appears to be a set of individual stories set within the larger Brinnswick world (at least so far). We met Jett in the first book, The Human’s Incubus, as Hugo’s best friend, so folks who read that book will have some connections between stories, but I think this one also stands alone just fine. The short story was originally part of the Fated Mates Charity anthology and is unchanged from the version.
This story is short and super sweet. Jett and Ward have a meet cute when Jett comes home and freaks out to see a bat in his house. He then proceeds to get on full battle gear in an attempt to take on the bat, but is pretty bumbling about it, only to then really freak out when that bat turns into a man.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
February 27, 2024
This was such a fun story in this world! I died over Jett and Ward’s first interaction with Jett hitting Ward in his bat form with a tennis racket and how the two of them kept calling each other Tennis Assassin and Bat-Boy. They were both so super adorable and I loved how they felt an instant pull towards one another, but how they also kept their distance and wanted to do things right—how they didn’t want to just fall into bed together because they knew this was something bigger than simple lust.
My heart went out to both of them over how their families had rejected them when they found out they were gay. But I liked how they were able to support each other how how they know how the other feels and how they’ll be each other’s family from now on.
I love Jett and Hugo’s friendship and how Jett called Hugo when they needed help and how there was no hesitation in Hugo, how he didn’t even know what was going on but brought the cavalry anyways. I died over how the Ellwoods took Jett and Ward under their wing.
This little story was so sweet and adorable and I loved Jett and Ward to no end <3
My heart went out to both of them over how their families had rejected them when they found out they were gay. But I liked how they were able to support each other how how they know how the other feels and how they’ll be each other’s family from now on.
I love Jett and Hugo’s friendship and how Jett called Hugo when they needed help and how there was no hesitation in Hugo, how he didn’t even know what was going on but brought the cavalry anyways. I died over how the Ellwoods took Jett and Ward under their wing.
This little story was so sweet and adorable and I loved Jett and Ward to no end <3
March 12, 2024
I read this right on the heels of the first story of this series, which I think made it a bit too much of the incredible sweet silliness for one go. Don't know if all her books follow the same general pattern or it's just this couple, but I'm definitely going to explore more of her work and see. However, from this sampling, I'm going to say that Michele Notaro is going to be not a binge read, but a tasty treat to read in scattered bits. The soul mate premise running through the Ellwood/Brinnswick series this is part of looks like it pretty much guarantees the story arc I get from this pair I've just read. That said, this was so much fun, and so ridiculously cute, I do intend to add this author to my ever-growing to-read list. Delightful fantasy world, and at least this couple of books I've sampled move the story right along without a ton of drag in the middle. No slogging required.
May 19, 2025
'There's a Bat in My Room!' (Brinnswick Story, #1.5)
written by Michele Notaro, narrated by Kirt Graves (Audible)
When this book caught my eye, I didn't realize it was part of a series, so now I'll have to go look up the others!
This was kind of a funny-horrible "meet-cute", what with Jett using an old tennis racket to defend himself by whacking away at the tiny bat flying around his room until he knocks him unconscious!
Although I had to laugh at Jett, the human, consistently thinking that Ward was a vampire and calling him that, even though Ward kept telling him "I'm not a vampire", and Ward calling Jett "Tennis Assassin" and "Bat-Boy".
Though mostly familiar "romance" territory, I have to admit the bat-shifter was new to me and I liked it/him!
Some of this storyline felt a bit repetitive, but all-in-all a sweet MM storyline about fated mates and what (who) ultimately constitutes family, whether blood family or found family.
Good message regarding types of dicey situations and living conditions involving certain people/beings who are supposed to care about their families, but don't, which can be very confusing to young gays...well, anyone really, who doesn't have love & support from their birth family or clan, etc.
I liked this book, although it felt like something was missing...not exactly sure what? More details, more time spent together between the MCs? and their friends? Probably all that and more.
Still, it was a fun read with some interesting characters, and potential for further developement.
written by Michele Notaro, narrated by Kirt Graves (Audible)
When this book caught my eye, I didn't realize it was part of a series, so now I'll have to go look up the others!
This was kind of a funny-horrible "meet-cute", what with Jett using an old tennis racket to defend himself by whacking away at the tiny bat flying around his room until he knocks him unconscious!
Although I had to laugh at Jett, the human, consistently thinking that Ward was a vampire and calling him that, even though Ward kept telling him "I'm not a vampire", and Ward calling Jett "Tennis Assassin" and "Bat-Boy".
Though mostly familiar "romance" territory, I have to admit the bat-shifter was new to me and I liked it/him!
Some of this storyline felt a bit repetitive, but all-in-all a sweet MM storyline about fated mates and what (who) ultimately constitutes family, whether blood family or found family.
Good message regarding types of dicey situations and living conditions involving certain people/beings who are supposed to care about their families, but don't, which can be very confusing to young gays...well, anyone really, who doesn't have love & support from their birth family or clan, etc.
I liked this book, although it felt like something was missing...not exactly sure what? More details, more time spent together between the MCs? and their friends? Probably all that and more.
Still, it was a fun read with some interesting characters, and potential for further developement.
February 28, 2024
It's always a comfort to be back in the Brinnswick world and Jett and Ward's story is a short and sweet romance, giving a human and a bat shifter their HEA.
Their story starts with Jett discovering a bat in his room and defending himself with a tennis racket. What he doesn't expect is the bat to slide to the floor and turn into a man. A hugely unexpected event turns into a somewhat slow burn romance as Jett becomes attached to his bat man, wanting to keep him safe from those he was running from. Their interactions are adorable with an undercurrent of a deep connection and attraction.
There's a little interaction with those from A Human for the Incubus that has the feeling of a found family for Jett but they do fold Ward into the group.
An enjoyable visit back to this world by Michele Notaro and I look forward to more in the series.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Their story starts with Jett discovering a bat in his room and defending himself with a tennis racket. What he doesn't expect is the bat to slide to the floor and turn into a man. A hugely unexpected event turns into a somewhat slow burn romance as Jett becomes attached to his bat man, wanting to keep him safe from those he was running from. Their interactions are adorable with an undercurrent of a deep connection and attraction.
There's a little interaction with those from A Human for the Incubus that has the feeling of a found family for Jett but they do fold Ward into the group.
An enjoyable visit back to this world by Michele Notaro and I look forward to more in the series.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
February 29, 2024
A delicious short story, this one tells the tale of Jett and Ward. Ward cannot resist investigating Jett’s smell and flies in his house as a bat. Startled, Jett dons a leather jacket and a ski mask. Armed with a tennis racket, he defends his home. When he manages to hit the little bat, he finds a naked man in his place – one he finds extremely attractive. He cannot help but want to protect him.
These two together were so adorable. Ward was in trouble and Jett wanted to help save him. They call each other Tennis Assassin and Bat Boy. It turns out they are fated mates and their love develops at just the right pace. Michel Notaro knows how to write heroes that touch our heart and souls. Another excellent story, enjoy There’s a Bat in my Room!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy.
These two together were so adorable. Ward was in trouble and Jett wanted to help save him. They call each other Tennis Assassin and Bat Boy. It turns out they are fated mates and their love develops at just the right pace. Michel Notaro knows how to write heroes that touch our heart and souls. Another excellent story, enjoy There’s a Bat in my Room!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy.
February 27, 2024
* 3.5 stars *
This is a fun and easy story, insta-love/fated mates romance without much plot. If You're looking for some sweet uncomplicated and short book about unconventional shifters this is a great choice. As far as I know there are not a lot of books about bat shifters and this part was the best in my opinion.
There is not much character development or getting to know each other but that is to be expected in the fated mates romance.
Everything was a little bit too easy for my liking, not enough drama, fighting. This is why I didn't really care about MCs or what will happen next 🤷
* I was gifted an ARC copy and this is my honest review*
This is a fun and easy story, insta-love/fated mates romance without much plot. If You're looking for some sweet uncomplicated and short book about unconventional shifters this is a great choice. As far as I know there are not a lot of books about bat shifters and this part was the best in my opinion.
There is not much character development or getting to know each other but that is to be expected in the fated mates romance.
Everything was a little bit too easy for my liking, not enough drama, fighting. This is why I didn't really care about MCs or what will happen next 🤷
* I was gifted an ARC copy and this is my honest review*
February 21, 2024
This was very cute and I had no idea at first that it was related to The Human’s Incubus by Michelle Notaro! Jett gets home after work and realizes he has a bat flying around his room. After flinging it into the wall with a tennis racket he quickly realizes it’s not a bat, but a shifter. Or a ‘vampire’ as he mistakenly believes for like half the story! But this bat is on the run from loan sharks and Jett is ready to help him get out of a bad situation. The added benefit that they are viramores just makes everything sweeter. Excellent addition to the Brinnswick series!
February 29, 2024
I just love all the books in Michelle's Ellwood and Brinnswick world and this is a really funny but sweet story that I really enjoyed. Such a unique start to the story with Jett and Ward’s first interaction being Jett hitting a bat with a tennis racket and it turns into Ward! I also loved the humour with them calling each other Tennis Assassin and Bat-Boy. A slow burn romance ensues and Jett is exceptionally protective of Ward and tries to keep him safe.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
March 4, 2024
Sweet
A bat shifter? In Brinnswick? Yes,I'm totally here for that! This is a cute novella which is again Ellwood-adjacent in the Brinnswick world. It has already been around as part of a published charity anthology (with no changes), but if you've not come across it before it's best to read it after Hugo and Zaos's story.
I really liked Jett's acceptance of the viramore bond and the protectiveness both be and Ward show for each other. As always, there's the found family feels that being all of the Ellwood coven together. 4*
A bat shifter? In Brinnswick? Yes,I'm totally here for that! This is a cute novella which is again Ellwood-adjacent in the Brinnswick world. It has already been around as part of a published charity anthology (with no changes), but if you've not come across it before it's best to read it after Hugo and Zaos's story.
I really liked Jett's acceptance of the viramore bond and the protectiveness both be and Ward show for each other. As always, there's the found family feels that being all of the Ellwood coven together. 4*
February 22, 2024
I haven't read anything by this author before but I enjoyed this. It's a cute little book with a fun, if predictable, storyline and some totally adorable characters. Also very much enjoyed the shifted cuddles, I've not read that before and it was the cutest thing. Also appreciate they are fated mates but did not immediately jump into bed together. Some funny dialogue too. Definitely a sweet quick story.
February 24, 2024
This novella was so cute and refreshing! I’m so used to reading heavier books but this was so light and airy like a merengue. I loved Jet and Ward (so funny calling the bat shifter Edward haha!) and the plot was sweet and concise but still enough conflict to make an engaging story. I immediately ran to the kindle search bar to read Zaos and Hugo’s story! Overall a fun and easy read if you're looking for a lighthearted fluffy read.
March 7, 2024
One true love
A really sweet story that includes a cuddling bat and a tennis assassin. Ward is super sweet who got rea!my hurt when his colony/family kicked him of for being gay. All to familiar with that betrayal, Jett feels protective of Ward and takes him in. The connection between them is pretty intense. We get to spend sometime around the Ellwood family which is always supper awesome.
A really sweet story that includes a cuddling bat and a tennis assassin. Ward is super sweet who got rea!my hurt when his colony/family kicked him of for being gay. All to familiar with that betrayal, Jett feels protective of Ward and takes him in. The connection between them is pretty intense. We get to spend sometime around the Ellwood family which is always supper awesome.
February 26, 2024
This was beyond adorable! It takes place in a world from several other series and it didn’t feel like I was missing much because I haven’t read those books. Ward and Jett are so freaking cute together, and I love how their relationship evolves even with being fated mates, it’s not super fast or too slow and there is a definite connection between them that feel possible even outside the fiction.
February 28, 2024
I really enjoyed this short story, Ward and Jett were just so sweet together and I loved how they met, it was good to catch up with some previous characters but this could be read as a standalone also. This was a good read and I really liked Ward and Jett together hopefully we might see more of them in the future.
February 28, 2024
Real bat but he’s a shifter
Having chased a real bat out of my bedroom with a tennis racket I just had to read this story as soon as I read the title. This is a sweet little low angst story that was in a fated mates charity anthology before and has now been published separately for people who like Michele Notaro’s Ellwood and Brinnswick world.
Having chased a real bat out of my bedroom with a tennis racket I just had to read this story as soon as I read the title. This is a sweet little low angst story that was in a fated mates charity anthology before and has now been published separately for people who like Michele Notaro’s Ellwood and Brinnswick world.
February 29, 2024
Jett and Ward ❤️
4 Stars ⭐️
Absolutely adorable!!! This was just the book that I needed, I had a perma smile on my face reading the relationship between these two. For a quick story this one had plenty of depth, not to mention so much sweetness, super cute bat scritches and a hint of spice I would definitely recommend.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
4 Stars ⭐️
Absolutely adorable!!! This was just the book that I needed, I had a perma smile on my face reading the relationship between these two. For a quick story this one had plenty of depth, not to mention so much sweetness, super cute bat scritches and a hint of spice I would definitely recommend.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
February 22, 2024
He is sent him to get rid of a bat and he hits it with a bat. He is stunned when the bat turns into a man. He is shocked and has no idea what is going on or what will happen next? What is going to happen? How will he deal with it all? See here they will take you
February 27, 2024
The cuteness factor is all here! Ward and Jett are simply adorable! Quick little romance with insta sweet love and a ton of cheesy fun lines and actions. Light and fluffy being just long enough to tell a story and to make you smile along with Ward Jett and their mating antics!
February 28, 2024
There’s A Bat In My Room
I love the Brinnswick universe and this side story had all the wonderful earmarks of the original series. A great addition to the series! Highly Recommended
I love the Brinnswick universe and this side story had all the wonderful earmarks of the original series. A great addition to the series! Highly Recommended
March 2, 2024
Gives a whole new meaning to "meet cute" and this was a winner for me from the moment that tennis racket connected. Jett and Ward are lovely together and Notaro manages to pull off a slow burn, emotional depth and great supporting characters even in the shorter format.
March 5, 2024
Super cute
It was great to be back in this world with the Ellwood clan popping up for a brief cameo in this one. Jett and Ward have a kind of a meet cute and quickly figure out what they are to each other. There is the teensiest bit of angst, but overall totally adorable.
It was great to be back in this world with the Ellwood clan popping up for a brief cameo in this one. Jett and Ward have a kind of a meet cute and quickly figure out what they are to each other. There is the teensiest bit of angst, but overall totally adorable.
March 6, 2024
A Perfect Meet Cute
I love these short stories that continue in the Brinnswick world, Jett and Ward are lovely together. A slow burn, with emotional depth and great supporting characters.
I love these short stories that continue in the Brinnswick world, Jett and Ward are lovely together. A slow burn, with emotional depth and great supporting characters.
April 20, 2024
Loved it!
This entire series is such a beautiful world. Complex and full of magic. Michele Notaro never fails to inspire with the depths of each character and how their individual stories weave into tapestry that is Brinnswick!!!
This entire series is such a beautiful world. Complex and full of magic. Michele Notaro never fails to inspire with the depths of each character and how their individual stories weave into tapestry that is Brinnswick!!!
May 31, 2025
3 stars
This was a cute short book with two very saccharine characters. Both were so nice and it was just over the top.
This one connects with other series from this author and would be a good little addition if you had read the rest of the books.
This was a cute short book with two very saccharine characters. Both were so nice and it was just over the top.
This one connects with other series from this author and would be a good little addition if you had read the rest of the books.
February 27, 2024
I loved this book!
February 29, 2024
So Cute
This was so much fun to read. I laughed out loud several times while reading. It was so cute. I thoroughly enjoyed Jett and Ward's story.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This was so much fun to read. I laughed out loud several times while reading. It was so cute. I thoroughly enjoyed Jett and Ward's story.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews