Raising Wayne

by M.Z. Arthur

FROM EXCITING AUTHOR OF LGBTQIA ROMANCE M.Z. ARTHUR


An Oh, Baby! story


Book one in the Knights in Ink series


A little miracle leads to true love.


In need of a quick cash infusion to pay off a loan shark, tattoo artist Doug “Zim” Zimmer gives of himself, literally, with plasma and sperm donations. He’s happy to help whoever needs either or both, and when the bills are paid he thinks nothing more of it.


Two years later, a handsome redhead holding an infant with Zim’s eyes shows up at the studio. Architect Clive Mulcahy, having assumed custody of his nephew after his sister’s death, wants a clearer picture of Wayne’s parentage in order to be a good father. The acquaintance he hopes to strike with Zim for the sake of Wayne’s happiness soon grows into a relationship neither expected, but both are willing to embrace.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance

132 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2024

About the author

M.Z. Arthur writes books about people who kiss. She does not write or edit with generative AI.

M.Z. also writes as Maude Zbornak.

Reviews

[Lady Macbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
The blurb of this book intrigued me very much: a single uncle, looking for the bio dad of his nephew and then falling in love with him.
Clive is a good man, he didn't hesitate a second to step up when his sister died unexpectedly and his nephew needed someone to take care of him. They bond immediately and Clive act like little Wayne was hs own son without any reserve. He's a rational man and he goes to look for the baby's bio dad (his sister used an anonymous donor to get pregnant) to have a full knowledge of the baby's heritage.

Zim is a tattoo artist, he was in need of cash a couple of years before and he made a "donation" for money to invest in his shop. He lives a quiet life, with no excesses or bad habits and, when Clive shows up, he immediately agree to help.

They share a strong connection, they feel at ease with each other and they share a moment of beautiful intimacy.

What didn't work for me:
This story seemed lacking of emotions, I didn't feel Clive's devastating pain of losing his sister nor Zim seemed so moved when he saw his bio son for the first time.
Moreover, the story is very focused of the relationship between the two MCs, Zim doesn't really interact with Wayne (no feeding, changing or rocking).

Lastly, the end is quiet abrupt and the reader is left wondering what happened next.

I hope the author will consider to expand this novella, giving the MCs and little Wayne the chance to grow as a family.

I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

[Christina Nolte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book had been longer. That's the first thing I'm gonna say. The second is that I adored the interaction not only between the two MCs but also with baby Wayne. The story is sad and wholesome at the same time, slow in all the places it needs to be and well-paced everywhere else. Raising Wayne was such a delightful little treat!! I was lucky enough to get an eARC and I thoroughly enjoyed the banter, the tension and also the grief. M.Z. Arthur is a truly gifted writer and I can't wait to read more of her published works!!

[Amanda Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raising Wayne was my first from this author. It was a cute low angst read that I wish was longer.

Doug ‘Zim’ Zimmer is a tattoo artist who goes to a fertility clinic when he was in need of money. Fast forward 2 years and he meets Clive the brother of the recipient of Zim’s donation and new guardian of the child who was born begins the search for the baby’s father.

I enjoyed the character development and premise of the book but really wanted to see where these characters lives were going.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice premise but far too short

The blurb tells you what to expect and I liked the idea of a bereaved brother taking care of his nephew, wondering about the child's heritage. It was an unusual take for a story and promised much.
Unfortunately, everything happened so quickly and it was over almost before it started. I know that short novellas can't always go into as much depth as longer books but that just means more thought into what's important to include is required. I felt that there were things here that could have easily been omitted in favour of other things that were far more important.
Clive was incredibly good with Wayne, loving and caring and completely committed. Zim was obviously a good man, mindful of not stepping on Clive's toes, and he also came across as a would-be homebody and a family man, given the chance.
We didn't see Zim bonding with Wayne at all, just a little bit of time spent in his presence while Zim and Clive interacted and then got far more intimately acquainted. Then it ended so abruptly that I thought my kindle had missed a couple of chapters and somehow skipped to the end. It wasn't even a HFN, let alone an HEA. An epilogue set five or ten years in the future, to see them as a happy family, would have been a good idea.
I think the author should expand it into a full novel to do Zim, Clive and Wayne justice because that would be a book I'd like to read.

[CandaceElaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

MM, Tattoo Artist/Architect, Surrogacy , Low Angst,

Architect Clive Mulcahy takes custody of his infant nephew Wayne after the death of his sister (not on page). He's wants to do his best as a new father and that means he needs to do his due diligence seeking out all the information for his sisters donor.
Tattoo shop owner Doug “Zim” Zimmer needed money to cover expenses when he was opening his shop so he donated his specimen to a Surrogacy program. His love and passion was art. He had resigned himself to being alone and focusing on all things tattoo related.
Upon meeting the two men have an instant connection. It evolves over just a few meeting. Both men are apprehensive about taking the next step in a relationship.
The Author spent a good portion of the book explaining the fine details of surrogacy, baby toys and tattoo shop In's and Outs and then ended the book abruptly.
Clive and Zim decide to give it go without Zim ever even holding Wayne. This is just an unrealistic approach to being a single parent. Many of the plot holes can be resolved in an epilogue time jump giving the steps they took to becoming a couple and integrating Zim. Overall I liked the idea of the book It just needs a little TLC.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

In need of money, Zim takes a different path in getting some quick cash. After he donates his sperm, he doesn’t linger on the thought of what could happen in the future. But almost two years later, he gets an unexpected visit. Clive has just lost his sister in an accident and is now juggling the responsibilities of raising his nephew on his on. After some prodding from his friend, he decides to seek on the donor who gave his sister a child. Doesn’t hurt to check in if there is anything he needs to know medically right? And if the information is there and tells him who donated, even more so. What he never expects is the connection he feels to Wayne’s biological father. Or the chemistry that sparks between them. Zim might be taken off guard when he learns who Clive is, but he too feels their connection. But with odd circumstances such as theirs, is it possible to truly start something? Their story was short and sweet. And I definitely wouldn’t have minded reading something longer. There is definitely so much more to learn about these two and yet we just see the beginning of their story. If you are looking for a sweet, short read, then this is the story for you!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tashyka · Rating 3 out of 5]

After architect Clive Mulcahy's sister passes away, he becomes the legal guardian of his young nephew Wayne (not on page). In his role as a new father, he is committed to doing everything in his power, including gathering all the necessary information on his sister's donor. In order to raise funds for the establishment of his tattoo parlor, Doug "Zim" Zimmer offered his samples to a surrogacy program. His life's work was art. Being alone and thinking about tattoos was something he had accepted. There is an immediate rapport between the two men upon meeting. It develops after only a handful of meetings. The males in the relationship are both nervous about moving forward. After devoting a significant amount of time to elaborating on topics such as surrogacy, infant toys, and tattoo parlor ins and outs, the author abruptly concluded the book. Instead of Zim ever touching Wayne, Clive and Zim decide to drop the idea. As a single parent, this is just not practical. An epilogue time jump detailing their relationship development and Zim's integration provides the answers to many of the plot problems. I thought the book was a good idea in general. I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review

[Mary Forster · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great book. I really enjoyed reading it and loved how the author was able to grab your attention and keep you hooked into the story.

Clive is now a dad as his sister tragically passed away so he will do what he must to make sure his nephew has the best life and raise him the way he sister would have wanted. When he is gets curious as to who is the father to Wayne, he decides to research and see what he finds out. He meets Zim and doesn't expect to like what he sees. He instantly can tell that Zim is Wayne's donor. He can't help but find the man attractive and really wants to be with him but he has to think of Wayne. Zim never expected to see a baby from when he donated but he was happy and sad when he got to see. He listened to Clive tell him about his sister and what all happened and now Zim wants to make sure that Clive gets what he needs and wants.

The main MC's do build up to the connection and once it's their they move quickly but when you know, you know :) I do like how they both come together.

#I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose to read this book from the premise - great idea to have the sperm donor, Zim, be approached by the adopted father (uncle), Clive, of a baby, Wayne. And this was a cute and enjoyable story. Clive was so sweet with how he stepped up and cared for Wayne. Zim was caring and lovely with how he was interested in learning about Wayne and also felt a connection to Clive. I really enjoyed how they decided to give their relationship a go without much drama or angst. They liked each other, had chemistry, and so it was great to see them jump in and try even knowing the situation with Wayne would make it a little more complicated.

The missing pieces from me were really being able to see Zim fall in love with Clive AND Wayne. Yes he thought Wayne was adorable and looked like him, but I was really hoping to see Zim grow to love him as well. It was a little shallow there. And the ending was abrupt - what about an epilogue with them as a family after some time had passed? We really didn't even get to see them as a family at all.

3/5 stars

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the story to be a bit slow. Zim and Clive are the two main characters in the book. I felt there were not a lot of emotions throughout the book. Clive lost his sister and became Wayne's guardian. There just weren't a lot of feelings of grief. It was nice to see he didn't hesitate to take on Wayne. Now he wants to know about Wayne’s bio dad.

Zim had no clue that the donation he made for money ended with Wayne being born. Upon Clive contacting Zim, I did feel a strong shock, and ahh, when he was told about Wayne. Things from there seemed like a transaction at first, from going over Zim’s medical contracts to meeting Wayne. I'm unsure if it should be called a hook-up, but Zim got cold feet afterward. Clive steps up to the plate and makes contact by making an appointment for a tattoo by Zim. After completing the tattoo, he asked Zim a question, and the story ended. I can't say it was a HEA or a cliffhanger.

I received this book as an ARC from Gay Romance Review and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Monica.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not going to lie but the first thing that caught my attention with this book was the adorable baby on the cover. That being said, I stayed for the super sweet story about two men who appear to be complete opposites but in reality are both squishy marshmallows who can’t help falling in love with the cute baby and each other. This was a quick read (only 130 pages!) that is a perfect pick me up after reading one of those stories that crushes your soul. MZ Arthur did a wonderful job writing about Clive and Zim and how they managed to fumble their way into a relationship even though common sense says this would be a terrible idea. This is a very quick read, as I said earlier it is only 130 pages, and I do wish it was longer. I love the characters and the story could have easily been longer by spending more time exploring the new dynamics that are in play now that baby Wayne is living with his Uncle Clive unexpectedly. The story also ends rather abruptly and I would have loved a little more time with this new little family to bask in their happy ever after.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

​Zim needed money and he wanted to do something positive so he decided to donate. From where he sits it's a win win. Someone gets to go for the child that they want and he is happy to help. He needs the money to help satisfy a debt and to keep building his business. He does not expect to meet any child that comes from his donation. When Clive's sister dies on her way to pick up her child and he is named his nephew Wayne's guardian his bestie encourages him to look into the donor to make sure he knows something about his nephew's medical and genetic family history on his father/donor's side. So he researches and approaches Zim for intel on Wayne's paternal genetics. Neither man expects to find an attraction to one another. It was realistic that there are bumps in the road for this couple, the circumstances are unusual at best and there are things each of them must work through on their way to see if they can try to be a couple and to collaborate in raising Wayne.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[DJ McCready · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time to read this author's work and I feel he has potential.

The story is about two men who are complete opposites. It starts on an odd premise - Zim a tattoo artist has donated sperm to a sperm bank in order to pay off a loan. Clive, an architect, is the uncle of Wayne, who because his mother was killed in a car crash when he was very tiny is now the single parent.

Clive decides to find out what he can about the baby's sperm donor and cases out the tattoo shop and is spotted by Zim who happens to be attracted to Ginger men. The two men connect and despite some hesitation on the part of each man, end up sleeping together and by the end of the book agreeing to see where the relationship goes.

The characters are developed sufficiently that the reader sees the opposites but also the attraction. It is disappointing that the ending did not have an epilogue.

The rating from my perspective is closer to 4 than a 3 which is why I gave it the 4.

[Themiss Pink · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book because it represent a fresh idea that isn’t as repetative as most of the romance books that have similar plots and themes. I believe there os a pattern like when something get popular, the other authors start to creat similar plots & chatecters or themes of the popular books, so we end up with similar books that’s differ only in charecters names and story process.

But this book didn’t give me what I was looking for in terms of zem relationship with his son. I wanted to read about Zem taking care of his son. I wanted the love of Zem & Clive to flourish while he was teaching Zem how to change Wayne diapers or how to feed him. But the story was more focused on these two relationship and the baby was just a way for these two to meet. moreover there were many plot holes and the author should at least extended the book few pages to explain more.

I give this book 2.8 stars. I was given an ARC copy from GRR in exchange of honest review.

[Tanya Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute premise but I wish it had been longer.
Zim, having made the mistake of borrowing money from a loan shark, was desperate for money so he sold some plasma and made a donation to a sperm bank to raise the money to pay off the loan then went on with his life. Two years later he is confronted with the results of that donation. Maeve, the recipient of Zim's donation, has died in a car accident leaving seven-month-old Wayne behind. Wayne's uncle Clive has embraced fatherhood. but his paranoid friend Brie is convinced Wayn's bio-dad will crawl out of the woodwork and try to gain custody. I mean, he doesn't even know if the donation was used.
Clive makes an attempt to check Zim out, but he's a lousy spy. Zim's friend and co-business owner quickly catches him. They meet and hit it off maybe too fast. They get physical before they built trust and that never goes well.

[Julie Underhill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raising Wayne by M. Z. Arthur is part of the Oh, Baby series by various authors. It is the story of two men who meet in an unexpected way and find an attraction to each other that leads to more. Doug Zimmer who goes by the name Zim is one of the most sought after tattoo artists in the state. He and his friend and fellow artist, Christina, were starting a new business that wasn’t making enough profit yet when he borrowed money for a disreputable party. He was trying to pay it back as fast as he could by giving plasma and selling his prized collectibles. He needed one final payment and decided to get the money by making a sperm donation. He then went on his way and didn’t think much about it again as his business started to grow and prosper. Two years later Clive Mulcahy was working as a junior architect at a major company in town. His sister, Maeve, was in an accident and died, leaving him with his 7 month old nephew, Wayne. Maeve had used a sperm donor and you know where this is going! When his best friend, Brie, suggested he might want to know more about the donor father, he looked into who he was because he wanted to know health records or anything else that could affect Wayne. That is when he discovered Zim and was checking him out, looking for courage to approach him when Christina pointed him out and Zim approached him first. Zim was shocked when he found out why Clive was looking for him but readily gave him the information he wanted. Clive also started to feel an attraction to Zim but didn’t act on it because of Wayne. When Zim asked to meet Wayne, Clive was unsure but Zim assured him he wasn’t looking to take the baby from him. They did meet and Zim showed Clive his family scrapbooks which was nice because Clive didn’t have any close relatives left. Then Clive brings Wayne to the tattoo shop and Christina sends them out to get dinner which they do at a food truck lot in the park. They talk and then kiss which led them to go back to Clive’s apartment where they had a hot love scene as they recognized their immediate chemistry and had to act on it. Clive talks to Wayne when he is soothing him and Zim overhears him which leads Clive to tell him that he'd like to see where this would go. But Zim gets into his head and wonders if a relationship would be the best thing and ghosts Clive’s attempts to get together. Zim realized that was a dumb thing to do and Christina suggests he make a grand gesture to get him back. While he is thinking about this Clive shows up at his shop and he makes the grand gesture! Zim apologizes for ghosting him because he was scared but he now knows he likes Clive and wants to see where their relationship will go and he knows it will include Wayne. I enjoyed this story. It told about what Zim had to go through to make his shop successful and how he was shocked when he found out he was Wayne’s donor father. Clive was doing all he could to be there for Wayne and knew he had to find his donor. I think both men were not expecting to feel the attraction they did for each other and moved slowly but finally gave in to their feelings. Christina and Brie were good friends and helped them all they could, especially when they did some dumb things. I do think the story ended somewhat abruptly and I would love to have read an epilogue that told what happened to them as a family and if everything worked out. I recommend this book if you like stories involving looking for a sperm donor for their child and then falling for each other to finally get a happy ending for everyone.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected turns, lead to happiness you never know you wanted. Clive takes custody of Wayne, his sister's baby. She died and left him guardian. He wants to get to know the donor father, Zim. Zim, didn't know one of his donations at the sperm donor clinic, bore fruit. When they meet, they are both surprised how well they like each other. They embark on an unexpected adventure getting to know each other and Wayne getting to know his Dad. This raises all sorts of feelings and questions. The author does an amazing job getting us to like Clive and Zim rooting for both of them. A bit of adventure, a bit of fun and a bit of mystery. Absolutely enjoyable. Good story. Nice cover art! Nicely done. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Manon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the blurb, the idea of a man suddenly confronted with his sperm donation's result.

But I just couldn't really connect with the book, while Zim and Clive seemed to have chemistry and Zim was drawn to Wayne, I just couldn't see him as the hands-on dad Wayne deserved here. I also couldn't seem to really see how Clive and Zim made it work.

But the book unfortunately ends very abrupt, after quite a lot of description of nursery furniture, the running of a tattoo shop and two meddling and well meaning female friends, it just was the end with no realy indication how these two would have a future.

[Anise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author, and I was excited to read it. Doug 'Zim" Zimmer is a tattoo artist who in need of money and goes to a fertility clinic. Two years later, unbeknownst to "Zim" he is about to meet his son. Clive Mulchay loses his sister and gains custody of his nephew. Clive begins to search for his nephew's father, to find out what type of man he was and his history.

I enjoyed this book, but the character building could have been more detailed. The story was a good one, it just fell flat to me because I tried to connect with the characters within the story and could not.

I received an ARC for my honest review.

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a quick, low angst story, then Raising Wayne is perfect for that. The premise is interesting and not something I’ve read before, and the story is well written. The language felt fancy, not a lot of slang, and felt very proper. I enjoyed the characters throughout. The story is more of a beginning for the characters I guess, as it wasn’t an instalove, unrealistic love story. Not gona lie, when I read short stories I’m looking for that unrealistic love story, but I do appreciate the reality of Zim and Clive. Cute, quick read overall!

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Architect Clive suddenly has custody of nephew Wayne after the unexpected death of his sister. After some searching he finds Zim, the sperm donor father of Wayne.

I enjoyed a few things about this book. The building of their friendship as they get to know one another. The supportive friends both men have in their lives and a gorgeous happy baby. I'm a bit disappointed that Zim doesn't have many interactions with Wayne as the relationship progressed.

Sweet and fun although ended quiet abruptly. Would have liked a bit more.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up

This was just an okay short story. Zim and Clive meet so Clive can know who his nephew's biological father is, and despite the odds, they develop a bond. I found Clive's change from cautious uncle to curious lover much too sudden and fast, and I didn't believe it. The way they danced around each other before the sudden change to sleeping together also didn't impress me because it seemed out of character for who the writer was trying to show them to be. I only rounded up the rating because I like Zim.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a sweet romance that I would love to read an expanded version one day with a HEA. This feels like the nibble at the slice of the cake when there is still a whole cake left.
I just want to hug and cuddle with Zim and Clive as they come across as such honest, genuine good guys, who don't want to take things for granted or risk messing up. Then we have Wayne and the revelations from Clive in the middle of the night.
I received a copy from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Amanda Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raising Wayne is the first book in a new series and the first book by this author I have read. If I had to say anything bad about this book is that while I came in knowing it was short, it was just more of an abrupt ending. I loved reading about Zim and Clive, but while this book was about raising a baby there wasn't much interaction with the baby. I really enjoyed the book and just wish it was a little longer and more substantial. I think that it's worth the read and will look more from this writer.

[Deb Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but have dropped a star as I really felt it would have been better if a bit longer with a bit more character development. However that said this is a new author for me and I found this storyline was well paced and quite emotional yet rewarding too! I felt thar it was very well written and the author really conveys the emotional moments perfectly. Overall definitely worth reading and I will be looking forward to more from this author.
I received a free arc copy from GRR and this is my honest review.

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of a donor meeting one of his 'children' and falling for the parent (in this case uncle) sounded really intriguing, but Raising Wayne fell a bit flat for me.

Clive and Zim's relationship was too underdeveloped, and Zim really didn't seem to have any connection with Wayne, and their story just ends so abruptly. I definitely would have liked to see them as a more cohesive family unit, and for Zim to have taken on a bigger part in rearing Wayne.

[Elaine Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zim, needing money, decides to donate sperm without thinking about the future consequences. Nearly two years later, Clive, who has recently lost his sister and is now raising his nephew alone, seeks out the sperm donor for medical information and unexpectedly forms a strong connection with Zim, the biological father of his nephew. Despite their unusual circumstances, they both feel a deep chemistry. The book is sweet, short, romantic and I enjoyed it.

[Joanne Mccorkell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting and quick story. While there was insta attraction, the story centres around the 2 main characters in a very short period. The main story had Wayne as a background character. Yes hes often refered to by Clive and/or Zim, and he was in a coupla scenes. For the most part we see and hear how a relationship between the men might affect him or how his connection with either man might cause issues.
I felt like the story was told AT me, and that was my only critism of it.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zim, who needs funding for his tattoo parlor, decided that the quick infusion of cash he needed could be traded for a donation. Clive is curious about who his nephew's father is and tracks down Zim. There's an immediate attraction between the two men and in kind of an insta-love situation, decide to be together and raise the baby. While the blurb pulled me in, there wasn't enough character development and world building for me to get immersed in the story. And before I knew it, it ended.

[DLB2572 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say that I did enjoy the premise and the majority of this story. Unfortunately, it felt a bit underdeveloped and unfinished when it ended. I would love to read a longer version of this that has more relationship development for Zim and Clive as well as more "family" interaction with them and Wayne all together.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion