What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bad Idea
A snarky, slow-burn MM novella about bad decisions, unexpected feelings, and two idiots trying (and failing) to keep it casual.
Elijah Cruz doesn’t do feelings. After too many letdowns, he’s happy keeping things light—flirting, fun, and no expectations. So when his old frenemy Aubrey Martin shows up in his life again, single and looking for a distraction, Eli figures it’s the perfect arrangement.
They don’t even like each other. Not really.
Aubrey is too cocky, too chaotic, too good at getting under his skin. And yet, somehow, they keep gravitating back to each other—through movie nights, teasing arguments, and stolen moments that start to feel a little too real.
Eli’s convinced this is a bad idea.
The real question is… how bad could it be?
Perfect for readers who love:
✔ Frenemies-to-lovers banter
✔ Mutual pining in disguise
✔ A little angst, a lot of flirting
✔ That moment when "casual" stops feeling casual
Elijah Cruz doesn’t do feelings. After too many letdowns, he’s happy keeping things light—flirting, fun, and no expectations. So when his old frenemy Aubrey Martin shows up in his life again, single and looking for a distraction, Eli figures it’s the perfect arrangement.
They don’t even like each other. Not really.
Aubrey is too cocky, too chaotic, too good at getting under his skin. And yet, somehow, they keep gravitating back to each other—through movie nights, teasing arguments, and stolen moments that start to feel a little too real.
Eli’s convinced this is a bad idea.
The real question is… how bad could it be?
Perfect for readers who love:
✔ Frenemies-to-lovers banter
✔ Mutual pining in disguise
✔ A little angst, a lot of flirting
✔ That moment when "casual" stops feeling casual
- GenresM M Romance
ebook
2 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
M. Anderson
10 books57 followersM. Anderson is an independent author and illustrator of emotional, character-driven queer romance. Known for blending heartfelt storytelling with a touch of humor and spice, her books explore themes of self-acceptance, second chances, and the quiet chaos of everyday life in Los Angeles.
Her collections follow interconnected friend groups, each book offering a new point of view and a standalone reading experience, while rewarding readers who love to follow character arcs across multiple stories. With a background in art and a love for nostalgic, slice-of-life narratives, M. Anderson’s work invites readers into soft, intimate worlds where love feels personal.
When she’s not writing or drawing, she can be found at her 9-5, digging around in her garden, and spending quiet days at home with her husband and their dog, Charlie.
Website: https://authormanderson.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author.m.an...
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/m20anderson
Email: authormanderson@gmail.com
Her collections follow interconnected friend groups, each book offering a new point of view and a standalone reading experience, while rewarding readers who love to follow character arcs across multiple stories. With a background in art and a love for nostalgic, slice-of-life narratives, M. Anderson’s work invites readers into soft, intimate worlds where love feels personal.
When she’s not writing or drawing, she can be found at her 9-5, digging around in her garden, and spending quiet days at home with her husband and their dog, Charlie.
Website: https://authormanderson.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author.m.an...
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/m20anderson
Email: authormanderson@gmail.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 3, 2025
Aubrey & Eli
Rating: 3.7⭐
- Frenemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Hurt/Comfort
- Movie Dates
- Barista/Car Mechanic
- Found Family
- Bilingual Bonding
- Chaos
These two have been apart of the same friend group for like ten years. From the start, these two were attracted to each other but start off on the wrong foot due to their crushes on two of the other friends in the group. Stepping on toes and all that.
Their crushes end up in a relationship together, throwing both of them into a funk. There was a big blowout between these two on Aubrey's 25th birthday, which creates even more tension in the group for the next two years. Eli, in his intoxicated state, decides that him and Aubrey are going to get over their crushes together. He forces his way into Aubrey's space so they can have weekly movie nights where they grumble together over their losses. This story is about these two finding friendship and comfort in each other, which baffles them both.
There are some really sweet moments in here, especially the dancing in the living room scenes. That twist at the end came out of left field, not sure how I feel about it really.
Content Warnings (may contain spoilers):
- Graphic sexual content between consenting adults
- Explicit language
- Mentions physical/mental/emotional abuse
- Toxic best friend
- Emotional manipulation
- Drug and alcohol use
- Betrayals and secrets
Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: No
Cheat: No
OM/OW Drama: Yes, both are getting over their previous crushes in the friend group.
Ages: 27 & 28
Rating: 3.7⭐
- Frenemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Hurt/Comfort
- Movie Dates
- Barista/Car Mechanic
- Found Family
- Bilingual Bonding
- Chaos
These two have been apart of the same friend group for like ten years. From the start, these two were attracted to each other but start off on the wrong foot due to their crushes on two of the other friends in the group. Stepping on toes and all that.
Their crushes end up in a relationship together, throwing both of them into a funk. There was a big blowout between these two on Aubrey's 25th birthday, which creates even more tension in the group for the next two years. Eli, in his intoxicated state, decides that him and Aubrey are going to get over their crushes together. He forces his way into Aubrey's space so they can have weekly movie nights where they grumble together over their losses. This story is about these two finding friendship and comfort in each other, which baffles them both.
There are some really sweet moments in here, especially the dancing in the living room scenes. That twist at the end came out of left field, not sure how I feel about it really.
Content Warnings (may contain spoilers):
- Graphic sexual content between consenting adults
- Explicit language
- Mentions physical/mental/emotional abuse
- Toxic best friend
- Emotional manipulation
- Drug and alcohol use
- Betrayals and secrets
Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: No
Cheat: No
OM/OW Drama: Yes, both are getting over their previous crushes in the friend group.
Ages: 27 & 28
Read
September 16, 2025"Son, do you know why romantic shit is even romantic in the first place? Because you're puttin' yourself on the line for someone. It's supposed to feel fuckin' dumb. It's supposed to feel stupid, and unnecessary, and over the top. You're showin' someone that they matter more to you than the risk of bein' made fun, of or gettin' rejected.
You're puttin' your heart on the line.
That's exactly what makes it romantic for them. So just fuckin' do it."
—————————-
“Your crazy is what my crazy always needed”
You're puttin' your heart on the line.
That's exactly what makes it romantic for them. So just fuckin' do it."
—————————-
“Your crazy is what my crazy always needed”
November 26, 2025
M. Anderson very kindly gave me an ARC of her upcoming holiday romance Snow for the Holidays (review to come!) featuring these two MC’s, so of course I had to read up on where they got started! I loved this. I really vibe with Em’s writing style, and her characters are lifelike, messy, and real. Highly recommend!
Join me on IG @unhingedreaderaunt for more MM reviews and reccs 💕
Join me on IG @unhingedreaderaunt for more MM reviews and reccs 💕
May 6, 2025
No you accidentally started this wattpad book in the middle of the workday and maybe have been reading it all day. Thought it was awesome, except for the “twist” at the very end but otherwise perf. Great pining! And great art!
November 12, 2025
What in the Wattpad was that…
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews