Cherry Picker

The Comebacks #0.5

by A.J. Truman

Bill

At the end of a long business conference, I’m eager to get home to my daughter. But a snowstorm strands me in Chicago for the night with my assistant Tate Cherry.



He’s very cute and very off-limits, no matter how much he’s flirting with me tonight. My willpower is put to the test though, when we’re forced to share a hotel room.

Even more so when he makes me an offer I’m unable to refuse.

Tate

After two years of working under Bill Crandell, and fantasizing about being under him in other ways, fate is shining down on me. Tonight will finally be the night we consummate the unnerving tension crackling between us.

It’s my last shot with Bill. I can’t screw it up and develop real feelings for my boss. Not tonight.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance

70 pages, ebook

Published May 9, 2025

About the author

Welcome! I’m a gay male author who writes MM romance filled with humor, heart, and hot guys. My characters fall into bed and fall in love, usually in that order. Think LOL meets DTF.

I live in central Indiana, surrounded by churches and Olive Gardens, with my husband, kids, and cats. When I’m not writing, I’m chasing around a toddler or sneaking off to a movie.

Make sure to sign up for my newsletter The Outsiders to get the latest updates on my books and to start reading free stories.

http://www.ajtruman.com/outsiders/

Reviews

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill has had a very long crush on his assistant. A cliche, he knows. But how can he not have feelings for Tate when he has spent the last two years getting to know him? But he won’t cross that line. Even when they are stranded in a blizzard overnight waiting for their flight back home and have to share a room. He’ll resist. But when Tate makes an unexpected move, well Bill’s willpower is only so good. Tate has wanted Bill for two years and tonight is the night he is taking his shot. Maybe Bill won’t return his feelings completely, and it will be one night only. But he’ll take it. Neither are prepared for the chemistry between them once they finally give in to the attraction or that fact that neither want to let the other go. This was a sweet story to open the series. Bill is the leader of the Comebacks, the hockey team he puts together with his friends. And we get a nice sweet story between him and Tate. I remember really liking book one, so I was glad to come back to this world as I wait for book two’s release!

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[jæ_cœb · Rating 4 out of 5]

AJ Truman delivers again with a sweet and VERY spicy novella!

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the past two years, Tate has been the primary assistant to Bill, the Chief Manager for the insurance company they both work for. They get caught in Chicago by a blizzard that's cancelled their plane home. Tate manages to book the last room- a suite- available at a nearby hotel in downtown. Once they get checked in to the suite, Bill is about to get ready for a late-night virtual meeting with the CEO and other executive suite when Tate makes a request that throws him. It seems the two of them have not-so subtlety crushed hard on each other and Tate wants Bill to fuck him. How are they going to look at each other the next morning?

Quick read for 70 pages. This was a bit rough in the beginning, and the ending was also chunky as well. But the sex was.. sexy. With the exception of the repeated "smart guy" which wasn't sexy. This story sets up the author's new series, where a group of gay men in their 40s to come together to restart the hockey team they played in during high school. I feel like this was written in a hurry, and should have been rewritten and polished better.

2.5 stars.

[KohoutReadsRomance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new AJ Truman series is coming, and this novella is the prequel! The series will focus on a group of older men looking to relive their glory days on an adult rec hockey team. In this prequel novella, we meet once of the team captains, Bill, who is in Chicago for a conference with his assistant, Tate. His super sexy assistant! Their flight is canceled and there's a mixup when booking their rooms. Now, they're stuck in a suite together for the night and Tate has plans to seduce his boss.

🔥: Steamy and spicy! We get graphic details in a long, medium-paced scene. With just a bit of kink! Who knew a work Zoom call could be so exciting?😂
😆: Plenty of comic relief in a short amount of time. I can tell this series is going to be a blast!
😭: No tears!

I'm so excited to get to know this team as the series unfolds. Tate and Bill were the perfect kickoff for it!

CW: discussion of cancer in a grandparent, discussion of abusive parent and neglect

[Michelle Strachan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill and Tate. We met Bill in The fireman and the flirt and this novella tells the story of how he found his HEA. This is a great start to a new series about high school hockey teammates playing hockey again. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer. After reading this novella, I’m even more excited to read the new series. I was bummed when the single dad’s series ended and became excited when AJ announced that he was doing a series featuring Derek and Mitch’s high school hockey teammates!

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spicy from pretty much the start to the end. Very steamy encounter between boss and employee.

Really enjoyed how they both start with just a one night of passion in mind but realise over the time they’ve worked together, they have grown more intimate feelings which Boss Bill takes control of and asks Tate his former employee to be on a date.

Try and read before The Comeback series is released as it sets up AJ’s new series nicely.
Can’t wait for Gross Misconduct (book 1) to be released on April 28th, the blurb has me hooked already!

[Adhana Tapia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute short prequel to The Combacks series. Personal Assistant Tate and his boss Bill have fantasized about each other for 2 years and on a wintry night stranded in Chicago, the two act on it. sweet AND spicy.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This, I discovered too late is linked to a series but, that aside, it was still a nice read. Short and hot. Business man Bill and his assistant Tate are stranded due to snow and only one room in the hotel, oh no, what will they do!! It's short but touching with an unexpected surprise.

[TA Inskeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

More sex than I generally like in my MM romances, but v well-written and -plotted.

[fictional affection · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this after reading the first in the series and it was great to see everyone at the beginning. Very sweet and spicy little story that makes you fall for Tate and Bill.

[Bruno Britos · Rating 4 out of 5]

good intro to new caracthers. cant wait

[Ania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nowelka. Bez szału bo trudno odnaleźć się w tak krótkiej historii osób, które znają się już 2 lata.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short novella has everything an AJ Truman book has.

Sexy heartfelt daring. Loved this.