What do you think?
Rate this book
Station Thirteen #1
Bite Before You Kiss
Theo hates his stepbrother, River, ever since the night their parents died and Theo decided it was River’s fault.
Five years later, they crash back into each other’s lives when Theo’s fire crew responds to River’s car accident. With River too shaken to be alone and Theo too stubborn to walk away, they’re trapped together in a shoebox apartment for the night.
River’s mouthy. Theo’s furious. And the tension between them? One wrong move from explosive.
Bite Before You Kiss is a 19k word spicy dark novella with HEA. Tropes/
🔥 Stepbrothers
🔥 Enemies to lovers
🔥 Forced proximity
🔥 Hurt/comfort
Please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.
Five years later, they crash back into each other’s lives when Theo’s fire crew responds to River’s car accident. With River too shaken to be alone and Theo too stubborn to walk away, they’re trapped together in a shoebox apartment for the night.
River’s mouthy. Theo’s furious. And the tension between them? One wrong move from explosive.
Bite Before You Kiss is a 19k word spicy dark novella with HEA. Tropes/
🔥 Stepbrothers
🔥 Enemies to lovers
🔥 Forced proximity
🔥 Hurt/comfort
Please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.
79 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
August 19, 2026
⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️
A hate sex between stepbrothers novella. Hot, dirty, a little emotionally heavy (a touch more than I was expecting for such a short read).
It could’ve used a bit less fighting and a little more loving, but still a sexy time.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Stepbrothers
- Hate to love
- Homophobic slur
- Past parental death & grief
- Car accident (minor injury)
- Violence (between MCs)
- Hate sex
- Top/bottom
- Degradation kink
- Light restraints
- Self harm (wall punching)
- Frotting
“I said shut up!” Theo surges to his feet, towering over me. I stand too, getting right in his face, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his skin.
“Make me.”
A hate sex between stepbrothers novella. Hot, dirty, a little emotionally heavy (a touch more than I was expecting for such a short read).
“You’re playing with fire,” I warn. River’s smile is razor-sharp. “Maybe I want to get burned.”
It could’ve used a bit less fighting and a little more loving, but still a sexy time.
In the wreckage of his apartment, amid the debris of our shared past, we stand together—not quite whole, still damaged, but finally, finally facing the same direction.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Stepbrothers
- Hate to love
- Homophobic slur
- Past parental death & grief
- Car accident (minor injury)
- Violence (between MCs)
- Hate sex
- Top/bottom
- Degradation kink
- Light restraints
- Self harm (wall punching)
- Frotting
March 22, 2026
4**** stars
♡ Theo & River
Deliciously heartbreaking, deliciously sweet and deliciously hot. All wrapped up in this intense short story.
************
Station Thirteen
Book 1 - Bite Before You Kiss - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - Not Safe For Command - 4.25 stars
Book 3 - Just Like Friends - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Only for the Camera - 4.5 stars
♡ Theo & River
Deliciously heartbreaking, deliciously sweet and deliciously hot. All wrapped up in this intense short story.
“Excuse me?”
“I said bullshit.” I lean forward, getting in his face. “You’re not a decent person, Theo. Not to me. Never to me. So what’s this about? Guilt? Pity? Some fucked-up savior complex?”
************
Station Thirteen
Book 1 - Bite Before You Kiss - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - Not Safe For Command - 4.25 stars
Book 3 - Just Like Friends - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Only for the Camera - 4.5 stars
August 4, 2026
Overall, this was an okay read. It was hot, but ultimately a bit forgettable.
My biggest issue was that it introduced some really heavy topics without giving them the space they deserved. Everything happened so quickly that I never felt like I truly got to know either MC. Even in a novella, a few extra sentences here and there can make such a difference in helping readers connect with the characters.
Because of that, some of the emotional beats didn't land for me. The degradation during the intimate scenes also felt like it came out of nowhere. Since I barely knew the characters or their dynamic, it didn't feel like a natural extension of their relationship.
It wasn't bad by any means, but I was left wanting more depth and emotional development.
My biggest issue was that it introduced some really heavy topics without giving them the space they deserved. Everything happened so quickly that I never felt like I truly got to know either MC. Even in a novella, a few extra sentences here and there can make such a difference in helping readers connect with the characters.
Because of that, some of the emotional beats didn't land for me. The degradation during the intimate scenes also felt like it came out of nowhere. Since I barely knew the characters or their dynamic, it didn't feel like a natural extension of their relationship.
It wasn't bad by any means, but I was left wanting more depth and emotional development.
October 6, 2025
Theo + River 🖤
Stepbrothers | Hate sex | Healing
Ms Jenny,
This would be so so good as a full-length book. Just sayin 😏
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content, and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Stepbrothers
Firefighter
Fighting as foreplay
Hate sex
Degradation
Healing sex
Apology sex
Bareback
Frotting
Strict roles
Healthy, vulnerable conversation the morning after beating the hell out of each other 😂
Long time love disguised as hate (from both sides)
Hurt/comfort
Tell me what you want
HFN
Warnings:
Car accident involving an MC (minor injuries)
Past car accident where parents died
Concussion
Violence between MCs (while one has a concussion)
Grief
Stepbrothers | Hate sex | Healing
Ms Jenny,
This would be so so good as a full-length book. Just sayin 😏
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content, and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Stepbrothers
Firefighter
Fighting as foreplay
Hate sex
Degradation
Healing sex
Apology sex
Bareback
Frotting
Strict roles
Healthy, vulnerable conversation the morning after beating the hell out of each other 😂
Long time love disguised as hate (from both sides)
Hurt/comfort
Tell me what you want
HFN
Warnings:
Car accident involving an MC (minor injuries)
Past car accident where parents died
Concussion
Violence between MCs (while one has a concussion)
Grief
April 13, 2026
Tropes: second chance, step brothers, hurt/comfort
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 2/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: homophobia, past death of parents in car accident, guilt, grief, car accident
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: they both had crushes on each other back when they were teenagers. But nothing ever happened between them until the present, they've both been with others.
3.75 stars
Theo and River are 23 and 22 respectively. 5 years ago, their parents got in a car crash and died. They were on their way to pick up River, who was on a date with a guy who was being an a******. They haven't seen each other since the funeral, they have had animosity between them. They meet in the present when River gets in a car accident and refuses medical treatment, but has a concussion. Theo is a firefighter who attends the scene of the accident, and he takes him home afterwards to monitor him for concussion. They end up clashing and hooking up. And they both want more.
This was a novella, so there wasn't a lot of meat to the story. But it was pretty decently done for a novella. The author built up history between them and you see them 6 months in the future still together. Happy. It's a little awkward then hooking up so roughly while River was injured, but it was fraught with tension and steamy.
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 2/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: homophobia, past death of parents in car accident, guilt, grief, car accident
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: they both had crushes on each other back when they were teenagers. But nothing ever happened between them until the present, they've both been with others.
3.75 stars
Theo and River are 23 and 22 respectively. 5 years ago, their parents got in a car crash and died. They were on their way to pick up River, who was on a date with a guy who was being an a******. They haven't seen each other since the funeral, they have had animosity between them. They meet in the present when River gets in a car accident and refuses medical treatment, but has a concussion. Theo is a firefighter who attends the scene of the accident, and he takes him home afterwards to monitor him for concussion. They end up clashing and hooking up. And they both want more.
This was a novella, so there wasn't a lot of meat to the story. But it was pretty decently done for a novella. The author built up history between them and you see them 6 months in the future still together. Happy. It's a little awkward then hooking up so roughly while River was injured, but it was fraught with tension and steamy.
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2026
3.5⭐️
🚒 Short story (79 pages)
🚒 Step brothers
🚒 Hate sex
🚒 Enemies to lovers
🚒 Hurt/comfort
🚒 Degradation
Station 13
Book 1
Theo & River
Quick read, which escalated quickly.
HEA 💙
🚒 Short story (79 pages)
🚒 Step brothers
🚒 Hate sex
🚒 Enemies to lovers
🚒 Hurt/comfort
🚒 Degradation
Station 13
Book 1
Theo & River
Quick read, which escalated quickly.
HEA 💙
January 10, 2026
Step bros with angsty past reconnected after years apart.
August 8, 2026
3.5/5⭐️
Cortito pero bien armando.
El argumento daba para una novela mas larga tipo new adult.
Cumplió.
Cortito pero bien armando.
El argumento daba para una novela mas larga tipo new adult.
Cumplió.
August 10, 2026
i liked this.
it was definitely very heavy, the MC's (once stepbrothers) deal with dark and heavy emotions throughout.
their coming together is aggressive, but passionate, with unfulfilled need and desire that was there the whole time.
they hadn't spoken in 5 years - since the one fateful day that ruined their lives. both of them still grieving, blaming themselves and each other. another car accident brings them together again.
River Quinn - 22-years old, hair an "unnatural shade of black that makes his skin look porcelain", extremely thin, like he's not eating.
Theo Wells - 23-years old, firefighter (didn't save any info about him, oops).
There's a satisfying ending, a HEA.
Trigger Warnings (given by author):
⇴ references to past parental death and grief (plays a HUGE part in this story).
⇴ A few homophobic slurs (f-word, the gay one)
⇴Consensual degradation and light bondage
Jenny Pineapple Ranking:
(specifically Station Thirteen series rn)
1. Not Safe for Command
2. Just Like Friends
3. Only for the Camera
4. Bite Before You Kiss
(still need to update this more, it's choppy. but wanted to get some thoughts out there.)
it was definitely very heavy, the MC's (once stepbrothers) deal with dark and heavy emotions throughout.
their coming together is aggressive, but passionate, with unfulfilled need and desire that was there the whole time.
“For five years, I’ve lived feeling nothing, wanting nothing, drifting through each day in a numb fog. Yet ten minutes with Theo, and I’m angry, embarrassed, defensive—alive with emotions I don’t want..” - p21
they hadn't spoken in 5 years - since the one fateful day that ruined their lives. both of them still grieving, blaming themselves and each other. another car accident brings them together again.
River Quinn - 22-years old, hair an "unnatural shade of black that makes his skin look porcelain", extremely thin, like he's not eating.
Theo Wells - 23-years old, firefighter (didn't save any info about him, oops).
"The River I knew five years ago was all sharp edges and defiance, a constant challenge wrapped in a loud mouth and a smirk. This River seems diminished, his fire banked to embers." - p.13
There's a satisfying ending, a HEA.
🤍“I’m never leaving you again,” I promise, the words rough with emotion. “Whatever this is between us, whatever we’re doing—I’m not leaving.” - p65 🤍
Trigger Warnings (given by author):
⇴ references to past parental death and grief (plays a HUGE part in this story).
⇴ A few homophobic slurs (f-word, the gay one)
⇴Consensual degradation and light bondage
Jenny Pineapple Ranking:
(specifically Station Thirteen series rn)
1. Not Safe for Command
2. Just Like Friends
3. Only for the Camera
4. Bite Before You Kiss
(still need to update this more, it's choppy. but wanted to get some thoughts out there.)
June 16, 2026
Exactly what I was looking for. Gotta love the step brothers trope. I loved the whole I hate you, I want you between them. Perfect smutty read.
"I never hated you, even when I thought I did."
"I love you too, even when I hated you for it."
"I never hated you, even when I thought I did."
"I love you too, even when I hated you for it."
January 14, 2026
I actually really enjoyed this book. Fast paced, kinda unhinged but sad as well.
Fun MM smutty romance.
Fun MM smutty romance.
June 8, 2026
3.3 stars
Not totally sure why this one didn't hit as hard as JP usually does for me but I wasn't super into it. I don't think I liked what they were saying during their fight about how they blamed each other. And I especially didn't like the violence between them when one had a concussion and the other was literally a first responder. Idk, just didn't work for me. Still love Jenny and her writing though and may consider reading the next in this series sometime.
PSA: Authors need to stop using the term "clean" when talking about health status. I expect better from JP.
*
*
*
*
*
Safety (may contain spoilers)
SA/rape: None. River does say that the reason he needed to call his and Theo's parents the night they died was because his date had been getting handsy but there were no details.
Other person drama: None. Both apparently had crushes on each other in high school but nothing happened then. In the five years since they've both been with other people (no details).
Not totally sure why this one didn't hit as hard as JP usually does for me but I wasn't super into it. I don't think I liked what they were saying during their fight about how they blamed each other. And I especially didn't like the violence between them when one had a concussion and the other was literally a first responder. Idk, just didn't work for me. Still love Jenny and her writing though and may consider reading the next in this series sometime.
PSA: Authors need to stop using the term "clean" when talking about health status. I expect better from JP.
Theo’s presence scrapes against something raw inside me, provoking reactions I’ve worked hard to suppress. For five years, I’ve lived feeling nothing, wanting nothing, drifting through each day in a numb fog. Yet ten minutes with Theo, and I’m angry, embarrassed, defensive—alive with emotions I don’t want.
“I hate you,” I tell him, the words torn from somewhere deep and primal. “Show me,” he challenges.
“Do you want me to fuck you?” The words come out rough, direct. “Do you want your stepbrother’s cock inside you, River?” A full-body shudder runs through him. For a second, I think I’ve gone too far—crossed some line that even in this madness shouldn’t be crossed. Then his eyes meet mine, burning with challenge and need. “Yes,” he says simply.
I’ve had sex before. Plenty of times. But nothing like that. Nothing that stripped me bare, that peeled back every layer of pretense until there was nothing left but raw need and brutal honesty. Nothing that left me feeling both emptied and filled, destroyed and rebuilt.
*
*
*
*
*
Safety (may contain spoilers)
SA/rape: None. River does say that the reason he needed to call his and Theo's parents the night they died was because his date had been getting handsy but there were no details.
Other person drama: None. Both apparently had crushes on each other in high school but nothing happened then. In the five years since they've both been with other people (no details).
February 10, 2026
☆☆☆☆.5
How the fuck does this author make my heart HURT, make my heart SWOON, and then leave my heart HAPPY in under 90 pages. Like, what the fuck?
Emotional as fuck. Theo is a firefighter and when he pulls up to a bad accident, one of the drivers is none other than his stepbrother, River, an unwelcome blast from 5 years past. It's tense and sad and stressful. And hours later when something tells him to drive by the intersection and he spots River still there, he can't help but stop.
Their reunion is rough. Its raw and violent. It's heartbreaking and absolutely hot as fuck. It's brutally honest. It's unleashing years of hurt, anger, grief, guilt, and blame. It's unleashing hidden emotions and desires. That entire scene had me like 🫣😬😭🥺😳😵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
Wowee, y'all.
I love this author. The PERFECT quick as fuck palate cleanser. I'm an addict and proud of it.
꧁𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁꧂
[pov]: 1st, dual
[spice level]: 🌶🌶🌶
[roles]: strict top/bottom
[om/ow drama]: 🚫
[3rd act breakup]: 🚫
♡ short novella
♡ stepbrothers
♡ hate(ish) to lovers
♡ grief trauma
♡ trigger warnings
How the fuck does this author make my heart HURT, make my heart SWOON, and then leave my heart HAPPY in under 90 pages. Like, what the fuck?
Emotional as fuck. Theo is a firefighter and when he pulls up to a bad accident, one of the drivers is none other than his stepbrother, River, an unwelcome blast from 5 years past. It's tense and sad and stressful. And hours later when something tells him to drive by the intersection and he spots River still there, he can't help but stop.
Their reunion is rough. Its raw and violent. It's heartbreaking and absolutely hot as fuck. It's brutally honest. It's unleashing years of hurt, anger, grief, guilt, and blame. It's unleashing hidden emotions and desires. That entire scene had me like 🫣😬😭🥺😳😵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
Wowee, y'all.
I love this author. The PERFECT quick as fuck palate cleanser. I'm an addict and proud of it.
꧁𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁꧂
[pov]: 1st, dual
[spice level]: 🌶🌶🌶
[roles]: strict top/bottom
[om/ow drama]: 🚫
[3rd act breakup]: 🚫
♡ short novella
♡ stepbrothers
♡ hate(ish) to lovers
♡ grief trauma
♡ trigger warnings
June 12, 2026
A sexy, taboo MM stepbrother romance packed with forced proximity, angst, and all the feels. River and Theo’s story moves fast, but the emotional tension between them hits hard and keeps you invested from start to finish.
With great writing, plenty of swoon-worthy moments, and just the right amount of angst, this was the perfect palate cleanser that left me wanting more.
With great writing, plenty of swoon-worthy moments, and just the right amount of angst, this was the perfect palate cleanser that left me wanting more.
June 8, 2026
Stepbrothers, lots of guilt and misunderstandings, hate sex! Fighting as foreplay (reminded me of Garron park) it was milder here, but nicely done. Very nice novella, up to the next one in this series 🌸
June 20, 2026
I am absolutely here for how unhinged River was. Smiling with a bloody mouth and goading the stepbrother you want to fuck to admit he both hates and wants to fuck you back is my kinda carrying on.
August 30, 2025
⭐⭐/5
I don't think this was really my cup of tea🍵.
I don't think this was really my cup of tea🍵.
June 27, 2025
Bite Before You Kiss is a bite-sized (19 k word) shot of everything I love jam-packed into one night of forced proximity, unresolved grief, and toe-curling heat.
Quick take
Stepbrothers Theo (the stoic firefighter) and River (the prickly disaster) have avoided each other ever since the night their parents died while trying to rescue River from a bad date. When Theo’s crew pulls River from a wreck five years later, guilt drags him back to the one person he swore to hate. One storm-soaked night, one matchbox apartment, and years of bottled-up blame ignite into a volatile, deliciously filthy reconciliation.
What I devoured
Angst that hurts so good – Both men are drowning in survivor’s guilt. You feel every barb Theo throws and every flinch River can’t hide.
Forced-proximity tension – There is literally nowhere to escape—tiny apartment, broken elevator, and a universe of unsaid words.
Hurt/comfort done right – River’s trembling vulnerability vs. Theo’s rough tenderness had me clutching my e-reader.
Blistering spice – At 19k words there’s no time to waste, and Jenny Pineapple does not waste it. 🔥
Healing payoff – The HEA lands; the apology scene is cathartic without feeling rushed.
Minor nibble
I would happily inhale another 50 k words exploring their separate five-year fallout. (Jenny, please give us the director’s cut!)
Triggers / content warnings
Parental death (off-page), grief, survivor’s guilt, car accidents, explicit sexual content between consenting adult stepbrothers.
Spoiler zone
[spoiler]
River’s wreck mirrors the crash that killed their parents—poetic symmetry that forces Theo to relive the worst night of his life and finally own his part in the silence that followed.
Theo’s revelation—realizing he answered River’s panicked call then hung up—hit me like a punch. Watching him beg forgiveness while tending River’s stitched-up brow was perfection.
That final scene: Theo dragging River’s mattress into the living room so they can “start over together” left a lump in my throat and warmth everywhere else.
[/spoiler]
Final thoughts
If you crave a quick, dark-edged novella bursting with enemies-to-lovers snark, combustible chemistry, and a swoon-worthy reconciliation, Bite Before You Kiss will sink its teeth in and leave you grinning. I’d read it again at ten times the length—until then, I’ll be over here fanning myself and waiting for whatever Jenny Pineapple serves next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Quick take
Stepbrothers Theo (the stoic firefighter) and River (the prickly disaster) have avoided each other ever since the night their parents died while trying to rescue River from a bad date. When Theo’s crew pulls River from a wreck five years later, guilt drags him back to the one person he swore to hate. One storm-soaked night, one matchbox apartment, and years of bottled-up blame ignite into a volatile, deliciously filthy reconciliation.
What I devoured
Angst that hurts so good – Both men are drowning in survivor’s guilt. You feel every barb Theo throws and every flinch River can’t hide.
Forced-proximity tension – There is literally nowhere to escape—tiny apartment, broken elevator, and a universe of unsaid words.
Hurt/comfort done right – River’s trembling vulnerability vs. Theo’s rough tenderness had me clutching my e-reader.
Blistering spice – At 19k words there’s no time to waste, and Jenny Pineapple does not waste it. 🔥
Healing payoff – The HEA lands; the apology scene is cathartic without feeling rushed.
Minor nibble
I would happily inhale another 50 k words exploring their separate five-year fallout. (Jenny, please give us the director’s cut!)
Triggers / content warnings
Parental death (off-page), grief, survivor’s guilt, car accidents, explicit sexual content between consenting adult stepbrothers.
Spoiler zone
[spoiler]
River’s wreck mirrors the crash that killed their parents—poetic symmetry that forces Theo to relive the worst night of his life and finally own his part in the silence that followed.
Theo’s revelation—realizing he answered River’s panicked call then hung up—hit me like a punch. Watching him beg forgiveness while tending River’s stitched-up brow was perfection.
That final scene: Theo dragging River’s mattress into the living room so they can “start over together” left a lump in my throat and warmth everywhere else.
[/spoiler]
Final thoughts
If you crave a quick, dark-edged novella bursting with enemies-to-lovers snark, combustible chemistry, and a swoon-worthy reconciliation, Bite Before You Kiss will sink its teeth in and leave you grinning. I’d read it again at ten times the length—until then, I’ll be over here fanning myself and waiting for whatever Jenny Pineapple serves next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 5, 2025
'But I care. That’s the problem. Theo’s presence scrapes against something raw inside me, provoking reactions I’ve worked hard to suppress. For five years, I’ve lived feeling nothing, wanting nothing, drifting through each day in a numb fog. Yet ten minutes with Theo, and I’m angry, embarrassed, defensive— alive with emotions I don’t want.'
I loved this book. It was much more deep and emotional than I expected going into it. A hurt/comfort romance with two men whose world fell apart when their parents died in a car accident. Theo is angry and blames River. River says he's fine and hides behind a wall to protect himself. But you can see the vulnerability there. The hurt inside and the emptiness. But there's anger two. And unresolved emotion between them that turns to rage, fighting, and then shifts into a different kind of physical.
“You love it,” River pants, his fingers digging into my flesh. “Tell me this isn’t the most alive you’ve felt in years.”
'He’s right, and I hate him for it. Hate how my body responds to his, hate the electric current that runs between us, hate that nothing— not grief, not rage, not avoidance— has dimmed this impossible chemistry.'
I both loved and was impressed at the way Jenny Pineapple wrote their emotional journey across the story- how feelings shifted and transitioned. It was more than just attraction, it was also coming to terms with the past, finally opening up, learning the whole story without misconceptions, and grieving what was lost. The found family of firefighters was also heartwarming. The story itself felt perfect as it is, and yet I want more of both River and Theo, as well as with the other guys. I hope we get their stories. I really got invested with everyone. This was a beautiful romance and I think one of this author's best! 5 stars.
I loved this book. It was much more deep and emotional than I expected going into it. A hurt/comfort romance with two men whose world fell apart when their parents died in a car accident. Theo is angry and blames River. River says he's fine and hides behind a wall to protect himself. But you can see the vulnerability there. The hurt inside and the emptiness. But there's anger two. And unresolved emotion between them that turns to rage, fighting, and then shifts into a different kind of physical.
“You love it,” River pants, his fingers digging into my flesh. “Tell me this isn’t the most alive you’ve felt in years.”
'He’s right, and I hate him for it. Hate how my body responds to his, hate the electric current that runs between us, hate that nothing— not grief, not rage, not avoidance— has dimmed this impossible chemistry.'
I both loved and was impressed at the way Jenny Pineapple wrote their emotional journey across the story- how feelings shifted and transitioned. It was more than just attraction, it was also coming to terms with the past, finally opening up, learning the whole story without misconceptions, and grieving what was lost. The found family of firefighters was also heartwarming. The story itself felt perfect as it is, and yet I want more of both River and Theo, as well as with the other guys. I hope we get their stories. I really got invested with everyone. This was a beautiful romance and I think one of this author's best! 5 stars.
August 19, 2025
Theo and River, stepbrothers, enemies. They haven't seen one another for 5 years, since the fatal night their parents were killed in a car accident. Both have been living with the aftermath, without parents, without one another though neither would admit to any regret over the latter.
Theo has spent five years forgetting River ever existed, never speaking about the accident and instead building a semblance of a life, as his unpersonalised apartment shows. He has however also been saving lives as an EMT and firefighter.
River. Well all we know about his five years is that they have led him to a cheap apartment in a cheap part of town. He has also been blaming himself for the accident and hating Theo for the role he believes his stepbrother played.
A call to a car accident brings Theo and River face to face for the first time in those five years and the rage Theo feels has not diminished, he might insist River is checked out by paramedics but that is professional, so he tells himself. Driving back past the scene after his shift, finding River looking lost at the bus stop in the rain, taking him home, caring for him before they both turn to a physical fight to rid themselves of the anger - surely it is natural.
What it really is, they soon see and we read between the lines, is a realisation of the truth they have been keeping buried, too scared about what it might mean.
This book has bite. Theo and River have suppressed their feelings, their animosity, for too long, it needs an outlet, after they give it what they need comes the realisation, the time for talking, for admitting truths they have been scared to say are real. After the bite comes the care, the soothing, the kisses.
Powerful, raw and honest.
Theo has spent five years forgetting River ever existed, never speaking about the accident and instead building a semblance of a life, as his unpersonalised apartment shows. He has however also been saving lives as an EMT and firefighter.
River. Well all we know about his five years is that they have led him to a cheap apartment in a cheap part of town. He has also been blaming himself for the accident and hating Theo for the role he believes his stepbrother played.
A call to a car accident brings Theo and River face to face for the first time in those five years and the rage Theo feels has not diminished, he might insist River is checked out by paramedics but that is professional, so he tells himself. Driving back past the scene after his shift, finding River looking lost at the bus stop in the rain, taking him home, caring for him before they both turn to a physical fight to rid themselves of the anger - surely it is natural.
What it really is, they soon see and we read between the lines, is a realisation of the truth they have been keeping buried, too scared about what it might mean.
This book has bite. Theo and River have suppressed their feelings, their animosity, for too long, it needs an outlet, after they give it what they need comes the realisation, the time for talking, for admitting truths they have been scared to say are real. After the bite comes the care, the soothing, the kisses.
Powerful, raw and honest.
March 13, 2026
Wow where to begin? Theo and River are or were step brothers. But something happened five years ago that changed everything and the guys have not seen each other since. Theo is a firefighter and was called out to a car crash and this is where he came face-to-face with River. And it was like ice cold water was thrown over him. River looks like hell. Not from the accident but he looked thin he looked a mess. Theo jumped in to his firefighter mode and was polite to river but very impersonal.
River was having a bad day The car crash the car being totally written off and now he missed the bus to get home, and to make matters worse, his phone was dead. And he was wet and cold so cold. the weather was horrendous. And that was when Theo drove past and offered him a lift he really wanted to say no but he was tired. His head was hurting from the concussion. He just wanted to go home. Well, it’s not a home it is an empty box in a rundown violent area. It was the last thing he wanted Theo to see but he was just so tired.
That’s all I’m giving you. I am telling you now this book is explosive. These two have got so pent-up anger about what happened but not the way you think. The passion it is raw oh my gosh, he who would of thanked the day they got into a car crash?? But it was the best thing that ever happened to River. These two are soulmates they’ve got so much to fight for when they finally work out they don’t have to fight each other. I really enjoyed this Read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
River was having a bad day The car crash the car being totally written off and now he missed the bus to get home, and to make matters worse, his phone was dead. And he was wet and cold so cold. the weather was horrendous. And that was when Theo drove past and offered him a lift he really wanted to say no but he was tired. His head was hurting from the concussion. He just wanted to go home. Well, it’s not a home it is an empty box in a rundown violent area. It was the last thing he wanted Theo to see but he was just so tired.
That’s all I’m giving you. I am telling you now this book is explosive. These two have got so pent-up anger about what happened but not the way you think. The passion it is raw oh my gosh, he who would of thanked the day they got into a car crash?? But it was the best thing that ever happened to River. These two are soulmates they’ve got so much to fight for when they finally work out they don’t have to fight each other. I really enjoyed this Read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 3, 2026
😈 Misunderstood Angry Step Brothers 👩🚒
"For five years, I've lived feeling nothing, wanting nothing, drifting through each day in a numb fog. Yet ten minutes with Theo, and I'm angry, embarrassed, defensive---alive with emotions I don't want."
"It's a hate boner. Don't mistake it for anything else."
"Keep telling yourself that."
This was such a fantastic short novella. This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be checking out her catalog. This had the best troupes. I love me a stepbrother enemies to lovers with hate sex and some hurt/comfort. For this story, being so short, it packed a punch.
This story follows River and Theo. Their parents got in a car accident and died. Theo blames River for this as they were on their way to pick him up from a failed date. Fast forward 5 years later and River is in a car accident. The fire department gets called out there and Theo runs into River as he's the firefighter on duty. Theo ends up going back to River's apartment as he has a concussion. From there, things get heated and spicy. They finally reveal what happened that night and their feelings for one another. These two were smoking hot together and the spice was 🔥🔥🔥🔥. So happy to see these broken boys happy and get their HEA!
"For five years, I've lived feeling nothing, wanting nothing, drifting through each day in a numb fog. Yet ten minutes with Theo, and I'm angry, embarrassed, defensive---alive with emotions I don't want."
"It's a hate boner. Don't mistake it for anything else."
"Keep telling yourself that."
This was such a fantastic short novella. This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be checking out her catalog. This had the best troupes. I love me a stepbrother enemies to lovers with hate sex and some hurt/comfort. For this story, being so short, it packed a punch.
This story follows River and Theo. Their parents got in a car accident and died. Theo blames River for this as they were on their way to pick him up from a failed date. Fast forward 5 years later and River is in a car accident. The fire department gets called out there and Theo runs into River as he's the firefighter on duty. Theo ends up going back to River's apartment as he has a concussion. From there, things get heated and spicy. They finally reveal what happened that night and their feelings for one another. These two were smoking hot together and the spice was 🔥🔥🔥🔥. So happy to see these broken boys happy and get their HEA!
August 5, 2026
3 estrellas
⚪ M/M Romance
⚪ Mental Health
⚪ Step brothers
Theo es bombero. Hace 5 años que sus padres murieron en un accidente de tráfico y que dejó de hablar con su hermanastro, River, porque le culpó por ello. En esta historia corta, Theo y River se rencuentran cuando River tiene un accidente y Theo y su equipo responden a la llamada teniendo que participar en la intervención. River está lo suficientemente afectado como para no poder quedarse solo y al parecer no tiene a nadie, por lo que Theo acaba quedándose con él en su apartamento y, además de cuidarle, acaban saliendo todos los temas que compartían y estaban enterrados en el pasado.
Para ser una historia corta, me ha gustado mucho y me ha dado curiosidad por leer el resto de libros de la serie para saber más de los romances que surgen en la Station Thirteen. Trata temas complejos que ojalá hubiesen tenido un poco más de desarrollo y el sexo se torna un poco violento en un momento dado pero ha sido un libro entretenido y lo recomiendo.
⚪ M/M Romance
⚪ Mental Health
⚪ Step brothers
Theo es bombero. Hace 5 años que sus padres murieron en un accidente de tráfico y que dejó de hablar con su hermanastro, River, porque le culpó por ello. En esta historia corta, Theo y River se rencuentran cuando River tiene un accidente y Theo y su equipo responden a la llamada teniendo que participar en la intervención. River está lo suficientemente afectado como para no poder quedarse solo y al parecer no tiene a nadie, por lo que Theo acaba quedándose con él en su apartamento y, además de cuidarle, acaban saliendo todos los temas que compartían y estaban enterrados en el pasado.
Para ser una historia corta, me ha gustado mucho y me ha dado curiosidad por leer el resto de libros de la serie para saber más de los romances que surgen en la Station Thirteen. Trata temas complejos que ojalá hubiesen tenido un poco más de desarrollo y el sexo se torna un poco violento en un momento dado pero ha sido un libro entretenido y lo recomiendo.
August 6, 2025
So this is on the higher end of three stars for me because I actually enjoyed it. I just needed it to be longer. This would be sooo good as a full length novel.
Theo and River were stepbrothers who lost their parents five years earlier. They left each other on bad terms blaming each other and even themselves for what happened. They meet again when River gets into a wreck and firefighter Theo helps him out. This book was all in one night save for the epilogue. I wouldn’t exactly call it dark like the title says though. It was an enjoyable read for being so short and I liked that the epilogue showed them in the future living together and loving each other and not another sex scene like most authors do. Definitely reading the next one.
NO CHEATING, OP DRAMA OR THIRD ACT. TALK OF LOSING LOVED ONES, HEA
Theo and River were stepbrothers who lost their parents five years earlier. They left each other on bad terms blaming each other and even themselves for what happened. They meet again when River gets into a wreck and firefighter Theo helps him out. This book was all in one night save for the epilogue. I wouldn’t exactly call it dark like the title says though. It was an enjoyable read for being so short and I liked that the epilogue showed them in the future living together and loving each other and not another sex scene like most authors do. Definitely reading the next one.
NO CHEATING, OP DRAMA OR THIRD ACT. TALK OF LOSING LOVED ONES, HEA
December 30, 2025
This is a stepbrothers to more romance novella, featuring Theo Wells and River Quinn, and is book one in the Station Thirteen series.
Theo has hated his stepbrother River ever since the night their parents died, blaming him for the tragedy. Five years later, forced together after River’s car accident, anger and unresolved tension threaten to erupt between them in the cramped space of a single night.
This is a short, intense story packed with emotion and tension. Theo and River’s history is messy and heartbreaking, and being forced together brings all those feelings boiling to the surface.
Things to expect in this book are:
Book 1 in series
MM romance
Novella
Stepbrothers
Enemies
Forced proximity
Hurt / Comfort
Spicy times
Rough sex
C*m play
Mild degradation
Restraints
Secrets revealed
Admit feelings
HEA
Theo has hated his stepbrother River ever since the night their parents died, blaming him for the tragedy. Five years later, forced together after River’s car accident, anger and unresolved tension threaten to erupt between them in the cramped space of a single night.
This is a short, intense story packed with emotion and tension. Theo and River’s history is messy and heartbreaking, and being forced together brings all those feelings boiling to the surface.
Things to expect in this book are:
Book 1 in series
MM romance
Novella
Stepbrothers
Enemies
Forced proximity
Hurt / Comfort
Spicy times
Rough sex
C*m play
Mild degradation
Restraints
Secrets revealed
Admit feelings
HEA
March 13, 2026
5/5⭐️
My heart was shattered, put back together, only to be torn apart again and fixed once more. Oh my goodness.
I didn’t expect this to be such a heavy, angsty read. How could a book that’s only 80 pages long make me feel so many emotions????
The hate sex was so thrilling I could feel it in my bones. The chemistry. The writing. The story… The realization of time wasted because of misunderstandings and miscommunication. The feelings they both tried to bury for years… CALL ME AN AMBULANCE.
I need this quote injected into my VEINS!!!!
My heart was shattered, put back together, only to be torn apart again and fixed once more. Oh my goodness.
I didn’t expect this to be such a heavy, angsty read. How could a book that’s only 80 pages long make me feel so many emotions????
The hate sex was so thrilling I could feel it in my bones. The chemistry. The writing. The story… The realization of time wasted because of misunderstandings and miscommunication. The feelings they both tried to bury for years… CALL ME AN AMBULANCE.
“I've had sex before. Plenty of times. But nothing like that. Nothing that stripped me bare, that peeled back every layer of pretense until there was nothing left but raw need and brutal honesty. Nothing that left me feeling both emptied and filled, destroyed and rebuilt.”
I need this quote injected into my VEINS!!!!
July 17, 2026
Wanted to give it a try, and it was better than I had guessed.
They were step brother who had a falling out when their parents died, and now 5 years later the run into each other again when H1 has an accident and H2 is the firefighter who comes and saves the day.
It’s a short and fast read, everything happens in the span of 24 hours.
Both had crushes on each other before, but because they both blamed them self for their parents death, they started hating each other and they haven’t talked since the funeral.
Both have been with other people during their seperation, H1 has been with other men, no info if H2 had sex with men or women or both, just that he has had a lot of sec before.
No owd, omd
They were step brother who had a falling out when their parents died, and now 5 years later the run into each other again when H1 has an accident and H2 is the firefighter who comes and saves the day.
It’s a short and fast read, everything happens in the span of 24 hours.
Both had crushes on each other before, but because they both blamed them self for their parents death, they started hating each other and they haven’t talked since the funeral.
Both have been with other people during their seperation, H1 has been with other men, no info if H2 had sex with men or women or both, just that he has had a lot of sec before.
No owd, omd
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews