Feels Like Home

by Casey Cox

Doctor x firefighter in a steamy, small-town, friends-to-lovers MM romance...

Courtland
I swear I'm not deliberately avoiding telling my best friend I'm in love with him. Life just has a funny way of getting in the way…for the last fifteen years or so.

Take prom. Buzz was my date, and I was planning on telling him that night. One week before, my mom and his dad drop a bombshell—they've been having an affair. The aftermath destroyed two families.

I moved away to Boston and pursued my medical career. Buzz stayed in Clovelly and became a firefighter. He started dating. We stayed best friends.

Now, thirteen years later, I'm back in town after Grandpa Arnie dies. He leaves me his inn in his will. On two conditions. One, I get married, and two, I stay in town for at least six months.

Buzz loves that inn as much as I do, so he offers himself as tribute. Now that we're married and living together, nothing is going to get in the way of me telling him how I feel.

Not his annoying new himbo-rific friend.

Not even my lifelong habit of avoiding talking about my feelings.

Nothing.

But then my mother drops another bombshell—and it makes what happened before prom look like a warm-up act.

Buzz
The last guy I dated dumped me because he said he wanted a boyfriend, not an emotional support animal. All my relationships have ended the same way—guys leave because I'm too needy, too clingy.

The sad truth is, they're all right.

The only person who accepts me for who I am in all my needy glory is Court.

Having him back in Clovelly is great. And marrying him has come with some unexpected benefits…of the bedroom variety.

But just because we're releasing a little steam doesn't change the fact that I want to settle down and have kids, and Court has a career waiting for him in Boston. Even though this fake marriage feels better than any relationship I've been in, the reason it works is because it has an inbuilt end date.

Once six months are up, he'll inherit his grandfather's inn and leave like he always does.

Why would this time be any different?…

Tropes :

Friends to loversFake marriageDoctor x firefighter Husbands with benefits"Gilmore Girls" meets "Sullivan's Crossing" vibesEmotional support bottomFound family No third-act breakup

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Family

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2025

About the author

Casey writes MM romance with plenty of 💕, 🔥, 🤣, and of course 🍆 + 🍑.

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Reviews

[Gracie · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a book with miscommunication thrope read this!

[Sara]

The plot seems largely based on people not talking to each other. 😂 So not really interesting to read, personally.

[pigeon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on the description, this felt very up my alley. Exactly what I wanted to read at the moment, but… these guys have zero chemistry. It certainly felt like a bit of a slog to get through.

[noa A · Rating 2 out of 5]

They start out as best friends.
Then a fake marriage.
Then they become friends with benefits.
And only at the very end—truly at the very end—they finally confess their love.

Was there any reason for it to take so long? No.
Was the romance between them heartwarming? No—it’s childish and mostly centered around sex.

I can’t say I recommend it. It’s a popular trope, but this is neither one of the good ones nor even an average one I’ve read.
Baz behaves like an overgrown child to a degree no 30-year-old man should, and the other one—whose name I’ve already forgotten—is just a sex- and control-obsessed jerk.

[Ro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends-to-lovers is a favorite trope of mine, and I was excited to read this. Court and Buzz were best friends, inseparable, and had a date to go to prom together. Unfortunately, Buzz’s dad and Court’s mom decided to implode the families, and it affected so many people. Court’s dad took him to live in Boston, away from Buzz, and Court can’t stand to come back much. His relationship with his mom has suffered. But his grampa just died, so he’s back in his hometown of Clovelly, just for a day or two. Until he gets wind of his grampa’s will. The Inn, which his grampa owned and has been in their family for generations, has been left to Court but only if he fulfills two things. First, he has to be married (with a week to do it!) and he has to live in Clovelly for six months. Buzz is ecstatic – six months with the best friend he’s been in love with forever. Of course, he doesn’t realize Court is in love with him too and the communication between these two is lacking. Buzz offers himself as tribute to fulfill the will, and they get married.
While yes, the lack of communication drove me crazy, I also could see how fear would get in the way. Court is a world traveler who just got back from volunteering in Africa and his dad and family live in Boston. Buzz is a firefighter, definitely a small town guy, who wants to stay in Clovelly. They have some awesome history together but also some really crappy history that has affected them. Court never dates, Buzz gets dumped for being too needy. Buzz knows what Court is like underneath. “Sensitive and kind, and when we were younger he used to believe in the goodness of people.” Now, no dates, he struggles to make friends, and he doesn’t get vulnerable for anyone.
So off they go to the courthouse, get married, and are now living at Buzz’s place and trying to navigate this new reality. But things difficult when you are in love. “But we lead two very different lives in two very different places. That’s never going to change.”
For some side characters, there’s Buzz’s other BFF, Ramzi, who is awesome. Howie, Buzz’s twin, is also awesome, all nacho-eating, no-pants-wearing gorilla that he is. He is the one that calls them out and I loved it. The people at the Inn, who have known Court and Buzz since they were kids, also awesome, as are Scooter and Cyrus, Buzz and Court’s other besties. Also, Court’s dad is lovely. I knew immediately who the “himboriffic friend” mentioned in the blurb was as soon as he came in. He is irritating. Yes, he mostly redeems himself but still…irritating. And Court knows right away. “I don’t know what it is about Zane that rubs him the wrong way…” To be fair, Court does try with Zane, knowing he’s Buzz’s friend. And, while I didn’t think Court was out of line (much), I also thought Buzz needed to step up early and make things clear to Zane. “I’m a chickenshit who hates letting people down, and I’m desperately trying to avoid a situation where I have to tell Zane to his face I’m not interested in him romantically.”
There’s a lot happening between these two, and Zane features in some of it. Monopoly, art class, and so on. I did laugh when Buzz goes to a chocolate class with his friend and not romantic partner, Zane, and makes “…what basically looks like dog shit…” because I have been to a class like that and mine didn’t look good either. Luckily for me, and Buzz and Court, they still taste good. I could go on and on about Ramzi, and Buzz and Court, and Zane being a non-chocolate type turd, but the best thing is to read it!
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews

[Tony Farnden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels Like Home is a second chance / best friends to lovers tale. Second chance because Courtland didn’t get the chance to tell Buzz that he loved him before being whisked away from Clovelly by his father in response to his mother’s infidelity. He returns to Clovelly for his Grandpa Arnie’s funeral and the fateful reading of the will which traps him in Clovelly and close to Buzz for at least six months.

Courtland Matthews is now a doctor and has just returned from a stint working in Africa. He has a future mapped out, working at his father’s hospital in Boston but he also has his sights on Buzz or Brock Lightyear, the man he has never stopped loving. Buzz is a fireman and he also has a place in his heart for Court. The story revolves around them both as they go out of their way to be close but also how they avoid saying what they want to each other. The terms of Arnie’s will gives them the opportunity to be closer than they ever thought. Court has to get married and stay in Clovelly for six months if he wants to inherit his grandfather’s inn.

Buzz steps up and offers to marry him so the scene is set for some truths being revealed and some serious decisions being made. There are obstacles to be overcome in terms of Court’s future plans, his mother’s past and present actions which also involve Buzz’s father, interfering friends and Zane, a new friend of Buzz who has his eyes on winning the fireman’s heart.

Being a romance, there is a happy ever after and quite a bit of bedroom action as the two men come to some interim decisions. They manage that but it takes a lot for them to be finally honest about their feelings even with all the prompting from friends and family. It is well written with quite a lot of fun to be had along the way. I’m not too keen on Courtland's somewhat aggressive approach to intercourse but Buzz is fine with it so it’s okay for them. Other than that it is a good read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kitchen Sink Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Courtland and Buzz! What a pair. I am honestly in love with them both but my goodness did this pair need their heads banging together in the kindest possible way! Yes, they may have experienced some serious weirdness in their late teens but their friendship has never been threatened no matter what their parents managed to mess up. And here they are, years later, back together in their home town, the place Courtland swore he wouldn't live in again after all that happened. Buzz has never left which is perhaps one of the reasons it took them so long to finally reveal their truth to one another. Of course that truth is not going to be revealed without hiccups along the way but my heart stayed true to them both throughout, certain they would find a way to make it work.

After their parents really messed everything up Courtland left with his father, followed a medical career and is back from a stay in Africa to attend his beloved grandfather's funeral. What he is not expecting is the ultimatum or the response from Buzz. Then there is the sheer lack of surprise from everyone around them. They both know, but have kept to themselves, that they are in love with the other. Courtland is determined he is going to tell Buzz but then Buzz has a new friend who seems to be wanting to make moves, and that makes Courtland jealous to the extent that he does childish things and becomes distracted. It is only another bombshell from their parents which brings everything into absolutely crystal clear focus and then a misheard conversation which means Courtland MUST tell Buzz the truth.

Casey Cox has created in these characters two men who we can't help but fall in love with, two men we can't help but feel frustrated with and a story that we simply can't put down. It is so very filled, to bursting, with love, friendships, everything small town, that it is impossible to do anything than make a big cosy nest (or find a comfy treehouse) to settle into and read!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dithering Idiots - MM Lovers

Loved the cover of this so I grabbed it straight away. I’m nearly sure the model is supposed to represent Courtland. Like lots of MM stories, it start with an MC returning to their hometown for some family event or they have nowhere else to go. In this instance it’s Dr. Courtland Matthew’s grandfather’s funeral that brings him home. He doesn’t visit for his mother, they keep their distance. What also kept him away is the thoughts of meeting up with his BFF since they were kids, Brock Lightyear, aka Buzz. Even as 17 year olds, everyone in town assumed they would be together forever. Court is not great at talking about his feelings and never tells Buzz how he feels. But the grownups in their lives ruined everything. I couldn’t believe what I was reading about that situation😱. But it impacted Court and Buzz to a huge extent.

What kept Court from leaving after the funeral was a conditional request in his Grandfather’s Will regarding the Inn which he owned. It was Buzz who helped him sort that out.

However, it was Court and Buzz who raised my BP to a dangerous level when reading ‘Feels Like Home’. Court was the most frustrating, despite his constant voicing of his love for Buzz to other people, he kept putting off telling Buzz. Buzz was just as bad, he was hiding his feelings too, for years, but I could understand why he held back.

I seriously considered DNF to protect my BP from spiking, even stopped reading for a whole day and a half, but I’ve only done that once in my lifetime as a bookworm. The book has a good storyline line and is set in a lovely little town with a few interesting side characters.

A couple of these ‘side characters’ haven’t finished dropping bombshells on our dithering pair of idiots, but eventually they managed to ‘un-dither themselves’.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun friends to lovers story. This is the story of Courtland (Court) Matthews and Brock (Buzz) Lightyear. These two guys have been best friends since high school. In fact, they were to go to prom together but then a familial bombshell was dropped and Court moved to Boston with his father. He left and became a doctor. He just returned from volunteering in Africa when his grandfather passed away. Returning for the funeral lets him get together with his best friend Buzz. He has plans to return to Boston and work with his father, also a doctor. At least he did until his grandfather's will is read. Buzz is a fire fighter and has lived in this town his entire life. He has no plans to leave. He is looking forward to seeing his best friend but bracing himself for him to leave once again. He is in love with Court. Time and distance doesn't seem to be making it diminish. He will just enjoy what time he has with Court before he leaves. When Court is forced to marry within a week and remain in Clovelly for six months, Buzz volunteers as tribute. Everyone in town can plainly see that Court and Buzz are in love with each other. Everyone but Court and Buzz. At least they have six months together to finally figure things out. Or at least talk to one another. But these two have been using avoidance and denial as shields. Will they finally get together even though they are married to each other? This is their story. The book is written well and is easy to read. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow along with their friend group. Another fun read by this author.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deb Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courtland and Buzz have been best friends since forever, even when a scandal between their parents shattered both families and sent Court running to Boston. Now, years later, he’s back in Clovelly—and not just for a visit. His grandfather left him the beloved family inn… with a catch: he must stay for six months and get married.

Buzz, ever the loyal friend (and secretly hopelessly in love), volunteers as tribute. What starts as a fake marriage quickly turns into something more—with banter, bedroom benefits, and feelings that both men have kept buried for far too long. But just as things begin to settle, Court's mother drops a new bombshell that threatens to unravel everything.

Buzz has always been told he’s too needy, too clingy—but with Court, he finally feels safe being himself. The problem? Their marriage has an expiration date, and Court has a whole life waiting for him in Boston. What happens when the one person who’s always been there might leave again?

This was such a fantastic read! I absolutely loved the fun, flirty banter and giggled more than once. Court and Buzz are charming, complicated, and completely meant for each other. The chemistry is great, the emotional stakes are real, and there were twists I genuinely didn’t see coming. Add in a cast of lovable secondary characters, and this was an easy book to fall into.

I’m already hoping some of those side characters get their own stories—because I’m not ready to leave Clovelly just yet.

I received a free ARC copy and this is my honest review.

[Mandy (MP Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about Courtland and Buzz, lifelong best friends who enter into a fake marriage after Courtland inherits an inn, bringing their long-suppressed romantic feelings to a head amidst new family secrets. Courtland has been in love with Buzz for fifteen years but has repeatedly let life and family crises get in the way of confessing his feelings. After returning home, he inherits his grandfather's inn with the condition that he gets married and stays in town for six months. Buzz, who loves the inn, offers to be his fake husband. Now married and living together, Courtland is determined to finally confess, but a shocking new family secret threatens to complicate things further. Buzz has always felt accepted only by Courtland, especially after a history of partners leaving him for being too "needy." Despite enjoying the unexpected "benefits" of their fake marriage, he views it as temporary, believing Courtland will inevitably return to his career in Boston. He fears letting himself hope for a future with Courtland, as the arrangement has a clear "end date."

I enjoyed this story with the two men who were drawn together but over time had lost the easier communication they had when they were children. I initially loved this story but as it dragged on I started to become frustrated with the two men and their relationship with the will he or won't he talk to him. I did love the way that they were described and the detail of the descriptions of the places, people, emotions and feelings which were easy to understand. This was an MM story with mature content.

[Tammy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Court and Buzz have had feelings for each other since they were teenagers but were never able to declare them due to a family scandal that ripped them apart. Fast forward thirteen years, and fate (with the help of Grandpa Arnie and his forethought) will finally put these two in a situation where they will be forced to admit what everyone else has always known...that they belong together. Inheriting the family Inn from his grandfather was unexpected, as was the stipulation that he must marry within a week and reside for at least 6 months in order to claim it. Buzz, ever the bestie, offers himself as tribute, and then things get interesting. The close proximity and repressed feelings begin to unravel their ability to keep things in the friend zone and they begin to explore the benefits of being married. I wanted to bonk them on the head for not just coming out with the fact that they loved each other romantically but the tension just made when they finally got together that much sweeter. I can't wait to see what Casey has in store for some of the other characters as this series continues. Always a pleasure to read from this author.

[aidni · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt almost like a satire of MM romance books.

So many trope are inelegantly jammed into a slow, kind of boring low angst story it’s wild. The plot points all come out left field and all have to happen immediately. There is zero emotional reaction time. It’s all like Get married NOW, adopt this baby NOW, start hooking up with your best friend zero-100 NOW! And no one has any feelings about it what so ever.

Of all the possible iterations of this trope, apparently the author gave us the most generic, unoriginal options. When the baby thing popped up I had to stop for the night out of frustration. Like of COURSE there is a baby plot from this old crone of mother, god forbid a woman has a child at 48. What an old bag.


I love a second chance, I’m in love with him and he doesn’t know trope, however, there was ZERO tension, almost no chemistry and almost nothing happened.

The book is literally a paint by numbers. The only interesting part is Zane’s rivalry with Court was pretty funny and has there been any actually jealousy on Court or Buzz’s part maybe I would have bumped this up.

Overall this was just bleh. Points for a good over though.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely has some heavy rom-com vibes with the laughs and great friends, but it has situations that are not the norm and has a lot of sexy times.
Court and Buzz are the absolute best friends, and have been secretly in love for more than a decade - at least it's a secret from one another, as pretty much everyone else they know has known it for a while.
They are a little slow in finally expressing their feelings, but between them each procrastinating and fearing the response, it's understandable.
I enjoyed the rivalry situation and learning a bit about some of their family and friends, and really loved the support they had from everyone.
In true rom-com fashion, it ends with true love and our MC's looking forward to their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amazing Romance

After years of no contact, highs school BFFs Brock Lightyear, AKA Buzz, and Courtland Matthews reconnect when Court returns for his grandfather's funeral. Grandpa Arnie's will stipulates Court receives his grandfather's Inn where Court and Buzz spent many happy hours.

Court left town, unable to deal with his mom and Buzz's dad's affair. After college, medical school and charity work in Africa his return to Clovelly reminds him how he feels about Buzz.

Feels Like Home made me use all the Kleenex I had, laughing and crying and loving this story of unrequited love. I enjoy books by Casey Cox and I think this one rules. Some of the plot twists surprised me in a good way.

[Tasha Thrall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spicy Leve: 🌶🌶🌶 / 5
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5

Tropes:
💕 Firefighter x Doctor
💕 Fake Husbands
💕 Friends to Lovers
💕 Found Family
💕 Dual POV

Court and Buzz is definition of Friends to Lovers. Each of them had crushes all through High-school. Court asking Buzz prom and going to tell him how he truly felt about his friend.. But the worst thing happen, Court dad taking him to Boston with him.
Now with Grandpa Arnie's meddling, Buzz offer to become Court's Husband to save the Inn that's full of both of their memories.

Feel Like Home is a beautifully writen story. Court and Buzz end up getting everything they wanted. Of course there were jealousy and ups and down. But the story definitely had me on the edge of my seat and hoping everything plays out. It was a beautiful HEA with a little hook idea for the next book. I hope Howie and Ramzi will have a book.🤞

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Great world building and wonderful characters. I loved both Buzz and Courtland. Two sweet guys, best friends-to-lovers, fake marriage, one-who-got-away/second chance romance. Court and Buzz have such a strong relationship, and it's obvious to others what they feel for each other, but neither comes out and says it. I liked the supporting characters. Zane was a worthy adversary for Court- at least he added drama. The scene at the live drawing class nearly killed me! It was so perfect! I really loved the arc of his character in this book. It's not what I expected after the usual love rivals in stories, but this felt genuine and realistic. This book had a slice of life feel to it and I really loved the journey. 5 stars

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story. Court and Buzz were so clueless. Everyone knew how they felt about each other except each other. Granted there were some issues beyond their control but it was quite entertaining to read along as they finally got to their happily ever after. Now I need Howie and Ramzi's story.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[Akasha721 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book and great characters, all of them. Court and Buzz have been in love since high school but never told each other. Forced to get married is a good idea in more ways than one. This leads to a family and a HEA!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emma Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, Courtland and Buzz were loveable and annoying and perfect together all at the same time.

Courtland returns to a place he swears he'll never live again only to be forced to by his Grandfather from the afterlife. He and Buzz dance around their feelings only eventually confront them thanks to misunderstanding and more parental drama.

Court and Buzz are meant for each other and this was a fun and flirty read that had real heart.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey Cox is great at providing easy, quick, cozy, low angst romances. It is what it is but you can still have a good time reading. I like to save these for a little breather between the heavy-hitting books.

[Shorty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg

I am honestly soo glad that I picked this book up. It's my first by this author and I am so glad I did. Loved the story loved the characters and I am PRAYING so hard she continues this into more books. She set it up so good to have more books in this world.

[Dawn Siemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's not talk

How long can two best friends stay married without telling each other they've had a crush on each other since high school?

There is some family drama and friend drama while you wait.

[Jimbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn it. 1. You put dad's in a book, and well, I love it!
2. Hot fireman and doctor? Again, all for it. 3. Small quaint town? 4. Crazy family drama?
5. Group of gay friends?
Well, five rights equal five stars.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars ~ This was cute, but I struggled to see their relationship as being best friends their entire life. I just never got that vibe from them. Otherwise it’s a sweet story.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two kind, decent leads made for a pleasurable read. I can count on this author for that.

[Debbie Asbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Great story had beginning middle and sad it was a book that once I started it I didn't want to put it down

[Amanda Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels Like Home is a small town, steamy, friends to lovers, sweet read about Court and Buzz. I really enjoyed this book and the wonderful characters.

[Pjm12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot, hot. Cute, sweet, more of the found family will find love and I want to be there for them.

[Miranda Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!

Very intense & keeps you on your toes! The love they have for each other is amazing. Read the book to findout more!